The Hero and the King...and the Princess.

[King Mickey]

[70]

No, the King didn't recall seeing Sora either. Or Riku for that matter. Four parties... Kairi! Four of them! That was right, Mickey had wanted one of them to go to each party to represent him. Actually he had wanted Donald and Goofy to do it, but he seemed to recall a conversation with the three destiny island kids where he told them about the celebrations had somehow led to the split-up being done that way. Oh how he missed his two best friends and his wife... Mickey could only spend the nights here praying they hadn't been uprooted form home unexpectedly like he. Sadly those prayers were unknowingly unanswered.

'Twilight Town? So that was where Sora woke up? And Kairi was with them, that's good. Being alone would have been hard. I do hope Riku is all right as well.'

These were the King's thoughts as he turned with Roxas towards the party again, bare cob tossed aside. It was Roxas' confused voice that alerted Mickey to gaze into the crowd, then hop up and hold onto the blond's shoulder when he still failed to see through the mass of legs. The sight of Sora like that was naturally alarming... but suddenly Mickey had an idea.

"Roxas!" he said, turning to the lad with his pointed nose almost touching the Nobody's due to his position. "You said your first memories were of a carriage and Heartless! Was that in Twilight town? Or are you remembering more now than you did just a little while ago?"

It was how Roxas used "I" to refer to Sora's actions in the previous sentence that gave the King a clue, even though it was technically correct.

[yami]

Roxas had paused in place, his head titling somewhat to look to Mickey whilst avoiding his nose in the process. His eyes looked up as if trying to recall a distant memory.

"No, the carriage and the Heartless was in a different world. Land of Dragons, with Mulan and Mushu. Yeah, I was helping them against the Heartless."

He then snaped his fingers as if he had figured it all out now. Perhas he had gained more insight on the matter.

"Then as we headed on route back to northern China, I lost my way and ended up back where I started...near the Gummi Ship. After taking off I made my way here, to Never Land and somehow I ended up meeting you."

Hopefully the King would be able to use this new information. Though he wasn't sure what got him so excited to begin with.

[King Mickey]

[71]

"Roxas, you're remembering more clearly as Sora fades away!"

The mouse dropped down to the dirt again, half-expecting Roxas to be completely opaque at any second. Then again it had taken quite a while before Sora showed any fading so perhaps there was still time.

"Do you know when his amnesia first began? Did Kairi have to explain to him who he really was?" he asked in urgency but not while sticking around. Mickey was darting through the crowd towards Sora and yelling over the noise of music and cheering. Roxas would just have to follow him because there might not have been much time to waste. Mickey certainly didn't want to let what was happening complete itself, just in case it ended up being permanent.

Sora hadn't said he was Sora at first. Mickey was betting that meant maybe he didn't wake up with his memory gone if he didn't wake up alone.

[yami]

"W-what!?" was Roxas first reaction as Mickey dropped to the ground below. It would look like they had to talk and run, the question about Sora's amnesia occured then. He tried his best to recall but something new would occur at that moment.

"He never suffered amnesia...Kairi and I were talking though we weren't sure how it happened. That is, we weren't sure how we ended up in Twilight Town, just like how you weren't sure how you ended up in Neverland. Although..."

He would be interrupted now that they managed to catch up to Sora whom was beginning to loose the attention of the Indians in the dance. In fact, many started to go through Sora, yet when he saw Mickey he happily moved over to them.

[glow=blue,2,300]"Mickey, how've you been? The celebration has been great so far huh?"[/glow]

It was still Sora's voice, his mouth moved...yet it didn't seem like his voice came through from where he was, rather it was heard in the mind; of Mickey that is. Roxas couldn't hear him at all. Which caused him to become more anxious.

"What's...he saying?"

[King Mickey]

[72]

"He recognizes me," Mickey said in astonishment. Was this a good thing or a bad thing? Perhaps that was the nature of this little condition: No matter what happened, it was all going to be unpredictable and ultimately bad. "Which means he probably still can't see you at all."

Now what? Go back to the source? try and get Sora and Roxas to merge back together the right way instead of in reverse? The Nobody had been remembering more as well... so was he going to get amnesia now instead if the Sora half was regaining his memories? There were too many questions and not enough time! Normally Mickey would have tried to calm down and find a way to think clearly about the problem, but a flicker of green that went unnoticed by him signaled that such an event probably wasn't about to happen.

"Oh I've had enough of this!" he said in anger at the whole mess just as the now-faded Sora had gotten close enough to hear him. "I want some answers and I'm going to get them!"

With that the master magician put his hands together and began to cast a spell. One that would activate the auto-pilot in the nearest Gummi Ship, in this case Sora's, and bring overhead to beam them up. It would just take a few moments for the nearby ship to fly itself into range.

[yami]

Naturally both the teens were surprised by his Majesty's actions and tone. They jumped back in response but no sooner would the ship make it's way over to them. Once it was in range, it opened itself up ready to accept passengers. Both of them would soon look over to the ship, instantly breaking out into a sprint to head inside. Since the King wanted answers, he'd likewise be in a hurry. No point in keeping him waiting, not with that tone of voice. Once they were inside, they'd look around the deck.

Would they head to Twilight Town or would they head to...Land of Dragons?

[King Mickey]

[73]

Mickey stomped towards the ship with haste behind the teens an hopped in, turning around to face the Chief and his people just as the doors closed up.

"Sorry Chief but we must be off! Thanks for the party!" he managed to force out in a thankful-sounding tun and look, but turned sour again once his back was to the tribe and the doors shut.

"All right, I don't know how much time I have to ask," Mickey continued from before as he made his way to the controls and had the ship rocket up into the Sea of Stars, leaving the cursed world of Eternaland behind. "So here it goes. Sora, what's the last thing you remember before seeing me?"

The mouse turned around, his expression quite like it was in the days Organization XIII, sneaking around and shushing everyone.

[yami]

Sora turned to look to Mickey, instantly replying to his question. Partially so that he wouldn't make him mad but partially because it was easy to recall.

[glow=blue,2,300]"That's simple Mickey, I was walking around after I left the ship. Though I'm not sure why or how I got here. The ship sorta moved on it's own, I think."[/glow]

Roxas then looked to Mickey to see if he'd be questioned next yet he also looked confused now. Wasn't he walking around Never Land's forests. Well of course Sora would too since they were the same but Sora never did move through the forest, at least so Roxas recalled.

"Your Majesty...that doesn't sound right, he said exactly what I was doing."

[King Mickey]

[74]

Mickey's arms crossed as he tapped one white-covered finger against a thin black limb. The miniature ruler Didn't look surprised, just grim. Of course, "Sora" wouldn't think there was any reason for Mickey to look surprised, would he? There hadn't been anything more unexpected to hasten the King's mood into anger, so he seemed borderline calm at the moment, if just sour at the whole thing.

"Sora do you remember the party I threw on Destiny Islands?" he asked before turning around and getting to the controls again.

'Good, this ship has a warp Gummi,' Mickey thought with relief. Having to fly clean across the Sea of Stars without one of these was just time they didn't have. As Sora answered, and possibly as the invisible-to-him Roxas supplemented, the King activated their warp and sent the vessel speeding into a tunnel of light, their destination unspoken.

[yami]

What should have been a response from 'Sora' resulted in a blank stare. At least for a moment before he simply blinked in surprise. His form returning to opaque, his mouth opening in sheer surprise.

"Your Majesty!"

He'd yell before running to attempt a firm hug of the loveable mouse. In Sora's eyes he hadn't exactly 'seen' Mickey for quite a while. The last thing he recalled was flying on the Gummi Ship to search for...Riku! How'd he find the King before Riku?

"Say wait, how'd you get here and ---"

He then turned to notice Roxas. The same person from the world inside his heart, the other side of his heart. He wasn't really sure what to say to him therefore he held his look of shock, which was the best he could do for the moment.

As for Roxas he just looked to him, equally as surprised since the two could now see each other but more importantly:

"Sora..."

He'd regained his voice and was also opaque. What in the World...

[King Mickey]

[76]

"Woah!" Mickey exclaimed as he was suddenly grabbed and hugged off the ground by Sora. Not that the mouse didn't enjoy a good hug, but...

'Oh my.'

It seemed Mickey was right after all. Sora's condition just kept doing the unexpected at every turn... and it was always worse than you were being led to think it would be. Sometimes the King didn't like being right; this was one of those times.

"Sora.... Roxas..." he began, slowly opening up the former's arms so he could get back to his own feet. Mickey rather liked Sora being opaque and remembering him, so he wasn't going to complain right now. Not after the scare he'd had down on the land. "Something has taken effect on your heart and is causing all kinds of trouble. We need to find out what."

But hadn't Roxas mentioned when he first appeared that he seemed to know what was wrong? And hadn't he also said something about the King's heart as well? There was more trouble brewing than His majesty's purposefully clouded mind could focus on.

[yami]

"It's not just our heart, it's your heart and...I'm sure Kairi was affected too. When I was in Twilight Town, something didn't feel right."

Roxas looked rather concerned at the moment, perhaps hinting to where they should head first. As for Sora, he looked over to Roxas also, though somewhat perplexed. "The way he described that...it's exactly how I would have said it but...wasn't I the one that was with Kairi?"[/i]

Indeed it was a puzzling situation but more importantly if his heart was being troubled albeit in a way he wasn't sure as to how at the moment, did all his friends have some sort of ailment? If so...why and better yet, how did such ailements strike them? Though before he could contemplate further, a migraine started to come around. His form temporarily glowing blue as he did. [/size]

[King Mickey]

[77]

Mickey listened to Roxas' words and nodded before he was about to turn back towards the controls, even though it was already on autopilot to where he wanted to go. he just needed to check to make sure nothing was moved. "And if we three are affected in some way then I fear Riku will be as well. I'm bringing us back to Twilight Town so we can-"

A flash of blue caught the King's eye and he turned towards the hero again, concerned.

"Sora! Are you all right?"

A stupid question really. Whatever was mesisng with the teenager's heart didn't seem to let up for even an instant.

'And if Sora has it this bad... what could be happening to me?'

[yami]

Despite the blue aura, if one were to look closely this one was different than the sinsister one that kept plauging him, it was lighter for one thing and --- Sora's eyes, changed. They were Rugosa pink which was certainly unusual. "Actually I feel fine your majesty." which was indeed true not only did he feel fine but he felt...stronger?

Still, Sora's mind was plauged with worry for his friends.
"Riku...Kairi, I'll find both of you soon and then we'll figure this all out."

At least, so he hoped as they headed onwards --- To Twilight Town.

[King Mickey]

[78]

Mickey was at a loss. He glanced over Roxas' way to se eif the Nobody had anything to offer but it didn't seem so. Not at that every moment at least. The King sighed and placed his hands by his sides.

"I can't keep getting surprised anymore," he said simply. If something new and weird was going to happen every five seconds, well then obviously there was no reason to get shocked by it any longer. Change had become the status quo.

'I guess Roxas doesn't know exactly what is affecting us either,' Mickey pondered, noting the Nobody's uncertainty in the explanation before. That was too bad. Something else crossed the King's mind though.

"What about you Roxas?" he said, looking back up with a hand out in front of him, not pointing just open as if accepting something. "How, or do you, feel?"