This chapter is mainly just one of two set-up/introductory chapters, with a bit of fluff towards the end. Now, Riaxdan, why don't you do the disclaimer?

Riaxdan: Riaxdan...wait, why are our names the same?

Well, i explianed this before. Forum. all i'm saying.

Riaxdan: Fine. We own nothing but OC's.

Dude, why so stiff and pissed off?

Riaxdan: I work under Shi. You know exactly how that is!

Woah, calm down! Listen to me! You get a huge break! So calm down!

Riaxdan: (blasts thunder at me) SILENCE FOOL!

(laughs as the thunder fades) ok, now you're gonna hate this new OC. muhaha (starts planning for the future)

The darkness inside the castle was no longer frightening to the teenage girl who now roamed its halls. She had grown accustomed to the dust covered gloom of the stone walls and the creaks of the doors. It had become her second nature to ignore her surroundings, letting things pass by her without her taking notice. She had too much training to do before; now, well, now she was just anxious to leave. But she needed her father's permission. Or her punishment would be a swift and painful death.

She could still remember the bright gates of the castle, and how they shined with a brilliance matched by the world beyond them. Now they were simply covered in a dark ooze from the comings and goings of the men who worked under her father. The halls were no longer the clean, white marble they had once been, but dark gray stones that made the halls seem to stretch on forever in her mind. And the darkness made the entire place smell of decaying flesh and rotted fruit. The girl silently retched as the smell assaulted her over and over. Ignore it, come on, just ignore it!

Riaxdan turned the corner and bumped into her. She yelped and blushed a deep red as she fell onto the stone floor, dirt clinging to her clothes where they touched the floor. He helped her to her feet in an instant. "I'm sorry, Alecia. I was just coming to get you, actually."

She didn't try to hide the irritation he caused her, instead letting it all drip from her tongue, much like her father. "You idiotic gorilla! Why don't you be more careful? What would my father say if I were seriously hurt?" His deep, controlled voice had always annoyed her above all else. "Forget it! Can I leave yet? I'm bored here. No one is interesting to me. I'm tired of you old men and your moronic plan."

Riaxdan turned away from the girl. He couldn't strike her, but he still found resisting the impulse an extreme inconvenience, and even considered just causing a nearby vine to slap her. Still, facing death was not on his agenda if he was to succeed in his goals. And her father would kill him as punishment. Or worse. "Go talk to Shi. He has requested your company."

"You mean Master Shi, don't you?" She asked, confused. He had always been the formal servant, practically a butler. And at times her nanny. An extremely large, buff, irritable nanny, but a nanny nonetheless. She had caused him plenty of trouble in the past, too, and he would always want revenge. Not that Alecia realized this second bit.

His first response was laughter, shocking her. He had never laughed except when in battle. "That's right, you have yet to be informed. I am Shi's personal guardian now. His equal in command…"

"But not in battle!" She shouted viciously. She had inherited Shi's talent at getting under people's skin, though hers had come with a bit of practice while her fathr could almost see the buttons he had to push. Only a few people had ever beat him in annoying him before he could them.

Riaxdan displayed the only emotion he felt around this teenager: irritation. "Shi wishes to speak with you. NOW! I do NOT suggest making him wait much longer. His patience grows thin!" Alecia began to walk down another hall, towards Shi's chamber. "As does mine," Riaxdan muttered to himself before following slowly, letting thoughts of fighting certain Keybearers fill his mind.

Alecia entered the room without bothering to knock, but Shi's cold eyes were locked on the door the moment it moved. "Ah, Alecia, you made it here quicker than I had anticipated. Were you walking around the castle again? I warned you, that could be dangerous…with the many powerful men coming and going."

She laughed at the fake concern. "As if you don't know everything that happens inside these walls, controlling it as you see fit? Now, when can I leave? I'm in need of some new scenery. These...current living arrangements are not suiting me."

Shi smiled. So like me. I've done good with this one. Mostly. Shame, really… "One assignment. Then you are free to travel for awhile. How does that sound?"

"Coming from you? Like I'll probably die before this mission is over. But I guess it wouldn't be the first time you sent me to die. I'm sure I'll figure something out. Always do."

His smile widened. "All you have to do is travel to the World That Never Was. Introduce my darkness to the world, and I shall handle the rest myself. Now go!" He shouted, annoyance growing steadily as time stretched out.

Alecia picked up on this and began backing out of the room. "Thank you father," she said politely. Riaxdan stepped in, and they once again bumped into each other. She turned angrily, opening her mouth to shout how incompetent he was, but decided against it. She settled for a quick roll of her bright green eyes and shoving past the mountain of a man.

As she exited, Riaxdan asked the question that was burning in the pit of his stomach. "Why send her first, Shi? I thought…"

"Unfortunately, what I plan to do may swallow up all of the darkness that is on that world."

"So, you'll sacrifice your only child?" Riaxdan asked, appalled. "For power?"

Shi's laughter disturbed Riaxdan. "Why not, brother? Her mother was the final soul I destroyed to attain my blade. Now she can serve a similar purpose."

Mickey sat alone inside the Gummi Ship they had piloted to the islands, waiting for the link to connect fully. When it finally did, Chip and Dale's furry faces appeared. They saluted and said in unison "Evening, Your Majesty!"

"Boys, prepare the hangar for our arrival in a day. But first, go get the queen…"

They saluted once more and ran off. Moments later, Minnie sat in front of the monitor, a smile on her tired face. She rubbed her eyes softly, causing a slight smile to break across Mickey's face. "Mickey, dear, are you okay?" She asked quietly, knowing he only called whenever he was extremely stressed.

"I'm fine, Minnie. I just wish I could have brought you with me. Or that I could rest awhile. I'm not as young as I was before these adventures started. But I'm not too old to be undergoing them, either. I…I've been considering finding someone to fill in for my traveling jobs," he explained, waiting for her reaction.

"Why? I thought you loved traveling the worlds…"

Mickey smiled. "I do, but I want to travel them with you. I want you by my side again."

Minnie clapped her hands together happily. "Oh, that does sound wonderful! And you know how I want to meet each Princess of Heart."

"Then it's settled. After this, I'll find someone to travel formally for us, watching over the worlds. How does that sound?"

"Absolutely perfect!"

"Just like you," the King said, his eyes shining with the love that helped him through the dark nights of his previous endeavors.

Awww fluff. Yeah, so guesses on the replacement? NO, NO, NO, NO, NONONONONONO! You're wrong. Maybe..

Don't count on me being that predictable, geesh. Anyways, bringing in some minor powers next chapter.

Ten Voices: Release us!

Hold on, hold on. Geesh...

Edited! Not many changes, though. And hey, you who read but do not review, come on! I can get so much better if you guys tell me what i do right and wrong!