Title: Love at First Syllable

Summary: Kairi is called to Disney Castle for some odd reason. During her journey, she must face the one person she hasn't seen in a year; Sora. But...he just won't talk…

Chapter XIII – Arriving at Hollow Bastion

Disclaimer: …Nope! Still don't own them!

Last Time on Love at First Syllable: A royal ball was held to help Kairi escape the clutches of Lady Tremaine. But it did more than that. The ball was able to help to completely opposite people fall in love.

Cock-a-doodle-doo!

Riku's eyes opened gingerly as the rooster sang its morning song.

"Stupid rooster…" He mumbled

Sakura jumped up and giggled. "Silly-billy-head! That wasn't a rooster! It was me! Good morning!"

Riku had to keep control of his anger. At this rate, he would tear the limbs off of his sister. "Sakura, why did you wake me up?" he growled.

"'Cause it's 5AM already! I want you to play with me! Come on! We can play tag, or Hide-n-Seek, oh! We could play Follow the Leader!" She began to scream.

He sighed as he walked out of his room. "Not now, Sakura. I got to go pick up Kumiko, and then we have to leave."

Sakura just looked down in disappointment.

"Why don't you go wake up Sora and Kairi? They need to play with someone." He suggested, getting her off of his back.

"Good idea!" And with that, she left to give a 'wake up' call to Sora and Kairi.

Riku left the castle with a smirk. "She's so gullible."

While deep in slumber, Sora and Kairi drew their bodies together. A small smile caressed her face as she continued to sleep.

Sakura stifled a giggle as she walked close to the couple. She was centimeters away from Sora's face.

She took a deep breath, and screeched "RUN! THE HEARTLESS ARE COMING TO TAKE KAIRI!"

Faster than his eyes sot open, he drew his Keyblade and blocked himself, drawing Kairi closer.

Kairi stayed asleep.

"Sakura…" he growled, but remembered that is 'friend' was sleeping next to him, so he quieted down to a whisper. "What was that for?"

"Well, Riku told me to wake you guys up while he picked up his new girlfriend."

He couldn't help but sigh. Of course Riku would do that to him. "Okay, then. Get out, and we'll be out in a minute." He continued to whisper.

Sakura nodded and skipped out of the room.

Sora began to shake Kairi, trying to wake her up. She began to stir with every little shake given.

Her eyes fluttered open as she stared into her favorite ocean-blue eyes.

She sat up, stretched and walked towards the door. She looked back at him, and smiled. "Today's the day we head for Hollow Bastion, huh?"

He nodded.

She looked up at the ceiling, and sighed. "I have this really weird feeling that I know that place…like I've been there before."

Sora just continued to look confused, as she walked out the door, and to the bathroom for a shower, and to change her clothes.

Riku walked down the streets, trying to find Kumiko. He leaned against the bakery wall, and closed his eyes.

She said she'd be here.

He was then brutally awakened when he felt hands touch his shoulders and begin to throw him onto the ground.

Riku looked up to see a girl laughing.

"You should've seen your face!" Kumiko managed to say between laughs.

He could hold back a smirk, so instead, he grabbed her ankle, made her fall beside him, and began to tickle her.

She laughed so hard, she swore she couldn't breathe! Her face became pink as she continued to laugh and laugh.

"Fine! I give! I give!" She shrieked, barely understanding what she was saying herself.

Riku laughed and helped her stand as they began to walk

As they walked hand in had, Kumiko let out a gasp, as she looked to her left. He quickly glanced at what she gasped at, and moved in front of her. His face showed determination as his teeth clenched.

No! Not again!

Sora sat around the bathroom door in a new change of clothes as he waited for Kairi to come out. He was deep in thought, until a shriek stopped his mind on track.

He kicked down the door to see Kairi covered by nothing but a towel, cornered by Heartless.

She looked up, with water beads still dripping down her face, as a distressed call came from her lips. "Sora!"

He summoned his Keyblade and destroyed all the Heartless, grabbed her hand, and helped navigate through the castle. They dodged countless Heartless until they were boxed in. Sora stood in front of Kairi, willing to risk his life to save hers, until a path way opened, revealing Riku, with the Way to Dawn drawn.

"Come on! We got to get to the Gummi ship! We have to save Kairi!" Riku instructed.

Sora nodded, but then ran in the opposite direction.

Kairi began to run after him, but Kumiko grabbed her by the wrist. "Don't worry, he'll be fine! Come on!"

The beads of water camouflaged with her tears as Kairi ran with Kumiko and Riku to the Gummi ship.

Sora ran through the hallways, with Heartless trying to catch him. "Cinderella!" He called out. He couldn't let one of the Princesses of Heart get caught again.

Cinderella waved Sora over, under the stairs. He quickly ran to her, and tried to catch his breath.

"You're….okay…" he panted, and sighed in relief.

"Sora, you have to leave now! Get Kairi to Hollow Bastion! She's the only one who can stop all this madness! Hurry up!" She instructed.

"What about you? The Heartless will catch you again!"

Cinderella gave a smile as she explained something to him. "Listen, Kairi doesn't know this, but she is the Princess of All Worlds. If she has her heart stolen, all the worlds can be captured by Heartless."

Sora shook his head. "What about the last time? Your world was stolen!"

"That's because they took Kairi's heart first. As long as she's safe, your duty is done. The Keyblade Master has to protect each world, like the Princess of All Worlds. If she is safe, all the worlds are safe, making your duty much easier than needed or explained." Cinderella smiled once again.

"Okay. I think I understand. But how do you know all of this?" He asked confused, once again.

"When Kairi was born at Hallow Bastion, all the Princesses of Hearts were invited to hear an important announcement. I went." She explained again.

"Oh! Wait until Kairi finds out!" He smiled.

"No! You can't tell her! She has to find out on her own. It'll be easy for her though." She exclaimed.

"Uh…okay…?" He replied, confused once more.

"Don't worry. You'll see soon enough." Cinderella gave up, and sighed.

Sora shrugged as he fought his way to the Gummi ship.

Kairi sat in the navigational area of the Gummi ship. Her wet locks of Auburn hair dangled in front of her lifeless eyes.

She still was in the towel. She wouldn't leave that spot until Sora came back.

Sora…

Her eyes brimmed with tears.

Is…is he…dead?

She was ready to give up hope, until the door whooshed open, showing Sora with his keyblade drawn, and his breathing heavy. He quietly walked over to Kairi, and hugged her. She had no clue the pain she was about to be put in. Only he knew, and he couldn't help her.

He helped her stand, and walked her to her room to get a fresh change of clothes on.

A few moments later, they walked out, with Kairi in her sundress that had been brought along. On the way to Hallow Bastion, Kairi sat next to Sora, never leaving his side. Sakura had been put to bed, so there was no need to worry about her. Riku, Kumiko, Kairi and Sora all started to chat about what they would do when they arrive.

"Well, I want to meet Sora's friends! I'm sure he has one in each world!" Kairi exclaimed.

"Yeah, I bet the best thing to do is to meet his friends, and learn the layout." Riku agreed.

"Hey, Riku? What was that thing you had earlier?" Kumiko asked.

"Oh, this?" He replied, summoning his Way to Dawn.

Kumiko quickly grabbed it and started swinging it around, laughing every time.

"Kumiko! The Way to Dawn is NOT a toy!" Riku screamed. (Major thanks goes to Mamoru-chan for that line! Thanks a ton!)

"We're here!" Donald quacked, cutting off what Kairi was about to say.

They all exited the Gummi ship, ending up in the market area, happily greeted by Leon, Cloud, Yuffie, Cid, and Aerith.

Kairi smiled as she greeted each person, noticing that they all looked familiar to her.

"Kairi…" Leon mumbled.

"Yeah, I know. It sounds so…familiar." Cloud whispered to Leon.

"Come on! Well show you the lovely town of Hallow Bastion!" Yuffie exclaimed, as she grabbed Kairi by the hand, and pulled her along.

"So, this is our house! Well, it's Merlin's, but we live here too. And if you go up there," She pointed, "you can see a great view of the castle, and the plains where we are forbidden."

"Well, let's get up there. I want to see view!" Kairi explained as she jumped from ledge to ledge.

"H-Hey! Wait for me!"

My first (Or second) cliffy! Well, we gotta say a special congratulation to NaughtsMemories for being the 75th reviewer! Now, it is time to strike a deal. In order for me to post, I want at least 10 reviews, hoping for 15, to post again. Please note that chapter 14 will have a new character in it, and a whole bunch of stuff happening! So if you review, that'll be the reward. Until then, my friends!

♥CrystilizedHeart♥