Chapter 9:

Alice

"Holy crap,what happened?" Jiro groaned.

"Finally you're awake, look at the ship," Akina said.

Jiro turned to look at the ship; his mouth wide opened, "Oh crap Riku's probably not too happy----wait where's Riku? Not to mention Zan?"

Akina shrugged, "I don't know, but I hope they're ok especially Zan, she doesn't know her way around here very well..."

"Riku doesn't either...Does he?"

"Good question------" Akina was cut off by someone shouting things.

"LET ME GO YOU STUPID CARDS!"

Akina and Jiro looked at each other and both said, "That sounds like Riku, let's go!"

They sprinted toward where they heard his shouts. When they got there, they saw about twenty cards holding Riku down as they tried to shove him into a small cage and lock him up, "You call this a dungeon?" he smirked.

Jiro and Akina were in disbelief Riku was taken prisoner, "We need to help him," Akina whispered.

"And how do we do that? There's like fifty cards out there and if Riku couldn't beat them..." Jiro trailed off.

"They'll all leave probably with the exception of about what three? So, let's just wait..." Akina said.

xxx

Zan walked down a somewhat 'eerie' path.

"Riku, Akina, Jiro?" she called.

Still, no anwers though. Zan sighed, this was going to take a while. She just hoped she could find them soon. Especially before Heartless popped out everywhere like daisies.

Zan couldn't help, but smile at this thought. Suddenly, she heard a noise and looked around. Maybe it was Riku or the other two!. She heard it again and this time she found out where it was coming from; a bush. She cautiously advanced toward it, "Riku?"

"Riku?" came a voice.

Zan staggered backwards. Did the bush just talk to her!

"I'm sorry miss, but I only know of one Riku, and I don't think he's the one you're searching for," the 'bush' said.

Zan got over her shock after a few minutes, then finally spoke, "Um, I really beg your pardon, but you're a bush...how can you talk?"

The 'bush' laughed at this question, "Silly, I'm not a bush, I'm a girl."

Zan raised her eyebrows in confusion.

A girl emerged form the bush. She had long, blonde hair and a blue dress on, "That was quite funny, the look on your face!" she giggled.

"Hey, it wasn't funny!" Zan abruptly protested.

The girl just smiled at Zan's remark, "Well, anyway, I'm Alice. What's your name?"

"Um I'm Zan...I really can't talk right now. I have to find Riku and my other friends..."

"Oh sorry Zan...May I ask who this Riku looks like?" Alice inquired.

Zan sighed heavily, "Well, he's wearing all black and has a blindfold over his eyes. He also has long, silvery hair----" Zan was cut off by Alice's gasp.

"What! I know him...Why--How do you know him? You're not bad are you?"

Zan gave her another confused look, "Look lady, I'm not evil and Riku isn't evil no way. You must be thinking of another Riku. This Riku kinda saved my life and uh I guess you could say he basically took me in when my world disappeared..."

"I still say this is the same exact Riku! A year ago, he kidnapped me and took me to this horrid place called Hollow Bastion..." Alice said.

"Well, describe this Riku for me." Zan said, still skeptical.

"Let's see, he had aquamarine eyes, kinda like yours and he had silver hair..."

Zan thought for a moment, 'Could this be the same Riku? I mean, the silver hair was in both descriptions and obviously the same name...but the eyes? Maybe he does have aquamarine eyes. There's only one way to find out, I have to pull that blindfold off one way or another!'

"So, is this the same Riku?" Alice asked.

Zan stopped thinking and looked up at Ailce. She needed to lie to this Alice girl, because if said said even 'possibly', she'd freak out, "No, it isn't my Riku has brown eyes."

"Oh well, I hope you're able to find him. Say, do you know your way around this place?" Alice asked.

Zan shook her head, "No, actually I don't..."

"Well, I could be of some assistance if you don't mind me tagging along," Alice smiled.

Zan thought for a moment, "Sure, why not?"

"Thank you so much!"

"Heh heh no prob," Zan said, forcing a fake smile.

"Ok, if you want to find your friend, the best place to look first is the worst place of all..."

"And that would be...?" Zan asked.

"The Queen of Hearts Courtyard."

xxx

Well, there's chapter 9 peeps, that's all I have to say really. I'm really tired so I might go take a nap. In the meantime plz R&R!