Chapter 1: Date Night Invitation

The night air was starting to chill off thanks to the changing seasons. But the inside of the Italian Restaurant was warm. It had been a whole month since my adventures with the Doctor, and I still miss him. Mainly because not much had been going on. No worlds were in danger, Robert and Mephilis seemed to be keeping thier heads low. These things had been driving me up a wall!

Thank goodness Ty knows how to take my mind off of things. It was finally friday night. Date Night. Ty always surprised me with something different, which gave me something to distract my mind from the other troubles.

Small snowflakes were drifting down as we walked. I was in a warm coat borrowed from Belle. Though it wasn't my color, the rabbit fur inside was warm against the chill of the evening snow.

"Where are we going?" I asked as Ty and I walked down the streets of Disney World.

Ty chuckled. "Almost there. You just need patience."

I smiled and decided to be patient. Of course, when he led me up to the Restaurant I was shocked. It was the same Restaurant that was in Lady and the Tramp, Tony's. A wonderful smell wafted out of the building, making my mouth water and my stomach rumble.

Ty let out a laugh. "A good pick?"

"An awesome pick!" I said hugging him.

Ty laughed and hugged back. "Well lets go in before you fall over with hunger."

I chuckle and follow him in. "How'd you find this place?"

"King Mickey." Ty replied, opening the door for me. "I was started running out of ideas so he suggested this place."

"He chose a great spot." I said, taking a deep breath of the italian foods.

We walked in and was greater by a large man in an apron. "Welcome!" He said in a very thick Italian accent. "What can I-a do for you two lovely-a couple?"

I smiled at the accent.

"Um yes sir." Ty said. "I was hoping for a table for two."

"But of course!" The man said. "I am Tony, and I will be taking care of you two dis evening. Right this vway please."

He lead us to a small quiet table and lit a candle. "Can I get you two something to drink?"

Ty pulled out my chair for me as we sat. "Just water for me please."

"And me thanks." I said.

"Alright." Tony said with a smile. "Be back in a minute."

I twirled the spaghetti into my spoon and ate. The food was incredible! Ty smiled as he watched me eat. I smiled back. "What?"

"Nothing." He replied. "Didn't think I'd be dating you is all."

"I personally thought I'd never see you again." I told him. "Or be in the real Disney World, with King Mickey Mouse, with a dragon and training under THE Merlin!"

Ty laughed. "I know right? But I kinda pictured you being the Keyblader."

I smiled. "Nah, I'm happy with my sword. Besides, with my usage of chaos energy, I don't think I could handle the Keyblade. And, you weren't exposed to darkness."

Ty's smile faded a bit. It had almost been eight months since Robert filled me with dark chaos energy, giving me a dark form if I absorbed Negative Energy again. I've come close a couple times, but thankfully Ty and my other friends have been able to pull me back before anything happened.

A hand landed on mine, making me look up at Ty. "Hey, don't think about that." He told me. "Robert did that to hurt you. To break you. That wasn't you, remember that." His smile soon returned. "Besides, I have something that should keep you smiling for a while."

I smiled back. "Oh? And what could that be? I'm already a pretty happy girl."

Ty gave a grin that reminded me of an anime character I saw once called Dark. An angel thief that had an ego almost as big as Sonic's. He reached into his coat and pulled out two envelopes, giving me one.

I open it and realize it's an invitation. It had a picture of the Disney Castle and with Mickey's Royal seal. I open the invite to read it;

You are Hereby invited
To the Winter Solstice Ball that will be healed at the Disney Castle

And Hosted by King Mickey Himself

We hope to see you there at 6:00 - 12:00

I read it again. A ball?! A real ball?! I look at Ty. "How'd you get these?"

Ty laughed. "A little mouse gave them to me." He said. "Mickey said that he would be honored to have us come. Even if we're living in the Castle for a while."

"I…" I said.

Ty's smile fell again. "You don't want to go?"

"No! I would love to go!" I assured him with a smile, bringing his back. "I… Just don't have any fancy dresses is all. I'm not exactly a fancy shmancy kind of person after all."

"Sonic told me you can be Fancy Shmancy when you have to be." Ty said, that playful grin returning. "Especially if you're dancing for a Mobian Cobra King."

I blushed. That was supposed to be kept under the rug!

Ty laughed. "Don't worry, I'm sure we can ask Queen Minnie and Lady Daisy for help in that aspect. Jade might want a hand in it too. She and Joe were invited."

"Now I can picture Jade in a ball gown." I told him.

Ty chuckled. "So can I. Now getting Joe to look nice for it will be a challenge."

"Oh I'm sure you'll find a way to convince him." I said.

Ty smiled as he finished the plate. I smiled at him. When I met him at college he wasn't the boy I met eight years ago. Life had worn on him, teaching him how to stand against odds and how to hide behind a mask. Only now and I starting to see the boy I knew so long ago. Then again, I had changed a lot myself. Life had caused me to build a shell where I hid in. If Sonic and his friends hadn't crashed in through my dad's workshop, I would still be the girl that never spoke too loudly or stood up for myself. My adventures in Mobius had taught me how to not be afraid of others, and the adventures here seem to be teaching me how to trust again. I'm a little nervous around Joe and I tend to clam up. I do the same to Donald, mainly for his temper and his use of magic. I'm even nervous around Merlin at times, one of my favorite wizards!

Then I met The Doctor. He taught me a lot about how to trust someone. I had to trust him on several occasions, all being hard to do so. He was a complete stranger, emphasis on Strange, since he was actually the last of his race called Time Lords.

"Em?"

Ty's voice brought me back to the present. He had a worried, but knowing look on his face. "You okay? Looked liked you spaced on me."

"I think I did." I told him. "Sorry, I'm doing that a lot lately."

Ty smiled. "You have. A lot on your mind?"

I shake my head. "Just thinking how far we've come in only eight years."

"We sure have." Ty agreed. "I didn't think so much could happen in eight years."

"Let alone the few months we've been in Disney World and the worlds around it." I added. "We've been busy.

Ty laughed as he pulled out his wallet and paid for the meal. I started digging for my wallet as well.

"Na ba!" Ty said scoldingly. "My treat."

"It's always been your treat Ty." I told him. "You sure you don't want me to pitch in?"

"Nope. I got it." He told me, setting the money down on the table. "Ready?"

"I think so." I told him as we stood and I pit the coat back on.

"Thank you Tony!" Ty said as we stepped out.

"Not a problem Ty!" Tony called back. "You keep ahold of-a that one if you-a-know what I mean." He chuckled, and did Ty just blush?

I laughed as we left the restaurant. "What was that about?"

"Well…" Ty said. "Mickey kinda put dinner together. I just wanted to tip them."

"Mickey?" I asked, finding it hard to believe that the king would pause his work just to let Ty and me have a nice night.

"Yep," Ty said, gently putting his arm over my shoulders. "He insisted actually."

I smile at Ty.

Ty smiled back, thinking of his own life. It was indeed a hard road and it was far from over. But now, it didn't seem so bad. He felt he could bear the road now, and that all that happened was somehow worth being next to her.

We walked quietly back to the castle. His arm being around me felt simply wonderful. Like nothing in the world could harm me anymore. Then again, looking back, it had always been like that. I always felt safer around Ty. It was an odd feeling, but I liked it.

I chuckled as he continued to follow me to my room. He laughed when I laughed. "What? It's a date night, I have to walk you to your front door."

"But this isn't the front door to my house you know." I told him.

"Meh, home away from home…. away from home." He replied, knowing I also considered Mobius home since I've lived there a year. "Same difference. You're staying here anyway."

I smiled. "Good point." I stood on my tip toes and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for the great evening."

Ty smiled and kissed my forehead. "You're welcome. Goodnight Emmy."

I smiled at the nickname. "Goodnight Ty."

He smiled at me before turning away and heading to his room for the night. I smiled as I closed my door. I look around my room. Queen Minnie had helped me decorate it, since I would be staying here for a long while. The colors were soft blues and greens, with a walnut wardrobe in the corner and a closet that I hadn't looked inside yet. I had a standing mirror, desk and an oak chest. French doors lead out to a balcony that was nearly covered in climbing ivy, that had a great view of the ocean where I think Atlantica was. My bed was a good sized bed with sea green blankets, a woodland themed quilt, and a sky blue canopy. Solas, my young dragon, was soundly sleeping on the quilt. His gold scales glinted in the snowy moonlight, but it was clear he was starting to be a little big for his favorite spot on the bed.

I smiled at him as I got ready for bed, set the Ball Invitation down on the desk, and crawled into the bed, careful not to wake the sleeping dragon. King Mickey and Queen Minnie have been very kind to us since we arrived, but I couldn't help but wonder what else the Lord will bring my way. My life had already been almost an unbelievable story. My eyes droop and I slowly fall asleep to these thoughts.

I never noticed the shadow slip into my room. Black wings folded against Esau's body as he entered my room. He watched her for a moment, feeling how easy it would be to end her right here… but she was needed still. His master had told him not to harm her, as she was a good motivation for Robert.

He looked around the room until he noticed the envelope on the desk. Silently moving over to it, he opened the envelope and read the invite. He smiled, taking a small camera from his belt bag and snapping a picture. He looked at Emily for a moment, but she just turned over in her sleep. He relaxed and put the envelope back before leaving, being sure to close the doors again.

Far over the sea, a tall dark castle stood. The snow made it colder than it usually was, but Robert Hopkins barely noticed. As his breath fogged in front of him, his thoughts churned with ways he could end Emily.

Mephilis had told him that it was time to lay low for a bit, let them be caught off guard. He hated waiting. It made him uneasy, afraid he'd loose sight of his target.

Zong Li stood next to him. He worried about Robert, not liking Mephilis or the winged man called Esau. They made Robert colder than usual. And he seemed to be off his his own world more and more. And he talked to Zong less and less.

Soon, a shadow covered the moon. Robert looked up to see it was Esau. He glided in and landed on the edge of the balcony like a bird of prey. And he was smiling, showing two rows of rather sharp looking teeth.

"What are you smiling about?" Robert asked.

Esau straitened and stepped down. "We just found a way in." He pulled out the camera and walked in waving teasingly. "You know what the Winter Solstice is right?"

"Yes." Robert replied. "It's a pagan holiday."

"That may be." Esau said. "But King Mickey has used it to make the coming of winter an enjoying time of year. So he always has a Winter Solstice Ball on the first day of Winter." He handed Robert the camera. "And look who got invited."

Robert took the camera and looked. It held a picture of an invitation. Robert looked at Esau. "And how do we use this to our advantage, Esau?"

"Simple."

The two turned to face a tall shadowy character that seemed to be a mix between a human and a hedgehog. As he walked into the room, the shadows around him seemed to grow. Mephilis, the Dark. "They'll be distracted in the festivities of the feasting and dancing. And no one has dared attack during the ball in previous years. It's a perfect time to…. crash the party, so to speak."

Robert looked at him. "How so?"

Mephilis smiled. "With a few beings that you may find interesting Robert."

A moment later several hairy things crawled up behind him. They held orange bands over their legs, their mandibles clicked as they approached.

"Cave Dwellers." Mephilis explained, petting one. "They're home was the Valley of Shadows. Highly venomous. And surprisingly fast. Think one of these will take Emily out of your hair?"

Robert looked at the large spiders. They were about the size of German Shepherds, and simply perfect.

"Mm… they'll do." Robert said with a dark smile.

Here's the first chapter of the Next book Y'all! The exitement will be picking up quickly in this book ^_^ Maybe in the next chapter of two? Anywho, hope you like it! ^_^ and let me know how you guys like it so far ^_^ Comments are warmly welcome!

~Kayla