MEL

The computer was huge and the keyboard was almost three feet long. On the screen was six-digit word. In my vision, Uncle Ansem called me Melo, but if I spelled that from my name it would be 'M-E-L-O', but if I spelled it as the actual word, it would be 'M-E-L-L-O-W'. A six-digit word. So I typed in the word 'mellow' and a cheerful tone echoed through the room.

"You did it!" Goofy cried.

Tiffa opened the files and scanned over them.

"Hey ….. listen to this: The one with the potential, will experience many abnormal powers. Such as unlimited abilities, telekinesis, and unexplainable fitness. The magic may even be an extraordinary size."

"That explains you perfectly, Mel." Axel said.

"Telekinesis… doesn't that mean to be able to move things with your mind?" I asked.

"It can mean a lot of things. Perhaps in your case…. It means the visions as well." Leon said.

"Hey…. Do you think we can enter the computer again, Leon? We want to check up on Tron." Sora said.

"Sure."

"Great! Do you two want to come?" Sora asked Axel and I.

"I would love to….. but I have a bad feeling that I need to stay here. Something is going to happen….. I know it…."

"Alright." He shrugged.

Leon told everyone to step back as Sora pushed a few buttons. When Sora, Donald, and Goofy disappeared, Tiffa asked everyone to come over and read the files over Pure Hearts.

"Riku…" My heart whispered.

Something is wrong….

As soon as I thought it, a pain hit my chest and I fell to my knees. Sweat beaded on my forehead.

Riku casually walked through the Great Maw and came upon the Dark Depths, overlooking the castle ruins.

"Why hello, Child. We meet again…."

Riku somewhat cringed at the sound of Maleficent's voice. He turned around clenching both of his fists.

"What do you want??" He growled between clenched teeth.

"Oh my! Why you have such a temper! You have grown well I see…… and you have adapted the light and dark far better then the last time we met, briefly. Something else is in your heart too….. hmm.."

"I said, 'what do you want'?!" He asked again.

"I want you to become my underling again. Riku…. You belong in darkness. Your Heart belongs to darkness…"

"No…." He said as he pulled out his Keyblade. "My heart belongs to someone else…… sorry."

I looked around as Axel helped me up.

"Are you okay?? What happened??"

"Riku's in trouble!!" I cried.

I frantically dashed out of the computer room and got to the door o Ansem's study when I realized I could just warp myself out of there. I pictured the entrance to the Dark Depths. I opened my eyes and saw Riku just in front of me. I took out my Keyblade and watched Maleficent come down on Riku fast. He used Dark Aura but she blocked it with some sort of magic. The darkness rose around her and formed into the shape of a clawed hand.

"Riku!" I cried.

"Melody?!" He screamed as he looked at me.

Maleficent swiped him across the face, leaving four long cuts on his right cheek; then she slashed him across the chest leaving five deep bloody gashes. I was terrified. I felt my magic as I warped to Riku and then used my Dark Shield to protect us. He grabbed my arms and clenched them hard.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?! I TOLD YOU TO GO WITH EVRYONE ELSE!!!" He bellowed.

I quickly looked away. I didn't know who I was afraid of now. He has never yelled at me before…. In fact…. I've never even hear him raise his voice… ever. I drove me to tears instantly.

"ANSWER ME!!" He yelled.

"My Heart! My Heart told me to come! I promised you I would be with you!" I yelled back with tears running down my face.

He lifted my chin and looked into my eyes.

RIKU

Green mist surrounded me as she healed me. I felt my energy return and my pain disappear.

"Thank you….." I said with a sigh, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you. I'm not quite sure how to…. Take in all this…. All these strange feelings I have…. I'm very confused…. But I just don't want you to get hurt. If anything happened to you… I don't know what I would do.."

Something instantly broke through Melody's shield, separating me from her. A blade was immediately at my throat. I looked up the extremely long blade and saw a man with long White hair and one black wing.

"S-Seph-Sephiroth…." Mel stuttered as she tried to scoot back.

I noticed her arm that had held up her shield was not working properly. It must have been knocked out of its socket. His blade went from my throat to hers.

"And you must be Melody…" H said in am low menacing voice.

"Don't touch her!!" I cried.

I stood up and took out my Keyblade. He only laughed as Maleficent sprouted from the ground, separating me from Melody even further.

"Ahh….. so that is what makes you Heart so different. It's her." Maleficent said as she pointed to Mel.

Melody wasn't paying any attention, she was too preoccupied by Sephiroth. I could smell her fear and I knew he could as well. She carefully stood up and took out her Keyblade.

"You're challenging me??" He asked in amusement.

"If you continue to stand in my way of getting to Riku….. then yes."

"Very well…….. orders are orders." He hummed.

He swung his blade but before I could see what else happened, Maleficent stepped in front of me. I grew nervous and frustrated because I couldn't see Melody.

"Aww…. So my Riku is falling in love with the Keyblade Princess?" She cackled.

"Who have you two taken orders from?" I asked angrily.

"Haven't you thought about it?" She smiled.

I heard a yelp and a whimper come from Mel. As I tried to peer around Maleficent, she gladly stepped to the side and laughed. A huge river a fire came from Mel's hands, but Sephiroth easily walked through them and slashed her across the stomach. She cried out loud as she clutched her stomach.

"D-dark Aura!"

A bright blue river of flames hit Sephiroth. He flew and hit the ground. Without thinking I touched my magic and used Curaga. Green particles came from my Heart and quickly traveled to her. Her arm popped back into place and her gashed quickly melted together. I could see her wince a bit, but she still flash a thankful smile at me. Sephiroth calmly stood up and brushed the dirt off his shoulders.

"Not bad….. for a Princess…" He smirked.

"You're working with Zexion…. Aren't you?" She asked.

Zexion…. Of course. Maleficent just wants me to keep away from Melody so Sephiroth can finish Mel off. Then Mel will have a Pure Heart.

I summoned my Keyblade and faced Maleficent.

"So you understand now….. don't you, Riku?" She snickered.

"You won't get through with this…" I growled.

She laughed and pointed back behind me.

"It seems I will.."

I turned around and saw Pete with everyone, other than Mel knocked out cold against the rocky wall. Even Sora, Donald, and Goofy were unconscious.

"What did you do to them?!"

"Oh, just knocked them out for a bit with a new spell I learned. They have to stay out of our way. We only need to kill the Princess."

"Well…. You'll have to go through me!"

"With pleasure…." She smiled evilly.

Maleficent pulled out her staff and darkness began to swirl around her. Sephiroth slammed Melody against the rocky wall and laughed.

"Melody!" I cried.

Sephiroth grabbed her by the neck and held her up, his sword was against her throat. I grew angry and I threw a Dark Aura at Maleficent, then attacked Sephiroth from behind. He yelled in anger. Melody fell to the gasping for air as I quickly helped her up. I held her up by having one arm around her waist, and I kept her close.

"Stay close to me Mel, alright? We have to stick together. We can do this." I said softly.

She nodded and put an arm around me to stabilize herself. I smiled down at her and she looked up at me. We both knew what to do.

MEL

"DARK AURA!!!" We both screamed.

The power surged through us together and blasted out like a huge atomic bomb. We heard Maleficent shriek and Sephiroth roar in defeat. When the dust had cleared, they were both gone. I laughed as Riku picked me up into the air and spun me around. He set me down and gave me a genuine Riku smile.

"Maybe I do have a chance after all!" I said cheerfully.

"Think again.."

Riku took my arm and forced me behind him. I looked around him and saw Zexion, still wearing the black cloak and floating in midair.

"I really didn't want to have to take care of this myself. "

Zexion lifted up his hands. Everyone behind us lifted limply into the air surrounded individually by a yellow orb.

"I have a bad feeling about this. Jiminy whispered.

"Riku…" I said as I held his arm tightly.

Everyone began to convulse uncontrollably. Inside the orbs were yellow and purple lightening bolts.

"He's killing them!!," My Heart screamed. "Do something!!"

Suddenly an orb formed around Riku.

"No, No!" I screamed.

He turned around and I hugged him, but then electricity shot through my body, sending an excruciating pain and burning sensation throughout my entire body, forcing me to let go. Riku lifted a foot above then ground and the electric currents shot through the orb, making him clench his teeth and shake violently. He held in his scream, but I could hear it in my Heart.

"So…. Princess of the Pure Heart. Do you wish to watch your friends die? Or are you willing to sacrifice?" Zexion asked smugly.

He already knew my weakness and he knew my answer. Riku tried to fight the magic, but he couldn't do anything. Everyone was dieing around me. I threw my Keyblade at Zexion's feet.

"Excellent." He said as he lowered his hand.

Everyone lay gently on the ground and Riku fell to his hands and knees, gasping for air. Zexion lowered himself to the ground and walked up to me.

"Normally I don't like getting my hands dirty…." He said as he grabbed my chin and hovered an inch over my lips, "But you'll be my only acceptation."

I felt a sudden pierce of pain through my stomach.

RIKU

I lifted my head and watched Zexion drive a familiar blade through her stomach.

"No!!" My Heart screamed.

Melody fell to the ground, dead. Her blood was all over the ground and all over the blade he still held. The blade was the blade Xehanort had tortured Melody with and also the one that took her mom's Heart. It's the same blade that Sora took his own Heart with, as well. He laughed as he lifted my chin up to him.

"This blade look familiar….. doesn't it? Though it's not the Keyblade, I can still imitate it… I can imitate many things...observe." He said as the dark keyblade turned into an exact replica of my Way to the Dawn. "Now…. I will wake your friends….just as she would have wanted."

HE lifted his hand high above his head as blue mist surrounded everyone. I painfully sat up on my knees. I could hear everyone moan as they woke up. Zexion walked behind me and grabbed the back of my head, pulling my hair, and forcing me to look at Melody.

"Soon you will not have a choice. You will not be able to protect her for long. When that time comes, you will be watching her fall away to darkness, behind glass. She will lose her Heart with you watching and there will be no way to help her, nor ease her pain…." Then he shoved my head forward, almost making me fall to the ground.

I gradually looked behind me and he opened up a dark portal and slipped into it, disappearing. I heard Sora gasp and then he yelled, 'heal!'. Green mist surrounded her but then vanished. Sora sorely walked to me.

"Riku…. What happened?"

Jiminy was slowly walking away, blowing his nose on a tissue. I crawled to her. I was still in pain and a little dizzy. Zexion must have added more magic to my orb. Everyone else stood up but they seemed to be a little sore. I held her small hand in mine. It was still warm. I closed her eyes and then I closed mine.

Melody… why… why? Why would you sacrifice yourself for all of us? I felt the light in you Heart grow stronger. I felt the main reason why you followed your Heart. You did it for me as well. Why?

I felt a hand on my shoulder and so I looked up. Axel was standing over me, looking over Mel. Tears were in his eyes, but he held them back. His face was solemn. I pulled Melody into my lap as I sat on my knees. I brushed a few pieces of hair out of her face as everyone surrounded us.

Your Majesty…. Please… please help her. Please save her…. Because I couldn't

A small light orb appeared in front of me and with a bright flash, King Mickey appeared at my request.

"I know…. Ansem the Wise asked you to protect her, Riku. This was not your fault. This was her decision…. She wanted to save you all. Zexion was slowly killing you, and torturing Riku in front of her…" King Mickey explained to everyone. "Riku listen to me. This was not your fault so don't blame yourself. You couldn't protect her. She was protecting you. Her Heart felt it was her duty. She cares for you…. as well as everyone else. Don't worry…. I'll bring her back…. But I can't until she lets me. She has to be ready."