Author's Disclaimer: I do not own "Kingdom Hearts". It is property of Square Enix and Disney. I do not own anything of it from characters to items and places. All I own is Star. So... NO STEALING STAR! :) Enjoy~!

Dedication: This is dedicated to my beloved readers and my best writing pal, Megumi. Your writing inspired this!

Author's Note: This takes place a few months after "Kingdom Hearts II". Now, I'm a little rusty in the KH universe because I haven't played it in over a year, so please let me know if I make any mistake or such. But please tell me kindly. Constructive criticism is appreciated as well as feedback.

Gearing Up

-Radiant Garden

"They're sure to have something for you," Aerith told Star.

Star followed the brunette and Yuffie inside the clothing store. The three managers merely waved at the girls but were a bit confused when they saw Star. The fifteen-year-old stared at the mangers. They were… They were…

"Ducks?" She stared. She looked at the girls.

Yuffie smiled. "The boys are ducks, but they're loyal and so cute!"

"Hey!" One of them wearing a green cap quacked. "We're not cute!"

"We're fearless!" The one with red said.

"Yeah, fearless!" The third, blue, yelled.

"Aw!" Star gave them a smile. "But, you guys are -"

"Moving on!" Yuffie laughed. "The boys are a bit sensitive since their uncle is out and about, fighting and stuff!"

"Who's their -" Star started but the ninja cut her off.

"This is where Aerith and I found our new clothing, with a few modifications of our own!" Yuffie grinned.

Star looked at the brunette's clothing. Her dress was spaghetti strap. For the most part, her dress was a bit flared and two shades of pink with white. She had some rough-looking brown boots on.

Nevertheless, Star thought their outfits were quite cool-looking. "They seem to fit you both."

"Yup, yup!" The ninja spun on her toes. "Especially flower girl over there." She jerked her thumb over to Aerith who simply shrugged, her brown locks slightly bouncing. "Now, pick your clothes, put them on, and show us!" Yuffie pushed Star out to the racks.

"Ugh!" Star nearly knocked over the racks. She straightened up, keeping the jacket on tight. She began going through the clothes to find any her size and to her liking.

Yuffie and Aerith sat down close to the dressing rooms. "So, what you thinking about?" The ninja asked the flower girl.

Aerith kept her eyes on the floor. "About Star and how she ended up here. Things just don't happen, there's always a reason."

"So you think she's here to help?"

The brunette bit her lip. "Maybe."

Star was in the dressing room with a pile of clothes. She had tried on a variety of outfits and she either didn't like any of them or they gave a suggestive notion. Finally, she realized she had to modify the clothes like the girls did. She thought hard and decided what she wear.

The cotton shorts she chose were black and the hem of her purple tank top was long enough to overlap over her hips. Star went for a brown boots, not as rough looking as Aerith's though and certainly not with skinny heels. She completed her outfit with a long white sleeveless jacket. Only the three middle buttons were done so that she could move in it without that stiff feeling.

She walked out of the dressing room to show Yuffie and Aerith. "Well, what do you think?" She twirled around for them.

"You look great!" Yuffie yelled with a wide grin.

Aerith nodded in agreement. "It suits you."

"Thanks!"

"Here." The flower girl handed Star a pink ribbon, "For your hair."

"Oh, thanks!" Star fingercombed her hair, getting out all the tangles and such. Her hair reached the middle of her back. She pulled her hair back in a ponytail. She frowned when a few short locks escaped its tight confinement and framed her face.

"Alrighty, come on!" The ninja never did seem to run out of enthusiasm. She pulled the girl to the counter and paid the clerk. "Thanks, guys!"

"No problem!" The three chorused together.

Star smile.. They're so cute!

"Come back soon!" The green said.

Star turned to them in disbelief. "I don't know your names though."

"Huey!" The red one jumped.

"Dewey! " The blue smiled.

"And Louie!" The green one grinned.

The fifteen-year-old smiled. "I'm Star. Nice to meet you all. See you soon!"

"You too!" The boys chorused.

The girls headed back to where they left Leon and Cid.

"Um," Star opened her mouth. "Do you guys have any idea on why I'm here?"

Yuffie shrugged and Aerith shook her head. "I'm sorry. Maybe the guys found something."

Star nodded, hoping very much they did. But in such short time, she doubted it.

"Do you wanna go back home?" Yuffie asked. Aerith shot her a look that read 'Of course she does!'

"Um, well -" Star stared but gasped when something hit her back. "Ah!" She fell on her knees. She turned around to see a short silvery creature with long and pointy tentacles as its feet and hands. The head was what scared Star the most. It was like a hood but with an open zipper across where a face was suppose to be. She gave a short scream at the sight of and gasped when more of those things popped up beside it.

Yuffie brought out her oversized shuriken and Aerith helped Star on her feet. "Guys, go!" The ninja shouted. "I'll take care of old Dusky here!"

Aerith took Star's hand and they ran to headquarters. The flower girl ran into the room, "The nobodies! They're back!" She gasped out.

Leon and Cid exchanged looks. Leon brought out a wide and long sword while Cid pulled out a pole. "Lets go." The boys took off.

Aerith turned to Star, "Stay here. Give a shout if any of those things come in, ok?"

Star could only nod and watch the brunette run after the others. She felt useless and stupid now. They were all fighting whatever those things were. Star sat on one of the chairs, looking around the room frantically. She gasped when the silvery creatures appeared. She ran to the door and flung it open, "Guys!" She screamed. She turned around when they began tugging on the hem of her jacket. She tripped and started to kick, "Let me go!"

She successfully scrambled to her feet and she began to run out of the room but she stopped in her tracks at the sight of a tall, dark hooded figure. Star started to back up from the hooded figure who seemed to stare at her. While still in his reach, the figure shot his gloved hand and gripped her arm. "Let me go!" The figure grasped both her arms and started to pull her towards him. A cut in the air was made behind him and a large oval of darkness opened up. Star shouted and struggled with all her might.

"Hold on there, lil' missy!" Cid ran towards them and threw his pole towards the hooded figure.

The figure released the fifteen-year-old girl and turned into the intruder's direction. He turned back to Star who retreated back. He stepped into the darkness and the portal cleared up like it was never there before.

"Are you alright?" Leon asked Star.

Star just nodded her head. Aerith knelt down beside her while the guys peered into their headquarters.

"Nothing there," Cid grunted. "Damn things knew we were coming."

Leon glanced over his shoulder at Star then at Aerith. She looked up at him. They both were getting at the same thought: Why would someone - more than likely a goon of Organization XIII - try to take Star?

Yuffie came running back to them. "Everyone's calmed down." She breathed, "No sign of those things."

"Good. Let's take a patrol. Aerith?" Leon turned around.

"I'll stay with Star."

"What happened?" Yuffie asked the guys as they walked away to do their perimeter check.

"Come on, let's get you inside." The flower girl assisted the shocked girl inside and to another room. She had her lay down on the bed. "Do you feel faint?"

"No." Star mumbled, massaging her forehead and eyes. "What were those things? And that guy?"

Aerith was quiet. "Nobodies." She finally said, "They are the results of someone having their heart taken away. They're a little stronger than the heartless and their different forms are more powerful." A short pause. "That hooded figure, we're not sure. It can't be a member of Organization XIII. They've all disappeared."

"Organization XIII?" Star sat up.

The flower girl sighed. She began to tell Star all about Organization XIII.

Star woke up the next morning. She yawned and stretched, eyes still shut. What a dream. Nobodies, heartless, Yuffie, Cid… Glad that's over and done with. She sat up and opened her eyes. She gave a short yell when she realized she wasn't in her room or in any part of her house. "Oh god…" Star brought her knees together and that when she took notice of her outfit. Yep, she was still in Radiant Garden.

"I guess this is all real." She muttered to herself.

She swung her legs out of bed and pulled her boots on and her jacket. She fixed her hair and walked out of the room. She only saw Leon. He turned around when she entered the room.

"Hey, sleepy head." He said.

"Hey," She stopped. "Where's everybody?"

"Patrolling." He told her. "With nobodies back, we expect trouble."

"Aerith told me about them and Organization XIII." Star said quietly.

"We may be up against them again," Leon said. He typed in something and looked up at the screen to see search results. "I don't see how they came back though." He turned back around, "I almost forgot. We got you a few things."

"You did?"

"Think of these things and your outfit as welcoming gifts to Radiant Garden." He tossed her a belt and two straps. "The belt can hold weapons and has a few packs for items. The straps are for smaller items and weapons. If we're going up against the nobodies, heartless, and Organization XIII, best be prepared." He turned back to the computer.

Star clipped the belt around her hips. It was a tight fit, which was a huge relief for her. The belt was brown and had a flowery pattern on with two long and thick sacks that Leon referred to earlier. She strapped the two straps to her left leg, about an inch below the hem of her cotton shorts.

"Huey, Dewey, and Louie have some weapons that may interest you."

"Thanks, but I don't have any -" Star didn't finish her sentence because Leon threw her a sack.

"Munny." He told her.

"Munny?" Star felt weird that the word "money" was pronounced differently. Then again, this was another world, right? "Thanks. I'll be back!"

"Be care-" Leon sighed when she was out of earshot.

Star walked into the shop and found the three duck boys sitting on the counter. "Hey," She greeted.

"Hi, Star!"

"You guys ok from yesterday?" She asked, walking up to them.

"Don't worry about us." Louie told her.

"We got a few tricks up our sleeves!" Huey said.

"Really?" Star smiled. "Well, that's pretty cool. Say, you got anything for me? Like items and weapons?"

"We sure do!" Dewey and Huey took Star's hands and Louie led the way.

Star laughed. They were already warming up to her.

"You might wanna start with something small, like daggers." Louie told her.

Star leaned in to see a set of beautiful yet dangerous looking daggers. She picked one up that caught her interest. It was simple yet elegant and tasteful. The dagger's point was so sharp she didn't even want to touch it. The handle and the blade were all made from one piece: crystal. The handle's end was rounded. It was a white glowing color with some green, blue, and yellow around the point where the handle and blade was suppose to be separate. "How much is this one?" She asked the boys.

"Uh…"

"Its 250 munny!"

"Ok." The boys showed her the items. It seemed they took a liking to her as well much to her pleasure. She felt odd buying items like potions, hi-potions, and elixirs. It all came out to be 325 munny. Luckily, Leon gave her more than enough. Star tipped the boys. "Thanks guys!"

"You're welcome!"

"Anytime!"

"Come back soon!"

Star placed her items in the sacks on her belt and she caressed the dagger, the boys called it Starlight. The young girl laughed out loud. No wonder I liked it so much! She kept an eye out for the hooded figure and the nobodies. What she didn't know what that the same hooded figure from yesterday was watching her from the shadows.

Chapter Note: I'm sorry. I coudln't resist writing more about Star. Yes, I'm sure you're all wondering: Where are Sora, Kairi, Riku, Goofy, Donald, and the other beloved characters? Well, they're coming in... soon. As soon as I've figured out a pretty good plot. But you all know what that means, right? IDEAS! WHOO! GO CRAZY MY READERS! :) Hope this was good for you all.

7/13: This is the revised chapter, edited by a good friend of mine. Megumi, I can always count on you!