Of Keys and Hammers

by zcritic88

In a realm beyond, the Four Chaos has taken notice of a realm tied close to the heart. They squirmed into the darkness and sought to corrupt if to reach a prize beyond the light. Will the Light of Order, be able to repel this ancient evil?

19. Flickering Lights

In the lush forest, Kairi finished dispatching a group of strange , monkey like heartless as Namine watched from afar, she looked back at the path they came. "Flynn knows how to pick up the pace when it comes to running away. I hope Rapunzel can keep up with that."

"Neeeeeigh!" Clop! Clop!

Kairi and Namine heard horse noises and the sound of Rapunzel calming something down. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Easy, boy, easy! Settle down. Whoa, whoa!"

Kairi jolted as Namine disappeared to voice the discovery. "That's her!" Kairi agreed and dashed to the horse noises, finding Flynn sitting down against a rock, cowering in fear of a white horse with brown eyes and signs that he was owned. Rapunzel was trying to ease the beast that saw a green chameleon gestured that he settle down. The horse sat down and Rapunzel sighed as she gave praise. "You are such a good boy!" She nuzzled to his muzzle in affection causing the horse to wag his tail like a dog. "Yes you are!" She asked the beast. "Are you tired from chasing this bad man all over the place?"

The horse nodded and pout as Flynn asked. "Excuse me?!"

Kairi hummed and nodded in agreement to Rapunzel. "I knew it!"

The blonde woman kept asking the horse as she hugged him. "Nobody appreciates you, do they? Do they?" Flynn was more outraged. "Oh come on. He's a bad horse!" Rapunzel and Kairi heavily disagreed, the blonde woman voiced her case. "Ohhh. He is nothing but a sweet heart!" She asked the horse as she saw a sun symbol on his harness along with the name. "Isn't that right- Maximus?" The horse returned the affection as Flynn asked. "Wha... you've got to be kidding me?!"

The horse glared at the man as Rapunzel asked. "Look, today is kind of the biggest day of my life, and the thing is," she helped Flynn up. "I need you not to get him arrested." The horse refused as Rapunzel finished. "Just for twenty-four hours, and then you can chase each other to your hearts' content. Okay?" Flynn hummed and put his right hand to a truce with Maximus, the horse looked away as Rapunzel asked cutely. "And it's also my birthday. Just so you know."

The horse eventually gave in and put his left hoof into the truce. Rapunzel noticed something coming to the odd reunion, Kairi, the red haired girl shouted. "Rapunzel!"

The blonde woman approached relieved. "You're here. And you're okay!"

Kairi watched the horse punch Flynn in the stomach behind Rapunzel's back, felt like Flynn deserved it and wanted to give Rapunzel a hug. "Yeah, you too!"

Rapunzel appreciated and introduced Kairi. "And look, I made a friend." The horse approached as Rapunzel said. "Meet Maximus. You can say Flynn introduced us. And where one goes, the other follows." The horse took a closer look and as Rapunzel introduced him to the girl. "This is Kairi, she has been helping me."

She and the horse looked to each other in trust, the horse nodded to Kairi to let her know he trusts her. Flynn held to his stomach and groaned. "Uhh. Come on, the Kingdom's not far." He lead the way for the rest to follow.

In the lane between.

Ken readied in his seat nervously as Elrena nudged to him. "Kid... Kendry, you know we are going head first into a dangerous place, I'm a bit nervous of what is going to happen."

Ken agreed as Brynhildr faced herself towards where the world of Twilight Town is, he felt his breath refusing to leave his lungs, if Bryn takes off into the Eldar's territory, they would know who is coming for them and will go into a full defensive position. He admitted. "Their... technology is strange and they came from the same place the Space Marines, Resira, Tahm-" He looked at Cadia's light. "Things like a lasgun... and so many pieces of technology came from. Technology that... looks hard to hit through and they look... fatal if they hit any of us. Can... Bryn punch through that?"

Elrena raised an eyebrow. "Do we have any choice? Who do we know that can-" The gummi phone rang a tune, Ken picked it up and found the collar I.D of who was calling, not texting. "Ienzo?!"

Beep!

The screen revealed Ienzo looking like he caught Ken right on time, asking in an unprofessional and terrified tone. "Ken, what were you going to do when you finished that job?"

Ken swallowed, looked around and found nothing that could be listening. "...Give these people that been trying to kill me a piece of my mind and help someone find a guy they very likely kidnapped. Why?"

A clamp over took the screen and the phone on the other end was taken from Ienzo, a mechanical voice grumbled. "Of all the idiotic-" The clamp let go in the hand of a familiar tech priest, the only one known, Magitinus looked at the boy behind the screen and beeped a warning. "If you approach the Eldar's space with the ship you have, you're life will be forfeit! Return to Radiant Garden immediately for us to discuss... modifications. That's an order!"

Ken gasped and wanted to ask something as the phone was yanked out of his hands, Ienzo took over. His eyes looked to where the tech priest is and lower, he moved the phone to reveal two chipmunks that jumped onto the desk, one with a small black nose and a single buck tooth and one with a large red nose and two buck teeth. "Our tech priest has a point, but they will be the ones to tell the whole story. Gentlemen, would you introduce yourselves?"

The black nose chipmunk adjusted his engineer vest and answered. "Sure will!" He waved. "Hello Ken, we are the ones who helped build the gummi ship! I'm Chip!" The red nose chipmunk laughed and introduced himself. "and I'm Dale!"

Ken waved hello. "Hey Chip, hey Dale! Name's Kendry... I was just thinking about how dangerous it is to go to that place since the Eldar are from the same places Magitinus came from. Bryn barely held on the last time she was shot by them." Chip cringed at the information as Dale warned him in all his squeakiness. "That was what we were afraid of! Magi told us that the Eldar's technology is completely alien and could be more advanced compared to what we gave Bryn."

Chip agreed with that. "Magi had an idea of what to use the blocks as upgrades for Bryn, he is the only one who would be of any help."

Ienzo adjusted the screen to included the tech priest and asked of him. "Now you can make the request and be polite."

The tech priest's eyes gave a static lining as he requested. "Before you go take you're vengeance, Brynhildr needs to be upgraded to fight these xenos, return to us when you can."

Bryn changed her direction entirely as Ken whistled. "We will be back before you know it. Thanks for the heads up."

Ienzo turned the screen back to him with a smile. "Thank you, we will look forward to it."

The call ended and Elrena had her eyes wide to the fact. "That was way too close!"

Ken agreed with that. "Upgrade first, then we rescue you're friend! I should have thought of that before we came here."

Elrena didn't mind. "As long as we are quick and get back here before they notice. Once we go after them, there is no going back." Bryn beeped in agreement and took flight back to the world she called home.

With in a dream.

Sora and Riku found themselves with in the void of space, finding red comets flying past them as they fell to a tiny red orb bellow. Dodging comets and asteroids as they thought of the world they left behind. The thought on Oswald and his mysterious were buried with in their minds as they slowly reached to the orb, they found themselves falling through a sulfurous cloud and found themselves in a primal plane, their surroundings look like a tunnel of volcanoes, lava and fire. They dodged the flames and bubbling lava, falling faster as Riku noticed ahead the tunnel of volcanoes steaming smoke, grabbed Sora by the collar and with force of will, slowed both of their falling, the volcanoes cracked, erupted geysers of lava all at once and ruptured into a pillar of flame. Sora felt the immense power of the earth, flame and rock flew all around and fallen back from where they came. Both boys continued their drop and watched the primal nature at work, forming land masses and creating a new world before their very eyes, they found a stormy mist and fell past it, finding themselves leaving the fiery tunnels and to a steaming sea that washed its way over the volcanoes. Mighty wind and salty water smothered the world, the light of the earth drowned and the boys found themselves colliding with a vast sea of darkness. They closed their eyes and felt themselves pushed through a faint barrier.

The two felt their falling halted and opened their eyes to find a water void, they felt the water around them and were fortunate enough to breath it. Sora looked at his body and found nothing changed, looked at Riku with disappointment and swam ahead, Riku tried to say something and bubbles came out of his mouth. Sora gasped and said something, with bubbles coming out of him, Riku noticed something floating their way, an gelatinous cell. He swam close to it and saw it take shape, like something of a maw, the boy swam back to avoid becoming consumed and swam ahead, away from the life form. Sora followed and noticed two green cells with flagellum, they have something resembling red eyes. The cells seem to be ignoring them, they swam away from the boys. Riku noticed something and tapped Sora on the shoulder, a group of cells spun with each other and swam away. They split into two, the two cells doubled and the double of those cells doubled, multiplying. An inky black cloud swallowed the scene and the boys were left in the void, they swam ahead and found more light, in a world much more recognizable, a sea bed with aquatic, tentacled life, taking in various particles for food. They swam across the inky void and found more of an alien world. Finding themselves the size of fish that swam across the water, jellyfish floated nearby and Riku warned Sora silently, tapping his own wrists and making his finger wiggle like the tentacles. He pretended to look stunned and Sora understood what he meant, don't let the jellyfish touch him.

They swam near the sea floor and watch the fish swim towards a mass of land reaching somewhere, finding one particular that carelessly swam towards a jellyfish, look stunned and was enveloped into the jellyfish's bell. Sora swallowed and followed the rest of the fish, Riku was mesmerized and saw a tentacled creature clinging to the surface, one lying in wait for his unaware friend. He caught up, lifted him by the shoulders and swam him past the creature that tried to grasp them both, they watch the fish grow larger, darker, the fins resembled webbed feet. They were close to the surface, the fish crawled on the surface of the sea floor towards the surface of the sea. The boys swam to that surface and jumped off, finding themselves on dry land at last. Breathing the air and panting.

Sora asked with the ability to speak. "What, was all that?"

Riku looked back to the sea and was left silent by something incredible, aquatic dinosaurs of various species and sizes. Sora turned around and watched what the dinosaurs were doing, living their lives in a primal age. He was silent once more and watched, unaware of what lurked on a cliff above, Riku noticed pterosaurs watching the water, waiting for an opportunity to seize prey, some of them looked upon the boys and sized them up. They were too large to carry back to their nest, some of them swooped down instead to the sea, plucking some of the marine life with in, some fought over an octopus as others seize fish with their beaks. One plucked a fish from the water, tried to fly back to its perch and was snapped in the head by a tylosaur, and was dragged into the water.

Sora wished to take out his keyblade as Riku had his hand over his friends shoulder. "Sora, don't. This is nature... this... is the birth of a world." He looked to a jungle with thick plants and wished to explore. "An age of creatures that we only heard of in books. What... else is there to see?"

Sora wondered and found insects MUCH bigger than he is, living their own lives. "...We... should look. Our path is just ahead... right?"

Riku nodded and asked him. "Didn't you listen to anything in school? What will happen to-" He shook his head. "Never mind. It might be better if we see it before our eyes. Come on." Sora followed unaware, silently observing.

With in the Realm of Light.

Aqua felt more suspicious of the ashes as Moonfang observed the crystals, something lived in the valley and they have no idea what. She found faint hints of fire and noticed something floating in front of her, a fiery feather becoming ashes. "...What is this?"

The Dracoth looked up to find more, flickering in and out of ages long past, they belonged to a bird, yet they had no idea what it was. Faint images of elves marching onward, with light white armor, showed that the valley was something important. Aqua thought more about it. "This place... is home to a bird these people know of... but what kind of-"

"EIAAAAAAARH!"

"RWAAAAAAAAAIIIIIH!" The sound of roaring was heard, two forces collided with one another, two forces not unlike anything they heard, a barrier formed and something crawled from the shadows, shambling hulks of darkness, wielding various bones as weapons and drooling, Aqua gasped at the yellow eyes as she drew out her blade, large bat like shadows appeared from a dark mist and flapped around as a corridor opened, Aqua couldn't believe what was happening. The forces of darkness were breaching the Realm of Light, Moonfang snarled as something, or someone approached. A man, nay, a king, in a full suit of iron armor that had brass trimmings, he shined like the light, drew out a bone hilt sword with a black blade and a grey shield. The king wore a full helmet and a golden crown that had the image of a bat like creature, he asked Aqua politely. "You have gone far enough Keyblade Master, you're journey ends here."

Aqua tensed and readied for battle. "You won't stop me, what are those?"

The king turned around and dully answered. "Former brethren, twisted and turned by that... monster." He looked back at Aqua and glared with envy. "You will aid me in freeing them and ridding the valley of their kind, while I deal with that monster and claim that Heartstone fragment for myself! While you wander here for the rest of you're life, I will use its power to begin my crusade against him!"

Aqua refused as the heartless crawled towards the army. "That monster turned all of these into heartless?! Did... you cause this?"

The knight yelled at her in an impulse. "I would NEVER allow them to suffer this fate!" He heard more roaring and lost patience. "He caused this, he created that monster... he... did all this... to stop you." He turned to her and looked at her like she was ignorant. "Lady Aqua... you have little idea of the paradise I was robbed from. Ha-" he dully laughed and watched something slithered from nothing, twenty two grey husks of knights with swords, shields and pole arms. He looked upon them and ordered. "See that she turns back and if she refuses, kill her!"

He vanished and appeared behind the barrier, running off and leaving Aqua to look upon the guarding knights that were ready for her mistake. The twenty bat like shadows flew at her with a shriek, Moonfang blew lightning at them and clawed as Aqua jumped off, glowed in magic, blitz two of them into the darkness and spun into a magical twister, together they decimated the many to a manageable half a dozen stragglers.

The husk knights floated to the barrier in guard as they watched the large bats crashed down upon the duo. Aqua back flipped as Moonfang pounced on the left bat, brutally tearing at it as the woman let her power sparkle and knocked the right bat off its balance. Both quickly took out the heartless and focused on the mysterious creatures that switched from their swords to polearms. She asked the creatures. "Step aside, it doesn't have to come to this."

The knights looked to be gasping, they blinked from existence, Aqua sensed they were charging and ghost stepped out of the way of a mass impalement, countering with her own and let Moonfang finish the job. The barrier dropped and the sound of battle ahead continued, Aqua jumped on Moonfang and asked it. "We need to figure out what that man's problem is... what did he mean by being robbed of paradise?!" She felt a hint of sorrow and felt a familiar rhythm. "...What...did Xehanort do to him?" She shook her head and disregarded her concerns. "This monster need to be stopped... maybe if we try... talking to that king." Moonfang snorted out a suggestion that it may be a ill idea and raced into the valley.

At a lush forest.

Kairi, Flynn and Rapunzel had a close encounter of the most frantic kind, a tower that was piloted by a monkey like heartless, as the heartless was slain, a dozen took its place and tried to swarm them. Rapunzel used her hair to sling Kairi across the field in a flurry of destruction and as the last monkey was slain, the tower separated its top, middle and bottom into something of a train, a heartless horse came out of the front most cart and tried running the three over. The horse was slain and another came out of the next cart, it was a rinse and repeat of frantic movement. As the last of the heartless released its heart, Kairi heard footsteps from the south, someone sent that heartless. "Who... did this?!"

She blew out her frustration and followed the two down a path into the mountain, Rapunzel over heard and asked. "Kairi, you know something?"

The girl nodded. "I do, normally when heartless appear in a world in this many numbers, there is someone behind this. Someone is here for something, but what?!" She gasped and remembered a best kept secret, there was a princess of heart native to the world and someone from the forces of darkness that would seek her.

She thought of one possibility, the Chaos Space Marine Gurak has access to such a force. She remembered the kind of heartless she fought and dismissed the notion. If it was Gurak, his heartless army would have been more attuned to his foul gods and he himself would have disregarded subtly in getting what he wants. The vile knight Garland had already gotten what he wanted and wished nothing more to do with the world. She noticed she and her group in a forest that had many birds, blue birds circling around a still Rapunzel, she let them land on her hand, shoulder and head. Kairi gasped at another possibility, two dark wielders that have their own agenda. Maleficent and Pete. "...Let me keep watch for who our culprits are, they are not with that weird tree we saw earlier. I might know of someone who is behind this and there could be trouble."

Flynn sighed his frustrations out as Maximus kept a sharp eye on him. "Great, do you know who this bad guy is?" Kairi answered and found a steep hill. "There could be two or one, I'll know. We are going this way?"

Flynn nodded and took the lead, thinking it was safe, he saw something and smiled smugly. "Oh yeah, we certainly are." Kairi and Rapunzel checked to find a hill they could roll down on, a hill of purple flowers. Rapunzel giggled and decided to do just that, roll with in the flowers and tumble down the path, Kairi, Flynn and Maximus slide down after her, thinking the action was ridiculous but pure heart fun. They landed on a beach and gave Kairi the feeling of home, she and Rapunzel were taken a back by the beach and looked on to a bridge leading to a vast city. Rapunzel was more eager to see more. "I just knew the outside world would be full of amazing things!" She turned to Kairi in appreciation. "And you... you helped me find them. Thank you."

Kairi appreciated it as she and the three companions crossed the bridge into the city, the princess slowed herself and watch the three get close. Rapunzel acting like an excited child warmed Kairi's heart to where she felt the excitement with her, giggling away. She closed her eyes and noticed Namine by her side, her other self asked. "Rapunzel seems happier now she is freed?"

Kairi agreed and felt the excitement turn into curiosity. "She does, the lanterns will make her birthday more brighter. But... how are we going to keep her world bright?"

Namine had little idea. "...No matter what, we need to keep an eye out for who ever was bringing these heartless here and for that woman. If she finds Rapunzel, that girl's life would be miserable forever more."

Kairi felt that. "Nothing about her... mother seems right. Nothing at all."

She noticed the three disappeared in the crowd and went into the city, finding a festival going on and a plaza as the center piece. She found Rapunzel with her long hair in a long knotted braid, adorned with flowers and looking even more lovely. Kairi noticed Flynn, Maximus and the chameleon in the crowd, enjoying Rapunzel's joy as she danced around. Kairi saw a mural with many gifts being. She approached and found a girl with a small blue flower, placing it before the mural and speaking. "It's for the lost princess." Kairi looked at the mural, seeing the image of a happy king and queen, both with dark brown hair, in their arms was a baby girl that resembles Rapunzel, with short blonde hair and eyes that matched the mother.

The resemblance was suspicious, memories of what was seen before, caused Kairi to whisper. "...No."

Rapunzel, more focused on the party, laughed and invited what she could. "Come on everyone! Come dance with us."

Kairi turned around, unsure of what to say and saw the image of a certain fat cat sneaking out of the city, she was on guard and felt herself in a white room. Where Namine was most disturbed by the realization as she clung to a half finished drawing. "That... answers... everything."

Kairi agreed with her and felt sick to her stomach. "That was the reason why that woman kept Rapunzel locked in that tower for her whole life. She kidnapped her as a baby and didn't want her to leave."

Namine agreed with that. "There was a reason she kidnapped her... but it's not love. Anyone who does that to someone, doesn't care about them."

Kairi felt her blood rising as she asked. "...But how are we going to deal with that... that... woman?"

Namine sighed and answered with a crestfallen frown. "I don't know, but we need to stop her. For now, just... play along."

Reality returned and Kairi found Namine with her, the many towns people were in a festive dance, the girl invited her other half. "Come on, let's learn to dance together."

In Radiant Garden.

Ken and Elrena stepped off of Brynhildr in the garden district. For all the see, Ienzo, Chip, Dale and Pyriel to observed closely. Magitinus chanted in holy prayer towards odd weapons, cannons that resemble a lasgun if larger, missiles, jet engine upgrades and green panels to make the blocky ship resemble something. The boy asked the chipmunks. "That is what he considered?"

The two nodded as Pyriel identified each part. "They resemble some of the Imperiums finest weaponry, the lascannon, the hell strike missile, enhanced turbines for velocity and enhanced armor that would endure greatly before you need to worry. All in the image of the fallen Valkyrie, that crashed here so long ago."

Ken tried to recall the days. "You mean nearly a week ago? Cool."

Magitinus approached in chime to the gummi ship. "Oh great Brynhildr, forged from technology lost to our galaxy, though these weapons are but an image, they are but a portion of the Omnissiah's blessings. With these, the enemies of man will never again threaten you, with these you will silence those that dare bring harm to you." Ken felt as if the gummi ship was shining a light to him and Elrena, Magitinus gasped in shock. "...I see great machine spirit." He turned to Ken with a stoic expression. "Kendry, step forward, she wishes to speak with you."

The boy nodded and approached with tears shining in his eyes. "...This is why you are letting him do this? You just want to protect me and those who fly with me, so that no matter where we go, you will be there to see we make it there?"

The ship beeped as Elrena blushed. "Aw, she loves you."

Ken blushed and noticed his mother approaching the crowd, looking baffled at the whole thing. The boy sighed and asked Bryn. "Do you have a moment? If this is how you feel, then there is someone I want you to meet... it's obvious who, but she is pretty dear to me."

The ship waited still, Ken signaled to his mother to approach. The crowd looked moved by the act and the blonde woman with blue eyes took the offer and tried not to make a scene, her mouth was in a child like aw as Ken introduced the two. "Mom, this is Brynhildr, the ship that flies me around. Brynhildr, this is my Mom, she gave birth to and raised me." The woman placed her hand on the nose of the ship and was amazed, like the ship was greeting her. "He named you and everything, he really has been taking care of you." She looked tear struck and backed away, rubbing her eyes as Ken smiled to her. "I do and she been taking care of me and my friend." He looked to Elrena with a smile. "Pretty soon she will help us take care of a problem that had been getting at us for a while."

Elrena smiled back. "It's why she is going through with this... it's weird... but I'm glade it is happening." A watchful Leon, Yuffie, Aerith and Tifa observed as Cid asked. "So when are we going to get to building this?"

Magitinus answered as his servo skull scanned the ship and marked several points. "Soon. This prayer soothes the machine spirit and connects her with her weapons. But the greetings seem... excessive." He didn't mind in the slightest. "Although Brynhildr deserves the praise she receives." He went for a panel and asked the only other mechanics. "Cid, Chip, Dale, assist me."

The three were ready to start as Yuffie heard something and had her companions be still, she noticed five figures in the distance, four with odd guns and another with a backpack with more guns. They vanished in a blink and the ninja tossed a smoke bomb to the mechanics. "Look out!"

PEW!

A band of five, warriors with odd back packs appeared out of nowhere and aimed their guns at the tech priest that sharply turned, it looked like his heart was racing. PUFF! A smoke screen puffed in front of the five and blinded them, Ken saw faint traces of black armor and white hoods stopping their shot. He saw a flicker of light and let his keyblades form. "E...Eldar?!" He let Firekeeper's Wish shroud in ashes as Elrena looked up to find the five assassins looking astonished and at him. "...Oh no!"

She crackled lighting as Ken slammed the blade to the ground and caused a massive shroud of smoke to cloak everything, causing a panic. He jumped back as Elrena yelled out. "Keep moving and don't stop!"

Magitinus took out an electrical rifle as Pyriel noticed movement towards where the boy was. The apothecary barreled towards the direction and watched wired weaponry shoot into nothing, but ripping its way through a lamp post with ease.

BOOM!

Four of the assassins were knocked prone in the ashen fog and to any of the horror of the aware onlookers, they heard death screams and brutal stabs. Ken flew to the air with air magic and saw an assassin with twin blades and two small guns similar to the assassins. He aimed Cadia's Light at the conflicted Eldar.

BOOM!

Elrena landed next to the Eldar with a jump of lightning and grappled him with her blade, electrocuting him for good measure and causing him to fall to the ground bellow.

Elrena landed next to him and had her blade at his back, she warned him. "Don't even think about getting up or I will do it again!"

Ken landed as the ashes cleared, the entire crowd were astonished by something and gasped, some were vomiting, the keyblade wielders chose to ignore it as the Eldar spoke in horror. "How...the Farseer said you were dead."

Ken snorted and refused to let his guard down. "Guess what, we are not and you are NOT going to try that again! Why did you come?!"

The Eldar answered with a question. "If any ship touched by that Tech Priest is allowed to leave, what kind of power would be unleashed?! Do you not see how they would prove, excessive? An example of man kinds desire for supremacy over all."

Ken shook his head to that. "What a load of... you were going to kill Magitinus... as awful as he was, so we wouldn't be able to stand up against you and you're schemes at you're source! Now what the heck are you wearing?"

The Eldar refused to answer. "Like you will master its technique black heart!"

Ienzo over heard and approached with Leon, both were not happy to hear that term. Leon had his sword ready and asked. "That isn't why he was asking, you're weapons are part of the suit. Give it to us now before Pyriel comes here."

Ienzo agreed with him and looked nauseous. "Please, you and you're people were pursuing a child, these is all absurd!"

Elrena agreed with him and tapped her blade at his back, stunning him once more. "We won't ask again, how do we take this off?! You're not leaving because if you do, you will just tell that Farseer about my friend! We're coming for her next!"

The Eldar yelled in pain and cursed at her as his body struggled to move. "Savage Nymph, you will only follow down the path of damnation once more if you continue to aid him! You all will only damn yourselves if you continue the wheel! It needs to stop!"

Wrrrr!

The four heard a gun activating, Magitinus walked next to Ken and Leon with his gun aimed for the Eldars head, the four realized what was about to happen, cringed and looked away.

PEW!

BLAM!

They opened their eyes to find the Eldar's head smoking and the body limp, Magitinus scanned him and spoke in an automatic tone. "Xenos vital signs, null. Threat destroyed."

Ken wanted to look away at the death and found something not much better, Pyriel was covered in crimson, he was cleaning his combat knife as Magitinus looked to him with a nod and went back to the terrified mechanics. The Tech Priest put his gun away and instructed. "Heed not the Eldar's trickery, for they mean little. Let us return to giving Brynhildr our blessings."

Cid looked at the scattered limbs and machinery and yelled out. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Magitinus went to the panel as Chip's legs shook. "We...we... we should get this done." Dale agreed as he climbed to one of the markings. "Yeah, we ought to hurry."

Pyriel advised the mechanics assisting the tech priest as he wished to find a way to wash his armor. "The Eldar have declared war, it would be crucial if we end this before this repeats itself. Now I need to disinfect myself. Blood would only attract bacteria."

Ienzo wished for something and asked Elrena. "You are going into their hideout with him?!"

The woman nodded and squinted her eyes. "And not with those guys!"

She felt Ken feeling sick and his mother trying to shield him away from the site with an embrace. Pyriel looked at her with caution. "If you two invade, they will most certainly try to kill you. Why?!"

Ken's eyes twitched as he looked back to the space marine, the mother answered. "Why?! You pulverized those four, is this... needed?!"

Pyriel nodded as Ken refused. "...These Eldar tried to kill me too many times and if... I give it back to them."

His eyes dropped as Yuffie found something shine in the mess and went to look, Aerith cringed at the ninja and tried to stop her as Tifa noticed something shine, the woman in pink asked. "The point is, do we have to do this?"

The tech priest beeped and spoke in monotone. "Xenos weapon: Death Spinner. Race of origin: Eldar. Category: monofilament. Function: To shoot razor sharp thread at its target and rip apart armor, tissue and bone."

He beeped back as Pyriel confessed. "I seen too many battle brothers and imperial guard fall to those weapons. Purging the xenos is necessary for the betterment of the worlds, those that are not human here... are far more trust worthy then those from our galaxy."

Yuffie and Tifa picked up four odd crystals as Elrena sensed what was with in, feelings of despair. "What the heck is this? A...jewel?"

Pyriel looked at the crystals the committee members have. "Those are spirit stones, it is highly prized by the Eldar. Hmm."

Elrena sensed a collective sadness in the four stones. "...Something is in these?! They... feel like hearts." She snapped her fingers for a plan. "I think we know a way we can get that Farseer and her goons to finally listen and not try anything funny."

Ienzo guessed. "You are going to use the spirit stones as bargaining chips? That's..." he felt disturbed by such an opportunity. "...either genius or cruel."

Ken was willing to give the plan a chance. "I need to prove it to her that I'm not that kind of monster she thinks I am... maybe then she can cut this out... if not."

Leon sighed in defeat and asked. "Do you really think someone that determined will change her mind?"

Ken took a deep breath as he felt a tug from his mother and let go, she went to get something as he asked. "Word's alone didn't work, actions might... then she and her whole group need to be locked up or something... I don't want this to keep getting worse."

Pyriel sighed in disappointment as Aerith looked to the boy in sympathy. "None of us do."

Ken guessed what his mother was getting and looked upon the upgrades being added to Bryn. "My mom is getting the bag for these stones. This... could be our last chance to stop them before we have to go to war. Elrene... what do you think?"

Elrena sighed. "Fine, but expect me to do this my way if that Farseer doesn't listen or if she hurt Lauriam."

Ienzo felt his back tingle and wished to go back to the business at hand. "I'll go get Dilain and Aeleus clean up the mess."

In a dream of a swampy jungle.

Sora and Riku found a herd of dinosaurs either resting, feasting on fish or traveling. The boys looked above to find a feathery bird perching on a tree, one unlike anything Sora had seen. "What... is that?!"

Riku tried to remember. "Let's see...ar...ar...archaeo. Ah! Archaeopteryx, the books say this is one of the first birds in existence."

Sora notice features of a lizard as a predatory dinosaur tried to attack it and prompted the bird to flutter away. "The first bird?! But-" Riku answered. "It is what we been seeing since we got here... evolution."

Even Sora knew what that was. "When an animal eventually changes over time. So a lizard eventually needed to fly and wings grow?"

Riku nodded. "Somewhere down the line." He noticed long neck herbivores munching on plants from the swamp, Sora was drawn to the beasts and lost his footing in the swamp. Some of the dinosaurs noticed him, waited for him to make a move and watched him keep his distance. Many dinosaurs of different species co-exist with one another as Riku jumped ahead of the swamp and watched young dinosaurs following their parents, others making a nest for their eggs and even some trying steal the eggs for food. Some were driven off by protective parents, others got off lucky. "...We... don't need to be here." He corrected himself. "Well we do, but... do you find this... right?"

Sora figured so. "We... never had to do much against the blots or the tower. We... are just watching and seeing how time goes."

Rain came, thunder rumbled, the dinosaurs looked to their left in a collective direction, like they heard something. The boys looked to the direction and found a fierce specimen looming over the swamp, a large lizard with sharp teeth, mighty claws and a violent gaze. Sora and Riku readied their keyblades for battle, the lizard most different from the others approached their way, looked at their size and focused on something less likely to defend themselves, a fierce foe that chose to ignore them. Sora watched the dinosaurs flee for their lives and felt he understood what happened. "This... is also part of nature?"

Riku nodded and watched the lizard snap at the many. "We are not worth the meat, so that... Allosaurus is going for something that is. We should get going."

Sora agreed as the Allosaurus chased the largest beast among the herd, a Stegosaurus. The Allosaurus bit into the Stegosaurus's spiked tail, the herbivore pulled his tail free and readied for battle. Sora wanted to fight and felt Riku wanted to stop him. "...Why are we not helping?"

The friend answered grimly and with a frown. "It's nature and the Stegosaurus can defend himself. This will only end one way."

The Allosaurus bit into the Stegosaurus's neck and was hit across the face, being pushed back wards and tried again, it was knocked off its feet and got back up. He crouched and approached the scared Stegosaurus, tension was felt from all who watched as the herbivore walked back, not letting his guard down. The Allosaurus charged at him, bit his prey in the neck and was knocked back by two swings of the spiked tail, it went after him again, bit down, thrashed the neck around till the Stegosaurus went limp and slammed the neck on the ground, breaking it. The rest of the body fell in a thump, the boys watched the brutal end to the battle, the Allosaurus dropped the Stegosaurus's head into the pond. Watching the life fade from its eyes as it lifted its tail and failed. Lightning crackled as the Allosaurus roared, the watching dinosaurs looked away as the predator went to the carcass to begin feeding.

Sora looked away from the grizzly sight as Riku looked away. Both boys felt like they were understanding something. Sora had his hands behind his head and asked. "So what else is here in this world?"

Riku shrugged. "Life. No matter what we find and what life has to show, I'm here." He looked up to find he and Sora crossed past the rainy sky and to a scorching sun, from a swamp to a desert. They looked ahead to find foot prints, leading towards another place in time, over the dunes they found familiar dinosaurs, struggling to find food and sipping water from deep underground. They looked weak, a triceratops pushed its snout through mud in hopes to find some moisture.

Sora cringed and guessed. "This... is what happened to them? They don't have much to go around."

Riku felt it painful to watch and tried to guide. "No, they don't. I think we are almost at the end."

The boys traveled little away and found more dinosaurs herding together, exhausted, dehydrated, starving, some of the dinosaurs collapsed and were simply left behind. Some wandered into a sticky mud pit and struggled futilely to get out, when they try, small carnivorous lizards nip at them, it was clear the dinosaurs were in agony. Sora looked back to the herd, not wanting to see more and gasped in shock at what collapsed by his feet, an Allosaurus, the mightiest beast he and Riku encountered, having its last breath. They watched the remaining dinosaurs march in the foggy dessert and walk down towards a cragged path. They found something flicker at the top of the mountain, bellow a sun going through an eclipse, it looked like a movie screen saying The end. Sora took the depressing thought out of his mind and asked in optimism. "That's where we need to go... do you think those flow moves would help us reach there?"

Riku nodded and looked ahead to a heart breaking sight, empty bones of the dinosaurs they saw. "...We... need something to get there... but how?"

Sora saw the bones and felt his friends sorrow. "...We will do what they couldn't do anymore. Find a way." They felt a rumble, something was coming.

RIP!

The ground split open, swallowing the remains of the dinosaurs, pillars erupted from the ground, the boys found their way and dashed towards one, avoiding the splitting ground by wall jumping across newly formed pillars with elegant speed and reaching towards a pillar that shot itself up from the ground. They flipped and clamped to the other side, feeling the earth collapsing. They focused on the tall mountain and with a will of heart, jumped far and high, landing on the mountain and watching the destruction of the graveyard.

They felt a blowing of wind and watched the eclipse near its completion, more came, a mighty tidal wave swallowing the land and burying what was. It was consuming even the mountain, Sora and Riku looked to each other and jumped to the screen as the tsunami seek to claim. They found themselves on the other side and with in a dark, beautiful castle, feeling depressed about what they watched and trying to tough it out. A familiar voice entered from a tower above and asked. "It gets hard to watch in the end, even when you knew its coming?"

Sora and Riku looked to the door way, towards a room with a simple couch and knick knacks all around, Oswald entered with a sympathetic frown. Both boys agreed, Sora answered. "But... then that world... evolves from that?"

Oswald and Riku nodded to him, the silver haired boy answered. "I read that as the age of the dinosaurs ended, so begins another." He thought more deeply into it. "Everything has a beginning and an end... whether we like it or not, the end is what will always scare us the most."

Sora put his own insight in the conclusion. "But we got a lot to enjoy until then, so we shouldn't worry about it now."

Oswald agreed and went to a more well kept closet to pick up a whole movie set, Riku asked suspiciously. "You are pretty eager to help us... how we can be sure you are leading the right way?"

Oswald felt the question sting and focused on his task. "To be honest, you don't! I got nothing to gain from setting all this up, since the mouse isn't going to show. But if you all are looking for the Song to awaken the real worlds that got hit hard, someone has to be sure it gets done right."

That lead to Sora asking. "But why do you know Mickey?! Why... did he never talk about you?"

Oswald pressed a button and caused the screen to show another Fantasia film. "And the Dance of the Hours is all set up."

Riku barked. "We asked you a question!"

Oswald sighed and answered. "You want to know?" He blew in the air sat on the couch alone with his arms crossed, he felt more angry thinking about it. "I knew him because I watched over him for a very long time! So long that I was around before he was born. He only seen me once when he was learning about those fancy swords you got there, I helped him dig deep into his heart and right when we were about to talk, he woke up... and I never got the chance again."

Sora felt the answers connect. "Like... a guide that lived in his heart?"

Oswald nodded as Riku gasped and pointed to him. "You were his brother?! Something happened to you before Mickey came?"

Oswald wished the boys would leave. "I am and that was a nightmare in itself. So are you going to get going?"

The boys refused to leave a bitter heart, Sora figured it out. "You're kind of jealous of him?"

Oswald wasn't denying it. "You can say that's one of my problems."

Riku looked to the screen with an urge to get going. "But it isn't all of them. What else is in these dreams?"

Oswald had one to warn them about. "All kinds, but some of these can get... yikes! You ever heard of a drink called the Rosey Pachyderm? There is a dream all about it, that's why you should stay away from the stuff."

Sora had no idea what the term was meant for as Riku imagined what the drink does. "It makes you see pink elephants... no thank you."

Oswald looked upon the two and kept looking cross, his face wasn't getting into the spirit of it as Sora took his step towards the screen, feeling that he was over the last film. "Well... no matter what your reasons are, thank you for helping us."

He gave a warm smile that made Oswald feel guilty about himself, Riku tried to think about what the next film was about as the rabbit took a deep breath. "...Look... I'm sorry for being hard on you two. It... gets lonely with just the blots around and... I was wanting to really meet the mouse for a long time."

Riku understood that. "But that never really happened and you became bitter about it. Why haven't you tried getting out of here?"

Oswald answered shortly. "Because I can't... come on guys, you got worlds to save."

The boys took the offer and jumped in, leaving the rabbit to think about what was occurring. He felt an aura of wrongness somewhere nearby, gasped and got up to leave the room. "What's even going on there?! That way is danger enough!"

In the Realm of Light.

Aqua and Moonfang had another quick encounter with the ghoulish heartless and knight like shrouds as they made it to a clearing in the valley, they were caught by surprise at the sight of a giant, dark, vampiric bat doing combat against a gargantuan, fiery bird. The bat bit down on the birds chest and violently tore, that same king like knight Aqua met focused a spell and flew at the bat with a storm of bones. Plunging his sword with in the back of the bat, the bat jumped back from the bird and left a grizzly bite wound that caused the bird to scorch the back and feel a faint glow of darkness. The bat shot an orb into the sky, it expanded into a black hole and bled down ghoulish bats that swarmed the king, he glared and without much hesitation, sent a legion of flying, husk like nights after them. The bird noticed Aqua and Moonfang approaching, kept silent and flew towards a stone nestled in a nest of ashes, keeping it guard with its wings, the king looked back and was having his eyes twitch under his helmet. "You..."

He growled and kicked the blade deeper into the bats back, the heartless sensed something and tossed the knight off, it turned towards the duo and gave a piercing glare, revealing its fanged blacken maw and a dripping blew tongue. It charged at the two on all fours, Moonfang ran to the left and leaped to avoid its clawing talons. Aqua notice a tail lashing out to them and fired a fire ball, stopping the tip and she jumped off and was ready to do battle. The knight fell into a void and appeared on the bats back, yanking the sword out and disappearing in the blink of an eye, the bat felt a splinter was removed, scratched on its back to pluck something and was greeted by the knight appearing to its face. He wasn't thrilled by Aqua's arrival and promised her. "I will deal with you when this thing draws its last breath."

Moonfang didn't trust the knight as Aqua felt she was in an agreement. "It's another heartless that shouldn't even be here."

The knight looked back at her and towards the heartless that was more focused on her. "...Yes... it shouldn't!"

He ghost stepped towards the heartless and tried to thrust its sword into its chest as it jumped, flew in the chaotic, darken sky and pouched at Aqua with its talons, she ran to the left as Moonfang ran to the right. The king bled himself into grey energy and slithered in the shadows as Moonfang pounce at the bats right and Aqua pierced the bats left, slashed, fired a barrage of fire balls and ignited. The bat raised its talons for a slam on both as a grey sword emerged from the shadows and impaled it in the chest, the heartless gasped, looked down at the king and countered with a dark screech.

The king gritted his teeth and covered his ears as Aqua and Moonfang felt their hearts nearly stopped. The dracoth jumped in front of the bat and gave Aqua a platform to jump from, her blood feeling cold from the screaming, she jumped at the bats throat, ignited in an aura and slashed, with one thorough stab, the bat choked and felt a sword lodged in, it tried to pull Aqua off as the king jumped on Moonfang, took his sword and trusted into the bats chest, knocking it on its back. Aqua sensed an intense heat, pulled her blade out, back flipped on the dracoth and yelled at the king as she watched the bird glow into an inferno. "Fire in the hole!" The king sensed the heat, pulled out and vanished, far away from Aqua. The bird ignited like the sun and pounced on the heartless as Moonfang jumped back from the impact. BOOM! On contact, the bird became pile a pillar of light, reaching to the sky and scattering feathers that burned to ashes, leaving behind nothing save for dark mist. This beast was something she heard of in fairy tales. "This... is a pheonix!"

The king looked at her and nodded in agreement. "Not just any pheonix, but the Ur-pheonix. The origin of all pheonixes. It has been guarding that stone for you... all along."

He readied his sword and aimed it at her. "And it just sacrificed itself to help us destroy that thing, leaving the fragment unguarded! Now where were we?"

He vanished and appeared to Aqua's right, his sword ready to impale. Aqua parried as Moonfang clawed the king back. The king blinked away and Aqua struck behind her, hitting the king back and exposing him to a lightning breath as the helmet flew off. Aqua had a good look at who was underneath it, a simple man with a full beard and mustache, gritting his teeth in desperation, sharp fangs baring and vengeance with in his eyes. Almost, vampiric. She felt something was off and asked. "Who are you?!"

The man jumped back with his shield glowing grey and answered. "Gillet Cabonche, that is what I am! Not a Lexlig. Not a... not a."

He bursted in a hollow, yet hysterical laughter, Aqua and Moonfang knew the knight was pretending to find joy in what he was trying to say, like it was a cooping mechanism. She felt a great pity and asked once more. "What did Xehanort do to you?!"

The man readied another attack, calculated and looked to be cringing in fear. "He...said when I find you, you might destroy me along with that monster. Then I go back to that spire, where the Chaos gods would... sort me out."

He gasped in a realization and looked upon Aqua as if she was a one way ticket to hell. "No...No, I won't go back! They won't make me."

Aqua felt something burning with in and asked. "What did he do to you?"

The knight ignored her and turned to run, flickering a great distance, the woman wanted her answer, jumped of and tried to follow. Moonfang pulled her dress and growled advise. Aqua turned back and felt the dragons eyes giving caution, what ever the issue was with the king, wasn't worth the trouble. She sighed and concluded. "What ever happened, you and I both know this is another person he destroyed."

She and the Dracoth turned and found something rising from the ashes, the Ur-Pheonix raised its wings and cawed to the sky. It flew back to the nest and guarded the stone, Aqua's trial wasn't over, she got off the dracoth and approached the mighty bird. "I need the stone to get back home, what do you need from me?"

The bird stared at her as two veils glowed, a fiery pheonix much like the god and a pheonix of frost. The two curled into eggs and floated in mid air, it was a puzzle. Aqua looked at the egg of frost and aimed a fire ball, the fire was overwhelmed by a blow of frigid wind. The keyblade master felt she had an idea what the puzzle was and shot a frigid spell at the fiery egg and watched it get blown away. She pushed towards the flame and felt her clothes and skin heating up, a pillar of fire emerged and Aqua struck it with a combo. She glowed in an icy veil and thought of a force that could push back against the heat. Back flipping into the air and imagined something in her heart, an icy pheonix, she felt frigid wings around her and was surrounded by the cold power. She dashed at the egg and smashed it, letting loose a glow of fire that gave in. She landed back with a mighty land and watched the land cover in frost.

The frost egg erected a pillar of ice, Aqua tried a familiar combination, sparked in flames, back flipped and much like with the bird of ice, felt herself surrounded by feathers of flame and charged at the other egg, scorching it in an inferno and flying to the central stage like a fire ball. The dracoth was impressed and the pheonix simply moved its wings away, the keyblade master gave a gracious bow of gratitude. "This is a lesson. The... Pheonix Dive?"

She and Moonfang felt it was a good name as they looked upon the heart stone fragment. A glowing white stone resembling a hollow right heart. It had a black symbol of a wheel with an arrow pointing out from its bottom left. The Ur-Pheonix let her take the stone and watched her insert it into its pendent, two more stones remain and the last leg of Aqua's adventure was in mind "Now there is the realm of Ulgu." She felt herself shaking at the thought of willingly going into a dark realm, Moonfang nuzzled at her back and barked something of encouragement as the pheonix looked to the other end of the valley. Aqua guessed what the beast was trying to say. "We all know Ulgu is a much more dreadful place compared to the other realms. I... spent a long time in a realm much like that. It feels like a bad memory... like I'm going back there." She felt like a particular warrior was perking her up with a cheerful speech. "Better to have some company to battle along side then to face the tides of darkness by yourself."

The memory gave Aqua a tearful smile as Moonfang looked bold and ready. "But...I won't be alone. You're there for me Moonfang, like how Ana was there for me." The dracoth proudly roared as the Ur-Pheonix looked around and took flight, wishing to lead the duo somewhere suitable, Aqua asked. "There isn't much of a cave that would work in this valley, so we need to go look?" That was something the three could do as the keyblade wielder readies her mind for her descent back into the shadows.

During a festival, in the outskirts of the city.

Pete cackled like he hit a jackpot on his search during the dark of night. "So that golden haired dame is one of the seven this time and with that pipsqueaks girly friend all by herself. He, ha, ha, ha!" He readied his fingers for a summon most foul. "Well we can't have them running around doing what they want now can we!"

His fingers rubbed together for a snap and Pete felt something sharp by his back, his eyes turned as he heard a rather thankful tone of a woman. "Perhaps you want to stop acting like a brute and think for a moment."

Pete stopped his snap, felt the sharpness lessen and turned to find a woman in a burgundy dress and with curly black hair, he knew hostility and thought of it. "You... been looking for the dame yourself and you know of a red haired runt running around that might have been crossing you?"

The woman patted him on the head like he understood. "Very good! I am that dames mother and... you might be?"

Pete introduced himself thinking he was getting the larger benefit of the deal. "Just call me Pete, I'm just helping someone along for something... that wouldn't be too big of a worry. You looking for goldey because?"

The woman laughed at him like it should have been obvious. "Goldy... Rapunzel, has ran far away from home with a criminal-" she sniffled. "If she stays out for too long, something terrible might happen to her."

Pete agreed with that. "Well it was a good thing you caught me right before this, I was going to go capture goldey for someone, but that isn't needed. So what we doing eh-" the woman humored him with her name. "Gothel... if that criminal has something to gain from helping her, he will run off the first chance he gets." She looked at the city most disgustingly. "And that girl could be his accomplice."

Pete didn't think about much. "You been following them during the festival. Oh that girl definitely has a reason to keep her running and she is that big problem if either of us walk in there. You want me to go lure them away while you go get Raps?"

Gothel looked across the sea surrounding the city. "Or even better, remove that girl from the picture." She pointed to him and at herself. "I think we both have something to gaiiiin!"

Pete understood and felt a plan coming. "Well I just need to make enough of a distraction, but how you going to have Raps go with ya?"

Gothel answered. "You find what he is looking for and see that he... takes off with it. Let a mother do the rest. What you do to the other girl-" Her eyes rolled, she shrugged and looked like she didn't care.

Pete chuckled sinisterly and snapped his fingers. "You can leave her to ol Pete! He, ha, ha!"

On a boat in the water.

Rapunzel, Flynn and the chameleon were alone looking out to the city, waiting in thought. Flynn looked at her like he knew she wanted to say something and that she could trust him to hear it. Rapunzel voiced what was with in her soul. "I been looking out a window for eighteen years, dreaming about what it might feel like when those lights reach the sky. What if it is not everything I dreamed it would be?"

Flynn smiled and promised her. "It will be."

Rapunzel asked him. "And what if it is? What do I do then?"

Flynn thought about and answered. "Well, that's the good part, I guess. You get to go find a new dream."

Both nearly blushed and looked to the large castle on top of the city, a large lantern floated to the heavens, in moments, countless more followed. Floating to the sky as the rest of the town followed, the lanterns blew in all directions with in the wind. The three on the boat watched on and Rapunzel wished she would partake in such an event, she felt a light shining behind and saw Flynn holding two of the lanterns, pleasing her as she approached him with a small giggle. "Ha." She thought about something and confessed as she took it out. "I have something for you, too." She showed a satchel that Flynn seemed to have forgotten about as she admitted. "I should have given it to you before, but the I got scared." Her eyes faced away. "And the thing is, I'm not scarred anymore. You know what I mean?"

Flynn had a faint memory of a crown he might have gotten through illegal means, hidden away in the satchel, this along with Rapunzel knowing of the crown and threaten to smash it with her frying pan if he ditched her upon leaving her while on the journey. He pushed the satchel down and found what ever was with in to be irrelevant, save for one other. "I'm starting to." He gave Rapunzel a lantern and the two let the lights flicker along with the others. He was concern about the other detail with in his bag, the boat landed on shore at the eve of the festival. Flynn took the bag as Rapunzel looked concerned, he jumped off and apologized. "I'm sorry, everything is fine. There's... something I have to take care of." He walked off and left a worried Rapunzel behind, far away from sight. He opened the satchel to take out two things, a golden tiara with many gems and a folded up piece of paper, he contemplated many things as he unfolded the paper to show a poster with his image, something he been hiding from Rapunzel and he should let her know. "Eugine, what did you get yourself into."

Step! Step! "Oh ho! So she was right about you!"

Flynn turned to a voice from his right side and found a fat cat like creature looking at him like a bully police officer. "Right abou-" he realized what happened and casually tore apart the wanted poster. "Oh right, bet you heard of me."

The cat nodded and looked at fighting from the city. "Flynn Rider, so you been stealing a crown all for yourself and been running from the law when some dame tied you up! I bet she used that to get you to take her along on some venture till you got the chance and skedaddled. That's what you were doing right now, huh?"

Flynn shrugged without much of a complaint. "Well it took an investigator to figure all that out, but there was a change of plans." He took the crown, spun it, put it in the bag and tossed it to the cat. "Case solved! We shouldn't have anymore problems with me." He gave a small cough and tried to walk back. "Nope!"

A mushroom like creature appeared as the cat snickered. "Oh contraire, I think you gave that girl quite enough problems!" The mushroom squatted and let loose spores at Flynn, causing him to feel drowsy as the cat whispered. "Night night!"

At the festival in around the same time.

Kairi looked at the lights and felt guilty that her friends were not around to see it with her, she was in a dock, realizing there was a way for her to make the moment last forever, turned around with her gummi phone and took a selfie with the lights behind her. Noticing a flicker in the darkness as she gave a smile and yelled out. "Cheese!"

Click!

The flicker became worse as she paid attention and put her phone away, seeing five clinking knight like heartless with claws, a dozen shadows, two green lanterns and give archers. Kairi drew out her keyblade and made a dash towards one of green lantern, quickly taken them out as the swarm stumbled and gathered to try and pin her down. With flying flowers of energy, a stab and a slam to the ground for the other green lantern, bringing about damage to the swarm rather than healing. She took out the annoying archers with fast attacks and finished the swarm off with a stab to the ground that caused a star to form and let loose a massive flower that obliterated the swarm. Kairi sensed feelings of disbelief and confusion out of the city and hurried to a beach she was familiar with.

Upon reaching, she found Rapunzel leaving in the distance with someone holding a green lantern. A particular black haired woman that made Kairi beyond scared. "No...wait, Rap-"

She sensed something and jumped towards the sea to find a black mushroom like heartless jumping out. Pete stepped from the shadows with a nasty laugh. "He. Ha! HA! Can't have you getting in the way of this adorable reunion now can we!"

Kairi gasped and glared. "Pete, what are you doing here?!"

The goon looked to the figures walking into the woods and answered. "Just investigating something you ought to figure out by yourself and making sure she is kept in a place she won't run off from. All the way back home." Kairi's glare became worse as she flung a flower of light at the mushroom as Pete assured her. "But enough about Raps and her mother! You been acting like a thorn ready to get to our sides for a long while and it's about time someone put an end to that before we get another keyblade swinging at us." The flower struck the heartless and caused it to vanish with its captive heart flying free, Pete sent four more that surrounded her, laughed in triumph as they tried to let loose knock out spores and Kairi gave off a glow. She flew into the air like she had wings, dodged the spores and crashed down, letting loose an explosion of light that quickly destroyed the heartless.

Leaving Pete shaking as Kairi went after him and beat him silly, then sent him rolling on the sand. Pete was heavily embarrassed, got up and was ready to run as Kairi asked. "Did that woman tell you everything or did she make a story about being a mother looking for her daughter? Because that is a complete lie."

Pete gasped dumbfounded. "Wait, she wasn't?!"

Kairi answered with a question, a mixture of fear and righteous anger boiled. "A long time ago someone kidnapped a princess with golden hair and kept her locked up in a tower. Isolating her from the world just so she wouldn't escape and keep depending on her. When that girl grew and kept wanting to at least see this, she got out and she acted like she NEVER saw the outside world, everything was new to her. Some guy, suspicious he might be, was nice enough to at least let her experience this... what did you do to him?"

Pete took it in and looked terrified. "I... sent him sailing with some stuff he stole, was he only sticking around with her so he could get away or something?!"

Kairi answered with a yell. "He was a crook, but what mattered was Rapunzel was free... and you got her going back to that prison! You're happy about this?"

Pete wasn't, felt sweating and let a corridor opened up. "Eh...eh... you can go set that one out. I'm outta here!"

Kairi was seeing an irresponsible mistake and shouted. "Pete wa-" He ran in and disappeared, leaving behind feelings of frustration and of a rancid smell, like something long dead washed up on the beach. She looked around and saw but a collection of flies buzzing. She wanted to chase after Rapunzel as she saw flies behind her, the flies flew together in a cloud and buzzed in unison, into a sickening voice for her to hear. "To break the cycle of something so foul and to break the cycle of the lanterns lights. Why do you wish to disrupt such a thing for such wondrous hair?"

Kairi tried to answer and found herself in a white room, Namine was crouching on a chair in terror as a symbol glowed behind her, a green symbol with three circles together, resembling a flies head. The cloud of flies appeared as Kairi shook Namine awake, breaking her concentration as the buzzing continued. "The girl's heart is buried deep under filth, yet if you are to break the cycle between her and her controller, would she have any control of her heart?"

Namine warned Kairi. "D...Don't listen to them. They... they-" the flies cloaked the room and brought the the girls to reality, warning them back. "What happens is inevitable, we cannot allow you to interfere just yet. This must fester."

The flies glowed green and pulsed a buzz, Kairi and Namine felt themselves under an intense fever, drawing out all their instincts to continue and causing them to lay down. They tried to resist and sat together under a tree, feeling the fever worsen as they closed their eyes, the last thing they saw was the flies scattering away and the last thing they heard was deep chuckle, disturbingly welcoming. "There there, I will not allow another to lay a hand on you until the princess decides for herself."

In the lanes.

Ken was disturbed by an occupant he had to carry with him as Brynhildr waited next to Destiny Islands. Focusing with a particular direction with all its new weapons ready for battle. "So that's why this guy didn't have those spirit stones, the armor is the more important part." He looked at a vengeful Elrena that was ignoring the body of the Eldar Exarch. "This plan is going to go one of two ways unless we are quick. Fly in, use the stones so her goons will wait and... then settle this once and for all."

Elrena nodded and promised him. "Leave making sure they don't double cross us, to me! Once we get to the Farseer, I'll hand you the stones, you can carry this guy with you."

Ken looked away from the corpse and ordered Bryn. "Alright, you got here pretty quick but we need to be in an out like a mosquito." He focused Cadia's Light and saw it shine brightly. "Full speed ahead!" The jets glowed bright and the ship flashed many yellow lights with in as she took flight, blowing past the cosmic debris like they were nothing and twitching her las cannons at the first heartless or Eldar ship to fly their way, the keyblade wielders felt their chest thumping as they noticed two things becoming visible, one and less important was a planet with a vast green field, the other was a ship Ken saw in the green orb.

It looked like surrounding sky craft were flying off towards the three worlds to investigate something, the duo guessed that the Eldar noticed their assassins have not returned and are searching possible locations that caused it. Closer and closer, the final showdown was envisioned, the Eldar ship concealed itself in a cloak, unaware that Brynhildr and the keyblade wielders were set on their path and see the faint shape. With in a closer view of the grass like world, Bryn gave a bright shine, signaling the two to prepare. Ken grabbed the body of the Eldar as Elrena clenched the plastic bag and had it high in the air.

PEW! They found themselves with in a white, sleek, alien like interior of a ship, five armored guardians looked at the two astonished and horrified, having their fingers reaching for the trigger of their guns as Elrena barked. "If you touch you're trigger, I'll smash these!"

The aldari aimed their guns as she looked ready to throw the crystals to the ground. Ken showed them the body of the exarch and ordered. "Show us to the Farseer and when you do, we are going in alone! I got my eyes on you!"

The central most stoically lead the way past twists and confessed. "Ignorant yet clever."

Ken confessed back to him. "We know these things are like hearts and we REALLY didn't want to have to result to threatening those."

That the eldar was giving credit where it is due. "The Farseer's vision... her attempt to advert it, has lead to this. Is it really a black heart that drove you to this? Or desperation to right a wrong?"

The humans glared at the Eldar as he led them to a room with a runic door. He placed his hand on a panel and let it open. "Will you're heart decide your fate?"

Ken walked in first with the exarchs body as Elrena followed, snapped her fingers and caused a barrier to form behind her. Keeping any out. Right into a room with a sight that made the woman truly desire shattering the spirit stones anyways, a Farseer with her hands on the side of a pink haired man with blue eyes, a black vest, dark pink pants and a white undershirt. It looked like he was seeing something he didn't want to as Ken yelled out. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO HIM?!"

The Farseer stopped, turned towards the intruders hastily and glared at them, revealing an elven woman with light purple hair, glowing pearl eyes and a symbol on her forehead, she looked terrified at what Elrena had in her hand and at the body Ken tossed to her feet. The Farseer left the man in stasis, unable to really say anything as his eyes looked at Elrena in terror for her life.

She glared at both. "You dare to come here with those in hand you savage-"

Ken yelled at her more. "SHUT UP! You tried to kill a guy who wanted NOTHING TO DO with me! We are just giving your stuff back."

Elrena stood to Ken's right side with her eyes not once focusing away from the captured man, she gave him the bag of crystals and he presented it to the Farseer. "Let him go! I just want to talk."

The Farseer didn't even look at the captive and he fell from stasis, it looked like he was clenching to something and about to throw up as Elrena went to his side. "Lauriam!"

She tried to get him up as the boy waited for the Farseer to approach, being given a crudely contained bag of gems most important as Cadia's Light formed from the hand that delivered. Ken asked politely. "Every time you send you're goons to do these things, something bad happens to them. One of them lost themselves to the darkness, the others just gotten handed over to you because some buddies of ours were less than forgiving of you and if this keeps up they will drop the hammer. Are you trying to make this worse?"

The Farseer shook her head and coldly answered. "Deluding yourself to you're true nature and of the fate of those around you. Do you even know of the coming darkness?"

Ken answered back. "Yes and it is the guy who ruined everything for countless people. Would I want any part of that beyond wanting him taken down for good? Would I want any part of those psychopaths I keep hearing about or the things they are too happy to spread along? You know which ones I'm talking about."

That question caught the Farseer off guard. "The great enemy? Chaos? You know of that and you claim you will continue opposing that?"

Ken nodded. "No matter what, I won't give in to that evil. Even when it looks like a lot of people have!" He asked with his heart breaking. "Come on, why are we doing this to each other? This could have been sorted out and neither of us had to have to hurt or get hurt. If all this darkness and chaos stuff is that dangerous, why are we fighting each other? Why drag people into a scheme like this when they might want to help?" He boldly requested, despite the pain and despite the grudge. "Please, we can help each other, figure out what is going on and put everything that happened in the past." He used his left hand and offered. "I want to call you a friend."

Elrene gasped at the cheesy, yet heart wrenching line and the Farseer was taken a back. Like something actually reached to her. "...A heart in turmoil, yet it found a way to shine past the shadows." She looked upon the woman holding a nearly passing out man that was holding a massive grudge against her. "To experience a cycle of past lives." She looked at the boy in pity. "How does a heart like yours endure when theirs have blackened."

Ken knew she was talking about the adults. "Because people make bad choices, but sometimes they figure it out and get themselves back to good path. We just need to stop those that refuse to do it so they don't hurt more people."

The Farseer looked in thought of something and begrudgingly confessed. "...I nearly made that prophecy a certainty... but it appears I miss judged. I... was wrong."

Ken appreciated it as Elrena growled. "But why did you kidnap Lauriam in the first place and do... I don't want to know to him?"

The man gasped and rasped out a proper word. "E...Elrene, their existence is much like how ours were. Wilting from our splendor." He smiled out of spite towards the Farseer. "They think we have that answer for them."

That lead to Ken asking the regretful Farseer. "And what you did to him, and I don't care what he done, still hurts. We can find another way to help each other and... what ever you're problem is."

That caused the Farseer to laugh with him. "Oh naive child of man. You think you know our song, yet you don't know a note." Her eyes glowed to a conclusion as Ken felt something worming its way into his mind. "The great enemy doesn't seek you're heart because it is black, but because it will blacken! You will only endure more suffering if you are allowed to continue you're path. That suffering would lead others into oblivion! You may rest now."

SPLIT!

Ken felt his mind under intense assault and screamed as the Farseer focused her mind into his. Elrena took out her keyblade as Lauriam tried to stand on his own, the woman sparkled lightning and tried to strike the Farseer away from the boy, a force of will pushed them away as Ken gritted is teeth, his chest and Cadia's Light gave a combined glow. He fired at the Farseer's chest, pushing her back and causing her to pant as he looked to be seeing something not there. The Farseer was injured yet impressed. "So this is you're strength of the heart?!"

Ken ignored her and looked to the center of the room and jumped to it, Elrena had the Eldar pinned with her blade and barked. "What the heck?! You're going doing this again?!"

The Farseer pushed her back and looked her in the eyes. "You know nothing of Chaos, she who gave in before! As the shadows will twist even the boldest of hearts, so too will the whispers of Chaos, drive even the purest hearts to insanity. It is for his own good that they never reach his heart!"

Lauriam looked more baffled at the extremes and felt a lost cause as Ken stabbed the ground and caused a keyhole to form, radiating in light. "It's the kind of place you dwell from? Violence, lies... are all of those an everyday solution?"

The Farseer looked at the bright light, causing a distortion resembling a clear passage, she looked more confused at him in acceptance. "The galaxy itself, where we were born from, is consumed by endless war. A war that is coming to you're struggles! We faltered in those struggles as you and she-" she looked Elrena in the eyes. "have. It must NOT be allowed to consume this galaxy as well! The Great Enemy, no, not just She Who Thirsts, the Chaos Gods themselves, must be stopped!"

She felt words of panic in her mind, she pushed back and tried to assure the words all would be fine.

Ripple, ripple, ripple.

Ken pulled his blade out and snapped out of his vision, realizing what he done and looking at her defeated. "...We will, but... just go home. Just go home Fomyna."

The ripples became worse as the Farseer accepted defeat. "Warn the others Kendry, maybe you all will succeed where our own galaxy has failed."

Ripple! Ripple! RIP!

The three humans felt like something was yanking them away from something. Their visions returned and they found themselves at the entrance of a town in the shadow of a castle. Ken felt like he was having a head ache from it all and was the first to realize they were all laying on their backs. Seeing distant stars forming from the sky and flickering away. Elrena was the next to come through, jolting herself up and finding Lauriam looking half stoic and laying still. "Wha...what happened?!"

Ken stood up with Cadia's Light keeping its shine, like it was taking on a different, more sleek form, its hilt resembled tubes and into the blade was a pack, the blade itself lost some of its clunky form for a smoother texture of the green, he was unaware of the keyblades form and answered. "I...got them back home... after everything, she just needs to be home while we deal with this on our own."

He turned towards Lauriam and noticed the stoic frown becoming worse. "But this means things are going to end up getting much worse. Lauriam, what happened?"

The man sighed as Elrena helped him up and wanted to give him a welcoming hug, he felt a dreadful fear beating as he answered. "Kendry... is it?"

Ken nodded and guessed the rest. "I know you, Elrena and a couple others have a gap of something where you don't remember something and at the same time, act like you do. Was that gap the reason Fomyna kidnapped you?"

Elrena realized it was. "That has to be the reason, but... how did you know that Eldar's name?"

Ken wasn't sure. "I... felt a lot of things getting into my head. It felt like my brain was going to break... that name burned its way somewhere."

Lauriam agreed with that. "She is something of a psychic, she would do that to you and go far deeper than that." He felt a sting and wasn't too traumatized over that. "But... you are correct."

Foot steps where heard and the trio turned around to find two familiar men talking about something, Ienzo looked regretful about something as Even promised him. "As soon we establish easier access, we will focus on finding Ansem. We are caught up in nothing but chaos."

Ienzo wanted Even to be quiet about that. "Don't use that name out here, his name hasn't been cleared up yet."

Elrena felt annoyed for some reasons as Lauriam simply wished to walk away, Ienzo looked surprised to see the arrivals and approached them, stopping Lauriam from leaving as he shouted. "Ken, Elrena, I thought you left?!"

Ken looked more happy to be alive and felt he was free from one thing as he approached with a smile. "We did... and I think...I think I took care of the Eldar. They're back home."

Elrena approved of that and was worried about Lauriam's behavior. "But... our problems are far from over. I was told about what is going on, about the people that attacked this town before that mess happened." She looked pained and asked. "Is another war going to happen?"

Ienzo didn't wish to answer that as Even felt a familiar scorn, feeling like he met the woman before, something clicked and he yelled out. "Larxene, you are scared about that?!"

The name connected, Elrena shivered even more terrified. "Like you would care about that. The only thing those guys from the Imperium ever really talk about besides their Emperor is war. Vexen, what have you seen from those Word Bearers?"

Even argued back to Elrena as Ken backed away from a chain reaction. "A lunatic that was ready to fight a war and unleashed hell. The Imperium talks so little of them... could the Word Bearers be the reason the Imperium are so strewn to war?"

That question caused all of their souls to freeze up, their hearts felt the chill of answers they were best not to know. Lauriam voiced the common fear. "If they were, than anything we have ever read about war would seem... insignificant compared to what they done and what they could bring to all of us."

Ken agreed with that and was more annoyed. "The only people I know that need to know of this are pretty busy." He checked a text on his gummi phone with no results. "and have reasons to not pick up until late. Should... Wanda know of this? She isn't from the same place as the Imperium... but she knows about Chaos."

Ienzo gasped and pleaded with him. "But she doesn't have any understanding of technology and would be the first to know when magic won't be enough. Kendry, she needs to be warned, now more than ever."

Ken agreed and felt as if something was waiting for him. "And Bryn came just when you said that."

He sighed and was ready to leave, Even recommended to Elrena and Lauriam. "It's clear that you two recently discovered something." He smugly continued. "Perhaps you need a moment to get away from trouble and recover?"

Elrena didn't wish to admit it. "...You are always annoying, but... you're right. The same can be said to you."

That Even agreed, looking slightly hurt. "It... answered many questions. What were you calling you're predicament?"

Elrena answered. "The gap." Ienzo was in thought of the word. "But why did the gap happen to us?"

Lauriam answered that question. "Because we would have difficulty bearing it, you do know what happened in the gap, but you're heart won't let you... and for good reasons."

He sighed and apologized to Ken for a request. "But, maybe some time away from this would be good." Elrena sighed and followed the two out. "It would."

She teased the boy about his keyblade. "You're blades coil is showing."

Ken blinked, looked at Cadia's Light and gasped. "Wow... I guess it does." He smiled to both and promised. "Wanda and the others may be new to you, but I think they are bringing more life back to Traverse."

Elrena giggled to that and tried to get Lauriam to cheer up. "You won't believe the kind of animals they got."

Lauriam was looking forward to something that would clear his mind. "Wanda and her people really are from world even more different?"

Ken whistled. "Yeah about that."