rChapter 1

The First Dive! The Dreamer's Dilemma!

OOO

Falling.

He was falling. That was all he could tell.

Who is 'he', you ask? He was a fourteen year old boy with brown hair and dark brown eyes. His hair was usually in a carefree style, but on special occasions, his hair was parted down the middle. He was wearing a crimson red shirt with a single white line down the middle. He was also wearing blue jeans, a brown belt and plain black and white tennis shoes. He was also wearing a bronze heart necklace.

His name was Andrew.

'I've been having these strange thoughts lately.' Andrew thought as he fell. 'Like… is all of this real… or not?'

Andrew began struggling to open his eyes. He definitely falling, but… it felt like he was underwater. Yet, he was falling as if he was in midair.

'How can this… happening to me?'

Andrew blinked… and found himself near a beach on a strange island that was totally unfamiliar to Andrew.

There were small huts made from sticks and driftwood, palm tree-like plants along the rocky cliffs.

But the weirdest thing was, on a long bendy tree, star shaped fruit was growing under the top of it.

Utterly confused, Andrew turned to the lapping waves of the beach. He saw someone out in the water.

It was another boy, age fourteen. It was a yellow shirt mimicking a tank top with baggy blue jeans connected to suspenders with large shoes. He had silver hair that spiked near the back of his neck.

Even though Andrew had never seen the boy, he knew his name.

Riku.

Andrew tried to call to Riku, but no sound came from his mouth.

'What?' Andrew thought, confused. 'Why can't I talk?'

While Andrew thought it over, the tide receded back to the ocean.

Andrew then something that shocked him: It was a huge tidal wave, heading straight for Riku. Riku, somehow not noticing the wave, turned around and held out his hand to Andrew, like
Riku wanted him to take it.

Andrew made a beeline for Riku, not trying to give a warning or anything. Just as Andrew was within a couple inches of Riku's hand, the wave crashed into both of them.

Andrew flipped underwater at least three times, before readjusting. Andrew then saw something that freaked him out.

Riku was still standing there, holding out his hand, as if nothing happened!

Andrew tried to swim close to him and grab Riku's hand, but a sharp current of water blasted him back and forced him to the surface.

Andrew was near the beach, but, something was wrong.

The sky was a mixed color of orange and pink with inky blackness in front of it. The sun was setting behind the ocean.

'It's sunset?' Andrew thought. 'That's impossible. It was midday before…'

Andrew then looked to the beach, noticing three figures.

On the shore was a girl his age. She was wearing a white top over a black top, purple biker shorts under a purple skirt with a blue belt and white slip-on shoes with purple caps. She was also wearing a black choker, a yellow wristband as well as a purple arm band on her left arm and a pair of bracelets on her right arm. She had short red hair with blue eyes.

Next to her was another boy Andrew's age. He had spiky brown hair and blue eyes. His attire contained large yellow shoes, a white and black over-jacket as well as a red jumpsuit and a pair of white and yellow gloves with his signature silver crown necklace and crown chain.

Andrew knew their names, despite not seeing them before.

Sora and Kairi.

Next to them was an abnormally tall fourteen year old teen with yellow skin. He had thick and short orange hair that fell to his neck with ocean blue eyes. He was wearing a short sleeved green jacket with three white lines, a red and white striped shirt, baggy dark blue pants and black shoes.

Andrew didn't need anything to know this boy's name. He had known him for over two years. It was his very best friend, Ed.

Andrew ran to them, wondering if they knew what happened to Riku.

When Andrew got to her, out of breath, Kairi gave him a playful laugh, while Sora and Ed laughed hard.

However, Kairi, Sora and Ed suddenly turned their attention elsewhere. They were looking into the sky. Andrew followed their gaze and saw something.

Along the comet filled sky, there was someone falling. Andrew, squinting hard, then saw who it was.

It was himself! His own body was falling from the sky.

'That's impossible!' Andrew thought. '…isn't it?'

Then, the feeling of the ground giving way occurred and Andrew fell through the sand. Andrew caught one glimpse of the others terrified faces before it got dark.

The sensation of falling through the water came back. This time, Andrew only fell for a while… before landing on a solid mass.

Andrew was confused, mostly because it was so dark.

He took a single step forward and the ground exploded with light.

The darkness below Andrew's feet suddenly changed into white shapes… no. Not shapes, doves. They were white doves that flew off into the dark void. When the light cleared, Andrew looked down and was shocked even further.

He was standing on a huge, circular, stained glass picture. In the picture was a woman he had never seen before in a strange dress. She had raven black hair, lips as red as blood and skin that looked as delicate and white as snow. Circling her were seven dwarves, each with a distinct personality. Countless woodland creatures filled the background.

'Who… who is this?' Andrew thought, looking at the picture. A name suddenly dawned in Andrew's head.

'Snow White. Her name is Snow White. How do I know her name?'

'So much to do, so little time…'

Andrew jumped in fear. The voice was unfamiliar to Andrew. 'Wh-What the…?'

'Take your time. Don't be afraid. The door is still shut.'

'What door?' Andrew asked in his head, as the voice was loudest there. 'Who the heck are you? What do you mean?'

Suddenly, three pillars appeared each one gray and carved with intricate designs. A staff with a blue mouse's head on top appeared on the pillar to Andrew's right.

'Power sleeps within you.' The mysterious voice said in Andrew's head.

The pillar in the middle held a red shield with the same mouse head, only red.

'If you give it form…'

The pillar on Andrew's left had a yellow chipped sword with a small mouse head symbol on the hilt.

'It will give you strength. Choose well.'

Andrew, feeling he had no choice, walked up to the left pillar and picked up the sword.

'The power of the hero.' The voice explained. 'Invincible courage. A sword of incredible heroic strength. Is this the power you seek?'

Andrew nodded his head. The sword disappeared from his hands.

'Your path is set.' The voice said. 'What will you give in exchange?'

Andrew looked at the red shield and picked it up.

'The power of the guardian. Kindness to aid friends. A shield to repel all. Is this the power you wish to relinquish?'

Andrew shook his head and returned the shield to its rightful spot.

With no other choice, Andrew picked up the staff.

'The power of the mystic. Inner strength. A staff of wonder and ruin. Do you wish to give this up?'

Andrew nodded his head. The staff vanished from his hand.

'You have chosen the power of the hero. You have given the power of the mystic. Is this the path you seek?'

Andrew nodded his head in confidence.

The pillars that held the weapons began sinking into the stained glass as it began to shatter. The shattering glass reached Andrew and he began falling into the darkness.

Andrew looked down. A new stained glass pillar swam in from the darkness. It was shaded violet depicting a woman with blonde hair wearing a blue dress.

'Cinderella. That's her name.' Andrew thought.

Andrew floated down onto it gently.

Without any warning, the sword he had chosen flashed into his hands.

'You have gained the power to fight.' The voice said.

'Fight?' Andrew thought in confusion. 'Why would I fight anybody?'

Suddenly, a weird… creature appeared out of the platform.

It had jet black skin, short arms and legs, clawed hands and feet, small antennas coming out of its head and glowing yellow eyes.

Andrew also saw something strange.

There was an amorphous black energy around it.

'Darkness?' Andrew thought. 'This thing was made from darkness. How is that possible?'

The creature then charged.

Almost instinctively, Andrew rolled to the left and swung the blade at the creature.

It exploded on contact, turning into an evaporating cloud of shadowy blackness.

'Whoa.' Andrew thought in awe. 'That felt… pretty cool.'

Three more of the same creature appeared.

'Man, that's not good.' Andrew thought as he charged again.

He jumped into the air and slashed the shadowy thing in front of him.

The other two creatures- Shadows, Andrew called them- ran at him together.

Andrew waited until they were within touching range.

He then slashed them both at once.

'There will be times you have to fight.' The voice said mysteriously. 'Keep your light burning strong.'

Suddenly, the stained glass platform erupted in pitch black shadows that swallowed Andrew whole.

OOO

Andrew struggled to break free, but he then found himself on a new platform.

It was another stained glass platform, only it was pink. There were three hearts with silhouettes inside them.

However, in the middle, a symbol made the entire picture clash.

It was a red heart with a spiked cross inside and had a pointed tip with two other pointed tips to the left and right of the first tip.

'W-Why does this symbol seem familiar to me?' Andrew thought to himself.

Andrew then noticed a door in front of him.

It was milky white with a little blue world pictured on the top of the frame. Two golden handles were visible on it.

Andrew walked to it and grabbed the handles.

Pulling back, he tried to open the door.

It didn't work.

He tried to talk again. This time it worked.

"Do you have a key, Mr. Mystery Voice?" Andrew asked.

A loud crank! came from the door.

"Thank you!" Andrew thanked.

Andrew grabbed the door handles and pulled again.

This time, the doors opened for him, revealing a bright light that blinded him.

OOO

When this vision cleared, he was in a familiar world.

He was in a cul-de-sac with differently modeled houses circling around.

'T-This is the Cul-de-sac!' Andrew thought. 'I'm back!'

'Hold on.' The voice told him. 'The door won't open for you yet. Tell me more about yourself first.'

"Actually, I think I'm good." Andrew told the voice. "Thanks for the sword and everything, but I'm going back home where things make sense."

Andrew walked to his house.

It was a white Colonial style house in the Construction Site. It had a brown tiled roof, a large sliding window showing the living room and a red door that went into it.

Andrew grabbed the doorknob and twisted it.

The door wouldn't budge.

"What the heck?" Andrew asked himself.

Andrew checked under the 'Welcome' mat where he hid his spare key.

Nothing was under it.

"Okay, this is getting weird."

Andrew went to find Ed.

'Maybe he has the spare key.' Andrew thought.

However, someone else was waiting for him.

He was a fourteen year old boy with black hair coming out of the back of his ski cap. He had a single gap between his front teeth. He wore an orange shirt with a pocket protector, purple shorts, long red socks and blue shoes.

"Double D?" Andrew exclaimed. "What are you doing here? I thought you were at space camp for the summer?"

"What is most important to you?" Double D asked in an unemotional tone.

Andrew was silent for a minute.

"Dude, don't change the subject." Andrew snapped. "Tell me how you're here right now!"

"What is most important to you?" Double D asked again in the same emotionless tone.

Andrew sighed angrily. "If you got to know, it's friendship. I care about my friends more than anything."

"Is friendship seriously such an important thing?"

"D-Dude, what are you saying?" Andrew asked in confusion and sadness. "You've been one of my three best friends since I moved here as a toddler! Are you saying our friendship has meant nothing to you?"

Double D stood motionlessly and silently.

Andrew waved his hand in front of Double D's face.

He just stood there.

"This is just getting scary." Andrew said as he walked away.

He went to the woods to see if someone was pranking him or something.

He saw another familiar face by a tall oak tree.

He was short for a fourteen year old boy. He was wearing a yellow polo shirt with a single red line on his right side, sky blue jeans and red shoes. He had spiky black hair he grew out for two years.

"Eddy?" Andrew practically screamed. "I thought you were at a camp for entrepreneurs for the summer?"

"What are you most afraid of?" Eddy asked in the same emotionless tone Double D used.

"Are you for real, Eddy?" Andrew asked.

"What are you most afraid of?" Eddy asked again.

Andrew knew there was no point in asking him what was up again.

"I'm afraid of being different." Andrew told Eddy.

"Being different?" Eddy asked. "Is that really so scary?"

"Well, it is for me, dude." Andrew replied.

Eddy went silently still like Double D.

Andrew shook his head and ran off.

'I gotta find someone who isn't talking crazy!' Andrew thought as he ran further into the woods.

A brief flash of light blinded him but quickly subsided.

Suddenly, he was at Mondo A-Go Go, the theme park by the coast that the Eds went to when the Cul-de-sac kids were on a manhunt for them.

"Okay, this has officially reached the point of maximum weirdness." Andrew mumbled to himself.

"What do you want out of life?" A voice behind him asked emotionlessly.

Andrew turned around and saw Eddy's Brother, the grand king of jerks, himself.

Andrew wanted to scream, but he couldn't. The scream was stuck in his throat.

"What do you want out of life?" Eddy's Brother asked again.

"I-I-I want to see rare sights." Andrew answered.

"To see rare sights, huh?" Eddy's Brother asked.

The MV (Mysterious Voice) spoke again.

'You want friendship. You want to see rare sights. You're afraid of being different. Your adventure begins at dawn. As long as the sun is shining, it should be a pleasant one.'

"Adventure?" Andrew asked in a rage. "Why do you keep saying these things? I don't want to go on an adventure or 'open the door', or whatever! I just want to live my life!"

'Your fate was decided long ago.' The MV told Andrew. 'Your adventure will reveal many truths to you. And when you finally reach the light, your destiny shall become clear to you and leave your future choices shrouded in darkness.'

"That doesn't even make sense!" Andrew shouted.

'You're path has been set.' The MV said, ignoring him. 'You will face many challenges and be consumed by fear and agony. And the day you open the Door is both near and far. But you must keep your light burning strong.'

OOO

Suddenly, Andrew was back in the shadow world, on another stained glass platform.

This time, it was orange, depicting a beautiful woman in a purple dress with thorny vines around her. There were three fairies around her.

"Aurora." Andrew said as the name popped into his head.

He then shook his head.

"Okay, that's it!" Andrew yelled at the top of his lungs. "If someone doesn't tell me how I know all these names, I'm so out!"

"You're destiny is tied to the Princesses, Andrew." The MV told him. "They are pure maidens, devoid of darkness. Their hearts are the key."

"Dude, I don't speak Riddle-ish!" Andrew shouted. "Talk normal!"

Suddenly, a winding trail of stained glass tiles appeared out of nowhere.

Having no other choice in sight, Andrew followed the trail.

He walked his way onto yet another stained glass platform.

It was orange again, only it depicted a woman with brown hair in a yellow dress. A large hairy creature was next to her.

'There's something off about this one.' Andrew thought.

There was a brilliant cone of light coming from above.

Andrew walked to the center of it.

'The closer you get to the light, the greater your shadow becomes.'

Andrew thought the MV was kidding, but when he saw his shadow, he tensed.

His shadow wasn't transparent. It was pitch black.

Andrew then gasped as he saw his shadow peel off the ground and grow thicker and bigger.

Andrew backed away as the shadow kept changing.

'But don't be afraid.' The MV stated.

The shadow grew a muscular arm with a clawed hand. It placed a paper thin foot on the ground. Another paper thin foot came to the platform. Its head was a rat's nest of jet black tentacles. His eyes were glowing yellow.

'And don't forget…' The MV started to say but went silent.

"Don't forget what?" Andrew yelled as the monster's gaze became directed at Andrew.

He ran away, but stopped before he fell over the edge.

He turned around. The monster was waiting for him.

'I guess I don't have a choice.' Andrew thought.

Then, steeling his nerves, he charged.

The monster's right hand began glowing dark violet as he raised it in the air as a fist.

"Oh no." Andrew mumbled.

The monster then set the glowing fist in motion.

Andrew rolled out of the way as a huge circle of darkness appeared around it.

Andrew saw his chance and lunged at the fist.

He began hacking away at the fist, undaunted by the clouds of purple fumes coming from each slash.

A trio of Shadows appeared from the darkness circle. They leaped at Andrew.

He twirled around and slashed all three into nothing in one blow.

The monster (which Andrew decided to call the Darkside) raised another glowing fist and slammed it quickly.

Andrew tried to jump away, but he was hit by the backlash.

"Okay, that's it!" Andrew yelled.

Growling, Andrew charged.

He unleashed a rapid combo of deadly slashes and finished off by stabbing the Darkside in the palm.

The Darkside roared in pain as it fell forward and landed on the platform.

Andrew, still feeling the anger inside him, stabbed the Darkside in the head.

Andrew didn't notice, but a mysterious aura of violet energy swirled around his hands.

A strange glowing symbol had also formed on it without him noticing. It was glowing light purple, shaped like a heart with a spiked cross in side with a fleur-de-lis where the end should have been.

The same symbol that was on the platform with the three unknown ladies in the hearts.

When Andrew thought the Darkside was dead, it rose up and roared in defiance.

Andrew jumped back to avoid another attack.

With a flash of light, his handy sword vanished into thin air.

"Aw, come on!" Andrew groaned as he saw the Darkside prepare another attack.

He jumped back as the Darkside slammed another fist.

Andrew was on his backside, scared out of his wits.

The monster advanced as Andrew started panting and backing away.

He was so scared; he didn't notice the darkness beginning to consume him for good.

'-But don't be afraid.'

The MV sounded shaky and far-off

The darkness swallowed his hands.

'You will have the greatest powers of all.'

Andrew flipped over and started crawling away, but the darkness consumed his legs.

'So never forget…'

Andrew flipped over one more time to get a glimpse of the monster, but the darkness consumed him whole.

'You are one of the four… who will open the door.'