All That's Left [Alpha Draft] - Pt 25;

[keybearer]

Chapter 25: Insert Coin

Sora never knew Xehanort. Heck, his only encounters with Ansem were when he’d dressed in that dirty brown robe and when he’d taunted Riku in the simulation, trying to nudge him back into the darkness. He wasn’t there when Aqua crossed blades with him or when she’d plunged into a swirling black abyss, but when he set his eyes on that portrait, his lips curled into a toothy snarl. The black wisps rising from his body whipped the air around him. Bristling, he crawled up to the wall, rose to his full height, and glowered at the face of the psycho who’d started it all.

Sure, he’d styled his hair differently, and sure, his eyes were brown instead of gold, but a black-coated figure still flickered before his eyes, looming over him and pressing a burning red blade to his neck. Sora’s claws stiffened into hooks. It’d be so easy to shred the picture; that jerk probably deserved it, too, but before he let his impulses control him, a soft, weak voice caught his ear.

“Terra, I’m sorry…”

Ven—

Before Sora got another word in, Aqua placed her hand against his upper back, her eyes meeting his.

Soft footsteps sounded from behind, and Aerith hovered behind the duo, looking the portrait up and down. “It looks a little heavy. Are you sure you don’t need help?”

“Actually, that’s not a bad idea.” Aqua moved to the right corner of the picture, while Aerith closed in on the left. Not to be left out, Sora squeezed in between the two, and after they all took a deep breath, the trio yanked the painting off the wall, sending dust particles trickling toward the floor.

They set it down with a thump. With that outta the way, Sora shook off his arms and brushed his hands together, while Aerith and Aqua blew the remaining dust away. A quick look up confirmed Aqua’s suspicions, as dull purple lettering stretched across the space where the painting once hung. In the middle of it all was a doodle of a heart surrounded by a ring with blocky bits and joints that resembled wiring and wrenches. Little lines pointed at various parts of the image, written in strange squiggles and dots—a foreign language, maybe?

Big, bold letters rested above the diagram, written in all caps. The first line read:

‘HOLLOW MAIN SECURITY’

As for the second line, Sora squinted, tilted his head, and dragged himself right up to the wall. He stood on his tip toes and leaned so close that his nose nearly touched the drawing. It took a few seconds before the faded smudges finally stood out.

‘/Tron Door To DARKNESS’

Was Tron some kinda computer term? It sure sounded that way, but while the meaning escaped him, the last three words made him wrinkle his nose and pout. Just what kinda weirdo named a program after the Door to Darkness? Okay, maybe that was a dumb question, given the picture resting just a few feet away. Still, with a name like that, it must’ve been something serious!

While Sora glared up at the letters, Aqua’s lips became a flat line, and she paced back and forth, all while tapping her chin.

“Hmm… That wasn’t what I expected, but DiZ said it’d help us access the computer.” Like Sora, she leaned closer to the text, though only by a few inches. “Let’s see… It mentions security, so the second line could be the password, but given that slash, it almost looks like a file directory…”

“Maybe the name’s the key.” Aerith pointed up to the second line. “Let’s pretend that I’m Xehanort, and I’m trying to open the real Door to Darkness.” She swiveled away from the wall, and her lips curled into a smirk. Was she trying to look evil or something? “Now, as much as I want to spread darkness, I can’t get there on my own, so what do I need…?”

Sora looked down and started scratching his head, when a light bulb flickered on, and he snapped his claws. Whipping out his pen and paper, he jotted the answer down. ‘The Princesses of Heart!’

Aqua’s eyebrows flew up, then furrowed, and she glanced down at the portrait. “I’d say it’s too simple, but even I don’t know all the princesses’ names. And if he hid it behind his portrait…” Pausing, she took two slow steps across the room, toward a wide, open doorway. “Well, it is our only clue…”

The warm cream color of the study faded to shades of steel blue as they wandered down the cold, metal steps. The cramped hall opened up into a wide room with a wall of glass windows giving a view of the glowing tubes jutting out of the walls outside, with dull, blue light shimmering in the distance. A huge keyboard hung below a great big monitor with green letters prompting a password. A quick glance to the side revealed a circular device on the wall, with golden circuitry and a round, red core. While Aerith and Aqua approached the terminal, Sora tapped the wall, and the sizzle of static made him spring back, his spiky hair even frizzier than before.

By the time Sora strolled up to the terminal, Aerith had already hunched over the keys. As she entered each name, tiny boxes spread out across the screen, connecting to a pixelated heart, just like the diagram on the wall! Once she struck enter, the machine hummed, beeped, and clicked. The screen flashed blue, and a cluttering of different dialog boxes popped up in a mix of blues and greys. The sudden success made Sora spring off the floor and pump his fist in the air. Watching him, Aqua muffled a chuckle with her hand and set that hand over the edge of the terminal.

“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised after the simulation’s password.”

Sora almost asked what she meant, but Aqua had already turned her back on him and began pecking at the keys. A search window popped up, asking for a keyword, which she readily supplied.

Keyword: The Organization_

SEARCHING…

The computer hummed, and Sora glued his eyes to the screen, waiting and watching until a female voice chimed, The data is corrupt.

He instantly deflated, folding his arms while his lower lip poked out. A scowl overtook Aqua’s face, and her head shook from side to side.

“I guess they saw us coming…” With such a simple password, Sora couldn’t blame them, but talk about a major pain. “Well, what if we try Xehanort?” She tapped the keys, but big, red letters spelling ‘Error’ popped up, along with that same voice message.

The data is corrupt.

Okay, this was getting stupid. So stupid that Sora squirmed his way next to Aqua and started pounding the keys with his fists.

Gasping, Aerith grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back. “Sora, what are you doing?”

The windows swirled around the screen, tilting at sharp, diagonal angles. Biting his lip, Sora cringed. Did he break it? Did he just ruin their shot at finding the answers? Just when all hope seemed lost, an orange window popped up, showing an image of a pale man with long, blonde hair, a matching goatee, a white lab coat, and a dark red scarf.

Aqua lurched over the keys, gawking at this new image. “Is this Ansem the Wise?”

Sora tapped his notepad with his pen. ‘Well, whoever he is, he’s not with the Organization.’

“Amazing,” said Aerith. “Even if this doesn’t help us with the Organization, we may have just uncovered a lost piece of our history! If there’s files on Ansem—the real Ansem—then I wonder what else is hidden here…” She dragged the window with Ansem’s portrait off to the right side of the screen. Two more windows appeared beneath it, one labeled ‘Security Footage,’ and another marked ‘Archive.’

Quiet up until now, Ven started snickering. “Wow! Guess all it needed was a good smack.”

“I suppose.” Aqua clamped her mouth shut, though another tiny laugh slithered out of her. She patted Sora on the head, bending down to eye level. “Just be careful next time. If we’re going to get to the bottom of this, we need to make sure the files stay in good shape.”

He snapped into a salute, giving her a firm nod. This was a huge deal, and while that one slip up might’ve given them some new leads, they needed to play it safe until they combed through every last document.

x.x.x

Giant brass gears cranked and whirled. Pipes crawled along the dark brick walls, whistling, howling, and puffing small grey balls of smoke. A raised metal platform rose above the floor, holding the Highwind directly beneath two metal shutters on the ceiling. With Aqua and the others scoping out Ansem’s computer, Cid wasted no time pulling the Gummi Ship in for a routine maintenance check. The work left his face stained with black smudges, which he blotted away with a wet rag before taking two bright yellow guns and literally sticking them to the ship’s sides. The pieces snapped together with a POP, connecting seamlessly.

As he worked, Riku, Kairi, Donald, and Goofy gathered on metal stools around a small, wooden table. They were joined by a tall, broad-shouldered duck with a prominent chin, who wore a pilot’s helmet, a tan scarf, and a brown aviator jacket. If it weren’t for his feathers, Riku might’ve mistaken him for one of Goofy’s relatives, for when he first marched into the garage, he stumbled over his own webbed feet, got clobbered by a purple Gummi block that ricocheted off his head, and toppled straight into one of the vacant stools all in the span of five seconds.

Now he sat with his helmet askew, legs crossed, head high, and a dopey smile on his great big beak. “So, like I was saying, I was swooping right over the Great Maw, when the engine started spewing smoke. Next thing I knew, KABLOOEY! Gummi parts everywhere! Plus I got a big old bump on my head.” He removed his helmet to prove this and, sure enough, a cartoonishly tall bump poked out of his mess of wild red hair.

Riku’s eyes had glazed over during his lengthy ramble, but that last bit snapped him back to reality, and he straightened in his seat, cocking an eyebrow for good measure. “Sheesh. Then why aren’t you in a cast?”

“Aw, it wasn’t that serious! Did a number on the blasters, but I’d say that any crash you can walk away from is a job well done.” He looked over his shoulder. “Isn’t that right, Cid?”

Cid snorted, tossing the washrag aside. “Just don’t get yourself killed.”

That one remark made Launchpad blurt out a laugh. “See? What’d I tell ya?”

Donald hunched over the table, mumbling and moaning. “Well, you still need to work on those landings before you take the boys on another joyride.”

“Whoa there!” He scooted back, lifting his palms. “Mr. McDee trusts me, Donald. …Well, most of the time. Besides, the kids love goin’ on those test flights.”

“And I bet they’d like ‘em even better if you quit crashing into walls!”

Goofy patted Launchpad on the arm. “Hey, I crash sometimes, and you still let me drive.”

“But he crashes all the time!”

Kairi shrugged her shoulders. “Well, we can’t all be perfect. Plus, they both make up for it by being lovable goofballs.”

Launchpad’s cheeks turned bright pink, and he twirled his scarf. “Aw, thanks, Kairi! But uh, since you’re on vacation and all, how’s about I take you all on a ride around the canyons? That oughta give Cid enough time to—”

Cid bumped the side of the ship with a wrench. “It’s all set to go.”

“Wha?!” Launchpad spun toward the ship, and his beak flew open. “Aw, c’mon! There’s gotta be something missing. Built-in blender? Digital cable?”

“Oh, for the love of… What good’s a blender in a cockpit?”

“Well, what if Riku wants a pineapple smoothie?” He peeked back at the table. “You’re from an island, right?”

Riku rubbed his face. “Yeah, but we’ve already got a built-in kitchen.”

Launchpad’s arms dropped to his sides, and he drooped over the table again. “Aw, great. So you got the deluxe model…”

Kairi pushed away from her stool, strolling up to him with a small, uneven smile. “Well, you could always come with us sometime. Then you can have all the smoothies you want.”

“Bah, forget the sweets, kiddo. I did ya one better.” As a demonstration, Cid flung the door open and pointed his thumb toward the radar screen. “Me and Gyro hardwired a new communication system. Just hit that blue button, and you’ll phone us up lickety split.”

Riku whistled, giving a thumbs up in approval. “And is it just you guys, or…?”

“Naw. We figured you’d wanna keep in touch with the castle, so there’s an extra button for pagin’ the Queen. Got a little mouse emblem—ya can’t miss it.”

Goofy’s lips flashed into a tremendous grin, and he cupped his hands over his chest. “That means I can check up on Maxie!”

“But why stop there?” said Kairi. “We’re on vacation, right? Mickey never said we had to spend it all here, so…”

“Huh.” Donald tapped his foot, hiding his hands behind his back. “I do owe Daisy another date, and Riku’s never even met Queen Minnie yet!”

“Nope. Xiruk beat me to the punch.” He flashed his teeth at the others, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “Not that I’ve got problems hanging around here, but aren’t vacations supposed to take you to exotic places?” Granted, one could argue that every adventure was like a mini-vacation. A mini-vacation filled with deadly monsters and an endless supply of darkness.

Speaking of darkness, a certain shadowy dork just so happened to come bounding into the shop moments later. Judging by his bright eyes, ridiculous grin, and the way he shot across the floor, he must’ve had good news. Instead of voicing that news, however, he pointed to the ship, then lifted a note.

‘You guys are going to Disney Town? Then you’ve gotta take me with you!’

Donald slouched, fiddling with his collar. “I don’t know, Sora. The Cornerstone of Light’s supposed to keep Heartless outta there, so I dunno if—”

“Well, what about Aqua’s magic?” said Goofy. “The Claymores didn’t catch him, so I bet he’ll be A-okay!”

‘Please?’ Sora gave him big, puppy dog eyes, and his lower lip poked out by a hair. ‘Ven says they’ve got a game with giant fruit and real racing with karts and everything!’

“He won’t take no for an answer,” said Kairi. “If anything happens, we can leave right away. At least then he won’t be left out.”

Donald and Goofy exchanged a glance, and soon Goofy started scratching his head, eyes half shut. “Well, I don’t think it’d hurt him! ‘bout the worst thing I could see happenin’ is him getting flung outta the castle…”

Still seemed a bit risky, but if Aqua’s magic got him this far, it was at least worth a try. “Well, for his sake, I hope you’re right,” said Riku, and with everyone all raring to go, the group crammed themselves back into the Highwind and catapulted themselves toward the sky.

Eventually, a big, bright dot appeared on the radar screen, labeled ‘Disney Castle.’ Within moments, a white and blue speck appeared, growing larger and more defined the further they flew. Soon, it went from a dot to a majestic white castle topped with steepled blue towers and waving gold flags. Winding dirt roads led down to clumps of red-roofed buildings and fields of bright green grass. In no time, Sora threw himself at one of the side windows, his face and hands glued to the glass. Snickering, Donald hammered one of the buttons, twisted a knob, and sent the Highwind into a nose dive, blasting down toward the bottom of the world. Along the way, a gargantuan, metal frame shaped like King Mickey’s head greeted them, and two metal doors flew open to reveal the maw of a pitch black tunnel.

As the ship drifted inside, the walls glittered to life, shining with strings of tiny, yellow lights and flashing red arrows to guide them. Two more shutters slid open, and Goofy beamed, peeking toward the back while he gestured toward the tunnel’s end.

“Almost there, Sora! How ya feelin’?”

He pried his eyes off the window, flipped around, and gave Goofy two big thumbs up. At the same time, the little crown pendant twinkled with beads of white light. While Sora tapped the little charm, the lights fluttered around him like fireflies and blinked out one by one right as the ship skidded to a stop amidst a sea of giant cogs.

Riku was quick to unclick his seatbelt, nudge the door open, and fling himself onto the concrete floor. Reaching for his hips, he took two broad steps and craned his neck at the shining machinery all around him. Just like Cid’s garage, giant gears spun in an endless orbit. An overlapping network of pipes reached from the blue brick walls to the platform where he stood, and yellow and green lights blinked, glittered, and flashed, some even twirling along black metal rods. A stairway led up to a landing topped with ornate grey pillars and a crown-shaped doorway framed in gold, and swirling green smoke lingered in the air.

More striking was the duo of chipmunks that came sliding down the banister the moment the others stepped outside.

Next thing Riku knew, Dale had thrown himself onto his shoulder and was bouncing up and down like a kid who’d had way too much sugar. “Riku! Golly, look how big you’ve gotten!”

Unlike Dale, Chip merely stood at the edge of the banister, tipping his little head back. “Welcome back!”

“Thanks, but what are you guys doing out here?” He looked around the room once again, then back to the ship. Their absence was kind of odd in hindsight, yet somehow, it never dawned on him that they’d gone back home.

Dale frowned, glancing down at Donald. “Gee, you didn’t tell him?”

“I was gonna!” Donald grunted, looking the other way. “We just got busy…”

Covering his mouth, Goofy gave a soft a-hyuck. “What he’s tryin’ ta say is that he forgot.”

“We all did.” Kairi smiled sheepishly and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “But a lot’s happened lately.”

Chip nodded. “We heard about Twilight Town.” He leaned to the side, squinting. “But what’s Sora doing here? And how’s he here?”

Sora pointed at the pendant, clenched both his hands, and grinned. Riku then stepped in to clarify.

“Aqua put a spell on him. We think he’ll be okay, but I’ll be sure to keep an eye out.”

“That’s the spirit!” said Dale. “And that’s actually part of why we came back. Somebody’s gotta watch castle while you’re gone, and if anything comes up—”

Chip huffed, knees bent and hands on his hips. “What do you mean if? Something has come up!” He paused, giving a squeaky little laugh. “I guess we’re all a little forgetful today.”

“Right!” Dale sprung back onto the banister and zipped toward the door. “C’mon! We’ll fill ya in on the way.”

“Gah! You should’ve said that in the first place!” said Donald, who rocketed up the steps at lightning speed. Goofy was quick to pursue, though he stumbled over his own feet about halfway to the door. With the news so vague, Riku took off in a jog, keeping pace with the scampering chipmunks.

“So, what’s the problem?”

Dale stopped just long enough to leap back onto Riku’s shoulder. “That’s what we’re tryin’ to figure out!”Soon, Chip followed suit, bouncing onto Kairi as she closed in from behind.

“We just saw somebody sneakin’ around town,” he said. “They had a black coat and everything!”

“So they’re not even wearing disguises this time?” Kairi’s brow tensed, and her lips pulled toward the side of her face. “But that doesn’t even make sense. At least they tried to be subtle last time…”

Having missed out on the festivities, Riku could only guess what went down. He knew Xigbar was involved, but the rest of the story remained a blur. For the time being, he simply followed the chipmunks’ directions, swerving through a wide, grassy courtyard filled with topiary sculptures patterned after a big band. There were cows, pigs, and dogs tooting flutes, blowing horns, and pounding on little drums. A look over the shoulder revealed a smaller castle cut from green hedges and adorned with brightly colored flowers. If the situation weren’t so dire, he would’ve gladly explored. Unfortunately, the risk of Organization presence trumped his own curiosity. That, and Chip and Dale kept chattering away, telling them to pick up the pace, to forget the castle and get into town.

Kairi even had to call out for Donald, who’d made it all the way over to the castle itself by the time they reached the golden gate that led outside the monstrous wall. Fortunately, Goofy had enough sense to hover by the exit, and once Donald reached them, they barged out onto the sandy street into a plaza filled with candy-colored buildings. The roofs came in various shades of red, pink, blue, and green, with walls of sand and cherry brick while others were painted a clashing mix of split-pea green and yellow. The structures were soft and smooth, with striped awnings drawing attention to the windows and doors and scattered benches offering visitors a comfortable place to relax. Potted bushes and flowers spread across the square, with a red-roofed gazebo as the centerpiece.

It was in said gazebo that three strangers gathered, one a black mouse dressed in a frilly pink dress and a golden crown atop her head. Beside her stood a tall, skinny dog dressed in a red, short-sleeved hoodie, baggy jeans, and sneakers. He wore a shield on his back and carried a sword in his hand. Between them stood a fate, pale-faced thing with a slobbery red tongue, beady eyes, a chef’s hat, a pink overcoat, and an apron.

“Hey, it’s Maxie!” Goofy shouted, giving Riku a light nudge forward. “C’mon, I’ve been dyin’ to introduce ya!”

Donald grumbled, tugging on his pant leg. “But we’ve gotta find that Nobody first!”

“And don’t you think they might know where to start?” In fact, Riku already took off for the gazebo. It sure beat rushing in blind.

Along the way, he picked up on their conversation, starting with Max. “Okay, could you run that by us one more time?”

The white creature’s head bobbed up and down. “I saw wiggly white marshmallows by race track! Very strange, and then I saw tiny black licorice girl whacking them with giant Key-sword!”

Riku’s shoes scuffed the pavement, and he came to an abrupt stop. “Wait, she had a Keyblade?” His sudden outburst made all three whirl around, and a smile flashed to Max’s face.

“Xiruk? Man, why didn’t you tell me you were com—” He was interrupted when the white creature threw themselves out of the gazebo.

“Aah, now I smell more licorice!” Reaching behind their back, the creature brandished a giant fork and pointed it toward Sora. “You no worry, Queen Minnie! I eat scary monster!”

Sora’s back arched, and he covered his face with his palm. This is really getting old! Just as the creature swiped with their fork, Sora flattened himself and skittered between Riku and Kairi. At the same time, Goofy thundered into the gazebo, grabbing Max into a great big bear hug, and Queen Minnie zipped down the stairs to tug on the white creature’s sleeve.

“Oh, Quina, that won’t be necessary.”

“But I thought black monsters bad…”

“Well, yes, but I believe that Heartless is their friend.” She looked up at Riku. “Isn’t that right, Xiruk?”

Riku rubbed the back of his neck, blowing out some air. “Actually, I’m Riku.” How the tables had turned, though it was good that Xiruk had made an impression. He deserved friends of his own.

The news made Minnie cover her mouth, while her eyes flew wide open. “Oh! How rude of me.”

“Nah, he is my replica, but just between us, he’s still rocking the black coat.”

“Dad, c’mon…” Max squirmed his way out of Goofy’s grip, then smoothed over his messy bangs. “I guess that explains the haircut. Me and Peej kept telling Xiruk to get a trim, but he never let Daisy cut it above the shoulders.”

Kairi cracked a devilish grin, giggling. “It took some convincing before he let me cut it this short, but I think it looks cute on him.” Her words made Riku’s cheeks burn, but she soon added, “Anyway, what’s this about a girl in black?”

“We think it might be Xion,” said Max, “but we’re not sure yet. She keeps running off, and she’s got her hood up, so it’s not like we can see her face.”

Minnie peered down at her feet, bringing her hands together. “It’s awfully troubling. While I’m grateful for her help, she has no reason to hide from us.”

“Yeah, and don’t forget about those white guys.” Max slung an arm over the edge of the gazebo and lifted his sword. “The last time they popped up, the Organization was right behind them.”

“Is true!” said Quina. “I smell black coat by arcade last night, but cat said nothing there.”

Pulling himself out of the ground, Sora started scratching his head before writing, ‘Since when do they care about video games?’

“Maybe they got bored!” said Goofy. “’Course, that doesn’t explain why they’d come out here. They should know they ain’t welcome ‘round these parts.”

“Hmm, but what if Xion knew about it?” said Kairi. “Roxas said she had something important to take care of, and this could be it.”

“Or maybe…” Max lifted is sword, then shook his head. “Hey, I think I’m gonna hit the arcade. See you guys there?”

“But first we’ve gotta find Xion!” Donald pulled out his staff, pointing it at Quina. “You can smell her, so tell us where she is!” When Kairi cleared her throat, he added. “Please.”

Quina’s head jerked up and down in an eager nod, and they swept their fork toward a nearby alley before taking off in a wobbly run. Chip and Dale both bounced onto the gazebo’s railing and joined Minnie in waving a quick goodbye, and with that, the whole group tore down the street, following Quina like a pack of hunting dogs. Along the way, they passed a slew of colorful buildings, many of which bore walls with smooth curves and tilted at odd angles. A clock tower poked over the surrounding rooftops with a rainbow colored plane fixed to its roof by a thick wire, spinning in a constant orbit. The alley opened up into a three-level walkway connected by sprawling stairways and a cream colored footbridge with two round lights poking out of the rail.

It just so happened that a black-coated figure was darting around the plateau at the end of the bridge and weaving between a mob of purple and white creatures with long, spindly arms bearing wide, segmented blades. Once he set eyes on those monsters, Sora launched himself toward the bridge, lobbing green fireballs at their backs and dragging his claws down their featureless heads. Donald followed suit, breaking into a frenzy of quacks as he tore down the stairs and swirled his staff over his head. Glittering ice crystals danced on the breeze, impaling the Nobodies’ backs and knocking them face-down on the pavement.

With a great big holler, Goofy slammed into another Nobody’s backside and twirled right into its chest. The Nobodies retaliated by flailing their arms, but their efforts were thwarted when a giant green frog crashed down from the heavens, reducing them to plumes of thorny smoke. Twin Keyblades sailed into the fray, slicing the stragglers in half, and by the time Riku and Kairi caught up with the others, only Xion remained.

Her weapon vanished in a flurry of pixels, and her arms wound tightly around her torso. She took two steps back, a slight tremble in her movements, and only stopped when Goofy said, “Hiya, Xion!”

She froze, body stiffening. “What are you guys doing here…?”

Donald scowled, bringing his free hand to his hip. “Is that all you’ve gotta say?”

“No! Of course not…” She tugged her hood down, then slowly looked toward the group. “Sorry. It’s not that I’m not happy to see you, but—”

“It’s okay.” Kairi strode to Xion’s side, resting a hand on Xion’s arm. “We’re not mad at you. We were just worried…”

“That’s what I was afraid of.” She slumped, shaking her head. “But I guess it can’t be helped. It’s what friends do…”

Riku wanted to speak up, to offer some kind of reassurance. Her soft tone, her hesitation, and her closed posture all set off red flags, but for now he hung back, letting the others do the talking. After all, they knew her better than he did.

Fortunately, Goofy excelled at sappy sentimentality, so when he strolled over to join Kairi, Riku cracked a microscopic smile. “So how come you’ve been runnin’ away? If you’re havin’ trouble, we’d be happy to help ya out.”

“No!” She averted her eyes, then lowered her voice. “I mean, you don’t have to. Plus, you’ve still got all those Keyholes to seal.”

“Aw, don’t worry about that,” said Donald. “King Mickey’s covering for us.”

“Oh.” Her breathing slowed, and she turned the other way, gazing out at the distant, grassy hills. “But I can’t let you get involved.”

Donald tapped her back with his staff. “Uh, Xion, this is our home, so if there’s a buncha Nobodies sneakin’ around, then we’re the ones who oughta stop ‘em!”

“And by ‘we’ he means all of us,” said Kairi. “We’re still a team no matter what happens, and don’t you think we’d stand a better chance together?”

“You know the saying!” said Goofy. “All for one, one for all, and—”

“I know.” She gripped her sleeves, shoulders rising. “But I can’t. Not like this…”

But for what reason? Was it fear? And if so, just what was she afraid of? Kairi, Donald, and Goofy were her friends, yet she shied away, turned her back, and refused to look them in the eye. When Kairi reached for her again, Xion lifted her hand, shaking her head again. Her body trembled ever so slightly, and she ducked her head. Her discomfort stood out like a flashing neon sign, propelling Riku closer to her with small, steady footsteps. His advance stopped only when Sora crawled out in front of him, pointing his thumb at himself and then gesturing over to her. He soon crawled in front of Xion, stood up straight, and began scrawling a new note.

‘I know why you’re doing this. It’s scary, isn’t it? Watching yourself change, not being able to stop it. I get that. Just look at me. I tried hiding, too, but it hurt really bad, and I’m sure it’s hurting you, too.’

“Sora…” Her grip on her sleeves loosened, and her shoulders slowly sank. “But it’s not just about my looks. It’s… you wouldn’t understand.”

At long last, Riku finally spoke up. “How do you know? If you talked to us, we could at least get an idea of what you’re going through.”

“…Riku.” His name came out in a squeak, and she backed away, hovering inches from the platform’s edge. One of her hands flew up to the side of her head, and she shivered. “Um… I’ve gotta go.” And just as the others opened their mouths, she flung herself down and took off down the street.

x.x.x

She couldn’t take it. It was just too much. She wasn’t ready. Not yet! Sure, half of her yearned to turn around. To rush back to Kairi, to Donald, and Goofy… maybe even Sora, to rejoin her friends and spill the truth, why she was here and where she’d been. However, doing so meant betraying Chrysanthemum’s trust, and he’d already promised to fix everything. Maybe then she could face them without flinching, without flickers of foreign memories penetrating her consciousness and devouring the scraps of her own identity. One look at Riku had sent a sharp jolt piercing through her skull. Her body moved as if it had a mind of its own, her feet flying across the path and dragging her around corners and through alleys while her heart hammered away at light speed.

She sliced across incoming Assassins and Dusks, their rubbery bodies just a blur. She’d apologize later, maybe, if she could bring herself to face them again. As it stood, her mission remained a priority, so when a building shaped like a flying saucer closed in at the end of the road, she picked up the pace and dashed past the robotic soldiers standing guard. She shoved her way through the clear glass doors and launched herself toward the flashing lights and blinking screens. Along the way, she came face to face with a bespectacled duck in a lab coat, a black cat riding a fluffy, pink monster, and Max, all of whom gawked as she came closing in.

A wave of her Keyblade filled the hall with sounds of ticking clocks. All three of them stiffened before her eyes, and Xion squeezed her way through the group. That made three more people to apologize to later, but she couldn’t afford to slow down. In fact, she only stopped once she’d reached the center of the arcade, and just long enough to skim over the surrounding cabinets and assorted tables. Amidst the mix of blocky sprites and 3D models, a great big door appeared, formed from floating pixels. Holding her breath and squeezing her Keyblade’s hilt, Xion stormed toward the door and thrust it wide open.

As she stepped through, the whole room flashed. Zeroes and ones flickered around her, and for a moment, she lifted her Keyblade to shield herself from the swirling lines of code. When the light dimmed, she touched her cheek and gently tugged a lock of hair; when she saw black strands, she let all the pent up air escape her and turned in a full circle, absorbing the sights and sounds all around her. Instead of pixels, she now stood on a polished floor, beneath a high, arced ceiling amidst a bustling crowd. A spiky, blue creature zoomed past her, trailed by an orange fox with two tails. The floor trembled as a huge, beefy monster with a dragon’s face and a spiky green shell stomped past and gave her a puzzled stare. He muttered something to the orange ghost floating beside him, and that ghost floated over to a muscular man with dark green skin, fiery orange hair, and a large, pointy nose.

Gripping her hood, she ducked behind a monitor showing that blue creature front and center. Though it was just a recording, he gave viewers a stern look and said, “If you leave your game stay safe, stay alert, and whatever you do, don’t die, because if you die outside your own game, you don’t regenerate. Ever. Game over.”

“So this is really all part of a video game?” But it all looked so real, from the sunlight filtering from the windows at the end of the room to her reflection on the floor. But then, so did Twilight Town before everything started to…

She squeezed her eyes shut and jerked her head from side to side. This was no time to dwell on the past! Right now, she needed to find Hero’s Duty. Lucky for her, the walls of the hall lit up with bright red labels above metallic tunnels, with giant screws and prongs poking out of enormous, white outlets. They bore labels like Pac-Man, Burger Time, Tapper, and Street Fighter. Pushing out from behind the screen, Xion tip toed through the crowd and ducked behind larger, more menacing figures, like a giant purple rhino, that turtle guy from before, and a giant man with messy brown hair carrying two cherries in his arms. A few strangers stopped to stare, but Xion pressed on until she finally made it to her destination and scampered through the tunnel.

A short train ride later, and her surroundings shifted from the bright, clear station to a dark, dingy tunnel filled with drifting smoke, flashing red lights, and cold, rigid metal. The ground clanked with each step she took, and she shielded her mouth to avoid inhaling the smog. Sirens wailed, and streaks of yellow light whirled against the walls. A ramp at the end of the tunnel led into a bleak, metallic landscape beneath a sky shrouded in greenish grey clouds. Black spikes of metal poked up along the edges of the grated metal path, shining with electric blue lights, and a lone tower loomed from afar, a giant black skyscraper glittering with bright cyan streaks and specks.

But where were those bugs? And where was Axel? With nothing but heaps of metallic debris and the tower to guide her, Xion began a slow march forward. Up ahead, a squad of muscled men stormed her way, covered from head to toe in thick, black armor. They carried huge, black and red guns in their metallic clutches, and the glass visors of their helmets tinted their faces red. To avoid detection, Xion dived behind one of the metal spikes and crouched low to the ground. She listened to the thunks of their footsteps until they petered out, and only then did she move forward.

She only made it one step before a firm hand seized her shoulder and flipped her around.

“Hold it right there, civilian.” The speaker was a tall, slender woman clad in the same black armor, accented with bright red lights and faded gold stripes along the shoulder pads. Her short blonde hair swept to the side of her face, caught between a scowl and a snarl. Just looking at her lodged a lump in Xion’s throat, but the woman’s iron grip pinned her in place and prevented her from a speedy escape.

“Who are you?” Her voice was soft and just a bit shaky, and the woman was quick to respond.

“I’ll be asking the questions here!” Tipping her head back, she raised a huge, black gun and rested it against her shoulder. “Now, state your business, and make it quick.”

“Um… Well, I’m looking for somebody.” She straightened her back, sucked in a huge breath of air, and steadily raised her voice. “He’s tall, skinny, and wears a coat just like mine, and he looks like he’s got a red porcupine stuck to his head.”

“And you think he’s here.” The woman gave a coarse chuckle. “Let me tell you something, sweetheart. Nobody gets past me.”

“But what if he did? Axel’s not from around here—he’s not even from a game.” Perhaps she should have lied, but this was one case where meddling really mattered. Sure, the woman looked and acted like a living person, but did the rules of a game even apply to outsiders? And even if they did, “He’s unpredictable, probably sneaky, and I bet he could teleport all the way to that tower.”

The woman’s grip tightened, and she bent closer to Xion’s level, her eyes reduced to slits and her face even tighter than before. “Are you saying he’s a player?”

She gave a small nod. “We both are.”

The woman cringed, muttering a curse. The good news was, she released her hold on Xion, but it only came as a small relief, as her grim expression coupled with the tension strangling her body left the air ice cold. “I thought I told that birdbrain that this game was off limits! This isn’t some tourist trap filled with rainbows and candy canes.”

“Well, I don’t think he’s here for the scenery.” Xion looked down, wringing her hands. Tentatively, she moved closer to the woman. “I heard he’s looking for… Cy-Bugs. He’s got orders to capture them, and—”

“Is he crazy?!” The woman’s face reddened, her nostrils flared, and her lips curled back. “Those Cy-Bugs are like a virus. You take them out of this game, and there’s nothing stopping them from chewing up the outside world until it’s nothing but a smoldering, hollow husk.”

Xion’s hand flew over her mouth; the woman’s words glued her eyes open. “Then they’re just like the Heartless!”

“I don’t know about these Heartless, but you can’t control Cy-Bugs. Worse, they become whatever they eat, so they’re always growing, always adapting, and always breeding.” The last word came out in a growl, and she pointed her gun toward the tower. “Without a beacon, there’s no way to contain them, and I doubt that prissy little town’s got the chops to hold them off.”

Xion crossed her arms. “Don’t be so sure. My friends have fought genies, dragons, witches, and whole hordes of Heartless, and they’re probably just as dangerous. They can steal hearts and destroy worlds…” Not that she wanted those bugs to break lose; if the woman’s words were true, then this was no time to get cocky. In fact, just talking risked giving Axel the chance to sneak off with those insects. So, shaking off her intimidation, Xion flicked her wrist and called her Keyblade in a twist of red and black pixels. While at first the woman stared at her weapon, she soon sighed, then swiveled around, pulling off her strange, metal backpack and tossing it to the ground.

The pack whirred, then clicked, then snapped wide open, shifting from a compact box shape to a long, floating board. The woman was quick to hop on top, pointing at the vacant space behind her. “All right, rookie. Let’s get up there before your friend gets himself killed.”

Looking down at the board, Xion let slip a quiet giggle. “You’re really letting me come?”

“He’s from your world, so he’s your responsibility.” She cocked her gun, which made a soft click. “But until you leave, you’re under my orders. Are we clear?”

“Right.” She straightened her posture, striking a salute. “So, what should I call you, anyway?”

“The name’s Sergeant Calhoun.” She bent her knees, leaning back and fixing her sights to the tower. “Now, enough small talk, rookie. We need to act now.”

That was her only warning before the board gave an abrupt jerk forward, launching them both into the sky.

TO BE CONTINUED