The Grey Ancient

by Ancient2

This is the Kingdom Hearts storyline through Riku's point of view. It's a take on who he is, where did he come from, and 'what' he is. Neither of the Light, nor the Darkness. So then where does he belong?

2. Chapter 2

The Grey in Twilight Orange

The people of the island were startled to see the Gummi Ship pod fall down from their twilight sky. Even more so when they took dinghy boats out from their shores to retrieve it only to find that there was a baby inside.

The child had been unharmed by the fall, and had been safely strapped down with care. Nobody knew where the child had come from, nor where his parents were. The only clue that they had was a letter left with him by his mother.

'I pray you'll be my eyes

and watch him where I cannot.

For I cannot protect him from the things that hunt us.

Help him to grow wise and strong.

Protect him with all your Heart.

He could no longer be safe by my side

so I had no choice but to let him go.

Please love him like I shall always will

He is a very special child.

Let him join your place

and guide him with your Life.

Give him care and keep him safe.

This is my prayer,

this is a mother's prayer that every child should know.

Let him know that I love him, forever and ever.

Please take care of my Riku

And to my dearest Riku, until we meet again.

Forever your loving mother,

- Aeris'

*** Months later ***

It was a small town, so the boy had been taken in by one of the local fishermen to be raised as his own. Which the man would soon learn that such a duty would soon in turn constitute the daily visits from the Moogle Mailing System, carrying more ice-coolers full of breast milk with only a note saying 'for Riku,' and the occasional nick-pickings of a caring mother. Insisting that the poor man made sure to give her baby her milk at least eight times a day for the first couple of weeks. But the boy had quite the appetite on him, so he had to be fed at least twelve times a day, or so his adoptive father would later tell him. He especially grew more of an appetite by his third month of age during his growth spurt, but the breast milk just kept on coming so that the fishermen wouldn't have to revert to formula milk. The mother was probably spending a fortune having these coolers mailed to him, which greatly showed how much she cared for the child, enough for the male to blindly ignore the eery fact that she somehow knew that he was the one that took her child in and knew where he lived for that matter. She might as well have gone one step further and addressed him by his name.

Later by his sixth month, when the boy could take on solid foods and teething the milk still kept coming down... at least until the boy had reached a year old. The mother had insisted that babies who switched to table food and whole cow's milk when they are a year old will never need infant formula. This way the baby could have the benefits of a breastfed baby even while she was no longer in the picture. He would have fewer trips to the pediatrician for common childhood illnesses, have fewer allergies, a lower risk of obesity and diabetes, and higher IQ's than formula-fed babies. The fishermen didn't question the mysterious mother's logic, and just accepted it as no extra money out of his pocket for baby formula which lessen the burden of raising the child. And on the bright side, it also told the fisherman when Riku's birthday was.

But the boy was practically no trouble at all. He had wailed loudly during their first two weeks together, but that was because he assumed the boy was not taking kindly to a new face and was wondering where his mother was. But oddly enough he started to calm down; soon after that he quieted down. Silencing down to only a whimper when he was hungry or needed to be changed. After that, he had mostly spent his time sleeping... dreaming...

Sometimes the fisherman wondered what the child was dreaming of while he worked his nets and the child slept in his crib in the shade on the shore. It was by the boy's sixth month that the fisherman started to get a clue what the baby was dreaming.

It had been nearly the same dream for the baby ever since he could first see his new world after the disappearance of the large shadow that he longed to see and yet couldn't fully remember.

He was always cuddled up in his blankets in a small field of lilies, soft as silk with petals of yellow and white, surrounded by the blankness of the Light. Even so, in such an empty place, he was not alone. A beauty with brown plaited long hair tied with a pink bow was always there. She would appear seemingly out of nowhere from white blankness just when the dreams would start, just when the solitude would start to scare him.

She warmly giggle and chuckle as she approached him. Stepping through the grass softly in her brown boots, the grass unharmed by her light steps. Her pink dress brushing pass the lilies as she made her way towards him, her iron bracelets jingling like a bell with her movement.

"(Chuckle) There's my cute little boy."

He would happily gurgle at the sound of her voice, cooing as he restlessly stretch out his arms for her to hold him, making her gently laugh some more. As much as he like the sound of her chime-like laugh he would much rather have her pick him up, which she happily would with a smile. Slowly bringing him up passed her brown belt that acted more as a sash than a belt as it hung around her waist, bringing him all the way up to her face level.

"Look at you. You are getting so big now." She said lifting him a little in her arms before pulling him back into her embrace. "Aw, Mommy's here, Mommy's got you."

Sitting back down with him, rocking him in her arms as she gently sang to him the same lullaby she would always sing. Her touch was so soft and yet he felt so safe in her arms. Her voice was so soothing, and yet he didn't want to sleep.

"Far below the city's glow

Lie the flowers blooming in the shadows

They comforting me, saving me

From all I see."

He reached up for her, grabbing her bangs as they both looked into each others Lifestream eyes.

"Then you came with eyes of pain

Haunting blue and gentle

Like a spring rain

Silently beckoning

For a love to cease your inner tears."

She would hold him closer, rocking him slowly in her embrace.

"I belong here with you

Though the earth cries inside me

I will fly

High into the storm

Far from the light

I will be strong."

He gurgle with curiosity as her voice would soften. Eyes warmed up, lovingly, she slowly leaned down to gently rest her larger forehead on his.

"Because they need you

Because I love you"

She slowly pulled her forehead away from his again as she sadly looked down at him. He starting panicking as her warmth pulled away from him.

"You close your eyes now

I will be gone

But my love for you will go on."

"..." He began to whimper, he didn't like this. He didn't like this feeling at all. It caused a spark in his head, it made him subconsciously remember. Fearing their parting, he reached out to her pleadingly. "Mo..."

"?!" She tilted her head in shocked curiosity. That was a new sound, coming from him, usually he only whimpered and cooed. Was he... was he trying to...

"Ma... mma..."

"!" Her bright eyes widen in shock, her heart had stopped as she gasped out her breath. "D-... did you just...?"

"Mama..." He grabbed on to her dress, using it as leverage as he sat up on her lap to look up at her.

"(Gasp)!" She held her free hand over her mouth as she happily looked down at him with watery eyes filled with tears of joy. "I don't believe it... You called me Mom..."

"Mama." He called out for again, happy at the reaction he had gotten from doing it and wanted to see it again.

"You called my name, Riku..." She warmly smiled down at him and the warm light soon began to consume them all.

"Mama."

"!" The fisherman nearly bolted out of his skin in alarm at the baby's sudden voice. He turned to see the child reaching up as he look to the sky. He sat up in his crib, holding on to the edge as he looked around, only to suddenly tear up and start to cry, louder than his more recent quieter whimpers.

"Hey, what's wrong, little man?" The fisherman asked over to the child, rushing over to him to awkwardly hold in his arms, not really knowing what to do in this situation. Not only did the child say his first word, but he was also sitting up for the first time. That was two whammies in one; he didn't even know where the kid heard the word 'mama,' he never really spoke it.

"Mama...!" The baby called out again, searching for the woman with green eyes. Only to be greeted by the man with brown eyes, darker sun-kissed skin and darker brown spiky hair, and shaggy peach hairs. The man was a familiar presence, but he was not the presence the baby wanted to see.

"Don't cry, Squirt." Said the man, awkwardly trying to comfort the child, slowly rocking him in his strong arms. "You're a man, aren't you? And strong men don't cry."

"..." His loud cries quieted down to a whimper at the fisherman's voice.

"Attaboy, Squirt." He smirked down at the kid, grabbing his nets with his temporary free hand to haul them over on his shoulder before holding the boy with both arms again. "What d'ya say we go home for the day?"

"..." The boy said nothing as the man started to walk, just looking up curiously into his adoptive father's eyes.

"Don't worry, Squirt. You'll see her again soon." The fisherman assured to the kid as they made their way home.

And it would come to show that the man was correct, for the boy would see his mother again. In many more dreams to come.

*** At 9 months of age ***

"Babaa ba-ba-bo-pho-phoo."

"That's great, Sweetie." The woman cheered to her child, giving him a clap in praise at his answer to her 'how was your day' question.

He was only babbling and vocalizing, but it sounded like he was making sense. That was because he was trying out tones and patterns similar to the ones she was using, along with the people that were around him used. She would foster this practice on the human language by engaging him with normal conversation or reading to him bedtime stories that she would conquer up with her during her dream visits.

"Have you been eating good food lately?"

"No." He cutely shook his head.

"Aw, what's wrong with it? Do you not like it?"

"No."

"Do you not like Apple Sauce?"

"No."

"Do you not like Smashed Peas?"

"No."

"Hmm... Do you not like me?"

"No."

"No? Then why are you nodding your head, little man?" The woman giggled at her son's adorable antics, already telling by the way that he was smiling that he did indeed like her. "Do you like me or not?"

"No." He was happily nodding again with a big smile on his face as he playful kicked his feet while he sat up beside her.

"(Sigh) Well... I guess we can work on comprehension of words and understanding them later." She sigh, getting back up on her feet as she brushed off her knees and gave her legs a stretch by walking a little.

"No." The child said more desperately, panicking as his mother moved away from him.

"Hm?" She turned her head towards him in maternal concern while she was still stretching her arms over her head, one hand gripping onto the other arm, her feet stopped at the sound of his voice.

"No." He whined, practically pouted, as he crawled his way over to her.

"(Gasp)! Sweetie, you're crawling." She gasped out in pure joy at being able to watch this first time accomplishment of her son's. Bending down a little, she stretched her arms out, beckoning to him. "Come on, Riku, come to Mama."

"Hm..." The boy grumble out in determination, placing one hand in front of the other as he crawled his way to her. The grass acting as a soft barrier between him and the cold ground, making crunching sounds as he pressed down on it. He huffed pushing himself forward as his little body was beginning to tire out from the new experience of muscle use, but still he pressed on. Until he finally reached his mother's boots, grabbing at her leg from the slit in her pink button-up dress. Holding on as if the second he let her go she would disappear.

"Way to go, Riku." She cheered to her son, reaching down to take him into her arms. He happily giggle at her praise, and at being lifted up into the air. "You did it, Riku. You did it."

*** 12 months of age ***

"Up. Up, up, up." Riku insisted, jumping up and down with arms up towards his mother in his wish to be picked up.

"Alright, up you go." She said with a gently grunt as she lifted him up, he was getting much bigger now. Heavier too, she was starting to work up a sweat with her dainty body.

"Mama soft." Riku happy cooed to his mother, resting the side of his head on her chests while he listened to her heartbeat. Rubbing his head side to side on her warm, soft flesh. "Mama warm."

"Oh, you're getting bigger. Pretty soon, I won't be able to carry you anymore. In just a matter of no time."

"No. Mama safe. Always want mama's warmth." Riku commanded with an insistence that reminded her of his father.

The boys vocabulary was growing; he now knows what his words mean. He was even practicing inflection, raising his tone when talking or asking a question every now and then. But just like her other children, he would most likely grow up to be more like his father and settle for a softer, milder tone that was still alluring. Hopefully it wouldn't be as intimidating as his father's could be, the man didn't even have to try and he was already doing it, scaring people's hearts out of their throats. But... only time would tell...

"Alright, even when you're older and are too big to stay in my arms, I will always carry you. One way or another."

"Hm!" He smiled, nodding as he liked the answer. Not fully understanding all of the words, but still understanding the meaning of her statement.

And only love would halt the Darkness...

*** 1 and 1/2 years of age ***

"What is this, Riku?" His mother ask, pointing towards an object in their limited space in the empty blankness.

"Flower."

"Very good!" She praised with a light laugh in her breath, now going for the next object. "What is this?"

"... Dirt." That one was a little harder for the boy as he watch the soil crumple a little over and out of his mother's hand, it had gone by many names and he didn't know if one of the answers would be wrong or not.

His vocabulary was growing fast; he now could understand the meaning of his words and the ones he could not say. And he was picking up more words every day, making basic sentences. She had to nurture this, and sponge as many words as she could into his head while he was in this developing stage. The people looking after him were probably doing the same thing; but, what's the point of having an advantage if you did not use it? If she could visit him in his dreams, why not let the lessons go on so that he could have a step ahead in his knowledge.

"Very good. It can also go by the name soil, or earth. Now..."

"(Gasp)." Riku gasped in awe as a tree seemed to magically sprout into their world at the wave of her hand.

"What is this, Riku?" She asked him, calmly continuing on with her lesson as if nothing had happen.

"Tree!" Riku happily cheered, amazed at his mom. She was magic!

"Well done, Riku." She smile at him pleased with his answer. "You're so smart. You're developing faster than expected.

"Yay!"

"Here, how about this?" She challenged him, casting a controlled Blizzard in her hand, forming it into a shape with the flow of the other hand.

"Ball."

"(Chuckle) Alright, I'll give you that one. But, it is also called a sphere." She began putting more magic in her hand as she changed the shape again. "What about this one?"

"Hm... Square!"

"Actually this is a cube, but you're half way there." She chirped closing the tips of her fingers to touch each other, making the ice and the magic disappear into the air. "My baby boy is so smart."

"Riku's not a baby." Riku shook his head before pointing at himself, puffing up proudly. "Riku's a big boy now."

"You're not a baby anymore?" She titled her head in playful confusion. His sense of 'self' was maturing, he started to talk more. Telling her things about what he like or what he didn't like, and how his day was, what he thinks, and even what he feels. However, he still had trouble with pronouns. They seemed to 'confuse' him a little. "But, you'll always be my baby, Riku."

"No, no. Riku's a big boy now. Sora's the baby."

"Sora? Who's Sora, dear?"

"Sora's neighbor's baby. Sora was born not long ago. Sora's soft and squishy. Riku likes baby."

"Aww, that is so sweet. Maybe you two can be friends some day."

"(Gasp)! Can Riku play with Sora some time?!" Riku said in excitement, still learning to control the volume of his voice, but he'll get there some day.

"Hm, sure." His mother nodded in confirmation, smiling at his excitement. She was relieved to know that Riku would be able to make friends, that he wouldn't be alone once he left her eyes in the dream world. Her heart couldn't bare the thought of him being singled out. "Once he is a little older."

"How long will that be?" He pouted, puffing out his cheeks. She couldn't help but laugh, he looked like a chipmunk. She gently laughed into her hand.

"Oh don't be so impatient my dear." She laughed in her breath before she calmed down with a sigh. "When he gets older, there will be many, many times for you two to play together."

"(Sigh) Riku wishes Sora was older now."

"Well it's a long way yet." She tried to explain to her child. "He's got a year to learn how to sit up, then to crawl, for his baby teeth to grow in, then to talk and walk. And then another six months to learn to speak and potty train. He still has a long way... but he'll get there."

"Riku's potty training right now too!"

"(Chuckle) Oh you are! You're my big boy now."

"Riku will always be Mommy's big boy."

"Hm... that I hope, dear."

*** 2 years of age ***

"Mom."

"?!" She had been caught off guard, since when had her child become so sophisticated? Since when did he stop calling her Mama, or Mommy? "Yes, Riku?"

"..." He stared at her for a moment, before he calmly asked for his request. "I want to try to read tonight. I want to try to learn, if that's alright."

"!" His voice was more controlled now too, a soft tone that would probably grow alluring to the ears once puberty hit. He was getting the hang of pronouns now, and could string nouns and verbs together to form simple sentences. He was developing fast, but how could she expect anything else from him with that Ancient blood running through his veins. But she also feared this, she feared that he would turn into his father faster now. "..."

But his face still had that gentleness about it. His green eyes still had that innocent shine to it, just like her own. But it still had that hint of pride to it as well, just like his father's, just like his father's use to be... Now they had pent-up anger blazing inside them, a hardness that she had never wanted to see in her husband's eyes. Never wanted to see him pent-up with pain...

"Mom?"

"?!" She gasped out, she had gotten lost in her thoughts. "Of course you can, Riku. I'll be right here to help you when you need it."

"Hm, thanks Mom." He wanted to learn to read as fast as he could. Because today... his dad had given him the letter his mother had left behind for Riku in his baby basket... he wanted to read what it said.

*** 4 years old ***

"Mom... why am I so different...?"

"(Gasp)! What makes you say that, Riku?" Her heart nearly stopped. Did he noticed something about him...?

"All the kids treat me different, Mom. They act as if I'm weird, just because the things I say. They say I act and talk funny too."

Children had a better connection to the Light. Of course they would notice, of course he would act a little different.

"That's just because you've matured faster than most children. Pre-School can be hard at times. You're just a little special, that's all."

"But what if they're right? What if I am weird? I mean... I feel a little different after all."

"And what is it that makes you feel different, Riku?"

"..." He got his thoughts together, crunching into himself as he wrapped his arms around his bent knees as he brought them to his chest, resting his chin on his knees with a sad look in his eyes. "I feel... like I'm kinda like you, Mom."

"?" That one was a shot in the dark, and it had a sting to it too what with that sad look in his eyes at the thought. But baring no judgement, she titled her head as she waited for him to continue. "And that is a bad thing?"

"(Gasp)! No." He instantly jolted, catching up to how his words could be misinterpreted, shaking his head to deny the ill intent. "I mean... I feel like I'm a lot more independent than most kids, like you. More intuitive about others, more understanding, just not as outgoing and kind as you."

"Aww, that's sweet."

"And... I feel... I feel like I'm more deeply in-tune to something..."

"..."

"I don't really know what exactly. But it's like I can hear the wind calling me sometimes."

"..."

"And sometimes... it sounds like the people around me." He began to curl up into himself, more self-consciously. "And when I respond to it... they think I'm strange..."

"..."

"What's wrong with me, Mom...?"

"(Sigh) You're not even in the two digits yet. You shouldn't be worrying about things like this."

"I know, but... sometimes... I feel like I don't really belong here."

"..."

"Like I was meant to be someplace else." Riku took on a more dazed look as he looked up into the vast blankness. "When dad would take me along on one of his fish catching runs, I was happy to go. I was glad to not be left behind and was able to be of help to him. But when I think about staying there as my job, I long for something else. Like my Heart wants me to do something else with my life, to go somewhere else. (Sigh) I know it doesn't make any sense..."

"It makes as perfect sense as me being able to come into your dreams since you were a baby."

"?!"

"(Sigh) Listen, Riku... There are things about you that I've been meaning to tell you about, but I've been kind of scared of what your reaction would be..."

"What is it?" He said, uncurling from himself as he looked to her for answers. "Tell me."

"I've been waiting until you were old enough to tell you."

"I'm old enough to ask." Riku insisted, displaying much of his maturity for a four year old. "Please, tell me."

"..." She grew silent, not really knowing how to start this. "You are... you're not really human, Riku..."

"...!" His breath caught in his throat. "What...! How can you say that? Then... what am I...?"

"We are... we are from an Ancient race, Riku." She tried to explain to him as gently as she could. "Just like me and your father, you were born with the blood of something that had nearly been extinct from the world."

"What are you, Mom?"

"We are from an ancient race, once known as Cetra, now only spoken in lost legends as the Ancients. A powerful, magical race with a connection to the Worlds' Hearts, Lifestreams, and ties to Kingdom Hearts." She explained to him. "Those voices you hear are the Hearts of others. Calling out through your connection."

"Can't I block them out?" Riku pleaded with a despair.

"No. You can only chose whether to listen to them or not. Because the only one that can truly hear them now is you."

"Then I wish I never could hear the voices. I wish that I was never a Cetra."

"So did I, when I was your age." She said to him in comfort, pulling him in towards her for a loving embrace. "I never wanted to accept my Cetra heritage for all the hardships it cost me... For all the loneliness it caused me..."

"..."

"But... I was wrong. I was never alone." She leaned down, cupping her hand under his chin to lift his face up to look at her. "And neither are you."

"?"

"I'm here, aren't I? Do you hate me for being your mother...?"

"!" He twirled around in her arms, wrapping his arms around her for a hug. "No. Never."

"Then don't be ashamed. You have an amazing gift running through your veins, thought to have died out ages ago." She said to him in amazement, trying to cheer him up. "You can bring Light to those that have lost them. And if you train hard enough, you can even hear the calls of the World itself and bid it to your aid."

"Whoa, how can I do that?"

"Only in time. Your Heart will tell you how, when you are ready."

"... Mom."

"Hm?"

"What's your name?"

"?!"

"It's just... you've been around me so long, in my dreams. You've taught me so much. You know so much about me, and yet... I don't know anything about you..."

"... It's Aeris... My name is Aeris..."

*** 5 years old ***

"Can I use Magic?"

"Yes."

"Can I use it without Materia?"

"Yes." Once he got the knack for it.

"Does this mean I'm physically weak?"

"No. I'm the only one with the weak physically capacity. You happen to be quite strong. I'd say you'll be stronger than the others once you develop more." Just like his father...

"Can I float or fly?"

"Well your father could." She nervously mumble under her breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing. You probably could if you wanted too. Legend says that we could grow wings from our backs if our Magic ability was strong enough."

"Can you do it?"

"I never saw the need to do it."

"Well, why not?"

"I'm rather scared of heights, actually... (and the sky)."

"That's silly, Mom."

"We all have our own quirks. I bet you're afraid of the dark."

"I'm not afraid of the dark."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. There's nothing inside it anyways... only emptiness."

It has been a long time, since that day when Aeris revealed to her son about his heritage. She had come to a surprise that he would even notice it so early in his age. But she would not conceal it from him if he asked. She had began teaching him about his heritage, along with other lessons during their slumbering visits into their dreamworld. She would help him with his homework and studies, along with tell him about the Ancients and the past.

On one such night, once he had finished with his studies, she began teaching him of the past.

"Listen, Riku. Long ago, the World was united and filled with warm Light. People loved the Light and eventually began fighting over it.

"Then, Darkness found its way into people's Hearts.

"Darkness consumed the Hearts and Light of the people, and in a flash it spread... The World disappeared into the Darkness.

"But... a glimmer of Light remained in the Hearts of children... Children gathered their glimmers of Light and recreated the World.

"The recreated World, however, was no longer united... It was divided into several smaller Worlds.

"Because the true Light was still hidden deep within the Darkness..."

"..." Riku gasped in awe as his mother's story ended.

"That's where Kingdom Hearts lies." She softly whispered to him, leaning in close with a smile as she looked at the sparkle in his eyes.

"So that means we can't do a thing?" He sadly asked at the thought of the people forever separated from the Kingdom of Hearts.

"No, not now. Not while the door is still shut."

"Wait... so that means there are a lot more Worlds out there."

"That's right, Riku. More Worlds than you can possibly imagine. Housing many different creatures and people." Aeris cheerfully explained to him in excitement. "Oh can you imagine, Riku? The Worlds are vast and they are filled with Hearts just like ours."

"So then... why am I here...?"

"?!"

"Why did I end up on this one? How come I'm not there... with you...?"

"Oh Riku. I had to send you away..." She sadly confessed.

"Why did you send me away? Didn't you love me...?"

"Of course I did." Aeris assured him, making sure he understood the truth of her words as she sincerely looked into his eyes. "Riku I love you with all my Heart. But I had to stow you away to keep you safe from your father. For only then can his Darkness not find you when our Light isn't burning so bright together."

"But Dad is harmless."

"I'm not talking about your adoptive father, Riku. I'm talking about your real father."

"!" Her words sent a chill down his spine. Of course he had an inkling that his father wasn't his real father. They looked nothing alike, and the old man didn't really have the in-tune like he did. But there was something about the way she said 'his real father' that chilled him to the bone inside, it was like it was freezing his heart. How could he describe this? Was it fear? No... it was something else... "Can you tell me more about him then?"

"Hm, he looks just like you." She said with a small nostalgic smile. "Same silver hair, same complexion, same strong eyes... like the Lifestream."

"So... my father... he was a bad man?"

"No. He was a good man... once." She spoke in happy nostalgia until she touched her stomach and she winced in pain at a memory. Her smile fading away. "But the man has become a monster."

"..."

"He has been taken over by his Darkness, ruining him, body and Heart. He doesn't even think he's his own 'person' anymore. He thinks he's the physical embodiment of Cloud's dark memories. Hence he cannot be killed, although he most certainly can."

"Who is Cloud?"

"An old friend of his and mine when he worked as a Soldier on our World. The young man admired him very much, joined the Soldiers because of him, but he was very fond of me too if I do say so myself-"

"What does this have to do with anything?"

"Everything."

"?!"

"What you fail to understand, Riku, is that your father is a little different in his Ancient blood than me."

"Different how?"

"Do you know how children are born?"

"?"

"It's when a mother and father love each other very much." She gently explained to him, placing a hand over her heart, before her face turned more stern and her hand shot back down on her lap with the other. "But your father was not born that way. He was born from an Ancient mother and a human father who developed him in the tummy of another woman for the glory of science."

"So then he has two mothers?"

"Well yes and no. He was purely from the Ancient mother, but had to be formed in the body of another since her body had been under cryogenic sleep in the Realm of Darkness for a long, long, time."

"How long is a long time?"

"Years, hundreds... maybe even in the thousands."

"There's no way. How could she have lived that long?"

"We're Ancients. We age slowly, you'll age slowly too if you take care of yourself. Don't you think it's strange that I've not changed a bit in the years that you've known me?"

"I always thought it was because you had me young."

"Well I did, I guess. But I stopped aging normally once my body had fully developed. Your aging will dramatically slow down too once you've developed fully."

"When will that be?"

"I don't know, when you're 21, I guess. Boys develop at a different rate than girls." Aeris waved off, before bring the focus back to the somber topic of before. "Anyway, your father had been born from an Ancient mother, tainted by the Darkness, along with his father, and thus passed on to him."

"So then... it's passed on to me?"

"Not as strong as your father. It should be harmless to you with my natural Light inherited inside you as long as you don't provoke it." She shook off his worries, only to sadden as she thought more of his father. "But your father had to work harder to keep his in check. We kept it under control together. But suddenly he had stopped trying..."

"Stopped trying? Why?"

"I don't know. I know not what happened to him that day..."

"Mom?"

"He had just come back home different. A changed man... slowly he lost a sense of himself and began attacking friend and foe alike, just for the thrill of battle. Even you and me."

"!"

"He tried to taint you... He tried to taint the both of us. I had to get you away to keep you safe. I have been luring him away from you ever since. Dodging him, left and right back on our home World."

"That's not enough..."

"Hm?" Riku's voice had sounded a little dark, not at all to Aeris' liking.

"That's not enough of an excuse for leaving me alone on this World!"

"I did what I had to do to protect you, Riku." Aeris insisted, pleading for him to understand.

"You have no idea what I've been through. Growing up feeling different, feeling alone like the black sheep in a herd. Only able to see you in my dreams and not be able to hold you with my real hands. And from what you've said I'm part of the Light and the Darkness. I'm nothing likely you, I'm all alone in this World! You have no idea what it's like to be me, there isn't anything like me in this World or the others! So much for caring. You only cared enough about me for a year before the Moogle Mail stopped coming!"

"You know nothing." Aeris said sternly to her son, displaying her own subtle savvy that she had never hoped to show to her child. "You have been hurt. You have felt pain, and I am sorry for that. That is the last thing I had wanted. However...! You know nothing of my pain."

"!" His heart clinched, he had never wanted to see that twisted look of pain on his mother's face, let alone for it to sink into her very eyes.

"I have been stabbed and betrayed by my own husband." She said with a foreboding that sank into her very lips which had shaken and quivered in sadness. "I have had my children stolen from me and consumed in the Darkness where my Light can no longer find them. I have no idea where they are, if they're alright, and it tears me apart inside each day. I have lost the presence of my last remaining child sense I had no other choice if I wanted to protect him from the same fate as the others..."

"!" Riku's eyes widen and gasped as she reached out her hand towards his face.

"I look upon you now through the veils of a dream. I talk to you, I see you now; but, I can never truly see you." Her hand had cupped his cheek, making its way to the back of his head as she slowly pulled him closer for their foreheads to touch. A tear had escaped from her eye... she was shaking. "I have watched you learn to walk, but was never really there to 'see' you walk or to catch you if you fall. I have listen to your first words, but was never truly there to 'hear' it. I have been there for nearly most of your life, but have never been there to watch you grow. I have held you in my arms, and yet never 'felt' you in my touch."

"..." She was crying now, he could hear the sniffling in her voice and it was breaking his heart.

"I'm a horrible mother. I know I'm a terrible mother, I don't need anyone to tell me that twice."

"No, Mom. You're not a terrible mother." Riku insisted to her, relaxing out of her hand's grip to pull in closer to her for a hug, resting his head on her shoulder. "I think you're really great. You're the best mom... That's why I want to see you so much..."

"!" His words touched her heart. Her eyes widen as she gasped in shock. She could say nothing, as she tried to hold back the incoming tears. They sat like that for the rest of the night, until the dream was over...

*** 5 1/2 years of age ***

"You see... everything's alright." Aeris smiled to Riku as he told her about his day with Sora and how they played together all afternoon and late into the evening. They had truly met with each other on the Main Island's playground less than a year ago, and had hit it off on the first try. Sora was a good boy, who seemed to see passed Riku strange ways. Riku couldn't help but bring up the energetic, high-spirited kid whenever he would tell his mother about his day. The two of them had turned out to be good friends, just like she expected they would be. "You're not alone. Not with such a great friend beside you."

"Oh Mom." Riku groaned out in embarrassment, kicking his foot out as he looked to the grass with his hands in his pockets. She had to giggle at his antics, he was coming into his find-your-personality-phase and apparently he wanted to be the cool, tough guy.

"(Gently laugh) I'm sorry. Did I make you uncomfortable talking about feelings?" She playfully teased at him.

"..." He grumbled a little with a blush, pouting to himself with his arms crossed. He would let her have her fun. How could he not give her anything otherwise? She was his mother, he would do anything to keep that smile on her face. He had such a soft spot for his mother... which is why the thought had suddenly come into his mind. "Mom..."

"Hm?"

"..." He had to be careful, the last time didn't bod well. He'd have to tread careful with the next question if he didn't want to hurt his mother again. "You had once told me about you having other children, yes?"

"!" Her eyes widen as she gasped at the memory, the thought of them stung, but she would not show it to her child. Sucking in the pain, she calmed herself to answer his question. "Yes. Three of them to be exact... your older brothers."

"What were they like?"

"..." That was a hard question to answer, so many painful memories. The memories of her children were good, the best she ever had, but the fact that they were gone made them sting the most. With a heavy heart and a deep breath, she tried to answer his question. "Loz, the oldest, was the biggest of the bunch. And he was strong too. Sometimes I felt like he would grow up to be the embodiment of his father's physical strength. But he was such a big softy, especially about his mother. He loved to cling to me. (Chuckle) He tended to cry a lot, my little Mama's boy, even more so than you."

"Hey." Riku cutely pouted, crossing his arms in a huff. "I'm no cry baby, and I'm not a Mama's boy."

"(Gentle laugh)," Aeris couldn't help but laugh at his antics. He was just too cute, like a miniature version of his father. Her eyes soften as she remember her boys. "Loz had short silver hair that was slightly spiky, and he had a little muscle bulk to him too. Your father and I use to think he would grow to be buff someday. He had our green eyes..."

"..."

"And then there was Yazoo. He use to scare me when he was first born. He never cried. I would spend all night by his crib-side just to make sure that he was alright, that he was still breathing. But... he had inherited his cool demeanor from his father. He would never cry when he was hungry, or pout when he needed to be changed, I just had to keep a close eye on him. But I think he wanted the attention. He was the quietest child we had out of all of you, but at the same time he had an allure about him just like his father. He hardly ever changed his facial expression and had a cool personality for just about anything. Except for limited moments when he was provoked, but he was a good boy..."

"What did he look like?"

"Long silver hair, although not as long as your father's. Green eyes, and he was pretty tall and lean for his age. Out of all of you, he resembled your father the most. He was such a quick and agile little thing, always swiftly evading me when I would try to catch him. But... he would always come back to me once I grew tired or if I had tripped. Always concern if I was alright, with that cute, little tilted head of his. He must be taller now; it's been so long..."

"..."

"And then... there was Kadaj... He resembled your father to a great degree, (Chuckle) we use to joke that he was the 'larva' form of your dad. His silver hair grew to be about shoulder-length that tended to partially cover his face and one of his beautiful green eyes. He was a devoted little thing, but slightly insecure about himself. He would always try to compete over my love and affection, even as a small child. I always had to remind him that I played no favorites, and that I loved them all equally in their own ways. They all tended to compete over my attention, Kadaj was the cockiest one of them all. (Chuckle) I could see it in his smug grin, such a small little thing; but he had a little temper about him... And now..."

"Mom?" Riku grew concerned as the tears started to fill up in her eyes. But she still continued, her shoulders starting to shake as she looked off into the distance.

"And now... I don't know what has become of them...!" The tears poured out of her eyes and her bottom lip quivered. "The Darkness tends to take the innocence inside you and warps and corrupts it. Loz's child-like nature could have been corrupted into emotional instability. Yazoo's quiet behavior could have been warped into something more cynical, more dangerous... And Kadaj... Oh dear Hearts, Kadaj... he was too small. He was too young to be exposed to the Darkness like that. He was barely over one, he was still developing. With an absorbing mind at his stage of growth the Darkness could have destroyed any ounce of innocence inside of him and made him into something out of pure cruelty and insanity...!"

"..." Riku didn't know what to do. Her fists were clinching on the ground as she bent over and cried, her bangs covering her face. Sliding over to her with bent knees, he crouched beside her, patting her back in comfort. "Don't cry, Mom. Dad is with them, so I'm sure they're safe. I mean... what kind of father wouldn't look after his own children?"

"That's what I'm afraid of, dear." Her tears had calmed down, but her shaking still continued. "As the way he is now, he doesn't see them as his children. No. He see's them as pawns..."

*** A few weeks later ***

"Mom."

"Hm?"

"Do I have a last name?"

"Of course you have a last name. We just never saw the purpose of using a last name. We were the last of the Cetra, after all."

"Yeah, but, what is it? I want to know."

"Hm, well..." She looked up to the sky, tapping her finger on her chin as she thought about it. "Our mothers, as Ancients, never had any last names. But our human fathers did. Your father never openly took on my father's last name, and we both most certainly did not take on his father's last name."

"Why not? What's wrong with his dad's last name?"

"Of course we wouldn't take on that awful man's name." Aeris hiss out with venom and so much hate. Not towards her son, of course, but towards the memory of that man. Her fists clinched until her nails left crescent imprints in her flesh at the thought of his name. "His father, Doctor Hojo, was a viscous man that not only toyed and messed with both of our lives, but also caused the death of both my mother and father."

"!" Riku couldn't understand such raw actions of malice. "But why? Even to his own kid?"

"Sometimes... there are people in these Worlds that don't see us in a good way..." Aeris softly tried to explain to Riku while still preserving his innocence. "Sometimes they see us as more of a commodity and a profit than as living beings with Hearts. Their corruption blinds them until they just don't understand us..."

"..."

"That's why you must never tell anyone what you really are, Riku." Aeris seriously warned him, leaving no objection to her command in her eyes. "There are no guarantees that people will accept and understand that you're different. Some might even try to hurt you for it, and I couldn't bare the thought of that."

"Alright, Mom, I promise not to tell anyone..." Riku sincerely obliged to her command. "So... we don't use a last name?"

"Well, not really, no. Your father and I never really cared for one." Aeris replied, lightening up with the mood, giving her son a smile. "But if you want, you can use my father's. It's Gast..."

"... You know... I think I'll stick with just my first name, just like you..."

"Hm... if that is what you wish." Aeris couldn't help but smile, sometimes her little boy could just be so sweet, even if he tried to act like the tough guy.

"Mom. What was my father like?"

"?!"

"I mean... you talk about a lot of stuff that deals around him, but you never actually talk about 'him'. I want to know... who was the man that was my father."

"..." She averted her eyes away from him, downward. She knew this question would come some day, but she had hoped that she would be ready for it. But alas, she could never be ready for it... "You look just like him... you all looked just like him, barely inheriting anything from me. And yet you all still had things that differentiated yourselves from him."

"Like what?"

"Hm, he was a tall, muscular man and yet still lean. He had long and flowing hair, like a silver stream, his bangs were parted on either side of his face to reveal his gorgeous green eyes. He tended to like wearing black and leather, especially that long black coat of his. But you would hardly ever see him parted with his favorite seven-foot long katana, Masamune."

"Whoa, there's no way a blade that big can exists and function."

"Yes, it did. And he was very powerful with it, graceful. But your father had a cold exterior and a professional attitude that mostly drew people away. But he had friends, close people that he found worthy of his loyalty and friendship. He could only accept people that could meet his intelligence and earn his respect. But he was well-spoken and graceful, your father had a coolness and a calm control that couldn't be matched by anyone. At times, his confidence could be to the point of arrogance, but he was the strongest in the field, sometimes people vouched that he had the right to be. He could still get frustration and caught off guard, but that was rare.

"(Laugh) I remember one time when I was pregnant with Loz, I had him running around town looking for things because I was having cravings. It kept changing almost every hour, making him jump from one place to another. And when he finally gathered everything, (Snicker) I had told him I was no longer hungry anymore. Oh he was so mad, his face was hilarious. My emotions were a little haywired at the time, so instead of laughing at his frustration I started to cry. And he was so surprised that my tears caught him off guard. He had no idea what do, he began panicking thinking that he had done something wrong to upset me. It was amazing, the great hero of many Worlds, brought down by a hormonal pregnant woman. Ha ha ha! (Chuckle)..."

"?" Riku tilted his head in curiosity. Her smile had gone away. Where was the happy laughter that was there just a moment ago?

"But... the man that I knew was gone in but an instant of a day... His beautiful, sometimes sad, eyes had turned cold and ruthless. His personality traits had become murderous and fallen to insanity. I could barely recognize him... he had fallen to a being consumed by the Darkness that merely enjoyed battle. And he wanted to pass it on too..."

"..."

"His memory nearly gone, blinded by the Darkness as he took on a new persona of being birth from the Darkness as the tainted memories of a troubled young man."

"... Tell me his name, Mom. So I know who he is whenever I meet him."

"You will never meet him in this state. So long as I can help it." Aeris insisted with a determination; a stubbornness coming over her.

"But if I 'do' bump into him unknowingly by coincidence, I need to know his name to know whom to watch out for."

"I pray you two never do cross paths." Aeris desperately pleaded to the Worlds. "The full extent of his abilities is unknown, even to me. He has superhuman strength, speed, agility, endurance, and reflexes under his belt. He's a master swordsman; and, just like me, can cast magic without the need for Materia. And with the Darkness, who knows what else he can do now."

"Which should be more of a reason I need to know his name. How am I suppose to stay away from someone if I don't even know who they are?"

"... Sephiroth... your father's name is Sephiroth."

"Sephiroth..." Riku repeated, trying the name out on his tongue. It had sent a chill down his back somehow. Like a child-tall-tale spooky-legend that if he spoke his name he would appear behind him. Such behavior was childish and underneath him, but... it still made him shiver in fear for a moment.

"But you mustn't try to meet him, Riku. There's no telling what he might do if he finds you. He may try to hurt you..." She insisted to him with a plea before pulling back and sadly cupping her belly with her hand. "Just like me."

"Why do you always touch your stomach like that, Mom?"

"Because that's where your father had impaled me when I resisted him and tried to flee with you." She sadly confessed to her son, rubbing the old wound to ease the memory. "It was a good thing that Cloud appeared on the scene in time. He had chased Sephiroth away and pulled me out of there with enough time to get my wounds treated and patched up. I soon flew out of there with you while the wound was still healing."

"!" His heart clinched, he couldn't bare the thought of someone hurting his sweet mother. His fingers clinched into his pants at the thought, he began to despise his father. "I hate him! I wish I could crush him with my own hands!"

"(Gasp)! Oh no, Riku, don't say that. He's still your father, after all."

"How can you still defend him after all that he's done, what he's done to you? You can't possible love him after all this."

"Of course I love him, Riku. I'm still in love with him."

"!"

"The Darkness may have consume his very being. But the man I love is still inside him with his Light." Aeris gently insisted to him, placing a hand over her heart as she believe her words with all her Heart. "I know his Light is still inside him, deeply covered by the Darkness to where it will be hard to reach him. But... I will still try. With every fiber in my being, I will try to bring our family back."

"..." He could not help but be awed by his mother willful determination. "But, Mom... how can you do all this by yourself? You're only one person."

"(Smile) Hmm, that's where you're wrong, Riku. I'm not alone. I've got lots of good friends helping me along the way."

"?" He tilted his head to her. "Helping you how?"

"Heh, you didn't think I was doing nothing while I've been dodging your father all this time, did you?" She teased at him with a pointing finger before poking his nose and pulling it back. "No. I've been working with the Heartless Resistance on our Homeworld, trying to hold the Heartless back while still looking for a way to cure your father and brothers."

"?" He had never really heard that word before. "What are Heart-less?"

"Heartless are the manifestation of Hearts, born from the darkness in people's hearts. They behave entirely devoid of emotion and feed off the darkness in people's hearts. They had appeared seemingly out of nowhere not too long ago, around the time you were born. Our Homeworld's sage-king, Ansem the Wise, is spending much of his time studying the heart with his apprentices, in order to protect his people from the Darkness. But sadly his research results are still unknown to us." She sadly could sense her king's Heart in the Realm of Darkness, but there was no way she was telling her son that or about that place. "But... If anyone can solve the mystery about the Heartless, it's him."

"Whoa." That sounds scary. There is at least a bit of darkness in everyone's heart, so they could attack anyone. Even the people he cared about... "What do they look like?"

"Hmm, it's hard to say. But they all are usually ink-black in color with yellow beady eyes." She said, enlarging her eyes with her fingers to emphasize her point. "They are more common in places that are close to or saturated in darkness."

"!" But, there was darkness everywhere! Shadows, sealed-up areas, Night!

"But don't you worry. You'll be alright. The Light still shines brightly on your World, so they cannot reach you." She smiled and assured him, comforting the growing worries she could see coming on his face.

"I'm not worrying about me!" He hastily shook his head before looking at her with iron-willed eyes. "I'm worrying about you!"

"Me?"

"You're all alone. You need my help!"

"I'm alright, Riku. I told you, I'm not fighting alone."

"But you are fighting alone as a Cetra."

"!" That one stung a little.

"I could help."

"How? You're not even suppose to know about the existence of other Worlds. It's not a common knowledge, because of those pesky World Orders that act more like borders or locked doors. Your World's door is open, but it still lacks the technology to travel through it."

"Then show me how to get through it. Teach me how to fight. We can fight these things together!"

"No, Riku. No. I did not struggle so hard to keep you safe just for you to throw yourself into danger again." Besides... they couldn't be together. Not while his father was still lurking in the darkness.

"I have to try, Mom. I wanna protect you."

"Aw, Sweetie..." She was touched by his words, but... "You can't... you're not strong enough yet."

"!" Riku shot up from his bed, sitting up with eyes wide open.

"Ahh, you're finally awake, you sleeping rock." His adoptive father teased to him from the corner of his room's door. "Get on up already, or you'll be late for school."

"..." Kindergarten didn't seem like it could apply as school to him; but, he'd keep that to himself for his dad's sake. "Is it alright if I play on the island with Sora after school today?"

"Ehh, I don't see why not." His dad replied with his permission, running a hand through his wild, spiky brown mane. "But his dad will have to take you. I've got to go out a little further for my catch today. I'll be home late, so be good for me."

"Sure." Riku turned his body to the side of his bed, dangling his feet out before he stood up and got ready for the day.

School was long and it felt tedious. He already knew most of the stuff they were teaching him now. His mother was very good about her lessons with him, and the rest that she didn't teach he soaked up quickly from his teachers. Now... he would have to wait until the next new line of information could be sponged up into his mind.

But until then, he had some free time. And right now, he couldn't stop thinking about what his mother had said to him that night. He twirled his pencil point along his desk paper with his finger while he looked out the window in his daze. Ignoring the sounds of the seas waves on the shore and port and the noise of the flying seagulls as his thoughts consumed him.

She had called him weak. Why? Well technically she said he was not strong enough, but that was almost the same thing. How could he not be strong enough? He was the fastest, most athletic kid in his class, practically in the whole school for that matter. So why wasn't he strong enough to fight along side her? Did he have to get stronger? Could he not protect her as he is now? Was there a way for him to get stronger?

RIIINNNG

"!" School was over already? How did he lose track of the time? Gathering up his things in his backpack, he headed out the classroom to bail out of the school like the rest of the kids. It was a noisy clutter in the hallways and even outside the school as the other kids conversed among themselves with their friends. Numerous circles of friends crossed his path as he passed by, but none of them seem to address him or ask for him to join them. However, he would still get a few stares every now and then. Silent admiration from the girls which most of the boys still thought to have cooties, and respective-rivalry from the boys. All would look, but none would approach. But he didn't really mind, he was use to being the odd ball of the main island. Well... more like a mystery, really.

"Hey, Riku!"

"..." Well, all wouldn't approach him except one boy. Who was a little out of breath and clutching onto his knees from running to him. He was a year younger than him, so was in the pre-school class right now. He was tanner than Riku, and had spiky brown hair with bright blue eyes, just like the sky... just like his name... "Sora, there was no need to run. I was going to wait for you by the school gate anyway."

"So your dad said we could play on the island today?" Sora smiled at Riku, giving him usual bright, cheeky grin.

"Yeah." Riku nodded to him in conferment. "But your dad's gonna have to take us."

"No problem! He's got the day off anyway!" Sora cheered, pumping his hands in the air. Sometimes Riku felt like Sora was eternally optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. He admired that and greatly liked Sora for it. But... he felt like it was too much of a weakness for Sora at times. Sora was so simple-minded at times and extremely forgiving, even to people who didn't deserve it, he was afraid someone would take advantage of Sora with this. "Dad, dad! Can we go now?! Can we go?!"

"!" They were already at the dinghy already? Since when did he start spacing out so much? Sora's dad was already helping them onto the boat before he even realized it.

"Okay, okay. Slow down, Squirt. The island isn't going anywhere." Sora's dad teased to his son, running his hand on top of Sora's head surprisingly not putting one spike out of place.

"Dad." Sora pouted, "the sun will go down. And we'll only have a little time to play."

"(Chuckle) Alright, alright, Captain. You boys sit tight, okay." He said, waiting for them to securely sit down on the dinghy before untying it from the Docks and pushing off with one of the oars. "Here we go."

It wasn't much of a long trip from the main island, but still not a trip the grownups were ready to let the children go on on their own. Anything could happen with their still building-up sense of direction, they could practically be halfway out at sea if they were left on a boat with themselves. It was a small world for them, and they didn't have many places to go. At times like these, Riku felt like it was too small...

"Okay, we're here, boys." Sora's dad announced to them, tying the dinghy down on the island's Dock. "Go crazy."

"Yeah!" Sora cheered, practically jumping out of his backpack as he sat up to cheer on the boat. "Come on, Riku!"

"Hold on." Riku called out, leaving his backpack on the boat with Sora's father as well. Calmly stepping out of the boat, whereas Sora had jumped out onto the Dock and ran off on the island, before turning around back to Sora's dad before heading off to Sora. "Thanks for the ride, sir."

"No problem." Sora's dad replied, admiring how Riku was so well mannered. "You kids have fun."

It was a small island, so there was nothing for the adults to fear. There was practically nothing that could harm them, so the adults left them be to do their own thing. Usually taking a snooze or doing some personal reading, only checking an eye on them on occasion.

The two of them had played around on the island for a while, nearly until the sun touched down on the ocean to give the world its warm orange hue.

"Hey, slow down!" Sora huffed in a pout as the two of them raced on the bridge to the higher rising on the island with the paopu fruit trees. Riku was faster than Sora, so he was beating him. "Would you just wait for me?!"

The two of them had brushed passed a strange older boy on the bridge, Riku felt a strong Light about him but decided to ignore it. Sora didn't seem to pay him no mind, so he didn't bother with it either.

"Giving up already? Come on, Sora." Riku encouraged to him, trying to push Sora to the limit to surpass it.

"I can't run anymore!" Sora pouted as they made it to the end of the bridge. Giving the poor kid a rest, they both sat on the trunk of one of the paopu fruit trees that leaned over to the side, looking out towards the ocean as the sun glistened its waters.

Riku felt the older boy's eyes on him, but did his best to ignore it. He could feel no harm from his attentions, and decided to leave it alone. Only... he had never seen that boy before. He couldn't have been from their island, especially with those strange clothes. But maybe... just perhaps... he was from another World.

He was walking away...

"Oh! Ahoy! We're over here!" Sora called out, standing on the tree trunk and waving towards his father as he did his usual checking-in on them. His voice had caught him off guard, turning his attention to Sora and then over towards Sora's dad as he waved for them to come on back now. But Sora had caught his attention again as he gave his arm a tap. "Riku, race yah! First one to the boat gets to be Captain."

Riku watched as he ran off, giving Sora that little extra head start. Sora laughed along the way, thinking that he was going to be the winner this time.

"Come on!" Sora insisted as Riku simply walked after him. "You call that running?!"

"..." Riku would let him have this victory, he had earned it.

The boy from before had moved to stare out on the beach shore. Sora had slowed down to stare at him for a moment, but soon turned to continue running instead. However, Riku, on the other hand had stopped once the boy had turned around to face him as he passed.

"Hm?" Such a strange Light about this older boy, he couldn't ignore it anymore. Not with the older boy openly confronting him now. "Hey... did you come from the outside World?"

"?!" That caught the older boy off guard, he didn't really expect Riku to know about such things. "Why would you say that?"

"Because nobody lives out here." Riku pointed out, keeping track of Sora while he was distracted talking to his dad who was handling the boat. "And, I know you're not from the main island."

"Smart kid." The boy smirked out, impressed with the boys cleverness on figuring him out. "So how about you? What are you doing here?"

"Oh?" Riku turned to look over at Sora. "My friend's dad took us out on a boat; it's just where we like to play. But... they won't let us go out here by ourselves, not until we get older."

"Must be hard, huh?" The older boy said in sympathy while Riku lazily kicked his foot along the sand. "Stuck in one place."

"..." Riku appreciated his sympathy, but... he didn't fully agree with his words. His foot had stop with its actions as he walked over to observe the ocean not too far from the other boy. "I heard once, there was a kid who left for good."

The boy was spacing out for a second.

"So how did you get here anyway?" Riku asked, drawing him back to the present, slightly curiosity about any way he could get off this World.

"..." The boy grew silent, it did not seem like he wanted to answer his question. "Is there... some reason you're interested in the outside world?"

"Yeah..." Riku answered, looking back out at the ocean. "I want to be strong one day. Like that kid who left... He went to the outside world. I bet he's really strong now."

"..."

"I know it's out there, somewhere. The strength that I need..."

"Strength for what?"

"To protect the things that matter." Riku confidently answered to the boy, looking back at him with a smile. "You know, like my friends."

And other things...

"Outside of this tiny world is a much bigger one." The boy honestly answered to Riku. He walked over towards Riku, and summoned some strange blade into his hand. It looked sort of like a key... He knelled down to Riku's level and presented the handle to him. "In your hand take this key, so long as you have the makings then through this simply act of taking its wielder you shall one day be. And you will find me, friend."

"..." Riku looked to the blade in awe. Such a strong Light was coming from it. Perhaps this was the power that he needs to be stronger...?

"No ocean will contain you then." The boy continued, drawing Riku's eyes back to him. "No more borders around, or below, or above so long as you champion the ones you love."

"..." That's just what he wanted... He wanted to protect his loved one... Hesitantly, he lifted his hand to take the blade. Gripping the blade around his hand, it looked so big in his small hands.

"..." Little did Riku know, the boy was admiring that the Keyblade didn't disappear at his touch.

"Riku!"

"!" They both flinch back into attention. Sora had called for Riku, it was time to go. The both looked behind him to see Sora waving at him.

"Come on, hurry it up!"

Riku waved back. But the boy had made his blade disappear again as he leaned in a little.

"We gotta keep this a secret, okay?" Riku looked over his shoulder back at the boy. "Otherwise all the magic would wear off."

"..." He turned to the side to face the older boy now. He was a firm believer in magic, since he had seen it through his mother, so he had no idea if the boy was being serious or just saying what older people usually say to throw kid off the trail. Either way, he was going to keep it a secret anyway. Nobody really knew of the outside world on the main island, and none of them really cared to leave the confides of their warm little World. So he nodded to the boy's request anyway. "Hm."

"(Chuckle)" The boy chuckled at his responds, rubbing his head causing Riku to laugh along as well.

He ran off, just as Sora was coming to get him. Meeting Sora halfway.

"Hey, what was that all about?" Sora asked in curiosity, leaning over a little to look at the older boy.

"Eh, you know." Riku shrugged off, resting his hands on the back of his head as he coolly crossed his legs.

"Know what?! Why won't you tell me?!" Sora pouted with a stomping foot in the sand. Before calming down to look over at the older boy again. "Who was that guy? Somebody you know?"

"Maybe." Riku replied, stretching out the word as he headed off to the boat to meet up with Sora's dad, leaving the outside worlder behind.

"Aw there you go again?!" Sora pouted again, stomping his foot twice as hard in annoyance before running off to catch up with him. "Just tell me."

"I really can't." Riku sincerely said to Sora in slight apology for keeping something from one of his few friends. "I gotta keep it a secret."

"Not with me, you don't. I'm the best secret keeper in the world." Sora bragged.

"Nice try." Riku smirked with his arms crossed before stepping over to the boat, chuckling.

"Aww, Riku." Sora pouted but still followed after him.

*** A few days later ***

They had gotten permission to go to the island again. This time it was Riku's dad that took them.

"Hey, wait up!" Sora pleaded as they raced along the beach again.

"Too slow, Sora! See ya at the finish line!" Riku teased back at him. Sora was getting better, he was nearly on Riku's tail. They had run under the bridge, symbolizing the finish-line. Riku pumped up his fist in victory, looking over to his side to see Sora catching his breath with hands resting on his knees. He patiently waited for him. "..."

"One more time! You just got lucky." Riku smiled at his antics, until the presence of another's Light caught his attention. "Huh?"

Sora looked back and up to what Riku was looking at, only to see an older girl in blue. She was pretty, and had strange clothes, just like the other boy from before. And her light shined brighter than his though. She was walking along the bridge above them, only to stop halfway and look down at them as they looked at her. She had a warm smile as she looked at them, bending down on the bridge only to surprise them by jumping down to join them. Sora flinched back a little, while Riku stayed still, she had the same kind of feeling as the other boy. Sora nervously rubbed his head in embarrassment at the small outburst he let out. But the older girl didn't seem to mind, she still had that warm smile on her face. Staying bent down on one knee to stay around their level.

Her laugh was lovely, like chimes. But Riku tended to like his mother's laugh more.

"One of you might be special enough." She finally spoke as her laughter came to a stop, drawing their attention again. "Hey, you two mind telling me your names?"

"I'm Sora!" Sora instantly volunteered with a raised hand, not even questioning giving out his name to a stranger.

"And you?" She asked over to Riku.

"..." Riku hesitated for a moment, trying to get a sense of her. But she held no ill will about her. Her Light had almost been the purest he's seen. "Riku."

"..." She looked over them, making them ponder in curiosity before she spoke again. "Sora, do you like Riku?"

"Of course I like him, he's my best friend!" Sora without hesitation answered, bringing a warm feeling in Riku's heart.

"Good." The girl smiled at him. "So then, if something happens, and Riku is about to get lost- or say, he starts wandering down a dark path alone- you make sure to stay with him and keep him safe."

"..." They looked at her than each other at her odd words. Riku could sense a little foreboding in her words, while most of it seemed to go over Sora's head.

"That's your job, Sora," she continued, "and I'm counting on you to do it, okay?"

They looked back at her with slight confusion, but she smiled and patted their heads as she lightly laughed. Making them laugh too as she rubbed their heads, her smile was warm... and contagious. They couldn't help but smile back at her. Their day was nearly over, and it was time to go back to the boat. Yet another thing he would keep to himself as they left the island, leaving the pretty, older girl behind as she sat on their usual paopu tree. She seemed so nice, and yet... she felt so sad too. As if the world was falling apart on her...

*** The next day ***

Their dads didn't allow them to go to the island that day, so they spent their weekend playing around the main island. After they had finished their homework, of course. Although, there wasn't much of it, especially for Sora. They had gotten it done in no time before even lunch was contemplated. There were other kids around the beach as well that day, since it was the weekend, but they all ended up having to leave earlier than them since their parents didn't allow them to stay out so late.

So now, they had the whole shore to themselves- kid wise, not including the adults that would check up on them every now and then. They had been fishing for most of the day, hanging out amongst themselves as they left the kids alone, so he didn't really feel like they counted.

So it was just the two of them, looking up at the night sky as they lied along the beach shore. Looking at the stars, with only the sound of the ocean between them. It had felt like the perfect way to bring an end to a good day.

But alas, all things must come to an end eventually.

"Hey, I'm gonna head back." Riku said to Sora, sitting up. He was getting pretty tired and was about ready to go home.

"Yeah, me too." Sora said in agreement, sitting back up as well. Walking alongside Riku through the sand as they made it back towards the road back to their homes.

"Hm?" But Riku could sense something, there was a distress coming from Sora's heart. So he turned to look at him, only to be caught in alarm at what he had found. "Sora, what's wrong?"

"Huh?" Sora didn't seem to have any idea what Riku was talking about. Riku didn't even think he realized that he was doing it, and that's what concerned him more.

"You're..." He stopped walking, pointing it out to Sora.

"!" It was only then that Sora realized that he was crying. He touched the tear as if he couldn't believe that it was even there, before placing his hand over his heart. "That's weird. It's like something's squeezing me inside."

"Somebody up there must be sad." Riku tried to reason at Sora's affliction.

"Up where?"

"They say every world is connected by one great big sky." Riku tried to explain to Sora, looking up at the big starry sky. Sora in turn looked back to look up with him. "So maybe there's somebody up there in all those worlds who's really hurting, and they're waiting for you to help them."

"Well gee, do you think there's something I could do?" Sora asked him in concern for the hurting person, still pressing a hand over his heart.

"Hmm..." Sora had always had a soft spot. Always ready to help a person in need, regardless even if they were complete strangers. Riku crossed his arms as he thought, maybe... Sora could do something about it. Maybe they just need a warm presence like Sora to make them feel better. "Maybe they just need you to open your heart and listen."

"Hmm..." Sora contemplated his words, resting his hands behind his head. "I dunno Riku, you say some weird stuff sometimes, but I'll try it."

"Okay." Riku nodded in appreciation that his friend would try his advice. Of course he knew he was weird. He was from an Ancient race long thought to be lost to the Worlds with the ability to connect and listen to hearts and communicated with his far away mother through his dreams, what's not there to be considered otherwise than weird? But... he knew Sora meant no ill will in his words; just pointing out that sometimes Riku would talk a lot older than he was. There was nothing wrong with that. And he happily took Riku's advice otherwise, looking towards the sky with a smile on his face, Riku in turn did the same in support.

Sora had closed his eyes, opening up his heart to whomever was calling out to him. Riku could hear it as the person answer the call, but could not actually see it. Sora's voice had cut through the darkness for him and saved him from the darkness, but he seemed so tired. But Sora had happily opened his heart to the tired boy, offering him a warm place for his heart to safely rest. In turn, Sora's Light grew stronger.

"Well?" Riku asked as Sora breathed in and exhaled out loudly once it was all over.

"You know... I think it worked." Sora smiled at Riku before looking back up at the sky. Riku in turn did the same, both of them admiring three bright stars that shined together; unannounced to them, that the two of them would one day save the same Worlds they looked out at together beneath the blaze of stars...

*** 6 years old ***

It was another night under the stars as Riku and Sora kicked a ball around together on the main island's beach. The lights from the houses further down the road and the light from the stars their only light as it reflected off the sands of the shore with a glow. It was a moonless-starry night tonight.

"Kick it over here, Riku!" Sora waved over to Riku, running long to see how far Riku could go.

"Hm," Riku nodded, giving the ball a good kick to reach over to Sora. Sora had flinched away from the ball a little, since it was coming in fast on him, but jump back soon after to bring the ball to a halt as it started to bounce back up.

"Nice one!" Sora praised over to his friend with a big grin on his face. "Okay, get ready! I'm gonna kick over a really good one!"

"Okay." Riku nodded in response. Sora's kicks were not really up to Riku's level yet, but he would humor him. He was getting there.

"Hmpf!" Sora huffed out with as he kicked the ball as hard as he could, not really making it to Riku as it rolled the rest of the way over to him. "Aw man."

"You went pretty far this time, Sora." Riku encouraged to him, trying to get Sora out of his pout. Which seemed to work since he shot back up again.

"Really?!"

"Yeah."

"All right!"

"Hey, it's getting late. We better head back now."

"Okay." Sora nodded, just about to start heading back with Riku when he noticed a twinkle in the sky. "Whoa...! Riku, look! A shooting star!"

"Hm?" Riku turned around to walk over and join alongside Sora as they looked up at the sky. "The adults didn't saying anything about there being a meteor shower tonight."

"Look there's more of them!" Sora said in excitement as the shooting lights lite up the sky. "Whoa, there's so many of them."

"..." But Riku could sense a Light about these shooting celestials, he could even hear the voices as they passed over there heads. These weren't shooting stars... they were Hearts. "!"

SPLASH

"!" Riku and Sora shot up straight in alarm at the sound of something splashing close by to the shore.

"What was that?" Sora asked in startle, a little scared since it was dark and they couldn't see out into the ocean so clearly.

"I don't know." Riku honestly answered, he could sense something, but he couldn't hear anything. Whatever it was it must have been unconscious.

"Look!" Sora pointed out. Something had washed ashore with the tide; they could see its dark silhouette lying on the beach.

Both of them ran over to check it out. Whatever it was, it was pretty small. Smaller than they were.

"!" Riku's eyes widened in alarm once he released it was a kid.

"It's a girl." Sora gasped out, getting right into action in alarm that she could be in trouble. Rushing over to her side. "Hey, are you okay?!"

"!" Both Riku and Sora helped pull her further along the beach so the tide wouldn't pull her back. She looked to be unconscious, but was still breathing.

"Look, I think she's waking up." Sora said in relief with a sigh as she started to mumble. He gasped as he started to get a better look at her face in the starlight and passing lights, she looked so pretty to him as her blue eyes slowly started to open up. "Who... are you? Where did you come from...?"

"..." She looked up to him with those tired eyes, only to fall unconscious onto the beach again.

"!" Sora grew alarmed as she fell back asleep again, worried that she might be injured.

"She needs help." Riku said in alarm, running back to the road to the town. "I'll go get an adult. You watch over her til I get back, Sora."

"Okay. Hurry!"

. . .

Riku and Sora waited on the chairs of the Waiting room, inside the mayor's house. Once Riku had called for his dad who was at the Town Hall for the town meeting, many more of the adults followed suit to check to see if the girl was okay. The girl was taken back to the mayor's house, where a doctor had been summoned. Many of the adults had left after that, to give the girl some space. While only a remaining few stayed behind with the doctor, Riku and Sora's parents included. As children, they were told to wait outside while the adults checked up on her.

They had soon grown impatient as it felt like the doctor was taking forever. Sora would kick around in his chair as the clock would tick on in its annoyance growing ticks. While Riku would tap his fingers to show his impatience. When finally the door had opened.

"!" The boys sat up, out of their seats, as the adults entered the room.

"Is she okay?!" Sora instantly asked in concern, beating Riku to the punch. If anything, at least Sora could beat Riku there when it came to talking.

"The poor thing has been through a rough time." The doctor answered there question. "She needs some food and rest."

"Can we go see her?"

"Not now, dear." Sora's mom denied his request, for the both of them. "The poor girl needs her space to recover. Give her some rest. You can talk to her soon, once she gets better."

"Aw, when will that be?"

"Not another word, young man." Sora's dad said back. "It's time for your bedtime, anyway."

"Aww."

"You too, Riku." Riku's dad added in.

"But... we want to make sure she's okay." Riku pleaded with his dad, trying to look over him towards the room where they had put the girl to rest in.

"You're going to have to wait then. These things take time."

"..." Riku rumbled and grumbled to himself in disappointment.

"Come on, we're heading home now." Riku's dad eased to him, lightly pressing a hand on his back to push him forward out the door and towards home. "Aren't you tired after such a long day?"

"Hmm... yes. It has been a long day." Riku nodded in agreement with his dad. "I can't wait to dream..."

. . .

When Riku had entered his dreamworld once again, he was happy to be there. He couldn't wait to tell his mother about his day. However... something was different...

"..." Riku's smile started to fade when he realized that she wasn't there. "Mother? Mother."

He called out to her, but got no reply. He couldn't sense her.

He was alone in the field patch of lilies in the vast empty blankness.

"..." He began to grow frightened. "Mom. Mom!"

This has never happened before, she had never not shown up in his dreams. Something was wrong.

"Mother. Where are you?!" He called out into the blankness.

"Owah..." Came a pitiful groan.

"!" He had felt her Light, he could sense her. She was behind the tree. "Mother!"

He happily called out to her in relief, only for the relief to fade away as he rushed over to the other side of the tree only to see that she was hurt. She was scratched up all over and holding her arm in pain as her breath wheezed out with her shaking.

"Mother?" He gently called out to her in concern. "You're hurt..."

"I'm..." She clinched her teeth in pain for a moment as her talking jousted her wounds. Sucking through it, she turned to face her son with a smile. "... sorry it took so long to answer your call, Riku."

"That's okay," Riku said to her reassuringly, his voice whimpering at seeing her in pain. He had fallen down onto his knees and leaned in close to her, afraid of touching her sense it might hurt her. "What's wrong?"

"..." She gritted her teeth, hissing as she tried to lean up on the tree.

"Mom?" His voice came out in a whimper, he didn't even try to maintain his usual cool and tough tone, he was just scared.

"Oh my sweet, little Riku," She smiled over at him, brushing a hand over his cheek to ease his fright. "Do you remember... how I use to talk about our Homeworld?"

"(Sniff) I guess so..." He began crying at her pain, cupping her dainty hand in his smaller one, holding it in place on his cheek. Such a gentle hand, and yet it was still so much bigger in his smaller ones. Seeing this made him feel small, as if even now he was too little to protect her. Not strong enough to ease her pain. "But why does that matter now? You gotta get better."

"It does matter, Sweetie." Aeris gently assured to him. "Because it's gone now, Riku."

"What do you mean it's gone? How could a World disappear?"

"Oh Riku," she began to tear up. "The Heartless have destroyed our Homeworld. We defended it as long as we could, but we couldn't stop them. It was consumed by Darkness."

"!" Riku flinched as his mother began to cry.

"We couldn't defend it. I barely got out of there alive with the others." She began hissing in pain, the salt from her tears stung the cuts on her cheeks. "We landed on another World with a few other refugees. But we couldn't save them all..."

"Mom..." He hated seeing her hurt like this, physically and emotionally.

"It's gone, Riku. Our home is gone. She took it from us."

"Mom," he couldn't understand what she was talking about. Who was she? What mattered now is that her Heart was so tired, and damaged with a need to rest. "Stay with me. Stay inside my Heart. I'll keep you safe until you get better."

"!" She gasped in alarm at her son's words. Did he have any idea what he was proposing to her? How did he even know about that? He was offering to take on her pain with her, share his light with her as she would share hers with him. "No, Riku, no. He will find you easier that way."

It was already bad enough that she had received reports of Sephiroth at the world of Olympus Coliseum, still as battle thirsty as ever. He was far too close to Riku's World for her liking. If their Light were to come together even for a moment, Sephiroth would pick them up and be on them like a storm. It was bad enough that she landed on a World called Traverse Town, which was even closer to him. When Radiant Garden was still bright Zack had gone to Olympus Coliseum, still seeing Sephiroth as his idolized hero and followed him there to get just as strong as him, and hopeful get to face him in a match. Zack's heart was pure and innocent at his intent, she could not bring herself to destroy his Light on Sephiroth. Nor could she stop him in time since he had already left their World before she could warn him the moment she had figured out where he was. Now her only hope was to keep Cloud away from this information; he was out for vengeance and wouldn't stop until he found Sephiroth. Hopefully Zack wouldn't tell him, both of them had a fondness for Aeris, Zack's more flirtatious than Cloud's. He meant no harm, Zack was just a fly boy, asking any pretty girl he could meet on a date. Regardless of that, she still saw him as a good friend along with the others, Sephiroth had felt the same way too... once.

"Mom, please. I can help you." Riku pleaded with his mother, slightly hurt at her rejection to his offer. Here a mere stranger had welcomingly made himself at home in the Heart of Sora when he had offered; while in this same situation Riku's own mother would not accept his offer to rest in his Heart. What was wrong with it? She had already had a place in his Heart. Was his Heart not good enough?

"No, Riku. I have to keep you safe." She insisted, her eyes watering as she looked up to the blank sky. "I have to keep everybody safe."

"Mom...?"

"But what are we to do? Ansem the Wise has fallen to the Darkness in battle, along with his apprentices." Actually they had been corrupted by the Darkness during the fall of Radiant Garden and were exiled to the Realm of Darkness, but her son didn't need to know that... it was too dark... "And his research report has been scattered across the Worlds during the fall of our Homeworld. It could have been the key to solving the mystery of the Heartless... At this time, we have lost any hope we had."

"..." He hated seeing her so beaten down like this. If only there was a way he could help her. If only there was a way she would let him help her... "Mom?"

"I'm sorry, Riku. Mommy's just a little tired, that's all." She tried to reassure him, putting on a happy front to try and ease his worries. It wasn't really working since she looked so tired. "I'm going to have to disappear for a while. I cannot stay here in this realm when my strength is so exhausted like this..."

"!" His heart stopped in fear as she started to fade away. "Mom?"

"..." She looked of to him and smiled as she came more transparent. "See you soon."

"Mom!" He reached out for her, in the hopes that his hold would keep her there. But she was gone. Vanished, before he could even touch her... "..."

*** 2 days later ***

"Over here, Riku!" Sora waved over to Riku, leading him to the cave under the big tree on their island. "The monster's in here. It's true! I saw it with my own eyes!"

"You sure you didn't just hear it this time?" Riku questioned over to Sora, not really in the mood for playing. But still he would follow, Sora had that Light about him that made Riku feel better, especially with the absence of his mother.

"What difference does it make?" Sora insisted. "There's a huge monster in there, I tell you!"

"All right. Suppose there really is a monster... Think we can beat it by ourselves, Sora?"

"No problem. Let's do it!" Sora said in determination as they made it to the mouth of the tunnel. "Listen! There! Can you hear it growling?"

"Shh, quiet." Riku hushed at Sora, leaning forward to try and get a closer look. "We've gotta be careful."

Brave and fearless as they were right now, they plunged into the cave to face the sound that lied in its darkness. But once they had gotten to the end of the tunnel inside, they were only greeted by an empty cavern where the roots would dig out and a strange knob-less door, or so it seemed.

"Huh?"

"See that? It was just the wind making that noise." Riku concluded what the sound they were hearing was. "The wind must be slipping through the holes in here to make those whistling sounds."

"Aw, man. I wish it was a monster!" Sora whined before his eyes caught sight of a knob-less door. "Hold on! What's that over there?"

"A window, or maybe a door?" Riku pondered aloud, trying to open it through its corners, but it would not budge. "It won't open."

"Geez, is that really all that's in here?" Sora whined, looking around.

"What do you expect in a boring place like this?" But it still brought a small smile on Riku's face that Sora would include him on his adventures as well. It felt good having someone there by his side for him. If... if Sora would include him along with his adventures, then he could include Sora in his as well. They would be great heroes together, no one would be able to tear their friendship apart through their great adventures... "Hey, Sora."

"Hm?" Sora turned to looked at him.

"When we grow up, let's get off this island." Riku suggested with great enthusiasm- for him. His fists were pumped with determination. "We'll go on real adventures not this kid stuff!"

"Sure." Sora agreed with a grin, heading back out of the cave with Riku not too far behind him. "But isn't there anything fun to do now? Hey, you know the new girl at the mayor's house? She arrived on the night of the meteor shower!-"

"..." Sora continued on with his conversation, still walking through the tunnel; not realizing that Riku had stopped in his tracks at the exit of the cavern. He turned back to look at the door with no means of opening. Only... that only seemed to the normal eye, he could see it... he could see the giant keyhole. He felt a darkness about it, and yet... he sensed a power too...

What lied beyond the keyhole... he felt like it was calling to him...

. . .

Later that night, he dreamed of their dreamworld again.

"Mom! You're back."

And there she was, looking just as better as he remembered her. Fully recovered from her wounds from their last meeting. Her spirits had returned too, leaving her Light shinning just as bright and warm as it always has. It eased his heart seeing her smile at him like the way she always did, it made him feel so warm. He loved it.

"(Chuckle) Hi Riku." She smiled at him from her resting spot, leaning on the tree. "Sorry I made you wait this long."

"I'm just glad you're okay." He said, walking over to her to sit beside her.

"Yes. It would take a lot more than that to keep me down." She giggled at her antics as she fist pumped for good measure.

"..." Riku smiled at her, happy to see her back to normal again.

Calming herself down, she rested her hands along her lap as she turned her head to the side to look at Riku.

"So how have you been while I've been gone?" She asked down to him. "I pray that you've been well."

"A girl had found her way onto our island. I think she came from another World. We've been trying to make her feel at home."

"Oh, a girl you say?"

"Yeah. The Mayor adopted her. She seems okay. Sora has taken a liking to her."

"Oh that's nice, dear. Are you guys going to be friends with her?"

"Hmm... she has a nice Light, kinda like yours... Yeah. I could see us all being friends. I wouldn't mind if the three of us could end up playing together."

"Hm, that's good, Riku." Her smile grew soft and warm. "I'm glad you're making more friends."

"What about you, Mom? Are you making new friends?"

"(Chuckle) Yes... We're traveling between Worlds, assisting many refugees in peril whom had lost their Worlds, and relocating them to a safe place."

"Whoa, that's amazing, Mom. You must be really strong."

"You and Sora are the strong ones. Helping out that girl like that after she had lost her home. Not just anyone can heal loss hearts like that."

"But it's just one person, Mom. You're the one helping many."

"Ahh, but I'm not really healing them, just bringing them to safety." She corrected before teaching a lesson to him. "He who saves a heart, saves the worlds. Remember."

"(Sigh) I don't understand, Mom."

"Hm, you will, my son. You will, once you are older."

"And by then I'll have become stronger." Riku said with building encouragement that was turning into determination. "I'll keep training until I'm strong enough to travel the worlds. I'll travel the worlds together with my friends and we'll go on many adventures with quest and dangers. Someday, I'm gonna get off this island, and once I find my way out there... I'll come and find you."

"!"

"I'll follow the Light that's in my heart that 'll lead me to you. And then one day... we can meet together in person. By then I'll be strong enough to help you find the others, right?"

"Hm, yes... I'm sure with good friends by your side, you will always find your way."

"Hn, right."

"Just... promise me you'll always keep the Light shinning in your heart. Okay? I promise I'll always be there to find you if you do..."

*** Author's Notes ***

The letter from Aeris is based off the song 'Mother's Prayer' by Celine Dion.

Fun Fact:

babies talk (first word) around 4 to 6 months old

teething usually begins around 6 months of age, but it is normal for it to start at any time around 3 and 12 months of age

babies learn to sit up around 4 to 7 months old

babies learn to crawl around 7 to 8 months old

babies learn to walk around 9 to 18 months old

and potty training starts from ages around 18 months to 3 years old

The stuff about the breastfeeding compared to formula feeding is true, you can find that information on any medical website or from your local doctor. It also reduces risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), but that was a little too dark for the story so I didn't add that in, it's just a small fact for you to know outside the story.

Oh, and Hollow Bastion had fallen to the Heartless nine years before the start of Kingdom Hearts. So Riku was 6, Sora was 5, and Kairi was 4 when she had washed her way onto the world of Destiny Islands.