Chapter 1- Slumber

"When you gaze long into the abyss, the abyss also gazes into you."

- Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900)

Darkness.

Slowly, I opened my eyes.

Again, darkness.

Where… was I?

I stood, in the midst of blackness, all alone and by myself.

How did I end up here? Was this... perhaps a dream?

Taking one tentative step forward, I gasped in surprise when the floor suddenly flickered beneath my feet. Light gushed into my eyes, without warning, and I raised my arms to shield my face from the sheer brightness. The darkness below me was repelled by the light, becoming moving fragments, which detached itself from the ground. I soon came to realize the fragments of darkness were birds. A flock of ravens awoke upon my intrusion and had spread their wings to take flight. They proudly flapped their wings and soared off into the great void. One by one, they eventually disappeared as part of the darkness, leaving me to gape in awe at the mystifying sight. Next, I dropped my gaze downcast, studying the giant platform of glowing, stained glass. Its dark coloring depicted a pale-skinned, sinister woman garbed in a set of black and violet robes with a single raven perched atop her shoulder. Clasped within her hand was a slender staff, which possessed an evil, green sphere lodged onto the tip.

Suddenly, a booming voice echoed far and wide within this dreary abyss, demanding my undivided attention.

Too many wants... and too many needs... Take it easy...

Huh? H-hey, who in the world was talking to me? I looked around urgently, unable to find the source - much to my chagrin. It sounded so far away... but very near at the same time. Was it perhaps coming from my conscience?

Don't worry. You're still you.

Of... of course I was! Why would I be someone else?

Walk forward. Can you do it?

Of course, I can do it, I thought indignantly, who do you think I am?

I wordlessly complied with its request and trudged forward, feeling the foreign sensation of my bones shifting under my skin with odd satisfaction. It struck me as unusual, how relieved I felt to be in total control of my body. Soon, a faint light glowed down on me from up above the endless black ceiling, bestowing me warmth.

Seek the power of your heart.

A beam of soft light appeared to my left. Curious, I turned my head to see a stone-white pedestal emerge from the ground, like a sleeping flower blooming underneath the sunlight. And on the pedestal laid a weapon, remarkably shaped like a classic skeleton key. The blade and teeth were silver, while the guard was gold. I noticed how the teeth was fashioned like a crown, which kind of reminded me of the necklace Sora usually wore, because the pendent looked a lot like it. And the keychain that dangled from the end of the hilt resembled three circles; one large and two smaller ones connected to it.

When in times of dire need...

Then, I cocked my head to the other side, to which I found a second beam of light appear on the far right, along with another stone pedestal, which bore a similar, different weapon. The blade and teeth were entirely black, while the guard was a crimson red. The shape of the teeth was notably sharp and jagged in ways it resembled a peculiar silhouette of a heart. Oddly, it had no keychain.

...survival is of the essence.

It took me by surprise when a third beam of light appeared in front of me, revealing yet another stone tablet from the depths of the floor. It housed a scimitar-esque sword, with a scarlet red and violet blue blade shaped like a demonic-wing. The handle bore an aqua jewel. No keychain complemented this sword either.

Choose a weapon.

From the voice's command, I decided to approach the black one first. Before I could even reach the pedestal, the blade unexpectedly flashed into my hands. I inaudibly admired the smooth feel and touch of this ominous sword, which somehow betrayed the half-hearted sense of comfort. The calm power entrapped within this item, lying dormant and unused - I could sense it on the skin of my fingertips.

A blade made from the purest of hearts. A blade that can open the deepest, darkest part of a person's heart. It influences the belief of cynicism.

I directed my gaze upwards into the darkness hopefully, wanting to see the face of the speaker - the one who was guiding me. However, the echo of its words drifted to and fro inside my ears, eventually subsiding into silence. My eyes then returned to the sword, briefly considering it.

Is this the weapon you choose?

The moment I hesitated, it flashed off my hands, breaking off into a flurry of sparkling lights, before it completely vanished from sight.

I turned back around to look at the two remaining swords, choosing the silver one next on a whim. The same result occurred, having the blade teleport in my hands much like the other one. My eyes scanned the weapon, all the while thinking it looked harmless - more at willing to bring peace. To have it back into my hands, why did it feel so... familiar to me?

A blade meant for a frail-hearted being. A blade that can release a captive heart from a heartless being. It beholds the role of heroism.

To choose the weapon of light, which would shackle me to responsibility - to save innocents in need of saving over my own safety - I wanted none of it. I blinked, uncertain and confused. But... Why? What brought these emotions unto me?

Is this the weapon you choose?

As if already aware of my answer, the weight of the weapon vanished from within the folds of my fingers, to seek another master worthy of wielding its power. The air of its disappearance breezed through my empty hands, leaving a chill of loneliness to settle in my heart. And yet, I was all the more glad to get rid of that blunt-edged sword.

I concluded that both swords weren't quite befitting for my character. The grey one looked like a plastic toy sword young boys liked to fight with in their petty little games of playing the brave hero and saving the beautiful princess from the evil villain. On the other hand, the black one looked extremely dangerous, and I didn't want to take my chances with it.

So, that meant I only had one option left.

My feet started walking on its own accord, to reach the third weapon, which actually caught my attention the most from the very beginning. Once the blade willingly appeared in my hands, it deliberately clung to my hand like super glue, no matter how I tried to will it away. Huh, that's nice to know, my blade wanting to be my familiar. I smirked, amused, finding the thought funny about inanimate objects having feelings.

You chose the blade of darkness.

It is a blade no one can wield; it is a blade made for you. It reveals the path to your truth.

The voice said no more. I couldn't prepare for what would happen next. Immediately, a malformed shadow crawled across the platform in my direction. Like a panicky mole, it sprung out from its two-dimensional image, the little antennas on its head twitching in excitement. What was this thing? I kept a weary eye on the ant-like creature and took a steady step forward to get a closer look at it. It appeared to be smaller than half my size; its small, impish limbs crooked, the feet large and floppy, and the eyes like a pair of golden marbles.

There are times when you have to fight and if you want to search for your truth, darkness will try to hurt you.

Whatever this monster was, it didn't come alone. Several more of them appeared on the platform as dark spots, before they had decided to become solid. Although outnumbered, I didn't hesitate to poise for battle. No sooner did I fall into my usual stance, the creatures made the first move. They all sprung at me at once, stretching their scrawny arms in an attempt to attack. What pitiful effort. They were too predictable to read. I simply dodged out of its way and with two easy thrusts, eliminated two on the spot. The two I had defeated exploded into black mist, and I fell back into my stance - daring the surviving monsters to attack.

At this bold display of confidence, the rest of the creatures sunk back cowardly into the glass floor. I smirked, victorious, resting my blade atop my right shoulder. Even though I had no idea what was going on here, I simply brushed this place off as a dream. Might as well play along.

Don't think you've won…

Suddenly, my smile faltered when I noticed that from out of the darkness, human-like shadows took the place of the previous ones; its antennas much longer and springier and where their movements were faster than the last bunch of wimps. I felt the weight of my weapon disappear from my hand, as if somebody stole the power - the right - from me. I involuntarily took a step back. In turn, the black monsters spread out to surround me completely. I had no where to run. Honestly, I never felt so vulnerable in my entire life.

…Darkness will just come back and grow stronger.

The creatures forsook its solid form to slither back into the ground as shadows again. Then, I watched them all merge together with dark blotches that had formed beneath each one. To my dread, more blotches of darkness appeared on the purple glass-like surface. Spreading first near the circular rim, then getting closer to where I stood. W-what should I do? It's not that I couldn't move, but... where should I move? The dark patches were everywhere! There's no telling what it would do to me once I got caught in it.

The sudden indecision distracted me long enough for the dark void to appear beneath my feet, and I gasped in shock the moment I sunk into it. I fought desperately from my rooted spot, my heart wildly beating in sheer panic. Time sped faster due to my helplessness.

My mind blanked out and all I could feel were my limbs straining to break free of it, the ice-cold liquid dark prickling at my skin. This darkness seemed different to me somehow... it felt more evil, and malignant... It didn't want to protect me at all. More like swallow me whole where no light could be found. To keep me asleep forever, so I would no longer have the choice to exist.

Survival, I realized, was something I couldn't do by myself. Now, more than ever, I wanted somebody - anybody - to save me from this horrible nightmare.

Then, I felt a familiar pressure of dark energy ease into my heart, flushing out all my fears and worries. This left room for my dwindling spirit to be rekindled by faith. Without a doubt, somewhere out there, somebody was watching over me. That had been my last thought, before I slipped into unconsciousness, a dreamless slumber within a dream.

...

My aqua eyes shot open. The painful jolt of awakening almost made me want to go back to sleep. Almost. But alas, my willpower was stronger than that. The thick, hollow depths of darkness was what greeted me. Immediately, I realized the dream still had not ended, yet, even after that heart-stopping experience. I pounded my fists against the floor, if only to expel my frustration. I hated to be messed with, especially by a disembodied voice that believed it knew the secrets of the universe.

Regaining my bearings, I balanced myself onto my knees and looked downwards to study the newly depicted portrait on the glass surface. A dark-skinned man clothed in a long grey coat had his arms outstretched in a beckoning motion, the long locks of his silver hair draped across his broad shoulders. The darkness appeared to be swarming him from all sides, mercilessly eroding his body and tarnishing his spirit. I stood up cautiously and dusted my pants off, to get rid of the morbid image imprinted within my mind. Why that person would do that to himself, I didn't want to know.

Casting my lingering gaze across this empty abyss, I wondered if there was anything else that called for my attention. Indeed, what stood a good distance away was a door, painted a delicate fuchsia. The top glass windows were embroidered with colorful mosaic pieces. I approached it and as soon as I reached the door, I raised my hands to grasp at the handles. However, to my utter shock, my gloved hands passed right through the transparent door. The monotone voice spoke again, reminding me of its mysterious presence. To be honest, I had nearly forgotten it was ever there.

Not all doors are willing to open by themselves. The most resilient of hearts and the keys of destiny are needed.

The ghost door suddenly solidified, startling me out of my thoughts. How did it do that? Either it became solid on its own, or... someone made it appear. I wondered which one was true. Out of the corner of my eye, a hand came to rest on the door, and I turned my head to see Koi standing beside it. What was she doing here? Her black eyes bored into mine, unreadable, before she decided to ask:

"Do you want to seek the answers for all your questions?"

The mysterious door...

Kairi, and the meteor shower...

Other worlds residing in the unknown universe...

"Y... yes." To use my voice for the first time in my own dream sounded infinitely strange.

"Go on," she encouraged. "It may very well be located inside." Or maybe not, but I shouldn't discourage myself. Time to go check what's on the other side. Taking a deep breath, I slid my fingers around the now solid handles and pulled the double doors ajar. Simultaneously, light burst forth from within and I yelped in surprise, lifting my hands to block out the harmful rays of light from blinding my retinas. Once the light gave away and my eyes were no longer agitated, I opened them to see... my island? Was this... was this really my island?

My query was proven true by the unmistakable sound of rushing water lapping over the sandy beach. I stood on one of the wooden platforms, which was built in-between a set of trees. What was I doing back here? Did the dream finally end? And if it had, how did I fall asleep standing up? I didn't think it was possible to fall asleep while standing, or that could just be me. The many mysteries of the world... Even after all that had occurred, I still couldn't help but feel a bit skeptical.

Be patient. We're not there, yet… I want to know more about you.

I should've known... By hearing this voice, I must still be in this weird dream. How wonderful.

"Riku." I jerked around at the call of my name, to come face-to-face with a boy I recognized as one of my friends. The boy had spiky, dirty blonde hair and he wore a short yellow jacket with white sleeves, along with a pair of sandals. The length of his blue shorts was longer on one leg than the other. Still a bit disoriented from this bizarre dream, I slowly smiled at the young boy.

"Hey, Tidus." Although he appeared normal on the surface, a blank smile touched his lips and his cerulean eyes held neither innocence nor emotion on his cheeky face. Tidus refused to reply to my greeting, instead choosing to act silent and give me the cold shoulder. This caused my smile to drop. What's up with him?

Then, I heard the unexpected noise of wood creak from behind me. Curious, I turned around and saw a girl sitting atop the wooden railing, stretching her limbs and releasing a huge yawn as though she had just woken up from a good nap. Swinging her legs playfully back and forth, she grinned a mysteriously cold smile. I recognized the atypical style of her curly auburn hair, her sleeveless yellow dress, and brown sandals. Disregarding the hardness in her green eyes, I stepped forward to greet her, hoping that her response would be nothing like Tidus'.

"Hi, Selphie." She shook her head, and grinned a giggly smile, before she started humming loudly to tune me out. Although I was regarded as the cool, calm, and collected teen of the group, it still hurt not to be acknowledged at all, like I had disappeared from the face of the earth. Well, if Selphie was going to be like that, I might as well ignore her, too. It's not like I hadn't done it before.

"Hmph." Puffing out my chest slightly in an indignant manner, I swerved around and stomped off with absolute intention of leaving the two weirdoes behind. Though I would have succeeded if someone hadn't blocked my path off the platform. Who'd dare to step in my way? Lifting my eyes to glare at the person, it startled me to find another boy I knew from the island. He was pretty tall, about as tall as me, wearing a cream-colored tank top, baggy orange pants with X shaped straps on the bottom, and green sandals. He sported carrot-orange hair, which he must've put a lot of gel in to keep his hair vertical, and hugged underneath one arm was his favorite blue and white beach ball.

"Wakka...?" He grinned roguishly and fixated his attention on the ball that was now spinning rapidly on his fingertip. The fascination he held for the ball was so great, he couldn't even spare me a single glance.

You know what, I thought with vehemence, these guys were really beginning to tick me off. But at the same time, their strange behavior succeeded in creeping me out, their cold actions equivalent to that of a stranger's. They surely didn't act as the three obnoxious kids I knew. But what totally scrambled my wits was the questions, which exploded from their lips with disturbingly perfect sync.

"What is most important to you?" - "What are you most afraid of?" - "What do you want outta life?"

"Whoa, whoa. Slow down," I exclaimed, holding my hands out defensively, "At least, let me get a word in." Before I had a chance to respond again, Selphie spoke first to begin spilling to me the relentless amount of thoughts left unsaid, which I had never taken the care to listen to before. Except this time, I had no choice in the matter.

"I hear being number one is what it's all about," Selphie remarked gleefully, as though she was sharing a juicy piece of gossip. "But, I just don't get why boys get so intense when it comes to competition. It's stupid, if you ask me." Then, a pout of exasperation marred her cheerful image, before she crossed her arms brusquely. Well, excuse me for being a boy. "But you know..." She drifted away with her thoughts, an annoyingly dreamy smile etched on her lips. "I think friendship is the most important thing to have. Otherwise, how can you survive through loneliness your whole life?" Next, her eyes suddenly widened in panic, her smile quickly vanished to be replaced by an expression of horror. "Oooh, I would be so mortified if I lost any of my prized possessions!" Her superficiality downright irritated me. I forget sometimes how much of a girly-girl she tended to be. "They're so important to me, because people I've thought as special gave them to me."

"I'm afraid to grow older because we don't get to be kids anymore," Tidus suddenly began, his tone uncharacteristically melancholic. "Then, we won't get to do fun stuff together anymore..." He hung his head low with quiet sadness. So unlike Tidus. Then, some new train of thought caused him to look up at me again. "Don't you think it's depressing, to become different? It would be so hard to find someone who would really like you for who you are. That's what scares me the most." Really now? The Tidus I knew took no care in other people's opinions. But I would rather have him stop talking now. A headache had begun to form because of Selphie's jabbering and it was steadily getting worse the more Tidus talked. New heavy and morbid thoughts were invading my mind, because I was actually considering the words he was saying. "How about being indecisive? If you don't know what to do or what to choose, you'd be totally lost in life. I'd hate to be that kind of guy..."

"I would love to see the many amazin' rare sights out there," Wakka said, somewhat casually. He darted his eyes wistfully at the sky, his voice almost coming out like a whisper. "Haven't ya always wondered if they were all alike?" Of course I did! There was never a day it hadn't crossed my mind. "Simply living in one place for too long can make ya ignorant of a lot of things. Try broadenin' your horizons. You'll be surprised on what you can learn." He winked at me, acting as though he had just given me a valuable piece of advice. Oh, please. All his words were things I've long been contemplating about. The frustration building up inside was becoming harder to quell. "I would like to be strong, ya? It's a great feeling, to be able to pull through somethin' because of your strength alone."

This mental torture of being forced to listen to somebody else's thoughts did not end there. Instead, it instantly grew worse. Now everything they had already said began to repeat itself inside my mind. Again, and again, and again. Faster, and faster, and louder. I couldn't stop it. Shakily, I held my head. I couldn't take it all. They were asking me too many questions and they were flooding too many desires through my head. As soon as I thought I was going to suffer from a monster migraine, everything completely froze. From the movement of their bodies to the sound of their voices; it all stopped. It was dead silent. My horrendous headache simultaneously vanished as if it was erased from existence.

Your fears are groundless.

The voice...

Perceive your weaknesses and grow strong.

It sounded so much clearer. Not a whisper nor an echo, but a very smooth ring inside my mind.

To retrieve your missing link is a harsh journey all in itself.

A missing link? Did I lose something without being aware of it? How could that be possible when I didn't feel any different?

I blinked twice, trying to register the image of Koi standing before me. Questions filtered into my head, unanswered. How'd she get here? What was she going to do? Would I ever wake from this dream? She speechlessly lifted her eyes to the sky and raised her hand, summoning the darkness, letting it sweep across the whole island. One thing happened right after the next like a chain reaction. First and foremost, the light had been snuffed out. No more sunlit days, and no more starlit nights. Secondly, the trees and plantation began to wilt, the wood started to decay, and the grains of sand became stale. Thirdly, the pristine ocean had been vacuumed dry, no longer present to nourish the land. And lastly, my island disappeared only for the dark abyss to return to me. I watched this all transpire before my eyes with a mix of trepidation and relief.

The emotions I felt... the anxiety, indecision, and confusion... was it all just an illusion?

The previous door that I had ventured in was nowhere in sight, and so was Koi. Now what should I do? To answer my lonely question, a series of rectangular stained-glass platforms appeared to form a stairway up to what I assumed was another platform. Taking a quick look around, I found nothing else of notable interest. Nonetheless, I ascended the steps for what seemed like ages until I could see the picturesque design on the glass floor. It was awfully simplistic, nothing more than a mere white and black abstract, of a person and its shadow. When I stepped into a beam of soft light at the center of the platform, the monotone voice made its presence once again known.

Your life is determined by your choices and it is influenced by your mistakes.

Suddenly, two copies of myself stood at opposite directions from me. The five-year-old version of me stood there silently to my left, not yet touched by maturity to know the meaning of life, yet. And to my right, an unfamiliar Riku stood taller and more stoic, as if he witnessed something firsthand, something that he shouldn't have seen and somehow redeemed for it painfully.

Would you like to sleep in the darkness of your past?

I spared one glance at my young clone, to recall a time when I first gazed upon the mysterious door in the secret place. It struck curiosity in me, to feel an undeniable temptation to open it… someday. Immediately, a separate image superimposed this one, before it quickly vanished from memory; a pair of diamond blue eyes, which coldly mirrored my own. What was that just now?

Or would you rather pursue after the light of your future?

In turn, I stole a glance at my second clone to envision a scene where Sora, Kairi, and I were hanging out at our usual spot. Strange, I mused, even though our appearances looked older and different, it's as if we never left the island. So, did that mean we abandoned our plans to travel outside our home in search of other worlds? Then, the image shifted to show Kairi running towards both Sora and I with a glass bottle cradled in her hands, before it completely deteriorated. I shook my head once, twice, trying to recollect the image and comprehend its mystery. Alas, I could not salvage anything. Except, I could've sworn that bottle had contained a letter.

Perhaps you prefer to awaken in the twilight of the present.

I snapped my gaze at front. There, at the far side of the platform, stood another Riku, erect and confident - my perfect mirror reflection.

However, besides our similar age–

His body was coated with some red, black, and navy blue material. A long white, spiky cloth was strapped around his waist to contrast against the dark muscle suit, and his eyes were a dim green color. What perturbed me most was the evil smirk snaking across his face - my face.

That couldn't be me... could it?

Despite the tingly sensation that trickled down my spine to warn me of the danger, I couldn't tear my eyes away from those icy, green-blue eyes. They possessed an odd looming energy. Subconsciously, I wanted that energy, that power to strike down all who'd dare to oppose me.

Without warning, recurring images and unfamiliar scenes began to rush into my head uncontrollably, but of the first - a secluded chain of small islands, depicting a settlement of residents on the main island. A neighboring islet was the children's playground, mostly covered in trees and shrubbery and yellow sandy beaches. There dwelled a wooden beach hut, a tree house built into a large tree, a miniature plateau connected near to the island, a bridge which could be crossed to reach it, and a cove that consisted of boat ruins and a race course.

Two teenaged boys, side by side, the bestest of friends and the most stubborn of rivals, and a girl with dark red hair. She began the countdown for the longest, hardest race of their lives.

"Three!"

The sky, it was so blue...

"Two!"

The land, it felt so unbreakable...

"One!"

And the ocean, it looked so pretty...

"Go!"

Laughter instead of the silence, the abyss no more as the bright, homey, radiant sun replaced the darkness...

Sora and I, racing neck to neck... Kairi running behind us... the both of us looking back to give her cheerful smiles...

"Don't be afraid…"

Sora and I chased after something, racing with adrenaline pumping in our bodies, our surroundings speeding passed us in odd rushing colors of blue, orange, pink and purple.

The puppet boy suddenly fled inside a door, soon releasing a loud scream of fright. We entered the chamber and were met with the sight of a huge parasite monster holding the puppet boy in its cage as prisoner.

We both glanced at each other before exchanging knowing smiles, relaying the telepathic agreement of teamwork.

Nonetheless, we both drew our swords and charged at the humongous creature. I swung my blade down at the parasite with all my might and it clashed precipitously against its arm, sparks flaring off its steel-hardened armor.

"Darkness will never misguide you."

My blade then clashed against Sora's blunt-edged sword, sparks flying off dangerously between us in more ways than one. This time, I was the one clothed in dark clothes and Sora glared at me - as if I was the enemy.

Fighting me, in devotion to Kairi... to reach and save her... from the evil monster – his best friend –

Suddenly, Sora found a blind spot and struck me at my side, shoving me away.

I didn't collapse as Sora thought, but instead dashed up the stairs... through a door leading to a corridor...

Sprinting... and sprinting...

My thoughts a hazy angst, my heart ferociously beating inside my ribcage like it was about to burst–

"And don't forget..."

Sora dashed into a room and found Kairi's comatose body lying limp on the ground. He hurriedly knelt beside her and lifted her torso to shake her gently, calling her name a couple of times in hopes to awaken her. However, her eyes refused to open.

Then, Sora's eyes darted to glare at someone standing atop a short flight of steps, the antagonist of the entire story. There behind the young man existed a large keyhole-shaped portal, a multitude of wild and unstable energy flowing within. Inside it led to the almighty Realm of Darkness, where the heart of all worlds resided; the heart of the universe.

I, consciously aware of the evil darkness coursing throughout my entire body, peered through my eyes, the one-sided mirror... and watched as the body I used to harbor was now being used against me like a marionette.

Whoever the puppeteer was pulled at the invisible strings expertly beyond my reach, and I helplessly observed this devastating scene unfold before my very eyes.

We both charged at each other with our blades drawn once again, clashing and dancing to avoid the raining slices, the piercing jabs, the impaling strikes, the flying punches and kicks, and the repetitive magic spells...

Eventually, Sora found the opportune moment to swing around and hit me. However, I somersaulted just in time to dodge his strike. Smoothly gliding back down to the ground, my body disintegrated away to reveal–

Dark olive skin, long bleach white hair, a grey cloak blanketing the new burly body, powerful muscled arms crossed over his chest, a devilish smirk gracing his unwanted presence.

I began to slip into the unconsciousness because of the overwhelming visions. The man's maniacal evil laughter filtered into my head and echoed within my mind... singing his victory, his domination...

Until the monotone voice broke through the nightmarish dream.

"You are what stands in between the light and dark."

(A/N): More or less, Riku's Awakening.

If you can guess, it foreshadows a lot of events in this story. Especially the KH1 Arc.

This is one of my favorite chapters to date, but it might change when I get to write and publish more chapters.

One thing, though. The major difference in this story is that Riku knew Koi for a long time, instead of meeting her for the first time in Chapter 3. Just like Sora is bonded with Kairi, Riku and Koi are bonded in their own way.

So, this story, though fan made, is a novelization of Kingdom Hearts in Riku's POV, with my own little touches. Expect the scenes coming from the game factual, and my original scenes revolving them to be improvised to fit that flow.

Edit - To the readers who've read the previous version of this chapter, it's obvious the substantial amount of scenery detail I've input. Doesn't it seem much better now? I put some painstaking effort in revising this. XP Anyways, I have to give credit to Hikaranko, because I borrowed some (not all) details from her novelization of Kingdom Hearts and paraphrased them to fit this chapter. I might do this again for a couple more chapters, but other than that what I write in this story is original.