Sorry for taking so long to post this one,I was busy with my finals......which I might add just finshed :D w00t!!!

anyway,here ismy latest chapter.

Chapter 7- A Meaningless Reality

Riku admired his polished sword. "Are you ready to fight?" Tami asked, slashing at the air. "Yeah." He said. "We have the hardest trainer today. Paine. Have you heard of her?" Kel asked. Riku shook his head. Tami and Kel looked at each other, and laughed. "Just keep your mouth shut, and maybe you won't be noticed." The three trudged through the deep mud to the training fields. Kel kept a steady pace, being much farther ahead than Riku and Tami. "So how is Tidus? I mean, is he still... well, Tidus?" Tami asked curiously. Riku nodded. "Well, he got stuck on the Destiny Islands. He traveled from Spira and met Yuna the lady summoner of Spira, and then he went with her on her pilgrimage. They got really close and everything, and fell in love. But, turns out he was a dream of the fayth. So after their journey, Rikku and Yuna somehow made it to Destiny, and then left again on a voyage. Then she came back, and wanted Tidus to go to Spira, but he said no." Riku tried to explain simply. "Hey, I've heard of Yuna! That voyage she took, it was with Rikku, the Al Bhed legend, they went on that big journey last year with Paine! And they met Baralai, and Nooj, and My cousin, Gippal. Wow, we are really related huh?" Tami said. Riku sighed. It was the first time he had mentioned Rikku since that horrible day. Tami paused. "Oh... Rikku, she is the one you... that was killed by..." Riku nodded. "I'm really sorry Riku, I..." "Hey, are you two coming?" Kel shouted. Riku waved, signaling him to go ahead. "It seems we have both lost someone important to us. Kel has too. He really loved Mibella, she was everything to him. The majestic kingdom they came from was so different from this place, they didn't have machina, they didn't have war, it was a very peaceful place. But, like other worlds, the heartless soon made their way to it, and destroyed as much as possible. One of the leaders, you know him, Chevin (the one who killed Rikku), took Mibella, sure that she was the Queen of Heart. So he killed her, and she wasn't it. Kel made himself come to war, he made a promise that he would fight in her honor. Then Chevin went for Rikku. He also assumed she was the Queen of Heart, but was also wrong." Tami said, kicking at the dirt beneath her feet. "She died and suffered for no reason." Riku said quietly. "Well, I have never been in love before, but I felt like I almost fell for Tidus. But, I wouldn't let myself, not fully, because in my heart I knew something tragic would happen, and it did. But now I can see him again, all I ever wanted to say was goodbye, and now I can before the end." Tami said with a glimmer of hope in her voice. "If you want to Tami, I'll take your place, and you can go visit him. Go talk to Leon, he'll probably take you to the Destiny Islands." Riku said. "You'd do that... for me?" Tami asked. Riku nodded. Tami smiled, and gave him a big hug. "Thank you..." She whispered in his ear.

Merlin returned from the room, closing the door shut behind him. "He'll be fine, but he needs rest." He said. A sigh of relief swept over Donald, Max, and Goofy. "Is it okay if we go see him?" Max asked. "Yes, but one at a time, he doesn't need any extra stress right now." Merlin said, sitting down to read his book. Max opened Mickey's door, and walked in. Mickey smiled brightly. "Hey there Max!" he said cheerfully. Max sat in the chair, and scooted it towards Mickey's bed. "How are you doin Mick?" he asked. "I'll be fine... It's just a bit sore for now." He said. Max sighed. "This journey is going to be hard... I don't know if I can take it...." Max admitted. "Don't worry Max, we have to stop Ansem. Would you rather rot away at the castle? This is what you have always wanted to do, ever since you were a boy." Mickey reminded him. "But those were just play adventures, like that one time me and Petey put old banana peels in Uncle Pete's underwear drawer, because we pretended he was the big giant, and fruits were his weakness. But this isn't pretend anymore Mick. This is forreal." Max said. "It'll be alright Max. After everything is said and done, we'll be able to go back home, where we belong." Mickey said. His voice began to sound faint. His eyelids drooped, barely showing the whites of his eyes. "Mickey?" Max asked. Mickey tilted his head, falling silent. "Mick?" Max asked, shaking Mickey. Mickey remained silent. Max began to panic. "MERLIN!" he shouted.

Kairi stumbled across the muddy training fields. In the distance, she could hear the commanders shouting orders. She approached a tent, and looked at the code. "G double zero? It looks like it says..." "Goo." A voice said. Kairi turned around to see a tall girl with short grey brown hair. Her red eyes lingered on Kairi's. "Hi, I'm Paine. You here for sign up?" she asked simply. Kairi smiled. "You're really, Paine?" she asked cheerfully. Paine smirked. "Did you not hear me tootsie?" she asked. Kairi ran to her, and wrapped her arms around her. "I knew I'd find you!" she said. "Whoa whoa there, what's the deal?" Paine asked, pushing Kairi away. "It's me Paine." She said. Paine stared at her. She looked deep into Kairi's eyes, staring into her innocent soul. "Get outta here. Twerp?" she asked, still staring at Kairi. "Huh?" Kairi asked, confused. "Twerp. Kairi, my little sister!" Paine said, hugging Kairi. "You used to call me twerp?" Kairi asked. "Of course. But, you were probably too young to remember. When I went to visit dad, he said you and mom were sightseeing at the cliff over the ocean, and a gust of wind knocked you guys off, killing you." Paine said. "No, that's not it at all. But... mom is dead." Kairi said. "I thought all of my family was dead. I thought I had nobody to turn to. And here you come, brightening my day." Paine said. Kairi giggled. "I didn't even know who I was. But I started to remember things, bit by bit, my memory began to clear. And here I am, back where I belong." She said. "No, you belong home." Kairi recognizeda voice that came from the back"I didn't want you in danger Kairi." He said. Kairi closed her eyes. It had been so long since she had heard his voice. She slowly turned around. There he was. Her angel, coming to rescue her as always. Her knight in shining armor. In the midst of the war, the cloudy skies, and the loud battle roars, he stood there in his own light, as beautiful as ever. She didn't see him as a warrior now, but as a helping hand, just like he always was. His silver hair was perfectly still, motionless. His eyes seemed to linger on her soft pale face, saying one thousand words without speaking. "Riku..." she said softly. Her voice was so gentle that it startled him. Then his serious face turned to a sad smile, as he opened his arms towards her. Kairi giggled delicately, running to hug him. He wrapped his arms around her, and clenched her tightly. "I missed you." She admitted. Riku couldn't respond. He was so happy to see her that nothing else in the world mattered at that point. Kairi began to sob quietly, not from ache, but from happiness. Riku kissed her forehead. "I couldn't stay home Riku, I figured out that I have my own destiny now. I am a princess of heart, I have duties to fulfill. I met my sister, Paine, and I've encountered many other things. All of them were definitely worthwhile." Kairi said, speaking hastily. Riku looked at her and smiled. He stroked her cheek. "Let yourself be great Kairi. Don't let anyone keep you down. And after everything is over, know that you can come back here, and we can go home together." He said. Kairi hesitated. "Riku, tell me something." She said. Riku looked at her, and nodded. "Sora isn't coming home is he? He is dead now, isn't he..." She said, beginning to cry again. Riku hugged her again. "He is better off. Darkness is a hard thing to deal with, and with Ansem controlling him, he may not have made it out. He would have been completely gone, not even able to go to heaven." Riku said. Kairi fell silent. "You promised me you'd come back Sora..." She whispered,looking at the stars in the sky...