... This is the last chapter. Yep, last one. I liked typing this story, too. If any of you have read the poem at the beginning, you'll probably know this part. Yeah...

There will be two songs, each for Sora and Riku, in this chapter. The first will be Sora's. You'll know when it becomes Riku's because I'll have a special... thing there that'll border the scenes. Also, the songs might be snippets instead of the whole song, because the song might have stuff that doesn't fit into the story or emotion.

Has anybody read the second chapter yet? Is it obvious who is dancing with Sora?

I do not own Kingdom Hearts. Disney and Squaresoft do, and Siouxie and the Banshees own "Softly" and "Forever". (Credit goes to my cousin, Lucas, again.)

Kairi099, you have been a great supporter and I thank you for reviewing each time. I put you on my favorite Authors. ^__^

Thanks to any of you who has read this. Even if you haven't reviewed, that doesn't mean that no one has, right? ...Right?

-_ Scene

-italic- Lyrics

___________- Song change/ scene change- Sora to Riku

_

Treasured Memories-

Chapter Three- I Have Lost You Forever

_

___________

Sora- "Softly"

___________

-Softly into your broken veins

Softly into these broken dreams

Will you ever come home?

Will you ever be found?-

"Stop!"

Gem-like eyes as blue as the ocean blazed with anger and sadness. Fists were clenched and shook so violently that blood not dripped from the torn skin from the fingernails biting into the palms. In front of him was scene the boy called "Betrayal".

Sora couldn't believe Riku had snarled at him so hatefully at his yell. His eyes turned into teary sapphires and a few drops fell. "About time you made it. I've been waiting for you... You've pushed me and I pushed you, so that makes us rivals... But it ends here," Riku cackled into the stone hallways which echoed back the same tone of evil embedded within each crevice. Sora was so close to sobbing that his shoulders heaved painfully as he tried to suppress them.

He remembered Riku being a tad rebellious... but on the brick of killing an innocent? "Riku... please..." Sora began quietly, stretching out his arm and hand and took a step forward. "There can't be two Keyblade Masters... and the Keyblade must choose!" Riku yelled maliciously and it seemed to seep into the very bones of his rival. 'Two Keyblade Masters?'

"What are you talking about... huh!?" the brunette felt the usual weight of the Keyblade leave his hand and be placed into Riku's. A chortle escaped the taller male's throat and he held the Keyblade high in the air for the three comrades to see. Astonished, Sora's jaw dropped and remorse filled him... he had failed. He had failed his so-called 'destiny'.

"WHAT!?!?" Donald and Goofy were just as shocked as Sora and maybe even more. They had followed Sora and the Keyblade ever since they bumped into eachother in Traverse Town... and now they find out the Sora was not the Keyblade Master? Goofy suddenly glanced at Sora and began to wonder what it must have felt like to be betrayed by something you have such a passion about, and then it be taken away by the most important person in your life... it wasn't fair.

"Maleficent was right..." Riku took the opportunity while Sora was dazed to attack the brunette mentally. This is what he loved most about his life; seeing the weak squirm in fear and corruption. "You don't have what it takes to save Kairi... so it's up to me... You know, only the Keyblade Master can open the secret door and change the world." "It's impossible, Riku! I fought my way here with that piece of scrap metal!"

-Standing on shattered windowpane

Softly I whisper your name

Concealed in bedclothes of frosting cold

Softly the snowflakes start to fall

Fleecing the velvet skin-

There was a short silence from the 'Keyblade Master' that seemed to have stopped his self-praise. He knew Sora... Sora almost never insulted something important, and it this was just... outrageous. The Keyblade was sacred and powerful... and Sora with having a fit over the fact that he wasn't the 'Hero'? Sora felt that he had finally found a way to impress Riku, that he could show Riku he wasn't weak or absent-minded. He loved Riku and wanted to show that love without telling it to his face.

The silver-haired male then grimaced the fury coming from his enemy. This was too funny... and so much fun. "You were just the delivery boy and your part's now over. Now," Riku reached behind him and threw a Wooden Sword over to Sora, which landed by the yellow-shoed feet. "Play with that." Sora then fell onto his knees in self-anguish. Why... why had his dignity been stripped away by Riku... of all people? He wanted to cry and beat his hands against the stone walkway until the broke off with pain and numbness. It hurt.... hurt worse than anything else had ever hurt him. "We have to follow the key, Goofy," Donald's voice cracked through the barricades of Sora's mind. He knew they were going to leave him... all because of the 'Special Key to open some Secret Door.' He didn't care... not like they cared about him anyway. "Sora...?"

Sora turned his head and saw Goofy kneel beside him and set a hand on the brunette's shoulder. A gray, melancholic cloud vermiculated around the black eyes of the captain of the king. "Will... you be all right...? I mean," the eyes shot towards Riku then back to bore into Sora's blue irises. "... you understand.... don't you?" Goofy's hand squeezed the shivering boy's shoulder. "You poor thing... on the verge to crying... it's all right.... You cry. We have to leave though... be careful. I'm sorry..."

(A/N: I like Goofy! ^__^ Supportive till the very end. That's why I had him play this part in Sora's journey. He seems so nice!)

With that said, the mage and guardian walked with the 'True Keyblade Master', leaving the injured and the sobbing alone. "I'm sorry, Sora... I hate to do this to you... but I'll make sure he doesn't do anything wrong... or anything to hurt you more than you already are...' Goofy vowed thoughtfully as he walked away from his guarded. The one he had swore to protect the first few second he had ever met the boy from Destiny Islands, and the one he would probably never see again...

A shuffle came from the injured monster as it tried to stand, and as blood gushed and stained its brown coat. "Don't move." Immediately, he stopped and plopped back down and sighed. "You're hurt... you don't need to move..." Sora whispered tenderly as he opened his pocket to search for a potion. Finding one, he handed it to the beast as it put its weight onto one, mildly damaged elbow. "Why did you... come here?" The Beast asked roughly, his voice raspier than its true asperity. "I might ask you the same thing..." Sora leaned his back against a near wall and waited patiently for the story to start. "I came here... to fight for Belle... I won't leave without her," The Beast answered and smiled as the tanned boy beamed back at him with benevolence and understanding. "Don't worry. I'm looking for someone important, too." Sora gazed towards the waterfall's gleaming, sunset water. The sight was beautiful and pure... not like his cause.... "But, I don't think I can help them anymore..."

_

-Suspended in frozen time

Icicles slowly drip outside

To the rhythm of your wounds here inside

I entered your dream, I entered your scheme-

Sora was... unusually quiet to the Beast. At first sight, Sora had seemed talkative and joyful... but this new façade of the boy was sad and silent. There appeared to be something wrong with the boy's eyes. The Beast began to think back to the platinum-haired by with cold cobalt eyes that seemed to chill your very soul. He recalled the rude and degrading words he had made to his new comrade. The young one seemed to be lost in his own void, hearing the words over and over again as it ripped his heart and all rational thinking Sora had. "Um... did you know that boy?" The Beast had learned to be kind and soothing with his words. Belle had taught him when to be furious and when to comfort.

"Hmmm?" Sora spun his head towards the monstrous figure that was trying to strike up a meaningful conversation with him. He couldn't help to admit that the nosiness being put onto him was making him feel as if he didn't need to carry the burdens of everyone's troubles. He thought, that maybe if this new partner would listen, maybe he could tell everything... except his love for the one who injured his confidante. He knew that maybe, he would understand and be able to give him a little bit of consolation. Like Goofy was able too... A cry of self-lament escaped his pink lips and he put his head in his hand. There was no use in trying to avoid the subject, so he might as well tell all he had to tell.

"Yes... I do," Sora said as he stopped to turn his gaze to a stained-glass window with brought the many rays of the sunset into the damp castle known as Hallow Bastion. "He was my friend ever since I was a baby... and he was overprotective of me..." He leaned forward the cross his arms on the windowpane as he continued his observant ways of looking out of a pink colored glass piece. "Soon, a new friend came named Kairi.... and he... began to compete with me to win her attention, I guess. I didn't like her like that, but she is my friend and I can't help but feel that I need to look for her for his sake... but... It pains me to see him and her together..." "Why does it pain you to see them together if you do not have more developed feelings for this Kairi...?" The Beast limped over to where Sora was so interested in. "Is it that you wish you had someone like that?"

"No. It just pains me, that's all..." Sora began to finger a dusty corner and made it suggest that he enjoyed the playful act. He wanted the discussion to end here and didn't want to go deeper into the crevices. "I see... You don't have feeling for her, but you do not want to have someone like the girl and your other friend seem to have... so... You must have feelings for the boy," The Beast had noticed how Sora had stopped all action and his breath had hitched. He looking for the reaction and it came quicker than he thought it would. The azure irises blackened over and shrank to a small size. "Your face shows the truth... I noticed at first when he spoke to you in such a hateful way. I can comprehend more than I look I do."

"I'm sorry... it's just..." The brunette was lost. How he wished to be curled in a warm room by himself and leave the world evilness behind. 'Riku....' Sora's thoughts went back to the harsh voice of Riku's words. They had struck his heart like ice daggers that had been sharper than any knife, and it cut through him like butter. He was easy to betray, he knew that. Who couldn't betray someone like him, who is naïve and caring towards other's needs? He was too easy to manipulate and that had to come to a stop before it got him killed. He hated his personality with every fiber of his soul. It was so simple to satisfy him and even more enjoyable when you saw the distressed face boring into yours. There was no end to treason in his life.

He felt a hand jerk his shoulder carefully, as if it were afraid to break him. "Hurry... I sense something is near," The Beast spoke once more in a low, raspy voice and then trotted down the hall. The destined one stood for a few seconds more before running to catch up with his new friend. Someone else who understood him...

_

-Softly to swim inside your veins

Softly in rippling cellophane-

"We must be in the Entrance Hall, seeing the way its built," The Beast inquired as he observed the architectural patterns used in the large room. "They are close... Are you ready?" Sora nodded and put his sword in an attack position. The Beast walked closer to the boy before he felt a small shock in his head. "I sense Belle.... Belle?!" Up at the top of the stairs was a beautiful woman with chocolate colored hair and matching eyes. She was tall and stood wisely in her place, looking over the area, then placed her attention onto the two below her.

"Trap.... Trap..."

As if on cue of the whispers only Sora was able to hear, a dark aura wrapped itself around the girl before consuming her. "Belle!" The Beast started up the stairs at a tremendous speed before the Shadow Heartless revealed itself. It had chosen a perfect disguise, Sora thought absent minded. He saw the surprised glint in the comrade's ebony eyes before the Heartless released an attack on the monster. He was thrown back to the bottom and his weight left a cracked imprint in the hard floor. Sora fell onto his knees when he neared the side of the fallen monster.

"Beast!" He began to shake one large shoulder roughly in an attempt to wake his friend up. The Heartless were now lurching down the stairs one by one and fear spread through the veins of the boy. He was going to die if he couldn't get the fallen one up. His wooden sword had no affect on the skin of the jet black creatures. "Please... get up! Please!"

A long groan emitted itself into the open before the Beast opened his eyes and proceeded to stand up with Sora's help. The fury and revengeful glare the Beast gave the enemy was enough to scare the smaller of the two. The lowly trick of using Belle features as a disguise disgusted the large creature to the very pit of his stomach. He knew each one of them had to die slowly and painfully. He lunged into the group of black with an increase in strength and speed, leaving Sora at the bottom trying with all his might to at least destroy one of the shadows. It would have been hopeless if the young male hadn't felt the need to prove himself all over again for the man he loved.

_

-To float and glide in time

To the rushing in your brain-

"Quit while you can, Sora..."

The furious and exhausted duo known as the Beast and Sora panted softly as they looked onward towards the three in front of them. Sora couldn't help but feel pity for Goofy, acknowledging that the Captain was being torn between his duty and his need to protect the innocent. There was a reason Goofy carried the Shield... for he was the Guardian. "No... I'm not leaving until I know Kairi is safe..." Sora still felt the stretch of talking about Kairi. Riku loved Kairi and Kairi loved Riku. It was obvious as daylight. So, where was he in all this? He was left out, his love for Riku the only thing keeping him alive, and his passion to make Riku happy. And if Kairi was the one who gave Riku happiness, then so be it.

With a terrifying grin, Riku rose in the air and consumed by the shadow that the 'Belle' had recently been in. Soon, the shadow blinded everyone who was watching with a black light. It filled the entire chamber in a matter of seconds. As it died down, Sora saw Riku's attire had changed and was now holding the Keyblade high once more. He then pointed it to the youngest and chuckled. "The Darkness will destroy you..." Riku voice seemed to have an accompaniment of rasps and whispers. Still, Sora knew he had to finish at least one mission. "No, Riku! It can destroy my body, but never touch my heart! It'll never die for it will stay with my friends... as it always has with you..." Sora placed a battle-scarred hand over his heart and his longing gaze softened slightly. "It was always with you... if no one else..."

There was confusion evident in the looming eyes. "Do... you mean that?" Riku's regular voice, stripped away of evil and disfigurement, spoke unknowingly to the meaningful words. Had... Sora meant that? "Yes! I do!" Sora felt warmth fall from his eyes and down his red cheeks. Riku wasn't yelling at him! Riku wasn't mad or embarrassed, but instead he was accepting it. A true smile graced those pale lips as the dark light faded completely and lowered Riku to ground level. He let his arms open for Sora and they were gladly appreciated. Sora sobbed uncontrollably into Riku's well-built chest and clung to him as if there were no tomorrow. He couldn't believe this was happening... His dreams were coming true as he felt his chin being tilted slightly and felt feather-like kisses upon his cheeks. Everything had summed up to this tranquillity that Sora would never let go of...

'Kairi isn't the one... I love Riku and Riku loves me...!'

But good things can never last...

_

(A/N: Um... anyone who doesn't like blood... um... its in this little scene, k?)

-I wanted your lips, yes I wanted your kiss

So softly the moment had flown-

"Riikkkuuu..... R-riku...!"

Drip... Drip... Drip...

Hands clutched at gushing wounds and tried to stop the blood from spilling more. Sapphires sparkled with tears and dread as they watched the dark blade rising up above them. Scattered across were body parts and white feathers. A bloodied shield that was cracked and dismantled sat in a large pool of dark red and beside it was a distorted mage staff that sparked slightly. It too was surrounded by its owner's blood.

_

An orb of black light shot at a young boy as he was thrown back, away from the embrace. It was meant to destroy... to kill. But a shield designed with beauty and power stepped in the way in the attack and stopped it before it could cause any damage to the victim. The holder peered over the top of the metal and roared to the attacker with an unbridled fury.

"Sora's not going anywhere!"

"And you'd betray your king?"

"No! But I won't betray Sora either! He's my friend and I won't let the one he loves hurt him!"

Ebony eyes found blue then went to the side where stood a white-feathered mage. "Tell the King that I'm sorry, okay?" The Guardian asked as he withstood another attack. The mage smiled then took his place beside the Guardian. "We'll tell him together... All for one and one for all, right?" A soft laughter was shared before they turned to the enemy before them, poised to attack again. "You will die before your precious protected..."

_

"Why'd y-you do... it .... R-riku...?!" Tears fell into the pooling blood that surrounded him. He waited for an answer to why the slaughter was commenced. He saw the icy eyes blacken over as if the attacker were in a trance, and deep down inside, he knew that his lover was. It would all be over soon... All over. And then he felt it; the feeling of the blade driving deep inside his chest, just missing his lungs and heart. His breath stopped and he gave short, small moans, and then, with the Keyblade he had fought with so long still impaled inside of him, he fell back, falling into his fallen comrades' blood. 'They protected me to the end... and met their demise. Don't worry... I'll be there soon...'

-My body outside yours

Softly collects the falling snow

And disappears far away

So softly...-

___________________

Riku- "Forever"

___________________

The eyes changed back to their original form and they blink once... twice... then they gaped at the battlefield. Blood and agony covered the walls and floor with a sickening hue and smell. His irises decreased in size as he saw the most gruesome sight he had ever encountered in his life lying there before him, convulsing and trying its best to hold on to dear life. 'Oh, God, no...!'

"SORA!"

-Infinity stretches unlimitlessly,
Countless days pass by immeasurably,
Anniversaries gutter in the maelstrom
Whirling a snowstorm of lustrous millennium-

"Oh... Sora..." Riku was now holding the almost lifeless body in his hands, which were bloody from the blood spilled in the battle prior. He had pulled out the Keyblade and cradled Sora in his arms and stroked his hair. "We were... supposed to be together..." Riku whispered into the ear of his love and then let his head fall into the chest that moved so slightly for breath that was escaping with each passing second. "I'm sorry..." Riku began to feel tears well up for the first time in his life. He had never cried and never knew how it felt. Now, he knew... "I don't know... don't kn-know what... what c-came over me...

S-sora...?"

-We couldn't stay together
This couldn't last forever...-

"Ri... ... ... ... .... Riku?" Sora's dying whispers were harsh and coughs were spit up with his blood. He let his pale hand find Riku's and he squeezed it as much as he could muster. "I knew.... it wasn't... you..." Sora choked on his own voice and threw up more of the dark red liquid from his body. It soon covered Riku and his body even more and then more tears came. "D-don't... cry for me..." Sora let his other hand caress Riku's cheek lightly before falling back over his chest. He couldn't hold his hand any more, and it hurt for his eyes to stay open... They were so heavy and all he wanted was to fall into eternal sleep. But then... I wouldn't be able to tell Riku how much he loved him...

"I love you, Sora... Oh, please don't leave me!"

-Senses dissolve into soliloquies
Flooding ascent in synchronicity-

"I have to... and I l-love you, too... Riku..." The sanguine covered brunette smiled happily, knowing his goal of telling Riku his feelings was achieved. He could leave now... "I have... I h-have to go... Riku..."

"NO! I won't let you! You're staying here with me!" Riku ran his own hand on the dying boy's cheek and smeared more crimson across the skin. He knew Sora was in pain... He knew Sora wanted to no longer feel barricaded by the world... And if you truly love someone, you're supposed to let them go... "Sora... Go on... if that's want you want... I'll be there someday... I promise..."

-But we couldn't stay together
I knew this wouldn't last forever

Forever just one more tie then never
This is the last string to sever-

Sora nodded and knew that this was weighing heavily on Riku's heart. But, they knew that this might have happened, for the Heartless and their controllers were very good persuaders. Riku was just competitive and wanted to show that was the best. Sora just wanted to save people and to show Riku how much he loved him. And now, he was dying in his love's arms... and that was all that he wanted... except one more thing.

"Before I go...I w-want... one kiss, p-please...?" Sora let his head fall on Riku's chest, unable to stand the pain that was prickling at the base of his neck. "That's all... I-I want... before I leave..."

-On and on

Yes it goes on and on-

A teary-eyed smile met the tanned boy's stare, and it brought on one from the other. "Of course you can, Sora..." Riku whispered before lightly kissing Sora's forehead. "At... at least we'll have shared one..." Riku choked on his tears and pulled the brunette closer. He didn't want to let go, but he knew he had to. For Sora's sake if not his...

Leaning his neck down, he let his lips catch Sora's in a soft kiss. It was strange at first, then Riku noticed the silkiness of the small, puckered lips of the younger boy. The silver-haired boy let his hand hold Sora's head and brought them closer. He heard the boy under him grunt daintily before becoming still once more. He never wanted this to end... But it couldn't last forever.

-I could stay, I could stay... wherever
I would last, I would last... forever


Forever just one more tie then never
This is the last string to sever-

Sora was no longer responding to Riku anymore and Riku knew what had occurred. Leaning back, Riku saw Sora's eyes had hazed over and were lifeless, no longer carrying the joy and sweetness he had to offer. Sora was now dead. Riku felt more grief rise up to his azure eyes as he picked up the bloodied boy and carried him away from the remorseful chamber filled with crimson.

As he reached the highest tower in the castle, he went into a nearby room at the bottom of the long flight of stairs that proceeded to a place Riku had found sometime after he had arrived here for the first time. While in the chamber, he grabbed certain garments and other items from a large dresser and proceeded upward. His feet pounded the stone steps and it echoed back to Riku's ears, which made them ring annoyingly. Finally, after he lost count at about 287 steps, he reached the top. It was a circular room and each window had beautifully done stained-glass windows. The dying sunset gleamed beautifully across the white marble floor, and Sora was laid upon a bed-like podium, laying silent. Riku sighed before beginning to wipe of the blood that covered Sora's face and hands with a cloth he had found before he dipped it into a bowl of water that held water that came from a leak in the ceiling. After doing so, he stripped the ensanguined clothing Sora had on and wipe off the blood that had seeped through the clothes Sora used to have on. Then, taking the white garb he had found in the dresser, he dressed the brunette again.

-Forever... Forever... Never forever

Forever... Forever... Never forever-

Afterwards, in the dead of night, Riku had lit the candles that decorated the room with his magic before kneeling down and taking one of Sora's cold hands in to his. Looking over Sora, he smiled, happy that Sora looked so heavenly. The white gown had diamonds sewn into the fabric in flower patterns and gold trimmed the bottom of the dress and at the end of the flared out sleeves that ended about an inch away from Sora's wrist. Riku had also bandaged the large wound of the Keyblade that was deep within Sora when he awoke from his hypnotized state. Sora still looked as though he had never even saw death, but that he was in peaceful sleep and was dreaming of his future with the one he loved.

"I love you, Sora... this is where you shall be until I die," Riku said as he placed an eternal spell that would keep Sora's body as beautiful forever. His beauty would never waver. "And I shall watch over you and stay beside you until I join you... Until then..." Riku gave Sora's frigid, lifeless lips one last kiss before blowing out the candles one by one and then shutting the door that separated the room from any other part of Hallow Bastion.

A soft, white figure walked around the dead body of the Keyblade Master twice before smiling through the darkness. Turning towards the door the male had left, the glowing boy giggled harmoniously. "I love you, too, Riku... I'll be waiting for you."

Then, the room was dark and silent once more.

-This is the last string to sever
I have lost you forever and ever

This is the last string sever

I have lost you forever and ever...-

The End

_

O.O ::cries:: I cried through the whole thing after Riku's part started. It isn't like I wanted it from the start, But I think it came out great! Not as long as the last chapter, but what do you expect, I did this chapter in less than two days. "Thoughts of You" took about a week I think. Anyway, I would like to take this time to clear up something. I bet you're all wondering why the story is so... weird.

The entire story is actually flashbacks up to the point where Riku (the possessed Riku) kills Sora. I took the saying 'your life flashes before you when you die', So, Sora is dying the whole time the earlier chapters were going on. Sad, ain't it?

YES, that was Sora when Riku leaves the room. It's his spirit, so there. ::sniff:: I think I'm still crying. If anyone has questions and doesn't understand the story, just review and ask.