Kairi had finally regained her breath from the last world. Her arms felt heavy but she was determined to keep moving forward to find her friends and the king. He must've been some king to have his own search party out to find him, and with their own ship none the less.

"So, this king—what's he like?" asked Kairi. She leaned over to Goofy as Donald went crazy with the weapon controls once again.

"King Mickey! He's the king of Disney Castle and a keyblade master just like you."

"There's more than one keyblade master?"

"Sure, if you earn the title then there can be loads! We met another keyblade master in the past, didn't we Donald? Her name was Aki… Alba… Allen? You know what, I can't seem to remember."

"You say you have to earn the title of keyblade master, but I barely learned to wield mine. Do you really think I have what it takes?"

"Of course ya do! You just have to believe in yourself."

Kairi pressed her hand to her chest, finding her necklace. It was cool to the touch and calmed her. She remembered when it had saved her back on her island, glowing so intensely. She had always worn it, ever since she was little. It was special to her, even more so as she'd had it from before she came to the islands. It was the only thing she had that linked her to her past.

Donald flopped down into his chair, finished with shooting for now. The heartless had dissipated to reveal another world quickly approaching. This world too had sand pouring over the edges, this time a with a great golden city at the crown instead of a Greek one. In the center of the city was a palace, so huge you could literally see it from space.

They landed simply enough, the hot sun bearing down on them as soon as they exited the gummi ship. The walls of the city were high, so once they entered, some shade was available. The streets were bustling with dozens of people, lively enough to almost overwhelm Kairi and the others.

"Stop that thief!" someone called through the crowd.

Kairi and the others turned their heads around in the direction of the commotion. A boy a little older than Kairi was hurdling down the market center followed by a handful of guards, all with their weapons at the ready. The boy's hands were full with a large loaf of bread but still he effortlessly managed to leap and glide over carts, crates, and market stalls.

He was heading right for Kairi, who was standing in the middle of the road, unable to make sense of the situation fast enough to move out of the way.

The boy collided with Kairi, the bread flying out of his hands and into the air. Kairi was lucky enough to catch it and when she did she met eyes with the boy who had turned leaps and bounds for it. His skin was a glowing brown, born dark and blessed darker by the sun. His black hair hung in front of his face, eyes wide as he jumped up, taking Kairi's hand in his.

"Run!" He exclaimed, speeding down the road with Kairi next to him. Donald and Goofy had to strain to keep up, but Kairi was rather active living on the island with Sora and Riku, joining in their races every so often. The boy turned the corner and hurried up some stacked crates to the rooftops and Kairi followed promptly with the others just behind them.

The guards seemed to have lost them, and the four caught their breath in an quiet building, furnished generously with rugs and drapes of all shapes and colors.

The boy fell to the ground in exhaustion and Kairi dropped to her knees beside him.

"Nice running back there—you're a natural. I'm Aladdin," he introduced himself.

"My name's Kairi, and this is Donald and Goofy," the two had also fallen to the ground, huffing and puffing.

Aladdin took the bread from Kairi and tore it in two, handing the bigger half back to her. She nodded her head in thanks.

"Man, those guards are always on my tail. They probably know my face already. I hadn't even stolen anything yet and they were already behind me."

"You stole this bread?" Kairi said astonished, lowering the bread from the bit she was about to take.

"I steal only what I can't afford," Aladdin fell back exasperated and took a bite of the bread, "and that's everything." Kairi passed on the bread and instead held it out to Donald who took it happily, stuffing it into his beak. She noticed some sand on her skirt and brushed it off while Aladdin stared at the ceiling. "The truth is I'm just acting out. You see, there's this girl," suddenly Kairi was all ears. "I used to climb up on the roofs to get a look at the palace gardens to see her every day, but she wasn't there today. She's always there."

"Wait, the palace gardens? Aladdin, you're not talking about a princess, are you?"

"Yeah, she's a princess. Princess Jasmine, the Sultan's daughter. I swear you've never seen a girl more beautiful than her. She's also very independent for royalty, a free thinker, and not to mention fearless! Did you know she has a pet tiger? That's amazing! She's… amazing."

"Have you ever been able to talk to her? She might think you're amazing too if she gets to know you. The way you barreled through those streets with the amount of agility you did—she's bound to be impressed!"

"Come on, Kairi. She's a princess and I'm… I'm just a dirty street rat. She'd never fall for a guy like me."

"Well, if you're so sure, let's go ask her." Kairi said standing, putting her fists on her hips.

"What?"

"What I said, let's go find Princess Jasmine and ask her! I'm sure a free thinker like her wouldn't care where you come from."

"I guess it can't hurt to try, but she's missing. I wouldn't know where to find her."

"Well, we can ask around the palace!"

"Kairi, you can't just walk right through the palace gates," Aladdin chuckled.

Yet somehow Aladdin soon found himself standing next to Kairi right outside the towering palace gates. They were even more intimidating up close, but more so were the large guards standing in front of them, their scimitars fashioned at their sides.

When Aladdin, Kairi, Donald, and Goofy drew near, the guards reached for their weapons.

"What do you want?" spat one of the guards. Kairi looked confidently between the two guards.

"I'm here to see Princess Jasmine, of course."

"No one is allowed in the castle without permission. Especially an outsider like you. Where do you come from? Your clothes are not from around here."

"I do have permission. Straight from the Sultan himself, in fact. I'm one of Princess Jasmine's closest friends—Princess Kairi. And of course you don't recognize my clothes, we dress much differently in my kingdom. Though, I would assume you'd recognize royal garb when you saw it."

The guards looked at each other, raising their brows.

"And the others? This street rat is no royalty."

"He is obviously my trusted servant, as every princess should have. You understand I couldn't leave him at home—I mean, at my palace. Next to him are my knights—Donald and Goofy. The trip is long and I needed protection, lest anything happen to a princess like myself."

Kairi kept her head held high as she spoke. She held herself like royalty while still seeming sweet and approachable, trying her hardest not to trip up on her words.

It was a moment before the guards nodded and opened the gates for Kairi and the others. She had almost begun to worry and a drop of sweat made its way to her brow after they entered. Aladdin's face was in awe as he followed her into the palace, playing up the part for the guards before they were out of eyesight. When they were a good way inside, he turned to Kairi with the biggest grin on his face he could manage.

"That was amazing, Kairi! I can't believe it! I thought you were an actual princess for a moment."

"Why thank you," Kairi giggled, a little impressed with herself. "Now, let's ask someone if they've seen Princess Jasmine."

A tall man passed by them in the same area. He had a scowling face and his beard was twisted. He stood tall with a scepter in his hand, a colorful bird perched on his shoulder that contrasted against his entirely black outfit. He noticed the four and raised an eyebrow, gliding toward them slowly.

"Who are you, and what are you doing in the palace?" He said, his face seemed to be drawn into a permanent frown.

"I'm Princess Kai-"

"I don't care."

"But you're the one who asked!"

"I will have guards escort you out of the palace immediately."

"No, I'm not leaving until we see Princess Jasmine."

"The Princess? What would you want with—" the man gasped as if to realize something and rushed off, everyone following.

They entered a garden, beautiful and green, a gemstone in the desert. The man called out for Princess Jasmine but she was nowhere in sight. Only the sound of birds could be heard off to the left where there was a delicate cage filled with exotic birds making a racket. The man went over to them, harking for them to be quiet.

The man opened the cage to release the birds and they flew out, circling around the fountain as they cried out.

"Jasmine was kidnapped!" yelled Aladdin.

"What are you on about, boy?" spat the man.

"The birds, they said she was taken by two strange boys."

"You know what the birds are saying?" Kairi gawked.

"Well sure, you learn a lot from having a pet monkey." Aladdin smiled through his worry, his mind still on the Princess.

"You have a pet monkey!?" Donald and Goofy yelled at the same time.

"Where is he?" asked just Goofy this time.

"He's off doing some monkey business. Otherwise he'd be here helping us look for Jasmine."

"The only thing you'll be looking for, boy, is the door." The man turned his scepter on Aladdin.

"Oh yeah? Says who?"

"Me—Ja'far, Royal Vizier to the Sultan."

Aladdin didn't seem too impressed, though he should have been at such a title. Kairi sweat nervously, looking back and forth between them.

"Wait," said Kairi, "two strange boys? What did they look like? What were their names? Please, you have to tell me!" Kairi yelled up at the birds. They chirped on and on as Kairi watched them circle the sky. Aladdin translated.

"They say they were two teenagers, one with silver hair—"

"Riku!"

"And one with black hair."

"Black hair?"

"They say the two boys were both wearing black as well and there was something dark about them."

"That's not right…" Kairi recalled the smiling faces of her two best friends. They exuded nothing but light from her memories. Especially that dork, Sora. Sora… He wasn't with Riku. In his place there was a darkly dressed black-haired boy. She thought about how she was closer to finding one of her friends… and farther from finding the other. She missed them with a soreness that made her heart ache.

"Where did they take Jasmine?" Aladdin called up at the birds. They circled the group, chirping a long reply. Aladdin searched the ground. "What…?"

"What did they say?" asked Kairi.

"They just keep saying the word 'darkness' …over and over again."

Images flashed through Kairi's mind as she heard the word. Darkness—it surrounded her world's sky as she made her way around the island. It was behind her, in front of her, coming out the door back on the island. It had knocked her over. Her head hurt. Kairi winced and looked down, grabbing the back of her hair and feeling a stinging pain there.

She didn't want to deal with darkness. After she had seen what it could do—she was so afraid. It took away those most precious to her. Riku, who Kairi imagined dressed in darkness. Had he been so awful to her on the island because of the darkness? She had to save him—and Sora, whose fear of darkness Kairi never took seriously. He had come to her in confidence and while she assured him that she'd be there for him she couldn't understand. Kairi had never been afraid of anything—until now. And now that he truly needed her to be there for him, she couldn't keep her promise. She clenched her fists and turned toward Aladdin.

"I'll do everything in my power to get Jasmine back to you, Aladdin." Kairi would find Sora and Riku no matter what. Ja'far scoffed.

"Why would you bring her to this dirty boy? You should return her where she belongs—to the palace under my hand."

Guards appeared at the door to the garden, their swords tight in their hands. They raised an eyebrow at Kairi and the others.

"Is this them, Ja'far?"

"Yes. Please escort these brats out of the palace at once."

One of the guards grabbed Aladdin and the other grabbed Donald and Goofy, one under each gigantic arm. They didn't lay a finger on Kairi, pointing her in the direction she needed to go with their noses. Kairi wondered if they still believed that she was of royalty and dare not lay a finger on her. She didn't mind not being thrown out into the streets though. Her company however, was unceremoniously tossed out onto the road before Kairi helped them to their feet. Aladdin dusted himself off and turned toward Kairi and the others.

"Thanks for all your help, Kairi, Donald, Goofy. Like you said, I'll trust you to find Princess Jasmine. Please, just bring her back to me."

"We'll do our best, Aladdin."

"In the meantime, I'm going to go find Abu."

"A-who?"

"My monkey!" Aladdin chuckled. He waved at the three of them and ran off down the street. Goofy tapped Kairi on the shoulder.

"What do we do now?"

"Weren't you there? We have to find Princess Jasmine."

"Along with the King and your friends too."

"As long as we're looking anyway, it should be a—"

Kairi felt a chill run down her back. It was cold and creeping and again it flashed images of her island in a state of destruction across her mind.

"What's wrong, Kairi?" Asked Donald.

"I sense something weird." She was freezing. "Darkness? Is this darkness?"

"D-d-darkness? Where?" shuddered Donald. Kairi closed her eyes and chased the direction of the chill with her arms out in front of her. Her hands pressed against something rough and she opened her eyes to face the palace walls once again.

"Here, help me up."

The three of them piled up on top of each other's shoulders with Kairi on top so she could peer back over the walls. She was looking back into the garden where she saw Ja'far speaking with a mysterious guest. She stood taller than him, the top of her head graced with two long horns. Her eyes were heavy with shadows—with darkness. The woman held herself highly with her chin in the air, making Ja'far seem a little less composed than Kairi had initially thought him out to be. Kairi could just barely make out their conversation.

"It's too soon, Maleficent."

"I've waited countless years, Jafar, I am not going to wait any longer. At last I have the tools I require to achieve what I want and no one will stand in my way—not even someone as close to me as you are, Ja'far."

"Be that as it may, no one is more precious to me than the Princess. I beg of you, Maleficent. Postpone your plans a bit longer. I must spend these final moments with her before she's gone."

"I am deeply sorry, Ja'far. Riku and Vanitas have already made their move and the Princess now sleeps and mustn't be awoken. Do not worry, I will take good care of the girl while you miss her."

The woman turned away from Ja'far, a swirling black door opening in front of her. She entered, her body leaving into the shadows.

"I can't let this happen. They've stolen her from me; they are thieves! I won't let her go!"

Jafar was unsteady and he leaned on his scepter for support. Kairi put her hand to her mouth and called down to the others.

"Did you hear that? She said Riku! Riku really was here!"

Ja'far must've heard her because he whipped around after she'd spoken, glaring at her. Kairi lost her balance then and the three of them fell to the ground. Unable to get up right away, Kairi remained on the ground groaning.

"Kairi, are you okay?" asked Donald, worrying again for his friend.

"I've already hit my head a couple times today. You think I'd be used to it by now, but it's just getting worse."

"I have an idea," Donald said, raising his staff to the sky. "Cure!" he called out. Kairi's vision went green and she saw sweet bells of flowers above her. Her body flowed with energy and her head felt lighter. She sat up and rubbed the back of her hair, feeling no pain at all.

"Wow! What was that?"

"Magic!" Donald exclaimed gleefully.

"Yup," Goofy said, "Donald's the King's Royal Magician!"

"That's so cool," Kairi said in awe. "Do you think you could teach me how to do magic? I mean, the keyblade is magic, so casting something like a cure spell would be something I could do too, right?"

"Cure is a very high-level spell! Let's start you off with blizzard or fire," Donald thought.

"What am I going to do with fire? Light some candles?" Kairi teased.

"You never know when it'll come in handy."

"I also want to learn how to drive the gummi ship."

"Now, now," laughed Goofy, "one thing at a time."

A joyous laugh erupted from Kairi, big enough that it rivaled the small giggles she was known for. She was having so much fun on this adventure. She was learning new things, making new friends. She wished Riku and Sora were with her, they would've loved to see all these new worlds with her. But ultimately this mission was for them—she'd find them no matter what.

Kairi looked up to the sky—bright and cloudless. She wondered how long it would stay light and sunny in this world. The trio had to get moving, quickly, before the darkness swallowed more worlds than it already had. She had to find Riku and Sora. Kairi thought back to what that woman had said—Maleficent. She wondered if Riku could be in danger, and if he was, what was Sora going through? …and just who was this 'Vanitas'—the other boy that Riku had appeared with.

Kairi jumped to her feet and dusted herself off. She had a determined warmth on her face and as she clenched her fists she turned toward Donald and Goofy with eager brows and a well sized smile.

"Let's go find our friends."

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

We are racking up the amount of people and things we need to find! But still, everything is connected, even when they're scattered across so many worlds. As much as a favor KH's orginial story over the Disney elements, these worlds are very fun to write. I don't plan on including every single world that the original game includes but i'll be hitting some main ones or maybe even some that are requested in the comments.