"In a new land there's you and I"

There's a soft feeling of helplessness that you couldn't help reaching out to envelope in your own little shelter of light. You do not understand the emotion at the time but you are more than willing to offer your heart as shelter if it means the individual gets to keep on living. It was the last time you felt anything of that nature for a couple of years so you enjoy your peace with your best friend Riku. You were four when you come across a woman with blue hair and brilliant eyes that could rival your own sky colored ones. She is nice and you don't quite get what she is talking about only that you promise to be Riku's friend forever as well as to always be there for him if the need were to ever arise. She makes you smile, you like her and her kindness but you can't help but feel something was...off...wrong.

She departs from your little island and you couldn't help but to look at your best friend with a new determination before the both of you sprint off on an island adventure.

---

You're running when you find yourself suddenly out of breath, as if you were caught up in the current of the ocean and your sinking. It was just a brief flicker before you find yourself lagging behind your best friend and a look of concern edged into his turquoise gaze. He mentions something and you bring your small hand up to your cheek to find it wet with tears. You blink, a look of confusion because you were just find moments ago and now you feel this immense sadness. You press your hand to your chest and make a silent vow to keep the presence in your heart safe - even might you forget.

For the longest of times, things are peaceful. The urge to explore the world beyond the islands was subtle until someone new arrived, someone that fed a new desire in your best friend in which you couldn't help but to grin and promise to go where ever he was dragged off to.

This newcomer, Kairi, makes your duo into a trio and you cannot help but to welcome her with open arms and a wide smile as the mayor of Destiny Isle adopts her into their home. She makes you smile in a way that you didn't think was possible because everyone made you smile. You were known as the kid who had to have been born from the sun itself with the light you radiated, but Kairi...Kairi was someone special and she unknowingly became another charge to protect. The thought of anything happening to either of your best friends tore at you in a way that you did not want to ever go through. Instead you flashed a smile and joined in whatever you were being dragged into (usually Kairi while Riku lagged behind throwing out some random comment to rile you up). Yeah, life was great and although it seemed repetitive at times, you wouldn't change it for the world.

---

Although you wouldn't change your life for the world, fate had a different idea involving you and your two best friends. Who would have thought that you would have woken up with the urge to find Riku and witness darkness taking over your home. How your legs burned as you ran from ink-black creature that scraped and clawed at your legs to drag you down into their void. With your heart hammering in your chest you find yourself stumbling to the little island that held the fondest of memories with Riku in the center of it looking out into the abyss of the ocean. Your lungs burn but you know you have to get to him, you have to stick together in this strange event and together you'll find Kairi and maybe a place to consider safe from what you have yet to comprehend. Your feet carry you forward a couple of steps and the silver-haired boy turns to meet your gaze and an outstretched hand.

He's talking nonsense, or maybe everything makes sense but you just can't help to believe it doesn't because you don't know what is going on anymore. You are afraid. Your body is shaking with the desire to flee and hide but your heart is telling you to stay...to fight this unknown together. You swallow down the lump in your throat as you move to grasp Riku's hand but there's darkness and it's separating the both of you and you struggle just barely brushing his fingertips before you find yourself being pulled under.

Drowning.

The darkness filled your lungs and all you can wonder is if this was what drowning felt like? Is this what the fishermen caught in bad storms endured and never made it back to the Islands? Your struggling to fight back weakened and your last thoughts before all sensation left you was:

'I hope Kairi and Riku are safe...'

---

You find yourself in a new world, with new partners, and an adventure you couldn't even begin to dream into reality. Donald and Goofy, servants of a King you didn't even know existed come to your aid as you bear the one weapon they were tasked to follow, a large key, the Keyblade.

In a way the friends that you've lost do end up safe if you look past the fact that one is a puppet without a heart and the other is being manipulated by the darkness and all you can do is scream in frustration because you still don't fully understand what is going on...only that you need to save your friends. You're a hero. A boy wielding a weapon of myths from some lone place known as Destiny Islands who's been destined to save not only your own world, but the countless ones lost to the invading darkness. You are determined to set things right and that includes making your friends themselves once again. It's a harrowing trek but you see the light at the end of the road and know...just know...that everything is about to come to an end.

Sadly, it wasn't the ending you were hoping for. Maleficent was defeat, Kairi's heart had been restored, and Riku was back on their side...except he was on the other side of a very large door pleading for your aid in closing it as a swarm of Heartless was fighting its way into the worlds that you fought so valiantly to save. You managed to save one friend and here you were about to sentence another one to the world of darkness even after promising to bring him home.

You couldn't be selfish though, that just wasn't who you were.

You made a promise to find Riku no matter how long it would take...you, Donald, and Goofy would find him and the King but for now you had to seal the door and restore the lost worlds. You take a deep breath, close the door, and raised your blade to seal it with a fiery determination. Your adventure to save find would continue just a little longer and at least this time Kairi was safe and sound while he went further into the unknown.

"Where fears and lies melt away"

Everything was restored as you and your group found themselves wandering down an endless trail before spotting the familiar golden furred dog that belonged to the King, Pluto. He held something important in his maul and you didn't think twice before taking off after the animal. It wasn't long before you found yourself entering a castle of sorts with more questions than answers about the mysterious black-robed figures. You know you needed answers and that meant climbing to the very tip-top of the place you resided in, but little did you know what that meant for your mind.

You find yourself losing pieces of your memory that were important to you piece-by-piece.

You struggle to grasp the thread of remembrance that dangled right before you but the more you reached...the more you seemed to lose. Soon things went dark, but this darkness was unlike the one that drowned you and trapped you into a new destiny. This darkness was warm, inviting, helpful. You could trust it. You needed to if you ever wanted to be yourself ever again. You take one last breath before you completely lose consciousness and the light behind your eyelids fade into nothingness. You know you'll awaken and then you'll remember what you were doing when all of this faded, but until then, you will rest and let all your stress drift away with that you have lost.

---

Brilliant blue eyes that could rival the sky itself pop open as your thoughts start to flood into your mind as if a floodgate broke. Your head pounds and the light that greeted you was painful but it wasn't long before you made out the distinct shapes of your friends, Donald and Goofy. You give them a genuine smile if a little weak from the sudden awareness that took over your frame. Everything was in place and although you couldn't remember the name of the person that fixed what was lost, you knew that if you were to ever see her you would know just who to thank. Until then you had a job to do and despite being sleep a whole year (yes, a year) everything was in place and you knew just what needed to be done.

Well...you needed knew clothes and information on what you've missed before your adventure could continue...but that was just a minor inconvenience.

It would seem that the person to lead you to what you needed was none-other-than the King, Mickey, himself. He was being secretive along with avoiding any questions you begged to be answered about Riku since your silver-haired friend was trapped in the world of darkness with the mouse, but instead you sluggishly offered your thanks as your small crew left on a train with the determination to find Riku stronger than ever.

The train takes you to a man known as Yen Sid, Master Yen Sid, a powerful wizard that holds more knowledge than he's willing to share. You don't mind that because it wouldn't be that much of an adventure if everyone gave you all of your answers. Instead he bids you farewell after you've gained new magical attire and information on where to head next. Your heart clenches at the small voice that thinks this might all be a loss cause, but you smile through it all with your optimism because there's more danger out there that'll need your aid in stopping. The growing number of heartless, the Nobodies, and the unknown Organization 13.

You'll keep an eye out for Riku in the meantime.

---

This adventure is longer than the previous one, requires more training, more determination, and more optimism that you struggle to bring forth because everything is tiring. You push through to see the smiles on various friends faces after you've helped them, on faces of those who can rest easy because you've saved them from dangers that no one else should have to face. You realize that you've grown but it helps to keep a positive outlook or else the enemy wins. They will not win if you have anything to say about it. You will find a way to defeat them and return home for a well needed break.

You know in your heart that Destiny Islands was your home, but would you really be able to go back to the way things were once everything was over with? That was a slowly becoming constant question that nagged at the back of your mind but you would wait to answer it once you, Riku, and Kairi were all settled. Safe.

You fought alongside old friends and new, you weaved yourself around obstacles that tried to tear you down, and you made it to the heart of the problem with everything in tact. You found Kairi running around the Organization's hideout with a newly acquired keyblade that you couldn't even begin to gawk at because in that same amount of time...you found Riku. He looked different, like Ansem, but although he held a face that people found threatening you knew in your heart that it was him. You couldn't help the way your knees trembled as you reached out for your longtime friend and struggled around emotions so tight as you expressed relief at realizing he was safe. He was not lost to darkness and he was - solid. With your friends with you, anything was possible. Things still needed to be done and you would sort out your emotions later but until then you found yourself back on your feet and going after the enemy.

Too many people relied on you and you would be damned to let them down.

A final battle broke out, one that you and Riku won but you found yourself drifting on a dark beach with an endless abyss to start out at. Your arm supported your injured friend (who thankfully doesn't look like a crazed maniac anymore) and you rest right in the sand. The silence is comfortable knowing that everyone was safe despite not securing your own safety. You were not alone, and you would not allow for Riku to be alone. If destiny led you both to wither away in the darkness on a beach that resembled home, than so be it. If not, well, you always had a knack at finding your way out of trouble especially if a friend was available.

Kairi was still out there and she was too stubborn to let the both of you drift away and leave her behind.

You glance at Riku and flash a smile because you doubted this would be the end.