Chapter Three:

Strange New Friends

“We’re going to leave soon, to see other worlds. I’m going to miss home. I wonder, if I’ll be able to come back. I almost want to stay here. But…I feel like if I go, I can find out who I am.” 

“I wish you luck” said the light, “But be careful, the outside world won’t be nearly as safe as your island. Once you leave, you won’t be the same.”

“Have you seen other worlds?”

The light was quiet. Kiera felt as though she hit a sensitive spot.

“I was so eager to leave my world. I was tired of being treated like a kid, treated like I was helpless, and couldn’t protect myself; and in my eagerness, in my selfishness, I lost all of my friends, even the one I…”

“Where did you live?” She asked, then added passionately, “Maybe I can find you! And you won’t be lonely anymore!”

The light looked at her, with a somber smile, then chuckled sadly. 

“I’m afraid…that you wouldn’t be able to reach me. My world is under the cover of darkness. It’s impossible.”

Kiera sulked. “Oh…Isn’t there anything I can do…?”

The light was quiet again for another minute.

“It’s okay, I’ve been happy just talking with you. The darkness, it…feels less scary when you’re around.”

Kiera smiled. “Good. I’m glad you’re my friend.”

The light’s smile turned into a yearning one, as if he wanted to say something important. Then, he chuckled again. 

“Me too…Kiera…”

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Kiera groaned. She opened her eyes. She was lying on a bed with pink covers and a red overhang. She sat up, rubbed her aching head. She looked up There was a light standing over her. This time, it seemed to take the silhouette form of a young boy, however Kiera couldn’t see for sure. There was a sigh of relief.

“You’re okay…”

Kiera looked up at him and squinted as she observed him.

“Am…Am I dead?”

The light chuckled.

“No…No, not yet. Thank goodness…”

Kiera blinked.

“How…How am I supposed to see you if I’m awake?”

“‘Huh? I’m sorry, I don’t think I understand what you mean.”

.

The light’s voice morphed into the voice of a soft-spoken, female voice halfway through its sentence. Suddenly, the light blinded her vision, then disappeared. In the place of the boy, was a woman, with a pink dress and a short, red coat. She had long brown hair tied into a braid running down to her knees, with a big red bow, and bangs pushed to the sides. She sighed, concerned.

“I think the darkness was closer to consuming you than I originally thought” she spoke.

“Wh-Who’re you?” Kiera asked.

She was in a bedroom, with a lamp in the corner as the glow in the room, contrasting the night outside

“Where am I?”

“Oh, I’m sorry, my name’s Aerith. You’re in Traverse Town” the woman explained, “You were found in a back alley, unconscious. Donald and Goofy found you when they arrived.”

Kiera raised an eyebrow. “Who?”

.

Suddenly, a voice from the other side of the room cleared his throat. Kiera turned and gasped in surprise. There was an anthropomorphic duck with a blue hat and button up shirt standing next to a taller dog with an oddly shaped hat, long green shirt and yellow pants.

“WOAH!” Kiera suddenly cried and jumped back, bumping her head on the wall.

The duck seemed just as surprised, jumping, contracting a weird sound, like the flapping of the mouth.

She exhaled sharply, rubbing her head and wincing.

“Gwarsh, didn’t mean to scare ya!” said the dog.

Kiera was still in shock.

“You’re…! You’re a dog, and a duck…! Standing like a human!”

“And that’s weird?” asked the duck, annoyed, his feathered hands folded across his chest.

“Well, she’s from another world. Maybe her world didn’t have people like us” Goofy added.

Kiera sighed, rubbing her eyes.

“Ugh, wait, this isn’t making any sense!” She grunted, “I remember being in my room…Then there was a storm. Wait-!”

Kiera suddenly came to a realization and was struck with fear. She lept to her feet.

“Wait! What happened to Destiny Islands!? My home!? Kairi!? Sora!? Riku…!?”

“I’m afraid…I don’t know…” Aerith replied, sadly.

Kiera’s heart skipped a beat again once she remembered her locket and the red star charm. She reached into her pocket and was relieved to see that, despite everything, it was still hanging onto the inner flap of her left pocket. She clutched the locket, sighing in relief.

“Thank goodness. I don’t know what I would’ve done if I lost these…”

,

“Say uh, what’s your name, missy?” the dog inquired.

“My name is Kiera” Kiera replied.

“Donald Duck” said the duck.

“Name’s Goofy” said the dog.

“Nice to meet you.”

“So uh Kiera, how do you have a Keyblade?” Goofy asked.

His gaze drifted to the side of the bed, where Kiera’s Keyblade sat at the foot of it. Kiera rubbed her head again.

“I…I don’t know,” she replied, “I got it when I was trying to find my friends on the island we played at, during the storm. But oddly enough, I feel like…like I’ve seen it before.”

She reached for it and grabbed the hilt. She moved it around, observing it closely.

“Somehow…I feel like I’ve always had it…”

.

Goofy leaned in to Donald, covering his mouth.

“Donald, do you think she might be a-?” He started.

“No way!” Donald interrupted, “She would be a grownup if she was!”

“But…how else would she have a keyblade that isn’t the ‘Key’?”

“I don’t know…”

Kiera raised an eyebrow. If they were trying to whisper, they were doing a terrible job.

“‘A grown-up to be a’ what?” Kiera inquired.

.

Suddenly, there was a crash in the other room.

“What was that!?” Kiera exclaimed.

Aerith quickly rose from her chair and ran to the door.

“Leon! Yuffie!”

Donald and Goofy raised their weapons, Donald having some kind of magic wand, while Goofy a shield.

“We’ll look, Aerith!” Donald announced.

Donald and Goofy inched towards the door. Kiera jumped into a stance, waiting for anything.

.

Suddenly, the door flew open! Donald was in an unfortunate position to be completely smashed by the door. Three figured flew into the room and left as quickly as they came. One of them, Kiera saw a flash of the yellow hilt of a Keyblade and brown spiky hair.

“Sora!?” Kiera exclaimed.

“Yuffie, wait!” Aerith cried and rushed out the door.

Kiera ran after her, leaving Donald and Goofy in the dust.