The Keyblade War ended with the fall of Master Xehanort and his army of darkness. With the victory in the Light's hand, the worlds return to perfect harmony among the Light and Dark.

Light and Darkness live together, always shadowing one another. The balance is what keeps peace, but some will try to ruin this peace; Greedy people want all the Light's power to themselves, others want to use the power of Darkness to consume the worlds and rebuild it in their image.

All these things have come and gone, balance always being restored.

With Master Xehanort gone, true balance sweeps across the many worlds connected by one sky, under the moon of the great Kingdom Hearts.

The worlds become unconnected once again, and friends flee back to their home worlds, where they live in peace. This is what Sora always wanted, ever since the darkness fell over his small, beloved, little world.

And now, as the peacefulness settles everywhere, he and his friends Riku and Kairi head home, ready to live the rest of their lives as normal people again. The three friends couldn't be more excited. The war is won, and the battle is over.

At least, that's what they thought.

"Sora, you lazy bum! What are you just lying about for? There's work to be done!" Kairi says, leaning over me as I'm laying on the beach. She giggles and kicks my shoulder playfully, "Get up! Riku'll be here any minute!"

I sigh and sit up, grinning, "Right, right, I'm up, Mom!"

Kairi laughs and shakes her head, "Don't be lazy, you promised to help us set something up for Riku's birthday party! He'll be nineteen, Sora!"

I smirk and pretend to groan, "No one threw me a party on my birthday!"

Kairi stifles a giggle, "That's because we were still fighting when your birthday passed. We'll get you next year. And my birthday isn't for a few months, so you better make me a party, too!"

I shake my head, standing, "Yeah, yeah. So, what's the plan for the party?"

Kairi taps the clipboard she's holding, "Well, the original ideas I had were from when Riku was going to turn sixteen, right before the darkness attacked the Islands. So I had to scrap all that. I had Selphie, Tidus, and Waaka each, secretly, get information on what Riku likes now, so I can plan his birthday party."

"Geeze, Kai, you're doing an awful lot of work," I say.

She nods, "I have to. Riku hasn't had a proper birthday since he turned fifteen. I'm going to fix that."

She smiles and I smile back, "That's really sweet of you. He'll love it, I'm sure."

Her smile widens and her eyes light up, "Thanks! Now pick something to help with!"

I chuckle and shake my head, "Yes Ma'am!"

She smiles and turns, heading up towards the bridge leading back to the city. I sigh and follow her, I can't believe I'm already eighteen, and Riku's about to be nineteen! Kairi'll be eighteen in a few months, too. Where has our lives gone? Well, that doesn't matter, the past is in the past. We can move on and live our lives again. This is what we've wanted since defeating Xemnas back in The World That Never Was. I stop and hold out my hand, summoning the Kingdom Key to me. I smile slightly, This thing helped me through a lot. It's the reason I'm even standing here today. I still can't help but to wonder why it ever chose me, if its true wielder was Riku?

Kairi turns, confusion showing in her eyes, "Sora? What are you doing? Come on!" then she smiles, "You can plan hero later!"

I laugh and let my Keyblade disappear and I run after her to catch up. I catch her easily, since she was waiting for me, and we make our way back to the city. I turn to her as she's checking over her list, "Where's the party at?"

"It's going to be at the Islands, but I have to pick some stuff up first," she stops and turns fully to me, "On second thought, I want you to stay, okay? I'll pick all the stuff up, it's easier for me, I already know everything I need. I want you there when Selphie, Tidus, and Waaka return to do the setup, they'll tell you what to do. Have it all done by sunset!"

She runs off then and I sigh, smiling, "It's good to be back."

I head back to the beach to wait for the others. Staring out at the sky, night was coming soon. The others have to get here fast, I still have no idea what I'm supposed to be helping them build; Kairi didn't tell me that. I sigh and stick my hands in my pockets as I'm standing on the shore. I glance up at the sky, looking for the stars that are just peeking around the sun. I wonder how everyone else is doing? We've been back on our Islands for a week now. I miss everyone. I knew this would happen, Riku told me it would. I smile, "I'm sure they're doing fine, like we are."

I turn at the sound of footsteps, expecting it's Selphie, Tidus, and Waaka, but it's not. Standing near the bridge, moving slowly towards me, is a figure in a white cloak. I frown slightly, ready to summon my Keyblade if I sense trouble from this stranger. But I don't feel anything from him/her, nothing at all. Who is this? The figure stops a few feet from me and speaks, "I've come to see the door to this world."

All too familiar. But this person doesn't feel of darkness. The person's voice was soft, yet strong. I'm guessing he's a boy? My frown deepens, "There is no door. All the worlds have been closed off and unconnected."

"Is that so? Hm. Interesting," he replies.

I frown, "Who are you? Why are you here?"

"My name? There's no need for that. I am no harm to you, Wielder of Light. As to why I'm here, I just came to look around," he says.

"What are you looking for?" I ask.

"Nothing right now. I'm just.. Trying to get a feel of things," he replies, turning from me and heading towards the city.

"Hey, wait!" I run after him.

He turns half way to me and smiles, "We'll meet again, Wielder of Light." and then he disappears in a bright flash of light. I gasp and stop, looking around, "What?!"

I groan softly, "What was that about? Who was that? How did he know I'm a Keyblade Wielder? What else could he have meant by 'Wielder of Light?'"

"Yo, Sora!" Waaka calls and I turn and smile, waving, "About time you made it!"

Tidus and Selphie laugh as Waaka gives me an excuse as to why they're late and we walk back onto the beach, Selphie pulling a wagon full of different stuff behind her. Sunset's approaching fast. It took us awhile, and we almost didn't have it done in time, but we did it. Kairi came onto the beach, pulling Riku along, blindfolded, and she chats away happily about his birthday.

They get to us, to the structure we built, which somewhat resembles a castle in the fashion of a weird fun house. Riku really likes this idea? Seriously? I didn't help with the inside, so I guess I don't know what else was done with it. Kairi pulls the blindfold off Riku's face and we all yell, "Happy Birthday, Riku!"

Riku looks confused, and then he smiles softly, "Really? You guys.."

"You like it?" Kairi asks.

He nods and she hugs him, "Wonderful!"

Tidus and Waaka challenge Riku to a sword fight with our old wooden swords. I laugh as Kairi and I watch Riku totally destroy them. Kairi smiles at me, "Just like old times."

I smile back, "Yeah. What's the deal with the castle thing?"

"Oh, it's a fun house. We rigged it with cardboard cutouts of heartless and stuff for Riku to smash up," Kairi replies.

I nod, "Sounds cool."

She stares at me and I look back at her, "Kairi?"

"Are you okay?" she asks.

I nod, "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"You seem... Distracted," she frowns slightly.

I shake my head, "No, I'm not. Really."

I smile and she sighs softly, grinning, "Tell me you don't have another girlfriend in another world?"

I gasp, my face heating up, "No!"

She laughs, "Oh, calm down, Sora, it was a joke!"

I laugh with her and she shakes her head, "So, what's bothering you, then? I could see it in your eyes, you know."

I frown slightly, "Don't tell anyone.. But.."

"Hey, love birds!" Selphie calls, "Come show Riku some manners!"

Riku waves to us, a big grin on his face. It makes me smile, I haven't seen Riku really smile since before the darkness hit the Islands all that time ago. It's no secret Riku can easily take me in a sword fight, but that doesn't stop me from jumping up, running over, taking a sword from Tidus, and taking stance before my best friend. He laughs, a real laugh, and says, "Ready for this? I'm not going easy!"

I grin back, "Wouldn't want you to."

He charges at me and I charge at him, my first mistake. He swings up to hit me in a downswing, but I step out of his way and parry to his left, trying to get his side as he had mine. He jumps from my attack and brings his sword over to my face, knocking me into the dirt. I groan and rub my face, laughing, "Cheater!"

He grins and holds his hand out for me, "Winning isn't cheating, Sora."

I take his hand, my second mistake, and try to hit his face with my sword. He swiftly throw me to the side, side stepping my sword completely, landing me back on the ground. I shake my head and stand, smiling as I get back into stance, "Not done yet."

Riku raises his sword as well, "You will be."

I don't rush at him this time, I wait for him to come to me. He does and I try to fake my attack on him to catch him off guard. I go to his his side again and he steps away. I quickly turn with him and thrust my sword at his chest. It hits, but so does he. When I thrust my sword at him, he brings his up and gets me right in the chest as I had him.

We both stumble back, but don't fall. Riku nods at me, "Great attack plan, but I taught it to you."

I laugh, "Then it's about time the student passed the master!"

Riku's grin never fails to widen, "Just try."

I laugh, knowing I'll never be able to surpass him, and raise my sword for the final spar. Riku's smug smile lets me know he's been playing with me. I knew he was, he always is. He never goes all out in sparing with me. I'm too easy for him to beat. Well, I used to be. I've been going easy, too. It's time to see how far I can push until one of us wins. What Riku doesn't know is that I've gotten stronger, too. Even when we sparred before the Keyblade War to get ourselves ready, we never went all out. There wasn't a point. Still isn't one now, but hey, it's his birthday. I'm going to give him a challenge.