Author's Note: Well, I just wanted to get the ball rolling with the previous chapter. This one has much more dialogue and events. It's a bit shorter, too. I forgot to do a disclaimer at my last chapter. Just letting you know, Kingdom Hearts doesn't belong to me. Trust me.

The next chapter will be in a different point of view, by the way. Enjoy.

[chapter II]

"Next Stop: Twilight District - station number five."

The computerized recording frayed my nerves. I couldn't focus. What could I possibly do to help Aqua?

Rays of the setting sun colored the air on the 6:00PM train to Twilight Town. I had not visited that side of the city in what felt like years. It always made me uncomfortable, as most people there were relatively stuck up and unpleasant to people of my social standing. The train was still pretty dirty looking because it originated in Destiny Islands, and there were only a few people sitting on the uncomfortable plastic seats. I chose to stand and hang on to the greasy pole facing the door.

'The faster I arrive, the faster I can leave.'

My reflection taunted me in the window of the door.

What could I possibly do? Did I have any special skills or abilities? What did I have to offer the spoiled boy that tortures innocent people?

My auburn hair looked unkept and tangled. 'It must've gotten that way when I ran to the station...'

My hoodie was worn-looking and not very flattering on my slender figure. My cheeks and nose were flushed red from the icy cold air, and I usually never wore makeup. My sneakers were ripped and dirty, and my jeans were plain blue. In all, I looked like I definitely did not fit in Twilight Town.

'It doesn't matter. I just need to find this boy and beg him. That's all.'

The concrete buildings with graffiti became more and more scarce, and then I began to see trees and brick houses with green lawns and golden fences. The houses started getting larger and more elaborate as the train traveled on. I couldn't believe the difference between the two districts. Eventually, we arrived at station number five, in the heart of Twilight Town. The tall ceilings and arches made of marble were a bit frightening to me, and crowds of women wearing heels and men wearing suits rushed passed me. I stood for a moment, lost in a world completely foreign to me. Then I quickly snapped to reality and remembered my mission. I clutched the money in my pocket.

'Cab fare. This should do...'

I noticed a group of boys walking toward one of the many exits. They seemed to be huddled around one in particular. Their neat, blue uniforms had a crest on the left side of their chest, and I couldn't really tell what it was, exactly. It appeared to have a crown and a large heart shape. It didn't make much sense to me. While I was staring at their crest, they made a clearing in the center of the group, and I noticed their leader.

Our eyes met.

His flawless, slightly tanned skin glowed, and his smile radiated kindness. His small, impish nose turned upward at the tip, and his cheekbones were soft looking. His eyes were the color of the clearest afternoon sky possible - the bluest I'd ever seen. His hair spiked up in tufts, and was a lovely deep brown shade. He was tall and gangly, but not weak looking. His smile seemed to widen when he saw me, somehow.

And then he started to walk toward me.

'Am I dead?' I contemplated seriously. 'Is this actually happening?'

My head was spinning. 'What is going on?!'

He was finally a few feet in front of me.

"Excuse me, miss?" His voice was happy sounding, and he wore a kind expression. "Are you lost?"

I remembered my physical appearance, and mentally killed myself. 'Why else would he come to talk to you, anyway?'

"Er..." I started, and my face flushed, "Um...Well, not really. I have somewhere to be, actually. So..." I adverted my eyes from his holding stare.

"So...yes. I am not lost. Thank you, though."

I gave him a quick smile, still not looking at him directly, and quickly walked to the nearest exit. I felt his figure staring at the back of my red hair, and sped up my walk. I opened the door and was hit with frigid air, and it cleared my mind.

'That was incredibly frightening.'

The image of his sky-blue eyes was burned in my mind.

I hailed a cab, and took a deep breath.

"Where to, miss?"

I looked ahead.

"To 108 Pearl Street, please."

...

There was something oddly familiar about the magnificent mansion I came face to face with. The large mahogany door was lined with intricate patters in a gold color. Large windows lined the front and all the levels of the house. There was a balcony and, from what I could tell, a rooftop pool. I was impressed. No bars were on the windows here.

I stood at the doorway for a good five minutes, contemplating my next move. All I had to do was ring the doorbell. My hand felt like lead, and I couldn't seem to lift it up.

'What am I doing? What will I even say to the person who answers the door? I don't even know this boy's name!'

Fear gripped my mind. My body was shaking from fear, and probably some form of hypothermia.

'On the count of three...ONE...TWO...'

I rang the doorbell.

My pulse was incredibly fast. My head was throbbing.

One minute. 60 seconds.

'Please, god. Someone answer the door.'

Two minutes, 30 seconds.

I was freezing.

Step, step. Click.

An older looking man in a gray suit answered the door. He stared at me with curiosity in his eyes. "Can I...help you?" He attempted to smile.

I couldn't believe someone actually answered the door. I licked my chapped lips and attempted to stop shivering and look composed.

"Yes. Um. Er..." I was tripping over my words. Finally, I decided, "Does a young man live here?"

He gaped at me.

"Yes. Two, in fact."

Great. Now, what do I say? What can I possibly say? Who is this boy? I don't know what he looks like, or even his name. What should I do?

I already didn't like the fact that I ventured about an hour and a half to get here, met a beautiful boy and made a fool out of myself, and was stuck babbling like an idiot in front of a gorgeous mansion.

"I...um...well," I cleared my throat. It was freezing.

"Perhaps, miss," He began slowly, "You would think clearer if you were not as cold. Please, come inside."

I quickly stood at attention. A smile crept upon my blue lips.

"Thank you," I mumbled. "Thank you, very much."

I steadily walked inside the mansion, and took in the beautiful sights. The foyer had a golden light, with lamps that had stained glass shades. 'That seems...familiar.' I shook of the feeling that I had been here before and saw flowers, red roses, placed in an elegant vase sitting on a glass table. Behind it was a large, white couch, The man motioned to it.

"Please, sit."

I stared at the clean couch, almost blindingly white. I nervously glanced at him and nodded. I gingerly sat down and looked ahead at a painting of a young man with tan skin and silver hair. He looked very professional, wearing a white suit. I wondered who he was. There was an awkward silence, and the older gentleman looked cautious. He turned away from me, and looked around. I heard him saying something to himself, although I couldn't make out what it was.

Then I heard footsteps, and a yawn.

I sensed there was someone behind the couch, staring down at me.

I didn't want to look up. I was too afraid. 'Is this him? Is this the boy?'

My heart was beating so fast, and my hands were growing sweaty. I didn't realize how hard I was clutching my fists until they turned a bright white.

The older man looked scared for a moment, and then composed himself.

"Hello, sir. How was your nap?"

The 'sir' still hadn't moved from his spot behind the couch, and I felt his gaze stabbing me in the back.

'Sir' chuckled softly.

"Well," he began, "I was sleeping soundly until...a doorbell rang."

His voice was cold and low, yet dipped in a sarcastic-sweet tone.

I felt all color rush out of my body. I probably looked like a ghost. I did not want to turn around.

Step. Step. Step.

I didn't have to. He slowly waltzed in front of the painting, covering it from view. My heart froze, and I couldn't breathe.

He was tall and thin, but you could tell he was strong by the shape of his body. His skin was porcelain white, and his lips were strangely pale colored. His hair was jet-black, and spiked in all directions. He was wearing a familiar navy uniform with a heart and crown shaped crest. It was neatly pressed and spotless. His face had incredibly sharp features - his appearance looked like shattered glass. He had high cheekbones and a straight nose, with impeccably straight white teeth. His eyes were the most frightening of all: gleaming, golden orbs, with bright orange flecks.

My mind was reeling. 'Is this boy even human,' I wondered, 'or is he some demonic spirit?'

"Well, what is this?" He smirked and leaned over, getting closer to my face. I resumed breathing, finally, and gasped loudly. I shot back, and hit my back against the couch. The older man looked at me with pity, as he sensed how terrified I was.

I straightened my posture and tried to regain my senses. My vision was blurring and I couldn't even speak.

'Why am I so terrified?'

I believe it was his eyes. I had never seen anything like that in my life. It was so unnatural.

Now I believed Aqua, reliving her story of her begging and his taunting. My heart broke. I remembered that, and realized this was the boy who could destroy our family. I remembered my mission. I carefully lifted my head. His face was very close to mine. I felt his breath grazing my cheeks. I shivered.

I suppose he sensed that I had something important to say to him, so he looked over at the older man. He sneered, "Can you leave us alone for a bit? I think she came to see me."

The man nodded and semi-bowed. He then proceeded to walk into one of the long hallways, and eventually was out of sight. I needed to remind myself to breathe, as I kept holding it in. I always did that when I was afraid. I would hold my breath, and wish for it to go away. However, it didn't work this time.

"So," he began in a sickeningly sweet voice, "What brings you to my home?"

He sat down on the opposite side of the couch, and placed his arm on the edge of the back. If I was sitting closer, his arm would be around my shoulder. His eyes were watching my every move, my every twitch, and every rise and fall of my chest. I needed to breathe. As much as I wanted to run back to where I came from and stay there forever, I just needed to be here and breathe. I sucked in air and tried to speak.

"I...I..."

His face twisted into a look of annoyance.

"Can't you speak? Don't you have something to say?"

I began to shake.

"I...came...to..."

He snorted.

"You're wasting my time, and my time is precious."

The room was spinning. I needed to breathe.

"She...my sister..."

A look of realization dawned on his face.

"That's what you're here for, huh?"

He began to giggle. To me, it sounded like nails on a chalkboard.

"She didn't have enough guts to come back, eh? I guess I was pretty harsh."

His giggling burned my ears. I turned away. I couldn't bare to see him actually smile.

He looked at me and cocked his head to the side.

"But what did she think," he began merrily, "sending this frumpy, low class girl here? Someone as dirty as you? What are you? Did she truly think I would change my mind? What an idiot. She doesn't even deserve to have any type of scholarship."

He cackled. Tears welled up in my eyes.

"Please..."

He continued laughing, ignoring me.

A tear fell. I quickly wiped it away with the sleeve of my hoodie.

"Please..."

His laugh echoed through the enormous home, and it was ringing in my ears. I couldn't take it. I was going to pass out.

I zipped up my hoodie and bolted for the door, tears streaming down my face. I ran, blindly, the wind biting my face. The cold air felt nice. I couldn't see, tears blurred my vision, and I tripped at the end of the long driveway and landed up against the sidewalk. I skinned my knee and ripped one of the few nice pairs of jeans I had. I sat up, touching my leg, and groaned. I rubbed my face, wiping my eyes, and looked upward. The sky had cleared, and a full moon shone back at me. I could see a few stars, which was a rarity for me. In Destiny Islands, there is usually no star visibility. There are too many street lights and too much smog. I seemed to bask in this moment of peacefulness. The stars were beautiful. They were bright and simple, unlike my life. I wanted to reach out and touch them, to hold something so lovely and pure. They reminded me of that boy with the sky-blue eyes, how he seemed to twinkle. I smiled to myself, and sat happily for a few minutes. 'How nice it would be,' I thought dreamily, 'to see him again.' However, I then remembered how I failed miserably at my mission, and I didn't want to stand up. What could I do for my sister? I failed.

I begrudgingly looked toward the mansion, now lit up, and saw golden eyes moving toward me.

I jumped upward, as if electrified, and put my arms in front of me for some sort of protection.

He seemed to be getting closer. I contemplated running farther away, but then I would have to call a cab from an address I was unfamiliar with. So I stood, frozen, staring back at those yellow eyes.

"You didn't leave yet. I thought you would be long gone by now." His voice sounded tired.

I didn't respond.

"Were you going to say something to me in there?"

I remained quiet.

A few moments passed.

I felt him gaze at me, and I could've sworn I saw a ghost of a sad smile on his lips.

"What are you going to do?"

He knew what I wanted. He knew I wanted to protect my sister and destroy that photo. I tried to gain enough courage to look at him. My body was freezing, and I rubbed my hands together for warmth.

Another moment of silence. He seemed to be deep in thought. I had a bad feeling growing inside the pit of my stomach.

I could feel him smiling wickedly.

"How about this..."

He quickly walked in front of me, and his eyes cut right through my heart. His skin glowed in the moonlight. He grabbed my arm tightly, his hands even colder than the air. My heart stopped beating. I forgot to breathe. His hands gripped around my small arm, burning me. I wanted to cry for help, but no words would escape my body.

"If you become my slave, I'll forget about the whole incident."

My mind was bubbling over with thoughts and feelings about the whole situation, but when he spoke, it all went blank. My body froze, with icy sweat trickling down my forehead, cooling my feverish skin. It felt as if the whole world was spinning, tumbling down, losing control, and I was just sitting still, observing the chaos. Was I even aware of what was happening? Was I even present in my own body?

My heart took a beat. I was pulled back into reality. I gasped for breath and began to shake furiously. He was still clinging to my arm, and I believe that was the only thing holding up my fragile being. My legs felt like they were about to shatter into a million pieces.

Then, it hit me. If I wanted to protect my reality, I didn't have a choice. Aqua's future depended on it. I remembered all that Aqua had done for me and my family. I remembered her smiling face when she had heard about her scholarship. My home, my warm, beautiful home. I needed to protect it.

Aqua.

I didn't have a choice. She needed me.

He finally let go of my arm and I immediately fell to the ground, like a crumpled piece of garbage. My eyes were filled with tears. I couldn't see the stars anymore.

Aqua.

"...If you do, I'll never tell a soul. I promise."

My world was shrouded in darkness.

I sat, looking forward into the night, for several long minutes. My heart seemed to a have died, and my body didn't feel real. 'Am I dreaming?'

I managed to look upward and see him, bathed in moonlight. His coal-colored hair blended in with the darkness, and his skin resembled the glow of the moon itself. His eyes even reminded me of the stars, dancing with light. I shivered. This boy belonged to the night, and he was darkness itself. He stared at me, lying hopelessly on the ground. I was broken.

He knew my answer.

I attempted to stand up, and he reached for my arm and helped me to my feet. I did not want to look at his face, but it was inevitable.

He was grinning, an evil, malicious grin. I trembled with fear. I wanted to cry and scream and run far, far away. I wanted to go home and be with my family. I wanted to go and lie in my bed, quietly and peacefully.

However, I knew it would never be far enough. I knew it would never feel like home again. I knew my life would never be quiet or peaceful ever again.

"Let's call you a cab, now. I'll see you tomorrow."