Authors Note: Okay, so there are officially two chapters left of K'sK plus the epilogue. I'm not one to beg for reviews, but I need all of your opinions over the next couple of chapters. Do you want me to make this into a trilogy, which would make the next story based on the events of Chain of memories? Or would you like me to just go straight to KH2? If I do the trilogy, Chain of memories (for lack of better title right now) would probably be around 20 relatively short chapters. Please let me know soon! No new reviewers this time around, so I'd like to thank everyone who read plus a special thanks to SexyZexy, SpringBorn, and XRarityoftearsX for reviewing again! Means a lot! Enjoy

Disclaimer: Katy: ThexHushxSound got tired of telling you that she DOESN'T OWN KINGDOM HEARTS. So now I'm doing it. ThexHushxSound does not own Kingdom Hearts, however, she does own Cassie, Ryan and *sigh* me.

The first half our spent in Traverse Town was devoted to Katy chewing Sora out about his actions in Hollow Bastion.

"And if you ever think of pulling a stunt like that again, I swear to GOD I will kill you myself!"

Sora opened his mouth to remind her that she was literally unable to hurt him, but she cut him off

"I know what you're going to say, and I'm telling you, I will find a way." Katy said through clenched teeth, glaring at her…friend… boyfriend? She really didn't know and didn't really want to think about it at this point.

Sora sighed as she turned to walk away, glad the worst of it was over, when Katy suddenly turned around and slapped him across the face without warning before storming out of Cid's house while Sora, now with an angry red hand print on his cheek, wondered what the hell just happened.

"You deserved that. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." Yuffie managed to get out between bursts of laughter.

Sora mumbled something incoherent and rubbed his smarting cheek.

Once everyone had calmed down, they all, meaning Leon, Yuffie, Sora, and Kairi, began to process the events that happened over the last couple of hours.

"So the darkness is flowing out of that keyhole." Leon said after Sora's story of Hollow Bastion had come to an end

"No wonder there are more and more Heartless appearing everywhere. The only way to stop them is--" Yuffie began

"Seal the Keyhole, right?" Sora finished, his face determined

"Maybe, but no one knows what will happen once it's sealed." Leon said

"Well, we can just sit here, we have to do something! I've got a friend back there!"

"That's right; you still have one more friend to worry about. Riku's Keyblade must have been born from the captive princess' hearts—just like that Keyhole you saw. Of course, without Kairi's heart, it remained incomplete. Once that Keyblade was destroyed, the princess' hearts should have been freed. Don't worry, Sora. If anyone can save your friend, you can…but first I would suggest going to find Katy, she's probably over at the Hotel with Cassie and Aerith."

Sora nodded, Cassie's …condition having already been explained. Telling Kairi and the others he would be back soon, he went off to find her.

Meanwhile, over at the Hotel, Cassie was relaying the story of how she'd arrived in Traverse Town to her long time friend.

"When I woke up I was outside a castle. Some of the guards there found me and too me to the Queen. She told me I was at Disney castle and asked me what happened. Once I told her, she let me stay." Cassie smiled. "She was really nice to me, Queen Minnie. After a month though, I started to get restless. I wanted to see if I could find anybody from our world. The Queen understood and she gave me a vessel, told me Traverse Town was a good place to start. I got here, not really prepared for the Heartless. They weren't at Disney Castle, so I'd only heard of them." Cassie grinned. "Then you showed up and the rest, as they say, is history."

Katy shook her head.

"You, my friend, are probably the luckiest person alive right now."

Cassie laughed and nodded. Her grin melted as her gaze moved over to Ryan.

"I heard what happened to him. That kid is sick, I'm glad the whole protector thing wore off for awhile."

"What exactly happened?"

"I dunno. I passed out and for awhile, I think I was in his head or something. I tried to keep him calm so he could focus on getting his body back but he went and blew it when he helped you escape. I woke up a little after that."

"Ugh. Life sucks right now." Katy groaned, rubbing her temples

"Tell me about it." Cassie agreed.

There was a timid knock at the door and it opened, revealing Sora. Aerith, who had been standing guard outside, smiled sheepishly at Katy before shutting the door quietly.

"Katy, I'm not going to apologize for what I did at Hollow Bastion, because it was the only way to get Kairi to wake up, but, I am sorry for not thinking about how it would hurt you too and letting you in on the plan." Sora said in a rush, getting straight to the point.

Katy rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, you're forgiven. Just know that it doesn't make my job any easier when you go off and try to do yourself in."

Sora grinned and Cassie rolled her eyes.

"So, where's Kairi? Katy asked, springing up off the bed."

"Um…"

"What do you mean um? Go find her and talk to her! Jeez, you've only been trying to find her since we first met!"

Sora nodded vigorously and kissed Katy softly before he left.

Katy turned around to find Cassie gaping at her.

"Spill!" The dark haired girl said, sitting pretzel legged on the bed.

Katy groaned and sat next to her, not looking forward to rehashing her epic journey.

Sora found Kairi in the secret waterway not to far from the hotel. She was gazing at a mural on the wall.

"A light at the end of the tunnel."

"Oh, you're Grandma's story right?" Sora asked.

Kairi whipped around, surprised.

"That's right. We were together."

"You know what's funny? I looked everywhere for you, but you were with me all along. Finally we're together, Kairi. Now it's time to get Riku back."

"You think it will ever be the same between us? Riku's lost his…"

"When I turned into a Heartless, you saved me, remember? I was lost in the darkness. I couldn't find my way. As I stumbled through the dark, I started forgetting things—my friends, who I was. The darkness almost swallowed me. But then I heard a voice—your voice. You brought me back."

"I didn't want to just forget about you, Sora. I couldn't."

"That's it! Our hearts are connected. And the light from our hearts broke through the darkness. I saw that light. I think that's what saved me. No matter how deep the darkness, a light shines within. I guess it's more than just a fairy tale."

There was a comfortable silence, both of them in disbelief that the other was actually okay.

"Well, let's go!" Kairi said, determined.

"You can't go." Sora said firmly

"Why not?"

"Because it's way too dangerous."

"C'mon, Sora. We made it this far by sticking together. You can't go alone." Kairi whined

"Kairi, even if were apart, we're not alone anymore, right? Besides, I won't be alone. Katy, Donald and Goofy will be there."

"I can't help?"

"You'd kind of be in my way."

Kairi laughed a little and gave in.

"Okay, you win." She grabbed Sora's hand and placed something in it. "Take this. It's my lucky charm, be sure to bring it back to me!"

"Don't worry, I will."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Sora ginned and bean to leave, but Kairi called out again.

"Sora! Make sure you take care of Katy! You two care about each other so don't do something stupid and boyish to mess it up!"

Sora blushed and waved his hand to let her know he heard her. Kairi's laughter echoed around the waterway as he left.

Back in Hollow Bastion, the arty made their way to the castle chapel. There, five of the seven princesses were gathered and looking quite concerned. Katy gritted her teeth when she saw Alice and Sora had o pull her back to keep her from lunging at the smaller girl

"It was only twenty minutes!" he hissed in her ear.

"Fine, be like that." Katy answered back, maturely sticking her tongue out at him.

The Princesses explained to them about the darkness pouring out of the Keyhole. They made their way over to it and strode in, determined to seal it. As always, however, there was a huge monster blocking their way. The kicker was, it was actually the easiest fight they'd ever fought and was over in a matter of minutes.

As Sora stepped forward to seal the Keyhole, Leon's voice called out to them from outside.

"Sora. You did it."

Curious what the heck he was doing here (and why the hell he hadn't helped them fight) They all walked out of the Keyholes chamber and asked him, plus Yuffie and Aerith, just that.

"What are you guys doing here?"

"This was our childhood home, we wanted to see it again." Aerith explained

"We came on Cid's ship." Yuffie added

"It's in wore shape then I thought." Leon said, looking around. "After this is all over, we have to start some serious reparations."

"We can come and help." Sora offered.

The three looked at each other uneasily.

"You won't be able to, you'll be back I your own world." Yuffie said slowly.

"So, we'll visit on the gummi ship."

"You don't understand. The reason no one knew about the other worlds before was because they were isolated, surrounded by walls. The Heartless broke down those walls, bringing them together. Once the Heartless are gone, the walls com back." Leon explained

Sora and Katy exchanged worried glances.

"The only person who can travel freely between worlds is the Protector, in case he or she is needed by the Keyblade Master." Aerith said with a smile.

The two teens brightened a bit.

"We may never meet again, but we will never forget each other. " Leon said

"No matter where we are, our hearts will bring us together again." Aerith added

"Besides, I couldn't for get you even if I wanted too." Yuffie huffed, glaring playfully at Sora

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Sora!" Donald's outraged cry broke the tension between the Keyblade Master and the ninja.

"Hurry, come and close the Keyhole!" Goofy said urgently.

"Sora, good luck." Leon said with a rare smile.

Sora nodded and grinned at all of them except Yuffie before grabbing Katy's hand and tugging her back to the Keyhole room. Katy, Donald, and Goofy all fell silent as Sora sealed it, praying that this mess would soon be over

Of course it's never that simple. After thanking them, the Princesses told them of another source of darkness. They believed it was coming from the place Ansem had gone when he'd let the darkness engulf him. The four promised to find him and set off to do just that, all of them secretly dreading the meeting.

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