Author's Rambles

Hello again. This is a idea that has been nagging me for a few days. Unfortunately this will focus on less sex and more of the actual story telling. I'm hoping that the end result will be something fun and enjoyable.

Riku
~*~

It happened so much it was nothing more than a game. The portal to the world would open and they would all dive through into the unknown. Somewhere along the way the trio would get separated. At first it was a source of great worry, but after a while it just became part of the journey. After all, they eventually found one another again. Riku threw himself forward; the rush of wind was exhilarating as he fell through the funnel. They had been traveling so long he had begun to lose track of the days. Not that he minded. Traveling was something he had always wanted to do ever since he was a child. It was funny that he was stuck doing it now.

There was a rumble behind him, and for a moment his flight path became unsteady. Riku flipped his body, so that he could stare up at whatever wretched thing would manifest behind him. "What's wrong? Miss me already?!" He taunted, his lips curled up in the slightest of smirks. The answer was a resounding roar and soon they appeared; a mass of heartless. They shifted and intertwined together until it became difficult to see the individuals. There was only darkness; darkness and a unlimited number of eyes. "I don't remember ordering an inflight movie." He grumbled.

The mass of heartless seemed to coil tightly, but only for a moment. When they had built up enough pressure they surged forward, using their gained momentum to rocket toward their prey. "Shit!" He cursed. Damn things never gave up, they were everywhere, like an evil form of roaches. He extended his hand out to the side and waited for that familiar pressure to build in the center of his hand. His heart slowed to a confident beat and when it found that perfect rhythm, light shot out from the center of his hand as his keyblade formed. He griped it firmly and as the first of the creatures lunged towards him he began his attack.

The heartless swarmed around him. Their bodies brushing across his skin, making him shiver. The sensation was terribly familiar. It was cold and empty. The only truly solid thing about a heartless was their claws and teeth. Because they didn't truly exist on the natural plane, they could easily slip away from you. They were difficult to describe. If you could reach out and touch a tangible form of darkness, this would surely be it. Their bodies were normally smooth and slippery. Without the aid of a keyblade anything they came into contact would bounce off or pass right through them. They were part of the world, but not of the world.

Riku, swung, taking out a row of the creatures. They dissipated in a hissing cloud of darkness. The others twitched anxiously before closing in again. This group was the lowest of the low. They were typical shadow heartless. They're attacks would be predictable and easy to dodge and counter. As if reading his mind the mass swelled and descended upon him. "Damn things." He grumbled. He'd have to clear most of them off if he was going to exit into the new world. There was no point in adding more heartless to the already large number that would await him.

After a moment he centered himself again. With a soft smile he mused upon his past. When he was younger he would have thought nothing of recklessly tearing into his enemy. However, experience has taught him that sometimes planning and patience can turn the tides. With the memories fresh in mind he began collecting energy until his body became outlined in a soft glow. With enough charged up, he released it all at once. The result was almost instant. His body rocketed forward as a lethal ray of light, ripping into his foes. Everything his blade and body touched exploded around him. The mass swerved out of the way, in attempt to dodge and he followed, changing course to slice into more heartless. The air around his body became colder suddenly. He knew from experience that his aura had also changed; the glow dimmed to encompass the darkness he held within. Instead of fighting it like he used to he embraced it, releasing his dark volley onto the remaining of his enemies until all that remained was dust.

As soon as the energy had gathered, it dissipated. Riku sighed and continued his descent. The rest of his fall was peaceful and when the door to the new world appeared he smiled. It opened slowly, allowing the inviting warmth of a new adventure to swallow him whole. When the light faded he found himself alone in a new place. There were trees, a small forest and as they thinned he could make out a cozy rural village. Stepping quietly he pushed through the brush and trees. The houses were old but well-built from stone and wood. There was a lot of farm land. "Nice place." He mumbled. Upon further inspection he could see the tops of a castle in the distance.

It seemed like a pretty uneventful place. Unfortunately, he didn't have a direction without Sora by his side. So first things first; he had to locate his best friend and afterwards they could locate Kairi. With the trio reunited it would only be a matter of time before Sora stumbled across their special 'honorary member.' with a new focus in mind, Riku used his senses to sniff out the alluring feel of his best friend's light.

Sora's POV.

The landing was rough coming in. It always was. Then again, it didn't help that he wasn't the most graceful of people. This strange new world had opened up to him like a new friend and now he found himself in the middle of the town square. In the distance there was a magnificent castle. "So it's one of those places huh?" he mused to himself. There was a king here. Not that that was a problem. In fact castles were fun places to explore if the journey brought them there. Here's to hoping that it did.

Eventually he'd set out to find Riku and Kairi but at the moment he was too busy immersing himself in the sights, sounds, and smells of a new culture. And that's when it hit him, the scent of freshly baked bread. Digging in his pocket Sora fished out some money. The cool thing about this keyblade quest was that the currency he got from battles changed to match the currency for their location. As a result he started at bronze coins, etched with the face of a man he could only assume was the king.

Trotting over to the street vender Sora picked out a round pastry. "This place is so quiet." He said, putting on his best smile. "I bet nothing bad ever happens here." He was friendly on a normal basis, it was just his personality. However this had nothing to do with niceties. Every new place had a new story and it was his job to listen for rumors that would lead him to heartless or whatever.

The old woman gave him a good look. He was used to strange stares. They stood out no matter where they went. It was mostly the clothing they wore, or at least that's what he figured. Sora's standard black outfit was completely different from the clothes of the villagers. "Nothin' outside the usual." She answered with an indifferent shrug. "There's a travelin' caravan not too far from the castle. That's the most excitement we've had in a while."

He nodded. "Thank you." And took off, munching on his new treat. Okay so maybe there wasn't anything going on. Well to be fair, he had only asked one person. Maybe he would stop by the caravan, it was always fun to look at new things. He suddenly felt a presence. It was a cold chill that made him shiver. Although it wasn't like the sensation you'd get from heartless. This was entirely something different, in fact it wasn't threatening at all. The hairs on his arms stood up eerily and any second he knew that she would appear.

Sora glanced around, looking for the first signs of her. The soft sound of her playful laughter reached him first, followed by sudden movement out of the corner of his eyes and there she was. She was a tall and graceful beauty. From the looks of her, she was a about his age. Her short blue hair bounced with every playful skip and her kind blue eyes were filled with laughter. Sora tracked her, watching as she faded in and out of few. Once second she'd be right in front of him and the next she'd be further down the road. This was their clue. It was the reason they had begun this journey, for her.

The apparition's name was Aqua and from the reports they received before leaving, no she was not dead. The correct term would be lost. Aqua was lost and as the three keyblade master's that came after her, it was their job to help her become whole again. So he tailed her as she skipped and carried on with the grace of a nymph. The fact that she had appeared to him meant that something somewhere needed them. Her soft laughter echoed to him until finally she disappeared near a large stone two story house. "There's something here isn't there?" he muttered to more to himself. If Aqua ever heard him, she never answered. However, there was part of him that wanted to believe she did hear and listen, even if she could not respond.

He moved around to the back of the house and peered over the thick bushes that served as a privacy barrier for the home. In the corner of the yard there was large Hazel tree, its branches spread far and thick, providing shade to the crumpled figure beneath it. Sora leaned in closer look. It was a woman. She was frumpy looking, her clothes were tattered and her face was hidden beneath thick golden hair. Her body shook from what he could only assume were tears.

Sora opened his mouth to ask what was wrong but then he saw them, beady eyes hidden within the shade of the tree. Heartless. Without a second thought he summoned his keyblade to his hand and jumped over the fence. There would be time enough for questions when he was done.

Kairi's POV
~*~

Her landings were never as perfect as the boys. Then again, they had been doing this far longer than she had. To be honest, she was just happy to be able to tag along. She never said anything before but, most of the time she felt like she slowed them down. Together Riku and Sora were the perfect team. They didn't need her. "Think positive thoughts Kairi." She sighed miserably.

"You shouldn't move too much." The voice came from the opposite in of the room. Rubbing her eyes Kairi let her vision take in her surroundings. The room was mostly white with impossibly high ceilings. Warm light streamed down from crystal chandeliers, and equally large glass windows. The walls were lined with beds; each covered in expertly made sheets and fluffed pillows. This was probably a infirmary. It smelled hospital clean.

"Where am I?" She asked. The person that spoke sat in a chair across from her bed. He was flanked by two guards that stood alert like two perfect toy soldiers. He was certainly handsome. His blue suit was freshly pressed and the golden buttons that adorned it shown brightly. There were several ribbons and a medal on his right breast. His brown eyes were gentle.

"We found you outside in the gardens and placed you in the castle infirmary." He answered. "When I announced a ball to find a wife, I did not think a maiden would fall from the sky."

She blushed, brushing the hair behind her ears. "Oh no, I'm no one special." She stammered. So he was finely dressed and he organized parties? He must be the king, or a prince. "Thank you for rescuing me." She bowed politely.

He shook his head, raising a hand to dismiss his guards so they could be alone. "Not at all; I would be less of a man to let a pretty young woman suffer." After his guards left and the door was closed behind him, he rose from his seat and walked over to her bed. "I'd like to get your name."

"Kairi." She answered. "My name is Kairi your Highness."

He tilted his head, his lips twitching up in the slightest of smiles. "Kairi? That's a wonderful name. Did you mean to attend the ball early?" He asked the question but his eyes sparkled with amusement.

She shook her head furiously. "Oh no, I mean I would be honored to attend but I had no attention to place myself in the running for your wife. Please don't take offense your Highness." She dipped her head again. Goodness, how did she end up in this mess? Was he actually flirting with her? Sure he was good looking but her heart was set someplace else. Even if she was never noticed.

Speaking of someplace else she had to find the boys. Maybe Sora had caught a glimpse of the mysterious Aqua who led them from place to place like a guiding hand. Every time they went someplace new Sora would see her, so the trio chased after the young woman's ghost like children following breadcrumbs. "My name is Charles." He said after a moment, interrupting her thoughts.

"Charles?" She blinked. There was a general rule that they were not to disturb the natural balance of the places they visited. From the easy going smile he kept flashing her and the way his gaze would travel over her body, she could tell this would be more than just a little nudge on the disturbance scale. "Actually your highness, I was wondering if you'd noticed any strange creatures. My companions and I are hunting them." She said in attempt to change the subject.

Charles rubbed at his chin for a minute. "You mean those funny little creatures that hide in shadows?" When her lovely blue eyes widened in surprise he gave her a grave nod. "They were discovered about a week ago during the hunts on the palace grounds. None of our weapons could touch them. They would attack some of our guards and they would change. It was as if they had become something else."

Kairi nodded. "Yes! That's what I am talking about." She pushed the covers away, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed so that she could stand. The good news was that she only wobbled for a moment, but when she regained her balance, she strode forward stopped before him. "I'm sorry that happened to your people. The creatures can inhabit anyone with enough darkness in them, but I promise you I'm here to help. Have your ball, and if there's anyone there that has been infected, I'll protect you."

She was glad that she sounded more confident than she felt. Could she really handle a heartless attack? Sora and Riku usually did most of the work for her. Maybe it was time that she started pulling her own weight. "You're just one girl. What makes you think you can succeed where my trained men could not?"

The redhead nodded, but did not answer immediately. Instead she drew a few calming breathes and centered herself. When she heard the prince gasp she knew her body had become engulfed in a soft pure white light. After a moment she held her hands out in front her and reached with that special energy that was her power, and hers alone until her keyblade filled her hand. The room became filled with the scent of freshly grown flowers and a warm summer breeze.

Astounded, Charles fumbled around for the correct words. It was amazing. This girl was amazing. When nothing immediately came to mind he nodded. "I'll have our servants prepare a gown for you. You'll be my special guest."

All she could do was smile. "It would be a honor your Highness."

Riku
~*~

He had spent so much time with darkness he had begun to recognize it like it was an extension of him. So when he felt a sudden surge of negative energy, he immediately hurried in that direction. He took off in a light sprint, ignoring the strange looks he received from the villagers. Every second counted in these situations, there was no time to stop to explain. If he was lucky, maybe Sora would be nearby or already there.

The closer he got the stronger the sensation of darkness grew. It had a distinct feel that was seductive and alluring, but he knew from personal experience the cost of dealing with darkness. It sounded like a good deal at first, but it would soon turn sour. In the distance he heard the scream of a woman, and the roar of a monster. He pushed the muscles in his legs harder and soon the two story stone home rushed into view.

He saw it, rising out of the shadows. The hulking heartless twitched violently, its head cocking this way and that while those beady little eyes peered down at its prey. It looked something similar to a bear. Its body was large but muscled. Oversized arms hung low on its body so that deadly claws drug across the ground.

"Fire!" The powered ball of flame shot through the sky, landing in the center of the monster's chest and Riku grinned, recognizing Sora's voice. The heartless wailed, swinging it's mighty arms to swipe at anything it could reach. The woman screamed again.

With a mighty leap Riku crossed the bush barrier into the backyard, throwing up his barrier at the last second. The heartless collided with it and stumbled back. "Sora! Are you alright?!"

The brunette smiled. "Riku! 'Bout time you showed up! Hey is Kairi with you?"

He shook his head. "No, she's not." Where ever she was, she was certainly safe. He had to believe that to keep from getting distracted in battle. "I can sense a large number of them coming." He stood beside Sora and summoned his keyblade. "Are you okay?" The question was directed towards the cowering woman behind them.

She furiously shook her head from side to side. "What's going on? What is that?" she whimpered hysterically."

Sora gave her a warm smile. "Don't worry about it. We'll take care of it. Just sit tight for a while, okay?" He returned his gaze to the battle just in time to see the typical shadow heartless appear behind the Larger one. They weren't that strong but enough of them were troublesome.

"Sora, give her some protection, then follow my lead." Riku commanded.

"No problem Riku." The brunette turned and pointed his keyblade at the girl. " Defense!" The light hit her in the form of a wind barrier. The young woman gasped in surprise. With that done he returned to his defensive stance.

The silver haired teen took off first and Sora followed soon in his footsteps. He didn't need to look back. He just knew. It's how they always worked. "Light 'em up Sora!" He called out before taking to the air.

"Thunder!" Using his blade as a lightning rod the brunette rained down the deadly sparks upon their foes, paralyzing them in place as the currents traveled through their bodies and jumped to whatever adjacent enemy beside them. When Riku charged up enough energy he jumped high into the air before propelling himself to the ground, creating a shockwave of darkness that destroyed their already paralyzed enemies. The boys gave each other knowing grins, before bumping fist; another perfect battle.

Riku released his keyblade and Sora did the same. "They're gone now." He said, extending his hand to the woman, who took it gratefully. "Are you okay?"

She nodded, whipping at her face. "I am now. Thank you so much." She took a few breathes before giving them a shaky smile. "My name is Cinderella and I don't know how to repay you.

"No payment is necessary." Sora countered with a grin. "We do this for a living."

Riku nodded in agreement. "They were drawn to this spot for some reason. What were you doing out here?"

The girl let her gaze travel to the hazel tree. "I was talking to my mother." She answered simply. When Sora's face twisted in confusion Cinderella sighed. "My mother got very sick a few years back. She didn't make it." The death of a parent was never an easy thing. The girl shivered as if the memory were still fresh. "She was buried in that spot. I planted a tree over it. I know it sounds weird." by the time she had neared the end of her story the words had spilled out sounding rushed and jumbled.

"No it doesn't." Riku said. "Everyone finds their own way to mourn. So you were out here and the heartless attacked?"

Sora nodded, answering for her. "I heard her crying." He said blushing. "I wasn't trying to be creepy or anything. I was going to ask her what was the matter and then they attacked. You actually showed up just in time."

Riku smiled. "No problem, I don't mind bailing you out." The brunette huffed, which only served to make him laugh harder. "What was wrong?" he asked their .

Cinderella busied herself with the tattered ends of her apron. "There's a ball in the kingdom. It's hosted by the King. I figured that I could attend also but my stepmother won't let me." She sighed. "I always ask and she just piles chores upon me with the promise that if I finish, I can go. I'll never finish in time."

"That's not very nice at all." Sora grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. However, as soon as the thought passed from his lips his face lit up. "Hey, how about me and Riku help you with your chores?"

He loved Sora to death but at that moment he wanted to kick his teeth in. They weren't here to do housework. The young woman's face had already begun to take on a hopeful glow. "Hey Sora maybe we should-"

"I followed Aqua here." He said simply. Damn. That decided it. If he followed Aqua they were needed here; even if it was for something as simple as housework. She was like some goodwill saint that led them to places where they could do some good. Maybe these were things she herself would have done if she were able to. So in a way, they were helping her complete the work she couldn't finish as a Keyblade master.

Cinderella gave a little happy squeal. "I'll definitely get to go with your help!" She said enthusiastically. "But you can't let them see you; my step mother and her two daughters. Can you help me still?"

"If you provide us a distraction, we can split up and do the work for you." Riku stated. "Just give us a list of what needs to be done. She nodded and quickly disappeared into the house. After a few minutes returned with a long list of things and when Sora's mouth fell open in disbelieve he smirked. "Oh come on now, what did you expect after you volunteered us?"

"I definitely wasn't expecting this much." He pouted.

The young woman gave a quick bow. "Thank you so much!" when she was done she paused with a tilt of her head. "But you know, I don't even know your names?"

"My name is Riku." He said, pointing at himself. "The goofball is Sora."

"Hey!"

She giggled. "Sora and Riku, thank you so much. I'll be in the parlor helping them get ready. That should distract them long enough for you to help." With that said and done she raced back inside.

The older boy peered at the list of things and shook his head. "Let's get started then." The two boys waited a few moments to be sure Cinderella was in the parlor before entering the home. Inside the immaculate decorations caught them by surprise. Their furniture was made from beautiful dark woods and the tapestries were made of fine materials.

"She said that this was her step mother's place? If they have all of this money why does she dress like that?" Sora asked.

"They make her." Riku answered knowingly. He looked around, the house was indeed wonderful, but that didn't hide the stench of darkness that clung to it. It wasn't very strong but it was there. "The stepmother probably took over the estate after the death of Cinderella's parents."

"That's sad."

"Yeah it is, but if she wants to go to this dance, we'll get her there." She wanted to experience life. There was nothing wrong with that.

The boy's split up and began the task set in front of them. Occasionally Cinderella would appear to assist them along the way, only to be torn away at the shrill call of her relatives. Sora busied himself with the bottom floor while Riku took to the top floor. It was a simple matter to sneak around. His powers over darkness allowed him to teleport short distances.

He went from room to room, straightening and cleaning until his work sent him close to parlor. He flattened himself against the wall and inched closer for a better look. His skin started to crawl. There was darkness in that room. "Cinderella, you'll never finish your chores at this rate." The voice chided.

"I will try my best step mother." Came her reply.

"Your best won't get you to the ball." She was a hefty woman. She sat in a chair, dressed in a dark blue floor length gown while Cinderella tended to her greying hair.

"Yes step mother I'll hurry." Another humble response.

"Mother, you'll let her go to the ball; for what? Even the help dresses better." Riku spotted a petite young girl adjusting a salmon colored dress in the mirror. She turned this way and that before fussing with her raven hair as well.

"Since she enjoys cleaning so much, maybe she wanted to do it at the palace." A second young woman strode into the room. From the looks of it, she was the twin to the first.

"Silence both of you. I'll keep my promise if she completes her chores. She can certainly go." The step mother snapped as her two daughters giggled.

Riku studied the older woman for a bit. The darkness was definitely coming from her. It was drawn to her selfish ambitions just like it had at one point clung to him. However, this particular plague was so strong he could feel it slowly infecting the daughters as well. After a while he backed away and returned to his task. He had a bad feeling about this entire situation, but there was no point in fussing over it. Come what may, he and Sora would stomp it out.

So he continued on that way, ducking in and out of portals of darkness to help some strange girl he just met finish housework. It wasn't exactly his idea of a good time, but the idiot volunteered them for the job. He had to go along with it. Occasionally Cinderella would help him with his work. She was an inspiring individual. Despite her dismal situation she was always looking towards something great to appear on the horizon.

Most people would have been turned to the alluring power of darkness. However, this young girl managed to keep a purity about herself that was almost blinding. In a way she reminded him of Sora. Once he had completed his work, Riku went back to the parlor. The thick scent of perfume clung to the air and from what he could see; the room had been left a mess.

"Stepmother, the chores are done." Cinderella started timidly. "You and your daughters are dressed as well. I was hoping you'd keep your promise to let me attend."

The elder woman looked down at the young girl with a look of distaste. "I suppose I did promise, but honestly child; what would you wear? Did you mean to show up to a ball in rags?"

The youngest of the twins went to stand beside her equally hateful mother. "Besides, you didn't finish all your chores." She smirked.

"This room is filthy. Look at the mess you've made." The younger sibling continued.

The young girl was almost in tears. "But I-"

The stepmother clucked her tongue with a soft shake of her head. "They are very much right. My promise was that you would be able to attend if you finished your chores." She frowned, looking around the room. "You missed a spot." Motioning for her daughters to follow they turned to leave. "Have this mess cleaned by the time we get back. Maybe you'll be quicker for the next ball."

Riku quickly ducked out of the way, clocking himself in the shadows of darkness to prevent being seen. They passed by, talking in excited little bursts without once suspecting his presence. He waited until the trio left the house to reenter the room.

Cinderella had collapsed to the floor in tears. Her back was to him but he could see the subtle shake in her shoulders and the soft whimper in her voice. "They're absolutely awful." She sobbed. "I knew that this would happen. I just knew it!"

"I'm sorry things ended this way after all your hard work." The silver haired teen offered.

The young woman whipped at her eyes. "Why do I even bother?" She shouted at no one in particular. "Nothing I could have done would have made her happy. There would have always been something!"

The room seemed to shift and the lights dimmed. Riku's eyes narrowed. "Hey, careful what you say."

"What do you know?!" she continued. "You know nothing about what I go through!" she stood up then, her sorrow turning to anger. "I wish; I wish…." It was as if the room itself held its breath. Sometimes words could hold terrible power. She shook her head furiously as if struggling with her thoughts and maybe she was. Anger has a way of making things difficult.

The power of darkness swelled, magnified by the possibilities of something so pure becoming so corrupt. All she had to do was finish that dark thought; that one simple sentence and that would be enough. The silver haired teen rushed forward to stop her but she ran past him, shoving him on her way out. He tripped and tumbled to the floor. "Fuck!"

Sora appeared soon after. "Riku! You okay? She ran outside, what happened?"

Swearing under his breath he quickly got back to his feet. "Her head is in a dark place. We have to save her." Sora nodded and together they took off through the house. The back door was wide open when they reach it and just beyond was the yard from the earlier battle. In the corner Cinderella's weeping figure was curled under her beloved tree. Unfortunately she was not alone. Darkness hovered around her like a ominous cloud and in her grief, she didn't notice one bit.

"That can't be good." Sora grumbled as he summoned his keyblade.

"Oh yeah, what was your first clue?" Riku snapped sarcastically. The heartless began to appear in waves until they covered the grassy area like a blanket living darkness. The older boy looked over towards the tree where the young woman had yet to move. "Hey! Don't give up yet!"

Her response was barely audible, but that didn't matter to the heartless one bit. It was as if they could taste her despair and feed from it. "Maybe it's better this way. I just wasn't meant to be happy." That was when the trouble really started. Riku could literally see it. The brilliant light that shown so bright in hear heart faltered. It was that one moment of sweet weakness that sent the heartless into a frenzy and all hell broke loose.

Author's Rambles

So this is the first chapter. Did you enjoy it? I certainly hope so. I personally enjoy the idea of Sora and the others being guided by the "ghost" of Aqua as they travel. I've never been a real fan of stories or even books that switch point of views, however I felt it was necessary in this instance. It reminds me of the games. lol.