A/N: And here we are at the 2nd chapter of the day with none other than Monstro the Whale himself, said to be "the biggest, noisiest character to ever come to the screen". And here's where things get a bit tense and dicey. Sooner or later, you might see why in tgis chapter. That's all I can tell you without giving away too much.
Kingdom Hearts: Final Mix
Chapter 11: Monstro
Sora, Kairi, Donald, and Goofy then leave Traverse Town and fly the gummi ship to the next world. Traveling through space, they noticed a strange gray object ahead.
"What is that?", Donald asked.
"Wow, it's huge!", Sora commented.
"Yeah. It could be as big as a giant whale.", Kairi agreed before it flew over them, as if to prove her right.
"It IS a giant whale!", Goofy exclaimed.
"What kind of whale is he?", Kairi asked.
"That's Monstro! He's a whale of a whale, and vicious besides!", Jiminy responded before Monstro flew back around.
"WAK! Get us out of here, you two!", Donald shouted.
Monstro, however, made its way toward them, opening its enormous jaw, revealing a mouth full of teeth.
"Too late! He's going to swallow us!", Sora shouted before Monstro overtook the ship and Sora's life flashed before his eyes.
He remembered a day, 9 years ago, that he spent with Riku on the Destiny Islands as he walked down the stairs with Riku, his small hands folded
behind his back.
Play KH BBS Music: "Destiny's Union"
"It's true! I saw it with my own eyes!", a young Sora shouted.
"You sure you didn't just hear it this time?", a young Riku asked.
"What difference does it make? There's a huge monster in there, I tell you!", Sora urged.
"All right. Suppose there really is a monster... Think we can beat it by ourselves, Sora?", Riku asked.
"No problem. Let's do it!", Sora grinned.
Then, the two walked to the entrance of the Secret Place.
"Listen! There! Can you hear it growling?", Sora asked.
"Shh, quiet.", Riku shushed before getting bent closer, listening over the sounds of the waterfall nearby.
"We've gotta be careful.", Riku whispered.
Then, they entered slowly and the sounds of the waterfall drift away. They found nothing in the empty cave apart from a hole in the ceiling that the air was pushing through.
"See that? It was just the wind making that noise.", Riku spoke.
"Aw, man. I wish it was a monster! Hold on! What's that over there?", Sora spoke as he noticed as wooden part of the cave wall before Riku inspected it closely.
"A window, or maybe a door? It won't open.", Riku responded.
"Geez, is that really all that's in here?", Sora asked, looking around at the empty walls.
"What do you expect in a boring place like this?", Riku asked.
Sora then continued searching the cave.
"Hey, Sora.", Riku spoke before Sora looked back at him.
"Hm?", Sora puzzled.
"When we grow up, let's get off this island. We'll go on real adventures, not this kid stuff!", Riku suggested as his eyes grew wide with anticipation.
"Sure. But isn't there anything fun to do now? Hey, you know the new girl at the mayor's house? Did you hear?", Sora asked before exiting the cave, with Riku following, and the scene turned back to the present, the sounds of the wind becoming the sounds from Monstro the whale, where Sora, Kairi, Donald, and Goofy have been thrown from the ship inside its mouth.
End KH BBS Music: "Destiny's Union"
Sora laid on the ground with Kairi helping him up.
"You okay?", Kairi asked.
"Yeah. I think so.", Sora spoke before he heard a yelling voice from nearby.
"Knock it off!", Donald shouted to an apparent dripping from which Goofy is covering his head with his shield as Donald tapped his foot on the damp floor.
Then, Sora shook his head and he and Kairi stood up to meet Donald and Goofy.
"Hey, Sora. Are you and Kairi okay?", Goofy asked.
"Yeah. Thanks for asking.", Kairi responded.
"What are you guys doing? Where are we, anyway?", Sora asked.
"Call me crazy, but I think we just got swallowed up by that whale.", Kairi responded.
"Yup. And for today's weather: expect showers.", Goofy added.
Then, the two islanders looked around before an item came flying from overhead, causing them to dodge backward.
"Whoa!", Sora and Kairi exclaimed.
Then, another item fell and hit Goofy's shield.
"Heavy showers!", Goofy exclaimed.
Then, Donald continued to look up at someone on a high ledge, searching through a treasure chest.
"Hey! Who's there?", Donald shouted.
Then, a wooden puppet looked down to notice Sora, Kairi, Donald, and Goofy from the ledge.
"It's me.", Pinocchio greeted.
"Huh? Who are you?", Donald puzzled before Jiminy jumped onto Sora's shoulder.
"Pinocchio?", Jiminy puzzled.
Then, Pinocchio began walking down the ledge away from them, carrying a large gummi block.
"Pinocch, where are you going? Pinocch! Come on, everybody! After him! Quick!", Jiminy urged before Kairi nodded.
Pinocchio hopped along the various wood piles scattered throughout Monstro's enormous mouth before Sora, Kairi, Donald, and Goofy made their way over to a wooden boat where Pinocchio was talking to an old man.
"What have you got there, Pinocchio?", the man asked.
Pinocchio set the green block down on the deck as he answered.
"With this, we can get out of here, Father.", Pinocchio assured.
"Really? With this big block? You think so?", the man asked.
"It's true.", Sora responded.
"And it's a lot more useful than you think.", Kairi added before Pinocchio and the man turned to see Sora, Kairi, Donald, and Goofy climbing the edge of the ship.
"So, how did you end up here, Pinocchio?", Sora asked as they stood onto the deck.
"Oh, my. So the whale swallowed all of you, too? My goodness.", the man asked in surprise.
"Yeah, looks like it.", Sora responded.
"I think we're okay, though. What's your name?", Kairi asked.
"My name is Geppetto. I'm Pinocchio's father. When we got separated, I traveled all over, looking for him.", Geppetto responded as Pinocchio got distracted by something behind him and he walked over the plank.
"Thank goodness we're together again.", Geppetto responded as the puppet saw someone running further into the whale as Geppetto picked up the gummi block as Kairi noticed and gulped worriedly.
"I hope he was a good boy in my absence.", Geppetto spoke as he placed the block near his bed as a goldfish swam in its bowl on the bedside table.
"Well, we've all had quite a journey. Right, Pinocchio?", Geppetto asked before he looked around for his son.
"Pinocchio?", Geppetto spoke.
"He just, sort of, took off.", Kairi responded.
"I warned him not to wander off here. He can be a naughty boy. Even so, he's very precious to me.", Geppetto stated.
"We'll make sure he gets back safely, Geppetto.", Kairi assured.
Then, Sora, Kairi, Donald and Goofy go after Pinocchio, finding him hiding in an inner chamber.
"There you are, you little scamp. We've been looking for you.", Kairi spoke.
"What are you doing? Come on, let's go back.", Sora urged.
"You know, Geppetto's awfully worried about you.", Goofy stated.
"Pinocchio, stop fooling around! This is no time for games!", Sora urged sternly as he and the others started to turn away only for Kairi to gasp upon noticing a familiar face.
"But, Sora, I thought you liked games. Or are you and Kairi too cool to play them now that you have the Keyblade?", Riku responded as Sora turned back around to see him.
"Riku!", Kairi spoke in surprise.
"Wh-What are you doing here?", Sora asked.
"Just playing with Pinocchio.", Riku responded.
"That's not what he meant! What about Rose? Did you find her?", Riku asked.
"Maybe. Catch us and maybe I'll tell you what I know.", Riku responded.
"Come on!", Sora urged before Riku grabbed Pinocchio's hand and lead him further into Monstro.
After that, the group searched through the various maze-like innards of the whale, fighting
numerous Heartless, though finding no trace of Riku nor the puppet.
Play KH 358/2 Days Music: "Xemnas"
Elsewhere, Maleficent and Pete appeared behind Riku.
"Why do you still care about those children?", Maleficent asked.
"Yeah. Did you have a couple of screws loose or somethin'? Or did you forget that they deserted you for the Keyblade and those bozos?", Pete added.
"I don't care about them. I was just messing with them a little.", Riku responded.
"Heh. Sure you were.", Pete spoke sarcastically with a smile before Maleficent summoned a purple corridor of darkness as black mist emanated from the bottom of it.
"Beware the darkness in your heart. The Heartless prey upon it.", Maleficent spoke before she and Pete stepped through it.
"Mind your own business.", Riku retorted, staring around Maleficent and Pete as they leave before the corridor disappeared.
Then, Sora, Kairi, Donald, and Goofy chased Pinocchio, who passed by Riku into the bowels of the beast.
"Riku! What's the matter with you? What are you thinking? Don't you realize what you're doing?", Sora asked.
"I was about to ask you the same thing, Sora. You and Kairi only seem interested in running around and showing off those Keyblades these days. Do you even want to save Rose?", Riku accused, making Kairi tense her hand as a faint mist of darkness emanated for a brief moment.
"How could you possibly ask that?! You should know us better than that!", Kairi snapped just before Pinocchio screamed.
End KH 358/2 Days Music: "Xemnas"
"It came from over there!", Kairi guessed before she and the others, Riku included, run into the Bowels.
Play KH BBS Music: "Extreme Encounters"
When they got there, they find him trapped inside a large Parasite Cage Heartless, which swung its appendages when they entered, waiting for them to come near.
"Get me out of here!", Pinocchio shouted.
"Hang on, Pinocchio! We'll get you out of there!", Kairi assured as she drew her keyblade and assumed her fighting stance.
"You two up for this?", Riku asked before Sora assumed a fighting stance.
"No problem. Let's do it!", Sora agreed before he attacked the small head attached to its arms as it swung the arms wildly.
Then, Riku ran behind it to avoid them and struck before Kairi leap at it, while Donald sent a Thunder spell, but it lifted an arm and Sora crashed into it, falling to the damp floor before Kairi helped him up.
"Help! It's scary in here!", Pinocchio shouted before Kairi attacked the bottom cage-like head of the Heartless where Pinocchio was trapped, but the beast wouldn't budge.
Its arms took out Goofy while Sora gave it an upward strike and Kairi gave it a slash at the same time. Afterwards, as Kairi healed Goofy, it began to wobble, grabbing the ceiling
for balance, and spat out Pinocchio into a hole in the floor. Then, Riku jumped in after him as the Heartless escaped.
"Riku, wait!", Kairi shouted as Riku took off.
End KH BBS Music: "Extreme Encounters"
Meanwhile, the water level in the mouth decreased as Sora, Kairi, Donald, and Goofy landed on the deck of Geppetto's ship.
"Pinocchio! Pinocchio! Please! Give me back my son!", Geppetto shouted to Riku, who was now on a high ledge, holding Pinocchio under his arm.
"Sorry, old man. I have some unfinished business with this puppet.", Riku responded.
"He's no puppet! Pinocchio is my little boy!", Geppetto retorted.
"He is unusual. Not many puppets have hearts. I'm not sure, but maybe he can help someone who's lost theirs.", Riku spoke, making Kairi gasp in shock.
"What are you saying?! That Rose lost her heart?!", Kairi shouted to Riku
"What do you care about her?", Riku only retorted before he walked toward Monstro's throat.
The group then went after him by climbing the piles of wood near the mouth. Sora and Kairi found another summon gem on top of one of the piles before they decided to enter the throat and make their way to the stomach.
There, Riku set Pinocchio down on one of the platforms lining the walls as stomach acid pooled on the floor.
"Hey, let Pinocchio go, Riku.", Sora urged before Riku turned to see them as Pinocchio sat, unmoving.
"A puppet that's lost its heart to the Heartless... Maybe it holds the key to helping Kairi. How about it, Sora, Kairi? Let's join forces to save her. We can do it together.", Riku spoke as he started walking toward Sora and Kairi, who took out the Keyblade.
"No. That won't help her. Not like this!", Kairi exclaimed as she summoned her Keyblade and entered her own stance.
"What? You two would rather fight me? Over a puppet that has no heart?", Riku asked.
"Heart or no heart, at least he still has a conscience.", Sora responded.
"Conscience?", Riku scoffed as Jiminy Cricket runs over to Pinocchio.
"You might not hear it, but right now it's loud and clear. And it's telling us you're on the wrong side!", Sora explained.
"Then you two leave me no choice.", Riku responded.
"Riku...what's wrong with you? I don't even recognize you anymore.", Kairi spoke sadly, emanating dark mists again, puzzling Riku as he gasped in surprise.
"Pinocchio! Pinocchio!", Jiminy shouted.
"Jiminy... I'm not gonna make it.", Pinocchio spoke weakly.
Suddenly, though, his nose grew.
"Oh! I guess I'm okay.", Pinocchio grinned before Jiminy jumped happily as Kairi took notice of it, the dark mists disappearing as Kairi grinned.
Then, as Sora looked over to Donald and Goofy, Kairi turned to Riku.
"You don't have to do this to save Rose, Riku. There is a better way to do that. And I know that Sora and I aren't going to stop until we find it.", Kairi assured.
Riku thought about this for a second before looking up suddenly as the Parasite Cage fell from a hole in the ceiling, prompting Riku to make a quick exit through a corridor of darkness, leaving them alone with the Heartless, just before the beast in question landed.
Play KH HD 2.5 ReMIX Music: "Sinister Shadows"
"Pinocchio, you'd better get out of here.", Kairi urged.
Then, Pinocchio ran out of the stomach and the Parasite Cage picked itself up on its arms and swung itself at Sora and company before Donald yelled and sent a Thunder spell at it while Sora and Kairi ran up to it and began striking its body with the Keyblades. Then, the Parasite Cage began swinging its arms again, but this time, Goofy slammed his shield into them, causing the Heartless to reel back before the top head fell backwards, causing the cage to open. It laid there, unconscious, while Sora and Kairi continued to deal damage to it before it straightened up and began swinging its arms again, knocking out Donald. The Heartless placed its arms into the stomach acid, sucking it up through its appendages, and blowing it out through its mouth. Sora and Kairi fell in pain while Goofy fell unconscious. While the Parasite Cage continued swinging its arms madly, Sora used Cure on Kairi, who, in turn, healed both Sora, Donald, and Goofy and the four of them moved in unison before, with a few more strikes, the Parasite Cage flew backwards, a glowing heart coming out of its cage-like mouth and floating away before it fell over, splashing acid everywhere.
End KH HD 2.5 ReMIX Music: "Sinister Shadows"
"Run!", Donald shouted.
"Riku!", Kairi shouted.
"Riku, where are you?", Sora shouted next.
Play KH HD 2.5 ReMIX Music: "Riku"
Meanwhile, Riku had returned to his vessel, standing in the captain's hold and talking to Maleficent and Pete, both of which were utterly shocked about one thing.
"WHAT?! You're tellin' me that one of those brats who turned their backs on ya had darkness creeping up inside of her?!", Pete exclaimed in shock.
"Unfortunately. Thing is, I don't really know how she has it.", Riku responded.
"How can this be?! For someone as pure as her to harbor such darkness inside...!", Maleficent spoke in disbelief before she recomposes herself.
"No matter. We shall worry about this matter another time. Now, about your mission...", Maleficent spoke as Riku stood before Rose's body, laying on the couch in front of him.
"So..., Rose is like a lifeless puppet now?", Riku asked worriedly.
"Precisely.", Maleficent responded.
"And her heart was...", Riku asked, beginning to fear the worst as he tensed his hands.
"Stolen by the Heartless like robbers stealing money from the bank.", Pete responded before Riku turned back around to Pete and Maleficent quickly, the desperation showing in his eyes.
"Tell me! What can I do?", Riku pleaded.
"There are seven maidens of the purest heart. We call them the princesses of heart. Gather them together, and a door will open to the heart of all worlds. Within lies untold wisdom. There, you will surely find a way to recover Rose's heart. Now, I'll grant you a marvelous gift.", Maleficent spoke as she leaned closer to him.
"The power to control the Heartless.", Maleficent spoke as she raised her arms before green energy surrounded him as Riku took it in, feeling its power.
"How come I never get somethin' like that?", Pete asked.
"Because it is wasted on you.", Maleficent responded bluntly, making Pete groan a little.
"Besides, that power may be too much for you to handle. Only he can handle the burden of such power. And you already control the heartless without such power, do you not?", Maleficent added.
"Oh, yeah. You make a really good point there. You know, I hadn't thought about it like that.", Pete grinned just as Riku turned to look back at Rose.
"Soon, Rose. Soon.", Riku spoke in assurance.
End KH HD 2.5 ReMIX Music: "Riku"
Back at the lanes between worlds, Monstro, disrupted by all this agitation, sneezed everyone out with Sora, Kairi, Donald, and Goofy back in their gummi ship.
"I sure hope Pinocchio and Geppetto are okay.", Goofy spoke.
"Yeah, hopefully they landed safely somewhere.", Donald agreed as Kairi was saddened by what had transpired between her, Riku, and Sora.
"Riku... why?", Kairi spoke sadly as she shed a tear.
"Don't worry, Kairi. We'll find some way to help him.", Sora assured.
Then, after a moment, Kairi's spirits began to get lifted.
"Yeah... We will. Thanks, Sora.", Kairi grinned before Sora nodded to her.
"Oh! But first, we might need to check up on Traverse Town.", Kairi suggested.
"Yeah. That gummi block we picked up could come in handy anyway.", Goofy agreed.
"Just as long as it doesn't take too long, I guess...", Donald responded.
A/N: So, what did you think about this chapter? Had a bit of drama, didn't it? Either way, there are three more chapters coming for today. :)