Authors Note: You're probably wondering what this has to do with Kingdom Hearts, but it will all come clear in the next two chapters, starting with this one. I wrote this almost immediately after I wrote the first one, so I'm willing myself to write this, because I've had it in my head for so long, I wanna get it onto paper at last.

P.S. Yuffie, Leon, and Aerith moved onto Destiny Islands if you are wondering why they are there (in this chapter).

Chapter 1: Eyes of The Darkness

Destiny Islands – Midday

On the beach, the crashing of waves and sounds of a few children playing was all that could be heard. For Sora, falling asleep on the sandy cove was too easy.

But it only took one to wake him up.

"Sora, stop sleeping!"

"Whoa!" Sora sprang up and looked in the direction of the voice. Standing behind him was Kairi, with an annoyed look on her face.

"What is with you sleeping in the day? Save it for the night, when your friends don't wanna play!"

"Uunngh…" Sora had been having a good nap, and was noticeably tired. "But Kairi, I'm-"

"Don't start, I was just kidding. But seriously, you shouldn't be sleeping at this time of day. Now come on, Tidus and the others wanna play volleyball, and my team is one person short. You up for it?"

"Only if you carry me, Kairi."

"Nah, I was thinking more along the lines of dragging you!"

Sora was unable to react as she suddenly grabbed his leg and dragged him across the beach, his head hitting a few pebbles and rocks on the way.

"Why not –Ow! Why not get Riku?"

"Because, silly, he's working! He's an adult, you're still 17, get over it."

"Aww…"

She continued to drag Sora, ignoring his pleas and promises that he'd walk. She didn't notice the tall silver-haired figure standing beside the rocky crevice.

"You know, it's no wonder Sora sleeps during the day, with you dragging him like that."

"Huh?" Kairi said as she turned, and her eyes met Riku's.

"Oh, Riku! Save me! I have a headache from all the rocks in the sand!" Sora pleaded, not realising he had a small gash on his right cheek.

Riku looked up at Kairi, then down at Sora, who had his hands clasped together in prayer. Riku gave a devilish smile.

"Okay then, I'll make it easier for ya!"

Riku ran to Kairi's side and grabbed Sora's other leg, and they then continued waling towards the volleyball net, with Sora wailing and struggling needlessly.

"So why are you here? I thought you had work, Riku?" Kairi questioned Riku.

"Err… let's talk about it later, okay?" Riku said nervously.

"You didn't get fired, did you?"

"What? NO! Of course not! Why would that happen?"

"Dunno, maybe you let someone drown in the pool? You are a lifeguard, after all."

"No I did not do anything bad; it's just… something weird, and horrific." Riku said the last part with seriousness in his voice. "Anyway, I'm not allowed to talk about it, so quit asking."

"Uh, okay, if you say so- hey, look!"

They had reached the volleyball field, where Tidus, Selphie and Wakka were facing Yuffie all by her lonesome.

"So much for the great ninja Yuffie!" Tidus shouted as he hit the ball towards her side of the field.

"Well by the looks of things, I am holding you off! I mean come on! There are 3 of you and 1 of me! Those are not equal odds, are they?"

"Shut up!" Tidus shouted back as he hit the ball full force towards her. This time, Yuffie was not so lucky. She got hit square in the head and it bounced off her onto the soft sand below.

"Ow! Unfair!" Yuffie complained.

"All's fair in love and war!" Tidus proclaimed with his back turned to the opposing side. He didn't notice Kairi pick up the ball and smack it at him. He got hit in the back of the head, and he got a shock from it. He turned and saw it was now 4 on 3, if you counted Riku and Sora.

"And this ain't love!" Kairi finished the saying for Tidus, leaving her mark on him.

"4-on-3 is unfair, so take someone out of the pitch." Selphie complained.

"Or add someone onto the pitch."

"Huh?" everyone said at the same time. They turned to see Leon and Aerith walking their way.

"Leon! Yuffie!" Sora said as he stood up to greet them.

"Yeah, now he gets up cause' all his friends are here." Riku mumbled under his breath. 'But I guess that has always been what makes him strong, and it also makes us all strong.'

Riku had always admired Sora. He was 17, but he was still full of innocence. He always wondered how Sora could be so childish and carefree at such an important time in his life, when he was on the verge of turning 18. He flunked out of high school (because he kinda disappeared for nearly 2 years while fighting the heartless) and hasn't done anything since. He's just played games with his friends. It worried Riku, because he lived alone (Riku pays gives him part of his payroll) and had no-one to take care of him. What would he be like when he became an adult and had to get a job? He would need to stop being the carefree Sora, and get serious. But, knowing Sora since they were newborns, he was thinking that would never happen, and that was good and bad.

Riku's thoughts were interrupted by a ball bouncing off his head, leading to Sora looking at him with a confused stare.

"Come on, dopehead! Get your brain in the game!" Sora said.

"Oh! Sorry, Sora. They won't win again!"

"We'll see about that, ya!" Wakka proclaimed.

They continued to play volleyball, as their laughter and screams of joy could be heard on the other side of the island. But little did they know, they were being watched.

Unknown Location

"So, this is where they all live now."

"So it would seem. But most importantly, our primary target is completely oblivious to the danger he is in."

"As are all the others. Tell me, shall we kidnap them and use them as bait?"

"No, too frustrating. And the gunblade that friend carries is made of silver, one of our… weaknesses."

"You know the old saying… The weapon is useless if you don't know how to use it. They don't know what we are, so they won't think to go straight for that vital point…"

"And their innocence will be their demise. I doubt any of them have it in them to kill a living creature."

"Who said we were living?"

"So true, my brother. So true. And soon, Sora, you won't be either."

End of Chapter

Author's Note: Cliff-hanger! Well, it's as much as I could do to build the suspense for the next chapter. So, I hope you like it, and I will post the third chapter when it's ready, but until then, please R&R, I would really appreciate your comments/ideas!

Tr1cky out.