The Girl with the Pictures

"Another hallway" Donald muttered, "That's just great".

"Maybe it's a pattern?" Goofy added.

Sora came out of that memory now very interested in his companions history now. He had managed to get a bit of an insight into his friends world. The wacky nature and very almost...cartoonish nature. It made him get a bit why they always behaved the way they did. Though he did wonder how the King started out as a boat boy on a ship captained by Pete. In fact the more he thought about the more he wondered just how much he didn't know what his friends past were known.

He did know the basics, but the whole first adventure it was always about him. Sora was the one looking for his friends, he never really did consider the King except in moments when he remembered the mission. Then Riku had turned on him and that's all he thought about was losing his best friend, only looking for Kairi now.

A sense of guilt came over him.

"Gee, and I thought your friends were your power huh" Sora felt the room freeze as things turned grey, turning around Bill Cipher appeared, leaning back and holding a glass of some sort of drink, "Isn't that your mantra kid?'

"Bill?" Sora blinked looking at Donald and Goofy, who now were frozen, "What happened"

Bill dismissed his drinks as he floated around Sora, hands behind his back, his eye giving a almost smug look, "I mean, that's what won the day right? That's how you defeated Xehanort, saved the universe and became the grand hero you are now right? Friendship, the connections you have with others, and yet you hardly know the past of the people you consider your closet companions"

"Well I-" Sora looked at Donald and Goofy and frowned, "Okay, maybe, maybe I don't, but we've been through a lot together, we don't always have time to just sit down and talk, we have worlds to save and bad people to stop"

"You had some time on the Gummi Ship, if I recall from your first adventure, plenty of time to ask each other their history". Bill took a sip of his drink through his eye before tossing it off to the size causing the glass to break, not that he seemed to care. Instead he just floated along measely without a care in the world "I mean sure you know about the son, the nephews, the sister, etc etc...But boy did you spend time talking about you….Finding Riku, fighting Riku….Man do you even like Kairi"

"HEY!"

"Oh...Sorry, sorry…..Just saying kid, for someone who says My friends are my power...You don't live up to that mantra"

With those parting words Bill vanishes in a breath of fresh flame and restore the room to normal.

"Are we making any progress?" Donald asked taking a deep breath, "Feels like we just keep entering the same hallway over and over again"

Goofy shrugged, looking the most calm of the group so far, though he always was in these cases "Probably, the more we move the more progress we make right?"

Jiminy hopped onto Sora's shoulder looking around, "I mean, we have to be right, we can't possibly just be walking in a circle the whole time...Right? Right?"

"Yeah ...We have to be," Sora said getting his determined face back on, "I know it! I can feel it...Because ...Because my mind keeps thinking of things that it hasn't in a long time. Weird things ...Things that, things I've been thinking about since I was young".

Donald and Goofy look at each very confused.

"You do what Sora?" Goofy asked.

Sora turned to look at him smiling, "My mind...It's gaining memories it hasn't thought of in a long time. Even though I'm forgetting stuff, I'm also remembering stuff too. I know it sounds weird but trust me, it makes sense".

"Like what?" Donald asked.

"Like...Like a girl...A girl I used to know back on the island a long time ago."

Donald tapped his own beak, "You know...I too am trying to remember something"

"What Donald?" Goofy asked.

"A song" Donald replied.

"What song?"

"I-I don't know…" Donald scratched his head, "But I know this song was something that was very important to my family ...I used to sing it to my boys, but-but I don't remember why?"

"Ah well I used to sing Max to sleep every night" Goofy said, "Especially after his mom passed, he always had trouble sleeping those first few months"

Sora frowned, "I bet that was hard"

"It was" Goofy sighed, "But my son's a fighter, he was strong"

Suddenly Sora began to block them as slowly the memory of his past began to sink in.

Donald and Goofy again just gave Sora a confused look as he gazed out into the distance.

Memories began to swirl in his mind. They were vague, just images of him and Riku running around the sandy beaches of the island playing with swords. In the distance, he could see a white haired girl sitting, looking at them with soft blue eyes. In her hand was a sketchbook as she was scribbling something. Though he wasn't sure what it was.

"Sora…? Sora!" Jiminy shouted, causing him to snap out of it, "You're spacing out again!"

"Oh, really sorry. Just thinking."

"You sure you can't concentrate for more than five seconds?" Donald muttered.

"Of course I can...Mom might say otherwise but I can." He muttered arms folded as he gave a pouting face.

"What were you thinking about?" Goofy asked.

Sora remembered and bounced back, "Oh, the girl, the one I was talking about."

"What do you remember about her?" Jiminy asked taking out his pen and journal, "Maybe writing it down could help in the long term."

"Eh...Mmm...Okay, I guess I could try that. Sure!"

Sora again went back into those images he had floating in his mind. "I remember...I remember Riku and I playing on the beach and she was always there ...And that she was well...she was quiet and always drawing. When we got to the beach, she'd draw a picture of the things around her. Sometimes she'd draw us too, she was really good. I remember Riku and fighting over who she draw next. But one day, she was gone."

A sadness swept over Sora even though the memories themselves were still weak, they seemed to feel as fresh as when the day it happened. A small tear began to trickle down his face, yet he wasn't sad enough to lose it emotionally quite yet. Though he could feel the ache in his stomach as the images played themselves in his head. Images that didn't seem real, but they had to be for they were his.

"Just like that" He gulped "...I think the grown ups knew the reason. They might even have tried to explain some of it to me. But I was little, I probably didn't understand what was happening. I remember crying when she was gone."

Sora took a deep sigh.

Donald walked up to him and patted his arm sympathetically, "Sorry, Sora."

"Yeah, Goofy added, "That sounded so very sad."

"It's okay, guys. It was a long time ago, it was in the past. Doesn't matter much anymore, she's gone. And there's nothing I could have done." Sora clenched his fist, "Still, the fact that I forgot...makes me feel like a crummy friend."

"Aw Sora, you aren't a crummy friend," Goofy said, "Sometimes we forget people we don't see in a long time! But now that you remembered, you still feel for this person at the end of the day."

Sora chuckled, "Yeah, yeah I guess you're right."

"Exactly," Jiminy said, taking this moment to think about what was happening, "Though it seems to me that forgetting things may be the only way to reach the memories buried deep down inside all of us."

"Well, if that's the case why aren't I remembering anything big?" Donald asks, "Seems to be only Sora."

"Hey!"

"I'm just saying."

"The world does center around you kid, what is the first thing you did, talk about you" Sora flinched as Bill's words echoed in his head.

"I'm sorry guys" Sora sighed.

"For what?" Goofy asked.

"I've been making things about me, we just returned from a memory that was about you two?" Sora said looking at his friends with guilt, "I mean, we've been together for how long now? I barely feel like I know you, at least not really, your families, personal life...Hobbies"

"Don't get creepy Sora" Donald muttered

"Not like that but you know what I mean"

Goofy chuckled, "It's fine Sora, we don't know every detail about you either, but that doesn't mean you aren't one of our new best pals"

"Though if you do want to tell us more, I have my journal ready to go" Jiminy replied.

Sora chuckled, "Thanks guys"

"That's the spirit!" Goofy cheered.

Donald nodded, "Let's go!"

Sora nodded and looked forward, he'd head on out and move on, there was a person he needed to discover.

A few feet away and Sora already saw the door to the next level. He took a deep sigh, more walking and more hallways.

"I still can't believe I can't even remember her name. Like at all,what kind of friend is that? If I can't remember their name, then what does that say about me?"

He kept moving towards the next door before again the room started to freeze indicating one thing. Sighing Sora rubbed his forehead for he knew exactly what was about to happen.

"So what next?" Donald asked.

Before Sora could answer. a black vortex appeared before them as now a young woman with streak blonde hair wearing the same black coat as the other two castle members they had encountered appeared before them. She had emerald eyes, and a wicked grin as she glared upon them.

Sora instantly could tell that this was another one of those members of the castle who had been plotting against them. He could sense a dark presence around her. Though he wasn't afraid, so many of these hooded figures were nothing compared to Xehanort, and he took him down easily.

"Having fun in the castle?" She asked giggling looking at Sora as if he was some sort of chew toy.

Sora summons his Keyblade immediately, Donald and Goofy getting into attack position as well.

"You!" Sora shouted, "I bet you work with Axel!"

"Pfft...As if! I don't work for him, I work WITH HIM. Just the thought makes me gag." The woman smirked, "I'm Larxene, anywho. How are you enjoying your time here? Bet it's nice to peel away all the worthless memories and awaken the true memories. Wish I could get rid of a few of my own. All those thoughts rolling through your head...what a mess." She laughed.

Sora glared at her.

"Although," She continued "it seems you're forgetting the most important thing here. When that poor girl hears you've forgotten her name. Why….It'll just...break her heart!"

"Poor girl?" Sora's eyes widened, "Do you know her!?"

Larxene just giggled maliciously.

"Is she? Here?"

Larxene turned her back, her wicked grin widening before she said in a cutesy expression, "Yes. She is, you love sick puppy. See the bad guys are holding her captive somewhere deep inside the castle. And you obviously are the hero so you have to go save her."

"Huh?"

With a swift strike Larxene then rushed towards Sora to swipe him, he managed to dodge but once before she kicked him straight in the stomach causing him to fly back against one of the walls. As he was throttled he saw him coming out from one of his pockets, a gold star charm necklace, flying all the way into the air and onto the ground. Landing just a few feet away from him.

He felt a few ribs ache in pain as he tried to move. Larxene must have done quite a number on him for he found it difficult to move even just a few feet.

Sora looked at it, pain and shock in his mind as he slowly reached out to it. His blade vanished for he would not need it.

"Is-Is that mine?" He looked up the golden star trinket, it was wrapped to a chain and shimmered a bit in the light, either then that he held no memory of it.

Larxene cackled, holding onto her sides as she laughed "What a shame, you've been wearing it all this time and forgot. No, that's not possible. The memory has to be engraved somewhere deep inside your heart. But what or what could it possibly be? And who gave it to you?"

"I-I….."

"Hmm…" Larxene smirked, "Think carefully now Sora, come on, let a name simmer through you"

"Nam-Nam

Larxene wicked smile widened, "Yes, yes ...come on"

"Namine" Sora finally spurts out, getting up.

That was it, that was the name, the girl with the pictures was named Namine. She was Sora's and Riku's best friend. Always drawing on the beaches, making them laugh, having fun along with them. Then just like that, she was gone, and they never saw her again.

Sadness overcame Sora, but also anger, anger at himself but now anger towards this person who was mocking him.

"Well, it's about time, Namine, that's the name". Larxene taunted, picking up the charm and snickered, "It'd serve you right if I picked it up and smash it"

Sora had enough, with all the strength he could muster he rose to his feet Keyblade at hand, and struck her, knocking the charm out of her hand and taking it back. As he stood there, clenching the charm with his hand, he looked determined then ever had in his life right now.

"No way! This charm is very important to me!"

"Didn't think that a few seconds ago," Bill chuckled in Sora's ear

He just ignored him, he wasn't about to let what he felt a few seconds ago get away in the fact that now he remembered. A flood of emotions started to overwhelm him now.

Sora charged again forward, Larxene firing her golden knives right at him. He tried to strike her down but she was too quick for him.

"Not as bad as I thought," Larxene said, her taunts becoming more clear, "You really are a hero, a Heartless hero"

"Why you!"

"Oh come on now, let's face it that's what you are, just a mere baby" She held out a blue card, "And if you are gonna be a baby, here you go"

With a swing of her wrist she tossed the card, Sora catching it instantly.

"I created a card from the combined memories of you and your friends, I think this little scenario will help you understand what I'm talking about. Say thanks now"

Sora tries to go after her but it's to late, "Wait Larxene"

"Sora!" Goofy holds him back, "It ain't worth it"

"But she's getting away,"

"Yeah, but you aren't in a good headspace right now"

Sora just slapped Goofy away as he stood there in anger. Clenching his fist, he swung the Keyblade in the air hoping that somehow Larxene would come back out. His anger clouded everything, he wanted nothing more than to fight, to avenge Namine, she was in trouble, and she needed his help. He had to be a hero, he had to save the day.

"Namine!" He shouted running down the hall, "Namine"!

Sora rushed off leaving Donald and Goofy away for a moment as he went to the next room. He was alone for a bit still shouting Namine's name. His heart was racing, mind going all directions. Everything was finally becoming clear, and with it, all the pain and hurt that came with it. His friend was here in the Castle and these evil people had her hostage.

"Kid relax, she can't hear you"

Sora paused to see Bill appear, this time he was his floating triangle self again, "Bill? Can you spot Namine. Is she here….."

"Well ...I could…."

"Please show me!" Sora said, his forehead sweating.

Bill nodded, he turned into a viewing portal and showed an image of Namine. She was sitting in some sort of white room, sitting at a desk. She looked sad. Sora saw her with other of those people in coats in the room. Sora felt his heart clench and his rage increased. His friend was in trouble and he needed to help her.

"Friends are really your power aren't they" Bill said turning himself into a human, leaning on his cane as he watched, "You did start your adventure less to save the world and more to find them in the first place ...Till Riku betrayed you of course"

"He didn't…" Sora was about to finish the sentence, until he remembered what happened, frowning he sighed, "He turned good again in the end.''

Bill just looked at Sora with a smug expression, he seemed so calm and sure of himself. "Did he though? You sure?"

Sora nooded, "Yes...In fact you can show me were Riku is right now"

"Can't"

"WHAT!"

"Remember, dark realm is hard to track, besides I still can't find him, I looked believe me" Bill smirked, "I mean I'm sure he's fine, but how he feels nowadays is hard to say...You sure are taking your sweet time finding him"

"He knows I would never leave him behind" Sora said, getting annoyed now.

Bill shrugged, "Considering how quickly how jealous he got when you teamed up with Donald and Goofy, he seems prone to emotions".

"Riku turned good in the end," Sora said sighing, "Yeah, we fought each other...But we made up, that's what happened, I remember that perfectly"

Bill nodded, still smirking, "Hey I get it, he's your friend, wouldn't be fun if he was your villain?"

"My what?"

"Your villain? You know, every hero needs a villain after all. After all, what's the point without the grand force to stop and defeat"

"Then Xehanort was my villain"

"Sure he was kid" Bill said, though he sounded snarky about it, "Sure he was"

With that Bill vanished again leaving Sora alone with his thoughts. He needed to help his friends. Riku, Namine, return to Kairi and his mom. All these people were counting on hm. All of these people were his key, his heart, his happiness. They are what mattered so much to him. He did everything for them.

It was time to press on.