The Jailer: the Awakening

by AznPuffyHair

KH xover. It all started with waking up in a strange place after battling the First Uchiha, then having this voice tell him about destiny and something about a Jailor, then gave him a giant key? Isn't his life bad enough? M for Language and future stuff.

11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: (Insert Star Wars Theme) I do not own the series, and you know it. Now obey the force and read… (Wave hand) You will read this chapter.

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Victoria is in a crisis so out of this world that she simply doesn't know what to do. Well, she does, but it's just that it is so unlike her that she finds herself second guessing her own actions every few seconds. Yet at the same time, the knowledge that Victor is in danger forces her to continue. She likes the man damn it, and she'll see to it that he comes to no harm, married to a dead corpse or not!

…Oh son of a… If Victoria has a more lenient childhood, she would have been blurring her curses to the heaven for all she cares. Still, now that she remembers Victor is married, to a corpse of all things, she at least has some idea of what to do. The plan so far has been consisted of climbing out of the window and sneak away without her parents detection… and that's it. But now she has a plan of action, and she will not rest until she sees that it is done!

Thus gathering as much courage as she has, Victoria hurriedly marches toward the cathedral in the town. The pastor must have a way. They always have an answer, and in this case, it should be no difference. Besides, isn't it part of the church's duty to banish the wretched from where they came from? Well, she has something that needs banishing, and if the church refuses to help, she'll just find her own way of doing it, even if it means bleeding herself dry just so her blood will wash away the corpse's soul.

She will get Victor back, or so whoever is up there helps her because she damned well will try.

XXXXXXXXXX

Victor feels joyous! The siblings aren't dead! They just manage to find a way into this world of the dead. Don't ask him how they did it, because they aren't willing to part with that information for some reason. He can understand too, because he is already looking at them as if they're crazy. The little stuff about a bridge and worlds from before is strange as it is. He doesn't need new stuff to add to his already aching head. Of course, just because they're not dead, doesn't quite excuse them from almost killing him. He smacked his head enough in one day, so he doesn't need any more thank you very much. Although is it rather amusing to see the smaller blonde thrash the older one with a tongue lashing.

Still, one way or another, Victor Van Dort finds himself confessing his trouble to the strange blonde duo. They are rather good listeners, he'll admit, and so far all he gets in return are snickers from the older blonde and sympathetic look from the younger one. Is that actually any better? Victor likes to think it is, because at least it's better than getting locked in a stray jacket or get strangled for one thing or another. Is he losing his mind? Probably, considering just how well he is taking in all these. Hmm, maybe on the edge, because insane people don't know they're insane… or so he heard, so he is probably ready to go over the edge.

Well, back to the issues at hand, Victor finds himself some help in the guise of Alice. Bless the sweet girl; she makes his trouble seem so simple. Just be himself she says, and that is exactly what he'll do. It's simple, but effective. (1) Now he just needs to find her… Wait, he hears barking. That's right, he has Scrap! He can help him find Emily, Victor knows it.

Now he just needs to find his dog instead of his wife. To do so, Victor employs the oldest trick in the book that seems to almost always work with dogs: he whistles and then he shouts. "Scrap! Come here boy!" Figuring that it might take a while for him to answer, Victor turns around to face his two acquaintance, and asks, "So, how did you two get down here exactly again?" The man asks, and chuckles sheepishly at the tick that developed on the older blonde's –Naruto he reminds himself- head. It does not look pretty, and if Victor thinks he isn't scary enough with his tall status and obviously trained body, then the way those cerulean blue eyes narrow at him brings his level of fear to another league. It's like he is being stalked by a predator. "Ehehehe… right, you won't say. Forget I asked."

"Oh don't worry about him. I think he's just deprived of something." Alice says, and Victor starts to worry for her when Naruto's eyes shift to her instead. If he wants to, Naruto can easily crush Alice, and they all know it, yet Victor can tell she isn't afraid. "Although I never know what he is deprived of… What are you deprived of brother?"

"…How the heck did I end up in this situation again?" Naruto asks to no one in particular, and Victor wonders why he is even in that situation in the first place. Seriously, how did they end up in this situation? And for some strange reason, the blonde duo is taking the news of being in a City of the Dead rather well… Oh? Is that barking he hears?

"Scarp!" Turning around, Victor grins at his dead dog, and quickly slump in defeat at the bouquet of flower in his mouth. It seems his dog knows him better than he anticipated. "Oh Scrap, I was hoping you can help me with… well, it seems you know…" Several barking is his answers, and Victor scratches his head trying to decipher them. He wonders if there are people in the world that can actually understand dog-speak, or canin-ese, or whatever they call dog's language besides barking. "Um, I'll take that as a yes?" A few more barks and Victor knows that Scrap isn't likely to turn on him and bite his ass. Victor always know his dog is more intelligent than most, so he wouldn't be too surprised if Scrap suddenly assaults him over something. "Right, it seems I'll be finding Emily rather soon. Hopefully I can gain her forgiveness… is something the matter?"

Victor's question is due to the fact that Alice is frowning with worry at Naruto, who is staring at Scarp with a rather blank face. Blank, as in completely void of emotion; not even the slightest twitch can be found. "…Hmm, just some old memories…" Victor frowns at the way Naruto answers, and he must agree with Alice on the fact that it is cause for some concern. Just then, he bears witness to one of the largest smiles that ever graced his life; he is tempted to wince. "Well, nothing to worry about. Let's go and find this bride of yours. I have an idea just who it is. I am also hoping that it might leads to some… answers to some of my questions."

Victor doesn't buy it, and appearance Alice doesn't either. Even Scrap is whimpering at it. Something isn't right with Naruto, and Victor wonders what it is. He certainly looks normal enough, but there is just this air around him and Victor couldn't quite place it… Hmm, Alice is whispering something to Naruto. What it is, he can't say, nor is it any of his business to be quite frank.

He just hopes that it isn't going to cause him trouble in the future. He has enough on his plate as it is.

XXXXXXXXXX

To Naruto, the City of the Dead -or as Victor so kindly dubbed it as "Down Stair"- is just another place to go. Another place to see, another place to sate his curiosity, and of course, another place to save as it seems Heartless activities do indeed exist here. Oh what is he thinking? Heartless supposedly exist everywhere, because light cannot exist without darkness, and vice versa. A shadow cannot exist without a light source, yet a shadow must have a light for it to exist. It's a strange philosophy, but it confusingly makes sense. Quite an oxymoron and so far, Naruto tries not to think about it. Leave it to those who study how the universe work and he'll do the dirty work for them.

Dirty work? Pssh, whatever you want to call it, because whatever it is, he's doing the work of somebody else's. After all, that is what the Keyblade implies right? And it appears this world is his depute into the "saving the worlds" business. Now he just needs to figure out what needs to be done. He saved people, villages, and even city, but never the world, let along WORLDS.

First, to understand some bits of it, he must find Emily, because she seems to be connected to the whole thing somehow. Or he needs to stick with Victor, because he may be what will help Naruto finds what he needs to do. Or he could seek out someone who knows the inner working of this particular world.

Nah, he has Victor, so he'll see how things turn out. There really is no point trying to explain his action, because in truth he really never has a plan in the first place. Naruto, as stated before, is a man who thinks on his feet, never on his behind (and if you ever hinted that he thinks with 'junior' he'll accuse you as a pervert). Life is too full of surprises to plan it out, and for Naruto who attracts trouble like honey attracts bees, that statement is always true. Thus can you really say you're surprised that Naruto decides to see what happen now?

Oh, and let's not forget the fact that he has someone to look after, so he can't really wonder off to some unknown places when his charge is in also rather unknown territory now can he? Still, he walks a few steps behind Victor, who is engaged in a conversation with Alice, just so he can keep him in his vision. One of those pesky shinobi rules: always keep the target/client in sight… Why is he treating this like a mission? He really is deprived of his ramen for too long.

That, or old memories are starting to haunt him in new ways. Well whatever. "So where are we… Alice? Victor?" Naruto asks when he finds the lack of the conversation the two of them are having. Right now, it is just him in some empty street that is more of an alley way than street. He must have zoomed out, because they must have take a turn somewhere and he didn't follow… And judging by the fact that they have yet to come looking for him, they either doesn't know that he is also gone, or they're too busy with something to really bother. "Well, so the question now is to retrace my steps or go up the roof."

You shall choose neither, but straight ahead… You cannot look back, for the past is the past, yet there is no shortcut, for what may come will eventually be. Hearing that, Naruto couldn't help but sigh. There is the voice that is helpful, yet not helpful at the same time. The same voice that dump him into this in the first place… or maybe it's his own fault? Hmm, nah, if it's anyone's fault, it's partially his dad's and partially Kyuubi's… should have hit them both harder (2). Oh, and can't forget Madara. Nope, can't forget him.

Blaming game aside, Naruto looks up into the 'sky,' wishing that he has some sort of map even if he sucks at reading them. It seems that his life is never simple. Still, better find those two before they get lost trying to find him… and he seriously doubt Victor knows where he is going, so let's not even get started on Alice right?

Right.

Sighing once more, Naruto decides that whatever is it, the voice talks to him for a reason. Nothing happens without a reason, and Naruto can only resign himself to that fact (and Jiraiya pounds that into his head pretty hard). Besides, he has a colossal fox sealed into his stomach by a death god, so what's to say there isn't a higher power controlling just about everything? …Does that mean he has to find Neji and apologize about the whole deal during the Chunnin Exam?

…Hmm, he likes the Hyuuga better without him sprouting all that stuff, so nope, not going to happen. Besides, where is he supposed to find a dead guy?

Blinking to himself, Naruto wonders when had his mind goes off on a tangent. It must be his deprived resource of ramen… coming to think of it, he hasn't had ramen since… since before chasing Madara down… "Right Naruto, focus on the tasks at hand. Can't go berserker on people now just because I didn't have my supply of ramen right?" Naruto nods to himself, as if to reassure that he isn't perhaps a little over the deep end, and starts walking forward, as the voice suggested as well as ignoring the fact that he'd just talked to himself. There really isn't anything to lose over this now is there?

Nope, at least he doesn't see anything to lose.

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Even though walking forward is what he said… Naruto resists the urge to pounds his head into a random poor wall. He is lost, no if, but, when, or what. It is a simple fact, the truth, the whole truth, the truth of truth, the absolute truth, the horrible truth, the complete truth, nothing but the truth, and the 'so true that it hurts to admit that it is true and if the author typed true one more time he'll shoot himself' true.

…Jiraiya did say that he was never one with directions…

That thought brings a small, sad smile onto his face, but Naruto quickly shakes it away and focus on the task at hand: finding the right place to turn. The question is where is the 'right place' as he deems it? Everywhere looks the same, and that is a very, very big problem. This is actually the first time that he has ever been to a place that looks… well, the same! Oh sure there are different buildings and stores and all the other stuff, but no matter where he turns or which way he choose, he always seems to return to the same spot. It makes him feel like he is trapped in some genjutsu, and that isn't possible because no one uses chakra here, and even if they do, he'll at least feel some disturbance and notice the difference. It is always the little details that give genjutsu away, and so far, he has yet to pick up subtle little hints of any genjutsu… That, and he already try the dispel method, and nothing happens.

So now that leaves Naruto with a problem. You may ask how come he hasn't jump onto the roof top and look for his missing companion already. That is because he doesn't need to attract attention to himself by leaping over rooftops from one building to another. Even though the place is filled with dead people, there is a limit to how much you can get away with. It's one of Master Yen Sid's lessons: you can only get away with so much in a world, and until you know the degree to which you can, it is best if you just stick to being a normal human being (insert an all-knowing-grandfatherly smirk directed at Naruto that pisses him off somehow and earned a giggle fit from Alice).

Besides, corpses don't fly or leap great distances, and from what he'd already seen so far, these corpses certainly don't.

…Err, he is getting off topic. Back on the track, what can he do? No jumping on the roof. No summoning even if he wants to. He has nothing to use as a signal. He sucks as a tracker (meaning he is better than average people, but sucks compare to ninja), because then he wouldn't be lost in the first place. Well, that just leaves him with one last option: keep walking.

"…This is really starting to get old…" Naruto says to himself as he continues to walk between alleys and seemly empty streets. Actually, this one is different. He is heading towards a dead end. Naruto knows that he should turn around and head the other way, yet there is something pulling him towards the dead end. The blonde decides then and there that it is one of those things that he should pay attention to more often because his gut instincts actually wants him to go there. Said instinct saved his ass plenty of time in the past, so if it says to go, then who is Naruto to deny it?

What he didn't expect to find though is a double door that seems to be engraved into the dead end, which is actually a cliff that overshadow this particular place. It is strange to see something like that. It almost looks as if it is craved from the wall itself and if not for the fact that there are two handles and that dusts on the bottom is being disturbed by something, he would have believed it to be craved from the wall. Still, what is a door doing here? Where does it lead to? What is it keeping in, or keeping out for that matter? How did it get here? Is he the only one to notice it? Who puts it here?

So many questions zoom in his head, round and round, each one egging him to try and answer that question by opening it. In fact, it'll be easy. All he needs to do is tap Path of Redemption against it a few times, maybe points it at the door, and it'll be unlocked. He'll be able to answer some of his questions. He'll be able to see just what is so special about the door that his gut instinct pulls him here.

"Ah, I see you find the door." An old, slightly raspy voice says from behind him, and Naruto yelps before turning around and gets into a defensive stance. The blonde blinks at the bend-over skeleton that looks old and battered before blinking at the keyblade that rests in his hand. He never remembers summoning the key. "Oh ho, such a spirited one you are. Yes, a very spirited one indeed. A shame you are amongst the living. You will do well for an apprentice. I see knowledge in your eyes child."

Silence greets the old corpse as Naruto regards him warily. Not much can sneak up on him, and even if they are dead, he can always feel a sort of SOMETHING there. Yet this guy manages to get close without him knowing? Either he is too lost in thought, getting dull in his skills, or he is just that good.

The literally old bags of bone chuckles as he waves a skeletal hand in a disarming gesture and says, "Relax, I'm not going to bite you." Then as an after thought, the skeleton chuckles to himself and shrugs his shoulders, "Besides, what can an old corpse like me do to you?"

"Okay… who are you?" Naruto asks as he lowers his stance, but never lowering his guard. You never know what might happen, and being a ninja means to never judge anything by its appearance.

"Oh me? You can just call me Gutknecht if you must." The old man says as he humbles up to stands next to Naruto and faces the door. "Once again child, you manage to find the door."

"So what's this door about?" Naruto asks as he too turns to face the door while shouldering the Path of Redemption. "This looks really old."

"Hmm… I do not know who built it or with what purpose in mind, but I can tell you child, that you are not ready to set foot into it." Gutknecht says as he jabs a bony finger at Naruto, his eye sockets seem to narrow and the blonde shinobi actually gulps at the way the light seems to dim around him. Then the old man brightens up as he turns back to the door once more and chuckles. "Of course, just ignore an old man rumbling on by himself. This door has being here for a long while now, and nobody pays any mind to it any more."

Then a loud ringing sound disrupts the otherwise very quiet moment, and both Naruto and Gutknecht turns to the source it. Naruto raises an eyebrow when Gutknecht chuckles and shakes his head good naturally. Seeing Naruto's unspoken question, the old skeleton chuckles again as he starts to hobbles over toward it while saying, "Heh, new arrival. Come child, let us leave this gloomy place and enjoy life or unlife as it is eh?"

"Eh?" Naruto breaths out as he watches the old man travels faster than expected for someone of such age and status. Blinking a little, he shrugs while thinking that perhaps he'll find whoever it is he is looking for there. Besides, it is supposed to be a party, so it's bound to attract attention right? Well, with that established, Naruto also sets out after the strange old skeleton.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Note to self, never get lost again…" Naruto mumbles to himself as he continues to sit through the long lecture that Alice is currently forcefully pounding into him. It's not so bad really, but does she have to do it in the middle of a freaking party? Seriously, they're here to welcome the new dead guy (although that sounds kind of weird considering that they're… well, alive and kicking). He is positively sure that no one wants to hear this lecture.

"And just because you can take care of yourself doesn't mean you can simply wonder off." Alice says and pause as she takes a few second to catches her breath. "And another thing, you shouldn't leave a defenseless lady such as me alone with someone who can't seem to defend himself."

"H-HEY!! I RESENT THAT!"

Well… aside from Victor, the rest seems to enjoy the chewing out he is being dealt with. It seems that besides partying, the dead likes to see other's misery. Well, misery loves company as poor Victor learns very fast. To be called rather useless by a little girl (even if she didn't mean it nor did it intentionally) hurts. Still, aside from the situation on his hand, Naruto can't help but smile.

Here he is, surrounded by dead people, yet he feels relaxed. He doesn't feel stressed or tense or any negative emotion whatsoever. Everyone is merry making and having a jelly good time. It brings a small smile to his face, knowing that if he ever dies someday, this may be one of the scenes that greet him even if wherever he will perish isn't this place. It also helps to perish some of his worries about his precious people. They're dead, and if this is any indication of being dead, then maybe, just maybe, they are indeed in a better place.

But still, they're dead. That fact continues to plague him. Even though he made peace with some demons, there are still many within him that he lacks neither the will nor the courage or the desire to face them. Why should he face them? He blames himself for their death, and it is justly so that he shoulders the blame as it is in fact his fault that they died. They died protecting him, who holds the Kyuubi, which is the reason why he was even targeted in the first place. He should have been stronger, because at least then, he can defeat the Akatsuki long before Pein set foot into Konoha. He should have been faster, because if he was then he could save many people from the horrible and cruel death that befall them. He should have been smarter, for then he would have learn faster what he needs to combat his enemies and protect his loved ones.

"You're brooding again…" A sudden weight on his back snaps Naruto out of his thoughts. Turning slightly, he sees Alice hugging him from behind while resting her chin on one shoulder, her eyes staring out at the party that is going on. She looks depressed, and Naruto wonders what could possibly bring the usual perky and cheerful girl down like this. Then Alice's words hit him like a ton of brick: he is brooding again. "You know? It's not healthy to brood for so long."

Hmm… that sounds just like what he told Sasuke a long, long time ago… It felt like an eternity, but he can still remember it clear as day.

"You know? It's not healthy to always be brooding like that." Twelve years old Naruto said as they clean up a river on another boring D-rank mission. It's just like how it used to be before the invasion, except this time, Kakashi isn't with them. "You have been doing that a lot more lately…"

"What are you talking about?" Sasuke grunted out as he speared another empty can with excess force and dumped it into the basket strapped to his back. "Who says I'm brooding." The dark Uchiha said as he headed off to another section of the river, his refusal to talk obvious to even a blind person. It reminded Naruto how he used to be before the Wave mission.

"…Whatever." The blonde mumbled softly and a little dejected as he too returned to the task at hand. He'll have other chance to crack the stubborn bastard open.

"NARUTO! COME HELP ME DAMN IT!"

"COMING SAKURA-CHAN!!"

A silence falls between the two, and Naruto unconsciously starts to rock back and forth. Alice has at some point shifts herself onto Naruto's lap and has made herself comfortable there, leaning back into his shoulder. They just observe the party going on around them. They watch as Emily laugh with the women and Victor firing questions at the newly dead guy. They listen to the band playing a cheerful tune while the bartender Paul (as he introduce himself to the newly dead) busy around the counter serving drinks.

For some reason, Naruto finds his mind to be on other subjects other than his friends' death and those that are still alive. He doesn't question their well being or their safety, simply having faith in their ability to take care of themselves. He used to worry a lot about them… Maybe Alice has something to do with this…?

…Hmm, perhaps it is time that they continue on their journey… "Alice… we're going back to the hotel."

A simple "Okay" is his reply, and Naruto knows that the girl feels the need to get away for some reason. It is probably homesickness, because her home in Wonderland tends to be quite cheerful and happy (even with Penelope's strictness). Being here and seeing all these people must have remind her of times when she is simply having fun in the mansion with nothing to worry about. There are no darkness threatening to devour worlds, no Heartless to beware of, no evil that wants to control everything. All there is is just a simple little girl who has fun causing trouble for her sister. Maybe they should make a trip there in the near future…

As they slowly make their way out of the pub and into the empty street, Naruto gives Alice another small glance. Sure enough, she has this far away look on her face that is definitely homesickness. The blonde shinobi is familiar with this particular sickness of the heart because he himself have felt it only but a few years ago, and he is also feeling it now, except he kept himself busy to avoid thinking about it. Perhaps he needs to keep the princess on her toe, at least until he can convince her to return home…

"Well, here looks like a good place. Can you make it so we appear in our room?" Naruto asks the younger blonde, who simply nod, concentrate, and then lightly stomps her foot onto the ground. Like before, a door simply erupts from the ground and Alice steps forward and pushes it open. The two then quickly walks inside, leaving the empty street of the City of the Dead behind as they steps into their hotel room. The two are slightly surprised however to see the sun up and shining brightly. "It looks like we'd stay down longer than we thought…" (3)

"…Hmm, I think I'll head to bed and sleep for a bit." Alice says as she shuffles over to her bed and simply lies down on it, seeing as she sort of got into the city in her night gown. A good thing it's rather conservative… and Naruto's cloak is large enough to keep most stuff hidden anyway. "Good night brother." With that, the girl turns away and faces the wall. As for Naruto, he doesn't want to sleep for some reason. He feels refreshed and strangely energetic. It's either because he has put his demons away for a bit or because of the cheery atmosphere of Down Stairs. Whatever it is, he doesn't feel tired.

So rather than trying to force himself to sleep, Naruto quietly leaves the room and walks into town just in time to see Everglot opens their door to usher in guests. Raising an eyebrow, Naruto wonders over and stands close enough to listen in, but not so close as to be suspicious. What he hears surprised him, because it seems that while Victor is… unavailable, someone has stepped in and takes his place. Some Lord… Carcus or Barkis or something is going to replace Victor as the groom and marry the girl Victoria. Well, that's as much as he is able to gain from their conversation, because most of the time all he hears is how shameful Victor ran off and how disgraceful of something Victoria did or how this and how that and blah, blah, blah.

Thinking that what he gets is enough and it really isn't much of his business, Naruto puts that piece of information away, shrugs and starts off toward the location of the chapel in a slow walk. He wonders where that 'new arrival' Mayhew is buried or to be buried. He may as well go and pay his respect right? It doesn't matter that he knows for a fact Mayhew seems to be better off dead (not in a negative sense), it is simply common courtesy to pay your respect to someone even if you just met him but an hour or two ago… or at least that what he thinks. Naruto isn't sure what other thinks about it, but the blonde shinobi is determined to pay his respect.

With that enforcing his decision, Naruto approaches the church, hands in pockets, and mentally whistling a cheerful tune.

XXXXXXXXXX

After trying miserably to fall asleep, Alice sits up, a blank look on her face as she stares at the door that Naruto left in. The princess finds herself feeling extremely down, as contrary to her own usual cheerful, shinny and optimistic attitude.

She misses her cat Diana. She misses Penelope and her strike lectures and silent but loving nature. She misses the cook's French accent and his beaming smile. She misses the head maid's humor and motherly atmosphere. She misses her tutor's lax attitude and her strange teaching methods. She misses the musky smell of the library and the large portray of her father hanging high up on a wall.

She misses home…

Sighing, the girl throws her covering aside and walks toward her discarded dress. With a mental command, she shifts it into a dark blue color, adds some puffiness to the skirt, and makes the neck a turtle neck. The sleeves remain long, except this time she adds a little extra material on the end to act as collar.

Walking into the bathroom connected to the room, Alice quickly puts on the dress, combs her hair, goes through the usual hygiene, and just when she is about to leave the room, she stops at the mirror nailed to the wall. Alice blinks at the girl that stares back at her, and she wonders when her hair grew this long. The bangs that usually only reaches her eyebrows are nearly covering her eyes. She concludes that it probably started growing out during Naruto's arrival. She hardly remember of a time she has a spare moment to examine her hair after his arrival.

"Ah, your hair is getting a little long again…" Penelope says as she fingers a lock of Alice's bangs. The girl just blinks, shrugs, and smiles at her sister.

"Whatever you say, dear sister. Now may I please go play?" The younger sibling asks the older, who just sighs at the fact that even if she refuses, she'll still go anyway.

"Fine. Just don't bother Naruto too much."

"Now why would you think that I would bother him? I'm just going to play, 'tis all." Penelope doesn't need to think it. She knows it. The two are almost inseparable… well, the girl is almost anyway.

The princess giggles at the memory as she reaches up and gently tucks a lock behind her ear, wondering whether she should get more hair pins or just get a hair cut. Then just as suddenly as her thoughts land on her hair, they land on the person that she has been with for the past several weeks.

She really isn't sure what to make of Naruto any more. Alice can easily tell when his darkness fluctuates, and that worries her more than anything. However the blonde girl couldn't help but think upon the sudden fluctuation of light yesterday. During that little period, her hearts flatters, because his aura is so warm… It that what he feels like before whatever it is that makes him this way? He is so warm, so… unmovable, it makes her feel untouchable as long as he is standing in front of her, protecting her.

…She likes that feeling.

XXXXXXXXXX

King Mickey really, really isn't sure if he is in some sort of weird dream. Maybe he lost his mind somewhere along the line of saving the universe, and only now is he seeing the effect. Maybe he is in some sort of illusion that is too real to be safe. Maybe he is suffering from too much whack to the head from… well, whatever did whacked him over the head.

"Right… just what AM I looking for?" The smaller-than-averaged-sized king asks himself as he scratches his head on the Gummi ship Master Yen Sid had somehow teleported to his castle. He could always check on the other princesses first, but Sora probably already done that. He could try and track down Maleficent to see if she is up to no good, but that means he actually has to find away back into the World That Never Was. (4) There is no way that he will open the Door to Darkness… well; no way unless it was some REALLY good reasons… Like Alice somehow winding up there on that side ("Gosh, I hopes not.").

Of course, not being able to go to the Realm of Darkness doesn't mean he can't go search for her, but Master Yen Sid said not to worry about it, that she is in very capable hand (and this is said with that all-knowing-grandfatherly smile that somehow makes Mickey kind of annoyed). So that left the king with little to nothing to do except to go around and seek out keyholes to seal. Just because there aren't any major threats doesn't mean that the universe is a safe place to be. However, the lack of Heartless and Nobody activities bother him… "I wonder if Sora has the same thoughts…"

XXXXXXXXXX

Off on another place in the universe, or really just Radiant Garden, Sora is indeed worrying over the lack of Heartless and Nobody activities. Sure there are the local variations wherever he goes, but it's too quiet especially with the disappearance of a Princess of Hearts.

Hmm… well, back to the present. Let's see what else he needs to do for the day. Buy vanilla ice cream, check. Check supply, check. Have a verbal fight with Riku, check. Restock food, check. Harass Leon and the newly appeared Cloud for information, check. Bring Kairi to meet either Pooh or Tron… oh, that's what he forgets.

Taking a glance at the clock, Sora sighs at the fact that it's a little late now to be going to either of the two places. It's almost dinner time, and he'll be damned if he missed out on a meal. Can't save the universe on an empty stomach right? (5)

That is how in a few minutes later, Sora finds himself in the company of the Restoration Committee and friends, gathered in Tifa's bar Seventh Heaven, and having a blast eating. Tifa's cooking is one of the best in the universe!

During the fun and chaos, Sora also wonders just how long this will last. There is this Jailer guy who is out there somewhere, doing whatever it is he is doing. Alice is still missing, with no lead whatsoever as to where she might have gone. King Mickey is also missing, left to search for the Jailer. Maleficent is being too quiet for his taste, and same goes for the Heartless and Nobodies. There is always this sense of foreboding in the back of his mind, yet it is not a sense of doom or dread. Everyone in the Restoration Committee seems to be keeping something from him and his crew (saying friends would mean including everyone in the room when he is just referring to a few selected individuals), and he doesn't like that one bit. Especially Leon and Merlin, who seem to steal glances at him with this contemplating and calculating look in their eyes.

He really, really needs to find a way to get them to either spill the beams, or get this feeling of suspicion off his back.

"Hey Leon, what do you think Naruto is doing right now?" Yuffie's voice suddenly breaks into his thought, and the fact that the entire room pretty much falls silent catches his attention too. Of course, the fact that Leon just palms his face help Sora cement the fact that this is something he definitely WANTS to know. As for the ninja that blurs it out… "…Err, oops? Is there any possible way to convince you to forget about that mess?"

"Hmm, I don't know Yuffie. This sounds very interesting." Sora says as he shifts his chair over to sit next to Leon and leans towards the older male. "Now… tell me about this Naruto guy…"

XXXXXXXXXX

If looks can kill, Yuffie would be six feet under, Sora would be shark food, and somewhere in the universe, Naruto would be ground meat for being the cause of all these problems… But as it turns out, Leon's look can't kill, so tough luck for him. But as it turns out, any attempt to divert Sora's attention fails, and now he finds himself under the intense stare of the Keybearer.

"Well, what is this about a Naruto…?"

Great, now Riku has joined in. What is it with teenagers? Is it really that important to know this Naruto person? They do know the phrase "curiosity kills the cat" don't they? Why can't they just leave him along and let him eat in peace?

"Oh, do tell. I'm rather curious as to why this Naruto person can hush a room this quickly."

"…Kairi, not you too…"

"Eehehe… I suppose this would be a bad time to say I'm sorry?" Yuffie chirms in, and Leon couldn't help but regret the choice of not kicking Yuffie off into space on her way to Naruto. What did he do to deserve this?

Well, the thing is, once you let the cat out of the bag, it's out. So he might as well come clean and fess up. It might save him some troubles later (or it may just as well do the opposite). Besides, what is the worst that can happen?

Leon will admit though, his caving in is mostly due to the fact that this might get Sora to stop hounding his ass. It has nothing to do with the fact that he finds the constant internal debate on whether or not to tell them bothersome. It has nothing to do with the fact that Sora's predatory smile, Riku's tilted smirk, and Kairi's candy grin is all but disturbing. And it definitely has nothing to do with the fact that all three teens are fingering their keyblades.

Nope, it has nothing to do with any of those, not at all.

XXXXXXXXXX

AN:

Well, sorry for taking so long. I think my muse died on me again… or maybe it's just me not being satisfactory with the chapter. I think this is another chapter that refuse to be good. Somehow, I find myself stuck… don't know how. It never really occurred much before. Hmm, maybe I'm just being too critical on myself?

Either way, hope you enjoy it even though I really do think it can be better (but I don't know HOW!!). Of course, it's partially due to the fact that I'm debating whether to end the whole Corpse Bride arc here, or in another chapter. Looks like details and development wins over wanting to get to some fun part. Hmm, I do hope this doesn't affect my performance too much. Internal debates really do suck.

I won't even pull out the college card. Nope, I won't (even though I have to do a lot of studying, crap loads of homework, and all those little things that demand my attention… OH THE HORROR! THE HORROR!!!). Nope, absolutely won't.

Anyway, here are some things that I think should be explained:

1) One of my mottos in life: Simple, yet effective. It's true, because sometime the best solution is a simple one. Over complication just makes life difficult don't you agree?

2) If you are keeping up with the manga, you'll know what the whole hitting business is. Besides, I'm actually surprised Naruto didn't lay it all out on his old man. I mean seriously, a punch to the stomach? That's it? At least in the face! As for hitting Kyuubi, refer back to chapter 1!!

3) Victor disappeared for about a little more than a day, spamming from the moment he disappears to the moment he resurface for his and Emily's proper wedding. The wedding of Victoria and Lord Barkis takes place the morning after Victor disappears. So that makes it directly the next day. Mayhew died at about near dawn, so give it an hour or two or more of partying, and you'll have morning.

4) Remember people, they sealed the Door to Darkness, meaning they can't go to WTNW because it is in the Realm of Darkness unless they open it. Door to Light doesn't work because 1) they don't know where it is, and 2) I figure it's a sort of 'one-way' thing, or else they'll just call it the Gate instead of DTD and DTL right?

5) Guess who else said a sort of variation of this. Here are some hints: he is buff, used to have a tail, eats a lot, and of course is one of the most powerful guys in the entire anime universe.

That is about it. I was thinking about making an omake as a sort of apology, but I find myself with no material to make fun of without giving out spoilers (at least nothing brilliant struck me as of yet).

Once again, sorry for the delay. Any comments are welcome, be it praise, critiques, ideas, or questions that you want some answer to given that it doesn't contain spoilers (even though I just might give some anyway).

Well, HAVE FUN!!!

PS: See that big, shiny bottom called "Review this story/chapter?" Doesn't it just tempt you to push it?