AUTHOR'S NOTES:

How's it going, gang? Hope you're all keeping safe and well!

So, I decided that I would give AO3 a go and decided to start cross-posting this story. Took it as an opportunity to go back and re-read some of the earlier chapters, and there is something I need to say:

I'm sorry.

How you guys made it all this way with all the typos and grammatical errors, I will never know! Some of those sentences didn't even make sense! Thank you so much for sticking with it. Over the next few days I'll be going back to re-upload the chapters with the amendments (mostly spelling and grammar – no hidden secrets or new info). Thanks so much for your patience with the mistakes.

Before we dive on in to today's chapter I want to give a super-speedy shoutout to crestoflight3, Scarlett-95, YumeTakato, StellarLupine and Onethirteen113. Thanks, guys!

I hope you enjoy today's chapter!

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE | UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTERS

As an apprentice, travelling to other worlds had been all Terra used to think about. Becoming a Master and having the freedom to explore the Realm of Light however and whenever he wanted had been all he'd ever dreamed of…

Until Xehanort had stolen all his dreams in one fell swoop.

It had been all too easy to convince Aqua and Ven that he didn't have any lingering memories – that he couldn't remember the feeling of darkness coursing through his body – that he'd been oblivious to everything Xehanort had done except for when it mattered. Riku knew some of the deatils; in their sessions together Terra had shared the burden, little by little, as he worked to control the darkness in his heart. Riku had often encouraged him to travel, to revisit the places that haunted him in the company of friends, but Terra had politely turned the idea down. After a decade held prisoner inside his own skin, pulled from one world to the next along a madman's quest, he had been more than content to stay in the Land of Departure for the rest of his days.

He wished now that he had listened to Riku. It wasn't that he didn't consider Mickey a friend, but the two of them had barely spoken in the years since the final clash with Xehanort (and never before then). Mickey had returned home with Donald and Goofy after the final battle, and whilst several people had gone to visit him he had only ventured off-world on a handful of occasions; the ceremony to formalise Riku's becoming a Master, Terra's Mark of Mastery Exam, and Kairi's return. Each time, Terra and Mickey had exchanged little more than conversational pleasantries.

"It sure is quiet, don't you think Terra?"

Terra tried not to jump as Mickey's voice brought him out of his thoughts. He glanced around and found himself frowning, realising for the first time that they must have been on this world for at least an hour or two already and they had yet to encounter anyone or anything in the forest outside Beast's Castle. Ever since they had received word from Kairi that the heartless were making a move again the shadows had been cropping up everywhere, which made their absence here worrisome.

"I never thought I'd be concerned about not fighting the darkness," he murmured.

"I know how ya feel," Mickey said with a nervous titter of laughter. "It sure does rub me the wrong way."

Whilst Terra might not have had any memories of the King (at least, none that were his own), he had heard many stories from the others. Most of them had come from Riku, given that the pair had travelled together for some time, but a handful of stories had come from Aqua and Ven. He'd been surprised to hear about just how often they had crossed paths with Mickey, and how much he had done to help them. It had been weighing on his mind a lot since they had departed Disney Castle, but between the initial awkwardness of the first few days together followed by the seemingly endless barrage of heartless that had soon followed, he'd hardly had the chance to mention to the King just how grateful he was.

Well, he supposed there was no time like the present.

"Mickey," he began. They came to a stop and Mickey turned to face him.

"Is everything all right?" Terra cleared his throat nervously.

"Just… realising that I've never really thanked you for everything that you did," he said, "for Aqua and Ven." For a moment Mickey appeared confused, and Terra could see the gears in his brain slowly turning. At long last a look of understanding spread across his face and he gave Terra a bright smile.

"Gosh, Terra, you don't have to thank me for that," he said. "I was just doing what any of us would'a done."

"Still, I'm grateful," he said. Mickey looked as though he wanted to argue the point, but after a moment's hesitation he gave a sombre nod.

"Well, you're welcome," he said. "I'm just here to help, like everyone else. If there's ever anything I can help you with, Terra, just let me know."

He wondered if there was anything that Mickey could help him with. He was a Master, after all, and had been thusly named before Xehanort's plans had started coming together. And he had trained under Master Yen Sid, not Master Eraqus, so perhaps there were lessons to be learned on that score.

And yet questions regarding their keyblades and their ranks as Masters weren't the questions Terra wanted to ask. They set off again, passing through the woods in companionable silence, and Terra felt his mind wandering again. This time it wandered towards home, drawn by a flash of blue hair and a warm smile that made his heart skip a beat.

He knew exactly when his feelings for Aqua had changed. It had been during their first month back at the Land of Departure, right after Ven had left to explore the worlds and seek out old friends. Aqua and Terra had both put on brave faces at the thought of him leaving, soothed by his promise to come back frequently and often, but after bidding goodbye to him they had both found themselves at the summit, legs dangling over the edge of the world and watching the stars shoot overhead. They'd spent hours just talking, reminiscing about the 'old days', before Xehanort's darkness had driven them apart. Before their Mark of Mastery exam. Before Ven had even become part of their odd little family.

They had drifted to sleep beneath the stars, and when Terra had awoken the next morning it was to find Aqua curled up against him, her head on his shoulder and her slender arm draped across his chest. It was, he had realised, the first time she had slept through the night since they had returned home together and he had been more than content to watch over her until she woke some hours later.

The next three years had seen them skirting around the topic. It soon became a welcome relief whenever anyone else joined them – Ven returning from his adventures, or the others coming to visit. They provided a small respite in the ever growing tension that seemed to settle in whenever he and Aqua were alone, and in the end he had invited Riku to stay with them a while under the pretence of finally achieving his Mark of Mastery. If Riku had known the real reason behind Terra's invitation he had kept quiet on the matter, and the work they did together to help Terra control his darkness had been a pleasant side-effect of their new arrangement.

But things were different now. They'd never exactly been settled, what with Sora and Kairi still missing, but the threat was visible once more. There was a very real chance that this was not going to work out the way they wanted it, and Terra wasn't prepared to face his end with unfinished business. The problem was that in all the lessons Eraqus had given them, they had never discussed the subject of love.

"Actually, Mickey, there might be something you could help me with." Mickey stopped walking then and turned to face him.

"Okay, shoot!" he said with a smile. Terra swallowed thickly over the knot in his throat, shifting his weight uncomfortably.

"It's… Well, it's somewhat… personal," he began carefully. He turned away, eyes following a deer as it leapt through the woods, oblivious to their presence. "I was wondering… Well, you've been married to Minnie for a long time now, right?"

"Well sure," he said.

"How did you two… How do you start something like that?" he asked, well aware of the burning flush that was creeping up the back of his neck. Mickey held his chin and frowned thoughtfully.

"Well, Minnie and I first met when I was on a mission to protect her." He paused and laughed a little. "I wasn't the best Musketeer, but I never gave up. After that we sorta kept bumping in to each other. Well, I made sure she bumped in to me. After that we courted for a while until she agreed to marry me. Why do you ask?"

"It's… I suppose it's been on my mind a lot recently. N-not you and Minnie, but me and… me and someone else." Mickey smiled.

"Is it Aqua?" Terra grimaced as the flush flooded his cheeks.

"Is it that obvious?" he asked. Mickey laughed.

"Well it was either her or Ven, and Ven just doesn't seem like your type," he answered with a laugh. Terra tried to join in but his efforts quickly fell flat.

"I'm just not sure what to do," he said. "I have all these… feelings, but I don't know what to do with them. What's the proper procedure? The path I should take?" Mickey frowned and scratched his chin.

"The path is different for everyone," he answered. "No two people fall in love the same way."

"But how do I know if it is love and not… something else?" he asked.

"Well, gosh, I'm not sure I can explain it in words. It's something you feel in your heart."

"How pitiful."

The deep booming voice made Terra jump, and he span on his heel with keyblade in hand to face the newcomers. Two of the Apprentices stood before them; the speaker was broad, with brown robes and the mask of the bear, whilst his companion was tall and slender, his face hidden behind a gleaming unicorn mask.

"Tell me, Ira," the speaker continued, "is this really what it means to be a Keyblade Master these days?"

"It would appear to be so, Aced," Ira replied. "Tell me, Masters, do you often take walks in the woods to discuss matters of the heart?"

"That's none of your concern," Mickey answered sharply as Star Seeker appeared in his hand. Aced let out a deep, booming laugh.

"So the mouse King wants a fight, does he?" he bellowed. "Let us test the mettle of these Masters and see whether they are truly worthy to bear our legacy."

"Patience, Aced," Ira said softly. "Let us not lead them in to anger. Sora thinks highly of them; especially this one." To his surprise Terra found the gleaming eyes of Ira's mask fixed squarely on him. He narrowed his eyes.

"More of your mind games?" he asked. Ira tilted his head.

"How would me telling you of Sora's admiration for you be a game?"

"What do you want with us?" Mickey asked.

"Merely to see what you are," Ira answered, "and to observe what you are not. There was so much chaos in the Graveyard that we didn't have much of an opportunity to assess your skills. You and I have clashed before, Master Mickey, and so we shall again." He summoned his keyblade then and held it loosely at his side. Aced grinned and set his sights on Terra.

"Then that leaves you and I to cross blades once more," he said. The eyes of his bear mask gleamed dangerously. "In your own time, Master Terra, you may advance and begin the fight." Terra tried not to grimace at the thought; he had been well and truly outmatched the last time they had fought, and that had been two against one with Aqua at his side. He didn't like his chances of fighting Aced on his own. He tightened his grip on his keyblade and dropped low, shifting his weight back and forth as he watched the Apprentice carefully. If Aced was inviting him to make the first move then Terra was not going to take the bait, and at long last Aced growled and pulled his lips back in to a sneer. "You refuse? Very well. Allow me to initiate."

He charged. Terra blocked the first blow and ducked under the second. Aced was behind him now, but by the time Terra had realised it the man had planted the pommel of his keyblade between Terra's shoulders and sent him sprawling in to the dirt.

"Rise, Master Terra. We will go again." Terra clenched his jaw and quickly rolled to his feet, catching sight of Mickey and Ira clashing some distance away. "Prepare yourself." Eraqus used to say the same thing before a spar; the sudden memory caught him off guard and it allowed Aced the opening he needed to land several powerful blows that left Terra wheezing. He might not have considered himself the best fighter amongst the Guardians but he had become somewhat accustomed to at least being the strongest, and it had been a long time since someone had managed to wind him so easily. He sucked in a breath and darted towards Aced, feinting left before darting right. The attack was easily sidestepped, leaving Terra stumbling forwards until he could catch himself on a nearby tree.

"I would say that I am disappointed," Aced boomed, "but that would require me to have high expectations for you. Even so, it appears I have overestimated your abilities. Again, Master Terra."

"Why are you doing this?" Terra grunted as he used his keyblade to drag himself back to his feet.

"To assess your skills," Aced answers calmly. "A great battle is coming, Master Terra, and it is in my best interests to learn more about how you fight. You might consider doing the same." Terra grit his teeth and readied himself once more, holding his keyblade level. Aced was right, though he was loathe to admit it out loud. There had been too much chaos in the Graveyard to learn anything of real value about their opponents; this was too good an opportunity to pass up. This time Terra waited, even as Aced began to bait him, and he watched.

Aced's steps were heavy and intentional, carefully measured as he circled Terra slowly. When he finally struck the attack was deliberate and calculated; Terra wasn't sure that he had felt Aced's true strength yet, but he knew from experience that this wasn't it. Terra responded in kind, deflecting the attack with ease before handing out one of his own.

"So you can learn," said Aced. "How promising." Terra tightening his grip on his keyblade, certain beyond doubt that the words weren't meant as a compliment. They began circling each other again. Terra felt his heart fluttering nervously in his chest with every step. It had been a long since he had felt this nervous before any kind of fight; even his last clash with Xehanort hadn't been this tense. That been fuelled by anger, not fear; but Xehanort wouldn't have stood a chance if it had come down to a battle of brute strength.

Aced charged. He dragged his keyblade overhead with a roar and Terra brought his up to meet it, only to realise his mistake too late. Aced's lips curved in to a sneer as the keyblade quickly changed course, darting around Terra's defences to collide with his side. He flew through the air and collided heavily with a nearby tree before falling to the ground; his chest tightened painfully and his breath came in small gasps. He clutched at his side and dug his keyblade in to the ground to pull himself on to his knees where he cast a small cure spell. It wasn't strong enough to fix the problem, but it at least made it somewhat easier to breathe.

"Is this really the strength of a keyblade Master?" Aced asked as he slowly walked towards him. Terra grit his teeth, feeling a wash of dark anger pulse in his chest. It took all of his self-control to keep it in check as he wound his keyblade back before sending it forward with a cry. He kept a hold of the handle and poured his magic in to the blade to make it change shape. It surged forwards, long and thin, before whipping around Aced and locking on to itself. Terra stood firm and pulled hard, and he tried not to enjoy the satisfaction of watching Aced stumble forwards.

The victory was short-lived as he heard Mickey cry out behind him. He span in time to see Mickey tumbling through the air before disappearing in to a knot of bushes. The distraction was all Aced needed to regain his balance and close the distance between them, and by the time he realised Aced was upon him he barely had the time to dodge the incoming attack. His keyblade snapped back in to its shape and he lifted it to block the next attack, and the next. Aced's powerful barrage kept him on the defensive, stumbling backwards through the underbrush until his foot was snared by a wayward root. He fell hard, his entire body trembling, and was unable to stop Aced from placing the tip of his keyblade beneath Terra's chin.

"This was… interesting," he said. To Terra's surprise he stood back, banishing his keyblade with a flick of his wrist. Ira appeared at his side, hands clasped behind him as he peered down at Terra.

"I have learned all I wish to learn," he said. Aced nodded in agreement.

"As have I. We should return to the others." Ira nodded once before turning away, summoning a dark corridor with a mere flourish of his fingers. The darkness that poured from it made Terra's head spin.

"You both have much to learn," Ira said solemnly. "You should continue your training, Master Terra. We will call you when the time is ready." He clapped his hands twice and the shadows at his feet began to swell and bulge before spitting out heartless. Terra's heart sank as Ira and Aced turned and disappeared through the portal which closed swiftly behind them. Terra smothered a groan as he rolled to his feet, his body screaming in protest as he recalled his keyblade and fought off the nearest heartless.

"Mickey!" he cried. "Mickey, where are you?"

"I'm here, Terra," came the quiet response. Mickey emerged from the bushes in time to slice through several shadows with a single blow before lumbering to Terra's side where he tossed an elixir over them both. Terra felt his strength swell in response but it did little to soothe the ache in his muscles or the damaging blow to his pride. It was a struggle to keep fighting, and he couldn't hide his relief when, at last, Mickey said, "We should head back to the ship. We need to tell the others."

They fought their way to a small clearing where Mickey used the last of his magic to give them the time and the room they needed to teleport back to the ship. For several minutes they just sat in the cockpit, surrounded by silence. Terra's body was trembling from head to toe and he knew a hot shower and a long stretch would save him from agony tomorrow, but he couldn't bring himself to do it.

"You okay, Terra?" Mickey asked quietly. His voice was low and solemn, and it didn't seem right coming from the usually chipper king. Terra shuddered.

"I'm…" He didn't know how to describe what he was feeling. He hadn't received such a thrashing since his early days as an apprentice, when he had made the mistake of underestimating Aqua in one of their first spars. And even then, the fight had at least been followed by some good-natured ribbing to lift his spirits.

"I know," Mickey sighed. "Ira really is a formidable opponent. I'm guessing Aced was pretty strong, too." Terra nodded.

"Very," he answered.

"We knew they were powerful…" He hopped out of his chair and came to stand before Terra, reaching out and placing a gentle hand on his knee. "There will be more of us when we next see them."

"More of them, too," Terra muttered before he could stop himself. Mickey nodded.

"That's true, but we can't give up hope. We're stronger together," he said firmly. It took a moment for Terra to summon the strength to nod back, and he was rewarded with a small smile. "I'm going to call Chip and Dale and ask them to warn the others. You should get some rest, Terra."

"You should too." He nodded and smiled.

"I'll rest just as soon as I've passed on the message," he promised. "I won't be long." Terra nodded, too tired to argue the point further, and he slowly dragged himself down to the lower level of the ship and into his room where he fell heavily on to the bed, asleep before his head hit the pillow.

In addition to being a mermaid and a demoness, Kairi could now add 'pirate' and 'lion' to her ever growing list of Things I Became While Trying To Save Sora. She kept the list in the back of her journal along with sketches that Naminé had drawn. Naminé promised to replace them with printed pictures as soon as she could get her phone to Chip and Dale, but Kairi thought the drawings were much better. Despite the heartless that seemed to cling to their shadows at every turn, their adventures had been filled with an undeniable thrill that had left Kairi running on unbridled adrenaline, diving headfirst in to each fight and feeling a small thrill every time she noticed her strength increasing.

It was, of course, too good to last, and the message from Chip and Dale that the Apprentices were on the move was cold and sobering. Whilst she was undeniably stronger than she had been the last time she had faced them, she knew she would never be strong enough to overpower any one of them, and what little sleep she'd managed to find between Port Royal and Twilight Town had been filled with nightmares.

"We'd better be careful," said Goofy, his voice oddly solemn as they gathered in the cockpit and prepared to disembark.

"Stick together," Donald instructed. Naminé had reached for Kairi's hand and held it tightly as they descended in to the forest outside the town. It was midday, which meant they had the greatest chance of finding Hayner, Pence and Olette in town, but as they turned to make their way towards the sewers Kairi felt a hand snare her wrist. It pulled her in to the bushes as another clamped down over her mouth, and she found herself face to face with Olette who had placed a slender finger to her lips.

"What's going on?" Naminé whispered. Donald and Goofy appeared beside them a moment later, having been tackled in to the undergrowth by Hayner and Pence. Olette motioned for them to be quiet before she answered.

"These weird people appeared in town," she whispered. "We followed them out here and they went into the mansion."

"It was a man and a woman," Pence added. "We thought it might have been Roxas and Xion, but they know better than to appear in the middle of town in the middle of the day, and the people we saw were much taller." Kairi's stomach dropped.

"If Ira and Aced were with Mickey and Terra, then it could be Invi and Gula," she whispered, looking to Donald and Goofy who shared a nervous glance. Olette frowned.

"Who are they?" she asked. Kairi swallowed thickly.

"It's a long story," she answered.

"They're very bad news," said Goofy. Donald quickly shushed him.

"What did they look like?" Kairi asked.

"We couldn't tell," Hayner answered. "They were wearing those black cloaks." Kairi frowned; the Apprentices didn't wear the cloaks. As far as she knew, Luxu was the only one who even had one, but then she'd never seen any of them outside of the Graveyard. Perhaps they used them for travelling to protect themselves in the darkness of the Lanes Between. She wished now she'd thought to ask what Ira and Aced had been wearing.

"You guys should stay here," she said. "We'll go and check it out."

"No way," Pence said firmly. "We're coming with you."

"Yeah! We can take 'em!" Hayner added. He reached in to the bushes and withdrew a heavy wooden bat; Kairi's eyes bulged as she eyed the nails that had been hammered in to the top.

"Hayner!" she spluttered. Pence grimaced while Olette reached through them all to push Hayner's arm away.

"Put it down before you hurt someone!" she hissed with a furious glare.

"Where did you get that?" Donald asked nervously, his eyes never leaving the bat.

"He made it himself," Olette seethed through gritted teeth.

"It's better than a Struggle bat," he said with a shrug.

"You're not bringing it," Olette ordered. "Put it down."

"But-"

"Put it down! Let Kairi and the others take care of whoever's inside." Kairi swallowed thickly over the lump in her throat and was grateful when Naminé gave her hand a silent squeeze.

"There's no way we can convince you to stay out here, is there?" she asked. The trio shook their heads firmly and Kairi sighed. "Okay, but if I tell you to run, you run. Understand?"

"Got it," they chorused quietly.

"And if you have to run, you take Naminé," she added. Naminé frowned and shook her head.

"But, Kairi, I-"

"You take Naminé," Kairi pressed. Hayner, Pence and Olette shared an uncertain glance before nodding.

"We'll take Naminé," Hayner promised. Kairi felt Naminé pull their hands apart and she tried not to grimace.

"Then let's go."

They stuck to the trees as best they could until they reached the edge of the woods where they skirted around the edge of the overgrown grass before the gates and hugged the walls, ducking from one broken pillar to the next until they were well under the cover of the stone awning. The front door had been left ajar, and Kairi glanced as best she could through the gap.

"Coast's clear," she whispered. She pushed the door open slowly, just wide enough for them to sneak inside.

Not much had changed since they were last here, which made the two black cloaks draped over the balcony that much more noticeable. They were still warm, but barely, and Kairi felt her stomach twist anxiously. What could the Apprentices possibly want in Twilight Town? And with the mansion, no less? They checked the library first and then moved in to the lounge; the furniture was exactly as they had left it, though Olette and the others had cleared out their possessions. Only the projector remained, still facing the large sheet that hung above the fireplace. Both rooms were empty, and after regrouping in the foyer they moved upstairs. Naminé waited outside as they checked the white room – empty – and then together they headed through to the other side.

It occurred to Kairi that despite her stay in the mansion, she had never visited this side of the building before. It had been Pence's domain, and with Hayner and Olette more than happy to spend their time with Kairi and Naminé in the library or the lounge, Kairi had never really given it much thought. She knew that it would lead her to Ansem's computer, but she hadn't expected to pass through a small study first. That was when they first heard the voices; Donald and Goofy took up positions on either side of her and the others fell back a half step as they descended to the lower level of the mansion.

"The computer's just around this corner," Pence whispered. Kairi nodded.

"We should jump 'em," Donald hissed, gripping his staff firmly. Goofy nodded eagerly.

"The element of surprise!" he added. Kairi bit her lip and shook her head.

"It won't help us against the Apprentices," she whispered back. "They'll sense us coming."

"It's not the Apprentices," Naminé whispered quietly. Kairi glanced over her shoulder and her stomach dropped to see Naminé clutching tightly at Olette, her face even paler than usual. "I think… I think I recognise those voices…" Kairi edged closer, listening intently. Invi and Gula were the quietest Apprentices, apparently content to let the others speak more often than not. Whilst Kairi couldn't really hear what was being said, after a moment of listening she could tell that the voices coming from the computer room didn't sound like any of the Apprentices.

"Who are they?" she asked. Naminé's eyes were glued to the corner, and it took her a moment to find her voice again.

"I… I could be wrong," she whispered. "Just be careful." Kairi nodded.

"Stay here." She was grateful when Naminé merely nodded and allowed Hayner and Pence to slip in front of her defensively. Kairi gave them both a grateful nod before she turned back and took a steeling breath before peering around the corner.

The figures were definitely not the Apprentices. It was a man and a woman, as Pence had described, but Kairi couldn't say she recognised them at all. The man was tall and slender with pink hair that flared out around his neck, spilling over the large white collar of his shirt. He was dressed in a heavy black waistcoat with deep burgundy pants tucked in to gleaming black boots. The woman at his side had close-cropped blonde hair that brushed the collar of her pale blue jacket. Slender fingers fiddled absently with a heavy silver chain that was clipped to her black skirt, and there was considerable distance between the hem of the skirt and the top of the woman's knee-length blue socks.

Donald squawked and leapt out from their cover, brandishing his staff wildly.

"Marluxia and Larxene!" he shouted. Goofy was at his side in an instant, glowering at the pair over the top of his shield.

"We should'a known it would be you two causin' trouble." The blonde glanced at the trio over her shoulder and let out a heavy sigh.

"Ugh, really?" she whined. "Can't you leave us alone?"

"What are you doing here?" Donald demanded. She sniffed and lifted her nose in to the air.

"None of your business."

"Now, now, Elrena," the man said calmly. He turned away from the computer and fixed his piercing gaze on Kairi. She shivered. "We're not looking for trouble."

"Well that makes a change!" Donald spat. Elrena glared.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, you did cause us quite a bit of trouble the last time we saw ya," Goofy answered. Elrena huffed and folded her arms.

"And what about all the trouble you caused us?" she snapped. Keen eyes found Kairi then and she straightened, folding her arms with a huff and a glare. "You're not Sora." It almost sounded like an accusation. The tone caught Kairi off-guard and she shifted her weight awkwardly, unsure of what exactly she was supposed to say in response. Elrena studied her closely. "Do I know you from somewhere?"

"Leave her alone." Naminé stood at the edge of the corridor with the others close behind; Kairi didn't miss the way she was still clutching tightly at Olette's hand. Elrena smirked and her gaze became almost predatory as she locked eyes with Naminé.

"Look, Lauriam, it's our favourite little witch." Elrena took a step closer and the spike of fear that flared in Naminé's heart was all Kairi needed to quickly block Elrena's path, keyblade in hand. Elrena rocked back, putting distance between herself and the keyblade which was pointed squarely at her chest. Her eyes darted between Kairi and Naminé several times before she clapped her hands together and let out a shrill burst of laughter. "Oh so that's who you are! Sora's little princess!" She smirked and shifted her weight, popping her hip and turning her attention to Kairi. "She was supposed to replace you, you know."

"I know," Kairi replied coolly. The tip of her keyblade didn't waver. Elrena glanced down at it before sticking her nose in the air and folding her arms again.

"Looks like anyone can get their hands on a keyblade these days," she sniffed. "Don't go thinking you're anything special. You should put it away before you regret it." Her hands flashed and several gleaming daggers appeared between her fingers, each glinting dangerously as sparks of electricity danced along the blades. Donald and Goofy both let out a startled cry before they leapt forwards, placing themselves in front of Kairi.

"Elrena," the man – Lauriam – said softly, "I'm sure Kairi wants to avoid a fight just as much as we do." His voice was soft and smooth, and there was something strangely hypnotic about the way he spoke. He turned away from the computer, a hand reaching in to the pocket of his vest. Kairi braced herself, ready for some kind of weapon, and she was surprised when he instead pulled out a delicate pink rose which he offered to Kairi with a kindly smile.

"Don't touch it!" Naminé warned. Kairi hadn't even realised that she'd been reaching towards the flower; she quickly snatched her hand back and tightened her grip on her keyblade. Lauriam pursed his lips and turned his attention to Naminé as the flower dissolved in a burst of purple magic.

"If only you'd shown us that same sense of loyalty," he said. Naminé drew herself up tall and squared her shoulders.

"If only you'd earned it," she answered, eyes narrowing. Elrena let out another shrill burst of laughter.

"So you finally learned to talk back," she taunted. "Looks like you've been taking lessons from your somebody. Let's see if there's a bite behind that bark-" Kairi stepped closer and lifted her keyblade, resting the tip under Elrena's chin.

"Why are you here?" she demanded. Elrena glared and batted the keyblade aside with a sneer.

"Not telling," she snapped. "Come on, Lauriam, let's go. This place was a bust even before these losers showed up."

"Who are you calling a loser?" Donald huffed. Elrena ignored him as she swept past him with her nose in the air. Naminé flattened herself against wall while Hayner, Pence and Olette quickly formed a protective shield around her, though it didn't stop Elrena from lunging suddenly towards Naminé as she passed and laughing when Naminé flinched. Lauriam followed with much more dignity, pausing briefly to glance down at Kairi and her keyblade before following silently. Kairi watched them go, her eyes flicking to Naminé who was watching them closely.

"You're looking for your lost memories, aren't you?"

The pair froze. The hairs on the back of Kairi's arms stood to attention as Elrena turned back towards them, her eyes flashing as the air around her began to spark dangerously. She snarled and darted lightning-fast towards Naminé but Goofy was faster, leaping in to her path and ducking behind his shield. Elrena staggered back, eyes wild as she glared at Naminé.

"What did you do, you little witch?" she spat. Naminé was trembling from head to toe as Olette quickly pulled her back behind Kairi and Donald.

"Leave her alone!" Donald shouted, brandishing his staff wildly.

"I know what she can do," Elrena hissed, her eyes never leaving Naminé. "What did you do to our memories?"

"She didn't do anything!" said Kairi. "Luxord told us. He's missing his memories too, and he said that you guys were somehow involved." Elrena's glare shifted to her and she fought not to quiver beneath it. Behind it Lauriam narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.

"Luxord…" he murmured. "So that's where he disappeared to. He did ask us about our memories, if you remember." Elrena clenched her jaw together so tightly Kairi could almost hear the squeaking of her teeth as she ground them together.

"I remember," Elrena bit out curtly. "I should have known he'd go crawling to you for help."

"Tell me," said Lauriam, "did Luxord find that box he was searching for?"

"Box?" Kairi asked. "What box?" Goofy straightened slightly, scratching at the back of his neck.

"That's right! He was lookin' for a box when we saw him in the Caribbean," Goofy said. Donald's eyes bulged.

"Oh yeah!" Lauriam chuckled softly.

"I'll take that as a no, then," he said. "Come, Elrena. Let's move on." Elrena fired off one last electrifying glare before turning sharply on her heel and following Lauriam out of sight.

"Hey! Wait!" Donald squawked, scrambling after them.

"Donald!" Goofy called. Donald stopped and turned back to face them.

"We have to find out where they're going!" he said. "We can't let them get away." Goofy frowned and scratched his head again.

"I don't think they're gonna cause any more trouble," he said. Donald glowered and folded his arms, tapping his foot ominously.

"I don't trust them," he grumbled. Kairi glanced back to Naminé who was still trembling.

"Come on, let's get some air," said Kairi. Naminé shook her head fervently.

"I don't want to see them again," she whispered. Kairi gave her a reassuring smile.

"Then you wait here while we go and make sure the coast is clear," she said. This seemed to satisfy Donald too, and he clutched his staff tightly as they made their way back through the study.

By the time they reached the foyer, Lauriam and Elrena had already slipped their way back in to their cloaks. Lauriam reached in to his pocket and withdrew a gleaming gem the size of his fist. The gem looked as though it might have been in the shape of a star if it hadn't been fractured, allowing a yellow-green bolt to emerge from the fissure.

"A star shard!" Goofy exclaimed. Lauriam and Elrena looked up at them, the latter glaring dangerously.

"Where did you get that?" Donald demanded.

"None of your business," Elrena snapped.

"We will stay out of your way," Lauriam said calmly, "so long as you stay out of ours. Don't worry-" he added as Donald sucked in a deep breath, "we know about the rules. We will maintain your precious world order." Donald deflated, choosing instead to narrow his eyes and glare at the pair as they opened the grand doors and stepped out in to the sunlight where they faced each other, clasped their hands around the star shard, and disappeared in a burst of light that shot straight up in to the sky.

The tension in the air disappeared almost immediately, aside from the occasional grumble from Donald. Goofy went back to assure the others that the coast was clear, and they quickly moved through out in to the back garden where Naminé began to visibly relax as she settled in with Hayner, Pence and Olette to explain why they had come here in the first place. Kairi sat off to one side with Donald and Goofy, keeping one eye on Naminé whilst she spoke to the others in a low voice.

"What box was Luxord looking for?" she asked. Donald and Goofy shared an uncertain look and a shrug.

"We don't know," Donald answered, his voice glum. Goofy sat up taller with a bright smile.

"Hey! Why don't we ask him?" he suggested. It took Kairi a moment to catch on to his meaning, and when it finally clicked she pulled her phone from her pocket. Luxord didn't have a phone of his own yet, at least not that she knew of, so she instead called Riku who answered with a concerned frown.

"Kairi! Is everything all right?"

"It's fine," she answered, "but we were hoping to speak to Luxord. Is he there?" Riku's expression became a strange mix between a polite smile and a confused frown and he paused for a moment as though checking that he had understood correctly.

"Yeah, he's… Let me go get him." He disappeared for a moment and Kairi caught flashes of the floor and the walls followed by a muffled conversation in which her name was mentioned several times with increasing confusion. Eventually the phone was passed from one hand to another and Luxord's face came in to view.

"Kairi," he greeted warmly. "What an unexpected surprise."

"Luxord, we need to ask you about a box," she said. "Donald and Goofy said you were looking for one back when you were still with the Organisation." Luxord sighed heavily and the corners of his lips twitched in to a tired smile.

"Ah, yes. The box."

"Did you find it?" Donald asked.

"Sadly, no. I thought I might have been on to something with Captain Sparrow, but his was not the box I sought."

"What exactly is this box?" Kairi asked. "What's inside it?"

"Nobody knows for sure, but it is said that the box contains hope," he answered. "It was something that Xemnas instructed us to look for, though he never said why. I know only that it is a black box. It didn't seem overly important, though."

"What do you mean?" Goofy asked.

"When Xehanort summoned us to the Keyblade Graveyard for the final clash, neither he nor Xemnas seemed overly concerned with the fact that nobody had succeeded in finding it." He glanced to the side suddenly, his brow furrowing in thought. He pursed his lips and tapped his chin. "Although…"

"What is it?" Riku's voice was muffled. Luxord seemed to glance on him; his eyes focused on something beyond the phone in his hand.

"The order to search for the box never came from the Superior," Luxord murmured. "Xigbar was the one to deliver the order." Kairi frowned.

"So it came from Luxu?"

"It would seem that way," Luxord answered, turning his attention back to them. "Perhaps Xemnas was not disappointed that we had failed to retrieve it because he did not even know that we were looking for it in the first place."

"So this box might have something to do with Luxu," Donald said with a frown.

"Maybe there was a reason he sent you to look for it," Goofy suggested. Luxord nodded slowly.

"It could be linked to the keyblade legacy," he murmured. "I'm curious, though; why do you ask?"

Kairi quickly brought him up to speed on their encounter with Lauriam and Elrena. Luxord was a little disappointed but otherwise unaffected.

"I see," he murmured. "Well it was to be expected. I have crossed paths with them on a handful of occasions since our recompletion and have received a similar response. I believe they are looking for their memories, but they prefer to do it together. They were certainly close during their time in the Organisation, and I have often wondered if that relationship predates their time as Nobodies. It appears that my assumptions were correct." Riku appeared then, his concerned face floating near Luxord's shoulder

"Kairi, are you all right?" he asked. "I know what they're like and they can be… difficult."

"Yeah, we're fine," she answered. "There was no fighting." She paused and glanced over her shoulder, finding Naminé. She was seated opposite Olette, holding the girl's hands with her eyes closed. "Naminé seemed to know them too, and they really scared her." Riku's expression grew dark and he pressed his lips in to a firm line.

"They were the ones who kept her in Castle Oblivion and forced her to mess with Sora's memories," he answered. Kairi felt a burning rage begin to pool in her belly.

"Did they hurt her?" she asked. Luxord handing the phone to Riku who grimaced as he walked away, putting space between himself and Luxord. Kairi heard a door close behind him.

"Not that I know of," he answered at last, "but somehow they managed to capture her within hours of her creation. She was still very… new. They didn't have to hurt her to scare her." The words weren't as comforting as they should have been, and Kairi glanced back to Naminé again. She knew there were portions of her life that Kairi knew nothing of, but the thought of anyone trying to harm her threatened to fan the spark of rage in to a roaring flame.

"Kairi." Riku's voice drew her attention back to the phone and she saw him watching her carefully. "Don't worry about them – they're not our focus right now. If they're happy to ignore us then we should ignore them. We have bigger enemies to worry about." Kairi sighed and smothered her anger, nodding slowly.

"You're right," she said. Riku nodded.

"If you do cross paths again, don't try and fight them," he warned. "They're not strong but they're fast and they're clever, and when they fight together they're extremely dangerous. It's not worth the risk; not when we have Luxu and the Apprentices to worry about." Kairi buried her irritation behind a small smile; Riku meant well, after all, and it sounded as though even he would be apprehensive about fighting the pair again. It was a warning he would give to anyone.

"Message received," she said at last. Riku gave her a grateful smile.

They lapsed in to small talk then. Despite all their hard work, there had been little progress with Luxord and Ven and everyone was starting to become tetchy. Even the ever-bubbly Ven had retreated somewhat, often taking himself for solitary walks to the summit until well after dark. Kairi didn't need Riku to tell her of his bitter frustration; she saw it in the droop of his shoulders and the way he continued to run an anxious hand through his hair. There were bags under his eyes, and whilst he had never been prone to face-splitting grins like Sora, what few smiles he offered her were forced and strained.

"I'm starting to wonder if this has all been a waste of time," he muttered. "What if we don't find anything? We could have been out there helping instead of… this." Kairi fought a smile.

"You're just upset that you're the one stuck waiting for a change," she teased. He huffed a dry half-laugh and the corner of his lips lifted in to a small smile.

"You're probably right," he said. "Although… I think if we don't find anything soon, we'll probably put an end to it. Luxord's a competent fighter, and he's mastered the basics of handling a keyblade pretty quickly. Maybe it's time we set out and did more to help…" He trailed off, stifling a yawn in to his fist. Kairi smiled.

"You should get some rest. What time is it for you?"

"It's not even that late," he murmured. "Are you holding up okay?" She arched an eyebrow but didn't try to pull him up on how quickly he changed the subject.

"I'm…" She glanced up from the phone then, noticing for the first time that Donald and Goofy had settled some distance away in the grass to give her some room. Goofy was lying on his back, his cap over his eyes and snoring lightly while Donald was watching Naminé and the others closely. Kairi couldn't help but smile at the sight of them. "I'm doing okay. It's been challenging, but in a good way."

"No trouble from the Apprentices?" Her stomach twisted nervously.

"None," she answered, turning her gaze back to the screen. "Believe me, if we see them you'll know about it." Riku looked as though he might have smiled had it not been time for him to stifle another yawn. Kairi gave him her best stern face. "Get to bed, mister. You need sleep."

"All right, all right," he laughed. "Stay safe, Kairi."

"You too."

So here's a thing I realised when writing this chapter: we have never seen Mickey and Terra talk to each other on-screen. They never met in Birth By Sleep, and they don't speak to each other at all in KHIII. I realised this when I was trying to figure out why it was so damn hard to write them together.

Please let me know what you thought about this chapter! Smash that review button, and I'll see you in the next chapter.