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

[yami]

Kairi's response was exactly what the two wanted to hear but before that response, new information was brought to the table. Sora's expression seemed more like a forced smile but it was hard to really give a straight response to Riku's decision. On the one hand the boy knew, based on the memories he had how Riku acted and it shouldn't have come as a surprise considering the way they were now and even when they were younger. Riku always tried to shoulder his problems, even now. That was why ---

"Then it's settled, we'll go together."

Sora's sudden response, it surprised him as well but Melodia seemed happy. She'd nod her head in favour of the response and add some reassuring words to the mix.

"...He's just as stubborn as always, that's why we'll find him, no matter what."

[King Mickey]

Mickey smiled. Not your everyday smile mind you, it was a softer, gentler smile. Not one of happiness so much as... appreciation? Satisfaction? Perhaps it was all three rolled into one. The last time the King had held such a smile was when Sora Donald and Goofy had ignored his order to retreat and dived into the battle for Hollow Bastion. Now it seemed his friends not listening to him gave the King the same warm feeling.

"I guess Riku must be rubbing off on me," the mouse joked with a chuckle. The darkness in him was at rest now, so it was time to enjoy life while he could, unaffected by foreign evils. "OK, we'll stick together on this one."

Mickey reached/hopped up to garb Melodia's hand, then walked her back to the group despite it forcing the girl to bend over a she did so. The King didn't seem to mind though. He'd release his grip once he got to Kairi and opened his hands to the girl.

"Will you watch over me Princess?" he asked formally.

[Iris|Kairi]

Kairi smiled brightly back at Mickey, stooping slightly to place her hands in his. His formalness made her giggle, but she was glad he'd finally agreed to everyone's pleading. "Of course I will., Your Majesty." she replied in a soft voice.

"Will you try to help me?" she asked, knowing that between the three/ four of them, they could surely find a solution to her problem, as well as their own. Together. Unlike Riku, she believed it was both better and more productive to seek help from friends and work together to solve problems. But then again, Riku never had really thought like them..

A thought passed through her head, and moments later she took one hand from Mickey's and took Sora's hand. She motioned for Sora to take Melodia's hand, and for her to take the Kin'g now free hand creating a circle.

"We should make a promise." she said, as if it was something urgent to her. A promise to help each other and be together... The thought of being alone with all of them in the state they were in was frightening.

[yami]

Mickey's sudden gesture threw Melodia off guard, though she didn't really mind it it. It was certainly an awkward walk, her form bending or heavily leaning to the side Mickey was on. Thankfully it wasn't a great distance. Being near the group now, specifically Kairi and Sora, became strange for her. It was only brief but a flashback of Destiny Island moved through her cerebral, recalling days of Kairi, Riku, and herself sitting on the beach. Everything seemed so clear, her interactions with everyone, the battles fought, it caused her to zone out for a little bit. Though Kairi's question snapped her back into place, for some reason she couldn't help but focus on her.

For Sora or at least the one who looked like Sora, he was happy they were all grouped together now. It confirmed that they'd be sticking together but now, looking to Melodia his mind also seemed to experience flashbacks, the very same ones she did yet...neither could recall the other in these memories. Though it was a thought held on hold as now they'd both ask, once more in synch:

"Sure, what it is it?"
"Sure, what it is it?"

[King Mickey]

"A promise to see each other through this unknown time," Mickey hazarded. He was holding Kairi's hand and Melodia's now, suspended in the air between them both with his feet dangling towards the ground below. He didn't seem to mind one bit though.

Looking over to Sora and Melodia the King nodded towards the center of the four-pointed gathering with confidence.

"Whatever comes our way we'll overcome it together. One for all and all for one!"

Actually, Mickey was also thinking of Donald and Goofy now. There was no way he could leave his best friends out of this one. Not after he probably worried them with disappearing... however that had happened.

It was the first mystery to solve.

[Iris|Kairi]

Sora and Melodia talking at the same time really unnerved Kairi, who now shot them a look. She lost her train of thought a moment, but came back to it. "Yes. King Mickey is right." she smiled after a moment, then joined into the cheer.

"One for all, and all for one!" she nodded, giving the hands she held a quick squeeze. "None of us can break this promise, no matter what!" she added, then looked to Sora and the girl, waiting for their agreement.

[yami]

Despite the unusual look from Kairi, they both responded in a similar manner facial expression wise; eyelids closing momentarily, a hesitant grin and then...lips parting to let out a nervous laugh. Yet Mickey's words had indeed touched Sora, therefore both their eyes opened and in the same synch that made Kairi unerved before, they'd simply reply:

One for all and all for one."
One for all and all for one."

The adventure had truly begun, though all the Key Bearers may not have been present, the goal of searching for the truth was etched into their hearts, marked more firmly than any darkness that tried to grip them.

[King Mickey]

OK, so their little happy moment was done... but now they all had to actually follow through on it. The King knew he had to take all costs to keep this invading anger in check if he was to stay safely by his friends. Unfortunately, it seemed that combat set him off more than anything else and Sora couldn't use the Keyblade. That made for the two more experienced fighters of the group unable to participate in battle should they get attacked. Kairi could fight but she could get stricken by another painful shock or fainting spell at any time so she was put in great danger if she tried to defend all of them herself.

"We should do our best to avoid Heartless and Nobodies completely," Mickey advised as he fell back to the ground, looking back up at the three. "I don't know what has done this to us yet, but if we find any new enemies it might be too dangerous to try and defend ourselves in these conditions."

If it was indeed an enemy that did this on purpose then it seemed they had rendered at least three of the four Key Bearers unable to fight safely... or at least it seemed that way for now. The King imagined that it wasn't quite as neat and tidy as just that, though he did wonder if Riku was at a similar disadvantage somehow out there.

"We should go back to the castle first. We'll be safe from danger there so we'll have time to make a plan."

[Iris|Kairi]

Unnerved again by Melodia and Sora's speaking in unison, she almost missed what Mickey had started saying. "Yeah, we should all avoid fighting until we either figure out what's wrong and fix it, or at least get a handle on how to control it.." Kairi sighed. She was a bit tired, honestly. After her ordeal, it left her a little weak, but that was to be expected. Nothing that rest couldn't fix..sort of.

"..We should leave for the castle now, then. Before more come.." she voiced now, looking around. at any moment more could pop up. That wouldn't be good. Fighting more would be difficult with her strength and stamina down.

Would they all fit in one ship? She knew there was probably another one, but it was still funny to imagine. Teehee...she smiled to herself.

[yami]

The group was serious in their resolve to leave Twilight town... and they did. Allow us to fastforward our tale to their travels on the Gummi Ship. Enter Sora and Melodia; both of them were staring wide-eyed around the deck. In all honesty the two were at the moment dead-weight to Kairi and Mickey. Sure Sora somewhat had access to his memories but he also had new memories. Whose memories they were, he couldn't say.

Some of them were still locked from his heart. Then there was his significant other and no he isn't refering to Kairi in this scenario. Melodia had the same memories but did not recall Sora being in them. How could they both experience the same things but not know of each other. It was something so perplexing that no sooner did they find themselves looking into each other's eyes. Their thoughts and feelings were the same on this matter.

[King Mickey]

Mickey was piloting the Gummi Ship off of Twilight Town and back toward the Realm of Light as he set the navigation system's preparations for the course to Disney Castle. unfortunately wherever this ship had come from it had never been to the King's home world before, so the Warp function was useless. It would be a while for them all together here.

Speaking of them, Mickey recalled now(Thanks to his continued reprieve from the unnatural anger attacking his heart) that Sora's condition had undergone more changes the last time he entered the ship. He seemed fine for now though, which Mickey believed was thanks to Kairi's bond with him.

"Sora," the mouse said as cheerfully as he thought reasonable to try and lift their spirits. The boy and the new girl were just looking at each other, understandably. "I just thought... you weren't able to summon the Keyblade before. Have you tried since you got your proper appearance back?"

If this thing was dangerous then it would be good to know how their assets for battle were standing.

[Iris|Kairi]

((...Because I can, the ship now has a couch. ))

Thankfully, the ship was big enough to hold them all without elbows in sides and bodies squeezed against gummi walls. Heh..it was still funny to imagine though.

From take-off Kairi had been in the passenger seat beside Mickey, but she was unbearably tired. She kept resting her head against the "window" of the ship, staring out into space while her mind raced and darted everywhere like a scared rabbit. She really wasn't scared, but her thoughts seemed to be. She was actually worrying. Not about her else, of course, but about Sora and the girl that THAT whole problem, then Mickey and his ailment...she mused for a moment about whether Riku shared their problem, but let that pass. She was still a little irritated with the stubborn silver-haired boy. Whew...and then there was her own problem that was currently leaving in the previously mentioned state.

They'd sort it all out though, right? Of course!

Bringing her thumb and fore-finger up to lightly pinch between her eyes, she sighed lightly and stood. Situated behind passenger's seat was a small couch that would probably seat only two people comfortably. Yay..a place for her to rest without the large hopeless expanse of space staring her in the face. It looked comfy too. Moving around her seat, she plopped onto the couch and leaned her head back, only to see something possibly more bothersome to her than space.

Sora and Melodia, staring each other in the face. It made her insides feel odd and twisted, so she closed her eyes tightly to it and chose to stay silent and listen to conversation for now.

(eep..sorry, It's a little long. I had a lot of built up Kairi muse. >> ))

[yami]

Of course Mickey was speaking to Sora yet both of them turned to look towards his majesty. He asked an interesting question. Honestly the boy hadn't even attempted to call the Keyblade since Twilight town. "I'll give it a try." Sora declared but Melodia was way ahead of him. The girl extended her arm and the keyblade appeared in her hands. Startled, Sora jumped back slightly.

"H-how can you call the keyblade...?"
"Because I'm the wielder of this keyblade...?"

Once more the duo were looking at each other, the situation was a bit tense. Sora looking more bewildered than anything else but soon he'd call forth the keyblade himself. For a brief moment there were two keyblades. Then the two keyblades began to shuffle back and forth between each other's hands before one of them disappeared entirely. Instead, a sole keyblade shuffled between the two. It was as if both of them were playing tug of war.

"Hey, give back the keyblade!"
"No you give back my keyblade!"

Just like two bickering twins...

[King Mickey]

"Ahem!"

Mickey stood with his head down and eyes closed. The mouse's arms were crossed and his fingers were tapping at his arm. When the gesture ceased the King looked up at the two bickering Key Bearers with a half-jesting and half-serious look in his eyes.

"Lets not start to pry on anyone's nerves, hmmm?" he said, implying that he wasn't 100% safe from his affliction just because Kairi was there. After that his posture returned to normal and the mouse's expression became friendly concern again. "So, only one of you can use the Kingdom Key. Instead of fighting over it you should have remembered."

Mickey reached out his hand towards the pair and there was a flash of light from it. Within the King's grasp was not his usual Darkside, however, but the Star Seeker that had been passed along to Sora, called back to its former master, though neither the newcomer Melodia nor the old friend Sora were aware of that fact yet.

"I left you a second Keyblade not long ago so you have plenty to share."

The Star Seek vanished again and Mickey's hands went to his sides as the ruler leaned forward jokingly.

"And no fighting over who gets which either," he said with a chuckle. Honestly, he was glad to see hope for those two being able to defend themselves. Given the nature of their condition though, he didn't count on it lasting forever

[Iris|Kairi]

Kairi cracked her eyes back open to peer at the mouse, then the two who had been fighting over the Keyblade. Just because something...split..did that mean they had to act like children?

"Please no fighting like children... I'm kinda tired and can't help resolve it, and we need to be considerate of King Mickey's condition as well. I don't know how well a...burst...would go over in the tiny space of a ship like this." she spoke softly, though she did smile a tired smile at them all as if to say she wasn't scolding, merely making them aware in the nicest way possible.

She straightened up some upon noticing she'd slipped into a laxer position. While her body screamed for sleep, she knew she shouldn't right now, or maybe she didn't want to. Kairi'd always said sleeping was no fun. No fun at all! But the hum of the gummi motor was very soothing...