CHAPTER FOUR
DOWNTOWN – ICE-CREAM BAR – NIGHT
The group is enjoying their tasty ice-creams. Sarox is the last person to taste his, as he brought most of the ice-cream bars to his friends.
PJ: Mmh… This is really good. I haven't eaten salty-sweet ice-cream for a long time now.
Marnie: I guess your job takes a lot of time away from you, huh?
Max: More importantly, we don't have salty-sweet ice-creams in Disney Castle.
Marnie: (Nods) Oh.
Suddenly, a loud crash is heard from around the corner. Citizens of Halloweentown begin to run from the direction of the crash.
Marnie: What is going on?
As people run for their lives, a group of Devil Sorcerer Heartless appears from the corner and attacks people with spells and magic.
PJ: Heartless!
Max: Looks like it's time to work.
Marnie: Work?
PJ: We'll explain later. – Let's go!
They draw out their weapons. Sarox places his hand on his chest, which begins to glow in a gentle radiance.
Sarox: Drive! – Valor!
The light on his chest spreads and swallows him whole as an explosion emerges from him. When the light disappears, Sarox is in his regular outfits but in red and black colors. He has transformed into Valor Drive, the warrior of strength and bravery.
Valor Sarox: Let's get to work!
PJ: (To Marnie and Luke) You guys stay here!
With that, the four armed soldiers run toward the Heartless. Luke and Marnie just stand there looking worried. Marnie tries to run forward to help, but Luke stops her.
Luke: No! It's too dangerous.
Marnie: But…
A Heartless shoots a magical beam at Marlene, who protects herself with a reflective shield. When the beam runs into the shield, it explodes and flies back toward the creature, causing it to vaporize out of existence. Max throws out his Knight's Shield and knocks down a Heartless and then flies back into his hand like a boomerang.
PJ: Thunder!
PJ uses Thunder magic to attack two Heartless, but instead of getting shocked, they simply absorb the magic into their core. They raise their hands up in the air and create a stronger version of thunder bolt above PJ's head. Valor Sarox sees it, throws out his Starseeker Keyblade like Max' shield and deflects it before it can hit PJ. The Keyblade then disappears and appears back in Valor Sarox' left hand.
Valor Sarox: It seems they can absorb outside magic to increase their own powers!
PJ: What'll we do?
Max: We'll only use protective magic when necessary!
Marlene: Such as Reflect or Aero! They're defenseless to their own magic too.
Valor Sarox: And in the mean time Max and I will handle them! – Come on!
Max: Yeah!
They begin to direct at the Heartless while Marlene and PJ stay behind as back-up. Max bounces away a Heartless while Valor Sarox kills one with his Kingdom Key Keyblade.
Valor Sarox: Let's use a combo! They're too weak to take a combined hit.
Max: Go for it!
They combine their weapons and throw them out like a pair of boomerangs and penetrate three remaining Heartless' chests, perishing them. As the last monsters fade away, their weapons fly back into their hands and Valor Sarox returns to his original form. They then give each other a five as PJ, Marlene; and Luke and Marnie walk closer towards them.
Sarox: That did it!
Max: Hurray!
PJ: You beat them!
Marnie: Are you okay?
Sarox: Yeah! Don't worry.
Luke: What were those things?
Marnie: Heartless. I read about them when I was still in training under my are creatures without hearts, consumed by the darkness. All they crave is more hearts.
Chancellor Goodwin: (Off-screen) And they will not stop.
They turn to see Chancellor Goodwin walking closer toward them.
Marnie: Professor Goodwin?
Chancellor Goodwin: We have been doing research. So far, we have found out that someone very powerful is planning to take over our world on Halloween Night.
Max: Why on that night?
PJ: 'Cause all magic spells casted here becomes permanent at the strike of midnight of Halloween.
Chancellor Goodwin nods.
Chancellor Goodwin: Someone wants to use that to his advantage. (To Marnie) Marnie, come here.
They step away from the others.
Chancellor Goodwin: Remember Splendora's box? You have to open it before Halloween Night. It's the only way to stop it. Your family's magical heirloom is the only thing that is powerful enough to drive away the Heartless. (Looks over to the others) And you might want to be careful with your friends.
Marnie looks over her shoulders to her friends, then back to Chancellor Goodwin.
Marnie: But they're my friends.
Chancellor Goodwin: Don't you think it's too coincidental that they happen to show up on the day the Heartless attack? Anyway, you just be on your guard. Remember, you must open the box before Halloween Night.
She nods. Then goes back to her friends, and Chancellor Goodwin leaves.
From behind the trees, Ethan is in hiding and spying on the chancellor.