There was one idea Sora had about Hollow Bastion. It was CREEPY. The place was empty, and every step echoed around in a paranoia-instilling manner.

Eventually, Riku stopped in front of a door, and gently knocked. No response. "Okay, she's still asleep." He muttered.

Sora then asked "So what IS the plan?"

Riku smirked as he opened the door "Simple. You wake her up and we run."

Sora felt his stomach lurch when he saw Kairi, but then irritably asked Riku "Why can't you wake her?"

"True love's kiss. That's the solution."

Sora blushed, then hissed "You know I've never kissed a girl! Besides, I'm not the one!"

Riku shrugged "Things will fall into place."

Sora began questioning his own thoughts about the flashes of gold in Riku's eyes, since they were becoming longer and more frequent.

They sat there in awkward silence.

"Well?"

"I'm not kissing her."

"Sora, act your age."

"I'M NOT KISSING HER."

Riku didn't bother to sugar-coat it "Then she'll stay like this forever."

That hit a bleak note in Sora. He felt an odd sense of god-hood in the fact that his actions now affected someone else's life. He couldn't let her stay comatose forever, though. He then reluctantly knelt next to her, and planted a soft kiss on her lips. He backed away just as fast, not wanting to bungle anything.

Kairi's eyes slowly opened, and she murmured "Sora...?"

"Yeah, it's me you damsel in distress. I hope you know you've gotten m- His Majesty scared half to death."

Kairi yawned as she apologized "I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me..." She froze, then quickly latched onto Sora's arm, eyes wide in fear. Eyes directed right at Riku. "W-what's HE doing here?!"

Sora tried peeling her off "Jeez Kairi it's just... Just..." He fell short as he saw Riku beginning to crack a grin. His eyes turned golden and stayed that way. They were so much older than he truly was, and so much more...

Sora felt like he was staring into a Heartless's eyes.

"At last... The final Princess of Heart is mine." Riku said, his own voice inhumanily flat while a second, deeper voice provided all infliction. "Thank you, Sora, you proved to be just as invaluable as the witch."

Sora was frozen, realizing the danger far too late. Riku summoned a Keyblade that was decidedly not his, saying "I do believe it is time to dismiss you."

Riku raised the blade, and Kairi began tugging at Sora's arm "Please! Sora we've got to-"

Sora quickly got over his shock and scooped up Kairi just as fast and ran past his possessed friend just as he struck. "Sora I thought you knew him better!" Kairi squealed.

Sora didn't reply, unable to answer. That wasn't Riku. Not anymore. That was a stranger. Shock and betrayal numbed his senses. Riku... No not Riku... That wasn't Riku... But it still was...

"SORA! DOOR!" Kairi screamed, snapping him out of his daze. He halted, finding the massive doors out closed. He set Kairi down and tried pushing them open. They didn't budge. Kairi joined him, but soon they were both gasping for breath.

"Dammit, they're locked." Sora panted. A second thought suddenly burst into his mind: "The final Princess of Heart is mine..."

"He has the others too." He muttered.

"What? You mean the other Princesses?" Kairi asked. She then looked remorseful "Oh yeah, he does. I can't believe I forgot."

"How do you even know?" Sora asked.

"I feel them. They're being used." She shuddered "Like they're batteries or something."

Sora blew a spike of hair upward, watching it fall back into place. They were trapped. He glaced up at the door, then had an idea. He stood, "Kairi, find somewhere safe."

"Why?! I want to come with you-"

"I'm going to duel him for our freedom. Ours, and theirs."

Kairi stopped following momentairily, then resumed as she yelled "Why?! You'll get killed without me!"

"Oh, so what do you know?" Sora's voice held a harsh edge of sarcasm.

"That Riku may still be in there, but whoever's going to be fighting you is older and way more experienced."

Sora stopped, and turned back to her. Kairi crossed her arms, and looked away "But I guess you don't want a useless 'damsel in distress'."

Sora rolled his eyes, conceding "Fine, come along then."

Kairi smiled, and rushed up to him so they were side by side.

"So where are they?" Sora asked. Kairi held a hand to her heart, and then pointed forward "That way. There should be a few hallways, some Heartless, but eventually there'll be stairs."

Sora nodded, taking the lead. Kairi scooted in front of him "Ladies first, isn't that the rule?"

"Okay then, ladies first to get killed by Heartless." Sora smirked, placing his Keybalde on his shoulders with his arms resting on it.

Kairi glared at him, then let her jaw drop. "Did you just... Did you just SMILE?!"

Sora's smile vanished, and he testily said "Oh please, you say that like I can't." He swiped at Heartless, taking it down without a thought. Kairi folded her hands in front of her, saying softly and happily

"I didn't expect to see you happy for a long time..."

Sora stopped and turned around. She actually cared if he was happy? He turned back, feeling his cheeks grow warm at the thought of what woke her. HIS kiss. Not Riku's, not some random guy. HIS kiss. Was he really her true love?

He dismissed the thought with a scowl and shake of his head. No. He couldn't. She didn't deserve someone like him. It hurt him to think that she loved a hopeless case like himself. She wouldn't be happy with a guy who couldn't sort out his own problems, she deserved someone more stable.

"I'm sorry if I brought things up." Kairi said.

"You didn't."

"Really? I expected you to be ranting about Ventus-"

Sora whirled around, his voice a low hiss of warning "Mention that name again and I might leave you for dead."

Kairi allowed fear to chisel her features. That was a violent streak in Sora she hoped she wouldn't set off again. Sora dashed up, asking crossly "So what hallway do we need to go down?" Kairi guided him, holding her charm and hoping that his heart would heal fully soon.


"So... What's ... Ah, happened?" She asked timidly when they were on course again.

"Nothing much." Sora kept his voice clipped and bitter "Nearly died three times-"

"I'm sorry!"

Sora gave her an incredulous look, then sighed "Please, it's nothing much!" Kairi's face sank as Sora briefly described his close encounters "First I nearly got chopped to bits by some boogeyman, then nearly got roasted alive, and then Riku came and... And..." Sora became less harsh, and more sad. He held a hand to his neck, not continuing. He looked on the brink of tears. It was then Kairi noted the smooth cut that was still healing.

"Did Riku do that?" She asked, pointing at the mark.

Sora's hand closed around his throat, then went back to his side as he suddenly rushed forward to take down more Heartless. It was clear he didn't want to talk about it in front of her. Kairi huffed, then pointed her Keyblade at the Heartless and said simply "Firaga."

The shadowy creatures were gone in a vast inferno. Sora glared at her "Save your magic power, I could handle those-"

"How about handling your stuff with me?" She asked. She then tramped by him, trying to lure him into talking. It worked, as moments later Sora yelled

"I TRIED TO KILL MYSELF, OKAY?!"

Kairi froze. We knew he was sad, but... Kingdom Hearts, suicidal was something that had never occurred to her. It was her own naive self-denial that clouded the realistic option.

Sora had walked past her, muttering "I can make my way from here."

She watched as he left, and she yelled "You're going the wrong way!"

Sora only continued, waving his hand dismissively "I'll find a new one!"

She shook her head, then gripped her Keyblade tighter. "Fine. I'll meet you there then."


Kai, that might not be a good idea |_|;

oh well, more chapters, stuff gets deeper. Blah. Review please.