All That's Left [Alpha Draft] - Pt 35;

[keybearer]

Chapter 35: On the Edge of Certain Danger

It wasn’t long before Helen ushered the gang inside, albeit for good reason. As easy as it was to pass Donald and Goofy as silly mascots, the fact remained that they stood out among the sea of average Janes and Joes. In just a matter of minutes, Helen led them to a polished, wood table amidst shelves tacked with potted plants and other odd trinkets. Dishes of steaming steak, meat loaf, pasta, and salad spread along the tabletop, and while everyone divvied up their meals, Dash watched the strangers with wide eyes and a great big grin. He fidgeted in place, his excitement impossible to ignore, and Riku offered a nod in acknowledgement before settling down.

Violet, on the other hand, stayed to herself, fiddling with a lock of hair, while the baby—Jack-Jack, apparently—giggled and clapped at the sight of strangers. Once everyone had taken their seats, Helen slowly sank down, folding her hands and breathing in slowly. Her eyes were slightly narrow, brow tense and a frown on her lips. Whatever she had to say would have to wait, though, as Dash pierced through the silence.

“So, got any cool powers?”

Hmm. On one hand, the dinner table was no place to be showing up, but on the other hand, the family deserved to know. So, after swallowing a bite of juicy, rare steak, Riku slid out of his chair, backed toward the wall, lifted his hand, and called the Kingdom Key for all to see.

“Might not be the same as super speed, but it’s got its perks.”

“They’re Keybearers?” said Helen, looking to Bob. “That would’ve been nice to know.”

Dropping his fork, Bob lifted his hands and said, “C’mon, honey, aren’t you a little excited about this?”

She pinched the bridge of her nose for a moment, then glanced at the others. “Honestly, I’d just like to know what’s going on.”

“Forget that!” said Dash. “What else can you do? I mean, a giant key’s kinda lame.”

Finally looking up from her plate, Violet moaned. “I doubt it’s just a key, or mom wouldn’t be making such a big deal out of it.”

Reclining in her chair, Kairi swished her fork like a sword. “Would it help if I said it’s a magic key?”

“Hey, I could prove it,” said Riku, “but something tells me fireballs and lightning aren’t exactly dinner material.”

Clearing his throat loudly, Donald pointed at himself. “Well, I could always turn him into a cheetah.”

Dash’s grin doubled in size, and he raised an eyebrow. “Then why don’t you prove it?”

“Oh no,” said Violet. “You’re already too fast for your own good.”

“But when’s the last time we got to see new powers?”

Helen’s frown deepened. “Dash, this isn’t a spectacle. Besides, this world isn’t ready to deal with superpowers again.”

The Kingdom Key vanished, and Riku plopped back into his chair, drooping over his dish. “So we’ve heard, but with the way things are going, they might not have a choice.”

Helen’s eyes squeezed shut, her forehead creased, and her fingertips turned red as she clutched her hands together. “You mean the monsters, don’t you?”

“Technically, they’re called Heartless,” said Kairi. “But that’s exactly what we mean.”

She heaved another sigh. “I was afraid of that…” And for a moment, she turned to Dash before returning her focus to the others. “So, how much do you know about ‘em?”

Kairi blew her bangs out of her eyes, pressing her elbow into the table and resting her cheek in her palm. “Just about everything, honestly. But the first thing you should know is that they’re more than just scary shadows. I know this’ll sound bleak, but Riku and I lost our homes because of them… A lot of people have, and if not their homes, then their hearts.” The others’ faces paled, well, other than Dash, who scooted closer, bent over the table, and kept his grin squarely in place. This in turn got Kairi to lock eyes with him, her voice growing steadily sharper.

“And it’s not a joke or a game… Every world is vulnerable. Every person, too. They attack out of nowhere, and they don’t care who or what they target. They could even… destroy an entire city if given the orders.” Just like Twilight Town, and at the implication alone, Riku slid his chair closer.

“But they’re not invincible,” he added, “and we do plan on stopping them. Trouble is, they might not be alone…”

Donald scowled, fingers tapping at the table. “There’s no way they’re alone, or that missile never would’ve chased us in the first place!”

“Uh, ain’t that jumpin’ a head a bit?” said Goofy. “We don’t have proof that missile’s connected to the Heartless or the Organization.”

Helen’s palms struck the tabletop, and her jaw dropped. Ignoring Goofy’s comment, she said, “Someone fired a missile at you?”

Dash immediately perked up. “Cool!”

This in turn made Violet cringe. “Uh, what part of deadly weapon don’t you understand?”

“Hey, mom and dad used to deal with threats like that all the time! Right?” He beamed at Bob, who rubbed his neck and tittered.

“Sure, but that was a long time ago.”

“So? We’ve got superpowers, and I bet if we stepped in, we wouldn’t have to hide—”

Helen’s once gentle expression sharpened to a point that it could skewer a dragon’s hide. “Absolutely not, young man.”

“But, mom—”

“Didn’t you hear what she said? This isn’t a game, Dash. It’s real, and I am not about to let my own children risk their lives just for fun.” Her words made Bob duck his head and gulp, and she must’ve caught it in the corner of her eye, because soon she moved to his side. “And I know what you’re thinking, honey, but we can’t just jump back into the field.”

“Really?” said Goofy. “But Bob’s already got—”

He shot up in his seat, abruptly butting in. “A hold of Aqua, and she’s trying to get to the bottom of this right now.”

For the span of two seconds, a smile flickered across Helen’s face. “Aqua’s here?” Needless to say, her expression soured before long. “And you didn’t think to invite her?”

“Of course I did, but you know how it is with Keyblade Masters. They’ve always gotta think about the big picture. Fight for the greater good, and—”

Something white flickered to the far left of Riku’s vision, tearing his focus off the bickering couple. Gasping softly, he glanced over his shoulder, only to find empty space between the table and the shelves. Maybe he was imagining it, so for the time being, he resumed picking at his meal up until Violet leaned toward him and Kairi, whispering.

“So, how come you’re so open with your powers?”

“We don’t have a choice,” said Kairi. “I guess we’re technically supposed to maintain the ‘World Order,’ but that’s almost impossible when there’s Heartless around. Besides, our powers allow us to help a lot of people who can’t fight for themselves.”

“But isn’t it weird? Having powers means you’re different from everybody else, and they might judge you. Or give you weird looks…”

Riku shrugged. “Maybe, but you can’t please everyone, and sometimes you don’t get a say in whether you’re a hero or—” Another white flicker, this time to the right, and he shifted sideways.

Still nothing.

By then, Helen had returned to her seat, hands folded again, posture stooped, and eyes half closed, at least until she caught Riku. “Is everything okay?”

“Huh?” He looked up, then reached for his neck. “Yeah, I’m good. Anyway, if you guys are worried about all those legal pitfalls, don’t be. We can handle the Heartless just fine.”

“Hmm… I suppose they can’t do much to stop off-world activity, especially if the threat’s from a different world, too. Which reminds me… Do you have any idea who might’ve sent that missile?”

“Nope,” said Goofy. “We still ain’t even sure how it got to us, since our ship’s got this fancy lil’ cloakin’ device hooked up.”

Lifting his chin off the table, Dash faced his parents with wide, puppy dog eyes. “Hey, if I can’t fight, can I at least see their ship?”

Helen brought a hand to her brow. “I don’t know, Dash…”

Bob, however, flashed his son a bright smile, covering his wife’s entire shoulder beneath one of his enormous hands. “Aw, c’mon, honey, it’d be like a trip to a museum.”

“Bob, this is Dash we’re talking about. Do you really think he won’t try to sneak inside?”

Deflating, Bob dropped his hands in his lap. “Of course he would…”

Pressing her palms together, Kairi said, “Well, I could always hit him with a Slow spell.” Predictably, Dash gaped at her words.

“No way! That’s so not fair…”

Riku would’ve commented, but for the third time, white movement caught his eye. Completely oblivious, Goofy went on. “Aw, don’t be sad, kiddo! Why, I’d be happy to show ya when this is all over with, but first, we’ve gotta focus on findin’ the Keyhole, beatin’ all the Heartless, checkin’ to see if the Organization’s dropped by… Oh, and they’re these nasty fellers that dress in long black coats.”

Another white figure twitched in the corner of his eye, drawing further and further away. Slowly, Riku crept out of his chair. He inched away from the table into the darkness of the living room, past the couches, the chairs, the widescreen TV. With each step, his pace quickened, until he thrust the door right open and stormed out onto the pavement.

But aside from the lights in the windows of neighboring homes, the street remained lifeless and dark. He turned in a full circle, stopping when another glimpse of white passed to his right, but though he instantly looked toward the source, he once again faced empty space, save for grass, pavement, and the nearby parked car. The lack of confirmation made Riku droop, running his hands through his hair as he pivoted toward the house and prepared to drag his butt back inside.

But the door opened, then thudded shut. Kairi crept towards him, hands clutched over her waist and movements rather tentative. “Riku, what’s going on?”

“…Thought I saw something.” But he waved his hand, trying to brush it off. “Must’ve been my imagination.”

“Maybe, but I saw the way you kept looking around, and I’m pretty sure you haven’t gone senile just yet.” Giggling, she rose to her tip toes and brushed her hand across his bangs. “Even if you are really grey…”

He batted at her hand. “Like I haven’t heard that before.”

“Says the one who’s always calling Sora a softy or a dork.” She stuck out her tongue, but backed away. “Seriously, though, it’s okay if you’re worried. It has been pretty quiet out here, and you’d think we’d have bumped into at least one Heartless.”

“I guess we should be happy, but I don’t know, Kairi. This whole set-up’s just… off. The world’s too peaceful, someone saw through our cloaking device… There’s laws against superpowers and we’ve barely made any progress.”

“Oh, you worrywart.” She took his hand, tugging him gently toward the door. “Sometimes it takes time, but that’s okay! We just have to be a little patient.”

“Well, it is pretty late.”

“Mhm… so you should probably finish eating before your food gets cold.”

“Right, and I don’t want to give the others the wrong idea…”

x.x.x

Staring upon the monitor, Syndrome howled with laughter. “He married Elastigirl? This is too much!” His cape swished as he turned around, shaking his head and smiling wryly. “Funny story, Lex. Back in the day, he kept telling me he worked alone. And here he is now, with a whole family of supers…”

A tall, slender woman with tan skin and silver hair turned from the control panel, a slight furrow in her brow. “Would you like me to invite them?”

Syndrome paced across the floor, one hand behind his back and the other beneath his chin. “It’s tempting, but do you really think they’d go for it? Just look at her.” He gestured to the screen, where a wary Elastigirl listened in on the Keybearer’s group. Ironically, they spoke of the Organization, asking of strangers with black coats. Were Lexaeus the sort to buy into false emotions, he may have chuckled, but instead, he watched with an unwavering blank stare.

The woman, Mirage, nodded. “True. She seems the overbearing sort. Her involvement would only bring about suspicions; it’s entirely possible that she’d seek further information.”

“Not just possible; I’m betting she will, if not those Keybearers,” said Syndrome. “They won’t find what they’re looking for in the city, so I bet they’ll come flying in any time now. And when they do…” His lips pulled into an unsightly smile, thanks in no small part to his prominent teeth. “Well, go ahead and make that call, Mirage. We’ll take care of the rest.”

x.x.x

Come morning, the group gathered in the heart of Edna’s lab, surrounding the Highwind, its blocks polished, its thrusters straight, and windows sparkling like diamonds. Wiping beads of sweat off his feathery brow, Donald sank against the Highwind’s semi-squishy shell, while Chip and Dale perched on his shoulders.

“And you’re sure the cloaking system’s still working?”

“Yup!” said Dale. “We checked and double checked and quadruple checked, but all the chips seemed A-okay! Well, except Chipper.”

Folding his tiny arms, Chip pouted. “I’m fine, Dale. I just can’t believe a tiny little rock broke through that thruster in the first place.”

“I don’t think it’s the rock ya oughta worry about,” said Goofy. “The feller who struck us down was about as strong as Hercules, so I bet he coulda broken it with somethin’ as soft as a feather.”

“Well, hopefully the extra defenses will help. Just try not to break anything else for a while.”

“Don’t worry,” said Riku. “We’ll keep Goofy away from the wheel.”

Funnily enough, Goofy didn’t even protest. Instead, he tapped his cheek and chuckled. “Yup, we sure don’t want me crashin’ if there’s folks tryin’ to shoot us down.”

Swiveling in her chair, Aqua set her coffee cup aside. “But that’s assuming they’re after you specifically. They could have been acting in self-defense, but I suppose that doesn’t explain how they managed to track your movements…”

Riku winced, but managed to keep a straight face before long. “We’ll just have to stay sharp, nothing more to it. Walking’s obviously not doing us any favors, but if we fly, we’ll be faster, invisible, and less likely to get ambushed by Heartless.” Practically speaking, it was their best bet for surveillance, but even disregarding the city, there was one other spot to consider. “Plus, we still haven’t checked out that island.”

He must’ve said the magic word, because as soon as he made his case, Sora hopped out of his chair, flashing his teeth before writing, ‘Whoa, there’s an island here? Why didn’t you say so before?’

Come to think of it, they probably should’ve at least given it a mention, even if the answer was obvious. “Honestly, I almost forgot about it.” It didn’t help that they barely caught a glimpse of it before getting subsequently chased down by an explosive weapon.

“Hmm… but I know that look,” said Kairi. “You want to see it, don’t you?”

Sora tipped his head back, like he was about to nod, but then it drooped abruptly, and he shuffled backwards. ‘I’d like to, but I already promised Ven I’d stick with Aqua for a while. And I wanna spend time with her, too!’

Leaning to the side, Aqua took a quick glimpse at the note. “Sora, it’s all right. We can always travel another time.”

‘No way! I don’t go back on promises, and I bet there’s tons of good we can do right here.’

Her laughter carried a gentle warmth. “Well, somebody has to protect the city.” And to prove her point, she abandoned her chair, striding beside him, though she soon set her sights on the others. “Oh, but before you go, could I take a look at your Keyblades?”

Kairi didn’t even hesitate before calling her flowery weapon into her grasp. Her eyes shone like stars, her expression utterly glowing. “Is this what I think it is?”

Nodding, she raised her own Keyblade, sliding a few feet from Sora when he twitched and gulped. “I thought about waiting, but I think it’s important for you to get as much practice on your Gliders as possible. There’s no telling when you’ll need to make a quick escape, and Riku was right when he said the air has its advantages.”

“So we’re really doing this…” First the armor, now the Gliders. At this rate, Aqua was spoiling them rotten, but who was Riku to explain? Though he tried to contain his excitement behind a cool smirk, lightning surged through his veins, and he wasted no time in calling his own weapon.

Once he lifted it level with Aqua’s, she took a deep breath, and her Keyblade’s tip began to glow. “Now, listen carefully. Your Keyblades won’t change right away; it’s up to you to focus, create a clear picture in your head, and then throw your weapons to the sky.” Her Keyblade trembled. That bead of light shot out in a single beam, then spread apart, striking Riku and Kairi’s at the tip. Said light spread down the shafts to the guard, then slowly dimmed.

“Huh, and that’s it?” Riku pulled his Keyblade close to his chest, shifting it in his grip, though the weight remained unchanged. “Always thought it’d be more complicated than that.”

“Oh, it’s complicated, but not in the way you’d think. The real challenge lies in combat, where you won’t have the benefit of a handheld weapon to protect you anymore. You’re going to need to adapt and learn to attack with your Glider while maintaining balance and speed…”

“Well, at least we’ve got our magic!” said Kairi. “That should even things out, right?”

“It could, but in my experience, it’s difficult to juggle piloting and casting. In fact, I’d advise you both to focus on basic control before you dive into a combat situation—your regular Keyblades and spells are more than sufficient for now, and you’ve got the Highwind if aerial combat becomes necessary.”

“Or Tink, if she’s not too busy,” said Riku. “But thanks, Aqua. I’ll let you know how things go.”

Beaming, Sora wrote, ‘And don’t forget to show us your Gliders when you get back!’

“Or we could give you a ride instead,” said Kairi.

Sora’s eyes went wide, then relaxed. Both his hands clenched, and he stood up straight, nodding and grinning, and making his excitement all too clear. His enthusiasm brought on some hushed laughter from the others, but the conversation was cut short when the doors leading into the lab flew open. Pointer stick in hand, Edna zipped inside, but rather than Bob, Helen trailed after her, a bewildered look on her face as she glanced around. As soon as she appeared, Sora sank into the floor and dashed under the table just as she made it to the Highwind.

“Okay, what’s all this about?”

“Impressive, isn’t it?” said Edna. “The design’s a bit clunky, but the material is both durable, yet flexible. I’ve been told it’s built from remnants of meteorites, but—”

“E, that’s great, but it’s not what I meant.” Sighing, Helen moved further into the room, though she stopped the moment she set eyes on a certain Keyblade Master, gawking at the sight of her. “Wow, I knew you were here, but I didn’t think I’d be seeing you so soon!”

“It’s all right. I know this is a lot to take in.” Squinting, Aqua stepped forward. “You’re… Elastigirl, aren’t you?”

“Well, I was, but these days it’s just Helen.”

“Really?” said Edna. “And here I designed a new suit for the occasion.”

Helen spun back around. “You what?”

She tapped her chin with her pointer stick, then tore across the floor. “Come, come! I show you what I mean.”

With a press of a button, the shutters behind the window flew open, and just like the day before, a mannequin crawled in—this time quite literally. Though Riku expected a model based on Helen’s build, instead a baby-sized mannequin passed through, donning a red and black suit identical to Bob’s, ignoring the difference in scale.

Snapping his fingers, Goofy said, “Hey, that looks like lil’ ol’ Jack-Jack!”

“Because it is his suit! Robert’s came out so stunning, that I simply couldn’t stop. I designed costumes for the entire family.” Indeed, three more suits followed in succession, starting with a running mannequin shaped like Dash, a slender, female figure not unlike Violet’s, and finally a suit matching Helen’s build. She went over each suit’s capabilities, from withstanding intense friction to turning invisible, and even withstanding explosive missiles. Though at first Helen stayed silent, her face grew steadily more alarmed as the show continued, until Edna finally ceased her explanations.

“But why?” said Helen. “We’re retired. Our whole family’s underground. I didn’t even know Bob had a new suit.”

“He didn’t tell you?” said Aqua.

“No…” She wrapped her arms around her torso, shoulders stooped and head low. “But I should’ve known. All it takes is one person in trouble, and Bob jumps in like it’s the good old days. And with these Heartless around, it’s not just one person in danger... It’s this whole world.”

“Only if things get out of hand.” Closing the distance between them, Aqua placed a hand over Helen’s shoulder. “But if it’s any consolation, Ven was the same way, leaving his home against our wishes, taking on danger despite all the risks… I’m sure Bob means well, but if he’s keeping secrets from you, then I think you should put your foot down and let him know how that makes you feel.”

“I’d love to, but he just left for a business trip this morning.” She paused. “Guess I’ll have to call his hotel.”

“Assuming he’s at a hotel at all,” said Edna.

Silence followed, save for a cough from Donald. Goofy tugged at the neck of his sweater and straightened his hat. Kairi winced, wringing her hands and exchanging a glance with Riku. Hidden in the shadows, Sora remained unseen, while Riku reached for the side of his neck and watched the suits slide by. The implication wasn’t lost to him; after all, if Bob hid his intentions, who’s to say he wouldn’t craft a cover story?

Finally, Helen managed to form a response, albeit with hesitation. “E, what are you talking about? Bob wouldn’t—”

“Lie? But, darling, he already kept secrets from you, and men his age tend to be… unstable. Prone to weakness.”

More silence followed, and Helen looked away. “You’re wrong. Bob can be pigheaded sometimes, but he’d never go that far.”

“And if he did?” No response came, and Edna dug into her pocket, revealing a small device with a red button, a single antenna, and a tiny screen. “I thought this might happen, so I made certain… preparations. If you’d like to know Bob’s location, you need only ask.”

At first, she declined, opting to dial up Bob’s employer, but as the minutes dragged on, one thing became crystal clear: this went beyond white lies and secrets. As it turned out, Bob no longer worked at Insuricare; he hadn’t for two months. The conference was a lie, rendering his current location a mystery. With this news, Helen covered her face, fingers digging into her hair as she sobbed.

“I am such an idiot. I let this happen, you know. The new sports car, the getting in shape, the blond hair, the lies!”

Offering a handkerchief, Goofy patted her on the back. “Now, don’t say that, Helen! It sounds to me like you just had faith in him, and there ain’t nothin’ wrong with that.”

Donald, on the other hand, scoffed and balled up his hands. “There is if it means lying to your wife.”

“Look,” said Kairi, “this whole situation sounds really complicated. I don’t think it’s fair for us to decide what’s right or wrong, but Helen… we’re here for you.”

The sniffed, but uncovered her face and blew her nose into the handkerchief. “Thanks, everyone, but what am I supposed to do?”

“My god!” Edna sprung onto the table, whacking Helen’s face with a rolled up newspaper, which immediately sent Aqua forward, and she pulled the paper back.

“Edna, is this really necessary?”

“It is if it means proving a point!” She pulled her hand back, staring straight into Helen’s eyes. “You are Elastigirl! Pull yourself together! There’s no question of what you should do. You must show Robert that you remember that he’s Mr. Incredible, and remind him who you are! You must find him, confront the problem, fight, win! The answer is right here…” She passed off the remote, and Helen finally pressed the button.

The handheld beeped, and the others gathered around. At first, the little monitor showcased the entire globe, but it zoomed in, centering on an island surrounded by open waters. Leaning closer, Riku stared at the label. As soon as he read the name, he gave a small gasp.

“Nomanisan… Man, that’s one heck of a coincidence.”

“Do you know this place?” said Helen.

“No,” said Kairi, “but we were planning to check it out.” She tapped her chin and tapped her foot. “Actually, why don’t you come with us? If Bob’s there, then it’ll be the perfect chance to talk some sense into him and get some answers.”

“And you’re sure it’s not too much trouble?”

“Not at all!” said Goofy. “You were nice enough to whip up that dinner yesterday, so consider this our way of sayin’ thank you!”

“Hmm…” She breathed in, then out, then tucked the device into her pocket. “Well, all right, but I’d better swing back home real quick.”

So, for a short while, Helen returned to her home. About an hour passed before the she reconvened with the group in Edna’s back yard. After some good luck wishes from her and Aqua, the gang piled into the Highwind and blasted through the clouds. The city soon shrank into a distant dot as ocean waves spanned below and clouds tickled the glass. Having abandoned her plainclothes, Helen now donned the red and black jumpsuit Edna provided. Just in case, she’d told them, as they ventured further into the unknown.

Now she hovered behind the front seats, glancing over the dashboard, from the knobs, levers, and buttons to the ever blinking radar screen, clear for the time being.

“Are you sure they can’t see us?”

Cracking a smug smirk, Donald snickered. “You betcha! I don’t know the specifics, but apparently it creates this field that muffles the sound of the engine and blocks out all outside signals, so there’s no radar, sonar, heat, or any fancy trackers that can spot us. No shadows, either!”

“And how’re the defenses?”

“Oh, that’s an easy one!” Goofy pointed at a few of the buttons. “We got shield blocks for better endurance, lasers for blastin’ enemy projectiles, extra thrust power to give us a good ol’ boost. Kairi’s got her barrier spells, and the others know all sortsa other magic to keep us good ‘n safe!”

“Huh.” Her lips started to perk, though not quite into a smile yet. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. If you guys do as much traveling as you said, then of course you’d want to cover the bases.” She stepped away from the front seats, settling down across from Kari. “I can’t even imagine what it’s like out there.”

“Well, there’s a lot of asteroids,” said Kairi. “Giant, colorful rings… And sometimes we get chased by hostile ships, which means dealing with bombs, lasers, missiles… It varies a lot, so it pays to be prepared.”

She slumped, covering her eyes. “And do your parents know about—” She stopped herself; maybe it dawned on her that their world was gone. “Never mind. It’s not my place to ask.”

Though she meant well, Riku shivered at her words, grasping the arms of his chair for a moment before he turned around to reply. “Heh, well, at least we’re in good hands. I mean, Goofy’s got his own kid back home, Donald’s got his nephews, Aqua’s a Master… And if that’s still not enough, you can use whatever parental wisdom you’ve got to steer us on the right course.”

“So he’s a—”

“Single parent,” said Goofy. “’Course, I only got my boy Max back home, but he’s goin’ through those teenage years, and it’s like a big ol’ rollercoaster of hormones and emotions and… well, now I’ve got two more teenagers to take care of.” He eyed Riku, who immediately threw up his hands.

“Hey, I’d like to think I’m over that hill now. When’s the last time any of us had a real fight?”

Chuckling lightly, Helen stepped behind Goofy’s seat again. “Maybe we can swap stories when this is all over. I wouldn’t mind hearing about your experiences.”

Beaming, Goofy bobbed his head in a bouncy nod. “I’d be happy to, Helen! And maybe it’ll be sooner than ya—”

Beep, beep, beep…

Everyone in the cockpit simultaneously froze, save for Kairi, who sprung to her feet and dashed beside Helen. Eyes slowly widening, Riku glimpsed at the radar, where two tiny dots zoomed in from opposite directions. Tensing, he looked out the window just in time to catch a distant object pierce a hole in a nearby cloud. In that instant, Donald’s voice blasted through the cockpit.

“Everybody, hang on tight!”

The specks grew closer, blazing toward the ship’s front end. Slamming his foot on a pedal, Donald cranked the wheel. The Highwind dived down, flinging Helen and Kairi back. They skidded across the floor before crashing into empty air.

“Oof!”

The voice belonged not to Kairi nor Helen, and as soon as they collided, a once seemingly empty seat filled with Violet, while Dash poked his head up from behind one of the neighboring seats. Gasping, Kairi drew her Keyblade. Glassy plates shimmered around the Highwind’s walls, while Goofy hammered the buttons, firing lasers at the incoming missiles. Bright orange flames flashed to the far left. Metallic shards ricocheted off the barrier. The beeping persisted in spite of the explosions, and the Highwind took another sharp turn.

Amidst all this chaos, Helen gawked at her children, though her expression rapidly soured. “Dash! Vi! What are you doing here?”

“It’s not my fault! Dash ran away, and I knew I’d get blamed for it, so—”

“That’s not true!” Dash snapped, and before long, the two started bickering in an incomprehensible mess, at least until Donald butted in.

“Will you all just pipe down?! I’m trying to save our lives, and I can’t focus with all that whining!”

A good call on his part, as the beeping continued and two more missiles blasted down from above. This time, however, Riku snatched up his own Keyblade. As the ship took another dive, he pulled his weapon close to his chest, shutting his eyes and muttering. Domes wrapped around the missiles, dragging them straight down. Below, pillars of water gushed up, forcing the ship to take a sharp turn to the right. Laser fire continued, flooding the sky with blinding streaks, but with each subsequent explosion, the barrier began to crack.

Holding her children close, Helen gazed into Violet’s eyes. “Vi, you’ve gotta help her stabilize that shield!”

Violet slid back. “But you said we can’t use our powers!”

“I know, but things are different now!”

“But…”

BANG. The surrounding air dipped to black. Shrapnel struck the side of the shield, shattering it at last. Nonetheless, Kairi squeezed her necklace, pulling up yet another barrier. Another round of missiles blew in from the left, but another Graviga field snatched them, dragging them toward the briny depths. With the press of a button, the cockpit trembled. The ship blasted forward, doubling in speed, but white streaks blurred past the side windows. When Donald cranked the wheel and pulled the Highwind into a barrel role, the missiles pursued.

They just kept coming, and where before Dash expressed joy and excitement over the weapons, he now gulped, shivered, and looked up at his mom with wide, pleading eyes.

“Okay! I take back what I said before…”

“We can talk about this later!” said Helen. “Donald, isn’t there some way to get them off our trail?”

“But I don’t even know how they’re on our trail!”

It still didn’t add up. If it only happened once, Riku might’ve passed it off as a fluke, but the missiles trailed the Highwind’s movements as if pulled by magnetic force. For each explosion, a new missile soared in soon after. Each smoke plume, each orange flicker gripped his chest so tight his ribs threatened to snap. He could feel each solitary beat of his heart, stinging and seething and picking up speed. The words of the others no longer registered, just the bangs, just the crackles, just the beeps. This was too deliberate. Too calculated. Too perfect. Almost as if…

Against his better judgment, he unfastened his seatbelt. He struck his pauldron, armor spreading down his body, and while the others looked on with buggy eyes and gaping jaws, he sank into the shadows and plunged toward the waters below.

But not without intention.

Holding his breath, he flung his Keyblade downward. The surrounding air flashed white, and where a Key once twirled through the open sky, a sleek silver hover board zoomed toward his feet, framed with golden accents and a mouse emblem at its center. In that brief instant, his expression brightened, and he slammed into the Glider, legs apart and arms spread for balance, but that short burst of bliss ended as soon as it started, as the smoke trails above took a sharp turn downward, abandoning the shimmering sphere above and plummeting straight at Riku’s tail.

He muttered a curse to himself, then pressed his foot down. The Glider responded by shooting forward so fast he nearly tumbled into the water. He swerved around the blood red beams showering overhead, triggering eruptions of metallic shards, fire, and smog. Shrapnel crashed, then ricocheted off his armor. Two more smoke trails blasted before him, soaring straight at his face. Cringing, he jerked to the right, then up, then down. The missiles, rather than pursuing, breezed straight past him, crashing into the water. The resulting splash smacked him behind, knocking him to the tip of the board. It started to dip down, but he shuffled back, regaining balance just as more water gushed up and assaulted his sides.

A faint green speck appeared on the horizon. Shuddering, the Glider accelerated, but twin smoke trails rose from the tip of the island’s tallest peak. Before, Riku’d passed the smoke off as volcanic activity, but here, now, and with the smoke slithering closer, the picture shifted from one of bubbling lava to something grim. Beneath his mask, his whole face tightened. Through the tinted window of his helmet, he watched the next round of explosives descend over him. They rocketed directly over his head, and the Glider began to turn, but in the blink of an eye, the missiles forked, zooming around him and striking the water.

It gushed up beneath him, tossing him and his board over and down, but he flipped upright. The Glider snapped back into position, catching him mid-fall. The island drew closer, slivers of grey tearing through the once endless green. Almost there. If he could breach through the trees, then maybe he’d stand a chance. Who’d launch missiles at their own base? They’d have to be desperate—no, utterly insane. And maybe they were; it’d sure explain their desperation, but if they wanted to play dirty, he’d return the favor.

Though he zoomed toward the sandy shore, a little voice in his head cried out. How had they tracked him? How had they tracked the ship? The missiles stopped trailing him directly. Kept striking the water. Kept making him weave between gushing water. Some even swerved up toward the clouds. Had they only targeted him because he left the cloaking field? Or maybe…

Ya better sleep with one eye open.

No. This wasn’t the time for doubt. He needed to keep these stupid rockets off his friends ‘til they reached the island, so as another wave of missiles descended, he snapped his fingers, brightening the sky with pillars of lightning. The explosions that followed threatened to burst his eardrums, but he pressed on, thankful for the sporadic laser fire covering him from behind. Soon he blazed over the sandy shore, blasting over exotic ferns and weaving between palm clusters. The ocean vanished behind a veil of green. Soon rocky cliffs and grassy hills took its place.

The jungle was quiet, save for the leaves rustling in his wake. Tempting fate, he slowed his retreat and peeked over his shoulder. The trees, the ferns, everything lay still. Had his strategy worked, then? Were they finally in the clear? Bringing a hand to his forehead, he looked to the sky just in time to catch a red speck get swallowed by a dense black cloud, accompanied by a rumbling BOOM.

His heart stopped. His skin grew ice cold. Legs shaking, he steered the Glider upward, prepared to rocket toward the smoke, to what he only assumed was the Highwind…

He never got the chance before metallic claws clamped around his torso, jerked him back, and smashed him against the nearest tree trunk.

TO BE CONTINUED