They landed on the next world and this one also looked serene and peaceful with green grass and trees and a brightly shining sun. There was not a trace of danger in sight. This comforting scene was short lived however, when several Heartless appeared before them. A couple Shadows and a new type, they were about waist height and looked like mummies with sharp claws and long arms.
"Wight Knights!" Herbert exclaimed. "So much for the peace and quiet here!" Herbert summoned the Spellbinder and ran forward and sliced through two of the Shadows but had to jump back as a Wight Knight swiped at him.
George blocked a strike from a Wight Knight with his laser sword. Another attacked his back so he held the sword out behind him and then slipped it back onto his arm and with a quick spin killed them both.
Herbert ran forward and bashed a Heartless in the head with the Spellbinder and then twirled around and cast Fira on an approaching Wight Knight. A group of Wight Knights came jumping at him but a quick Thundara and they were killed.
George finished up the last Wight Knight by cutting its chest and then spinning around and tearing through it.
"Wow! That was impressive!" a soft voice said from behind some thick bushes.
They turned and saw two figures emerge from the bushes. One was a bear-like creature with light brown fur wearing a white vest over a red shirt and shorts, the other one was a yellow octopede with eight long legs.
"I'm Teddy Ruxpin and this is my friend Grubby," said the first one.
"I'm Herbert and this is my brother George, and these are our parents," said Hebert.
"Thank you for saving us from those dreadful creatures," said Teddy Ruxpin. "They keep coming and they chased us here. We don't really know what they are. Do you?"
"They are called Heartless," replied Herbert. "They feed on the darkness inside of hearts so they can take them and they are also out to destroy worlds that have been unlocked. That's why we're here, to lock the Keyhole."
"Well, we don't know about any Keyhole around here," said Grubby the octopede. "But you can come with us and ask Gimmick about it. He knows lots of stuff."
So they went with Teddy and Grubby to their home where they met with a short elderly man with glasses who was surrounding by many queer machines.
"This is Newton Gimmick," said Teddy as he introduced them. "He is our friend and an inventor. Gimmick, this is Herbert and George and their parents. They have come here to lock the Keyhole and protect us from the Heartless, those are the creatures that have been chasing us a lot lately."
"I figured those creatures must be without hearts if they keep trying to take them from others," said Gimmick. "And so I have decided to make one for them."
"Sounds like a brilliant idea," said Grubby. "But how can you?"
"It's a relatively simple procedure," replied Gimmick. "First you take a container." He pulled out a container shaped like a heart but there was a lock on it. "We need to find the key to this thing first!"
"I can help you," Herbert said as he summoned the Keyblade. "My key can unlock anything." Herbert pointed it at the hearts and the lock snapped off.
"Wow! Thanks," said Gimmick. "That was amazing. Now for the ingredients! You will need courage!" He pulled out a badge that looked like a lion. "Hope and despair!" A gold and black snake biting each other's tails. "Throw in a dash of fear!" A large black spider. "And, of course, love." A red rose with heart shaped petals. "And, just for fun, surprise." A Jack-in-the-box. "And you have a heart!"
"Now we must try it out," said Teddy.
At the same time as this, high atop the neighboring mountain top, a tall green skinned figure wearing a hooded purple robe was spying on them through a telescope. At his side stood a small red monster with no arms and a long white horn at the top of its head.
"So they're making a heart for the Heartless are they?" sneered the green figure. He turned to the monster at his side. "Elbie, go down there and snatch the heart from them and bring it to me."
"You sure could use it, Twonk," replied Elbie.
"The name is Tweeg, you imbecile!" shouted Tweeg irritably. "And the heart isn't for me personally. Once I have it in my possession the Heartless of this world will be under my command and I may become the new leader of M.A.V.O., not to mention it will please my mother. Now go!"
"Why should I go get it?" asked Elbie. "Why can't you get it yourself?"
"Because you are my loyal minion and I order it of you," replied Tweeg.
"Well, when you put it that way," said Elbie. And then he was off down the mountainside.
Back at Gimmick's house the ingredients were put into the heart container and mixed together in one of the machines.
"I must say, Gimmick, you certainly are a wizard of an inventor," said Mr. Wogglebug impressively.
"Well, I just like to try my hand at different mechanisms," replied the old man.
"He's being modest," said Teddy. "He has invented so many things that have aided us on many adventures we've had. For instance he invented a reducer ray that can either make things shrink or grow."
"And when he used it on us we entered into the world of bugs and I met the love of my life, Karen the Caterpillar, and she's a butterfly now," added Grubby dreamily."
"I met my wife in a world where insects are like humans also," said Mr. Wogglebug. "Though it was in an alternate Earth."
Mr. Wogglebug was just about to tell them the story about he and the beetle princess had met when suddenly out of the window bounced Tweeg's little red monster minion.
"Mine!" Elbie jumped at them and grabbed the heart. He leapt back through the window and quickly ran off.
"What in this world was that little monster?" asked the beetle princess.
"He was Elbie, the henchman of Tweeg," replied Gimmick. "Tweeg is our arch nemesis. He is half troll and half grunge and he lives next door to us and he is always trying to foil our adventures or else just trying to fire cannonballs at us. And now that he has become a member of M.A.V.O, that is the Monsters and Villains Organization, he's worse than ever."
"We should have known he'd do something like this," added Grubby. "He's a scoundrel if you ever saw one."
"Well, what are we standing around here for? Let's go get the heart back!" exclaimed Mr. Wogglebug.
"That was just what I was going to say," said Gimmick. "Come on, we'll take the airship."
He led them outside where they found what looked like a large wooden sailboat with a giant bean shaped balloon attached to it and a propeller in the back.
"This must another one of Gimmick's inventions," said Mr. Wogglebug.
"It sure is," replied Teddy. "And we assure you it is completely reliable."
They all boarded the airship and and fueled it up and set sail to the wind.
"We should go straight to the M.A.V.O Headquarters," said Gimmick. "As that is bound to be where Tweeg would take something so valuable."
And so they did and they flew up to the topmost tower of the M.A.V.O manor and entered to find a tall figure wearing dark armor and a cape and also half of a mask that concealed the lower half of his face which was all dark with glowing white slits for eyes. He was the M.A.V.O leader.
"Well, well, well," said the M.A.V.O. Leader in his deep foreboding voice. "I see you came for the heart."
"Give us the heart," demanded Teddy.
"I don't think so!" he laughed. "Now it's your time to die! Oh, Heartless!" He shouted into the air many Shadows and Wight Knights bearing razor blades appeared before them. "Now attack!"
Herbert jumped as a Wight Knight came from out of nowhere and took a swipe at him. He used Fira and managed to avert it.
"Strike Raid!" Herbert tossed the Spellbinder but the Wight Knights were able to dodge the attack.
Then the Heartless bared its razor blade claws and and began trying to cut them.
George was struck by one of the blades and deeply cut. Herbert cured him but knew he needed to defend himself. Aero wouldn't cut it this time. He needed a stronger spell.
"Aerora!" he used the second level Aero spell. There was more wind and the wind seemed sharp enough to injure someone. One of the razor blades came at them but broke off against the Aeroroa.
"Summon!" Herbert exclaimed. "Phoenix Fire!" the phoenix appeared and thrust its magic fire at the Heartless. Some managed to dodge it but most of them were wiped out. The M.A.V.O. Leader was thrown back against the wall by the force.
"I won't be beaten!" he yelled and summoned more Heartless. Herbert was ready to summon the Phoenix Fire again but George stopped him
"Rocket!" George yelled and he shot himself up. The Heartless were too surprised to dodge and George's laser sword burst right through them and they dissolved away all that was left of them was the heart.
"I guess that heart was a failure after all," Gimmick said.
The M.A.V.O Leader by this time was more than furious. "I told you fools!" he yelled. "I will not be defeated!" almost an army of hideous and, or, disgusting looking monsters appeared between them and him. These were many of the members of the M.A.V.O. They braced themselves as the villains charged at them.
Herbert spun the Keyblade like he never had before. The monsters were struck left and right but when one was out two more seemed to take its place. With a mighty cry Herbert jumped deeper into the fray.
George batted monsters away with his laser sword. At one point they threatened to over take him but with a quick Tornado they were blown away. A Wight Knight charged at George and George charged at the Wight Knight. When the two met the Wight Knight went flying back from the amazing force.
"Aerora!" Herbert shouted as his wind shield reappeared. A couple monsters were blown away by it but more merely took their place. Herbert created a powerful Thundara and a large chunk of monsters were wiped out.
George grabbed one of the Wight Knights and started spinning it around, knocking the others away. He needed to clear a path for Herbert to get through. The two warriors were alone against a small army and all seemed hopeless as both were overtaken at the same time and their hearts were about to be taken.
A shadowy form flew toward the M. . Manor as fast as it could. He pulled his wand from his robe and spotted a few monsters below him and he was still quite a distance away from the site of the battle. He boosted his speed hoping to get there in time.
Herbert and George gave in. There was just too many monsters for them to fight back properly. They just lay there and waited for the end now. The form suddenly flew in and started blasting at the monsters with lightning speed.
"How did you get here?" Herbert asked as he saw the one who saved them. "Merlin?" Merlin turned from him and blasted away some more monsters with powerful magic spells.
"I brought some friends!" Merlin said and Ghandalf and Glinda appeared in the room. Ghandalf pulled his wand out of his robes and started to wipe out a bunch of monsters. Glinda used her own to slice through the ranks of monsters.
"Go now!" Ghandalf yelled. "We cut a path!"
"You must finish this villain off!" Glinda cried out to them.
Herbert nodded and ran through the opening in the rank of monsters. He had to cut down a few that were in his way as they jumped at him but they were no problem. He finally reached his target, the M.A.V.O. Leader when suddenly about fifty flying Heartless started flying towards him. Herbert tried to use Gravity but there was simply too many. He needed something stronger.
"Gravira!" Herbert shouted as the ball of of magic appeared and then expanded until it was large enough to crush every one of the Heartless. Another second level spell. Herbert slowly walked over to the dark orb. He raised the Spellbinder high into the air and jammed it down. The orb was destroyed and the dark energy seemed to explode. Herbert was thrown back down and was headed toward the ground but Merlin caught him as he was falling.
"It's over," said Teddy as the entire room exploded from the result of the orb being destroyed. Herbert sighed to himself. His journey was far from over and this world was so tough. It almost seemed like a climactic finish.
"No," Herbert said quietly. There was still the matter of finding Ozma, finishing off No-Heart once and for all, and of course defeating Malificent. Not to mention he still had to find out about Dorothy and the other missing princesses.
"How did you three get here?" George asked Merlin, Ghandalf, and Glinda.
"I sensed something was wrong," Glinda said. "I knew it would be too big for me alone so I went to Traverse Town and asked these good wizards for help."
"Always glad to be able to assist," said Merlin.
"We didn't really want to interfere," Ghandalf said. "This is your journey, you know. This was a one-time thing. From here on out you're on your own. No more help."
"I understand," Herbert said. The powerful wizards and sorceress said their goodbyes and left for Traverse Town and the Land of Oz.
"Here, I'd like you to have this," said Teddy as he stepped up to Herbert and gave him a keychain with a white crystal on the end of it.
"Thanks," said Herbert. "Now what about the Keyhole?"
"Hey, look at this, Herbert!" George caught Herbert's attention.
"What?" Herbert asked but George did not have to point it out. Where the black orb had once been was a giant Keyhole in the wall.
Herbert fired the beam from the Keyblade and locked the world. They all looked at each other and then turned and walked away to get to to the next world.