Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts is owned by people more talented than me. But then again, since they made coded, does that make them talented?

Also, special thanks to janus-juan and CrimsonDarkenss 0013 for the reviews, glad to know that people are reading and liking the story so far! We've got a long way to go so fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy ride.

Twisted Sentiments

Chapter Three: False Dawn

The sun was shining ever so brightly.

Selphie walked down the main street of Destiny Islands proper, where all the citizens of the small world lived. The sunlight beat down on her back as her footsteps clacked against the cobblestone street. Birds chirped happily, flying with glee throughout the air. The flowers were in bloom, painting the scene in colorful strokes. Trees were in their most vibrant green, alive with life. The shouts and laughter of playing children drifted through the air. With the sound of the waves overlapping all of this, it was the perfect scene of a peaceful summer day. She could not think of ever living anywhere else than this little jewel that she called home.

Why would she ever want to leave? To Selphie, it seemed mad to give up all of this for anything else. Who would not want to live in this paradise forever? She didn't need to know what was beyond the waters of her home. They weren't that interesting when you live in an archipelago of tropical islands, some of which have not yet even been fully mapped. The world around here evolves and changes every day, even if you can't see it on the surface. That's what made it so unappealing to step out of this world's boundaries. Why leave this place when it had so much to offer?

Selphie had heard enough talk about leaving the islands to search of something new from Riku beforehand. She thought those three were just playing around, making that raft and gathering supplies for their big journey. Who knew they were being serious? They were just kids after all. There were enough serious adults out there who can worry about what's happening in the world. For them, there was an entire cornucopia of worlds to find in the future but the present had only begun unfolding for them. They had to learn to walk before they could run.

Besides, the first time Selphie had made it out of the islands…..was not a pleasant experience.

Finally, Selphie made it to her destination, the town's main square. Twilight hour, between day and night, in Destiny islands is the most evocative and beautiful time to see the place. The setting sun's final rays bathed the Town Square in a sepia hue, making the place look like as picture postcard. Most of the town are milling around here, enjoying the cafes, seeing the shops along with a few tourists. Destiny Islands is a small world, its inhabitants related to each other in some way. What few travelers who now venture here after the rupturing of the barriers between worlds were instantly charmed by the world's quaint atmosphere and friendly citizens.

"Hey Selph!" Selphie looked at the direction from where the voice came from and found Tidus and Wakka sitting outside the Luca Café & Bar, enjoying the usual hideous amounts of soda that those two consumed on a regular basis. The café was the hangout for most of the kids in Destiny islands if they didn't feel like going to the small island. These days, most of the people she knew felt too old to go there anymore. Along with her two friends, more kids her age were just milling around the open area, not allowed into the bar. Selphie waved at them and joined Tidus and Wakka at the table, plopping down on a seat.

"Hey Selphie." Tidus greeted her wearily, brushing away the empty bottles of soda that cluttered around his head and gave her a strained smile. "Good day, eh?"

Selphie merely sighed at him. "Is this what you're going to do for the rest of the summer? Drink yourself into stupor?"

"I'd rather drink something better." Wakka mentioned idly, looking at the entrance to the bar proper. A big, burly man gave him the evil eye and Wakka cringed before turning back to the group. "Just two more years, eh?"

"It's nothing to look forward to." Tidus mumbled, still feeling a bit sloshed. "I snuck a drink from the stuff Dad has lying around. Man, it so tasted horrible I puked all over his drinks cabinet." He shuddered at the memory and reached for the last full bottle.

"Maybe your tastes are just matured enough," Selphie giggled. "You gotta be a bit more sophisticated than just downing all that soda. Like Wakka over here."

Wakka, who had been eyeing someone at another table, suddenly jerked at the sound of his name. "Right, mature ya?" he answered nervously.

"Who were you looking at, Wakka?" Tidus inquired, raising his head off the table to peer at his friend. "Anyone special?"

"Ooh, is it Relm? It had better not be Relm!" Selphie immediately pounced on that little tidbit. Her gaze solidified on poor Wakka, who quailed from her fierce, shimmering eyes. Selphie couldn't help it if she had a more than healthy interest in who her friends could like. She was responsible for them! What if they went gaga for a girl that would only ruin them? It was no secret to the small population of Destiny islands that these two, along with a few more unfortunate boys, were completely unschooled with the ways of women. It was up to Selphie to steer them down the straight and narrow. No way as he going to let his friends go through heartbreak and ruin! Selphie worked hard to make sure that nothing but the best for her boys.

Not that anyone will be good enough for them once she was finished.

"W-What?" Wakka protested as Tidus laughed at his misfortune. "No way! That artist nutbar? I'd rather get eaten by a chocobo."

"Then who were you looking at?" Tidus and Selphie turned and looked behind Wakka. The tables behind him were empty save for one. A black haired girl was stiffly sitting upright on the table. One of her hands was gripping a cup of coffee tightly, as if she was afraid of letting go. The other hand was constantly stirring the coffee with a spoon. The girl's blue eyes were watching the café like a hawk. Every now and then, she would stop stirring and bring up the cup to her mouth, taking a long, drawn-out sip.

"And you think Relm is nuts?" Selphie pouted at Wakka, who was taking on the air of a man who clearly wanted to be anywhere but his present location. Her fierce glare easily set him in his place. "Compared to whom? That high-strung witch?"

"Hey, she's quite cute, okay?" Wakka tried to defend himself but all that came out was a feeble whimper.

"She looks familiar," Tidus squinted, trying to get a better look. "Does she live here? I don't think I've seen her before."

Who knows?" Wakka shrugged; glad to find an opportunity to escape from Selphie. Her gaze softened as the topic drifted away from the mystery girl. Later, she would have to find out everything about her and make sure Wakka has nothing to do with her. "We've been getting a lot of new folks, thanks to Sora and the guys."

"Besides, thanks to the Setzer guy that waltzed in here last week, we don't stand a chance anymore, buddy." Tidus said, downing another drink and twitching slightly from the sugar intake. "And what was up with that sport he was trying to import here? Struggle? Looks like child's play to me."

"Reminds me of when we used to play in the island." Selphie reminisced wistfully. "Remember? We always hanged out there in the summer, every afternoon, playing games and trying to beat each other up. But oh no," Selphie's tone turned sour as the boys just rolled their eyes at each other, having been expecting the usual tirade. "You boys all gotta play your stupid, insipid ball games! And it's not even exciting! How is five minutes of you lot spasming under water exciting?"

"Maybe you should try it out for once, Selphie." Wakka replied coolly while Tidus nodded along rapidly. "Would be cool to see a girl out there in the water."

Selphie made a disgusted noise and punched Wakka in the nose hard. "OW!" Wakka yelped, standing up and clutching his nose in pain while Tidus began laughing uproariously. "What was that for?" he yelled angrily, locking eyes with Selphie.

"What you just said!" Selphie shot back, standing up as well. Even though Wakka towered over her, Selphie refused to back down. "You expect me to agree to play your stupid game after making a comment like that? What's wrong with you?"

"Apparently not as much wrong as with you!" Wakka retorted. "Geez Selph, that was completely uncalled for! I was only joking!"

"You had better be joking." Selphie muttered, slinking back into her seat, face somewhat red from anger.

Tidus only rolled his eyes at the display he had just seen. Honestly, his friends were weird.

"I swear, if you guys turned up the volume a bit more, the entire island can hear you." A voice snarked from behind the table. The trio turned to find a smirking Riku greet them with a wave.

"Riku!" Selphie squealed and got up, hugging the surprised youth, much to Tidus and Wakka's amusement. Selphie sat back down, looking a bit red after that affectionate display.

Riku only chuckled, smirking at Selphie's embarrassment. "You guys seen Kairi anywhere?" he asked, looking at the two boys.

"Ya, I think she's at the beach. She sure is spending a lot of time there" Wakka said. "Hey Riku, want to play some ball later? We could always use one more guy on the team."

"After what I saw yesterday?" Riku snorted. "Honestly, throwing and kicking balls underwater? Color me uninterested. besides, the new stadium ain't finished yet. Anyway, I'll see you guys later." Riku gave them another small wave and walked out of the café.

"See, I knew there was a sensible boy out here in the islands." Selphie declared and stuck out her tongue at Wakka, who only shook his head in disbelief. "You lunkheads just aren't as sophisticated as Riku and Sora, that's why."

"Sophisticated?" Tidus laughed at the thought. "Come one, those two have always larked around as much as we had. Them and Kairi too. "

"Not anymore." Selphie thought out loud. "You notice, ever since they got back, they've been acting a lot more serious. Especially Riku."

"What did you expect?" Wakka said. "They still won't tell us what happened after that night. It's like we're not worthy of knowing what those three have been up to."

"Don't say that, Wakka." Selphie said. "I'm sure if it was important, they would've told us."

Would they?

Of course they would tell them, right? They were still friends, even if the three of them weren't as closely-knit as the other three. Did they have a reason to just not share things to their friends? They weren't the only ones who got cast off into that great big void when the storm happened. The entire population of the island had somehow managed to come back miraculously unscathed but that did not mean they just went back to their daily lives. Everyone had a horrific story to tell and their exposure to the outside worlds had certainly colored the way they live now.

So what was it that happened to those three? Selphie had tried to draw it out of Kairi when she had first come back but all she received were non-committal answers until the day when she disappeared yet again. Once again, they had disappeared, which had worried those who knew them to no end. And when they had returned, once again, they deflected all the questions thrown at them. Selphie supposed they must've told their parents if something did happen, it was only fair for them. And there had been an influx of new people from places she had never heard from, thanks to transportation by those jelly ship thingies. That was pretty much one of the few upsides to the whole mess.

Since then, it had been an entire year since those three had returned and a full two since that fateful night. Since then, Selphie had given up ever finding out the truth of what happened to Sora, Riku and Kairi. She didn't expect a long, in-depth conversation, she just wanted some answers. Did they not have the right to know? Were they not friends? At least something palatable but the closest she had gotten was Sora blurting out a message from a king, which certainly didn't make a whole lot of sense.

Even if she wasn't actively trying to figure out what happened, at least she and anyone with half a brain could tell that something changed between the three. For one thing, Riku was certainly more morose than ever, if that was even possible. He was less cocky and was more prone to quietly sulking either at home or some forgotten corner, away from them. It had taken all their combined efforts to tease him out of his shell. Sometimes he would revert to his old self, all friendly but with that touch of arrogance that was sometimes well-justified. Then, he'd rapidly swing to wanting to avoid all of humanity, becoming sullen and uncommunicative. Nowadays, the fits of the sullen were rare but they were always there. Selphie never pegged Riku for maturity beforehand but then again, she would never have pegged anyone for maturity, let alone herself.

And there was the other two. Sora and Kairi had been inseparable before but now they were practically joined to the hip. Selphie had not seen a pair so obviously smitten with each other without having the two of them officially declare it a relationship. Ever since Sora and Riku finally returned to the islands, the three were rarely apart. Everything Sora did, he did with Kairi, whether it was going to the beach or doing their homework or just being together with all their friends. It was quite heartwarming to see the two finally reciprocate their love after all the will-they won't-they nonsense of their childhood. Even if they haven't officially declared it so, Selphie knew it was only a matter of time.

But those were obvious clues, more like the sum of their experiences in who knows what worlds. Selphie still did not know the details, how they've come to be like this. It wasn't a completely pressing matter but it felt like they were being excluded, that they did not matter anymore. Maybe Selphie just didn't like the feeling of being left out and made to feel inferior, as if she and the rest didn't matter as much as they did before. So they didn't have any cool adventures, did that mean they should be singled out and left in the dark?

Maybe she's just blowing this out of proportion. Maybe it was something private or something they wouldn't want to dredge up and bring out to the public. That doesn't mean they were any less close than they had been before. Wasn't the past year enough? They had somehow easily slotted back into normal society, shouldn't Selphie be glad that at least they were back and not off in some godforsaken world or into that black void? Maybe she should stop with this endless hunt for the story. Those three can tell their story when they're ready.

Maybe.

Selphie sighed and said, "I just wished they'd tell us what's up soon enough."

"Hey, maybe they got reasons." Tidus shrugged and drained his last bottle of soda and burped lightly. "Scuse me." He said, getting up and walking towards the counter.

"If you keep this up, you'll become all fat and bloated!" Wakka yelled after him. "What will happen to our team then?"

TSTSTSTSTSTS

She could never tire of hearing the waves.

The sun was going down, turning the blue skies into a misty orange. The waves, once ferocious, now were merely lapping against the sandy beach, playfully nipping on the bank. For most, this would be a time to pack up, go home, show's over but this was Kairi's favorite time of the day. It was the transition between day and night that made the island seem so much more beautiful than usual. The orange skies created an atmosphere of serenity and peace that seemed too perfect to spoil. There was never too much or too little sunlight, just enough to light the surroundings in the most pleasant way possible.

It was paradise and Kairi would never trade it for anything else.

Right now, she was sitting on the sand, curled up into a ball with her arms around her knees, just staring into the restless sea. She had taken off her socks and shoes so her bare feet were just inches away from the surf, toes curling against the sand. It just felt more pleasant that way, to actually feel the grit and grime of the sand while the water barely reaches up to the tips of your toes. Kairi giggled slightly whenever the water just lapped at her feet. It made everything seem so real.

Has it really been a year? A year without Heartless and Nobodies, without the madness and terror that was once the meat of their lives? A year spent in the sun, the shade, in the gloriously mundane world they grew up in and callously left behind. How could they have ever thought of leaving this paradise? Why did they think they needed to see new worlds when the one they had was just perfectly fine? Kairi had never held much stock in sayings but it seemed you truly do not miss something until it's gone. She never thought the simple sight of the sand on the beach or the feel of the sun against her skin would cause so much joy.

It was wonderful just to live again, to live without that sinking feeling of being left behind, that crushing loneliness that had afflicted her with their absence. Kairi's grip on her legs grew tighter as she sighed deeply, memories of melancholia flashing through her mind. Those were the worst days. The ones were she was uncertain if she was ever going to see the two again. . Selphie and the others tried to help her but she couldn't let them. Sometimes, she would regret not saying enough, not pouring out her heart beyond one sentence before the darkness obscured his face. Sometimes, entire days would go by and all she could do was stare into the ocean, the endless, eternal ocean, waiting for something, anything. Days were she was as uncommunicative as a doll and days were time crawled by in agonizing inches.

Kairi didn't know whether she was going to see the light again. Until that day, when Axel came for her. When he had accidentally given hope in her heart that she will be able to find them again. Even the darkness was nothing compared to the emptiness that had been her companion for near an entire year. She needed hope and the red-haired Nobody had given it to her, whether he wanted to or not. She had no fear if there was even the slightest chance that she could reach them again and everything would go back to the way it used to be, and then she would take it. Kairi didn't need any Keyblade, she didn't magic or fancy weapons nor did she want any of them. All she had was that tiny spark of hope to keep her going.

And the rest was history.

Kairi shuddered and sighed again, trying to keep her emotions in check. Instead, she focused on the only blip out there in the sea. The small island never looked so tiny unless it was being viewed from the mainland. It might be a bit far out to the sea but Kairi could still see most of the details on the small islet's face. There were the docks were Selphie always tried to skip those stones but could never do more than two skips. Kairi remembered one summer where she tried to help the poor girl improve on her stone-skipping, which most of the time ended up with them in the water, thanks to those boys. There was the pool of fresh water, always there if the seawater was getting too much. There was the tree where they always spent the last few hours, just gazing into the setting sun, much like what she had been doing right now.

And even from far away, Kairi could see the small opening that lead to the Secret Place. The place that held the best and worst of memories. Every inch of that place was engraved with memories, bad or good. Children had long been scribbling their secrets, fears and desires inside that mysterious chamber. Each drawing, each engraving, they all had their story, their song to sing. Only those who created the drawing knew what they fully meant.

It was just a whim when they had drawn each other's likenesses. Just a children's fancy, that's all. It couldn't have meant anything more than just the flight of fancy that often overtakes youth. But when Kairi saw what Sora had added before he had left, before the night swallowed them all, her heart nearly broke. She had no choice but to add and reciprocate. It was a silly little gesture. Sora wouldn't have known about it and the act itself would not have helped them, wherever they were.

It was the only useful thing she could do.

Stop it, Kairi thought morosely. There was no point dwelling in the past. All that nonsense was supposed to be finished now. They had spent the year not caring about anything but themselves. All their time was spent making up for time wasted in the lonely interim when Sora and Riku were gone. Kairi had never felt so good about life again, having finally gotten past all obstacles and returned home, not only her but her friends as well. Without them, there would never have been a home. Destiny Islands, even this tropical paradise, seemed emptier without them. Kairi even managed to fool herself that this was how things would be for the rest of their lives, that there will be no more trouble, no more chaos and they could just stay like this.

But reality comes in the form of one message and now here she sits, waiting again. At least the ache was not as fierce as it was before. She knew that Sora will be coming back, that he will return. He had never broken his promises to her before. How could she have forgotten that he wielded the Keyblade now? Having such a legendary weapon meant that there will be things he will be called forward to do and him alone. He had duties to the world and she can't be the one who will prevent him from carrying them out. She didn't need to come along. She'd just be dead weight, useless and would only distract Sora. She still couldn't summon her own Keyblade and always relied on Riku whenever they trained sporadically. More proof that she was too weak and would only become a hindrance to them. It was better she stay and let Sora get on with his mission.

So why did she feel so mistaken?

"You'll get sunburned easily, staying out here for too long." Riku's voice told her. Kairi did not stir and kept on staring at the small island that dominated her mind. She felt someone settle next to her. She turned and looked at Riku, sitting on the sand with her, staring into the sun with her.

"Sunburn's the least of my worries." Kairi replied with a small smile, turning back to the sea. Riku only nodded and, for a minute, everything was silent as the waning sunlight covered the two of them. The only sound that could be heard was the gentle pitch of the waves. Peace settled in their minds once more.

"It's only been a day, you know." Riku began slowly. Kairi had been expecting this talk since yesterday and hearing it now only made her mood worse. Her knees grew closer out of reflex. "You can't just sit here and wait for him. You're only hurting yourself."

"Maybe." Kairi let out a small, humorless laugh. "Maybe that's all I'm ever good at. Waiting on other people."

"You know that's not true, Kai." Riku patted her on the knee. "You're more than that, especially to Sora."

"So why does it feel like all I ever do is just make trouble for people, huh? Why else would I be left here?"

"Now that's just silly, Kairi. He wouldn't just leave you here because you were useless." Riku looked her in the eye, now becoming serious. She quailed under his intense glare and looked away. "Sora would never want to hurt you."

"So why does this hurt?"

Kairi immediately regretted even whispering that, even if it was low enough that she hoped Riku would not have picked that up. "It's just….." she tried again and took a deep breath. "I don't know, I thought I'd be okay with this, with him leaving again. I thought it'd be fine, I mean he was gone for a year and I was okay." Her shaky giggle probably didn't help but she had to get this out in the air. She didn't want to let her thoughts fester into something ugly.

"I just can't help it I guess." Riku kept silent, eyes on his red-haired friend. "I've lost him for so long. Him and you. Now, just when I thought everything would go back to normal, there he goes again and I'm left here."

The sun was at its lowest ebb now and the orange sky was becoming darker, slipping into twilight. The two youths did not pay attention to it, still sitting on the lonely surf. Kairi could feel her melancholia seeping into the atmosphere, peace turning into the stillness of the night. Maybe she's just blowing it out of proportion but it felt better to think lowly of her. It was better than thinking she shouldn't just be stuffed inside a chest to keep safe, that the only reason she was left behind was because she did not matter enough.

"I don't want to be left here while he goes off to god knows what and gets close to death again." Kairi was now shivering. A sudden chill had fallen on them and she could feel her bones shaking. "I don't want to have to imagine what his last moments are like, what he could be thinking or where he is. Every moment spent without him, it's all too much."

Kairi heard her words and had to laugh bitterly. "Was that too selfish of me to ask?"

"It's natural." Riku answered softly. "But that doesn't mean you have to beat yourself over this. You miss him of course but you can't be guilty just because you're not with him. Kairi, to be frank, all this," he gestured around the place and to her. "It's all going a bit too far. Do you honestly think that Sora doesn't care about you, that he thinks you're useless so he left you behind?"

Kairi couldn't bring herself to look at Riku so he continued. "If you ask me, he cares too much about you. Every day, he thinks about you, talks about you, wants to spend time with you, won't stop rhapsodizing about you. It's actually kind of cute. Of course, he'd never admit that." Riku's small smirk made Kairi blush. She knew Riku was just saying that to make her feel better. No way would Sora think about her all the time. Why would he? All what Riku said, it all sounded too ridiculous to be true. Sora was a willful boy and still quite childish for his age but even so, no one could spend all that time thinking of one person. Only idiots like her do that.

"Sora wouldn't have left you if he knew it was going to hurt you." Riku finished. He stood up to gaze at the darkening sky and said, "He knew that this journey was going to be tougher so he couldn't risk getting you or me in danger." He shook his head at the thought. "It's a silly idea but you know him. He always gets these silly ideas."

"True." Kairi laughed lightly, the first real laugh she had today. She stood up and stepped away from the receding water, putting back on her socks and shoes. "At least I'm done moping for today. It's getting late." The sun was now fully gone and the sky had slipped from dark orange to light purple. The only light came from the multitude of stars and the lights from the houses behind them. The night had its own beauty but the darkness of the ocean left Kairi disquieted. To not be able to see the azure of the waves was far too creepy for her liking.

"But first," Riku grabbed Kairi by the shoulders and looked her in the eye. "Promise me you'll stop this tomorrow, okay? No more moping or nonsense while Sora's gone. You wouldn't want him to come back and find you're a mess, do you?" Kairi shook her head, which apparently wasn't enough for Riku. "Come on, I need to hear it. Say it."

"I promise."

"Good." Kairi smiled once Riku let go as they began to walk back towards the town proper. "Luca should still be open, let's get something to drink, shall we?"

"I thought your mom told you if she ever smelled liquor in your breath, even a tiny drop, she'll lock you in the house until you're of age?"

"Please, my mom hasn't drunk liquor in years ever since she got divorced." Riku put on an air of smugness that made Kairi break out in laughter. "She won't miss a thing! That bouncer might though. No one's ever going to get past him. Remember when poor Irvine thought he could skate through?"

"That was when the bouncer shoved him into that barrel and rolled him down the hill, right?" Kairi shuddered at the memory of Irvine's horrific screams. "Yeah, your mom's gonna be lightweight compared to him."

Riku opened his mouth to answer only for the words to suddenly choke in his throat. "Riku?" Kairi asked fearfully when her friend doubled over in pain, kneeling on the ground. "Riku!" Kairi tried to staabalize him by grabbing his shoulders, even as Riku's body shook violently. Around her, Kairi felt a strong wind blow against the two of them as a sharp gale engulfed the island. The shadows seemed to magnify as the lights around them began to dim and darken. Kairi could feel a large, omnipresent weight close down on her and the islands around her.

Riku gasped and finally stopped writhing , breathing deeply and painfully. "Are you okay?" Kairi asked again, helping him stand up.

"Yeah," Riku nodded though he still felt a bit shaky. "I just felt something…something really bad. My senses were overwhelmed by this incredible infusion of darkness." Riku's face twitched with fear and revulsion. "It wasn't anything I had ever felt before. Nothing like the Heartless. It was…pure darkness."

Kairi tried to answer when a loud scream broke through the air. It was soon followed by more panicked shouts and huge explosions that soon replaced the calm tropic atmosphere. "It's coming from the square!" she whispered in horror. All her friends, neighbors, trapped by god knows what…

Riku didn't need to say anything else. He nodded grimly and handed Kairi a small keychain. In a flash, Destiny's Embrace formed in Kairi's hand. "Looks like it's time to see whether all that training paid off. You ready?"

Kairi nodded an affirmative. "I just hope they remember to head to the evacuation points." After the last disastrous invasion by the Heartless, this time Destiny Islands was prepared for a similar scenario. King Mickey had lent them two gummi ships able to accommodate every citizen on the islands. The mayor, Kairi's father, had drilled into the residents a new regime should something this catastrophic happen again. All residents were to head over to the gummi ships and evacuate the world. It was a harsh solution but not all of the citizens had returned after the last time the darkness came. Next time, they wouldn't take any chances. Their home might die but at least they'd survive. In theory that is.

"Then we'll make sure they get there. Come on!" Riku shot off towards the main square; his apparent brush with the darkness now nothing but a memory. Kairi ran after him, trying to keep pace. This was only the second time she had ever been in battle before and it didn't make Kairi feel better how inexperienced she was, at least compared to Sora and Riku. Training can only get you so far. There was a mile of difference between practicing shooting magic at your friends in some friendly sparring match and then facing enemies out to kill you. Kairi didn't want to think how she'll fare.

The darkness was hemming them all and Kairi could feel a small pain in her chest. It was almost too much, like a great poisonous evil had descended on her home. How could this be happening? Shouldn't their town be safe from invasions like this? Haven't it suffered enough? It had been so long, their world had just returned back to the way it used to be. Kairi knew it was probably childish of her to ask why they had not gotten a reprieve. The forces of darkness didn't need an invitation. They did not respect anything and are quite willing to consume everything in their mad quest for power. They would not wait and allow the worlds peace. They just took whatever they want without a care for anyone else's lives. Why should they? All they care about was power.

Kairi finally caught up with Riku, who was observing the scene from the entrance of the main square. Quite frankly, it was nothing she had ever seen before. The square she knew from memory was a small but homely place, where friends and family could gather and have some peace. Now the place was utterly changed. Entire buildings were either on fire or crumbling down. The square was punctuated by screams of terror. The ground was filled with craters, some still smoking a dark, malevolent air. The dark skies were now glowing an eerie purple as the shadows around them shifted and changed shape. While the square was always filled with people, with life, now it was completely empty, as if all the people had just vanished. Even so, it wasn't the most startling addition she concentrated on.

The square empty, devoid of life except for two creatures she had never seen before. They were much like the Soldier Heartless but they all look far too ragged and patchy. Their corroded red color stood out against the darkness as they lurched around the square, alternately gibbering with their horrifically box-shaped heads. An eerie emblem of a broken heart was sewn haphazardly on their chests. Kairi looked at Riku, who was regarding the two monsters in horror. The sheer enormity of the situation was not lost on him either.

"No!" They heard a voice shout and saw Relm running towards the Luca Café, now empty of customers. The strange red creatures were running at her, hands outstretched and grasping for her. One of the creatures jumped in the air and tried to land on her only to be stopped by Riku's Keyblade sending it back to the air. Kairi swung her Keyblade and shouted, "Fire!" sending a red hot fireball at the other monster, reducing the creature to wisps of smoke.

"Thanks guys." Relm panted, falling on her knees in exhaustion. Kairi reached out and helped her up. "I got cut off from Selphie and the rest. They should be at the evac point by now." Her eyes darted wildly as she clutched her hands around her body. "What were those things? And what are those?" She was now marveling the Keyblades Kairi and Riku held. Kairi only let out a non-committal noise and decided not to answer.

"We'll get you there, Relm, don't worry." Riku assured her, prying her arms loose. "Just keep calm and don't look back."

Kairi nodded as well to Relm, trying to make her feel better. "We'll protect you."

"Coming from you guys, it almost made me feel better." A soft smile emerged in Relm's face as she nodded firmly to Riku.

"Stick close to us then." Riku said as he began to walk through the square. Relm immediately followed him with Kairi bringing up the rear, keeping her Keyblade close. They moved at a quick pace, exiting the square and running down a street leading into it. The houses they passed all had their lights off. Some of the doors to the houses were left ajar, obviously after the residents have escaped. Kairi did not want to think of any other alternatives.

Kairi was not there to see her home destroyed the first time around. Something had taken over her that fateful night and any memory she might've had was now gone. Did it look anything like this? Did the Heartless ransack her island, preying on the poor islanders and stealing away their hearts? Did they consume everything until there was nothing left but pure darkness? How could they have rebuilt after such a catastrophe? How could they do it again after something like this? Kairi truly hoped they would be able to or else face extinction once again. She would be damned if her true home would be swallowed up once more.

"How did the Heartless attack so quickly?" Kairi wondered out loud. Ahead of her, Relm was panting slightly to keep up with Riku, who had shown no sign of any strain at all since the attack began. Kairi supposed it was due to how used he was to these kinds of situations. "All year long, they've never attacked like this before."

"These aren't Heartless." Riku said tersely. "They don't feel right. The darkness within them felt too weak. You saw how easy they were to destroy. Plus the emblems on their chests were completely different."

"But then what was that darkness that overwhelmed you?"

Riku shook his head. "I don't know but it can't be Heartless, I'm too familiar with their brand of darkness to be put off and it's certainly not what does things were. Something tells me this is only the beginning?"

"Heartless? Darkness?" Relm looked at the two with a quizzical look on her face, brushing away her dirty blond hair with sweaty fingers. "Are those code words or something?"

"Close enough." Kairi smiled. Their friends didn't need to know more about Keyblades or Heartless or anything else that's happened out in the worlds. They didn't need to be troubled by all that information. It was bad enough their home was being torn apart yet again by the darkness. Why it was being done so would be too much.

"Still, that leaves the question of who's controlling those things." Kairi said. "It can't be a coincidence that they attack the day after Sora leaves."

"We can leave that question for later." Riku replied. "Right now, all we need to do is get to the evacuation ships in the sports hall. Then we can start asking questions."

"Wait, you're telling me someone's behind this?" Relm looked at the two of them in disbelief. "Some sicko got those…things and deliberately sent them to our town?"

Kairi opened her mouth to reply then suddenly spotted something up in the sky. "Look out!" she shouted as she dove forward, knocking Relm to the ground.

"Kairi!" Riku shouted only to cover his face as a large, red winged creature landed on where Relm had been beforehand. Kairi looked up and saw more of those creatures flying in the air, straight towards their little group. She felt slight hands help her back up and looked at Relm, who was fearfully looking at the bat-like creature standing in front of them.

"Take Relm and get out of here!" Riku ordered, just almost casually stabbing the winged monster in front of him with Way to the Dawn. The creature let out a cry of anguish before dissolving into black smoke. Not wasting time, Riku swung his Keyblade the other way and shot a volley of dark fireballs at the oncoming swarm, batting them away for a second. "Go now!"

"No way am I leaving you behind!" Kairi said angrily only for Riku to grab her by the shoulders again and practically push her to Relm. "Someone's got to protect her. I'll buy you girls time to escape." Riku's cocksure grin didn't fade when behind him, a huge, muscular creature burst through a house, reducing it to rubble with a large hammer. The monster let out a huge roar and proceeded to lumber at them, swinging its weapon indiscriminately.

Kairi shot him a reproachful look. "We'll wait for you. Just hurry. Please?"

"I wouldn't want to let you down again." And with that, Riku gave her one last grin before running up towards the gigantic monster, rolling over a hammer swing. The swarm of flying creatures tried to converge around him, only to be knocked back by a blast of blue energy.

"Come on." Relm murmured, tugging against Kairi's arm lightly. "We gotta go or else that was all for nothing." The small action shocked Kairi back into reality and she gasped out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding it in.

"You're right." She nodded to the younger girl and said, "Come on, we have to hurry or they'll leave without us." The two set off deeper down the street, running as fast as their legs can carry them. The streets ahead were still empty of anyone or anything except for their desperate footsteps. The monsters that had assaulted them were now gone though Kairi could see small blips flying against the chaotic background of the sky. They were heading for the direction opposite to them, evidently joining the fight breaking out.

She didn't know what to think. She didn't want to think. She wanted to hope that Riku will make it out alive or that he probably beat them to the evacuation point. He'd probably be waiting there with a cocky grin on his smug face. Kairi would rather that happen than anything else.

"Almost there." She heard Relm pant in the darkness. Ahead, they could see the makeshift blitzball stadium as they ran into another street. The place that had been under construction for nearly six months now. There wasn't anywhere big enough to keep the gummi ships so they were being stored there until her father could find a more appropriate place for them. She could see that there were still lights coming from the structure. Perfect. They might still make it.

And Riku as well. They can't leave without him. She won't let them.

Kairi could feel exhaustion kicking in her legs, Destiny's Embrace becoming heavier in her grasp. The only sounds she could hear where their footsteps and their hurried breathing. Suddenly, without warning, they heard another explosion in the distance, coming from behind them. Skidding to a halt, they turned around and saw a plume of blue and black flames shooting towards the sky.

"What?" Relm stared at the stream of fire as an almighty shockwave nearly brought them to their knees.

"Riku!" Without thinking, Kairi tried to run back to her friend only to stop in her tracks. A bright circle of light had materialized in front of her, surrounded by numbers and symbols unknown to her. The light disappeared, revealing a slight figure cloaked in black. Kairi gasped in recognition and leveled her Keyblade forward. The person's face was covered with shadow but Kairi knew just from the horribly familiar black coat that this was an enemy.

"Kairi?" Relm edged closer to Kairi, watching the newcomer with a hint of fear.

"Get to the stadium." Kairi whispered. "I'll hold this one off. You just get to safety."

"But-!" Relm tried to protest only to be stopped by a glare from Kairi. "You can't take that thing on your own!"

"And you can?" Before Relm could reply, the figure raised a hand. Bright translucent blocks of light began to form around it, converging into a full shape. The light solidified into a Kingdom Key, one that Kairi had seen before wielded by Sora. Before either of the two girls could react, the hooded stranger shot forward and swung the Keyblade forward. Kairi only barely managed to block it with her one before being knocked back into Relm and into the ground.

Undeterred, Kairi stood up, still valiantly holding on to the Keyblade. "I said go!" She growled at Relm.

The young artist was torn between staying with Kairi and looking at the stadium. "Hurry." She said before running off, leaving Kairi alone with the hooded Keyblade Wielder.

"Who are you?" Kairi asked nervously, holding Destiny's Embrace aloft. In her mind, she was going through everything that Sora and Riku had taught her over the year. She knew she had no hope of beating this person, whoever he or she was. She didn't have the experience nor the skill to outfit what looked like an accomplished warrior. The person even held the Kingdom Key in the same way Sora did. How did she hope to fight this person off with only the most rudimentary of skills and magic?

"Just surrender."

Before Kairi could react to the monotone female voice, the hooded stranger jumped in the air and brought her Keyblade down on Kairi's head. Kairi tried to block it once more only for the assailant's strength to overpower her. Kairi was blasted back and her Keyblade sent spinning into the air. She fell on the ground hard, eliciting a groan of pain.

The hooded person paid her no attention, instead walking over to Destiny's Embrace and taking hold of it. Was that it? That was how she was going to die? She didn't even last a second! What was she thinking, trying to be the hero for once and trying to save someone's life? She wasn't cut out to be a warrior. She knew she was just a waste after all. Kairi almost laughed if she wasn't groaning in pain.

The hooded girl was now walking towards Kairi, holding the two Keyblades. Kairi refused to snivel like a coward. She stared defiantly into the darkness of the girl's hood. If she was going to die, she was going to go the way she wanted to.

The stranger raised Destiny's Embrace over Kairi's head. Kairi could not see the girl's eyes but she was sure they were staring down on her pitilessly. Kairi closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable.

"Get up."

Kairi heard a clang of metal in front of her. She opened her eyes again to find Destiny's Embrace on the ground in front of her. The hooded girl was ahead of her, raising an arm. A Corridor of Darkness ripped through the air. "What?" Kairi asked, confused.

"I said get up." The hooded girl replied, her voice not rising in inflection. "Or do you want to be fodder for the Silhouettes?"

The term caught Kairi but the harsh words struck a chord. She gingerly stood up and took back her Keyblade. "You're here to help me?"

"What does it look like?" The girl walked over to Kairi and grabbed her hand. "You are either coming with me conscious or unconscious. Your choice."

Kairi tried to strain against the girl's iron grip but all she did was strain her muscles. It looked like she had no choice. Behind her, Kairi felt the rumble of a ship engine and exhaust shoot out into the sky. Good. At least the townspeople got out alright. Ahead of them, the plume of blue fire that had alarmed her so was now gone, reduced to smoke. She didn't want to think what might have happened there but she knew that Riku wouldn't be taken down so easily. She could try to fight again with the Keyblade back in her hands but she knew she wouldn't stand a chance. This person was clearly far better than her and she was out of energy.

So it seems she has no choice.

"Fine." Kairi replied icily. Her eyes bore into the shadows created by the girl's hood. Kairi hoped that some day, she will be able to look into the girl's own eyes with the same intensity. "Lead the way."

Holy crap that took too long for a chapter shorter than the last one.

Anywho, please leave a review. I'm actually quite curious what most people think about this little pile of words. Right now, my main concern is pacing. Everything seems to be moving a tad too fast for my liking. Hopefully that would be recitifed by the next chapater but in the meantime, please leave your thoughts.

Thanks for reading, hope you're enjoying yourself so far. Next chapter should be up soon, barring any inherent laziness.

EDIT GET: Changed Destiny's Place to the English translation, Destiny's Embrace.