Chapter 10

Riku's pov

When Kairi had given Sora the message from King Mickey requesting that Sora and I go see Master Yen Sid, I didn't know what to expect. When the old master told us that we were to take a test to prove if we were ready to be true keyblade masters I knew that I need to do this. To prove to myself that I was worthy if the Keyblade that Alex had helped me to waken months ago. We were to be sent to our past, right when the Destiney Island disappeared and went to sleep, as Master Yen Side explained it. Sora and I are to open 7 sleeping keyholes and in doing so we would gain a power to wake our lost friends.

So Sora and I we sent to the Islands and set out on the raff, where we fought and defeated Ursula before we fell into the sea. After that I don't remember how but I ended up in a dream world of Travers Town and met two boys named Joshua and Beat. Joshua seemed nice as he explained about how the Dream Eaters were our allies, before Beat attacked me with some. It seemed that someone in a black coat had convinced Beat that if he took out Joshua he could get someone named Rhyme back. After the fight Beat gave up as he sat on the wall, saying how he only wanted to protect the one person that really mattered to him. "I know the feeling." I muttered as I thought about Alex, Sora, Kairi and Mickey. It was then that a dizzy spell hit me and I collapsed, waking some time later with Alex next to me.

Now as we wondered around Treves Town I couldn't help but look at Alex well she looked around in confused awe. I was now looking like her 13 old self again she was dressed in a red shirt with 3 quarter sleeves. Over that she wore a vest similar to my own but it was grey with black trim, the symbol of the Dream Eaters on her back. Gray capris were secured around her waist by a bronze belt, the legs stopping above the black hiking boots she had on her feet. "So let me get this straight, Master Yen Sid sent you and Sora into the past so you could fall asleep, open 7 sleeping keyholes and gain power to wake people?" Alex asked as she stopped looking around and turned to me with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah that's about it." I said with a chuckle well I looked her over, appreciating the way the cloths she was wearing hued her frame so well. "Now that you're up to speed about me you have a few things to explain, starting with-" I didn't get a chance to finish as a girl ran passed, some nightmares chasing her. Without hesitation both Alex and I fallowed them to the main square in District 1. Both of us jumped over the nightmares and landed between them and the girl. I told her to stay back as I summoned Way to the Dawn and Alex her new weapon. It was a bow, summoned much in the same way as any keyblade did but it was most defiantly not a giant key. The bow she held in her left hand was like nothing I had ever seen. It looked to be made of a pure white wood which then transitioned to a white crystal of some kind all the way to the bows tips. The string looked to be made of the purest silver as it glistened when it caught the light. With practiced ease Alex drew the string back and an arrow of pure light formed, ready to be fired.

Between Alex's light arrows and my keyblade we dealt with the nightmares with ease and we turned to the girl we had saved. She seemed alright after the ordeal and cheerful as she smiled at me, not seeing Alex at all, just as the Emissaries had said. "Thanks for saving me hansom." The girl said with a grin.

"Hansom?!" Alex exclaimed looking at the other girl in distain, I had to bight my lip from chuckling as I grabbed my friend and turned to walk away. The girl fallowed us and said. "Seriously, thanks. I'm Shiki, how about you?"

"Riku."

"Thanks Ruku." I told her sure and continued to walk away again, dragging a glaring Alex as I did. "Hey! That's it? You chat up a girl, say "Sure", then walk off?"

Alex snorted as her glare turned soft, that twinkle in her eyes as she fought to smile at the situation I suddenly had myself in. It only got worse as Shiki teased me a bit and I became flustered, thinking she was serious about me being her knight in shining armor. "I think you've got the wrong idea about this."

"Oh my gosh, I was so just kidding." Shiki said in exasperation. "You get out much?"

"No he doesn't." Alex muttered around her laughter, not seeing my glare directed her way. Shiki said that I reminded her of a guys she knows but didn't go into further details. After that the 3 of us walked around, our destination unknown. Then as we crossed over a bridge that lead to a court yard that had a shallow pool and Shiki suddenly took off across it. I called after her as Alex and I ran after her but I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw a figure in a familiar black leather coat. Alex ran onto my back which made me stumble and my eyes fell in Shiki's black cat stuffy. "Shiki. No way.

"How did you get here?" the figure asked, the voice was male and unfamiliar as he kicked Shiki'a stuffed cat at me. It hit me in the chest as Alex gripped my arm in a tight grip, as the black coat walked down the stairs towards us. "By choice or chance? You cannot control what you are not aware of. This wakeless sleep will be your prison… to wonder forever."

I back Alex and myself up as he came closer, I felt her stiffen as we came closer to the pool, her fear of water surfacing. I held her to me as best as I could as I asked him. "What do you mean?"

"Riku, don'cha listen to that punk!" Beat's shout caused me to jerk up right, which made me realise I had been looking down, one hand on my chest. I looked over at him, relived to see Shiki standing next to him. "Shiki's gonna be fine. Shes told me whassup. Hoodie here set this whole thing up, yo. He promised to send Shiki back to our world, and you was the cost of travel. Yo, this is seriously one half- backed excuse for a mission. Betchu ain't even a reaper."

"Riku… what does he mean by a Reaper?" Alex whispered in my ear.

"Not a clue." I whispered back as the black coat lowered his hood allowing us to see his white hair and yellow eyes. "Alright. Who are you?" he didn't answer, I stead he summoned a nightmare before disappearing. Shiki apologized but I told her it was alright before I asked Beat to keep her save and Alex and I fought to monster. With Alex backing me up it didn't take long to defeat it and we joined the other two outside. It was then that transparent Sora and Joshua along with two other kids appeared in front if us. Both Shiki and Beat were upset at see this two, Beat more so as they were so close but they couldn't tough them. I felt the same as I looked at Sora. Alex walked over to Beat, I was surprised to see her eyes and the Light Shard were glowing. She placed one hand on Beats back, and the other on Suiki's. "Hearts connected even when apart return to those you love and care about." She said before her light flared and only Sora, Joshua, Alex and I were the only ones left.

"In their world, something happened that brought their existence to an end." Joshua began as Alex came to stand next to me once again, though she looked a bit tired. "To keep them from fading all together, I gathered up the very last remnants of their dreams and looked for a place to give them refuge. It was then that this world appeared to answer my call, and Rhyme's dream allowed us to retch it. Here I thought they might have a chance- that the pieces of their dreams could make them whole again. Imagine my surprise when I realized dreams take bodily form in this world. It struck me that by linking their piecing back together maybe I could make them exist again. Maybe I could give them another chance."

"It can't be that simple." I argued, hearing Alex snort next to me, causing me to spare her a glance. Our eyes met and I saw a smirk on her face that said I was very wrong and she knew why, which left me confused.

"Well, why can't it?" Joshua offered. "By ourselves we're no one. It's when other people look at us and see someone that's the moment we each start to exist. All they needed was for someone to see them, to connect with them. And the two of you were a big part of making it happen." For just a moment I could have sworn he looked directly at Alex when he said this.

"Joshua, just… who are you?" Sora and I asked him at the same time.

Joshua laughed softly. "Let's say… a friend." With that he spread some wings and took off flying into the sky and a keyhole appeared. I grabbed on to Alex as Sora and I summoned our keyblades and opened the gate to leave this world and headed to the next.

Alex's pov

The means of Sora's and Riku's test foe the Mark of Mastery may have left me confused but I couldn't really argue and finally having the chance to meet Sora. Well kind of as I wasn't really meeting him per say but I now knew what he looked like after all these years. I didn't really understand what my fallowing Riku through the 7 sleeping worlds would accomplish. Not at first. From 15 century Parise France, the belly of a wheal named Monstro, The Gride that was looked to be the inside of a computer. Though I wasn't of much help in dealing with the situations in the worlds we visited I did notice that of Riku it was a test in dealing with his own darkness.

I quickly learned that I needed to step back and help in other ways. That I could heal a wounded heart with my power and I was able to teleport much better when I needed to. Though out of morph it was tiring. Also more than once, when I was separated from Riku I was able to manifest my phoenix more freely when I needed the extra help. I soon learned that my eyes changed, that they were amber in color and took on a bird like appearance when I called on my animal spirit.

We then ended up back in Traveres town, Joshua asked Riku to help in dealing with a pesky Dream Eater that could jump between the two versions of that world. This was the first real sign that we really had a problem on our hands, mostly for Sora and Riku. The time between these worlds was very different, as Sora's version was ahead, well Riku's and mine were behind. It put me on edge and as Riku and off to deal with the dream Eater in the plaza Joshua called out to me. "I think it best that stay with me Keeper."

Hearing him say that stopped me dead in my tracks and summoning my bow I pointed a light arrow at him. "So… you can see me? I was informed that only Riku would be able to."

Joshua smiled as he approached me, pulling something out of his pocket as he did. "Of that I have no doubt that is the Morphing Masters desire but one ranger who is also ninjetti cannot hid from another." He said as he held up a power morpher that was similar to the ones Tommy and the others used but it was very different. Before I could get a better look at it Joshua pocked it again. "I know you have question phoenix but now is not the time for me to answer then as I could also use your help. If you trust me that is."

I frowned at him bit I did put my bow away. "You know who Zordon is right?"

"Indeed I do as it was him that gave me it to me some time ago, though it was not the one you know now." Joshua explained.

"I don't understand." I told him confused.

Joshua had that knowing smile on his face. "You don't now but you will when the time is right." After that he had me hold on to him keeping his portal open well I teleported the two of us around. Fallowing Riku as he chased the Dream Eater to the place where the trap was waiting. It soon fled to the other Traverse Town where Sora was waiting. After that we went on to the next world which was another veraon of France, at the opera house. This time I watched as Riku stopped Peta from using a trap on the Musketeers that appeared to be Mickey, Donald and Goofy. I had to laugh as Princess Minnie got Riku to asy the Musketeer motto before we left for the next sleeping world. This one I was left behind in what Riku told me was Master Yen Sid's tower. Riku went into the music that Mickey was trapped in and I couldn't fallow. So I took this as a chance to meditate and recognize the feel of the growing Ninjetti powers inside of me and my connection to the Morphing Gride.

That was when I sensed the growing darkness but it wasn't from Riku. No it was from many different sources all over the worlds that were connected to this one. That I was in a dream and the dreamer wasn't me. I meant to share this with Riku once he came out of the music a freed Mickey but he said that this was the last keyhole and it could wait.

However I didn't get the chance.

As the last keyhole closed behind us and we landed in a grey world crawling in darkness I knew we were out of time. "Where are we now? I unlocked all seven keyholes." Riku asked as he looked around confused but a gasped suddenly escaped him when he looked at me. "Alex… you're fading."

I looked down and sure enough I was once again transparent, it starting at my feet and slowly going up. I looked at Riku through my hands as I realized unlike last time, it didn't hurt, I wasn't being split in two. "Its ok Riku, my part in your test has passed, I think. I'll be there for you, in your dreams." He smiled at me as I had used some of the words he had once said to me and I even got to place a kiss in his cheek. I felt great at seeing his face turning red before I was pulled out of that world and into darkness. I felt like I was floating at the Emissaries found me there. "You have done well young Alex. You have not only demonstrated that you can control the powers given to you as one of the Ninjetti guardians but that you know when to act and bot to act. Only one more test last test awaits you, where he waits to return to his friends and she sleeps, waiting to me awakened." Yellow said to me as a light appeared beneath me.

"I don't understand, what am I supposed to do?" I asked as I sank down towards the light.

"To understand is not the purpose of the test." Blue informed me as the three of them became distance above me.

"To know yourself, those around you and to trust the unknown is." Red finished before I was enveloped in the light. The light soon faded as I felt ground beneath my feet and I looked around noticing that I had landed in a rocky mountain area. The land looked void of all scores of life but it was more than that, it felt lifeless around me. I began to wonder what or who I was to meet in a desolate place such as this as I started to walk. As I walked I kept my eyes peeled for anything odd or out of the ordinary, mostly so I wouldn't be surprise attacked.

It felt like I had been walking for over an hour when I saw a kneeling figure in the distance, the sun reflecting off of him or her. As I drew closer I realized the figure was dressed in armor that was different shades of bronze. A long cape blew behind them, well a keyblade was embedded into the ground in front of the kneeling figure, his or her head bowed. I approached the figure slowly, not wanting to provoke them in anyway, not wanting a fight. I came to a stop a few feet from the figure, wondering if by chance the person inside was even alive. Then a male voice came from it, it sounding void of emotion. "Jess… Aqua… Ven…"

I frowned at him as I stepped in front of him, so he could see me better. "Who are you?" I asked curious.

"Who are you?" he repeated my question before he added. "You're light… it is familiar… just like hers… who are you?"

I was nervous now as I could feel slight anger coming from this armored man. My name is Alexandria." I was surprised that my full first name came out of my mouth. I hadn't done that since I met Riku and only Zordon and Dulcea really used it and not upset me. "I'm know by some as the Phoenix Ranger and as the Keeper of Light."

That seemed to get a reaction out of him as he slowly rose to his feet, pulling his keyblade out of the ground once he was on his feet. I was a bit startled by him now towering over me but I stood my ground as he stepped closer to me. Even though I couldn't see his eyes I could feel them boring into me as he retched out with his left hand. I noticed that I just about retched his shoulder as his hand hovered over the Light Shard and he said. "This… but you are not the keep I know. Where…"

He didn't finish so I spoke up. "I've only been keeper for 4 years. My mother Jessica was keeper before me and my great uncle George before her. Is it one of them you met before?"

Once again he didn't answer but he did reach out and touch the Light Shard and proved that his intentions were pure. In the past when the Light Shard has been grabbed by those who had ill intent to me or intent on using the shard for evil, it would throw them across a room. This time something strange happened. An emcee light came out of the Light Shard which seemed to peel back the armor and a young man, older then Riku and my brothers was reviled to me. His hair was brown, styled in a way that made Sora's look even crazier. His cloths made me think of a samurai of Japan's futile era, save that his shirt was tight fitting grey and black. He also had red straps that crossed over his chest in an X, well an armor piece of the same bronze color scheme on his left arm. His eyes had my attention though as they were the same deep blue that I saw in the mirror every morning.

I'm not sure where the name came from but it left my mouth before I realized I was speaking. "Terra." His eyes went big before he seemed to melt back into the armor, or was it that the armor swallowed him up once again, I wasn't sure. Before his eyes were gone they locked with mine and I felt something stir from deep within me but it was gone just as soon as it left. Looking up at the figure that was all armor once more he backed away from me and turned, motioning for me to fallow him. I only hesitated for a moment before I fallowed him, wondering where he was taking me.

We walked in silence for some time, me half a step behind him wondering what his story was and which keeper before me he had known. With Zordon and Dulcea being as being as old as they were I couldn't rule out him being much older than he looked. I still wondered why I had felt comfortable giving him my full name and that strange feeling that had been when we had locked eyes. I was so lost in thought that I barely noticed when we climbed down a small slop that lead to a little valley at the base of a tall hill. That is until a small army of putties and Tengus jumped us.

"Phoenix take flight!" I shouted out of instinct, using my twin Phoenix blades to take out mud and bird brain left and right, with ease but then I looked at Terra. The two were swarming him, it seemed like he wasn't use to these numbers. I didn't really think, I locked my swords hilts together and threw the connected blades at the group swarming him. I had enough time to see my blades cut them in half, freeing Terra before I was grabbed from behind. My found myself being slammed into the ground, the force cracking the visor of my helmet, and my head to hit the side hard. I laid there for a moment trying to clear my now blurred vison as I felt my morph fall and they retched for the chain around my neck.

"Terra… help me… please." I muttered as tried to throw them off.

Out of nowhere a keyblade whipped above me taking out all of the putties and Tangus that were on top of me. With them gone I was able to get to my feet, running over till I was back to back with Terra. The putties and Tengus surrounded us as I summoned my bow in my right hand well in of my Phoenix blades in my left. As I'm right handed it made no since to me but I didn't have time to think about it as my Phoenix spirit emerged and the sound of falling stones fill the area. Looking to the hill I saw that it was falling to pieces well a hug gold- bronze bird made of metal was reviled to us. My Phoenix flew around this much large bird as an orange glow filled its eyes before it spread its wings, freeing them and the rest of the Zord from the stone. It let lose a loud bird cry, the putties and Tengus turning to dust around us.

"Beautiful isn't she." Said a voice I had known since I was small and thought I would never hear again. I felt tears in my eyes as I slowly turned and looked at my mother as she walked towards us. "And she's all yours."

"M-mom."