"You guys ever hear of Maleficent?" Cid asked them. They were now in an abandoned house or what they thought was abandoned. Turned out he lived there. After they did some cleaning up it actually looked a bit better.
"Maleficent?" Sora blinked, looking to his friends who all shrugged. Shaking their heads 'no'. "Who is she?"
"A witch, man, she's a witch!" Leon and Taron all but rolled their eyes at their friends horrified expression. "She's the reason this town is full of Heartless. Don't take her lightly." He warned.
Aryon shuddered as he listened to Aerith speak next. Whoever this Maleficent was, he was going to make darn sure he would stay away from her.
"She's been using the Heartless for years," Aerith began. YEARS? Aryon blinked in shock. Shaking his head in disbelief. "We lost our world thanks to her. One day, a swarm of Heartless took over our world. That was nine years ago."
"I got out of that mess and came here with these guys." Cid sighed, adjusting the toothpick he had in his mouth.
"We were led by a man named Ansem," Taron began. Gaze lowering to the floor just a bit. "He lived his whole existence studying the Heartless." Aryon couldn't help but notice Leon look elsewhere hearing Taron speak, seeming uninterested in what he had to say. "His report should tell us how to get rid of the Heartless."
"So where's the report?" Sora asked. Stifling his laughter seeing Yuffie poke Aryon constantly at his side.
Leon gave his shoulders a shrug. "We don't know. It got scattered when our world was destroyed." He answered.
"I'm sure Maleficent's got most of the pages." Cid began but was cut off when Aryon gave Yuffie's hand a light swat.
"Yuffie," he said with a twitch of his right eye. "I'd really appreciate it if you would stop poking me."
The ninja all but smirked, giggling at his reaction. "Sorry. You know, your reaction kinda reminds me of his, a bit."
"Who? Leon?"
"No. Someone else…" She shifted her gaze to Taron who smiled faint in her direction. Rubbing the back of his neck earning confused expressions from Sora, Aryon, Donald and Goofy.
"She's talking about Cloud," Taron clarified. "My…cousin. Remember the one I asked you about prior?"
Sora gave a nod of understanding. Now it made sense as to why Taron was so disappointed when they told him they didn't know of a Cloud yet. "Gotcha. Here we thought he was your boyfriend or something."
"Naw," Yuffie began. Unable to help herself ignoring the fowl look Leon tossed her. "That's Leon!"
"YUFFIE."
"You see? It's just as I told you." Maleficent smirked. Staring into the window of the old house. Sora, Aryon and the others were cracking up inside seeing that guy, Taron chase a panicked Yuffie around moving out of the way so they weren't dragged into it. Leon looked annoyed about the whole thing while Aerith tried getting them to stop. Sora egging them on didn't help either.
"While you toiled away trying to find your dear friends, they simply replaced you with some new companions. Evidently, now they value them far more than they do you."
"Yuffie stop picking on Taron!" Aerith could be heard chastising in a way a mother would.
"You're better off without those wretched children. Now, think no more of them and come with me. I'll help aid you in protecting what you value most to you…"
Maleficent finished, looking to Riku who seemed deep in thought. Levi narrowed his eyes at the scene. Balling his hand into a tight fist, glaring up at Maleficent. "….You swear?"
She couldn't hide that truly, wicked of a smile. Giving a mock bow. "I solemnly swear young one."
"I've been thinking about the bell in the second district." Aerith said after things eventually settled. Having put Taron and Yuffie in separate areas of the room keeping them away from each-other for a while.
"The one that rang a bit ago?" Sora asked a while ago. Yuffie had tried to leave her spot but was halted by Cid. Leon keeping a close eye on a grumbling Taron.
"The one above the gizmo shop. There's a legend about it, you know. But it's all boarded up. Nobody can get in there. Hey, you guys should go check it out! Ring it three times to see if anything happens!" Yuffie exclaimed.
Aryon snickered at his friend's unfortunate circumstances, giving the 'peace sign' before following Sora, Donald and Goofy outside. Upon arriving at the 'Gizmo Shop', they could see a neon colored sign…how they missed it prior was beyond him.
After completing another Trinity Unit, the wall turned to show a bunch of butterflies as water shot out of it and into the fountain. The mural proceeded to shift and change into a blinding blue light, reminding Aryon of the keyhole in Wonderland, San Fransokyo, Monstro and Deep Jungle.
"This time your arguing actually helped us." Aryon said grinning at Sora and Donald.
"It was my idea." Donald claimed. Jumping up onto the balcony then on the ground.
"It was not! It was mine-"
"Sora: I suggest it's your turn to use that lock thingy." Aryon interrupted. Yet before he could finish, that same suit of purple armor from before appeared making his eyes grow wide. Taking a step back. "….Oh man. This joker again?" He groaned, summoning his Ice Dancer.
Sora made the first move of striking it in the head like last time. In a total of four hits the thing came crashing to the ground in pieces. But they should have known better to celebrate right away. Watching in shock as the pieces swirled around, reassembling itself.
"Oh no." Sora and Aryon dead-panned.
"Take the head again," Aryon commanded. "I'll go for the feet." He jumped on its right foot striking away with his Keyblade, holding on for dear life when it tried kicking him off. "Whoa!" He cried out when he was flung off in a matter of minutes, seeing stars for a brief moment but got back up to help Donald and Goofy with the other foot.
Goofy tossed his shield while Donald and Sora used a Fira move and Aryon Thundara. Being the first brave one next to Aryon, Sora jumped on top of its head wrapping his legs around raising his Keyblade high before striking it in the top of its head.
He jumped off as it shook and trembled.
Watching as its body finally vanished and a shimmering pink heart floating into the air.
Aryon gave Sora a nod whom nodded in return. Pointing his Keyblade, a bright light shot out going straight into the Keyhole. "Well that should do it," he said smiling. "Looks like it's on to the next world."
"Wait!"
Curious they looked behind to find Yuffie rushing towards them, skidding to a halt once she was close panting softly. "Aerith told me... to give this... to you for... your...journey. In case you get hurt again."
What she handed to Sora was a bottle containing a light green liquid. Donald recognized it as a Cura potion giving her their thanks.
Now it was onto the next world.
