The wind swept past her face as Takara swung open the heavy wooden doors leading to the castle courtyard. She smiled at the feeling of bright sunlight hitting her face, but the smile quickly vanished as she remembered who was following her. Takara walked to the middle of the courtyard, crossed her arms over her chest, and let out an exasperated sigh.

"I know you've been following me, Riku."

"Nothing's unnoticed by you, is it?" The boy in question walked up to Takara, standing next to her. Takara shifted a little at his closeness, but Riku didn't notice. "Takara, you've changed."

She scowled. "How so?"

Riku glanced over at her with a hint of...could it be? Worry? "You still look the same. But something's off--"

"How could you even say that? You don't even know me! And maybe, just maybe, Riku, I've changed because I've been running away from darkness for over a year! You have no idea what that's like..." Takara lowered her eyes to the ground, unwilling to meet Riku's cold gaze.

"You'd be surprised...how much we're the same." Takara whipped her head up, her butterscotch eyes hostile. "I just tried to kill you, and you come here to fix my emotional problems? I tell you Key-boy, you've got guts. Why should you even care? I'm just a girl from your past....someone you tried to capture a long time ago. I was your target—your--your mission. That's all. Nothing less, nothing more. Now...heh...I'm a hopeless princess, running away from my problems like—like some coward. Let me just tell you something, Riku."

Riku's eyebrows knit together in confusion. "Princess?"

Takara turned her whole body towards him, and pointed a finger at his chest. " Look, I'm not gonna explain that to you. At least, not now. I have to contain myself for Kairi's sake. But I don't need your sympathy. I don't need anyone's sympathy. I just--" She broke off mid-rant when something cold settled in the palm of her hand, and a warm hand encircled around her fingers as it bent them closed. Takara raised her eyes up to see Riku's and his lips were turned up into a half-smile. His voice was barely a whisper when he spoke. "I promised myself, a long time ago, that I'd give this back to you."

Takara's breath was stuck in her throat, she couldn't breathe, she couldn't see anything but those aquamarine eyes that threatened to pull her down into their depths....

NO! AHH!! Why am I thinking this way?

She cleared her throat, leaving her hand entwined with Riku's. "Um...thank—th--" Come on, say it right! "Thankyou!" The words came out in a rush, and an unwanted warmth spread on Takara's face as she clasped her hand tighter around her necklace. A quiet laugh escaped from Riku's mouth as he stared down at the young girl, and for the first time since he had seen her, he focused on her appearance. Her auburn hair had become longer, it was past her shoulder blades now, but not quite halfway down her back. Her butterscotch eyes were still the same as ever, except in the sunlight they shone a bright hazel. She wore a dress very similar to Kairi's, except the color was a mix between aquamarine and sky blue.

She looks...beauti—huh? What? Dang it, why am I thinking this way?

Riku lowered his eyes, and Takara tilted her head to the side, puzzled at his reaction. He bit his lip, ripped his hand away from hers and took a couple of steps back. "You're—you're welcome."

Takara smirked. "Do I detect a hint of hesitation, Riku? Are---are you blushing?" This remark caused Riku to move even farther away from the girl, earning a wider grin from her. Takara opened her mouth to say something, but a shrill, grating voice interrupted her train of thought. "TAKARA! RIKU! YOU BOTH BETTER NOT BE OUT THERE ALONE! THE KING'S HERE! HE WANTS TO TALK TO YOU!"

Both teens blushed even more and walked hesitantly towards the door, meeting an impatient Donald. Takara scoffed and rolled her eyes, brushing past the exasperated duck.

...In the Library...

Sora, Riku, Kairi, Takara, Donald, Goofy, and King Mickey (1) were now all in the library, sitting in a circle of chairs in the center of the room. Takara smiled as she thought back a few moments before when Riku and King Mickey greeted each other with a friendly hug. It was the only time she had ever truly seen him happy. His aquamarine eyes had seemed to sparkle with new life, and something had made Takara's heart beat faster while she watched him. Fiddling with her hands, she now mentally chastised herself for that childish reaction.

Don't be stupid. You hardly even know him! What do you expect? That he's gonna fall in love with you in a matter of days? News flash: Love doesn't work that way. (2)

"Welp, now that we're all here, I suppose we should get down to business. Sora, Riku, Kairi, do you know why you're here?"

Sora scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Um...well, we know we were supposed to meet Takara, and that she can wield a Keyblade, but...that's about it."

"You've got most of the information you need already. Takara here..." The King motioned over to the sixteen year old girl seated next to him; she smiled slightly in return, but kept her eyes glued to the floor. "...after you left Hollow Bastion, or should I say, Radiant Garden, Kairi, the whole world was thrown into a panic. Apparently, you were supposed to be their princess when you became of age. Their last ruler, A--" King Mickey hesitated a bit before saying his name, "Ansem was kind, up until he started performing those experiments. After he left, a new ruler was needed to take his place. Years passed, and the citizens were thrown into a frenzy."

Kairi could only blink at this new information. "So—if I wouldn't have left...I would have been the princess of that world?"

King Mickey nodded. "According to the Council of Radiant Garden, the next in line for the throne was Takara. She had a guardian at that time, and they accepted for her. She's been their princess ever since. About two years ago, before Sora had ever visited that world, another huge mass of Heartless threatened to capture the world's heart for a second time." The small mouse turned to Takara, evidently expecting her to continue the story. She took a deep breath and continued from where the King had left off.

"I tried holding off the swarm of Heartless myself, with the aid of a couple of my friends. Of course, you all know Leon and the gang...." Sora, Riku, and Kairi nodded.

"It was to no avail. We were immensely outnumbered. In order to protect me, Merlin conjured up a Dark Corridor (3) and sent me through it. I woke up in Traverse Town, and lived there until Leon and everyone else followed. Then, Riku, I met you." The strength of the words in her last sentence startled Riku and he looked up at her in surprise. The girl could only smile at him. "I've been running from world to world each time a villain gets close to me." Takara shuddered. "Maleficent almost got me once."

King Mickey jumped down from his chair and faced the four of them. "I need you all to protect Takara with your lives. Escort her to wherever she needs to go, and whatever you do, don't let Maleficent get a hold of her. Her heart is far too important..."

Riku spoke for the first time. "Why exactly is that, Your Majesty?"

Takara stepped forward, and Riku noticed her heart charm dangling limply from a silver chain around her neck. "Through this necklace, and my heart itself, I have the power to create Heartless and Nobodies at will. My heart is forever in contact with Kingdom Hearts. If I lose it to someone else, or if they take the power within it...they could rule all the worlds in a matter of hours."

Kairi looked taken aback. "How long have you known about this, Taki? When we were growing up...you never said anything."

Much to everyone's surprise, Takara could only laugh. "I didn't quite understand it myself, Kai. I—still don't." Sora and Riku stepped forward. Sora was smiling, but on the other hand, Riku had an expression conveying so much anger and regret. When Takara noticed this, she felt a pang of guilt, as if she was responsible for his hurt.

What's wrong with him?

"Don't worry, we won't let anything happen to you. Promise!" Takara could only smile at Sora, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. She was too focused on Riku to notice anything else.

"Are you all ready? Donald and Goofy have your Gummi ship loaded and ready to go!" The sound of King Mickey's voice jolted all four of the teenagers out of their thoughts and they whirled around to face the tiny mouse. Nodding simultaneously, they made their way out of the library doors, walking down the hallways leading down to the Gummi ship hangar.

On an impulse, Takara ran up to Riku, grabbed his hand, and gave it a little squeeze. He looked up at her in response. She leaned over to whisper in his ear: "Don't worry. Everything will be fine." She let go, running ahead of the group towards their destination.

Once Takara was gone, a snicker emerged from behind Riku. The source? The one and only Sora. "What's so funny, Sora?"

"You like her, don't you?" Sora smiled, placing his hands behind his head.

Kairi giggled. "Come on, Riku! Don't be shy!"

Riku fought to keep a blush from heating his face as he replied. "Don't be ridiculous! I barely even know her!"

Sora rolled his eyes. "Sure, sure..."

Riku turned back around, and his eyes darted around nervously, as if watching for some unseen enemy.

Sora and Kairi are ridiculous. I barely even know the girl, so how can I like her? It's impossible...right?

...Author's Notes...

(1) Whew! That sure is a lot to type up!

(2) Or does it? ;D

(3) a.k.a. Those dark portal thingys that all the Organization members use to get around everywhere...

P.S. Bleh....I don't like this chappie, except for all the Riku/Takara fluff. Buuuut....I needed a chapter to give...eh...SOME of the background info for Taki, so....might as well get it over with now.

Reviews appreciated! :D