"How long are you two planning on wasting your time here?" Cid growled to the duck and dog sitting at the steps leading up to Leon's house. Cid had already repaired Donald and Goofy's gummi ship a week ago. They still were bunking with Leon and Yuffie even then, which irked the mechanic perhaps a little more than it should be normal. Usually people flew the ship he repaired. It did not help that it'd been a good long time since he'd been able to repair anything for anyone. Gummi ships had become very uncommon after the worlds were separated. There were ways to travel from one to another, though it was challenging and took weeks at time. However, though the heartless were a terrible plague, they did give Cid his business in some sense.

"Oh, I don't know," Donald grumbled back, his brow furrowed. The mage had been in a foul mood since his arrival, though neither of the companions spoke of what made them both in such strange moods. Though, Donald being grumpy wasn't exactly a surprise.

"We're not sure where to go," Goofy admitted, his eyes sad as he stared at the cobblestone of Traverse Town's streets. The king's two most trusted advisors had been keeping the heartless of the town in check since their return, providing the people of Traverse Town the ability to safely leave their homes again. But the gossip traveled fast, and now everyone was wondering the same thing: Where was Sora, the keyblade master?

"Didja loose the kid again?" Cid teased, hiding his curiosity under his rough outer demeanor. At once he knew that was the wrong question. Donald seemed to inflate and was on his feet quacking insanely in a second. Goofy jumped to his feet as well to hold back Donald. Cid silently thanked the heavens that the duck had not been holding his staff.

Goofy forced the duck back onto the steps and gave a loud sigh as he too sat down. No one spoke for a moment, until the sound of foot steps made them all look up. Leon was standing before them now, his arms crossed, as he looked them over. He'd heard the full story of what had happened two weeks ago, but he was in firm denial that it had killed Riku and Sora. "They both survived it once, didn't they?" he'd challenged Goofy and Donald. "They can do it again."

Leon now took in the sight of scruffy Cid leaning against the brick wall along the stairwell. He had a piece of straw wedge in his teeth and squinted back at the dark haired Leon. "I think you should move along, Cid," Leon said smoothly, with just a touch of danger in his voice. Cid threw his hands up in the air with a "bah!" before walking away towards his shop on the east side of Traverse Town.

"Any word of them?" Goofy asked hopefully. Leon shook his head slowly. They both stared at the ground, heaving a deep sigh.

"But," Leon said, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "There has been word of someone buying a lot of items from the Accessory and Items shops. Someone around here is planning on some fighting, but no one can remember who they sold so much to."

"How can that be?" Donald asked as his brow furrowed once more. He now had his staff in his hands, beating the head of it in his hand impatiently. "They have to keep records of their sales, right?"

"That's what's weird. Whoever it is knows how to keep their identity secret enough to make the owners think it's someone else each time."

Donald and Goofy glanced at each other, unsure of what to make of Leon's news. It made them curious, but did not at all help with their situation. There was a long lasting sense of defeat shared between the three, even though Leon kept up his bluff of cool and collect assurance.

"Where do you think they are?" Goofy asked quietly, looking up at the stars. One flickered before his eyes, and died as the darkness took it. There would be many more to do this without the Key Bearer. How many could they watch die without going mad? Without going crazy from the knowledge they are partly to blame for not being able to stop the destruction?

"Hopefully some place that's better than here," Leon said, straightening up and looking towards the sky. "And if they're not," he added as he made his way up the steps towards his home, "they're making it better."

Worlds away, a young brunette's eyes flickered open from the strange dreams he'd been having. The room before him was unfamiliar and dingy. The house creaked and moaned in time with the winds stripping its skeletal frame of warmth. Flashes of what had occurred came to him, but only distantly, as if they were slipping through a clogged drain. He closed his eyes, trying to think. What had happened?

Blood. Crimson and dangerous lingered on his fingertips as he stroked the red stained hair from his face.

Riku.

At once, he sat up quickly, too quickly. The dark and dank room before him swam in his vision before he fell back onto his pillow. Where was Riku? Why wasn't he by him? Why was he in this house?

"You shouldn't get up that quickly, you're still hurt," came a child's voice.

Blinking, he opened his eyes once more, looking at the bedside. A boy of about ten stood there, holding a cup of tea. He held out the cup as if in a peace offering. Slowly and carefully, he sat up and took the cup from the boy.

"What's your name?" the child asked, sitting at the foot of the creaky cot. He wore shabby clothes that seemed to suit the room they were in. The cobwebbed window let only a handful of small rays make their way inside to light the room. It appeared they were in an attic with slopping ceilings. As the old house shifted in the wind, dust fell from the pillars.

"Sora," he replied, a minute too late. The silence had already kicked in. He took a sip of the tea and tried not to choke. The boy gave an apologetic smile.

"Sorry it tastes bad, Sora," the child replied. This time, Sora heard his accent. It rolled off the tongue nicely. "My aunts don't really much like things that taste good. But it'll make you feel better. You were very cold."

"What about the other person with me?" Sora asked hurriedly, setting the cup down on a rickety bedside table. "Silver hair, tall—"

"He's still sleeping," the boy cut in, giving Sora a gentle look of pity. Sora clutched the quilt covering him in anger. He wanted to see Riku, now. "He hit his head, didn't he?"

"Yes, but is he okay? Has he woken up? Is he…?"

"He's got a bad fever, but he's alive. He hasn't woken up. It's been a while since you two showed up in the pumpkin patch," the boy replied, swinging his legs off the cot as he went towards the narrow set of stairs that led out of the attic. "If you can stand, you can see him. I have him on the couch. I don't know where I'm going to put him once Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker get back."

Sora didn't need to be told twice. He hesitantly slid off the cot. He was wearing his boxers and undershirt to his surprise. But there wasn't time for meaningless questions. The boy led him down the stairs, past a few doors then down another flight of stairs. There was a sitting room that appeared to never be in use, with one occupant that was defying its usual neglect. Riku's head was covered in a soft white cloth that had small blotches of dried blood here and there. His arms held many scratches and bruises. Looking down at his own arms, Sora saw that he was in the same condition.

"Riku…" he breathed, and he flew to his side. The boy watched as Sora took his best friend's hand and held it to his face. Sora was in his own world at that moment, lost in pain. He'd lost Kairi, now Riku might not come back to him… Riku's head lolled with sweat sprinkling his brow. Sora ran his fingers to feel the fever ragging in the older boy's body.

"Is that his name?"

Sora gave a start; he had forgotten there was someone else in the room. Slowly, he looked at the boy who stood on the other side of the couch. He nodded before his eyes fell back down to the silver haired boy. He stroked his face, trying to make him stir. Sora needed to see those aqua blue eyes.

"Riku and Sora," the boy repeated, testing the names in his peculiar accent. "Sora and Riku." Their names sounded so innocent said by such an unknowing child. How would he know the terrible things that Sora had done because of his love for Riku? Not to mention his love for Kairi as well? Weakly, he leaned down and kissed the brow of the silver haired boy.

Sora slowly turned back towards the boy who had given them shelter. His short, dark hair was messy upon his round face that was speckled with freckles. "What's your name?" Sora asked, giving a weak smile.

"James," the boy replied, thrusting his hand out. Sora couldn't help but laugh.

"Nice to meet you James," he chuckled, but only half his heart was in his voice.

"Nice to meet you too, Sora and Riku," James replied, staring down at Riku's still form.

Sora looked down as well, unable to tear his eyes away from the motionless form for long. "Wake up…" Sora pleaded in a whisper. "I need you."

The house's creaks and groans as another hard gust of wind blew through was the only reply.

N/A - MWHAHA! I actually started writing this! Aren't you all so happy? Anyways, yes I am evil for not letting you know if Riku will be okay or not. Not to mention the prologue. Just for those of you who don't quite get it, you're not supposed to know who Sora picked in the prologue.
Anyways, hope you all enjoy Wonderful Journey! I'll try to update this best as I can. - Jacqueline Out.