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Leon stood frozen in place. His mind tried to process what was in front of him but his head was filled with thoughts of denial. Your loosing it Leon, he told himself. He had seen it with his own eyes, his world and everyone he loved was swallowed by the darkness. He had spend years trying to let go of everything he used to have, he left those thoughts behind with who he used to be. But the girl standing in front of him was no ghost from his past. She was real, and she was looking as him like he was from another world.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Selphie asked, raising an eyebrow at Leon's strange behaviour.

It's a mistake, Leon thought. This is just a girl who looks like Selphie…and talks like Selphie.

But there was no mistake. This was Selphie Tilmitt, and she looked exactly the same as the last time he saw her; she hadn't aged a day. She was as young and vibrant as she was back when they were cadets at Balamb Garden, back on their home…before he had ever heard about heartless, the darkness or the even the fact that there were other worlds besides his own.

Even after all these years he still recognized her. He couldn't forget any of his friends from his past even if he tried. Sure, he had buried all his memories of them when he chose to focus on fighting the darkness with the new people he had met, but those memories were never lost. He appreciated each one of his friends for sticking by him, even when he gave them the cold shoulder. He cared about them more then he let on, and even as he tried to forget them, he had never been able to diminish how important they were to him.

When he watched his home being taken by the darkness, he watched all of them disappear with it. That horrible moment had been embedded into his memories like the scar across his face, etched deep into his skin. The darkness had taken everything from him.

But Selphie hadn't been swallowed up inside the darkness. She stood before him, giving him more hope then he could find in a long time.

Selphie took a few slow steps backwards away from the gaping man. "Okay seriously, you're really creeping me out…"

She had no idea who he was, not a clue. He was looking at her with a stunned expression, the bridge between his eyes creased as he tried to figure out what to say to her. She just looked him like he was crazy, her face displaying serious discomfort. It made for one awkward reunion.

"Selphie, I know I offered to help, but how did I end up carrying all four ice-cream bars?" Riku asked. He had been walking behind Selphie more slowly so he didn't drop any of the ice cream. Finally, he caught up to her, where he saw her talking to someone… someone he'd seen before, but never actually met.

"…You must be Leon." Riku said, in a serious tone, as he placed the face to the name. He knew right away that Leon would not come to the island just to say 'hi!' …He knew right then, that he and Sora would have to fight once more.

Selphie turned around. "You know this guy?"

Riku nodded.

"Maybe you can tell me why he's looking at me like that?" Selphie pointed at Leon who was standing behind her, stepping forward to speak. His words were interrupted before he could begin.

"Leon!" Came Sora's warm welcoming voice. "Good to see you!"

The sun had now set, leaving a pale light in its place, amongst the budding night that began to encase the sky. Kairi followed close behind Sora to greet the familiar face. "Hi Leon. What brings you here?" She smiled.

Riku couldn't help but notice how naïve the two of them were. They greeted Leon like a good friend who had come for a friendly visit. But his being there really meant the start of another journey.

Selphie stood surprised to see that her friends apparently knew this weird guy very well.

"So…you all know each other then?" She asked with puzzled expression.

Kairi nodded. "Yup. Selphie, this is Leon. Leon, this is our friend, Selphie."

Upon hearing each other's names, Selphie and Leon looked at each other. Sora scratched head in confusion as to why their meeting was so uncomfortable. Kairi gave a questioning look to Riku, who just shrugged without giving any answers.

"Do…you…guys…know each other?" Sora asked awkwardly, pointing between Leon and Selphie.

Leon snapped out of the uncertain, unmoving state he had let himself get trapped in, and decided on what he should say. "Selphie…I apologize for my behaviour. You look like someone I once knew, it surprised me, but seeing as you have no recollection of ever knowing me, I am mistaken."

Despite the awkward meeting between her and Leon, she felt a strange sort of familiarity as soon as he spoke her name. She nodded to him. "Okay then, apology accepted…I better get going, though… I have homework."

Kairi sensed strange behaviour in her friend and so she offered to walk home with her. She said a quick goodbye, grabbed their ice creams, and left with her.

"So Leon, how are things back at Radiant Garden?" Sora knew that Leon was not much of a conversationalist beyond the limits of battle talk, but it had been so weirdly tense between Selphie and Leon, he thought it was best to lighten the mood.

Riku, however, did not care for casual talk and got straight to the point. "Why have you come here?"

Sora placed a hand on Riku's shoulder "Relax man, there's plenty of time to get to that." Sora turned to Leon. "I don't think you two have met officially yet…this is Riku. I keep telling him he's too suspicious for his own good."

Riku frowned.

"No," Leon said, "He's right. The darkness is growing once again, the world's need your help."

"What's causing the disturbance?" Riku inquired, Sora's attempt to lighten the mood all forgotten.

"We're not entirely sure. Something is feeding it and it's about time that we get you three off this island before it spreads to this world."

Kairi walked alongside Selphie, who seemed determined to keep her gaze directly ahead. She walked quickly, and Kairi had to keep picking up her pace in order to keep up with her.

"What's the hurry Selphie?" Kairi asked.

"I need to get home." Selphie said without looking at her. "I still have homework to do."

Kairi laughed lightly. "Since when? After school, you were so excited to hang out because you didn't have homework."

Selphie mentally kicked herself. Me and my big mouth. She wondered why she hadn't come up with a better excuse. There were so many possibilities. Then again, she was never good at keeping things from Kairi, probably because she hated keeping things bottled up inside. She liked confiding in her friend, even though Kairi was obviously keeping things from her.

Kairi kept a smile, trying to make her friend feel comfortable "So then, what happened back there? I know you'll feel better if you talk to me."

Selphie knew she was right. She slowed down and turned to her friend. "I don't know really. That guy Leon, I mean at first I thought he was super weird, but afterward I kinda… felt like… maybe, I did know him before."

"Really?" Kairi said raising her eyebrows in disbelief.

Selphie shrugged. "But I don't even know why! Just a feeling I guess."

Kairi sat down on a nearby bench, resting her chin on her palm as she considered this strange possibility. "Let's think. Is there anyone you know who looks like Leon, or acts like him. Because well, lets just say Leon's not from around here…"

Selphie shuffled her foot on the dirt path.

"…and you haven't left the island before have you…" Kairi said this as a statement and not a question.

But Selphie answered anyway. "Well, sort of …"

Kairi looked at her. "Wait, what?"

"I'm not from around here. Well I could be, maybe. I don't know where I'm from."

Kairi rounded on her friend. "Selph, how come you never said anything?"

The words spilled from her mouth, so quickly that Kairi was having a hard time keeping up. "I thought that everyone would think I was weird. The truth is, my parents found me when I was 12, wondering on the beach like a lost puppy! I didn't remember who I was or how I ended up there. They took me in and enrolled me in school. I met you and Tidus, and everyone…and I made new memories. I didn't see the point in bringing it up again."

Kairi looked away and whispered. "Sometimes, you can't bury your past…it can catch up to you…"

The redhead suddenly seemed distant. Selphie couldn't her expression, her head was down, and her hair was covering her face. She wondered what she had said to cause the sudden change in her friend's attitude.

Everyone knew Kairi didn't originate from Destiny Islands either. She mentally kicked herself again, thinking now, how much better she would have felt if she had at least told Kairi about her secret. But now, it seemed that Kairi needed to say something. "Kai, what—" but what happened next smashed their confessional moment into pieces. "—WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!" Selphie screamed.


The breeze suddenly picked up, sending shivers up Sora's spine. He nervously looked over his shoulder, feeling vulnerable to the unknown enemy.

It had been difficult for Sora to adjust to life as a young islander. For weeks he remained battle ready, taking on a battle stance at every loud sound or strong wind that met his senses. Eventually he learned to relax and concentrate on school, his friends, and being a normal kid. A kid who didn't have 'saving the world' at the top of his to-do list.

He took another look at his surroundings, this time more slowly. Though a large part of him was eager to get back into battle, another part of him felt dejected; he would have to leave his home again.

Shifting in a slight form of the battle stance that was still so familiar to him, he turned to Leon and spoke, "When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow. Yuffie's preparing the gummi ship as we speak. It's parked on the other side of the island."

Riku nodded. "Okay, me and Sora will meet you on the Beach tomorrow at sunrise."

Leon seemed to be staring into space for a moment; it took him a couple seconds to register Riku's words. Then he shook his head and said, "No, not just you two, Kairi has to come too."

Riku narrowed his eyes. "Are you kidding? Kairi needs to stay out of this. She can stay here."

"Come on Riku, Kairi would never go for that and you know it!" Sora said stepping up to Riku and looking up toward him too. Though the three of them were best friends there were some things that never seemed to change between them; Riku still had head over Sora, and the two boys still seemed to find ways to fight over Kairi.

"We don't have to tell her we're leaving, write her a note or something!" Riku was frustrated; it was bad enough that Sora had join the fight, but Kairi wasn't obligated.

Leon shook his head. He didn't have time for their bickering. He came between the two and raised his voice. "If Kairi stays here, she'll have to fend off the heartless all on her own. You all three have Keyblades and they'll come after one of you before anyone else. Do you really want to leave Kairi alone to fight for herself?"

Riku opened his mouth, ready to make an argument against Leon's case, but then he closed it and lowered his head in defeat.

Sora smirked proudly, knowing that Leon was on his side, but that feeling quickly subsided as the thought of Kairi as a possible target imprinted itself in his mind. "You really think they'd come after Kairi too?"


Kairi was on her feet, stunned to see the thing Selphie was pointing at. It was a heartless. And as Kairi stood there, trying to think of what to do, more Heartless appeared, and then some more after them. They were surrounded by the strange black little beings, their round soulless eyes emitting a yellow glow in the night.

"Where did they come from?!" Selphie whimpered, not knowing how to react.

"Selphie, keep away from them!" Kairi shouted, pulling friend closer to her. She whipped her head around and back again trying to look for a way out. But the more she hesitated, the more cornered the two girls became.

"How do I do that?!" Selphie was panicking. They were trapped. The little black beings were circling them. They continued to move toward the two girls further enclosing the space that separated them.

Kairi was still hesitating trying to think of what she should do. She wanted to call for Sora, but she knew she had already waited too long, and that for Sora to come and save them, they would have to wait a minute they didn't have. She was quickly understanding that when fighting the enemy, every second counted…and she had already wasted too many.

"We're done for!" Selphie cried, gripping onto Kairi tightly.

Kairi was still in her head. Why aren't you doing anything?! She told herself over and over again. Then she realized it wasn't herself, it was Naminé.

Kairi, you have a Keyblade. USE IT!

That's right! Kairi told Naminé, as the epiphany came to her. "I have a keyblade!" She said triumphantly out loud, causing Selphie to spare a sideways glance toward the redhead.

Kairi stretched her right hand forward to summon her keyblade. She felt a strange sensation that started in her heart and spread up to her right shoulder and then toward her hand. And suddenly, it was there. Her hand clasped tightly on the handle of the elaborate key, just as a heartless had jumped up toward them.

Kairi swiped her blade a little awkwardly towards the creature, but nonetheless, it had hit. The heartless fell backward. At the sudden demonstration of power, there was a hesitation amongst the other heartless.

"Stay close to me!" She ordered Selphie who just nodded her head very fast and stayed behind her weapon-wielding friend.

Kairi moved forward swiping at every heartless in her path. It took at least four or five swings for her to eliminate any one heartless completely; she knew she was nowhere near as strong as Sora or Riku. But she pushed through anyway, trying to make a path so they could escape the ambush and get to their friends. Looking at the bright side of the situation, she was very glad that she only had to deal with shadow heartless. She knew that she probably couldn't fight off anything bigger than that.


Again, it took a moment for Leon to process what Sora had said. It wasn't like him to loose his focus, but his mind seemed to be drifting into two separate directions. Leon furrowed his brow, his features displaying an effort of deep concentration. Both Sora and Riku assumed Leon's expression indicated that he was deeply involved in the unfolding situation at hand…they had no knowledge of the battle that had begun with himself.

Forgetting about Sora's previous words Leon spoke. "Go home, say a goodbye to your family and get ready to fight the darkness once more. We're a little more ahead of the game this time around. But you'll hear more on that tomorrow."

Riku and Sora nodded solemnly.

"Come on Riku, we should catch up with Kairi before she gets home. She needs to know we're leaving tomorrow." Sora said.

Riku and Sora began to part ways with Leon, when a high-pitched scream sounded in the night. The three of them turned too look at each other.

"That's Selphie's scream." Leon said without thinking.

Though Riku wondered how Leon could possibly know Selphie's voice so well, he shoved that thought aside, and the three of them ran off the dock towards the source of the loud shriek.


Authors Note: Well there is chapter two. Hope you liked it. I'd love to hear your feedback. Constructive criticism is welcome :D

Lots more action to come. Now you review! :D