Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts/Final Fantasy or any other SquareSoft/Enix material used in this story. I only own the original characters, plot, and concept.

Opening Notes: I typically hate opening up chapters/stories with these but some background information! I haven't written in years and this came to me about a month ago and I've been planning it out. Some background for the story, take most major pantheons, mythological creatures, being deities, etc. and put them in a Kingdom Hearts-verse backdrop and this is this story. Also, I have never written in first person aspect in that a character recalls events that occurred. If you don't like the idea of Sora telling the story in the story then I have an idea I can write in the traditional third person though. Comments are appreciated, especially critical ones. If you like something, don't like something, find some errors, are confused, or whatnot then just let me know! Now, ON WITH THE SHOW!

The room was tiny and smelled of cheap cigarettes. A monotonous and dull white stained the walls, and in an eerie manner. A single intercom was located in the center of the roof. Preparations were being made outside this room for what would be so much more than anyone expected it to be.

A lone young man with dark brown hair was led into the room and sat down in the seat. He sat there in cuffs and an outfit that matches the wall. Faded black ink read 'D.I.F.I.' Below that the words 'Destiny Isle's Facility for the Insane' were printed on his uniform. The officer that led him into the room leaned over the young man and undid the cuffs.

"What is this for?" Sora asked, baffled.

"Well," the rusty-haired guard smirked, "It was requested by your interviewer." He added a sublime wink and exited the room briskly.

Sora sat there in silence, drumming his fingers on the table nervously. He had been in the facility for a few months now and assumed he was all but forgotten. He had no family, his friends assumed he had genuinely gone crazy, and he knew of no one else that would have any interest in him or his 'psychotic ramblings'. His questions would soon be answered by the creaking of the thick metal door. Before Sora could turn to view the person that entered into the room the man already entered the room and sat down.

"Hello, Sora. I know you are wondering who I am, my name is Monty. I am here to hear your story and perform a psycho-analysis on you." Monty withdrew a notepad and hastily scrawled down in messy letters 'I'm tapped, I am here to help.'

Sora raised an eyebrow as he scanned the note and then looked up at the man. He wasn't sure whether to believe him or not, so he cautiously eyed the man and settled back in his seat. Monty cleared his throat and gestured quickly to his breast pocket where there was the impression of a square was barely visible.

"Now, where to start, tell me a bit about yourself!" Monty leaned back in his chair, mimicking Sora's actions; getting comfortable where he sat.

"Well, I am twenty-two. I've seen and things you wouldn't believe and I've been to even more places that would blow your mind!"

"Oh, come now, Sora. You aren't going to bore me with such drabble and niceties. We know why I am here to talk. Where did you go? What did you see?"

Sora leaned forward, a wicked grin on his face, "Well, that is the question, isn't it Mr. Monty?"

Monty leaned forward, he looked slightly impatient. "We don't have time to play games. Time is of the essence."

"Well, where to start? There's an entire world similar to our but separate to it. A world that most refuse to accept, believe, and don't see because they are raised believing it and 'fairy tale' creatures do not exist. But they do. I saw them. I felt them. I talked to them."

"Tell me more about these fey you saw," Monty was now putting Sora to the test.

"There are 'groups' if you want to call them such; there were seelie and unseelie. Oh and those that don't really fit into a category; you know, don't associate with either court. I heard various names for them, but the nice way to refer them was the wild ones. Oh, also, there is a more simplistic system of laws overseen by a group of 'superior' fey that carry out punishment known as the brithem."

Monty just nodded to the young man's words with an approving smile. So, the kid wasn't just a raving lunatic. Wotan was right; not that he was going to question his judgment. After a few moments of silence, Monty withdrew a silver case. Something was written on it but Sora failed to recognize the alphabet or language inscribed on it. The psychologist withdrew a small, hand-rolled cigarette and offered it to Sora. The chestnut haired boy nodded his head in disapproval. With a shrug, the other man stuck it between his lips and with use of a lighter took a few draws on it. After deciding the end was sufficiently lit he blew smoke into the air.

"Now, I have a feeling this will be a long visit so why don't you start from the beginning? The day you met… Him…"

Sora paused; obviously the reference to his lover caused him to think. His facial expression said it all; he could remember every little thing as if it happened only yesterday. He dug into the deepest recesses of his mind though to withdraw every little piece of information and detail.

"Well, I used to work at a factory. It was located near one of the major rivers because we shipped our product down the river. It was convenient for the company; either way, everything was fine. At least everything was fine until we lost our manager due to an unfortunate event which called him away. Production continued on, things were just a bit looser. Then, they brought him in." The cold bitterness in his voice when he said 'him' was enough to send chills down anyone's spine.

"Him?" Monty inquired.

"Yes, him. He was younger than our previous manager but still pretty cool. His name was Axel. Strange, but he let things continue on as they were when he came in. Loosely ran, many of the rules and regulations weren't strictly enforced. Not wanting to question the boss and go back to the over-bearing work place everyone followed the only order he did enforce. Our waste was to be emptied into the river. Also, any by-products were to be emptied into a nearby forest. Again, no one was going to complain or question."

"Interesting," Sora's recollection was interrupted. "This makes no sense though, why would he do that?" His question was strictly rhetorical. But the agitated Sora just glared at the man, waiting for him to finish so he can continue with his story.

"Well, it bothered me a bit. I mean, I'm not advocate for saving the planet but I don't see any reason for pointlessly causing harm to nature. Like everyone else, I kept my head down and my mouth shut. We rarely saw Axel; he typically kept himself locked in his office. When we did see him he wore sunglasses and kept practically every inch of his body covered except for his head and neck. Everything below the neck though was covered. I guess I never thought about it at the time though, no one really did.

"Well, life continued on. During break, most of my co-workers would go out and smoke. I may not condone the act but we would hang outside and talk. I was out by the river alone one evening when we met. In the muddy, murky depths I noticed something relatively large swimming back and forth. At first I thought it to be a large fish but then I realized it was much too large to be a fish. It was then I also recognized the creature had a serpentine shape. This was my first encounter with a fey. At first I played it off as optical illusions being played on me by shadows, the sun, and the river. Still feeling a little paranoid I started heading back to the factory.

"The events that ensued happened in the window of a few seconds. My ears heard the splash, my nose smelled the fishiness, my whole body felt the breeze of it darting towards me, and my eyes registered a blur that now stood between me and the factory all at once. Finally I began to understand that before me was a creature I had only heard of in stories. It was a naga. The creature that stood, however that term applies, before me had a serpentine lower half. The top half, starting around the upper chest, was human. The way the bright green scales with horizontal lines of tan scales gave way to this smooth, pale skin was magnificent. Vertical, elliptical, turquoise pupils stared at me through long, silver hair. Yellow and orange fins ran down his back."

A smile crept across Sora's face and a sigh escaped his lips that just seemed to say, 'He is so dreamy…' He sat there a moment as he let the image forever burned into his head slowly take over all of his mental imagery and focused on it for as long as he could. After several minutes passed, Monty extinguished the butt of his cigarette and cleared his throat. Snapping the young man to reality, Sora muttered an apology.

"You obviously miss him…" Monty commented, trying to offer some kind of condolence. Then, realizing he had slipped up he clenched his teeth and gestured towards the recording device in his pocket that was broadcasting everything said to the warden and a few others in the main office of the psych ward. "That is to say, of course, that this being exists. You know, often the brain summons visions that don't exist under severe circumstances."

Clenching his fists angrily, Sora clambered to his feet awkwardly. The chair he sat in caused him to lose his balance as he stood. Then he realized why the man said what he did and silently nodded. Still showing obvious signs of agitation at the other's save. It was a low blow, albeit a necessary one, but still low.

"Either way, forgive my crude interruption of your story; it's just we're on a time limit and daydreaming is just burning both ends of the candle. So, if you don't mind me asking, please do continue on with what you were saying?"

"Very well, where was I? Oh, yes, my first confrontation and meeting with Riku! Either way, I was at a loss for what to do, this all had to be some kind of mirage or trick. Or was it such?"

Flashback
~Sora's P.O.V.~

I stared at him, blinking. Horrified, terrified, suddenly sick to my stomach. I assumed perhaps I had overworked myself; of course, the heat was getting to me! Or that breakfast burrito had a small bit of undercooked sausage! Of course! Meanwhile, as I and this trick that my cruel mind decided to play on me stared each other down I shifted weight from foot to foot nervously. Come on, cut me some slack! Anyone at that point would instantly worry about being delusional and letting their mind ponder the worst possible scenarios then and there!

I bounded off, feet hitting the pavement towards the backdoor to the factory. But the serpentine creature moved with such speed, grace, and elegance he beat me and again placed himself in front of me. Finally he raised a pail arm and pointed at me. His fingers were elongated, much longer. Kind of like how you would expect a surgeon or pianist to have.

"You, your kind, monsters all of you!" The 's' drug out in the seemingly stereotypical manner snakes and other reptilian creatures talk in cartoons and movies. But that was the least of my worries. "We watch day in and day out as you dump your waste into our waters! Others watch as you defile their homes with the remnants of your labor!"

"I, but, no, you, I…" my voice trailed off as I searched for words utterly perplexed by what stood before me. For many moments it seemed like all I could hear was my heart. Bam! Bam! Bam! If it beat any faster it would explode, quite literally, out of my chest.

"There's no excuse for what you have done," the creature slithered towards me. So I did the stupidest thing possible. I feigned left, planted my feet on the ground, threw my weight to the right, and darted again. The creature's tail lashed out and had me grounded before I could even pass it. Oddly enough though, when it stopped me it didn't strike hard enough to inflict pain. Instead it just moved is tail in my way. I didn't let it stop me though. As soon as I hit the ground I tucked and rolled over away from the thing and was off again! Finally I reached the doors and darted inside, not bothering to turn around.

A few moments later after talking to my boss, I simply explained that I was under the weather and beginning to see things. He was more than willing to let me go for the day and as long as I needed. Odd but I paid no attention to it. I walked to work, it wasn't but a few blocks from my home. So the entire way home I kept an eye over my shoulder to make sure nothing was following me.

Finally home, safe at last, I locked the door, chain, and deadbolt behind me and leaned, back against the door. I walked into the kitchen, took some Aspirin, headed out the back sliding door into my backyard, and just took in a minute to take in some fresh air and try to relax. Lo and behold, who is to be in my backyard but then the mirage from earlier! Now I knew I was delusional! So I turned around, counted to ten, took in a few deep breaths, and turned back around again. It was still there.

"What do you want?" I all but yelled. "I am seeing things, I am going crazy…" I mumbled to myself.

Fortunately my backyard is fenced in by nine foot wooden fence. I like my privacy! So if anyone heard me they at least couldn't see me yelling at nothing.

"You aren't seeing things, mortal…" he hissed at me, obviously offended. "This one is just as real as you! Just your kind fails to see our kind because so few of you choose to see us or believe in us!"

"'Us?' There's more of you? No, this isn't happening!" I turned and walked into the house, the creature followed me inside.

"Look, mortal, this one is not here to quarrel with you!"

"Fine! Answer me this, why, oh why did you follow me home? What are you? Who are you? What do you want me to do?"

He sat there, pondering over the questions. I stood in place, my hands and legs trembling, nervously. Eventually, the creature seemed to pick up on my fear and finally held up a hand.

"This one is not here to quarrel! Calm yourself, mortal! This one is referred to as Riku by his people. This one belong to the Unseelie Court, mortals have known us under many names, most commonly 'naga'. This one traced you back to your home to apologize for earlier. This one acted hastily in anger for the way mortals treat our homes and nature-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" I interrupted Riku. "No offense but first of all, mortals? I have a name, it's Sora. Also, the mortal thing's a little weird. You can call people humans if you wish. Also, please use personal nouns. Such as 'I' instead of 'this one', okay?" This is too damn strange to be happening! I can't believe I am talking to this!I told myself mentally, but I continued on.

"I apologize, Sora, for being an inconvenience. I meant well, it's just my people and I suffer everyday while our home is defiled! It is becoming difficult during mating season to keep our eggs and offspring healthy! Many have perished since the humans have begun to dump their trash! The folk of the forest also complain and stirred trouble. The Wild, Seelie, and Unseelie! It's causing much discourse! Not good…" Riku trailed off, obviously worried about the way things were going.

"Well, I promise it wasn't my choice to do this! I didn't want to in the first place. It really bothered me but I was ordered to by my superior. He has things he wants done the way he wants, we have no say in that or he terminates us," I tried to explain.

"Superior? Terminate? Much akin to the naga's form of monarchy?"

"Monarchy? Oh, no! Superior as in my boss! Terminate means you are dismissed from work, you don't have a job!"

"Ah, yes, this one- Er, I have heard it put as being 'fired' once. You're kind has talked about it before while outside smoking."

I knew then I had my work cut out for me; because this illusion was way too intelligent to be something my mind created. I know this is untrue but it just seemed too real. Further proof of this creature's existence occurred a few moments later.

"Yes, you have the right idea now. But we don't-" I stopped midsentence as Riku fell to the floor. His chest rose and fell but he wasn't breathing. His arms flailed about wildly as he dragged himself bit by bit. I instantly freaked out so I kneeled next to him. "Riku, Riku, what's wrong? Are you alright?"

"Water," his voice was barely audible it was so soft.

Naturally, I ran to the cupboard and withdrew a red plastic cup and filled it with water offering it to him. But he nodded in disagreement to it.

"Much… More…." Now his voice was so dry and raspy his face contorted into pain as he spoke.

In that brief moment it clicked what I had read about the Naga. They were once divine beings that resided in some higher plane of existence before being cast out for some reason or another, that part relatively useless. But they became seafaring creatures. Freshwater or saltwater didn't really matter so I turned the water in the sink full blast, grabbed the hose from the sink, and doused him. It would be a hell of a mess to deal with later but right now I was accepting the existence of… Mythological beings?

What was wrong with me?I took a moment to question my sanity before shrugging and continuing to not only soak my kitchen floor but try to keep this poor creature alive. No, to use the term creature is much too rude and insulting. To keep this being alive. Slowly as the water rushed over his entire body his eyes closed as he just relished in being reinvigorated.

Several minutes of spraying and cleaning up later, I was seated at his dining room table still trying to comprehend how and why a half-snake, half-human was sitting in his kitchen with him. "Okay, what just happened?"

"Naga's scales are different than our distant brethren, snakes. Their scales," he explained, "overlap going downward while ours do the exact opposite. They overlap going up. This is because under our scales are little pockets that hold water and our bodies use the water to breathe. Unfortunately, when the water is gone we eventually die a most painful death. Hence our banishment to the sea. Over time my people has learned ways of slowing down our bodily functions so we require less water over extended periods of time in case we are unable to attain enough water. Just I let my blind fury from earlier distract me."

"Ah," I remarked, still trying to decide whether or not I took this as being truth. I gently massaged my temples with a sigh. "So, what do you want me to do about this problem?" I knew I could shake him if I just got to the root of the problem. I feared I knew what it was before he had to open his mouth.

His facial expression then further proved my assumption of what he was going to say. He obviously didn't want to bother me with such a request but his people and his own life depended on it. "Well, perhaps you could talk to your superior, your boss, about not polluting and diluting our home or the forests?" The word 'boss' rolled off of his tongue so venomously and unnervingly it made me shudder briefly.

"Great, I get to reason with my boss a creature that to almost every person on this planet alive doesn't exist has visited me and requested I talk to him about not polluting!" I lowered my head onto the wooden surface of the table harder than I meant to. The dull thud and sharp pain made me regret my sarcastic remark. "I will talk to him tomorrow! Okay? But until then, don't you need to return to the river? Or somewhere?"

"No thank you," he said as he slithered out the back door and disappeared into the darkened backyard. Had it been that easy? Just sit down and politely talk to the creature for a few hours. Perhaps I had just had a small mental breakdown and I had seen things? A sign that things going on at work did need to end? Sure, I figured with a shrug. Why not?

I sat before Mr. Axel, he never gave a surname. His sunglasses I found brought much discomfort because his face was unreadable. I calmly explained my case to him about the danger his method of removing waste and garbage were unhealthy to the environment as well as the drinking source the town often relied on as well as the oxygen breathed given off by the trees. After I finished, we sat there in silence for several long seconds. I tapped my feet, I had to do something to keep form fidgeting in my chair to the point of appearing to dance. The thought caused a smile to creep across my face that last for a few moments until Axel stood and circled around the desk.

"Sora, Sora, Sora," he put an arm around my shoulder as he leaned down to get to my level. The smell of cigars as well as something else, something that didn't quite fit or belong, filled my nostrils and over-loaded my senses briefly. My reflection in the dark sunglasses stared nervously back at me. "I thank you for taking note about the safety of nature and the hazards we pose but to tell you the truth, it is much safer than dumping all of this in a landfill then trying to plant more life over it to give it a few years of rain and other natural occurrences to occur and then poor animals and even possibly children to get stuck in these horrible things! Honestly, I only do this with the thought of my fellow human beings in mind. I put mankind first, before wildlife, before animals. Unfortunately sacrifices have to be made at some point, right?"

I paused a moment, assuming the question to be rhetorical. Gulping down the knot in my throat I barely nodded. "Yes, y-yesss sir!" I drug the 's' of yes out a little longer. A flash of Riku's face and snake body crossed my mind, if only for a moment.

"Good, then I'm glad you see things my way! I do take your looking out for the environment to heart. Honestly, I do! It has been duly noted! Now, you need to go home and take a few more days to relax! You're obviously still stressing yourself. Have any more illusions?" His grin made me feel so uncomfortable I would have accepted a dead-pan expression over this.

"None, sir!" I managed to squeak out.

"Good, good!" A pat on his back from Axel. "Well, glad we had this talk!" There was a certain hint of distaste in Axel's voice as if he was agitated that someone as low as I would come to pester him with such trivial matters. That was the least of my worries though.

He walked me to the door and I was out of the office before I knew it. Then I was on my way back home.

When I arrived home the first thing I noticed was my front door was unlocked. I know for an absolute fact it was not left like this when I left! Nervously I open the door as gently and slowly as possible. Next to the door is a round, golden umbrella holder. I reach for one of the longer umbrellas. It's curved wooden handle in my hand felt reminisce of a sword. Though, going into a fight unarmed with nothing but pride and hope would leave one mortally wounded. I heard something coming from the bathroom, so I inched towards its entrance. Door wide open, light on, shower running. Before I could do anything else a voice broke from the bathtub.

"Hello, Sora! It's Riku again!" he cheerfully chirped.

My jaw fell. He helped himself into my house? So he could use my shower? I understood he needed water but there's a hose outside, a river not far away, a local pool, something else! But my shower?

"Why didn't you use the water hose out back?" I asked, highly agitated.

"Because, it's steel! You should know cold steel and fey works like day light with vampires!" he commented.

"Oh, great, more rules for your people?" I sighed.

"Oh, but that's not even scratching the surface what we've covered yet. The sidhe regretfully informed me of the result of your meeting with your boss. They are grateful you tried but that he turned you down so determinedly... This will be a harder fight than I thought. I hope we can resolve things before heshows up!"

"He?" I asked, curiously; slightly afraid of the answer I would be given.

"The Unseelie King. If things get too out of shape or the other Unseelie Court members get too rowdy he has to show up and do political and regal things. It's not all politics for the royalty though. There's a reason they got where they are. They are the strongest, oldest, and most feared by all."

He left me with a lot to chew on and think over. So I sat there trying to process it all before a different though altogether crossed my mind. I had the next few days off. Why try and bother to learn all of what was going on right now and just take the next few days to converse more with Riku. Unfortunately, for the time being, other matters had been presented at hand.

"Don't worry..." I promise. It's not over yet... The words didn't need to be spoken. He got the message loud and clear.