A group had gathered together, taking refuge in the dark as they sat around a table discussing the matter at hand.

"That little squirt took down the Heartless! Who would've known?!" One voice spoke.

"Such is the power of the Keyblade. The child's strength is not his own." Another voice echoed in the darkness.

"Why don't we turn him into a Heartless? That'll settle things quick enough." A more malicious feminine voice sounded.

"And those two are the King's lackeys. They're all bilge rats by the looks of them!"

"You're no prize yourself." Deep laughter filled the room after the comment, followed by a 'Shut up!'

"Enough." Silence overcame the room as a woman's voice was heard, "The Keyblade has chosen him," A sinister smile that could be seen even through the darkness came across the woman's face, "... and it's by no mere coincidence that the girl has joined them." The others in the room looked at her expectedly, "She's what we've been looking for; the Door." Slight gasps were heard as the woman continued talking, "Will they conquer the darkness? Or will the darkness swallow them? Either way, they're both quite useful."

When we boarded the 'Gummi Ship', as Donald had called it, Sora and I were bombarded by two chipmunks who, apparently, were the ships mechanics. The two had scolded us for not taking off our shoes when entering. I begrudgingly began to unlace my shoes, placing them next to Sora's.

"Shoes off! I won't have ya dirtying up the cockpit!" One of the chipmunks ordered.

"Honestly, kids these days." The one with the red nose huffed as he scrubbed at the smudges of dirt on the floor which were left from our shoes.

Chip and Dale were their names and it seemed as though Sora was getting used to the whole idea of talking animals faster than I was because when Jiminy Cricket popped out to introduce himself, I nearly keeled over.

"Haven't forgotten anything, have you?" Donald asked us, "If not, fasten your seat belts, we'll be taking off shortly."

Sora and I sat down in seats next to each other and buckled ourselves in. I wouldn't admit it out loud, but I was a bit giddy about being able to fly through space although when we took off, I could see Sora did not share my excitement. As we blasted off

I heard him groan a bit and his face paled, "Getting airsick, Sora?" I asked.

He merely gave me a bland look and tried not to focus on the rocking of the ship.

"Sora! Jaci!" Donald called out, "Take a look out the window! Go ahead, you can get up and look!"

I unbuckled myself and stepped towards the window, admiring the cosmos that were all around us, "Wow." I sighed a bit dreamily, "You gotta see this." I waved for Sora to come over and he did, albeit, a bit sluggishly, but as soon as he caught sight of the view outside the window, he perked right up.

"Woah!" His mouth hung open in awe, "Wish Riku and Kairi were here to see this..."

It seemed as though the trip was done within the blink of an eye because no sooner had we gotten up to admire the view did Donald announce that we had arrived at our destination.

"Already?" Sora asked.

"What's this world called?" I asked as I pressed my face to the window, trying to get a better look at the world.

"This is Wonderland!" Donald told us.

"I can hardly wait!" Sora beamed, the excitement radiating off of him.

"Don't just jump the airlock, though. That's a bit dangerous." Donald said as he glanced out the door of the Gummi Ship, "Have to look both ways before exiting."

"Gotta be careful!" Goofy said cheerfully as he and Donald walked out once Donald confirmed the coast was clear.

Sora and I watched in horror as our new companions walked out onto nothing but air, "Guys! Below you!"

"Ahyuk." Was all Goofy managed to get out before they were sent plummeting to the ground, but not before Sora tried to grab his hand and when Sora started to fall I latched onto Sora only to be caught in a chain reaction and before I knew it we were free falling.

We landed in a heap on a checkered floor, each of us groaning in pain.

"Not exactly how I thought our journey would start." I grumbled as I rubbed my sore back.

As Donald was about to get up, a small white rabbit bounced off of his head, "I'm late! I'm late! For a very important date!" It called out as he scurried along frantically checking its pocket watch for the time, "No time to say hello goodbye, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!" He seemed to pay us no mind, "The Queen she'll have me beheaded, as sure as ferrets are ferrets!"

Sora, Goofy, and I could do nothing but stare blankly at the scene before us, "What was that?" I asked.

Donald, however, was a completely different story and I heard him growl as he stood up, "Let's follow!" We trailed behind the rabbit, rather pathetically since we could barely keep up with his quick pace, "Wait, I said!" Donald yelled.

By the time we rounded the corner, the rabbit was no where to be seen.

"Pulled a fast one on us, he did." Goofy mumbled as he looked around.

"Wonder where he went?" Sora asked to no one in particular.

I glanced around the room, looking for any spot the small rabbit could be hiding in or had escaped to, but what caught my eye was a miniature sized rabbit identical to the one we had been chasing scurrying across the floor, "Look." I pointed out as the rabbit fled through a small door at the other side of the room, "He's bite-sized."

"How'd he get so small?" Sora questioned before pointing at the door, "Lookit how tiny this door is!"

"I beg your pardon, but it isn't that I'm tiny. You're simply too large." We all jumped back as the doorknob spoke, an irritated look on its face, "Needn't be so loud. If you wish to pass, simply ingest the contents of that bottle on the table there. And do hurry up about it. Haven't got all day, you see? I've sleep to catch up on."

I picked up one of the bottles on the table, the one the Doorknob had spoke of and sniffed at it, making a face as I found the smell to be extremely unpleasant, "Here, Sora. You first." I told the younger boy, holding the bottle out to him.

Sora whined, "Why do I have to be the test dummy?"

"Because you're the dummy." I insisted as I pushed the bottle into his hand, urging him to take a sip. Sora gave it a whiff, making the same face I did, but tipped the bottle to his lips. There was a puff of smoke and when it faded there stood a tiny Sora instead. My lips formed an 'O' as I kneeled down, poking at him with my finger, "You're so small."

He swatted at my hand, "Now you guys drink it!"

I picked up the bottle, giving Sora second glance before shrugging and taking a sip. Before I knew it, I was standing face to face with Sora looking up at Donald and Goofy.

"This is really weird." I commented and Sora nodded in agreement while Donald and Goofy both took sips from the bottle.

We walked up to the Doorknob once everyone was bite-sized and Sora called out to him, "Hey! Open up!"

The reply he got was a loud, obnoxious snore.

Placing my hands on my hips, I glared at the sleeping Doorknob, "You have got to be kidding me."

"Ahyuk! Over here, guys!" Goofy called out. We looked over at him to find him standing in front of a hole behind the bed, "We can get in through here, prob'ly!"

I took a peek inside the hole, seeing nothing at the end but darkness and dirt. I was about to protest, but my companions all started towards the hole, crawling through despite the dirt and no seeming end.

"Oh yes, let's crawl through a creepy, dark hole in a world which we know nothing about except for the fact that a doorknob can talk! Brilliant idea, guys." I grumbled as I reluctantly followed after them.

Sora, who was in front of me, laughed, "Lighten up! It's an adventure!" I gave a groan in response.

The further we crawled into the hole, the clearer and clearer we could hear trumpets play, until finally, we were at the end, where a gorgeous garden full of red roses met our sights.

"Court is now in session!"

A young, blonde girl stood in front of a rather large and ugly woman with a crown on her head, "The girl is the culprit, there's no doubt about it!" The woman fanned herself, "And the reason is, because I say so that's why!"

We stood at the back of the garden, watching as the scene unfolded.

"That's so unfair!" The girl defended herself, "I've done absolutely nothing wrong! I don't know whether or not it's true that you're a queen, but I've never seen anyone so selfish and mean!"

"Little girl," The Queen started, "Are you intentionally attempting to anger me?"

"Anyone got any idea what's going on?" I whispered and all three of them shook their heads.

"I find the defendant, Alice, guilty as charged!" The Queen announced.

Alice looked near tears as she tried to argue, "How can you.."

"You are guilty of the theft attempted upon the heart of the Queen of Hearts!"

"A heart?" I echoed, "Think it has anything to do with the Heartless?"

Sora nodded, "I think we should help her out."

"Absolutely not." Donald told him, "We can't go around meddling in the affairs of other worlds!"

"Against the rules, that is." Goofy told us.

"Off with her head!" The Queen shouted.

"No, no!" Alice looked panicked, "Oh, please!" She begged.

It was then that I noticed Sora was no longer at my side, "Oh, brother..." I mumbled.

"Hold it right there!"

Donald slapped his hand to his face which held a look of agitation, "Jeez."

I followed after Sora, looking at Donald as I passed him, "I think you bit off a bit more than you can chew with this one."

"You're telling me." Donald grumbled as he and Goofy trailed behind me.

A series of events led up to me being thrown into a cage with the little, blonde girl who was apparently called Alice while Sora, Donald, and Goofy ran off to the forest in search of evidence that proved Alice's innocence.

I leaned against the bars of the cage and attempted at a conversation with the little girl, "How'd you end up here, anyway?"

She paused, as if she wasn't sure I'd believe her if she told me, "Well, you see, I fell down a rabbit hole while chasing the White Rabbit." She looked to me, almost like she was waiting for me to stop her tale, "I accidentally wandered into the Queen's garden and that's when she accused me of trying to steal her heart."

I was silent for a moment, "She's a real nutter, that one." I jerked my head in the direction of the Queen who was busy picking her teeth, "Don't worry, though. Sora, Donald, and Goofy won't let you get beheaded. They'll prove your innocence."

Alice gave a sigh and folded her hands in her lap, "I do hope so."

One of the Card Soldiers rapped on the cage with his lance, "No talking amongst the prisoners!" He ordered.

I scowled at him, but kept quiet otherwise. It was going to be a long wait.

I peeked out of the cage as I heard a Card Soldier scream in surprise; a Soldier Heartless had emerged from the forest with Sora, Donald, and Goofy following after it.

"There's your proof!" Sora shouted at the Queen, "Alice is innocent, now let her and Jaci go!"

With all the commotion outside, no one seemed to notice the silver-haired boy unlocking the cage. He looked as though he was surprised to see me in the cage with Alice.

"Who are you?" I asked and he just gave me a smirk before grabbing Alice and vanishing from sight.

As I thought of the boy's aqua eyes and silver hair, the same feeling of familiarity came over me as when I first saw Sora.

Why do I feel like I knew him from somewhere?

After a long, drawn out fight with the Card Soldiers, the Queen had sent us out in search of Alice or else she'd have our heads chopped off.

"I don't understand why we're listening to her. We should just leave." I mumbled as I followed after my companions in the Lotus Forest.

"We need to find out what happened to Alice!" Sora told me.

I sighed, "I already told you, Sora, she's gone."

"Oh yes," Came a smooth voice, "Neither here nor there, gone with the shadows." I blinked in surprise as a purple cat materialized in front of us, "Poor Alice." The cat lamented.

"Have you seen her?!" Sora asked the strange cat.

"Negative." The cat said, still grinning, "The cat, the culprit, and the answer do all in darkness lie. I shall show what shadows lurk in the heart of the world..." The cat motioned for us to follow and reluctantly, we did.

"Here, here." The cat called as we walked into the bizarre room where the Doorknob was.

"Where?" Donald asked.

"Patience, patience," The cat grinned as the tip of his claw lit up with a flame, "Have you heard?" He lit the lamps on the walls and a shadow engulfed us, "Where there is the brightest of flames, there is the darkest of shadows..." He lounged on the table as an enormous Heartless appeared, swinging flaming clubs, "You've prepared your hearts for the worst? If not, too bad!"

I clenched my bat in my hands as Sora and Donald shouted at the deceitful cat, "You lied to us?!"

"I lie, you say? Nay, I need not. The Cheshire Cat takes heart in aiding those in need."

The Heartless brought down a flaming club on us, catching the back of Sora's pants on fire, "Hot! Hot! Hot!" He shouted as he ran about while I started bashing the Heartless' legs with my bat, but to no avail.

I nearly got hit in the face with the flaming club as the Heartless tried to swat me away had I not rolled to the side just milliseconds beforehand.

"Rather a miracle you've made it this far..." The cat commented, "It is but a pittance, but I shall grant to you what strength you lack."

A flurry of snowflakes was brought down upon us and I stared curiously as my bat began to glitter ever so slightly.

"Hot!" Donald cried out as his tail feather was lit on fire.

"Donald!" Sora pointed his Keyblade at Donald and a flurry of snowflakes came out of the end, putting out the fire on Donald's rear.

"What was that?" I questioned and I too shot out a snowflakes from the end of my bat as I experimented with the new magic that was bestowed upon us.

"The Bearer of the Key and the Door..." The cat started as he balanced on his head, "It'd be a true pity if you didn't know how to use magic, wouldn't it?"

I gripped my bat as we prepared ourselves to face the enemy once more, but my mind couldn't shake what the cat had just referred to me as.

The Door?

The battle ended with the enormous Heartless in frozen, shattered pieces on the floor.

I tapped one of the pieces before complimenting Sora, "Good job!"

As if on cue, the sleeping Doorknob roused from his sleep, "Dear lord, what is the racket?" He mumbled tiredly "Do humor me a bit and tone down the brawl, could you? A doorknob can't be getting any rest around her, he can't..." As he opened his mouth to yawn, he revealed a small keyhole.

"What is that?" Sora asked as he leaned in closer to look only to have his Keyblade emit a blinding light which shone into the keyhole, a faint clicking noise could be heard as the light died down.

We blinked as Sora examined his Keyblade, "Sounded like something being locked."

Goofy bent down to pick something up off the ground, "Ahyuk, it's a Gummi block!"

"Superb performance, boy." The Cheshire Cat commented, clapping his paws together gaining everyone's attention, "That's a show of innate talent, that display. Your powers really do bloom true, if I do say. Keep it up and you'll be a florist some day!"

Sora was on the defensive as he glowered at the cat, "Whose side are you on?"

"Alice has passed from this world, to where I cannot speak. Borne off by the shadows, she has fallen to the darkness of obscurity."

I frowned and was left just as confused as the others as to the Cheshire Cat's cryptic message. This journey will not be an easy one.