Kairi was tumbling though the vortex at high speed. She had just gotten separated from Sora and she had no clue at all what was happening. She looked down and saw a bright white light appear beneath her feet. She quickly braced herself for impact but soon the sounds of the vortex faded away and she felt herself standing on solid ground. She slowly opened her eyes and found herself within a horribly familiar sight.

"Oh no not again!" Kairi whimpered in fear as she looked around. She was in what appeared to be Castle Oblivion, judging by the clean white walls and fixtures. She looked around worriedly as if something was going to happen soon and sure enough she heard a loud roar come from the other side of a door on one side of the room. She turned just in time to see a massive yet familiar heartless emerge from within…it was the Darkside heartless. She then felt someone grab her arm and start dragging her away down a hallway away from Darkside. Kairi turned and saw her blond haired nobody dragging her along behind her.

"Must we go through this every time you close your eyes Kairi?" Namine asked somewhat impatiently.

"Namine! You're hurting my arm!" Kairi yelped as Namine glanced back at her confused while still running. They then entered a room full of doors numbered one through thirteen but the eighth door was missing and the thirteenth was decorated with Namine's drawings.

"Come on which door haven't we tried." Namine pondered as Kairi bolted for the door marked thirteen because she knew from Riku that Roxas was number thirteen in Organization XIII.

"We can't use that door Kairi!" Namine shouted as Kairi skid to a halt, mere inches from the door.

"Why not?" Kairi shouted.

"No time to explain, just help me pick a door we haven't tried yet!" Namine shouted as Kairi glanced back at the door and quickly thought back to her dreams. They had tried every door but that one and each one led to that horrific scene of the Islands engulfed in flames. Kairi swallowed her fear and grabbed the doorknob.

"KAIRI! I SAID WE CAN'T-…huh?" Namine asked confused as Kairi effortlessly opened the door and headed through it. Namine stood in disbelief for a moment before she heard the thundering footsteps of Darkside walking down the hall towards them.

"KAIRI WAIT FOR ME!" Namine shouted as she ran through the door and closed it behind her. As she caught her breath, she noticed Kairi standing in disbelief of the scenery around her. They were in the main hall of the old mansion in Twilight Town. Kairi didn't recognize it but Namine knew it perfectly since she technically lived there for nearly a year.

"Where are we Namine?" Kairi asked in awe of the old mansion.

"I'm trying to figure out how you're here at the moment Kairi." Namine said as she slowly walked down the stairs to where Kairi was standing.

"What's so strange of my being here Namine? These are my dreams aren't they?" Kairi asked as Namine gave her a confused look then closed her eyes. Kairi then felt something strange inside of her mind. It felt like there was something moving around in her mind. It suddenly stopped when Namine let out a surprised gasp.

"Namine are you okay?" Kairi asked out of concern for her nobody.

"It all makes sense. Kairi you're not in your dreams…you're in mine!" Namine exclaimed.

"Huh?" Kairi asked confused.

"I looked at your memories of what just happened and it all makes sense. You've somehow been transported into the Dream Worlds." Namine explained.

"Dream worlds? What are they?" Kairi asked even more confused.

"The Dream worlds are the worlds that exist in our dreams. They change all the time but they still exist as long as we do. To be transported into one's dreams is…possible yet very difficult." Namine explained.

"How do you know this?" Kairi asked.

"I know this really from the time I spent as the prisoner of Organization XIII. The fourth member, Vexen, had been looking for a way to give the artificial beings he created, life. At first he thought that using the power of dreams would work but Nobodies don't have dreams so it didn't work. So when they found me and discovered my ability to manipulate memories he used me to bring one of the artificial beings to life. I never found out what happened to her except that I was ordered to use some of Sora's leaked memories to bring her to life. The second one I regretted deeply." Namine said as she lowered her head sadly.

"What happened Namine?" Kairi asked worriedly.

"The second artificial being I brought to life, was a replica of Riku. He was programmed to try and stop Sora from making it out of Castle Oblivion but in the end the real Riku killed it." Namine said remorsefully.

"So how did I get here?" Kairi asked curiously.

"Well I think it had to do with that gem you said was in the box that you got from the King. The gem was likely a Dream stone. A lesser version of a much more powerful gem called the Dreamer's Star. The Dreamer's Star is a powerful gem that allows the person carrying it to manipulate their dreams and the dreams of others to their suit their desires. It's essentially like taking yourself into a world where all your dreams come true." Namine explained.

"So what's the difference between a Dream stone and the Dreamer's star?" Kairi asked.

"The difference is that a Dream stone only acts as a gateway between the real world and the Dream worlds. You can't manipulate your dreams or anyone else's but you can manipulate lesser things like your attire." Namine explained.

"How do you know so much about this stuff Namine?" Kairi asked.

"I swiped some of Vexen's research notes on Dream power before they took me to Castle Oblivion and I read them after I got there while we waited for Sora to arrive." Namine answered.

"So…you're telling me that I'm in my dreams?" Kairi asked as Namine shook her head.

"Well not exactly. We left your dreams the second we passed through that door over there. We're in my dreams now and my dream is connected with Roxas's." Namine blurted out. She then covered her mouth in embarrassment and blushed bright red.

"You and Roxas's dreams are connected?" Kairi asked curiously as Namine nodded meekly. They then heard a knock at the front door.

"I'll get it." Kairi said as she headed for the door. When she reached the door she opened it to reveal Sora standing there alone.

"Sora! You made it!" Kairi exclaimed happily as she threw her arms around Sora.

"Hello Kairi." Sora greeted. His voice however was strange, as if he had a female voice that was trying to sound male.

"Sora what happened to your voice?" Kairi asked concerned.

"I err…I don't know, it just happened." Sora replied as he entered into the house.

"Hi Sora." Namine said with a smile.

"Yeah uh hi…uh." Sora greeted sheepishly causing Namine to give him a confused look.

"Namine?" Namine answered as Sora snapped his fingers and nodded.

"That's it! Namine." Sora said as Namine adopted a smile. Though she secretly started to probe his memories.

"Hey Kairi I found this really cool place. Wanna come see it?" Sora asked as Kairi pondered.

"Sora, are you sure you're okay? I mean do you even know where we are?" Kairi asked curiously.

"We're in your dreams right?" Sora asked as Kairi breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh okay so you are the real Sora. Thank goodness I was afraid you were just a figment of my imagination there for a moment." Kairi said, not noticing Namine's determined look from nearby.

"The memories are Sora's but there are some unfamiliar memories that are distorted and blurred…why can't I see them clearly? There's something wrong with Sora but what it is I can't figure out." Namine pondered silently as she continued to probe Sora's memories while Sora and Kairi talked.


Meanwhile…

Sora stopped at the top of the hill in the clearing outside the old mansion to catch his breath. Roxas and Axel weren't far behind.

"You know its times like this I wish we could still use those corridors of darkness to get around." Axel moaned as they caught up with Sora.

"Ditto." Roxas said as he caught his breath.

"So this is where Namine lives?" Sora asked as he approached the closed gates of the mansion.

"Yeah. I live in an exact replica of my house in the virtual Twilight Town. We essentially live in a place that's the most familiar and comforting to us." Roxas explained.

"What's it tell you that I live next door to a fire department?" Axel asked with a smirk.

"That you're a pyromaniac?" Sora asked curiously.

"Gee ya think?" Axel asked back before turning his attention to the mansion gates. His eyebrows then furrowed.

"Hey, Roxas?" Axel asked.

"Yeah?" Roxas replied.

"Doesn't Namine usually leave these gates open?" Axel asked as Roxas noticed the closed gates too.

"You're right. She never closes them…wait a minute is that a LOCK?" Roxas asked in disbelief as he pointed at a large keyhole over the center of the gates, keeping them shut.

"Since when has Namine tried to keep us out? Have you done something to make her angry Roxas?" Axel asked as Roxas shook his head.

"I don't think so. But even so, I don't think she even knows how to make these locks. Something's not right." Roxas said as Axel nodded.

"Yeah you've got that right. Something's wrong." Axel agreed as Sora summoned his Keyblade.

"Well then why are we just standing here?" Sora asked as he aimed his Keyblade at the lock, sending a beam of blue light from the tip that caused the lock to suddenly glow bright blue and then vanish. The gates then slowly started to swing backwards.

"Come on let's move!" Sora shouted as the three took off towards the doors to the mansion.

Meanwhile inside the mansion, the other Sora suddenly spun towards the doors to the mansion with a surprised look. Then a smirk swept his face.

"Finally." Sora said as he walked around behind Kairi, putting her between him and the door, before summoning a Keyblade. The strange thing was that it wasn't Sora's usual Keyblade; instead it looked strange and unfamiliar to both Kairi and Namine. Its shape was familiar as it was shaped like the Kingdom Key only with a black guard instead of yellow and dark silver blade and tooth. The keychain was a black version of the King's seal.

"Sora? What's wrong? Where did you get that Keyblade?" Kairi asked pointing to the strange Keyblade.

Before Sora could answer, the door burst open and in ran the real Sora, Roxas, and Axel with their weapons primed. They skid to a halt in surprise though when they spotted the second Sora.

"What in the worlds?" Roxas asked in disbelief when he saw the second Sora.

"Two Sora's?" Kairi asked in disbelief as she and Namine looked frantically between the two duplicates.

"How is that possible?" Axel asked. Then the other Sora started laughing menacing but with a clearly female voice.

"Oh Axel you always were a bit slow." The other Sora said, causing Roxas's eyes to widen. Axel's eyes had widened as well.

"No…no it can't be can it? But how?" Axel asked in horror.

"I'm afraid I don't have time to talk boys. I have a mission to complete." Dark Sora said as her clothes suddenly morphed into black Organization robes and she pulled the hood up, allowing only her eyes, nose, and mouth to be seen from within the hood.

"What are you?" Sora asked confused.

"Hmm…I've been asking myself that same question. But right now that doesn't matter." Dark Sora said as she snapped her fingers and instantly a large black metal cage appeared around Kairi.

"KAIRI!" Sora shouted. Suddenly the cage slid across the floor to where Dark Sora stood, making a scraping noise that made everyone's teeth rattle.

"Oh am I depriving you of your precious Princess of Heart? Well too bad. My master has promised to make my dreams come true if I help her. And my master needs Kairi here to accomplish her goals." Dark Sora said as she reached into her robes and pulled out a small purple gem.

"You're not going to get away with this!" Sora shouted as he lunged forward with his Keyblade raised but Dark Sora parried the blow and tossed him away.

"You know Sora…for a fake you're pretty determined. I'll bet when I leave with Kairi that all of you will cease to exist since you are just a bunch of dreams after all." Dark Sora said mere seconds before having to dodge a fireball from Axel.

"Fake huh? We'll just have to see about that!" Axel shouted as his chakrams ignited into flames and started floating around him. Axel then charged forward and took a swing with his chakrams but Dark Sora parried the blow. Axel wasn't thrown off so easily and whirled around for another swing.

"BURN BABY!" Axel shouted with a grin on his face as a sudden column of flames erupted from the ground and created a flame circled arena like his battle with Roxas in the virtual Twilight Town.

"It's just you and me." Axel said as Dark Sora smirked and vanished in a purple and black burst of magic. She reappeared atop the black metal cage Kairi was in.

"As much as I would appreciate the exercise Axel, I'm afraid I have more urgent matters to attend to." Dark Sora said as she turned towards the door to the White Room where Namine and Kairi had emerged from Kairi's dream. Dark Sora raised her Keyblade towards the door and a purple beam of magic shot from the tip and hit the door, opening it.

"Hope you boys play nice." Dark Sora said as a column of purple and black magic rose up from around the cage.

"SORA, DON'T LEAVE ME!" Kairi shouted as she reached her arm through the bars to try and reach Sora. Sora tried to reach for her arm but a powerful burst of magic shocked him, forcing him to keep back.

"KAIRI I'LL COME FOR YOU! I PROMISE!" Sora shouted.

"I KNOW YOU WILL!" Kairi replied as the cage and Dark Sora disappeared into the column.

"Kairi…" Sora said sadly as Kairi's last words echoed through the room. But there wasn't any time for sadness as a loud roar was heard outside.

"Oh no…she let it out!" Namine exclaimed.

"Let what out?" Roxas asked.

"Kairi's nightmare!" Namine shouted as they ran for the door. They looked out towards the city and saw, hanging onto the train station tower was Darkside.

"That thing's going to destroy the city!" Roxas shouted as Sora placed his hand on his shoulder.

"Not if I have anything to say about it." Sora said with a newfound burst of determination.

"If it's what haunts Kairi's dreams then I'm going to be the one to stop it, who's with me?" Sora asked as he raised his Keyblade.

"That's the Sora we know." Namine said as Axel and Roxas raised their weapons.

"Then let's light the FI-AH!" Axel exclaimed excitedly as his chakrams ignited and the four charged out towards the town.


End Chapter 4.

Oh and if you think you figured out the truth behind Dark Sora, then please DO NOT mention who you think it is in your reviews. PMs are accepted.