Note to Disclaimers: This is pretty standard by now, don't you think so? I mean seriously, if I owned Kingdom Hearts, Disney, Squaresoft, etc. all sorts of things would've happened differently in the first one and the sequel would already be out! But be realistic: I own nuthin, cept' Cyra so don't sue me for anything else. This is for entertainment purposes only, not profits.

Author's Note: Finally! School has been over for a while, but my writer's block was kicking my ass! My Muses have returned from Rome...or rather one of them has...damn them! But she was enough to get me going...and the guy eventually returned, and I managed to write something that I think is decent…but ya'll can be the judges of that! Anyway, let's get on with the fic shall we? R&R if you can? Enjoy!

Word Coding:

Everything else

'Thoughts'

"Speaking"

Thoughts of Zephyr

"There is much I need to know. When will you explain it to me?"

He glanced away for only a moment before returning his gaze to her. "Now, I suppose. But when I tell you, it can only be once, so pay very close attention to what it is that I reveal."

She nodded hesitantly. Her head was throbbing from some intense pain as she waited patiently for him to begin his long revelation of what was to come in their near future. Even though she witnessed many strange things within the last few hours, none was as strange as Cloud and Sephiroth fighting the Heartless. 'Weren't they Cyra's servants as well?' Aerith was beginning to suspect that Cyra had some alternative motives that would cause a plot thickness that scared her more than she was allowing it to already. Her voice caught in her throat as they resettled quietly on the flat earth, still watching the two warriors within the darkness fending off the minions that were deemed to be their partners. Something was not right. With as much courage as she could manage in her shocked state Aerith opened her mouth and released her only current thought. Her tone was tentative, as though she was ultimately unsure whether her thoughts had any bearing on what decisions Ansem might make in their short time span together.

"Ansem…Cloud and Sephiroth…are they going to be taken…permanently?"

He sighed. "That is something I cannot explain or predict. I am sure that we will be taken but the aftermath of that will remain unknown to all of us."

She gasped. "Then…you're powers will be of no use to Kairi during the final battle, will they?"

"Would they have been to begin with? I think not. She controls all the darkness. Whether we returned with the Princess…we would not have been able to utilize let alone access our powers within us. I am afraid we're useless from this point on, especially me." Ansem took a small step towards the barrier of the sphere that surrounded them, protected them.

"Will she harm you? Aren't you her stepfather?" Her eyes were curious yet apprehensive about the whole ordeal.

"Perhaps…not, I think. But if she does, I will become a servant of the darkness once again. She will strip me of the humanity that returned to me after all these years…and that, in itself, is to be harmed." His eyes reflected a forlorn sense of sadness that caused Aerith to feel shame. He chuckled. "You did not believe I could regain the humanity I sacrificed all those years ago when I was bound to the darkness?" She shook her head. "Yes, it would seem that way."

When he spoke no more words, she realized he was finished for the moment. "Is that what you have to tell me?" Though it sounded more than rude she did not mean it that way. She simply believed their time was weighted. "I meant…"

"I know what you meant Ms. Gainsborough. I understand. Unfortunately, what I can tell you might very well be of no use once the three of us have been coveted." He smiled. "But I will tell you all that I can and offer the best help that I can possibly give." Aerith waited patiently. "You see…now that we're on Nebula, you must know something about the Princesses of Heart that you haven't known. Each Princess has the ability to give her power to the Princess of the Universe. This is what I failed to tell Kairi for it was not my place. The Princesses of Heart, the Guardians, are her Elite class guardians. Just as Cyra has her Elite Class of Heartless Warriors, so does Kairi. Now, the key part to understanding the Elite Class of warriors is this: they are NOT heartless."

"What?" Aerith's eyes widened considerably.

"If they were Heartless, they would have died back in Hollow Bastion. It can never be that easy-nothing is." He began removing his stained glass heartless clasp from his coat. "There is a key to defeating them that I do not know about because I did not create them. But I do know this. They are strong warriors and possess powers that are a rather good match to that of the Princess Guardians. The others are no match for their powers alone." He frowned. "But it seems they will be fighting us, I imagine."

"We have to fight you? I have to fight…Cloud?" Aerith's hand flew to her lips in anguish. "No…I can't fight him! I can't fight Cloud or Sephiroth or…you!"

"You will and you won't refuse." His reply was cold and firm. "Nevertheless, we must get back to the original topic and well…problem at hand. The Heartless not the only entities you would have to worry about in this realm. I am sure Riku will be a tough match for any of you to fight at any given point in time so I would be wary of his presence."

She suddenly seemed to realize her predicament and felt her heart plummet within her chest. 'I have to fight my own…friends?' Aerith knew she was strong but she didn't know if she was THAT strong. 'What about Kairi? How will she feel about all of this?' For some strange reason Aerith knew that Kairi was beyond her own feelings and was rather ready, physically anyway, to fight her own family and friends. Even if Kairi did not want to fight them, Aerith knew deep down inside that Ansem had managed to save them by convincing Kairi of doing the right thing. 'The right thing…that's such a lie.' Something tugged at her heart as she watched Cloud and Sephiroth begin to fade before her very own eyes. To her side, Ansem stood in quiet observation as he felt the brooding of Aerith surround them in a comforting yet irking presence.

The emptiness around them also seemed to add an odd comforting presence to Ansem's already uneasy mind. He could sense Cyra's power growing but unlike before, he could no longer sense Kairi. Her life force and powers seemed to have faded from his radar within the darkness, which he realized made perfect sense as she was Light and light was swallowed by the darkness. Everything around them returned and Aerith could make out the blurry figures of Yuffie and Leon, both looking as though they hadn't noticed the disappearance of their friends. The gates to Castle Nebula seemed taller and more forbidding as the flower girl glanced up from in front of them. Suddenly, Aerith felt very miniscule, not to mention very minute in the sense that she held no power in the realm of darkness. And those who did became puppets. 'Puppets…like Sephiroth…and Cloud.' Her weary thoughts were interrupted as the heartless that had currently been occupying the large space around them began to melt away into puddles of dust that blew away with the wind. 'What is going on?' She craned her neck to see above Ansem's shoulder. When she was not able to get a decent view, Aerith wiggled from his arms and stood up.

Once she saw what happened to the heartless, she was dumbstruck in awe. She honestly did not understand what was happening with Cyra's power. There didn't seem to be a reason for her to be cowering before their power. If anything, they should have been bowing at her feet. They still hadn't encountered any of the elite warrior heartless, not that they'd be in a battle with them anytime soon. 'But what if the Princesses are injured?' The thought crossed Aerith's mind several times during her discovery, but she had yet to ask Ansem himself. She wasn't quite sure he'd even have an answer either. 'Should I chance it?' She knew their time was weighted; she needed to know. "Ansem, if the Princesses of Heart are injured…what will become of the warrior heartless?"

"Ah…this IS tepid ground, Ms. Gainsborough." Ansem released a low chuckle as though it were a laughing matter. "I suppose you'll end up fighting them."

"But you said we were no match for them!" She exclaimed her statement with horror as they began walking towards the castle's gates, past the disintegrated piles of heartless.

Yuffie made disgusted noises as she and Leon strode behind them. Selphie and Tidus had long since gone; where they went, no one really knew. After their first battle with the foul creatures the pair had vanished into this air. Aerith had the feeling she knew where they were; most likely captured and encased somewhere to be used as bait to make Kairi give up. She didn't like it when people played dirty and low. She wasn't sure if Cyra would do the same. She hoped against it with all her heart. 'But could my purity win against such an evil?'

"I doubt that. The only one who can prevail would be Kairi herself. Of course…she is not dead." His reply was solemn. "Cyra has merely placed her in a dreamlike state. She is trying to fool Kairi into believing she is dead already when in fact she isn't." He looked around as if searching for something. "Come, I do believe the heartless will not be attacking us for quite some time. It seems that Cyra has grown more amused with having them killed by Sephiroth and Cloud. Even so…she is reproducing them in endless batches. I do believe she is trying to wear out our warriors, at least until they have no more energy to fight of her minions."

Aerith looked perplexed. "Why has she not taken you?"

He shook his head with a morbid smile on his lips. "It seems my purpose is to watch helplessly. She has now removed all my powers. I am utterly useless."

Once again Aerith felt uncomfortable with such knowledge. Somehow, she knew things were only about to get worse as Ansem reached out to touch the towering coal colored gates that belonged to Castle Nebula. They swung open on their own accord, allowing them inside but with a view that promised certain death if followed. Yuffie and Leon were already walking past them without a care in the world. It seemed that they had accepted what the needed to do and cared not for anything but Kairi. Aerith gulped silently and stepped in past Ansem. When he did not follow, she took his hand. He glanced at her warily. "This is all for Cyra's sake. Don't give up on her now." She, too, had accepted her fate as well. 'I will fulfill my duty.' The determination in her eyes caused Ansem to step forward as well, his soul feeling slightly anew and refreshed with a will of his own. Now he understood why Aerith made Sephiroth smile so, why she brought the one-winged angel renewed faith and hope. As the both took their last steps and were fully engulfed inside the castle's entrance, darkness surrounded them. The gates slammed from behind with a thundering echo.

My head feels horrible, as though someone has bashed it in with a hammer and my eyes are groggy. I straighten myself up and take a quick glance around. 'Where am I?' I feel fuzzy all over, unreal. I shake my head but of course, this only adds the current pain that has enveloped my already aching mind. I try to wriggle my fingers but I cannot feel them. 'What is going on?' I direct my eyes to where the rest of my body should be but there is nothing there. Panic arises within me like wildfire, spreading through my veins on a one-way course. The Adrenaline in my body is being excreted at extreme rates as well as in mass quantities, so much so that I am beginning to feel cooped up and claustrophobic. I demand my head to turn left, but all I can do is stare dead ahead as my commands upon my body continue to go ignored. I try to wiggle, try to grasp some type of feeling but I soon realize that there is no way that I am going to start feeling my body.

"It's futile, you know."

I glance up from my struggle. "You…"

He laughs. "And you thought you were dead? I do admit, Cyra does have such a power to make us feel that way. She is, after all, the Ruler of Darkness itself."

"But I thought you controlled the darkness too."

"It's true; I do control a certain part of the darkness. But above me is that person who controls ALL of darkness, all facets of it. Cyra, she is the mother of darkness and that is why she controls it, controls me." He turns around abruptly, eyes focused on something I cannot see. "I suppose I should be bitter since she has taken all the power from me but I am a servant. Such trivial matters cannot bother me. I must serve my queen dutifully."

I continue to stare at him in disbelief. 'Where are my friends?' I realize it has been quite some time since I've seen Tidus and Selphie. Riku makes a sharp turn into my direction. "You're friends? They are not so far away." He smirks. "In fact, they are right above you."

I force my neck to crane backwards in hopes to see if he is lying or not. It is then that I notice the bound feet and hands of my friends. They look truly worse for wear, especially Selphie. Her normally shining, creamy skin is covered in blood. Large gashes and welts run the length of her arms and legs, but they are strange in shape and appear to have been done with careful selection. Against her back Tidus doesn't look any better. His usually blonde hair is matted with blood, too, and his arms hang limply in front of him save for the rope that binds them together. His left arm is bent at a weird angle, just like Selphie's right leg. Through my horror filled gaze I strain to get a more precise look. Then I see it. On Selphie's left arm is a half carved star tattoo but it seems to have been branded on her delicate skin rather than drawn with ink. The other half is obvious on Tidus' right arm. 'Does this have some kind of bizarre meaning?'

"Actually, yes, it does."

I freeze. 'Can he…read my thoughts? It must be! How else…'

"Yes, I can, if you didn't figure it out by now Princess."

"But I…tell me the meaning behind all this! Why are you involving my friends in this?" I shout angrily as the numbness in my body begins to disperse. "They have done you no extreme harm!"

"They have helped you with your cause, no? Is that not harming enough? They have indeed caused troubles to my queen and her intentions. I believe this is harm," He replies coolly.

I writhe against my restraints, my anger steadily rising as he persists in antagonizing me. "What did you expect? You're a monster! How can you even consider such a horrible dream to be penetrable by harm? It's so foul on its own…you're causing more harm than they ever could, you wretch of a creature!"

"SILENCE! And what would you know Princess? What dangers have you faced? You're life has been nothing but luxury, one of fairy tales from the very start! You think you've had such a hard time not remembering, don't you? You've been fed lies from birth, and, if you hadn't accepted this quest you would still be eating those very lies. No memories to speak of, a secret door, Kingdom Hearts, Princesses of Heart…a key blade…did you think this was all by accident? No…"

"It was predestined…" The words escape my lips before I can stop them. Tears burn at my eyelids. "But…then, why? Why everyone else? What purpose do they serve?"

He glares at me with such hostility that I am momentarily taken aback. "Protectors…guardians, keys…didn't you ever suspect? Didn't it ever occur to you, the abnormality of your situation?"

"No…it didn't," I finish in lamely, more out of shame than anything else. "But Ansem…Sephiroth…they couldn't have been…couldn't have known…"

"Minor glitches in the original scheme of things. No matter, everything will be set right very soon. My queen prepares as we speak."

I grit my teeth. "And just WHAT is your Queen preparing? Enlighten me, what is your point?"

"I must depart…she beckons for me." The smile on his face is sickening as he begins to walk away.

"Hey," I say softly. He turns. "Tell your beloved Queen that she'd better be ready." He arches his brow and I smirk. "Tell her…I'll be waiting." At his dismissive snort I feel myself grin inwardly. 'Just you wait Cyra…just you wait.'

'I still think it's abnormal for the heartless to be so…resolute.' Yuffie frowned as she confirmed their motionless state by snapping her fingers in front of their blank faces.

To either side of the group was lines of heartless. Each was facing them with their hideous, empty yellow orbs. But to make matters worse or at least in Yuffie's mind, was the fact that they were completely motionless. Not one of them moved from their spots. The picture alone sent shivers up her spine, which in turn caused her to wrap her arms around herself in a protective manner. Leon noticed this. "You all right Yuffie?"

She chuckled nervously. "Of course! Why wouldn't I be?"

"Look Yuffie, I know the heartless unsettle you…especially when they aren't in action," Leon replied gently as he placed his hands on her shoulders. "Don't worry Yuffie. I'll take care of everything."

"And I believe you…that you will try," Yuffie replied. She sighed heavily as she watched his eyebrows rise in slight annoyance. "Perhaps…let me rephrase that. What I meant is, can you really do that much against Cyra? She's powerful Leon, more than we could have imagined; and there seems to be something about her power that we don't have a lead on. From what I can sense, there is something terribly wrong here, something we didn't expect, and something even Kairi didn't suspect. If Kairi could fall as easily as she did, what makes any of us think we stand that much more of a chance?"

"So…you're giving up?"

She rolled her eyes. "I never said that. I'm just being realistic…and negative, I suppose."

"I could have told you that much," Leon said as he started to pick up the pace of his footsteps.

Yuffie grinned as she walked faster to keep up. "I know…I'm sorry. I will try harder to be positive, ok?" When he nodded Yuffie latched onto his arm, her nose inhaling the scent of his worn leather jacket. She leaned her head on his arm as his hands entwined with hers. "Come on, we should catch up with Aerith and Ansem." He merely kept walking. She shook her head. "Well, all right then. I'll take that as a yes." Still, as they continued onward, Yuffie bit her lip at the haunting feeling looming over her. Aerith and Ansem were almost completely silent in front of them save for the sound of their footfalls. Leon seemed content to walk this way as well, his footfalls less loud. Concern etched its way over her gentle features as they delved deeper into the dank realms of Castle Nebula.

'Kairi, I know I shouldn't think in such a way…but I can't help feeling that something it terribly wrong…' Yuffie felt a random shiver run up her spine as Castle Nebula because darker and darker around them. 'I don't like this…I don't like it at all.'

"Tidus, Selphie! Wake up!" I've been shouting the same phrase for over an hour now. 'Who am I kidding? They must be dead, by now anyway.' At this point my auburn hair is soaked with blood, mainly because of my friends. Their blood has been dripping on my hair for well over an hour, even before I woke up. And though this sickens me and makes my skin crawl, the horror is not unfamiliar, as many other horrors before it were much worse, I believe. I struggle against my restraints again as I try to break free. My wrists are red and very raw because of my constant attempts but I do not feel the pain. Above me the chains that hold my friends hostage begin to rattle. I look up. "Selphie, Tidus, are you ok?"

Selphie's eyes are glazed over. "Kairi!"

I nod vigorously. "It's me Selphie."

She releases a low moan of agony. "Kairi, where are you? I can't see you!" She pauses before releasing a short shriek of terror. "My leg…it feels…it hurts!"

"I'm below you, but don't look down. It'll hurt more!"

"Why can't I move? Why does it hurt so much?" Her voice is laced with uncertainty and fear. "Kairi…what's happened to me?"

At this time Tidus stirs and cries out. "Selphie, where are you? Where are we?"

"I'm right here, and I don't know where we are."

His sigh of relief is short lived. "Why do I ache all over?"

"Don't move," I say. "Your arm is broken. Selphie, your leg is broken, too."

"How did that happen? Tidus seems to have become numbed to the pain, or he is ignoring it. "Kairi, where are we?"

"In the castle," I reply. "We've been captured." I am about to say more when Selphie releases a loud pout. "What's wrong?"

"My…my wrist! It burns…"

Her choked sobs are all I here before Riku returns, his sinister smile never leaving his face. He glances up at them, his eyes shining with malice as Selphie continues to sob in pain. "Feeling tired already?"

"You monster…leave them alone!" He looks at me as though I am insignificant, a pawn in this game he is playing with Cyra. Then it hits me. 'I …am a pawn…why didn't I see it before?' My head hangs before I can control it, a sure sign of defeat in this game he is playing. "This is all just a trap…isn't it? You're using them to bribe me…to make me give up!" I flail my arms as much as possible through my confinements, determined to break free in order to mangle him beyond recognition. His look of irritation only serves to rile me up even more. The pain that cuts through my wrists causes me a little discomfort as I allow my head to hang for a moment of rest. I recite what I believe I must to free myself from Cyra's delusional prison. 'I can't give up…I won't give up…'

"What EVER made you think I was using them to make you give up? You've already given up Princess…I have no use for them other than opening the keyhole…and the Princesses as well." He roars menacingly. "Besides…the Princesses of Heart…you're precious Princesses…well, they are now under our possession. If you would like to see them, you may ask kindly and I will do so."

I grit my teeth at him in anger. 'He's antagonizing me…mocking me too…the menacing bastard…' Once again I feel my blood boiling. I want to reach out and strangle him until he heaves his last breath. 'Such dark thoughts…I should quit thinking this way…but I…can't.' A part of me knows that thinking such thoughts will only cause me to fall deeper under Cyra's spell but I don't know how much longer I can hold out. My powers are still lingering within me, but with each passing thought of bad, I feel them slipping away from me. 'I have to retain them…I have to!' I will myself to think like the good princess I should be, but find it quite a task as I have been tainted. I wish for the dark seed to disappear from within my head, but it does not relent. Riku is still laughing manically as he awaits my consent to him, but I still refuse to give into him and Cyra. My heart is beating wildly in my chest from the stress and strain upon it, from all the dark powers trying to crush it from within.

"So...tell me, when will my sister's plan take effect?"

Riku's eyes harden as he grabs my chin. "Such insolence from you...it's not befitting of a princess. Still, it's interesting that you should ask such a question." He releases my chin as he turns away from me, around to face the nothingness surrounding us. I await his answer patiently, thinking that perhaps it will aid me in some way. Surprise washes over me as he whirls around, eyes yellow with blazing red rings around them. His aquamarine orbs have long since disappeared but the fire within his current ones blazes with such ferocity and intensity that I feel my heart jump momentarily within my ribcage, beating as though it will fall out. My cheek suddenly begins to sting as I register the pain, and it dawns on me that I've been slapped. "Such insolence..." he repeats. "But I'll indulge you, for the simple fact that it is all about to end very soon."

I nod pathetically. "As you say."

"Blood will be spilled," he says, eyes alight. "The blood of the last Princess is needed to finish this."

I smile defiantly, rolling my eyes as though his little speech has affected me little. "And I'll seal the keyhole just as Sora did before me."

His sinister laugh changes my cocky attitude immediately. "Keyhole? Whoever said anything about a keyhole? This is so far beyond the keyhole...you have no idea...no possible comprehension of how great this is...how great the darkness really is." He begins to walk away, steadily paced, but once again I yell to him in anger.

"Is that your plan? It will never work!"

"I'm delighted to inform you, princess, that it already has."

He is gone. I sigh in resignation as I take in what he has revealed. 'What could this mean?' I think back to our Kingdom Hearts fiasco, briefly pondering whether it was meant to be this way. But in processing what Riku said, my stomach feels queasy again. 'This feels...terribly strange to me...like a calamity will occur...one worse than our first one.' I give the direction in which he exited one more fleeting glance before I close my eyes. 'It ends here.'

"The time draws near my Queen."

"So it does," she replied airily. "Is everything ready? You know how I do not like glitches. I don't believe anything should go wrong? Am I...correct?"

Riku nodded, silver hair swaying from side to side. "Yes."

Cyra's ruby eyes shimmered menacing in the dimly lit room, the light dancing off her olive skin in an irking way. "I'm pleased to hear this. You have been most obedient...servant." As she approached him, he appeared to step back a bit, which caused Cyra to laugh. "What is the matter Riku? Are you afraid?"

"No," he said, but the underlying hint of fear managed to seep through indiscreetly. "Should I have a reason..."

"No, no reason whatsoever." Cyra's answer was cheerfully amused in an eerie sense since her morbid joy was invading the room. She lightly caressed his cheek, her tough icy upon his skin, which was equally chilly. He shivered and Cyra's sadistic smile widened a few centimeters. "Never fear...it is a weakness I do not permit."

Riku's yellow eyes flashed warningly. "You are being irrational, My queen, if I may say."

She snickered with barely hidden disdain. "No, I am simply confident. You, my servant, are out of bounds. If this persists, my various uses for you may diminish...watch yourself, my Prince."

Riku watched, paralyzed, as Cyra vanished through the arches of the nearest corridor. He released a heavy breath he didn't know he'd been holding, his knees buckling as he allowed his fear to run its course. He felt insignificant suddenly as he realized just how much power Cyra actually held over the darkness. He'd told it, boasted it; but he didn't realize it. He was truly afraid. From where he stood glued to the wall he could hear Kairi's shouts, Tidus' curses and Selphie's crying. Although he did not feel the pain they emanated, he did, however, have to wince at their apparent fear. He noted, briefly, that the level of Kairi's fear had dropped considerably. It was as though she had blanketed her thoughts and feelings from the view of darkness. 'But she'd have to possess her powers again to do such!' His fear turned to blatant outrage as the truth dawned on him of what her apparent recovery could mean to his position. The thought of Cyra disposing of him sent him into a fit of rage, a fit of fright; and the smallest twinge somewhere in the darkest recesses of his heart. 'She must pay...she WILL pay!'

Inside the dingy chamber below the first level, Kairi had successfully broken free of her restraints, having regained her so-called lost powers. She gazed up as Tidus tried to wriggle free of the ropes binding his hands, only now and then hitting Selphie's damaged leg. Kairi wasn't quite sure how well he would continue to manage with his broken arm and all. Selphie's whimpering rang in Kairi's ears as she glanced around fro anything to help them in freeing their friend. She walked the perimeter but found nothing in the bare area surrounding them. She was surprised to see the only light in the room emanating from a single spire perched in the middle of the desolate area. Kairi noticed the electric blue sparks and lines running amok. 'Hollow Bastion...' The eerie feeling spread through her veins like wildfire. 'That is what I was imprisoned on...it was zapping my power!' She continued to gaze up at the pillar as she processed what the blue energy did to her and the princesses. She would have stared longer, contemplated longer, but Tidus' shouts shattered her reverie, causing her to glance up. She cheered internally as Tidus fell to the ground, landing soundly on his feet. Moments afterwards Selphie plummeted down as well, landing squarely in his one good arm and Kairi's other two. Once they had settled from heir momentary triumph, Tidus gave Kairi and Selphie a small grin. "So...how do we get out of here?"

"There is no way out, I regret to inform you."

{{A/N: This isn't a scene switch, just a Point of View (POV) switch from third person to first person, Kairi's POV, okie? I hope not one is confused!}}

I whip around. "Riku!" I immediately reach for Oathkeeper only to discover it is missing. He laughs at my stupefied face. "Where is it? Give it back!" At this point I am frantic, and his laughing persist, which causes my heart to break. 'He's taken Sora from me!' Remembering that Sora's soul inhabits Oathkeeper only heightens my inner fury; fear, agony, anger, and heartbreak collide within my chest. Suddenly Riku pulls the shiny silver metal key from behind his back, eyes daring as he holds it in front of him, Oblivion atop it. My cried die within my throat as I whisper the one thing I can think of. "Sora..."

"I assure you, he is alive and well...but not for long."

I tighten my fists in anxiety; my spoken words are deadly quiet as I begin a steady pace towards him. "If you even think about harming him...so help me Riku...I know you are my friends, but I will not hesitate to mangle you beyond recognition. Don't make me do it."

Riku's confident mien doesn't disappear. "I look forward to it." He takes a step forward. "But Princess, I'd never think of harming your precious Prince." He tosses Oathkeeper at me, which I catch with a ready, graceful hand, twirling it within my fingers before bringing it down in front of me. When I look back up I point the keyblade straight at his chest. "How about a challenge, Princess?"

I smirk viciously. "Prepare yourself."

Yuffie clung tighter to Leon's arm as the four came to a complete stop before the wide open doors of castle Nebula, which towered high above them, seemingly taller than the castle gates. To her credit, the ninja noticed Aerith's shaky fingers grab a quick hold of Ansem's coat for courage and comfort. For his part, he seemed to understand her plight by simply placing a gentle hand on her arm. Leon appeared to catch sight of this as well and responded by rubbing Yuffie's shoulders. She glanced up, indigo eyes shining as she wrapped her arms around him, snuggling into his chest as tears sprang to her eyes. "Squall...I'm scared."

"Don't be Yuf, I'm here," he soothed, caressing her head.

"That's what I'm scared of. You should ALWAYS be here...but what if you or I don't make it?" She wiped frantically at her moist eyes. "I couldn't bear that!"

Leon pulled her closer into his embrace as though if he let her go she might disappear into thin air. A million thoughts were swirling around in his head as he listened to his lover's continuous sobbing. Somewhere deep inside of him knew he was as powerless as the others were; however, he also, and more importantly, knew he'd protect Yuffie, even if it meant his own life. Yet, for now, all he could do was watch as the others did, watch as onlookers and people passing by did on such crucial events that could not be helped with outside sources. Counting on Kairi had left them with varying results in the past, causing doubts on their party's faith; but she did usually pull through, albeit with consequences. Nonetheless, Leon couldn't help but have the feelings he had at that moment. Even when Kairi pulled through with consequences, the magnitude of those consequences wasn't easily brushed off. He shuddered at her most recent mistake and downfall.

His thoughts returned to Yuffie as he looked down to see her gazing up at him, almond shaped eyes wide with sudden curiosity. "Squall?" She blinked innocently. "Is something the matter?"

"No, I just have a lot on my mind." He answered her truthfully, russet locks blocking his expression form her face. "Mainly you though."

She grinned through her tears. "I'm flattered. But you see," she pointed a slender finger behind him as he had been facing her, his back to Aerith and Ansem. "They are going to leave us."

He turned around only for his gaze to meet an extremely impatient flower girl who was tapping her foot in blatant annoyance. Ansem was busy examining something about the castle walls; he hardly seemed to acknowledge the healer's irritated facial expression. Yuffie scratched her head before letting out a small giggle and darting not the open gap between Aerith and Ansem. "Well Squall, are you coming? Her eyes shone with mischief.

He smirked. "Of course. Who else is going to be able to watch you?"

The young ninja blushed. "I'm 20 remember? Not 16 anymore, Squall!"

"Don't I know it," he muttered to himself under his breath, a somewhat lecherous grin upon his scarred face. Aerith gasped in horror at his supposedly mumbled statement; Yuffie's face resembled something like scarlet. Leon rose a brow. "What?"

"Mr. Leonhart, I'm going to pretend I never heard that."

"Me too." Aerith had turned as pink as her dress because of his comment, and had practically run ahead to be anywhere Leon wasn't, mainly out of astonishment.

Yuffie, on the other hand, had turned an even darker shade of scarlet when she caught Leon's gaze. She was currently seeking hiding behind her hands. "That was so...embarrassing," she murmured to the Gunblade slinger.

Leon chuckled.

Tension fills the air in a blanket, thick enough to cut with a knife. The air is chilly, rancid and putrid all because of what surrounds me. To my right, my left, my back and my front are heartless, but not just any heartless. Each of these heartless has been given extra long antennas, a long pointed spear and each its own sword. The E-class heartless are taller and more human than I imagined. At the present 2 surround me on each side. Where the others are is a mystery to me, but according to Riku they are out scouting for any survivors. 'He must be talking about Yuffie, Leon, Aerith and whoever else is left.' I remember something about Cid staying back on the ship incase we were in need of rescuing. 'Nah,' I shake my head. 'Cid is just a chicken.' All around me I can hear Riku's laughter but he has vanished from my sight. I grasp Oathkeeper tightly as the heartless stand before me, motionless with their weapons, long antennae never once twitching. I feel as though they are waiting for me to make the first move, which I take as a challenge and gladly accept.

"Kill her," a voice hisses from the black misty atmosphere. "Make her bleed...spill her blood...!"

"You just try it," I shout at the heartless as they stir from their motionless state. I aim Oathkeeper at the nearest one and lash out with the razor tip. The unfortunate heartless that meets my blade drops its weapons and crumbles to the floor in a pile of dust. Each of the others appears stunned as they watch the fall of their brother but I do not hesitate is killing another. Once I have successfully slashed two in half, and have watched them disintegrate before my eyes, I give the others a fleeting glance. "Come on. I'm waiting here."

"Enough."

I roll my eyes as Riku strolls up behind the two heartless in front of me, his eyes now a deep forbidding carnelian. I take a cautious step back. A slow sinister smile spreads across his pale face as he raises Oblivion before him. "All at once, attack!" Immediately they spring into action, their claws aimed for any open flesh on my body. Upon contact, I hear Riku's twisted chuckles as the heartless rip at me with their claws, most having found no use for their various weapons upon such a creature as myself. "How do you fend against that Princess? You are as pathetic as you are weak!" He snarls with distaste at the heartless. "Finish her!"

"NO!"

I chance a quick glance to my left and see Tidus bounding towards us. "NO! TIDUS, DON'T COME ANY CLOSER!" Riku seems to sense this and swiftly points Oblivion at him. Tidus skids to a halt before us, eyes wide with uncertainty and fright as Oblivion's tip glows blue. 'No! Not Thundaga!' My mind thinks of a way to prevent the attack from Tidus but the heartless are swarming me, now holding my bloody, battered body to the ground. I struggle beneath them, trying desperately to throw them off but they are far too strong. "TIDUS, RUN, NOW!" He nods and makes a quick 180 turn to run but by then I see the energy at Oblivion's tip spring forward; it's too late. "NO, NO, NO!" I scream as Tidus falls to the ground limply in front of Selphie. She grabs him, shaking him as fresh tears leak from her eyelids. She shrieks again, this time out of sadness as she gets to response from Tidus. I glare at Riku from my spot. "RIKU, YOU BASTARD! WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO HIM?"

"He is merely unconscious. I would never get rid of him...yet. He is still necessary to open the keyhole." Riku waves me off as though what just occurred is of no concern, as though it is a simple daily happening in anyone's humdrum life. "Need I remind you that we haven't even gone forward with out plan yet? It would be a waste to kill him so soon."

I quirk a brow, amusement surfacing through my pain. "It hasn't?" He shakes his head. I have the sneaking suspicion that he is bluffing about something. "Does Cyra, your queen, know about what is happening right now?" He stiffens visibly. My lips suddenly form a crescent. "I see...you've disobeyed your Queen, have you not?"

"I would never do anything of the sort! How dare you accuse me of such an act!" His stance emits confidence but his eyes tell the truth. The barest flicker of fear runs through them, disappearing rather quickly but having stayed long enough for me to catch a glimpse of it. He points an equally accusing finger at me, his yellow-orange spheres glowing with pent up anger. I shrink back a little. "Simpletons such as you have no right whatsoever to venture outside the bounds of such ridiculous thoughts! Silence yourself or your death will come sooner!"

I bite my tongue from retorting after having noticed that the direction he was headed in before I stopped him so rudely happens to be Selphie's. I cry out this time without a second thought. "No, wait! Riku, you're fight is with me! Don't hurt them!"

"You silly girl! How many times do I have to tell you that they are part of this plan? I will not harm them more than needed!" Riku spits his response at me in a venomous tone as he grabs Selphie's arm. She pushes him away with all her strength but it is not nearly enough in her current state. He jabs his fist into her abdomen, successfully knocking the wind out of her and leaving her somewhat unconscious and dazed, like Tidus. Seemingly satisfied with his work, Riku raises his hand up and the ground beneath my two friends glows brightly. I think I am hallucinating as they begin to sink into the ground before leaving my sight completely. As soon as he's finished Riku whips around to face me again. He gives the heartless an irritated look before snapping his fingers. As if by magic they leap off of me and form a straight line. At Riku's command they vanish in thin air, their destination unknown to me. "Now Princess," Riku faces me with Oblivion readied in his hands. "How about that challenge? I have rid us of the heartless as I believe in fair fights, and now we can commence properly. What do you say?"

"I say you're on," I reply through gritted teeth. "But I'm not sure how fair this fight will be. You may have dismissed the heartless form this chamber Riku, but as I recall, you know all of my moves since you are the one who trained me. Tell me, how fair would this fight be?"

He snickers. "You're right. This fight won't be fair but it has to happen." Before I can comprehend what has happened, I see Oathkeeper fly from my grip and hear it clatter a few feet away. I send Riku another death glare, as I stand before him, empty-handed like a sitting duck. He chuckles again. "Well, well, well...it appears that the little Princess is going to meet an unfortunate fate, don't you agree?"

"I would but your face is really bothering me, Riku, you smart ass punk. You should learn to treat Princesses with respect, don't YOU agree? Kairi, are you all right?"

I whirl around to face the speaker of the voice. My vision gets hazy as I process what is taking place. Whether is it from blood loss or from sheer out shock, I can't tell. "But you...no...not now! No illusions now!"

"I wish I were an illusion for your sake, if it would make your pain leave." He places a hand on my shoulder. "But I am not an illusion Kairi."

"Sora...it's really you...oh my..." I almost tackle him out of happiness, relieved to find out he is a solid mass. "I missed you...I missed you so much...I-"

We're broken from our interlude by Riku's bored sigh. "Really now...this is interesting. Tell me Sora, was this all planned out?" His voice quivers a bit, I notice, but he continues on. "I don't suppose you've been in hiding while your Princess was being tortured, right?" Sora's eyes harden at Riku's taunts but the Prince of Darkness continues to tease him. "Hm...I don't suppose she'll be living too much longer. She had lost quite a bit of blood, not to mention that the heartless claws she was injured by hold a type of...poison, shall I say?"

I look at him quizzically. "What are you...?" Suddenly my skin begins to burn and I crumple to my knees, hugging myself with my arms as the blood on my skin begins to smoke. "Wh-what is this? Acid?" I stare at Sora pleadingly. "Sora...what's happening? It hurts! It hurts so much!" I shake uncontrollably as Sora falls to his knees next to me. My body begins to feel weaker by each passing second and soon I am lying in Sora's arms, convulsing slightly. I manage to turn my head in Riku's direction. "How...how do I...?"

"How do you stop it?" He chuckles. "Why, you have to kill me first. But in that case, I do hope you enjoy your last moments Princess. It seems as though the will be short lived."

I clench my teeth at the excruciating tremors wracking my body. "Sora..." I reach out my hand and grab a hold of his outstretched one. "I wanted to tell you...I've always believed in you...I-"

"No more words Kairi. This will all be over soon." He lays me on the floor gently, casting Curaga to ease the pain until he can defeat Riku. I manage to regain control of my body, the symptoms lessened by the soothing magic, and crawl out of the way as Sora picks up Oathkeeper. Riku readies Oblivion, his lips curled into a hideous expression. Sora smirks, running a quick hand through his hair. I call out to him one more time. "Don't worry Kai. I got everything under control." With one last wink from him I see him dash towards Riku and I hear the first battle cry. The battle persists for what seems to be mere minutes in my mind and then I hear a distinct cry. Just then I feel my weakened body give in and I collapse against the granite wall, the last thing I hear a bloodcurdling, horrified cry.

TBC...

(Okie, now just so you know, it's about a chapter or two away from being completed. But I should let you know that there will be a sequel and a prequel to explain some weird things that are in this chapter. Yeah, like the Selphie/Tidus being branded thing. That explanation will be in the prequel...so let your mind wander with that concept however you'd like! Personally, I thoroughly enjoyed writing this chapter because I was having a major writer's block and was glad to have gotten out of it, and I thought this chapter was different but interesting! Well, please R&R to tell me what you think and constructive criticism is welcome but NO flames cause that is rude!)

DarkKairi1