Traveling in the Gummiship, Sora looked out to the stars.

Again, all the kids who hadn't been off their worlds or hadn't ever gotten to places where they wanted to go were enraptured by the view. So many worlds, so many places to discover. You could get lost in the universe if you wanted to. One person in the room might have wanted to.

Goofy notes that the Gummi block from the Keyhole looks different, catching Sora's attention.

All the Gummi blocks from Keyholes were weird, Sora recalled to himself. All of them were navigation, I think.

Sora asks what's strange about it and Goofy says that he can almost see something inside of it.

"Why's that?" Aqua asked and Sora paused.

"I think it is because it's a Navigation Gummi," he explained, with a quick look at Mickey to make sure he was saying the right things. "It's just another type of Gummi block."

Sora looks at the Gummi block and Donald says that maybe Leon will know what it is. Goofy says that they should go back to Traverse Town.

Wait, Riku thought, trying to map the timeline in his head. This is a day after the Wonderland… thing, and they're heading back to Traverse Town…

Oh.

He took in a deep breath, trying to regulate his breathing. It was fine, everything was fine. They would just have to witness his young, stupid, corrupted self. No biggie.

Sora and Donald bicker about piloting, but it's a lot more light-hearted.

"Is this a frequent argument?" Kairi asked with a small laugh, oblivious to the tension that had started to build in both Sora and Riku.

"A little, yeah," Sora replied, trying to smile and relax. It's okay, he told himself. Everyone can see that Riku's changed and that he's not working for Maleficent anymore. They won't get mad at him. I won't let them.

Aqua watched the two boys out of the corner of her eye. It was clear something had just changed. What was coming up next?

The three of them walk through Traverse Town, with Donald noting that there's a lot less Heartless. The three of them meet Yuffie.

"So, Leon, Yuffie, and Aerith live in Traverse Town?" Terra asked. "Were they born there?"

"No, their world was destroyed by Maleficent," Sora explained before pausing. "Actually, I'm pretty sure they're also from Radiant Garden." He tried to remember his conversations with them. That had been brought up, hadn't it? "They arrived in Traverse Town after Radiant Garden fell."

Axel blinked in surprise as he listened to Sora. Another couple of people from Radiant Garden? He didn't recognize any of them, but Radiant Garden was a big place. Plus, Yuffie couldn't have been that old when the world was swallowed by Darkness.

Kairi looked up, taking a closer look at the girl on screen. She should talk to her, as well as Aerith and Leon. Perhaps they knew more about Radiant Garden, things they could tell her.

Yuffie greets them and they tell her about everything they've done.

"She doesn't seem that confused by some of the things you all are saying," Axel noted.

"Well, she's also seen some stuff," Sora said. "It might not be that hard to believe.

Yuffie says that seems hard and wishes she could have been there. Sora says it's okay and he'll do anything to find Riku and Kairi.

Kairi leaned a little on Sora's side when he said that, giving him a smile which he shakily returned. Her eyes narrowed slightly. What was wrong?

Sora says they came back to find Leon and Yuffie tells them he's probably in the underground cavern.

"How big is Traverse Town?" Aqua asked, trying to map it out in her head. It would need to be big, so everyone who made it there could have a place but was it even possible for the World to spring up a world that was big enough? What were the limits?

"Not that big," Sora answered. "It's a main area, a couple of districts, some shops and living spaces, and then there's a mapping of caverns underneath it. Nothing big like the other worlds we've visited."

When Sora questions her, she explains how to get to it. When they leave, she warns them to watch out for Heartless.

"She's pretty casual about Heartless," Roxas said. "Wasn't she worried about them the last time?"

"Well, she was with Sora last time, who the Heartless were tracking," Xion replied. "The Heartless aren't probably as big as a threat when she's alone."

The three of them enter the Second District, where they get attacked by Heartless.

"That was quick," Kairi mentioned.

Sora mentions that they're stronger than before and wonders if that means that the Darkness is stronger.

Well, I was there, so probably, Riku thought, trying not to think about what happened next. What had to happen next.

The three of them duck into the hotel to hide, realizing that they were in the same building before they even met.

"It's fate." Ven dropped his voice slightly as he spoke to be funny and got a couple of snickers.

Or manipulation, Vanitas thought.

Sora recounts when they met, saying that he thought they were Heartless for a second when they landed on him.

Mickey couldn't help the little laugh that slipped out of him when Sora said that. But he had also noticed the slight tension that had appeared between Riku and Sora and was worried. Was Riku about to show up?

The three of them jumped off the balcony into the alley.

"Sora!" Kairi scolded him. "Don't go jumping off of balconies!"

Sora grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "I… knew I wouldn't get hurt?" He tried, but Kairi's look didn't let up. "I won't do it again?" Kairi relaxed slightly.

Goofy searches the alley while Sora and Donald fight off the Heartless and tells them that the only place he hasn't looked is behind the sewer grate.

"Perhaps it could be there!" Vanitas drawled, sarcasm thick in his voice, getting several looks.

The three of them work together to break down the grate, falling into the waterway below.

There were several laughs as the image of Sora, Donald, and Goofy running at grate and basically slamming it with their bodies showed on the screen and Sora looked down with a flush. Roxas, Xion, and Ven all laughed, accompanied by the snickers of Vanitas and Kairi. Looking up, Sora could see a small smile curve its way up Riku's mouth, so he wasn't too mad. Anything to make Riku feel better.

Walking deeper into the cavern, the three of them find Leon, who's training, and Aerith, who's watching.

"Why go that deep to train?" Terra asked, watching Leon on screen. "Wouldn't it just be difficult to get to and from the place?"

"Well, for one, we never saw any Heartless down there," Sora replied, thinking back. "And, it might have been special to the two of them. They spent the last couple of years in Traverse Town, nearly ten. They might have had a connection to the place." Terra acknowledged this with a nod of his head. He had a special place he liked to train as well.

Leon goes on training, but Aerith turns and greets them as they enter.

"Rude," Kairi murmured, looking at Leon. "He could at least say hi." Sora shrugged., That was just Leon.

Sora asks why she said, "Welcome back", noting that Yuffie did it too. Leon says that Traverse Town is a place for those without homes, so the people there greet them like they're coming home.

"That's nice," Naminé said quietly, knowing that if she was greeted like that, she would either be thrown into a flashback to Larxene or burst into tears. It was a fifty-fifty chance.

Leon pauses in his training and asks Sora if he found anything.

Now you pay attention, Kairi thought with an eyeroll.

Sora says he doesn't know if it counts and recounts everything he's done.

"I'd say that counts," Axel drawled, giving the young boy a look. "You save two worlds as well as stumbled across some less than normal activities."

"Yeah, I guess," Sora responded. "I just didn't know if Leon counted that."

Leon contemplates that Sora locked the Keyholes while Aerith says that Sora is the only one who can save the worlds.

Mickey, Aqua, and Terra all flinched.

Maybe I shouldn't have gone to find the worlds, Mickey thought to himself, eyes drifting to Sora. Perhaps I should have been the one to find Sora. I was already a Keyblade Master, as unknown as that is to most. I could have helped Sora, could have made it clear that the burden of saving the worlds wasn't his alone. That it could be shared. He stifled a sigh, his gaze continuing onto Riku. But then I wouldn't have been there for Riku. He would have been abandoned and alone in the Realm of Darkness, alone in Castle Oblivion when facing Ansem, alone in trying to restore Sora's memories. And as much as it hurts to see Sora struggle like this, I wouldn't give up Riku for that. Sora had Doanld and Goofy and now he has us.

You could have been there for him, Terra's thoughts hissed at him. Had you not stupidly fallen to darkness, had you not let yourself get possessed, you could have helped him. Aqua and Ven would still be around to help Sora if you hadn't dragged them into danger. Even if you were somehow still around for that, their light could have helped him, even if your darkness would have done nothing but hurt him. His hands curled into fists, nails digging into his palms. You truly ruined everything.

It's not your responsibility to save the worlds alone, Aqua thought, trying not to let her sadness show on her face. It's not your job to save everyone. Keyblade Wielders have always worked together, have always been together. The records in the Land of Departure had been quite clear on that and the stories and accounts she had read had only backed that up. Loneliness and living alone were just as big a killer of Keyblade Wielders as Darkness was. But it's okay now. We're here and we're not leaving. After this, even if we return to where we are, the others can find me, and then I'll help find Ven. I'm sure his heart has found its way home now. We'll save Terra and then us two and Mickey can lead the efforts against the dark while all you children take time to relax, to grieve, to process. We'll be okay.

Sora asks if he can really do that and Leon tells him that if he's searching for his friends, visiting the other worlds is hardly a waste of time.

"And it wasn't," Sora said quietly to himself. Because even if he hadn't ever found Riku and Kairi on a world, well he found Riku on worlds several times but for the wrong reasons, he made so many new friends. Hercules, Ariel, Tarzan, Alice. And countless others.

Donald and Goofy reassure him that they can do it and they'll find their missing friends.

He wasn't alone, Aqua reassured herself. He had them. And clearly, later Riku and Kairi, in some capacity.

Sora says they're right and Leon says that's what a Keyblade Wielder is made of.

Ha, Vanitas thought in his head, rolling his eyes. I'm a Keyblade Wielder and I'm certainly not made of sunshine, rainbows, and so much positivity it could choke you. Just darkness.

Sora brings up the Gummi block and Leon admits he doesn't know, but Aerith tells them to ask Cid.

"Who's Cid?" Roxas asked, raising an eyebrow at the unfamiliar name.

"Oh, he's someone who also lives in Traverse Town, specializes in ships and the like," Sora responded. "I talked to him a little bit before I left for Wonderland, I don't know why it didn't show it." He looked to the screen in confusion, but it offered him no answers. "I think he's also from Radiant Garden."

The three of them Leon and Aerith behind. Aerith asks Leon if he's worried about the Keyhole in their world.

"Which I sealed," Sora said proudly. Right after… that.

Leon says if they could seal off the Keyhole, it would stop the Heartless. Aerith wonders if sealing would be enough.

"Why wouldn't it?" Xion asked, blinking in surprise. "It has been for all the other worlds."

"Well, Traverse Town probably has a lot more Darkness than the other worlds," Aqua told her, thinking. "Everyone from there came from worlds that have lost their hearts and fallen to Darkness, so their emotions are probably darker than the normal world, giving the world itself more Darkness. The Heartless may be attracted anyway, though the number would decrease significantly once Sora seals the Keyhole."

Leon says all they can do is gather information and watch over Sora.

Good, Aqua thought.

Aerith notes that it's frustrating before the two of them lapse into silence.

Don't I know it, Kairi thought to herself. Waiting was terrible. Not being able to do anything was terrible. The few hours after she was freed from Sora's heart and he was gone fighting Ansem was horrible as well as waiting in the cage in the city, hoping that Sora would rescue her. Or standing on the beach, waiting for them to return from their fight with Xemnas. It was painful and terrible and something she never wanted to happen again. It wouldn't happen again, not now that she had a Keyblade as well.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy enter the Accessory Shop, greeting Cid, who greets them back.

"Cid," Sora clarified unnecessarily, nodding towards the screen.

They hand him the Gummi block and Cid looks at it. Goofy asks what it is and Cid goes on a tangent.

Several people blinked in surprise.

"Cid… feels very strongly about space travel and the like," Sora explained slowly, remembering being very taken aback when he had seen the tangent in person.

"I'll say," Ven said drily, watching the man pace back and forth on the screen.

Sora says there's a lot they don't know but they have to use the Gummiship to get to other worlds. Cid says he's there to lend a hand.

"But he's always willing to help," Sora murmured. "All four of them are."

Cid explains that if they install the Gummi into the ship, it will open new passages for them.

"Why is a Gummi like that inside the Keyholes?" Xion asked, trying to follow the explanation as best she could. Unlike some of the others, she, Roxas, and Axel had never traveled via Gummiship. They had used the Dark Corridors to get to and from worlds. But the idea of flying through the stars instead of walking under them interested her and she wanted to do it at least once. If they still remained in the world after they had watched all that needed to be watched.

"Ummm," Sora started. "Because…?" He didn't really have an answer for that.

Cid says he can help them do it, but requests they do something for him while he's working on it. He asks them to deliver a book, revealing it.

"A book?" Naminé wondered. What could be so important about it?

Sora smiled when he saw the book containing the Hundred Acre Woods. It had been nice to go there, to meet Pooh and Tigger and all the rest. A welcome change and a chance to relax in-between looking for Riku. He should take Riku and Kairi there soon. He had a feeling that Kairi would enjoy it and Riku… maybe? But he wanted to share the experience with him.

The three of them look at the book, with Cid calling it precious and saying that it holds a special power.

"Does is?" Mickey asked, turning to Sora, and Sora paused before nodding.

"In a way?" He replied. "There's another world inside of it, with some very nice people. I've visited it."

Cid tells them to take it to the house in the Third District and asks them if they can do magic.

"Why does magic matter?" Kairi asked.

"You couldn't get into the house without using magic," Sora explained.

As they're talking, a giant bell sounds in the distance. When Sora asks what it is, Cid explains that the rumors are if you ring the bell three times in a row, something will happen.

"The Keyhole will appear, I presume," Vanitas muttered under his breath, mostly for himself, but Sora perked up, having heard him.

"You're right!" He exclaimed, looking at the other boy. "How'd you know?"

Vanitas blinked, sitting up slightly when all the attention was directed at him. Don't look at me, attention was never a good thing. "The Keyholes have been weird so far," he scoffed, trying to make sure his voice was level. "Of course, it would be summoned by a giant bell from a random shop."

While a lot of the people accepted that as an explanation, Aqua narrowed her eyes at the darkness user. It put her on edge, the fact that Vanitas was clearly smart. With this and his remarks earlier during Sora's dreams, it was clear he had some intelligence. And the last time he had used it, he had helped Xehanort tear her family apart.

The three of them leave the shop and fight their way through the Second District. The bell rings again, drawing Sora's attention.

"It must be dangerous to go live in that place," Xion remarked, watching Sora fight off more Heartless. At least in Twilight Town, the Heartless and Nobodies mostly stayed in the sewers. "There are so many Heartless."

"Yeah, but they decreased significantly once we sealed the Keyhole," Sora replied. "And they were drawn to me because of the Keyblade."

You put him in more danger, Riku's thoughts hissed, making him wince. You couldn't even take up the burden of hero right. Usually this wouldn't bother him but… he had a pretty good idea of what was happening next. What he did next.

Sora wonders if they can do anything about the bell and Goofy wonders if they could stop it. They make it to the Third District.

More Heartless, Kairi noted. She would need to learn to fight them soon.

They make it to the house and Goofy attempts to open the door. Donald opens the door by shooting fire magic at the insignia on the door.

"What kind of a house needs a magic spell to get into it?" Ven wondered, tipping his head to the side.

"A wizard's house," Sora said.

Inside the house is a big cavern with a pond and a house on the small island in the pond.

"What?" Several people asked when they saw the inside of the house. Naminé blinked in surprise. She didn't know that much about outside, but she was pretty sure houses weren't like that.

"Merlin's house is… weird," Sora mentioned, seeing the confusion on his younger self's face.

"I'll say," Axel muttered. He'd seen many a weird thing in his life, both as a Somebody and a Nobody. This… was one of the top things on that list.

Sora mentions that he didn't know there was a place like this in Traverse Town.

"Well, you wouldn't normally think a place like that would exist anywhere," Kairi told him.

The three of them cross the steppingstones to the house.

There were several laughs in the room after Donald fell in, not really attempted to be stifled.

They try to get into the house but Goofy finds a hole into the house.

"That whole place is weird," Roxas grumbled out. He had hoped that weirdness would end in Wonderland.

Sora sees a hallucination of Kairi, who compares the house to the Secret Place.

"Sora?" Kairi asked, a little put out.

"I don't know why I saw that," he confessed. "Maybe because you were in my heart?" Kairi paused before nodding. Just because she didn't remember anything that happened while she was in Sora's heart, doesn't mean that nothing happened.

Riku looked to the side, trying to tamp down the slight anger that built up in him. It wasn't Kairi's and Sora's place, it was Riku's and Sora's place. Or at least, it had been in the beginning. Of course, Sora wanted to spend his time with Kairi.

Goofy snaps Sora out of it and before Sora explains, Merlin appears.

"This is Merlin," Sora explained. "He's a wizard."

Merlin says that they arrived sooner than he expected them to, and Sora asks if he can see the future.

"He can?" Xion wondered. While it seemed impossible, she did live the impossible. At this point, it seemed that almost anything was possible.

"Why hasn't he told you all anything then?" Vanitas asked, watching the man with suspicion. He could see the future, it meant he was dangerous. "The Ancient Keyblade Wielder made it seem like the future was dire and this was the only thing he could think of doing. Why hadn't Merlin said anything?"

Sora paused, thinking it over. "Well, Merlin is hard to get a hold of, supposedly," he admitted. "Perhaps it was just too hard to find us?" Vanitas rolled his eyes with a scoff and Sora found himself agreeing with him the slightest bit. Why had it fallen to Brain to talk to them, a teenager from an Age past? Instead of Merlin, who was here now?

Donald asks if he's a Heartless and Merlin corrects him, saying that he's a sorcerer.

"I thought you called him a wizard?" Terra asked and Sora shrugged.

"Aren't they interchangeable?"

"I have a feeling Donald would disagree with you," Mickey said teasingly, and Sora smiled.

Merlin says he spends most of his time traveling and that Mickey asked for his help.

When Sora turned to him, Mickey smiled. "It was just to check in with ya and give some needed information," he explained. "Which I assume Merlin did."

"In a way?" Sora answered and Mickey frowned slightly.

Sora introduces himself after Merlin asks and Merlin surmises that they found the "key". After Donald asks him again what Mickey sent him for, Merlin sets the house straight.

"Can Donald do something like that?" Kairi asked, eyes wide as she watched Merlin bring all the furniture out of nowhere and settle it around the room. She wasn't the only one shocked, with multiple sets of wide eyes watching the screen.

"I… don't think so?" Sora said, looking to Mickey in confirmation. "He's more… battle focused in his magic." Mickey nodded before pausing.

"Well, you know his battle magic because that's what he often has to use with you. Donald can do normal magic, such as levitation and the like, but he is better at battle magic."

Makes sense, Sora thought. We are mostly in battle together.

After the furniture settles, Merlin summons the Fairy Godmother.

Both Terra and Aqua startled in surprise.

"Fairy Godmother?" Terra wondered, blinking in surprise. The last he had seen of her, she was watching over Cinderella. What was she doing in Traverse Town of all places? Unless…

"You know her?" Sora asked, turning to face the older Keyblade Wielders. It seemed like they knew a lot of the people that he and his friends would eventually come into contact with.

"Yes," Aqua answered. "We met her in her world. She watched over Cinderella as her Fairy Godmother. I wondered what had happened to her after her world fell to darkness."

"The world fell?" Terra asked, mostly out of the loop of stuff like that and Aqua nodded.

"Well, she helped us," Sora replied. "Perhaps she's traveling around like Merlin does?"

"She does," Mickey confirmed, having met her a couple of times in the past years. He didn't admit that he had gone to her in the beginning to see if she could track down Aqua, Terra, or Ven. She had magic, she could do miracles! Unfortunately, it hadn't been enough to find them, and he had gone home disappointed. But they had stayed in contact with her and had asked her to help as well.

"There's not much time left-" "I can't go back-" "But the light is there above the darkness-" "And the darkness is beside the light-" "Darkness is lying in wait for you." "But… that there is darkness means there is also light."

"Mickey, cryptic much?" Aqua asked drily and Mickey shrugged. It had made sense to him, but at the time he had also been slightly distracted as he was about to fall into the Realm of Darkness with the world.

"Why is everyone so unnecessarily cryptic?" Sora muttered, crossing his arms slightly. He had almost never gotten a straight answer from anyone during all his travels.

"It makes life more interesting," Roxas snarked, smirking. To him, at least, everyone had been straight with him. Fight these Heartless, eat this ice cream. Kill Xion, don't listen to Axel. Fight Riku, die for Sora.

A riddle would have been a nice change of pace.

Sora thinks about light and darkness while Donald says that it doesn't make sense.

Several people found themselves agreeing with Donald.

Vanitas thought it made perfect sense. Where there is darkness, there is light. That was just how it was. A warning that there is darkness in the air, but also a message of hope that there is always light, even in the darkness.

But of course, Light-bearing idiots couldn't grasp that.

Merlin says to stay with the Key and that the path will become clear.

The eight Keyblade Wielders, minus Mickey and Kairi, all made some sort of scoffing sound. The Keyblade didn't make anything clear. Literally never.

Merlin says that was what the king said, and Sora asks what he's supposed to do. The Fairy Godmother replies to go where the light leads him.

Then, why didn't you follow Kairi, Sora? Riku wondered in his head. You had so many chances to follow her light, to stay in her beautiful halo. So, why do you continue to try and follow me to the abyss? It's so much better if you just stay there, safe and in the light. A Hero to all. No matter how much I want you to join me.

Sora asks about Riku and Kairi and Fairy Godmother says she doesn't know, but she can feel them close.

Because I was in Sora's heart, Kairi thought.

Because I was about to make a fool of myself, Riku scoffed.

Merlin says to go where the Key points and Sora agrees, moving to leave before pausing and handing Merlin the book. Merlin notes that Cid repaired it nicely and Goofy asks what type of book it is.

"There are different kinds?" Naminé wondered and Aqua could feel the part of her wilting as her mind went to worst case scenarios. Why did this child not know about books? Who had hurt her? Other than Ansem, but he was already on Aqua's list, thanks to the explanations she had gotten about him.

Merlin admits that he doesn't know and that they'd have to read it to find out. Sora promises to next time.

"And I did!" Sora proclaimed.

As the three of them move back through Traverse Town, fighting Heartless, the bell sounds again.

"Is someone ringing it or is just going off on its own?" Ven wondered and Sora shrugged.

"It was in the Gizmo Shop, so someone could have created something to ring it, but there was no one there when we went."

Goofy wonders if there's a way to stop it from ringing but Donald says they have to go back to Cid's shop. The Keyblade starts to shine and points at the clock tower.

"Sign from above," Axel snorted, and Sora thought he wasn't wrong.

The three of them head to the Gizmo Shop, heading inside it. Before them immediately have to duck out of the way of many gears.

"What kind of a shop is that?" Kairi asked, eyes widening as she watched Sora, Goody, and Donald duck out of the way of the gears.

"I… don't know," Sora admitted. "We never saw anyone in it?"

Donald asks what they will do when they find the bell.

What do you think you'll do? Vanitas thought with an eyeroll. Simply look at it?

Sora says that Cid said that if they ring it three times something will happen.

"Were you just going to ring a bell that has a chance of causing something without knowing what was going to happen?" Kairi asked him, turning to him, before immediately throwing her hands in the air and looking away. "Who am I kidding? Of course, you did. You know, this is a bad habit of yours to have."

Sora chuckled, slightly sheepish. "It's worked so far?" He tried, and she gave him a look. A common occurrence during the watching.

Donald says it'll just make the noise again and Sora says because of all the mechanisms in the room, the bell has to be hiding some sort of secret.

"It does seem very… confrontational for a shop," Xion muttered, thinking. She hadn't been in many shops in her past, seeing them mostly as she walked through Twilight Town, so maybe she wasn't the best person to speak on it, but it did seem weird. If a store was supposed to sell stuff, it wouldn't want to kill its… customers? Was that the right word?

Goofy agrees with Sora and Donald admits he might be right. Goofy finds an opening.

Both Kairi and Riku tensed up again as Sora made his way through the gears to make it out of the hole. Honestly, he wasn't even in a hostile world. He was in a shop, for stars sake. He just was unable to stay away from trouble apparently. Not that it was that much of a surprise.

The three of them end up on the roof of the shop, looking at the tower. They get through the boards on the door the same way they got through the sewer grate.

"Doesn't that hurt?" Naminé asked, well used to the feeling of being pushed to the floor or falling into a wall to avoid being noticed or hurt further. She couldn't imagine running full force into metal or wood on purpose, especially allowing others to slam into you at the same time.

"Yes and no?" Sora answered, tipping his head to the side. "While it does hurt some in the moment, Donald always heals us after. So, short term pain?" Kairi smacked him on the shoulder. "Ow, what?"

"Don't put yourself in pain on purpose," she scolded him, unknowingly repeated the thoughts that were going through many of the adults' heads. "Even if it's for a short time."

Sora chuckled nervously, looking away with a grimace. She… wasn't going to like a lot of this, was she?

Donald rings the bell three times while Sora and Goofy keep a lookout for weird things.

"Congratulations, you deafened yourself," Axel snarked, shaking his head slightly at the loud ringing that sounded on the screen. Several people cringed backwards as well, the sound loud and annoying. And they weren't actually there. He had a feeling it was a lot louder in person.

Goofy notices that the Keyhole appeared in the square.

Riku took in a quick breath, trying to make his hands stop shaking. He had seen it appear; he had been watching. He had felt the Heartless, had fought it with Sora, had-

Sora's hand reached out and wrapped around Riku's gently, holding it tight. He knew what came next as well.

The three of them head to the square.

Riku's breaths were becoming quicker. He knew what happened after this, he knew, he knew.

What would they think of him?

What would he think of him?

A Heartless appears from the sky to defend the Keyhole.

"Didn't you fight that one already?" Terra asked, thinking back to before when they fought Heartless in Traverse Town.

"We did," Sora acknowledged with a nod. "But it came back for round two to defend the Keyhole. But we defeated it fully this time."

Donald prepares a spell to fight it off but is taken off guard by the Heartless, falling to the ground.

He knew what happened after this…

Sora runs over, trying to defend Donald, but the Heartless was going to squash both of them.

Kairi sucked in a deep breath, hands clenching around Sora's arm. Come to think of it, it was clear that Sora was tense, unnaturally so. He hadn't been worried the last times they had seen him fight, so what was worrying him?

Mickey could also see the tension in Riku's shoulders. What was about to happen?

Sora braces himself but something stops the Heartless and shoves it backwards. When he looks up, he sees Riku.

"Wait," Roxas said, blinking. "I thought you were looking for him, Sora?" He turned, looking at his Somebody and the other Keyblade Wielder, giving them both a look. "What gives?"

"Riku… found me first," Sora said, smile brittle and fake, once it was clear Riku wasn't going to say anything. "And helped us defeat the Heartless!" But everyone could see the slight… off-ness of his words and all those who had a basic idea of what had happened to Riku frowned. What was he doing there? He had been in Hollow Bastion, where he would get possessed by Ansem. Though, he had admitted to kidnapping Alice. Clearly, there was more at play here than they knew.

Both Aqua and Terra looked at the two teenagers in concern. What had happened? What was going on? Riku and Sora had been brief about the details, talking about how Riku had been manipulated by Maleficent, something regretfully reaffirmed when Riku had his panic attack, and Riku had said that it had been him to kidnap Alice. So… what was going on?

Sora is surprised and Riku helps them up. Sora attempts to get an answer from him but they're distracted when the Heartless comes back.

"Riku…" Kairi said slowly, taking on the tone she had used when scolding Sora, purposefully ignoring the tense atmosphere. "Did you just go and battle a Heartless without any form of weapon?" Onscreen, it showed Riku helping the battle, mostly by distracting it or hitting it with his fists.

But the older boy didn't answer her, having to focus all his energy on keeping his breathing in check.

You… idiotic, foolish, naïve boy, he hissed at his younger self through his breathing. Standing there, trying to prove yourself. Trying to be cool when your heart is snapping to pieces, and you already kidnapped a person!

Aqua, while a big part of her was worried about what was going on with Riku, well aware that Terra was watching the young boy closely for the first sign that he was falling back into a panic attack, something that Riku was just barely managing to stave off, she also watched the two boys fight onscreen. It was… breathtaking, in a way. They moved around each other, never having to look, to guess what the other would be doing, instead simply knowing, as if their very minds were shared between the two of them. Their very hearts. It was something straight from ancient history, from fanciful stories of unbroken trust.

So, what happened?

After they defeat the Heartless, Sora runs over and hugs Riku.

Seeing this, Sora felt his smile melt into something a little more real and leaned to the side, pressing his body into Riku's, holding the older boy's hands tight. I'm here, it's fine. We're together now, you're my best friend.

Riku laughs with him as Donald and Goofy approach. Goofy asks if this is Riku and Sora confirms that it is, the one he was looking for.

He was looking for you and you still fell to the darkness, Riku spat in his mind. You should have waited, he could have saved Kairi easily, with all his light. Instead, you fell to the dark, from selfishness and anger.

Sora asks where Kairi is and Riku asks isn't she with you.

"This was before Maleficent told me where she was," Riku said shortly, eyes not making contact with anyone and curling his hands tight together, nearly not noticing that Sora was still holding one of them. But I knew, I knew something was off, I was lying, I did this, I couldn't-

Sora leaned harder onto his side and Riku took in another shuddering breath.

Sora realizes that she's still out there, but Riku reassures him, saying that she probably made it off the island like they did and now that they're in another world, they could go anywhere.

Aqua's eyes continued to flick back and forth between the onscreen Riku and the watching Riku. There was some disconnect, something there that wasn't being shown. It was already proven that Riku was already helping Maleficent, perhaps to find Sora and Kairi, but why was he acting like that? He didn't seem angry, didn't seem steeped in darkness. He didn't seem to have any memory of the darkness that had surrounded him of Destiny Islands. But was that even possible?

Or was it that he had already accepted the darkness to use?

Riku tells Sora that they'll all be together soon and just to leave it to him.

Because you were an idiot and thought Darkness would help you, Riku thought bitterly. Thought that Maleficent would help you, thought that Sora would follow you like he always had done. You didn't realize that Sora had transcended you, had become better. Because you didn't want him and Kairi to-

So, Maleficent definitely helped him find Sora, Aqua thought, nodding slightly to herself. Then, going off what she said, she probably told him she could also find Kairi.

Sora says that he's been looking as well, with Donald and Goofy. Riku gives them a look.

Because they replaced you, Riku thought, thinking back to all the things that he thought during that time. He replaced you, like Maleficent said. Not that it was true.

Sora tells Riku that they've visited so many worlds looking for Riku. Riku says he never would have guessed.

"Why?" Roxas asked, but like Kairi, he got no answer from either of the teenagers.

Goofy says that Sora is the Keyblade master and Riku asks about the weapon, taking it from Sora's hand and holding it.

"What?" Aqua asked, so taken aback that she accidentally voiced her thoughts. Riku shouldn't have been able to take the Keyblade, not unless… he was also a Keyblade Wielder. But was that even possible? Sora hadn't Bequeathed to him, not in any capacity, so the only explanation was that someone else already Bequeathed to Riku as well, probably at the same time they Bequeathed to Sora. But who? And when?

"What's wrong, Aqua?" Mickey asked, having heard her exclamation and Aqua turned to look at him.

"Riku shouldn't be able to take the Keyblade from Sora," Aqua explained. "Not unless he's also a Keyblade Wielder."

"But he is," Roxas said, looking to the older woman, and Aqua blinked. "He uses a Keyblade often."

"Riku?" Aqua questioned, turning to the teenager, but pausing when she saw the look on Riku's face. It was pretty clear she wasn't going to get any information from him. Instead, Sora looked up at her.

"During this time," Sora started. "There was a time when Riku took the Keyblade from me. He said it was always meant for him, which is why he could wield it."

"That's not possible," Aqua said. "Keyblades don't… pass between each other." Sora must have been Bequeathed to; it was the only way that the Keyblade would listen to him. But how, then?

Terra watched Riku with uneasy eyes. It was good to know, at least, that he had Bequeathed the younger boy properly, since there was really no way to know. But also, Riku was some form of corrupted, much like he had been. What had happened? Riku's light had always been so bright, so warm.

Aqua was itching to ask Riku some questions, but she could tell that now wouldn't be the best place to ask them.

Sora lunges at Riku, trying to get it back, but the older boy dodges, before tossing the Keyblade back to him.

Either two Bequeathed boys and one of them hasn't realized it, Aqua thought. Or there is something else at play here."

Sora says that Riku should come with them, though Donald raises doubts.

Only made it worse, Riku thought, having only been half aware of the conversation that went down around him. Only added to the feeling of replacement.

While they bicker, Goofy sees the Heartless twitching.

"Man, this thing just won't quit, will it?" Ven asked, watching the screen. He had heard what Aqua had said, had seen the thinking that was going on in both of his friends' heads, but he didn't bring it up. If they wanted to vocalize their thoughts, they would. Even if it grated on him to not be told another thing.

The Heartless stands up and attack them, with the three of them fighting back.

"Where'd Riku go?" Xion wondered, having noticed that the other boy was gone from onscreen.

Gone into the shadows, Riku thought. Being an idiot.

The three of them destroy the Heartless.

"For good this time, hopefully," Ven murmured. Enemies that kept coming back were the worst, Vanitas.

Sora realizes that Riku is gone.

"You just… ran off?" Kairi asked, raising an eyebrow, and immediately wincing at her tone. She sounded a lot more judgmental than she wanted to be. But it managed to snap Riku out of whatever stupor he had been in.

"I was upset," he replied stiffly, looking away from the group at large, but unable to shake Sora off. It was nice having the boy so close. "She had been feeding thoughts into my ears and this… confirmed it."

What thoughts? Several people wondered, but none of them voiced the question.

Sora runs around, looking for Riku, before lamenting that he just found him.

Look what you did, Riku hissed at himself. Clearly Sora hadn't abandoned you, he had just admitted he was looking for you. He looked for you now.

Sora says that it's not fair that he just disappeared, before attempting to reassure himself by saying at least Riku was alright.

Sora leaned on Riku's side again, still feeling the same. Riku was alright, then and now. And after this, they wouldn't be separated ever again. He wouldn't let it happen.

Sora says they'll meet up with him again, he just knows it. And since they found Riku, they'll run into Kairi eventually too.

Well, yes and no, Kairi thought, remembering the quick rundown Sora had given her in-between fights about what had happened. Riku would find her body first, but Sora would see it. Plus, her heart was safe inside of Sora's.

Sora closes the Keyhold with a smile.

"Did that help the Heartless number in Traverse Town?" Mickey asked, carefully ignoring what had just happened. When Riku was willing to talk about it, they'd talk about it. For now, forcing the conversation wouldn't do anything.

The three of them return to the Accessory Shop, where Cid, Leon, Aerith, and Yuffie are waiting. Cid says he's done installing the Gummi.

"That was fast," Xion murmured, knowing that she would have no experience in the subject. It just seemed fast to her. Maybe it wasn't.

They tell the four of them that they closed the Keyhole by summoning it using the bell. Yuffie says that the Keyblade is amazing.

And pain filled and useless when solving actual problems, Vanitas thought. But sure, keep up your hero worship.

Sora tells them that they found Riku, but he was gone again.

Riku flinched, something noticed by Sora. He looked up at Riku in concern.

Aerith says he will find Riku again and Leon tells Sora he has to hurry, that more worlds are being taken over every minute that passes.

Aqua narrowed her eyes. Give Sora a break, she thought. Stars knows we could have sued one and Terra and I had been training for years. Honestly, she was starting to worry about Sora physical health, as well as his mental. Running around and fighting all the time couldn't have been good for his muscles and sleep schedule.

Cid asks if they've heard of Maleficent and explains that she's a witch.

Riku's breath hitched at Maleficent's name, something he cursed himself for. You helped her, the least you can do is stop freaking out the second you hear her name.

Unnoticed by all of them, Naminé flinched as well. Little witch, Larxene's voice echoed in her ears.

Leon says that she's the reason the town is full of Heartless.

"Well, yes and no," Aqua said. "Heartless are always going to exist, they're unfortunately normal, if I've understood your explanation of them." She shot a glance at Mickey. "But there shouldn't be as many of them. They probably existed when Terra, Ven, and I travelled the worlds, but there wasn't as much of them to gain our attention."

"All hearts have darkness," Axel said, bringing the attention to him. "All hearts are capable of falling to darkness. It's always going to be there." Even if he himself had almost never witnessed a heart falling to darkness naturally. He and all the other original members of Organization 13 had been murdered by Xehanort, some more willing than others, and he hadn't ever met Demyx, Luxord, Marluxia, or Larxene before they were Nobodies. Even Roxas had been a Nobody.

Cid explains that a horde of Heartless took over their world and he travelled to Traverse Town with the other three nine years ago.

"Wait, how old would Leon, Aerith, and Yuffie have been then?" Aqua asked, counting backwards. If nine years ago it was, and they aged the same…

"They had been teenagers," Mickey explained, reminding them that he met them in the past. "Yuffie had been the youngest at seven, I think."

Leon says that the ruler of their world had been a wise man named Ansem.

Several scoffs were heard from around the room.

Leon says that he had studied the Heartless and Goofy makes the connection that he's the writer of the report Aerith was looking for.

"Did you ever find that?" Xion asked and Sora nodded.

Donald says that Mickey must have been looking for the report.

Mickey gave a sheepish chuckle when Aqua gave him a look. Good. She was going to continue to do so until Mickey got it through his head that hitching a ride on a dying world was a terrible idea.

Aerith says they don't know where the pages are, and Cid replies that Maleficent probably has most of them.

Aqua thought that was a fair assumption, with her being able to make Heartless and all that.

Sora says they'll find them and Cid snarks that it's not terribly reassuring.

While there were a couple of small laughs passed around the room, taking light of the levity, Sora winced slightly. He could do it, he was strong. Now it was Riku who gave him a slightly concerned look.

Donald says that he doesn't look much like a Keyblade Master.

"Ah," Terra murmured, flinching, and accidentally bringing the attention to him. He hadn't noticed, the first time Donald had said it, due to everything else that was going on, but now…

"What is it?" Sora asked, looking at the older wielder, who exchanged a glance with Aqua. You want to tell them or should I?

Aqua paused. I will.

"It's just that… Donald's using some… incorrect terminology," Aqua explained, trying to figure out how to explain it. Ven's mouth parted as he let out an "oh" in surprise, realizing what his friends were saying.

"How so?" Sora asked and Mickey blinked, understating what Aqua was starting to get at.

"Well Sora, you know how Terra and I have been using the word "Keyblade Wielder" instead of "Keyblade Master" like Donald is?" Sora nodded at Aqua's question and she sucked in a breath, forcing back the memories that were starting to flood her brain as she talked about it. "That's because "Keyblade Master" is an actual title. It's for Keyblade Wielders who have passed something called a "Mark of Mastery". Then, they're a Keyblade Master and can take on apprentices, usually have a world that it their home base, and are generally stronger than the average Wielder."

"Oh," Sora said blankly, looking down. He hadn't realized there were… traditions surrounding Keyblades and their Wielders. To be fair, he hadn't ever really met another, besides Mickey, Yen Side, and Riku. And while Mickey and Riku didn't know anything, Yen Sid hadn't really said anything about it.

"Terra, Ven, and I had a Master," Aqua continued. "Master Eraqus." Terra looked down, trying not to remember the way the sparkles slid through his hands as Master Eraqus died. "His world was the Land of Departure and he trained us three. Mickey, I pretty sure is also a Master."

When the gazes switched to him, Mickey nodded. "Technically yes," he explained. "My Master, Yen Sid, gave me a Master title during the ten years after the three of them disappeared and my world is Disneytown. Though I haven't done much with my title like Aqua has."

Aqua winced as Mickey said that. She hadn't really been planning to bring it up, with all the trouble that the title had caused her, but there was no backing out of it now.

"I'm a Master as well," she confirmed, getting a starry-eyed look from both Sora and Kairi. "I passed my exam the day before everything… started to happen. Though I don't have a world unless you count the Realm of Darkness." She shivered slightly even as she said it, and Ven reached out to take her hand, Terra giving her a comforting look.

Vanitas rolled his eyes, unnoticed by the rest. So, they just weren't going to mention Master Xehanort? That was fine with him, the less he had to think about Master Xehanort and… everything was good, but they had to know it would come up sooner or later, right?

"Huh," Sora said, organizing all the thoughts in his head. He had heard Aqua refer to Masters and Wielders before, when they were talking about Bequeathing specifically, but he hadn't realized there was a difference. He knew now. "Cool."

Aqua smiled gently at him, his reply to her statement lifting her up slightly. She hadn't really gotten… any positive words about her being a Master, ever really. Not that it was Terra's or Ven's fault but… it still stung.

"Is it possible for me or Riku to become Masters?" Sora asked, taking Riku by surprise with the mention of his name. "Even though we don't have Masters?"

"Yes," Aqua answered, a confused smile taking over her face. "It would be a little harder but still possible. But why don't you have a Master?" She looked at Mickey.

"I didn't think I was capable of training someone," Mickey replied. "Plus, I haven't really been around Sora. You could call me Riku's Master, but only in the loosest of terms." Riku blinked in surprise. Mickey had been helping him yes, more than he could ever repay but… really? Mickey wanted to be connected to Riku? The boy who lost himself into the darkness?

"Hmm," Aqua murmured, thinking. Why wouldn't Sora have a Master? There was no way Yen Sid didn't have some idea of what was going on. And Sora hadn't shown any shock at his name… She had a feeling she would eventually get answers, but probably ones she wouldn't like. That seemed to be a pattern.

On the other side of the couch, Terra was thinking. Mickey had technically called himself Riku's Master, he thought. Which wasn't bad, in fact it was good that Riku'd had someone to help him eventually but… That task should have fallen to me, it should have been my burden to bear. When he had Bequeathed to Riku, he would admit, he had seen himself as Riku's future Master when that time came but… Am I even still worthy for it? Would Riku still want him as a Master, even if he knows everything I've done?

Goofy tells Sora that he's improved a lot since he got the Keyblade and Leon and Yuffie offer to spar with Sora, causing laughter around the room. The screen changed to outside the room.

Instantly, any happy feelings that had been building in Riku ever since Mickey had called himself Riku's Master were drenched and he stiffened, choking on his next breath. Sora looked at him in concern.

Riku watches them through the window as Maleficent stands at his side, telling him that it's just as she told him.

All the light-heartedness in the room vanished and several glances were aimed at Riku, who was staring at his younger self.

Maleficent tells Riku that Sora clearly has replaced him with the Keyblade and the others and says that she can help him with what he's searching for.

As the screen went black, Sora shook his head once, shifting around so he was no longer sitting next to Riku and was instead looking at him, grasping Riku's hands tightly.

"I would never replace you," he told Riku seriously, part of him reeling. Riku thought he had replaced him? Why? How could he even think that? No one, no one in the entire world or any world, could ever replace Riku. He was his oldest friend, best friend, his everything. "Never ever."

"I know that now Sora," Riku replied carefully, trying to block out the portion of him that whispered liar. "I know you could never-"

"Do you?" Sora asked. "Because I promise, I will never, ever, ever not need you, okay? Ever." Riku blinked at the younger boy, finding it hard to keep the smile off his face. Because it was so Sora. He was so earnest and loveable and Riku was cutting off that train of thought now, thank you.

"I know Sora," he replied, allowing the smile to creep up his face. "I promise." Sora gave him one last, long, scrutinizing look before nodding once and relaxing back into the couch, shifting slightly so he was no longer almost shoving Kairi off the couch, to which she gave him a grateful look.

No one else in the room said anything. They had a feeling that it wouldn't be welcome. They knew that something happened between Sora and Riku, they all did. It was clear now that they were starting to see it happen.

Terra's eyes had fallen to the floor the second Maleficent was revealed. Oh Riku, he thought, biting on his tongue to stop the words from actually escaping. Perhaps I shouldn't have Bequeathed to you. I never wanted to give you my destiny as well.

But there was no way to change it now.

All they could do was watch it happen and deal with the aftermath.