Please read this author's note.

You know, it's only when I look back on the earlier chapters of this story that I realise how bad my writing was back then compared to now. Then proceed to slap my hand to my forehead at what I was thinking, and cringe a little. . . A lot. But I suppose this is all part of the process of learning and improving.

Plus, looking back at some of the earlier chapters made me realise that some parts are starting to make no sense to me, are just dumb, and not falling in line with some story elements, in my opinion. Spelling mistakes and grammatical errors everywhere!

I'm not going to delete the story. Rather, while I continue writing upcoming chapters, I'm going to go back, edit, and revise previous chapters that I think need an overhaul. Tidy them up a bit. Fix things, cutting parts out, the works.

I will mark each one that has been edited with the following:

(EDITED: DD/MM/YY)

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or Disney. Only OCs.

Chapter 24: Close Encounter

Our second day off at Disney Castle was spent in relative peace. Even though it has been short, this resting period seemed to have done some good. The boys visibly looked more relaxed and appeared to be a bit more high-spirited, jovial. Even I feel well-rested, and there is hardly a part of me that feels sore now.

Donald still has ants in his, errh… tail feathers, insisting now that we have had a day off we are more than ready to get back to finding Mickey. Daisy, however, has been reprimanding him for being such a worry wart while simultaneously reassuring him that the King is fine, wherever he is.

Merlin returned to Hollow Bastion early that morning, Minnie and he agreeing that the Cornerstone should be safe now.

Sora asked to go to the town everybody else went to yesterday, curiosity too high to not go exploring. So Donald and Goofy volunteered to show him around, the royal ladies decided to go with them so they could have a girl's day. They asked if I wanted to join but I declined, not feeling like going out. To my annoyance, they asked if I was sure, and if I was going to be alright on my own.

"Yes and yes." I answered, albeit it came out as a slightly exasperated hiss.

The only thing I asked for before they left was for some plain paper and a pencil for drawing. Minnie directed me to the study where she pulled the requested items from one of the desk drawers, handing them to me before assuring that the group would not be gone for too long. Then they left.

"Yeah, I've 'eard that one before." Unpleasant memories of being dragged around many clothes shops by my mum and big sister for far too long when I was younger surfaced at the words.

Thank goodness I was given the choice to opt out upon hitting age ten.

Now that I had the castle to myself, I decided to spend my time playing around with morphing. After shifting into multiple beasts, I have come to the conclusion that I can only turn into the female versions of animals.

Should have known that since it only seemed logical.

Next and higher on the priority list is testing what combinations can be made.

The idea for it came from a yesterday chat with Sora.

Again, after the day's activities, we all went straight for dinner then decided to turn in for the night. Mine and Sora's rooms were a few doors apart on the same floor so we started walking there together, striking up small talk on the way.

"I really am sorry for snapping at ya." I apologised once more. He responded,

"I told you it's okay, so you don't need to apologise anymore."

"Sorry." A reflexive answer. Sora stopped walking, which made me stop, and turned to face me.

"Listen, I know you'll probably be annoyed with me for asking this but… when you said you could turn into any animal, does that mean you can turn into made up ones too?"

"I suppose so?" More an unsure question than a firm statement.

"Don't you know?" Sora asked, tilting his head slightly. I looked back any the times I turned into any hybridised animal during my time here.

"Well, that stone creature I turned into at Beast's Castle was something I made up so… I suppose so?" I reasoned. The other brunet held his chin between his thumb and index finger in a thinking manner, eyes gazing up in thought.

"So can you turn into a… a tiger with wings, spikes and… a scorpion tail?" He suggested off the top of his head. I blinked. Well that was certainly an interesting image.

"Sounds kinda cool actually." I thought. No harm in trying.

"I could try." Before that, I want to try something a little different. "Are there any mirrors nearby?" He blinked, then pointed to a nearby staircase.

"There's a big one in the hall upstairs. Why do you need a mirror?"

"Because I want to see what I'll look like when I transform."

I followed him, and right where he said, a large mirror hung against the centre wall of the hallway.

Once in front of the looking glass, I focused on the creature Sora made up, picturing it in my head. A familiar tingling washed over from head to toe as my normal self steadily transitioned into the imaginary animal.

I could now see what Sora and Jiminy meant by it was interesting to see me transform. To see the change in form; limbs extending and shortening, fur, scale and feathers hiding skin underneath, and extra appendages growing.

The large feline form came first. The change of body structure forcing me to a quadrupedal state. Not taking my gaze off of my reflection, I watched as my tail segmented itself behind me, stretching to curl over my head as the end swelled ending in a sharp stinger, all the while fading completely black. A cluster of orange feathers festered behind my shoulders, the wings flapping uselessly, only calming once they spanned twice my body length. Neatly folding against my back.

Getting up from my haunches, I turned to get a side view. It looks alright. There was a little bit of plating along my lower back merging with the scorpion tail. Lifting the wings showed that they were a uniform orange, no other colouration or markings. Scrunching my nose at this, I focused on the extra limbs and the secondary and tertiary feathers bleached themselves white until bleeding back into the beast's signature colour at the base of the limbs. Better.

"So, whaddya reckon?" Looking up at the boy expectantly.

If you were to ask me if there was anyone who could easily pull off an expression of child-like glee no matter the age, it would be Sora. Without a shadow of doubt.

Sapphire orbs glistened with delight, accompanied with a dropped jaw shifting to a wide smile.

"That is awesome!" He excitedly whispered, carefully stepping around me in wonder. My mouth twitched at the corners, a feeling of pride rose in my chest at being able to please a friend.

A yawn force its way out of me, a reminder to get some rest. I tiredly asked if that was everything to which Sora confirmed it was. Shifting back to human form, we made our way back downstairs to the correct floor and headed for our rooms.

"Alright, see ya tomorrow." He bade, to which I responded,

"Night." The door closed with a soft click. Picking some leftover grass blades from my coat, I removed it and placed it over the back of a nearby chair.

A sigh slipped past my lips as I sat on the bed. My mind going back to that hybrid tiger creature.

"So, I can combine different animals." Murmuring to myself.

Now that I think about it dragons and gryphons are hybrids of different animals, and I could turn into them with no problem. If that was the case then who knows how many more combinations there could be.

With an excited smirk I thought to myself,

"Maybe tomorrow I should do a little experimenting."

So here I am, standing in front of the tall mirror I was previously guided to, mixing and matching animal parts into whatever I can think of. A small stack of paper lay at my feet, as both references and a catalogue.

Right now, there are several sketches on four of the ten sheets. Ideas drawn up last night for hybridised combinations, some having a cross next to them and others with ticks. Indicating which I thought worked well, and others that I did not like. Though I may alter those ones later.

So far I have three new forms I was happy with, which I have decided to name – Mousprite, Salamandra, and Frost Wolf. The first two are tied with being my favourites.

Currently, I was in the Mousprite form because I thought it looked cute.

Tapping the rubber end of the pencil against my head in thought, I mulled over the designs that could be changed.

"Hmm… don't like the spikes on this one, there's too many. And they're too big." I hummed as I examined one of the drawings on the fourth page. A scorpion creature near the top right corner. "It would probably look better with shorter spikes, less in amount, and more spread out. Yeah, that should work." Flipping the pencil in my nubby paws, I erased the unwanted features and modified them until I felt pleased with how the animal looked. A rabbit-like foot keeping the white sheet in place.

Nodding in satisfaction, I moved on to the next, "Right, now what can I change on-"

SSHHFFF

I froze, looking up and glancing around. It happened again and again. I honed in on the sound.

SSHHHFFF

SSHHHFFF

SSHHHFFF

My head snapped to the left side of the hall, where the sound came from. Sounds like someone dragging their feet across the floor. Ears stood at attention as the noise grew louder, coming closer in that steady rhythm.

"Calm down. It could be one of the broom servants." Despite attempting to rationalise, the heavy, nervous lingering only grew. What if it wasn't? What if it was something else? Should I fight or hide?

Closer and louder than before, my heart quickened its pace, muscles tensing. Fight or hide?

"Make up your mind!" I hissed at myself.

Hide it was.

Scooping up the papers in my arms and holding the pencil between my teeth, I scampered over to a nearby wooden dresser and hid underneath it, making sure I was in the centre. Now, I waited and watched.

A sinewy, silver leg stretched around the corner, followed by another, then a torso and head. More of the same creatures accompanied the first.

Dusks.

Smaller Nobodies shuffled in, large hands dragging the rest of them across the floor. Creepers too.

"Why are they… they're not supposed to be 'ere!"

The heartless beings slithered and twisted through the hall, stepping into rooms for some time then exiting. Whatever they were looking for, they turned up empty-handed. The closer they came to my hiding place, the more I curled in on myself, making me seem smaller. Almost as if it would make me go unnoticed.

Silly, I know, seeing as I'm already small and in a good hiding place, but I could not help it.

I held my breath as they crept closer, a Dusk's pointed feet stopping for a moment before mutely moving again, the Creepers movement now shooting through my ears thanks to the heightened hearing.

An ominous warping sound signalled the arrival of someone else. My eyes snapped to the right. The underside of the dresser cut most of my view of the new person, only letting me see halfway up their cloaked shins.

The lesser variants stopped in their tracks.

"Have you found her?" It wasn't Xaldin this time, definitely not Xigbar or Luxord since this one had no accent, nor was it Axel or Demyx. So it had to be Saïx, and I don't think Xemnas would come here himself. Always send the grunts to do ground work.

"No, my liege. We cannot find the girl, she appears to be absent from the castle." Rasped a whispery voice. My right ear twitched, my eyes widened a fraction.

"Dusks can speak? Since when could they do that?" I thought only the human Nobodies could speak.

"Keep searching, she and her little friends couldn't have left yet." The man ordered in a monotone. "Remember, Superior wants the Keeper captured alive. Now, go."

"Yes, sir." The lesser Nobodies murmured obediently. Once again slithering off on their search. The man followed them quietly, boots softly thumping against the smooth, stone floor.

Crawling closer to the edge, I peeked out from the shadowed space to watch him turn the corner. The minimal amount of space forced my ears to brush the ground, yet the only things I could hear was my heartbeat.

"I think it might be time to leave."

As soon as he was out of sight I came out from under the dresser, now able to breathe normally, reverting back to human momentarily. Picking up the sheets of paper, my hands deftly folded them into neat squares then tucked them into my coat pocket along with the pencil.

Morphing once again, this time into a tiny, white moth, I flitted after the blue-haired man. Although I was in no mood to fight, I might as well keep an eye on them. In case anything happened.

For around half an hour, I observed them as they scoured most of the castle, they did not try to break anything, only scouting. Being careful not to make too much noise while silently investigated everything. They never noticed me, perching on the alabaster walls and ceiling camouflaged me perfectly. Still, I kept a safe distance away from them just in case they did somehow spot me.

You can never be too careful.

They collected near the main hall. Another report at an unsuccessful find. Despite not knowing what his expression was like due to his hood, I could hear Saïx's reaction; a disgruntled growl. Before he could give another order, however, another voice called out,

"We're back!" Sora was back, so must be the others.

Upon hearing his voice, Saïx dismissed the Dusks and Creepers with a quick wave of the hand. Following their disappearance in a swirl of black and purple.

The boys turned the corner and walked down the hall. Talking quietly amongst each other, mostly about how fun going to the town was. In one hand, Sora was supporting a brown, paper bag in the crook of his arm while the other one was stashed in his pocket.

Relieved, and confident now that they were back, I flew off the wall and fluttered in front of them. Zipping back and forth, which they followed upon noticing like a cat would with a butterfly. I flew a little higher.

Hovering a couple of feet above them for a moment, I changed back, landing on my feet with a light thud. They were somewhat startled by it.

"H-Hey. How w-was the town?" Recovering, Sora answered for them.

"It was great! There was a fair going on so we got a bunch of stuff from the booths." The brunet beamed. Bringing the bag closer, he rummaged around until he fished out what he was looking for. He handed me a toffee apple. "Here. They were selling these and we thought you might want one."

A little stunned, I gingerly accepted the treat, crinkling my nose a tad at it.

"I hate red apples." I mentally griped. "But it was a nice gift." Twisting the wooden stick between my fingers, I looked up with a ghost of a smile. "Thank you."

"Are you okay? You look kinda nervous." Goofy asked with concern.

Admittedly, I was the teensiest bit shaken and a little nervous about the close encounter with Saïx. But I managed to avoid him and his minions, so everything was fine. They did not even attempt to wreck the place. Still, the Nobodies appeared while everyone was out, and if the Nobodies were involved they would want to know. I should tell them.

"I'm not nervous, I'm fine." I answered.

"You sure?" Donald pressed.

"Yeah," Assuring him calmly, certain. "I'm sure."

"I'll tell 'em later."

Holy crap, two new chapters for this story in one month! What is this? Is the sky falling? D: Nah, not really. I've just started making rough plans for upcoming chapters to make things go faster and I think it's actually working.

In the Kingdom Hearts manga, the Dusks are able to talk. I remember one page where a Dusk called Roxas "my liege". Thought it might be interesting to add that into the story.