Hey guys, it's been forever.

Axel: No kidding…

Me: Don't interrupt! Now, this doesn't mean I have a new laptop. On the contrary, I'm still looking. But I had some free time and my family's laptop available and inspiration struck you could say.

Axel: In other words, I kept bugging her.

Me: That's a lie, now shush! Anyway, I want to thank all of you for your patience with me and with this story considering how sporadic my updates are.

Axel: That's not a lie either.

Me: Quiet! I am very grateful to all of you and I hope-

Axel: Enjoy the chapter, got it memorized?

Me: Darn it Axel! That was my-

(Screen turns black)

Kairi stood on the beach of the Destiny Islands, staring at the play island. It had been so long since she had been there and almost every day since she was here, waiting.

First, it was for Sora and Riku.

Then, as she forgot, it was for Riku alone.

Now she was waiting for Sora, Riku and Roxas to return to her.

And yet…

Was waiting even…

Worth it…?

She had been waiting for a year now and nobody came back for her.

Should she…

Maybe…

Go after them…?

"Maybe…waiting isn't good enough." Kairi said out loud to herself.

"My thoughts exactly!" A voice Kairi now remembered all too well said. Surprised, Kairi began to look around, trying to find the source of the disembodied voice. "If you have a dream, don't wait. Act. One of life's little rules. Got it memorized?"

And there he was, coming out of a Dark Corridor.

Lea…Kairi thought as she stared at him with wide eyes.

"Who are you?" Kairi asked, trying to play dumb. If he hadn't heard her call him Lea…maybe she could fool him.

"I think you know, Kairi." Lea, no Axel, said.

"Lea, please believe me, I never meant to hurt you! I don't know why I disappeared from Radiant Garden but I didn't want to! And I didn't want to leave you in Twilight Town either but I couldn't leave Roxas! You have to believe me!" Kairi cried, suddenly scared of the dangerous glint in Lea, no Axel's, eyes.

"Actually, I'm here about Sora. Why don't we go see him?" Lea, no Axel, offered as he held out his hand.

"…Sora?" Kairi repeated as the prospect of seeing Sora, and by association seeing Roxas, filled her mind.

She could…

Go find…

Them…

Barks suddenly broke her train of thought and she turned to see a big yellow dog run towards her. Suddenly, Dusks surrounded the two and the dog growled menacingly.

A whistle suddenly went off and Kairi turned as another Dark Corridor opened.

The dog ran towards the Corridor and barked at Kairi to follow.

"You want to make it up to me? Come with me." Lea, no Axel, stated.

She didn't have to think a moment longer.

Kairi ran into the Corridor without another thought.

Her last words to Lea, no Axel, were this:

"A true friend wouldn't have to make up for anything that we did to each other!"

"Hey, what is this place?" Kairi asked as she looked around the strange world the Dark Corridor opened up to.

Another whistle sounded and a Light Corridor appeared.

The dog ran into the portal without a second thought.

Following the dog's example, Kairi ran in as well.

She turned around to see a black coated figure.

She instantly recognized him but before she could call out, the light surrounded her.

Riku…

Then all she knew was warmth.

As Sora followed Donald and Goofy on Port Royal, he couldn't seem to shake this weird feeling. It was as if something was missing almost.

What happened after we went after Riku and King Mickey? He wondered as he nodded to whatever Shaylee was saying beside him.

He felt a tickle at the back of his mind as he suddenly thought of a castle.

A second later, the image, the tickle and the thought were all gone as if they had never been in the first place.

Catching a sudden flash of blonde hair, Sora felt his heartbeat pick up until he saw the girl himself.

That's not her.

What he meant by that thought, he had no idea. But Shaylee's knowing gaze made him more than a little uncomfortable.

The sympathy he also caught in that gaze probably unnerved him the most.

Roxas watched as Sora continued on his quest, feeling as if he was supposed to know something was happening but he couldn't tell what.

It tugged at his mind, screaming at him to realize what it was.

But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't figure out what was calling out to him in such agony.

But he knew he had, no needed, to find out what or who was calling him.

And pray to any and every god above that it wasn't Kairi, Namine or Axel.

I know, I know, it's a short chapter.

Axel: I thought you said 'inspiration struck'?

Me: It did but it didn't give me a lot.

Axel: Obviously.

Me:…Leave me alone. Anyway! I hope you guys enjoyed it since it's a little bit different than the other writing of this story. And I hope the changes to the dialogue work well!

Also, I meant to address this earlier but SOMEONE (glares at innocent acting Axel) interrupted me. I know not all of you are happy about the fact that I am including Shaylee; however there is a reason for this. That reason was in the form of extending Namine's scene in the last real chapter. Other future chapters will include Shaylee in a similar fashion, only used if I need a scene extended or a comment made that wouldn't sound right from someone else. Other times will be like this chapter, where she is mentioned only so her presence is acknowledged. She isn't important unless she needs to be, in my mind she is the representation of the readers because she knows everything you guys know. So don't worry about anything involving her for now.

Axel: Thanks for reading, leave a review and see you later. Got it memorized?

Me: Was that necessary?! Honestly, I even wrote you agai-

(Screen cuts black)