DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING EXCEPT THE PLOT AND MY ORIGINAL CHARACTERS!

A/N: HELLO OUT THERE! ANOTHER CHAPTER HAS COME, AND I FEEL VERY EXCITED TODAY!

Not only have I arrived with the long-awaited Chapter 55, I have some exhilarating news.
I am going to be graduating from my university in about a week and a half after 12 years of study there! In addition, I have one of my original stories self-published as of last year. While I could tell you the name of the story in question, I'd rather not showcase it on here directly since I used my real name as its author. If you'd like to know what it is called, you can PM me about it.

This also means my life is about to change, so I don't know for certain how much time I shall be able to work on this story. I would like to finish this one by the end of 2023, if possible. Then, I can move on to the next tale in this series. I am certain all of you would like to know what happens next, am I correct?

Before I let you go, I wanted to inform you about a POLL I added to my profile page a while back.
Feel free to vote if you'd like!

I would also like to remember some of the actors and actresses we lost last year.

GILBERT JEREMY GOTTFRIED - (February 28TH, 1955 TO April 12TH, 2022; AGED 67).
He is most-certainly best remembered for his unique performance style, often as a bird. He was the voice of Iago in the Disney movies, "'Aladdin (1992)'", "'Aladdin And The Return of Jafar (1994)'", "'Aladdin And The King of Thieves (1996)'", "'Aladdin -The Animated Series- (1994 TO 1995)'", and The "'Kingdom Hearts'" Video Game Series. "KH1", "KH2", "KH Re: Coded (The Movie)" [KH -2.5 HD ReMIX-] were the titles he appeared in for the KH Series. I also know of him for his role as Digit LeBoid and Widget in "'CYBERCHASE'". Season 13 of that show finished airing after he had left us, and he had already recorded his lines for it, which is why the first episode of Season 14 is dedicated to him.
I have to admit, his voice sounded weaker in "'Kingdom Hearts -2.5 HD ReMIX-'", and the same was true for Seasons 10 TO 13 of "'Cyberchase'". Chances were, it was because he was ill. In fact, he was very sick at the end of his life, yet he continued to provide his personal best to his work despite that condition. He Shall Be Dearly Missed.

PATRICIA ANN CARROLL - (May 5TH, 1927 TO July 30TH, 2022; AGED 95).
Most of you are most-likely familiar with her performance as the iconic Disney Villainess, Ursula, in the Disney movies, "'The Little Mermaid (1989)'", "'Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed In At The House of Mouse (2001)'", and "'Mickey's House of Villains (2002)'", The "'Kingdom Hearts'" Video Game Series ("KH1", "KH2", "KH CoM", "KH 3D"), and the Disney show, "'The Little Mermaid -The Animated Series-'". However, she was also the voice of Ursula's sister, Morgana, in Disney's "'The Little Mermaid II: Return To The Sea (1998)'", and she voiced the character, Granny, in the Studio Ghibli movie, "'My Neighbor Totoro'". She appeared in a number of classic (older) shows from the 1970s and 1980s, including "The Carol Burnett Show" and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show". Personally, my Mother and I know her best as stepsister, Prunella, in "'Rodgers And Hammerstein's Cinderella (1965)'".
Yes! She was a TRULY Active Actress for many years.

ANGELA BRIGID LANSBURY - (October 16TH, 1925 TO October 11TH, 2022; AGED 96).
She was considered to be one of the best actresses from the United Kingdom. She was best known for her portrayal of Jessica Fletcher in the 1980s & 1990s television series, "'Murder, She Wrote'", Miss Eglantine Price in Disney's "'Bedknobs And Broomsticks (1971)'", the Grand Duchess, Marie Feodoronvna Romanov in "'Anastasia (1997)'", the Balloon Lady in Disney's "'Mary Poppins Returns (2018)'", and Mrs. Potts in Disney's "'Beauty And The Beast (1991)'", "'Beauty And The Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (1997)'", "'Belle's Magical World (1998)'", and The "'KINGDOM HEARTS'" Video Game Series ("KH2").

All of them shall be Dearly Missed For Sure.

For me, last year got personal, too. My Grandmother on my Mother's Side passed away. (She Was 85; April 23RD, 1939 TO November 17TH, 2022).
I feel it would be for the best if I did not reveal her name on here. Security Reasons.

Now that all of that is out of the way, YOU ALL ARE NOW PERMITTED TO READ ON TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT! PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW, TOO! RIKU'S BEEN ASKING ABOUT IT! =)

CHAPTER 55
Dark Illusions

The inky blackness seemed to come from all around. The stench of emptiness clung to the air. The sounds of their footwear squishing against the solid ground mixed with the howling of the wind echoing throughout the area. The chilliness of the landscape gave Niccole a feeling of dread. Although she had visited this place once before, the Realm of Darkness still appeared as ultra-dismal as it had the last time.

To be truthful, Niccole was grateful for the new outfit Master Yen Sid had provided her for this venture. It consisted of a dark blue jacket, white shirt, dark blue skirt, and black, heeled boots. She had donned an indigo ribbon in her golden hair, which kept a neat ponytail in place (and out of her eyes). She glanced at Riku, who led them both down the marshy-ish path. His black hooded jacket, white shirt with its V-neck, blue cropped trousers, black glovettes, and matching boots were difficult to avoid noting. He swept his eyesight across the land and proceeded to lead the way.

As the pair passed another bluish-black mushroom that glowed in the darkness, Niccole shivered. "This place is creepy than I remember," she quivered.

"You're not the only one," Riku said. "Sora and I were in this place about a year ago, and everything has changed. I don't see the beach where we entered the Door to the Light."

Niccole sighed. "Looks like we'll be walking in circles for the next several hours," she gazed upon the photograph in her hand. It depicted a young woman about eighteen years old with medium-length, blue hair that was mostly parted to the left and blue eyes. A sudden gust of dark air whooshed past her ears. 'I hope Aqua isn't too jumpy when we locate her,' she considered. 'I would be if I were trapped in this place for more than a decade.'

The tunnel before the two opened into a large, open plain. They stared at what stood before their eyes. An enormous peak scraped the blackness in the sky with a number of town buildings littered in the surrounding landscape. Niccole was amazed. "What a view!" she marveled. "I would say it's safe, but I don't like the location."

Riku raised his arm and his Keyblade appeared. "Be careful! I know that mountain."

The noise of various creatures rising from the ground filled the air. Riku and Niccole quickly found themselves back-to-back, surrounded by a small army of large Shadow Heartless. Niccole summoned her Keyblade and held it at the ready. "Where did they all come from?" she asked.

Riku wanted to laugh. "Really? That's what you're worried about? C'mon, Niccole! I know you're stronger than that."

The golden-haired girl had to give a small laugh. "Or maybe you're the weaker link in our chain."

The two lunged ahead and started slashing, slicing, and slamming their weapons into the advancing Heartless. The more they fought, the faster the enemies attacked. It seemed the alarming number of monsters was endless. Niccole was starting to feel a little light-headed. She knew she needed to keep up the pace or the duo would be overtaken in nanoseconds.

Riku stopped to catch his breath. At that moment, a Heartless lurched at his back. Niccole rushed over and sliced her Keyblade through the enemy. "Thanks," Riku acknowledged.

"No problem," Niccole responded.

All of a sudden, the ground began shaking. The Heartless stopped moving at the two young people and retreated in an instant. Riku and Niccole paused to seize a breather. No sooner had they grinned at each other afterward did the shaking resume. They spun their attention to the mountain. The top of it opened, revealing a large black demon with glowing eyes, horns, and wings. Niccole gasped, "It's a… a… what is it?"

"I knew it!" Riku blurted. "It's this guy again!"

The demon reached its arms out and shadows creeped down the terrain and into the town. The buildings were swiftly shrouded in darkness. The ghostly spirits of deceased people drifted from the structures and made their way to the demon's lair. The line of spirits spiraling to their master formed a thick mist. All of it was taking place without a sound, almost like it was an illusion.

Niccole was astonished. She had known the Realm of Darkness to be a dark, foreboding place. This was the first time she had witnessed such a display. Would the rest of this forbidden frontier be portrayed in a similar manner? She started to question if she should use her Keyblade to open a portal out of the land and back to the Mysterious Tower. Wait a second! If she did that, Riku would continue the search for Aqua's whereabouts on his own. How could he succeed in such immense Darkness by himself? No. She had to stay and assist. First, she needed to be honest with him. "I do not like this," she admitted. "Can we please look somewhere else?"

Riku turned his head toward her and grinned. "Don't worry! We can handle anything that throws itself our way," he started to walk to the east of the town. "C'mon. Aqua needs us to save her."

"Or maybe we'll be the ones needing the saving," Niccole whimpered. She took a deep breath and followed.

Away they both went, deeper in the emptiness commonly referred to as the infamous Realm of Darkness. In actuality, it was the notorious Dark World.

The town and demon-infested mountain were long past. Niccole slowly trudged down the path alongside Riku. The deeper in the emptiness they traveled, the stronger its stench became. She took out her cellular telephone. According to the clock, they had only been in the Darkness-infested land for two hours and forty minutes. It seemed much, much longer than that. Although relieved Riku had chosen not to battle the demon and its minions, Niccole had been forced to flee with him when a pair of gigantic Heartless had emerged from the shadows and tried to ambush them. That had been a while ago. All they had encountered since then were the usual small Shadow Heartless. Niccole was glad Riku was with her in this dungeon, even if she would rather have stayed back at the tower.

Riku halted and stuck out his arm. Niccole turned to him. "What?" she asked.

Riku pointed straight ahead. "Do you see that?"

The golden-haired girl fixed her eyesight onto what the young man was indicating. Before them were two glowing ellipses sporting a shade of red. That was also the moment when Niccole realized the two had wandered into an open valley filled with dead trees and crumbling monuments. Riku readied his Keyblade. "Get ready!" he called. "It's coming this way."

Niccole raised her Keyblade as the gigantic creature charged out of the shadows. She could not believe her eyes. It was as dark as outer space with glowing red eyes, crooked horns on its head, thick legs, and a long, barbed tail. In its jaws were smelly fangs and the essence of Darkness.

Riku grabbed Niccole and pulled her away. The creature skidded to a stop and swept its eyes around the vicinity for any sign of its prey. "Niccole!" Riku shook her. "Are you alright?!"

Niccole did not respond. The thought of the creature snatching her, and then turning her into its next snack was scrawled completely across her mind. With an irritated groan, Riku slapped the young woman across the cheek. Niccole snapped back to attention. "What? …What happened?" she wondered aloud. "Where is the Heartless?!"

Riku did not have to answer. The monster was heading straight for them. Niccole raised her Keyblade again. The Heartless smashed itself against the blade and shoved with all its might. Niccole tried to maintain her position, and she ended up hurled into the air like a doll caught in a weak tornado.

"No!" Riku hollered. He dashed at the Heartless and jumped. With a single slash and yell, his Keyblade tore clear through the enemy. The creature exploded into Darkness and vaporized. The silver-headed youth landed onto the ground, allowed his Keyblade to disappear, and extended his arms. Niccole landed directly into his grasp. The impact was so great, the two fell to the ground.

"Niccole, are you alright?" Riku inquired.

Niccole sighed deeply. "Yes, I'm… alright."

She rose from the ground and strode a few yards away before stopping. She hung her head. Riku jumped back to his feet and stepped over. "Hey, what is it?"

Niccole was ready to cry. "I can't do this," she wept. She fell to her knees and covered her eyes using her hands. "I'm a terrible Keyblade warrior. How can I hope to help you save Aqua if I'm unable to defend myself?"

Riku sighed and took a seat beside his friend. He gazed up into the depths of the Darkness. "You know, someone once said 'Surrender is never an option'. I wasn't sure what that meant, but now I think I do."

Niccole wiped the tears out of her eyes. "Really?"

"Yeah."

"Who said that?"

Riku grinned. "I think it was a storyteller who came to the islands once. He was nice, but I think he was lonely. I remember the speech he made about this book he self-published. He told everyone, 'The only way you can lose is by giving up. If you never discard your dreams, you can achieve your goals. Then, you shall be capable of defending what truly matters.'"

Niccole had to grin. "I suppose that makes sense. Maybe it's what Aqua was thinking after she saw Michael Mouse."

"Yeah, maybe."

Niccole returned to her feet. "Well, I'm not going to throw in the towel yet. Aqua needs us, and we should do what we can to ensure she has a future with friends."

Riku had to admit, his friend had a valid point. He rose to his feet. "How about you lead the way?"

Niccole nodded. She proceeded down the path ahead. Riku was steps behind her.

Some time had flown by before Niccole and Riku came to a stop. Rising before them was a gigantic castle consisting of shadowed walls, purplish towers, and glowing, red windows. To Riku, the place seemed to have a similar design to the mysterious Castle Oblivion, only with a very different color scheme.

Niccole stared at the structure for several long seconds. She took a step closer. Riku grabbed her arm. "Hey, what're you doing?"

"Don't you feel it?" Niccole gestured at the castle. "This place is calling for me."

Riku paused. His grip slipped. "Yeah, I… think I do?"

Niccole gave a nod. She raced ahead. Riku tried to call after her. When she did not respond, he sighed and trailed after her. Being the first one to the main entrance, Niccole grasped the door handles and pulled them. The heavy doors opened with such force, they nearly shoved her onto the ground. She looked down into a dark, faded purple hallway lined with mirrors. She stepped inside. Riku was directly behind her.

"This place is so weird," Riku remarked. His voice echoed down the corridor. His eyes descended upon one of the mirrors. It showed an image of Violet and himself sharing a picnic on the beach. Another portrayed him getting married to Kairi on the same beach; Sora was also there, waving a wooden sword in envy. The third view seemed to depict Riku back when his body had been possessed by Ansem, The Seeker of Darkness; he was standing in the Grand Hall of the castle at Hollow Bastion. To the silver-haired young man's alarm, Niccole was also in the shot — she was lying on the floor, injured. 'This isn't right,' he pondered. 'Are we in a… castle of illusions?'

"Riku!" Niccole called out. "Look at all this."

Riku hurried down the hallway and up a short flight of stairs to a large doorway that lacked actual doors. Niccole was already on the other side. The two were now standing in a massive hall shaped like a perfect circle. The ceiling was painted like the night sky after a supernova had passed through it. It was clear that the floor itself was crafted from marble as it echoed under their feet. There were thirteen columns in the space, each holding up the ceiling. Riku thought he saw names scribbled upon each of them, but the writing was in another language, seemingly one that had been forgotten, and had been used in a delict that no longer existed.

Riku was so busy observing the surroundings, he failed to notice Niccole strolling up to a large mirror in the middle of the chamber. The object appeared to be floating in place, and it was revolving at a slow pace. To the young woman's astoundment, the mirror was two-sided. One side showed absolutely nothing. The other seemed to portray her reflection in a very clear appearance. "What a peculiar mirror," she admired.

She reached out and touched the side with her reflection. A burst of dark energy enveloped the mirror and her body simultaneously. Niccole had little time to react. The mirror started magically transporting her inside its frame. "Riku!" she shouted.

Hearing the cry, Riku saw the scene unfolding. He charged over and reached for the golden-haired girl. A blast of energy shoved him away. When he rose from the floor again, Niccole was gone, her reflection now replaced by a silhouette. The mirror was giving off a dark purplish glow. He summoned his Keyblade and charged at the object. A figure dressed in black slid into view and blocked him. "Are you what's keeping her imprisoned in there?" he demanded. "If you are, I'm going to shatter your chances!"

The figure summoned a Keyblade with a similar design to Niccole's and raced at him. The two started to clash repeatedly. Riku hoped his friend would be alright.

Niccole looked around her new surroundings. The ground was a dark purplish color, and the thin, wispy clouds that shrouded out the rest of the space were a deep violet tint. "Where am I?" she inquired, her voice echoing all around. "Is this the inside of the mirror?"

"Welcome, my old friend."

Niccole shifted her focus straight ahead. Standing on the other side of the space was a young woman sporting golden hair tied into a ponytail by a dark ribbon. The rest of her outfit resembled Niccole's current attire, only more transparent and with darker shades on everything, including her skin, eyes, and hair. The figure extended her arm and summoned a Keyblade of her own. It had the same shape as Niccole's, except its color was a pure black with a reddish, glowing outline. All the young woman could do was stare in alarm. "Who are you?" she finally inquired.

"You know who I am. We used to be such close friends."

Niccole scowled. "Stop lying! I never chose the path of Darkness!"

"What about your friend? He once opened his heart to the inky Darkness. What makes you so certain he didn't infect your heart with any of it?"

"Cut it out! You're completely wrong!"

"You don't remember what occurred back in the castle that night? Surely you haven't forgotten the injury bestowed upon you, and the damage the two of you caused?"

Niccole froze. Her mind started to spin backward like she was inside Dr. Brown's DeLorean. She recalled the castle's grand hall looking spookier than ever before. Those six maidens taken from various worlds placed along the walls of the opening foyer had snatched her attention. When she had seen Alice, she knew immediately who she was looking upon. Then, she had marched up the stairs and found… him.

Niccole could not believe her eyes. Before her rose a tall keyhole flooded by constantly changing color patterns. The display seemed to resemble a kaleidoscope. She paused, almost enchanted by the sight. "What is this? It looks like that shape from the Cave of Wonders…. "

"So, you have escaped from your prison," called a voice.

The teenager spun around and shifted her eyes upward. Standing atop the highest point in the chamber was a young man who looked an awful lot like Riku, except in a darker outfit. In his hand was a black Keyblade with a red handle. Her eyes desired to leap out of their sockets. "Riku! You're okay."

The figure showcased a grin. Niccole froze. She could see an ominous glow extruding from him. "Wait a minute. You can't be Riku. Who… are you?"

The young man hopped down from his perch and drifted to the floor. "I am Ansem, the Seeker of Darkness, and I will send you back where you came from, reckless girl."

Niccole frowned. "No way!" she extended her arms. Winds came from all sides and rushed at her. She gathered them all together within her open palms. "I'm not leaving until you surrender."

The young man's grin darkened. "If you desire that fate, I'll give it to you. Here it comes!"

He charged at Niccole. She used her magic to blow him backward. The man backflipped onto his feet and hurled his Keyblade at her. He followed it with a sudden dash. Niccole rose into the air and swooped into the air. She called down a bolt of electrical energy. The lightning struck the young man and knocked onto the floor. She trailed it with a chunk of ice and patch of flame. The man was now lying motionless on the floor, his Keyblade still in his grip. Niccole allowed her magic to permit a calm descent to the stage. She approached the man, and her eyes drifted to the weapon in his hand. "This Keyblade's too dangerous. I better confiscate it for safekeeping."

No sooner had she reached for the weapon did the man jump up from the floor and slash the blade through the girl. Niccole found herself shoved onto her back. Her right side and left arm were in so much pain, she couldn't move. "No one touches this Keyblade but me," Ansem stated. Now Niccole could hear both Riku's voice and a deeper voice mixed together coming from the young man's mouth. "It's time you paid the price for attempting to combat the glorious powers of the Darkness."

Niccole slammed her eyes closed. She knew what was coming….

Niccole's head dropped, and she gave a deep, deep sigh. "I know what happened… and, yes, it was very hurtful," she looked up and readied her Keyblade for a showdown. "But I know Riku wasn't himself back then. His body was being controlled by someone else, and I intend to settle the score with them one day."

The woman before her scoffed and started to cackle. "How naïve can you possibly be? Have you not comprehended how the powers of the Darkness are truly overwhelming?"

"You can stop the act. I'm convinced Riku would never truly harm me. Xehanort's Heartless would, but not Riku. He's my friend, and after all we've been through, he has proven himself more than capable of overcoming the Darkness. If he can do it, so can I."

The shadowy woman readied her Keyblade. "If you won't yield, then I have no alternative. Prepare yourself for the endless abyss, denizen of Light!"

The woman rushed at Niccole. The girl jumped into the air to avoid the assault, flipped a couple of times, and landed onto the opposite end of the arena. "No way! How'd you learn to do that?!"

"It's a trade secret belonging to the Light," Niccole declared.

The pair charged at one another. Their weapons clashed hard against each other. Niccole shoved as much as she could. Her shadowy opponent did the same. They were gridlocked; no matter what either did, the other managed to counter it. A drop of sweat slid down Niccole's cheek, and an idea soared across her mind. She threw her body weight against the blade and released one hand. With a shout of "Blizzara!", she unleased a cascade of ice upon the shadowy being.

"This cannot be happening!" hollered the shadowy creature. The icy substance covered her in seconds. Niccole then lurched ahead and crashed through with her Keyblade. The creature shattered in fragments of ice and Darkness.

"Now, you belong to the endless abyss," Niccole commented.

In the blink of a flash of Light, she found herself consumed by a brightened view. The surrounding mirror-like arena vanished. When the brightness dissipated, the golden-haired girl could see she was back in the castle. She turned around in time to watch as the mirror she had been magically trapped inside cracked and shattered. She gave a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness."

"Hey!" came a shout from close by. Niccole spun to the left. There was Riku, swept up in a battle of his own against a figure draped in black. "Can you give a little help?"

Niccole had to shake her head. She summoned her Keyblade and hurried across the floor. "I'm on my way!"

Just as she reached the figure, it turned to face her. She raised her weapon and summoned a vast whirlwind. The gusts it produced scooped the Heartless into the air and slammed it into the floor. Riku sliced his Keyblade through the enemy moments later. The creature exploded into Darkness and dissolved. The silver-haired young man and the golden-headed young woman were now face to face. They both had to smile at one another.

"We make a good team," Riku mentioned.

"Sure do," Niccole approved. She twirled her Keyblade in her hand and draped it over her shoulder. A section of music played in the space for a few seconds. The pair looked around. There were no signs of anything amiss in the building aside from the chunks of debris the cloaked Heartless had torn out in its projectile attacks. "That was strange."

"Yeah," Riku paused in thought. "Sounds like the victory theme from those old video games."

A sudden vibration surged through the floor. All eyesight shifted downward. Riku and Niccole wobbled. They swept their visions across the chamber. The damaged columns were shaking, and more debris was breaking loose. More stuff began falling from the ceiling and crashed into the floor near where the mirror had stood. The pair knew they had only one option left — run!

Within a heartbeat, Niccole and Riku raced out of the room and down the corridor they had passed through upon entering the castle. The tremors seemed to grow as they marched down a flight of steps that hadn't been there previously. As they made their way down, several Shadow Heartless emerged from the floor and lurched at them. They slashed their way through the enemies and charged for the doorway up ahead. The closer they got, the further it appeared to become. "It's an illusion," Riku realized. "We need to jump at it."

"Okay," Niccole acknowledged. At the silent count of "two", they both leaped into the air. The floor where they had been standing crumbled into a deep abyss. They started to descend just as the door came within reach. Riku grabbed Niccole's hand, and they extended their legs forward. The doorway burst open, one of the supposedly heavy doors snapping off its hinges. The pair of teenagers landed onto the marshmallow-y ground outside. They rolled over and looked back to see the castle collapsing in on itself. A cloud of Darkness rose from its place and clung to the air for several minutes before it faded away.

"That was too close," Niccole observed. The two rose from the ground and brushed the flakes of inky substance off of their clothing. "I hope Aqua wasn't in there."

"If she was, then that means," Riku stepped to the edge of the gaping hole where the castle had been positioned. "She's down there somewhere."

"Do you sense her presence?"

Riku shook his head. "No."

"Then she isn't down there."

"Alright," Riku turned away from the opening and toward the path to the left. It led downward from their current position. The inkiness twenty yards ahead was so dark, they couldn't see what lay beyond that point. "Let's try this way."

"Yes," Niccole affirmed. "Hopefully we've seen all the illusions we will down here."

They continued on their way into the Darkness.

A couple hours passed before Riku and Niccole found themselves reaching the end of the path. The former's eyes lit up. Before them stretched a long, sandy beach. A fairly bright light shone in the distance. The sounds of the waves reminded him of the beaches back on the Destiny Islands. Having arrived at their new destination, the two came to a stop.

"I know this place," Riku admitted. "Sora and I came here after we defeated Xemnas. We sat down and talked, and then there was this message in a bottle. After that, the Door to the Light appeared, and we walked through. Next thing we knew, we were back on the islands."

Niccole had to grin. "That sounds like quite the experience."

"Yeah, but… why would we be led here?"

"Could this be… another illusion?"

Riku sat down onto the sand and looked up into the darkened sky. "I don't think so. This part of the Realm of Darkness hasn't changed. And I… I sense someone else was here after us."

Niccole took a seat beside him. "Who?"

"I don't know. I thought it was DiZ — I mean, Ansem The Wise, but his smell is missing. There are two other smells here, and one of them resembles a girl Sora, Violet, and I met in the Sleeping Worlds. I don't know the last one."

"Could it be Aqua's?"

Riku shrugged. "Maybe. I don't know what she smells like," he grinned. "But I doubt she'd smell anything like you do."

Niccole frowned and punched the silver-haired youth in the shoulder. "You're not as nice as you think."

"Yeah, Sora's better at nicety than anyone."

"Is that a real word in a real sentence?"

"I thought it was."

Niccole had to look Riku in the eye. "You 'thought' it was?"

Riku could only shrug and smile. "Yeah."

The girl had to smile in return. The two now had to share a laugh. Even amidst the deepest of the Darkness around them, there was always an opportunity to find something amusing, even if it didn't make sense to anyone they knew. They both were quite convinced that this was the only way anybody could keep their spirits up when wandering through the Realm of Darkness. At least they had each other to cling to when the going got rough!

That caused Niccole to wonder about Aqua. The young woman had been searching for a way out of this place for at least the last decade. Had she possibly gotten lost into deepest of the Darkness? Perhaps the illusions the two of them had experienced might have claimed Aqua not long ago. How could they discover for certain whether or not this had been the case?

The sounds of things rising from the sand stole Riku and Niccole's attention. They rose to their feet and examined the scene around them. Shadow Heartless of varying sizes were gathering together in large clumps. The two teenagers found themselves forced back-to-back, Keyblades in hand.

"This isn't going to be easy," Riku surmised.

"We can take them all," Niccole assured.

Riku had to grin. "You sound like Sora."

Niccole had to grin back. "Someone here needs to."

They both laughed softly amongst each other. Then, they lunged into the fray. They slashed, sliced, and smashed their way through Heartless after Heartless after Heartless after Heartless after Heartless after Heartless after Heartless after Heartless….

It was not long before Riku felt worn out. The enemies were still coming in droves and clumps. He glanced over his shoulder. Niccole was using a protection spell to block attacks from the sides. 'Why didn't I think of that?' he questioned.

The girl glanced toward him for a moment and stared. "Riku! Look out!"

Riku spun around in time to see a tower of Shadow Heartless bending down upon him. He raised his Keyblade, but the swarm was too much. The monsters rained down onto him with such force, he felt he was being stabbed from all sides. In truth, his body was intact. The next thing he knew, he was surrounded by inky blackness and floating. He tried to swim through the emptiness, but it was no use. He gasped for air and tasted only salty water from the Dead Sea. He closed his eyes.

"RIKU! WAKE UP!"

Riku reopened his eyes to find himself lying on the beach again. Niccole was standing over him. He coughed and spat out some seawater from his mouth. He took several breaths and felt light-headed. "What… what happened?" he inquired as he sat up.

"Those Heartless almost drowned you," Niccole explained. "I took care of them, and the rest of them retreated."

Riku had to grin. "Thanks," he glanced at his Keyblade. The end of the blade was torn, almost like it had been sliced by a large, powerful chainsaw. "Looks like my Keyblade's seen better days."

Niccole raised her own weapon. The end of the blade was severed clean off. "Mine, too. Should we go back to Master Yen Sid and ask for replacements?"

Riku nodded. He rose from the sand and approached the water. He stuck his weapon into the ground, blade first. The chain at the end dangled and moved gently in the dark breeze. "Can't use this, so I'll leave it for the other me."

Niccole stared at him as she clambered onto her feet. "The… 'other' you?"

Riku turned back to her. "We can go now."

He strode off and away from the beach. Deep down inside, Niccole was perplexed about what her friend had meant. Was there another version of Riku out there? True, Xehanort had succeeded in concocting multiple versions of himself. Yet, had Riku managed to do something similar? Perhaps that was a story for another day….

She hurried away after the silver-haired young man.

A/N: SHEESH! WHAT A SERIES OF EVENTS!

I suppose many of you saw some of that coming. The Realm of Darkness has NEVER been a very friendly place, now has it?

Yes, I referenced "Kingdom Hearts 0.2 -Birth By Sleep ~A Fragmentary Passage~" in there, along with Disney's "FANTASIA (1940)".
Keep in mind, the Realm of Darkness would technically be flooded with illusions designed to capture unsuspecting travelers until they yield into the Darkness and fade out of existence.

Well, to include a few more details, here is some insight into Riku and Niccole.

RIKU NOMURA - Age 18. The Keyblade's Chosen One who selected the path of Darkness out of his eagerness to find the strength he required to protect the things that mattered. Despite being led astray further by Maleficent and Xehanort, he has since developed a strong resistance to the Darkness. Due to his fall into the Darkness, his friendship to Niccole was on rocky terrain. Now that they have made up, he is determined to work with her to save Aqua from the depths of the Realm of Darkness.

NICCOLE HOPE - Age 17. Riku's close friend who has desired to be near him since she first met him in Wonderland. Despite his fall into Darkness, partly thanks to Maleficent and Xehanort, she has finally managed to forgive him and move on from what took place back then. As a fairly new Keyblade wielder, she is a little hesitant to use her weapon properly, and she continues to utilize magic spells instead. Her willingness to eradicate an ancient hurt and avenge her mother has ensured her survival through perilous times and events.

That is all I have to say this time around.

So Then, I'll See You Next Time!
In other words, PLEASE DON'T LEAVE WITHOUT REVIEWING! THE FATE OF THIS STORY DEPENDS ON IT!

REMEMBER THIS - A MINIMUM OF 214 IS REQUIRED FOR THE SEQUEL! IF 240 ARE POSTED, I WILL INCLUDE A "SNEAK PEEK" FOR THE SEQUEL ITSELF! HOWEVER, THAT/THOSE GOAL(S) MUST BE MET BY THE TIME THE-SECOND-TO-LAST-CHAPTER IS POSTED! THAT WAY, I WILL HAVE TIME TO ANNOUNCE WHETHER OR NOT EITHER GOAL WAS MET!

This Is SoraLego278 Saying, "See Ya Later, Keybladers!" Plus, "Have A ZIP-A-DEE-DOO-DAH DAY!"