Wow, this one took a while to write. Not only because it was a little difficult, but also because it's my senior year in high school and the teachers piling work on us with shovels.

But you're not here for that! You're here for spoonful of angsty boi! Enjoy!

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He floats in the quiet glow of not-quite-sleep and not-quite-conscious. With fuzzy limbs and heavy eyelids, all he hears is a far away beat, like he and his heart are separated by a wall. At one point it feels like him and the place he rests is moved through dizzying tunnels, then again by in a slow glide. He wonders where he's going.

Going… He was going somewhere, wasn't he? He had a plan. He had a destination… no, he only had an escape. He had no idea where they were going after, only away from the Islands.

They. Him, Sora and Kairi. All of them together were preparing to leave the Islands and see the outside worlds. They were building a raft, gathering supplies, getting ready to leave their home and everyone they knew.

But then, where were they? He shouldn't be asleep right now, he should be with Sora and Kairi! They should be right next to him, hands clutching each other and braving their first real adventure. Why aren't they with him?

Wait, now he remembers.

He wishes he didn't, because it sends a pang of hurt through his core.

He was almost done, he just had to drop off the last log by the shack door. He stopped for a moment when he saw Kairi and Sora sitting on the dock, staring off into the sunset. The lighting really brought out their skin tones, and the sun reflecting off the ocean made them shine. He admired the image they made. Then he heard what they were saying.

"-take the raft and go, just the two of us!"

"Huh?"

Sora sounded just as surprised as Riku felt. What was she saying?

He didn't join them until they started calling for him. Sora smiled his guileless smile and challenged him to a race on their rowboats. Kairi hung back, all entertained giggles and uncertain eyes.

He told them to go on without them, that he still had something he wanted to do. He can't remember now what it was, all he remembers is that festering anger and churning betrayal.

They were supposed to leave together. They weren't supposed to go off on their own. They weren't supposed to abandon him!

It hurts so much, that they even considered it. It feels as though someone's taken a chisel to his heart, to his gem. But he was ready to forgive them. It was just a moment of thought, just idle curiosity and teasing, they didn't really mean it.

He waited by their tree for them. He knew they would come, free spirits like the three of them can't resist the call of the outside, of freedom. He just had to have patience. And they did come.

But they didn't come with him.

He saw Kairi walk across the beach unsteadily, giving no reaction to the wild winds and stinging sand. She didn't even glance at him before continuing on.

Sora at least came to him. Spoke to him. But he didn't take his hand. He stood there watching Riku reach for him and made no move to grab hold. He turned around and left.

Something in him bubbles and flows sluggishly, like oil. His anger makes it boil hotter.

Eventually, he starts to surface from this not-awake and not-asleep world. He feels floaty, and sensations in his arms and legs reach out and become more solid.

He awakens in a dark throne room, and on the throne sits Maleficent.

She feels his anger, his pain, and reaches out with a solution. He helps her gather and protect the Princesses of light, and she'll help him find his friends. All three of them are too young to be out in the unknown alone.

Because while they may have hurt him, he refuses to leave them behind. He never has and he never will. Even when they took too long or walked too slow, he'd march over to them and pull them by their hands so they could match his pace.

He'll have both of them by his side soon, and they can forget this mess ever happened. Then they'll have eternity to explore all the universe has to see. They'll never be bored or confined, they'll never be caged.

Sora will shine with excitement and curiosity. He'll glow with joy every time he meets someone new.

Kairi's gaze will reach far beyond their oceans. She'll be inspired by objects they never could have imagined.

He'll be free. His wanderlust always sated, the ever-growing feeling of dread will fade. His gem will regain its shine. But now he has work to do.

Sora collapses without them by his side, so he won't be able to keep himself safe for more than three days. Kairi is stronger emotionally, but she's often directionless and needs them to prompt her into action, so she'll last a week. Riku already found help and a place to stay, so his first goal is to find Sora.

He just needs to keep an eye out to make sure Maleficent doesn't backstab him.

His gem darkens.

Looks like Sora survived three days, and replaced them while he was at it.

All those years they spent together, every bump and bruise they pushed past and secret they shared, did he forget all of it? Because they've been apart for not even a week, and Sora replaced him and Kairi with a duck that swallowed a rusted chainsaw and a … whatever that's as dumb as a drunk seagull. What the dust is this!?

And Sora hasn't even found Kairi either. Has he even been looking? Probably not. After all, he has new friends to hang out with now, what would he need them for?

That's fine, though. Because Riku isn't gonna throw her away like a rag. He'll find her, bring her to Maleficent, and then they'll both get strong enough to explore the words. They don't need Sora to be happy. They can be happy together while Sora does whatever he does with those numbskulls. It's a win-win.

He follows Maleficent back to the castle. The darkness seeps deeper into the stone.

Riku trains hard and follows every instruction Maleficent gives him, even when he feels like sending Heartless after her. She has a better grasp over them and would surely turn them back on him.

She teaches him things besides controlling the Heartless too. She teaches him proper sword technique, however much she knows, and magic, of which she knows more than he can comprehend at this stage.

She shows him how to make portals, cast elemental spells, even a cura. He's terrible at them, but she's patient. She says he's unbalanced, which makes it harder, but once he learns to separate and fuse his light and darkness he will be great.

He's not sure what she means by that. What need does he have for the light? The darkness is so much stronger than Sora's silly little light. Maleficent uses darkness too, so she can't point fingers.

She scoffs at him when he points it out, a keen look in her eye.

"I am a dark fairy, my dear, I was born to rule over this power. You, however, were born to the dawn."

"And that's supposed to mean something?" Riku had scowled at her. It had pissed him off when she turned her back to him and started walking away.

"I don't expect you to understand, you are young and inexperienced. But you will learn soon enough, my dear." She'd stopped for a moment to peek over her shoulder with a smile. It's as pleased a smile as a woman like her could make. "Now come, I have a gift for you."

He forgot all about their conversation when he saw Kairi lying on a bed in a guest room. She looked like she was just taking a nap after a long day of crafting and running. She should have woken up when he called her name in surprised joy.

She should have woken up when he started shaking her in anxious panic.

"She won't awaken, I'm afraid," Maleficent said behind him, still by the door. "I know quite a bit about sleep curses, and this is not one easily broken. I haven't seen anything like this in over ten years, and that boy still sleeps to this day."

He froze. Ten years? What? He felt like someone dunked his gem in ice and hit it with a hammer. She can't sleep that long, she can't. How does he fix this?

"How do we wake her up? Break the curse?" Maleficent had to know. She's known the answer to every question he's asked her, so she has to know this one too.

"We will kill two birds with one stone," She tells him, sweeping in next to him and putting a hand on his shoulder. "Those girls we've been gathering; they are Princesses of Heart. With their power, we will be able to awaken her. Them, and that boy."

Sora. Of course, he has something to do with this. Riku turns to her and says, "Tell me what to do."

The darkness claws into his Heart, leaks into his gem, like a poison, carrying with it a presence that should not be there. Day by day it grows stronger, holds tighter, takes over more of his thoughts and actions. Soon, he will be gone and another will take his place.

Soon.

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This chapter isn't as long as I'd like it to be, but what can you do?

I've always had this little thought that Riku and Maleficent would have at least fondness for each other, like a distant mother and child. Too bad he's in the process of loosing himself and she's in the process of being an evil witch lady. Funny how things like that go.

Fun fact of the day! Goofy is apparently supposed to be a bull. Explains why his wife/girlfriend/love interest from the cartoons is a cow.

Also I was trying to think of an interesting swear, since I don't think gems believe in hell, and I thought dust. A broken gem is bad, a dusted gem?

Thank you so much for reading! Please leave a comment on your way out, I love hearing from you all!