What Liam said about the journey had been an understatement. The trip through the suitcase was one of the most uncomfortable Kizuna had ever taken. She'd taken her share of licks and illness over the years, but this was a feeling unlike any other. It felt like her insides were being squeezed, turned inside out and put through a blender, made all the worse by her tumbling around, falling through the abyss. Worlds indescribable flashed by her as she fell. Kizuna was only able to catch glimpses of them in her tumbling head over heels. They were as infinite exits on an infinite highway, and none of them were for her.

It kept going and going, and just when she thought it might have been a trap, or that she may have done something wrong, her journey stopped abruptly. She heard muffled music and saw multicolored lights in the distance, which got closer and closer until…

SLAM!

The suitcase spit Kizuna out and landed with a soft thud on the grass. Kizuna wasn't as lucky. She hit something hard and solid and bounced off, landing in a bush. The dog laid face down in the dirt, mind still whirling from the journey and the sudden stop. Slowly she looked up from the ground, looking at where she landed. To her left side was a brick wall, but most of the rest of her view was filled by the thick bush she had fallen into. It was also dark out, save for the light being cast from somewhere Kizuna couldn't yet see. Kizuna pulled herself back to her feet with some difficulty, she still felt woozy and her back was sore from when she hit the wall.

"Owwwie…" She groaned, rubbing her back. "My bLUUURRGGHH!" Suddenly her stomach caught up with her and Kizuna doubled over and puked into the bush. Her knees gave way and she hunched over. "Urghhhh…." Kizuna took another minute to gather herself as her stomach and head settled.

She looked around. There were decorations placed everywhere, and now she was noticing the music again. Kizuna loved music, she always listened to the latest pop songs as they came out, but she didn't recognize these songs. The decorations themselves looked odd too… like they belonged in a whole different era. "Did I go back in time?" She wondered aloud as she got to her feet for a better look. It looked like she was in front of a large building, and just a few feet away was a covered path that went from a parking lot to the entrance.

Kizuna grabbed the suitcase and decided to follow the path to the doors. Behind the doors was the source of the music, and when she opened them to get a peek inside she got an earful. A quick glance around showed that she had indeed traveled through time, but not to the past, but the future. Just a few years, judging by the banner detailing this was the senior prom for the Roseville class of '09. "Wow…" Kizuna said breathlessly. "So this is the future… I wonder if they have flying cars and holograms by now! Wait! No, no! I'm not here to sightsee! I need to focus!"

Kizuna looked both ways. She couldn't be seen… that's what they always said in those movies about time travel. Being seen could destroy space and time. She'd have to be stealthy… she'd have to be… a ninja! Kizuna smiled to herself. Finally, all those years of training (which amounted to her pretending in her room) would finally pay off. As swiftly as she could, she slid inside the door and slinked into the shadows of the wall.

Hiding in the shadows didn't matter too much, the music and lights were more than enough to keep the attention away from some random girl who was edging her way along the wall. Even passing glances by others didn't really make a difference. In the blur of lights and dance there were more interesting things to do. Kizuna kept her eyes peeled chocolate labrador retriever. Kizuna always felt she had an extra David sense that helped her find him. Of course, even without it, how could one not? He was one of the tallest people she knew, and always towered over their classmates.

Kizuna did see a few of her friends along the way. They looked so much older, so mature. She wasn't at all surprised to see who was dancing with who. Mike with Lucy, Paulo with Daisy. Deep down she always suspected it may end up this way. At last she spotted him, talking to another girl on the edge of the dance floor. Kizuna squinted her eyes. Who was that he was talking to? One of the spinning lights briefly shone on her and Kizuna recognized the orange fur and stripes as belonging to Amaya, who was wearing a sparkly red dress. She listened in.

"Then we should dance together!" The dog exclaimed enthusiastically. "Just you and me!" He offered his hand to the tabby, who was looking at it skeptically. "I won't spin you, I promise."

Amaya hesitantly took up his offer, and his hand. David and her got into a waltzing position and they got into the groove. It was a little bittersweet for Kizuna. She remembered the dance in eighth grade, how David had taken her to dance - and how she'd accidentally thrown him out a window after being spun in circles. In his suit, David looked so handsome. Kizuna wondered if David would have gone to this dance with her. She looked at Amaya with a little jealously.

Kizuna couldn't let her presence be known to anyone but David, and she was getting increasingly more disgruntled by the minute watching them dance together, so she slipped away to the front door to wait for David to leave. She watched the others dancing and living it up while she sat by the door. She played with the suitcase a little, looking it all over in more depth, or as well as she could in the low light. It was very well made. The black leather was pristine. It wasn't cracking anywhere, or torn, or even dirty. The two little brass latches on the top shined in what little light seeped its way to the back where Kizuna sat. But above all, it felt right in her hands. There was something alluring about it. Such an inconspicuous thing held such cosmic power.

Kizuna watched the happy dancers. Would she have come to the prom too? What would that have been like? She thought of what dress she would wear. How her and David might have danced together… and maybe he would finally confess his love for her… and they would seal it with a kiss. Kizuna's heart sank, and she felt really alone. Her life had been taken away from her. She would never know what it was like to grow up alongside her friends, to have children, to have a career. Now she was sitting in the dark in a prom, unfathomably far from home, with no way to ever go back. She envied the others. They had no idea how lucky they were. They would get to go home to their families, sleep in their warm, comfy beds, and have a whole weekend to look forward to.

While Kizuna surveyed the dance floor, she spotted David hurrying to the restroom. He stopped briefly when Paulo came across his path, and they talked for a moment with David pointing in Amaya's direction before they high fived and parted ways, and David went on to the restroom. Kizuna inhaled sharply and jumped to her feet. Finally! She also hurried her way to the restroom, and leaned on the wall outside the door coolly. David finished his business and washed his hands, and left the bathroom with a sigh. "Ahh, that's better."

"Hello." Kizuna said, trying her best to sound serious. The dog quickly pivoted around to see who called his name. Kizuna smiled and pushed herself off the wall. "Can you come with me for a moment? I need to speak to you."

David squinted his eyes and tilted his head. "Who are you?"

"My name is Kizuna, and the universe needs your help. I… need your help." She said, putting on her best pleading face.

David blinked at the strange girl. This was certainly not what he was expecting out of tonight. But in any case, he didn't have time to save anything, much less the universe! He had to get back to Amaya. "I'm sorry, underdressed and young looking prom-goer, but I must return to my dance!" He gave a short wave. "Good luck with saving the universe." David turned and started walking away. Kizuna panicked, if he went back to dancing now, who knew how long she'd have to wait for him to be done? And how could she even convince him to join her after that?

"Wait! David!" She cried, chasing after him and grabbing him by the arm. "I neeeeed your help!"

David stopped. "I don't know how you know my name, but I can smell drama from a mile away and you reek of it." He sniffed the air and made a disgusted face. "And it smells like throw up!"

Kizuna let go of him. "It'll be quick! I promise! Nobody will even know you're gone!" She put on her best puppy dog eyes. "Please, Davie! You're the only one I trust!"

David crossed his arms. "How can I trust you?"

Kizuna was at a loss. What could she say? She was from another world? That they used to be friends? Wait- that was it! They used to be friends! She could tell him something only a friend would know. "Okay, let me prove it to you!"

David cocked an eyebrow but didn't leave, so Kizuna continued. "Your best friend is Paulo!"

"Pffft." David rolled his eyes. "So? Everyone knows that!"

Kizuna tapped her chin. "Ermm… your dad left when you were a baby."

"That's not exactly a secret…"

Kizuna was running out of things to say. Then something struck her - she'd have to say something not just anyone but a close friend would know. Something that happened on a friend's trip. "When we went to Acapulco… Paulo's truth question was about his stereo."

"Ha! Nice try!" David shoved a finger at her. "We didn't go to Acapulco! We went to the Silvershore Islands!"

"Oh…" Kizuna said, defeated.

David pulled his finger back. "But you did know about the truth or dare question…" He leaned forward to scrutinize her, trying to find the deception in her words. "Who are you? How do you know all this?"

"We're friends, Davie. Or, we were. In another lifetime." Kizuna gave a deep sigh. "But that's all gone now. And the same thing is gonna happen to this place… and everyone else if I don't do something… but I can't do it alone. That's why I need your help."

David contemplated her words. He looked back at Amaya, who was dancing by herself, waiting for him to return, then back to Kizuna, who was looking down, anxiously playing with the latches on the suitcase. "It'll be like I never left, you said?"

"Mhm." Kizuna nodded.

"Alright." David put a hand on the girl's shoulder. "I'll let you lead the way, mysterious Kizuna. Just let me say goodbye to Amaya-"

"No!" Kizuna said quickly. "It must be kept a secret!"

"Ohhh, okay." David put a finger to his lips and winked. "Like secret agents. Can my codename be Big Chocolate?"

Kizuna smiled. "Sure!" And took David by the hand, swiftly leading him outside and around the building to the bush Kizuna had fallen in so they wouldn't be spotted.

David scrunched up his face. "Eugh! It smells like drama out here!"

"Yeah, that's because I-" Kizuna shook the aside away. "Nevermind! Here, look at this."

The dog produced the suitcase and laid it in the grass. "This will let us go anywhere we want."

"And where do we go?" David asked.

Kizuna stopped and looked up. That was a good question. Liam hadn't given her a list, or anything. What was she supposed to be on the lookout for? "I… I don't know… I was just told- oh! Get down!"

Kizuna dropped into the grass and pulled David down with her. A few prom goers walked past, laughing. After a few tense moments Kizuna sat back up, and David popped up beside her. "You don't know? That's how you know it's top secret, not even the secret agent knows what to do."

"I know what to do!" Kizuna said defensively. "I just don't know how to do it…" She ran a hand across the bumpy leather surface. "I think… I just gotta think of any world that needs fixing… and it should take us there."

Kizuna closed her eyes, hands on the suitcase. 'Okay.' She thought. 'Take us somewhere that needs help… where things are that don't belong…'

The suitcase rumbled and Kizuna flipped the latches on the top. It fell open, and nothing but void was inside. David leaned over it, wide eye'd. "Oohhhh, I think it's gazing back!"

Kizuna grimaced. She didn't much like the idea of going back through that torment again, let alone twice in the same day. Yet, it had to be done. She nudged her brown companion. "You first. Just… climb in."

David leaned in closer. "What? You mean like AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" He was pulled downward into the suitcase by an unknown force. Kizuna looked around to make sure nobody else had heard his cry. Fortunately for them the music was too loud for anyone to hear what was going on outside. With another deep breath, and a whole lot of bracing, Kizuna fell forward into the suitcase and saw the world slip away behind her.