- Hello again everyone! Well, here's the next chapter. Radiant Garden! And I've made up my mind, I will be doing this world about two or three times, maybe four, not all in a row though, obviously. Ooh, and a surprise is here!

And Radiant Garden: Visit 1, means, ah-dur, visit 1. I'm only doing this with the worlds that you visit more than once. Kind of giving you a hint as to what the world orders will be. Keeps ya guessing and stuff.

Thanks for the world suggestion on that anime one, sounds cool, so no prob! I'll definitely be doing that one. Toy Story was already one I was planning on doing. Haha, it would be so cool! The group would...Ah, no spoilers from me! You Sly Coopers, you! I beat that game last month! HAH!

Okey dokey, done ranting. –

Disclaimer: Oh yes, I'll be doing this a lot. I don't own Kingdom Hearts, or any Final Fantasy characters mentioned. But I will soon, since Santa's gonna buy off Square Enix! Take that Tetsuya!

|| = KH_3 = ||

++{Radiant Garden}++

By the time the trio landed, they had figured out their agenda in this world. Due to Sora's constant whining, they would visit Leon and the gang. Perhaps that would be best after all, considering both Kairi and Riku had never met them, and they could help out here, and search for those lost souls here. Besides, they had to connect this world too. Riku didn't seem quite overjoyed to meet these friends of Sora, since he may feel they could possibly replace him and Kairi, while the red-haired female of the group was happy to hear Sora so excited about other world's inhabitants; it added to another thing that she loved about him. He's so outgoing, she gushed in her head.

Sora led his two best friends about, seemingly aimlessly, when really; he wanted to see the new and improved Hollow Bastion. Or, now called, Radiant Garden. The town looked much cleaner than before, and not a trace of heartless.

"Wait, guys. I have a question." Kairi exclaimed, stopping mid-step, waiting for Sora and Riku to turn and face her. Sora looked at her, hands behind his head, while Riku inwardly groaned. He prayed that the question wouldn't be something stupid.

"How come we have to save Namine and Roxas? They're our nobodies, right? So, they should be fine where they are." Kairi reasoned, making Sora think about this. She had a point, of course, but something did seem odd about the fact that they had to save two people that were already safe. Were they in some kind of danger being in their others' bodies? Or, did they just not belong there in the first place?

"I have no idea. But, this is why we're going, right? To figure out these answers?" Sora replied, and Kairi nodded, somewhat reluctantly. Even if they were going to find these answers, its best to know these type of things beforehand. For all they knew, they wouldn't have to save them.

Sora was feeling rather quiet in his head. He figured Roxas would do commentary in his brain, like those TV announcers. But his head was silent, sometimes having thoughts only belonging to him. Roxas! Sora called to his blonde nobody, but received no answer. He also didn't feel Roxas inside of him, which felt extremely awkward to think, but Sora did wonder nonetheless. He would have to ask Kairi if she feels the same regarding her blonde nobody, Namine.

They continued to walk on, discussing the matters they have at hand, occasionally glancing around, watching kids play and eat sea-salt ice cream on park benches. Sora envied the kids' freedom, but said nothing, focusing on where he was walking and which direction he was going in; the last thing he wanted was to miss Merlin's house.

"What about those three? Terra...Aqua...and..." Riku trailed, snapping his fingers as his brained searched for the last person's name.

"Ventus." Kairi finished, and Riku nodded, indicating she was right. Sora scratched his forehead, thinking about who those people might be. The only memories he could scrape from his mind was ones of people in armor, fighting against this bald tan guy. Shrugging it off as nothing, he emptied the thought.

"That's it. We're saving some strangers now? I mean, how would we know where to search for them. Not like we know where they're from or any of their friends." Riku complained, and Sora nodded slowly. He had a point, but, there had to be a reason they were saving these people. They must be important in their hearts, right?

"The King wouldn't have told us to save them if they were just another pair of people who lost their hearts to darkness. Tons of people do that." Sora argued, and Riku was silenced, processing his own reply.

Before he could respond with a retort, there were these strange creatures in front of the entrance to Merlin's house. They looked similar to heartless, yet different. These were sleak, a blue color, and piercing red eyes. Its arms and legs ended in points, looking rather dangerous, and triangle-like heads.

Like an instinct, the trio pulled out their distinctive keyblades, Sora's Kingdom Key, Riku's Way To Dawn, and Kairi's Destiny Place, standing in battle stances, waiting for the mysterious enemies to attack first. Sora swung rapidly, making many ground combos, while Riku's attacks were packing quite a punch, knocking some out at once. Kairi had trouble, sometimes getting attacked, but managed to hang in there, to Sora's relief. She even did a spinning attack with her keyblade in mid-air, kind of like how Goofy would sometimes.

The attacks had gotten fewer and fewer, eventually leading to the disappearance of the enemies. Riku relaxed his muscles, while Sora sighed. Kairi flipped her hair back behind her shoulder, looking at Sora for approval. He gave her an encouraging thumbs up, and she smiled, appreciating the support from her friend. I really hope he means it, she thought, biting her bottom lip in worry, thinking she didn't do too well in her first fight with...heartless was it? But they looked a lot different from when Sora was a heartless, and they had a menacing aura radiating off of them. A far different aura than the heartless had.

As they recovered from the recent fight, an elderly face poked his head out from inside the house, looking around in fear, then relaxed at the sight of Sora and his friends. "Ah, Sora! Oh, thank goodness you've returned! Nice to see you again, my boy! And with some friends I see." The man greeted, stepping out outside, leaving the door open to his house, a rather stupid move in Riku's eyes, as well as Kairi's. Sora thought nothing on the matter, only happy to see the man again.

"Hey Merlin! This is Riku and Kairi," Sora introduced, pointing to those mentioned in order, and Merlin smiled politely, nodding to the two, who returned the nod. Merlin stepped back inside the house, beckoning for the three to follow him inside.

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet the two of you. Glad to see you found your friends, Sora. Ah, and the group is here. But, eh, do be careful not to...annoy some of them..."He informed cautiously, making his voice low so the group inside could not hear his warning. The trio as he walked inside, and Sora was delighted to see Leon, who was reading some letter in a wooden chair, Yuffie, looking clearly agitated, Cloud, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, Tifa, looking at him with concern, Aerith, doing the same as Tifa, and Cid, who was looking something up on the computer.

"Hey guys!" Sora cheerfully called, his voice echoing throughout the room, and all heads turned to see the spiky-haired boy smiling like the goofball he is. Riku chuckled, rolling his eyes, while Kairi hid a giggle behind her wrist.

"Sora! You're back!" Aerith was the first to welcome Sora, and Yuffie simply ignored him, grumbling to herself, while Cid just grunted in recognition. Sora felt insulted, but he remembered Merlin's warning, so he said nothing on their bad attitudes.

Aerith paused, double-taking, as she saw two unfamiliar faces beside Sora, glancing around the house. Aerith cocked her head to the side, and Sora got the hint.

"Guys, these are my friends Riku and Kairi," he introduced for a second time, and the said-friends waved to everyone, with only a few people returning the wave. Riku held his tongue, not wanting to insult the people who were helping them, while Kairi was simply appalled at this type of greeting. She held up her smile, which was beginning to waver.

"Excuse everybody, there just upset because of-" Tifa was cut off by Yuffie's loud, fierce tone of voice chipping into the conversation.

"Vincent! He can't just stop by and tell us there's something wrong with him, and that we can't help! Then he roams off to who knows where and expects us not to care! Gosh, he's such a-" Tifa's hand clamped firmly over Yuffie's mouth, preventing her to continue her rant about someone named "Vincent". Tifa gave Sora, Riku, and Kairi an awkward smile, pulling Yuffie away from them.

"Excuse them. Yuffie's just upset about our friend. But I assure you, it's nothing!" Aerith added, waving her hands in front of her face, trying to refuse any help from the trio. Sora reluctantly nodded. As much as he wanted to help, he would take Aerith's word for it, seeing as how he was far too busy with his own problems to interfere.

"Yuffie, just calm down. Vincent's like that; I figured you would know that best." Cloud stated in his usual firm-yet quiet- voice, and Yuffie turned red in her cheeks, but said nothing, seeing as how Tifa's hand was still over her mouth. She wagged her finger at the blonde, then glared at Tifa, who just smirked.

"This is just wonderful." she stated simply, being rewarded with a slap to the shoulder. Cloud chuckled, and Tifa looked down, slightly blushing.

Cid's typing on the keyboard stopped, and he popped up from his seat, slamming his fists onto the keys in frustration. Merlin glared at Cid, stomping over to him. "What is the meaning of your breaking my computer?" Merlin demanded, and Cid didn't so much as flinch, just continued to mutter numerous cusses under his breath, eyes not leaving the screen.

"Can't you read? It says that shadow-figure's back again. Seems to have gotten stronger by the looks of it." Cid barked, his hoarse yelling making Leon stir, but he continued reading his letter, not bothering to comment. Sora rushed over to the computer, Riku and Kairi following closely, and scanned the computer.

"What shadow-figure?" Riku queried, looking back at Cid. Cid sighed, crossing his arms, adjusting his tooth-pick in his teeth.

"Long story short, somethin' that's causin' trouble. Care to do the honors of takin' it out?" Cid asked, hope in his eyes, and Sora turned to Riku and Kairi, who nodded, confirming the job. Sora gave him a thumbs up and rushed over to the door, darting for the location.

"Eh, wait!" Merlin shouted, and Sora, Riku, and Kairi paused, looking alarmed. Merlin cracked a grin, even if there was a menace to defeat.

"Do you know where you're going?" he asked slyly, knowing the answer to that question. Riku held back a laugh at his own foolishness, while Kairi blushed in embarrassment. Sora scratched the back of his head, embarrassed as well.

"No..." he muttered, and awaited the answer.

"The center-garden. Hurry along!" Merlin replied, shooing them off to the center-garden, and headed back inside.

++{Radiant Garden}++

((/\Center Garden/\))

Sora, Riku, and Kairi got to a halt from their running, as they ran into their target. It was a black-hooded figure, but with a dark shadow color to it. The hood looked similar to The Organization XIII's hoods, very similar. The figure was standing in front of a girl with a brunette braid down her back. She had on a white dress, and she was crouched down in front of a brunette boy, that looked unconcious. Her eyes were wild with fear as she flinched, prepared for the figure to strike at her at any moment.

Before that could happen, however, Sora stepped in the way, deflecting the attack with his Kingdom Key. The figure was pretty strong, so Sora gripped the keyblade with two hands, tightening it as well. Riku rushed over, slashing at the figure's face, and it pulled back, with it's hands in front of its face. It summoned more of those creatures, to Sora and the group's misfortune, especially Kairi's. Her will to fight was shaky, yet she had to pull together.

Kairi ran over in front of the two kids, while Riku was on the right of them, Sora on left, assembling a triangle formation to protect them from all sides. These enemies had the appearance of a bird, with black bodies, and black wings as well. The eyes were like red beads, freaking out Kairi, but she still held her ground, taking a deep breath. They flocked her, smelling her fear, and targeting her as the weakest of the three. Her eyes widened in horror, knowing there were lives at stake, but she pulled it together, swatting at them, making them fly towards Riku and Sora, who finished them off in one or two shots each.

Finally, they all vanished, and the dark figure remained, floating lifelessly, staring at the three. Sora tore his eyes away from it, and nudged the two kids to go. The boy had woken up in time to see the battle, and, though his eyes were lit up in awe, he got up, grabbing the girl's hand and running off.

"Come on, Marlene! We have to tell Barret about this! He said he was going to some guy named Merlin's." he cried, dragging the girl away from the fight, in the opposite direction of where the figure was floating. She kept darting back behind her, a look of worry in her eyes, but followed the boy.

"Denzel, what about those people? They saved us!" That was the last thing Sora heard from the little girl, as she rounded a corner, running back home. Sora sighed, relieved that they would not get hurt, and turned his attention back to the monster-like thing.

The figure's hands lit up in flames, circling around it, and his hands now equipped two Chakrams. Sora could've sworn they looked awfully familiar, but his thoughts were engulfed on the fight ahead of him, looking to Kairi in concern. She nodded, showing she would not fall back on this fight. He complied, regretfully, and looked back to Riku, who had a fierce determination in his eyes; he clearly wouldn't let this fight be lost. The figure twirled the Chakrams in his hands, then charged at Sora, catching him off guard.

Sora flipped back up the way Riku had taught him, and countered with a sliding dash, knocking the creature off its feet. Riku took advantage of this and launched dozens of Dark Firagas at the figure, knocking it backwards, smashing into a wall. Kairi watched in amazement, and her fighting-spirit kicked in. She shouldered her way past Riku, who ended up in front of her, and charged at the figure, gripping her Destiny Place in one hand. The figure launched a dark ember at her, which Sora was prepared to warn her about, but his jaw clamped close after seeing Kairi perform a backflip, dodging the attack, and slashed diagonally with her right hand at the figure, impaling it in the chest.

The figure was stunned, dropping on its knees, the Chakrams falling to the ground. It's hand reached up near it's chest, and the darkness began melting away, some parts chipping to reveal an actual person. The person's two hands were now in front of them, palms up, and a heart began to appear from the sky, descending into the person's chest. Their whole body began to glow in light, their face revealed. The person was Axel!

Sora's eyes popped out, utterly shocked, while Kairi stared in disbelief. Riku, however, looked confused. His being faded away though...he thought, and this was true. Axel had given himself up in an attack for Sora to proceed to The World That Never Was, and yet, here he was. That darkness...it may have been summoned to retrieve him. But, why would a denizen of darkness want to help out The Keyblade Master, a firm believer of light? It made no sense.

Axel grunted, slowly rising to his feet, and he rapidly looked around, his eyes also sharing Kairi's disbelief. "Wh-How? Huh? Where am I?" he stammered, beginning to panic. Sora stepped closer to him, resting a hand on his shoulder.

"You're in Radiant Garden. I just...don't know how or why. Axel?" he asked, confirming that this was indeed Axel, who pulled back, startled to see Sora in front of him. This has gotta be a dream! Axel insisted to himself, shaking his head.

"No way. I disappeared, fair and square. But, it feels good to be home again, despite this being a dream." Axel whistled, looking up at the scenery of Radiant Garden. Sora looked annoyed; he knew Axel didn't believe this, but he's telling the truth.

"Snap out of it! You're here, in the flesh, back, and alive! Get over yourself!" Sora snapped, while Axel just shook his head, still not believing any of this could be possible. Kairi was fed up with this, and she stomped over to the other red-head, dragging him by the arm to Merlin's house.

Riku sweatdropped at how strong Kairi could be if you honestly pushed her far enough. Sora gulped. Never get her mad...ever. Sora took note mentally.

++{Radiant Garden}++

((\/Merlin's House\/))

"Wh-why, this is impossible!" Merlin stammered, flipping through tons of books, trying to find an explanation as to the nobody standing in his house, when he had died a while ago. Axel wanted to say "I knew it!" but he didn't comment, thinking it rude since he didn't know this old man.

The others were too busy scanning the computer, looking for this Vincent's location, and by the looks of it, not getting anywhere. Leon was glancing from the computer back to his note from time to time, while Kairi, Sora, and Riku were annoyed with how this wasn't making any sense to them.

"Well, I can't seem to figure out how this could happen. Erm, perhaps you should go visit that fellow...ah, what was his name? Disney? No, that's not it!" Merlin muttered, mulling over the name of the other wizard he was talking about. Sora snapped his fingers, scaring Merlin in the process.

"Master Yen Sid!" Sora responded, his eyes lighting up. Of course! King Mickey's master quite possibly knew everything! It would be the smartest thing alive to go visit him on this! Axel just shrugged, not exactly caring, nor paying attention, to what was going on. He was too busy figuring out what Leon's deal was with that note of his.

Merlin nodded to Sora, looking behind him at Axel, who was staring at Leon, then the note, then back to Leon, and so forth. "Don't mind loverboy over there! He just got a note from his loved one!" Merlin teased, and Leon turned around, hearing the comment, shooting him a death-glare, as if warning him to lay off. Axel choked back a laugh at this sad display of love-sickness, which didn't go unnoticed by Leon, who glared at him in turn. Axel traced a finger over his mouth, twisting his fist at the end of it, as if saying "Lips are closed now!"

"Well, perhaps you better get going, then! If you could, would you mind asking Yen Sid about those creatures from earlier?" Merlin requested, and Sora nodded, following Riku and Kairi out the door, with Axel in the back of them.

The two kids from before were rushing to Merlin's house, hands intertwined with a giant man. He was black, sporting a beard, and broad muscles. The boy noticed Sora immediately, and he tugged on his guardian's shirt, making him bend down so he could whisper in his ear. The man nodded, then stood back up, stopping in front of Sora and company.

"Uh, thanks for saving Denzel and Marlene back there. They told me what happened." he explained gruffly, and Sora nodded, feeling stiff with fear. The man grunted, muttering his name "Barret", before leading the kids into Merlin's house.

"No problem?" Sora muttered, then ran over with Riku and Kairi to the Gummi Ship, with Axel hollering after them, trying to catch up, to their amusement.

-*:Gummi Ship:*-

Sora fastened his seat-belt, along with Kairi and Riku, in the front, while Axel lounged in his seat, hands folded behind his head, eyes closed, preparing to nap. Sora chuckled, preparing to burst Axel's bubble, or, erm, douse his flame.

"Axel, you might wanna buckle up. I go pretty fast, because we need to get places in quick amounts of time." Sora explained, and Axel snorted, still not moving.

"Can I drive?" he asked in a sing-song voice, and Sora rolled his eyes. Kairi spoke up for him this time.

"Axel, we're technically friends now, but there is no way I would stay on this with you driving. You seem like a speed-demon, no offense." Kairi spoke honestly, and Axel chuckled, sitting up, his head arching next to the trio in the fronts' heads.

"None taken. Now, let's get going to Gramps!" Axel cheered, and Riku groaned; there was no way he would last this ride to Wizard's Tower with him. He inwardly prayed that the gray tower would come into sight soon.

What surprises are lying in the shadows of Wizard's Tower? Can Sora and the newly saved Axel handle this? Will they get all the answers they are looking for?

- This took a while to finish. I'm juggling this, talking with friends, and a video on Roxas x Namine- Thanks For The Memories, by Fall Out Boy, for youtube. So, I'll update in a few days, meanwhile, continue writing.

I had to add my touch of Axel in there. The adorably annoying part. Haha, that's how I would act. And I'd always say "Are we there yet? How about now?" during car rides to pass time or to annoy people. Charming, huh?

Leave me some comments, ok? And about my original FMV Won't Go Home Without You, the song file got deleted somehow, and I don't have the CD anymore, so I can't get the song back. So, I'm improvising. Plus, my laptop is extremely slow, so it may take a while for the FMV to be finished. I'm giving it my all and toying with effects, unlike my last one, which I just stuck to random three effects that I found. I was experimenting at the time, lighten up!

Oh, and guys. Lemme know what Final Fantasy characters you guys wanna see. It could be people that were in it once and never came back, or it could be characters that have yet to appear. Whichever floats your boat. I can make them their own little stories in whichever world I find suits them!

Bye guys! -