Yuffie led Riku up the stairs and entered her room with him. It was a rectangular room. There was a bed in one corner and on the opposite wall there was a desk and a cupboard. A cute coat of paint had the right atmosphere and a nice big window. A faint yawn escaped Riku, who heard from Yuffie anyway. “You can sleep in my bed,” she said with a smile and pointed to the bed. Riku didn't like that. "Where do you sleep then?" "Doesn't matter ..." Still smiling, she took his sword from him and leaned it against the bedside table. Riku lay down a little hesitantly and fell asleep faster than expected. The tiredness of the few days had left him quite exhausted. But he knew how to hide it. He had turned his head to the black-haired woman who was crouching in front of the bed and watching him. She got up with a yawn and stretched. She went silently out of the room and made herself comfortable on the couch for the night ... While Yuffie slept dreamlessly, Riku had a strange dream:A lightless, dark world ... and he was right in the middle of it. Nothing ... just darkness ... // Am I here again? Why? Am I so attracted to the dark? // He padded fearlessly through the dark. Every step he took produced an audible echo. His gaze wandered around the place. But it was all just darkness. The ground is flat, dark and endless. No sky ... no nothing ... just darkness. But Riku wasn't afraid. He was so close to darkness already and very often. He put them on again and again. But suddenly it shone .. Bright light surrounded the dark dimension. It was ... a woman walking around shouting. You could hear her every step. But what was she calling? The closer she got to Riku, the more her words could be understood. “SORA?” Called this girl. When Riku heard this he had forgotten everything only to follow this voice seemed right to him. The two came to a standstill in front of each other and looked at each other. The silver-haired was silent. But the girl greeted him quickly. "Riku!I am glad that you are fine! Have you seen sora "His gaze fell." No .. Didn't I Kairi ... "// Is it all that matters? Is Sora the only one for her? Am I nothing? Am I nothing for her? // These thoughts went through him around. Kairi turned around again and looked out. "I have to find Sora! That counts .. "But when she wanted to go on, Riku grabbed her arm." Take me with you .. Or stay with me ... I need you! Am I so unimportant? "Said Riku in a serious tone. Kairi didn't seem to change her mind." You haven't needed me for a long time. I need sora. I know ... you can take care of yourself. That calms me. Come back to Destinys Island .. One day we'll see each other again! “She then tried to free herself from his grip, which she couldn't.“ Why don't I need you anymore? "Riku asked suspiciously." You have Yuffie .. you go well together! "She answered. Riku was pissed off:" Kairi! What do you mean- "He couldn't finish his sentence.- * dream end * -

Yuffie had been trying to wake him up for a while. “Riku? Riku?” She asked, which slowly drove her to despair. With a slight growl, Riku opened his eyes and looked directly into Yuffie's face. A few more sentences and he would have found out what Kairi meant .. But now he's awake ... The dream remains unanswered. // Strange dream ... // it went through his head. "Hey, Riku .. are you okay?" Yuffie asked. The boy looked at her. Actually he was looking into Yuffie's face. But for him he saw Kairi trying to wake him up. "Kairi! Are you okay? How did you get here?" he asked hastily. Yuffie looked at him confused. According to Riku's imagination, Yuffie even had Kairi's voice at that moment. //Hm? I know the situation! She's just a little different ... // "Oh, man, Riku! It's me ... Sweet little Yuffie!" It came from her, grinning. Suddenly Riku's eyes widened. Kairi became a grinning Yuffie. "Come on, Riku, get up .. We still have to find Sora ... Get ready, I'll be waiting downstairs.Breakfast is on your bedside table. "Smiling, Yuffie went back downstairs.

She combs the rooms. Her gaze wandered around searching. Aerith seemed to be watching it all and stepped beside her. "Um ... tell me, who are you looking for, Yuffie?" The black-haired woman had noticed her and looked at her. "Hm .. Cid .." It came just from her. "You can find it in the kitchen .." Aerith smiled and went back to her room. With her manner, Yuffie stalked into the kitchen and discovered Cid who didn't seem particularly busy. The girl put her hands on the kitchen table and looked at him. "What's up, little one?" it came easily from him. "To get to the point ... I need a rubber jet!" Suddenly Yuffie had said without hesitation what was going on ... Her way ... "Hm? Why?" Cid looked at her. "Hm? What for?" The black-haired woman seemed to be in a hurry and eagerly got to the point: "I want to get out of here! I'm too bored here! Besides ... I want to look for Sora!" Cid sighed. "You want to go with this boy, huh?You can forget that! It's way too dangerous! I will not provide you with a rubber jet! "Yuffie got a lot more irritable and raised her voice." I don't care what you want! I can take care of myself! " "Be quiet! No is no! You stay here! "Cid remained adamant and then left the kitchen. Yuffie sank to the floor. Despair was literally written on her face. // I hate Traverse! A world without escape ... No freedom! A stupid prison! Boredom .. A desolate one Everyday life! ... I want to get away from here! At all costs ... // These thoughts seemed to attract the darkness ... These thoughts that insure that everything would be done for freedom. EVERYTHING. Should she suffer the same fate as Riku "Should that really happen? At the moment, Yuffie wasn't aware of anything. The black-haired woman got up and left the kitchen. She padded up to her room to check on Riku. Quietly she opened the door and smiled inside. But the smile quickly faded." when she looked into the room.Sadness ... pouting ... The window was open and Riku was gone. There was a note on the bedside table. Riku had written her a so-called farewell letter:

Hey little Yuffie-chan

Sora doesn't seem to be in Traverse.
As sorry as I am, I have to go on ...
You were really nice to me. Thanks.
I don't want to put you in any further danger, so best not to look for me ...

Your riku

PS: Take good care of yourself
HDL

She crumpled up the paper in anger and tossed it in a corner. // All your words are meant to be kind ... But they don't do me any good. It hurts! My life had changed so much. I had fun and made a new friend. Maybe more than that. I wanted to go with him ... Get away from here! Away from the gray everyday life. // Already close to tears she had to pull herself together. Pull together so as not to burst into tears. It would be the very last thing to weaken now. The black-haired woman looked outside. She would want nothing more than to leave this damn town.Did she harbor hatred now? Hatred of the city that gave her a home when she lost her home? Hatred of the city that she loved so much until recently? Questionable ... Not only for outsiders but also for yourself. How she got these thoughts she did not know herself. // Even the path of darkness would be an option for me ... If it could lead me to another world! I would always be stronger, always. // But she shouldn't underestimate the darkness. She stood there for a while until she decided that Riku couldn't be far and she would look for him.