"What do you mean he's…" Riku muttered. Laguna shook his head, as if to signify now wasn't the time, and went over to Selphie to help her up. Riku turned around and began to head down the steps towards the entrance to the hangar.

"Riku!" Axel shouted. Riku turned around. He was being followed by Axel, Roxas, and Kimahri. "What happened?"

"I…uh…I'm not sure but…Tidus is dead…" Riku replied.

"What!? How did it happen?" Roxas asked.

"Didn't I just tell you I didn't know!?" Riku shouted angrily. Everyone stopped walking behind him. He turned around and let the anger fade away from his face. He took a deep breath. "Sorry…he's a friend, y'know?" Riku said. He continued to walk down the stairs until he came to the large, ship filled hangar. Axel, Roxas, and Kimahri emerged behind him.

"You smell something burning?" Kimahri asked. Riku looked back at him and began running through the maze of ships.

"Where is it?" Riku asked, frustrated.

"Let Kimahri lead. Follow Kimahri's nose." Kimahri said. Riku nodded.

"Axel…backtrack and let everyone know that it isn't safe to come in here yet."

"Me? Why me?" Axel asked.

"Well…" Riku replied. "We need Kimahri to lead us to the fire, and Roxas and me both know how to use blizzard spells. As much as I'm sure you'd like to help, I'm just as sure you'd probably help to spread the flames…plus, you'll keep everyone safe." Axel looked at Riku funny and then agreed to go.

"We'll come and get you guys when we can." Riku said. Axel nodded and ran back towards the stairs. Riku allowed Kimahri to lead, and Ran after him with Roxas in tow.

"Do you think anyone's hurt?" Roxas asked.

"I hope not…" Riku replied. It didn't take long to get to the flame. Kimahri's keen nose led them quickly. The source was a large Gummi Ship scrunched up against the main entrance of the hangar. Riku shielded his mouth and nose and shot a blizzard spell at the door. It had already been kicked in, so all he had to do was step in and look for anyone…dead or alive. When he was satisfied that no one was in the flames, he proceeded to put out the flames with blizzard. Roxas followed suit. Kimahri placed the edge of his lance on Riku's shoulder. He lifted it away and a pain shot into Riku's shoulder.

"What was that?" Riku asked.

"Kimahri know how to borrow abilities. Move is called Lancet. Pain will subside shortly." Kimahri replied. Riku nodded and allowed himself and Kimahri to put out the fire with blizzard. After the flames had been taken care of, Riku walked up to the un-damaged panel next to the crash. He pressed the button and typed in the code for Reno's radio.

"Reno…can you hear me?" Riku shouted. The radio on the other end crackled to life. He heard snoring.

"Reno!" Riku shouted again.

"I'll have toe pepperoni pizza…" Reno replied.

"Reno is…kinda in disposed…" It was Goofy's voice this time.

"Goofy?" Riku asked. "Where are you guys?"

"We're at the hospital…" Goofy replied. "Sora and Kairi were in an accident."

"Accident? What kind of…"

"We don't know…" Donald spoke this time.

"What do you mean, you don't know?" Riku asked.

"Sora hasn't told us. He's in the room with Kairi. He's pretty beaten up…and Kairi is…unconscious….they say she's steady…but she's still out…"

"Is there any way to get there quickly?" Riku asked.

"He wants to know if there's a way to get here quickly." Donald said to someone on the other end. Riku waited. "Where are you?"

"The crash site, I'd expect…"

"Crash?" Elena picked up the radio. "What kind of crash?"

"Of the Gummi Ship variety…I'm pretty sure that this is the accident you speak of. We managed to put out the fire before it spread." Riku replied.

"Well…if you're in the hangar, go out the side exit. There should be a blue portal right outside in about two minutes. Step in there and you should be outside the hospital."

"Right…" Riku replied. He heard the clunk of the microphone hitting something, obviously Reno.

"This is Reno…what's the problem?" Riku sighed and turned the hangar radio off. "Kimahri, can you follow our trail and bring Axel back here? Axel and only Axel, got it?"

"Got it." Kimahri replied. He ran off.

"Since we have a couple minutes to talk, would you mind explaining why you risked all of our lives stabbing that wyrm in the tail?" Riku asked.

"I was getting a sample." Roxas replied. "I was talking to Merlin before we took off, and he said that he's developing some sort of specimen cloning machine…or something."

"Continue…" Riku said.

"Well, if I got a good enough sample, what I got should be enough to create at least three wyrms…we could raise them from new born…get them used to our faces…and then we should have wyrms for the war, since they grow so fast."

"Oh…you see, I thought you were doing something dumb…like blood collecting…but now that I see you were collecting samples…" Riku replied.

"Are you being sarcastic?" Roxas asked.

"No. I actually think that was pretty clever." Riku replied. After Riku spoke, Kimahri returned with Axel on his shoulder.

"He no want to hurry up." Kimahri said.

"Could you maybe put me known? I don't like being manhandled." Axel said. Kimahri set him sown on the ground.

"And Kimahri no like stragglers…remember that." Kimahri replied.

"Let's go…" Riku said. He ran towards the exit door. Axel, Kimahri, and Roxas followed. Riku pushed open the door, and stepped into the blue portal. He stepped right out into the front of the hospital. He rubbed his nose and shook it off while pushing the door open. He was followed in by Axel, Roxas, and Kimahri. They were all scrunching up their noses.

"Which room are they in?" Riku asked.

"Room three…Donald replied as he stood up. "But I don't think…" Riku pushed him aside and walked back into the hallway. He found room three quickly and entered. He saw Kairi laying on the hospital bed. The right side of her face was bandaged up and she was wearing a breathing mask. Sitting next to her was Sora. He had stitches from the right side of his forehead to his cheek. He was wearing a sling and he was resting his head against the edge of Kairi's hospital bed.

"Sora?" Riku asked. He lifted his head up and looked at Riku.

"Riku! You're back!" Sora exclaimed. He stood up and walked towards Riku.

"How…how is she?"

"Alive…But only just…"

"How'd you guys crash the ship?"

"Well…I wasn't in it. I assume she was hiding and thought I was someone else…then she tried to get away, but lost control…It's all my fault Riku."

"Don't blame yourself…it isn't…now let's talk about something else…like where you guys went."

"To the islands…we met Kairi's mom…apparently she lived on the islands back when we were all…like…one. Then she came back when she was older to live with her grandma."

"Really? Well…are you going back?"

"Yeah…as soon as she wakes up…"

"Well then…I guess we'd better wait." Sora nodded and resumed his position in the chair. Riku pulled up one himself and waited with Sora for Kairi to awaken.

"How is he progressing?" Xemnas asked.

"Firion?" X replied. "Quite nicely."

"Then why hasn't he obtained the toys yet?"

"Because I've asked him to hide something for me."

"The Azure Crystal?" X nodded in reply.

"This way, Sora and his friends won't find all of them."

"All of them? This implies that he's already found one."

"Two actually…Sora found the Blood Crystal in the volcano and Mickey took advantage of my hasty retreat to obtain the Dusk Crystal."

"Meaning that the only one of the four we have in our possession is the Azure Crystal…and the Twilight Crystal is still missing."

"Yes…but we believe it is in the same place where I stole the Azure Crystal from Sora's father…need I remind you how important it is that we find all four?"

"No, my friend, but I believe that you are going to tell me once again."

"As I am." X stood up from his chair and walked down the steps towards the floor. "All four crystals…Blood, Azure, Twilight, Dusk…are all needed to unlock the Chalice of Z from it's resting place. It is then that the twelve Z-Marbles will be revealed across time…It is up to us to collect them, place them on the chalice, and unlock Kingdom Hearts forever."

"You are a rather eccentric individual, X…will you one day remove that mask and allow me a glimpse of the enigma that runs behind it?" Xemnas asked.

"I believe that you have waited long enough…today will be that day." X replied. Xemnas stood up and looked down at Mr. X.

"Well?" Xemnas asked. X raised his hand up to his face and laid his hand upon the half black, half white mask he'd been wearing since his and Xemnas's meeting. As soon as he did this, He began to glow a bright light. Xemnas shielded his eyes. When the light subsided, X remained standing there with his hand on his mask…however, what was there was different from the Mr. X that stood there moments before. What had once been short, black hair had turned into longer, brown hair. The X that stood there was taller and was built better than the previous.

"Ah…I feel much younger…better…stronger…the world has opened up so many new doors for me…" X replied in a different sounding voice.

"X…what has happened?" Xemnas asked quizzically.

"My life has been renewed…" X slowly removed the monochrome mask and held it as he let his arm drop to his side, revealing his yellow eyes to Xemnas.

"X…?" Xemnas asked.

"Yes…it is still me…however, I am no longer the third Xehanort…I am now the fourth…descendant of he who created you…disciple of the Master Xehanort…I am the one previously known as Terra…but I would still prefer it if you referred to me as X…"

It was that inky black feeling she'd had before…when she had the dream about her mom dying…she didn't know where she was…she couldn't feel any of her body…she couldn't see her hands…she couldn't see Sora…she couldn't see the flames that were previously engulfing her…where was she.

"Are my eyes even open?" Kairi thought. She opened up her eyelids and looked around. It was still dark, but she could now see a faint light coming from somewhere in the bleak darkness. She heard a voice coming from the light's direction…it was Sora.

"Sorry…for everything…" Sora said. She listened for anything else he would say. "dad says it's ok to go back to the islands…so you have to get better…I won't go without you…promise me you'll get better…"

"Sora!" Kairi shouted. "I'm OK! I'll get better!" She doubted he could hear her…but she thought it was worth a try at least. After a little bit of waiting and contemplating on what she would do, she heard another voice.

"Sora?" Riku asked.

"Riku! You're back!" Sora exclaimed. Kairi heard footsteps walking away from the light.

"How…how is she?" Riku asked.

"Alive…But only just…" Sora replied solemnly.

"but only just? What the hell?" Kairi asked Sora, even though he couldn't hear her.

"How'd you guys crash the ship?"

"Well…I wasn't in it. I assume she was hiding and thought I was someone else…then she tried to get away, but lost control…It's all my fault Riku."

"No…it's not…"

"Don't blame yourself…it isn't your fault." Riku replied. She nodded, grateful that Riku said that at that moment. "…now let's talk about something else…like where you guys went."

"To the islands…we met Kairi's mom…apparently she lived on the islands back when we were all…like…one. Then she came back when she was older to live with her grandma." Sora replied.

"Really? Well…are you going back?" Riku asked

"Yeah…as soon as she wakes up…" Sora said.

"Well then…I guess we'd better wait." Riku replied.

"Let's hope you don't have to wait to long…" Kairi said. She walked up closer to the light filtering in from nowhere and sat down underneath it. It was warm…like the sun on a beautiful day…Kairi closed her eyes and listened for anything else that might help her.

"I love you…please be OK…" Sora whispered. A tear rolled down Kairi's cheek.

"I love you too…" Kairi replied. At that moment, she felt the warm light rush away. She now felt cool air gently rustling around her…like an A/C. She no longer had that inky dark feeling about her…she felt lighter…she was laying down in a bed. An uncomfortable one, but still a bed…someone was holding her hand.

"Where am I?" Kairi thought.

"The only way you'll know is if you open your eyes." She replied, reasoning with herself. She opened up her eyes and saw Sora sitting next to her. He had hold of her hand and his head was resting on the edge of the bed. He was muttering things under his breath.

"Are…y-you…praying?" Kairi asked. Her voice felt and sounded weaker…feeble…

"Kairi!" Sora exclaimed. He shot up, allowing Kairi to get a good look at him.

"What…h-happened to you...?" Kairi asked. Sora laughed, tears rolling down his face.

"You…you happened to me…" He replied, smiling.

"I'm sorry…" Kairi said.

"No…I'm sorry…" Sora replied.

"How about," Riku interjected. "you're both sorry…"

"Yeah…sounds good." Sora replied.

"So…we're going to the islands first chance we get…" Kairi said.

"You…heard me?" Sora replied. Kairi nodded firmly.

"You said you wouldn't leave without me…and I promised I'd get better…even though you couldn't hear me." Kairi replied.

"But…you just woke up…" Riku said.

"I'm strong enough. Give me a few minutes and I'll be better than ever." Kairi replied.

"Fine…" Riku said. He smiled.

"You want to come to?" Sora asked. Riku nodded in reply.

"Let's see…there's the bother of trying to sneak you out of here…" Riku said. "They won't be prepared to release you yet."

"Let's just leave from here…" Sora replied.

"Yeah…" Kairi replied. After Kairi had gotten dressed in the bathroom, everyone was ready to go. With his good arm, Sora raised his Keyblade and opened the portal to the islands. Before they knew it, all three of them were face down in the sand…