Hey guys, it has been a while! I've written a few chapters but I'm still waiting for my beta to get back to me. She's heading out to the UK soon for a trip so it'll be a while before she even has time for me. BUT, I do have this chapter edited and I'm excited, GUMMYSHIP BRO! Finally out of Traverse Town! I'm thinking about making every world from now on into a single chapter. If you have an opinion, let me know...


TRAVERSETOWN

It took longer than they expected to prepare for their journey—probably because of their utter lack of experience in packing for things such as this. None the less, their wallets were full when they entered Sid's accessory shop and they were nearly empty when they left the General store. Sora was able to convince Soku of the necessity of Ether over potions but they still left with an equal amount of each.

Sid and the gang showed up to see them off, each of them saying a small greeting before waving them out of town. The very edge of Traverse town was a dock or sorts, as Donald and Goofy tried to explain to them. You had to be at the very end of the world that you were on, for the ship to dock and pick them up. Except they didn't have to do any boarding. Usually there was a port or spot that the gummy ship would project. Goofy equated this to a sort of bendy straw. Donald didn't correct him.

And so off they went through the door of Traverse town and the group was "sucked up" to use Goofy's exact words. It didn't feel like they were caught in a giant straw— as they assumed it would feel at least. There was no strong wind or flying about, but there was a sudden darkness for a split-second that landed them in an unknown room. They stood on a platform of chrome and suddenly the floor was gone and their legs felt like jelly.

GUMMYSHIP

"Oh gawrsh," Goofy, exclaimed, "I sure am sorry 'bout that. Pro'ly shoulda warned ya." He stood normally—obviously used to the exchange that left the pair on the floor with limp appendages. "It'll wear off in—oh there ya go," Soku wobbled to her feet, but braced herself on the wall beside her. To her left, Sora leaned over on his hands and knees, breathing evenly.

Donald rolled his eyes and leaned over and patted him on the back a little harder than necessary. Sora coughed but looked up at his companions none the less. He had a small bead of sweat on his brow but he smiled up at them none the less.

"Tell me that I'll get used to that." He half pleaded through his teeth. His spikey hair bobbed as he dropped his head again for a second before pushing himself up on to his feet. Donald cracked a small smile through his bill.

"We have a drug for that." He submitted with a shrug. He turned around and started for what ended up being the door—a large plait of chrome that slip from ceiling to floor to reveal a hallway that ended with a ladder. He pointed as doors as he walked. "Med bay, kitchen, bathroom, mine and Goofy's room, and your room." He continued on and started up the ladder leaving Sora and Soku to wonder, as they half stumbled after their companions, who he meant by "your".

The ladder took them up to the cockpit as Donald explained. Their journey to worlds that they had never been to would take quite a while and quite a lot of work. Once they have the exact coordinates of that specific world, they can get there in a blink of an eye. "Don't ask me how cause it's too complicated for you," he had said. Sora had the distinct idea that Donald had no idea how it worked himself. He said as much under his breath, earning him a slap and a smile from Soku. Mission accomplished.

"For now. Get settled. I'll set a course for the closest world," Donald said rather quickly, waving the rest of the crew off, including Goofy who made his way directly to the kitchen. Sora threw a smile at Soku and gestured for her to go first down the ladder. She obliged and waited for him to follow.

It was just as they had suspected. They would be sharing the room that Donald had gestured to earlier. There was bunks on one side of the room and lockers on the other. On the far wall of the rectangular room were shelves that reached all the way to the ceiling.

"This is going to be fun," Soku's sarcasm was biting but it didn't bother him. He smiled and dropped the bag he had been carrying onto the ground.

"I call top bunk," he challenged slowing edging toward the beds.

"Aw, we aren't gonna share?" she quipped back, obviously okay with him taking the top bunk. There was something in the back of her head telling her to always be ready for something—the bottom bunk was easier to evacuate in an emergency.

"I- uh- what?" he didn't stop smiling but his eyebrows dropped and it was obvious she wasn't obvious enough.

"I'm kidding Sora," she joined him by the bed and poked him in the chest. His lips twitched and he looked her up and down for a short second. "I'll take the bottom bunk, but don't come crying to me when you have a bad dream." She smirked and dropped her own bag on the floor. With a flop, she dropped down on the bed. Sora shook any thoughts that might have been in his head out of it before climbing up the ladder before him.

Neither of them said anything for a long time and both of them assumed that the other had fallen asleep. The room was quiet other than a mechanical thrum that filled the air. It was a noise that they would have to get used to, but not today. Not after the time they just spent awake. Not when they could be spending time now asleep.

"Sora?" she said quietly, not meaning to wake him up if he was indeed asleep. He didn't stir. He didn't respond. He just stared at the ceiling with his arms folded behind his head.

"Goodnight," she said with even less volume and a surprising amount of intent.