Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

In the small world of Destiny Islands, Kairi sat by an old statue admiring a messy and beautiful picture. The buildings of the town were a clash of colors, the vegetation was lush and the people smiled as they went about another peaceful day. The stone figures of a wistful woman with her arms around a joyous girl and a boy with determined eyes, a star at their feet, sheltered Kairi from the sun. Each element was beautiful on its own, but when they came together, they formed something truly wonderful: home.

The clock on top of the town hall struck ten and reminded Kairi she should get a move on, so she took to ambling along the dirt path. She still occasionally paused to admire some flowers or run her hand through fountains gushing water, and in turn, the world seemed to pay attention to her.

Her clothing wasn’t unlike what many girls on the islands wore — breezy top, tight shorts, violet skirt, slip-on shoes, a black sleeveless jacket she modeled after Sora and several handcrafted accessories. Her short, bright red hair and cheery disposition made her stand out though, even amidst the colorful and sunny environment. People on the streets stopped to greet her or thank her for the last time she helped them carry groceries or clean their houses, watched over their kids, or just kept them company.

Eventually, she reached a two-story building and entered to the welcoming click of a bell. The place was filled with shelves and displays, where charts, compasses and other navigation tools were placed side by side with postcards, seashells, flower pots and all sorts of handcrafted items. A woman wearing beads and pigtails stood at a counter. Upon seeing her enter, the woman smiled.

“Hello, Kairi!” she welcomed her with a grin. “In need of more Thalassa shells?”

“Hi, Vanille. Actually, I’m here for Sora.”

“Figured. That sleepyhead’s still in his room.”

Kairi rolled her eyes, said thanks and took the stairs in the backroom to the second floor, which housed a cluttered apartment full of picture frames of Vanille and Sora from over the years since he was five.

Speaking of which, Kairi stood by the door to Sora’s bedroom. There was faint snoring and moaning on the other side. Normally she would just break in and drag Sora out of bed, but this time, she had a better plan.

She tapped on the door. “Sora, it’s me, wake up.”

There was no answer.

She knocked harder. “Sora, Riku is waiting for us.”

The sound of someone rolling over blankets.

She knocked even harder. “Come on you lazy bum. Wake up.”

He rolled over again and groaned something that sounded like “Five more minutes.”

Kairi gave a sigh of false disappointment. “Looks like Sora isn’t coming. What a shame. I even brought him a piece of Grandma’s fubá cake. Oh well, guess there’s more for me.”

“WHAT?” There was a thump and seconds later Sora came out, the spikes in his brown hair even messier than usual. “I’m here, give it to me!”

Kairi laughed as she handed him a paper bag. “Here you go, you lazy bum.”

He tore it open and devoured the cake with the enthusiasm of a starving man. It was over in five seconds. “Hmm, so good! Vanille’s food is fine and all, at least when she doesn’t burn it, but Auntie Yara’s is on another level.”

“So now that you’re awake, how about we go meet up with Riku?”

“Alright, alright, just a second.”

Soon the two were exiting the shop, Sora now sporting his usual inconspicuous red jumpsuit and yellow shoes, as well as the short hoodie Kairi had hoped to emulate. As they chatted along the way, she told him about the dream she had that night. As was common with dreams, the details had gotten foggy since she woke up, but she remembered a castle in the mountains that felt like home. Sora listened intently, not cutting her even once, something most other people would consider a miracle.

“Hmm…” Sora tilted his head in that adorable way he did while thinking hard. And then his eyes shone. “What if that place is out there somewhere? And you dreaming about it means we’ll see it soon!”

“If anyone was gonna dream about the outside world, I’d expect it to be you.”

Sora chuckled half-heartedly. “I don’t know. It’s not like I remember anything from before I came here.”

“Nothing at all?”

“Nothing. But maybe we can still find it. The place where I came from.”

“We can find more than just that. We’ll find all sorts of worlds out there.”

“I can’t wait!”

They arrived at a small wooden pier, where a silver-haired boy waited impatiently. He was leaning on a light post with his arms crossed and his brow furrowed. When he noticed the two, the boy stood straight.

“Finally,” he said. “I was beginning to think you weren’t coming.”

“Sorry, Riku. But you know Sora is a lazy bum who refuses to get out of bed without leverage.”

“Hey! You’re late too!”

Kairi giggled and ran over to Riku, leaving a pouting Sora to trail behind.

“Unbelievable,” Riku said. “I do most of the work on the raft and you can’t even be here on time.”

“Sorry, mister punctual.” Kairi patted him on the head and laughed off the annoyed glare she received. “Let’s finish it together then.”

She and Sora went for the small boats moored on the pier. Before following them, Riku picked up something resting on the ground. A long wooden pole almost twice his size.

“What’s that?” Sora asked.

“This light pole fell down during the latest storm. I thought it could be our mast.”

“Good idea,” said Kairi.

“Cool!” Sora got closer to admire their new find and his hands went to touch it. “I’ll carry it!”

“No need, I got it.”

“But I wanna do it! Gimme!” Sora grabbed the pole and tried to pull it, but Riku pulled back.

“Hey, stop! You’re gonna mess it up.”

“I won’t! Just let me do this!”

“I can do it by myself!”

“Stop it, you two.” Kairi’s voice cut through their argument. “This thing doesn’t even fit in one boat.”

She took the pole from their hands and showed her point. It was too long for a single boat. So instead, she rested each end on one boat, like a bridge connecting them.

“There. See? Now both of you can carry it.”

“Great idea, Kairi!” Sora beamed.

“It’s not that impressive, really,” she said.

“But we’ll have to row together,” said Riku. “Think you can keep up, Sora?”

“Of course I can!”

“You’ll help by not going too fast,” said Kairi. “And I’ll signal so you know when to row.”

Her strategy worked very well. Whenever she said “row”, Riku and Sora moved their oars in sync to propel their boats evenly. They kept a steady pace and eventually reached Kealoha Island. It was just off the shore of Tuatahi Island, where they lived, way smaller and uninhabited. The island was instead a site for festivals and other celebrations, as well as a playing ground for the children of the town, which granted it the nickname Playing Island.

Once there, they raced to the cove on the other side of the island and uncovered their secret project. What had once been a pile of driftwood and planks now looked like a proper raft, albeit with a few key components missing.

One such component was the mast, so Sora and Riku worked to secure the pole they brought to the hull and tie the other spars. Or rather, Riku did. Sora came up with a game of throwing nails like darts at pebbles, shells and even a poor crab that peeked out of its hole every few minutes. The only way Riku would get him to focus on the task at hand was by threatening to tell Vanille about his cookie jar heists, but even then he mostly hummed to himself or daydreamed about their future adventures.

From her spot, Kairi laughed at the boys’ shenanigans. She sat by a palm tree sowing pieces of leftover fabric Riku got from his seamstress mother to create the sail for the raft. The pieces originally all had different colors and patterns, but Kairi had managed to bleach them white to make the sail uniform. She’d hidden her reasoning for doing so from her friends, instead saying she just thought it looked better like that.

Hours went by and in what felt like no time, the sun reached its peak.

After a supposed-to-be-short lunch break at Kairi’s, where her grandmother’s seafood with mashed potatoes and fubá cake held them for way longer than Riku would have liked, they returned to the Playing Island, but they weren’t alone anymore.

Some of their friends from school had come to the beach as well. They arrived to Ryukku and Yuna staring at each other in anticipation, and Tidus, Wakka and Selphie watching from the sidelines.

“Alright ladies.” Wakka, a tall boy with orange hair, raised his hand to give the start out. “Aaaand go!”

The two girls closed in on one another and started to dish out attacks. Ryukku dealt fast punches with her toy claw and Yuna dodged them with graceful moves. In her white floral dress, it almost looked like she was dancing.

“Go Yuna! Go Ryukku!” As Selphie hopped, the curls at the end of her hair bounced.

“Look, the other Riku’s here too,” said Tidus, whose hair was the color of the sand. Riku rolled his eyes at the common joke made with their names. He, Sora and Kairi had stayed to watch as well.

Eventually, Ryukku landed a hit and Yuna’s rod fell from her hands. Wakka announced the winner and the two joined the rest of the group.

“That got me pumped!” Sora turned to Riku with a grin. “Let’s go Riku, me and you!”

“Sure. If you wanna lose.”

After picking up some wooden swords from the seaside shack, the two faced each other on the “dueling ground”. Everyone else was just as excited to watch, even if the result was predictable. Sora and Riku just carried so much energy whenever they competed, it was hard not to get pumped.

Wakka gave the go-ahead and Sora charged.

Riku stepped out of the way and jabbed Sora in the arm. Sora paid that no mind and went at Riku again. The swords met with a clack , over and over, all while the two boys smiled and threw taunts around. Then suddenly, Riku made a swift and powerful swing. Sora’s sword leaped out of his hand, spun in the air and landed point down in the sand.

“Sora’s disarmed, Riku wins!” Wakka announced.

Everyone else had unsurprised looks, but Kairi smiled at Sora. Even though this was the result nine times out of ten in every competition, she admired how he kept trying regardless, so she always did what she could to show her appreciation for him.

“Giving up already? I thought you were stronger than that.” Riku had a different approach.

“Hmph… Let’s go again!”

“No way, you always lose Sora. It’s no fun watching!” Ryukku complained. She was a blonde girl with a high ponytail. “Hey Kairi, why don’t you fight?”

Kairi shook her head. “There’s no need, I don’t like fighting all that much.”

“C’mon, don’t back down!” Tidus grabbed his pole and went to the dueling ground. “Take me on!”

She tried to deny it, but everyone else started chanting her name. Finally, Sora came in and offered her his wooden sword.

“Just give it a shot,” he said with an encouraging smile.

She couldn’t say no to him. She took his sword and went to meet Tidus. Before the match started, he turned to their audience with a cocky smile.

“This win is for you, Yuna!”

Her bicolored eyes widened, she covered her burning cheeks and gave him a little smile. Ryukku laughed and nudged her, while Selphie sighed and said, “What a gentleman.” Kairi smiled at her friends’ excitement.

“GO!” Wakka’s voice started the match.

Tidus lost no time and swung at Kairi. His attacks were slow and predictable, easy for Kairi to dodge, but she only swung back haphazardly at him once or twice. On the third time, she was disarmed.

“Ha ha! I win!”

Everyone cheered for him, Yuna even clapped. Tidus ran to her and asked if she saw how good he was, and Kairi smiled despite her loss.

“Don’t be upset, Kairi,” Sora comforted her when she joined them. “You did great.”

“I’m not upset,” she assured, and she wasn’t lying. “Like I said, I don’t find fighting so fun.”

Riku frowned at her. Before she could ask what was wrong, he grabbed her arm and dragged her back to the dueling ground.

“Riku?! What are you—”

He stood a few meters from her and raised his wooden sword. “We’re fighting.”

“What!?” Her surprise was mirrored by everyone else. “But I don’t—”

“You’re wide open!”

Kairi barely parried his strike. She took a few steps back but Riku quickly closed the distance and swung, so she jumped out of the way. He wasn’t gonna let her walk out of it.

“Come on, Kairi,” he said. “I know you’re stronger than this.”

From the sidelines, Sora jumped and shouted like crazy. “Go, Kairi! I know you can do it! Just do your best!”

Hearing him cheer for her lit something inside Kairi. She gripped her sword harder and took on a proper stance. Riku smiled and came at her again. This time, she met his sword with a firm guard.

She continued blocking and dodging, but she wasn’t running away. This was how she fought, a defensive style that tired her opponent until she found an opening or weakness to take advantage of. She wasn’t a powerhouse like Riku or a well of energy like Sora, so she had to make do with her agility and creativity.

But Riku was the best of them for a reason. His moves weren’t just strong, they were quick and precise. Kairi didn’t think she could tire him down before he disarmed her. She’d have to create an opening herself. Fortunately, she’d watched him fight for years.

She put some distance between them and Riku closed it with a thrust like she expected. Kairi threw her body backward and cried as if she lost her balance. But when Riku’s hand was furthest from his body, she planted her hands on the sand, raised her feet and kicked his sword away.

For a moment, no one said a thing. They just stared at the fallen sword. Then Sora erupted into cheers and the rest of them followed suit.

“That was awesome!”

“It was like a martial arts move!”

“Where did you learn that?”

Sora all but tackled her into a hug, which made her heart skip a beat. She was so happy though, she paid it no mind.

“I knew you could do it!” he said. “You’re amazing, Kairi!”

“Thanks, Sora,” she replied with a giddy smile.

Riku had a neutral expression. When Kairi looked toward him though, he gave a rare genuine smile, the kind reserved for her and Sora alone.

“Man, I can’t believe I beat someone who beat Riku,” Tidus commented cheekily. “Does that make me the strongest on the island?”

The smile dropped from Riku’s face and he stared Tidus down with intense eyes. “Wanna test it?”

Ten seconds. That’s how long it took for Tidus to be disarmed. Nobody even cheered, they just told him not to worry about it.

“Huh. Funny,” said Wakka. “Tidus can’t beat Riku, but Kairi can. And Tidus can beat her.”

“You win some, you lose some, I guess,” said Ryukku.

Kairi and Sora looked at Riku with worry. It wasn’t like him to be that serious during a duel. They competed for fun, not for show.

There was a twinge in Kairi’s heart.

“Kairi, Sora,” Riku called. “Let’s go back to work.”

“Alright. See you later, guys!”

“Wait, what work?” Wakka’s question went unheard as the three ran off.

Selphie put her hands on her hips. “Those three are up to something.”

“Must be why we barely see them these days,” said Yuna.

“Well, as long as they have Riku, they’ll be fine,” said Tidus.

“Aw, I want to be in on it too!” Ryukku protested.

Back with the three in question, Sora still wasn’t over his friends’ duel.

“And the way you waited until the last second and then kicked Riku’s sword like a ninja! It was so cool!”

“Your fight was cool too, Sora,” said Kairi.

“Thanks, but I lost. Like usual…”

“I think you’re really cool for fighting even though you lose. That’s not a weakness, it’s a strength.”

Sora’s smile became even cuter when he was blushing. “Thanks a lot, Kairi. You really know how to make a guy feel better.”

Now it was Kairi’s turn to blush. “It’s nothing. And besides, I lost to Tidus too.”

“It’s easy to lose when you’re trying to,” Riku said sharply.

Kairi and Sora turned to him. “What do you mean?”

“Cut it out, Kairi. I know you lost on purpose.”

She looked away. “What makes you think that?”

“Because you’re good and I know it,” he said. “The girl I fought wouldn’t go down that easily. You let Tidus win.”

Kairi didn’t say anything. Sora came into her field of vision with a curious expression.

“Is that true, Kairi?” Blast, why did he make it so hard to lie?

“He was much happier than I’d be winning. Yuna was too.”

“So you let Tidus win to show off to Yuna?” Riku asked skeptically.

“Yeah, I did,” she admitted. “Now can we go back to the raft?”

Her friends gave her looks but didn’t say anything. She was thankful for that.

They resumed work on the raft. All that was missing now was the sail and some reinforcements to the hull. Riku and Sora got to work on the reinforcements with planks, and Kairi went back to sewing the sail.

A few hours later, she got up to move to a different spot. Riku and Sora asked where she was going and she said she wanted to take in more sunlight. Since hills cut the island in the middle with the cove facing east, there was naturally less sunlight in the later hours of the afternoon, so it was a believable excuse.

Kairi headed to the seaside shack, away from anyone’s sight. Once she made sure she was alone, she uncovered the paint cans and brushes she hid there for this exact moment, lay down the already sewn sail and got to work.

When she rejoined her friends, the sky was beginning to turn orange and the raft was practically finished. The only thing missing was in her hands.

“There you are,” Riku said upon her arrival. “What took you so long? I hope you weren’t slacking off again.”

“Sorry,” Kairi said. “It just took a while to include the final touches.”

She unfolded the sail to reveal her surprise: three emblems painted on the white fabric, one yellow and two light grey — the closest she could get to golden and silver. Riku and Sora marveled at her work and compared it to the emblems they wore.

Riku’s was just like the golden pin attached to his right wristband: an anchor with a rope around the shank and a nautical star in front of the right arm. Sora’s was a simple three-pointed crown identical to the pendant around his neck. Kairi also wore her emblem in a necklace, though hers was much more elaborate and took the longest to draw. A heart with a feathered wing on the left side and vines of flowers entwined around the right.

“Since we built the raft with our own hands, I figured we should sign it,” Kairi explained. “So I thought of including symbols from our families. Or just our past.”

She added that last bit after Sora looked down and fiddled with his chain, his last reminder of wherever he came from.

“I also thought of a name.” Her friends eyed her with curiosity at that. “Destiny Voyager.”

“Destiny Voyager?” Sora echoed. “Because we’re from Destiny Islands and going on a voyage?”

“Well, yes, but not just that. People say the Voyager was the name of Koa’s boat. And with our raft, we can sail the entire Ocean, just like he did. Go wherever we choose, while still remembering that this is our home. We can make our own destinies.”

For a moment, Riku and Sora stared speechless at her. They soon smiled though. It wasn’t unlike Kairi to say something like that, a bit corny perhaps, but completely earnest.

“That’s such a cool name!” said Sora, another big proponent of such attributes.

“Doesn’t sound bad,” Riku agreed in his cool manner. Kairi beamed at their support.

Together, the three tied the sail to the mast and marveled at their creation, finally complete after weeks of work. Kairi and Sora thought it looked perfect. Riku was pretty satisfied too, but then he noticed something that made him raise an eyebrow.

“Hey Kairi. Why is Sora’s symbol above ours?”

Indeed, the crown was slightly higher than the anchor and the heart, but that hadn’t been a mistake.

“It’s because he’s Sora ,” she said.

When she was a child, her mother taught her some words in her grandparents’ language and explained the meaning behind each of their names. Sora for sky, riku for land, and kai from the word for sea. Around the same time, her grandmother told her of the importance of each of the three domains that made up the Islands.

“The Sky carries the wind that blows our sails and the stars we use to tell where we’ve been and where we’re going,” she continued. “Like how Sora shows us the way to new and old places.”

He puffed out his chest proudly at her explanation. Kairi giggled while Riku played it cool.

“So basically, he’s an airhead.”

“Riku, stop teasing me!”

As Sora complained, Riku just smirked. He had always been hard to faze, steadfast and reliable.

“The Land gives us ground to stand on and take shelter in. And Riku keeps us safe and focused when times are rough.”

So long as we take care of him, she thought but didn’t say it, knowing he wouldn't like it.

“Then what does Kairi do?” Riku asked. Before she could shrug her role off, Sora spoke:

“Kairi makes it all possible. After all, the Ocean connects us to everything out there.”

He really thought that about her? Her cheeks felt warm at the mere thought. Riku looked sideways.

When they returned to the seashore, it was just the three of them again. Even though they were old enough to go to the Playing Island alone, they were always instructed to return before dark. Still, Riku, Sora and Kairi agreed to stay to watch the sunset. So they headed for their favorite spot, a crooked tree on an islet accessed via a wooden bridge, and sat on the trunk. Kairi sat in the middle, with Sora to her right and Riku to the left. For her, there was no better place to watch the sky go from blue to orange as the sun settled on the Ocean’s embrace. They’d done this countless times over the years, and she still loved it.

As she was absorbed in the sight, Sora started humming. He often hummed when he was distracted — which was frequently — and it was always the same tune. He couldn’t remember where he heard it. A thought crossed Kairi’s mind.

“Hey, Sora.” He stopped humming and turned to her. “Maybe you learned that song of yours in your original home.”

“Maybe…” He smiled sadly and fiddled with his chain again.

“Do you miss it?” Riku asked.

“I’m not sure I can miss a place I don’t remember,” Sora admitted. “It mostly feels weird not knowing where I’m from, even if this is my home. But sometimes… I wonder if there’s someone there who misses me. Someone I can’t even remember…”

Kairi placed a hand on Sora’s shoulder and offered a sympathetic smile. This gesture lightened his unusually solemn mood and he found it in him to smile too.

“But still, whatever brought me here, it brought me to you guys. So even if I could, I wouldn’t change a thing. And who knows… If coming here made me meet you two, then imagine how many friends are out there that we haven’t met yet!”

“That’s a really sweet sentiment, Sora,” Kairi said.

“Tch. That’s so like you.”

“What’s THAT supposed to mean?” Sora asked. “What about you, Riku? What do you want to do out there?”

Riku went silent for a moment. An old memory of these very shores came to him.

(“Outside this tiny world, there’s a much bigger one,” the stranger said, smiling down at him. He had an air of strength the young Riku had never seen before. He wondered if the stranger also had something he wanted to protect.)

“I’ve been thinking… If there really are as many worlds out there as there are stars in the sky, then ours is just a little piece of something much greater. I want to see what this greater World is. If we just sit here doing nothing, then nothing will change. So let’s do something different. It’s like you said, Kairi. We’ll make our own destinies.”

Sora and Kairi shared looks, not sure what to make of Riku’s words. Even for him, it all sounded weirdly serious.

“You’ve been thinking a lot lately, haven’t you?” Kairi broke the silence.

“I just don’t want to remain stagnant my whole life. Keeping still is the same as going backward.” There was a brief pause, and then Riku looked at her. “What about you, Kairi? What do you want to do?”

“Me?”

Kairi took in the world around her. She saw the ocean, the beach, the sky, heard the waves crashing and the seagulls settling down for the night, felt the salty breeze and the last rays of the sun. She thought of everything else her senses couldn’t reach, the town, her family, their friends, all the other islands. All the little pieces of something greater. Something wonderful.

Kairi held Sora and Riku’s hands and pulled them closer. With the two there, the picture was complete.

“Maybe we’ll meet new friends, and maybe things will change. But I hope that in the end, we can still come back here. Together.”

Her friends returned her smile and the three went back to watching the sunset. No more words were exchanged. They didn’t need to be.

Sora was the first to leave minutes later, hopping off the tree to pick up his things. “Sorry guys, but I promised Vanille I’d go home by six. See ya tomorrow!”

Riku and Kairi waved him goodbye until he broke into running. Kairi watched him stumble on the sand on his way to the docks. As she did, she inadvertently started caressing her own right hand — the one that held Sora’s moments prior.

“We better head back as well,” Riku said, hopping off as well.

“Yeah…”

But instead of going, Kairi stayed on the tree. In a half-conscious act, she reached for one of the yellow star-like fruits growing and held it, her gaze shifting between it and Sora.

Her gesture didn’t go unnoticed by Riku. His heart stinging, he spoke amicably:

“And what’s with the Paopu fruit?”

“You know I like them. ‘A bloom of love sowed with an oath, nurtured and kept by friendship’. Grandma used to tell me that story all the time. It says that if you and your friends carry good luck charms shaped like them, you’ll always find your way back to each other. And if you share them with someone you really care about…” Her eyes were dreamy and her cheeks flushed. “That’s an oath to remain a part of each other’s lives, no matter what. A way of saying they are your destiny.”

Riku clenched his fists and put on a playful smile.

“So what? Don’t tell me you have a crush.”

Now Kairi’s whole face was red as if she was about to faint. “Wh-What?! No! Of course I don’t!!”

“Oh, I think you do. You’re into someone and want to share a Paopu with them before we leave. Who is it?”

“NO ONE! It’s no one! I’m not into anyone!”

Riku closed his eyes and cupped his chin as if thinking very hard. “Hmm, there’s Ryukku, Selphie, Wakka, Tidus, Yuna… Or how about my cousin Noct? I know you find him hot.”

“No! I can find someone hot without having a crush on them!”

“Wait… Don’t tell me… Is it me or Sora?”

“WHAT?! N-NO! Stop, I told you it’s nothing like that!” Kairi covered her face with her hands. Smirking, Riku played along.

“Relax, I’m just joking. There’s no way you’re into one of us, right?”

“R-Right! There’s no way.”

“Just had to be sure. We’re setting sail soon. Once we leave, it’ll be just the three of us. If it turned out one of us has this kind of feeling for another, it’d be weird, don’t you think?”

Kairi lowered her head. “Yeah. It would.”

“Anyway, I’m heading back. You should come too.”

“In a minute,” she said.

As Riku walked away, Kairi got off the tree and approached the edge of the islet while gazing at the Paopu fruit. With a heavy sigh, she dropped the fruit into the ocean and watched it sink before turning away.

~♡~

Already at nighttime, Sora and Vanille prepared for dinner. No walls separated the kitchen, dining and living room, so the two could chat while Sora set up the table and Vanille put grilled cheese sandwiches on the stove. When he told her that Riku had challenged Kairi to a sword fight, Vanille turned away from the stove to give him her undivided attention.

“He challenged her out of nowhere!” said Sora. “At first Kairi was in trouble, but then she began standing her ground in that awesome way of hers when no one can land a hit! And then just as it looked like she was about to lose, she disarmed Riku with a cartwheel! I’d never seen anything like it!”

As he spoke, he remembered Riku’s accusation and Kairi’s admission that she threw the previous match with Tidus so he could have a moment with Yuna. The memory made his smile widen.

“Man, Kairi is so cool. She’s strong, smart, fun, and she’s always doing everything she can to make people happy.”

“She certainly makes you happy,” Vanille said suddenly.

“Of course she does! She’s my best friend!”

Vanille gave him a knowing grin. “That she is. But are you sure you don’t want her to be something else? Something more than just a friend?”

It took Sora a moment to understand her implication. When he did, his face turned red.

“W-What?! No, no, I mean, where did you even get that idea?”

“Oh, don’t try to fool me, you’re an open book! And one I’ve known for over nine years now.”

He looked away, embarrassed. Vanille chuckled and ruffled his hair.

“It’s okay. Kairi’s a great girl and cares a lot for you. But if you really want something more with her, you gotta tell her.”

“You really think so?”

Vanille opened her mouth to answer but stopped when she noticed a strange smell in the air. Sora looked behind her in horror.

“Vanille, the grilled cheese!”

There was smoke coming out of the frying pan where she had left their dinner. Vanille cried and hurried to turn the stove off, but it was too late. What was originally a sandwich now looked more like a lump of coal.

“Sorry I distracted you…” Sora said.

“You don’t have to apologize,” she assured. “How about we get takeout again?”

“Yep. Takeout sounds great.”

~♡~

The palm leaves moved at a sluggish pace. Clusters of small houses sprawled through the hills like pebbles on a road. All the way down, a sabulous beach met an ocean that went on forever.

Riku’s entire world fit on the frame of his window. He could see all matter of life on Destiny Islands while sitting on his bed. It was a trite view, it had been for quite some time, but Riku took comfort in the fact that he didn’t have to bear it alone.

Soon he wouldn’t have even that.

(“That’s an oath to remain a part of each other’s lives, no matter what. A way of saying they are your destiny.”)

Kairi’s words buzzed in his head so much they threatened to tear a hole through his skull. His heart ached at the thought of his two closest friends holding out Paopu fruits to each other, delighting in some unmatched intimacy that was their alone, all while Riku could only watch from afar. Next thing he knew they were locking lips. His stomach twisted at the idea and he cursed his imagination for subjecting him to it.

A creaking sound broke through his thoughts. The door opened and a head of silver hair peeked inside. His mother.

“Hey.” Her voice was low, as if she were speaking to a cornered animal. “There’s some leftover pasta in the fridge. How do you feel about mac and cheese again?”

“Whatever. It’s fine,” Riku said without looking at her.

Instead of leaving, she stepped into the room.

His mother was a slim woman with a face partially obscured by strands of hair loose from her long braid. She wore old patched-up clothes in hopes of saving extra money to buy good materials to make Riku’s clothes. The golden earring on her left ear had the same emblem as the one on her son’s wristband.

“Are you sure it's fine?” she asked. Like Kairi and Sora, she always seemed to know when something was wrong with him.

“Yeah.” He still didn’t make eye contact.

“Do you want anything else?”

“No, I’m all good.”

“If there’s something I can get you, I’d be happy to—”

“I said I’m good, Mom!” Riku snapped. “Just go already!”

His mother froze for a moment. Her shocked expression soon shifted, first to one of worry, and then helplessness at the wall between her and her son.

As if to try and pierce through that wall, she sat on the bed, tucked some strands of hair behind his ear and held his face gently. This time, Riku met her eyes. They were the same tint of bluish-green as his, tired too from the everyday stress. Yet even after all the struggle and heartbreak life had subjected her to, they revealed a hidden spark, a sort of quiet strength Riku didn’t fully understand.

“Look, I know the last few years have been hard and I haven’t always been the most present parent. But I want you to know that I am here, and you can talk to me about anything that’s bothering you.”

Riku leaned his head on his mother’s hand, the warmth of her touch soothing his mind and his heart. But in some deep corner, the ache persisted. His mother’s affection was familiar and comfortable. It made him feel at ease like a little boy again, in a world that was small and safe. But didn’t he want the opposite? Didn’t he want to leave that safe and stifling place and go into a larger world, away from someone else’s wing?

Didn’t he want independence?

He turned away from his mother’s touch. She gave a heavy sigh and headed for the exit.

“I’ll be downstairs if you need me,” she added before closing the door.

A twinge of shame crept in when he heard how distressed she sounded, but Riku continued gazing stubbornly out the window. At an unchanging world that trapped its residents with an endless moat of saltwater. And in that prison, people deliberately chose to further chain themselves with meaningless promises of love and a life spent together. And those who had no one to tie themselves to were left behind and forgotten.

His hand met glass when he tried to reach out. Somewhere out there, either beyond the sea or among the stars, was a World bigger than anything he could imagine. If only he could reach that place, then he wouldn’t be trapped anymore. If only Kairi and Sora also had meaningful things to see and do instead of leading an aimless life in the same static place, they wouldn’t want to be together so badly.

“This place is the problem,” Riku said solemnly. “This world is just too small.”

~♡~

Kairi laid out Thalassa seashells, threads of flax, a small block of wood, and tools for sewing and carving on the dining table, then took a seat. While waiting for the front door to open, she picked up the flax and began weaving them into a braid. It was a stiffer material than what she normally used, but a lifetime of crafting had made her a skilled artisan.

She was so lost in her weaving that it surprised her when her grandmother suddenly sat by her side. She had completely forgotten she was in the room too.

The old woman’s smile carried all the warmth of a tray of freshly baked cookies. The scent that stuck to her dress was just as comforting, a mixture of all the herbs and flowers from her garden with a slight touch of flour and cinnamon. She always wore an apron and her grey hair tied in a high bun as if to tell the world that despite her advanced age, she was still kicking.

“I see you’re making Wayfinders,” Grandma said, looking at the materials on the table. She raised an eyebrow when she realized there were only ten shells. “Are these for Riku and Sora? Why not for yourself?”

“Well, it’s hard to find shells of the same color and size, let alone five of them. And I know how important it is to use Thalassa shells. So I’m making theirs first.”

Her grandma nodded in understanding and watched Kairi work. She had watched over her like this since the day she was born. It was amazing how two people could enjoy each other’s company for so long.

A ringing broke their comfortable silence. Kairi and her grandmother looked at the telephone with uncertainty before Kairi went to pick it up.

“Hayazaki Amada residence. How may I help you?”

“Kairi?” her mother’s voice answered. “It’s so good to hear you!”

“It’s good to hear you too, Mom. But why are you calling? I thought you and Dad were on your way home.”

“Oh, right…” Kairi didn’t like the dismay in her mother’s voice. “Some unexpected things showed up and… They need us here in Origo Island. We’ll probably stay a few more days to help them sort everything out.”

Kairi’s heart sank. They weren’t coming again. Something stung in the back of her eyes but she held it back. She wasn’t about to cry like a little kid because of some petty grievance. She put on a smile and hoped her voice wouldn’t betray her disappointment.

“I understand. Those people need your help. You guys have got to do everything you can for them. Grandma and I will wait for you.”

“Oh, dear. We are so blessed to have you for a daughter.”

The two said their goodbyes and then her mother ended the call. Kairi put the handset on the base and her smile fell. Her grandmother’s disappointment was plain on her face.

“They’re not coming, are they?”

Kairi shook her head. Her grandma gave a heavy sigh and shared a sympathetic look. But then a spark flashed through her eyes and she smiled.

“I’ve got something that might cheer you up.”

Kairi waited in the living room while her grandma went to her room. She returned moments later with something small wrapped in gift paper.

“I was talking to Vanille the other day and she told me Sora asked her for crafting tools and building materials. And when I talked to Fuyuko, she told me Riku asked for any leftover fabric she might have. Some time later, you were in the yard bleaching and measuring pieces of cloth. Isn’t that curious?”

Kairi’s heart skipped a beat. She didn’t know about the raft, did she? Had they been that obvious the whole time?

“After that I thought, those three must be up to something,” Grandma continued. “I wasn’t sure what though, until Vanille was cleaning Sora’s room and found a drawing of a boat with three people and the words ‘our raft’ above it.”

“Damit, Sora!” Kairi cursed under her breath. For as fond as she was of him, he was a pretty lousy secret keeper.

Now it was too late. Grandma, Vanille and maybe even Riku’s mom knew about their plan and would probably forbid them from going through with it. That’s what Riku feared would happen at least, and what he told Sora and Kairi to convince them to keep the raft a secret.

But instead of scolding her, her grandma just chuckled and handed her the bundle. Confused and anxious, Kairi opened it and uncovered a burgundy-colored notebook. Golden letters had been embroidered on the cover, forming phrases in the language her grandma and her father sometimes spoke. After struggling a bit to decipher the words, Kairi realized they were the lyrics of a song her grandma used to sing her to sleep.

“‘What is written in me will be kept with me, if it pleases you. Life always goes on, what can we do? I only ask you one favor, if you will. Don’t forget me in a corner somewhere.’”

Kairi looked at her smiling grandmother and felt like crying. She all but threw herself at the woman, squeezing her in the biggest hug she could give.

“Thank you so much, Grandma! I’ll never forget!”

Her grandma returned the hug with one arm and ran her fingers through Kairi’s hair with the other. Some tears escaped her eyes as she did. It felt like so little ago, she could cradle the girl before her in her arms.

“On the road ahead, you’ll encounter all sorts of people and places that will shape who you are. Those connections you forge will lead you to your destiny. There will be hurdles and hardships along the way, but you must press on. As long as you keep moving forward, you’re bound to find many wonderful things.”

She moved away just enough to look at Kairi’s face.

“Whatever you find on that road, I just hope you’ll continue the kind and loving Kairi I love so much.”

Kairi made an affirmative noise in response. More than imagining what the road ahead might hold though, she was just happy to be in the arms of someone she loved.

Chapter Text

The majestic Disney Castle stood tall above a friendly village. Its blue towers pierced the sky, and the white walls contrasted with the colorful buildings of Disney Town. The walls, roofs and even the lamp posts on the streets were shaped in ways that shouldn’t be physically possible, like something out of a cartoon.

The day in the castle began like any other. Trumpets rang, enchanted brooms cleaned, and the royal magician Donald Duck strode through the corridors, headed for the audience chamber to greet the King. He arrived at an enormous door. Clearing his throat, Donald knocked and a Donald-size door inside the larger one opened, allowing him passage.

Like everything else in the castle, the audience chamber was massive. Soaring colonnades extended across the walls, and a banner with the King’s emblem — two black circles on the upper sides of a larger circle — hung from the ceiling. A long red carpet ran through the room, leading to the thrones of the King and the Queen. The thrones were guarded by two large statues, one of which depicted Donald in his mage garments.

“Good morning, Your Majesty. It’s nice to see you this mo— Wak?! ”

Donald yelped when he saw the thrones. Queen Minnie wasn’t there yet, which was normal, but King Mickey should have been there by now. But he was nowhere to be seen.

Donald heard a woof and turned to see the King’s dog Pluto, his tail wagging and his ears perked. In his mouth, there was a white envelope with the King’s emblem.

“Pluto? What have you got there?” Donald picked up the envelope and opened it to find a letter in King Mickey’s handwriting. Frowning, Donald read the letter, hoping it’d make sense of the King’s absence.

About 20 seconds later, Donald was yelling and running out of the audience chamber in a frenzy

~♡~

In a kingdom so peaceful, the life of the captain of the guard was unusually calm. There were the usual patrols around the castle and the town and training sessions with the rookies, but overall, most days went by pretty smoothly.

But the duties of a knight were nothing compared to those of a father.

“Maxie, slow down, you’re going too fast,” Goofy yelled as he ran after his son Max and his friend P.J.

He had told them countless times not to ride their skateboards on the castle corridors, but the wayward teens were always doing exactly that. They ground on handrails, knocked over decorative armors and wrinkled expensive carpets. With practically all doors open, there were no obstacles to get in their way.

That is, until the two rode into a living room filled with a dozen or so enchanted brooms washing and waxing the floor. The teens’ faces turned from ecstatic to fearful as soon as they realized what they’d gotten themselves into.

“Oh boy…”

The floor turned to ice under their wheels and the two completely lost control. Goofy managed to stop himself just before entering the room, but the sound of his son’s panicked shouts left him no time to feel relief. He looked around in a frenzy and spotted two empty buckets lying on the floor. Without hesitation, Goofy took off his comically large shoes, hopped onto the buckets — one on each foot — and drifted through the greasy floor, jumping and dodging tables, sofas and brooms with surprising finesse.

Max and P.J. continued skidding when three brooms carrying empty buckets came into view right in front of them. Max miraculously managed to jump over them and land without falling. P.J. tried to do the same, but the tip of his skateboard bumped into one of the brooms and he toppled them over like he was a bowling ball and the brooms the pins. Goofy skated past him seconds later.

As he approached the end of the room, Max was relieved to see two brooms opening the door at the end. But his relief quickly turned to panic when he realized the door led to a tall balcony above the castle’s courtyard. Max screamed and tried desperately to brake to no avail. His board hit the balcony fence and he was sent flying. Not even halfway through the fall, it became clear he would tumble on top of a castle structure in the middle of the courtyard that seemed to be a topiary, but was just covered in shrubbery and was actually made of hard stone.

“MAX!” Goofy cried as he reached the balcony.

“DAD!”

Goofy let go of his bucket-skaters, climbed and kicked the fence to gain speed. “Don’t worry Max, I’m coming!”

He reached him when Max was about a meter from the castle sculpture. Goofy grabbed him tightly with one arm, and with his free hand, summoned his Knight’s Shield and laid it under them. The shield hit the sculpture and the resulting impact propelled it forward. The duo sledded through the sculpture all the way to the ground and then rammed into a scattering of bushes.

Goofy immediately got back up and ran to make sure Max was alright.

“Gawrsh Maxie, are you okay?” he asked as he helped Max get back up, shook off leaves from his clothes and checked every inch of him. “Are you hurt? Bruised? In pain? Do you need a potion? Should I call Donald? Are you scared? There, there, everything’s fine now.”

“Dad!” Max grumbled as Goofy pulled him in a tight hug. “Dad, I’m fine.”

“Are you absolutely sure?” Goofy eased off on the hug.

“Yeah, Dad. It’s just a couple scrapes, I’ll pull through.”

“Aw, thank goodness!” Max sighed when his father pulled him into yet another hug.

Suddenly, they heard familiar screaming from inside the castle.

“GAWAAAAK! THE KING! THE KING! GOOFY!”

“Hey there, Donald. G’morning.” Goofy casually greeted his friend as he hurtled into the courtyard with the King’s letter in his hand.

“GOOFY, CALM DOWN AND LISTEN TO ME!” The frenzied magician stopped dead in his tracks when he laid eyes on Max. “ Wak! What is he doing here? Go on kid, shoo! This is grown-up’s talk!”

“Hey, I’m not a kid—” But Max quickly fell silent as Donald threw a fit of angry quacking and bouncing, with little cracks of lightning shooting from his fingers. Max let out a nervous laugh and skeddladed.

“What’s going on, Donald—” Donald pulled his much taller friend down by the collar.

“We can’t make a fuss, Goofy! We’ve got a serious problem!” Goofy opened his mouth, but Donald cut him again. “We can’t let anyone know about this!”

“What is all the fuss about, Donald?” The magician froze as he heard a high-pitched voice behind him.

“Hello, Queen Minnie. Daisy,” Goofy greeted the newcomers without a hint of worry, unlike Donald, who turned slowly and crackled nervously at the sight of the two ladies in regal clothing, one of which wore a crown.

“Y-Your Majesty! Um, I… It’s just that…”

Finally calming down in the presence of the Queen and his sweetheart, Donald lowered his voice and explained what had happened. From behind a topiary, Max watched the conversation. He couldn’t hear what they were saying but knew the worried faces his father, Donald, the Queen and her lady-in-waiting had couldn’t be good news.

“Max, there you are!” His heart skipped a beat and he turned to see P.J. coming toward him with both their skateboars. “Man, that was scary!”

“ Shhh! Keep it down!” Max hushed and pulled him behind the topiary. They watched quietly as the Queen and the others headed inside in a hurry.

“What were they talking about?” P.J. asked.

“I don’t know,” said Max. “It seemed important.”

~♡~

Dear Donald,

I’m sorry for leaving so suddenly without even saying goodbye, but trouble is brewing, and there’s no time to lose.

I’m not sure why, but the stars have been blinking out, one by one. I’ve reached out to Master Yen Sid about this, and he confirmed what I feared: Disaster can’t be far behind. I hate to leave you all, but as a Keyblade Master, it is my duty to check into this.

As king, I have a favor to ask you and Goofy. Master Yen Sid said he has felt the presence of a new Keyblade for the first time in years. This new wielder is the key to our survival. So I need you and Goofy to find them and stick with them. Got it?

Without that key, we’re doomed. So go to a world called Traverse Town and find a man named Squall Leonhart. He’ll point you in the right direction.

And… Would you apologize to Minnie for me? Thanks, pal.

M. M.

“Oh dear! What could this mean?” Daisy asked.

“It means we’ll just have to trust the King,” the Queen said, holding the letter left by her beloved to her chest.

“Gawrsh, I sure hope he’s all right,” Goofy said.

“The King is strong,” Donald assured, both his friend and himself. “If we want to help him, we have to find this new Keybearer.”

“A new Keybearer… But I thought they were almost all gone after…” Daisy couldn’t bring herself to finish.

“If a new one has appeared, then the darkness will most certainly hunt them down,” the Queen said, worried for this new wielder, whoever they were.

“Your Majesty!” Donald proclaimed. “Don’t worry. We’ll find this Keybearer, and then the King.”

“Thank you, both of you,” the Queen said, finally smiling.

“Daisy, can you take care of the Queen?”

“Of course.” She went to hug Donald and give him a kiss. “You be careful out there.”

“Are you absolutely sure you’ll be okay?” Donald asked worriedly. “If you want we could call Master Yen Sid, or Uncle Scrooge, or—”

“Don’t worry. You know me, Donald. I’m tough.” She gave him a light punch on the arm before going back to the Queen’s side and putting an arm around her. “Besides, Minnie and I are kind of used to taking care of the castle while the King and his two loyal companions are venturing in the outside world.”

“ What?! ” The group turned their heads to the door as they heard an astonished voice followed by an “ Shhh! ”

Goofy opened the door and was surprised to find Max covering a stunned P.J.’s mouth. The duo’s eyes widened for a fraction of a second before breaking into wide grins.

“Heeey, Dad. What a coincidence you’re here! We were just passing by.”

“Were you three eavesdropping by any chance?” Donald asked with a frown.

The teens answered with a series of “Nos” and “Of course not”. Donald crossed his arms and Daisy joined in with a scowl of her own, hands on her hips. The two looked down and uttered a guilty “Yeah…”

“Are you two really going to the outside world?” Max asked, and Goofy gave a sad look. Before he could say anything, Max spoke up again. “Then take me with you!”

Everyone gasped and stared surprised at the assertive teen. Goofy’s mouth fell open hearing such a request. For a moment he imagined Max sitting next to him on their ship, learning the basics of adventuring, looking up to him with the same admiration he did back when he was little…

“But Max, the outside world is dangerous!” P.J. said, snapping Goofy out of his fantasy. “They say that weird things happen, and monsters appear out of nowhere and… And people can get lost… forever… You should let mister Donald and Captain Goofy handle this, they know how to get by out there.”

“I know, but…” Max fell silent when Goofy put his hands on his shoulders and gave a smile that was both understanding and sad.

“Max, P.J.’s right. Donald and I already have experience going to other worlds.”

“If you took me with you I could get experience too!” Max insisted. “Didn’t you always say that one day I’d have my own adventure? That we’d set off together? Why not now?”

“You heard what the King said in his letter. Something very bad is happening out there. Now’s not a good time to go on an adventure for the first time.”

Max frowned and turned his head. Goofy held his chin and gently turned it back.

“Maxie, look at me. If you got hurt because of me or lost or…” He couldn’t even finish, scared to death by the mere thought of it. “Gawrsh, I don’t think I could live with myself if that happened…”

Max tried to come up with a counterargument, but couldn’t think of anything else to say. So instead he sighed and hugged Goofy. Normally hugging his father in front of other people would be embarrassing, but given the situation, he couldn’t care less.

“Just… Promise you’ll come back safe.”

“Of course,” Goofy assured, hugging him back. “And when I come back, I’ll tell you all about it. And then, we’ll have our own adventure. I promise.”

After a lengthy hug, Goofy went back to Donald’s side before the Queen and Daisy, and Max stood on the corner with P.J.

“Outside this castle, you mustn’t let anyone know you’re from another world. Remember, the world order must be kept.” Queen Minnie turned to the nosy boys. “I expect the two of you will also keep this to yourselves.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!” they said, unnaturally stiff. Unbeknownst to Minnie, Daisy was glaring at the boys and making a gesture to show she’d be keeping an eye on them.

“Good.” The Queen turned back to Donald and Goofy. “Your ship should be ready soon. We hope for your safe return.”

The captain and the magician saluted the Queen and set out of the library.

The duo trod down a long spiral staircase beneath the castle before finally arriving at the Gummi Ship hangar. Inside, gears clanked and machines chugged constantly.On the airfield at the center, big mechanical hands made the final touches on the little orange rocket ship that allowed Donald and Goofy to travel to other worlds.

“Hello up there?” Donald spoke into a big pipe. “Donald Duck to launch crew! Is she ready to go?”

His voice was carried all the way to the control room up on the top of the hangar. Hearing this, the ship designer Chip gave a salute while the mechanic Dale pulled a lever, making the whole fabric buzz with activity.

The mechanical hands picked Donald and Goofy up by the rear, granting an annoyed scowl from the former and a cheery “ Hyipe! ” from the latter. None of them noticed as Pluto hopped between cogs and contraptions to follow them.

The hands dropped Donald and Goofy into the cockpit. Still a bit grumpy, Donald got back up, straightened his clothes and his hat and took his place on the driver's seat, while Goofy took the seat on the right. The two eyed the empty third seat where the King used to sit.

The duo screamed in shock when suddenly, Pluto jumped into the cockpit.

“Wha— Pluto? What are you doing?!” Donald asked, but the dog simply wagged his tail.

“I guess Pluto wants to come along,” Goofy said, and Pluto barked in response.

“Aw phooey.” Donald sighed as the cockpit closed up with the three inside and the Gummi Ship slowly rose into launch position.

The door to the hangar opened, and Queen Minnie, Daisy and Max appeared to see them off. Goofy and Max waved each other goodbye, and Daisy blew Donald a kiss. Queen Minnie held her hands to her heart and closed her eyes.

“Please, help the king… And the worlds…”

The engine started and the whole ship shook. Donald and Goofy braced themselves as the doors in front of the Gummi Ship slowly opened.

“Blast off!” Donald proclaimed proudly, pointing to the track ahead full of determination!

A glowing arrow pointing down flashed in front of them.

“Wak?”

A trapdoor opened on the floor and sucked the Gummi Ship down. Donald and Goofy screamed and held onto their seats for dear life as the ship fell straight through Disney Castle.

Finally, the ship popped out from under the world, upside down. Donald and Pluto had fallen face down on the window, and Goofy was hanging from his seat.

“Sorry, guys,” Chip’s voice said from a speaker. “We forgot to let you know we made some modifications to the runway.”

“Couldn’t you have written it down on a sticky note…” Donald grumbled as he climbed to the control panel and flipped a switch.

The ship righted itself, and Donald, Goofy and Pluto plummeted back on the floor.

“I guess that’s a lesson to always use your seatbelts, ahyu —” Goofy's signature laugh was interrupted when he suddenly covered his mouth like he was about to puke.

Donald sat back on his seat — following Goofy’s advice to put his seatbelts on — and put his hat back on. “Suddenly I have a bad feeling about this…”

Goofy and Pluto also straightened themselves on their respective seats as Donald powered up the engine and turned on the navigation screen.

“Next stop, Traverse Town.”

Chapter Text

“Heads up!” came Sora’s voice from the top of the palm tree.

He hit the tree with his wooden sword and a batch of fresh coconuts fell. Before they could hit the sand, Kairi caught them all with a basket. Sora gave her a thumbs up and she responded with a grin.

“You two comin’ up with a new game or sumthin’?” The question came from Wakka, who had been playing ball with Tidus by the shore.

“We’ve created a game too!” said the latter. “Everyone has to chase a ball and score goals underwater. You can play, but you’ll never be star players like us!”

“That sounds fun!” Sora jumped off the tree and landed beside Kairi.

“Save it for later, Sora,” she said. “Sorry boys, but we're busy right now.”

“Busy with what?” asked Wakka. “What do ya even need so many coconuts for?”

“Grandma asked me to get some so she can make coconut oil.”

“Why didn’t you just buy some in the marketplace?” Tidus asked.

“Because… it’s more fun this way.”

It was a weak excuse, but if she didn’t come up with something Sora would instead, and he was quite possibly the worst liar in the worlds. Thankfully, it was enough for Tidus and Wakka, who just wished them good luck and extended an invitation to play some other time.

They met up with Riku on the raft as he studied a map of the Islands, but he stopped to help them load the coconuts onto the crate with all the others they had collected. Other crates were filled with canned and dried food, so the coconuts were mainly a source of drinking water.

With the last crate sealed, the three pushed the raft to the shallows and hopped aboard. When the raft floated without issue, Sora whooped and jumped and almost kicked their provisions into the sea. Kairi was so enthralled by the stirring of the planks beneath her feet she paid it no mind, but Riku started giving him an earful. Not even a minute in though, Sora gave a mischievous smile and splashed Riku with seawater that caught Kairi too.

“Sora!” Kairi laughed and splashed him back, only for Riku to join in and shower them both.

Suddenly Sora jumped Riku, the two lost their balance and fell into the water. Kairi laughed even harder. Riku narrowed his eyes, grabbed her by the leg and pulled her into the water too.

“Hey!” Riku only laughed at her protest and soon they were all splashing each other and laughing like little kids.

They were soaked and giggling when they finally pulled the raft back to shore from the test drive. Riku was wringing water out of his hair and Kairi removing sand from her shoes when Sora proposed an alternative way to dry out:

“Let’s race! Whoever wins gets to be captain of the Destiny Voyager.”

Riku smirked. “If you wanted a shot at being captain, you should have picked something you could win.”

“Sounds fun! Let’s do it,” Kairi said.

The cove was their favorite place to race, with the slopes, wooden platforms and palm trees serving as the perfect obstacle course. Per their usual rules, they started near the entrance, took any route to the opposite end to touch a star decoration, and then made it back to the starting point.

Once they were in place, Kairi went to start the kitchen timer they’d brought to jumpstart their races — because otherwise the one doing it would always rush ahead. While she was out of earshot, Riku inched closer to Sora and said just short of a whisper:

“If I win, I get to share a Paopu with Kairi.”

Sora’s head snapped toward him. “HUH!?”

Riku’s expression was casual, like he had just commented on the weather. “Deal? The winner gets to share a Paopu with Kairi.”

“Wha— Wait a minute—”

“It’s about to go off!”

Riku and Sora went quiet as Kairi hurried back to their side and prepared to run, even though Sora’s thoughts were going a mile a minute in all directions.

The timer rang and the three took off. Kairi immediately fell behind while Riku and Sora rushed ahead trying to gain the lead. Sora managed to keep up until the halfway mark when Riku suddenly sprinted meters ahead, touched the star tree and gave Sora a victorious smirk as he made his way back.

Sora pushed his legs and his lungs to their limit in hopes of catching up, but by the time Riku reached the halfway mark of the return route a full five seconds before him, winning seemed impossible. But just as he was beginning to panic, Kairi shouted from behind him:

“Do your best, Sora!”

Her cheer fired Sora up. He shouted and clambered up the nearest platform, a tower whose top was normally accessible via a loose ladder on the other side. Just as Riku reached the platforms in the final stretch of the course, Sora reached the top, grabbed onto the ladder and kicked the edge of the tower, plunging the ladder and himself forward. Riku’s eyes widened when he suddenly appeared right next to him. Just before hitting the floor, Sora leaped and surpassed Riku for good. With one last sprint enhanced by his momentum, he crossed the finish line seconds before Riku.

By the time Kairi arrived, Riku was bracing on his knees and panting and Sora was celebrating his victory.

“Woohoo! I won!”

“Way to go, Sora!” Kairi congratulated. “I guess that means I have to say ‘Aye aye, Captain Sora’ now.”

She did a little salute and chuckled, which got a grin out of Sora.

“You just… got lucky,” Riku said, walking up to them after catching his breath. “So, what do we do now?”

“Nothing,” said Kairi. “We’ve completed the raft and we gathered provisions, the only thing left to do is tell my parents and your mom about our plans. Until then, we have nothing to do.”

“Sweet, I love having nothing to do,” said Sora while resting his hands on the back of his head. “That means we can do anything we want.”

“How about we join the others then? I’m sure we can find something fun to do.”

They both agreed. Rather than run ahead though, Sora let Kairi take the lead and spoke to Riku in a lower voice:

“Riku, what you said before the race…”

“What, the Paopu thing? That was just a joke. You should have seen your face.”

Sora frowned. Riku’s voice had the same swagger as usual, but something in it felt stiff.

Back on the seashore, Riku and Sora decided to play Tidus and Wakka’s new game and Kairi opted to spend some time with Selphie, Ryukku and Yuna and indulge in one of their favorite group pastimes: doing each others’ hair.

So an hour later, Riku and Sora were throwing a ball around in the sea, and Kairi was wandering the island with a basket and collecting flowers to decorate the girls’ hair. Having picked flowers there her whole life, she knew well where the best spots for finding them were, meaning she could get a full basket in less than twenty minutes if she wanted to, but Kairi preferred to take it slow. She stopped to admire each individual flower and note how despite being similarly beautiful, they also had unique quirks. One had an oddly shaped blotch on a petal, another had a half-eaten leaf, two others looked like twins sprouting from the same stalk, or one flower in a bunch stood out for not having bloomed yet. Kairi thought that their quirks let each bloom stand out amidst their fellow flowers while also making each patch more beautiful than the sum of its parts.

After some search, she found amidst some foliage at the base of a hill an abundance of her favorite kind of flower — Yua flowers, aster blooms that came in all sorts of colors and the same kind as the ones on her necklace. Of course, she stopped to admire them and pick up some. However, she was surprised to find that behind all the foliage was a hole leading to the inside of the hill. It wasn’t the hole that surprised her, but the notion that she was so distracted she didn’t realize she was next to such a familiar place.

I haven’t been here in a long time, she thought. Since she was there already, Kairi figured it’d be nice to pay a visit.

She had to duck her head to fit through the hole, then continued through a narrow tunnel deeper into the hill, ending in a small cave. There, the constant sound of the waves was but a hushed whisper. The rocky walls were adorned with sturdy roots and dozens of scribbles.

Most strange of all, at the opposite end of the entrance, there was a big brown door, always locked, with no doorknob or keyhole.

Kairi paid little attention to the door, having grown used to its presence in the ten years she’d visited this secret place she and Riku found when they were little, before Sora came to the Islands. Rather, she ran her hand and smiled at the drawings that filled the walls depicting fights against monsters, princesses and castles, aliens and spaceships, funny animals and random shapes. Each of them was a precious memory.

She stopped at one particular drawing of her and Sora’s heads facing each other. They had carved it on the day she first took him to the secret place. Kairi crouched to touch her old doodle of Sora. He had a smile on his face, like always. A silly, pure and wonderful smile that could brighten up even a musty cave like this.

A small wish tugged at the back of her mind. Kairi picked up a sharp pebble and pressed it next to the image of herself Sora had drawn. An inner voice that sounded a lot like Riku’s warned her against doing that. But in the end, the wish spoke louder and she scratched the pebble along the wall.

The drawing now featured her little self offering a Paopu fruit to Sora. Kairi smiled wistfully at the image. For a moment she dared to imagine Sora offering her a Paopu too, but quickly forsook the thought. Why would someone as strong and full of light as Sora ever share a Paopu with her?

Suddenly she heard a rustle, like that of a snake creeping on the sand. Kairi jumped up and turned toward the noise.

Standing in the shadows was a hunched figure in a brown robe with a hood covering their face. No body parts were visible, as if the robe hid only formless darkness.

“Who are you?” Kairi asked, trying not to let her fear show, nor the wave of cold that suddenly ran through her veins.

“I’ve come to see the door to this world,” said the figure. His voice was deep to a bone-chilling degree. It sounded almost disconnected from his body. “This world has been connected. Tied to the darkness. Soon to be completely eclipsed.”

“What are you talking about? You’re freaking me out!” She hadn’t heard the man coming through the entrance, and she doubted the large door would be so silent. It was like he had manifested out of the shadows. “Where did you come from?”

“Attempting to explain would be pointless,” the robbed man said, finally acknowledging her presence. “There is so very much to learn. You know so little. One who knows nothing can understand nothing.”

“Are you… from the outside world?”

The stranger didn’t answer, but given his appearance and the way he spoke, Kairi felt certain of it.

“I know there’s a lot I don’t know, especially about the outside world. But that’s why I want to go out there and learn about it. I want to understand.”

“A meaningless effort. You do not have what it takes to open the door. Your strength is lacking.”

“What do you mean? What strength do I lack?”

The man lifted his head. Under his hood, she saw nothing but darkness, but Kairi could feel his gaze on her, analyzing her to her core and freezing her in place. After a few seconds, she had to remind herself to breathe.

“Those who are strong move past their constraints,” he finally said. “Forsake home to grow beyond its borders. Cast aside attachments to achieve the greater good. Burn the past to the ground to bring forth the desired future. Tell me, do you have the strength to do that?”

“What?! No! I would never do that! That’s not strength, it’s madness!”

“Then you are weak. If you rely on others you’ll never find true strength. New growth cannot exist without the destruction of the old. The door is locked for you.”

Kairi looked at the door, wondering if he was talking about it. When she went to address the man again, he was gone. As if he’d never been there.

She stood in the cave for several moments, thinking about everything he had said about strength, darkness, the world, and the door.

Eventually, her gaze turned to the brown door. Even when she was little it had never looked this imposing. She slowly reached her hand out and touched it. The door was strangely warm.

Has it always been this way? she wondered.

After a second or two, she felt a faint vibration. And then there was another one, then another, and another, like the pulsing of a heart.

What is this door, anyway? Why is it here? Where does it lead to?

“Kairi?”

“GAH!” she screamed at the sudden call and the touch on her shoulder. “Riku! You scared me to death!”

“Sorry,” he said with a chuckle. “I thought you were hanging out with the girls. What are you doing here?”

“I… got kinda sidetracked.”

For a moment she wondered if she should tell him about the robed stranger. But the whole encounter seemed so surreal, she honestly wasn’t sure she believed her own memory. Besides, with the raft and the journey ahead, they had enough on their minds already. So Kairi just picked up her flower basket and headed for the exit.

“I should go already, they’re probably looking for me. Bye, Riku.”

As Kairi ran off from the secret place, she didn’t notice when Riku caught sight of her and Sora’s drawing — nor his face when he saw her addition.

The sunlight caused her to blink. The sand was soft, the sky clear and the ocean calm. The encounter with the mysterious man felt like something out of a bad dream. Borrowing a page from Riku’s book, Kairi told herself her imagination was just making the world more interesting again and pushed the episode to the back of her mind.

She rejoined the girls and they settled on a spot next to a large tree. While Kairi braided Yuna’s hair, she noticed Riku trudging down the beach toward the docks. His head was low and his shoulders slumped, the exact opposite of his usual confident steps. It made her uneasy.

She told Yuna and the others she’d be back soon and ran to him.

“Riku!”

He stopped and turned to her. But there was something in his eyes, like he couldn’t truly see her and was looking at an apparition. Her heart stung at the sight. She should say something to cheer him up, or at least get him to talk about how he was feeling.

“Is… everything okay?” Bad start, she mentally scolded herself.

“Yeah,” he said. She immediately knew he was lying. “I’m just heading back.”

“Are you sure? It’s still early.”

“I know. I just…” He avoided her eyes. “My mom wants me to be home early today.”

Why did he have to be so good at avoiding any conversation about his feelings?

Riku didn’t speak to her as he unmoored his boat. When he was about to board, Kairi spoke again:

“Riku.” He stopped, his back still turned. “If anything’s troubling you, you can talk to us. Me and Sora. We’re your friends.”

He turned to her and gave a weak, barely held smile. “Right.”

Kairi watched Riku board his boat and row away, knowing he was hurting but unable to tell why. More than the echo of sorrow he left in her heart, it pained Kairi that she was unable to help.

~♡~

As dusk arrived, Kairi sat on the Paopu tree and watched the sunset. Maybe it was because she was alone this time, but the way the sun sank into the sea, taking away the light of day with it, made her feel way more melancholic than the previous day.

“Hey there.” Kairi turned toward the newcomer and smiled. Some of her gloom disappeared at the sound of his voice.

“Hey, Sora”

He jumped on the tree and sat by her side. Kairi tucked some strands of loose hair behind her ear, maybe in hopes he would notice the flowers on her braids.

It seemed she was in luck, because Sora continued looking at her. “Wow, those are very pretty. Did Selphie do it?”

Kairi blushed when he reached for her hair. “Yes…”

“It’s beautiful…”

He went to hold one of the braids but his fingers ended up touching Kairi’s cheek. He pulled his hand back awkwardly and turned his head to the sunset.

“It looks good on you.”

“Thanks,” she said and followed his gaze.

They fell silent after that. It was broken by Sora’s humming, and Kairi smiled at his melody. Sometimes they dared to glance at the other, only to look away as soon as they glanced back. Even if it was dithering and uncompromising, the pattern was comfortable. Better to go along with it than risk ruining years of friendship.

Still, Kairi glanced at the Paopu fruits behind Sora and her heart fluttered. He was right here, his hand and the Paopus at her grasp, she just needed to ask…

(“It’d feel weird, don’t you think?”)

She clenched her fists and turned her head away.

Stop thinking about that! If Riku is bothered, I’ll only make it worse. He doesn’t even think of me that way.

“Hey, Kairi.” Sora snapped her out of her thoughts. “Is it just me or is Riku… y’know… different? Like he’s…”

“Colder?” she finished. “Withdrawn? Like he’s hiding something and not being honest?”

“Yeah…”

Sora, Riku and Kairi knew each other intimately enough to see through any masks they might put up. Which meant Sora and Kairi knew too well of the troubled heart hiding behind the hypercompetent boy who was always on top of everyone. Riku had always been eager to leave the Islands and see the world, but for the last few months — maybe even years — he seemed almost desperate to get away from it all.

“Maybe he’s just nervous,” Kairi suggested, maybe more to herself than anyone else. “You know, with the preparations and the journey ahead.”

“Yeah, that makes sense…”

Silence settled between them again, but doubts persisted in Kairi’s mind. Sora’s question opened a floodgate she’d been holding back for weeks. She brought her hands to her chest and pondered.

Was the change in Riku’s behavior a result of the change in his surroundings? Or did it reflect a change inside him? Had the last few years changed his heart? If that was the case, then what of the boy who was originally her friend? Did he still exist at all?

“Kairi, are you okay?” Sora asked, noticing the way she held herself.

“I’m fine.”

He didn’t look the least bit convinced. They could see through each other’s masks, after all.

“I guess I’m nervous too.” She looked at the Ocean, a sight of such comfortable familiarity and at the same time, terrifying uncertainty. “Riku said he wanted things to change, but… What if they change too much? What if we change? What if when we come back, we’re different people? What if… What if we’re not even friends anymore?”

“Hey, it’s okay.” Sora put a supportive hand on her shoulder. “I know it looks scary. To be honest… I’m scared too. But knowing I’ll be with you guys makes me less scared. Because yeah, maybe things will change, and maybe it won’t be the same between the three of us anymore, but if there’s one thing I’m certain of, is that no matter how much things change, we’ll always be friends. And no matter how far we go, this will always be our home. Which means we can always come back here whenever we need a safe place.”

Sora held her hand and looked at her like she was all there was to the world. His eyes glistened in the sunset light.

“Kairi… Whatever happens out there, we’ll face it together. I promise.”

How did he do it? How did he take all her fears and doubts and made them disappear with a smile? How was it that when she looked into his eyes and held his hand, she felt like everything would be alright? How could he soothe her heart so much simply by existing?

“Thank you, Sora.” Her voice and her smile finally returned. “I hope you at least never change.”

~♡~

At night, Kairi occupied herself organizing anything she’d take on the journey ahead into a knapsack. The trip was still a few days off at least, but there had been so much on her mind since she arrived home she decided to keep herself busy with any other activity. There was no point in thinking about Riku’s behavior or her feelings for Sora, so why bother?

She spent a good while organizing and reorganizing her things until she couldn’t possibly rearrange them anymore. Everything she might need, from essential items to personal ones like the notebook her grandmother gave her and the materials to continue the Wayfinders were accounted for. There was nothing else for her to do.

Maybe Grandma could use a hand making dinner? 

That’d be a good way of keeping her mind away from things she didn’t want to think about, and she could spend some time with her grandma on top of it. Kill two birds with one stone. Yes, that’s perfect.

Kairi was on her way out when something happened.

One moment she was standing, the next she was bracing herself on her desk, dizzy and drawing quick breaths. It was so sudden, she only made sense of what she felt after she felt it. It was like a quiet explosion that left the world untouched and only affected her inside. Even after the initial surge, she could still feel traces of something pulsing throughout her body, like she’d somehow grown a second heart.

And then, cold. It was similar to a chill up her spine, except it started in her chest. Kairi hugged herself when the chills spread through her body and filled her with an instinctual sense of dread. She didn’t know how she knew it, but something was wrong.

The seashell and sakura wind chimes on her window clinked frantically. Kairi stumbled to the window in time to see a crack of lightning manifest from dark clouds on Kealoha Island. Seconds later came the roar of thunder.

“A storm? Oh no!”

Any heaviness in her mind or step was pushed away. Kairi put on her knapsack out of sheer habit and dashed out of her room and down the stairs.

“Kairi? Where are you going?” her grandmother asked when she arrived at the living room.

“A storm’s forming down on the Island,” she said on her way to the front door. “I have to make sure the raft won’t get swept away.”

“A storm? But the weather today showed no signs of… Regardless, you can’t go in the middle of a storm! It’s too dangerous!”

“I have to. We worked so hard, if the raft got lost now, Sora and Riku would be devastated. I gotta look after them.”

“And I’ve got to look after you. Please Kairi, don’t go. No amount of work is worth your life.”

Her hand froze on the doorknob. She looked back to her grandmother and her pleading face. Something squeezed in her chest.

Why did this feel like a goodbye?

“I’ll come back safe and sound. I promise.”

She left the house before her grandma could say anything else.

Kairi fought the wind as she ran down the roads, then the waves once she made it to a boat. As she did everything to get to the Island, the flowers in her hair were swept away and carried off into the distance, but she was too focused on her goal to notice or care.

The wind blew even stronger on Kealoha Island. Thunder and lightning crashed but there was no rain. The ground thumped beneath Kairi’s feet with the same rhythm she felt pulsate through her bones back home. Two more boats were moored at the docks, no doubt Riku and Sora’s. The storm would be reason enough for her to worry about them, but her concern increased tenfold once she looked at the source of the storm.

Up in the starless sky, an enormous ball of dark energy floated in the air.

“What’s that!? What’s happening?” A million more questions came to her mind, but one statement spoke louder than anything else: “I’ve gotta find Riku and Sora!”

She took off along the beach calling their names, only to be greeted by something else.

Shadows rose from the ground and took the form of small inky black creatures with glowing yellow eyes. Kairi gasped at the sight of them.

This is a dream, she told herself. It has to be!

One of the shadow creatures attacked and scratched her leg with its claws, as if to confirm that this was no dream. Kairi cried and barely stepped away when another creature attacked as well. She broke into running.

The Shadows rose from everywhere and leaped at her as soon as she got close. She did her best to dodge their attacks and made it to the seaside shack, buying herself a moment to catch her breath and check the scratch on her leg. Luckily it wasn’t deep, but that didn’t mean those creatures couldn’t do much worse things to her or her friends.

What’s going on? Where did those things come from?

It was hard not to think of the robed stranger’s words earlier that day.

(“This world has been connected. Tied to the darkness. Soon to be completely eclipsed.”)

We need to get out of here!

Kairi ran up the stairs, hoping to get a better view of the island. But right there, standing on the islet with his back turned to her, was Riku. Relief and panic alike washed over her as she ran to him.

“Riku! There you are! Have you seen Sora?”

“The door… I did it,” he mumbled as if in a trance. When he turned to meet her, his face showed no fear, only excitement. “I opened the door, Kairi! We can finally go to the outside world!”

“What are you talking about?” Her voice was almost drowned out by the storm. Her only hope of being heard was to shout. “We have to find Sora!”

“We’ll take Sora with us, of course! The three of us will go out there and create a destiny of our choosing.”

Riku looked up at the ball of darkness. As he did, the same kind of dark energy swirled around his feet.

“Once we step through, we might not be able to come back. We may never see this place or our families again. There’s no turning back. But this might be our only chance. We can’t let fear stop us. I’m not afraid of the darkness!”

Kairi’s heart stung, and she brought her hands to her chest. “Riku… Why?”

He stretched out his hand to her with an elated smile. When she flinched at the offer, Riku’s smile fell.

“This is what we wanted! A chance to leave this place! Why won’t you come?”

“I never wanted this! Look around you, Riku! This is destroying the island!”

“So what!? There’s nothing for us here! Out there, we can go wherever we want! Live however we like!”

“But this will come at the expense of others! Riku, please, you have to stop this!”

The hand on Riku’s side clenched. The darkness beneath him began swirling more violently, like a barely contained flood.

“Come with me, Kairi,” he demanded.

“Riku, please… I can’t…”

“I said, come!”

The dark energy exploded and swarmed around Riku. Even still, he continued reaching out to Kairi even as the darkness engulfed him completely.

“Riku!”

Kairi didn’t hesitate to plunge her hands into the darkness. An awful stench attacked her nostrils and she felt like her hands were submerged in mucky and freezing water. Before she could think of thrusting her hands further, dark tendrils crawled up her arms and slowly spread through her body. Once the darkness reached her feet, she couldn’t move them anymore.

But Kairi didn’t try to get away. Because Riku was in trouble, and that alone drowned out all the fear in her heart.

“Give me back my friend!” she shouted to the darkness even as it crept up her face. “Give him back! The three of us stick together, always! Whatever you did, Riku, I won’t give up on you!”

Finally, the darkness shrouded her entirely. Lost in a pitch-black abyss, Kairi continued to struggle. Riku was still in that abyss somewhere, she could still reach him, could still save him!

Just as it looked like the cold would freeze her insides, somewhere, she felt a source of warmth. It was faint, like a small ember that miraculously weathered the storm, dim and frail, but still burning. When she noticed it, the ember seemed to grow stronger, until it produced the tiniest glimmer of light.

Kairi reached for that light. The darkness restrained her movements, so she called to the spark with all her heart. When she could feel its warmth resonate close to her chest, she envisioned herself taking hold of the light.

The darkness around her was purged in a blinding flash. Kairi gasped, finally able to breathe again. When the light died down, she found herself once again on the islet with Riku nowhere to be seen.

Strangest of all, she now had an object in her hand. It was the length of a sword, but the shape resembled a key entwined by vines and flowers. As she admired the strange object, a voice echoed in her head.

Keyblade…

Shadow creatures rose from the ground again and one leaped at Kairi. On instinct, she blocked the strike with this Keyblade and then sliced the creature in half. The Shadow disappeared in a puff of smoke.

She took a moment to admire her feat, but with more incoming, Kairi took on a fighting stance. She swung the Keyblade left and right with the same ease as a toy sword, but this had the lethality of a real weapon. After one or two hits, the Shadows disappeared completely.

But no matter how many she took out, more kept on coming. Fighting all of them would take time and energy she couldn’t waste. Sora was still out there. Even if Riku was out of her reach now, Sora wasn’t.

Kairi jumped off the islet to escape the Shadows, landing with her feet on shallow water, and promptly called:

“Sora! Where are you?”

Something pulled at her chest, and somehow she knew where to go.

In the secret place where they laughed and comforted each other so many times over the years, standing before the door and panting, was the boy that hours ago had soothed all her fears.

“Sora!”

He looked exhausted. It took him a moment to raise his head to look at Kairi, as if that alone was a struggle.

“Kairi…” he called weakly as he reached out to her.

Suddenly, the perpetually closed door slammed open and darkness erupted from inside. Kairi weathered the blast, but Sora was sent flying toward her. She opened her arms to try and catch him. She wanted to hold him and feel his warmth so badly, to find comfort in his smile knowing at least that would never go away.

But when he was an arm’s reach from her, his body faded away, leaving behind only air for her to hug. Kairi called his name desperately only to receive no answer. Finally, she too was blown out of the cave.

She hit the ground with a grunt. Around her, the wind blew as strong as a hurricane. Looking up, Kairi saw the ball of darkness had grown bigger and closer, and now sucked wreckage of wood, rocks and trees. With effort, she picked herself up. Maybe there was still time to warn her grandmother about the danger, or her friends, or anyone.

Any hope died when she saw where she was.

Before her, the ground dropped off into nothing. She stood on a chunk of the island suspended in a dark sky. Everything else was gone. The ocean, the beach, the island she’d known since she was a little girl. Gone.

“How did this happen?” her broken voice wondered. “ Why is this happening?”

Behind her, something huge stomped. She turned to find a creature towering over her, pitch black with yellow eyes like the others but twice as tall as a palm tree, with tentacles on its head like hair and a heart-shaped hole in its chest.

Kairi’s legs gave in and she fell to her knees. The monster clenched its fist, and she could only stare at her imminent destruction. She was nothing. Useless.

I couldn’t help them. I couldn’t do anything!

Her eyes stung with angry and desperate tears. What had happened to Riku and Sora and the Island? What would happen to her grandma, her parents and everyone else? Because she failed them…

I’m sorry…

(“Every person has power that can change the world. It’s by uniting that power that we can create a bright future.”)

Her father’s words were always empowering. He could pump up any crowd, make everyone believe they were capable of anything. When he led them and they worked together, they really were.

I’m sorry…

(“Life isn’t always kind. That’s why we have to be.”)

Her mother always eased people’s worries. Wherever she showed up, people’s faces lit up, like her presence alone took some of the burden off their shoulders. Her smile gave them the strength to keep going.

I’m sorry…

(“There will be hurdles and hardships along the way, but you must press on. As long as you keep moving forward, you’re bound to find many wonderful things.”)

Her grandmother had been there for her since Kairi was born. She nursed her as a baby, held her hand as she learned to walk, treated her wounds when she fell, saw her off and welcomed her home every time she went to see the world.

I’m sorry…

(“Come on, Kairi. I know you’re stronger than this.”)

Riku believed in her potential even more than she did. Even though he didn’t wear his heart on his sleeve, he pushed her to go forward and get better, while always promising security when times got rough. An anchor through and through.

I’m sorry…

(“Whatever happens out there, we’ll face it together. I promise.”)

Sora… He was light made human, full of energy and life. He had so much joy in his heart it spread everywhere he went. Even when the darkness was at its deepest — like now — his light shone through.

I…

(“I want to live a happy life. Full of friends and love. And one in which I can make other people happy too.”)

That was her own voice.

Her grip on the Keyblade tightened and she rose to her feet. When the giant’s punch came, she leaped out of the way. With the thing’s arm still down, Kairi unleashed an onslaught of fierce strikes.

“I won’t give up! I won’t stop fighting! Not until the three of us are together again! Not until we can come back home!”

The creature began to rise. Kairi grabbed onto its arm. It must have realized it because next the creature brought its hand over to its head. Just what she needed! With a shout, Kairi jumped toward the giant and stuck the Keyblade right between its eyes.

There was no cry — the creature had no mouth to speak. All that came out was dark smoke as the lumbering beast tried not to topple over. But a howling sound was heard as the wind got stronger and the ball of darkness above swelled and sucked everything into its core. Kairi held onto the Keyblade for dear life, but it was useless. Even the giant was sucked into the darkness, taking Kairi along with it.

Everything went black.

Chapter Text

The town’s warm lights welcomed anyone with nowhere else to go. Standing in the realm between light and darkness, Traverse Town offered sanctuary to all who had lost their homes to creatures of the dark. Or at least, all who escaped.

Donald and Goofy — now sporting more suitable traveling clothes — stepped through the front gates with Pluto by their side. Goofy looked around the square they were in. Everything was very different from Disney Castle. But looking up at the night sky, he smiled. The position of the stars was a bit different, but it was undoubtedly the same sky as back home. Maybe Maxie was also looking at the stars?

One particular star caught his attention. It sparked slightly brighter than the others, until its light suddenly flickered and dimmed.

“Donald, look!” Goofy called and pointed. “A star’s going out!”

Just like that, the little light vanished. An entire world, someplace like Disney Castle, gone just like that.

“We have to find this Keybearer fast. Let's go, Goofy. C’mon Pluto. Pluto?”

They looked around but there was no sign of the king’s dog.

“Ugh, the mutt follows us here and the first thing he does is wander off on his own,” said Donald.

“I’m sure he’s somewhere in town. Where else could he have gone?”

“Sure. Let’s go look for this Squall Leonhart.”

Out of the duo’s sight, Pluto followed his nose to an alley, where he found something peculiar: an unconscious girl with a huge key in her hand. Curious, Pluto sniffed her face.

Kairi woke up to a large dog she’d never seen breathing on her. Her head hurt and her entire body felt numb.

“Just a dream…” she told herself and began drifting back to sleep. But then Pluto licked her face and jolted her awake. “AH! This isn’t a dream!”

She felt twinges of pain in various spots as she struggled back up. The place she was in was unfamiliar and she couldn’t remember how she got there. She realized she still held something…

The Keyblade.

The storm. The shadows. Riku disappearing. Sora disappearing. The Island torn apart.

Could it be that…

“No… No! I have to go back! I told Grandma I’d come back!”

It wasn’t over. It couldn’t be!

Pluto tilted his head and barked. Kairi looked at him and was reminded she was totally lost.

“Err… I don’t suppose you know a way back to the Islands, do you?”

Pluto’s ears perked up at a familiar sound and he scampered away.

“Wait!”

Kairi followed the dog out of the alley and into a wide open space surrounded by walls and unlike anything she ever saw on Destiny Islands. Most buildings had beige walls, wooden beams and red rooftops. A staircase led down to a square with zany-looking lanterns scattered around the cobblestone pavement and some people wandering about, not all of whom were human. Next to the stairs, a moogle chatted with a… rooster(?) wearing clothes. A group of dalmatian puppies gathered around two adults, except for one trying to climb a table and steal a plate of biscuits from a scrawny man lost in a pile of books. Unfortunately, Pluto was nowhere to be seen.

Is this… another world?

“Hey. You with the flowery thing.”

Kairi turned toward the voice. Sitting on a short wall, a teenage girl with curly red hair and a long black dress was tending a quiver full of arrows.

The girl spoke with an accent Kairi didn’t recognize. “Is that really a sword?”

Kairi hadn’t had time to properly look at the Keyblade before. Only now she realized just how unlike a weapon it looked. The hilt was shaped like a heart, one side shiny blue in the form of a breaking wave, the other the start a beige vine, which wrapped around the sunset-colored shaft and connected with the key’s teeth to form yet another heart with colorful Yua flowers around. Not very threatening. Still, Kairi thought it beautiful.

“I think it is,” she answered the girl.

“Well, as long as it works, I guess it’s fine. Looks like something my mum would–” The girl stopped and focused again on the quiver. “Anyway. What are you doing here?”

“I… don’t know. I have no idea where I am or how I even got here.”

The girl looked at her sympathetically. “Oh. So you’re new here. I’m sorry…”

“Sorry for what?”

She glanced away. “I’m really not the best person to explain it. Ask Mister Highwind in the accessory shop.” She pointed to a shop just behind them. “He can take care of you.”

“Okay. Thanks…”

“Merida,” the girl said.

“Thanks, Merida.”

The inside of the accessory shop was small and cozy, with a fireplace, couch and coffee table on one side, a counter on the other and some cabinets displaying jewelry. Behind the counter was a blond middle-aged man with goggles on his head smoking a cigarette. Not who Kairi would expect to run an accessory shop.

“Hey there kiddo, how can I help ya?” the man greeted her with another accent. “Need something for a date?”

“Are you Mister Highwind?” Kairi asked.

“That I am. But just call me Cid.”

“Nice to meet you, Cid. I’m Kairi and Merida said you could help me. You see, I was on my island when a storm started, and these black shadowy monsters appeared and there was this… thing that sucked everything up and then… I woke up here. Is this really another world?”

Cid looked at her with slight surprise that quickly turned glum. “Not a whole lot of people come here knowing about other worlds. This might make things a little bit easier.

“This here place is called Traverse Town. It’s a world for those who have nowhere else to go. Those shadows that attacked you, they’ve been going around attacking all kinds of worlds for a while now. Some of the few that manage to escape show up here.”

“But— But what about everyone else? And the rest of the world? They can’t be—”

Cid’s face was the same one would wear at a funeral. “Gone. Fallen to darkness.”

For a moment, Kairi did not move. In her mind, the world around her ceased to be. Then finally, water escaped from her eyes and she clutched the skin above her aching chest.

Gone. It was hard to rationalize what that meant — that she’d never run along the beach again, never taste the ocean, never go home to her grandma, never welcome her parents back. Her mind couldn’t wrap itself around it, but her heart could. It ate itself at every moment, not wanting to exist in a World without Destiny Islands. Kairi feared it would soon swallow her whole and leave behind only an empty shell, or a shadow like the ones that took away her home.

Cid watched her cry and took a whiff off his cigarette. Another star extinguished. Another world lost. Another child crying.

“Look, Kairi. We’ll figure something out. You can stay at the hotel tonight and tomorrow we’ll get you settled.”

She was able to force a small smile. How lucky she was to find someone kind, even in the middle of all this.

“Thank you, Cid.” She wiped some of her tears away. “Is… Is it possible that someone else escaped my world? My friends were with me on the Island. They disappeared before it did. Could they have escaped too?”

“Couldn’t tell you, kid,” he said. “You’re the only one to show up here, but it's not like this is the only world in the Ocean Between. Your friends could have ended up in some world out there.”

So it wasn’t hopeless. Riku and Sora could still be out there! Kairi felt some of the tightness around her chest loosen up just from the possibility that she wasn’t completely alone.

“How can I find—”

Outside the shop, terrified screams rang. Cid frowned, put out his cigar and reached for something behind the counter. Just then, the front door cracked open and a moogle rushed inside.

“Mister Highwind, kupo! They’re here! They’re in the First District, kupo!”

“What?!”

Cid hurried to the door with a spear in hand. Kairi followed after him.

“What’s going on? Who’s here?”

“The Heartless,” Cid said gravely.

Outside, Merida fired arrows toward the square below. Kairi looked down in horror. The once peaceful square was swarming with the same shadowy creatures from the Islands. The dalmatian family was cornered, the parents growling and barking in hopes of scaring the creatures away from the terrified puppies. The rooster was holding onto the top of a light pole like a cat on a tree. Others had taken shelter inside the restaurant and barricaded the entrance with chairs and tables.

The scrawny man ran up the stairs with his pile of books, chased by two Shadows. He tripped on the last step and the Shadows jumped at him. With a thrust of his spear, Cid reduced them to smoke.

“Are you alright?” Kairi helped the man back up.

“Y-Yeah, thanks.”

“Thatch,” Cid called. “Can you explain this?”

“I-I’m afraid no, sir,” the man stuttered. “The Heartless never come to the First District. Something must have caught their attention, like an unusually strong heart or—”

A scream of pain suddenly rang through the First District. Down on the square, an armored Heartless had its claws stuck to a man’s chest. It ripped out a glowing heart from his body and the man fell to the ground.

“STOP!”

Cid and the others exclaimed in surprise when Kairi ran toward the Heartless.

“Kid, come back here!” Cid called, but she didn’t stop.

All the Shadows gave up on what they were doing and ran to her.

“Get out of my way!”

She swung the Keyblade and slashed two Shadows in half. The remaining few charged anyway, so Kairi swung again and again until they were reduced to clouds of smoke and transparent shards on the ground.

She struck the armored Heartless before it could know what hit it, once, twice, three times. The creature was destroyed, leaving behind two hearts — the one it had taken and another that floated in the air and disappeared.

Kairi turned to help the man, only to see his body fading from existence. Behind her, his stolen heart was absorbed into a dark orb. She heard clanking and turned to look. An identical Heartless to the one she’d just defeated appeared in the place of the darkened heart.

“What—” 

The Heartless jumped too quickly to react and pinned her to the ground. The shaft of the Keyblade narrowly blocked the creature’s claws from piercing her chest. Kairi pushed back against it, but she was in a terrible position. At this rate, those claws would reach her skin…

A loud whistle resonated through the square and something hit the back of the Heartless’ head. Kairi spotted a baseball falling to the ground and the rooster on top of the light pole with his arm stretched out. Just as the Heartless turned its head toward the new attacker, an arrow struck it between the eyes. The Heartless let go of the Keyblade to reach for the arrow, so Kairi kicked it off her and into the ground. Before it could recover, she jumped back up and stabbed its chest. The creature writhed one last time before its body disappeared and its captive heart floated off and faded.

Kairi fell to one knee and braced herself with the Keyblade, the shock of everything that happened hitting all at once.

Why did I run? I wasn’t even thinking.

What happened to that man? Why did he disappear? Why did that thing appear in his place?

Did he turn into that? If so does that mean I… I…

Something moist but gentle suddenly touched her hand. Kairi looked down and found a dalmatian puppy licking her fingers.

“Aw, thanks little guy,” she said. The puppy barked in return.

A crowd quickly gathered around her. Merida helped her up and a large man offered her spinach puffs, which she politely declined. Everyone else bombarded her with questions and praise.

“That was amazing!”

“What’s that weapon? I’ve never seen something defeat the Heartless so easily before!”

“You really taught those creeps a lesson!”

“Where did you learn those moves?”

“Why does your sword look like that?”

“I, uh…”

Kairi’s head pounded from all the noise, and the faces surrounding her started to feel suffocating.

Why are you praising me? I didn’t do anything worthy of admiration. I let someone die…

“Okay everyone, give it a rest.” Cid stepped forward, making the crowd grow silent and take a step back. Kairi muttered an inaudible “thank you”. “You’ve got some nerve, Kairi, but that was really dangerous. You’re lucky that blade’s so good. And that Merida and Chicken Little here managed to get that last one distracted.”

“Kupo!” the moogle from before exclaimed. “Is that really a Keyblade, kupo? Where did you get it?”

“I’m not sure,” Kairi said. “It just kinda appeared out of nowhere when my world was being destroyed. I don’t know where it came from or what it even is.”

“An ancient weapon of the heart. And the greatest fear of the Heartless,” a voice said, coming down the staircase. “That’s why they’ll keep coming after you.” 

The newcomer was a man clad in black with brown hair and a long scar on his face. He carried a strange sword behind his back that looked like a gun with a long blade at the end. Cid crossed his arms at the sight of him.

“Hey, Leon. Nice of you to show up after the fighting’s over. Poor Travis got his heart eaten for a snack.”

“I’m sorry…” Kairi’s head hung low.

“It’s not your fault,” said a boy around her age. “You kept us all safe.”

“Jim’s right,” Cid said. “It wasn’t your responsibility to protect this place. If anything, it’s my fault for not acting quickly enough.”

Kairi was about to protest when the dalmatians started barking. From the ground, a new swarm of Shadows rose. Kairi raised the Keyblade, but before she could even blink, Leon obliterated them with one swipe of his Gunblade.

“We’re not safe here. Like I said, the Heartless will keep coming as long as you have the Keyblade.”

“But why? What are these Heartless? And what is this Keyblade?”

“Come with me and I’ll explain everything.”

Kairi hesitated. Her common sense told her that following a stranger with a huge sword was a bad idea, but… She glanced at all the people in the First District. If the Heartless were coming after her, she would be putting them in danger for as long as she stayed there.

Kairi swallowed her nervousness and nodded. Leon nodded back and strapped his Gunblade to his belt on the back. Kairi did the same thing with a bit of struggle, just in time to trail after Leon as he ran off.

With fewer lanterns to light the way, the alleyways of Traverse Town were darker, emptier, and almost completely silent, except for the sound of water flowing down to the underground waterways.

“Mister Leonhart, where are you?” Goofy called one more time, and one more time, no one answered. “Gawrsh, there’s nobody here. Sure is spooky…”

“Don’t be such a scaredy cat!” Donald said. “And you call yourself captain of the royal knights— WAK!”

Suddenly Donald felt something poke him in the back. The court magician jumped in fright and clung to Goofy, shaking like a leaf.

“Excuse me,” a soft voice spoke from behind them. “Are you friends of the King?”

The voice belonged to a young lady with braided brown hair, a pink dress and a warm smile.

“Gawrsh, you know the king?” Goofy asked.

“Yes. He contacted us not too long ago. My name is Aerith, I’m a friend of Leon’s. Or Leonhart, as you called him. You must be Donald and Goofy, right?”

“Yes…” Donald said, still a bit suspicious.

Somewhere, there was a scream. Donald, Goofy and Aerith gazed around uneasily.

“We’re not safe out here. Let’s take shelter. Then we can discuss the matters at hand.”

Donald and Goofy nodded and followed the girl out of the alleyway.

Kairi followed Leon through the large doors that led to the Second District. It was bigger than the First District and had way more buildings, shops, houses, and a white building with a tall tower, all encircling a spacious low square.

They entered a building labeled “Hotel”. Inside was a hallway with several doors. Leon held open a green one and Kairi rushed inside.

The room had a single bed and simple furniture. Sitting on the bed and a chair were two girls with black hair. The girl on the bed had short hair and wore a metal headband, green tank top and beige shorts. The other girl looked older and had a strong physique, long hair, a black top under a white shirt, black miniskirt and combat gloves.

The long-haired woman jumped up as Leon slammed the door shut.

“Leon! What’s going on?” The woman’s eyes widened once she saw Kairi and the weapon on her back. “Is that…”

“Yes. The new Keybearer.”

The short-haired girl sat up and took a look at Kairi. “Are you saying this supposed first new Keybearer in years is a child?”

“How old are you again, Yuffie?” Leon asked. Yuffie showed him her tongue.

“This is great!” The woman ignored their banter. “That means there’s still hope! With the Key, you can save the worlds!”

“I… can?” Kairi asked, not understanding anything.

The girl named Yuffie got up and circled Kairi while cupping her chin, as if she were a newly discovered specimen ripe for studying.

“I dunno, she doesn’t look like much of a hero. Can she even fight?”

“By the looks of it, she took out a swarm of Heartless practically on her own,” Leon explained.

“It wasn’t really like that…” Kairi tried explaining before Yuffie cut her off.

“What, the small fry? Anyone can take care of those pushovers.”

“You know it’s not like that, Yuffie,” said the long-haired woman. “No matter how small, the Heartless are still dangerous.”

“My point is, what is this Keybearer gonna do against the heavy hitters? Are you gonna send her to fight Heartless and risk getting her heart taken?”

“What are you talking abou—”

“Of course not!” the woman said. “But we have to do something. She’s our only hope of fixing everything.”

“Which is exactly why we can’t risk losing her,” Leon chimed in. “We all want to recover what we lost, Tifa, but we can’t be rash.”

Tifa clenched her fists and then punched the wall in frustration, which caused the whole room to shake.

“But we can’t just sit around and do nothing!”

“And we won’t,” said Leon. “But we need to proceed carefully. The first thing we should do is make sure the Keybearer is trained and well-prepared. I’m not an expert on Keyblades, but I could teach her some techniques on—”

“YOU GUYS JUST, STOP!” Kairi snapped and all eyes turned to her. “I came here to try and make sense of all this, but I’m not understanding a word you’re saying! I never asked to be a ‘keybearer’, never asked to fight those things and I certainly never asked for my world to be destroyed and my friends to vanish to who knows where!”

Once Kairi stopped yelling, she began panting. She was so tired of being in the dark while tragedies kept happening around her.

The three warriors glanced at each other in shame. Finally, Tifa put a hand on Kairi’s shoulder and bent down to meet her eyes.

“I’m sorry. I think we did this all wrong. Do you want to sit down?”

“That would be great.”

“You should let go of that Keyblade first,” Leon advised. “The Heartless tend to attack outdoors, but breaking in isn’t past them.”

Kairi nodded and left the Keyblade resting against the wall next to a large shuriken — probably Yuffie’s.

“Let’s do this properly. I’m Tifa. This is Yuffie. And you’ve already met Leon. What’s your name?”

“Kairi. It’s nice to meet you.”

Tifa smiled warmly. “It’s nice to meet you too, Kairi. Do you know what the Keyblade you have is?”

“No. It showed up when the Islands were being…”

Blown away. Ripped apart. Everything she knew, torn to shreds.

“If it’s too painful, you don’t have to talk about it.”

“No, it’s okay.”

Slowly, Kairi explained everything that had happened, from noticing the storm, to trying to save Riku and Sora, to the Keyblade appearing to her. Tifa’s gaze became more sympathetic as she went on, Yuffie sighed at the mention of the dark creatures, and Leon listened with a pensive look while leaning on a doorway. And for as painful as remembering everything was, just getting to talk about it and being listened to felt like some of the weight was lifted off her shoulders.

“Wak?!” Donald looked around when the hotel shook. “What was that?”

“Don’t worry.” Aerith sat on a bed, her staff resting by her side. “My friend Tifa is in the room next door. She has a habit of punching stuff when she gets nervous.”

Donald was reminded of Daisy.

“So, what did’ja wanna talk about?” Goofy asked.

“You know there are many worlds out there besides your castle and this town. However, their existence has been a secret to all but a select few. Until now. The Heartless have changed everything. As we speak, they are seeking to destroy more and more worlds.”

“That must be why the stars are blinking out!” Goofy said, and Aerith nodded sadly.

“You’ve gone through something horrible, Kairi,” Tifa said when she finished her story. “We know what it’s like. We lost our world too.”

“Really? I’m so sorry.”

“That was nine years ago,” said Yuffie. “Before we learned how to teach those Heartless a lesson.”

“Heartless… What are they?”

“Ghosts that live in the darkness and hunger for people’s hearts,” Leon spoke for the first time in a while. “There’s darkness within every heart, and the Heartless feed on it.”

“I saw one of them taking someone’s heart. He disappeared and another Heartless appeared in his place.”

“That’s how they multiply. By turning stolen hearts into more Heartless.”

“That’s awful…”

“For years, they’ve invaded this and other worlds.” Tifa continued. “We’ve never been able to stop them. Until now.”

Kairi eyed the weapon on the other side of the room, then spoke to Leon: “You said before that the Keyblade is the Heartless’ greatest fear. But why? Your weapons seemed to work fine against them.”

“Normal weapons can wound and even fell the Heartless,” he explained. “But the Keyblade can do much more than that. Its light can reach even the strongest darkness and restore hearts that have been lost.”

“Restore hearts…” Kairi perked up. “Does that mean it can turn the Heartless back to normal? How? How can I help them?”

“For what we know, you already have,” Yuffie said. “According to our round-eared source, whenever a Keyblade destroys a Heartless, the heart that was inside is released. So they’re probably looking for a way back right now.”

For the first time since arriving in Traverse Town, Kairi let out a truly bright smile. And then another thought came to her mind, one that had felt impossible mere minutes prior.

“What about the worlds that were destroyed? Can the Keyblade restore them too?”

A dimple appeared in the corner of Leon’s cheek. “Worlds are a lot like people. If their hearts are restored, there’s a good chance the world and its inhabitants will be too.”

Kairi felt dizzy from how fast she jumped up from the bed, but it did nothing to stifle her cheer.

“Then that means we can still go back! And Grandma and Mom and Dad… They’ll be back too! Everyone will!”

“Then you see why it’s so important that you take out the Heartless,” Tifa said.

Kairi’s smile fell. “Me? Oh no, trust me, you don’t want me. I’m not some noble hero or savior, just…” She pointed to herself. “This. If the Keyblade is really so important, you should just give it to someone stronger. I’m sure any of you would do a better job saving people than I ever could.”

“I’m afraid it’s not that simple.”

Leon bent down and picked up the Keyblade. As soon as his fingers closed around the hilt, the weapon vanished from Leon’s hand and reappeared in Kairi’s in a flash of golden sparks and feathers.

“That Keyblade came from your heart. It’s bound to you. Which means you’re the only one who can wield it.”

“Me?”

Kairi held the Keyblade and looked at it. On the reflective surface of the hilt, she saw a lost and scared girl who didn’t share Riku and Sora’s fantasies for greatness, who never wanted anything more than to be with the people she loved.

A girl who could never be with the people she loved unless she stopped the Heartless.

What can I do?

Popping noises. Metal clanging. Leon, Tifa and Yuffie were on high alert before Kairi could even make sense of it. Not even a second later, a Heartless appeared in the room.

“Tifa, Yuffie, go!” Leon shouted and drew his Gunblade.

Yuffie grabbed her shuriken and followed Tifa as she kicked the door to the next room open, not noticing when the door pancaked Donald, who was going to check what all the commotion was about.

“Tifa?” Aerith stood up.

“The Heartless found us! It’s not safe here anymore!” A Heartless tried to slash at Tifa, but she dodged and destroyed it with a single punch. “Let’s go!”

Aerith picked up her staff and followed the two out of the room.

“Gawrsh, are you okay, Donald?” Goofy asked as the door slowly closed.

“Waak…”

In the other room, Kairi watched Leon slash any Heartless that came near. He was amazing. Stronger than even Riku or Sora, and certainly stronger than her.

Why had the Keyblade come for her? So many people could make better use of it, wouldn’t freeze and shake pathetically at the sight of the Heartless, would be able to save her friends when they were right in front of her…

Why me?

“Kairi!” Leon’s voice snapped her back to reality. “I know you’re scared and confused right now, but we need you. The Heartless I defeat fade back into darkness, but they’ll come back sooner or later. The Keyblade is our only chance to get rid of them for good. You have to fight.”

Kairi looked at the Keyblade. They needed her. They needed her! Not just Riku and Sora but Leon, Yuffie, Tifa, Cid and everyone else in Traverse Town who had been so kind to her. They were counting on the Keybearer to save what they had lost. If she didn’t even fight, she’d be letting them all down.

She held tight to the Keyblade, pushed away her fear and assumed a fighting stance of her own.

“I’ll do everything I can!”

Leon gave her a smirk. A Heartless came spinning at him. Leon blocked the attack with his Gunblade and then kicked the creature toward Kairi, who finished it with a swing of the Keyblade. The Heartless disappeared and released a captive heart.

More Heartless came. They were identical to the ones she had seen in the First District, with their pitch-black heads and yellow eyes encased in a silver helmet and grotesque, vaguely human-like bodies. In their chest was an emblem of a black heart crossed by a red X. Between the helmet and the emblem, Kairi thought they resembled some kind of soldier.

Leon kept wounding Heartless and tossing them to Kairi to deal the finishing blow, but no matter how many they defeated, more kept coming.

“These aren’t ordinary attacks,” Leon noted. “Their movement is coordinated. There must be a leader.”

“Who leads the Heartless?”

“Especially powerful Heartless.” His gaze turned somber. “Or a person with power over the darkness.”

Kairi felt a hint of sorrow from his words. The power someone would hold by controlling those creatures…

“So we need to find this leader and finish them, right?”

“Exactly.”

Leon threw the next Heartless through the window, shattering the glass.

“Stay with me, Kairi.”

He leaped through the broken window to the alleyway below. Kairi propped her legs on a beam to get out and hesitantly clambered down until she felt safe to jump. By then, more Heartless had already appeared on the alleyway.

“Don’t bother with the small fry,” Leon said somewhere amidst the swarm. “Let’s go!”

Easy for you to say, Kairi thought as she fended off a bunch of Shadows. When she finally bought herself a moment to breathe, Leon was nowhere to be seen.

“Leon! Where are you?”

A Soldier Heartless charged at her. Kairi dodged by a hair and pushed the creature against a wall. The Heartless wouldn’t stop coming. There was no way she could fight all of them, so she ran. She spotted a door to her side and went through it before slamming it shut before the Heartless could follow her.

Kairi emerged right next to a fountain with a beautiful painted mural. Looking around, she realized she was in the square in the Second District. There didn’t seem to be any Heartless around, for now at least.

In the hotel hallway, a group of Heartless ambushed Donald and Goofy.

“So these are the Heartless!” Donald summoned his Mage’s Staff. “Let’s go get ‘em, Goofy!”

Before he could do anything, the Heartless charged. Goofy lifted his shield just as the Heartless slammed themselves onto them. The force of the crash sent Donald and Goofy flying out of the hotel.

“Gawaaaaak!”

“A-hyoohoohoohooo!”

Hearing their shrieks, Kairi looked up just in time to see the odd duo plummeting toward her before being squashed.

“Oww…”

The three groaned in pain, all jammed in a pile. Once Donald and Goofy stopped seeing stars, their eyes trailed to the Keyblade in Kairi’s hand.

“The key!” they exclaimed.

A loud metallic rumble resonated through the Second District. Kairi, Donald and Goofy sprang back up and readied their weapons. Just as they did, a swarm of Soldier Heartless surrounded them.

“Think you can handle them?” Donald asked.

Kairi raised the Keyblade with a determined expression. “Yes. I can do this!”

The Heartless attacked. Goofy guarded against the claws of one and knocked it toward Donald, who shot a ball of fire from his staff before Kairi leaped in and finished off the Heartless with the Keyblade.

“Not bad!” Goofy commended, and Kairi smiled in response.

They continued to fight, Kairi swinging the Keyblade, Donald firing spells and Goofy whacking foes with his shield. As they fought, Kairi couldn’t help but look curiously at her allies. They were an odd couple for sure, but Kairi wasn’t as weirded out by them as she probably should have been. She chalked it up to always having had a wild imagination.

With a well-aimed spell, Donald finished off the last Heartless. But before the trio had time to celebrate, the rumble was heard again, and a bundle of metal parts fell clanking from the sky and amassed themselves into a suit of armor. Finally, a helmet landed atop the armor, forming a five-meter tall purple Heartless with disconnected limbs and the familiar black and red emblem in its chest.

“This one must be the leader,” Kairi said.

“Wak…” Donald grumbled as he tried and failed not to tremble.

Goofy gulped. “Do you think we can beat it?”

Kairi hardened her grip on the Keyblade. If they didn’t beat this thing, it would terrorize the people of Traverse Town. They had to put a stop to it! This was her duty! Her responsibility!

“We have to!” she said. “If we fight together, we can do it!”

Donald and Goofy looked at each other, their fear giving way to determination, and nodded. They stood behind Kairi.

The Heartless leaped toward them and the three jumped out of the way.

“Fire!” Flames burst from Donald’s staff and hit the Heartless’ torso, but the enemy didn’t even flinch. “Wak?!”

The feet came stomping down on him. Goofy ran to Donald and defended him with his shield. Kairi attacked the right foot with a series of slashes, but then the hands began spinning around the torso and she had to step away.

The different parts moved with minds of their own, and the trio could only get a few seemingly ineffective hits in before they were forced to dodge another part, making it practically impossible to fight efficiently.

“It’s not doing any good!” Goofy grunted as he blocked a thrust from the left foot.

“Wak!” 

The right hand swung at Donald and knocked him into a wall. Before Kairi and Goofy could help him up, the magician got back on his own, practically fuming.

“Why you! What’s the big idea?! Take that! And that!”

Donald fired spell after spell at the hand. At the sixth or so spell, the scorched hand fell to the ground. It shook like it was trying to get back up, but before it could, Kairi swooped in and struck the hand with the Keyblade, destroying it.

“I got it!” she exclaimed. “Let’s gang up on one part at a time. I’ll attack the other hand, you keep me from being hit and you continue shooting from afar.”

“You can count on me!” Goofy raised his shield.

“I like that plan!” Donald picked something from his pocket and put it in his mouth. A faint blue glow shone around the magician as he readied his staff.

Kairi ran back to the Heartless with Goofy on her heels and struck the left hand repeatedly. The feet tried to kick her off but Goofy kept them at bay with his shield. With no need to worry about the other parts and the extra damage from Donald’s magic, the trio managed to take out the remaining hand rather easily.

“We did it!”

“Now for the feet!”

They kept the same strategy, focusing on just one foot, with Kairi attacking with the Keyblade, Goofy defending her from the other foot and the torso, and Donald sending homing fireballs, thunderbolts and shards of ice from a distance until both feet had been destroyed.

“Yes!” Kairi pumped her fist in celebration. “Now we just need to take out the—”

“Look out!”

Kairi was pulled by Goofy just as the torso slammed itself on the spot she had been a second before. With no hands or feet to attack, the torso spun around like a tornado. Kairi and Goofy rushed out of the way before it could reach them. Meanwhile, Donald kept on firing spells.

“Fire! Blizzard! Arf… Thunder! Wak?” Until finally, nothing came from his wand. “I’m all out of magic! And ethers too.”

“Now what?” Goofy asked, hiding behind his shield.

Kairi tried thinking of something. They had to take out that Heartless, but the torso wouldn’t let them come near. The only other spot they could hit was…

“The head!” Kairi glanced at Goofy’s shield and had an idea. She took several steps backward until her back was almost touching the wall. “Raise the shield!”

Goofy looked confused for a moment before realizing what she intended to do. He got on his knees and raised the shield just above his head. Kairi sprinted toward him. She stepped on the shield and Goofy sprang up, thrusting Kairi high in the air and toward the Heartless. She raised the Keyblade, and with a shout, nailed it right through the Heartless’ head. The two remaining parts shook and finally collapsed onto the ground like a marionette with its strings cut.

“Did we do it?” Goofy asked as Kairi took the Keyblade off the head and jumped off the Heartless. Then a big heart floated out of the torso and disappeared, followed by the remains of the armor.

Leon, Yuffie, Tifa and Aerith came running from an alley, weapons at hand. They searched for the source of the trouble, only to find the worn-out trio and no Heartless in sight.

“So now you arrive,” Kairi grumbled.

She stumbled from exhaustion and almost fell, but Goofy helped her stay up. Aerith came, raised her staff and green light enveloped them. Immediately, cuts and bruises began closing, and Kairi managed to stand on her own.

“What happened?” Tifa asked.

“Well, Donald and I fell on top of her,” Goofy explained. “Then this big metal Heartless showed up and we fought it together.”

“You took out the leader?” Leon crossed his arms and smirked. “Gotta say, I’m impressed. And I see you’ve already met.”

“Not really,” Kairi admitted. “But I guess we did fight well together.”

“That’s good,” Aerith said with a smile. “They’ve been looking for you.”

“We received a mission from our King,” Donald said. “To find the new Keyblade wielder who could help us save the worlds.”

“I see…”

“So will you come with us?” Goofy asked. “We can travel to other worlds on our ship.”

“Other worlds…” The thought reminded Kairi of her friends. They’ve always wanted to visit other worlds. But without Riku and Sora, it just didn’t feel the same.

Cid said that they could be somewhere in another world, she remembered.

“If I go with you,” Kairi started, “I want to look for my friends. I have this feeling that they’re somewhere out there.”

“If we go to other worlds, I’m sure you’ll find them,” Donald said. “In fact, we’re also looking for a friend.”

Kairi perked up. “You really think so?”

“Of course.”

Kairi looked to Leon and his companions, who all smiled in return.

“Really? A-hyuck, that’s good!” Goofy told Donald when no one else was looking.

“Who knows,” Donald whispered to his friend. “But we need her to come with us to help us find the King. Just say whatever so she’ll agree”

“That seems kinda mean…”

“Goofy, trust me,” Donald said through gritted teeth. “Don’t mess this up!”

Kairi turned back to them and Donald and Goofy quickly straightened themselves up.

“So if I go with you, you promise you’ll help me find Riku and Sora?”

“Sure,” said Donald. “But you also help us find King Mickey. He left saying the worlds were in danger and told us to stay with the Keybearer.”

Kairi glanced at the ground. “Of course. I’ll help you.”

Right… It’s all about this Keyblade. She shook her head. Don’t think like that! This is something that they— that I have to do!

“But you can’t come along looking like that,” Donald said, serious. Kairi looked at herself, wondering if there was something wrong with how she was dressed, but Donald grinned. “This boat runs on smiles. So no frowning and no sad faces.”

“Yeah, you gotta look funny, like us!” Goofy said, a dorky smile on his face as well.

“Okay… How do I look funny?”

“First of all, cheer up,” said Donald. “Shake that gloom off! Try laughing a bit.”

“Laugher?”

She could do this. She could do something as simple as laughing.

Kairi drew in a deep breath and expelled it all in a loud burst:

“AHAHAHAHAHAHA.” Dead silence. She drew in another breath and laughed again. “AHAHAHAHAHA.”

Everyone was staring at her. Goodness, she looked ridiculous. What was she thinking doing something like—

“AHYUHYUHYUHYUK!” Goofy let out a loud laugh of his own sounding even more ridiculous than Kairi’s. Finally, Donald cackled too:

“GAHAHAHAHAHA!”

A smile escaped Kairi. The three breathed in together and let go at the same time:

“HAHAHAHAHAHA!”

“AHYUHYUHYUHYUK!”

“GAHAHAHAHAHA!”

It was too much. They burst into actual laughter, as did Yuffie, Aerith and Tifa. Even Leon cracked a chuckle.

“Alright,” Kairi said, wiping out a tear. “I’ll go with you.”

“Then let’s do this right.” Donald held out his hand. “Donald Duck. Royal Magician and assistant of King Mickey.”

“Name’s Goofy Goof.” He placed his hand over Donald’s. Kairi had to hold back a snicker at his name. “Captain of the Royal Knights of Disney Castle.”

“I’m Kairi Hayazaki Amada.” She put her hand atop theirs. “And, um… My father is a public officer and my mother is a social worker.”

“You could have just said you’re a Keyblade wielder,” Donald said. “But I guess that’s cool too.”

“Thanks.”

“All for one and one for all!” Goofy declared, a quote they’d all heard before.

With their hands joined, the three smiled.

~♡~

In an ill and dark chamber, four equally dark beings gathered around a stone pedestal. They watched a ring of eerie green light, where a vision of Kairi, Donald and Goofy shimmered.

“That little squirt took out that Heartless. Who’d have thought it?” one voice mocked.

“Such is the power of the Keyblade,” a lower voice spoke. “The girl’s strength is not her own.”

“She is but a child swinging a toy around,” said a deep, mechanical and emotionless voice. “But the toy in question is quite powerful. Should she learn to wield it, she could pose a considerable threat.”

“Why don’t we turn her and the king’s lackeys into Heartless?” A strident laugh echoed. “That’ll settle things quick enough.”

“If she ever becomes a thorn in our side, she shall be destroyed,” said a female voice.

Behind the group stood a woman of green skin and huge horns clad in black. In her hand she carried a long staff, a black raven perched on top of it.

“As it stands, she is no danger to us. And besides, we need the Keyblade if we are to unlock the Final Keyhole.”

One of the figures looked over his shoulder. The others remained quiet at the sound of his loud breaths.

“Perhaps she won’t be necessary. A new presence arrived at the castle grounds. I sense immense power within him. A lone fighter who turned his back on his old life. He might be more complaisant.”

Chapter Text

Riku awoke to the sound of rushing water. As he struggled up, his head spun and his stomach turned. The dark portal had been cold and suffocating, like drowning at the bottom of the ocean.

He was in an unfamiliar location, surrounded by walls of blue rock that moved in strange patterns. Upon closer inspection, he realized those weren’t just walls, but waterfalls flowing upward.

“Where…am I?”

His mind flooded with memories of the Island, the voice behind the robe, the door, the shadows, the darkness… His delight at the chance of leaving and Kairi’s distress at his offer.

“Kairi…” His face went pale at the thought of his friends. “KAIRI! SORA!”

The only answer was his own voice echoing back.

Riku looked down at his trembling hands. Those hands had opened the door in the secret place. They had made his best friend, his sister in all but blood, recoil in fear.

“What have I done…”

Not far away, the evil fairy sneered at the boy.

~♡~

“Keyhole?” Kairi asked.

“Every world amongst the stars has a Keyhole that leads to that world’s heart,” said Leon. 

Kairi, Donald, Goofy and the group from Traverse Town were at the hotel room where Donald, Goofy and Aerith had been not long before. Now, Leon was finishing explaining what they had to know for their mission.

“When your island fell, did you see a large door opening?”

“Yeah.” That door in the secret place. When she touched it she felt something pulsing… Like a heartbeat.

“The Heartless come in search of the Keyholes. When they find it, they enter through the Keyhole and consume the world’s heart.”

“And then what happens?” Goofy asked.

“Darkness comes out of the Keyhole. And then the world disappears.”

“What?!” Donald and Goofy gasped. Kairi just looked down sadly.

“How can I restore these worlds?” she asked.

“We’re not sure,” Leon said.

“When the King contacted us, he said he was looking for a way to do just that,” Tifa said. “But he did tell us there’s a way for you to make sure no other worlds will be lost.”

“How?”

“By finding the Keyholes and locking them with the Keyblade,” Leon explained. “That should make the world’s heart inaccessible to the Heartless.”

“If I can stop more people from being hurt, I’ll gladly do it,” Kairi proclaimed.

Donald crossed his arms in thought. “So the King is looking for a way to restore the worlds. Where could he have gone to find that?”

“There was a guy studying the Heartless,” Yuffie spoke up. “His name was Ansem the Wise.”

“Who’s that?” asked Kairi.

“A sage and scientist who ruled our homeworld,” said Tifa. “I was very young, but I remember the rumors about his experiments on the darkness in the heart.”

“Me too,” Aerith chimed in, her face solemn. “It’s a bit hazy, but… There was an orphanage in the district where I lived. From time to time, some men in uniforms would come and take in kids for some kind of internship, I think. But I remember meeting a boy there who said the kids that left were never heard of again.”

Kairi, Donald and Goofy went stiff. “Does that mean…”

Aerith looked down. “I don’t know.”

“Maybe this Ansem feller has some sort of clue,” Goofy said.

“The problem is, Ansem disappeared when our world fell,” Leon said.

“But if he was conducting a research, he must have left something behind,” Kairi wondered out loud. “Like a dossier or a logbook, something to document his findings.”

“It’s possible. Maybe some of his research ended up in other worlds.”

“Then we’ll search for it,” she promptly said. “We’ll travel to other worlds and search for any Keyholes and clues about this Ansem’s research. All the while, we look for my friends and the King.”

“Yeah!” Donald agreed, Goofy nodding beside him.

“That’s the spirit! But right now, you should try to get some sleep.”

“Aerith’s right.” Tifa stood up. “Today was a busy day, and tomorrow will be one too. You can rest in this room and the one next door.”

“Thank you,” Kairi said to the Traverse Town group as they headed for the exit. “All of you. For everything.”

Tifa, Aerith and Yuffie smiled, while Leon gave an awkward half-frown half-smile. “Don’t mention it.”

The four left the room, leaving Kairi, Donald and Goofy alone.

“So, how’s it gonna be?” Goofy asked.

“There’s a single bed in the other room,” Kairi said. “And a double bed here…”

Donald thought for a moment before sighing. “You can have the other room. Goofy and I will stay here and… share.”

Kairi thanked him and headed for her room, while Donald pondered over which positions would allow him and Goofy to accidentally kick each other in the middle of the night the least.

She had no sleepwear, so Kairi just took off her hoodie, shoes and accessories and left them on the bedside cabinet alongside her knapsack. One of the windows was broken thanks to Leon, but Kairi didn’t mind it. In fact, she opened the others as well, so she’d be able to hear the water flowing to the drainage system at the back of the hotel. She had lived next to the beach her entire life, and as so always drifted to sleep to the sound of the waves. She didn’t think she would be able to sleep without some sort of noise.

Kairi lay down on the soft bed, pulled the blanket and turned off the lights, but sleep didn’t come. Instead, she rolled over again and again, trying to drift off, but she just couldn’t. Her body was tired, but her head was racing like a whirlwind. There was just too much on her mind: the Heartless, the Keyblade, the Keyholes.

“Ugh.” Kairi groaned, rubbed her face and turned on the bedside lamp.

She reached for her locket on the cabinet and opened it, revealing two pictures. In one picture, her grandmother, her father, her mother and herself as a small child sat on a meadow with flower wreaths on their heads and smiles on their faces. In the other picture, she, Riku and Sora were on the beach, laughing or making funny faces.

Seeing them again, even like this, eased her worries, if only a little.

Even if all of this is so complicated, in the end, I’m doing it for you guys. So we can smile together again.

She had also been nervous the previous day, when the future seemed so uncertain. Back then, Sora had been there for her and reassured her that everything would be fine. He made her feel safe — he always did.

Now the future was as uncertain as it could be. Kairi wished Sora was still by her side to comfort her and cheer her up with that smile of his. Just listening to her would be a huge help.

An idea came to her. She got up and searched her knapsack for a pen and the journal she got from her grandmother, then sat on the bed and began to write.

Dear Sora,

You’ll probably never read this, but I just need to talk to you in some way, even if it’s just on paper. So much has happened, and honestly, I can’t sleep. Unfortunately, not all of us can run the whole island without breaking a sweat and still fall asleep as soon as we lay our head down on a bed, a desk, the freaking sand. Seriously you lazy bum, how do you do it?

On the night Destiny Islands fell, I noticed the storm and ran to the Playing Island. I don’t know if you’ve seen the creatures there. I learned they’re called Heartless, creatures of darkness that take people’s hearts. It sounds crazy, but I think I’ve seen them in a dream before. I haven’t told anyone this because it seems impossible or at least unimportant, but you’ve never dismissed my dreams, which is why I’m telling you.

I found Riku but something was wrong with him. He sounded almost happy that the island was being destroyed, saying we could finally go to the outside world and leave Destiny Islands behind. As I write this, it’s hard not to think of our last conversation. I can’t help but feel guilty. I knew Riku was having a hard time but didn’t even try to do anything to help. Maybe if I did, things could have been different.

I couldn’t follow Riku, not like that. I tried saving him when the darkness surrounded us, but he disappeared. I thought then I’d at least save you, Sora. Somehow I knew you were in our secret place. You looked so tired when I found you. What happened? When the door opened and you came flying toward me I thought, I’ll protect you, I’ll keep you safe like you’ve always done to me. But then you also disappeared just before I could reach you.

I’m sorry, Sora. I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you. I couldn’t protect anything. Not you, or Riku, or the island, Grandma, Mom, Dad. I let you all down.

My greatest fear is that I’ll let many more people down. During the storm, something came to me. Something called a Keyblade. After you and Riku vanished, I found myself in another world, called Traverse Town. It’s a refuge for people who lost their homes to the Heartless. Here, I met people who helped me and explained to me that the Keyblade is the only thing that can defeat the Heartless for good and release the hearts they’ve captured. On top of that, I’m the only one who can wield it. Which means I’m the only hope these people have of getting back their homes and their loved ones.

I never expected to become some chosen hero. I’ve always wanted to help people like Mom and Dad, but never thought I’d even have the chance to do something like this. Let’s be honest, I’m not the kind of person you think about when someone says “hero”. I can see you as a happy-go-lucky adventurer who travels the worlds fighting the darkness and bringing joy. Even Riku fits into the lone wolf type who acts all cool but deep down is a big softie. But I’m nothing like any of that. I’m not strong like you two. Save the universe? I couldn’t even save my best friends when you were right in front of me.

I’m afraid, Sora. Afraid I’ll let everyone who is relying on me down. That worlds will be lost to darkness because I’ll fail to keep them safe. But I can’t walk away now. So many people are counting on me to recover what they lost. I have to succeed, for their sake as well as ours. Even if I don’t think I can’t do this, I need to do something.

When I think about how big this world I’ve been thrust into is, I feel like hiding and running away. But when I think about you, and that I’m fighting so we can play on the beach and watch the sunset again, it gives me courage. I know it’s selfish but it’s my silver lining. I’ll fight all the Heartless in the universe if it means I can save just one person, and if it’ll bring me closer to you guys, and closer to home.

Looking at the bright side, I won’t have to do it alone. After some trouble, I met the funniest figures: Donald and Goofy, a magician and a knight from a place called Disney Castle. We fought a huge Heartless together, and then they said their king sent them on a mission to find the Keybearer. So tomorrow, Donald, Goofy and I are embarking on their ship and going to other worlds to find clues about the Heartless, seal away the hearts of the worlds so they can’t hurt anyone else, and to look for you guys and their king.

I won’t stop fighting, not until we’re all together on Destiny Islands again. I promise Sora, I will find you and Riku, and we will go back home. Until then, I pray you two stay safe.

May the Land be our haven,

The Sky our guide,

And the Ocean our link.

Love

Thinking of you,

Kairi

Even though Sora wasn’t actually there, Kairi felt her heart at ease. She brought her locket to her lips before leaving it and the journal on the cabinet and turning off the lights for the last time. As Kairi drifted into sleep, she hummed Sora’s tune to herself.

~♡~

A few hours later, Tifa came to wake Kairi up. She struggled a bit to get out of bed, used to waking up with the sun on her face. But apparently, it was always nighttime in Traverse Town. According to Tifa, a lot of worlds in the so-called Realm Between had unusual day and night cycles.

Kairi put on her trinkets and tied the Keyblade to her belt, all while Donald grumbled loudly at Yuffie for waking them up with a yell and a door slam in the next room. When they met in the hallway, he was still frowning, but Yuffie and Goofy didn’t seem to care.

“Good morning, Kairi,” Goofy greeted her with a smile. “Ready for our big journey?”

“Good morning, guys.” Kairi returned the smile, though hers was a bit nervous. “Ready as I’ll ever be, I guess.”

“Before you go, how about some breakfast first?” Tifa offered. “You must be hungry.”

As if on cue, a growl came from each of their bellies. Tifa chuckled.

“Don’t worry. Leon, Aerith and Cid are waiting for us in the restaurant.”

Kairi, Donald and Goofy followed Tifa and Yuffie through the Second District. With the defeat of the leader, the smaller Heartless seemed to have taken a break from Traverse Town, making the town feel way cozier and friendlier. The Second District no longer looked like a ghost town but a real community, with people chatting, children running and vendors selling all sorts of items. When Kairi closed her eyes, she could imagine she was back on Tuatahi Island.

As the group approached the restaurant in the First District, Aerith stood up and waved at them, Leon and Cid sitting by her sides. Their table was full of dishes Kairi wouldn’t expect for breakfast, like bacon and eggs, pancakes and waffles. Donald and Goofy didn’t seem to find it strange though. It seemed people ate different things for breakfast in different worlds.

“Well, whaddya know. If it isn’t the Keyblade kid,” Cid greeted.

“Please, have a seat.” Aerith gestured to the free chairs. “We weren’t sure what you liked, so we just asked a bit of everything.”

“Oh boy!” Donald and Goofy didn’t waste any time and immediately stuffed their plates.

“Thank you for the meal,” Kairi said with a slight bow of the head after sitting down. It was a gesture of good manners that her mother had taught her.

The food was delicious. Kairi had some apple juice, blueberry muffins and pancakes topped with honey. At one point she saw Donald practically drench his waffles with maple syrup and had to do a double take. That stuff was hard to come by in Destiny Islands, but according to him, it was in every store at Disney Town. On the other hand, he and Goofy were surprised to learn that mango trees grew naturally in the Islands and it was common for people to climb them and pick up some on the streets.

After a very fulfilling meal, there was still food on the table, but Kairi, Donald and Goofy were too stuffed to have any more.

“So what are your plans now?” Tifa asked the newly formed trio.

“We want to leave today,” Donald said. “The sooner we start looking for our friends and the Keyholes, the better.”

“I like that attitude!” Aerith pumped her fists and Goofy mimicked her.

Leon looked at Kairi. “It’s going to be a tough journey. Make sure you can take care of yourself out there.”

She nodded halfheartedly

“It’s okay, Kairi,” Donald assured. “We’ll fight the Heartless together.”

“I know. It’s just that, you two can do some pretty awesome things, but all I can do is swing this Keyblade around.”

“I’m sure you can do all sorts of things too,” said Goofy. “And we’ll help you learn. I can teach you how to get stronger, and Donald can teach you magic.”

“Don’t volunteer for me!” the magician protested. “I’m not a magic guru.”

“Wait, I can learn magic? Is this another Keyblade thing?”

“Not really,” Aerith said. “Magic originates in the heart, so anyone can do it. It just takes the right method. Depending on how you use it, it can do lots of different things, like make your body stronger or allow you to cast spells. Really advanced magic can even defy the laws of reality.”

“So I can also do these things? How?”

“With proper training and practice. I’m sure Donald could teach you along the way.”

“Stop speaking for me!” he complained. “I didn’t agree to this.”

“Please, will you teach me, Donald?” Kairi all but begged. “I’m not very strong. There’s so much I want to do but can’t. If I could do magic like you, I would be of much more help in finding the Keyholes and your king.”

Donald considered it. He hadn’t ever thought of having apprentices — he knew well enough how much work kids were — but it was true they needed Kairi to find the king. She was a Keyblade wielder, but her build wasn’t that of a physical fighter. Unless he and Goofy wanted to carry her in every battle, she probably should have some tricks up her sleeve.

“I guess I could teach you a thing or two.”

“Really? Thank you so much!” In her enthusiasm, Kairi threw her arms around Donald and hugged him.

“Wak! Alright, but back off!”

“Sorry,” she apologized and let go. “So, how does magic work?”

Donald sighed. “Am I really gonna have to explain everything?”

“If you want, I can help,” Aerith offered. “I can teach Kairi the basics before you leave and you take it from there.”

“Hmm… We do need to refill our stack of items. Alright, you can teach her.”

Aerith smiled. “Looks like you’re mine in the meantime, Kairi.”

“Thanks a lot,” said Kairi. “I’ll do my best!”

Learning magic… That was literally a dream come true. As a child, she used to look at everything, the sea, the sky, people, the flowers in her grandma’s garden, and insist it was magical. How else could those things make her heart feel so full and light at the same time? She had always wanted to learn to wield that magic and bring it to others, even as she grew older and everyone started laughing at her ideas. Everyone except Sora, Riku and her grandma.

They left the restaurant and Cid took Donald and Goofy to an item shop to resupply, while Aerith took Kairi somewhere quiet to practice magic. As they walked, Aerith asked if Kairi had any questions.

“You said magic comes from the heart,” she started. “Is magic some kind of thing that the heart creates?”

“Not quite. What the heart creates is light and darkness. It does so every time we feel an emotion. Magic is the practice of using those forces to achieve an effect in the real world. So magic is kinda like extending your heart outside yourself.”

“You mean mages like you and Donald create things just out of light and darkness?”

“It’s less of a creation and more of a transformation. By themselves, the light and darkness we carry don’t do much. We can project them into the world but unless they have something to interact with, they’ll just exist passively. So in addition to projecting them, we need to add something into the mix.”

Aerith stopped and so did Kairi. They were, coincidentally, in the same alley Kairi had woken up on the previous day. Satisfied with the place, Aerith took her staff from its holder on her belt and put it aside.

“If magic comes from us, why do you and Donald fight with rods?” Kairi asked.

“Well observed, Kairi. Weapons that have been enchanted to draw light and darkness help us concentrate them to make spellcasting easier. You can use your Keyblade for that. I heard they’re great conduits.”

She took the Keyblade from her belt and held it. “What do I have to do?”

“The first kind of magic most people learn is elemental since it’s easy to visualize. It’s also recommended to start with an element the caster is familiar with. You’re from a tropical island, right? Since you’re used to heat, I think Fire will be a good first spell.”

Aerith opened her palm and produced a small flame. Even though she’d already seen Aerith and Donald perform magic, the display still impressed Kairi.

“You have to show your light and your darkness what you want them to become. They’ll be drawn to the Keyblade, so don’t worry about directing them for now. Just focus on the element you’re trying to emulate. Making a mental image can help too.”

“Is it really okay to use darkness?” Kairi asked a bit unsure.

“I understand your hesitation, but darkness isn’t an inherently bad thing. It can be dangerous, of course, but it’s still a part of us. What’s important is knowing how to use it and where to direct it. Basic spells like this one don’t require much, so you don’t have to worry about this for now, but keep it in mind.”

In hindsight, it made sense. Kairi had associated darkness exclusively with the Heartless, but they weren’t all there was to it.

She nodded her understanding, closed her eyes and pictured a flame. Nothing happened. Maybe her image wasn’t elaborate enough? She tried adding more details: The fire oscillating, the light blazing, smoke coming out. But still, nothing changed.

She opened her eyes and looked at Aerith with disappointment. Aerith responded with a patient smile.

“That was your first time,” she reassured her. “Just try again.”

Kairi tried again and then a third time, but got the same result both times.

“It’s no use!” she exclaimed, frustrated. “I can’t do it.”

“It’s okay.” Aerith put her flameless hand on her shoulder. “Of course you’re not becoming an expert mage overnight, but you can do it. What’s giving you trouble?”

“I don’t know. No matter how hard I visualize, nothing happens. And this was supposed to be an easy spell for me…”

“Hmm… Maybe you’re going about this the wrong way. Visualizing can help, but the source of magic is still the heart. So for most people, the main factor isn’t a precise image, but what you feel.”

Kairi pondered her words. “So you’re saying I’m thinking too much?”

“That’s one way of putting it,” Aerith said with a chuckle, then brought the flame in her hand closer to Kairi. “I made this because I thought it would be easier for you to focus on a source of heat outside your own body. Try concentrating on it this time. Remember, you’re not trying to create flames, you’re trying to turn the light and darkness inside you into flames.”

So Kairi tried one more time, but instead of simply imagining a flame, she turned her thoughts to the one in Aerith’s hand, specifically to the heat she could feel touch her skin. The flame was small but cozy, like one you’d find on a candle atop a birthday cake.

The Keyblade’s handle became a bit warmer.

What about a bigger fire? The largest flames Kairi ever saw were the ones in the bonfire at the Festival of the Progenitors. When she stood close to it, she felt its heat in her entire body. It energized her and made her feel truly connected to the Islands, their people and their history.

The Keyblade grew even hotter until it shone with an orange light. Kairi smiled at her progress.

And then the Keyblade burst into flames.

“Don’t drop it!” Aerith said in response to Kairi’s shocked cry. “And don’t channel any more.”

Kairi did as she was told and looked at Aerith with desperate eyes.

“Wow, okay, that went way better than I expected. Maybe I should have taught you to direct your power…”

“What do I do now?!” Kairi asked in a panic. The fire on the Keyblade was growing unstable.

“Try releasing it! Er…” Aerith scanned the alleyway frantically until she spotted a pile of crates. “Over there! Just let it all out!”

Kairi pointed the Keyblade at the crates and let go of all she had piled up. She didn’t think about how to do it, she just did it, as naturally as if she were throwing something with her hands.

The flames went to the tip of the Keyblade and blasted out with such force, it almost knocked the Keyblade out of Kairi’s hand. They kept going toward the crates until they blew up on impact. Kairi and Aerith shielded their faces from the blast. Once the smoke cleared, all that was left were chunks of smoldering wood.

“I…I’m sorry!” Kairi lowered her head. “I promise I’ll do better next time!”

“Do better? Kairi, that was amazing!”

When Kairi looked up, Aerith was practically laughing. “It was?”

“Are you kidding? That spell was great! And it only took you what, four tries? For a first-timer, that’s pretty impressive.”

Kairi blushed and smiled. “You did say the Keyblade is a very good conduit.”

“This isn’t about the Keyblade. The strongest weapon in the worlds wouldn’t be of much use in the hands of someone who doesn’t know how to use it. You said you aren’t strong, but you just might have a knack for magic.”

“You really think so?”

“Yes. That makes the two of us.”

Kairi had never been physically strong like Riku or as full of energy as Sora, who could tire any opponent. That was why she relied on agility and ingenuity, but fighting the Heartless required her to be offensive. Maybe this could be her way of standing on equal footing with them.

“We better head back,” said Aerith. “They’re probably done by now.”

“Alright.” Kairi put the Keyblade back in her belt and followed her out of the alley. “Hey, Aerith? What do you think I should learn next?”

Aerith hummed in thought for a moment. “Normally Fire and Blizzard are the first spells beginners learn. But you are not very used to cold, so maybe you could try Water instead.”

“I did spend a lot of time at the sea on Destiny Islands.”

“Then next time you’re by a body of water, try doing the same thing you did today. Focus on the element, pile up the power in your heart and then release it.”

Kairi nodded.

The two arrived at the square right as Donald, Goofy and Cid exited the item shop. They left the shop exactly as they entered, with not an item in sight.

“Hi there,” Kairi greeted. “I thought you were getting supplies.”

“We were,” said Goofy. “We got plenty of items, accessories, and snacks too. We even got you a little something.”

Donald took something the size of a coin out of his pocket and held it forward in his palm.

“Grow.”

In the blink of an eye, the object expanded to its normal size. Donald now held a black pouch.

“Here.” He offered Kairi the pouch. “You can strap it to your belt, that way you don’t have to carry that bag everywhere. And I cast a simple bottomless spell, so it can store way more than it looks.”

Kairi picked the pouch with the same care she would pick a great treasure and offered them a grateful smile.

“Thank you. I really appreciate it.”

Goofy smiled in return while Donald just shrugged. “Well, you better, ‘cause I just funded my uncle’s business empire for that.”

“What about your magic lesson?” Goofy asked. “How’d it go?”

“Great! I think,” she said. “I struggled a bit at the start, but I think I’ve finally got the feeling of it figured out. From now on, I’ll do my best to learn all sorts of magic.”

“Mark my words, at the end of your journey, Kairi will be a force to be reckoned with. She’s a natural at magic.”

Kairi gave a nervous smile at the vote of confidence and promised herself she would do everything she could to meet Aerith’s expectations, especially after she’d been so kind and helpful to her.

“I’m looking forward to it,” said Donald. “Now, are we ready to go?”

“You’re leaving?” Their heads turned to the staircase, where Tifa, Leon and Yuffie walked down to meet them.

“Yeah,” said Kairi. “Those Keyholes aren’t gonna seal themselves.”

“Well, if there’s any trouble, just come back here,” Cid said. “We’ll help you out however we can.”

“We still haven’t found Traverse Town’s Keyhole,” Leon said. “As long as it’s unlocked, the Heartless will keep on coming.”

“Too bad for them!” Yuffie grinned and leaned on Leon. “They’ll have to go against the great ninja Yuffie!”

Leon moved his arm and Yuffie almost fell.

“What they mean is, we’ll look for the Keyhole while you’re away,” said Tifa.

Aerith walked to their side before looking back at Kairi. “If you have a quiet time, try casting magic without the Keyblade to train your focus. The more you train, the better you’ll get.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Kairi said with a chuckle. “I’ll be sure to do my homework.”

“I’ll hold you to that.” Aerith chuckled as well, but then her smile fell a bit. “Stay safe, you three.”

“Don’t worry. We will.”

Kairi bid them all farewell and followed her new companions to Traverse Town’s exit gate.

On the other side, the Gummi Ship was there to meet them. While Donald and Goofy opened the hatch, Kairi took a moment to admire the vehicle.

“This is your ship? It’s a spaceship!”

Donald looked at her like she’d just said something stupid. “Yeah, obviously. What did you think it would be?”

“A normal, non-flying, water ship,” Kairi replied.

Donald laughed. “How on earth would we travel to other worlds in a normal ship?”

Kairi crossed her arms. “I’m from an island, okay? We did everything with boats! And yesterday you said ‘this boat runs on smiles.’”

“That was just an expression! What, did you also think the ship literally runs on smiles?”

“If you told me it did, I honestly wouldn’t be surprised.”

“It doesn’t. And we can’t travel to other worlds on a ship made for the sea.”

“But Donald,” Goofy chimed in, “isn’t the name of the space between worlds the Ocean Between? How’s it different from the normal ocean?”

“Completely different! Now can we go in?”

The trio entered the ship, passed by the engines and climbed the ladder to the cockpit. As soon as she emerged from the trapdoor, Kairi’s eyes widened like those of a child in an amusement park.

“WOW! This is awesome!”

“Hey, don’t touch that!”

She didn’t even listen to Donald’s protests as she sat in the driver's seat, too distracted by all the switches, buttons, levers and monitors. Kairi pressed a button out of curiosity. All of the monitors and lights powered up, and Chip and Dale’s faces popped up on a screen.

“Hey guys!” Chip greeted. “Ready to go to a new worl— Wait, who are you?”

“Get off!” Donald shoved Kairi out of his seat. “Kairi, meet Chip and Dale, the operators of the Gummi Ship. Chip, Dale, this is Kairi. She’ll be traveling with us.”

“Heya, Kairi,” greeted Dale.

“It’s nice to meet ya,” said Chip.

“It’s nice to meet you too. I’m guessing you’re the guys on the chair?”

“Yep,” Goofy said, already taking his seat. “Chip and Dale monitor the ship all the way from Disney Castle.”

“That’s where you live, right?”

“Yes,” Donald said, not hiding his irritation. “Now can you please sit down? We have to take off.”

Kairi went to take the seat on the left, but once again glanced at the control panel. Suddenly, it seemed Sora’s childish attitude got a hold of her.

“Can I drive?”

“What? NO!” Donald promptly answered. “Do you even know how to pilot a ship?”

“No, but you can teach me!”

“No way! What are you, twelve?”

“I’m fourteen.”

“Whatever! I’m not teaching you how to drive. Now sit down!”

Kairi groaned and sank into her seat.

“Chip, Dale, prepare for launch.”

Donald flipped some switches and the engines buzzed. Kairi winced a bit when everything started shaking. At first the ship just inched off the ground, but then it took off at high speed toward the starry sky. Having never flown before, Kairi grasped the arms of her seat. Her nervousness turned to panic as she realized they were flying straight into something, a translucent barrier of sorts.

She gasped and shut her eyes, bracing herself for the impact. But it never came. Instead, the ship passed straight through the light barrier, like it wasn’t even there. Still, Kairi kept her eyes stubbornly shut.

“It’s okay, Kairi.” She felt Goofy’s hand touching her shoulder. “You can open your eyes now.”

Slowly and hesitantly, Kairi did just that. When her eyes finally opened, her jaw dropped at the sight in front of her.

“Welcome to the Ocean Between,” Donald said.

Outside the ship, the deep blue sky shone with millions of stars. Trails of light cut through the sky. Floating about were colorful glowing asteroids, clouds of mist and fog, and structures that looked like the remains of natural flora and man-made buildings. It was nothing like what she imagined space to look like, or how she saw it depicted on TV shows and comic books. Instead, it looked like how she pictured it was like under the ocean. Not dark and empty but colorful and majestic.

“It’s so beautiful…”

Donald and Goofy smiled softly at the girl’s wonder.

“Alright guys, what’s the closest world right now?” Donald asked.

Some kind of chart full of dots appeared on one of the monitors, followed by Chip’s voice: “Unfortunately, with all the worlds that were destroyed, our records are not really up to date. But it seems you’re near two worlds very close to one another. If we’re lucky, they’ll still have not been taken by the Heartless.”

“Alright then. Let’s head their way.”

The ship thrust forward to unknown worlds.

While Donald drove, Goofy helped Kairi put everything from her knapsack in her new pouch. Since she wasn’t carrying anything too big, they didn’t need Donald to shrink anything. The bottomless spell really worked wonders. She chucked everything she had, plus some extra items Goofy gave her in the tiny bag and it didn’t run out of space.

“There we go!” Kairi looked at herself, still pretty much the same look from Destiny Islands but with an added belt pouch and a flowery blade on her back, and she wanted to keep it that way. With it being lost, she hoped to carry a bit of her world in her appearance.

“You look pretty cool, Kairi,” Goofy complimented. “But are you sure you want to carry the Keyblade like that?”

“What do you mean?”

“Can’t you just summon it when you need it?” Goofy’s shield appeared in his hand. “Like this?”

“I’m… not sure I can.”

She picked the Keyblade and tried to imagine it disappearing. Nothing happened. Then she tried leaving it on the ground and summoning it to her hand, but again, nothing.

“Don’t worry,” Goofy said, “you’ll get it eventually.”

Kairi wondered how someone as patient as Goofy was friends with a hothead like Donald. Speaking of which,

“We’re here,” Donald announced. “Prepare to land.”

Kairi looked out the window. They were approaching a tiny planet. She spotted greenery and an odd pink heart pattern, but they were too high to see anything else. She also noticed the world was enclosed by a layer of light, just like Traverse Town. Was this an aspect of every world?

As the Gummi Ship landed, Goofy noticed Kairi holding the locket around her neck and muttering something to herself about the land, the sky and the ocean.

“Are you nervous?” he asked.

“A little bit,” she admitted

“Aw, there’s no need to worry, Kairi,” Goofy said. “Donald and I have traveled to all kinds of worlds already.”

“Yeah, we’re basically experts,” said Donald, puffing his chest proudly.

“Just stick with us and you’ll be good to go.”

“Actually, there’s one thing you should know.”

Donald’s expression was serious. It made Kairi nervous.

“Out here, we can’t let anyone know we’re from other worlds. We can’t meddle in their affairs. That’s the most important rule of world traveling.”

“Why?”

“To preserve the world border, of course,” said Goofy.

“The world order!” Donald corrected. “It’s a rule almost everywhere that people don’t know that there are other worlds. If they did and figured out a way to travel between them, it’d be nonstop chaos. That’s what the Heartless are doing and why we need to stop them.”

“They really don’t know of other worlds?” 

Kairi found that strange. Even back on Destiny Islands, everyone knew about the existence of other worlds. Why wouldn’t they? Travelers came every now and again, some even decided to stay. Practically everyone on the islands descended from immigrants from other worlds, herself included. She assumed that was the case everywhere, but apparently, it wasn’t like that.

“If you say so, then I’ll stay quiet,” Kairi finally said.

“Great. Now let’s go!”

And so the trio headed for their first adventure together.

Chapter Text

“Seriously?” Kairi crossed her arms as she fell. “How did you manage to land on a hole?”

“Wak, it wasn’t my fault!” Donald defended himself. “I couldn’t see anything because of all the fog!”

“Uh, fellas,” Goofy called. “Is that supposed to be here?”

The trio had noticed that the walls were covered with purplish bricks. They hadn’t noticed the random objects nailed to the walls or just floating in midair.

“So… I’m guessing this is just normal other-worldly traveling stuff?” Kairi asked, dodging a couch.

“No…” Donald said as he passed by a mirror showing his reflection upside down. “Even by our standards, this is weird.”

“Hey fellas, watch this!” Goofy waved his arm like he was swimming, and then rested his head in his hands in a napping position, making Kairi and Donald chuckle.

Below them, the ground came into view. The trio continued to fall, until finally, they touched the chess-like floor, Kairi and Donald landing gracefully on their feet and Goofy crashing on the ground. The Gummi Ship followed suit, landing lightly next to them.

“Okay… That was weird,” said Kairi.

“That’s an understatement,” said Donald. He quickly reached for the ship and summoned his staff. He waved it around and the ship shrank to the size of a nut, which Donald put in his pocket. “But let this be a reminder that nothing is too weird out here. Now, shall we go on?”

Kairi and Goofy nodded in agreement, and the three followed through a hallway as topsy-turvy as the hole they had fallen down, with objects glued to the walls and windows leading nowhere. Finally, they reached the end of the corridor, where there was a simple door.

Kairi opened the door, and it revealed… A slightly smaller door. She opened it and there was another door. And then another. And another.

“Okay, this is getting ridiculous,” Donald complained.

Finally, Kairi opened the last door, which was so small, they had to crawl to get through.

They emerged in a small living room with some basic furniture, some armchairs beside a clock with bunny ears and a bed on one side, and on the other a fireplace with a stove next to a cupboard and a faucet very high on the wall for some reason.

The only way forward seemed to be a door on the opposite side, so small that not even Donald, who was the shortest of them, could fit through. Still, Kairi reached for the doorknob and turned it… Only to hear a scream.

“OW!” Kairi recoiled her hand when the doorknob sprouted eyes and shouted, the keyhole serving as its mouth. “What is the meaning of this? Can’t you see I’m trying to sleep?”

“I’m sorry… sir. But we need to get through… you?”

“Well, I’m afraid you’re too big. Simply impassable.”

“Don’t you mean impossible?” Donald asked.

“No, impassable. Nothing’s impossible. Try the bottle on the table. And please be quiet. I need some more sleep.”

“What bottle─” Kairi stopped when she looked back and realized a chair and table had popped up out of nowhere, a bottle on the table. Kairi picked it up. The label simply said, “DRINK ME”.

“Are you sure it’s safe?” Goofy asked.

“No,” Kairi admitted. “But what other choice do we have?”

She took the cap off and brought the bottle to her lips. Just like that, the world around her began to grow and grow, until it looked like she was an ant in a room for giants.

“Kairi?!” Donald and Goofy exclaimed, looking down at the girl. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah,” she yelled back, her voice much lower. “It’s safe.”

The two glanced at each other before Donald took the bottle, drank, and shrank down, Goofy following suit.

“It keeps getting weirder,” Donald said, looking at the table towering over them.

They headed for the door, but the doorknob was already fast asleep.

“Hey, open up! C’mon!” Donald was about to knock on the door when Kairi caught his hand.

“Let’s not be rude,” she said. “Let him sleep.”

“Are you serious?” He would have argued further if Goofy hadn’t called:

“Donald, Kairi, over here. We can go through this hole.”

They followed him to a tunnel hidden behind the giant bed. It was too dark to see where it led, but it looked like the only way forward. Without bothering the doorknob, that is.

With nothing else to do, the trio stepped into the tunnel. They walked and walked, until they saw a light. Finally, they emerged in a massive forest.

The thick grass was taller than themselves, the flowers and mushrooms looked more like trees, and the trees were as tall as skyscrapers. It honestly wouldn’t have been that weird, but then a flock of butterflies whose wings looked like slices of bread with butter flew by, and they were right back in bizarre territory.

Still, they had no choice but to keep moving forward. They proceeded through the forest, encountering all sorts of bizarre animals along the way, like tiny furry creatures and birds that looked like horns, umbrellas, shovels, hammers and pencils.

“Goofy,” Donald started. “Remind me to fill in our reports on the Gummi Ship: This place is insane!”

“Aw, come on, it’s not that bad. At least we haven’t come across any more Heartless.”

“Are you guys hearing this noise?” Kairi asked, looking around.

Donald and Goofy perked their ears. Off in the distance, there was the sound of whistling followed by voices.

“It’s coming from this way,” Goofy pointed.

The trio pushed through the thicket toward the sound. As they got closer, the whistling turned into music and the voices into chanting.

“A very merry unbirthday, a very merry unbirthday, a very merry unbirthday to us!”

Finally, they arrived at a nice-looking house with a long table full of chairs and cutlery in the garden. In the chairs sat a man with a large green hat, an anthropomorphic hare, and a young blonde girl in a blue dress and white apron. Upon closer examination, there was also a tiny mouse in one of the teapots.

At the trio’s arrival, the singing stopped, and the odd group looked curiously at the newcomers.

“Intruders!” the Hatter yelled and promptly covered himself under the table.

“They have come to steal our tea!” the Hare ran under the table as well, hiding every cup and teapot — including the one with the Dormouse — he could grab along the way.

“What? Oh no, we don’t want to steal anything,” Kairi promised. “We just got lost. We're sorry for barging in.”

“So you aren’t intruders?” the Hatter asked, peeking from under the tablecloth.

“Of course not.”

Goofy curiously glanced at the cups on the table. “So you’re having tea?”

“TEA?!” the Hatter and the Hare jumped out of the table. “Oh, you MUST have tea with us!”

The odd duo dragged Kairi, Donald and Goofy into chairs. The blonde girl stared sympathetically at the confused newcomers.

“May I offer you a cup of tea?” the Hatter shoved a full cup on Kairi’s face.

“Uh, sure.” She hesitantly picked up the cup. The two proceeded to offer tea to Donald and Goofy as well.

“Care for some biscuits?” the Hare asked Donald.

“You betcha!”

The Hatter grabbed a teapot and leaned it forward. Instead of tea, a plate and a bunch of cookies poured down. Donald stared bewildered.

“Whaa…”

Goofy checked his cup and noticed a hole at the bottom and all his tea leaking into the saucer. He then proceeded to lick the tea anyway, like an actual dog.

While the Hare served the Hatter just ‘half a cup,’ Kairi turned to the girl. “Are they always this…”

“Mad? I only met them a few minutes ago. But dare I say, they must be like this all the time. My name is Alice, by the way.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Alice. I’m Kairi, and those are Donald and Goofy. How did you get here?” Alice felt really out of place, like she didn’t belong in this world of weirdness.

“Well, I was in the park with Dinah, when we saw a white rabbit who seemed very late for something. I followed him but fell down a hole. And then I found myself in this strange place. I’ve been trying to find the white rabbit, or really just the way home, but nothing seems to make any sense around here.”

“A hole, huh?” Kairi pondered.

“Gawrsh, it almost sounds like she’s from…”

“Another world,” Donald whispered. “I thought so too, but then how did she get here?”

“So then, non-intruders, what brings you here?” the Mad Hatter cut in.

“Are you here to drink tea?” the Hare asked.

“Actually, we’re searching for the Key— OW!” Kairi winced when Donald kicked her ankle from under the table, silently mouthing the word “Order”. The other three were staring at her, with the Hatter chewing on his saucer like a biscuit. “Well, we’re looking for our friends. Have you seen two boys my age?”

“Or a short fella with big round ears?”

“Never saw them,” the Hatter said, never letting go of his saucer-biscuit.

“I’m sorry, but they’re not familiar to me either,” Alice admitted.

Kairi looked down, letting out a faint “Oh,” and stared blankly at her tea. “So… Why are you guys celebrating? Is it some special occasion?”

“Indeed, my dear!” the Hatter exclaimed happily. “Today’s our unbirthday!”

“Don’t you mean birthday?”

“NO!” Donald barely had time to duck a teacup thrown by the Hare. “This isn’t a birthday party! It’s an unbirthday party!”

“Unbirthday?” Kairi frowned in confusion.

Goofy scratched his head. “If it’s an unbirthday, then it must be the opposite of a birthday.”

“So every day that’s not a birthday?” Kairi guessed.

“Doesn’t that mean it’s our unbirthday too?” Donald asked. The Hatter and Hare jumped.

“IT IS?”

“What a small world this is!”

“Oh no…” Alice sighed.

“In that case…” The Hatter and Hare drew in large breaths.

“A very merry unbirthday!”

“For me?” Donald looked at them, confused.

“And me!

“A very merry unbirthday!”

“For us?” Goofy asked with a smile.

“And us!

“Let’s all congratulate us with another cup of tea,

“A very merry unbirthday,

“Tooooo yooooou!”

Kairi, Donald, Goofy and Alice clapped politely. Alice’s rather annoyed expression told them it wasn’t her first time hearing that song.

Unfortunately, the Hatter and Hare’s singing attracted new guests in the form of a wave of small Heartless.

Alice cried in surprise when a Shadow rose right in front of her. Kairi, Donald and Goofy immediately jumped up and drew their weapons. The Hatter and the Hare looked at the newcomers like they had just spat on their tea.

“What’s this? Shoo, shoo!” the Mad Hatter exclaimed as he whacked a Soldier with a teacup.

“It’s very rude to interrupt other people’s parties!” The Hare threw a saucer like a frisbee against a flying Heartless.

The space was rather tight, but Kairi, Donald and Goofy managed to make quick work of the Heartless, with some unexpected help from the Hatter and Hare, who threw tableware and sprayed Heartless with boiling tea. Even Alice managed to whack a small red Heartless with a half-broken plate.

As the Hatter and the Hare cursed about the “tea vandals”, Kairi, Donald, Goofy and Alice took the chance to sneak away from the garden. As they got farther, the two went back to singing and drinking like nothing had happened.

“Thank you,” Alice said once the house was out of sight. “I was starting to think I’d never get off that place.”

“It’s nothing,” Kairi said. “And sorry you got involved in that fight.”

“Oh, believe me, that was one of the least weird things I've seen since I got here. But you seemed familiar with those monsters. What are they?”

“The Heartless? They—” Donald glared at Kairi, passing his fingers through his beak. “They’re dangerous. We’re fighting them to keep people safe.”

“You shouldn’t be here alone,” said Donald. “Go home, kid.”

“I’d sure like to, but…” Alice glanced at the dark corners of the forest. The signs on the trees weren’t very helpful either, all pointing to “up”, “down”, “this way” and “that way”. “I’m afraid I’m lost!”

“Why don’t you stick with us then?” Kairi offered, making Donald jump. “We can keep you safe from the Heartless.”

“Oh, what a wonderful idea!” Alice said with an innocent smile. “It’ll be nice talking to sensible people for a change.”

“Kairi, can I talk with you for a second?” Donald pulled her back, while Goofy and Alice walked in the front, chatting casually. “What are you thinking? You can’t just offer to escort anyone we come across!”

“She’s in trouble and lost! We can’t just leave her at the mercy of the Heartless!”

“We've got enough things to worry about already! Or have you forgotten about the King, your friends, the Keyholes and Ansem?”

“Of course I haven’t! It’s just…” 

Kairi glanced at Alice, who laughed at something Goofy said, not a care in the world, and remembered something her father told her once.

(“Our job is to help the people who can’t always help themselves.”)

“She needs us. And we’re here already. I’m not saying we should stop our mission to keep her safe. But there’s no reason we can’t help her while we search.”

Donald looked down. His thoughts went back to his own missing friend. His friend, whom he often said was too nice for his own good. Would the King leave that girl behind?

No… King Mickey would want to do the same.

“Alright,” he said with a sigh. “I guess we can help her.”

Kairi smiled in return. Just then, one of Goofy’s ears perked up.

“Say fellas, what’s this sound?”

A low humming filled the air. After their encounter with the Hatter and Hare, Kairi, Donald and Goofy were a bit apprehensive, but Alice perked up in recognition.

“Oh, I know this song!”

“All the mimsy were the borogoves. And the mome raths outgrabe. There you are.”

“Where— WAK!” Donald jumped at the sight of the purple bodiless head floating in the air. “A cat?”

“It’s the Cheshire Cat!” Alice said.

“You know him?” Kairi asked.

“He told me where to find the Mad Hatter and the March Hare.”

“Second chorus. ‘Twas brillin and the slithy toves. Did gyre and gimble in the wabe.” As he sang, a body appeared behind him, revealing the full striped pink and purple cat with a disturbingly large grin.

“Maybe he can help us?” Kairi looked up at the cat. “Excuse me, mister Cheshire. We’re looking for some friends of ours. Think you’ve seen them?”

“Friends no, shadows yes,” the Cat said and laughed. “Speaking of them…”

The Cat vanished and a swarm of Heartless appeared.

“Alice, take cover!” Kairi said.

The younger girl ran and hid behind a bunch of huge mushrooms growing next to what could be a simple puddle or a full-blown lake. Luckily, the Heartless didn’t notice her.

The trio drew their weapons and charged the Heartless surrounding them. They fought relentlessly, with more Heartless coming every time they destroyed another.

“Gawrsh, these things are following us everywhere!” Goofy said, striking a Soldier.

“Of course they are!” Donald exclaimed, launching Blizzard against a group of red cone-like Heartless. “Remember what Leon and Aerith said. The Heartless follow the wielder of the Keyblade.”

Even as Kairi finished off a Heartless, she stared blankly at the Keyblade. “Guys, I’m sorry…”

“Look out!” Kairi was so distracted she almost didn’t have time to duck before being hit by a Soldier. Goofy dashed in and quickly destroyed the Heartless. He turned to her and smiled. “There’s nothing for you to be sorry about, Kairi. We serve the King and he told us to stay with the Keybearer. So even if the Heartless are following you, we’ll follow you too.”

“Yeah,” Donald agreed. “Just don’t think too hard about it.”

Kairi bit her lip and hardened her grip at the reminder of their true loyalty.

They’re just following me because of the Keyblade, she thought. No, they’re not following me. They’re following this key. If I didn’t have it, they wouldn’t be going anywhere with me.

A fireball came homing toward her, but luckily, Goofy blocked it with his shield. Some meters away, Donald swung his staff toward the small red Heartless, the source of the fireball.

“What a headache!” he complained. “I’m the one who uses magic here!”

Kairi gripped her own arm and frowned.

Stop thinking like that! You’ve already decided you’re gonna do this, haven't you? So do something, Keyblade wielder!

When another Soldier came for her, she hit it away. In a moment of pure instinct that left no room for hesitation, she pointed the Keyblade at the Heartless, thinking only of stopping it, and a ball of fire launched from the tip.

“Fire!”

It struck the Heartless with full force and destroyed it. For a second Kairi stared in disbelief as the realization of what she had done sunk in, but soon the shock gave way to pride.

“I did it! I used magic on a Heartless!”

“Nice going, Kairi!” Goofy congratulated.

“How about using some more here?” Donald cried, batting away a swarm of Shadows.

“Right!”

She slashed and fired at a few more Heartless until most that were left were the red floating ones who used fire magic too.

Something told Kairi that fighting fire with fire wouldn’t be of much use here. She looked around for another solution and saw the pond right behind them. Remembering what Aerith said, she broke into a sprint and only stopped once the lower half of her legs were steeped in water.

She closed her eyes, ignoring the battle in front of her, and focused on the water. Even if it didn’t have the same breaking waves or salty scent, having her feet submerged made Kairi think of the Ocean of Destiny Islands she loved so much.

A sensation similar to when she first cast Fire, only now the Keyblade felt damp and chilly. She focused that wetness on the end of the Keyblade, which emitted a bluish glow. A stream cascaded from the Keyblade and flew through the air, meeting one of the red Heartless with a splash and causing it to smoke.

“That’s it! Fire is weak to water!”

Kairi shot another spell at the Heartless, destroying it. Then she turned to the rest of them and shot another, and then another, and another. With each cast, the spells seemed to get slightly stronger.

Donald helped by casting some Blizzard spells, and Goofy kept guard next to where Alice was hiding to make sure she wouldn’t get caught in the crossfire.

A spell from Donald cornered the few remaining Heartless in a single spot. Kairi gripped the Keyblade, raised it high and shouted:

“Water!”

The water around her splashed up like it had been repelled by an invisible force. The blast that launched from the Keyblade created a burst of water large enough to fully envelop the remaining Heartless and completely destroy them.

“Yes!” Kairi cheered, stepping out of the pond. “We got—”

Suddenly all strength left her legs and she fell to the ground. Donald and Goofy ran to her. Seeing there were no more Heartless in sight, Alice got out of her hiding spot as Donald and Goofy helped Kairi sit.

“Oh my. What’s the matter with her?” Alice asked.

“Magic fatigue,” Donald explained. “It’s what happens when you use too much magic too quickly.”

Goofy reached for his pockets and picked up a square blue pellet. “Here, take this. It’s an Ether, it’ll help restore your magical energy.”

He put the pellet in her mouth, and Kairi gladly swallowed it. It had a slightly sweet taste, almost like candy. Kairi felt a little bit better, like some of that lost energy had been replenished.

“Thanks.” She attempted to get back up, only for her feet to falter and for Goofy to hold her. “I-I’m fine. I just need a moment.”

“Are you sure?” Donald asked, his voice surprisingly worried.

“Yes. I’m just a little tired, that’s all.”

“Well, if you really are fine…” Donald’s worried face quickly turned into his usual anger. “WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?! Firing that many spells at once? Attempting a higher tier spell? Did you even know that was a higher tier?!” Kairi looked down and shook her head. “THEN DON’T DO THINGS YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT! You’re new to this, your body can’t handle that much strain!”

“I just wanted to help…”

Donald crossed his arms. “Well, a dead weight isn’t going to be of much help now, is it?”

“Donald…” Goofy warned through gritted teeth. “Maybe a little bit nicer.”

“No, he’s right,” Kairi said, raising her head before bowing slightly. “I’m sorry for causing you trouble. This won’t happen again.”

“I hope not. Now, shall we move on?”

Donald, Goofy and Alice proceeded, but Kairi trailed behind, looking at her hand in shame.

If I want to help, I need to get stronger. Better. To make sure I won’t be a dead weight.

In her distraction, Kairi didn’t notice a root in her way until she tripped on it and bumped into a tall flower.

“Sorry,” she said instinctively.

“Don’t mention it,” a female voice answered.

Kairi looked up, confused. “Did you just…”

The flower didn’t say anything. Obviously, because flowers don’t talk.

But what if…

“Shh,” someone hushed. “Don’t say anything. That might be one of them.”

“But she just got rid of those weeds,” another voice said. “I don’t think she’s with them.”

“Weeds? You mean the Heart— the dark things?” Kairi corrected herself. “I’m not one of them. We’re fighting against them.”

“See, I told you she wasn’t one of them.”

Kairi’s mouth fell open when a beautiful red flower sprouted a face and leaned toward her. All around her, the other flowers did the same, roses, daisies, tulips, lilies, violets, dandelions, and countless others.

“Thank you for terminating those weeds, my dear,” the red flower said. “We couldn’t dare to open with them around.”

“You’re welcome,” Kairi managed to say, still in awe. “Are those… ‘weeds’ a common problem here?”

“They only showed up recently,” a tulip explained.

“But it seems like they’re everywhere!” a white daisy barked.

“Hmm…” Kairi remembered the large Heartless in Traverse Town, which commanded the lesser ones. Maybe there was one in this world too?

“Kairi, what’s taking you so long?” Donald’s voice called. He, Goofy and Alice emerged from the tall grass. Immediately, one of the flowers grabbed his hat with the leaves on her stalk. “Hey, what’s the big idea!”

“And what kind of flower do you suppose they are?” the flower questioned, analyzing Donald’s hat.

“Maybe they’re wildflowers?”

“Give that back!” Donald jumped and snatched his hat from the flower, much to her disapproval.

“Are those… talking flowers?” Alice asked with wide eyes.

“I suppose it’s consistent with what we’ve seen so far,” Goofy said with a chuckle.

“Excuse me,” Kairi called the flowers’ attention. “About those ‘weeds’. Have any of you seen one that’s different? Like one that’s larger than the others?”

The flowers all hummed in thought for a moment, until a yellow one exclaimed.

“Oh, I know! Just yesterday, I peeked through my petals when the weeds were passing through, and I saw a big shadow.”

“Did you see what it looked like? Or where it was heading?”

 “I did see it was red and black. And headed that way.” The flower’s leaves pointed to a spot high in the trees.

“All the way up there?” Alice asked. “How on earth will we climb?”

“I can help,” a pink water lily said from the pond. A massive lily pad approached the edge, no doubt courtesy of the same lily. “Come on, climb.”

They all carefully hopped on the lily pad, with Donald almost falling into the pond. Once they were all stationed on the center of the leaf, the water lily’s stalk rose, lifting them to the top of the forest.

“Wak!” Donald yelped and jumped onto Goofy’s arms as they began to ascend.

“Whoa!” Kairi couldn’t help but laugh as they rose over the massive woods.

Finally, the lily pad came to a halt. Donald was the first to jump out of the leaf and onto the top of a tree, followed by Goofy, Alice, and then Kairi.

“Thanks!” the lattermost yelled, looking downward.

“Our pleasure,” the water lily yelled back and lowered her leaf.

“So, huh, where should we go now?” Goofy asked.

“Over there!” Alice pointed to a hole in the greenery.

The group stared at the gap, wondering where it could lead to. Finally, Kairi stepped through. “Let’s go. We have to find and defeat the Heartless before they swallow this place.”

The other three nodded and followed through the hole.

The tunnel was pitch black for a while, until finally, they saw a glimpse of light. Next thing they knew, they were in a hedge maze with lush green shrubbery and bushes neatly trimmed into heart-shaped arches. A luxurious castle could be seen somewhere along the maze.

“Where are we now?” Alice asked, already expecting weirdness.

“It kinda looks like the gardens at Disney Castle,” Goofy mused with a nostalgic look.

“Disney Castle’s gardens are way more impressive!” Donald argued.

“Where there’s a castle, there’s normally a king or queen,” Kairi noted. “Maybe they can help us look for your king. Or the Keyhole.”

“If they’re the ruler of this place, they probably know a lot about it,” Donald concluded. “It’s worth a shot.”

“Let’s just hope they’re not mad,” Alice said, seriously doubting their luck.

The group proceeded through the maze, hoping to reach the castle. Unfortunately, everything looked the same. They came across the same arches, statues and bushes again and again, with no way of telling if they were making progress or walking in circles.

Donald was about to start complaining when they finally came across something different: several stains of red on the green hedges.

“What’s this?” Goofy asked.

Kairi kneeled down and touched a stain on the grass. “It’s paint. But why would there be paint on a garden?”

As if to answer, they suddenly heard lively singing which seemed to be coming just from the other side of a wall. 

Curious, Kairi spotted the nearest tree and swiftly climbed it. Donald jumped to try and reach the branches, but his hands couldn’t grab them, and he needed Goofy’s help to reach the branch Kairi was on. Goofy was tall enough to look over the hedge by standing on his tiptoes, and Alice found an open spot in the shrubbery and managed to peek through.

In the courtyard on the other side, three human-sized playing cards — clubs to be exact — were painting bushes of white roses red. As they painted, they whistled and sang about their mistake of planting white roses when the Queen requested red.

“So they’re painting the roses red because that’s how the queen likes them?” Kairi asked, trying to make sense of the situation. “But wouldn’t it be easier to just remove the white roses and plant them again?”

“Maybe they don’t have the time for it?” Alice guessed. “Or this queen would be angry if she realized what happened.”

“She couldn’t be that angry because of a simple mistake.”

Suddenly, a fanfare rang. The painter cards lost all composure, throwing cans of paint and brushes everywhere in panic before lying on the ground in an exaggerated curtsy.

An army of cards wielding red and black spears shaped like spades came from the castle waddling in sync, like a parade.

“Card soldiers,” Donald noted, almost in disbelief. “Is there something this place doesn’t have?”

“Sense,” Alice said. “Dare I say, normality.”

“Cards halt!” a commanding voice shouted.

All cards stopped in place. A row of them stepped aside, and a ball of white fur blowing a bugle ran to his place.

“The white rabbit!” Alice exclaimed.

The herald rabbit took a moment to pant before announcing:

“Her Imperial Highness, Her Grace, Her Excellency, Her Royal Majesty, the Queen of Hearts.”

The card soldiers cheered when a large woman in a regal red and black dress and crown strutted into the courtyard. She walked with a confident grin on her face, her head held high and her chest puffed out, practically exhaling authority.

“So that’s the Queen,” Kairi said.

“She seems… Nice?” Goofy guessed, seeing the Queen’s satisfied grin.

Her expression quickly changed to rage as she spotted one badly painted rose. The Queen of Hearts stomped by the terrified clubs and analyzed the bushes, easily noticing the paint.

“SOMEONE HAS BEEN PAINTING MY ROSES RED!” she shouted. “HEADS WILL ROLL BECAUSE OF THIS!”

“No, Your Majesty, please!” one of the cards begged. “It’s all his fault!”

“Not me, Your Grace! It was the ace!”

“No, the two!”

“Not me, the trey!”

“THAT’S ENOUGH! OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!”

The quartet’s eyes widened in shock as the card soldiers cheered while dragging the poor clubs. Donald had to grab Kairi’s hand before she jumped at the Queen of Hearts.

“She can’t do that!” Kairi protested, trying to break free of Donald’s hold. “Who does she think she is, controlling people’s lives like that?!”

“Kairi, it’s the order of this world!” Donald insisted. “We can’t just go around overthrowing people we don’t agree with.”

“This has nothing to do with ‘agreeing’! She’s gonna have them executed for a simple mistake!”

“Yes, and we can’t meddle with that!”

“We can’t meddle to save someone’s life?!”

While Kairi and Donald quarreled and Goofy watched with some worry, Alice saw the Queen emanate a dark aura. Not even seconds later, Heartless appeared.

“Oh dear!” the girl exclaimed.

“What is this?!” the Queen vociferated. “How dare you disturb me?! Guards! Do something about this!”

The Queen, White Rabbit and some guards vanished through one of the maze’s many passageways, while the remaining card soldiers tried to fend the Heartless off.

Noticing the commotion, Kairi grabbed the Keyblade.

“Now can we meddle?”

“Only because they started it!” Donald said and summoned his staff.

The two jumped to the other side and began fighting, while Goofy clumsily clambered up the hedge.

“Gawrsh… Stay here, Alice.”

The girl nodded before Goofy tumbled to the other side and joined the offense.

Alice watched everything nervously through her opening, her mind wandering back to that darkness that came from the Queen of Hearts. It looked very similar to whatever substance those weird creatures called Heartless were made of. Maybe that was what attracted them? But what exactly were they? Kairi had simply said they were “dangerous”.

“Who are you? What are you doing here?”

Alice’s blood froze in her veins at the sound of the raging voice coming from behind her. She slowly turned around, only to be met with the Queen of Hearts’ imposing gaze.

“W-Well ma’am, I— I was just—”

Behind the hedge, Kairi grunted when a Heartless made her fall to the ground before charging at her.

“Oh no!” Alice couldn’t help but cry.

Thankfully, Donald shot a Blizzard spell just in time, freezing the Heartless in place and allowing Kairi to finish it off with the Keyblade.

Alice breathed a sigh of relief. But her relief quickly disappeared upon meeting the Queen's gaze.

“So YOU are the one behind those wretched creatures!” she accused. “You’ve sent them to kill me!”

“N-No!” Alice stuttered. “This is just a big misunderstanding. My friends and I were just hoping you could help us find our way─”

“YOUR WAY?! ALL WAYS HERE ARE MY WAYS! I SHOULD HAVE YOU BEHEADED FOR THIS OUTRAGE!”

“Please!” Alice begged, falling to her knees. “I swear, I haven’t done anything!”

The Queen eyed her with suspicion, as if pondering whether or not she should humor her plea. Alice fought with all her might not to look away from her, fearing anything would be enough for her to lose her head. Behind the Queen, her guards glanced at each other nervously.

“You’re lucky I’m feeling merciful, child,” the Queen finally said. Still, Alice couldn’t bring herself to sigh in relief. “You shall be put on trial. Then we’ll decide if you’re guilty or not.”

“But I am innocent!”

But nobody listened to Alice’s protests. Instead, the Queen simply turned away and strode toward the castle, while two guards grabbed Alice’s arms and dragged her along.

Finally, Kairi, Donald and Goofy finished off the last of the Heartless. When they went to regroup, the card soldiers pointed their spears at them.

“Halt! Who are you? What are you doing in Her Majesty’s courtyard?” requested the card that appeared to be in charge.

“We were just trying to find our way,” Kairi began.

“All ways are Her Majesty’s ways,” the commander retorted. “We should take you on trial for trespassing.”

“Forget about it,” another card said, coming from one of the passageways. “We’re already having a trial. Her Majesty found the one who ordered this attack. She’s requesting our presence.”

“Oh great,” the commander said with a huff. Just like that, the battalion completely forgot about the trio. “Who is the convicted one this time?”

“I don’t know. Some lost little girl.”

“Little girl? Alice!” Kairi realized. “Alice didn’t do anything! She’s innocent!”

“If the Queen says she’s guilty, that’s what she is,” the commander said. “If you’re smart, you’ll stay out of this.”

The cards hurried to the castle. When the last one was leaving, Kairi stepped toward them.

“What are we waiting for? Alice needs our help!”

“And what are you going to do?” Donald asked. “Politely ask them to let her go? You saw the kind of person that queen is. I seriously doubt she’ll listen. Besides, we were already walking on thin ice by helping her. We can let that slide, but barging into a trial and requesting the release of a defendant? That’s very much meddling. Which in case you forgot, is against the rules.”

“So we should just let Alice lose her head?” Kairi snapped.

“I never said that! I just think we should be careful, to disturb the order as least we can. Do you even have a plan?”

“Well…” Kairi went silent trying to think of something, when a familiar figure materialized in front of the trio.

“Oh my, what a dreadful situation,” the Cheshire Cat said with his usual grin. “Poor Alice. Soon to lose her head, and she’s not guilty of a thing.”

“So you were watching us?” Donald asked warily.

“Then you know Alice is innocent,” Kairi said. “Please help us! How do we save her?”

“The Cheshire Cat has all the answers… But doesn’t always tell. The answer, the culprits, the cat all lie in darkness.”

Once again, the Cat began to disappear.

“Wait!” Kairi tried calling, but he was already gone. 

“Damnit! Good for nothing cat!” Donald barked.

“Looks like we’ll have to come up with a solution ourselves,” said Kairi.

“Hmm… Say fellas, I was thinking,” Goofy started. “If Alice was put on trial, then she should be able to get a defense.”

“That’s it!” Kairi pumped her fist. “If we can prove she’s innocent, the Queen will have to let her go.”

“I doubt the Queen will take our word for it,” said Donald. “And we don’t have any actual evidence.”

“Then we’ll find some!”

“Where?”

The trio hummed in thought, but then Goofy sniffed something and frowned.

“Gawrsh Kairi, is this smell coming from you?”

“Smell?” She sniffed as well, and sure enough, there was a weirdly foul smell in the air.

“There.” 

Donald pointed to her skirt, where a dark thorny thing was stuck to the hem. Kairi carefully removed and sniffed it. It had the same weird smell the Heartless had.

“Is that a Heartless’ antenna?” Goofy asked.

“I think it is. It must have gotten stuck while we were fighting,” she guessed before smiling in realization. “Hey, we can use this and the stench as evidence! Alice shouldn’t have anything like it with her.”

“Alright! What else can we use?”

“Hmm… Well, some Heartless drop these things when we defeat them,” Kairi said, picking up a translucent shard from the ground.

“You mean magical ores?” Donald asked. “But they’re not familiar to the people here. And we can’t prove they came from the Heartless.”

“That’s true…” Kairi glanced down.

“Then how about this?” Goofy showed them a branch ripped from one of the rose bushes. The branch was full of dents and scrapes. “It must be from the Heartless’ claws.”

“Great! And what else?”

They searched the area a little more, but didn’t find anything else that would make for compelling evidence.

“So all we have is an antenna and some claw marks,” Kairi confirmed, looking down.

“Well, look what you’ve found,” a voice said out of nowhere, startling the trio. “Nice going.”

“Wak! Will you stop doing that!” Donald yelled at the Cheshire Cat.

“It’s so little…” Kairi sighed, barely paying attention to the cat. “Is it really enough to save Alice?”

“Seems you’re in dire need of assistance,” the grinning cat said. “And the Cheshire Cat takes heart in aiding those in need.”

With a poof, a little gift box appeared in the air. Kairi caught and inspected it, but couldn’t tell what was inside. When she went to open it, the cat cut in:

“I wouldn’t do that just yet. Within there lives perhaps the clue you seek. Or perhaps there lives not.” As he spoke, the Cheshire Cat began to disappear again. “To trust or not to trust? I trust you’ll decide.”

Once the cat disappeared completely, Donald was the first to talk:

“I say don’t trust him! He’s done nothing but cause us trouble.”

“But back in the forest, he warned us the Heartless were coming,” Goofy reasoned. “And if he hadn’t sent Alice to that tea party, we probably wouldn’t have found her and couldn’t have protected her. What do you think, Kairi?”

She gazed at the box for another moment before opening her pouch and shoving it inside with some struggle.

“I’m not sure. Let’s try our luck with the evidence we found. If we really need it, we’ll use it.”

Donald and Goofy nodded at the plan. They looked up at the castle, not too far away now, and followed the card army’s tracks to the entrance.

“Court is now in session!” the White Rabbit announced. “Her Majesty, the Queen of Hearts, presiding!”

Atop her dais, the Queen of Hearts towered over Alice, who felt as small as if she had drunk from that shrinking bottle again.

“Now, child…” The Queen had a smile that was somehow more terrifying than her usual grimace. “Are you ready for your sentence?”

“Sentence?” Alice questioned. “But there must be a verdict first.”

“YOU WANT A VERDICT? I’LL GIVE YOU A VERDICT!” the Queen shouted and hammered her gavel. “This girl is the culprit. There’s no doubt about it. And the reason is… because I say so, that’s why!”

Alice’s shoulder bunched up and she grasped the fabric of her dress. More than fearful or nervous, she was angry. Angry at this world that made no sense, at this unfair and one-sided trial, at the creatures that got her convicted and were always causing trouble to Kairi, Donald and Goofy, the only people who actually helped her since she arrived in this place. And most of all, angry at herself and her own curiosity for following that rabbit instead of just staying happily at home.

“This is utterly unfair!” she exclaimed. “I’ve done absolutely nothing wrong. You may be queen, but this doesn’t give you the right to be so mean!”

“SILENCE! YOU DARE DEFY ME?!” The Queen jumped to her feet, and Alice’s anger dwindled again into fear. “The court finds the defendant guilty as charged! For the crimes of assault, high treason and disturbing the order… OFF WITH HER HEAD!”

“No! No! Oh, please!” Alice begged, the card soldier already turning to her.

“Objection!” a voice exclaimed.

The cards at the entrance stepped aside to reveal Kairi, Donald and Goofy. The trio strode to Alice, who was practically crying with relief.

“You came for me…”

“Of course,” Kairi said, offering her a much needed smile. “There’s no way we were gonna leave you behind.”

“Who are you?” The Queen bellowed. “How dare you interfere with my court?”

Kairi turned to her. “Excuse us. Your Majesty.” As much as she didn’t want to show any respect to that tyrannical queen, they needed her to cooperate for their plan to work, and so Kairi gave a reluctant curtsy. “But we have evidence that this girl is innocent.”

“Is that so?” the Queen asked skeptically. “And what would that be?”

Kairi stepped forward. She gave one last nervous glance at Donald and Goofy, who both nodded in encouragement. She gazed up at the Queen and took their first evidence, the clawed branch.

“This is from Your Majesty’s garden,” she explained. “It was torn during the fight against the creatures. As you can see, the marks of their claws are still visible.”

“So?”

“So… her dress has no marks of the sort. Isn’t that suspicious?”

“Not by my estimates. Is that it?”

“No! We also have this.” Kairi showed their second piece of evidence, the antenna. “It came directly from those creatures. And it has their particular stench. A stench like this would be hard to disguise. And yet, there’s no trace of it in Alice.”

Murmurs imploded through the court. Card soldiers and jury members whispered to each other about how that made sense. Seeing this, Kairi, Donald, Goofy and Alice smiled at each other. Maybe they would be able to get out of this with no more issues.

But the Queen went red with rage at the doubt of her judgment. “SILENCE! I am the law here! So what if you have some feeble evidence? I still say she’s guilty!”

“That’s crazy!” Donald yelled. It was hard to keep the world order when the order in question seemed to be pure chaos.

“You dare defy me?! Then you’ll lose your head too!”

Donald gulped as the guards closed in on them. Kairi’s mind raced, trying to think of something, anything that could get them out of this. She bit her lip, realizing there was only one way out.

“Wait!” she cried, making the guards stop with their spears centimeters away from Donald and Alice’s faces. “We have one last piece of evidence.”

“Well then, get on with it,” the Queen snorted.

Hesitantly, Kairi took the Cheshire Cat’s gift box. Behind her, Donald waved his hands wildly, begging her not to open it. They didn’t know what was inside, and the Cheshire Cat wasn’t trustworthy. It could be a trick. A trap. Anything really.

But they had no other choice.

So Kairi opened the box.

Alice was the first to scream when a Soldier Heartless came out of the box. The Heartless turned to the girl and immediately tried clawing her, but was intercepted by Goofy’s shield. Everyone in the court flinched in fear.

“Order, ORDER!” The Queen bellowed, pounding her gavel.

Hearing this, the Heartless turned and charged at the Queen of Hearts. The Queen cried in shock, and then the Keyblade slashed through the Heartless, destroying it.

“There’s your evidence,” Kairi said. “That creature tried attacking Alice. If she were in control of them, she would have made them stop, but she didn’t. She’s innocent!”

The Queen remained silent, her head low and her expression unreadable. Kairi, Donald, Goofy, Alice, the White Rabbit, the card soldiers, and the jury all waited apprehensively for her response.

“You…” the Queen said in a low voice that soon exploded. “YOU TRIED TO KILL ME! YOU ARE ALL ACCOMPLICES OF THIS CRIME!”

“What?!” Kairi stuttered. “No, we didn’t mean to—”

“That damn cat framed us!” Donald said. “I told you we shouldn’t trust him!”

Goofy gulped. “Now what?”

“OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!” At the Queen’s command, all guards pointed their spears at the group.

“Now we run!” Donald yelled.

The magician knocked out the guards by the entrance with a Fire spell, and the four broke into running.

“DON’T LET THEM ESCAPE! OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!”

The group raced through the hedge maze, the loud march of the card army never far behind. Donald destroyed walls with Fire whenever they reached a dead end, and Kairi and Goofy knocked down trees and statues in the hopes of blocking the cards’ way, but it barely slowed them down.

As if that wasn’t enough, when they were around the center of the maze, Heartless started appearing, and Kairi, Donald and Goofy had to focus on fending them off and protecting Alice on top of running from the cards.

“We have to get out of here!” Kairi said, slashing a Shadow.

“Over there!” 

Alice pointed to a hole in the greenery, not unlike the one they used to enter. And like before, it was too dark to tell what was on the other side.

“Where do you think it’ll take us?” Goofy asked. Just then, they heard the ever approaching steps of the card army.

“Anywhere but here is good for me!” Donald said and shoved his friend through the tunnel. Alice promptly followed, and Kairi pulled a large bush at the entrance of the tunnel so they wouldn’t be followed before going through as well.

They ran and ran without ever looking back, until they finally arrived in a familiar place.

“Is this…” Donald started.

“The room with the talking doorknob,” Kairi finished. Speaking of which, said doorknob was still sound asleep.

“You were here too?” Alice asked, to which Kairi nodded.

“But why are we here now?” Goofy asked.

“My, why indeed?”

The group looked up at the familiar voice. Donald immediately summoned his staff at the sight of the Cheshire Cat.

“Wak! You good for nothing cat! I’ll show you!”

He shot a ball of fire at the feline, but he simply disappeared, and the spell hit a lantern on the wall instead, lighting it up. The cat’s head reappeared right above Donald, showing his tongue. The magician fumed with anger and fired again only to miss and hit a lantern in the ceiling. Multiple times Donald shot at the Cheshire Cat, and multiple times, the cat avoided the attacks, until Donald was sweating.

The whole cat appeared standing on the giant table at the center. Donald was preparing to shoot again, when they heard a loud noise.

“All the lights are on,” the Cheshire Cat said, pointing at all the lanterns Donald accidentally lit. “Where there is the brightest of flames, there is the darkest of shadows. Are you prepared for the worst? If not, too bad.”

The cat disappeared just as a tall, huge Heartless came down from the ceiling with a thud. The Heartless had a red and black coloration, long spindly legs, equally long and thin arms like paper springs, and a head made of several segments balanced on top of each other, each with its own face. With clubs spinning in its hands, the Heartless stepped closer, moving like a dance.

Donald raised his staff, Goofy summoned his shield, and Kairi took the Keyblade from her belt.

“Alice,” Kairi said slowly. “Find someplace to hide.”

Without taking her eyes off the Heartless, Alice snuck behind a flower pot. The creature didn’t notice her, too focused on the trio.

“The leader of this pack?” Goofy asked.

“Most likely,” Kairi said.

“Let’s get ‘em!” Donald declared.

The Heartless swung one of its clubs at them, but Goofy blocked the strike with his shield. Donald cast a Thunder spell, making the Heartless fall to its knees and allowing Kairi to land multiple strikes before it got up again.

But once it did, they came up with a problem: the Heartless’ legs seemed to be invulnerable. And because they were so long, the trio was having a hard time hitting the rest of the body.

Kairi jumped and grappled the edge of the center table to climb, in the hopes of a clearer view. The Heartless spotted her as she focused her magic.

“Fire!”

A fireball shot from the Keyblade and hit the Heartless’ head, causing it to wince a bit. But when Kairi attempted to shoot another, the creature defended itself with its clubs, and the spell only lit them on fire.

“Uh-oh. Bad idea, bad idea!” Donald yelled from under the table.

Kairi barely had time to attempt to fix the damage with a water spell before the Heartless thrust the flaming clubs toward her. She managed to guard with the Keyblade one millisecond before the clubs hit her, but the impact sent her flying against a wall.

“Hey! What’s the big idea! Blizzard!”

Kairi placed a hand on her shoulder, which was struck by a sharp pain. She took a healing potion Goofy had given her and promptly drank it, not minding the somewhat bitter taste. It eased the pain, even if just a little. Thankfully her head wasn’t hit.

“Kairi!” Alice came from her hideout and kneeled down. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” she said, struggling back up while ignoring the persisting pain. “We can’t keep going like this. If there was only a way to immobilize it…”

She watched worryingly as Goofy threw his shield at the Heartless and Donald launched multiple shards of ice at it. The ice managed to freeze the spots it hit, but they soon broke free.

But there was one spot that seemed to remain frozen. A spot by the Heartless’ right shoulder.

The same spot where her water spell had splashed on.

Kairi’s eyes widened as a plan came together in her head. Her water… plus Donald’s ice…

“I think I’ve got it!” she exclaimed with a smile that soon vanished as she remembered their encounter with the Heartless in the forest. “But we’ll need a lot of water, and I’m not sure I have enough magic.”

“Then maybe that can help?” Alice pointed to the faucet in one of the corners. With its abnormal height, it was just slightly taller than the Heartless.

Kairi’s smile returned. “Yes! Thanks, Alice! Oh, and stay away from there!”

She ran to Donald and Goofy, who were already getting tired from the nonstop attacks. They managed to find a moment to rest by taking cover behind the table, but knew the Heartless would soon find them.

“Kairi! Are you okay?”

“Here, I’ll heal you,” Donald offered.

“No, don’t!” she insisted. “Save your magic. I have an idea.”

Kairi quickly explained her plan. Just as she finished, the Heartless slammed the table into the ground, revealing their location.

“Let’s try it out,” Donald said. “I’ll keep him distracted.”

Donald shot a spell at the Heartless to call his attention and proceeded to run in order to save his magic. Meanwhile, Kairi and Goofy ran to the opposite side of the room, where the faucet was.

“It’s pretty high,” Kairi noted, looking up. “Are you sure you can do this?”

“You betcha!” Goofy said with a thumbs-up. “Now c’mon!”

Just like they did in the battle with the Heartless in Traverse Town, Goofy got on his knees and held his shield over his head so Kairi could jump on it. But instead of just boosting her up, Goofy rocketed himself high up in the air. When they reached peak height, about two thirds of the way, Kairi got out of the shield. Goofy grabbed her hand and threw her even higher. Kairi grasped the faucet just as Goofy landed on his feet.

Upon landing, the captain flung his shield at the Heartless right as it cornered Donald. The shield hit its head with a clank before returning to Goofy.

“Yoohoo, mister Heartless!” he called, bouncing up and down while waving his arms. “I’m right here!”

“Yeah, come and get us!” Donald took advantage of the creature’s distraction to escape between its legs and run to where Goofy was.

The Heartless sent homing fireballs toward Donald, who narrowly dodged all of them before taking cover behind Goofy’s shield. Slowly, the two stepped sideways as the Heartless towered over them and readied a swing.

“Kairi, now!” Donald shouted.

Just then, Kairi turned the handle and water gushed down from the faucet. Goofy protected himself and Donald with his shield before they retreated to a safe spot, but the Heartless wasn’t so lucky. Its knees faltered due to the pressure, causing it to bend down, stunned and soaked.

“Your turn, Donald!”

The magician held back his staff, closed his eyes and focused. The air around him got colder. Icy wind and snowflakes swirled. Finally, Donald opened his eyes, pointed his staff at the Heartless and shouted:

“FREEZE!”

Starting from the faucet, the water began hardening into ice. The frost continued to spread, immobilizing the Heartless’ arms and legs, until it and the whole water flow were frozen solid.

Kairi jumped down from the faucet, Keyblade at hand, and slashed the Heartless with all her might. The bulk of the ice shattered, making the Heartless fall limp on the ground. A heart floated out as it disappeared, and the battle was over.

Donald immediately collapsed from magic exhaustion and had to hold onto Goofy, who offered him an Ether. He offered Kairi one too, seeing as she was panting, but she declined it, claiming she was just the normal kind of tired.

On the other side of the room, the doorknob yawned, finally waking up. The trio trudged toward it, meeting Alice along the way, who was relieved they were all alright.

“What a racket. How’s a doorknob to get any sleep?”

The doorknob let out a huge yawn, its mouth widening so much, something sparkled inside it. The group peeked inside and found a glistening shape.

“The Keyhole!” Kairi exclaimed. Before she could even think about it, the Keyblade pointed to the doorknob and a beam of light shot from its tip. “Whoa!”

The Keyhole shone brightly, and with a click, it disappeared, just as the doorknob closed its mouth

“What just happened?” Alice asked.

“This world is safe from the darkness now,” Kairi said, smiling gratefully at the Keyblade.

“That’s good,” Alice said. Even if this crazy world and its mad inhabitants had annoyed and even threatened her, she wouldn’t wish any real harm to come to anyone. Maybe to that selfish Queen of Hearts… But not at the expense of anyone else.

“Good indeed, now may you please let me sleep?” the doorknob complained, its eyelids closing again.

“Wait,” Kairi cut in. “We still need to get back to our real sizes.”

“Try the box, naturally.”

A small chest appeared at their feet. Alice picked it up and opened it, revealing four cookies decorated with frosting forming the words “EAT ME” in each one.

Alice picked one cookie, followed by Donald, Goofy and Kairi.

“So, should we eat them whole or just take a bite?”

“I came across these before,” Alice said. “One bite got me trapped in a house. Trust me, don’t bite it, nibble it. Or better yet, just lick it.”

The four put some distance between each other and did just that. In the blink of an eye, they were back to their original sizes ─ though their calculations were a bit off and Donald ended up hitting his head on the table.

“Finally, we’re normal-sized again! But now…” Alice’s face fell. “How will I get back home? I couldn’t possibly climb that rabbit hole all the way back.”

“We can help with that,” Kairi offered. “Right, Donald?”

He sighed. “I suppose after all this, a little more help can’t hurt.”

The group walked back through the hallway back to where it all started, at the bottom of the hole. Alice let out a surprised gasp when Donald got the Gummi Ship back to normal size, looking around in wonder when they invited her in. As the ship took off, she nervously grasped at the back of Kairi's seat, shutting her eyes every time they crashed against the walls or one of the many floating objects.

“Are you sure you’re good enough to drive this thing?” Kairi asked Donald skeptically.

“Yes, I am!” he barked. “It’s not my fault this place is more cluttered than my nephews’ bedroom!”

After going up for some good more minutes, the purplish bricks on the wall gave way to dirt and rocks. Finally, the ceiling came into view. The single ray of sunlight coming from outside confirmed they were on the top of the cave.

The cockpit opened, and Kairi, Donald, Goofy and Alice exited the ship and crawled through the burrow toward the light at the end. Finally out, Kairi helped Alice back up. The girl blinked at the sunlight, taking in their surroundings: a beautiful sunny park, with a river flowing by and flowers everywhere.

“I can’t believe it…” Alice couldn’t hold back tears. “I’m really home!”

She used to find that place so ordinary and uninteresting, but now, after everything she saw, it was a true breath of fresh air.

They heard an excited “meow”, and a little orange and white cat came running at them.

“Dinah!” Alice opened her arms and held the feline close, who showered her with kisses. “Oh Dinah, I missed you so much! I was afraid I’d never see you again…” She turned to Kairi, Donald and Goofy, who were all smiling as well. “I can’t hope to thank you enough!”

“Don’t,” Kairi insisted. “Our job is to help the people who can’t always help themselves.”

“That being said,” Donald cut in. “I do hope you’re not planning to go around telling everyone about that other… place.”

“Don’t worry,” Alice said with a chuckle. “I could probably write a book about that place and still no one would believe me. They’d probably tell me it was all in my head. Just like a dream.”

“A very crazy dream,” Goofy said, chuckling as well.

“Were we a good part of that dream at least?” Kairi asked.

“You were the best part.” Alice’s face became serious. “I don’t know exactly what you’re doing, or why you’re so secretive about it. But I do wish you luck on your journey.”

“Thanks,” said Kairi. “And good luck to you too.”

“Alice?” a female voice called. Next to a large tree, an older girl was looking around. “Alice, where are you? It’s time for tea.”

“It’s my sister,” Alice said. “I should get going. Goodbye!”

The trio waved Alice goodbye as she ran away. Once she was out of earshot, Donald looked back at the entrance to the rabbit hole.

“So Alice really was from another world. Funny, I wouldn’t take this for a portal hole.”

“What matters is that she’s home,” Kairi said, watching as the little girl and her sister left the park.

“Gawrsh, it sure makes me wanna find the King and go home soon too,” Goofy said, holding his own hands.

“It must be nice having a castle for a home.”

“It sure is,” Donald said. “Disney Castle’s the fanciest, funniest and most exciting castle in all the worlds!”

“What about your home, Kairi?” Goofy asked. “Was your island nice?”

“Yeah. We have the most beautiful beaches, and an ocean where we can swim all year, and the trees and flowers…” she trailed off, her hand reaching for her locket.

“Gawrsh, that sounds great,” Goofy said with a hint of envy. “We don’t have a beach…”

“When we find Riku and Sora and defeat the Heartless, you should come visit! I could show you our playing island, and you can try my grandma’s food.”

“You can come to our castle too,” said Donald. “And meet the Queen, Daisy, Max, and everyone else!”

“I’d love too!”

“Promise, Kairi?” Goofy asked, holding out his pinky.

Kairi happily entwined her pinky with his. “It’s a promise.”

Chapter Text

“No, you’re doing it all wrong!” Donald complained as the light at the tip of the Keyblade shifted from white to red. “This is a neutral spell, not an elemental one!”

Kairi let the glow fade and closed her eyes to try again.

When Donald said they would be going through a relatively empty area of the Ocean Between and he could leave the Gummi Ship on autopilot, Kairi insisted he taught her more about magic. Donald agreed to teach her Cure, a spell not only useful, but that needed pure magic to work, something Aerith neglected to teach her.

Unfortunately, after getting used to elemental spells, as soon as Kairi started to focus magic, it inadvertently shifted to fire or water.

As Donald grew more impatient, Kairi grew frustrated with herself. Focusing magic was easy, and the Fire and Water spells came so naturally to her… Why was this one so difficult?

“No!” Donald scolded at another unsuccessful attempt. “C’mon Kairi, this isn’t even that hard of a spell. All you have to do is connect to your target’s life force, then tap into your own and share it with them. It should be especially easy for someone with a weapon directly linked to your own goddamn heart.”

“That doesn’t make any sense!” Kairi snapped. “‘Connect with their life force’? How do I even do that!?”

“The same way you connect to yours, duh,” he said like it was obvious.

“I’ve never done that!”

“Of course you have. That’s how we do magic in the first place. Seriously, how have you managed to cast spells without even trying?”

“I don’t know.” Kairi looked at the Keyblade, still not sure what she was even doing with it. “But fire and water are things I can clearly visualize. But ‘pure’ magic? I’m not even sure what that is.”

Over at the control panel, something beeped. Donald simply turned around and walked back to his seat. “Then you better figure it out. Because the worlds need a hero right now, and until we find the King, you’re our only option.”

Kairi lowered her head, put away the Keyblade and sank into her seat.

“You know, a little ‘you can do it’ could help,” Goofy whispered to his friend.

“I’m just being realistic,” Donald defended himself.

Just ahead of them, a new world came into view. Through the atmosphere of light, they could see the world was covered in green.

“What a secluded world,” Donald commented. “I doubt even the Heartless found it yet.”

“But they could have,” Kairi remarked. “We should look for the Keyhole to make sure.”

“If they haven’t, which is likely, then your presence will only make sure they do. You’re the Keybearer,” Donald reminded her. Behind him, Kairi held herself tighter.

“But Donald, what if the King’s down there?” Goofy asked.

“Why would he be in a backwater place like this? Let’s just move on.”

“Wait!” Kairi urged. “Riku and Sora might be down there. Let’s just check it.”

“Forget it,” Donald said. “We’re not wasting our time here.”

“This isn’t a waste of time!” In a moment, Kairi was up and fighting for the controllers with Donald. “Just land!”

“No way! We’re on an important mission!” Donald yelped and tried to push her off.

“Finding Riku and Sora is important too!”

“Aw, guys, cut it out…” Goofy tried to stop the quarrel, but the two were too stubborn to give in.

“We don’t have time for this!” Donald argued. “The Heartless are invading and destroying all sorts of places, and we’re the only ones who can stop it!”

“Another reason to look for Riku and Sora!” Kairi barked back. “They could be in danger of the Heartless right now!”

“We’re not going just because you think there’s a chance your friends are down there!”

“I’ll check every world in existence if I think there’s even a 1% chance Riku and Sora are out there! Aren’t you doing the same for your king?”

“It’s different. The King is a powerful Keyblade Master! If we find him, we won’t need to rely on a kid who barely knows how to use a Keyblade and can’t even cast a simple Cure spell to save her life! So you know, I’d say finding the King is more important than finding your friends.”

Kairi froze, shock and disbelief flashing through her face. She couldn’t believe Donald said that. Her blood boiled, and the shock turned into white-hot rage. Before Donald could know what hit him, Kairi shoved him so hard that he fell to the floor with a cry.

“Donald!” Goofy knelt down and helped his friend up. “Why did you do this, Kairi?”

But Kairi wasn’t listening, too busy looking puzzled at the command panels. She grabbed the control stick and pushed it all the way back. The Gummi Ship dove headfirst toward the little green world.

Donald and Goofy screamed and held onto the ship for dear life. Panicking, Kairi pushed a red button.

“Wak, don’t touch that!”

Too late. The cockpit opened, and Kairi went flying out of the Gummi Ship.

Kairi screamed as the air slammed against her face, and she rapidly approached a wooden structure. A house, tall in the trees.

Thankfully, years of jumping down palm trees had taught her how to take a fall. Kairi bent her knees and covered her head just before crashing down the roof, and once she reached the floor, she rolled to minimize the damage.

It hurt in several places, but at least she was in one piece. With some struggle, Kairi got back up and looked around.

The wood in the house was old, almost rotting, with moss and vines growing over the walls. The few pieces of furniture were smashed and thrown around. It was eerily silent except for the hush of the wind, until the wood suddenly creaked.

“Who’s there?” Kairi looked up toward the sound. “Donald? Goofy?”

She went to take a step when she heard a clink. Kairi looked down and her heart skipped a beat. At her feet was a pack of scattered bullet cases and an old shotgun, crooked and dented like it had been crunched.

A rush of wind behind her, followed by a ferocious growl. Kairi ducked right in time as sharp claws sliced through where her head had been a second before. There in front of her was a wild leopard.

Kairi barely had time to grab the Keyblade before the leopard sprang at her again. The beast closed its teeth on the blade and pinned Kairi against the floor. She desperately tried to fend it off, but the leopard was more focused and ferocious than any Heartless. Droplets of spittle dribbled on her face, and she could smell the creature’s foul breath. As her arms grew weaker, Kairi closed her eyes, knowing she was done for.

But then she heard a yell, and the leopard was kicked away from her. Kairi hesitantly opened her eyes. Standing between her and the leopard was a man in a loincloth holding a spear.

The leopard scratched the floor and growled. The man pointed his spear at it and growled back. The leopard winced, and just like that, fled out the window.

The wild man turned to Kairi and eyed her with curiosity. She stared at him, intrigued as well. The man walked bent down on his knuckles like a monkey, his body and face were tanned and rugged, and the dreadlocks in his brown hair so messy and tangled, Kairi wondered if they’d ever been trimmed before.

“Sabor, danger,” the man said in a rough voice.

“You mean the leopard?” Kairi asked, but the man only continued staring. “Well, thank you for saving me.”

“Thank you…” he repeated slowly.

“Huh? Thanks for what?” Kairi stopped speaking, seeing the confused gaze on the man’s face. “Do you… understand what I’m saying?”

The man looked down in thought and said very slowly, “Un…ders…tand.”

“I guess that’s a maybe.” Kairi made sure to speak slowly as well so he could better understand. “I’m looking for my friends. Do you know what that means? Friends.”

“Friends!” the man echoed happily.

“Yes, my friends! Their names are Goofy and Dona─”

Kairi stopped when she remembered what Donald had said. That her quest for Riku and Sora was a waste of time, an afterthought of their “important” mission. 

If that was how he saw her and her friends, why should she act any differently?

“Actually…” Kairi opened her locket and showed the picture on the left, the one of her friends. “These are my friends. Riku and Sora. Do you know where I can find them?”

“Look for Riku, friends?” the wild man asked.

“Right!” Kairi said, when a bright red blur caught her eye.

“Sora, friends?”

“Yeah…” As soon as she focused on it, the blur vanished. For a moment, it almost looked like Sora…

“Friends here.”

“Really!?” Kairi perked up. “Where!?”

The man made a series of weird grunts and smiled. Kairi didn’t understand it. Seeing her confusion, the man repeated the same sound but slower. “Friends here.”

“I don’t understand,” Kairi admitted. “Can you show me?”

“Tarzan.” The man smiled and tapped his chest.

“Is that your name? Tarzan?” The man grunted happily at the sound of his name. “I’m Kairi. It’s nice to meet you, Tarzan.”

“Kairi. Nice to meet you.” Tarzan looked toward the exit. “Kairi come with Tarzan.”

She followed him outside the tree house, and her jaw dropped in amazement. Before them, the lush green jungle spread out as far as the eye could see. Kairi could marvel at the jungle for hours, but Tarzan was in a hurry. He called her name, and the two ran.

The Gummi Ship crashed in the middle of a bamboo thicket. Donald and Goofy jumped out of the cockpit and took a look around.

“KAIRI!” Goofy called. “Where are you?”

“Just great!” Donald groaned as he shrunk the Gummi Ship. “Who knows where she’s now! Ugh, I can’t believe we’re stuck with her until we can find the King! Of all people to be a Keybearer, did it have to be her!? Who in their right mind would give a Keyblade to an irresponsible, reckless─”

Donald shut up immediately after hearing the loud sound of a gunshot. Before he had time to process what happened, an equally loud voice boomed.

“WHO GOES THERE!?”

“Where is it?” asked a much smaller voice. “Could it be a gorilla?”

Donald and Goofy turned toward the voices. From the thicket emerged a strong-chinned man with a rifle and a much smaller, much older man behind him.

What did we get into now? Donald wondered with a sigh.

It was no easy task keeping up with Tarzan. He moved by swinging on vines and jumping from tree to tree with ease, like he’d been doing it his whole life. As Kairi made her best not to stay behind, she wondered if maybe that was the case. Maybe Tarzan had grown up in the jungle. Maybe those grunts he made were his language. But then why did he seem to somewhat understand what she said?

Finally, they arrived at a tunnel, where Tarzan gestured toward a hollow trunk. Kairi hesitantly inspected the trunk, but it was too dark to see where it’d lead or how far it went. Maybe it went just a few meters, maybe it went for hundreds.

“Tarzan help?” her new friend offered.

“N-No, it’s fine. I can do this!” she said more so to herself than to him.

She took a deep breath and jumped into the trunk.

Kairi couldn’t help but yell as the tunnel ended and she found herself sliding down a massive tree branch way too high up for her liking. Behind her, Tarzan came sliding gracefully and helped her stand. Once she was up, Kairi saw how Tarzan was standing, with the feet spaced out and the legs and body bent. She mimicked him and was able to keep her balance with ease. The slide soon stopped being scary and became kind of fun.

That is, until the branch abruptly ended.

Kairi screamed in terror again, when Tarzan took her in his arms and jumped down into another tree, then another and another, until they finally reached the ground and Tarzan put her down, much to Kairi’s relief.

They had arrived in a clearing with a camp of sorts, a tent in the center surrounded by crates, furniture, and scientific instruments like telescopes, globes, a table full of glass tubes with colorful liquids, and planetary models and charts.

Kairi looked at a sketch of a series of planets and smiled, thinking of how much more amazing the Ocean Between really was. Her smile fell as she inevitably thought about her traveling companions.

Did they crash as well? Are they in this jungle? Or maybe… They left me behind and went to look for the King. If the King has a Keyblade too, then they don’t need me. They probably don’t want anything to do with me anymore…

“Kairi?” Tarzan called.

She frowned and shook her head.

Whatever. The worlds are better off in a King’s hands than mine. And if they’re close, then I don’t need Donald and Goofy to find Riku and Sora!

“I’m fine,” she said, turning to Tarzan. “Now, why are we here?”

Instead of answering, Tarzan went into the tent, and Kairi followed. Inside was a pretty young woman fiddling with some machine. She had brown hair, wore a simple shirt and long skirt, and walked barefoot, just like Tarzan.

“Jane!” Tarzan called.

“Tarzan?” The lady turned and let out a surprised cry when she saw Kairi. “And who is this?”

“Hi, my name is─”

“Oh, you speak Engish!” she interrupted, surprised. “So then, obviously you’re not related to Tarzan…”

“No, I’m just visiting,” Kairi explained. “I’m Kairi. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure is mine. My name’s Jane. Are you here to study the wildlife as well?”

“Actually, I’m looking for─”

Before she could explain anything, two men walked into the tent. And behind them…

“Goofy! Donald!” Kairi exclaimed.

“Kairi! Thank goodness you’re safe!”

Goofy ran to her and hugged her tightly, making Kairi chuckle. But then she looked at Donald, who met her with an indifferent scowl, and her laughter died out. Before either of them could say anything, a short old man got between them and looked at Donald with ecstatic eyes.

“One fascinating discovery after the other! First an ape man, and now a new breed of Anas platyrhynchos and Canis familiaris! And look, they are near to fully clothed, and have language just like ours!”

“How extraordinary!” Jane circled Donald and Goofy and scribbled something in a notebook until she noticed Kairi again. “Oh, forgive me. Daddy, this is Kairi. Kairi, this is my father.”

“Archimedes Q. Porter, at your service,” he introduced himself, shaking Kairi’s hand. “Are these remarkable specimens with you, my dear?”

Kairi and Donald glared at each other, and Goofy glanced at them worriedly. Finally, Donald said:

“For now, yes.”

“This is a waste of time,” said the tall man with a shotgun. “Professor, Miss Porter, may I remind you we’re currently after the gorillas? We already lost enough time with this savage.” He shot Tarzan an angry look before heading outside. “I should have set up traps since we got here. Those beasts would be in our hands by now.”

“Wait, Clayton, we mustn’t hurt the gorillas!” the Professor urged, following him out of the tent.

Jane watched as they left, before remembering they had guests. “Well, do make yourselves at home. And what was it that you’re looking for, Kairi?”

“Oh, I’m searching for my friends.” She showed Jane the picture in her locket. “Have you seen them around here?"

“Sorry, I can’t say I have,” Jane admitted. “What makes you think they’re in the jungle?”

“Tarzan said they’re here. And something else I didn’t understand.”

“I see. Tarzan was raised in the jungle by gorillas,” Jane explained. “I’ve been doing my best to teach him, but communication still isn’t exactly smooth.”

“So he was speaking gorilla? How can we find out what the word he said means?”

Jane smiled and gestured to an old apparatus. “How about we show him some slides? Maybe one of them matches the word.”

“I guess it might work. Let’s give it a try.”

Donald sighed. “Here we go wasting time again.”

Kairi ignored him.

Jane grabbed some small rectangular plates and inserted them in the machine, which projected a series of images on the wall. A man offering a woman flowers, a person holding a baby, a gorilla ─ which made Tarzan smile ─ a ship, and then two men fencing.

A gasp escaped Kairi when the slides showed a picture of a grand castle. Her heart stung, and a wave of nostalgia hit her, like she was looking at something she hadn’t seen in a long time, like that castle was a source of good memories… But how could it be when she had never left Destiny Islands before the storm?

The projector shut down, and Kairi blinked away the strange feeling, turning to Tarzan.

“So? Where are my friends? Riku and Sora?”

Tarzan looked sadly at her and shook his head.

“But you said─”

“That leaves only one place,” Clayton cut in, striding into the tent with the Professor. “Young lady, we’ve been in this jungle for some time now. But we have yet to encounter these friends of yours. If you ask me, I’d wager they’re with the gorillas. But Tarzan refuses to take us to them.”

“Really Mr. Clayton, Tarzan wouldn’t hide─”

“Then take us there!” Clayton cut Jane off and looked down at Tarzan. “Take us to the gorillas. You hear me? Go-ril-las.”

Tarzan looked at Kairi instead. Her face was filled with worry, her hands held together as if she were begging. “Please, Tarzan. If Riku and Sora are there, I have to find them. They’re my family, they…” she looked down. “They’re all I have left.”

Tarzan let out a small smile. He knew the feeling of wanting to protect your family all too well. How could he deny someone else a chance to do that? Tarzan nodded.

“You’ll take us there?” Jane asked, half surprised, half excited.

“Oh, how wonderful!” her father exclaimed.

“Tarzan go see Kerchak,” he told them.

“Kerchak?”

“It must be the leader of the pack,” Clayton said. “I’ll go along as an escort. The jungle is a dangerous place after all.”

Kairi glanced at Clayton, noticing a smirk on his face as he and the Porters left the tent. Tarzan went to follow them when Kairi called him.

“Wait, Tarzan.” He turned to her. “Can I go too? If my friends are here, I want to be there.”

Tarzan nodded. Relieved, Kairi went with him to the exit, but Donald grabbed her hand.

“Hold your horses young lady!” he said, and Kairi immediately pulled her hand. “We are going to get out of here. We’ve got no time to mess around!”

Kairi frowned. “Didn’t you hear? Tarzan said Riku and Sora are here!”

“Friends here,” he confirmed, followed by the word in the gorilla language.

“How would he know that?” Donald argued. “For all we know he could be lying.”

“What reason would he have to lie? Besides, Tarzan is our friend now.”

“Kairi and Tarzan friends?” the man asked, somewhat surprised.

“Of course we’re friends!” she promptly said and smiled, granting a sigh from Donald.

“Seriously, just how chummy are you? You spend five minutes with someone and you’re already friends?”

Kairi looked at him with confusion. “What’s wrong with that?”

“It’s just, y’know, most people like to know each other before declaring they’re friends.”

“Friendship shouldn’t be something we need to earn. It should be something we give away freely, even to strangers.” She crossed her arms and frowned again. “Though I admit, it’s hard to try being friends with someone who doesn’t want to help it.”

“Well, then don’t try!” Donald barked. “We don’t have to be friends. We just need to stay with you and protect you from the Heartless until we find the King. Then we can each go off with our real friends.”

“Why wait until that? Riku and Sora are stronger than you know. Once I’m with them, I won’t need your ‘protection’ anymore. All the more reason why you should let me look for them.”

Donald opened his mouth to argue but stopped once he realized she had a point.

“Alright then. You can go. But we’ll come with you. This place is dangerous, and no one can say I didn’t follow the King’s orders.” He headed for the exit and sneered along the way. “We wouldn’t want you to break an arm or bleed to death because you can’t heal yourself.”

Kairi’s face reddened in anger. “How long are you going to taunt me for that?”

“At least until you learn the spell.”

Goofy and Tarzan stared in worry and confusion respectively as Kairi and Donald left the tent, bickering all the way. Tarzan turned to Goofy, not having understood everything they said.

“Kairi and Donald, friends? Not friends?”

“It’s… complicated.” Goofy sighed before putting on a big smile. “But hey, everything’s fine. That was just a casual disagreement. I’m sure they didn’t really mean it.”

An hour later, Kairi, Donald, Goofy, Tarzan, the Porters and Clayton were traversing the vast jungle in order to meet Kerchak and hopefully convince him to let them into the gorillas’ nesting grounds. Tarzan guided the others up and down trees and thickets, helping them whenever they needed. It was nice to visit a world that wasn’t infested by Heartless for once, and it allowed them all to just take in the amazing sights of the jungle. All except Clayton, who kept looking at every corner and pointing his shotgun at every slight noise, even though Tarzan made sure the animals they came across knew they meant them no harm.

“You’re a hunter, aren’t you?” Kairi asked Clayton at one point. “What are you doing with a team of researchers?”

“The Professor and Miss Porter hired me to protect them, and protect them I shall,” he said.

“Then why are you so invested in finding the gorillas?” 

Clayton’s face stiffed for a second. “Because… They’re so rare! I’d just like to get a look at them.”

Kairi dropped the subject after that, but she still didn’t like that man. She wasn’t even sure why, something about him just rubbed her the wrong way. Still, Kairi told herself to be nice to him. A vague feeling was no excuse to treat someone badly. It was probably nothing anyway.

The group came to a halt when they arrived at a lagoon. Donald hesitantly approached the shore and touched the water with the tip of his foot.

“WAK!” he cried. “It’s cold! Not to mention muddy. I’m not swimming in there!”

“Really?” Kairi asked impatiently. “You’re a duck. You’re supposedly good at swimming.”

“And you’re supposedly good at magic, yet here we are.”

Kairi crossed her arms and looked away, unable to think of a retort. Ignoring their bickering, Tarzan turned to them.

“Stay,” he said, then dived into the lagoon and swam off.

Minutes later, Tarzan came back riding an elephant, whose long legs allowed him to walk through the shallow parts of the lagoon without problem. Tarzan sled down the elephant’s trunk and showed him to them.

“Tantor,” he introduced. The elephant, apparently named Tantor, trumpeted in return.

“Is he your friend?” Kairi asked, touching the elephant’s trunk like she was shaking a person’s hand. “It’s very nice to meet you.”

Donald rolled his eyes at yet another display of excessive friendliness from Kairi, but Tantor smiled and looked sideways, flattered.

Tantor wrapped his trunk on Kairi’s waist and lifted her, placing her on his back. Then he did the same to Donald, Goofy, Jane, the Professor, and then Clayton, who wasn’t very excited with the prospect of riding a wild animal. Finally, Tarzan hopped onto the elephant’s head, and Tantor took off.

Despite Tantor’s care, the ride shook and stirred quite a bit, and they couldn’t help getting splashed at some points. Even though she shouldn’t, Kairi felt a weird satisfaction to see that Donald ─ who was right behind her ─ was the most jittery between them.

“So the great Royal Magician is scared of some dirty water?” she teased him after he let out a yelp.

“I’m not scared!” Donald protested, hanging onto Kairi for dear life. “I’m just worried about the… diseases that might be in this water. Wak!” Just then, he saw something big swim right next to them. “And about who knows what else is here!”

On the elephant’s rear, Clayton grew increasingly impatient hearing the Professor ramble about whatever he spotted in the lagoon to himself and Jane. Just as he wondered how much further they were to the gorillas, a rustle caught his attention. From the corner of his eye, the hunter spotted something grey and furry. He smiled. His instincts couldn’t be wrong. Clayton made sure everyone else was distracted before grabbing a nearby branch and making his way out.

Finally, they arrived at the end of the lagoon. Tantor dropped them all off before heading back. As he was leaving, Kairi asked Tarzan how to say “thank you” in elephant. 

Donald winced when she made a loud trumpet sound, causing Tantor to wave goodbye with his trunk.

“So I’m guessing the elephant is your friend now?” he asked, rubbing his sore ears.

Kairi looked away. “Tantor never told me my friends are a waste of time, so he’s got that going for him.”

“Why don’t you ask him to teach you magic then?”

“He would probably be a better teacher than a certain Royal Magician I know.”

“Guys, c’mon, people are looking…” Goofy said, embarrassed at the confused glances from Tarzan and the Porters.

Tarzan guided them up another tree. Unsurprisingly, he was the first to make it to the top. Sitting on a higher branch was Kala, the gorilla who had raised him ever since he was a baby, and by her side, glaring down at him, Kerchak.

At first, Kala smiled at the sight of her son, but her smile turned to worry when Kairi and Goofy emerged from the lower branches and helped Donald and the Porters reach the top as well. Jane held her breath at the sight of the gorillas, and the Professor’s eyes sparkled like a child’s at Christmas. But the gorillas didn't share the same enthusiasm.

“I told you to stay away from these strangers,” Kerchak grunted.

“Kerchak please, just listen…” Tarzan started.

“You’re putting the family in danger!” The enormous gorilla stood up, making the group shrink in fear, but Tarzan stood defensively in front of them.

He already expected that. Kerchak never liked humans, or anything different from what he knew for that matter. Ever since he was a child, Tarzan had to work twice as hard as the other gorillas not only to survive but to help his family as well, who took him in after his old family was taken by the jungle. He’d hoped that someday, Kerchak would recognize that.

Bringing strangers so close to the pack was the last thing Kerchak would approve of, but Tarzan couldn’t stay idle, not when there were people, friends, needing help.

“I trust them, Kerchak,” Tarzan said, stepping up while still showing respect for his leader. “These are not strangers. They have friends and family they want to protect just like us. I know the nesting grounds are secret, but I want to help them. They need us.”

Kerchak glared at him in silence, then looked at these beings supposedly equal to him. Three humans like Tarzan, and two strange creatures that weren’t quite human, but still far different from any animal in the jungle.

Suddenly his head jerked upward, and Kerchak was on full alert. With one last angry look, he hurried away. Kala looked at Tarzan with concern and left as well. Tarzan’s head fell.

Jane approached him sadly. “Tarzan, if we caused you trouble, we’re sorry─”

But then he turned to them abruptly and made several agitated grunts. He didn’t even need to translate the word for them to get it:

“Danger!”

Inside the treehouse in the jungle, a young gorilla laughed to herself as she hit a globe and made it spin. With her best friend spending more and more time with those humans, Terk had to find other ways to amuse herself. Lucky for her, she’d come across a whole treehouse full of human stuff which turned out to be pretty fun.

Unbeknownst to her, Clayton was by the entrance, readying his shotgun and aiming it at her.

They just don’t understand what the gorillas are really worth. The hunter smirked as his finger touched the trigger. A young gorilla is worth more than an adult…

He was so focused on his prize, he didn’t notice the hurried steps coming at him.

“WAAAAK!”

The sudden scream threw Clayton off, and just a second later, Tarzan pushed him to the floor. The gun fired, missing the gorilla, who fled frightened. Kerchak emerged on the second floor, and Terk ran to him.

The gorilla leader glared down angrily at them. Tarzan didn’t know what to say.

“Kerchak, I…”

“I told you to protect our family,” he cut in, his anger melting away into… disappointment? “And you betrayed us all.”

Kerchak ambled away and Terk followed him, not before glancing one last time at her best friend and adopted cousin.

Clayton got back on his feet only to find a swarm of angry eyes looking at him.

“What’s the big idea!” Donald yelled.

“You don’t understand, I was only trying to─ Ah, a snake slithered by, you see! I was only trying to save that poor gorilla’s life.”

“You expect us to believe that?” Jane asked, putting her hands on her hips. “How could you do such a thing! You ruined our one chance to see the gorillas!”

“To think we’ve come so close…” the Professor sighed. “I’m sorry Mr. Clayton, but I’m afraid I’ll have to dismiss you.”

The hunter’s eyes widened for a moment. “Dismiss me?! But you can’t─ How do you expect to survive in the jungle!?”

“I’d say Tarzan is the best guide to the jungle we could ask for,” Jane said. “And something tells me Kairi, Donald and Goofy aren’t too helpless either.”

“And we would never hurt the gorillas! Or anyone else for that matter,” Kairi added.

Clayton bared his teeth and eyed Tarzan with pure hatred. That savage came into their camp unannounced, wasted their time with irrelevant distractions, refused to take them to the gorillas until a bunch of clowns showed up, and now stole his spot!

Jane cleared her throat. Behind her, the Professor, Kairi, Donald and Goofy shot him angry looks. It was him against all of them. Groaning, Clayton picked up his shotgun and strode away.

“What am I doing with these imbeciles?” he asked himself once he was alone. “Blasted gorillas! I’ll hunt down every last one of them! I’ll track them down somehow. I’ll stake my life on it.”

Suddenly, a rustle in the leaves. Clayton gasped and promptly pulled his shotgun.

The group of explorers jumped at the sound of the gunshot. Tarzan immediately determined where it had come from, as well as the source.

“Clayton!”

“What is he doing now?” Kairi wondered.

They hurried to the source of the gunshot, but when they arrived, Clayton wasn’t there. Instead, they found a terrified gorilla surrounded by dark monkey-like creatures with yellow eyes and a red and black emblem on their chests.

“Heartless!” Kairi exclaimed, taking the Keyblade.

Goofy promptly summoned his shield. “But I thought this world was safe. Why are they here now?”

Kairi glanced at the Keyblade, Leon’s words once again coming to her. “It’s because of me. I’m sorry…”

“Will you stop moping already?” Donald barked, staff at hand. “We have a job to do now.”

Kairi nodded and put on a determined face. “Right!” She turned to Tarzan and the frightened Porters. “Tarzan, you protect Jane and the Professor. Understood?”

The ape man nodded, already sweeping Heartless with his spear.

“Goofy, you protect that gorilla. Donald, help me take these Heartless out.”

“Wak! Don’t act like you’re the boss here!” Donald snapped, electrocuting a row of Heartless.

“I’m not!” Kairi countered, slashing through and destroying the weakened Heartless. “I’m just trying to make the best out of the situation!”

“For me it sure sounded like you think you’re some kind of leader or─”

“Fellas now is really not the time for this!” Goofy shouted and jumped in front of the gorilla. “Just focus!”

Kairi and Donald didn’t speak to each other for the rest of the battle. They did manage to finish off all the Heartless, though. Once they were done fighting, Kairi approached the gorilla.

“Are you alright?” she asked, only to notice a good few scrapes in the gorilla’s arms, probably from defending himself. “You’re hurt! Here.”

Not confident enough to try Cure again, Kairi picked a bottle of Potion from her pouch and offered the gorilla, but he was hesitant to take it. Tarzan appeared by his side and grunted something.

“It’s okay. They’re friends.”

The gorilla slowly took the bottle and looked at it confused. Kairi cupped her hands and brought them to her mouth in a drinking motion. Understanding her, the gorilla drank the Potion and was stunned to see his wounds closing. The gorilla grunted happily and disappeared into the woods.

“‘Thank you’,” Tarzan translated, making Kairi blush.

“What do we do now?” Donald asked.

“What else? There could be more animals in trouble. We have to help them!” Kairi said.

The magician sighed. “Of course you’d say that.”

Kairi ignored him and turned to the Porters. “We’re not far from your camp. Do you need help to get there?”

Jane gave her a decisive look. “We can get there on our own. You go and help the animals.”

“Maybe Mr. Clayton ran into these creatures too,” the Professor wondered. “That would explain the gunshot.”

“We’ll be sure to look for him too,” Kairi assured. “Now go, and be careful.”

The sun started to go down, covering the jungle in dusk. The Professor was thankful that Jane was with him, or he would never find the camp. She traversed the jungle with impressive finesse, knowing just what obstacles were in the way and how to avoid them. When he saw her swing on a vine to jump over a pond, it became clear where she learned all that from.

They finally arrived at the camp, but to their shock, everything was in shambles. A small grey gorilla ─ the same one from the treehouse ─ was running for her life from the dark monkey creatures.

“Hey! Leave her alone!”

Jane grabbed the first thing she saw ─ a broken chair ─ and threw it at the creatures, calling their attention to her. The gorilla used the distraction to run and take cover behind Jane.

The creatures closed in on the three, cornering them. Jane swung an umbrella like a sword in the hopes of keeping them away, but it was clear they had no chance.

One of the creatures leaped at them, and the trio closed their eyes and braced themselves. But before it reached them, the whole ground shook. From the jungle, a familiar trumpet echoed, followed by an enormous figure.

“Tantor!” Jane exclaimed in relief.

The elephant rammed the closest monsters and proceeded to stomp on the remaining ones. Terk made herself bait to get them closer to Tantor, Jane whacked them with her umbrella, and even the Professor helped by throwing a tea set. With their combined efforts, the creatures were quickly finished.

“We did it, Daddy!” Jane cheered, hugging her father.

They were interrupted when Terk ran to Tantor and told him something worrying by the looks of it. Then she turned to them and pulled Jane’s skirt, pointing toward the jungle with a series of agitated grunts.

“What do you think she’s saying, dear?” the Professor asked.

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “But I think Tarzan and the others might be in trouble.”

With the shaft of his spear, Tarzan pushed a cluster of Heartless against a corner. Goofy used his shield and brought the remaining ones. They both stepped back, and Donald aimed his wand at the creatures.

“Blizzard!”

Ice hit the Heartless and froze them solid. Finally, Kairi swooped in and sliced them in half.

Tired and bruised from all the fighting they’d been doing, Kairi reached for her pouch to get a Potion, only to realize she had given them all to the gorillas they had saved. She looked at Goofy but he shook his head, all out of Potions too.

Less than thrilled, Kairi turned to Donald and made him a silent request. The magician groaned but summoned his staff nonetheless.

“All of you, together,” he said. Kairi, Goofy and Tarzan got closer, and Tarzan called in the last gorilla they saved. “Cure.”

A soft green light enveloped them, closing their smaller cuts and making them feel refreshed. As the spell worked its wonders, Kairi looked at Donald, trying to guess what the magician thought about as he cast the spell. But he only showed the same scowl he had every time the two were forced to interact.

The gorilla thanked them ─ Kairi had already learned the gorilla word for “thank you” by that point ─ before fleeing.

“There could still be more Heartless around,” Kairi said, not taking a moment to rest. “Let’s go!”

“Kairi, we’ve been doing this for hours!” Donald barked and pointed to the sky. The last rays of sunlight had been gone for a while now, leaving them in almost complete darkness if not for the full moon.

“So what?” Kairi barked back. “Are you saying we should just stop?”

“YES! Stop, rest, think for a moment before storming into who knows what!”

“Look who’s wasting time now! All those gorillas we saved could have been killed or turned if we had stopped to rest!”

“Gorillas?” Goofy asked himself and pondered. Tarzan gave him a curious look. “Hmm, gorillas…”

“You can’t just run into Heartless as many times as you please and just hope everything will work out fine,” Donald continued to argue. “You already gave away all your Potions! What would you do if you were seriously hurt and Goofy and I weren’t there to help you? How good would you be at helping gorillas then?”

“That’s it, the gorillas!” Goofy realized. “Guys, listen─”

“I don’t care!” Kairi shouted, ignoring Goofy. “It doesn’t matter how hurt I am or how many Heartless I’m up against, I’ll fight! I couldn’t do anything for my family, but I can make sure no one else will lose theirs!”

“That’s what this is all about? Seriously?”

“Fellas, hear me out,” Goofy tried to call their attention, only to be ignored.

“Kairi, c’mon, you had nothing to do with that,” Donald said impatiently.

“How can you be sure?” she asked. “If a Keyblade wielder attracts Heartless, who’s to say I didn’t lure them there, just like I did everywhere we went?”

“If you did, so what? Bad stuff happens all the time. Get over it!”

“Hey, I really think we should─”

“Of course you’d say that!” Kairi snapped. “I bet you never lost anything in your whole perfect little life as a fancy courtier, you arrogant, selfish snob!”

“Selfish!?”

“Guys, seriously, just─”

“You don’t get to call me selfish!” Donald shouted. “For twelve years, I almost went insane trying to take care of three kids after their mother decided to launch herself into space, while you missy slacked off on the beach. Daughter of a public officer? Daddy must have given you a very good life! And was mommy the one who taught you to be a goody-goody moralist?”

Before Donald noticed, he was being hanged by the collar, and Kairi shot him a deadlier glare than she’d ever given any Heartless.

“Don’t you EVER talk about my parents again, you self-centered piece of─”

“WILL YOU TWO STOP ALREADY!” They both winced when Goofy screamed over their argument. “FOR ONE MINUTE, CAN YOU STOP ACTING LIKE TWO BRATTY CHILDREN AND LISTEN TO ME?”

Kairi sheepishly let go of Donald. The two didn’t see eye to eye, dead silent after the explosion from the most laid-back of the three. Goofy took a deep breath, and finally told them what he’d realized.

“All the animals we helped so far were gorillas, right? In a jungle so big, what are the chances the Heartless only ran into them?”

“That’s true…” Kairi admitted.

“Not to mention that in Traverse Town and Wonderland, the Heartless specifically targeted us,” Donald noted. “Why would they be more interested in gorillas than a Keybearer?”

“That’s what I thought,” Goofy said. “But then I remembered something else that Leon said. The Heartless can be controlled by stronger Heartless… Or by a person with lots of darkness.”

Their eyes widened in realization. “Like a person who’d have great interest in capturing gorillas…”

Tarzan perked up and immediately rushed through the trees. Behind him, Kairi called his name, but he didn’t stop. He only managed to get the bulk of the conversation, but the meaning of it was clear:

His family was in danger.

The creatures attacked suddenly and without warning.

Before any of them could react, the gorillas were divided, surrounded, and trapped by the dark creatures.

Kerchak desperately tried to protect his family. He punched and smashed monster after monster, but more came after each one. Finally, the largest of the gorillas had his arms and legs held down firmly by the creatures.

The legion parted and revealed the hunter, who walked to Kerchak with a shotgun at hand and a thrilled sneer on his face.

“Ah, I remember you.” Kerchak tried to escape, but the hunter aimed the gun at his head. “I think you will be better off stuffed.”

Just as he was about to pull the trigger, they heard a familiar yell. Swinging from vine to vine, Tarzan emerged from the jungle and kicked Clayton down a slope. With a swoop of his spear, he knocked off the Heartless holding Kerchak’s arm, allowing him to get rid of the remaining ones trapping him.

Kerchak and Tarzan looked at each other, and a small smile appeared on Kerchak’s mouth. Their moment of reconciliation didn’t last long though, as more Heartless quickly surrounded them.

But then a cluster of lightning rained down the Heartless, followed by a bright trail that sliced through them. Tarzan smiled and Kerchak stared in disbelief as the human girl and the two strange creatures stood before them.

“Don’t worry,” Kairi said. “We’re with you!”

“Make sure the gorillas are safe,” Donald told Tarzan. “We’ll take care of the Heartless!”

He nodded and ran to his family with Kerchak.

Clayton got up and saw Kairi, Donald and Goofy fighting the Heartless, while Tarzan and Kerchak guided the gorillas away from the battle.

“Don’t just stand there!” He ordered his dark legion. “Get them!”

Suddenly, Donald was hit in the head by a projectile. Bouncing on the trees was a different kind of monkey Heartless, ones that were yellow and carried slingshots.

A flight of projectiles came at them. Kairi and Goofy blocked them with their weapons, and Kerchak tried protecting the other gorillas with his own huge body, getting serious bumps all over his back. The constant barrage made it impossible for them to counterattack.

Clayton snickered. This was only a minor setback, those gorillas would soon be in his hands again!

One of the slingshot-wielding Heartless shook its rear to the group to taunt them… and then its neck was squished by something.

“Fire!” Professor Porter’s voice cried.

The Heartless was launched into a tree and crashed into another Heartless, the impact destroying both.

They all looked with surprise and then relief at the newcomers. Jane, the Professor and Terk were riding on Tantor, who grabbed Heartless with his trunk and tossed them. Terk jumped onto the tree branches and knocked Heartless to the ground, toward Tantor’s attacks.

“Jane! Terk! Tantor!” Tarzan exclaimed happily.

“Hi, Tarzan!” Jane smiled and waved hello. “We came to help!”

“You didn’t think I was about to let you have all the fun, did’ja?” Terk teased him with her usual mischievous smile.

Tarzan chuckled before getting serious again. “Terk, I need you and Tantor to go with the others until we know it’s safe.”

“Wanting to get rid of me now?” she complained, only for Tarzan to look at her with puppy eyes. “Ugh, alright, I’m on it.”

She hopped back on Tantor’s head and they made their way through the jungle with the rest of the gorillas.

When they were about to get out of sight, Jane heard a cry of distress and spotted some Heartless about to attack Kala, who was all on her own. Thinking quickly, Jane grabbed onto a vine, swung toward them and kicked the Heartless off. She braced herself for the Heartless’ retaliation, but Tarzan swooped in and finished them off with his spear. They looked proudly at each other, and surprisingly enough, Kala seemed happy with that.

Meanwhile, Kairi was so focused on protecting the last group of gorillas, she didn’t notice the lone Heartless sneaking toward her until it scratched her leg.

Kairi hissed and pressed the wound, wishing once again that she only understood that Cure spell.

The Heartless charged at her again, and unable to stand, Kairi held the Keyblade before her in a sorry attempt to defend herself. But then, a big hairy hand punched the Heartless and sent it flying toward Donald’s magic attacks. Kairi looked at her savior and smiled. It was the first gorilla they had saved from the Heartless in the jungle, to whom she’d given a Potion. She grunted the same thing the gorilla told her back then:

“Thank you!”

The gorilla smiled back and grunted something back, before fleeing into the jungle with the others.

Clayton cursed as his prize, his gorillas, all ran off into the jungle. Behind him, a dark aura grew into a monstrous shape.

“This can’t be happening!”

Kairi and the others gasped when the ground shook and the trees tumbled down as if something had struck them. Clayton sat in the air like he was floating, but his jolted position and firm hold of the “air” in front of him suggested there was something more to it. The faint shadow from the moonlight confirmed it: He was riding an invisible creature.

“Clayton!” Jane yelled. “You won’t get away with this!”

“You won’t keep me away from my hunt!” he yelled back.

“The gorillas aren’t yours!” Donald shouted.

“Clayton, you don't know what you’re doing,” Kairi urged. “The Heartless are dangerous, you have to stay away from them or they'll consume your heart!”

“Consume my heart? Nonsense!” Clayton smirked and rested his hand on the invisible Heartless. “These beasts understand the law of the jungle. The strong hunt the weak. And the strongest leads them all.”

Tarzan shouted and charged furiously at the hunter. A piercing shriek echoed, and Tarzan was knocked aside. Kairi tried to catch him, but the pain in her leg made her falter, and he ended up crashing into her. Jane and Goofy helped them up and Donald cast a quick Cure, then used his last Ether to refill his magic reserves.

They had barely recovered when they heard that shriek again and looked up to see Clayton looming over them.

“Goodbye!”

They braced themselves in fear, only to feel a slash in the air as Kerchak grabbed the invisible beast from the rear and pulled it away from them. Jane retreated behind the trees, while Kairi, Donald, Goofy and Tarzan took the chance to attack the Heartless’ front. Wherever they struck, slimy green and yellow skin became visible, until a good chunk of its head was revealed. The Heartless had the appearance of a striped lizard creature. A chameleon.

Clayton growled in frustration and aimed his rifle at them. A loud shot followed by a metallic CLANG as Goofy’s shield protected them. The Heartless used the opportunity to swipe its front legs and throw them off.

Donald struggled back up, his magic almost all gone. “We can’t just keep chipping away at that thing. We need a better plan.”

Kairi looked at the Heartless, which was fiercely wrestling with Kerchak. The gorilla landed a punch square in its face, revealing big round eyeballs. The beast winced at that, and Kairi got an idea.

“Then let's hit it where it hurts! Do you have enough magic for one more spell?” Donald nodded. “Then here’s what we’re gonna do…”

After putting up quite a fight, Kerchak finally went down when the beast kicked him. Clayton aimed his shotgun at him and pulled the trigger, but missed the shot when the gun was hit by a hurling shield.

“Over here!” Goofy shouted. “Why not face someone your size!”

Clayton laughed as the Heartless turned toward Goofy and got ready to squash him.

But then Kairi and Donald jumped out of the trees, their weapons glowing red.

“FIRE!”

Flames burst from the weapons straight to the Heartless. The creature let out a piercing cry when the balls of fire hit its eyeballs. As the beast writhed in pain, Tarzan quietly dropped from a tree and grunted instructions to Kerchak before going up again.

The Heartless had barely regained its sight, and Kerchak’s mighty fists were at its face again. The Heartless crashed against a tree, and Clayton got tossed away. Before it could get up, Tarzan jumped down from the branches above and used his spear to hold the Heartless by the neck against the tree.

Kairi prepared to run, but to her surprise, Kerchak grabbed her by the arm and threw her at the tree. She thrust the Keyblade forward and pierced straight through the Heartless. The creature squirmed one last time before disappearing, its captive heart following suit.

Clayton shouted and punched the ground as he picked up his shotgun and struggled back up. He glared at the ape man and that meddlesome girl, who cheered in victory. Enraged, Clayton didn’t even think to call more Heartless, he just raised his shotgun.

Then I’ll do this myself!

Kairi cried as the bullet missed her face by a centimeter and grazed Tarzan’s shoulder. He groaned in pain and pressed a hand against his shoulders, which was bleeding lightly. Donald, Goofy and Jane ran to them, but only Kerchak noticed Clayton preparing a second shot. He roared and ran toward him. On instinct, the hunter turned the gun at him and fired.

They looked toward the sound, pure horror on their faces as they saw Kerchak tumbling to the ground.

“NO!” Tarzan screamed and charged at Clayton.

The hunter sneered and fired another shot, which Tarzan barely avoided. Clayton continued shooting, and Tarzan saw no other option but to climb a tree to get out of sight.

“Hiding are we? Good!” Clayton shouted, following the wounded Tarzan. “I could use a challenge. Because after I get rid of you and those nosy clods, rounding up your little ape family will be all too easy!”

Kairi went to follow them but stopped once she heard Kerchak’s faint whimpering. She knelt beside him and with some struggle, removed his heavy hand from the injury. Her hand froze for a moment when she saw the blood coming out of the wound on the gorilla's chest, staining his black fur red.

“No…” she whispered, before promptly pressing her hand against the wound. “D-Don’t worry, everything will be fine…” Donald, Goofy and Jane ran to them, their faces full of worry. “Donald, help! Use that healing spell!”

The magician pointed his staff at Kerchak and focused all the strength he had left, but only managed to make a faint light that didn’t even start closing his wound.

“I’m sorry Kairi…”

Kairi felt a lump in her throat that made it hard to breathe as she realized what that meant. She was the only one who could save Kerchak.

She kept pressing his wound with her left hand, holding the Keyblade with her right hand. Her heart and her mind raced as she tried to reassure herself.

I can do this, I can do this… I have to do this!

Kairi shut her eyes tight and made her best to ignore the wave of dizziness and heaviness that suddenly took over her body.

Atop the trees, Clayton held his shotgun firmly, looking around warily, on guard for an attack from any side.

What he didn’t expect was an attack from above.

Tarzan jumped down on Clayton and pinned him against a branch, making him drop the shotgun. Clayton countered by punching Tarzan’s wound and pinning him back. Tarzan kicked him down a lower branch.

Clayton spotted his shotgun and reached for it, but Tarzan dragged him away and picked up the gun first, slamming it against the branch and breaking it.

Clayton shouted and tried to catch the pieces as they fell. Furious, he pulled out a machete and began slashing against Tarzan.

Tarzan retreated into a cluster of vines, but Clayton followed him, madly cutting them off. He dodged a thrust from Clayton’s machete and threw a vine at him, which tied his right arm. Seeing this, Tarzan threw vines at Clayton’s legs and then dropped a bunch all over him.

Clayton glared at Tarzan like a truly wild animal. He bit off the vine tying his right arm and began slashing the vines so angrily, he didn’t notice one of them getting tangled around his neck.

“Clayton!” Tarzan tried to warn, but the hunter didn’t listen. “Clayton, don’t!”

Clayton cut off the last vine keeping him tied and fell, screaming in terror as he desperately tried to get rid of the one vine he forgot to cut.

His screams came to an abrupt end when the vine stretched.

Tarzan tumbled on the ground and looked up horrified at the dangling figure that was once Clayton. The hunter would terrorize his family no more.

Tarzan felt no joy in this. A gentle hand touched his shoulder, and he saw Jane offering him a sympathetic look and pointing to a group of gorillas looking soberly at something.

Tarzan ambled through the crowd and saw a picture he had vainly hoped would not be there: Kerchak lay down, Kala holding him longingly on one side, and on the other, Kairi with her eyes closed and the Keyblade pointed at Kerchak.

C’mon! Do something!

Heal him!

This is supposed to be easy…

I’m supposed to save him…

“Kairi…” Goofy called, practically whispering.

“Don’t!” she cried. “I can still save him!”

Please…

I don’t want anyone else to go because of me…

“Kairi, there’s nothing else you can do,” Donald said softly.

Kairi shook her head vehemently. “No, that can’t be true! There has to be something I can do, there has to!”

She stopped when Tarzan turned her head toward him. He stared at her earnestly, the corners of his mouth twitching into the slightest hint of a smile. He said nothing, but she understood everything.

Kairi dropped the Keyblade. Her arms fell to the sides, and she let Donald and Goofy pull her up. If they said anything, she didn’t hear.

Tarzan touched heads with his mother before she walked away as well, leaving him alone with Kerchak.

“Tarzan…” he whispered with difficulty.

“Kerchak… Forgive me.”

The gorilla shook his head. “No. Forgive me for not understanding that you have always been one of us.”

Tarzan fought back his tears. After all these years, he finally got Kerchak’s acceptance. And he couldn’t be more unhappy.

“Our family will look to you now. Take care of them…” Kerchak struggled and put a hand on Tarzan’s shoulder. “…my son.”

Tarzan felt his heart tighten at the sound of those words. Those few words he wanted to hear all his life.

He held Kerchak’s hand and caressed it against his face.

“Take care of them…”

His eyes closed, his hand fell from Tarzan’s and hit the ground. Tarzan held Kerchak’s body and hugged him, crying for his father. He only let go when the body began to glow, and all that remained of Kerchak dissolved into particles of light that floated off and disappeared.

The gorillas all looked down soberly at the loss of their leader. Jane and her father hugged. Donald and Goofy took their hats off and lowered their heads in respect.

Kairi fell to her knees, a pain unlike any she’d ever felt striking her chest. She’d heard about how people faded into light after they died, but she never had to witness it. Just like she’d never witnessed a funeral, never felt it.

All the sadness, all the grief…

Squeezing her, choking her…

It was too much…

“Kairi, wait!”

“Where are you going?”

She ignored Donald and Goofy’s calls as she ran deeper into the jungle. The sorrow in that place was too overwhelming, she just wanted to get away from there.

She only stopped when she arrived at a rock wall. Kairi stumbled over herself and sat down. Her legs felt too weak to stand.

Finally alone, Kairi looked down at her own trembling hands. Hands that were covered in blood.

The Keyblade suddenly appeared in those hands. She didn’t think for even a second that she had finally learned to summon it. Someone must have tried picking it up, or she ran too far from it. It definitely hadn't come to her willingly.

Why else would such a beautiful thing be in the hands of someone so undeserving?

Kairi screamed, a guttural scream from the top of her lungs, and threw the Keyblade away.

She hugged herself hopelessly and wept. Wept like the scared little kid she was, who yearned, craved for comfort she couldn’t have.

Grandma… I want to lie on your lap while you tell me stories and caress my hair.

Mom, Dad… I want to go to the meadow and sleep between you while you hug me.

Riku, Sora… I want to hide in our secret place with you and vent and cry where no one else can hear us.

But I can’t…

You’re not here…

I couldn’t save you…

Because I’m a failure who doesn’t even deserve you…

And now I failed someone else too…

“Kairi?”

She looked back and was surprised to see Donald and Goofy had followed her. She didn’t even try to wipe her tears, didn’t try to pretend she was fine.

“I’m sorry…”

“Don’t,” Donald said firmly. “Did you shoot Kerchak?”

“No, but─”

“Exactly. Clayton did this, not you. So don’t take the blame away from him.”

Kairi looked down. “But I still couldn't save him. Just like I couldn’t save Riku and Sora when they were right in front of me. You were right, Donald. I’m not a hero. I’m just a kid.”

Donald averted his eyes in shame. Goofy met him with an angry stare and gestured to Kairi. The magician sighed and sat beside her.

“You know, you kind of remind me of a friend. He also feels guilty when he can’t help someone, or when he thinks he could have done more.”

Kairi looked timidly at him. “Really?”

“Yeah. You two even have the same mildly annoying optimism that makes you meddle where you shouldn’t.” Donald let out a small smile at his memories. “He just can’t help jumping into trouble to help others. That’s probably why he’s always running off on his own. But he can’t always save everyone. No one can. That’s why he needs me and Goofy to reassure him that that’s okay. Everyone fails sometimes.”

“Who is that friend?” Kairi asked, curious.

“King Mickey.”

Her mouth opened in surprise, but her voice faltered. Goofy sat by her other side and put an arm around her.

“Kerchak’s death wasn’t your fault. Neither was your island falling to darkness, or your friends being lost. You made everything you could, and that’s already good enough.”

Kairi tried to stop it, but more tears came out. Goofy brought her head to his shoulder so she could cry, and Kairi let his warmth comfort her until her tears finally ended. She actually felt much better after that.

But then Donald held her hand, and she was reminded of how awful she’d been to him.

“Donald, I… I’m sorry for everything. I’m sorry for crashing the ship, I’m sorry for teasing you, I’m sorry for calling you selfish, and I’m sorry for acting like a brat. I was being so stubborn…”

He shook his head. “If anyone was stubborn, it was me. I shouldn’t have yelled at you, or said your friends weren’t important, or mocked your family like that. I of all people should know how it feels to lose someone and not even know if you’ll ever see them again. I am truly sorry…”

“And I’m sorry too,” Goofy said, surprising Kairi and Donald. “For yelling at you like that, and for taking so long to do something. I just watched you fight and told myself everything was fine. I should have tried harder to make things easier.”

Kairi looked at the two and finally smiled. “I know you said we didn’t have to be friends, but… Do you think we could?”

“Of course.” Donald smiled as well and wrapped his arms around her, Goofy doing the same. “I’d say we’re already friends.”

Kairi closed her eyes, and for a moment, it was like she was being hugged by her mother and father.

“Kairi, Donald, Goofy.” The three looked in surprise at Tarzan, who was standing there with a smile. “Friends.”

“Tarzan!” Kairi quickly got up. “Tarzan, I’m so sorry for Kerchak, I tried everything but I─”

Tarzan covered her mouth with his hand and smiled. “Tarzan and Kairi friends.”

She smiled back. “Thank you…”

Tarzan looked behind her, to the rock wall. Careful of his wounded arm, he climbed the cliff and called for the three friends. As they climbed, they could hear the distant sound of rushing water. Arriving at the top, they saw an enormous waterfall flowing into a lake. Kairi even spotted an almost invisible rainbow where the waters met.

“Tarzan home.”

“It’s beautiful,” Kairi said. “I’ve never seen a rainbow during the night.”

“I didn’t even know that could happen…” Goofy admitted.

They headed into a cave behind the waterfall that went all the way up. The walls had enough slopes to climb, but Tarzan’s injured arm turned out to be a problem.

“We can’t go on like this,” Donald said after Tarzan almost fell down a slope. He thought for a moment before turning to Kairi. “I know. Kairi, you can heal Tarzan’s arm.”

“What? No, I can’t…”

“Yes, you can. You’re good. Besides, I’m still out of magic anyway.”

“You did pick up two spells after a single training,” Goofy added with an encouraging smile.

“But I was terrible every time I tried. I couldn’t even heal someone dying right in front of me…”

“You were panicking back then,” Goofy reassured her. “Of course you wouldn’t be able to focus.”

“And I’m sorry I was so hard on you,” Donald said. “Maybe you’re not the problem. I’ve been trying to teach you magic logically because it’s how I learned. But magic still comes from the heart, so for a lot of people, it’s something emotional, spiritual even. It must be like this for you too.”

That did make sense. Kairi thought back to when she cast her first spell, how hard it had been to think about it logically, and how right it had felt when she just trusted her instincts.

Kairi hesitantly picked the Keyblade. Donald held her hands and guided the tip of the blade next to Tarzan’s injury.

“Just feel your magic like you did with Aerith, then share it,” he said. “You can do this.”

Kairi closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The waterfall echoing in her ears and trickling on her skin was the perfect distraction to make her think of water, but Kairi forced herself to forget everything out there. There was no clear element for her to visualize now. Instead, she focused on herself and her feelings.

I want to help. I really do.

The rushing falls slowly grew more distant and quiet, until the flow merged with her own heartbeat.

And then, she felt something. The smallest burst of energy coming from her chest. An energy she’d felt before, the very first time she cast her previous spells. But this time it wasn’t destructive. It was invigorating and living and just… Pure.

Once she noticed it, the energy started growing until her heart was full. It was only fitting she shared it.

Her magic traveled through the Keyblade and manifested itself into a green glow. Slowly but surely, the cut began to close, until only a small scar remained.

“See?” Donald said. “Told’ja you could do it.”

Kairi looked at the Keyblade in wonder, a laugh escaping her. Tarzan looked at his arm with equal surprise.

“Thank you!” he said with a smile.

The rest of the climb was smooth sailing ─ aside from some steep spots where they had to help Donald up ─ and they quickly reached the top.

A tree had grown right there in the cave, toward an opening in the ceiling. A swarm of blue butterflies rested on the trunk, the moonlight shining through their wings.

Tarzan said the gorilla word he said when he and Kairi first met. “Friends here.”

“But they’re not here…” she said. “What does it─”

Tarzan hushed her and put a hand to his ear. At first, they only heard the rushing of the waterfalls. But then the echoing of the wind, the trees of the jungle and its animals all joined together into a chaotic yet soothing melody.

“It’s like this is the heart of the jungle,” Goofy noted.

And then Kairi realized.

“That word… It means ‘heart’, doesn’t it? ‘Friends in our hearts.’ That’s what you’ve been trying to tell us.”

“Heart…” Tarzan savored the new word he’d learned, then nodded.

Kairi let out a sigh of disappointment. Unless Riku or Sora were literally inside her heart, the whole journey had been for naught. Donald and Goofy were about to go comfort her, but Tarzan wasn’t finished.

“Friends, same heart. Clayton, lose heart. No heart, can’t see friends. No heart, no friends.”

He pointed to Kairi’s locket. She opened it and gazed at the pictures, remembering her mother’s words when she gave her that locket.

(“See? It even has a space for photos. This way you can carry a little piece of us while we’re at work, so you’ll never be really alone.”)

“Lucky you’re not alone, Kairi.” She turned and saw Goofy putting his hand over Donald’s. “All for one…”

She smiled and put her hand in as well. “And one for all.”

Right. Just because Riku and Sora aren’t by my side, doesn’t mean we’re not together.

And until we are, I’ll carry you here in my heart.

A strange glow emanated from the tree trunk, scaring the butterflies away. Kairi stretched out her hand for one and saw the glistening Keyhole on the trunk. She picked the Keyblade and pointed it, shooting a beam of light. With the click of a lock, the Keyhole disappeared.

Another world was safe.

In the Castle Chapel, the five villains watched through a gazing spell as the Keybearer sealed yet another Keyhole.

“What drew the Heartless to that hole of a world?” asked a shrill female voice.

“The hunter lured them there,” the evil fairy answered. “It was his lust for power that was the bait. But it seems the bait was too tasty for his own good.”

One of the figures cackled maliciously. “Well, guess I’ll see him back home down under.”

“A weak-hearted fool like him stood no chance against the Heartless,” a man said, stepping out of the shadows.

The man in question was tall and thin, wore black robes that reached the ground, a long red cape, and a regal turban fit for royalty. In his hand he held a gold staff shaped like a snake.

“But the girl is a problem,” he continued. “She found two Keyholes already.”

“Fear not,” the evil fairy assured. “It will take her ages to find the rest. Besides, she remains blissfully unaware of our other plan.”

The man in the turban frowned as they turned to the quietest member of the group. 

“My men and the Heartless are already searching for the remaining Pure Lights,” the deep-voiced man confirmed. “It won’t be long until they all fall into our hands.”

Behind him were three glass pods, each occupied by a sleeping young woman.

Chapter Text

Kairi was anxious on the way back through the jungle, not wanting to face the gorillas after she failed to save their leader. Donald, Goofy and Tarzan told her no one would blame her, but she couldn’t help but be nervous.

Arriving at the nests, they found the Professor laughing as a group of gorillas messed with his hair and clothes, while Jane played with some infants.

Goofy stepped on a twig, calling everyone’s attention to them. Kairi cowered at the gorillas’ gazes. They would be mad at her, hate her even, and she deserved it. She just hoped those huge creatures weren’t mad to the point of getting physical.

They flinched when a gorilla came running at them. Kairi closed her eyes, expecting to get slapped, punched, or worse. But instead of hitting her, the gorilla held her high in the air and squeezed her into a hug. When Kairi saw two other gorillas running and hugging Donald and Goofy as well, she realized this wasn’t an attack. It was a commendation.

“Kairi, Donald, Goofy help gorillas,” Tarzan explained. “Gorillas thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Goofy said with a chuckle.

“Just doing our job. Hey, gimme that!” Donald complained when Terk snatched his hat to look curiously at it.

Kairi said nothing. She was expecting animosity, or at the very least coldness from the gorillas for Kerchak’s death, yet here they were, treating her like some sort of hero.

Something poked her heavily in the arm, snapping her out of her thoughts. A gorilla was standing in front of her, holding out a bunch of bananas. When she didn’t react, the gorilla brought them closer and grunted happily.

“Is it for me?” Still a bit dazed, Kairi picked up the bananas, much to the gorilla’s content. Seeing this, another gorilla offered her a fruit she’d never seen before, which she barely had time to accept before yet another gorilla was shoving another fruit into her arms. “Thank you, that looks delicious, thank you.”

Before long, Kairi had been given so many fruits, Donald and Goofy had to help her carry them.

“I guess dinner tonight is covered,” Goofy noted.

“Speaking of which, what time is it?” Donald asked.

As if to answer, the infant gorilla in Jane’s arms yawned and his head fell. Jane smiled fondly as she returned the infant to his mother.

“Today was an agitated day for all of us,” she said. “It’s about time we head back. Oh, but the camp was trashed. Where will we sleep now, Daddy?”

Before he could answer, Tarzan came and held her hand.

“Jane stays with Tarzan.”

“Stay here… with you and your family?”

For a moment, Jane dared to imagine herself living there, amidst the trees of the jungle, with her father, with the gorillas, with Tarzan…

“Why, that would be wonderful!” the Professor said. “Wouldn’t it Jane?”

“Yes… I─ We’d love to stay,” she corrected herself.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if she chose to stay forever,” Goofy whispered to Kairi and Donald.

“Maybe that’d be good. She and the Professor seem happy here,” Kairi noted.

Tarzan turned to the trio. “Kairi, Donald, Goofy stay?”

“Thank you, Tarzan,” Kairi said. “But we should get going.”

“Yeah,” Donald agreed. “Besides, we already have a place to stay. We’ll be leaving the jungle by morning.”

Tarzan frowned sadly. “Leave?”

“Sorry, Tarzan. But we have an important job to do. We have to go.” Despite the mood, Kairi smiled. “But someone taught me just because our friends aren’t with us, doesn’t mean they’re not in our hearts.”

Tarzan smiled as well. “Kairi, Tarzan, friends.”

“Yeah, friends.”

“Well, farewell then,” the Professor said and shook their hands. “It’s always a pleasure to meet new life forms. Oh, and new adventurers too, of course.”

“Be careful out there,” Jane told them. “I hope you find who you’re looking for.”

“Thank you, Jane,” Kairi said and looked behind her. “I’d like to wish the same, but I think you already found what you were looking for.”

Jane glanced at Tarzan and blushed. He didn’t understand what that meant, but for some reason, it made him happy.

Kairi, Donald and Goofy walked until they found a large and quiet clearing. Donald put down the Gummi Ship and made it big again. They stepped through the hatch into the holding area, then climbed the ladder to the ship’s cabin.

The cabin was just below the cockpit, and just slightly bigger. It was furnished just like a trailer, with simple furniture nailed to the floor and walls so it wouldn’t move with the ship. There were two bunk beds on opposite walls, with a dog’s bed by one’s side for Pluto, a built-in closet, and a small kitchen area in one corner with cabinets, a trash can, a sink, a counter and a mini fridge next to a table and a cushioned bench. The center of the cabin was mostly free space. Goofy told Kairi he, Donald and the King liked to use the space to practice between their adventures.

They had just finished climbing when someone’s belly rumbled.

“Oh boy, I’m starving,” Donald complained.

Goofy dropped his share of fruits on the table. “I think we earned a good dinner after a long day of saving worlds.”

“Oh yeah! Heartless beware, ‘cause we’re on fire!”

Donald and Goofy sat on the bench and picked a fruit each. Donald opted for a banana, and Goofy decided to try a round fruit that was greenish-yellow. Kairi reached for one similar to a mango, a common fruit in Destiny Islands, when a thought crossed her mind.

“Hey, what if we ate on the floor? You know, like a picnic.”

Donald and Goofy stopped mid-bite. “Why?”

Kairi looked down and started fidgeting with her locket. “For fun, I guess. My parents used to take me on picnics whenever we had something to celebrate, so I kinda associate it with that. It was just a thought…”

Donald and Goofy glanced at each other, a quiet agreement between them. They smiled and carried the fruits to the middle of the cabin, then sat down.

“I’d say saving two worlds from the Heartless is more than enough reason to celebrate,” Goofy said, opening some space for her.

Kairi smiled as well and sat down. The three sat in a circle so they could see each other clearly, with the fruits in the middle. But her smile faltered when the image of Kerchak’s fallen body came to her mind.

“I still feel like I could have done more…”

There was a hint of worry in Donald and Goofy’s eyes for a fraction of a second before their grins widened.

“C’mon, Kairi. You did well. Especially for your first time,” Donald assured her. He handed Kairi and Goofy a banana each and picked one for himself. “At least for now, let’s cheer for the small victories we have.”

“Yeah!” Goofy raised his banana like he was making a toast. “For the small victories!”

Kairi cracked a smile and raised her banana as well. “For the small victories.”

The three met their bananas and laughed before taking a bite.

It was delicious. The flavor reminded Kairi of the times she and Riku would wait below trees for Sora to climb and throw them bananas or coconuts. The bunch was over in minutes, but Kairi, Donald and Goofy weren’t satisfied, so they moved on to the more unfamiliar fruits.

“Yum,” Goofy said as he tried a round greenish-yellow fruit. “It’s bitter but sweet at the same time.”

Donald took a big bite out of a fruit, only to spit it out a second later. “Yuck, stones! And peel!”

“Here.” Kairi picked the fruit and used her Swiss army knife to peel it, also removing the pit in the middle.

“Thanks.” Donald took another bite, and this time, closed his eyes to fully savor it. “Yum… You know what one of the best parts of visiting new worlds is? Getting to try new foods.”

“You betcha,” Goofy agreed, munching on a nut. “It always surprises me just how much food there is in the universe.”

“You should come visit Destiny Islands sometime then,” Kairi suggested as she peeled another fruit. “There’s all sorts of delicious food there. Grandma Yara is the best cook in the worlds. Every Sunday we went to the farmer’s market to buy fresh ingredients. We ate pastels and drank sugarcane juice for lunch. When we came home, she made juice, candy, cake, cookies, doughnuts…” Her eyes became unfocused. She could almost smell that sugary scent, like she was back in the kitchen, anxiously waiting for a batch of pastries. “Riku and Sora knew she always did that, so they came to visit every afternoon. We played in the yard until Grandma called us saying she had finished something. Then we’d go inside and stuff ourselves while watching TV.”

Donald and Goofy smiled as she told her story. Goofy asked, “And was your grandma also the one who made the food for you and your parents’ picnics?”

“Yes!” Kairi took off her necklace and showed them the picture of her and her family in the grassy field. “The meadow was not far from town. I think my dad used to go there when he was younger. The four of us went there when we had something to celebrate, like one of their projects being approved, or when I finished one in school. Grandma packed all the food we could eat, Dad and I played tag, and Mom taught me to make flower wreaths. On the really perfect days, we lay on the grass and slept through the late afternoon and only woke up to watch the sunset.” For a moment, her look became somewhat sad. “The last time we did that was when Dad was appointed to the town council. He became even busier after that, and couldn’t find much time for picnics. I’m really happy for him, but…” She sighed. “What I wouldn’t give to spend one more afternoon in that meadow…”

When she looked at Donald and Goofy again, they were staring speechless at her. Just then Kairi noticed she had tears flowing from her eyes. She blushed and quickly wiped them away.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to start rambling like that…”

“No, it’s fine,” Goofy assured and returned her necklace. “I’m happy you shared that. I miss spending time with my Maxie too.”

“Who is that?”

“Oh, Max is my son.” From his pocket, Goofy took out his wallet and opened it, revealing at least a dozen pictures of a little boy similar to him. “Looks, this is him taking his first steps. And here he is getting ready for his first day of school. And here he is dressed as that rockstar guy he likes for Halloween. And in this one he’s going to prom with his sweetheart Roxane. And this is the day when we rode the roller coaster and I got stuck at the top of a loop-de-loop, so Max had to catch me and swing me into a cotton candy stand.”

Kairi blinked. “Wait, what?”

“Don’t question it,” Donald advised.

“It’s alright. The park gave us free admission and cotton candy for life, and Max and I made a memory together.” Goofy went back to looking at his pictures, until he spotted one of a terrified Max, around the age of four or so, wearing a helmet, wrist guards, and elbow and knee pads while standing on a skateboard and holding onto Goofy for dear life. “Aw, his first time on a skateboard. He was so scared, but I said I’d catch him whenever he fell, so he only needed a bit of courage to try. And luckily he did, because he loved it! He started practicing every day with his friends. He even won first place in this sports tournament, see?”

Kairi admired a picture of a now teenager Max standing with a gold medal on the podium. Seeing all those pictures, Kairi felt a strange sensation. For a moment she wished her own father was more like Goofy. She scolded herself for thinking that and focused once again on the pictures.

“It sure sounds like Max has had a great father to support him.”

Goofy blushed at the compliment. “Gawrsh Kairi, thanks…”

Kairi glanced to her other side, where Donald finished eating the last of his fruits.

“And I’m guessing you have a family too, Donald?”

He wheezed. “Do I? In my immediate family there’s me, my sister Della, and our parents. But then you add our uncle Scrooge, who took care of us when our parents were busy, plus all our other uncles, aunts, and all their children. And then Della managed to have triplets. Those are Huey, Dewey and Louie. And as if that wasn’t enough, they decided to adopt Scrooge’s housekeeper’s granddaughter as a sister basically. And as if that wasn’t enough, she goes off and puts best friends in the family category. Not that I don’t agree, but after a while it gets very hard to follow…”

“Oh, wow. Family gatherings must be pretty agitated.”

“That’s an understatement. And I didn’t even mention how much uncle Scrooge loves taking them to the ends of the worlds to look for adventure.” Donald stuffed his chest and forced a very strong accent. “After all, ‘adventure is the mother of industry!’”

Goofy and Kairi chuckled at the impression, but Donald suddenly became serious. From his pocket, he took a picture frame of himself, two other adults and four children smiling as they stood in front of a weird beat-up monster. He sighed.

“But oh boy, do I miss them… I didn’t even get to say goodbye, they were out on another adventure when we realized the King was gone. I wish I could’ve said something…”

Goofy put a hand on Donald’s shoulder and offered a smile. Kairi gave the magician a sympathetic look when an idea came to her.

“I know!” She reached for her pouch and took out her journal, two pens and a pencil. “I couldn’t sleep last night, I was too nervous thinking about Riku and Sora and everything else. So I wrote them a letter. And as weird as it sounds, it really helped. Do you want to try?”

Donald picked up one of the pens and Goofy picked up the pencil. “I guess there’s no harm in trying.”

Kairi tore off two sheets from her journal and handed them to Donald and Goofy. The three wrote in silence, occasionally glancing at their pictures and smiling.

Dear Maxie,

Dad’s been missing you so much! I don’t know how long it’s been there, but here it sure feels like an eternity. Sorry I couldn’t bring you along, but seeing the Heartless we had to face, I’m honestly glad I didn’t. We still have no sign of the King, but at least we’ve found the new Keybearer. Her name is Kairi, she’s about your age and very nice. I wish you could meet her. Donald and I are helping her find her friends, and she’s helping us find the King. With his help I’m sure we’ll defeat the Heartless in no time, and I’ll be able to come home to you!

But enough about me. Are you doing well? I hope you haven’t been skating around the halls again, we both remember what happened last time. Have you been keeping your room clean? You can’t just rely on the brooms to do all the work. Make sure to do your homework and study hard. And don’t go to bed too late. Just because I’m not there doesn’t mean you can stay awake till two in the morning. You do everything the Queen and Daisy tell you. And don’t forget to eat lots of fruit and vegetables. Athletes have to stay healthy. And don’t forget to shower every day.

I’ll come home soon!

Love, Dad.

To Scrooge, Della, Huey, Dewey, Louie and Webby,

Sorry I had to leave without saying goodbye, but an urgent matter showed up and I couldn’t wait for you to come back. Daisy must have told you by now, but the Heartless are invading worlds and the King is missing, so Goofy and I have to find him and put a stop to the Heartless. No kids, you can’t come. That includes you, Uncle Scrooge and Della.

I’ll try to come back as soon as I can. In the meantime, please stay safe. Uncle Scrooge, no adventures for now, we don’t know how far the Heartless have spread. Della, please make sure the boys get that. You know it’s dangerous. Huey, try to keep your brothers under control. Louie, I don’t want any schemes to make money off the Heartless. Dewey, don’t you sneak out to fight the Heartless. Webby, if Dewey tries to sneak out anyway, tie him up and lock him in his room. The same goes for everyone else.

I’m really sorry for this, I know how much you guys love adventuring, but please try to understand, I’m just worried for your safety. I’ve seen what these Heartless can do, and if they’re enough of a threat to make King Mickey run off on his own, then I want my family as far away from them as possible. Don’t worry, me, Goofy, the King and our new friend will make sure these suckers get what’s coming to them. Until then, please take care.

Your nephew, brother and uncle,

Donald.

Dear Grandma Yara,

I’m sorry for running off like that, and in the middle of a storm nonetheless. You must have been worried sick. To be honest, I’ve been worried too. Scared even. So much stuff has happened since I left the Islands, and a good chunk of it was not that great. But I promise I’m okay now.

I’ve made some new friends, and they’re looking after me out here, just like you’ve done all these years. I’m sure you’d like them. Donald is a bit of a hothead, but he can be sensitive when he wants to. And Goofy is very friendly and sweet.

Speaking of sweets, I told Donald and Goofy all about your cooking. Needless to say, they were interested. When I come back home, I’ll bring them along so they can taste some of your pastries.

Dears Mom and Dad,

I’m sorry I couldn’t be there for Sunday dinner. I’m sorry for leaving without saying anything. I never even told you about the raft I was making with Riku and Sora. I really wanted to tell you, but you came home late at night all week, and Riku wanted to keep it a secret until it was ready. I’m really sorry. I’ll try to make it up to you when I get back.

I miss you a lot. But now I have an important job to do. And it’s all about helping people, just like yours. I know how important that is, and I know how much it means to you. I promise I’ll do better than my best. I’ll make sure no one else loses their home or their family, whatever it takes. And I hope when I come home, I’ll be a daughter you can be proud of.

Dear Riku and Sora,

The outside world is everything we’ve dreamed of and much more! There’s a space between the worlds called the Ocean Between which is absolutely beautiful. It’s not just a black void like it is in those old sci-fi shows, most of it is pretty colorful and bright. And then there are the worlds themselves! If Traverse Town looked like the town Noctis said he comes from with a sky that never changes color, the first world I visited with Donald and Goofy was the stuff of a crazy dream. I’m talking size-changing food and live playing cards kind of crazy. The second was less weird but way more beautiful, a lush jungle with huge trees and waterfalls. And that’s not to mention all the people we’ve met in those worlds. Like Tarzan, an ape man who was raised by gorillas since he was a baby, or Alice, a girl who was lost in the topsy-turvy world and needed our help getting home. Seeing her made me wish for my home as well.

But there’s no home for me to return to, not until we put a stop to the Heartless. And even then, the Islands wouldn’t be home without you there.

I know I shouldn’t think about the night of the storm, but I can’t help it. Whenever I do I start getting nervous. I was so relieved to hear that the Islands, that our families weren’t gone for good. But it’s way less relieving to think I’m the only one who can save them. Because… honestly… I doubt I can do it. I couldn’t save you when you were right in front of me. And now I’ve failed to save someone else too.

Stop! I told Donald and Goofy I wouldn’t sulk anymore. I should focus on the good things that happened. The amazing places I saw, and all the friends I made. Also, if we find the King, he will surely be able to take care of everything, so that’s another reason to keep moving forward.

But even if we find him, I still have to find you two. It’s the least I owe you after failing to keep you safe in the first place. So wait for me. I’m coming.

I’m coming for all of you.

Thinking of you,

Kairi.

“You were right, Kairi,” Goofy said, looking at his finished letter. “This does make me feel better! For a moment I felt like I was really talking to Max.”

“Yeah,” Donald agreed and held his own letter. “Next time we find a moogle shop, let’s send them through Mognet straight to Disney Castle.”

“Great idea!”

Kairi clutched her journal, and her eyebrows frowned slightly.

“What’s wrong, Kairi?” Donald asked.

“Nothing. I’m fine.” She quickly forced a smile. “No frown and no sad face.”

Goofy chuckled. “That’s the spirit! Positive thinking always.”

“Yeah, positive thinking,” she agreed.

Donald raised an eyebrow. He glanced at her hands, still clutching the burgundy notebook, and realized the obvious. Unlike them, she had no way of mailing her letters.

He opened his mouth to talk when a yawn suddenly escaped Kairi.

“Today feels like it was so long,” she said. “Has it really been just a day since we left Traverse Town?”

“The darkness in the Ocean Between makes time flow differently between worlds,” Donald explained. “For us it’s been just a few hours, but somewhere else, it could have been days or even minutes. It takes a while to get used to the change.”

Goofy yawned as well and stretched. “So basically, time to hit the hay.”

They put the leftover food in the mini fridge and headed for bed. Donald and Goofy took the bunk on the left, Donald at the top and Goofy at the bottom, so Kairi lay on the bottom bed on the right wall, the one next to the dog bed. She guessed the King used that bed when he was on the ship, and the top one was for any other guests.

Donald and Goofy turned off their bedside lights as soon as they lay down and started snoring in less than five minutes. But Kairi didn’t. For whatever reason, she hesitated to turn her light off. It was silly really, she hadn’t been afraid of the dark since she was 7 and believed a monster came out of her closet on several nights.

Back then, her grandmother told her to think of happy things and try to laugh whenever she was afraid. And it worked, as the monster never showed up again after she laughed at it.

But what was there to laugh about now? Every happy moment she had with her family on Destiny Islands, every laughter she shared with Riku and Sora ultimately reminded her that they weren’t there, that they could be at the mercy of the very real monsters that tore them all apart.

But still, she tried. She tried to think of fun times at the beach without imagining it being torn and sucked into darkness. She tried envisioning happy moments with her friends while ignoring the image of them disappearing right in front of her constantly nagging in her mind.

It’s all in my head, she told herself. Just stop thinking about it!

She turned off her light and forced herself to drift into sleep.

I’m in our secret place on the playing island, staring at the big door we could never open. Behind me, I hear the voice of the man in the robe.

“Open the door. Leave this place behind. There’s nothing here worth staying.”

I don’t answer. That’s too absurd of a claim to say anything.

But then he grabs me, his strong hand closing around my wrist and making my heart skip a beat.

“C’mon Kairi. Isn’t this what we always wanted?”

“We?”

I turn my head and gasp. Below the hood, I see Riku’s face twisted into a smirk.

“Come with me, Kairi. We’ll go together. As long as we have each other, this whole place can burn.”

Just like that, the door opens. A wave of cold darkness hits me and obscures my view. When I’m able to see again, Riku and the cave have vanished. Instead, I’m standing on the beach as everything is sucked by a ball of darkness in the sky.

“KAIRI!”

I turn toward the cry. A few meters from me, huddled together in fright, are my grandmother and my parents. They look at me, their eyes full of fear. I call for them and run toward them, fighting the strong wind that seems to want to keep us apart.

I’m almost reaching them when I suddenly hear the booming sound of a gunshot. My family’s eyes bulge as blood begins spreading through their chests and they fall to the ground.

“NO!”

They disappear into light particles as soon as I reach them. I’m left standing there, looking as the light that was once my family escapes through my fingers.

I fall to my knees and start weeping. My home, my family, my best friend and brother… What else could those shadows take from me?

Someone screams, and I’m reminded of the last person I still have. He’s not far from me. He holds himself tightly with his eyes shut as darkness swirls around him.

“Sora!”

He opens his sky-blue eyes when I call his name. Some of his fear seems to vanish, and he reaches out to me.

“Kairi!”

The ground below him opens, and Sora screams as he’s swallowed by the chasm.

No! I won’t lose you too!

I jump after him and reach out my hand. He does the same. I look into his eyes as our hands grow closer until finally, they touch.

That’s when I hit the ground. But the ground isn’t sand, it’s hard concrete.

I look around in shock. There’s no more Destiny Islands, no more storm and no more Sora. I’m now in a dark room I’ve never been to before.

[A/N: DS ( Yt | Spt )]

* A soothing melody fills my ears as I inspect the room. The walls are light blue and white, with pictures of animals and simple shapes. A mobile toy hangs over a toddler bed. In one corner there’s an armchair and a chest filled with plushies and other toys. On the opposite side of the room is a cabinet with some objects displayed.

Curious, I approach the cabinet. There are a lot of frames with pictures of a happy family, a man and a woman smiling with their arms around a child, sometimes joined by an older man, maybe an uncle or another relative. But it’s too dark to see any of their faces.

Between those picture frames, I find the source of the music: A simple music box made of wood with gold and silver details painted by hand. I take a minute to listen to the melody. It’s calm, peaceful, and makes me feel… Nostalgic? Happy? Sorrowful? A mixture of the three? Yet I can’t recall where I heard the song before. I just feel like I have.

A creaking sound cuts into the song. A door slowly opens on the wall next to me. I step through the door and find myself in another dark place, a hallway, with walls and floor of stone bricks. There are candle holders on the walls, as well as crystal-like lamps on the ceiling, but they’re all turned off, sinking the hallway in even more darkness. Not being able to see where the hallway ends leaves me uneasy. *

I almost jump when the door to the nursery suddenly slams shut, cutting off the music box completely. Before I can think of what to do next, I hear something. A faint, repeating knock against the stone floor. Steps.

My heart beats faster and a lump forms in my throat as the steps become louder. My head turns quickly from one side to the other, trying to guess where the steps are coming from.

Finally, something emerges from the darkness. A man in a white lab coat, his face still obscured by the shadows.

He stops before me. My body freezes. My voice abandons me. The man raises his arm toward me. Behind him, something seems to jerk within the darkness.

The man opens his yellow eyes at the same time two bright dots of the same color blink into existence above his head and become the eyes of a demonic creature.

A scream leaves my mouth, my legs finally find their strength and I begin to run. The man strides after me. I don’t dare to look back, but know he’s not far.

As I run the stone walls make way for the iron bars of dimly lit cells. I scream when a dark and disfigured hand like that of a Heartless reaches out from a cell and almost grabs me.

More hands reach out, crying and moaning as they try to grab me. I continue running, struggling to avoid them.

I stop when I hear a scream that doesn’t belong to me. The man in the lab coat has arrived at the first line of cells. Behind him, the dark creature grabs the people in the closest cells, who scream in fright before abruptly stopping.

The part of me that wants to help is immediately overtaken by the part that makes me run. As I hear their screams of agony, I only run faster, until I make it to the last two cells.

Two final hands emerge from them, one that’s fully human, and one that has dark stains on various parts of its skin. They grab each of my hands. Their grasps are strong, but there’s something almost familiar about them.

They both weakly cry the same thing:

“…put an end to me…”

My heart stings at their suffering voices. I don’t want to do that, don’t want to kill them…

The hands of the monster suddenly come between us. It throws the owner of the human hand further into their cell and squeezes the one with the stained hand until they melt into darkness and are absorbed by that beast.

“No!” I cry.

Finished with the prisoners, the man and the monster turn their yellow eyes at me. I don’t know which eyes I find scarier.

I back away and break into running again. The walls go back to being stone. I can hear the echo of the man’s steps following me, firm and steady, but still somehow keeping up with me. 

Finally, I see a light at the end of the hallway. Relief washes over me as I speed up toward the light.

It vanishes when I realize where the light comes from. A room with a strange machine with brown pods big enough for a person wired to a round glass container. The room has no exits but the way I came from. I’m cornered.

“Your efforts are for nothing,” a deep voice resonates and chills run down my spine.

The man emerges from the darkness, a sinister smirk on his face, and I finally get a better look at the creature behind him. Its lower body is a tail connected to the man’s back, its chest has a big hole, and its face could almost look human. Seeing it in the light, I realize the creature has bandages all over its body, including its mouth, which is gagged.

“This world will be engulfed by darkness,” the man says as he steps toward me, “everything you care about and everyone you love. You failed them.”

I hold my breath and back away, feeling like my heart will burst from my chest, but the man keeps coming, until my back hits one of the pods. I can practically feel myself shrink as the man and the monster grow closer. 

“End of the line. You have lost.”

The man raises his hand toward me and I shut my eyes in fear.

His touch doesn’t come. I open my eyes and see his hand has met an invisible barrier. I gasp in realization. I’m inside the pod!

The man’s confident smirk vanishes into an angry frown. His fist closes and he punches the glass. I would have jumped if the pod wasn’t so tight.

“Don’t you think you’ve won,” the man says bitterly. Even behind the protective glass, his voice shakes me to my very core. “You can’t hide him from me forever.” (Him?) “You won’t stand in my way!”

I instinctively flinch and close my hands. That’s when I realize I’m holding something. I look down and my eyes widen. In my hand is Sora’s crown necklace!

A voice suddenly echoes in my head, like a distant memory.

“I’m always with you…”

I hold the necklace firmly to my chest as the machine begins to buzz and a mechanical voice starts a countdown.

Launching all lifeboats in 5…

4…

“I’ll find you, Your Highness.”

3…

2…

“You will fall, ‘Master’.”

1…

The pod shoots into space. The shaking is unbearable, I can hardly feel my body anymore, can’t even think straight. The only thing I know is a distant voice calling for me…

“Kairi…”

“Kairi…”

“Kairi!”

She woke up in a jolt, sweating, panting, and with her heart racing. In her blurry vision, Kairi saw a tall silhouette standing over her. She didn’t even wait for her mind to clear, she just threw her arms around them.

Goofy froze. For a moment, he felt he was back home in his son’s room as he was woken by nightmares. Slowly, he raised his arms and returned the embrace.

“It’s alright,” he whispered. “I’m here now. You’re safe.”

Kairi wasn’t surprised or taken aback by his voice, even if in her mind, it was her grandmother who had come to her. She was just glad to have someone there.

Donald stood by their side with a worried gaze. “You were jolting around in bed,” he explained. “You were almost screaming when we woke up. What happened?”

Her hands tightened and she held back a whimper. Noticing the change, Goofy brought his hand to her head and caressed it.

“You don’t have to tell if you don’t want to,” he said. “But if it helps, we’re all ears.”

Kairi finally let go of Goofy and sat on the bed. Donald and Goofy sat by her sides as they did in the jungle.

“I… I was back home. On the Islands. On the day of the storm, when the Heartless…” She braced herself. “My family, they… They disappeared. And so did my friends. And then everything got so weird…” She grasped her head, trying to remember the details of the dream. “There was a bedroom, a children’s bedroom, with music playing… And a man with yellow eyes. Or was it a monster? It chased after me, tried to grab me… I was so scared…”

Goofy held her hand in reassurance. “You don’t have to be. You’re safe with us. We’ll find your friends and save your family. Everything will turn out alright, you’ll see.”

“You don’t know that!” Kairi snapped, surprising her companions. “What if we meet a Heartless so strong we can’t defeat it? What if we can’t stop them after all? What if they already got Riku and Sora?” Her head fell low and she held back tears. “What if there is no way to bring the worlds back…”

Goofy said nothing. What could he say? He was constantly fighting not to ask himself those same questions. What if the Heartless proved too strong for them? What if it was already too late to find the King?

Kairi looked up when Donald put a hand on her shoulder. “Kairi, did I ever tell you about my sister?”

“Yes. When we were having dinner. But what does this have to do with─”

“No, not that I have a sister. Did I tell you about her?” Kairi shook her head, still wondering why Donald was telling her that. “When I was younger, if I wasn’t off on an adventure with Goofy and the King, I was normally on an adventure with her and Uncle Scrooge. We went to all kinds of places together. But our ships back then were very limited, we couldn’t go to nearly as many worlds as we can now. It made Della upset, she wanted her kids to have the whole universe to explore.”

Sounds like someone I know, Kairi thought, a bittersweet taste in her mouth.

“So as a gift for the birth of her triplets, Uncle Scrooge started research on what he called Gummi Ships. Ships that could go through the greatest walls of the Ocean Between. Della was so excited, she couldn’t wait to show her boys the universe. So she took a prototype, just before the boys hatched. It was supposed to be just a test run, but…” Donald looked down somberly. “The ship wasn’t finished, most of the technology was experimental. And even before we ventured into uncharted territory, the Ocean Between is a dangerous place. She got caught up in a storm, the ship was damaged and the engine jumpstarted on its own. Della was blasted beyond the walls. We lost all forms of communication, had no way of knowing if she was even alive.”

Goofy gave a heavy sigh. Kairi could only stare without saying anything.

“After that, Scrooge built more ships,” Donald continued. “He and King Mickey searched new worlds, tried everything they could to find Della. But the universe is huge, with more worlds than one can count. Scrooge almost went bankrupt. But they couldn’t find her. Eventually they had to stop.” He closed his eyes as if the mere memory caused him pain. “Part of me blamed him for building that ship in the first place. So I took the boys and raised them in the castle, away from him. For years I didn’t even tell them we were related.”

“Donald, I…” Kairi’s voice returned. “I’m so sorry! I called you selfish, called you arrogant and all this time you… I’m sorry…”

“You don’t have to apologize again. And you didn’t let me finish.” Donald eyed Goofy with a smirk. “Turns out Goofy, my girlfriend Daisy, the King and the Queen were plotting to introduce the boys to Uncle Scrooge without me knowing. Not even a day later he was taking them to the bottom of the ocean to look for treasure in a place full of booby traps. I obviously found out and was furious with them.”

“In our defense, they wouldn’t have met if it was up to you,” Goofy said. “Also, it was the King and Daisy who planned everything.”

“And I’m glad they did. Scrooge and the boys got along better than I could have ever hoped. I had stopped adventuring for a while and was afraid for the boys, but Scrooge did everything he could to keep them safe. And they loved it. I should have known adventure was in their blood with the mother they have. So I let Scrooge take them on his silly adventures. They spend about as much time with him now as with me.”

“What about Della?” Kairi asked. “Did you ever find her?”

“No.” Kairi lowered her eyes at this, but Donald’s smile widened. “She found us.”

She looked up. “Really?”

“A couple of months ago, Uncle Scrooge, the boys and their friend Webby were going on another adventure, and I was there to see them off. They opened the door to leave and there she was. Della Duck, standing on our uncle’s porch like she was back from a visit to the grocery store.” Donald’s eyes glowed as he spoke. “Turns out after we lost communication she crash-landed on some remote world. She tried to get a signal running and waited for us to come, but when she realized how unlikely we were to bump into her, she decided to take matters into her own hands. She rebuilt the ship from scraps. Jumped from one world to another in the hopes of getting to ours. She did this for twelve years, all so she could return to her family. And she made it.”

“Thank goodness,” Kairi said, letting out a relieved breath. “I’m glad you got her back.”

“I’m glad too.” Donald looked at her. “Do you know why I’m telling you this, Kairi?” She shook her head. “I thought I lost my family too. Even though people kept telling me she could still be alive out there, I had given up hope I’d ever see Della again. But despite everything, she still came back to us. So don’t give up hope just yet. If your friends are anything like Della, I’m sure they’re leaving no stone unturned until they find you. Until then, Goofy and I will be here whenever you need us.”

Kairi’s eyes watered, and Donald worried for a moment he had gone too personal. But then she simply hugged him. His worry melted away and he smiled again.

“You really like hugging, don’t you? You should save some for when we find your friends.”

Kairi let out a laugh but didn’t back away. Seeing them, Goofy joined the hug as well.

“We will get your home back,” he said. “How else will we try your grandma’s sweets?”

“You and your friends are going back there and your parents will take you on a picnic,” Donald added. “It’ll be like you’ve never left.”

“Thanks, guys.” Kairi didn’t want to let go. “You make all this a little bit better…”

The next day, Donald was checking different charts to see where they could go next when Goofy emerged from the trapdoor into the cockpit. He greeted Donald and offered him some fruit for breakfast before taking his seat.

Kairi arrived shortly after, already with a fruit of her own. She came in smiling, not a hint of the fear from the previous night.

“Good morning, guys.”

“Good morning, Kairi,” they said.

“Did you sleep well?” Goofy asked.

“Yep. No more nightmares.” 

Kairi sat down and put her seatbelts on right as the Gummi Ship turned on. She looked at the jungle out the window one last time before they went through the veil of light that protected the world from the darkness of the Ocean Between.

Once they were out, Goofy stretched and got comfortable, and Donald went back to checking the monitors. Curious, Kairi glanced over Donald’s shoulder at a screen showing an image of some kind of wormhole. 

“Where are we going next?”

Donald turned to her. “Turns out we’re not far from a nebula line. We can use these as shortcuts through the Ocean Between. It might be best to stick to safer routes, we don’t know how much the ship got damaged after that crash.”

“Oh, yeah…” Kairi looked down for a moment. “Sorry again for that…”

“It’s okay,” Donald assured. “We’ve survived way worst crashes. Uncle Scrooge’s pilot prides himself on always crashing everything he drives. And Della isn’t much better.”

“Still, I shouldn’t have taken control from you,” she insisted.

“But if you hadn’t, then we wouldn’t have landed in the jungle and met Tarzan, Jane and everyone else,” Goofy noted. “And you and Donald would probably still be arguing.”

Kairi gave a small smile. “I guess that’s true.”

“But we should make sure that doesn’t happen again,” Donald said. “And there’s only one way to do that.”

“I know, I won’t touch the control panel again,” Kairi said, embarrassed.

“What are you talking about?” Donald got up and gestured to the driver’s seat. “Come over here.”

Kairi’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Do you mean you’ll…”

“What else would I have meant? The only way to make sure you won’t crash the ship again is for you to learn how to fly it properly.”

A grin as big as the Cheshire Cat’s came to her mouth as Kairi made her way to the driver’s seat. She looked in amazement at all the buttons and switches of the control panel.

“So where do I start?” she asked, barely containing her excitement.

“First things first.” Donald pointed at a monitor. “This is the radar, it shows when other objects, worlds or ships are nearby. And this here shows…”

Goofy watched with a smile on his face as Donald explained to Kairi what all the screens and switches were for. It seemed the three of them were finally, truly getting along.

Chapter Text

After some difficulty and guidance from Donald, Kairi managed to land the Gummi Ship in a new world, a beautiful one at that. The air was warm, the sky very blue, and the vegetation a vibrant green. They were in a mountain, judging by the thin air, higher peaks off in the distance, and the sprawling city all the way down a cliff. Funnily enough, the area they landed was a flat field of smooth limestone, like a parking area. A large stairway went higher up the mountain, leading to a grand gold and white building. 

After a somewhat tiring climb, the trio arrived at enormous gates with images of lightning bolts. With some struggle, they forced the heavy gates open.

“Whoa…”

Kairi, Donald and Goofy marveled at the incredible courtyard. Tall walls, huge columns and braziers of bronze surrounded a large open space, and on the opposite end, two gigantic golden statues of armored warriors met their swords above large doors. Next to the doors, there was a green board. The three walked to it and read:

Are you an aspiring hero? Then don’t miss this chance!

Enter the preliminary tournament, battle your way up the brackets and prove yourself worthy of competing in the world-famous Olympus Coliseum.

Present a pass from your trainer or patron deity until the end of the week and start your heroic tale.

(Warning: The Coliseum takes no responsibility for any cuts, scrapes, flesh wounds, mutilations, or injuries of any kind)

“A fighting tournament, huh…” Kairi pondered. “It’s the kind of thing Riku and Sora would love. They could be here.”

“Aren’t you interested, Kairi?” Goofy asked.

“Nah, I don’t enjoy fighting or competing nearly as much,” she admitted. “I’d probably just get nervous and embarrass myself.”

“It doesn’t have to be a competition if you don’t want to,” Donald said. “It could be just a way to test our strength, see how we measure up. Besides, Goofy and I aren’t exactly up to date with our combat practice. It’s been a while since we’ve done so much fighting. It’d be nice to know if we’re still sharp.”

Kairi pondered. She knew she wasn’t as strong as she should be. If she were, her friends would be with her right now, and Kerchak would still be alive. Maybe if she knew how she measured up compared to others, she would get an idea of how far she still had to go.

“I guess I could give it a try.”

“Says here that registration is handled by someone named Philoctetes,” Goofy said and turned to the doors. “Maybe he’s up ahead.”

The trio went through a hallway full of shiny trophies, statues, carved images and painted vases of warriors facing off against each other or standing victorious over ferocious monsters. Finally, they arrived in a small vestibule with a doorway blocked off by a rope with a “CLOSED” sign. Next to the doorway was a short person tending to a rule board. He had the lower body and horns of a goat and the upper body of a man.

“Excuse me,” Kairi called, and the goat-man turned to her. “Are you Philoctetes?”

“The one and only. But call me Phil,” he said. “Sorry, Hercules isn’t here. We’re not holding any autograph sections.”

“Oh no, that’s not why we’re here. I was wondering if you’ve seen these boys.” 

She showed Phil the picture in her locket. He squinted his eyes to look but shook his head.

“Sorry, those squirts haven’t signed up. Now, if that’s all you wanted, I’m busy sprucing this place up for the preliminaries.”

“Actually, we were thinking of signing up as well.”

Phil raised an eyebrow. “Do you have a pass?”

“No, but─”

“No pass, no entry,” he cut her. “Now go back to the agora, popsy, or wherever else kids these days spend their time.”

Kairi went quiet for a moment. She found Phil’s tone very rude. When she was going to address him, Donald stepped forward, frowning.

“Isn’t this a place for heroes?” he asked. “You have heroes standing right in front of you!”

“Yup, we’re real heroes who’ve fought lots of battles!” Goofy declared proudly.

“Heroes?” Phil burst out laughing, much to the trio’s frustration. “You want me to believe two clowns and a little girl are heroes? By Zeus, that’s a good one!”

“It’s not a joke!” Donald barked. “Goofy and I are members of the Disney Castle court, and Kairi is a Keyblade wielder! We are heroes!”

Phil stopped laughing and took a meticulous look at each of them. Donald and Goofy tried posing heroically, but Phil wasn’t impressed. He concluded that Donald was “too short and crabby”, and Goofy was, fittingly, “too much of a goof”.

Then he turned to Kairi. After looking at her, he grabbed her arm and then her skirt without warning, making her rather flustered.

“Too skinny. These scrawny arms and this outdoorsy girl getup don’t inspire confidence. And what’s this?” He pointed to the Keyblade on her back and snickered. “Is that your weapon? Where did you get it from, Persephone’s garden?”

Kairi pulled away as he laughed. “So I can’t be a hero because of how I look?”

“I didn’t say that,” Phil defended himself. “But being a hero isn’t something any twerp can do. You gotta have the right attributes and the right features among other things.”

“Oh, I think I know what ‘features’ you’re talking about,” Kairi snarled.

“And who do you think you are to tell us that we’re not heroes?” Donald asked.

Phil gave a smug smile. “Only the greatest trainer of heroes this side of the cosmos. Ever heard of Achilles? Odysseus? Perseus? Theseus? All of those yeuseus? Oh, and how about Hercules? Son of Zeus high and mighty? The greatest hero there ever was? Guess who taught him everything he knows? This old satyr did! And I’ve got two words for you: You guys ain’t heroes!”

Donald growled in annoyance, Kairi pouted, and Goofy counted the words in his fingers in confusion.

“Stupid ass-man!” Donald grumbled as they went through the hallway of trophies. “‘Oh, I trained what’s-his-name and so-and-so.’ Who cares!”

“I guess we’ll just have to go back to our plan of finding the Keyhole,” Goofy said.

As the two exited the hallway, they didn’t notice that Kairi had stopped, and was looking at the cups and images of heroes. There were many different heroes, but the majority of them had one thing in common: They were all tall, muscular and handsome young men.

She looked up at a particular golden statue of a man flexing. He was by far the strongest and most impressive of them all, his image towering over Kairi, whose reflection on the polished surface barely reached his midriff. She had no doubt he was a true hero.

“Now that’s a waste of gold, huh?” 

Kairi let out a small gasp at the sound of a voice. Standing in the hallway was a long-faced man in dark robes. Maybe it was the blue skin or the blue flame he had for hair, but something about him was unnerving to Kairi.

“Who are you?” she asked.

“Never mind me, the star of the hour is you, flower, and your obvious hero potential! Even if that stubborn old goat refuses to admit it. I tell ya, it’s just petty favoritism. We get new blood in here every year, and he just passes them over to dedicate all his time to his golden boy.”

Kairi cringed when the man’s long and thin fingers rested on her shoulder. Despite the flame in his head emanating heat, his hand felt cold, like touching a dead body. It sent a shiver down Kairi’s spine, but if the man noticed her discomfort, he didn’t care for it.

“But hey, don’t worry, I got just the thing for you.” In a puff of smoke, a ticket appeared in the man’s free hand. “Go on, it’s yours.”

Hesitant, Kairi picked up the ticket and read it. “Is this… An entry pass? Why are you giving me this?”

“Well, I shouldn’t be telling you this, but a really nice, really handsome god has got an eye on you, flower. You don't want to let him down, do you?”

She raised an eyebrow. The whole situation seemed awfully convenient.

“Thank you very much sir, but without my friends, tournaments don't interest me,” she said and offered the ticket back. “You can keep it. And tell your god I’m sorry, but I’m no hero.”

For a split second, the man’s face stiffed, his hair sputtered, and his grip on her shoulder hardened and somehow felt colder and hotter at the same time. And then he was back to smiling.

“Aw, c’mon flower, you can’t let that old geezer get to you.” He gestured to the images in the hallway. “So what if you don’t look like all those big dumb heroes? Who cares about them? Are you really gonna let him disrespect you because of your… What did he say again? Features?”

Kairi frowned. “He really was rude. To me and my friends. But how do you know that─”

“Then prove him wrong!” the man interrupted. “Go marching into that Coliseum, win those games and show him what you’ve got!”

She looked at the ticket and pondered. “Maybe… I should teach him not to act like that.”

The man smirked before letting go of her shoulder and walking away.

“Well then, good luck, kid. I’m pulling for you flower, so you better not disappoint.”

Kairi watched quietly as the mysterious man disappeared down the hallway. Just then, she heard Donald’s voice.

“Kairi, what are you doing here? Is it a habit of yours to get lost or─” He stopped when he saw the ticket in her hand. “What’s that?”

Goofy squinted his eyes and read. “It says it allows us to participate in the preliminary tournament.”

“Really?! Where did you get that?”

“A weird guy just came in and gave it to me,” Kairi explained. “He said it came from a god.”

“Wow!” Donald exclaimed. “Did you really catch the attention of a god?”

“I don’t know…” Kairi admitted. “Something was off about that guy.”

“Do you want to pass this one, then?” Goofy asked.

Kairi gripped the ticket harder. “No. I want to participate.”

“Hey, how’d you get this?” Phil asked, analyzing the ticket. “It ain’t counterfeit…”

“Why does it matter to you?” Kairi retorted. “Will you let us in now?”

“Well… Alright. Guess I have no choice.”

They filled application sheets with their names, ages, homeland, favorite god or goddess of worship ─ they left that one blank ─ and other things. Phil went through the applications with some curiosity before focusing on them.

“The preliminaries are happening in a week. For now, why don’t we see what you can do?”

The arena was as impressive as everything else in the Coliseum. A large square space with a gate on each end, surrounded by tall stands. Kairi marveled at the place’s magnitude, but a lump formed in her throat at the thought of those stands filled with people watching her. She’d never fought with more than a handful of people watching her. To do so in front of potentially hundreds of strangers… The thought gave her butterflies in her stomach.

For now though, there was no one watching. Phil set up an area with lots of wooden barrels and instructed the three to break as many as they could within a minute. 

Goofy went first, using his enhanced speed and strength to break 38 barrels. Donald came next and used his magic to shoot the barrels from afar, breaking multiple barrels with one spell many times and resulting in a total of 42.

Then, it was Kairi’s turn.

As great as the Keyblade was to fight Heartless, unfortunately, when it came to the barrels, it wasn’t sharp or heavy enough to reliably break them. It took several strikes to break just one, and even though she tried some magic here and there, her spells were nowhere near as potent as Donald’s. In the end, she only managed to break 15 barrels.

“Y’know, you two actually ain’t too bad,” Phil said as he evaluated Donald and Goofy. When he moved on to Kairi, his face contorted slightly. “You were alright I guess. Not awful, not great. Do you really need to wear a skirt? It’s a bit distracting.”

“I like it, and I’m wearing shorts underneath. Also, I’m fourteen years old!”

“Alright then, popsy.”

“My name is Kairi,” she corrected, but Phil ignored her.

“You’re still far from heroes, but today might just be your lucky day.”

“How so?” Goofy asked.

“Well, it’s been a while since I last trained someone other than Herc. But for you three, I’ll make a special offer: For the next seven days, until the preliminaries, I’ll give you some coaching. Full time, no charges.”

Kairi crossed her arms. “And why should we train with you?”

“I’d watch my words, popsy. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You don’t want to let it slide, do you?”

“He’s got a point, Kairi,” Goofy said. “Donald and I are still rusty, and you’re new to this. We could use the practice. And a trainer of heroes must be pretty experienced.”

Kairi sighed, still frowning. “Alright then, bring it on! But don’t call me popsy!”

Phil smirked at her determination. “First of all, if you three want to be heroes, you gotta understand what that means. Rule number 1: A true hero isn’t just someone who fights monsters and poses for statues. A true hero is many other things.”

Phil marched back and forth, inspecting each of them.

“He’s strong.”

Donald flexed his arms.

“He’s kind.”

Goofy put on a large grin.

“He’s always there for you. And well… He normally gets bonus points for demeanor. You sure you don't want to wear something else, popsy?”

“It’s Kairi! And yes, I’m sure!”

“You do you then,” Phil shrugged. “The point is, I can teach you the skills a hero needs. But whether or not you qualify as true heroes is up to you. Are you ready?”

The three nodded, determined looks on their faces.

“Then let’s begin.”

For the next seven days, Kairi, Donald and Goofy endured the most arduous, grueling routine they had ever had. 

They woke up at six and raced through the hills behind the Coliseum every morning, tripping on rocks and slopes and gasping thanks to the thin air of the mountain, all to “warm up” and build their endurance. 

After lunch Phil surprised them with varied activities each day, like weightlifting, target practice, blocking and dodging projectiles, and even weirdly specific stuff like zip lining. Every other day, he’d even let them fight some weak monsters, which turned out to be Heartless. Apparently they started showing up a while back and wouldn’t stop coming, so they just captured them to fight in the tournaments. They couldn’t complain, the Coliseum seemed to be managing the Heartless well, Kairi could slay them while training, and the trio learned to better work together against them.

Finally, for the rest of the afternoon, they swung their weapons against barrels until their arms were about to fall.

Even for Donald and Goofy, who were skilled adventurers and fighters, it was a demanding workout. For Kairi, it was downright hellish.

To make matters worse, she was always falling behind. She sometimes did better in certain exercises than either Donald or Goofy, but on the whole, it was clear she was the worst of the three. She was physically fitter than Donald but didn’t hold a candle to him when it came to magic, and even though her small arsenal of spells made her more volatile compared to Goofy, he easily outdid her in any physical activities.

Donald and Goofy tried to hype her up, telling her it was good she was such a balanced fighter, as it meant she could take on pretty much any enemy, but Phil criticized her averageness, saying heroes needed to stand out amidst others.

Speaking of Phil, he seemed to have it in for her. Kairi suspected as much ever since he called her a “little girl” when they met, and her suspicions only grew over the week. He always pestered her over every little mistake she made, which would be acceptable for a coach, but he also constantly criticized the way she looked, doubted her capability for everything besides helping clean the place after training, and held her to ridiculous standards, oftentimes comparing her to Donald, Goofy, and even his apparent golden student Hercules, despite knowing she was fairly new to fighting.

At the end of their second day of training, Kairi and Phil were passing by the vestibule, Phil’s view obstructed by some equipment he was carrying when he bumped into a large stone block.

“OW!” he cried and rubbed his bruised head. “Stupid pedestal! I thought I asked Herc to take this out already!”

“Are you okay?” Kairi checked.

Phil glanced at her and smirked. “Hey, popsy─”

“Kairi!”

“Do you wanna be a hero? Move this pedestal.”

Kairi frowned. “What does this have to do with being a hero?”

“Hercules could do this without breaking a sweat. Can you?”

Even though she knew it was stupid, Kairi dropped what she was carrying and pushed her arm against the pedestal. She pushed and pushed, putting all her weight into it, but the pedestal didn’t budge.

“Looks like you can’t do it,” Phil said as she stopped pushing.

“This weighs a ton!” Kairi complained.

“So what? A hero’s gotta be able to overcome any obstacle,” he said. “Say what, popsy, once you can move this pedestal, I’ll admit you have the makings of a hero.”

Despite everything he did and said, Kairi didn’t let that bring her down. Instead, she used it as motivation to keep going and prove him wrong.

And the week wasn’t all bad. Donald and Goofy were much more supportive than Phil, helping her improve her magic and physical skills respectively.

Kairi’s spellcasting became much quicker than when she started. She barely had to think about casting Fire or Water anymore, it just came naturally. She was even starting to master Cure.

And then on their third day of training, Donald offered to teach her a new spell, Thunder. After a minute of him explaining how the lightning element relied on the electricity in the nervous system, Kairi simply suggested he shocked her so she would know how the element felt. Donald reluctantly agreed, and after an uncomfortable but manageable shock, Kairi managed to create sparks of electricity, making Thunder her fourth spell learned.

Things didn’t go as smoothly with Goofy’s athletics training. He started by telling her about enhancing magic, the use of magical energy to power up one’s body. He did it constantly when he was fighting, which was why he could do things like lift weights twice his size and jump as high as he did. Unfortunately, explaining how he did it was another story.

“So like, you feel a whoosh and then a bang, y’know?” Kairi shook her head, and Goofy tried thinking of another way to explain it. “Maybe you just have to do the same thing you do with the Keyblade, only without the Keyblade. How about you try it?”

“I guess I can…”

Kairi closed her eyes and tried to focus, only to realize she had nothing to focus on. No physical element like fire or water, not even a desire to help like with Cure. She tried focusing on how she wanted to become stronger, but all she got from it was a slight tingling in her hand. Her attacks were still pathetic.

“It’s just not working!” Kairi vented. “I keep thinking about how I want to be stronger, but the magic won’t come.”

“Maybe you need to think about something else then?” Goofy wondered.

“Maybe… What do you think about when you do magic like this?”

Goofy hummed and scratched his head. “I don’t think I think about anything. I’ve been doing this for so long, it’s hard to explain. Honestly, the first time I did it, I wasn’t thinking either. Donald and the King were in danger and I couldn’t think of anything else. Then before I knew it, I was stronger than before.”

Kairi sighed. That didn’t give her much to go on. However, Goofy put a hand on her shoulder and gave a supportive smile.

“Just keep trying, Kairi. I know you’ll find your strength eventually.”

That’s what she did every afternoon. She tried to make her attacks stronger as she struck barrels and Heartless, but the effort wasn’t enough.

Starting on the fourth day, Kairi decided to stay in the arena late and train some more on her own. Donald, Goofy and even Phil praised her for being willing to go beyond her comfort zone. But her friends’ praise slowly turned to worry as she started arriving later and later to the Gummi Ship, each time more tired and with her hands more bruised and full of calluses from holding the Keyblade for so long.

“I really admire your determination, Kairi,” Goofy told her one night as he applied some Potion to her wounds. “But maybe you should slow down a bit.”

“I’m fine,” she said rather harshly. “It doesn’t even hurt that much. If I want to be a hero, I have to work twice as hard.”

Goofy sighed at her point, but Donald furrowed.

“Just so you know, there’s a difference between working hard and overloading yourself.”

If Kairi heard him, she did not answer.

More days went by. Kairi continued having trouble with enhancing magic. Goofy tried giving her some more pointers, but had a hard time explaining magic. Donald on the other hand knew quite a bunch about the theoretics of that kind of magic, but nothing on the practical side.

Ironically, the best piece of advice she got came from Phil, one morning when he was measuring her arms to see how “hero-worthy” they were.

“Still got a long way to go, popsy,” he said. “But it’s a bit better than the duck.”

“Kairi,” she corrected. “And what does it matter if I look strong or not as long as I get the job done?”

“A truly great hero doesn’t just save people, he saves their spirits too,” the satyr explained. “A heroic presence can help calm someone in the face of danger. But you’ve got a point. Looks or even physical strength alone doesn’t make a hero. A true hero is defined by the strength of his heart.”

Strength of heart… Kairi thought for a moment. Donald and Aerith said magic came from the heart. If her heart was stronger, maybe her magic would be too.

“What makes a heart strong?”

Phil pointed at her. “If you have to ask, you’re not a hero yet!”

“Stop talking in riddles!”

“It’s not a riddle!”

Since he wouldn’t tell her, Kairi mulled over the idea on her own, but couldn’t figure out what it meant.

Her routine continued, run the hill by morning, fight Heartless with Donald and Goofy by midday, then break barrels before returning to the Gummi Ship by evening. Every day she did the same, and every day her progress was way too slow for her liking. Donald and Goofy told her to be patient, it would take time for her to grow strong, and Phil jokingly suggested she just “wasn’t cut out for this sort of stuff.”

I don’t have time. I don’t have the luxury not to be talented, she thought. If I can’t defeat the Heartless, they’ll consume the whole universe!

And so she continued pushing herself, waking up early and training after sunset, ignoring her sore limbs and heavy eyelids, hoping with all her might it would be enough.

She was at it again on the sixth day, striking barrels as usual, when something unusual happened.

Someone else entered the arena. A young man, around twenty years or so, with spiky blond hair, indigo clothing with several pieces of armor, a long red cape that hid part of his face like a scarf, and a broadsword covered in bandages on his back. He could only be another competitor coming for the tournament.

His blue eyes met Kairi’s for a split second as he passed by. They were stern and serious, just like his face. It made her think of Riku.

She shook her head and forced herself to focus. Still, she couldn’t help glancing at the stranger every now and then. He reduced piles of barrels to bits with one thrust of his blade. It made her both impressed and anxious at the thought of facing someone like him in the tournament, which was only two days away.

Dusk came, Donald, Goofy and Phil left, the arena got darker and Kairi’s eyes became scratchy from weariness, but she didn’t let that stop her. 

She leaped at a barrel and brought down the Keyblade, not noticing a broken chunk of wood next to it until she tripped and fell. 

Before she could regain her footing, a firm hand grabbed her arm and pulled her back. Kairi looked up and saw the blond man holding her.

“Be careful,” he said in a low voice. “You don’t want to be hurt during the tournament.”

“Thanks…” she said. The man let go of her arm and started walking away. “Wait! Can I ask something?”

He stopped and turned back to her, his face unreadable.

“You… Your moves are very good. You’re good. So, hum… How do you do it?”

Kairi immediately scolded herself for such a dumb question. They were competitors for goodness sake! What reason did he have to help her?

“Show me what you’ve got.”

“Huh?” It took her a moment to realize what he meant. “Oh, right!”

Kairi delivered several blows to the nearest barrel until it was sent flying and shattered. She looked nervously at the blond man, who was as stoic as ever.

“Your stance is too open,” he said after a moment of silence. “Hold your weapon in front of you, not to your side. It’ll make it easier to defend yourself. And with your legs spread like that, you’ll easily be knocked off balance.”

Kairi did as he said, corrected her stance and went for another swing. It was slightly quicker this time. Afterward, the man pointed out more mistakes in her movement and suggested a correction for each. When he asked her to strike a barrel again, she managed to destroy it in under three hits, a new record for her.

She turned to the man with a smile, and he nodded approvingly.

“I’m guessing you still don’t know how to enhance your body?” he asked.

Kairi looked down and lowered the Keyblade. “Not yet…”

The man caught her hands and raised them again.

“If you want to get stronger, focus your heart on why you’re fighting, and why you can’t lose. Don’t forget that.”

Kairi looked at him with a determined look. “I won’t.”

She went back to striking barrels as the man walked away. Before leaving, he looked back at the struggling girl. In her place, he saw a boy swinging a toy sword, dreaming of one day keeping a promise to a friend.

Behind his scarf, the man smiled.

Before they knew it, there was only one day left until the tournament.

Phil started the day differently, repeating the same exercise from the first day to see how far they had come.

Donald and Goofy used the same tricks as before, scoring 45 and 41 respectively.

“A small improvement, but an improvement nonetheless,” Phil judged. “Your turn, popsy.”

Kairi didn’t bother correcting him, he wouldn’t listen anyway. The only way she’d make him listen was by proving herself. Phil blew his whistle pipes and Kairi went for it.

She thrust and swiped like the blond man taught her, occasionally adding some magic for extra damage. She also made sure any barrels she sent flying crashed into another, doubling her score. In the end, she destroyed 28 barrels, still the lowest amount between them, but the biggest improvement by far.

When she was done, she turned to Phil, waiting for his response.

“Y’know, when I started coaching you three, you especially had me worried, popsy.” She remained silent, grasping her wrist anxiously. To her relief and surprise, Phil cracked a rare smile. “But you really surprised me. Most rookies would have quit a long time ago. But you stayed and got off stronger than I expected. Nice work, kid.”

For the first time, Kairi genuinely smiled at him. It seemed all her hard work, all the extra effort she’d been putting in the whole week finally paid off.

“Now I know you said you wanted to wear… that, but I really think a wardrobe change would do wonders for your image as a hero. I told ya, the mere presence of a hero can inspire confidence. I’d lose the skirt, the lilac, and the jewelry, maybe add in some silver or gold… If you must, the flower sword can stay, we can still work around it.”

Kairi’s smile fell. All this time, all this work, and he still couldn’t see past her looks…

She pointed to Donald and Goofy. “They’re wearing colorful outfits as well! One of them doesn’t even have shoes or pants! They look nothing like your heroes, but you never pick on them for it!”

“It’s different,” Phil argued. “They have a friendly neighborhood style that inspires comfort and approachability. You just look like a little girl lost in the middle of a battle.”

“It’s not different!” Kairi raised her voice. “It’s just how we choose to dress, but you have a problem with me and not them!”

“Calm down,” Phil scoffed. “I was just saying my opinion, no need to get worked up about it. That’s really not good for your image.”

Words left her. Kairi could only growl and grit her teeth, trying her hardest not to explode. She stomped forward and glared at Phil so fiercely, his usual swagger left him.

“I wear this because I want to, alright?” She was practically shouting now. “If I want to fight in a pink minidress and a tiara, I will, and what I wear is none of your business!”

She stormed away toward another batch of barrels. Donald and Goofy looked worriedly at each other. 

Goofy walked to her and put a hand on her shoulder. “Kairi, are you feeling alright─”

“I’m fine!” she cut him off and pulled away. “Why don’t you two go back to being great at everything? Unlike you, I can’t afford to take it easy.”

Goofy stared in shock at her back as Kairi swung violently against the barrels. Not knowing what to say, he just ambled away. 

“What’s up with popsy today?” Phil asked. “Is it that time of the month or what?”

“Honestly, you got that shouting coming for you,” Donald grumbled at Phil’s comment before turning to Goofy. “She’s obviously not fine. Should we do something?”

Goofy shook his head. “Maybe we should just let her be for now.”

So Kairi spent the rest of the day training on her own. Phil didn’t dare talk to her after her fit of rage, but Donald and Goofy did so several times, suggesting she take a break to rest or eat something, but she always shrugged them off with the same irritated “I’m fine.”

She trained and trained until the sun went down. After that, Phil said he had to close the Coliseum for the next day. Kairi didn’t want to stop training, and Donald and Goofy had to practically drag her back to the Gummi Ship.

During dinner, Kairi barely touched anything. She only chewed on some barley bread before declaring she wasn’t hungry and going to bed. Her companions worried over her lack of appetite, but took solace in the fact she was at least willing to sleep.

Donald and Goofy were woken up in the middle of the night by a crashing sound coming from the ship’s holding. As soon as Donald turned on the light, they realized Kairi’s bed was empty. They looked at each other and sighed before heading to the hold.

They found Kairi on the floor next to some supply crates, with the Keyblade in her hand. Seeing them, she quickly got up and hid the Keyblade behind her body.

“H-Hey guys… Sorry I woke you up, you can go back to bed now.”

“Kairi, what are you doing here at twelve o’clock?” Goofy asked worriedly.

“Me? I was just… looking for… a thing?”

Donald frowned and crossed his arms. “Try again.”

Kairi sighed and gave up trying to hide the Keyblade. “I wanted to go outside to train some more. The tournament is in a few hours, I still can’t use enhancing magic and Phil…” She lowered her head and looked at her reflection on the wave-like hilt. “I thought if I got stronger he’d finally be impressed. But he still only sees me as a little girl. Tomorrow is my last chance to prove he was wrong, but the way I am… I don’t think I can. Maybe I’m really not cut out for this…”

“Kairi, of course you’re cut out for this,” Goofy said. “In the little time I’ve known you I learned you’re brave, clever and kind. I think that’s pretty heroic.”

“But it’s not just him!” Kairi snapped. “People always think I’m too weak or sensitive to fight, just because I’m…”

“Because you’re what?”

“Because I’m a girl!” She’d been holding that in for days, she just couldn’t any longer. “I know it must be hard for you to understand it, but people treat me differently, like I’m frailer and need protection. And it’s not because I’m younger either. People on the Islands always told me how lucky I was to have Riku and Sora to protect me wherever I went. And I always hated it because I felt like I could never protect them in turn. I told myself that wasn’t true, but then… The Islands were destroyed and I saw them disappear in front of me, and I couldn’t do anything!”

Donald and Goofy didn’t say a word. Eventually, Kairi slowed down and held her own arms, as if she were trying to stop herself from falling apart.

“What kind of hero can’t even save her own friends when they’re right in front of her?” That was the hardest part to say out loud. “That’s why I have to do this. I have to prove I’m not just some damsel to be protected, that I can be a hero and keep people safe. All the worlds are counting on it.”

“No, Kairi,” Donald said all of a sudden, firmly yet gently. “You don’t have to prove anything. Phil’s dumb ideas about heroes have nothing to do with you and everything to do with him. He may be a ‘trainer of heroes’ or whatever, but he doesn’t get to decide if you’re worthy of fighting for what’s right. You’re the only one who can decide that.”

Tears welled in Kairi’s eyes, and she fought hard to prevent them from falling. To make matters worse, Goofy smiled and put a hand on her shoulder.

“We told you before. We’re in this together. Donald and I rely on you, and you rely on us. That’s what all for one and one for all means.”

“There’s nothing wrong in needing help,” Donald said. “That’s what we always tell King Mickey. You’re not alone anymore.”

Hearing such supportive words, Kairi couldn’t help smiling through her tears. Then Donald said,

“There’s also nothing wrong with taking care of yourself by taking good meals and resting.”

“And listening to your friends when they say you’re pushing yourself too hard,” Goofy added.

That was so stupidly unsubtle Kairi broke into laughter. Donald and Goofy laughed along, relieved to see her mood lighten.

“Alright,” she said, wiping out the last of her tears. “I’ll get some sleep.”

The two smiled in relief as she climbed the ladder to the cabin, when she turned her head to them.

“Donald, Goofy. Thank you for everything.”

Finally, the day of the preliminaries arrived.

Early in the morning, merchants with carts full of food and heroes-themed merchandise climbed Mount Olympus to set up shop in the Coliseum. Sometime before noon, they were all finished, just in time for the first customers to arrive.

Kairi, Donald and Goofy arrived at a courtyard full of excited families eager to watch heroes beat up monsters, children chasing each other with toy swords, and chroniclers reciting epic poetry.

They found Phil by the entrance doors as he finished setting up a board. Seeing the trio, he stopped and turned to them.

“There you are. You three got the first match, and it’s starting soon. What took you so long?”

“Sorry, I overslept─”

“Kairi was feeling tired,” Donald cut her. “So we gave her a few more hours to rest. She’s been training the hardest and you know it.”

Phil shrugged. “I suppose that’s fair. Normally I’d say a hero should be punctual, but Herc’s also always running late. He said he’d be coming for the preliminaries, but I haven’t seen him anywhe─”

“There he is!” someone exclaimed.

At the entrance, arriving on a beautiful white steed with dark blue mane and feathered wings, was a man sporting leather armor with a blue cape and a golden emblem on his belt. He was tall and unbelievably muscular, had hair the color of rust, blue eyes, and a bright smile. Kairi, Donald and Goofy recognized him immediately.

The great hero and champion of the Coliseum, Hercules.

He barely had time to step into the Coliseum before being swarmed by a crowd screaming for hugs, autographs, interviews, or even just a glance. Hercules kept his smile strong, but discreetly looked at Phil and mouthed the word “help”.

“Alright, visitation hour is over.” Disappointed “aws” erupted all around the courtyard as Phil pulled Hercules inside the Coliseum. “C’mon, the show’s about to start. Why don’t you go grab a seat?”

Kairi, Donald and Goofy followed Phil and Hercules into the vestibule. The hero breathed a sigh of relief.

“Thanks, Phil.”

“Don’t mention it, champ,” the satyr said. “So how’s the sky family going? Learned anything about those lousy dark pests?”

“Father doesn’t know where the monsters are coming from,” Hercules said. “But he figured they might be looking for something called the Keyhole.”

“Keyhole?!” the trio exclaimed.

Phil crossed his arms and frowned. “I tell ya, this whole situation reeks of Hades. What’s that bastard up to now?”

“This Keyhole is why we came here in the first place,” Kairi cut in and showed the Keyblade. “If we find it, I can seal it with this and the monsters will go away.”

“Sorry kid, but Hades is serious business. This isn’t a case for rookies to solve.”

“Rookies?” Hercules asked. “You didn’t tell me you had new trainees, Phil.”

“Well, it’s more like some temporary coaching. These here are Donald, Goofy and, uh…”

“Kairi,” she said irritably.

“Yeah, that’s right. Guys, meet my protege and star student, Hercules.”

The hero smiled and posed with his hands on his hips at the introduction. The three looked at him with wide eyes, and Kairi felt her cheeks getting warm.

“We… We heard a lot about you,” she stuttered and bowed her head slightly. “It’s an honor to meet you, Hercules. Sir.”

“Please, call me Herc,” he said, offering his hand. “And the honor is mine. It’s been forever since Phil took in new recruits. You three must have something really special if you convinced him to train you.”

Somewhat nervously, Kairi shook Herc’s strong hand and felt the warmth in her cheeks grow, but she wasn’t sure why. He was handsome for sure, but there was something else about him…

Cheers echoed from outside, followed by a fanfare. Hercules and Phil headed to the doorway to the arena.

“Looks like it’s about to start,” the latter said to the trio. “Come, you three can sit with us.”

“Wait, Phil,” Kairi called. “I want to talk to you first. In private.”

The satyr frowned, confused, but nodded. Donald and Goofy gave Kairi encouraging looks before following Hercules outside, leaving them alone.

“So what did you want to talk about, popsy?”

“First of all, my name is Kairi. Not popsy. In fact, I don’t want you to call me that anymore.”

“Come on, it’s just a name, it’s no big deal.”

“For you maybe, but for me it’s unpleasant, and I have the right to not be called something I don't want!” Kairi unintentionally raised her voice and took a deep breath to calm herself. “Look, I don’t think you’re a bad guy. You’re good at what you do and your training really helped me, but… You have some biases. Ever since I came here you’ve treated me differently from my friends.”

“That’s not true!” Phil objected. “Name one instance where I treated you differently.”

“Expecting only me to help clean the arena? Picking on me for every single thing I do? Saying I’m overreacting whenever I’m upset? That I’m ‘not made’ for this?”

“Well, when you put it that way it looks bad…” Phil bit his lip before regaining his attitude. “But if I’m extra hard on you, it’s because I’m holding you three to the same standard. Don’t you want to be treated as an equal?”

“That’s not equality! I’ve only been seriously fighting for a few days, while they’ve been doing this for years. But I still need to be as good as them for you to be satisfied. No, even if I were as good as them, you still wouldn’t be satisfied. Because to you, I’m nothing but a little girl who doesn’t belong in this world!”

This time Phil stayed quiet and averted his gaze.

“I felt like a screw-up,” Kairi continued. “Do you know what it’s like to feel this way? Like no matter how hard you try, people still think you’ll never be good enough?”

A hint of sadness came to the satyr’s eyes, and without him saying anything, Kairi knew the answer.

Outside, the fanfare stopped. Kairi headed to the arena, stopping at the doorway.

“I’m going out there and I’m doing my best, but I’m not doing it for you anymore,” she said without looking at Phil. “I don’t care if you think I’m hero material or not, I have nothing to prove to you.”

With this, she left Phil behind.

Kairi found Donald, Goofy and Hercules on a bench on the outskirts of the arena. She went and sat with them. An announcer was making a speech about the history of the games, but Kairi was too distracted looking at the stands. They weren’t exactly full, but were still far from empty. People chatted and theorized about what potential heroes would be revealed. On the front row, some kids pressed their hands against an invisible wall separating the stands from the arena. One of them spotted them and pointed straight at Kairi while talking to his friend.

Were they talking about her? If so, what were they saying? Did they also think she was just some girl who shouldn’t be there?

“Kairi.” Goofy put a hand on her shoulder and brought her down to earth. “Don’t worry. You’ll do great.”

“And we’ll do it together,” Donald added.

“I’ll be rooting for you,” Herc said. “Something tells me you didn’t get this far for nothing.”

Kairi gave them a small smile, feeling somewhat calmer.

Phil came with his tail between his legs and quietly sat down on the corner of the bench. He and Kairi avoided eye contact. Hercules glanced between them confused, but with a look, Donald and Goofy warned him not to ask questions.

To ignore the awkward silence, the five decided to listen as the announcer reviewed the last of the rules.

“In the Coliseum, the only thing you can hurt is your pride, so fight hard! That being said, maiming or killing is heavily discouraged. In that and other cases, you can forfeit any time you like, or your coach can do it for you.

“Without further ado, let’s welcome our first contenders of the day: Kairi, Donald and Goofy!”

Herc and Phil were the first to clap. Most watchers merely eyed them with some interest

as the trio made their way to the arena. The crowd’s judgemental gaze weighed on Kairi. In her mind, she saw every failure from the past week and then from her whole life, about to be exposed to everyone there. She stood on one end of the arena, trying not to suffocate and wishing she could just disappear.

But then, two hands got hold of hers and pulled her out of the storm. She looked to the sides and found Donald and Goofy smiling at her. They weren’t ashamed of her. Didn’t pressure her. They stood by her. She didn’t need to carry the weight alone. They were together.

Kairi smiled back gratefully.

On the other end of the arena, the gate started opening. Kairi let go of Donald and Goofy’s hands to hold the Keyblade, but kept focusing on the calm they gave her. She told herself there was no one watching, nothing to prove anyone, just her, her friends, and the Heartless they were so used to fighting.

Shards of ice flew at the trio. Goofy shielded them. Three small blue Heartless emerged from the other side, accompanied by four Soldiers.

Kairi looked at Donald. “Take out the small ones. We’ll take care of the others.”

The magician nodded, then Kairi and Goofy charged at the Heartless.

Goofy blocked the claws of a Soldier and gave Kairi the chance to stab it with the Keyblade. Two more came from the sides, but they spun around together several times and took out both. A blue one tried firing another ice shot at them but was burnt to a crisp by Donald’s Fire, the two others following suit. Finally, Goofy threw the last Soldier toward Kairi, who destroyed it with a slash.

“What insane teamwork! Kairi, Donald and Goofy are the winners!”

The crowd gave some claps, while Hercules cheered excitedly and Phil looked at them with… pride? Goofy yahooed and hopped excitedly, and Donald made a little victory dance. Kairi, still a bit in disbelief, simply pumped her fists and smiled in relief.

“That was great!” Hercules praised them returning to their seat. “Looks like Phil trained three great new heroes.”

“Well, yeah, I mean…” Phil stuttered and cleared his throat. “You’re no heroes yet, but you ain’t doing bad. Lucky you came to me for coaching.”

The three didn’t bother to answer, merely looking at each other knowingly and sitting down.

They took the time to watch the other matches. Most contestants seemed to be teens with very basic combat skills, which made sense for a preliminary tournament. The trio also noticed they were the only ones competing as a team, and Kairi was the only girl. 

Kairi still held some hope of finding Riku or Sora there. Unfortunately, there was no sign of them.

After ten or so “hero wannabes” as Phil called them, it was time for the last match of the first round.

“This isn’t his first time in the preliminaries, but maybe it’ll be the last. Up next is Cloud Strife!”

The man Kairi met during training entered the arena. He strode in a calm and composed manner and wielded his huge broadsword like it was no big deal.

The gate opened and Heartless swarmed toward him. Cloud held his broadsword forward and charged, destroying the Heartless in his path. He charged two other times before leaping high in the air and bringing his blade to the ground with a burst of energy that finished the remaining Heartless.

“Amazing!” the announcer exclaimed. “He finished it in four strikes! This man isn’t playing around!”

“Way to go, Cloud!” Kairi cheered from her seat. He eyed her for a moment before looking away and leaving.

“Cheering for the competition, p─” Phil cut himself. “Kid?”

“He helped me,” she said. “It’s the least I could do.”

Hercules smiled. “Rule number 71: a hero always shows good sportsmanship, right Phil?”

“Yeah, it is.” 

From the corner of his eye, Phil looked at Kairi. He had never fully paid attention to her, but now he did, he realized she had a lot of the traits he searched for in a hero. And yet, he had never seen them…

“And now, starting the next round, Kairi, Donald and Goofy!”

Donald was the first to get up, and offered Kairi his hand. “Let’s show them!”

Despite no longer being afraid, Kairi nodded and took his hand.

The three crushed it in the next match, and in the three others after it. The Heartless got stronger and harder with each match, but after days of fighting together, the three knew to rely on each other.

Kairi would attack relentlessly, having Goofy guard her rear and Donald shoot enemies from afar. Her anxiety all but disappeared. The nervousness that remained was the same as she felt while fighting any Heartless.

A big fat one swiped at them, but Goofy blocked it and caused it to recoil. Donald took the chance to launch Blizzard on its feet and freeze them in place. Finally, Kairi aimed for the Heartless’ back and finished it with a blitz.

“And another victory for Kairi, Donald and Goofy! And with this, they advance to the finals, where they’ll be facing off against Cloud! Make sure not to miss this battle after our fifteen-minute break.”

The audience clapped, genuine applause this time. On the corner, Hercules and Phil cheered. The trio held their hands high, smiles stamped on their faces.

Meanwhile, in an antechamber, their next opponent watched them with interest, recognizing the redhead girl from before, and even finding some amusement in seeing her come so far her first time, even if it was in a group.

“What a wacky bunch of knuckleheads, huh?”

Cloud couldn’t help rolling his eyes when the fiery-haired god of the Underworld appeared behind him. Still, Hades was his employer, so he turned to him.

“You’re about to make it to the big game. That little punk and her cronies are the only ones in the way. So don’t blow it, just take her out.”

“Are you serious?” Cloud asked aloof. “The great god of the Underworld is afraid of a kid? Sorry, but my contract says─”

“I know,” Hades growled. “You think I don’t know? I wrote the contract! I know it says you’re only required to kill Hercules in the real tournament, but you’ve gotta fight that kid to get to him. And hey, what’s a casualty or two along the way, right? Accidents happen. You don’t want to lose who you’re chasing, do you?”

Without answering, Cloud tramped away, leaving Hades alone. Or so it seemed.

“Geez, stiffer than the stiffs back home. Still, suckers like him are hard to come by. In any case, I can always count on plan beta.”

Hades smirked and looked back, where something growled in the darkness.

Phil recommended some rest before the finals, but even on the bench, some of the most enthusiastic people in the stands wouldn’t stop asking questions.

“Is your name really Goofy? Why?”

“I’ve never seen creatures like you two. Are you related to the Minotaur or something?”

“Where did you get a sword like that?”

They tried to answer all the questions before five others came. All the noise made Kairi’s head pound, reminding her of the day she arrived in Traverse Town.

“One at a time, please.” Donald raised his voice over all the others. They continued asking questions, but stopped talking over one another for the most part. “No, we have nothing to do with the Minotaur, I don’t even know who that is. As a matter of fact, yes, I am a mage. That? That’s the Keyblade, a very special weapon.”

“You’re pretty good at this, Donald,” Goofy noted, impressed.

“I live with three kids, a teenager and several bigmouthed adults,” he explained. “I know how to manage a noisy bunch. Sorry, what was your question? Hey, my voice isn’t that unintelligible!”

While the crowd was busy with Donald, Hercules noticed Kairi’s discomfort and discreetly pulled her to the vestibule for some peace.

“Thanks, Herc,” she said, breathing relieved. “You have to deal with this every day?”

Herc rubbed the back of his head and gave a small chuckle. “It’s part of the job. A hero needs to be there for everyone else.”

Seeing his smile, Kairi blushed. She wasn’t sure why Hercules made her so flustered, but was starting to get an idea.

“It looks like you’re always smiling. Why do you do that?”

“I guess it’s my way to show people they can count on me,” Hercules said. “A lot of the people I save have gone through hard times, and I realized a friendly face can make things easier for them. It’s why I try to smile even when things are rough, to show them everything will be okay.”

“Because in this world, the ones who smile are the strongest,” Kairi added, a phrase she heard on one of her favorite shows. Then she remembered something Phil said. “A true hero doesn’t just save people, they save their spirits.”

“That’s right.” Hercules’ smile widened, becoming almost radiant. There was something so familiar about that smile… “I have a feeling you’ll be an amazing hero one day, Kairi. When that day comes, I hope I can be there to see it.”

Kairi didn’t realize she was smiling too. She finally understood why she felt that way next to Hercules. His joy, his kindness, his strength, she’d seen it before.

“You know…” She looked affectionately at her locket. “You remind me of someone. A very dear friend of mine.”

“Folks, it’s finally time! The final match of the day, the one that’ll decide who gets full rights to compete in the Coliseum. On one side we have Kairi, Donald and Goofy!”

The crowd cheered as the three made their way to the center, smiling and waving.

“And on the other side, Cloud Strife!”

Despite the cheers, Cloud walked glumly. Kairi offered him a smile, but he didn’t meet her eyes.

“I never thanked you for the tips you gave me,” she said. “You helped me even though we would be competing. Thank you.”

He still didn’t look at her. “Don’t mention it. Really. Just… get ready.”

He grabbed his broadsword, and Kairi held the Keyblade. The staff and shield appeared in Donald and Goofy’s hands.

“Ready… and… FIGHT!”

It happened almost too quickly to see. One second Cloud was before them, on the other Donald had been launched against the protective barrier.

Kairi rushed to check if he was okay. Cloud charged at her but was stopped by Goofy’s shield. They exchanged several blows, Goofy holding his ground while Cloud tried to breach his defenses.

Donald didn’t seem too hurt, he had just been knocked down. Kairi cast a quick Cure spell to help him recover, but she doubted he would be of much help now. Cloud had strategically gone after their main long-ranged fighter.

Suddenly, Goofy was flung as well. Kairi turned in time to see Cloud dashing toward her, and she barely had time to roll out of the way.

Back on her feet, she immediately took the battle stance Cloud taught her. They circled each other, eyes glued on their opponent, wary of every move.

Cloud charged. Kairi held the Keyblade in front of herself to guard. The strike hit like a truck, and she had to brace herself with her free hand. Ironically, she was silently thanking Cloud for teaching her the proper stance. If she stood any other way, she feared her arm would have been dislocated.

Still, Cloud continued pushing. Her legs trembled under the weight of his blade as she desperately tried to push back. But she couldn’t, she didn’t have the muscle, didn’t have the strength, despite all the hours of training…

Kairi faltered and fell to her knees. She looked up and saw the tip of Cloud’s broadsword at her face, with Cloud himself looking coldly at her. She couldn’t get away now, the fight was over.

But for some reason, Cloud raised his blade for one more swing. A swing aimed at Kairi.

Her eyes widened in fear as she realized what he was doing. She tried to crawl away, but her limbs were paralyzed.

“Hey! Stop!”

Phil held a white flag in horror, but was blocked by a figure appearing in a puff of dark smoke.

Hercules immediately recognized the smoke and jumped up, furious.

“Hades!”

Kairi braced herself, certain she was done for.

But the blade pierced the ground, centimeters away from her. Cloud’s face softened and he offered her his hand. Kairi looked at him in confusion.

“Your stance was excellent,” he simply said. “I didn’t think a novice could take that blow. It was very impressive.”

Her confusion shifted into a smile. She took his hand and Cloud helped her up. Meanwhile, Donald and Goofy regained consciousness and drank some Potions before struggling back up as well.

“Aw phooey, we lost,” Donald complained.

“At least we got this far,” Goofy noted.

“And we made it together,” Kairi added and looked at Cloud. “That was a good match!”

The warrior glanced away awkwardly. “Thanks…”

Hades watched their exchange displeased. He snapped his fingers and disappeared, reappearing on the other side of the Coliseum.

The fighters looked up in confusion when the sun was suddenly eclipsed. The people in the audience gasped and cried out fearfully as a dark cloud formed in the arena. When the smoke cleared, it revealed a gigantic black hound with three heads, all with the same glowing red eyes, enormous mouths and long, sharp teeth.

Terrified screams rang out in the Coliseum as the hound’s three heads roared. Hades smirked wickedly.

“Hades!” Cloud shouted. “What is the meaning of this?”

“Didn’t I tell you, my spiky-haired friend? Accidents happen.”

“Look out!”

Kairi pulled Cloud out of the way milliseconds before a massive paw squashed him. Even from afar, she recognized that sputtering hair and dark robes.

“That’s the guy who gave me the pass! I knew something was off about him! You wanted me to participate so you could kill me!”

“Bingo! Congrats for figuring it out, flower,” Hades mocked. “Now I’d just let Cerberus crush me if I were you. It ought to be better than what Maleficent plans for you.”

“Maleficent? Who’s─”

The hound got on its hind legs and roared, about to stomp on them. Kairi and Cloud braced themselves. But the attack didn’t land, and they saw Hercules singlehandedly holding the beast back.

“Phil, get them out of here!” the hero shouted as he wrestled against the hound.

The satyr nodded and called for them. “The four of you, come, quick!”

“But─” Kairi started.

Donald and Goofy came and dragged her away, Cloud following close. In the stands, some people had run, but many stayed to watch. Even during a crisis, they still had faith in their hero.

Donald was panting when they reached the exit. “What is that thing?!”

“And who is that guy?” Kairi asked. “What was he talking about?”

“The mutt’s Cerberus, the guardian of the Underworld,” Phil explained. “And his master Hades, the Underworld’s ruler. Trying to kill Herc is his favorite pastime. He usually sends his monsters or hires shady hitmen to try and take him out.” 

He frowned at Cloud, who looked down in silence, then turned to the arena, where Hercules dodged a string of bites.

“Herc should be able to handle him. Then again…” Phil shook the worry off his face. “No, he can do it! C’mon, you need to get outta here.”

Donald, Goofy and Cloud didn’t question him, but Kairi couldn’t help glancing back at Hercules. Would he really be okay?

The three heads spit a large fireball each. Hercules dodged them without trouble, but the fireballs continued and struck the protective barrier. When the smoke cleared, there were visible cracks on the hit spot, causing some of the people to back away fearfully.

From his spot, Hades smirked. “Oi, Cerberus? Won’t you attack over there?”

The beast’s focus shifted to the cracked barrier, all three heads biting furiously. Realizing what they were doing, Hercules jumped in front of the attack. He pushed the right and left heads with his hands, and held back the middle one with his foot. Cerberus pinned Hercules against the barrier, but the hero held strong.

“After all, heroes can’t help saving lives,” said Hades triumphantly.

Hercules gasped when Cerberus raised his paw. It was gonna swipe at him! And the way he was, he couldn’t dodge or guard it!

“So long, Wonderboy.”

“Herc!”

As if on instinct, Kairi broke into running. Just as Cerberus was about to bring his paw down, she raised the Keyblade and shouted:

“Thunder!”

The blade shone yellow, a bolt of lightning shot from the tip and struck the paw, making Cerberus flinch. She aimed another spell at the closest head. It turned to her, growling furiously.

Her arms and legs were shaking, her knuckles white from how hard she gripped the Keyblade. But her face was fearless and defiant.

The head spat a fireball at her. Kairi guarded with the Keyblade, when someone jumped in front of her and took the blow.

“Goofy?” Cerberus was suddenly struck by a barrage of spells, and Donald appeared behind her. “Donald?”

“You two really are always running into trouble,” the magician remarked.

“But we’re not letting you fight alone,” Goofy said. “We’re a team!”

Despite their situation, Kairi smiled at their words.

“What are you doing?” Phil shouted. “This ain’t just some match, this is for real!”

“Another reason for us to fight!” Kairi declared. “It’s what a hero would do!”

Phil had no answer to that. Behind him, Cloud watched them intently, Kairi’s words reminding him of someone.

With one of the heads distracted, Hercules managed to rid himself of the other two and rushed to their side. The four looked at each other and nodded.

“Then I’ve got two words of advice for you,” Phil said. “ATTACK!”

Hercules dashed forward, Donald went to the left, and Kairi and Goofy to the right, and engaged a head each. Donald shot spells at the left, Hercules brawled with the center, and Kairi used the Keyblade to hit Goofy’s shield like a baseball and send it at the right head.

In retaliation, the three heads exhaled a dark miasma, forcing the group to retreat. But then more miasma erupted from the ground, and they ended up separating trying to avoid the eruptions.

Kairi was so focused on avoiding the miasma, she didn’t notice when she jumped toward Cerberus until one of his heads was about to bite her. She panicked at the sight of his huge fangs and the awful stench of his breath, and then…

She was pulled midair at the last second. Cerberus bit the blade of a familiar broadsword. To everyone’s surprise, Cloud was there, parrying Cerbers’ teeth.

Back on the ground, Kairi looked at him.

“Thank you,” was all she could say.

“You saved me before,” he simply said and turned to face Cerberus.

The hellhound came and tried stomping on them, but Kairi and Cloud jumped out of the way. The shockwave, however, caused the protective barrier to crack further. The people cried in fear when the closest head growled at them.

“Hey!” Kairi yelled. “Stay away from them!”

With one jump way higher than she expected, Kairi was grasping the head’s ears. She held onto them for dear life, somehow not dropping the Keyblade as the head bounced and tried shaking her off.

She couldn’t keep this up, she had to do something. Her right hand ─ the one holding the Keyblade ─ let go of the ear, she shouted and struck Cerberus with all her might. Her face twisted in horror when she realized it didn’t even nick him. The hound jolted violently and her grip slipped. Kairi was tossed away and crashed against a wall.

“Kairi!” Donald and Goofy yelled. They rushed toward her, but had to stop when Cerberus’ center head almost crunched them. Goofy barely had time to block, and behind him, Donald shot some spells, but Cerberus bombarded them with more bites. Goofy kept on blocking, his arms growing sorer every time. Hercules and Cloud wanted to help, but the other heads were keeping them busy.

Phil came to check on Kairi, his face surprisingly worried. “Kid! Are you alright?”

She struggled back up, but a sharp pain made her knees falter. Phil gave her a Potion and repeated the question, but all Kairi could hear were the sounds of the battle. Rumblings of thunder, metal meeting fangs, Cerberus’ ferocious growls, the fearful cries of the crowd.

Kairi shouted and punched the ground. Her friends were putting their lives on the line to protect all those people, but she couldn’t even do that effectively.

“Why am I so weak? Why can’t I do anything right? All I do is get in the way… Why do I even keep trying…”

“Shut up!” 

Phil held her chin and looked her in the eyes. “I saw you go through training that should have been impossible for a rookie and come out on top through sheer force of will, all while putting up with me belittling you all week! It’s unbelievable and kinda unreasonable, honestly. You were too stubborn to quit before, so don't quit now, Kairi!”

It took her a moment to process that he had called her by name. He hadn’t done that once the entire week she trained under him. It felt a bit weird hearing it from him after all these days.

Their moment was cut short by pained cries.

After blocking several blows, Goofy finally yielded. His shield was knocked out of his hands, and he fell to the ground. Donald stood bravely in front of his friend, but there wasn’t much he could do. With Hercules and Cloud unable to help, the center head got ready for a final strike.

“NO!” Kairi yelled, and something burned inside her.

Before she knew it, her pain was gone and she was running faster than she ever had, with a single shouting thought in her mind: saving Donald and Goofy.

The Keyblade intercepted Cerberus and Kairi somehow withstood it. Most people watching couldn’t believe their eyes when they saw such an unassuming girl holding her own against Cerberus. Behind her, Donald and Goofy stared in awe. The Keyblade was shining brightly. 

Kairi gaped at the glowing weapon and her sudden burst of strength. She could feel something swelling, burning even, throughout her body and channeling into the Keyblade, something that made her feel invincible.

Is this enhancing magic? she wondered. How did I do it? Why here and why now?

Then it hit her…

(“My friends were in danger, and suddenly I was stronger than when I was fighting just for myself.”)

(“If you want to get stronger, focus your heart on why you’re fighting, and why you can’t lose. Don’t forget that.”)

I’m so stupid! The answer was right in front of me this whole time! With struggle, Kairi took a step forward, pushing Cerberus away from her friends. If I want to be strong, then I need a reason for it!

“Herc! Cloud!” she called. “Stay close to Cerberus!”

The two men looked at each other before charging. Hercules punched fireballs back at Cerberus, and Cloud nimbly avoided bursts of dark miasma. When it looked like Cloud stepped on an eruption he couldn’t avoid, Hercules pulled him out of the way. In return, Cloud blocked a fireball coming at Hercules’ side.

Cloud knew he should be ashamed to be saved by the person he was supposed to assassinate, but he was too busy to think about that right now.

Meanwhile, Kairi tried pushing Cerberus further, but the hound was strong and pushed as well, budging her backward. Kairi groaned and struggled to keep her feet firm, thinking of all the people counting on them, of Hercules and Cloud who put their faith in her, and of Donald and Goofy behind her. Right now, she was the only thing between them and Cerberus.

I can’t fail! she thought. My friends are counting on me! Everyone is! I can’t let them down! I have to be strong!

That’s when two sets of hands held her back, making her come to a halt. Kairi glanced back, and a bright grin came to her face. Donald and Goofy were back on their feet, full of determination as they supported her. They smiled back, and her fear disappeared. The Keyblade shone even brighter.

Kairi knew why that was. The reason she felt so at peace and so determined at the same time when they were with her. She remembered their kind words which helped support her through the week, as well as Phil’s from days before.

(“Eventually, you’ll find your strength.”)

(“We’ll do it together.”)

(“We’re not letting you fight alone.”)

(“A true hero is defined by the strength of his heart.”)

Now I know how to make my heart strong, Kairi thought, her determined smile unwavering. All thanks to you.

Together, the trio shoved Cerberus off, then jumped backward in sync to avoid his retaliation. Donald and Goofy summoned their weapons and held them forward, Kairi doing the same with the Keyblade.

“Let’s end it!” Kairi called to her allies with the confidence of a real leader.

Hercules charged a punch, a glowing golden aura swirling around his fist. Cloud leaped high in the air. Kairi and Goofy sent magic to their feet and Donald held onto them before they jumped.

Cerberus was struck by the five of them at once. Hercules punched the left head with a burst of godly strength. Cloud hammered his broadsword down on the right. And Kairi, Donald and Goofy, together, delivered several slashes to the middle head.

The blows threw Cerberus off balance. He wobbled and fell to his knees, heaving and puffing. The heads growled and showed their fangs one more time before they too collapsed on the ground.

For a few seconds, everyone was dead silent. The only sound in the arena was that of the fighters’ tired and heavy pants. They watched apprehensively as Cerberus’ body was enveloped in darkness and disappeared.

The crowd burst into cheers. Over on his spot, Hades yelled furiously, the flames in his head exploding, and he vanished in a puff of smoke.

Hercules, Donald and Goofy struck heroic poses, all with grins on their faces. Kairi looked at Hercules, and remembering their conversation, made sure to smile too as she pointed the Keyblade upward. After all, it was the job of a hero to make sure everyone could smile.

And it worked, in spite of the recent danger, the people in the stands were beaming, throwing flowers and confetti at the heroes as the barriers deactivated.

The only one who wasn’t smiling was Cloud. He looked down and pulled his scarf as if trying to hide. But to his surprise, Kairi took his hand and held it high.

“Thanks for helping us,” she told a stunned Cloud. “And congratulations on your victory!”

“Victory?”

“Kairi’s right.” Phil walked to them with a scroll of papyrus and handed it to Cloud. “This doesn’t really excite me, but rules are rules. Cloud Strife, you won the preliminaries, and are hereby granted full rights to participate in the Olympus Coliseum games.”

Cloud took the certificate and looked at it. Not long ago he’d have done anything for it, but looking at it now… It felt so hollow.

“I’m afraid I won’t be joining the games any time soon,” he said, putting the scroll away. “I’m done with Hades. I thought the darkness would help me find the one I’m looking for. But I nearly lost sight of the light.”

Kairi knew she should resent Cloud for siding with Hades, but she couldn’t help sympathizing with him.

“Whoever it is, I know you’ll find them,” she assured him. “I’m searching… for my light too.”

Cloud tapped her shoulder as he passed by her, giving the smallest hint of a smile. “Don’t lose sight of it, then.”

And then he walked away, to continue his search somewhere else. 

With some worry, Goofy turned to where Cerberus had been.

“Should we let that Hades fella go?” Goofy asked. “Isn’t he dangerous?”

“Don’t worry,” said Hercules. “If we’re lucky, he’ll probably be too embarrassed to try anything for a few weeks. Knowing Hades, he’s probably throwing a tantrum right now.”

“AAARGH!” Outside the Coliseum, Hades was literally on fire. “CURSE THAT WONDERBOY! CURSE THAT FLOWER KEYBEARER AND HER PALS! AND CURSE THAT GOOD-FOR-NOTHING MERCENARY! Why can’t that stony rose cheeks run errands faster? I bet she wouldn’t even question before taking out those so-called heroes.”

“Is it a problem with the mercenary or the one who hired him?” a voice said from behind. Hades turned and met Maleficent’s cold sneer.

“Hey, who invited you to the party? This is my side of the board, so don’t complain about my pieces! But if you think you’re so much better, why don’t you put your piece to the test?”

“It’s what I plan.” Maleficent glanced maliciously at the Coliseum. “For facing the Keybearer, he may just be the most effective piece of all.”

At the end of the day, the trio was exhausted. As if fighting for a whole day, ending with a beast from the Underworld, wasn’t enough, their new “fans” seemed to want to make sure they wouldn’t have a moment to rest. Thankfully, Phil and Herc were quite experienced on the subject and helped them escape.

Now the five of them were back in the vestibule, resting and chatting after what felt like one of the longest days of their lives.

“So you finally managed to use magic,” Goofy commented to Kairi. “How did you figure it out?”

“I remembered what you told me,” she said. “About fighting for your friends. I realized, all the times I did magic, I wasn’t just fighting for myself, but for someone else too. That’s how we truly become strong.”

Kairi approached Phil. The mood between them was still a bit awkward, but already way better than the last time they were in the vestibule.

“I think now I know what you meant about strength of heart. Mine came from Donald and Goofy.” She looked gladly at them. “As long as we stick together, nothing will stop us. I just know it.”

Behind Phil, Hercules smiled. “Of course. Your friends give you strength. The three of you together make great heroes. As a team, I’m sure you can overcome anything. Isn’t that right, Phil?”

The satyr let out a small smile. “Sure. Three half-pints together make a whole.” Before anyone could point out that three halves actually made one and a half, Phil took three scrolls of papyrus and offered them to the trio. “You may not have won today, but you’ve proven yourselves pretty heroic. So I’m declaring you three junior heroes, and permitting you to fight in the Coliseum as much as you please.”

The three beamed. They took the scrolls and admired the certificates with their names on them. While Donald showed Goofy and Hercules his license, Phil quietly approached Kairi.

“I’m really sorry for the way I acted,” he said. “The truth is, I didn’t even notice I was seeing you differently, or that you were uncomfortable. That’s no excuse, I know, and I’ll try to be better. And I know you said you didn’t need my approval, but… For what it’s worth, I think you definitely have potential to be a pretty good hero.”

Kairi gave a small smile. “It’s good to hear that. You really helped me this week. Thanks.”

Phil smiled back before turning his attention to Donald and Goofy, who were trying to look as good as Hercules while flexing. Kairi chuckled and looked one more time at her hero license when she felt a sudden pull in her chest.

She walked to the stone block Phil told her to move days ago. It was such a perfect cube in the middle of a small room, why hadn’t anyone taken it away by now?

She thought about the feelings she felt in the arena, the desire to protect those she cared for, and pushed the block. But like before, it didn’t budge.

“You don’t have to do that, kid,” Phil said. “Herc can take care of it.”

But Kairi didn’t stop. So instead, Donald and Goofy headed to her side and put their hands on the block as well.

“C’mon Kairi,” Goofy said, “we’re here to help ya.”

“Let’s go, it’s just a small push,” Donald encouraged.

There was a warmth in her chest Kairi couldn’t explain. She smiled gratefully at them before focusing on the block. “One, two, three!”

They pushed together, and the pedestal finally moved. Underneath it was a small Keyhole, just like Kairi suspected. She raised the Keyblade, and the Keyhole disappeared in a flash of light.

“What’s that about?” Phil asked, confused, but the trio was busy celebrating amongst themselves. “Do you recognize it, Herc?”

The hero was looking at them in awe. “It must be magical. I tried moving that pedestal before, but couldn’t. Those three… they’re something else. Something special.”

Phil looked stunned. “What do you think it is?”

Hercules smiled seeing the friends laugh.

“A power that cannot be achieved by yourself. Something that’ll make them one-of-a-kind heroes. I just know they’re gonna go the distance. And they’ll do it together.”

Chapter Text

On a deep blue sea, a fantastical island stood alone, with hills covered by lush jungle, rainbows arching over crystalline waterfalls, and a camp of tepees on a rockish cliff.

Neverland. The fantasyland where the dreams of children are born.

The Gummi Ship landed on a white sandy beach. Kairi was the first to exit, her eyes shining with nostalgia at the view so similar to that of her home. She took her shoes off and felt the warm and soft sand between her toes. She laughed at the familiar feeling and ran toward the ocean, steeping her feet in the water and breathing in the sea air. How she missed the smell of salt water… Closing her eyes, it was as if she was back on Destiny Islands.

Goofy approached her and gazed into the horizon. “Feels like home?”

“Yeah,” she said with a smile and touched her locket.

“You still gotta show it to us one day.”

The light in her eyes waned ever so slightly. “I hope I can…”

Donald watched their exchange from afar. He missed home too, terribly so, but knew he could always go back whenever he wanted. Kairi didn’t have that luxury. More than him or Goofy, everything was on the line for her.

“Hey! Who are you?”

Donald turned toward the unfamiliar voice. He saw a group of boys ─ eight to be precise ─ wearing clothes made of animal skin, except for two who appeared to be in nightwear. They were armed with toy swords, clubs, hatchets and slingshots.

“Uh… I…” Donald stuttered, not sure what to say at the strange sight.

Noticing the commotion, Kairi and Goofy came running. The boys all pointed their weapons at them.

“Whoa, hold on,” Kairi urged, raising her hands in surrender. “We don’t want any trouble.”

“Oh, so you have nothing to do with the monsters at all?” a boy in a fox suit asked accusingly.

“Monsters?”

“The black monsters that appeared in Neverland,” said the youngest of the boys, who appeared no older than 5.

“Those are the Heartless,” Kairi explained, and Donald glared at her. “We’re here to get rid of them.”

“You are?” asked a chubby boy in a bear suit, lowering his club.

“Yep, we just need to find the Keyhole so Kairi can─”

Donald covered his mouth before Goofy could let anything else out.

“World order, remember?” he whispered angrily to the two.

“Sorry,” Kairi whispered and turned back to the boys. “Do you think you can help us? Surely you know this place better than us.”

The boys hummed in thought and got together in a circle. The trio listened nervously as they debated whether or not they should trust them. Finally, one of the oldest boys, who appeared to be some sort of leader, stepped forward. He had brown hair, wore glasses, a white nightshirt and a fancy top hat.

“Alright, we’ll assist you,” he said and pointed to himself. “I’m John.”

“Slightly,” said the tall boy in a fox suit.

“Nibs,” said one dressed as a rabbit.

“The Twins,” said two identical boys in raccoon suits.

“Cubby,” said the one in the bear suit.

“I’m Michael!” said the youngest one, who wore pink footie pajamas and carried a teddy bear. Next to him, another small boy, wearing a skunk suit, raised his hand and bounced. “And that’s Tootles.”

“We are the Lost Boys,” said John. “Peter Pan’s loyal men.”

“Who’s Peter Pan?” Kairi asked.

They heard a funny sound, like a rooster crowing. The trio looked around in confusion, but the Lost Boys grinned and looked up.

Another boy swooped down from the sky. He had red hair, clothes made of green leaves and a green cap with a red feather. A small golden light seemed to follow him.

“Pan!” the Lost Boys cried excitedly.

“Hello, men,” Peter Pan greeted. “What have you found?”

“We found them.” Slightly pointed to Kairi, Donald and Goofy.

“They saided they’re here to fight the monsters,” Cubby said.

“Really?” Peter gave the three a close look, floating around them.

“Is he flying?” asked a stunned Donald.

Finally, Peter stopped in front of Kairi, stuffed his chest and smiled. It was a very cocky smile, but charming in a roguish way. His eyes had a glint that made it look like he was up to something.

“You’re lucky I showed up, then.” He offered a hand. “I’m Peter Pan. Welcome to Neverland.”

Kairi went for a handshake, but the small light came between them, flickering and making a series of angry tinkling sounds. Just then they realized that wasn’t actually a light, but a tiny glowing girl with wings, a short green dress and blonde hair tied in a bun.

“That’s Tinker Bell,” Peter introduced. “She’s not usually this brash, but she acts like this whenever I’m close to other girls for some reason.”

“She must be jealous,” Donald remarked with a chuckle. Irritated, the fairy flew over to him and kicked him in the bill. “Ow! Hey, what’s the big idea!”

“Well, I’m Kairi.”

“Donald,” he said, rubbing his bill.

“And I’m Goofy!”

“So when did these… monsters start showing up?” Kairi asked.

“A couple days ago, I think,” Peter said. “At first I thought that codfish Hook had some new trick, but they’ve been attacking him too. We’ve been getting rid of them all over Neverland, but they always come back.”

“And they’ll keep coming back unless─” Kairi held her tongue when Donald glared at her. “Unless we stop them. They’re looking for something called the Keyhole. Do you have any idea where it could be?”

Peter hummed in thought for a moment. “I’ve never seen any Keyholes. But you’re in luck! We hunt for treasure all the time. I’m sure we can find this Keyhole in no time!”

“That’s great, thank you so much for helping─”

But the Lost Boys weren’t listening to her anymore, too busy hopping around excitedly.

“Hooray, it’s an expatition!” Nibs cheered.

“Even better, a treasure hunt!” Slightly said.

“Treasure hunt?” Kairi asked, incredulous.

“Maybe we’ll get to fight pirates!” one Twin said.

“Or monsters!” said the other.

“You shouldn’t be excited, this isn’t a game!” Kairi exclaimed, and it came out harsher than she intended.

The boys all stopped.

“It isn’t?” Slightly asked.

“Why can’t we play treasure hunt?” Michael asked.

“Because it’s dangerous!” Donald stepped in. “These monsters are no joke, if they get you, you’re done for!”

“And we’d hate if something happened to you because of us,” Goofy said earnestly.

“They’re right,” Kairi said. “Sorry, but this is no time for games.”

“Aw, c’mon!” Peter cried, kicking the ground like a grumpy little kid.

The Lost Boys all gave disappointed “awws”. Some of them looked on the verge of tears. Donald and Goofy kept their stern gazes, used to dealing with children, but Kairi couldn’t take it. Their sad faces and puppy eyes squeezed her heart.

“I guess… We could play treasure hunt while we’re at it. As long as it’s not too dangerous…”

The boys broke into cheers, the smaller ones even came and hugged her, their little arms barely reaching Kairi’s waist. Their joy was infectious and she couldn’t help giggling, remembering how excited she used to be to play treasure hunt with Riku and Sora.

The little ones ran along and Donald came. He wasn’t too pleased. “You really shouldn’t encourage them. You know it’s dangerous.”

“I know, but…” She looked at the boys, innocent and carefree. That innocence hadn’t been taken from them yet, and Kairi didn’t want to do anything that could damage it. “We’ll be careful. We can protect them from whatever Heartless we find.”

Donald opened his mouth to argue, but Goofy put a hand on his shoulder and smiled. “They’re children. They deserve to have fun and be a bit obnoxious at times.”

The magician thought back to his own trio of rascals and sighed. “Alright. But we gotta be careful.”

His friends nodded, and the three turned to the spirited group.

“So, Peter,” Kairi called the boy’s attention. “Where do you suppose we could start?”

Tinker Bell flew forward and made a series of tinkles. Apparently that was her language.

“Tink’s saying she saw a lot of monsters around Mermaid Lagoon yesterday,” Peter said.

“How about we check it then?” Kairi suggested.

“Good idea. Let’s go, men!”

Kairi, Donald and Goofy followed Peter, Tink and the Lost Boys into the jungle. Neverland’s jungle was far smaller and less imposing than the one in Tarzan’s world, but it was still easy to get lost. Luckily, the boys seemed to know the place like the back of their hands. Even more luckily, they didn’t encounter a single Heartless on the way, which was suspicious, but they weren’t going to complain.

The older boys liked to run ahead with Peter and mess with each other. The younger ones took turns riding on Goofy’s back. The Twins liked to pester Donald by messing with his feathers. And Tinker Bell liked to fly close to Peter and glare at Kairi whenever she got close.

At one point, when Peter helped Kairi climb up a slope, Tink went red and pulled her hair while tinkling furiously. Peter scolded her and told her to apologize, but the fairy stubbornly refused. When it was clear they wouldn’t be getting anywhere like this, Kairi called Tink to the side to talk privately.

“I know you don’t like me, and I got a feeling it’s because of Peter. Do you think I’m gonna compete with you for his attention?”

The fairy nodded, angry as usual. Still, Kairi offered her a smile.

“If that’s the case, I promise, you have nothing to worry about. Peter’s not even my type. In fact…” She looked to the sides, wanting to be extra sure no one else was listening, before whispering in her ear: “There’s… someone else I really like.”

Tink made a tinkle that could only be a gasp. She smiled playfully and looked toward the rest of the group as if asking who it was.

“He’s not here. It’s… a long story. But I just want you to know that you don’t need to get jealous over Peter.” Kairi offered her hand. “So, what do you say? Can we be friends?”

Tinker Bell thought for a moment before grabbing Kairi’s fingers, and the two shook hands, so to speak.

“Great! Now let’s join the others.”

The boys were in the middle of a discussion when they joined them. Seeing her return, Cubby turned to Kairi with an… unexpected question.

“Kairi, are you gonna be our mother too?”

She blinked. “Excuse me?”

“Don’t be dumb,” Slightly said and hit Cubby on the head. “We already have a mother, we can’t have two.”

“That’s not true,” Kairi said. “Many people have more than one mother.”

“Really?”

“Then you’re gonna be our second mother?” Nibs asked excitedly.

“I didn’t say that! I could never be your mother, not yet anyway. I’m not even that much older than you. And if you’ve already got a mother, I’m sure you don’t need a second one.”

“Yeah, Wendy’s the best mother!” Michael said, currently riding on Goofy’s back. “She washes us and sews for us and tells us bedtime stories and kisses us goodnight!”

“Aw, she sounds lovely,” said Goofy. “I wish I could meet her.”

“You will,” Peter said. “We’re passing by home.”

He pulled some branches out of the way, revealing a clearing with a large dead tree in the middle. From a hole at the base, emerged a girl with two wash tubs, one full of laundry and the other with a washboard made from twigs. She had light brown hair the same color as Michael’s, and wore a light blue nightgown and an acorn button in a chain around her neck.

“Wendy!” the Lost Boys cried and ran to her.

Seeing them, Wendy opened her arms and smiled. “Hello, boys. I trust you’ve been careful of the monsters?”

“Yes, Wendy,” they said in unison.

“Peter,” she looked up at him, serious. “Have you been making sure they’re safe?”

“C’mon Wendy, you worry too much,” said the flying boy. “We’re fine.”

Not fully convinced, Wendy checked each boy for bruises. Even though there was not a scratch on them, the boys ─ minus Peter ─ swarmed around her with dejected faces, pointing at supposedly hurt spots and asking for thimbles, after which, Wendy kissed them.

Kairi, Donald and Goofy watched the scene in confusion and a bit of shock. Wendy couldn’t be older than Kairi, 12 or 13 years at most, but there she was, acting like an adult woman, taking care of so many kids. Kids who referred to her as their mother.

After Wendy “thimbled” the last Lost Boy on the head, she glanced at Peter. A spark flashed through her eyes and she bit her lips.

Before she could attempt anything, Tinker Bell came in front of her with angry tinkles and a deadly stare. Wendy sighed but gave a small smile.

“It’s nice to see you too, Tinker Bell.” Wendy looked away. Concern struck her face when she finally noticed the trio. “Who are you?”

“Oh, I’m Kairi, this is Donald and he’s Goofy,” she introduced them, still surprised. “Are you really the boys’ mother?”

Wendy smiled nervously. “Actually, I’m John and Michael’s sister. I’m sort of a make-believe mother, you know?”

“I see…”

“Wendy, they are going to assist us in exterminating the creatures darting around,” John explained.

“And help us get rid of the monsters too!” Michael said.

“Why don’t you come with us?” offered Peter, much to Tinker Bell’s dismay. “We’re heading for Mermaid Lagoon.”

“Peter, are you sure it’s a good idea to go after those horrid creatures? They’re unlike anything in Neverland.”

“C’mon, it’ll be fun,” Peter insisted.

As they did with Kairi before, the boys looked at Wendy with puppy eyes. She sighed.

“Alright then. I was going there anyway.”

“Mother is coming!” the boys cheered.

They continued through the jungle, now with Wendy in tow, carrying the laundry to be washed at the lagoon. The boys often gathered around her to either hold onto her skirt or run around her. Peter also liked to fly close to her and bolster about how great he was, which made Tinker Bell look at the girl with disdain. Despite the trouble everyone gave her, Wendy was always smiling around them.

Her smile couldn’t be more different from Peter’s. It was smaller, rarely showing any teeth, and way more patient, mature even. Sometimes, when Kairi looked at Wendy, she thought she spotted some very light wrinkles beneath her eyes, which made her look older than she really was.

Kairi didn’t ask any questions. She wanted to, but feared she’d come off as rude, and knew Donald would scold her for upsetting the order and say things just worked differently in this world. Although, similar to Alice beforehand, Wendy seemed… off in Neverland.

After a few more minutes, they finally arrived in a beautiful blue lake, with water that almost seemed to glisten with the sunlight. Kairi stepped closer to admire the view and let out a small gasp when she spotted the lagoon’s namesakes by some rocks in the middle of the water. There, real mermaids combed their hair, played instruments made from seashells, admired their reflections, or simply lay about.

One of the mermaids spotted them and called the others. The mermaids waved and called for them ─ though really, they were mostly calling for Peter, which Tinker Bell really didn’t approve of. Kairi raised her hand to wave back, but Wendy caught her arm.

“Don’t,” she warned and glared at the mermaids. “They’re rude. Very rude.”

Ignoring the mermaids, Goofy took a look around. “There doesn’t seem to be any Heartless around now. Are you sure you saw them, Tinker Bell?”

The fairy nodded with confidence, but the lagoon was as still as could be. Too still for the boys’ taste.

“Hey Nibs, watch it!”

Without warning, Slightly splashed Nibs in the face. He laughed and splashed Slightly back, accidentally getting Cubby and Tootles too. The remaining boys quickly joined the fun. Soon they were splashing so much, Goofy had to summon his shield to keep himself, Kairi, Donald, Wendy and Tink dry.

“They sure are an excited bunch,” Goofy said with a chuckle.

“Too excited,” Donald grumbled. “We’re supposed to be looking for the thing that’ll save this world!”

“He’s right, guys.” Kairi walked to the boys. “Maybe you should take this more serious─”

Slightly shoved off Cubby. The boy stumbled back, his elbow accidentally hit Kairi and pushed her into the lagoon. She yelped and fell with a splash.

Everyone stopped playing to look as Kairi emerged a moment later. The Lost Boys shrunk sheepishly when she glared at them.

“Boys,” Wendy said firmly. “What do we say now?”

They spoke in unison: “We’re sorry─”

But they couldn’t finish the apology, a stream of water soaked them. They looked in surprise to see Kairi laughing.

“Is this the best you can do?” she teased. “My dad used to pick me up and throw me two meters into the sea!”

A spark shone in the boys’ eyes, and they were laughing again. They ran and jumped in the water and started splashing her in retaliation. Kairi giggled and dived to escape them.

“Where’d she go?” Nibs asked.

Suddenly, Slightly and Cubby yelped and were pulled underwater. Kairi emerged gleefully in their place, but her triumph was short-lived, as Peter flew above her and poured an entire bucket of water ─ which was actually one of Wendy’s wash tubs ─ on her head.

“Hey, no fair!” Kairi complained.

“Since when is a surprise attack fair?” he simply said and dodged a splash, throwing Wendy’s tub back to her.

The mermaids turned their noses at the riot. Peter was so pleasant when he came alone, why did he have to bring such a noisy bunch? Not wanting to take part in any of it, they dived and swam away to the bottom.

They weren’t the only ones displeased, as Donald approached the shore and tried calling for them.

“Okay, that’s enough playing around for now, let’s go!” The magician grew annoyed as they all ignored him. “Hey, Kairi, Keyhole, Heartless, important mission, remember? Goofy, back me up here─”

“A-hyoo!” Goofy threw off his hat, sweater and vest, and cannonballed into the lagoon, splashing the Twins and starting a game of tag. As he chased them, Goofy called his friend. “C’mon, Donald, the water is great!”

Donald stood there, looking incredulous with his mouth wide open. This was absurd, they didn’t have time for this, there was too much to be done, they couldn’t just have fun, they couldn’t─

(“C’mon, where’s my fun brother who always liked to slack off with me?”)

(“You always work so hard, Uncle Donald. You deserve to take it easy for a day.”)

The voices of his sister and nephews suddenly rang in Donald’s head, and a smile slowly found its way to his face as he imagined them dragging him into that lagoon. The Heartless, the Keyhole and the mission were all but forgotten as Donald threw away his hat and his bangles and jumped after Goofy and Kairi.

Tinker Bell chose the worst time to try and call everyone’s attention, as Donald fell into the water with a splash and soaked her. She dropped to the ground, her drenched wings drooping uselessly on her back.

“Do you want help?”

Tink looked to see Wendy’s stretched out hand, offering her a ride. The fairy glared at her. Unlike Kairi, Tink knew Wendy fancied Peter. There was no way she’d ever accept help from her!

Wendy sighed as Tinker Bell stomped her feet and turned her back to her. Disheartened, she went back to what she was doing.

She picked up a drenched piece of clothing from one wash tub, scrubbed it hard to get rid of the more noticeable stains, ran it up and down the makeshift washboard, and finally dropped it in the other tub to rinse it.

She did this multiple times for over an hour. It was an awfully monotonous task, but Wendy carried on, motivated by the laughter of her brothers and her friends.

At least they’re having fun, she told herself, watching little Michael riding on John’s back.

With Wendy focused on the laundry and Tinker Bell on drying herself, neither of them noticed the steps approaching from behind.

After a while chasing and splashing each other, Peter pointed to a nearby cliff and suggested they climb it and jump down. The Lost Boys promptly agreed, and Kairi, Donald and Goofy were more than happy to follow along.

They clambered up the five-meter or so cliff. One by one, the Lost Boys jumped, showing off tricks and yelling over Wendy’s pleas for them to be careful. Finally, only the trio and Peter remained.

Peter went first, strutting to the edge with his usual cocky smirk. He flexed his legs in preparation, leaped and… began to slowly descend.

“Hey, that’s cheating!” Donald cried.

Peter did several midair somersaults, and “fell” in a lying position with his hands behind his head. His back barely touched the water and he stood up, took off his cap and bowed. The Lost Boys cheered, but up on the cliff, the trio didn’t have as much praise.

“That smug and conceited cheater!” Donald grumbled. “I’ll show him!”

The magician stomped to the edge and prepared to jump. He planned to do a swan dive. If old Uncle Scrooge could do it in a bin full of gold, how hard could it be?

“Here I go!” he shouted and sprung off the ground.

But just then he slipped on a puddle and fumbled the jump. By the time Donald realized this, he was already falling rapidly.

He screamed and flapped his arms like a bird, but the lake approached rapidly…

SPLASH! Donald belly-flopped on the water.

“You okay?” Cubby asked. Beside him, most of the boys laughed.

“Wak…”

Kairi and Goofy watched with some concern, but breathed a sigh of relief and giggled seeing Donald swim away while seemingly complaining.

“He’s a duck, but can’t fly,” Kairi joked.

“It’s too bad.” Goofy stretched his arms and legs. “Peter is lucky. I bet flying is pretty amazing.”

“Yeah, it must be,” she said dreamily.

Goofy turned his back to the cliff and jumped. He did one, two, three backflips before hitting the water gracefully.

“That was so cool!” Slightly exclaimed.

“Almost as cool as Pan’s jump!” Cubby added.

“Nah, I was way cooler,” Peter said.

Donald narrowed his eyes. “He also didn’t fly.”

“See, I’m cooler!”

“That’s not what I meant!”

“Oi, it’s your turn now, Kairi!” Nibs shouted.

Everyone looked confused when Kairi backed away from the edge.

“Do you suppose the altitude made her nervous?” John asked.

“Maybe she’s afraid ‘cause it’s too high?” Michael wondered.

“Nah, Kairi’s not afraid of heights.” Goofy smiled, without taking his eyes off the cliff. He remembered how elated Kairi was atop the lily pad in Wonderland and the trees in the jungle.

“Besides,” Donald added, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen her back away from anything.”

A moment later, Kairi came into view, sprinting. When she was at the very edge, she leaped with arms open wide.

For one moment, she wasn’t bound to anything, the earth, her duty, the Keyblade, nothing. She wondered if that was how it felt to fly. If it was, she envied Peter. She had never felt so free.

Gravity got a hold of her again. Kairi closed her eyes, but not her mouth, her heart too full of joy to stop smiling.

The water bubbled around her, and Kairi thought back to similar sunny afternoons spent on the beach with family and different friends. Her smile widened. It was funny, memories of Destiny Islands always gave her the strangest feeling of bittersweet nostalgia, but this time, the happy feelings overshadowed the sad ones.

Unfortunately, she couldn’t stay underwater forever, so Kairi began swimming back up. Though as she did, she took notice of a strange opening between some rocks.

She resurfaced and was met with the cheers and smiles of her new friends. Michael jumped from John’s shoulders and Kairi caught him. That gave Peter the idea of a game of keep-away with Michael. The Lost Boys loved the idea, and Tootles even raised his hand to ask to be thrown around too.

As they made their way to shallower water, Kairi’s mind went back to the opening she spotted. It reminded her of the entrance to the secret place back on the Playing Island. Maybe it led somewhere cool too?

She considered calling everyone to go explore, but stopped. Spending time with Peter Pan and the Lost Boys was lots of fun, they were an energizing bunch for sure, but… The secret place back home had always been calm, private. Even if they weren’t on the Islands, Kairi felt a selfish urge to keep a place similar to it from them.

So instead, she discreetly pulled Donald and Goofy aside and told them:

“I found something, I think it’s an underwater tunnel. Let’s check it out!”

“Don’t you wanna call the others first?” Goofy asked.

“Let’s just take a look,” Kairi insisted, clenching her hands in excitement. “If we find something cool, we’ll come get them.”

Goofy thought about it for a moment before smiling. “Let’s go then! How about it, Donald?”

Kairi looked at him with eyes almost glowing. Looking at her, Donald couldn’t help but smile too.

He had seen that girl take down waves of monsters and creatures of darkness, yet here she was, bursting with excitement over something as small as an underwater tunnel.

Despite everything, she’s still just a child, isn’t she?

“Sure. Show us the way.”

Kairi beamed at this. She guided them to the cliff and pointed down. Squinting their eyes, Donald and Goofy could barely make out the opening.

They held their breaths and dived in. Swimming to the opening, they saw Kairi was right, it really was a tunnel. Despite not knowing how long it might be, she decided to keep going. Donald rolled his eyes at this, but he and Goofy followed her anyway. Thankfully, they only swam for about ten seconds before the only way forward was up and they resurfaced.

“You know Kairi, sometimes I wonder if you ever think before doing potentially dangerous things,” Donald complained.

“Sorry,” she said mechanically, busy looking around. “But we did find a cool place!”

They were in a hidden grotto, not very big, but rather tall. The only light came from an opening in the ceiling. Thanks to it, they were able to see some ground. But much more interesting was what stood there.

“A treasure chest!” the three exclaimed.

They clambered out of the water and rushed to the chest. It was a very simple old box made of wood, it didn’t even have a lock and it certainly wasn’t the Keyhole, but finding it sure felt exciting.

“What’s inside?!” Donald asked with a glint in his eyes. “Gold? Jewels?”

Kairi opened the chest, and… “It’s… a bunch of toys.”

“What?!” Flabbergasted, Donald looked inside. Sure enough, it was filled with wooden swords and makeshift slingshots, a far cry from what one would expect from a chest hidden in a cave. “Aw phooey! Who even put this junk here?”

“It looks like the stuff the Lost Boys use,” Goofy noted. “What do you think, Kairi?”

But Kairi wasn’t listening, her eyes glued to the chest. She picked up two objects. At first glance they just looked like broken pieces of wood, but when put together, they formed a very familiar shape.

“Is that… a Keyblade?” Goofy asked, surprised.

“It looks like it,” Donald said. “But what’s it doing here?”

Kairi said nothing, barely registering their words. She couldn’t stop looking at the broken Keyblade. She had a frustrating feeling, almost like déjà vu, telling her that Keyblade was important, that it was somehow connected to… Honestly, she wasn’t sure what.

She turned the handle around and felt a twinge in her heart. Carved on the guard was a single word:

Terra

Kairi brought a shaky hand to her chest. She didn’t recall ever hearing that name ─ or understand how she even knew it was a name.

So why does this make me so sad?

“Nice, you found our treasure!”

Peter Pan’s voice broke Kairi from her trance. Behind him, the Lost Boys emerged from the water and happily swam to them.

“How did you find us?” Donald asked.

“Tootles saw you diving,” Peter explained. “When you didn’t come back, we figured you must have run into something.”

“So this is your treasure?” Goofy asked, stepping out of the way to allow the boys to get their things.

“Yeah,” said a Twin, picking up a club.

“It’s where we keep the stuff that’s most important to us,” explained the other, showing Goofy a toy sword.

“We didn’t know where it was since Cubby ate the treasure map,” Slightly said then turned to their newest members. “Hey John, why don’t you put in something too?”

“I would certainly appreciate it!”

“I want to put something in too!” Michael cried.

While they decided what to put and the others showed Donald and Goofy their treasures, Kairi approached Peter with the halves of the wooden Keyblade.

“Peter? Where did you get these?”

“Those? Oh, some guys came here some time ago and left it here,” he said and cupped his chin, trying to remember more. “Their names were…”

Unfortunately, Kairi never learned their names, as a scream cut Peter off. She left the pieces behind as they all rushed out of the grotto and arrived at a horrifying scene.

Wendy had her mouth gagged and her hands tied with rope. She was held by two burly, scruff-looking men. A smaller one by their side held a lantern, and inside it, Tinker Bell struggled.

Kairi almost charged at the men at once. The only reason she didn’t was because Donald grabbed her and pulled her behind a large rock, where the others were also hiding.

“Calm down, Kairi,” he scolded. “You can’t just run into battle without thinking!”

“But─” she tried to argue.

“Donald’s right,” Goofy interrupted. “Even if you can fight them, it’s dangerous with Wendy and Tink still captive. They could get caught in the way.”

Kairi gritted her teeth in frustration, but couldn't argue with that logic.

Peter flew just a little bit higher and peeked over the rock. Even at a glance he recognized mister Smee and the other two pirates.

“That bastard old codfish…” Peter cursed under his breath. “I bet he’s coming right now, the coward!”

“What are you talking about? What codfish?” Goofy asked, confused.

“Captain James Hook,” John explained. “The most fearsome pirate in all of Neverland and Peter Pan’s greatest nemesis ever since he cut off his hand.”

“You cut off his hand?!” Kairi exclaimed, but Peter ignored her.

“As soon as he shows up, I’ll show him not to mess with my friends.”

“But what about Wendy and Tinker Bell?” Kairi asked. “Saving them should be our priority.”

“I know. And I have a plan. Listen, everyone…”

The two burly pirates laughed as Tinker Bell punched and kicked, trying to break free from her prison. Wendy used their distraction to try and escape but was quickly noticed and grabbed by the arm.

“Where do you think you’re going, poppet?” The pirate that grabbed her drew a dagger and pointed it at her face. Her eyes widened in terror.

Smee, the older pirate who held Tinker Bell, walked to her. Short as he was, he didn’t even have to bend down to be at her eye level.

“Now, Miss Wendy, it’d be best if you didn’t do that,” he said softly. “The captain doesn’t want to hurt you, he just wants to use you to lure Peter Pan. I’m sure he’ll let you go as soon as he’s done.”

“MISTER SMEE!” a raging voice suddenly boomed.

“Captain!” Smee quickly straightened himself. He didn’t see Captain Hook anywhere, but that voice was certainly his. “We captured the boys’ mother, captain, just like you said. We even got their pixie friend. Peter Pan is sure to come rescue them.”

“I said nothing of the sort, you blundering blockhead!” Hook’s voice shouted. “Release that girl and the pixie at once!”

“Release them?!” one of the pirates exclaimed. “After the trouble of capturing them?!”

“But captain─”

“THOSE ARE ME ORDERS, MISTER SMEE!”

The pirates all flinched and saluted. “A-Aye, aye, Captain!”

Smee immediately opened the lamp holding Tinker Bell. The fairy quickly got out and kicked him on the nose before flying away.

“Ow! That wasn’t very nice.”

She was about to leave Mermaid’s Lagoon when something caught her attention. Hiding up on the cliff, Donald and Slightly silently called for her. Tink glanced down to be sure no one was looking before rushing toward them.

One of the pirates groaned in annoyance as he slowly cut off the ropes tying Wendy’s hands with his dagger.

“I tell you, the captain’s getting crazier by the day. As if it’s not enough to leave us collecting barnacles ‘cause he wants to kill Pan, now he can’t even remember what his orders are!”

“Now men, we must obey the captain.” Smee approached Wendy, smiled and removed her gag. “Sorry for the inconvenience, Miss Wendy. You can go now.”

The ropes fell. Wendy stumbled forward, wanting nothing more than to get away from those pirates. But she ran into something. No, someone.

A tall man in a red coat, black hair falling underneath his large hat decorated with a big feather. He had a large hooked nose, a very thin mustache and cruel black eyes. The man raised his left arm, and instead of a hand, an iron hook touched her face. At the cold steel touch, Wendy’s blood froze in her veins.

Standing before her was Captain James Hook.

“What is the meaning of this?!” the fearsome pirate vociferated.

“Don’t worry, Captain,” Smee said carefree. “We let her and the pixie go, just like you ordered.”

“YOU WHAT?! I GAVE NO SUCH ORDER!” Wendy cried when Hook shoved her to the pirates. “Tie her up at once!”

But the men didn’t do anything, looking around fearfully. It was late afternoon, and the sun was no longer shining on the lagoon.

“Tis the work of some spirit, I say!”

“I hear it’s bad luck to have women aboard.”

“We are not even aboard, you idiot!” Hook brandished his blade, a long rapier. “Where is this spirit, then? Show yourself!”

Behind the rock at the center of the lagoon, Kairi, Peter Pan and Tootles were hiding. They had hoped the captain would take a while more to show up. Now he was here, and Wendy was still at their mercy.

“Now what?” Kairi whispered.

“We go for plan B,” Peter whispered back. “Go, I’ll distract them!”

The two nodded and promptly sank into the water. Once he was sure they were out of sight, Peter cleared his throat and spoke in a perfect imitation of Captain Hook’s voice:

“Who is it calling?”

The two big pirates clung to each other in terror, Smee jumped and Wendy gasped, but Hook didn’t flinch.

“How dare you impersonate me!?” he demanded, looking around for the source of the voice. “Where are you!? Who are you!?”

“I am James Hook, captain of the Jolly Roger,” replied the voice.

“You are not, you are not!” Hook cried and stomped his foot like a child throwing a tantrum.

Behind his rock, Peter had to hold back his laughter.

“Say that again and I’ll have you walk the plank, you bilge rats!” he said.

“Oh yeah? If you are Hook, then who am I?”

“A codfish. Only a codfish.”

“A codfish!?” Hook bellowed, his face going pale.

A codfish? Wendy questioned, when the slightest movement caught her eye.

Turning her head slightly, she saw from the corner of her eye Kairi emerge from the water and lift Tootles, who grabbed onto a branch of a tree and started climbing without making a noise, while Kairi got out of the lagoon and hid.

The corners of Wendy’s mouth lifted for a moment, but she quickly looked away and put on a frown. She couldn’t alert the pirates of their presence. Luckily, they were too distracted by “Hook” to notice anything.

“Have we been captained all this time by a codfish?” one of them questioned.

“Oh dear, that’s very embarrassing,” Smee said.

“Shut up, you!” Captain Hook, the codfish, threatened them with his hook before turning back to the lagoon. “I am not a codfish! I am James Hook! Smee, guard the prisoner. Men, into the water, bring me this so-called spirit!”

The pirates handed Wendy over to Smee and fearfully approached the water. Peter smirked and shouted:

“Men, turn your blades against this impostor! Get this codfish out of my sight!”

The confused pirates drew their swords and daggers and looked at Hook, who went red with rage.

“Preposterous! Seize him!”

“What are you waiting for, you bilge rats?!”

The two captains Hook went back and forth, the pirates turning around in a daze at every order. Smee watched from behind, trying to make sense of it all, not noticing as Tootles lurked on the tree above him until the boy jumped at him. His surprised cry was muffled by his hat being immediately pulled down over his head. He went to pull it off, letting go of Wendy. Kairi swooped in and took her and Tootles by the hand to a safe spot behind a tree.

“Thank you,” Wendy whispered.

“Don’t mention it.” Kari and Tootles smiled.

When Smee finally got his hat out, Wendy was nowhere to be seen. He let out a distressed “oh” and looked around for her before approaching Captain Hook.

“Um, Captain,” he called timidly.

“Not now, Smee! Don’t you see I’m busy with this faceless impersonator?”

“But Captain… The prisoner… She’s gone!”

“WHAT!?”

The pirates all looked to find that Wendy had seemingly vanished into thin air. Joyful laughter echoed and they turned toward the lagoon again.

“Oh, I forgot to mention, I also go by another name.”

A familiar voice. From the rocks rose a boy with a familiar cocky smile.

“Peter Pan!” Hook bellowed. His eyes became even more furious. “I have you now! Men!”

The pirates gathered behind Hook, but Peter was unphased by the numerical disadvantage.

“Are you ready, everyone?” he asked.

“Ay, ay!” came the voices from various parts of the lagoon.

“Then charge!”

There was a war cry, and Lost Boys popped up everywhere from the lagoon. With their clubs and toy swords, the boys charged, and the fight started.

Donald and Slightly shot spells and rocks from atop the cliff the group had been diving off of. A Fire spell hit Smee in the behind, making him run around with his rear on fire. The Twins stretched out a vine and tripped him, laughing as they tied the vine around his ankles.

Not too far, Tootles managed to nab a pirate’s cutlass, and now he, Cubby and Nibs were playing keepaway while running from the pirate. The third pirate was fencing against John, who was armed with his umbrella and being guarded by Goofy with his shield. Michael sneaked from behind and, having put a rock inside his Teddy Bear, hammered it on the pirate’s foot, who yelled in pain.

As soon as the battle started, Kairi held the Keyblade and sprinted straight toward Hook. Sparks flew when their blades clashed, and the two fighters glared at each other.

Kairi knew this man was bad news as soon as she laid eyes on him. He made her feel the same sort of unease she felt around the Queen of Hearts, Clayton and Hades, as if she could sense their ill intent. Clashing with Hook, Kairi felt a sharp twinge in her chest, awfully similar to what she felt when the Heartless were close.

“Stay out of this, child!”

Hook twisted his sword, forcing Kairi to drop the Keyblade. She narrowly dodged a swipe, getting a few strands of hair cut out, before Peter blocked a thrust with his dagger.

“That’s right, Hook,” Peter said, a hint of anger in his otherwise playful voice. “This is between you and me. So keep my friends out of your schemes!”

They began trading such fast and precise blows, Kairi had trouble accompanying it. But she couldn’t just watch! She had to help!

She picked up the Keyblade and aimed a Thunder spell at Hook, but the pirate jumped to the side at the last moment, and the lightning bolt hit the lagoon instead, making the surface crackle with electricity.

Kairi didn’t let that stop her. She joined Peter with close attacks.

Hook wasn’t exceptionally strong. Even Cloud had been tougher than him. But he was far more experienced and skilled with his blade than her. If she was on her own, Kairi wasn’t sure she’d be able to take him on.

Thankfully, Peter was quite the skilled combatant himself, zipping around Hook, nabbing his hat and jabbing his rear while laughing playfully, as if it was all just a game for him.

“Blasted Peter Pan…” Hook growled through gritted teeth, his face full of hatred. Kairi felt her chest twinge again, and thought she saw a dark aura appear around Hook. “I’LL GET YOU IF IT’S THE LAST THING I DO!”

A familiar smell, followed by a familiar sound and a familiar presence.

“Ah!” Nibs cried as Heartless appeared around them. “They’re here!”

“That’s right!” one Twin remembered. Smee was still on the floor, now with both his legs tied. “We were trying to get rid of the monsters.”

“By finding a Keyhole,” the other Twin added.

“Keyhole?” Smee questioned.

At the sight of the Heartless, the two big pirates dropped everything and ran. Smee crawled behind some bushes to hide. The Lost Boys held onto their weapons, but most backed down fearfully at the monsters’ approach.

A Heartless jumped toward Cubby. He cried and closed his eyes, but Goofy blocked the attack before it could land.

“Don’t worry, we’ll keep you safe,” he assured, smiling.

Donald jumped off the cliff, breaking his fall with a wind spell, and stood beside his friend. “Just leave it to us.”

On the edge of the lagoon, Hook fumed as Peter floated over the water. He went to take a step back, but Kairi intercepted him, holding the Keyblade in front of her.

“You’re not going anywhere,” she asserted.

Suddenly, a Heartless with a sword came at them. Kairi parried its attack and disposed of it with a Fire spell. She realized far too late that Hook had taken the opportunity to sneak behind her and try clawing her with his namesake.

It caught Peter’s dagger, and the boy flipped him off before flying out of range. Hook growled and made an impressive leap, landing on the rock in the middle of the lagoon and immediately engaging Peter.

“Peter!” Kairi called, already measuring the distance between them and wondering if she could make it, but Peter’s voice stopped her:

“It’s okay, Kairi. I can take care of Hook. You go help everyone.”

“But…”

She looked toward her friends, still fighting the Heartless. And again at Peter, dueling Hook. Would he really be alright…

Seeing her uncertainty, Peter smiled his cocky grin. “I’ll be fine. Just trust me.”

Kairi nodded and forced herself to turn back and run toward her friends, taking out some Heartless upon arrival. The three exchanged a look and prepared to fight.

Kairi took out the bulk of the Heartless so their hearts would be released, Donald weakened them with spells and Goofy protected them both. There were a lot of Heartless, but after their week of training in Olympus Coliseum, the trio and their teamwork were sharper than ever.

The Lost Boys insisted on helping too. In addition to Slightly on the cliff, Tootles and the Twins had climbed trees and were also shooting Heartless from a distance. John led Cubby and Nibs as they used hit-and-run tactics, with Tinker Bell distracting the Heartless by zooming around them. And behind everyone, in the safest possible corner, Michael complained as Wendy held his hand and refused to let him fight.

“But I want to help!” the boy cried. “Please, Wendy!”

“Absolutely not!” Wendy asserted. “It’s too dangerous! We need to stay here where it’s─”

She couldn’t finish the sentence, as several Shadows emerged from the ground. Wendy cried and pulled back, shielding Michael with her body. As she stepped backward, her foot touched something. She looked down and saw the dagger left behind by one of the pirates.

Behind her, Michael shrieked and grasped her skirt. Panicking, Wendy picked up the dagger and pointed it at the Heartless.

“S-Stay back!” she demanded, her voice cracking. But it didn’t matter that she was terrified, she had to protect her little brother!

“Wendy, Michael, get down!” Donald warned. Wendy hugged Michael and squatted down. “Thunder!”

Lightning rained down on the Heartless, reducing them to smoke. Except for one, who sank to the ground just in time. It jumped at the siblings, and on instinct, Wendy raised the dagger, stabbing right through the Heartless’ eyes. The creature vanished before Wendy even realized what she had done.

For a moment all she could do was pant and look with wide eyes at the weapon in her hand. A weapon that had slayed a monster.

She had slayed a monster.

“Wendy!”

She blinked. Kairi and John were standing before her. Michael was still wrapped in her arm.

“Thank heavens you’re safe,” John said with relief as he helped his siblings back up.

“Are you two alright?” Kairi asked.

“Y-Yeah…” Wendy said, still a bit dazed. But she didn’t let go of the dagger.

Kairi parried a strike from another pirate-like Heartless and countered with a slash. Cubby, Nibs and even Tink came to check on Wendy and Michael, realizing too late that the Heartless had cornered them. John opened his umbrella and the boys hid behind it, and Wendy once again hugged Michael protectively, this time holding the dagger in front of herself. Seeing the trouble, Donald and Goofy rushed to help. Kairi and the two managed to hold back the Heartless, but the attacks were relentless. Tinker Bell's distractions and the other boys’ shots barely slowed them down.

“We can’t keep this up forever,” Kairi said, as if the others didn’t already know.

Cubby and Nibs screamed when a Heartless almost clawed them. Their scream got Peter’s attention. From the rock where he faced Captain Hook, he saw his men, Wendy, Tink, and his new friends driven into a corner. His distraction narrowly cost him his head, but he jumped over Hook’s swipe and stomped on his head, making him fall on his rear.

Peter didn’t spare the pirate another glance before flying away, greatly angering Hook.

“Where are you going?! Come back here and face me, you coward!”

Normally Hook’s taunts would be enough to get Peter to finish the fight, but this time, he didn’t even look back. His friends needed him!

Hook growled. “Insolent brat! No one ignores Captain Hook!”

He prepared to jump after Peter, but froze when he heard a short and sharp sound.

Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock…

Hook’s bravado left him completely, sheer terror stamped on his face. He looked down at the lake… And saw it…

A huge crocodile, some of its sharp teeth visible and its hungry yellow eyes fixated on Captain Hook.

“S-S-S-Smee─” the fearsome pirate became a stuttering mess. At least until the Crocodile opened its mouth wide and licked its lips. “SMEEEEE!!! HE FOUND ME, SMEE!!!”

The Crocodile jumped and narrowly missed Captain Hook, who backed away in fear and almost fell off the rock. Just as he regained his footing, a pebble suddenly came at full speed and struck him in the forehead, making Hook lose balance again and fall into the water.

“Alright!” Slightly cheered for his bullseye.

“SMEEEE!!!” Hook screamed as he swam away desperately from the Crocodile in hot pursuit. “HELP ME, SMEE!!”

“Don’t worry Captain, I’ll save you!” Smee assured, stumbling out of his hiding spot after finally freeing himself from the vines.

“Nice timing from mister Crocodile!” Peter laughed seeing Hook, Smee and the Crocodile disappear from view.

“Who?” Goofy asked and lunged against a Heartless.

“An old friend.” Peter swiftly delivered a series of blows at another enemy. “I gave him Hook’s left hand for lunch, and he liked it so much that now he follows Hook around to get the rest of him.”

“You what?!” Donald exclaimed and cast some Blizzard.

“Don’t worry, his alarm clock was in his hand too, so now the Crocodile is always ticking and Hook always knows when he’s close,” Peter explained nonchalantly.

Beside him, Kairi held back against a Pirate Heartless’ blade. “I know he captured Wendy and Tink, but I’m not sure how to feel about this…”

The number of Heartless was smaller now, but the group was still cornered. They could only hold the Heartless back to prevent them from hurting Wendy, Tink and the boys.

“I wish there was a way to get rid of them all at once,” Donald said and cast Thunder.

At the same time, Kairi cast Water on some Shadows. The splash forced them out of the ground, and without them intending, Donald’s Thunder electrocuted them. The remaining water crackled with electricity, like the water from the lagoon had.

Water… plus Thunder…

“I’ve got an idea!” Kairi said. “You keep protecting everyone, I’ll draw the Heartless out.”

“There’s no way we’re letting you take them all by yourself!” Donald retorted. “Why do you need to draw them out?”

“Because they’re after the Keyblade wielder and that’s me,” she replied.

“At least let one of us help you,” said Goofy.

“But then Wendy and the others will be left open,” Kairi argued. “We can’t risk it.”

“Isn’t the point to draw the Heartless away?!” Donald asked, somewhat annoyed.

While the trio argued, Tinker Bell flew to Peter’s side and whispered something in his ear. The boy smiled.

“Great idea, Tink!” Peter turned to the trio. “Guys, there’s a way to get everyone out of range from the monsters!”

They stopped arguing. “There is?”

“How?”

“Flying, of course!”

“Flying?!” Kairi exclaimed.

“But we can’t fly,” Goofy said.

“Of course you can! Anybody can fly. C’mon, men.”

Slightly, Tootles and the Twins jumped down from their spots and joined the group. The trio told them to stay away because it was dangerous, but the boys were all smiling.

Tinker Bell flew above them and showered them with glittering dust. Slowly, the boys rose off the ground.

“To fly, all it takes is faith,” Peter said.

“Trust,” Nibs added.

“And something else I forgot…” Cubby said, thinking hard about what it might be.

“Pixie dust, you dunce!” Slightly said and bonked him on the head.

“Oh yeah, that’s it!”

The trio watched in awe as they all flew higher up in the air, out of reach of the Heartless. Some tried slashing and jumping at them, but the boys just taunted and dodged them, even though Wendy ─ who flew the most stumblingly out of all of them ─ was begging them to be careful.

Then Tinker Bell flew over the trio and sprinkled them with the magic dust, but nothing seemed to happen.

“C’mon,” Peter called, “you can fly too. Just believe, and you can do it!”

Goofy tried first. He closed his eyes, shutting off everything else and believing with all his heart. In just a few seconds, his feet had left the ground, and he was floating in the air.

“Whoa, I’m flying!” he exclaimed and turned his body, inadvertently doing a backflip. “Donald, Kairi, you have to try it!”

Donald jumped and flapped his arms like a bird. For a moment he seemed to stay suspended, but then belly-flopped back on the floor.

Kairi barely had time to wonder what to do exactly when she had to block an incoming strike from the side, and then another from the front. She pushed the Heartless away and hit them with magic, but they kept coming, just like they always did. No matter how many she defeated, more always came. They’d always come for her, the Keyblade wielder.

Like how they came after me to the Islands.

Kairi quickly shunned that thought. Donald and Goofy had already told her that wasn’t her fault. If she kept thinking it was, she would only allow fear to paralyze her.

But still, tense as she was, there was no way she’d be able to believe in anything.

Seeing her trouble, Peter swooped down and picked Kairi up on his back. She cried in surprise and quickly wrapped her arms around him, almost hitting him in the face with the Keyblade. Tinker Bell wasn’t exactly pleased with the situation, but at least it wasn’t Wendy being carried by Peter…

“Hey, what about me?!” Donald groused. In response, Goofy floated down and picked him up. On the ground, the Heartless trailed behind, unable to reach them.

“So, what was your plan, Kairi?” Peter asked.

She pointed to the lagoon. “Let’s draw them to the lagoon. If we can get them all into the water, Donald and I can shock them all at once!”

The magician smirked. “I see… That’s a good plan! Let’s do it.”

“We’ll help!” the Twins chimed in, flying between them.

“After all, we lure pirates and Indians into ambushes all the time,” John said. He dived down, and the Lost Boys followed him.

“Be careful, boys!” Wendy pleaded.

They floated in range of the Heartless, but still kept their distance. The Heartless tried lunging at the boys, but they always flew out of the way. Little by little, they lured them closer to the edge.

“Nah, nah, nah, you can’t get me!” Slightly jeered at a Heartless while making faces. The creature charged in retaliation, but the boy flew over it and the Heartless fell into the water.

Tinker Bell, Nibs, Tootles and Michael used the same strategy to get the Heartless following them to fall. The Twins once again used a vine to catch some Heartless and push them into the lagoon, Cubby did so by slamming against a bunch, and John rammed into the remaining ones with his umbrella open.

Before the Heartless could leave the lagoon, Peter and Goofy swept over with Kairi and Donald. They aimed their weapons down, yellow light piling up on their tips, and then bolts of lightning rained.

“Thunder!”

“Thundara!”

Kairi’s single bolt and Donald’s many struck the lagoon. The current was carried all over the water, zapping every last Heartless, until they each evaporated into smoke.

For a moment, the lagoon was silent. And then the Lost Boys erupted into cheers.

“Hooray! We did it!” the Twins celebrated.

“Oh boy, we sure showed them!” said Slightly.

“That thing with the lightning was so cool!” said Nibs.

“What happened?” Cubby asked.

“Well you see, water conducts electricity,” John smugly explained. “So when those lightning bolts struck the lagoon, the current carried over and blasted the monsters.”

“And that’s why it’s dangerous to swim during thunderstorms,” Wendy lectured the boys.

Peter and Goofy dropped Kairi and Donald back on the ground. Almost immediately, Donald fell to his knees, feeling a little queasy.

“Waa… What was that?!”

“It was flying, duh!” said Peter, still floating. “Wasn’t it great?”

“It was amazing!” Kairi agreed with a smile. “To fly freely like you do… It must be even more amazing…”

“Yeah, it’s great, isn’t it?”

The rest of the group came flying down to them, though most continued floating. Wendy was the only one whose feet touched the ground, stumbling as she landed. She retrieved the wash tubs, board and laundry ─ which had been knocked over when the pirates attacked ─ before looking at the horizon and realizing the sun was already setting.

“It’s getting late!” she exclaimed. “You children shouldn’t be out at a time like this! Let’s go back home.”

The Lost Boys all grumbled and whined at this, but with one stern look from Wendy, they agreed to head back. Satisfied, she turned to the trio.

“Will you be joining us?” she asked politely.

“We do have a place to stay, and we don’t want to be an inconvenience or anything,” Kairi said.

“Nonsense, it would be our pleasure. Wouldn’t it, Peter?”

“Yeah, and we can play and listen to stories before going to bed,” he said.

“Stay, please!” the Lost Boys begged. Tootles even held onto Kairi’s arm, making her feel all warm and fuzzy. She looked at Donald and Goofy, and they both nodded.

“Alright,” she said, “we’ll stay the night.”

“Hooray!” the boys cheered.

“Let’s go back flying then,” said Peter, calling for them.

Kairi bit her lip. “But I couldn’t fly before…”

“Then just try again,” Goofy suggested, still floating some inches off the ground. “Now that there are no more Heartless around, it should be easier.”

“Okay then,” she said, a bit nervous. “Is there any trick to it?”

He rubbed his head. “I don’t think so. All I did was believe I could fly.”

“That’s all you need,” Peter assured. “C’mon Kairi, you can do it!”

So Kairi closed her eyes and envisioned herself leaving the ground. She told herself she could do it, she’d already done many things she could only dream about, how was flying any different?

For a moment, Kairi felt lighter, and even thought her feet were inching off the ground, when the image of Destiny Islands being engulfed by darkness invaded her mind.

Kairi opened her eyes with a gasp. Her breath sped up. She tried to stop it, but more upsetting memories flooded in.

Riku disappearing. Sora disappearing. A man she didn’t know having his heart taken because she wasn’t fast enough. Heartless coming for her whenever she went. Kerchak taking a bullet to protect her and Tarzan, his life slipping away as she failed to save him, and finally, him turning into particles of light in Tarzan’s arms.

“Kairi.” Goofy’s hand on her shoulder brought her down to earth. “It’s alright.”

He and Donald looked at her with worry. Kairi put a hand over her chest, and soon, her breathing went back to normal. She offered her companions a weak smile.

“I’m fine,” she said. “But I don’t think I’ll be able to fly. I’ll go by foot.”

“Me too,” said Donald, going to her side. “I still don’t get this whole flying thing.”

“If you’re gonna walk, then I’ll walk too,” Goofy said, and his feet touched the ground again.

“Suit yourselves then.” Peter went up, when he realized Wendy was walking with the grounded trio. “C’mon, Wendy,” he called. “Aren’t you gonna fly with us?”

“I can’t,” she said and nodded to the tubs in her hands. “I have to carry these.”

“I can carry them if you want,” Kairi offered.

“I appreciate the offer, but it’s fine. Just go, Peter, and tell the boys to be careful.”

Peter looked at her with a blank expression. Finally, he flew off nonchalantly.

In another part of the island, Captain Hook and mister Smee panted, having narrowly escaped the Crocodile, as usual.

“I can’t take this anymore, Smee,” Hook cried. “Oh, my poor nerves… As if Peter Pan and that crocodile weren’t enough, now I have to look out for those wretched creatures as well.”

“Aye, captain,” the simpleminded Smee said. “I sure hope those kids find that Keyhole.”

“Keyhole? What are you blabbering about?”

“I heard some of them say it, captain. They’re trying to get rid of the monsters by finding a Keyhole.”

Hook’s distress gave way to a pensive look as his hook twirled his mustache. And then his face twisted into a wicked smirk.

“A Keyhole, huh? Smee, do you realize what this means?”

“That we should hope they find this Keyhole soon?” Smee asked innocently.

“No, you idiot! It means we may have a chance to get those brats…”

Chapter Text

In her memory, Kairi was alone in her room, no older than 7. She sat on her bed holding herself as she gazed out the window. The afternoon sun shone brightly on the Playing Island off in the distance. If she hurried, she could go and enjoy the last few hours of sunlight with everyone.

But there was an ache in her chest that wouldn’t go away. She didn’t feel like seeing her friends right now.

The door opened and her grandmother stepped into the room with a warm smile and a plate full of sugar-sprinkled scones.

“Care for some treats?” she offered.

Kairi smiled and picked one up. The taste was delicious as always. As she ate, her grandmother put the plate aside and sat by her side. The smell of flour and cinnamon lingering on her dress, combined with that of the flowers from the garden created a scent that was only hers.

“Thanks, Grandma,” Kairi said as she finished the scone.

The woman smiled warmly, but Kairi noticed a hint of worry behind that smile.

“Normally you’d help me make them.” At this, Kairi looked down. Her grandmother’s smile fell. “Did something happen?”

“It’s just that… This morning, Tidus said something and… we argued.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

Her voice was inviting and understanding. Kairi remained silent for a moment before letting the feelings off her chest:

“He was talking about how his dad travels a lot because of work, just like my mom and dad,” she explained. “But when I said I miss them when they’re gone too, he said he doesn’t miss his dad and doesn’t need him or any other grown-up taking care of him. And that when people grow up, they stop being happy and only care about boring things like work and responsibilities.”

Kairi sniffed.

“I said that wasn’t true and that you and Mom and Dad are always trying to make everyone happy, but he said Mom and Dad also only care about work. We started yelling at each other until a teacher told us to stop.”

As she fought back tears, Kairi felt her grandmother’s gentle arms around her and rested her head on her chest.

“He was wrong, right Grandma?” There was a clear fear in her voice. “Growing up doesn’t change you, right?”

Her grandmother moved Kairi’s head just enough to look at her face.

“Change is part of growing up, dear. You just can’t help it. Just as a new day always comes, our time passes.”

Kairi looked down again, but her grandmother raised her chin. There was that warm smile again, which never failed to make Kairi believe everything would be fine.

“But that doesn’t mean you have to leave everything behind. Hope, joy, courage, kindness, honesty, faith, trust… Many aspects of childhood shouldn’t be forgotten. They’re a source of strength. Even after we grow up, we all have an inner child. But it’s up to us to listen to it or not.

“Those who do tend to achieve the most amazing things. People like your mom and dad. Like the founders and their children. Like Thalassa. They’ve all been through many upsetting things, but still believed they could make the World a better place. And even if it doesn’t reach as many people, I try to keep the same spirit.

“I guess in a way, we’re all children at heart.”

“Children at heart…” Kairi echoed.

It all sounded kinda weird and she wasn’t sure she understood everything. But there was one thing Kairi knew for sure: she wanted to become someone like her grandmother, her parents and their ancestors. Someone who made people happy.

“I promise, Grandma,” she said. “I promise I’ll listen to my inner child when I grow up too. I promise I’ll always work to make things better like all of you.”

Her grandmother’s smile widened. It was all the reassurance Kairi needed.

“I hope you do, minha querida. I hope you do.”  

That promise played over in her head as they made their way through the jungle. A promise to grow up but not leave everything behind, to become a person who always believed things could get better, like those in her family she admired so much.

Kairi knew she hadn’t exactly kept that promise. Even though she put on a smile and told others she was fine, her heart was hardly on it. Even when people around her told her she’d find her friends and return to her Islands, she couldn’t fully believe that. How could she after everything she saw? How could things go back to the way they were when so much bad happened?

Still, she kept going, almost out of a sense of obligation. She was the Keyblade wielder. She was the one who could bring hope to others, even if she barely had any. So she hid her pain, her grief over her home, her worry for Riku and Sora who were still lost out there, and the constant fear that she’d ultimately let everyone down. She pushed it all down and kept doing what was expected of her, what she told herself was her duty.

“Here we are. Hangman’s Tree.”

Peter Pan’s voice brought Kairi back to earth. She had been so distracted with her own thoughts, she didn’t realize they had arrived at the clearing with the tree that served as the entrance to the Lost Boys’ hideout.

Said boys swiftly disappeared down the several openings on the trunk. Wendy pointed Kairi, Donald and Goofy to an entrance at the base and told them to go ahead while she hung the laundry.

Donald and Goofy promptly went inside, but Kairi stopped for a moment and glanced back at Wendy. She found her looking up wistfully at the evening sky. Following her gaze, she spotted a single lone star shining brighter than the others. Wendy sighed sadly and went back to hanging laundry. 

Kairi’s heart stung at the sight. The look of distress on Wendy’s face was all too familiar to her. She saw it practically every time she gazed in a mirror.

She opened her mouth, but then Donald called for her. So she followed him inside, not knowing what to say.

The home under the ground was rough and simple, but still quite quaint. Though the place had some divisions, most of it consisted of one large room, with roots growing along the walls and rough wooden furniture scattered around. There was a big fireplace with a huge pot in one corner, and hay beds and hammocks for the boys to sleep in. It was truly all that was needed for a family of children.

Kairi arrived and found the Lost Boys darting around, pulling Donald and Goofy and showing them drums, toys, intricate Indian headwear, and all sorts of items they had. Noticing her arrival, Tootles grabbed Kairi’s hand and brought her over. He showed her an old blowpipe and made a demonstration by shooting a dart at a target on the opposite wall. Kairi smiled at this. If not for her sake, then for his.

All the while, Peter watched them from a chair ─ the “Chief’s chair”, as Slightly explained ─ and Tinker Bell from her chamber, an opening on a wall the size of a birdcage that could be obstructed by a curtain made of leaves.

Wendy came down soon after. No one noticed the weariness in her eyes, and she didn’t pay attention to it. Seeing the children playing with their new friends brought a smile to her face that hid her tiredness all the better.

That night, they enjoyed a dinner of breadfruit, yams and mammee apples. The Lost Boys made a mess with their food and squabbled the whole time, which granted laughter from Peter, several eye rolls from Tinker Bell, and an apology from Wendy to their guests. The trio assured her it was alright. Between Sora, the Duck triplets and Max, the three were quite used to dealing with messy sorts.

Once they were finished, Tinker Bell retired to her chamber for the night, Peter relaxed on a hammock playing some pipes, Wendy sat down to do some sewing, and the Lost Boys invited Kairi, Donald and Goofy to play.

Donald played darts with Slightly and Tootles, his aim fairly precise after years of launching spells. Others were eager to rough play with Goofy, who at most pushed them off in between dodging and taking hits. John invited Kairi to do some sword fighting ─ or umbrella fighting in his case. At first she went easy on him, but after he complained that it wasn't fun, Kairi put up more of a challenge, though still holding back a bit. All the while, she had a smile on her face, remembering the sparring matches she used to have with her friends on Destiny Islands.

It was funny, those kids had just gone on a crazy adventure with pirates and monsters and apparently did so frequently. But between those adventures, they played and had dinner and made messes like… Well, like kids. Like ordinary, mundane kids.

“Take this, you miscreant!” John cried and lunged with his umbrella.

“Curses! You got me!” Kairi exclaimed, dropping her toy sword in defeat. John smiled proudly.

“Hah! Take that!” Donald bragged after scoring a bull’s-eye.

“Look at me!” Michael exclaimed. He was standing on top of Goofy’s head. “Wendy, Wendy, look, I’m─ whoah!”

One of the Twins suddenly clung to Goofy’s arm, knocking him ─ and by extension Michael ─ off-balance for a fraction of a second. That moment was enough for Wendy to spring up and rush to his side.

“Watch out!” She picked Michael up, holding him protectively, then glared at the Twin. “How many times do I have to tell you to be more careful? You two could have been seriously hurt!”

“Sorry, Wendy.” The Twin looked down in shame.

As she placed Michael down, Peter watched the exchange with a scowl. He put his pipes away and sat slightly up.

“Gee Wendy, would it kill you to let them have a bit of fun?”

“I’m just worried for their safety. It’s only natural for a mother to worry over her children.”

Again with that story of mothers. That idea had really lost its charm since Wendy first taught it to Peter.

“Do we even need a mother after all?” he wondered.

“Of course you do! Every child needs a mother!”

“I mean, not every child─” Goofy tried saying.

“Really? ‘Cause it sure sounds like mothers only want to turn children into grown-ups,” Peter said.

“How can you say such a thing?! A mother is someone wonderful who loves and cares for her children.” Wendy furrowed slightly, and the tiniest hint of scorn came to her voice. “Even when those children are reckless and ungrateful.”

Everyone else could only stare awkwardly. Even Tink peeked out of her chamber to see what the fuss was about.

“From my experience, a mother only scolds children who just want to have fun. Why would someone who loves her children do this?”

“She does so to protect her children who don’t know any better! They─ You don’t understand what it’s like! To be responsible for everyone else! All you do is lead them into danger and keep acting like nothing is wrong!”

Peter’s face remained aloof even as Wendy glared at him. Finally, he looked away, shrugged and turned over.

“Then mothers really are grown-ups. It was a mistake to ever bring one to Neverland.”

The thud of Wendy’s foot as she stood up made the Lost Boys flinch. Peter didn’t glance at it. Wendy glared at him in a way she’d never had before. It was angry, borderline bitter.

But when Kairi looked into her eyes, she only saw pain… and exhaustion.

After several silent seconds, Wendy’s glare fell and she sighed heavily.

“Boys. Get ready to go to bed.”

No one protested. No one asked for five more minutes or insisted they weren’t tired. Instead, they just nodded and quietly headed to their beds and hammocks.

“What do you guys think that was all about?” Goofy asked Kairi and Donald in a low voice.

“I don’t know,” Donald said. “But it sounds like the kind of thing we shouldn’t stick our noses in. The rule of no meddling counts for this stuff too.”

Goofy gave a nod, but Kairi didn’t respond. Instead, she watched as Wendy put the boys in bed. Her shoulders were slumped, her mouth down and her eyes distant as she caressed Michael’s hair and sang a peaceful tune.

Seeing Wendy like this, Kairi couldn’t help thinking she looked really sad.

Hours later, Kairi woke up with a jolt, her sleeping bag damp with sweat. It took her a few moments for her heartbeat to slow down and for her to collect her thoughts.

She’d been dreaming. Dreaming about Neverland. That was a bit odd, she rarely dreamt of her daily life. Most of her dreams took her to fairy tale kingdoms, alien spaceships, or huge cities she’d never been to. Though she supposed Neverland was closer to a fantasy land than the Destiny Islands ever were.

Somewhere along the way, the dream had turned sour. She couldn’t remember why or how though. All she could remember was a black blur that might have been a person, and the anger she had felt.

She grasped at her sleeping bag to ground herself and took a look around. The Lost Boys were still sleeping, most snoring loudly. Donald and Goofy were also snoring in their own sleeping bags. Somehow during the night, Donald’s thumb ended up in Cubby’s mouth. The sight made Kairi chuckle.

One bed was empty, though. The leaf bed by her side, where Wendy slept. The argument from last night came back to Kairi, and she decided to get up. She was unlikely to fall asleep again anyway.

After checking each room and corner, Kairi went up the stairs and out of the underground. She blinked at the early morning light and spotted Wendy taking off animal fur clothes from lines made of fiber.

“You woke up early to do this?” Kairi asked, going to her.

Wendy looked a bit surprised to see her. Nevertheless, she gave a strained smile and continued her work. “I’m a mother. I wake up the earliest and go to sleep the latest. I have to take care of everyone.”

Kairi nodded in understanding, even though she didn’t like that. Wendy was younger than her. She was a child. A child who should be playing with her friends, not parenting them like an adult woman.

But she could tell there was an enormous weight on Wendy’s shoulders. A weight she hadn’t chosen to carry, didn’t want to carry, but would do so anyway, even as it crushed her.

The weight of being responsible for everyone.

(“She’s our only chance to fix everything.”)

(“That Keyblade came from your heart. You’re the only one who can wield it.”)

(“You have to fight!”)

(“Our job is to help everyone who can’t always help themselves,” her father told her in his kind and patient tone. “We have many people counting on us. Do you understand that, Kairi?”)

You know what that feels like, don’t you Wendy? Kairi thought. Knowing everyone’s counting on you. The fear of letting them down. Sometimes it feels like you can’t even breathe.

So I’m helping you carry that weight.

“Let me help you.” Without waiting for her answer, Kairi went to the clothesline and took off some.

“But you’re our guest! I would be an awfully rude host if I made you work.”

“You’re not making me do anything,” Kairi assured her with a smile. “I want to do this.”

That took Wendy by surprise. No one had offered to help her in the house since… Well, since she came to Neverland.

Wendy shook herself off and continued taking off and folding her share of clothes. Although she said nothing, Kairi could tell by the small smile in her mouth that Wendy was happy she was there.

But Kairi was determined to break the silence.

“Those boys sure are a riot, huh?” she said.

“Yeah. They had a lot of fun with you and your friends yesterday.”

“I had a lot of fun too. It brought me back to when all I worried about was playing all day long on the beach.”

“You come from a beach? Growing up there must have been tons of fun. What was it like? If you don’t mind me asking, of course.”

“Well…” Kairi looked up wistfully and thought about how similar the clear blue skies of Neverland and Destiny Islands were. “I lived in a house between the beach and the town center. My friends and I met on the path to school every morning. After class my cousin would take us to the nearby island on her boat. We looked for seashells and other things to collect and played on the sea and raced and sparred for fun. At dusk my cousin took us back, I went home to my grandma and if I was lucky, Mom and Dad would come home before I went to bed.”

“It sounds like you had a wonderful childhood.”

“I really did. How about you? How was your life growing up?”

Wendy looked away, focusing all her attention on folding clothes. Kairi was about to apologize, worrying she had touched on a sensitive subject when Wendy started talking:

“I lived in London. In a corner house in a quiet street in Bloomsbury. Our nurse Nana walked us to and from school. Every night I’d tell John and Michael stories about Peter Pan and Captain Hook so they could roleplay as them.”

“So you knew about Peter back then? Before coming to Neverland?”

“Yes. Neverland used to show up in my dreams all the time. And Peter was always there. Well, here. But Father, he… He didn’t approve of that. Said it was all poppycock. So one night he decided it was time for me to grow up and leave the nursery. I’ve always known I’d grow up, but that was the first time it made me upset…”

When Kairi didn’t say anything, Wendy straightened up to compose herself. How petty she must have sounded…

“Ah, I’m sorry. I’m sure you don’t want to hear about such silly things.

“No, not at all!” Kairi was quick to say. “Please, say as much as you want. If it’ll help you deal with whatever is bothering you, I’m all ears.”

The mere idea of having someone willing to listen to her took Wendy by surprise. Peter, Tinker Bell and the boys were the only constant in her life now. Tink didn’t like her, Peter didn’t understand her and the boys looked up to her. As their mother, she couldn’t let them see how lost she was, how much she had no idea what she was doing.

But the girl in front of her didn’t dislike her, didn’t look up to her for all the answers, and the thoughtful expression on her face told Wendy she truly could understand her.

So she told her everything:

“Peter liked to hear my stories too. Some nights he came and listened from under the window. One of those times Nana found him and tried catching him, but bit off his shadow instead. So I kept it safe for when he came back. He did so that night, while Mother and Father were away. I woke up, sewed his shadow back and told him it was my last night in the nursery. He refused to accept it, so he offered to bring John, Michael and me to Neverland, where we’d never have to grow up. And I… took him on that offer.”

“So that’s how you three got here.”

“It was great at first. He showed us how to fly and how to get to Neverland. ‘Second star to the right and straight on till morning.’ We met the Lost Boys and they asked me to be their mother. I said yes, because I always thought mothers were such wonderful and loving people. Caring for them and exploring Neverland made me happy. But then…”

Wendy’s voice trembled, she held her hands close to her chest and tears swelled in her eyes.

“The next night, the second star vanished. Blinked away, just like that. And suddenly, we couldn’t go back.”

Kairi’s eyes widened in realization. “The star… disappeared?”

Wendy nodded. All her pent-up feelings leaked from her eyes until she was weeping.

“Children are so innocent… and so heartless. We run off to be selfish and do whatever we want, because we think we’ll always have open arms to receive and care for us. Only after we lost our way home did I realize how cruel it was to just leave Mother and Father like that.” She tried wiping away her tears, but new ones immediately fell. “John and Michael need that care. They need a mother. I’ve been doing everything I can to care for them and be a mother, but I… I’m so tired. I just want to go home…”

Wendy felt Kairi’s arms wrap around her. For a moment, she froze. She had received many hugs the past few weeks, but none quite like this. It was a hug that made her feel vulnerable, accepted, cared for.

The kind of hug a mother would give. And yet, there was something fundamentally different in that hug.

“I’m so sorry. You shouldn’t have to go through this. Even if you were selfish, you’re still only a girl. You need care too.”

Wendy returned the hug and cried. She cried and cried for who knows how long, until her tears had run dry. Amidst that world of adventure and fantasy, weeping in Kairi’s arms was the first time Wendy truly felt like a child.

Kairi only let go after Wendy did so first. She gave Wendy a kind and understanding smile. If Kairi could see herself, she’d be reminded of her grandmother.

“Thank you,” was all Wendy said. It was all she needed to say.

They heard voices and movement from below. Moments later, Peter, the Lost Boys, Donald and Goofy emerged from Hangman’s Tree saying their good mornings and looking ready for the day.

“Heya, Kairi! Wendy,” Peter greeted. There wasn’t a hint of scorn in his voice. Wendy had to admit that, despite his flaws, Peter wasn’t resentful. “Ready to go?”

“Go where?” Kairi asked, confused.

“Look for the Keyhole,” Donald said. “What else?”

“Oh, right. So where should we look today?”

“If you checked Mermaid’s Lagoon yesterday, maybe you should go somewhere in the opposite direction,” Wendy said. “How about the Indian camp? I’m sure they will help. Besides, the Indians know more about the island than anyone else. If someone knows where this Keyhole is, it’s them.”

“Great idea, Wendy! Men, you heard, we’re going to the Indian camp! You coming too, Wendy?”

She shook her head. “No, thank you. I’m staying.”

“Okay then. Let’s go!”

It took them about fifteen minutes to get to the Indian Camp ─ one of the best things about Neverland was that the island wasn’t so big that one would have to travel long before finding an adventure, but also not so small that things felt cramped.

They encountered two small Heartless swarms along the way, but Kairi, Donald, Goofy and Peter finished them before anyone else could even get one attack in. There had also been times ─ starting some five minutes after they left ─ when Kairi thought she heard twigs snapping and leaves rustling. At these sounds, she grabbed the Keyblade and went on high alert, only for nothing to happen. Eventually she figured she must have just been paranoid.

Finally, the group arrived at a wigwam settlement on the top of a cliff. Though Kairi, Donald and Goofy found the place fascinating, they were dejected to find it almost empty.

The few Indians there explained that the Chief and his daughter Tiger Lily were leading the tribe in a search around the island for the “dark spirits”. Captain Hook’s ship had also been spotted vacant, so they were taking the opportunity to look for them as well.

The Lost Boys were saddened by the news that there were no Indians to scuffle with. Tinker Bell was oddly satisfied by the news that Tiger Lily wasn’t there.

Peter declared they’d go look somewhere else, so the group bid the Indians farewell and ventured back into the jungle. As Kairi and Peter discussed what to do next, Slightly came running with a rolled-up piece of paper.

“Pan, look, look what I’ve found!”

Peter picked up the paper and unrolled it. Seeing its contents, a smile came to his face.

“Oh boy, a treasure map!”

“Wait, really?” Donald asked. Everyone went to check the map.

“I bet that old codfish dropped it!” Peter said.

“We can go treasure hunting again!” Cubby cheered.

“Where does it lead to?” Nibs asked.

“It seems to be pointing towards Skull Rock,” John said. “It’s quite far, but it’s another place we haven’t searched.”

“I guess there’s no harm in looking,” Goofy said.

“Of course not,” Peter said. “Men, we’re finding the codfish’s treasure!”

The boys all cheered. Slightly was handed the map again. As per usual, the one who found the map would be the leader.

“Wait!” Kairi urged. “Where did you find this map?”

“On top of a rock, right over there.”

“That’s certainly convenient,” she said.

“Almost too convenient,” Donald said, turning to Peter. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”

“C’mon, it’s a treasure map,” he said. “It’d be a bad idea to pass up this opportunity.”

The trio couldn’t argue with such childish logic. So they figured it’d be best to just follow along and help them in case trouble arose.

Slightly pointed forward and the rest of the group followed him, unaware of the sneering figures lurking in the shadows.

As they proceeded along the jungle, Kairi pulled Donald and Goofy to the back of the group and explained everything Wendy told her ─ only leaving out how Wendy had broken down in her arms. The two listened in silence, which grew heavier as they understood the situation.

Goofy was the first to speak after she finished. “But if the star Wendy and her brothers came from vanished, that means…”

“Their world was taken by the Heartless,” Donald finished. “They must have escaped its destruction by coming here through some pathway.”

His words intrigued Kairi, who had been wondering about the nature of world travel for a while now.

“You said before that most people don’t know about the existence of other worlds and can’t travel between them. It made it seem like they’re all disconnected. But when we got Alice home you called the rabbit hole we fell through a ‘portal’. And now you’re saying Wendy, John and Michael reached Neverland through a ‘pathway’. What’s with all this?”

“Actually, they’re not completely disconnected,” Donald said. “Some worlds are easier to access or have direct pathways linking them to others. In these cases, people might stumble into another world without even knowing. If we’re lucky, the worlds are similar and they never realize they left their world, so the situation just resolves itself. In more serious cases, it was common for Keyblade wielders to deal with them, but since they were all but wiped out, we from Disney Castle usually took care of those cases. We stopped receiving complaints years ago. We hoped it meant fewer people were getting into trouble, but looking back now, it was probably because the Heartless had begun spreading.”

“What happened to Keyblade wielders? Why are the king and I the last ones left?”

“I don’t know all the details, but a big tragedy happened some 80 or so years ago. The world that served as a base for most Keyblade wielders was destroyed. The ones that remained became way more scattered and their numbers slowly dwindled. Last time Goofy and I saw wielders besides you two was ten years ago.”

“Oh yeah, Aqua and Ven,” Goofy remembered. “I wonder what happened to them.”

“I think I remember the King saying Ven was ‘lost’. But Aqua I have no idea.”

Those two names echoed in Kairi’s mind for a moment, like the name Terra had, but she didn’t dwell on them. Instead, she thought about all the travelers who arrived in Destiny Islands, including Sora all those years ago, and all the stories she heard about the world beyond the Ocean. Could the space between worlds being called “Ocean Between” hold some significance? Did it mean that worlds were like islands in an endless ocean?

“My friend Riku had an uncle and a cousin who came to visit sometimes,” she said. “When we asked them about the place they came from, they told us they lived in a town where the sky is always the color of sunset. Other people who visited also talked about crazy things that didn’t happen anywhere in the Islands. And Grandma used to tell me these stories… About how many years ago there was only a single island in our sea, but a man that came from beyond the Ocean inspired the Land to raise more so the people could explore. And another about how the worlds used to be one, but a clash of Light and Darkness caused the World to become divided.”

“That last story, there’s some version of it in almost every world, even the most isolated ones,” Donald said with an air of gravity. “Regardless of how true it is, it shows that what happens in one world can affect others. All this stuff with the Heartless is proof of that. And it’s all the more reason for us to be careful not to meddle in the affairs of other worlds.”

Was it? If the worlds were connected, why was that an incentive to keep them separated? What right did they have to dictate that? Who decided this in the first place? And on what basis?

Is it really so bad for different worlds to interact?

Kairi refrained from asking all that. All this world traveling stuff was new to her, and there was a lot she didn’t know and didn’t understand. What she did know was that someone else had lost their home. Her questions didn’t change what they had to do. Fight the Heartless, seal the Keyholes and find a way to bring everything back.

Even if they were no closer to figuring out how that was possible.

Goofy pushed some bushes out of the way, revealing a cove. After hopping through a pool of seawater, the group reached the end of the island.

“We’re almost there,” Peter told the trio. “Skull Rock is just over there.”

He pointed to something far away. In the middle of the sea stood a rock formation with a shape resembling a skull.

“How do we get there?” Kairi asked.

“Tink will make us fly,” Peter said and pointed to the pixie flying beside him. “Do you wanna give it another try?”

Donald gave it a thought. In all his years as an adventurer and then as a royal magician, he had seen plenty of absurd and seemingly impossible things. Was flying that much weirder than talking flowers and live playing cards?

“I’ll try. I mean, how absurd is flying really?”

Peter grinned. “That’s the spirit! How about you, Kairi?”

“I… I don’t think I can…”

“Of course you can,” he said. “Anyone can fly. But if you’re unsure, I’ll give you a ride.”

“Thanks, Peter,” she said. When she climbed on his back, Tinker Bell tinkled in revolt. “It’s okay, Tink. I told you, you have nothing to worry about. Trust me, I wish I was able to believe I could fly too.”

Tink relaxed a bit at that, reminding herself that Kairi wasn’t like Wendy. She sprinkled everyone with pixie dust which made them float. Donald had to close his eyes and focus for a moment. But after a few seconds, he too rose off the ground.

“Wow! I’m flying!” he cheered, even though he still had to kick around to keep himself afloat.

Kairi smiled to hide her disappointment. She was happy for Donald, just mad at herself.

She held on tight as Peter took flight, followed by everyone else. As the Lost Boys played and shoved each other around, Kairi couldn’t help but watch wistfully.

“Hey Slightly, watch this,” Nibs called before doing a flip.

“That’s nothing, watch this!”

While competing for who had the coolest trick, the boys let the trio, Peter and Tink take the lead ─ although Donald still stumbled a bit and had to hold Goofy’s hand to keep up on some occasions.

“They sure are a merry bunch,” Goofy said as he watched the boys.

“I wish I could join in,” Kairi said.

“But you can,” Peter said. “You can fly if you believe.”

“I know. It’s just… I guess believing became hard for me.”

Peter glanced at her downcast face over his shoulder. She looked kinda like…

“You’re odd,” he said. “You and Wendy. She keeps saying she’s having trouble flying, even though she could do it so easily before.”

“Could it have something to do with your argument last night?” Donald asked.

“Argument? Oh, that.” Peter seemed to have already forgotten about it. “Don’t sweat about it. Wendy just worries about everything. I bet that’s why she has trouble flying. She really should let loose and have some fun sometime.”

“But I bet she worries because she cares about y’all,” Goofy said.

“And she has reason to,” said Donald. “You saw how dangerous the monsters are.”

“Ugh, you too?” Peter rolled his eyes. “We always go on adventures, and we always win. These monsters are no different. Didn’t you see how we showed them yesterday?”

“That’s no reason to relax!” Donald said. “They could have taken Wendy, or Michael, or any of us! They could take the entire Neverland!”

“But they didn’t,” Peter simply said, smiling. “No harm done.”

Donald and Goofy sighed. Despite his skill, Peter really was an eternal child. How do you teach someone like that, with no sense of consequence, how dangerous and awful something is?

“You’re wrong, Peter,” Kairi said dejectedly. “These monsters have already done much harm. They took away my family and my home. And they’re the ones… preventing Wendy, John and Michael from going home too.”

Peter’s grin fell. He looked again at Kairi, and this time, it was as if her downtrodden face touched something inside him.

“Then… Why don’t you make Neverland your new home?” he tried asking. “We could be your new family, and you could be our second mother.”

“It’s not that simple, Peter. When the monsters took away my home, they took away a part of me.” Once again she looked at the Lost Boys, innocent and carefree. “The part that makes you guys smile and have fun and believe and fly… They took it from me.”

“Kairi…”

Donald and Goofy were reminded of the night in the Gummi Ship when she broke down. They had promised they would be there and help her stand when it was too hard. They’ve kept that promise to the best of their abilities. But in times like this, when her normally resolute surface cracked, they remembered just how much she’d gone through and how young she truly was.

“I’m sure Wendy is experiencing a similar loss,” Kairi continued. “But she’s hiding it so she can take care of all of you. It’s what she thinks a mother would do, even though it exhausts her. She’s still only a child who has a lot to learn.”

Peter went quiet. He thought about all Kairi had said, but couldn’t wrap his head around it. He tried putting himself in her place ─ something he honestly didn’t do often ─ but he had never felt anything close to what she described. Try as he might, he couldn’t understand it. Still, Wendy was very important to him, and even though he only knew Kairi for a short time, he already considered her a friend.

Peter didn’t know loss. But he saw what it did to Kairi and Wendy. It was a scary feeling, strong enough to make Wendy forget how to have fun and Kairi unable to fly. Thinking about it this way, loss sounded like a very grown-up feeling. Maybe that was why he couldn’t understand it.

They arrived on Skull Rock and Peter dropped Kairi off. The Lost Boys arrived soon after. Slightly checked the map and said the treasure should be just up ahead. Going on, the group found themselves in a gloomy cavern, the wind coming in like an ominous whistle. There on the wall was a hole in a familiar shape.

“That must be the Keyhole you were talking about!” John exclaimed. 

“It is!” Donald said. “We found it!”

Everyone cheered and ran to the Keyhole. Everyone except Kairi, who stood in place, holding the Keyblade with uncertainty. Goofy noticed this and turned to her.

“What’s going on, Kairi?”

“Something’s wrong,” she simply said.

Every time they had found a Keyhole, the Keyblade had been drawn to it. After the first few times, Kairi had also noticed she felt something, a certain warmth when they were near one. But there was nothing of the sort now.

She couldn’t even voice her suspicions before the pirates attacked.

They appeared from everywhere with no warning. Before they could even make sense of the situation, half of the Lost Boys had been captured and tied up.

Donald summoned his staff and managed to shoot two spells before being grabbed by a pirate coming from behind him.

Peter tried to fly away, but two pirates with ropes captured his wrists. Tinker Bell charged against them, only to be grabbed by another pirate. Despite his struggles, Peter was pulled and had his wrists and ankles tied.

Kairi and Goofy held their weapons but were surrounded by several pirates. They were quickly overpowered, disarmed and their hands shackled behind their backs.

They all struggled as the pirates brought them to the center of the cave. From the entrance, to no one’s surprise, Captain Hook marched in, Smee following close.

“Looks like we were well-informed, Smee,” the captain said. “The brats really were looking for a ‘Keyhole’. Good thing we had one to spare. We even gave them a map. Ain’t I a charitable captain?”

“This was all a setup!” Donald realized.

“Silence, you squawking mallard!” Hook bellowed.

A pirate handed Hook a key ring, no doubt holding the keys to the shackles. The captain put them safely in his coat pockets before drawing his sword and pointing it at Peter.

“I have you now, Peter Pan! Today I shall finally get rid of you for good!”

“Leave him alone!” Kairi cried, struggling against the pirate holding her.

Hook turned to her and smiled cordially. His smile was somehow scarier than his scowl, but Kairi managed to keep up her bravado.

“Ah, I remember you. The poppet with the oversized key.” Hook spotted the Keyblade, which had been thrown to the ground during the scuffle, and went to pick it up. “Honestly, I don’t know where you find the guts to walk around with such a pathetic─”

The Keyblade vanished from his hand. The pirate holding Kairi cried in surprise and stepped back when it appeared in her hand. Kairi took the opportunity to tackle him off her and kick another close one.

“Seize her at once, you idiots!” Hook shouted.

The pirate who had Tinker Bell in one hand came to restrain her. Kairi struggled, but with her hands shackled behind her back, there wasn’t much she could do. He grabbed her arm with his free hand and tried collaring her with his other arm only for Kairi to bite him. The pirate cried in pain and accidentally opened his hand, allowing Tinker Bell to fly out of the pirates’ range.

“Run, Tink!” Kairi shouted. With both his hands free, the pirate she was brawling with managed to slap the Keyblade off her hands and restrain her again.

Tink hesitated. She looked at Peter, who was held by the collar of his shirt.

“Get out of here, Tink,” he commanded. “Go get help!”

Tinker Bell nodded and flew off.

She soared through Neverland, trying to think of who to go to. The obvious answer was Tiger Lily and her tribe, but she had no idea where they were and didn’t have time to search the entire island. Maybe her pixie friends then? But Pixie Hollow was so far, half the boys would have already walked the plank by the time she gathered enough fairies.

That left only one person. Tink let out a disgruntled sigh at the realization she’d need to go to her for help.

The home under the ground was silent except for the sounds of Wendy dusting the furniture. The tranquility left Wendy alone with her own thoughts, which kept going back to her conversation with Kairi and how she had comforted her.

Her actions were like those of a mother, she thought. Why then did it feel so different?

Wendy picked up a toy sword from the floor and gave a small smile, remembering the boys’ laughter as they played. Part of her wished to join them, as she sometimes did in John and Michael’s games back in London. A chuckle escaped her when she remembered a time when she beat John in swordplay right after he declared himself the best swordsman in the neighborhood.

But alas, she no longer had time for such games. She put the wooden sword away with the other toys and went back to dusting.

How ironic. I came here because I didn’t want to grow up. Yet here I am, acting more like a grown-up than I ever did in London.

It was a sad thought, and one she had had a few times now. And as usual, she shrugged it off. Because her brothers and the other Lost Boys needed someone to look after them. Because they needed to be cared for.

(“You’re still only a girl. You need care too.”)

With so few words, Kairi somehow broke through all the walls Wendy built ever since she took it upon herself to be the boys’ mother. She brought a trembling hand to her chest and met the acorn button Peter had given her when they first met. He hadn’t given that to Wendy, the mother. He gave it to Wendy, the girl.

Maybe just that was enough?

But John and Michael and all the others…

They need me, she told herself. They need me to look after them. They need me to be their mother…

(“They need you to be their big sister. You give them something that neither I nor your father can.”)

After all this time, she had almost forgotten her mother’s words. It took Kairi and Peter to bring them back, and her own grief for her to start to understand them.

Could it be that she didn’t need to be a mother to look after them? Could it be that she didn’t need to be effortlessly perfect as mothers always seemed to be? Were they perfect at all?

Maybe… She could look after them in another way?

“What is it that I can give them?” Wendy asked.

Before she could ponder that question any longer, Tinker Bell stormed into the room so fast she almost crashed into the wall.

“Tinker Bell? What’s wrong?” As Tink caught her breath, Wendy realized she was alone. “Where is everyone?”

The fairy tinkled and gestured so frantically, Wendy struggled to get what she was saying. But when Tink made a grabbing motion followed by a hook with her fingers, Wendy’s eyes widened in horror.

“They’ve been captured by Hook?!” Tink nodded and Wendy clutched her hands in worry. “Oh no… We have to save them!”

She picked up the utility belt she used when going out with the boys, put it on and checked its contents. Assorted berries, her sewing kit, hair clips, a water bottle, a bamboo straw… Not very useful things to fight pirates.

Her eyes turned to the counter where the dagger she got the previous day still lay. Wendy swallowed her fear, picked up the dagger and strapped it to her belt before rushing outside.

She followed Tink through the jungle. It felt like her lungs were about to explode, but Wendy didn’t stop. Every time she tripped or bumped into something, she just picked herself back up and kept running.

Finally, they reached the coast, in time to see the last few prisoners being boarded onto the Jolly Roger ─ Peter, Kairi, Donald and Goofy. Hook was on the same boat, smiling proudly and cruelly.

Wendy and Tink watched it all. Even though she was hiding behind some trees, Wendy couldn’t help trembling and stepping back. Tink tinkled questioningly when she started pacing.

“Oh no… Oh no, no, no… This is bad… They’re all in trouble…” She slapped her own forehead and groaned. “Of course they’re in trouble you idiot, what did you expect!?”

She looked at the ship again. Her friends were there, her brothers were there and at the mercy of Hook… And she was the only one who could help them.

I have to do something, she thought. But what? Even if Tink can help me, I’m only one girl… How can I go up against an entire crew of pirates? She grasped her head in desperation. Think Wendy, think! What would Peter do?

Being outnumbered had never stopped him from doing what he had to. She thought back to all the times he had saved the day, both in the adventures she told her brothers before bed and the ones she’d seen herself. He always did so with a smile on his face, no matter how much was on the line. 

He’s so strong, she thought, and a tiny smile found its way into her lips as she remembered how he saved her by impersonating Captain Hook.

A light bulb went off in her head.

“I got it… Tink, pick up some leaves. Skeleton leaves. And search the trees for nests and get me a red feather.”

Wendy picked up her dagger and kneeled down next to a tree. Tink only looked at her with a mix of confusion and indignation at the idea of following her orders. Realizing this, Wendy looked at her with firm but earnest eyes.

“Tink, if this is going to work, we have to work together. For Peter and everyone’s sake.”

Understanding this, Tink swallowed her pride and nodded before zipping off to collect what Wendy asked.

Meanwhile, Wendy nailed the dagger to the tree’s trunk and pressed it until sap started leaking. Then she picked up the bottle and bamboo straw from her utility belt. She stuck the straw into the hole, poured off all the water in the bottle and placed it below the straw. The sap began flowing into the bottle, slowly filling it.

Satisfied, Wendy stepped away from the tree. Tink had already managed to gather a small pile of leaves and came back with a few more.

“Good job, Tink. Keep collecting them. Oh, and also fetch me a big leaf, like one from a banana tree. And if you find something that can be used as a paintbrush, bring it too”

She nodded and went off again.

Wendy took off her nightgown, laid it on the ground and held forth her dagger. She hesitated for a moment. That nightgown was bsically her last keepsake from London. If she were to ruin it…

She shook her head. Something much more important was on the line!

She brought the dagger down and made a long vertical cut in the middle of the skirt. With a needle and some thread, she quickly sewed them into trousers.

When Tink came back with two feathers ─ the red one Wendy asked for and a fluffy one to serve as a brush ─ Wendy was nearly finished. Once she was done, she looked at the pile of leaves Tink had gathered.

“Thanks, Tink, these should do.” She handed her the needle and thread, and picked up the fluffy feather and the bottle, now full of sap. “Sow the banana leaf into a cone shape that’s big enough for my head.”

With this, Tink finally realized what Wendy intended to do. She nodded approvingly and went to do just that.

As Tink sewed, Wendy used the feather to apply the sap to her nightgown before sticking some leaves to it, until the nightgown was covered in green. Tink brought her finished product, and Wendy used the last of the sap to stick the red feather onto it.

“I just hope this works…”

Kairi, Donald, Goofy, Peter Pan and the Lost Boys were put in rowboats and taken to the pirates’ base of operations: the Jolly Roger. An elegant, yet foul vessel, with a reddish hull that reminded Kairi of the color of dried blood, and of course, the titular pirate flag flapping atop the highest mast.

The Lost Boys were simply tied to the foremast with rope, but the pirates were more careful with Kairi, Donald and Goofy. They too were tied to the mizzenmast, but their hands were shackled to the back with iron handcuffs. The Keyblade lay on a corner nearby. After they realized how it worked, the pirates made Kairi carry it on their way to the ship. Hook also always had his namesake at one of her friends’ throats so she “wouldn’t get any funny ideas.”

Peter, meanwhile, had treatment appropriate to “a most special guest,” in Hook’s words. He was handcuffed to an anchor to prevent him from flying, then hung up like a piñata on the main deck for the pirates’ amusement.

His friends watched in horror as the pirates laughed and threw things at Peter. While the Lost Boys tried not to cry, Kairi, Donald and Goofy tried desperately to come up with a way to escape.

“Come on…” Kairi said through gritted teeth as she struggled against the ropes.

“It’s no use, Kairi,” Goofy said dejectedly. “I’ve tried breaking them at least four times now. This is some quality fiber.”

She reluctantly stopped at this. “Donald, can’t you burn the ropes or something?”

He struggled against his shackles. “I can’t reach them… And there’s not enough space to summon my staff.”

Kairi bit her lip and winced when a bottle of rum shattered on Peter’s head.

“But we have to get out of here!” she exclaimed and went back to struggling.

“You think we don’t know?” Donald said. “But doing the same thing over and over again won’t help.”

“We need to believe in Tink,” Goofy said. “She’ll find help, I know she will.”

Kairi cursed in frustration. She hated this. Hated feeling this helpless. It reminded her too much of that night when her friends disappeared right in front of her and she couldn’t do anything. She told herself it would be different from then on, that she’d become stronger and make a difference…

Now her new friends were in trouble and once again she couldn’t do anything.

As the pirates laughed at Peter, Hook watched it all with a pleased smile.

“Look at him, Smee. He is nothing but a child. And I loathe children! Cut him down.”

A man cut the rope suspending Peter and he fell on the deck. Despite being on the floor, the boy met Hook’s gaze with unwavering defiance.

“Any last words, boy?” the captain asked.

“Let the Lost Boys and my friends go!” Peter demanded.

“Oh, they’ll go. Right after you, one by one, off the end of the plank!”

The men grabbed Peter and started dragging him toward the dreaded plank. The Lost Boys and the trio cried and pleaded for them to stop, but Hook’s cruel grin didn’t falter.

And then they heard the crow.

Everyone looked around in confusion. It was definitely Peter’s signature crow, but he hadn’t been the one to cry it.

“Look!” A pirate pointed up.

A figure sporting green clothes and a hat with a red feather came flying. They twirled around the main mast, laughing as if to taunt them, and rested on the ratlines.

“What is the meaning of this?!” Hook bellowed. “Who are you?!”

“Did you lose your eyesight now too, you codfish?” the figure said. “I’m Peter Pan!”

“WHAT?!” everyone aboard exclaimed.

“But─ But─” Smee stuttered. “But we’ve got Peter Pan right here.”

“Yeah, they do!” Peter said, angry at the idea of someone impersonating him without his permission.

But the figure only laughed in that cocky way that was so characteristic of Peter.

“Him? He’s clearly a phoney! Would the real Peter Pan ever let himself be captured?”

The pirates considered it, while Peter stared in disbelief at this other him. He was about to tell them to knock it off when the other Peter looked straight at him and winked. In a move so discreet no one else noticed it, the other Peter showed off something. An acorn button in a chain, just like the one he gave…

Wendy?!

Her smile widened at his face of realization. He smiled back, his usual mischievous smile.

So that’s what you’re doing.

“It’s true that Peter Pan is always avoiding our traps,” Smee said and looked at the captured Peter. “So maybe this really is a phony.”

“You think I’m a phony?” Peter said. “C’mon Hook, are you really gonna be fooled by that copycat?”

“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised,” Wendy said, continuing to mimic his voice. “After all, codfish aren’t the brightest of creatures.”

“Guess Hook’s biting the hook.”

The pirates looked from one Peter to the other as they went on mocking their captain. Meanwhile Hook was trying his hardest to keep his composure. The mere idea of having to put up with two Peter Pans was enough to turn him into a pile of nerves.

With everyone paying attention to the two Peters, Tinker Bell took the opportunity to sneakily fly to Kairi, Donald and Goofy. Donald almost blew everything by gasping at the sight of her. Thankfully, only one pirate noticed it, and when he looked toward them, Tink hid behind Goofy’s hat. He shrugged it off and turned away.

“Tinker Bell!” Kairi whispered.

“I knew you’d come back,” said Goofy.

The fairy smiled before turning her attention to their shackles. She inspected them closely and frowned. Picking the locks wouldn’t be impossible, but it would take time, especially for someone her size. She wasn’t sure Wendy could buy that much time…

“The keys are in Hook’s pocket,” Kairi said, noticing her trouble.

Tink puffed. That made things harder. But still not impossible.

She signaled for them to wait and went to the foremast, where the Lost Boys were tied. Since this time they would be closer to the pirates’ field of vision, Tink needed to be extra careful.

She first made herself known to Tootles, whose surprised gasp was completely silent. Once he realized what was happening, he tapped John’s shoulder with his head to call his attention. Noticing Tink’s presence as well, the older boy addressed the others in a low voice:

“Act natural, men. Don’t look or move. Tinker Bell will set us free.”

The boys nodded discreetly and Tink started working on untying the ropes around them, hoping that Wendy and Peter could keep the pirates distracted for just a bit longer.

“I’m telling you, I’m Peter Pan,” said Peter, the real one. “The one who cut off Hook’s hand and fed it to the Crocodile. It must’ve been really tasty.”

“No, I’m Peter Pan,” said Wendy. “I love flying, playing and tormenting the lives of codfish. Look, there’s a sad and old-looking one right there.”

Some pirates couldn’t help but giggle. Hook went red with anger.

“Oh yeah? Well, I’m the one who─”

“ENOUGH!” Hook bellowed. He drew his sword and put it at Peter’s neck. Wendy’s panicked face didn’t escape him. “Phony or not, I’ll have this brat walk the plank. Will you just stay there and watch, ‘Peter Pan’?”

Wendy’s words failed her. She couldn’t think of another way to stall for time as the pirates dragged Peter to the plank.

Tinker Bell… Hurry!

Peter was on the plank already. The pirates had their blades pointed at him, forcing him to go on.

Tinker Bell, please!

Suddenly, several voices let out a battle cry. The pirates’ confusion quickly turned into shock and then panic as the Lost Boys charged at them.

“Forward, men!” John commanded. “These ruffians shan’t subjugate us!”

The attack took the pirates by surprise. Despite their size and numbers, they could barely do a thing before the Lost Boys started wreaking havoc.

Tinker Bell flew to Wendy, tinkled something and pointed to Hook. Wendy nodded, getting the gist of the message and swooped down. Before Hook noticed, he was tackled and had his hook stuck on the main mast.

“Blast this hook!” he grumbled and tried to pull himself free.

Wendy put her hand on his pocket and swiped the key ring before rushing to Kairi, Donald and Goofy. She cut the ropes with her dagger and inserted a key in Kairi’s shackle.

“That was incredible!” she said.

“It was nothing, really,” Wendy insisted.

She tried turning the key but couldn’t, so she selected another and successfully turned it this time. Kairi’s shackles fell and she went to pick up the Keyblade.

With some help from his sword, Hook managed to free himself. All around him, pirates screamed as Lost Boys assaulted them with swords, clubs, broken bottles, cannonballs and anything else they got their hands on, but Hook had his gaze fixed on the quarter deck, where the figure who claimed to be Peter Pan successfully removed Donald’s shackles and moved on to Goofy.

No one makes a fool out of Captain Hook!

Finally, Wendy got Goofy free. He thanked her, summoned his shield and ran to Kairi and Donald. Wendy checked the keys, trying to guess which one was the last she needed.

“Now I just need to help Peter─”

Wendy let out a cry when Hook’s sword almost cut her face. The furious captain swiped at her again. She stumbled backward and bumped hard against the ship’s railing, losing her hat and most importantly, dropping the keys.

“No!” She tried to reach for them, but the keys sank into the sea.

“Oh my, did you need that?” Hook sneered and lunged.

Wendy jumped out of the way at the last second. Now that he saw her face, Hook gave that cruel grin that made her blood freeze.

“So ‘Peter Pan’ is nothing but a scared little girl. How foolish I was to think there would be a challenge,” he mocked. “But no one can say Captain Hook doesn’t have manners. What name shall I engrave on your tombstone, my dear?”

Wendy stepped back, fear taking hold of her and making her forget how to fly. She had to run, there was no way she could face Hook!

But Peter’s smile came to her mind. That obnoxious and wonderful smile that seldom disappeared, even in the face of adversity.

Her hand reached for the dagger in her belt, and she forced a determined smile on her face. It was frail and shaky, but close enough to Peter’s to get on Hook’s nerves.

“I am Wendy Moira Angela Darling,” she declared and pointed her dagger at him. “And you’re going down, you old codfish!”

Through his frown, Hook let out a cruel chuckle. But Wendy stood firm through her fear.

“You naive child. You really think you can defeat me?”

“She’s not fighting alone!” said another voice.

Kairi, Donald and Goofy stood beside Wendy. She looked back at them and Kairi smiled and nodded, letting her know she would never have to burden anything by herself ever again. Seeing this, Wendy stopped shaking, and a genuine smile appeared in her mouth.

Hook growled and thrust. Goofy’s shield blocked his sword. Kairi rushed in with the Keyblade and they traded a series of blows. Just when it looked like Hook was getting the upper hand, he yelped. Wendy had snuck behind him and jabbed his rear, a move she’d seen Peter do many times.

“Insolent brat!”

He lunged at her with alarming speed, but with some help from pixie dust, Wendy jumped over him. Now it was Hook’s turn to bump on the railing. And gazing up at him from the water was a familiar figure whose trademark ticking had been muffled by the sounds of the battle.

“I-It’s him!” Hook shrieked and stumbled backward. “The Crocodile! He’s here─”

“Fire!” Donald shouted.

Hook cried when his rear caught on fire and he ran around the deck screaming frantically.

Down in the main deck, the battle had started to look favorable for the Lost Boys. The Twins rolled a cannonball over a pirate’s feet. John poked the remaining eye of a pirate with an eyepatch with the tip of his umbrella. Another chased after Nibs only to be jumped at by Slightly, who hit him on the head with a bottle of rum. Michael and Tootles pulled down the pants of another, who tried pulling them back up just as Cubby threw a barrel at him.

Smee, who was more clever than he looked, gathered some provisions on a rowboat and started lowering it. He had served under Captain Hook long enough to know how this would most likely end.

Meanwhile Peter was still on his knees on the foot of the plank trying to rid himself of the cuffs shackling him to that blasted anchor. 

“C’mon… Get off…”

More than fearful, he was frustrated. Peter was usually the one doing the rescuing, not the other way around. He really hated it. All he could do was watch as his friends faced the pirates, unable to do anything.

For a moment he wondered if Kairi and Wendy felt anything like this. Wanting so desperately to do something but being unable to no matter how hard you try.

A small light darted through the battlefield and came to Peter. He smiled at his friend.

“Great job with Wendy, Tink!” The fairy gave a sheepish smile at Peter’s approval. “Now hurry up and get this thing off me!”

But Tink explained the problem they had, and Peter frowned.

“You lost the keys? Well then… Find another way!”

She nodded and flew to Peter’s hands to try and force the shackle open. Meanwhile, Peter kept watching the battle, shouting out instructions and warning the boys of danger. Fortunately, the Lost Boys had been successful in subduing the pirates, as most had been knocked out, tied up or thrown in the ocean, and were now joining Smee in the rowboat to escape the Crocodile.

Wendy stuck out her tongue at Hook, baiting him into attacking her. She dodged, and Hook noticed a stormy cloud over his head. He stepped sideways just as Donald shouted “Thunder” and a lightningbolt struck the spot he’d been on. Kairi ran at him and slashed, their blades cutting the air as they clashed. They were evenly matched, when suddenly Wendy tugged Hook’s coat and threw off his footing, allowing Kairi to overpower and push him off. Before he could recover, Goofy rammed him with his shield.

Hook’s back hit a wall. Kairi, Donald, Goofy and Wendy enclosed around him. Behind them, Hook saw his men, worthless and pathetic, being beaten by a bunch of children.

The familiar twinge hit Kairi again. This time, she definitely saw darkness coming out of Hook.

“Incompetent fools…” the captain grumbled before exploding. “YOU’RE ALL USELESS! GET RID OF THESE SCURVY BRATS AT ONCE!”

Just as Kairi feared, Heartless appeared all over the ship. Pirates and Lost Boys stopped fighting as they were surrounded by Heartless wielding cutlasses and winged ones who could fly.

“It’s the same that happened yesterday,” Goofy said.

“It’s darkness,” Kairi realized. “Hook’s darkness attracted them!”

“His hatred for Peter is just that strong,” Donald said.

The pirates tried to run, but the ship didn’t have much space to flee. Realizing this, one of them ran to the edge of the deck.

“Between this and the Crocodile, I’d rather gamble with the Crocodile!” he said and jumped out of the ship.

The remaining pirates apparently thought the same, as they also ran and jumped out, quickly taking refuge in Smee’s rowboat. But the Lost Boys, who had learned from Peter the value of courage, stood their ground. They arched around their leader, who was still shackled and helpless.

A Heartless lunged. John opened his umbrella in an attempt to shield everyone. But before it could make impact, the Heartless was squashed under Goofy’s shield. The boys cheered at the arrival, even more when Kairi and Donald also jumped down to the main deck and joined the fight.

“Hah, you’re toast now!” Slightly gloated.

“Let’s go at ‘em!” Nibs said. The boys all pumped up and prepared to fight.

“Not so fast!”

They stopped. Wendy floated down with a serious face.

“Look at yourselves,” she said. “You’re already tired from fighting. And you should know by now that these creatures aren’t like the pirates. They’re strange to us. Kairi, Donald and Goofy are the ones who know how to fight them. We should leave this to them.”

“But Wendy─” Cubby tried to argue.

“No buts!” she cut him.

The authority in her voice made the boy flinch, which in turn caused Wendy to wince. From her experience, if she followed with “I am your mother,” the boys would obey her, even if begrudgingly. But she didn’t do that. She was tired of acting like she was above them, like she somehow had all the answers.

So instead of harsh words, Wendy took a deep breath and gave the boys a softer look.

“Remember what happened yesterday. We were way over our heads and caused trouble to Kairi, Donald and Goofy. They were in a pinch because they had to protect us. Let’s not cause trouble to them again. There are other ways we can help them.”

The boys didn’t try to argue this time. Rather than resigned, they seemed self-conscious. In their doubt, they looked at Peter for guidance.

He met Wendy’s pleading gaze. How many times had she looked at him like this? How many times had he ignored her worries? If he hadn’t, maybe they wouldn’t be in this situation to begin with.

“You heard Wendy,” Peter said. “You’ve done your part. Now we have to trust our friends.”

The boys gave determined nods, put away their weapons and stepped away from the fight. Wendy smiled at them and then at Peter. He smiled back and called:

“Tink! Time to retreat.”

The fairy stopped tinkering with his cuffs and gave a salute. She flew over the Lost Boys and sprinkled them with pixie dust. She took the opportunity to also go over Kairi, Donald and Goofy and dust them as well. Hopefully it would give them an edge in combat.

The boys rose in the air. But try as he might, Peter was still weighted down by the anchor.

“Boys, help Peter fly,” Wendy instructed, to which they nodded and promptly did so.

John and Slightly grabbed Peter’s right arm. Nibs and the Twins did the same with his left arm. On Wendy’s count of three, they lifted him up. The anchor inched off the floor, and the boys carried Peter off the ship.

When they were over the water, Slightly’s arms faltered. Wendy gasped when Peter dropped closer to the sea before the boys stabilized him again. Seeing them struggle, Cubby flew down and took the anchor’s crown on his shoulders. Carrying it became significantly easier. Wanting to help too, Michael and Tootles flew alongside Cubby and held one of the anchor’s arms each to help keep it balanced.

“That’s right, boys,” Wendy said as they slowly got away from the ship. Tink also came and went back to trying to free Peter. “Keep going. We just need to stear away from─”

A cry made Wendy look back in shock. The picture she saw wasn’t pretty.

The trio had kept on fighting the Heartless. When Tinker Bell sprinkled them with pixie dust, Donald and Goofy started floating over and away from the Heartless, making their job considerably easier. Kairi remained grounded, slashing at Heartless and casting spells. Hook realized this and didn’t miss his chance.

Kairi noticed him coming at her at the last second. She cried in surprise and stepped out of the way just a moment before she was clawed. She pushed away a Heartless before blocking a strike from Hook’s sword, then shoved him off in time to avoid another Heartless’ claws. Between Hook and the Heartless, Kairi barely had time to breathe. Donald occasionally helped by casting a spell, but he and Goofy also had their hands full.

In her attempts to keep her distance from Hook, Kairi ended up cornering herself. Her back was against a wall, Hook was coming from her right and Heartless from the left. Kairi held the Keyblade defensively, cursing herself for being unable to fly.

The Heartless lunged and she blocked. But she couldn’t do anything as Hook’s sword came at her…

CLANK! Another blade stopped Hook’s sword. Wendy was there, holding him back with her dagger.

“You meddlesome brat!” Hook barked.

He tried clawing her with his hook, but Wendy moved her body sideways. The miss threw Hook off balance, and she took the opportunity to tackle him backward.

“You really are a pathetic coward,” Wendy taunted. “Attacking someone on the back? It just shows you can’t hold your own in a fair fight. I bet you couldn’t even take me on.”

The captain growled at the blatant provocation. “I assure you my dear, this is the last time you’ll insult Captain James Hook!”

He lunged at her with alarming speed. Wendy barely dodged. Hook swung his sword furiously, chasing Wendy around the deck as she did her best to evade him. She only used her dagger when he was about to hit her and she had no time to dodge. Fortunately for Wendy, the Heartless were too focused on Kairi, Donald and Goofy to pay attention to them. Un fortunately, this meant she had no backup, as the Lost Boys were all busy carrying Peter.

It’s fine, she thought. I don’t need to win. I just need to buy enough time. If I keep Hook distracted, Kairi and her friends will only have to worry about the monsters.

Wendy’s back hit a mast. Hook swiped at her, but she flew over the strike. It gave her an idea.

She lured Hook to the ship’s starboard, close to one of the shrouds, then flew up. Hook grabbed onto the ratlines to reach her, but she dodged. Wendy kept going higher and higher and Hook followed her, until they were on the tallest yard. There, Hook had to constantly keep his balance, while Wendy could simply float. Surely that would give her an advantage.

But her conceit was punished by a fast thrust that grazed her cheek and resulted in a small cut. Wendy hissed at the pain and almost couldn’t block a swing.

“Wendy!” the Lost Boys cried.

“Hurry, Tink!” Peter urged.

The fairy tinkled as if to say “I’m going as fast as I can!”

Down on the deck, Kairi saw Wendy’s blocks and dodges become increasingly narrower. She looked to the side. The shrouds were some five meters away from her. Wendy had saved her from Hook, how could she not do the same?

Kairi ran to the shrouds, but her way was blocked by a swarm of Heartless. The thought of losing time with them while Wendy fought Hook alone made something burn inside her. She channeled that anger onto the Keyblade, and it manifested as flames that covered the shaft.

“Get out of my way!”

In one swift spin, Kairi struck the Heartless. The ones that didn’t immediately disappear were lit aflame and burned until they too were reduced to smoke. Kairi didn’t take one second to admire her feat. She strapped the Keyblade to her belt and started clambering up the ratlines.

When she was about halfway through, a winged Heartless lunged at her. Kairi braced herself, when a shard of ice finished the Heartless off.

“How many times are you just gonna rush into danger?” Donald shouted from the deck, his staff pointing to where the Heartless had been.

“Thanks!” Kairi shouted back.

Goofy hurled his shield at another Heartless that tried flying to her. “Go help Wendy. We can take care of things here.”

“Alright!” Kairi nodded and started climbing again.

Meanwhile, Wendy was growing tired of Hook’s constant strikes. She had to block his attacks way more frequently now, as most of them became too quick to dodge.

She parried yet another strike, but instead of another slash, Hook pressed against her. Wendy was no match for him in strength. He quickly overpowered her and shoved her arms toward the mast. Her dagger got stuck to the wood. Wendy panicked and tried pulling it back, when Hook pressed his foot against her and immobilized her.

“Insolent youth. Prepare to die!”

“Not so fast, Hook!” came a voice from behind him.

Hook parried a strike from Kairi before pushing her back. Kairi balanced herself on the yard, taking on her battle stance, or as close as she could get to it with such narrow footing. With no way to dodge, all she could do was parry Hook’s attacks. Fortunately, Hook was on the same boat and had to release Wendy to properly stand, allowing her to get her dagger unstuck and join Kairi in the fight.

But even then, a girl with little combat practice and another who had to constantly struggle to just keep standing could barely hold their own against a master swordsman in his own element.

“That does not look good…” John noted fearfully as he and the other Lost Boys watched from a distance.

“Why isn’t Kairi flying?” Cubby asked, seeing her struggle to balance herself.

“She can’t,” Peter said. “She doesn’t believe.”

Because she’s hurting, just like Wendy, he thought. But I never paid attention. Even though she did so much for all of us…

One misstep and Kairi’s foot slipped. She clung to the yard. As she dangled off the ship, a winged Heartless flew to her. Even though he had his hands full, Donald managed to strike the Heartless with Thunder. He and Goofy fought relentlessly, doing their best to keep the Heartless’ attention away from her and Wendy.

Kairi saw them fight and forced herself to clamber back up. But before she could, she caught a glimpse of the Crocodile standing right below her, eagerly waiting for whoever would fall.

Hook appeared, towering over her with a cruel glint in his eyes.

“So you can’t fly.” Grinning, Hook lifted his foot. “Let’s not keep the Crocodile waiting.”

Wendy pulled him back before he could bring his foot down. As they hustled, Kairi managed to get back on her feet and swipe at Hook before he clawed Wendy.

Watching them from afar, that feeling of helplessness haunted Peter again. His own promise to Wendy rang in his ears. He told her time and again that he’d keep everyone safe. Yet here he was, unable to do anything while his friends fought.

There’s gotta be something I can do, he thought. But what? He couldn’t fight, couldn’t fly, couldn’t even flee. Come on, Peter! What would Wendy do?

He thought back to all the times she had taken one of the Lost Boys in her arms when they were upset and comforted them. She always did so with a smile on her face. Even though she was silently hurting, Wendy never stopped being kind.

She’s so strong, Peter thought and scolded himself. He’d never even tried to make things easier for her.

But maybe he could now.

He looked at Kairi and saw the same hurt he saw in Wendy whenever she remembered her previous life. He didn’t like that look. It felt like it didn’t belong in her face, not after he’d seen her smiling and laughing with the Lost Boys.

Their last conversation came back to him, and that’s when Peter realized.

“Kairi!” he shouted. “Yesterday when you played with us at Mermaid Lagoon and at home. We had a lot of fun! Did you have fun too?”

Kairi parried a strike. Even as she pushed Hook’s sword back, she shouted, “I did! I loved playing with you all.”

“Then what you said before can’t be true,” Peter continued. “About the monsters taking away part of you. You can still have fun! And if you can have fun, then you can believe and fly too!”

Kairi froze for a fraction of a second before parrying another strike. She glanced down and saw the Heartless attacking Donald and Goofy. Memories of that night invaded her mind. The night when she lost everything. When those creatures and their darkness stole her friends, her family and her home, and in doing so, destroyed that girl who laughed and smiled as she played on the beach with Riku and Sora, went on picnics with her parents and drifted off to sleep while listening to her grandmother’s stories. That girl was long gone.

But then what about the girl who enjoyed a meal with Leon, Aerith and the others in Traverse Town? Who had stopped her mission to help a little girl find her way home, a family of gorillas escape a hunter or to just play with a group of kids? Who had laughed and smiled with Donald and Goofy in all those quiet moments aboard the Gummi Ship, when there was no duty and no mission, just three friends who had learned to rely on each other. Who had cried and struggled, yes, but who also picked herself back up to keep on going with the help of the friends who were there when she couldn’t handle everything.

Was the person she was now really that different from the one she used to be?

(“Even after we grow up, we all have an inner child. But it’s up to us to listen to it or not.”)

Maybe… she thought. Despite everything, it’s still me after all?

A cry pushed all of Kairi’s thoughts away. Hook had his namesake over Wendy’s neck, pinning her against the mast. Even though Wendy struggled to free herself, the hook didn’t move an inch.

“Let her go!” Kairi cried.

She rushed in with a desperate and careless swing. Hook smirked. With one skillful move, the captain twisted her wrist and forced her to drop the Keyblade, which fell on the deck.

Suddenly disarmed, Kairi had the tip of Hook’s sword pointed at her neck. She took a step back, toward the end of the yard. Looking down, she could see the Crocodile licking its lips.

“Give up, girl,” said Hook. “You have nowhere to run.”

Wendy gasped. The Lost Boys shouted her name in terror. Donald and Goofy tried to fly to her but were halted by the swarms of Heartless.

As Hook drove her further to the edge, Kairi heard Peter’s voice:

“Fly, Kairi! I believe in you! We all do! You just gotta believe too!”

Despite the sword pointing at her and the hungry beast below her, his words brought a weird solace to her heart. It was comforting to know that, even there, her friends had faith in her and stood with her.

It had always been that way, hadn’t it? Every time she faltered under the weight of everything, her grief, her responsibilities, her loss, someone came to help her keep going. And that was true even before she became the Keybearer. All her life, she relied on others for the strength to keep standing.

(“Change is part of growing up, dear.”

“But that doesn’t mean you have to leave everything behind.”)

A tear trailed down Kairi’s face, meeting a smile halfway through. Yes, her journey had been full of darkness, fear, sadness and pain. But through it all, she also managed to find light, kindness, joy and hope. The World hadn’t offered her those things very often, but people had. Her new friends always showed her the way forward.

And sometimes, that girl from Destiny Islands held her hand and assured her it would all be fine. She just needed to learn to listen to her.

Just like that, she leaned backward on the yard and let gravity take hold of her. Her friends watched in fear as she fell and came ever closer to the Crocodile’s jaws.

But Kairi wasn’t afraid as she fell, instead letting her mind and her heart wander off, away from all the turmoil.

She thought of her past, of playing on the beach, the meadow, the yard, without a care in the world. Her family shielded her from how hard just being alive could be. Once she saw how cruel the World could be, she realized, that even if Destiny Islands hadn’t been destroyed, she could never be quite as innocent. But that didn’t mean it was all gone.

She thought of the present, of fighting and struggling to just make it through the day without yielding to exhaustion. It would be so easy to just give up… But she found a reason to persist thanks to the people she met. Knowing that at the end of each day, she could just exist as Donald and Goofy’s friend rather than the Keybearer gave her strength.

And for the first time since the Heartless invaded Destiny Islands, she thought of a future. A future where she struggled, but never once thought of giving up. Where she knew of the hardships of the World, but was happy in spite of it. And she believed, with no proof and with all her might, she’d one day see that future.

A new day always comes, she told herself. A notion that had once scared her, now gave her hope.

Once she believed that, believing in flying became easy.

The Crocodile’s jaws snapped shut. But they didn’t bite anything.

Because Kairi was soaring high up in the sky.

Hook’s gasp of disbelief was drowned out by the cheers from Donald, Goofy, the Lost Boys, and even the pirates.

For a moment, Kairi just floated in place, staring at the dumbfounded Crocodile below and grasping what she’d just done. Once the awe wore off, she swooped onto the deck, dodging the two or so winged Heartless that tried lunging at her and retrieved the Keyblade. She immediately aimed it up and shot a Fire spell.

The spell only grazed Hook, but his right sleeve caught on fire. Hook yelped and tried to blow the fire out, but when it wasn’t enough, he had to use his left arm to beat the flames out. It took him a moment to realize he had released Wendy.

With her neck free, Wendy kicked Hook away from her. He stumbled back and almost fell off the edge, but regained his footing at the last moment.

“Wretched wench!” Hook glared at Wendy, but she met his stare with a fierce look. Kairi came too, Keyblade in hand and feet no longer bound down.

More cheers came from outside the ship. They looked in time to see Peter’s shackles break open thanks to Tinker Bell’s efforts. Finally free from the anchor ─ which was dropped into the ocean by the Lost Boys ─ Peter zipped to the Jolly Roger, drew his dagger and joined Kairi and Wendy.

For a fraction of a second, a twinge of fear took over the captain’s face. But as soon as he realized this, he let his wrath take over and swiped.

Kairi parried his sword with the Keyblade. Hook went to claw her with his namesake, but met Peter’s dagger. Wendy flew over them and pulled his hat over his face. Kairi took the opportunity to kick him off. Impatient, Hook threw off his hat and found Peter grinning.

“Over here, codfish!” he taunted and stuck out his tongue.

“Why you─!”

Hook lunged at Peter, but the boy easily dodged. Below him was nothing but water… and the Crocodile.

“Yaaargh!”

Hook flapped his arms and by a miracle, managed to land in the water instead of the Crocodile’s open jaws. That was no cause for relief though, as the Crocodile promptly gave chase.

“SMEEEEE!” the captain screamed as he fled from the hungry beast.

“Don’t worry, captain, we’re coming!” Smee yelled back. The Lost Boys and Tink laughed as Hook and the Crocodile went under them, followed by the pirates in the rowboat.

Up in the yard, Peter and Wendy were also laughing at the sight. But Kairi had an expression that almost looked concerned.

“He isn’t actually going to be eaten, is he?” she asked. Despite Hook’s cruelty, she didn’t wish for anyone to meet such a gruesome fate.

Peter just gave her a relaxed smile. “Nah. This happens all the time, and he always gets away. He’ll be fine and back to trying to kill us in no time.”

Kairi gave him a look of uncertainty, but it softened once she saw how sure he looked. For as odd as his relationship with Hook was, one thing she was sure of: Peter didn’t actually wish Hook any real harm. He didn’t wish anyone harm. That was the greatest difference between them.

“Thank you, Peter,” she said.

He looked at her with confusion. “For what?”

“For helping me believe. And to see that things aren’t so bad after all.”

“Heh, you’re welcome!”

On the deck below, Donald and Goofy had finished off the last of the Heartless. Seeing there was no more danger, Tink and the Lost Boys returned to the ship. Peter, Wendy and Kairi floated down to the deck as well, and were met with praise and cheers.

“That was awesome!”

“Did you see the look on Hook’s face when Kairi started flying?”

“Wendy really had the pirates fooled!”

“And did’ja see how she faced Hook? It was almost as scary as when she scolds us.”

“Nah, Wendy is way scarier then. If she looked at Hook the way she looked at Pan yesterday, he’d have runned!”

Wendy’s guilt resurfaced as she was reminded of how she acted the previous night. She turned to Peter in shame.

“I owe you an apology, Peter.” As she spoke, she held herself uptight and proper. “I should not have yelled at you. I was angry and… I overstepped. You always do everything you can to protect us, and I’m very thankful for that.”

Peter couldn’t help frowning. He didn’t like when Wendy acted “proper”. It made her seem like a grown-up. But the thought reminded him of something he’d been meaning to say.

“I… overstepped too. I’m sorry.” The Lost Boys’ eyes widened at that. Those words rarely came from Peter’s mouth. “You’re always looking after us, but… I took it for granted. If we listened to you more often, maybe we wouldn’t get in so much trouble.”

A small smile came to Wendy’s mouth. It had a playful glint one wouldn’t expect from her.

“Maybe a little bit of trouble isn’t so bad. I really had fun tricking those pirates.”

Peter smiled as well, but it was more considerate than his usual grins. “I thought our mother was supposed to keep us out of trouble.”

“Yeah, about that…” Wendy looked sideways and met Kairi’s gaze. Her new friend gave her an encouraging smile. “I used to think a mother was just someone who took care of those around her. But now I see that’s not quite true. It’s something that requires wisdom and experience I don’t have. I don’t think I can call myself a mother yet.”

“Then what do you wanna be called?” Peter asked earnestly.

“How about a big sister?” Her gaze lingered on John and Michael, but the question was directed to all of them. “Someone who looks after others… while also having fun by their side?”

Peter’s smile widened. He took her hand and raised it high.

“Three cheers for our big sister Wendy! The one who singlehandedly tricked all the pirates!”

“Hip hip hooray!”

Wendy felt something weight on top of her head. She looked to see Slightly on top of Cubby’s shoulders placing Captain Hook’s hat on her head. She turned to Peter in surprise and slight confusion, but was met with that wonderful smile she’d fallen in love with ever since she found him looking for his shadow in her room.

“You’ve more than earned it, Captain Wendy,” he said.

Peter stumbled backward when Wendy hugged him. The surprise quickly wore off though, and he hugged her back.

An angry Tinker Bell scowled and crossed her arms. Donald laughed at the sight, but shut up and covered his bill when the fairy glared at him. Now it was Kairi and Goofy’s turn to chuckle.

Suddenly Kairi felt a pull in her chest. She looked up to a peak ─ the highest on the island ─ with a waterfall flowing down and blinked when a glimmer reflected in her eyes.

“Peter,” she called and pointed, “what’s over there?”

“Hm?” He looked. “Oh, that’s Rainbow Falls. Why do you ask?”

“I’ll go check it.”

“Hold on!” Donald exclaimed. “You just learned how to fly and now you wanna fly up a thousand-foot mountain?!”

“It’s alright.” Kairi smiled, placed her hand over her chest and remembered that feeling she had when she jumped off the yard. When it came back to her, she felt as if she could do anything.

“I’m not afraid anymore. Besides, even if I fall, someone will catch me.”

“Of course we will!” Peter said, Wendy and the Lost Boys nodding along.

Knowing they were there for her, Kairi climbed the railing, jumped, and flew toward the peak.

As she rose, Kairi opened her arms and took in every bit of the experience. The wind in her hair. The humidity of the air on her skin. The green carpet of trees way down below. The sheer freedom of flying, and the child-like joy it brought her and made her feel light as a feather.

Donald appeared beside her, followed by Goofy on the other side. Kairi wasn’t surprised. She knew they’d follow her. They had said as much multiple times now. They were in this together.

All around, they heard the laughter of their newest friends. Slightly and Nibs shot something below with their slingshots. Cubby floated with Tootles sitting on his belly. The Twins did flips over one another. John and Wendy ─ who still had Captain Hook’s hat ─ flew side by side, each holding one of Michael’s hands. Peter Pan and Tinker Bell zipped around them, leading the way.

There was nothing weighing her down. Nothing chaining her to anything. No burden to carry, no grief eating away at her, nothing. There was just her and her friends, up there in the sky.

Finally, they reached the Rainbow Falls’ peak. Kairi approached the waterfall, and sensing something, picked up the Keyblade. The glistening shape of a Keyhole appeared just over the water. The inhabitants of Neverland marveled at the sight. A beam of light shot from the tip of the Keyblade, sealing the Keyhole and making sure Neverland would never fall to darkness.

“Alright!” Slightly cheered, as did the rest of the group.

They flew a bit higher and landed on the mountain’s crest. The Lost Boys kept on celebrating, granting a laugh from the trio.

“So does that mean the monsters will leave us alone now?” Cubby asked Kairi.

“Yes. They won’t bother you anymore.” The boys cheered again, but Kairi’s smile wavered and turned sad. “But it also means we have to go.”

The cheering stopped and all heads turned to her, reminding Kairi of when they first met.

“You’re taking leave already?” John asked.

“But why?” Michael looked on the verge of tears.

“There’s still so much we can do!” Nibs insisted. “We could pay the Indians another visit, or the fairies, or─”

Goofy silenced him by putting a hand on his shoulder and smiling, as he often did with Max.

“All that sounds really fun. But we have a job to do.”

“To stop the Heartless from hurting more people. To help those who can’t help themselves.” Kairi looked at Wendy and her brothers. “And to make sure Wendy, John and Michael can return home.”

Hope glimmered in Wendy’s eyes as she said that. John and Michael looked surprised at the mere idea of going home. But soon, the surprise gave way to the same kind of hope they thought long gone.

The Lost Boys, however, only seemed more dejected with the news. They clung to their friends as if that’d keep them close.

“But you can’t go!” said one Twin.

“Yeah,” the other agreed. “Who else will lead us when Pan’s not here, John?”

“And Wendy, without a sister, who will wash us and tell us bedtime stories?”

“Oh, boys…” Wendy put her arms around them and gave a patient smile. “I loved being your sister and telling you stories and exploring Neverland with you all. But this isn’t where we belong. We need to return home to our own mother and father.”

Although still sad, the boys nodded understandingly. They’d never do anything to keep their friends from home.

Peter, however, merely looked down somber and started walking away.

“Peter, wait!” Wendy grabbed his hand. When he turned to her, he had the most serious expression she’d ever seen him wear. Still, she didn’t back down. “Please, try to understand, Peter. We’d only be unhappy here.”

“I know,” he said, much to Wendy’s surprise. “I figured as much. You want to grow up.”

Wendy brought her head down in a slow nod. “I do.”

“If it’s what you want, I won’t stop you,” he said heavily. “You’ll grow up and forget. Forget what it’s like to be young. About Neverland. And then, you’ll forget about us… About me.”

“How can you say such a thing, Peter?! I’ll never, ever forget you.”

“That’s what you think now. But once you’re grown up, that’ll change. You ’ll change.”

Wendy tried to think of something to say, but couldn’t. She was afraid too. Afraid that she’d grow up and change. That maybe she really would forget…

“So what if that’s true?”

They looked surprised at Kairi. She stepped closer, her face without a hint of doubt.

“Change is part of growing up, but that doesn’t mean we have to leave everything behind,” she said, finally understanding the true meaning behind her grandmother’s words. “Even when we don’t realize it, memories of our childhood always remain in our hearts. And those memories will always be there to give us strength to go through the hard times that come with growing up.

“We’re all children at heart. So in a way, I guess we all remain children forever.”

They all reflected on her words for a moment. Donald wondered when Kairi had become so mature. Goofy just smiled proudly.

Wendy took both of Peter’s hands and smiled.

“It’s just like Kairi said. No matter how much time passes and how much I grow up, I’ll always remember you all. I’ll always believe in you, Peter Pan.”

“As shall I,” John said.

“Me too,” Michael said next.

“I know I won’t forget this place any time soon,” Donald stepped in.

“Me neither.” Goofy chuckled.

Finally, Peter smiled. He turned back to Wendy and looked her in the eyes firmly but sympathetically.

“Then when the second star appears again, I’ll take you to London myself. We’ll never forget you either, Wendy. Right, men?”

“Yes sir!” the Lost Boys all said.

“And we also won’t forget our new friends.” He pointed to Kairi, Donald and Goofy. “Will we men?”

“No sir!”

Just then, Tinker Bell flew over to Peter and dived inside his pocket. She returned with a small pouch about half her size, which she handed over to Kairi.

“Thanks, Tink,” she said before opening the pouch and examining its contents. She was surprised to find a familiar glowing dust. “Is this…”

“Emergency pixie dust,” Peter explained. “It should be enough for one use for each of you.”

“I don’t know what to say… Thank you so much!”

“Hey, don’t mention it,” Peter insisted.

“We’re the ones who should thank you for helping us get rid of those Heartless creatures,” said Wendy.

Kairi was about to say they were only doing their job, but Donald stopped her, signaling for her to just take the compliment.

“You should come by again sometime,” said Nibs. “So we can play even more.”

Kairi smiled at the boy, and thought maybe she could bring Riku and Sora there someday. The future where she was with them still seemed distant, but now, she felt it was feasible. Part of her dared hoping it was just around the corner.

“I’d like that very much.”

Chapter Text

In Traverse Town, the First District was as peaceful as ever, despite it being more crowded than usual. People chatted on the streets, customers enjoyed food at the restaurant and someone looked through the window at the items for sale at the item shop.

Tifa left the accessory shop and met Yuffie at the stairs. Suddenly, there was a loud crash. People looked around in dread, and the doors to the town began opening. Tifa and Yuffie prepared for battle, only to relax at the sight of three familiar faces.

“Kairi, Donald, Goofy!” Tifa called and ran to them with Yuffie in toe.

“Tifa, Yuffie, hi!” Kairi greeted them with a smile. “It’s been a while!”

“It’s nice to see you,” Goofy said.

“Nice to see you too,” Yuffie said. “How have your travels been?”

The three told them what happened in Wonderland, the jungle, the Coliseum and Neverland, the villains they fought, and the Keyholes they found. Tifa and Yuffie listened intently.

“Gee, that all sounds hard,” Yuffie said when they finished. “But it seems you had it covered.”

“You’ve saved four worlds already!” Tifa said, impressed. “That’s great! But what brings you back to Traverse Town? Not that we aren’t happy to see you.”

“We’ve run into some Heartless in the Ocean Between. A place they can apparently go to,” Donald explained. “They forced us into an asteroid field and our ship got pretty damaged. We barely made it back here.”

“So that explains the crash,” Tifa realized.

“We were hoping someone would be able to help us,” Kairi said. “Is there a mechanic or engineer in this town?”

“Cid’s an engineer!” Yuffie said. “And a good one at that. I’m sure he can fix your ship in no time.”

“Yuffie and I can tell him to take a look at the ship,” Tifa offered. “In the meantime, why don’t you go see Leon and tell him what you’ve been up to?”

“That’d be great, thank you so much,” said Kairi. “Where is he?”

“He said he’d go train, so he’s probably in the waterways underground. There’s an entrance in the alleyway behind the hotel. I believe Aerith is with him too.”

They said goodbye to the girls and made their way to the Second District. Not even a few steps in, they were ambushed by a swarm of Heartless.

“Ugh, how many times are we gonna have to do this?” Donald complained as he summoned his staff.

“At least until we find out how to stop them for good.” Kairi drew the Keyblade and charged.

Goofy blocked a Soldier’s claws, struggling to hold it back. “Is it just me or are the Heartless stronger than last time we were here?”

“Now that you mentioned it, that seems to be the case.” Kairi winced when a yellow Heartless headbutted against the Keyblade. “Do you think the darkness here got stronger?”

“Maybe.” Shards of ice flew from Donald’s wand. “But we’ve gotten stronger too!”

Kairi sliced a line of Shadows with one wide slash, Donald made lightning bolts rain down and Goofy spun like a top, hitting all nearby enemies. That took care of the last of the Heartless.

“That was a bit rough,” Kairi said. “Maybe we should look for this world’s Keyhole before leaving again.”

Suddenly, the ground shook. And then, a deafening noise rang throughout the whole town. Kairi, Donald and Goofy hissed and covered their ears. The noise persisted for about five seconds, and then as suddenly as it started, it stopped.

“What was that?”

“What?” Goofy asked, rubbing his sore ears.

“I said, what was that?” Donald spoke louder.

“I don’t know.” Kairi looked around, but couldn’t identify the source of the noise. “Let’s just keep going. We’ve gotta meet Leon and Aerith.”

After going through a door next to a fountain, the trio found themselves in a familiar alley. They walked all the way to the end, where water flowed into a dark opening on the wall. Figuring that was the entrance Tifa talked about, they went inside, almost tripping when the ground suddenly sloped downward.

“Are you worried at all about what this water might be?” Donald asked with noticeable disgust. “I mean, we’re in a canal flowing downwards in a town…”

Kairi furrowed slightly at the implications. “Just don’t think about it.”

Finally, they arrived in a spacious cave. In a bit of dry land just ahead, Leon was swinging his Gunblade while Aerith watched.

“Hey! Leon! Aerith” Kairi called and waved her hand.

Aerith beamed and waved back. Leon’s expression didn’t change, but he did stop his training.

“Welcome back,” Aerith greeted when they reached the shore.

“So, have you found anything?” Leon went straight to the point.

“We found no clues about Ansem or how to stop the Heartless,” Kairi admitted. “But we’ve managed to seal four Keyholes!”

Once again they went over the basics of what had happened. Like Tifa, Aerith congratulated them for saving the worlds, and even Leon gave them a smirk.

“It sounds like you’ve gotten stronger, Kairi,” he said.

“I did!” She pumped her fists. “And I’ll keep getting stronger! This way I can protect the worlds and my friends from the Heartless. It seems they’re getting stronger too, so I can’t slack off.”

“So you’ve noticed it.” Aerith sighed. “Ever since you left, more and more Heartless keep on coming. We’ve been doing our best to drive them away, but there are few of us and countless of them. The most we can do is keep them away from the First District, where most of the people are.”

“I did notice it was a bit crowded there,” Kairi said.

“And the Second District was empty,” Goofy added.

“There’s only one way to drive the Heartless away for good,” Leon said looking at Kairi.

“I have to find the Keyhole and seal it,” she said. “But I don’t even know where to look…”

“We haven’t been slacking off either,” Aerith said. “We’ve talked to someone way more experienced than us. He said he wants to meet you.”

“Who’s ‘he’?” Donald asked.

“You’ll see,” she said with a playful smile. “I can take you there if you want to.”

“Yes, thank you,” Kairi said.

“One moment,” said Leon. “If you’re going there, take this with you.” 

He picked something from his pocket and offered it to Kairi. A reddish brown gemstone with something glinting inside.

As soon as Kairi picked up the stone, she felt an unusual warmth emanating from it. It felt strange but not wholly unfamiliar either. The closest she could think of was the feeling she had when she wielded the Keyblade or used magic.

“What is this?” she asked.

“I found it a while ago. This stone holds some mysterious power. I’ve been carrying it for luck, but I want you to hold onto it. Something tells me you’ll be able to use it.”

Not fully understanding what he meant, Kairi put the stone in her pouch and followed Aerith outside the cave.

They fought their way through the streets of Traverse Town. Seeing the town inhabited by nothing but Heartless made Kairi uneasy. It felt wrong. All those houses, shops and streets should have been full of people and bustling with activity, yet they were deserted and overtaken by mindless fiends. Kairi kept that picture in her mind, determined to use it as motivation to fix everything.

Aerith guided them to a corner, and they reached large doors with a sign labeled “Third District”.

It was the trio’s first time in that section of the town. It was smaller than the First and especially the Second districts, and consisted of small houses around a low square — not unlike the Second District — with a golden fountain depicting two dogs touching their noses over a plate of spaghetti.

They took a few steps into the square when the ground shook and that thundering sound rang again. Like the first time, the sound and the shaking only lasted a few seconds.

“Seriously, what is that?!” Donald asked.

“The bell at the Gizmo Shop,” Aerith explained. “It rings from time to time, but I don’t remember it ever ringing in such close succession. We can check it out later if you want.”

Kairi nodded and they went on following Aerith. She guided them through the square, an alleyway, and finally, a red door.

They stepped inside and arrived in another cave, way larger than the one in the waterways. There was little ground to stand on, as a large pond took up most of the space. Some stones formed a pathway to an island in the middle of the pond, where there stood an odd-looking house with chimneys and contraptions coming off the roof, which was shaped just like a wizard’s hat.

“That’s where the person who can help us lives?” Kairi asked, to which Aerith nodded. “How do we get there?”

“Like this.”

Aerith ran to get momentum and jumped onto the first stone. Kairi and Goofy followed her without much difficulty. Donald almost fell and had to be helped, which got chuckles from the others.

They hopped from stone to stone until they reached the island with the house. The front door was boarded up, so Aerith pointed them to an opening on the wall obstructed only by a piece of cloth.

The inside of the house was way less impressive than the outside. It was a single room with no decorations, furniture or anything other than a platform in the center made out of the same grey bricks as the walls.

“Does someone really live here?” Donald asked.

“He likes to travel every now and then,” Aerith said. “But don’t worry. If he didn’t say he was leaving, it’s because he won’t take long.”

“The empty house suggests otherwise.”

Kairi ambled away from the group, running her hand through the walls. The dull and musty place took her back to the cave on the island she and her friends would always play in. Boy, did she miss that old cave…

“This place sure brings back memories,” someone said.

Kairi turned to the familiar voice and stared in disbelief.

Sora was standing in the empty house, looking at the walls with a nostalgic smile.

“It’s kinda like our secret place back home. Where we used to scribble on the walls.”

Kairi’s voice failed her. She was frozen, her heart and mind locked in a fierce yet quiet battle. Her mind questioned how he could possibly be there, what happened, how he got there. It couldn’t be him. It was impossible!

But there was a tingling in her chest, a tiny feeling barely louder than a whisper at first, but that grew and grew as the shock of seeing him wore off until she was overflowing with joy. Only Sora could bring forth that kind of feeling in her.

She answered accordingly, with a tender smile that was reserved for him alone. Seeing her smile, Sora’s grin somehow shone brighter.

“You were the first to bring me there, remember?” he said. “Just a few weeks after I arrived. We drew each other's faces.”

“Y-Yeah.” Kairi blushed, remembering her recent addition to their drawing.

“Those days seem like so long ago…” His smile turned wistful and he looked down for a moment. “But I still believe what I told you. No matter how much changes, Destiny Islands is our home, and the three of us are friends. Do you still believe that, Kairi?”

She brought a hand to her chest and touched the locket where she kept the pictures of her family and her friends. For now, it was the last piece of home she had. But seeing Sora again, seeing his smile again, Kairi just knew everything would turn out fine. No matter how downtrodden she was, he always managed to fill her heart with hope.

“Of course I do,” she said. “Sora…”

“Kairi?” Goofy called and she turned to him. “Who are you talking to?”

“What do you mean? I’m talking to—”

She trailed off. Sora wasn’t there anymore. The four of them were alone in the room.

“What…?” Kairi looked around in confusion, but there was no sign Sora had ever been there. “But… I saw…”

“Oh, so you’ve arrived!” came a voice from behind them.

Standing at the entrance was an old man with blue robes, a big pointy hat of the same color, round glasses and a beard so long it almost reached the ground. He had a rod in one hand, a bag in the other, and a grumpy-looking owl perched on top of his hat.

“My apologies if I kept you waiting,” the stranger said. “A friend of mine asked for help in some matters. And you did arrive sooner than I expected.”

Aerith smiled at the man. “Welcome home, then.”

“Ah, Aerith!” He returned her smile. “It’s always good to see you. How’s your magic going?”

“Better than ever!” she said, pumping her fists before addressing the confused trio. “Let me introduce you guys. This is the wizard Merlin. He’s the one who trained me in magic.”

Merlin stuffed his chest, clearly proud of himself. The owl perched on his hat rolled its eyes.

“I am indeed quite the powerful wizard. One of the most powerful in all the worlds, dare I say.”

“Certainly the ditziest of all,” the owl said. His speech caused some surprise in the trio, but they had seen way weirder things, so they just rolled with it.

“Come now Archimedes, show some decorum,” Merlin scolded the owl. “What will our guests think? Donald and Goofy, right? Your king has told me about you.”

“You talked to King Mickey?!” Donald asked.

“I have. He asked me to aid you on your journey.” Merlin turned to Kairi, adjusting his glasses to get a better look at her. “And who might you be?”

“Me?” she asked, still a bit stunned from her vision of Sora. “I’m Kairi.”

“Ah, the new Keybearer,” he said, noticing the Keyblade on her back. “The king instructed me to help you too. Now, just a moment.”

Merlin placed his bag on the ground and walked up the platform in the middle of the room. Archimedes flew away from him, opting to stay perched on the tip of Aerith’s staff. She chuckled and petted him on the head. He gave her a grumpy look but made no effort to get away. If Aerith had been trained by Merlin, Kairi guessed she and Archimedes had some history as well.

Merlin cleared his throat and waved his wand.

“Higitus figitus zumbakazing! Out of the bag now, everything.”

Just like that, his bag opened by itself, and various objects started floating out. Kairi, Donald and Goofy watched in awe as furniture, housewares and many, many books flew out of the bag and took their proper place in the house. All the while, Merlin waved his wand and chanted magic words in rhythm, as if he were singing and dancing.

In barely any time, the house was completely furnished. The group now stood in a cluttered, but cozy room, with strange machines, flasks with colorful liquids, desks, a blackboard and piles of books besides things one would expect in a house, like a bed, wardrobe and a table with a nice tea set in the central platform.

“Please, make yourselves at home.” He gestured to the table. “Sit and have some tea. You’re invited too, dear.”

Confused, Kairi, Donald, Goofy and Aerith followed his gaze to a beautiful miniature white carriage. Sparkles appeared around the model, and suddenly, an elderly woman in a blue hooded robe appeared there instead. She had a warm smile and a simple wand in her hand.

“Hello,” she greeted the surprised visitors. “I’m the Fairy Godmother.”

“My friend here was in need of a place to stay, so I offered her some shelter. I’m sure she can be of help to you too.”

With everything settled, they all sat by the table. Merlin’s tea set poured them tea on its own, and the Fairy Godmother waved her wand to create cookies and cakes out of thin air.

While they ate, Kairi, Donald and Goofy talked about their adventures, and Aerith filled them in on what happened in Traverse Town while they were away, namely how the Heartless had grown in numbers and strength. Merlin and Fairy Godmother listened intently, only moving to sip their tea or grab a bite of confections, and Merlin also scolded his sugar bowl at one point. Archimedes tried to act aloof from his birdhouse but was clearly invested in the tale as well.

“All of this is concerning,” Merlin said when they finished talking. He looked at Aerith with deadly serious eyes. “Do you have any idea why the Heartless have gotten stronger?”

Aerith looked down. “Some people have reported seeing a black raven. With this and the increase in Heartless activity… We have reason to believe Maleficent has been in town.”

The silence that fell was almost stifling. Merlin and Fairy Godmother looked somberly at each other. Kairi wondered why that name rang a bell when she remembered:

“I’ve heard that name before. Hades said Maleficent had plans for me.”

“But who is Maleficent?” Goofy asked.

“A wicked fairy who turned to darkness,” Fairy Godmother explained. “For years she’s been using her powers to spread sorrow and misfortune.”

“So she's a witch?” Donald asked.

“Of the worst kind,” Merlin said and looked at Aerith.

The normally cheerful girl had her head low and hazy eyes as if she were gazing at something distant. Her slumped shoulders made it look like she was carrying a heavy weight.

“She… She was the one who destroyed our home. Around nine years ago. She came with an army of Heartless and ravaged everything. Cid helped Leon, Tifa, Yuffie and I escape and we found our way here.”

“Ever since then, Maleficent has used the Heartless to gain more power,” Merlin continued. “Countless worlds have been lost thanks to her actions.”

“Wait!” Donald cut in. “You mean this stuff has been happening for nine years!?” Merlin nodded. “But that can’t be! Master Yen Sid and the King keep watch for any trouble that arises in the worlds. How come they didn’t realize this was happening?”

“Darkness is a treacherous and powerful force,” Fairy Godmother said. “It’s possible that Maleficent used her dark magic to conceal her actions and evade forces she did not wish to engage.”

Goofy gulped. “So Maleficent can hide from someone as powerful as Master Yen Sid?”

“That’s right.”

The air of unease grew. The trio finally had a face behind the Heartless, and it was a terrifying one. The knowledge that their enemy could evade even the most powerful individuals they knew made doubts grow in Donald and Goofy’s hearts, and their worry over the King resurfaced again.

Suddenly, Kairi got up, wearing one of the most determined looks Donald and Goofy had ever seen.

“Then we’ll find her and defeat her,” she declared. “We already have a clue about her. Hades said she’s interested in me, so she must know the Keyblade is a threat to her plans. And if Hades knows this, they’re probably working together. They might have more allies as well, other people drawn to darkness. So we’ll find them and put a stop to them!”

I can’t let them keep hurting innocent people. I won’t let them hurt anyone else!

Seeing Kairi’s bold proclamation filled Donald and Goofy with confidence. They stood up as well, letting her know they were with her. Aerith, Merlin and the Fairy Godmother smiled at their display.

“It seems the Keyblade is in good hands,” the lattermost said. “But don’t think too forward just yet. Right now, there’s a smaller step for you to take.”

“Right.” Kairi sat down again, and Donald and Goofy did the same. “We have to find Traverse Town’s Keyhole. This way the town will be protected.”

“When we asked, you said this was a matter to discuss with the Keybearer,” Aerith addressed Merlin. “Can you talk about it now that Kairi is here?”

“Yes, of course,” the wizard said, putting aside his teacup. He walked to one of the piles of books scattered around and picked some up before bringing them to the table and sitting again.

“The reason I didn’t find it pertinent to discuss the location of the Keyhole with you and your friends is because even with that knowledge you wouldn’t be able to do much to find it. Only a Keyblade wielder can do such a thing.”

Merlin looked straight at Kairi. “Young lady, what do you know about the artifact you hold?”

“Honestly, not much.” She took the blade in her hands and looked at it. Even now, it was mostly a mystery to her. “I know it’s the only thing that can destroy the Heartless for good and free the hearts they capture, as well as seal the Keyholes. And I know I’m the only one who can wield it. But I don’t know how I got it, or why I got it.”

Merlin gave a patient nod. He waved his wand and the contents of the table disappeared — Goofy went “Aww” when the cake he was about to bite vanished — and the books he carried floated onto the table and opened by themselves. The book in front of Kairi showed an image of an army of people with familiar key-shaped blades next to a symbol of a black and white heart. The two colors met in the middle like waves in the sand, seeming to push and pull each other.

“When each of us is born, we receive a heart with equal amounts of light and darkness,” Merlin began explaining. The word “receive” intrigued Kairi, but she pushed back that thought and focused on the wizard. “Through feelings and actions, we create more of one or the other, and so the heart is always reshaping itself. Although the term ‘magic’ is used to describe many different practices throughout the worlds, it originally refers to the practice of manifesting the light and darkness in one’s heart in the real world, as well as the power that allows one to do so.

“For millennia people have used magic to reshape the World. Among these people, a select few awakened a unique ability: the power to manifest a physical embodiment of their hearts. Strange objects that could unlock hearts themselves.”

“Keyblades…” Kairi realized. “They’re embodiments of the heart?”

She looked at the weapon in her hands in a completely new light, thinking of how no one else could hold it without it returning to her, how perfectly balanced it felt in her hand, how seamlessly she fought with it, as if it was an extension of herself, and how even the Keyblade’s appearance seemed tailored for her, with the waves she used to play in, the colors of the sunset she loved to watch, the flowers she used to pick and the fruit from the story she loved to hear.

Donald cleared his throat. “This is all very interesting, but how exactly can Kairi find the Keyhole?”

“There’s where we come in,” said Merlin. “Magic and the heart are intertwined, and since the heart informs your Keyblade, magic can affect it as well. So Fairy and I thought of giving you some lessons in magic.”

“Really?!” Kairi asked, not hiding her excitement.

“Admittedly, we are not Keyblade wielders, so it will be hard for us to teach all of its particularities,” the Fairy Godmother said. “But we might be able to help you attune more to it.”

“It does make sense,” Donald agreed.

Goofy scratched the back of his head. “I don’t understand much of this. But it sounds like a plan!”

Kairi considered it. Getting stronger was never a bad thing, and these were experienced and powerful people offering to teach her. And besides, they didn’t have a lot of options.

“I guess it’s worth a shot.”

The trio used a floating platform to get to the second floor, which was empty save for Merlin and the Fairy Godmother, who got there magically. Aerith had gone off to regroup with Leon and the others, wishing Kairi good luck.

Kairi quickly explained what spells she knew, with Donald chiming in to fill Merlin in on details she forgot or didn’t know about. When she mentioned casting Water for the first time, Donald said something about “grand magic,” which got an impressed look from Merlin.

“So you’ve already used higher tier magic before,” said the wizard.

“That's what Donald said. I don’t know what that is though.”

“There are many variants of magic, like enhancing or my sorcery for example,” Merlin explained. “They each have their own rules. Elemental spells have three basic tiers. The first tier spells you’ve been using rely solely on the physical aspect of elements. If you want to cast more powerful spells, you’ll need to go deeper.”

“How exactly?” Kairi asked.

“Light and darkness are the source of magic. If there’s more of one or the other in your heart, it will strengthen the spell. Now, since it’s elemental magic you’re doing, the key trick to remember is memories.”

“Memories?”

“Yes. Positive memories to be specific. Those will heighten your light, which will empower your spell.”

“So I just have to cast a spell while thinking of positive memories?”

“It helps if those memories involve the element you’re trying to conjure. After all, one of the reasons why elemental magic is relatively easy to learn is because elements are easy to envision.”

He waved his wand, and a wardrobe puffed into existence. “Go on, try casting a tier two spell at that.”

Kairi drew the Keyblade. For her first attempt, she chose Water. She had tons of good memories involving water.

She let her mind be filled with memories of summer days splashing Riku and Sora at the shores of the Playing Islands, being engulfed and washed by the waves, playing with the garden hose while her grandmother watered the plants, having a water balloon fight with her friends, and watching the rain fall during the stormy winters from the comfort of her home.

Her heart swelled up with warm feelings. She raised the Keyblade and called on her magic, something she’d grown very used to. But the ensuing splash was the same as ever.

She tried again, then a third time, a fourth and a fifth, with no results. But instead of letting frustration win over, Kairi kept going back to her memories. At each new try, the warmth in her chest got stronger, until it couldn’t be contained anymore.

The Keyblade glowed a stronger blue light and water enveloped Kairi like a shield, then shot upward in an arch and hit the wardrobe with a big enough splash to tumble it over.

“Way to go, Kairi!” Goofy was the first to cheer.

“Good job!” Donald applauded. “You’ve cast Watera on command this time.”

“Quite good indeed,” said Merlin. “I see now what Aerith meant when she said you have a knack for magic. You’re a fast learner.”

Kairi smiled, proud of herself.  She’d really come a long way ever since first arriving in Traverse Town.

“Do you feel more prepared to search for the Keyhole now, dear?” Fairy Godmother asked.

“I… don’t know,” Kairi admitted. She put a hand over her heart and took a look inside. It felt like some of the warmth that had been growing remained, like there was more light inside her now. But would that help in locating the Keyhole? “It feels like something’s different. But I don’t think it’s the breakthrough I need.”

“Maybe we need to focus on another kind of magic,” Merlin theorized, running his hand through his beard as he thought. “We could try our hands on a wider variety of spells. Or maybe develop your enhancement a bit. Or maybe look at some magical objects and see how they compare to the Keyblade… Or maybe—”

“What kind of magical objects are there?” Kairi asked Donald, ignoring Merlin’s rambling.

“Lots of them,” he said. “There are weapons like my staff and Goofy’s shield, which help us focus magic. There are more unique ones like Keyblades which have other special properties. There are remnants of magic in the form of fragments like stones and crystals. Those things the Heartless sometimes leave behind, you know?”

“So when they disappear, the magic they have turns into fragments? And they have magic because they’re made of darkness?”

“That’s right. And we can use those fragments of magic to create items with magical properties through forging or alchemy. It’s how our weapons, Potions and Ethers are made.”

“What kind of magic object do you suppose that stone of Leon’s is?” Goofy asked.

“Oh yeah!” Kairi reached for the stone in her pouch. She had completely forgotten about it. She approached the Fairy Godmother and Merlin, who still mused about what to do now. “Leon gave me this stone. He said it has some sort of power, but he doesn’t know how to use it. Do you know what it is?”

Merlin stopped mumbling, but before he could take a proper look at the stone, the Fairy Godmother took it from Kairi’s hand, examining it with wide eyes full of pity.

“Oh, the poor thing! This gem holds the heart of a creature!”

“What? How come?” Kairi asked.

“This creature lived in a world that was consumed by darkness,” the fairy explained. “When a world vanishes, so do its inhabitants. But this one had such a strong heart, it became a gem instead of disappearing.”

“No…” Kairi lamented for the unknown being. When her world vanished, she at least made it to Traverse Town in one piece. This one wasn’t even lucky enough for that. “Can we do anything for them?”

“I might be able to restore them in spirit form, but only temporarily. Or maybe…” She looked at Kairi. “You can.”

“Come now, Godmother, that might be a notch too far,” Merlin objected.

“Why?” Kairi asked.

“Summoning is an advanced form of magic,” Donald answered. “It requires a lot of magical energy to call forth another entity, and a strong heart to control them. It’s not something every sorcerer can do. I can’t even do it.”

Kairi reflected on his words and looked at the gem in her hand. That warm feeling was still there. The heart of that creature was still enduring and waiting for a chance to be whole again.

“I’ll try,” she said, turning to the Fairy Godmother. “Tell me what to do.”

The woman nodded. Donald, Goofy and Merlin said nothing, but gave discreet looks of encouragement.

“I’ll cast a spell that'll allow the gem to be used as a summoning charm,” Fairy Godmother explained. “Once that’s done, connect to the one in the gem and call to them. And don’t be upset if it doesn’t work. Remember, this is hard even for experienced sorcerers.”

Kairi nodded, holding the gem in one hand and the Keyblade in another, and standing alone in the center of the room.

“Bibbity bobbity boo!”

Sparkles came out of the Fairy Godmother’s wand and were absorbed by the gem in Kairi’s hand, which started glowing faintly. She closed her eyes and focused.

She felt something almost immediately. The warmth inside the gem resonated in her heart, and a wave of emotions that weren’t her own washed over her. Steadfast bravery. Unwavering loyalty. Persistent reluctance to look back. A quiet sorrow from a grief that was never overcome.

The heart in the gem called for help, so she called to it.

Her friends’ gasps made Kairi open her eyes. She had the same reaction seeing the summon gem glowing with a strong golden light. On instinct, she raised the Keyblade, which was enveloped by that same golden light. Beams of light shot from the tip, swirling and gathering into the form of a large four-legged creature. When the light died out, a great lion stood before Kairi.

For a moment, everyone was too stunned to say anything. The lion was the first to move, growling at the frozen group and crouching as if he were about to attack. At the sign of danger, Donald and Goofy summoned their weapons and Merlin readied his wand, but Kairi held out a hand to halt them.

“Wait! Don’t hurt him!”

They looked at her in confusion, but complied.

Kairi stepped toward the lion. He growled louder, exposing his fangs. Kairi put the Keyblade down and approached him slowly with her hands up in a gesture of surrender.

“It’s okay,” she said softly. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

The lion’s eyes were fierce, but Kairi saw through them. His heart still echoed in hers. He was scared. Confused. He didn’t know where he was, only that he could be in danger.

When she was a step away from the lion, she stopped. She reached out her hand and let him close the gap between them. He sniffed her, suspicious, and Kairi offered a smile. In a slow and careful move, the lion pressed his head against her hand. Kairi ran her fingers through his mane. His fur felt weird to the touch, unnaturally light, as if he were a sand sculpture prone to falling apart. It was only his heart that had survived, after all.

“My name is Kairi. What’s yours?”

He looked into her eyes. They were no longer hostile. He opened his mouth and spoke in a somewhat echo-y voice:

“Simba.”

“Nice to meet you, Simba. What do you remember?”

“Dark shadows attacked me and my friends. I tried to fight them off, but in the end, everything went dark…”

Simba looked down at the memories, and Kairi felt his pain in her own heart. The shame and sorrow of failing to protect what was important was all too familiar to her.

“The shadows attacked my home too. Now me and my friends are traveling to restore everything to the way it was. Do you want to help us?”

The lion raised his head. “I can help? How?”

“Whenever we’re in trouble, I’ll call for you. That way, you can help us fight, and we can help you return home. What do you say?”

Hope swelled in her chest, so Kairi knew it swelled in Simba’s too. He stood up, proud and resolute.

“Whenever you call, I’ll answer.”

“Alright. Thank you, Simba.”

He returned Kairi’s smile, then disappeared into particles of light. His feelings became less intense, until all she could feel was the ever present warmth from his summon gem. 

A stunned “Woah” made her turn back to her friends, who all stared at her in awe.

“What?” she asked, not getting what was the big deal.

“Kairi,” Donald started, “do you realize what you’ve done?”

She gave a confused look. Merlin had stars in his eyes and looked about to jump out of excitement.

“This is beyond marvelous! It’s unprecedented! I’ve never seen or heard of anyone perform a summoning for the first time so easily! Let alone someone who barely became an apprentice!”

“How did you do that?” Donald asked. “How did you pull off something so advanced!?”

“I don’t know!” Kairi said. “I just knew he was in trouble and… I just had to help. It didn’t really feel like magic, more like… Like making a new friend.”

Donald stared at her in disbelief. There was no way it was that simple! He opened his mouth, only for the Fairy Godmother to walk forward.

She held Kairi’s hand, the one holding the summon gem, and smiled warmly.

“Summoning magic is hard,” she said. “Reaching out and joining your heart with another to such a degree is hard. For many, it requires great time and preparation. But you did it as if it were nothing. You have a great gift, Kairi. A gift for making connections.”

“Thanks. But that’s not magical, is it?”

“Of course it is. Connecting with other hearts is the simplest and most powerful kind of magic. To bond with another is to forge a link between different hearts. Every being with a heart does this, but many never realize the power it has. By relying on those connections, you draw magic not only from yourself but from other hearts as well. It’s why summoners are so powerful, because they make use of magic from other beings besides their own.”

Kairi listened in silent awe. It was true that she always reached out to others. She’d gotten quite a few scoldings from Donald because of it. Riku used to joke that she made friends too easily. But she never imagined that this habit, this gift, could be a source of actual power.

If reaching out could be a form of magic… Then maybe she did know what to do now.

“I think I got it!” She put the summon gem back in her pouch and strapped the Keyblade to her belt. Seeing her confidence, Donald and Goofy followed her to the spot on the ground that served as an elevator. “Thank you so much for everything, Merlin, Fairy Godmother! I think I’m ready to try and find the Keyhole!”

The two magic users smiled and waved them goodbye as the platform lowered them back to the first floor. Kairi rushed out of the house and broke into running, Donald and Goofy following close behind.

“What’s going on, Kairi?” Donald panted when they reached the Third District.

“What did you figure out?” Goofy asked.

Before Kairi could answer, a swarm of Heartless appeared. The three drew their weapons and jumped into battle.

Kairi destroyed some Shadows with Thunder, when a sudden attack from behind knocked her off her feet and sent her face-first against the floor. Donald and Goofy shouted as two Soldiers jumped at her. She had no time to get up.

A slash from a red and black blade sliced the Heartless in half. Kairi’s eyes went wide at the sight of familiar silver hair.

“Kairi!” Having finished the last of the Heartless, Donald and Goofy came to help her up. She let herself be raised but said nothing. The Keyblade lay forgotten at her feet. Only after they were sure she was alright, did Donald and Goofy turn to the newcomer, whom they recognized from her pictures. “Is that—”

“Riku…” Kairi let out in disbelief.

Her oldest friend gave the cocky smile that was so characteristically his. “Hey, Kairi. I finally found you and you’re in the middle of trouble. I expected that from Sora, but from you not so much.”

Kairi rushed to him, but stopped. She remembered what happened with Sora at Merlin’s, the way he was there one moment and gone the next. She couldn’t take that disappointment twice.

She brought her hand to Riku’s face and pinched his cheek.

“Hey!” Riku complained and shoved her hand off. “Cut it out!”

“It’s you…” Tears swelled in Kairi’s eyes. “It’s really you!”

She all but threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around him in one of the tightest hugs she’d ever given anyone. This was no dream… He was real!

Riku clutched her back, letting her know he was equally happy to be with her again. Kairi wanted to hug him forever, hold onto him and make sure she’d never lose him again. With a whimper, she let tears fall from her eyes, which quickly turned to sobs. She felt like a little kid again, clinging scared to her best friend like a big brother, strong and reliable. Kairi was thankful Riku was holding her, as she suddenly felt weak in the knees.

“I’ve missed you so much!” Kairi said, still refusing to let go. “How did you get here?!”

“I had some help. You didn’t think you’d get rid of me that easily, did ya?”

His tone was light, but Kairi didn’t laugh. Instead, she clutched him tighter as memories of that fateful night invaded her mind. The moment she lost him played in a loop like a taunt, and she needed reassurance that he was truly there.

“When that darkness swallowed you, I… I was afraid I’d never see you again!”

Riku’s grip loosened, his hands trailing down Kairi’s back. “I… I’m sorry. I’m sorry for how I acted. I don’t know what came over me. I missed you too, Kairi…”

Kairi reassured him by bringing her hand up to his head and combing his long hair the way her grandmother always did to comfort her.

 “That night was confusing for all of us. What matters is that you’re safe and we’re together.”

Finally, the two felt safe enough to let go. Kairi’s eyes were swelled from her tears, and Riku’s were red around the rims. He tried hiding it by looking sideways and pretending to wipe something off his eyes, but Kairi smiled knowingly. A controlled expectation grew in her heart, and she addressed Riku again:

“Did you find Sora?”

Her friend furrowed. “He’s not with you?”

Kairi’s head fell. Back to square one. She felt a pat on her shoulder and met Riku’s encouraging smile.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure he made it off the island. Knowing him, he’s probably looking everywhere for us right now. We’ll all be together again soon, and this time, we’ll be free to go wherever we want. Just leave it to me.”

The second-to-last sentence made Kairi furrow. “What do you mean by—”

“Hey,” Donald cut her off, slightly annoyed. “We’re still here, y’know?”

“Oh, sorry.” She pushed the thought to the back of her mind and showed her new friends. “Riku, these are Donald and Goofy. They’ve been helping me. We visited a lot of worlds looking for you and Sora.”

For the first time since his arrival, Riku spared the duo a glance, first of suspicion, then of subdued hostility. Kairi convinced herself he was just weirded out by their unusual appearance, that’s all.

“And why are you traveling with Kairi?” he asked. There was an edge to his voice Kairi didn’t like, but she was too happy to pay it any mind.

“Our King trusted us with following the Keyblade wielder, and that’s Kairi,” Goofy said and put his hands on her shoulders.

“That’s right! And she’s become great at it,” said Donald. It warmed Kairi’s heart to know they were proud of how far she’d come.

“Keyblade, huh?”

Riku walked to the fallen weapon, bent down and reached for it. Before Kairi could tell him it would just disappear, Riku picked up the Keyblade, looking at it with a lingering feeling. It may have been longing, or even… nostalgia?

“So this is what this is called…”

“Yes. But how did you—”

He looked back at her, his gaze unreadable. With an unenthusiastic “Catch,” he tossed the Keyblade to Kairi. She awkwardly put it in its usual place on her back.

“I thought only Kairi could wield the Keyblade,” Goofy whispered to Donald.

“How did he do that?” he whispered back.

“So, you’re coming with us, right?” Kairi asked, ignoring the strange occurrence. “If the four of us work together, we’ll find Sora, the King and a way to stop the Heartless in no time!”

“If he’s your friend, I guess he can join us,” said Donald.

“We can make room in the Gummi Ship for one more,” said Goofy.

Riku’s eyes went from Kairi to the duo, then back at Kairi. His expression remained blank. “I guess I can tag along.”

Kairi flared a big grin, resisting the urge to jump with excitement. They had sealed four Keyholes already and were on their way to the fifth, she was growing stronger with the Keyblade, and now she found Riku! Things were finally starting to look up!

They regrouped with Leon, Yuffie, Aerith and Tifa on the First District plaza. Kairi introduced Riku to them, who only gave them a quiet nod of acknowledgment. When the conversation shifted to the matter of the Keyhole, Leon noted that since the Heartless rarely ever came to the First District, it was unlikely that the Keyhole was there, so they decided to go to the Second District.

Riku remained quiet the whole way. Kairi couldn’t blame him, all this stuff was a lot to process. She still remembered how confused she was when she first arrived. She was eager to talk to him in detail about her travels with Donald and Goofy, where he’d been all this time, or even just chat about silly things like they did back in the islands. But she figured they should take care of the Heartless matter first.

The group stood in the Second District square, still as much a ghost town as before. Yuffie looked from side to side impatiently. Hadn’t they checked this place a hundred times already?

“What now?” she asked.

“Any ideas, Kairi?” Tifa asked more politely.

Kairi thought back to the Fairy Godmother’s words. “Connecting with other hearts is the simplest and most powerful kind of magic,” she had said. “To bond with another is to forge a link between different hearts.”

Worlds had hearts, and the Keyholes were a way to access them. If she reached out to this world’s heart, could it point her the right way?

Well, she had nothing to lose by trying. She kneeled down, placing a hand on the ground, and closed her eyes.

“What’s she doing?” Yuffie asked.

“Must be Keyblade wielder stuff,” said Leon.

Kairi filtered out their voices, focusing all her attention on connecting to the heart of the world. She had done that once, she remembered, back on Destiny Islands. At the time she had been at the Keyhole, but in the Coliseum and Neverland, she sensed them by accident. Now she just needed to do it on purpose.

The ground she was touching became warm, and then that warmth extended to her chest. Kairi smiled. It was the same feeling as when she connected to Simba.

We want to help you, Kairi said mentally. Show us where the Keyhole is and we can drive away the shadows threatening you and the people here.

The thundering sound of the bell echoed through the Second District, breaking her focus and angering Donald.

“Who is ringing this damn bell?!”

“No one, I think,” said Tifa. “The bell always rang by itself.”

Kairi looked up to the bell tower north of the square. It was the highest building in Traverse Town, higher even than the walls that circled the city. 

Why would a bell ring itself, now of all times?

“How do we get up there?” Kairi asked, pointing to the tower. The question confused her friends, but Tifa answered anyway:

“There’s a ladder you can access through the Gizmo Shop. The entrance is right—”

Before she could finish, Yuffie broke into a sprint and jumped up the square, to the roofs of houses and finally to the roof of the Gizmo Shop, the bell tower just behind her. She grinned and waved.

“Or we can take the fun route!”

Kairi smiled at the challenge and took a few steps back.

“Goofy. Like we did in Wonderland.”

The captain smiled and nodded. Riku watched bitterly as Goofy rocketed himself and Kairi up and then launched her toward the roof, as if they’d been doing that all their lives.

“Hey, that’s cheating!” Yuffie complained when Kairi landed beside her.

“You didn’t say I couldn’t get help,” the Keybearer said mischievously before turning to the bell tower.

The entrance was boarded up, nothing a kick from Yuffie couldn’t solve. Kairi looked up at the huge bell. There was a rope to ring it. She held the rope, braced herself for the noise, and pulled.

DING-DONG! Nothing seemed to happen. Kairi sighed.

“Kairi!” Goofy called. “The fountain! It’s rotating!”

She looked in time to see the fountain’s mural finished rotating. It now showed another painting.

Intrigued, Kairi rang the bell again. DING-DONG! Once again, the mural rotated. She rang a third time. DING-DONG!

The final mural depicted a swarm of butterflies. Just as it finished rotating, the water stopped flowing from the fountain, and the glistening Keyhole appeared.

“There it is!” Donald cheered. “The Keyhole.”

“How did you know you had to ring the bell?” Yuffie asked Kairi.

“The town was showing the way,” she realized. “That's why the bell was ringing.”

“C’mon Kairi, now’s your chance.”

But before she could do anything, the familiar sound and smell of the Heartless hung in the air. They all watched in horror as the square, the alleys, and even the rooftops were overwhelmed by a legion of Heartless bigger than any the trio had ever seen.

“Of course it couldn’t be this easy,” Yuffie said.

They all drew forth their weapons and prepared for battle. But when some Heartless ran past Leon without even glancing at him, he realized their biggest problem.

“The Keyhole!”

Indeed, the Heartless went for the Keyhole. Maybe the heart of a world was more alluring than the hearts of a handful of people. Or maybe this was someone’s plan…

“We can’t let them reach it!” Tifa urged, but when she tried to go for the Keyhole, a Soldier charged at her and she had to dodge and counter it with a punch. The others were also engaged by enemies. The timing was too convenient for it to be an accident. Someone was behind this.

A bright light blasted the Heartless closest to the Keyhole. When it died out, Aerith was standing in front of the fountain. She drew a line on the ground with her staff and raised a barrier around herself and the Keyhole.

“You’re not getting past me!”

“Way to go, Aerith!” Tifa praised. “Keep that up!”

“Kairi, let’s go!” Goofy called. “If you seal the Keyhole, the Heartless can’t win!”

She knew that, but she also had her hands full fighting off Heartless. Worst yet, she was close to the edge of the roof, with at least a dozen Heartless standing between her and the ladder leading down.

“Jump, Kairi!” Donald shouted below. “I got you!”

She glanced down. The tower was pretty high… But she chose to trust her companion.

She jumped off the roof. Donald raised his wand and shouted, “Aero!” The whirlwind that formed slowed down her fall, and she landed safely beside Riku. He wielded the same red and black sword as before. Seeing it up close, Kairi realized it was shaped like a wing, with an ominous blue eye on the hilt.

“You do this often?” Riku asked with a sharpness behind his snarky tone.

“Actually, it’s my first time jumping off a roof.” Kairi blocked a Heartless’ claws and countered with a slash. “But stuff like this is kind of routine.”

“Figured.” Riku pierced a Heartless coming from behind. “You three seem familiar with each other.”

“Fighting creatures of darkness together does that to you,” she said with a smile, Riku’s bother going unnoticed.

Donald and Goofy called for her. Kairi went after them and Riku followed. Leon and Tifa opened a path so the four of them could go straight to the Keyhole.

As they ran and fought, Kairi constantly looked back at Riku to make sure he was alright. He was doing pretty well, destroying Heartless quickly and skillfully with his new blade. Seeing him fight reminded Kairi why he was the best among their friends.

But this wasn’t a playful fight, it was a real battle. One mistake could mean losing their hearts or even their lives. She didn’t know if Riku was aware of how dangerous the Heartless were, and she couldn’t let anything happen to him.

I couldn’t keep you safe back then, but I can now! You’ve always kept me safe, but this time, I’ll fight for you!

Suddenly, there was a metallic rumble. Kairi, Donald and Goofy held their breaths. They knew that sound…

A familiar suit of purple armor fell from the sky, standing between them and the Keyhole. The first big Heartless they fought together.

“This guy again!” said Kairi.

“With how much stronger we’ve gotten, beating it should be a piece of cake!” said Donald.

As if to specifically prove him wrong, the Heartless’ parts twitched and reassembled themselves, the feet switching places with the hands and turning into claws, and the torso turning upside down. Finally, the helmet’s visor opened, revealing the Heartless’ signature glowing yellow eyes.

“Something tells me it won’t be that easy,” said Goofy. Beside him, Donald gulped.

Riku got into his preferred stance, but before he could do anything, Kairi held her arm in front of him.

“Stand back, Riku,” she said, glaring at the armored Heartless. “Donald, Goofy and I can take care of this!”

I can’t risk losing you again! This is why I got stronger!

Kairi charged into battle with her two new companions, ignorant to the storm ravaging Riku’s heart as he slid behind the Heartless and away from her.

The trio aimed for the hands, remembering their first fight. At one point more Heartless tried ambushing them from behind, but were destroyed by a spinning attack from a large shuriken, a powerful kick and a glowing Gunblade. Leon, Tifa and Yuffie stood before them, challenging the smaller Heartless.

“We’ll take care of these weaklings,” said Yuffie. “You take out that rusty piece of scrap!”

“Got it! Thanks!”

They managed to destroy the hands. As they moved on to the feet, the trio felt a burst of energy course through them. From inside her barrier, Aerith cheered them on, her staff glowing with support magic.

With enhanced strength, the three made quick work of the left foot. With all the help they had, the battle was going smoothly.

But of course that couldn’t last.

A lone Shadow managed to escape Leon and his friends’ assault and squirmed over to Donald, who stood some distance away from his companions. The magician noticed the Heartless and quickly destroyed it with Fire, but in that moment of distraction, the armored Heartless’ foot lunged itself at him.

“Donald, look out!”

Goofy threw himself in front of his friend and barely made it in time to block the attack with his shield. He was caught airborne though, and without ground to stand on, the impact sent him and Donald flying.

Before the Heartless could try anything else, Kairi jumped at it.

“Stay away from my friends!”

She destroyed the remaining foot with a barrage of furious strikes, reducing the Heartless to its head and torso.

The Heartless shook violently. The torso leaned backwards and light started shining from its body. Suddenly, it shot a ball of light at Kairi. She blocked it with the Keyblade at the last second, but the impact sent her a few steps back. If she were hit by that head-on, she was done for!

The Heartless continued firing in rapid succession. Kairi had no other choice than to keep blocking, her arms feeling the impact more and more until her legs faltered and she fell back. The Heartless prepared to fire again. Her friends called her name in fear, none close enough to help.

No… she still had someone!

She clutched her newly acquired summon gem and held it to her heart, letting its feeling wash over her. Steadfast bravery. Unwavering loyalty. Repressed sorrow.

“Simba! Please, lend me your strength!”

She thrust, turned, then raised the Keyblade. It shot beams of light, and Simba appeared, announcing his presence with a thundering roar.

Simba pounced at the Heartless, its shot missing Kairi and opening a hole in a wall. Powerful claws struck against metal and dented the Heartless’ torso, which fell to the ground. Simba jumped back to Kairi’s side. With their hearts in sync, one look was all it took for them to act.

Kairi charged her magic, but instead of releasing it, she gave it all to Simba, and together they piled up their combined strength. The armored Heartless got up and prepared to retaliate. And then, Simba released his and Kairi’s power in a mighty roar. The explosion of energy shook the Second District. Heartless everywhere were instantly vaporized, and even their friends felt the might of Kairi and Simba’s combined power.

The armored Heartless trembled and its head fell on the torso with a clatter before they both disappeared, leaving behind a glowing heart that quickly disappeared as well.

Kairi looked to the sides to make sure it was over. Once she confirmed there were no more Heartless anywhere, the last of her strength left her legs and she fell forward. Before she could hit the hard ground, something soft and fluffy caught her. She smiled down at Simba, who left her rest in his mane. With some struggle, Kairi brought a hand to his muzzle to pet it.

“Thank you, Simba.” He smiled back at her.

Tifa helped Kairi stand up. Seeing she would be fine, Simba let his form disappear and returned to his summon gem. Her other friends came to see if she was alright, with Aerith patching up her wounds and Goofy offering her some water.

“I’m okay,” she insisted. “That just took a lot out of me.”

“No wonder. That was incredible,” Donald said.

“Thank you. And thanks for the help, guys.” She looked to all of them, glad to have them by her side.

But someone was missing.

“Wait, where’s Riku?”

The others looked around, realizing just then he wasn’t there. Kairi called his name, but nobody answered. Her mind plagued her with worst-case scenarios, that the Heartless had gotten him when they weren’t looking, that she once again failed to protect him—

“It’s okay, Kairi.” Tifa’s firm yet gentle voice grounded her. “I’m sure your friend is alright.”

“But then why did he disappear?” she asked, worried.

Goofy scratched his head in thought. “Didn’t he say he had help to get to Traverse Town?”

“That’s right,” Donald confirmed. “Maybe he went to meet with the person who helped him and tell them he found you.”

That made sense. And even if Riku wasn’t there, at least now she knew he was safe at least, right? The thought brought Kairi some tranquility.

As Donald, Goofy, Yuffie and Aerith did their best to cheer Kairi up, Leon stood a few steps behind them with his arms crossed. Noticing his soberness, Tifa went to him.

“What are you thinking, Leon?”

“Who helped Riku come to this town? It had to be someone with knowledge of other worlds and how to travel between them. It’s rare to find someone with such power.”

“I… don’t know,” Tifa admitted. “But whoever it was, they helped him reunite with Kairi, so it can’t be someone bad.”

Leon looked at Kairi’s back, at the Keyblade she was burdened with. Her demonstration with Simba reminded him just how big of a power she carried… And how many were interested in that power.

“Or what if it was someone who knew of his ties to the Keybearer and wanted to take advantage of that?”

Tifa’s eyes widened in horror. “Are you saying…?”

Leon said nothing, but Tifa understood everything. He was thinking of the one behind the Heartless, behind the loss of so many worlds, including their own.

“This is very serious, Leon. Let’s not jump to conclusions.”

He nodded, letting the matter die for now. Eager to move away from that conversation, the two joined the rest of the group and together they walked to the Keyhole.

Kairi raised the Keyblade. It shot a beam of light at the Keyhole, there was a locking sound and the Keyhole disappeared.

She remained quiet for a moment, Riku’s sudden disappearance still weighing in her mind. Seeing her gloom, her friends sprung to action.

“Whoo!” Yuffie cheered and put an arm around Kairi. “Take that, Heartless!”

“We showed them!” said Donald.

“They’re not gonna bother anyone else in Traverse Town!” said Goofy.

“All those people they’ve hurt finally have a truly safe haven,” said Aerith.

“This calls for a celebration!” said Yuffie.

“Then how about we go to the restaurant and have some of Kronk’s spinach puffs?” Tifa suggested.

Everyone cheered at the idea — even Leon smiled. Seeing them so happy, Kairi couldn’t stay sad anymore. She cheered with them.

Riku watched from afar as Kairi sat at a table with her two traveling companions and the other four who fought alongside them. He had been watching for a while now, ever since he left them behind after Kairi stopped him from fighting.

Her words played in his head over and over again, weighing heavily in his heart. “Stand back.” “We can take care of this.”

And then he watched her fight and was at a loss for words. Kairi wielded that strange blade with such skill and grace it was awe-inspiring. She used magic, creating fire, water and lightning at will, and summoning a lion whose power he felt shake his core.

She seemed so… powerful. So confident. Like a hero from the stories they used to hear and play out.

A strong, capable hero, who didn’t need protection.

“She doesn’t need me anymore…” Riku told himself, heartbroken and alone.

“Don’t let such sentimentality cloud your vision,” a voice said behind him.

Riku didn’t take his eyes off Kairi. He knew it was Maleficent. Though he didn’t acknowledge her, the witch came closer anyway, her tall and horned frame casting a shadow over him.

“Poor boy,” she said in a honeyed voice. “All this time toiling away to find your dear friends, and she’s merely replaced you for new company who can take her as far as she wishes. Evidently, all she values now is playing hero and traveling with those two.”

Riku watched Kairi laugh at a confused Goofy, who had a string of pasta stuck just under his nose, making it look like a mustache. Seeing her have so much fun with strangers was like a knife to Riku’s heart. That laughter used to be reserved for him and Sora alone.

She left us. She left me!

All the fear he garnered over the years and the sadness that gnawed at his heart transformed into anger. Anger at Donald and Goofy for taking Kairi away from him, anger at that Keyblade for bringing them together, and anger at Kairi for abandoning him so easily when she promised she never would.

Something burned in his chest and spread through his body. Maleficent smirked as dark clouds formed around the boy, the pain in his young heart fueling his rage and giving him power.

“It is not her who doesn’t you anymore. It is you who doesn’t need her. Now, pay that girl no mind and come with me. I’ll help you find everything you are looking for.”

Chapter Text

“ONE WEEK?” Kairi shouted.

“Pipe down, kid,” Cid said. Some of the Moogles at the Accessory Shop had jumped or dropped things.

“You really can’t fix the Gummi Ship any faster?” Donald asked.

The mechanic took a whiff of his cigarette. “Look, interspace ain’t no playground, and your ship’s in pretty bad shape. If I don’t fix her up right, she could fall apart and leave you freezing to death. So sorry, but a week’s the bare minimum.”

“But that’s so long…” Kairi protested. “We already spent all that time in the Coliseum, all because I let Phil and Hades get under my skin…”

“Yeah, but that time wasn’t lost,” Goofy assured her and put a hand on her shoulder. “We learned a lot there, we can do the same here.”

“But what about the Heartless? How many worlds will be lost while we wait here?”

“There’s no way to know that,” said Donald. “I understand your frustration, Kairi, but there’s nothing we can do.”

There’s nothing you can do. That sentiment kept following her around. No matter how much stronger she got, when push came to shove, she always fell short.

“Where are you going?” Goofy asked when Kairi walked away.

“I don’t know. Somewhere,” she said, and left the Accessory Shop with her head low.

In her distraction, she failed to notice the person coming her way until she ran into him. Books scattered everywhere and the two fell on their rears with cries of pain. The other person fixed his glasses, which had fallen from his face in the crash, and Kairi recognized him as the scrawny guy she’d met in passing on her first time in Traverse Town.

“I’m so sorry, I was carrying so much I didn’t see—” When he saw who he had bumped on, the man’s eyes widened and he jumped up. “You’re… Ah, forgive me, miss Keybearer! I— I truly didn’t see you!”

He bowed his head and stuttered a million apologies which only served to confuse Kairi. She’d been just as responsible for the accident after all.

“Don’t worry, I wasn’t paying attention either,” she assured him. Without prompt, she started gathering the fallen books, which further surprised the scholar.

“You don’t have to do that, miss.” He knelt down and gathered his things as well. “I’m just clumsy, really, it’s my fault for not looking.”

“Please, call me Kairi. What’s your name?”

He stared at her for a moment before replying. “Milo. Milo Thatch.”

“Nice to meet you, Milo.” Kairi picked up the last of his books and looked at the covers, but couldn’t make out any of the words. Some even had different letters from those she knew. “You can read all these books? That’s amazing!”

Milo blushed at the compliment. “I’m a linguist, you see. I borrowed these books from Merlin and was on my way to deliver them.”

“I’ll help you take them there, then,” she offered.

“What!? Ah-I mean, that’s very kind of you, but you really don’t need to, miss. I mean, Kairi.”

“There are a lot of books, not to mention Merlin’s house is hard to get to. Please, I insist.”

She could tell Milo wanted to refuse, but ultimately, he didn’t. So they followed to Merlin’s house, each carrying half of the books.

Milo walked stilted, always one step behind her. When Kairi noticed it and slowed down, thinking the books were too heavy for him, he looked to the side so their eyes wouldn’t meet. She had no idea why he was acting this way, but was determined to break the ice.

“So how many languages do you speak?” she asked casually.

Milo perked up at the mention of his field and finally looked at her. Unbeknownst to Kairi, she’d just discovered the secret to get him to talk.

“Ah, a lot. I’ve always been fascinated by history and myths, ever since my grandfather told me about them as a kid. I decided to study languages because I wanted to follow in his footsteps, and because I wanted to learn about the mysteries of history. Back then, the commonly accepted theory was that every language besides the one we spoke were remnants of old civilizations. But my grandfather had a different theory, that all those languages were alive and spoken in faraway societies we couldn’t reach.”

He looked over at the people of the Third District they were now traversing. The smile on his face was somewhere between nostalgic, sorrowful and a bit ashamed.

“I know it’s selfish, but… When I arrived here, a part of me was happy. I got to see for myself that he was right. I just wish it were under better circumstances. And while he was still alive…”

Despite having never experienced that kind of pain, Kairi’s heart ached for Milo. Nothing felt worse than being unable to help someone, all because she didn’t have the skill or experience to do so. Still, she couldn’t just say nothing.

“I think you’re pretty strong for finding something good in the middle of all this,” she said. “It means you didn’t let it break your heart.”

“I guess you’re right…”

The heartache eased up, and Kairi breathed more easily.

“And hey, with so many people from different worlds, you've got a lot of help for your studies.”

“I sure wish I did. But no…”

“Why not?”

“People here don’t talk about their past or where they’re from. It brings back too many painful memories.”

Kairi looked at the people of Traverse Town and saw something she hadn’t before. They smiled, but there was little warmth behind those smiles. They were just masks of normalcy to hide the storm inside. How did they bear to live like this?

On some level, she understood the impulse to shut it all out. There were many times she wore a smile to hide unpleasant feelings, or the memory of her world’s fall intruded on her thoughts and got her in a grieving mood. But to look away from what was lost and act like it had never existed… Wasn’t it the same as destroying it for good?

“Milo,” she spoke again, “I can’t speak for everyone here. But if you want, I wouldn’t mind telling you about my world.”

His eyes glowed, making him look like a little kid who’d been promised the greatest Christmas gift imaginable.

“You’d really do that?” Her earnest look answered for her. “That… That’d be great! Thank you so much, Kairi!”

The spontaneity with which he spoke her name made Kairi smile.

Just then, they reached the door that led to Merlin’s cave. Kairi helped Milo hop on the stone path, being careful not to drop the books. Finally, they reached the house, where Merlin made his books float over to the bookshelf and offered them some tea.

“I’d love to, but I really should get back to work,” Milo said in response. “Maybe next time.”

“Of course,” said Merlin. “Feel free to come by and borrow some volumes anytime.”

“Thank you, sir. Oh, and Kairi, you can stop by my office whenever you want to. I’d love to talk some more.”

“I’ll be glad to.”

The scholar went on his way and for a moment, Kairi just stood there, happy to have made a new friend and lifted his spirits.

“What about you?” Merlin asked. “Do you have somewhere to be?”

The Gummi Ship problem came back to her and drained away her good mood. “No. Our ship’s broken and it’ll take a week to fix it.”

“In that case, would you like some tea?”

“Sure, I guess,” Kairi responded rather mechanically.

She sat in the same armchair as before, but instead of delighting in the treats served by Merlin’s teaset, she just held a cup and occasionally took a sip, her mind too busy thinking about all the people in Traverse Town whose worlds she was too late to save.

“I wish I could do more…” she let out eventually. Merlin seemed to understand exactly what she meant.

“You do so much for the people of this town just by being here,” said the wizard. “For years, they’ve had no hope of ever recovering what they lost. You gave them back that hope by wielding the Keyblade. You must have noticed by now, but the residents admire you a great deal.”

Milo had acted so nervous around her, like he was afraid of doing anything that could displease her. Kairi didn’t like being treated like that, but maybe it was to be expected. For everything she’d done to help them, Kairi never spoke to the people of Traverse Town outside of Leon’s group. Was it really surprising they didn’t know how to act around her?

“I know everyone’s counting on me. The last thing I want is to let them down. But this just makes me want to do more for them. Because if I sit still and think about everything…” She covered her eyes with her hand. “I just doubt what I can really do…”

Merlin smiled understandingly, then went to his bookshelf in search of the most precious of his volumes.

“It is true you carry a great responsibility. As one of the few remaining Keybearers, people will look up to you with great respect. But still, you are a child. Such prospects would be overwhelming for anyone, let alone someone your age.”

Finally, he took out a single thick book and laid it on the table, right in front of Kairi.

“In times like these, I find it best to approach such intimidating matters through a different angle. Even the greatest feats begin with a small step.”

Kairi picked up the book, blew off some dust and analyzed it. Bits of paper stuck out of the pages, the brown hardcover was full of nicks and whatever image illustrated it had long since faded. A tattered strap and a rusty lock stubbornly held the book shut after what must have been years of weathering.

She went to ask Merlin why he gave her that, but when she looked up, he had vanished.

With nothing else to do, Kairi opened the book. The first two pages showed a drawing of a cozy wood, with meadows, clearings, and houses carved inside trees. When she turned the page, a bright light came out of the book. Kairi covered her eyes, dropping the book in the process.

Suddenly, she felt she was being dragged, similar to the experience of being in a moving vehicle, when your body is still but your surroundings are moving. It would have made her sick if she weren’t used to traveling in the Gummi Ship.

The musty air of Merlin’s study gave way to a fresh and earthy smell. Kairi risked opening an eye. It was still bright, but not because of the flash. Rather than a dark room, she was now in a meadow covered in soft grass and surrounded by a forest. The sight brought her a sense of peace, just like the picture in Merlin’s book.

Could she have somehow ended up inside the book? It seemed absurd, though not much more than shadows consuming the hearts of worlds, mad queens that ruled over playing cards or a land where you didn’t grow up. With everything that had happened to her, nothing was out of the realm of possibilities.

A hint of movement caught her eye. On a log at the center of the meadow, there sat a yellow stuffed bear with a red shirt. As Kairi approached him, he mumbled, “Think, think,” over and over and tapped his head with a concentrated expression.

“Hello there,” she greeted. “Is something wrong?”

“Nothing. Just thinking.”

“Really? About what?”

“I was thinking about how to say goodbye to Pooh.”

“Pooh?”

“Yes?”

“Wait, you’re Pooh?” Confused, Kairi sat by the bear’s side.

“Yes, I’m Winnie the Pooh. Pooh for short. And who are you?”

“I’m Kairi. Why do you want to say goodbye to yourself?”

“Because everyone’s gone away. We all lived here in the Hundred Acre Wood. And we’d take walks together, or play Pooh sticks. And every day I’d eat some honey. Just one smackeral would taste very good right now.”

As he spoke, Pooh rubbed his belly longingly.

“But now, everyone is gone. All my friends, and the Hunny Trees too,” he lamented. “Everyone must have gone away while I was napping, I think. So, who knows? Maybe I shall end up going away as well. But I wonder, how do I say goodbye to myself?”

He went back to thinking and muttering. Kairi remained seated, reflecting on Pooh’s story. She was no stranger to being separated from friends, but Pooh’s situation seemed different. His world wasn’t gone, just its people. But why?

Kairi thought back to how old and beat-down the book she assumed had brought her there was. How long had it been since someone else last opened it? For how long had this place seen no one new? What even happened to a world, to a heart, when it had no one to connect to?

“I’ll help you,” she offered before that scary thought could conclude. “I’ll help you find your friends.”

“You will?” Pooh asked in a hopeful voice.

“Of course. No one should ever have to feel alone.” She got up and gestured for Pooh to follow. “Come on.”

“Thank you, Kairi,” he said and hopped off the log. “Shall we look in the woods?”

“Sure. Lead the way.”

Kairi soon regretted saying that.

Pooh walked very slowly, and his short legs meant he had to take three steps for every one step Kairi took. Just crossing the meadow and entering the woods took over a minute. By the time ten minutes had passed, Kairi considered picking Pooh up and carrying him. Unfortunately, she didn’t know the woods or where to go. Come to think of it, she hadn’t even asked where he was taking them.

“So where are we going, Pooh?”

The bear hummed in thought. “I’m not sure. Perhaps somewhere with honey?”

“I thought we were searching for your friends.”

“Oh, that’s right. It might be best to look for honey with more company.”

“Is honey all you think about?” Kairi asked with a hint of amusement.

“My tummy likes to think about it.”

He rubbed his tummy and it rumbled loudly. A chuckle escaped Kairi. Once it passed, however, Pooh’s ambling once again made her anxious.

“Can’t you go any faster?” she asked while trying not to be rude.

“Is there something else you need to do, Kairi?”

She looked down, again remembering the Gummi Ship problem. “No. I have nothing to do.”

“How lucky.”

“Lucky? How is that lucky?” She felt anything but lucky. Even when things started to look up, a new roadblock appeared.

“Because doing nothing often leads to the very best something,” said Pooh. The answer only made her frown.

Kairi and Pooh made it to a little bridge overlooking a stream next to a hill with a tree and a swing. Pooh climbed on to watch the water flow. Seeing few options, Kairi leaned on the bridge as well.

“When I can do nothing, I like to go to Rabbit’s house so he can say ‘Serve yourself to some honey’, and I do.” Pooh looked up at Kairi. “When Kairi has nothing to do, she helps Pooh. It’s a nice something to get from your nothing.”

“I… never thought about it that way.”

The two remained silent, with only the sound of the stream between them. Kairi watched and listened the water run its course. It was so clear she could see her and Pooh’s reflection as if it were a mirror. The sky above them was the same shade of blue as Sora’s eyes. It seemed to invite her to dive into it. The wood of the bridge creaked under their weight, like the steps of the porch from where her grandma watched her play with Sora and Riku in the yard. That yard smelled a bit like the Hundred Acre Wood, with its damp soil and grass and the flowers Grandma raised. The sound of the ocean was also similar to the sound of the brook, at least in its calmer days. The Ocean was ever changing, after all.

Before she realized it, Kairi was smiling.

“Heeeelp!”

A small, panicked voice snapped her out of her thoughts. A red balloon emerged from the woods, carried by the wind. At the end of the string, a tiny pink creature held on for dear life.

“Help, I’m being blown away!” the creature cried.

“Hang on, I’m coming!”

Thinking fast, Kairi picked up a pebble from the ground and threw it. The balloon popped. The pink creature screamed as he fell, but Kairi ran and caught him just in time.

“Oh d-d-dear! That was so scary! T-Thank you!”

“Don’t mention it.”

She put the creature down. He was just as tall as her shoes, had a flat nose and large ears. Pooh ambled to them with a smile.

“Hello, Piglet. I see you’ve met my new friend Kairi.”

“Pooh! It’s you! I looked everywhere for you!”

“So you’re one of Pooh’s friends?” Kairi asked. She knelt down to be at eye level with Pooh and Piglet. “We were looking for you too. But how did you end up being carried like that?”

“I wanted to bring Pooh a balloon so he could climb the Hunny Tree. But I couldn’t find either one. Now I found Pooh, but the balloon popped.”

“Sorry for that,” Kairi apologized. Maybe she should have thought of a better way to save Piglet…

“It’s okay,” said Pooh. “I can always go see Rabbit so he can offer some honey. If only I could find him…”

“I think I saw Rabbit’s house from up in the sky.” Piglet pointed to a path. “This way.”

Pooh sniffed the air. “Oh, I can already smell the honey.”

The three followed the path. As they walked, Pooh and Piglet held hands, sometimes commenting about honey or something else. Now that they had a path to follow, Kairi could carry them and they’d arrive quicker. But she didn’t do it, didn’t even offer. After all, she had nothing to do, so what was wrong with taking things slow? Pooh was the one who was hungry and he wasn’t in any hurry, so why should she be?

Realizing this, Kairi stopped walking ahead and ambled beside Pooh. The little bear noticed this and offered her his free hand, which she gladly accepted. The softness of his hand made her insides all warm and fuzzy for reasons she didn’t quite understand. The forest went by like a lullaby that soothed them to sleep. Had walking always felt this nice?

Kairi was so distracted it took her a moment to realize they had arrived at their destination: a quaint vegetable garden cut in the middle by a waterway, on the other side of which was a wide tree turned house. Despite there clearly being a door, Pooh and Piglet went all the way around to a small hole under a sign that read “RABBIT’S HOWSE”.

“Hello? Rabbit? Is anyone home?” Pooh called into the hole.

“Nobody! Nobody is home!” a voice answered.

“Oh, that’s too bad,” said Pooh.

To Kairi’s confusion, Pooh and Piglet began walking away.

“Someone has got to be in there,” she said. “Who else would say ‘nobody’?”

“Oh yes, well thought, Kairi.” Pooh went back to the hole and crawled inside. “Nobody, have you seen my friend Rabbit?”

“No! There’s no Rabbit here!” the voice inside insisted.

Meanwhile, Kairi entered through the front door. The inside was a cozy room with simple furniture and a yellow rabbit looking weary as Pooh made his way through the entrance hole, followed by Piglet.

“Hello, Rabbit!”

“Why, Pooh. What a pleasant surprise…” Rabbit said unenthusiastically. “I’m sorry, but I’m all out of honey at the moment.”

“Isn’t there some up there?” Kairi asked, looking at a pot hidden on a beam next to the ceiling.

“Ah! Who are you?”

“My name is Kairi. I’m helping Pooh find his friends.”

“What was that you said about honey, Kairi?” Pooh asked.

She pointed up and everyone looked. Rabbit faked surprise:

“H-How did that get there? I would offer you some, Pooh, but I’m afraid none of us can reach it.”

Unfortunately, it was true. Kairi was just able to touch the pot while standing on her tiptoes. But then she had an idea. Using the Keyblade, she pushed the honey pot off the beam. Rabbit caught it when it fell and sighed.

“Would you like some honey, Pooh? Don’t feel you have to.”

“Thank you, Rabbit!”

Pooh took the pot, sat by the table and began eating his fill, sinking his hands in honey and putting it directly into his mouth. Kairi chuckled as she watched him and put away the Keyblade. It felt weird to use such a powerful and important thing to reach a pot of honey, but Pooh’s happiness was worth it.

He ate for minutes on end, leaving Kairi, Piglet and Rabbit to amuse themselves (mostly by listening to Rabbit talk about his garden, which also served to calm his nerves). When he finally finished, the pot was empty and Pooh seemed a bit wider.

“We must be going now,” he said in a rather sticky voice. “We still need to find the rest of our friends. Thank you, Rabbit.”

“Goodbye, Pooh…”

He went for the hole again to crawl out. However, halfway there, Pooh stopped moving.

“Oh, help and bother. I’m stuck again.”

“Not again!” Rabbit exclaimed. “It all comes down to eating so much honey!”

They gathered outside, where Pooh’s top was. Despite his situation, Pooh seemed calm enough to discern his priorities.

“How will I eat honey when I’m stuck here? When it’s lunchtime, would you bring me a jar?”

“No honey until you’re unstuck!” Rabbit ordained. “I don’t want my house plugged up forever.”

“Oh d-d-dear, what can we do?” Piglet asked.

“Maybe we could shove him back?” Kairi suggested.

“What he needs is to slim down,” Rabbit said. “Fortunately, a bit of carrot top juice should do the trick. My carrot patch is on the other side of the stream, we just need to— Oh no!”

They suddenly heard something like a spring. Rabbit ran to his garden in a panic. Before Kairi could follow, she was tackled by something and somersaulted until she was lying on the ground with her attacker on top of her: a stuffed tiger.

“Hey there! Name’s Tigger! T-I-double-guh-RR. That spells Tigger!”

“Nice to meet you?” Kairi said.

Tigger took an even closer look, and his and Kairi’s noses touched. “Hey, I haven’t seen you before. Why do your pants only have one leg?”

“It’s a skirt,” she said. “That’s how they’re made.”

“Hello, Tigger,” Pooh greeted. “You’ve just bounced my new friend Kairi.”

“A new friend to bounce with? Fantastic! But I warn you, no one can bounce like a Tigger!”

He sprang away, bouncing on his tail like a pogo stick. Rabbit watched in horror as Tigger hopped all over his garden, broke fences and knocked over gardening tools.

“Tigger’s bouncing will ruin my vegetables! We have to keep him away from the carrots, or Pooh will be stuck forever!”

“I got it!” Kairi ran to the carrot patch, not thinking about how Rabbit made something so silly sound so serious or how she reacted accordingly.

She reached the patch in time to block Tigger from bouncing on a carrot and burying it. Instead, his tail met Kairi’s hand and she sent him to land off the patch.

“Ooh-hoo-hoo-hoo! Wanna try to keep up with me? Well, good luck! Bouncing is what Tiggers do best!”

“Challenge accepted!” she said.

While Tigger jumped around, Kairi did her best to predict where he would land and intercept him there. Rabbit used the opportunity to harvest his carrots. But Tigger wasn’t kidding when he said he was good at bouncing. The more Kairi caught him, the faster he got. In the end, she had to use a bit of enhancing magic to keep up.

Finally, Rabbit plucked the last carrot out of the ground and scurried back to his house after giving Kairi a grateful look. She smiled and sat down on the soil, panting.

Tigger settled down for a moment to speak to her. “Say, you kept up pretty good there, Kairi. Especially for a non-Tigger! Let’s do that again sometime!”

“Sure, Tigger. I had fun.” And she had helped Rabbit and Pooh along the way too. That was as good a use of magic as she could think.

Once the carrot top juice was done, Pooh drank it all, though he asked if he could have some honey to go with it, which Rabbit denied. Now the only thing to do was push him out.

“I’m coming, Pooh,” Kairi said loudly so Pooh could hear through the wall. “Get ready.”

She ran to get momentum and then shoved Pooh straight out of the hole. The poor bear was sent flying to who knows where.

“Kairi!” Piglet called when she came out. “Pooh’s going that way!”

She picked him up this time and ran after Pooh. To her slight surprise, Tigger and Rabbit came after them too. It was obvious, she realized, they didn’t want to be alone after losing their friends already.

They found Pooh next to the stream where he and Kairi had spotted Piglet, sitting on a pile of sticks that weren’t there before.

“Pooh!”

Just before they reached him, Tigger sprang ahead and pounced on Pooh.

“Pooh boy! That was a mighty good bounce you did! But you can’t stop after just one bounce, you gotta keep going!”

“Thank you, Tigger.”

Kairi and Piglet went to them too. At the same time, Rabbit arrived panting.

“I’m glad you’re okay, Pooh,” Kairi said.

“I’m glad too,” he said. “Although I believe I may have fallen on something.”

Piglet analyzed the sticks on the ground. “Say, don’t these look like pieces of Eeyore’s house?”

“Look there!” Rabbit pointed to the stream.

Something grey was drifting their way. Once it got closer, Kairi realized it was a stuffed, gloomy-looking donkey.

“Hello, Eeyore,” Pooh greeted casually.

“Hello, Pooh,” the donkey responded drearily. “Could you pull me out? That is, if it’s not too much trouble.”

“Hang on!”

Kairi jumped on the stream, grabbed Eeyore and began swimming back to shore. After years going up against the waves of the ocean, the slow current offered little challenge, even as she carried someone. They quickly got out and back to the other three. Or rather, the other five. Two more figures had joined the group, an owl and a Piglet-sized kangaroo in a blue sweater. Before questioning who they were, Kairi put Eeyore safely on the ground.

“Thank you, someone,” he said.

“You’re welcome.”

“That was quite a daring rescue, young lady,” said the owl. “I don’t believe we’ve met yet.”

“I’m Kairi. I’ve been helping Pooh around today. And you are?”

“Pardon my manners. My name is Owl.”

“And I’m Roo!” The kangaroo hopped in front of her. “I was lost and didn't know where I was. But then I saw Pooh flying through the sky and came here, where I found you guys!”

“So you were alone too?” Piglet asked. “The same thing happened to me. I didn’t know what to do, and it was so frightening… Thankfully, Pooh and Kairi found me.”

“Since she was the one who pushed him, I guess we could say Pooh and Kairi are the reason we’re together again,” said Rabbit.

“You know, floating along out there, it seemed like something was missing,” said Eeyore. “And something is still missing.”

“Why Eeyore, your tail is gone!” Piglet said, looking at his rear.

Eeyore sighed. “Lost it again. Wonder where it wound up this time.”

“Say Pooh, what’s that you’re sitting on?” Rabbit asked.

Kairi helped Pooh up. A little toy tail with a pink ribbon and a nail, the kind you attach to posters in birthday games, was stuck to his shirt. Kairi picked it up and showed it to Eeyore.

“Is this your tail?”

“That’s it,” he said with little noticeable enthusiasm.

Kairi nailed the tail to its proper place and Eeyore waved it around.

“It’s not much of a tail, but I’m sort of attached to it. Thanks, everyone. Now if only I had a house to stay in.” Eeyore looked despondent at the mess of sticks on the ground. “But it seems a heffalump destroyed it.”

“Oh my, I hope it’s gone already,” said Pooh, oblivious to the fact he destroyed Eeyore’s house.

“Doesn’t matter. It probably would’ve collapsed anyway. I’ll just build it again.”

“‘Again’?” Kairi asked. “Did this happen already?”

“A couple times,” said Eeyore. “No matter. I just rebuild every time.”

The resignation in his voice pained her. She looked at the remains of his house and remembered a time when she’d gone with her mother to an island that had been struck by a hurricane. A lot of people lost their houses, so her mother went there to help. With everyone working together, they were able to rebuild better and stronger than before.

“That’s it!” Kairi exclaimed. Her new friends looked curiously at her. “Let’s build Eeyore a new house! A stronger one that won’t break so easily.”

“Strong enough to resist a heffalump attack?” Piglet asked.

“I don’t know what that is, but sure.”

“What a remarkable idea!” said Owl.

“Sounds like a lot of work,” said Eeyore. “I don’t want to get in the way of your fun.”

“Nonsense. My dad always says, when a person is in trouble, it’s up to the community to come to their aid. I want to help you, Eeyore. Who’s with me?”

“I am!” Tigger bounced up and down. “Helping is what Tiggers do best!”

“Me too, me too!” Roo mimicked Tigger.

“This sounds like a great undertaking. You can count on my assistance,” said Owl.

“I suppose I can help as well,” said Rabbit.

“I don’t know how much I can help, but I’ll do whatever I can,” said Piglet.

“How funny,” Pooh started. “For some reason, helping my friends reminds me of the taste of honey.”

“Everyone…” Eeyore’s gloomy voice seemed to lighten up ever so slightly. “Thanks a lot.”

“So Kairi, how do we build this strong house?” Piglet asked.

She looked around at the space available, the gears in her head turning as the project slowly came together in her mind.

“We’re gonna start… There.” She pointed to a flat stretch of land near the start of the woods. “Eeyore, if I may…”

Kairi picked him up and put him on the spot she pointed to. Then, with a stick, she drew a square around him that was not too big, but gave Eeyore some nice space to move about.

“This will be the area of Eeyore’s house. The ground here is firm and soft, I’m sure it’ll be very comfortable,” she said, touching the soil.

“We’ll build walls around this square and then a roof to protect Eeyore from the sun and rain. For that, we’re gonna need a lot of sticks, but not just any sticks. They need to be at least a good bit longer than Eeyore’s height, and decently thick, like this one.” She showed the stick in her hand. “This way the house won’t get blown by the wind or crushed by— Err, by a heffalump.”

That last word caused the woods’ denizens to tremble. Kairi would have to remember to ask what a heffalump was later. For now, she continued to explain:

“I know you all have just found each other after being alone, so I thought we could work in pairs. It’ll also help us not to get lost.”

“I wanna pair up with Tigger!” Roo promptly said.

“Alright. Anyway, that adds up to four pairs. Three look for sticks and one looks for vines for us to tie the sticks together. I’d suggest Owl and his pair take care of that last part.”

“It will be a pleasure,” he said.

“I’ll go with you,” Rabbit volunteered. “I know where we can find some vines.”

“Great! The rest of us will gather wood. Let’s build Eeyore the best house in the world!”

“Yeah!” Everyone cheered with varied degrees of excitement, ranging from Eeyore to Tigger.

Per Owl’s suggestion, each pair followed a different direction. He and Rabbit went toward the forest, Tigger and Roo in the direction against the river’s current, and Piglet and Eeyore went along the current, keeping a safe distance so the latter wouldn’t fall again. This left Pooh and Kairi to go beyond the hill.

“Shall we go that way, Kairi?”

“Gladly, Pooh.”

The two held hands as they walked. Kairi wasn’t sure if they’d been in that part of the woods before, as it all looked rather samey. Or at least that’s what she would have thought before. Now, she noticed how each tree had something unique, a scratch on the bark, a crooked trunk, a bird’s nest atop a branch. A cluster of those things formed a pretty enough picture, but some things only became clear by seeing the forest for the trees.

Of course, the company also played a big part in making the experience enjoyable.

“I wish we could look for honey instead of sticks.”

“I know you do, Pooh. I know you do,” Kairi said with a smile.

They went around the woods looking for sticks for Eeyore’s house. While Kairi inspected each stick to make sure they’d be good, Pooh… did his best.

“How about this one?” he asked her with a stick in his hands.

“It’s too short.”

“And this one?”

“Too thin.”

“And this one?”

“Pooh, that’s… the letter i? Where did you find that?”

“It was right there on the corner of the page.” He po_nted.

“Well, put it back then. Someone’s gonna need it.”

“Oh bother, you’re right. Sorry, Someone.”

He placed the letter exactly where he found it. Thank you!

Eventually, the two came across a fallen tree, which Pooh suggested had fallen in the last Windsday. Kairi took note of the branches sticking out of the trunk and started plucking them out. Meanwhile, Pooh sat on the log, watching the girl work and remembering a different child.

“Kairi?” he called. “You said before you have nothing to do. Is that always true?”

“Not really. Normally I have a lot to do.”

Maybe even too much, she thought.

“Like what, for instance?” Pooh asked.

Kairi didn’t answer immediately. She wasn’t supposed to tell anyone details about her mission, and she doubted Pooh would understand if she tried explaining anyway. But she also didn’t want to lie to him.

“Like helping a little girl find her way home. Or a team of researchers achieve their dream. Or give people something fun to watch by participating in a contest. Or even going on a treasure hunt with a group of kids. That’s the kind of thing I do on an average day.”

“So, the thing you do on an average day, when you’re not doing nothing, is the very important thing of making people smile.”

Kairi stopped what she was doing and turned to Pooh with a surprised face.

“What did you say?”

“You make people smile,” he repeated. “Like when you offered to help me look for everyone. Or when you saved Piglet from being blown away, or Rabbit’s carrots from being bounced by Tigger. And when you helped me become unstuck, and now you’re helping Eeyore build a new house. Your something makes us all very happy, so it must be very important.”

Kairi had never taken notice of any of that. It was all so natural to her. Why wouldn’t she help them when they were in a pinch? Help anyone for that matter? Those who can help should help. 

Yet here was Pooh, telling her that what she did every day made people smile. That all those little things she’d done, all the times she helped someone — even when it got in the way of her duty as the Keybearer — had been important.

She couldn’t help breaking into the dorkiest grin — the kind she associated Sora with.

“Thank you for telling me this, Pooh. Knowing I made you smile makes me the happiest I can be.”

The bear smiled back.

Kairi quickly collected all the sticks she could from the fallen tree, and then she and Pooh carried them back to the stream by the hill, where they met the rest of the group. Thanks to everyone’s combined effort, they had a pile of sticks and a few meters of ivy to build Eeyore’s new house.

They worked for the entire afternoon. At first, Kairi felt the urge to take on the project alone, to spare her friends the trouble. However, their enthusiasm to help quickly made her reject that idea. So instead, she showed them how to measure sticks, remove twigs and shoots, and began explaining how they would build the structure of the house. None of them seemed bothered by the work. Rather, they treated it like a game.

Other tasks, Kairi kept to herself. Mainly anything that involved her carving knife. She actually tried teaching everyone to cut twigs instead of plucking them out and it worked out fine for a while, but then Tigger got excited and began bouncing with the knife in his hand and accidentally made a long cut on Eeyore’s back. After putting all his stuffing back inside and sewing him up, Kairi stated no one else would be using the knife but her.

So while her friends from the woods polished and sorted sticks by size, Kairi carved one end of some of the longest sticks to turn them into stakes. Then, with the help of a rock, she nailed four of them on the edges of the square she had drawn on the ground. Three more she put exactly in the middle of each side, and in the fourth side, two stakes a few inches off the middle, leaving a space that would serve as an entrance. With that framework done, they were ready to fill in the walls by placing sticks horizontally and tying them up with ivy. Some spots Kairi even reinforced with a mix of clay, sand and water trampled by Tigger and Roo, to make extra sure they wouldn’t fall.

Of course, they took breaks every now and then. Around the middle of the afternoon, Piglet and Rabbit went off to fetch some food so they could have a snack. They returned minutes later, Piglet with a jar of honey for Pooh and Rabbit with a cart filled with freshly picked carrots, pumpkins, tomatoes, zucchinis, apples, oranges, pears and blackberries.

“Oh boy, a feast fit for a Tigger!”

“It’s not just for you!” Rabbit said with a glare.

“Thank you very much, Rabbit,” Kairi said and picked up an apple.

After they ate, the group went back to working on the house. The next challenge they faced was the roof. Kairi had wanted to build it with palm leaves, the same as some cabins back on Destiny Islands, but there were no such trees in the Hundred Acre Wood. So, they had to settle for wood as well. Rabbit brought some nails and a hammer from his house, which Kairi used to attach some sticks together in an upside-down V-shape and then place and nail them on top of the walls. Now she just needed to do that a lot more times.

“You know, this house is starting to look awfully nice,” Piglet eventually said. “But uh, I was thinking… Shouldn’t a home have nice things, like curtains and flowers?”

“And a bed to sleep and bounce on?” Roo suggested.

“And a garden to grow your food?” said Rabbit.

“And shelves in which to store your collections?” said Owl.

“And a nice table to eat a jar of honey on?” said Pooh, rubbing his tummy.

“Alright, alright.” Kairi raised her hands for them to stop. “I get it, you don’t just want Eeyore to have a home, but a cozy one too. In that case, why don’t you get some things to add to the house? Looks like the sun will begin setting soon, so you should go now if you wanna make it back before nighttime.”

They nodded enthusiastically and scampered off. In the meantime, Kairi left the roof for later — after all, she’d need it open to decorate the inside — and tried to figure out some mechanism for the door with Eeyore’s help. They eventually managed to build a door by tying a few sticks together and installed it by digging matching pairs of small holes on the side of the door and the wall and tying them together.

Around the same time, the rest of the group began to arrive with items to add to the house. Piglet brought floral tablecloth, Rabbit seeds, Roo a blanket his mother had knitted, Owl a couple of old books, Tigger a framed doodle of himself — “So you won’t forget your pal Tigger,” he said — and Pooh brought an empty jar of honey.

“My tummy got very rumbly on the way,” he explained himself.

“Well, I’m sure we can still use it for something,” said Kairi.

In the end, the jar was used as a table, with Owl’s books serving as cushions. Piglet’s tablecloth was cut and nailed above the windows as curtains, tied back with strings for easy opening and closing. Some tree bark covered in leaves served as the bed, over which they lay Roo’s blanket. Finally, on the outside, Rabbit planted his flower seeds, and Kairi built fences with leftover sticks and laid some pebbles to make a little path.

With that taken care of, Kairi resumed work on the roof. It got dark before she could finish, so she gathered the last remaining sticks and cast Fire to create a campfire, allowing her to see what she was doing and soothing her friends’ fear of heffalumps and woozles hiding in the dark. In around thirty minutes, she finished building the roof, coating it with tree sap and leaves to further protect the inside from the sun and rain, and even crafted a little chimney just for decoration.

Finally, after hours of work, the group contemplated their finished creation.

“So, Eeyore,” Kairi started, “what do you think of your new house?”

The donkey ambled toward his new residence and Kairi couldn’t help feeling nervous. The little house was rough around the edges for sure, but each of those edges was made with great care. From the makeshift furniture to the messy but thoughtful craftwork, the house had her makers’ signs written all over it.

“So?” Piglet asked after a few moments of silence. “Do you like it?”

Instead of answering, Eeyore went through the door and came out soon after, when he finally spoke:

“I don’t understand you guys. Even though I’m always dragging you down, you still made this beautiful house. I never had such a nice place. Thanks, everyone.”

And then, the corners of his mouth lifted into perhaps the rarest smile in the worlds.

Everybody cheered and ran to hug Eeyore and admire the house up close. Kairi felt so light seeing them smile and laugh, like she was back in Neverland, flying without a care in the world. All the worries that weighed on her since learning about the state of the Gummi Ship — maybe since getting the Keyblade, even — seemed so far away now.

As if on autopilot, Kairi let her feet take her to the top of the hill. She sat on the log and looked up at the stars with a smile. For once, she was completely at peace.

“Kairi?” a soft voice spoke. Winnie the Pooh sat by her side. “What is it you’re doing now?”

“Nothing. Just thinking,” she said, echoing their first meeting

“About what?” asked Pooh, none the wiser.

Kairi looked at her new friends down the hill. “About how much I love seeing people happy. And how if it weren’t for you, this wouldn’t be possible.”

“But it was you who showed us how to build the house.”

“And it was you who showed me how wonderful it is to do nothing.”

At this, Pooh smiled too. “Yes, I suppose I did do that.”

They enjoyed each other’s company in silence for a little while. Eventually, Pooh spoke again:

“Kairi? What are you going to do now?”

“I’m going back to the rest of my friends. They’re probably looking for me.”

Pooh’s face fell. “So… Does that mean you’re leaving?”

“What?! Kairi can’t leave!”

Out of nowhere, Tigger wrapped his springy arms around Kairi. The rest of their friends came along too, all wearing downcast faces.

“You’re leaving? Why?” Piglet asked sadly. “Don’t you like us?”

“Should’ve known. No one would wanna stay with someone like me,” said Eeyore.

“It’s your fault for bouncing all over her!” Rabbit pointed to Tigger.

“I’m sorry my bouncing made you mad,” he cried.

“Please, Kairi, don’t go!” Roo pleaded while hugging her leg.

Kairi freed herself from Roo and Tigger’s embraces and addressed her friends with a sympathetic smile.

“I’m not mad at any of you, guys. I loved spending time with each of you. I had so much fun today, I wish every day could be like this.”

The animals looked hopefully at her.

“But that’s exactly why I can’t stay.”

They deflated.

“There are many people out there who are lost and in trouble, just like you were. Some of them are people I know. I want to be there for them and help them smile again. Until everyone can be as happy as I was here, I could never be truly satisfied.”

The residents of the Hundred Acre Wood looked glumly at each other, understanding her motives but still sad. But then, Pooh got up and walked to her with a smile.

“We understand, Kairi,” he said. “This something you wanna do is very important. When you’re out there not doing nothing, don’t forget… We shall always be here.”

The girl and the bear held hands. The others were quick to join in on the goodbye, now much more cheerful.

“Bounce on back again!”

“Let’s play some more when you’re back!”

“I could use your help with the harvest again.”

“And I still have many stories to share.”

“Feel free to stop by. Of course, you don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

“I hope you’ll reach all the people you want to help.”

Kairi embraced each of them and walked away while waving goodbye. Right after she disappeared into the woods, a shooting star rose through the sky and brightened the entire world. Pooh and his friends all made a wish that Kairi would visit again.

~♡~

Kairi found herself in Merlin’s house. In her hands was the old book that started it all, only it was different. Instead of an empty cover, an illustration of her, Pooh, Piglet and Tigger walking along a road was displayed underneath the title “Winnie the Pooh”.

“There you are.” Merlin’s voice entered the room. As suddenly as he had left, he now stood by the entrance. “It’s amazing how far a good book can take us, is it not?”

“How long was I away?” Kairi asked, a bit nervous. She’d been in the woods for so long, were Donald and Goofy worried?

“In this world? A little under an hour, I believe,” Merlin revealed, calming her. “So, did you enjoy yourself?”

Kairi took one last look at the illustration of her friends and smiled at the wizard. “Yes. Thank you.”

They bid farewell for the moment and Kairi ran off, unable to contain her excitement. Merlin picked up the old book left on the table and stored it in his shelf, where it would wait patiently for the next time Kairi needed a place to do nothing. For now, there was much to be done.

Chapter Text

Dear Sora,

Long time no see! A lot has happened since my last letter, even though Donald, Goofy and I have stayed a good while in Traverse Town. For such a calm place, there’s a lot to do here.

For once, training. I haven’t been slacking off. These days have been a great opportunity to learn from people besides Donald and Goofy. Not that they’re bad teachers, but training with different people can help you see things through new angles and realize things you otherwise wouldn’t.

Leon, for instance, helped me practice sword-fighting, something neither Donald nor Goofy were equipped to do. He’s even shown me how to mix in some magic with my strikes. He acts tough, but he truly cares about this town and his friends, and wants to protect them. Kinda like Riku.

With Yuffie, I practiced my movement and endurance. I had learned to enhance my body with magic before, but Yuffie helped me keep it up for longer stretches of time. She told me that instead of “turning it on” only when I needed it, I should keep it turned on constantly. It was hard running and jumping around while focusing on enhancing my body, but I think it paid off.

As for elemental magic, I worked on that with Merlin and Aerith. They didn’t teach me a ton of new spells (Blizzard and Aero were the only new elements I picked up), but helped me fine-tune the ones I already knew. Namely, they taught me how to shape spells, like turning Fire into a ring of flames and Aero into a whirlwind. Thanks to them, my Thunder spell now forms a cloud that shoots lightning. It’s still not as good as Donald’s, but it’s already more precise than it was before.

There’s also summoning, which I only discovered recently, but want to learn more about. Archimedes helped me go over some books on the subject (he’s actually pretty sweet once you look past all the grumbling), and the Fairy Godmother helped me put that research into practice. Summon magic isn’t as easy to perform as elemental magic, since I need a charm to bring out my connection to whom I’m summoning. For now, I only have two of those — Simba’s gem and Tink’s bag of pixie dust — but maybe I’ll find more as my journey goes on.

I’ve also picked up a new skill. Since I can’t summon the Keyblade whenever I want like I’m supposed to, I run the risk of being disarmed, which has happened a few times now. To circumvent that, I asked Tifa to teach me some hand-to-hand combat. That way, I can still defend myself without the Keyblade. I’ve been practicing casting magic without it for the same reason.

Speaking of the Keyblade, I’ve visited the Moogles’ synthesis shop to learn more about how they transport goods around the worlds. They were all very interested in the Keyblade, and one of them, Mog, asked me what its name was. When I asked if it needed a name, he said all things of value have names. I said I couldn’t think of a name to give that Keyblade, but he said Keyblades are born from people, like they’re a part of them. You don’t give someone a name, they give you their name. I was embarrassed to say I didn’t know the Keyblade’s name. I talked about this with Merlin and Fairy Godmother afterwards, and they theorized it might be because I’m not fully in tune with the Keyblade yet, which would also explain why I can’t summon it. As long as that’s the case, I’ll never reach the Keyblade’s full potential.

This is upsetting, but you know what? I’m not gonna let it bring me down. Ever since the start of this journey, I’ve been beating myself up for not being as strong as I thought I should be. I told myself it was because stopping the Heartless was too important, which is true, but only partially. In truth, I was impatient. I wanted to become good right away, because I was afraid failing at anything would mean worlds would be destroyed. Now I see how silly that is. Even if I were the perfect Keyblade wielder, I could still only be in one place at a time. The Heartless can be everywhere. It’s hardly an even fight, so maybe I shouldn’t be so hard on myself.

Besides, the Keyblade isn’t the only way I can make a difference.

What I truly liked most this week was talking and getting to know the people who live in Traverse Town. I probably should have done this long ago. Even though I was fighting for their sake, I didn’t know them as people, just objects to be protected.

It’s embarrassing to admit it, but I think I let this whole Keyblade thing go to my head. It was so arrogant to think spending time in Traverse Town would be a waste. I’m not some divine saviour sent to purge the worlds of darkness. I’m a person just like everyone else. I just so happen to have a skill most people don’t. And for as amazing and important as that skill is, it can’t solve every problem. That’s why if I want the people of this town to have a bright future, I can’t depend solely on the Keyblade.

~♡~

An arrow zipped through the air, aimed at a target painted on the alleyway wall, only to instead hit the ground already full of misfired arrows.

“Oh, come on!” Kairi complained. Merida sat on a crate to the side and let out a snort at her annoyance.

“If it’s any consolation, that one at least went farther than the others.”

Kairi had thought that trying out some archery would be a good way to get close to Merida, who could shoot with a bow like few others. She had been excited at the prospect of discussing archery with someone else, another girl nonetheless, and Kairi had been excited to try something new, but she greatly underestimated how hard it was to use a bow and arrow.

“This thing is so hard!” she said while struggling to pull the string. “How am I supposed to pull it all the way through?”

“Why do you think the arrow reaches so far?” As she spoke, Merida got up, put her hands over Kairi’s and effortlessly pulled in her stead. After adjusting the aim a bit, she released the arrow, which hit the target dead on its center.

“See? It’s easy,” she said smugly. “It’s just a matter of practice.”

“And how long have you been practicing exactly?” Kairi asked skeptically.

Merida sat back down in a lax manner. “Around 12 to 13 years.”

“How old were you when you started!?”

“Exactly six years old when my—” She cut herself short. “When I started learning.”

Kairi glanced at Merida, whose face had lost some of its playfulness. This was a good opportunity, but she had to proceed carefully.

“That’s a pretty young age to be picking up a bow,” she said while fitting in an arrow. “Was there a reason you started when you did?”

Merida dropped the smirk and looked at her with serious eyes. “You mean you never played fighting just because you thought it was cool? How else would you know how to wield your blade?”

The bowstring resisted her pull, so Kairi pulled harder. “I did. We all did back home, some more than others. My friends Riku and Sora fought each other all the time. But we used toy swords and rods to fight. Not actual weapons.”

Merida’s head turned. “I guess we just grew up in very different places.”

The arrow slipped from her fingers and fell. Still, Kairi picked it up and fitted it on the bow again, determined to make it work.

“But even though it was all child’s play, we had people to teach us,” she said. “Riku’s cousin would visit the island from time to time and play with us. His dad liked collecting weapons, so he taught him swordplay since he was little. And then he taught us. I never really got what the fun of overpowering someone was, but I did like running and moving about with everyone. I could never sit still in a single place for long. You can ask Donald about that.”

She let out a chuckle and Merida turned to her again. “Couldn’t sit still, eh?”

Finally, Kairi managed to pull the string all the way through. She raised her arrow higher, remembering how Merida had done it, and released it. For the first time, the arrow hit the target — not a bullseye, but not nothing either. Merida smiled.

“I was a skittish child too, y’know?” she said. “Gave my mum a lot of headaches over the years. ‘Merida, a princess doesn’t ride around the woods and gets her dress all dirty and her hair like a nest of rats!’”

She laughed at her own impression, giving Kairi time to grapple with the revelation that Merida was a princess.

“I was a handful. But still, she never gave up on me. Every time I caused trouble, she was there to drag me out of it.”

Kairi smiled. “I’m a bit jealous…”

Merida looked at her inquisitively. When Kairi came closer, she shifted around to make some space for her to sit with her. The two were on the same level now.

“My dad is a member of the town council,” Kairi explained, “and my mom runs an organization to help people in need. They work together most of the time. Just like me, they can never stay in one place for long, not even home. They’re always traveling for work, so my grandma pretty much raised me.”

“Didn’t that make you mad?” Merida asked, to which she shook her head.

“They did what they did to help people. How could I be mad at that? No, I’ve always looked up to them. I did my best to help everyone I could because I wanted to be like them. But for every person I helped carry groceries, Mom and Dad gave food to a whole town, so I always felt small next to them. It didn’t help that for a while, people knew me as ‘Valter and Yoko’s daughter’. As if I were a lesser version of them.”

A lesser version of them. Like the screw-up princess who was only meant to be the next queen but couldn’t even do that.

“It hurts, doesn’t it?” said Merida. “Living in someone’s shadow. Especially when that shadow is cast by someone you love.”

“Yeah…”

Against all odds, a small smile came to Merida’s lips. “Still, your family sounds pretty cool. Just like mine. I may have been a brat growing up, but my little brothers are way worse, not to mention there are three of them. My dad is brutish, but he’s also a great warrior. He’s the one who taught me to use a bow and every other weapon he could get his hands on. And my mum… she didn’t need weapons, she could silence an army with just one glare.”

Merida’s eyes grew wet as she remembered her moments with them, the good and the bad.

“We— We had finally let go of our pride and mended our bond. We were starting to get along again when—”

She tried to get more words out, but the only thing that came out were sniffs. Merida’s heart held so much grief it struck Kairi like a hundred arrows. She gently wrapped her arms around her friend, and after many months, she finally sobbed.

“I miss them so much!” Merida cried. “Those… those beasts took everything away from me! I wish I could find whoever it was that released those things and make a pincushion out of them!”

“I understand.” Kairi shed tears of her own. “I’m also mad at so many things, and I won’t tell you to stop feeling that way. Just… don’t let the Heartless be the only thing on your mind when you think of your family. You said it yourself, they already took too much. Don’t let them take your memories too.”

Instinctively, Merida wanted to tell Kairi off for suggesting she’d forgotten her family. But in her heart, she couldn’t disagree with her. She’d done everything she could to dissociate her family from archery so she wouldn’t think of them whenever she fired an arrow. In the process, her favorite practice became hollow.

“Maybe… I should try remembering them more. Even if it’s painful.”

Kairi offered a supportive smile. “If you ever need someone to listen, I’m here for you.”

Merida gave a weak chuckle. Kairi didn’t know it, but she had just said the same thing her mother once did.

“Thanks, Kairi. It’s nice having a friend again.”

~♡~

The outside of Traverse Town was a scrapyard of junk and rubble that had no place inside the walls of the town. Nobody wanted them. However, some of it had been swept aside to make space for a makeshift hangar where two ships were parked. One was the Gummi Ship, and the other was an old airship Cid had built years ago and used to escape the destruction of his homeworld, bringing with him the handful of children he could save. The airship hadn’t flown since the day it landed on this world, yet it was as pristine as a collector’s finest jewel.

For the last few days, Kairi had gone to check on Cid and keep him company as he fixed the Gummi Ship. The junkyard was the site of many treasure hunts. Every day she’d comb over the piles of broken parts and gummi blocks and find something exciting, a dusty necklace, a stringless violin, a doll with an unstitched eye. When possible, she restored them to be usable again and then handed them over to Tifa or Aerith to find their owners. Other times, she just let her creative juices flow and crafted pretty accessories or decorations out of scraps.

That day, however, it wasn’t an object that held Kairi’s attention, but a person. A boy around her age in a brown leather jacket sat among the piles of scrap, tinkering with some machine. A pink blob with playful eyes floated next to him, transforming into various tools for the boy to use.

Kairi recognized them. The boy worked as an assistant in the First District restaurant, and the blob always followed him around. She had seen one of the cooks in the restaurant — the one with a mechanical arm, leg and eye — ruffle the boy’s hair and pat him on the back before. From there she guessed they must have known each other before coming to Traverse Town, since no one was that friendly with anyone they met there. Maybe it was out of fear of losing someone again, or maybe it was hard to become close when any subject could bring about painful memories.

She caught the boy by surprise by walking over to him. He looked up from his work and his eyes widened slightly at the sight of her.

“Can I help you… miss?” he asked.

“Hi, my name is Kairi. What’s yours?”

He frowned, as if questioning why she would want to know that. “James Hawkins. People call me Jim. And that’s Morph.”

The creature had flown over to Kairi to admire the Keyblade on her back. He turned himself into a Shadow and the Keyblade to bonk it on the head. Kairi giggled at the display, which made Morph go back to normal and look at her like an excited puppy.

“Nice to meet you,” she said. Morph answered by transforming into a mini version of her and parroting her “Nice to meet you.”

Jim had gone back to tinkering with his gizmo. It seemed to be a metal board with engine gummies — a normal one at the side and three small ones at the bottom — and other things attached to it.

“So, what are you doing?” Kairi asked.

“Nothing.”

“What a coincidence, me too.”

To prove her point, Kairi sat by his side and eyed the device in his hands.

“That thing you’re working on. What’s it for?”

Realizing he wasn’t shaking her off, Jim sighed in defeat. “It’s a solar surfer. Well, a non-solar surfer. I just need to find a way to get these engines to work, and then I’ll be able to cross the whole town in no time.”

“You built this yourself?” Kairi looked amazed. All the contraptions seemed so elaborate… “Why?”

Jim’s hands stopped working. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“Why not?”

“For once, you never had to pretend like you’re not stuck here,” he snapped.

Morph looked concerned at the boy’s tone. However, that did nothing to push Kairi away. She watched him struggle repeatedly trying to turn the engines on until he kicked some scrap metal in frustration.

“What is it that powers these things!?”

A lecture she got from Chip and Dale while Donald taught her how to pilot came to Kairi’s mind. She turned to the piles of scraps and began searching them. This caught Jim’s attention, and now he was the one watching her.

“I grew up on an island,” she said while searching. “The Destiny Islands. They were a beautiful place, the best home I could wish for. But my friends and I knew there was more out there, so we agreed to build a raft and sail to other worlds together. One of them, Riku, was especially eager. I don't know when it happened exactly, but at some point, I think he started seeing the Islands as a prison.”

Hearing this, Jim raised his eyebrows in surprise.

“Things didn’t work out the way we wanted them to,” Kairi continued. “Before we could set sail, the Heartless destroyed our world and we were separated. But that’s not the end of the road. We just need to find another way around.”

She returned to Jim with an armful of gummi blocks which she dropped at his feet. She then picked two blocks and brought them together. With only a little bit of pressure, the rubbery blocks stuck together. After asking Jim for permission, Kairi went to fit them next to the main engine gummi.

“If I remember correctly, gummi blocks generate power by bonding together. So if we put some right here…”

A little fire came out of the engine. Jim stared in disbelief and Morph turned himself into a smug-looking mini Kairi with glasses and a lab coat.

“There are many more,” she said. “We can cover that surfer of yours with gummi blocks. It’ll surely fly then!”

“Wait!” Jim called out. “Why are you doing this? Why are you helping me?”

He had been rude and dismissive, even though she fought to save the lives of many people, including himself. So why…?

Kairi grinned. “Will flying on a surfer make you happy?”

“Yeah… Very much.”

“Then that’s reason enough for me.”

Even though Jim couldn’t fully understand it, he welcomed her help. The two worked together to fill the surfer with gummi blocks. The scrapyard was full of them — all remnants of fallen meteors — and since they were so light and easy to bond, weight and melding weren’t a problem. Kairi and Jim quickly covered his surfer with as many gummi blocks as they could without compromising anything. Then, Jim added some metal pipes with Morph’s help for a handle and Kairi added a sail made of another pipe and a dusty sheet for decoration, and the world’s first Gummi Surfer was complete.

“Okay, moment of truth…”

Jim boarded the surfer and turned the smaller engines on. They hummed and buzzed and after appearing for a second like it wouldn’t, the surfer hovered off the ground.

“It works!”

Kairi cheered and Morph transformed into exploding confetti before flying over to Jim’s shoulder. Just as he was about to take off, he turned back and reached out to Kairi.

“Y’know, we did this together,” he said. “We should probably launch it together too.”

She smiled and took his hand. Jim told her to hold on tight and kick-started the main engine.

The surfer took off to the skies like a firework. Jim quickly turned it and drove over Traverse Town. It was so much faster than flying with pixie dust, more scary and intense. The air whipped their faces with the force of a wave crashing against a cliff, and sometimes the world below was just a blur of red and brown. For Kairi, this was a brand new experience. For Jim, it was like coming home.

“Hang on, I’m gonna dive!” he suddenly said.

“Wait, what about the towwwwn!”

But they were already plummeting down as Kairi screamed. Jim must have thought it was funny, because he waited until the last second before they hit the ground to soar again.

“How was that?” he asked.

“You almost killed us!”

“I had to do something intense if I wanted to impress the Keyblade wielder who’s always staring death in the face,” he joked.

“Aren’t you just terrific,” Kairi joked back, making Jim laugh.

They flew like this for a while, diving, rising, dodging buildings at the last second and looping around all over the sky. By the end of their little test drive, Kairi and Jim were laughing like maniacs and Morph was droopy from exhaustion.

Jim landed the surfer on a rooftop and they sat down to rest. While Morph dozed off in his pocket, he and Kairi watched the stars.

“Man, I’ve missed this. I know it must sound crazy, but even in a small world like this, surfing is so… freeing.”

“No,” Kairi cut him. “Not at all. Why would it sound crazy?”

“I just figured you didn’t feel like this anymore. Stuck in one place. I mean, you and those guys you hang out with, you have your own ship and an important mission.” His eyes grew sorrowful. “It must be nice to have a purpose instead of just walking in circles every day.”

Jim’s words aroused sympathy, but also anger. Mission? Purpose? Those had caused her nothing but strife. It was the people she met along the way who kept her standing and hopeful.

“Don’t be an idiot,” she said harshly, which caught Jim completely by surprise. “Do you seriously think I never feel like I’m just walking in circles? Like my journey is going nowhere? Do you think my life is easier just because I have a route planned for me? Did it ever cross your mind that having everyone look up to me to save them is stressful as hell?”

Jim said nothing. He hadn’t thought about that. He’d believed that if he only had a grand cause like she did, all his feelings of worthlessness would be gone.

But Kairi wasn’t done yet. “Look at you. You build a flying board out of scraps. Nobody told you to do that, but you did it anyway. That’s purpose. Not something someone makes you do or expects you to do, but something you choose to do.”

(“You gotta take the helm and chart your own course. Stick to it, no matter the squalls.”)

He had promised that was what he would do. But after his home was lost again, this time thanks to the Heartless, he forgot all about it.

Jim couldn’t help laughing out of embarrassment. “What a loser. I said I’d chase after a future and stick to it, but the first time something holds me back, I go back to kicking myself.”

There was a kind of self-awareness in his voice that Kairi had recognized in herself quite a few times. The shame of realizing you were doing something you knew you shouldn’t do and promised you wouldn’t anymore. She smiled and stuck out a fist.

“That’s why you got friends to help you stay on course. Whatever future you end up chasing, I’ll do my part fighting for it.”

Jim smiled in return and fist-bumped her.

“If something or someone ever tries to take away your future,” he said, “I’ll do what I can to help you too.”

A surprised gasp broke her smile for a moment. That was more than she expected to receive. Even though she always strived to be there for others, she seldom stopped to think whether or not others would be there for her.

To rely and be relied upon.

It was a nice feeling.

~♡~

Milo’s “office” was an office the same way reheated pizza was a full-course dinner. Strictly speaking, true, but also pretty misleading.

In reality, his office was a three-meter-wide space with a desk, blackboard and shelves filled with books and papers jammed in a vacant spot in the Gizmo Shop, where he supervised the machinery that powered the town. But Milo assured anyone who asked — including Kairi — that the Gizmo Shop wasn’t that bad and it definitely beat his former boiler room, which was not only loud and cramped, but also scorching hot.

Despite the oddities of the “office”, Kairi was more than willing to answer Milo as he asked about Destiny Islands’ climate, society, culture, history and language. That last one got him especially excited.

“The primary language seems to be Basic, also known in some worlds as English, but several sections of the population still preserve the languages inherited from otherworldly ancestors.” He took notes as he muttered to himself. “A world where the entire population partially descends from former inhabitants of other worlds! This is incredible!”

Kairi didn’t understand half the things he said, but hearing him call the Destiny Islands “incredible” brought a big smile to her face.

An idea came to Milo. He looked at Kairi with apprehension and wondered how she would react. Would she think he was crazy? Laugh and mock him for believing in fairy tales, like his grandfather had been? Or maybe she would understand?

Regardless of how she’d see him, Kairi was still the best way to test his theory, Milo concluded. So he gathered all his courage, picked up one of his journals and opened it on a particular page.

“Kairi? I was wondering… Does this mean anything to you?”

She took the journal. Reading the entry, she was struck by a wave of nostalgia. “Yeah. My grandma told me this story all the time. Well, I asked her to tell me all the time.”

“Really?!” Milo exclaimed with enthusiasm. “My grandfather told it to me too! It was one of his favorites, he even tried to trace back its origins, but it was hard since it was first passed down orally. Isn’t it weird?”

“What is?”

“That even though we’re from completely different worlds, we heard the same story as children. And we all speak the same primary language, even though there are many others.”

“I guess it is weird.”

It was still hard for Kairi to make sense of the way worlds were supposed to coexist — or not coexist, she supposed. Donald and Goofy told her cut and dry that the worlds had always been unconnected before the Heartless and that’s how they should stay. But the more worlds she saw, the more the rules seemed to bend.

“My grandfather had a theory.” Milo bit his lip. It was now or never. “He didn’t just believe there were other worlds besides ours. He believed they truly used to be one, a single united World, until a cataclysmic event tore them apart. He had no idea what it was or why it happened. Everybody doubted him and laughed at him, but he believed this with all his heart. And so do I!”

Kairi wasn’t sure what the common sense shared by Donald and Goofy would say about Milo’s theory. All she had were her own ideals shaped by a world that opened its heart to any others. And those ideals told her this united World seemed like a wonderful place.

“Why don’t you ask more people if they’ve heard of this tale?” Kairi suggested. “Who knows, maybe they even know some more stories that hint about other worlds.”

“What? No, no, I— I couldn’t. I mean, I would very much like to, but— No.”

“Why not?”

“Prying on other people’s lives is the worst thing you can do here.”

“But it’s not prying! Stories are part of us. They connect us to each other, to those who came before us and who will come after us.”

“I know. It’s just…”

“I’m afraid,” was the truth too embarrassing to admit. But his silence wasn’t fooling Kairi, and it was not stopping her! Without warning, she took Milo’s hand and dragged him.

“Kairi?! Where are you going?”

“We’re gonna find out if anyone else knows about the story our grandparents told us,” she said matter-of-factly.

“What?! Look, I really don’t think this is a good idea—”

Despite Milo’s protests, Kairi dragged him all the way to the Second District plaza. At this hour, the place was full of people, many of whom she already called friends. Tifa and Aerith looked at clothes on display in a shop, Jim watched Morph transform into a ball and get chased by dalmatian puppies, and in a corner, the rooster Chicken Little taught Merida the rules of baseball.

“Excuse me, everyone! Can I please get your attention?” Kairi yelled while standing on the edge of the fountain where the Keyhole had been. A nervous Milo sat down on a bench by the side.

Movement in the Second District stopped, with all the humans, animals and everything in between turning to hear what the wielder of the Keyblade had to say. Under their gaze, Kairi found that her fear of crowds from Olympus Coliseum was gone. She easily smiled at all who watched her.

“I want to share a story with you,” she continued. “Some of you might know it, or you might not. Regardless, it’s very important to me, because I first heard it from my grandma. Hearing it always made me happy. I hope it’ll make you happy too.”

The people settled down to hear, some sat down, others leaned on walls and others stepped closer. Once they were ready, Kairi cleared her throat and recited the words that were engraved in her heart:

“Long ago, people lived in peace in a world of Light and Darkness.

“Together, they maintained harmony in their hearts and in the World. But over time, some people were blinded by the light, and others, consumed by the darkness. It made their hearts falter, and they turned against each other. 

“The conflict grew, swallowing many hearts and lives. In the end, Light and Darkness clashed, and the World disappeared into the Abyss. 

“But the seeds of hope survived. In the hearts of children. 

“With the last fragments of light and darkness, these children rebuilt the lost World into the World we live in now. 

“But Light and Darkness are still torn apart. That’s why the worlds can’t be one again. But someday, a door will open to the heart of all light and darkness, and bring forth a new era of unity and harmony. 

“So listen. Even in the deepest darkness, there will always be a light to guide you. Even when the light blinds you, there will be darkness to help you see through. So don’t run from the light, and don’t fear the darkness. If you believe in their strength, then nothing will ever defeat you. Your heart will become the darkness that swallows all sorrow, and the light that brings everyone joy.”

The Second District was silent after Kairi finished the story. Some people had looks of surprise or concentration as they searched their memories for the source of that twinge of familiarity they felt. Finally, someone spoke:

“I know that story!” All eyes turned to the speaker. It was Aerith. “My mom told it to me when I was little.”

“Mine too!” This time Merida spoke up. “When I was feeling down, she reminded me there was power that I could find just by looking inside.”

“I’m pretty sure I’ve seen it in a storybook,” said Jim. “It had these cool pictures with very different people living together and then of some great battle.”

A dalmatian barked excitedly. He had just remembered hearing that story on TV once.

More and more people spoke up about the story. Many had heard it before or were at least familiar with it. Amidst the noise, Kairi glanced at a stunned Milo with a “told ya” smile.

“If the story is right about there being many worlds, then could it be right about other things too?” Tifa wondered.

“You mean like the worlds being only one?” asked Chicken Little.

“I don’t see why not,” said Aerith, who had her hands clasped like a prayer. “My mom also told me this other story that says that when our body perishes, our heart returns to the place it came from — a realm of pure energy from which all hearts are born.”

“‘A door will open to the heart of all light and darkness,’” Tifa recalled. “It sounds like the kind of place hearts come from.”

Aerith nodded. “And if our hearts come from and return to the same place, then maybe we really weren’t meant to be separated.”

“Yes! Yes, that’s it!” Milo exclaimed. Upon finding all eyes on him, his nervousness came back in full force. But it was too late to back away now. “I— I mean… There is evidence to suggest different worlds share a similar past. The story Kairi told and so many of us recognized, for instance.”

There was some buzz around the plaza about whether or not that could be true until someone interrupted:

“Does that really prove anything, though? It could be just a legend.”

Milo stuttered. “Uh, yeah, but—”

“I believe him.” People turned to Merida in surprise. Milo didn’t know who she was, but at that moment, he looked up to her as a savior. “Legends ring with truths. My mum taught me that.”

“I believe in Milo too,” said Kairi. “I’ve traveled to other worlds, and I’ve seen people from very different places form powerful bonds. The worlds might be separated by walls and vast distances, but the light and the darkness that exist in our hearts are the same. We are one people, spread across many islands connected by one sea.”

No one rebuted her, and not because she was the Keybearer. No, they were busy truly looking at the people next to them. For the first time, they didn’t see strangers with whom they had to share space. They saw their friends, their families, and they saw themselves. Lost, grieving, persisting despite it all.

Aerith and Tifa, who had watched over the town since its beginnings, had never seen anything like it before. Somehow, Kairi had brought their hearts together.

“So Kairi, do you have any other stories to tell us?” Tifa asked.

Even though it wasn’t part of the plan, she found herself excited to share more.

“My grandma told me tons of stories! This one is about a sailor named Thalassa…”

She told the tale of how a cluster of isolated islands became the united Destiny Islands. People clapped when she finished and asked for more. Instead of delivering though, Kairi asked if someone else had a story they wished to share.

“I have one!” said Merida. People turned to her, so she got her dramatic voice on, the one she used when she told stories to her little brothers. “Once there was an ancient kingdom ruled by a wise king who had four sons…”

As the legend went, one of the sons wanted to rule alone and his actions led to the kingdom falling to war and ruin. However, Merida went beyond and told what really happened to the prince and how she and her mother learned the truth. There were a few skeptics in the crowd who questioned if she was exaggerating some points to make the story more exciting. Merida didn’t exactly improve her case when she threatened to beat them up for doubting her.

“You think witches and spells are weird?” Milo said, uncharacteristically bold. But Merida had believed him when many didn’t, it was only fair he did the same. “Then let me tell you about the lost kingdom of Atlantis…”

One story led to another, then another and so on. As time went on, people passing by stopped to see what was behind the growing crowd and stayed to hear the stories. At one point, Jim went to fetch Silver and Kronk from the restaurant, and the three returned with snacks and drinks they distributed for free. The boy and the cyborg later won over the crowd by telling together the legend of the Treasure Planet and their adventure to find it, even reenacting scenes with Morph’s help.

Eventually, the news reached Donald and Goofy, who rushed to the Second District to find a crowd of people sharing food, smiling and whispering amongst themselves. At the center of it all, Kairi enthralled them with a story of two lovers from different worlds. Watching her was the proudest Donald and Goofy had ever been of her, more so than any of the times they’d seen her fight.

“I never noticed it,” said Donald, “but Kairi always had this kind of power, didn't she?”

“What do you mean?” Goofy asked.

“That.” He pointed to her as she made the crowd hold their breaths in suspense. “She can connect with people so easily, like she knows exactly what’s on their hearts. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“That’s right. Kairi’s like a magnet. That’s her power, not the Keyblade’s.”

“Yeah…”

Something Donald had been pondering for a while came to his mind. Now might be the best time to get it out there.

“Goofy. I know the King only told us to follow the Keybearer so we can save the worlds, but… I want to see where Kairi’s power will take her. After our journey is over, I still want to travel with her. Is that weird?”

Goofy smiled at his friend. “Nope. In fact, I was thinking the same thing. Even with her power, she’s gonna need lots of help to accomplish whatever it is she wants.”

Donald smiled back and nodded, sealing their silent promise.

~♡~

Worlds aren’t just chunks of land filled with mountains, forests or cities. Worlds are made of people. Their hearts connect with one another and with the worlds. They give the people a place to live, and they in turn keep the world alive.

Sora, I want to give these people a bright future. Just defeating the Heartless and returning things to normal isn’t enough. I want to go beyond. To everyone who’s lived in darkness, I want to show them the light, like you’ve always done for me. It might be idealistic, but I’m determined to do it.

I haven’t forgotten my original goal — to find you and go back home. But now, it’s no longer my only goal. Riku said we are only a piece of something much greater. Every world and every person out there is connected to us, so in a way, they’re all our friends. I can’t ignore their suffering any more than I can ignore yours or Riku’s. So wait for me a little longer. I’ll find you, and then, we can change the worlds together.

Always thinking of you,

Kairi.

~♡~

Kairi closed her journal and looked back with a smile. Traverse Town grew smaller as the Gummi Ship flew away. And yet, the world seemed brighter somehow.

She thought about all the friends she’d made, the people who had found new friends besides her and the time they enjoyed together. Could the World truly have been like that one day?

Could it be like that again?

“A unified World…”

“Did you say something, Kairi?” Donald asked from the driver’s seat.

“Nothing. Just thinking out loud.”

The Gummi Ship kept moving forward towards the unknown, now with a new dream aboard.

Chapter Text

In a chamber in the tallest tower of the palace of Agrabah, hidden from the eyes of the sultan, his treacherous vizier gazed into a large hourglass connected to a strange mechanism. Red smoke swirled inside, and the vizier sneered.

“That bucket of bolts will see! I’ll find the first light and the Keyhole to this world’s heart before he can even start looking for them.”

“Yeah, you bet, Jafar. But couldn’t we have waited for a real storm for that?” Over on the corner, a red parrot named Iago gasped for breath as he ran on the wheel that powered the machine.

Jafar paid his sidekick no mind and instead continued to gaze at the hourglass.

“Sands of time!” he chanted, “reveal to me the one in this world who holds the primordial light!”

The sand swirled and something began to form: two figures, a young man and woman both dressed in rags, holding hands and running across a street. Upon a closer look, Jafar realized the girl was all too familiar to him.

“But that is Princess Jasmine! Of course, only a princess could hold something as great as one of the seven First Lights.”

Jafar cackled at what that meant. The sultan and his headstrong daughter had been thorns on his patience for a long time. But not anymore.

~♡~

In the middle of the desert, three heroes stood amidst the dunes — Kairi had her eyes closed in concentration, Goofy sat down fanning himself with his hat and Donald tapped his foot impatiently.

“We don’t have all day, Kairi,” he said.

“I’m doing my best.” She opened an eye to look at him. “Your complaining doesn’t help.”

Kairi turned her focus back to the heart of this world. She reached out to it the same way she’d done in Traverse Town and the times she’d summoned but the world offered no response. As if it didn’t trust her yet.

After several minutes trying and failing to communicate with the world’s heart, Kairi was forced to admit defeat.