Kairi leaned behind the crevices of a cove in the off chance that someone would catch her in her undressed state. She had quickly stripped off the majority of her outfit and was now squeezing water out of her skirt.

"Seriously, I wish I had my purse on me," Kairi said. "Maybe I could've used my cell phone and told someone where I was."

"Wishful thinking. But your phone only works on Destiny Islands," Naminé replied. "You're definitely out of its service range."

"Well, I definitely could've used the hand warmer." Kairi started wringing out her socks. "Or at least a comb. Do you know how hard it is to keep my hair straight like this?"

"Maybe you should think of changing your hairstyle," Naminé suggested. Then she changed her mind. "On second thought, guys always seem to go for the girls that just let their hair down. Wonder why that is?"

Kairi began airing out her undershirt, exposing her skin to the cool, humid environment. "I don't know. Maybe guys think that with the hair up, girls look reserved. But with the hair down, they look like they've got nothing to hide."

Naminé pondered her reasoning for a few seconds. "Maybe. Either that or they're just a bunch of overly critical dorkwads."

"I could go for a warm shower right about now," Kairi said dreamily. As she held her undershirt in her hands, she closed her eyes and started to imagine the warm, pleasurable rush of water washing over her. Her muscles relaxed as all her aches and pains just seemed to melt away. A smile started to form on her lips as a feeling of blissful contentment filled her body.

"Um, Kairi?" Naminé's voice echoed in the back of her mind.

"I'll be out in a minute," Kairi mumbled softly. Naminé sighed.

"Okay, that's enough daydreaming," she said sternly. "Just put your clothes back on before...Hey! There's Sora!"

Kairi's eyes snapped open and quickly covered herself up. "Where?!" she squeaked, panicking. She took a quick peek around the room before she realized that Naminé was giggling. Kairi rolled her eyes. "Oh, that's real mature, Naminé," she huffed, pulling her top back on.

"Hey, you needed a reality check, girl," Naminé laughed. "Besides, if you keep standing around naked, you're going to catch a cold."

"Sorry," Kairi said as she pulled her skirt up, "I guess it's just been a long day for both of us."

As soon as Kairi had finished putting her wrinkled outfit back on, the girls walked over to their next target. A shadow of a circular object with points hovered in place. Naminé gasped.

"I know who this is," she said quietly.

"So do I," Kairi agreed. There was no mistaking it.

"Axel," they said in unison.

The girls stared at Axel's symbol. "You know, maybe we should choose someone else," Naminé suggested.

Kairi shook her head. "No, I've got a lot of stuff that I've been meaning to say to him." She reached for the shadow.

"But, Kairi," Naminé started to say, but it was too late. They immediately found themselves surrounded by walls of flame. As Kairi began to sweat, Naminé chuckled. "Well, at least you're no longer cold, right?"

Kairi fanned herself with an open hand. "It's like standing in a baked oven!" She could feel the Keyblade's metal start to grow warmer underneath her grip.

"Just remember to act calm when he appears," Naminé advised.

"Don't worry, Naminé. I'm like a mountain of tranquility at the moment."

The data streams appeared right on cue. When Axel's body fully formed, he seemed astonished to see who his opponent was.

"Kairi?"

Kairi stood silent for a moment. There were many things she had wanted to say to him. Word choices rambled around in her mind. In the end, though, Kairi ended up shouting, "You sonuva...!" and made a mad dash toward him, her eyes reflecting the fiery anger within her.

Axel barely had time to raise his chakrams to defend himself. "Wait, Kairi! Let me explain!" Kairi wouldn't listen and kept up her berserk assault.

"You lousy...piece of...rotten..." Not knowing how else to calm her down, Axel quickly spun around behind her and locked her into a bear hug, pinning her arms to her sides.

"Will you just cool off and listen for a sec?" But Kairi felt venomous intent controlling her emotions at the moment. She slammed her foot down on his boot. Axel immediately let go, hopping on one foot trying to shake off the pain.

He immediately stopped cold when Kairi held the tip of her Keyblade underneath his chin. "Shut up and talk," she growled quietly, keeping her intense gaze focused on Axel.

"Look, Kairi. I...I wanted to apologize to you. You know, for the whole kidnapping thing." Axel was trying not to make any sudden movements as Kairi's eyes were still staring daggers through him. "I'm sorry. It's just that I thought I'd be able to see Roxas again if I could get Sora's heart to..."

"I'm sorry? I'M SORRY?!" Kairi removed the blade from his throat and slammed its handle into Axel's stomach, knocking him back a few feet. "Do you have any idea what I've been through?! My heart was stolen, my boyfriend left me, my memories were tampered with, I had to play damsel in distress, TWICE!" she raged. "I've been forced into a marriage that I'm not ready for, kidnapped yet again, had to put up with a giant Heartless, was violated by a perverted Nobody, and had to be insulted, tortured, blasted, soaked, electrocuted and beaten up by your freakin' Organization!" Kairi's limbs shook with barely suppressed anger. "And you expect me to just forgive you just like that? JUST LIKE THAT?!"

Axel massaged his stomach. "Hey, if you hadn't run away from me, I'd have kept you safe from the rest of the Organization!"

"You know what? I wish I wasn't a stupid Princess of Heart!" There it was. The stress and pressure finally made her doubt her own heart. "Then I wouldn't have been kidnapped off my world! I wouldn't be stuck in this stupid marriage! I wouldn't have had to put up with this...this..." She struggled for the right words. "...idiotic lunacy! I'd be sitting at home, hanging with my parents! I'd be going to school and not have to worry about other worlds!" She fell to her knees, her face in her hands. Tears welled up in her eyes. "No Keyblades or Heartless to deal with. None of this hearts and darkness junk! I'd have..."

"Never met Sora," Axel finished quietly. Kairi froze. "You don't really believe he hasn't suffered as much as you have, do you? Do you have any idea how much he gave up just to bring you and Riku back in one piece?" He crossed his arms, his face expressionless. "Yeah, I had my share of sins too. I'll admit that. I kidnapped you to try to bring back Roxas. It was selfish, I know. But Sora..." Axel turned his head away from her. "He never once stopped believing in you. He gave up his home, his innocence, his memories, and more importantly..." He fixed his gaze back on Kairi. "...he gave up his heart. All of that just to be with you."

Kairi couldn't think of a counter-argument, so Axel continued. "I wish I could say I know how you feel. Really, I do. But we both know I don't have a heart to understand with. You may not like how your life turned out up to this point. But you know what? Deal with it."

"Kairi," Naminé whispered. "You can't give up now. I know you're tired and exhausted, but you can't give in to these doubts lingering in your heart. Remember what I've always told you?"

Kairi rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. "Yeah. Believe in yourself." She slowly inhaled, counted to three, and exhaled slowly.

Axel stood there waiting as Kairi got back up to her feet. "You feel better now?"

Kairi wiped off some leftover reticular fluid and nodded. "Listen, can you tell us what's going on?"

The other redhead scratched his ear. "I wish I could, but it's kinda out of my hands right now."

"What do you mean?"

"In other words, I'm forbidden from telling you anything. This security system I'm trapped in won't allow me to."

"Couldn't we just guess at it and you can just say if we're on the right track?" Kairi suggested.

Axel shook his head. "Like I said, I can't even tell you if you're right."

The sound of crackling flames was the only noise against the awkward silence hanging in the air. Finally, Kairi spoke. "So what happens now?"

"Well, once you enter one of our coves, you can't leave without annihilating its occupant."

"So, we have to fight against each other?"

Axel nodded. "To the end."

Kairi could sense Naminé's reluctant feelings of fighting Axel. "What's wrong, Naminé?"

"It's just that...Axel actually helped me escape from Marluxia," she replied bitterly. "I'd feel a bit guilty if we have to destroy him like this."

"Naminé...I know you're there." Axel looked directly into Kairi's eyes. "I just wanted to apologize to you too. I hope there's no hard feelings," Axel twirled the chakrams in each hand, "but that doesn't mean I'm going easy on either of you!" He smirked. "I do have a reputation to think about after all."

"Do we really have to fight?" Kairi pleaded. Axel gave her a smug grin.

"Sorry, Kairi, but it's the rules of the system after all. And if you don't mind, I'd rather go out fighting."

"But..."

"Don't disappoint me, Kairi! Stop moving and the darkness will overtake you! Simple as that!" He pointed at her with his weapon. "Got it memorized?"

Aladdin and Abu were running along following wherever Jack Sparrow's stolen compass pointed. So far, they ended up going around in circles. "How does this thing work anyway?" Aladdin muttered to himself. "The needle keeps pointing in random directions!"

Suddenly, Abu started screeching excitedly as he tugged on Aladdin's pants. "What's up, Abu?" The little monkey jumped up and down, pointing toward a herd of Assault Riders in the distance. They had a sword-wielding Chinese woman who was protecting a wounded lion surrounded. Aladdin whipped out his scimitar. "Looks like they need some help!" With a warrior's cry, he used his acrobatic skills to flip up onto one of the Heartless' backs. "Time for a little teamwork!"

The other Assault Riders noticed Aladdin and mindlessly started swinging their spears, striking their own ally. Sensing itself being attacked, the Heartless Aladdin was riding retaliated against its comrades, clearing most of the herd. "Come on!" the former street rat taunted as he leapt onto the back of another Heartless. "Is that all you got?"

Aladdin continued the baiting until there was one Heartless left, which he finished off by plunging his sword into its back. The woman stared at him curiously as he brushed himself off.

"Not that I don't appreciate the help," the girl began, "but who exactly are you?"

Aladdin held out his hand. "The name's Aladdin."

"I'm Mulan," she said as she grabbed his outstretched hand and gave it a firm shake.

"So, Mulan," Aladdin said as he grinned from ear to ear. "Why exactly are you protecting a lion?"

"His name's Simba," Mulan explained. "They ambushed him about a few miles from here. I was able to save him temporarily, but as you just saw," Mulan pursed her lips, "they caught up with us."

Aladdin rubbed his chin in thought. "So where are you guys headed?"

"We were hoping to find a healer or at least someone with a Potion."

Aladdin grin grew even wider. "What do you know? I just happen to have a couple of them on me." He reached into a vest pocket and pulled out two Hi-Potions. Mulan took one of the bottles and poured the drink into Simba's mouth. Instantly, the scratches and bruises healed up and disappeared.

"I think we better try to find Sora and the others," Mulan suggested. "They might know what's going on." She and Aladdin started to help Simba back on his feet.

"Simba, was it? Are you okay?" Aladdin asked. When Simba didn't say anything, the prince of thieves turned back to Mulan. "Why exactly am I talking to a lion? They don't talk."

"Hey, you'd have a hard time talking too if you were just trampled by a dozen Heartless hooves," Simba groaned.