Ponyville Train Station

Twilight couldn't help but watch with a conflicted expression as the train pulling her friends away faded into the distance. Her waving hoof dropping back to the wooden floor of the train station as she released a heavy sigh.

Beside her, Applejack stood with a stoic expression that near rivaled that of the Royal Canterlot Guards. The apple farmer cast a gaze over to Twilight, before placing a hoof gently upon her shoulder.

"You sure you don't want to teleport the rest of us onto that there train Twilight? Ah mean ah'm sure you could do it easily. Just don't feel too right letting the four of them go off without the rest of the elements."

"I…I know Applejack. I know." Twilight said softly, shaking her head. "But I can't allow both yours and Pinkie's elements to run untested after what happened back in the Crystal Empire."

"You were allowing me and Pinks to do that transforming thing before back on ma farm." Applejack countered as she stopped her hoof on the wooden floor. "What's the difference between then and now?"

"The difference, Applejack, is that when you three did transformations, it was done under a watchful eye and a controlled environment. And more to the point, you three were not under direct threat." Twilight said. "Also, the act of the transforming leaves all of the subjects tired and weak for some reason. Something that Sora even says is new to him. So for now, no, I need you and Pinkie Pie here so I can study the Elements in length."

The lavender mare looked away from her friend. "I will not put my friends in any type of situation like back at the Crystal Empire. Sora is strong enough as it is for now and Celestia herself said that she had sent two of her personal guards ahead of them to help out. I'm sure that they can deal with whatever is in Trottingham."

Applejack snorted before lowering her head. "Still…ah feel kinda useless, now, just sitting on the sidelines as it were. What with Equestira in danger the way it is and what not."

"I know…I know. But we are helping Equestria too, in our own way. With this new power of the Elements we will be able to fight back the Darkness like our predecessors in the past did." Twilight beamed as she nudged her friend. "We may be split up for now but we are heading for the same goal. Right?"

Applejack snorted again, more out of humor then anything. "Heh. Ya know. That sounds like something Sora would say to us."

Twilight giggled softly. "Oh? You know Sora that well huh?"

"Well yeah." Applejack answered honestly. "Ah mean he does live with ma family and me and what not. Despite everything that's happened to him up till this point, he's still just a young'en, leaning all about the world and making mistakes." She chuckled. "Still, if there's one thing ah do know about him, ah know that despite him being such a strong pony…ah…Hooman." Applejack corrected as she pronounced the odd term for his race. "Ah know that he's rather just a normal little colt at heart. And if'n ah know ma colts, he's still learning something new about the world every day."

Twilight could only nod in agreement at her friend's words. "I think we all learn something new about our world every day…" The mare looked out into the sky, a look of determination forming on her brow. "And I think…I want to see it all."

The apple farmer followed her friend's gaze to the sky above. "Ya really thinking of going out there, past the sky and stars and whatnot?"

Twilight didn't answer at first, lost in an aray of her own thoughts. After a few moments however, the mare would nod. "When this is all over here in Ponyville and Equestria. Yeah…I will ask Sora about taking me I think."

"What do ya think the princess would say about that?" Applejack inquired as she led the way off the wooden platform.

"I…Don't know exactly. I really don't." Twilight said as she shook her head. "But I do know that I need to go. Theres so much that even the princesses do not know. So much that nopony alive knows…"

Applejack gave a wry chuckle. "Twilight…Always wanting to learn new things." She mused before nudging the mare. "If'n ya do decide ta leave, make sure ta send a letter ya hear? Let us know what it's like out there and what not."

Twilight giggled as well. "Will do Applejack."

Friendship Express

Ongoing Twoards Trottingham

Fluttershy sighed wistfully as she sat back down within her chair, her gaze falling the fading sun that slipped beyond the horizon, making way for the moon's light. I…I must be crazy…I have to be crazy…

She had actually agreed to go on this mission. Why had she agreed to go to a potentially dangerous place, knowing dangerous heartless that would want nothing better than to take her very heart out of her chest?

She could think of a dozen reasons for her not to go on such a crazy mission. Despite that, she could think of one important reason that seemed to outweigh every other sensible reason down the drain. One reason that pushed her to be a thunderhead and accept to go on a potentially dangerous mission.

The yellow mare's gaze would fall on Sora as he sat opposite of Rainbow Dash. The cyan mare seemingly trying to get as much information out of him about his adventures traveling between worlds. Admittedly, the fact that he was able to see all kinds worlds and make many animal friends appealed to the yellow mare quite a bit. At least she knew that he was an animal lover.

"Are those hearts in your eyes or did you get contacts darling?" Said an eloquent voice to Fluttershy's side, making the butter yellow mare squeak in surprise. She quickly turned around to find Rarity smiling coyly at her, which only made the poor shy mare blush even harder.

"I…I mean…Its…I…You know I…" Fluttershy stuttered as she cast a gaze down and away from her white unicorn friend.

"Darling, you are just too cute when you have a crush." Rarity mused as he waved a hoof. "Why not go over and talk to him. I know you want to and I'm sure I can occupy Rainbow's time with something else."

"Oh but…This is the first time I've seen the two of them talk the way they are." Fluttershy said as she looked to the pair of pegasi, both the mare, unknowingly, enraptured by the tale he was weaving. He seemed to be telling her about that master computer-thingy that he had went into back in another world. Whatever it was, it really sounded scary to Fluttershy.

"I…Really don't want to interrupt them. This is really the first I've seen Rainbow have a normal conversation with him so…"

"Well…I'll…agree that seeing those two talk is much preferable then seeing them argue." Rarity agreed reluctantly. "Still, they won't be talking forever and you need to spend more time with him."

"B…But he…I mean…He will leave when…"

"Fluttershy." Rairty said sternly, causing her shy friend to button her lips. "If it is meant to be, then love will find a way to make it work. Trust me." She gave her friend a quivering pout. "You do trust me, don't you darling?"

Fluttershy, despite herself, was quick to agree with her friend. "I…I do…I do trust you Rarity."

"Good!" Rarity mused in a low voice. "Because I, my dear Fluttershy, have a plan…"

On the other side, the latter pair of the group of ponies would notice both Rarity and Fluttershy conversing a ways away from them.

"Wonder what they are talking about." Sora committed with a raised eyebrow.

"Don't know, don't care." Rainbow said with a wave of her hoof. "Pretty sure it's something I'm not interested in in any case. So, back on the topic at hoof." She nudged the caramel stallion. "So you got to ride on these things called Light Bikes. I think I remember that from your story. How fast do you think they were going?"

"Not too sure but I think they were going pretty fast." He answered, tapping a hoof to his chin.

"Come on dude." Rainbow whined. "I need to know. If I'm ever going to be the fastest then I need to know my competition.

"Competition?" Sora asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well duh! I wanna see these Light Bikes in action myself."

"You…Want to travel between worlds?" Sora asked with wide eyes.

"Hey! If you get to do it then so do I." Rainbow glared at the stallion. "Or were you going to just keep the other worlds all to yourself."

Sora shook his head as he backed into his seat. "I-It's not that Dash. It's just…Well…I never really had someone ask to go with me to see the other worlds before." He scratched his cheek. "Not even sure it's really allowed."

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "See it like this Sora. They didn't tell you it was not allowed right?"

The Keyblade Wieldier couldn't help but smile. "Heh. Yeah. Your right. They didn't."

Rainbow smiled as she crossed her forehooves across her chest. "So…Gotta ask. What do you think we are going up against here this time?"

Sora sat up at her question, his gaze falling away from her as he thought. "I'm not too sure to be honest." He smiled at the mare. "These Heartless are behaving differently than the ones I am use to." His gaze would fall slightly. "Sunset could even be there…"

Rainbow sighed softly before gently flicking his head. "Hey. No getting whiney in my presence Hero."

Sora rubbed the spot upon his head before, glaring at Rainbow, the Rainbow mare only giving him a smug smile in return. Sighing in defeat, Sora would raise himself back up, smacking both of his face's cheeks with both hooves before growing a determined smile. A smile that Rainbow couldn't help but return.

"You two seem to be getting along well enough," Rarity mused as she slipped beside the pair. "But I think it's about time for the four of us to get some rest soon."

Rainbow snorted as she cast the white unicorn a gaze. "Who keeled over and made you leader?"

"My darling, I'm only offering a suggestion" Rarity said without missing a beat. "We have a big day tomorrow after all." She gave Rainbow a smug smile. "Besides, my dear Rainbow, how are you going to be your best if you don't get your proper rest? We may very well have to deal with heartless after all and you don't want moi showing you up."

Rainbow snorted again but mumbled under her breath something akin to 'As if' before taking off to a seat away from the other three.

Rarity couldn't help but shake her head. "Honestly…" The mare would look towards Sora, giving him a smile and a wink. "You best get some rest too Sora. See you in the morning darling." She mused before making her way away. She paused as she looked back. "Oh and…Be a dear and do me a favor."

Sora tilted his head to the side, the words to ask what it was on the verge of spilling out of his lips, only to stop as he saw Fluttershy peeking around her unicorn friend.

"Oh…Um…H-Hello…Sora…"

Unknown World

Sora swung his blade in a wide arc, destroying any heartless unfortunate enough to be within meeting range an untimely demise. Twisting his blade within his hand, Sora stabbed behind himself, the tip of his blade slipping into the chest of a rather evil looking heartless. One that looked like a more twisted version of the little shadows he had always dealt with in the past.

The Keyblade Wielder flipped his weapon into the air before gathering a collection of energy within the palm of his hand, a burning heat building rapidly. Shouting out the command, the massive fireball blasted into a crowd of heartless, their bodies dissipating in a cloud of black smoke. Nodding to himself, the boy caught the blade as soon as it came within his reach, twirling within his hand before turning to face an oncoming crowd of heartless, intent on destroying the one that they feared.

Despite their determination however, Sora knew that he would prevail, his gleaming blade at the ready. Because he had to save…Her.

His gaze fell to the lone cage behind the heartless. She was in there, the one trapped behind the curtain, the one he felt that he cared for the most. He could hear Her frantic cries for help behind the cage She was trapped behind. Despite not knowing whose voice it was, he knew that it was someone that meant everything to him. It was because of Her that he was fighting so hard right now.

With a determined frown, Sora positioned himself to leap into action, ready to take on any foe that stood between him and his charge. He would defeat anyone who kept him from the one who needed to protect him most. He would fight till the brink of exhaustion and push himself to keep fighting afterwards. He would…Stop and stare with confusion that was worth 1000 "What the heck"s.

To his surprise and utter bewilderment, time seemed to stop all around him, the heartless that were nearly upon him frozen in place, almost as if they were statues.

Slowly, the boy would lower his guard and make his way to one of the nearest one heartless. Ever so carefully, he would raise his blade, allowing the tip of it to tap heartless's body, a gentle clang resounding throughout the dark, empty space that he was within.

"Hang on…" Sora said softly to himself, his gaze shifting to his surroundings. "How did I get here? For that matter, where is here?" he would turn, only to find that the heartless that had him surrounded were gone, leaving only a grassy pasture illuminated by the light of…A heart shaped moon.

"So that is Kingdom Hearts."

Sora would turn just in time to see a familiar figure making her way beside him. Her midnight blue fur shimmering just as much as her flowing starry. Luna's gaze would keep to the moon within the sky, before slowly looking towards the boy beside her. "Tis a beautiful sight, one we…I mean I would wish to see one day."

Sora blinked long and hard before tilting his head at the mare beside him. "Luna?"

The Princess of the Moon would nod curtly to the Hero of Light. "Tis so, fair Sora. Forgive my intrusion upon your dreams, but I would like to have words with you. If that is fine with you that is."

Sora blinked once again before casting his gaze all about his surroundings, namely to the cage behind the heartless. "This is a dream?"

"Tis so." Luna said with a nod of her head. "It is why you are in your other form."

Sora, finally looked down upon himself, noting that he was indeed not in his pony form, his hand stretching out and his fingers flexing at his command. "Woah…"

Luna tilted her head. "Is something the matter?"

Sora shook his head slowly. "No…It's just." He bit his bottom lip before continuing. "Kinda feels weird to be back in my body again. Feels like it's been forever since I've had fingers."

"That would be the transformation spell I would suspect." Luna mused with a tap of her hoof to her chin. "I was told that she had explained the spell in detail to you, am I correct?"

"Yeah, a little bit I think." Sora told her. "She didn't know about my clothes transformation ability so…"

Luna raised an eyebrow before nodding slowly. "Yes well, we can talk about that later. Sadly I have little time before you wake up on your own and I wish to…Ask you some questions."

"I'm all ears Princess."

Luna slowly nodded. "Thank you and please, call us Luna. We wish that you would treat us as you do our sister. As a…Friend?"

Sora smiled brightly as he placed his hands behind his back, standing in a relaxed position. "Sure. And just like with Celestia, you can just call me Sora. Was never really one for formalities anyway."

Luna was slightly taken aback by how fast Sora agreed to her request. The mare would give him a gentle nod. "As you wish, Sora." Luna slowly lower herself until she was laying upon the soft billowing grass that lay under the majesty of Kingdom Hearts, making a motion with her muzzle for Sora to join her.

The Keyblade Wielder would follow suit, allowing his rump the hit the grass and his legs to be sprayed out in front of him, his hands propping him up from behind.

It wasn't too long before Luna spoke once again, her gaze falling to the heart shaped moon within the sky. "What do you think of Darkness Sora?"

Sora would shift his position as he allowed Luna's question to wash over him, a slight frown forming over his features. "I'm…not too sure Luna."

Luna nods. "I want your honest opinion Sora. When you first hear of Darkness, what do you think?"

Sora placed a hand over his heart. "I don't think I'm the smartest person to ask something so deep…but…I think…" He paused before looking to Luna. "I think it can be scary at times. Maybe even frightening." Before Luna could speak about his answer however, Sora placed a gentle finger upon her nose, smiling brightly to her. "But I also know that Darkness isn't all bad."

"How do you mean 'Darkness isn't all bad?'" Luna asked with a raised eyebrow.

Sora folded his arms about his chest and thought for a moment. Nodding once to himself, he would smile brightly at the mare. "Well, we sleep in the dark right? That's the time we are the most exposed and yet we feel comfortable enough to let our guards down."

Luna couldn't help but shake her head in amusement. "That…Is one way to see it. Admittedly, one way I never have." Her ears would lower slightly. "And one that I wish I had thought of so long ago." Her gaze fell back to the boy, sadness apparent upon her features. "I am sad to say that I, like your friend Riku, had fallen to the evil side of Darkness oh so long ago, Sora. I let it consume my heart so badly that Celestia had to banish me to the very moon within our Sky." The mare placed a hoof upon her chest. "Sometimes, I can feel something creeping in my heart when I'm alone. I feel like it is still there…"

Sora nodded slowly before moving to sit in front of the mare. "I think I know what you mean." Sora's gaze fell to the ground. "If it wasn't for my friends, I think I would have fallen to the darkness a long time ago. Riku, Lea, the King, Donald and Goofy. They saved me when I really needed them because I wasn't strong enough to fight off the darkness on my own." He looked back up to the dark Alicorn. "I'm not as strong as Riku in that regard I guess."

"You and I have that in common." Luna said with a resolute sigh.

"But… Ya know." Sora continued, causing the mare to tilt her head curiously at him. "I've been neglecting my own advice for too long. When I last met Xehanort, I told him that my friends are my strength. Even after I said that I think I still had a little doubt in my heart. I still think that maybe, in his own twisted way, he was right about me not being able to fight on my own." Sora lowered his head. "And you know what, he was right. It was proved back in my world and now in this one. I couldn't save the girls and Spike cause I was thinking I could do it on my own."

Luna was quiet at his words, which prompted Sora to speak again.

"Rainbow told me something the other day." Sora said, cutting the mare off, much to her annoyance. "That she wanted to help me." I think I'll start relying on her…on every one of my friends from now on." The boy looked up to the mare. "And ya know what? I think you should do the same."

"I…Will keep that in mind Sora." Luna said hesitantly, her gaze wavering away. Before Sora could comment, the mare would gasp and look off into the distance, a confused look growing on her features. "Your dream will be ending. You're about to wake up soon Sora. If there is anything you need ask you best do it now."

"Already?" Sora asked as he looked off towards the cage. "Well…If you're the master of dreams, you think you can tell me who's in the cage back there."

"Beyond that cage?" Luna looked towards the covered bars before casting a sideways glance at Sora. "That is something that I cannot outright answer for you."

"Aww!" Sora pouted. "Why not?"

"Because Sora…What is beyond that cloth is the one you want to see the most. Only you can answer that question and no pony else."

"The one I want the most?" Sora looked back to the cage, the sound of the one calling for him ringing clear as day in his ears and yet he could not place a name for the voice. "Who…Do I care for the most?"

"I do not know Sora." Luna told him. "But I do know that the answer is usually right in front of you."

"What?" Sora asked. "What the heck is that suppose to-"

Sora jolted awake in a flailing of hooves as his head throbbed, the jacket that had been covering him falling to the floor beside him. He placed a hoof over his head, as if that will somehow placate the rapid beating it was releasing. Looking down, he would see the bag that had accosted him during his sleep, a confused look crossing his features. After a time, the caramel stallion sighed softly before gaining his bearings once again. The familiar train cabin that he had somehow grown accustomed to meeting his gaze. He was on a train. A train heading towards his next destination.

Trottingham.

As he slowly sat up, Sora would try to grasp for any part of the dream he had experience prior, yet the only thing he could even remotely remember from that dream was someone calling out to him. Someone reaching out to his heart in a way he had never felt before. Sora sighed softly as he closed his eyes, allowing his back rest, once again, upon the cot within his cabin. He could see, from his position, the break of sunlight over the horizon, day looming ever closer in the distance as the train traversed the landscape. Sora's thoughts soon began to drift towards what he was going to do when he reached their destnation.

Someone…Or somepony had erected a barrier around an entire city, keeping everypony on the outside out and, more importantly, everypony within the inside of it in. Whatever it was that was going on, he had to find out what it was, and if the heartless or the Organization was involved…

His thoughts were interrupted however as he saw the sleeping form of his butter yellow Pegasus friend. The gentle rise and fall of her chest from her curled position causing him to smile slightly.

She's pretty cute when she sleeps…

Sora paused as he looked down.

Did I really just…Well it's not untrue…I guess…The ponies are rather cute looking. And Fluttershy is…really cute looking.

Sora shook his head before sighing softly. Sitting up, he could see the other mares nearby, each one sleeping peacefully upon a different chair. Slowly, he would slip from the one he occupied before making his way down the out of the cart. He doubted he could get any sleep right now, not with trying to keep his thoughts focused and all.

He had always found eating a good way to get one's thoughts in order so a bit of a late night snack was in order. And he was just dying to try another one of Pinkie Pie's delicious cupcakes.

Before he could he could take more than a couple of steps within the train's other car however, the gentle closing of the door behind him would cause his gaze to fall upon Fluttershy of all ponies, a soft epp escaping her as he twisted to turn towards her completely.

"Fluttershy?" Sora said with a confused look as he gazed upon the mare. "I didn't wake you did I?"

"Oh my…N-No Sora." The mare squeaked, looking away from him after a moment of hesitation. "W-Well maybe a little…but I was always a light sleeper anyway…"

"Oh. Well, still. I'm sorry I woke you up." Sora apologized to the shy mare. "I was just on my way to get a early breakfast."

"Oh! No…I should be the one that was sorry." Fluttershy tried to assure the caramel stallion. "You wanted to be alone didn't you…I can just leave you to that…"

"No way!" Sora said as he placed a hoof on the mare's shoulder. "I would like nothing better than to be in your company Shy."

Fluttershy's face turned an extra shade of red as she blushed deeply at his words, the slight twitch of her wings noticeable even to Sora, though he didn't think too much of it.

"W-Well…If you're really okay with it…"

With Sora's final nod, the pair of ponies made their way to the serving area.

It goes without saying that Sora was impressed with the way ponies were able to fit nearly a whole kitchen within in one whole train cart. If he didn't quite know any better, he was sure that it looked a lot bigger on the inside than it did on the outside.

"Really nice of Celestia to pull out all the stops when it comes to our travels around Equestria." Sora noted, as he began to rummage through one of the cabinets, silently praising himself on the fact that his hooves are working with him better than ever before.

"Oh…Well…Yes. She is very kind in that regard." Fluttershy agreed, pulling out more than a few items out of the cabinets.

"It's a shame that AJ and Pinkie couldn't come with us this time." Sora said. "They can really cook some mean pies."

Fluttershy blushed slightly as she looked his way. "W-Well…Um…I can, if you want me to, make you something…if that's okay with you that is."

Sora blinked as he looked her way, a light blush of his own reaching his cheeks "W-Well. I mean you don't have to go through all that trouble for me. I usually do fine when I need to."

"Oh! B-But it will be no trouble at all." Fluttershy told him. "I-I mean…You're my friend too. And I know I can't fight like the other girls can. S-So if I can do anything to help you, I want to do it."

Sora looked away, scratching his cheek. The mare's cute determination was more then he could handle for a reason he couldn't not quite determine himself. "W-Well…Okay. If you want any help though, let me know okay?"

Fluttershy gave the stallion a shy smile as she nodded gently. "Oh…W-Well than…First I would need…

Rarity sighed softly as she closed the door the cart Fluttershy and Sora occupied. "The rest is up to you Fluttershy. Don't you dare ruin this for yourself."

Turning away from the door, she would make her way back to her seat. "Curse you for wanting to see love bloom…" The mare mumbled to herself. "Still, if it means making one of my friends happy, even if it's for a little while, I'll gladly resign myself to a fate of loneliness for a little longer."

The white mare couldn't help but smile, the memory of waking the butter-yellow Pegasus up just as Sora left the room. Sure she had told her to lie, which Applejack would never forgive her for, but this was in the name of love! And love overrules all! Or so she has been told in her Romance Novels.

Rarity sighed once again before slipping back into her chair, away from the still snoring Rainbow Dash as she slept wistfully unaware of everything around her. Looking out the window, Rarity gave the slightest of smiles. "Well…Maybe…Just maybe…Fluttershy is a sharing type?"