Out Of Area 3
(A shared fic)


"Right," Yuki said after catching her breath. "now, for a proper introduction!" She stood suddenly, dusting herself off, and turned to Sora, saying perkily, "As Yume said, I'm Yuki Kasumi, swordslinger extraordinaire, at your service." A moment later, she added in a lower voice, "Yume's just a bossy excuse for a mystic, don't tell her I said that."

I stood too. "I heard that, Yuki. And I'm Yume," I said, "mystic." I gave a dramatic sigh, "I'm always made out to be the bad guy because I'm the more sane of us."

Yuki snorted. "You're just jealous," she replied. Sora smirked a little, then nodded. "I'm Sora." Yuki immediatly turned her attention back to him with a grin. "Sora, huh? Hm." She walked a slow circle around him, then, stopping behind him, called over his shoulder, "Yume, you nitwit, I TOLD you! He can't be any older than we are! Sora, how old ARE you?"

"Fourteen...?" Sora replied hesitantly, arching an eyebrow a little at the odd question. "See!" Yuki continued triumphantly, "I TOLD you! Hah!"

"What?" I replied defensively, "I just figured it would choose someone older. I told you it would probably be a guy though." I smirked, "Counter-hah."

Yuki snorted. "Hey, I was being open-minded is all." Before I could reply or Sora could think of saying a word, she added perkily, "And you know what Sora? I think I love your hair." With that, she batted at one of the spikes-it bounced right back into place, which, alone, seemed to be enough to make her happier than a little girl in a candy shop. She started playing with Sora's hair-looking not unlike a kitten batting at something, I noticed-ignoring his half-hearted protests.

"Heh," I snickered, "It is rather strange." At that, I walked over, poking at one of the spikes myself. After a moment, I joined Yuki in her play.

"Hey!" Sora made a little more than half-hearted attempt to pull away from us, continuing, "Knock it off!" Yuki giggled girlishly. "But this's so much fun!"

"It is!" I exclaimed, "What kind of gel do you use?"

"I don't!" Sora replied, finally managing to pull away. Somehow I highly doubted that. He shook his head, then muttered, "Jeez." Yuki's fingers twitched and she grinned maliciously at him, but stayed in her spot.

I looked up, "Whoa!" I yelled, tensing my grip on my staff and holding it out. "Whoa," I said again as the shadows came into view, then, suddenly, I glanced behind us at the three who had just come up behind us. I looked Leon up and down before looking over at Yuffie and Aerith. "Hello, who are you?"

Yuki snorted. "Aw jeez, not again. We just killed the boss one, isn't that enough?" She readied her sword, then looked to see who I was addressing, just a few seconds after Sora did. He, for one, seemed to know who they were.

"Leon? Yuffie?"

"Leon, huh?" I muttered to myself. "Erm, who are you guys?"

Leon didn't answer immediatly, Gunblade in hand, then said, "All of you, let's go. We'll explain things where its safe."

"Safe?" I questioned lightly as we were led away. Oddly, the Heartless didn't attempt to follow.

Yet again, Leon didn't answer. Yuffie, however, said, "The First District, it's secured now. It's weird, the Heartless just multiplied like that all of a sudden. Not that the great ninja Yuffie couldn't handle it, of course," she added as an afterthought.

"But didn't you freak out when one appeared in the green room?" Sora asked rather dryly as we arrived at the door to the First District. I snickered into my hand.

"Of course not," Yuffie said defensively, "you must have imagined it! Right Squall?"

"That's Leon," Leon replied dryly, adding, "and I do believe Sora's right." Yuffie let out a huff at that, but didn't bother arguing any further.

"Whatever." I said, as we walked into the room, "So, come on explain!"

Yuffie spoke up suddenly, beginning, "Let's start with a proper introduction, first. I'm Yuffie, and," here she turned a little, pointing to the other two in turn, "that's Leon, and that's Aerith." She turned back to the us. "We already know Sora, but who are you two?"

"Yuki," Yuki said perkily from where she'd snuck back around Sora and was currently eyeing him with a devious grin.

"I'm Yume. …um, why are you here?" I asked, "We were sent to help out Sora."

"Find him and help him, anyway," Yuki said, before putting Sora into a stranglehold and running her free hand through his hair again.

Over Sora's protests, Aerith began, "Our world was destroyed by the Heartless. We escaped and came to this world-when Sora got here, Leon just barely saved him."

"Yup," Yuffie added, "'cause he was almost Heartless bait."

"I can see that." I said, sharing a grin with Yuki, though, probably, she was only half listening and not grinning about the same thing I was. "So...how do y'all know of the Heartless and the key and such?" They glanced at each other, then Aerith said,

"Have you ever heard of a person named Ansem?"

"Umm now, wa- ...yeah, he was that research guy right? On the Heartless?" I answered, my mid drifting back to the old camp rumor.

"Yes." She nodded. "He studied the Heartless, and took down notes on them in a very detailed report."

"Unfortunately," Yuffie sighed, shaking her head, "it's pages were scattered. Too many worlds."

"Wait a minute!" Sora said, finally making Yuki pause for a moment. "Hey! What about the Keyblade...I mean, I didn't ask for this!"

"The Keyblade chooses it's master," Leon said finally. "So, tough luck."

"So...should we go after the pages?" I asked, uncertain.

Yuffie nodded. "It would probably help you."

Sora finally managed to push Yuki back a little, beginning again, "But...how did this all happen, anyway? I...I remember..." He trailed off, then, his face suddenly lighting up in realization, he said, his voice becoming more desperate, "What happened to my home? My island? Riku, and Kairi!"

"You know," Leon spoke up again, "I don't know." "But," Yuffie said, "you got off it fine, so your friends probably made it too."

"So…Sora, right? Sora, we have a ship, it's called Gumi. Since we're supposed to protect you, hows about you join us and we travel to other worlds to find those pages?" I asked, standing.

Sora sighed a little. "I guess so," he said finally.

"Sora," Leon began, "go with them. Especially if you want to find your friends."

Yuki, however, walked around so she was in front of Sora, beginning, "But not like that. Cheer up." She poked him, then added, "Come on, smile, or I'll make you." Before Sora could answer, she pouted a little, adding, "Pretty please?

Sora just looked at her for a moment.

Yuki's eyes widened and her lower lip stuck out a little.

And really, she looked so pathetic, that Sora couldn't help but smile. It figured-few could resist that look. "Alright," he said, perking up suddenly. "Okay. Sure, why not?"

Yuki grinned. "That's better! Right Yume?" With that, she took hold of Sora's shoulders, turning him to face me.

"I'd say so!" I said cheerfully. I walked towards the door, "We'll be leaving now- Ciao!" I exclaimed, back waving to the tree in the room.

Aerith and Yuffie waved back, but Leon apparently pretended not to notice. Yuki steered Sora out of the room despite his protests that he was very capable of following me on his own thank YOU very much.

"We should probably stop at the shop first." I suggested, nodding towards the items shop, "pick up some supplies."

Yuki shrugged as she stepped up next to Sora. "Hey, your call, oh fearless leader. I'm justa tagalong. Dunno what he counts as though," she added, playfully punching Sora in the shoulder.

"A pet puppy?" I suggested, grinning as we walked into the shop.

"Hey!" Sora began, but Yuki's squeal of "Oooh! Puppy!" drowned him out. She tilted her head. "He is cute if you squint. I can ALMOST imagine ears and a tail on him...d'ya think he'd have spots, Yume?"

"Naw, just look at his ears!" I said, poking one of his spikes again, laughing. "solid color I'd say."

"Hm, true," she said. Sora rolled his eyes but didn't say anything as Yuki added, "But maybe with a patch over one eye."

"Oh! I could see it now!" I squealed, grabbing a few potions and ethers from the shelf and putting them on the counter.

"I think I like him better that way. Yume, can you do that sort of magic?" She added half-hopefully.

Sora-who had endured our teasing up until then-said suddenly, "Oh no, uh uh. No way."

"Not if he doesn't want it." I sighed, "I'm a good mage."I walked towards the giant double doors.

"Where's that go?" asked Sora, staring up at the doors as he trailed behind me, just a few steps ahead of Yuki.

"That leads to that ship I told you about!" I replied perkily, opening the doors, "Let's go!"

"Yeah, move it, Keybearer." Yuki shoved Sora playfully from behind and he shot her a brief, not-quite-annoyed half-glare, only to recieve a perky, somewhat ditzy grin in reply. He followed after me as Yuki stepped up to match pace with him and didn't say anything-though there was a certain, not entirely hidden boyish excitement to his face.

Figured. Guys.

"Hmmm, there are two places showing up on the digi-map." I said after we all got in secure, I'll go with the easier difficulty first then?" I asked, spinning my chair to look at the two.

Yuki shrugged. She had positioned herself behind Sora, and he was too busy looking around with unhidden awe at the Gummi ship to bother caring that she was, yet again, playing with his hair. "I guess so," she said finally. "Might as well."

"Okay then!" I yelled, pressing a few buttons and putting my foot to the pedal, and turning to Gumi, "AWAY WE GO!" I whooped.

"EEK!" Yuki screeched and latched onto the back of Sora's seat suddenly, before negotiating herself over to her own seat. "Jerk," she snapped, "you could've warned me." She let out a little huff, turning so she didn't have to face me and glaring at the nearest thing her eyes rested on, which, by happenstance, was Sora's shoulder.

She continued to glare hatefully at his shoulder for a second.

And then, she promptly forgot to be mad, turning back to me. "So where are we goin' anyway? If ya know?"

"Umm no, don't know actually?" I said, a question in my voice. In all honesty I didn't, but that's what made it an adventure right?

"Ah well," Yuki muttered, "more fun fer us I guess." Right about then, Sora-who had been staring around the Gummi ship cockpit this whole time, finally began, glancing between us,

"You guys said you were sent to find me, right?"

"Yup!" We exclaimed in unison.

"So," Sora continued, arching an eyebrow, "who the heck sent you?"

Not to mention, he added silently, that you guys are just kids like me...

He figured it would be best to keep that bit to himself, though. Yuki had an awfully big sword, and Yume was apparently capable of taking away his humanity. Better not to risk it.

"The boss." I replied simply with a shrug, "No one knows who he really is though."

"It's kinda've annoying part of the time," Yuki added, "but we're used to it. Don't think he's ever made us do anything this much fun before though," she muttered thoughtfully, digging around in one of her pockets.

"Four months, actually," I added, "Was the last time that we ever had any mission worth anything.

"Jeez," Sora replied, "must've been boring."

"You have no idea," Yuki replied, before letting out a little cry of delight. "There we go!" With that, she set about polishing her sword, more for something to do than because it actually looked like it needed it.

"Don't get too involved." I cautioned, glancing over at her, "We're almost there." I nodded to the area ahead of us to a faraway pink shape in the distance.

Yuki nodded a little. "Mm hm," she replied in her only-half-there voice she used when, sure enough, she had gotten too involved in something. Sora glanced at her for a moment, eyebrow arched, then shook his head.

I snickered, "Don't ask." I said, shrugging, "She gets that way a lot, she had to save up for years to get enough junk for the materials for the sword. It's her baby." I nodded.

Yuki nodded. "Yus it is, I love it I do." Sora didn't reply to either one of us, instead perking at the prospect of exploring a new world.

"Lets see." I said, Standing up after the landing and walking towards the door, "Y'all ready?" I asked, easing my way towards the door. I pressed the button and the door opened, I took a breath and stepped out.

"YIEEEEE!" I yelled as I fell through the air.

A moment later, with a cry of surprise and something not unlike terror, Sora overbalanced and went falling through the air right after me, with Yuki just behind him.

Oh, but of course she ran into him, I can always count on her for that at least…

"What the heck!" I muttered, "this isn't cool!" I looked around as I fell, there were clocks and doors, turned any which way, This is sooo not fun!

Yuki, meanwhile, had resorted to closing her eyes and hugging her sword as well as she could without cutting herself open, whimpering. Sora recovered from the initial shock of being more-or-less shoved out of the Gummi ship after a moment, then asked, "How long do you think this thing is!"

I hope it's not too long. I muttered, stretching out my arms and catching a gust of air to hover above Sora. "I'm bored."

And that, about, was right when the other two hit the floor.

"Ow," Sora muttered darkly. "Was that really worth it?" "Sorry Sora," Yuki muttered sullenly from a little ways off as she picked herself up, "I really can't help being such a klutz...it's just in my nature..." I shook my head a little as I came in for a softer landing-it seemed I was the only one who made it safely.

Before Sora could come up with an answer to Yuki, a white rabbit ran past us, without even tossing a glance in our general direction, beginning in a frantic voice,

"Oh, my fur and whiskers!

I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear!

I'm here, I should be there.

I'm late, I'm late, I'm late! The queen, she'll have my head for sure!"

And then he was gone down the hallway.

"What," Yuki began, eyebrow arched, "on earth did I just see?"

I just stared, "Y'mean a white rabbit dashing through the room talking about being late and getting his head cut off?"

"That's what I saw anyway," Sora remarked a moment later.

Yuki blinked for a moment or two, then said, "Well, at least I'm not crazy then." Sora smirked suddenly, then said, "Well, what are we waiting for, let's follow him!"

"Are you insane spikehead?" I exclaimed, "I happen to like my head thankyouverymuch!" Sora ignored me and dashed off down the hallway, "Yup, that's right, ignore me!" I called after him.

Males!

"Bye Yume!" Yuki called suddenly, running after Sora and glancing back to wave at me.

"Oy! I muttered to myself before following, albeit more slowly than my more enthusiastic partners, "the sane one."

"Oooh," Yuki crooned as she and Sora stepped into a room at the end of the hall. Given, it was a rather small room, all things considered, and chiefly taken up by a table in the very center of the room. At the other end, a door-it couldn't have been more than half a foot tall, at the most-was set in the wall.

And the rabbit was nowhere in sight.

Sora started across the room, dropping onto his hands and knees to look at the door.

"This's the only way he could've gotten out of here, right?" He asked, glancing back at Yuki. "I think so," she said, coming up behind him and bending over a little, pressing her palms against his shoulders to hold herself steady.

"Erm," I remarked suddenly, clearing my throat a little. I had followed them up to the small door; I bent down, just as the door's eyes opened.

Wait.

What?

"AHH!" The three of us cried at once, falling back over each other-more Yuki and Sora here than me-as we tried to all back up at once.

"Shut up," the Doorknob yawned, "how's a Doorknob to get any sleep?"

"By not being POSSESSED?" I yelled, poking it with my staff, "Now open up, we need to get through."

"How'd he get so small?" Sora asked in the background, glancing at Yuki since I seemed occupied. She shrugged blankly and the Doorknob spoke up suddenly. "It's not that he was small," it said with a little huff to its voice, "it's that you're simply too big. Now please, pipe down." With that, it gave a little huff and started to close its eyes.

"Wait!"

Sora suddenly plunged back over to where he had been a moment ago, asking before the Doorknob could drop off to sleep again, "What do we have to do to grow small?"

"Why," the Doorknob sighed, "don't you try that bottle, over there, on the table?"

Sora looked back over his shoulder in surprised, apparently having not noticed the bottle the Doorknob referred to.

"Woah, I musta walked right through that!" I exclaimed, strolling over to the table. My footsteps drowning out the Doorknob's snores, I picked up the blue bottle and stared at it. "Oh well," I muttered to myself, then, "Bottoms up!"

Yuki peeked out from behind Sora, over his shoulder, muttering to him, "D'ya think it'll work?" Sora just shrugged, not even bothering to look back at her.

"Nothing." I said, tossing the bottle over my sholder. Sora caught it and brought it up to his lips. Suddenly, in a poof of smoke I felt myself grow smaller. As the smoke cleared everything looked…bigger.

A lot bigger, actually…

Furthermore, we somehow appeared to have gotten onto the tabletop.

Well, two of us, anyway.

Yuki grinned suddenly, bending down and poking me lightly, nearly knocking me over in the process. "Yer cute," she said perkily, "and travel-sized too. Can you stay like this when we leave?" Sora let out a little yelp of surprise, looking around. "Both of ya," Yuki added with a smirk.

I hopped off of the table and walked over to the Doorknob, ignoring her question. It was fast asleep and nothing I could do wake him. Sora gave it a try after he'd joined me; testing out a flame spell I'd managed to teach him earlier.

Well, at least his magic worked.

Didn't wake the Doorknob up, but it worked.

"Ugh, it's no use." I groaned, walking over to stand next to the drowsy door and leaning against the wall, briefly contemplating what to do now.

"Hey!" Sora called suddenly, walking over to an area near where I leaned, "There's a door here!"

I followed-indeed, there was an apparent doorway-just mine and Sora's size, too-but it was blocked.

"Yuki-dear!" I called, "be a sweetheart and move the bed. Then please join us m'kay? I don't want you stepping on me, and you're supposed to come with us anyway." She rolled her eyes, muttering something about how she wouldn't step on me-indeed!-but complied all the same. As she joined us, at a slightly less hazardous size, near the door, Sora was already going through it.

"AIEE! Sora!" I yelled, chasing after him,Yuki on my heels.

When we arrived we all froze solid

There was a sort of trial going on-'sort of' being the key phrase. There were a bunch of …Cards?…lined up and circled around the stand where the defendant was.

She was a small girl, didn't look any older than ten, maybe younger. She wore a simple blue dress with a white apron, and her blond hair had a thin black bow in it. The poor kid looked terrified, and not surprisingly.

"GUILTY!" The lady at the front yelled, though it was clear she was no judge or jury-which there seemed to be a suspicious lack of in the entire place. Her wide self took up all of the space; her imposing red dress had black on it in a large checkerboard style, hearts from the opposite color in either square. Her rough black hair was chopped short, doing very little to help her appearance.

If, indeed, anything could have by that point. I think even my magic would've been useless.

"YOU TRIED TO STEAL MY HEART! YOU'RE GUILTY BECAUSE I SAY SO!" The large lady waved her arm and the Cards made towards the girl, closing in around her.

"Oh no you don't, GRAVIRA!" I called out my favorite spell and the Cards fell hard to the floor. Yuki and I shared a glance and she slid over, grass falling in her wake, to be in front of the podium, sword at ready.

"You dare defy ME!" The queen-she must have been a queen, she had that look about her- yelled, "ALL WHO DEFY THE QUEEN DIE!"

In an instant, Yuki, Alice, and I were all trapped in a cage.

And awfully small one.

"Ow," Yuki grunted, "this isn't even close to fair, at least give me some breathing room, you-"

"Yuki," I snapped suddenly. She snorted and glared at me, but hushed.

Sora just blinked for a moment, slightly dazed. It had all happened so fast.

He blinked again, tensing and shifting uncomfortably.

The queen looked mighty angry-not a shock, really.

He looked over to where Yuki, Yume, and Alice were locked off. Without thinking he ran over, dodging the guards.

He pointed the Keyblade at the lock of the cage. It only worked for an instant, but that was enough forYuki and I to tumble out.

Not for Alice however.

I glanced up.

"We'll be right back!" I yelled as the cage rose, a red curtain covering it. At the same time, a tower appeared in the center of the court, where Alice had stood moments before.


A/N1: Yume here! Yuki will now be joining me in comments pokes

A/N2: I will? is poked

A/N1: Yes "turns back to face the audienceYou can find some of her art work at the DA, link on my homepage.

A/N2: Okay, thanks for the pimpage…but, seriously? I am? Why wasn't I told about this?

Sora: REVIEW! prods with Keyblade If you don't, I die. And not only does that suck for me, but Yuki will eat you. And then there'll be no more Out of Area, either. And then, if the Heartless come and try to eat your world, see who saves your butts then! So there!

…seriously, guys, I don't wanna die. I'm only fourteen after all.