Riku entered through the light to a place that was all too familiar.

"Hollow Bastion." He said to himself as he stood upon the edge of the castle's walls. The bad memories flooded in as he recognized the hollowed castle walls that overlooked the area where he had first awakened all that time ago. The first world that he had stepped into after the destruction of his home. He recognized the floating isle where he'd taken the keyblade from one of his best friends, leaving her alone as the darkness gripped him further. Then, something caught his eye, a flash of white and purple. Turning his head, a cold sweat had taken over; A person stood nearby, a familiar looking girl with red hair.

"Kairi?" He asked as a smile drew on her face, as he reached out towards her she faded away right before his eyes.

[What you see is not real. It's the world of your memory.]

"My memory?" Riku questioned as he looked towards his hand, then to where his best friend once stood. Recalling that she too had been present in his world at one point.

[The things you remember from your time at Maleficent's castle became a card, and that card made this world. You've seen everything here before, haven't you?]

"Yeah... So what now?" Riku snapped, "Am I going to learn something? Maybe meet someone?" His heart raced for a moment, if Kairi was here- even in memory- perhaps he too would be here.

[You would meet the people in your memories. Ordinarily.]

"What does that mean?" Riku questioned, but the voice didn't respond. "Hey! I'm asking you a question!" he shouted at the voice in his head. Riku huffed angrily, gripping his fist. "Fine. But it had better be you I run across next, Voice." He warned as he walked towards the castle doors.

[Key of Beginnings Room]

Riku opened the door to a familiar bedroom. It was simple; holding only a bookshelf, desk, and bed.

"Everything IS just how I remember it. Even this room..." He sat down for a moment on the floor next to it with the edge on his back.

[It must be nice being back in your old bedroom. Think of all the memories...]

"You again." Riku remarked in annoyance. "Sorry, but these memories I could do without. Maleficent gave me this room."

[So she did. And you lived here, tempted by the darkness she offered. You cast away your home, your friends, everything... But at least they gave you a nice room.]

"Shut up!" Riku was about to turn away, but lingered on the bed for a moment. He glanced at the bed, recalling the image of his friend. He remembered bringing Sora back to this room, placing him on the bed as he himself crashed against the edge, exhausted. He rested his gaze upon his slumbering friend, all at once feeling relief and desperation, instinctively grasping Soras hand.

I won't let anything happen to you...

"I'll find a way to save you …" he remembered promising, feeling crushed as his gaze lingered towards his neck, void of his signature crown charm.

How stupid of him to believe he could actually help the person he wanted to protect the most...

[Key of Guidance Room]

Upon the upper levels of the hall, there were only Heartless spawning through every shadow of the castle. All easily cast aside with a swing of his weapon of darkness.

"No one here, either... There's nothing but Heartless in this castle." Riku observed as he walking through the familiar halls. Jumping down, he realized that he was standing close to the cathedral.

"Voice!" Riku yelled abruptly, "I know you're watching-so explain this! Where are the rest of the people from my memories?"

Where is he?!

[Do you want to see them?]

"Of course I do!" He insisted, edging towards desperation.

[But you cast them aside.]

Riku flinched, feeling a sting of pain in his heart, "What?"

[You dreamt of the outside world and little hesitation you passed through the door to darkness. Behind you, you left family, friends, home-everything-all in pursuit of darkness.]

He narrowed his eyes, gritting his teeth as he shouted in insistence. " I cast that aside, too! The darkness can't control me anymore!"

[And what do you have to show for it? The destruction of your home? The hearts that you one treasured now cast within the abyss of darkness? Your heart only knows how to cast away. It's empty-like that room. Like your memories. Your heart is has become hollow, the few hearts that were once present were thrown aside, replaced with only darkness.]

"You're wrong! I saw Kairi! She's still part of my heart! The presence of darkness won't keep it's hold on me for long!"

The voice laughed mockingly, [Really now? The friend you once would have gladly cast into the abyss? Who helped fuel your lust towards the darkness?]

Riku gripped his fist tightly, unable to dissuade anything the voice echoed into his head.

[Had the keyblade not found it's way into her hand, can you say for certain that you would have even spared her a second thought?]

The silver-haired boy gasped as he held his head in shame, unable to say for certain. However, even so, he lifted up his head with assurance. "If I saw her here, then it means that she's still apart of my heart. I can't speak to the person I was when I was still on the islands, but I know for sure; I would do anything if meant Kairi would be safe."

He heard the voice scoff, [A fool's answer.]

[Key to Truth Room]

Riku entered the castle chapel, an area where the heartless seemed to be driven aside. He could smell a harsh stink of incense and brimstone, taken aback as he saw a familiar black cloak standing before him. As he approached, she turned towards him, the witch he had met when it all began.

"I knew you would return, Riku." The witch smiled as she narrowed her eyes in a twisted delight.

"You're still alive?" Riku asked offhandedly, uninterested in the being before him.

Maleficent smirked, "You haven't been paying attention. I am but a figment of your memory."

"Of all the people I could run into, it had to be you." He remarked, clearly disappointed.

"But of course. After all, your heart is steeped in darkness. You can only see those who exist in that same darkness..."

Riku narrowed his eyes, confused for a moment at her words.

"Be grateful you have someone to keep you company. Your heart is empty, were it not for the darkness it contains, you would be completely alone in the world."

It was Riku's turn to crack scoff with realization. "That's sounding pretty good right about now."

Maleficent laughed at what she saw was arrogance. Even though a figment of his imagination, he could imagine the real one would still have an inflated ego over her control over him. "Come, now. You once turned to me to sate your hunger for darkness. You want me here. Who but I can grant you the darkness you've longed for? For the power that you've craved for so long?"

Riku shook his head, placing a hand on his hip "That's where you've never actually gotten about me Maleficent. There was a time I did want you around, I surrendered my heart to the dark for the strength I needed. But it was never for the sake of becoming as power hungry like you." He remarked as Maleficent narrowed her eyes towards his defiance as he summoned his weapon of darkness, a gift he once used against his friend. "Yeah, there was I time where I did lose myself... empty myself of everyone I thought didn't need; but I'm finished with all that! So if I'm stuck seeing people like you, people of the dark... I guess I'll have to take you out one by one." He proclaimed as he stepped back into a battle stance, glaring at her with a heart swelled with pride.

Maleficent scowled him, gripping her staff as green fire began to erupt around her. "Then you mustn't forget to destroy yourself last. For, like me, you are one of the dark!"

Riku closed his eyes for a moment, feeling his heart beat slow down for a moment. There was a part of him that agreed with her. Even now he could feel the darkness trying to pull him back towards it's embrace. To lure him towards the power to make him stronger than anyone he could ever face. But beneath it all, within his heart he knew the truth.

"I turned to darkness because my heart was weak. I hate that weakness. It's like I'm my own enemy. And seeing people like you embrace the darkness just makes it worse!"

"So you hate the darkness enough to fight it!" Maleficent smiled in triumph, "Oh, the agony you must feel! Then let me end your pain, Riku-end it forever...with the wondrous power of darkness!"

Green fire engulfed Maleficent, transforming her into a large black dragon form that radiated power.

For a moment, Riku was uncertain, but then charged towards her with resolve, as he jumped towards the green flames radiating a numbing heat. Prepared to slash down against someone he'd regarded as a source of strength for the longest time.

I won't disappear, not until I can fulfill the promise I made to Kairi, not until I can finally atone. Then if won't matter if the darkness takes me, all that will matter is that they'll finally be safe at home...

Omake:

Riku sat upon the edge of the pier-the sun not yet high in the sky-looking out towards the island in the distance longingly. A fury of frustration bubbling as he couldn't wait until he was older so he could play there with-

"Riku!"

The small silver haired boy looked back towards his best friend running towards him with a smile on his face, waving rapidly, all but sprinted to his side. As his sandals clapped against the pier, Riku saw Sora was covered with dirt, for a moment he rested his hands on his knees trying to catch his breath before he flashed a bright smile. Then sitting down next to Riku, swinging his legs playfully.

"Hi." Sora said abruptly.

"Hi." Riku responded calmly.

There was a foreboding silence between the two as Riku noticed the smaller boy radiating excitement, but clearly holding something back; his eyes sparked with stars.

"...Aren't yo-"

"YOU WANNA SEE SOMETHING?!" Sora cut him off, causing a Riku to giggle at his friends eagerness and with a happy smile he nodded. Yet immediately regretted it as he froze in place in response to Sora placing both hands on his cheeks; resting his forehead against his, eyes closed with his brows furrowed in concentration.

He was unsure of how to respond as his face grew heated for what felt like an eternity.

But then, Sora opened his eyes, their faces still far too close as he smiled, pulling back with a toothy grin. Riku glanced at Sora stunned, his face flushed red with mixed unsettling emotions as he saw his best friend cocking his head, cutely smiling happily towards him.

"Hm?" Sora observed. "Riku, your face is all red."

"Ah-" Immediately Riku turned away, covering his face as Sora began shaking him playfully. "It's nothing, what did you wanna show me?!" He almost yelled in frustration, desperately wanting to change the subject.

"OH." Sora suddenly remembered, "It's how you hold and entire world!" He explained, puffing out his chest with a swell of pride in his tone.

"What?" Riku quipped, now confused. "You can't hold a world, it's too big. And I'm not a world." He explained reasonably.

"That's what I said!" Sora giggled. "But if you're super special then you can become an important like one."

Riku just stared at his friend, his eras still red now holding his head in embarrassment. "You're dumb."

"No I'm not! Riku-" Sora retorted, now shaking him more aggressively due to his best friend no longer paying attention to him. But Riku broke as Sora began tickling him, the older boy then grabbing him playfully as the two laughed together.

"Who even taught you that trick?" Riku asked offhandedly.

"My friend Venven!" Sora exclaimed happily.

"..." Riku couldn't help but feel a burst of annoyance all of a sudden. "Then he's dumb too." He spat, releasing his friend.

"Nu-uh!" Sora shook his head furiously. "He's the smartest, and the best!"

"Too bad he's not real." Riku point blank, now intentionally messing with his best friend as the two bickered together for almost the rest of the day.

Notes:

Notes/

- I spent a lot of time procrastinating by practicing La Vie en Rose on the Ukelele while writing this. fun tidbit.

- But yeah, no more hiatus, (for now) yayyyyyyyyy

- Riku is here, he's queer, and he loves his friends (I'd like to think his chapter is pretty straight forward.)

- Givin' ya'll a fluffy omake because it's gonna get darker (But like, there's Riku being a softie, so there's that.)

-Originally, it was just going to be a babu Sora and Ventus omake, but it's Riku's time to shine. So here's his budding Sora crush stage. (Also beginning of the end for poor Ven and Sora's friendship)

- If you've actually forgiven me for the hiatus and are actually reading this, then I love ya'll.
pls review, and thank you.

It helps.