When Riku arrived back on his home world, he stood on the little island where the children played. He began to walk around and reflect on his long journey.

Before long, he found himself inside the secret place.

He turned his attention to the Door. There was no Keyhole on it anymore. He'd seen it after the meteor shower, the day Kairi showed up on the island. And he saw it on the day he first summoned the Keyblade and opened the Door. But now it was gone.

After I left the island, I met Maleficent. After that, I travelled the worlds looking everywhere for Sora, Kairi, and also...for Terra. Once I found him, I'd find the strength to protect what mattered. It was my fault Kairi lost her heart. I vowed I'd do anything to save her.

My dark side is a member of the new Organization XIII. I wonder. Can ever truly redeem myself?

Riku stared intently at the Door and remembered that day—the day he first heard the "voice".

He looked up at one of the many drawings on the cave wall. He'd wanted to become strong to defend all his friends—Sora, Tidus, Wakka, Selphie—from monsters. He'd almost forgotten what that felt like to be so young and innocent.

Back when he was around 8 years old, he told Sora there was no such thing as Santa Claus. It was just a childish fairy tale, nothing more. Sora argued vehemently at first, but Riku was able to persuade him.

"Of course he actually exists. Sora turned out to be right all along," he muttered to himself.

Then, Riku turned his eyes down toward the picture Sora and Kairi drew as kids, right next to the Door. Sora drew himself offering a paopu to Kairi. Riku knew that already. Before he challenged Sora to that race, he came to this spot and saw it. But it appeared Kairi had made a new drawing. She was offering an even larger paopu fruit to him.

"Ha ha, you're such a kid. How are you gonna take care of HER if you act like that?"

He couldn't help but smile slightly. "He is a kid. But I guess that's why he's the only one who can take care of her."

Riku was lying on the shore, looking at the sea and sky. When he closed his eyes and tried to sleep, he could hear the sound of the waves. The backs of his eyelids became tainted in a deep blue as the sea and sky came into view.

"In your hand, take this key. So long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking... its wielder you shall one day be. And you will find me, friend—no ocean will contain you then. No more borders around, or below, or above, so long as you champion the ones you love."

It's a very important memory of mine—I can only see it in my dreams right now. It feels so...far away.

"Riku!" Sora was running like always, kicking up sand.

"Still as noisy as always, Sora."

"We went through all the trouble of coming out to the island today. You can't just lie around sleeping!"

"Hey, unlike you little children, I'm tired."

There was a one year difference between Riku and Sora. Even so, at their age, one year was a big difference. To shut Sora up, all you needed to do was remind him of being younger. Sure enough, his mouth tapered off into a frown.

"Did you want something?"

"Not really... nothing important anyway." Sora sat down on his knees next to Riku. "Lately, all you've been doing is looking at the sea, Riku."

"But no matter how much you look at it, the sea doesn't change, does it? It's the same old sea."

Sora tilted his head. "Er, yeah. I guess so..."

Riku peered at Sora's face. He must've been doing some sword play earlier. From far away, Wakka and Selphie could be heard yelling and playing. This cove was a little removed from the place where everyone always played, so not many people came here. The lapping waves were also a little quiet.

"What're you two doing together?"

A smile spread across Sora's face as he looked back at the owner of the voice. It was Kairi. "Thanks to him, nothing."

"Yeah, we're not doing anything." Riku looked back slowly, and a smile just slightly floated across his lips. He had to keep what he was really thinking a secret.

Kairi sat down next to Sora.

"That's boring, right?" he said to her, looking for a kindred spirit.

"Well, I think it's nice to sit and look at the ocean every once in a while."

Not getting the answer he wanted from Kairi, Sora pouted again, then turned around to look at Riku. "Hey, Riku. Can we do something else?"

"Lemme guess. That?"

Sora nodded. "A beach race!"

"Again?" said Riku exasperated, and he shrugged his shoulders.

"What do you mean 'again'? It's been forever! I think the last time we did that was, uh..."

"Three days ago," said Riku, even more exasperated.

Just three days ago they had raced, and the result was Sora's crushing defeat. But Sora would never stop trying until he won, no matter how badly he was beaten.

If I were to keep losing like Sora does, would I keep on trying until I won? Riku had thought about that sometimes, but wasn't sure if he actually would.

"There, ya see? It was three whole days ago!"

Kairi laughed softly at Sora's insistence.

"Guess I have to. But just once."

"All right!" Sora jumped slightly as Riku stood reluctantly.

"I'll be the judge," said Kairi, walking to a higher spot from which she can see the start line.

"The usual rules apply. Take any route you want. First one to tag that tree and make it back here wins."

"Yeah, yeah, got it," Sora said, nodding at Riku's explanation.

"If I win, I'm captain!" Sora declared.

In response to Sora's proclamation, Riku glanced at the logs lined up on the sandy beach. The trio had gathered them together. They were trying to build a raft right now with those logs. In order to go somewhere that wasn't here—to go somewhere else, beyond the sea.

"And if you win..."

Sora tried to continue, but Riku interrupted him with a thought that came to his mind. "I get to share a paopu with Kairi."

Sora physically stopped in his tracks, surprised by Riku's blunt assertion. "Huh?"

"Deal? The winner gets to share a paopu with Kairi."

"Wha... Wait a minute..." Sora was getting flustered.

The paopu tree. There was a special legend about its fruit. If two people shared one, their destinies became intertwined. They'd remain a part of each other's lives no matter what.

I know who Sora wants to share a paopu fruit with. And, perhaps, who Kairi wants to share it with as well.

"Okay! On my count:" Oblivious to their conversation, Kairi's voice echoed over the beach. "Three! Two! One! Go!"

Kairi kicked off the battle. Riku ran straight across the tree bridge, but it looked like Sora had opted to run along the beach route. Riku knew that the beach route was actually faster if you ran it quickly enough. The bridge had gaps and running smoothly across the beach was much faster than jumping the trees. Sora practically ran for his life on the beach. Riku knew that Sora would get serious in response to that challenge. But he couldn't take back the words he'd impulsively let slip out of his mouth.

Sora drew himself offering Kairi a paopu fruit. He probably doesn't even know I know about that drawing.

Riku took the leap from the tree bridge to the watch tower and looked down at the beach. Sora looked like he was running behind. Riku took one big, deep breath and jumped up to ride on the slider. If he kept up this pace, Sora probably wouldn't overtake him.

The difference between 14 and 15 was still pretty big, and when he'd fought seriously, Riku had never lost to Sora. Sometimes he did lose, but it was either on purpose or because he was annoyed and not really putting effort into it. Sora hadn't noticed that, but Riku thought Kairi might have.

He also thought that, someday soon, he might really lose to Sora. In this moment, he would lose to Sora in proportion to the amount they occupied Kairi's heart. Maybe that was why it stung so much when Riku began to notice Kairi's feelings. It reminded him of what he was lacking.

Riku sent sand flying up as he landed on the beach from the slider. Sora was still behind him. He jumped to the rocky area, and as he went to touch the paopu tree, Riku jumped up higher to the palm tree growing at his side, where he waited for Sora's arrival. Sora finally jumped up from the ground, and, confirming that he touched the paopu tree, Riku jumped to the wooden bridge. Kairi was just beyond their line of sight, and she was staring at Sora.

I probably won't lose to Sora today, either. But probably I'll lose to Sora someday. If that's the case—

Sora ran in a daze. "Whoooo!"

That's definitely why I can't beat Sora.

Riku had lost, by just a couple of steps.

"I did it!" Sora yelled, falling down on the beach.

Riku looked down at his face. "Sure is like you to get all worked up over who's captain, Sora," he told him, calm and composed.

Sora then puffed his cheeks, sulking. "Uh, a-about that thing you said..." Sora asked.

"That thing I said? Oh, about the paopu fruit. It was a joke. You should've seen the face you made...it sure was funny," Riku said, as Kairi ran up to the two.

"Sora, congrats!"

Sora answered by raising a fist, as if he didn't have the energy to face Kairi.

"What were you two talking about?"

"Secret," Riku answers, jumping to leave the inlet towards the cliff. He kind of wanted to be alone.

"Where're you going?" she asked.

"That's also a secret."

Kairi tilted her head a little, staring at Riku, who'd answered bluntly.

"And you won't beat me next time, either!" Sora shouted.

"Okay, okay, I get it." And so Riku climbed the cliff.

Once he was alone, he gazed dazedly out over the horizon.

There's no way I can lose to Sora.

He wasn't sure how long he felt this way. Probably since he'd noticed Kairi's feelings. And because of that, he felt even more strongly:

There's no way I can lose to Sora in anything else.

The race just before was like that. He gave Sora a time handicap, was careless, and lost.

Sora, I'm jealous. I can't be that desperate like you were. I can't laugh and smile the way you do, either. Why am I the only one who's a year older?

He might not have felt that way if he were the same age as them. He couldn't help but feel a little left behind.

I can kind of feel a pain deep in my chest.

The wind felt nice, but he was still in a bad mood.

If Sora weren't here—or if Kairi weren't here—I'd probably get along fine with whoever WAS here. But right now, I don't know what I should do. Maybe it's cruel, but I dream of a world without Sora. Or maybe what I really want is a world without Kairi.

The wind kept blowing.

Is this wind coming from the sea? Or is it coming from the sky? The sea and the sky in front of me are the same as always. This world will never change.

Riku closed his eyes. Even with his eyes closed, the blue of the sky and the sea was burned onto the back of his eyelids.

I just want to be pulled out of this unchanging world.

The Door will soon open.

At the sudden voice, Riku opened his eyes wide. "Who's there?"

However, there was no one around. All he could hear were the cries of seagulls, and the sound of waves.

The Door will soon open.

He heard it once again.

I've heard this voice before. Yes—I know whose voice this is...

Kairi was sitting on the dock, listening to the sound of the waves. The sun was slowly setting, casting its red light over the water.

They had only recently come home again. Sora had finally given her the lucky charm back after a whole year of separation. But as soon as the message in the bottle arrived, she knew they would have to leave again.

I didn't think we'd get separated again so quickly. I'm tired of being left behind.

"Say, Kairi, what was your hometown like? You know, where you grew up."

"I've told you before, I don't remember."

Back then, the only other place Sora knew of besides Destiny Islands was the town where Kairi had lived as a kid. Although she told him the place existed, she said she didn't remember it at all.

Kairi gazed out to the sea with a strange look on her face. She didn't look lonely, or sad, or happy, but she was feeling something. She often had this expression.

In the castle's library, a little girl ran up to an old woman who was sitting in a chair.

The elderly lady gazed fondly on the girl and slowly began to tell a story.

"Long ago, people lived in peace, bathed in the warmth of light. Everyone loved the light. Then people began to fight over it. They wanted to keep it for themselves. And darkness was born in their hearts. The darkness spread, swallowing the light, and many people's hearts. It covered everything, and the world disappeared. But small fragments of light survived…in the hearts of children. With these fragments of light, children rebuilt the lost world. It's the world we live in now. But the true light sleeps, deep within the darkness. That's why the worlds are still scattered, divided from each other. But someday, a door to the innermost darkness will open, and the true light will return."

Xehanort listened over the balcony on the upper floor. It was the same old woman and little girl from before. The woman worked in the castle as a maid and her granddaughter often visited, too.

"So, listen, child. Even in the deepest darkness, there will always be a light to guide you. Believe in the light, and the darkness will never defeat you. Your heart will shine with its power and push the darkness away. Do you understand, Kairi?"

Young Kairi was looking around anxiously. There was nothing else but bookshelves full of books.

Just then, the young man in a white lab coat came downstairs.

Kairi happily ran over to him. "Hello! My name is Kairi."

"It's nice to meet you, Kairi. My name is Xehanort." The young researcher then looked over at Kairi's grandmother. "That story sounds somewhat familiar."

"Ah, yes," she replied. "Everyone in Radiant Garden knows that fairy tale. Little Kairi never gets tired of hearing it."

Xehanort suddenly felt the urge to take something out of his pocket. He stared at it as it rested in the palm of his hand. What in the world was it?

"A star! It's so pretty! What is it?"

He squinted hard at the object he held. "I remember that I made a promise to my friends under the stars. This charm represents...our unbreakable connection... "

He didn't know how he knew this. He just...knew.

Kairi seemed delighted by that response. "Wow!"

Xehanort could sense such purity and innocence from her warm smile.

My grandma would always tell me that story when we'd visit the castle.

"Kairi," said a voice from behind her.

She turned around to see the owner standing on the sand. "Riku! What are you doing here? Is your business with the King and Master Yen Sid finished already?"

"Nah, not quite. I'm here on official business, actually." He walked closer and sat next to her on the dock.

"Oh. I see." She turned around and looked back at the sea.

"Something on your mind?" he asked.

The waves lapped quietly against the shore.

Kairi had always told Sora and Riku that she had no memories of her home world. Maybe...she was just afraid. It felt like... if she ever mentioned her old home, maybe she'd have to go back and leave everything here behind. She wasn't sure why she felt that way. She just didn't want things to change. She didn't want to lose everything she ever cared about. Not again.

She gazed wistfully at the sunset. "It was fun seeing other worlds, wasn't it? You know, I'm glad that you sent me and Pluto to Twilight Town. I got to make new friends there."

"Hayner, Pence, and Olette." Roxas's friends. "I knew the four of you would get along." Riku smiled warmly.

She nodded. "Mm-hmm. But still, it was nice being able to come back home."

The same days pass by with the same people. Maybe a little boring. But also familiar and comfortable.

Riku thought Kairi seemed a little anxious for some reason. She still didn't know the whole situation of why he and Sora had to leave or what Xehanort was planning, so maybe that was why. "Well, I won't lie. This will be our toughest battle yet."

She looked away when he said that, clearly troubled. "Oh..."

"But after this, things will finally calm down and go back to normal. Don't worry." He looked out at the red sunset and spoke softly. "The three of us will always be together..."

Kairi stared up at Riku when he said that. He wore a beautifully serene expression that she had never seen before. She remembered how she thought Riku had changed. Back then, it seemed like he didn't care about home anymore. He just wanted to leave everything from his old life behind and start over. Sora didn't see it, but his mood changed when he became interested in other worlds. Just like...Xehanort.

But it was now more than obvious that Riku was still the same old Riku.

He hasn't really changed, after all, has he? No, actually, I think he has. "Who's this new Riku, and where's the old one?"

"New me?" Have I changed? I'm older, sure, and I cut my hair— Is there more?

"Yeah. You're more like Sora," Kairi observed, giggling.

Riku was a bit taken aback by that.

Right—I've always, always envied Sora. That carefree laugh, the way he would romp around with Kairi, his ability to face whatever was ahead unflinchingly. I've been jealous of all of it, all those things that simply don't come naturally to me. That's the real reason I wanted to win Kairi's affections so badly. To prove I was better than Sora.

"Should I be flattered?" Riku asked while laughing. Y'know, maybe she's right. Maybe I really am different. "I try too hard to be the role model. It's more fun to just listen to my heart. Which is...Soraesque."

"Well, we still like you." As she smiled at him, her face was almost glowing in the sun's evening light.

Riku couldn't help but notice her sincerity. He grinned back at her.

"So, I guess you're leaving again? You said you came here on official business."

"Well actually, the official business was to come and get you. Master Yen Sid wants to see you."

"Really? Me? Why?"

"He didn't say."

"Sora's late. Do ya think he's okay?" Goofy watched the sky from the base of the Mysterious Tower.

Donald sighed beside him.

"Gawrsh, Lea sure hurried back to Radiant Garden, and now Master Yen Sid's sending Riku away, too, on some mystery errand," Goofy commented, and Donald let out an even longer sigh. "Ya think we'll ever get to do something important?"

Just as Goofy asked his question, someone arrived in front of the Mysterious Tower.

"Wak!" Donald exclaimed as he noticed the newcomer, and Goofy turned to look, too.

"Oh! Welcome back, Riku! Hey, wait..." Goofy put his head to one side, his surprise turning to a smile as Donald hopped up as well.

"Hi, Donald. Goofy." Kairi greeted them, then walked up the long set of stairs with Riku.

As soon as he heard the door open, Mickey turned around. "Riku! You're back!" he greeted his friend.

"That's right," Riku replied, stepping into the room. "Master Yen Sid, I brought you the guest you asked for, but...you never said why."

As Riku spoke, Mickey noticed someone behind him, and when he saw who it was, he yelped in surprise. "Huh? Wow!"

"I have come to learn that you, too, can wield a Keyblade. I am glad you are here." Yen Sid bade her welcome, and she stepped into the room.

"This time...I'll fight."

Kairi had once said those words as she wielded a Keyblade and faced down evildoers at the end of their second adventure, and now here she was.