Chapter Three - Promises

"What's gotten into you? You're the one that's changed, Kairi." Spoke Sora as they both sat at the dock on the small island, watching the sunset.

"Maybe..." She mused, smiling serenly. "You know, I was a little afraid at first, but now I'm ready. No matter where I go or what I will see, I know I can always come back here. Right?"

"Yeah, of course!" he replied, glancing at her.

"That's good. Sora, don't ever change."

"Huh?"

End Flashback

Her eyes shot open, glancing around frantically until she saw Sora, who was twisting under the holds, murmuring something about the islands. As she relaxed slightly, she watched him slowly relax slightly.

"Sora..." She murmured, blinking. "You really never did change, did you...?"

Hearing the door creak open, Kairi closed her eyes, pretending to be sleep. All of a sudden Raie walked into the room, glancing at Kairi once then stopping beside Sora's bed. A small smile pursed her lips as she watched him withering from his own nightmares, extending a hand towards his forehead.

"It's a shame." She murmurered, watching him. "Don't you think, Kairi?"

Kairi's eyes flew open with anger as she watched Raie caressing Sora's forehead again. "Leave Sora alone!" She growled.

"He even suffers in his dreams-"

"Sora IS happy. He always is." snapped Kairi, struggling against the restraints. "And he won't change!"

"Is that so?" Raie frowned, as her body began to change into a human girl with long red hair, blue eyes and almost rail thin frame. Kairi watched in horror as the Heartless became an exact replica of herself. Smirking, Raie chuckled.

"My guise is an clone of yourself, Kairi. Only that other boy with Sora saw through it, but Sora's mind seems stuck that I am in fact, you."

"You lie!" snarled Kairi.

"Oh? Let's see how this works again." Raie snapped her fingers, and motioned towards Sora. "He's been put in a deep sleep, so he might be a little groggy."

"You put him to sleep?"

Raie put a finger to her lips as Sora began to stir, groaning as his eyes slowly fluttered open. He glanced around slowly, his eyes focusing and then settling on Raei.

"Kairi..." He murmured as he struggled to keep his eyes open. "Don't leave me..."

"Go to sleep, Sora. Tomorrow, we'll go play some." Breathed Raie as she snapped her fingers again, and Sora fell back into his dreams.

Kairi gasped in shock, her own body felt like it had shattered into a thousand pieces as she withed in anguish.

"No..." She cried as the tears began to flow. "This can't be happening..."

---

Glancing around, Roxas motioned to Riku, as they trailed their way through the busy streets of Hollow Bastion, rain trickling down their foreheads. Roxas had pulled his hood over his head, concealing his features from the world around him. Appoaching a building, they could hear someone yelling and ranting from within. Riku glanced at Roxas who shrugged, knocking a gloved hand on the door.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT?" The door opened violently, as a blond haired man stared down at the two teens, his goggles strapped onto his forehead along with several whisks of stubble across his chin. Frowning, the man muttered something inchorent, letting them in.

"Thanks Cid." Breathed Roxas, closing the door behind him.

"You still wearing tha' getup?" Cid growled walking over to one of his many prized possessions - the computer.

Removing his hood, Roxas nodded, his face emotionless. "We came to see Leon. He's expecting us."

"Alright, alright." snapped Cid, pulling out his cell and punching in several numbers. "Yo' Leon! Get yer ass over here, man! Roxas and some silver-ish haired punk are here to see ya!"

"Punk?" Frowning, Riku leaned against the wall, facing the window. "That's defiently a new one."

"He'll be here in a second, Roxas." said Cid, throwing his cell at the couch and returning to his computer.

"Thanks." Turning towards Riku, Roxas frowned, deep in thought.

"So what's this Heartless group you were mentioning, Roxas?" asked Riku, pulling a few strands of his hair from his eyes. "What's their plan?"

"They call themselves the 'Black Death'. They've existed long before the organization and hold the key to the true power of the Heartless." Closing his eyes, Roxas sighed. "They're like advanced Heartless - Instinctly they loathe the light, cunningly they control the dark. For the most part they can retain their humanistic forms depending on their gifts."

"Gifts?" Turning away, Riku growled. "What does this have to do with Sora and Kairi?

"Everything. Imagine, they hold the power of the seventh princess and the talents of the Keyblade master. With those combined they will open the door to eternal darkness and awash the worlds in evil."

"Are you telling me that-"

"They need Sora to manipulate the door and that they'll do anything to make it happen?" Crossing his arms, Roxas frowned again. "Indeed."

----

He swung with the keyblade, breathing raggedly as several more heartless emerged, surrounding him. Glancing around all he saw was darkness - nothing but the lull of a deepened void.

"There is no escape from this realm..."

"Whose there?" growled Sora as he swiped again, glancing around. "Where is the end to this all?" he muttered as he swung again, accidentally losing his balance as he tumbled forward.

"Come on now...just give in..."

"Dammit!" He cursed as he felt something trickle down his chin. Reaching to his face, he withdrew it suddenly feeling the warm and sticky sensation of blood. "Ouch..." Glancing around he watched as the heartless froze, their apendages unmoving.

"There you are, Sora."

Turning his body as he struggled to a crouch, Sora stared, focusing his gaze as a figure emerged, her long radiant red hair swaying gently as she appoached, smiling.

"Stay back Kairi!" He warned falling downwards again. Coughing, he wiped his mouth as the Heartless disapeared, fading into nothingness. "I can't let you get hurt..."

'Kairi' smiled, kneeling down to Sora's eye level, watching him.

"Kairi..." Groaned Sora collapsing. "I-I just can't do this anymore."

"Then just give in, Sora." Reaching her hand towards him, offering it as support 'Kairi' nodded. "Let me help..."

Coughing again, Sora gingerly reached out an arm, taking hers.

"Thanks-"

Suddenly Sora felt a searing pain within his chest as if his own heart was dying. He gasped, struggling to let go of 'Kairi's' hand, who clamped hers down continuing to smile. Yelling, Sora gasped as his world faded to black.

"He he." Raie smiled as she watched the shadow Heartless devouring Sora's heart in a frantic manner. The teen had fallen for the trick a second time. "Fool me once," She whispered, watching with fasination. "Shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."