-1Chapter 16:

Mai chigiri…

My Promise

Riku had to drive he ship now, but the ride was far from comfortable "LOOK OUT!" Aros pulled the controls to the right, to avoid a large rock "I CAN DRIVE THIS THING WITHOUT YOUR HELP!" Riku shouted "KEEP YOURE EYES ON THE WINDSHIELD!" Sora shouted, hiding under a pillow and shivering "I'm gonna die…I'm gonna die-" the ship spun a full three sixty and Sora looked pale "I'm gonna be sick…THEN I'm gonna die" Aros Growled, shoving Riku out of the chair "OI!…I'm driving!…" he grabbed the controls, Riku and Sora shouted "YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO….." The ship slowed and righted, flying smoothly "Drive?…no…" Aros answered and turned showing a flashing red button "turn on the autopilot?…Yes" Aros gave both boys a smug look, "you two need to read the manual's more often" Sora and Riku laughed nervously.

/End of the World/

"whoa…" Sora's mouth fell open in awe, Riku blinked without emotion, Aros sighed "pitiful…isn't it?" he went to all fours walking forward, Sora tried to stop him "AROS NO YOULL-…fall?" Aros looked back "I'm not that stupid Sora" he hit the invisible floor "You wont fall…" Riku shoved Sora ahead of him "come-on, we better get going…" Sora poked the floor with his shoe before walking onto the invisible floor.

"WOAH!…hold up spiky twins" Riku grabbed both boys by the collars, just as a black orb floated down close enough to brush Sora's nose "Unless you want the heartless to know we are here…avoid those" Sora nodded, eyes unblinking "that would be a good thing to know…oh I don't know…BEFORE I got here?!" Aros sighed "Just stop when I stop"

After repeative stopping and a few fights all three where equipped with a coupple trophys, Aros with a Dark ring, Sora an Angel bangle and Riku with the three stars. After that a long confusing corse lay ahead, Sora almost fell a few times and Aros almost didn't Jump in time. Sora shrugged "well…it could be-" Aros almost screamed "DON'T SAY IT!" Riku blinked "don't say what?" Aros sighed "whenever Sora says something like 'It could be worse'…It normally ENDS UP WORSE!" Aros's voice echoed off the walls and ceiling, the stalactite's started to shake "Oh" Aros started "My…" Sora whispered "GOD" Riku finished "RUN!" the group bolted as stalactites started to fall from the ceiling "We can never outrun this!" Sora cried as rocks tumbled to the floor, pillars crashed to the floor and smoke flew up around them, green water splashing everywhere. "LESS TALKING MORE RUNNING!" Riku shouted, Aros glared at the small door up ahead "GUYS! Grab my collar! NOW!" he stopped briefly and both boys grab onto him "HOLD ONTO YOUR HEARTS!" Aros dug his claws into the ground and ran forward with so much speed Sora and Riku where pulled off their feet "WHOA!" Aros dogged left, right and jumped over rocks, hearing Riku mumble something in protest " hold up pretty-boy don't you dare ruin the upholstery!" Aros growled Riku closed his eyes "I'm not making any promises" he mumbled.

Aros approached the door "GET READY FOR A QUICK STOP!" Sora blinked, Riku squeaked "HOW QU-" .Aros screeched to a halt and the momentum caused both Sora and Riku to fly forward, Riku crashed into the floor on his stomach, and Sora rolled until he hit a wall, upside down. Riku propped himself up on his elbows smirking at Aros "Whenever SORA says something could be worse?" Aros glared "Ha. Ha. Ha." he huffed, Sora got up "now THAT was not my fault" He smirked. Aros growled smirking back, with his fangs it looked creepy "If I killed you both right here, right now, nobody would know" Both Riku and Sora gulped. Aros rolled his eyes "are you going to take every death threat seriously?" Sora and Riku nodded, Aros sighed.

The room was empty, except for a heartless symbol shaped door "so far so good…" Riku got up, walking over to the door "never mind…problem…no handle" he stepped back showing a red trinity mark "A trinity mark!" Sora exclaimed "a what?" Aros blinked, Sora backed up and charged, hitting the door and causing it to crack, Riku twirled a finger next to his head "Sora has gone off the deep end" Sora glared "GUYS ALITTLE HELP! WOULD BE NICE!" Riku shrugged charging and causing the door to splinter and crack. "Aros!…you too!" Aros backed up, and charged, slowing and reaching out tapping Riku in the back, the door collapsed and the two boys rolled into the next room "I call that the gentle approach" Aros followed "Sora get your spikes out of my face!" Riku mumbled "Get your butt off me and maybe I can!" Sora retorted. Riku huffed "What?!…you don't have enough sense to move before I fall on you?" Sora glared, Aros laughed at the two "okay you guys…untangle yourselves and you can fight latter…"

After what felt like an hour, Sora and Riku stopped the small spat, "Darn you two can go at it…" Aros mumbled "ARE YOU DONE!?" both boys nodded "OKAY!" the trio looked to the small room, all six eyes falling on a large door in the middle of the room. "you think we would of noticed that first…" Riku whispered pointing to the door. Aros nodded, reaching for the handle

I

Beyond this door there are no places to hide, only long battles and hope full victory, trust your friends and keep your wits about you, be careful, and do not fear…trust your heart, and follow your destiny…your destiny…not Antisora's /I

Aros blinked "huh?…" Sora waved his hand infront of Aros's face "you awake?…" Aros nodded "did you hear that?" Sora blinked "hear what?" Aros shook his head, "never mind" He touched the handle "you guys ready?…" Riku nodded, Sora gave a thumbs up, Aros nodded and threw the door open, the room filling with light. When the light faded, Sora gasped "is this…is this my island? Aros blinked "was…" suddenly the sea turned black and calm, the paupu tree bent over into the water, dead, the ground cracked and the boat that was Sora and Riku's home was overgrown with black vines. "you are correct…" Darkness snaked from the cracks forming an orb of darkness, a man stepped from that orb "Ansem!" Riku hissed, Aros growled, hissing and speaking in heartless (think of a angry cat noise) Ansem looked mortified, Sora was pale "what did he say?" Riku whispered, Sora bent over "you don't want to know….until the day you die…or actually learn what he said…" Riku paled, Aros smirked.

"I guess I still have to teach all three of you the way things work around here!…All things begin in Darkness, and all so end…" Ansem looked to Aros and smirked "the heart is no different…eventually all things return to the darkness whence it came!" Aros charged, but a black figure appeared out of Ansem's back and swatted him back "you see…Darkness is the hearts true essence" Sora stepped forward "That's not true!…the heart may be weak, and sometimes-" he looked to Riku "It may even give in" Aros walked back over to Sora "But I know…Deep down…there's a light that Never goes out!" a small spark showed up on Aros's chest, unnoticed by the others "He is right!…a shadow never exists if there isn't any light to create it!" Riku spoke up. Aros smirked "what we are saying Ansem…is that we know you wont win…so do us all a favor, give up now" Ansem's eyes flashed, glaring at Aros "I'm not afraid of you…or the darkness…ANYMORE!" Aros raised a hand bringing out his keyblade, as soon as his hand touched it the darkness retreated from his skin, his wardrobe brightened to a dull grey, and his eyes turned blue. "you have no control over Riku, and you have no control over me…" Ansem looked slightly nervous, but the look faded and was replaced with a smirk "and what makes you think you can beat me…child?" Aros smirked, going into battle stance "two words…Mai chigiri" Ansem looked confused, then glared "That made no sense! But those are your final words?" and Aros tightened his grip " No…bring it on old man" Riku looked impressed "are you sure you aren't an AntiRiku?…" Aros sighed "positive…now lets show this creep who's boss!" Ansem growled "insolent little BRAT!"

Aros sent a strike raid, slicing at the Guardian behind Ansem while Sora preformed Arts Arcanum on Ansem. When Ansem pulled a shield up Guardian attached itself to Sora, Aros beat the Guardian senseless while Riku tried to cut open the shield, this repeated for a short while until Ansem roared with rage. "ENOUGH!…you will not stop me!…" things took a turn for the worse, black fire erupted from the cracks in the sand, the scenery faded, colors melting away from everything, even each other, Sora's face fell and Riku turned away "what's going on?" Aros looked at the grey scenery "I never saw this attack…" he looked to the floor "why would it matter….nobody cares if I cant see any color…I don't even care…everything's so pitiful…like me…" He blinked "wait…what am I saying…GUYS!?" Sora was sitting on the floor "everything's demolished…Its my fault I know it…and I just know its my fault that other worlds look this way…" Riku looked to the sky with an empty glare. "Guys stop talking like that…or in Riku's case Say something!" both Riku and Sora started to turn a dull grey. Ansem's voice cackled "Its no use…I amplified all of your misery…you wont have the strength to fight back!" Sora scratched a stone in the sand, not caring.

Aros raised his blade, though every fiber of his being wanted him not to "I can still take you!" He glared, the area around him brightened. Ansem laughed "very well…" he appeared and punched Aros, knocking him to the floor "is that all you got?" Ansem smirked, Aros's body felt heavy with sadness, but he picked himself up, seeing a glittering orb high above Ansem's head. "this is wonderful…eventually you will all be crushed by your own misery!…left as an empty shell and your hearts back in the darkness WHERE THEY BELONG-" Aros sliced at Ansem "SHUT UP!" the spark showed up again "I wont let you use my misery against me!…I will fight you even if I'm alone on the battlefield! I WILL NOT LET YOU BEAT ME!" the color returned to him completely. "that's not possible!…Nobody can escape their own misery!" Ansem growled in disbelief, Aros smirked "I learned in life that nomater how life can upset you…it doesn't last forever…" Guardian lashed out at Aros, who jumped away "fase it…you're outmatched and outnumbered" Aros glared "Outmatched, yes…outnumbered, no…"

He ran up to Sora and Riku. "Sora, Riku… I need you both to snap out of this!…Its an illusion!…guys?!" He snapped his fingers, Sora gave him an empty look "I don't care…whatever it is its probably my fault" Aros blinked "oh…this is a problem…AHH!" Aros felt sharp claws dig into his back and throw him into the colorless water, black blood snaked into the salty water and Aros gritted his teeth from the stinging saltwater. "you are on your own…Aros" Aros silently cheered 'the old geezer called me by my name!' he blinked 'hold on…that's not a good thing!'

He got up and charged, diving left when Guardian tried to grab him, slicing deep into Ansem's back with his keyblade. "GRAH!…Little…pest!…SUBMIT!" Aros dived out of the way of Guardian's attack range, but Guardian responded with a combo of slashes, cutting deep into Aros's arms and legs. "SORA, RIKU HELP!" both boys just gave him a blank stare "why bother…just give up already…" Sora sighed "Sora you told me to never give up…you have to care about SOMETHING!….What about the king?…your family?…" Sora blinked "family?…" Ansem grabbed Aros by the throught "QUIET!" Aros struggled, but Ansem's grip was firm "What….about…KAIRI!" Aros chocked, and his eyes closed.

"ka…Kairi?…" Sora whispered, face showing confusion "Kairi…..KAIRI!….Kairi?…" he looked up to Aros "THINK ABOUT WHAT….ANSEM WILL DO….If….you…give up….he will…KILL KAIRI! AND ANYONE ELSE IN HIS…Way….ah" Aros went limp and Ansem let him fall to the ground. Sora glared, no longer looking empty "ANSEM!" He got up, color returning to his body. Riku continued to stare, Sora charged slicing away at Ansem "YOU WILL PAY FOR THAT!" Aros coughed, looking up at Riku, and forcing a smirk "Sora was strong enough to break his misery…are you proving that he is stronger than YOU?" Riku's eye twitched "No…he isn't!" He pulled out his blade, color returning to him and the scenery around them. Ansem backed away glaring "this isn't over…" he disappeared into a portal, but left it open.

Sora ran over beside Aros "Cure!"….nothing happened "your magic doesn't' work on me…" Aros whispered, trying to get up "I don't think I can go any further…" Sora tried to support him "Yes you can…Help me Riku!" Aros shook his head "no…don't….I lost too much blood, and I'm exhausted…" Riku looked calm, his eyes showing different. "don't forget me…" His eyes closed halfway, a soft smile showing "and…just so you know…Mai chigiri means…means…" Aros 's eyes lost the shine of life they once had "My promise…" Aros lost his strength and fell into Sora's grasp. Riku blinked "Aros?…." He touched Aros's wrist, then mentally slapped himself remembering Aros didn't have a heart, or a heart beat. Sora bowed his head, placing Aros's body on the sand "I wont forget you".

Riku picked up Aros's keyblade, placing the handle on Aros's chest, then wrapping Aros's cold hands around the hilt. "He is gone…." Sora mumbled "he really is gone" Riku placed a hand on Sora's shoulder "He did what he had to do". Sora nodded.

/flashbacks/

I

Sora stepped back as Antisora raised his blade "sora…". Sora flinched as steel hit concrete. He opened his eyes to see Antisora on both knees in front of him with his head bowed. "no…h-hurt…sora…"
Sora blinked "you arnt going to hurt me?" Antisora looked up "no…"

A figure stepped out of the fading light…his skin was a fare tan, and his eyes a piercing yellow. Hair black and spiked, He smiled cheekily holding out his hand as the last bits of sparkling light faded from his body "Sora…thank you…". Sora took his hand and Donald blinked "Who are you?!" the boy leaned on sora folding his arms "oh please…isn't it obvious?" He winked and sora laughed "yeah…pretty obvious…Antisora"
-

Antisora didn't budge "First a clone…then a Squirt…I have a name!" Leon lowered his hand "Well?…what is it?…" Antisora huffed "Anti-" sora covered Antisora's mouth "Aros…" Antisora blinked "Mph?…" Sora gave Antisora a 'trust me' look and uncovered his mouth

Sora cupped his hands around his mouth "AROS WATCH OUT FOR THAT- " too late…Aros looked straight ahead "OH SNA-" He ran right into a tree trunk. Sora couldn't help it, he started laughing and grabbed a vine for support "N-N-NEVERMIND!" Aros pulled himself from the deep grove he made in the tree and sat down on the branch "life is so unfair…" he wined rubbing his right shoulder. Then Sora let go of the vine and fell into the lagoon below…Aros grinned "okay it just got better!"

Aros couldn't help it anymore He cracked. "Sora…you are a MORON!…" He was laughing all right…Sora opened the door and Aros fell back holding his chest and slightly pink in the face…"man my pain causes you pleasure?" He smiled slightly half wanting to kill the heartless. "please don't make me do it again" He propped his head in one hand.
-

Sora Shrugged "what?…it's not like we are going to face giant dogs"…the gates opened and a large Paw hit the floor, Aros turned "AW YOU JUST HAD TO GO AND JINX IT SORA!" Cerberus growled. Aros sighed "keep the heads busy" Sora gasped as Aros ran off "AL 3 OF THEM?!" Aros stopped "good point…SORA!" Sora turned and ran out of Cerberus's bite range. "we are gonna need backup" Aros whispered "that or a REALLY big newspaper"

Aros turned "I want to loose the fur before I need a cat brush" he sighed, then winced feeling a sharp pain in his tail, Aros looked back and his ears fell flat against his head, he glared "Sora…I'm going to say this once…as calmly as I can…STOP BITEING MY TAIL YOU LIVING FUZ BALL WITH FANGS!"

Aros turned around climbing back onto the boat "But whatever I do…" He held a hand to Sora "Fighting or Traveling…I am doing it alongside you, without fail" Sora blinked, raising an eyebrow "Who am I the King?…and what are you a Knight?" Aros smiled "your right…let me put what I said in normal English" he turned his hand to a fist "Friends?…" Sora stood up putting his fist ontop of Aros's "Best Friends"

/end flashbacks/ /I

Aros's body faded in a violet light, a black crown keychain with purple bat wings was left behind. Sora clipped the keychain to his blade, the key turned bright purple, surrounded by black and silver thorns and bat wings where attached to the key's blade, flapping every so often. The handle was a pair of black and white wings, with a gold center handle and a bright yellow gem in the hilt.

/Attained Twilight Guardian keyblade/

Sora looked at the blade with a grim expression. Riku waved a hand infront of his face "you gonna break down crying like Aros did?" Riku asked, cautious. Sora shook his head "no…he wouldn't want that…" He looked to the portal "lets go…" he ran and jumped into it, Riku not far behind, as soon as they disappeared into the portal.

/Aros/

Aros floated in darkness, eyes closed "I…I should be dead…." Aros opened one eye, and hit the ground "OW!" he sat upright "what the hell!?" he blinked, opening both eyes and looking around "huh?….what?!" he winced seeing bright white all around him "Oh…man Somebody get some paint in here…this white is blinding me" he rubbed his eyes, then flinched hearing music in the air "sorry kid…this place only comes in two colors….white and whiter…." Aros looked around again, seeing three cloaked figures, all in black. One of them was sitting on a ledge, playing a blue guitar and sporting a weird haircut, actually they all seemed to be weird in their own way. The other two where a red haired man and a blond woman holding yellow throwing knives, though all the knives where held threatingly at the guitar player "Deminix for the love of God stop playing that music!" The blond guitar player winced "Fine….Miss. Crabby" the red head looked behind him "Larexiene isn't the only one who will chair your hide if you play that song one more time" Deminix gulped "fine Axel…." he folded his arms "ruin the fun of everything…."

"yeah…..ooookay…..um sorry I dropped in" Aros mumbled while the three argued "…I'm just gonna…." Aros backed up "leave now" he backed up into another figure, also blond, but with a moustache and beard "Now boy…we cant have you running about in this world…." Aros glared "I just want to get back to Sora…If I am not dead then I have to keep my promise!" Axel chuckled "sorry Kid…you aren't going anywhere…you see, you have something we want" Aros smiled nervous "If it's a heart…I don't have one…." Axel motioned to the man behind Aros, who grabbed his shoulder steering him to the middle of the room. "Luxord….Deminix and I will keep our guest here till Vexon has the serum ready" Luxord nodded, disappearing with Larexiene down an empty hall.

Aros looked to the two watching him. He couldn't move without one of them raising their weaponry. "so….anything I should know….?" Aros asked out loud "don't get any ideas…Xemnas wont like it if you get out" Aros blinked "is that him?" Axel looked behind him, seeing nothing. Deminix cracked up "what?!" Axel glared "you fell for one of the oldest tricks in the book…." Axel turned back to face Aros, seeing nobody was there either "GRAH!…the kid got away!"

Aros ran down white hallway after white hallway "gimme a break GET OUT OF MY WAY!" Aros ducked avoiding a hot pink scythe and continued running for his life. Aros passes an open door and a man with blond hair, holding a vile looked out "Axel…." He sighed, returning to his work. Axel looked into the door "did you see a-" Vexon pointed "thanks" Axel continued on his pursuit

Aros entered a random door, seeing a staircase "Whoa…." he looked over the side, the staircase seemed to go on forever, straight down "that's a long fall…." He herd footsteps and someone shouting "IM GONNA BURN THAT KID!" he panicked "Stairs would take too long…gotta put some distance between me and them…" He looked down and swallowed "oh well…." He jumped "GERANIMOOOOOOOO!" wind whistled by his ears as he fell past the flights of spiral stairs. The shouting above him caused a mild smirk to show on his face "if this saves my life…it will be the brightest move I-"

He hit something and they both fell to the floor "OW!" "WHAT THE?!" "GET OFF!" "I WILL! JUST HOLD STILL!" Aros crawled off whatever he hit "Sorry….but you cushioned my fall" Aros stood up, turning to the cloaked figure on the floor "Here…" He grabbed the figure's hand pulling him up, the hood fell back and cerulean met yellow "Aros?" Aros raised on eyebrow "Um…yeah?…do I know you?" the figure was his height, but with blond hair that swept to one side. the figure looked to the floor "probably not…." both boys looked up as Axel moved farther down the stairs and fires off a series of fireballs. "HOT HOT HOT!" Aros moved out of the line of fire. "Blondie you know a way out of this prison!?" the figure glared "My name is-" Axel neared the second flight, and the figure grabbed his hand "this way!"

Aros sprinted to avoid tripping "Blondie I'm gonna trip! If you make me follow so close!" he wined "you're going to be extra crispy if Axel catches you!" Aros blinked "good point" The figure jerked Aros around a corner "one more thing" Aros blinked "yeah?" the figure smirked "…Don't call me Blondie EVER again….My name is Roxas" Aros nodded "sure sure…YIPES!" he pulled out his keyblade to send a fireball back at a fuming Axel.

A large pair of doors came into view "Here!" Roxas let go and Aros ran up to the doors, pulling on the handles "Oh gimme a break!" Roxas blinked "um…it says push…" he pointed to a sign, and Aros blinked "well…that's convenient" he shoved on the doors, opening it to space….no floor, just stars "Oh….PERFECT!" he looked straight down "now I rephrase that….this is NOT GOOD!" he herd the sound of a laser charging and Turned to see Vexon with a blue gun "Its ready…." Aros backed up, until his heel touched the exit to the door "oh snap" he was cornered, Axel ran up and leaned on the wall exhausted "how did you get here so fast?!" Vexon raised an eyebrow "elevator" Aros growled "I RAN ALL THE WAY HERE WHEN THEIR WAS A STUPID ELAVATROR!?" Roxas blinked "I didn't know…"

Vexon moved his finger to the trigger "don't move….I could say this wont hurt…but I would be lying" he pulled the trigger and Aros didn't have any time before a bright blue beam pierced his chest, knocking him over the platform. The beam made a bright spark of light, and Aros split into two versions of himself, One was solid and fell to the floor, but another was sent into the darkness by the blast, a translucent version of Aros, the real Aros. "Grab the body and take it to the lab" Vexon ordered Axel, who grumbled "you're lucky I owe you" Roxas stood unblinking.

Aros continued to fall in the darkness, the occasional star passed in the distance "I-I cant move…" his eyes closed, Icy numbness taking over his senses. "what did that blast do to me?" he struggled to move something, anything, but he felt frozen, except for a small warmth beneath his collarbone. It grew slightly, then spread into his limbs. "I have to get back to Sora…if this is the end of me…I still want to help him…one last time"

I Maybe…its time for your second chance…Keyblade master /I

/Sora and Riku/

"RIKU! NOW!" Sora backed away from Ansem, who looked extremely beaten up, Riku flew up bringing his blade straight into Ansem's chest. The scenery seamed to shift and turn, all that was left was a pure white door, and the three humans. Ansem raised a hand, the other clamped to his chest "KINGDOM HEARTS!" The door cracked open slightly "RILL ME WITH THE POWER OF DARKNESS!" black tendrils snaked from the door. "You still don't get it do you Ansem!?" Riku brought his blade down on Ansem's arm. "Kingdom hearts was never Darkness!" Sora stood firm "Kingdom hearts is LIGHT!" the tendrils slowed, then pulled back into the door, replaced by a blinding light "NO!…its not POSSIBLE!" Ansem was engulfed in the light, and nothing was left behind.

"SORA!" "SORA!" "SORA RIKU!" Both boys turned around seeing Donald, Goofy and Kairi running up to them "how?" Sora blinked as Kairi hugged him "I don't know…their was this light and we showed up here…I'm glad you're okay!" Riku rolled his eyes "why wouldn't we be?…" Goofy scratched his head "um….where's Aros?" Sora looked away "oh…." Donald sighed "poor kid…"

The door started to open wider, Heartless showing up from the inside "oh no….Guys help me close the door!" Riku, Donald, Kairi and Goofy started to push on the door, it moved back but not far enough "don't worry fellas, I got it!" a high pitched voice sounded from behind the door, followed by a white gloved hand. "Your majesty!" Donald cried "Not now!….Close the door!" Mickey started to pull on the door and it closed with a bang. "Lock the door, Sora!" Sora remembered something "But Aros…." the keyblade in Sora's hand pulsed with white light, it lifted into the air and split into the kingdom and the Shadow's bond (see previous chapter) keyblade. Sora bit his lip but grabbed both blades pointing them at the door. Riku, Kairi and the others stepped back as a faint figure hovered behind Sora, its hands on his shoulders "DO IT!" the figures yellow eyes flashed. With a shout of courage two lights shot from the keyblade, into the door and a loud click echoed off the empty space.

The figure smiled slightly "one last time…." it whispered, fading. The shadow's bond Keyblade vanished as well. Sora blinked As his friends decided to approach "One last time…." Sora whispered. Kairi blinked "that's what the ghost said" Riku raised an eyebrow "that was no ghost…."

Suddenly the ground started to crack, a large crack separated Kairi, Donald and Goofy from Sora and Riku "SORA" "KAIRI!" they reached out to each other as the platforms pulled away "Kairi, remember what you said before…I'm always with you too….I'll come back to you…I promise!" the connection started to become thin as both hands slipped apart "I know you will!" Kairi looked into Sora's eyes with a look of serenity as their hands broke away.

The door started to disappear, breaking into lights that flew up into the air and fell over the empty space, plants started to show up around Kairi, sand replaced the cold stone floor, the sky lightened to a dark blue and stars re-lit in the sky, shining bright and new. Water swept up between the cracks, and the image disappeared in a flash of light, leaving Sora and Riku in a field, with only one path, that seamed to lead nowhere. "Kairi…Donald…Goofy…" Sora looked around, not seeing any of them. He sighed and Riku looked around "Its not over apparently…" Sora nodded "yeah….well…" He turned to the path "lets go…"

They had not gotten more than five steps, when a third pair of footsteps joined them "SORA!" Sora recognized the similar voice, slowly, his head turned to look over his shoulder, when he found the source of the voice, his mouth spread into a wide grin. "Now you guys weren't going to leave without me?…" Riku turned, Sora chuckled "wouldn't dream of it" the figure walked up to Sora, dressed in a black jumpsuit and silver hoodie, the shoes where shiny black and had silver accents on the top, chains where now bright gold. Bright blue eyes shined on a tan face, that now looked alive, no longer pale. Black hair remained, in the normal style "but you….look so different…." The figure smiled, looking at his attire "Its still me Sora…just a better me…the Real me…" he held his fist up "So…guys…ready to continue our quest?…." Sora put his fist on the figure's, and Riku's ontop of Sora's "yeah…Let go…Aros" Riku nodded, Aros smiled, a proud heart beating in the no longer heartless's chest for the first time.

Forever your protector….

Regardless of attribute…

I will fight to defend you…

That is why I returned…

To continue my journey…

And Always remember…

Like a shadow I will follow….

But Like a friend I will protect….

Mai Chigiri…..

My Promise…

-Aros

THE END
For now…