Terra woke late at night, his stomach rumbling.

He shook his head and swung out of bed. He made his way silently through the castle. He entered the dining hall, passed on through for the kitchens.

He yawned as he stepped through the doorway - and stopped at the sight of light.

He chuckled to himself, slowly moving further in and craning his neck.

It seemed like someone else here had had the same idea about late night snacks.

Who was it, though?

Ven? Aqua? Sora or Kairi? Riku? Roxas, Xion? Doubtful, on those last two...

Terra turned on the lights in the kitchen.

A loud clattering, a voice giving a muffled cry.

And Terra found himself...facing someone unexpected, but familiar.

A teenaged girl was sitting at the counter. A teenaged girl with shoulder length dark hair, wearing a...familiar silver jacket? She stared at him with wide, pink eyes that almost glowed, even in the light now.

Her cheeks were bulging, bits and pieces of food were falling out of her overstuffed mouth.

"Mm sohwwy!" Her barely intelligible voice came. "Rhikoo sahd I-"

"E-Erin?" Terra said, incredulous. "You're...alive? And you're here?! Wait, what did Riku say?"

Erin gazed at him uncertainly. Then she rapidly chewed and swallowed her mouthful. She winced, reached for a huge jug of juice to down. The girl gasped in relief, tears in her eyes. She wiped at those tears and sat back in her chair.

"Riku told me that if I was missing food so much, I could find some here," Erin spoke again. "Sneaking my way around places isn't exactly a foreign concept to me, so I took my chances." She paused. Then went on passionately, "It's just been so loooong, you have no idea! It's like sensory deprivation - it's a form of torture! No arms, no legs, no mouth - no pain, sure, but no pleasure either!"

Terra frowned, approaching the counter. He pulled a chair over and sat with the girl. "I can't help but feel like I'm missing some kind of context here. Could you put this all into some...sort of form of that for me, please?" Really, he was still stuck on the shock of waking up at night to the sight of a dead person raiding his pantries.

"Of course! The long and short of it is that, well, I was dead," Erin shrugged. "I did die back there in Twilight Town. But then I woke up again, drifting in some place of ocean and sky. A beautiful place, yeah - but the luster faded quickly on that one, let me tell you. Over the course of my time there, interacting with the other Hearts, I learned it's a place where Hearts go who don't want to move on yet. Who hold strong dreams, emotional attachments, or have lingering regrets and fears. I fit that bill perfectly, didn't I?"

"The Final World..." Terra breathed. Only a few people had ever gone there - and made it back again - over the course of history. Mostly, events recounted during dreams. But there had been a powerful mage or two who had actually been capable of going there and back on their own power and will, while fully awake and alive. Even still, what little people knew about that realm had filled up a single page in an old research book. And, as far as history books were concerned, such visits to that place were footnotes at best. All this to say, to have this girl he knew had died just...sitting here, claiming to have come back from that realm...it was overwhelming in its own way.

"The 'Final World'? Is that what it's called?" Erin tilted her head at him. She gave a small, amused smile. "I just called it a personal Hell."

"I...can't imagine what it was like for you there," Terra stammered out, shaking his head to regain himself. "But, I'm more interested in how you're here in the world of the living again."

"Riku." Erin smiled a bright smile. "The other day he was dreaming - thinking about me - and he ended up appearing there. He found me, and after we talked a little, he told he he'd come up with a plan to help me get another shot at life. And it worked! Here I am again! It's crazy, isn't it?"

"It's...definitely...unexpected - but not unwelcome at all," Terra said quickly. "I'm just still a little hazy about the details."

"Honestly, I'm hazy about all this as well," the girl replied. "There's still so much about the world - scratch that - worlds that I've got no idea about. And that's not even getting into this whole concept of 'Hearts.' But, the best I can explain it is how Riku explained it to me. Riku, he...took my Heart into his body - and when he woke up again, he brought me out of that 'Final World' with him. He said his friend Sora had done something similar once when he was very little, for a friend named Ventus. So Riku thought: if Sora could do it for this Ventus person, why couldn't he do it for me just the same?"

"Incredible," Terra whispered. "Well, now that you're here with us again..."

"Riku was going to tell you all in the morning," Erin said swiftly. "He just wasn't sure how to even begin to approach the subject - he said he was just going to sleep on it for now."

"Completely understandable," Terra assured, smiling at her. "And when he tells us all in the morning, I'll be sure to act surprised."

Erin laughed, brushing at her strands of dark hair. "Sorry about stealing your food-"

"It's not stealing - you're a guest here, just like Riku and the others," Terra cut her off gently. "Just...a bit of an unexpected one."

Erin looked at him, then she relaxed - took a long drag of some more juice. "Riku told me what you two did for me, back in Twilight Town - after I died. I'm not sure whether or not I could ever find the right words to tell you just how much that means to a girl like me..." she spoke slowly, deliberately, in that way she had.

"It was the least we could do for you. It was the least you deserved," Terra replied softly.

"Back in my world, people like me, after we die we're destined to be forgotten," Erin went on, almost casually. "No one really mourns us, no one really cares that we're gone. No one digs us a grave, no one gives us a fancy casket - no one goes and sits with us and talks to us, or puts jewelry on our headstones. People would just as sooner spit on and desecrate our graves than anything else, if they found out we had one."

"I'm...sorry..." Terra said, more than a little horrified at the information - and angry. "That's despicable."

"No, that's just the way it goes," Erin responded, with a wry grin. "But you and Riku both...you gave me more than any one of my people could have hoped to have. So I'd like to...thank you. But just saying thank you can't possibly be good enough!"

"It is for me. And I'm sure it is for Riku, as well."

"Only because he wallows in guilt and thinks he doesn't deserve that sort of praise - or simple gratitude," Erin responded. She shook her head. "Like he's the only one who's done things he feels awful about..."

"I think his guilt...is going to be something that stays with him forever," Terra responded thoughtfully. "But, I'm happy to get to tell you that he is getting better about that kind of thing. It's slow, but it's progress."

"That's really great to hear," Erin said earnestly. "And you - it looks as if things are looking up for you now, as well, aren't they? You have a body and everything, unlike before!"

"I do. In a manner of speaking, anyway."

"Think you could introduce me to the one who pulled that trick off?" Erin said hopefully.

"I'm incredibly sorry to have to say this, but I think what worked for me won't necessarily work for you, Erin. The nature of our...predicaments are different, let's say. And the solution applied to mine...I'm not sure it can be applied to yours."

"I suppose I should've expected that to be the answer," Erin sighed, slumping forward. "I just can't seem to catch a break, can I? Alive or dead. There's always something stopping me from fully grasping life with both hands..."

"We'll find a way," Terra said gently, reaching out to pat her shoulder.

"Thank you," Erin said flatly, raising a fist to touch to her forehead. "I can at least appreciate the optimism. And I don't want to be ungrateful for what I have here now - for what Riku's given me. A second chance! It's wonderful, it's...I thought I was going to be trapped in that place for the rest of eternity. Funny, that, isn't it? All I wanted was endless years of a future ahead of me, but when I finally had all the time in the world, I couldn't do anything with it. I was just this helpless little star drifting on the waters."

"We're already part of the way there," Terra said firmly. "We'll get you the rest of the way back to this world. I promise you that - all right?"

The girl straightened up again, letting her hand fall away. Letting her fingers uncurl. "All right - but don't strain yourself trying too hard at that."

"I'll keep that in mind," Terra said lightly. "Now, do you want to be left alone here, or would you like some company?"

The girl looked at him with those neon pink eyes of hers, uncertain now. And she looked, then, like nothing but a girl. The girl he'd seen emerge over the course of that week in Twilight Town. The girl Riku had helped bring to the surface... "Some company would be really great right about now."

"Alright," Terra said. And he stayed with her for several more hours into the night.

Conversation was relatively light - he just filled her in on everything that had been going on since her...death. With Riku, and the rest of them. He'd had to back up and explain some things to her - like the Heartless, Keyblades, etc - but she was an excellent listener, and seemed to understand it all fairly well by the end of things.

"Unfortunately, that leaves us with a bit of a conundrum," Terra said neutrally, eyeing the girl.

"How's Riku going to continue saving the worlds if he's having to worry about me getting hurt as well?" Erin ventured.

Terra nodded. Then he shook his head quickly. "Well, no, it's more the opposite, Erin: we wouldn't want to put you into the line of fire. And I'm sure Riku will say the same."

"I don't want to get in the way of him doing what he thinks he has to do in order to make up for the things he's done - all those terrible things he's told me about," Erin said firmly - but quiet. "I'm still hoping I can find some way of making up for what I've done in the past, as well...someday, some way. Before, I never imagined I'd even have the time to try - but now it's looking like I might actually be able to...set out and do something."

"Do you want to go back to your world, then?" Terra said gently.

Erin shook her head. She sat back in her seat and placed her hands into the pockets of her jacket. Her head fell back, her eyes raising to the ceiling. "I have time, now. We all do - thanks to you and Riku."

"We just helped - all we did was lend your people our strength so they could free themselves," Terra replied.

"Well regardless..." The girl gave a small smile to herself, losing herself in thought. "I couldn't take Riku away from your cause in the name of my own. Your fight's more important than mine, either way, isn't it? You're fighting out here for all worlds: I'd only be looking to settle affairs in my own. That's something that can wait."

She was wise, Terra reflected. This girl before him. But...wise in a different way from, say, Aqua or Kairi. Kairi's wisdom was deep, of the Heart, instinctive - and above all: it was light. But Erin's wisdom came from experience...and an altogether darker place. A harsher life. The other side of the coin. Her maturity beyond her years stemmed from struggle and observation, fighting daily in a world that oppressed and despised her for simply existing at all. It was bitterness, it was anger, and it was a heaviness. A weight. The weight she carried. On her shoulders, and in her Heart. And yet, despite it...

"If you're sure," Terra accepted, ultimately.

"I'll be fine for a while longer," Erin said, and she gave a wide grin. "I know that for certain, now. You all can just go on acting like I'm not even here. I want you...I want Riku...to keep doing what you're doing. Even if that puts me at risk. Besides, I know where I'll end up now, don't I?" she added, a glint to her eyes.

"If that's what you want," Terra said.

"It's really all right with me," the girl insisted, holding his gaze.

Well, even if he had his own misgivings, Terra would see that her wishes were respected.


"Okay, so Riku found you in the afterlife and took your Heart out of there - and now you're back here, alive again...inside him?" Kairi said slowly.

Nobody exactly wanted to crowd this girl or anything - but it kind of worked out that way.

Terra had called them all into the throne room early in the morning...and she'd been there. This girl. The one Riku had talked about before, briefly. The girl he'd gotten his jacket from. The girl who'd died.

Who was apparently now...alive again. Inside Riku's body. Using it now - making it look like her own.

Because of convoluted means and miracles.

Well, that was kind of their thing, wasn't it?

Although...

"Wait, so if you're using Riku's body, just made to look like yourself when you're in control of it, how come you can see?" Kairi said, frowning.

Erin paused, looking thoughtful. Then, she gave a small laugh. "I'm not really sure how this all works - I'd think any of you people would be able to answer that one better than me."

"A Heart gives shape to a body - something we have a few core examples of already," Terra ruminated. "Xehanort, using my own - and using Nysa's; Ven's Heart in Sora's, which gave Roxas his appearance. And it isn't all just like some kind of illusion magic: it isn't surface level. When I say 'appearance' I don't only mean the outside. It's inside and outside, it's the entire makeup and configuration of a body. And it's a lot more malleable than we think...if you know how to mold it."

"So Riku still has to lose his eyesight when he gets back in control of himself?" Sora frowned deeply. "That's not fair..."

"It doesn't seem too fair, no," Terra agreed, sighing.

"I'm sorry," Erin offered quietly, looking guilty now. "I shouldn't get to enjoy this when Riku doesn't-"

"Yes, you should," Terra said firmly. "Isn't that the whole reason Riku came up with this plan for you? To find a way to allow you to enjoy this World? To live again? I think Riku would want you to...take hold of it with both hands, no matter what."

Erin nodded silently, still looking troubled by the notion.

"How did her clothes change?" Kairi mused. "We've seen that happen before, with different people inhabiting different bodies - but how does that work? Fair enough that a body can change...but the clothes with it?"

"Well...magic," Terra said, with a small grin. "Though, in all seriousness, what clothing we choose to wear, day in and day out, becomes something so routine and natural that it becomes a part of our self-image - along with everything else, like the color of our hair, or the way we style our hair. Wearing makeup, painting nails, every aspect of our appearance - it's all a part of who we are, as much as our personality or the scars on our bodies."

"So that's a magic dress that magicked itself out of thin air...?" Kairi went on.

"That sounds about right," Terra nodded.

"Darn..." Kairi muttered, slumping. "Oh well."

"What?" said Terra, curious.

Kairi grinned. "Nothing..."

"Alright, then - I believe you," Terra said mildly. He glanced at Aqua, giving a nod. "If that's introductions out of the way, I think we can leave you all to yourselves for a while."

"Training can wait until the afternoon, I suppose," Aqua added, smiling at Erin.

The pair of Masters left the vast chamber, leaving the children alone with each other.

"Soooo..." Kairi said, turning to Erin with a smile. "I know Terra already told you a lot, but we should do a proper get-to-know-you here!"

"That sounds like a great place to start," the girl nodded, smiling back. "Since all of you put together are more well-traveled than I'll ever be, would you mind starting first? It's just that I'd really love to hear all about the places you've been, and the things you've done."

"Let's start simple," Kairi decided. "I'm Kairi - from Destiny Islands. Keyblade wielder, Princess of Heart, and a big arts and crafts lover. Okay, Sora, your turn," she added, giving him a fond look.

"Hehe, well, uhhh, I'm Sora - but she just told you that! - and I'm also from Destiny Islands. Kairi's my best friend - so is Riku. Oh, and I'm also a Keyblade wielder! I like hanging out with my friends and playing on the beach. I'm also kind of a swordfighting expert; I've been sparring and training with Riku since I was little." Sora beamed, turning to Roxas (who was, as ever, keeping a good distance from Sora). "Okay, you next, Roxas!"

Roxas blinked. He looked to Erin. "Uh...I'm Roxas? I used to be a part of this Organization - I'm a Nobody and a Keyblade wielder. I was made from Sora and Kairi - and I guess a bit of Ven played a role in that, too," he added, nodding to Ventus in acknowledgement. "Oh, yeah, and I have a twin sister. Her name's Xikira. She's not with us right now...but I'm hoping I get to see her again soon."

"Great work!" Kairi told him. "Okay, Xion, go for it - you next!" she said, turning to her sister with a grin.

"U-um...well..." Xion wrung her hands, bowing her head. "I- I'm a Keyblade wielder, too. I'm also a Replica. I was made by the Organization - made to look like Kairi. And to fight her. But she adopted me so we're sisters now. Oh...and I just got a hobby the night before last - I collect seashells now." She glanced at Kairi, then at Erin, giving a small smile as she added, "Do you want to see them? All of them look different from each other, and I think they're...interesting and - cute?"

Erin was watching Xion closely - paying utmost attention. Sitting upright, those pink eyes wide and alert. A smile on her face. "Sure I would. I'd really like to see your collection!"

Xion looked shocked, like she hadn't expected the answer to actually be a yes. Then she jumped up from the floor, smiling. "Ok! I'll take you to my room."

Erin stood, nodding. "Lead the way."

Kairi and the others followed them out of the throne room, into east wing.

If nothing else, Kairi thought to herself as they walked together, Riku knew how to pick his friends (meaning people who were better than he was, himself).

Kairi liked this girl already. And she was confident they could become great friends!

She missed her friends, really. She missed Selphie, Tidus, all of them back home...

But she'd see them again someday.

And when she did, she'd have all new friends to introduce them to, hopefully!


The next morning after the revelation of Erin's return, when everyone had gathered in the throne room again, Masters Aqua and Terra informed them all that they were going to be venturing out together to seal a Keyhole.

Specifically, the Keyhole to that world where they'd fought Ansem - Xehanort's Heartless. The world of flying ships, and that strange space between planets that was full of air and gases.

It was a task they had left unfulfilled! But now was the time to go back and finish it.

They would be taking everyone along on this one, on the off-chance that they ran into any major trouble - like, say, some version of Xehanort again. Or any Organization members. Or any crazy naked Replica ladies...

There were just too many threats running around now, Kairi reflected ruefully.

Well, at least it really couldn't get any worse.

They departed from Land of Departure, boarding the good old Pestilence again, leaving for their destination through the Lanes Between.

As soon as they arrived in the new world, into that space between planets called the Etherium, Kairi was already reaching out with her Heart for the Keyhole. Trying to sense it, to find it...to let her own Heart of a Princess guide them to it. This one, she told herself, was going to be a quick, in and out, five minute adventure! No Xehanorts, no Organizations, no Replicas! Nobody would even know they were here, in fact! They'd be done in a snap.

The search for the Keyhole led them on a several-hours-long journey across the stars...until something came into view.

A new planet - with a moon.

"It's somewhere down there - on that planet," Kairi said, pointing out ahead, past the Pestilence's bow.

"What a beautiful moon," Aqua spoke, a smile on her face as she strode for the front of the ship.

Kairi nodded, smiling too.

It was a half-moon. A crescent. But it glowed so bright, even from afar...and even against the backdrop of stars.

As they soared nearer and nearer to that planet - and that moon - it became clear to them, however, that the moon wasn't a moon at all!

"It's some sort of space station...or - space city?" Terra remarked as he manned the ship's wheel, marveling at the sight - the clearer picture now shown to them of that place.

It was massive, and curved, a surface littered with buildings of all shapes and sizes. And at the edges, there were docks - ports - where ships big and small were resting. Coming and going, too, with billowing sails of golden light, and brightly burning engines behind them.

"Any chance the Keyhole's over there?" Sora said to Kairi hopefully, pointing out at the remarkable structure.

"Sorry - but it's definitely on the actual planet," Kairi giggled.

Aqua glanced at them, that smile still there, then shook her head to herself silently.

"Wish I could see what you guys see," Riku murmured, coming up on Kairi's right. "Then again - wish you guys could sense what I'm sensing."

"What are you sensing?" Aqua asked curiously.

"There are a lot of powerful, bright Hearts over there - it's pretty overwhelming, to be honest," Riku replied, with a grimace. "Never actually felt so many in one place before. Not even Disney Town was like this..."

"You can really sense all of that from way over here?" Kairi said. "I think I'm impressed - just a little."

"Just a little, huh?" Riku grinned. "Guess I'll take it."

"Just don't let it go to your head," she retorted.

"Wouldn't dream of it," said Riku, half serious now.

They regretfully passed that moon-shaped space city by, flying down onto the planet itself. It proved to be a stark contrast to the space city hanging above it, surprisingly; when they dropped down from the clouds, it was to a...fairly barren, rocky sort of environment. There were rusting metal constructs and buildings scattered about, but...mostly it was empty canyons and rock formations.

"Do you think something happened to this place, or is this just how it's meant to look?" Kairi pondered aloud.

"I think it's meant to be this way naturally," Aqua remarked, peering down at the land below, as they gently glided over it. She raised a slender arm to point. "There - you see those buildings? And those contraptions next to them? I think they're for digging. Or-"

"Mining, maybe?" Sora suggested.

"My thoughts exactly, yes," Aqua smiled. "Of course...taking too much from the land can result in its own consequences."

"So where's the Keyhole?" Roxas asked, coming up to the front of the ship now as well - with Xion beside him. Ven was lingering at the back, with Terra, having their own little talk, it looked like.

Kairi glanced at Roxas. She grinned and put a hand to her chest. "Still working on that, okay? Take a seat, because it might be a while. It's not really precise, this Princess Keyhole sensing stuff..."

"Sorry," Roxas said, hesitant.

"Oh, you're fine," Kairi laughed. "Just relax, would you? Exploring a world is about having fun as much as anything else. You get to know the place - and the people, hopefully, too! So loosen up and have some fun with it!"

Roxas stared at her. Then he gave a small smile, nodding. "Right."

Aqua didn't say anything, but Kairi caught the tiny little frown that flashed across her lips saying she didn't exactly agree on that point.

Kairi chose to ignore it, if the woman wasn't really going to say anything outright.

No harm, no foul.

Kairi turned away, looking to Terra and calling out to him from across ship's length, "Hey - why don't you set us down right here in one of these canyons? It'd be a nice hiding spot for us while we go look for that Keyhole! It's close - I can feel it!"

Terra gave her a considering look. Then he shrugged and nodded, maneuvering the ship down into a wide, deep canyon full of those rusty buildings and big contraptions.

The Pestilence settled down onto dry, broken, rocky rubble with some serious crunching and grinding noises.

My poor baby... Kairi thought, stroking the railing and giving it a few pats. One of these days we're going to have to spruce you up - give you a nice good cleaning! If you keep taking damage at this rate...all these nicks and scrapes will add up eventually!

Anyway - oh, right - focusing on finding a Keyhole!

The group disembarked, landing on dusty, rocky ground.

Kairi coughed, wiping her hands on her longcoat and coming away dusty. She patted at her pockets, making sure her battle items were there: crazy Star Shard as a "break in case of emergency" item; Simba's Summon Gem (also as an emergency only thing - she really didn't want to be taking advantage of a living being's Heart to fight battles for her); two Hi-Potions, and a valuable Elixer.

She led the group away from the ship, starting off down the length of this vast, rugged canyon. Following her Heart. She followed it past decaying buildings, walking between the huge machines. She wasn't exactly happy when she began to sense something familiar up ahead: Darkness. Heartless.

But, on the other hand, that might mean they were close...

Because the Heartless were drawn to the Keyholes looking to destroy it, just the same as she was drawn to them to protect them.

Kairi continued forward for some time before she stopped, turning instinctively to look to her left. She started off toward the side of the canyon. Strode around a large, round building with patchy holes in the walls and a fallen strip of pipes...and stopped at the sight of a cave entrance. A crumbling, rocky hole in the side of the canyon wall - leading into a dark, downward slope of a tunnel.

"Awww, don't tell me that the Keyhole is in there..." Ven groaned.

Kairi turned, flashing a grin over her shoulder as she brushed back her hair. "Don't fight the call to adventure."

"Heh - are you scared?" Sora teased Ven. "I'll go in first, then!"

"Do you just want to go in first because you're scared?" Riku remarked. "Tell you what - I'll go first. It's not like the darkness will make much of a difference for me."

"Children..." Aqua said in a trying-to-be-patient-with-antics voice. "Kairi, are you sure that the Keyhole is down there somewhere?"

"Absolutely," Kairi said seriously. She glanced at Master Terra, adding thoughtlessly, "It might be a tight fit for you, with all that muscly bulk." She blushed hard in the immediate aftermath, as all eyes found her (and many people began to either laugh, or inexplicably choke on nothing).

"Point well taken. I'll guard the entrance and wait for you small-fries to get back," Terra replied, amused.

"I'll help," Xion said instantly.

"I can do guard duty too," Roxas said quickly.

Kairi stared between them both. Then, she narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "There's no way you two are scared of the dark. Not both of you."

"I am," Xion insisted. "I don't want to go down there."

Kairi frowned. "Why? What's going on, sis?"

"I don't want to go!" Xion snapped. Actually, legitimately snapped at Kairi! A shocking world's first! Now everyone was looking at Xion (something the girl withered under instantly, in sharp contrast to her unusual outburst of a mere second ago).

"Okay, well nobody's going to force you," Kairi said lightly, giving the girl a careful smile. "Roxas - are you scared of something too?"

Roxas shook his head. Then, he looked uncertain. He glanced at Xion. "I'm not - but she is. And I want to be there for her."

"That is so sweet!" Kairi beamed. "Just for that, we're definitely letting them stay out here! Although - Master Terra - if you could still keep an eye on them for me..."

"I'll keep my eyes wide open," Terra replied, with a chortle.

"Okay - let's go, then," Aqua said, clearing her throat. "If we're decided..."

"Are you sure you won't have any problems getting in there?" Kairi said impishly.

Aqua's head whipped around, her jaw dropping. Her cheeks turned an incredibly deep pink. Then, she burst into laughter. Actually holding her sides, doubling over with laughter! "Oh, K-Kairi, don't- don't try and flatter me like that...I'm not so vain. Particularly not after- what will never be spoken of by anyone here again."

"Really?" Kairi grinned. "I mean, I'm not saying anything, but if I were you I think I'd be a little proud of myself and what I've got-"

"Okay - no, no - we need to focus here!" Aqua interrupted, straightening and raising her hand. "All of us...need to focus! We have a task, we have- important- critical- save the teasing for post-mission relief, please. Thank you."

"Sorry, Master," Kairi said sincerely, sobering herself up quick. "You're right. We have something important to do here."

"I'm glad you've seen some sense," Aqua said, a little breathless in aftermath of her laughter explosion. "Ahem - so now..." She reached up and smacked her hand to her pauldron, her armor materializing around her in a flash of light (except her helmet). "I will be going first, as the Master - to make sure nothing unexpected jumps out at my apprentices."

Aqua strode forward, hunkering down and climbing into the hole, her armor scraping against the jagged, tight walls. Her long cape snagged, and she gave it an undignified tug until it was free again. Slowly, with clanging and clacking noises, she disappeared further down into the dark.

"How is it down there?" Kairi called in after her Master, after a minute of waiting.

"Incredibly narrow - with a very low ceiling!" Aqua's voice echoed back up to them. "Now get down here yourselves!"

"Okay, we're coming down - so scooch over, make room, whatever you have to in there!" Kairi paused. "That wasn't more teasing - I was being totally straight-faced and serious!" she added quickly, as a great huff came floating back to her from the depths. Without further ado, she crept forward and went headlong into the tunnel. Sora right behind her, and Riku, behind him. Ven was last, heading up the rear with an audible sigh.

After moving down deeper and deeper into the tunnel, up ahead, Kairi saw a flickering light, and then that light reflecting off the blue armor of Aqua. She spied a small orb of magical light floating out ahead of Aqua. Then, two trails of light flew out from it - one, continuing ahead, and the other, streaking back down the tunnel past Kairi and the others' heads. It was a glowing, pulsing line of light, not too bright and not too dim. Like the lights strung around Fourth District back in Traverse Town, up and down those curving stairs between the shops!

"Thank you!" Kairi called up to Aqua.

"You're welcome," Aqua replied warmly, glancing back at her over a shoulder despite the cramped space (for her; it was much worse than for Kairi or the boys).

Aqua led the way forward, scraping and clanging along, that cape of hers trailing behind her like a bridal gown's train.

Though, after more than a dozen bumps and scrapes on bare, squishy exposed body, Kairi was getting a bit envious of the woman's armored shell of protection. Just a bit... Fortunately, it didn't last too much longer. Eventually the tunnel leveled out, and even opened up into a far wider tunnel. One that was wider than Kairi could spread her arms out, and taller than two people standing on each other's heads!

"Mercy from the worlds - finally - thank you!" Kairi exclaimed joyously.

The boys laughed, but they looked pretty relieved, themselves.

Aqua allowed a small laugh of her own, but continued forward - now with Keyblade in hand.

After crossing the length of the new tunnel, it suddenly just opened up into a giant cavern. Standing at the mouth of the tunnel, Kairi stared down a sharp incline that led to murky, stale water that seemed to stretch on for...well...who knew how far? There were high, sloping walls all around them glistening with some kind of crystal or mineral, and the ceiling was littered with stalactites hanging from it.

Aqua raised a hand and sent out a half dozen beachball sized light orbs, pulsing and glowing to illuminate the cavern as they sped out in every direction - and ascended toward the incredibly high ceiling. In the brilliant blue light, the whole place was visible now, to the farthest corners. And those corners were far! The whole place had to be hundreds of feet wide!

On the far side, Kairi thought she could see other tunnel entrances, some of them crumbling and half-covered by rubble. To the far right, a dozen or more feet up on the wall, there were these narrow holes in the stone. They were too clean, too perfect - maybe the work of the supposed miners around here?

"Okay..." Aqua breathed, taking a step back and turning to Kairi. "This place is beautiful and wonderous, I'll be the first to admit that - but we do need to focus, still. So: the Keyhole..."

Kairi nodded, letting out a breath and refocusing her mind and Heart. She closed her eyes a moment, feeling. She raised a hand an opened her eyes again. "It's way over there. Through one of those other tunnels."

"So we swim for it?" Sora said, eyeing the water with distaste. "It's not exactly the oceans back home. And who knows how deep it even gets?"

"Got that right - I can smell it, and it's not pretty," Riku said seriously. "Have fun getting me in there."

"We could just use our gliders and fly across," Ven suggested quickly, looking at Aqua.

"We could - but I'd be worried about blasting around that kind of energy and force in an old, underground location like this," Aqua said thoughtfully. "The shockwaves alone might jar something loose. Who knows?"

"Do you have a boat transformation?" Kairi said jokingly. But also...half not.

"No - but we won't need one," Aqua replied - her lips twitching horribly. She strode forward and jumped down from the tunnel entrance, sliding down that steep bank to reach the rocky bottom that counted as some kind of a shore. Just a few feet of uneven, gouged out stone and rocks for anyone to stand on and not get into that dirty, stilted water. Aqua raised her Keyblade, holding it before her horizontally. A swirling wind of icicles and snowflakes began to swirl around her, growing more and more intense, blasting off waves...then she slashed her weapon before her swiftly, and her icy magic blasted out across the vast cavern. As that wave of energy traveled from one end of the cavern to the other, in its wake the underground lake began to freeze over instantly, becoming thick, mystical bluish-purple ice.

Aqua looked up at them all, beckoning them with a smile of satisfaction. "Come on now - it's more than safe enough to walk on."

Kairi looked at Sora and Ven. Then she jumped down to join Aqua on the rocky bank. The boys joined them a moment later (Riku almost falling over upon landing, grabbing onto Sora in a panic).

Aqua eyed them a moment, then simply turned and confidently walked out onto the icy lake surface. It held easily, without even a single crack forming.

Watching her at it put Kairi even more at ease, and she followed her Master quickly but carefully. As did the others.

Making it to the other side was easy, really, when they looked back on it. No trouble - just the silly little fears in their own minds. Aqua's magic was strong and dependable - like the woman herself. Still...everyone walked cautiously across the frozen lake.

After making it over, they entered one of the tunnels - Kairi taking the lead again, following her Heart.

Ever closer...ever nearer...to their goal.

To what she felt - a pull, stronger and stronger. Insistent...

Kairi came to a point where she didn't even consciously recognize where she was going or what she was doing anymore; she just walked, turned down a new path, on and on, feet moving automatically. Until she blinked, and suddenly found herself in a brand new area. A new cavernous room. Far smaller than the one with the lake - but still a good size. This one...came pre-lit.

Kairi's gaze was drawn immediately to the far side of this room, where a huge slab of rock with a strange symbol carved into it was laying on its side. And beyond that slab of rock, in a little alcove of perfectly smooth stone, was a Keyhole. It was a brilliant blue, like a burning star, swirling with energy. Casting off a heat like a star, too. A wonderful feeling and an energy that rippled at their clothes and hair.

But...

Kairi gasped as she saw tendrils of darkness manifest in front of the Keyhole, flickering and growing to obscure it! The Keyhole flared brighter still in response, and the darkness vanished. But Kairi watched that darkness return - and this time, the Keyhole's light sputtered.

Struggled.

"Right - we have to lock this right now," Aqua said tersely, stepping forward and raising her Keyblade. Light began to gather at her weapon's tip-

Suddenly, a dark shape flew out from the shadows of the room, swiping at Aqua and taking her to the ground with a hard crack of metal armor on crumbling rock!

Kairi and the others stared, taking in the sight of a great big, sleek dark beast - a Heartless of some kind, no doubt about it - doing its best to maul Aqua! Then they leapt in to help her, slashing and firing spells at the Heartless!

The Heartless leapt backwards off of Aqua, flipping and landing, claws scraping deep into the ground, causing sparks to fly up into the air. It snarled and looked from one Keyblade wielder to the other. Its eyes glowed a bright red. A purple mist rippled off its muscled form. It was the size of a truck, Kairi thought. A really big one. Its claws were like swords. Its teeth were sharp and dripping with purple liquid. Behind its body flicked a long, whip-like tail that ended in a sharp blade.

As Kairi stared at it further, she realized that Its body wasn't the usual jet black of most Heartless: this one was a royal purple color!

All in all, the thing just exuded threat. Danger. Do-not-mess-with-me-puny-humans.

Well...sorry, but...

"You're going down," Kairi told the monster, falling into her combat stance.

"No - the Keyhole," Aqua said firmly. "Someone close it - the rest of us will distract this monster!"

"I'll do it!" Sora said, stepping forward.

"Sora-" Kairi started.

"Good - go left, and we'll keep this monster as far from you as we can," Aqua spoke over her, holding Sora's gaze.

"Got it!" Sora said, nodding with determination as he held his weapon in hand. "Just-"

The Heartless lunged in a blur of motion, becoming almost a streak of darkness itself! It lunged right at Ventus!

Ven moved just as quickly, rolling forward and to the right, coming up slashing at the monster's side! The Heartless whipped around for him, swinging its long claws - but Ven was already flipping up over its body. He came down on top of it and gave it a slash across the back of the neck before jumping off again.

The Heartless charged at Aqua next-

Aqua did a cartwheel and threw out a hand at the same time. At first, Kairi didn't think anything had even happened - but then, several strange glowing light circles appeared on the ground beneath and around the Heartless. The Heartless looked down at them and shifted on its feet-

And then those glowing circles all began to explode, one after another! The Heartless roared and leapt up high into the air, sailing clear of them. But the circles sped off across the ground, following it! Converging, pummeling it and exploding again and again beneath it. It couldn't hope to escape Aqua's wrath!

Kairi grinned and aimed her Keyblade out at the Heartless, sending out a triple Firaga that connected nicely with the monster while it was still reeling from the explosive assault.

Riku charged up a dark power in his hand and unleashed a Dark Firaga blast that struck the Heartless in the back; the Heartless staggered from the hit, then it was turning, coming back for them all.

The Heartless came barreling back for them like a raging bull, leaping at Riku!

Riku went into a backwards handspring, flipping up high into the air. He sent down several more Dark Firaga blasts as he flew through the air, landing several feet away.

A bright light suddenly flashed - catching Kairi's attention.

She turned to see an energy beam fading from Sora's Keyblade - connected with the Keyhole. Said Keyhole flashed bright again, and then it faded away with a golden outline. Locked!

Safe.

"Kairi!" Aqua yelled out.

Kairi turned back toward the Heartless - only to find it coming right for her! Bearing down on her with its claws! She instinctively threw up her barrier dome; the Heartless smashed right through it, slamming into her with its body and tossing her up...and then taking her into its jaws. It bit her, clamped down on her with burning teeth, raising its claws up to just start- clawing at her as she fought to get free-

Aqua and Ven came down on the Heartless from behind, slashing through it with glowing weapons. The Heartless roared in pain, but it didn't let Kairi go! Riku fired off magic from afar - and Sora-

Sora ran forward with a yell, slashing at the monster and lunging at it!

The Heartless took the blow with much less trouble than it had Aqua and Ven's. Then it turned and slashed Sora across the chest with its tail blade, burning with purple energy.

Sora fell back with a gasp, clutching his wound. "Kairi!" he called out despite it, pained, furious - desperate and angry and-

And darkness was coming off of his body now, like before, like Castle Oblivion...he was going to...he was losing himself...like Riku had, like Aqua had...

Kairi tried to call on her light, she tried to reach out to Sora, to tell him not to do this again-

Suddenly, the cave lit up with golden light - as a swarm of golden chains began whipping all around the chamber! They scorched the walls and snaked across the floor and ceiling - and then they all converged on the Heartless. Theirs ends pierced the Heartless in a dozen different places, and the monster finally dropped Kairi. The Heartless was lifted up into the air on those chains...and then they burned bright and tore their way out of its body, obliterating it.

Kairi turned her head and saw Aqua standing there, breathing heavily, her weapon held out in both hands - surrounded in a fading golden light. Her eyes were so intense, so coldly furious...it was a thousand times more terrifying than even that Dark-Hearted Aqua had been. Because this was Aqua Aqua. This was their Aqua with such a look on her face...in those eyes of blue.

Of course, next moment, there wasn't anything in those eyes or on that face but pure horror and concern, as the woman raced to Kairi's side, already extending her hands to cast Healing magic.

The others joined her too, quick to add their own power - casting their own spells in unison.

"O-oh, come on, guys...it can't be...that bad?" Kairi said weakly. "I can't even...feel much of anything. So it can't be..." She frowned as she gazed up at them all. "Stop looking at me like that..." she muttered, closing her eyes and turning her head away.

"If she can still snark at us, she has to be fine, r-right?" Riku's trembling voice came. A fake, stupid laugh. "It- it's not that bad, is it? Guys?"

"It's nothing we can't fix," Aqua said firmly. "Just focus, everyone."

"Kairi..." Sora's voice came, and he sounded more scared than she'd ever heard before. And more worried for her...than she'd ever... "You're gonna be okay," he said, trying to sound like his usual upbeat self. All cute and optimistic...

"Cute and optimistic...?" came Riku's voice.

Had Kairi said that out loud...? Shit...

Stop talking, brain, stop sending signals - stop it! Don't give up anything else...

She reprimanded herself into unconsciousness, drifting off into further, numb oblivion.