Hello readers! I told you i'd get the 7th chapter up, didn't I?

Aren't you just so happy with me? ... Well now to the point

Disclaimer: I do not own any Disney or Square Enix related things. I do own the OCs and the plot line, so no stealing that ...

Now on with the show!


The sun is still high in the sky on this summer afternoon in Radiant Garden

The sun is still high in the sky on this summer afternoon in Radiant Garden. The streets are filled with the commotion of people returning to work after their lunch break and children running around enjoying the warm weather. But unknown to the citizens of the former Hollow Bastion, four cloaked figures warp in from the shadows. They step into the light, keeping their distance from the crowds and they lower their hoods.

"Hollow Bastion, huh?" says Artemis, taking in the surroundings.

"Its Radiant Gardens now" corrects Risa.

"Whatever …" says Artemis, shrugging off her mistake.

"So Axel, did someone in the Organization use to live here?" asks Riley.

"Yeah … a few of us …" Axel trails off, staring into space. The three girls look at him questionably, confused by his sudden change in tone. "Anyway, get to work. I don't want to spend the whole day babysitting." All three of them roll their eyes and turn to focus their energy. Each using her own method, Risa trying to get a lock on a heart's heat, Artemis peering through structures in search of a heart's light, and Riley listening for a heart's steady beat. They let their senses float through the town, desperately trying to ignore the hearts of somebodys. After a few moments, the girls simultaneously break from their thoughts, each pointing in a different direction.

"That way!" they exclaim in unison. Realizing what had just happened, the girls look over their shoulders, staring at each other in amusement.

"Let's split up" says Riley. Artemis and Risa nod in agreement and head off on their own, not really needing the spoken suggestion. Axel stares in confusion at the girls' silent conversation, as Artemis runs toward the marketplace and Risa climbs up a nearby staircase leading towards the Bailey.

"Wait, where are you going?" asks Axel, in annoyance.

"To do our job" responses Riley, as she strolls off down the ally. "So Axel, where did you use to live, before the Organization?"

"None of your business, I don't remember it that well anyway."

"Could you give me a hint? 'Cause don't you think it will be easier to locate a heart if we are familiar with what we're looking for?" ask Riley.

"Fireworks" Axel states, "I remember fireworks."

"Fireworks?" Riley whispers to herself. They turn the corner, into a wide clearing blocked off by the surrounding buildings with a lone, out-of-place house pushed into a corner. Riley's train of thought trails off, as she recognizes the new scene in front of her. Ignoring Axel, she sprints towards the cottage while forcing down her excitement, now building up inside. She peers into the house's only window, while standing a fair distance away, trying to appear casual.

"What are you …?" Axel questions her action, thus receiving a scolding from Riley to be quiet. Now completely abandoning the heart she was tracking, she tunes into the voices inside the house.

"… What about the Organization? Have they made their appearance yet?" asks a squeaky voice belonging to the famous mouse king, Mickey.

"They have yet to show their faces around here. What about the other worlds you have visited?" replies the old wizard Merlin, stroking his long beard in thought.

"Only dusks, and in scarce numbers. They must be lying low for now," comments a young man's voice. Riley recognizes it as Riku, though absent from her view.

"But what are they waiting for?" ponders the King in a whisper.

"Well" says Merlin, clapping his hands in enthusiasm, "The restoration committee is waiting for you, so I won't keep you any longer." An expression of panic spreads across Riley's face at the thought of being caught eavesdropping, but soon disappears as she skids to Axel's side, in the alleyway's opening.

"You need to leave" she whispers, only to receive a raised eyebrow, and perplexed look from Axel. "We'll meet you back here at sundown, I swear, but until then you need to be out of sight."

"I'm assuming you have a plan," says Axel. Riley nods an answer, keeping watch on the out-of-place house for its occupants.

"Now!" demands Riley. Axel warps out, without another word, a smirk on his face; impressed by the small girl's forcefulness. Calmly, but quickly she walks back over to the house, scanning for a hiding place. Unexpectedly, its door swings open and Riley darts behind it to avoid being seen. The door stops just meters away, and out walks King Mickey. He walks right past Riley, yet takes no notice of her presence, as he heads towards the Bailey. She senses the door close, but being preoccupied by the mouse walking away, she fails to notice how. After King Mickey is gone from view, she releases a sigh of relief only to be discovered by a different individual.

"Who are you?" Riley's heart rate skyrockets at what the voice is implying, he caught her.

She turns to the left, to face a young man of 17 wearing a yellow outfit that Riley recognizes as the one Riku wore in the second Kingdom Hearts video game. He is significantly a head taller then her, his silver hair reaching pass his shoulders. She lifts her gaze up until she meets his aqua blue eyes, staring sternly into her own lavender ones.

"I'm Riley," she says, swallowing her nervousness, "Riley Manor."

"What are you doing out here?" he asks, his questioning eyes becoming softer.

She takes a deep breath allowing herself time to calm down before she answers, "Well, me and my friends came to help."

"Help? With what?" he asks, his voice ringing with amusement and curiosity. Before Riley is able to utter a response, a handful of heartless surrounds the duo. Riku steps between Riley and the heartless, pushing her back, and summons his Keyblade, the Way to Dawn. "Stay back" he whispers, and then takes a swing at one of the heartless. A small smile forms on Riley's face, as she summons her own Keyblade unbeknownst to Riku. She side steps, slaying a heartless in her path. Then spinning on one foot, resembling a pirouette, she attacks a shadow heartless. "You're quick!" says Riku, taking a whack at another heartless, "It's kind of rare to find a girl that's such an experienced fighter."

Riley feels her heart flip, as she skips backward, "I'm far from experienced."

"Still, I guess it was instinct for me to protect you." Riku responds taking care of the last shadow.

"Thanks. But I tend to be able to take care of myself. … Sort of," Riley answers, letting her weapon disappear. Unknown to Riley a shadow heartless creeps up behind her, fused in the ground. Riku shouts a warning and Riley spins to face the danger, but the heartless springs forth for the ground before she can fully react. In a flash of darkness, Riley dissipates avoiding the heartless, but surprising both Riku and herself. He destroys the heartless, and then scans the grounds for the girl. Barely even a second later, she reappears right in front of him, in the same particle-like darkness that she vanished in.

"You can use the powers of darkness." He says, his cool smile becoming stern. Riley shakes her head, almost at a lost for words.

"But I've never done that before," Riley whispers, her expression calm and her eyes staring dreamily at her hands.

"Seriously?" he questions. She lifts her gaze, and gives a strong, reassuring nod. "Well, I think the King would like to meet you." Riku lets his weapon disappears and walks off toward the Bailey, gesturing Riley to follow. She does.

The duo walks into an underground cavern leading to a small maze of corridors. In silence, they move forward, Riley stealing quick glances at Riku, and Riku keeping his eyes forward. "I'm pretty suspicious, huh?" Riley asks. Riku just tilts his head to see her face more clearly, eyebrow crocked. "You know with the whole coat and warping thing. I've probably made a lousy first impression." He does not respond at first, but as they turn a corner, he stops and releases a sigh.

"It's just, I get this vibe that we've meet before and that you know more then you should," states Riku.

Riley meets his eyes, and smiles "funny, I feel the same way." Surprised by her answer, he watches her walk down the narrow hallway to a wooden door. They enter a small, circular study, its walls lined with books and a small table in the center buried with loose papers. Sitting at the table is none other then King Mickey himself, reading a book.

"Your Majesty" says Riku, "This is Riley Manor, and I meet her outside Merlin's right after you left." The mouse king stands up and makes his way over to Riley, extending a welcoming hand.

"It's very nice to meet you," Mickey says. Riley nods her head in agreement, a warm smile on her face as she accepts the handshake.

"Where's everyone else? I thought Leon and the others had news for us," asks Riku.

"There seems to be some commotion, in the computer room. I thought I'd wait for you before I'd investigate," response Mickey. Riku walks off towards the computer room, leaving Riley and King Mickey alone in the study. He then turns to Riley and says, "Riku never does anything without reason, so why did he bring you here?"

Startled a little bit by the surreal experience of speaking with a cartoon mouse, Riley hesitates at first. "I warped, but not on purpose. It was a reaction." She pauses. "He said that it made me connected with the darkness."

"Well, are you?" Mickey asks.

"I tend to consider myself to be more neutral."


Well thank you for making it to the end of the chapter, reviews are welcomed (pleeeeease).

Remember the next chapter will be up in two weeks... until then