The Lion, the Witch, and the Keyblade
Note: I don't own "Kingdom Hearts" or "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe." The former is owned by Disney, Buena Vista Games, and Square Enix. The latter was originally written by C. S. Lewis, and movie references are based on the version by Disney and Walden Media. This story takes place after "Kingdom Hearts 2."
Chapter 1: Into Narnia
"This is it!"
As soon as Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Riku stepped off of the Gummy Ship and opened the World Entrance door, all they saw was a bare room that was completely except for a Save Point and a huge boxlike structure covered by a sheet. Riku was beside himself. This was his first mission the King sent him on, and he was expecting something a whole lot more. Sora had already stepped on the Save Point. "Sora, get off of that. We must be in the wrong place."
Sora got off the Save Point. "You think Chip and Dale might have flown us in the wrong direction?"
"That's not like them," Donald answered.
"Yup," Goofy said. "They're the best engineers in the universe."
"But there's nothing here!" Riku exclaimed. He and Sora walked around the box searching for anything, but there was nothing more.
"What do you think is under here?" Sora asked indicating the box.
"Let's find out," Donald said. Everybody grabbed an edge of the sheet and pulled. They all coughed at the cloud of dust that filled the air, but once it was clear, they saw a large, wooden box with a single door covered in magnificent carvings.
"Well, there's a door," Goofy said. "That's a start."
"I guess you gotta do your thing, Sora," Riku said.
"Well, it may not be locked. Let's see." Sora reached up and grabbed the doorknob. The door opened easily, and on the other side they saw a bunch of hanging fur coats. Everybody stared at the door at a complete loss for words. "On second thought, maybe I should use the Keyblade."
Everybody backed up. Sora closed the door and drew his Keyblade. A bright light glowed all around him. He pointed the Keyblade toward the closed door. Light illuminated the tip of his Keyblade and shot forth in a brilliant beam toward the door. The door opened by itself as the light faded. Sora put the Keyblade away, and everybody drew near to see–a bunch of hanging fur coats. The only change was that the room somehow felt a lot colder.
"I can't believe this!" Riku yelled. "I can't believe that King Mickey would summon us from our comfy, warm, tropical island on a mission to see a drafty room and a closet!"
Sora tried to tell him to calm down, but then an old, raspy voice just behind them said, "Actually, young man, it's a wardrobe." They all turned around to see a tall, funny-looking old man observing them all intently while puffing on his pipe. He then took the pipe out of his mouth and gestured to Riku as he added, "And it is very rude to complain about another man's house."
"Where did you come from?" Riku said in amazement.
"What do schools teach these days? When I was your age, we treated our elders with respect."
Riku looked down in shame, again at a loss for words.
"We're sorry, sir," Sora spoke up. "You just took us by surprise. I'm Sora." He reached out his hand for him to shake. The others introduced themselves and shook the man's hand as well.
"That's more like it," the man said. "You may call me the Professor."
"Professor," Sora said, "are you the one King Mickey sent us to see?"
"I beg your pardon, son? My memory is not what it used to be. I do not recall meeting a king, but if you explain to me your errand, I can perhaps remember what message I can give to you."
"Well, King Mickey sent a message to Riku and me. He said that he heard of a threat that could mean the creation of thousands, maybe millions of Heartless and Nobodies and the destruction of many worlds. He said a new pathway to a world had appeared, and he wanted us to go there and speak to a friend of his."
"The King sent the same message to us," Donald added.
"Yup. He said that he couldn't say anymore in case the message was interrupted," Goofy said.
"Intercepted!" Donald corrected.
"Oh right, intercepted."
"I see," the Professor nodded. "I'm afraid I have nothing to tell you."
Riku sighed in frustration. "We got to be in the wrong place. There's nothing here!"
The Professor regarded him. "Young man, is this where your king sent you?"
"Well . . . yeah, at least that's what we think."
"And he told you to expect to meet someone or to see something."
"I thought so, sir."
He looked toward the others. "Does your king have a habit of lying?"
"No!" Donald said emphatically. "He'd never lie to us!"
"Especially about something like this," Goofy added.
"Very well," the Professor nodded. "Is he, then, insane?"
"Well," Sora said, "when I first heard about him, I might have said yes. But we all have seen outrageous, wonderful things."
"I'd say he's more sane than me or Donald," Goofy said.
"Hey!" Donald yelled.
The Professor looked at Riku again. "Do they not teach logic in schools? Logic tells us that there can be only three possibilities: your king is either mad, he is lying, or he is telling the truth. You know that he does not tell lies, and it is obvious to you that he is not mad. Therefore, unless other evidence turns up, we must assume that he is telling the truth."
"So there is supposed to be something here?" Riku said. "Where? In the coats?"
Sora looked at the wardrobe again and thought he felt a small tug from his keyblade toward the wardrobe. "Professor, is there something unusual about that wardrobe?"
The professor looked questioningly up at the ceiling. "This is a very strange place, son. Even I know very little about it."
Sora looked closely at the wardrobe. He couldn't see anything beyond the coats, but in his heart he felt like something was calling him. Then, he suddenly heard a lion's roar. He gasped with surprise, but the roar didn't scare him. In fact, it seemed to fill him with new courage and determination.
"What's the matter, Sora?" Donald asked.
"Didn't you hear that?" he said. Donald, Goofy, and Riku shook their heads. The Professor looked at him knowingly and may have even given him a small smile. Sora looked back at the wardrobe and took a step forward.
"Sora, you can't be serious!" Riku said.
Sora shrugged. "Stranger things have happened. You know they have." He went inside. Donald and Goofy shortly followed. Riku finally sighed and pursued.
"Oh, young man," the Professor called after him, "make sure you do not close the door behind you. It is very foolish to shut yourself into a wardrobe. You want to find your way back, after all."
Riku looked at him indignantly for a moment then turned without saying anything. He was resenting being lectured like this.
"Man, this is a big wardrobe," Sora remarked.
"Sure is dark and cold in here," Goofy's voice said out of nowhere.
"OW!" Donald yelled. "Careful, Goofy! I'm not wearing shoes!"
"Sorry, Donald."
Riku also called out in pain as something brushed against his arm. "Does he make coats out of porcupines?" Riku said.
"What's that crunching noise?" Sora asked.
"It's probably the moth-balls."
"I don't think so. It sounds and feels kinda like . . ." His voice trailed off, and his footsteps stopped. Soon, everyone caught up with him and saw right. In front of them was not the back of the wardrobe but a snowy wood.
"This IS a big wardrobe," Riku acknowledged.
Sora took a few steps forward. Suddenly, he was surrounded by a glowing light, and when it faded he found himself in a warm coat.
Riku looked at him. "I ought to pay those three good fairies a visit one of these days."
"Why don't you just get a coat from the wardrobe?" Sora said. "I'm sure the Professor won't mind if you borrow it."
Riku wanted to act tough, and so he said, "No, I'm fine. It's been a long time since I've seen snow."
"Yeah. We sure don't have this on the island."
"You can say that again."
Sora watched as his best friend stared at the sky in a childlike wonder even he couldn't hide. He couldn't resist, even though he knew he was about to regret it. He scooped up some snow, patted it into a ball, yelled, "Heads up, Riku!" and threw it at him. As it hit Riku, everybody laughed.
"You're not gonna get away with that!" He chased after Sora with his own pile of snow, and they got into a big snowball fight. Everybody just laughed as they played.
Then they came up to a lit lamppost, and gradually Sora stopped. "We got to start looking for King Mickey's friend."
"Yeah," Riku said. "But this place is so big. We'll probably cover more ground if we split up. Donald and I will go this way, and you and Goofy go that way."
"No Riku. If King Mickey is right and there are more Heartless and Nobodies than ever, we gotta stick together and protect each other."
"Hey, I can look out for myself! I made some bad choices the past couple of adventures, but I survived, didn't I? I don't need your keyblade to keep me safe."
"Riku, I don't think you understand. I've been searching for you for two whole years! I don't want us to get separated again." He looked down and admitted, "You know how hard I took it when King Mickey wanted Kairi to go on another mission with him."
Riku gave him a small smile and put his hand on Sora's shoulder. "It'll be ok, Sora. Remember what Yen Sid told you? We're all friends, and our hearts are connected. You, me, Kairi, we'll always be together."
"Yeah, well . . . I still don't feel right about this."
"We can give it a try, Sora," Goofy said. "This is Riku's first mission with us."
"Yeah. He has the right to make decisions, too," Donald said.
"So, we're in agreement," Riku said. "We'll meet here at the lamppost in an hour."
"We don't have watches!" Sora argued.
"Yes, but we have a clock that tells us how long we've been on a mission. Just come back here when an hour has past. Come on, Donald."
Sora watched as they were leaving, and then he called, "Riku! Do you have enough provisions?"
"I have three Hi-Potions. I think Donald stocked up on Ethers."
"Yeah," Donald nodded.
"OK," Sora said. Reluctantly, he and Goofy turned the other way.
Sora walked somewhat slowly because he was disappointed in this situation. He only got a few paces away from the lamppost when he turned around to Goofy. "What do you think King Mickey and Kairi are doing?"
"I don't know," he answered. "It must be something important and something that only concerns her."
"Why can't we all be together for once?"
"The King knows what he's doing, Sora. Don't worry, Kairi's in good hands."
"I know, but she doesn't necessarily need to be in good hands. She can hold her own. You saw her fight in the–what was that?"
"What?"
"I thought I saw something." He watched the trees closely. "Someone's out there." Then he saw hooves. "Or something's out there."
Just then, a man wearing only a read scarf came from behind the tree. "Hello!" Sora called. The man screamed, dropped all the boxes in his hand, and hid.
"There's something strange about that guy," Goofy said.
"Was it just me, or did he have hooves?"
"Yes, and horns on his head."
"You don't think he's a Heartless, do you?"
"I don't know. Why don't we help him with his packages? Heartless don't respond to kindness."
"Good idea." Goofy and Sora picked up all the boxes. The man came out slowly and shakily pointed his umbrella at Sora.
"It's ok," Sora said encouragingly. "We're here to help. Come on. Come on."
The man stammered and shook, but he took the boxes from Sora's hand. "Thank you," he managed to say.
"I don't mean to be rude, but just what are you?"
"I-I-I'm a faun," he replied.
"A baby deer like Bambi?"
"No, no, no, that's a fawn. I'm a faun."
Sora and Goofy looked at each other confused.
"With a U," the faun added.
"Oh," Sora and Goofy nodded.
"What about you? Are you an overgrown, beardless dwarf?"
"I'm not a dwarf!" Sora answered. "And I don't have my beard . . . not yet, anyway. I'm a boy. Well, technically, I'm a teenager. And Goofy is just . . . Goofy."
The faun laughed. "I can see that!" But then he looked hard at Sora. "Are you saying that you are a Son of Adam?"
Sora stammered. He had no idea who his father was. Then the faun's eyes grew wide. "What is that by your side?"
"Oh this?" Sora drew his weapon. "It's the Keyblade."
The faun gaped in awe. "This is the legendary Keyblade? Then you are the Son of Adam known as Sora." The faun fell to his knees and bowed his head. "Oh, I am not worthy to stand before you."
"You are worthy, and please, just call me Sora. Get up before you catch cold."
"Oh, thank you. You are good, Keyblade Wielder. I mean . . . Sora. How did you come here?"
"We got off the Gummy Ship and entered the wardrobe," Goofy answered.
"Gum-mee Ship? What does that export?"
Sora shrugged. "Us, I guess."
"And I am not familiar with the country of War Drobe. How close is it to Narnia?"
"Narnia? Is that what this world is called?"
"Oh yes! Every stick, stone, and icicle you see from the lamppost all the way to castle Cair Paravel on the Eastern Sea is Narnia. Forgive me, Sora, I have been so rude. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Tumnus."
"Hello, Mr. Tumnus. Are you the person the King sent us to see?"
"King? The King?"
"King Mickey," Goofy explained.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I've only had dealings with a queen."
"Queen Minnie?"
"No, I'm sorry. But I am sure you, Sora and Goofy are tired after your long and tumultuous journey on your Gum-mee Ship through the treacherous land of War Drobe to come this way. It is the least I can do to invite you to my house for tea."
"That's nice of you, but we don't have long. And we really got to find the King's friend."
"It won't take long. My house is just around the corner, and there will be a glorious fire with toast and tea and cake and perhaps sardines."
Sora couldn't stop from making a bit of a disgusted face with the last one, but he tried to keep his comments to himself.
"And-and . . . I would so love to hear all of your adventures, Sora and Goofy. Please. I don't often meet such illustrious heroes as yourselves."
"I suppose we could go for a little while," Goofy said.
Mr. Tumnus' face brightened, and they followed him from the lamppost to his house.
Meanwhile, Riku and Donald were wandering into the depths of the forest. Donald shivered. "It's so cold out here."
"What are you complaining about?" Riku said. "You're covered in feathers. I'm the one without sleeves."
"Are you sure you don't want to get a coat?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. The darkness was much colder than this." As they walked on, they heard the gentle jingle of bells. "Someone's coming this way." Before they knew it, a sled drawn by silver reindeer ran them off the path. It stopped just them.
A dwarf got off the sled and came at them with a whip. "I got him!" Donald yelled and hit the dwarf with a Fire spell. That didn't deter him, so Riku drew his keyblade and hit him with a combo.
"Stop!"
The fighting stopped, and Donald and Riku turned toward the speaker. It was a tall, pale woman dressed all in white and wearing a crown of ice upon her head. She looked straight at Riku. "What is your name, Son of Adam?"
Riku similarly stuttered because he couldn't remember his father's name. "Riku," he finally replied.
"Riku? Not Sora?"
"No, ma'am."
"Is that the way you address the Queen of Narnia?" the dwarf demanded.
"Hush Ginarrbrik," she said. "A true hero stands before us. Unless . . . is that not the Keyblade you're holding?"
"It's . . . a keyblade," Riku answered. "It's not like Sora's. Mine was . . . created by the power of darkness, but that's a long story I don't really want to talk about. So, you really are the Queen? Do you know King Mickey?"
The Queen paused and then jerkily nodded. "Yes. Yes, I know the King."
"Then Donald and I need to talk to you."
"Oh yes, by all means. Come, sit up here with me. You look so cold there. I will wrap my mantle around you, and we'll talk."
"No, that's fine. I can talk to you from here. I'm–Donald!" The duck had already seated himself in the sled.
"I'm afraid it will become too crowded if we all sit there. Leave precedence for the Son of Adam."
"Huh?" Donald said.
"The boy," the Queen said coldly to him. Donald hopped off the sled and muttered to himself.
"Oh, he can sit up here with you, and I can talk to you like a man from here. It's fine."
"No Riku, I insist. It is rude to turn down a good favor from a Queen."
Riku was getting very tired of adults lecturing him on manners, but he figured she was right. He just didn't want to get caught in the trap of trusting her, as he did Maleficent. So he got in the sled, but he tried to keep his guard up.
Back at Mr. Tumnus' house, Sora was telling the faun about his adventures. "Then the door to Kingdom Hearts appeared. Ansem, or at least the man we thought was Ansem, was convinced that on the other side everlasting darkness dwelt. But as I drew near, I knew once and for all that Kingdom Hearts was a place of light. And it opened of its own accord, and the, uh, Ansem impostor faded away in the light."
"That is absolutely marvelous, Sora," Mr. Tumnus said as he took another sip of tea. "To think you did it all because of your keyblade and your pure heart."
"Well, my friends help tremendously. I can't do anything without them."
Mr. Tumnus chuckled. "I'm sure. Well, I am very glad to call both of you my friends. You are wonderful friends."
"We can say the same about you," Goofy said.
Mr. Tumnus smiled. "More tea, Sora?"
"Well, I am a little thirsty from talking so much."
"Then let me give you a break," Tumnus said as poured more tea into Sora's cup. He picked up a strange flute from on top of the fireplace mantle. "I will play you some music. I'm not very good, but maybe you'll enjoy it."
"I'm sure you'd be better than me."
"Well, do you know any Narnian lullabies?"
"No," Sora shook his head.
"Don't think so," Goofy answered.
"Well, that's good, because this probably won't sound anything like one." He put the flute to his lips and played a hypnotic tune. Sora found himself staring at the fire. He thought he saw all manners of creatures dancing in the flames. He wondered if it was due to all the adventures mulling in his brain. He continued to think about them and listening to the music and staring in the fire. Before long, he drifted into a deep sleep. Goofy also drifted off.
Once he was sure that they were both asleep, Mr. Tumnus put his flute down. Slowly and silently, he crept toward Sora and took the Keyblade.