A/N: So while the story of CotP is complete, there's still the question of the aftermath of Sora's disappearance in Radiant Garden. To not ruin the pacing of Paved With Gold, this chapter here acts as an epilogue to CotP/Prologue to the sixth chapter of PwG. If you haven't yet, be sure to check out the first five chapters of the final installment in the trilogy and expect chapter 6 in the coming days. Just for reference, the beginning of this chapter takes place within chapter 80 of this story, right after Sora performs in The Muppets performance.


Disclaimer: An actual disclaimer not for Kingdom Hearts, because you already know I don't own that or make money in any way but for Simon & Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water which is owned by Universal Music Publishing Group. I don't own that either.


As the curtains divided to reveal the flashing stage lights and the tables of people pooling around the room, a rapturous applause made Jayne's heart melt. Her body sunk slightly and a grin appeared on her face. She had finally made it. After months of doing several part time jobs and trying to network with various partners in the industry, she had finally accomplished her life-long dream of becoming an actress. Well, she had still had some ways to go, but this was a good start.

As the audience's standing ovation continued, Jayne quickly straightened out of her blue dress equipped with cute adornments and frills and held the hands of both Sora who was dressed up as Kermit, and Miss Piggy. Jayne's jaw set. The jubilation was too much for her to handle. The water in her eyes combined with the lighting served to blur her vision. As much as she wanted to wipe away her tears of joy, she couldn't imagine using the costumes of Miss Piggy or Kermit to do so would have been a good idea.

The curtain call came and went, the red curtains soon veiling her clear view of the audience once more. Even as she let go of Kermit and Miss Piggy's hands, her heart was still racing. It took Sora's soft voice to snap her out of her reverie.

"Hey, I'm going to get out this costume. It is hot in here."

Finally able to wipe her eyes, Jayne did so before turning to Sora. "Wasn't that bad, was it?"

"Oh, well I was just imagining everyone in the audience in their underwear, just like you told me," Sora said.

Jayne chuckled. "Sora, there are children in the audience! Shame on you."

"Yeah, don't remind me," Sora said.

"Well, I'll see you in a while, alright? We're all going out to celebrate," Jayne told him.

"Of course, how could I miss that?" Sora answered. Jayne waved him off as he left for the backstage dressing rooms. As far as Jayne was concerned at that point, she arrive at Sora's dressing room a few minutes later and, along with their performance group, they would all go to a nice restaurant shortly before heading to her house to party. That, she soon found out, would happen only in her head.

Bonus Chapter: Dawn

Two months had passed since Sora's mysterious disappearance from that theatre and Jayne had felt that ever since, there had been a gaping hole in her life that had yet to be filled. At first, she tried forgetting about him. As the days went by however, she found the memories of the spiky brunette slowly creeping back into her mind. She couldn't help but be worried about him. She doubted that he would just up and leave without saying a word either so something had to be wrong.

Jayne sat upright on her couch dressed in nothing but a red tank top and boxers. She stared with tired eyes at the beer cans on her table. For whatever reason, she and her friend had decided to watch the entire High School Musical trilogy on TV the previous night. Needless to say, Jayne had required many beers to even get through them all. When she had woken up, she had found herself sporting a massive headache.

She stood up and was about to gather her jeans that had somehow found their way onto the floor when her PHS vibrated on the table, alerting her that she had received a new message. She scooped up the portable device and flicked through the touch sensitive display with a finger, her eyes growing big as she scrolled down the page.

She quickly put her jeans on and slid her PHS into her pocket before racing out of the house.

It wasn't long before she saw smoke on the horizon. The same black smoke poured up into the sky, a dark cloud hovering high above, distilling the otherwise blue and cloudless sky that permeated the hot summer's day.

As Jayne ran for her destination, she recalled the days following Sora's disappearance. A number of strange things had happened that had incited the start of a potential quarrel among the people of the town. When news of David Xanatos' betrayal and incongruous activities within Radiant Garden were revealed—or more like leaked due to an unknown party within Xanatos Enterprises—rumors and gossip broke out in waves. First about how Xanatos had been playing the entire town for fools, the next about just how deep the rabbit hole went. It soon became an accepted fact given the Restoration Committee's indirectness to answer any questions that they had to be involved too.

Protests soon broke out, all humble and peaceful. The protesters brought to attention the lack of transparency when it came to all the goings-on and deals made by the committee with Xanatos Enterprises. It seemed however that the committee still believed it could salvage whatever was left off the controversial company but this just seemed to take the appearance of the committee trying to grasp for more power within the company. Soon a division formed with one type of citizen that trusted the committee and the other that didn't. The committee's attempts to quell the situation were lost on that second school of individuals, who called for immediate democratic elections.

Jayne had only been to one of the protests and only at the behest of her friend who had been curious to see what they were about. She had been goaded into carrying a placard and though her heart was not exactly in the rebellious attitude, neither could she leave her friend by herself. That said, she could certainly understand where the anger was coming from. She had only been a child but the days that had preceded Maleficent's takeover of Radiant Garden were ones that she and especially the older generations remembered. Their previous ruler had experimented on human hearts and had, even if unknowingly, set in motion the events for the downfall of the town. The townsfolk could no longer afford to be ignorant of these things and even the smallest chance of corruption could act as a seed that would eventually grow into the disastrous events that had last destroyed the town.

Jayne finally arrived at the scene of the commotion that her friend had informed her about. A huge crowd was gathered near the main headquarters of Xanatos Enterprises, sealed off only to a barrier of yellow tape. Her eyes travelled upwards to see thick black smoke pouring out of the top of the building.

"Jayne!"

Jayne's eyes dropped from the glass building and looked to her friend who was running up to her. Jayne knew her as a sport girl, having originally met her in their tennis club in high school. She had short brown hair with some swept to the side and olive eyes. On any other day, her sheepish smile would be her most attractive feature. Today was different however. Today, Naomi wasn't smiling.

"Naomi, I came as fast as I could. What's going on?"

"A hostage situation. Everyone's being held captive inside the building. The explosion happened about an hour ago. Anyone a few blocks off could feel it. I thought it was an earthquake," Naomi explained. Jayne raised a brow. She must have slept through it, not a surprise considering how much she had drank last night.

"Who's behind it?" Jayne asked.

Naomi shrugged. "I did a little listening around and a lot of people are hatching a guess that they're protesters who want to make some sort of point."

"Protesters? You're kidding me! They wouldn't take it this far, would they?" Jayne asked.

"No idea, but they must be pretty well-armed. Security won't risk trying to make any moves that might instigate aggression on the hostage-takers part."

Jayne looked away from her friend and back at the building. "There are probably a lot of them then if security thinks it's too risky to do anything. On the other hand, great job making your cause look sympathetic now, guys. No one's going to take you seriously now that you've gone and done this. Have they demanded anything?"

"No, actually," Naomi answered.

"Huh. That's strange. Why take hostages if you don't plan to bargain in the first place?" Jayne couldn't see the logic behind their hostage-takers actions. Was their disgust of the current system so much that they would be willing to potentially sabotage their own protests and be labelled as extremists? Their actions were inconsistent with what Jayne knew about them. Something in general just didn't sit well with her about this.

She wasn't sure how many minutes had passed before something eventful happened but the minutes felt like hours and the anxiety never faltered, even when that certain something finally happened.

Jayne was about to discuss something with her friend when three explosions went off, all in different directions, one after the other. The screams of the crowd was not enough to drown out the second and third. Bodies ran in this direction and that while Jayne found herself tugged back by a hand around her wrist.

"What the hell is happening?" Naomi screamed, anxiously putting shaking hands on top of her head. "We're all going to die, aren't we? I haven't tried pistachio-flavored Ice Cream yet!"

"Ice Cream's on your mind? At a time like this? Still… this is really scary," Jayne replied. She cupped her hands together and looked down in thought. Where were the Keyblade wielders when everyone needed them the most? Where was Sora?

Naomi tapped her on the shoulder and she looked up to see Squall Leonhart—or Leon as he had once been known—leaving the building accompanied by a group of people that Jayne had never seen before. What caught her attention about them though was that a lot of them appeared to be wielding keys. Jayne guessed that they must have been Keyblade Wielders but she hadn't known there would be so many of them. Squall avoided the gaze of the dysfunctional crowd as if he couldn't bear to look upon their worried faces and continued down the street with the Keyblade wielders escorting him. The small army of key-holders soon thinned out until those who looked like actual employees of the company were left, some running straight into the arms of loved ones and for those with no relation available to them, leaning on their co-workers for support.

"Is anyone trained in medical aide? We have someone!" cried a woman as she and group of other co-workers looked about anxiously. The man in front of them was bleeding from the right side of his head. Where there should have been a whole ear, it seemed that most of it was gone.

"I am!" There was a response and within seconds, another woman was by their side. She knelt down and slid on latex gloves. "My name's Colette. We're going to have to work quickly and get your friend to the hospital."

Jayne's eyes soon met with Colette's and before she knew it her body was already moving towards the group of people.

"Is there any way I can be of help?" Jayne asked. Colette smiled at her and then Naomi as she appeared next to Jayne.

"Yes, there's some disinfectant in my bag. Pass that over and the rag as well," Colette instructed. Over the next hour, Jayne found herself supporting Colette in not just one but several incidents. Apparently, the bomb that had gone off near the top of the building had injured several people. Fortunately, only one had been close enough to lose an ear.

Jayne finished applying ointment to the burns on the side of an employee's abdomen and saw him safely onto a stretcher before turning her attention to Colette.

"I think that's all of them."

Colette beamed at both her and Naomi. "I'm so glad you two were here. Thank you for everything."

"It's no problem. But… do you have any idea what's happening? Is it an insurgency from the people who want the restoration committee out?" Jayne asked.

Colette shook her head. "You saw their Keyblades, right? I'm fairly certain it's something different. Listen, it's not safe out here. The best thing you two can do is go back home and-"

Colette looked the other way as if deliberating something over before turning to them again. "Actually, I have a daughter, she's only nine. I probably will be at the hospital all day. I know I'm asking a lot but if you could take care of Stephanie for me until I get back, that would be wonderful."

"Of course we can," Jayne answered instantly.

"Thank you so much. Do you have a PHS?"

Jayne dug into her pocket and pulled out her device before handing it over to Colette who inputted the address into the system and handed it back over. After saying goodbye to Colette, Jayne and Naomi started on their way to Colette's house.

"Urgh, this is totally ruining my day! I had everything planned out as well," Naomi said on the way.

"You? Having things planned out? HA! Don't make me laugh. When was the last time you ever planned anything, Naomi?" Jayne questioned.

"Just this morning, in fact. I did plan to come over here so…"

Jayne snorted. "Go home, Naomi, you're drunk."

"Says the girl who drank way more than me last night."

"Because unlike a certain someone, I can actually hold my drinks."

The two exchanged laughs before Naomi continued. "Seriously though. I was going to help Derryn with the tennis club today. I'm supposed to help whip the newbs into good shape."

"Like you whipped me? No thanks. Spare the youngins the pain and suffering. You'll only serve to discourage them," Jayne said. She had not yet once been able to win a match against her friend. Jayne had been able to handle her friend's power shots to an extent, only to fall to them after exhausting every muscle simply trying to reach each rebound.

"Maybe if you stopped being stubborn and started practicing your backhand, you'd actually have a point," Naomi shot back.

"I doubt that's it. I'm pretty much able to hold my own against most. It's just you that I keep losing to for some reason. Don't worry, I'll beat you one day," Jayne said.

"So when you're old and wrinkly then?"

"Harsh, but probably true," Jayne admitted. Her prospects were incredibly slim given that she had even less free time now than she used to.

The murmurs of a crowd began to reach their ears and they turned promptly in its direction. There was a large commotion over in the Central Square nearby and from the cadence of their voices, Jayne could tell that the crowd seemed to be in a very aggressive and hostile mood.

"What is even happening? Hmm… want to check it out?" Jayne asked.

"Um, I'm not entirely sure that's a good idea. Shouldn't we see that Stephanie's okay first?" replied Naomi apprehensively.

"If it's just for a minute or two, it won't be a big deal. We'll stay just outside of the action so we don't get involved. Come on, aren't you the tiniest bit curious?"

Naomi screwed up her face as if thinking before letting out a resigned sigh. "That's the same thing you said before you spent 800 munny on that crane game but… I guess if it's only a little while."

Hurrying along, the two found themselves in the square in no time at all. Jayne's mouth fell open as she marvelled at the rather large crowd, some of their fists raised in anger and protest at something.

"Crud! I can't see a thing," Jayne muttered. Naomi looked behind them before tapping Jayne on the shoulder. She pointed towards the statue of Ansem the Wise that had been constructed in honor of his reign.

"We'll have a better view from up there."

Jayne nodded and followed Naomi over to the statue. The two friends climbed up onto the statue where two other people were also standing, apparently having thought of the same idea. Now with a height advantage, Jayne looked to the opposite side of the square to see a group of armor-clad figures with Keyblades facing off against the crowd.

Bottles and any piece of trash that anyone could get their hands on were thrown by the angry protesters at the armored figures. At any point, they could have retaliated but it seemed like they were trying to maintain a level head. This lack of action on their part left a negative impression on the protesters, who only intensified in their furor.

"How dare you just stand there and play the holier than thou card when you people are the reason we're in this mess. Screw all of you!" A man yelled into a megaphone to the glee of the passionate audience.

"Yeah, go back where you came from. This is our town!" added a woman close enough to the man to shout into his megaphone. There were cheers of approval and an increased burst of sudden energy from the crowd. Still, the armored figures refused to be overwhelmed by this and stood their ground.

"Please, we do not wish harm upon you. We merely seek a peaceful coexistence. All will be explained soon," implored one of the armored figures. It was a young woman's voice, made even clearer through her desperation.

"We don't want 'coexistence'. We want you to leave!" Yelled another man in the crowd.

Someone else agreed with him. "Yeah! If bombing our town is your idea of winning us over, you've got another thing coming."

The same man threw a can at the young woman in armor when she wasn't looking, successfully making contact with her helmet. Another of the armored figures stepped forward and raised a Keyblade that had a phoenix's wing along its blade's edge up into the air. A shot rang out and the crowd drew back in horror as a bright red jet of light flew up into the air before exploding like fireworks. The red jet split off into three and zoomed across the sky in different directions. Jayne wouldn't have believed it but right now she was staring at a crowd that had been completely shocked into silence.

The figure's Keyblade disappeared into thin air and he stepped forward. He reached for his helmet and lifted it off, placing it as his side. He was a man who looked to be in his thirties. His black hair was short and curly and his five o'clock shadow gave him the appearance of being quite rugged. His steely-eyed gaze seemed to bore into Jayne's soul, even when she was sure he wasn't looking at her.

"Fellow citizens of Radiant Garden," the man began as if addressing a ceremony. "We join you on such an auspicious day to offer you something the current administration cannot give nor guarantee. A promise. You no doubt look down on us in disgust. Your hatred for us is as clear as the ground we stand on. Speaking of ground, my parents once taught me a valuable lesson. That no matter how successful you become, no matter where you end up, never forget where you started. The voices of the dissatisfied can only be ignored for so long before it comes back to haunt you. Ansem the Wise-"

"Don't you dare talk about our ruler!" shouted someone in the crowd. There were murmurs of agreement among the crowd but the man held up his hand.

"I understand fully well that I could never replace Ansem the Wise. From the research I've done, I can tell he loved his people with all his heart. Even now, his passion lives in each and every one of you. That, I could never take away and would never try to take away. That said, you mentioned the bombings. There is a reason we targeted the buildings we did. Each of those buildings represents a lie. A falsehood. You put your trust in a Squall Leonhart, and he had nought the courage to tell you the truth about David Xanatos. You were misled, you tried to protest, and tell me—what were the fruits of those labors? Did they heed your cry for help?"

There was an uneasy silence among the crowd, with people looking around at each other in disbelief.

"Demons have prowled this land since Maleficent took over your world, but they are not the Heartless. These demons are hidden in plain sight. I say unto you, treat us with respect as we will treat you. I do not expect you to like us over night. After all, bridges take time to build. Allow us the chance to at least earn that respect however and we will gladly be the sponge for your hatred. Let us usher in together a Radiant Garden the likes of which has never been seen, one that even Ansem the Wise can be proud of. We will build our garden not on lies, but on a promise. A promise of truth. A garden that can truly be called radiant. To that end, I put my faith, my very being, in you, the people."

As the man and the other armored figures bowed to them, the air was one of uncertainty. Then the armor-clad woman who had been talking earlier stepped forward and began to sing:

When you're weary, feeling small,
When tears are in your eyes
I will dry them all
I'm on your side
When times get rough
And friends just can't be found
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down

Her powerful yet silvery voice emanated across the waves of people in the town square. All eyes were on her as she walked across the higher ground while continuing to sing, her head motioning from left to right like gentle waves.

When you're down and out
When you're on the street
When evening falls so hard
I will comfort you
I'll take your part
When darkness comes
And pain is all around
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down

The girl's honey-sweet voice soon became silent and she stopped moving. When she took off her helmet, a small smile was on her face and Jayne could see just how old she was, or young, she should say, because the girl couldn't have been any older than in her teens. When the other armored figures took off their own helmets, the claps started to come from the audience. They were spread out and porous at first, but as the seconds passed more and more joined in until the audience was unified in their elation.

Jayne didn't clap. It was almost like everyone had been taken over by some enchanted spell. Everyone except her. Had they all forgotten that these people had bombed not just four areas but had also taken innocent people hostage? Whether they had intended to harm those hostages was debatable but the fact was that they should have known that their actions would cause injuries and even possibly deaths.

"Naomi, you aren't seriously giving them a chance, are you?" Jayne snapped at her friend, seeing her clapping along with everyone else.

"What? She was pretty good and that guy's speech was something else, don't you think?"

"Uh huh."

"…and he's kind of hot."

"There we are. The shallowness surfaces," Jayne said, rubbing her hands together as if she had extracted some juicy tidbit.

"At least I'm not fawning over a guy I haven't seen in over two months," Naomi teased.

"You know it's not that. It's just… where is he? He disappears and this happens? It doesn't make any sense," Jayne told her.

"I'm sure it's just a coincidence. He's Sora, the Keyblade wielding hero. Of course he's fine. Anyway, we've spent more than just a minute or two over here. Let's get to Colette's place," Naomi reminded her.

"He's a lot more than just a hero. Anyway, I just hope you're right, Naomi," Jayne said. Naomi dropped down to the ground below but Jayne stayed where she was for a moment. Her eyes were drawn to the Keyblade wielding figures. It would be funny to her, if it wasn't so sad, that they had won over the hearts of the citizens so easily. While there were still a few who voiced their dissatisfaction, a sense of neutrality prevailed where Jayne could tell that everyone was cautiously optimistic. Was the question as to whereabouts of the Restoration Committee even on their minds at the moment, she wondered?

Well, there was one thing she was sure about, she thought as she finally climbed down to join her friend. The dawn of a new era was approaching and it was anyone's guess what form it would take. She just hoped she wouldn't have to pick sides.