Authors Note – Once again, nothing to say, lol, so just enjoy the chapter.

Disclaimer – I don't own anything to do with Kingdom Heats.


Riku exited his bedroom quietly. Tiptoeing to Amarantha's room her silently entered, pushing the door to behind him. He walked over to her bed and looked down at her sleeping form. She looked so peaceful, asleep, her lips slightly parted, her breath slow and even. He just stood there, watching her sleep for sometime. Leaning over he lightly kissed her on the forehead.

"I love you." He muttered, watching as she took a deep breath in her sleep, as if she were sighing.

Turning away from her Riku exited the room and entered the dark streets of Hollow Bastion, his hood over his head, his hair hanging down over his blindfold. He walked slowly, very well knowing he could be walking to his death. As he walked he thought back to that wonderful night on the beach, he thought about how much he had loved her, how much he still loved her. "I'd give it all away just to have her to hold onto." He murmured.

Stepping into the light of a street lamp Riku looked up and saw the bridge ahead oh him. With a sigh he walked on. A rain drop fell to the ground, followed by another, and another. By the time Riku reached the bridge a steady rain was falling, causing the ground to reflect all the street lights and signs, making everything eerily blur together. Riku stood at the top of the bridge for a moment, watching the rain make ripples in the water below. He felt like he was about to lose it, his heart was in so much pain it was almost intolerable, he wanted to cry, to scream, to do something. But he held it all in, there was nothing crying or screaming would do for him now.

"Ah, nice to see you again, Riku."

Riku didn't turn around, he knew who it was without having to look. He also knew without looking that there was more then one person behind him, it felt like at least ten others.

"Axel, it's been a while." Riku muttered.

"To long, to long." Axel walked up to stand next to Riku, his face darkly reflected in the water next to Riku's. "I'm glad to see you still have common sense."

Riku didn't say anything, there was nothing to say.

"But I do wonder why you still wear that blasted blindfold, it's not like you're going to be fighting Sora anymore."

"It allows me to see through deception." Riku said pointedly.

Axel nodded knowingly. "Ah, I understand now." He made a tsk sound. "The boss was very upset when you left, you were his favorite." Axel jerked Riku's hood back, grabbing a bit of his silver hair as he did so. "But now I've replaced you, don't know how I could ever thank you enough."

Riku gritted his teeth to stop from slamming his fist into Axel's face.

"I think power's gone to your head." Riku muttered.

Axel released Riku's hair and shrugged, leaning back over the bridge railing. "So what if it has? What difference does it make to you?"

"None at all." Riku shook the water out of his face, now that his hood was down water ran down his hair into his eyes, down the bridge of his nose, dripping off of his chin.

"It's interesting." Axel said, thinking out loud. "I had thought you were smarter then this. I'd always heard love was blinding, but for you to be blinded by it…" He shook his head. "Pitiful."

"It's beyond your understanding." Riku said, grinding his teeth.

"Whatever, I'd rather have power any day." Axel chuckled. "It's to bad we couldn't find that friend of your, Cloud, I think his name is. He would have been fun to torment."

Riku balled his hand into a fist and struck out at Axel, but two people came from behind, one slamming a fist into his head, the other holding him up as he fell by the hair. Riku wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his head ringing. He staggered back to his feet, his hair feeling like it was about to rip out at the roots.

Axel chuckled again. "Sorry buddy, but you're outnumbered, 10 to 1." Axel pulled back his hand and sent a crashing blow into Riku's stomach.

Doubled up in pain Riku choked and coughed up blood. He was jerked back to his feet by someone behind him and Axel pulled back his hand for another hit. Riku gritted his teeth, bracing himself for it.

"Don't you dare touch him again!"

Riku's head jerked around at the voice. No! He screamed inside of his head.

Axel dropped his hand and looked to see who had spoken. A sneer on his face Axel walked down the bridge, heading toward the figure. "Ah, nice of you to show up, you've made it oh so much easier for me, Aran."