HEARTLESS

Smack! A cry of pain echoed throughout the dimly light area. A loud voice seemed to fight with the cries.

"You idiot!" Crack! Another yowl of pain. "Why did you tell him so much? !"

A small voice rasped out, "Y-You said... I could d-do what I... wanted..."

"I didn't mean tell him the plan! You stupid Heartless-"

Suddenly a shadow appeared in front of the scene. "Vanitas!" It looked like a hand reached out, forming something like a glove, and grabbed his weapon- a Keyblade- from crashing down.

Vanitas stopped immediately, staring at the shadow. "A-Ansem...?"

Ansem glanced down at Sora, who was staring with wide yellow eyes at Vanitas and Ansem. Several cuts and bruises marked his body, an inky black substance dripping from all the wounds; forming a small pool from where he had been crouched. "I think he's learned his lesson. You know very well that he can't be dead- Heartless or not. Which reminds me..."

Vanitas looked away, his Keyblade disappearing. "...Yes?"

"What did you end up doing to Sora's heart?"

Vanitas hesitated, then spoke smoothly. "I got rid of it, like you told me to."

"Don't lie to your master, Vanitas. If I find out that it wasn't properly disposed of I'll find it and kill you," the shadow growled menacingly.

The black haired teen glanced at Sora, who was still cowering on the floor, and replied simply, "I'm not lying."

"Hmph." The shadow turned away from the two. "I think its time for Sora to have his first taste of a heart..." Ansem glanced at Sora. "Your hungry, aren't you?"

Sora answered in a hoarse, disorted, voice, "St-Starving..."

"Then return to the Islands. Seek out the Princess of Heart. It's best she be taken care of before Riku finds her...A heart like that could ruin everything."

II

"What?" Kairi's eyes widened, listening to her friends story. "S-Sora... He's been turned into a... A..."

"Heartless," Riku finished for her grimly. "He was here not too long ago. But he was taken away."

Kairi rubbed her eyes, murmuring to herself. "Sora..."

After Sora had been forcibly taken away by someone, Riku had suspected Ansem or this Vanitas person, Kairi had found Riku in the Secret Place. That was when Riku decided he should tell Kairi what was going on. He doubted she could come up with anything helpful but she at least deserved to know. Riku knew about her feelings for Sora.

"He did tell me some useful information though..." Riku trailed off, glancing away.

"L-Like what?" Kairi muttered.

"Ansem is alive. He's behind this whole plan that involves turning Sora into a Heartless. There's also another person involved- Vanitas. He's probably the one that took Sora away earlier." Riku's voice dropped a little lower. "I've lost him twice today... Next time he shows up, I'm not letting him go..."

Kairi was quiet for a bit, then reached over to gently touch Riku's hand. "Riku... Maybe we should get home to think all this though. Just sitting here won't do us any good."

As much as Riku wanted to protest, he nodded and stood up. "Yeah.. Your right... Come on," he held out his hand to her. "I'll take you home."

Kairi smiled a little, taking his hand and standing up. "Thanks."

They two walked and talked a little on they're way across the sandy beaches. Kairi talked about a few suggestions for getting Sora back. One of them stood out in Riku's mind- The next time Sora showed up, hold him back so he couldn't go anywhere. Ansem or Vanitas is bound to show up then to see what's taking Sora so long. Kairi hadn't thought that far ahead, but Riku was already making plans on how to force them into giving Sora his heart back.

"Riku!" Kairi's voice had risen to a high pitch, her blue eyes widened in fright. Riku actually hadn't noticed if was calling out to him before this or not.

"What's-" He started to speak but then noticed what she was staring at. Her gaze was fixed on the Paopu tree. Sitting on the tree trunk like an animal stalking its prey was none other than Sora, smirking cruelly.

Kairi voiced Riku's thoughts timidly, "Why... I thought he just... left...!"

Riku answered her quietly. "He did."

Sora hopped down off the tree, landing a few feet away from the two. "Yes, I did leave. Not on my choice though. And its not my choice to come back here anyway." He then turned his hungry yellow gaze onto Kairi. "Ansem promised me a snack... A Princess of Heart."

Kairi let out a small shriek, inching back behind Riku. "S-Sora! What's gotten into you? ! You can't listen to him!"

"Yes I can," Sora answered, taking a few steps closer. "I'm afraid that if I don't, the consequences will be... quite deadly." Riku noticed a few black cuts and bruises on his arms and legs and face. What happened to you, Sora...?

Riku pushed Kairi behind him, scowling at Sora. "Your not taking anyone's heart, Sora! Just stay here and we can get your heart back-"

He was cut off by the sound of a harsh, disorted laugh. "My heart? ! Who knows where the hell that thing ended up! I don't need it!" Sora grinned, dropping down into another animalistic crouch, ready to spring. "Speaking of hearts... I'm starving. Who wants to be my first meal?"