It was too vivid to be a dream. Riku was remembering.

Namine was a silent witness, her image transparent as she watched.

The scenery was Hollow Bastion. Floating rocks surrounded a single castle as Riku made his way down the water ways.
"Sora! Kairi!" He shouted. "Where are you?"

He had the feeling someone was following him. He didn't turn around, so all Namine saw was a blurry figure.

A girl with red hair-'Kairi', Namine realized- was unconscious, floating in a pool. A circle of heartless were around the pool, all curious to watch but none ready to attack.

"Kairi!" Riku shouted as he ran toward her. "Get away from her!"

The Heartless scattered as Riku waded out to Kairi.
"Kairi! Wake up!" He shook her as he checked her vitals.
"She won't."

Riku turned and the blurry figure took the form of a woman in black robes wielding a staff. 'Maleficent,' Namine found the name as Riku spoke.
"Why not?"
"The Princess does not have her heart. She is but an empty shell." Maleficent replied.
"Can you save her?" Riku cried out.
"Yes and no. As I am I cannot. But if you help me..." The witch grinned, "Then surely the Princess will awaken."

The scene faded and changed. Riku was speaking to the sleeping Kairi laid on a bed that might just have been hers once.
"How can Sora just forget us?" He exclaimed. "There he is-laughing with a new set of friends when he should be out looking for us!"

Riku calmed and sat slowly.
"After all you feel for him...and how I know he feels for you..." He shook his head. "Why can't he find you?"

He paused as revelation filled his face.
"That's where your heart is, isn't it? Sora had it." Riku shook his head. "That explains why he isn't looking too hard for you. He can feel you. But why...why didn't he look for me after..."

That was when darkness began to creep into his heart.

The scene transformed yet again. They stood beside the Door to Darkness, Kairi laying not far off. Maleficent was speaking with Riku.
"You want me to take a child?" Riku exclaimed. "I abducted two princesses-isn't that enough?"
"He is no real child. Just a puppet who obtained a heart somehow."
"He has a father who loves him!"
"Like you love the Princess?"

Riku fell quiet as the sorceress spoke.
"It's possible that this would reveal a way to awaken her." Maleficent stated. "Choose wisely."

The scene was the same, but the setting differed. Kairi continued to sleep and Riku was gasping, grabbing his chest. He'd used to much darkness to get away...

The scene differed once more. Riku had the KeyBlade now-but it didn't feel like a victory leaving Sora out there...

Sora was the true wielder-but why?
"Do you desire power?" The cloaked figure asked. Riku lifted his head and reached to take the hand...

Namine gasped as Riku jerked awake, his dream ending and her connection cut off. He jerked his head and all she saw now that the candle had gone out was yellow eyes. His hand jerked before she felt the movement and he was holding her in the air by the neck. Namine let out a scream as she scratched at the arm choking her.
"Riku! It's me! Riku, please!" She gasped.

The yellow eyes faded and Riku's gasp filled the dark space as he dropped her. Namine gasped, inhaling deeply as Riku sat on the bed.
"What did I...Namine? Please say I didn't..."
"I'm alive." Namine gasped as the door burst open, light from the hall outlining Mickey and Diz. Diz asked first as he analyzed the scene.
"What happened here?"