Sora's POV

I got to school all fresh and ready to go. Kairi was reading a newspaper.

"Whas' the headline, hon?" I asked, peering over her shoulder.

"Stop calling me that, Sora. We are not going out," she replied, continuing reading the headline.

The title was "Masked Figure at the Twilight Bar beats Marluxia."

I gulped slightly.

"Somethin' wrong?" Kairi asked.

"Ah, it's nothing. Just... that guy looks scary!" I said, pointing at the hood and the mystery stuff.

"He is not scar! He's amazing!" she retorted, clearly offended.

"Geez, I was just sayin'... God..."

In every single class, everyone, and I mean everyone, was talking about the weird hooded figure at the Twilight Bar. They kept wondering "Who is he?" and the usual things. Even Ventus and Roxas put aside ice cream and were thinking about who it could be.

"I bet it's... Riku!" Ventus said.

"Naw, it can't be... He's too tall, and sightings say that he's around our height..." Roxas said.

"DAMMIT! Alright, then it's... Terra!"

"Again, too tall."

"Aqua?"

"That's a girl, dumbsh*t! It is clearly a guy!"

"You?"

"NO! I wasn't at the bar last night! I was with you playing Minecraft!"

"Crap. Um, Sora...?"

"No again! Sora couldn't be The Hood! He's too innocent and cheery!"

"They started calling him The Hood?" Kairi asked, as interested as I was in the name.

"Not yet! But we will get people too... Yes, we will get them to say it..." Roxas said evilly.

"Roxas, drop the bad guy tone. You fight Heartless," Ventus said, feet on his desk.

"Don't blame me! It's for efeeeeect," he said.

At lunch, Roxas and Ventus's name of The Hood became as popular as Destiny Cones, and that's sayin' somethin'. It was Hood this and Hood that! I was getting a bit pissed. Roxas was so proud of himself for coming up with the name.

Roxas's POV

Later that night, Ventus and I decided to find out who The Hood was. We entered the Twilight Bar, and came up to The Hood.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

"Yes. I'd like to ask you a few questions," I said like a person in a drama show.

"What... kind of questions?" he asked in the same tone as me.

"Like... Where are you from?" I started.

"Hmm... I travel everyday, so I dunno," he answered.

"Ok, OK..." I said.

"You're gonna ask me to take off the hood aren't you?" he said, looking at me.

"DAMMIT!" I yelled.

Ventus sat by The Hood.

"Dude, you seriously thought this would work?" he asked.

"I mean, seriously, I become popular, and all of a sudden you ask me to show myself. I don't think I'm gonna anytime soon," Hood said.

I left with Ventus in a hurry, disappointed.

Kairi's POV

I tried concentrating on working, but I kept casting glances at Hood. He then stood suddenly, as if sensing something. Selphie nudged me, winking. Another man stood, and he was looking at Hood.

"There you are, Keyblade Wielder," he said in a raspy voice.

Hood drew his Keyblade. The man laughed, and turned all purple. He grew antennae, and his eyes became pure yellow. The bar gasped, and retreated to a corner. Hood swung with the Keyblade, and the monster jumped.

"So... what is your name, boy?" the monster asked.

"I wouldn't ask that, Invisible, but I'm called Hood around here," Hood said.

"I think we both know what your true name is, Keyblade Wielder," Invisible replied, lunging with a shadowy sword.

Hood leaped, and struck Invisible's head with the Keyblade. It screeched, and Hood began slicing at its arms swiftly and soundly. The Invisible swung at Hood, knocking him back.

"Ow..." he said, getting up.

Invisible smirked, and lunged again. Hood disappeared, and then Invisible vanished in a puff of smoke. Hood wiped sweat off his brow, and began walking outside. I ran after him. Then it began waiting.

"Hood! Wait!" I called.

Dearly Beloved on YouTube: watch?v=CCfowliTnlo

He turned, smiling.

"Yes?" he asked.

"I just wanted to ask..." I began, but he came up to me.

"I'm sorry. I can't tell you," he said while looking at me.

"But..."

"No. I swore I would only tell a True Princess of Heart. And you are not one, though you look like one," he said, and I blushed.

"Well, speaking of princesses, have you heard of the Princesses of Heart?" Hood asked.

"No..."

"Well, today's your lucky day. You get to hear from me why I'm here. Sit down in the bar, I'll tell you there," he said.

"Why not here?" I asked.

Hood looked around. Then he straightened up in fright.

"Go back in the bar. Now," he said, ushering me in.

"Hood, what-" then the door closed behind me before I could turn around.

Stop "Dearly Beloved"

Play this on YouTube: watch?v=3hNmSLdQO94&feature=related

Hood's POV

The shadow appeared in front of me. I grimaced.

"Have you found the Princess?" it asked.

"No... y'think it's easy finding a girl with one of seven purest of all hearts?!" I said.

"No... I just expected you to do better, boy," it retorted.

"Well, sorry, Ansem, but I need more time. I just know she's in this town. I know it," I said.

The shadows parted, revealing Ansem. He was in a white buttoned lab coat with a black-striped red scarf. His blond hair was combed back as usual. His beard remained the same. He was holding a giant clock. It was digital, counting down weeks, days, hours, minutes, and seconds. It looked like this:

00:04:22:49:21

"Fine. I will give you one more week. But that is all I can give you, unfortunately," he said, the week column extending from zero to one.

Ansem panted in pain. Delaying the day the world ended took a lot out of you. Before the shadows engulfed him once again, he added one last word.

"Remember... all the worlds... are depending on... you... to find this girl, Sora," he said.

I grimaced.

"One extra week to find the Princess. One extra week for the worlds to live," I said.

Stop "Data Riku Theme"

Play this on YouTube: watch?v=SJdhNmD8LFc&feature=related

It is 6:00 AM on Saturday morning

I dashed across the building tops, searching, and searching.

"C'mon... I know it's around here..." I muttered.

Then I felt it. A strong surge of energy from my heart.

She is near. This is where she shall awaken, it said.

I leaped down, and was standing in front of an average house. It read "Twilight Orphanage." I pushed the door open, and there was an old woman there. She smiled at me.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"I was told there was a princess here," I stated.

"A princess? There are no princesses here, boy. Only children and teens left by their parents," she replied.

"I'm not talking about the fairy tale princesses, miss. I'm talking about the Princesses of Heart. One lives and breathes here. Now, which one is it?" I pushed.

"A Princess of Heart...? I think I can help you when you put it like that," she said.

The old woman walked to the base of the stairs. "Dear! There's someone to see you!"

I heard slow footsteps. When the girl reached the bottom of the stairs, I took a few steps back.

"It was you this entire time?" I said.

"Me? What are you talking about?" Kairi asked.