Title: Dreamy Diamond Dust
Summary: While taking the Mark of Mastery exam, Sora somehow ends up on world that isn't asleep, and finds someone who is. Now, in addition to finishing the test, Sora has to figure out who Jack Frost is and why he can't wake up.
A/N: Figured for my bday I should post some xovers,
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If Sora had to describe it, he was dropping into one world when he felt a sudden pull tugged on his navel and before he knew it he was being dragged towards another direction.
He had no control, he didn't know what just happened, but he found himself saying, "Could I possibly enter the Gold Tournament, Phil?"
"Huh?" Phil looked up from his clipboard. He took a good look over at the brunet, Sora frowning as the centaur did so as he himself regained his focus and awareness of his surroundings.
The brunet jumped, recognizing just exactly where he was. A gentle hue of gold, the warm shade was everywhere in this small room accompanied with a soft glow of candles next to trophies with strategically placed podiums and columns to give the room more of a sense of grandeur.
What the heck - why was he in Olympus Coliseum?
"Sure, kid, I don't see why not." Phil scribbled down on his board and stepped aside to let the challenger pass. "You're on in three."
"Uh..." Sora faltered as he turned back to the centaur. "Wait, hang on, can I take that back -"
Phil looked up from his clipboard and glared. "You're funny, kid. Real funny. No you cannot, you're committed to this thing. Now get a move on."
"I, uh..."
"Nya!" Sora jerked forward as Meow Wow pushed him forward, along with an encouraging nudge from Tama Sheep.
"Alright, alright. Geez, Meow Wow, can you - Oh!" Sora was still confused, but was greatly comforted by the fact that his Spirits were still with him. He grinned, taking a moment to stand still and think. "So I'm still taking the Exam. Good, okay." He continued to look around, still bewildered. "But why am I in Olympus Coliseum?" As far as he knew, this particular world was awake, keyhole sealed, and wouldn't have to be bothered by him unless someone else did it first.
"Kid! Get a move on, it's time for your match!"
Sora felt himself being shoved forward, and the dark corridor only lasted for a moment as he was thrust into a dim light and the sky turned purple.
Landing on his face, he did not expect for Tama Sheep and Meow Wow jump onto his back. "Oof!"
They hopped off and jumped around him, making various noises as if excited. Sora stared at them as he thought back, trying to recall how he defeated the Ice Titan last time he had to face it.
There was a rumble coming from behind him, and Sora turned to see a hand made of ice reach inside the stage and climb in, creating ice with its steps. Sora rolled out of the way, glaring at the tall enemy at a distance. He readied his Firaga spells, taking aim as he readied to take the shot.
Tama Sheep and Meow Wow, however, had other ideas as they jumped close to the Titan, squeaking and bouncing around its feet. The Ice Titan stilled, kneeling down to the Spirits, and they squeaked in alarm but made no move to attack. Oddly enough, the Ice Titan didn't attack them either, kneeling like a statue.
Tama Sheep and Meow Wow turned to Sora, and he could tell they wanted him to come over to them, to their foe. Trusting his Spirits, Sora made his way to them, cautiously holding on to his keyblade with a Fire spell, just in case.
They jumped, gesturing as much as they could without speech, for Sora to look inside the Ice Titan. The Ice Titan made no moves to attack, so Sora assumed that he was safe. Besides, his Spirits wouldn't trick him like that.
He looked inside, and blinked in confusion. Inside the rib cage, on the spine, was an ice crystal that contained a boy with snow-white hair. The mysterious boy was dressed in a blue hoodie with hints of frost around his neck, pockets, sleeves, and the tips of his hood, and thin beige pants with leather cords holding it together by his ankles. His eyes were shut, lost in a dream, and he looked peaceful.
Sora aimed his keyblade at the boy incased in ice, its tips starting to illuminate as it warmed up for a Fira spell. As he was about to shoot, Tama Sheep jumped in the way and took the blow, absorbing the fire and squeaking in pain before Meow Wow healed the dream sheep.
Sora understood immediately. He was summoned here to save this guy trapped inside the Ice Titan, and the Spirits must have been answering his silent cries for help. He tossed away his keyblade and quickly hurried over inside the rib cage, banging on the ice as he tried to wake the boy inside. "I'm going to get you out," Sora yelled, banging as hard as he could.
Meow Wow jumped around Sora's keyblade, and Tama Sheep recovered enough to bleat and crawled around. Lost on what to do, Sora scrambled for ideas on how to help. He picked up his weapon and this time summoned a Fire spell, keeping it on the tip as he moved the sword around the ice to melt it a bit.
It wasn't moving as quickly as he would have liked, and the Ice Titan was beginning to regain awareness, if the fidgeting meant anything. Sora bit his lip and thought quickly for a strategy he could use. He blasted the fire at the top of the spine, and summoned a Firaga to use.
His Spirits didn't like that, and they were hopping madly in order to get Sora to stop. Sora understood that they were trying to protect the prisoner, for he must be linked to the ice so fire could hurt him. He told them, "There isn't any time. I'm not going to shoot him, I'm going to shoot fire around him and hopefully it'll be thin enough to break."
The Spirits backed off as soon as Sora finished explaining his plan, and left the keyblade wielder to his devices as they went to distract the Ice Titan starting to come back to life.
Sora moved quickly, not wanting to waste any time, and tried to detach the crystal from the Ice Titan, as if he was removing a blemish from the creature. Tama Sheep tried to keep the Ice Titan in slumber, Meow Wow giving moral support for both and cures if needed.
Sora somehow managed to free the boy from the ice, catching him in his arms as the Ice Titan disappeared as soon as there was no physical contact between them.
Tama Sheep and Meow Wow bleated and meowed in happiness. Sora gently laid the teen down on the ground, cradling him towards his chest. He held the boy in his arms, trying to shake him awake. He was cold, freezing cold to touch, and Sora couldn't help but shiver as he tried to wake him up. "Hello? Hello!" Sora shook him as hard as he dared, not wanting to injure him any more than possible.
Something glittered in the sleeping teen's eyes. Sora gently touched his face to remove the black and gold sand by the edges. "Sand?" he questioned to himself, rubbing his fingers just to make sure. It was indeed sand, and Sora attempted to take out as much sand from his eyes as possible. As Sora brushed away the sand, he spotted the sparse diamond tears run down his cheeks.
"Don't worry! You'll be awake soon!" Sora exclaimed, working faster with more fervor.
"Ah, there he is."
Sora turned to the new voice, and towering over him was a thin, grey man dressed in a dark cloak - not like the Organization's coat for travelling through darkness for there was no silver trims – covered and shrouded in shadows. Sora's spirits cowered behind him.
Sora held the sleeping boy tighter in his arms, not liking the feeling of uneasiness he was getting from the newcomer. "Still sleeping I see," he said with a smile. He turned to Sora. "Thank you for finding him, I thought I lost him forever."
"Who is he?" Sora demanded. "What do you want from him?"
"That is none of your concern." The man held out his hand. "Now if you'll just hand him over to me I would greatly appreciate it."
Sora just pulled the boy closer to him, ignoring the shivers he gave him. He was trapped in the Ice Titan, of course he was going to be cold. Sora started to hug the boy, hoping that he could warm him up, but he just continued to feel cold. "What's wrong with him?" Sora whispered, concerned that he wasn't waking up.
"Nothing I can't fix with time," the man said slyly, and Sora did not like it.
"Who are you?" he asked, trying to distract him enough to think of a plan.
"Me?" The man chuckled. "I'm the one who keeps you awake at night. I'm the one who keeps you afraid of the dark. I'm the one who makes your fears a reality." He smirked.
"I am the Boogeyman."
There was a moment of complete silence, as Sora absorbed the information. Giving it thought, however, he frowned. "You're not Oogie Boogie," he said flatly.
The man claiming to be the Boogeyman frowned himself. "That wannabe? Don't even utter his name in my presence."
Sora was about to say more, before a blast of light blinded him. Sora felt the weight in his arms get suddenly lighter, and as soon as the light faded the Boogeyman and the sleeping boy were gone and replaced with a small golden man. The man looked around and snapped his fingers, frustrated. Sora's Spirits hopped happily over to the man, excited. The man turned to them and started to pet them.
Sora blinked, confused at what was going on. "Who are you?"
The man turned to Sora. All traces of his frustration disappeared when he smiled. Why hello there, Sora. Sorry to interrupt you during your Mark of Mastery Exam. I wasn't planning to interfere, but it seems that you managed to do that. He didn't sound mad, more like amused and grateful.
Sora widened his eyes. "You can speak into my mind?"
The man nodded. Because we're in dreams I can communicate to you through telepathy, Sora.
Sora frowned. "Wait, how do you know my name?"
I know the names of all the children of all the worlds. But where are my manners? Let me introduce myself. My name is Sanderson Mansnoozie, but you may know me better as the Sandman.
"The Sandman? Oh! The Guardian of Dreams, right? I remember hearing about you when I was younger. It's an honor to meet you!" Sora grinned.
You can call me Sandy though, everybody does. Sandy nodded. But I'm afraid the circumstances aren't so great. Tell me, have you seen a boy with snow white hair?
Sora nodded. "Yeah, but I think some other guy I was talking to took him away before you appeared. He introduced himself as the Boogeyman." He then bowed his head. "I tried to protect him."
Sandy frowned. That would be Pitch.
"Pitch? Okay, but then who was that boy?"
That would be Jack. Jack Frost. Sandy tsked. This obsession with Jack is not healthy. At least he's in a deep enough sleep that dreams cannot reach him. I don't even want to think about what Pitch would do in the recesses of his mind.
"Is there anything I can do to help?"
Sandy looked over to Sora and smiled. Just keep an eye out. I'll be sure to be around. Take this. He handed Sora a pouch. This pouch contains white sand that should be able to wake Jack up. If you see him again away from Pitch, be sure to sprinkle some in his eyes. I better get going. It was nice seeing you, Sora. I wish you the best of luck in your exam. Oh and I promised not to interfere, but please be careful. Not everything is what it seems.
Before Sora could ask what he meant - even though he knew that he was not linked to Xehanort and that other silver haired kid, that Sandy had his own set of problems that were completely unrelated to his own - with a dip of his head, Sandy disappeared.
Sora held the pouch close to his chest for a few moments, concentrating hard on what Jack and Pitch looked like. He pocketed the sand pouch and looked up to the fading sky, knowing that he will soon be back on his original route to the Symphony of Sorcery, he said, "I'll help you, Jack. No matter what."
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A/N: I don't know if I'll continue this so I'll mark it complete for now.
Thanks for reading!
