Hello, fellow readers! And welcome back to Wayward Dawn! Oh, we have reviews!
James riemer: I know, right?
johannvanguard: We'll see that soon enough.
keybladelight: Don't know the series, don't do requests, sorry.
SunsetScrewball: Which is why I did it. Sora is a good character, but others deserve the time in the spotlight.
With that said, let's get right back into it!
Chapter 1: Dark Secrets
The campers are back outside with the chaperones and counselors as Riku began explaining what went down:
"Those monsters are known as Heartless, dark creatures that hunt those with hearts. They usually take a form to fit in each world they invade, but they're known for having yellow eyes and a dark aura."
"Which is why I recognized the forms." Sunset then catches what he said, "Wait, 'each world'?"
Twilight's curiosity grew by the second, "Are you implying that there are other lifeforms out there?"
"It sounds far fetched, I know." He casually answers, "Same goes for magic, that's a common occurrence no matter the world. How does it work here exactly?"
"Well-" Sunset was gonna answer, but Pinkie steps in taking a deep breath before speaking rapidly:
"We live on the other side of this magical mirror that leads to a crazy place known as Equestria, where talking ponies and other creatures live and have all kinds of magic everywhere! That's where Sunset is from and where we also know an alicorn princess who is that world's counterpart to our Twilight Sparkle, who came over here due to Sunset bringing her special crown over to do bad stuff, bringing that magic over in the process! That lead to us fighting an evil Siren trio with the power of music AND we recently went up against a ridiculously competitive school at the Friendship Games, where we met the Twilight you know and had to fight her with Sunset who has been reformed after her evil phase before the two worlds go KABLOOEY due to Midnight Sparkle's curiosity!"
Ending that whole explanation with a big smile, they were silent for a good minute after hearing all that before Riku spoke up:
"Not only did I understand that, but I believe what you said."
"...Say what?" Applejack mutters.
"Trust me, I dealt with weirder stuff." This only made them more curious as he turns to the others, "Is everyone all right?"
It took a little bit to learn the names of the campers, ending with the two chaperones named Celestia and Luna as the former spoke up:
"Riku, correct? Thanks for your help from those 'heartless'."
"No problem." He assures them, "And don't worry, they'll stop invading once I find the source of their entry. Does anyone know where it could be?"
"There's the rock quarry quite a bit from here." Timber answers, "It's off limits, due to strange stuff recently happening there."
"Got it. Lead the way." Riku simply said before the two left for the location.
As for the others, the other counselor Gloriosa Daisy was getting rather worried about this new development. If this isn't dealt with soon, the camping trip will have to be cut short for the campers' safety-
"Those heartless can try all they like, we'll just kick their butts again!" She snaps back to reality upon hearing Rainbow bragging.
"All Ah know is that I've waited weeks for this trip and Ah ain't letting them stop me from enjoying it." AJ adds.
Gloriosa takes this chance to shift the topic, "That's great to hear, girls! Riku's got it, so how about we move on to the next camp activity!?"
Meanwhile, with Riku
He and Timber reached the rock quarry as the afternoon sun was heading down. Seeing big boulders blocking the entrance, they managed to slide through a narrow crack between them to get inside.
The keyblade master wasn't expecting to see crystals though. They glowed brilliantly from the sunlight above through a sizable hole on top, also acting like a spotlight for a peculiar monolith right under it. It had a strong magical signature as it strangely has seven slots on its top, where two of them were filled by what looks to be geodes.
"This is where the magic happens, literally." Timber remarks, gesturing to the crystal monolith.
"Do you know what it does?" Riku wonders.
"Gloriosa told me that they're capable of giving you powers."
Riku looks back at him, "And she knows this how?"
"She showed me that she's able to control plants and stuff, but... all I see is she's in over her head."
"Magic tends to do that to people... does she know where it came from?"
Timber pauses to recall, "She told me that she saw a magic trail fall from the sky."
Riku takes a moment to piece together this new info. No doubt that this monolith holds great magic, which may be what the heartless are likely drawn to. In that case, why aren't there any heartless here? Maybe the geodes are like the 'Cornerstone of Light' back at Disney Castle?
He stops for now, due to not having all the evidence yet. "Thanks for the help, but I'm afraid this is just incidental to my investigation."
"Sorry to hear that. Let's head back for now, it's been a long day."
The two then went back the way they came, unaware of a dark flicker that appears in the monolith before disappearing.
Back at Camp Everfree
The sun was setting over the mountains as the campers were now doing arts and crafts. The activity today was floating lanterns. The Rainbooms were pleased with how their lanterns were coming along, one in particular being rather... creative.
Rarity sees something drop on the table at the corner of your eye, seeing that it was a marshmallow. Only one person comes to mind:
"Um, Pinkie? What are you doing?"
"Putting marshmallows on my lantern!" Her friend answers, "Once they light them, this will be beautiful AND delicious!"
Rarity leaves it there, knowing that trying to figure out her antics will just lead to a headache.
As the girls are doing their lanterns in a group, Twilight was away at a different table doing hers which Spike points out:
"Hey, why aren't you with everyone else?"
"Sunset said something at camp was the cause of them getting their powers." She answers before leaning in to whisper, "I think it's Midnight Sparkle."
"Midnight? I thought she disappeared."
"That's what I thought, but she's still here. I can feel it."
"So, you think that she might be the cause?"
"...I'm hoping she isn't. The last thing I want is them getting hurt because of me."
"Then... what are we gonna do?"
Before anything came to mind, the two heard Gloriosa call out to the campers:
"Alright, everyone! It's time to watch your lanterns fly!"
After putting on their finishing touches, they headed for the dock to allow Celestia and Luna to light their lanterns. Twilight was in the back of the group with Spike when she hears a familiar voice:
"Hey, cool lantern!"
She looks to see Timber walk over, also seeing Riku standing near the docks to watch the show as the former continues:
"Wish I got back sooner. I would have made one with my face."
"...Why?"
"Just thought it'd be funny, and fitting since I used to be a bit of a 'hothead' as a kid."
Twilight took a moment to get his little joke, letting out a weak chuckle. He honestly couldn't help but notice her behavior:
"Uh, you OK?"
She tries to assure him by nodding, "Hm-hm."
"It's just that you seem... out of it."
"...Just a lot on my mind, that's all."
The two reach the dock, allowing Celestia to light her lantern last. Upon seeing the small flame, she felt content in that moment as a smile forms without her noticing.
Gloriosa then starts the countdown, "Ready... and, GO!"
They all let their lanterns fly into the starry sky, their lights shining upon the lake's surface. All except one:
SPLAT!
"Aww!" Pinkie was briefly disappointed by logic being right for once, but looked on the bright side. "Oh well, still get to eat it!"
Riku watch her take some marshmallow off her lantern and into her mouth, chalking that up on the stranger side of things in this world.
"Yup, beautifully delicious."
As the small show comes to a close, with the campers getting to keep their lanterns, they left for their tents as Riku reports his findings to the counselors and chaperones:
"While the rock quarry made sense, there was no clear sign of an entry point."
"That's unfortunate. Nowhere else around here has something this strange going on." Gloriosa mentions.
"That might be it. It could be somewhere hidden from plain sight, or even in front of our eyes without knowing." Luna adds.
"Don't worry, we still have a couple of days to figure this out." Celestia assures them before looking at Riku, "I hope that's enough time for you."
"I'll stay as long as I have to. This world is in danger until I find it." He admits to them.
That made them worried about what this meant. One of the campers overheard this from their tent as they felt their heart grow heavier.
Nightfall
The camp was silent, except for the sounds of crickets as Sunset slept soundly in her bed. Her slumber was then interrupted upon hearing something move, opening her eyes to see her roommate was gone:
"Twilight?"
Immediately looking outside, she sees her and Spike run across the camp towards the woods. "Twilight!"
Quickly changing into her camp attire, she takes off after her into said woods. She looks around as she went deeper, stopping to figure out which way she went before hearing a twig snap:
"Twilight!"
She sees her friend stop in her tracks, allowing her to catch up as she turns around.
"What are you doing out here?"
"We're... we're meeting a cab to take us home!" Twilight was at least honest about it.
Sunset looks to Spike for clarity, "She thought you would talk her out of it."
"Because I would. Twilight, you can't leave."
Sunset touches her hand while saying this, only for something else to happen as her vision blurs white:
FB1
She sees the dock wrecked by a boat suddenly hitting it, seeing the campers gathered around it as Pinkie said what came to her mind:
"You don't think it was the spirit, do you!?"
"No... it was me." She hears Twilight mutter to herself.
FB2
It then changes to her talking with Spike from her perspective:
"I think it's Midnight Sparkle."
"Midnight? I thought she disappeared."
"That's what I thought, but she's still there. I can feel it."
"So, you think that she might be the cause?"
"...I'm hoping she isn't. The last thing I want is them getting hurt because of me."
Present
Sunset returns to normal upon letting go, now with new knowledge:
"Twilight, there's no 'Midnight Sparkle'. There's only you."
Sci-Twi was surprised at how accurate that was, "How did you know what I was thinking?"
"When I touched your hand, I can see things. I can understand why you were leaving." She then realizes what it meant, "My new magic, this is my power! This is incredible!"
"No, it's not! You're infected too!"
"Twilight, you have to stop looking at this like it's a bad thing!"
"Easy for you to say! At the Games, the magic turned you into something beautiful! When I used it, it turned me into a monster!"
Twilight then looks away in contempt, "And I'm starting to think that's what bringing those 'heartless' here."
"The heartless?"
"...I overheard Riku talking to the counselors. Our world is in danger as long as they keep coming, and considering how powerful Midnight was..."
"How long have you... felt her presence?"
"...For some time now. I thought it was just some recurring nightmare, but now it's starting to become a much worse reality."
Sunset kinda gets what she's saying, but something still doesn't add up. "Why would the heartless show up now? Wouldn't they have appeared when Midnight started to surface?"
"She's likely regained her strength, or became even stronger than before!" Sci-Twi was succumbing to her fears as she wraps her arms around herself:
"Ever since I discovered magic, all I've ever done is put everyone in danger! ...I wish I never became Midnight... I wish I never listened to Principal Cinch... and I wish I NEVER KNEW MAGIC EXISTED!"
She then fell to her knees, letting out tears as she weeps in sorrow. Sunset heard it all, but didn't need magic to understand her feelings:
"Twilight..."
No response came as her friend kept crying. Crouching down, Sunset gently calls her name again:
"Twilight."
Still no response, but her eyes move to look at her as she begins her story:
"It's true that the magic turned me into something beautiful... but, I've also let it turn me into a monster too. What you're going through, I felt the same way when I amending for my mistakes. It... was a very hard road, but I kept going for a very good reason."
Twilight sniffles a bit as she continues listening to her:
"I told you that a good friend showed me the way, but it's also because of the others giving me that second chance. You have us to support you too, but not if you run away now."
Twilight stays silent, but makes her choice as she wipes her tears away. "O-OK, I'll stay."
Sunset smiles before standing up and holds her hand out, helping Twilight up to her feet as the latter continues:
"I-I still don't think I should be around the others right now, not until we solve this problem."
"Understood."
The three then heard a twig snap before seeing a flash of light, hearing something hit a tree trunk as a yelp was heard. As they went to investigate, what happened was this:
"Timber?" A familiar voice said, belonging to Riku who held his keyblade firmly.
His weapon was pinning an axe against the tree trunk, the latter being held by Timber who looked quite surprised:
"Riku!? You scared me, dude!"
"Sorry." He dismisses his keyblade, releasing the axe as Timber catches his breath.
The girls and Spike moved through the bushes, finding the boys soon after as Riku saw them:
"Why are you two out here?"
"I was about to ask you that." Sunset retorts with a hint of suspicion.
"I was out patrolling for any heartless. I heard something, thought it was one, it wasn't." Riku answers, gesturing to Timber.
"Then why are you out here?" Twilight asks the latter with Sunset adding, "With an axe?"
"I-I was heading back, after getting some more firewood for tomorrow night." Timber answers, revealing the cart of firewood next to him.
"In the middle of the night?"
"I didn't notice how low it was before going to bed, so I decided to get it done before Gloriosa adds it to her bucket list." He answers, planting the axe in one of the logs. "And you know her..."
He then attempts an impression of his sister, "I GOT this!"
That got a small chuckle out of Twilight before he asks them the same question, "Why are you two out here so late?"
Sunset quickly makes an excuse for that, "I-I was sleepwalking and Twilight came to get me."
Twilight catches on quick as she nods in agreement, which the two bought with Timber shrugging:
"All right. Come on, we best head back before 'she' comes."
The girls got what he meant as Riku questions it, "Who?"
"Oh that's right, you're not from here. See, they say that these very woods are the ancient burial grounds of a monster known as..."
"Gaia Everfree! Everfree, EVERFREE!"
Despite his attempt to creep Riku out, the keyblade master was not amused.
"Ignore him, that's just a tale he told at the campfire to scare us." Sunset said, which Timber defends such denial:
"Oh, she's real all right. The strange dust, the earth shaking... hey, she might even be behind those heartless attacking!"
That got Riku thinking, but keeps it for later as he shifts the topic. "Either way, it's getting late. Let's head back to camp."
Timber lead the way as Riku and Twilight follows close behind. Sunset was a bit further back, mainly due to thinking about all that has happened before hearing Spike speak up:
"Do you think he means it? About Gaia Everfree, I mean."
"I seriously doubt it. It's just... something about it feels off. Midnight honestly sounds more plausible to me."
"Then what about Midnight, you think she's actually causing the heartless to appear?"
Sunset tries to recall what could be a catalyst. It took a bit before it suddenly clicked. A memory from the Friendship Games, where Midnight was ripping portals to Equestria. When she became Daydream, she sealed those back up as soon as she could.
But maybe, is it possible that the damage was already done? Could their world still be damaged somewhere, or perhaps...
"Sunset?" She snaps back to reality upon hearing Spike, which she hesitantly answers:
"She might have. Maybe without even realizing it..."
The puppy is unnerved at the implications, leaving the two in silence as they catch up with the others.
The next day...
It was morning when Riku woke up and out of bed, having taken an unoccupied tent to sleep in. Putting his hoodie back on, he exits to look around and sees nothing out of the ordinary. The campers were back to their activities, with some working on the dock.
Curious, he goes over to see the girls from before acting a little strange. The most obvious one was Rainbow, who was tiptoeing with a small stack of wooden boards to Applejack:
"You're being slow for someone with superspeed."
His comment surprised her, almost making her drop said boards before shooting him a glare:
"You would too if you couldn't control it!"
"I'm talking more so on walking normally."
Rainbow rolls her eyes before noticing Rarity was still sewing, "Rarity, mind helping us on the dock now?"
"I would love to darling, but I really need to get this poncho done before the camp fashion show."
Riku was lost on that, "Wait, you're having a fashion show... at camp?"
"Weird, right?" AJ scoffs while gently tapping her hammer on a nail.
"Well I doubt we'll even have a runway for it, considering the pace you two are going at." Rarity retorts.
"The DOCK is our gift to the camp, and it's gonna get finished!" AJ finishes putting the nail in as she continues, "That is, if Rainbow hurries along to bring me more wood!"
"I can't go any faster, I don't want to end up in the woods again!" Rainbow reminds her.
"Don't be silly."
"Really?"
Rainbow puts the boards down and mocks AJ by moving her hand in a hammering motion. The latter got the picture with a sigh:
"As much as I want to try and forget about our powers, I can't. What if I hammer the boards into splinters?"
The others get what she means as Riku walks over, "Haven't you used magic before?"
"Well yes, but it depended on how we were able to make it appear at the time." Fluttershy answers.
"Really? How so?"
"The first time was against me." The group look to see Sunset walk over, "Princess Twilight's crown gave them enough power to defeat my demon self."
"Then there were the Sirens, where we used the power of music to do battle!" Pinkie chimes in.
"And lastly, we had the Friendship Games where Sunset transformed again to defeat Twilight." Rarity adds, "The one from here, not the princess."
"Now, we have actual powers. It's just... weird, ya know?" AJ finishes before noticing something, "Ah shoot, I'm out of nails."
"Found some!" Pinkie held a small box at the end of the dock, "Here ya go!"
It was then they remembered her power as she tosses the box to them:
"PINKIE, NO!"
Riku moved by instinct, sprinting pass them to grab the box mid-flight and conjures his barrier as the girls duck for cover. They waited for the explosion... but it never came. Taking a peek at it, he saw it wasn't glowing at all and lets his barrier down:
"False alarm."
The others breathe a sigh of relief as Pinkie looked really worried, "I'm SO sorry, I don't know how that slipped my mind!"
"It's fine." He casually shrugs off, "You don't have control over your powers yet."
"I think that's the problem." Rarity brings up, "The magic before only came out when we needed it, now it's here no matter what we do."
"Which is why we shouldn't pretend this isn't happening." Sunset chimes in.
"Do you have them now too?" Rainbow asks.
"It started last night. If I touch someone, I can sense their feelings and see their memories."
"Oh, fancy!" Pinkie suddenly pops up in front of her, "Try me, try me!"
Placing Sunset's hand on her forehead, the former's eyes glows white as she saw a rather... trippy dream, to say the least. Moving her hand away, she can only say one thing:
"That explains so much..."
"Yup!"
The others were curious, but summed it up as 'It's Pinkie Pie, don't question it'. Yes, even Riku.
Sunset then shifts the topic back to them, "Either way, we can't just brush these off just because we got them at the wrong time."
As she walks past them, Riku starts to hear a guitar and looks around. Strange part, there was no one playing it. He looks back to see Sunset ask the girls a simple question:
"What if it turns out, that they actually make things better?"
And like that, a song came on!
So you have magic, and it's not that great
But when it found you, you know it was fate
And it might seem scary now, but it can be wonderful too
So how about we embrace the magic, and make the magic apart of you?
You take a little dash of magic, and you let it ignite
Mix things up a little bit, and it might start to go right
In just five seconds flat, how the story has changed
All cause now you've embraced the magic, and it just got better in every way
Riku watches this little musical unfold, seeing how fast the mood has shifted thanks to Sunset's advice:
I say embrace the magic!
No more holding back, just let it out!
If you can take the magic, and learn a little more what it can do...
Once the magic is part of you!
What's standing in your way
That you can't move today?
You've got the strength in you
To make your dreams come true
No need to shield yourself, from the magic that can help
Protect from any harm that might come!
Riku then notices Fluttershy sitting on a nearby log, which Sunset also notices:
So you have magic
And it's not that great
But when it found you
You know it was fate
So if you listen close, you might make a new friend
And together we can make it!
I say embrace the magic!
No more holding back, just let it out!
If you can take the magic
And learn a little more what it can do...
Once the magic is part of youuu!
Once the magic is part of youuu!
Once the magic is part of youuu!
Once the magic is part of youuu.
The girls stood on their now completed dock, thanks to the help of the other campers and even added some extra touches. Riku couldn't help but think of when Sora told him about a princess singing with music from nowhere, now being shown it was actually true.
"OK, that was pretty awesome." Rainbow admits.
"And look at what you've accomplished." Sunset points out.
Seeing it completed, Rarity couldn't contain her excitement. "Ooo, can we please get started on the fashion show right this minute!?"
"Thought you were finishing your poncho." AJ mentions.
Pulling it back out, all she needed to do was one more stitch. "I am now."
"Get started without me, I gotta find Twilight!" Sunset then runs off to do just that.
"What about you, Riku?"
"I would, but I still gotta deal with the heartless problem. I'll catch it if I can!" With that said, Riku goes off too.
Honestly, he wants to find Twilight too. After last night, he has to know whether or not this 'Midnight' is the source of the heartless... or something much worse.
And done! Decided to take a break from my usual projects to return to Kingdom Hearts and came to realize, I missed writing for this series.
I also just noticed how far I dropped Riku into the movie, so certain plot points may be either missing or altered to suit this narrative instead. Just a heads up.
With that said, thanks for reading and I'll see you next chapter!