Kingdom Hearts 1. Contemplation

Updated: 11-19-11 Minor spelling and structure revisions along with a bit of clarification. I noticed a bit of rambling and decided to clean it up. Enjoy.

Chapter 1: Contempation

The wind caused tree branches to gently tap against Sora's bedroom window. His cinnamon spiky hair was smashed in odd angles as he rolled over in his bed, he seemed to be struggling to find a comfortable position. Moonbeams slipped through Sora's open window, illuminating his face which held an expression of discomfort. Outside, the full moon created an array of dark shadows across the landscape of Destiny Island.

It had been a few weeks after the huge battle in the Land That Never Was and Sora was taking a well deserved break; the King's Letter had said to expect an assignment in the coming weeks. The gang had been trying to rest up as much as possible. Much of their time had been spent with their families. Donald and Goofy had taken up residents at Sora's house. While Sora's mother and father were relieved to have their only son back, they had been a little wary of the pair of King Micky's knights. Sora's parents had shared the various news clippings with headlines that read "THREE CHILDREN MISSING!" The whole of destiny island thought they had been dead for the first year of their adventure. When Kairi had returned to the islands after the battle with Ansem, she had done her best to reach out to Sora and Riku's parents to reassure them that their children were still alive. Though nothing compared to holding their sons again.

The breeze moved Sora's hair across his face, tickling his cheek. Still sleeping, with a light bit of snoring he rubbed at his face. His feet hung off the end of his obviously too small bed which was not a surprise; he had grown so much over the past two years, that his bed could no longer contain his lanky legs. His parents had promised to purchase a new bed for him as soon as a shipment came in from the mainland. Most of his evenings were spent describing his adventures with Goofy and Donald to his attentive parents. Goofy and Donald did not hesitate to chime in with their own commentary.

This left Sora without any free time to spend with Kairi and Riku; he had missed his friends dearly but understood their families needs to see their long lost children. Sora, most of all, wanted to spend time with Riku. He had spend so much time looking for his silver-haired friend that Sora was beginning to find it difficult to be patient with their respective families.

But tomorrow was supposed to be a special day. Sora, Riku and Kairi had made plans to finally meet up for lunch. Sora had stayed awake many hours that night in anticipation of getting to see his important friends again; until he finally dozed off into a less than peaceful slumber.

As of late Sora had been struggling with a feeling of guilt in the pit of his stomach. While his well deserved break was necessary to rest his aching muscles and his tired body, his heart and soul belonged back out on the battlefield; the familiar cool metal of the keyblade between his fingers and palm. Every other night Sora would wake with a start, having summoned his keyblade to his hand to vanquish the Heartless that haunted his dreams.

Sora still dreamed of the world of Darkness; the Heartless that scudded and scurried about behind those great doors and what Riku must have faced in the darkness. Of course, Riku had still had King Mickey to guide and protect the two of them, but in the deep crevasses of the brunette's heart, Sora knew he would have been terrified had he been in Riku's shoes. Sora had yet to over come the few times he transformed into Anti-Sora.

The Keyblade wielder been pushing himself so hard that he had started to waver and wobble between light and dark. Sora always knew what side he belonged on, but he could never truly take hold of the part of himself that would take that one step in the wrong direction.

Sora knew that he needed to speak with his best friend alone. He needed Riku's insight to the internal struggle that lay just beneath the surface of his azure eyes, but Sora did not even know how to begin the conversation. After all of their fighting and struggle to find each other, Sora knew that while Riku would be the only one on Destiny Island who could put his feelings into perspective, he feared that it would upset Riku to talk about the darkness.

As the sun began to rise, the birds began a familiar song as they greeted the day, Sora slowly opened his azure eyes. He was excited but still gave a hearty yawn as he stretched; cracking his ankles and toes in one motion. He ran his fingers through his hair as he left the comfort of his bed. Sora dressed himself in a white t-shirt that hung a little loose to his frame and red shorts that sagged just a little. The spiky haired boy had been borrowing a few clothes from his dad, as most of Sora's no longer fit him. He slid his crown necklace over his head; it landed with a soft thud over his heart.

After tip-toeing into the kitchen and grabbed a piece of bread and a single piece of fruit, a ruby red apple. Sora carefully slid out the door, out into the sun. His dad's sandals sat outside in the warm morning sun, which Sora carefully stepped into as he started off toward Riku's.

While munching on his bit of fruit, Sora began to try to collect all of his thoughts together. Riku was like Sora's brother. He could feel, now more than ever, that he would love Riku as his brother, no matter what the silver-haired boy did or became.

Those long days of searching for his friend had left Sora with a feeling of drowning; as if his sadness was trying to escape his body through his mouth and throat and that sadness threatened to choke the breath from the brunette's lungs. Not to mention the guilt of being unable to prevent his friend from falling into darkness in the first place. Sora had yet to be rid of this feeling even though he knew that Riku was back on Destiny Island and safe from the darkness of the worlds.

Sora rubbed his nose with the back of his hand, so absorbed in his thoughts he did not realize that he was not the only one taking a morning stroll.

"Long time to see." A voice called from up ahead.


	2. A Heart To Heart

A/N: Sorry for the repost. I realized that 3,600ish words was kinda a lot to take in on a first chapter. From now on chapters should be under the 2,500ish range. Once again, Apologies for the repost.

Updated: 11-18-11: I realized that I caused a bit of rambling toward the end of this chapter and thought I should come back in and clean it up a bit. Enjoy.

Chapter 2: A Heart to Heart

"Long time to see." A voice called from up ahead.

Sora looked up a bit startled, but smiled as he realized who the voice belonged to. Riku walked toward him; his silver hair was pulled back into a ponytail but this did not prevent his bangs from continuing to block his eyes from clear vision. Riku wore loose knee-length shorts a plain t-shirt and light vest. The two friends picked up their walking pace until they were close enough to embrace in a fierce bear hug.

"I'm sure you've heard this a lot in the past few days Riku," Sora said into his friend's shoulder. "But damn, it's good to have you back." The brunette held his friend so tight he could feel the silver-haired boy's heartbeat against his chest.

Riku smiled and ruffled his friend's spiky hair. "It's good to be back, Sora."

The two friends eventually let go of one another and continued walking on the beach together, chatting about their each of their parent's reaction to their return. Riku's mom had fainted when she had come to the door expecting the pizza delivery man, only to discover her long lost son standing on the welcome mat, smiling sheepishly. Which was a far better reaction than Sora's mom, who had not been expecting anyone to just walk in, almost hit her son square in the face with a frying pan. The two laughed together like they had not in years.

Sora and Riku eventually made it to the island that their adventure had started two years ago. They walked along the bridge to the slightly bent palm tree on its lonely island. Sora hopped up on to the nearly horizontal palm tree and looked out at the horizon, while Riku leaned against the trunk beside him.

"I missed you, Riku." Sora said almost impulsively, his cheeks a little flushed. He avoided looking to his friend at this very moment. It did not seem like a very manly thing to confess to his feelings to his best friend, especially when it made him sound like a girl, but it was too late now, the words had already left his lips.

"I was worried I had lost you to the darkness forever. I wish I could have been there for you, to help you stay in the light, and that we could have gone on this adventure together, on the same side you know?"

Riku winced a little, but nodded. "Yeah Sora, I know."

The silver-haired teen sighed and rubbed his face. "I regret the way that I left Destiny Island. I regret giving into the Darkness inside of me. I was a foolish child, who could not even begin to understand that vastness that is outside of our tiny island."

Sora nodded in agreement, kicking his legs back and forth. While Sora had gotten taller, he could still swing his feet without touching the sand below. "I still don't fully understand what is out there. We've seen so many different worlds and people. Some of them were full of light and others were lost in darkness. They all found a way of co-existing, managing their lives and struggles. It makes you feel really small doesn't it?" The breeze rolled in off the ocean, causing the two boys to pause, deeply breathing in the salty air.

"Sure does." Riku responded, giving a slide-ways glance at his brunette friend. The silver-haired boy watched Sora with a little bit of caution. While it was great to be back on his home island, Riku had yet to really let his guard down.

Even though the two of them had not had a major discussion since the day they left Destiny Island; Riku could tell something was on Sora's mind. "How about you? I met and spoke with Roxas briefly. Are you two getting along in there?"

Sora stretched on the tree, the rough bark scratching his back, "I think we are. Our hearts are the same and I guess I never realized that how... out of sync I felt. I was so consumed with finding you after we defeated Ansem that I didn't realize I had lost that part of me."

Sora rested his hand over his heart. He occasionally could feel Roxas on the edge of his mind. The Nobody's memories and feelings like light on a reflecting pool; blurry and out of focus. "What was he like?"

Riku laughed slightly, recalling the blond boy he encountered in the Land-That-Never-Was, "He was just like you. Stubborn, determined, and fierce. He lacked your kindness." Riku paused. "I think you needed him too though." Sora gave Riku a quizzical look.

"What do you mean by that?"

Riku shrugged," He gave you experience, and a better perspective on Nobodies and Organization XIII."

"_Axel..."_

Sora felt it now, on the edge of his mind Roxas remembering his friend. The brunette closed his azure eyes as the familiar wave of sadness rolled from his chest. "Yeah, I guess your right." Sora bit his lip briefly, contemplating what he was about to say next. Many nights Sora had sat up staring at the sky trying to come to terms with what he was about to share with Riku.

"Riku, I have this feeling in my chest that I haven't been able to shake." He turned to his silver-haired friend, who peered at him through the corner of his eye. "It is like a sense of dread. While I'm glad to see my parents and have some time off, I feel like should be out there fighting off the darkness in all the worlds we have yet to even discover." The brunette paused holding a hand over his chest for a moment, as if trying to obtain a clue to the secrets it held inside.

"At first, I thought it was guilt for taking a breather, but now I realize it is more than that. I feel the the first step to truly understanding what is happening in my heart is to figure out where you and I stand. We've crossed blades and hurt one another. I feel like I had let you down Riku..."

Sora hung his head shamefully, running a hand through his auburn hair. He paused taking a deep breath before speaking the words he had rolled around in his head for months. "I want you to know that I don't hold anything against you for going into the darkness, in fact I blame myself for not-"

"Sora." Riku cut him off almost sharply. "I never want you to think that way ever again. The choices I made were mine and mine alone." Riku's sea-green eyes penetrated Sora with so much intensity.

Riku had come to terms with what he had done by stepping away from the light, he knew that he now existed between the darkness and the light. If the world was black and white, he would be gray, and he was okay with being able to see all perspectives and shouldering that burden.

"Sora, I doubt you could have done anything for me at the time." Riku spoke with confidence. "I was a young teenager who was obsessed with becoming the best, and being better than where I was from, so much so that I forgot who I really was inside. I wanted to be strong to protect those I cared about but ultimately I ended up hurting the very people I tried to protect."

Sora watched his friend's expression in the late morning sun. Riku appear to be ashamed of what he had done, but Riku had been able to not only let go of the past, but was capable of learning from it and moving on.

The brunette felt so much pride for his dear childhood friend. He reached out to pat Riku on the shoulder when a pain ripped through his chest, the wave of sadness seemed to be real and stealing the very breath from his lungs, consuming Sora in sudden darkness. The breath that was nearly trapped in his lungs, came out as a raspy wheeze as another tremor struck. Sora's eyes lost focus as he slipped from consciousness. "Ri...ku.."

Sora fell backward off the tree back into the shallow shore below. Riku spun round but not in time enough to stop Sora from falling into the water, the ocean engulfed the keyblade wielder with a loud crash.

"Sora!"


	3. Poisoned

A/N: I have once again split up one of the beginning chapters to help with pacing. YAY REVISIONS~! Thanks.

Chapter 3: Poisoned

The silver haired boy leaped off the island to retrieve his friend from the waves. Sora's body floated limply just below the surface as Riku reached his unconscious friend. He lifted the brunette boy up carefully. Holding Sora's head above the water, Riku carried the key-wielder's limp body to the beach. Riku dropped to one knee and lay Sora in the sand, panicing.

The silver haired boy put his ear near Sora's mouth, praying to feel his friend's breath against his skin but Riku's stomach dropped when he felt nothing, not even a slight bit of breeze on his wet cheek.

The silver-haired boy began to preform CPR on his lifeless friend. 'What could be wrong with him! He was just fine a moment ago!' Riku thought frantically trying to keep pacing. Sora's eyes remained closed as Riku alternated from pumping Sora's chest with both hands and breathing air into Sora's lungs.

"Come on, Sora, after all we've been through you can't drown in water that only goes up to your waist! Breathe damn it, BREATHE!" Riku pleaded as he continued to push.

After about a minute of resuscitation and racing thoughts, the key-wielder finally rolled onto his side coughing up a bit of water. Riku fell back on the wet sand himself, still carefully watching his friend as Sora struggled to catch his breath. Riku rubbed sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. The silver-haired boy realized he had been holding his own breath while he had been pumping Sora's chest.

Sora lay on his side facing Riku, the brunette's blue eyes dull and full of pain. Riku reached out to his friend, taking Sora's hand in his. "What's going on, Sora?" Riku panted, his voice filled with concern.

"Riku, something is wrong with me. I can feel it." Sora wheezed. The brunette's face was contorted in pain as his other hand gripped his shirt over his heart. "It feels like something is crawling through my veins!" Sora looked at Riku with eyes slightly glazed over.

"That would be from my poison apple, boy." A woman's voice called. Riku started to jump to his feet as a pool of darkness appeared beneath his feet. Tendrils of dark magic rose, ensnaring Riku in their clutches.

"Who's there! Show yourself!" The silver haired boy cried, as he struggled against his bonds. Unable to keep himself steady Riku lost balance and flopped hard onto the sand on his side.

"Is that they way you address a queen?" From another pool of darkness, a few feet away, appeared a middle-aged woman cloaked in black. She had a thick layer of purple eye shadow and the color of her eyes was brown. Her crimson red lips curled in a triumphant smile, while her hair was hidden beneath a hood but her gold crown gleamed in the bright sun of Destiny Island.

"Who are you? And what have you done to Sora!" Riku demanded, continuing to struggle as Sora winced in pain again. The key-blade wielder looked pale from the pain and sickly lying in the sand, even his hair seemed to have lost its spunk.

"I am Queen Grimhilde, sister to Maleficent. I have come to take my revenge on the brats that killed my sister. As for what I've done to him..." She smiled sinisterly, eyeing Sora as he struggled just to stay focused. "I had sent his dear family a basket full of my poisoned apples, which he ate this morning on his way to meet you. A poison made from the blood of the Heartless, it should prove extremely potent to our dear little key-blade wielder."

Sora began coughing up blood, the stick red liquid staining his fingers. He looked to Riku, clearly unable to focus. "Let Riku go you Witch!" The brunette whimpered as he winced in pain again. Darkness seemed to be oozing out of Sora, binding him in a similar way to Riku; his arms were held behind his back with dark bands which wrapped themselves around his wrists.

"Sora! Hang on!" Riku struggled against his bonds but could not manage to free himself. The Queen laughed loudly pushing the brunette farther from Riku with her foot.

"Don't worry my child, soon you will pass out from pain and then my true revenge shall come." The Queen snickered, laughing with delight as Sora roared in pain. The brunette felt as though every blood vessel in his chest was on fire and that they twisted and tried to escape his very flesh. He bit his lip trying to hold in all of the pain before he roared from his chest blood slipping from his lips and puddling in the sand.

"Leave him alone!" Riku cried, wet sand nearly covering him from head to toe. "I am the one that betrayed Maleficent, I am the one who opened her heart to the darkness!" The Queen laughed once again.

" I have an entirely separate punishment for you, you are going to have to watch as I break your little Keyblade wielder's heart." The Queen smiled again. "But perhaps we should return to my castle. So that my plan can be put into motion." She flung her dark cloak around and chanted. " Mirror, Mirror, on the wall; open the path that connects all."

As the Queen spoke, a thick formation of smoke appeared, creating a gold framed mirror with a mask that floated inside. "What is our destination Mistress? "

" Return myself and our guests to our home. I have plenty of things in store for these two."

"As you wish my lady," the mirror replied before collecting up Sora, Riku, and the Queen in darkness, vanishing from shores of Destiny Island.

...

Thanks for reading!


	4. Trapped

A/N: Thanks for the review's X-The-Final and Onigiri-nii. And thanks to everyone who added this story to their watch list.!

Chapter 4: Trapped

On the other side of the portal, a dimly lit room came into focus. Riku landed on the hard stone floor with a thud. A second thud followed with an additional cracking noise that echoed behind him. He twisted around to see Sora laying on the floor with his forehead open, blood trickling down his tan skin to his cheek. Sora furrowed his brow and looked at Riku with concern," Riku are you alright?"

Riku almost laughed, Sora was always more worried about everyone else rather than himself. The brunette had been poisoned, was bleeding all over the floor and his first instinct was to ask Riku if the silver haired boy was alright. "I'm fine, just hang in there buddy; I'll get us out of this."

The Queen had disappeared temporarily leaving Riku and Sora bound, but alone. Riku started to look around the area for the best way out. High ceilings stretched over head and navy blue drapes covered the walls. Sunlight peaked through a gap between thick curtains, it appeared to be nearing sunset in the world the boys had been dropped into. Behind the two boys there was a mirror in a golden ornate frame. The room seemed to be circular with only one exit to their left, and out-cove that hopefully lead to a doorway.

Riku began to struggle; trying release the tendrils of darkness that bound him. The silver-haired boy knew if he could take the form of Ansem, he would break this pathetic dark magic and flee the queen's trap. He grew more and more frustrated as he tried to summon his own darkness to break his restraints. Sora felt dizzy and sick; he lay on his side watching Riku attempt to free himself.

The brunette felt nauseated as the room spin before his eyes. The key wielder could feel the poison in his veils, it was like hot acid surging through his body. Sora could feel that this was no ordinary poison that could be cured with a tonic; the poison seemed to be hurting more than his body. The light within Sora was battling against the darkness of the poison. He sensed that he was losing against the darkness crawling through his veins. The pain came like waves that crashed into keyblade wielder's heart; stealing the breath from his chest with ever attack. To Sora everything was becoming more hazy. After nearly turning himself blue in the face trying to call his dark powers forth, Riku sighed and flopped on the ground exhausted.

"I'm sorry I couldn't stop her..." Sora lay on his side and coughing up again. Riku crawled his way over to his friend and pressed his forehead against Sora's firmly.

"Shut up you, idiot. This isn't your fault. Just focus on staying with me. We'll get out of this as long as we stay together alright." Sora looked into Riku's green eyes and nodded.

Riku felt how feverish Sora was and an overwhelming sense of dread swept over the silver haired boy. They were starting to run out of time. Riku knew whatever poison the Queen was using on Sora was draining the keyblade wielder of all of his strength. Riku sensed that it was taking every bit of Sora's strength to keep himself from slipping out of consciousness right there. Sora whimpered as another painful tremor from the poison attacked his body.

The brunette closed his eyes tightly and coughing again. Sora tried to turn away; with his hands bound Sora could not cover his mouth and he did not want to get any blood on Riku. Sora rolled on to his back but blood from his lungs filled his mouth quickly the warm red liquid covered his teeth and tongue. He started to choke on his own blood. Sora made a gurgling noise before the blood in his mouth splattered on the floor around his head. Tears welled in Sora's azure eyes as he slowly opened them again, he looked at Riku through the corner of his eye. The silver haired boy could only watch his childhood friend fight for his own life.

Riku wanted nothing more than to try to comfort the brunette, but with Riku's hands bound, he could only watch as Sora's crimson blood dribbled out of the corner of his mouth. "Just hang on, Sora. Just keep being strong and we'll get through this."

A sinister chuckle rose from the doorway. The Queen flicked her cloak and strolled over to them. Her black heels clicking on the stone before she came to a halt standing between the two of them.

"Such fools, so full of hope and determination. I'm sure you'll gain some perspective of your real situation after you wake up." The Queen turned to the mirror. "Mirror, Mirror, on the wall; make them sleep until I call."

Riku instantly felt his mind begin to drift away into darkness. The last thing Riku saw before slipping into an unnatural sleep was Sora's face streaked with tears and blood, the azure eye's Riku has known most of his life, closing slowly.

...

Riku woke with a start. Even though his eyes were open, Riku could not see a thing. Fortunately there were a few things he managed to gather about his new surroundings. From the musk and dampness in the air he could tell he was underground and from the hollow echo of water dripping in the distance Riku could tell he was in a cell.

The air was cold and wet; it sent a shiver down his spine. Riku felt the heavy shackles on his wrists and ankles, his arms were pinned to the wall over his head, while he sat on the floor incapable of moving. "Damn witch," he cursed, starting to wriggle under his restraints.

"I have to save Sora before she hurts him any more." The silver-haired boy pulled, tugged and twisted his wrists in an attempt to free himself. Riku winced as he managed to slice open his flesh on the jagged metal. The blood began to roll down his bare arm. While this stung badly, he thought that his bloody wrist would eventually help him slip through the shackles. The dripping of the water down the hall continued to irritate him and exaggerate his sense of time. He was wasting the precious amount of time he had.

Riku continued to struggle, twisting and turning his wrists as much as he could. A long drop of blood had almost traveled to his elbow and he paused to catch his breath. Riku did not fear the darkness that surrounded him; after all the nights trapped inside of Kingdom Hearts, the feeling of panic deep in his stomach had subsided. Riku felt oddly at home in the darkness.

He could almost feel the layout of the room he was in with his mind. He was being held in a stone cell, and the shackles that bound him were made of iron. He also could tell that a gate to his right was the only exit in the room. There was a small window to his left but was barely as wide as a blitz-ball; no way he could slip through it. The tapping of the water down the hallway was getting more difficult to ignore.

The silver haired boy's mind was racing. "What does she have planned for us? Why am I being held alone? Does that evil woman have him now! If only I could unlock these damn shackles!"

Suddenly the idea dawned on him. The keyblade! How could he have been so stupid! He called for his blade to come to him, which filled the room temporarily in light. Riku sucked in a breath; the walls housed several similar shackles to the ones he was trapped in and there were large dark stains that covered walls, blood.

Keyblade in hand, Riku twisted his wrist so that his blade pointed directly across the room. He hoped that there was enough of a reflective surface on the other side as he willed his keyblade to cast the spell "open." A beam of light shot from the end of his blade, and bounced off the wall, coming right back at Riku's bound wrists. With a loud click, his restraints unlocked. With his hands free it was simple enough to remove the shackles around his ankles as he stood up.

Riku instantly felt better armed. The keyblade was cool between Riku's fingers, the metal tingled with magic at his touch. "Now to find Sora." He mumbled, while opening the cell door with his blade and slipping into the dark hallway. Riku's cell had been at the end of a long hallway. The silver-haired boy began to move quickly and quietly toward the sound of the dripping.

...

Hope you enjoyed this chapter, see ya in a few days folks :D


	5. Transfusion

A/n: Thanks again for the review X-The-Final!

Chapter 5: Transfusion

Riku walked for a long while, his sandals slapping against the wet floor. Cold water splashed all over his legs and shorts. Riku cursed himself for not wearing longer pants this morning; he felt cold and wished for a little more protection from the chill in the dungeon. It penetrated him, sending a shiver down his spine and goose-bumps covered his arms. He tried to not let his discomfort distract him from locating his best friend.

A clicking noise stopped Riku in his tracks. It sounded like nails tapping against the stone. The silver haired boy gripped the cool metal of his key-blade even tighter. The clicking seemed to multiply, like more creatures joined the ranks. "Heartless." Riku thought, as he moved forward holding his blade ready to strike. The glowing yellow eyes of the heartless began to come into focus. Riku held his blade back and swung wide, he could feel the Heartless releasing their hearts as the keyblade struck them, a bright light bursting from every one as their hearts were released.

The light of the freed hearts granted Riku a brief glance at his opponents. There were at least fifty-some heartless standing between the silver haired boy and a staircase. Shadow heartless blocked his path but Riku had no time to deal with all of them. With his injured wrist he began swinging as wide as he could. Occasionally calling a Firaga, to both light his way and take out a few Heartless at once.

Finally, Riku saw a wooden door ahead, light shining from the crack between the door and the floor. He began to sprint, pointing his keyblade at the door and willed it to open.

Riku shielded his eyes from the harsh light, temporarily blinded but still ready to swing of someone took a stab at him. The dripping sound was louder now, it seemed to be coming from this very room. As Riku pulled his hand away, he stomach turned.

"Sora!"

The brunette boy was pinned down to a table with his arms outstretched, leather straps preventing Sora from moving at his wrist, forearm and bicep. His white t-shirt was soaked with blood all down the front. Sora's head was turned towards Riku, but his brown spiky hair covered his eyes. Blood still dribbled from his mouth.

As Riku approached Sora, the pit of the older boy's stomach seemed to drop out. Riku realized that there were needles with tubes stuck both of the keyblade-wielders arms. The one on his right arm held a black liquid, and the left held something red; blood. The red tube appeared to lead to a machine that was literally pumping all of Sora's blood out of him and down the drain. The dripping Riku had heard all this time, assuming it was water, had been Sora's blood all along.

The air was stolen from Riku's chest as he dropped his key-blade; tears began to well up in his eyes. The sinister Queen seemed to be replacing Sora's blood with the black liquid. What was she trying to do! Preform some kind of sick taxidermy? Riku's hands reached out and touched Sora's face gently, "Sora wake up! Wake up! I'm here to get you out of here, please wake up."

The Keyblade wielder stirred but did not open his eyes. Riku tried to wipe away the bloody streaks that lined Sora's face with his thumbs. "Riku...I feel so dizzy"

"I got you buddy, just hold on. You'll feel better in a minute." Riku smoothed Sora's hair in a comforting gesture before trying pull out the black tube in Sora's arm. As Riku moved to do this, dark tendrils appeared around the silver haired boy's injured wrist and he yelped in pain. The darkness once again ensnared Riku. Tendrils of darkness wrapped themselves around his wrists and biceps as well has his ankels and thighs. The darkness once again prevented the silver-haired boy from freeing his friend.

"Sorry dear, but I can't let you take that out." Queen Grimhilde sneered as she descended from the spiral stare case above. She gazed at the two boys that stood in the center of the room, a sinister smile on her ruby red lips. "I can't let you ruin my little experiment, can I?"

"What are you doing to him!" Riku cried as he struggled against the darkness that bound him. "Are you trying to bleed him to death?"

A wicked smile crossed the Queen's lips as she walked directly towards Sora's bedside. "Not exactly my dear. You see, I'm a terribly gifted alchemist and potions were always my forte."

She cupped Sora's cheek with her thin fingers and palm. The Queen smeared the Sora's blood as she rubbed the brunette's cheek roughly, her fingernails pressing into his pale skin. "I discovered a new powerful ingredient, namely Heartless Blood." Her fingers continued to wander up into the brunette's hair, teasing it's gravity-defying nature.

"Thanks to my dear sister Maleficent. She experienced so much misfortune by letting the darkness inside of her, I thought it best to keep myself as level-headed as possible."

Riku scoffed, twisting his body in his bonds again, "Learning from your sister's mistakes? If you saw what the Heartless would do to her so quickly, why didn't you save her from their darkness."

The Queen laughed a loud. "Just because Maleficent and I were sisters does not mean we loved each other. No. I held back from the temptation of power. After all, something with that much strength must come at an extremely high price. I needed to watch my sister's destruction to find away to prevent my own." The Queen checked the machine that hummed quietly beside Sora, smiling at the status of her little experiment. "But I won't let her defeat go unpunished."

"Now, I know if you take the heart from a strong willed person, you'll be left with a Heartless and a Nobody. But what if-" The Queen smiled. She ran her fingers than carefully into Sora's matted hair. The brunette groaned in protest and tried to pull away from her fingers. "What if I just corrupt him instead? Replace his pure blood with the blood of the heartless? I would not have a Nobody nor a Heartless. Then, because he would still have his heart but have the blood of the heartless pumping through his veins, I would create a perfect Corruption."

Riku narrowed his eyes in to a furious glare. "You can't contaminate Sora! He is the purest person I know! He'll fight you, his heart is pure light!"

The Queen smiled over her shoulder and Riku, "You think so? You think that he will purify himself with his keyblade. Even if I completely marinate his heart in darkness?"

She laughed. "Think again, boy. I know your heart is muddled with darkness and pain, but as Sora's heart is pure light. Sora's keyblade will not come when he calls for it, because the brat's keyblade only knows that light." Her crimson lips parted into an even wider smile. "Your friend is doomed to be my puppet. Even now you can see his color starting to fade."

Much to Riku's horror, he knew it was true. Sora no longer looked tan and with every passing minute attached to that machine Sora became more and more pale.

"Don't forget boy, I asked the mirror to only allow you to wake when I called for it, there's nothing you can do to stop me now. I've made damn sure of that." Her sinisterly white smiled gleamed. "So sit back and enjoy the creation of pure Corruption."

...

Thanks for reading!


	6. The Queen's Plan

A/N: Thanks for the reviews as always X-The-Final. I read through the previous chapters and tried to correct any spelling mistakes I could find.

Also Readers, please note that the previous chapters have had minor updating and one has been split into two, again :D. I realized I was rambling a little in the middle of a few paragraphs and sometimes I think the feelings I was trying to convey from Sora got a little whiney when I didn't intend them to be. Also I tried to split up the second chapter to help with pacing.

No re-reading required for moving forward. Just letting folks know I've hopefully made improvements.

Chapter 6: The Queen's Plan

Sora's head swam in a pool of sounds; he was only catching various snippets of the conversation between The Queen and Riku. He was struggling to keep a steady train of thought before being distracted by the waves of nausea that rolled over him. When Sora had become a heartless, the change had come quickly. The pain had been sharp but brief, which was followed by darkness. The keyblade weilder did not even remember anything from when he had become a heartless, but he had to imagine nothing could be worse than the pain he was experiencing at this moment.

The heartless blood that flowed through his veins was cold, it chilled him to the bone and all he could do was shiver. Pain roared through his body as he protested the darkness's invasion into his flesh. He could feel it crawling through every vessel and vein. It made his head feel like lead and all he wanted was to expel his foreign force from his being.

Even though his mind was muddled, Sora had been trying to call his keyblade over and over. The action that had been as natural to him as taking a breath had become unfamiliar and awkward. The Queen had been right, Sora's keyblade could not find him.

Queen Grimhilde laughed wickedly. "My dear little Corruption, you only quicken the process by trying to call forth your precious blade. You see, as you are opening your heart to call out to the Keyblade you actually open just wide enough for the darkness to flow into your heart." Her amber eyes glittered with excitement. "It won't be long now. Soon you won't have to shine your little light ever again."

Riku struggled against the darkness that bound him a few feet away from the table where Sora lay, the younger boy still spilling out every drop of crimson blood in his body. The silver-haired boy growled angrily, hatred pouring out of him like sweat.

"You dirty Witch, you couldn't take him in a true fight so you have to win with trickery."

"All is fair in love and war my dear." She mocked the green-eyed teen.

Riku growled. "Clearly, you've harvested enough blood from the heartless to create this machine. Why are you trying to turn Sora into your puppet!"

The Queen arched her eyebrow at him. "Because I need to control the one variable in my plan, the keyblade wielder with the purest heart. I've started to send hundreds of Heartless with the poison I created for my apples to the water sources of major worlds. I plan to start poisoning civilians and creating more wonderful Corruptions. Corruptions still have their own hearts, their individuality and intelligence, but they are stronger and more focused than Heartless or Nobodies."

"What do you mean more focused?" Riku asked, glaring angrily.

"Heartless are drawn to any powerful heart they can find and Nobodies are consumed with locating their lost hearts. While both are expendable, they aren't very strong. And I need subordinates that are strong, to take over all worlds." The Queen paused checking her machine again, satisfied with the status of Sora's corruption she turned back to Riku. "But before I can set this plan into motion, I need to kill two birds with one stone. I need to take your dear Sora on my side. He's the only Keyblade Wielder with a heart of light strong enough to purify my poison."

"Sora don't give in! You can fight her!" Riku roared, the darkness around his legs and wrists tightened. "The light is always inside of you and it shines brighter than anyone else I've ever known. Show her your power Sora!" But the brunette just started to convulse in pain and the pit of the silver-haired boy's stomach dropped out.

"Don't waste your breath boy, your dear little keyblade-master is long gone. The Corruption forcibly overtakes his light. It's only a matter of time, my dear." The Queen purred, striding over to the silver-haired boy. She stroked Riku's cheek with the back of her hand before he tried to bite her.

Her cardinal red lips parted into a wide smile once again. "Don't be so quick to attack me dear Riku. Don't think I won't hesitate to have your dearest friend rip your heart out." The Queen struck the silver-haired boy across his face, drawing blood from his cheek. "I've one last detail to straighten out, so I'll leave you to your good-byes. After all, this will be the last time you ever the Sora knew ever again."

With a flick of her cloak and a loud cackle the Queen disappeared. Leaving the two boys alone once again.

Riku felt powerless and frustrated. When the older boy had channeled the power of darkness, he had feared nothing and now was helpless. Riku had been afraid of this very situation his entire life. He had strived to be stronger than anyone he encountered; that way he was capable of protecting the people he cared about, especially Sora.

The two boys had been inseparable for years, but when they were younger, Riku, being older, was always tasked with making sure Sora did not get into trouble. At first, this annoyed the silver-haired boy to no end; why should he have to look after the spiky haired twerp? The strange kid never failed to find a bazaar way of entertaining himself. Why did Riku have to chase after Sora whenever the brunette decided to run off into the woods on his own make-believe adventures?

At first, the green-eyed boy begrudgingly went along with his younger friend but eventually, Riku came to love their adventures in the muggy caves of Destiny Island. And from that love Riku knew that he would want to protect Sora for the rest of their lives. He wanted to be the hero of their stories.

But the twelve-year-old silver-haired boy began to struggle not only with the idea of Sora being his equal but the realization that Sora was actually stronger than Riku. Just before the two boys left Destiny Islands for the first time, the brunette was starting to prove that he was capable of being independent. The allure of power consumed Riku; he wanted to be stronger than Sora. If the azure-eyed boy met a situation that he alone could not handle, Riku would be there. Now that time had come and Riku stood powerless. Powerless to save Sora and powerless to stop millions of people from being hurt.

...

Hope you enjoyed this chapter, please consider this posting new stuff in one day as payment for my indecisive nature.


	7. Corruption

A/N: Thanks for the reviews as always The-Final-X! Your encouragement helps my motivation!

Chapter 7: Corruption

Riku lifted his head to look up at his friend as Sora finally opened his eyes and the two friends made eye contact. The irises that had once been more blue that the oceans that surrounded Destiny Islands, had be come yellow like that of a heartless. Even though the room was extremely well lit, Riku had a feeling that Sora's eyes would now glow in the darkness.

Sora choked back a whimper as he and Riku looked at one another, both helpless to the situation. "Are you alright Riku?" Sora asked.

A sad smile almost crossed the older boy's lips before he gave Sora a harsh glare. "Of course I am! You just focus on fending off the darkness. I'll find away out of this."

Sora desperately wanted to believe Riku but they both knew Sora was running out of time; the transformation had already started.

Riku tried to will the darkness that ensnared him away, but the tendrils did not move. He then tried to call his keyblade to his hand. The light started to flutter around the silver-haired boy's fingers and he felt the blade land in his hand. But it was even clear to Sora, who lay dazed on the table, that Riku could not wield the powers of darkness anymore without Ansem's influence. Nor could he command the power of light well enough to break himself free of the Queen's powerful magic. Riku had only recently been trying to use the power of light and he was inexperienced. The silver-haired boy tried to swing his arms free of the darkness, attempting to cut the tendrils that bound him but they appeared to just reform, constricting him even tighter.

Riku roared in frustration, his mind racing. They could not get an message for help out and no one knew where they were or that they were even in danger. It seemed that they did not have any options.

Sora could feel that he was losing his grip on reality. And in a moment of sheer desperation, the key-bearer developed a plan. "Riku?"

"Shush Sora, save your str-"

"Riku, shut up, I've got a plan." Sora said forcibly but softly. Riku was a bit taken a back. The silver haired boy was not expecting Sora to be coherent enough to tell what time of day it was, let alone figure out a plan. "I need you to promise me, you'll do what I say."

"Well, first tell me what you're-"

"Just promise me, Riku."Sora cut him off again. "We are running out of time."

Riku gritted his teeth but nodded. "I promise. What's your plan?"

"I'm going to make a portal for you to get out of here. You are going to get the King and bring him back here. Stop Queen Grimhilde from completing her plan and free me."

Riku furrowed his brow in confusion and annoyance. "If you could make a portal, why wouldn't you coming with me. Also, how the hell are you going to make a portal, you can't even summon your keyblade right now!"

"It's not a portal made by a keyblade; infact, it'd be the complete opposite..." Riku's green eyes widened as he realized what Sora was considering.

"Sora no don't!" But it was too late.

The keyblade wielder opened his heart, letting the darkness he had been fighting to keep back flow through him. Sora knew he needed to act quickly, sending Riku to safety would be his last act before corruption was completed. The keyblade wielder focused on the darkness that bound Riku, willing it release. Sora clenched his fingers together for a moment, and then he slowly opened his fist. The tendrils of shadow began to respond, lessening their hold on Riku. The silver-haired boy immediately started to move to Sora.

"NO!" Sora roared.

Riku stopped, a look of frustration and desperation on his face. "Let me try to purify your blood Sora! That way we can get out of here together." Without waiting for Sora's approval Riku lifted his keyblade pointing it at his friend. He willed the blade to purify, but light that left the tip of his weapon bounced off Sora's body.

"This corruption is replacing my light with darkness, Riku." Sora winced, his face contorted in pain. "Unfortunately, this means my darkness is stronger than your light, you have to leave before I'm not myself. You need to find your light, Riku. Find the King. He'll help you."

Riku felt angry and embarrassed. "Sora, I have to take you with me. I can't just leave yo-"

"No!" Sora's voice had boomed with power that Riku had not expected. Sora felt bad for yelling at his friend but they did not have time. Sora gave Riku a sympathetic look.

"Please Riku! If you can't dispel this darkness, how can you to keep me from hurting you. You need to go! I only have a few more minutes of being myself, Riku. Just stand still. Find the King. Come back for me. You have to stop her plan to create more Corruptions!"

The silver haired boy felt an overwhelming sense of sorrow and embarrassment but he did not have a better option. Sora was using the last sliver of light to save Riku, and one of them needed to get out of here to warn everyone else. Even if Riku could take Sora with him, Sora would be Corrupted and would most surely try to turn against the silver-haired boy. They needed to find a way to purify Sora's blood and heart and Riku currently was not strong enough to do it.

"I promise I'll come back, Sora." Riku called as Sora's dark portal was completed, the silver haired boy started to sink into the portal of darkness. Sora's face was pained but he gave Riku his best smile, who returned the gesture before the silver-haired boy disappeared from sight.

Sora closed his eyes and embracing the darkness that was over taking him, submerging his soul and very being into darkness. At first, Sora did not feel any different. The brunette clenched his fist willing the keyblade to appear in his hand in hopes that it would hear him not, but instead he felt a wave of unfamiliar power rush through him. Darkness appeared around Sora's fingers instead of his trusty keyblade; the swirling shadows manifesting themselves claws of obsidian.

An involuntary funny little smile crossed Sora's lips. Suddenly the brunette felt less distruped by his clawed hands, he wondered why he had never called the darkness to him before. It felt so good, the way that the darkness surrounded him and engulfed his senses. Light had always come from within and that took so much effort to maintain regularly. It was no wonder Sora was so exhausted; he had been fighting to keep his light going and for no good reason. The darkness was easier.

The tube in Sora's right arm finally turned from crimson red to pitch black.

...

Hope you enjoyed this chapter, see ya in a few days folks :D


	8. Orders

A/N: Thank you as always The-Final-X :D Your encouragement helps my motivation!

Chapter 8: Orders

There were two things Riku noticed as he left the portal of darkness. One was a large castle, a few miles away. And the other was that he was plummeting to the ground.

While Sora had created an escape for the silver-haired boy, the brunette was also inexperienced with his powers and accidentally dropped Riku off above the treeline of a dark and unfamiliar forest. The green-eyed boy braced for the tree branches he knew were coming. They cracked and snapped under his weight as he fell. Thankfully, while they were painful, the branches slowed Riku's speed so when he made impact with the solid ground, he only knock the air from his lungs. The full moon was high over Riku's head and his eyes slowly adjusted to the dim light. It would have been a beautiful night but now the light of the moon and the peacefulness of the forest seemed to mock him.

The silver-haired boy lay on the leafy forest floor for a few seconds trying to catch his breath again. He rolled onto his stomach nursing his injured sides and scratches; flecks of dirt sticking to his cheek and bits of twigs and leaves tangled in his hair.

Riku was forcing himself to pull his emotions back; all of the sadness, regret, guilt and frustration were trying to slip through the cracks of his damaged heart. All those feelings burned in his chest as he buried his fingers into the dirt and leaves, gripping the earth to feel something real.

Riku knew that he needed to get up. He knew that finding the King was Sora's only hope to returning to normal. The King being Sora's only hope burned in the pit of Riku's stomach. The older boy was no stronger than he was when he had left Destiny Island all those years ago and he was still unable to protect the ones he loved.

Riku pushed himself up onto his knees and looked at his hands. In the light of the moon, he could see dried blood on his finger tips, Sora's blood. It must have come from when Riku tried to rub his friend's tears away. His stomach churned as he put his head into his bloodied hands. But Riku could not cry. He needed to get moving. He needed to be strong. He could not dwell on or change his past transgressions. He needed to rise up and run despite the pain that surged through his body and heart. Riku desperately tried to gather his thoughts together into a plan.

Sora had only just obtained his powers of darkness, nor had the former keyblade wielder had any time to properly create a solid path back to a familiar world. This led Riku to believe that he was probably still in the Queen's home world. The silver haired boy also gathered that the castle he had seen in the distance was most likely hers.

Therefore, Riku was injured and trapped in a strange world, unsure of how to contact anyone.

"Damn it!" Riku thought putting his hands into his hair. "How am I supposed to find the King if I don't even know where I am!"

...

Sora still lay on the observation table still securely strapped in. For the first time since he was abducted he could breathe easily. The machine had stopped pumping heartless blood through the brunette's system, leaving Sora with his thoughts. It seemed that the Queen had programed the machine to not waste any of her tediously collected blood.

Sora was fascinated by his new weapons. He had summoned the onyx darkness on both of his hands now. His yellow glowing irises darted back and forth has he clicked the hard talons together. The brunette was vaguely aware that he had been upset a few minutes ago but it was just a hazy memory now, he tried to recall what had troubled him for a moment but ultimately disregarded it as a daydream.

"Hmm... it appears you managed to release your little friend..." The Queen's voice echoed down the staircase, her heels clipping on the stone once again. "You still managed to make this a challenge for me, even tied down to a table... What will I ever do with you, Sora..."

At the mention of his name, the brunette turned his head to face the Queen. Her brown eyes glared at him as he watched her with his luminous eyes, transfixed. That funny little smile had reduced to a thin line across his lips. She held an authority over him just by entering the room.

"I'm sorry, Mistress Grim." The Queen had smiled at the mention of "mistress." She seemed to forgive his insubordination instantly. It was clear her newly obtained instrument of darkness was more important than losing track of Riku.

"Well, no matter. You'll just have to collect our guest once again." The Queen reached the bottom of the stairs and snapped her fingers. The leather bindings that had kept Sora in place and the tubes that had been in his arms disappeared. The former keyblade wielder sat up and swung his legs off the side of the table. His sandals dangling just above the stone floor for a moment before he dropped down to his feet. The brunette hung his head low and knelt before Queen Grimhilde, like a soldier awaiting orders.

"Although, I suppose you can't go out there in blood stained clothes..." She gave Sora a once over with her eyes. "Let's see how well you control your new found power."

Sora stretched out his talons, willing the darkness to grow. From the obsidian claws that encased his fingers, red bands began to form around Sora's palm wrist and arms. They crawled up his skin weaving and winding into armor, shifting in color from bright red to pitch black. The brunette felt the darkness rise up to his neck, almost tickling him. Sora tilted his head to the side stretching as the shadows stopped just before his ears, creasing under his chin.

The sensation of the darkness crawling over his skin made the hairs on the back of Sora's neck stand on end, it made his very being tingle with the thrill of power surging through him. It seemed everywhere the darkness emanated from his body would be tipped with red and then become black. As the tendrils crawled up his arms, from the center of Sora's chest the darkness came forth, wrapping itself around his torso and waist smothering his shirt and crown necklace out of sight. The darkness also came up from brunette's feet, fashioning a pair of thick boots over Sora's sandals, as the continued to slide up his knees and thighs until the former Keyblade wielder was covered from the neck down in dark leathery bands of shadow.

Sora turned his attention back to his claws. He willed them to extend slightly, becoming at least eight inches in length. The brunette examined his handiwork. Sora was completely covered in a suit with interlocking bands of black and red, a suit of pure darkness.

"Good," The Queen mused, admiring his handy work. "Now bring back our prisoner, I would prefer alive, I'd like to watch you cut his heart out."

Sora smiled sinisterly, his golden eyes glittering. "Of course, Mistress." The brunette closed his eyes, shadows radiated off him as he slipped into the pool of darkness at his feet.

….

YAY :D Chapter 8 :D Thanks for reading! Please read and review!


	9. The Messenger

A/N: Thanks X-The-Final! I'm honored to have my little story held in such esteem! And I'm sure I'll take you up on your offer when the time comes! Anna Crosszeria, I'm glad you're enjoying the story! Thank you for reviewing! :D

Chapter 9: The Messenger

Riku staggered to his feet, determined to start walking. In the unfamiliar forest, the silver-haired boy braced himself against a nearby tree to catch his breath before he began limping away from the castle. His best bet was to try to find a nearby town and send a signal. Riku had no idea how he was going to send a message to the infamous king, but he had to try at the very least.

The moon cast soft light over the forest, strange shadows dancing in the night. A breeze gently tussled the leaves of the trees, shifting the shadows ever few seconds. In the distance, Riku heard a muffled roar, the sound of approaching thunder. The silver haired boy needed to hurry to the closest town. While it was clear that the trail of dirt Riku stood on was intended to be a path, it was narrow and appeared to go on into the darkness endlessly. The silver haired boy sighed a little and began to trudge along the uneven trail littered with roots and stones.

'How had the King managed to get messages to Sora and the others?' Riku pondered as he trudged along into the night. 'The King had always written a letter and sealed it with a green sticker. But how had it gotten to the trio..?'

A sudden noise startled Riku, something rustled in the nearby bushes. The silver-haired boy immediately called his keyblade to his hand. The light fluttered around his finger before manifesting into the familiar weapon. He crept as slowly as he could toward the noise, hoping to get the drop on whatever it was.

Much to the silver haired boy's surprise, a dog sprang from the brush and licked Riku's face furiously. The golden canine wagged its wire-thin tail back and forth so rapidly the brush was nearly trimmed bare. The four-legged creature woofed happily as Riku pat its head, a letter falling from its mouth. "What are you doing out here, huh boy? Where's your master?"

Riku asked noticing the green collar around the dog's neck, which was engraved with the name Pluto and a familiar circular shape.

"The King's Seal!" Riku cried as he ruffled Pluto's fur again, snatched up the slightly wet letter and opened it.

_'Riku and Sora,_

_Kairi, Donald, and Goofy informed me the two of you have disappeared from Destiny Islands. I have a feeling that your disappearances have to do with the Heartless that have been appearing around the water sources of several worlds. I've sent Pluto out to locate you. Send word of your location back with Pluto. Donald and Goofy will come in the gummi ship to collect you. I need both of you to help me figure what is going on._

_-The King Mickey'_

Riku felt a wave of relief roll over him. Kairi must have gone to Sora's house when the boys did not show up for the lunch they had planned. Kairi had found Donald and Goofy who must have informed the King of the boys' disappearances. As the realization that the King was already aware of the water source situation rolled over the silver-haired boy, Riku felt like he took a deep and full breath for the first time since the day before.

The silver-haired boy swiftly flipped the page over and bit the tip of his finger drawing blood. Without a writing utensil of any kind Riku did not exactly have much choice in what medium to transcribe his response. He wrote "Queen Grimhilde's Castle" as legibly as he could in his own blood.

Riku tried accelerate the drying of the blood by blowing on it. As soon as the red letters no longer glistened in the moonlight, Riku folded the letter up, placed it back in the envelope and held it in front of Pluto's maw. The friendly yellow dog gentle took the letter from Riku's hand and looked up expectantly at the teen.

"Okay boy, get this message back to Donald and Goofy alright?" Riku asked, patting the pup's head.

Pluto lifted his ears as a high pitched whistle rang out from the forest. Riku's heart jumped, maybe Goofy and Donald were already here. The yellow dog wagged his tail and took off back into the brush.

Riku groaned loudly in pain as he pulled himself up from a kneeling position and started to follow after the Majesty's messenger. The branches of nearby bushes reached out and snagged at the silver-haired boy's clothes, hair, and skin. Fresh cuts stung in the cool night air, but Riku did not have time to allow pain to slow him down let alone find a proper path. If Donald and Goofy had already made it to this world, Riku was one step closer to saving Sora from the Queen's clutches.

It was easy to follow the golden canine. Pluto's yellow fur caught the few rays of moonlight that managed to slip through the treetop's foliage. Although Pluto stuck out in the shadows of the woods, the silver-haired boy managed to lose sight of the dog eventually.

Riku paused, trying to figure out which way Pluto had gone. He closed his eyes for a moment. As the silver-haired boy cleared his mind he became more aware of the sounds of leaves and twigs cracking ahead of him. Riku could still hear Pluto. The dog's tags clinked together loudly as he bounded through the brush. The silver haired boy took off in the direction of the jingling of metal on metal.

The woods began to thin a little up ahead and the silver-haired boy came to a clearing. Riku scanned the open area, sure that Pluto had come this way. He spotted the pup in the shadow of the treeline a few yards away, dog wagging his tail excitedly.

"There you are! I thought I'd-" But Riku stopped short as he realized the Majesty's messenger was not alone.

Riku's heart skipped a beat momentarily. For a moment, he hoped that the figure that stood in the shadows was the King, here to help Riku save Sora. But a familiar silhouette with spiky hair was became just visible in the moonlight. The last glimmer of hope in the silver-haired boy's chest whithered as figure rose and turned; two eyes glowing like lanterns through the darkness.

…

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it. Sorry for the delay in chapters, I had been trying to send out chapters in two day spurts but that chewed up the little wiggle room I had. :D I'll be shooting for twice a week from now on. Thanks again! Please Read and Review!


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