Authors Note - Wow, this is the first time I've ever gotten reviews on my stories, and what people say is true, reviews really do help with the writing :) Thanks sooo much for the reviews! This chapters a bit… strange, I couldn't figure out how to make it work to my likings, but I guess it's alright, more of a scene to get you to the other scene then anything else, ok, I'll stop rambling now, on with the story.

Disclaimer – I own nothing to do with Kingdom Hearts

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"What was that all about?" Sora asked, once again letting his Key Blade lower toward the ground.

"Unfortunately those aren't empty threats, Aran." Riku said, turning to look out over the water.

"But he's right." Amarantha said, also turning toward the water. "We won't win this war, if war is what you seek."

Riku shook his head. "I don't want war." He said sadly. "I just want it all to end."

Amarantha watched as Riku knelt down onto one knee, his head hung low, hair falling forward out of the hood.

"We're in this together now," He said after a moment. "Whether you like it or not. What ever we decide to do, we have to do it together." Riku looked up when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"I'll help you, in any way that I can. I may not be able to fight, but I can learn."

Riku looked at Kairi, she had a reassuring smile on her face, but Riku could see the confusion in her eyes.

"We want you back, Riku, we all do." Kairi stood up straight. "It hasn't been the same with out you."

Standing back to his feet slowly Riku looked up at the moon. "There's just too much that time can not erase."

"I don't care Riku!" Kairi looked on the verge of hysteria now. "We'll fight with you!"

Riku turned to Kairi and Amarantha saw the first actual smile in two years spread across his face, it was a smile backed by sadness, but it was a smile.

"Thank you." Riku said.

Amarantha watched as Riku took down his hood and threw the blindfold into the sea; his eyes were already changing to their original color. Kairi snuffled and ran toward Riku, hugging him tightly and letting her tears fall once more. Riku blinked for a second then wrapped his arms around Kairi, hugging her back.

Her eyes creased in suppressed emotion Amarantha turned her head away from the scene that was unfolding in front of her. It must be nice, for Riku, to have friends to support him. Amarantha had nothing, she had no one, she knew nothing but darkness, what was she getting herself into?

"Come on Aran, I have a place for you to stay tonight." Riku said, he was standing beside his two friends, ready to leave.

Amarantha bowed her head and walked after them, looking at the ground as she walked. A few grains of sand were wet on the way, Amarantha's tears going completely unnoticed by all.

"There's a spare room on the second floor." Riku said, walking into his old house, Sora and Kairi walking to their houses.

Looking around him Riku frowned at how down beat his place looked, but that was only expected, considering he hadn't set foot in it in two years. Picking up a dusty chair that had turned over Riku made his way to the stairs, they creaked alarmingly when he put his weight on them.

"You can take your hood off, you know." He said, looking back at Amarantha who was still standing on the porch.

Amarantha walked into the house, following Riku up the stairs slowly, the bottom of her black coat brushing over the top layer of dust, leaving a dark path up the middle of the staircase.

Riku opened a door on the top floor and motioned for Amarantha to enter. "It might be a bit dirty, but it's better than sleeping outside."

With that Riku turned and left, closing the door behind him. Amarantha stood there in the middle of the room, listening to the noises all around her. She heard a door open then close about three rooms down, clearly Riku was going straight to bed.

Pulling the stiff, dirty covers back Amarantha sat on the bed and took her boots off, lying them gently on the ground in front of the moldy white end table. She then took her coat off, hanging it on the bed post. She was now bare footed and dressed in a pair of slightly baggy black pants and a black, form fitting tank top, she always wore the tank top underneath the coat, it was her… style.

Now that Amaranth was in comfortable clothes she laid back, trying to go to sleep. After about ten minutes of staring at the moonlit ceiling Amarantha stood back up and grabbed her coat. Using all her skill to open and close her bedroom door Amarantha headed down the stairs, keeping to the right side so as the minimize creaking. Once she made it down the stairs Amarantha headed outside and around to the back. In the backyard she saw a hammock swinging gently in the soft salt scented breeze. Now lying in the hammock Amarantha pulled the coat over top of her and closed her eyes, listening to the sound of crickets and frogs all around her.

Why was she doing this? She barely knew Riku, let alone Sora and Kairi, yet she was staying, there was something holding her here, but what was it? As Amarantha lay there trying to figure it out she slowly drifted to sleep.

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"Please don't big sis!" A young girl cried out, but her cries were cut short by the blood stained blade of a hooded and cloaked figure.

Fire crackled all around, causing the blood on the blade to shimmer in a strange purplish way.

"Stay back!" A person armed with a gun blade entered the burning room.

The person that had murdered the young girl turned and walked toward the newcomer.

"I'll shot!" The person screamed, aiming the gun blade at the others chest.

When the murderer didn't stop the defender pulled the trigger. A medium sized bullet sped toward the murderer, only to bounce off of a blue shield that came out of nowhere. The bullet ricocheted off the shield and hit the gun bearer square in the forehead. Now outside the burning house the murderer walked through the burning town, killing anyone that got in the way. At one point a young boy, around the age of 12, stepped in front of the murderer.

"Why did you do this sister? We loved you! Why did you choose this path?"

The fire cast a flickering light across the murderers face, showing the 15 year old facial features of Amarantha.

"Because darkness waits for no one." Amarantha said, raising her blade and mercilessly killing her brother.


Authors Note - Hmmm, I've been writing two chapters at a time, but the reson I'm only going to post one today is... well... I'm stuck cries I CAN NOT figure out what to do now... so any ideas will be VERY much appreciated. I hope to break this writers block soon, so pleasestay with me. hugs