-:-Chapter One: The King's Letter-:-

-:-Destiny Islands-:-

-:-Riku-:-

The trio stood motionless, too eager to read the message but too afraid of what it might mean. They had just gotten back after all, barely finishing the dangers of the last journey and still sporting the scars. How could anything have happened so soon? The oldest of them pondered this with eyebrows knitted in confusion. He had suffered too if not the most, but he doubted that. Sora had been stronger--the Keyblade's "chosen one" was what they called him. Riku looked to said friend, surprised by how much he had grown and yet hadn't really changed at all.

He still had space to fill out, just reaching up to his chin--Sora was no where near his optimum but there was something different in him yet. The time they had spent away from the islands had affected the two in a way that they now needed adventure. Riku couldn't stand still for more than two seconds without fidgeting and Sora was always itching for something to happen that would give him the excuse to fight for the light again.

Perhaps it was this thought that finally made Sora sigh in defeat and finger out the message in a hasty greed. Kairi seemed to relax as well, seeing that they were going to read the note after all and not just stare at the bottle. He sighed. Riku knew there was no convincing her to stay if the note said anything about leaving Destiny Islands again. As he thought this, Kairi leaned over Sora's shoulder and began to read the note, ripped at the top where the King's seal was broken. He followed suit.

My friends,

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but it seems things are stirring again. I've been called to a friend's residence to help answer some new mysteries our last adventure caused. No sayin' how serious it is yet but I feel this is a new kind of enemy. Worlds everywhere have been complainin' of more Heartless but something doesn't seem right. That's why I've gone; to investigate these happenings further.

If you can find it in yourselves, I'd like to ask this last favor from you. Sid will be expecting you at Radiant Garden with more information. Don't delay but most of all prepare yourselves and be safe!

King Mickey

Riku read it over twice, and then a third time and still couldn't believe what he was reading. More Heartless! How many times did they have to lock those things out? But the king said it was a new kind… So if the heartless found a way around it, they would have to also. That meant going back to everywhere they'd already been just to redo what was already done! Riku let out an agitated growl.

"What are we gonna do?" he thought aloud. Kairi looked up from the letter and to him. She looked concerned but Riku could recognize the happiness of satisfaction in anyone's' eyes. Such a look was expected from her. She got to do something this time. Her whole idea of adventure would be skewered as soon as they left home. It was the thought of someone so pure, someone like Kairi, getting tainted like that that made him all the more angry.

"Don't worry Riku, I'm sure it's nothing we can't handle. I mean you've done it before and I'm a fast learner. You could-"

"No," Sora finally spoke up. He folded the note up and shoved in his pocket before turning to his friends, focusing on the girl. "I don't think you should go Kairi, it's not safe," he continued, looking more serious than usual. Maybe he had changed a little.

"C'mon…we always said we'd do things together and so far all we've done together is gotten back home!" she objected, "I can help!" She looked back and forth between them, desperate for any sign of submission from either of her friends.

"I'm with Sora on this one, Kairi. It's best if you stay here. Besides if it is something we've already done," he seethed, hating the repetition these heartless were putting him through, "then we should be back in no time." She pouted a little and turned back to the younger of the two boys.

"Please Sora…just give me a chance. I want to come with you." Just as he suspected, there was no convincing her to stay.

"Kairi…" Riku watched as Sora got closer to her, taking her hand in his and as Kairi faintly blushed. The two were so surreal. He guessed Sora found the picture in their secret cave and finally figured out her feelings. Riku wanted to roll his eyes. He had to look down, despite himself, so they wouldn't see him laughing silently. The way they treated each other was the way children would; kind with awkward words of innocence.

"Please?" she tried again though whispering it softly. Sora took one last look at her pretty face before responding.

"Alright…" Riku's head snapped up.

"YES!" she cheered, pumping one delicate arm up in the air.

"But that doesn't mean you can fight," Riku added in lamely. How could Sora just let her come? He looked over at his friend and saw the confused and tired look etched on his face. Sora understood too, Kairi was coming and that was that.

"Aw…what, you afraid I might hurt myself?" she batted her eyelashes at him, backing away from Sora.

"You probably would, yes…"

"I bet I could get better than you!" she goaded.

"You can't even run faster than him…" Sora reminded her.

"Neither can you!" she retorted.

He smiled, returning to his old optimistic self, "Yeah, but I can still beat you," hands on his hips. Riku looked between them again and shook his head, walking towards his thinking tree where he and Sora had been before Kairi ran the note up to them.

It was good for that…thinking that is. He'd sit there for hours, listening to the waves, sifting through memories and things best left forgotten. The crystalline ocean calmed him at times; in fact, the ocean was the only thing he really missed when he and Sora were away. The tree was perfect in the view area…but it came in handy when he discovered that his mom had not returned from the darkness with a few of the others from the islands. When he'd heard this little bit of information, Riku knew he couldn't go home to an angry and depressed father that would find it easier just to ignore him than try to overcome the grief.

Truth was, everything changed in Riku's world since the night he found the portal. He smirked…That was the dumbest thing I've ever done. It felt like so long ago, but two years was just a small gasp in his breath of a life. Riku was happy Sora had managed to miss his hand that night. The results of that would have been devastating…he didn't want to think about it.

The sun began its apparent decent below the horizon, the giant morning star fading to a deep orange and then red, shading the sky a wonderful hue of colors. Riku thought back to the king's words, "I feel this is a new kind of enemy…" Should they really go? After all the danger they had put each other through and the sacrifices they made to get back together, should they really risk all of that for the sake of a feeling? And why would the King call upon them when Kingdom Hearts was safe again? Sora couldn't do anything else this time…it wasn't his fight, was it? And yet Riku had no where else to go. It was moment like this that made him feel torn.

As if hearing his inner torment, Sora stopped his playful banter with Kairi and came over to Riku, leaning casually against the tree. His bright blue eyes shone like the surface of the water; endlessly searching for new ground and yet still reflecting the sunlight from this world.

"You don't want to go?" he asked, still facing the water.

"That's not it…I'm just…confused is all." How could he explain it? All the frustration he felt? He had changed everything, including appearance just to ensure that everything would go back to normal and here it had fallen apart again. Looking down at his hands he clenched them into fists so strong his knuckles paled to white. Sora noticed this too and put a black gloved hand over Riku's bare ones.

"It'll be fine!" he nodded encouragingly, "we'll get those heartless for good this time!" His spiky brown hair bounced merrily with his head.

"Yeah..." Riku agreed but couldn't help feeling that it was lie. "Besides, this time I get to show you how much better I am with a sword," he smirked again.

"Hey!" Sora's face distorted to a mock angry look, "I'm just as good!" Riku laughed, mussing up his friends hair before jumping down off the tree. There was no sense to worry right now he guessed, there was always time for that later. And this time he would be with his friends, even if they would slow him down a bit. Taking one that look at the sunset, Sora spoke up again.

"Think it'll ever feel like home again?" The question shocked Riku into a momentary pause. Would it?

"I'm not sure..." he finally answered.

"Sora! Riku! C'mon you lazy bums! We got an adventure to go on!" Kairi called from the beach below. She waved to them, calling them over.

"Alright Kairi! You go ahead, we'll catch up! We need some sleep!" he turned to Riku, "do you?"

"No...you?"

"Not really, but it's kind of fun to see Kairi look like that," he smiled and pointed. Her arms drooped and even from this distance, Riku could see her mouth hanging wide open.

"What! You're joking right? Let's go now while we still can!" she jumped up and down. Sora and Riku laughed at her display.

"Hah! Alright Kairi, we're coming!" Sora shouted with his hands cupped around his mouth. He gave Riku a fleeting look, smiled and ran off towards the third and youngest member of their group. So that was it...they were just going to leave. Not that Riku could complain; the past few days he had spent just lounging around on the island. He couldn't stand the thought of trying to enter himself back into that awkward town scenery again after all he'd been through and seen. Still...

He took one last look at the sunset, noting that the stars were starting to peek through the heavens. It was all so serene. The island seemed untouchable. He had once thought the same about himself, so what would happen if this island and every other world was the same? Later he would decide that it was the memory of that feeling of home that made him go.