Hey everyone, It's BassDS back with a new addition to Future Connection. So before going on, I do want to say, once more, if the chapters seem short, I apologize, but on one hand, this might work in my favor, constantly uploading in small bursts like this as opposed to burning out on a long chapter, which honestly, I think most of my other stories have suffered from, due to lack of losing interest in how much I have to write...so I figure, might as well use this for a testing ground and see how well it works.

And for the two of you who asked in the reviews and for anyone who reads the prologue after this update...NO, I did not kill Sora off. To be honest, I have no clue what the hell happened to him either, and really, it won't matter in the long run, due to how I have the ending for Future Connection drafted out in my mind. But uh...that's all you're getting out of me for now. We don't want to spoil anything.

I will say though, for next time, we will be starting to focus on the events that happened prior to Sora's disappearance, so that'll be something you all can look forward to. But that's for next time; for now, let us continue on, and I hope you all enjoy yourselves with this.

Future Connection

Ch.1 Loneliness, Anger, And Regret

Hikari closed the front door behind her as she arrived home from school; smelling the delicious scent of food emanating from the kitchen; a clear indication her grandmother was already preparing dinner.

"Welcome home, dear. I trust school went well today?" the brown haired woman asked as she chopped up a few vegetables before dumping them into a large kettle of soup; a few steaks simmered on the stove.

"Dull like ever other day, gram." she sighed while kicking off her shoes near the front door. "Is gramps going to be home tonight?" Hikari asked.

"Depends. He's been quite busy at the island office lately; wouldn't surprise me if he pulls another all-nighter. I'll likely have to take him a change of clothes later. Why? Was there something you wanted."

"No, just curious is all...just seems like he's there more nowadays than home." pondered Hikari.

"Well, he IS mayor after all. It's not an easy job."

"Well...I'm going to lay down for a bit, grams. Can you let me know when dinner's ready?"

"Of course, dear. It'll be a little while though." she said looking over to her granddaughter with a smile.

Hikari said nothing as she walked down the hall, her hand sliding against the wall smoothly, her head turning to see the open door next to her room.

Her mother's room.

Hikari carefully walked into the room, her eyes locking onto the bed as her mother laid atop it, a smile on her face, all the while being trapped in a mental slumber she had no control over.

The young teen moved closer and knelt down a bit, her hand carefully weaving into a lock of her mother's long red hair; feeling how smooth it felt; a clear indication that her grandmother had attended to her earlier on in the day, making sure she was taken care of in her current condition.

"Hey mama..." Hikari was able to mutter softly as she carefully placed her hand in hers. "I'm here if you ever need me...okay? I'm just right down the hall."

Hikari was unsure if her mother could even hear her at all. In all honesty, she often wondered why she even bothered. It just felt weird to her to talk to someone she literally knew nothing about, not knowing her on a personal level, despite being told almost everything about her mother.

ALMOST everything, anyway.

Her eyes wandered over to a picture frame on her mother's nightstand, the image of her mother in the middle of the small group photo, her uncle Riku on the left...and on the right.

Hikari clutched the end of her school skirt with her hand in anger as she looked into the eyes of the brown haired boy grinning stupidly.

"Just...just what did you even see in him, mama..." she seethed through her teeth and rose up, keeping her composure for a moment while she caressed her mother's face and went off to her room.

She closed and locked the door behind her, before angrily throwing her school bag against the wall, sinking down to the floor, overcome with her emotions as she cried softly to herself.

She wanted badly for this nightmare to end.

At The Mysterious Tower:

Riku made his way up the winding staircase towards Yen Sid's chamber; it having been so long since he last ascended these stairs, at least a good six years. He came to the massive door and opened it up and walked in; his eyes immediately fixating on the old master and one of his closest friends.

"Riku!" Mickey's ears perked up as he saw the young adult enter the room. "Gosh, it's been so long since I last saw you." he walked over and extended his hand out.

"Heh...good to see you too, Mickey. It HAS been too long." Riku smiled as he knelt down and clasped his hand with that of the small mouse's.

"I must admit...I was not expecting you, Riku." Yen Sid spoke as Riku rose back to his feet.

"Sorry for dropping by unannounced. I guess I just really needed someone to talk to."

"Gosh, I hope it's nothing too serious." Mickey replied.

"Master..." Riku spoke as he approached. "I know it's been a long time...but I think it's time we tried searching for Sora again."

Yen Sid closed his eyes and began to stroke his beard. "I had assumed that was the nature of your visit. T'was the same reason for Mickey's visit here as well."

"It is?" Riku asked.

"Yup. All this time, I've been trying my best to find any trace of Sora...although, it hasn't really led me anywhere promising." Mickey said with a sad tone.

"Unfortunately...we do not know if Sora is still among us...in the living sense of course. Nor do we know if he is in the Realm of Darkness. If the latter had been the case, surely, knowing the boy, he would've found a way out by now." Yen Sid proposed.

"I'd rather not think of the former, honestly." Riku sighed, though he knew it was a possibility that couldn't be ruled out. "I've just been feeling really guilty lately...I should have gone with him."

"I can understand your guilt, Riku. I myself have come to regret my decision to ask Sora to check the boundaries between the worlds after our conflict with Xehanort, especially after all we went through to ensure his return to us. To say it does not haunt me is an understatement." Yen Sid confessed.

"Part of me thinks if I can find him, we can finally wake Kairi up. Although that's only an assumption, but considering the connection between those two, it wouldn't be farfetch'd to think that." replied Riku.

"But...where would we even start looking? It's been 15 years." asked Mickey. "It's not like any of my leads have gotten me anywhere."

Riku folded his arms as he stared off out into the sky from the window on the side of the room, walking over to gaze out toward the stars.

"I sense this is not the only thing troubling you, Riku." Yen Side spoke out.

Riku stood silently for a moment, trying to collect himself and focus. "It's Hikari."

"Ah yes...the young one you've taken as your Keyblade Apprentice. I assume she shows promise; being the offspring of two Keyblade Wielders; one of them a Princess of Heart." Yen Sid spoke forth.

"She's got promise...and skill. She fights almost like Sora back when we were kids; I see so much of him in her." he smirked before it vanished from his face." But that's not what bothers me."

"Is there something wrong with her, Riku?" Mickey asked.

"She's harboring a lot of resentment towards Sora...and it's only gotten worse over the past couple of years. Add in to the fact its mostly contributed from her grandfather." Riku lamented. "All she knows is that Sora just up and left Kairi out of the blue; that's what she's been led to believe. But she doesn't know everything, despite me telling her there's no way Sora would have left Kairi. She doesn't know anything about what really happened. Granted, neither do we..."

"She's letting her anger and emotions control her actions...and you feel if it continues, it will completely consume her. Am I correct in my assumption?" questioned Yen Sid.

Riku balled his hand up and punched it against the wall as his other hand held the edge of the window. "If I had known Kairi was pregnant, I would have made that idiot stay home and I would have gone in his place...and the worst part is, I don't even know if Sora knew about Kairi being pregnant or not."

"Even if that had been the case and you did go in Sora's stead...whatever happened to him would most likely have befallen you. And that leaves no doubt in my mind Sora would be here standing exactly where you are, lamenting over the same issue.

"So...what do we do then?" Mickey asked worriedly.

"For starters...it's time I do what I should have done in the first place years ago..." Riku said, breathing in deeply as he closed his eyes before opening them up to gaze out at the stars once more.

"It's time Hikari knows the truth."