Thank you to all my regular readers and reviewers for sticking with me and Bound By Light. It really helps to keep me motivated to finish the story. There is a thing or two that bothers me though.

So far Bound By Light Part 2 has only two frequent reviewers (thank you, you guys are awesome) but 350+ views and climbing so I know I more people are reading it. Please take the time to let me know what you think. If you like it, fantastic. I'm trying to make these characters as real as I can and make the adventure amazing. If you have questions, wait until then end and if they're still not answered then feel free to PM me. Everything comes together in the end. After all, you can't call up authors mid-book to find out how Harry is going to defeat Voldemort or if Bella is going to choose Jacob or Edward. Kinda defeats the purpose of books if you expect to get the answer before it plays out on its own. Don't try guessing what's going to happen. The entire idea of a good story is to keep people guessing but make sure they only have a small chance of being right because of all the twists and turns that make the reading fun.

Obviously I am very knowledgeable about KH, its plot, characters and how its universe works. I may not know everything but I kinda have to know a lot in order to have made it this far with a story. So keep in mind that I HAVE thought this out to the end. And I promise to make everything make sense before it's over. (or at least to the best of my ability since with a series as involved as KH plot holes are doomed to be inevitable).

"Do you think it's possible a place this pretty could really exist in real life?"

They took a break by a sparkling clear pool beneath a beautiful waterfall. The flowers were huge and the richest hues of color Rachel had ever seen. And she thought Neverland was gorgeous. Lush greenery and moss grew on the rocks around the waterfall. Even the rocks were a pleasant shade of gray.

They had spent a lot of time searching and fighting Nightmares. No Mowgli, no animals, no Keyhole. When they cleared out the pool they took a moment to relax and enjoy the calm of the jungle. Rachel sat cross-legged at the waters' edge with a pile of dream crystals in front of her. She wasn't really planning on making anything but liked sorting things to keep busy. It wasn't like she had a book or sketchpad. And she tried but she couldn't dream one up.

"No idea." Bryan said after making one more round before relaxing. "Maybe. Could be just a dream thing." He looked at the pool then up at the waterfall. It wasn't really that tall.

"Whatcha doing?" Rachel asked when he started climbing the rocks.

When he was at the top he kicked down his shoes and tossed down his vest. "Goin' swimmin'."

Bryan stood on a rock right next to the waterfall and cannonballed in. Jewel chittered joyously and dove in with him. She was still a whale after all even if she didn't need water. White cocked his head and flicked his tongue out quizzically. After all, he wasn't a water snake so he didn't see the appeal. As much as she too liked the water, Rachel didn't feel like joining him. Good thing too.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Bryan's shout echoed across the rocks not a full minute later.

Rachel stood up quickly to see what was wrong, knocking over and mixing some of her piles as she did so. Bryan was up to his nose in water with that really miffed-off pouty scowl toddlers get when something didn't go their way.

"What? What?"

After a few seconds of scowling and not answering he rolled backwards into the water and with an irritated flick and a splash revealed the problem. He'd become a merman.

"Wait, how did-? But this is just a…how does that even work?"

When Bryan came up again he glared at his sister like somehow it was her fault. He didn't really blame her for anything of course but when you're already annoyed you don't bother trying to play pleasant.

"I didn't take off my shell before going to sleep." He growled through clenched teeth.

Rachel of course thought that was immensely amusing and the rock pool echoed with her laughter, only to go through loud bouts of giggles from time to time after her brother yelled at her to shut up. She sat on the rocks and rolled on her back like a pill bug, kicking her feet like a little kid. Why exactly she found it as hilarious as she did was anyone's guess. Then again, everyone has gone through a hysterical fit not knowing why what they were laughing at made them laugh so hard. Jewel, now that he had a tail like hers, tried to get him to play with her. The more he got his quills up the harder she tried.

Suddenly a colorful sparkle of light startled her out of her giggles. The dream shards had activated somehow! The glow faded and a new Spirit lay asleep atop the other figments. It was one of those Meow Wows. Unlike its Nightmare counterparts, this one was bright blue with pretty pale pink spots and unnaturally white underbelly. This one also seemed to be a little bit smaller than the others they'd seen. But what had made it? Could it have been the right figments were near one another and the emotions connected with laughter set it off? Still, some things they would have to get used to not knowing. Master Yen Sid wasn't sure exactly how a dream world or its occupants, memory or Dream Eater would behave. What exactly the rules for making a Spirit were largely a mystery. So many things to know and no sure-fire way to know them. Frustrating at times but they did their best to just roll with it.

Rachel poked the Meow Wow on a pudgy cheek. Its body shivered and it lifted its head (which really isn't saying much because it had no discernable neck).

"It's so cute!" Rachel squealed.

The Meow Wow stomped happily on its little feet, yipping with joy. Rachel squished its round cheeks with both hands and it squeaked with delight. It was so soft and warm. When it wagged its tail its whole body moved. The Meow Wow mini-wounced her and thus began the snuggling.

"Oh you are just too adorable!" She squeezed it tight. "I wuv you already!"

The Spirit squealed joy and showered her with tongue kisses. Thankfully its Pez-candy tongue was more soft and warm than wet and slobbery because that would have just been disgusting regardless of how cute it was.

Jewel stopped splash-abusing Bryan to come over and get a good look at the newcomer. He was not going to complain. The transformation still bugged him though. Were the mermaid shells really that powerful? And now that he thought about it, back in Saint Canard the Liquidator trapped him inside an orb of water. Why didn't he change then? Still, no sense cooking his brain trying to figure it out. He'd take a real swim when he woke up. At that moment though he tried to ignore his sisters gushing over her new Spirit. Just so long as the gushy voice didn't last long.

"You're so soft and cuddling!" The Spirit reciprocated with happy squeaks and yips. "Such a roly poly pudgy puppy, or kitty or whatever you're supposed to be. You know, that's what I'll call you." She snuggled it again. "From now on your name is RolliPolli."

"RolliPolli? That's what you're going with?"

"You named your White Snake White."

"Touché. When you're done snuggling that thing, will you be ready to get going?"

She didn't answer. Her lips were busy giving her new puppy thing a big kiss.

"Hey," He said just realizing something. "Where's your horse?"

"Hmm?"

Rachel looked around and sure enough Fantasia was nowhere to be seen. Strange. None of the Spirits had ever wandered before unless they'd been told to. Rachel called for her Dream Eater. In a spark of light Fantasia returned. But almost simultaneously Jewel looked up then vanished.

"Hey! What happened?"

After calling for her Spirits several times and witnessing the same result, the conclusion was made that only two Dream Eaters could serve as battle partners at a time. Why this was neither of them could guess. Yes, it made sense they couldn't have an army of Spirits helping them through the worlds but three didn't seem like asking too much. Bryan wouldn't have been able to have any of his sisters Dream Eaters fight alongside him because they were bound to Rachel. Where they went in the meantime was a mystery too. But as long as they came back it wasn't that important in the grand scheme.

"I hope Fantasia doesn't get upset when she's not a part of the team." Rachel said. "You know what a diva she is. But I think Jewel would be more welcoming to Rolli while finding out how he does in the team."

"How many shards are left?"

"Still quite a few."

Bryan swam to the waters' edge. Might as well give it a try to make another Spirit for himself. The more help they had, the sooner they could get through a world and move on to another. And the more worlds they protected the better. Only when he pulled himself out of the pool, Bryan got quite a surprise. Normally when they used the shells, the mermaid magic would wear off the second they were far enough out of the water. They'd be sopping wet but they'd be human again. Only this time that didn't happen.

"Something's not right…" Instead he lay on the mossy rocks like a beached whale, looking over himself completely bewildered as to why he was still shirtless and without legs. "What the heck!"

He twisted his body so he was on his back and pushed with his elbows so he was completely out of the water. Maybe that was the key. Of course it wasn't. Bryan wasn't at all thrilled in the slightest about this bizarre development. He struggled back in the water and pulled himself out again but the result didn't change. Rachel found it immensely amusing.

"Will you stop!" Bryan snapped harshly. "This isn't funny!"

"It kinda is." Rachel's lip quivered trying to suppress her laughter.

"What if I can't make it stop! This isn't the way those shells are supposed to work! This dream world has totally messed me up."

"I'm sure there's a way to fix it."

"And what am I supposed to do in the meantime?"

"You could always ride on White."

"And how do you suggest I fight in the jungle when I'm half fish?"

"Technically I'm the one who gets half-fish. You're more of a dolphin or a whale."

"You're seriously bringing that up like its important or I care?"

"Maybe you just need to be completely dry. Lots of mermaid lore says mermaids can become human if they dry out completely."

Bryan raised a cynical eyebrow. "Really? You really think you can apply fairy tale logic to a sleeping world?"

"Got any other ideas? I'm going to make another loop around the falls. Maybe I'll find some Nightmares to break Rolli in with."

"You're just gonna leave?"

"I'll be back in a bit. Besides, what if the magic gets screwier and you change back with no clothes on?"

"Please don't say that as even a slight possibility. The dream might hear you."

Rachel laughed a little and went back into the jungle with Jewel on one side and RoliPoli on the other.

RolliPolli packed quite a punch in combat. Well, maybe not so much of a punch as a pounce. It liked to stick close to Rachel and snuggle against her ankles as they traveled and sometimes didn't notice right away when Nightmares appeared but when it did, it was all business. After each fight Rolli would come back and snuggle against her calf like a cat looking for attention. Rachel wasn't worried about traveling far. Jewel could fly and could easily find the waterfall pool again from above. Hopefully by the time she got back Bryan's tail problem would have fixed itself. It was funny at the time but did threaten to be problematic.

There weren't really that many Nightmares, they'd done a good job securing the perimeter. So Rachel took advantage of the time alone to enjoy the sights of the jungle. The birds they'd heard in the distance before she could see now. They stayed up high in the canopy but at least it was a sign of life. Other little jungle critters were warily moving out of their hiding places to scurry along the forest floor. Rachel plucked a large yellow flower and tucked it in her hair. Jewel wanted one too so Rachel took a flower on a vine and tied it at the base of her plume. And just like a little kid, RolliPolli wanted one too. Only it didn't have anything to tuck a flower behind or around. So, Jewel held a bunch of flowers and vines and things in her mouth and Rachel tried to weave them into a crown as she walked. She'd seen people do it before but never gave it a shot herself. To be entirely honest she had no idea how.

Suddenly Rolli tensed and growled (as ferociously as you might expect from a Meow Wow) at a thick patch of jungle trees a stones-throw away. Rachel stopped once her Spirit got her attention. Once aware, she picked up on what Rolli had right away. Jewel dropped her flowers and positioned herself, ready to unleash a burst of speed in a charge if needed. Rachel's stomach knotted up. She could see a figure in the trees. There was no way it couldn't know they had seen it. Many long seconds passed in utter silence. Rachel held the flowers lightly at her fingertips, ready to drop them in a blink if needed. How could she have not sensed that earlier?

"How did you get to this place?"

It spoke first. Or, better said, he did. His smooth, deep voice startled her a bit. Rachel didn't know who or what was talking, only that it was a large dark shape in the trees.

"I'm not from around here." Rachel said carefully.

"I know you're not. How did you get to this place?" He repeated.

"Just followed my feet."

"I believe you know what I mean."

Rachel wasn't sure what to say. Was it possible he knew she wasn't from this world? Or worse? Not a part of the dream? Come clean and risk that wasn't what he meant? But he continued before she could speak.

"These are heartless worlds caught within the net of deepest slumber. Walking among the living dreams is by no means an easy task. Few have tried it and even fewer have succeeded. So tell me, how did you accomplish it?"

"You know this world is sleeping." Rachel confirmed. Somehow she didn't believe silence was his way of acknowledgment. "So for you to know this is a dream, you must not be a part of it." Again he didn't answer. Then again, she did answer a question with kinda a question. But the tension of her Spirits kept her wary. She also felt something off about this guy. "You wanna come out so we can talk?"

"Do not make me ask again."

"No need to get rude. A little civility goes a long way." The longer they stood there the less Rachel liked the situation. An unpleasant prickle feeling was growing in her stomach confirming not all was well. So she decided not to answer. Rachel wondered if he could sense her decision because he continued but changed the subject. The authoritative voice with underlying command spoke again.

"I can see the light in your heart. There is little mystery why the Keyblade accepted you. But there is something wrong. Your Keyblade behaves differently. What is so special about you?"

Two things went through Rachel's mind at once. 1. This guy knew about the Keyblade. And somehow that felt more bad than good. 2. His last sentence sounded dangerously close to being mockingly astounded there could be anything remotely special about her. The latter of course got her quills up. Rachel didn't like where this was going.

"How do you know about the Keyblade?" But she could sense there was no question she could ask that he would answer. He must have sensed the same thing about her.

"Very well then. Perhaps when the mood isn't so tense you will be more cooperative. Rest assured, we will meet again. There is much I wish to know and you will provide me with the answers I seek. Farwell for now."

The stranger shifted in the shadows. Rachel made a sharp startled gasp when her flower withered into dust as it died.

"Hold it! You can't jus-!"

But the figure had already vanished.

"Check it out! This is awesome!" Bryan cried as soon as he saw her.

Bryan's tail problem had fixed itself somehow and he looked incredibly happy about it. But that wasn't the only thing he was thrilled about. He'd taken his sisters advice to dry off completely. He didn't know whether or not that was what had in fact changed him back but so long as he was no longer legless he dint really care. He killed time drying off by sorting through the dream shards. And now he had more company than just White.

He too had just made a new Spirit. To Rachel's surprise, it was one of those fire wolves. Instead of being black, its coat was a gray-brown color with a paler underbelly. Its mane and fur tufts were still red but not as dark as its Nightmare counterparts. It had no irises either. Its eyes were pitch black like orbs of polished obsidian. It growled when it saw Rachel and her Spirits but Bryan assured it everything was ok. As they would find out, the fire wolf Spirit, though strong and loyal, was slow to trust and even slower to obey anyone who had not earned its respect. Bryan had created it, so in its eyes he was the alpha and the only one he would answer to.

"That is awesome." Rachel said as she approached. "Both the Spirit and getting your legs back." She patted it on the head but it didn't respond at all. They would come to refer to that posture as 'stone' or 'statue'. Whenever the wolf didn't feel like interacting with anyone it refused to acknowledge them in any way. Being kinda puppy-ish himself, RolliPolli was eager to make a new friend. But for all its prancing, yipping and rolling all over the place the wolf never so much as angled an eye down to him.

"I know, right!"

Rachel wasn't in the least bit surprised at his excitement. She doubted he would have been so stoked for any other Dream Eater. Like most young boys, it had been her brother's lifelong dream and wish to have a dog. A dream that hadn't come true until after they had entered a dream. Bryan stood on his knees in front of the fire wolf, giving it long hard scratches and rubs under its jaws and down its neck. The Spirit closed its eyes and tipped its head back, fully enjoying the treatment.

He was in too good a mood to spoil it with news of the dark figure in the jungle.