Steamboat Sora

"River, ho!" Goofy shouted as he pointed to nearby river a few feet away from the trolley tracks.

Namine leaned forward to get a good look. Despite being in black and white, the sight of water was definitely breathtaking to behold. Nature at its purest, the water glittering against the sunlight. Granted being the white sunlight.

Sora looked at Namine who just looked upon the light with awe and wonder. It was like she had never seen water before in her life. He began to twiddle his hands against the trolley's railing as he leaned forward to stretch his legs, still sore from all the dancing from the skeletons. He couldn't help but smirk at how good the rendering was. If he could frame it and put it on his wall, he could. In fact, he considered having his various other achievements posted on the wall just to show off to the other kids back on the island.

"Pretty, huh?" Sora said standing up straight gazing out onto the horizon.

Namine shook his head, "Yeah, this actually might be a better spot to get some inspiration."

This place was far better than the cemetery that the two of them dealt with earlier. No more skeletons, cobwebs or decaying trees. But fresh grass and the smell of water as far as the eye could see. Just standing here was giving everyone a sense of calm and relief that was definitely lacking for a bit.

"Well," Sora rushed to the wheel and stopped the trolley, "Let's take a break!"

"Really?!" Namine said sounding excited.

Sora nodded, smiling back "Yeah. Come on, what's wrong with a nice walk around the lake? Right, guys?"

Donald and Goofy seemed unsure.

"Uh, I don't know Sora," Goofy said, "We have to find the King and Riku, remember?"

"Yeah, I know," Sora said, focusing more on Namine than them, "Doesn't mean we have to rest from time to time."

Sora helped her off the trolley as the two of them headed off to the late. It was strange, for someone he just met the two were hitting it off quite lovely. He hadn't been that way with anyone since Riku and Kairi. With Namine, like his friends on the island, there was something quite calming about being around her. Sure he loved Donald and Goofy as companions, but never to the same level as his friends and family back home.

He stood a few feet behind her as he watched Namine run up close to the river, he pad in hand. She seemed super excited to be here. Looking around in awe at the wonder of the tiny grassy plain they now all stood upon. His heart leaped a bit as her smiling face gazed upon him.

"Wait, that isn't right," Sora shook his head, "Only Kairi makes me feel that way."

"Isn't this beautiful?" Namine said, "Too bad there are no colors."

"Well, maybe there is a world where all sorts of colors exist." Sora suggested.

Donald started shaking his head giving Sora the signal to be quiet.

"Maybe," Namine said, "I haven't been to many worlds without various colors, except the ones he drew."

Sora gasped, "Y-You aren't from here either?"

"No," Namine shook her head, "I thought that would be easy to point out. I mean...You and me, we are kinda different from everyone else."

Sora seemed flabbergasted, "I mean, uh….Huh." The more he thought about it the more it kinda made sense, "So like me, you're from another world...Which one?"

"I-" Namine hesitated, "I don't remember to be honest."

"Huh….That's okay! I know someone who didn't remember where they came from too. So you're not alone on that front."

"That's good to know," Namine said sitting down.

It was strange taking a break. Sora normally didn't do that whenever he was traveling the worlds. Normally it was go from one problem to the other without even a minute to think about what was going on. Namine sat down on the grass and began to draw while he sat next to her and just looked on the river and just let the quiet take over. Besides not like he could find Riku and the King if his mind wasn't somewhat relaxed, a hectic mind was never a happy one.

Namine just looked out in the distance sketching whatever came to mind. Only Donald and Goofy seemed unsure as they paced around them.

"Sora," Goofy called, "Sure we should just sit here?"

"Yeah," Sora nodded, "Just for a little bit, then we can keep on going and find our friends."

Namine frowned, "Sorry?"

"Huh?" Sora looked up to her noticing her sad face

"Guess I'm taking away your time from everyone else, I apologize. Perhaps this is where we part ways."

Now it was Sora turn to frown, "No, no...I'm not going to leave you here, unless-unless you want?"

"No, I'm okay."

Sora smiled and looked out onto the lakeside. It wasn't the massive ocean that surrounded his island home but it was definitely calming to see water again. He wondered though, just who these memories belonged to? They certainly weren't his, even they were they all felt like something that would come from out of his imagination.

"You know, something about this place is coming back to me," Goofy said sitting down next to Sora, "I don't know what, it does seem….oddly familiar."

Sora looked to Goofy, "Like that castle we talked about?"

"Yeah, but less spooky."

"Castle?" Namine sounded intrigue, "What castle?"

"Some castle in my past," Sora replied, "I don't remember most of it but it...It was important, something big happened there."

Namine took out her pad and pen, "Maybe you can describe what you remember, I'll be happy to draw it for you."

"That could be interesting maybe…." Sora paused as he looked out into the river and saw a tiny white boat drifting on the river, "Hey, look at that!"

Bolting to his feet, Sora rushed off leaving Namine, Donald and Goofy on the grass. He ran over to the boat, his mind quickly going from one thing to the next without even a breath of thought. The others seemed confused as they saw how quickly their friend lost focus so easily.

Typical Sora perhaps?

He quickly reaches the boat, walking up to it by the docks, putting his hand on the hull of the boat, feeling the wood of on his gloved hand.

"Amazing!" Sora said knocking on it boat, "Firm and sturdy too."

"You know about boats, Sora?" Goofy asked

"Yeah, my dad used to be a fisherman on the island. Always used to work on his boat and tell me all about it."

Sora hopped onto the boat.

"Isn't this trespassing?" Donald asked.

"Huh?"

"Trespassing?"

Sora rubbed his ear, "Sorry, Donald it is REALLY hard to understand you."

"TRESPASSING!"

"I think he's saying if we are breaking and entering," Namine said, causing Donald to groan.

Sora shrugged, "I don't see anyone here. Come on, it's a boat! This is cool."

As Sora began to explore the boat, a wave of Nostalgia came over him. This reminded him so much of his father.

He remembered being younger, his father taking him out on small boating rides along his mother. His father would point out all the various controls and wheels, the mechanics fascinating him to no end as he daydreamed of being a captain himself. How he would look onto the ocean floor wondering what sort of wildlife lived beneath. Or how he'd look onto the horizon wondering just what laid beyond the main borders of the island. Then after they were a fair distance from the island, his father would stop the boat and teach him how to fish. Explaining how to catch fish was easier said than done, especially if one is using a fishing pole and the types of fish they were catching.

As the temptation to pilot the boat grew, Sora twiddled his fingers trying to hold back the urge to rush onto the boat and take control of the wheel.

"Let's go in." Sora said as he walked up the docks only to find himself being blocked by something large and big.

"Now hold on there, punk!" Said a loud booming voice. Sora looked up to see a large fat looking cat in pants wearing a sailors hat.

"Pete!" Sora jumped back.

Donald and Goofy looked shocked.

"Do I know, ya?"

"You-I uh…," Sora stumbled his words, his mind telling him that this was still a memory world and not the real Pete, still if Pete was here that means it narrowed the memories of who they belonged to. He looked to Donald and Goofy for answers.

"What are you doing here?!" Donald yelled as he walked up to them.

Pete looked surprised. "You two, I know ya, you're the bozo friends of my bozo first mate! Tell him he's late and I need to get going, see!"

"Going where?" Goofy asked.

Pete rolled his eyes. "My daily route, you no good goof."

Goofy scratched his head looking confused.

"Could you take us down the river?" Sora asked.

Pete looked confused, Donald and Goofy shocked.

"And why would I do that?"

"We need to look for our friends." Sora said, trying not to say much for if this Pete didn't remember them, it's best not to say much.

Pete pushed him aside, "Agh, I need to get ready! I don't have time for any of this weirdness. So get on and get! And take your spiky haired friend with ya!"

Pete left them standing there on the dock more confused than disappointed. Sora was trying to process just what or who was talking to them. He knew the wily fat cat from his previous adventures but why was he here? If this was a memory, this Pete didn't seem that evil. So perhaps, perhaps this was a memory of one of his friends.

"Guys, is this...is this your memories?" Sora asked turning to Donald and Goofy in a whisper Namine standing in the background taking in the late.

Both of them looked at each other and shrugged.

"Uh, maybe?" Goofy said thinking. "But sure must have been a long time ago, I probably forgot."

"But what's supposed to happen today?"

"Well then, one of you must have met Namine before." Sora whispered softer now.

Donald shrugged. "I never met her."

"Me neither." Goofy added.

Sora looked at Namine again confused and suspicious. Clearly the castle was messing with them in some way. Perhaps it was a fusion of all three of their memories, but if these memories were somewhat based of Donald and Goofy's then who was Namine, and where did she come from.

"So are we going on the boat or what?" Namine asked walking up to them. "I want to get a good sketch of the rest of the lake, I think I could make a good portrait of it."

"Oh, don't worry Namine. We'll get on it!" Sora said, surprised by what he just said.

"I don't think we wanna mess with Pete right now." Donald warned.

Sora shook his head. "Yeah, but Namine wants to go take a picture of a river. Can't disappoint her."

"Why?"

"Because-" Sora paused trying to think of any logical reason but is unable too. "Well, I still think it's a good way to find Riku and the King."

"We can walk."

"Yeah but we can get a better range of the place if we go down the river, besides Namine wants to go and take a boat ride. Who are we to disappoint, right?"

"Why do I care?" Sora thought to himself after he reflected on what he just said. "I mean I don't, don't care about Namine. She seems nice and I want to help but I'm not going to go to all this trouble just to get on a boat."

Sora was becoming unsure of himself now. Maybe these emotions weren't the best thing to listen to.

"So are we going on?" Namine asked looking excited.

Sora bit his lip. "Uh, yeah! We just need to think of a way in."

He turned to face the boat, the captain was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps he had taken off to get something away from the boat. If any was a good opportunity to go on the boat now would be the time.

"Guys, when I say now, run on the boat," Sora whispered to all of them.

Goofy seemed shocked. "Yeah, but Sora isn't that-?"

"Now, now…" Sora rushed onto the boat, Donald, Goofy and Namine quicky following him before they had any chance of saying otherwise.

Sora looked quickly for the captain boat as he began to turn on the boat and activated the steam boat. He used the memories of his father and what he had done when driving his own boat to pilot the thing. He pushed knobs and pulled a few levers as the pipes of the boat began to blow an the wheel began to churn. They headed forward as they slowly moved away from the docks.

"See, we're full steam ahead." Sora beamed as he grabbed hold of the wheel.

Donald looked worried. "Are you sure we should be doing this?"

"Ah, we'll be fine!"

Sora continued to hold onto the wheel as he continued to steer the ship feeling a sense of utter joy begin to wash over him.

"You seem happy." Namine commented noticing Sora's euphoria as she stood by his side watching him steer.

Sora chuckled. "Yeah, yeah, now I know how my dad felt. He was a sailor too, you know?"

"I bet you're feeling a bit of a connection right about now."

Namine was right, Sora did feel a connection to his father just by holding the wheel. Was this what it was like? The feeling of control of the ocean as one traveled it's wild currents. Of course this was just a mere lake but the sensation must have been somewhat similar. He wondered what his father and mother would say right now if they could see him, piloting his own boat. He wished they were here to witness this occasion, even if this was in a world built from memory.

"Any sign of Riku or the King?" Sora asked, Donald and Goofy look out on the sides.

"Nope." Goofy said looking out.

Donald shook his head. "Nope, and we should turn back!"

"Oh come on, Donald! Don't be such a worry wart."

"We STOLE someone boat!"

"Borrowed," Sora countered. "And for a good cause."

"Well, I guess…" Donald took a moment to ponder this.

Namine seemed at peace as she took out her pad of paper and began to draw. "This forest is so pretty out there in the distance., looks like there's some construction going on though."

"Construction of what?" Sora asked to busy looking ahead to look.

"Something called….Disney Castle?"

"Disney Castle?!" Donald yelled, he and Goofy looking out at the distance. "That's the castle!"

"Disney Castle?!" Sora said sounding surprised.

Goofy tapped his chin, "So, that means these are mine and Donald's memories."

He turned his head to see the massive construction sight in front of him, with the large sign saying Disney Castle under construction. If this was to be then that narrowed down just were they were in terms of memories. Still that didn't answer the question of who Namine was, or who's memories these actual wore. Not unless Sora had been here in a past life.

"Hey, what's the big idea?!"

Sora turned around and jumped back, Pete stood before them now fuming at the mouth as he loomed over them, hands cupped into fist.

"Oh boy."

"Why on earth are you piloting my ship, see?!" Pete yelled fuming at them. "Oh, I don't have time for this. Time to kick you out!"

Pete raised his arms and tried to grab Sora but ducked, it soon descended into a chase around the docks trying to avoid getting caught by the cat.

"Missed me." Namine snickered.

Donald flew a few feet in the air before landing down. "I told you this was a bad idea!"

"Oh come on, we're handling this guy." Sora snickered.

"Sora help!" Looking up Namine was now in the hands of two bat like heartless who had her by the arms and began flying off into the air setting into the grassy area.

"Namine!" Sora screamed feeling something grip his arm.

Pete began to drag him down until he was tossed into a light cellar. The large cat laughed maniacally before slamming the door shut. Now he was trapped, Namine was out there and Donald and Goofy were the only people who also got stuck with him. Sora tried pounding on the door to break it down but it was no use, it was to strong and sturdy.

"Great," Sora sighed kicking the door with his knee, "Now what do we do?"

Donald sighed, "Well, we're stuck here, I guess. I knew Pete was still trouble!"

Outside they could hear Pete grumbling to himself as they remained trap inside the boats mopping room. The old cat kept saying over and over again, "Lousy kids, always getting into other people stuff. No respect, I tell ya, no respect. Good thing I'll never have kids, no siree! Bachelor Pete, that'll be me."

"Pfft, nothing changed with him." Sora muttered as he kept looking for a way out."

"Strange that he can use Heartless even back then," Goofy said scratching his chin, "Something about that just doesn't feel right to me."

Sora just grunted as he got up to the window, "Well it doesn't matter, we have to get Namine back!"

Getting up, putting his hands around the window and began to pry it open, jiggling it violently to pry it's hinges. Goofy got behind Sora to help give him the extra muscle needed to pry the thing open.

"Okay, now let's get outta here." Sora jumped up and tried to climb through the small hole, it was a bit tight, Donald and Goofy had to push him through to get him out causing him to land in the back deck.

Sora rushed to the edge of the boat to see Namine trying to keep up. He looked around trying to find a way to get her back on the boat. There had to be something, anything.

"Sora look," Goofy pointed to a nearby crane at the back of the boat. "Try that."

Sora beamed as he rushed over to the crane trying to find the operating guide. He pulled several levers and knobs moving the crane, but not in the right position it was supposed to be. Namine saw the crane rushing toward her and tried to grab hold of it, only to be shook around as she held onto the hook for dear life.

"Sora, I don't think this is working!" Namine screamed.

"And it looks like we got company," Goofy said as from above Heartless began floating around.

"Donald, Goofy, take care of them for me! I'll get Namine."

The two leaped in action, Heartless floating around and getting wiped out one after the other. Sora kept trying to control the crane to get Namine back onto the ship. Each lever and button he pushed seemed though to make things worse. Sometimes causing the crane to go faster, other times just making it spin. Namine screaming and holding on for dear life afraid she was going to fall into the water. Panic overtook Sora by the end.

"I almost got it," Sora pushed another lever, "Nope, nope...Okay...I think...No...wait...I think I got it, I think I got it…"

"Hurry up, Sora!" Namine yelled as a few Heartless almost surrounded her, " I know you can do this!"

Finally the lever began to slowly recede and head back into the boat. The minute Namine felt she could land without falling into water she let go of the crane and landed back on the boat.

"Namine," Sora rushed to hug or only to let go instantly, "Sorry about that."

Namine chuckled, "It's alright."

"So what do we now?" Donald asked smacking a Heartless in the face.

"Hmm…" Sora looked at the back of the boat noticing a bunch of boxes and large areas to hide. Suddenly a idea came to him. "What if we just let Pete drive the boat and we be his stowaways for a while?"

"Seems like another bad idea," Donald said nervously.

Namine just leaned back looking at the distance. "Well, I like it."

"Okay, looks like we're stowaways today."

So stowaway they did, as Pete drove his steamboat down the river. Sora and his friends merely watched from the back as they looked for any sign of Riku and the King. The back area though wasn't just all looking around and sitting, they tried to have some fun. Namine pointed out various interesting things that looked interesting and drew a little sketch of each of them, Donald and Goofy reminisced about the past during their time here so very long ago.

As they became bored, Sora began to casually walk around the place finding various pots, pans, spoons and other appliances. Suddenly, an idea came to him. Taking a spoon, he bang to it each pan from biggest to smallest making a small tune out of it. Sora became more and more excited the more he went along that Namine, Donald and Goofy joined into the party.

By the end they were pretty much making a song out of it.

"This is fun," Namine said as she kicked a can a drum, "I don't think I've ever had this much fun in my life."

Sora laughed, "It's a nice change of pace."

"Hey, what's the big idea?!" Sora froze as Pete again emerged glaring back at them, "I'd thought I had those weird things chase ya out, see!"

Sora scowled, "Look, we're just trying to find our friends. We aren't doing anything wrong."

"Yeah well, this is my boat and I say who is and who's off it," Pete snarled back clutching his arms, "Now get out, see! Out, out, out!"

A whole bunch of Heartless now appeared as Pete's anger began to grow again. It was then Sora started to piece together what was going on. His anger was attracting the Heartless. The darkness in his heart festered because they was in his boat. But what if that anger was no longer there, what if ...for once, they did as he asked.

"Okay then," Sora said raising his hands, "We'll get off your boat."

Pete seemed dumbfounded, "Huh?"

"Yeah, we'll get off your boat, and you won't have to see us again."

The Heartless looked at Pete as if waiting for some form of direction.

"Oh uh, huh…" Pete seemed taken aback, "Didn't expect ya no good kids to listen."

"Sorry," Sora said looking embarrassed as he scratched the back of his head. "Guess I got a little caught up in everything, I kinda forgot a thing or two about respect."

Pete wanted to say something but was taken aback, slowly the Heartless vanished again. Sora realized that the big fat cat wasn't his first aggression either, the cow fell to darkness as well because he angered it. One by one, each Heartless vanished until finally all were gone, hesitation calming down.

"Well, I uh-" Pete sighed rubbing his forehead, "Oh, you are just bunch of no good kids, why do I care? I'll drop you off at the next dock so you can at least keep looking for whoever. Next time you wanna take the steamboat just ask, or at the very least pay."

"Will do," Goofy said smiling.

Pete rolled his eyes, "I hope Goof you never have kids of your own."

They all just laughed.

Pete left to pilot the boat again. Once gone a magical door emerged in a flash bright light, opening itself to reveal a empty bright hall from afar.

"Oh…. I guess we go?" Sora said looking at Namine sadly, "What about you?"

"I don't think it can." Namine said noticing the door.

Sora frowned, "Think we'll see each other again? We never uh…"

Donald shook his head stopping Sora from speaking.

"Nevermind," Sora quickly caught himself.

"See you soon," Namine waved.

"Hey, Namine!"

"Yeah?" She turned around.

"I hope you remember what world you came from."

Namine smiled, "Don't worry, I think I will. One day."

Sora, Donald and Goofy headed off through the door. Too bad they weren't able to find Riku here, but perhaps he was still inside the castle along with the King. Though now they would wonder who this Namine was, and whose memory she belonged to.