Author's Note: Wow, been a while since I've updated anything on my profile. Well, that's not true. I've been working on Dat Booty lately, and it doesn't have many chapters left. Anyways, that has nothing to do with this story since the timelines are different. So, this chapter is sort of playing with the idea of Riku as a romantic interest but it's not quite a romance between him and an OC. It's more of him being a prize in a girl fight. It's a weird thought I had for him morphing into this heartthrob which he is. His KH3 renders look really good. Very impressive, Nomura! You da man! As with the other chapters, this is just a snippet until I get to the nitty gritty of the story based on worlds. I'm slowing changing my mind about the worlds I was thinking of using, but I'm not entirely sure if I'll change it up or not. That's the beauty of these snippets. I only update with what I know I want in the story. Without further ado, here's a sneak peak at Riku being the trophy boy.

Sora was surprised by how cooperative Fait was being since her date in Traverse Town. That guy, Valiant, sure knew how to tame the blonde! Maybe he truly was someone special to the girl. She hadn't argued with Riku or even Kairi about her training as a keyblade master, and she was slowly warming up to the idea of using her keyblade in battle. She was even more informative about her training with Maleficent, and Master Yen Sid was able to learn a great deal from her.

Right now, Sora, Riku and Fait were following Fait's companion, Cynthum, to a distant path near Prydain along the outskirts of the Dark Woods. He and Riku learned that Fait typically chose secluded areas to train because Maleficent was very strict about meddling in the affairs of other worlds. They also learned that Fait disguised herself in every world and took refuge among the people. "Hiding in plain sight," is what Master Yen Sid formally called it. The dark fairy was quite the disciplinarian when Fait broke the rules or disobeyed her warnings. While the blonde didn't give full details of her punishments, she often told them and Master Yen Sid that there was a reason why she feared crossing the line in Maleficent's presence. As much as he hated to admit it, Sora was scared of losing Fait's newfound trust and openness. While she persistently reminded Sora of her warning whenever he tried to become too friendly towards, Sora found that he should be equally as persistent in ignoring or tiptoeing around her warning. She was a great ally, and her healing and combat abilities were beyond admirable. Sora also hated to admit that he liked her teasing nature. It seemed natural.

While Sora and Riku ran ahead of Fait to reach the village of Prydain, a sudden crash abruptly stopped them and gained Fait's attention. She turned around and looked up to see a girl standing on a branch in a tree with her arms folded. Her short, wispy hair was a dark green and her eyes a delicate hazel color. Her skin was tanned and her body was curvy. She dressed in a top showing her toned midriff, long scarf, and a skirt made of peacock feathers. Her gloves and shoes were the most extravagant from the glimmering appearance of the jewels embedded on them. Fait only turned her body just enough to see the girl's profile before smirking. The boys ran back to Fait's side to see what she was seeing and also took notice to the girl.

The girl scoffed, cocked her hip, and said with a challenge in her tone, "Well, it's about time you caught up to me, Fait."

Sora hummed in confusion and then looked to Fait for an answer. When she didn't give one and kept her attention on the girl, he asked, "Who's that?"

Fait fully turned around to face the girl and replied, "Just a clumsy, little motor mouth. Nothing to worry about."

The girl growled a bit from the insult, arched her eyebrows, raised her nose a bit, and then said, "Nice comeback from a girl who has a connect the dots page for a face."

Fait grinned and responded, "Sassy! But I don't have time to play, Talua. I'm on a mission."

Riku turned to look at Fait then looked at the new girl and returned his attention to Fait. He asked, "So you know each other?"

Talua looked at Riku for a minute, making a long observation on his face and body, and then returned her attention to Fait. She was correct in assuming that the shorter boy was Sora (a.k.a. "Baby Blue") due to his charming eye color. Therefore, the undeniably handsome boy with the silvery hair and sharp green eyes was the one Shinnosuke had mentioned. Fait's so-called new keyblade-wielding teacher who can never get the girl to do what he wanted, least of all a simple lesson. While humorous at first, Melvin's approval of him bothered Talua slightly. Melvin hardly ever approved of anyone who so much as challenged Fait in a test of skill, strength, or stealth. The fact that Fait was slightly childish around Riku from the rumors told by her brothers was also troubling. Fait rarely disobeyed orders from someone, especially if it meant protecting another person. Now, seeing Riku in person, enlightened her a little. He was bossy. Thus, Riku was Fait's type.

Talua huffed at this, unfolded her arms, flipped her bangs, and said, "I practically raised that uncivilized beast, and name me a time when you're not on assignment, big butt blondie."

Fait raised an eyebrow at Talua's words and asked, "What's your story this time, Talua?"

"I heard from Shinnosuke that you've found new friends," Talua said, pointing at Sora specifically. "One of them didn't give you much of a challenge. A little girl with red hair presumably and a taller girl with blue hair."

Sora instantly thought of Kairi when Talua said that and decided to defend his friend in her place. He wasn't sure why he felt insulted by that but he did. So, he said, "Hey! Kairi was just warming up. She could totally kick both your butts!"

Fait scoffed at that and replied, "In your dreams maybe, but she's got a ways to go before she can pick a decent bone with me."

"That would be where I come in," Talua said, effortlessly leaping from the tree without so much as damaging her heeled boots when she landed. She summoned up a gust of power to her hands and continued, "These Heartless are boring and the score is 10 to 7. I aim to change that."

Fait narrowed her eyes as Talua gathered even more power into her hands before it solidified into a familiar but different weapon. The shaft was almost designed to be a fancy, vintage coat rack, the facet was a studded stiletto that looked painful to the touch, the keychain was a string of pearls and diamonds, and the hilt was practically invisible in Talua's manicured hand. She pointed her weapon at Fait's neck and sent a challenging gaze to the blonde, no longer paying attention to the shocked faces of Sora and Riku. There were more wielders, after all! Hiding away like Fait!

Sora got a little closer to the girls to question, "Y-y-you have a keyblade!?"

Talua smirked, standing her ground until Fait accepted her challenge. When Fait did, she asked, "We're not playing for stakes?"

"Not dressed like that, we're not," Talua remarked, furrowing her eyebrows at the mere thought of fighting her equal in rags. While Sora and Riku may not know it, Talua knew firsthand that Fait was an excellent dresser when the time called for it. And Talua was calling for it. No way would she battle anyone without a fashion sense! That's primitive and criminal! She then continued, "Fight me like a lady."

Fait hummed in acceptance, took out her TimeGuise device, and tossed it like a coin in the air. Sora and Riku sort of watched it happen before Kairi ran up to them. Kairi was sure it wouldn't take the boys that long to do a simple Heartless challenge, especially with their powers. That's when she saw Fait descending from the air in a khaki, plaid jacket top and skirt. Her hair was even curled and she wore that makeup again! Damn that girl for being pretty! Talua seemed to be having similar thoughts as she gritted her teeth at Fait's new outfit. She would have an impeccable fashion sense. This was ridiculous!

Sora then brought to everyone's attention, "You're gonna fight a keyblade wielder with your bare hands?"

Fait smirked at the question and answered with another question, "How do you think I won 10 times?"

Talua harrumphed inelegantly and corrected, "She got lucky 10 times. We'll play Prize4. No items, no elemental magic, no allies."

Fait puckered her lips, forming a heart with her lips as though she were kissing someone's cheek, and chuckled at her rival's terms. She then asked, "Your stakes?"

Talua smirked, finally showing some amusement in her face, and then replied, "Your rarest synthesis item, best lipstick collection, most valuable healing item, and Quicksilver there."

Riku knew exactly who she was referring to with the nickname and blushed from head to toe. They were competing over him? He was sure Fait was in to Sora because she was always competing against Kairi and flirting with said idiot. No, Kairi's not the idiot! This girl barely knew him and she was about to fight Fait over him? Why? Then, something clicked for Riku. Did Fait like him in that way at all? That seemed like a stretch considering the fact that she was interested in Valiant. She was willing to hold off training for a date with him. Was Fait - or would Fait - be willing to leave something behind just to be with him? That seemed like a 180 on their aggravating relationship. The fact that Riku so much as thought of himself being an item with Fait made him angry.

Hence why he exclaimed, "What!?"

"What are you gonna do with Riku?" Sora asked, turning to look at his friend. He pointed to him and commented, "He's bad with girls."

Riku growled at that and argued, "Says you!"

Fait kept her focus on Talua and her keyblade as the friends argued. She reached into her jacket pocket and retrieved her goggles to put them on. After a moment of contemplation, Fait coolly said, "Quicksilver doesn't belong to me."

"He's your teacher, isn't he?" Talua asked, using her free hand to put on a pair of pink goggles similar in style and purpose to Fait's. Talua then continued, "That's why you're travelling with them, I hear. To learn how to master your ability as a keyblade warrior. As stupid as I think it is, a private lesson could be useful."

At the mere thought of what a private lesson could've entailed when it was said by the new girl, Riku instantly snapped and defended his honor by saying, "Okay, first off, I am NOT a prize for you weirdos to just toss aro - "

"Alright," Fait interrupted, making Riku profusely. "Quicksilver's up for grabs."

"WHAT!?" Riku exclaimed.

"HUH!?" Sora and Kairi shouted in unison.

"Wait a minute! Doesn't that mean you like - ?" Sora tried to ask before being interrupted.

Talua said with a catty grin, power intensifying to match her growing excitement, "Alright, let's go!"