Kingdom Hearts; The Dark's Keeper

Chapter XXXV; Finally Home

Yuki did not like waiting. She didn't like not having something to do while she waited. Her thoughts would get too loud when she wasn't busy. And she didn't think she could handle those thoughts right now. Not with everything that had happened. Not with losing Axel, and seeing Roxas only to watch him fade away. And losing Naminé. It was all too much to think about.

Yuki paced around the beach, She didn't know where she was, but it was only the play island. She couldn't be too far from the group. Her feet kicked at the sand as her eyes scanned for seashells.

"You look worried, Your Majesty."

Yuki sighed heavily as she turned towards the voice. She glared at the red-haired Heartless who had leaned against a tree. She had a cocky grin as she examined a die in her hand.

"Great. We already have Xemnas to worry about, and now you're here," Yuki said. Aryum laughed, pocketing the die and looking at Yuki. Her golden eyes were filled with a playful light. Yuki had a feeling that wasn't good.

"Oh, Xemnas isn't a problem anymore. Your boys have already defeated him," Aryum said.

"What? Then where are they?" Yuki demanded. 

"By now, I assume the realm of darkness," Aryum said. Yuki felt her heart sink. "Fear not, I'm sure they'll return. Can't promise when though." Aryum gave a slight mock bow to Yuki. Yuki glared at her, crossing her arms.

"Why did you come here? What do you want with me?" Yuki asked. Aryum rarely made appearances unless she wanted something. And Yuki was beginning to be wary of what it was she wanted. It was never as simple as she first made it out to be.

"Did you hear her? While you were in The World That Never Was?" Aryum asked, tilting her head to the side.

"Her?" Yuki echoed.

"Yes, her. You don't have to answer. I know you did," Aryum said simply. Yuki looked down. It was that voice. The one that had screamed.

"Who is she?" Yuki asked.

"Good question. I don't think there's ever been someone who can answer it though. All that matters is someone can hear her, and this time it happens to be you," Aryum explained as she paced away from the tree. She stopped in front of Yuki, standing in front of her. They were almost equal in height, but somehow Aryum seemed taller.

"What is your point?" Yuki asked.

"Do you really think you can return to life here?" Aryum asked. Yuki took a step back from her. She grinned and turned her back on Yuki again. "Do you think after everything you've seen and done you can go back to a normal life? What do you plan on telling them happened? Where have you been? Why didn't you come back sooner? These are questions you'll have to answer. And how do you plan on answering them?"

She asked her questions one after the other, leaving Yuki no chance to answer. But it didn't matter. Yuki had no answer. She hadn't even thought of any of that. She just came back because the others had asked her to. Told her to.

"I- I don't know," Yuki stuttered out.

"Your friends have you fooled. You can't belong here again. You've changed too much," Aryum said. She turned back to Yuki and gave her a sympathetic look.

"Why do you care? What do you gain if I don't stay?" Yuki asked. 

"There is a way you could belong," Aryum said. "All you have to do is help us. We don't want to hurt anyone if we don't have to, all we need is you to help us."

Yuki frowned and looked down at the ground. She knew what that meant. It was all they ever wanted. Their hearts. The hearts many of them already had.