A/N: You know, it's funny how this story has been in the works for 6 months (I think), has received over 300 reviews, and has received 1,026 hits, and yet, today is the first day that I have EVER gotten a review from someone saying that Hope seems like a Mary-sue…When I first started writing this story, I wrote a chapter that had Hope receiving a Keyblade, but I stopped because I was trying to lean away from that, which is why I gave her a rapier that is similar to Genesis Rhapsodos' from Crisis Core. So, I can't help but wonder this: did I fail at what I was leaning away from, and create a mary sue? Now, as I'm sure most of you have realized, I take reviews and things said in them seriously, even when I received those reviews saying the story was getting boring, which I made a big deal about because I was under a lot of stress, but it was dismissed quickly as soon as I regained my muse back. Now, am I mad about this? No, I'm not, but just a bit…saddened by it because I'm just now getting this sort of review so far into the story. But I'm not holding a grudge for it, because that's just not how I work. Besides the mary-sue part, I was also given great advice that I will not use for this story, because of how late I got it and how far I already am in this story, but I will keep it in mind for future projects though, because it would probably wise to use it :D. I still love this story, and nothing can knock me down and keep me down, because I can still try to do my best with this piece of work. Hope you enjoy!

Rain fell softly against Axel's coat, the hood up to keep his crimson spikes dry from the rain as it fell. He never did like the rain, but he remembered his somebody, Lea, liking it. Maybe Axel disliked it because his element was fire. Fire and water will never be compatible. Axel had spent the past two days hiding in the alley ways of the World That Never Was, devising a plan on how to go about getting Roxas back. So far, he had simply been able to think of the only basic way to actually get the blonde back: turn Sora back into a heartless. The first time he had been turned into a Heartless, Sora had sacrificed himself for Kairi, thus creating a heartless, which caused the creation of Roxas. So, the simple answer was this, to Axel, at least:

Kidnap Kairi.

It was the simplest answer to get back Roxas…and it was also the reason Axel had left Hope behind, because she was too good to just go and kidnap someone. She probably would've beaten Axel up if he had even suggested something like it to her. Axel opened up a portal and walked through it, not even caring about anything else.

0o0o0o0o

"Maybe…waiting isn't good enough." Kairi said quietly as she stood on the shore, staring out at the island all by herself…at least, that's what she thought.

'My thoughts exactly! If you have a dream, don't wait. Act.' Kairi heard someone reply, causing her to look from side to side and all around, until she saw a dark portal open up, a man with fiery red hair walk out. "One of life's little rules. Got it memorized?"

"Who are you?" Kairi asked warily.

"Axel. I happen to be an acquaintance of Sora's. Why don't we go see him?" Axel suggested, holding a hand out for Kairi.

"…Sora?" Kairi asked, getting ready to agree, only to stop when the sound of a dog barking was heard, causing Kairi to gasp and whip around to see the dog, who ran around in circles, wagging his tail happily, before its tail stopped and stood straight up, its ears perking up as several Dusks appeared, circling them in, the dog growling. Kairi glanced around worriedly, before turning around when she heard the sound of someone whistle, another dark portal appearing behind her, the dog running towards and stopping in front of it, turning around barking, as if saying 'Hurry up and go this way!'

Axel smirked slightly. "We've got something in common, Kairi. You and I both miss someone we care about." Axel said, his smirk widening as he spoke. Sure, not every word of that was true. Nobodies couldn't care about anything, but the part about missing someone had been true. "Hey…I feel like we're friends already.

Kairi gave him a glance over her shoulder, noticing how one of the dusks was advancing on her. She gave a grunt as she took off towards the portal, stopping to glare at Axel. "You're not acting very friendly!" And with that said, she took off into the portal, leaving Axel behind to stare at the portal as it closed. He dismissed the dusks and stood on the shore, letting out a sigh. Kidnapping Kairi wasn't going to be all that simple. The way she had ran from him reminded him of the first time Hope had been brought to The Castle That Never Was, their first encounter in 4 years being in his room, where Hope had been trying to escape out the window.

Hope. It was lonely without her being around. Axel let out a sigh, "Why do you have to make everything so damn difficult?"

And for the first time, Axel let himself dwell on who he missed more; Hope or Roxas?

Who was more important?

"Have you been good for Aerith while you've been here?"

"Mmhm. She and I get ice cream sometimes when she has the time to take me for some. She's really nice." Ienzo said as he held Hope's hand in his own small one as they walked back to town together so Hope could meet Sora and Co. there.

Hope smiled down at him. "That's good. I'm glad that you like her. What about the others?"

"Yuffie is fun to talk to, though she talks a little too fast for anyone to understand her. She plays with me when she's not too busy helping out with getting rid of the heartless. Mr. Cid is really cool, though. He let's me help him out with his inventions sometimes, and he even taught me how to build a gummi block. Merlin is nice, too. He's teaching me how to use magic right now. Leon is pretty scary, but I guess he's nice like everyone else. Sometimes he'll buy me some candy whenever I help out with something. And then there's someone else, too."

Hope frowned. "Someone…else?"

Ienzo nodded his head. "Mmhm, but…I can't remember his name. I've only met him once, but he looked pretty nice, though he really didn't talk much."

Hope chuckled slightly, patting Ienzo's head. "Well, that's nice." They walked in silence for the remainder of the time, until they finally reached town, where they were greeted by Aerith and Yuffie, Sora, Donald, and Goofy with them. Sora waved at her, causing her to smile and send a wave back as she approached the trio. "Did you get things taken care of with Merlin?"

"Huh! How did you-" Sora began, only to have Hope cut him off.

She chuckled slightly, holding up her index finger to silence him, sending him a quick wink. "Only Merlin would summon someone the way he did to you three. Now," She began, bringing her hand back down to rest at her side, "I'd like to thank you for bringing me back home. So, as my thanks, I'm going to go with you guys."

"WAAKKK!" Donald squawked, scaring Ienzo slightly and causing him to hide behind Hope, clutching onto her duster while peeking out from behind her slightly.

"Uhh…." Goofy mumbled, scratching his head slightly.

"Er, well…." Sora began, looking up at the sky with a thoughtful frown on his face, his arms crossed across his chest, trying to think of what to say. "Well, the thing is-"

"YOU CAN'T COME WITH US!" Donald answered for him, earning a glare from Sora.

"That's not what I was gonna say. See, well…Leon told us that you disappear a lot without saying anything." Sora said.

"Oh, did he now?" Hope asked through clenched teeth, her hands balled into fists at her sides. She would be sure to speak with Squall later about this. "What else did Squall tell you?"

"Leon's gonna get it later…" Yuffie mumbled over to Aerith.

"Well, that's all he pretty much said…and that you couldn't always be counted on when it came to getting people out of sticky situations."

"Guess that means you can't come with us!" Donald pointed out.

"You know, it's awful rude to speak to a Princess like that." Hope stated.

"What Princess?" Donald asked, glancing around in each direction. "There isn't any princess here!"

"There be one standing right before you, lad!" Mr. Scrooge, who had just so happened to be passing by, exclaimed, pointing his cane at Hope. "This beautiful lassie here be the Princess I'm speaking of."

"Uncle Scrooge, you must be imagining things!" Donald exclaimed, earning a whack on the head from his uncle.

"Have you no shame, lad? To be speaking so lowly of the girl when she's standing right before ya!" Scrooge exclaimed, glaring at his nephew.

Donald muttered things under his breath, while Hope silently giggled. "What he says is true. I'm Hollow Bastions Princess, Princess Hope." Hope said, earning surprised looks from Aerith and Yuffie, both of them not expecting her to mention her royalty when she had said she could not be the ruler anymore. Then again, Hope was always full of surprises.

Donald made a shocked sound, quickly scrambling down to the ground on one knee and bowing, Goofy doing the same, followed by Sora, the three of them both speaking at once. "Your majesty…"

Hope giggled, moving over and pulling them all back up at once. "Please don't be so formal. I'm not really fit to be called the Princess anyways…" Hope said, smiling sadly, before sending them a grin. "Just calling me Hope will suffice!"

Donald looked down shamefully. "I'm so sorry, Hope! I didn't mean to be so rude."

Hope patted his head in a friendly manner. "Don't worry, it's my fault. I should've said something earlier. Now," Hope began, sending them smiles. "I am asking again: Can I go along with you guys?"

Sora, Donald, and Goofy huddled up and whispered amongst themselves, before turning around and giving her all big grins, Sora's being the biggest of all. "We'd be happy to have you go with us!"

And so…the journey begins.

A/N: Hm…slightly boring and crappy, but who cares! Next chapter will be posted whenever I can think of what to write! LATER TATERS!