Chapter 5

I woke up and Riku was holding me. "You, the king, and... Kiyoko... you guys protected me..."

"I'll always protect you, Lovebug." I sighed with relief and looked at the black strick in my hair.

"I still have a long way to go..." then it hit me, "Wait! Your Majesty, where are you?" I called out to the white halls... no response.

"It's okay, Lovebug." Riku soothed, "He's with us. As well as our little girl.

"Hey! I'm not little!"

Riku and I laughed. I guess he can hear Kiyoko, too.

"She and King Mickey helped me find my way back to you." Riku said.

"And that's when you helped me..." I smiled and hugged him. "Thank you, both of you."

"You're welcome, mommy!"

"I'm want to protect you, even if we are the darkness." I giggled at this.

khkhkh

We walked to the next door and a violent rumble shook the whole place. Something was different. Riku pointed it out.

"One of the scents just died." he looked around and I sniffed the air.

"And a really strong one, at that. It smells less... dark." I added and another one of the black coats showed up. This one looked like Ienzo.

"I suppose you aren't Ienzo... are you?" I asked.

"I am Zexion." yep, just as I figured... "The keeper of this castle, Marluxia, has just felled by the keyblade master."

"Keyblade..." Riku repeated. Oh, that's right!

"Sora!" I exclaimed.

"What? He's here?" he asked.

"Yes. want to see him?" Zexion asked. "But... can you face him?"

"What's that mean?" Riku asked.

"The world of darkness, and Ansem's shadow, still nest within your heart. Do you plan to face Sora like that? Are you not ashamed?" I looked at Riku and he looked at me. I scanned him and he was ashamed and angry, both at himself and the Nobody. "He must oppose anyone who hosts the darkness- like you and your princess."

"You're lying! Sora would never hurt me or Riku!" I said and he scoffed.

"If you don't believe the words I say..." he tossed me a card and I caught it. "Then, you had best see the truth with your own eyes."

I looked at the card and gasped, "Riku, look! It's our-"

"Yes, it's your home." he said and disappeared.

"...home." I looked at the door, "Come on, let's go!" I grabbed his wrist and pulled him in front of the door.

"Wait," he stopped me, "I'm... nervous... what if the people are mad at me?"

"Don't worry about what that guy said." I smiled, reassuringly. "I know everyone on the Island is kind and forgiving... including Sora! Take a deep breath and let's unlock this world together!"

"Okay..." he took a breath in and out. We held the card up to the door together and the door opened. We went through. On the side was truly our home. We were on the mini Island were the paopu fruit tree was. I walked up to the tree.

"Riku, can you help me up?" I asked and he nodded. He picked me up bridal style and gently placed me on the tree. He leaned against the tree and crossed his arms. I let my hair out of my braid and a gentle breeze ran through it. That's when I notice it was longer than before.

"I never thought I'd miss the island winds so much." Riku said. "There was a time I couldn't wait to get off this rock. And now I'm feeling relieved."

"No matter how far the journey took us, we are always, at least, a little bit happy and relieved we're home." I said, closing my eyes and taking more of the smells drifting the wind in. The ocean... the trees...

"Is that...?" Riku got my attenion and I followed his gaze. Three kids were on the play islands.

"Tidus, Wakka, Selphie!" I exclaimed, happily.

"Hey!" Riku shouted to them. He helped me down and we ran to the docks.

"Hey, guys! How are you?" they pretended I wasn't there.

"What's with you guys? I don't think I've ever seen the three of you so quiet." I giggled at this. Suddenly, Tidus and Wakka looked at us but said nothing.

"What's the matter?" I asked and they still said nothing.

"Guys?!" Riku asked/ shouted and they disappeared in light. We both gasped.

"What the hell?" I looked out to the sea.

I walked to the shack that lead to the bridge with Riku not far behind me. I looked up a tree and stared at the coconuts. I started to think about the sweet and savory flavor it has and the after taste it produced... was out of this world- no pun intended. My mouth salavated.

"What's wrong, Lovebug?" Riku asked.

"I think I want some coconut milk..." I pointed at one of them. I cracked my knuckles but Riku stopped me.

"No, I'll get it." he climbed the tree and I pouted.

"Why can't I get it down?" he laughed at me.

"Remember the last time you tried to get a coconut?" oh... hehe.

"...You're right." I laughed, "I tried drop-kicking a coconut and hurt my foot."

he got to the top and threw down a coconut. Soon after, he jumped down. "Not mention, before hand, you burned your skin with the friction of the tree."

I laughed with him. "Yeah, and I gave that tree a good talking to."

"Here, let me open this coconut." he summoned his sword and slashed it open. He took one half and gave it to me and keep the one with less milk in it. We drank it together. I looked at the paopu tree. Maybe... just maybe he'll say yes.

"Riku?"

"Yeah?"

"Would you share a paopu with me?" he smiled at me.

"I thought you would never ask me..." he finished of the milk and tossed the shell into the ocean while running to the tree. "I'll go get one!"

I giggled at this; he was acting like a love-struck puppy. I followed him until I felt a presence behind me. I turned and dropped my coconut milk when I saw...

"Kai?" she blinked at me. "Hey, are you-" she disappeared in light just the other three did. I looked back at Riku, who was on the tree and shocked as I was. "Right..."

"Surely you knew this was would happen." we looked to see Zexion a few inches to the ladder to the water. "You have been to a number of worlds in your memory before this one... Riku. And in those worlds, you met only dark beings. That's all that's left in your heart: dark memories. Your memories of home are gone- each and every one of them."

"That's a lie!" I shouted to him.

"Oh? Think back..." I did and I seen Riku's parents... what was there names? And the the three children... uh, Tidus, Wakka, and Selphie! Yeah...

"I remember everyone from the islands!" Riku said, "Mom and dad! Tidus and Selphie and Wakka! Kairi and Sora, too! Their my... my..."

"Riku?" I walked closer to him and he looked down, shaking his head. he closed his eyes.

"My close friends and family..."

"Damn straight, they are!" I said.

"Last we forget..." he pointed at him. "Who threw them away? Maybe it's your own actions that you've forgotten. You destroyed your home!"

Everything went dark before either of us could react. The darkness faded into...

"This is that night!" Riku said.

"All of the islands you grew up on were sundered, scattered. Many hearts were lost to the darkness." he pointed to his right. "Because of what YOU did!"

"What?" I glared and looked at another fake Riku.

"You hated being an Islander, so you opened the door to darkness and destroyed everything! You were pulled into the darkness then, and now you and your mate belong to darkness!" I looked at Riku's face; pure terror. I shook my head at this.

"NO!" I shouted. "It was my fault! I was supposed to protect the future as the Radiant Garden's prophetess!" I feel to my knees. "I told so many people that there was other worlds! When I did, I changed it and brought doom among the islands! I caused Riku to open the door... by telling him..."

"Piri..."

"Oh, so you finally admit to it, huh?" he looked at me with cold eyes. This sent a dagger in my heart. "Then, look- look at what you two truly are!"

I looked at Riku, the fake, turned around and evilly smirked. I stood up as he turned into my Darkside. Zexion disappeared.

"Hello, losers!" I gasped and backed away. Riku protected me.

"It's you!" he hissed.

"Oh, I still see the terror in both of you and blueberry's eyes." I gulped at this.

"D-don't touch me!" I panicked and Riku growled.

"Mommy, Daddy, don't be scared! Battle and win!"

Riku gasped and looked at me. "No, I won't let your mother battle her darkness... not yet!"

"Don't worry about-"

I sighed, "Kiyoko, listen to your dad."

"Oh, so you'll you dear 'light' fight your battles for you? Talk about heartless!" I growled at this but kept a cool head.

"If I was heartless, then why am I protecting my child?" I asked. "Tell you what, I'm NOT afraid of you! I would fight, but right now I got to take care of the baby."

she hmphed, "Whatever... if this is how you are, then why even bother? I'll come back when you have your whaling little runt. Ta-ta!"

"Wait!" Riku ran up to her and she disappeared. He turned to me. "Is she always this fustrating?"

"You have no idea!" I looked to the ground sadly.

"Hey, don't let it get to you-"

"I know!" I raised my voice. "I know but I... I just..."

He hugged me. "Like I said, I won't let anything happen to you."

I sighed and looked around then I gasped. The figure I saw was-

"Sora?!" Riku ran up to him but he didn't turn around to respond Riku. "Sora!"

"Sora, it's us!" I ran up to him as well. He quickly slashed at Riku. "Hey!"

"Stay back, sis!" he told me.

"Wha- Sora, no!" Sora did a jump strike at Riku. Riku quickly summoned his sword to block it.

"Sora, stop! That's Riku!" I said and he shook his head.

"I know it's him! But, I've realised what he did to the Islands." he said. "Don't you see what I see, Piri? I know exactly what he has become!"

Sora jumped back and shot a beam of light at Riku. He took the shot and I ran to him.

"Riku!"

"How can the light hurt you?" Sora asked and sounded disappointed. "Riku... have you really become a creature of the dark? You're not Riku anymore... just a pawn to the darkness." Wait a minute... Sora would not ever suggest that. "You and your little mate... need to face the light!" he lifted his keyblade and a huge ball of light formed at the end.

"No... Sora, I know you!" Riku hugged me as I said this. "You would never hurt your sis... right?"

"Think again!" I gasped at this as the light grew so strong, it hurt me. The next thing I knew, I was floating through light.

"What's happening to me?" I slightly opened my eyes. "I'm falling... falling into light."

"You won't fall to darkness... or the light, Reese." I heard a familar voice and opened my eyes completely to see a woman with pink hair and sapphire blue eyes. She had on the Radiant Garden's guard uniform on.

"Wait a minute..." I felt a memory come back to me. I saw the same girl come through the front door of my grandmother's huge room in the castle of Radiant Garden. Another girl ran up to her, hugging her and welcoming her into the room. She had a side pony-tail and the same eyes. "...Now I remember! Lightning!"