Riku, Kairi, Xion and Sora's will slowly made their way to the last area, their heavy steps echoing off the walls of the empty room that was just like the others, having plain white walls but one of the walls being completely made of windows to look outside. Before he died, Vanitas had told them that after this room, they would be at the top of the tower, where Xehanort and the Door to Darkness are. All of them knew they had to stop Xehanort, not only because it could risk Chaos getting out, but also to avenge all those who died at Xehanort's hand, Vanitas included.

When the four got to the center of the room, they all heard a corridor of darkness open behind them and turned around immediately. "So Xehanort decided to only kill Vanitas off then?" Riku's replica said as he walked out of the corridor, "Shame, I was hoping he would make the job easier for us by ending you all."

"Why would he do that?" Xion retorted, "It would just ruin the fun."

Riku's Replica snickered, "I can see why my true self likes you so much, couldn't understand why before, but that one comment made me understand."

"We are not dating anymore!" "We don't like each other like that now!" Both Riku and Xion yelled at the replica, both of them blushing the lightest shade of pink.

"Sure, sure," the replica continued, "either way, my true self still looks at you in a way… that I wish I could be looked at… So obviously, we can't have that unless one of us goes, and I can tell you now it is not going to be me."

"Does it really have to end like this?" Riku asked, "Why can't both of us be alive?"

"You know damn well why both of us can't be alive," the replica responded, "We are the same, so we can't both be alive."

"Are you sure about that? I mean, look at Roxas and Namine, they really are Sora and Kairi, but they developed their own hearts, why can't you?" Riku asked.

Even though the real Riku was being dead serious when he said this, the replica only growled and rolled his eyes at him. "What kind of game are you trying to pull?" The replica asked.

"I am not trying to do anything," Riku replied, "It's just… No one thought Vanitas could change, but he did. What makes you any different?"

The Replica squinted his eyes at his true self as the real Riku continued, "What I am trying to say is you don't have to fight on Xehanort's side; we don't care if you are a replica or not. We will accept you as long as you are willing to change." Riku held his hand out to the will, "We don't need to fight anymore."

The Replica looked at Riku's hand for a long time before he smirked and let out a light laugh. "You really are a fool, I can't believe you expect me to join your side," the replica summoned his keyblade and got in his battle stance. "When will you learn that?"

Riku growled at the replica's comment, summoning his own keyblade before he turned to the other three. "Sora, Kairi, Xion… get out of here," were his words.

"What?" Kairi asked, not believing what Riku was saying.

"I had trouble fighting him before, but I know I can handle him now," Riku told them, "You three just need to get to Xehanort now and stop him before he opens the door."

"Correction, you two need to stop Xehanort before he opens the door," Xion corrected, bringing her sword out and standing next to Riku proudly.

Riku looked at Xion like he was about to protest, but she stopped him. "Don't you even think about protesting, Riku," she said, "You want to play big macho man but I know you aren't going to be able to handle him on your own. All of us know he's stronger now, and since he and Xehanort are the only members left, he is not going to back down easily. I am going to fight with you."

Riku then turned to Sora's will, who nodded and glanced briefly at Xion then at the replica as if saying Xion is right you know.

"We can handle Xehanort," Kairi said, "Just you two deal with the replica."

Sighing for a short moment, Riku finally replied, "Alright, just give us a holler if you need help with Xehanort."

And at that statement, Sora's will and Kairi nodded before going through the last door to the top floor, with the door closing behind them before it was surrounded by a barrier.

The replica laughed as soon as the barrier surrounded the three. "You two are fools, you may believe what you think, but I am not going to let both of you walk out of this battle alive!" (The Force in You – Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories)

In that brief moment before the battle, Riku and Xion both summoned their helmets on their heads before they charged at the replica, knowing that no matter how hard they tried, he would not join them. Xion was the first to make it over to the replica, since she used her suit to fly her most of the way over there, and immediately tried to slice the replica with her sword. The replica however, managed to flip back, avoiding the attempted attack before he fired a blast of darkness right at Xion. The former replica managed to bring her sword up to block the attack, firing it back at the replica, who dodged that attack as well. Riku, thinking it was the best moment to attack the replica, ran up to the man who looked just like him and hit him with his keyblade. This hit did not seem to affect Riku's replica that much unfortunately, and the replica quickly brought his weapon up to counter the rest of Riku's attempted attacks.

Knowing he was not going to get an attack on the replica, Riku jumped back and instead used a light attack, firing it right at him. Riku's replica brought his blade up to block the attack, but when he lowered it, Xion quickly fired a blast from her repulsor rays; hitting the replica and making him fly back towards the wall that was completely made out of windows. When the replica got back up, Xion tried to fire another repulsor ray at him, but Riku's replica managed to dodge the attack, instead causing the repulsor to hit the windows, shattering all of them instantly. The replica only cracked his neck as the glass began to pour down on him like rain, prepared for any other attacks they were about to throw at them.

Deciding not to wait for the two to attack him, the replica instead decided to charge at the two, Riku obviously thinking the same thing as him because the two ran full speed at each other. Before they collided, both of them jumped in the air, their weapon's meeting as they were airborne Riku and his replica continued to push on each other's blades as they were in the air, but the replica proved to have the upper hand and managed to push Riku down, sending the real Riku falling to the ground, landing flat on his back. Knowing that Riku needed some assistance, Xion began to fire multiple magic attacks, trying to hit the replica and make him fall out of the air again, but he managed to dodge every single one. Beginning to get frustrated, Xion flew over to the man that looked so much like the one she used to love, bringing her sword up in an effort to attack him, but he managed to bring his blade up at the last second to block it, and then push her away carelessly.

Right after Xion was pushed away, Riku immediately went in and tried to hit the replica, and successfully did so with one hit. But the next times weren't so luck, and before Riku could even make a move his own replica fired a blast of darkness right at him. This attack made the real Riku go flying back, nearly out the newly broken window but he managed to do an aerial recovery to stop himself. While he was recovering, Xion had managed to run up to the replica and hit him with her sword, but it did not do any serious damage and the replica quickly jumped out of the way before Xion could do anymore damage to him. This replica has only hit us a few times and he has already worn us down! Where Xion's thoughts, knowing that the replica was obviously stronger than he used to be.

Xion knew she could not stop attacking him there though. Quickly looking over to Riku, she saw he was still trying to get back up after nearly falling through the window. She knew she had to by him some time, so she ran up to the replica and began to clash blades with him, hoping that this would give Riku enough time to recover. Xion and the replica continued to slash their weapons at each other, which each one blocking the other attack, getting the battle nowhere. It was the one moment that Xion did not block as quickly as she should of when the replica brought his blade out from under her sword, making her lose her grip on the weapon. This caused the sword to fly out of her hands and, since the odds did not seem to like her at that moment, the weapon fell out the newly broken window, leaving Xion with just her suit to defend herself. Xion did not notice that the replica had acted quickly when he saw her lose her sword though, and the replica sliced her by the ankles, causing Xion to fall down on the ground.

In that brief moment, right when he had recovered from the previous attack and looked up at the two fighting, Riku suddenly felt his heart stop. He could not see the look of panic on Xion's face due to her helmet, but he knew it had to have been there. It was then in this moment when Riku froze, and instead of seeing Xion in her armor, cowering before the replica, he saw her, defeated by himself, yelling at Riku for calling her keyblade a sham. That was the first time he had met her, and he never knew that she would be the one that would take his heart.

Riku knew at that point that he did still have feelings for Xion, and no matter how much they fought, how many times they would say they hate each other, those feelings would never change. He did not want this to be the last time he saw her alive, just like when he hoped that they would meet again the first time he met her. Even though Riku had seen Xion as someone else that day, he knew that she was different, special, and he did not want that to end. Even if Xion did not want to be with Riku again and moved on into a different relationship, he would be fine with it as long as she was alive and happy.

Thinking quickly, Riku ran over to the replica as fast as he possibly could, tackling the replica before he managed to bring his blade down at Xion. Riku had tackled the replica so hard that his helmet fell off, and the two were pushed so far away that Xion seemed yards away from them, but that was just what Riku was hoping for. When the two managed to stand back up, the replica looked to Riku and hissed, "You are going to pay for that."

Riku glared at the replica before he charged at him, both of their blades clashing with one another so that the two were face to face. Riku tried so hard to push the replica back, but even if he was injured, the replica would not back down. Eventually, Riku decided to jump back, making the replica's blade hit the ground with a thud, which only increased the replica's anger. Riku, not being able to get his mind off of Xion, looked over to her to see she was still trying to get back up on her knees, clearly exhausted, before he looked back over to his replica, who was charging full speed at him. Riku brought his keyblade up just in time to block the attack before he pulled it away; trying to attack the replica himself, but the replica blocked his attack as well. This battle between the two went back and forth for several moments before Riku saw the replica make a quick move and tried to block it.

But then Riku froze, Xion froze, and time itself seemed to stop.

Never in his whole life had Riku felt so much pain, so painful that he was not even able to let out a scream. His vision began to blur, but he could still make out the image of his replica smirking. Riku then looked down, only to see his replica's blade in his chest, going through the armor and stabbing Riku right in the upper chest. When the replica finally pulled his blade of Riku, he fell to the ground, struggling to even take in a breath.

And through that whole time, Riku did not think about himself, and instead thought about Xion to try and ease the pain.


CLIFFHANGERS, CLIFFHANGERS EVERYWHERE...

I am so sorry I did not manage to get this out yesterday guys, but in case you haven't realized, I have been playing KH HD nonstop and I firetrucking love the Days cut scenes... THE ONES WITH RIKU AND XION JUST PUNCH ME RIGHT IN THE FEEEELS T3T

So just so you guys know, I have the next chapter almost completed, with only a few more sentences to write. I said I was ganna release it today along with this chapter, but I am not sure I want to do that anymore. I guess maybe if you guys get on your knees and BEG I will think about it!

Ha, I am just kidding. But maybe I if you guys give me about... ah 6 reviews before I go to bed? I will update again. Or if you want to give me more... that's fine too... I mean we are only like 20 away from 600 and if that happens I will be the happiest person alive... just saying...

So please R&R and look out for the next chapter!