Hello readers! I know, I'm doing a lot of updates again. I also see that not many make it to these later chapters, I sure hope that's not a problem! I know it's really long, but I do think it's worth it if you have the time! n.n

Please enjoy chapter 54 (gasp!) of Kokoro!


The fighters looked at the elements, the elements looked back at the fighters. All were still as they stared each other down. Then it began, Kokoro went after her double of darkness while Sora went after the girl of light and Aki ran to Ifrit. The life size Heartless replica and Kokoro met daggers to daggers, holding each other off with a deadlock. Aki ran to Ifrit, moving to the left and right to dodge the fireballs. Sora went after the girl of light, intending to stop her, but orbs of light started to circulate around her and go right for him.

Ifrit threw another fireball like normally, but Aki didn't move. She held her sword up like a bat and was ready to swing. It came in range, and she swung it back at him. When the fireball hit Ifrit and caused him to flinch Aki went to the sky and used her wind power to knock him to his back, then came down with her sword. She dug it into Ifrit, right into his heart. Quickly she had to get off, leaving the sword in him. It was too hot, the creature was a servant of the fire. Aki watched as he got up, then pulled the sword out as if it were nothing. He threw the sword back at Aki and she took it by the handle, then quickly dropped it. The handle felt like hot iron. She peeked to her hand as they were red with heat, the palm of her glove was burned off. Aki then looked back at Ifrit, this was going to be harder then she wanted it to be.

Kokoro and her double backed away from each other, ready to strike again. "Tell me..." Little Kokoro started. "Why didn't your Keyblades come out the first time?"

"Why do you want to know?" She swung at the copy, both again backed away from each other.

"Curiosity I guess." The girl laughed. The shadow Kokoro was standing still, not even breathing.

Kokoro lessened her defense, looking at Sora trying to reach the girl of light, Ivory. "Because..." She then turned back to the clone and her little double. "Because I love him!"

"Oh... I get it..." The little girl mocked, sending the double back at Kokoro. She was about to defend when a flash of a purplish dark light came and destroyed it. She put her hands down and looked at the initial origin, he was awake too. "Riku!"

Sora turned around to look, then turned back to the girl and held up the Keyblade to guard against a light strike. Riku formed his sword out of thin air, then jumped down to help in the fight. Kokoro saw that he was ready to go and saw that the girls knew they had nothing left. Ivory was falling weak for unlocking so many hearts, the girl of fire from the summon, and Little Kokoro from the shadow. Riku and Sora stood side by side, and they both started. Their weapons pointed at a death blow strike position, and charged at Ivory. "Stop!" Kokoro yelled. Sora quickly turned around and listened. Riku stumbled a bit but also turned to her. "Stop it..." She dropped her daggers, then fell to her knees. "I give in."

"What?!" Aki started to yell at her. "We can win this, we can get these kids out of our way!"

Kokoro shook her head, she just lowered her head and looked at the ground, as if bowing to them. Little Kokoro walked up to her, the shadow Kokoro next to her. Then the shadow put the blades to the real Kokoro's neck. "Why did you stop?"

"You have the right." Kokoro said, without hesitation. She then looked up at Little Kokoro, into small eyes of confusion. "The other elementists used you like toys, just pawns in their plans. If you truly want to stop them... then go for it."

"Kokoro!" Sora started for her, but was stopped by Riku grabbing his wrist. Sora turned to his best friend, then back at the girl on her hands and knees. "..."

The little girl of darkness looked at Kokoro and let the figure vanish. Kokoro glanced back up at her little self, the young one was crying. She then went just on her knees, hugging Little Kokoro. "It's okay..." The little girl kept crying, the other two watching. "I'm here for you..." The darkness element went to her knees, allowing Kokoro be more of a mother then a fighter. Sora let the Kingdom Key vanish as Riku let his turn into darkness smoke. Aki put her blade back in the case on her back, then noted that Ifrit was vanishing. The element fire looked away, she knew that had lost. Ivory giggled, then ran up to Kokoro as well. Kokoro looked up at her as Ivory went to Little Kokoro, patting her on the head. "So then... what do you guys want to do?"

"Make your friends better!" Ivory said, she then started to glow white again, but soon felt weak and fell to her knees. Kokoro caught her with one arm, then let both sit in her lap.

She pet both on the head, just like she liked to be pet. "This was tiring, wasn't it?"

"Yeah... there are so many people..." Ivory smiled and looked up at Kokoro. "But now we can join you!"

Kokoro looked at Ivory, then at Little Kokoro, then up to the girl of fire. It had to be the last character that she ever made, Kaguya. The fire element ran up to the others and knelt down in front of them, then smiled as well. "Are you sure? I mean, you were fighting me just a few seconds ago because-"

"You know what?" Little Kokoro started with much mockery, as if to make fun of her older self. "We were wrong. If Ayame, Hotaru and Rayne joined without being upset then I guess we should too." She then stood up, glowing a dark purple. "You are a good person, I can feel it."

Kokoro nodded, letting the other two get up as well. She then watched as Kaguya of the fire and Ivory of the light both started to glow brightly. The girls looked at each other, then at Kokoro. She slipped off her grip gloves and jacket, revealing all of the signs on her arm and hands. She then closed her eyes and waited patiently. Kaguya put her hands on Kokoro's upper right arm while Kokoro put her hands on Kokoro's cheeks and Ivory put her hand on Kokoro's forehead. All three glowed brighter and brighter, until everyone had to close their eyes. When the light was gone Kokoro sat there, breathing hard, but looking a bit different. She slowly stood, picking up her daggers along the way. They vanished as she turned to Sora, her eyes the normal brown. "I did it... I have... become... a true... elemen...talist..." She started to fall backwards, making Sora run to her. He caught her before she hit the ground and let her body rest against his and he sat to his knees. She looked up at him, the marks of darkness imprinted on her cheeks and light on her forehead. Sora then looked at her right arm, on the upper arm, close to the shoulder, was the emblem of fire. "We did it..." She finally said, getting up a bit on her own. "Sora, we did it! the elements and I, and you-"

"Yeah." He nodded, smiling. "We all did it."

Kokoro smiled back and looked up at Aki and Riku, who both were smiling and looking down at them. Aki then crossed her arms, bending down to Kokoro's level a bit. "See? Told you that we could do it." She smiled and nodded, it was great to have Aki back for a bit.

"I see you got better too Sora." Riku gave a thumbs up. "We're going to have to duel again sometime soon."

Sora laughed, but simply said "yeah". Everyone took note of one another, then started to laugh. It seemed like they all would have to give it their all, but just after a quick talk Kokoro was able to invoke their powers and become complete. Kokoro then went to her knees, calling back the other three elements. The different color orbs of light returned to her, she now felt more awake but still weak from claiming three at once. Kokoro and Sora stared calmly at each other, smiling, but it was suddenly stopped. A strong gust of wind, one of darkness origins, ran through the town. Kokoro closed her eyes and shielded her face, and Sora did the same, but protected Kokoro. Aki and Riku turned around to find what it was, they were shocked as well. Sora opened his eyes and looked at where the gust was coming from, hitting them right in the face. He stood, Kokoro by his side, and looked, it was a hooded man. "What are you-"

"What are you doing here?!" Riku yelled, forceful and angry. The hooded figure just faced them. "We still have to get one more."

The figure laughed, making Aki growl. "I have all that I need, I just need you four." He had his gloved hands start up to the hood, ready to pull it down. Kokoro and Sora both put their hands over their hearts, over the scars. Whoever this was had immense darkness powers, and they could feel it to the fullest.

Kokoro went close to Sora, hiding her face in his chest, she then stood up right and looked at the man, lowering his hood. It was someone they didn't want to see. "Ansem?!"

"What!" Sora drew his Keyblade as Kokoro did the same. Aki and Riku still didn't draw their weapons. "Riku? What are you doing, that's Ansem!"

The unhooded figure took off the robe, the same white outfit from two years ago was still worn. He had not changed since they had last seen him. Riku then turned to Sora. "He works for me now Sora, I brought him back to life. He is going to make this mission a success."

"Riku..." Sora started, but Ansem just started to levitate, crossing his arms. The wind was still constant and got a little stronger, but now Kokoro stared right at him, the dust from the streets stinging her face, and stood ready. Sora did the same. He would go through Riku if he had too.

"Now now children... I intend to make this quick and easy..." Ansem summoned his guardian behind him, then formed his lance that he tried to defeat Sora with when he was part of the Heartless Battleship two years ago. "Let us finish this."

"No way!" Kokoro yelled, she looked down at her charm bracelet, then at the marks on her hands. No later she took note of her arms and could image the marks on her face. Kokoro smiled, standing ready. "We're going to take you down."

Ansem did not even laugh, he just started after them. Kokoro and Sora stood ready to parry, but Riku and Aki got in the way. Both of them crossed their swords and protected Sora and Kokoro. The tired elementalist looked in shock at her blonde friend, who just smirked back at Kokoro. "Told you... we couldn't trust him..."

"Too true..." Riku churned through his teeth. Both swung their blades at the same time, knocking Ansem back a bit. He now glared at the four children with his red and orange eyes, a smirk on his face. Out of the pan and into the fire they say, and that is exactly what had happened. The others were just now recovering from the elemental attack on their hearts. Now Ansem, the hooded man from before, was here to try and take the last of the Archangels and Royalties for his own evil deeds.


GAH! The stupid man is BACK! Alright, let's see if Kokoro and the gang can stop him this time! whoowha!

Thanks for keeping up with Kokoro's story, and please review! I would really like some more reviews. n.n

Chapter 55, coming soon to a webpage near you!

-Kokoro