Here it is: chapter 4! Enjoy!!

Chapter 4

I stare in shock at the boy standing before me, feeling the acid churn my stomach as I acknowledge what's soon to come.

The beginning of this nightmare is about to blast me head-on.

Riku, like my three other companions, is slightly different then what I would have expected. He's about my height—being like, what, fifteen years old?—with shoulder-length silver hair and sun-tanned skin. His clothes are even more mussed then the others; and his face looks weary, as though he hasn't slept a decent seven hours in the past few weeks.

Sora stands straight and slightly rigid, staring at his friend with too-wide eyes and an unhinged jaw. Then, before anyone can react, he shouts with laughter and bounds forwards to wrap Riku in a brotherly embrace.

"Oh man, it is you, Riku! For real!!" he squeezes the older boy's cheeks and sniffs away a tear. I see Donald roll his eyes and fold his wings over his chest; though Goofy merely gazes into space with an oblivious smile on his lips, completely disconnected from the present.

"Hey, cut that out!" Riku steps back and gives his head a brisk shake. Sora continues to bounce on his toes, smiling ecstatically while glancing around as though for something in particular—or someone.

"Um, hey Riku… where's Kairi? Didn't she come with you?"

"Oh… you mean… she's not with you?" Something flashes across Riku's face for half a second and then disappears before anyone can take note. But I know what it was—a mixture of anger and reproach, aimed directly at his best friend. "…Well, don't worry about it. I'm sure she's safe somewhere, we'll find her soon enough."

"Oh." The look that suddenly clouds Sora's face made my throat constrict, it's was so pitiful. His head hangs, and he looked sadly at the cobble-stoned street. A gas lamp flickers and the shadows around us grow closer, creeping from the impending alleyways and alcoves which riddle the buildings on either side of us.

"Hey, don't look so brokenhearted. I'll bet Kairi's looking for us right now—way out there," Riku says reassuringly, tilting his head to gaze up at the starlit heavens. "Just leave everything to me. I'll… I'll get us all back together again."

It's like watching everything come to life from my TV monitor. I can't believe it—this is all happening, regardless of how I feel about it. This world isn't going to wait for me to be prepared—it's just going to keep moving, time will pass in its set course whether I want it to or not. It's like my life back home, except I felt more trapped; like I'm in some kind of concrete cage.

Out of nowhere, a heartless suddenly leaps through the air, hissing softly as it descends upon Riku's shoulder. Its twisted body outstretches as it goes straight for his throat. Almost too fast for my eyes to track, Sora jumps forwards, sliding the keyblade from his back and slashing the thing in mid-air.

Riku jerks back, surprised and bewildered. I see his teeth clench as he catches sight of the sword, and his eyes turn darkly cautious.

"Uh… leave it to who?" the younger boy laughs, swinging the sword lightheartedly in front of him. "I'm not useless, you know… I've learned a few things since you and Kairi last saw me!!"

Goofy steps forwards and placed a hand—or maybe the word paw would be more appropriate—on Sora's shoulder. He closes his eyes and smiled blissfully.

"Sora here's the keyblade master!" he announces proudly, rubbing his furry face against the boy's hair affectionately.

"Who would've thought…?" Donald says, puffing up and smiling for the first time since I've met him.

Riku merely stares in silence, his lips tight and his eyes glowering.

"And you can come with us!! There's plenty of room—we can search for Kairi together!" Sora exclaims, grinning so hard that his eyes crinkle shut.

"HEY, YOU CAN'T JUST GO AND DO THINGS ON YOUR OWN LIKE THAT!!" Donald explodes, jumping up and flapping his wings in Sora's face.

"But he's my friend! We've gotta bring him along, right?" Sora cries, looking slightly confused and offended. "Right, Riku? You're coming, aren't y—"

Only I had seen Riku make his disappearance: melding into the shadows and vanishing without a sound. Now Sora stares around wildly, searching desperately for any sign of his friend. Breaking away from Donald's grasp, he runs forwards and peers into the shadows of the surrounding buildings, looking slightly hurt and hopelessly bewildered.

"What…? Where's he go? Riku! RIKU!!"

"He just left?! Man, what a loser," Donald growls.

"Well gawrsh, you're the one who chased him away!" Goofy chides, looking with disapproval upon his feisty, feathered friend.

Head hung low, Sora makes his way back to his two friends. Seeing him so distressed tugs at my heart, though I can only purse my lips and glare up at one of the high rooftops, the one I know Riku stands atop with that wretched hag, Maleficent.

And oddly, it's as though I can feel us lock gazes. Even though it's very dark and I can hardly even see—I can feel my eyes boring into those of Riku. I wanted him to know that I know—that he can't fool me. Not by a long shot.

"Hey, it's okay Sora!" Goofy encourages brightly. "We'll find him again. Don't worry! Uh-yuck!"

"Yeah, you're right," Sora sighs, forcing a smile upon his downcast features. "He's big and strong. Riku can take of himself, so he'll be fine. And… I'm sure we'll meet up again, someday soon." He seems to brighten up immediately, and turns his attention towards me. I am slightly taken aback, since for the past five minuets it's been as though I don't even exist.

"Hey Elise, how did you know Riku was going to be here anyway? Do you know him or something?" the boy asks, looking genuinely curious, without a trace of suspicion.

"Um…" What do I say? "Well, I don't know him exactly…"

"Gawrsh, maybe she's some sort of clairvoyant," muses Goofy, looking at me inquisitively. "Can ya see the future or something?"

"Oh! You're a psychic?" Sora gasps, looking profoundly impressed. Donald looks interested though not fully convinced.

I begin to realize that this is the perfect cover. If these guys believe that I'm some kind of seer, then not only will that erase any probing questions about my further actions, but it will also place me significant role in their quest. I'll be able to search for a way home. So why not go for it?

"Y-Yes, I… I'm something like that," I admit quietly, observing the ground with downcast eyes.

"Prove it," Donald quips, clearly unmoved. "Prove that's what you are."

I sigh and close my eyes. Oh, gosh… this is gonna be rough… what should I use as an example…? "You three are looking for something, right? A person besides Kairi. Donald and Goofy are searching for their King, right? King Mickey. He's gone missing, and left you a note… so you're gleaming different worlds to try and find him." But I take it a step further. "…He even told you to find and protect the Key, the person essential to our survival. He told you to stick with that person no matter what." I point to Sora. "That's him, isn't it? The Key."

That did it. All three stare at me with open mouths, utterly stunned. After a moment, Sora manages to speak.

"W-Wow… that's amazing. Totally amazing." He looks at his two friends with eyes shining with unabashed excitement. "We could bring her with us! She could help out a lot, I'll bet!" he was so excited, he was very nearly bouncing up and down.

Even Donald looked impressed. Not just impressed—blown away. Seeing that made me feel the smallest bit guilty.

"Yeah…" he said after a moment of sizing me up. "What do you say, Goofy?"

"Uh-yuh." Goofy grinned delightedly at me. "I think it's a good idea!"

"Awesome!!" running to my side, Sora grabs my arm and slings it back over his shoulders. "Come on, we've gotta get you to Cid so he can fix you up before we leave!" he beams at me angelically. "This is going to be great!"

I think of Cid and the others, and inwardly gulp down a spell of panic. There are things in this world that are going to take some getting used to.

--End of Chapter 4

Thanks for reading! See you at Chapter 5!