It was raining sideways, buffeting her with warm droplets and soaking her to the bone. The storm clouds darkened the day, casting a grey gloom over the Destiny Islands. For her part, Mira was frozen in place, staring wide-eyed at nature's terrible destruction. Violent winds pulled at palm trees, bending them to its might as if they were no more than grass. The sea surged and swelled under the power of the weather, crashing against the shore. The dock on the play island had already sustained heavy damage, and pieces of it floated away on the current.

There was a loud crack as one of the trees snapped. Something smacked the back of her head and she whipped around, clutching the already-swelling goose egg. A paopu fruit lay on the ground behind her. She picked it up. It wasn't as big as she remembered... Another one flew past her head, too close for comfort. She needed to find shelter soon, or else be pelted to death by paopu fruits. But none of the structures around the island were safe enough to weather the storm in... The roof of the old shack had already partially collapsed, and the other wooden playhouses suffered similar damage. It was like deja-vu from the last time she'd been stranded on the play island during a hurricane... Mira shook the thought from her mind. Shelter, that was her goal. Her eyes were drawn to a tunnel she'd never noticed before, tucked away between the waterfall and some enormous tree roots.

Heedless of the heavy rain soaking her clothes or the windchill, Mira fought against the gales with the single-minded determination to survive. She knew all too well how deadly hurricanes could be. Crawling on her hands and knees, Mira dragged herself through the passage. By the time she reached the other side where it was tall enough to stand upright, she was covered from head to toe in sand and mud. Mira followed the path until she reached the heart of the cave. Roots that had broken through the rock descended from the ceiling, reaching down and curling around boulders. It would have been the perfect respite from the storm, if not for the dark silhouette standing in front of a mysterious wooden door.

It turned to 'look' at her, though it had no eyes, only a white smile. Mira froze, staring wide-eyed at the figment that had followed her all the way from the white rooms of that castle. But now, there was no separation between it and her. It was too close.

"It's been a long time, Mira." She tensed. Its voice was surprisingly melodic, though it did little to put her at ease. She wanted to run. Needed to escape. But she couldn't turn her back on it either.

"Wh-what are you?"

"The question is 'who.' You know, you weren't this rude when we met." Mira didn't reply. "Don't tell me you forgot? Even after I tried reminding you back at the castle and everything?"

"Those visions were from you?" Her voice shook.

"Just one of them. You really don't remember me?" Mira shook her head. The silhouette melted into the floor, sliding toward her like oil before reforming and looming above her. She stifled a gasp, though her trembling hands gave away her fear. Up close, she observed that its teeth were sharp and pointy. "There was a storm exactly like this one, remember?!" It buzzed with agitation, blurring at the edges. "And you'd just gotten some horrible news-"

"Shut up!" Mira stumbled back, but the silhouette caged her against the wall. What manner of darkness was this? For that was all this specter could be-

"Oh no-no-no, I've been waiting a long time to talk to you, Mira. Allow me to remind you," it said, voice sinister.

Mira opened her eyes not to the secret place on the island, but to a view of the mainland beach stretching onward like an endless sandy sea. The sky was painted with the remnants of storm clouds, but the sun was poking through, reminding everyone that it hadn't forsaken them. On a bench sat a much younger version of herself, staring blankly ahead. And beside her, a dark silhouette rose out of the shadows; like in the vision from the white room, it was smaller, more child-sized than its counterpart looming at her side.

Mira's younger self turned her gaze to the silhouette. Tears welled in her eyes and her lip trembled. It held its hand out to her, and little Mira nodded, pulling the silhouette into a tight embrace. "You were so lonely. Your mother had just tragically died, and I was there for you."

She grimaced. "I barely remember anything about that day. It was a long time ago."

The smaller silhouette had taken a seat beside her younger self, and the pair sat together, staring out at the sea. "You called me 'Smiley' and asked if we could be friends."

"Friends?"

"Yes. And then that boy came along and ruined everything." Smiley let out an annoyed breath.

Her brows rose. The boy in her heart? "What did he do? Who is he?"

It tilted its head to the side. "You seriously don't know?" Mira shook her head. Its smile fell away and she could barely make out the line of its scowling mouth. "He separated us."

Was that what happened in her memory back at that castle? Between when she met him and his leaving, Smiley had disappeared. She'd been relieved that it was gone, but was that what her younger self had felt? "But you're here now..."

"I am. But only in this dream."

Mira's eyes widened as the realization set in. Something had gone horribly wrong if she was asleep... She was supposed to be in Radiant Garden, not on her home world and certainly not reliving some questionable memories.

"Didn't know you were sleeping, did you?" The silhouette's unsettling smile returned, and waves of dark miasma rolled off it, enshrouding them in a deep purple haze. "But that's what you get for dabbling in powers you know nothing about, weak as you are."

She gritted her teeth, summoning her keyblade. "Shut up! You don't know anything about me!"

The world around them melted away as they returned to the secret place. "I know everything about you, 'Little Star,'" it mocked. "I know that you fear being alone more than anything else, and deep down, you know you'd commit any crime if it meant keeping those you love close."

"That's not true! I don't want to hurt anyone-"

"And yet your supposed friends are all gone, but you remain, still loyal to the one who hurt them." Smiley laughed.

"He's my-"

"Family? Yes, I know," it said in distaste. "But what makes you think he holds you in the same regard? How many times has he lied to you? Kept you in the dark about matters you should be aware of? I don't see how you can defend someone who doesn't even remotely trust you."

Her eyes watered. "Stop it. He realized his mistake-"

"Because he wants something. He doesn't care about you, only your place in his plans. You are nothing to him." Her throat was tight, and tears streamed down her face. Smiley wrapped its arms around her, pulling her close, and Mira shuddered. "But I've cared about you for far longer than you've ever known him. And because of that, I'll tell you a secret," it whispered. "I know why your heart is caged."

Mira stilled. "How?"

"Because I was there when it happened."

"What do you mean? When?"

Smiley released her. "Why don't you use that big brain of yours and try figuring it out? Our time here is up anyway..."

"What?"

"I mean that you're waking up, sleepyhead." Mira's eyes drooped, and everything went dark again. "Until next time..."

It had been a long time since he'd found himself in another's heart for a purpose other than seizing a new vessel. He'd encountered many hearts in his long life, some full of light, others of darkness, but never one so perfectly balanced. And never one surrounded by a shield. Mickey was right after all. Placing a hand on the barrier, he closed his eye. It had been there for a long time, and it was strong. Without a keyblade, he'd be unlikely to break through.

But he hadn't come this far to give up; perhaps he didn't have to break it at all... He wasn't a master for nothing, after all. Bending the space around his hand, he stuck it through the small portal, wiggling his fingers on the other side. His lips curled into a smirk, and he made the portal larger, floating through. Piece of cake.

His relief was short-lived, however, and he frowned as he drew closer to her station of awakening. Mira lay curled into a ball in the center, but his eyes passed over her toward the empty circles. Where were her connections? All were empty, save for one depicting a younger version of the old coot. As close as they were, there wasn't even one of himself. Something was wrong-

Light flashed as he touched down onto the surface, blinding him temporarily, and a familiar warmth blossomed in his chest. When he could see again, his brows shot up. In place of the empty circle was the face he currently wore, eyepatch and all.

The barrier. Unless someone bypassed it, her heart would remain isolated, starving for connection. With almost no one to draw strength from, it was a wonder she could manifest her keyblade at all.

He dropped to his knees at her side, pulling her into his arms and pressing a kiss against her hair. "I've got you, Mira."