Disclaimer- I've been a little vague about my last two disclaimers. I dont own Riku(wish I did) or anybody from Kingdom Hearts. I do, however, own Ziya, her family, and her world. Made 'em up myself.

Riku had known about the keyhole for years. He often visited the secret place, but this was the first time he would look upon the keyhole while possessing the key to unlock it.

After night passed over the island, and it's inhabitants had gone to bed, Riku snuck off to the secret place.

Riku saught shade under the tree near the edge of the village. He looked out at the vast desert which trapped the village, and its inhabitants, and something felt familiar about its endless possibilities, but harsh reality.

Below him, the world moved, and behind him, people lived, but Riku was still under the cool shade.

A leaf descended to where he sat, and brought is attention to the tree. He looked up and there he saw a girl laying in a branch in no different state than he.

Riku noted the determination, and desparation on her face. He spoke up.

"There's more room down here."

Ziya looked down.

"Oh, its you. What do you want?"

"Not the happiest elf in the North Pole, are you?"

She climbed down the tree, but jumped from the last branch and sat near Riku.

"What's to be happy about when you live in a prison? I wish I could leave. Dad's probably sent people off to the the gummi ship for you. How did you end up here?"

Riku thought for a moment how to explain the darkness he watched embrace his world. His arrival at his present location was still a mystery to him.

"I don't know. But I need to find my friends."

There was a moment of silent between them. Riku looked at the ground. He wondered where Kairi could be. Was she safe? He would find her. He'd protect her.

Ziya looked up at him.

"I was trying to run away. Trying to escape this. It was so dark last night, I couldn't see what was attacking me. It had me beat. I would have died if not for you. Living this life, it would have been better if you'd have let it kill me."

Riku looked at her. "You're a selfish girl."

"Please! Let me come with you! I won't get in your way. Just get me out of here!"

"I wanted to leave my prison, also. I wanted to see new worlds. I never expected to do it without them. There's still so much I'm curious about..."

"Then take me with you!"

Riku was getting annoyed with the girl beside him.

"I don't need you with me. I don't want you to come. You're a nuissance."

Riku stood up and began to leave.

"Oh yeah? Well you know what I think of you? Your rude! And you don't care about anything! You don't know a thing! I wouldn't want to go with you if my life depended on it!"

Riku turned around.

"Good. Then we agree."