Prologue

The dimly lit streets of Zaun were eerily quiet, shadows flickering under the occasional streetlight, and steam hissing from unseen pipes. Powder trudged along the grimy paths, her head heavy with thoughts she couldn't shake. Her sister had left her. Called her a jinx. And walked away without a second glance. Powder hugged her arms close, feeling the weight of those words pressing down on her like chains.

Why did I have to be this way? she thought bitterly, gazing down the empty, unfriendly streets. Why can't I do anything right?

The ache twisted deeper, her despair pushing her toward thoughts she wasn't ready to confront. It would be so easy, so final, to just disappear into the shadows that had always seemed to follow her. But a sound snapped her back—a sinister rustling. Powder's head shot up, her heart pounding as shadowy creatures with glowing yellow eyes began creeping out of the darkness.

A wave of fear washed over her. She backed up instinctively, her hands fumbling for her homemade bombs. Throwing them wildly, she managed to hold the creatures back for moments at a time. But it wasn't enough. Her last bomb fizzled out as she hit a dead end, cornered by the relentless swarm. The hope in her heart went cold as she lowered her arms, accepting the inevitable. Maybe she did deserve this—lost in the dark, with no one to care.

Then, suddenly, a burst of light cut through the street, and a boy with a strange, key-shaped weapon appeared, swinging it like he belonged here, like he was meant to be here, somehow. He struck down the shadowy creatures with ease, his movements precise and controlled. Powder watched, her heart racing as he cleared a path to her, joined by a duck in a blue hat and a tall dog in armor who helped push back the creatures.

The boy turned to her, his blue eyes meeting hers, soft and full of warmth she hadn't felt in so long. "Are you okay?" he asked gently.

Powder blinked, caught off guard. The dirt on her cheeks felt heavier, her tear-streaked face exposed in a way she hadn't wanted. "Go away," she whispered, her voice weak and wavering. "Everyone always leaves."

But the boy's expression only softened. "Hey… I'm not going anywhere. What's your name?"

"P-Powder…" she murmured, barely able to meet his gaze.

"Nice to meet you, Powder! I'm Sora! And these are my friends, Donald and Goofy!" He pointed to his companions, both of whom smiled warmly.

"Hiya!" Goofy greeted softly, "It's very nice to meet you, sweetheart. Awhuck! Say, why are you out here all alone?"

Powder only looked away in shame as tears welled up in her eyes once again. The words Vi had thrown at her echoed in her mind, sharp and unyielding.

"Because you're a jinx! You hear me?! Mylo was right!"

The piercing sting of rejection settled deep in her heart, twisting like a knife. She had always been the little sister, eager to please, to prove herself, but all her attempts seemed futile. Every mishap, every failed bomb had only fed the belief that she was a burden, and the incident with the monkey bomb, the only gadget she made that had actually worked, was the thing that solidified it. Alone in the cold, unwelcoming streets of Zaun, she felt invisible, as if the world had turned its back on her. It was a weight she couldn't shake, a belief that had been hammered into her soul.

Sora felt a pang in his heart as he watched her struggle with her emotions. He couldn't imagine what she had been through, but he could sense the pain radiating from her, even though he didn't know the full story.

"You don't have to be alone, you know," he said gently, his voice soothing and comforting. His first attempt was to comfort her, but then an idea flicked in his mind like a lightbulb. It was a long shot, and he might get a lengthy earful from Donald, but he liked it.

"You can come with us if you like!"

Powder just blinked in surprise from the offer, and Goofy did the same. But as expected, Donald waddled over, a stern frown crossing his face like an angry parent. "Sora, we can't—"

But Sora quickly cut him off, eyes blazing with determination. "We have to help her."

Goofy scratched his head. "Gawrsh, she looks like she could use some friends right about now."

Donald opened his beak to argue but paused, looking at Powder more closely. The girl looked like she was broken in many different ways, and the sight of the large bruise and bleeding laceration on her eyebrow didn't make the pity in the duck's heart fade. Still, however, he crossed his arms, muttering, "But she doesn't have a keyblade. She can't defend herself."

"Then we'll defend her," Sora replied quietly, glancing at Powder. "Sometimes, we meet people who need help, even if it's not part of some big mission."

Powder sniffed, wiping her face with the back of her sleeve. "It doesn't matter," she muttered. "No one stays. They all just leave. I'm… I'm a jinx."

"Hey, no one's a jinx," Sora replied, his voice steady. "Everyone makes mistakes. Even I do! But that doesn't mean we can't help each other out." He leaned in closer, meeting her gaze with a sincerity that made her heart race. "I want to help you, Powder. Just tell me what's wrong."

She looked at him, confusion and skepticism swirling in her eyes. How could he want to help her? No one had before, not even her own sister. "Why?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Why do you care?"

Sora's expression softened. "Because I know what it's like to feel lost and alone. I've had my friends leave me, too. But that doesn't mean we can't find a way through the darkness together." Sora smiled warmly, offering his hand to her. "You don't have to face this alone anymore. We're friends now."

"Friends?" Powder repeated, her voice shaky. She stared at his hand like it was the most alien thing in the world, but slowly, she reached out and took it. His grip was warm, comforting.

Donald sighed dramatically. "Fine. But just this once! We can't take every kid we meet on our journey, you know."

Goofy laughed softly. "Shucks, Donald. I think she'll fit right in."

Powder looked between them, her confusion clear. "Where are you going?"

Sora's face lit up, and he stood, helping Powder to her feet. "We're traveling between worlds. There's a lot to see and a lot of people who need help."

Her eyes widened. "Worlds? Like… different places? I can go with you?"

Sora nodded eagerly. "Of course! But only if you want to."

Powder hesitated, the weight of her earlier heartbreak still heavy on her. Vi had left her, called her a jinx, but here was this boy, offering her something she had lost—hope. She didn't fully understand what was happening, but there was something about Sora that made the weight of everything fade little by little. He was like a bright star in the middle of the darkness.

Finally, Powder smiled, though it was faint. "Ok. S-Sure. I would like to go. With you." Since I don't have anywhere else to go…

Sora grinned. "Then let's go!" He looked over at Donald and Goofy, who exchanged a knowing glance.

Goofy leaned down, ruffling Powder's hair gently. "Welcome to the team, P."

She blinked. "P?" Her heart skipped. Vi used to call her that.

Goofy's breath hitched, suddenly realizing his slip. "Oh! I just thought it'd be a cool nickname! You know, since you're Powder, but shorter…"

Powder's lips twitched into a small, genuine smile. "I like it."

The four of them started walking, the weight of the city behind them. Powder kept close to Sora, her steps uncertain but growing bolder with each one. For the first time in what felt like forever, she didn't feel like a jinx. Maybe… maybe she could be something more.

Sora glanced at her, his heart feeling light. He didn't really understand why, but there was something about Powder. She was tough, even though she was sad. He liked that about her.

As they walked through Zaun, Sora and Powder occasionally caught each other's eyes. Powder blushed slightly, not used to having someone look at her like that—like she mattered. And Sora, well, he wasn't quite sure why his stomach did a little flip every time she smiled at him. He didn't mind it.

"Hey, P," Sora said after a while, nudging her lightly. "We're gonna see some amazing places, okay? I'll make sure of it."

Powder looked up at him, her heart doing a little flip of its own. She nodded, her smile growing. "I believe you."

And just like that, Powder, once abandoned and broken, found herself part of something bigger than she ever imagined. And maybe, just maybe, she wasn't alone after all.