Ah, I'm soooo sorry this story was neglected for so long! TT_TT I just had a horrible writer's block, and then today I finally caught my inspiration (I was telling my friend, "Inspiration doesn't come to you. You chase after it with a net and a dart gun.") and I had a burst of words. But... to my disappointment... This chapter isn't as long as I wanted... and I finally update! NE! So I'm terribly sorry if I disappoint you guys.

Disclaimer:

Me: I... I don't own KH.

Repliku (Riku Replica): But... you're trying to become a shishou, right?

Vanitas: Do you guys even know what a shishou is?

Me: I KNOW! It means master.

Repliku: Right! She's trying to become a KH shishou!

Vanitas: Well then, why are we here?

Me: BECAUSE I'm trying to become a shishou! If I wasn't going down this road, I wouldn't be able to respect you two fully! *tears up* Just... thinking about you guys...

Vanitas: Geez, calm down.

Repliku: ...Anyways, we've kept you for a while so... enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 5: Problems

My mom couldn't say anything, only stand there, a delicate hand over her mouth and her eyes wide.

I vaguely remembered Sora and I agreeing to something, but the thought quickly slipped from my mind as my instincts took over. I tried to stand and walk over to my mom to give some explanation, but my stomach twinged and a small cry of pain escaped my lips. My bedroom started to swim in my vision, and soon the bookshelf, my mom, Sora, and everything else in the room were just splotches of color here and there. I somehow managed to find my way to my bed. I glued my eyes shut just as a flaring headache came onto me. I clutched my head, forgetting about the world around me and twisting and turning, trying to fend off the pain but only making it worse. Always worse. I could just barely hear my mom and Sora call out my name in panicked tones. I wanted to straighten, to ignore the pain, and tell them I would be alright, but I couldn't.

I could feel my breathing start to slow, the darkness starting to take me into its arms. I tried to fight, to stay awake, but it was too much, and my body went limp as I blacked out.

Sora's POV

"Riku?" I asked in vain, putting a hand on his shoulder only to instantly bring it back due to the heat.

I hated it. I couldn't do anything to help Riku. I could only stand by and watch as he got the searing headaches. I watched him struggle until his movements slowed so much that the only signs that he was alive were his breathing, which was too shallow for comfort, and that his stomach wound had somehow reopened and was beginning to bleed.

I looked up at Ms. Tsumora and saw tears glistening in her eyes. She began shaking her head as she dropped to his side. "Please God, don't take Riku away from me. Not after what happened four years ago. Please, let me keep Riku." I heard her mutter. I didn't know what she meant, but I decided not to press the matter.

I started to cast Curaga, but something was holding me back. Whatever is was, it was making me forget the words of the simple spell. I almost cursed under my breath, then remembered where I was, and held it in.

I didn't realize I was moving, stumbling down the hall to get some wash cloths, going in the bathroom and soaking them in cold water, and bringing them back to Ms. Tsumora. I was being fueled by the pure willpower that allowed me to not cry and stay strong in this situation. I myself had retreated into my mind, wandering aimlessly as my body stumbled to and fro, running downstairs into the office and finding the first aid kit. I brought it back to Ms. Tsumora and she began tending to Riku's stomach wound.

I felt like I was in one of those crazy hospital TV shows. I felt like the panicked assistant of the abnormally calm doctor who was fighting tooth and nail to save someone who had probably already let go. I looked at Riku and instantly regretted it. The gentle rise and fall of his chest had diminished to simple twitches as his breath hitched every now and then. His skin was extremely pale, and almost paper white. His shirt was lifted to reveal his stomach that had a slit almost in the center that was bleeding profusely. Red leaked off of his stomach on onto the floor, coming too fast for the 'doctor' to clean it up. His silver locks were glued to his forehead by sweat and water from the damp wash cloth that was folded there. He looked absolutely nothing like the cool and collected Riku I had grown up with, the one who mostly kept to himself. I tore my gaze away and was waiting for Ms. Tsumora to hand me the wash cloth to resoak it so I had an excuse to free myself from the scene, if only for a moment.

I closed my eyes and one tear fell before I was able to soak the cloth again. Riku, I thought, Don't leave now.

Riku's POV

It was dark. I couldn't see a thing. I couldn't feel myself, couldn't tell if I was moving or not. I couldn't think straight. I felt helpless. Something horrible could happen to me and I would be completely unaware. Something horrible already has happened. I couldn't feel myself, but suddenly the world brightened. Somehow, I saw warmth, but I didn't feel it. What is going on?

"You've awaken."

The words boomed around me, seemingly activating my nerves. Instantly I felt pain. Pain everywhere. I couldn't move... but something was moving me. I slowly opened my eyes and saw the last person I had wanted to see. "Ansem," I muttered with great effort. "What's going on? What are you... doing to me?"

Ansem didn't answer, only opened some kind of portal. He walked through, and the portal closed, leaving me alone in this light. I wanted to look around, but there was a loud, echoing crash and the light instantly disappeared. I could barely tell I was falling. But to where? Where was I falling to?

I tried to look around, but was only met with horribly black darkness. It slightly scared me; I had never been able to deal with darkness as well as I used to... before Castle Oblivion. I shook my head and tried to focus on Ansem. Suddenly, my feet touched solid ground. I looked down at the ground and gasped.

Underneath my feet was the golden-tan sand of the beach on the Destiny Island. I looked back up and saw trees popping up all around me. I heard the ocean crashing against the shore and felt the water lapping at my ankles. I looked up at the sky and noticed it was sunset. Why was I seeing this?

I turned around and saw Ansem standing a short distance away with his back to me. My eyes narrowed, and I tried to speak, but no sound came out. Why can't I speak? I thought, my hand going up to my throat.

I furrowed my eyebrows and tried to summon my Keyblade. A column of light the same length of my Keyblade surrounded my hand, but in a matter of seconds, the light flickered and soon went out, canceling the summoning. I stared at my hand, and tried to summon my Keyblade again, but the same thing happened. The column of light flickered out like a dying lightbulb.

Frantically, I looked around and saw a wooden sword a short distance away. It looked exactly like the wooden swords that Sora and I would mess around with. My expression hardened and I tried to go get it, but my feet wouldn't move. No matter what I tried, my feet stayed glued to the sandy beach.

With wide eyes, I looked back up to Ansem, who hadn't moved from the spot he was in. The reality of my situation hit me like a ton of bricks. If Ansem were to attack me now, I would be defenseless and unable to stop him. If Ansem wanted to, he could end me right now. I gulped silently.

It was then that Ansem turned around and looked at me. For a split second, I saw an expression of pain and sadness in his eyes before they reverted back to the usual malice that they held.

"Riku." His voice boomed, echoing across the beach between us. It bounced off of imaginary walls and made it seem like there was more than one Ansem. "This is your island home, is it not? The home you plunged into darkness a little over a year ago."

I wanted to stop him, to make him stop talking, but my situation wouldn't allow it. Ansem continued. "You must realize... Everything that happened, it was all your fault." Ansem smirked. "If you hadn't opened the door to this world's heart, the Heartless would not have attacked, and you would have never succumbed to my darkness." Ansem started to walk towards me. I wanted to back away, but then I remembered my feet were glued to the spot. "Riku, don't you know... You always end up becoming other people's problems.

That's not true! I yelled in my mind, but I was the only one who heard the statement.

"If you die here," Ansem said blandly, raising his hand and calling on his dark powers. "Everyone would be better off. Accept it!" A giant ball of fiery darkness was gathered around his hand. He hurled the ball at me and I felt its heat.

Though, instead of hitting me, it hit the ground mere inches from my feet. Just then, the ground turned glass-like, and cracks began to form from where the fireball hit. I wanted to run, but my feet still wouldn't obey my commands. The ground beneath me cracked, and moments later it shattered. I opened my mouth to yell, and sound came out this time. There wasn't enough time for me to even gasp at the sound before I was plunged into darkness again.

Suddenly, my senses were dulled again, and I couldn't tell if I was still falling or not. I saw a bright light, but it looked like it was getting further away. Then... I heard it.

"Riku!" I heard a familiar voice call out my name. "Riku, wake up! Please!"

I saw myself getting closer and closer to the light until I was bathed in its brightness and warmth. I closed my eyes and smiled.

Sora's POV

I could only watch in silence as Ms. Tsumora shook Riku's body, pleading for him to come back. His wound had finally stopped bleeding and seemed to have closed back up. That was the only good news. I closed my eyes. Riku had gotten somehow gotten paler and his temperature dropped dangerously low. His breathing somehow managed to slow down, too. I hoped against hope that he wasn't dead, but... With the way things were looking...

I opened my eyes and looked back to Ms. Tsumora. She had her head buried in Riku's shirt, her demands for him to wake up ceasing. I was about to stand and leave the room to leave her to herself when I noticed a change in Riku.

His skin had gotten most of its color back, though it was still a bit pale. His hand twitched and his eye fluttered open. I was shocked to say the least. "Ri... Riku?" I asked, unsure of whether or not this was real.

Riku looked up at me and smiled. "I'm here."

Riku's mother looked up at him, the tears in her eyes spilling down her cheeks. She hugged him tightly. "I thought I lost you..." She whispered.

Riku hugged her back. "Mom... please don't cry... I hate it when you cry."

I smiled and yelled, "Group hug!" I then dropped to the floor and wrapped my arms around both Riku and Ms. Tsumora.

They laughed and smiled back at me.

I would have stayed in that moment forever if I could.

Nee... that's the end... I'm sorry it was so short, and I'm sorry it's been so long!

So... review... I guess.