Saiyoku stood inside the cool, dim cave, staring at the Paopu fruit Riku had given her. The mysterious door was here too. No handle, no reason it should be there, no one knew why it was there or what was behind it. She smiled and set the Paopu in a small crevice that she figured only she knew about behind a few of the larger rocks. She often stored things here for safekeeping, if only for a little while.

The others arrived shortly after, and they all decided to spend their time on the North beach for now. The raft was almost finished, just some food and similar supplies left.

"How about a race, Riku?" Sora asked, "An obstacle course."

"You're on," He pointed to the shack on the far side of the beach, "We'll start there," he turned to Saiyoku, "You in?"

"I guess. Might as well."

"Alright, I'll referee." Kairi laughed as they all ran toward the shack.

They lined up, ready to start.

"If I win, uh, I'm captain! And if you win…" He motioned for Riku to continue.

"I get to share the Paopu with Kairi." He stated simply.

"Huh?" Both Sora and Saiyoku asked in unison.

"Deal? The winner gets to share a Paopu with Kairi."

"That's it, I'm out. You guys have your fun." Saiyoku held up her hands in surrender and walked over to Kairi. She collapsed back onto the shack and slid down to sit. She found another pebble.

"Wha… Wait a minute…" Sora stammered, confused.

"The rules are simple, be the first to touch the star tree on the other side of the beach and make it back."

"Good luck." Saiyoku said to no one in particular as she tossed the pebble once in her hand.

"Okay! On my count:" Kairi said and held up her hand like a flag. Saiyoku tossed the pebble, and it hit Riku squarely on the side of his head.

"Ow!"

"Hurts, doesn't it Riku?" She asked him, but he ignored her.

"Go!"

They were off. Riku quickly overcame Sora, and stayed in the lead all the way to the end.

"Alright, I get to name the raft!" Riku said, enjoying his victory.

"What?" Sora and Saiyoku asked in unison.

"Wait, what about—?" Sora asked. Riku only laughed.

"I was only joking."

Saiyoku hopped up and hit Riku in the same spot the pebble had hit.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"That wasn't funny." She said flatly, and stalked off into the shack, the other entrance to the South side.

She headed to the "Secret Place" by the waterfall, where she had hidden the Paopu. The place seemed unusually dark. She reached the main cavern and in front of the "door" was a strange looking weapon sticking out of the ground. Its blade was shaped like an angel's wing while the hilt looked demonic, an eye looking out just before the blade started. She looked at it for a long time before she heard a voice in her head say something very simple.

Take it.

She reached out to grab the hilt, but her hand went right through it. She tried again and again and again, but the same thing occurred. She couldn't grab it at all.

Saiyoku, which path shall you choose? The light or the dark?

"Well, which path did Riku choose? Which did Sora?"

See for yourself. Look at the door. You will see two images. There you see your friends' futures.

She saw Sora first, holding a giant key, but the voice in her head told her it was a weapon, a keyblade.

He was chosen by the light.

His image was replaced with Riku's. He had changed; on his chest was engraved a heart with a sort of cross-like addition at the bottom. It was almost as if his muscles were exposed. They were black except for his chest, hands, and knees, which were blue. His wrists were red, and he wore blue and black boots. A white, feathery "skirt"-like thing was attached by crossed blue belts at his waist, and he held an inverted version of the blade in front of me, except the hilt was the same.

No, yours is the inverted keyblade. What you see before you is what will happen because Riku chose the darkness.

"But why? Why would he choose the darkness?"

He believes it will bring him unimaginable power. He has merely given up, lost to the darkness. He no longer fights to be in the light.

"Riku… And I am given this option as well?"

It is your own choice. Choose wisely. What you choose might very well be your last choice in the matter.

She stood staring at this image of Riku. She thought of where Sora would be, because he chose the light.

Was chosen. The keyblade chooses its master.

"So he had no choice?"

Wrong. He still had a choice. He could choose to accept the power or give his heart to darkness, like your friend did. He had the opportunity, but he refused. He gave up his heart instead.

"I can choose the light or the dark…"

That is correct.

"But what if I choose both? Can I do that?"

That path is where Nothings wander. That is their path. The Twilight path. Will you travel the path of the Nothings?

"But I'm not choosing a Twilight path. I don't want to be on any path filled with Nothings. I'm choosing my own path, a path I can rise to the top in… The path to the Rising Dawn."

Good answer. You have chosen well.

She reached for the blade again, now reassured by the disembodied voice that she would be able to wield it. She was right, and the blade felt good in her hand, light but strong.

It disappeared in a flash of light in her hands. She looked around but didn't see it.

"Hey! What gives?"

You will have it when it is needed. The time is not yet right. Good luck on your journey through your path. I am interested to see where this path will take you.

She knew the voice was gone from inside her head, despite the fact that it made no recognition of really leaving. She heard footsteps echoing off the cave walls.\

"Saiyoku! I knew I'd find you here. Look, I'm sorry, okay? It was just to help Sora out. If he had won he would've had a better incentive to share the Paopu with Kairi." Riku appeared from around the corner.

"Alright, I forgive you. You're just lucky you have a good excuse." She smiled half-heartedly.

"Hey, did you decide?"

"Decide? Decide what? What do you mean?" She panicked. Was he talking about the option for light and dark?

"Chill. I'm talking about the Paopu. Yes or no?"

"Oh, well… I don't know… Give me a little longer okay? It's a big decision… the whole Paopu destiny thing…"

"Alright. Let me know, okay? Are you going to come with us or what? We're finishing up our "scavenger hunt" for supplies."

"Oh, yeah. I'm coming." She took a quick glance at the slimmer of the golden fruit she could see from behind the rocks. She followed him out of the Secret Place and found Kairi and Sora waiting for them by the dock.

"See? I told you I'd know where she is!" He called down to them.

"Alright, alright. Now let's finish up so we can leave tomorrow! Sora, you get the mushrooms, Riku, you get the fresh water, Saiyoku, you get the fish, and I'll get the Seagull egg," She looked up at the tree where the egg was, "On second thought, Riku, will you switch with me?"

"Oh alright. Give me the hard job." He mumbled under his breath.

"First one to find everything they've been assigned wins! On your mark! Get set! Go!"

They all split up. Saiyoku to the ocean, Kairi to the waterfall, Riku to the tree with the egg, and Sora to the North beach.

"I've almost got it!"

"Just one more bottle to go!"

"One more to catch!"

"Only one more spot to get a mushroom!"

"Hey, guys? I'm gonna turn in for the night. I'll see you in the morning!" Sora jumped up off the tree and headed for one of the shacks.

"I'll think I'm gonna go too. Goodnight!" Kairi dropped to the ground and headed toward a different shack, leaving Riku and Saiyoku alone.

"Riku?"

"Hmm?"

She tossed him a Paopu fruit with a bite taken out of it.

"I've decided."

He gave a small grin and took a bite out of the other side and split the fruit in half, tossing the other half back over to Saiyoku.

"It's sweet, yet tart."

"It's definitely a strange taste, but it's good."

They stayed silent after that, both chewing on their half of the Paopu.

"It's funny. I thought I'd feel different or something, but I feel exactly the same. Nothing seemed to happen. Do you think what they say about the whole destiny thing is true?" She looked over at Riku, who was finished up his half.

"I don't know. We'll have to find out in the future."

"Well, I'm going to head in. You?"

"Yeah, might as well."

"Goodnight."

"'Night."

Riku stood, eyes closed toward the darkening sky and stormy sea. He heard Sora run up to him from behind, the dark creatures following him.

"Where's Kairi? And Saiyoku? I thought they were with you!"

"The door has opened…"

"What?"

"The door has opened, Sora! Now we can go to the outside world!" He turned to face him.

"What are you talking about? We've gotta find Kairi and Saiyoku!"

"They're both coming with us!" He looked up at the huge, dark orb that floated above the island, "Once we step through, we might not be able to come back. We may never see our parents again. There's no turning back. But this may be our only chance. We can't let fear stop us. I'm not afraid of the darkness!"

"But, Riku… That's only because you chose it as your path. Don't do this!"

"Shut up! You don't get it. The darkness is the only way. It'll destroy everything and anyone who doesn't join it. You'd be smart to join the darkness too!"

He held out his hand for Sora to join him.

"Riku…"

A huge black hole opened beneath him, the dark tendrils of shadow creeping upward. They began to consume his body, and Sora ran after him to try and stop the dark shadows. He stopped, blocked by more of the shadows. The darkness was trying to swallow him too! He desperately reached out and tried to grab Riku, but the darkness pulled him away. He sunk beneath the tendrils.

"Riku! Stop! Sora! Don't join him."

"I'm only trying to help him."

"You're only after the Keyblade bearer's heart! Sora is bound by the light. He made his choice, just like you made yours and I made mine. We are bound by the paths we choose, Riku. You just made the wrong choice. Sora! Don't give in!"

"He can't hear you now. The darkness has taken over your body and you're locked inside. You can't do anything about it. No one can hear you and no one can help you."

"Don't remind me. It's your fault I'm in this state. You opened the door up along with Ansem."

"How do you know him?"

"How do YOU know him? The voice told me. Whatever voice that was. The one that made me choose my path."

"And you chose the path of light. You'll be destroyed!"

"Wrong. I chose the path to the rising dawn. I'm neither in the darkness nor in the light the same way I am part of the darkness AND the light. I'm trying to help you Riku… that's why I chose this path and that's why I shared that Paopu with you. I'm always going to be with you. I'm always going to be trying to help you."