The Road to Dawn

Dawn's Story---Chapter 1: New Awakenings

Utter silence. Not a sound is made other than my heart pounding in my ears. Slowly, even that small trace of sound fades. Rain is falling but it doesn't make a sound. Darkness fills my sight. Is this death? No this is something different. I try to think. I think of all the things that happened the day before. All I can think of is a name. Riku, who is Riku? A flash in my mind sends me into a lulled state calming me and sending me into an unnatural slumber.

I awaken. It is dawn. I laugh at the perfection of the sunrise. I remember a dream I had. Was it a dream? It felt so real. I remember what seemed to be a picture of kids who seemed almost familiar. Like old friends, forgotten by time. One stands apart from the others. A boy with crystal clear, ocean blue eyes chill me to the bone. They seem to stare into my soul. Who is he? Is that Riku?

I walk to my vanity. I look into my mirror and I am greeted by a sleepy eyed version of myself. Even through my grogginess everything about me stands out. My dark red messy hair stands out against my light blue walls. My blue eyes stand out against my fair skin. My pearly whites against my rose tinted lips.

I suddenly remember, today is Halloween. The school is having a costume party in the gym.

I walk over to my bed and sit down. "What will Cara wear?" I wonder. Cara has been my best friend since the day I met her. We were about five years old. Cara was sitting in the sandbox at the park crying because Cale, her first crush, was throwing mud at her and it ruined her new pink and cream-colored dress. I walked over and tapped him on his shoulder. I had to stand on my tiptoes to reach his shoulder. He turned around and I slugged him. Square in the jaw. We'd been friends ever since.

I walk over to my closet and look at the costume I had made the week before. It was a black hooded cloak with a silver zipper and hood ties. It also had knee high black boots and black leggings and gloves. It also had a black blindfold to go with it. Where did I get the idea to make this? It seems so familiar. I glance at the clock. It was a little after six o'clock now. Cara won't be up for at least an hour.

I lay myself back down on my bed and stare at the ceiling. It's the lightest blue in the room. It almost looks as if it has clouds floating across the sky.

Later, I wake up again. I didn't even realize I had fallen asleep. Out of the corner of my eye I see a boy. I sit up and he is gone. I must still be dreaming.

Cara must be awake by now. I walk over to my phone and dial her number.

The phone rings twice before a voice answers. "Hello?"

It was Kanoa, Cara's brother.

"Hey Kanoa, is Cara there?" I ask.

"No, by now she is probably at the school. You know, at the dance?"

"What?" I ask, confused. It must be later than I thought. The dance started at two o'clock.

"You better hurry up and get down there if you want to get there on time." He hangs up and I set the phone back down on the receiver. I rush over to my closet and pull out my costume and stuff it in my bag. I'd change when I got there.

I arrived still confused about why I let myself sleep that long, and why I fell asleep in the first place. I saw Cara. She was wearing a beautiful white and gold angel costume. It had white and gold speckled wings. It even had a golden halo and gold-flecked make-up. Everything matched her golden hair and eyes perfectly She saw me and ran over with a big smile on her face.

"Hey! Where's your costume?" she asks still smiling.

I hold up my bag.

"Well hurry up and change," she says pushing me towards the bathroom, "the dance will start soon."

I change and look at myself in the mirror. My ears start to ring and I get a headache. I lean over the sink and breathe deeply. The sounds of the party disappear suddenly. I look up, wondering what happened. I walk out of the bathroom, glad to get away from the bleach fumes and grime.

I walk into the gym to discover that nobody is moving. Footsteps rang out in the silence. Closing in slowly.

Riku's Story---Chapter 2: Memory

I awaken in the middle of the night. I haven't had a full nights sleep for longer than I can remember. I keep having dreams, nightmares really. They tell of my past, what I have done and whom I have harmed. The promise I made to Silver always replays in my dreams. She sacrificed her heart for me to become myself again. So I made a promise. To find her nobody and reunite it with her body. So she could be whole again.

But now that I've reunited with my friends on my island I seem to have forgotten her.

There's a picture on my dresser of her and Kairi smiling and waving at the camera. Next to that there is a picture of Sora and me. There's also a picture of Sora, Kairi, Silver, and me on my dresser. Tidus took that picture. He arranged us so I stood next to Sora and held Silvers' hand. Sora and Kairi held hands too. Sora and Kairi were blushing but Silver and I weren't. I don't know exactly what she was feeling but I felt like somehow we belonged together. Like it was fate or something.

Then the Heartless came and separated us. Silver tried to warn me of what would happen if I surrendered to darkness. Unfortunately I submitted myself to the darkness, unafraid of what might happen. It surrounded me. Engulfed me. Silver faded, and I became part of the darkness. Sora ran to me and asked if Kairi was with me. I heard a voice saying "The door has opened" and then I realized I had said it. "The door has opened Sora! Now we can go to the outside world!"

"What are you talking about?" questioned Sora, "We've got to find Kairi and Silver!"

"Kairi's coming with us! Silver's not coming!" I exclaimed, "Once we step through, we might not be able to come back. We may never see our parents again. There's no turning back. But this may be our only chance. We can't let fear stop us! I'm not afraid of the darkness!"

It felt like I had blacked out. I was nowhere. All I could see was darkness.

I called out to my friends. "Sora? Kairi? Silver?"

No one answered. I turned around to see Silver staring at me from far away. I tried to run to her but no matter how fast I ran I couldn't reach her. I reached out to her. She frowned and faded into the darkness.

That's when Maleficent found me. She found me wondering around in darkness without friends or any hope of getting out of the darkness. She took advantage of me and turned me against my friends. And then a man named Ansem came. He stole my identity. He used me.

I made my way to my small island. This is always where we all watched the sunset. It's also where Silver and I would sit and talk or think together.

"Riku?" It was Sora. He had followed me. "Riku? What's wrong?"

"Hmm? Oh. Sora? Do you remember that girl that always hung out here with me?"

"Silver?"

"Yeah. You remember what she did for me?"

Sora looked at me, confused, "No, not really. What did she do?"

"She became a Heartless to help me return to normal. And before she did, I made a promise. I promised to find her. To save her."

"Oh. So that's what's been bugging you lately."

"Yeah." I stand up, "I must find her! Sora, will you help me?"

"Of course I will!"

Dawn's Story---Chapter 3: Truth

         The footsteps continue. They come closer and closer echoing in the motionless hallways. They stop behind me. I whirl around. A man is about five feet behind me wearing an outfit that closely resembles mine.

         "Who… who are you?"

         He removes his hood to reveal a red haired man with diamond shaped marks under his eyes.

         "What? Not this again… I'm Axel! Got it memorized? You saved me."

         "Saved you? I don't even know you!"

         The man rubs his forehead.

         "Did you do this?" I ask pointing to my motionless friends and acquaintances.

         "Yes," he answers without emotion.

         "Why?" I snap.

         "So I could talk to you."

         "You talked! Now fix it!"

         "Oh testy aren't you? Just like I remembered," he snaps his fingers and disappears into darkness.

         Everything slowly goes back to normal.

         "Just like you… remembered?" I mumble.

         Cara runs over to me dragging a blonde spiky haired boy wearing a vampire costume. "Hey! Great costume Dawn!"

         "Your latest boyfriend?"

         "Ha ha, very funny!" she responds sarcastically.

         "Calm down sparky. I'm just kidding."

         Cara laughs, "Okay, okay… This is Jomei, my cousin."

         Jomei stares off into space at the spot where the man named Axel had disappeared from.

         "Did he… Did he see him?" I ask myself.

         "Uh, well I'll leave you guys to stare into space together" Cara says leaving to go talk to some boys standing against the wall.

         Jomei turns his head and looks at me. His eyes are blue. They remind me of the boy standing next to the boy I thought was Riku in that picture in my head.

         "You saw him… Didn't you?"

         "Axel," he says turning back to his staring.

         Something was different about this boy. It was like he knew the man in the cloak.

         Just before I turn to leave him alone he says something, "He has come to take you away. To take you back."

         "Take me back? To where?" I ask.

         "To the Organization of that he remade after Sora destroyed the last of its members. And before he remade it, he was brought back from the place where all nobodies go eventually," he answers turning back to me again and looking into my eyes, "and he was brought back by you."

Riku's Story---Chapter 4: Friendship and Promises

         "How, Sora? How can we get to her? We don't' know where she is and we're stuck on this island again."

         Sora had never seen me so upset. I was on the brink of tears.

         "You really miss her, don't you Riku?" Sora asks me.

         I fling myself upon him and hug him, crying on his shoulder. I could tell he was shocked but he did not pull away. Instead, he hugged back. Crying with me.

         Kairi ran up to us and we wiped our tears, trying to cover up my little emotional breakdown. Kairi just looked at me and smiled shyly, unused to seeing my eyes red.

         "What's going on?" Kairi asked carefully avoiding my eyes.

         Sora and I exchanged glances quickly and he answered for me. "We were just thinking of promises. Like the one I made to you. Do you remember Silver?"

         "Yes. I do." Kairi said slowly, "Silver and Selphie and I were great friends. But she and I were best friends. We hung out on the beach for hours just talking and watching you boys' fight. I miss her."

         "We all do," Sora added sadly.

         "Hey Kairi?" I ask

         "Yes?"

         "Remember the day Sora and you met again. When Sora started crying?"

         "Hey! I was not crying!" yelped Sora.

         "Yes you were!" Kairi and I said at the same time.

         While Sora was blushing and glaring at me Kairi answered "Yeah. Why?"

         I explained my promise to Silver and her sacrifice to help me. "You see why I have to find her? Why it's so important?"

         "It's like the promise I made to you Kairi. That no matter what I'd find you." added Sora, apparently over his embarrassment.

         "But how can we find her if we can't get off this island?" I said quietly.

         "I'm sure we can think of something…" Kairi said reassuringly.

         "Thanks Kairi." I said smiling.

         Sora yawns and stretches "Well right now let's just sleep on it. Come on I'm beat."

         They started heading back and noticed I wasn't following them.

         "Riku?" asked Kairi.

         "I think I'll just stay here for a little while okay?"

         "You sure?" asked Sora. I nodded.

         "Well, get some sleep okay?" added Kairi.

         They left and I stared out into the ocean.

"Silver. Don't worry. I will find you. As soon as I can," I said aloud to no one, "I will."

I lay my head back against the tree behind me and looked at the stars and fell asleep.

The dream came again. Longer and more complete.

I stand on my island ready to embrace the darkness. Silver comes running up to me trying to warn me. I don't listen. I turn my back on her after she refuses my offer to come with me. I thought that she was selfish. Trying to hold me back. To keep me here when I wanted so much to leave and see the world. Looking back to see if she was still there I found she was gone.

The darkness surrounded me. Engulfed me. I became part of the darkness. Sora ran to me and asked if Kairi was with me.

"The door has opened. The door has opened Sora! Now we can go to the outside world!"

"What are you talking about?" questioned Sora, "We've got to find Kairi and Silver!"

"Kairi's coming with us! Silver's not coming!" I exclaimed, "Once we step through, we might not be able to come back. We may never see our parents again. There's no turning back. But this may be our only chance. We can't let fear stop us! I'm not afraid of the darkness!"

I was nowhere. All I could see was darkness.

I called out to my friends. "Sora? Kairi? Silver?"

No one answered. I turned around to see Silver staring at me from far away. I tried to run to her but no matter how fast I ran I couldn't reach her. I reached out to her. She frowned and faded into the darkness.

Then Maleficent found me. She found me wondering around in darkness. She took advantage of me and turned me against my friends. And then a man named Ansem came. He stole my identity. He used me for his own purpose.

After Sora defeated Ansem the worlds returned to normal. Or so we thought. The King and I were locked behind the door to darkness. Kairi and Sora were separated and so were Silver and I.

Then Sora found Castle Oblivion. A beautiful witch named Namine tricked Sora and me. We fought to save her but in the end neither of us could. And then he fell into a deep slumber. I found out that during the short time he had been a Heartless a Nobody was released. A boy named Roxas was his Nobody. He could wield the same weapon as Sora. The Keyblade. While Roxas was outside of his body, Sora could not wake up. So I fought with Roxas trying to bring him to Sora. He defeated me and then I realized I could not fight in the darkness without controlling it. I gave up my body to become my enemy. Ansem. Although I was still Riku on the inside, I looked exactly like Ansem. And I could control darkness.

When Sora found out that I was ok, he started crying. I helped Kairi escape and reunited her and Sora. After a few battles with heartless and lesser nobodies we saw Silver. This time when I ran to her I could get to her.

"Riku? What happened?" she asked, "Why do you look like Ansem?"

I told her what had happened and she made up her mind to help me. The promise I made to her replays for the second time tonight. She sacrificed her heart for me to become myself again. So I made the promise.

"Riku? Wake up you lazy bum!"

Kairi was shaking me awake. I fell off my tree branch and Kairi giggled and Sora fell to the ground laughing. I tackle Sora and wrestle him to the ground pulling his spiky hair.

"Uncle! Uncle!" Sora screamed. I let go of his hair and he rubbed his head.

Kairi looks like she trying really hard not to laugh as Sora smoothed out his hair. I start laughing and Kairi does too. Eventually Sora joins us.

I stop laughing and I remember that Silver and I would laugh like this at Sora when he was little. Sora was a very clumsy little kid. He could be standing still and trip. He got especially clumsy when Kairi was around. He would try to get her attention by doing crazy stunts that always blew up in his face. Kairi would smile at him and go back to doing whatever she was doing.

"Riku, you're thinking of her again aren't you?" asked Sora.

"Yeah. I was."

That's when the visions started.

Dawn's Story---Chapter 5: Heartless

 "'Brought back'? What do you mean by 'brought back'?"

"You really don't remember do you?"

"What is everyone talking about?" I ask frustrated.

"You'll learn soon enough," he says calmly looking at his watch "I have to go. Call me later" he adds handing me a card with a phone number on it.

I watch him leave the gym and head toward the exit.

After he leaves Cara walks over to me, "Looks like Jo likes you."

"Lucky me," I mumble under my breath.

For the rest of the dance I was being dragged to and fro by Cara. I tried to talk to her about her cousin but she always brushed me off saying that a cute guy was across the room or in the hallway.

Eventually I was able to escape the grip of the 'beast' that was Cara and I headed home. On my way home all I could think about was Jomei. How could he see Axel when time was standing still? How did he know what Axel wanted? How did he know his name? What was this 'Organization'? Who was the boy standing next to Riku that reminded me of Jomei? So many questions and absolutely no answers.

While I was pondering these questions I had made my way home. It was later than I thought it would be when I got home and I thought my parents would be worried.

I crept into the house and up the stairs. I had to cross the hall past my parent's bedroom to get to my own room. I quietly ease my way past their room. I pass pictures in the hall. My family portrait. My mother, my father, my older brother Nuru, and me. He was my complete opposite. I stop and stare at the picture before entering my room. His midnight black hair was in complete contrast to my sunrise red hair. His green eyes against my blue ones. He was tall and I was short for my age. The differences did not end with appearance. He was outgoing and yelled all the time and I kept to myself and only yelled when I was stressed or felt like I needed to get a point across. He kept his room messy and I kept my stuff organized and clean. I stop looking at the picture and head to my room.

I quietly pad into my room and silently shut the door. I turn around and to my horror I see something I will never forget. Two small black creatures with antennae and claw like fingers hovering over my parents. I ran towards my parents only to be stopped by Jomei.

"Don't go any closer," he shouts, grabbing my shoulder.

"But my parents!" I scream desperately trying to get to them.

"It won't do them any good if you get killed trying to save them. Besides, they're not your parents."

I stare at him in disbelief and snap, "What?"

He changes the subject and hands me what looks like a dragon wing with an angel wing on the tip. "Take this and defend yourself. There will be more heartless than this soon to come."

"Heartless?" I asked quietly, staring at the weapon he'd given me. It looked familiar.

"Those without hearts. They come from the shadows in peoples hearts."

As I looked up I could that see the people I once knew as my parents were gone. But in their place were two more of the dark creatures.

"Jomei?" I ask looking around. He was nowhere to be seen. His words echoed in my mind, "Defend yourself."

I hold the strange weapon in front of me and look up. I swing the weapon in a semi-circle and take them out.

"Wow," I hold the weapon in both hands, "But what is this thing?"

Click Here for Page 2