Chapter 28: Welcome To Mystery

AN: I AM SO SORRY I SHOULD HAVE HAD THIS UPLOADED MONTHS AGO PLEASE FORGIVE ME! T.T Keep an eye on my profile for updates.

-April 11, 2009-

Sora's POV

The seven of us emerged through the garden cottage door to a strange room with two table-like structures in the centre. Two glass enclosures stood atop of the tables.

A snicker caused all heads to swivel behind us atop the slanted wall. The strange cat was leaning on one hand.

"They're hiding somewhere. And the momeraths outgrabe. Want to find the shadows? Try turning on the light!" With that said, he disappeared stripe by stripe.

I clutched the Keyblade tighter, furrowing my brows. Heartless appeared in various locations around the strange room. After every last one had disappeared, Sylvia hoisted herself up onto one of the table structures. She raised her staff to the ceiling, the tip over the glass enclosure. The glass lit up like a lantern.

She grinned at the group, threatening to give the Cheshire Cat a run for his money, "One down, one to go! Think I can parkour to the other one?"

Without waiting for a response, she crouched down and dove at the other table. We all held our breath, wincing as her foot slipped and she came crashing down onto her back.

Everyone rushed to her side. Kassy dove to her knees, "Oh my god are you okay?!"

Sylvia gasped, back arching off the ground a few times, "Fine...! M'... fine... Good... Holy shit..."

Elena rolled her eyes, "You're an idiot. Sora, wanna take care of it? Safely I beg of you."

I shrugged, hoisting myself up onto the other table, raised my Keyblade above it as Sylvia had done. The glass lit up like a lantern.

Hazel screamed first, followed by everyone else as the grinning cat appeared behind her with a chuckle.

"All the lights are on. You'll see the shadows soon. They'll arise in this room, but somewhere else. The shadows might go after the doorknob, too." And with that said, he disappeared once more.

"Come on guys! Let's go!" Donald squawked.

We hurried back the way we came, through the garden, through the forest and into the Queen's courtyard. The cards were scrambling, searching the area, causing us to stumble around and/or bump into each other. The queen fanned herself with narrowed eyes atop her throne. Finally we emerged back in the room with enlarged furniture.

The cat was waiting for us atop the tall table.

"You'll have a better view from higher up." Only Donald and Goofy joined me. The cat's grin widened impossibly further, "The shadows should be here soon. Are you prepared for the worst? If not, too bad!"

All eyes looked to the ceiling just in time to witness a strange, folded, pink and purple paper like creature with a long head with several pairs of eyes. It shot several balls of fire at each of us.

00000

"What a racket. How's a doorknob to get any sleep?" All heads swiveled to the wooden door, the golden doorknob yawning its complaints.

A large yawn widened its mouth impossibly wide to reveal a keyhole. I gasped as the Keyblade appeared in my head, shaking and raising parallel to the ground. A beam of light shot from the tip into the keyhole. A loud locking sound echoed in the room.

"What was that?" Donald wondered aloud.

Elena smiled, her expression thoughtful, "Sounds like something closed. Has to be important if your Keyblade did it automatically, huh, Sora?"

I shrugged, looking down at the weapon in my hands in wonder, "I guess so."

Kassy suddenly yelped as the cat appeared once more next to the door, "Splendid! You're quite the heroes. If you're looking for Alice, she's not here. She's gone! Off with the shadows, into darkness."

"No..." I frowned, watching the cat disappear once again.

Donald sighed, "Let's go back to the gummi ship. We might find her in another world."

00000

It was quiet as everyone filed into the ship. The girls all but collapsed into a chair almost immediately. Donald and Goofy went over to the controls. I stood watching everyone for a moment before taking a seat on a chair with a deep, slow breath. I closed my eyes for a moment before opening them. Kassy was giving me a smile.

"What?" I grinned back.

She shook her head, "Nothing. Just making sure everyone's okay."

Sylvia snorted, "Okay mom."

Elena raised an eyebrow with a snicker, "And here I thought I was the mother?"

Hazel nodded enthusiastically, "You are, but Vy-Vy's still pissed about her humiliating failed parkour stunt."

Red immediately rushed to the angry brunette's face, "Shut up! It could have happened to anyone! And I could have made it if I did it again!"

Elena rolled her eyes, "You keep telling yourself that."

Sylvia growled before standing up abruptly, "Whatever. I'm going to bed. I want a good night's sleep before we head to the next world."

Donald made a noise of agreement, not turning away from the dashboard. Kassy yawned, stretching her arms high above her head, "I'm not far behind." The other two girls followed suit.

I watched the starry space pass by the window for awhile. Goofy sat in the seat next to me, Donald in the other.

It was quite a bit of silence later that Donald frowned.

"So... What do you make of these girls?" He asked.

I blinked before turning my gaze to the duck, "Well... They seem trustworthy... Maybe a little... eccentric... But they don't seem... bad... What about you guys?"

Goofy smiled, "I agree. I think we'll all be good friends for a long time!"

Donald hummed, "I just... Think there's something off about them. I just can't put my feather on it."

I frowned, thinking of the late night visit to Sylvia's room last night, "...Maybe..."

Goofy shook his head, "Gawrsh. I don't think anything's bad. But I do agree something's... off."

I smiled at him, "Yeah. You're right. What could possibly go wrong?"

Donald's eyes narrowed, "Absolutely everything? You're a kid who just discovered the existence of other worlds. What about them? We know nothing about them? Come to think of it, we don't know anything about you either. You say you're just a kid, but the Keyblade is a mysterious power. Can we even trust you?"

I jumped slightly, taken aback, "H-hey! I'm just a kid! I-I'm not... Not anything special... I promise..."

With a heavy heart, I all but ran deeper into the ship to my room.