Sand here, sand there

It was a perilous journey leaving the Anthrogaunt behind them to a sandier, hotter place. Sunset Horizons as they soon arrived there was like nothing they had ever seen before (except for Mickey of course). Canyons covered a vast area of the land, dust blew so hard with prevailing winds that inhaling a tiny breath of it could stuff you and your lungs full of the stuff for weeks maybe even months.

Mike took out a map of the area searching for a clear spot to make up camp and plan the group's next attack against the Squadron. Mickey and Torahne decided to help Mike out by carrying some of the odd equipment they had even including the Book of Secrets that Mike gave to Sora, but also took back just as easily.

[Flasback]

(Bear with me here, since this was from a previous chapter before in the sewers where Mike told Sora and his co. to head to Mars for some odd mission from before).

It was on Mars of course that Sora and co. were reading the Book of Secrets for more clues as to what they were searching for in the first place on the red planet, but all were for not as they were coming on empty on ideas. Luckily thanks to their armor as well, they were provided protection from the harsh cold and intense environment of the Martian planet. Even Donald and Goofy were protected thanks to Donald's magic staff making them invulnerable against the red, oxygen-less rocky terrain.

Sora asked, "What in all that is good and decent are we looking for anyway on this rock?"

Mickey kept reading some more translations of the Book of Secrets. {"Whomever shall find my secret hiding spot to the Door of Perfidiousness, shall not only seek great power, but indeed will encounter great troublesome danger as well should they pursue it so. It is not near cold icy snow, nor is it near river, creek or lake, but rather on a rock that has a red glow."}

Mickey then said, "I sure as heck am stumped then. The last clue says that it should be on this planet, but they don't give specifics."

Torahne tapped Mickey as he asked, "Can I see the book for a moment?"

Mickey nodded and gave him the decrepit, old book as Torahne turned pages over and back looking for clues. Then it hit him on the head like an iron over his pants.

Torahne said to Sora, Mickey, Kairi, Henry, Riku, Donald and Goofy, "You guys may want to check this out. I think I may have found a clue."

Torahne then read aloud the phrase to which he received his brilliant piece of information. {"From the dusty barren landscape are not any physical tracks, droppings or any markings, but a message instead. It is from deep within that your next clue lies about the chosen one, the wielder of a great power who will indeed save us all from total destruction, not in paradise, but a land where brick is made of copper and streets are made of lead."}

Goofy then asked, "So does that mean it's nearby then?"

Torahne and Mickey shook their heads. Torahne then said, "Not a chance Goofy. We're technically on the wrong planet then. Mike must have sent us here on purpose then to keep us busy."

Sora then asked, "But why would he want to do that?"

Behind a set of rugged and dagger-like rocks, Mike in his black armor oversaw the situation with Sora and co. (Mickey and Torahne along with Riku with them at the time).

Mike then thought to himself, 'Good thing I came just in time. Now for sure I know that it's not here. That ought to buy me some time while I search the perimeters on Sunset Horizons.' With that, Mike disappeared as quickly as he entered the area into a black portal.

Torahne then said, "Well since that was a bust I guess we might as well leave."

Donald then asked, "But to where exactly?"

"I know of a good place. Perfect in fact. You guys will love it.", Torahne said as he summoned a portal to head to what Torahne would call Cherrywood.

[Present]

It wasn't too long before Riku spotted something amongst the rocky pillars of Sunset Horizons that caught his attention. He warned to Mike and the gang reading the map of his, "Uh guys, we got company."

Surely as Mike had heard this he said, "It's already too late to run Riku."

Riku looking at Mike confused wanted an answer as Mike said, "You see you guys, I'm sure you already knew that me sending you to Mars was a wild goose chase to get the Squadron off our backs so that I could find out about a certain item of business: The Chosen."

Torahne asked, "The Chosen?" Mike nodded as he overheard the boy ask in his right ear.

"The Chosen is as the Book of Secrets describes a youthful lad with great power and wisdom beyond his years. He is described to have the power to destroy the Doors to Perfidiousness and Tranquility of which are both on this planet. If we plan our cards right we can do this before sundown tomorrow night.", Mike continued.

Mickey then asked, "So you know where we're going?" To which Mike nodded and continued, "Yeah, but the method to which we're going is not going to be easy."

Mickey then asked, "But why?" To which Mike pointed and before they knew it they all had large, pointed spears dangling in their faces by tall brown cloaked people in all directions.

One of them dressed in a grey cloak said, "You are all in violation of trespassing on the sacred lands of the Hootis. Thus by the power invested in me by the great elder Marx place you all under arrest for suspicious interloping and loitering."

Torahne then whispered to Mike, "Can they really do that?"

"Different world, different laws; what can I say? As long as we're on their land, they call the shots, which is what I was hoping for.", Mike said.

Torahne then asked as they were taken to a dark cave heading down into the dark depths and cool, moist caverns, "Why is that now?"

Mike then said as they arrived in the destination, "Because of that." Everywhere there were statues that looked like Torahne in every way possible. His hair was chiseled to perfection, they were made of pure solid gold, and each one covered a long square inch of city streets that made up the underground metropolis of 'Rock Bottom'.

(Next Time: Negotiations.)