A/N I'm trying the KH2 lv. 1 on critical mode and OH. MY. GOSH! It is harder than I thought it would be. I barely made it passed the hyenas in the Pride Lands. Let me know if you have any tips or tricks for the lv. 1 challenge.

*

"Irix is here to bring you to us," he pointed at her and Piri gasped.

"No, I'm not in the Organization anymore, you perv! And you aren't going to get anywhere near her!" She glared daggers at him.

He growled, "Must you forget... You are part of her and I can take you to the Superior that easy."

Piri jumped in front of the Time Duchess. "Not unless you want to die!"

"Why protect each other when you know that she cannot exist now?" He asked.

"We are two sides of the same coin!" Irix said, "There's no way I would let me get hurt!"

Piri gasped as she caught what she was saying. "Irix, I'm not you! Just like you're not me!"

Irix stopped and looked at her, "Are you kidding? Superior... I mean, Xemnas told me we Nobodies don't have hearts. The person we come from do so we are them."

"But that doesn't make sense..." Piri said.

"That's why we need Kingdom Hearts to give us the hearts we need..." He summoned a dark corridor and left through it, "To be whole..."

"Kingdom Hearts?" Piri blinked and dismissed her blade as well as Irix did hers. "No, according to the legends of the Great X-blade War, it disappeared... How are they- Irix?"

She looked up and Irix was gone.

"IRIX! WHERE ARE YOU?" she yelled and ran out to the courtyard.

She looked around for any trace of her but she wasn't to be found. However, she did find a purple ceramic sand dollar attached to yellow yarn. She picked it up and looked at it. Tears formed around her eyes and they streamed down. She sighed and wiped them off.

"Roxy..." She gasped and covered her mouth. She looked at the charm and smiled. "Irix, I promise I'll find a way to restore Roxas... and the rest of your friends. Including... Xion..."

*

?'s POV

I smiled as she said that and put back on my hood. I watched her from the roof of the castle.

"Are you ready to go, Irix?" I turned my head to see a blindfolded Riku.

"Yeah..." I smiled as he opened a dark corridor, "You and Sora were right about her: she is motherly and kind."

"She always has been like that..." He sighed, "I remember when we were little, her, me, and Sora found a chocobo egg. When it hatched, Piri was always willing to help take care of it before..."

"Before what?"

He sighed, "Before that cat got a hold of it. Piri was sad for the longest time even though she refused to show it. In fact, when Sora cried, she comfort him like a mother would."

"Wow, she seems so strong..." I looked back at her, "No wonder you fell in love with her..."

"I've... had the biggest crush on her. And when I connected the dots on why she didn't like it when I raced Sora to share a paopu fruit with Kairi..." He smiled and blushed.

I growled at this, "Don't ever hurt her again! I will kick your ass if you do..."

Riku chuckled as I watched her reenter the castle. "Well, let's go..."

*

Sora's POV

"Donald, heal the Beast!" I yelled and jump at the... balloon heartless? Not exactly sure what heartless it was but it need to go down. It hissed at me and forcefully plowed me into a pillar.

"Sora!" Donald and Goofy yelled.

There was a light orbs that hit it and it backed away. I groaned and green energy surrounded me.

"Sora, are you okay?" I looked up to see a hand. I followed it to-

"Piri!" I took her hand and she hoist me up. I smiled, "I'm fine now that you're here!"

"Sora, remember what we said about flirting." She warned and I gulped.

"Right..." I nervously laughed.

The heartless started to move around and there was a dark smoke surrounding it. After a few moments, that thing we defeated turned into something much bigger. Piri turned to me and we made eye contact. She smirked as I knew exactly what she was thinking. I nodded as I held my keyblade in the air. She crossed it with mine.

"Light!" I called.

"Darkness!" I gasped and looked at her. Sixteen orbs surrounded us and Piri started to glow with darkness herself. I worried for her until she turned to me, "Sora, focus and let your light shine bright!"

I turned my attention to the heartless, who was charging at us. I sighed and closed my eyes, "Light shine bright..."

"That's it! Keep going!" I heard her say and I opened my eyes. I was glowing with light. "Let it loose!"

I screamed as I felt the light orbs leave our side. It hit the heartless and it disappeared. I panted as Piri and I stopped glowing.

"We... did it..." I dismissed my key and sat on the ground.

"So you think." That man in the black coat said and Piri growled at him.

"Go jump in a lake of lava, Xaldin!" She yelled and Beast tried to attack him but he disappeared. "He got away..."

As she explained what organization xiii was, I regained my strength and helped explaining. That's when Belle walked in.

"Belle!" The Beast exclaimed and ran up to her. He was silent for a few moments and Lumiere, Cogs, and Mrs Potts came in. "Belle, I'm sorry, I wasn't myself. I hope I haven't done anything to hurt you."

I looked at Piri. She blinked and sighed looking at the ground. Of course... She was thinking about Riku. He did go through that and she mentioned him earlier. I put a hand on her shoulder and she looked up at me.

"It's okay, Piri. We'll find him..." I said and she smiled, giving me a hug.

"Keep using the light, little brother..." She said and I hugged her back.

"You know I want let the darkness take over me!" I said, confidently.

Mrs Potts and Lumiere started to tell us about the legend of the rose, how true love breaks the spell.

"I HOPE he makes it..." I said and Piri elbowed me in the stomach.

"You shouldn't be so negative!" I smirked at her.

"Oh yeah? You shouldn't get your hopes up." I put my hands behind my head and she crossed her arms.

"Well, I'll have you know-"

She stopped talking when my keyblade showed up in my hand. I lifted it in the air and the design of my necklace formed at my feet. My clothes and hair danced in the wind. A keyhole formed from the rose and I pointed my keyblade at it. A beam of light shot towards it and something clicked. Right, another gate was opened.

"Do you have to go?" Belle asked.

"Yeah." I nodded.

"Now, no more arguin', okay?" Goofy warned.

The Beast looked at Belle who smiled at him. He blushed and Piri giggled.

"We'll see to it." Lumiere said.

"Take care, dears." Mrs Potts smiled.

"You're welcome here, anytime!" Cogsworth said.

"Wait, Mr. Sora!" Chip came hopping to me and I knelt down one knee.

"Hey Chip!" I cupped my hands and he got on them.

"Do you guys really have to leave?" He asked.

"Yep, My friends are waiting for us. Don't worry, will come back, I promise." I smiled and he nodded, turning to Piri.

"She's pretty! Are you a princess, ma'am?" He asked.

"Well, I used be..." she scratched the back of her head.

"Nah, she still is!" I let Chip jump out of my hands and smiled, "Riku would say so, too!"

She shyly smiled as her face was a crimson red.

*

Piri's POV

I sat down on the bed of the cabin in the Gummi Ship. Jiminy jumped to my shoulder.

"So how did everything go?"

I paused and kept my eyes glued to the floor. "Well... I mainly had a lot of thinking time to myself."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, and I seriously thought about what is to come. And... well..." She sighed. "I need you to write a note in your journal. Don't let anyone else hear or see this."

He gasped but nonetheless did as I said. "Okay, what do you want me to write."

"Write, 'Whatever happens to Piri in the future, don't stop believing in the light. And know darkness can strengthen you, too. Stare into both and never look away. Piri asked you to keep smiling no matter what, even after she is gone'." I closed my eyes, letting tears fall. I opened them again and looked to Jiminy, who was also in tears. "I've seen the future... and that can take a trouble toll on a body."

"I know I shouldn't ask but is there anything we can to break you from this curse?" He asked.

"I... don't know..." I scooted back and hugged my knees to my chest. I saw Kawaii kitty on the pillow and picked her up. I looked at her, "But once Riku finds out what this can do to me, he'll... want to leave me..."

"Nonsense!" He said and I clenched my teeth, "I reckon he'll do anything in his power to help you!"

"Don't you get it? I'm doomed, Jiminy!" I snapped, "Nothing can save me!"

He sighed and placed a hand on my cheek, "Every curse has a thing that can break it. It's like with a poison apple. If someone eats it, only true love's kiss can awaken the person who took a bite."

I closed my eyes, "I sure hope you're right... Sorry I snapped at you Jiminy."

"It's no big deal. You're just stressed right now." He jumped off my shoulder and on to the bed, "Right now, you need to get some sleep."

I lazily flopped down and Sora came in.

"Hey, sis..." I smiled upon hearing that.

"Hello Sora!" I sat back up and yawned. "What's up?"

"Donald and Goofy said they would take on piloting. So..." He sat on the bed and laid perpendicularly to the bed. "Here I am. What's up with you?"

"Eh, not much!" I cuddled up with Kawaii. "Just helping with Jiminy's journal."

"Yep! I'm all up to date!" Jiminy jumped from the bed and ran across the floor to his cubby hole in the wall just near the closet.

I smiled and stretched, laying back down. Before I closed my eyes, I thought about the good old days when we were back on the the islands. A sudden burst of memory came to me: the one of Sora's chocobo. I giggled out loud as I remember it bit Riku.

"What 'cha laughing about?" Sora asked me.

"I was thinking about Choco..." I smiled.

"Choco..." His face suddenly lit up with reminisce, "Oh yeah! Hehe, that little chocobo that hated Riku."

"That's the one!" I giggled.

"I... still don't like cats to this day..." He sadly said as he began to fall asleep. He then got up and took off his jacket, belts, and extra leggings off, leaving his shorts and tank top on.

I scoffed and put my hood of my hoodie up, "I'm glad that damn cat disappeared after a while!"

Sora flopped down onto the foot of the bed and shut his eyes. "Yeah, despite that though... I'm glad I got to meet it."

I smiled at this and closed my eyes. Sora was so optimistic about that, thank goodness. I also noted he was mature about this, too. Just as I was dozing off, I felt something around my arm. I looked down and seen Sora snuggling with it. I rolled my eyes; still innocent...

"Sora, don't ever change..." I said and kissed his forehead.

"Mom?" I gasped and looked at him. His eyes were still closed and I relaxed.

I quietly chuckled and smiled, "Not by a long shot..."