I leaned back against the door and let out a slow breath. Oogy was standing back on his platform. I gritted my teeth and walked across the floor.

"Listen Oogy," I said putting a hand behind my back, pulling at the darkness. "I've got a proposition for you." He looked interested, "I need to get back to Hollow Bastion, but I'm supposed to help you defeat the keyblade bearer. So here's the deal. I'm going to leave a few heartless in your charge, they can help you out."

"Go ahead and go," He answered, "I don't need any help." I shrugged but pulled at the heartless I could feel waiting on the edge.

"A parting gift then." I pulled some mummy and flying heartless from the darkness and assigned them posts around the room and sent a few more up into the tree house. Once they were out and attacking Sora I left the casino room. I could see Meggan and Wanessa off in the distance. It hurt my eyes to look directly at Wanessa, but Meggan seemed to be a blur. I rolled my shoulders and put out my hand.

XXXXXXXXXX

"So Oogy was defeated easily?" Maleficent asked. I nodded solemnly.

"I tried to help, but honestly he wouldn't accept it." She looked at me, her eyes half lidded.

"Well, you have obviously proved yourself loyal. I wonder if you would be willing to join Riku on Captain Hook's ship. He is, of course, carrying precious cargo and cannot for a moment be delayed."

"What kind of cargo?"

"Follow me." She stood up and led me along a corridor. We passed through several hallways and rode a lift to a lower floor. When she stopped we were standing in a large throne room. On the sides of the walls there were six pods, each with a sleeping girl inside of them. The split stairs led up around a pillar to a large, heart shaped ring. Behind it there was only a blank stonewall. "These are the seven maidens of the purist heart. We call them The Princesses of Heart. Gather them together and a door will open to the heart of all worlds. Within lies untold wisdom. A way to get you and your friends home surely lies within."

"There are only six here," I said observantly, "What of the seventh?"

"She is aboard Captain Hook's ship under Riku's protection as we speak," She explained, "I hope you will go and assist him. For soon I feel the keyblade bearer and his friends will be intercepting the ship."

"Yeah, I'll go." She smiled.

"Good, here is the portal, go ahead and step through. If anything happens, make sure Riku gets the Princess out of there. Use the term, 'Abandon Ship." I nodded and stepped through the portal.

I came out in a room with plush carpeted floors, a large wooden desk, and windows showing the space around us. I hadn't seen space before. There was muttering in the hallway outside the door. I stood and faced it. The door was pushed open.

Riku stood there, his hair more silver than the last time I'd seen him. After he'd walked into the room he looked up and saw me standing there. His jaw dropped and he gawked for a moment. Then he composed himself.

"You look awful."

"Thanks. Its nice to see you again too," I walked away from him, examining the maps on the walls now.

"So they let you out of the Coliseum?" I nodded. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to help you."

"I don't need any help."

"Sure." I could hear him let off a little growl. I tilted down my head and hid my grin behind my hair. "I'm just supposed to help you watch over your friend."

"Kairi."

"Right!" I turned to face him. "So where is she at?" He put his face down.

"What?" I asked, taking a step closer.

"Sit down." I sat down at the desk, putting my feet up on it and leaning up against the wall. "You know Sora?"

"The kid with the spiky, brown hair and a key?"

"Yes. Well he, Kairi, and I used to be great friends. But lately, Sora's been running around just showing off the keyblade while I've been working hard to find Kairi. So now that I have her she's had her heart stolen by the heartless. If I help Maleficent and Ansem they promised a way to find Kairi's heart once we have Kingdom Hearts." I nodded, remembering all this from Maleficent's speech earlier. "So I'll get Kairi back no matter what."

"Well that's a good plan and all," I said, feeling a slight connection with Riku. "But since Sora needs the key to lock the doors to the heart of a world, wouldn't you technically need a key to open this door to darkness, and then need it again for Kingdom Hearts?" Riku stopped pacing and looked at me.

"That's a good-"

"ROYAL GUMMY SHIP PORT SIDE!" Someone yelled from above. A tall man with long, curly, black hair raced through the room, followed closely by a short man.

"Riku the time has come!" He exclaimed, then he looked at me. "Who is this?"

"I'm Rachel, I'm here to assist Riku." He nodded slowly.

"Well here they come." He walked out on deck.

"Rachel," Riku grabbed my hand before I walked out on the deck, "Go down below, in one of the rooms you'll find two girls. One will be asleep. I need you to go in the room and watch them. If Sora even comes near the room get them out and bring them here."