Hey guys! How are we these days? Welcome to the first official chapter of I'll Help You Remember Me!

To begin, I think I had about… five different drafts of this chapter before I finalized this choice. I heavily thought about starting the original idea where this chapter finishes, but as I wrote it, the intended idea progressed far too quickly. It was something that could possibly be used as chapter six or seven. It was just way too into the plot line for something that was meant to just be a proper introduction to the fiction.

This chapter is… well, both a progression of the story and characters, but it's also a filler update. I needed something that will explain to the readers where the story is going to take place for a majority of the future, and where most of the hype and excitement takes form. For example; school dances, sport games, etc.

Characters from both the Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy franchise will be used, but I'm deeply considering adding a rare original character every now and then. I don't like adding unneeded people that readers haven't heard of before; it's not something I find enjoyable in the least.

Oh, and please forgive me if you get lost in bits and pieces of this chapter. It's not my intention and if you have any questions; any at all, just ask and I'll respond to the best of my ability.

Anyway, I sincerely hope you enjoy this instalment and keep an eye out in the future for more updates but please bear with me. This is my first real serious FanFiction and I'm trying so hard to make it work. It's harder than I believed it would be.

Thanks guys.

Also, I was listening to several songs while I wrote this. Some include Happiness by The Fray, Rhythm of Love by Plain White Tee's, Viva La Vida by Coldplay, and Meet Me Halfway by Black Eyed Peas. Just some general knowledge there. Oh, and there is a moment Dirty Little Secret by TheAll–American Rejects showed up on my playlist.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. This is purely for entertainment purposes and no profit or funding is being supplied to the author.

Chapter One – The First (1st) Day

"No!" Naminé gasped, sitting upright violently in her bed and breathing heavily. Her eyes were bloodshot from crying and her heart was beating swiftly in her chest. She ran her hands over her arms and body, the senses of her dream still fresh in her mind. She could almost feel the man's arms around her and smell the darkness and evil around him still and she felt sick at the thought. Fat tears were falling down her pale cheeks at a rapid pace; hot and salty, while Naminé sniffed her runny nose that seemed to appear when she cried. She ignored the teardrops on her cheeks and gazed around her; confused about where she was for a fraction of a moment as her breathing slowed considerably.

Using the moonlight that filtered through the flimsy, white curtains on the far east wall, Naminé finally registered that she was in her bedroom. The walls were a pale yellow; almost an off white, and was mostly dominated by the vast majority of hand drawn pictures stuck onto all of them, while the flooring was a pure shade of snow coloured carpet. The ceiling was dotted with an arrangement of multi–coloured glow–in–the–dark stickers and they shone in the semi–darkness. The desk placed opposite the end of the flaxen haired girl was painted white also, but was decorated by the odd colourful sticker at random places. On top stood Naminé's laptop, school books, and various cases of expensive pencils, while the desk chair; also white, had her school bag draped over the back of it. The doors on either side of the desk, Naminé remembered, led to her bathroom and art studio; a place where Naminé spent a majority of her time. To her left stood a vast bookcase, matching the décor as white, and it held an immense collection of various coloured hard back books.

Beside her, the girl picked up her phone from the bedside table and groaned at the time that flashed brightly on the touch screen; 2:16am. Placing the phone back down with unnecessary force, Naminé wiped her tears away before she fell back against her pillows. She pulled her blankets closer to her body and felt as though she was sinking into a cosmic pile of marshmallows. She sighed happily; peacefully, and shut her eyes, eager for more sleep… but desperate for no more nightmares.

Rising to the feeling of the morning sun's warm rays on her face, Naminé slowed slid her eye lids open and smiled brightly. She had had no more nightmares and felt extremely well rested. She turned her head sideways; towards her phone, and picked it up again. The time shone brightly on the screen; 7:53am. Naminé, not fully registering what it was, began to place it back and sink into her bed. Suddenly, she sat up viciously with her eyes wide on the phone screen. "I'm late!"

Leaping out of her bed reluctantly, Naminé quickly dashed towards her wardrobe and yanked out her school uniform and dumped it on the bed. She raced into her bathroom; pulling her clothes off herself as she went, caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror before grimacing, and quickly turned the shower knobs, making water spurt from the shower head. Realising that she was wasting time by waiting for it to heat up, Naminé gasped audibly as she jumped into the freezing water. Only in there for moments of need, the flaxen haired girl sprung out, shaking visibly. She wrapped her towel around herself messily and ran her brush through her platinum blonde hair a few times; the bristles painful against her drenched scalp. Although water droplets fell onto the carpet as Naminé sprinted towards her clothes, it was the last thought on her mind. Yanking her school shirt over her shoulders, and pulling her skirt on over her legs, Naminé quickly hastened towards her phone, checking the time once more. The blonde's heart leaped into her throat at the sight of 7:56am and she quickly pocketed the device as her bag was yanked from its place on the desk chair.

Naminé ran from the room and down the long hallway, cursing for the millionth time that she lived in a mansion. Naminé tore down the massive staircase at the end of the corridor; tempted to slide down the mahogany banister, and raced across the grand foyer. Naminé glanced into the kitchen as she went, hoping to catch the time on the main clock, and froze in her tracks.

Sitting at the outside terrace accessible from the kitchen was Naminé's parents; Tifa and Cloud Strife. They were laughing loudly at something their companions were saying; Rinoa and Squall Leonhart, and Aerith and Zack Fair. This was a normal sight however, Naminé noticed. The sight that made her freeze was the sight of her best friends sitting at the kitchen counters; Sora Leonhart and Kairi Fair. They looked up as Naminé came into sight, and looked amused at the blonde's bewildered face. They were dressed in normal clothes. Kairi giggled as she spoke. "Good morning Naminé."

"Uhm… why aren't you guys dressed in uniform?" Naminé asked shocked, realising that the time now said 7:58am. "We're late!" Sora raised his eyebrows before laughing quietly behind his hand. Kairi snorted unattractively and stood from her kitchen stool, walking over to the blonde. She frowned. Why were they laughing at her? The redheaded girl reached into Naminé's shirt pocket and pulled out her phone, flashing the screen towards her.

"Look closely." Kairi said simply, holding it up in front of Naminé's eyes. The blonde finally looked at the day beneath the time and sighed disbelievingly, her bag slipping from her shoulders as they dropped incredulously.

"It's Saturday." Naminé muttered dully, glaring at her phone and cursing it for not being in a bigger font. "And junior high finished last year." Kairi smiled at her and placed the phone back into the blonde's pocket.

"Well done." Kairi turned around and walked back into the kitchen, Naminé trailing behind her dejectedly.

The kitchen was on the right side of the foyer, when facing the staircase frontwards. The counter tops were polished granite, while the drawers were smooth timber. The fridge was stainless steel; a matching set with the twin ovens, dishwashers, and trash compactors. On the right side of the island counters in the centre of the area stood a row of bar stools and Kairi leaped delicately back into place on her's from before. Sora stood on the left side of the counters, drinking juice from a comically large glass through a swirly, bright pink straw. He smiled at her, showing all his perfect, white teeth. "Hey Naminé!"

"Hey Sora." Naminé giggled, dumping her school bag onto the bar stool beside Kairi. "What's going on?"

"Kairi and I were just talking about what we were gonna do first thing tomorrow." Sora answered, slurping loudly. Kairi nodded along, smiling brightly.

"I said I wanted to go to the on–campus mall." Kairi interjected, her face turning sour suddenly. She flashed Sora a vicious glare and he rolled his eyes at her, finishing his glass. "Sora wants to go bowling instead."

"I don't want to spend my first time at a new school at the mall! You can go anytime!" Sora argued, taking the carton of fresh, orange juice from the fridge.

"It's the same thing with bowling!" Kairi turned towards him and argued back. He rolled his eyes at her again as he poured more of the orange substance into his glass and placed the carton back into the fridge. Naminé stood, amused at the scene between two of her best friends.

Sora was the son of Rinoa and Squall Leonhart, and Kairi was the daughter of Aerith and Zack Fair. Naminé had known the two of them since she could remember; it seemed that they were both just always there for her. More than once, Naminé would ponder why they would be friends with her. They were outgoing and co–ordinated; she was shy and awkward. Of course, it was quickly dismissed whenever brought up between the three of them. Sora would roll his eyes and Kairi would look stunned before changing the subject after a simple "because we're weirdos too".

Sora Leonhart was the typical, movie–star popular teenager. He was tall; like his father. He was tanned and muscled, which could only come from spending hours in the sun doing sports. He had wide, crystal blue eyes that had girls within eyesight swooning. His gravity–defying, chestnut spikes were his most recognisable feature; they could be spotted from a mile away. His famous, perfectly white grin was rarely absent from his face; especially when Kairi was around it seemed. And wherever he excelled in sports, he equally excelled in academics. But because of his constant outbursts of the most random topics, one might not think so.

Then there was Kairi Fair. Her perfect, clear porcelain skin was the envy of every girl that had ever met her. She had these big, sapphire coloured eyes that always seemed to sparkle whenever she smiled. Her auburn hair just passed her shoulders, and seemed to shine every time the sun came in contact. Her bright, beautifully white smile had every guy doing double takes when she simply walked down the street. She was the girl that every guy wanted, and every girl wanted to be. Intelligent beyond compare, and kind to boot, Kairi was perfect to have on your side. She would be ready to have your back in a fight, and was fiercely protective of her family and friends.

The blonde smiled at the duo as she thought this over, extremely fortunate to have friends like them.

"Anyway," Naminé interjected before the two caused a scene, "have you guys found out your roommates yet?" Kairi instantly brightened.

"I have! Her name is Selphie and she's from Destiny Islands." She smiled radiantly. "I hope she's nice! She sounded nice when I e–mailed her!"

"You e–mailed your roommate? How'd you get her e–mail address?" Naminé asked, finally sitting down on Kairi's right side.

"Well, I went onto the Academy's website, went onto the 'Students' tab, clicked 'Class Lists', and once I got to myself, I clicked 'View Details'. They showed who my roommate was and what her e–mail was too!"

"They let you view students' details like that so easily?" Naminé questioned astonished. She nodded enthusiastically before digging through her handbag that was hanging on the back of the stool.

"Of course, when I opened the 'Students' tab, this little pop–up opened. It said, 'This system is being monitored' or something like that." Kairi added casually, reassuring Naminé slightly. She pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to the blonde.

"This is her." Kairi explained as Naminé looked over the page. It contained a photo of three teenagers; two boys and a girl, standing on a beach with a small isle situated behind them. The girl had caramel coloured hair that flicked out at the ends and bright green eyes that shimmered brightly in the sun. The younger boy was brilliantly tan, had a scar on his right cheek the shape of a cross and had blue eyes, while the older boy had orange coloured hair with dark, brown eyes and was considerably taller than the other two. They had their arms around each other's shoulders and were smiling brightly in the sunlight.

"She looks really nice. You've got nothing to worry about, Kairi." Naminé reassured after a moment, handing back the piece of paper. The redheaded girl stuffed the photo back into her bag and placed it on the counter in front of her. Naminé turned to Sora, who had come around the corner to stand beside her to look at the photo too. "What about you, Sora?"

"Mine's named Hayner. He's apparently a local there." Sora added, sipping from his juice again as he walked back to his original position behind the counters. He pulled out his phone and began pressing randomly on the screen before he showed it to the two of them. "He's the one standing in the back."

"You have a photo of your roommate too?" Naminé probed as Kairi took the phone from him and looked at the photo.

"Hey! He was the one who texted first! Of course, I freaked out before he explained himself. Granted, I was more startled after." Sora reasoned, holding his palms dramatically after he placed his glass down. Naminé looked over Kairi's shoulder, and she tilted the phone so the blonde could see it clearer, and looked at the photo.

Standing in front of a rather impressive mansion was three more teenagers; two guys and a girl. The boy standing at the back; like Sora said, had slicked–back blonde hair, dark brown eyes, and looked extremely toned for his age. The girl in front of him was pretty and had longish, chocolate coloured hair, bright emerald eyes, and a bright smile, while the other boy was wearing a headband around his dark hair, had eyes that were equally as dark, and looked a little more sizeable than the other two. They were all friendly–looking enough and Naminé wondered if maybe she should have checked what her roommate looked like too.

"Who's your roommate, Naminé?" Kairi asked, handing Sora back his phone. He placed it on the table and leaned forward, interested.

"Her name's Olette; and she's a local too." Naminé added, nodding towards Sora. He frowned, deep in thought.

"Olette, did you say?" He asked, pressing randomly on the phone screen once again. He showed the picture again and pointed to the girl. "Hayner told me that he had a friend named Olette."

"Well, that could be her!" Kairi exclaimed, excited. "Isn't this exciting?" Naminé gently took the phone from Sora's grasp and studied the photo carefully. The girl who could possibly be Olette looked nice enough, and she was considerably pretty. Naminé noted that she had really kind, quiet eyes. A smile appeared on her face as she seriously considered the possibility that this girl could be Olette.

"It sounded from Hayner's texts that he has a thing for Olette." Sora interjected nonchalantly. Kairi leaned forward eagerly, interested at the change in topic, and Sora leaned towards her as well, gossiping as though he was a girl. Naminé placed the phone down on the counter and rose from her seat, feeling melancholy suddenly.

"I think I'm gonna go pack some last minute things." Naminé announced softly.

"We'll be up in a minute!" Kairi added as she reached the kitchen's entrance.

"We're just gonna ask the parentals something about this afternoon." Sora included.

"Okay. I'll be in my room if you guys need me." Naminé attached, walking away from the scene that she so desperately, yet unusually, craved. A feeling stirred inside the blonde that made her heart ache and her eyes sting. The girl pressed her hand to her beating heart as she rose up the staircase and turned right towards her room, wanting nothing more than the feeling to disappear and never return.

Slowly descending down the wide hallway towards her destination, Naminé tried profusely to think of anything else besides what she witnessed. The sight of Kairi and Sora in the kitchen with their heads close together was not what was upsetting her. However, it was slowly melting into something else. It appeared as though the image of Kairi was changing into one of Naminé herself… but the sight of Sora was shifting as well. Into another boy… with the same blue eyes.

"Are you gonna take your laptop? I wasn't sure to bring mine, so I did anyway. I was up all night trying to decide whether I should or not. Of course, I realised that I'm gonna need my laptop. We're gonna be there for the next four years of our lives!" Kairi said quickly, making Naminé smile as she exited the bathroom, towel–drying her flaxen hair.

"Yes, Kairi; I'm taking my laptop." Naminé answered, laughing lightly. Kairi winked at her and continued to flick through her magazine. Naminé noted that she must have brought it with her. A knock on the bedroom door had Naminé and Kairi looking curiously at it as a voice called out to the two of them.

"You guys ready yet?" Naminé recognised Sora's voice and walked over, opening the door for him. He stood in the doorway, his bag hanging on his shoulder and his trademark grin on his face. "We're leaving in twenty minutes, 'kay?"

"Just one second." Naminé replied, chucking her towel lazily into the bathroom before backing into her art studio to grab a few more things. She stopped in the archway, gazing around with a sense of longing and homesickness.

Naminé's art studio wasn't very big; it didn't matter to her, but because of the vast window that took up a majority of the right hand side wall, it appeared much larger. A large chandelier dominated the ceiling and was brilliantly adorned with crystals that shone with the sunlight hit them. A huge easel stood in front of the window, a blank canvas on it, and decorating the white walls all around were various drawings, paintings, and sketchings that Naminé had done over the years. A large shelfing system stood at the back of the studio, crammed to the brim with art supplies and Naminé dashed over, snatching a few cases of pencils, stacks of paper, and anything else she may need for the next few years. She ran back into her bedroom and placed the items in her hands into her art bag, zipping it up quickly and placing beside her laptop case. She sighed happily, finally finished with her packing.

Kairi leaped up from the bed, magazine in hand, and hurried to the bedroom door. "Is it time to leave yet, Naminé?"

"You guys can go down; I'll catch up with you." She replied, smiling at her friends. They left the room; Kairi's laughter trailing off as they disappeared down the hallway. Naminé gazed around her room, already missing everything in it. She walked forward, running her fingers over her white bedspread cover, until she reached the window. She looked outside and watched as Sora and Kairi reappeared; this time outside. They ran down the entrance steps and began hugging goodbye to their parents. Naminé smiled at the sight, reminding herself to do the same, before turning to look around the room again. She looked over the entire room; the plush carpet; the white walls; the bare desk; the bed that had been freshly made; the stars on the ceiling; the empty wardrobe; the bedside tables…

Grasping her filled–to–the–brim suitcase, laptop case, and arts bag; Naminé strode over towards the bedroom doors and pulled them shut, leaving her old life behind with only a single backwards glance.

"I still think that we should go to the mall first!"

"But I wanna go bowling! We haven't gone bowling in ages!"

Tuning out the inevitable argument that was sure to ensue, Naminé gazed out the car windows to watch the rapidly changing scenery. She watched as it changed from the crowded, well–populated city of Radiant Garden, to the lush, green fields that resided a few miles away from the Oblivion Castle; the world's most popular mystery spot. Naminé smiled when she recalled how Sora had come to school one day, gushing about how easy it was to get lost in that place.

Naminé pressed her head gently against the car window beside her, feeling the vibration race against her skin. She pulled her mp3 player out of her pocket and unravelled the headphones, popping them into her ears. She flicked through each song, bored with every that passed. Naminé made a mental note to download more music once she got to Twilight Town as she finally pressed on the title of a random song, shockingly pleased when it began. Turning her gaze back out the window, Naminé noticed the sky had begun to change colours. She watched mesmerised as the skies changed from bright blue with fluffy, white clouds into a combination of orange, yellow and red with purple and pink clouds. She longed for the chance to paint it and quickly withdrew her camera from her arts bag next to her, in case she never got the chance to witness it again. Rapidly pressing the shutter release button; the image reappeared on the LCD screen. Naminé smiled at the sight, pleasantly surprised at the photo quality.

"Taking photos already?" Kairi asked, noticing the camera in Naminé's hand.

"I just wanted to remember the sky." Naminé answered softly, lifting her head to smile at the redhead beside her. Kairi smiled back and took the camera that the blonde offered her.

"It looks good. You going to paint it when we get there?" Kairi questioned, handing the device back to Naminé. She nodded gently.

"Once we get settled properly and you two decide whether to go bowling or shopping." Naminé joked, grinning while Kairi glared at Sora as he spun around in the passenger seat; an equal death stare on his face.

"Bowling."

"Shopping."

"Bowling!"

"Shopping!"

"Bowling!"

"Shopping!"

Naminé watched, amused as the two continued their shouting war. She intervened before it got violent between the duo. "How about we go shopping–"

"Ugh!"

"Ha!"

"–first? Then, as a reward, we can go bowling afterwards." Naminé finished, looking pointedly at Sora when he groaned. Kairi and Sora exchanged glances, having a silent conversation between the two. They seemed to come to an understanding because they both smiled at Naminé.

"Sure."

"Sure."

"Good, so we're not gonna argue about this anymore?" Naminé asked, raising her eyebrow threateningly. They both quickly shook their heads at the expression and Naminé turned back towards the window, failing to hide her smile. She watched the scenery once more, gazing at the twilight sky and the fields of wheat that raced by. It looked like a sea of gold as the vehicle passed, and Naminé was mesmerised at the sight. A series of buildings in the distance caught her eye and she leaned against the glass window, eager to see more. She recognised the tallest building from the Academy's website; the Clock Tower. "I think we're here."

"Are we really?" Kairi exclaimed, sliding over in the back seat until she was pressed up against Naminé, gazing out the window as well. She gasped and squealed. "Oh my god! This is so exciting!"

The car finally reached the entrance into Twilight Town before stopping and Naminé watched as a dozen more cars appeared from numerous directions, possibly carrying other students. The vehicles varied from black, stretch limousines to rusted, paint–chipped combi vans.

"They're probably scholarship students." Kairi mused, nodding towards the Volkswagen van that was beside them. Naminé nodded, not really registering what was said. The car resumed its pace and entered Twilight Town for the first time.

"Woah…" Sora murmured, gazing all around him while Kairi and Naminé nodded in agreement, watching the outside of the vehicle. The buildings were tall and pressed tightly together, leaving no space in between. They were all coloured the same as the twilight sky and had an almost rustic feel to them. The ground below didn't jolt the car as normal flooring did; the vehicle merely glided along in its pace. Outside the automobile, pedestrians gazed curiously at them and their neighbouring vehicles as they travelled passed.

After venturing up low hills and weaving through the occasional traffic that the group came across, they reached a pair of wrought iron gates, surrounded by tall, bushy trees. The gateway was tall and black and seemed to loom over them threateningly.

"Security measures?" Kairi squeaked, visibly frightened by the sight. Naminé remembered that the redhead had a fatal fear of being imprisoned and jumped at the chance; any chance, of wide open spaces.

"I certainly hope so." Naminé replied, reaching out to hold her hand. She squeezed it tightly for reassurance not only for Kairi, but herself. The car stopped at the entrance and the driver wound down his window, leaning out slightly to speak to the small, grey speaker box beside them. There was a crackling from the round speaker before a voice spoke through the haze.

"Name?" It spoke, sounding bored and tired as though they had asked a million times before. The driver cleared his throat before answering.

"Fair, Kairi. Lockhart, Sora. Strife, Naminé." He replied, leaning out of the window further so the voice could hear him better. The crackling resumed and Sora, Kairi and Naminé assumed he was checking the database or something like that. The voice spoke again a few minutes later, and Naminé concluded that they obviously had a large collection of students in attendance.

"You may enter."

A loud screech pierced the atmosphere around them and suddenly, the gates opened to reveal a long, asphalt driveway. The car drove forward, seeming to travel for hours as they passed tree after tree; each taller and more imposing than the last. Naminé feared that if they continued much further; the trees would grow so tall that they block out the forever setting sun. She said a mental goodbye to the fiery orb that lived in the sky before the trees stopped appearing around them. Sora and Kairi collectively gasped, and Naminé understood why.

They had reached the school. It was a collective of several different buildings; all the same colour as the buildings in the town below, with one dominant in the centre of them all. They were extremely tall and wide; each individually would provide enough space for a family of 15 to live comfortably. A large fountain conquered a majority of the driveway's end, which circled around its boundaries. The main building, Naminé assumed, seemed to host a majority of classes held at the school, and she watched as students; that had apparently already settled in, disappeared in and out of the building. There were mahogany directional signs posted throughout the grounds, with titles such as 'Auditorium', 'Gymnasium', and 'Library' in pale gold. The car reached the fountain and circled around it until it was directly in front of the main building. The vehicle jolted to a stop and Naminé felt homesick suddenly. She frowned considering that she'd never stepped foot in this town before in her life, and brushed the feeling away. She opened her car door before her driver could and took her first step on Twilight Academy turf.

"Thank you." Naminé heard Kairi say as the driver helped her out of the car, and the sound of two car doors slamming shut echoed in her ears. The blonde gazed around; curiously, at the vast number of buildings that was in her immediate eyesight. She noticed in the back of her mind that other new students were doing the same thing, obviously as nervous yet inquisitive as her. She walked to the back of the car to grab her luggage and Kairi turned to her as she pulled out her own main suitcase, smiling. Naminé noticed that Sora's was already on the asphalt.

"Are you nervous? I'm nervous. I'm so nervous that I have butterflies in my stomach! No, butterflies don't cover it – I have super–mega–giant–butterflies instead!" Kairi gushed, her grin firmly in place as she spoke.

"Yes, Kairi, I'm nervous too. But, clearly not as much as yourself." Naminé replied, smiling back at her affectionately. Kairi winked at her and heaved her second suitcase onto the ground beside her first. Naminé lifted her bags easily; only having three in total, and placed them gently onto the asphalt, turning to help lift Kairi's third bag. "How many suitcases did you bring?" She puffed out, not expecting the sudden weight as she grasped the same handle as Kairi.

"Trust me; I didn't even pack my entire wardrobe. I had to give half of it away because of the limit." Kairi muttered sourly, upset at the topic.

"That's why you wanna go shopping?"

"They didn't say anything about buying new clothes while you were a student at the school, did they?" The redhead replied slyly, giving her friend a mischievous grin. They, lack for a better term, dumped the suitcase next to the others and simultaneously huffed; bemused as to how they would get them to their respective dorm rooms.

"Need a hand?" A familiar voice chorused from behind the girls and they spun to see a very familiar face indeed.

"Riku!" Sora called out, racing forward to give his best friend a hug. They pulled apart after a moment and Riku clapped his hand onto Sora's back. The brunette had to look up to see his face and he laughed brightly at the sight. "Dude, you got tall."

"Nah, you just got short." The silver–haired replied, smiling broadly. Naminé took the chance to see how much her friend had changed over the summer and was shocked at the differences.

Riku Crescent had always been the mature one of the group. He was a year older than the others, but at times acted as though he was still a child. He was uncommonly intelligent; taking advanced classes, and often gave homework help to his younger friends. He had grown his silver hair out and it reached past his shoulders; almost as long as Kairi and Naminé's if not longer. His facial features had grown more mature; closer to a man's rather than an adolescent's, while his muscled seemed to have grown as well. His eyes appeared to be the only thing that stayed the same; they were the unique colour of aquamarine and shone brightly whenever he smiled. He had grown taller; well over a head taller than Naminé, and he had to look down whenever he spoke.

"Riku!" Kairi exclaimed, running forward to hug him tightly. Grinning childishly at her, he stooped down to hold her back.

"Kairi!" He wrapped his arms around her tightly before releasing her, smirking. Naminé stepped forward; awaiting her greeting, and Riku smiled at her. "Hey Naminé."

"Hey Riku." She replied simply, wrapping her arms around his torso as she was only tall enough to do so. He hugged her around her upper body, and placed his head lightly on top of her's. They pulled back, smiling at each other. Naminé felt a deep feeling inside her that was telling her that the way Riku was smiling at her was more than friendly, but she ignored it. It wasn't possible; she hadn't even seen Riku on a date before let alone crushing on one. "How are you?"

"I'm good; surviving. Been waiting for ages for you guys to show up, of course!" He replied, jokingly, nudging Sora in the shoulder. The brunette grimaced, reaching up and rubbing the spot where Riku's elbow connected.

"That's Kairi's fault; she had three suitcases worth of clothes to pack!" Sora replied, pointing at the redhead as though she was a culprit of some kind. She raised her left eyebrow; annoyed, and slapped his hand away.

"Speaking of which, you look like you might need my help carrying them." Riku added, nodding towards the luggage in question. "You guys want me to get your dorm keys?"

"I'll go with you!" Sora exclaimed, eager to spend more time with his best friend. They turned and disappeared into the main building behind them, their laughter trailing after. Naminé watched them leave, happy to have all her friends with her again. She looked beside her and Kairi was looking right at her, an odd expression on her face. Her eyebrow was still raised, but she was smiling also. The blonde felt uncomfortable at the sight and shifted where she stood.

"What?"

"You like him." Kairi answered simply, stunning the girl. Liked who exactly?

"I like who?"

"You like Riku."

"Uhm… no, I don't." Naminé argued, immediately rejecting the thought.

"Well, he likes you." Kairi pointed out, actually pointing at Naminé.

"No, he doesn't."

"Yeah, he does."

"If he did, don't you reckon that he'd have said something by now?" Naminé added, proving a good point. Kairi paused, a disbelieving look on her face.

"It's Riku! The guy can barely talk to girls who he doesn't know!" Kairi shouted exasperatedly, grabbing Naminé's face in between her hands. The blonde froze, looking her best friend in the eyes. "How the hell do you think he'd go at asking you out?" The redhead stopped, looking Naminé intently in the face. She released her face and she moved her jaw around with her right hand, loosening the cramped feeling.

"You done?"

"I think so."

"… And this is me, guys." Naminé announced, looking up from her map of the building to spy a door with the number '1352' emblazed in gold font. Kairi looked at the number and back onto her sheet before gazing at the door opposite.

"I think that's my room here…" She muttered, gazing at the number '1351' on the door. She pulled out her dorm key and compared numbers on the tag, smiling finally. "Yep, this is me!" Naminé pulled out her own dorm key from her jeans pocket and slid it into the lock, twisting it to the side until the lock clicked open. She twisted the door knob and pushed the door inwards, displaying a nicely decorated room.

There were two double beds; separated by two beside tables and a small end table. On each wall except the back wall was a door that was opened to show a bare wardrobe on the right side of the room. One either side of the door was a white desk and equally as white bookcase. There was another girl in there, her back facing the door, and Naminé noted that this is possibly her roommate. She turned when she noticed that the door was opened, and the blonde recognised her as the girl from the picture on Sora's phone.

"Hey, you must be Naminé." She smiled at the blonde, showing a perfect, kind smile. Naminé found herself smiling back and she stepped forward to shake the girl's hand.

"And you must be Olette. Nice to meet you." Naminé replied, releasing Olette's hand. She turned and gestured to her party. "These are my friends; Sora, Kairi and Riku. Guys, this is Olette." The green – eyed girl waved friendly to them all and Sora and Riku waved back, smiling brightly. Kairi raced forward, and with no warning whatsoever, enveloped Olette in a tight hug. She stood shocked for a few moments before raising her arms to wrap them politely around Kairi's mid–section.

"One thing you gotta know about me–"

"She's a hugger." Sora finished, smiling fondly at the redhead. Kairi released her and smiled at her, showing off her own perfect teeth. She stood there for a few moments, just staring at Olette and Naminé could tell that she was feeling uncomfortable.

"Hey Kairi, don't you have your own dorm room to get to?" Naminé asked, politely telling them all to get lost and let her settle in. Kairi lightly slapped her own forehead and laughed just as light.

"Yes, I do. I'll just be across the hall if you need me!" She announced, backing out of the room and shutting the door behind her. Naminé turned to her new roommate, and Olette smiled at her.

"She can be a bit much at times." Naminé finally said, placing her suitcase at the end of her bed. Olette giggled lightly as she resumed placing her schoolbooks in her bookcase.

"That's alright; I'm sure she means well."

"She really does." Naminé reassured, sitting on her bed. Feeling how soft the mattress was, the blonde leaned back against the pillows and sighed happily. Olette glanced at her and smiled, almost like Naminé's mother would. "Is it cool if I take a small nap?"

"Sure you can; don't let me stop you." Olette replied, drawing the curtains closed on Naminé's side. The blonde smiled thankfully up at her, and slid her eyes shut, eager for the chance to catch up on some (oddly) much needed shut–eye.

Lit by a single candelabrum, the library that resided in the abandoned mansion in Twilight Town was a sight to be seen after 'the sun had set'. The dull light flickered over all the book spines and the titles shone brightly in peeling gold. A weak draught seemed to have escaped into the room and was barely moving the thin curtains that decorated the wide, half–moon shaped window that dominated the far wall. The entire town was visible from the room and was frequently used by both occupants of the manor. One man in a black cloak with the hood up; a young boy of approximately 16, stood at that very same window. His gloved, left hand rested gently on the cool glass, while his right was placed over his aching heart. His eyes were shut tightly, but tears seemed to still leak from the corners. He sniffed his nose; the only sound in the room, and breathed out shakily. The door behind him creaked open and the boy hurriedly wiped the tears away from his eyes. He turned and fixed his gaze on another man in a black cloak; the hood down instead. He had pale skin, grey–blue hair, and a hard stare in his dark eyes. There was a large scar on the left side of his face and he looked grim. The boy's face fell rapidly. "How is she, Zexion?"

"She's asleep in the simulated town after arriving safely." He answered simply, closing the door behind him. The boy frowned deeply, frustrated at the answer.

"You know what I mean." He stated darkly. Zexion sighed, sadly, and the cloaked figure knew the answer before it came.

"There's still no progress. It's as if the last few months meant nothing." The boy turned and placed his hand back onto the glass, staring out the window past his reflection. He shut his eyes again and pressed his forehead against the glass; the coldness refreshing.

"Have you thought about my proposal?" He asked, his head still pressed to the glass.

"I have, yes."

"Have you considered it?" He questioned angrily; lifting his head, opening his eyes, and looking at his companion in the window. Zexion looked at him in a melancholy fashion before sighing.

"I know that your plan is just an excuse to be close to her."

"If you'd just let me go in–" The boy began, turning and stepping away from the window beseechingly. Zexion held up his right palm; gloved like his comrade. The boy stopped in his tracks, his hands still raised in mid–air.

"No. I'm not going to let your feelings for this girl get in the way of our plan." Zexion argued, his voice hardening considerably. "And how are you so sure that as soon as she sees you; she'll wake up? What proof do you have?" The cloaked figure's shoulders slumped, defeated, and he collapsed into a nearby chair, weary and tired. He rested his elbows on his thighs and placed his face into his hands. He held this position for two minutes; not moving except to breathe, before Zexion crossed the room and sat in the seat across from him. Thoughts raced through his mind but only the emotions left their mark on him. Frustration… heartache… hopelessness… love…

He ran his right hand through his hair that hid under the hood before finally pulling it away, letting it hang behind his head. Golden spikes sprung up, and they seemed to gravitate towards the right side of his person. The boy lifted his head and his bright, cerulean orbs seemed to shine with tears. Zexion looked at him sympathetically. "Roxas…"

"At least let me go see her." He finally murmured; gazing at him with such heartache and pain that Zexion feared that it was his own. "It's been so long since I've seen her…" Roxas trailed off, looking desperately at Zexion. The Cloaked Schemer nodded immediately. He rose from his seat and held his palm out towards an empty space in the room. A large portal of darkness appeared and it weaved in and out of itself complexly with a collection of black, purple and blue swirls. The dark haired man turned and smiled bitterly at The Key of Destiny.

"Follow me."

Standing suddenly in a bright, brilliantly white, large room, Roxas had to raise his hand to cover his eyes for a moment. His arm dropped, stunned, when he spied the large pod in the centre of the room. It was extraordinarily large; much like the room, and a kind of colour that was both blue and grey at the same time. Roxas stepped forward, numbly, and gazed at it as though he was seeing the world for the first time. She was inside and within his reach…

Zexion stood behind Roxas, pressing buttons on a large, white electrical panel. He looked up after a moment and smiled sadly at his companion. Roxas had walked forward until he was only a foot away from the pod. His hand was resting on it and he was gazing up at it with a mixture of pure happiness and anxiety. He smiled and leaned his head against it, as though it were her instead of the pod. "Roxas?" The golden–haired boy snapped his head around to look at him. "Are you ready?"

"Yes." He answered immediately, looking back up at the pod. Zexion's mouth twitched.

"Stand back." Zexion warned, his finger hovering over a single pad of buttons. Roxas strode backwards a few paces straight away, eager. The man's fingers danced over the panel and Roxas watched excitedly. Once Zexion pressed the final button; the gaps between each section of the pod flashed brightly. The machine whirred loudly and its sections came away, as though a flower in bloom. Roxas stood, transfixed, until it finally stopped moving. His whole face softened and grew sad as he gazed at its contents.

Floating in the centre by some unknown force, hair billowing softly around her head with her eye lids shut; was Naminé. She was still wearing the same dress from the night when she was trying to escape The World That Never Was, and Roxas felt a pang in his heart when he remembered how he couldn't get to her in time. Roxas took a few uncertain steps forward, reaching his hand out towards her. "What happens if I touch her?" Roxas asked softly, never taking his eyes from her beautiful face. Zexion smiled sadly.

"Nothing bad. She'll just feel whatever she felt when she was near you."

"In the simulated town? She'll feel it there?"

"She sure will." Zexion confirmed, walking around from behind the panel. "And because she's asleep in the town, it'll be a dream to her." The look of pure love, yet angst on Roxas' face was enough to make Zexion feel his own heart ache. "I'll give you a few minutes." Roxas nodded rapidly, taking a few more steps forward until he reached the edge of the first shell. "Oh! Just so you know; she had an… emotional flux today."

"Flux?" Roxas questioned, furrowing his eyebrows slightly. She hasn't had a flux before…

"She witnessed a moment between Kairi and Sora today…" Zexion began.

"And?" Roxas prodded, wanting to know more. Anything to do with the blonde in front of him, he wanted to know about.

"… Naminé pictured herself instead of Kairi… and a boy with the same eyes; almost a counterpart, instead of Sora." Zexion finished.

"She's remembering…" Roxas breathed, willing the statement true. The golden–haired boy heard a portal of darkness appear behind him and Zexion's retreating footsteps until all was silent except his unsteady breathing.

It wasn't until Roxas was certain that he was alone with her that he moved again. He swiftly leaped into the pod, landing in front of Naminé. Roxas took a few steps forward, determined, and reached out to touch her hand that hung by her side. He gasped when their skin connected; it felt so new yet so familiar. As though sensing that he wouldn't hurt her, the mysterious force that held Naminé afloat seemed to evaporate. She slowly fell into his arms; bridal–style and he held her close, savouring the feeling. She felt right in his grasp, as though they were made to fit together like a puzzle.

Roxas fell to his knees in relief and continued to stare at her face, not believing what he was seeing and the fact that he was holding her again. He studied her, remembering every detail down to the exact shade of her rosy cheeks. He had never felt so much emotion; so much love for a person until he gazed at Naminé.

The Key of Destiny stroked her cheek gently with his right hand, watching as her eyelids twitched in her sleep. Possibly a trick of light, Roxas watched as Naminé's mouth seemed to twitch as though she wanted to smile at him. He moved his hand until it supported the back of her head and he reached down, pressing his lips to her forehead. He felt the softness of her hair in his hand and the smooth touch of her skin on his mouth. He squeezed his eyes shut as he kissed her, willing her awake. A stray tear escaped Roxas' eyes and it fell gently onto the girl's cheek. He pulled away; his eyes still closed, and pressed his forehead to Naminé's. He breathed her in, remembering the scent of cherry blossoms, peaches, and just her.

"I promise you this, Naminé; I'm gonna bring you back." He whispered gently to her, his breath fanning delicately across her face as he held her tighter. Her eyelids twitched once more and he continued; his voice pained as he prayed that she could hear him somehow. "Or die trying."

And here we are! Well done guys for completing another chapter!

Another insight to this instalment; although it is longer than the prologue, it actually took a lot less time to write!

Okay, I hope that you guys made it this far; and actually liked it, because ya know; that'd mean a ton to me!

Anyway, if it's not too much trouble, I was wondering if you guys would leave your opinions. It doesn't have to be much, but I would sincerely appreciate the time and effort you guys put into it!

Until next time. Bye guys.