Yes, it's about darn time I had an update. I apologize. I got into one of my moods—one of my "this fanfic is stupid and going nowhere" moods, for the both of them. Which really isn't true at all, I know exactly where it's going. I just have to right the individual chapters, and knowing what you want to happen and then turning it into a chapter is something I have trouble with . I will try to be better with updates. This chapter isn't my best, but there may be a few surprises…

"Hi Dem-Dem!"

"Oh, hi Mixa! I just wrote a new duet for us!" He began strumming on the guitar. "Oh Demy, it's so romantic…"

"Shine Aqua Illusion!"

Ice water doused the two lovebirds.

"Yah!"

"Coldcoldcoldcold…"

"Mixa!" scolded Xima angrily. "We have a mission to go to!"

"All right, all right! Geeze, always trying to make someone work around here…" she turned and planted a kiss on Demyx's cheek. "See you later handsome!" she called, waving as she and Xima entered the Corridor of Darkness. Demyx had a stupid grin on his face, and was blushing. Saïx quickly came over and smacked him over the head with his clipboard.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"You were smiling."

"It's wrong for you to lead him on like that," said Xima.

"Well, look who's talking about wrong and right. Rip anyone's heart out in the lab lately?"

"Not the way you're doing to Demyx."

"He's cute, and I've always wanted a boyfriend. And we're really similar."

"You have no heart to love him with."

"Love? Who said anything about love?" asked Mixa. "I'm just having fun. That's Demyx's problem, not mine."

The two of them walked across a sandy beach as they spoke, a castle in the background. They finally came upon a fellow member standing there with her hood up.

"Right on time…" said Xima, taking out a device…

Riku groaned to himself as he looked up at the castle. "Why did we have to come to this one?"

"Isa insisted Kairi go to Atlantica."

"Are you sure we can trust him?"

"It's the best lead we have," shrugged Mickey. "Are you sure you're not just nervous about coming here? After…well, you know…"

Riku surveyed the castle. "The spell was broken, right?" he said. "The beast found his true love…and won it back. Maybe there is hope for me yet."

"There's more than hope," said Mickey. Riku looked to the side. "If it's all the same to you…I think I'm going to wait out here a little while. Plenty of heartless to take out."

Mickey looked at him sadly, and then nodded. "But you know, Riku…you don't have to condemn yourself to he shadows anymore. You're free to walk in the light like everyone else. You've earned that much by now."

Mickey walked away, and Riku turned his attention to several heartless that started popping up…

Chriximu (Kri-shi-mu) closed her eyes as she sank deeper and deeper into the water. She flipped her tailfin experimentally, moving slowly and gracefully as always. She felt so calm in the ocean, so at peace…already, she could feel her powers strengthen. She'd be able to finish her mission in no time like this…

"OH MY GOD! THIS IS SO MUCH FUN!"

A streak of orange zoomed by Chriximu, instantly breaking her concentration. Chriximu turned her head to Xima, also a mermaid, and also equally annoyed. "Mixanko, please, control yourself!" she said angrily. "Why did we bring her again?" asked Chriximu. "Well, I needed a lab rat for the terrain-changing technology, and if it was going to maim or kill anybody…"

"Might as well be her. Got it."

"Are you guys talking about me?" asked Mixanko, swimming up to them. "Oh, whatever, I'm having fun while you guys are just sitting there meditating or whatever." Mixanko began swimming circles around the two. "I mean, look at this!" She started zipping around again. "Look how far I can get flipping my fins!* Woosh! I'm over here! Now I'm over there!"

*Sweatdrop* "Um, Mixa…" began Chriximu.

"Enough of this nonsense!" screamed Xima. "I only brought you along as a guinea pig. Now that we know it works, how about you put your energy to use and finish your mission—on land?"

Mixanko came to a stop and floated in front of them. "You are such a killjoy…fine. How do I reverse this?"

Xima motioned to the bracelet on her wrist. "Just push the button!"

"Sure it isn't a self destruct?"

"If we could be so lucky…" said Xima. "Fine. I can see where I'm not wanted!" Mixanko swam off. Xima shook her head. "That girl…well, I'd better get back to the lab. Good luck with your mission, whatever it is."

"Sorry, top priority and top secret."

"I understand," said Xima. She started to swim off when Chriximu tensed. "What is it?"

"How interesting…" she turned her head. "We have visitors here. Isn't fate funny like that?"

"You should probably avoid them."

"I'll just do a little recon and see what they're up to. Besides, they haven't seen me yet, so they won't recognize me as being from the Organization. This could be fun."

"Can you tell who it is?"

"Not quite—just Donald and Goofy, I think."

"Oh. Well that shouldn't be too bad. In fact, it may be better if you slow them down."

"Don't mention anything yet. I'll gather more Intel," said Chriximu. Xima shrugged. "If you're sure," she said, and swam off for good.

"Hmm…a heart of pure light…that can't be anyone but Kairi. How interesting."

"Being a mermaid is so much fun!" said Kairi, swimming around in circles. "Easy for you to say. You're a natural! I suddenly remember sucking at swimming," said Hotaru, who was still having trouble balancing herself. "And why is Goofy a turtle? And Donald…what are you supposed to be?"

"Never mind that!" said Donald. "We have an important mission to do!"

"Uh…what exactly is that, Donald?" asked Goofy. "You idiot! We have to…uh…well…"

"I suppose we'll start with the heartless?" suggested Hotaru. "Yeah! That's it!" said Donald.

"You really are a hopeless lot…"

They all turned. A beautiful woman was standing—er, floating—before them, with Aquamarine hair and blue eyes. Her tailfin and seashells were the same color as her hair. Hotaru suddenly thought that she looked like a goddess. "You're not going to get anywhere against the Organization at this pace. You can't keep running around and hoping you run into what you need."

"What do you know about the organization?" asked Donald. "What indeed…" she laid back and began backstroking around them. "For starters, you aren't going to find what you're looking for in this ocean. Surely, you should realize that, Donald, Goofy, now that Ariel's on land…"

"What does Ariel have to do with it?" asked Goofy. The woman shrugged. "Who knows? But don't you want to pay a visit to your old friend anyway? And besides, her being one of the most pure-hearted people around here…"

Hotaru frowned. "Just who are you?" she asked. "And what are you really trying to say? Stop speaking in riddles!"

The woman's eyes widened. "Hotaru…!"

Hotaru gasped. "You know who I am?"

Her eyes suddenly glazed over. "I…I'm sorry, I've never met you before."

"Please!" said Hotaru. The woman shook her head and started to swim away.

"Do you really know her?" asked Kairi.

"I feel like I did, but…I still can't really remember." She closed her eyes. "I do know this much: she's a Nobody. I could feel it. She didn't have a heart, which probably means she's with the Organization."

Kairi pondered for a few moments. "Well, we could be walking into a trap…but it's the only lead we have," sighed Kairi. "If it is a trap, we'll just have to spring it."

Riku took out the last of the heartless and stood up. He sighed. He was being ridiculous, staying out here and pouting like this. He needed to get over himself.

"Oh! Hello there!"

He turned. Belle was standing there with a little blond kid with a gap in his teeth holding her hand. Both were carrying flowers. The little boy wrestled out of Belle's grip and run up to the stranger. "Who are you?" he asked inquisitively.

"Uh…I'm Riku," he replied. "I'm Chip!" said the boy proudly. "We were out picking flowers for Mama. She's been feeling sick lately." The boy's happy expression fell a bit. "Chip, why don't you go in? I want to have a talk with our guest."

"Oh boy! A guest! Lumiere's gonna be so excited!" said Chip, running off excitedly. Riku smiled. "He seems like a nice kid. Kind of reminds me of…"

"Sora?" asked Belle. "You're his friend, right? The one he was looking for?"

"Uh…yeah," Riku said sheepishly. "You used to work for Maleficent…" Riku turned around. "Yeah, I did. Listen, I'm sorry…"

Belle nodded. "You're forgiven."

Riku looked in surprise. "Just like that?" "Of course. That was a long time ago. And if you gave him the chance, I'm sure he'd forgive you too," she said, motioning at the castle. "But eventually, Riku, you're going to have to forgive yourself."

Riku looked at her in surprise. "Am I really that transparent?"

"Well, I have always been told I'm too smart for my own good…"

Riku sighed. "I just…" he shook his head. "I pushed behind everything because I was unsatisfied with my life. Because I wanted more."

Belle sat next to him. "I can relate to that. I always wanted to go out and have adventures too. And…I guess I ended finding the thing I really wanted. Tell me, Riku: what is it you want now?"

"What…I really want. Huh. I guess I never thought of it that way…"

"You want the same thing, of course," came a voice that made Riku freeze. He quickly stood up.

"Get in the castle. Now," he said adamantly. Belle hesitated a moment, then went in. Riku stared right into the pair of yellow eyes he never seemed able to escape.

Ansem smiled at him. "Even now, you still cling to the darkness. You like the power. You enjoy the control. It doesn't matter what side you are on; you still live for the same thing: the fight."

Riku shook his head and summoned his keyblade. "You always did talk too much. Let's just skip to the part where I beat you."

Ansem crossed his arms, a swirl of darkness behind him summoning the Guardian. "You merely prove my point," he said coldly, charging towards Riku.

The Prince who was once a Beast stood in his room. Everything had once been torn apart, by his own hand, not feeling like he deserved to live in anything but darkness. But Belle had changed all that. Belle had shown him the light.

"Do you really think anything has changed?" whispered a voice in his ear. He quickly turned, almost growling, his eyes full of fury as he recognized the voice.

"Temper, temper," said the voice again, the figure in the Organization coat stepping out of the shadows. "Belle's heart of pure light may have been enough to break the spell. However," he said, taking down his hood, "I wonder if you have truly changed. Do you really think that deep in your heart," said Xaldin cruelly, "You're anything but a beast?"

Beast clenched his fist and turned his head. Xaldin was already gone. He threw a fist against the wall and just stood there, steaming in his anger.

Mixa is an anagram of Xima. Aren't I just a genius? 'Cause they're opposites. And what exactly has Xima been doing in the lab…?

And I thought it would be interesting if, instead of just going to these worlds like I see in most fanfics, they went into these worlds based on the credit endings—after everything's been said and done, the Beast's curse lifted and Ariel now on land permanently. I can see reasons for them not including it in-game—partially for the sake of gameplay, so when you went back there, your partner Beast was still a beast and Ariel a mermaid—and I also like that we couldn't see any more Disney endings ruined like Mulan .

Also, the Beast doesn't have a name other than "Master" and "Beast." So…maybe I'll make up a name for him? Or just call him Prince? Half the princes are just called prince charming anyway…well, Snow White's prince is the only one I can think of, but still…

And Ansem. Seriously. Get a new plan besides bothering Riku. It's a big universe out there. How do you like Riku's response? I thought I was making him a little overly whiny and Cloud-like (Don't kill me!). But again, I use the excuse that he was having darkness issues in Dream Drop Distance. He dealt with darkness in Chain of Memories, but…he hadn't really dealt with what he had done, and the reality of what he did and the guilt of the fact hadn't really hit home yet. He still had a touch of that badassness from kh1.