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?

6. Chapter 6

Turning the Darkness into Light

Aeris continued to work hard into the night, translating Ansem's Report from its secret code. The whole process had been strenuous on the mind and nerve wrecking on the body. By the time she had come close to done with the translations, she had heard that Sora was now participating in another level of the Olympus Coliseum tournaments. At one point she had thought she had found something interesting written in the side note on one of the reports. But it turned out to be Ansem's recipe for Curry, apparently Ansem the Wise likes Shiitake Mushrooms in his Curry.

But hey, she wasn't going to judge. On the bright side, she now had a new recipe for Curry to try. And she was starting to get a knack of the translation style, pretty soon decoding Ansem's message will become second nature to her.

It was a good laugh and mind break on her part. But as she continued to translate on, things started to get serious. The more she began to decipher the message, the more she began to worry.

'Report 1: Much of my life has been dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. That knowledge has guarded this world well. Not a soul doubts that. I am blessed with my people's smiles and respect. But though I am called a sage, there are things I do not understand. I believe darkness sleeps in every heart, no matter how pure. Given the chance, the smallest drop can spread and swallow the heart. I have witnessed it many times.

'Darkness... Darkness of the heart. How is it born? How does it come to affect us so?

'As ruler of this world, I must find the answers.

'I must find them before the world is lost to those taken by the darkness.'

"Ansem the Wise... what were you trying to do...?" Aeris said aloud to herself as she read through his reports.

'Report 3: The shadows that crawl beneath the castle... Are they the people who lost their hearts, or incarnations of darkness? Or something entirely beyond imagination?

'All my knowledge has provided no answer.

'One thing I am sure of is that they are entirely devoid of emotion. Perhaps further study will unlock the mysteries of the heart.

'Fortunately, there is no shortage of test samples. They are multiplying underground even as I write this report. They still need a name.

'Those who lack hearts...

'I will call them the Heartless.'

Taking a small break, she took a sip of her cup of tea. Long since gone cold from the time she had started translating the reports that night. But she still had to keep going, she only had a little more to go through, and yet still so many questions that needed answering.

'Report 7: I am studying from the meteors that rained down that fateful night. What a find! The material is foreign to our world. It is elastic to the touch, and when two pieces are combined, they bond easily. None of the records even mention such a substance.

'Was it introduced to this world when I opened the door? I wonder how many other such materials drift through the atmosphere of this tiny world... I wish I could soar off and find out!

'Could there be uncharted worlds up there? My curiosity never ceases to grow.

'But I should stop speaking of such unrealistic dreams. For now, there is no way to venture outside this world. My people and I are all but prisoners of this tiny place.'

"Oh dear Light, he had opened the door to our world for the Heartless." Aeris gasped out, feeling sick in the stomach that somehow their wise and great king had unintentionally played a role in the downfall of their world. "But how did he find a way to open the door? Surely he did not have in his possession a Keyblade, let alone an item equal to its power."

But her personal questions aside, she continued on with her attention onto the last report received from Sora so far. Ironically, Sora had just sent

'Report 9: Simply astonishing! Today I had a guest from another world. He is a king, and his vessel is built of the material that composed the meteors. He called the pieces 'Gummi blocks.' It seemed that my opening the door has opened a path to interworld travel.

'We talked for countless hours, but one story in particular caught my interest: that of a key called the 'Keyblade.' The Keyblade is said to hold phenomenal power.

'The legend says its wielder saved the world, while others says that he wrought chaos and ruin upon it. I must know what this Keyblade is. A key opens doors. It must be connected to the door I have opened.'

"Did... Did Ansem the Wise meet up with King Mickey? But... what happens next? Surely that can't be it. No, (Sigh), of course not. There is more, much more still missing. But... where could they be? Perhaps they never really left, perhaps they are still back in Hollow Bastion. There is only one way to find out. Sora will have to find his way back to our world, whatever is left of it, to retrieve the remaining pieces of the reports. But I pray that he is ready for the journey, Hollow Bastion is swarming with Heartless. He should not take the place lightly. Listen to me. Here I am talking to myself as if it is common sense, I'm hoping that I haven't lost my mind in all my exhaustion. I must be tired... I think I'll rest now. I can send the translations back to Sora's Gummi ship in the morning..."

*** Back in Hollow Bastion ***

Riku was kneeling on the floor, tired and weaken from the strain of opening a portal to carry two people after so much use of the darkness. He had warped them to the spot that came most to mind for him, his training area. But that didn't make the trip any shorter or any easier. It was taking him awhile to catch his breath again, he had to put Kairi down for a bit as he pulled himself together.

"It was reckless to bring her here without at least using a vessel." Maleficent lectured down to him as he took a knee. "Remember, relying too heavily on the dark powers could cost you your heart."

"!" Riku turned to look behind him at the sound of a beastly roar that rang through the halls.

"A castaway." Maleficent replied, answering his silent question. "Though his world perished, his heart did not. When we took the princess from his castle, he apparently followed her here through sheer force of will."

"..." Such a strong will that it could travel through the space between the worlds alone, that was a frightening accomplishment that called for respect in itself.

"But fear not. No harm will come to you." Maleficent said reassuringly. "He is no match for your power."

"My power?"

"Yes, the untapped power that lies within you. Now, child, it's time you awaken that power and realized your full potential."

With the raise of her hands, Maleficent had unsealed his powers, letting it freely run through him. A reward for his loyalty.

*** Two days later ***

It had been two days since Riku's encounter with Sora in Neverland. And it had taken Sora two days to finally reach Riku in the world of Hollow Bastion. In that time, Sora had participated and won another Olympus Coliseum tournament. But he had also used that time to make the upgrades to his Gummi ship to be able reach that far out to Riku's world in the space between worlds. So at least Sora was improving there, he wasn't entirely slacking off in Riku's opinion. But he was still running a little late for Riku's liking, he would have made it there in less than half the time, without much of his influence over the darkness.

"Gawsh, look at that!" Said Sora's companion, pointing towards Hollow Bastion Castle. Sora just slowly walked towards the edge of the floating land towards the castle, a look of foreign nostalgia on his face.

"I know this place..."

"Hmm, that's strange."

"I wonder why..." Sora pondered aloud to himself, placing a hand over his heart. "I feel this warmth inside, right here."

"Aw, you're just hungry." Donald just rationalized Sora's strange behavior, belittling what little moment of empathy Sora had. Which had upset him a little.

"Hey, I'm serious!" He huffed back at Donald before a loud booming roar interrupted them, turning his attention back to Hollow Bastion Castle he prepared himself to move forward. "Let's go!"

Little did Sora and his friends know that the loud sound was actually a Beast, destructively making his way to the castle as well. It was then, when Riku had went to intercept this Beast further up on the floating land pieces that Sora and his friends caught up to him. He was curious at how the Beast could have survived coming this far, how strong his heart truly was.

"No vessel, no help from the Heartless..." Riku pondered aloud at the Beast achievements, blocking his path from the castle. "So tell me, how'd you get here?"

Riku didn't truly know if this Beast knew how to speak, his growling wasn't really helping with his opinion in the notion. But the beast had placed his claws over his heart, show signs of knowing emotional gesture only capable of other sentient beings.

"I simply believed. Nothing more to it." His voice was deep, and rumbled. It would be intimidating if there wasn't a softness in his heart. Far more gentle than his Beastly appearance. "When our world fell into darkness. Belle was taken from me. I vowed I would find her again no matter what the cost. I believed I would find her again."

"..." So... he was kinda like him...

"So, here I am. She must be here." His energy grew with determination, and rage. "I will have her back!"

"Take her if you can." Riku challenged at the Beast. He had wanted to see how strong his power had gotten anyway.

Enraged, the Beast roared, launching himself at Riku. Slashing his claws at him, only for Riku to twirl out of the way at the last second. Quick to comeback with his own blade, slashing the Beast down.

"Stop!" Sora called out, interrupting their fight as the Beast fell and got in between them.

"So, finally made it. About time. I've been waiting for you." Riku said condescendingly. His jealously and hurt betrayal he felt towards Sora starting to come out again. "We've always been rivals, haven't we? You've always pushed me as I've always pushed you."

"Riku." Sora could sense the hurt in Riku's voice, but Riku would have none of his sympathy. He didn't need Sora's pity.

"But it all ends here. There can't be two Keyblade masters."

"What are you talking about."

"Let the Keyblade choose... its true master." He held out his hand towards the Keyblade, startling Sora as he felt the Keyblade try to pull away from him. He tried to hold on as long as he could to it, only for it to disappear out of his hands and into Riku's. Pleasing Riku at the sight that Sora had lost his toy that been so much better than him and Kairi, the weapon that made him forget completely about them.

"Huh?!" "What?!" All three of them gasped in shock.

It wasn't the same as the one Sora had, nor was it as powerful- Riku noted with a hidden steam. But it was still a Keyblade, proving he just as strong if not stronger than Sora.

"Maleficent was right." He said in his own fascination that he was able to pull this off, and if he could that means Sora wasn't strong enough to take care of himself. Let alone had the power to help unlock Kairi's heart, right now he was only a burden that would just get in the way. "You don't have what it takes to save Kairi. It's up to me. Only the Keyblade master can open the secret door... and change the world."

"But that's impossible." Sora was in shock, he couldn't believe what was in front of him. "How could this happen? I'm the one who fought my way here with the Keyblade!"

"You were just the delivery boy." Riku mocked out while looking at the Keyblade, giving a sting to his words in the hopes that Sora would feel just the same amount of pain that he felt at Sora's betrayal. "Sorry, your part's over now. Here, go play hero with this."

Riku had tossed him one of the wooden swords that they use to fight-play with. It was the only memento he was able to save from their islands. He cherished it greatly during his hard training with Maleficent, it was a reminder of what he was working so hard to find. But now it was only a mockery that all he had worked for was a lie, Sora could have it, it suited him better anyway. He had no time for baby stuff anymore. He turned around as Sora fell on his knees in front of the sword, crushed at the moment. He was angry at Sora, but didn't feel any joy at this moment. Having enough, he walked away, back to Hollow Bastion Castle.

As if to add more to injury, Sora's apparent 'friends' had ditched him to follow Riku.

"Goofy. Let's go." Donald insisted. "We have to remember our mission."

"Oh! Well, I know the king told us to follow the key and all..." Goofy was a bit reluctant on abandoning Sora. "But..."

But in the end, he abandon Sora as well to follow Riku with Donald.

"Sora, sorry." Was all Donald said, as if that would ease the sting of betrayal.

But as Riku continued to leave, he could feel how Sora's heart wasn't crushed for long. He had somehow pulled himself together as his heart filled with concern. He was most likely worried about the Beast, Sora always had the tendency of caring about others more than himself. It was kinda something Riku had almost forgot about his friend, it was one of the reasons why Riku liked him so much. How could he forget so easily...?

Suddenly Sora's heart grew brighter as it filled with something that Riku had over the years saw to be determination of the heart. Somehow, with the Beast, he was making his way into the castle... on their own... passed the countless Heartless.

*** Back in Traverse Town ***

Aeris had just woken up, after a long needed rest. Still a little groggy and stiff from the night before. She had spent all night translating Ansem's Report, only to actually fax the translation over to Sora and the others before going to sleep. She didn't feel right not giving the information over to the others that needed it right away. They had worked so hard getting these over to her, she should give them the same effort. Which she did, at the cost of her night's rest. She had slept most of the day away in turn.

Finally waking up in the early afternoon. She had sat down with the others to have Breakfast, while they were working on Lunch.

"Morning, sleepy head. Glad to see you're finally awake." Yuffie teased at Aeris as she was working on a sandwich while Aeris was pouring a bowl of cereal.

"Give her a rest, kid." Cid said over to Yuffie, coming to Aeris's defense. "She was up late working hard, unlike some people here."

"Hey, I work!" Yuffie huffed out in protest.

"Do you, or do you just play?"

"Hey!" Yuffie pouted out as Cid laughed at his own joke, making her cheeks puff out in temper.

"Did you get the translations done, Aeris?" Leon asked over to Aeris, working on his own cup of coffee.

"Yes..." She said, taking a bite out of her cereal before continuing on. "I sent the translations over to Sora, and made a copy for us too. But... the Reports are incomplete. There are still so many pages missing. I believe that they're still at Hollow Bastion Castle."

"Well lucky for us, Sora just made his way there with his band of little friends."

"What?!" Leon and Aeris both said in alarm at the news, while Yuffie somehow did a spit-take with her sandwich.

"Yeah, just got done upgrading their Gummi ship to make the navigational trip to Hollow Bastion for them last night."

"Whoa! That trip is super dangerous! Why on earth would you allow them to go on that journey, Cid?" Yuffie lectured at Cid as if he was a bad adult for allowing them to go alone to that Heartless invested place.

"I'm not sure Sora and the others are prepared to face what Hollow Bastion has to offer yet." Leon stated aloud to no one in particular.

"He can do it..."

"Aeris?" Leon and the rest of them turned to Aeris in ponder.

"I believe in the Keyblade wielder." Was all she said, her eyes closed as she knew her words to be true in her heart. Her conviction spreading to the others as well.

"You're right, I believe in that kid." Yuffie said, nodding in agreement. "If anyone can make it through Hollow Bastion and back in one piece, it's Sora."

"Heh, the kid does have a knack for surprising everyone. I'll give 'em that." Cid smirked, with his own nod in agreement, wiping the side of his nose with his thumb in the process.

"Hm. I guess I'll place my faith in Sora as well." Leon finally gave in to the energy of the table.

"Sora has grown strong over his journey with the Keyblade and his friends." Aeris said with her Ancient sense subtly applying. "He will be able to turn the darkness into light..."

*** Back on Hollow Bastion ***

At last, everything had come together according to plan. He had finally given Sora the pain he had felt at Sora's betrayal. All of Sora's favorite toys were now his, the Keyblade has finally come into the possession of its true master. He could feel the power of the Keyblade and his darkness were simultaneously flowing through him. Riku had taken everything from him: Kairi, his Keyblade, and his 'so-called-friends'. Who were at this very moment quietly following behind him at a distance back into Hollow Bastion towards the chamber where the Princesses of Heart were being kept, further into the darkness. They kept their distance out of weariness of the dark powers inside, not to mention his silent loner attitude that made him hard to read. They didn't trust him, which he found smart on their part. He could care less about them, all he was using them for was to get back at Sora, other than that they were just an eyesore.

Yes, everything was working out for him. And yet, somehow... he wasn't feeling happy about it...

As a matter of fact, he didn't feel happy at all. Riku was starting to worry as he felt the light from Sora's heart slowing making its way towards them along with the Beast's. Was Sora 'trying' to get himself killed? He was going to get hurt in the condition he was in now. Riku had to stop him now before he got any deeper to where the stronger Heartless were. He had already made it halfway to the Chamber where the Princesses of Heart were being kept. Maleficent was already trying to open the door with the princesses, if Sora got in the way he would ruin everything. Riku had to stop him.

It was the Beast that was helping him get this far. Riku would have to separate them. Then Riku had come up with a wicked idea, an awful idea if Riku had taken the time to think his actions through, it was a rather cruel idea. But if the Beast had wanted his princess so much, then Riku would give him his princess.

"Be on your guard. They're close, I can feel it. Are you ready for them?" The Beast warned to Sora, halting as he felt a presence behind them while Sora continued walking forward. Swiftly turning to look around only to find the person he was looking for standing right behind them at the door they had just walked through. "Belle?"

His heart had fluttered with hope and joy at finally finding her, and relief that she was okay. But fear had soon came over him as she started to burst into dark flames only to reveal that it was not her but just a Heartless, courtesy of Riku. He stood still for a moment, at the sudden heartbreak that it was not her. Then he began to shake and growl in rage that the Heartless would dare toy with his emotions. That they would dare have the audacity to try a mimic Belle's pure soul with their putrid dark complexion. They played him for a fool and the mockery was unacceptable. With a roar, the Beast charged at the Heartless, Sora stopped and turned around in concern at his outburst only to see as the Beast leaped at the Heartless and the doors closed behind him. The Beast had fallen into their trap and was all alone in the darkness, and that had Sora worried.

"Quit while you can." Riku darkly warned to Sora, bringing Sora's attention back to the center of the room as Riku revealed himself, along with Sora's two previous 'friends' close behind him. He was getting rather tired of Sora's game of tag.

"No. Not without Kairi." Sora insisted, annoying Riku. Sora had the stubbornness of a child that was just crying because he lost his favorite toy, not knowing when to give up and cut his loses. People will have to grow up at some point, Riku did, the real worlds weren't so magical and wonderful as they thought they were.

"The darkness will destroy you." Riku proclaimed to Sora, tapping into the darkness inside him as its power began to change him. Not enough to change his outward appearance physically, but enough to change his clothes into something more fitting for the power.

"You're wrong, Riku. The darkness may destroy my body, but it can't touch my heart." Sora said back in defiance, swiftly slashing his hand down to symbolically deny the claim before bringing it back to place over his heart. "My heart will stay with my friends. It'll never die!"

"Really..." Riku had had enough with Sora's childish optimism. It was time to give him a dose of reality, because friends hurt, especially at your heart. "Well, we'll just see about that!"

Riku had released a small blast of his dark powers at Sora, the shock wave pushed Sora back a little even before the actual dark energy ball came near him. What happened next shocked the both of them as Goofy had rushed over to blocked the blow from Sora with his shield.

"Sora ain't gonna go anywhere!" Goofy said with determination.

"!" This sudden turn of events was not expected to Riku, along with Sora as well. "You'd betray your king?"

"Not on your life!" Goofy replied before turning his head to look back at Sora, giving him a thumbs up. "But I'm not gonna betray Sora, either, 'cause he's become one of my best buddies after all we've been through together!"

"..." Sora was touched beyond words that Goofy would go against his mission for Sora, while Riku was just shocked that a 'replacement' would actually go through so much selflessness for Sora. It was just not natural, and went against all the harsh lessons Riku had learned about the worlds at this point.

"See ya later, Donald." Goofy hollered over to his friend still over by Riku. "Could you tell the king I'm really sorry?"

"Hold on Goofy! We'll tell him together." Donald stomped his foot before rushing his way over to the other two with his wobbly steps. Shying up a little as he finally made it over to Sora, feeling a little guilty about before for ditching him. "Well, you know... All for one and one for all."

Goofy nodded in agreement before turning back to Sora.

"I guess you're stuck with us, Sora."

"Thanks a lot..." Sora couldn't look up at them yet, he was too touched and didn't want to show them how sappy he was getting. "Donald, Goofy."

"How will you fight without a weapon?" Riku shot back, somewhat shaken that his plan was falling apart. That against all his beliefs, Sora's fake friends had returned back to his side, regardless if he had nothing to benefit them.

"I know now I don't need the Keyblade." Sora answered, finally looking back up with the fire returned and burning brightly in his eyes, towards Riku. "I've got a better weapon. My heart."

"Heh." Riku huffed at him. What nonsense. "Your heart? What good will that weak little thing do for you?"

"Although my heart may be weak, it's not alone." Sora continued, ignoring Riku's mockery. "It's grown with each new experience, and it's found a home with all the friends I've made. I've become a part of their hearts just as they've become a part of mine. And if they think of me now and then... if they don't forget me... then our hearts will be one."

"..." Riku watched as Sora crouched down with his wooden sword, ready to fight back. Somehow it reminded Riku about their times back on the islands, bringing a warm reminiscing back to his heart. It made him feel slightly uncomfortable. 'What is this? How strange. I don't care about that stingy little island and its small cage.'

"I don't need a weapon." Sora insisted, bringing Riku back to the situation at hand. "My friends are my power!"

"Huh?!" Riku watched in alarm as the Keyblade had vanished from his hands and returned to Sora's, in the previous form it was.

Why? Why had the Keyblade returned to Sora? He was only the carrier; Riku was the one the Keyblade was promised to. The right had belonged to him!

Enraged, he charged at Sora and his friends, quickly summoning his blade, Soul Eater. But he was caught off-guard and still alarmed at the sudden turn of events. Soon the three of them began to overpower him. Even with all his training, Sora had somehow overpowered him with his raw slugger fighting. He had them on the ropes for a while, but they had more healing items than he had stamina. Soon he tired out, the darkness retreating back into his body, revealing his former clothes. Angry and humiliated he made a retreat further into the castle, the others not too far behind him.

The locked doors and puzzle locks in the castle's library will keep them busy for him to make some distance between them, but it would not stall them for long.

"Why?" Riku said aloud to the world as he continued to run. "It was mine."

"Know this." A voice had answered him, making him stop and turn around towards the sudden presence he felt behind him. "The heart that is strong and true shall win the Keyblade."

It was the guy from before, from the islands...

"What? You're saying my heart's weaker than his?" Riku couldn't believe it.

"For that instant, it was."

"..." Riku shook his head before bowing, disappointed in himself as he lowered his head.

"However, you can become stronger." The hooded man pointed out. "You showed no fear in stepping through the door to darkness. It held no terror for you. Plunge deeper into the darkness, and your heart will grow even stronger."

"What should I do?" Riku asked, not even questioning the purpose or goals at this man's sudden appearance to his aid.

"It's really quite simple." The hooded man answered. "Open yourself to the darkness. That is all. Let your heart, your being, become darkness itself."

They had already made it to the Entrance Hall. But Riku didn't care, with no guard or restraints he opened his heart fully to the darkness, letting its power sink in to his heart.

They have already found the four emerald pieces to open the door. And Riku had felt anew. The hooded man was suddenly gone, once again, but in his leave a new power flowed through Riku. This had felt like nothing compare to the power Maleficent had open up to him, it was invigorating, almost consuming...

He had instantly felt the changes; saw the changes, his clothing from before had returned. His voice had rippled with the darkness, and for some strange reason he didn't feel alone anymore. His heart felt strange, a little off even. Almost as if... there was something else there...

Riku had made his way over to Maleficent and the Princesses of Heart, while Sora and his friends slowly made their way to him. He stood beside Maleficent, admiring the Door she had spoken so much of, the door they had been working so hard to open.

"So, I see the path has emerged at last."

"Yes. The Keyhole to the darkness."

"Unlock it and the Heartless will overrun this world." Riku was a little startled that he knew this information, let alone how such news didn't disturb him. He was only doing this for the power and wisdom to restore Kairi's heart back, he did not sign up to flood the worlds with Heartless. The lights and hearts of the worlds would not be able to survive the never ending onslaught of Heartless. How could he not bat an eye at this? What was wrong with him?

"What do I care?" She didn't seem to care for this fact, or the fact that Riku had somehow found out about the hidden catch on opening the door. "The darkness holds no power over me. Rather, I will use its power to rule all worlds."

"Such confidence." Riku said smugly, summoning his new weapon, forged from the hearts of the princesses. A true Keyblade, the Way to the Dawn.

"Oh?" Maleficent said in admiration, looking down at his blade in awe. With his Keyblade the door should open. And yet... nothing was happening. "(Gasp)! Impossible! The princesses of heart are all here!"

She turned around to look upon Kairi, whom remained lying on the floor.

"It must be her." Maleficent insisted. The both of them approached to look down at the heartless princess of heart, long missing before they had even gotten their hands on her.

"Without her heart, she will never be able to release her power." Riku halted in his words as they heard a roar as the doors to the Chapel were opening.

"The king's fools are here." Maleficent pointed out in slight annoyance, not truly bothered by their presence. She looked down at Riku, acknowledging the sudden change in power flowing through him. She had expected his power to one day outgrow hers, but she didn't expect it to suddenly happen so soon. Whatever has happened to Riku, she would not halt its growth. However, she would not let him forget whom was the one in charge either. "I'll deal with them myself. You stay here and guard the princesses."

She walked off, leaving Riku behind in the Grand Hall. Riku somehow didn't care for following her orders like he use to, he was only humoring her. If they had any chance of opening the door than it was best for him to look after the princesses of heart. Leave Maleficent to handle the idiots that made it all this way passed the Heartless. For some reason he didn't see Maleficent like he use to anymore. He only saw her as a fool.

These were not the emotions he was use to. They somehow felt like they were not his own, and yet they were still present inside him. Even his voice sounded more like another voice present along with his.

"..." But it looks like the idiots were too much for Maleficent as she made an ungraceful retreat further into the Castle's Chapel, she was leaning most of her weight on her staff and was out of breath. Riku had opened a portal to her side, appearing behind her as she pitiful walked her way further into the room. "Do you need some help?"

The words had left his mouth with true intention, but lacked sincerity or concern of her condition.

"Riku!" Sora had called out behind him, causing Riku to turn around to acknowledge their presence. So they had plunged into the darkness Maleficent had left behind to take the portal here? How very brave of them... and very unexpected.

"Is that..." Donald asked, noticing the blade in Riku's hand that resembled a Keyblade... which it was.

"Yes. A Keyblade." Riku answered, holding the Keyblade out to show them before pulling it back to his side as he addressed Sora. "But unlike yours, this Keyblade holds the power to unlock people's hearts."

"?"

"Allow me to demonstrate..." Riku said, but at the same time... he did 'not' say that. He did not do what happened next. "Behold!"

Inside, Riku was alarmed as his body seemed to have a will of its own. Against his own control, he had suddenly turned around and thrust his Keyblade into Maleficent's heart while her upper half was knelled over in exhaustion. She was caught in alarm along with him too at this sudden act of seeming betrayal.

"Wha-" She looked down in horrid alarm as Riku's blade was impaled in her heart, messing with the flow of her darkness.

"Now, open your heart, surrender it to the darkness! Become darkness itself!" These words were leaving Riku's mouth, but they were not his. Something else was making him say these things, and it was causing him alarm. Pulling his blade out of Maleficent, he took a step back and gave her a moment to admire the new flow of unchecked power growing inside her.

"This is it! This power!" She exclaimed, her eyes wide with excitement. "Ha haha. Darkness... the true darkness!"

The darkness consumed her, and raised up from her. Transforming her into a dragon...

Riku watched from higher grounds as she blew dark flames towards Sora and the others. Sora continuously rolling out of the way of her flames and crashing down claws, only to come back to strike at her face between pauses. He would call for a Summon to his aid and heal himself and his friends, from time to time, but mostly relied on brute force. Riku had to admit, it was rather clever of Sora to glide in the air to avoid Maleficent's shock waves, a handy trick that he had picked up on his adventures in Neverland that Riku didn't take the time to learn. At this point, he didn't even think he was capable of learning.

Eventually Maleficent had fallen, defeated by the very fools she had underestimated. Darkness inside of her consumed her with its flames, burning her away until there was nothing but her robe that acted as a stain on the floor.

"How ironic." Riku said, finally coming down. Walking over Maleficent's remains with no pity or remorse. He felt no sadness for her end. "She was just another puppet after all."

"What?!" Donald shouted, not understanding Riku's words.

"The Heartless were using Maleficent from the beginning." Riku explained, although it wasn't him. "She failed to notice the darkness in her heart eating away at her."

"..." Sora was on guard, holding tight onto his Keyblade. Something about Riku felt off to him. It made him cringe a little as he stomped and grind down his foot onto Maleficent's remains.

"A fitting end for such a fool." Riku was alarmed at his actions. 'Stop that! What are you doing to her?'

But the thing inside him paid no heed to him. Ceasing his actions, Riku had opened up a portal behind him and backed away inside it, back to the Grand Hall.

The others were following behind, after him. Riku needed to find out what was going on inside him. The power inside him was enormous, but it was beyond his controlling. He shouldn't be losing himself like this. He began searching his heart, trying to find the cause of all this.

That's when he noticed it. It was obvious as broad daylight but as subtle as the nightfall. That strange thing he had felt before was no minor thing, it had slowly been digging its way into his heart this whole time, getting its clutches around his control over his body. Now that it had grown and gain full access to his body Riku could fully identify it.

It wasn't 'something', it was 'someone'.

'!' The hooded man... he must have something to do behind this. It was foolish for Riku to be so trusting. When did Riku lose his unshakable guard that he had purposely build for this place and its dwellers go? Was he so blinded by his pursuit of power that he had lost all sense of his natural preservation nature and guard around strangers?

But there was no corrections for this mistake. The consequences would be dire. He could lose his body...

"Kairi!" Sora called out as he made his way up the Grand Hall's stairs with the others and noticed Kairi lying on the floor. He ran up to her, not noticing how a barrier had refused to allow Goofy to go any further, knelling down as he took her in his arms and shook her. "Kairi! Kairi! Open your eyes!"

"It's no use." Riku said down to him from his seat on top of the Door's Keyhole. One of his legs bent up as he rested the arm holding the Keyblade on it. "That girl has lost her heart. She cannot wake up."

"What?" Sora put Kairi down to get up again and face Riku, demanding for answers. "You... You're not Riku."

'!' "..." So he noticed. But the presence inside of Riku paid his observation no mind. "The Keyhole cannot be completed so long as the last princess of heart still sleeps."

"The princess...?" Pondered, looking back down to Kairi before looking back towards Riku as he practically floated his way back down to the ground. "Kairi's a princess?"

"Yes, and without her power, the Keyhole will remain incomplete." Riku said as he finally made it to the ground. "It is time she awaken."

"Whoever you are, let Riku go!" Sora barked at the intruder inside of Riku's body. "Give him back his heart!"

"But first, you must give the princess back her heart." The intruder countered back, pointing his blade towards Sora, making a foreign light shine in his heart that made him drop to his knees.

"Sora!" Donald called down to him in concern as Sora clutched his heart.

"What's-"

"Don't you see yet?" The intruder huffed back in annoyance at his inability to understand, making his way down the steps to Sora's level. "The princess's heart is responding. It has been there all along, Kairi's heart rests within you!"

'!" The news came to a shock to Riku, and also a head knocker. 'Of course, no wonder I thought Sora's light felt similar to the princesses of heart. It was Kairi's this whole time. And here she was under our nose since the very beginning.'

"Kairi... Kairi's inside me?" Sora huffed, still fluttered from the shock of his heart being pulled.

"I know all that there is to know."

"Tell me. Who are you?"

"It is I, Ansem, the seeker of darkness.."

'Ansem? Who the hell is that?! And why is he inside my body?! How did he even get in there? I opened my heart to no one- (Gasp)! Of course... the darkness... you can never truly see what's lurking inside it. He must have snuck his way in when I had opened my heart completely to it. How can I be such an idiot?!'

"..." Leaving Riku be to beat himself up for his own carelessness and leaving Sora to lie down in his own pain, Ansem had approached Sora's stunned body. Donald had rushed to defend Sora, but Ansem had easily knocked him out of the way, back out of the barrier on the opposite stairway of Goofy. "So, I shall release you now, Princess. Complete the Keyhole with your power."

'!' Wait... Was he planning to force Kairi's way out?! But that could damage Kairi, let alone destroy Sora. 'No, Stop!'

"Open the door, lead me into everlasting darkness!" Ansem continued, preparing to strike Sora with his Keyblade.

'Sora!' Riku called out, unable to do anything to stop Ansem, even inside his own body.

It was faint but, he heard the call of a heart calling out to Sora as well. Was that... Kairi?!

"!" Her voice had been enough to spring Sora back into action, as he parried Ansem's Keyblade, pulled himself back up, and pushed Ansem back. "Forget it! There's no way you're taking Kairi's heart!"

They stared each other down before they began to fight. Riku began to grow worried for Sora as this Ansem didn't seem to be pulling any punches, he was coming at Sora and he was coming at him hard. Nobody got to knock that blockhead around but him, Riku was going to make this Ansem guy pay for attacking Sora once he got his body back.

He would eclipse the room in darkness as he would warped and glide back and forth through the barrier, striking at Sora whenever he could. Sora's only hope was to stay at the edge of the barrier and wait for the attack to end. It was harsh, and Sora did not leave the fight without any cuts or bruises. Tired out, he had finally beaten Ansem.

Or so he thought.

Playing along with Sora, Ansem disappeared into the darkness as he fell to his knees, leaving his Keyblade behind.

"Riku!" Sora called in alarm rushing over to Riku, only for him to disappeared. Donald and Goofy finally made their way up onto the floor as the barrier came down with Ansem's defeat.

"Sora! Sora, look!" Donald shouted, trying to get his attention.

"The... The Keyhole." Goofy said, looking back at the Keyhole and then at Sora. Sora walked over to the Keyhole, along side them. Holding out his Keyblade to will to Keyhole close, but nothing happened. "It won't work! The Keyhole's not finished yet!"

"What can we do?" Sora said, putting away his Keyblade.

"Maybe we've gotta go wake Kairi up." Goofy suggested, looking back towards Kairi, along with the others.

"I think you're right." Sora agreed, placing a hand over his heart just at the subtle feeling of her presence there. "If we can free her heart... But... But how?"

Sora looked down towards the Keyblade Ansem had left behind, slowly taking the bait just as Ansem planned. Riku had truly hoped that Sora wouldn't do what he thinks he's gonna do.

'Don't do it. Don't... pick it up...' Riku silently pleaded to Sora, already knowing that Sora couldn't hear him. But he could see the determination in Sora's eyes. He had always been so recklessly selfless to the point of sacrificing himself for the sake of others, why did he have to prove it now?

"A Keyblade that unlocks people's hearts... I wonder." Sora said aloud to himself.

"Sora?" Goofy looked in concern as Sora went over and picked the Keyblade up. "Sora, hold on!"

"No, wait!" Donald called out, along with Goofy, already knowing what Sora was planning to do.

He looked at the Keyblade, before looking back at his friends. Giving them that cheeky grin he always gave to say 'everything was okay.'

But everything was not okay. He was about to unlock his heart for the darkness to get in.

'Sora!'

Sora had impaled himself with the Keyblade, letting it open his heart to let Kairi go. Returning the light of the princesses of heart back to their bodies from the Keyblade as the light from Kairi had left his body to return to hers.

"Sora... Sora!" Donald called out to him as he and Goofy ran to catch Sora as he fell to the ground. His light glowing like a dying flicker as it released from his body at the opening of his heart. Kairi had awaken, rising up to her feet again as she saw Sora falling off of his.

"Sora!" She called out to him, running to catch him, only for him to turn into specks of lights in her arms as they floated away into the sky.

"Sora! Come back, Sora!" Donald stubbornly insisted, refusing to believe that he was gone.

"Sora, are you really-" Kairi sadly whimpered as she looked up to the sky along with the others, only for determination to replace her sadness as she placed her hand over her heart. "No. He can't be! I won't let him go!"

That's when Ansem revealed himself, making Kairi looked around as she felt his dark presence close by before showing himself, coming out from a dark portal.

"So, you have awakened at last, Princess." He said, taking on his true form in Riku's body. "The Keyhole is now complete. You have served your purpose. But now its over."

"Don't make another move!" Donald threatened in warning as Ansem started walking towards them to Kairi, stepping forward with Goofy to block Ansem's path from her.

"Do you think we can stop him all by ourselves?" Goofy loudly whispered to Donald behind his shield.

"I don't know!" Donald honestly answered as Ansem continued to make his way over to them.

"!" But he had stopped in his tracks, shaking like a leaf as his control was grounded to a halt. "Impossible..."

"No." Riku insisted, taking enough control over his body to halt Ansem's action and manifest himself with his heart's light that he still had, his Ancient blood still flowing inside him with its strong light. "You won't use me for this!"

"Riku!" Kairi called out in alarm as Riku held out his arms to invisible hold off Ansem in a battle of hearts.

"You've got to run! The Heartless are coming!" Riku insisted, senses the sudden presence of Heartless in the area. He may have been holding off Ansem's actions, but that still didn't mean Ansem couldn't summon Heartless to get the job done.

Nodding to Riku in thanks, Kairi ran off along with Donald and Goofy, pass the uprising Heartless.

"What about the Keyhole?!" Goofy asked as they left it behind.

"Let's just get out here!" Donald shot back as they ran out of the Grand Hall.

"You are foolish, boy, thinking that you can resist me." Ansem shot down at Riku, still in Riku's weakening hold. Riku's power was strong enough to hold Ansem off and his heart was strong when he resisted. But, he was still young, and his power was still unrefined. He still had a long way to go. Not that Ansem was going to allow him to reach that far any longer. "I admire your persistence, boy. And your heart's will to survive. But play time is over. You must decease of these futile efforts, Riku."

"Never." Riku huffed through gritted teeth as he fought to continue restraining Ansem. "I'll never give up. As long as you're after my friends, I'll never give up stopping you."

"(Sigh) Such a stubborn child, weren't you the one that was hurting your friends this whole time?"

"?!"

"Jealous and in pain, you lashed out on Sora in the guile that he betrayed you." Ansem pointed out, toying at Riku's emotions as he weakened his hold over him. "Maleficent may have been the one to start the sparks of jealousy, but you were the one that let them grow wild and unchecked. Blinded by your jealously and rivalry, you grew obsesses with power and let the darkness consume you. Its power was intoxicating, and you let yourself sink deeper into it. Disregarding the consequences that came with such power. Did you not think there would be a price to pay for such power; for all that you have done to receive it?"

"..." Riku had no words to say. He had done such horrible things for the sake of his friends. He could justify it with that excuse all he wanted, but in the end he had still did it for power. There was nothing to deny what he had done. Sora was right, he was on the wrong side... But... it took him losing a friend to finally realize that...

"You had wished to get off those small islands that were more of a cage to you. I gave you what you wished for, but only at a price." Ansem continued on, eating away at Riku's heart, filling him with guilt. "You gave anything to get off those islands, no matter what the cost. Even if the cost was your whole world itself."

"!"

"Thousands of hearts, cast away into the darkness just so you could go out to see the other worlds with your friends." Ansem shot the reality of his childhood dream, forcing him to see the true consequences of his action. "Did you think all of the hearts on Destiny Islands were able to get away to other worlds? Only the few strong ones had survived to reach that far. The others had been snuffed out by the darkness. Your family, your friends, all for the childish wish of going out on an adventure. Tell me, Riku, was it worth? Was all that you've seen out here, truly worth the hearts of your world?"

"..." No. No it wasn't... he had never really thought about his actions that night. He had thought he would never see his family or friends back on the islands again, he didn't think that he was destroying them. His wish had been innocent, he didn't want all this. His home... his dad... it was all gone. And it was all because of him, this was all his fault. Just because he had felt that it was his birthright to walk among the other worlds, regardless of the worlds' order and borders. He truly felt disgusted with himself...

"Enough with this nonsense. Submit!" Ansem barked as he finally broke through Riku's hold.

"!" Riku gasped in alarm as the tables were turned on him and he was the one being held by Ansem's heart. It was horrible, unlike any pull that Riku had felt before or given out. It was like Ansem was squeezing his heart.

"You wanted the darkness so bad? I heard you once say that you prefer the darkness." Ansem taunted, throwing Riku's words back at him. "Then thrive in the shadows, to your heart's content, in the Realm of Darkness!"

"!" Riku could do nothing as he was propelled out of his body, into a Darkness that he has never experienced before. There was nothing left of him, only the light of his heart in the consuming darkness. And what a strange thing that was, he had thought he had snuffed all of the light out of his heart when he had cut off all ties with his mother. "..."

His mother...

In this intimidating darkness, he could really use her hold right now. This was nothing like he wished for, nothing like he had ever dreamed of. The worlds weren't as fun and adventurous as he had thought they would be. They were so big and frightening compared to him, he had no idea what he was getting himself into. His eyes still had the veil of innocence over them when he first set out, he still had the heart of a child as he trusted the first adult that he had stumbled upon.

He had led himself to this... He was the one that chose the path he had taken. His mother was right, he wasn't strong enough to face it all. No matter how hard he trained he was not ready for the darkness and the consuming power it seduced him with. But the power was a lie, he couldn't use it to protect his friends, he couldn't use it to protect his mother, he couldn't use it to protect anybody.

And now, look at where all that power had gotten him. Alone in the darkness.

The darkness had flowed on continuously in this place. Endless, timeless, all sense of one's presence in its vastness was mind blowing and hard to wrap oneself around as it slowly consume the identity and individuality.

Nothing was like before. He would have given anything to go back to the way things were before. If only he could see Kairi and Sora again. He wouldn't care if he could never leave those islands; he wouldn't care if he could only meet his mother in his dreams; he wouldn't care if him and his friends lived out the rest of their lives on those islands. He would just be glad to have them there with him, and would never take them for granted ever again.

It was strange how the darkness could make one feel so humbling. He no longer felt like the strong boy destined for greatness and power, he felt alone and scared.

He would give anything to feel the presence of another beside him; to feel the rays of dawn once again, breaking through this horrendous darkness. But deep down, he had just wanted his friends back... he had just wanted...

"Mom..." He had called out to her, beyond his control. He had truly missed her, and if he could find his way out of this place, he would tell her how sorry he was for not listening to her. That in the end, he would be okay with just having her in his heart regardless if he couldn't have her physically there. She would always be there, no matter where he was, along with his friends. They would all always have a place in his heart "!"

That's when it happened. His light began to grow. It shined brighter as his body began to take form from it; it wasn't truly his body, but it was the essence of his heart. It took on form in the physical plane and surrounded him with the glow of its light.

"Wha- what's going on? Is this...?" Riku struggle to get out, trying to get a grasp of the situation as he looked down at his glowing hands, gloves and all. "My body?"

"A-ha! Well hello there! Didn't expect to see someone else in a place like this!" Greeted a cheerful voice from behind him.

"!" Riku quickly turned around, silently building up with relief and hope that he was not alone in this place anymore. But he got confused as he looked around to see that there was no one there. "?"

"A-ha! Down here, big fella!"

"?!" Riku looked down in shocked to see the gloved hand that was waving up at him was attached to a big mouse that was more humanoid in build... and wore clothes... and had a Keyblade?!

"Nice that meet yah! The name's Mickey, king Mickey." Giving Riku a wave salute.

"King Mickey? Then you're the king that Donald and Goofy are looking for?" Riku pointed at king Mickey at the sudden realization.

"Oh so you have met them before? How are they?"

"They're fine, last I checked..." Riku awkwardly answered, not really knowing where to go with this.

"I'm glad to hear that they are doing well." He said with subtle relief as his smile widened on his face. "So tell me, were they able to complete their mission?"

"Yeah... they found the Keyblade wielder..." Riku nervously answered, unable to make eye contact with king Mickey as he answered the question.

"Really?! A-ha, that's great!" King Mickey cheered with a jump before calming down again. "So why do you look so troubled, friend?"

"?!" Riku was slightly caught off guard in shock that this stranger of a king was able to pick up on his emotions so quickly. His eyes widened for a second before he looked back at the king, his eyes slowly drawing him in to speak his worries and uncertainties. "It's just that... I've always thought that there could be only one Keyblade master. That I was in the one destined to be its wielder. But in the end, I was only blinded by my jealousy and rivalry that my fight over it had almost cost me my friendship with one of my best friends. If it has not already cost me my friendship, that is."

"What are you talking about? There's more than one Keyblade master, there were many of them once upon a time." King Mickey pointed out, catching Riku by surprise at the news.

"!" Well that did make sense. After all, he and Sora were holding on to a Keyblade at the same time. And this guy clearly had a Keyblade in his possession right now that looked just like the one Riku had forcefully grabbed from Sora at the entrance of Hollow Bastion, only golden. The mere memory of the moment had made him feel ashamed of himself... "..."

"And on that note, no matter how hard you two fight with each other, friends will always find a way passed it to stick together." King Mickey continued on, drawing Riku back out of his dreary thoughts. "That's the good thing about friends. They will always have a place inside our hearts, and you in theirs, no matter what has come between us."

"!" His words were so simple with truth, but they gave Riku so much clarity.

"Don't worry. No matter how much bad blood is between you two, you'll forgive each other. Because that's what friends do."

"... I don't think I deserve forgiveness..." Riku sadly admitted, rubbing his arm as he looked away in shame.

"Everyone deserves a chance at forgiveness if they truly want it, no matter what they've done." King Mickey insisted, placing his hands on his hips as he stomped his foot. "No matter how far someone has fallen into the darkness, they deserve a chance to be pulled out if they want it. But the point of the matter is, once you come down to it, is do you want to be pulled out? Do you want to be forgiven...?"

"..." He could feel king Mickey's eyes on him as he waited for an answer. It gave him the courage to dig inside himself to find the answer he truly felt inside his heart, giving him the determination to face king Mickey once again. "I do. More than anything."

"A-ha! Then that's a good start!" King Mickey said with a smile, jumping up to give Riku a good pat on the back in encouragement. "Once you've acknowledge your desire for something, there's barely much to do after that before achieving it."

"..."

"So while you're in here at the mean time, why don't you stick with me? So you don't get lost in the darkness. It's a lonely place in here out on your own." King Mickey offered, walking a little ahead of Riku to get a better look back up at him as he turned back around to face Riku. "And I don't think I've actually gotten your name yet, friend."

"..." Riku couldn't believe it, this person was truly trusting. And kind beyond his belief if he was willing to accept Riku's company with him in the darkness. This realm was a terrifying place that was more consuming than the darkness he had every dared to surround himself with in his brooding. Now that he thought back at it, it was nothing more than the cockiness of self-misery driven child. Now that he finally got a taste of the real thing, it had knocked him down a notch. Having found someone else in this place was a blessing in disguise, not much less of a miracle. To have someone by himself would be great against the crushing loneliness this place would put upon you. But could he trust this man? Could he really trust this stranger? The last stranger he had trusted in a new place had ultimately led him to here and had cost him everything dear, could this person be the same? But as he looked into this king's eyes he could see no ill-will inside of them. Nor in his heart, only the light that shine like a beacon in this dark place. It was a brilliant and warm light that eased Riku's heart. If Riku had any hope left that this place hadn't crushed yet, he would put it on this guy. "It's Riku. My name is Riku."

"Oh, Riku? Like as in Aeris's kid?"

"?!" That caught his interest and lighted his heart like a firecracker. "You know my mom? Really?"

"Well yeah. I met her during her Heartless Resistance campaigns along with her other companions." King Mickey pointed as he recalled his memories of all his encounters with her. "And I met her once for a little bit on Radiant Garden before its fall to darkness, during my training to become a Keyblade master."

"..."

"She was such a nice lady, a very kind soul. There aren't many hearts I have seen that shined as brightly as hers." King Mickey described from his reminiscing before looking back, while rubbing the bottom of his chin as he came to realization. "No wonder why you have a knack for the Keyblade. You are of her blood, after all."

"My light is nothing like my mother's..." Riku sadly admitted.

"Of course it's not! Everybody's light is different!" King Mickey pointed out as if it were the obvious thing.

"!"

"That's what makes us all so different from each other, each of our little light in our heart shines in so many unique ways. Your light shines in its own way too."

"..."

"Just give it time. You'll see it on your own."

"But I'm still too young to see it?" Riku finished off for him, already assuming what he was going to say next.

"Ehhh, you're getting there." King Mickey shrugged over, waving his hand a little horizontally to empathize how Riku wasn't balanced to that point yet. "You just need a little longer."

But a booming screech had interrupted them in the darkness.

"But will I 'get' long enough to find the answer?" Riku said, half-jokingly, half-serious as he felt the owners of the sound making their way towards the two of them. Their dark presence and their lack of hearts already announcing to Riku what they were before they even made their appearance.

"Heartless! And lots of them!" King Mickey said in alarm, getting his Keyblade ready for a fight and standing between Riku and the incoming Heartless. "Stay behind me, Riku. They've been making their way to the Keyhole ever since the Door was open."

"!" That raised Riku's eyes in alarm before the guilt started to sink in.

"But the Keyhole is still not big enough for all of them to get through. Somebody must have been gathering the princesses of heart while I've been gone."

"It was me..."

"?!"

"I've been helping Maleficent gather the princesses of heart to open the door. She had told me it had held the wisdom I needed to regain my friend's lost heart. But it was still a selfish act on my part. I had done anything necessary to save my friend, regardless of the harm my actions caused to others, and I cannot be sorry enough for what I've done. But please believe me, I'm truly sorry..." Riku confessed, not willing to lie to his new companion in such a way, even if it was just withholding information from him. King Mickey had the right to know, even if it cost Riku his only companion in this place.

"... Well, you didn't really do a good job, because all of the princesses of heart weren't present enough to fully open the door." King Mickey pointed out in slight sarcasm to lighten up the mood, looking over his shoulder back at Riku. "And you didn't seem to capture their hearts correctly, since the ones you 'did' capture seem to be holding most of the heartless back. You would make a terrible villain, Riku."

"Hm, I suppose I would." Riku laughed lightly, somehow relieved at the news.

"Your heart defeated the darkness, but you lost your body. That's why your heart was left behind on this side of the darkness." King Mickey summed up, getting a feel for Riku and the Keyblade that now dwelled inside him. "But in your struggle, you acquired the other Keyblade- on this side."

"Keyblade?"

"To close the door of darkness from both sides, you need two keys and two hearts."

"What do you want me to do?" Riku questioned before king Mickey's light shined brighter in the darkness, acting as a beacon along the dark paths.

"Maybe you were destined to come here, just like me." King Mickey concluded his thoughts out loud. "Maybe you were destined to take another path different than your pal on the other side."

"?"

"Even so, we can't let all those ladies work so hard on the other side to keep the Heartless out of the Realm of Light on their own like that." King Mickey said, bringing his attention back to approaching Heartless. "Let's give the girls a hand. Are you ready to play the role of a Hero again, Riku?"

"?!" Riku was slightly shocked that king Mickey would still want Riku to fight beside him after the news, let alone still accept his company. Somehow it made him feel better about himself after all that he had done, it had made him feel accepted in a way that he hadn't felt before in such a long time. Just like back when he was a kid and the only one that would accept him and his strange Ancient behavior was Sora. It had felt so warm, Riku couldn't believe he had tossed something like this away over imprudent jealousy. "How can I help you? I don't have a weapon."

"Just look inside your heart. The strength from your family and all yours friends should be all the weapon you need. Our bonds are the most powerful things in the worlds."

"The bonds inside my heart...?" Riku ponder, looking down at the small thing inside his chest as he place his hand over his heart. Only for it to glow brighter than the rest of him as he thought about his friends and mother that were still left behind on the other side in the Realm of Light. The Heartless were trying to make their way over to them, and he could not let that happened. He had to protect what was precious to him. And that was when Soul Eater had materialized its way into his hand. "?!"

"A-ha, good! I knew you could do it!" King Mickey cheered to him, over his shoulder, getting ready for the showdown. It wasn't exactly the Keyblade that king Mickey was hoping that Riku would be able to pull out, but it would just have to do. Riku wouldn't be able to pull out his Keyblade until he has come to terms with the darkness inside of him; and that will have to come at another time. "Are you ready for a fight?!"

"Right! I'm not giving up! Not yet, not while I can still fight!" Riku roared, charging in at the Heartless along with king Mickey, his heart shining brighter. Along side king Mickeys, like two lone stars in a dark night sky...

*** Some time back in Traverse Town ***

"So the darkness is flowing out of that Keyhole..." Leon had concluded from his spot leaning on the wall with his arms crossed, as Sora and the others filled him and the rest of the Heartless Resistance group in on what had happened as they had made their hasty return back to Traverse Town.

"No wonder there are more and more Heartless everywhere." Aeris pointed out, not really telling them that she was sensing out to the other worlds when she had said that. "The only way to stop them is-"

"Seal the Keyhole, right?" Sora finished off for her, holding his Keyblade out.

"Maybe. But no one knows what will happen once it's sealed." Leon countered back.

"Well, we can't just stay here. We have to do something." Sora insisted. "I've got a friend back there."

"..." Leon had his eyes closed as he gave Sora's words some thought before opening them back up again. "That's right. You have one more friend to worry about. Riku's Keyblade must have been born of the captured princesses' hearts- just like that Keyhole you saw. Of course, without Kairi's heart, it remained incomplete. Once that Keyblade was destroyed, the princesses' hearts should have been freed. Don't worry, Sora. If anyone can save your friend, you can."

"..."

"..." Leon had paused for a moment as Aeris had walked over to whisper something into Leon's ear through the cover of her hand before making her way back over to where she was before. "It would seem the other princesses have been freed as well. Jasime apparently hasn't returned to Agrabah. I suspect the others are still in the castle, too."

"How do you know all this, Leon?" Sora questioned, still wondering how Leon even knew about Jasmine since he had never really talked about her.

"I have my resources..." Was all Leon would answer in reply, Sora didn't need to know as long as Aeris wasn't willing to share. Making his way over to Aeris, Sora had sought to get her opinion of their predicament.

"I thought the Keyhole would strengthen the darkness." Aeris had thought aloud to herself. "I mean, the darkness is strong, but still... It's almost as if someone is holding the darkness back."

"Maybe it's the princesses." Sora suggested at the thought. "I'll see to closing the Keyhole soon. In the mean time, I'll find my way back to Hollow Bastion."

"Hm, be careful, Sora." Aeris said, nodding her head in approval at his choice of action before placing a hand over her heart. "I know you can do this."

"Right. Thanks, Aeris. Oh yeah, we found this on Maleficent. She dropped this while she was retreating back further into the Castle's Chapel." Sora said to Aeris as he handed her Ansem's Report 5 from his pocket.

"Thank you, Sora. I'll see to translating it right away." She said in gratitude, taking the page from his hand. "Did you happen to find any others while you were there?"

"Uhh, no, sorry. A lot was going on at the time, I didn't really get a chance to really look around." Sora admitted with a nervous chuckle, scratching the back of his head at his big miss of gathering information.

"Don't worry about it, Sora. I'm just glad you made it back here safe with the others."

"Yeah, I'm glad I got Kairi back too." Sora agreed, counting his blessings before one missing one really brought him down. "I only wish I could've saved Riku from there too..."

"..." The wish was eating away at Aeris too; but, she would not give up on her son. She still believed that he was alright. She knew he was, that is... that was what her heart told her... "You'll bring him back, Sora. I know you will. You can still bring him back to the light."

"Aeris..." He was touched by her words, they filled him up with more determination. "You're right. I will bring him back! Even if I have to knock some sense into him to do it."

"Hm, right."

"See yah, Aeris. I'll see Cid about heading back to Hollow Bastion!" Sora said, waving himself out as he made it to the door.

"Hey, just wait a minute, Sora!" Donald angry quaked at Sora as he rushed to catch up to him along with Goofy.

"Don't forget about us!" Goofy added in as they both made their way out the door, following after Sora.

"Heh," Aeris couldn't help but brighten up at the feel of their energy. It was hard not to smile whenever those three were around, they had always found a way to cheer up the people around them even when they weren't trying. It had always did her heart good feeling the presence of theirs close by.

But that is when she heard it. She had heard her son's call...

"!" Standing up, Aeris had immediately made her way to the window. Nearly jolting Yuffie out of the way as she looked up into the night sky, regardless of the stares she had gotten from Yuffie and Leon in the room. But she did not care how many were staring, she was trying to pinpoint the location of the call. It was calling near Hollow Bastion, and yet it was not. She had found him... the light in Riku's heart had returned to him for her to see, even if it was surrounded by consuming darkness. "My boy..."

"!"

"My Riku... he's alright..." She happily said out loud, tears creeping into the corner of her eyes. His light... it was so warm...

"You can sense Riku?" Leon asked in disbelief, leaning away from the wall at the news to stand up straight.

"How?! You have been searching for his light for weeks now! We assumed that it had dimmed out from Maleficent's influence. How could it be back?"

"It was never gone in the first place. It was just shrouded by darkness..." A small smile had made its way over her face. "He has found his way to a truly dark place, but he is not alone. Apparently king Mickey is with him."

"King Mickey?! Where the heck are they?"

"In the Realm of Darkness..." Aeris trailed over, easily getting distracted with locking on to her son's position so she wouldn't lose him again. She would meet him once again, when they dreamed...

"The Realm of Darkness?!" Yuffie nearly fainted at the news, she fell back to lean her weight on the wall to keep herself up. "Why oh why is one of our best Keyblade wielders doing in a place like that?"

"He went there to stall the Heartless." Aeris answered for her, not taking her eyes off the sky as her cheek rested against the cold window's glass. "He must be one of the few holding off the Heartless from getting through to the Realm of Light. Riku is helping him... He must have taken a new leaf. I'm so proud of him."

"Geez, how do we know he won't turn on us again?" Yuffie callously said unknowingly before receiving a reprimanding look from Leon. But Aeris didn't seem to pay her words any mind.

"He'll be fine, Yuffie." Aeris assured to Yuffie, her smile never losing its place. "King Mickey will make sure he doesn't go astray."

"..." The others stayed silent as they watched her, it had been a long time since Aeris had actually smiled. It had did them good seeing one on her face again, and didn't want to take it away from her. Aeris continued to look up into the sky, getting a glimpse as Sora and the other's Gummi ship took off into the sky. Most likely getting the new navigation coordinates from Cid as they made their way back to Hollow Bastion.

"We have to go back..." Aeris said, before turning around to face Leon and Yuffie to clearly say what she meant. "We have to go to Hollow Bastion with Sora."

"Aeris."

"Are you crazy?" Yuffie said, cutting in on Leon. "That placing is swarming with Heartless. Most likely more so with the opening of the Keyhole. They're much stronger and way bigger than the ones we have come up against so far. And you're saying you want to go there?"

"Yes." Aeris nodded nonchalantly as if Yuffie's words were no bother to her. "We can take Cid's ship if we must."

"You're crazy!"

"Yuffie."

"!" She shut up, turning back to Leon at the sound of his voice.

"Regardless of the conditions Radiant Gardens is in now, this was our childhood home." Leon said. "And we owe it to that place to see the light finally returned to it."

"Leon..." Aeris happily said at the sound of his approval to go along with her suggestion.

"Let's get going. Sora could probably use a hand taking care of all those Heartless anyway." Leon said with a smirk. "It's our battle, why should we leave others to fight it for us?"

"Heh, when you're right, you're right." Yuffie shrugged raising her hands slightly in the air in mock surrender before placing them on her hips again as she took on a hero pose. "Guess we can't leave Sora to have all the fun on his own."

"Hm," Leon nodded in agreement before giving out Yuffie a command. "Saddle up Cid, we're heading out for Hollow Bastion."

"You got it Squall!" Yuffie said with a quick two fingered salute before heading out the door to grabbed Cid at the shop.

"It's Leon." Leon corrected before he smirked. "But only for a little longer..."