AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Thank you so much for all the birthday wishes! Honestly, they mean so much, and I'm so grateful!

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Side note: I realised today that I now have twice as many review and chapters, and honestly you guys I am overwhelmed. I thank you all so very, very much, and I thank everyone who has followed and favourited this story. It means the world to me.

I hope you all enjoy today's chapter.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE | PLANS IN MOTION

"Isa took Aerith to see your grandmother, and she's doing just fine. She just needs a little bit of rest."

Kairi let out the breath she didn't know she had been holding. The phone trembled in her hands as she forced a smile.

"Thank you, Ienzo," she murmured. "Please tell her… Please tell her I will see her as soon as I can. " Ienzo nodded.

"I will pass along the message."

She slipped the phone back in to her pocket and drew the blanket up higher around her shoulders as she stared up at the stars. She still wasn't sure exactly how she'd made her way back to the Land of Departure, but in truth she really didn't care. She was away from Luxu and safe enough, at least for now. She buried her chin in the soft comforter and closed her eyes with a deep sigh, trying not to think of how easily he had toyed with her. She'd never held any notions that she'd be strong enough to defeat him one to one, but she'd hoped that she might have been able to hold her ground… at least for a little while…

She heard footsteps approaching behind her – shuffling, uneven and accompanied by laboured breathing – and she dragged herself from her thoughts as Axel sat down heavily beside her with a stifled groan.

"Hey," he wheezed. When she remained silent he nudged her with his shoulder and she leaned heavily against him.

"Hey," she murmured. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I got my ass handed to me by a twenty foot heartless. You?" She winced.

"Same, but by a six foot loser," she grumbled. He wrapped an arm around her, bringing her in to the warmth of his blanket.

"He really did a number on you, huh?" he murmured. She sighed heavily and scooted closer. He rubbed her arm slowly.

"I didn't stand a chance," she whispered. "And that's not even the worst of it. He has a keyblade, Axel. His own keyblade."

"Yeah, I know," he sighed. "Aqua told me. And he's dual-wielding now." The news sent a trail of ice racing down her spine.

"He is?" Axel nodded with a quiet 'mm-hmm' and she grimaced. "This day just keeps getting better." He squeezed her tightly.

"At least your grandma's gonna be okay. That's good news, right?"

"The only reason she got hurt in the first place was because of me. Luxu only went after her because of me-"

"Hey. Stop that," he said, shaking her lightly. "You are not responsible for what he did. He is the reason your grandma got hurt, not you. Got it memorised?" He reached out from beneath his blanket to tap her temple twice, and despite the cloud hanging over her head she managed a small smile.

"Yeah, I got it memorised," she mumbled.

"That's my girl."

They lapsed in to silence, staring up at the stars until Kairi's phone chimed. She pulled it from her pocket to find a message from Naminé waiting for her.

Hey, hope you're okay. Ven said you're safe with them. I'm at Disney Castle with the others. Let me know when you get this x

"Is that Naminé?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Tell her I said 'hi'." Kairi smiled.

Yeah I'm fine, and so is Axel. I'm glad you're safe. I think we'll be joining you tomorrow once we've rested. Is everyone okay? x

She hit send. Axel cleared his throat.

Also Axel says hi.

"That's more like it," he sniffed as Kairi tucked her hands back under the blanket again. The phone chimed again.

Everyone's fine, don't worry. Get some rest and I'll see you tomorrow x

Closely followed by:

Also: Hi, Axel.

She flashed the phone under Axel's nose and he flashed her a short-lived grin. She tapped out a short reply to Namine before slipped the phone away and drawing the blanket back around her neck, burying her chin in the soft fabric.

"Y'know," Axel began quietly, "I was really proud of you today." She tilted her head back to look up at him with a confused frown.

"You were?" He nodded, his eyes set firmly ahead.

"Luxu was trying really hard to press your buttons and you didn't let him," he said. "The last time the two of you went toe to toe, you… well, you know what you did. But today, you kept your cool." She felt a flush rising in her cheeks and she lowered her chin, staring out towards the distant stars.

"I… Yeah, I guess I did." The thought made her smile, though it quickly turned to a pensive frown. She sat up straight, pulling away to look at him closely. "Speaking of the last time he and I crossed paths, why didn't you tell me you were a Master now?" He made a strange choking sound as his body went rigid, and she couldn't help but giggle at the wash of crimson that crept in to his cheeks. He fought to regain his composure, folding his arms beneath his blanket and turning away with a sniff.

"Well I'm not," he answered. "I told them I didn't want it." She pursed her lips and prodded him in the side. "Ow!"

"You should have accepted it," she said sternly. "You worked hard to become a Master."

"I… It's complicated, all right? Just drop it." She folded her arms.

"No, I won't," she said. "Axel, what you did… you saved my life. If you hadn't helped me then I probably wouldn't be here."

"It's called the Power of Waking, Kairi," he countered, though his argument wasn't half as strong as she expected it to be. He turned his face away, but he wasn't quick enough to hide the tear that rolled down his cheek. Kairi looped her fingers around his elbow and tugged gently.

"It doesn't matter what it's called," she said softly. "You're a Master, Axel. You deserve that title more than anyone." He didn't respond. She pretended to ignore the muffled sniffle that filled the silence between them. When he didn't answer she let go of his elbow and settled back against him, leaning her head against his shoulder and curling up against his side. "Promise me you'll accept it someday." She felt the tension racing up and down his body, and heard the grinding of his teeth, and she decided against pushing the matter any further. They stayed there for a while until he finally relented; unfolding his arms to drape his blanket around her shoulders and pulled her in closer.

"One day," he murmured. "But only if you're there to see me do it." She smiled and closed her eyes.

"It's a promise."

Aqua didn't wake them for breakfast, and Kairi was surprised to find that it was almost midday when she finally made her way downstairs. Ven and Luxord were sitting at the table quietly writing in thick notebooks while Aqua was busy in the kitchen.

"Ah, Kairi," Luxord greeted. He rose to his feet as she entered and made to pull out a chair for her. "I'm glad to see that you're all right. I understand you had an unfortunate encounter with Xigbar."

"Luxu," Ven corrected absently.

"Right, of course. Old habits," he said with a dry laugh. Kairi settled in to the chair and took a pear from the fruit bowl in the middle of the table.

"What are you working on?" she asked.

"Master Yen Sid has asked us to journal our dreams in case we find something," Ven answered, frowning at his notebook. "All of mine are nonsense. Last night I dreamed I was being chased by a giant flan, and if he caught me I was going to lose all my cherries."

"A sight better than my entries," Luxord remarked. "I know that I'm having dreams, but I am unable to recall any part of them. The only details I can recall are dandelions and a fox, but I can hardly see how they're of any significance." Kairi pursed her lips.

"Dandelions can represent promises," she said. "Sometimes they're given to loved ones or close friends." Luxord narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.

"Interesting," he murmured, pressing the tip of his pen to his lips. "I wonder if the flower holds any other special significance."

"There's a book of flowers in the library," Ven muttered as he used his pen to scratch behind his ear. Slowly he lifted his gaze, his brow furrowed thoughtfully. "And the fox might mean something… I'm sure I read somewhere that foxes are cunning and clever… something about seeing through lies… I can't remember where I saw it though." Luxord sighed and capped his pen before slowly closing his journal.

"It seems that whatever legacy we are bound to, it will take longer than we had hoped to uncover its secrets," he said solemnly. The door slowly creaked open as he frowned pensively. "I wonder if we should try again to bring Lauriam and Elrena in to our little project. Perhaps the four of us together might be able to make more progress."

"Invite Demyx, too," Axel grunted as he shuffled in to the room with a yawn. He collapsed heavily in to the nearest chair. "Larxene loved having him around."

"I wish that I could," Luxord answered, "but in the years since my recompletion I have been unable to locate him. I couldn't even tell you his true name." Axel paused, mid-way to reaching for a piece of fruit, and his face slowly fell in to a confused frown.

"Y'know, now that I mention it, neither can I…" He took an apple from the bowl and sat back heavily in his chair to take a large bite. The frown persisted.

The doors to the kitchen swung open and Aqua appeared. She glanced around the table quickly before smiling.

"I thought I heard your voices," she said brightly. "Would you like anything to eat?"

"She means anything," Ven said, closing his journal with a defeated sigh. "Aqua's been stress-cooking all morning."

"Stress-cooking?" Axel asked. Ven shrugged.

"It's new." Aqua flushed a little.

"I just had a few ingredients that were going to go off so I thought I'd use them up," she answered. "Is there anything you want?"

"I'm all right," Kairi answered, and when Aqua remained unconvinced she held up her half-eaten pear. Axel lifted his apple. Aqua glanced between them both and looked as though she wanted to object, though she seemed to change her mind.

"All right then," she said. "Once you're ready we need to head out to Disney Castle. Everyone else is already there. Luxord, will you be okay to wait here?" Luxord's reply was a wry smile.

"I understand," he replied, "though I'd be of more use if you would allow me to be involved in these discussions." Aqua's expression tightened.

"I know, and I promise we will," she said. He waited for a moment before nodding and rising from his chair.

"In that case, if you'll excuse me, I need to go find a book on flowers." Aqua's brow furrowed in confusion and Luxord smiled in response, offering no further explanation. He tucked his notebook under his arm and tipped his head towards them before slipping stiffly out of the room.

They left shortly after midday. Kairi caught Luxord watching them from the large library window as they disappeared in to the Lanes Between. The journey to Disney Castle was long and cold, and when they finally landed in the castle gardens she had to flex the feeling back in to her fingers. Naminé and Riku were waiting for them, and after giving them a cursory moment to dismount Naminé rushed to Kairi's and threw her arms around Kairi's neck.

"I'm so glad you're all right," she murmured. Kairi hugged her back tightly.

"Where's Vanitas?" she whispered. Naminé pulled away, her face pale and her eyes wide. She forced a tenuous smile in a desperate bid to deflect Riku's concerned frown.

"He left," she said quietly. "He said he was going to Radiant Garden to make sure you were all right." Kairi's stomach twisted.

"I didn't see him." Naminé reached for her hand and gave it a strong squeeze.

"I'm… I'm sure he'll be okay," she said. "Maybe by the time he arrived you had already gone. Riku thinks the heartless must have disappeared after Luxu took you through the portal, so maybe Vanitas didn't want to stick around." Riku was approaching, so Kairi merely squeezed Naminé's hand as they turned to face him.

"Naminé told us everything," he said. His voice was heavy and his expression was tight, but she didn't miss the half-smile that pulled at his lips. "I should've known you wouldn't give up on Vanitas."

"He isn't working for Luxu," she said firmly, "and I really do think we helped him. He's hurting, Riku."

"I know," Riku murmured. "Naminé said he helped you come up with a plan to help Sora. We were waiting for you to arrive so you could explain it."

"You… you were waiting for me?" He nodded.

"It's your plan," he said. "Besides, the last time we didn't listen to you we kind of paid the price for it." His laugh was weak and half-hearted, but Kairi appreciated it nonetheless. She closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug which he fervently returned before leading them to the library where the others were waiting.

"Axel!" Roxas exclaimed. He and Xion were at his side in an instant with Isa following a moment later. Axel waved off their attention with a fond smile.

"It'll take more than one mangy heartless to take me down," he boasted. Isa snorted.

"I think the heartless would like to challenge you on that," he retorted. Axel's bravado fell and he folded his arms with a pout.

"Nobody asked you," he sniffed. Isa merely chuckled.

"Glad to see you're back to your usual self."

Mickey called them together then and they gathered in a loose circle in the centre of the room where he opened the floor to Kairi and Naminé to hear their plan. Naminé spoke first, reminding everyone of her powers over Sora's memory and the memories of those connected to him, comparing the links in memories to the links in a chain.

"So if we strengthen the chains, we strengthen the connection to Sora," Terra surmised. Naminé nodded.

"And allow Sora to draw on the power of his friends," she said. "All of his friends."

"And Sora certainly has a lot!" Goofy remarked.

"How will you do it?" Xion asked.

"It'll be easier for Naminé to go in person," Kairi explained. "We thought that she could go with Donald and Goofy, because they could help introduce her to the people Sora met. And we thought Riku could go too, in case there's any need for a keyblade." To her surprise Riku frowned.

"Actually, I was going to go back to the Land of Departure to see if I could help Ven and Luxord uncover any sleeping memories," he answered. Mickey beamed.

"Well why doesn't Kairi go with them?" he suggested. Kairi felt her heart leap in to her throat.

"M-me?" she squeaked.

"Yup! I think you're the perfect choice," he answered. "The rest of us can spread ourselves out and cause lots of distractions so we can try and stop Luxu and the others from figuring out what you're doing."

"That's a good idea," Aqua agreed.

"We should pair off in teams of two," Terra suggested.

"Well Roxas and Xion work well together," said Axel, "and I'm probably the only one who can deal with Isa for any length of time."

"I could say the same for you," Isa retorted dryly. Mickey nodded.

"I guess that leaves you and me, Terra," he said. Terra nodded. Kairi swallowed thickly past the lump in her throat.

"Wait, are… are you sure you want me to go with Naminé?" Kairi asked.

"Of course!" Mickey answered. "You won't be alone – you'll have Donald and Goofy too."

"Yeah!" Donald squawked encouragingly. "If we can keep Sora safe, then we can definitely help you keep Naminé safe!"

"I bet you won't get in to half as much trouble as Sora did," Goofy chuckled.

"Besides," said Riku, "it's about time you got to see some of the places Sora's been." Naminé's face lit up and she squeezed Kairi's hand with an excitable gasp.

"There are so many places I can't wait to show you!"

"You'll need to be fast," Mickey reminded them. "We don't know how much time we'll have before Luxu tries to track you down again." Kairi's smile fell slightly and she rested a hand over her heart.

"Luxu said he didn't need Sora's heart yet," she said. "He's waiting for something, but he didn't say what it was."

"His Master…" Aqua murmured. When everyone turned to her she stood a little taller, her face fixed in a thoughtful frown. "Yesterday when I tried to ask what he had planned, he said: 'That's for my Master to know and for you to find out.' Do we know who his Master is?" She turned to Kairi who shook her head.

"I only ever saw Luxu and the other Apprentices," she said.

"Maybe his Master is hiding?" Ven suggested.

"Or waiting for something," Terra offered. "I wonder who it is." Axel growled and folded his arms heavily across his chest.

"I swear, if it's Xehanort-"

"I don't think so," Riku said with a small shake of his head. "Xehanort seemed to be a means to an end; I don't think he's involved in… whatever this is."

"Then we'll stay alert," Mickey said firmly. "Maybe we'll find some clues while we're out causing our distractions."

"Luxord and I might know something," said Ven. "Maybe it's all connected to this great keyblade legacy that Xemnas was trying to figure out." Terra held his chin with a thoughtful nod.

"Could be…" he murmured.

"Master Yen Sid thinks that there's certainly a connection somewhere," said Riku. "It's why he wants us to focus on trying to recover any memories that might be sleeping inside your hearts." Ven nodded.

"If there's a chance it will help Sora, then I'll do whatever I can," he said.

"Then I guess that settles it," said Mickey. "Axel, why don't you and Isa head down to the garage and speak to Chip and Dale about making you a ship. They'll show you the ropes so you can get around on your own. The rest of us will stay here and come up with a plan for everyone so we don't all end up on the same world at the same time. Donald and Goofy, can you write down all the worlds that you've visited with Sora?"

"Sure thing," Goofy said with a sharp salute. Donald nodded eagerly.

"We can ask Jiminy to go back through his old journals," Donald added.

"That's a great idea!" Mickey cheered. "Why don't you go and get him? I think I saw him in the garden on my way up here."

"Sure thing! C'mon, Donald."

"We'll be right back!" Donald squawked.

"Riku, Ven and I will head back," Aqua said. "We can start looking for sleeping memories and see if we can find anything that might be useful."

"Mickey, are you all right if we take the Highwind?" Riku asked.

"Of course! You should keep it nearby in case we need to call you for back up," he answered. Riku nodded.

"Then we'll get going," he said. "The sooner we get started, the sooner we might be able to uncover something useful." Mickey reached out to grip his wrist firmly and the two shared a determined nod.

"Good luck," Mickey said solemnly. Riku nodded.

"You too."

"Let's go, Ven," said Aqua. Ven nodded, though he didn't make to follow her. Instead he hovered awkwardly, halfway between staying and going, and he glanced somewhat nervously around the room.

"While you're all out there," he said, his voice uncertain, "would you… could you keep an eye out for Vanitas?" Roxas grimaced. Aqua's smile tightened and she placed a hand on Ven's shoulder.

"He'll be all right," she said softly. Ven caught Roxas' eye then, and the two seemed to share a silent exchange in which Roxas' anger was met with Ven's silent pleading before he finally turned away to follow Aqua out of the library. Riku brought up the rear, though when he passed Kairi he paused.

"Don't look so afraid, Kairi," he said softly. His lips curled in to a reassuring smile which she tried to return, but it was brittle like spun sugar and it quickly crumbled.

"It feels strange," she said, "for me to be the one going off on an adventure."

"Well it was about time," he said with a light laugh. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. He returned the hug fiercely. "I'll be waiting for you." The words sent a course of electricity surging through her veins and she took a deep breath before letting him go. Isa and Axel quickly followed, and Kairi gave Axel a tight hug too.

"You'll take care of him for me, won't you, Isa?" she asked over Axel's shoulder. Axel huffed and tried to pull away but she only held on to him tighter. Isa smiled.

"Of course," he said. "Good luck, Kairi."

"Good luck."

Once Donald and Goofy returned with Jiminy in tow they set to work. Jiminy (who was even smaller than Kairi expected) stood atop a tower of books and read through his old journals, listing the worlds that he had documented with Sora. Several entries were missing from his first journal, but Naminé was quick to fill in the gaps. Before long they had a list of more than twenty worlds complete with the names of the people Sora had befriended. Donald was quick to point out four worlds that would need magic to blend in – Atlantica, Pride Lands, Monstropolis and the Toy Box.

"We won't be able to go to those worlds without you, Donald," Mickey had said solemnly. "The rest of us will just have to avoid them."

"Don't forget about Halloween Town!" said Goofy. "Donald used his magic there, too, but you guys could probably dress up so that folks wouldn't notice ya."

Once they had the full list, the first task was to decide the route that Kairi, Naminé, Donald and Goofy would take. After that, they set out routes for the other teams. They quickly determined that there were a handful of worlds that Sora, Donald and Goofy had never visited, such as the Dwarf Woodlands, Castle of Dreams and Enchanted Dominion. Terra however had been to those worlds, so it was decided that he and Mickey would start there. Isa and Axel would head first to Twilight Town before making their way to a nearby cluster of worlds including the Land of Dragons, San Fransokyo and Neverland. Roxas and Xion would start in Agrabah, a world they both seemed fairly familiar with, before heading on to Deep Jungle and the Kingdom of Corona. The last step was to fine-tune the lists to make sure that nobody crossed paths accidentally and to try and leave as much time as possible between visits.

"We need to try and draw Luxu's attention," Mickey began as he poured over two lists, "but we don't want to alert anybody else. We must protect the world order at all costs."

"We should try and keep our heads down," Terra suggested. "Perhaps it's best if only Naminé's group interacts with the people of each world. The rest of us should spread out and look for unpopulated areas to try and create a diversion." Mickey nodded.

"That's a sound idea," he said. He lifted his eyes from the list and turned to glance at everyone in turn. "Do you think you can do it, fellas?"

"We'll try our best," said Xion. The others nodded in agreement.

By the time Isa and Axel returned from their impromptu flying lesson, the routes had been outlined. Mickey wrote each list out twice – one he gave to each group and the other he set in to a locked chest.

"I'll take the copies to Master Yen Sid, and Minnie will keep the key," he said. "That way if anything goes wrong, at least someone will know where we were supposed to be, but we won't risk our plans falling in to the wrong hands."

"The quicker we can move between worlds, the better," Terra added.

"We'll go as quickly as we can!" said Donald.

"We'll send a message whenever we move on, so you know how fast we're goin'," Goofy added. Mickey nodded firmly in approval.

"When should we get started?" Axel asked. Mickey glanced solemnly around the room before sighing.

"Well, I suppose there's no time like the present," he said. "Good luck, everyone. May your heart be your guiding key." The phrase was repeated by several others before everyone began gathering up their notes and lists and making their way down to the hanger. Kairi hung back, sending the others on ahead. Roxas and Xion were talking to Axel and Isa, and after steeling herself Kairi quietly moved to join them.

"Roxas?" The conversation stopped and all eyes fell to her. Roxas' expression tightened and she swallowed past the lump in her throat. "Could I talk to you for a minute?" He seemed to hesitate, and for a moment Kairi wondered if he might refuse her until Xion elbowed him and he cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Uh… sure. I'll see you guys down there, I guess." Xion nodded with a smile and led the others away. Axel hovered in the doorway, glancing back over his shoulder, but Kairi smiled and waved him on. The door closed heavily behind them, and Kairi found herself alone with Roxas who folded his arms and shifted his weight on to his back foot, putting space between them. She turned to him and clasped her hands together.

"Roxas, I'm sorry," she said. "You were right about what you said at the mansion. I have lied, a lot, and I can see why you would be worried about trusting me." It seemed to catch him off-guard and his expression fell a little. He slowly lowered his arms to his sides and let out a slow breath.

"I just don't understand why you would keep choosing Vanitas over us," he said. "Vanitas is darkness. He isn't going to change-"

"Did Luxu tell you that?" she asked. He seemed to hesitate then. "He told me that he'd spoken to you. I don't know what he said, but I know how he works. He likes to get inside your head until you believe whatever he wants you to believe." Roxas shook his head.

"He didn't say anything I wasn't already thinking," he countered.

"I know," she replied. "Believe me, I know. That's what makes him so convincing." He turned away then, running his fingers over the ornate wooden desk. Kairi bit her lip and kept silent, waiting patiently. She was soon rewarded when Roxas sighed and lowered his head.

"I've been wondering recently if Vanitas is really as… if he's really what I think he is," he said. "I know that you believe in him, and I want to trust your judgement, but then I think about all the things he's done…" He turned and met Kairi's gaze, and she couldn't ignore the war raging behind his eyes. "How do you forgive all of that? It would be like… like me asking you to forgive Maleficent." Kairi's stomach twisted at the name and she tangled her fingers in the hem of her skirt.

"I won't try and convince you," she said at long last. "But maybe you could try talking to other people. What does Xion think?"

"She wants to believe in him too," he murmured. "She says she understands him, kind of, but she won't explain it. She says I have to understand it for myself." He bowed his head, his hands clenching to fists at his sides. "I don't want to understand him. I don't want to waste time on him when we should be trying to save Sora. This is the first thing we've done in a long while that seems to it's actually going to help Sora."

Kairi chewed her lip. A horrible tension was settling between them, growing thicker by the minute.

"I can't tell you what to feel, Roxas," she said softly, "and I can't make up your mind for you. I promise that I wouldn't have fought so hard for Vanitas if I didn't believe in him, but… I understand if you feel that you can't trust me." Roxas grimaced.

"Kairi, I-"

"It's okay," she said. He looked at her then and she offered him a small smile. He pressed his lips firmly together.

"I feel like I should believe you, because Sora's memories tell me that I should," he said. "But I feel like I barely know you."

"You are your own person, Roxas," she said. "You deserve to make your own choices and trust in your own memories." He took a moment to think about her words, and she saw his expression shift several times before he finally lifted his head.

"Once this is all over, do you think… maybe we could get to know each other?" he asked. She smiled.

"I'd like that."

They made their way down the hanger in companionable silence, and when they separated Kairi was pleasantly surprised when Roxas gave her a small parting wave, which she eagerly returned. One by one the others boarded their ships and set sail until finally only one ship remained; slightly bigger than the others and made from an assortment of mis-matched blocks and panels.

"Here, Kairi," Goofy said, holding his fist out to her. She held out her hands and he dropped a small, green gem in to her palms.

"What's this?" she asked.

"It's so we can get back to the ship," he said. "We leave the ship outside the world so we don't draw attention."

"Go ahead, Kairi," said Donald. "Give it a squeeze!" Kairi glanced nervously to Naminé who smiled and nodded encouragingly. Kairi swallowed nervously and wrapped her fingers around the gleaming gem, squeezing it tightly.

The ground disappeared underfoot and she found herself standing in the cockpit of the ship. Unlike the Highwind, this ship had been built for four. The chairs were arranged in a diamond with one chair at the front, one at the back, and two side by side in the middle. Donald and Goofy took a seat on either side and Naminé quickly settled in to the chair at the rear, leaving the chair at the front empty.

"Well, captain, where to first?" Goofy asked with a wide grin. Kairi's stomach somersaulted as she ran her fingers over the captain's chair. She slowly lowered herself in to it and gripped the armrests tightly. She slipped a hand inside her pocket and withdrew her list of destinations. The first world Sora had ever visited had been Traverse Town, but that world had faded as soon as it was no longer needed. In its place they had substituted an alternative starting point for their journey. She slipped the list back in to her pocket and watched as the hanger doors slowly opened.

"Radiant Garden, here we come."

We're coming up fast on the final arc of the story, and you know what that means: It's time to speed-run all the Disney worlds one last time! I've cherry-picked a few feature worlds, as we won't be spending time in every single one, but let me know if there's a particular world you'd love to see Kairi visit!

(Also I'm doodling costume and form changes for the various worlds, so if you're interested then make sure to check out my Tumblr account! Search Undesirable13 on Tumblr to track me down. I'm going to try and put a link in my Author Profile, but I know can be a bit funny about outgoing links, so I make no promises.)

Please let me know what you think of this chapter, and let me know if you're excited for what's to come. See you next time!