Hope have had enough. She had heard enough. She didn't even hear what she wanted. She still didn't know what those people or things were that looked liked her parents. She still wanted answers...She wanted them dead. Gone forever...But how was she going to do that?

Why in the world did they even let her go free? When they killed off her parents in the first place?

She let a low sigh escape as she pushed the door open to step out into the night sky of Traverse Town. The cold air was refreshing as she let it blow on her. She slowly waked over until she could rest on the nearby balcony. She gently leaned slightly as she looked up into the night sky. It was rather nice to see all those stars sparkly, almost telling her, "It's going to be okay." Up nearby in a higher balcony stood Riku. Riku glared down at Hope and Sora.

What were they doing? They were wasting their time standing...They aren't even looking for Kairi like he was doing. He was actually trying to find her...Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder. He didn't even have to turn around to see who it was.

"What do you want?" "Nothing"
"Your lying. If your here, that means you want something." "Very well you caught me Riku"
"Speak up." "Well, I was just noticing that your so called friends seem to have found a way to replace you, especially Sora. Sora seems to have replaced you with those two new people he has been with." "What are you getting at?" "Well, they both, Hope and Sora seem to have taken you completely out of the picture. They don't even look like they miss you that much. Almost like they have completely forgotten you, Riku...Don't you want to remind them?" "I don't need to do anything for them. Especially Hope." "Yes, but...Then maybe you should show them how you feel? They have been toiling away, replacing you, and not doing their job in finding Kairi, unlike you have been doing dear. Your better off without them both, especially that wrencthed boy Sora. Follow me when your ready. I can help you in finding your lost friend. Just let me know."

With that she disappeared leaving Riku behind. Riku glared more at Sora and Hope. Finally something inside of him snapped. She was right. They have replaced him, though Hope forgotten him long before. Riku looked down at his hands as his sword appeared. Something about the sword made him slightly happy. It was almost guiding him into excatly what he wanted. Gently he tightened his grip on the sword as he took one more look down at Sora and Hope. He finally decided as he disappeared. Hope didn't even see or hear the sound behind her until she whirled around in confusion ready to beat the hell out of whatever was there.

"RIKU"
"Geezs, forgotten how lould you scream." Hope took a minute or so to calm down and to refind her voice. "What-How-Where-What are you doing here"
"Well, actually I came here to talk to you Hope"
"Exscue me?" "Fine. If you don't want to talk I'll leave"
"Excuse me again? You want to talk to me"
"Yeah"
"Don't you want to talk to Sora instead of me"
"Nope, I want to talk to you." "You must have damaged something from the last time we saw you. Why in hell do you want to talk, let alone spend time with me?" "It's something you said back at Destiny Island"
"I said lots of things at Destiny Island. Recall what the hell I said that made you want to stand here talking to me." "The thing you said before we left. That Kairi would dispise me..." "...Yay...I did say that, didn't I? What about it?" "I been doing some thinking about it. Your right Kairi would dispise me right now. So Starting now I want to start fresh"
"That's great for you Riku, but what the hell does it have to do with me?" "I mean starting fresh with you"
"Excuse me?! If your talking about"
"No! No! not that way! I mean about starting fresh as friends." Hope pushed herself away from the balacony so that she was standing up striaght looking at Riku.
Was he serious? Why now? Why...She had a nagging feeling about this, but agianst her better judgement she pushed it aside.

"I see"
"So, what you say? Start fresh?" "I...Suppose...yay, sure. Lets start over." "Great! Now all we need to do is let Sora in this sercet"
"Really now? It's a sercet"
"You know what I mean"
"Yay, guess your right. Why don't you go get him and we can tell him the good news." "May I ask why your agreeing to this so suddenly"
"It isn't so much for me...Maybe a part of it is for me, but it is completely for Kairi. I'm doing everyhting for Kairi, not for me"
"I see...So then your obeying mother's oders"
"Maybe so"
"Could you do me a favor than"
"Ah, but we haven't reached that far into this new fresh start of a sercet for me to do that yet"
"Guess not, but you see here is the thing. I don't think Sora wants to see me right away after I did that disappearing act in front of you guys. Still might be mad at me and all. You know how he can hold a childish grude agianst his friends and all...So I was slightly hoping that you would get him for me"
"I see...Yay, you do have a point there...He can hold grudges agaianst his friends...Allright, but just this once"
"Thanks, I owe you"
"Yay you do owe me. Big time Riku." He stood there grinning as Hope turned and headed to the door leading into the hotel they were staying at.

Riku grin turned into his new found smile of darkness as he moved his hand slightly. This caused a small darkness tunnel to turn into his sword. He gripped it tightly as he made his move. Everything happened so fast that it was all a blur. Hope didn't have a chance to react or move. Riku had dashed forward grabbing Hope's arm causing her to turn around to be facing Rikku face straight on. Riku held his grip as he drove his sword striaght through Hope's Heart. Hope gave a small lurch as her eyes widened in terror. Blood poured out of her mouth dropping in a small puddle on the ground.Riku grin turned wider as he whispered into her ear.

"You know I never did like you. You were right to be concern about me. I was likly to go agianst you..."

Riku pulled the sword out as Hope body fell onto the floor where the blood laid. Riku moved aside as suddenly something caught his attention. Heartless suddenly began to appear out of nowhere.

Why in the world would the heartless be appearing now, when there is no heart to steal?

The heartless began to get excited as they moved towards Hope body, but something was wrong. The heartless stopped in action as they began to coward away. Darkness began to swirl around Hope intire body. First slowly appearing out of the ground forming into nothing in particular, but soon it began to pick up speed as it looked like a whirpool of darkness. Once it caught to a certian speed it formed it's shape into a pure black heart of darkness. Once it did that it became a solid form of darkness. Suddenly it scattered as something stood in front of it replacing it. There stood what looked like Hope, but was it really Hope? Riku couldn't help himself.

"Who are you?" The person who looked like Hope turned around so that she was facing Riku as she replied, "I thank you, prince." "I'm no prince and you don't need to thank me. Who are you?" She grined. "Don't you remember me Riku"
"Should I"
"You really should remember me Riku, especially since I've always been with you and Sora on Destiny Island"
"Excuse me"
"Ah, poor child"
"Don't call me that"
"Fine. Since your memory is failing...I'll tell you flat out. I'm Hope's other side. In truth I'm Hope, but with a slight twist." "Explain in terms that aren't full of dodges"
"Allright Riku. Everyone has a dark side or rather a side that they don't want people to see. The side that is always kept locked away, deep in one's heart. The Thin layer of Darkness that is dormint until it can be released. The other side. That is me"
"So then why do you have the memories of Hope? Shouldn't you be slightly different beside looks"
"Simple. That side that lays domint has the same eyes. The same life, the same memories, the same everything, ecpect personiallty. Now if you'll excuse me." She turned away from Riku as she bent down beside Hope.
"You should have listened to that nagging light of yours. It guide people, but apperently it doesn't guide you. You really are a foolish child. Just like your parents. They were foolish and stupid. Your following their footsteps and now you'll die the same way they did years ago on your piteful island." She snaped her figures as a staff appeared. She grapped it. "Now it's time to finish it"
She raised her staff as she plunged it striaght down into Hope's heart as Hope gave a slight lurch striaght up releasing a blood curling scream that filled the air.
"Ah, doesn't that hurt? I want you to suffer..." She raised her staff and did it a few times while the same scream filled the air. Suddenly the light in the hotel room flickered on. "Darn, there goes my fun." With another snap she disappeared into a black hole as Riku did the same. Everything was a blur to Hope. She was long gone. She couldn't hear anything or say anything.

Hope...can you hear me.
Who are you?
You should always listen to your heart, even at times it may fail you.
If it fails, then why listen?
Dear-
Don't call me that! Your not my mother! Sorry then. Then at least listen to your light.
My light is gone...I have no more light.
You should never say that! Light can be found anywhere!
No it can't. I'm worthless...Can't save me...No more.
Hope...Please try to remember the light...Kairi is and shall always be your light...Remember that.
...I'm fading...Once agian.
My...I'm sorry...

Hope's eyes slowly opened as she gazed around. Yuffie was laying on the side end with her head down and Leon was over in the corner standing in his normal pose. "So your awake now?" Hope laid there not moving or saying anything. Yuffie stirred as she woke up rubbing her eyes.
"Leon, what you talking about? How can she be awake"
"Just look over." Yuffie shrugged as her eyes moved over Hope's body and finally made it to her eyes. Yuffie eye's widened as she saw them move.
"You are awake"
"Yuffie, don't make her deaf"
"I'm not"
"She hasn't even answered me, so don't get so happy"
"It doesn't matter! She's awake! That counts"
"No it doesn't. It only counts when she is up and moving"
Your so mean Leon"
"I only tell the truth"
"Cut it out, I'm not dead. So don't talk to me like I'm not here anymore." Came the hard crack of Hope's voice.
"Yay! She has life back in her now"
"I wouldn't call it life"
"Oh! I gotta get Sora now"
"No...I want to be alone now"
"But...Don't"
"NO! I WANT TO BE ALONE"
"Let her be for an hour at least Yuffie"
"But...Okay..."

With that they left her alone. Just want she wanted. So...now what? I have to get moving...She gave herself a push up so that she was sitting up, but that was a big mistake. Pain rushed through her as she bit her lip down to reframe from screaming. Her hand shot up as she grabbed her wound. Something felt weird about it though...It seemed like an actual piece of her heart was missing. It was a deep hole, empty, rough, hard, jagded, and flipping all over the place. What is this? This is my wound, right? It doesn't feel like a wound...

"Hope!" Hope looked up to see Sora standing right at the doorway.
"Great the dork has arrived"
"I tired"
"Apperaently you didn't try hard enough Leon"
"What can I say"
"Whatever"
"How come you didn't want to see anyone Hope? We all are your friends"
"I just felt like being alone. So, let me be alone"
"Mind now actually saying what happened to you?" Hope looked away. She didn't want to say what happened to her at all. If Sora...If he knew...If anyone knew...It would just kill everything...She couldn't do it.
"Nothing"
"Hope you"
"I SAID NOTHING HAPPENED TO ME! I...leave me alone..."

It was strange for her to be yelling like this at everyone for no reason. Sure she was angry a lot, scartistic, annoyed easy, irrated, flew jokes in the air...But something about this was different. This time she actually felt like she was already dead, missing, had nothing left to push for, just wilting into nothing...Who and what was she now? All these strange feeling and emotions kept pilling over her and spilling out onto the nearest attachment. Everyone stared in silence. Leon was the first to break the silence as he replied, "Allright time to let her be. I'll be the first watch person." Everyone grumbled as they did what Leon said. Leon resumed his normal post as Hope kept her gaze on the floor. What am I going to do? I know what happened, but...I feel like I'm not me anymore...I'm...Is this real?
"So, you really don't want to talk about it"
"Didn't you hear me already"
"Yay, I did, but is that really how you feel"
"Feel? I have nothing to say...Don't act like you know what I feel"
"My mistake then"
"Good..." Hope finally moved her eyes off the floor as she looked out the window.

Hope please listen to the people who are trying to help you out.
Why should I? Why? They have geniue feelings for you.
No they don't. It's just cover ups, like Riku.
He's clouded.
Stop protecting him. He doesn't need it. Your right, he doesn't. But just try to keep the light, even though your partly shattered. Shattered, huh? Is that what it's called? Maybe...But...Please don't ever forget the light.
Light...I'm no longer alive, am I? It's hard to say.
Then don't say anything at all

Hope shoved the covers off as she worked her way off the bed.
"What are you doing"
"What does it look like Leon"
"Getting out"
"Excatly." She managed to get herself off the bed and standing, but froze. She took a deep breathe as she began to take steps. At first it looked like she was doing allright, but suddenly she came crashing down. Leon was able to catch her before she could hit the floor.

"Better take it easy"
"I don't-" Suddenly Hope stopped as she grabbed her wound. She began feel pain shot through her entire body as she began to sweat and pant. Her eyesight began to go in and out.
"Hey, What's wrong"
"I-It-Hurts-Can't.." That was the last thing she said before everything went black.

This is so much fun my dear!
Who are you?
I'm you dear, but the other side of the mirror.
Mirror?
I was slowly growing inside of you all this time. You had so much hate in you. It was easy for me to be born inside of you.
Riku let you out, didn't he?
Yes, about frigging time. Now I can-

Hope didn't hear the rest. As she began to come back to her senses. She turned her head slightly as she heard Aerith talking. "I exmained her over, just like you requested Leon. It's strange"
"What is strange? "
"Her heart is still attached to her. It doesn't seem to be as if a heartless stole her heart at all. But her heart is damaged"
"Then what excatly happened"
"I can't say for sure. I mean heartless attack people to steal their hearts, not damage it. It appers her heart is slightly damaged inside and out. It's almost like she is missing a part of her heart. Missing a part of who she is. I think that is why she passed out. She has a limit because of the part that was taken from her"
"Is that why she is saying things that doesn't sound like her, or saying things that appear to be coming from someone else"
"Maybe. I'm not sure. Everything in research that I know and we have gathered over time dosen't cover any of this. So I'm not sure what is causing her to say the things she is saying. Maybe it's like a default setting when someone's heart is damaged like this. I can't explian this until we find more data, just like any other researcher does"
"Don't talk about me like I'm some kind of experiment"
"Hope can we talk"
"What is it Sora"
"Guys...I want to talk to her alone"
"Allright, you heard him." Everyone got up as they left Sora and Hope in the room alone.
"Did you really mean the things you said back there"
"I...Sora, I don't"
"Cause we are friends! They are our friends! I don't want my friends to be in pain! I want the happy smiles"
"Everything isn't smelling like roses Sora"
"Hope stop it"
"Stop what"
"Your always talking like this! Making jokes all the time! You never say what you really feel. Your always hidding yourself. Never giving anyone trust, not even me. Even though we grew up toegther"
"Sora"
"Hope please listen! I want to be, no I am your friend! Everyone is your friend! If you open up and let them in. Please! Let us in. We want to help you. I want to help you. Kairi wants to help you! Just-I don't want to see you hurt"
"Sora, I"
"Please...We.." Tears fell to the floor as he covered his eyes. Hope eyes softened as she looked at the teary eyed Sora. "Sora, I'm sorry...Really I am...I'll talk...Honestly"
"No lies this time"
"No. I'll do this for Kairi's sake"
"Okay." Hope literally told Sora what had happened, expect the part of Riku stabbing her. She changed it to being heartless.
"There was another you"
"Yay...I don't...know...I'm not even sure if I'm me...I"
Hope grabbed her wound again as she felt sharp pains.
"Hope"
"I'm okay, really. Just sharp pains, but other than that I'm good"
"Really"
"Yay, really." Hope and Sora gave each other a smile. It was strange, but slowly Hope and Sora was growing a realtionship of trust. Even if it didn't seem real at the time.