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Glue & Duct tape
Chapter Six . Fortune-Telling for the Wise
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Waking up at dawn was never a joy for me. Especially when there was a cheery cherry-headed individual standing next to my bed, then lowering her head to babble loud nonsense into my ear like "Rise and shine, sunshine!" and other sickish things you'd expect a mother to say. Clapping like cymbals would then penetrate my eardrums, causing them to throb in time with the obnoxious beat.

Then I'd feel a body fall on me.

"All right, all right, I'm awake," I'd grumble, rolling over to send Kairi toppling to the ground where she lied there, giggling. If I was in a rare good mood, I'd sometimes stuff her under my sheets and pin her beneath them. Cruel torture, I know; especially when she was claustrophobic.

Bubbly and positive wake-up calls were never my thing. Then again, neither were unpleasant wake-up calls.

"RikuRikuRiku! They've got a new ice cream at the shop down the block! It's called sea-salt ice cream and Wakka and Tidus said it's really good!"

I'd make inarticulate grunts in reply, slurred dreamsleep speech, telling him to Shut up, I don't care, I'm going back to sleep and let me alone.

"Riku!" I felt a soft, dulled punch on my right shoulder, but I ignored it.

"Darn you, Riku, I'm going to go get some!"

He'd stomp off and leave me in ten minutes of blessed peace.

Then he'd be back.

"Hey Riku, I got you one!"

I made no response. Salt ice cream? Yuck. I was currently dreaming about strawberries. Yum, strawberries.

Then I felt cold, slick ice cream being pushed into my partially exposed face. I made a disgusted expression appear on my visage, similar to the one I put on when my mom told me to wash my sheets later that day.

But compared to these two wake-up calls, I've never had one quite like this.

"Hey Donald – hyuck – I found him!"

"Good job, Goofy! Now let's get him before he can run away again!"

"Grawrhjrjkfjkdjfkdjskdsl!"

"Hyuck!"

And so on and so forth.

I was suddenly brought out of my unconsciousness by two oversized animals tackling me. 'Everyone pile on Riku!'

"Gerroff me!"

"Pin him down, Goofy! Don't let him get away!"

"Hyuck, okay!"

"This really isn't necessary—"

"Shut up, boy!" I felt myself being flapped with a wing. At that moment, I felt myself growing dizzy. Not because it hurt my head, no – but because I was being slapped by a giant, white, feathered wing.

"Gawrsh, Donald. We ain't supposed to treat the Keyblade Master like that!"

"Do you think I care?" The duck barked. I thought that was Goofy's job. "He's getting on my last nerves!"

"Please," I forced out in between my clenched teeth, "get off!"

After a moment of hesitance, I felt Goofy back away. I was thankful that my lungs were still working and my ribs not broken – for now, anyway.

Rolling myself into a sit-up position, I crossed my legs and folded my arms against my chest. I glared at my two companions with blighting blue eyes, as accusatory as a teacher who had just caught one of her students doing a bad deed.

"What the hell are you guys doing here?"

"Looking for you!" Donald folded his wings onto his hips to match. Wait, did ducks even have hips?

When I said I didn't want to be with those guys, I had meant it. I was bluntly truthful, what could I say? Donald thought I was getting on the last of his nerves – he was doing just the same with me. Of course, I didn't combust into a bunch of fluttering feathers when I was angry. I think.

. . I hope.

I quickly checked my arms for any feather growth. Nope; I was fine for now.

You know, salmonella poisoning?

Yeah yeah, that was for chickens. Moving on.

"You don't have to do that," I grumbled, avoiding their gazes.

"But, the King said he have to follow the one who's got the keyblade. Hyuck . . . sorry, Riku." Goofy stared at me with what I could have sworn was a sympathetic gaze.

"If someone else had told us to, don't worry; we wouldn't have done it!" Donald rasped, now crossing his wings across his breast.

"Gosh Donald, that ain't very nice."

"Riku has a nasty attitude, and I'm tired of being kicked around by it!"

"Look in a mirror, Duckface," Came my timely (but not all that witty) retort.

"Now look here," Goofy said, taking on a stern face, "you two just get along until Riku finds Sora and Kairi, you hear? I'm tired of hearing all this fighting."

The two being spoken to stood and looked at each other, both blowing air out of our noses (in Donald's case, nostrils) and silently 'humph'ing. Then we both nodded, barely tilting our heads as if in fear of them rolling off our necks.

"Good. Now let's get goin'!"

Goofy marched through a narrow corridor, and Donald waddled behind him to follow. I took the instance to look at my surroundings for the first time: I was in a decorated burrow of sorts, where the walls weren't dirt but actually pieced together with a mosaic of polished stones. I wonder what kind of animal lived here . . . but then I remembered the rabbit. No human would ever live underground.

Now I began to wonder: what if Donald and Goofy were humans at one point, and some mad scientists injected animal DNA in them, or something crazy like that? I mean, I had heard of mutant animals, but they usually had extra deformed appendages hanging from their stomachs and the like: but nothing like this. They had human traits, they could talk, and dogs could even stand.

But then again, I've never met people quite like Donald and Goofy, so never mind.

Amidst my musings, we traversed the passageway and found ourselves in a gigantic room. It looked even too large to be in Bill Gates' mansion. Of course, I don't think the Microsoft genius would have pink-and-white patterned walls and different blocky odds and ends in his living room. Instead, he probably had computer parts littering the floors and metal walls. Both were completely weird, if I say so myself.

In the back of the room, fixed right in the center, was a door. Donald walked towards it determinedly, but was thrown back with a frazzled quack when it grew a face and began to talk.

I do believe this room wins in the contest of strangeness.

The bulbous golden knob seemed to bend and turn into liquid brass the second it was touched; it molded into a disfigured form, and a magic, invisible pencil etched a mouth and eyes onto its shining surface.

The thing coughed, sputtered, and blinked.

"Come now, what's the meaning of disturbing my sleep?"

Now there are talking inanimate objects!

"We were trying to open the door!" Donald huffed, apparently unfazed after getting zapped back a few feet from shock.

"I was sleeping quite peacefully, really . . ."

"Gosh, Donald, lookit that. A talking doorknob!"

I still said nothing and stared at the spectacle, bemused.

"Why yes; there are a lot of us, here."

"Hyuck – think I can touch it?" Goofy bent down and made to poke at the knob, apparently still unaware of what it was saying, and that it could possibly have a mind.

"Do not poke me, sir!" The doorknob sniffed.

"Oops; sorry," Goofy chuckled.

"Can we get in or what?" Asked the duck, growing ever-impatient.

"Only if you ask nicely."

"Open up, you fuckin creepy door." I finally said.

"Why, that wasn't nice at all!" It glared at me. "I think I shall go back to sleep."

"No, wait—!" Donald and Goofy scrambled to the door, the smaller of the two flaying his fists on the wood. I rolled my eyes vaguely and began to stalk around the room, feigning boredom. Truthfully, I was just impatient as Donald – I just wasn't showing it. I wanted to find Sora and Kairi – they could be here. But we weren't getting anywhere when there was an asinine door blocking our path.

Donald whirled on me. "Look what you did!"

"I didn't do anything."

"Liar!" He jumped once in rage.

"Oh, what's this?" I said sarcastically, twirling a small bottle in my fingers.

"Well, how should I know?" Scratched Donald, turning his head away and pointing his flat beak to the ceiling.

"Guess. Amuse me, duck."

"I don't know; tell me!"

"I don't know either."

"You little—"

"Guys!" Cried an exasperated Goofy, splaying his hands in a hopeless gesture, interrupting our bantering.

I tossed the small glass bottle to Donald. "Take it."

"I'm not going to drink it. I don't know what it is or where it's been."

"In my hands."

"Exactly why I shouldn't drink it!"

"Gosh, you guys sound more immature than I do," Admitted Goofy. I shuffled my feet a little, slightly ashamed. But, messing with Donald was like messing with a short fuse, without getting burned. It was fun when you had nothing else better to do.

"I guess I'll have to drink it if you two are being funny," Goofy said, squinting his eyes and examining the bottle. "Can't be too bad."

"Oh, you're wrong about that," The door cut in, which was supposedly 'sleeping.'

We shot it a quick glare, and then Goofy continued, tipping back the glass. "Well, bottoms up."

And then Goofy disappeared.

Really.

For a second.

We heard a little squeak that could have been a mouse. Donald, who was lower to the ground, could make it out as speech quicker than I could. While I was still looking around, bewildered, he crouched down and pointed. "Here!"

I didn't know what he was showing me at first. Was it a speck of dust, the only remnant left of Our Lovable Goof? A capped tooth? There was another squeak – and suddenly I heard it.

"Donald! Riku! I'm tiny!"

"You're such a goof, Goofy," Donald said, and then burst into sobs.

At this moment, I had no clue what to do. I certainly wasn't going to comfort Donald – obviously, we didn't like each other, and Goofy was not dead as the duck had probably assumed. So I just waited until he recovered and hoped that Goofy could cheer him up – somehow.

"Gosh, Donald, no need to cry," He said. "I'm okay!"

"No you're not," The one being talked to wailed. "I could step on you!"

"But you won't, will you?"

"Well . . . maybe . . ."

"Then it's all good!"

Donald sniffed and wiped his remaining tears away with a helpful sleeve of feathers.

"How touching," I muttered.

Now Goofy was back in business. He pointed up with a centimeter-length finger at the table that was now most likely towering stories above him. "I think if you drink the other two bottles there, you'll get small, too, and we can all get through the door!"

"I don't know," I said.

"This isn't time for your skepticism, Riku."

"No – I mean—" I stared down at my feet, embarrassed. Donald must have seen me blush, and he quickly pounced on the weakening kill.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm – I'm afraid of heights."

". . ."

". . Well, Riku. Gettin' small won't be like gettin' big!"

"But everything else will be tall!" I yelled. Playing it back in my own ears, I sounded like a baby.

Donald continued not to say anything. It was making me even more uncomfortable. Big surprise.

"I'm not going to do it," I declared.

"You want to see Kairi and Sora again, right?"

"Right, but . . . there has to be some other way."

Suddenly, laughter penetrated the awkward conversation. I glanced to my right to see that Donald was breaking into snickers, and eventually hysterical bouts of guffawing belly-chucking bellows.

"What's so funny?" I snapped.

"You – you're afraid of heights?"

"Yeah, so?"

"The Keyblade Master, who can fight off Heartless and be a total jerk, is afraid of heights." He sounded like he still couldn't believe it.

My cheeks were getting hot again. "It has something to do with when Sora forced me to go on a rollercoaster. We got stuck up there for an hour."

"Still."

"It's a perfectly logical reason to be afraid of heights. You don't know how traumatizing it was, being stuck next to Sora for that long with both of us freaking out."

"You've gotta be joking."

"Many people are afraid of heights," I quoted factually.

Do you want to hear the story? I think you do.

"Riku, let's go on this ride!" The spiky-haired brunette tugged anxiously at my arm, directing my attention to the ride he was pointing at.

I glanced at the title and automatically replied with a 'no.'

"Come on, man! It looks super-awesome!"

"The Super-Mega-Barf-o-Rama-Rollercoaster-of-Hellish-Doom?" I repeated aloud. "I don't think so. And don't say 'super-awesome' again."

"Kairi told me it was fun."

"When did Kairi go on this?" Kairi definitely did not strike me as a rollercoaster person.

"She went with Selphie a couple months ago."

I turned away, trying to escape and avoid the predicament. He held on fast to my arm.

"If you don't go on this with me, Riku . . ."

"Why can't you just go by yourself?"

"Because I'm scared, too."

Sora never ceases to amaze me.

I argued that I was not scared of rollercoasters on the way to the back of the line, per se; I just didn't like them. Sora ended up planting kettle corn in my hair and I eventually shut up, growing nearer to the entrance to the ride where they were shoving kids into grip-lock seats.

"You're going to pay for this, Sora," I said when the protective bar fell down upon our laps. I really wished they just stuck with seatbelts – these things seemed ancient and unsteady, and God knows how many grubby hands have scrambled to get a hold on it. It'd be just my luck if I flew out during a loop-de-loop.

"But these rides are free."

"I didn't mean that."

"Oh."

Before I could say anything else, the ride started. I hastily gripped the rail behind the person in front of me's head. And I braced myself. After ten seconds of wide-eyed staring, I eventually closed my eyes just as we were climbing a dip.

"Whooo, this is gonna be fun!" Sora yelled beside me, lifting up his hands and nearly banging them into the side of my head. Concussion just another injury to add onto the list.

I felt like I was falling. In a way, it was worse than my dreams – because there was that sickening slipping feeling in my gut. The car lurched forward and then down, sliding on its track and going 50 mph. Sora was screaming – I bit back mine, and it made me feel even more sick.

In a blur, the ride suddenly slowed to a stop, right when we were climbing the tallest hill on the coaster. I cautiously opened my eyes – was it over? Why did I still feel like I was on an 80 foot high building?

What I saw caused me to swing my head reluctantly over the side and barf down upon the tiny ants (people) scurrying around down below. There goes my popcorn, ice cream bar, and soda.

"What's happened?" Sora squeaked.

"I threw up," I said, wiping my mouth and grimacing.

"No, I mean, the ride."

"I don't know." I leaned back against my seat – we virtually already were. Taking a deep breath, I stared up at the open blue sky. "I just hope it ends soon."

Fifteen minutes later, while the other people in the car either sat still and motionless in their seats or chattered to build up the anticipation, a loudspeaker sounded off from the ground.

"The ride is experiencing some temporary malfunctions that have caused it to shut down! It will be back up shortly; don't worry, you're safe up there."

Safe. Yeah right.

Another fifteen minutes later we began to panic.

"Sora . . . this just isn't cool." I clung to his skinny arm for support, eyes darting in a paranoid manner to and fro as if some giant bat-thing could come down and scoop us vulnerable, trapped victims up in its claws.

"Riku . . . I'm sc-scared," He said, shaking and clinging to me in return.

Then I felt the car shift and groan. I let out my own moan of despair.

"We're gonna die up here, Sora."

"And no one will find our bodies."

"Because we'll land a hundred feet below – ker-splat."

"Nothing left."

We're good at coming up with reassuring thoughts.

Twenty-something minutes later.

"Mommyyy," Sora wailed. "I want my Mommy."

"I want a sucker," Said I.

"I—" Sniff "thought you didn't like suckers."

"Only when you've slobbered on them first, you big goon."

"Ohhh, Riku."

"Ohhhhh, Sora."

Without warning, while we were still huddling there, the coaster lurched to a start. We both flew back into our seats, screaming and rolling down the hill with great intensity.

Near the end, I lost my fries and burger, as well.

Finally, as we were walking out, Sora pointed to the screen that had the instant-expression shots from the scariest parts in the ride.

"Look at your face!"

I either looked like I was constipated, about to die, or scared out of my mind. Sora purchased the picture and put it in his room as a trophy.

Eventually, I moved myself towards the table to take another bottle. This one was remotely crafted in a spherical shape. I had to decided to take it, even if I'd be the size of half a pencil as a result.

"Honey, I Shrunk the Dog, the Duck, and the Keyblade Bearer," I murmured, taking the tiny portion of a swig from the bottle. At the same time, Donald took his own shrinking potion in a more rectangular container.

Then we both exploded.

Kidding; instead, we shrank down to the same size as Goofy and stood beside him, dazzled by the new perspective we were seeing of the room.

I was dazzled by the lights; they stung my sensitive, miniscule eyes. Everything seemed to spin around me in a new dimension.

"Cool, isn't it?"

I did not agree with Goofy.

"To the door, everybody!"

I began to wonder; why wasn't I leading this expedition? These two were supposed to be following me, not taking the lead themselves.

Ah well. They'd get eaten by whatever monster lied behind that door first, while I still had a chance to run.

We stood facing the door, which was now a perfect height. It's funny how I didn't think about how we would be able to get through in the first place if it had been opened.

I was the first to speak.

"Hi."

Genius, no?

"Hello," It responded. "Oh wait. I don't like you." It turned its rounded nose away from me upon realizing I was the 'not nice' one.

"Goofy," I said, turning to him, "why don't you try to open him up?"

"Well, hyuck, sure . . . I guess." He stepped up to the door almost bashfully, but grew more confident as he went. "Well, hiya Mister Doorknob. Will you please open up for us?"

"Most certainly. That was very nice, very nice," The knob complied, and the small, arched door swung open.

First thing, I took off running to get ahead of my two companions. Companions. How can I call them that? My only companions were Sora and Kairi, but they were gone.

But maybe . . . maybe they were behind this door.

And I'd be the first to see. Screw the monster that may be lurking behind it; I could handle monsters. But I was beginning to doubt if I could handle seeing my best friends again.

What lied behind the door was indeed a monster – but not the type I had in mind.

We entered a grandiose courtyard, full of trimmed bushes the exact same height as the ones next to it that made a sort of gate around the small rectangular field. There were even bush sculptures dabbling the piece of land. The lawn was perfectly green, as well as the bushes. In the center was what looked like the structure an accused stepped upon to face the judge and jury.

And there was the judge – big, fat and ugly in all her glory. She wore her ebony hair in a kind of bun atop her head, and her large body all but spilled over the chair she sat in. The woman was clothed in a gigantic checker-patterned dress of red, black, and white collar. She held onto the judge's mallet fastidiously, as if letting go would mean letting go of her power, her job.

I didn't recognize her (God forbid if I ever did), but I did recognize at least two people (one not exactly a person) in that procession. Standing before us, her back facing me, was a girl in a white apron, powder blue dress, and stockings. A mane of yellow hair pooled behind her; I instantly thought, Alice. What was Alice doing here, and especially standing where the convicted should be?

But then I spotted the white rabbit. That git must've brought her here. I felt anger rise inside me, and I was half-aware of my hands clenching into fists at my sides.

"Alice!" I yelled, and began to run up to her like the git that I was. Finally; a familiar face that didn't offend me. Unfortunately, on my way up to meet her, two guards (cards) abruptly blocked my path with some nasty-looking spears.

"Hey! What is this?"

The judge whirled on me, giving me the evil eye. Her left eye literally bulged out of its socket. "This, boy, is a courtroom in session! And you were not invited!"

"But you've got the wrong girl, for whatever reason! Alice would never do anything wrong!" How did I know that? I don't know. I'm a genius, remember?

"Ms. Queen," Said the rabbit, beginning to scurry around in his standing place, "would you like me to take care of him?"

"No. Guards, take him away!"

"So you're the queen? Some queen, accusing the innocent!"

Alice stifled a little gasp with her slender hand. "Riku, really, this isn't necessary—"

Donald and Goofy apparently agreed – they looked itching to grab hold of me and drag me back to that funhouse of a room, but they were blocked by their own guards.

Perhaps it was because Her Highness was now clutching at the edge of the podium with fierce intensity, her knuckles growing incredibly pale from the pressure.

"Are you accusing me of accusing the innocent?"

"Yeah, I'm accusing you of accusing you of accusing the innocent."

"Outrageous!" She bellowed. Spittle flew from her fleshy lips as she blabbered. "I'd do no such thing. This is my kingdom! Mine! Everyone does what I say, including you!"

"Sorry for crashing your party, Your Highness, but your tyranny days are over."

What an empty threat – now that I could think it over when I wasn't being hotheaded, I realized I was just a kid who was standing up against a queen and all her armed guards. Not too smart; I guess my genius scale just went down a few notches.

I wasn't all too good at fighting yet, either. Sure, I was better than some – but I was grossly outnumbered. I couldn't take on all of them. I struggled as the guards locked my arms behind my back, gritting my teeth in pain.

Then I saw a blue substance fly past me –

And a spinning object that could have been an incredibly small UFO or a shield.

"Gyah! Take that, stupid cards!" Donald yelled, leaping into the air and shooting more spells at the guards, which tumbled back onto the ground, apparently stunned.

But there were more. Mine were out of business for the moment, but the queen was yelling amongst the racket of battle and sending in more troops. They marched with their weapons pointed, lances that would surely pierce any body, human or animal, and turn them into a kebab.

I whipped out my keyblade and stood in defensive stance. If they were coming; let them come.

But then I heard Alice's shrill voice rise about the noise.

"You don't haveto get into trouble for me!" She cried out, and I saw that her hands had disappeared – two cards had her. They were dragging her back, and although she was protesting, she couldn't deal with their unbelievable overpowering strength.

"No! Let me go, please!"

"Alice!"

I tried to run forward, but was blocked by a barrier of cards. My eyes darted from left to right, searching for an alternative escape route. There was a gap in between some bushes; I ran for it.

I think I heard Donald's scathing yell behind me, but ignored it. They were being taken by the guards now, but I didn't care, did I? I was going to find a way to Alice, and then a way out of this place.

If you ask me why I acted so 'heroically' out there, it's because when Alice was being dragged away against my will, I was reminded of Kairi. Though I hadn't seen her disappear, it was how I imagined it. The Heartless clawing at her wrists, her hair – and then stealing her away while she screamed weakly in protest. And I had let it happen again.

After about three minutes, I slowed down to a walk, figuring they wouldn't bother with me. It was an oddly risky safe thought – but I believed it, anyway. I wasn't important to them right now, even though I had insulted their precious queen. Yeah, as queenly as a fat pig on a platter with an apple stuffed in her mouth.

I began to focus more on my surroundings. I seemed to be in another forest, but this one darker than the other. There wasn't as much tropical-like vegetation, either – instead, there were trees stripped bare of their colour, like trees you'd find in a swamp, and mutant flowers.

Seriously. These things (tulips, they looked like) were nearly twice as tall as me. They curved over, stems like delicate necks, red and yellow and purple. I spared them a glance as I walked by them, but nothing more than that. Then I heard a raspy voice beside me, but one that wrapped around my arms and neck like seductive smoke:

"Give me a potion and I'll make you bigger."

"I don't even want to know," I mumbled, strolling past them a little faster.

Let's sum it up. Here there were overlord queens, rabbit holes the size of flying saucers, cards with deadly weapons, animate-inanimate doors, and flowers that wanted to make me bigger. What next?

"What, oh what, could it possibly be? Isn't that right?"

The disembodied voice that came out of nowhere had me spooked; I nearly jumped and turned around to see where it had come from. But I saw nothing but darkness, shadows, and trees.

"Who's there?" I asked, with an edge of hostility and fear in my words.

"Trying to act tough won't do you any good, you know. I'll still eat'cha."

Creepy beyond belief.

"Where the heck are ya?" I put my hands in front of me and felt around in the bushes like a blind bat. This was getting both annoying and worrisome.

"Not there," The voice laughed, "here!"

I followed the voice.

"Over here, I said, said I! Oh yes, I said."

"Whoever, whatever, and wherever you are; you're psychotic!" I yelled angrily, punching a tree. Ouch.

Then I saw large, yellow orbs appear just above a tree branch. They bobbed lightly, seeming to dance – and then a head suddenly materialized behind those eyes.

I hope this is a hologram, I thought, but wasn't convinced.

The head belong to what looked like a cat; the plump body with an arched back followed. Then the bushy tail. It was striped two different tones of purple, coiling around its body, and had a raccoon mask bordering its devious eyes. The cat hummed softly (but irritatingly), its curled mouth moving up and down.

"Stop that! Are you some tripped-up magic trick?"

"Trick?" It purred, rolling languidly onto its back. "Nooo, not at all! I'm the Cheshire Cat!" And it gave me a grin as wide as a crescent moon. Its teeth looked dangerously sharp.

"Am I supposed to clap?" I said, sarcasm dripping from my question.

"Only if you want to."

I chose not to answer; it was obvious by seeing my hands draped at my sides.

"Lost, are you?" It asked.

"No; I'm looking for someone." I paused. "Actually, two people."

"Oh, I saw them."

My eyes must have glittered. "Did you?"

"Yes, just over there!"

I turned in the direction he pointed. But before I could do anything, he appeared on the branch just above the place I was looking at. Sly dog.

Sorry, but I don't like being tricked. I hate falling for things; I hate knowing I'm wrong. And I do them anyway, so that just makes me feel worse.

"This is getting old. I you can't help me, I'm leaving."

"There's nowhere to go; this forest is a maze.

"No . . . way . . . out." It grinned its mocking smile. "But there might be one way."

"And what way is that?" Eye roll.

"I'll give you a clue."

Yeah, you better this time – a real one, I thought, affronted.

The cat's eyes suddenly went blank; swallowed by yellow. And it uttered a single phrase: "This isn't me."

"What?" So this was some cat-demon and he was possessed?

He said it one more time: "This isn't me."

And then he disappeared.

My reaction was kicking a tree.

"Fuck!" I verbalized, letting out all my anger on that poor overgrown piece of shrubbery.

"Heehee – did I help you?"

I looked up again – there he was, but it was only his head this time, bobbing above another limb.

"No."

"You'll find out soon." And with that ominous note, he began to fade once more.

"Go south and you'll find what you're looking for." The voice drifted away as soon as it touched my ears.

"South?" I yelled. "Which way is south?" Damn. Should've brought a compass.

"This way, that way; any way!" The laughter died away, and the cat was gone for certain.

It's official: I hate puzzles.

With my head spinning from the confusing (and pointless) encounter, I decided to walk where he had been last. I passed by trees . . . trees . . . and more trees.

Finally, I emerged into a clearing that had absolutely no trees except for the ones bordering it. It was a nice change in scenery.

Until I really looked at what was in the center of the clearing.

A long, elegant-looking table had been placed vertically down the middle. Draped over it was a white sheet. Kettles, candles, and cups dappled the table top, and a mix-matched array of chairs was placed around its parameters.

Someone had decided to set up a tea party in the middle of the forest, and I was invited.

But what really got me was the two people that were sitting at the table.

One was a boy. He had brown spiky hair and large blue eyes.

The other was a girl. She had short crimson hair and stunning violet eyes.

One was smiling, one was grinning, waiting for me to sit down at the table.

Initially, I was too shocked to speak; only jaw hung loosely, exposing my open and gaping mouth. Then, after much mind-clearing, I was able to talk my instant concerns.

"Sora, Kairi. I knew I'd find you here."

I was more thrilled than I sounded. I began to walk towards them, all too eager to sit down and drink tea with my best friends, when I blinked and they were gone.

Actually, everything was gone.

All that was left was the clearing.

I tried to make sense of it. I tried. All I could think of was that I missed my friends too much, so it was doing things with my mind.

Or perhaps the forest was.

Feeling sore and down, I walked glidingly through the area I could have sworn they'd been in. I was not crazy. I had really seen them.

But my eyes now told me otherwise.

Was it possible to be abducted in a split second, along with all the other things around you? Anything seemed possible in these hellish woods.

These aren't your nightmares anymore, Riku, I told myself. This is reality.

I retreated to the back of the clearing, ducking through a break in the trees. I came out in sunshine and butterflies . . . and Donald and Goofy.

"Riku!" Donald panted. "We were looking everywhere for you!"

"Yeah," Goofy agreed, "you gave us a scare."

I had my eyes lowered; I did not look at them directly.

"Uh, Riku, what's wrong . . . ?"

Donald must have remembered that I ditched them earlier and left them for the guards, because his eyes suddenly narrowed sourly.

"Don't talk to him, Goofy," He snapped. "Let's just take him back to the ship."

Goofy gave me another vacant stare, sighed, and then began to follow next to Donald. I considered not going with them – but what other choice did I have? The Gummi Ship was the only way to get to other worlds.

Maybe Sora and Kairi would be there.

And they'd be real, this time.

N.otes
Haha. My mom's face looked like Riku's when we were on Space Mountain.
And I, of course, was screaming. I learned that I was a good screamer at Disneyland.

I honestly didn't know it would take me this long to update. Seven months? I'm a failure. But then, my Kairiku collection is worse – I believe it's at ten months past neglected.

I thank The Mangosity for getting me to update this faster. :D And see – I got the next chapter up only a day after you reviewed! I also am very grateful towards all my other readers and reviewers, and whoever's joined the party since I started this last year. Say something if you're reading! Anything you liked or noticed while you were reading. I love loud reviewers. And believe me, reviews do make me update faster, so I know that I'm not just wasting my time.

Next time: Riku's going jungle. Literally, but not literally.