There was a moment of silence, and then in barely a whisper, Riku answered the question with one of his own, "What do you mean?"

"Well, surely you didn't believe that it was over, that the darkness was gone forever? Because you can't just get rid of evil so easily."

"Of course darkness isn't gone for good, but surely, after everything, it won't resurface until long after our time."

A smile hovered around the girl's lips, "You would think that, or at least you would like to, but it is only wishful thinking. You don't really believe that. It's too easy."

"Easy? You think it was easy? You have no idea how hard it was, how much we went through."

"Actually, I do. I know everything that you did. And as difficult as it may have seemed, I can assure you that the worst is yet to come."

"Why should I believe you? I don't even know who you are. As far as I can see the you are the only threat around."

"Fine," she said, "don't believe me. But when the bomb drops and the next war begins, you'll be the one who has to live knowing that you could have helped prepare and give them a head start. You will have failed them again."

"Shut up!" yelled Riku at these last words. He leapt forward and lashed out with his sword, acting on his anger. The girl pulled out the black rod and repelled his attack with it. In the moment before his second attack ensued, she backed up and, with a flick of her arm, activated the rod, which had been retracted from both ends. She now held the staff at ready. Riku had another go at her, but she parried back his blows expertly.

"I understand that it was a mistake, but please don't make another," she called out to him as they fought, "Two, in fact."

"Oh yeah, what's the second?" he called back.

"Fighting me."

She had a point. While Riku was going at it with gusto, this girl didn't seem to be using much of her strength at all. His temper being quelled slightly, he stopped for a moment.

"What is this new threat that we are supposed to prepare for?"

"The Shadows."

He let out a short laugh. "We've faced shadows before."

She shook her, "No, you have faced Shadow Heartless. This is a whole new breed of creature. If you want to defeat this new enemy, you will need to be stronger, and you will need to be ready."

"These Shadows, what do they want?"

With another flick of her arm, the girl retracted then ends of her staff and placed it back in its holster. "I can't tell you that. Not yet, at least. I will explain everything to you and to Sora and Kairi when the time comes." There was a long pause during which the girl took off the black fingerless gloves she had been wearing. Then suddenly she held out a hand to Riku. "Come with me."

"Where?" he said sternly, not convinced yet that he could rely on her.

"To the Sanctum. And don't ask how we are getting there, I will explain that, too, when the time comes." He looked at her as the wind of the island tossed the loose strands of hair about. He suddenly felt compelled to believe her. As if reading his thoughts, spoke out in a whisper, "Trust me."

"Before I go with you, you have to tell me your name."

This was as good as an agreement to her. A look of relief crossed her face, and then she answered, "Melee."

Riku dismissed his sword. Stepping forward, he took her right hand in his left. She held up her other hand and closed her eyes, concentrating. As soon as he took her other hand, there was a rush of wind in his ears and everything went black.

Sora felt himself slowly coming awakening. Sound came first, the sound of the waves on the shore and the gulls in the distance. Sora opened his eyes for a moment, not really looking at the shore or the small island that were in his sight range. Then he shut them and began trying to wake himself up. His sleep-ridden mind took a moment to process what he had just seen, but when it did it brought him fully into awareness. He jerked upright and stared at the small island, but it was empty. Shaking his head and rubbing his eyes, he took another look. Funny, he could have sworn a moment ago that he had seen Riku and someone else standing on the island. His sudden movement had stirred Kairi.

"What is it, Sora?"

"Hmm, oh, nothing. Say Kairi, do you know where Riku is?"

"He was over on the small island last time I checked." She stood up and looked over, "Well, how rude, running off on us like that." She smiled down at Sora, "Should we go find him?"

"Yeah..." trailed Sora thoughtfully. Kairi looked at him suspiciously, but didn't ask what was bothering him. The two headed off to scour the island in search of their friend.

After looking in the tree house, the secret place and the seaside shack, Sora and Kairi headed over to the cove. They ran into Tidus on their way there and, as always, he was raring and ready for a challenge.

"Hey, you wanna have a go?" he asked Sora, holding his staff aloft.

Sora shook his head, "Sorry. We're looking for Riku, you haven't seen him have you?"

"Not since this morning. Why, did you lose him?"

"Yep," said Kairi with a laugh.

As a sandy-haired boy left to find Wakka and Selphie, Sora murmured thoughtfully to himself, "Well, it wasn't Tidus then."

"Alright," said Kairi, rounding on him, "What's got you all worried?"

Sora explained about how he thought he had seen someone on the island with Riku and how Riku fathomed he'd seen someone up on the wooden structure a top the island.

"Hmm, well, I'm sure its nothing to worry about," she said after thinking about these events for a moment, "but all the same we should probably find Riku. Let's check the cove, and then go to Riku's house." Sora nodded, but somehow he didn't really believe that they would find Riku just by searching the island.

Riku hadn't been at the cove, so, as planned Kairi and Sora had headed around the island to his house. As they looked at the door of the slightly shabby structure, both began to reconsider asking around for him there. If whether Riku was home or not, his mother would be, and if he wasn't, she would most certainly have a breakdown when she found out that he was presumed missing. She had always been a nervous woman, prone to worry, but when Destiny Islands had returned after Kingdom Hearts had been sealed and Riku hadn't returned with it, she nearly died off worry. Kairi was forced to come over everyday to check on her, console her, and make sure she didn't do anything too rash, such as throw herself into the ocean (the woman had never learned to swim). Even though they were all safe home now, the experience had heightened her anxiety to an almost unreasonable level. After all, her son was all she had left now, with her husband long gone. Riku's father had left before the boy's birth, and none of the younger generation knew whether he had died or left. In fact, they didn't even know his name.

"Well, I guess there's nothing for it," said Sora, deciding to step forward boldly.

"But what if he's not there," inquired Kairi, not really expecting an answer. She didn't receive one.

Sora lifted his fist, hesitated a moment, then knocked. From inside came a small, slightly shaking voice, "Come in." Sora pushed the door open and they entered a small foyer-like area. The voice continued, "Riku, you don't need to knock, it's your own-"

The woman had stopped speaking when she saw who had entered her living room. She was sitting over in a corner, with a lantern next to her, sewing while she waited for her son to come home for the night. Sora and Kairi both had to stop themselves from giving her a pitying look as they gazed at the woman. She was small and spindly and extremely frail. She was pale, with a face that held more lines and darker circles than a woman of her age should. The seasons had not been kind; she was almost in a constant state of sickness, with various ailments sapping all of her energy, though she never complained of her misfortune.

"Hello Atira," said Kairi softly.

Atira's eyes flicked back and forth between the two of them. "Wh-where is Riku? Where is my son?" she stammered.

"We just came-" began Kairi, but Sora cut her off.

"To tell you that Riku is spending the night at my house," he fibbed.

Atira regarded him for a moment. She almost considered asking Sora to plead with Riku to come home. Not that she didn't trust Sora, but what if she needed Riku's help? Stop being ridiculous, she chided herself mentally, he deserves to spend some time with his friends. As had happened many times since the birth of her son, she felt ashamed of herself. She felt so helpless; it seemed she forever had to depend on Riku to do things for her because she was too weak or sick to do them herself. When he was an infant, she had received help from the other islanders, whenever they could spare it. But as he grew older, and she unwittingly piled more and more responsibilities on him, he started to refuse help from them, wanting to be independent and prove that he could handle his own house. That's why he's always so competitive with his friends, that's why he is so standoffish towards everyone, she thought, and that's why he left, because of me. She lowered her eyes to the floor.

"Do need any help?" Kairi piped up.

Atira looked up at her. She owed the girl so much. "No," she said, hoisting herself out of her chair, "No, I'll just grab a bite to eat and then head of to bed." She sent a fretful glance towards the stairs. Oh, how she dreaded having to try and climb them. Usually Riku helped her up them. Oh, who am I kidding, help isn't even the right word, she thought, he has to all but carry me. She sighed, perhaps she would just sleep on the couch.

Sora and Kairi glanced at each other, wondering whether they had been right to keep the truth from Atira. But then they looked at the dark circles under her eyes, the worry lines stretched across her forehead, and they knew that such news might be the straw that broke the camel's back. She would surely blame herself and be perfectly inconsolable until he returned.

Atira glanced at the two. She could see that they felt bad about leaving her alone. But she was used to it. As much as her son has always been there for her, there still remained the empty, lost feeling that comes with losing a husband. Her resolve hardened. Who needs him anyway? she thought, I can do fine without him. As if jinxed, her legs chose that moment to give way. The young pair were at her side immediately, Sora helping her up and over to the kitchen table and Kairi setting about fixing her a sandwich. Atira tried to shoo them away, but they refused to leave until she was settled with her meal.

"Are you sure you are going to be all right getting to bed?" persisted Kairi.

"Yes, yes, go on home before you worry your parents." They nodded and turned to leave.

Standing outside of their friend's dwelling, Sora and Kairi let out twin sighs. It was hard, knowing how to do the right thing. Under normal circumstances, they would never have though about withholding the truth, but after the considering the consequences of telling Atira that her son had gone missing again, it seemed a little white lie was the only way to keep greater tragedy from insueing.

"I just hope he comes back soon," said Kairi, instinctively looking up to the sky. She didn't want to believe that he was up there, that he had really left Destiny Islands again, but she could see any other answer to Riku's disappearance.

The two friends parted ways, Kairi heading towards her home and Sora taking the beach route to his. Stopping at a spot on the beach, he looked out towards the sea and allowed a memory from a long gone time to play before his mind's eye. Kairi, what was your home town like? You know where you grew up? They had been younger then, happier. Or at least he had been, and Kairi, too. Riku had always seemed happy enough, but Sora could never be sure. There they stood, on the beach, laughing, playing, but always planning, always preparing to leave someday, to build a raft and see new worlds. Come on, we'll finish it together. I'll race you! Kairi had said in her bouncy, giggly voice. She was teasing them, knowing full well she could never win a race against the boys, but also knowing they could never resist the challenge and would bolt off full speed anyway, trying to best one another in strength and speed. Of course, their immediate response would be one of indignance. Are you kidding? Said Riku, seemingly not caring, but his eyes shined with fever. He had always been so adamant about the raft, or any other hair-brained scheme that might get them off the island. If only the Riku of then had known what would come of his eagerness.

Sora heard something, or thought he did, and turned back to the island. As his eyes searched the deserted landscape, they suddenly fell on a clump of plants near the rock face that held a waterfall. Their secret place, the hidden cave that they had made their childhood hideaway. It was getting late and he knew he should go home, but some how Sora felt drawn to the place. He ran up the steps, parted the foliage and wound his way through the tunnel that led to the concealed cavern. Chalk figures lined the walls, chronicling their childhood dreams and adventures. Sora was immediately drawn to the wall right next to the world's door. It bore the images that Sora and Kairi had drawn of one another when they were only kids. The arms that reached across to bring a paopu fruit to each other's mouth had been added in later, right before and just after the 1st conflict with the Heartless. Sora smiled; this picture always stirred up the warm feelings in his heart. Then, suddenly, his smile failed. Had Riku come to the secret place since they had returned, had he seen the additions to the pictures? It served as a symbol of their undying devotion to each other. After all, it had never been any secret, the fact that Riku had once had feelings for Kairi. He had been so unwavering in his devotion to finding Kairi, to being there for her, and then his younger, seemingly less capable friend had bested him. Perhaps the figures on the wall had driven him away.

Sora shook his head. An image came back to him, massive white doors and the face of his friend disappearing behind them, and his voice, calm and resolute, Sora, take care of her. No, Riku had known, he had realized that he could never out do Sora in Kairi's heart. He would never be more that a friend or a big brother to her. He accepted it. Sora turned to the other drawings, hoping for another clue. He found another set of portraits. The first of the set was by himself, portraying his missing friend with arms akimbo and a sour expression on his face. The second was of him, done by Riku. He was pictured as lanky (which wasn't entirely inaccurate) and bore a ridiculously wide grin on his face. With a small surprise, Sora realized that the picture was different then it had been. Some time after their return, Riku had altered it to show the shining Keyblade in his hand.

Sora sighed as an idea why Riku might have left began to formulate in his head. But before he could complete the theory, a voice sounded behind him.

"You must be looking for your friend."