Disclaimer: Of course I own Kingdom Hearts! I OWN ALL! -gets hit by a random bolt of lightning- I mean...I own nothing... -sob-

A/N: Hey, y'all! This is my first fic, but I've had the idea in my head for over a year. When it finally hit me that "hey, this would make a good fanfic!" I waited some more then typed it up, rewrote it, thenrewrote it again...and finally posted it. I know, it starts off like a lot of other Sora x Kairi fics, but...keep reading, itshould be very different. So, without further ado (it's waited long enough...), here's Chapter 1 of Darkness Binding! I hope you like it! REVIEW!

Chapter One: Vanishing Point

"In my dreams, I'm always alone…"

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The sky that stretched endlessly above a lonely world had begun to turn into that purple-blue shade of twilight, not sunset or night, but an equal blending of night and day. The ocean that lay parallel to the sky licked at the sparkling shore, its perfectly clear waters keeping a steady, peaceful rhythm with the warm breeze. Soon the shooting-star streaked night would consume the twilight with its rich darkness. Just your typical island paradise. This was the Destiny Islands, and to Kairi it had always been paradise; but without Sora and Riku here beside her, it was starting to feel more like hell.

Stars had begun to sprinkle themselves into the twilight, and Kairi turned her head upward to look at them with a sad longing. One million stars, one million different worlds, each one as unique as the next. Yet somehow all of the worlds were bound together with one magnificent sky that united them all. One sky, one destiny. Kairi wondered which of those stars he was on, what he was doing that very moment. Somehow in that moment Kairi felt closer to Sora then she had since he left, as if he were right there beside her. They were bound by the sky, and a promise. Maybe more than that...maybe even destiny was binding them.

"Sora…"

Kairi turned her head back to the beach where she, Sora, and Riku had once talked, played…did everything together, really. The beach was a favorite spot for the three friends, and because they lived on an island, there was a lot of it. It had been about a year since… everything had happened. They had always been best friends. Sora and Riku used to always compete for her attention, but in all honesty she had enjoyed it. Deep down, Kairi had always loved Sora, but it wasn't until now that she realized just how much. Why was it that it was only now that Sora was gone that all her love for him came rushing back at full intensity, its searing pain cutting up her heart? I guess it's true what they say – you don't know what you have until it's gone.

"You know, Riku has changed."

"What do you mean?"

"Well…hmm…"

"You okay?"

"Sora, let's take the raft and go – just the two of us!"

"Huh?"

"Just kidding."

"What's gotten into you? You're the one that's changed, Kairi."

"Maybe…you know, I was a little afraid at first, but…now I'm ready! No matter where I go, or what I see…I know I can always come back here. Right?"

"Yeah, of course!"

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

"Huh?"

"I just can't wait…once we set sail…it'll be great."

That had been right before it all happened. One minute Sora, Kairi, and Riku had been on Destiny Islands, the only world they had truly known. And then they had been thrust into an adventure that was bigger than any of them could have ever imagined…how is it that everything can change in one heartbeat? You think you'll go on living the same life forever, and then everything changes before you can say goodbye to your old life. If only they had taken the raft and gone...would they have escaped the darkness? What would've happened to Riku? Would she and Sora have been together forever? The path of destiny had something else in mind, though, and left them all separated.

Kairi wondered if Sora really was coming back, although it brought a pang of guilt to distrust him. I was so stupid! I should have just gone with him when I gave him my good luck charm. Now I don't even know if he's still alive…She quickly shook the idea from her mind. No. Not Sora. I know him. But even as she thought this, it made her wonder how much she really had known him. One minute he was an average islander like her, then the next he was some Keyblade-wielding hero. What was that all about, anyway? And Riku…He really was changing, she thought.

What's happening to me? Why do I feel so…so empty? I feel like I'm in a dream and can't concentrate on anything; all of my thoughts and feelings are swirling around like leaves in the wind…it's like trying to hold water in my bare hands. Sometimes I think I've got everything figured out, but then it all slips away from my grasp…

somewhere far away…

Alone…

Kairi got up, shaking all the confusing thoughts and feelings out of her mind. As her feet moved silently across the warm sand, she realized how empty the island seemed. All the other islanders knew to keep their distance from Kairi. They knew that comforting words wouldn't mend her broken heart, and, not knowing what else to do, they simply left her alone. Kairi knew that they were trying to help, but it made her mad to think that her friends would just desert her like that. In her heart, she knew that all she really wanted was Sora.

Before she knew it, Kairi was standing in front of the Secret Place. Although she knew all along that she would return here, it made her draw her breath in.

"So much for trying to take my mind off Sora…" she muttered as she glanced at the barely visible entrance.

The last time she had been here was right after Sora had left her. She would've gone there many times, but it seemed like there was a dark aura surrounding it that had never been there before. Now Kairi felt she had to go into the Secret Place, and as she crawled into the opening, memories filled the air. As she looked around at her friends' old drawings, she almost laughed in spite of herself. A lot of these had been from when they were much younger, but as she scanned the dim cave, she knew that there was one specific picture she was looking for. As soon as she spotted it, she knelt down on the hard ground. She remembered kneeling there with Sora, scratching each other's pictures into the rock. As Kairi put her hand against the cool surface of the rock, she saw the two Paopu fruits they had scratched into the rock. As she stroked the cave wall, she felt a chill go through her body as if a cold wind was blowing. I'm growing weaker, she thought. I don't know how much longer I can go on without him…


Those overcome with sorrow make easy prey for the darkness. Sadness weakens the heart, and that gives darkness an easy opportunity to sneak in and take over. Kairi didn't know that slowly the darkness was starting to sink into her heart, slowly dimming her once vibrant light…although the darkness was weak now, it was steadily getting stronger…
"I can make you strong again." The new voice made Kairi spring to her feet.

"Who are you? This is our…this is my secret place! What are you doing here?"

"All will be answered in due time." Kairi could now make out a cloaked figure standing a few feet away. She was surprised; she hadn't even heard footsteps coming up behind her.

Maybe I really am losing it.

"I can make you happy again. I can make you forget this sorrow."

"Forget…forget Sora? Never! Whoever you are, just leave me alone!" But curiosity was getting the better of Kairi, even as she spoke these words.

The figure gave a quiet laugh, one without humor. At first the laugh seemed gentle, but as it sunk in, it seemed harsh and filled with coldness. As if he was mocking her.

"I never said forget Sora. I could bring you together again. I could give you the ultimate power. But you need to submit…to trust me." The man put out his hand as if beckoning her to him. Kairi suddenly felt less sure of herself.

I could bring you together again…

Was it true? Something in the way the cloaked man had said it left her with no doubt that it was. But the cold way he had laughed…and a figure dressed completely in black robes with a hood covering his face wasn't exactly the most…inviting type of person.

"Why should I believe anything you say? You're a dark, suspicious…thing that just suddenly pops out of nowhere and tells me you can reunite me with Sora. You won't even show me your face!" Kairi was getting angry and frustrated, and had even started to tremble. "How can you even expect me to listen to you?"

"Because I know how you feel about Sora," the stranger said, his voice dangerously soft.

Kairi was taken aback by this comment.

"Wha…what are you saying? How do you…" Kairi's voice trailed off into the darkness.

"You know you want to see him again. Just come with me, trust me. For Sora…Just come…"

The stranger's extended hand reminded Kairi of something for just a split second, but before she had the chance to grasp the memory it was gone, lost in the darkness that was now stirring inside her. Kairi was losing control.

"St-stop it!' she cried. "Whatever you're doing to me, stop! I won't…I won't trust you!

I -"

Kairi broke off her sentence, for she had collapsed on the ground, now shaking violently. Somehow the cloaked figure was beckoning the darkness inside her, as if he was confirming the fact that her heart had grown weak enough to be consumed.

"You see, the darkness is already taking over. Even the greatest light, even the strongest hearts, can grow weak. You can't escape your destiny."

NO! Sora wouldn't want me to go, even if it meant me seeing him again! THIS ISN'T RIGHT!

Kairi's light was fighting to battle the growing darkness. Trying to win. Trying with all the power in the world to break through…but even with Kairi's light, with her strong heart, the darkness was too much. It was just as the stranger had said.

Where has the light gone? What's happened to me?

Kairi's eyes closed, and she began to grow relaxed as if she was falling asleep.

"No…somehow, the light will always win…Sora, I'm not lost anymore…"

With these words, Kairi grew still on the ground. But she was not dead – her fate in the end would be worse than death. Kairi, the seventh Princess of Heart…

Kairi, with the strongest light of all…

Somehow, she had fallen to darkness.

The last one anyone had expected to end in the dark.

A puddle of darkness grew on the ground where Kairi's relaxed frame lay, and when it grew all around her whole body, she broke up into bits of light that aimlessly fluttered about the cave before fading into nothing. Soon there was no trace that Kairi had ever been there. In the darkness, a small smile formed across the hooded stranger's face. Although it was small, it was one of utter, cruel satisfaction.

Kairi had always believed that Sora had been her strength, but now it appeared that he was her weakness…


A/N: And thus the story begins! I hope this chapter wasn't too...Cliché-y or anything. See ya next chapter! REVIEW OR DIE -- I mean, review or...don't review...--;;

-attempts to look innocent, but fails-