Where we left off...

Rei was finally reunited with Riku after a miraculous resurrection. Riku believes Rei's voice brought him back, so now they're headed to Hollow Bastion to try to revive Rei's sister, Tashie, and her best friend, Manders.

But while Rei was gone from the islands, and Riku was out looking for her, Sora and Kairi received some interesting information from King Mickey regarding Nobodies. Apparently they haven't heard the end of them yet. But whose Nobodies are these new people: Aya, Emi, and Kuxir?

Rei has been through a lot since Riku died. The deaths of her sister and best friend, getting pregnant, and--worst of all--enduring the torment of a miscarriage. How is she going to tell Riku the latter two? What about Sora and Kairi? And even Manders and Tashie? Should she leave it up to her parents with her sister and friend or take the initiative herself?

And what exactly is the power Rei has sleeping inside her? Could it be the answer to all their problems?

So many questions. So little time.

And what about the mysterious kitten Okayama?

Betcha didn't think about that, did ya?

Chapter 1: Hermana y Amiga

Memo: OMGEE IT'S THE SEQUEL! All those questions in the intro will be answered in this story. Promise! LOTR QUOTE!! YAY ARWEN! I loveeeeeee Liv Tyler! XD PS: . ^^

Your pOv

You lie on the floor of your gummi ship, half-asleep. Riku is sitting beside you, stroking your head gently. The whole scene seems dreamlike to you. It possibly could be, except for the fact that you know it's not.

...

"..." Riku gets up to turn off the autopilot alarm.

*How...?* you think, lifting your head slightly to look at your love. *How am I gonna tell you...?*

You know he'll want to know what's happened to you. But...what haven't you been through?

"Rei...?"

Your body tenses up at the sound of your name. You make yourself relax. It's just Riku. You're away from the hateful world at home now. No worries...yeah, right!

You feel Riku pull you into his arms. Pressing your nose into his neck, you inhale deeply. You feel so...different. Will he still love you as...this...pathetic excuse for a human being that you've become?

"You're...real," you murmur, letting him hold you close.

"You are, too," he points out.

"Hmm..." *Sometimes I wish I wasn't,* you think, lacing your fingers with his. "Can you be so sure?"

"It's either that, or we're dreaming."

"Then it is a good dream," you quote.

"We can make it better," Riku says quietly. "Tashie and Manders-"

"Hey! Only I can call them that!"

He chuckles; you manage a small smile. It's the truth, though!

"You ready, then?"

You sigh through your nose. "As ready as I'll ever be." This wouldn't bother you if you weren't about to talk to dead people you know face-to-face.

Riku pulls you to your feet, and you wipe your moist eyes. Last time you were here...

Your mind vividly flashes through every moment here. Everything happened so fast! It was like BAM!! TURNAROUND! Everything was...ruined. And now you're working to get it back? Can you really fix everything? It won't be the same. There are some things you can never take back...

"Let's go." Riku, still tightly holding your hand, pulls you out of the safety of your ship. "Don't worry. If we see Heartless, we'll run."

You nod, too afraid to speak.

Riku's pOv

You and Rei reach a familiar room. She digs her nails into your hand, cringing.

"Only a little farther," you say, pulling her along. She just nods. She's being so quiet. You have to wonder why...

Well, you know at least part of the reason. She's probably as confused as hell that you're alive. But she did it. She's got a gift, you know it now more than every before. You always thought her voice was beautiful, singing or not. That's what brought you back. It was all you could hear.

"This is it," you say, standing before a door. Rei bites her bottom lip and lowers her eyes. "Rei, you can do this." Suddenly her face goes pale.

"I...hear voices," she murmurs. "They're talking to each other..." Rei takes a step back, eyes widening a little. You can't hear anything... "I..."

"Rei...?"

Rei shudders, but opens the door anyway.

"...Ohhh..."

Rei rushes in and kneels beside her sister. Natasha has the same body shape as Rei, but that's about it. Her hair is reddish brown, like Kairi's.

"Ohhh...Tashie..." You slowly walk over to Rei and kneel beside her.

"Try talking to her," you suggest.

"...Tashie? Can you hear me? It's your sister. I-it's Rei," Rei says, tears swimming in her grey eyes.

"...Reina..."

Rei gasps, the tears escaping.

"Don't cry, little sister. You know I still love you!" Tashie's voice hangs in the air. Her face and mouth have not moved.

"Rei! We miss you!" Amanda's voice shouts. Amanda has short, black hair and almond shaped eyes. She's rather short, too. Rei doubles over in hysterical sobs.

"How is this real?!" you hear her scream into her hands.

Your pOv

"Tashie, wake up! I need you!" you sob.

"Rei, don't cry..."

"Manders...!"

Everything becomes completely silent; the only thing you can hear are your own sobs.

"...What...?"

You immediately lift your head to see your sister's hazel eyes open.

"Rei...you're okay," she says, her lip quivering. You inhale sharply, choking on your tears.

"You did it, Rei," Riku says, putting an arm around your shoulders. "Again."

"How...?" You sit there, eyes wide. Tashie sits up and hugs you tightly.

"Little sister," she says.

"I'm dreaming! I'm dreaming!" You smack yourself in the face over and over.

"Rei!" You feel Manders half-tackle you from your right. Soon you, Riku, Tashie and Manders are hugging each other in one tear-filled, happy embrace. You've got them all back.

So why does it feel like you're missing something?

"Rei, we thought you were dead," Manders says at last.

"No..." you manage to whisper. Suddenly everything feels right. Not awkward or anything at all.

"HEY!"

You blink as Manders looks at Riku.

"YOU'RE RIKU!?" she shouts.

"Y-yeah," he replies.

"WOW!!! NICE TO MEETCHA!" Manders stands up and shakes his hand happily. You laugh. You had missed her!!

"Rei, I have something for you," Tashie says, grinning. She holds out...

"My old cellphone?!" you gasp, taking it out of her hands.

"Yeah. Are you getting service in this area?" she asks.

You turn it on (the battery is full; YES!).

"Uh-huh," you say, grinning.

"That's awesome!" Manders exclaims. "So, let's go home."

"Um, you don't understand," you say timidly. You stand with Riku and Tashie.

"What do you mean...?"

"I'm not going home. I...have a new home."

"Are you serious?! What about Mom and-"

"They don't care about me anyway!" you snap, remembering their happiness when...

"Reina..." Manders hugs you tightly. "We missed you so much. Why won't you come home?"

"That isn't my home anymore. I've made my decision. You can make yours. Stay with me or go home." You nod a little. "I have the cellphone, so I'll be careful on calling you guys when I need to, okay?"

"...Okay, Rei," Tashie says finally. "But...how will we get home?"

"We'll fly," Riku answers. Manders gasps.

"ON A GUMMI SHIP!?" she squeals.

"Yeah."

"OHMIGOSH!!!" Manders pulls you into her arms. You grin. You'll miss her.

"C'mon, let's get out of here; it's giving me the creeps," Tashie says, rubbing her arms.

"Wait a sec," you say, freezing. You're hearing the voices again. They're...calling you. You start walking toward a door on the opposite side of the room. "..." You can hear them pleading with you... Slowly you turn the knob of the door and push it open.

"..." Hundreds upon thousands of dead people are lying in the room. The voices are echoing like crazy in the room and inside your head. You start shivering. "I..." The voices grow louder. You close your eyes. Each one is pleading with you to revive them.

"S-stop it," you mouth, putting your head in your hands. "Leave me alone."

Someone grabs your arm, and you scream, jumping.

"It's just me," Riku says, pulling you out of the room. Tashie slams the door shut. Manders looks pale.

"I...think I'm gonna..."

You walk over into the corner and throw up.

Natasha's pOv

You watch as your sister falls to her knees, shaking all over. Talk about "I see dead people."

"Rei," you say, going over to hug her.

"What am I supposed to do to all of them?!" she half-shouts, coughing a little.

"You got this gift for something greater, Rei," Riku says, walking over to the two of you. Rei looks up at him, then at Amanda, then at you. "You're not done with this yet."

"..." Rei shivers a little. "Can't we just go home now?" she whimpers. She hugs you tighter. She feels really, really thin. She looks it, too! What exactly...

"What exactly...has happened to you, Rei?" Amanda asks. That girl can read your mind.

"...I just...wanna go home," she whispers, shaking.

You nod and lift your sister up. She staggers to her feet, and you gently steady her. Her gaze drops to the ground.

There's no way this pathetic creature is your sister. You simply can't believe it. She never used to act like this. Something has happened, and you're downright determined to find out.

This guy...Riku...he seems a little familiar. Well, whoever he is, he really seems to care about Rei. And vice versa. But he isn't acting any more informed than you or Amanda.

Rei slowly walks over to Riku. He puts an arm around her waist. You watch as a tear falls down her pale cheek. Ohmigoooosh! What happened to her?!

"C'mon, let's go," he says to you and Amanda.

"Reiii," Amanda says, walking beside her.

"Hey, Amanda, get over here for a sec," you say, motioning for her to walk beside you. She warily looks at Rei, then trots back with you. You lower your voice to a whisper. "Do you have any idea what's going on?"

"Not reallllly," she says quietly. "But it's weird. That Riku guy...he's from a video game called Kingdom Hearts. He's not supposed to really exist, but I guess him and the worlds really do."

Ahhh. You knew you had heard that name before!

"So what's with them, though?" you ask, subtly observing the loving glances exchanged between the two of them.

"Looks like they're a couple to me," Amanda says, sighing. "She is DEFINITELY not coming back, and I don't blame her."

"..." You look at Rei and how thin she's become. "She looks anorexic."

"Maybe she is."

Your eyes widen ever so slightly at Amanda's honest response. *Maybe she...is...*

Soon you reach the "ship," and everything becomes slightly more familiar. You can vaguely remember this from watching Rei play the game. That was a long time ago.

The main thing you can remember...

FLASHBACK START

"YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL! YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL!" you and Amanda crooned in the heavy highway traffic in New York. "YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL IT'S TRUE!"

You both hummed the next part, not knowing the words.

"So what do you think your mom wants so badly?" Amanda asked, changing the radio station.

"I have no idea. Maybe my dad is sick or something and she wants me to come home."

"Maybe your fiance neeeeeeeeds you," she teased.

"Maybe."

Amanda continued to search the radio station until suddenly you heard a familiar name.

"Wait, wait, go back!" you shouted. "Turn it back to the news!"

Flustered, Amanda quickly switched the channel back to the news station.

"...Reports from Spencer Bay, Maine, say that the 18 year old daughter of Sean and Arlene Nichols, Reina Marie Nichols, has-"

FLASHBACK END

You never got to hear what it said. A drunk driver hit you head on going the wrong way down the interstate.

But now you know. Your sister is alive after all. She's fine...or so you think...

Your pOv

You watch as your sister and Manders dumbfoundedly look around the room.

"C'mon," you say quietly, waving them over. The three of you walk inside your room. The room you...never used... You sigh a little, lying on a bunk. You let your fingers trace the carpet.

You can feel your sister's gaze piercing into you, looking for answers. Please. Answers are the last thing you're giving her.

"So," you murmur, "what's gone on while I was gone?"