Sora's POV

I sighed as I walked through Traverse Town. So far, it seemed pretty empty. No Neku or Rhyme or Shiki or Beat, so I'm guessing that they all managed to return home.

"Wait a sec," I said to myself, "Joshua said that this place only exists when someone needs a refuge, somewhere to go after losing their homeworld."

A lot of these things were over my head, but I did understand that part.

Normal POV

Sora was looking down while thinking, so he didn't see the person standing not-so-far in front of him. The girl was about 14, her eyes and hair were the same color as Sora's. Her hair was long, straight and smooth. She wore grey sweats and a blue T-shirt, and a golden crown necklace that was otherwise identical to Sora's.

The girl in question walked up to Sora, the sound of her footsteps making him looks up. "Hm?" He tilted his head.

Then the girl suddenly hugged him. "Hey, Brother! I missed you!" She said.

Sora felt his lips part in shock. "Wait, Ruby?" He asked, returning the embrace. She nodded, and Sora pulled back. "What are you doing here, in Traverse Town?"

She looked down. "Our world...it's gone."

His eyes widened. "G-gone...?" Ruby nodded slowly. "The Heartless," she explained, "it didn't take them long. It happened while you were taking your Mark of Mastery exam." Her fists clenched, she felt horrible about it. After all, "only two Keybladers weren't enough. I'm sorry Sora."

Sora felt tears form and roll down his face. This wasn't the first time his homeworld, and subsequently Destiny Islands, was taken away, but Sora mentally vowed to himself that it will be the last time.

Ruby started punching the nearby wall; she was crying too. "I should have been able to help more." She muttered. Sora grabbed Ruby's wrist and looked her in the eye. "You know I can't stand seeing you take this out on yourself," he said softly. "But...what did you mean, two Keyblade wielders? Was Riku there?"

She shook her head. "No. Me and Kairi, silly!" Sora blinked and let go of Ruby. "Wait, huh?" He was dumbfounded. "When did...?"

Ruby held out a hand, and a Kingdom Key materialized. "Woah," Sora said softly. "Congrats, sis." he said, smiling.

"Thanks. But I still should've been able to do more."

Sora shook his head. "The Heartless would be too much for any one or two people from drowning an entire world in darkness. Don't beat yourself up, okay?"

After a moment, Ruby nodded slowly. "Okay...thanks, brother."

He nodded back. "Don't mention it. But...where is Kairi?" She shrugged. "I don't know," she admitted. "We got seperated. I hope she's okay..."

"She is," he replied, "I know it." She smiled at his confidence. "So, what do we do now?" She asked.

He shrugged and sat on the bottom stair. "Dunno. I came here to get some air, figure a few things out, and hopefully rest after taking the Mark of Mastery." He explained. There was one other secret he kept from everyone.

What's no secret is that his journeys throughout the worlds have been tiring and stressful, no matter how happy or optimistic he seemed. It was just his way of dealig with things: hoping for a better tomorrow. But what no one else knew was that Sora had a little voice inside his head, whispering encouragement. The voice also was there to help Riku wake Sora up during the makeshift Mark of Mastery.

What Sora didn't tell his little sister was that he actually came to Traverse Town hoping to find some privacy and find out more about this voice.

Ruby sat next to him and yawned. "Can I sleep on your lap, like we used to as kids?" Sora nodded and smiled again. "Sure, but I know of a more comfortable spot to sleep."

She tilted her head. "Where's that?"

Sora stood. "Follow me."

Just a few minutes later, the duo stood in a now-vacated house that, in his first journey, was inhabited by Pinocchio and Gepetto in the Third District. Ruby laid down and smiled softly to herself at how soft and cozy the mattress was beneath her back. "Thank you," she said. Sora nodded and tucked her in like he would when they were little before stepping outside and closing the door.

He closed his eyes. "Okay. Voice, can you hear me?"

The response seemed like a whisper in the back of his mind. Yes, Sora, I hear you.

"Who are you?"

I have watched you for quite some time, now. If you want to give me a name...Call me Yuki.


Riku's POV

Here I now stand, for the second time in the Shores of Darkness. Last time it was because me and Sora ended up here after defeating Xemnas. This time, I'm here for a task. I walked along the shores, using the darkness that I was so aquainted with to extend my senses.

After what felt like hours, I found someone. A woman, sitting next to the waves. Her knees were tucked up to her chest, and she had blue hair that was dirtied, I guess from all the time she was here.

I jogged, approaching the woman. If she's one of the people that Master Yen Sid sent me to find, she's in rough shape. Her eyes looked empty, and she didn't even seem to be seeing the ocean waves, just...staring.

"Excuse me," I said when I was next to her. "I'm looking for someone. Perhaps you could help me?"

No response.

I sat next to her and watched the waves roll up to us, then recede. Then roll back up to us. I was silent. So was she. There is no sense of time here in the Realm of Darkness. But if there were, I'd guess that about ten minutes passed since I sat down.

"You seek a Keyblade Master," she said suddenly. It was a statement, not a question, and I almost jumped at it. "Y-yes" I replied, caught off guard. "How did you know?"

"Before I became trapped here, I was known as Master Aqua." She told me. My gaze finally left the waters. I stood and stared at her. "You're Master Aqua?" I confirmed. She nodded nonchalantly.

I remembered what Yen Sid said: that even if they were found, actually retrieving them could be difficult, and Riku would have to ease his way through this.

"Master Aqua, were you particularly...close to anyone, in the Realm of Light?" I spoke slowly, making sure she could hear me. I tried to pick my words as carefully as possible.

"I had two close friends," she spoke in her monotonous voice. "and my Master. I was close to them all, before...things happened."

She misses them, I realized. It wasn't her tone - or lack thereof - that told me; it was her hesitation.

"Terra was deceived, and has lost his body. Ven lost his heart, and is in a comatose state. I was left alone, trying to find and save Terra, and wandered endlessly through the Realm of Darkness, until I lost my Light. Master Eraqus was killed by Terra, being manipulated against his will by Xehanort. Now...there is no one."

it was a very subtle movement, but I caught it. Aqua curled up slightly tighter. She's still in there.

"Would you like another chance?" I asked. Her gaze slowly shifted to me, and for just a split second, I thought I saw some Light in her lifeless eyes. "What...do you mean?"

"I was sent here by Master Yen Sid. We're trying to help you, and Terra and Ven, too. we might have a way to save them."

I sensed something shift within her conscience, and I continued. "Besides, Terra helped me as a child. Even if Yen Sid didn't send me, I still owe Terra that much."

Aqua closed her eyes. I gently placed a hand on her shoulder, and I could practically feel the real Master Aqua trying to break free. The Aqua that visited me and Sora once, just after Terra did.

Aqua finally stood. When she slowly opened her eyes and looked at me, I saw life returning to her. She nodded. "I remember you, from that island. You and Sora promised me you'd look after each other..." She said, her voice no longer a monotone. I closed my eyes, trying not to remember the...issues me and Sora had during our first venture into the outside world.

"Yes, and we have," I said. "I am Master Riku. I'm glad to see you're returning to us, Master Aqua."

"Master Riku?" Aqua asked in apparent disbelief. I nodded. "Shall we return? They're waiting for us."

"They?" She asked.

"Sora, Yen Sid and King Mickey."

"Mickey? He's a king?" I nodded again, wondering just how much she missed, trapped here alone all this time. "Do you have a way out of here?" She asked.

I nodded and turned to the ocean waves, holding out a hand. While I may not have all of the powers of darkness I once did, I still knew how to use it. And the darkness was powerful here.

A portal formed in front of us. "After you, Aqua." She nodded thanks and stepped through. I followed her, taking the portal back to Yen Sid's tower.


Whew, that was a lot of fun to write :) and one thing I'm going to do is credit each of the OC's at the end of the chapter that they're introduced, as none of them are mine.

Ruby belongs to RubyDarknessAngel.

Yuki belongs to MoeMoePinkNinja.

Thank you both :) and coincidentally, they were the first volunteers for this project, so extra thanks!

Don't forget to drop a review, and please PM me if you wish to submit an OC!