A/N: Warning! Cloud and Leon are OOC. I'm sorry about that, but I just can't help having them tease Amaya. Blame Cloud's new attitude on being with Aerith and Leon's new attitude on . . .um . . .moogle plushies?

On the bright side, this chapter is uber long! Remember to push the pretty purple button and review!

Ice Dagger: Thank you again, my dear, for the review. Here's chapter seven!

TenchiKai: Well, of course you got a shout-out! If I let you know you're appreciated, perhaps you will review again? (Big puppy eyes) Pweeeeeease?

Disclaimer:

Riku: Hey, how'd you guys get here?

Chibi Cloud: I dunno.

Chibi Squall: Whatever.

A28: They're here to help with the disclaimer!

Riku, Chibi Cloud and Chibi Leon: She don't own anything!

A28: Except Amaya!

Chibi Cloud: And no one wants her anyway.

Riku: Well, go on and read it. The sooner this fic's over, the sooner we get out of here.

Rabid fan girls on A28's front lawn: "Free Riku! Free Riku! Free Riku!

A28: (Huggles Riku) Watashi no!

Chibi Squall: Whatever.

A28: Huggles Squall Thank you for your inspirational words oh mighty commander! They get me right here! (Places fist on chest, eyes tearing) Now, faithful audience, read on!

Chapter 7: Traverse Town

Yuffie looked at me, "Do you really think it's her?"

I leaned against the wall and crossed my arms, "It's been a while. We can't be sure." If it was, why had she taken so long to get to Traverse Town? Most people will give refugees a ride, at least this far, because they know how it is to wake up all alone. Everyone eventually ended up in Traverse Town, but it had been . . .nine years. She hadn't made any effort to find us.

"But wouldn't it be great if it was?" She pressed.

Would it be? I mean, the last time I saw her, she was a little girl. Quiet, shy, reserved. She used to follow me around all the time, instead of hanging with the other kids her age. She used to follow Ansem around a lot too. But she'd just been a kid; she hadn't known. None of us had known. But still, why didn't she try to find us?

"It's getting late, you should head back to bed."

Yuffie looked at me indignantly. She wanted to stay and see if it was really Amaya as much as I did. But I needed to be alone.

"But—"

"Aerith is going to need someone to watch the other kid so she can get some sleep. Take care of it."

She nodded, still looking reluctant, but happy that she was helping someone, "Okay!"

Aerith got cranky when she didn't sleep. Like a bear awakened from hibernation cranky. Like a snake that's been stepped on cranky. And while I could easily avoid her, Cloud couldn't, and he would make all our lives miserable for as long as he was miserable. So just send Aerith to bed, send Yuffie to watch the other kid, problem solved. (A/N: Isn't he smart?)

I heard sheets rustle as the girl snuggled into the blankets. It was hard to tell if it was her. A kid changes in nine years, after all. I'd kept looking at her while Cloud and I had carried her and the boy back to the hotel. Her hair was darker than I remembered; her face had lost the baby fat. I could see her chest rising and falling as she breathed, and she certainly didn't have a child's body any more.

"Squall?"

I looked at the questioning face. The voice was unfamiliar, hesitant. But she'd known my name.

"It's Leon, now."

Her hands went to her mouth, "Then it really is you! That means we made it out!" She sat up, quickly, "Wait—Squ-Leon? Where's Riku? Is he all right?"

I crossed the room and sat in the chair Yuffie had put near the bed, "Kid with silver hair?"

"Yeah! That's him!"

"He's fine," I let my mouth twitch up. Just a little. "We had a hard time prying you apart to get you here."

"Wha-What?" She was blushing. She used to do that when she was little, too, whenever she'd been embarrassed. It made the adult face a little more familiar.

"Yeah, there you were, passed out on the street, and still wouldn't let go of each other."

"That's just because of the teleportation! If we'd let go, we would have lost each other!"

Teleportation? They had teleported over worlds? Was that possible? And why would they need to?

"I've been stuck. On another world for . . .for a long time."

"How long?"

"Since Hollow Bastion fell."

I tried to hold the shock out of my face and, judging from her expression, failed badly. "Where were you?"

"I don't know. I was alone. Then out of the blue, literally, Riku ended up there. We teleported out, with each other's help. I . . ." she didn't look me in the eye, "wasn't strong enough to make it out by myself."

Why was she looking down? Was she lying? Or was she ashamed that she hadn't been strong enough to get out alone?

Then I saw a drop of moisture fall on the blanket. Then another. She launched herself at me, throwing her arms around her neck, sobbing into my shoulder, "I can't believe I'm finally out! And you're here!"

I awkwardly put my arms around her, rubbing a hand in circles on her back. I don't know if it actually did any good, but I remember my mom used to do that for me when I cried. Back when I was a little kid. Real little.

"There's a few of us here. Yuffie, Aerith, Cloud, Cid, and me."

She cried for a while on my shoulder, then sniffled, "Is it true, about my father?"

Oh, crap. This was not a conversation I wanted to be in. This was something Aerith should be handling.

She pushed herself away from me, drying her eyes on the back of her hands, "Riku . . .Riku said that the darkness killed him. Ate him from the inside out. Was he . . .did he . . .?"

I didn't know what to say. We'd all been depending on finding him, too. We thought he would be the one to guide us in the fight against the Heartless. Yeah, when I was still stupidly dreaming of holding the Keyblade myself. Of avenging all those people I hadn't been able to save. Of bringing them back. I still remember hearing all those people around me, watching them fall. This little girl's shrill scream had been the last one I'd heard before everything was gone.

And all that had been Ansem's fault. He'd been the one to invite the Heartless. First to our world, then to others.

Her hands fisted, angry, "Did he really do those things?"

I couldn't look at her face. "Yes."

"He really destroyed all those worlds?"

"He destroyed ours."

She looked at me in shock, "No . . ."

"He was experimenting with the Heartless, and he got in over his head."

"And . . .and did he really plan on leaving those girls without their hearts?"

"The princesses? Yeah."

"What did he want with them?"

"They were the Princesses of Heart. Supposedly, there are seven people with the purest hearts, and they were it. He needed all their hearts to open the door into the Heart of Worlds."

"The Heart of Worlds?"

"It's supposed to be where the eternal light, and eternal darkness, is. The heart of everything."

"So, he was using them to get to it. He was using their hearts." She was just sitting still, hands still fisted, "You're lying."

Now I was angry, "I'm not lying. If you're too weak to face the truth, that's your problem."

"I am not weak!" She shouted, grabbing the color of my jacket and pulling me over to face her, our faces inches apart.

"Then accept the truth. He was swallowed by the darkness."

Her hand dropped, "How could he be? How could he fall into something like that? How could he use his own daughter like that?"

Now I was confused. What was she talking about?

She saw the look on my face, "Kairi."

Kairi. That Kairi was . . .our Kairi? I hadn't even recognized her. She obviously didn't remember us. I hadn't even made the connection that she was Amaya's sister. Ansem's daughter. Ansem had planned on stealing his own daughter's heart.

"He told me to just stay there, stay in that castle, he'd come back for me, once he found Kairi. He didn't tell me anything about this."

She started crying again.

"Riku . . .Riku . . .Riku!"

I sat up, but quickly regretted it, "Damn. It feels like a bunch of rhinoceros played croquet with my head . . ."

Then I opened my eyes and saw who'd been calling me. Sora. It was Sora. And Kairi.

"Can't a guy get some rest?" I groaned, trying hard to keep up the confidence I'd always kept up around them. Testing the waters, seeing if our friendship was still going to work. I felt more like crying and giving them both a huge hug and asking did we really get out of there okay, are we all here, are we still friends, but that's not how it works. If we were still friends, we'd all pick up the same roles. Riku was confident and smart and way too grown up for crying. So that's who I was.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Riku."

That was Sora. Sora was always supposed to be second, always barely behind, but enthusiastic and smiling where I was cool and calm. That was his role. I wondered if he felt as detached from that role as I did from mine right now. But it didn't matter, not really.

"We were really worried, you know?"

Kairi. Always sweet, pretending to be completely oblivious to her long legs and developing curves even while she was always striking strategic poses that showed them off. She always played up the "girl of the group" role, acting more delicate than she really was, so we would be able to be "the guys." Granted, she still couldn't have kept up with us if she'd really given it her all, but she could give us a run for our money.

"Course I'm okay. We were supposed to travel the worlds together, right?"

"Right!" They cried in unison.

I looked at the room around us, and recognized it as the Green Room in the Traverse Town Hotel, " . . .Why are you guys here?"

"The island . . .wasn't the same after everything. Shutting the door didn't really do anything. Well, it cut down the number of Heartless, but it didn't restore the worlds. Not completely. There're still pieces missing."

I lay back on the pillow, "I was afraid that's what happened."

"We'll figure out a way to restore them, though. There's always a door to the light, right?"

I smiled, "Right." I held out my hand. Sora placed his over mine, and Kairi's hand soon followed. Then we burst out laughing.

I'd just finished drying off my eyes when a black-haired blur shot through the hallway, white socks sliding on the wooden floors before it reached out a hand to grab the doorjamb, "Amaya, you're awake!"

"Uhh . . .yeah . . . ." I said, trying to place this girl.

"It's Yuffie, remember me?"

My eyes widened, "The Great Ninja Yuffie?"

How could I forget? Her and her "ninja" tricks. First they were innocent enough. Then she sprained a wrist trying to use a "ninja sword"—the Buster Sword she'd stolen from Cloud. Then she broke a leg "sneak attacking"—aka jumping out of trees. And then the time she passed out from lack of air—she'd tied her "spy mask" so tight she couldn't breathe.

She giggled and pointed a thumb at her chest, "That's me!"

Then a very recognizable sight, Cloud with one arm wrapped around Aerith's waist, "Hey, kid."

Aerith looked concerned, "You doing okay? You recognize us, right? Cloud and Aerith?"

"Of course I remember you guys!"

They explained everything, Aerith taking over where Squall—Leon—left off. Filled in all the blanks, told me about the Keyblade, and what little of Riku they had gleaned from Sora and Kairi. She was just as surprised as Squall—Leon—when I told her Kairi was my sister. She hadn't recognized her, either.

"You have to remember, she was a lot younger than any of us. So were you, but you always followed us around everywhere. She played with the other kids. It wasn't exactly a face we were looking for." (A/N: Yay for stupid reasons not to recognize someone when they so obviously look exactly like their childhood self!)

I just couldn't understand how the father I'd loved so much, the father who'd taught me everything, was dead, swallowed by the Heartless. Heartless that he had willingly invited. He'd been the one to teach me magic, at least the basics of it, before Hollow Bastion disappeared. You've got such potential. You may become a stronger mage then me. He'd smiled. I'd felt so proud. But he hadn't used magic to travel the worlds; he'd invited the Heartless, leaving shattered worlds in his wake.

"He was lost. He became so enamored of the darkness that he forgot about the light."

Darkness without light is meaningless.

"Sora shut the door, but nothing was restored. We're right back where we started."

"Why?"

"We don't know."

Father had betrayed me. Betrayed all of us. And he'd left me all alone on the barren planet. And he'd taken a strange boy with him instead. Some stranger. Not me. I knew I should have been glad, seeing what Riku went through, being Ansem's apprentice, but that spot was meant for me. I was Father's apprentice. And Father chose some stranger over me. And yet . . .I was still Ansem's daughter. And these people trusted me, after knowing all he'd done. Count your blessings.

"Please, you guys are the only friends I have left. Don't tell the others."

"The others? Well, all that's left is Cid, and I think he'd recognize you."

"No. Don't tell Kairi. Or Sora. And please, please don't tell Riku."

Kairi shouldn't have to know that all that she went through, everything, was because of her own father. If she didn't even remember Hollow Bastion, or anything before she went to Whatitsface Island, then we shouldn't try to remind her. Forgetting was protecting her, keeping her pure and happy. Leave her that way. And Sora was the one who had battled my father to save Kairi. Would his feelings toward her change if he knew she was Ansem's daughter? What would he think of me?

What would Riku think of me? When he found out that not only was I the daughter, I was supposed to have had his place at Ansem's side? I was supposed to be the second-in-command, not him. Would he hate me? I couldn't stand that. Just thinking of that face, that smirking, confident face, turning away from me forever . . .it was like fear and pain were like water, filling me up, until there was no room for air, and making me sink down.

"Please, please don't tell Riku."

I made them all promise.

Leon just shrugged, "It doesn't matter to me."

"You won't tell him, though?"

" . . .No."

"It's really up to you to tell him or not," said Cloud, walking toward the door.

"If ya really want me to keep it secret, it'll cost ya!"

Aerith looked shocked, "Yuffie!"

Yuffie twirled a toe on the ground sheepishly, "Oh, alright, I'll do it for free."

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Leon asked her.

Her eyes widened, " . . .No . . ."

"That stone?"

"What stone?"

"The one you found next to Amaya."

"Oh," she laughed, "That stone. Yeah, I must have forgotten about it. Right here in my pocket." She pulled out a purple stone and laid it on the end table.

"What's this?" I asked, curious.

"Well, if she doesn't know what it is, it couldn't be her's so I'll just—"

Leon grabbed Yuffie's wrist before she could snatch the stone back, "Like I said, we found it next to you. If it doesn't belong to you, it must belong to that Riku kid. But why don't you hold onto it, to make sure Yuffie doesn't pawn it off or something?"

"Pawn it off? How can you accuse me of such a thing?"

"Because we know you," All three answered together. Yuffie left in a huff, with Leon and Cloud not far behind.

Aerith made to leave, "Wait! You won't tell him, right?"

"I won't tell him, Amaya," Aerith placed a comforting hand on my arm, a gesture I remembered from long ago, "But I think you should."

I shook my head as Aerith stood up and made to leave the room. She turned at the doorway, "Do you need anything?"

"No, I'm fine. I think I'm going to sleep some more."

She smiled, "You probably should. Teleporting that far must have been exhausting. I'll wake you up for breakfast, okay?"

"Thanks."

She had hardly shut the door when I was asleep again.

Are you sure?

Of course.

But, my lord, she is so young. A mere child. Surely we can find someone more dependable. Stronger. Less . . .volatile.

And who could possibly be more malleable than a child?

Give us some time, my lord. There is one that Hades has. It would not take much at all to make him a suitable substitute for . . .

Are you questioning me?

No, of course not. I'm just trying to make things easier on you my lord. You have been through so much already.

The child already trusts me. She would follow me into the gates of hell if I asked. And you can already see her potential for great power.

But it is . . .uncontrolled. You saw what she did to that world.

Yes . . .she nearly destroyed it all on her own without any help from the Heartless. She's perfect.

Yes, my lord.

My Lord?

Yes?

We've encountered a small problem.

There's a barrier around the world. The Heartless can't break through it, magic isn't getting through it—even ramming gummi ships into it doesn't break it.

Defensive spells. How like him.

If he would just come out and fight, we could . . .

He knows that. That's why he won't fight us. He is waiting.

For what?

The reemergence of the other Keyblade.

Then why don't we go to his castle and defeat him ourselves before the other Keyblade appears?

He isn't worth the effort.

But the girl . . .

No matter. Though she would have been a great asset, we can do this without her. And we have plenty of time. We have only just begun to assemble the Princesses.

Oh, that reminds me, there is good news, my lord. We have located the first Princess.

Good. Report back after retrieval.

Yes, my lord.

I woke up, feeling very confused. It had been the man in the black cloak, talking to the woman in the black dress. Were these more of Riku's memories? Maybe more of them bled over than I thought.

I started. Riku! I hadn't been in to check on him, yet! I placed my feet on the hardwood floor and padded over to the door. It must be late, there was no light shining underneath it anymore. Still, I could at least check in him.

I slid my door open, only to realize that there was someone still awake. A dim light down on the right side of the hallway. Since I didn't know where any of the various other doors on this hallway led to, I made my way toward the light. It was Squall—Leon—and Cloud, with his back to me, sitting up at the kitchen table.

"Hey, guys," I whispered, waving a little.

Cloud waved one hand without turning around to face me. Squall just raised an eyebrow, " . . .You do realize it's three in the morning."

I looked at the clock. He was right. "I was previously unaware, but I'm awake now. What are you guys doing up?"

Leon smirked, sort of. Well, one side of his mouth twitched, anyway. "He's," he pointed at Cloud, "Afraid to go into his room because he might wake Aerith."

I started laughing, quietly of course, "Umm, why is that such a big deal?"

Cloud's voice, a low whisper because of the time, seemed to almost tremble with fear, "You haven't seen her when she wakes up. Especially at ungodly hours of the night. God save the man foolish enough to wake her," he shuddered. "That sweet, kind, Aerith . . .where does she go during the early morning?"

I covered my mouth to keep from waking everyone else up. I could just see it—Aerith, smoke blowing out her ears, threatening a poor chibi Cloud.

"What about you Squ—Leon? Why are you up?"

"The kid's in my bed."

I tilted my head to one side, "Riku?"

He nodded. "I planned on just sleeping on the couch, but Yuffie stole it. And then I had to keep this poor chicken company."

"Laugh if you want, you've never had to wake her."

"Oh, did I steal her bed?"

He waved his hand dismissively, "Don't worry about it. You needed it more than she did."

A loud snore from the sofa only proved the point, "See, she's fine where she is. So why are you up?"

"Well, I didn't know what time it was, but I was worried about Riku . . ." I trailed off, seeing the look on the two men's faces, "What?"

Cloud rearranged his face to it's normal deadpan, "Oh, nothing. It's great that you're so worried about your wittle Wiku . . ."

"What the—"

"Yeah," mused Squall, trying to look serious, "It's true love, alright."

"T-True love?" I felt my face go red. Darn it, now they're really going to think something's going on, "He's not even my boyfriend! It's just that he helped me get off that world and . . ."

"Whatever you have to tell yourself," muttered Cloud.

"Whatever," agreed Squall, going back to whatever card game they had been playing.

"Oooh! He's not! I'm not! We're not—whatever it is you think!"

"She's getting pretty riled up over 'nothing', isn't she, Leon?"

"I'd say so."

"Stop it, you two!"

"I'd definitely say we hit the nail on the head."

"Mm-hm."

"I am not!"