Uh oh. Sorry, folks; no Roxas. Dang, I know. He's supposed to be the main character of this so, naturally, he should be just about everywhere. I'm letting you all down and for that I apologize. Deeply, truly sorry.

It's just… thing is… it's not like I can in good conscious just let all the other characters suffer like they did in KH3. They all got a bad rap and that makes me feel… bad. Cause, as much as Roxas is my favorite character, duh doh, I like all the others too. I even like Kairi or I like what she could be.

Even so, I need to do this sort of stuff anyway. Can't just go bring back Roxas out of nowhere. Gotta build up the story to get to that moment. Least you got a taste of him, right? Mean, I even jumped into the future to do that just for you guys. No, don't read back in the last chapter where I admit I did it to hook you guys. No, I did it for this reason, a good one. One based in me being very kind to my like… maybe, what, 20 readers. You guys are the best, by the way.

Anywho. This is the real first chapter. Sort of. I don't know. Could be a Sora one that happens at the same time or even a bit before. But, I wanted to do this next because, well, this was something Mickey and Riku should've been able to do by themselves in my opinion. Because, gosh, I would think all of them would be at least competent to do something without require Sora to step in and help all the time.

KH3 still just disappoints me but a lot of that was on me for expecting them to do more with Roxas and the rest. I hyped it up like everyone… and it just didn't go the way I wanted.

Reviews: I got three and I loved each one of them since two were just, you know, nice ones and the other was this like… rant almost and it cracked me up cause I could understand it. You get me, DPSS. Thank you for that.

MegaFlameHedge: you're review made my Friday. Literally. Appreciate it.

H.R.C. Stanley: Thanks to you too. I have a lot of ideas for this and I'm hoping I don't let you down.

Disclaimer: I don't own KH. If I did, Roxas would've usurped Sora as the main character in KH1 before he even existed. Sorry Sora. I like you as well but… you're just a bit too… I don't know… bland?

Chapter 2:

The Realm of Darkness

He had to take a moment to soak in the scenery. Even did so with a bit of awe as his jaw hung slightly open.

"Riku, hey, you alright, pal?"

The newly appointed Keyblade Master found himself having to lower his head and eyes so he could look upon his trusted friend and constant ally, second only to Sora.

"Yeah, no; I'm fine, Mickey. Just… I keep finding myself here. Though it never changes, in terms of appearance, I can't help but see it differently each time."

"Ah, that's just cause you're growing up, Riku."

Riku laughed at the simplicity of that reasoning. So sincerely base and easy yet it was nothing but the truth. He had grown up in that time. Grown up a lot really. Just in terms of his physical growth alone. But one couldn't stop adding in how he had grown otherwise.

"There's… a sort of beauty to this place, you know," he said as he took advantage of this moment to further inspect their surroundings, "I never saw it before but now… I don't know. Suppose it's because I'm not afraid of it anymore. Wary still, of course, but not afraid. That weird?"

He took his time, as he said his piece and afterwards, to pry into the details of everything around him. Despite being the Realm of Darkness, there were splashes of purple or grey light to keep it from being the utterly black void one would assume it would be. It had its own paths, its own… foliage… its own intricacies and secrets…

There was still that crushing weight of loneliness, that whisper of the dark that prodded against his heart, but if you could withstand those two things and all the other issues… it wasn't the scariest realm you could ever find yourself in. Riku had to think that, a realm of nothingness, without anything, would be worse. Here, at least, there was a place to be, a friend to have, and an exit to proceed back through. That and a purpose.

Mickey shook his head.

"Nope. Not at all. It's far from an ideal place… but I suppose you get used to it if you have an easy way back out. Sort of takes a lot of the terror a place like this would have, huh."

Riku's nodded as a slight smile wormed its way onto his face. There was, as he had mused out, more to it that that but, as far as he was concerned, that was the most diminishing for the Realm's asphyxiating effect on a person. Out of everything here, possessing a way back most assuredly provided him with that greater sense of comfort and ease in a place such as this.

It was such a thing that she did not have, that she did not possess and any smile upon his face faded out as the subject of their adventure her came back full force.

Remembering her, thinking on the story Mickey had told, how she had been responsible for saving him, spurred Riku on without letting his friend know of his intentions to do so. He had just taken off in that direction- of the place she would likely be. The young man had no real clue that it was truly the right place to go. No other clue than besides his heart.

"Gosh, Riku," came the king as he scampered off behind him, "could've let me know you were done smelling the roses."

"Sorry, old friend," he said as his stride increased further, "But I think this places' roses have too much thorns for my liking. Besides that, can't very well forget our purpose, can we? It's not going to look great on us two Keyblade Masters if we can't pull this off. Especially if Sora has to swoop in to do it for us. Can't see how, after that, we'll be able to maintain the dignity to even call ourselves Masters. I know I won't."

"Right," said Mickey as his head nodded once before he pressed his legs even harder as Riku worked himself to a higher gear.

They streaked through the Realm, running forth at a steady pace only attainable by those in top, prime condition. Their Keyblades would flash into existence every so often, shining forth like a private sun in the bleak, dismal world around them, as they had to dispatch the few unfortunate Heartless that happened to come across their paths. Once done, they would flash out in a spark of light equal to when they had been called forth, ready for the moment they would be called again.

Shadows, Neoshadows, Invisibles, all the different flavors of their all-time favorite enemy, keeled over as they slashed through the night without breaking a sweat. They worked together in a superb rhythm, one that could rival that of Sora, Donald, and Goofy; each having the others back even if they were actually in the front of them at the time.

Not once did the full-fledged Masters have to put a halt in their forward momentum. Despite being in their home now, the land of the Heartless, they had more than adequately trained for this. Both of their hearts were set and unflinching, needing only to recall who they were here for to keep pressing forward at even ever greater rate than before. Their blades were both strengthened and hummed accordingly upon being resurfaced.

Indeed. All Heartless who strayed into the wake of destruction deserved perhaps some semblance of pity as they tried to fling themselves over and over again into the tsunami of blade work that awaited them.

Each time another was defeated, Riku would only exert himself more as two more tried the same. It was a mindless rampage, fueled by toned, instinctual reflexes and muscle memory.

He took a moment out of that to reflect and admire the weight and feel of his new Keyblade. Way to Dawn perhaps might hold a greater sentimental value to him but there was no doubt Ragnarök was the more suitable weapon. It was sleek and had a balance in it that made it easy to swing but still allowed it to hit hard. It was, to him, his Kingdom Key. Even had the same, odd Mickey emblem as its keychain.

It was a reminder to him how far he had come, how close he had gotten to being more like Sora. Which, to Riku, was nothing to spit at. Though he would never in a million years admit it as such, Sora was the person he idolized the most. So, to him, even the Way to Dawn's sentimental value, the one thing it had over Ragnarök, was going to lose out in the end. There was nothing else he could say; Riku liked the feel of his new blade.

"Mickey, it's like they know," he said as yet another of the vile creatures faded to nothing after a curt cut from aforementioned mystical weapon.

"You're telling me, Riku. It's a whole swarm of them."

"Ha!"

The Keyblade Master leaped over a diving Soldier and sliced him in twine as he barreled by.

"Just means we're heading the right way."

He sprang up from his landing roll and shot forward as if he hadn't made such complicated combative maneuvers. Truly, he had come a long way from those little play duels with all the kids of Destiny Islands. Back then, he only had one such 'move' and that was his dreaded spring kick.

Now, had he tried such a stupid attack, they'd have a whole other Heartless and Nobody on their hands. Kixur or something in that ballpark.

Seeing a clump of them gathering like a barricade before them, the Master cordially sent them a dark firaga blast, the bolt of dark infused fire spewing forth from the tip of his blade.

As expected, Mickey, a couple of steps behind, sent out his own firaza to aid it. In a fiery explosion, Heartless spewed everywhere as their dark forms disintegrated.

"Riku, this really is a lot of resistance," came his friend as they continued down this winding path. It was a road of sorts, a way paved through rolling hills of black. Darksiders began to storm their way over, giants leading in more Heartless as they came spilling over those mounds.

He spared a glance himself at the incoming army. Keyblade Masters or not, Riku could not proclaim they were limitless. Though the resistance they kept sprinting through was almost laughable to the two honed experts, it was beginning to have a piling, multiplicative effect.

Unlike before, Riku could not find the means to increase his drive and speed and had even brought it down in the face of the continuing waves. Not only that but every few moments or so, an attack from them got closer to getting past his defenses and hit him. Damage would only hinder them even further.

The only thing he could tell himself to serve as a silver-lining is that he was surer than ever that Aqua was beyond this army. She had to be. It only made sense. He wasn't sure why it made sense completely, but his heart knew that to get to her, to save her, they just had to make it past.

Gritting his teeth as he had to resort to only pushing away a Flying Soldier with the brunt of his blade rather than cut it down, the young man knew he had to find a way for them to step up their game. Calling out at the top of his voice, he addressed his stalwart companion,

"Mickey! Time for a drive form!"

"Alright!"

A flash of light burned and signed behind him as his friend disappeared as a group of Heartless crashed upon the spot he once was.

Only one was needed to cut through, to make it past the coming obsidian storm. As his other free hand came to grasp the handle of another blade, the Dark Kingdom Key, Riku felt the effusion of all of his friend's power in him burst through all in one crashing wave.

He twirled, danced, and wrought all in his path as his two Keyblades brought woe and destruction upon them all. One struck them down with its biting steel as the other sent rain of miasmic, magical destruction in the form of fire, water, ice, lightning, and wind.

The Master laughed feeling that rush of power course through him. Friends truly were the source of all power as he felt Mickey devote his entire heart to driving Riku through this tsunami of darkness.

Another thought twisted in his head as all foes alike were scattered about as none of them could handle the combined might of two masters joined perfectly as one. A thought that persisted as he continued to dual-wield those two different Keyblades.

"Roxas was able to do this… on his own?"

It was different for Sora's Nobody, yes, as his skill and power levels were not near this pinnacle of mastery yet. But, even so, Riku could feel the growing weight of Mickey's Keybalde in his hand. Though its master resided within his heart for this moment, shared all of his power, the Blade could understand that this new wielder was not its own.

That made all the difference as he had been able to feel a heftier weight to the blade since the beginning. Its why he dedicated it for mostly extravagant spellcasting as he continued to his own for the flashy, sonic speed swipes.

And the Dark Kingdom Key was only growing heavier and heavier. That was a telling sign.

"Hold on, Mickey," he said, "we're almost there."

They were. Riku could see it through the cracks of the swarm as he sidestepped by the fist slams of the Darksiders. As much as he wanted to be able to, Riku knew dispatching those ones with one hit or blast was just out of the question. And unnecessary as the sound of waves conjoined with the sound of them raking against the sandy shore. Almost there; it was right before them.

Riku gnashed his teeth against each other, locking his jaw, as he threw everything into this last bit. He sent of the final flares of his magic and took those last monumental swipes with his blade.

Panting with both arms extended out in a y-shape, Riku fell to one knee as the swarm behind him retreated away, their large glowing yellow eyes keeping on his back even as they faded in the black of the Realm. For whatever reason, they never liked trespassing here. It was almost a safe haven of sorts. Why was unknown and the newly minted Master couldn't bring himself to care right at this moment.

He had no choice but to let the Dark Kingdom Key go as it crashed into the sand and his own flashed away. Short of breath, sweating, with tired, blinking eyes, Riku had to catch himself with his right arm as he fell forward.

"Good job, Riku," Mickey said as he placed his hand on his friend's shoulder, "I'm proud of ya."

The younger Master flinched as the kind gesture set aflame that spot in his shoulder. He gritted through the pain but it was a sobering reminder of the bad condition he was in.

"Instead of being proud of me, your majesty, could you perhaps maybe heal me instead? I think I'd prefer that at this moment."

Riku turned back to give the king a small smile. The mouse returned it, with a big grin of his own, as he said,

"Got a bit of magic left, enough to spare for this. Heal!"

Bells rang above his head as Riku felt a soothing breeze caress his aching, sore limbs and body. It didn't rejuvenate him completely, didn't set him back to 100%, but it did do the trick in allowing him to stand back up which he considered a vast improvement.

"Mickey."

"Yeah?" said the mouse as he waddled up beside Riku who had become absorbed in staring out at the unending, shimmering sea before them.

"Dual-wielding… rocks."

"It does? Say, how about letting me be the one to use the drive forms then next time?"

The young man pretended to give it some thought as his finger tapped against his chin, yet his answer was quick enough to make it obvious such 'thought' was completely unneeded,

"No."

"Why, that's not very amicable of you, Riku."

"I'm alright with that if it means blasting through enemies like I had. Got to keep some of my edge, you know. Can't be just a copy of Sora."

The mouse didn't say a word as he just walked forward as he shook his head with a smile. That grin left soon enough though as he searched to the right and left for any sign of, well, anything.

"Gosh. I don't see anyone."

The king of Disney scratched his head as he kept at his task. He, like Riku, felt this was the place to be, that they were where they had to go, and yet there was nothing here for them. Just sand, water, arches of glowing rock, and an odd pale sun off on the horizon

His words spurred Riku to head forth to the edge of where the sand meet with the water.

"Yeah," the silver-haired master said as his eyes fell upon the water that was just barely kissing the tips of his boots, "But this is it; I can feel it."

"I'm with you there… I'm just also getting an uneasy feeling. We're not in the best of shape either; that fight took a lot out of both of us, especially you. If anything were to happen…"

Rather than try to ease some of his friend's worries- worries he himself had as well, Riku continued to stare out across the wake of ocean before him. They were here. This was it. The fact that there wasn't a trace of anything else around didn't deter him in the slightest. The young man began to stride forward even more, the water rising up to the top of his shoes and then to the bottom of his pants legs.

"Riku?"

"Mickey… what's with this place anyway?"

His eyes drifted to the water below and then he adjusted himself to look back at the grains of sands that lined the shore and stretched for miles on either side. It was entirely different from everywhere else in the Realm of Darkness. This thought had occurred to him before, when he arrived, but he pushed it aside as the thoughts of almost finishing their task spurred him to place it aside for another time.

But, without any sign of Aqua, without any sign of her showing up or even being nearby, Riku could no longer keep it in the back of his mind. Especially not when the water tickled his toes and dampened the bottom of his jeans.

It just didn't belong in the Realm of Darkness. That's what he was thinking. The pressure that gnawed at his heart elsewhere in this place had calmed down ever since he had gotten here. Safe haven; Riku could recall describing it in passing as such before.

It never felt so right though till now as he let the sounds of the waves soothe his ears as his head titled gently up. His eyes closed as he just took in the sound. The whole thing reminded him of the brief stay here with Sora- that hadn't been bad whatsoever, and, even more so, of his home.

Hence his question to Mickey. How could a place such of this exist within the Realm of Darkness? It boggled him.

"Gee, I don't know. It's where I found this world's Kingdom Key, you know. But, huh. It is a strange place. I almost feel like I can let my guard down. Funny, right?"

"It is funny," he said as his eyes opened again and his head lowered down. He peered into the water or tried as the contents within were shrouded by its black nature and the whole bleak nature that encompassed this whole world. It was still the Realm of Darkness after all.

It was… still the Realm of Darkness.

"What it is… is a trap."

Riku's head shifted, his body twisted, as he wadded to face the beach once more. And there, sitting on a rock, was a female form staring out to the ocean. Even shrouded by the ever-present dim nature, he couldn't help his hopes rise up. This had to be her, what they were looking for, were here to save.

His excitement, now justified, only increased by the words of his friend,

"Aqua! It's Aqua!"

The mouse king, laughing, began skipping his way over. His arms were outstretched, extended in a gleeful willingness to be reunited with his long-lost friend. However, Riku, as he tried to fight the sudden grip-like strength of the water on his feet, watched as Mickey's pleasant skip over began to slow down. This young Master felt his heart leap up in his throat as he continued to try and thrash his way out of the water, water that refused to let him forward.

"Mickey! Mickey! What's going on!?"

Riku got his answer soon enough though not the one he was looking for. As soon as she began to speak again, right as the first word was sent from her lips, all of it came crashing down. Out of nowhere. It just hit him like the hammer of a Berserker.

"It tricks you. Lets you stay here without fear of being hounded and harassed, soothes away all your worries, fears, and the like with its gentle waves. It even seems brighter here with the shimmering light of the water. For someone stuck here, this is the perfect place to find yourself or so you think. Until time, though meaningless here, continues to tick on by and you discover the waves weren't only taking away the bad in you but the good as well and that the shimmering, fleeting light is just a weak façade of the real thing and it just makes you starve for home even more. It was the perfect place to wait for you, the perfect place. Made the fact that you never did show up sting even worse."

"Aqua…" came Mickey. He had stopped within five feet of her, could see her clearly now. He saw the white hair and the glowing yellow eyes, the fact that her skin seemed to be turning into something inhuman, something akin to a shadow. Despite all that, the mouse still sent out his hand for her.

"Mickey. Come to be forgotten like me? Well, if you slowly want to lose it all, lose your mind and light," she said as she gave a smile and leaned forward to watch the water sparkle with wide eyes, "I can't recommend a better place to do so than this."

The other Master, preoccupied with the water trying him down, trashed against it. At this point, all his hope and excitement had been discarded and tossed away by panic. Though he hadn't really gotten a good look at her yet, he could feel the oozing wound on the rock, the one spilling all that darkness.

Ragnarök blared into existence as Riku tried to cut the water away, throwing greater force into each strike as each just sliced harmlessly through and blasted the sand beneath. His errant task was stalled though by laughter.

"He's a Keyblade wielder now? Wasn't this one a servant of dark before? Look at him… just slashing the water like it's a Heartless. Sorry there but its not the water responsible for keeping you in place; it's me. I wanted to… catch up with my old friend here before I got to you."

"Aqua! We're here to save you!" came the mouse as he gestured forth his open hand again.

"I gathered that, runt. Thing is, I don't want to be anymore. I like this place now. Like I said, this beach is quite nice even if it sucks away everything out of you. What can I say? It grew on me in the ten plus years I've been here."

"Gah!" Riku slammed his Keyblade down once more against the water to no avail. His panic was growing. The more she said and the more he heard…

He knew he had to get out. Mickey was in danger.

"Look at him, even older than before. How long as it been this time, Mickey. How long did you think I could wait?"

"I- it's only been a year more." It was no defense, no justification or excuse as Mickey didn't treat it as such. In saying it, he spouted it out as his heart clenched down on itself, keeping it in a vice grip of its own making.

"Hahaha! Only a year more. Glad to hear this time your guilt was so much you got down here in a tenth of the time since the last. That makes me feel… so great."

"What kind of power does she have?!"

He was putting his everything in his attempts to break free, all of his strength, and it didn't even seem to budge. Panic was giving way to dread. It was all words now but he had that itch scratching in the back of his head that said it was about to be much worse. If that was the case, he needed to be there to fight.

After all, Riku wasn't planning on leaving without her. No. Even if she was consumed by darkness. They had to. She saved him, so he had to save her now.

"Aqua, I am sorry, I really am. But, we have the power to get you out of here and even possess the ability to restore you to your former self. We- we need you Aqua!"

Riku flinched as she broke out in yet another fit of laughter.

"Ah, only makes sense. You finally find time to rescue me… because you finally need me. Man, I'm so glad I decided to forget you and all the rest of them. Such a letdown, you know."

The mouse had no choice but to hang his head. His arm fell limp at his side. Tears threatened to well up in the corners of his eyes.

"Look at you; you know you messed up, that you failed me. Don't worry, Mickey; it doesn't hurt me anymore. I don't even blame you at all. Soon, you won't blame yourself. You'll just watch the waves with me until it gets to you as well."

"Mickey!"

The new Master saw that his friend's head was still upon the ground. His worries for his friend only abounded as he saw yellow eyes gleam towards him from the one upon the rock. Though he could not see it, the smirk upon her face, he could feel it. Sent shivers down his spine as his brain worked overtime to try and think of a way out of this and fight back the growing swell of remorse and sorrow in him that was only aided by his own chastisements that sounded off in an echo chamber within his head.

"Mickey!" was all he could think to do. And his problems were only starting as the water not only kept keeping him prisoner but started to slither up his leg to swallow him.

"So woefully unprepared you two. Bet you thought I'd just sit on my ass and wait for you for forever with starry eyes and hopes. Well, you sort of came too late. Painful, huh, considering I was still fighting on just a year ago. Think it was after I gave up my chances of escape for a wimp like you that it just hit me."

He strained, pulling back with renewed ferocity as he felt the vines start to inch higher and higher. His fear levels rose along with them as he eyed the ropes of water that consumed him. She hadn't even moved, hadn't even done much of anything, and she had made Mickey a zombie and she was about to drown him.

Unprepared was right. The Heartless were nothing but she wasn't. This was a Keyblade master gone dark, a professional warrior of supreme magical capabilities that was running on the toxic yet brimming power source of darkness.

This was her home-turf as well.

It was all getting to him in these last moments like whispers drowning out every other noise. Guilt, anger, and cries for help that went unanswered.

"Agh! Mickey! Snap out of it! We can still save her! Come on, your majesty! She's still gotta be in there, pleadin…"

He was stopped there as the water surged up over his mouth. It had almost overtaken him entirely at this point. Any second now and he'd be completely submerged.

Mickey found his eyes upon his drowning friend who's arms still swayed and swiped to fight the veil of water that was overtaking him. His mouth opened slightly as Riku's words played over in his ears.

Before he could spring into action, he was stopped as a Keyblade manifested itself in Aqua's arms, the tip of the weapon pressing up against his nose.

"Don't think about it, mouse. You're both going to experience the hell you put me through."

"Aqua… release Riku now!"

Mickey's voice carried within it sheer power and authority, the like of which one would expect from a king such as him. Though his tone was confident and his stance defiant, Mickey's heart was still unsure. Not of their cause and his goal to free his friend… but of his ability to do so. Still, it mattered not as he stared her down and summoned his own Keyblade in hand.

"No. That brat did this to me. His stupid weak little self is the reason I'm still here! I never should have sacrificed myself for one such as him."

"You don't really mean that."

"And you know nothing."

"Release him now, Aqua."

Riku gripped his throat, now submerged underneath the water. His knees gave out as he fell forward on them. Eyes drifted up to the top, pupils hiding beneath his eyelids. His life was fading away.

"Aqua…"

"If you're going to really save me, little king, and save one of your other real friends, you're gonna have to subdue me. That is… if you can."

Both stared at each other. Aqua regarded him with a menacing twisted smirk as she looked down on him both in the literal and figurative sense. Mickey matched her determination as his hand gripped the handle of his blade tighter.

They should have expected this. In the back of his mind, even, Mickey feared this would be the case. Yet, he never voiced those doubts and just clung to the hopes she be waiting on the beach safe and sound. That was a mistake, an idiotic mistake.

Ten years is a long time in the Realm of Darkness. Far too long.

Mickey knew this would be the last moment for her in this place- that it had to be. It was only humane.

Their blades clashed in the blink of an eye. One strike then another and another as they engaged in a duel only capable between two masters still in their prime who had been tempered only further by age and experience.

Clang. Clang. Clang.

Their blades continued to meet which only worried the mouse king. Though Aqua was by no means a mere apprentice with a Keyblade, everyone knew her true power lied in her cosmic magic.

Of course, it could be that she was already at the limit of expending her magic with the water shroud that continued to drown Riku.

Mickey leaped back away from a stab from his opponent and shifted his target to someplace else. Though it would free her up to use magic elsewhere, Mickey had to save Riku now.

"Firaza!"

A bolt of sheer, primal fire rocketed out from his Keyblade and soared over to the water, its ferocious nature causing steam to hiss and rise as it glided over the liquid.

"Think you can outdo me in magic, eh? Guess maybe it can after ten years!"

Mickey skidded back from his backwards leap and immediately had to go on the defensive as a finesse flurry of stabs bore down on him all while both of their ears ringed with the sound of an explosion.

"No wonder you need me; you're still rather rough around the edges mouse! Where's this Sora; I heard he was going to fix everything. What? Did I not warrant a rescue from him? Am I not worthy of that?"

Mickey was losing ground as she pressed everything into her attack. Such raw strength was crashing against his blade and his speed could just barely keep up to deflect the blows. All that training and preparation. Mickey had miscalculated this rescue attempt. He should've held it off but even as that thought strayed in his mind, his eyes met the twitching ones of Aqua. Waiting even longer would only…

"Hey!"

Her ongoing assault stilled as she turned back to look at the other one as he made his way out of the water. Mickey collapsed, resting on his posterior, as he let out a spree of short, huffed breaths.

Ragnarök bashed against her Keyblade before it came zipping back over to Riku where he caught it. Dripping entirely, soaked everywhere, he'd have looked the part of a fool had it not been for the fire burning in his eyes.

"Trust me; Sora couldn't even save a cat stuck up in a tree right now. We're the best of the best at this moment. Besides, I have to save you, couldn't let anyone else do it. Returning the favor for that time."

Aqua eyed the worn mouse and the soaked boy as her eyes narrowed and her smile only grew. It kept growing and growing as her eyes continued to take in every detail about that. For Riku's tough act and stance, she could tell he was barely keeping it together. She had systematically worn them down this much and she hadn't taken a scratch, hadn't broken a sweat.

"I'm almost beginning to feel for you sorry saps if what you say is true. Mean, you, just a boy acting the part of a master, and a mouse too easily broken are the best ones on the side of light?"

"Yeah," Riku said as he shifted into a battle-ready stance. His second hand even came to grip the handle of his Keyblade. Aqua regarded him with an aggravated glance. Her words had done nothing to him.

Her annoyance ended soon enough though as she pulled her Keyblade back and primed herself for battle as well. She wasn't just limited to breaking him with words after all. She just needed to break him. The mouse was about done for. Soon, she'd drag them down the same pit they left her to be swallowed by.

"Aqua; I'm sorry. For this whole mess. You should've gotten out back then. We should've gone back for you. Problem is… I was too weak. It was my fault. I'm here to correct that though. I'm not going back without you this time."

"Oh?"

Riku nodded, just once, before speaking again, his words laced in finality,

"Yes. It's either you bring us down or we bring you up. No leaving you behind again. We either all stay or all go."

She paused there, face unfocused and lost for a brief, flash that left all too soon. Yet, even so, Riku had seen it. His resolve had put her on hold and that was a good sign.

A sign that stayed even as she tried to regain her standing.

"Quite a bet there but I like it. Suits my purposes well."

"Riku… no…" came the mouse as he tried to stand up.

"See? Even Mickey knows how it'll turn out. You just sealed your fates."

The young man's eyes narrowed as his fingers thrummed against the handle of his Keyblade. His breathing quieted as he concentrated everything on the person before him. Every shift she made, he followed. Every intake of air, ever outtake, he noted. This was his moment; his time to help.

That's what was in his mind as he made the charge forward with a shout.

With the same burning drive he had possessed earlier when his power had combined with Mickey, Riku faced down the greater, more powerful opponent as their blades clashed and rang all around. He skirted around the flares of brimming magic as he continued to bear down on her with all he had.

In those moment though, Riku truly wished he possessed two Keyblades. Aqua might have lacked the strength and force behind his attacks but she made up for it in the technique behind her swordplay. A lot of the power he put into his strikes were only neatly diverted with a simple parry of her own, all of that strength going to waste.

It was dawning on him that he lacked the power to break through her defensives especially when every second or so he had to leap around a large blast of magic. As the fight went on, as he continued to struggle to get anywhere, he had to watch as her smile only grew and grew with each defiant clang of Keyblade meeting Keyblade that reverberated in his ear. It was going nowhere. He was only wasting the energy he had left as she toyed with him.

Toyed with him.

He changed tactics, pulled a reversal, and pushed back sending forth a quick dark firaga her way. She only had to pull the water from the shore to encapsulated it, transforming it all to steam.

"See?" she said, walking right through the steam as it parted before her, "You're a joke as is the rest of this rescue operation. Though, believe me, I'm not really surprised. Being disappointed by you lot has just become a daily part of my existence."

"Mickey!"

She turned to face the mouse who was standing now, albeit shaking, as he aimed the tip of his weapon at her. A look of shock was expressed on her face as a beam of light pierced through her gut. Both of them watched as she fell down to the ground after her grip on her Keyblade slackened.

"Good idea, Riku. She didn't see you cast cure on me because of the steam."

Riku coughed as once more he fell forward having to once more catch himself with his arm. Ragnarök faded away, a grim sign he was at the brink.

"She alright?"

His eyes fell upon his friend as Mickey limped forward towards her body lying on the ground. He kept his gaze on the king's back as the mouse hovered over her form. His silence didn't bode well.

"Is she good?"

Mickey's head shook.

"No. She's… she's still afflicted by the darkness. I just… I just rendered her unconscious."

The young Master laughed/coughed as his head fell limp. He lost himself in the sand as a bit of smile came upon his face.

"Heh. Figures it wouldn't be that easy, huh?"

"Yup. And it's about to get worse."

Once more he found his heart seize up in terror. His mind immediately went to the worst- that Aqua had only been stopped briefly.

"What do you mean?"

Riku looked up to find his friend's eyes lined towards the rest of the Realm of Darkness and found his eyelids pulling back at the yellow eyes that popped up within the void.

"Oh," he said. It was a bittersweet moment. For one thing, it was good since he doubted that trick would work again on her. The young man knew that the only reason it had worked that time at all was because she had effectively toying with him in their fight and thus had underestimated him. Her own cocksureness had been the reason they had gotten through that.

But having this problem wasn't all that much better, hence the bitter side.

"Right. Riku. Pick Aqua up! We need to get her out now."

"R-right!"

Crying out as his muscles fought him, Riku worked himself up as fast as he could. It was quite an effort on his part as he spurred himself on by keeping his focus on the incoming swarm trying to bear down on them. Really helped him push past the pain and aching of his entire body and get him into a half-jog, half-limp motion forward.

"Get the way out open, Mickey!" Riku said as he stumbled down near the limp woman's body and went about trying to pick it up. As weak as he was, carrying her was more problematic than he'd have liked. Which, to him, sort of fit the whole theme of this entire affair. Would only make sense for them to barely scrape out of here.

The portal brimmed to life before him as he caught Aqua's body slipping from him. Taking one more look back at the army that was scuttling on the beach, even forming giant towers made up of numerous Shadows, Riku practically threw his whole weight into a haphazard flop forward to make it through the portal.

The mouse wasn't far behind, entering right after Riku's rather ungraceful descent in.

"So, Sora… do you now have in your possession the Power of Waking?"

Sora's lips formed into a pout as his body slumped over. He couldn't help but feel like he had failed considerably as he faced the stern, blank face of the magical, mystic wizard who continued to sit in his chair, eyes wide and all-seeing.

"I see," came Yen Sid, "So Hercules was not able to help you then as I had hoped."

"Yeah, well, it wasn't for a lack of trying, you know! Donald and Goofy here can vouch for me on that! Mean, we battled literally Titans, Master! Huge fiery, airy, freezing Titans! It was crazy! I know for a fact that, even if I didn't get the Power of Waking, I definitely got stronger!"

The young boy had already gotten out of his slump as he perked back up and even started flexing as he recounted his tale of battling the mighty Titans by the side of his friend Hercules.

"Ayup! Sora here sure did get stronger, Yen Sid!" said Goofy as both of his hands clamped down on the boy's shoulders. The faithful, happy-go-lucky 'ayucking' side-kick gave a huge, contagious smile as his he gave Sora a shake.

"I don't know, Goofy… he still seems sort of stringy to me. I'm pretty sure I was carrying the both of you through that whole ordeal!"

"W-what!? What are you talking about Donald? You did not carry us! I had to carry you almost everywhere!"

"Now, now, settle down, settle down. The fact remains that Sora does not posses that which he desperately needs," came the wizard as he stroked his beard, "and that cannot be pushed aside and forgotten. We are facing Xehanort himself now- the true Master Xehanort. This is hardly the time for antics."

"Aw," the boy said. His arms crossed as his brows dug down.

But, like always, it disappeared as if it was never there in the first place. Sora shot forth and slammed his hands on the wizard's desk.

"Hey, Master, what about Riku? Huh? You know anything about him? Is he back yet?"

Yen Sid's eyes narrowed as he took in the boy who was right about to press his face up against his own. It was like his words had gone in one ear and out the other. Yet, even so, Yen Sid could not deny that this just a side effect of Sora's unique nature and power.

"No, I ha…"

As if on cue, a portal zapped in the room and a scarred, wet, and bruised Riku collapsed in carrying the body of a female.

"Oh!" came Goofy as his eyes bulged.

"Wh-whoa! Riku!"

Sora was by his side as soon as he could be and by the time he had made it there, the king was stepping through himself looking in no better condition himself. After he made it all the way through, the portal collapsed and blinked from reality.

"Your majesty!" crooned both of his loyal subjects as they shoved aside Sora and barraged Micky with hugs, laughs, and smiles.

"Hey! Not cool!" said Sora as a hand tightened into a fist, "Don't step on Riku!"

It was a madhouse now. Mickey was unable to really get anything out as Donald and Goofy continued to berate him. Sora tried to wean himself back to his best friend who was still just lying face first on the ground but found his two constant companions shoving him back without even trying.

Only when Yen Sid spoke, his voice booming over any other noise within the tower itself, did all quiet down,

"My! Mickey, is that her?"

Donald and Goofy pulled back as Mickey finally was able to get in a word.

"Yes. It is… unfortunately… there were obvious complications. One of which we still have to contend with."

Each of the room's occupants' eyes fell upon the form of the female and gasped as they eyed her white hair.

"No way!" said Sora, "She's… fallen to darkness?"

The king nodded though after a moment of hesitation. He couldn't help but wish it weren't so.

"This is indeed a problem. Am I correct in guessing she was unwilling and the source of both of your battered appearances and conditions?"

"Yes. She… really succumbed. She wanted to trap me and Riku down there with her. Almost did as well. We were already far from top condition when we engaged with her so… it was a close one. Riku… really made the difference though. His heart refused to give up and give in."

Sora couldn't help but smile from hearing that. Pride surged through him as he looked upon his unconscious form. Truly he had to have given it his all like Mickey was saying. Though, this only made Sora wish he had been there even more like he had wanted from the start. Maybe he could've helped them so that they wouldn't just barely make it back.

Yen Sid sighed as he rose up from his chair.

"Well, it's a victory, I suppose. She might still be an agent of darkness now but at least, back in the world of light, we can find a way to bring her heart back as well. We'll take it. As soon as we can get her back completely, we'll be able to get Ventus. Combined with Axel and Kairi who are training… we will have our seven guardians of light. Yes, this is a step in the right direction."

"Don't worry, Master!" came Sora as he leaped up to his feet, "I'll make sure to get that Power of Waking in no time! Can't have Riku show me up! Just tell me what to do next and I'll do it! Get right on it! Or, well, after Riku wakes up."

The old, retired Master only nodded as his eyes closed.

"Good. Because we'll need that, Sora, as soon as possible. As soon as we can…"

Hey, you made it to the end of another chapter. See how I managed to mention him twice at least? Did that make the people who are reading this solely for Roxas happy? Or, at least, did I placate you somewhat?

Yeah, I know. In truth, I wanted to write this chapter and have Riku and Mickey rise up against Aqua and actually beat her rather than just sort of abuse her arrogance to scrap out a win. But, I don't know, I was just digging the whole thing where she was just completely strong and the further I descended down that the harder it was for me to sort of change the tides and all. The only thing I'm worried about from having it go like it did is how it makes Riku and Mickey still look like chumps. But, well, least they didn't need Sora to solve it all for them still. That and I still think I made them look plenty boss. Especially Riku who I care more than Mickey. Mickey's… just Mickey.

Aqua still had a Keyblade by the way, yeah. Mean, Xehanort sort of succumbed to darkness as well and he had a Keyblade still. It was just a Keyblade of Darkness Plus, on another note, I hated how Mickey's new Keyblade looked (ugh) so I kept it as just the old reverse Kingdom Key that it was.

Like Drive Forms so I had that as well still in there. Ragnarök I came up with on the spot. It might have an official name but, eh, I don't care much. Someone wants to correct me though and tell me otherwise, I'll go back and change every instance to the real one. If no one cares though or it doesn't have a name yet, I'll keep it as is.

My plan is for a chapter a week or maybe every two weeks if one is long enough. This one, as you can see, was much longer than the first. I stand by that though. The first is just a teaser.

Anyway, that's all for now. Expect another one next week or the week after that. I'm thinking, currently, we'll be getting to Roxas in maybe two to three chapters. I don't know. Maybe more. But, I can promise, once we get there, there's going to be a lot of him.

Just… gotta get there, you know. Just… gotta get there. Slowly… one chapter at a time….

…

Hang in there, readers. It's gonna be a long ride…

This is The Dark Turtle going back into its shell, signing off….