Keys to the Kingdom

by MiniJen

Thirteen Keys, scattered across the worlds. Whoever holds them all is destined to rule the heart of all worlds: Kingdom Hearts. As both light and darkness scour the worlds for these keys, Sora finds himself caught between standing alongside his friends as they fight for the light and struggling against the encroaching darkness invading his own heart. KH3 AU.

40. Chapter 39: Almost There

Ok so, uh... this one took a little longer than I'd wanted to to get done. Mostly because some... pretty tough family stuff happened to me lately, but no worries, I'm ok as I can be, all things considered. Still, if this chapter is a little bit... all over the place because of that, I appologize. I was kind of distracted while writing a good bit of it. Also Princess and the Frog, despite being a fantastic movie, is a very DENSE movie so there was a lot I had to throw in here between all of the original plot stuff. Honestly, the next chapter will probably be even LONGER than this one as a result of that too. Anyway I'll shut up now and let you get onto it. Enjoy!

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Chapter 39: Almost There

There's been trials and tribulations
You know I've had my share
But I've climbed a mountain, I've crossed a river
And I'm almost there

"You know the thing about good food?" her father asked, a kind smile on his face. "It brings folks together from all walks of life. It warms them right up and it puts little smiles on their faces. And when I open up my own restaurant, I tell you, people are gonna line up for miles around just to get a taste of my food."

"Our food," she corrected. Her father chuckled warmly.

"That's right, baby, our food." He showed her the illustration of an elegant, upscale restaurant he'd once torn out of a magazine, the epitome of the dream they both shared. On its upper corner, he wrote "Tiana's Place", another glimpse of what that dream will look like when it someday comes true.

"Daddy, look!" she excitedly pointed upon spotting something outside her bedroom window. "Charlotte's fairy tale book said if you make a wish on the evening star, it's sure to come true."

"Well, you wish on that star, sweetheart," her mother encouraged, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

"Yes, you wish and you dream with all your little heart," her father agreed. "But you remember, Tiana, that ol' star can only take you part of the way. You've gotta help it along with some hard work of your own, and then, you can do anything you set your mind to. Just promise your daddy one thing: that you'll never, ever lose sight of what's really important. Ok?"

She nodded, even if she didn't fully understand what that meant. Still, her father gently kissed her forehead and her mother tucked her into bed, both of them bidding her a loving good night before leaving the room and shutting the door. The moment they were gone, however, she rushed to the window, illustration in hand as she stared up at the brightest star in the sky above.

"Please, please, please!" she whispered, believing wholeheartedly in whatever magic that star might possess. Just the sort of magic her and her father needed to make their restaurant a reality.

When she opened her eyes a moment later, she soon found that she wasn't entirely alone. A small frog had perched itself upon her windowsill, its large yellow eyes staring at her, its skin green and slimy. The moment it so much as let out a low croak, she screamed at the top of her lungs, bolting out of the room in absolute disgust as the creature leapt away on its own accord.

After all, as she'd told her best friend earlier that evening: she didn't want to be anywhere near a frog, much less kiss one. Even if that frog was somehow a handsome prince in disguise.

---

After an evening spent together at the ball, the guardians of light get back to work the very next day. Riku decides to split his team up for the time being, in order to cover the most ground between their several ongoing goals. So he and Mickey venture out to look for any clues about liberating Terra from the Organization's clutches, choosing to follow up on the lead Sora offers them about the lost wielder's wandering armor. Axel volunteers to head to Twilight Town in search of a way to bring back Roxas and Naminé, which leaves everyone else to track down the next Key. They set out from the tower hours ago to embark upon whatever world awaits them next, but even as they enter that new world, Sora finds himself focusing on his and Kairi's parting words with Riku instead.

"Thanks again for letting us travel together again, Riku," Kairi had said, her hand already tightly entwined with Sora's. "I only wish you were coming with us too."

"I'll join you guys as soon as I can," Riku said, smiling. "But until I do, try not to have too much fun searching for those Keys without me, ok?"

"No promises," Sora smirked as he landed a light kiss on Kairi's forehead. She laughed, flustered as she playfully shoved him away.

"On second thought," Riku grinned, amused. "Maybe I should be telling you two not to distract each other so much instead…"

"Don't worry," Kairi chuckled. "We won't."

"Or at least we'll try not to," Sora added just as coyly as before.

"Come on, don't force me to ask Aqua to keep you two in check while I'm not around," Riku joked, his hands on his hips. His tone turned a bit more serious however, as he set his sights on one of them in particular. "Sora," he began, his tone steady and calm. "I know I've said this countless times before, but… be careful."

"What, are you worried about me?" Sora asked with a wry, flirtatious grin.

"I'm always worried about you," Riku clarifies, rolling his eyes. "I just… I didn't get a chance to help you control that… transformation of yours like I'd hoped I would. I feel better knowing Kairi will be there to help you out of it if it happens to you again, but… " He trailed off, unable to finish such a troubling thought as he glanced away.

Sora let out a small, anxious sigh, guilt swelling up inside him once more. Guilt for everything he'd kept hidden from Riku before and for everything he's still keeping hidden now. "Well, t-that's ok," he assured, somewhat unsteadily. "We can work on it the next time we meet up, right?"

"...Yeah," Riku agreed, his smile returning. Sora knew he wouldn't have conceded so easily if he knew about the full extent of the darkness he wanted to help him stand against. If he knew just how deep that darkness really ran. "Take care of each other out there. The three of us will be together again soon. All of us will be together again soon." His and Kairi's smiles both turned brighter at this, at the thought of bringing back the final few hearts that still remained lost, all their friends that still needed to be saved.

"Together again…" Sora muttered to himself, both warmed and dreadful of the thought. The thought of being together again, when maybe he might finally have the courage to tell both Riku and Kairi the truth he's been so afraid to share with them. Something that, by all accounts, sounds so much easier said than done. "Yeah," he smiled all the same, deciding to focus only on the idea of the three of them reuniting and little else. For now, at least. "Can't wait."

"Me neither," Kairi stepped forward, enveloping Riku in a tight, mutual hug. Riku beckoned Sora to join them, and though he initially hesitated, he soon found his place between their arms anyway, savoring every last second he still had left to spend there. Every last second he had left to spend with them.

It had been such a sweet, yet short parting, too short by most accounts. And in that parting, there had been a strange sense of finality that Sora couldn't quite place and doesn't really understand, even now. After all, Riku is only a phone call away and Kairi is here, right by his side as they venture into an all new world together this time. They're not going anywhere any time soon and neither is he. So then why does he still feel so uneasy, so anxious, so scared?

Those unpleasant feelings slowly start to ebb away when he feels Kairi link her fingers with his. She offers him a cheery smile, one that he returns without much hesitation, especially as she lightly leans against him while they walk together at the back of the group. "So," she begins. "Is your 'Keys Sense' picking up on anything in this world?"

"It's called a Keys Instinct," Sora corrects her, laughing. "And yeah, there's one here. Couldn't tell you exactly where though."

"So… we've just gotta look all over for it then?" Ventus asks, glancing back over his shoulder.

"If we do, then we've got our work cut out for us in a place like this…" Aqua notes as the group emerges from the side street they've been traveling down. They were already aware from the time they arrived that they're in some kind of town, but a large, full city opens up before them as they get their first view of the bustling street before them. It's a wide, long lane, an open port packed with docking steamboats on one side, and a collection of elegantly designed buildings and businesses on the other. Trollies and cars rumble down the road, but there are plenty more pedestrians out and about on such a pleasant spring morning. Normal folks go about on their usual routines, yet between that there's almost a tangible taste of festivity in the air as small street bands perform their jazzy tunes on just about every block. And as that upbeat music rings through the warm, clear air, more than a few of the few of the spectating lights can't help but get caught up in the excitement of it all.

"Whoa!" Sora exclaims, amazed as he takes a good look around. "This place is so cool!"

"And it's so huge!" Donald adds, frowning. "Where are we even supposed to start looking for that Key in a place like this?"

"Well, how do you usually find them?" Aqua asks.

"Sora usually takes care of that," Goofy points out. "Don'tcha, Sora?" he asks, only to receive no answer. "Uh… Sora?"

It doesn't take long for the others to realize Sora isn't standing alongside them anymore, and neither is Kairi for that matter. Instead, the pair rushes off together to the jazz quartet playing some light, swinging tunes on the nearby street corner. A small crowd gathers around to listen, and a handful of couples among them playfully dance to the bombastic beats. Sora pulls Kairi into a similar sort of shuffle, both of them lost to helpless laughter as they twirl around, loose and free. It's a far cry from the sort of graceful waltz they shared last night, but it's still every bit as enjoyable of a dance as long as it's one they get to share together.

"Hey!" Donald calls to the couple impatiently. "Come on, you two! We've got to get to work!"

"Aw, let them have a little fun," Aqua chuckles, amused, as she watches Sora and Kairi from afar. "We have plenty of time to track down that Key, after all."

Donald and Goofy exchange a terse glance at this, and likewise Ventus swallows hard, all three of them well aware of something Aqua, and Kairi too, haven't a single clue about. A secret they share solely at Sora's behest, one that serves as a near constant reminder that their time isn't quite as expendable as they wish it could be.

After a while, the quartet moves on to play elsewhere, and when they do, Sora and Kairi start to head back to the rest of the group, laughing warmly, and a bit breathlessly, the entire time. "Is dancing something you do in every world you go to?" she asks him while they cross the busy street.

"Not in every world," he replies just as coyly. "But whenever the opportunity shows up, I usually don't pass it up." Suddenly, Sora stops short, prompting Kairi to do the same as they both catch a whiff of something quite pleasant in the air. "Speaking of something we can't pass up, what's that amazing smell?"

"I think it's coming from over there," Kairi points to a nearby brick building, a casual cafe from the looks of it. "But I wonder what it could be… It smells sweet, like honey, or maybe cinnamon?"

"Why don't we find out?" Sora suggests as they rejoin the rest of the group. "Hey, Aqua?" he asks the master, knowing that she's the one in charge in Riku's absence. "Can me and Kairi grab a quick bite to eat over there?"

Aqua smiles knowingly upon hearing this request, looking between the earnest, pleading glance the pair sends her way. "Hm… I don't know…" she says leadingly. "We really should be looking around for that Key…"

"We won't take long!" Sora assures. "We promise."

"Yeah," Kairi agrees enthusiastically. "Can we go, Master Aqua? Please?"

Aqua chuckles in light amusement, Ventus and Goofy joining in even if Donald crosses his arms in faux annoyance by this proposed distraction. Even so, Aqua easily folds to the couple's request. "Alright, go on ahead," she waves them off. "We'll start searching the town for any clues about the Key in the meantime. You two can catch up with us whenever you're done, ok?"

"Sure thing! Thanks!" Sora calls over his shoulder, his hand still linked with Kairi's as they both run over to the restaurant. They enter to find the quaint, homestyle diner in the midst of a busy breakfast rush, just about every table full as patrons enjoy coffee, eggs, flapjacks, and everything in between. But what piques the pair's attention the most is the source of that tantalizing scent from earlier: several plates of piping hot pastries fresh out of the kitchen. Sora and Kairi rush inside to claim a spot at the bar to watch a waitress, a pretty, simply dressed young woman about Aqua's age, douse the pastries in honey before peppering some powdered sugar on top.

"Oh! Hey there, ya'll," the waitress greets the couple with a friendly smile. "What'll you two be having this morning?"

"We'll take whatever those things are," Sora points to the nearby pastries while Kairi nods her eager agreement.

The waitress laughs, placing a plate down on the counter before them. "There you go, one order of the tastiest beignets in the entire crescent city."

"Thanks!" the couple chimes before partaking of their first bites of the sweet treats. And sure enough, they're quick to discover that the beignets more than live up to their delectable aroma.

"Oh! These are delicious!" Kairi grins, thoroughly satisfied by their decadent sweetness.

"Yeah, they're sooo good!" Sora agrees, mouth half-full. "What did you say these things are called again? Buoys?"

"Beignets," the waitress corrects, chuckling. "Ya'll ain't from around here, are you?"

Sora and Kairi exchange a slight, nervous glance at this, both of them knowing well just how important maintaining the world order is, even on a large group mission such as this. "Uh… w-what makes you think that?" Sora asks with something of a forced smile.

The waitress shrugs, still smiling. "Lots of folks come in from out of town around Mardi Gras time. It's our busiest season, for sure."

"...Mardi huh?" Sora frowns, completely confused.

"Land's sakes, you two really aren't from around here…" the waitress pauses, hands on her hips. "You two lovebirds got names?"

Sora finishes off the last of the beignets by splitting it evenly with Kairi. He offers the waitress a friendly grin as he does. "I'm Sora."

"And I'm Kairi," she nods cordially just shy of enjoying her half of the treat. "It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am."

"Pleasure's all mine," the waitress returns just as warmly. "The name's Tiana. And between you and me," she drops her voice down to a whisper and the couple leans in to curiously whisper. "If you both think those beignets are good, just you wait until I open up my restaurant down on the waterfront. What I'll whip up there will put these ol' pastries to shame, guaranteed."

"Really?" Sora asks, impressed. "When's your restaurant opening? We'd love to come try it out."

"Oh, well, uh…" Tiana glances aside, biting her lip. "That's the thing. I still don't have enough for the down payment for the place, but I'm getting really close. With some good old fashioned hard work-and all the tips I've been saving up over the years-then I'll finally save up that last little bit, and I'll be one step closer to making my daddy's dream come true…" She lets out a wistful sigh as she pulls something out of her apron pocket, a bright illustration of the kind of sophisticated restaurant she had in mind. The restaurant that's always been her vision for "Tiana's Place" ever since she was just a child.

"You sound like you're very dedicated to making that dream happen," Kairi notes, inspired.

"Yeah, I hope you can really soon," Sora says just as encouragingly. "And once it does, save us a table. We'll be some of your first customers!"

"I'll be sure to do exactly that," Tiana gives the couple a thankful nod as she heads off to continue serving the diner's other patrons. It isn't long before one of the cafe's most common-and most wealthy-regulars happens to come in for his usual breakfast treat. "Morning, Mr. La Bouff," Tiana greets him casually.

"Good mornin', Tiana," the sugar baron returns, taking a seat at a table by the window.

"Congratulations on being voted king of the Mardi Gras parade," Tiana says as she pours coffee for another guest.

"Caught me completely by surprise," Mr. La Bouff smirks, whipping out the morning paper. Naturally, one of the front page headlines features his victory as king of the upcoming parade. "For the fifth year in a row! Now, how about I celebrate with-"

"Beignets?" Tiana fills in, setting down a plate of pastries in front of him. "Seems like they're the talk of the town this morning. I've got a fresh batch waiting just for you."

"Well, keep 'em comin' till I pass out!" Mr. La Bouff exclaims as he happily begins to scarf them down. At the same time, his young daughter, a girl the same age as Tiana, clad in all the finest fashion her father's money can buy, rushes in, beside herself with excitement that the entire diner can hear as soon as she enters.

"Oh, Tia!" she calls, running over to the waitress. "Tia, Tia, Tia, did ya hear the news?!"

"Hey, Charlotte-" Tiana attempts to greet her, only to be swiftly cut off as her friend joins her father at the table.

"Tell her, Big Daddy!" Charlotte cries with a huge grin, frantically fidgeting in her seat. "Tell her!"

"Oh, yeah," Big Daddy chuckles, amused by his daughter's usual verve. "Ya see, Prince Naveen-"

"Prince Naveen of Maldonia is comin' here to New Orleans!" Charlotte practically screams, snatching the newspaper right out of her father's hands. "Oh, isn't he the bee's knees?! Tell her what you did, Big Daddy!"

"Well, I invited-"

"Big Daddy invited the prince to our masquerade ball tonight!" Charlotte takes over once more, awash in obvious delight. "Tell her what else you did, Big Daddy! Go on!"

Big Daddy pauses for a moment, expecting his daughter to cut him off once more. When she surprisingly doesn't he proceeds. "...And he's staying-"

"And he's staying-" Charlotte is the one that's interrupted this time as Big Daddy abruptly shoves a beignet into her mouth so he can speak instead.

"And he's stayin' in our house as my personal guest," the sugar baron finishes, with a broad, proud smile.

"Oh, Lottie, that's swell," Tiana grins back at her friend as she continues working all the while. "A little word of advice? My mama always said the quickest way to a man's heart is through his stomach."

Charlotte gasps in realization as Tiana serves Big Daddy up another plate of beignets, coming up with a daring scheme right on the spot. "That's it!" she bolts up out of her seat, beignet in hand as she runs over to Tiana, engulfing her in a tight hug. "Tia! You're a bona fide genius! I'm gonna need about 500 of your man-catching beignets for my ball tonight." She runs back over to Big Daddy, grabbing his wallet and pulling out a large stack of bills, which she eagerly pushes into Tiana's hands. "Will this about cover it?"

Tiana starts, dumbfounded by the huge sum Charlotte hands over to her. By all accounts it's more money than she's really seen in her entire life, much less had to her own name. And combined with everything she's managed to save up thus far, it's more than enough to make up the remaining cost she's been struggling to pull together. "T-this should cover it just fine, Lottie," Tiana smiles in rising elation. "This is it! I'm getting my restaurant!"

Charlotte cheers, hugging her once more before she runs back over to Big Daddy. At the same time, Sora and Kairi don't hesitate to offer their best wishes to the waitress, having just witnessed the entire scene play out while eating their beignets.

"Wow! Congratulations, Tiana!" Kairi exclaims brightly.

"Yeah, looks like we'll be eating at your restaurant sooner than you think," Sora laughs, just as happy for her.

"Thanks, ya'll," Tiana returns, holding the cash Charlotte just gave her close. "I guess dreams are coming true for everyone this Mardi Gras. Both for me, and for Lottie," she chuckles as she nods back over to her best friend.

"Tonight my prince is finally comin'!" Charlotte squeals as she just about drags her father out of the diner. "And I sure as heck ain't lettin' him go!" With that, the La Bouffs leave, and with their beignets finished off, it isn't long before Sora and Kairi do the same so they can rejoin their fellow lights. They pay for the pastries and bid Tiana a fond farewell and another round of congratulations as they head out, hand-in-hand.

Though as they do, they fail to notice a man sitting alone in the corner of the diner; a man practically drenched in deep, dark shadows, keeping a close eye not only on the latest happenings around town, but on the peculiar young man he just happens to spot with an involuntary veil of darkness hovering over his own heart. Darkness that the doctor already starts plotting to use to his greedy advantage.

---

Given the sheer scale of even just the section of the city they arrive in, Aqua quickly decides that splitting up is likely the group's best option for the time being. With Sora and Kairi already preoccupied at the diner, she divides the rest of the team, as Donald and Goofy head further into town while her and Ventus stay relatively close to the docks. The pair isn't exactly as well versed as the others are when it comes to searching for a Key, but they still hope to at least gather some clues about where and how to find it all the same.

"Looks like they're getting ready for some kind of festival," Ventus notes as they pass by a group pinning some colorful streamers to a lampost. "I guess we got here just in time to enjoy it too, huh?"

"Maybe after we track that Key down we can," Aqua grins. "Besides, we were just at a party last night, remember?"

"Yeah, but another one could be a lot of fun too," Ventus counters playfully.

Aqua's smile, however, starts to fade as a sudden, sad thought hits her. "It'd be even better if Terra were here with us…" she says softly. It's the very same sentiment her heart had silently harbored at the ball the previous night and even now it hasn't changed. So long as Terra isn't by her side, something will always feel off, like a piece of her very own heart is missing, empty, and forever longing to be filled.

Ventus stops short at this too, sharing the same sort of wistful notion. He'd also missed Terra's presence at the party last night, though he hadn't really thought to mention it to Aqua, lest he ruin her evening as well. Still, if one thing is clear, it's that they both know just how incomplete they are without their final lost friend standing tall and proud alongside them, just as he always used to do. Just as they both hope he can somehow do again someday very soon. "Aqua?" Ventus begins, unsure of how he really even wants to word the question he intends on asking. "I, uh… d-do you think… when we find Terra, he'll be-"

His question never gets to be fully asked as a sudden sharp cry of alarm sounds out from just around the street corner. Their conversation is put on immediate hold as they spot a crowd fearfully running away from an upcoming alleyway, away from some sort of unknown danger.

"Come on," Aqua urges, her Keyblade already appearing in her hand. Ventus wastes no time in following her, and the sight they find when they arrive at the alley's entrance is one that's certainly a cause for alarm. A crowd of shadowy creatures swarm the area, scarring most bystanders away. Only two really remain, a plump, beleaguered older man cowering away from the creatures and a much leaner, handsome young man in the midst of trying to swat them away with nothing more than a simple ukulele.

"Faldi Faldonza!" the young man exclaims. A wide, dashing grin rests on his face as he swings his instrument, seemingly undaunted by the monsters surrounding him. "All this excitement already and we've only been off the boat for an hour! Can you believe it, Lawrence?"

"Please, speak for yourself, sire!" the larger man huffs as he hides behind his younger ward. "These uncouth creatures are going to make us late for the masquerade ball!"

Before the young man has a chance to respond, a sudden burst of powerful ice magic strikes the shadowy creatures, banishing a good handful of them on the spot. Aqua lands where they once stood, and Ventus rushes in right after her, his own Keyblade ready for the inevitable fray.

"These creatures are dangerous," Aqua calls to the pair of men behind her. "We can handle them, but you both need to take cover, now."

"R-right away, madam!" the older man complies, jumping to hide behind a nearby barrel.

The young man, however, stands by, watching in amazement as Aqua gets to work taking out the attacking creatures with notable precision and grace. "Ashidanza…" he mutters, allured. "The women in this city really are incredible…"

His fascination is all but lost on Aqua, however, as Ventus manages to properly join her in the fray. "Uh, Aqua?" he asks above the din of the battle. "What are these things anyway? They don't look like the Unversed."

"That's because they're not," Aqua informs him between fast-paced swings of her Keyblade. "I fought these monsters in the Realm of Darkness; they're called Heartless. But trust me when I say they're every bit as much of a threat as the Unversed were."

"Then let's take them out," Ventus says, resolved as he fires off a strong wind spell. Fortunately, the pack of Heartless they're facing off against isn't anything too large or violent, so it's easy enough for just the two of them to finish them off. They stay back to back throughout the brawl, taking broad, skillful swings to beat the horde back, and once they do, they take a short, shared breather between making sure the area is truly clear of any remaining Heartless.

"What do you think those monsters were doing here?" Ventus asks as he puts his Keyblade away.

"Nothing good, I imagine," Aqua frowns. "We should round up the others and let them know what happened. We'll all need to be ready if we face any more of-"

She cuts herself off, stopping short as someone suddenly grabs her hand before she can so much as make a single move to head out. "Leaving so soon?" the young man from before holds her hand in both of his, offering her a wry, flirtatious smile. "I simply cannot let my brave, beautiful savior slip away without giving her a... proper thank you."

"Oh, uh, you're welco-" Aqua is interrupted once more as the young man abruptly kisses the back of her hand, much to her embarrassment. That embarrassment only grows when she hears Ventus quietly laughing in amusement behind her.

"You may not know this," the young man continues, still smirking as he pulls up a bit. "But you just had the immense honor of rescuing Prince Naveen of Maldonia." He tips his cap, winking at Aqua playfully. "And for that, I must buy you a drink!"

"Oh, no, y-you really don't have to-" Aqua pulls back, far beyond flustered by this point. Especially as the prince hangs an arm around her shoulder.

"Aqua?" Ventus speaks up, confused. The prince all but ignores him completely as he tries to walk Aqua out.

"Ah, but I insist, my lady," Naveen says cheerily. "No need for any formalities; it's my treat. This time, at least."

"How exactly is it your treat, your majesty?" the prince's valet, the older man, protests as he hurries forward. As distracted as Naveen is by his arrival, it gives Aqua just the opportunity she needs to slip out of his hold, her cheeks bright red even as she returns to Ventus' side. "Might I remind you that you are perfectly broke, sire?" the valet, Lawrence, continues hotly. "At this point, you have two choices: woo and marry a rich young lady-" He narrowly manages to divert Naveen's attention away from ogling Aqua, despite the disapproving look she sends his way as he does. "Or get a job!"

Naveen winces at the mere thought of physical labor, but ultimately complies, knowing he doesn't really have any other options, just as Lawrence said. "Alright, fine, but first…" he grins as he turns back to Aqua, poising his ukulele to play. "Any requests?"

"...Maybe some other time," Aqua hastily says. She practically pushes Ventus along so they can both make it out of the alley and away from this awkward situation entirely.

"Hm, I do not know that one," Naveen ponders, not even seeing them leave.

"You ok, Aqua?" Ventus asks as soon as they're out of the prince's earshot.

"Yeah," Aqua rubs her arm as she glances over her shoulder. "That prince certainly was… forward. But I'll feel a lot better once we catch up with the others. We still need to fill them in on the Heartless, not to mention find that Key."

"Well, at least we won't have to look too far for Donald and Goofy," Ventus points to the pair standing just a bit up ahead on the curb, apparently spectating on something. "Hey, guys," he greets them as him and Aqua join them. "What's going on?"

"We can tell you what isn't going on," Donald remarks with a dry scowl. "We aren't searching for that Key even though we should be."

"That's because we've been busy watchin' that," Goofy points across the road. There, hot off the heels of their breakfast date, Sora surprises Kairi with a large, lovely pink lily, free from one of the several nearby street vendors. She gasps, delighted, especially as he gently pins the flower in her hair, tucking it securely behind her ear. She thanks him for it with an affectionate kiss on the cheek, one that he's more than happy to reciprocate.

"How are we ever supposed to get the Key if we even get those two to focus on finding it in the first place?!" Donald scowls petulantly.

"Looks like the only thing they're focusing on right now is each other…" Ventus notes in rising concern.

"That… might be a problem," Aqua agrees. She pauses for a moment, thinking as she watches Sora and Kairi take their time in coming back over to join the group, their sights set solely on each other and nothing else. She usually wouldn't have any problems with their openly romantic behavior, especially considering just how complicated their scheme to get the couple together in the first place had been. But considering the important mission they have to carry out now, such constant displays of affection could very well prove to be an issue in the long run. "Hey, you two," she greets the pair as they rejoin the others. She keeps her tone stern and steady, making sure she catches their attention as soon as possible, lest it drift back to each other instead. "We've got trouble. There are Heartless in this world."

"What?" Kairi gasps, alarmed by this news.

Sora, on the other hand, isn't so surprised. "That means Organization XIII can't be too far behind," he says, his manner suddenly serious.

"They're bound to be looking for that Key too," Goofy adds.

"Which means we need to hurry up and find it first!" Donald exclaims urgently.

"Exactly," Aqua nods. "Which is why I think it might be for the best if we split up to look for it from here."

"Ok," Sora initially, easily agrees. "Kairi and I can go togeth-"

"Actually, Sora," Aqua interrupts with a small, apologetic smile. "I was thinking Kairi could go with Ven and I."

"Oh," Sora stops short, his hand finally slipping out of Kairi's. "Uh…"

"I'm fine with that," Kairi suddenly says in lieu of his uncertain silence. She's quick to add onto that however, when she notices the small pout he sends her way. "But I'll definitely be missing you the entire time we're apart." She proves this by leaning against him once more, so close that he can catch the sweet scent of the lily he placed in her hair. He savors it, as well as her comforting touch, hoping that, if they do have to head their separate ways, it won't be long until he gets to fall under the enriching spell of them both once more.

"Ok," Sora begrudgingly folds. "I guess splitting up for a day or two won't be too bad. At least until one of us gets that Key."

"Alright then," Aqua says, narrowly suppressing a sigh of relief. "Kairi, Ven, and I will stick around here and search the city; Sora, Donald, Goofy, you three go see if there's anything to find outside of town. Does that sound ok?"

While most of the others nod their succinct agreement, one of them does pipe up with a slightly different plan in mind. And surprisingly, Sora isn't the one to do so this time. "Uh, Aqua?" Ventus says somewhat tentatively. "Is there any way I can go with Sora, Donald, and Goofy instead?"

Aqua raises an eyebrow upon hearing this request. "That's not exactly an even split like I was aiming for, Ven."

"Yeah, I know, I just…" Ventus hesitates, exchanging a brief glance with Sora. He meets his apprehension with confusion, silently questioning why Ventus wants to accompany him and his usual companions on this mission. But Sora receives an equally unspoken answer in the form of the sincerely worried frown Ventus offers him, his gaze ever so slightly drifting down to his heart. Still, he keeps his promise when he continues with a convenient, believable lie as opposed to the truth he knows he should be telling in its stead. "I-I'd… kinda like to see what's outside the city, if that's ok."

Despite her initial skepticism, Aqua can't help but smile, especially as she catches the pleading smile Ventus sends her way. "I don't see any harm in that. We'll all meet up back here tomorrow night unless one of us finds anything sooner. In that case, we'll call to let the others know."

"Got it," Sora and Ventus both unanimously agree. Likewise, Donald, Goofy, and Kairi all nod, equally on board with this plan. Yet even if their separation won't be a very lengthy one this time, Sora and Kairi still come together for one more fond embrace before they part ways.

"Remember what Riku told you," Kairi whispers, her head resting against his shoulder. "Be careful, both for him, and for me."

"Anything for you," Sora says without a second thought. "After we get that Key, maybe we can find Tiana and ask her to make us more of those beignet things before we leave this world. And we can even take a few back to Riku!"

"I'm sure he'll appreciate that," Kairi chuckles as their hug disbands. They still hold onto each others' hands however, dreading the moment they'll inevitably have to let go. "You know, if anything happens, I'll only be a phone call away. It doesn't matter how far away you might be, if you ever need my help, I'll be there. I promise."

For a moment, the most Sora can do in response to such a solemn vow is stare at her, stunned. When he's able to speak again, his tone is every bit as devoted and sincere as hers had been. "It's funny. I'm so used to being the one to make that kind of promise to you, not the other way around."

"Is there a problem with that?" Kairi asks, an air of light teasing in her tone.

"Not at all," Sora smiles, kissing her on the forehead once more. "Just as long as you know that I'll be there for you whenever you need me too."

"You always have been," Kairi acknowledges contentedly, confident that he'll keep his promise from the previous night. That he'll be around, that they'll be together through whatever comes next and even after that.

The time all too quickly comes for the two groups to part ways, and when they do, Sora and Kairi are the last among the group to split. They share soft, somewhat bittersweet smiles as they start to turn away from each other, though not without one final farewell to hold onto until tomorrow night. "See you soon, ok?" Kairi asks, certain that they will. That even if the next several hours drag on while they're away from each other, they'll come to a happy end when they're together once again.

"Yeah," Sora nods, his smile as bright as the sun itself. Kairi gladly soaks in the radiant warmth that it brings, letting it settle sweetly inside her heart until she can feel it fall upon her once again. Until they're back in each other's arms where they belong. "See you soon."

---

Despite the Heartless' earlier appearance, Aqua and Kairi surprisingly don't run into any more of them as they begin to explore the sprawling city. Considering the relative sense of peace, Aqua sees this as an opportune chance to get to know the girl she saved in Radiant Garden all those years ago just a little better. To find out how that sweet, innocent child grew up to join the ranks of the guardians of light to stand against the very darkness that had threatened her in the past.

"So, Kairi," she begins, glancing over at her with a smile. "I heard you recently finished training to become a Keyblade wielder."

"Oh, yeah," Kairi nods, glancing away humbly. "Axel and I spent the past few months training under Merlin. It was hard work sometimes, but it was all worth it to get to be here, finally helping everyone else out for a change."

"For a change?" Aqua's smile fades into confusion at this. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well, usually I'm the one who gets left behind while everyone else saves the day," Kairi explains with a small sigh. "Or I have to be rescued by Sora or Riku or even you, Master Aqua."

"Kairi…" The concern in Aqua's tone is clear.

"I'm not complaining or anything, at this point I've kind of just gotten used to it," Kairi shrugs. "But when I realized that maybe there was a chance I could be the one who makes a difference, a chance for me to keep my friends safe instead of needing to be saved by them, I… guess I sort of jumped at the opportunity to try. But now that I'm actually out here going on missions and fighting alongside everyone, I… it feels different than I thought it would be."

"Different how?" Aqua asks, patiently listening to every word the younger girl has to say.

"I just thought I'd be able to do more by now," Kairi shakes her head, shame rising in her voice as she shuts her eyes. "I helped save Sora a while back, yeah, but I couldn't heal him when he needed me to most. Sora and Riku nearly wound up trapped in the Realm of Darkness, and what was I doing the entire time they were gone? Basically out doing busywork, looking for Keys that we didn't even find while my two best friends fought for their lives! I thought I'd actually get to prove to myself and to everyone else that I'm not the weakest link the team has to offer… but up till now that's the only thing I've been…"

Aqua stays silent for quite awhile upon hearing this, her lips pressed into a thin, meditative line. When she finally speaks, she stops Kairi in her tracks, coming to stand before her so she can place her hands firmly on both of her shoulders. "Kairi, listen to me," she says, her tone stern yet sympathetic. "You are not the weakest link. None of us are. We're a team, and when we all stand together, that's what makes us truly strong. And if you weren't a part of that team, then it wouldn't be complete; it wouldn't be as strong as it needs to be."

"I usually don't feel very strong…" Kairi admits morosely.

"There are many different ways of being strong," Aqua advises wisely. It reminds Kairi of something Merlin had told her during her training, that each person possesses an entirely unique kind of strength all her own. She'd already discovered her own apparent strength in the own innate light residing inside of her heart, but what Aqua tells her next takes how she sees that light and what it's truly capable of one step further. "What really matters is how you decide to use whatever strengths you have, no matter how much that might be. You may end up surprised to see that even a little bit can often go a long way when it comes to helping those that matter most to you."

Those who matter most to her. Her team, her friends, and the two at the very top of that list of those closest to her heart: Riku and Sora. Even if she hasn't had the chance to return all of the favors they've both done for her in the past, Kairi still finds herself resolving to do so now more than ever. To show them that she can stand strong by their side, that she can be there for them when they really need her, to demonstrate just how much she truly cares. And, considering just how deeply her affections for one of them flows, she can think of no better way to do exactly that than by striving to protect him, just as he's always protected her.

"Thank you, Master Aqua," she says, softly, sincerely.

"Please, just Aqua is fine," Aqua returns just as warmly. "And for what it's worth, based on what I've heard and seen so far, Kairi, I think you're much stronger than you give yourself credit for."

Kairi's smile brightens at this, and so does Aqua's. She can't help but be glad for this opportunity to have some one-on-one time with the younger girl. As a master, taking on an apprentice is something that would typically be expected of her; and while Kairi has already been through proper training and then some, Aqua is still more than happy to teach her everything she knows. To take her under her wing and help guide her further along in her path as a Keyblade wielder, just as her former master once did for her.

The conversation soon fades as Aqua's gaze drifts upward, landing on a familiar pair standing about a block or so away. "I know those two…" she says, diverting Kairi's gaze over to the prince and his valet. "Ven and I saved them from the Heartless earlier. But that man who's with them…" She trails off, a suspicious frown on her face as she stares at that man from afar. He's tall, thin, and dashingly dressed in a dark suit, with a tall top hat to match. Kairi and Aqua both watch from a distance as he greets Naveen and Lawrence amicably enough, and yet something still seems noticeably off all the same. Something that both girls can sense, even from afar.

"Do you feel it too?" Kairi asks, suddenly unnerved as she forces her sights away from the mysterious man.

"Yeah," Aqua nods gravely. "The presence of darkness…" An all too familiar presence for Aqua in particular, given how many years she'd spent engulfed within it. "Come on," she urges Kairi onward. The pair takes cover behind a nearby building, one that's close enough to allow them to eavesdrop in on the unfolding conversation.

"Greetings, gentleman!" the mysterious man proclaims with a broad, charming smile. "A tip of the hat from Dr. Facilier." He pulls a business card out of thin air and hands it over to the prince. "How ya'll doin'?"

Naveen eagerly takes the card, reading it over in immense fascination. "Tarot cards, charms, potions, dreams made real…"

Amidst this, Dr. Facilier starts to lead the prince a bit further down the street, with Lawrence struggling to keep up behind them. "Sire!" he calls in immediate protest.

"Were I a bettin' man-and I'm not, I stay away from games of chance-I'd wager I'm in the company of visiting royalty," the doctor continues, ushering Naveen down a shady alleyway. Aqua and Kairi discreetly make sure to follow, much more aware of the potential danger that the prince could be in, even if he's not.

"Lawrence!" Naveen exclaims when his valet tiredly joins him a moment later. "This remarkable gentleman has just read my palm!"

"Or this morning's newspaper…" Lawrence mutters crossly, noticing the paper peeking out from the doctor's back pocket. "Sire," he whispers, to the prince, aside. "This chap is obviously a charlatan, I suggest we move on to a less-"

"Don't you disrespect me, little man!" Dr. Facilier suddenly snaps, pointing the tip of his cane at the startled valet. "You must not realize where you are or who you're dealing with here. See, you just entered my world now." With a dramatic flair, the doctor throws his cane up at a sign at the back of the alley, which magically illuminates to reveal his Voodoo Emporium. The door creaks open on its own accord, and as it does, a cacophony of unknown voices join in with the doctor's own in a dissonant, discordant echo. "And I've got friends on the other side…"

Kairi and Aqua both tense up as they observe this, the palpable aura of darkness seeming to skyrocket tenfold all around them. Yet before they can so much as make a single move to oppose it, Dr. Facilier swiftly escorts both men inside his emporium for whatever sinister scheme he has in mind.

"I don't like the looks of this," Aqua says as soon as they emerge into the open. "I know we need to work on finding that Key, but I think it might also be worth our time to figure out exactly what's going on here."

"Ok," Kairi agrees, more ready to follow Aqua's lead. "Should we call Sora and the others and let them know what's happening?"

Aqua pauses for a moment, glancing between her young companion and the emporium's nearby entrance. She isn't exactly sure what they might be up against when it comes to Dr. Facilier, but she doubts he's anything worse than the kind of threats she'd gotten used to facing on the regular in the Realm of Darkness. Which is why she decides to forego any form of backup, at least for the time being. "No, I think we've got this covered," she says, stepping forward. Kairi dutifully follows her, already preparing to face whatever danger or darkness might lie in wait. "Now, let's see what that 'doctor' is up to…"

"Now, now, ladies. It's rather rude to involve yourself in affairs that you have no stake in…"

Both girls start as this sudden voice cuts in, but their alarm only grows as they arrive to see a black-coated figure stepping out of the shadows of the alley. And while his identity is largely lost on Aqua, Kairi recognizes the man from a past encounter almost immediately. "You!" she exclaims, her Keyblade flashing into her hand. "I know you! You were with the Organization!"

"Not were-are," the Organization member corrects smoothly, offering the pair a faux cordial bow. "For the sake of the master in our midst, my name is Luxord. And for our resident Princess of Heart, what a pleasure it is to see you again, my dear."

"It'd be more of a pleasure if you were still gone," Kairi retorts crossly. By now, Aqua has her own Keyblade summoned, taking Kairi's word for it that this man is a threat that's not to be taken lightly.

"If you're working with Xehanort, then you have no business here, or anywhere else," she adds coldly. "Leave, now."

"Such a harsh reception," Luxord muses, still smiling. "That's not very ladylike of either of you. In any given game, opponents are at the very least obligated to bid each other a civil hello and tidings of good fortune before they compete, you know."

"Let me guess," Kairi begins, scowling. "That 'game' is going after the Key, isn't it?"

"The Key is merely the trophy, princess," Luxord informs smoothly. "The game is by far the more interesting aspect of it all: the path we all are embarking on to obtain it. And in a world as… enchanting as this, that path is bound to be an enlightening one for us all."

"You won't get your hands on it," Aqua asserts, her grip on her Keyblade tightening. "Not if we have anything to do about it."

"And especially not if you came here all alone," Kairi adds just as sternly. "Because if you did, then I'm sorry to tell you this, but you're definitely outnumbered."

"Oh believe me, I'm well aware of your fellow guardians of light scampering around this world," Luxord nods as calm and collected as ever. "In fact, I'd dare even say I know a good bit more about one among them than either of you do."

Aqua and Kairi exchange a terse, uncertain glance at this, their suspicions already highly raised by such a claim. Even so, Aqua begrudgingly decides to press the matter further, just to see what they might find out. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm not in the business of divulging all of my master's machinations," Luxord conjures up a deck of cards out of thin air, casually shuffling them until he plucks one out of their number. When he flips it over for the pair to see, the lone symbol of a silver crown is printed on its other side. "But you should know-Xehanort has been keeping close eye on Sora."

"What?!" Kairi gasps sharply. A cold burst of frigid fear rushes through her entire body, her heart already pounding as if she had just run a marathon. Because after the disastrous tale Riku had told her of Xehanort's last nearly-successful plan for Sora, the mere thought that the master is even considering going after him again is far more than she can hope to take.

Aqua, likewise, is clearly horrified by the idea, though her surprise comes out much more lividly. "What do you mean he's keeping an eye on Sora?" She wastes no time pointing the tip of her Keyblade at him, her tone severe and unyielding. "Why would he be doing that? What is he after?"

"Unfortunately, I'm not at liberty to say that much," Luxord says, tossing the crown card down at the pair's feet. "That's all you'll get from me. But I'm sure you'll put the rest of the pieces of the puzzle together eventually. Or perhaps Sora will do that for you instead."

Kairi tenses up at this, her eyes wide as she glances up from the card back to the Organization member, his chilling claims shaking her to her core. Once again, Aqua is the one to leap into action, charging at him with her Keyblade at the ready. "Get out of here!" she shouts fiercely. Her Keyblade hits nothing but thin air, however, as Luxord easily teleports out of its path, reappearing on the other side of the alley.

"Worry not, I have no reason to linger any further, not as long as I have… other pressing matters to attend to," he says vaguely. "Still, it would be unsportsmanlike of me to not leave you ladies with a parting gift." With a simple snap of his fingers, Luxord summons a flock of Nobodies into existence, the vast majority of which block the door to the voodoo emporium completely. "I wish the best of luck to you both," he offers the pair one final confident grin just shy of stepping into a dark corridor. "With the stakes as high as they are, you'll certainly be needing it in the contest to come…"

"Wait!" Kairi shouts after him, desperate to know more about what he'd said earlier. Unfortunately, she gets no further explanation as Luxord disappears, leaving only the creatures he'd called upon to besiege them in his place.

"We can track him down and get answers later," Aqua quickly garnishes her attention. She's already thrown herself into the fray, deftly swinging her Keyblade at each Nobody that dares to come her way. "We have something a bit more urgent to deal with right now."

Despite her palpable concern for Sora's wellbeing, Kairi has no choice but to agree. She quickly takes up a spot at Aqua's side, joining her in tearing through the Nobodies' numbers as swiftly as they possibly can. It's the first chance Aqua has to see Kairi's abilities with a Keyblade in action, and while it's clear that she's still getting used to handling her weapon, she can see plenty of potential in the younger girl's skills all the same. Between the two of them, they clear out the crowd of Nobodies easily enough, but it's only after they're gone that they realize their battle against them had only just been a distraction at best.

Aqua hurries to pry the door of the voodoo emporium open, only to find a completely empty building, no signs of Naveen, Lawrence, or even Dr. Facilier in sight. As puzzling and concerning as their disappearance is, Kairi's focus is on the card Luxord had left behind. She carefully picks it up, dread swelling inside of her as she stares at the silver crown on its surface. As she wonders if what he'd said actually holds any weight, if Xehanort really does have his sinister sights set on Sora after all.

Unable to shake her rising worry away, Kairi quickly pulls out her Gummi Phone, wasting no time in dialing Sora up on the spot. The brief seconds it spends ringing feel like years, but as soon as his smiling face appears on her screen, relief floods her to the point that it's practically overwhelming.

"Kairi!" he greets her warmly, happily. "I didn't think I'd get to hear from you so soon; we only split up a few hours ago. Don't tell me you're already missing me as much as I'm missing you."

Normally, Kairi would readily laugh at such a playful, flirtatious remark. But instead, she lets out an allayed sigh, knowing it's the least she can do to release some of the stress that's been building up inside her. "Sora… I'm so glad you're safe…"

"Of course I am," Sora's smile shifts into slight confusion at this. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Kairi bites her lip, glancing between her phone in one hand and Luxord's card in the other. "I… heard something that has me worried…"

"Oh yeah?" Sora raises a curious eyebrow. "From who?"

"Someone from the Organization," Kairi says, her tone serious. She doesn't quite notice Sora flinch on the other end of the line as soon as she tells him this. "Do you remember Luxord?"

"Ugh, that guy?" Sora groans, already exasperated. "What did he have to say? Wait, he didn't hurt you, did he?"

"No, no, we're fine," Kairi quickly assures. "As for what he said… well…"

"He said Xehanort's been keeping an eye on you," Aqua fills in where Kairi isn't able to. "You wouldn't know anything about that might mean, would you, Sora?"

Sora stills, his eyes wide with apparent surprise that makes Kairi think this must be news to him. That certainly, he hadn't known about just how much danger he might be in until this very moment. She isn't sure if that makes her feel better or worse about it all. "N-no," he shakes his head. His voice is quiet, careful, yet still so strangely fragile all the same. "I don't… I-I haven't…" He's stammering and Kairi can tell it's out of fear. And given just how close Sora had been to falling into Xehanort's clutches before, she knows that fear is entirely warranted. "I-I mean, we haven't even seen Xehanort since we ran into his younger self in the first world we went to. I guess it would make sense that he's been keeping tabs on me because he wants the Keys and I've found so many of them, but…. outside of that, I don't see why he'd waste his time bothering with me."

His logic is sound, Kairi knows it is, and yet she still can't help but harbour some small shreds of uncertainty as she grips her phone just a bit tighter. "A-are you sure?" she asks tightly, tensely. "Because if you think it might be true and there might be some… other reason behind all this, then… maybe we should call Riku and-"

"No, no, it's fine! Really," Sora practically races into interrupt. "Kairi, you have to realize that the Organization loves saying weird, unsettling stuff like that just to mess with your head. You've just gotta get used to it. I know I already have…" He mutters, glancing down disdainfully.

Kairi and Aqua exchange a fretful glance at this, both of them hoping that he's right, that Luxord's claims had been nothing more than a simple lie, a mere fabrication. If that's what Sora believes, then Kairi is willing to as well… Yet even despite that shared belief, she still finds herself foolishly clinging onto some faint sparks of fear buried deep in her heart, refusing to be uprooted.

"Y-yeah," she agrees nonetheless. "You're probably right. Sorry to bother you."

"You could never bother me," his smile finally returns. The mere sight of it is enough to settle Kairi's nerves at least somewhat. She'd probably feel even better if he was actually here, if they were actually in each other's arms though. Still, she's patient enough to wait until they can be again in just a few hours' time. "If the Organization really is running around here, then you need to be careful, ok? They'll do just about anything to get their hands on that Key."

"You need to be careful too," Kairi retorts, taking on a bit of a playful smirk. "I'd hate for you to be late when we're supposed to meet up again tomorrow night."

"Trust me," Sora laughs warmly. Even so, his tone is steady, affirmative. Carrying a promise she knows, even despite darkness and danger and everything else in between that might strive to keep them apart, he'll do his very best to keep. "I'll be right on time."

---

Sora finally allows himself to let out the sigh he's narrowly been keeping in as his call with Kairi comes to a close. His relief is instantly eclipsed by a crushing sense of guilt, however, something that he's become all too acquainted with lately. Guilt that's tightly tied to the endless string of blatant lies he keeps telling the girl he cares for far more than even himself.

It's only as he puts his phone away that he sees the dumbfounded look Ventus is sending his way. They're on their way outside of the city, on a forested path surrounded by a wide river on one side, and more marshy waters on the other. Their travels had been halted by Kairi's call, of course, and the entire time, he could feel Donald and Goofy's disapproving stares falling on him as he openly, easily lied right to her face. He hadn't noticed how Ventus had been reacting to it all until now though.

"S-Sora…" he begins, his voice quiet, shaken. The disbelief in his face is beyond clear to see. "She… doesn't know?"

Sora sighs, shaking his head. "No. She doesn't."

"But… after last night, I thought you would have…" Ventus trails off. He's silent for a brief moment, but when he speaks again, he poses just about the last question Sora wants to face. "Why haven't you told her yet?"

"Because he's being stubborn!" Donald sharply cuts in before Sora even has a chance to say a word. "We've been trying to convince him to come clean to everyone ever since we found out, but he won't-"

"I can't tell her!" Sora harshly interrupts. His back is turned to the others, his hands in tight fists at his sides. "Not after last night, I…" He stops, running a hand through his hair as he finally glances back over his shoulder. "We finally have a chance to be happy together. I don't want to ruin that."

"So… what?" Ventus asks, his tone turning serious. "You're just going to keep telling her everything's fine when it's not? She's going to figure out something's wrong eventually, Sora; everyone else will too."

"Not if I can help it, they won't," Sora mutters just quietly enough that none of the others can hear him. His next statement however is much more audible, and much more resolved for that matter. "This isn't their problem. It's mine. I can solve it on my own."

"Aw, you know you don't have to, Sora," Goofy counters patiently. "Aside from you and the Organization, Ven, Donald, and me are the only ones who know the truth. And if you wanna keep it that way, then you've at least gotta let us help you deal with it."

"That's right," Ventus soundly agrees. "Sora, you haven't seen the inside of your heart like I have. When I was in there, I had to watch the darkness in it grow a little more each day, even while I was doing everything I could to try and stop it. It's getting worse and we need to do something about it before it's too late."

Sora tentatively nods, mostly because he knows he doesn't have much of a choice. It's either accept the help his friends have absolutely no obligation to give him, help that would be of much better use given to someone else instead. Or, allow them to open the small circle of those who know his awful secret up to everyone else, including Riku and Kairi. Really, considering that alternative, it's not that hard of a choice to make. "Ok," he agrees, at least for the time being. "We can solve it on our own."

Ventus, Donald, and Goofy all seem satisfied by this answer, and Sora acts like he is too as they continue on their way into the woods. But what none of the others see is the worry in his eyes, the doubt each step forward he takes carries, the dread rising in his heart, just as it has been since any of this began. As much as they might help him-why they want to burden himself with such a difficult task, he still doesn't understand-he's not even sure what can be done to help him get through what he's facing. Really, up to this point, the most he's been able to come up with is racing against the clock-and the Organization-to get the remaining Keys in an effort to stop this conflict as a whole in its tracks. But whether or not that will truly free him from the pall of shadows Xehanort's been casting over his heart, Sora has no clue.

Still, at the very least, when it comes to anyone else finding out, he doesn't really have to worry. The only ones among the lights who know of his plight are standing right here alongside him. The only ones who could potentially tell anyone else are also bound by their own respective promises to keep it his grave secret exactly that. The thought of that alone is enough to give Sora at least a little peace of mind amidst everything else he should be worried about. Because as long as no one else finds out, then certainly he'll be fine.

He'll be fine, he keeps telling himself, as long as Riku and Kairi never know about the monster he's so desperate not to turn into.

---

The evening air is crisp and clear and cool, an endless array of stars twinkling in the night sky above. Their beauty is all but lost on Tiana, however, as she solemnly steps out onto Charlotte's balcony. The radiant blue gown her best friend is letting her borrow seems out of place now given how low she's feeling, her heart aching as she holds the illustration of what she wants her restaurant to be close to her heart. Or rather, what her restaurant could have been.

She had been almost, almost there. So very close to making her dream, her father's dream finally come true. So close to making 'Tiana's Place' more than just words on a page and a vision in her head. And yet… she'd been outbid. Someone had come along offering more money than she possibly could hope to for the old sugar mill she'd had her sights set on since she was little. Even with the payment Charlotte had given her for working at tonight's party, she still came up very short of what she'd need to secure the place as her own. Which means that it's over, her restaurant doomed to forever be nothing more than a distant fantasy, her dream dead before it ever even had the chance to be made real.

Unless…

She happens to glance up between the tears welling up in her eyes at the evening star, the brightest one in the sky. Wishing on stars is childish, she knows that, left such flights of fancy behind when she was but a child. And yet… that same star had brought Charlotte's prince to her earlier… so why couldn't it work to make her greatest wish happen too?

"I cannot believe I'm doing this…" Tiana mutters to herself, feeling ridiculous, even as alone on the balcony as she is. Still, she holds her page to her heart once more, closing her eyes and whispering to that star for all it was worth. For a chance, even just a small one, that it can somehow change fate's design after all. "Please, please, please…"

When she opens her eyes a moment later, she doesn't find a pile of money waiting for her as she had hoped. Instead, sitting about a foot away from her on the balcony's railing, is a small green frog.

Tiana sighs, disgruntled as she shoots a glare up at the star. "Very funny…" she scowls before dryly glancing at the frog. "So what now? I reckon you want a kiss?"

Out of all the things she could have ever expected to happen next, what Tiana could have never seen coming is for the frog to suddenly answer her. "Kissing would be nice, yes?"

Naturally, Tiana screams, leaping back into Charlotte's bedroom in apt terror. The frog follows, apologizing profusely all the while. "I'm sorry! I did not mean to scare you!" Despite this, Tiana wastes no time tossing random objects at the frog in a frightened attempt to chase it off. "Wait! No, no! Do not-you have a very strong arm, princess-ok, please!" he shouts, finally having enough of dodging the onslaught of stuffed animals being flug his way. "Put the stuffed monkey down!"

Tiana lobs it at him anyway, clutching a book as she holds it high over her head, ready to swing it at him. "S-stay back or I'll-"

"Please, please!" the frog cries, hopping onto the nearby vanity. "Allow me to introduce myself," he rises to stand on two legs, flashing Tiana a wide, charming smirk. "I am Prince Naveen-" Before he can finish, Tiana slams the book down on top of him, practically crushing him in the process. "-Of Maldonia…" he squeaks out weakly.

"Prince?" Tiana balks, dumbfounded. "But I didn't wish for any…" She stops, shaking her head as she tries to make sense of all this. "Hold on. I-if you're the prince, then who was that waltzing with Lottie out on the dance floor?!"

"Look," the alleged prince begins with a frustrated sigh. "All I know is one minute, I am a prince, charming and handsome, cutting a rug, and then the next thing I know, I am tripping over these!" He scowls as he points down at his webbed feet, which he's clearly still getting used to based on how unsteady he is on them. He flinches in fear when Tiana threateningly holds the book up once more, but eases up as soon as he notices exactly what that book is. "Wait! I know this story! De Fragee Pruto!"

"The Frog Prince?" Tiana translates, handing the book over to him.

"Yes, yes!" Naveen grins, struggling to hold the tome upright. "My mother had the servants read this to me every night!" His already excited smile widens as he flips it open to the page of the story's resolution, of a princess kissing a frog only for him to become a handsome prince one page later. "Yes, yes, this is exactly the answer!" he turns back to Tiana with a coy, flirtatious smirk. "You… must kiss me…"

"Excuse me?" Tiana scoffs, appalled by the very idea.

"You will enjoy, I guarantee," Naveen proudly promises. "All women enjoy the kiss of Prince Naveen. Come. We pucker."

Tiana winces in disgust as the prince posies his lips to her. "Look, I'm really sorry," she says as politely as she possibly can. "I'd really like to help you, but I just do not kiss frogs."

"But on the balcony, you asked me-"

"I didn't expect you to answer!"

"But you must kiss me!" Naveen insists, desperate. "Look, besides being unbelievably handsome, I also happen to come from a fabulously wealthy family. Surely I could offer you some type of reward, a wish I could grant, perhaps?"

Tiana takes pause at this offer, her eyes widening as she realizes perhaps that silly star had granted her wish after all. Even if it was in just about the most revolting way she could have hoped for. "Just… one kiss?" she ventures, against her better judgement.

"Just one, unless you beg for more..." Naveen purrs, his long tongue lashing out to lick his lips.

Tiana grimaces once more, but ultimately forces herself to put aside her reservations. It would be quick, just one small, short kiss; one that would be well worth it if it somehow landed her with the restaurant of her dreams. After all, what other choice does she really have at this point?

So she takes in a deep breath, steeling her resolve as she tightly closes her eyes so she won't have to look. She swiftly leans forward, her lips landing squarely against Naveen's as a bright burst of green light overtakes them both.

And yet, that kiss doesn't end up breaking the spell. Because once their kiss comes to an end, Naveen glances down at himself to find that he's still a frog, much to his immense disappointment. But as he soon finds out, he's not the only one, for he's quick to realize that Tiana is suddenly nowhere to be seen.

"Princess…?" he asks, leaning forward over the edge of the vanity. He gasps, however, upon spotting the gown Tiana had just been wearing lying seemingly abandoned on the floor below. Or rather, only occupied by the small shape squirming about among its fabric.

"You don't look that much different," Tiana begins, wriggling out of her dress as she glances up at him. "But how did you get way up there? And how did I get way down here in all this-" She stops short upon holding up her hand. Her small, green, slimy hand.

Her gaze snaps to the mirror lying across from her on the floor. In its glass she sees not her own reflection, but that of a frog.

And as soon as she realizes that she is that frog, she screams at the top of her now-tiny lungs.

---

After spending most of the afternoon searching the city for the Key and for further sightings of Dr. Facilier or Luxord alike, Kairi and Aqua don't have much to show for it. The only upside they can find is that they haven't come across any Heartless or Nobodies along the way, but as far as they're concerned, even that's not much of an outstanding positive. Still, they persist in their search, even as it leads them to the wealthiest part of town. Immaculate mansions border the well-landscaped streets, each of them practically glowing in the dark of the late evening. But none of them shine brighter than the La Bouff estate, where the biggest party in town is already in full swing. Though they're not officially invited, Aqua and Kairi are able to access the masquerade ball easily enough, even if they don't expect to find anything of actual interest there. And yet, that doesn't prove to be entirely the case, for once they slip into the party proper, they just so happen to spot a familiar face toward the center of the dance floor.

"Oh!" Kairi spots him first, pointing Aqua's attention toward him. "Aqua, isn't that the prince we saw earlier?"

"Yes," Aqua nods, watching as Naveen gracefully waltzes with a young lady clad in a massive pink ball gown. "It looks like he's alright after all. I'd still like to ask him about that strange man we watched him meet though…"

"Do you think he could have something to do with the Organization?" Kairi asks, her eyes narrowing at the thought.

"It's always possible," Aqua acknowledges. Naveen soon briefly parts with his dancing partner to fetch them both a drink, giving the girls a perfect opportunity to approach him. "Come on," she urges Kairi as they head over to the prince. "Let's see if he can help us find the answers we're looking for…"

"Excuse me, your highness?" Kairi addresses him first. Naveen jumps, seemingly startled as he spins around to face the pair, looking between them in immediate confusion.

"Y-yes, it is I! The one and only, er, P-Prince Naveen!" he exclaims tightly. Aqua frowns, noticing that the confident, casual air the prince had shown in their brief encounter earlier seems all but gone now. Instead, it's replaced by something skittish, anxious, off. "H-how may I be of service to you two… l-lovely ladies?"

"We actually met earlier, your highness," Aqua explains anyway. She takes care not to act like she's been tipped off to anything strange even if something so clearly is. "My friend and I were the ones who saved you from those creatures this morning?"

"Ah, y-yes, yes, of course," the prince nods with a smile he's struggling to maintain. "I still cannot thank you enough for your, uh, g-generous assistance."

"You're welcome," Aqua nods evenly. "But we were never properly introduced. My name is Aqua and this is Kairi. We were wondering if you could tell us more about that man you met earlier?"

The prince freezes at this, his eyes wide with sudden alarm. "O-oh?" he asks, glancing around nervously. "What man might that be?"

"That tall shadowy man who led you and your servant into an alley?" Kairi reminds, raising an eyebrow. "He called himself a doctor? We're sorry for eavesdropping on you, your highness, but we were just worried that he might be-"

"I-I haven't the faintest idea about what you're talking about!" Naveen suddenly, sharply interrupts. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I really must be going-"

He attempts to slip away at this, but Aqua isn't about to let him do so that easily. Especially since he's already acting so out of sorts. "Now, hold on just a minute. We-"

Before she can so much as even reach out to stop the prince, a sudden scream pierces the entire air of the party. That cry of alarm is quickly followed by several more, as shouts of 'monsters!' sound out across the crowd of terrified guests. Amidst this chaos, Naveen successfully manages to flee as Aqua and Kairi swiftly turn to the source of the trouble, a large pack of Heartless besieging the innocent partygoers.

The pair only need to exchange a simple nod before they leap into action, their Keyblades in hand as they rush through the running crowd to face the unfolding threat. Aqua diminishes several of them to start with a strong burst of crystalline magic, while Kairi catches a handful of straggling Heartless off guard with some fast-paced, precise swings. However, they soon find that the majority of the creatures have taken to swarming around the young lady Naveen had been dancing with earlier. Her shrill, frightened screams quickly catch Aqua and Kairi's attention, and with most of the other Heartless quickly cleared out, the pair wastes no time in racing to her rescue.

"Oh, mercy!" Charlotte cries, beating the Heartless with her feathery fan. The monsters tear away at her elegant gown with their sharp claws, setting her off even more. "Begone, you nasty little critters! My daddy had this dress made for me 'specially for tonight, and I ain't about to let the likes of you ruin it!"

She stumbles backwards as one of the larger creatures rips a particularly large piece of her gown, though she ultimately ends up tumbling to the ground as something small and slimy slips into the space behind her dress' high collar. She falls backward, her hoop skirt hitched high to allow her to see the pair of frogs that have landed upon it, scaring her just as much as the Heartless did before. Amidst the unfolding chaos engulfing the party as a whole, no one really notices as those two frogs flee. Much less that they're not even supposed to be frogs at all.

By the time Charlotte is able to pick herself up off the ground, she catches sight of the pair who came to save her just in time. Aqua and Kairi swiftly strike down the last of the Heartless, but even as they do, the party is still in complete and utter disarray, much to Charlotte's flustered chagrin. "Oh my…" she huffs, fanning herself as she surveys the ruined ball. Tables of food and treats have been knocked askew, guests scattered and disheveled in every direction, several of them already leaving the party behind in a huff even now that the Heartless are gone. "I simply can't believe the nerve of those ugly pests, comin' in here and makin' a mess of my special night! Still," she sighs, fixing her frazzled hair as she turns to Kairi and Aqua. "I can't thank you gals enough for rushin' to my rescue like that. You two really were somethin' with them fancy keys of yours."

"Thanks," Kairi nods with a small smile. "I'm Kairi, by the way."

"And I'm Aqua," the master introduces herself with a respectful nod.

"Charlotte La Bouff," the heiress curtsies as much as she can with what's left of her gown. "Say, did either of you ladies happen to see a handsome foreign prince gettin' lost in that all that shuffle? My darlin' Naveen and I were lighting up the dance floor until those awful critters showed up. Not to mention those frogs, ugh! Lemme tell you, I just cannot stand-"

"Um, Charlotte?" Kairi interrupts. "We were actually looking for the prince too. We wanted to ask him a few questions. We tried to earlier, but…"

"But he was acting strange…" Aqua finishes, surveying the area for any signs of the prince and finding none. "You wouldn't know if anything weird has been going on with him since earlier today, would you?"

"Well, seein' as how I only just met him face to face this evening, no, not really,'' Charlotte shakes her head. "But since Naveen is gonna be stayin' here while he's here in the city, you're both more than welcome to stick around so you can talk to him. And to beat away those creepy crawly critters if any more of 'em happen to show up."

"Thank you," Aqua says, allayed. "Don't worry; we'll be keeping a close eye out for any trouble."

Charlotte shows the pair her gratitude by offering to set them up to stay at the mansion for the night, an offer they gratefully take for the sake of continuing their investigation. And yet, as the heiress calls for someone to show her new guests around the estate, none of them notice one of the last few stragglers from the party as he stands within the shadows. As he watches one of the most essential pieces of his plans drift away into the air, and as two entirely new meddling wrenches are thrown into it.

Still, it's nothing Dr. Facilier isn't prepared to handle as long as he has help from his friends from the other side…

---

Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Ventus eventually find themselves in what can be described as nothing less than a swamp. A dense canopy of trees hangs over their heads, vast stretches of unmoving watery ground at their feet as they try to trudge their way through it. It's tricky enough to get through during the day, but as soon as the cover of night falls, they find that traversing it becomes even more of a struggle. Not only is the swamp awash in near complete darkness, but it's home to all sorts of wild, dangerous creatures-though thankfully they don't spot any Heartless or Nobody among them. Still, even if they don't have to contend with their usual variety of foes, they do have to deal with the sudden storm that caught them completely off guard and entirely unprepared.

They manage to fashion a makeshift shelter underneath a large, overturned tree, building a small fire to dry off around. It doesn't do much for their overall mood, however, as the rain continues to pour down upon the already damp and dreary swamp all around them. "We should probably settle in for the night," Ventus concludes, peeking out from their shelter. "I don't think we'll be finding anything in this storm."

"Shucks, we weren't finding much of anything before it started raining…" Goofy points out, frowning.

"Any ideas about why that might be, Sora?" Donald asks, shooting him a pointed, critical look. "You are the 'Keys expert', after all."

"So you finally admit it," Sora smirks smugly. It's quick to fall however as he rubs the back of his neck. "Like I keep saying, we're supposed to be winging it when it comes to finding the Keys. It's worked for us this far, it's bound to work for us again now."

"So… we're just supposed to wait for some way for us to find the Key to fall out of the sky then?" Ventus asks, half joking.

"Sure, why not?" Sora shrugs, glancing out towards the stormy sky. Only to find a sudden spot of color amidst the dark clouds filing it. "Uh… speaking of which… you guys might wanna see this…"

Ventus joins Sora in stepping out into the open, ignoring the rain in favor of observing the odd sight above them. "Are those…?"

"Balloons?" Donald adds, just as confused.

"Garwsh, this sorta feels like deja vu…" Goofy remarks, recalling their time in Paradise Falls.

It soon becomes apparent to the group below that the small cluster of balloons drifting down toward them is anchored by two small figures. Two frogs to be exact, who seem to be in the middle of a very heated argument.

"A waitress?! Well, no wonder the kiss did not work! You lied to me!"

"No, I never said I was a princess-"

"You never said that you were a waitress! You were wearing a crown!"

"It was a costume party, you spoiled little rich boy!"

"Oh yes? Well, the egg is on your face, because I do not have any riches!"

"What?!"

"I am completely broke!"

"But you said-"

Before either of them can continue, one of the balloons holding them aloft suddenly pops, and the rest quickly follow as soon as they hit some high tree branches. Both frogs scream in terror as they blindly fall through the forest canopy, yet they aren't met with a brutal landing against the ground like they're expecting. Instead, they're safely caught just in the nick of time.

"Gotcha!" Sora lets out a sigh of relief as both frogs land squarely in his hands. "Are you guys ok?"

"No, we're not ok in the slightest-" the female frog stops short as she regathers her bearings, gasping in surprise upon seeing just who happened to rescue them. "You!" she exclaims, gaping up at Sora. "I met you at the diner this morning! It's Sora, isn't it?"

"Uh… yeah?" Sora raises an eyebrow, confused. "Have we met?"

The frog groans as she takes a glance down at herself, remembering her newly-changed shape. "It's me: Tiana! The waitress that served you and your little lady friend those beignets this morning?"

"Whoa!" Sora gasps in realization, finally recognizing her voice. "Tiana!? Is that really you? You're so much more of a… well, a frog than you were earlier."

"I know," Tiana huffs, disgruntled as she struggles to balance on her new webbed feet. "I have his royal highness over here to thank for that…"

"Now wait just a moment!" the male frog pipes up irritably. "How dare you say this is my fault when you were the one going around pretending to be a princess!"

"Like you're any better," Tiana snaps at him bitterly. "You said you were fabulously wealthy!"

"No, my parents are fabulously wealthy," the prince explains simply. "But they cut me off for being a-oh!" He stops short as he catches sight of Ventus out of the corner of his eye. "Hey! I know you! You are that boy who was with that incredibly attractive blue haired maiden who rescued Lawrence and I from those strange monsters!"

"Maiden?" Ventus frowned. "You mean Aqua?"

"Ah, Aqua…" the prince sighs with a wistful smile. "A name as lovely as she was. And fitting too, given the color of her hair." He's quickly broken out of his lovestruck state when Tiana abruptly, harshly elbows him in the gut. "Ow! Would you please not-"

"Whoa, ok, let's slow down for a sec," Sora interrupts before the pair of frogs can get into it again. "It looks like we all sort of know each other, but we also sort of don't, so why don't we start by introducing ourselves so we're all on the same page. I'm Sora, this is Ven, and they're Donald and Goofy-" The pair offers their own brief greetings to the frogs at this, even despite their lack of context for them. "And you guys are…?"

"You have the honor of speaking to Prince Naveen-"

"'Of Maldonia'," Tiana quotes, mocking Naveen's over-dramatic flair. "Yeah, yeah, 'your highness', we don't need your whole life story." She ignores the perturbed scowl the prince sends her way as she motions to herself. "I'm Tiana-"

"The waitress," Naveen cuts in pointedly. "Do not be fooled," he whispers to the others. "She is not a princess."

"Alright, you listen here you spoiled, pompous little-"

"O-ok!" Sora rushes to cut them off once more. "Uh… why don't you guys explain how you both ended up as frogs? Unless this is like, a normal thing for you two or-"

"It most certainly is not," Naveen rebuffs, crossing his arms. Yet before he can explain his side of the story, Tiana does so for him.

"He got himself tangled up with the shadow man and all his voodoo magic!"

"...Shadow man?" Sora, Ventus, Donald, and Goofy all repeat in unison, equally unnerved by such an ominous title.

"In my defense, he was very charismatic!" Naveen professed sharply. "Until he used some strange little charm to turn me into this. I thought kissing a princess would break the curse and return me to my famously handsome self, but as we already established, she-" he points to Tiana crossly. "Is not a princess, she is a waitress."

"And when I made the stupid mistake of kissing him," Tiana continues, sighing. "That's how I ended up as a frog right along with him. Serves me right for wishin' on stars. The only way to get what you want in this world is through honest, hard work!"

"Ugh," Naveen groans as he hops over to take a perch on Ventus' shoulder. "You might as well just stay a frog at that point. Even that sounds better than working for a living."

"Uh… so I guess you guys need to find some other way to break the spell then?" Ventus infers a moment later.

"We can help!" Sora eagerly volunteers. He quickly adds something else onto that upon catching the exasperated scowl Donald sends his way when he does. "And we'll look for a way to find that Key along the way."

"What's this about a Key?" Tiana asks as Sora offers her a spot on his own shoulder.

"We're out here lookin' for a special Key," Goofy explains.

"One that we need to find soon," Donald reminds pointedly.

"Our friends Aqua and Kairi are back in the city looking for it," Ventus adds. "We split up to try and find it, but we haven't had a lot of luck finding anything out here."

"Not sure what makes you think you'd find any sort of key in the bayou," Tiana remarks with a frown. "Still, if you boys are set on helping us out, a ride back into town would be much obliged."

"Yes, that is perfect!" Naveen readily agrees. "You will take us to the shadow man, and we will demand that he change us back into humans."

"And if he doesn't?" Donald asks. However, it's a question the prince clearly has no answer for as he takes a long pause to think on it.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it," Tiana fills in. "So what do you say? Are you fellas up to getting us where we need to go?"

"Sure, we are," Sora grins brightly. "That'll actually work out great; we need to get back to the city by tomorrow night to meet back up with Kairi and Aqua anyway."

"And we don't mind having a little extra company on the way back," Ventus chuckles, glancing up at the clearing sky. "Even better, it looks like the rain is finally starting to let up. That means we can head out now if you're both ready to."

"More than ready," Naveen says impatiently. He crosses his arms as he reclines back on Ventus' shoulder, at least as much as he's able to. "Even spending just a few hours as a frog has me never wanting to relive this experience ever again. The sooner I am my devilishly charming self again, the better."

"What, so you can go back to being a lying, penniless prince?" Tiana asks with a scowl as the group begins to continue their way through the bayou.

"Hmph," the prince huffs sourly. "I fully intend to be rich again once I marry Miss Charlotte La Bouff, if she will have me."

"You're a prince?" Tiana asks dryly.

"Obviously."

"She'll have you."

"So, uh, I couldn't help but notice that you guys aren't exactly the best of friends…" Sora notes with a bit of an amused smile. "Which is weird, because didn't you say the two of you kissed?"

"Ohly because I believed that it would break the spell, like in De Fragee Pruto," Naveen explains crossly.

"And I only kissed him because I thought he was rich enough to help me get my restaurant!" Tiana shakes her head, disgruntled.

"Wait, but didn't you already get enough for your restaurant this morning?" Sora asks her, confused.

"I did have enough, but then I was outbid for the place I want," Tiana sighs morosely. "I have three days to get the money I need to get it back, otherwise… I'll lose my restaurant forever…"

"Well, since you kissing me did not break the spell, I do not see why you expect me to help you," Naveen turns his nose up haughtily.

"Seein' as how you were the one who got me into your mess, I'd say you owe me and then some!" Tiana snaps bitterly.

"I was not the one parading around in a phony-baloney tiara," the prince rebuffs. He grabs a low-bearing twig off a tree, one that has a bit of spider web strung across it to create something of a makeshift natural ukulele. He casually plucks away at it, filling the air with a pleasant, swinging tune, even despite Tiana's frustrated groan as their argument falls away. Sora and Ventus exchange a brief, concerned glance as they walk alongside each other, both of them wondering the same thing. How are they ever supposed to get much of anything accomplished out here in the wilderness with two humans-turned-frogs who can't seem to get along with each other in the slightest?

Donald and Goofy also pick up on the obvious tension between their new traveling companions, though unlike Sora and Ventus, they can actually get away with having a hushed conversation concerning them. "You know, I think Sora was right," Goofy whispers to the magician, aside. "Tiana and Naveen really don't seem to like each other that much."

"You don't say…" Donald mutters, deadpan. "I don't like the sound of that 'shadow man' they were talking about though…"

"Do ya think he might have something to do with the Organization?" Goofy asks. He makes his voice even quieter, hoping that Sora in particular doesn't hear.

"Maybe…" Donald muses. "But I've never heard of an Organization member who goes around turning people into frogs. Still, we should keep a close eye out for any trouble; the last thing Sora needs right now is any more shadows to deal with…"

"Right," Goofy soundly agrees. Even so, neither of them see the large, dark shape looming between the nearby trees, a shape that continues to creep ever closer, following the group as they wander through the swamp. Donald and Goofy are the first to become aware of its presence however, as it starts to swell high above them from behind, a low growl piquing their attention. The shared fearful cry they make when they spin around alerts the others, and they all find more than enough cause for alarm at the sight of the massive alligator standing over them, its layers of deadly teeth bared, seemingly for a vicious attack.

But then, the gator grins.

"I know that tune!" he proclaims excitedly. Naveen's impromptu ukulele playing has gone all but silent now, but the alligator still pulls out a small trumpet and begins to pump out the same upbeat melody the prince had been crafting before. Even stranger than that, he's quite good at it too.

Despite the others' dumbfounded shock at such a strange turn of events, Naveen is quick to join in on the performance. "Play it, brother!" he proclaims, whipping out his twig ukulele again as he hops onto the gator's head. The two happily jam out the rest of the song, much to the bewilderment of the rest of the group watching. Still, the alligator seems friendly enough, which, given how this encounter could have gone, is a relief, to say the very least.

"Aha!" the gator laughs, blithely bouncing around as soon as the song is done. "Where have you been all my life?!"

"Where did you learn to play like that?!" Naveen returns, just as amazed by the gator's talent.

"Why, the bayou's the best jazz school in the world," the gator explains, twirling his trumpet. "All the greats play the riverboats. Ol' Louis would give anything to be up there jammin' with the big boys!"

"Well, why haven't you?" Sora asks, despite the baffled glance he catches from Donald at such a question. "What? You heard him play, he's pretty good!"

"Aw, shucks," the gator, Louis, lets out a humble chuckle. "I tried once…" His cheery demeanor is quick to sour at the apparently bad memory. "It didn't end well."

"Uh-huh, it's been a real pleasure meeting you, Louis," Tiana hops down onto the ground, grabbing Naveen's arm to pull him along. "And thank you kindly for not eating us, but we best be on our way."

"Huh?" Louis trails after the group as they continue walking. "Where ya'll goin'?"

"To find somebody to break this spell," Tiana explains as she reclaims her spot on Sora's shoulder.

"What spell?"

"Brace yourself, my scaly friend," Naveen perks up as Ventus lifts him up to be a bit more on eye level with the gator. "We-as in myself and her-" he shoots a small, critical glance Tiana's way. "Are not frogs. We are humans."

Louis snorts out a loud laugh at this, not seeming to believe them. "C'mon now, ya'll, no foolin'!" he howls, reeling back on his long tail. "I mean, I buy that these two are human," he points to Ventus and Sora before motioning over at Donald and Goofy. "And that these two are, uh… ya know, not. But you two," he grins at Tiana and Naveen. "Are just about the froggiest lil' frogs I've ever done seen! And trust me, I've lived here in the bayou all my life; I've seen a lot of frogs."

"Ah, but it is true!" Naveen professes. "I am a dashing prince from a far off kingdom, and she is a humble waitress. Do not kiss her," the prince whispered, instantly catching Tiana's ire in the process.

"Now, just a second!" she begins hotly. "This goon here got himself turned into a frog by a voodoo man, and now-"

"Voodoo?!" Louis tenses up in fear, trembling as he glances around for any surrounding shadows. "Like the kind Mama Odie do?"

"Mama… who-dee?" Naveen asks, confused.

"Mama Odie," Louis reiterates. "She the voodoo queen of the bayou. She got magic and spells, all kinds of hoodoo. They say she can work any miracle ya might need worked."

"A miracle worker?" Ventus gasps in realization. He smiles in newfound relief as he leans closer to Sora, whispering to him just quietly enough for the others to not hear. "Sora, did you hear that? If this Mama Odie can help Tiana and Naveen, then maybe she can help you too!"

"Oh, uh, y-yeah," Sora puts on a small, fake smile, rubbing his arm as he tries to share Ventus' excitement. As he tries to have hope in something that has no real guarantee of working out. "I guess it's worth a try."

"I think so too," Ventus nods, grinning. He joins Tiana and Naveen in asking Louis the exact same question just a second later. "Can you take us to her?"

Louis gasps, still clearly terrified. "Through the deepest, darkest part of the bayou? Facing razor sharp pricker bushes and trappers and hunters with guns?! ….No." With that, the gator flops down against a nearby tree, belting out a soulful melody on his trumpet. Most of the others let out dejected sighs at his refusal, but Naveen, surprisingly, is the only one among them to not back down.

"Watch and learn," he jumps down to the ground again, sauntering over to the gator. "Louis! It is too bad that we cannot help you with your dream. If only you were smaller, less… toothy. You could play jazz to adoring crowds without scaring them." Louis abruptly stops playing at this, and when he does, the prince knows his ploy is working. "Anyway, enjoy your loneliness. Abinaza."

With this, Naveen returns to the others, leaving Louis behind to think on what he'd just said. "Uh, was that supposed to-" Sora is cut off as the gator abruptly rejoins them, newfound enthusiasm brimming in his tone.

"Hey, guys, I just had me a crazy idea!" he begins with a wide, zealous grin. "What if I ask Mama Odie to turn me human too?!"

"Louis, you are a genius!" Naveen proclaims, pretending this wasn't his brilliant idea. He flashes Tiana a knowing smirk, one that she can't help but return with an amused grin as she rolls her eyes at his admittedly clever plan. "Lead the way, our fine reptilian friend!"

"Hallelujah!" Louis joyfully shouts as he lifts his trumpet once more. He plays a triumphant, jazzy tune as he parades at the front of the procession, presumably showing them where to find this mysterious Mama Odie.

"This could be it, Sora," Ventus whispers warmly. By now, Donald and Goofy are in on his idea too, and they offer him a set of smiles every bit as encouraging as Ventus' own. A smile that Sora struggles to return. "If this works, then your heart could finally be free after all."

"Y-yeah," Sora once again agrees halfheartedly. Even as the doubt flooding his mind starts to overshadow the hope fading from his heart. Even as he tries his best not to get his hopes up, knowing it could all just as well be for nothing in the end. "Maybe it could…"

---

"Now, this restaurant of yours, is it going to have étouffée?" Louis curiously asks Tiana as he takes his turn toting the pair of frogs. The gator takes to the waterways, the others trailing alongside him on land as they continue through the bayou. It's quite late at night by now, but even so, none of them are that tired, instead opting to make the best of their time in the hopes of getting to their destination as quickly as possible. To sort out all their problems as soon as they can.

"Jambalaya, gumbo, it's gonna have it all," Tiana nods proudly.

"Ohoho, stop! You two are making me so very hungry!" Naveen protests, patting his stomach.

"We can always stop for a quick snack break if you guys want to," Sora suggests with a small smile.

"Looks like Naveen's already found a snack," Goofy points out, nodding over the frog prince. He'd hopped off Louis' back to go after a flock of passing mosquitoes, his long tongue eagerly flicking out of his mouth as he approaches them.

"What in the world are you doing?" Tiana asks, baffled.

"Shh!" he snaps, tip-toeing through the shallow water. "You are frightening the food…" Naveen makes an attempt at catching one of the bugs, only for his tongue to clumsily crash back into his face. It's more than enough to elicit a shared burst of laughter from the others, particularly Tiana, at least until she happens to spot a passing firefly. One that somehow seems to be strangely tantalizing right now, at least to her.

She flinches when her own tongue briefly pops out of her mouth entirely on her own accord. "Oh, no. No, no, no," she shakes her head, disgusted. "There is no way I am kissin' a frog and eatin' a bug on the same night!" Her tongue still persists anyway, practically pulling her toward the firefly, now perched atop a dandelion. By now, Naveen's sensed the same bug and actively approaches it from a different angle… only for his and Tiana's tongues to crash into the dandelion at the exact same time. Neither of them catch the firefly as it wisely glides away, and instead, they ram into each other, both of them tongue-tied in every sense of the word.

By the time the others catch up with them, the pair of frogs are still tangled together, awkwardly struggling to pull apart from each other. "Ya'll find anything to eat yet-oh my…" Louis winces as he takes stock of their peculiar plight.

"Uh… do you guys need some privacy?" Ventus jokes. Neither of the frogs appreciate his attempt at humor very much as they let out a round of exasperated groans.

"We should probably try to help them out," Sora says, stepping into the shallows to do exactly that. Only to be intercepted by the very same firefly that had gotten Tiana and Naveen into this ordeal in the first place.

"Ooo! Well, looky here!" the insect called in a thickly accented voice as he flew in close to the tangled frogs. "Girl, I guess you and your boyfriend got a little carried away, am I right?" Tiana and Naveen let out loud groans of protest at this, which only gets a small laugh out of the firefly. "Lemme shine a little light on the situation…" At this, he lights his tiny body up, and it's surprisingly bright enough to clearly illuminate the dark water surrounding the frogs. "There we go! Ya know, the women like a man with a big back porch," he grins, tapping his large light fondly. "Is this glow enough for you to go off of, baw?" he asks Sora, who nods as he kneels down to their level.

"Yeah, this is great! Thanks," he grins as he gets to work. It takes a little bit of careful doing, but eventually he manages to pull Tiana and Naveen apart, much to their immense relief.

"It's about time I introduce myself," the firefly pipes up as he hovers nearby. "My name Raymond, but everybody call me 'Ray'."

"Pardon me," Naveen interjects. "But your accent, it's funny, no?"

"I'm a Cajun, brah," Ray proudly smirks. "Born and bread in a bayou. Ya'll must be new around here, huh?" He flies up swiftly to be on eye level with Sora. "You for 'sho ain't used to playin' 'round these parts, I can tell. Ya got the gleam of a city slicker in your eyes, baw."

"Actually, I'm an islander," Sora corrects, chuckling.

"Aw, potatoes, pototoes," Ray says with a wave of his hand. "What aboutcha'll?" he asks, glancing back down at the pair of frogs on the ground.

"Well, we are from a place far, far away from this world," Naveen says broadly.

"Go to bed! Ya'll from Shreveport?"

"No, no, we are people," Naveen clarifies before Tiana elaborates.

"Prince Charming here got himself turned into a frog by a voodoo witch doctor," she says flippantly. Naveen can only offer a guilty shrug as Ray fixes him with a side-eyed glance. "And we were on our way to Mama Odie's, 'cause we think maybe she can-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Mama Odie?" Ray asks, flying over to Tiana. "Ya'll headed in the wrong direction, chère! What kinda chucklehead told ya'll to go this way?"

Louis gulps, raising a nervous hand as he shies away from the critical look the others all send him. "I-I was… w-well, listen," he tries to explain, flustered. "I was confused by the topography and the geography a-and the choreography and-"

"First rule of the bayou," Ray shakes his head. "Never take directions from a gator. Why don't I show ya'll the way instead? 'Least I know where's you wantin' to go."

All things considered, it doesn't take long for the entire group to agree to such a plan, with even Louis trusting the firefly's sense of direction over his own. With Ray taking point, they set out once more, with their newest companion striking up a curious conversation along the way.

"So I get why these two be headin' off to Mama Odie's," Ray starts, gliding along in open the space between Sora and Ventus. "But what the rest of ya'll need her to do for ya? Make your friends back there a lil' less funny lookin'?"

"Hey!" Donald snaps defensively. Goofy takes the comment in stride however, letting out a small, unoffended laugh instead.

"Uh, we're actually just trying to help Tiana, Naveen, and Louis make it there safely," Sora says, wanting to leave it at that. But of course, Ventus doesn't.

"That's not the only reason why though," he points out knowingly. He still wears that small, hopeful smile on his face, one that Sora wishes he could understand, wishes he could truly share. Even if he knows he can't. "We wanna see if Mama Odie might be able to help Sora out too."

"Ven…" Sora attempts to interject, though Tiana speaks up before he can derail the subject.

"Huh? You never mentioned that," she frowns from her spot on his shoulder. "What do you need help with, Sora?"

"Don't tell me you actually a frog that got you'self cursed into bein' a human," Ray half-jokes, eyeing him suspiciously.

"No, of course not!" Sora laughs, but his levity is quick to fade. "The truth is, uh… actually a lot more complicated…"

"I fail to see what's so complicated about it. Really, it's all quite simple when you take the time to consider it."

The entire group jolts in apt surprise as this voice suddenly sounds out across the surrounding area. Its source soon becomes apparent as a dark corridor appears, and a black coat- clad figure steps out, someone who, based on what he'd heard from Kairi earlier, Sora isn't surprised to see in the slightest.

"Luxord!" he exclaims harshly, his Keyblade appearing in his hands. Donald and Goofy recognize the Organization member as well and call upon their own weapons, and though Ventus has never met this man himself, he takes up his Keyblade too, able to spot a threat when he sees one. Tiana and Naveen both flinch in alarm, neither of them sure what to make of this mysterious man as Ray hovers curiously overhead while Louis leaps behind the others to cower as much as he can, which admittedly, given his size, isn't much. "So, the Organization really did take you back after all, huh?" Sora asks, glaring Luxord down crossly.

"Yes," the gambler nods, grinning. "Surprising, isn't it, that they'd do me the honor? Never count your cards until they've all been dealt."

"Ugh, we don't have time for this," Sora irritably concludes, turning to walk off in the other direction while he lets his Keyblade disappear. "Come on, you guys, let's just keep on going."

"Come now," Luxord rebuffs calmly. "Are you really so unsophisticated that you'd decline a gentlemanly conversation?"

"With you? Yeah," Sora counters, glaring over his shoulder at the gambler. "Especially since I already know exactly what you're gonna say."

"So presumptuous, as usual," Luxord muses. "Though not for much longer. Your more unsavory qualities such as that will be snuffed out soon enough, if the master has his way." He takes a small step forward, but Donald and Goofy are quick to press forward too, their weapons at the ready in case the gambler tries to make any sort of move against Sora. Ventus stands ready to protect the others, who are all still largely lost in the shuffle of this bizarre encounter as a whole.

"Um, who exactly is this drearily-dressed gentleman?" Naveen whispers to Ventus, aside. "An old friend? An acquaintance, perhaps?"

"I've never seen this guy before," Ventus answers just as quietly. "But if Sora thinks he's trouble, then he probably is."

"I'm sure you're already aware that I had the privilege of meeting your dear friend Kairi again earlier," Luxord says and the moment he so much as mentions Kairi's name, Sora tenses up. "She's hardly changed a bit since our last encounter; shame I can't say the same for you."

"W-what did you say to her?" Sora asks harshly. Still, his voice comes out much more unsteady than he would have liked it to.

"Enough to cast a shadow of doubt, but no more than that," Luxord remarks simply, vaguely. "Far be it from me to play a hand too early. I've always been far more interested in the long game, and it seems as though the master is too. You're proof enough of that, Sora."

Sora says nothing to this, largely since he can't think of anything to counter it this time. Instead, he lets out a bitter scoff, turning his back on the gambler once more, even as he continues. "Still, one can't help but wonder why you're still trying to hide what's already in plain sight," he notes, grinning. "You have so many obvious tells; it really is a miracle that none of your other friends have noticed any of them yet. Perhaps they simply don't care enough to pay much attention to you; otherwise, they might be able to see what you've been hiding from them."

Sora glances back at this, his sharp expression falling into one of dread and fear at such an awful implication. Fortunately, Donald and Goofy are quick to counteract it when he so clearly can't. "That's enough!" the magician snaps, raising his scepter threateningly.

"You don't know what you're talking about!" the captain adds just as hotly.

"On the contrary, I do," Luxord's icy smile widens as he meets Sora's nervous gaze. "The time is coming very soon when you won't be able to conceal the truth any longer. It won't be long before your friends will be able to see you for what you truly are. Before you'll be able to see yourself for what you truly are."

"N-no," Sora finally chokes out, his voice tight and terrified. "I'm not-"

"Silence, Number Thirteen," Luxord puts up a hand to stop him, and for some frightening reason, Sora is compelled-forced-to do exactly that. "Fascinating…" the gambler smirks, impressed by the results of this 'experiment'. "This really has been quite a refreshing discussion. Unfortunately, I must cut it short for now; there's still a Key to be claimed, after all. And until it is, then I suppose the game must go on…"

With this, Luxord disappears into the same sort of darkness he emerged from, leaving the group behind to ponder every ominous thing he'd said. Sora forces out a steadying breath as Ventus places a comforting hand on his shoulder, Donald and Goofy lingering close by in case he needs their support as well. The rest of their companions are still mutually immensely confused by what just happens, but Ray is ultimately the first among them to break the uncertain silence that follows.

"Woowee! That fella was one crawdad short of a seafoo' boil, you know what I mean?" the firefly proclaims, hoping to inject a bit of levity into the situation.

"Actually… he wasn't wrong about everything…" Sora admits, glancing down at the ground.

"Sora?" Tiana asks, gently.

"You guys said you were cursed, right?" he seems to go off on an entirely different tangent, addressing Tiana and Naveen. Both frogs nod solemnly before he continues. "I guess… you could say I'm under a curse too. That guy's master, he wants me to be… h-he's been doing something… bad to my heart to try and force me to become one of them. I've been fighting it off the best I can, but…"

"But we're hoping Mama Odie might be able to help us take care of it for good," Ventus cuts in, his tone far more optimistic than Sora's.

"Aw, that should be easy for Mama Odie," Louis says assuringly. "I dunno if ya'll heard, but she a real miracle worker."

"We did hear that Louis," Tiana points out. "From you."

"...Oh, right."

"The gator right, though," Ray chimes in, wearing a confident grin as he hovers next to Sora. "Mama Odie fix that heart o' yours up real good, baw. Just like she fix up our lil' froggy friends here."

"Yes, yes, that is all well and good," Naveen interjects impatiently. "Now, can we please keep going so we can make all that happen?"

"You got it, cap!" Ray readily flies on ahead to continue leading the others along. "You just trust ol' Ray to get you there, and you all be right as rain in no time!"

So the group trudges onward, waiting to make good time and avoid any further unwanted encounters in the process. Louis takes over toting Tiana and Naveen along, allowing Ventus a bit of privacy as he trails alongside Sora, making sure that their encounter with Luxord hasn't left him too shaken. "You ok?" he asks softly.

"Don't worry about me," Sora smiles as much as he's possibly able to. As much as his steadily waning hope will allow. "I'll be fine," he says even though he's not sure he will. Because he can't help but wonder if Luxord might be right; if he's all too quickly running out of time to hide the terrible truth. If he's quickly running out of time in general. Still, he repeats it to himself anyway, as if saying it will make it true. Even though he knows it won't. "I'll be fine…"

---

Following the disastrous end of the La Bouff's masquerade party, "Prince Naveen" had raced to the estate's guest house, alarmed by something he'd happened to spot amidst the chaos of the Heartless' attack. He pries open a cabinet, quickly discovering that the jar contained within it lay empty, no amphibian captive in sight.

"Oh dear…" Amidst his horror, he fails to see a dark figure approach him from behind.

"You let him go?!" Dr. Facilier snaps, frightening the "prince" in the process.

"T-the poor devil was gasping!" the false prince tries to explain. "So I loosened the lid ever so slightly-" He's cut off as one of the doctor's literal shadowy 'friends' trips him up, sending him tumbling to the ground. "Oh, how did I ever end up tangled in all this voodoo madness?! I can't go through with this!" He rips the enchanted charm the doctor had given to him off his neck, and in an instant, his princely appearance is pried away, replaced by none other than Naveen's plump, beleaguered valet, Lawrence. Dr. Facilier merely scowls at him, displeased as he tosses the talisman his way. "You wear this ghastly thing!"

"Careful with that!" the doctor warns, narrowly catching it. "Anything happens to this, I'm gonna be-" He sharply cuts himself off, rolling his eyes as he simmers down, at least a little. "Fun fact about voodoo, Larry," he puts the talisman on, yet strangely, nothing happens. "Can't conjure a thing for myself. Besides, you and I both know the real power in this world ain't magic. It's money. Buckets of it!"

"...That's true…" Lawrence admits hesitantly.

"Aren't you tired of livin' on the margins while all those fat cats in their fancy cars don't give you so much as a sideways glance?" Dr. Facilier asks crossly, bitterly.

"Yes," Lawrence growls with a longtime sense of frustration. "I am."

"All you gotta do is marry Big Daddy's little princess," Dr. Facilier continues, wrapping an arm around the valet's shoulders. He slips the talisman back around his neck and Lawrence seamlessly takes on Naveen's appearance once more. "And we'll be splittin' that juicy La Bouff fortune right down the middle. 60-40, like I said."

"Hm… yes," Lawrence smiles, admiring his false presence in the mirror. "But… what about Naveen?"

Dr. Facilier's greedy smile shifts into an irritated glare as he lightly slaps the valet on the back of the head. "Because somebody let our froggy prince go, Larry, I have no choice but to ask for help from my friends from the other side…"

"Did someone happen to call for a friend?"

Lawrence freezes up at this new voice, while Dr. Facilier simply smiles as a dark-coated figure steps out of the shadows in the corner of the room. "Ah, there you are!" the doctor greets the gambler right on time. "Right on time, just like you said you'd be."

"I've always found punctuality is the best policy," Luxord notes, nodding his hello to the pair.

"W-who is that?" Lawrence asks, cowering behind the doctor.

"A new business partner of mine," Dr. Facilier smirks, walking over to stand alongside Luxord. "He came along the other day offerin' up his… unique services, and who am I to turn such a generous offer down?"

"Yes, a mutual partnership to be sure," Luxord agrees firmly. "Speaking of which, I couldn't help but overhear your… ordeal. I believe I may know of a certain someone who could assist in getting your all-important prince back. With a bit of a push from your special 'friends', of course."

"Really?" Dr. Facilier asks, genuinely curious. "Color me intrigued. Still, I can't help but wonder, pard, when it comes to our 'lil 'bargain' here, what's in it for you?"

"Just as you benefit my expertise, I'd like to utilize yours as well, doctor," Luxord explains, his own steady smile widening a bit. "My master was very specific about what he wanted me to accomplish while I'm here, after all. Which is why I'd like to inquire..." He pauses, already knowing that the doctor, with all of his mysterious, powerful, sinister magic, will be more than enough to accomplish master's goals. More than enough to drive the Organization's last wayward vessel even closer to their side. "What do you know about undoing a glamor spell?"

---

So yeah there was... a lot that happened here. But like I said, it kinda pales in comparison to how the NEXT chapter is gonna go, which is something I'm quite looking forward to! Until then though, I wanted to mention that I drew a new cover for this story, which you can get a better look at here: www. deviantart minijen/art/Keys-to-the-Kingdom-new-870276230 (just remove the spaces). And as always, please, please, PLEASE don't forget to leave a REVIEW! Until next time!