"Did you feel that?" Kairi pressed her hand against her chest. "It's that weird feeling again."

"You're right," Naminé agreed, "it feels slightly stronger, though."

A thought occurred to Kairi. "You don't think someone's messing with my memories, do you?"

"What makes you say that?"

Kairi crossed her arms in thought. "I remember Sora said he felt the same thing when you were messing with his."

"No, that's not possible," Naminé immediately replied. "As far as I know, I'm the only one who has this type of power. And you can't tamper with someone's memories just like that. It's a long and subtle process."

"So, it's possible?" Kairi asked, worry starting to creep into her voice.

"Like I said, it can't be or else I'd know about it."

"What do you mean?"

"I may be merged with you again, but I've retained my own memories and thoughts. Although the process may affect you, I'd know what your true memories are." Naminé would've been smiling if she had a body. "Just think of me as storage backup for your memories."

"So, even if someone were to mess with my memories," Kairi paraphrased, "they can't mess with yours?"

"Exactly." Kairi stood silent for a moment. She walked up to one of the cascading waterfalls, extended an arm out to cup some water and splashed some of it on her face.

"I don't know how Sora does it." Kairi stretched her arms over her head, feeling her spine crack into alignment. "Going from one battle to the next. When does he ever get some rest?"

"Well, he did sleep for about a year," Naminé said. "I'd think he'd be full of energy after a nap that long."

Kairi walked over to their next target: a shadow of a strange, yet familiar object. She leaned forward for a closer look. "What is this supposed to be?"

"It looks like a weird test tube or something." Naminé gasped. "You don't think it's Vexen, do you? I mean, he's a scientist after all."

Kairi shook her head. "I don't know who Vexen is, but this looks more like a guitar than a test tube."

"A guitar?" Naminé stared at the shape through Kairi's eyes. "Now that you mention it..."

"Well, let's get this over with," Kairi sighed as she reached out to touch the object.

When the light cleared, Kairi immediately felt a sense of familiarity with the environment. "Hey! We're back in Radiant Garden!"

Naminé wasn't convinced. "No, if that were true, then there should be other battles taking place right now." Indeed, other than the occasional breeze howling, the area was eerily silent...

Data streams shot out of the void forming their next opponent: a blond, geeky-looking kid with a crew-cut. Kairi stared him down like any other dangerous opponent. Her piercing glare made him cringe back a few steps.

Kairi waited for her opponent to make the usual taunt or psychologically damaging insult she'd come to expect. So she was taken completely off guard when the guy winked at her and smiled.

"Hey, you're looking vivacious," the stranger greeted cheerfully.

Kairi looked at him as if he were crazy. "Naminé, who is this kook?"

"Not sure. Sora's memories say that this guy's Demyx," Naminé quoted. "He met him back at Olympus Coliseum and during the Hollow Bastion assault."

"He seems kinda...young," Kairi thought.

"Remember that a Nobody doesn't necessarily look like their original form," Naminé reminded her. "Me and Roxas are proof of that. Besides," she added, "I think he's kinda cute."

Kairi's eyes widened. "Are you serious? You actually think he's cute?"

"What's wrong with thinking another guy's cute?" Naminé huffed defensively.

Kairi rolled her eyes. "Um...what about Roxas? You know, your soulmate?"

"Like you should talk. I've seen you eyeing Riku."

"What?!" Kairi reddened a little. "That...that doesn't mean anything!"

"Uh huh. Admit it. You sometimes thought he was a lot cooler than Sora," Naminé teased.

"Well, yeah," Kairi stammered, "he may be serious and all, but Riku doesn't have Sora's sense of humor. Not to mention, Sora's got that cute, adorable dim-wittedness he always has." She shook her head in disbelief. "Wait, why am I arguing with you about this?"

Naminé giggled. "Consider that payback for the whole direction thing earlier." Kairi turned her attention back on her opponent.

"A girl, huh?" Demyx gave the red-head an up-and-down. "This might actually be easy for once."

Kairi raised an eyebrow. "And what's that supposed to mean?" she asked, anger seeping into her voice.

Demyx shrugged. "Oh nothing. It's just that I've been getting beat up by a bunch of real tough people recently. I mean, there's that boyfriend of yours," he started counting on his fingers, "that bird with the speech impediment, the suspenders guy on two legs, the Yoda wannabe with the ears, Xigbar, the Accessory shop owner..."

"I'm starting to almost feel sorry for this guy," Kairi muttered. "Emphasis on 'almost'."

"...that big, scary dog with three heads, Sephiroth, those chipmunks, the freaky chick with the giant shruiken..."

"You know," Naminé said, "I'm thinking this guy used to get beat up even before he became a Nobody."

"...that guy with the spiky hair, Sea-Salt ice cream, a plumber, a hedgehog, some guy called "Nomura"..."

"Shut up, already!" Kairi snapped. "I don't want to hear how pathetic you are!"

"Besides, a couple of them are from the wrong game platform." Naminé chipped in.

Kairi ignored her. "What does me being a girl have to do with anything?"

"What?" Demyx scratched his head. "I mean everyone hits so hard! You just look easy."

"Oh, he didn't just..." Kairi tried to bite back the insult that was boiling inside her.

She failed. "Yeah? Well, the eighties called. They want their mullet back!"

Demyx's eyes widened. "Now that's just plain rude!"

Kairi shook her head. "Just give it a rest! I've only known you for five minutes and you already seem like a complete wuss."

"You shouldn't judge anyone by appearance," Demyx said, wagging his finger.

"You're one to talk!" Kairi shot back. "You just said that it'd be easy to take me down because I'm a girl." She pointed at Demyx with the Keyblade. "So don't start preaching me about appearances."

Demyx was silent for a moment. Then he dropped his playful demeanor and growled, "Silence, girl." He raised his arm into the air, water appearing out from underneath his feet. Flowing upward into the palm of his hand, the water formed into his weapon: a sitar. Demyx twirled it around a few times before pointing at Kairi. "Just thought of the perfect piece to play with your defeat."

Demyx strung a few chords from his sitar. "Dance, water, dance!" Next thing Kairi knew, she was surrounded by water clones that looked exactly like Demyx. "Got thirty seconds, girlfriend!" The clones started to pulsate with a wicked-looking light. "Or else the next song that'll be playing is at your funeral!"

Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, ran as fast as his spindly legs would carry him. "Now that I know Sally's safe, I've gotta catch up with the others! Those fellows need my help!"

He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn't notice Captain Jack Sparrow running the other way. The two collided with a thunderous crash. Jack Skellington rubbed the back of his head. "Well, that was unexpected." As he stood brushing himself off, he finally got a good look at what he crashed into.

"I'm so sorry about that! Are you okay, sir?" Jack Skellington extended a hand to the fallen pirate. Sparrow took one look at the skeletal hand and decided he could help himself up.

"Thank you, but it takes more than a bump like that to harm a pirate captain!"

"Oh my!" Skellington's eyes grew rounder with wonderment. "A pirate you say?"

The captain brushed himself off. "That's CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow, if you please." He looked at the Halloween Town denizen with pure curiosity. "I've been around the seven seas, but I've never seen anyone like you before."

"Forgive me," Jack Skellington bowed, "I've forgotten to introduce myself. Halloween greetings from Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King!" On the last syllable, he immediately went into his scariest pose, causing Jack Sparrow to leap back a few steps.

"Really? Another Jack?" Sparrow shook his head. "At least it's not a monkey this time...""

"By the way," Jack Skellington began, "what exactly is that you're carrying?"

In the crook of one of Sparrow's arms was a jar of dirt. "Just something I carry around for good luck. Never you mind."

"So where are you off to, Mr. Sparrow?" the Pumpkin King asked enthusiastically.

"That's CAPTAIN Sparrow! And I wouldn't know." Sparrow shifted the jar to his other arm. "Ever since that Laddie fellow stole my compass, I've been trying to find somewhere safe away from all these blasted Heartless." He shrugged. "There's no reason why I should get involved with matters like these."

"Because they would do the same for you?" Jack Skellington guessed.

"Right you are! But would I do the same for them? I AM a pirate after all."

"Hmmm..." Skellington scratched his cheek in thought. "But isn't there something about honor in the pirate's code?"

Sparrow gave him a sharp look. "How do you know about the Pirate's Code?"

"I...guessed?"

The captain went silent for a moment. Then he said, "You've got a point there." He brandished his sword. "Alright, as a man of honor, I'll help get rid of those little buggers..."

"Great! Mr. Sparrow, we're off!" Jack Skellington ran ahead before Jack Sparrow could finish his sentence.

"...for a price," Sparrow finished. But with his only listener out of earshot, he had no choice but to run after him. "And that's CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow!" he muttered.