AN: Thank you Guest, Gary123, SuperSaiyanFever on FFnet and The_Traveller for your reviews! This chapter is kind of odd, but I wanted to get a little into KH1 without rehashing it, while also moving time in a way that wasn't overdone. I did my best to go off my memory for the latter half because I really was trying to not rehash word for word actual cutscenes. Please R&R!

You're here but it's clear you're just salt and shadow
Here, but half a world away
You're here, but you're merely a hologram
Here, still so far away
-Thrice, Salt and Shadow
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Donald tapped his foot as he, Goofy, and Sora rested in the Gummi Ship after having sealed the keyhole to Atlantica. Something about the way Sora had easily adapted to and learned Magic nagged at the back of his mind.

He'd been working with Spells and Casting for years, yet Sora could abruptly figure out spells in the middle of battle and begin using them with precision immediately. His form while Casting was flawless.

It made no sense for someone so Green in battle.

He crossed his arms and frowned as he looked the young teen over as Sora sat seemingly troubled by something.

Goofy rubbed his head as he looked between his two companions, "Awe gwarsh Sora, what's wrong? Is it because of what King Triton said about the Keyblade?"

Sora took a deep breath before nodding with a sigh, "Yeah… I just don't understand!" He threw his arms up as he slumped back into his chair, "I was just trying to protect the World…"

Goofy smiled gently, "Perhaps somethin' happened to someone close ta him a long time ago. Either way, as the Ruler of that World, we can't really be upset with him for trying to protect his people his own way… Even if we were tryin' ta help."

Sora glanced at him before he leaned forward, "Yeah, I guess…"

Donald couldn't take it anymore and warbled, "Awe phooey. I got my own questions, and I want answers!"

Sora straightened up, blinking as Goofy raised an eyebrow, "What kinda questions, Donald?"

Donald walked up to Sora and stuck his feathered finger in his face, causing the young teen to jolt back, "Your forms! The way you Cast! Where'd you learn it!?"

Sora stared at him blankly with his mouth open. He seemed unsure how to answer, his mouth opening and closing before he clicked his mouth shut, his eyebrows furrowed in annoyance, "What's it matter?"

Donald began pacing, mumbling and making grumbling noises as Goofy couldn't help but be baffled by his companion's behavior.

The duck threw his hands up before facing him, "It usually takes years! Yet here you are, learning Magic on the fly in the middle of our fight against the Heartless, and you just… keep learning higher and higher grade Magic! That's not how it's supposed to work!"

Sora blinked, it all just seemed so intuitive, he hadn't realized there was actual study behind it all...but he supposed it made sense. "But Donald, don't you also learn higher grades of magic in the middle of fights?"

He huffed as he walked to the turned around captain's chair and plopped into it, "I've spent years learning and studying Magic. There's Magic of even higher levels than we'll ever possibly reach that I've studied. It's simply a matter of the aptitude of the user! Yet to you, it seems like the most natural thing in the World!"

Sora rubbed the back of his head, contemplating, "Uh… well, I mean... My dad taught me tons of unique meditative forms." He shrugged, "Honestly, he'd have me hold a wooden sword and we'd practice different forms every morning. Sometimes he'd even give me lessons on sword fighting to try and figure out a strategy to beat Riku."

Donald gave him a glare as he frowned, a suspicious look on his face, "Still…"

Sora crossed his arms, "He ran the Island's Library. Sometimes he'd hand me a book and it would barely make any sense to me… But somehow, while fighting the Heartless something about what I'd read before would click and I'd know exactly what I'd need to do to Cast a spell."

Goofy tilted his head, "Yer dad ran a Library?"

Donald scoffed, "What you really mean to say is, you read? In your free time?"

Sora felt anger rush through his chest as he glared at Donald and felt his face become flushed, "Donald, just because I don't know anything about the Worlds and all the stuff related to Keyblade Wielding doesn't make me stupid! I'm learning everything as I go!"

Goofy abruptly stood and got between them, "Now hold on a minute you two. Sora, Donald wasn't accusing you of being stupid. However," He turned to his friend, "You are being unreasonably mean. You should know better, and besides. We're gonna end up drifting in space for weeks if we don't all calm down and start using our happy faces. You both do remember this Ship runs on Smiles, right?"

The duck Magician and teen both bowed their heads in shame, properly chastised for letting the situation get a little out of hand, "Awe, phooey."

Sora rubbed his head, "Sorry, Goofy."

The Knight simply shook his head as he turned, "Now say sorry, Donald. You keep fightin' with Sora, and it's just plain depressin' to see a full grown adult fight with a kid all the time."

Donald flushed as his feathers ruffled, grumbling before he finally sat up with a huff, "Oh alright. I'm sorry, Sora."

Sora felt the apology was half baked, as Goofy gave the duck a Look, but he sighed. He'd have to be the bigger person, the Worlds and finding Riku and Kairi were more important, "I forgive you Donald. Sorry I can't give you the answers you want."

Donald tapped his finger on his crossed arms before huffing, "Yeah, yeah. Let's just get moving already. Now, time to smile!"

The three shipmates plastered on the biggest smiles they could as they situated themselves as the previously Empty energy meter on the Ship began to fill so they could continue on their journey.

There was still a lot of work to do.

It had been two weeks since Aeros, Ruki, and Vale had landed in Twilight Town. DiZ did as promised, and had recrafted Ruki and Vale's spears into a mage staff for Ruki, and a much more durable spear-lance for Vale.

Ruki had initially been disappointed with the more defensive item, but DiZ assured her that it could still land devastating blows, as long as the right user was wielding it. She immediately went out to test it, and was pleased to find out that the bottom was plenty sharp enough to pierce through even the toughest of Heartless.

Aeros and Vale were quick to attempt to curb her rising bloodlust, as the days went on and DiZ was simply unable to find even the vaguest hint of information about Sora, Riku, or Kairi's whereabouts.

All DiZ could tell them was that while many Worlds were falling, Princesses of Heart were being stolen from their Worlds at a distressingly fast pace, and some of the World Keyholes had been sealed by an unknown individual.

He was busy trying to trace the Keybearer's journey, but it seemed he was also picking up another Wielder's trek across the Worlds, and it was making it increasingly difficult to pinpoint where either of them would end up next.

Aeros sighed glumly as he made his way back from the center of Town, having picked up some ingredients from the Moogle shop for some Potion recipes. A feeling of apprehension awoke him that morning, and he just hadn't been in the mood to deal with DiZ's dark and brooding nature.

At least he and Vale could brew various health items and medicines with Ruki's help.

It made the wait for any information more bearable.

The feeling of Darkness slithered thick and oily down his spine as he paused in the middle of the forest, swallowing sickly as he looked up towards the Old Mansion in confusion and fear.

A Dark Portal appeared and a man wearing a hooded black leather coat walked out. He then noticed a teenager with blond spiky hair, cream jacket and black/grey top, with dark grey layered with light grey pants. The boy's head was tilted downward, as if in a daze. The other removed his hood, revealing dark skin and long silver spiky hair.

Aeros swiftly hid himself behind a tree, his heart in his throat as his mind deliriously shouted, Stay away from my son!

But his eyes wouldn't allow his Heart to deceive him. The boy was not his son… at least.

Not completely.

He saw the cloaked figure raise his hand as the teen in front of him slowly raised his head. Something gold and shimmering floated in front of the blond, the man waving his hand as what seemed to be letters began to quickly spin around the younger.

S - R -

The spinning stopped as the silver haired man flung out his hand, the letters floating illegibly in front of the teen as he seemed to read the word out loud.

The letters shimmered away, and tears rose in Aeros's eyes as the silver haired man turned, a Dark Portal appearing behind him as he beckoned the teenager to follow.

The man entered the Portal, and Aeros dashed out, the teenager strangely oblivious to the World around him as he followed. The brunette threw his hand out, grasping the final tendrils of Darkness that held any proof either had been there.

He stood, crushed for a reason he could not name, and held his closed fist to his chest, tears streaming down his face.

Something had happened to Sora.

He lifted his head, determination on his face as he swiftly walked towards the lab, ready to reprimand DiZ and demand answers from the cryptic man.

Yet, something happened. A shift in the atmosphere caused him to stumble. He paused, staring at the ground as a pale Light began to surround him. What?

He ran, barely making it into the lab as Ruki and Vale turned to him, the same glow surrounding them.

DiZ stood, arms behind his back as he regarded the three glowing travelers, "It would seem the Keybearer has eliminated the threat that had been causing countless Worlds to fall, and in sealing away the Door to Kingdom Hearts, has restored the Hearts of those Worlds destroyed by Ansem."

Ruki stepped forward, "So you weren't telling us everything!"

He huffed, "Our time is short. You had no way to traverse the Worlds, so I had you protect this one. I am not a cruel man. I have genuinely been trying to find your children. Hopefully, with any luck, they will reappear on your beloved Destiny Islands with the rest of its denizens."

Their bodies began to glow brighter, almost dissolving as their World called them back to its shores.

DiZ's lone eye, though still bitterly cold, warmed, "Be well."

Twilight Town faded away, as they felt their Hearts rocket through the great expanse of space, before they found themselves surrounded by the familiar paths of their home.

The three friends stumbled at the experience, Aeros still shaken by the scene he'd witnessed, unable to speak a word of it now that they were no longer in Twilight Town.

Once they'd regained their bearings, Aeros, Ruki, and Vale turned towards the beach and ran to it, hearts in their throats as they hoped and prayed for their children's safety.

They jumped in their own rafts, making their way to the Play Island as they came upon Kairi's forlorn expression. The brave devastation on her face told them the bare minimum of what they needed to know.

Their sons wouldn't be returning home anytime soon.