Kingdom Hearts Alpha
Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or any of it's characters and settings. They belong to Square Enix and Disney.
Chapter 43: Take Back Toad Hall
After the silence inside the Gummi Ship, Aqua finally spoke up.
"I'm fine," she told Donald and Goofy. "It's just- what that Xigbar guy said. He mentioned my friend Ven."
"Ven?" Sora asked.
"You've heard of him?" Aqua asked Sora in curiosity.
"The name's familiar, but I've never actually met him. What was he like?"
"He was a good kid," Goofy told Sora. "We met him once when he was at the tower where Mickey trained."
"We were working to become Keyblade masters together, alongside Terra." Aqua explained, as she told Sora about how the boy admired Terra and Aqua, and when he heard from a masked stranger that Terra would change, and for the worst, he set out for answers. Eventually, he learned he was originally the student of a man named Xehanort, who separated his heart to equal parts light and darkness, in order to create a weapon called the x-Blade.
"What happened to him?"
"He had to fight, but he lost his heart. I just hope someday... I can find a way to bring him back." Aqua continued, fighting back tears of guilt for not being able to save him.
"Don't worry," Sora assured. "We'll find a way to save him. We'll do it together; all of us!"
"Thank you, Sora." Aqua remarked, as she looked toward the glowing storybook of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. "We have one page left after escaping the Death Star. We should go see if Toad and the others need help, shouldn't we?"
"I guess we should," Sora agreed, as he aimed his Keyblade at the lock, and the two Keybearers were pulled into the book for another adventure.
When the blinding light finally cleared, the two heroes found themselves in an underground tunnel, a few feet behind Toad, Angus McBadger, Mole and Rat.
"Toad!" Sora called out. "What brings you here?"
"Ah, Sora! Aqua!" Toad replied in satisfaction that the two who helped break him out from prison were around. "Would you mind helping us in taking back Toad Hall from that barman Winky and his Weasel henchmen?"
"So, you're saying that that Winky really did frame you?"
"That he did," Mole added. "When I went out one night for a stroll and passed by Toad Hall, I happened to peer inside. And who should I see but those slippery Weasels and their boss... Winky!"
"But even so, Toad will have to prove himself innocent on his own. We'll help him reclaim the deed for Toad Hall- no more, no less." McBadger reminded Toad, who was beginning to have a smug look on his face as Mole recalled his story. "We should be close now."
Soon enough, the group reached what looked like a dead end, except for a trap door directly above their heads. Peeking out through it, they saw the Weasels laying around asleep with Winky dozing off in the Mayor's chair, the deed tucked deep into his pocket. Sora and Toad slowly tiptoed around the Weasels, careful not to wake them as Toad reached for the deed, only to accidentally wake up Winky as the fellow absentmindedly grabbed his arm and blinked his eyes open drowsily.
"Run!" Rat declared as the team scrambled for their escape, as the Weasels stirred awake with a snap.
"Don't just sit there staring, you fools!" Winky demanded toward the Weasels. "Catch them!"
What occurred next was what could be described as a frantic sort of game of Hot Potato, as the deed was sailed and thrown around the air by Toad, Sora, Aqua and everyone else as they tried to keep the deed out of Winky's hands. Quickly, Angus opened the trapdoor as the group leapt down right as the Weasels were approaching them from both sides. He then slammed it shut as the Weasels collided into each other, and they ran away from the door before they could be followed again.
"Well, that was all settled, but I fear we may have gotten away empty-handed." McBadger lamented.
"Don't be so sure," Toad spoke up as he pulled a familiar parchment out from his pocket. "I had it hidden away as soon as I could once we made our escape."
"Toad, you mad genius, you!" Mole and Rat exclaimed in jubilation.
"It's good that things are back how they should be." Aqua remarked as the animals celebrated.
"I can't take all the credit," Toad continued. "I wouldn't have done it without the help of you two, and my dear friends, of course." After saying this, he rummaged through his pockets and pulled out a clear turquoise stone that gleamed in the faint light of the torches they carried in the cave. "It isn't much, but take it as a token of my gratitude."
"Thank you." Sora and Aqua replied as they accepted Toad's gift. "We can't stay though, we have friends of our own that still need us."
"You're welcome to visit anytime you wish," Mole told the two.
"Indeed," Rat added. "We could get together for a fine spot of tea between us all."
"We'll take you up on that," Aqua said as the two heroes began to set forth outside of the book. "So long!"
"And remember to behave, Toad!" Sora jokingly warned.
"You have my word!" Toad called back, as the animals waved farewell to the Keybearers, whose adventures continued on.
{You have obtained the Watergleam summon gem!}
And that concludes yet another update. Please remember to review and share this story to help spread awareness and keep it going. It seems that the general consensus amongst people following the story is for the team to head to Atlantica next. And so, that is where they will go- but first comes a visit back to Traverse Town where a new set of troubles seem to have popped up. See you all next time to find out what happens!
