Chapter 3: A New Danger
The light from the sun filtering in through my window woke me from a troubled sleep. Blinking blearily, I sat up and hugged my knees. That dream again.... I thought to myself. But....I haven't had it in years. Why would it come back? Why now? After a few more moments, I shook my head. It wasn't that important. I had more pressing things to deal with, like my Mark of Mastery exam. Sighing, I ran my hand through my hair, which I found surprisingly hard to do. Then I realized that I was trembling, and it wasn't because I was cold. I took a deep breath to calm myself before getting up and getting ready for the day. When I was done, I made my way to Mickey's room for breakfast, just like I always did.
"Good morning, Kenza!" quacked Mickey's friend Donald from a corner of the room. Despite my misgivings I had to smile at him - he was just that sort of character.
"Morning, Donald," I replied. I wasn't fazed by his appearance. Donald, Goofy, Mickey and I always had breakfast together in this room. You could say it was a sort of tradition.
Speaking of Goofy, he looked up from a pancake that he was trying to cut and gave me a friendly smile. "How're ya feelin' today?" he asked. "Are ya nervous?"
I sighed. "A little," I admitted, then grabbed a plateful of food that Mickey had cooked up.
"Aw, don't worry," said Mickey. "You'll do great. I know ya will."
"You bet!" Goofy chimed in before yelping and rubbing his face where his fork had accidentally hit him. "That really hurt!" he said.
"Well it's your own fault, you big palooka," Donald put in a bit sourly before taking another bite of his own breakfast.
"Aw, are someone's feathers a little ruffled this morning?" I cooed to him, which made him freak out. Then we all burst out laughing. For a moment, the room brightened a bit and a heavy weight was lifted from my shoulders. I was glad to have friends who could always make me smile and would be there for me no matter what. It's funny....they kind of remind me of Derek a bit, I thought to myself. I didn't notice until now but they act almost exactly like him. Unbidden, memories of him rose to my mind, memories that I'd kept buried inside myself for years. His bright eyes, his cocky grin, his carefree attitude, his laugh, the way he would always stick up for his friends and his little brothers, the look of deep sadness on his face the very last time we said goodbye....
"Kenza? Kenza!"
"Huh?"
Mickey's voice had brought me back out of my memories and into the real world, the one where he, Donald and Goofy were all sitting and staring at me with concern. "Gawrsh, are you okay?" Goofy asked.
"Uh....yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." They didn't look too convinced, but they didn't question it either, which I was thankful for. Slowly I pushed the food around on my plate, my head spinning as I focused on one question. What had just happened? I normally kept my emotions under tight control. Was I starting to slip? That wasn't good, especially with Xehanort still searching for me.
There was a knock on the door and it opened to reveal Yen Sid. His eyes took in the scene and found their way to mine. "Good morning to everyone," he said. "I trust you all got at least some rest." Donald, Goofy and Mickey all confirmed his statement, but I couldn't bring myself to look at him. "And what about you, Kenza?" he asked me.
I stopped in the middle of cutting up my pancake. The answer was no, but there was no way that I could let them know that. He was depending on me to pass my examination so I could protect Ven. I couldn't let him down. "Yeah, I slept fine," I said, not meeting his eyes.
He stared at me for a few more minutes; he knew that I was lying to him but he didn't know why. "I certainly hope so," he said. "You'll need your strength for the examination today. I suggest you prepare yourself - your examination will begin very soon." Then without another word he swept out of the room.
As soon as he was gone Mickey turned to confront me, his arms crossed over his chest. "All right, admit it," he said. "You were lyin' to Master Yen Sid."
"What makes you say that?" I asked innocently, rubbing the back of my neck.
"Ya can't fool me, Kenza. You didn't sleep well at all last night. It shows in your eyes."
I sighed. That was Mickey for you. You could never get anything past him. "Okay, okay," I said in defeat. "You're right."
He looked at me with exasperation. "Why would ya try to lie to him like that? Ya know he can see past it; he just didn't say anything about it."
"I know," I sighed, sitting down on the bed behind me. "I feel really bad about it, too. It's just...." I didn't quite know how to explain it. How do you tell one of your closest friends that the dream you had was the one from six years ago? That the last time you had it, it started a chain of events that changed your life forever? That you were afraid history was going to repeat itself? Mickey, Donald and Goofy all looked at me expectantly, waiting for my response. "Let's just say that the last time I had this dream things went horribly wrong," I said at last, "and I didn't want to bring back the memories by discussing it."
Mickey's face softened and he put a hand on my arm. "Gosh, I'm sorry, Kenza. I didn't realize -"
"No, it's okay," I assured him. "You and Master Yen Sid didn't know. It's not your fault. Just...please..."
He smiled at me. "Don't worry, I won't ask ya about it again until you're ready to tell me." I smiled back weakly and looked back at Donald and Goofy. They both nodded firmly.
"Thanks, guys," I said. Then I stood up. "I should probably get ready. Who knows what he'll be testing me on? I'll see you down there."
They all said their goodbyes and we went our separate ways; Donald and Goofy went out front to wait, Mickey stayed in his room to get ready, and I walked back to my room. I was already dressed, but I wanted to make sure I was presentable for the examination. When I was back in my room I checked myself over thoroughly. I wasn't sure there was much else I could do, but I could always hope.
Five minutes later and I found myself in front of the full-length mirror on the back of my closet door, checking my appearance for the umpteenth time. Nothing had changed in that time period. There was still the scrawny sixteen-year-old girl looking back at me. She was still fiddling with her straight, short auburn hair, which still reached her shoulders and had the same red and gold streaks. Her green eyes were still bright and keen as they examined her clothes. She still wore the same outfit; a deep burgundy shirt cut off just below the elbow under a zip-up vest with a black hood, black loose pants ending at the knee with orange and yellow straps, black sneakers, and black skin-tight fingerless gloves with criss-crossing yellow straps. Her Keyblade was still clutched in her right hand, hanging limply by her side. One thing was for sure - no matter what she wore, she definitely looked a lot tougher than she felt at the moment. I sighed and sat down on my bed, laying Guardian Flame to the side and tugging my hands through my hair. What was I doing? I wasn't prepared for this. How was I supposed to survive this exam?
A knock on the door made me jump and I took a few moments to compose myself before telling them to come in. Then the door opened and Donald and Goofy marched in. A smile lit my face. "So, did Master Yen Sid send you guys to escort me?"
"We volunteered!" Donald said proudly, puffing out his feathery chest.
I shook my head. Of course they would. I picked up Guardian Flame and hopped off the bed. "Well, I'm ready whenever you are. Lead on!" And with that, the three of us set out down to a level that I had never seen before. It was deep, deep underneath the tower, and it was strictly forbidden to everyone except Yen Sid. Until now. Butterfiles started fluttering wildly in my stomach as we got closer and closer to the doors, and before I knew it we were there.
Donald, Goofy and I paused at the door, and I noticed that I was shaking from nerves. I frowned at my own observation. This wasn't like me at all. I was normally calm and collected, able to hide my emotions from anyone - well, almost anyone. Not from Derek. He could read me like a book. I sighed and closed my eyes. C'mon, Kenza, get a grip. You're doing this to protect them - Ven and Melody and Mom....Derek....
Goofy looked over at me sympathetically. "Are ya ready?" he asked kindly.
"I kind of have to be, don't I?" I asked rhetorically, giving him a thin smile. Both smiled back at me encouragingly and I took another deep breath. If I wanted to save Ven, then I was goint to have to man up and give this exam my all. I nodded to them, and they pushed the doors open simultaneously. They swung open with a heavy creak, stopping only when they hit the walls. I walked in without hesitation, trying to seem confident, as they were closed behind me. The hall shuddered as they scraped against each other, the sound echoing like thunder, announcing my impending doom. I swallowed and continued forward.
As I walked, I took a moment to study my surroundings. The hall was huge, made entirely out of some sort of white stone - from what I could tell, it looked like marble. I had to wonder how something this big was able to be built underground without anyone noticing, but then I realized that this tower had been around a lot longer than I had been alive, probably built around the time when Yen Sid became a sorcerer or Keyblade Master. It could be centuries old for all I knew. There was no rug adorning the floor, not even on the steps leading up to the three raised chairs on the far end of the room. The walls were bare and white, save for the stained glass images set like windows at uniform lengths from each other, lit from behind by a light that had no source; I could only guess that it was some form of magic. I slowed my pace to study them. The design on each of them was incredible, every piece of glass intricately cut and dyed to form a beautiful masterpiece. The people depicted in each image were so lifelike that I was almost positive they would walk out of their windows and come up to me.
As I looked over every window, I came to one that caused me to stop in my tracks. It was of a young man, maybe in his late teens or early twenties. He was incredibly handsome with light brown hair and bright blue eyes, his form thin but well-muscled. He wore a plain white t-shirt under a black sleeveless vest, black pants and black combat boots coming up to his knees. His expression was serious, but his eyes told a different story; there was kindness in those eyes, a certain love that could never be extinguished. That look made me feel safe and protected, like he would always be there to watch over me, even though he was no longer here. I studied him carefully from top to bottom and my eye was drawn to the Keyblade that he was holding in his hand. My eyes widened. I recognized that Keyblade. It was my father's Keyblade, Braveheart. I would know that simple indigo and silver handle anywhere - heaven knows I had spent enough time admiring it when I was little. I looked back up to the man's face and I knew that I was seeing my father, in front of me, for the first time in my living memory.
I wanted to stay there forever, to just continue watching him until he somehow came to life again, but Donald took my arm and pulled me away. I looked down at him and he shook his head. I sighed. I couldn't lose sight of my mission. I had to complete this examination. I took one last longing glance at him again. Don't worry, Dad, I thought, hoping against hope that he could somehow hear me. I'll make you proud. Reluctantly, I managed to pull myself away from my father's mesmerizing eyes and began the long walk again. This time I didn't stop until I reached the end of the hall.
The chairs were empty save for the middle one, and that was the one that Yen Sid was occupying. I saw Mickey standing off to the side, watching me as I came closer. His Keyblade, Star Seeker, was hanging from one hand at his side. He gave me a reassuring smile as our eyes met, and I returned it with a shaky one of my own. As for Yen Sid, he merely watched me with his normal, stoic expression as Donald, Goofy and I stopped in front of the chair. We stood in a triangle, with Donald and Goofy in front and me in the back at the point.
Donald and Goofy stood straight at attention, bowed to Yen Sid, then gave me reassuring nods before walking over to the side so they would be out of the way. It was only then that Yen Sid stood, his eyes piercing my own in a way that made me certain that he could see through me into my very soul. However, I did not break eye contact with him and bowed respectfully to the man who had been my master for the past five years.
He motioned with his hands that I should straighten, and I complied. "Today, you will be examined for the Mark of Mastery," he began in his deep voice. "Even though I myself am no longer a Master, I agreed to train you because I saw how great your potential was, even as a young girl. Since then, you have grown and matured into a strong Keyblade wielder, and I am confident that though you are the youngest I have seen in many years, you will perform to the best of your ability. I trust you are ready."
I swallowed to get rid of the dryness in my throat. "Yes."
"Then let the examination begin!" he said, and with a wave of his hand he conjured up five balls of light behind me. I felt their presence and turned, summoning Guardian Flame and assuming my fighting stance. They started towards me and I ran to meet them; in a matter of minutes, I had taken them all down. However, it seemed Yen Sid was just getting started with me. When one ball was struck down, two more appeared in its place. Soon enough I was surrounded by not five but ten balls of light. And, as if that was not enough, the balls began to move faster so I had a hard time keeping up with them.
"Come on, Kenza!" Donald squawked encouragingly from the sidelines.
"Watch your back!" Goofy yelled in panic.
In the heat of the battle, I lost count of how many balls I was facing off against. I did notice something very strange happening to them, though. They seemed to become darker as time went on and, barely even noticeable, they were trembling ever so slightly, growing in strength. What in the worlds....? I wondered, slicing my blade through one of the balls that had tried to sneak up on me. It vanished in a puff of darkness. Darkness? What was going on?
The new dark energy had not gone unnoticed. Somewhere behind me I heard gasps of astonishment from all three of my friends and something that sounded surprisingly like a growl from Yen Sid. "Master Xehanort...." he breathed. His voice was low, but it was loud enough for me to hear, loud enough to set off alarm bells in my head. Xehanort, here, inside the tower? No, he couldn't be. Yen Sid would have known before now if he had managed to sneak in. Or could he get past even Yen Sid's defenses? He would have to be able to; it didn't make sense for him not to be here while his dark energy was. My thoughts continued spiralling wildly while I continued my deadly dance with the orbs.
I feel your fear, Kenza.
I gasped; a voice had spoken in my head, a voice that wasn't mine. I paused for a split second before jumping backwards, just narrowly avoiding the surge of dark energy that shot towards me like a bullet.
You fear failing your new master, the voice sneered in my head. You fear that you won't be able to pass the test and save your friends. You fear that you'll never see your family or your home world again. But most of all, you fear that darkness will consume your heart, just as it threatened to consume Ventus's.
A sharp pain pierced my skull, causing me to grip my head and groan. I gritted my teeth and tried pushing forward, but the pain grew, causing me to physically stop and hold my head in agony. Memories were flashing past my eyes, memories that I thought I had buried a long time ago, each one worse than the next. The dark orbs had me completely surrounded with no way out and they were sucking the strength from me, draining me until I could barely stand. There was no way to escape. I was trapped. This was the end.
"We've gotta help her!" I heard Goofy yelp from the stairs, though he sounded like he was at the opposite end of a tunnel.
"No, Goofy," Mickey said. "This is her fight. We can't interfere."
"If we just sit here, she's going to die!" Donald squawked in panic. Mickey didn't answer him, but he didn't have to. I knew how much he wanted to help me, but he was right; unless I was physically on my deathbed, they couldn't interfere with my test. All they could do was watch helplessly.
You're lost, the voice continued. Even your friends cannot help you now. Give in to the darkness before it destroys you. Channel your fear and turn it into rage! Let it grow until it consumes you, unleashing your true potential!
The dark orbs closed in on me until all I could see was a sea of blackness, filled with images of all the friends and family members I had left behind. A flash of blue richer than the sky....the glint of a Keyblade and the swoosh of the wind....a hand reaching out to me....a boy surrounded by a dark mist, laughing maniacally as he prepared to deliver a fatal blow -
NO!
A blinding light, brighter than any I had seen before, consumed me, cutting through the dark scene. I felt myself lifted off the ground for a few moments and then, as quickly as it had come, it faded away again. I dropped back onto the floor in a heap.
"Kenza!" I heard Mickey call as he, Donald and Goofy raced to my side. I managed a groan and tried to push myself up. I nearly fell again, but he caught me and helped me into a sitting position. "Gosh, are you all right?" he asked, concern filling his voice.
"I'm fine," was my automatic response, when in truth, I was far from fine. I felt shaken and drained. Little black spots danced across my vision, but I blinked and shook my head to clear them away. "What....what just happened?" I looked around, expecting to see the dark orbs again, but they were gone without a trace. It was like they had never existed.
Mickey shook his head. "Ya know, I'm not really sure," he admitted. "All I could see was this bright light, and when it cleared the orbs were gone."
"That was most impressive," came the deep, slow voice of the Master. I looked back towards the stairs where he was descending to meet us, his face expressionless but his voice tinged with awe. I scrambled to my feet as best as I could, Mickey and the others supporting me in case I fell again. "Even in the face of darkness, you brought out the power of light from inside you and used it to conquer your fears. I have never seen anything like it in all my years, especially not from someone so young."
I blinked at him in disbelief. "That light...." I whispered slowly, trying to connect the pieces, "....That light came from....inside of me?"
He nodded. "And that is no small feat," he added. "Most fully-trained and experienced Masters could not even attempt what you have done."
"Does that mean she's ready now, Master?" Mickey asked hopefully.
The wizened old sorcerer nodded. "Indeed it does, Mickey. She has gone beyond even my expectations. She is ready."
I gazed at them both, questions burning in my heart. "Ready for what, Master?"
"Kenza, what you have shown me a few moments ago was the mark of a true Keyblade Master. You destroyed the darkness, conquering your fears and protecting those you cherish. You, Kenza, are our newest Keyblade Master, and none too soon." He then turned and walked back up the stairs towards a room behind the chairs, a room that I hadn't noticed before. "But first, I must speak with my dear friend Eraqus. Then I will explain the danger to you." Without another word, he disappeared into the room.
"Oh boy, oh boy!" Donald said loudly, raising his staff in the air.
"Good goin', Kenza!" exclaimed Goofy, patting me on the back.
"Aw, I knew you could do it!" Mickey added cheerfully.
I couldn't help but giggle at my friends' excitement. "Thanks, everyone," I said with a grin. "You've all helped me so much. But...." I looked up at the place where Yen Sid had disappeared, "....What did he mean by danger?"
Mickey could only shake his head sadly. "I wish I knew," he said. "But all he would tell me is that there's a great danger lurking close by."
I thought back to my conversation with the former Master last night. He had mentioned something about a disturbance, a danger that seemed to be centering on Ven. I swallowed hard, the shaky feeling returning. The vision I had seen during the exam....it had been Ven, but not the Ven that I remembered. No, it was something or someone dark who had managed to possess him and turn his heart towards the darkness. My fists clenched. No. They wouldn't turn Ven. Not after all I'd done to protect him. If they wanted him, they would have to get through me first, and this new Keyblade Master wasn't going down without a fight.
A few more moments of pondering left us with no clue what his warning had meant, until at last he came out of the room. His face was grave and his eyes were troubled. We watched him anxiously. Yen Sid was always so calm and collected. If he was troubled about something, it was never a good sign. He studied each one of us individually before speaking. "As I'm sure you are all aware, as wielders of the Keyblade it is your duty to maintain the balance of light and dark, and to eliminate all who would upset that balance. This task is no exception. It has come to my attention that the seven Princesses of Heart are in danger; not by darkness alone, as you may assume, but by another force as well, one that feeds on negativity. Fledgling emotions that have taken monster form. They are called the 'Unversed.'" His gaze landed on me and Mickey. I have contacted Master Eraqus and informed him of this new problem. He is sending his students to investigate. We have both tried to pass the news on to Master Xehanort, but our repeated attempts to reach him have failed. I suspect that it has something to do with the darkness from earlier."
I bit back a growl at the mention of my former Master and managed tokeep my features neutral. "What is our mission, Master?" I asked.
"For now, you two are to stay here and help me search for Master Xehanort," he replied. "Should Master Eraqus request our help, I will send you both to his aid, but not before then. If you are, in fact, needed, you may use the Lanes Between to travel from world to world, but you must not let anyone know that there are other worlds."
"Yes, Master," Mickey and I both replied.
Yen Sid nodded and then looked directly at me. "Kenza, as our newest Keyblade Master, you are entitled to certain crucial information. Please stay here. Everyone else is dismissed."
Reluctantly, Donald, Goofy and Mickey all filed out of the room. I watched them leave before turning back to my new Master.
-- -- -- -- -- -- --
I panted as I ran as fast as I could. He was right behind me, close enough that I could hear him gasping for breath like a fish out of water. I had to go faster; I couldn't let him win, not when I was so close! Almost there....come on.....just a little more.... "Yes!" I screamed as my hand hit the bark of the old tree. I stopped running and jumped high in the air, pumping my fist. "I won again!"
"Aw, c'mon! One more race! You just got lucky!"
I turned to see my best friend in the whole world, Derek, doubled over with his hands on his knees. He was just a year older than me, even though sometimes he acted like he was twenty years older. His short, spiky black hair, tipped with silver at the ends, flopped in his chocolate brown eyes. His face was a brilliant shade of red as he struggled to get his breath back from our last race. Just the sight of him made me giggle; he acted so tough sometimes that it was funny to see him get beaten in something.
"Isn't that what you said five races ago?" I asked, grinning like an idiot. "Admit it. You're just embarrassed that you keep getting beaten by a girl."
"Am not!"
"Are too!"
"I am not!"
"Yeah, sure...."
"Kenza!" I looked up sharply to see my mother waving me over. Standing next to her was a man I'd never seen before. I was too far awwy to see him clearly, but from what I could tell, he looked a bit....old.
"What's up?" Derek asked, straightening to his full height.
"I think I have to go now," I told him. He followed my gaze and saw my mom and the strange man.
"Yeah, your mom does look pretty worried," he admitted. "But who's that weird guy standing next to her?"
I shook my head. "I have no idea." I turned back to face him, a slight grin reappearing on my face. "See ya tomorrow?"
He laughed. "You bet! And this time, I'm gonna win!"
I laughed along with him. "In your dreams, Spiky!" He gave an indignant cry at the nickname, but I was already running towards my mom and the strange man. I slowed my pace as I got close to them, attempting to get my breathing back to normal so I wouldn't be panting while they were trying to talk to me. It also gave me the chance to study the stranger. He was tall - or would have been tall when he was younger - with a hunch that suggested how old he really was. He had tan skin, a small patch of a gray beard, and a bald head. He wore a black coat that was zipped all the way up so that I couldn't see the clothes underneath. However, the thing that caught my attention most were his bright yellow eyes, eyes that gave only a glimpse of the true soul that lay behind them. As I slowed to meet him he turned his gaze toward me and smiled. That smile alone was enough to send chills coursing through my body, despite the sweltering heat.
I looked up at my mother. Even now, she still looked beautiful. Auburn hair and sparkling green eyes coupled with skin that had been tanned from working in the sun for so long, wearing a plain brown skirt and a white blouse that just made her look even more beautiful. Now, however, I could see that she was weary and that a few tears had managed to slip past her normally rigid defenses. She smiled when she saw me, but it was a grim smile, nothing like her normal carefree grins. "What's going on, Mom?" I asked, feelign a bit suspicious as I looked at the strange old man again. "Who's he?"
Mom seemed to brace herself for what was coming next before speaking. "Kenza, this is Master Xehanort," she said, the old man offering a nod. "He was a good friend of your father's and has offered to teach you how to become a Keyblade Master."
Immediately I perked up. I had always wanted to become a Keyblade Master, more than anything in the world. Ever since Mom had started telling me stories about Dad, I had dreamed of being chosen by the Keyblade and running off on adventures to other worlds, just like him. "Really?" I asked excitedly. "You can teach me?"
The old man - I think Mom had called him Master Xehanort - smiled again and nodded. "It will not be an easy task," he said in a gravelly voice, "but I can see the potential in you and I believe you would make a wonderful Master." My heart filled with happiness when he said that. "However," he continued as my face fell, "I will have to take you to another world to train, seeing as I already have one student in my care. To become a Master, you will have to give up your life here and be prepared to start a new one. Are you willing to take the chance?"
I thought about it for a little while. He definitely had a point. Still, how often did you get a Keyblade Master knocking on your door, offering to teach you the secrets of the Keyblade? "I'll go," I said decisively, lifting my chin and gazing into his hard yellow eyes. The depth that I saw in them scared me a bit, but I wanted to show him that I was brave enough to become a Master.
Mom sighed and tried to put on a brave smile for me, but I could see her lips trembling slightly. I could always tell when she was lying to me, and now was one of those times. She knelt to my level and brushed a stray lock of auburn hair out of my face. "Then go pack your things," she said quietly. "You haven't got much time." I nodded and dashed into the house, leaving my mom and Xehanort outside.
When I was all packed, I started to go out the front door again until I was stopped by a noise - the sound of someone very little gurgling. I put down my bag and walked over to the cradle near the wall, peeking into it carefully. There lay my baby sister, Melody. Blonde curls covered her head and she peered up at me with big, bright gray eyes. She was wearing a little white dress that Mom had made for her and was waving her little pink fist at me, clutching at empty air. I smiled and let her grab my finger; even though I had found her a few weeks ago on the front doorstep, I already thought of her as my little sister, someone who I had to protect. The smile fell slightly. What was going to happen to Melody while I was gone? I didn't have any other siblings except for her, and Mom couldn't take care of her all by herself.
"Don't worry, Mel-mel," I whispered to the baby girl who was staring at me. "I will always keep you safe. And one day, when I'm a Keyblade Master, I'll come back to you and Mom. I promise."
Melody smiled a gummy, toothless smile at me and squeezed my finger, as if reassuring me that everything would be all right. I smiled again and gently kissed the top of her forehead before going outside.
Master Xehanort looked up at me expectantly and Mom's eyes were filled with unshed tears. I looked up at them, hesitating for a minute. "Master Xehanort?" I asked in a small voice. "Can I please go say goodbye to my friend Derek?" I didn't know when I would see him again and I couldn't just leave him forever without saying goodbye. Master Xehanort thought about it and nodded. I smiled again before racing back to where we were playing before, hoping that he hadn't gone home yet.
"Derek!"
Derek, who had been walking back towards his house, stopped and turned back towards me as I slowed to a halt. "Oh, hey Kenza," he said with a grin. It faded quickly as he took in the green bag that I had slung over my shoulder. "What's with the bag? Are you going somewhere?"
I swallowed hard. "Yeah, I....I'm leaving the islands. And I don't know when I'll be coming back."
Derek looked at the ground in disappointment. "Is....is your whole family moving away?" he asked, sadness seeping into his voice.
"No, it - it's just me." I took a deep breath. "You know that man we saw with my mom? Well, he's a Keyblade Master and he....he offered to teach me how to wield a Keyblade."
He looked up in surprise. "Really? Wow, that's great, Kenza!"
I nodded. "Yeah, but....it means that I'm going to have to leave. I think he has a special place where he trains his students, so that's where I'm going."
"Oh," he said, turning his gaze back towards the ground again. For a few moments, neither of us spoke.
"Hey Derek?"
"Yeah?"
"Can you do something for me?"
He looked up again. "Sure, what do you need me to do?"
I paused, trying to get past the lump in my throat. "Just watch over Melody for me while I'm gone? She's special, I can feel it, which means that she could be in danger. Just....don't let anything happen to her, okay?"
He paused, then nodded. "Okay, I promise."
I let out the breath that I had been holding and sighed. "Thanks, Derek," I said.
He smiled back, then reached into his pocket. "Here, these are for you." He then took my hand and placed something cold and hard in it. When he let go again, there were a few seashells sitting in my palm, glittering in the fading sunlight. "I found these a while ago and held onto them. Y'know, just in case you ever decided to travel anywhere and I couldn't come along. That way, no matter where you go you'll always have a little piece of home to keep with you. Just bring 'em back here when you become a Keyblade Master, all right?"
I looked at them and grinned widely. "You bet," I said, hugging him tightly. "I'm going to miss you," I whispered.
"I'll miss you, too," he admitted quietly. Then he let go. "But enough of that. We'll see each other again soon, right?"
"Right."
I heard my name being called again and turned back to face my mom and Master Xehanort. "See ya around, Derek," I called back to him over my shoulder.
"You know it!" he called back. "Just don't forget about me, ya hear?"
"Hey, I couldn't forget about you even if I wanted to!" I replied, smiling sadly when I heard him laugh. Then, before I knew it, I was back at my mom's side.
Mom knelt down again and hugged me tightly. "Be safe, Kenza," she whispered to me. "Don't ever forget - you are a special, beautiful young girl and no one can take your spirit from you."
"I won't, Mom," I said, tears running down my cheeks. I was going to miss her so much - her and Melody and Derek -
She backed off and looked at me, gently wiping the tears away. "Chin up, sweetheart," she said. "No use for tears now.You have a bright future ahead of you, better than anything I could have given you here. Your father would be proud of you, and I know you'll make me proud, too."
I smiled at her, pushing the tears back. "I'll come back one day, Mom. I promise."
She smiled back. "I know you will." Then she stood and backed away, hugging herself.
I swallowed the big lump in my throat and turned to Master Xehanort. "I'm ready," I said, proud that my voice had stayed strong. He nodded and held out a hand to me, which I willingly grabbed onto. A swirling black hole opened in front of us, something like a dark portal. I heard my mom gasp behind me and turned to give her a reassuring smile, letting her know that I would be fine. We walked towards the portal, tendrils of darkness reaching out hungrily towards us, and walked into their midst. They swirled around me, suffocating me, and I started to panic. Where were we going? Why was he using darkness? What was going on?"
"Kenza!" Someone called to me from the portal, a voice that I knew didn't belong to Derek or Mom. Still, they continued to call out to me. "Kenza! Kenza, wake up! Get up! Kenza!!!!"
-- -- -- -- -- -- --
I cried out as I sat bolt upright, gasping for breath, eyes wide open. I looked around me quickly and took in my surroundings - a bare white room with a mirror hanging on the back of a door, a nightside table on my right with a few seashells laying on it, a lantern hanging on the bed post next to it, a desk and chair in one corner of the room, a window on my left....relief filled me as I realized that I was back in my room in the Mysterious Tower, not back home with....
"Gawrsh, Kenza, are you all right?" a voice asked beside me.
I turned quickly and saw Donald and Goofy staring worriedly at me. They must have been trying to wake me up for a while now. How long had I been asleep? "I'm fine, Goofy," I said, managing to relax slightly. "Just a bad dream." Then I looked around again. Something didn't seem right.... "Hey guys, where's Mickey?" I asked, the little round-eared mouse's absence very noticeable. "He's almost always with you, isn't he?"
"That's why we've been tryin' to wake you!" Donald exclaimed, clearly more flustered than usual. "The king's leaving! He took Master Yen Sid's Star Shard and wants to go help the others save the worlds!"
"What?!" I exclaimed. Mickey, taking Yen Sid's Star Shard? Didn't he know how dangerous that was? Why would he do something so stupid? "Where is he?"
"He was just leavin' the Loft when we saw him," Goofy said. "He's probably at the entrance now."
I nodded and jumped off my bed. There wasn't any time to lose. Mickey had no idea how to use the Star Shard - if he wasn't careful, he could become lost forever in the Lanes Between. Quickly, I found the secret panel by my bed, pressed it, and slid down the chute. I hoped that I wasn't too late.
As soon as my feet hit the grass and I was cleared from the chute, I raced towards the front of the tower. Soon, I saw a little figure with big, round ears holding Star Seeker in one hand. "Mickey, stop!!" I shouted, but he paid no attention to me.
"Alakazam!" he said, raising the Star Shard high above his head. A bright light shone throughout the area, causing me to stop in my tracks, squint and lift one hand over my eyes to block out the light. I heard him yell as the light disappeared in a streak and bounced from star to star before fading away altogether. When I was able to look again, the spot he had occupied was empty. Mickey was gone.