Disclaimer: Not mine, yay!

Chapter 21- Windows to the Soul

Kairi's eyes stared lifelessly into space. Her breathing was almost non-existent. Riku crouched beside her and held her hand. Captain Hook's ship rocked gently to a silent melody.

"Kairi's just like a puppet now." whispered Riku. "Is this what happens when you lose your Heart?"

Maleficent regarded the girl in front of her. "Unfortunately so, child. It has been stolen by the Heartless."

"What can I do to find it?" asked Riku.

Maleficent looked out to the stars. "There are seven maidens of the purest Heart. We call them the Princesses of Heart. Gather them together, and the lock to the door will open. The Door to the Heart of all worlds and within lays untold wisdom."

"So that's why you got me to bring Jasmine here…" thought Riku out loud.

"Yes… There is one more thing needed to open the door however." Maleficent placed both her hands on top of her staff.

"Huh?" Riku looked up.

"We require Iji." The witch continued. "I am not quite sure of how she is connected to the door, but it is important that we keep her within our sights. If we lose her, then all will be lost."

"Including Kairi's Heart…" Riku glanced back down at the barely living Kairi.

Maleficent smiled. "Now, I'll grant you a marvellous gift."

The witch swung her staff and a green glow surrounded Riku. He felt a surge of darkness within himself.

"What is this?" he asked, slightly panicked.

"The power to control the Heartless!" Maleficent cackled.

Riku gazed into Kairi's blank eyes as the dark power filled him. "Soon, Kairi, soon." A smile played on his lips. "But first I need to visit someone."

*****

"This day can't get any worse!" groaned Sora as they were shot out of Monstro's mouth. "Riku's such a jerk! He knows where Iji and Kairi are! I just know it!"

Donald grumbled. "Yeah, yeah, but right now they're not our main concern, Sora. We have to seal the Keyholes remember!"

Sora groaned again.

"Hey guys! There's a new tournament starting up at the Olympus Colosseum!" chirped Chip. The chipmunk bounced around happily.

Sora's groaning turned into an excited gasp. "Let's go for it!"

The Keyblade Master leapt onto the controls in an effort to set the warp drive. Chip and Dale attacked him, trying to pull him away from the buttons. Donald yelled profanities and Goofy laughed like an idiot.

*****

Iji wiped her brow on her shirt. Training was a lot harder, especially since didn't have anyone to practise against apart from a stone archway which looked like it was about to crumble at any second now.

"I need to get stronger…" she panted between gritted teeth.

She closed her eyes and breathed in, preparing for an attack. Spinning around she went to hit the archway again with her Star Cutters. A metal-against-metal sound made her open her eyes. Riku was standing in her way, blocking her attack with his own bat-winged blade.

"One more hit and I think it'll be history for that thing." Riku grinned. "You've been working out pretty hard."

Iji smiled back, glad for the compliment. "I'm gonna be stronger than Sora."

"Hey, but what about me now? Are you going to try and be stronger than me too?" Riku swung his sword over his shoulder.

Iji shrugged. "Yeah, I guess so."

Riku grinned at her again and Iji felt her heart give a flutter.

"Well then, let's see how you're going so far." Riku held out his weapon, ready to do battle.

Iji leapt back in response and prepared as well. She liked the sound of this challenge.

*****

"So you know the rules, right?" asked Phil impatiently.

"Yeah," nodded Sora excitedly. He flexed his hand and the Keyblade glinted in response.

The satyr unhooked the rope and let them through to the main arena.

*****

"Looks like you got a fair way to go, Iji." commented Riku. He stood above her as she lay on her back on the ground.

"Ouch," groaned Iji and groggily sat up. Riku had beaten her within ten minutes.

"But you did better than most would. Even Sora didn't last that long when we sparred together on the island." He helped her to her feet.

"Really? Ah!" Iji stumbled and fell, pulling Riku down with her as she grabbed his shirt on the way.

The pair landed awkwardly on top of each other. Iji's black and white eyes stared curiously up into Riku's mysterious aqua eyes. Riku blushed when he saw how close he was to her face. He could almost count her eyelashes. Riku shook his head and quickly pulled himself up. Iji rose as well, she looked slightly confused. She placed a hand over her Heart.

"Something wrong?" Riku asked as he noticed.

Iji's eyebrows knit into a concerned frown. "I don't know… I've never felt like this before. My Heart… it flutters when I think about you, or you're near."

Riku reached out and grabbed her hand, locking them together. He pulled her close and embraced her tightly. "I was really worried about you while I was gone, Iji. I don't know why, but I like you for some reason, even though I haven't known you for long."

There was no response from Iji. Riku stepped back from her, still holding onto her shoulders. The girl's eyes looked foggy and dark, clouded by shadow. They stared upwards into the sky, almost rolling into the back of her head.

"Iji?" Riku asked cautiously.

"I once had a Heart. But now it is gone and the light I replaced it with is fading fast…" The words flowed from Iji's mouth.

"Iji? Cut it out. You're freaking me out here." said Riku with wide eyes.

"Everything's so far away..." Iji continued. In the depths of Iji's eyes there shone a tiny pinpoint of light.

Riku shook Iji desperately, trying to get her to stop.

Iji's head fell forward until her eyes came to be level with Riku's. The pinpoint of light in her eyes changed into something different. Riku gazed into them and in the distance, he saw a man watching amusedly as Iji screamed in pain. The scene changed and Riku gasped. He saw himself holding the Keyblade whilst surrounded by shadows. Riku let go of Iji in shock.

"When you choose darkness, you make an enemy of the light." Iji whispered to him. Her eyelids closed over and she softly fell to the ground.

Riku bent down to her, wondering what had just happened.

"Hey, punk! What'd you do to my star player?" A long-fingered hand harshly grabbed Riku painfully and spun the teen around. Hades' hair was flickering on the edge of red.

Riku's eyes were full of confusion and fear. "I don't know! I just hugged her and she started going crazy!"

Hades glowered at the silver-haired teen. "You do know she's supposed to be helping me now, don't you?"

The anger in Hade's voice snapped Riku out of it and he glared back at the god. "There's been a change of plan. She's coming with me now to help me find the Princesses."

"Hey! But what about my plans?!" demanded Hades.

"They've been put on hold." Riku picked Iji up and carried her to the castle.

Hades growled heatedly. "If it wasn't for the fact that you're Maleficent's little flunky, you'd be nothing more than a pile of ash by now… So you better watch out, punk."

*****

"We're the champs!" shouted Sora joyfully, pumping his arm into the air whilst confetti danced around him, Donald and Goofy.

"Whaaahoo!" cheered Goofy.

"Oh boy, oh boy!" Donald jumped up and down.

Sora grinned and looked out into the sky. His face fell. "I wish you could have seen me win, Iji…" he whispered.