Rick
```Some time between Suke entering Ika's heart and the fight against the Symphony Master Unversed. ```

Ika's eyes were closed yet he felt as if he could see everything. He dreamt he was on the shores of destiny island, standing in the waves, watching the horizon for ships. He felt his body go numb as he fell into the water. The endless blue abyss is what he was met with; frighteningly beautiful. Yet, he found that he could breathe in this underwater space. He opened his eyes to see the ocean floor, which erupted into thunderous clouds and lightning, alongside a somewhat nostalgic sight of doves. He would float above this void in space, as a circular pillar came from the nothingness below; showing Ikazuchi and those close to his heart.

Ika would look around and scratch the back of his head.
Lucy
Suke's black heart would arrive at this place and after a few moments would manifest as her normal body. She looked down at her hands and closed them into fists. There was no idea in her mind just where she was. The Heartless stood on the section of the stained glass pillar that bore her face, looking down at it in some confusion. 

"Where is this..."

Last thing she remembered was getting her head shot off by Raven. She looked up just in time to see Ika land down on the pillar as well. Despite her confusion, she didn't feel any sense of concern about where this could be, that it was somewhere safe. 

"Ika... What's going on?"
Rick
Ika would smile at Suke and wave. 

"I'm glad you're awake, i was pretty worried when you showed up as just a heart."

He would stretch and look around the void that surrounded this stained glass pillar. 

"I'm not entirely sure myself- I've only been here once before, but my master said this place is like a manifestation of one's heart, almost like a dreamstate."

He would look at Suke again though, a worried expression on his face this time. 

"Are you alright though? What happened to you to cause you to lose your physical form?"
Lucy
"So, this is inside your heart..." 

Suke responded and walk closer to the edge of the Pillar, looking down at the blackness below. The thought occurred to her if the hearts that she took as a mindless heartless also had this inside of them as well. She looked back at him when he asked what happened. 

"I was defeated by someone in Radiant Garden. They had a similar feeling of an Unversed but looked completely human like me. I... Had my head shot off and thought I died until I heard your voice and found my way here."
Rick
"Luckily he didn't have a keyblade hah.. That could've gone a lot worse."

Ika would smile nervously, not entirely used to violence. The whole head shot off thing made him worry. He shook his head and did a thumbs up.

"Well, all's good now! At least i was still here for you to retreat to for safety."

He would pat his chest kinda showingly, his dumb goofy grin on his face as per usual.

"Even though I didn't really understand what to do when your heart just showed up like that- i just kinda *Knew* What to do."

He would stop for a moment and think.

"Nonetheless, We'll just have to go teach that guy a lesson some time! Though I don't enjoy picking fights, I can't overlook someone who hurt my friend! Did you get a name?"
Lucy
Suke absent-mindedly put her index finger up to her temple, still thinking about how painful it was for that to happen to her. She thought back about a name and shook her head. 

"He didn't say one... Nor did I. All I know is that he uses gun like me and has white hair and an eyepatch." 

She'd lower her hand and looked around the Pillar again, still amazed that she was in a place like this. 

"I had no idea I would make my way back to Destiny Islands I presume either and... Thank you for helping me." 

Suke spoke and bore a similar smile that Ikazuchi did, catching herself off guard by this new emotion that came out of nowhere in her mind to the Heartless.
Rick
Ika was positively beaming from ear to ear.

"Any time! That's what friends are for- to be there when eachother are in need!"

He would laugh and give a thumbs up.

"If you're ever in danger again call on me and I'll be there to help! Or if you need another shelter to rest like this again, the invitation is always open."
Lucy
"Yeah... Same for you as well." 

Suke responded back, nearly naturally which added onto her surprise. She never had the conscious thought to help someone else other than herself, despite her unconscious desire to consume rival Heartless over human hearts. 

"So this is what friendship is... I think I like it. I want to make sure that I do not get put to death like that once more... I need to get stronger to stop that man and those odd monsters that keep appearing."
Rick
"We should totally train sometime then! We could both stand to gain from it."

He would move his arms up to a casual pose behind his head. 

But suddenly- Ika would go from a more relaxed stance to that of a defensive one, sensing the presence of a powerful unversed creature.

"Do you sense that? I can feel that theres another powerful unversed nearby- I made a promise to my master that I'd protect the island if these things came back."

He would close his eyes and place his hand over his heart.

"You rest up as long as you need Suke, I'll call to you if we need you in the battle."
Lucy
"Yeah, I'd like that." 

Suke would give a small nod and then move when Ika did, somewhat able to sense that an Unversed was around, but couldn't exactly, since it wasn't her heart they were in so to speak. 

"Another one of those creatures again?" 

She never heard them referred to as Unversed before and nodded. Suke wanted to help right away but knew it wasn't time for her to reform her body yet, leading to another "Death" On her end. It was enough to make her close her hands into fists due to the frustration. 

"I shall be here then."
Rick
Ika would nod and set off, leading into the events that transpired against the Symphony Master unversed in

Ikazuchi once again felt his eyes close. As his lucid dreams shifted to the recurring one, he felt himself falling from the skies. He saw smelled the sea's salt, prompting him to open his eyes. Ika looked at the sea below as he fell closer towards it, but he did not fear hitting the water. As the boy breached the water, he closed his eyes once more and smiled. Bubbles would fill the water around him as he descended farther into this familiar body of water, eventually leading to his heart, his Station of Awakening, once more. He would gently float down to the floor and wipe tears from his eyes. 

Ikazuchi would set Suke's heart down on the tile on the floor with her face in it and take a step back, allowing her room to reform on her own.
Lucy
Suke's heart took some more time than last to reform. Darkness from the rage upon another defeat was starting to grow, but Ika's presence managed to force it back to it's normal levels. From there, her heart would take form back into her usual self, which slowly rose to meet Ikazuchi once more and looked around seeing where she was again. 

"I'm... Back in your heart aren't I...? Last... Those two... Killed me, didn't they...?"

Suke asked before bringing a hand to her head, slowly remembering what went down before she was decapitated by Benny and Raven.
Rick
"Unfortunately, yes. They were able to overpower us... I was able to escape with your heart, but I have no idea if those other two made it out alright."

Ika would pause for a moment, a saddened look on his face.

"Destiny Island.. It fell to the darkness."

He sniffled and wiped his nose with his arm.

"They did it... Those dark beings and their dark master won. They took destiny from us."

Ika sat down, tears streamed from his face. He would remain like this until he wiped his face and stood back up.

"No. This is no time to be sad over what's been lost. We need to travel to other worlds to make sure what befell our home doesn't befall anyone else's."

The saddness in his eyes shifted to determination. He would look to Suke and pump his fist in the air.

"But speaking of which... I'm not really sure where we are. While i was getting away from destiny, i felt a calling come from my heart that lead me to this place. Its a beautiful world with an amazing garden. I think one of the locals called it the radiant garden?"
Lucy
Suke fell on her behind at hearing that Destiny Island fell to darkness, hearing that sunk what heart she had even lower than usual. She wasn't sure what to do at that point, having pretty basic desires about protecting that place over all. The heartless then looked back up at Ika and what he said further. 

"That is correct... We could protect other places..." 

She replied with a small smile at seeing him raise his fist into the air. Suke would then blink at hearing the name Radiant Garden, having been there once before. 

"That place... That was where I was defeated by that person we fought in the cave." 

Soon after, Suke would stand back up, dusting off her clothes. 

"I also defeated another one of those... Unversed creatures there with the help of some others that may have been locals there."
Rick
Ika popped his knuckles and twisted his wrists. 

"We definitely can't let them keep getting away with this. Knowing the darkness, it won't ever want to stop; it will continue to grow until it's consumed all worlds. We have to put a stop to those people before its too late for anywhere else."

Ika's face would beam with his usual goofy smile, his face still a little damp from the tears of a sorrowful goodbye to Destiny Island. 

He would stop for a moment though and put his hand on his chin. The boy would make a long *Hmmm* Sound as he thought to himself. He wracked his brain on possible strategies and outcomes.

"There's gotta be something the two of us can do to increase our odds of victory."
Lucy
"Yes... They will keep going until the rest are like Destiny Islands..." 

Suke spoke, remembering something similar happening once before, but no idea where or why this memory came to be. She then took it upon herself to walk over to the edge of the platform and looking down. 

"I need more power... That man from before was around my power but now I could not do much against him. But for the two of us, I have a move we could use in tandem in order to deal damage to others we could practice."
Rick
Ika grew visibly excited, as his big goofy smile returned and he clenched his fists.

"For real? Something like that is exactly what we need! We keep ending up in the same battles anyways, so it wouldn't be a bad thing to learn it!"

Ikazuchi would summon his keyblade *Aria's Light* And twirled it, the keyblade falling on a resting position on his shoulder. He waited for Suke to get back up, watching and listening.

"So what's it do?"
Lucy
"So, my idea is for us to use your light and my darkness together in one final blast." 

Suke reached her hand out and summoned her gun to her hand. She would twirl it upwards by the handle up towards the sky, until she was pointing at the air. 

"After we bring them high up in the air with a series of my arrowfire and your keyblade to make them more susceptible to the blast at the end. I do not think we will find someone that could resist both types of damage at once."
Rick
"It sounds crazy... But it also sounds just crazy enough to work!"

He thought for a moment on the logistics of this move, and what the most optimal way to pull if off would be. He scratched his chin and moved his hand in an *Ah-ha!* Moment. He would point his keyblade forward and nod.

"Okay, I'm convinced. Lets try it out."
Lucy
"It probably would be easier if we had a target..."

Suke looked around and held her hand out. She would... Well attempt to summon a Shadow for them to practice on, but it instantly burst into flames and was purified by Ika's light and reacted by pulling her hand away. 

"Or... Maybe not." 

She thought about how else they could do this, maybe starting with the blast of light and darkness at the end and work backwards. 

"How about we start by the end with the blast? We need to output the same energy so we do not end up hurting each other by accident."
Rick
"Yeah that should work. Maybe we should start with resonating our outputs, and then building to a level that can be used effectively as a blast."

He would nod and closed his eyes, and began a steady output of light around himself, trying to match it to a level that Suke could output as well. He held his keyblade out as this faint aura of light surrounded him.
Lucy
Suke would nod in return, summoning her second firearm to her right hand. She let out a small breath and the air grew darker around her. She concentrated said darkness to the barrels of her gun, doing her best to keep up with Ika's energy output. 

"We should be able to fire there at each other and it will equalize out."
Rick
Ika nodded and straightened his keyblade forward. 

"So like this?"

He shot a beam of light forward after he felt the two of their output levels were equal. He wasn't quite sure exactly what to do, but this felt like he was on the right path.

*Unlike his previous visits into his own heart, Ikazuchi was surprised to see that by using the card from Silax, everything had seemed to appear more like the shores back on Destiny Island.*
Mario
*Ika, upon using the card and seemingly being transported to destiny islands, could see the card vanish from his hand. If he looked around it looked just like it did the moment before Aria gave Ika her light. He could see Aria standing at the shore, seemingly injured like she was before. The other kids on the island playing and talking about the strange monsters that attacked the islands back then, the unversed. The memories of the gulls and the sounds of the waves all would flood back to Ika as if he was actually there. But something in the back of his mind would keep him from getting lost in the memory and allow him to leave it at any point.*
Rick
*Ikazuchi stopped to rub his eyes for a moment. No, this was really happening, but it was so obviously a memory. He shook his head, and elected to indulge this, at least for a little bit.*

"Master..."

*Ika would approach and shyly rub his shoulder, like he used to do all the time when he was younger back on destiny. He wasn't sure if she would respond, it was a memory after all... But he had the sense that he needed to talk to her. That's what Silax said the card would do anyways, right? They said it would let him talk to Aria again. Even if it was just reliving the last memory he had with her over again, he had to at least try. There was no changing the past, but maybe reflecting on the past could help shape the future.*
Todd
*Aria was about to move when she heard ika. She was feeling better after being attacked before, although she was still not at full strength she was able to walk at least.* "Oh Ika, I was just about to look for you. Where is everyone else?"
Rick
*The whole thing was playing out exactly how he remembered it...*

`"They all went off to other worlds i think. Xerx said it was something important, so I elected to stay behind and protect the island in case those creatures come back for more. I'm sure they'll be back soon- It isnt like Xerx to..."`

*He trailed off, caught up in the moment of the memory. Tears began to stream down his face as he fell to his knees.*

"I failed, Master... You gave up your light, your life, so that I could protect our world, and they sunk it into the darkness..."

*He summoned her keyblade and planted it in the sand.*

"I vowed that I would protect our world- that I would protect all worlds- from the darkness. But I can't even do that right. Radiant Garden fell because I wasn't strong enough. Elsa lost her family and her world because I wasn't vigilant enough..."

*He wiped the tears from his face, in vain, as more ran down his cheeks.*

"What a beacon of hope I turned out to be... Was... Was I wrong to accept your light? Should you be the one standing up to this darkness instead of me?"
Todd
*Aria, instead if looking confused, simply shook her head.* 

"...I know..."

*Aria seemed to be different now. Instead of how she felt in the memory, she felt present. The island seemed to change as well, the other kids seemingly no where to be seen now. Leaving just the 2 of them there.*

"I shouldn't have put such a burden on you when you were so young. A burden that would eat away at you like this. But it was the only way I saw victory against the coming threats... I'm sorry. Let me tell you why I chose you. And why I know you will fulfill that vow and make me proud. You've done a lot already, with plenty more to do. And you've failed many times as well. I do not blame you for what's happened. Nor do I blame you for wanting answers. It's time you learned the truth, my dear Ika... Please ask me anything you wish. After I hope you understand you will become the Beacon of Hope I trusted you to become."
Rick
*Ika's face lit up with surprise. He was still emotionally distraught, but he expected the memory to play out despite his own words or actions. This was... A rather pleasant surprise.*

"You're... Here? Are you this... Extra presence I've felt in my heart?"

*He wiped his face again, the tears clearing up a bit due to the shock.*
Todd
"Yes... I am. I didn't expect us to talk again. Not like this. When I gave you that light I also let my heart rest deep within you. I... Have been in a deep sleep, occasionally waking up just enough to give you my power when you call upon it. Whatever power you used to talk to me brought you deep within your own heart."

*Aria crossed her arms.* 

"Light can be just as dangerous as darkness if left unchecked. I decided to use myself as a sorta filter for the light. Making sure it doesn't become too much for you. It's had some side effects... When you called upon me before, you almost attacked an ally using darkness. I fear that is partly my duty to defeat darkness taking over. I am sorry for that."
Rick
"Xion did mention something like that..."

*Ika shook his head.*

"Luckily I snapped out of it before... She... You... I? We? Did anything..."

*He slowly pulled himself up off the ground.*

"But... I don't quite get it... This new power. What exactly is it?"

*He remembered back to Oogie saying he and "The witch" Needed him alive.*

"And why does it seem like that sackman and the witch he mentioned want it..."
Todd
*Aria takes a deep breath and sighs*

"Your battle with Kiki, you remember the girl who fought along her side? That being of pure darkness was able to forge the 'X-Blade' by clashing with her other half. However you were able to destroy it. This is just a guess, but I believe you were able to do so because it was not what the original X-Blade was made of. Back then, the X-Blade got shattered into 20 pieces, not 2. 7 of light, 13 of darkness. The 7 lights eventually found themselves inside those called 'Pure Lights'. Beings with no darkness in their heart. You may meet others during your travels. A unique thing these beings can do is give this light up and let it find someone else to reside in. That is how I got this power. I was younger, and when my master found out he helped me learn to use it. But I don't know what those 2 want with it. No doubt for trouble... I remember Kiki wanted it to remake the X-Blade but I refused. You've seen what happened after..."
Rick
"So that's what happened..."

*Ika thought back on both her mentions of light being as dangerous as darkness, and Vani working with Kiki to make the X-Blade.*

"I do recall one of your lessons... Light and dark, although opposed, requires a balance to keep the world at peace... I think I understand now... Darkness is just as important as the light. And to eradicate it, would cause irreparable damage to the universe..."

*He had actually given up on the whole moniker of Darkness Eradication back when he befriended Suke. She showed him that not all darkness is harmful. Those he had met who use half dark and light also hammered this idea home.*

"Though... That does remind me... There is a man who shares my face but steeped in darkness... He's the one who fought against me in Radiant Gardens while the army of heartless destroyed it..."

*He would think back to the first time the two of them fought.*

"He claimed to be made of the darkness that was expelled from my heart, but shouldn't your light have purified it?"
Todd
"Ika I..."

*Aria paused, she was unsure if she should tell Ika, but he did deserve the truth.*

"Vani was supposedly the darkness ripped out from someone's heart and given form. Pure darkness from a heart. Every heart usually has both light and darkness. But you... Your darkness wasn't there when I gave you my power. If he is telling the truth, he could be your missing darkness... But I do not know for sure."
Rick
"My darkness was... Gone? How is that even possible?"

*He would stop with the realization.*

"I don't... I don't have any memories from before coming to Destiny Island. Other than the Pirates who saved me from the ocean without a name or hint of memory; its all blank. I was so young back then but... There's still a time that I have no recollection from."

*Ikazuchi would grab his master's keyblade from the sand and look off at the shoreline he always watched as a younger kid.*

"If he's my darkness... Then everything he's done... Its my responsibility to stop him."
Todd
"Before you do, I must ask you. Do you believe you can?" 

*Aria didn't look at Ika at all, she just stared out at the water.*
Rick
"I have to. Theres no other choice. Can't be much of a beacon if I don't believe in the light that I shine, now can I?"

*He would say and smile with one of his dumb goofy grins that he used to do all the time. Before going back to a somber and serious look.*

"But in all honesty... I'm scared, master. I'm scared of what might happen if I'm not strong enough to stop these people from trying to use the darkness for their own goals. My failures are my own, but when they cost the life and happiness of others..."

*He would trail off, before shaking his head.*

"But I know I can be strong. As long as I've got my friends by my side, and the power and knowledge you've shared with me."

*Ika bowed to Aria, like he always would back at the end of their sparring matches.*

"I can win."
Derrick
If you wanna go back a post or two we can
Todd
"No Ika, you **Will** Win. I know you will. I chose you because your own power and will to do good for the worlds. And I will always be with you. I may not be able to help as I am now, but I will still be there. I know you will make me proud."
Rick
*Ika smiled, genuinely feeling better about this whole situation a little bit.* 

"Thank you, Master."

*He held her keyblade forward in respect before he unsummoned it.*

"I should get going now... There's a witch and dark reflection I am going to put a stop to."
Todd
"Be careful of them. That witch may be more cunning than expected. And your darkness could be more powerful than before." *She smiled and would give a small bow and a nod like she used to.*
Rick
*Ika bowed in return.*

"Don't worry, I've got this."

*He said as he waved and turned to leave... Not entirely sure how to exit this memory-dream-state the card put him in.*
Mary
*In the split second during the teleport, two hearts made a connection.*
Rick
*Less of his station of awakening and more of his inner world like before, Ikazuchi sat on the edge of the paopu tree island and looked out at the ocean. A storm was brewing on the horizon.*
Tony
*Ika would hear Fiora yelling for him, like she did when she jumped into the flames. If he looked, she would see Fiora running for him from the wooden bridge.* 

"Ika, what happened? How is the island here?"
Rick
*Ikazuchi looked back from the ocean towards the old wooden bridge, his eyes were full of tears.*

"This space seems to represent the innermost section of my heart... I've been here a few times... But-"

*He wiped his face and looked back down at the water below him. It was still so clear and beautiful, despite the dark clouds that were rolling in.*

"Fiora... They got the best of us... It was a trap... We had a perfect plan, and finally were ahead of the villains, but they saw right through it..."
Tony
"No no... We can still win this, right..? I know we can. They may have gotten the drop on us, but we can do it... Can't we..?"

*Fiora was on the verge of tears now. She didn't realize how bad the situation was at first until now. Her allies were trapped in a cave without their most powerful weapons, and while she didn't look it, she could feel her heart aching from the pain of jumping into the fire. She couldn't do much more like this.*

"Ika... What do we do...? We can't give up.."
Rick
"My keyblades are gone, and Maleficent is trying to take me to who knows where."

*He held his arm out and opened his hand like he usually does to summon his keyblade, but nothing happened.*

"I feel so alone... Light's Aria stood as my vow to Master... And my Moogle of Glory stood as my bond with Suke... And they're both gone."

*He shook his head.*

"I can't let this be how it ends. I told master I would win. I have to."

*He stood and faced the incoming storm. The wind howled as the storm clouds darkened the skies above. The calm before the storm, as one would call it.*
Tony
*Fiora clenched her fist, looking down and thinking.* 

"If only I hadn't gone down there in the first place... I was tracking him in that cave before calling you guys about the treasure... I should have taken things more seriously."

*She looked up at Ika.*

"I'm sorry... I couldn't support you before like I promised. But... Let me help one more time before I leave you alone..."

*Fiora summoned her bow and held it out for Ika.*

"I can't use a keyblade... But we can use that detail they missed. They were so focused on the keyblades that they forgot about those who didn't have one and had other weapons. We can use that to our advantage. So take this, my bow. I use my light to fire arrows from it, so you using it should make it stronger than when I use it. I would use it myself but... I feel I may be too injured after what I did. I could feel intense pain before this..."
Rick
"Fio..."

*Ikazuchi turned to look at Fiora and smiled.*

"Thank you. We may have gotten separated those five years ago when the island fell... But you've never stopped having my back. I know that I can always rely on you..."

*He walked up to Fiora and gave her a hug.*

"I owe you one... Don't let me forget that."

*He nodded and held her bow of light. It would be weird, but he could handle it... Maybe.*
Tony
*Fiora was a little surprised, she didn't expect a hug, but she welcomed it, hugging him back tight.*

"I'll see you after we win and we can talk more, okay? Bring me back my bow in one piece! Got it?"

*Fiora smiled. She still felt bad, but it was more important to focus on this fight right now.*
Mary
*Is about all he could say as the storm finally picked up and covered the whole island. It felt like the island was swept away under their feet as the distance between them cut the connection between their hearts in this simple moment that in reality only lasted for seconds.*
Rick
*Ikazuchi felt the cool waves around him as he float in the water. He struggled to force his eyes open as his hear bobbed up and down through the muffled water and above the ocean waves.*
Jeanne
"W... Ke ..P Ik... Zu.."
Rick
*His eyes rolled back and forth behind his eyelids, him trying his hardest to force himself awake. It was so hard to move... He was so tired. He could just lay here for as long as he wanted... Perhaps even forever.*
Jeanne
"..Ka pl... Ea... Th... Y n... D y... U..."
Rick
*Suddenly, a wave crashed over his face and he felt himself tumbling onto the shore. He was face-first in the warm sand. It was comfortable, it reminded him of home.*
Pamela
"Are you just going to stay there all day? We have a job to do, 'Beacon of Hope'. So stop loafing about, and get moving. Your friends and allies need your help."
Rick
*He heard footsteps in the sand as this mysterious person walked away. He lazily moved his arms and pushed himself over onto his left side. He opened his right eye and saw that he was on the beaches of Destiny Island again... Although this time it felt way more familiar and nostalgic.*
Mary
"Hey, are you alright? I just saw you roll out of the waves..."
Sarah
*He shook his head. How could he be? His best friend just turned against him, he almost died, he... What? No, that wasn't right. The storm had swallowed him up and spat him out. The creatures that attacked his crew...*
Mary
"You stay here! I'm going to go get someone!"

*The girl ran off down the coastline and out of sight, shouting.*

Master Aria! Xerx! Anybody! Some boy just washed up on the shore!"

*As she ran around the corner, her voice faded into the distance.*
Sarah
*The child pushed himself up, finally opening both eyes. He rubbed his face and turned to look out at sea. It was gone... His crew... His memories...*

*He looked back over as the girl came running back with several people. They all bombarded him with questions as one looked over him to make sure he had no injuries. He remained silent throughout the whole ordeal. Only answering in short nods or head shakes.*

*After a while, they all left, all except for one...*
Mary
"So... I'm Uminami... It's nice to meet you!"

*She gave a big goofy smile and held her hands behind her head.*
Sarah
*He didn't know what to say. He remembered how the crew would greet new people, but after everything that happened, he wasn't sure if he could muster the strength nor the kindness to respond in the way they taught him.*

"I... Ikazuchi..."
Mary
"Ika... Zuchi! I think I'll call you Ika! Since you came from the ocean its like you're a squid! Haha."
Mario
*The two sat for awhile, Uminami giving the occasional remark or the young Ikazuchi responding with a one-word answer. Slowly over time, she helped him regain his sense of self.*
Rick
"Right... Where it all began. I miss you... Destiny Isles. I miss you... Uminami."
Jeanne
"Go... Your friends need you..."
Rick
*Ikazuchi looked back out to sea. His eyelids felt very heavy again. He just needed to rest... It had been a long six years... Did he ever stop to take a break after Kiki and Vani were defeated?*
Jeanne
"Please... You can't give up now."
Rick
*Ikazuchi slowly closed his eyes and lay back in the sand. Was there... Someone else here?*
Pamela
*Falling... Falling... Falling into darkness.*

*A hand, that is no longer there, reaches out. A voice, that no one can hear, calls for help. Emotions, left unchecked, boil below the surface.*

*The Beacon of Hope's light cannot pierce the darkness, swallowed by the eternal abyss, the encroaching dark.*

"The Beacon of Hope is dead, like all of those who previously carried the title. Those with such lofty ideals will only find suffering in their path to the end."

*The emotions stir, finally whole again. Two halves of the same whole, united; yet, completely different. One without the other is nothing, but the whole is nothing without the sum of its parts.*

*Do not go gentle into that good night.*

*The Beacon is now but a Spark. A flicker of light in the darkness. Blink and you'll miss it. Blink and you've missed it. You missed it, didn't you?*

"What lies at the end of your path, I wonder? Are you going to let this be your undoing, or will you fight as you always have?"

*A name without a voice calls to answer. A name without a body moves to fight their fate. A... Name?*

*Who exactly are you now? Who exactly am I now? Who exactly are we now? Who am I?*

*Lighting and Thunder are two parts of the same Storm.*

*Reunited, both halves gain their missing contexts. The memories reunited. Yet, only the half without a whole accepts them. What a letdown.*

*The Darkness hungers for power. The Darkness continues its path of destruction. The name without a voice cries out for The Darkness to stop.*

*The soundless voice cries for forgiveness. It cries for help. It cried... An emotion long since forgotten.*

"Too weak, huh? No matter. Your journey is not allowed to end here."

*The dark swirls around the spark of hopelessness, threatening to crush it with overwhelming force.*

"You are meant for greater things, Storm Boy."

*What's left vanishes. But was there anything left to begin with?*
Mary
*The stained glass platform began to crack and break away. Darkness poured in through every crevasse and coalesced on the surface, covering everything. A light shined through the darkness. It was faint and puny; weak enough to almost sputter out on its own. But for it to die here would be such a horrid waste.*

*Chains erupted from the shattered remnants of a heart, impaling the light. The light could not resist. It was dragged down into the darkness one final time, the end of its radiant glimmering.*

*From the depths arose new fragments: sharpened edges identical to the ones being chained and drowned below, yet a completely different appearance.*

*The fragments took their place, dominating the reminder of happier times: The Beacon of Hope, The Master, The Trusted Ally, The First Friend, The Rival... Gone. Replaced by* **Him**.
Gayla
*Inaxuma stood and watched as he took final control of the heart station, a grin on his face.*
Pamela
"So that's it? Everything you've ever wanted... Is finally here."
Gayla
*Inaxuma closed his eyes and chuckled.*

"It's not that simple. That fool with glasses tried to steal you away from me by using his connection to this place. To ensure that doesn't happen again... Yes..."
Pamela
"You must sever all his links? Then he will have no choice but to sink into the darkness and submit fully. Thus quelling his rebelious spirit, and ensuring your eternal victory."
Gayla
"And with that victory, there will be no more of *You* Either. I don't need to be him, and I don't need to go back to being you. I'll forge my own path... Become... My own... Person.."

*The words rang in his mind. The voice from before.. No. He had let too many of those damn positive emotions in... Too many happy memories.. They were...*
Mario
[*The distant howl of wind blew. It rattled the chains like rusty wind chimes in the night; their faintness the only sound that echoed in this now dark and dreary station of heart.*](<
Gayla
"You're restless again... You sense it, don't you? The end of the world. If all goes as planned... All will be steeped in darkness."
Mario
*The chains rattled in anger; their jingling giving words to the cry without a voice.*
Gayla
"Don't worry... It won't be long now. I will grow ever more powerful and I don't even have to lift a finger, and soon, you will become lesser and lesser. As the light in every world fades, so too shall you. I'll *Finally* Be rid of you... My lesser. My... Other half..."

*Inaxuma looked off into the darkness as he sat on the edge of the stained glass. Was this really what he wanted? To be rid of Ikazuchi forever? He didn't even beat him in a fight, after all... All he did was give Ika the tool to off himself. What a weakling...*

*But, to rid himself fully of Ika would mean that Fiora would never have a reason to seek him out again. That foolish girl, thinking she could make friends with the single strongest being of darkness this world has ever seen? It didn't matter that Kingdom Hearts refused to heed his call; he was here at the top of it all. Nobody had the power to stop him.*
Mario
*The thoughts of Fiora sparked what little connections were left... The chains rustled in rebellion to the surrounding darkness.*
Gayla
"I'm so *Sick* And **Tired** Of you. If you have something to say, just spit it out already!"

*Inaxuma raised an arm, and a circle of darkness erupted from the portion of the stained glass platform where Ikazuchi's face was.*
Mario
*Several purple and red chains formed and pierced into the darkness; the sounds of pierced flesh and ripped bones replaced the gentle sounds of chains swaying in the wind.*

*The chains plunged into darkness would run taut, and begin to heave upwards. A figure was slowly elevated from the darkness.*

*It barely held its form, pierced by darkness to its very core.*
Gayla
"I see... That little bit of rebellious spirit you showed earlier during my fight took every ounce of strength... You hardly even know who you are anymore."

*Inaxuma approached the figure of light, circling around its dangling body as he walked.*

*For once, he looked at the defeated form of his pure light counterpart and felt... Nothing. However, the longer he stared, waiting for the figure to respond, the more this nothing turned into... Something.*

*The words Fiora yelled at him in seeming desperation left a lasting mark on him. Why did he want to kill Ikazuchi so badly? He was the cause of it all. He... Had a life... Yes. The memories were starting to come back to him now, like puzzle pieces fitting into place.*

*Radiant Garden.*

*His home.*

*...Their home.*

*Was he always destined to walk this path?*

*The thoughts he had suppressed every time Fiora was around, he finally let them run free.*

*If he was the light one, could he have made all these friends? Gone on this journey that Ikazuchi did? Become a savior of worlds, rather than a sinker of ones. A hero of light, rather than a menace of darkness?*

*Inaxuma began to cry while looking upon the distorted shape of Ikazuchi. Streams of black liquid poured down the sides of his face.*

*Ikazuchi sacrificed himself to save everyone at Hollow Bastion... Why couldn't he have done the same?*
Pamela
"Are you entirely sure this is what you'd prefer?"
Gayla
*He shook his head and wiped his face.*

*No... This is exactly what he wanted.*

*Finally, he could!... What? With Ikazuchi out of the way, what was left to prove?*
Pamela
"So you're just going to give up?"
Gayla
"Shut up... I am the ***STRONGEST!***"

*Inaxuma stomped his foot on the ground, and the figure of light would slowly be lowered into the darkness once more.*

"There is still more I have to prove...! Even Ikazuchi wasn't able to best Kingdom Hearts while Vani was in control of it..."

*His eyes lit up as the memories of that fight flashed into his mind. The gap between dark and light was finally being bridged.*

"Yes, thats it... If **I** Want a place in this world... Then **I** Simply have to give it to myself! That's what I've been needing all along! Kingdom Hearts never answered me because my heart wasn't set on a goal!"

*This world would have to be reshaped... Just as his master said.*
Rick
*Light would surround the endless abyss and pour down on the stained glass floor. A crack would form, followed by a shattering, and an emergence of...*

"Where... Am I? I don't see anything... What's happened to everybody? Suke, Dado, Fiora, Xion... I-"

*His voice grew faint as he saw another standing before him in this white void.*
Leola
"Kingdom Hearts is trying to steal you away. How pitiful that even in the end, the Beacon of Hope requires rescuing by another."
Rick
"No... All this light- if this is in our heart then... Inaxuma will die! Not even he deserves to die like this! We... I-"
Leola
"Its touching that you have grown so fond of your captor. You both have a will strong enough to resist Kingdom Heart's call."
Gayla
"You did it again. Against all odds, you broke from my trap to be an annoying pest."
Pamela
"The light from Kingdom Hearts is gone. And with it, the temporary strength it lended to Ikazuchi. Continue onwards, he still can't break free of his own accord."