Sora smiles at all of his friends he met for the past two years. He could just hear them calling out to him. "Sora, you lazy bum, I knew that I would find you snoozing down here." "Sora! Sora! Come back here!" "Come on, Sora! Together, we can do it!"

His eyes fluttered then open them again to reveal his friends frowning at him. "What is wrong you guys, c'mon Riku, Kairi…Roxas?" He searches to each of his friend's eyes but they didn't show any signs of friendliness in them. Instead, each of them held their weapon, ready to strike at him. "What is the meaning of this?" He whispers to himself. The Keyblade Master knew better to run than face everyone at once.

Yuffie is the first one to charge at him with her big shuriken(1) in her hand. He wills the Keyblade to summon into his hand only to have a wooden toy sword instead. Sora grew frantic glancing back at the kunoichi(2) and then back at the useless weapon. She swung her arm back then threw it in his chest's direction. Immediately, he dives to the floor.

Once he touches the dark floor below him, the blackness devours slowly from his hands and feet. His mind clicks that something is wrong and tries to dust it off fearfully, knowing something like one of his drives that is known as Anti Drive. He lost his heart by saving Kairi then he fell into darkness. Since that creature is still inside of him, the process has gone rapidly.

"Riku! Kairi! Anyone!" He cries out.

A loud cackle could be heard throughout the room and everything around him stops. "So the worlds' hero is still scared of darkness." His expression turns into anger and get back on his feet quickly. Everything disappears before him, including his friends and darkness.

Someone once told him it is ok to be scared and to have insecurities those are signs of a strong heart.(3) "Never mind me… Come out and show yourself!" He shouts to nothingness.

The voice laughs even harder. "Even the pure has taint emotions." Then it lowers to quiet stillness. "Are you sure Sora? This will bring horror to someone like, no, only you."

"Don't make me repeat myself." He growls angrily as he crosses his arms and taps his foot on the ground.

A pitch-black figure steps out with yellow glowing orbs staring at him. "Hello Sora." It said as it smirks with fangs flashing. This Heartless is nothing he has ever seen before, a Shadow type without any antennas and the form looks very familiar especially the hair… Could it be?

"You are…" Sora could've sworn his jaw dropped.

"I'm your Heartless but you can call me Aros. It is just like spelling your name backwards."

He silently and nervously nods. "What do you—" He is cut off as its black claw place it over his lips.

"All in good time, hero of the light, you know when the time comes." The Heartless casts a dark spell and he felt his eyelids are getting heavy then drifts off to sleep.

Sora

"Sora, time to wake up! Riku and Kairi are here." My mother calls from downstairs. I open my sleepy sapphire eyes then get dressed since the three of us agreed to do something 'special' today. Something as in surprise, mind you. Still... I can't help the bugging feeling from what the voice said, 'You know when the time comes.' What does that mean?

A knock on my door snaps me out of my thoughts. "Are you ready? We're leaving." Riku calls from the other side of the door.

"I'll be right there!" I called back. Looking down at the silver chain crown necklace that still hangs around my neck I smile softly to myself. Then run out of the house follow after Riku and Kairi who has a picnic basket in her hand.

"Ready for the day, Sora?" She asks as she smiles at me.

"You bet!" I reply, grinning back at her.

For a second, I thought I saw Riku smiling sadly that involves pain and guilt towards us but then he masked a fake one in its place. "Come on Sora, I bet I still can beat you." He challenges.

"You're on!" Kairi smiles as she watches Riku and I do the usual style of fun two years ago, racing. Of course we like to spar with wooden swords but that is now child's play to us. Nowadays we would use our Keyblades and use handicap since he has darkness and I have those Drive Forms.

1. Known as a ninja star.
2. Female Ninja.
3. Jack Skellington told him in Castle Oblivion but he doesn't remember that.