Note: I don't own kingdom hearts. You keep reviewing, I keep updatin'. No use continuing it if you don't have anyone reading it, y'know? Even if it's just one review, I'm still happy with it! Well, that's all. Hope you enjoy it!

Vengeful Hearts

He stood there, stuck in the gaze of evil. He wanted freedom, and he thought with the power he had he could defeat anything, but he never thought he would meet such a powerful being. He knew no harm would come to him, but he was just terrified by it, and knew when he was hit, it would catch a mighty punch.

The Heartless had come to this planet a few days earlier, finding how easy it was to take it over. They left the villain named Hades in charge, along with his servant named Cloud, which had also made a deal with him to get back with his friends. On this planet, though, they had no problem convincing the most powerful being to join them, seeing how the Heartless had consumed his heart long before they were ever released. His name had been feared throughout his world, which was the first of many to be linked to darkness. Supposedly Cloud had come from the same area, but nothing more was discussed about it. Though nothing else needed to be discussed, for everyone knew that, besides for the leader of the Heartless, he was the strongest.

The man known abound only needed one blow of his mighty masamune to knock Riku off his feet. With it, he was defeated in one swipe, the man turning away as the aide came to take him away.

When Riku was healed by many potions and elixirs, he just sat there, still in stunned silence at the power Sephirtoh possessed. Maleficent came over, finding him there and showing him along. Only then did he break his quietness.

"W-what was that thing?" Riku asked.

"He is known as Sephiroth, feared by all those who oppose him, great ally to those who follow him."

"Yeah, I can see why. But...he's so much stronger! I mean, what if he goes against you?"

"He will not, for he knows we only go along with him. Besides, the leader is stronger than him."

"Is there anyone stronger than the leader?" he asked.

Maleficent stopped, looking to Riku with her cold, stern eyes. "There is one, we fear, that may be stronger than him, but that is why we're here."

"Is it someone on the light?"

Maleficent said nothing, but continued to walk on. Riku followed, walking with her in silence to the upper balcony. They watched as Sephiroth stood there, waiting for the next battle to commence. The gates opened on the other side of the arena, and Riku walked up close to the ledge to get a close look of who it was. He thought it would be something massive, something with the power to defeat Sephiroth with one punch, but he almost fell over laughing when he saw who it was.

"That?! That's what you're so scared of? A little girl?!" he whispered.

"Do not under estimate her size, my boy. Just watch."

This girl, dressed in a long, silver dress with her black hair placed back in a ponytail, seemed different now she stood in the dim sunlight. She seemed to glow a sort of gray with her fair skin and bleached flat hat. Her eyes, a deep violet, with her face a stricken expressionless void.

"Are you Sephiroth?" she said, her small voice eclipsing what she really was.

"Are you my challenger?" he question, and she nodded. "Then I can say I am. But I suggest you spare yourself the hurt and back out now before I step on you."

The girl just stood there, her eyes narrow. But she finally reached her hand out slowly, turning slightly as she did but keeping her head towards him. "I think not." Suddenly, a sphere formed in her hand, a black with green outline. Before Sephiroth could think anything of it, it shot a mighty blast, sending Sephiroth flying across the arena and into the force field, cracking it as he did. There was a long pause of shock as she made her way across to him. A pool of blood formed where he lay helpless, staring with his mako-green eyes in horror as the little girl grinned.

"For it is I who will step on you." So she did. With her high-heeled shoes she stepped on his chest, hearing a sickening crack of his ribs. He screamed in pain, the little girl chuckling to herself and stepping off, blood staining the sandstone arena as she walked out.

Riku stepped back, terrified. Maleficent turned, beginning to walk away with a worried expression. Riku walked after her, staying close in fear that the girl may be near by.

"Maleficent...who was that little girl?"

"It is as we feared..." she mumbled, ignoring his question to her own thoughts.

"What? What did you fear?" he questioned.

"That girl...She...She is the daughter of our leader."

"What?! He has a daughter?"

"Yes. It is said that before eh opened the door to the Heartless, he had a wife and family. The mother died many years ago, and he was placed with the care of her. No one really knew about it, but apparently it is so. And it is...as he had not hoped, a threat."

"What do you mean?"

"That girl is stronger than Sephiroth, and she is stronger than our leader as well. This means that if she decides to take a different action, our own ideals will be threaten."

"Like that's going to happen! Did you see what she did to the guy? She stepped on him when the match was up and almost killed him! Talk about going in the path of the Heartless, huh?"

"Yes, but what if she finds a different meaning? What if she is manipulated, like you were at one point?"

"Then I'll be there to tell her otherwise!"

Maleficent stopped, turning to face him. "Will you? Then you'll take responsibility for what happens if she does?"

"I'll help her figure out that what's she's thinking is a lie, sure! I know what it's like, and I have to help her out, especially if she's stronger than the leader."

She smirked, more evilly than he realized at the moment in time. "Well, let's leave that to her to decide. What do you think Jeria?"

Riku turned around slowly, now knowing that there was someone there. He soon faced the still gaze of the little girl, not so little anymore. She seemed older face-to-face, almost the same age. But he face was plain, pale as if she were a porcelain doll. He stood back a bit, remembering the damage she could do to a person if he made any sudden moves. But she grinned seeing this, looking up the Maleficent.

"A brave one, isn't he?" she said. Riku was surprised by her statement, but soon knew the reason when she continued, looking to him. "Most people run away when they meet me."

"Oh..." he let out with a very small whisper, and she laughed.

"Forgive me, I did not properly introduce myself. My name is Jeria, daughter of Ansem. Who are you?"

"Me? Uh, m-my name is...is..." he stuttered, forgetting out of the shock he was in.

"Riku. His name is Riku, Jeria," Maleficent filled in.

"Oh, why hello Riku, nice to meet you."

"Yeah...nice to meet you too, Jeria."

She seemed different now that he met her in person. She didn't seem quite the savage one might think at first. She seemed quieter, shyer, almost...nicer, to put it bluntly. But still, the vision of her breaking Sephiroth's ribs with ease and laughing about it...it made him wonder.

"Jeria," a voice spoke from down the hall. "It is time to leave."

"Alright, be right there," she yelled, turning back to Riku. "Well, hopefully I'll see you again. Bye Riku."

"Umm....Bye..." That word, hopefully, wasn't very reassuring to him. But as she waved goodbye and ran to where her caretaker would be, he waved back slowly, still in surprise. But Maleficent soon took his wrist forcefully, making him stopped.

"Do not even try to become friends with her, my boy. She'll only take your heart, and we do not want that, do we?"

Riku shook his head quickly, pulling his arm away. Maleficent continued slowly on her way, as she always did. Riku remained for a moment, thinking. He wondered, and knew, deep down, that her words meant something. It was not hopefully, it was that she would see him again, he only wondered when. But he turned and ran after Maleficent, knowing that it would not be any time soon.

***

"Take care of her..." he said, trying his best to pull the door shut. Sora, with a stern heart, nodded his head, pushing his best to get it closed.

The door finally sealed, leaving him and King Mickey within. The Heartless left behind crawled everywhere, waiting to steal there last victims hearts. It was all a competition now, seeing who could get to them first without being killed.

"Come on, Riku, we have to fight them off!" Mickey said, fighting off the approaching Heartless the best he could.

Riku remained silent, standing still. It didn't matter anymore. Nothing did. They weren't getting out, and even if someone searched for them, they could never fight them all off forever. He'd messed up, he knew he had. He wondered if he even had a heart left, after what he had done to the worlds abound, he wouldn't be surprised if he didn't. He just hoped Kairi and Sora, all that he had hurt, could forgive him, one day.

He fell to his knees, sitting back against the door. He didn't care if the Heartless took him. He'd been there once, what was so wrong if he was there again? There was no hope left, though he knew he should help Mickey, he just couldn't. He couldn't move. He didn't want to move. He didn't need to move, especially if he wanted to the Heartless to take him. They would just come to him. With one quick lunge into his chest it would all be over.

So he let them come, crawling up the sides of the area around and surround. He shut his eyes slowly, wanting the moment to end there and then. He apologized the Kairi, to Sora, as he waited. But as a minute went by, the moment never came. He opened his eyes again, seeing to his side that the Heartless had stopped in their pursuit, cowardly backing away. He stood, soon looking forward. His heart skipped a beat, see the back of the person who had been most feared. They just stood there, knowing he had stood, but soon spoke.

"Go away," she said, waving her hand and making the Heartless cower at her will. She turned, a smirk striking her face. "He's mine."

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A/N Don't worry! This isn't the end! please review, and have a nice day! ^_^