Sora got up early and rushed out of the castle. On his way he passed Yuffie, who was sparring with two other girls; a hyperactive wild-girl with black hair named Tomo Takino and a highly athletic and competitive brown-haired girl named Kagura. Today Sora knew exactly where he wanted to go, he wanted to see Afro Samurai again. It had been a year since Sora last saw him, he wondered if Afro was finally living a peaceful life.

"Afro…" he thought as he pointed his Keyblade to the sky. "Take me to Afro!"

His arm moved a little to the east and a white beam shot out into the sky.

"Mister Sora, wait!" a tiny voice cried.

It was Chiyo, she was running up to Sora holding a dish full of sashimi.

"I…made this for you to…eat on the way." she panted.

Sora thanked Chiyo, took the sashimi onto the Falcon, and took off.


Xigbar sat in one of the organization's outposts in Stardust Sweep. Sitting across from him was a freelance spy/assassin/freedom fighter/anime director named Nabeshin. Whether or not Nabeshin was his real name, (or if he was even sane) Xigbar neither knew nor cared. He wanted the Keyblade wielder, Sora, dead. Nabeshin's orders were to kill Sora and to bring the Keyblade to Xigbar.

"So, mister Nabeshin." said Xigbar. "Just what is your specialty?"

"Reality bending, fourth wall breaking, things of that nature." Nabeshin said snidely.

"That's not exactly what I meant." Xigbar replied. "Anyway, can I count on you to kill this kid…"

"I'll take him down to China Town!" Nabeshin shouted, slamming his fist on the table.

"…without making a scene?" Xigbar wanted to know.

"Believe me, I've been around the block enough times to make it look like he started it." Nabeshin replied smugly.

A Dusk slithered up to Xigbar.

"Ship…coming." it whispered.

"It better not be those Chronos bastards again." Xigbar growled.

"Who's that?" asked Nabeshin.

"Chronos is an organization of bastards who think they're better than everyone else and take out whoever gets in their way." said Xigbar.

"Like you guys?"

"Nah!" said Xigbar. "We don't think we're better than everyone else, we know it!"

He turned back to the Dusk.

"Scan that ship an' see who's on board!"

"Sora…"

"What!?"

Xigbar rushed to the bridge and saw a purple and yellow Gummiship zoom by. It did not match the one Sora used to fly but scans showed that he was indeed the pilot."

"That…was Sora." he said through gritted teeth."

"I'm getting paid overtime, right?" Nabeshin asked snidely.


Dark Japan had changed significantly since Sora last visited. The night sky was no longer blood-red but a calming dark blue. There was also vegetation. All around him, Sora could see trees growing. The atmosphere no longer felt oppressive. If anything, it felt mystical.

"WHAT DO WE HAVE HEEERE?" said a jeering voice. Turning quickly, Sora spotted a middle aged man with a tangled, white afro, dressed in a light ninja garb, his eyes hidden behind red visor-like sunglasses, crouching on an overlooking rock.

"Y'know something... I think I saw you last time! Spiky head, right? Kid with the big key?"

Sora stood there blinking. Who was this guy.

"Afro's friend, right? Man, he needs more of you around, y'know?"

"You know Afro?" Sora asked (they were the only words he could force out).

"Know they guy? He owes me a smoke!" the man sneered. Sora stared. He didn't think of Afro as the kind to make friends.

"You know where Afro is?" Sora asked, stepping toward the strange man. At this, the man hopped from the stone and stood up before Sora, slightly hunched over.

"Well, the guy's been a bit cuckoo in the head a bit lately. Freakin' out hear, slicin' up stuff there." The man stopped for a moment to light up a cigarette and puff on it some. "Anyway, I was thinking you helped the big guy out some last time. Maybe you can do it again, spiky head-"

"My name is Sora." Sora said irritably.

"Gotcha. Call me Ninja Ninja, man." the strange man said smirking. "Ready when you are, cap'n!"

Sora inhaled deeply, starting down the road, Ninja Ninja and ranting about virtually everything all the way.


"Y'know how some people always sellin' out, man. Movie guys like that toy boy, or video game guys like that SQUARE guy?"

"Hey... Ninja... remember that shutting up thing we covered?"

"I musta forgot."

Sora and Ninja Ninja had been traveling toward the mountain they encountered Justice on one year prior... and he had not stopped talking once. Rambling, boasting and complaining about countless subjects, Sora had given up trying to shut him up. The land, while coursing with life again, was strangely absent of people. There weren't even Heartless around. It was incredibly unnerving.

Coming to the foot of the mountain, Sora came face to face with what looked like a giant teddy bear... or the head of a giant teddy bear on a man's body. A man dressed in a blue kimono with two katanas fastened to his waist stood before him, a giant teddy bear head covering his own, a slow, rattling breath coming from inside it.

"Hey... you know this guy?" Sora asked Ninja Ninja... only no answer came.

Turning quickly, Sora saw that Ninja Ninja was nowhere to be found. Hearing the man's geta clacking through the pebble covered ground, Sora turned back to his foe, drawing his Keyblade, the man's needle-sharp katana drawn and at ready. As the figure came closer, he swung both blades for Sora. The sounds of slanging metal and flash of brilliant, dancing sparks filled the area as Sora and the man twisted and swung and countered in place at blinding speeds. After a brief few seconds, however, the man jumped away from Sora, both his blades still drawn.

"You're good..." he said slowly.

Sora nodded as a trickle of sweat slid down his forehead. The man quickly sheathed his weapons and turned to leave, his geta clacking in the stone covered ground.

"Tell Afro I'm waiting for him..." he said as he tread off.

Sora watched the man continue walking for a bit before turning back to the mountain.

"YO! Man, you did your thing!"

Sora turned quickly to see Ninja Ninja perched on top of a small shrine, smiling and smoking.

"Where were you?" Sora called. "I almost got chopped to fillets!"

"Relax, would ya? I was just watching the show an' thought I'd give you some privacy."

Sora shook his head. He wasn't quite sure what Ninja Ninja was up to, but he didn't like him. Still, Ninja Ninja was his only chance at finding Afro. He just HAD to be on the mountain.

Sora and Ninja Ninja (still chattering left and right) slowly made their way up the mountain.

"I can't breath up here! How can you do this? Man, my feet hurt! Are you listening to me?"

Sora ignored him all the way. Things just didn't feel right. No Heartless, no people, no animals, nothing. Sora just couldn't shake off the feeling that something wasn't right here. As he and Ninja Ninja continued up the mountain trail, Sora noticed several small sculptures and statues of many different kinds lining the way, he didn't notice them last time. As Ninja Ninja continued in the back, Sora climbed further up the mountain, the statues becoming more and more numerous.

"This is starting to get creepy..." Sora and Ninja Ninja said in unison. Just then, several of the statues lunged forward, weapons out stretched.

"AH! GANG BANG!" Ninja Ninja cried as he ducked for cover.

Sora maneuvered around the statues and sliced them apart, small Possessor Heartless rose out of their remains and began swarming around Sora, blasted them away with Thunder magic.

"OH, BRUTHA! YOU DID YO THANG!" Ninja Ninja raved.

Finally he made his way to what was once Justice's throne room and saw Afro crouching in a corner with a man in a black cloak. The cloaked man shrouded himself in darkness and vanished as soon as Sora entered the room.

"YO, AFROOO!" Ninja Ninja hollered from behind Sora. "You in one o' yo moods again?"

Afro sprung to his feet with a murderous look on his face, his eyes glowing red. He drew his sword and started slashing wildly at Sora, who began shifting and ducking to avoid the slashes, not daring to try and parry them.

"AW SNAP! HAWLY SHIT HAWLY SHIT!" Ninja Ninja raved. "Da hell is wrong with you, man?"

Afro continued to slash and thrust at Sora, forcing him to back into a wall.

"Reflect!" Sora cried in desperation.

Afro's sword went flying out of his hand from the force of Sora's spell. He made a grab for Sora's throat, but Sora ducked under him and fired a blizzard spell into his face. Afro hastily rubbed the frost from his face and when he opened his eyes they were no longer glowing red.

"Sora…" he groaned. "What…happened?"

"Well…uh…you kinda tried to attack me." Sora said awkwardly.

"I what?"

Sora looked around the room for ninja Ninja but he was nowhere to be found.

"There was a man in here with you a moment ago." Sora went on. "A man in a black cloak."

"Xaldin!" Afro gasped "I remember now. His name is Xaldin. He used some strange technique to control me. I couldn't tell fantasy from reality…I'm sorry.

A deep growl resonated through the room.

"You can be sorry later." Sora said readying himself as something dark began forming in the center of the room.

In mere moments, a giant Heartless was towering over them. Its flesh was black as jet and covered in thorny vines. It had a jagged maw and a long fiery red mane. Sora quickly dubbed it "Dark Thorn". Afro made a dive for his sword, but Dark Thorn seized him in one of its powerful clawed hands. Sora sprang forward and jabbed his Keyblade into its arm, causing it to drop Afro. He then flipped backward to avoid being snatched by its other claws. It opened its maw wide and launched a dark orb, which Sora hurled his Keyblade into, shattering it. This was not a smart move because Dark Thorn spat another orb at him, which Afro barely had time to block. he held out his arm and Sora instinctively ran forward, let him seize his arm and hurl him at Dark Thorn. Just as Sora was about to run the beast through though, it vanished. Sora landed and readied himself. Dark Thorn was invisible, but he could hear its claws clicking against the slick floor. Suddenly he felt its presence bearing down on him. He whirled around and wove his Keyblade in an arc. In that instant, the beast was visible again and its face had been sliced into. He then jumped onto its head and plunged his blade into it. Dark Thorn thrashed for a bit before dissolving into black smoke.


Sora and Afro made their way out of Justice's old lair to see a serene night sky.

"My world is regaining its beauty." Afro said softly. "Thanks for helping me, Sora."

"Sure!" said Sora, clasping Afro's hand. "Well, it was nice seeing you again, but I have to say goodbye for a while."

"Take this with you." Afro said, handing Sora a grey diamond-shaped keychain.

Ah! Thanks!" said Sora, tucking the ball-keychain in his pocket and attaching the new one.

The Kingdom Key then morphed into a broad, silver Keyblade with a pointed hand guard and an arrowhead-shaped tooth. It was deceptively light in weight and Sora could sense that it was full of power. He silently dubbed it the "True Light's Flight".