Hysteric crying brought him back to the concious world, and he sat straight up in a start, regretting it the moment he did as he was greeted by the site of Kinno, draped with a blanket, shaking and trembling over the body of Riku, whose clothes had returned to normal, his eyes shut tight and his head laid all the way to the side. He knew this was coming, he knew the moment he had decided that using the power to kill him that this moment would come. That he would have to face Kinno with his deeds. He tried to open his mouth to utter an apology, but no words seemed adequate enough to apologize for killing Riku.

He pushed off the quilts, realizing they were back at Tifa's, and slowly approached her, wondering if being close to her would help him speak. He slowly reached out to place his hand on her shoulder to get her attention, but he drew it back immediatly drew it back as Kinno hissed and whipped around, glaring up at him, and he stumbled back, horrified, but her gaze softened and went back to their normal bliss that was filled with hurt and incredible sadness. She turned away from him, ashamed that she almost attacked him, but at the moment wanting to be alone to morn for her loss.

Arick felt his heart sink, as he interepretted her reaction that she never wanted to see him again. He sniffled a tear, and turned away, walking slowly towards the door. He entered the bar, finding six pairs of eyes looking up at him, two of them full of the same sadness and mourning for Riku that Kinno had. Arick couldn't help but feel ashamed as his sister scooted out from her table and walked over to meet him, wrapping her arms gently around his shoulders.

"Its okay Arick..." she whispered as he broke down into tears in her shoulders, unable to help himself. Sora and Aurora could only sit their in silence, their tears already shed for Riku.

"No..it'll never be okay..." he moaned shakily, wrapping his arms back around Kairi's waist, wishing he could die himself.

"So what does this mean?" Sora asked out of nowhere, looking to Cloud. "If Ansems spirit is gone, what is their left to do?"

"Seal the worlds," Cloud replied simply. "The heartless were just using his power as they do everyone. Just because he's out of the picture doens't mean they won't stop."

Sora nodded slightly, looking to the other siblings as Arick continued to cry into her shoulders. "Will you help us still?" he asked, even though he knew it wasn't the best time for Arick to answer that sort of question, but he had to know if the elemental would still be at his side to help eliminate the darkness.

Arick took a few minutes to look up at Sora with blood shot eyes and nod slightly. "I owe it to him..." He muttered, sniffling.

"Come on," Kairi said, taking his hand and tugging. "Lets take a walk..calm your nerves."

Arick thought for a moment before allowing her to lead him out. "We'll be back in a few minutes," she said to Cloud.

"be careful," Cloud warned. "Sephiroth is still out their."

Arick stopped, looking over at the blonde warrior and tilitng his head. "Sephiroth?" He asked, knowing that name was familliar somehow.

Cloud didn't answer verbally, only tiliting his head towards the door Arick had come out of before. Arick followed with his gaze, not connecting what Cloud was saying, but somehow guessed it had to do with the man that had stabbed him through the stomach after his fight with Riku. He shuddered, reliving the moment with a harsh stab of guilt.

When they were outside, he kept his gaze at the sidewalk, sighing as his sister took his hand, watching him sadly, wishing she knew what to tell him that would cheer him up. But she knew inside her heart their was nothing to say. He had killed the sibling of someone he loved, and even if it was self defense, the feeling of guilt and sorrow was almost endless.

"Excuse me..." a light voice asked softly to the two of them after a few minutes of walking. Arick sniffled a little, and glanced up to see a young woman dressed completley in pink, with a large bow that tied her brown hair into a long pony tail. She had green eyes that were almost as sparkling as Clouds, and Arick could sense a strage spiritual entity eminating from her.

"Can i help you?"Kairi asked, tiliting her head a little in confusion. The woman shook her head gently, a tiny laugh escaping her lips.

"He can," she says, pointing at Arick before turning it around and curling it towards her. "Follow me, and you can help cure your freinds." she said mistily, turning her foot and walking away; Arick looked to Kairi before looking back to the woman, who had stopped at the end of the alleyway, waiting for him.

"I have to go alone..." Arick whispered to his sister, kissing her cheek. "Go back to Tifa's. I'll meet you their."

Kairi looked hurt, but frowned, nodding in understanding. Somehow she knew he was right, no matter how much she was worried about leaving him alone. She left his side, brushing her hand across his before she finallly left, and he turned to follow the mysterious woman, who walked ahead of him the moment he followed. He didn't ask or say a word, merely keeping to himself, still slouhcing in his slump of emotional guilt and self hatred.

After another hour that passed like absolutely nothing, Arick found himself standing in the middle of yesterdays battlefield. She had lead him inside a church, where a field of white flowers had bloomed all across its flooring, a small pond of water quivering silently in the middle. The woman stopped and finally turned around, stepping in front of Arick and tipping up his chin with her fingers as he began tearing up, thinking of yesterday's events.

"Your oppurtunity of redemption is here," she told him softly. "The water is swirling with the lifestream, and within it lies the cure for geostigma."

At the mention of the disease, Arick felt his forearms and chest burn, but he didn't react to it, entranced by the woman and her words.

"All you have to do...is make it rain.." she tells him, and suddenly he found himself alone. He blinked, looking left and right for the mysterious woman, wondering if he was hallucinating the whole thing. No, he couldn't have. Kairi had seen her too in the alley, and no one hallucinated the same thing.

Slowly, he walked over through the flowers, their aroma sending a calm feeling through his senses. He splashed into the pond, the water chilling his barefeet, but yet at the same time soothed him, almost as if it washed away the depression. He sighed deeply, his blue eyes sparkling as he reached the middle of the pond. He stared up at the large hole in the roof above the pond, seeing plumes of thick clouds waiting for him. Smiling, he raised his hands into the air, the water rising with them is a double helix towards the sky. After a few minutes of fueling the weather, he felt a drop splash against his cheek, sending a tickling sensation where it landed. Slowly, the rain fell more rapidly, and he could see a rainbow like sheen reflecting in its water. but soon, he was getting drenched from both the pond and the rain, and the burning pain that had attacked him before was gone, along with the strange bruising.

Back at Tifa's bar, the children were running outside, dancing in the rain with joyous laughter as their stigma was cured. As soon as Kairi realized what was happening, she literally dragged Kinno outside, who though was still in deep depression, coudln't help but enjoy the curing water that splashed gently on her body. After a moment, she cocked her head towards Kairi, blinking. "Wheres...Arick?" she asked with a gravely voice that had been worn down from her crying.

Suddenly, everything froze. Time stopped all around him. The rain drops stayed suspended in mid air, and all he could do was look around in a panic. "What the hell...?" he whispered. Another woman had appeared behind him, one that had met him before.

"Hello Arick. My names Ellone."

Arick's eyes widened a little to hear her speak. "Are you...are you doing this?" he asks, gesturing at the frozen environment around him. Ellone nodded slightly.

"In a way yes..." she said with a low voice. "In truth, its destiny and fate that controlls everything. You should know this, being the chosen child that you are."

"Don't remind me..." he growled lowly, looking away.

"I have to," Ellone replied. "Because this is your chance to change it...to change your destiny. To change Riku's destiny"

Arick froze, staring blankly at the young woman. "How?" he asked with a shocked whisper.

"I'm a time sorceress, from Rinoa's world," she says, getting to her feet. "And i can send you back...to where its you who opened the door. Not Riku."

"And he'll live?" he asked. Ellone nodded.

"Then i'll take it." he said firmly.

"I knew you would," she said, reaching her hand out to his head, placing it gently into his blue hair. He closed his eyes, watching every moment from now back until the day he landed on the island rewind like a videotape, and suddenly he was eight years old, standing in a dark and damp cave, dripping with water and only a single wooden door blocking his way to the other side. He reached out, and pulled the iron handle open, only to be blasted by a flash of pure white light.

To be continued