Chapter 2

The Gummi Ship flew through the starry expanse once more, but this time the atmosphere inside was far more tense. The bright, shining worlds that had once filled Powder with wonder now felt distant and cold as they neared the dark and industrial realm of Zaun.

Sora glanced over at her, sensing her nervousness. She sat quietly beside him, staring out at the stars, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of her jacket. He knew how much this return meant to her. Zaun was more than just her home—it was the source of so much of her pain. And now, she was going back, not as the scared, abandoned girl she had once been, but as someone stronger. Even if she didn't fully believe it yet.

"We'll be there soon," Donald announced from the controls, his voice uncharacteristically soft.

Powder nodded, but her grip on her jacket tightened. "I'm ready," she said, but her voice betrayed her.

Sora reached over and gently took her hand, careful not to squeeze too tightly. He knew how she felt about firm touches. Instead, he let his palm rest against hers, offering warmth without pressure. "Hey, it's okay to be nervous. But you're not that little girl anymore, P. You're strong."

Powder looked at him, her blue eyes filled with uncertainty. "What if I'm not, Sora? What if when we get there, I just freeze? What if… what if I mess everything up like I did back then?"

Sora's heart ached hearing the doubt in her voice. He hated that she still carried that guilt, that belief that she was the cause of all her misfortunes. "You're not going to mess anything up," he said softly. "And even if things get tough, we'll figure it out. Together."

Goofy, sitting nearby, chimed in with his usual optimism. "Gawrsh, Powder, you've already been through so much and come out stronger. I know you've got what it takes to face this."

Donald quacked in agreement. "Yeah! You've fought heartless, nobodies, and all kinds of things! What's one trip back home, huh?"

Powder smiled weakly at their encouragement, though her heart was still heavy. The thought of returning to the streets where Vi left her, where everything fell apart… It was terrifying. But she had to do this. For herself. For her future.

"We're here," Sora said quietly, as Zaun came into view.

The streets of Zaun felt heavier than Powder remembered. Every turn, every alley, seemed more decayed, more oppressive than the last time she'd been here. It wasn't just the pollution or the grime; there was an undercurrent of desperation, a darkness that had settled over the city since she'd left.

As they landed the Gummi Ship in one of the alleyways, they covered the ship with an old car drape before emerging and traveling through the twisted streets. Sora stayed close to Powder's side, his Keyblade never far from his hand. Donald and Goofy followed behind, their usual lighthearted banter noticeably absent. The tension in the air made it hard to focus on anything other than staying alert.

"This place feels… different," Sora muttered, his eyes scanning their surroundings.

Powder nodded, her throat tight. "It's always been rough, but now… it's worse. People here are more desperate. And everything's… colder."

"Maybe we should turn back," Donald suggested, his feathers bristling as they passed a group of people who eyed them warily. "There's nothing for us here!"

Powder's heart sank a little at his words. Zaun had never been a kind place, but it had been home once. Now it felt like a place she barely recognized.

"We need to keep going," she said, her voice steady despite the unease bubbling inside her. "I… I need to see what's left of my old life. Maybe then I'll understand why Master Yen Sid sent me here."

Sora gave her a supportive nod. "We'll stick with you, P. No matter what."

Goofy, despite his usual optimism, seemed wary of their surroundings. "Gawrsh, just be careful, okay? Somethin' about this place gives me the willies."

They made their way deeper into the city until a familiar sight made Powder pause—the Last Drop, the old bar that had once been her home. Her heart clenched as memories came rushing back—of Vi, Mylo, Claggor, and Ekko. Of the games they'd played here before everything fell apart.

"What's this place?" Sora asked her as P stared at the building with sorrow in her eyes, the sight of it stirring bittersweet memories.

"The Last Drop," she whispered, brushing her hand against the remains of the stained glass window shattered by Piltover Enforcers. "This… this is where I used to live…"

Sora, Donald, and Goofy followed her inside, and soon, they found the arcade connected to the bar. The familiar flashing lights and buzzing sounds brought back the echo of laughter from her childhood. Without saying a word, Powder led them to the shooting range.

"Bet you can't beat me, Donald," she challenged with a faint smile.

"Oh, we'll see about that!" Donald huffed, taking up the challenge.

Despite his enthusiasm, Powder easily outscored him, drawing playful complaints from the duck as he muttered about broken equipment.

Nearby, Goofy tried his hand at the old punching simulator, only to get clobbered by it. Donald gave it a try as well, and much to everyone's amusement, he too was knocked back by the machine.

For a moment, Powder allowed herself to smile, reminiscing about the good times she had shared here with Vi, Mylo, Claggor, and Ekko. It almost felt like those days weren't so far away.

But her cheerful memories were shattered by a cold, mocking voice that cut through the air.

"Well, well, well… look what we have here."

They all stopped, turning to see a group of Zaunite thugs blocking their path. Leading them was Sevika, her mechanical arm gleaming in the dim light. She grinned, eyes locking on Powder.

"Never thought I'd see your face around here again, Powder," Sevika said, her voice laced with mockery. "Thought you'd run off to a place where you wouldn't be such a disappointment."

Powder's body went rigid, her heart racing at the sight of the woman who had been one of Silco's top enforcers. Memories of Zaun flooded back—the cold stares, the violence, the fear.

Sora stepped in front of her without hesitation, Keyblade at the ready. "Leave her alone!"

Sevika laughed, a cruel sound that echoed through the alley. "This kid's got a lot of spunk, I'll give him that. But you're in the wrong place if you think you can play hero here."

Donald and Goofy quickly moved to Sora's side, bracing themselves for a fight. Powder's hands trembled as she instinctively reached for her Keyblade. She hadn't seen Sevika since the day everything fell apart with Vi, and now, being face-to-face with her again, that old fear gripped her chest like a vice.

Sevika's thugs began to close in, their weapons drawn. "It's been a long time, Powder," Sevika sneered. "Let's see if you've finally learned how to fight, or if you're still the screw-up you've always been."

The insult hit harder than Powder expected. For a moment, her confidence wavered. She hadn't changed as much as she thought. The clumsiness, the mistakes—they still haunted her, and now, in the middle of Zaun, it felt like she was that scared little girl all over again.

But then Sora's voice broke through her thoughts, steady and strong. "P, you don't have to fight this alone. We're in this together."

His words brought her back to the present. She wasn't alone. She had Sora, Donald, and Goofy by her side. She had grown stronger since leaving Zaun, even if she didn't always believe it.

"I'm not a screw-up anymore, Sevika," Powder said, her voice firm as she summoned her Keyblade. "And I'm not afraid of you."

Sevika raised an eyebrow, her smile fading slightly as she saw the weapon in Powder's hand. "Fancy toy. Let's see if you know how to use it, Jinx."

Powder clutched her Keyblade tightly, the name still stinging like a knife to her heart. But she remembered her training, keeping her cool as she focused on Sevika, her eyes blazing with determination. Without warning, Sevika lunged forward, her mechanical arm whirring as she swung it toward Powder. Sora jumped in, blocking the attack with his Keyblade, sparks flying from the impact.

The alley exploded into chaos. Sevika's men rushed in, weapons drawn, as Sora, Donald, and Goofy fought to keep them at bay. Powder moved with them, her Keyblade flashing as she parried strikes and dodged blows, but the thugs kept coming, and Sevika was relentless.

Powder's breath came in ragged gasps as she fought, but for every thug they took down, two more seemed to appear. The fight was quickly turning against them, and it wasn't long before they were backed into a corner, their escape routes cut off.

"There's nowhere to run now," Sevika growled, her mechanical arm raised and ready to strike.

Powder's heart pounded. She tightened her grip on her Keyblade, her thoughts racing. They were trapped. But just as Sevika prepared to bring her arm down in a devastating blow, something—or someone—intervened.

A blur shot into the alley, moving so fast that none of them had time to react. In an instant, one of Sevika's men was knocked to the ground, unconscious.

Sevika spun around, her eyes wide with surprise. "What the-?!"

Before she could finish her sentence, the mysterious figure struck again, delivering a powerful punch to another thug's head, sending him sprawling. 

Powder caught a glimpse of the figure—a muscular silhouette moving with precision and speed, barely visible in the shadows. The figure was definitely feminine, with sharp, deliberate movements. And then, for the briefest moment, Powder saw the figure's eyes—bright blue, cutting through the darkness like lightning.

"Who—?" Powder began, but before she could get a better look, the figure turned her sights out Sevika and, with a shout, began fighting her like a boxer beating down her opponent. 

Sora grabbed Powder's arm, his grip firm yet reassuring. The sudden pressure made her flinch, and she felt her anxiety spike

.

She hated how tight his grip was, even though she knew he meant well. For a moment, she held her breath, battling the urge to pull away. But she focused on Sora's words instead. "P, come on! Now's our chance!"

Without hesitation, the group bolted, running past the dazed and confused thugs as Sevika shouted orders in frustration as she continued to fight the figure. They didn't stop until they reached another alley, far away from the chaos.

Panting, they all leaned against the walls, catching their breath. As they did so , Powder rubbed her arm where Sora had grabbed her, taking a deep breath to steady herself. The tension still buzzed in her limbs, a reminder of how close they had come to danger. Yet amidst the chaos, she felt a flicker of hope-maybe she was stronger than she believed.

"What… just happened?" Donald managed between gasps.

Powder, still breathing heavily, shook her head. "I don't know. Someone… someone helped us."

"Whoever they were, they saved our butts," Sora said, wiping sweat from his brow.

Powder's mind raced as she replayed the moment in her head. The figure had been quick, strong—there was no doubt about that. But something about them seemed… familiar. She had only caught a glimpse, but those blue eyes, that build… that shout…

Could it be…?

No. It couldn't be. Powder shook the thought from her head. Whoever it was, they had saved them. And that was all that mattered for now.

But deep down, a part of her wondered. Had she just caught a glimpse of someone from her past?