Author's notes: Did I bring in Sora and Riku too early? I'm starting to think I did… But, I have a way to cover that… I hope.

Following Trails that Don't Exist

"How long do you think we've been here?" Kairi asked Sora and Riku. The three of them were standing about in the center of the room.

"A month? Two months? Who knows." Riku shrugged. "You can't really tell when there's no sun that goes up or down."

"I wonder what our parents are thinking right about now…" Sora muttered, biting his lip.

"Hm. I wonder if they even noticed. After all, we did go missing for over a year, then suddenly returned, and now we're gone again." Riku crossed his arms. "With our luck, when we go back, we'll never be let off the islet again."

"Hm." Sora nodded.

After being thrown in there, Sora had since been able to spike his hair again, and had taken the contacts out so his eyes were blue again.

"We're like pets." Riku commented.

"How so?" Kairi tilted her head.

"We eat when food is placed, and sleep when we're tired. We're hamsters in a cage."

"Gerbils." Sora crossed his arms.

"Pretty much." Riku nodded. The door opened, and three people entered the room.

"Sleinr, take Kairi. Runie, Riku. I'll take Sora." Renxen spoke to the other two.

"Hey, Cuz." Runie crossed her arms. "Are we just doing this for Sis's entertainment, or-"

"Are you questioning me, Runie?" Renxen glared at her. Runie shut up. "Good. Now, go." Sleinr and Runie started to walk towards them.

"Runie." Sora turned to her, causing her to stop. "In or out?"

"Out, Sora." Runie looked down. "They caught me after I 'slipped' last time. Sorry." She shook her head.

"Gee, thanks." Muttered Sora.

"Aw, was the Guinea pigs' ticket out shredded?" Renxen asked sarcastically. Sora growled at him. Guinea pigs... that's a good one. Kairi thought.

Sleinr grabbed a hold of Kairi's arm and winked. Kairi smiled, mouthing the words 'I knew there was good in you'.

"Let's go." He looked to Runie, who nodded. Kairi winked at Riku, who nodded in reply. It seemed like everyone was in on it but Renxen and Sora.

Renxen walked over to Sora and yanked his hair back.

"Aie!" Sora attempted to pull away. Sleinr took his chance, with Renxen preoccupied.

"Run, Kairi!" He let go of her arm. Kairi darted forwards, pausing once she was out of the room to look back at Riku and Sora.

"I'll come back for you!" She promised.

"Just run!" Sora yelled. "Don't worry about us!" He was thrown against the wall my Renxen.

"Get out of here, Kairi!" Riku called. She nodded, and ran off with a guilty conscious. How could she just leave them? If the three of them were to survive, she had to leave and come back for them.

She ran down a series of low-lit hallways, through a couple doors, before she came to a set of double doors. She darted through, and a large amount of light poured in as she started through it, blinding her.

"FIRAGA!" Just as her vision returned, she was aware of King Mickey beside her, and two dark-clothed guards coming at them. Fire balls, larger then any Kairi had summoned, circled herself and the King, knocking the guards out.

"King Mickey!" She exclaimed.

"Where are Sora and Riku?" He asked suddenly.

"They couldn't get out. They told me to leave as quickly as I could." Kairi looked down at the ground.

"The Gummiship's waiting, welp." King Mickey turned to her. "There's nothing we can do right now." Kairi nodded. Silently, she started walking on the soft grass, then looked up at the sky.

"I've been trapped so long I forgot what the sky looked like." She commented.

"You were gone nearly five months." The King told her. "Sora was captured a couple days after you." A pause. "Hayner saw you get captured. He said it would've been easy for you to get away."

"They had Riku. I wasn't going to abandon him." Kairi replied. The two started walking away.

In front of them stretched a grassy plain. The door that Kairi had come from was simply that, a door. No building, nothing. It disappeared once they started walking away.

"It that all this world is?" Kairi asked King Mickey.

"I'd say so." He nodded. "The Gummiship's just up ahead."

They walked a little bit, and the ship came into view. Kairi darted forwards towards it. The ramp was slowly lowering, and by the time she got there, was on the ground. She jogged up the ramp, pausing at the top.

"You coming?" She turned to the King.

"Not yet. Get out of here."

Kairi nodded, and the ramp closed. She walked over towards Chip and Dale, who were at the controls.

"Where to?" Chip asked chipperly.

"Radiant Garden." Kairi replied, sitting down. "Then Twilight Town. I need to tell them I'm okay."

"Off we go!" Chip and Dale smiled. The Gummiship shot off into the sky. Kairi stood up again and walked over to a window, watching as the world below got smaller.

Sora, Riku. Now I have a promise for you.

--

"So you're alive." Kairi glanced behind her, spotting none other then Leon, leaning against a wall with his arms crossed.

She had ended up in the Bailey, where Leon just happened to be. She started wondering how that was happening...

"Yeah. Hey!" She looked around.

"That's good to hear. The others are at Merlin's house." Kairi nodded.

"Then let's go." She started to walk off, then stopped. "Er… you lead the way!" Leon couldn't help but chuckle.

--

"Kairi!" Aerith exclaimed as Kairi and Leon entered Merlin's house. Kairi smiled. "You're okay!"

"Of course I am!" Kairi crossed her arms. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"We heard you were captured by Renxen." Yuffie explained. "He also dropped by to torment the town about a month ago, but was stopped by one of his own men."

"Sleinr, probably." Kairi spoke. Everyone looked at her strangely, so she explained what had happened that allowed her to escape.

"So… Sora and Riku are still in danger!" Yuffie shot to her feet.

"Yeah…" Kairi looked down.

"If you're going to avoid Renxen's gang, you can't be Kairi." Leon commented.

"Huh?" Kairi blinked in confusion.

"Just like Sora and Riku became Sam and Richard." Aerith told her. Kairi nodded. "Kairi has to completely disappear, if you're going to save them."

"Hold on a moment! How did you know about Sam and Richard?" Kairi asked.

"They dropped by just before you the first time you came by." Yuffie explained. "They told us what happened, and asked us not to tell you."

"Why didn't they want me to find them?" Kairi muttered.

A silence lingered for awhile; obviously no one knew the answer. The door bust open. Kairi jumped, spotting the blond who'd allowed her to escape, panting heavily. He scanned the group of people until he saw Kairi.

"Kairi! We need to go!" He exclaimed. "Runielius isn't a happy camper, and he's here looking for you."

"Who?" Kairi blinked.

"I'll explain later! For now, we need to run!" He grabbed her arm and went to dart out the door, but Squall Leonhart stepped in the way. "Move it!"

"Who are you?" Aerith asked.

"Name's Sleinr. I set Kairi free. Sora and Riku asked me to keep her safe for them." He glanced back at her.

"Sleinr!" A girl called. "Sleinr! Come out! Please!"

"Yoru…" Sleinr shook his head. "Oi, if a black-haired girl with crimson eyes drops by, tell her I said sorry." He grabbed a hold of Kairi's arm again. A wind blew through the room, and the two faded from sight.

--

"Sleinr! Why did you do that?" Kairi asked. They were surrounded by snow in a burned down village.

"Who do you think commands Renxen?" He asked. "Runielius is our leader. He's the reason behind the torture. He wants Riku and Sora dead, but he wants them to suffer. The best way to do that is to kill you, then prolong their deaths." He turned to her. "It's the hard truth, Kairi. That's the way evil thinks." Kairi slumped onto the ground. "Sora and Riku asked me to keep you safe. I'm only doing what they ask."

"Thanks, I guess…" Kairi looked down. So Leon, Yuffie, Cid, Aerith and Merlin could be at Runielius's mercy by now.

"I stay here with you and they'll find us." Sleinr commented. "I better get going. Call and I'll come running." Another wind blew through, and he faded out of sight.

Kairi decided to find a safer place to rest, finding a cave near by. She entered, and walked into the main chamber. Something that appeared to be a shrine was down one end. She walked down the other end of the chamber and sat down.

Cold… She shivered weakly. Too cold… How much she'd like to be some place warm…

"Shang! In here!" Footsteps rang out. "You okay?" Someone asked her. Her mind was too foggy to see, or care, who it was.

"C-cold…" Kairi managed.

"What's your name?"

"Ka-" She stopped. "Kiana." It was the first name to come to mind, and it started with a 'K'. She'd have to remember to use it from now on, though.

"Let's get her to the palace." Rang another voice. Someone lifted Kairi up.

"Can you walk, Kiana?" The first voice. Kairi shrugged, going to take a step. She slipped and fell forwards, though. She was caught by the two who had found her.

"I'll carry her." Another person entered the cave. "I know her fairly well." Kairi knew that voice fairly well. She felt someone lift her off her feet and carry her in their arms. "Heh." Her mind went blank as they started walking.

--

"Kairi." Someone whispered to her. She opened her eyes.

"Sleinr…" She moaned.

"Shh." He raised a finger to his lips. "Kazuya. Not Sleinr." Kairi nodded weakly. "What do I call you?"

"Kiana." Kairi replied, rubbing her forehead. Where were they? It was a lot warmer… They were obviously inside…

"Kazuya." A door opened and someone entered the room.

"Sir." Kazuya turned to face the newcomer.

"How's the girl?"

"I am awake." Kairi commented sourly, looking down. She was sitting in a corner in a Chinese-style room. She couldn't see the man Kazuya was talking to, and she wasn't sure if that was a good thing or bad thing.

"She spoke for herself, Sir." Sleinr replied.

"Bring her out." The door opened again, and Sleinr returned to her side.

"Let's go." He wrapped her arm around his shoulders so he could help her walk. Kairi was limping slightly, but Sleinr managed to get her out of the room.

"Where're we going?"

"Out of this world…" He turned to her. "I'll carry you. I got in touch with your pilots. They're waiting for you." Kairi nodded. Sleinr picked her up, holding her in both arms and gripping onto her tightly. "Let's hope we make it out." He muttered, before running forwards. "Otherwise, we're dead." Kairi laughed sarcastically.

"Kazuya!" Someone was behind them. Kairi really didn't feel like looking up…

"Name's Sleinr Twilight!" He called back tauntingly. "And I don't work for you. I work for Rexa." Kairi gasped.

"Catch them!" Heavy footsteps rang out behind them, chasing them. Kairi closed her eyes. Rexa… who was she? Yoru had referred to her before… when Kairi was captured. She didn't want to ask questions. Sleinr paused for a moment, one of his hands leaving her to fumble with something. Kairi opened her eyes, seeing that he was trying to open a large, Chinese-style door. Finally managing to open it, he darted outside.

Kairi first noticed the temperature change. It was freezing outside, so she clung to Sleinr for warmth. Sleinr, now supporting her with both hands again, didn't respond. Kairi felt guilty in her heart, like she was betraying Sora… She closed her eyes, trying not to think about it. Suddenly, the temperature warmed up again to a comfortable level.

"Kairi, we're here." Sleinr shook her lightly.

Kairi opened her eyes. Were they in the Gummiship? Sleinr sat her down in the center of the tree chairs, and Chip and Dale quickly darted up to her.

"Hey, Kairi!" Chip jumped excitedly.

"Glad to see you're okay!" Dale joined in. Kairi smiled with a laugh.

"We're going to have to train you, Kairi." Sleinr spoke. "You're not strong enough to fight… wait…" Sleinr smiled. "What if you were to hide as one of Runielius's own? They would train you."

"What?!" Kairi looked shocked.

"We'd have to get you a disguise first…" Sleinr muttered. "We'll head to Twilight Town and have a look around there…" Kairi nodded.

"To Twilight Town then!" Chip and Dale started working the controls.

"Yes…" Kairi nodded.

--

"Wear this while we're here." Sleinr passed Kairi a navy blue cloak, similar to the ones the Organization members had, just a different colour. "We can't have you being recognised." She nodded, putting the cloak on over her shoulders and putting the hood up.

Chip and Dale landed in an empty part of town, letting Kairi and Sleinr off. The two headed into town, towards the market.

Durring their little shopping trip to try and find Kairi a decent disguise, they ran into Hayner, Pence and Olette.

"I know you!" Hayner exclaimed as he looked at Sleinr. "You're one of the thugs that took Kairi!"

"Hayner." Kairi hissed at him from under the hood as she grabbed his arm. "I'm fine. Call me Kiana."

"Okay…" Hayner looked at her. "How-?"

"I'll explain later, okay." She said quietly. "After I save Sora and Riku." She added. She nodded to Olette, before standing beside Sleinr again. "See you later." Her and Sleinr turned and walked away.

Kairi and Sleinr managed to find her a disguise that fit, and she liked (that was the hardest part). Returning to the Gummiship, Kairi went into the cargo hold to change. When she returned, she sat down in the middle seat.

Her new outfit was made up of a pair of navy-blue cargo pants, a black shirt and an Elven Bandanna tied around her neck. She looked more like a tom-boy then she ever had in her life. Crossing her arms, she glanced at Sleinr, who was sitting on the arm rest of the chair to her left.

"You okay?" He asked her.

"Yeah… just thinking about Sora and Riku…" She replied.

"Hey, tomorrow you'll see them again." Kairi nodded in response.

Couldn't tomorrow come quicker?