-Sora53: Since I haven't updated in a while, here's a real treat! Two chappies within, like, 12 hours! Plus, if you haven't played CoM, this chappie will make your brain hurt.
Fans: Wow, that's something to be proud of.
Riku Fangirls: -burst in through the front door of wherever the heck we are- WE HEARD THERE WAS RIKU IN THIS CHAPTER!
Sora53: Um...sure!
Riku Fangirls: Riku? -melts-
Sora53: I suppose I have to get used to them melting again.
Corita: You deserve it with what you're doing to me in this stupid fic.
Sora53: Doesn't it stink when you have a contract?
Corita: I hate contracts. -glares at her contract to Memory's Rhapsody-

Dislaimer: I dun own KH or CoM, but I own Corita. And the voices in her head.
Corita: There are NOT voices in my head!

Ariel watched the group curiously as she circled above them in the water, watching them tread along the ocean floor. They were talking and walking normally, something that intrigued her.

"Are you guys from another world?" She asked. They looked up, startled by the sudden question.

"Why do you ask?" Sora wondered.

"Well, you have a very funny method of swimming." She remarked. "And those clothes look like they'd drag you down in the water."

At this comment, everyone looked down at their particular outfit, suddenly a bit self-conscious. Surely it must be strange for Ariel to see them...

"We're from an ocean...very far away." Sora explained.

"VERY far away." Goofy emphasized.

Ariel flashed a bright smile. "That's amazing! Maybe when we find Flounder, you can tell us about it!"

"Speaking of Flounder..." Corita said slowly, "how much farther to Ursula's...abode?"

"Not too much farther." Ariel answered as she drifted lazily above them.


Ursula's home wasn't much more than a large room, with various things scattered around the walls, such as a mirror and a chest filled with jewelry. As the group trudged into the room, the sea witch turned to face them with a smile.

"My, my! So many guests!" She cried with fake joy, surveying them. "What brings you all here?"

Ariel, while clearly nervous, swam in front of the group and stared Ursula in the eye. "You said you could save Flounder if I gave you the trident." She said softly. "But I need proof that you can before I hand it over to you."

Ursula's fake smile spread into a real one as her eyes changed from false joy to cruel deceit. "But of course! See?" Ursula chortled, waving a pudgy arm to her side. Flounder appeared in a flash of light, and Ursula moved in front of him, a wild gleam in her eye.

"Ariel!" The little fish cried from behind Ursula, clearly scared.

"I knew something was fishy!" Donald growled.

"There you have it. Give me the trident, and I'll let Flounder go." the sea witch told Ariel triumphantly. Ariel hesitated for a few moments, then sighed. She pulled out the trident from behind her back, and swam up to Ursula. She carefully handed it to her, who snatched it away greedily.

"Haha!" Ursula laughed. "I have the trident! Now I'm the ruler of the seas!"

"Let Flounder go!" Ariel cried as Ursula laughed.

"But of course! I'm feeling generous." Ursula said, moving to the side. Flounder swam frantically towards Ariel, who reached out to him kindly.

"Which reminds me... You always wanted to see other worlds, didn't you? Well, dear, I know just the world to send you to! Unfortunately, this will be a one-way trip!" Ursula roared, holding up the trident. It glowed a bright yellow color, and the area around them began to rumble. The ground began to shake as Ursula began to grow, getting larger and larger.

"The sea and all its spoils shall grovel before me!" She thundered. Sora instinctively summoned his Keyblade, searching for a weak spot.


"Don't be mad at me, Ariel. Ursula tricked me." Flounder muttered sadly.

"Flounder, don't worry about it. As long as you're safe, nothing else matters." Ariel said kindly. The little fish's fins perked up and he smiled a bit.

"But what if King Triton finds out that you're the one who took the trident in the first place?" Sora wondered.

Ariel gave a gentle laugh. "I'll be grounded for ages..."

"Ariel! Ariel! Where are you, girl? If you can hear me, please answer!" Called out a desperate voice.
"It's Sebastian!" Ariel cried, turning towards where the voice was coming from. "He came all the way out here looking for me?"

"When he finds you, you're gonna get it..." Donald told her.

"Hey, I know!" Sora said. "Why don't you just say Ursula stole the trident? And you got it back all by yourself! Then there's no way you'll get in trouble!"

"I just had the same idea! But...I can't do that. I don't want to get in trouble, but I can't lie. Not about this. I know I haven't made the best decisions lately. It was a mistake to take the trident. But I made that mistake because I wanted to help you, Flounder. I'm proud of that. Blaming someone else would mean giving those feelings up. So, I'm going to tell the truth."

"She's right, Sora." Corita said. "Honesty is the best policy."

"Aw, I was just kidding." Sora muttered. "You don't need to make an inspirational speech about it..."

Ariel smiled at him, then turned her head back to where Sebastian was calling with increasing amounts of desperation in his voice. "I should go talk to Sebastian. Thanks, everyone."

"No problem!" Sora said happily. They parted ways, and the group headed for the world's exit.


Corita sighed as they marched up the stairs to the next hallway. In Atlantica, no one had noticed her much...maybe it was just her imagination...

Her attention was turned back to the present when Sora let out a loud gasp. Looking up at the end of the hallway, Corita did the exact same thing.

"You...you're..." Sora stuttered, lost for words.

"Riku!" Corita choked out, finishing Sora's sentence.

At the end of the hallway to which the group was now running, stood Riku. He was the same as they remembered him; silver hair hung over teal eyes that were watching them closely.

"What are YOU doing here?" Sora asked happily when they reached him. Riku didn't respond right away, however. When he did, it was in a cold, cutting voice.

"Don't sound so happy to see me, Sora. Let me know if I'm getting in the way of something more important."

"What?" Corita asked, stunned. "He didn't mean it that way!"

"Spare me." He muttered cruelly. "I bet you'd all but forgotten about me."

"Are you kidding?" Sora cried. "We came all this way because we were LOOKING for you!"

"Not anymore though, right Sora?" Riku asked. "Now it's Naminé this, Naminé that. You don't care about me any more than you care about how Naminé feels."

Sora and Corita looked at Riku in stunned silence. Their friend, the very one who'd closed himself behind the door to darkness to save them, was talking to them like he barely knew them.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sora choked out.

"Ha, you really are oblivious to everything, aren't you? Just because you want to see Naminé doesn't mean it goes both ways."

"Ha ha, very funny, Riku." Sora growled.

"I'm serious. Naminé doesn't even want to look at you." Riku said seriously.

"Why not?"

Riku stared at Sora intently for a few moments. "Ask your memories." He said simply. "If you bothered to remember why Naminé left the islands..."

"What? Is it...my fault? Did I do something? Riku..." Sora whispered, his voice growing softer and weaker with every word.

"Go home, you two. I can take care of Naminé." Riku said. "Anyone who goes near her goes through me!"
Riku began to glow with darkness, and he was surrounded by it. A flash of black, and he was fitted with his clothes of darkness, gripping the handle of his sword.

"Riku, what's wrong with you?" Corita cried. "We find each other again, and you do this!"

"Since when have you two cared about me?" Riku growled. "Naminé's not the only one who's tired of you."

"Riku, stop!" Sora cried, but it was too late. Riku had rushed through them, knocking down the group of four. He then turned to Sora, who had taken out his Keyblade to guard against the next attack.


"Riku, come on! Wait up!" Sora cried as he ran after his friend. After defeating Riku in battle, Riku had run up the stairs, and Sora had chased him to no avail. He hung his head sadly as the rest of the team (who'd just turned back to their original forms after being cards) approached him.

"What's happened to him?" Sora wondered softly.

"We certainly was acting strange. Almost as if the Heartless were controlling him again." Jiminy chirped.

"No way! Ansem got to him once, but Ansem's history. We saw to that." Corita said.

"I wonder what happened to him..." Goofy muttered sadly.

"Wait a second!" Donald cried suddenly, causing the group to jump. "Isn't the king supposed to be with Riku? If something's happened to Riku, the king may be in danger! We've gotta get moving!"

"You're right..." Sora muttered.

"Sora..." Corita whispered sadly.

"Hey, don't worry about it. Riku is still your friend, and that's no mistake." Jiminy said from atop Donald's head.

"Really?" Sora asked.

"He sure said some awful things to you back there. But remember - we're in Castle Oblivion. People forget things here bit by bit. He probably's just forgotten that he and you were friends."

"He just forgot?" Sora wondered.

"That'd be my guess. So, let's figure out a way to make Riku remember. It's not like you to mope."

"Jiminy's right." Goofy said.

"Yeah...okay." Sora answered, smiling.

"No, no NO!" That is NOT what they Keyblade Master should sound like!" Corita told him, moving forward. "Try to sound more...heroic!"

"Huh? Okay, how's this..." Sora stated, walking in front of everyone. In a dramatic way, he held his Keyblade above his head and put on a brave face.

"I'll save Naminé, Riku, AND the king...and I'll do it blindfolded!"

"That's the spirit!" Jiminy cheered as Corita and Goofy broke out in fits of hysterical laughter.

Sora tried to keep a straight face as he called out, "Heartless? Hah! Forces of evil, do your worst!"

"NOW you're sounding heroic!" Jiminy cheered, applauding.

"He sure knows how to get carried away..." Donald muttered.

"Yep, that's our Sora!" Jiminy said happily as Corita and Goofy's laughter echoed through the hallway.

Sora53: Fwee! I was cracking up during that part in the game!
Sora: What, the part where Riku goes CRAZY?
Sora53: No, the part where Sora was acting...heroic.
Corita: YOU WILL ALL SUFFER!
Naminé: ...Why?
Corita: Because I'm joining sides with the Fans and the Riku Fangirls! We're starting a protest!
Joe: ...protest? What are you protesting?
Corita: No idea! But it sounded like a cool idea.
Sora: Who are you again?
Corita: That's not funny! -takes out staff- I WILL BLAST YOU INTO OBLIVION!
Sora53: No you won't. You have a contract. You're not allowed.-