A/N: Hi! Okay, Blackrogue123, I know I told you that this would be out last week, but that was before my computer decided to temporarily die. It lives again, though. I don't really have much to say, and so I'll let you read on. I bet most people just skip the author's note anyway.

Disclaimer: I owneth it not.

A Queen, A Solution, and A Curse

"Why did you stop me?" Riku asked dangerously, turning to face King Mickey accusingly. "Did you think I couldn't take them?"

"I have great faith in your fighting abilities," the King replied patiently, "But we were outnumbered."

"But now they have Sora!"

"Riku," Kairi said, putting her hand on his arm, "You can't help him if you're hurt, or worse."

Riku nodded, grudgingly.

"So, what do we do now?" Donald asked.

"We wait for Chip and Dale to bring the new ship, and then we find a way to save Sora and Roxas." Mickey replied, sitting down. He fought away the urge to moan and put his head in his hands. It wasn't supposed to go like this.

They stood there in silence, no one really willing to talk about what had just happened. But, then again, it hadn't really sunk in either.

Eventually, a soft rhythmic humming sounded overhead, and a new gummi ship landed in the clearing.

"Finally!" Kairi exclaimed as they ran up the gangplank and into the ship. However, as they entered, they found someone they didn't expect already sitting at the controls.

"Minnie?" The King asked, his jaw dropping to the floor. "What are you doing here?"

"When Chip and Dale said you were stranded, Daisy and I decided to help you."

"B-but Minnie…"

"Wait," Donald interrupted, "Daisy is here?"

"Why, yes. It was my turn to drive, so she's in the back room, sleeping."

With an excited quack, Donald hurried through the door leading to the back.

"But Minnie, it's dangerous!"

"Mickey Mouse, you did not put me through three years of fencing, just to tell me it's too dangerous!"

Kairi and Naminè looked sideways at each other, smiling, as Riku's mouth fell open. The Queen could fight?

The King seemed about to protest before thinking better of it. Shaking his head, he gave up.

"Wonderful!" Queen Minnie exclaimed, "Oh! Where's Sora?"

The group froze, unsure of what to say.

"Let's get this ship in the air," Riku sighed, "We need to get away from here. We'll explain on the way, Your Majesty."

~*~

"I've done it!" Vexen cried, bursting into the conference room. "I have found the solution to our problem!"

"Which one?" Xigbar scoffed, as everyone looked up.

"You are very funny, Number II." Vexen sneered. "Ever since we got back, I have been trying to find a way to stop Sora and Roxas from summoning their Keyblades once they wake up. Now, we can't keep knocking them out, nor can we risk fighting them, but I have found a solution." the Chilly Academic paused dramatically, "Septocaine."

Zexion laughed, putting his book down.

"Septocaine?" he asked, "You're kidding me?"

"What's that?" Demyx asked.

"It's the chemical dentists use to make your mouth numb."

Demyx raised his hand to his mouth. He hated dentists.

"Will it work?" Xaldin asked.

Vexen paused.

"In theory, yes." he responded, "Septocaine stops the electrical pulses that course through muscles from reaching the nerves, resulting in the inability to feel the area, coupled with limited mobility. Now, while we don't know exactly what causes the Keyblade to appear, there must be some signal, and if the arm is unable to receive it, it is my hypothesis that the Keyblade will not appear."

"And even if it does," Xigbar laughed, "If Sora can't feel his arm, how can he fight?"

"Precisely."

"And Roxas?" Xaldin asked.

"Since Roxas gets his ability to wield the Keyblade from Sora," Zexion replied, hand over mouth pensively. "If the Keyblade Master is unable to summon his weapon then, logically, his Nobody should be in the same position."

"Logically?" Axel scoffed. "This is just another one of Vexen's experiments. If he's wrong, someone could get hurt."

"Well, then we'll just have to make sure it's you who checks, won't we?" Saïx smirked.

"Lucky me."

~*~

"That's horrible!" Daisy exclaimed as the group finished, collectively, explaining everything that had happened since they had left Disney Castle the day before. "How can they possibly live with themselves? Cheating like that!"

Nobody responded, and Queen Minnie turned to face Naminè.

"I'm glad we could meet, Naminè," She smiled, "I just wish it could be under different circumstances. I'm sorry about Roxas."

Naminè just nodded. She hadn't said much.

"So," Minnie continued, turning back to her husband, "Do we have a plan?"

"Other than 'Save Sora and Roxas', not really."

"I believe, Your Majesty, that I could help with that," a chilling voice said as a plume of green fire appeared in the middle of the cockpit.

"Maleficent!" Riku gasped, Way to Dawn appearing in his hand.

"No need for that, Riku." the witch laughed as the fire died around her feet. "I'm here for diplomatic reasons."

"What do you want, Maleficent?" Mickey asked, his own hand held out, ready to summon his own Keyblade if the need arose.

"I am here to offer you a chance to right all that is wrong with the worlds."

Mickey paused, his stance loosening a bit.

"I would be lying if I said I haven't wondered if such a thing was possible, but I fail to see how you can help."

"Your Majesty, I'm sure you know the history of the worlds." the witch replied, smiling, "How the Darkness was born from the Light and their wars resulted in the destruction of the original world. From the fragments of that shattered world came the various worlds we have now.

"Through it all, Light and Dark have continued to fight. However, now there is a new enemy threatens them both. Nothingness. The Nobodies seek to destroy everything to regain their hearts. If they succeed, it will be at the cost of everything we know.

"Alone, neither Light nor Dark would have the power to overcome Nothing's threat, but together we could not fail. I have at my disposal thousands of Heartless and the powers of Darkness, which Riku could verify the potency of. You have the Light's power, and the strength of heart needed to control a Keyblade, the strongest weapons ever created. Combined, our army could utterly destroy the Nobodies. You seek a way to save Sora, and I merely wish to be able to practice my art without fear of interruption. Together, we could achieve those goals, and possibly more. If the worlds separated because if the Light and Dark's quarrel, would an alliance between them not return the worlds to their original places, making them one once more? United."

Unable to control himself, Riku jumped forward.

"Don't listen to her, Your Majesty!"

Surprised, everyone turned to look at him.

"We don't know if reuniting the worlds is even possible, and even if it is, any alliances we make with Maleficent puts our very sanity at risk. If we fall into the Darkness, then no one will be saved."

Maleficent cackled mirthfully.

"Even after all you've been through, Riku, you still fear the Darkness."

Riku ignored her, keeping his gaze locked with the King's.

"We don't need Heartless to battle the Organization. Sora has lots of friends who would help us if we asked them. The Organization controls most the Heartless anyway."

There was a pause and Kairi stepped forward.

"I agree with Riku." she nodded.

"King Mickey, they are children." Maleficent sighed, "Children with whom I have a bad past. They are prejudice against me."

"I'm sure she does want to Organization," Riku inserted, "To regain control of all the Heartless. If anyone knows how the Darkness can affect a person, it's me."

The king stood, arms folded, listening to both sides make their arguments.

"Maleficent," he said after a while, "I have no doubt that you would fight along side us if necessary, but as a Keyblade Wielder, I can not bring myself to fight alongside Heartless. If you would consent to lending your magical abilities without the aid of the Heartless, we would be most grateful. An army can always use another magician."

Maleficent's expression closed.

"I'll pass." she replied acidly before turning to Riku, "As for you, boy, I was willing to forgive you for stabbing me in the back, but now I see that you aren't worthy of such mercy." A snarl at her lips, Maleficent raised a pale hand, moving it in a circular motion around the green ball at the head of her staff. "Like a fish regrets it's appetite after the bait is bitten, so too will you eventually regret a decision you have made. When your friends stand in mortal danger and you are unable to help them, then you will regret spurning my help." Maleficent lowered her hand, a satisfied smirk playing around her mouth. Riku stared back, eyes defiant.

"I don't care what kind of spells you cast," he said, "You won't control me ever again." As if disinterested, he turned away. "Also, technically, I stabbed you in the chest, not the back."

With a scowl, fire broke around the witch's feet, and in a rush of heat, she was gone.

For a moment, no one talked, and no one moved.

"Okay, everyone," Mickey sighed, "We all need to pitch in. There are a lot of worlds we need to visit.

A/N: So, yeah...I really don't have anything to say...I hope you liked it. Please review!!! See ya all later!