Kingdom Hearts: The Next Generation
The Keyblade Graveyard
So, in the Keyblade Graveyard, Lando and Oceana take the place of Max and Webby as Skye's party companions. Lando is more of a warrior type with his dual-wielded mini-Keyblades, augmenting the physical attacks with magic relating to earth and darkness, similar to Terra. Oceana barely uses her Keyblade, instead mostly using magic; similarly, she's a successor to Aqua, only unlike Aqua her magic attacks actually have a water theme instead of just a "magic" theme. At this point, Skye presumably has many unique abilities related to wind and light like Ventus.
Kermit joins them as they land in the badlands outside the Keyblade Graveyard. Their location turns out to be Firebird Mountain, where they fight the Firebird from Fantasia 2000 in a battle rather similar to the first game's Chernabog battle. When the three of them defeat the Firebird, Kermit is shocked, outright stating that the Firebird is essentially a successor to Chernabog and that he's outright stunned that these three students were able to stand up to it.
Then, they go through the same canyon we went through in Birth By Sleep to the Graveyard itself, where they meet Uncle Deadly, the ghostly Muppet who, ironically enough, was incredibly obscure when I first decided to use him in May of 2011, but had a major comeback only a few months later when the film The Muppets came out. In this story, he's called the Phantom of Muppet Towers, and has been banished to the Keyblade Graveyard to serve as its guardian. He challenges Skye, Oceana, and Lando; as a boss, he floats all around casting dark magic… I didn't think too deeply into it, I didn't want him to be too much of a challenge.
When defeated, he graciously rewards the Keyblade wielders with something thought to have been lost forever: he slips into the Realm of Darkness and returns with Master Aqua.
At this very moment, I don't recall exactly what happens then. I'll tell you in the next chapter, which will recap Aqua Mortis, the first story set in this continuity, whose storyline starts right about when KHNG ends and overlaps with these events. Ah, heck, I'll just tell you now what I remember: Aqua's return to the Keyblade Graveyard also results in the return of Vanitas, in his bonus boss Remnant form, and all of the Unversed. That's right, he summons all of them. The three students and Aqua escape as Mickey and André appear and start battling the Unversed hordes. They flee to Crystal Spheres, where… something happens. All right, I guess I remembered quite a bit after all. But not what happens at Crystal Spheres. I'll tell you tomorrow when I skim Aqua Mortis so I can recap it. I'm dedicated to updating this "what could have been" deal daily so I can finally be at peace this week. Just zipping through this. Again, I'm not even proofreading this.
Anyway, after Crystal Spheres, Skye goes off alone, I would guess returning to Muppet Towers to reunite with the healed Max and Webby. But then Xefrii and Ciexu appear. Xefrii makes a quip about how surely Skye didn't think Uncle Deadly was the final boss, and then we have the final battle of KHNG. Fighting alone, Skye has to use every skill he's ever learned, but it's not enough. Xefrii and Ciexu have amplified their capabilities since they were fought before the Tangled world… and ultimately, they win, leaving Skye floating unconscious in space.
Lando and the Phantom Blot arrive at the meeting place in the Keyblade Graveyard, only to find the place now infested with the Unversed that Vanitas left behind. Lando… I don't remember why, but he has a moment of conscience here and decides to tell Xefrii and Ciexu he no longer wants to work with them. They tell him one can't simply waltz out of the Brotherhood; Lando taunts them by not only waltzing, but also pirouetting and popping-and-locking out of there. Xefrii almost wants to let him go, given what a grand exit that is, but Ciexu begs to differ. Xefrii and Ciexu halt Lando… with their Keyblades.
Yes, Xefrii and Ciexu, whatever they are, are also Keyblade wielders. I don't remember what the designs are, I don't think I ever really drew them; I remember Xefrii's has a theme of fire and light and is called Supernova, while Ciexu's is themed after ice and darkness and is called Frigid Horror. One of them, I forget which, was said to be the oldest of all Keyblades, save the X-blade itself. That was significant, I don't remember in what way.
Lando tries to escape anyway, but Ciexu summons a giant multicolored Midghost, called the Multighost, which finally convinces him that he's no match for them and that he can't escape the Brotherhood. Xefrii and Ciexu turn their gaze now to Oceana. I think there was going to be a scene where Oceana, back on the beaches of Destiny Islands, is daydreaming about Lando and plucking the petals off a flower, doing the whole "he loves me, he loves me not" bit; Xefrii appears before her, musing about what the flower would say if it could speak, and wondering what she would do if it meant she could be with Lando the way she wants.
Meanwhile, Skye remains suspended, unconscious, in the Lanes Between, and the story comes to an end.