~~~Destiny Islands~~~

Nine years later...

"Riku just leave me! I can't do anything good anymore..." I admitted through clenched teeth and fisted hands, almost silent breaths hanging ragged in the air. My eyes burned the ghost color, my arms and back aching like hell. The fiery soul of mine glared deeply into his own aquamarine orbs as he took another hesitant step towards me.

"Siren, I'm never going to abandon you. I don't care what you've done. Nothing can tear you down but yourself. So please, don't lose yourself..." His words hung in the air like early morning mist, heavy and thick, his being emitting a suffocating aura. I couldn't concentrate on my control much longer, and my once sentenced words were scattered.

I must... Pull myself together. You can't stay... Or...

"I can't... It's for you..." My voice fell into a different tone, barely recognizable, and I couldn't suppress the unwanted laughs as I drew the weapon. My icy cold hands gripped it over the hilt, positioning the tip of the shadowed blade over my chest while a smile crossed my lips. As he looked on in utter fear and disbelief, his hand swiped upward quickly, drawing forth his Soul Eater from amidst the black shadows of Darkness. A look of distain crossed his features, and he dashed towards me in a battle like action.

"Forgive me..." I farewelled him, my expression wanting to describe, but it only held numbness as still as a statue.

The clock ticked, Tick! Tock! Tick! Tock!

Don't...

"Riku don't!" My voice yelled in terror, yet my expression was still blank with ghostly blue eyes wide open. I struggled and strained against the monster that was pulling, tugging at my hands to turn the weapon around in defense.

I can't control-

"Ah!" Riku's strong form slid forward onto the ground, bringing his feet on my legs causing my being to fall stiffly. My body's natural instincts of the other being forced me to stand in an animalistic manner, but swiftly, and as I attempted to regain control of my own body, the shadow within me took instant action. The force of the shadowed blade pressing its way into his chest sent shivers up my spine, the sharply tipped end successfully piercing through his muscled flesh. Riku's face contorted in pain, orbs desperately searching for an answer within my own widely open ones. His body was pressing down onto the weapon within my right palm, the only support that held him up from falling onto my shaking form as I felt the hot liquid slide down my arm. The shadow inside my heart was prying, struggling to be set free in this moment of weakness. Aqua eyes were beginning to lose its life, the crimson liquid dripping and streaking down his once pure chest while his unrhythmic breaths dragged in pain. My turquoise blue eyes were stuck in a mixture of shock and fear while I desperately tugged the blade out from within Riku's chest. He let out a gasp of pain, the weapon itself disintegrating into black dust while I scraped along the thorned ground. My hands gently turned the silverette's body, holding him close to the warmth of my torso and supporting his head.

Blood...

"Siren..." His weak voice barely made out, his aquamarine eyes looking deeply into my turquoise blue ones when the anxiety of the sound returned once again.

Tick! Tock! Tick! Tock!

Then, his head fell back, silver tresses moving with his motions as his muscles relaxed.

And he fell limp in my arms... My heart shattered...

"Riku!"

Jolting upright in my seemingly cold bed, my hands made a blood thirsting summon of my Lurebreaker Keyblade in the moment of my anger. Beads of sweat were noticeable on my forehead and neck as my chest heaved, my breaths gasping and heart pounding out of proportion. As I made my Keyblade dematerialize, tense muscles slowed to lay myself down in attempt to relax, but irritation fueled my mind of angst.

It was that feeling again...

I heard the early dawn birds chirp peacefully in the morning air, a cool fresh breeze blowing through my open window and calming my senses. The sky still held remnants of darkness and stars, my eyes scanning the horizon as I lay on my disheveled bed.

I won't be able to sleep any longer...

Sitting up stiffly, I brought my knees tightly to my chest and ran weak hands through my long, midnight black hair. I sat in the silent motion for several moments, my head resting on my hand and staring unconsciously at black colored toenails.

In the time span of slow minutes that moved by endlessly, I washed up neatly and dressed in an eased pace, pulling on my well fitted dark blue jeans and lacing through the thin black, braided belt, fitting it loosely around my waist. The shadow black, mid-rising tank top layered with a laced crimson tube top was tugged on next, black belt buckled above my chest and small black sandals donning my cold, pale feet. Upon my right upper arm I clasped on two deeply shadowed belts, black half-glove fitting my right hand and a longer belt wrapping multiple times around my left hand and forearm. I stood, walking silently to the bathroom and turning the right silver nozzle, moving my hand through the icy cold water before cupping my hands tightly and splashing my face. I rubbed the chilling liquid over my closed lids once again, thoroughly waking my senses.

I want to know why...

As I turned the nozzle off, my vision of view shifted upward toward the mirror, and I rested my hands on either sides of the sink. Long, midnight black hair fell slightly above my hips in cascades of lengths as pure, turquoise blue eyes met back at me with seriousness as I examined myself. Lightly pale colored skin stood out from dark hair and bright, luminous eyes, lean yet still thin, form anxious from the night's restlessness.

The first ray of swirled, flammable yellow and blinding white light broke through the sky, streaks of pink and orange sprayed across the sky like smeared paint, slowly melting away the marine fog that remained from the ocean so near. It reflected off of the mirror and shone on my face, causing me to squint at the sudden brightness. Exiting from my bathroom, I peered out to the open sea, its light, translucent blue illuminating the morning. The beauty of the sunrise and brisk ocean air gave a slight sooth to the pains from the night.

~o~o~o~o~

The cool breeze whipped my hair around, sandal covered feet swinging lightly back and forth as they dangled from over the sharp cliffside. I felt the crushed rocks and soft, cool earth beneath the palms of my gripped hands, and as the sun made its slow ascent over the horizon, colors churned and mixed into a spray of orange streaks upon pink and bright yellow. The white, cloud speckled baby blue sky sheltered the blended hues of the morning.

Daylight finally reached its rays beyond the seas, every shade of the dawn beginning spreading out evenly. From the edge of my audibility, I heard the faint footsteps of an approaching personnel.

"Boo!" My heart nearly leaped from my chest in an array of unrhythmic beats, my hands clawing out at my assailant's arms as they swept over my neck and tightened.

"You're up early, again." I shivered as his voice whispered huskily into my ear, dragging waves of hot breaths down my neck. The sensation of his thin fingers trailed over my shoulders, a tight embrace wrapping securely around my chest as his chin rested on my shoulder.

"Riku! You scared the life out of me." My voice let out in short breath, heart slowly catching its once normal pace.

"Sorry! I couldn't resist your silent figure sitting so peacefully by the rising sun." The boy responded with a smile plastered through his voice. Fingers of mine went to cling to Riku's embracing arms, a sigh escaping my lips.

"Feel my heartbeat, you made it race!" The silverette's hand went over my chest, measuring the intensity of my pulsing heart rate before moving his black, half gloved hand back above to smother my body in a tight embrace once again.

"Not like I haven't done that before." The reply sent thoughts of sarcasm racing through my head as I remained in a returning hug with my hands.

"Smart-" Riku's hands cut off my snide remark.

"Sh! Look, Kairi's are here." As he released me, he motioned down towards the docks, a familiar auburn haired girl securing her boat.

"Can we practice fighting today?" The platinum silverette placed himself down beside where I sat as I spoke, my vision looking up into clear aquamarine eyes against his fair skin.

"Aren't you a bit under the weather?" Riku questioned with a quizzical brow, his silver tresses of moonbeam hair moving with the motions of the light wind as did mine. I broke our connected expressions, turning away in a quick manner.

I'm not made of glass..

"I'm fine." I made out with furrowed eyebrows, hands fisting and clenching the earth beneath my grasp.

"That's not very convincing you know." The platinum silver head informed through small chuckles, his voice hushed as Kairi made her way across the decks of the island in search for one of her friends.

"I know." I answered in monotone, the moving waves of the ocean suddenly incredibly fascinating.

"What was it this time?" Riku asked, a serious tone covering his usually laid back voice as he looked out at sea. The yellow tank top covering his chest glowed brighter within the early sunlight, the black 'X' over the middle creating dark contrast.

You...

Streams of colors and surroundings buzzed through my conscience as I looked down at my dangling feet. A sound escaped my lips when Riku poked my side roughly.

"Hey! What was that for?" My hand rubbed my ribs tenderly in a soothing manner, and my fist met the silver head's upper arm in retaliation.

"Ow! You didn't answer me." Riku responded a false hurt expression sprawling across his features as he rubbed his upper arm slightly.

"I was thinking." My eyebrows furrowed again as I met his bright, oceanic blue eyes.

"You're stubborn." The boy beside me rose to a stand, brushing down his baggy overpants suspended by true blue belts to his waist, the lower attire partially covering the fitted, deep blue jeans beneath them.

"Like I haven't rubbed off on you..." I mumbled, making sure it was loud enough for him to catch. The sound of the silver head's hands swiping off the dirt from his pants went silent.

"Why you little-" Strong hands and arms wrapped around my waist, his grip tugging me over his broad shoulder.

"Riku put me down!" My hands clawing desperately around his chest, upside down.

"Nuh-uh!" The ground that held the silver headed boy's blue and white covered feet began to spin in circles, my eyes losing concentration of which was the right way up.

"Rikuuu!" His laughter filled my such an incandescent way, the world beyond my eyes spinning erratically. In the moments that caught Riku off his guard, the balance that once held me up began to falter, and the spinning ground soon went sideways. Solid earth met the palms of my hands as I caught my fall.

"Ow!" The silver head rubbed his head, pushing himself up as he recovered from successfully meeting the ground full on. I chuckled lightly, offering a hand to him as I stood.

"I didn't do anything." I commented in innocence, a smug smile displayed on my lips as Riku looked up with a pout before his vocal lines jumped in laughter, accepting my hand nonetheless. As the platinum silver head rose to a stand, a sickeningly oppressing feeling caught my attention, my head turning towards the horizon from whence it had come.

"You look exhausted." Fingers brushed aside stray hairs in front of my face, tucking them behind my ear. Turquoise blue orbs met aquamarine ones, a tiny lock of sadness glimmering in his concerned eyes.

"Do I look like I didn't sleep much?" I questioned curiously, a half smile lifting my lips.

"I could feel your stiff muscles when I picked you up, and you have dark circles. You just seem tired, but always beautiful." Riku answered honestly, nudging my arm with his own as I was taken aback by his last comment.

Really?

"Thank you." I replied quietly, my fingers lacing each other together.

"Hey! Come on, let's go find Sora and Kairi and get to work on the rafts." I suggested, tugging at Riku's arm lightly as my feet kicked against a few pebbles.

"I guess we could get some good work done today so long as Sora and Kairi don't mess up anything or distract us." The silverette responded with a smirk, following as I walked down to the lower deck of the island. The realization of his words struck clearly in my mind, and laughed suddenly.

"Haha! 'So long as Sora and Kairi don't mess up anything.' They doesn't cover your side." I pointed out, raising my eyebrows as I turned back to look at him.

"Are you saying I'll mess up the rafts? Highly improbable." He argued, the smirk still clear on his features as he shrugged off my comment.

"We'll see." On my feet, I slid down the rocky slope of a short cut and dashed towards the beach, a small laugh escaping my lips as I breathed.

"Hey! Wait up Siren!" Riku yelled in protest, following the same pathway and rushing to catch up to my figure.

My feet skidded to a halt within the warm sand, tiny rock minerals flying as I halted.

"Siren!" Riku whispered harshly as he neared in a sprinting approach, failing to notice that I had stopped, and my turquoise blue eyes widened as his figure quickly approached in speed.

"Ri- Oof!" The muscled young boy collided into my smaller form, compared to his male physique, sending us to the sandy ground once again. Light, creamy pieces of earth reached the palms of my hands in a catch of my fall until the moonbeam haired boy's heavy body thumped down on my back.

"Sorry, you okay?" He whispered from over my shoulder, laughing into midnight black hair. As my arms struggled to lift the boy from atop my body, he lay motionless, and chuckled when I groaned dramatically.

Sora lay in the sand not far from us, Kairi's thin, lean figure casting a shadow over the snoozing brunette. Her autumn shaded hair swayed in the wind as the waves drifted in and out from the beachside. Riku made no move to let my seemingly helpless being free, and in attempt to gain release I knocked my head against his pale forehead. When the younger boy noticed the presence leaning over him, he jolted upright in surprise.

"Ow!" The platinum silverette exclaimed in pain, matching Sora's timing of reaction.

"Whoa!" Sora made out in the sudden realization, rising to a kneel as the girl laughed quietly at him. I willed myself to roll the silver head off of my back, swiftly taking the place he had upon me and resting my chin over his broad shoulder. An arm of Sora's moved behind his head in slight embarrassment of being caught in a daze.

"Gimme a break, Kairi." Sora said jokingly with a laugh, the two sharing gleaming expressions without another care in the world. When Riku struggled to turn the tides of the apparent wrestling contest, I snagged his wrists tightly and holding them bound behind his back. I heard the aquamarine eyed boy grunt in frustration as he struggled against my grip, failing to break it.

"Sora, you lazy bum. I knew that I'd find you snoozing down here." Kairi commented, fingers lacing around each other from behind her back.

"You win..." The silverette groaned out quietly below me, my response letting go of Riku's shadowed, white trimmed banded wrists.

"No! This huge, black THING swallowed me up!" Rising silently, I brushed down the sand from my attire as did my friend, who seemingly was seconds from falling into fits of laughter at Sora's response.

"I couldn't breath, I couldn't- Ow!" Sora jolted forward and held his head in sudden pain, his eyebrows furrowing as he struggled to explain quickly.

"Are you still dreaming?" Kairi asked with laughter in her voice, teasing the poor brunette as she still leaned to meet the young boy's kneeling form at eye level.

"It wasn't a dream. Or was it?" Sapphire eyes looked down at the sand in deep thought as though it were incredibly fascinating.

"I don't know... What was that place? So bizarre..." The spiky headed boy pondered out loud, aquamarine orbs meeting my own eyes to exchange expressions of question for a moment.

"Yeah, sure." Kairi replied nonchalantly, seeing out into the oceanic distance when steady feet carried her care free form closer to the shifting waves of the sea. Sora steadily stood with the support of his knee, his vision following the auburn haired girl's steps.

"Say, Kairi, what was your hometown like? You know, where you grew up." He asked curiously, my senses catching the barely known feeling of a boding, oppressing presence nearby. Slithering sensations crawled up my spine and grazed its way through my nerves as if the arrival were a hissing snake.

"I've told you before, I don't remember." Kairi answered with a half smile, chuckling lightly as she turned her gaze barely over her shoulder to spot the sapphire blue eyed boy from her peripheral vision. The zig zagging reptile touches within my nerves sent an uncomfortable sigh from my lips, shoulder blade tensing as my face turned up in disgust.

"Are you okay?" Turquoise blue eyes shifted to meet Riku's concerned expression, however, a hint left in his cringed cheek and squinted right eye displayed something was bothering him as well.

I thought only I sensed these things?...

"I'm fine... What about you?" My eyebrows furrowed at his strange expression. Then, as sudden as the essence had arrived, it vanished, and I slowly let my face fall to suspicion.

"Nothing at all?" Sora asked, letting his question linger in the air for a bit.

"I'm.. Fine." The silverette turned his gaze back to the auburn haired girl closer to sea, his voice serious as he responded.

He hesitated..

"Nothing." The young girl answered plainly, my head cocking to the side at her simple response.

"You ever want to go back?" Sora questioned more, almost in a prying way, but the spiky headed brunette would always be oblivious of that factor of himself. He took a few casual steps forward in the light sand.

"Well, I'm happy here." Kairi replied back, and from beside me I heard Riku grunt in disapproval of the girl's satisfactory mood of remaining on Destiny Islands.

"Really..." The brunette boy pondered out loud, his gaze shifting downward toward his feet as he thought.

"But you know... I wouldn't mind going to see it." She continued, her response causing my eyes to squint in the sudden decision of mutually agreeing to visit other worlds, if they even existed.

"I'd like to see it too. Along with any other worlds out there! I want to see 'em all!" Sora's white blue glove covered hands fisted in his enthusiasm as he explained, his sapphire orbs brightening with a childish adventure want.

"So what're we waiting for?" Kairi half turned to Sora once again as she asked, catching his vision this time.

"Hey, aren't you guys forgetting about us?" Her sincere smile locked with Sora's, their exchange causing a smirk to cross the silverette's features as I turned to listen to him. The spiky head whipped his head in our direction, a satisfied grin across my face as realization came to him that we'd heard the entire conversation, including his dream.

"So, I guess we're the only ones working on the raft. Again." I said as we walked forward to them, brushing my hand lightly through midnight black hair. Riku tossed a piece of wood, that he had presumably collected seconds before, at Sora. The younger boy's arms swiftly caught the piece of earth flesh before it could hammer its weight into his stomach, and the silver head approached Kairi with a teasing expression.

"And you're just as lazy as he is!" He commented with a smile, half gloved hands resting on his hips and leaning forward a bit to rub in the words a bit more clearly. The deeply blue eyed girl giggled with a thin hand over her mouth in slight embarrassment.

"So you noticed." Her voice was quieter than before, my arms reaching around Sora's shoulders from behind in an embrace as I rested my chin on his shoulder.

"How about Riku and I get this raft since we're doing all the work, and you guys can make your own." I suggested jokingly, the brunette suddenly out bursting at the presented option.

"Hey! No fair!" Aquamarine eyes glistened as we laughed at the brunette's response, my arms taking their place by my sides as I began walking toward the raft construction area. My stomach churned and my throat boiled in a sickly acidic heat, burns running across my spine and shoulder blades as my vision blurred like smeared water color paint.

"'This world, is just too small... But for you, the hourglass has been set and turned.'"

My head ached as the deep, strong voice pierced my conscience, senses catching the foul stench of that slithering reptile returning. My hands shot up to clutch my head in the wracking waves of pulsing heartbeats throbbing at my skull.

"Siren, are you okay!?" I heard Sora exclaim alarmed, and my eyes shut tightly, the sunlight becoming painful to allow into my sight.

My heart throbbed once, the sensation immediately dropping to my stomach as my muscles lost their strength and went limp. Behind shut turquoise eyes, dark envelopes of swirling smokes circled, the faded light blue being consumed by the darkness.

What is this?

"Siren!" A sting landed on my left cheek, my head moving with the impact, but my vision still hazed in the unending darkness. The deeply folded shadows swallowed over each other, sticking and splatting onto my legs like living goo. A glove covered hand waved back and forth in front of my face.

Splinters of glass cascaded from the heavens, clinking and clattering to the empty ground. Their translucent color created a sheen of shattered mirror like images, my reflection cracked and faltered between the pieces. A sullen chill swept through my body as my nerves twitched, a deep, foul stench hovering. Within the reflections, a long, silver haired man was tall and strong, his muscular arms crossed in a serious fashion. His skin was a deep shade of tan, his expressionless face soon turning to not so sincere disappointment.

"Disgrace." The same deep voice pounded echoes of his meaning through my skull.

"Shhh... Siren..." Pressure was placed upon my temples, rubbing gently as calm breaths of hot air trailed from my neck, down my back. My eyes shut away the splintered glass and golden bronze eyes which had looked upon me. A swift cool breeze caught my hair from the sea, the granules of tiny rocks beneath my palms quite cold. Turquoise eyes peaked open, the sudden brightness of daylight seeming blinding.

"Hello? You okay?" Sora waved his hand in front of my face a few times in attempt to get my attention. The folds of darkness began to splotch once again, instinctively blinking hard to clear my vision.

"Quiet Sora." Riku's voice filled my senses, his scent causing my body to shake for a moment. My back lay against his hard, toned chest, big hands holding my head still and securely.

"Yeah..." The darkness dissipated like morning mist in the rising sun, the only lingering feeling being panic and a throbbing heartbeat. I felt Kairi's presence shift before me, nostalgia clinging to every aspect of her being. A muting effect soon followed, the logs of sentences hiding from behind the tight of a drum as the tones echoed. The hues of mayhem began to clear, slowly as I opened my vision and immediately frowned upon the lack of space.

"I'm fine... Just let it be." My voice was hoarse and quiet, and a cough managed to clear the vocal chords. The silverette began in a concerned voice.

"We could go home if y-" I abruptly cut him off and swiftly rose to a stand.

"You don't have to treat me like a baby Riku." My hands brushed down my clothing harshly, brows furrowing. A deeply internal wave of heat rushed to my spine and along my shoulder blades, causing a tremble to shoot through my body.

Disgrace...

"Si, you don't look too good." Sora placed a hand on my forearm, but I shook him off silently. Turquoise blue eyes met only the ground, knowing fully that if they met aquamarine hues ones, that I would panic at the emotions.

Something's going to change.

I walked off like a shadow to the rafts in preparation of progress.