As time passed, the mysterious town seemed to become darkness itself. Drenched in its own misery and loneliness, Chii and Sakura kept walking down the long, and what seemed endless, paths. Every step they made echoed in the surrounding alleyways, only adding more fear and aching sadness into their poor hearts.

The wind whistled gently as it cleaned away the muggy air.

"Hideki!" Chii's cry of loneliness simply became a part of the soft wind.

Sakura simply turned to look at her friend calling out to the person she loved the most.

Chii was far from home, and she could tell. Her soft, amber colored eyes faded into black as she realized just how alone she was.

Chii clutched her hands tightly to her chest hoping somebody would take the pain away. The pain of knowing that she was lost, the pain of silence that rang in her ears, and most of all, the pain of not being with the person she loved the most.

She kept a steady pace in her walking, scared of what would happen if she stopped.

"Chii," her voice was low and trembling as it made its way past her cold lips. "...doesn't like this weather."

Chii hung her head back as she looked up into the cloudy sky. A few raindrops were falling down into the miserable city, making the only sound Chii ever heard since she woke up.

Sakura stopped and gazed at the grey abyss above. The clouds had no shape and they weren't moving anywhere. There was enough wind for them to clear up, but sadly, it didn't seem they were going to move anytime soon.

In the same silence from before, both young girls kept walking hoping the alleyways and passages had some end to them.

"Hey Chii," Sakura calmly said as she turned to smile while adding, "What was the weather like where you used to live?"

Chii held on tightly to the book she found while she closed her eyes.

"It was really nice," Chii whispered as a thin smile began to appear on her face. "The sun was so warm, and the wind was so soft."

"Completely different from this place, huh?" Sakura added as she held her staff tightly.

Sakura looked at the staff she held so tightly to. Memories of all her adventures filled her head. Where were those people she loved so? She knew there was something she could do to find them again.

Sakura swiftly pulled out a Sakura card and raised the staff above her head.

Chii quickly stepped back from the golden circle that was forming on the floor around Sakura.

"Fly!" Sakura yelled as she began to tremble.

Now, noise filled the air as Chii looked at Sakura struggling to release the power of the Fly Card. In just a few seconds, Sakura collapsed on the cold, muddy road. Chii ran to her side, picking her up and grabbing her staff.

"I can't…" Sakura gasped for air as she raised her head off the ground. "…my cards don't respond to me…"

"Chii does not want to see Sakura hurt herself!" Chii yelled while helping Sakura to her feet.

"What if we never get out of here?" Sakura whimpered in pain.

Chii didn't respond to Sakura's frightening question. Instead, she stayed looking at the staff that she held in her hand. Sakura gasped at the same sight.

Sakura's staff was broken; the star in the center was cracked in half.

--

In the center of the town, there was the town square. It was once called the "happiest place in the town", named by the people who had inhabited this deserted area long ago.

Of course, this is exactly where Sora and Ichigo were brought together. Yet, their meeting is far from anything blissful.

"What are we going to do Sora?" Ichigo whispered as she stood closely behind him.

Sora looked at the vague figure that was hiding in the darkness of his clothes. It was no different than a shadow of a man. Yet, he gave off an evil presence, the type of presence that shows the situation isn't to be taken lightly.

"I don't think I can take him alone," Sora finally responded. "Do you have anything to defend yourself with?"

Ichigo stared off into the distance; she was at loss of words.

"I…" She began to mumble. "I don't remember…."

"What?" Sora asked trying to make out her words.

"I don't remember." Ichigo simply whispered back to him.

Sora looked over his shoulder to see a horrified expression on Ichigo's face.

"Are you ready kids?" The man laughed.

In one swift step, he disappeared. Sora grabbed Ichigo, who was now lost in her own thoughts.

"Ichigo!" Sora yelled at her. "This isn't the right time for this!"

Yet, there was no response from her. She remained locked in her own mind.

Noise was being made all around the town square. Trashcans and light posts were falling over, building's windows began to shatter, and the brick tile on the floor began to crack. Sora held on tightly to Ichigo as the harsh wind and evil laughter made its way past them.

Now something new filled the air, silence. Pure silence. Not one noise was heard in the town square.

Sora breathed harshly as he hugged Ichigo tightly. He opened his eyes and looked around the now, calm town square.

The man was gone, and so was the wind and noise.

Sora quickly looked at Ichigo. Her eyes were now a dim red color and she was unresponsive.

"Ichigo!" Sora swiftly picked her up and sat her on a bench nearby. "Ichigo!"

He began to pat her cheek gently. "Hey, what's wrong? I can't do anything if you're like this!"

Sora began to worry terribly. What was he going to do with a girl who is acting like she died already? What if she were to die?

Sora remembered how Kairi looked when she had lost her heart. The situation with Ichigo certainly brought back those memories.

"Mmm…" Ichigo murmured through her lips.

"Ichigo!" Sora yelled back happily. "You're awake! Alive!"

She began to blink her eyes and their light pink color started to return.

Sora stared in amazement as he watched his new friend awake from a deep daze.