The second week began much like the first. However, the Light Seekers noticed a definite change in the way the villains treated Sora, and how he stuck close to Maleficent more than before.

Kairi was the most concerned for the hero, especially when she went to hug him and he screeched and covered his eyes, whimpering as if in great pain as he backed away from her.

"You're too bright." Riku told her, "Maleficent tripled his dark vision. Everything he sees is bathed in shadow, at least until it wears off."

"But why? Why would she want that?"

"She's prepairing him for his trip to the Realm of Darkness. It's where I'll be training him."

"In the Realm of Darkness?!"

"Don't worry." The Dawn Wielder assured her "Everything will be fine."

"I hope you're right, Riku." Kairi clutched her hands together "I really hope you're right."

"I know it's hard, Kairi, but like I told Sora, you have to trust me. Please trust me."

The Princess of Heart looked at her hero, who sat at Maleficent's feet rubbing his eyes. He caught her stare, and smiled, Squinting as his eyes took in his Light.

"Alright Riku." She said at last "I'll trust you."

Maleficent gestured Riku to her, and he reluctantly complied. Sora was excited about having his best friend near and gurgled happily, rubbing against Riku's cloaked legs. The Dawn Wielder narrowed his eyes at the witch as he sat down.

"Why are you tormenting him still? I would think you'd want to return his humanity soon, I can't teach an empty shell."

Maleficent chuckled, crossing her fingers together

"Cut the act, Dawn Treader. You know as well as I that even as he is, Sora is far from an empty shell. As for restoring his humanity...I can be very patient. I am not quite done with this stage of vengeance quite yet. I do plan on cutting it short, so that I may begin his molding. For now, however, I relsh his groveling."

"Rags before royalty."

"Precisely. Now, Riku, there are some...guidelines...we must discuss, concerning your involvement in Sora's training."

"You don't want me preventing Sora from falling prey to the Darkness. I'm to keep him sane, and prevent him from becoming a Heartless...again."

"How—"

"I was asleep. Not unconscious. Plus, I'm not stupid. I knew from the start my role couldn't interfere with your plans of turning him into your son. You want me to help him and train him to use the Darkness as a weapon, not to cure him of it. Fine. I'm ok with that. I'm not overly happy about it, but that's life now."

Maleficent marveled once again at the teen before her. He was calm, yet his ice-blue eyes flashed with veiled anger.

No, he wasn't happy about her terms at all, yet he took the situation like an army general accepting surrender because any other option meant death for his troops.

"You astound me with your dignity, Riku." She said at last "Trulky, you are a worthy adversary."

"Our little war isn't over." The teen snarled, eyes flashing "You've won this battle, but make no mistake, I'm not done yet. Far from it actually."

"Oh, I know you aren't" the witch said, stroking the back of her pet until he purred at the sensation, "I look forward to our next battle, Dawn Treader. In the meantime, I shall restrict interactions from my colleagues. I do not want my pet damaged and weak during the ceremony. It will be taxing enough on his body without them adding to his misery."

"Ceremony. You mean his inoguration?" Riku raised an eyebrow.

"No." The witch said simply, enjoying her oponent's lack of information. "That comes later. The ceremony that I speak of is the beginning of his transformation. I will infuse him with my power, among other things, and I need you to keep him unabused until then or he may not survive the process."

Riku nodded "I get it."

"Excelent."

"Although, you limit Sora's interaction with us. Don't think I haven't noticed the barrier you set up between our rooms and the rest of the guest suites."

Maleficent waved a hand dismissively "That will come down. Do we have an understanding?"

Riku snorted as he reached down and scratched Sora between the shoulderblades. "Keep him from being abused. Honestly, do you even ineed/i to ask?"

"Very good. Your task begins immediately. Stay close to Sora at all times. I have other business I need to attend."

Maleficent stood, and Riku smiled softly down at his friend.

"Come on Sora, let's go."

KHKHKHKHKHKHKHKH

"So, Sora is hanging with us with permission from his jailer." Axel said as the Keyblade hero scampered around their room, chittering happily.

Sora rushed to his Light and rubbed on her until Kairi reluctantly relented and scratched him between his shoulderblades, her mouth quirked in a near grin as he leaned into her touch.

Riku looked on, bemused. "Actually, he's hanging with me. Wherever I go, he goes. I just figured bringing him here was the safest bet."

Roxas, having not recovered from his bout of laziness, raised a hand and said sleepily, "Basicly, Sora's your pet now. How ironic. I guess this makes me your stand."

"Not funny, Roxas." Riku sighed

"Or, technically, Sora's your familiar" The Nobody continued "and I'm his stand."

"Roxas!" Riku growled dangerously.

"What? I've gotta be someone's stand in all this!"

Riku looked to Axel for an explination. The eighth member of the Organization shrugged and shook his head "Hey, he's trying to lesson the tension. Can't blame him for that, really. He does make a good point though, Riku. Sora is dogging your steps like a faithfull mutt."

The silver haired boy sneered "You think I haven't noticed?! You think it's easy for me to watch him grovel and beg at my feet? I hate this! But it keeps Sora safe."

"Oh please 'Dawn Treader'" the Nobody said, crossing his arms and cocking his head "Don't deny that part of you is secretly enjoying this."

Riku sighed, lowering his eyes for a second "I put that part of me to death a long time ago. So yes, I deny it strongly"

Kairi giggled as the keymaster pounced on her, a bleating laugh erupting from his throat.

"Well, one thing's still stands, Sora is STILL Sora!"

Riku smiled. "That's the truth!"

"For now." Roxas said glumly.

"No!" Kairi snapped, hugging her hero close. "For always. No matter what that witch does to him, no matter how deep the Darkness drags him down, Sora will always be Sora. His core will never change even when his heart is shadowed."

Riku frowned, putting a hand on the girls shoulder.

"You said when not if. Kairi...are you-?"

"Yes." The Princess of Heart shed a tear, cuddling her hero's broad shoulders so he'd lean against her, which he was happy to ablidge.

"I'm accepting his fate. Sora has to do this. He will do this for us...for me. It's going to hurt, seeing him close his heart from me, instead opening it up for...for her. I know he may do some horrible things. Some of them will be of his own free will. But..." She smiled tearfully "It won't matter. Because the Darkness can't block the Light forever, and Maleficent, as powerful as she is, has no magic that can override what he truly is, deep down."

Axel snorted "That's a nice sentiment. Care to back it up with a reason you know all this for a fact?"

Kairi looked deep into Sora's clouded blue eyes and smiled confidently.

"Because I love him."