A/N: Note: This whole past month, I've been in a very foul mood. People giving me crude reviews makes it even worse than it already is. Okay, I let people anonymously review this story because I have several friends that don't have accounts on here that like it. That's why I keep it open. Very rarely do I get reviews that down right insult me, but today I finally got one that was actually very, VERY, insulting.

Okay, first of all, you, anonymous person, are ONE person. Sure, I've gotten people who have told me Hope is a Mary-sue and shit, but never have I been told so rudely. Also, you don't have to delete a story to fix the Mary-sue thing. I'm working on improvement, and so far, according to my supportive and constructive reviewers that are more experienced in the writing department, I'm improving a bit. That's why updates are so prolonged. Slowly, but surely, I'm improving a little bit. It's not too late to improve something that can be fixed, despite the big pain in the ass it is. Shameful fuck to the archive, huh? My reviewers are dip-shits, and the people that like this are dip-shits, eh? You, my friend, are shameful to even be reviewing anything if your just gonna be a jerk about it. But, guess what? You're one person. Take a look at all the other 500 something people that have reviewed this story. If they like it, they like it, and nothing can change the fact that they do. If people don't like it, then they don't like it, and thankfully, they at least keep their mouths shut about it. Delete this story and start over? You must be crazy, because there is no way in hell I am restarting this 96 chaptered, 200,776 worded story. I won't do that, because I've spent long hours for an entire year working on it. That ain't happening. Sure, later on, I will go back and rewrite the first few chapters, because when I wrote those, I was a beginner and I had NO CLUE what a mary-sue was! I've learned from my mistakes! Also, the only reason that the review button is down there is so people can RESPECTFULLY give feedback and critiques, not to be downright mean and…well, mean sums it all about up. Don't insult my reviewers (ever), don't insult my story, and most importantly, don't insult me. I'm not someone to get all sad over stuff like this, but instead, I get pissed off and I will reply with angry words. Let this be a warning to all who plan on insulting me in the future. I will do exactly what I just did right now. Don't think I will let you bashers get past me, because I won't. I'm a very stubborn person. You bite me, I bite back.

I have nothing more to say, except to everyone: Before you review someone's story, think long and hard about your choice of words before you even submit that review. Try to be nice, but not too nice where it makes it seem like that what you're telling them doesn't matter. I've been taking every bit of advice and critiquing I can (nice critiquing, mind you). Please don't think I'm not trying to fix Hope's character. Because I am trying very hard, but it's difficult, okay? Patience, guys. You don't have it, then learn to get some.

Don't bother responding to my words. Because, honestly, I could care less about anything else said to me right now. I would ignore stuff like this, but now, I don't think I can anymore when it just keeps getting worse. What else can put me in an even fouler mood?

I wish the story was over already so I could stop getting hate reviews….

(I feel much better now…Sorry for everything, but I had to let it out)

Now, enjoy this bad chapter, since my motivation has suddenly gone out the window…If it weren't against the rules to have A/N's in just a chapter, that's all this would be. Instead, it's just a lame filler that's super short.… hate it if you want. I don't care anymore…

"Lea?"

"What?"

"How come…How come Isa never wants to hang around with us anymore?"

The red-head shrugged his shoulders lazily, taking a lick of his ice cream, "How should I know?"

Hope frowned sadly at him before she stared down at her lap, "…Is he mad at us or something?"

"Who knows…maybe he's bored with us."

Hope sighed as the wind blew onto her face, stray strands of her hair flitting around. This had been going on for a while now. Isa not spending time with her and Lea anymore. Anytime Hope would run into him while outside of the castle, few words would even be exchanged. She couldn't even have a full conversation with him anymore without him giving some sort of excuse and running off. It worried her.

It also scared her to a very large extent.

Though Lea acted as if he didn't care, he did. Isa's constant loner behavior had already annoyed him. He already knew why the other boy wasn't coming to their daily ice cream time, or to hang out with them. Isa had told him very bluntly.

"You two have each other to keep company. I'd rather not be a third wheel to your little friendship."

It had angered Lea for many reasons, the main one being that he had no clue what Isa was talking about. The blue-haired boy had never been a third wheel. Heck, the three had been best friends since they were nine. And this sudden change in behavior, acting like he and Hope didn't care about him anymore…it was a first time. Lea expressed it in his own way, by always backing him up and buying him ice cream whenever he had to. Hope expressed her ways of caring more bluntly than he did, buy giving him hugs and linking arms with him (though she linked arms with both of them) and holding hands (same as linking arms, holding both of their hands) and pecking him on the cheek, same thing she did with both of them. She would always tell them both how much she treasured them as her two best friends and loved them. Isa had no reason to think that she didn't care about him.

Lea had even gone to the trouble to point all of that out to Isa.

"Her love isn't equal."

Lea wanted to laugh at the idea of Isa becoming a little green monster, but he just couldn't find it in him to do so.

Someone clearing their throat caused the two to glance over at the park entrance where they were seated at, familiar white hair and a white lab coat alerting the two of who it was.

"It's time to come home, milady."

Hope frowned sadly as she nodded. "Okay, Xehanort," she stood up from her spot on the bench and looked back at Lea with a sad look in her lilac eyes. "Bye, Lea. See you tomorrow."

"Yeah. See ya…" Lea said, watching in silence as Hope walked back to the castle with Xehanort. As soon as she was gone, he recalled the events from earlier that day.

"Isa! Yo, Isa!"

Isa stopped walking, turning around and glaring at Lea. "What?"

"I've been looking all over for you. C'mon! Hope's already at the ice cream stand buying all of us some. She really wants to see you."

"Hmph. Forget it. You can have it."

Lea frowned, grabbing the blue haired teens shoulder to stop him from going anywhere, "Dude, what's with you? You've been acting like you're trying to avoid us or something." He was ignored, causing him to become even more frustrated. "Come on! Don't just leave us hanging without knowing what's got you so moody lately!"

"Hn. Like you don't really know."

That was the last straw. Lea stopped Isa again and turned him around, grabbing a fist full of the boys shirt collar. "Well, I don't know, so tell me. How come you refuse to hang out with me and Hope anymore?"

"You two have each other to keep company. I'd rather not be a third wheel to your little friendship."

Lea frowned, "What? You're not a third wheel! Where are you going off and getting stupid ideas like that? Me and Hope aren't like that, Isa! You're our best friend!"

"You two pay attention to each other more when I'm around you both. It's sickening to watch."

"Are you trying to say that we don't pay attention to you anymore? Isa, Hope loves you and cares about you as a friend! Think of all the things she does to show you how much you mean to her! And when you suddenly stop hanging out with us, she doesn't know what to think! She thinks that she did something wrong! Why can't you see that we both miss you, man? Hope's debating whether you even like us anymore…."

"Her love isn't equal." Isa said bluntly, wrenching away from the red-head and walking away, Lea watching him as he left him standing there.

'What does he mean…her love isn't equal?'

If Hope and Lea had both sensed it, they both would've sensed the darkness that had begun to slowly creep into their best friends heart.

A/N: Lame, right? Whatever. At least it's something. Once again, stop flaming the story and telling me that I'm not doing anything right to fix Hope. Why do you think there's a filler? Why do you think updates are lacking? It should be pretty obvious as to why. Thank you to those who critique and give me advice. I appreciate it and I'm using it. People who just read my story up to the recent chapter and give me a review that is just a flame…Don't bother reviewing if all you're gonna do is just be rude about it. Thank you. So…you normal readers and reviewers know the routine. Review and stuff. Later taters.