Chapter 7: Lost in Traverse Town

After walking down the stairs, Sora turned right and arrived outside of a convenient store. In big yellow neon lights, it said: "Nook 'n' Goo. What caught Sora's eye was the lime green colored leaf encircling the word 'Nook." Unusual design for a simple shop, Sora thought. Was it environmentally friendly? It didn't matter. His concern was learning about this environment first.

He stepped inside – the excited clamoring of bells greeted his ears. If there was one adjective use to describe the store, it would be immaculate. Every shelf, every counter, was stacked with delicate care across the various isles. Items were alphabetized depending on whether it was food, drinks, magazines, or any other assortment of random necessities. The tile floor shined with pride from its extensive and thorough mopping. Sometimes it was too bright; Sora squinted to reduce the overwhelming glow.

A male voice called out in a vivacious tone, "Well, hello there, young man. Wonderful day we're having, hm? How may I help you?"

Sora turned to face the owner of the voice and was startled at who stood before him. Earlier, Sora assumed every sight, sound, and smell around him wasn't some clever ruse devised by his dreams. But now, upon meeting this person, a feeling of doubt was poking him on the shoulder. This was too hard to imagine as real.

Standing right in front of him was an anthropomorphic racoon with light brown fur. Walking, talking, standing on two feet – he did it all. Wears clothing like a person, too? Absolutely. He wore a white shirt with a red necktie, which was covered by a light green sweater vest. Etched into his vest were multiple diamond shaped patterns. While he did have on black pants, for some reason he lacked shoes. The racoon's warm smile never faltered as Sora struggled to respond (how could you respond when coming face to face with a talking racoon?)

"Uh, hi there," Sora said, feeling awkward. "My name is Sora, and, actually, I do need some help. Where I am?"

"Ho, ho," the racoon laughed. "I knew it! My Nook Senses never lie. You seemed unsettled when walking into my store. You've been separated from your world, yes, yes?"

"Yeah!" Sora said, surprised. "But how did—?"

The racoon approached him. "My boy, you are not the first to walk into my store and ask that question. Many unfortunate souls have been separated from their worlds and have ended up in this town. Myself included."

Sora was startled by this revelation. He wasn't the only one who felt the wrath of that storm. With each step he took in this town, more questions bombarded him like a swarm of angry hornets, and he couldn't dispel them with a definite answer. While he could sympathize with those that went through the same painful ordeal – including the racoon – a selfish question crossed his mind: why did he and his friends have to be in the storm's crosshair?

Pushing those feelings aside, he asked, "You ended up here, too? Sorry to hear that."

"It's unfortunate," the racoon said, feeling dejected for a moment. Then, he smiled again. "But I try to make the most of it. No point in sulking, hm? Besides, I'm a businessman. The town needed someone in the field of retail, so they helped me open my own shop, and things have been working out nicely. Thankfully I didn't come alone. My nephews arrived here, too. Tommy, Timmy, come say hello.

Two miniature versions of the racoon walked over to the two. If the racoon was a Matryoshka Doll, these two would have popped out as the spitting image of him. Although the only form of clothing they wore were blue aprons with a leaf embedded in it.

"Welcome to our store, mister," Timmy said.

"How can we provide you with excellent service?" Tommy asked.

Sora rubbed his head. "Heh, no one's ever called me 'mister' before."

"Those are my boys," the racoon said with a distinguishable pride in his eyes. "Have taught them to appreciate the value of hard work and excellent manners. Ho, ho, speaking of, where are mine, hm? My name is Tom Nook. I know you must feel overwhelmed by everything, yes, yes? Please feel free to ask any questions to elevate some of those concerns."

Sora wasn't sure where to start. But a hopeful spot started to swell in his chest. If Tom arrived here with his nephews, Riku and Kairi could be here, too. Sora's mouth erupted like a geyser as he gave the Nook family a detailed description of his two friends. Afterwards, there was silence among the group. Sora could tell they were reflecting on every piece of information he delivered to them.

"Sorry," Tom said. "I'm afraid I haven't seen them. Boys?"

The little racoons shook their heads. The hope spot deflated faster than a beach ball. In fact, it made Sora feel discouraged. His friends could be fine, but what if they're trapped in another world? He had no way of reaching them.

Tom noticed Sora's saddened expression and patted his arm. "Now, now. Chin up, yes, yes? I know the odds of finding them are against you, but that doesn't mean you should give up. Do you care strongly for them?"

Sora nodded.

"Then you'll only feel worse if you omit them," Tom said. "See, when I was younger, I made some mistakes, and it resulted in casting some close friends of mine aside. While I've enjoyed great success, the feeling of neglecting my friends has always lingered in my heart, and it won't go away. Ever. Never experience the same feeling, hm?"

Tom's words resonated with Sora. Riku and Kairi weren't just his best friends; they were his family. He saw them more than his own parents. Living in a world without them was disheartening to think about it. Trying to locate them would take time – maybe he would never find them. But he couldn't live with himself if he abandoned them entirely.

"You're right," Sora said, feeling reassured. "Thanks, Mr. Nook."

"Ho, ho, call me Tom. Glad I could help. Though my advice is going to require a payment, hm? If you don't have the money, you'll have to work it off here."

"W-What?" Sora asked, leaning back in surprise. "Oh, you don't want me working in your store. Ask my friend Kairi. She'd write a whole essay on why I'm lazy."

Tom laughed. "Just a joke, my boy! Contrary to popular belief, I'm not some old stick in the mud. But I do advise you to be careful out there, hm? A strange man has been vandalizing our town with some bizarre graffiti."

"I think I met him earlier," Sora said. "Looks like trouble."

"Indeed," Tom said. "But I'd like to see him try and vandalize my store! I'll make him work after hours!"

Sora grinned and placed both hands behind his head. "Better him than me."

"Ah, I see you're a bit more perky now," Tom said. "Good. Keep your spirits up. But also be aware of your surroundings. Never run headfirst into a new world. That can be a costly mistake, yes, yes?"

"I will."

"And please stop by if you ever need assistance," Tom said. "I hope you find your friends."

"Good luck!" the twins added.

Sora was glad to have found some support. He felt a bit more at ease. Being lost in this town was still overwhelming, but at least he didn't have to feel alone anymore. Carrying a newfound confidence on his back, he walked outside, ready to face the challenges that lay ahead.

Sora walked over to a place called the Accessory Shop. To his surprise, there was a sign on the door that read: "Out to Lunch." He glanced up at the sky; it was still pitch black. What time was it? Where's the sun? Sora shrugged; compared to the talking racoons, an endless dark sky seemed plausible.

Strolling to his right, he climbed two set of stairs and arrived at a huge door. This door led to the Second District of town. Upon entering, he was greeted by giant buildings that towered over the ones from the First District. Sora gaped at the huge structures glancing down at him. Furthest away from him was a giant building that looked akin to a church, with purple arched glass windows everywhere. Attached to the building was a clock tower.

To his right were more shops, including a place called: "N&B Toys." If Sora had the money, he would've gone in and bought one of those soft balls you squeeze to alleviate stress. Given how arduous my search is going to be, I could use one, he thought. He noticed that the outer layer of the district was on an elevated platform. Towards the middle was the ground level, which contained nothing but benches scattered throughout the area.

Before he could move, he heard someone panting. A man ran right in front of him and stumbled onto the floor. A terrified expression was on his face. He couldn't move as an overpowering sense of terror pinned him straight to the ground. What happened next horrified Sora beyond all belief. Even seeing Kairi's pale, emotionless body seemed reassuring by comparison.

The man watched his own heart depart from his body and floated right above him. Not a scream, not a shout, or a cry followed out of his mouth. Instead, a petrified expression of a wide opened jaw stayed with him as he was enveloped in a wave of darkness. Only his heart remained behind. A dark sphere appeared next to the heart and inhaled it like a powerful vacuum. As the sphere vanished, a strange humanoid creature emerged and landed on the ground.

It wore a medieval soldier's helmet, had dark blue skin, and razor-sharp claws. It convulsed as it gained movement in its body. He recognized those yellow eyes; they were analogous to the eyes of that giant monster he fought back on his island.

The creature did a somersault and vanished into thin air. Sora ran over to the spot where the man lost his heart. Tons of new questions were starting to pile up on his head and interspersed between them was a feeling of dread. Remembering he had the Keyblade, he summoned it to his hand and choked the hilt with a tight squeeze.

Before he could walk another step, he felt an unexpected cool breeze collide with his skin. Sora flinched; he didn't want to believe it was the same feeling from before. But his eyes, serving as the windows of truth, showed him what he tried to dismiss. A familiar dark creature with antennas emerged from the ground and stared right at him with those unflinching yellow eyes. Four more appeared all around him.

His nightmares have hunted him down.

"The creatures from my island! What are they doing here!?"

The one in front of him leaped into the air. Sora swung the Keyblade as hard as he could and knocked it into a metal bar structure. It slid towards the ground. Sora took this moment of opportunity to leap at the creature and slam the blade right into its back as it landed, causing it to evaporate into dark debris.

Sora turned to his right, thrusting the blade at another one. It hopped back to avoid the tip and tried countering by leaping into the air to tackle him. Sora dove onto his stomach to avoid the incoming assault. He spun onto his back and swung his blade upward to collide with the claws of another creature, which, in turn, knocked it away. Upon standing up, Sora put his blade up to block another creature's attack. After it landed, it swung straight for his chest.

Sora used his free arm to block the creatures attack. He retaliated with a fierce kick that knocked it over. The dazed creature was powerless to fight back as the Keyblade sliced it straight in half like a hot knife through butter. Another one managed to strike Sora in the back. He hissed from the piercing pain, spun around in rage, and saw the remaining three run towards him like a pack of hungry wolves.

Sora swung at the creature that was leading the way, but it merged into the ground and scurried underneath his feet. The next two held their claws up, striking at once. Sora held his blade up horizontally, placed his free hand near the tip, and block their combined strike. The force, however, was strong enough to make him slide backwards.

They are far more aggressive, he thought. Well, then, I'll just have to hit harder! The creature that dodged his attack earlier emerged behind him, but was greeted by a powerful strike from Sora's blade. It too vanished into black dust. He turned around, ran right the at remaining two, and kicked one of them away. He finished off the one right next to him.

As the last creature rose to its feet, Sora leaped off the edge of the platform and landed next to a beautiful water fountain that had a mural of butterflies in the center. Sora spun around and looked back up at the elevated platform, waiting for the creature to leap after him. It appeared, bringing more friends with it. Two of them landed right in front of him.

"Am I the catch of the day or something?" Sora asked.

In his current, tired state, he knew fighting all of them would not be ideal. Thinking fast, Sora threw the Keyblade right at the two creatures in front of him, destroying them both. He ran towards the giant building located towards the end of the district. More creatures appeared to block his path. He made a hard right, running down another alleyway. To his left he noticed a giant wooden shack with two windows adjacent to the door.

Sora didn't care who was in there. He needed a place to hide until the creatures got struck with boredom and vanished. At least, that's what he convinced himself would happen. Sora grabbed the handle, opened the door, slammed it shut, sat down, and pressed his back against it. Déjà vu decided to have an impromptu reunion with him, as the creatures rammed against the door, just like how they did back on his island. Sora pressed his Keyblade against his chest, keeping it ready for the worst.

He was prepared to run towards the end of the shack when the commotion died. Were they gone? He stood up to peer through the window. The streets were empty once again. To the average person, this would be eerie. But to Sora, it was beautiful to witness the nice purple coated ground.

With a deep sigh, he sat against the door again and relaxed. Safe for now. But safety was nothing more than a hindrance in his situation. As he closed his eyes to rest for a few minutes, he started to ponder his next course of action.

Yoshi smiled with delight as he played with a toy called the Ultra Hand. It consisted of several crisscross plastic elements that retracted when the user pushed the two grips on the end inward. He had become marveled by its simple, yet interconnected structure. Figuring out how it functioned was part of the fun. He was standing outside of N&B Toys, waiting for Luigi and Isabelle to exit the store.

Soon, they emerged, feeling a sense of accomplishment lift them onto a small plateau. By talking with the store owner, they acquired some information on Leon. Isabelle scribbled down the details in her journal. Although she looked perplexed upon rereading what she wrote.

"Well, at least we got a description of him," Luigi said, feeling confident.

Isabelle was still fixated on her notes. "Gee, the numerous belts seem a bit excessive."

"Maybe people wear really loose pants here as some sort of fad," Luigi replied with a shrug.

Isabelle turned to face him. "I wouldn't know. Half of my world's population don't even wear pants."

She noticed Luigi's face morph into an amalgamation of shock and confusion. How one could contort their face into so many expressions was inconceivable.

"What?" Luigi asked; his voice perfectly matched the mixed expressions.

Before Isabelle could respond, Yoshi said, while still playing with the toy, "Those Yoshi's kind of people."

"Never mind," Luigi said. "Let's keeping moving."

Sora opened his sky blues to look around as his new environment. The innards of the wooden shack had an odd yet meticulous setup. Lamps hung overhead, emitting a bright light onto what appeared to be grass in a box. There were a few scattered throughout the room. The rays from the light felt warm, which made him start reminiscing about his island. How he missed laying on the beach with his friends as the sun covered them with a warm blanket of light.

In the middle of the shack was a wooden table. Resting on top of it was a toy rocket (at least, that's what he presumed). What was the function of this room? To house plants? It was of no concern to him. He had to check and see if the coast was clear. Before he could move, he felt something on his lower leg.

Sora saw strange, tiny multicolored creatures inspecting his feet. They appeared to be humanoid, as they stood on two legs, and had a stem growing out of their heads, with a single, five-petaled flower attached to tip. Startled, Sora knocked the creatures off his leg and rose to his feet. His nerves were still rattling around in his stomach like loose change in a jar from fighting the dark creatures earlier.

Despite how titanic he appeared to these new beings, they didn't appear intimidated. In fact, they approached this new specimen with cautious, but inquisitive eyes. They made gentle grunting noises as they surrounded him. Sora wasn't sure how to respond to these bizarre creatures.

"Do not be alarmed," said a deep male voice. "They are quite friendly."

Sora looked around the room; no one in sight. For a moment he thought his ears had misheard something.

"Hello?" Sora asked.

"Over here! On the table!"

Sora focused his attention to the toy rocket ship on the table. Just when he thought this day couldn't get any weirder, it aimed to prove him wrong. Standing next to the rocket were two little men wearing space suits. One had an oval shaped head, while the other one, only slightly taller, had a pear-shaped head.

Sora's eyes blinked in rapid succession, as if trying to register what he was seeing. Two little men no bigger than mice were existing in the same space as him. Was is it too late to rule out this whole ordeal still being a dream?

Sora walked over to the men and bent down to their eyelevel. The one with the pear-shaped head leaned back, feeling intimidated by Sora's huge size.

"Come now, Louie," the oval shaped man said. "He's no different than the other lifeforms we've encountered here."

"But look at those giant spikes on his head," Louie said in a nervous tone. "They could make Hocotatian Shish kebab out of us!"

Ignoring Louie's unintentional jab at his hair, Sora said, "This…this can't be real. You're so…tiny."

"Ah, but I could say the same about your huge size," the oval shaped man said, chuckling. "Anything is possible when you travel to a different world."

"Fair point," Sora said. "A lot has just happened to me today. From another world myself, so adjusting hasn't been easy."

The oval shaped man smiled. "Perfectly understandable. One should take the time to adapt to their new surroundings, no?"

"Speak for yourself, Captain," Louie said. "The edible materials on this planet still remain mediocre at best."

The Captain held up what appeared to be a carrot. "Ah, so this explains the sudden bite marks on our Pikpik carrots."

"N-N-No!" Louie said in a nervous tone. "I was just inspecting them. Then my vertigo kicked in, and I ended up falling on top of them."

The Captain looked incredulous. "With your mouth open?"

"I have….Temporomandibular Joint Disorder?"

The Captain shook his head in annoyance. Sora chuckled. They appeared friendly and approachable, he thought.

"Sorry I barged in," Sora said. "Didn't think anyone would be living here."

"That's quite alright," The Captain said. He glared at Louie. "Somebody forgot to lock the door."

"Sorry, sir," Louie said. "It was during my 'inspection' of the carrots."

"Louie, food isn't the only necessity to our survival here," The Captain said with a stern tone in his voice. He turned back to Sora. "Oh, where are my manners? My name is Captain Olimar, intergalactic explorer. This is my assistant Louie."

"And my name's Sora." He heard the multicolored creatures start chattering.

Sora spun around, looked down at his feet, and saw the creatures hovering around them, glancing up at him with those same inquisitive expressions.

"It seems the Pikmin are quite fond of you," Olimar said with a smile. "They're always excited to meet someone new."

"Pikmin, huh?" Sora said. "What are they exactly?"

"Plant-like creatures I've encountered during my travels," Olimar said. "I've always had a fascination by them. About two years ago, my ship crash landed on their home planet. Their resourcefulness proved invaluable when it came to fixing my ship. When they work together, they're an unstoppable force."

Sora put his hand down to them. For a moment, they were surprised by the gesture, but could sense something friendly about the giant visitor. A red, blue, and yellow Pikmin leaped onto his palm. Sora brought them up to his face; he, too, grew fascinated by their unique appearances.

"It was from my wonderful experience with the Pikmin that I decided to pursue a further study of them," Olimar continued. "After all they've done to help me, I figured it was the least I could do for them. To grower closer. To develop a deep connection. So I formed a hypothesis: how would Pikmin survive in a different environment?"

"Louie and I returned to the planet. We recruited one hundred of them for this undertaking. Of course, they had to be the most stalwart – able to survive in harsh conditions. But misfortune returned to finish the job it once started: a comet hit our ship, and we ended up here."

"It took sustainable damage," Louie said. "Some of the pieces scattered across space, along with some of the Pikmin. They could be stranded on another world for all we know."

As Sora placed the Pikmin on the table, he felt his heart pulsate in guilt. Given his own predicament, it was easy to identify with them. It had to be worse, because their small size would make them an easy target for oncoming feet. Or worse, the vicious claws of those dark creatures.

"Sorry to hear that," Sora said. "Seems like we're in the same boat."

"Honestly, I wish it were that way," Olimar said; there was sadness in his voice.

"What do you mean?" Sora asked.

"You can breathe in this atmosphere, I'm assuming. We cannot. And our oxygen supply is only sustainable for thirty days."

Sora gasped in horror. "Oh, no! Do you have enough?"

"Fortunately, yes, "Olimar said. "Also, some nice people were able to lend us this shack and set up a livable environment for the Pikmin. But it's all going to be for naught unless we retrieve the missing pieces of our ship."

"So it's all over then," Louie said. "We have no means of reaching them!"

"We must not think like that, Louie!" Olimar said with a firm tone in his voice. "We're trained astronauts. We're supposed to be prepared for any—that's a Pikmin, not a carrot!"

Louie noticed he was holding a White Pikmin by its stem. Furious for being disturbed, it spat purple acid out of its mouth. Louie ran away while dodging its lethal spittle. A Red Pikmin hurried over and restrained its disgruntled brethren. Olimar once again shook his head at Louie's incompetence.

Sora crossed his arm, trying to lessen the tight feeling of guilt in his chest. He wanted to help them. It wasn't fair that their lives were strapped to the giant hand of a clock. But what could he do? He was contending with his own problems; aside from finding his friends, he needed a vessel to actual visit other worlds. However, a little bit of effort can sometimes leave a huge impact.

With a smile, Sora said, "Not sure how I can help, but I'll keep my eyes peeled for the missing pieces."

"Do you mean that?" Olimar asked in surprise. "If it's too much trouble—"

"Not at all," Sora said. "Sometimes it's good to have an extra pair of eyes, right?"

"Well, thank you, Sora," Olimar said. "We appreciate your consideration. Having that bit of assurance goes a long way. Maybe now Louie will stop comfort eating."

"An interesting hypothesis that's most likely going to have unfavorable results," Louie said.

Olimar and Sora chuckled.

"You're something else, my friend," Olimar said.

After saying good-bye, Sora crept out the shack, keeping a watchful eye out for the dark creatures. Nobody was in sight. He followed the alleyway (which was much brighter and safer than the one he was in earlier) and arrived at another door. This one lead to the Third District. Hoping to have better luck there, he pushed forward.

As Sora closed the door, Luigi's group walked by the alleyway that lead to it. They've already searched a few areas, yielding no results.

"Leon!" Yoshi said, cupping both hands over his mouth.

Luigi signed in exasperation. "Mama-mia. This is going to take a while. Good thing I don't have short legs like my brother."

"You should try going barefoot like me," Isabelle said. "Takes a huge load off your feet."

Horrifying images of stepping on the unsanitary ground filled Luigi to the brim with repugnance.

"No, that's okay," Luigi said, trying to hide his disgust under a polite tone. "What's a little weight, right?"

"Well, me think Yoshi gaining a little weight from food he eats," Yoshi said. "Me consider removing a mid-afternoon mid snack," Yoshi said.

And now Luigi was horrified to see the bracket that listed how many meals Yoshi ate a day.

Sora held his blade up to block an incoming attack from one of the creatures. Arriving at the Third District had yielded the same results. Nobody was around except for those dark creatures. When he first encountered them back on his island, a cold sense of fear washed over his senses. Now, it had become mundane, and was quite frustrating. Those yellow eyes were trigging the furnace inside his stomach to become hot with anger.

Sora knocked the last one into a golden fountain that stood tall at the end of the plaza (perched on top of the fountain were two statues of what looked like cowboys staring each other down; a sign underneath it read "The Wild Gunmen"). For the most part, the Third District was a large opened area with red flags hanging on lampposts and buildings. A ramp connected to what looked like a small house. Next to the house was the door Sora came out from the Second District.

The creature, covered from head to toe with water, leaped out of the fountain. Sora hurried over and kicked the creature into the edge of the fountain. Without missing a beat, Sora destroyed the it.

Rinse and repeat. Rinse and repeat. Never results. Sora thought he was going around an elaborate circle; there were many twists and turns, sure, but they all lead back to the beginning. He sat down on the edge of the fountain to rest for a moment. What was he to do next? There was no one else around to ask.

He was reminded of his conversation with Captain Olimar; whether his friends were here or not, there was no way to leave. He had left the solitary confinement of his world to become a prisoner of another. That familiar feeling of being caved in started to crawl out from under his feet. Hopelessness was starting to return with a vengeance.

Then, a friendly male voice snapped him out of his despairing contemplation.

"Erm…um…excuse me?"

Sora turned around. Staring at him with giant red eyes was an anthropomorphic cat with blue fur. He wore a red sweater that had diamond shaped patterns. Sora once again struggled to accept that an animal was addressing him.

"Do you mind if I sit down next to you?" The cat asked. "Had a nice long walk. I promise I won't fall asleep, tumble onto you, and start drooling on your shirt!"

Putting on a faux smile, Sora said, "Sure thing."

"Thanks," the cat said; he sat on the edge of the fountain. "It sure is nice meeting friendly folk around here. Everyone else is staying inside from those monsters. You aren't a psycho, right?"

"Hey!"

The cat laughed. "Just joking. Some people just don't like to be cramped up in their homes. I know the feeling. Name's Rover."

Sora didn't know what was more bizarre: engaging in a conversation with a talking cat, or knowing that the cat's name was usually commonplace for a dog. Rover seemed to notice Sora's bewildered expression.

"Ha, ha, you're not the first to give me that look," Rover said in a jovial tone. "I really am a cat. Was named Rover because I use to rover away from my litter as a kitten."

Sora rubbed his head in embarrassment. "Sorry…I didn't mean to stare like that. Just never met a talking cat before.

"Oh, it's no big deal. So, never met a talking cat before, huh? Would you happen to be from another world, then?"

Sora nodded.

"Thought so," Rover said. "I didn't exactly KNOW what humans were before coming here myself." He laughed again. "What brings you to this town?"

"Long story. Lost my friends. Ended up here. I think it was because of those creatures."

Rover gasped. "Really? Same here! Those creatures appeared out of nowhere! Next thing you know, poof, here I am!"

Sora felt somewhat reassured to meet someone in common, but it wouldn't bring him any closer to finding his friends. Sadness started to pour into Sora's heart, and the feeling radiated onto Rover.

"I'm sorry," Rover said. "I shouldn't have asked."

Sora shook his head. "No, it's okay. Just need to get these feelings off my chest."

"I don't blame you," Rover said; his giant eyes were filled with sympathy. "But there are people here who can help you."

Sora sighed. "Yeah. If they weren't busy hiding from those monsters. I just don't know what to do. My two closest friends" – he could see the horrific ways they vanished in his mind – "are gone. They mean the world to me. I've been searching for them. I don't think they're here."

The sadness in his heart leaped straight into his tear ducts. He could feel the tears push their way into his eyes.

"And I have no way of traveling to other worlds," Sora continued. "What if I've lost them and my home forever?"

Sora glanced down at the floor, unable to look at Rover. He was ashamed by how miserable and broken he felt. But Rover was able to look past the murky fog of misery and give him a gentle pat on the back.

"Hey, now," Rover said with assurance in his voice, "don't be discouraged. You just got here, right? You're feeling overwhelmed. Let's take it one step at a time, okay?"

Rover continued patting Sora's back with the same, consistent gentle taps. It helped ease the emotional pain lingering throughout his body. Within moments, Sora felt the light of his spirit flicker within the darkness.

"Y-Yeah," Sora said. "Okay."

"Now, you want to visit other worlds, right?" Rover asked. "I think I know someone who can help you."

Sora's spirit started flickering faster.

"Who?" Sora asked, beaming up in his seat.

"Why, the owner of the Accessory Shop," Rover said. "Good guy. A bit on the testy side, but he means well. Often partake in nice conversations with him. He's told me countless tales of visiting strange new worlds. So he must have some sort means to travel."

Sora's spirit exploded into a beautiful radiant light. He stood up in excitement, startling Rover in the process.

"Wow!" Sora cried out in joy. "That's great!"

Rover laughed. "Slow down there! Talking or not, we cats still can't stand water!"

"Oops, sorry," Sora said with a grin. But then he realized something: "Wait a minute. Do you think he's telling the truth?"

Rover stopped to mull over Sora's question for a moment.

"I think so," Rover finally said. "He's my go-to guy when it comes to supplies. He's never steered me wrong. Either way, it wouldn't hurt to ask.

"Good point," Sora said. "Got nothing better to do, anyway. Thanks, Rover. I'll head there now."

Rover stood up and said, "Good to hear. Keep your chin up. I know you'll find your friends. All it takes is meeting the right people for answers."

"But will you be okay by yourself out here?" Sora asked. "Those creatures might attack you."

"I'll be fine," Rover said. "Can't stand sitting indoors all day."

Sora's lips formed a playful smirk. "So, does that make you a psycho then?"

"Good one!" Rover said with a laugh. "Don't worry about me." He extends his claws. "These aren't just for show, ya know? I can always climb up the nearest lamppost if I see one of those creatures."

Feeling reassured, Sora said good-bye, and headed back to the accessory shop. Rover's encouragement helped liberate Sora's confidence from the cold, metal bars of disheartenment. He was hopeful that the owner of the Accessory Shop would hold the key he needed to find Riku and Kairi.

Near the end of the plaza was a door that lead back to the First District. He wished his stroll to the shop was peaceful; but those creatures tore through his moment of leisure like scissors to paper. They seemed far more aggressive than ever; worst of all, they were plentiful. Whenever he defeated one, more appeared to avenge their fallen comrades.

Once again, he found himself running for his life. Through sprinting, striking, and dodging, he grabbed open the door to the Accessory Shop, ran inside, slammed it, and leaned against it to catch his breath. This was one case of Déjà vu that refused to stop pestering him.

"Welcome to—aw, it's just some kid," a grumpy male voice said.

Sora turned towards the counter of the store. There, leaning against the wall, was the owner of the shop. He wore a white T-shirt with two buttons descending from his neck and donned a pair of blue jeans. Connecting his pants and shirt was a giant orange waistband. He appeared to be middle aged, but had a decent built. Over his forehead were goggles, and he had short blonde hair. Resting between his teeth was a toothpick.

Next to him were shelves full of clothing, including hats and wigs. In front of the counter was a glass case that contained an assortment of jewelry. It seemed like a decent little shop. But with the creatures right outside the door, Sora didn't have time to admire the store's arrangement (although it wasn't nearly as immaculate as Nook 'n' Go).

"From your get-up, I'm guessin' you ain't no customer, kid," the owner said. "And if you ain't buying nothin' I suggest you get out!"

Sora could see what Rover meant by being rough around the edges. Before he could plead his case, Sora heard furious banging on the door. The owner glanced out the window to see the creature gathering around it.

"Them again, huh?" the owner said, sighing in annoyance. "I tell ya, if I this was a normal crowd, I'd be swimmin' in the money. But can a hardworking guy get that kinda respect? Course not! Hey, Moogle!"

A strange, white creature floated out of the supply closet. It almost looked like one of those cute little plushies Kairi owned. How she loved showing off her collection to him and Riku. The creature had a large, spherical head, small ears, and stubby hands and feet that lacked digits. It had what appeared to be a red ball attached to its head by a thin, brown antenna.

"Yes?" Moogle asked.

"Grab Boomingsworth the 3rd," the owner said with sincerity in his voice.

Moogle slumped his shoulders. "You actually name them now?"

"Hey, last I checked, having a smart mouth isn't one of the requisites for renting this space."

"Um, I'll get him right away, kupo," Moogle said, looking nervous.

He flew right into the supply closet. The owner rummaged through the shelves underneath his counter and pulled out a match. Sora could only stare in confusion as he watched the event unfold in front of him. His confusion metamorphized into shock when Moogle ran out carrying a stick of dynamite.

The owner grinned. "Ah, perfect. Looking lovely today."

Moogle tossed the dynamite to the owner; he lit the match, connected it to the fuse, and hurried over to the door, pushing Sora aside.

As he opened the door, he yelled, "FIRE IN THE HOLE!"

He threw stick right into the street, slammed the door shut, and covered his ears. Sora, while both perplexed and panic-stricken, dove onto his stomach and buried his face in the ground. A loud explosion shook the entire store. Many of the glass items clamored from the violent outburst. A blonde wig, which was labeled as 'Beautiful Bro's Wigs," fell onto Moogle's head.

He muttered, "How demeaning, kupo."

After the explosion died down, the owner glanced out the window. The streets were once again devoid of any life. Sora sat up and shook his head, trying to process everything that just transpired.

"Lousy bums," The owner said, irritable. "Always trying to obstruct my business."

Moogle placed the wig back on the shelf, flew over to Cid, and focused his attention on a dazed Sora.

"Cid, shouldn't you…" He gestured towards Sora.

"Right, right," Cid said. "I ain't a stick in the mud. You okay, kid?"

Sora wanted to speak, but there was a huge disconnect between his brain and his mouth. He was too stunned by what he just witnessed. Even Cid looked apologetic.

"Hmm, my method might've been a bit too extreme," Cid said, as a sheepish grin formed on his face.

Moogle gave him a look that said, "Ya think!?"

Sora shook his head, regained his composure, and he stood up to meet Cid at eye level.

"Y-Yeah," Sora said. "I'm okay. Thanks for getting them off my back."

"Well, at least someone can appreciate the method to my madness," Cid said, giving a boastful glance towards Moogle. He turned back to Sora. "Can't be too careful these days. Those creatures just keep multiplying."

"You got that right," Sora said. "Haven't been able to rest since arriving here."

Cid walked back towards the counter, gesturing Sora to follow him.

"So, what's some kid like you doin' wanderin' the streets at a time like this?" Cid asked.

Sora, feeling insulted, said, "I'm no kid! My name's Sora!"

"Whoa, take it easy there!" Cid said. "You lost or something?"

Sora recounted every detail of his story. Cid seemed to have an inventive ear out the whole time. After he talked about Rover, he noticed the owner chuckling.

"Good ol' Rover," Cid said. "Always keeping an ear and a mouth open."

"So, gramps," Sora said, "do you happen to know a way to travel to other worlds?"

Cid slammed his hand on his desk in anger, startling both Sora and Moogle from the immediate flip of the mood switch.

"Watch it with the gramps remark!" He then took a deep breath to regain his composure. "Sorry. Tend to have a temper that goes off faster than Boomingsworth the 3rd. May he rest in pieces."

An uncomfortable silence shuffled into the room for a few moments from the joke.

"I get it, kupo!" Moggle said.

Cid gave Moogle an enraged look, who, with a timid flap of his little wings, hovered back into the supply closet.

Turning back to Sora, he said, "Anyway, it's not that easy. There's a whole bunch of mumbo jumbo going on here you wouldn't understand."

"So what?" Sora said. A fire of determination was lit below his feet. He wasn't going to feel down any more about his situation. What he wanted was progress. "My friends are out there, and I'd never turn my back on them! I'll do whatever it takes!"

Sora expected Cid to snap at him for arguing back, but he noticed a smirk on the old shopkeeper's face.

"You're a lot tougher than you look," Cid said. "Seems like you're willing to jump through a ring of fire just to see them again. Nothing gets you down. I can admire that. Tell you what: I have to close up shop in a little while. Come back later and I'll point you in the right direction."

Sora perked up in surprise. "Really?"

"Absolutely," Cid said. "We had a rough start, but I can tell you're a good kid with a lot of spunk. Many other people that've come to this world just give up and accept their fate. Not you, though. You'll go that extra mile."

"Well, thanks," Sora said, blushing. "You're not bad yourself, gramps."

"Call me gramps again," Cid said, glowering at him, "and I might reconsider our little chit-chat."

Sora chuckled and rubbed his head.

"Tell ya what," Cid said. "I'll even put you up at the hotel for a night or two. Just so those creatures get off your back."

Sora felt his chest expand with hopeful air. Everything seemed to be going his way right now. Maybe he would be reunited with Riku and Kairi sooner than he thought. But he didn't want to be overly optimistic. As Rover said, he needed to take things one step at time.

"That means so much," Sora said. "I don't know how to thank you."

"Eh, it's no big deal," Cid said, shrugging. "Reminds me something ol' Nook said: 'good things will come to those who put in the effort.' Just wait here while I make a call to the hotel. Moogle, show Sora around, and make sure he doesn't touch anything. Not sure if he's been house broken."

A playful grin appeared on Sora's face. "Very funny."

While Moogle and Sora partook in casual conversation, Cid walked into the back of the closet and picked up the phone. There was look of suspicion on his face as glanced back at the closet's entrance. He dialed a number, and it was only until the first ring that someone answered.

"Hey," Cid said. He listened to the voice. "Yep, I found him. I'll send him right out. Just try not to get too carless."

The person on the other end hung up the phone. Cid rolled his eyes. Always had to do things his way, Cid thought. He walked back to the counter.

"All set," Cid said. "Just head on over. Come back in about a couple of hours. And if you run into any trouble, you just give me a holler. Got it?"

"Yep," Sora said. "I really appreciate your help. See you later."

With a new-found source of excitement, Sora scurried out the door (he honestly couldn't wait to jump into a nice warm bed for a nap). As it closed, Cid continued staring. An expression of concern brushed over his pleasant grin.

"Don't provoke the lion, kid," Cid said. "It'll only make things worse."

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