Disclaimer: Once upon a time there was a girl who did not own Kingdom Hearts. That sad girl was me. The end.

A/N: Hello, everyone! I've got your next chapter up and ready for you guys. Not much to say... oh, but I do know that there are some things that still need to be answered, such as exactly why Riku decided to show up and Alexandra's duty and whatnot... but just as a reminder, keep in mind that those things'll eventually be revealed. :D

xoxo Bianca.

Intertwined Destinies

Chapter Sixteen.

"Kairi, stay here," mimicked Kairi, making her voice big and low and annoying. "You're not coming."

"That's final," Kairi huffed and glared at the little pieces of glass on the hardwood floor. "Stay here or go back into the Inn if you want, blah blah blah blah."

Moving her arms slightly with the broom in her hands, Kairi swept the broken glass into a pile. She moved the pile over to the now open door, and sent the glass flying outside of the Inn. There.

"BLAH!" Kairi shouted as she practically smashed the door shut. She took several deep breaths and set her free hand on her hip in a stubborn manner. "How dare he! I mean, really! How could Riku just hog all the fun like that?"

Fun. Kairi remembered the bone-chilling scream. Okay... so maybe it was for the better...

"Besides," sighed Kairi, slightly giving in. "I was starting to regret leaving the Inn, anyway..."

But anger still simmered as Kairi thought more and more about it. Then, she couldn't take it anymore.

"UGH!" Kairi fumed, dropping the broom at her feet. "Hi, people of the world! I'm Riku and I think I'm so very strong and cool and awesome and sexy! Oh, greetings, random passerby! Will you do yourself the honor of complimenting my firm muscles? You know you want to!"

Kairi picked up the broom and jabbed it in the air fiercely. "Look at me! My name is Riku BIGHEAD! I like to order people around like some adult! A very attractive and sexy adult, mind you!"

Exhausted, or more like too annoyed to continue, Kairi set the broom against the wall and retired to a nearby chair. She muttered incoherently and refrained herself from banging her head against the table.

"Simmer down, Kairi," she told herself, mocking sourly at her English teacher's way of telling the class to shut up. "Simmer down."

Then Kairi remembered the last thing Riku said.

We'll go Sora-hunting later.

Kairi pictured herself slipping stealthily around a dark forest with a blood red bandana wrapped around her cranium as she steadied a shotgun in her hands.

"Oooh," Kairi growled furiously. "I am going to kill that bigheaded, bossy, pretentious, narcissistic, unbearable, egoistic..."

I will not have an ul—

"Hey," Riku stood up, carefully carrying Alexandra in his arms. His eyes were fixed on the two boys in front of him. An eyebrow lifted up and he looked rather amused. This was new, eh? Riku's eyes then immediately focused on Sora, not Toshi.

"So, Sora..." a smirk took residence in Riku's lips. "You never told me you had a twin."

Sora barely found his voice. He spoke, even though it was hoarse. "How do you know I'm Sora?"

"Because you're the one gawking."

"Oh." Sora flushed. "Riku... how did you..."

"Merlin sent me."

"When did you..."

"Quite a few hours ago."

"Why did you..."

"Because I've been given a task."

"Will you just PLEASE—"

"Let you finish your sentences?" Riku looked smug.

"Yes!" Sora crossed his arms defiantly, now getting over his shock. That familiar competitive feeling he'd always get around Riku was starting to arise once more.

Riku shook his head from side to side, chuckling deep in his throat. "Well, it looks like we all owe each other some explanations."

"You think?"

A few minutes later they sat down right in the alleyway, leaning against the wall with unconscious Alexandra resting off to the side.

"First things first," Riku slightly winced as he looked at Sora's shoulder. "We're going to have to take care of that—before it gets infected."

"Oh, my shoulder can wait!" Sora shot back impatiently, almost completely over the pain in his shoulder. "I'm getting really confused with all this! Please get on with your explanation before my brain spontaneously combusts!"

That outburst made Toshi laugh sadistically, earning a glare from Riku. He immediately looked sheepish as he looked off to the side. He muttered an apology and Riku spoke up.

"Well," said the silver-haired male, "Sora, you go first."

Sora took a deep, deep breath. "One-day-I-woke-up-and-I-tried-to-get-some-fish-because-I-was-hungry-so-I-splashed-around-the-lake-but-I-couldn't-get-anything-until-Donald-and-Goofy-woke-up-and-then-Donald-told-me-to-use-my-Keyblade-so-I-did-and-I-cast-Stopga-on-the-fish-to-catch-them-and-then-we-used-Firaga-to-cook-them-and-after-eating-we-were-resting-but-it-started-to-get-all-dark-so-we-all-stood-up-and-stared-at-the-sky-when-it-started-raining-then-I-heard-Kairi's-voice-calling-out-my-name-and-after-that-Donald-Goofy-and-I-were-sort-of-captured-in-a-whirlwind-and-arrived-in-a-place-that-had-a-stained-glass-ceiling-with-a-picture-of-me-and-Kairi-and-the-paopu-fruit-and-Donald-Goofy-and-I-decided-to-walk-and-walk-around-to-find-some-exit-or-whatever-but-couldn't-find-anything-and-then-suddenly-we-ran-into-some-Heartless-just-right-after-Goofy-mentioned-them-which-is-really-weird-but-anyway-we-kept-walking-and-kept-coming-across-Heartless-when-suddenly-there-was-this-dark-shadowy-blob-that-began-to-appear-and-it-literally-sucked-me-and-the-others-into-it's-spiraly-vortex-of-doom-and-then-I-woke-up-on-the-ground-here-in-Traverse-Town-and-that's-when-Trinity-found-me-and-took-me-to-the-Inn-and-then-I-found-out-Kairi-was-here-but-I-never-met-up-with-her-which-really-sucks-and-I-also-heard-about-Trinity's-dead-brother-so-I-went-off-and-came-across-Merlin's-house-and-went-in-and-found-his-sort-of-diary-or-journal-which-I-have-in-my-pocket-right-now-at-this-very-moment-and-earlier-I-was-about-to-go-in-the-Inn-when-I-saw-Kairi-and-Trinity-talking-and-I-suddenly-decided-to-leave-because-I-lost-the-Keyblade-along-with-the-Oathkeeper-which-I-promised-Kairi-to-keep-but-I-obviously-don't-have-it-right-now-so-I-ran-off-and-read-some-of-Merlin's-entries-and-it-said-that-there-was-a-Heartless-that-looked-like-a-girl-who-has-come-for-destruction-so-it-must-have-been-Alexandra-because-I-met-up-with-her-and-Toshi-much-earlier-and-I-was-like-"Dude-that-guy-stole-my-face!"-and-when-I-came-Alexandra-started-acting-all-crazy-and-threw-me-against-the-wall-so-that's-why-my-shoulder-is-bleeding-and-then-she-started-counting-down-like-a-madwoman-before-she-fainted-and-you-came-and-caught-her. THE END!"

Riku gave Sora a quizzical look, opening his mouth and trying to say something, but then closing his mouth and suddenly opening it again in another attempt to say something but closed it instead. He looked like a fish pleading for its water.

There was an awkward silence before Toshi decided to speak up.

"Da-ang," Toshi said, stretching out his word and staring at a very pale Sora. "Dude looks like he's gonna have an ulcer."

"... uppity, cocky, pompous, self-centered MEANIE!" finished Kairi at last, standing up and clenching her fists. Satisfied with herself, Kairi wandered over to the sitting room where Trinity still lay unconscious. Staring down at Trinity in utter silence, Kairi let out a deep sigh.

She hated to admit it, but... she was bored.

"Right," Kairi muttered, rolling her eyes. "After suddenly getting transported to a stained glass place and then falling down to Traverse Town finding that I am so very near Sora... I find myself bored?"

"Umm..." murmured a voice. Kairi, surprised, immediately looked down to see Trinity stirring. Slowly, her light hazel eyes opened and blinked up to see Kairi.

"Kairi, dear. What happened? The last thing I remember is seeing..."

"Riku went out," answered Kairi quickly, reaching over and placing a hand on Trinity's forehead. "Are you okay?"

Trinity sat up and Kairi pulled away. "I am rather fine, now. Riku. Where is Riku? Why did he leave?"

Kairi sat with Trinity on the sofa. "He went out because he heard a scream from the next district. I think he'll be back soon... I hope." Kairi neglected to mention that they nearly left Trinity alone in the Inn while she was still unconscious.

Trinity was silent for a moment. She looked down at her pale hands and closed her eyes. A few seconds passed, then she reopened her eyes to look at Kairi. A certain emotion Kairi could not quite put her finger on had washed over Trinity's eyes.

"I had a dream," Trinity said softly, looking around the room aimlessly.

"Let me guess," Kairi said, not really taking it seriously. "Was Riku in it?"

Trinity did not laugh, smile, or even show a slight start of a smile. Instead she shook her head and lifted her own chin as her eyes clouded over. Kairi stared at Trinity's eyes and suddenly identified the emotion in them.

Pain. An utterly longing, suffering sort of pain. That, and memory. Memory and pain. Remembering pain. It was remembrance of the past pain she had encountered.

"About... about my brother..." Trinity inhaled deeply. The tears did not gather and spill down her cheeks. She was attempting to stay strong. In her case, a rather difficult attempt.

Kairi became somber. "Trinity..."

Trinity launched right into the dream. "My brother really was alive and he came back to me. We were reunited... Traverse Town became filled with life again... and everything was right... everyone was with who they were supposed to be with..."

Everything was right. Kairi breathed in sharply. She found herself feigning back tears as well.

Everyone was with who they were supposed to be with...

"I must admit that this is sort of ironic," Riku said, smirking. "We've got two unconscious people in Traverse Town."

Sora raised an eyebrow. "Who else is unconscious besides Alexandra?"

"Trinity," Riku replied, and Sora's eyes widened as Toshi just looked plain confused. "At least, when I left she was still unconscious. I have no idea if she has awakened already."

Suddenly, Riku's head snapped up to look Sora in the eye. "That reminds me, Sora," his friend gave him a questioning look, "that Kairi's in the Inn. I can't believe how long you two have been in Traverse Town and haven't met yet! It's crazy."

Sora didn't say anything, nor did he look at Riku.

"We should go to the Inn," Riku pointed out. "C'mon."

"No!" Riku was about to stand up before Sora grabbed him by the elbow. Sora cleared his throat. "I mean, no. I can't face Kairi now."

Riku looked appalled. He sat back down. "Why not, Sora? Are you wrong in the head or something? For God's sake, how can you pass up a chance to see your girlfriend?"

"She's not my girlfriend," Sora replied, turning a deep shade of crimson. "I don't think she and I have even decided that yet."

Riku's eyes narrowed. "So what's up?"

Sora looked away. "It's nothing. Maybe I don't feel like it."

"Bull," Riku replied simply.

Sora grunted. "Fine... if you must know... since I lost the Keyblade, I lost the Oathkeeper... meaning I lost Kairi's lucky charm, the one she gave to me here in Traverse Town two years ago. She told me that she'd always be with me. I promised to keep it safe and give it back to her one day."

"How sweet," came the momentarily forgotten Toshi. His voice was sing-songy. "More like too sweet. Eww."

Riku and Sora glared at Toshi before continuing.

"Well, well, well." Riku shook his head slowly and let out a sigh. "Sora... did you ever consider that Kairi might be so hung up on seeing you again that she wouldn't even care that you lost the Oathkeeper?"

Sora was quiet for a moment before he chose to speak up. "She'd care."

"How do you know?"

"Riku, how would you feel if someone you cared about broke a sacred promise?"

"I'd be pretty understanding, but..." Riku bobbed his eyebrows up and down. "I ain't your girlfriend."

"SHE'S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!"

"I guess we're more alike that I thought," grumbled Kairi, looking at her hands.

Trinity seemed to force a smile upon her face. "I suppose. But, dear, you know what I always say?"

"What?"

"No matter the hardship, there's always a way."

"That's nice," Kairi said wistfully, smiling slightly.

"I think it's true, too," Trinity pointed out. "I keep thinking that there's a solution to all this mishap... and that if you believe all wrong will end, if you use your heart and soul and mind, if you love passionately, if you apologize, if you forgive, if you refrain from betrayal, if you play your cards justly..."

Kairi and Trinity smiled at each other. Real smiles.

"Then everything will be set right," Trinity finished.

"I believe it, too. There's some way, out there, that will solve all our problems. We just haven't found it yet. Maybe we need to get out there and search. Maybe what we need... is an adventure."

Silence.

"You're already on one," Trinity whispered.

More silence.

"You're right," Kairi answered softly. "You're completely right. I just didn't notice."

"Maybe you didn't notice the answer, either."

"The answer is already here?"

"But you do not know it..."

"How am I supposed to figure it out?"

"Life," Trinity replied, looking stern. "It is very enigmatical. It is a labyrinth and a puzzle yet to be solved. Some people find the answer, some people die without even knowing it had been right in front of their noses. Kairi... this is your life. This is your labyrinth, your puzzle. It's up to you to solve it. It is up to you to find the answer."

Kairi was finally beginning to understand. But there was still something she wondered about. "And this is my adventure?"

"No," Trinity shook her head. "This is other people's adventure as well. Yours, mine, Sora's, Riku's... even Akuji's... and even people we do not know about."

"So this is our adventure..."

"Yes. We are all linked. But we all have our own life, meaning different puzzles and different solutions. Although... there is always a case when two people are so meant to be together that their answer is each other."

"Each other..." echoed Kairi, her eyes lowering. "When two people are so meant to be together..."

Trinity smiled softly. "Do you know your answer, Kairi?"

Kairi, slightly trembling, shrugged her shoulders. "I... don't... know... but..." she took a deep breath. "You said... that the answer could already be here... and that I may not have noticed, though... it's right in front of my nose..."

Trinity nodded. "Your answer, to your life labyrinth, may be right here."

"You mean..."

Trinity was quiet, waiting for Kairi's realization.

"You're my answer?"

Trinity's eyes widened. "No, no, no, no!"

Kairi laughed. "I know, I know. I just couldn't help myself."

Trinity rolled her eyes. "That was jolly well of you to ruin the heartfelt mood. No, Kairi dear. I am totally not your solution. I know you know who your answer is."

"Yeah," whispered Kairi, sobering up. She swallowed thickly with much difficulty. Her periwinkle eyes held that same emotion Trinity had earlier... a mixture of longing and remembrance. "It's Sora."

"This is insane," Riku mourned. "What are we supposed to do? Go off looking for the Keyblade?"

"It's no use," Sora replied. "I've looked everywhere in Traverse Town except for Trinity's underwear drawer."

Toshi laughed and Riku rolled his eyes.

"This isn't funny!" Riku snapped, rubbing his forehead. "Seriously, I am in total disbelief at how stubborn you are. Oh, wait. Never mind. You've always been stubborn."

Sora laughed scornfully. "I'll take that as a compliment. But I like to call it... persistent."

"Like that is any better," came a feminine voice.

All three heads turned to look at Alexandra, who had suddenly decided to regain consciousness. She sat up and rubbed her head, muttering something incoherent under her breath. Her eyes were still dull and she stood up and stretched cat-like.

Riku watched Alexandra's body intently as she bent over.

"Pervert," Sora muttered, but Riku heard and elbowed him in the side.

Alexandra rubbed her eyes tiredly and quickly took a place between Riku and Sora.

She grinned faintly. "Hello. What happened? I am rather confused. Why are you all staring at me like that? Toshi, are you mad at me or something? Sora, is there something on my face? Riku... my eyes are up here."

Riku coughed into his hand and looked away while Sora and Toshi sweatdropped.

"Well, if you have a good reason for your behavior I guess I'm not really mad at you..." Toshi said.

"There's nothing on your face," Sora said.

Riku said nothing, he just laughed nervously.

"Alexandra," Sora's eyes narrowed. "Do you remember anything that happened?"

"Why, yes, of course!" Alexandra piped. "Toshi was trying to guess what I was and he didn't—"

"No," interjected Toshi. "After that. Way after that."

Alexandra lifted an eyebrow. "That's it, though. Everything faded away and then I woke up, finding myself here with you people."

Sora and Toshi gave Alexandra a perplexed look.

"Guys," Riku said seriously. It looked as though he were knowledgeable on this predicament. "Alexandra doesn't remember herself going crazy. She doesn't remember insulting Toshi or throwing Sora against the wall."

Sora winced as he remembered and Alexandra's eyes grew wide. "I THREW Sora against the WALL?"

Instantly, an apologetic look washed over Alexandra's face and she turned her gaze to Sora. "I am a bad girl. I am very sorry. I did not mean to... I... how can I... it must have been... I am so..."

Alexandra was at loss for words. She knew so many, but none seemed to fit the ashamed, confused feelings she was currently experiencing. She hugged herself for comfort and didn't say anything.

"I don't know everything about Alexandra, but I can tell you guys this," Riku said, looking sympathetically at the girl next to him. "Alexandra counts down to make herself feel normal again, because at times it's very possible for her to become what she used to be. Yes, she is a Heartless. Yes, she has been sent to worlds for its destruction. Yes, she meant harm and havoc. But her character is like a perfectly laid-out blueprint."

A perfectly laid-out blueprint.

Merlin's journal entry.

Riku continued. "I met Alexandra a while ago in a path. The path of Twilight. I was there with King Mickey. We thought we were the only two there but we were wrong..."

"Your Majesty, how are we supposed to get around when it's so dark around here?" Riku turned around blindly; everything was so dim and so murky. He might have just as well closed his eyes. Riku heard a jingle next to him.

"Our hearts," replied the King simply. "Riku, even the slightest bit of light in our hearts will lead the way."

Riku was silent.

"Which way is your heart telling you to go?" questioned King Mickey in his optimistic voice.

Riku closed his eyes. All was quiet. Slowly, gradually, he calmed down and heard the faint beating of his heart. Thump thump, thump. Then he felt a warm aura, like dazzling sunshine, shining upon his cold frame and tugging him...

"This way," Riku opened his eyes and pointed south. There was just enough light for King Mickey to see which direction Riku was gesturing towards.

"Alrighty then!" King Mickey announced. "Thataway we go."

Rumble. Suddenly, the ground vibrated slightly and Riku caught himself before he could have fallen to the ground. A few seconds later, the ground shook again. King Mickey let out a mouse-like grunt.

"Gee whilikerz," King Mickey said. "Now, I wonder what that may be?"

The ground rumbled once more. And again. Then again and again. Riku found this most irritating and difficult, as it was hard to keep his balance. All at once, the ground stopped and it was still. Riku held his breath. All was quiet for a moment... until the sound of footsteps came. Tapping and grinding on the grainy ground, it sounded as if it was more than just one thing walking... definitely more than just one thing. Much more.

Riku didn't say anything. He kept his guard up and readied himself for anything to come. But then he momentarily lost his defenses as he saw a pair of eyes glowering at him, not too far away. Just several feet away from himself.

One eye was green and one was yellow.

"Who's there?" piped King Mickey. Riku raised his eyebrows at his Majesty's voice and thought about how kind and not intimidating it sounded. He sounded like someone who would be a jolly mascot for a happy amusement park that would frolic around hugging little children and giving them autographs...

The voice was almost robotic; being monotone and rather slow, but there was a hint of femininity in it. "I have come for the destruction of the path of Twilight and all who inhabit it. I have been sent to do this duty and I will accomplish it. My army of Heartless is prepared and primed."

Riku blinked. "So you're saying that you're going to destroy this place and King Mickey and I by using your Heartless?"

"Quite affirmative. I count myself in as well for I share the blood of my army."

"You're a Heartless, too?" questioned Riku. There was no reply. Instead, there was a slight crunching sound, as if someone were stepping forward. At that moment, it didn't seem so dark, and it seemed as though some light mysteriously appeared in the path.

Her hair was a platinum blonde, cut much like Riku's only longer and more fit for a female. She was pale. Her eyes were green and yellow, filled with no emotion and dullness. Her outfit was rather revealing, but Riku found it astounding. She wore no shoes. How could this girl be a Heartless when she looked so human?

"The demolishment of this place shall be in exactly sixty seconds."

"Wait," Riku said urgently. "What's your name?"

"Riku," snapped King Mickey. "How can you worry about her name when she is about to destroy us?"

Riku raised a hand slightly to halt him. "Hold on, Your Majesty. I want to know her name."

The girl was silent. Her eyes were still empty but there was a hint of something Riku could not identify. "I have no name. You have fifty-two seconds."

"No, don't. I mean, stop. Please. Don't kill us," Riku tried to reason.

The girl seemed unruffled. "Forty-eight seconds."

"Please, you can't," Riku replied softly, stepping towards the girl. The girl seemed to lose the dullness in her eyes for a moment. A hint of confusion appeared and disappeared as soon as it had came. Her eyes were emotionless again.

"What is it that you mortals want?" the girl said in her flat voice. "You have forty seconds before I unleash my army of Heartless, and I as well will assist the Darkness in your demolition."

"Where did you come from?" asked Riku.

"That matter is to be left untouched."

"Who sent you?"

"You need not know that."

"You're being controlled, aren't you?" Riku said, stepped towards the girl again. He was two feet away from her.

The girl was silent and her eyes narrowed.

Riku let out a deep breath. "You must have a name..."

"I said that I do not have one. I do not need one, and I do not wish for one."

"Are you sure? Mine is Riku."

"I have been told that names tell us who we are. I am no one. So I need not a name."

"Not necessarily," Riku said lowly. He looked at her in the eyes. "Our hearts tell us who we are."

"I have no heart. I am a Heartless."

"Right," Riku lowered his gaze.

"Riku..." King Mickey's voice was hearable once more. "We're running out of time."

"No," the girl said monotonously. "You are out of time."

Riku and King Mickey's eyes grew wide and they felt alarmed, but they held faith in their hearts that it was not the end.

"My Heartless brethren," the girl announced loudly, "it is time for the path of Twilight's destruction."

The ground rumbled and shook and vibrated again. Riku found it easier to keep his balance for some reason, though. He stared steadily at the girl. "You can't just do this," he whispered.

"I can. And I will." The girl closed her eyes. "The Heartless have been unleashed."

Riku cursed under his breath as he saw the slight figures of countless Heartless approaching. Closer, and closer they came. They were different types of Heartless, ranging from small to big and in different shapes and sizes. But they all had one thing in common. The blood red Heartless emblem.

Riku clenched his fists and King Mickey raised his Keyblade defensively.

"This is the end. You shall meet your deadly fate," she whispered.

King Mickey said nothing. He stared into the gleam of his Keyblade. Riku's icy blue eyes bore into the amazing combination of Alexandra's green and yellow ones. "I've always liked a challenge."

"It seemed to take forever," said Riku, stretching his arms and looking to a sheepish Alexandra to an astounded Sora to a confused Toshi. "But King Mickey and I took down all that Heartless... his Majesty with his Keyblade, and me with the Souleater. It seemed impossible, and it was hard, but the light in our hearts drove us on. And then all the Heartless were gone... it seemed there were a lot but I guess we destroyed all of them."

Alexandra was very, very, very quiet. She stared down at her pale fingers, looked like she was about to say something urgent, but stopped herself.

"And then Alexandra was the only one left," Riku said.

"You..." the girl found herself slightly speechless. Her voice was still the same flat tone but it held a bit of surprise in it. "You..."

"Shh," Riku staggered towards the Heartless girl, feeling utterly exhausted and barely holding on to consciousness. His clothes were slightly ripped, he had seething wounds, and he had split his lip. Soon his face was only an inch away from hers.

The girl's eyes widened. Her voice held a tremor. "Riku..."

For the first time, this Heartless girl looked as if she was truly experiencing a full on emotion. What emotion, no one knew. She started trembling as Riku's eyes pierced into her own, and soon enough it was as if she couldn't handle it anymore... and she dropped to her knees and lowered her head silently.

Riku knelt down in front of the girl and with a single finger, lifted her chin to look into her extraordinary eyes. "You're being controlled, aren't you?"

The girl shook her head and refused to look at Riku in the eyes. "I was made to be this way. And I have failed. My Heartless brethren are gone. Now, I myself must be destroyed for my lack of success."

"No," Riku said gently. "You don't have to be destroyed. You don't have to go through this. You don't have to be destructive. You don't have to kill. You can be your own person."

"My own... person?"

Riku nodded. "Do you want to be free?"

"I have always wondered," the girl got a faraway look in her eyes, "What it would be like... if I had a real life..."

"You need a name."

She looked hesitant. "I have always liked the name... Alexandra..."

Riku smiled weakly. "You can be Alexandra."

The Heartless girl that was now named Alexandra blinked. "That is all?"

"Yes, that's all."

"But I do not know yet, who I am... you said a name does not tell others who we are... but our hearts do. I do not have a heart, Riku. I am a Heartless... I am nobody... I am nothing." Alexandra closed her eyes and Riku felt instant pity.

No, not pity. Something else.

"Alexandra," breathed Riku, so softly and kindly that it rather surprised Alexandra, which led her to reopening her eyes. "Just because you're a Heartless does not mean you truly don't have a heart."

"I really do not have one."

"Somewhere, around there, in you... there's a heart, I just know it. You just haven't found it yet. But you'll find it. I have faith in you. I may not have known you for that long, and we haven't exactly gone off on the right foot... but Alexandra, if you believe you have a heart then you have one somewhere. You're just filled with so much darkness; you haven't let the light in. You need to let the light in and warm your heart."

"Warm... my heart..." Alexandra finally was able to look at Riku in the eyes... and she noticed, his amazingly amazing frigid turquoise eyes.

"They say Heartless don't have hearts. It may be just that they do not use their hearts. Their hearts... have been enveloped in the coldness of the dark, for the light has never touched their hearts. If you let the brightness of the light touch your cold heart..." Riku stopped and held his breath.

Alexandra found herself holding her breath as well. "Then what?"

"Then... maybe, just maybe... you'll find it in your newly warmed heart."

"Excuse me?" Alexandra tweaked her head to one side. "Find what?"

"Love."

The alleyway was dark and silent. Everyone was staring at each other. Everyone's breath was caught in their throats. Except for Toshi, who thought the story was sort of... sappy.

Riku decided to speak up, but kept his voice low. "I then noticed that King Mickey was nowhere in sight. Alexandra didn't know where he went off to, either. And all at once, Alexandra said goodbye and everything went dark. Darker than it already was. I woke up somewhere else, a place I had been earlier. And I haven't found King Mickey since."

Alexandra was still as silent as a corpse. Riku turned to her and asked, "How did you know that was going to happen? I mean, you said goodbye and everything just went... blank. Then I never saw you again. I'm just guessing that you've been thriving in your quest to discover your heart. You seem much happier now, it's nice to see you smile."

Alexandra looked away. "I did it."

"What?"

"I. Did. It."

"I heard you, but what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that I made everything go 'blank.' I have the very capability of doing such things."

Sora decided to talk after being silent for a while. "So if you decided to do that right now, then what would happen?"

"Then everything will go dark. Everything will be as mute as a graveyard. You'd feel nothing, hear nothing... nothing at all. You'd find yourself feeling muddled in a place you had been in much earlier, as if I had set back time. And it would seem like I truly set back time, for the events that was happening at that moment you had been there before would replay. There are some cases, though, like when Riku awakened and he was not with King Mickey even though he might have been with him when he was at that place before. Also... it does not necessarily mean that what happened before you were sent back did not happen. It still happened. But you were just taken back... understand?"

Toshi felt his head spiraling out of control. He closed his eyes.

Sora nodded. "I guess I sort of understand."

Riku nodded as well. "I understand, but only because I've been through it."

"But..." Sora thought for a moment. "When you set back time, how long ago would it be?"

"As long ago as I want it to be."

"If you set back time, does that mean you're sending everything back in time?"

Alexandra nodded. "Yes. Anywhere and everywhere... people will be younger, plants will be naught but a seed, buildings and houses may still be under construction... either that, or they have yet to become."

"And can you undo it?"

Alexandra pursed her lips. "Yes and no. The longer I set back time, the harder it is to undo it."

"So if you set everything back to like a decade ago..."

"Then it will be practically impossible to undo it."

Coming out of his daze, a curious feeling began to develop deep in Toshi's gut. He raised an eyebrow. "So... Alexandra... can we try it? Can you do it now?"

"If you really want to, if you're really up to it... then..." Alexandra stood up and looked down at them knowingly. "Sure."

SPECIAL THANKS TO...
Sweet Raine, Sorasgirl333, Sakura Hanamoto, Heavenly Demon, Mysterious Prophetess, Pooky, thesrazrbladekisses, Shirozora, daaku, Sakurahearts, BattleAngelKurumi, hopeless dreamer, monkeyluv4646, & my dear wifey, paopu.