Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts and all its characters belongs to Square Enix. Also, please read the AN at the bottom. Like. Really read it. Don't just skim over it since there is important stuff there.

Prologue

As the falling form of Xemnas vanished in a flash, Sora collapsed to the ground, wisps of darkness surrounding his body. While Sora laid there panting, yet another Dark Corridor opened, with the man he knew as a younger Xehanort stepping out of it.

"You… again." Sora panted, as he struggled to stay awake.

"You just make it too easy. I know you think you've won, but you lost the moment you dived this far in," Xehanort said, a satisfied smile on his face. "You're in the deepest pit of slumber, and you've worn yourself down to nothing. There's no returning to the world above."

"What do you mean?" Sora muttered weakly.

The man continued to explain, "We told you. It was not the Sleeping Keyholes that guided you. They are not the reason you are here. You've been on a path, one we laid out for you. That sigil on your chest is the proof."

"What?" Sora weakly lifted his hand to his chest as he looked at it in quiet disbelief.

Seeing this, Xehanort gestured towards the X symbol, "See? That sigil, the X, it tells us where you are at all times. You had wondered aloud before – why we kept showing up where you were."

"It's because we need you, Sora. Or, to be more precise, we need what will be left of you – the thirteenth dark vessel."

"Why…I…" Sora weakly asked for an explaination, his vision blurring as he tried to focus his gaze on the man standing over him.

"Why was it assured you would come here today? Because I followed my destined path, and I am here looking at you right now. You can move through time, but time itself is immovable."

As Sora rubbed his eyes trying his best to stay awake, Xehanort continued to speak, "Today, all of my selves throughout time were meant to gather here, and to welcome you, Sora, as our thirteenth member. These facts cannot be changed." At this, the man had knelt down beside Sora's prone form.

"What's… gonna happen…"Sora asked blearily, as he slowly became unable to resist the pull of sleep anymore as the wisps of darkness surrounding him became more saturated.

"I have now told you all that I know. We are all here, and what the future holds in store is beyond my sight. I will return to my own time, and grow into the man who becomes all these others.

While I know this future now that I have lived it, returning to my own time will erase the memories and experiences I have gained here."

Still, my appointed path is now etched in my heart, which will first lead me to seek the outside world."

As Sora continued to weakly struggle against the heavy darkness that was forcing him in to sleep, he muttered out one name in quiet desperation, "Riku…"

"Your heart will sleep forever in the folds of darkness. And your body will be another vessel for me. So light gives way to darkness," Xehanort declared, as he waved his hand over Sora's eyes. "Goodnight, Sora."

And as yet again he was forced into sleep, Sora made one final effort to keep his mind awake, by focusing on memories of Riku…

Author's Notes:

I'm writing this... and I'm posting this. (I can't believe it still.)

As all of you can probably tell from the title, this fanfic stemmed from the same idea as Never They Cannot by Venquine1990, who posted their first chapter some few hours ago. I'm not stealing the idea. No way! This fic idea was offered to me by Venquine-sempai one month ago, and as you can see, we decided to post different versions of the same fanfic. Of course, each will overall end up quite different from each other, but I suggest that you read both and tell us what both of us should improve on. Each of us have our own pace and way of telling the story, so don't mind if both are a bit different. In fact, go ahead and make comparisons!

Regarding the chapter itself, you can tell it is a retelling of Sora and Y!Xehanort's conversation before Sora is completely trapped in the dream, with some minor changes. Don't worry much. Its just a prologue. The important parts come in during the future chapters, which will be posted in accordance to Venquine1990's timing.

To Venquine1990, thank you so, so much for giving me the opportunity to work along side you for this fic! As I said in one of my earlier PMs, I hope that future chapters of this fic will continue to meet your standard!

Kiri Kaitou Clover

PS: READ NEVER THEY CANNOT BY VENQUINE1990 IF YOU HAVEN'T READ IT! DO IT NOW! MAKE COMPARISONS, WHATEVER!