Test Run

"You need to rest."

"With all due respect," Riku stifled a yawn. "Sora is still missing Master. It's been two weeks and there hasn't even been a hint of him."

Master Yensid nodded slowly. "I am aware of the situation Riku. But you need to remember that your physical and mental health relies on getting proper rest. It's not a request, but an order. You must go rest."

Riku debated arguing further, but knew he wouldn't win. "Yes Master." He gave a brief bow then left.

He passed many rooms on the way to his own, and when he passed Kairi's he saw the light was still on in hers. Pausing for a moment he heard her practicing her magic inside. She had been contained to the Tower as well now that Sora was missing. It was too risky to have her in the field when she was still so inexperienced. He knew that she wasn't happy that she wasn't allowed to help him look for their friend, but unlike Sora she realized the danger and remained within the Tower like Master Yensid had asked of her.

When he finally got to his room he considered cleaning the place up a bit, but decided against it and crashed on his bed. He hated not being out looking for Sora. There was the time when Sora was in the pod to regain his memories, but at least Riku knew where he was then. He knew that even if his friend was unconscious, he was safe. That's what mattered. Yawning again Riku rolled on to his side and closed his eyes. Maybe the Master had a point about needing rest…

Jolting awake at the sound of his communicator Riku blindly reached for the device on the nightstand.

"Hello?"

"Hey Riku! It's Chip! You got a minute?"

"Sure."

"I know you've been super busy lately. But I'm picking up a large darkness reading in Agrabah. Do you have time to check it out? I hate to bug you with it, but the King is busy and Donald and Goofy are still in Wonderland."

Riku rolled out of his bed. "Yeah I'm on it."

"Thank you!"

"Sure." He hung up.

In Agrabah? It was probably another desert heartless. They showed up every once in awhile. Hopefully it wasn't too close to the marketplace.

"Why are we here again?" Goofy looked up at the mushroom towering over them.

"We're looking for that stupid spikey-haired idiot." Donald grumbled.

"Why would Sora come to Wonderland?"

"Well he wasn't in Deep Jungle!"

Goofy nodded. "What about Atlantica?"

Donald shuddered. "Let's save that for absolute worst case scenario."

"Well if we are looking everywhere-"

"We will save it for the last place we look ok!" Donald snapped.

Goofy shrugged. He didn't understand the hate that Sora and Donald shared about visiting Atlantica. It wasn't that hard getting around as a fish. Was it?

"Do you think he's ok?" Goofy asked trying not to sound as worried as he really was for their young friend.

"I'm sure he's fine." Donald waved off. "But lets keep looking just in case he isn't just messing around." Though he pulled off sounding uncaring, he was just the opposite. Sora would never just take off for so long without at least letting them know where he was going or giving them an update.

"I hope we find him soon." Goofy sighed.

"Me too."

There had been at least seven giant shadow heartless swarms invading the town of Agrabah. Aladdin had been seen in the mess trying to fight them off too little avail. Every time the Genie snapped his fingers to vanish them two more swarms appeared. After many tedious hours they finally cleared the town of the swarms and the citizens were safe to return to their daily lives.

"Thanks for your help." Aladdin shook his hand.

"Of course. I can't believe how out of control they were. Is this normal?" Riku looked about as the people began cleaning up as if this was a daily routine.

Aladdin scratched the back of his head. "It wasn't until about two weeks ago. It started as a few heartless running around causing mischief. And it's steadily grown to this."

Riku racked his brain of the villain that had tried to take over this world. Sora had told him a million stories of their adventures but they had began to get scrambled after awhile. "Was it Jafar?"

Aladdin shook his head. "No. He's gone for good I think… I saw where the heartless came from, but it wasn't a person. It was kind of shaped like a person… but this was a beast. It stood on all fours and made this growling noise. Long talons and a lot of darkness just seeping from it. The heartless were obeying… that thing."

Riku crossed his arms and gave his best straight face expression. "Its head, did it have spikes?"

"Yeah. You've seen it before?"

"Unfortunately. You could say I'm hunting it right now."

"Good luck. One of the palace guards went after it the other day and it sent him flying into a building. Raoul will live, but he is definitely down for awhile."

"My apologies. I will come back to check on you guys soon if I haven't found it."

"Thanks. Good luck!"

"You might want to save some for yourself around here. But thanks."

As Riku got back to his Gummi ship he couldn't process it. The 'beast' was Sora surely. Somehow he had transformed back into that … thing and was rampaging in Agrabah. Were other worlds in trouble from him as well? Was he stuck like that? Why had he used his magic in the first place? He knew what would happen, he'd been told and he had clearly understood. What would posses him to leave and then use it? What kind of trouble had he gotten into that he needed to use magic? He needed to tell Master Yensid, but more than anything he wanted to go look for Sora now that he knew what to look for.

His communicator buzzed again.

Chip: If you are done in Agrabah something huge just started in the Pride Lands.

The Pride Lands? Sora had definitely mentioned that one. It was the odd world run by lions. Every bit of him despised the idea of having to turn into a lion, but it couldn't be helped. If his friend was there ensuing chaos then he had to go clean it up. Like always…

He quickly sent a reply to Chip to let the small chipmunk know that he was on his way to the troubled world.

"No sign of Mr. Hyper yet?" Lea leaned back on the couch in the sitting room.

"None." Kairi picked at the label of her water bottle.

"Strange. He usually bounces right back."

Kairi nodded. "If he went somewhere it must be important."

"Or he's in trouble."

She shot him a glare. "You said you knew someone who could help."

"I do." He looked out the window at the mysterious landscape. "But the punk's got to be present for it to work."

Kairi sighed for the millionth time since Sora disappeared. "I hope he's ok…"

Sora woke up in his now familiar white cell room. His mind felt like someone had been mashing it with a hammer. Along with that, his skin felt like it had been turned to ice, but his blood was boiling. The contrast made him groan into the smooth floor where he was still lying.

"Oh dear. Did I push you too hard this time?"

Sora grunted.

"You should be thankful. I had originally wanted to test you on that underwater world but decided to save that for another day."

At the thought of having to the pain he currently possessed on top of the soreness that always followed a trip to Atlantica Sora groaned louder.

"Your meal is on the table in the corner. Rest up. Same thing tomorrow bright and early." Then he vanished into the darkness.

Sitting up he looked at what the food was.

Unseasoned noodles again?!

"Come on. At least give me decent food."

The jerk didn't even give him a side item.

"Some bread or rice or something would be nice!" Sora called not sure exactly if the man could hear him or not."Even some cheese."

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