A/N: This chapter is written with various POVs. I'm separating them with lines.

Disney Castle, 2 weeks after the Disapperance of Sora

Chip's P.O.V.:

Chip was frowning.

He was in front of the computer terminal that handled the relay between the various gummi phones. Of course, everything was down-sized for his size, like the keyboard and the various screens. Right now there were six of them, a big one for data entry, and five smaller ones. Those were connected with the phones and showed various stats like the distance from the terminal, their battery status and, of course, if they were still connected to KingNet, their network. So why was one of the phones shown as "offline" while everything else seemed to be fine? Although, as Chip typed a few buttons and pulled up the stats of the faulty phone to the big screen, he noticed the battery percentage suddenly began flashing "Battery Save Mode" at him. Which the little chipmunk found more than a bit strange. Because every single one of their new space ship line had been upgraded with outlets for the phones. And since the phones were regularly charged while in flight (and each of the drivers reminded to keep them charged), the phone wasn't meant to lose power for days even if it wasn't charged in travel. Because the phones also contained a rare gummi stone that allowed them to take in ambient energy, like the magic the Keybladers and their companions gave off, and more mundane sources like solar energy. So why had the battery gone dead? Mumbling to himself, Chip checked the last transmission of Prototype #4, the phone given to Sora. Well, technically it was given to Donald and Goofy, but neither had the patience and time for that new bit of technology. So Sora had gotten it, along with a rather big manual, and the stern warning not to mess around with the phone unnecessarily (Sora had pouted a bit at that).

Chip began unpacking the heavily encrypted file sent by #4, and noticed it was a backup file. That instantly alarmed Chip, because at this time the backup function was only meant for emergency. If someone lost theirs, the phone would first send a backup file to the main server back at the King's castle, and then self-destruct itself after 24 hours. It was to protect the World Order, because the phones were chock-full of otherworldly tech parts and components.

Chip hesitated for a moment. If what he suspected was contained in the backup files, he'd rather let the King go over it in Private. Still, the chipmunk figured it was important despite his reluctance for himself to go over it too, in case he was wrong. Resolutely Chip checked the last data entry.

And yes, there it was. A photo of a strange world with a mirroring sky, and a little grey-white cat-like creature. Sora was taking a selfie with it, sporting a sad smile, and the caption "Remember our promise, Riku :)" graced the bottom of the picture.

That still stumped Chip, because he'd have heard of a world like this from the team.

"Well, time to pass the message on…"; decided Chip with a heavy heart. Loath as he was to do it, because once again, there were black flags lowered to half-staff in the castle. Chip clearly remembered the day years ago when King Mickey returned from yet another fruitless search for Aqua, Ventus and Terra. Back then the flags had hung for months, mirroring the depression their beloved King had been suffering under. That changed one day, and rumour said Queen Minnie had hadseveral stern words with her husband, about how there was always hope they were still alive, if scattered around the universe. That very optimism had held until Mickey had found them again.

Now the flags were hanging again for full two weeks, this time for Sora.

Still, Chip was thoughtful as he looked at the screen. Maybe there was still hope. Because as far he could tell, the very presence of the gummiphone in that strange place was proof that it wasn't sent from afterlife. The phones were made to withstand a lot, but not the departing to another plane of existence.

That said, Chip scurried off to the King as fast as possible, to spread the tiny glimmer of hope.

Hours before, Destiny Islands, shortly after midnight

Kairi's POV:

Kairi woke with a start. Her heart raced and she was covered in cold sweat. Teardrops had left salty traces down her face, making her face feel stiff and swollen. A few drops still silently dripped down, but the girl wiped them away angrily. She was still hurting inside, feeling as if a part of her had been torn away after Sora had vanished. The nearly constant nightmares had made that only worse. Watching Sora disappear over and over again in her dreams had Kairi feeling more desperate with every day that passed. Kairi had come to a decision however. Picking up her new Gummi Phone (courtesy of Ienzo), she sent Riku an urgent text message of wanting to meet him in a few minutes, then pulled on her discarded street clothes and went out of the house, absently remembering to grab her flashlight.

Riku met her underneath a streetlamp next to the house with a cloth bundle in his arms a few minutes later, looking just as sad and unrested as Kairi. Dark circles were under his eyes, telling of the many sleepless nights behind him. Sending an enquiring look to the girl, he certainly didn't have to wait long.

"We need to talk, Riku", the girl whispered. Getting an answering nod, she lit up her flashlight, turned around and walked away, knowing that Riku would follow her.

Riku's POV:

Walking behind Kairi, Riku couldn't help but notice how different the trek felt.

Before, the three teens always joked with each other, like annoying Riku, telling made-up stories to a gullible Sora and taking turns making Kairi smile with their antics. The missing laughter and noise seemed to be such a little thing, but for Riku it was just one more wound to his heart.

He FELT it anyway, that huge hole in his heart where that strange connection to Sora had sat since the Mark of Mastery fiasco. It had muted since then for a bit, but flared each time Sora was near. Now that the link was gone, Riku felt it's absence rather keenly. Even then his loss went far deeper than a simple magical link. Riku missed Sora on a personal level, like his cheery attitude, the smiles he'd send his way, down to his sometimes bratty demeanor.

He refused though to let himself sink too far into the grief, simply refusing that Sora really could be dead this time. Looking at Kairi's back walking before him, he saw the other reason for staying strong.

Riku knew Kairi loved Sora. And without having to be told, he knew Sora had confessed to her after returning, partly violating the promise the boys had given to each other before leaving Destiny Islands after the Mark of Mastery Exams. At that, Riku shook his head to get rid of the thought. He didn't have any intention to carry out the promise, not till the worst came to pass anyway.

So Riku just sighed, only now noticing that their feet had automatically led them to the wooden shack the parents of the Main Island had built for the kids a few years back.

It was a sturdy little thing, the single room it held big enough for a couple of kids to lounge around in. The ghost of a smile graced Riku's face as he looked at the brightly coloured outside, rembering how the hut gained a new spot of colour every year that passed. little hands had once pressed cheery imprints into the wood. More than a few hearts and flowers graced it too, and a few cute stars.

With a sigh Riku opened up the door and pulled out a few pillows from the stash by the door. Kairi had meanwhile set the flashlight on the floor, it's rays pointing to the roof. Taking the two pillows Riku gave her she put one on the floor while hugging the second to herself. Both sat down, and for a while everything was silent.

Kairi was the first to speak.

"Tomorrow I'm going to look for Sora."

That certainly got her Riku's attention, even if he didn't quite react the way Kairi had expected him to.

"I wanted to say the same thing. Are you sure you want to go? There is an uncounted amount of Worlds out there, he could be anywhere."

Kairi knew Riku was testing her resolve. Still, she knew how to respond.

"Yes, I'm ready. I have faith my heart will lead me true. Besides, I trained a lot with Merlin and Lea. I'm loads stronger than I was before." Kairi was almost glaring now, looking across to a stoic Riku, whose lips twitched.

"I know you're strong. Sora and me always knew you'd want to come with us one day. Besides, Lea kept me up to date with your progress. And Sora got the news by me. But...do you have an idea where to begin the search?"

Kairi bit her lip. "Maybe calling King Mickey would help. Tomorrow I'll send him a text."

"Not Master Yen Sid? He has a lot of really obscure books and knowledge."

"I-I don't know. He'd propably try to stop us from leaving."

Riku sighed at that.

"True. He'd be unwilling to risk a newly minted Keyblader. Before it was a different thing, because Xehanort wouldn't have left us alone anyways. But now that there's peace again he'd propably want to train you up some more. And I know Yen Sid's Tower only lets you leave if it's Master agrees with it." Something flickered in his expression as if remembering an unpleasant memory.

A grim silence then stretched between the two teens then, watching each other across the flickering flashlight and dancing dust particles.

To lighten up the heavy mood, Kairi then began to speak again.

"Say, Riku, wanna stay here like in old times?"

Grinning impishly, she looked at Riku.

Who blushed hotly, much to her amusement.

Riku hesitated for a bit, but looked up at the moon to see that dawn wasn't far away anyways. And he could do with a bit of warmth right now, the kind of warmth Riku had always felt when Sora and Kairi were near him.

Kairi had meanwhile taken the stack of pillows and spread it on the floor to make it softer to lie on.

Shortly after the two laid side by side on the pillows, each under a blanket.

Silence reigned again, but it had a lighter feeling to it than before.

Tomorrow they would begin the Search, face unknown dangers and dark foes.

But, in the last hours of today, everything was quiet as they slowly drifted off to sleep.

A.N.: Yes, I'm back.

This chapter was meant to have a couple more scenes, but I think the two it does have are emotionally charged enough. Plus I already want to write chapter 7 to get back in the swing of things...

I wrote a new Oneshot btw, feel free to check it out. I guess it freed up some headspace, enough so I could write the last few words of that chapter. :D