After a rough week, I can at least be happy that writing always makes me feel better. Writing for Riku especially so, there's just something about his character and the arc of self-acceptance he goes through that gets me every time. I know I'm changing a decent amount with his Chain of Memories story right now, but I'm sticking to the roots of a solo journey towards acceptance.

I also missed writing the Wayfinder Trio, I love integrating them into the plot early to set up the pay off for interactions down the road.

Sora's next chapter will be up November 22nd!

Chapter 8: Dream, Drop, Dive

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

–Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, Robert Frost

Riku's head felt so heavy—for a second he was too dizzy to ascertain whether his eyes were closed, or if the room he was in was just dark. His lashes fluttered, his vision swimming as he realized it was the former. Light filled his vision—the soft hazy light of dawn filtered through a nearby window.

He struggled to his feet, giving his head a shake to try and expel the lingering remnants of that sleep spell.

Wait.

Riku's mind sharpened, all his dizziness leaving as he summoned Soul Eater and whirled to press his back to a wall. The figures in the black cloaks were gone—and he was no longer in that blindingly white hallway. The sight of his surroundings had him blowing out a frustrated puff of breath.

Hollow Bastion's very familiar library stretched before him.

"Again?"

Although…Riku paused, taking a second look around at the library. It was Hollow Bastion, there was no doubt about that. But it looked…different. Newer. The aura of abandonment and despair that seemed to fill the very air of the castle was gone, and in its place was the scent of flowers.

With his confusion growing, he hurried to the nearby window. He didn't even recognize the landscape stretched before him. The view overlooked a picturesque town, filled to the brim with splashes of colors and softly glowing lights. The courtyard that was once cracked and dry was now once again filled with flowers and trees that were perfectly manicured. Unbroken homes surrounded this courtyard, well-maintained streets running between them and disappearing into the distance.

Riku looked beyond this, over the walls bordering the city. A glimmering ocean surrounded the island, interrupted by green mountains circling the cove. It was an awe-inspiring sight. However, his bewilderment prevented him from being able to just sit and drink it all in.

Stop. Take stock of what you remember first. Riku mentally coached himself, closing his eyes and breathing out slowly through his nose.

He'd been in a place that could recreate his memories—hence why he woke up in Hollow Bastion the first time around. To what end, he wasn't entirely sure. However, it couldn't be for good intentions based on the fact Ansem showed up, trying to goad him back into the Darkness.

He placed a hand over his chest, feeling his heart beating beneath the fabric of his shirt. Ansem said he was still able to manifest through the Darkness lingering in his heart. Was he with him even now? If he was, Riku couldn't sense it, and Ansem was staying silent—for once.

And then there were those figures in the black cloaks. One had implied Akira and Sora were in trouble, before the other put him out of commission with a sleep spell. Riku glowered at the memory, his grip on Soul Eater tightening. If he wanted to figure out what was going on, he needed to find them again.

He backed away from the window, his current path clear. Didn't particularly matter if Hollow Bastion looked different at the moment—he had found the cloaked figure's hideaway through a pair of white doors that appeared in the Chapel. If he backtracked, maybe they were still there.

And if they weren't… Well, Riku would deal with it when he got to that point.

Riku made his way out of the library, the sun rising higher into the sky with each window he passed by. The castle was still empty—but Riku didn't feel the oppressive loneliness he had before, when it was decrepit and covered in a fine layer of dust. Instead the castle was vibrant, alive, even if he didn't pass by anyone in the halls.

And that wasn't the only difference. He hadn't really noticed Hollow Bastion's architecture was warped before now, as he compared his memories to the walls and decor before him. With almost a decade of the castle being her own, of course Maleficent would make herself comfortable within its halls.

The most obvious difference was the lack of machinery built into the very walls, all conducive to the end goal of funneling power into maintaining the artificial Keyhole. With that was the lack of background noise—no electrical humming. Instead there were the faint notes of birdsong through the numerous windows.

And the windows—he swore there weren't this many windows inside of Hollow Bastion. Most of the hallways had been dark, to the point that he had trouble seeing without some kind of light source. But now, all currently had their curtains drawn so that the daylight could come through, lighting every hall and room in such a way that lamps weren't even necessary.

Thankfully, the layout hadn't changed too drastically. He took a few wrong turns here and there, but eventually he was able to find his way back to the Chapel. The large double doors, normally closed, were open and inviting. Riku hesitated before stepping inside.

Large archways that had been filled in during his time in Hollow Bastion were now filled with stained glass depictions of floral scenery. The colors spilled onto the ground, and Riku could now see the heart motifs repeated throughout the artwork. The only thing that remained unchanged was the large blue stained glass in the center of the ceiling, depicting a moon in the shape of a heart.

Once again a beautiful sight—but not what he was looking for.

Riku looked towards the double doors leading into the Grand Hall. Golden filigree embroidered the wooden edges of the doors, which were once again left open like a warm invitation. A red carpet stretched inwards, leading to an elevated set of thrones where the artificial Keyhole once stood. Light illuminated the massive hallway, eliminating all the foreboding he'd had about the sights beyond. It looked nothing like it had when he lived here.

He walked through the doors, glancing this way and that. The room was empty—and, more importantly, there was no sign of the brilliant white that led to that other castle. His feet strolled to a stop halfway to the mezzanine. So much for the easy way.

Riku took one last lingering look around the Grand Hall as he started to backtrack. He'd give the castle one more good perusing before heading out onto the grounds proper. The sight of the city waiting below intrigued him, but he needed to make sure this place wasn't hiding away any more secrets first.

Or at least that was the plan—until an acrid scent hit his nose, making him physically wince. The smell of potent Darkness coalescing nearby was even more out of place in this picturesque scenery.

Riku whirled, Soul Eater entering into his hand as he raised it defensively. Looked like he wouldn't have to go searching—they came to him, instead.

The cloaked figure stepped out of a conjured corridor, the portal quickly dispersing back to the shadows of the hall. As they pulled their hood down and shook out their hair with a sigh, Riku recognized him as the one responsible for putting him to sleep. Now able to take in his full appearance, Riku judged he couldn't be too much older than himself.

The older boy nodded in approval at his readied stance, not seeming bothered by the weapon leveled towards him. "Still have enough wits about you to not launch immediately into a fight. Good."

Riku shifted on his feet, not lowering Soul Eater. "Where are we?"

The boy merely blinked at him. "Do you not recognize it?"

Riku's lip curled in frustration. "I know it's Hollow Bastion—but it's not from my memories. Wasn't that how this place was supposed to work?"

The figure took a look around the room, humming as though deep in thought. "Indeed. Although it is exactly the way I remember it. Perhaps Oblivion has been passively sampling? Or perhaps…" He trailed off, muttering to himself as his hand tapped at the book strapped to his belt.

Riku cleared his throat loudly. Disturbed from his rumination, the boy glanced back towards him.

"Hm? Oh, yes—forgive me. Sometimes traveling through the Realm of Sleep scatters one's thoughts."

The Realm of Sleep? Riku perked up at this tidbit—though it raised more questions than it answered. "I don't have a lot of patience left, so why don't you start explaining where it is you took me?" His tone retained its edge, even though he was beginning to suspect this boy wasn't here for a fight.

The boy raised an eyebrow, then gestured around the hall. "Didn't you hear me? You're in the Realm of Sleep. I would think the name would let you infer how it was you got here."

Riku narrowed his eyes. "Elaborate."

The boy scoffed, mirroring Riku's look of annoyance. "Well, since you need me to spell it out for you—you're asleep. We both are. Castle Oblivion holds sway over memories, but dreams and memories tend to have a bit of an overlap. The lines between them are blurred, enough so that Oblivion finds purchase within your mind as you sleep."

"You're the one who put me to sleep," Riku said, keeping Soul Eater at the ready as he maneuvered closer. "Right after your friend told me someone I care about was in danger."

The cloaked figure let out a hollow laugh at the word choice. "You didn't seem inclined to sit down and listen to us." His aqua eyes darted to Soul Eater, then back to make pointed eye contact with Riku. "But if you would graciously extend your patience a bit longer, I'll explain."

Riku gritted his teeth, but lowered Soul Eater to his side. His grip on the handle remained tight. Despite this, the boy seemed pleased, as he nodded in approval once more.

"I appreciate your level-headedness. As I was saying—Castle Oblivion is a moniker we gave this place for a reason. It's a labyrinth, creating prisons out of memories to ensure anyone who enters never leaves. We haven't yet managed to find what it's guarding, but somehow your friend slipped past us and fell right into Oblivion's clutches."

Riku's heart thumped painfully. "Where is she?"

The boy shook his head. "It isn't that easy. The Pure Heart, Akira I believe you said her name was, is being held captive at the deepest depths of Oblivion there is. Dreams have become her reality—there's simply no way she'd be able to pull herself free from the illusions at this point. But if someone with a strong enough will to resist Oblivion's influence were to go after her, there's a chance they could pull her from the brink of…well, oblivion."

Riku forced himself to remain calm, taking a deep breath through his nose to try and reign in his racing heart. The other cloaked figure had goaded him with his own emotions. He wasn't about to lose his cool again. "And that someone is me?"

"Correct. You're the ideal candidate—as someone who shares a bond with her, you can follow her traces through the realm of sleep. And no matter how deep into dreams you fall, you won't be tempted to remain prisoner."

"Awfully nice of you to offer all this advice. What is it you gain out of all this?" Riku stared hard at the boy, trying to judge his intentions through the expressions on his face. Unfortunately for Riku, the boy remained utterly expressionless.

"We have a mutual interest in saving Akira from an untimely demise."

Riku scoffed out a laugh. "I'm sure you do."

"I'm well aware you don't trust us. Understandably so, given our poor introduction. Perhaps we can try to rectify this and establish a better rapport?" The boy placed a hand against his chest and bowed slightly. "You may call me Zexion. I am a part of the Organization currently occupying Castle Oblivion for the purposes of studying how memory shapes a heart."

A moment of silence passed between them, and Riku realized Zexion was waiting for a reply. He wasn't sure why—The other Organization member he'd fought had used his name, and they all seemed to know things about him and his friends they shouldn't. "Don't you already know who I am?"

Zexion shrugged a single shoulder. "I believe in the importance of greetings. Politeness would dictate that you give your name in turn."

"...Riku."

Why was he going along with this charade? As much as he wanted to demand answers to his questions through Soul Eater, just charging at the boy felt…wrong. The older man had been openly hostile, but the same couldn't be said of Zexion, and it was causing him to hesitate.

Still though, he remained weary. They had to have a motive for saving Akira beyond just the kindness of their hearts.

"I still don't trust you," Riku called out, even as he dismissed Soul Eater entirely.

Zexion seemed to expect this response. "Fair enough. But ultimately, your trust in us means very little. It doesn't change the fact that Akira is in danger of disappearing entirely."

A sudden thought roused itself, making Riku tense at the implications. He wasn't sure why he hadn't thought of it before now. "Where's Sora in all of this? I doubt he's just standing by while Akira's in this much trouble."

Another moment of silence passed, but this one felt much more like Zexion preparing his response carefully. "Sora's fate is intertwined with Akira's. He's in no position to rescue her—and the longer you dawdle, the lower their chances of survival."

Riku gritted his teeth. He hated to agree with Zexion—but he was right. It didn't matter that Riku didn't trust this Organization, he was still going to do everything in his power to save his friends. "...How do I go deeper into the dreams?"

The ghost of a grin flickered on Zexion's face. "To be quite honest with you, this is just theorizing. We've never tried to recover a subject from the depths of Oblivion before. But you should be able to hop your way from one memory to the next until you reach where she resides." He then gazed around at the walls of the Grand Hall, chuckling without mirth to a joke Riku wasn't privy to. "It is rather ironic that these gardens are the intersection. Where else but a world that holds such importance to the both of you?"

Riku joined in looking around at the windows filtering in the morning light. If this was an intersection between his and Akira's memories, why didn't it look like how they remembered it?

As he returned his attention back towards Zexion, he was startled when he found the spot empty. Riku whirled about, his hand splayed and ready to summon Soul Eater back into his palm. But there weren't any signs of him. He'd simply disappeared.

Didn't exactly explain how he was supposed to hop between the memories before he vanished. Of course.

Riku shook his head with a scoff. He didn't need further explanation—he could piece together the idea. If he needed to reach Akira through these dreams, then maybe he just needed to find her in each memory to gain access to the next? It was as good an idea as any. Only problem being he searched this castle from top to bottom and didn't see her in any of the places they'd crossed paths previously.

Finally exiting the Grand Hall, he returned right back to his original plan. Time to search the town surrounding the castle. It shouldn't be too hard to spot Akira—this island was only so big, and Akira tended to be…well, noticeable.

He backtracked through the castle with a quickened pace. The sun continued its slow arc across the sky, lengthening the multi-colored shadows the windows splayed across the ground. Somehow seeing the grandeur of Hollow Bastion as it was supposed to be made it feel all the more empty. The castle Riku was familiar with was in ruins—isolation just fit alongside its decrepit halls. But now that this place looked so open and lived in, the silence broken only by his footsteps became even more deafening.

Which is probably why he startled so much upon opening the large set of double doors leading into the courtyard.

Two guards flanked the doors, each carrying a different polearm weapon. Their matching uniforms clearly showed they belonged to the same organization—all slate-gray with white gloves and a stylized red heart on their chest. But as Riku glanced up towards their faces, he found them formless and blurred—like faces in dreams tended to be.

He stepped from the castle cautiously, ready for either of the two to jump into action at the trespassing. However, they paid him no mind. Even as he strolled to stand directly in front of them, there was no reaction. Could they not see him?

His question was quickly answered when someone else came running up the stairs towards Hollow Bastion's doors. The two guards stiffened and crossed their weapons to block the path—a warning the running figure heeded. Riku watched as he skidded to a halt, panting heavily.

Just like the others his face was formless, but his outfit stood out. He wore a jacket that was split down the middle, one side white the other black, and a high-collared black shirt visible underneath. A pauldron was strapped to his left shoulder, a matching bit of dull-green armor around his midsection. Riku took in these features with a spark of interest—the armor in particular. What would a boy his age need armor for?

"Hold on," one of the guards, the one holding the lance, announced with an accent that dragged out his vowels. "The castle is currently closed to the public."

"The royal family isn't expecting any visitors," the other guard, holding the axe, added in a low, gravelly voice.

"Wait—sorry," the boy apologized between trying to catch his breath, "have you seen a girl wander by here? About this tall," he held a hand up to a little below his hip, "blonde? Green eyes?" He waited as the guards exchanged glances, seeming to hesitate before tacking on, "May or may not be holding what looks like a big key?"

Riku's eyes widened slightly, his interest piqued. It sure sounded like Akira—but even though she was short, she wasn't that short.

He shifted around this scene to stand closer to the boy and, to his great surprise, the boy seemed to respond to his movements. He glanced up at Riku briefly, his lips tightening in a small frown, before the guards took his attention away again. The tension in Riku's shoulders at the small moment of eye contact eased. Likely just a coincidence.

"Afraid not," the guard with the accent shook his head. "If you've lost sight of your sibling, she didn't head this way."

"But—are you sure I can't just take a quick peek around?" the boy shifted on his feet, like he was considering trying to leap over the crossed weapons. "She's really sneaky—she might've slipped past you without you noticing!"

"Speaking from personal experience?" the guard asked with a hint of amusement in his tone.

The boy huffed in frustration, but that noise quickly faded into a wince as a woman's yell sounded up from the courtyard.

"Ventus!"

The boy turned with a great amount of hesitance, the guards watching on with an air of passive interest as a woman crested the top of the stairs.

Her facial features were indiscernible like the others—but her clothes sparked something in the back of Riku's mind. She wore a high-collared black and navy halter top, white bell-sleeves, and segmented bits of silver and blue armor on her upper arms. The blue and white sashes tied around her waist swished as she ran, coming to rest around her legs like fabric tassets as she stopped before the boy.

Riku drew closer to the scene, a feeling of familiarity trying to coax a distant memory forth. A strange woman on Destiny Islands, dressed in a way he'd never seen before. Smiling softly even as he stepped forward to hold an arm in front of Sora protectively. Speaking in an equally soft tone of an important promise Sora needed to keep.

"Aqua!" Ventus greeted her, glancing between her and the guards like he was trying to decide which escape route posed a bigger threat. "I know this looks bad, but—"

"Where is Akira?" Aqua asked, her stern tone clashing against the gentle one Riku held in his memories. "Terra said you lost her?"

So, they were looking for Akira. As impossible as it seemed, it was becoming more and more likely this was a memory originating from her childhood. Riku racked his brain for any mention of those two from Akira, but came up with nothing. This wasn't just some nonsense amalgamation of memories illusioned up by the castle, was it?

He quickly dismissed that idea. Based on what he learned from Zexion, that wouldn't track. Castle Oblivion couldn't form something from nothing.

But the only other logical option was causing him just as much pause. Was Akira was from another world? Why didn't she ever say anything?

…Did she even know?

"I didn't lose her, she just—" Ventus spluttered, not inspiring any confidence in his words. "She said she wanted ice cream so I was buying some from that duck, but when I turned around she was gone!"

"Sounds like you lost her to me," the guard with the lance chimed in. Riku could almost picture the smirk he boasted as the two snapped their gazes towards him.

"For what it's worth, we haven't seen her come this way," the other guard said apologetically. "But we'll keep an eye out."

Aqua nodded her thanks and the two quickly took their leave, their poorly whispered conversation still echoing in the courtyard as they turned their search efforts elsewhere. Riku trailed behind them like a shadow.

"Master Eraqus is going to kill me," Ventus groaned. "We're never going to be allowed out after this!"

Aqua's silence after those statements seemed to lend her agreement to that outcome.

The two's hurried pace took them through the lush gardens of the castle grounds into the town proper. As they crossed the border into the residential district, faceless and sometimes formless people passed by in a blur. It only made them stand out all the more, like a giant beacon highlighting their importance just in case Riku somehow managed to miss it.

It was not passing by him unnoticed.

"Ven! Aqua!"

The two halted at the calls of their names. Riku turned to see another man breaking away from the hazy crowd. He too stood out—and Riku's heart gave a harsh beat at the sight of him.

He wore a black high-collared shirt like the other two, as well as particular pieces of armor. An ornate gold and bronze pauldron extended to a gauntlet that covered most of his left arm. His belt was tied like a sash around his pleated pants, adding a formal look to his outfit.

In your hand, take this Key.

Him. It was—

"Terra, any sign of her?" Aqua stepped forward to meet him, her worry interrupting Riku's moment of realization.

Terra shook his head. "Not yet. Ven?"

Ventus sighed, scuffling at the cobblestone with his shoes in a guilty posture. "The castle was a dead end. I really thought after all that talk about princesses she'd be there!"

"Where could she be?" Aqua fretted, turning to look at all the nearby streets as if Akira were suddenly going to pop out from an alleyway. "She should know better than to run away!"

"C'mon, Aqua," Terra consoled her with a nudge. "We all know what it's like being forced to stay in a single world, knowing everything that's waiting for you out there. Are we really that surprised she took advantage of the moment to explore without someone looking over her shoulder?"

Riku hummed his silent agreement.

Aqua huffed and shook her head, unwilling to agree. "She knows how dangerous it is for her to go anywhere without us."

"But this world's been peaceful so far," Ven said, quietly tacking on, "knock on wood."

A moment of unease followed Ventus's words.

"Let's split up, we'll cover more ground that way," Aqua commanded. "I'll head for the waterway. Ventus, you check the marketplace. Terra, loop back around to the gardens. I don't entirely trust the perception of those guards."

The two nodded, taking off at once without another word. Riku didn't need to think about which one he should follow—his feet had him following alongside Terra before he'd even made a decision.

It was a childhood memory he had all but forgotten—convinced himself it was a dream he'd mistaken for reality. A stranger on their play island, staring out at the sunset with a melancholy expression. Materializing a weapon out of thin air and extending the handle to him, explaining that all he'd have to do is grasp it, and he'd inherit the strength to protect what matters.

So long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking, its wielder you shall one day be.

He'd never seen that man again. Never really gave thought to the words spoken like an oath—until Maleficent coaxed the memory forth in the library. It had stung then, the sharpness of the recollection like a dagger opening up old wounds. He'd been chosen, and it was taken from him.

Now all he felt was shame.

This man saw something in him. Whatever it was, just a single meeting was enough to convince him to pass on the ability to wield a Keyblade, before Riku was old enough to even understand what that meant. He was supposed to champion it, to use it to protect his friends and the people he loved. But all he'd done was use it to hurt them.

If Terra could see him now…would he regret his choice of protégé?

"You may not be as much of a disappointment to him as you'd think."

Riku stiffened. So much for hoping that voice had been left behind in the waking world. Without any warning, Ansem strode from his form as a see-through apparition. Riku flinched back as he continued forward, hands clasped behind his back.

"What are you doing here?" Riku growled.

Ansem only scoffed, not even turning to look at him. "I thought I made it clear, I'd be with you from here on out. The dark stain on your heart houses me, and only death would bring you respite."

Riku glowered, his hand flexing as Soul Eater appeared within it. "Why don't you go back to your cage then? I don't want to hear anything from you."

Ansem finally acknowledged him with a slight incline of his head. "Not even the answers I could provide about your progenitor?"

Riku was admittedly caught off guard by that response. He glanced towards Terra, who was now gaining distance thanks to this distraction. "What would you know about him?"

The wolfish grin Ansem offered up at that question unnerved him further. "A great many things." Mercifully, he turned away, his gleaming golden eyes focusing back out over the town. "Unfortunately for you, that would require engaging me in conversation. And I'm sure you wouldn't want to give the impression you want me around."

Riku gritted his teeth at the jab. "Whatever you could tell me, I guarantee I could save the trouble and find out for myself." He made his point further by walking directly past Ansem, determinedly keeping his gaze forward. He wouldn't even spare a glance, even as he felt the burn of Ansem's eyes upon him.

"Your foolhardy resolution won't bring you any closer to the truth in this matter," Ansem called after him. "Not when the man that holds those answers is long gone."

Riku halted in his tracks. His jaw worked as he fought against the urge to whirl around and confront Ansem on what exactly he meant by that—but eventually his will won out over his need for answers. He continued his resolute march forward, and eventually the cold presence behind him disappeared without another word.

With a shake of his head, Riku tried to disperse the chills that ran along his back at the sensation of the breeze that blew by him. He hated knowing that Ansem was with him along this journey—but he kept the King's words at the forefront of his mind to fight against the feeling of isolation.

He wasn't alone in this.

That being said…

Riku glanced around the courtyard, brows pinching in frustration to see he'd lost sight of Terra. The only things he saw when he turned about were the watercolor blur of the dream denizens passing by, nonsensical murmurs of conversation filling the air.

"Damn it…"

He took off at a jog, weaving his way through the blurred crowd as he backtracked to the gardens. Far up the stone steps he could see those two guards patrolling the entrance to the castle—but he didn't think Terra was likely to reapproach them. Despite knowing he couldn't be seen by them, he still felt the need to duck out of line of sight as he hopped the fence into the royal gardens proper.

The carefully cultivated displays of flowers and bushes almost rivaled the natural coloration of Destiny Islands. Almost. The manufactured looks took away some of the awe for Riku—he much preferred the wild landscape of untouched flora his home provided.

A flash of movement caught his eye, putting a pause on his mental comparisons. He ducked behind a hedgerow, peering around it as he heard the poorly stifled laughter of children.

Two young girls crouched low behind a vibrant display, eyes upturned to the guards looming above. The red-haired girl giggled, causing the blonde to hush her before she too gave into the pull of mischievous snickering. As soon as any adults were out of sight, the two dove right into the midst of the display, becoming quickly engrossed in weaving flower crowns from the blossoming plants around them.

As he looked on, he realized the blonde was dressed in a similar fashion to the three wielders from before, while the redhead wore a dress that denoted her status as a noble of some sort. Neither of their faces were blurred in the slightest, and Riku soon realized why.

Because they were both very familiar to him.

"What're your favorite kinds of flowers?" Kairi asked.

"I like the yellow ones," Akira answered, digging in the dirt to pluck a few of the flowers for herself. "What about you?"

"Mmm…I like roses," Kairi thought for a second before responding, then frowned at the nearby rose bush in a childish frustration. "But they're all thorny, it hurts to pick them!"

Riku allowed himself a small smile at the sight, nostalgia tightening his chest as he watched the two together, unguarded and carefree—a scene that reminded him of the simpler days on their island. He'd understood this was a memory from Akira's childhood already—but the realization his two friends had previously met before meeting once again on Destiny Islands was a revelation all the more shocking.

How is it they both met and became friends not once, but twice? Across all the possible worlds—against all the odds. His old belief in destiny flared, a rush of gratitude warming his heart. He'd said once he was thankful for them all somehow ending up on the same world together, and he meant it. Their friendship was no mere coincidence—it couldn't be. Especially not now.

Akira scrutinized the rose bush Kairi pointed to before setting aside her attempts at a flower crown. "Wanna see something cool?"

Kairi wasn't as quick to abandon the task at hand. She looked up, still weaving the stalks together. "Mhm!"

Akira tossed a grin over her shoulder (that very much hadn't changed a bit since she'd gotten older) before taking a practiced stance with her palm facing outwards. With a glimmer followed by a blinding flash of light, the Heartblade was grasped in her hand. Its weight brought her falling forward, struggling to resume her stance to show off as she switched to gripping it with both hands.

Kairi's jaw dropped, her weaving coming to a stop. "What is that?"

"I'm not supposed to say," Akira said in between her struggles to get the Heartblade pointing straight. "But watch this…Wind!" With a shout, a burst of wind surged forward to tear through the bush, sending petals and leaves flying into the air.

Riku shielded his face as the gust tore past him, the trail of red following after. As the wind dispersed the petals began to spiral down like the strangest rain. Akira rubbed at her nose with a proud grin as Kairi shrieked in delight.

Riku's heart sank even as the two rejoiced in the display. Two hearts filled with Light in the same place could only go unnoticed for so long—and it wasn't lost on Riku that summoning was like placing a beacon right on yourself. His heart now had a familiar, twisting tug at the sight of the blade's gleaming metal, one that made him rub his chest with a grit of his teeth.

And unfortunately, just as he thought, he wasn't the only one drawn by the sensation.

Shadows rippled at the edge of the garden, morphing and reforming into hunched over shapes. Riku readied himself for the sight of Heartless—but that's not what skulked forward out of the dark.

Several sleek, blue creatures darted forward, twitching and restless. Their long pointed heads had two blood-red eyes fixed in a permanent glare, all currently focused on Akira and Kairi.

Riku didn't hesitate. It didn't matter this was all a memory—for all he knew, someone would come to the rescue eventually—but he wasn't going to risk it. "Oh no you don't!" he shouted, carving through one with Soul Eater. Even though it wasn't like any Heartless he'd seen, it still dispersed into a plume of bitter smoke as he struck it down.

A high-pitched gasp sounded behind him. He spared a glance over his shoulder to see Akira staring up at him with wide eyes. There couldn't be any doubt she was looking at him—it was deliberate and pointed eye contact.

"Get out of here!" he flung his hand outwards, and for once it didn't take long for Akira to follow the command.

"C'mon!" she grabbed Kairi's hand, the two running down the stone pathway further into the gardens. The creatures ignored him in favor of chasing after their preferred prey—but Riku had a way to catch their attention. Electricity crackled in his palm and he threw it outwards, the thundaga spell jumping from one creature to the next as they all fell to the ground, twitching.

Riku rushed in, his arm winding back before he jabbed it forward with a practiced precision. One more of those creatures disappeared into a plume of smoke, and he turned towards the rest with a confident grin. That grin faltered somewhat as the creatures began to…scream?

Or at least that was the best way to describe it. They had no mouths, but they still lifted their heads to the sky and emitted a high-pitched shriek, one that made Riku wince. As the ground underfoot began to rumble, it seemed like the call was exactly what Riku feared it was.

A cry for help.

In a roar of dark flame, a much larger creature now towered over him. Its appearance was almost a mimicry of the guards patrolling along the walls, with its shining blue armor and the heart-like symbol emblazoned on its midsection. It had the same shaped red eyes as the twitchy shadows—narrowed and glaring down at him. Once again, definitely not a Heartless.

"What are these things?" Riku growled, taking a defensive stance. Before he could engage this thing properly, however, he realized the little ones weren't sticking around for the fight. They were darting away, swimming through the shadows as if they were made of water, directly towards where Akira and Kairi disappeared.

A distraction? Riku gritted his teeth and moved to follow after them, but the armored bruiser punched the ground in front of him hard enough to crack the pavement, forcing him to skid to a halt. Whatever these things were, they were already proving themselves much more coordinated than the Heartless ever could be.

"I don't have time for this," Riku spat out before launching forward, determined to make this battle swift.

The bruiser might have been big, but the tradeoff between strength and agility was something Riku was currently taking advantage of. He rolled as it swung outwards, the force of its punch creating a gust of wind that blew the leaves off a nearby tree.

He noted this with a tight-lipped frown. It was slow—but if one of those attacks landed, he'd be in for a world of hurt. He tested its armor with a quick strike from Soul Eater, confirming it simply glanced off the surface, before being forced to dodge another retaliating blow.

Riku flipped backwards, planting his free hand firmly on the ground to somersault back onto his feet. It put some much needed distance between them, but the bruiser wasn't letting up. It reeled both its arms back before throwing its bucklers forward, aiming to catch Riku in the intersection. He rolled left, nearly being hit on the rebound as the shields boomeranged back to the creature.

He was losing precious seconds dancing his way around this thing! Glancing over, the flood of smaller monsters were getting further and further away with each passing moment. He couldn't let them find wherever Akira and Kairi hid, but this thing wasn't letting him leave without a fight.

Just as he was poised to dart in for another strike in a vulnerable area, a voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Need some help, pal?"

Riku couldn't help but gawk slightly as the tiny form of Mickey came barreling in, vaulting over the bruiser and using its face as a springboard. It tried to swat Mickey away, but all that came of it was its reach overexerting, causing it to fall heavily onto its back—stunned.

"Your Majesty?"

Mickey tossed a grin at Riku over his shoulder. "I gotta say, Riku, this is the easiest time I've had findin' you so far!"

As the bruiser started to struggle back to its feet, Riku shook himself out of his stupor. "Akira and Kairi are in trouble—I can explain later, but you've gotta take care of those things!" He gestured outwards with Soul Eater, towards the shadows just disappearing around the bend. "I'll handle this one."

Mickey, despite his raised eyebrows at the mention of Riku's friends, thankfully didn't ask questions. "Right. Be safe!" he shouted, before taking off in the direction Riku pointed.

Knowing his friends were now in good hands, Riku could give his full attention to his own fight. He resumed his ready stance as the bruiser finally drug itself back onto its feet, sending what looked like a glare Mickey's way. Riku whistled to bring its attention back towards him before sending a fira spell directly into its gladiator-esque helmet.

It brought its hands up to its face with a rumble of displeasure, and Riku took advantage of its brief loss of sight. He circled around it, his eyes scanning for any weak points in the armor. He locked onto a point on the back of its neck where the armor didn't quite meet its helm.

Riku jumped onto its back, delivering a flurry of blows into that weak spot before vaulting off as it swung to counterattack. He landed deftly on his feet, dodging another earth-shattering blow from the bruiser's fist. He didn't think something without facial features could manage to look so frustrated—but something about this thing managed to capture the emotion perfectly.

Despite the perceived frustration, it seemed to grow wise to his initial trick, holding up one of its bucklers near its head with a readiness to parry. Fortunately, Riku had more up his sleeve.

He held Soul Eater up then brought it down, as if he were pulling the thunder right from the clouds overhead. The spell struck the bruiser directly on top of its helmet, the full-metal armor it donned serving as the perfect conductor. It swayed heavily on its feet before toppling over forward, leaving Riku free to approach without worry of retaliation.

With a quick thrust down, he stabbed through the weak point at its neck. The bruiser went still before combusting into a dark flame that quickly consumed the whole thing, leaving only wisps of smoke behind.

Riku didn't stop to celebrate—he took off towards where Mickey and the girls had disappeared. The gardens continued a good deal further into the courtyards, the way the hedges were grown giving a maze-like quality to the environment. Thankfully he didn't have to look very far—Mickey stood in the center of the pathway, the Kingdom Key D grasped in his outstretched hand.

"I think we're in the clear," Mickey called out over his shoulder, dismissing his Keyblade. "Really didn't think I'd be seeing those guys again."

Riku closed the distance between them as he searched for the girls, needing to confirm they were safe before he was able to fully relax and question Mickey. All his tension left when he saw both their faces peeking out from one of the hedges. Now he could focus on questioning—wait. Again?

"Your Majesty—" he began, but was stopped by Mickey shaking his head.

"Now Riku, what did I say about that? We're on a first name basis now." Mickey wagged a finger at him in a good-natured scold, making Riku clear his throat in mild embarrassment.

"Right. Mickey," he winced at the sound, not used to not using the honorific, "what do you mean again? Do you know what those things are? And—how did you even get here?"

"I took a nap," Mickey answered with a good-natured grin.

It did make sense. He was sent here by being put to sleep—and Zexion did address it as the Realm of Sleep. But still—something about the nonchalant way Mickey answered caused him to pause. "That's all it took?"

"Well, I had some help," Mickey continued with a chuckle, scratching at his cheek. "Some fella I came across in the Realm of Darkness. Haven't really gotten a read on him yet, but he seems to know more than we do about the castle, and what this Organization might be up to."

Riku hummed, crossing his arms. "He's not a part of it, is he?"

Mickey shook his head. "Doesn't seem like it. At least if he was, he's not currently. Apparently, they're the ones who trapped him in the Realm of Darkness in the first place."

"The enemy of our enemy is our friend, huh?" Riku murmured.

Mickey nodded sagely at the phrase. "Exactly what I was thinkin'. Now, maybe you can explain a little bit about what's goin' on? One minute I can pinpoint your location, the next you were gone! I was worried about you, pal."

Riku sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "To be honest, Your—I mean, Mickey, I don't fully understand it. But the important thing is: Akira is in trouble."

Mickey instantly stood to attention, eyes wide. He cast a glance over his shoulder to the child Akira now part way out of the bush, staring unabashedly at Riku. "Whaddya mean? What happened?"

"I had a run in with the Organization, and they said she got trapped in the lowest reaches of Oblivion. I'm trying to make my way there now—somehow." He gestured around to the dreamscape. "They weren't exactly open about their intentions with her, and I'm taking everything they say with a grain of salt. But I believe them on one thing—Akira's a goner without someone able to pull her out."

Mickey fell silent, his large round ears giving a twitch as he thought hard. "Hmm…things are worse than I thought. I don't feel good about trusting the Organization, but we kinda have to, don't we? They've got the upper hand in this situation."

"I know, I don't feel great about it either…" Riku trailed off as he met gazes with Akira once more, who took up a cautiously defensive stance with Kairi still hiding in the bushes. The protective motion warmed his heart, only affirming his decision. "But Akira needs my help. Likely Sora too, by the way they were talking."

"Don't you worry about Sora!" Mickey chimed in. "Wherever he is, I'm sure Donald and Goofy are there looking after him."

Riku fell silent, relief tinged with guilt coursing through him at the mention of Donald and Goofy. Of course they'd be with Sora, and they'd already proven themselves capable of defending him, even against the likes of…

Riku's guilt trip must have been showing on his face, as Mickey waved the topic away. "Either way, currently we've got no choice but to play along if we're going to save our friends. But keep your wits sharp—I've been told these fellas can be awfully cunning!"

Riku nodded. "Not planning on trusting them any more than necessary."

Mickey seemed relieved, however before Riku could continue their conversation and circle back around to the King recognizing the monsters they just fought, he realized something. He could now see straight through the King.

Mickey followed what must have been his surprised expression, looking down at himself and humming at his transparent texture. "Guess we ran outta time. Listen, Riku, just keep this conversation in mind, alright? I'm gonna try to keep an eye on ya, but I'm not sure how often we'll be able to meet face-to-face like this."

Disappointment shot through Riku. He'd been hoping the King would be able to stick around this time. No such luck.

"Chin up, pal! We're still trying to find a way to reach you. And when I get there, we'll tackle this thing together. I promise." He held out his hand with a smile.

Riku reached forward to grab it in a handshake, but his touch simply phased right through, as if passing through an illusion. The two looked at their hands before Mickey chuckled. "Well, it's the thought that counts, right? We sealed that promise."

"Guess so," Riku echoed the small laugh—and with that, Mickey was gone.

"Why're you talking to yourself?"

Riku looked up, startled at the nearby shout. Akira had abandoned her post momentarily to approach Riku, looking up at him with a furrowed brow.

He paused, then propped his hand on his hip and stared down at her with a raised brow. "Why are you running away from your guardians? You could've really gotten yourself and your friend over there hurt."

Akira cringed, looking back over at Kairi guiltily. "I—I could've handled it!" she huffed, not sounding confident in that statement at all. Despite the bravado in the statement, she scuffed at the ground with the tip of her shoe. "But…I am happy you helped us anyways."

"It was nothing," Riku went to wave a hand dismissively, but Akira caught it mid-gesture. She pressed a vibrant yellow flower into his palm before backing away again.

"Thank you, 'n all that," she muttered. "Now you hafta keep it a secret, okay? I don't wanna get in trouble for—"

"Akira!"

Akira jumped nearly a foot into the air, and froze upon landing. Riku didn't have to look up to know the three wielders had rounded the corner, the runaway in their sights. Seemed she wasn't going to be running this time.

Riku stepped to the side as Akira turned slowly, giving the most innocent grin she could muster. "Oh, there you guys are!"

"I don't think so," Aqua instantly shot that act down, kneeling before Akira and checking her over for scrapes. "We heard a fight, are you okay? What happened?"

Akira struggled against her, groaning in frustration. "It was fine! It was just some…y'know, things. But we had it covered!"

"We?" Aqua repeated. Akira looked up towards Riku, confused.

"Don't think she can see me," Riku explained, rolling his lips to contain a smile as Akira paled at the realization. "Sorry. You're on your own now."

"B-But—I was just—"

"I think she's talking about this one," Ventus called over, gesturing with a thumb towards Kairi, who stepped from the hedge with a guilty expression. Leaves and twigs poked out from her auburn hair, her dress a little worse for wear.

"The Princess?" Aqua pinched the bridge of her nose, but Terra stepped in before her stress could escalate further, laying a hand on her shoulder.

"They're both safe, right? Let's just take Akira and go home. It's past time for us to be back, anyways."

Aqua looked up at the touch, sighing through her nose. Riku had a feeling this wasn't going to be the last of the conversation, even as she stood up with a quiet, "Okay. Akira, go tell your friend goodbye."

"...Can I maybe—"

"Akira."

Akira yelped and scrambled over to Kairi, the two girls standing in front of each other sheepishly.

"Thanks for taking me on an adventure," Kairi murmured, handing over the flower crown for Akira to take. She did so, sniffling slightly.

"Thanks for being my friend," Akira said just as softly. The two hugged, parting reluctantly as Kairi made her way up the stairs towards the castle.

As soon as she was out of sight, Aqua summoned a Keyblade to her hand. Riku stepped forward unconsciously for a better look, admiring the dull metallic blue color and sleek shape. More Keyblade wielders. With the way the past few months went, he never would've thought there were more of them just a decade ago.

…What happened to them?

A light shimmered in the air in front of them as Aqua pointed her Keyblade forward, and to Riku's surprise a portal blinked into existence. It almost looked similar to the ones he'd learned to pull forward from the shadows—but this one shined in a myriad of colors, as if it were made from light instead.

"Get ready for the lecture," Ventus sighed before they all stepped through.

Riku waited for just a moment before falling into line just behind them. The portal snapped shut as soon as he walked through, leaving the Hollow Bastion gardens empty once again.

KH

Vexen breathed out slowly, as if he had any excitement which needed to be quelled. Old habits die hard—extremely hard, in his case. Had he any nerves that would cause his hand to tremble, now would likely be about when they would kick in.

So far, he had only fully completed a single replica unit. It was less than satisfactory, only experimental—but from all the reports he'd taken before duties at Castle Oblivion whisked him away, it was at least performing as expected. That one could hardly be compared to the one he was about to bring online, however, as that one was not built to mimic anyone in particular. It was just a controllable fail-safe.

This one, on the other hand, was crafted with a very specific subject in mind—which was already reflected in the replica's appearance. The memories imprinted onto the unit resulted in a unique shift from a blank, gray doll to a silver-haired island teenager, motionless and staring upwards unseeing.

The small sample Vexen took of Riku's heart was intriguing, but there were certainly some elements he wanted to remove. The self-imposed fear of the Darkness was certainly first to go—a trait like that would only ever result in stunted growth and the waste of a replica.

Obedience needed to be ensured as well, but Vexen wasn't too concerned about that. When replicas wake, he takes thorough time to explain they are his creations—and they seem to understand the concept enough to treat him with respect.

Finally, with a few more keystrokes, the code was complete. The next button would download all his edits, and the replica would awaken.

There was an audible click that echoed in the vast space of his laboratory.

The replica's dull eyes gained the spark of consciousness, and it jolted up from the table with a ragged gasp. Based on Vexen's previous observations, the first few moments of life could be disorienting, so he gave it a wide berth to lessen the chance of a volatile reaction.

It blinked slowly, reaching up to feel the fabric of its shirt, then touched its face, looking around the lab until it met gazes with him. Vexen tensed as his eyes narrowed, but then that look of angered recognition faded into confusion. "You're…who—where am I?"

"My name is Vexen," he introduced himself with a stiff nod, an empty grin growing on his face as he prepared to launch into his rehearsed speech. "And you are a replica. My creation."

I do very much enjoy writing for the Organization members, it must be said.

I wanted to give all the different enemy types a distinct feel, so I decided that the Heartless are typically more feral, whereas the Unversed are a little bit more intelligent. They're literally emotions given form, so they'd be driven by different things than the Heartless is my reasoning.

Also, Riku remembering Aqua and Terra was such a fun thing to write. I know in game its acknowledged he remembered Terra passing down the Keyblade, so I wanted to play with that a little bit more in these memories. More of that will follow for sure.

1. Are you looking forward to any re-introductions in particular between the Wayfinder and Destiny quartet? My version of KH3 is going to be much different from the original, so more interactions between these two groups are a given.

Thanks to everyone who have followed and favorited! Hope you continue to enjoy! See you November 22nd!