Vixen: Ashes, ashes, we all fall down!

Kairi: What are you doing?

Vixen: Huh, who's there!

Kairi: Oh, just forget it. The nut case called Vixen does not own Kingdom Hearts, or any of the other people in it.

Vixen: I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts...

Kairi: Will you just shut up so we can get on with the story?

Vixen: Sorry.

Riku-Stand-Riku

It seemed like any summer's night. But for a young teenaged boy, it wasn't a normal night. Tonight might even be his last.

His gaze was directed toward the inky black sky. He hadn't seen it in so long; he wanted just one last look before he could no longer see it. The stars shined in his eyes as he looked at them; but they alone shined in the pools of sapphire ice. His eyes had long ago lost the spark that they had once held. His zest for life, for living, had died. All he felt was the bitter taste of anger, self-contempt and absolute depression. He hated himself for what he had done to his friends. He couldn't forgive himself for betraying Kairi and trying to use her to bring him to Kingdom Hearts. "Kairi," he whispered, his long silver hair falling in his face as he looked at the ground, averting his gaze from the sinister sword he held tight in his grip. "I'm so sorry."

And then there was the matter of Sora. Sora, his life long friend. Sora, his friendly rival. Sora, the master of the Keyblade. Sora, who had given his heart to save Kairi's. Sora, who had sworn to fight on the side of the Light; while he, Riku, opposed him on the side of the Darkness. All of it added up to one thing: he thought that he had always been better then Sora, but now he saw the truth. Sora was much stronger than he could ever hope to be.

He wanted to blame it all on that vile creature that was choking his heart. Ansem. How he despised that name. He was the one to blame for this. Ansem was the one that made him seek out the Princesses of Heart. Ansem was the one that lured him to the darkness. Ansem was the one who had unleashed his true Darkness. Ansem had made him fight his best friend. Ansem had wanted Kairi's heart. Ansem was the one who had caused all this pain; all this misery.

But as much as he wanted to lay all the blame on Ansem, Riku knew the truth. He knew that he was responsible too. He knew that he had given in to the Darkness; he knew he had let Ansem take control. It was to much to bear. But not for much longer. Soon, very soon, all of his misery would be over.

His thoughts traveled to when they had sealed the door. Riku and the King had stayed on the inside of Kingdom Hearts, while Sora, Donald and Goofy pushed on the other side to seal the door. Riku looked up at his long time friend for what he thought might be the last time, and slowly, he made one simple request.

"Take care of her."

Riku had hoped that Kairi would forget about Sora. But he knew he'd been kidding himself. She adored Sora. There was no way she could ever feel the same affection for him; not after what he had done. None of them could ever look at him again without being afraid of him. He had lost their trust. He had lost their admiration.

Forever.

Tears welling up in the corners of his eyes, Riku gripped the handle of the sword even tighter. "I have nothing left. All my friends hate me. There's nothing left for me here but despair and misery." He closed his eyes as he brought a last vision of Kairi's smiling eyes to his mind. "It all ends now."

Slowly, deliberately, he raised his arm; bringing the sinister blade up with it. As soon as it was shoulder level, he placed his other hand on the hilt so that it was balanced by both of his hands. Slowly, he turned the blade around; until the tip of it was just inches from his chest, ready for a fatal thrust to his heart. The blade winked in the moonlight, almost as if it could sense the approaching blood-shed. After so many Heartless slaughtered, it would finally taste the blood that it craved.

Tears falling freely now, Riku summoned Sora into his mind as well. He could imagine his friend's horror of what he was about to do, but he didn't care. Nothing mattered anymore.

But as he was about to drive the sword through his heart, a cry stopped him.

Wait!

He looked around, confused. He thought he was alone out here. But as he listened, it came again, and he realized it was in his head.

Riku, don't do this. You're friends still need you. You have so much greatness ahead of you. Don't throw it away now. Please, don't break the hearts of your friends.

Riku snapped his head up, surprised. Then even greater wonder showed across his face. There was a huge castle before him; it had popped up out of nowhere.

"Who are you?" Riku questioned suspiciously.

A friend. Come into the castle. I promise, you won't regret it.

He didn't know if he could trust this girl's voice, but he didn't want to die anymore. He wanted to know what this girl was calling him for.

All thoughts of death banished from his mind, Riku walked towards the castle.

I guess that old saying is true, Riku thought, a small sparkle in his eyes that had been dead for so long; sometimes, all you can do in life is just brush of the past and look to tomorrow. You need to face the future, and not live in the hurt of yesterday. You need to stand.

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Vixen: So, do you like it?

Riku: I don't; YOU ALMOST KILLED ME!

Vixen: Maybe; but I didn't!

Naminé: Yeah, but only because I stopped her.

Riku: Who are you?

Naminé: A friend. And now, I say bye-bye!

Vixen: Yeah, what she said. Bye-bye!

Vixen: By the way, see little button down there that says, REVIEW? It doesn't bite, it's really gentle; but it's getting lonely. So just clickie it and leave a review, I promise you'll still have all your fingers.