Sora and Leon left the 2nd district after destroying the horde of heartless in the hotel. "They keep multiplying!" Sora said, out of breath.

"They're drawn to your key blade."

Aerith had been waiting for the two to come through the district doors. She had a look of worry on her face, and almost simultaneously Leon noticed that there were only two girls waiting in the first district.

"Where's Akemi?" Leon asked.

Sora didn't wait for an answer. He ran straight back through the doors to find the girl. She knows something about Riku, and she might know something about Kairi too! He battled the heartless fearlessly until he stepped into the third district, where he saw a white duck and a dog-person in the middle of a fight with a gigantic heartless that looked like a suit of armor. That is one big heartless! he thought as he jumped down to aid the two strangers.

Riku had been waiting for half an hour before he saw the girls eyes begin to flutter. Before Riku could say anything, the girl bolted up and looked around wildly as if she was something's prey.

"Where are they? Where are the heartless?!" Akemi yelled hysterically. She didn't think she would have made it away after blacking out, she thought for sure she was a goner.

"They're gone, I scared them away…"

Akemi knew that voice. She turned to see the silver-haired boy, Riku, staring back at her. She tried to talk to him, but her mouth went dry, and her throat tightened. Things are happening too fast, one minute he was in Hollow Bastion and now he's here? Wait, he must have taken Maleficent's offer! She tried again to speak, but only a squeak came out. The boy smiled, and Akemi gave up trying to talk to him.

"My name is-" the boy started.

"Riku," Akemi finished for him, her mouth suddenly deciding to work for her now.

"How did you know?" He was becoming defensive towards her. She had to think quickly.

"Sora. He told me-"

"You know Sora!? He's here?!"

"Well, yes…"

Riku didn't waste any more time, he knew his friend was here. He started down the ramp and towards a door, when he saw two people heading his way. Deciding it was best not to be seen by anyone else until he found Sora, he hurried back to the ramp to wait for the strangers to leave. Suddenly, a creature appeared from nowhere and began to attack the two people. Akemi wanted to help the poor strangers, but before she could run to their aid Riku grabbed her arm and began to lead her out of Traverse Town.

"What are you doing?!" Akemi screamed.

"Shhh! We'll come back, but first I need to speak to you privately."

Akemi pulled away from him and took a step back, "You mean, leave the world?"

"For awhile, but we'll come back. I know Sora is here, but I think he'll be fine. I want some answers."

"I can't… There's people here, my friends, I can't just leave them."

"We don't have time to discuss this, people are going to see us. We need to leave now, I know a world that is quiet."

"Not Hollow Bastion! There's darkness there, I don't want to go there."

"How do you know about Hollow Bastion?"

Akemi stopped, she had said too much. Riku's eyes were probing her, looking for answers. She looked down.

"Come with me," Riku said firmly.

She felt she should protest, but there was something in his eyes. She felt drawn to him. Slowly, she stepped toward him and grasped his outstretched hand. Before she knew it, they were flying away from Traverse Town, and she grew nervous as she realized that her destiny and destination was completely in the hands of a boy she had never really known.