I opened my eyes, awakened by thunder, from the strange daydream. I looked around and saw the same old settings as before, the campground and the foliage. Daddy suddenly came out of the camper and had a handful of condiments. He set the table and smiled down at me.

"Ready for some hotdogs?" He asked.

"Uh…yeah."

That was the weirdest dream I think I had ever had. I silently made my hotdog and wolfed it down, and then I excused myself to do some exploring.

"Be back soon, though. Those storms look bad." Daddy said.

"Alright."

I went into the trees and tried to remember the full path I had taken in my dream. Evergreens came and then I heard a familiar sound of water. I pushed my way through the thicket and saw the same oasis.

"No way…"

"You'd better start believing. There are many other worlds. Everything you thought was make believe…was and is, in fact, real."

I turned around and ran.

"This can't be happening!"

I tripped over a rock and a twig slapped my face. Rain began to pour on me and thunder echoed through the sky, bouncing off the walls of the canyon. I raced against the wind and rain as fast as I could.

"Mel! Mel!!!" Daddy cried.

"I'm coming!" I cried against the roar of the storm.

Lightening struck nearby and I tumbled into the campsite.

"Mel! Come on!"

He held the door open for me, directing me to go inside the camper. I quickly jumped inside and my dad followed.

"I told you to come back before the storm got bad."

"I'm sorry…I got a little caught up in the exploring and then the storm just…hit."

"Well…I'm just glad you got here safe."

Thunder continued to roam and rain came down harder, if that was even possible.

"Do you suppose it will flood?" I asked.

"If it continues on like this…then yes."

Rain poured and then it sounded like rocks were being dumped onto the camper.

"It's hailing." Daddy said.

"Oh……wonderful." I said sarcastically, "This is exactly how I wanted to spend my summer."

Daddy just looked up at me. It was the first actual full summer that we've had a vacation. My parents a divorced and live over five hundred miles away from each other. It's hard on me, but also on him as well. He seemed sad. But he had a reason to be.

"I'm sorry, Daddy. I didn't mean--"

"No... you're right. This stinks. Nothing has gone the way I wished it to..."

"Well... I suppose that's life. Nothing will go the way you plan."

Thunder rumbled and more lightening ripped through the sky. The hail slowed down to a stop but the rain kept lashing on.

"Well, I'm kinda tired. I think I'm going to go to bed." I said.

"Alright. Goodnight Mel, I love you."

"I love you, too, Daddy. Goodnight."

I walked to the back of the camper and crawled into the bed. My mind traveled back to the oasis and the voice.

"Sanctuary? Journey...?" I asked sleepily.

Then I shut my eyes and fell asleep.

That night I had no dreams but just my subconscious was thinking through the night. When I awoke, I felt as though I had not slept at all. Sun shined through the small camper window. I got up and quietly walked to the front door. I opened it and saw a huge river running through the campsite. The whole place was flooded as I had predicted. I stepped down on the small ladder and gently closed the door behind me, then I took a step into the three and a half feet of water.

"Oh!" I said shocked.

I was a lot colder than thought it would be. I slowly got used to it, then I began to wade. I looked to the east but was surprised to see that there was not a sun. I quickly glanced to the west and saw it just above the canyon walls.

I must have been more tired than I thought.

I glanced around and I could only hear the water below me. I looked up at the sun beginning to set behind the canyon walls, then my mind traveled back to the voice and the oasis.

It's probably flooded now. Good riddance. That place was creepy anyway.

Suddenly I felt my feet slip out from underneath me. I fell backwards into the water. I couldn't control my fall. I waited for either my back or my head to hit the bottom, but it never came. I just floated down on my back, falling though the water. Then I slowed down and lightly landed on my feet.

What is this place?

I was afraid to breath, even though it no longer felt like water but air. I must have fallen through one hundred feet of water, why is there air? I finally just figured I should take a breath anyway. I was relieved to find that it was just normal air. I glanced around and saw nothing but darkness. I took a step forward and when I did, doves flew up in front of me. I looked down and I was completely stunned.

I have seen this before.

I was standing on the platform that had Sora with the keyblade and Riku, Kairi, Donald and Goofy all around him.

"This... is not possible..."

But the was a blank spot between Riku and Kairi.

" What is that for? I don't remember that being in the ga--"

"This is not a game. Like I said before, this is your life. It's not going to be anything like watching a movie, reading a book, or playing a game. When you get scared you can't just turn off the TV. When a character you care about is going to get badly injured you can't just turn the page. When you die... you can't just begin anew in the same place again. This is for real." The voice said.

"Who are you??" I asked.

"You've already asked that question... and I have already given you the answer..."

"Well... why is this happening to me?"

"It is only a test..."

"A test for what?"

"To prove that you are worthy enough to receive this gift."

In front of me rose of me rose a podium with a sword. On the left was a shield and on the right was a staff.

"Choose your destiny."

In the games... I always chose either the shield or the staff. I walked up to the sword and I took it.

"The weapon of a warrior. Invincible courage. Used to help others... is this the path you choose?"

I thought about it. The shield is for defending and the staff is for healing. Is this the one I should choose?

"Yes," I finally said," I want to help others."

"Very well. Your path is now set."

I still held the sword in my hand but everything else disappeared. The sword was light and easy to swing.

"Now you will learn how to fight."

I heard a sound behind me and so I turned around. A heartless morphed out of the ground. I stepped back. In the game they are solid black creatures with no hearts. They came in many forms. In real life they are scarier. They have white eyes, sharp yellow teeth, four inch claws, and a bad attitude. The sound that they make tops all those things put together. They make a high-pitched screech that hurts your ears, and then you can't figure out where exactly the noise is coming from until they pop out in front of you.

I held my sword in one hand and swung it. The heartless was sliced in half and turned to a black powder. Unfortunately, no little green orbs of health were left behind from the creature.

"So you've noticed," Said The Voice. "This is life. There is no health orbs like in the game. There is magic though. The potions are real, too. But only through rest can you replenish your magical limits. Luckily, as in life, you do gain experience."

"When will the time come when I learn all the magic and things?" I asked.

"In time. You may be patient with helping others...but not when asking questions and getting answers." Chuckled The Voice. "You remind me of Sora..."

I lowered my head and looked at Sora. I was standing on his cheek. I kneeled down and touched his face on the ground.

"I know this is hard for you to take in all of this... but soon you will be reassured that everything I have told you is reality. Your world does not believe in things such as magic and super powers. That is why they provide games, stories, and movies. No one actually believes in it, they just make the things to receive money. In your world that is all that really matters..."

I walked over the platform and looked at Riku's picture. I sat on my knees next to it and put my sword beside me as I listened to The Voice.

It's all true.

"But you are different, while some kids believe in things like 'magic', here you are, a teenager, believing in things you shouldn't. I know you kept it all to yourself, but that is why you are taking this test. Just to prove that you are worthy. You began to believe even more once you heard Riku's speech about other worlds being out there, in the game. You had a right to believe. There are other worlds. Even in the games, they did an excellent job on showing the characters' personalities and also the full adventure. Even the characters in the game look a lot like the real people."

"So the games... all that was true? I-I mean Naminé, Roxas, Sora, Riku... Donald, Goofy?! They're are all--"

"Real? Yes, very much so. All of the characters in both games and in Walt's Disney's 'creation' are real. What? Did you think he thought all those characters up?" The voice laughed. "Kids have all the imagination... but even they can't think up of that.."

I was awestruck. This has to be another dream.

"Alright... you will be proven that this is for real. You must fight five of the heartless now. Also, heartless drop items, potions and other useful things. Be sure to pick up all you can. They will come in handy."

I heard a screeching sound that pierced through my ears and then I picked up my sword. I was surrounded by heartless. One of them jumped I pulled up my sword and slashed it. Two more of them came at me and so I swung left then right. I spun around and saw the last two. I ran up to them and swiped. They all were dust. I looked around me and saw a small cordial. I picked it up.

"That is a small healing potion. The bigger the cordial, the more it heals, but also the rarer it becomes."

I put it in a small blue bag I had over my shoulder.

"Also they become really small and very lightweight when you put them in a bag. It enables you to carry more and make it easier on you."

Suddenly the ground began to tremble.

"What's going on?!" I cried.

"This is your actual test..."

A shadow formed in the middle of the platform. I stepped back as the heartless began to pull itself up, out of the shadow. It towered above me.

"Don't be afraid..." The voice said calmly.

I turned around and took off. I wasn't afraid. I was strictly terrified. I saw the edge of the platform and stopped. I glanced over the edge. It looked like a bottomless pit.

"There's no way out of here..." The voice said, "This is your test. One that you cannot skip nor retake."

I turned and faced the heartless. It looked about five stories tall and it had metal armor except for on the hands and the feet. Its arms were long and buff like a gorilla's, but the legs were somewhat short. The claws on the feet and hands must have been about ten feet long. I was terrified. A screech came out of the heartless that made my stomach jump into my throat and my ears bleed.

"Use all that you've learned."

The sword magically appeared in my hand. I hadn't even realized it was gone. Suddenly when I held the sword my fear floated away. My courage came back. The creature towered above me, but instead of running, I ran straight at it. I began to hack at its ankle; it was the only thing I could reach. The creature lifted up his foot and was about to stomp on me but I moved to his other foot and began to attack it. Eventually the heartless's ankle could not handle it's weight and so the Heartless collapsed. His helmet fell off so I immediately began to swing at its neck. For some reason I was filled with hatred and anger. I had a feeling that I had a right to be. Even though they had not done anything to me. Maybe it was because of all the things they made Sora go through. Ever since I began the games I felt connected to his character, along with some of the others. I cried when he did and I laughed when he did. He is only a character out of a game though. I can't imagine what he must be like in real life.

The Heartless pushed itself up with its arms and then sat on its knees. Its hands were on its knees so I began to swipe at its hands, but then it backhanded me. I flew backwards and landed on my back. I was in pain and my body was aching, but I got up nonetheless. I jumped on the hand and crawled up its arm and then stood on the shoulder and stabbed it in the back of its head. The Heartless fell forward and hit the ground. I flew off and landed on my stomach. The Heartless sank into a hole of darkness.

"Very well done." complimented the voice.

Sweat dripped from my forehead.

"Here is an Elixir and a potion. You don't throw the liquid in the air like it shows in the game, of course. You actually drink it. The only time you heal magically is when you Cure someone else."

A small cordial appeared at my feet full of a pink potion, then next to it was a flask looking glassware with a cork in it. The liquid was blue. I picked them up and drank down each of them. I instantly felt better and my body no longer ached. In fact, I felt better now then I had for a few months.

"So... did I pass this test?" I asked.

"We shall see..."

The sword in my hand disappeared and the platform I was standing on shattered into a million shards. I struggled. Darkness surrounded me. I couldn't see anything. I felt like water rushed around me, compressing pressure on my lungs. I was afraid to breathe again.

"The time will come. It is both nearby and far off, but no matter what happens... don't afraid."

My feet touched the bottom and I stood straight up out of the water. I took in a deep breath and shook the water from my arms. I glanced around. I was, once again, back in the campsite with the sun just barely above the canyon walls. I wiped the water from my face and then pulled my hair out of the half-bun I had it in, then I wrung out all the water. My hair is black. So black in fact, that in the right lighting it looks blue.

Daddy must still be asleep.

No one was in the canyon. Everyone had gone home or... something happened to them. It was flooded so bad that our truck was stuck.

"What is wrong with me? Why am I having these weird dreams? They seem so real... but they can't possibly be real..."

"You had better think again." Said the voice," Come to the oasis. You know the way."

I heard a different voice that time.

"This is real."

"Of course it is! That's what he has been trying to tell you." The voice said.

"Who are you... and he?" I asked.

The voice sounded strange like an accent but not really. It's hard to explain. The voice laughed.

"Just go to the oasis." It chuckled.

I did as I was told and traveled my way through water. I finally got to the place where the oasis used to be. The only thing that reminded was the trees standing tall and the rock that used to have a waterfall come from it.

"Alright... I'm here. What do you want?" I asked.

I was somewhat annoyed about all this. Out of no where, a figure of a man in a black cloak appeared on the rock. Two words instantly came to my mind.

ORGANIZATION THIRTEEN!!

"Used to be, Organization, you mean. You see... I was in it... but once Roxas left, I didn't care much. I captured Kairi... but I regretted it. So I helped Sora defeat all the Nobodies so he could find Riku and Kairi, but for the price of me dieing. Almost anyway. For being good-hearted. I've been given a task."

"And what's that?" I asked.

"To be your guardian..."

The figure took off his hood. I recognized him instantly.

"Axel!" I cried.

"Yep." He said cheerfully, "So I heard that you have played a game about us and Kingdom Hearts and all that...what is it like?"

"They are wonderful...but..."

"You still don't believe this is real...do you?"

"Well in this world... there's no such thing as magic... or anything."

"I would hate to live in this world." He commented.

His fire-red hair glowed in the sun and his green eyes shimmered.

"I always thought you were the coolest Organization Thirteen guy. When I played Roxas and I had to defeat you... I felt sorry. It's strange. After playing that game... I felt like I was connected to all the characters."

"Well...by playing the game it awoke many possibilities. It also connected your heart to Kingdom Hearts. Supposedly... you have something that even Sora doesn't have..."

"What is that?"

"A way to control Kingdom Hearts..."

"What?!"

"Yeah... so you can't trust many people..."

"How do I know I can trust you?"

He just shook his head and laughed. I remember the voice had told me the first friend I will meet I will think an enemy. I knew I could trust him.

"You remind me of--"

"Sora... I know. I've been told that already..."

He smiled.

"Because I will be the one to protect you when the time comes."

"How do I know if any of this is real?"

Axel slightly smiled then he jumped off the rock and landed into the water. He put his hand into the water and then splashed water on me.

"Real enough for you?"

"...I'm not so convinced..."

Axel walked towards me then stopped and spread his arms wide.

"Go ahead... touch me."

I walked up to him and looked into his eyes. They were really green. He also had the red markings below his eyes. I reached out and poked his stomach. It was as hard as a rock.

"All abs, Baby." He grinned.

"Why don't you take off the cloak if you're not in the organization?" I asked.

"Because... I look good in it..." He said.

"So...your name is Axel... what's your last name?"

His eyes showed sadness. It made me feel worse for him in real life then in the game.

"I'm a Nobody... remember? I don't have a heart...nor a last name..."

"But surely, you had to have something telling you what is right and wrong. You're not like all the others that were in the organization."

He lowered his green eyes.

"Besides... you know there is something different about you... don't you?"

"Other than the fact that everyone wanted to kill Sora and Roxas... and all I wanted to do was find them? Yes...I knew... that I felt...feelings. I did feel sorrow. I did feel happiness, though I did my best not to show it. But eventually Xemnas found out and set the Organization against me. That is why I finally decided to pick a side. I decided to help Sora. Thanks to the connection of Sora and Roxas, I am connected to you, too."

"So...if you feel emotions... then you can't be a Nobody. A heart doesn't have the feelings only of hatred and anger. It has all sorts of emotions. You must have a heart!" I said excitedly.

"Melody? Melody where are you?" My dad called.

"Oh... that's my dad..."

Axel glanced up and looked at me.

"Your name is Melody?"

"Oh... sorry that I never introduced myself. My name is Melody Hart. But please call me 'Mel'."

"Well," He said bowing," Nice to meet you Mel and I suppose I will see you soon."

Then with that he disappeared with a puff a white smoke.

I guess he really is good now...

I turned around and quickly waded back to the campsite.

"Sorry Daddy. I was just exploring around to see how much damage was done..."

"And...?"

"Everything is flooded... horribly. Everyone is gone. Either they left before... or they didn't make it."

"It's a miracle we did..."

"...yeah..."

I looked up at the sky. The sun was already behind the walls of the canyon and the light soon faded. We could finally see the stars.

"Daddy...do you believe there are other worlds? I mean... some like ours?" I asked.

"Honey, I'm no scientist...but I kinda have to see it to believe it."

"So... that's a 'no'." I said quietly.

I watched the stars. I believe there are many worlds. I also believe that somewhere out there... Sora, Riku and Kairi are at home, in Destiny Islands... possibly even looking at the same stars I am.

I believe now. I believe all is... real.

"Come on, Mel. It's getting late."

He opened the door to the camper and so I stepped inside.

"Goodnight Mel, I love you."

"I love you, too, Daddy. Goodnight."

And so we parted our ways to opposite sides of the camper and went to bed. I took off my black tennis shoes and the opened the window for a small breeze. I just quietly laid in bed. My mind replayed all the things that have happened to me, over and over again. My mind was saying it wasn't possible, but my heart said it was probable. My heart believed... and so I had to listen to my heart.

My heart...

My eyes felt heavy and so I closed them without a fight.