I do not own anything nor do I make any money from this story. All rights apply.

Set after Kingdom Hearts II and after Final Fantasy XII; possibly AU as I've ignored some things or twisted them for my purpose. Hmm… game mechanics are not really welcome in my stories – potions and spells are for the game. However, the keyblades posed a bit of a problem for so they are as they are. FFXII RW has been ignored as I haven't played it.

FRIENDS OF MY HEART

TWO

Sora opened his eyes but had to close them immediately for the sunlight was bright. He rolled over and sat up dusting sand from his damp clothes. He frowned – he remembered Riku and himself had been sparring and decided to go for a swim by jumping off the little island and swimming to the beach to meet up with Tidus and Wakka but then... He remembered… darkness?

Looking around quickly he saw that Riku lay a few meters from him and that they were no longer on Destiny Island. Getting to his feet Sora gave the area a once over as he walked toward Riku. It was a beach, or rather, a riverbed that stretched into desert as far as Sora could see. The other side of the river looked to be much the same. There was a settlement further down the river with a few little hunts with people going about their daily business.

Riku stirred as Sora approached him.

"Where are we?" he asked blinking in the bright light.

"I don't know," answered Sora sticking out his hand.

Riku grabbed it and Sora pulled him to his feet.

"There is a village over there," said Sora pointing. "Let's start there."

Riku nodded and they set off – the two were old hands at turning up in places out of their world.

They hadn't gone very far when they heard a scream and saw a familiar sight.

"Heartless," they both said at the same time and ran forward, keyblades automatically coming to hand.

XXX

Penelo sat by Sasha's bed. The little girl had fallen asleep – it wouldn't be long now. After three days of suffering, the end was soon. Sasha was not the first person to fall victim to the disease and Penelo wondered how many more would die before a cure was found. The plague had hit suddenly three weeks ago; it was indiscriminate and so far twenty people had died. She worried about Vaan as well, he was taking on so many marks, wearing himself out, just to be able to give small amounts of money to the suffering families. The herbs that eased the pain were expensive but worth every bit as who wants their loved ones final moments to be in agony. Once again, Vaan was off in the Eastersands chasing a mark – a little black creature someone had termed a 'heartless'. Penelo felt her eyes water, just when things seemed to be getting better…

XXX

Sora fell back as his foot caught on something in the sand. In a second the Heartless was upon him but before it could strike a short loud sound echoed through the air. The Heartless turned its attention to a young man standing a few meters away. He held a gun in one hand and a sword in the other. A slight frown creased Vaan's features – he was sure he had hit the heartless. Sora used the moment's confusion to dispatch the Heartless and stood; Riku coming to join him.

Vaan holstered his gun and made his way over to the two. Taking in their appearances, he decided they were not from Rabanastre and possibly, not even Dalmasca. He noted the white haired kid was looking at him the same way as he was looking at them but his companion was offering a ready smile and waved as Vaan got closer.

"Hello," he said enthusiastically, "thanks for your help."

"Hello," said Vaan. He paused, unsure of how to tell the smiling kid that he had taken Vaan's kill.

"I'm Sora, and this is Riku," introduced Sora.

Vaan grinned, he couldn't help it. There was something about Sora that made you like him.

"I'm Vaan," he said holding out his hand.

Both Sora and Riku shook his hand and it was then that Vaan noticed their swords were missing.

"Do you have many Heartless here?" asked Sora before Vaan could mention the swords.

"Sora," cautioned Riku.

"Heartless? That really what they're called?" asked Vaan. "I thought it was a name someone made up. Why are they called that?"

"Because that is what they are. They have no hearts," explained Sora.

"Sora," said Riku again seeing the look on Vaan's face.

"No hearts," said Vaan slowly.

Sora nodded.

Vaan found himself nodding as well before giving himself a shake.

"Where are you staying?" he asked instead.

Here Sora paused and looked at Riku, who looked just as unsure as Sora.

"It's a bit er- difficult to explain," said Sora.

XXX

The three decided not to tell Penelo that Sora and Riku were from another world, mostly because Vaan didn't really believe them. They did come across several Heartless as they made their way back to Rabanastre. It soon became apparent that Vaan's weapons were useless against the Heatless but it didn't stop him fighting along side Sora and Riku. Vaan and Sora did most, if not all, the talking. Sora told Vaan about Heartless and Nobodies while Vaan explained the situation in Ranabastre; of how Queen Ashelia had been crowned just three months ago and how some said she wasn't able to rule due to her age. Then the Sleeping Plague had hit and no one was able to find a cure. There was immense pressure on the young queen. Vaan stopped his flow of depressing news to ask how Sora and Riku had come to Dalmasca.

"In the Gummi Ship," said Sora.

"Is that like an airship?" asked Vaan his interest obvious.

"It's-" Sora suddenly stopped and looked at Riku.

"We didn't come in the Gummi Ship," he said, eyes wide. "How are we going to get back?"

"There has to be a door here or else the Heartless would be able to get through," explained Riku. "We use that?"

"I have to lock that door," pointed out Sora.

"A door opened last time," said Riku. "At the… beach."

"That was different," moaned Sora. "No body knows where we are."

"It doesn't matter," said Riku confidently. "Kairi will look for us."

Sora paused then nodded with a grin.

Vaan waited while the conversation took place. He was slowly beginning to believe the two boys. Travelling from one world to the next... Vaan momentarily forgot about the plague, marks and other mundane things. An airship that could travel between worlds – wait, there were other worlds.

"What are they like?" asked Vaan turning to Sora and Riku.

Both blinked.

"What are what like?" asked Sora.

"The other worlds," said Vaan.

"They are so different from each other..."

And so as they walked back to Rabanastre, Sora regaled Vaan with tales of the worlds.

XXX

Vaan had taken them to Migelo's to meet both Penelo and Migelo. They had decided to tell everyone that Riku and Sora came from a small place on the other side of Archadia called Arda. Vaan was supremely confident that no one he knew would know otherwise so they would be safe as long as they kept things vague. Penelo had readily accepted their story although Migelo was suspicious, however, he said nothing.

"I'm going to Lowtown, to Old Dalan," said Vaan. "I'm taking Sora and Riku to meet him."

"Why?" asked Penelo correctly suspecting that Vaan was hiding something from her.

"There doesn't have to be a reason for everything," said Vaan. He didn't want to tell her that if anyone knew a way off Ivalice it would be Old Dalan; or he would know of someone or something that would know. But most importantly, Old Dalan should know something about the Heartless by now. Vaan hadn't seen him in two weeks, plenty of time for the old man to have found something out.

"Except that with you, there is," pointed out Penelo.

"That's not true," protested Vaan.

Penelo just waved away Vaan's protest.

"Just be careful, okay."

Vaan nodded with a grin.

"I'm always careful," he said.

Penelo smiled weakly and put her hand to her head.

"Penelo," asked Vaan alarmed.

"I was up late last night, that's all," explained Penelo.

Vaan remained where he was standing, watching Penelo – he knew what was coming next. His chest was tight and his body felt frozen but he managed to step forward and catch Penelo as she fell.

"Penelo – no," muttered Vaan as Penelo started to tremble in his grasp.

Sora and Riku stood by unsure of what to do.

"Migelo!" yelled Vaan desperately.