KINGDOM HEARTS 3.6 Part II: Prologus -Riku-.

Riku and Mickey, seen in their new both crimson coloured and white coloured outfits respectively are seen yet again traversing the Dark World. the Dark World logo then appears onscreen:

DARK WORLD.

Riku and Mickey travel through the Darkness, pondering to themselves. Riku speaks up first by saying "...Not once, not twice but even THREE times, I'm back here? man, it's like Destiny is calling me to this place for something...or rather, someone. Could it...be?" said Riku. Mickey turns around and replies "Riku, are you alright?" says Mickey. "O-Oh! yeah, I'm fine, your maj-sigh, Mickey." says Riku in return. Mickey lets out a happy smile before becoming worried by hearing distant howling in the Realm of Darkness not too far away from where the two of them currently are. "This place, something's wrong, isn't it?" says Riku. "Yeah...I guess with Xehanort gone, after stirring them up, the Heartless are starting to go berserk here...we better hurry, Riku!" says Mickey. Riku simply replies "...Right." apparently, the heroic duo are in search of something that will help provide a clue on Sora's whereabouts.

They traverse the Dark World, digging deeper into it's "Black Catacombs", fighting many Pureblood Heartless along the way. Eventually, they reach some sort of hidden construction-a temple of sorts. Upon further investigation, they are shocked to find what they see inside, Mickey especially. "It-it can't be!" said Mickey.

To his great shock, all around the walls of this "Dark temple" were ancient tapestries, featuring the Foretellers from the Age of Fairy Tales. "Mickey, what's wrong? do these...pictures mean anything to you?" said Riku, of course not realising the significance behind the Foretellers, having never been told directly about them. "Hmm...welp, it's going to be kind of difficult to explain but I'll try..." said Mickey before beginning a long explanation.

"Long ago, over a century to be precise, perhaps even more so. There was the "Age of Fairy Tales". Back then, Kingdom Hearts was protected by it's counterpart-the X-Blade. And the ones who protected the X-Blade were the Foretellers. The very 1st true Keyblade Masters ever to exist. They coexisted amongst one another as five different Unions representing animals, but...overtime, things began to change. Internal fighting broke out and that led to-" said Mickey before Riku interrupts, knowing how Mickey is going to finish his sentence "The 1st Keyblade War." says Riku.

"Exactly. after that, the Worlds were shattered alongside the X-Blade which broke into twenty pieces-seven of pure Light and thirteen of pure Darkness. The seven pure Lights found refuge in the Hearts of pure maidens, thus completely making their Hearts devoid of Darkness. As for the original Dark thirteen...hmm." Mickey grimly ponders on what became of the thirteen of Darkness. Riku then speaks up, saying "Over the course of a very short time, those Worlds became restored because of what Master Yen Sid told me and Sora, right?" says Riku. Mickey replying "Yup! it was thanks to the combined Light of the Hearts of children that refused to give up to the Darkness that the Worlds were restored and became what they are today. Albeit smaller and separated from one another..." says Mickey. Riku then speaks up again by saying the following "And after that, the unseen domain of the one real Kingdom Hearts was lost, supposedly forever." says Riku.

"Correct, Riku. Even though we have seen Kingdom Hearts many times, they all weren't the "true" Kingdom Hearts. At least not from what you could take of my words, the thing is, Kingdom Hearts is actually us as a whole. It's a sentient force that resides in all people and things, so long, as a Heart beats, then that already clarifies as having a Heart to begin with." says Mickey, explaining his view on "Hearts all around us". Riku then replies "But if that's the case, if Kingdom Hearts truly resides in us now as we are, then, why does that Heart shaped moon always appear? the first time was because of the Door to Darkness, which both you and Sora closed on both sides. The second time was because the Organization was gathering Hearts to create an "artificial" Kingdom Hearts, using Roxas, Xion and Sora to fulfil that agenda." says Riku. Mickey then speaks up, saying "There was also another time that the Heart shaped moon had appeared. It was because of the X-Blade's forging through both Ventus and Vanitas' forced union. Master Yen Sid once told me that apparently, Hearts born of "Worlds" gather together as "Kingdom Hearts" when the X-Blade is created." says Mickey.

Riku takes all this into account, saying the words "So three times, a Heart shaped moon has manifested...though, I suppose you could only call it two times, since that time with the Door to Darkness doesn't really count per say-!?" suddenly, Riku becomes shocked upon Mickey realising something. "Oh! oh no!" says Mickey, Riku replies "What!? what's wrong Mickey!?" says Riku. Mickey immediately replies "I should have caught on sooner! Riku! when Kingdom Hearts was summoned during the crisis with "Ansem", it appeared behind the Door to Darkness, right?" says Mickey. Riku is a bit dumbfounded, not following on with what Mickey is trying to say "What are you getting at Mickey?" says Riku.

Mickey finally reveals his theory "Even if it's shadow appeared at the Door, the moon of Kingdom Hearts...was nowhere to be seen, right!?" says Mickey. Riku shockingly realises this "!? Wait, are you saying!?" says Riku. Mickey replies "...It's only just a hunch, a guess at best, but...even while battling "Ansem", the moon of Kingdom Hearts didn't appear, only...it's shadow. Perhaps that was what "Ansem" only needed at the time..." says Mickey. Riku replies "I don't understand Mickey, what is it that you are trying to tell me?" says Riku. Mickey replies "Maybe...JUST maybe...someone ELSE got to the moon of Kingdom Hearts before "Ansem" did!" says Mickey, greatly shocking and horrifying Riku. "WHAT!?" shouted out Riku. Mickey replies "My guess is that whoever took the moon from that time only left behind it's shadow and the Door to Darkness for "Ansem" to use, believing those were the only things he could make use of during the time he fought Sora, Donald and Goofy." says Mickey.

Riku then replies "So..."Ansem"-Master Xehanort had a co conspirator in all this!?" says Riku. Mickey himself replies "...I'm not sure, at the very best, I don't think so." says Mickey. "!?" Riku was further dumbfounded by all these revelations. "Riku, do you remember when Master Xehanort was trying to forge the X-Blade a 2nd time? when we saw all those floating Keys?" says Mickey. Riku recalls back to the 2nd Keyblade War's final showdown not too very long ago, remembering how Xehanort forged the X-Blade. "I should have seen this as well! it was that Keyblade of Master Xehanort's!" says Mickey. Riku replies "His Keyblade? what about it?" says Riku. Mickey then reveals to Riku whilst looking at the Foreteller tapestries "...Well, during the time of these ancient "Foretellers", they all possessed Keyblades...with Gazing Eyes." says Mickey. Riku becomes greatly shocked before summoning his Soul Eater sword, looking at the Gazing Eye embedded into it.

"You mean, this eye?" says Riku. Mickey then explains more by first nodding his head with a serious expression upon his face "Indeed, Keyblade wielders of old, from the time of Master Yen Sid, his friend Master Eraqus and even Master Xehanort. Even before their time, they would once in a while speak of "Keyblades with Gazing Eyes" and it is said that those Keyblades themselves...could record history in the making." says Mickey, Riku becomes shocked once more by this. He looks at his Soul Eater sword, wondering just what sort of part it has played up to now "Then...are you basically telling me that we have been giving a new enemy crucial information!?" says Riku, believing a new enemy is on the horizon from this fact about the Gazing Eye alone. Mickey trembles at the idea but does not deny it "...It's very possible. After Xehanort was defeated, we believed his Keyblade was lost alongside him when he joined with Kingdom Hearts, but...it's also very possible that it may have just ended up in the hands of a new enemy. If so, as Master Yen Sid would say: "Mark my words. Trouble will brew yet again..." says Mickey, finding much discomfort in these new revelations.

Riku then replies "In that case, we should-!?" suddenly however, Pureblood Neoshadow Heartless then arrive in vast numbers. Surrounding both Riku and the King, the two of them prepare to fight. "Riku, no matter what, focus! don't lose your sense of self in this moment! remember, the Heartless prey on those types of weaknesses!" says King Mickey, giving sound advice towards Riku. Grateful for the advice, Riku nods before charging at the Neoshadows, intending to strike them all down.

Riku utilises a new "Sensory" gameplay mechanic. Having become a true Keyblade Master, Riku has gained access to new abilities before, during and after the events of Kingdom Hearts III. "Sensory" being one of them. By using "Sensory" in a manner that is similar to sensing Ki, Riku can sense all of the Light and Dark currents that flow within everyone. In Mickey he senses pure Light, in Riku himself he senses a mixture of both Light and Darkness and as for the rest, namely the Neoshadows, he senses nothing but pure Darkness. The Pureblood Heartless adapt to their surroundings in the Dark Realm, leaving them both almost untraceable and unable to pinpoint before they attack and it is too late by then. However, Riku using the "Sensory" gameplay mechanic can combine multiple abilities and strike the Heartless in multiple blind spots. But also because Riku is still new to "Sensory", it takes a great toll out of his stamina, leaving him with barely little HP as is.

By combining "Sensory" with Shotlock, Riku drives out the Neoshadows hiding in Darkness, forcing them out into the open. This leaves him weakened but with King Mickey by his side, he manages to save Riku. Unfortunately, all the Neoshadows left over had then combined into a new type of Pureblood Heartless called a "Dark Heart". The Dark Heart is considered to be the "Evolved" form of the Darkside that resides in the Dark Realm, just like the Darkside itself is considered to be the "Evolved" form of ordinary Shadows. The Dark Heart manages to close off all exits of the temple grounds, leaving both Riku and Mickey at wit's end what to do...is this, to be the end for them?