A/N: Wow… sorry about the delayed update… Well, delayed for me, anyways! lol

I've had some family issues, my Grandma is dying of Alzhemier's : (

Plus, I've had to work like four 12 hour days in a row and I'm exhausted! ARG!

Anyways… thanks for the reviews guys! Ya'll are awesome and I love ya: )

Separation

Sora was numb to the cold wet rain that was running down his face. He was completely unaware of it dripping from his jaw line in fast shallow drops that rippled across the glassy surface of the black snarling face below him. He opened his mouth to speak… scream… anything! But only a muffled yelp escaped the lump in his throat before he fell to his knees, colliding with the wet reflection below him.

"So, I have rendered the mighty Sora speechless…"

Sora winced as the words rattled in his head. "So… you're… inside me?" he choked out.

"I had to go somewhere when you used that damn light orb, and this seemed like the most logical place to go."

Hysterical laughter rang in Sora's ears as he doubled over, holding his stomach, and slowly shaking his head in disbelief. "I think I'm going to be sick…" He swallowed hard against the nausea nagging the back of his throat.

"Buddy, I'm pretty sure that's the least of your worries. What the hell do you plan on doing about Red and Pretty Boy?"

Sora snarled at the reflection below him, "Don't talk about her…" The nausea quickly dissipated and Sora clutched the sides of his head as he shouted at the blackening sky above him. "Why?! Why me?! Why now?!" he suddenly furrowed his brow and clenched his teeth. As the anger fuming at the edge of his sensory ignited, he punched at the wet ground, bloodying his knuckles against the stones.

"Aw, why me? Why me? Poor little me!" The shadow cooed in a high-pitched whiney voice, which quickly changed to an angry shout, "Quit your pity party and get over it!"

Sora quickly grabbed the keyblades lying at his sides and stood up, dismissing his weapons and replacing his wet hood over his soggy brown spikes. With a pierced brow he set off in long decisive strides towards the Bailey, where he knew Merlin was still waiting for him.

"Hey! Fuck-up! Where the hell do you think you're going?"

"To get rid of you," Sora replied darkly as blood oozed from his knuckles and trickled from his fingertips, mixing with the rainwater in long pink drips.

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"Riku… Come on, please!"

"Nope."

"Why not?"

"Because the look on your face right now is just too priceless…"

Kairi stood just outside the store front, her arms folded across her chest as she glared through the sheet of water that was pouring from the awning covering her. "Fine…" she huffed, "Then I'll just stay here until it stops raining…"

"Fat chance…" Riku smirked at her through drenched silver bangs. "Then I guess I'll just go back to Merlin's and leave you here in the storm alone," he sing-songed over his shoulder as he strode away.

"Riku!" she yelled at his back, "Just buy a damn umbrella!!"

He turned around to face her and started walking backwards, "Why don't you buy one?"

"I didn't bring any munny!! Someone woke me up rather rudely this morning without telling me where I was going! And someone owes me an umbrella!"

Riku smiled as he stopped in his tracks and suddenly started walking towards her, "Yeah… and that someone just spent all the munny he had on him on a certain white outfit!" He grabbed her by the wrist and started pulling her into the street and into the rain, "Now come on and quite being such a damn baby! I promise… you won't melt!"

"Riku!" she squealed as the cold wet raindrops pelted her face and soaked into her clothing. She struggled against his grasp, but quickly gave up and allowed herself to be pulled through the market streets as she redirected her energy into trying to stay as dry as possible.

As they passed through the shops on the edge of the market, Kairi noticed Riku's sly grins and glances over his shoulder at her, "Riku… what the hell are you laughing at?"

"Huh?" Riku's face suddenly turned a bright shade of red and he quickly looked straight ahead, "N-nothing!"

"Riku…"

Kairi's tone was somewhere in between a mother's scolding and a sister's teasing, and Riku knew he didn't stand a chance against her inquiries. So, being Riku he decided to get straight to the point, "I can see through your shirt…"

"WHAT?!" Kairi stopped dead in her tracks and looked down. Sure enough, her dark bra was plainly visible, even through the thick sweater-like material. "RIKU! STOP LOOKING, YOU PERV!!" She blushed brilliantly and threw her arms around her chest.

Riku just stared at her, trying his best to hold back the laughter that his mouth was threatening to erupt. Finally, the humor of the situation got the best of him and he burst out in laughter, "Kairi! You should see the look on your face!"

At first Kairi just glared at him, but as the rain soaked through her, she felt like a drown rat. And Riku actually looked like a drown rat with his hair hanging even shaggier and longer than usual around his pale face. Soon, she was holding back giggles of her own. "We look pretty ridiculous, you know?"

"Yeah… Come on, let's get back to Merlin's. Leon and the gang will be wondering where we are…" Riku laughed along.

"Yep, so will So…ra…"

And the laughter stopped, the moment killed with just the mention of his name. Kairi's smile dropped and the heaviness in her chest returned. She sighed and started walking towards Merlin's, a sheet of rain blurring her path.

"Kairi…" Riku yelled over the dull roar of the raindrops and rumble of thunder.

"I'm fine," she cut him off with a wave of her hand. "Let's just get back to Merlin's."

Riku hated to see Kairi's smile disappear, so he quickly chased after her, "Kai, wait up…" He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and turned her to face him. "I… I have to tell you something."

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Streaks of lightening danced in the clouds just outside the large window overlooking the ruins of Maleficent's castle. The rain beating down on the rocky walls around them deafened in Sora's ears as he strained to hear Merlin's voice over the thunder and howling wind.

"Ah, ok. A separation, of light and darkness, with a full barrier to protect the light still left in your heart from being consumed while you tap into your darkness."

Sora nodded, "A barrier…" He repeated in a flat tone, no emotion betraying him in his stance or facial expressions. "Psh. A barrier… Yeah right…" Sora looked at Merlin nervously, assuring himself that the old wizard hadn't heard the shadow's voice.

Merlin pressed on, not faltered, "Today we will complete the last step. A-are you ready, Sora?"

"Yeah Sora, are you ready to feel darkness?" Sora winced as the shadow snickered in his head. He glanced at the old wizard through a pierced brow before nodding once, "Let's do it."

"Ok then, let's get started…" Merlin called over his shoulder as another streak of lightening blinded Sora's eyes. Merlin took a few steps and then turned around to face Sora. "Alright. As you know, you yield both a keyblade of light, as represented by the Kingdom Key bearing the Oathkeeper keychain, and a keyblade of darkness, as represented by the dark Keyblade of Hearts. Once we have barricaded the polar ends of your heart, you will no longer be able to wield both keyblades at the same time."

Sora swatted at a few buzzing flies, "And because I got the Oathkeeper charm from Kairi, a Princess of Heart, that makes it a keyblade of light…"

"Yes!" Merlin nodded enthusiastically, "When you are tapping into the power of darkness, you will be at your most powerful. There are many new spells and weapons that will become available, but you will not be able to wield the power of light during that time."

"Because of the barrier…" Sora finished.

"Precisely! You may consider the darkness somewhat of a drive form, with which you are previously familiar. I predict it will change your appearance as well as your abilities… However, you will remain in full control of your actions, unlike a possession with darkness. "

"Ha! You think you can control me?!" the shadow spat. Sora inhaled deeply, biting his tongue so as not to retaliate. "So how do we build this barrier…" Sora asked impatiently as thunder rumbled through the violet chasms below them.

"Ah yes, the barrier… Well, most of it is already completed, by your own doing. By keeping your darkness from Kairi, you actually started the barrier months ago while still on Destiny Islands."

"Ok… And how do I finish it?"

"By building the other half…" Merlin sighed as he led Sora to the window and motioned for him to sit. "Sora… I want you to close your eyes and think about everything in your life that is light…"

Sora frowned at the wizard in a questioning stare as he situated himself on the narrow window, "What?"

"Trust me… just close your eyes… And picture what parts of your life make up the light in your heart."

Sora sighed and closed his eyes, ignoring the irritating chatter ringing in ears about "what light?"... and "don't bother"…. He sat very still, listening to the wind howling in his ears and the rain rattling against the cold stony walls around him. My light… Kairi… My friends… My home… My mom… Suddenly, the rain pounding against the walls didn't seem so loud and the winds ceased to blow. His surroundings seemed as still and quiet as he was. A warm sensation pooled in his chest and radiated across his shoulders and down his stomach, until his whole body felt submersed in the warmth. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth for the first time in a week and he felt peaceful.

Merlin nodded enthusiastically at Sora's calm demeanor. "Very g-good Sora!" he praised quietly, "Now, without opening your eyes, I want you to think about the light dimming, but not going out… Just fading behind a closed door…"

As Sora did as he was told, the warm sensation tingling in his fingertips and toes slowly traveled back up his limbs, leaving behind a numbness and emptiness. As the heat traveled back towards his heart, his face softened into a somber expression. He shivered involuntarily at the absence of the warmth as he suddenly felt the wind across his damp skin. Slowly, he began to acknowledge the rain pelting against the stony walls surrounding him and the rumble of thunder echoing in the gorge below him.

As he opened his eyes to meet Merlin's, Sora felt empty and alone. He was surprised to find that the snickering voice was mute in his head and he reveled in the silence surrounding him.

"Okay Sora…" Merlin smiled softly, the light reaching his soft grey eyes as he put a reassuring hand on Sora's shoulder. "Now I want you to close your eyes and think about what parts of your heart contribute to your darkness."

Sora nodded slowly and closed his eyes. My darkness… Resentment of the Keyblade's calling… Guilt for my mother's death… Hatred towards my shadow… Jealousy towards Riku… Shame for breaking Kairi's heart… Suddenly, the storm around him began to intensify. The lightening seemed brighter, even through his closed eyelids, and the wind whipped through him, cutting through his clothing with ease. The thunder rumbled in his ears, deafening him and the rain hammered against the walls around him, creating a dull roar that echoed throughout the Bailey. Sora felt dark, and a foreboding awareness raised the hairs on the back of his neck as he sat very still and silent in the chaos surrounding him. The voice in his head, again, was mute.

Suddenly, he felt a surge of power erupt from his core and course through his veins. It almost felt as though he were holding the dark Keyblade of Hearts, but more intense. He threw back his head and lifted his arms slightly off the stony window sill he was still sitting on as the power of darkness began flowing through him. He felt like he was high, high on the waves of adrenaline and strength crashing through his body.

"Yes! Sora! You're doing it…"

Sora opened his eyes and looked down at his body. His clothing had turned completely black and had dark purple accents on the pants and shoulders. Black and violet flames licked at his fingertips and swirled around his arms and legs, ignited with power and energy. His eyes had turned so dark, not even his pupils were detectable. As he stood up, he realized that he was actually floating several inches from the ground, and a manic laughter escaped him.

Merlin watched in amazement as Sora raced through the Bailey with speed that rivaled the lightening that was still sparking the sky above them. He seemed stronger, faster, and more agile than ever. Merlin clapped his hands together and shouted, "Sora! My boy! Excellent, just excellent! Why don't you drive down now, eh? We don't want to over do it on your first day…"

"Yeah…" Sora agreed and came back to were Merlin was standing as he sadly let the flames fueling his drive form extinguish in puffs of black and purple smoke that lifted around his body. "I think I need a break… I'm going to go back and rest for a while at your place Merlin…"

"Yes! Rest… rest sounds good my boy! Ah, we will resume tomorrow!"

"Thanks Merlin." Sora smiled and turned towards Merlin's.

"Hmmm… I think fuck-up likes the power of darkness. It feels good, doesn't it?" The shadow's voice returned as Sora sprinted down the long flight of stairs from the Bailey.

Sora answered with a grin still playing across his lips, "Yeah… It does."

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A/N: Gasp! Is Riku going to spill the beans about Sora's love for Kairi!?

What are Sora's new abilities as he taps into darkness?

And will Kairi buy a new bra that doesn't show through her shirt?! lol

Ok…. So…. I have little challenge for my readers! Well… not a challenge really… But I am taking suggestions for a different world to do in my next chapter!! My original thought was either Beast's Castle or Halloween Town, but then I decided to let my readers decide were Sora and the gang will go next!! So, REVIEW and let me know what world you want to see next!! OKAY! REVIEW PLEASE!