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?

55. One Night Ride

At Disney Town, Xion and the Replica waited in a line, side by side, to go past the gates to the theme park they anticipated. The girl had little expectations as the Replica read from a map. "Hmm. It looks like we might catch just about all the rides even if we decide to take it slow. The Pirate ship, Splash Mountain and a couple others that I hear is especially worth it during the night."

He gave a wide smile with a bluff of his. "And most of them won't cause any accidents on my end." Xion knew what the Replica was talking about. "Dupmic, we won't have an accident, if something is the matter." She read the map frantically. "We...we can just rest up and think about how to get by, they are pretty obvious."

The Replica looked at the map as their spot in the line became closer. "There is," He stuttered and coughed. "Wha...what's important is you get to have a good time, we're staying until midnight. On the stroke of it, the park reaches its climax." Xion puffed her cheeks. "Come on bro, you shouldn't have to be scared." The Replica raised three fingers. "The instant someone here says three particular words in my direction as a question, I'm done. This isn't a load of bull he was trying to put in my head, this is a fact."

Xion tried to say something, realized it really was true and sighed. "But should you really worry about that here?"

The Replica didn't hesitate to answer. "Yes, because he is going to be here and it would be a horrible place and time for that junk." He stretched and found their spot in line even closer to the gate, the two see a train like monorail leading deeper into the park, he knew Xion was looking at him in a scolding and sighed. "But I'll not let that ruin this, this could be our big chance to find something fun to do for a pass time." The two reached the gate, the Replica showed the tickets to an thin, cat like person that noticed the girl. "Okay, you two can go in."

Xion tried not to be astonished as her brother lead her into a cart, siting side by side among the many residents of the town. The Replica whistled. "And that's why I bought that other one, everything is going just as planned." Xion nodded and noticed the line reaching its full length. "Wow, we came at a good time."

She looked at the map more frantically as her brother asked. "Once we get through a couple rides, I'll give you some munny for some grub, by then it'll start becoming sun down." Xion saw a castle of fire works ahead and imagined what would happen come dark. "That would be pretty amazing." The train filled and they heard the prerecorded sound of a young duck warning. "Please stay clear of the door and enjoy the ride." The monorail moved and the siblings felt a mixture of exciting emotions, the beginning of an amusing afternoon.

At the line,

Sora wanted to whine. "Come on, what's taking it so long." Donald answered that one. "There is a monorail that takes a few groups at a time. Wait it out." He folded his arms and tapped his foot as Goofy chuckled. "It'll be worth it Sora, just wait."

Behind them was Kairi and Riku, looking behind them in sheer horror and finding further back, the mystery obsessed trio of Hayner, Pence and Olette. The brown haired girl noticed something and was giving a warning to Ken, who was giving a sharp scowl and said something that earned a silent nod. Sora asked his life long friends. "Any plans once we get in?"

Riku noticed Ken speaking of a plan and answered. "It depends and despite of the troubles behind us, we're going to make it till midnight, that is when the big surprises come around." He looked forward and saw the line slowly moving once more, Kairi felt perky at the thought. "All the way to midnight? We'll we better make the most of it."

In a few minutes, they reached the end of the line, showed their tickets and were allowed to pass after some inspection on Sora's necklace and helping him get it past the metal detector. Leaving the remaining four teenagers to have their turn, Hayner and Pence showed theirs, with the boy in the red and black vest asking. "Does our friend have to show why the metal detector is going to go off?"

The cat wondered what was going on and saw Ken remove his cybernetic arm, the teenager sighed. "Thank you, but I can show him this myself." Olette cringed as the guard held onto the arm. "Woah, okay step across it first." Ken nodded and did so, forgetting that his shoulder was modified to reattach the arm and heard the detector scream. He simply showed the part in question and looked like he wanted to curse, the guard pressed a button to turn it off and took out a slip, giving a free skip through lines and causing Ken to nearly loose his temper, trying to speak his frustration as Olette insisted. "That's not needed, he just needs his arm back... that's all." The guard hoped so and got the arm through the detector. "If you say so." Ken took the arm and thanked the cat man. "Thank you, I'm still going strong and this thing helps me along the way." He inserted it back in and had a smile to hide the humiliation, the rest of the four lead to a monorail to sit down into, having a first step into a rather productive day. Ken looked down ashamed of something, Hayner noticed and asked. "Do we need to ask why you take that arm seriously?"

Pence knew the answer to that. "I think he is a righty and without that arm, he wouldn't be able to do much." Ken nodded. "My days with Cadia's Light or the Firekeeper would have been over and everything I done would be for nothing. I be back as some kid that should have stayed home. Magi, Pyriel and Aerith done a lot to make this thing a possibility."

Olette felt she got another issue. "And no one wants to talk about what happened to those Imperium guys. We saw the graves." She patted Ken on his metallic shoulder. "But we're past the metal detector and it looks firm enough that you don't need to take it off again." Ken hoped not and wanted to change the subject as Olette found a map and looked upon it. "Hmmm! Big Thunder Mountain eh?" The boys looked at the various things they wished to do, finding the frills as a big priority. Pence asked. "Should we try going there first?"

Olette answered that. "Totally," Ken pointed at the map. "That seems to be one of the biggest rides in the park, unless we are talking about that mysterious night at the park we heard about."

Hayner rested his right arm under his chin as he looked out the window. "That isn't much of a mystery, if we ever seen the street at night, we might have an idea of what this park will have." Pence hummed. "But do we want to spoil that for ourselves?" Olette shook her head and waved it off. "Nah, we got a whole afternoon before we worry about that." The monorail had that same prerecorded message and it began to move, whisking the passengers across to a gate towards the fire works castle.

Sora, Donald and Goofy were the first to step out and approach the castle that launched four streams of smoke, enough for them to see during the day. Sora hummed entertained as Goofy advised. "You should come around ere when the night comes," He chuckled as Donald understood precisely what his partner had plan, the duck approached the fire work castle. "Let's see what those three are doing this time."

Goofy looked around to wonder where a particular person is and felt lost. "Hmm," He saw Riku and Kairi catching up and wished Sora a good time. "Hope you have some fun." Sora realized he was left be and turned to find Kairi looked around curiously and Riku looking uncertain with a map. "Carpet...Tomorrow Land. Wait a minute?! Dinosaur Stampede?"

Kairi looked at it and stated an obvious fact. "That's a roller coaster ride like some of the others." Riku kept reading it and felt he was challenged. "Not for kids eight or younger... what the heck?"

Sora looked at the map and read it out loud. "See with your own eyes what it is like for a heard of Dinosaurs when they go on a stampede during a Carnotaurus's hunt. What's a Carnotaurus?"

Riku blinked like he didn't know as Kairi exhaled. "Carnotaurus, it's... a carnivorous dinosaur that's pretty big... though kind of small compared to most large carnivores. Carnotaurus has a meaning that is kind of obvious." Riku gasped and imagined a cheap prop. "Carnivore... Taurus. Meat eating bull? Ha, I bet it took a lot to set it up and fool the kiddies."

Kairi felt there was a concept to the ride and raised an eyebrow. "I don't know, a kid that young is open to believing anything." Sora felt an embarrassing memory fly by and tried to hide it. "But... are we going to be scared of this?"

Riku laughed. "Ha, no! It's around south of the park, think we'll take this after checking out the ferry ride and that train ride everyone talks about. We'll then go for the water rides before it gets to sun down." The trio noticed four of their friends walking by, with Ken looking at contraptions and Olette looking curiously at a particular ride and whispered. "Hey, why they mentioned a Carnotaurus?!"

Hayner shrugged to answer. "Maybe... because the T rex has been done to death as that big dinosaur we need to be scared of?"

Pence waved for Ken's attention and pointed to a particular ride. "Think we should try this as the last ride before it gets dark?" Ken approached and asked. "Mixing a roller coaster with animatronics? Well, that would be swell." Riku scoffed in agreement. "What's so scary about that though?"

The four turned to Riku eavesdropping and Olette answered. "Beats me, but we'll figure that out soon. She pointed to the west. "Come on boys, lets get to Big Thunder Mountain." She lead the charge to a path towards a western themed district. Kairi noticed to the right a boat ride across a river, she asked the boys. "Think we should focus on something a little relaxing before we go back to the thrills?" Sora nodded. "Sure, today was pretty weird anyways."

At Radiant Garden.

Baldred was on his knees before the memorial and listened to what Leon, Cloud and Ienzo spoke. "So the bodies were never recovered save for Hofneil's?" Ienzo cringed and shook his head. "Tahm and his Guardsmen crashed themselves into a giant of a mech and we only found bits of their equipment left. This might not be what you envisioned doing?"

Baldred shook his head and finished placing six candles before them, he ignited his hand and with a pulse of heat, caused the candles to light up. "It won't matter too much if their souls are resting here or if they are watching." He took a small whiff of the scent and used his polearm to help himself stand up. "They spent so long fighting an endless war and now they rest in peace from that, hopefully forever."

Leon nodded to that. "You done this sort of thing?" Baldred wished he could answer yes. "It depends on if I know the deceased, I remember visiting a crypt and meeting a grave warden that instilled some wisdom upon me. But if it is the unrecognizable masses or someone that was attacking me. Well-" Cloud got that. "We get it, if it isn't being used, it's free game most of the time."

Baldred nodded as Ienzo found the knowledge both disturbing and fascinating. "That would be the dark nature of your world and how you chose to adapt. Now, I heard that you know a little more than you are willing to let on." Cloud and Leon answered what it was in unison. "The Dark?" Ienzo nodded as Baldred refused. "And what I know belongs in the Dark alone. I've already talked with enough youths about that and retribution is hovering over my skull if it comes out wrong."

FLASH! Flap! Grrrrr. The three saw what approached Baldred from behind, the warrior turned around to find a winged, silver armored warrior on top of a horse sized, wingless black dragon.

The knight flinched in fear as Ienzo casually greeted her. "It felt like a long time since you and Moonfang were here Ana, what's the occasion." Ana answered under her helmet and stepped off Moonfang. "The... thing is complete but we need to input something to get the help we need. I'm here because I heard a lot of word about an Undead man who knows way too much about the forbidden power and how he might cause a disaster if this falls in the wrong hands."

Cloud cringed. "I... didn't think of that when he was talking about the night." Leon agreed with that. "Or when he hints at things he promised not to use in public."

Baldred swallowed nervously as Ana insisted. "Would you mind coming with me to the train station, I think I know what you need to get the Dark put firmly in... the Dark, before some one with an evil heart hunts you down."

The knight didn't hesitate to follow, Ana promised the three. "He'll be back before the morrow." Ana and Moonfang helped get Baldred away from the grave yards and was ready to impart her words. "The lads and lass speak everything about what you preach. Including about what Death might be like, that's the part I'm a little scared about." Baldred asked. "I really don't remember what it was like save for a still peace. What... ever was my worry faded and I didn't need to fear anymore." Anatesis turned her head and added. "Until some Necromancer that had ungodly powers given to him by an evil god of Death found you and used the forbidden art to bring you out of that. You are and have been, Undead. Something that should be kept in the ground and for some reason, it won't let you."

Baldred was more silent to the accurate statements as Ana warned him. "Even the most subtle of dabblings in the Dark would draw attention of those who would abuse it in ways you may have seen before in your past life OR the life you have now. Be it the Dark Seeker or even worse, Nagash." The Undead guessed. "Nagash is the Death god you speak of and he is far worse than any Dark Child I've seen?"

Ana nodded. "You may have met someone who is petty and cruel, but none are as he. Lady Aqua and my fellow Stormcasts had seen that Nagash would not gain a breath hold of this realm, but those like him always find a way and if he knows you exist, he will strip you of your free well, turn you into a monster and never let you have rest. That wouldn't begin the genocide and enslavement of the many worlds, all because they deny him dominion of an Afterlife he heard is in this realm."

Baldred understood and growled. "You and Aqua seen Nagash's cruelty first hand when you stood up to him. Thank you for warning me, I might know what his kind look like if I ever see them." The three saw the train station and Ana flipped a ticket to an island. "Whether you think you are a masterful warrior or not, you are no match for the full Legion of his army. Leave vanquishing him or those like him to us." Moonfang had a sniff at Baldred and looked at Ana questionably, the Stormcast petted her and answered. "Baldred could best some mighty warriors, but everyone has a limit." She smirked to the Undead. "I also been thinking that you might need a change in scenery before tomorrow, get a little bit of that sense of life into you."

Baldred allowed it and laughed. "Ha, ha, ha. Don't think my speaking of Death means I see Life as an anathema. What good is enjoying either if you don't appreciate what one gives." Ana raised an eyebrow under her helmet as she and Baldred reached the station. "Oh? And what's Life got to do with Death?"

Baldred answered firmly. "The people around you make Life a treasure, the joy, sorrow... all that makes your existence feel... like it has purpose. You leave a mark upon their souls and give them a purpose and when Death calls, you'll answer without any regrets for yourself and them."

Ana had a disagreement with that view. "You never actually stayed dead long enough to let that sink in. Would the people you leave behind take your parting lightly?" Baldred thought of it as a train awaited him. "It would shock them, but in time, it will give them something to live for." Ana sighed. "Those Imperial soldiers were mourned and a lot of the lads and lass's miss them greatly. You'll just make it happen again if you go jumping into a hole."

Baldred hummed to a valid view point and Ana felt she had him in a snare of his philosophy. "You got a lot of reasons to love Life like you do and you're right about how Death ought to be comforting if you did live a good life. But that Life and that Death can build and leave holes in peoples hearts, that's why few are willing to talk about it, especially in times like these. The same goes for what I heard about who you reserve using THAT power for, is it really worth the friends you love having to put you down when you are no better than the monsters you fight together? Is it worth them seeing you strangle someone who had it coming?"

Baldred's hum turned into a cringe. "Erk." He thought of it, took a deep breath and answered. "No and by the time you realize it, it's far too late." Anatesis raised two fingers. "One delved into Darkness and nearly lost his body before being stuck in the Realm of Darkness for a short while. Another was lured into the Dark for reasons like you and LOST his body and will. You only met a specter that shouldn't belong in the Dark and that scared you out of blindly chasing it... and that didn't stop you?" Baldred shook his head. "I'm just lucky then and found where I was suppose to look and what to do with it?" Ana guessed so. "One of those two got out, the other is still trapped in the Dark. We don't want you to be trapped," She asked. "Now, where do you think we are heading towards? Hmm?"

At Disney Land.

On a raft ride across the river. A cow person finished operating an oar like device and guiding it across. Sora, Riku and Kairi stood out with a mind cleared out from a hectic day and went to the west for the western themed attractions, particularly to Big Thunder Mountain. Olette was in an adrenaline withdrawal and Hayner and Pence were arguing, Ken looked like he had some wind blown and whistled a tune to tease Olette. "It's all the wind magic I been using, I just get use to the bursts. It's still a pretty fast mine trip. Ha."

The girl listened to Hayner and Pence debate over "Splash Mountain." Grizzly River Run." and asked. "Maybe we should try something that won't get us wet. At least not right now." She flipped the map and saw one particular. "Pirates Plunderous Peril? Hey, how about we try this before we go do those?"

The boys stopped arguing as Ken whispered. "I think I over heard something about it having an... odd smell for a water ride." That caught the other two boy's interest Pence spoke. "Think we can figure that out?" Hayner shrugged a maybe and Olette lead towards the river. Leaving the trio to get to the rather reasonable line that lead into a wooden train station. Kairi whispered. "I think Olette and her friends had their first hit of wind."

Sora found that surprising. "That's why they are acting like that?" Riku nodded and put the map away. "Ken is the only one of them that has an idea of what it might be like to be on a roller coaster. You want to go on it again, go into more of them, or that rush is out of you and you need to sit down. This won't disappoint us."

The trio followed with the line and heard the cheers, Sora asked. "Do you think that's going to be us?" Riku answered as the sounds became welcoming. "We either had free falls, used wind magic or been through things like a roller coaster, but the arguing is just casual stuff. We don't have to do all these together." The line became even shorter and they saw hints of train themed roller coaster carts, Kairi asked. "Maybe, but we been traveling a lot and going our separate ways while doing it. I'd like for us to at least have the day rides done together." In a few moments, it became their turn, Kairi snickered and let the boys have the front cart as she took the cart behind with a rabbit girl with blue fur and a typical red t shirt with brown pants. The naive girl gave an anticipating smile to Kairi and asked with a Boston accent. "This your first time?"

The girl nodded and asked. "How many times have you been in this?" The rabbit counted. "Six... maybe seven, this is my first time away from my parents, this whole mountain is a lit mine."

TSSST Clink! Kairi and the boys in front of her held onto the lowered restraints and watched a cow person press something, he waved the passengers in good will and caused the train to move into a dark tunnel that became pitch black. The train lit its light and shown the inner workings of a cave, stalagmites and stalactites, the train slowly went up and to an exit that had water dripping at both sides. Outside they saw a rail road going to the right, Sora asked impatiently. "Hey what gives? I thought they said this roller coaster wou-" Rumble! The Roller coaster dropped and began rushing to the right in high speeds, going through a cragged tunnel and to the left, the boy screamed in shock as the crowd gave their own, Riku was in silent amusement as Kairi enjoyed the wind blowing against her hair.

The train went seemingly out of control and made a path of twist, turns, ups and downs, until it reached to a dark tunnel with glowing pink lights and dropped down into a howl, it stopped, slowed down and turned to the right and to a clanking noise, it guided the train upward and Riku turned to see a wind blown Sora. "You were saying?" The spiky haired boy took his words back. "I got nothing anymore, ha."

He gave a dorky smile to compliment Riku's smugness as Kairi noticed they had a view of the mountain and parts of the park and a sigh that read. "Danger, blasting area ahead?"

She looked around and was the first to notice something to the right, an animatronic goat bleating and holding a prop stick of dynamite, she playfully voiced concern. "Oh no." Sora noticed the goat at the last moment before the cart dropped through more twists, turns and tunnels, the four were cheering a scream until they reached into another tunnel with something guiding the train up. Riku noticed the fake fire and wires giving the effect of being lit fuses. "And this has gotten worse, ha, watch out."

The playful tone alerted the others who saw the "fuses" and didn't want to look away. Explosion effects and mists gave an amusing feeling of being in a collapsing mine, at the top of the tunnel, they group saw the fake bundles of dynamite and the mists combining to look like an infernal explosion. The train slithered out of the tunnel and accelerated again, making one last serious of twists and turns that lead them back to the station. The rabbit girl cheered. "Yeah, l'm doing it a seventh time." She got off and turned to find the three teenagers with wind blow in their face and signs of an adrenaline boast, she gave off a wide, jolly laughter, Kairi agreed with that. "This is our first time here, we're going to enjoy as much as w

e can." The rabbit girl understood that. "Gotta sample them all." She took off and left the trio to plan for another. Sora had a look and asked out loud. "Matterhorn?" Riku had an idea what Sora was talking about and looked to the north east. "Oh yeah, that one has two sides, if we go further into Tomorrow Land, we'll get the more thrilling side. What do you think?" Sora and Kairi let Riku know they wanted more thrills, the silver haired teenager realized his friends were hooked and lead the way.

By a boat ride that had a particular tune.

The Replica was driven nearly the point of insanity as Xion sang in an off beat tune. "It's a small world after all, it's a small world after all." The brother wanted to plug his ears and asked. "Could we get to the Screamer already?"

Xion stopped singing and looked south to a large roller coaster with various scream tubes. "That song never leaves your head, this looks like the only other roller coaster besides Thunder Mountain. The rest seem more like shows... not that it is a bad thing." The Replica felt the chanting to be leaving his mind and let Xion lead. "It isn't and Dinosaur Stampede... what is it in there that earned the reputation? It's just animatronics."

Xion shrugged. "I want to do that one at night where the big bad Carnotaurus is all in the dark... whooooooooo." The Replica chuckled to that. "Don't push yourself, the last thing Ken's mom would want is for us to be coming back with nightmares of that thing." In a few minutes, the duo found a line to the Screamer, not too long and oddly enough, full of teenagers and adults, they caught sight of Max and P.J walking out with the wind beaten out of them. The Replica gave an childish smile as he and Xion traversed the line and realized there wasn't many people following them, Xion guessed at the convenience. "I guess since it is so late in the day, most of them already ridden this one."

WOOSH!

They heard fast screaming disappearing as the Replica whistled. "A convenience for both me and you. I don't know how to explain it to them other wise." The line became shorter, they were under shade. Xion asked. "After this, we go for as many of the water rides as we can and try to get wet?" The Replica shrugged. "Yeah sure."

In little time, it was their turn. They were given the back cart, after preparations, putting the sun glasses away and being secure, the cart went across a simple, straight forward rail track that lead to an upward pipe. The cart stopped for a moment and Xion looked around. "What's... going on?" The Replica realized. "Oh no, this is going to-" Woosh!

The coaster shot itself up the path at high speeds in a sudden, Xion screamed in shock as the Replica laughed at the thought of brilliance, the coaster went up the tube and made a quick turn across the edge of the ride. Xion's scream became a cheer, in a few subtle twists and turns, up another tunnel that nearly slowed and was being pulled. The siblings looked to each other in satisfaction and knew the ride wasn't over. The coaster dropped and swerved a fast path to an upside down loop and wooshed through one last tunnel, slowly becoming a smooth ride that neared its end. They felt a slow and stop, being given a moment to catch their thoughts, the ride became even smoother as the Replica secured his hoodie and cheered. "That was so worth the name they gave it."

Xion nodded and agreed as the coaster slowed and returned to its station. "That was the funnest one. Ha!" In a few moments, they were let out, the Replica picked up his sunglasses and gave Xion a high five. "Now we can do the other one and the water rides. Whoo." Xion noticed some of the onlookers, looking at a boy talking to no one and tugged his hand to lead him out of the station. She nodded cheerly. "Then we go get a bite to eat and watch the sun set?" The Replica nodded back and asked. "Then we enjoy the more slower rides after we settle things with that Carnotaurus and maybe, we go looking for Ken to see how he is doing."

At a boat ride with in an indoor port.

Hayner tried putting together the distant scent as Ken felt the scent more odd. "We need to get past this line and smell the water more closely, it smells like a lot of things." Pence saw the rather long line getting shorter. "I guess this ride isn't sugar coating what a Pirate's Life really is." Olette asked with more focus towards the parks concept and a contrast than the line, her right hand was under her chin. "Only someone who has gone around to see the worlds, might have an idea of what it's like."

Ken know who matches the description. "And I think I saw him and the others heading to Thunder Mountain. Hmmmmm," Pence looked at the moving line with hope. "They'll come here eventually." The four waited in silence until they were at the station with a many rowed boat cart. It was moved along for another, it was their turn. Ken and Olette took the most front of the boat, the one armed boy sniffed and wondered. "Something is put in the water, but why?"

Hayner and Pence joined in the seat behind and felt the smell off, the boy in the dog t-shirt recognized the why. "All this water wouldn't be good for the animatronics, so there is a chemical in it that keeps it in check... but there has to be more to that." Hayner agreed with that as he heard the sound of someone impersonating a pirate giving the passengers typical ride warnings. "Looks like we're figuring out by site and smell." He gave a cocky smile that the two in front looked back to, Ken relaxed from anticipation as Olette saw the last of the boats ahead moving, theirs were next.

The boat set sail in the water towards a dark lagoon with a couple dimly lit wooden shacks. The sound of gulls, crickets and frogs built up a gloomy atmosphere that soaked into their souls, with only the light of the indoor building being their faint company before the four heard the sound of a banjo being played by an animatronic tapire. Ken took notice of the details and Olette turned to find the sense of fascination. "This is just setting the mood, even more than that goat."

Ken cringed in mentioning the goat. "That we were heading to one wild ride? This isn't going to be a pleasant tale." The boat reached to a stone gate to a port and the four heard faint whispers of an animatronic pirate speaking something. It was hard to make out at first, then it became more clear as the boat reached a passage with two flags, crossed swords and a skull with a pirate hat speaking. "Mark me words well, mateys, dead men tell no tales. You come seeking adventure and salty ol' pirates, aye? Sure ye come to the proper place. But keep a weather eye open, mates, and hold on tight with both hands if you please. There be squalls ahead and Davey Jones waiting for them what won't obey."

Any form of a rebellious attitude drowned in the water as the boat went through the passage into a dark cave. The silence being filled with a jolly, if drunken sounding song that told them enough of what to expect. "Yo ho, yo ho, a pirates life for me. We pillage and plunder, we rifle and loot. Drink up me 'earties, yo ho. We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot."

Hayner hummed the tune as Pence almost laughed. "At...at least they're honest." Olette and Ken saw parts of the cave light up in luminescence and were caught off guard by the boat making a small drop deeper into the cave's stream. Finding small water falls complimented the atmosphere, Pence noticed to the right. "Look, they all bones now."

The group looked and found a sandy platform with half buried treasure and lizard skeletons dressed up like pirates, seeing signs that a fight had occurred, potentially greed fueled treachery. The four saw an animatronic seagull making a nest of a hat that was being worn by a pirate skeleton pinned into the wall and almost laughed to the black humor as they sailed further into the darkness, they heard storms and saw flashing lights, finding the ruins of a ship and a skeletal pirate behind the wheel in a desperate attempt to escape the eternal storm. The group were transported to a more lit portion of the cave and heard the same, surly singing with in a bar. They found cob web covered skeletons having a drink at a table and one lizard having a bottle all to himself. They looked to their left to find what was obviously the captains bed room, filled to the brim with plunders of treasure. With a skeletal iquana in a night gown enjoying his ill gotten wealth. The four tensed to the drama until the boat reached the end of the cave and out into a port, finding a pirate ship being run by animatronic lizards.

The canons lit up and blew out gun powder, they heard noise to the right and saw another ship firing back. The ride boat left the scene into a port like town, where a horde of cold blooded pirates dunked a sloth person into a well, demanding the location of a man that seemed to cross them. A woman looking much like a sloth, popped out of the window to protest and was sent back into hiding by a threatening gun shot. They noticed an blue scaled iquana hiding in the distance from his pursuers and not lifting a finger to help the interrogated. The boat kept sailing towards another show, an auction that involved a group of female reptiles in dresses, Olette read the sign out loud. "Take a wench for a bride?" She saw an auctioneer trying to pass of a crocodile in a dress while the rest of the pirates were distracted by a blue tailed lizard in a yellow dress, showing off the tail. They heard a grunted voice shouting. "Arrest them!"

They heard gun shots and were in a mixture of two opposing emotions, humor and horror. The boat continued to another part of the town being attacked by the pirates, with one particular sitting near a barrel laughing drunk while holding the key.

Ken guessed. "They took over the town and are taking anything that isn't nailed down?" Olette nodded and asked. "You met anyone like that?" The boy shook his head. "Kind of, I met some thugs and had to fight against people that were after me." He whistled. "I made friends with a kleptomaniac one time. If it isn't being used again, he'll take it."

The four heard the merry song once more and saw another part of the ride, showing the town on fire and the pirates reveling in the mayhem they wrought. Ken sighed. "And possible do it while everything is already on fire. That got him killed right before me and Miss Aqua's eyes... but he got better." Hayner and Olette burst laughing as Pence found the story too grim to be humorous. "That's awful, did he learn anything?"

Ken nodded. "He tried to control himself when he recognize some of the things he is taking belonging to someone he knew and was a lot more conscious about it." He sighed. "These guys drowned that sense out in rum." The boat sailed to a prison cell of pirates, a group of salamanders tried calling to a grey shaggy dog that held keys in his mouth with all kinds of whistles and dry bones.

They went under wood and realized they were beneath the port, Pence knew what the next display is. "And these guys aren't so happy that their buddies locked them up and they started a mutiny." In the last display, they found the lizard like pirates in a gun fight, turning against each other in a burning town. The other three accepted that was what happened and Olette sighed. "Everything falls apart in complete anarchy. This isn't going to end well for any of them." The boat reached a rail that hoisted it upward, Hayner tapped his head to the mystery of the rides smell. "But that explains some of the smell, gun powder is in these waters." Olette and Pence nodded to that, the girl added in. "Along with that chemical, that's was a thrill." They emerged into the front of the rides lobby for a look at the light of day and hearing an animatronic parrot squawking. Finding many people looking forward to the ride, Hayner asked. "So... the Matterhorn next? I heard there are two ways we can get in, the right and the left side." Olette recommended. "I heard the right side is for the smaller kids because of yeti is a little bit on the scary side, but the left side is what we are looking for." Ken asked. "Then the water rides and checking out why there is so much warning about Dinosaur Stampede before things get dark?"

Olette nodded with an assertive request. "And maybe we'll go off on our own in the night time." The one armed boy blushed in shock and the boat returned to the dock, it stopped and let the four go out to the exit. Blip! Ken took out his phone and saw a souvenir shirt with a odd chibi figurine of a white furred yeti with icy blue skin and red eyes, it was riding a roller coaster. "So that's the monster those three are going to face."

Outside, he showed his companions the image. "Kairi ran into the gift shop near that place. Think we can face the scarier version?" Hayner saw the yeti and whistled. "Cool, I don't think those guys would get that scared of it." Olette sighed. "Well at least two of us can fight it off," She smiled to Ken. "Right?"

The one armed boy snickered confidently and wipe a drop of water from his cheek. "He be gone faster than you can hear the trigger." Hayner puffed his cheeks. "Hey," Pence spot the mountain and lead the way. "Let it go, we got a way to settle that tonight." Ken agreed with that. "It be my first time firing from a turret and if we are lucky, we get to ask about pirates."

At the left side of the Matterhorn

Riku dismissed the yeti that lurks in the mountains as he and his friends were traversing the line. "That's the big bad monster of this ride? What a joke." Kairi had a text back and giggled. "I don't know, he is the apex and he stayed that way for a good reason. Think those karts would outrun him?"

Sora giggled like a young child. "He won't catch up with us, we'll be fine." Kairi readied her phone to put away and smiled certain. "Just enjoy the ride, hey Sora, what did you know about Pirates? Those four want to know since you traveled a lot." The spiky haired boy remembered one particular. "That? I met some a while ago, and got into a treasure hunt." His mind wandered. "I wonder how Jack is doing."

He noticed that he and his friends were at the end of the line, in a few moments, they were allowed a cart, he took the front, Kairi took the one right behind him and Riku arrogantly took the back. "If the pirates in that ride were anything like the pirates you met, that would be pretty funny."

The seat belts were fastened and the cart started its move right to the mouth of the cave, the trio had an anticipation as the cart stopped and a voice gave last minute instructions that was mentally blocked out by a more interesting roar they heard from deep in the mountain. They expected quite a vicious yeti. The cart went in the dark cave and traversed upward to a passage with walls of what resembles thin ice. To the left, the trio saw the infamous beast behind the ice, a yeti cloaked in darkness, it noticed them with a grunt and showed red eyes. "Hrr?"

He showed his white teeth in the dark and roared in the fast time it took for the passage, causing Riku's arrogance to be replaced with a whistle of admiration. The cart went by fast past snow blown debris that were collected from the beast, it rushed out of the cave and to a turn at the edge of the mountain, back in the cave where Sora and Kairi gave a scream of shock at a snowy cave with that very yeti at the ledge, roaring at them and causing Riku's heart to skip a beat.

"Ha, watch out guys, he caught up quickly." The cart went to the right path and rushed through those twists and turns, giving a view of the cave and mountain, until the cart reached to something of a slow, if possible for those who took the carts on the right of the mountain. They heard screaming and roars, knowing the yeti was going after something else, the cart picked up its normal pace and went into a tunnel, right at the face of the yeti, who roared once more and caught the three by surprise. Earning another scream, the cart rushed past the yeti's distant clutches and made its run down the mountain, leading to a pool of water for the cart to splash on, Sora realized first hand. "Oh no."

SPLASH!

He took the blunt of the water, Kairi took some and Riku felt a trickle, he laughed out loud. "Ha, ha, ha. I know what I'm getting when we are ready to head out."

Sora wipe the water from his face as the cart slowed down back to the station, giving sarcasm back. "Ha, ha, very funny." Kairi shook her unease in a playful manner. "That yeti sure knows where to jump out once he noticed us."

Riku agreed and had a minor criticism. "He does, but I kind of wished we got to see more of him." Sora asked as the cart reached the station. "But, wouldn't we start knowing where he would be coming out of if he popped up too often?"

Riku felt that was a good point. "We only have those roars and the screams of his would be victims to go by. Ha, so we're going to check out the Pirate Ride?" Sora nodded and felt the cart stop, ready for its next passengers. "Since they asked about it, I wanted to see it."

The trio got out and saw the group of four looking up the mountain, Kairi waved and yelled out. "Hey guys! You're here to see the yeti?" Olette turned and spun a piece of her hair in excitement, ignoring the boys talking about a pastry. "He doesn't look so tough." Ken thought of an idea in regards to a subject. "We got munny to spare, if this ride earned that much of an inner circle we ought to pick some macaroons before heading to the water slides. Yeah?" Hayner chuckled to that. "How do they make it look like the mountain?" Pence shrugged. "I don't know, but's it kind of cool." The two boys noticed Sora trying to think of the words to use as Ken turned to face him. "Hey, did Kairi tell you about that text?"

The spiky haired boy nodded. "Yeah, how was that ride?" Ken almost laughed again. "Heh, it depends on what you find funny. You actually met a bunch of pirates?"

Sora scratched the back of his head and answered. "A couple times, one time it was in a boat in a place far in the sky, the other was a bit more... gritty. These are kind of the gritty ones?"

Ken gestured with his fleshy hand. "A little half and half, theme's good and most of us dealt with a lot worse than these guys." He noticed the people going into the line. "Uh oh."

Olette and the others say the line, the girl realized she started the delay. "We need to get in there before it gets worse." She wished the trio good luck. "We'll meet up again soon." The four went to the rather long line and left the trio be, they noticed a pasty cafe, giving into a temptation to celebrate going through the mountain.

At an islands in another world.

Moonfang carried Anatesis and Baldred across the sea water and onto a deserted looking island. The Stormcast felt the Undead looking around with feelings of an experience both new and old and asked. "This is my first time ere as well, such bliss from what is beyond the shore, is that why those who know of it revere it so?" Baldred wondered as Moonfang reached to the island and snorted from a work out, the knight stepped off. "It's always because it is home. It always calls to you, no matter how far you are." Ana got off of Moonfang and agreed. "And it feels good to hear from it."

They found a dock overlooking the infinite sea and chose to go there, the two human like warriors sat at the edge as the Dracoth sat behind and looked onto the yonder. Baldred considered the statement and asked. "You came from a place far away to protect these lands, those who were kin miss you?" Ana nodded. "The Lord Arcanum, Arreia. The primes and fellow knights, I bet even Loru thinks of how me and Moonfang are doing. Do you remember those kinds of people? That swindling bandit can't possibly have stolen that kind of heart."

Baldred wanted to answer and closed his eyes, hearing the shore and seagulls, Ana felt the silence as an answer. "They are deep in your heart, their names are just shrouded is all." Baldred agreed with that without hesitation and felt a sharp pain in his eyes, he took his helmet off and felt something dripping, he tried to check and Ana stopped him. "Those are just tears." She looked more at a pale, if human face. "Those are just tears, that means this is working. You're not like the monsters that threw their lot with Nagash. You're still human."

Baldred gasped and let his tears drip. "Ha, ha, ha. That's always a nice thing to hear." He looked on to the sea and watched the waves gently go in an eb and flow. "More of that memory comes each day, yet... there is always something missing, something more. Seeking that is also a human thing to do?"

Ana shrugged. "In more ways than one, whether it is a good thing or not depends on what you're willing to do." Baldred wondered how far that would go and almost lost his senses. "This is no sin, but they involved delving into unspoken places." The Stormcast agreed with that and saw Baldred staring into space, like he was ready to day dream, Ana looked to Moonfang with a warm smile and looked onto the sea. Baldred looked to be gasping at something and was given a wide, warm smile. His mind was speaking something, yet his mouth was keeping the words barren, Ana realized what was happening was going too well and she waved her hand at Baldred's face. "Hello?"

The Undead either ignored it or didn't see the hand, he gave a laugh like he was greeting an old friend. Step! Step! Ana turned around to find Aqua and Ven arriving, Moonfang kept watch over Baldred as the Stormcast stood up to approach the veteran keyblade wielders and reported. "I got him out of that town and thought I bring him over ere, what gave it away?" Ven waved to that answer. "We thought that you would think of a place he would relax to. Is it working?"

Aqua heard a blissful sign from Baldred and guessed. "Maybe a little too well. I heard that he stares into space often, what is he bringing himself into it this time?" Ana had no idea and looked back. "I don't know, but we want him to remember more of who he was and I think this is helping him remember old friends of his." Ven's mood took a turn for the crestfallen. "Old friends of his that aren't around anymore. Are you sure he should be remembering that right now?"

Baldred gasped to something reached to take something that seemed heavy and looked on, he muttered something like he was waking up. "B...But, this is your heirloom... I don't-" He was stopped and Ven looked even more regretful, Ana noticed the boy with a sheathed katana and answered. "All someone needs to show their heart is alive is strong reasons to feel for another, whether it brings good joy or a good cry. You were thinking the same thing lad."

Ven nodded as Aqua saw Baldred staring down at something, the keyblade master approached the knight and tried shaking him awake, Baldred looked on at the sea once more and quickly turned to find the two veterans and particularly at the katana. His crestfallen eyes shined bewitched and he asked. "What... brought you here?"

Aqua answered firmly. "Ana took off once she finished doing something and we expected it had something to do with you and that she tried this. What were you daydreaming about?" Baldred took a deep breath and got up. "Just some old memories to try and remember names. A knight from a distant land who proved his merit with an old blue sword of his. Benhart never knew that his sword wasn't that special, yet he made something special out of it." That name caused the four to perked as Baldred laughed jolly. "But he wasn't like the other, who avoids conflict when possible and is a fine swords men. Oh Lucatiel, she was always a mysterious one." The jolly laughter died and he looked distraught, like there was more to a name and a memory, Ana stopped him and approved. "When one name comes, they all come. What happened to those two?" Baldred's distraught expression worsened. "Benhart tried to give me his sword as a token of good will when we neared something and Lucatiel... forgotten her name... that was because of that Curse."

Aqua gasped and asked. "You don't think she'd-" Baldred looked hurt and grimly answered. "That... might have been her fate, a Hollow." He took a deep breath and swallowed something. "And I broke my promise to her for a while. I'd forgotten her name," Aqua gave the knight a back rub. "But you don't now, no one is judging you here." Baldred perked up proudly. "Ha, I haven't survived by feeling sorry for myself. I just keep going." The sword tempted him more. "I just need to keep going, I just need to keep going." Ven realized he probably shouldn't have brought the katana with him and kept a firm grip on it. "Is... there anything else you remember?"

Baldred nodded. "I had fought many foes and you are aware of Nashandra. It's mostly a fog, but some are much stronger than others." He tried to keep his hands to himself, yet he kept staring at the katana, Ven took a deep breath and presented him with the blade. "I kept having dreams about someone wanting me to give this to you. His name was Alonne, he said he knew you." The grey eyes lit up to show a stunning blue. "Alonne...Alonne...Alonne."

Baldred backed away and tried refusing the blade, looking away from in shame, Ven insisted with a harsher tone. "Don't tell me you cheated to get this blade?" Baldred heard it in offense and answered. "I'm not some dishonorable vagabond, do you know who Alonne is?!"

Ven asked back. "Do you?" Baldred gave a fierce stare at the katana. "One of the greatest swords men I heard of and one of legends." He approached the katana and showed his black steel blade to ask. "Look at this, what do you see?" Aqua saw the resemblance and answered. "Something made after this one."

Baldred gave a respectful grunt to the Keyblade Master. "Exactly, the knight that I took the blacksteel katana from was one who was taught from Alonne's techniques and they do not compare to him." He nearly became consumed by prideful nostalgia. "Why does looking at it fill me with an odd pain? Why does this excite me?" He reached for the sword as Ven didn't want to know the answer. "Because...because Alonne was that important to you? Could you stop, you're freaking me out."

The boy felt his arms in place, Baldred grabbed the katana and was breathing frantically. The katana gave a glow of light and caught Ven, Aqua, Ana and Moonfang in a hold, Baldred's eyes couldn't look away and the blades radiance blinded him. His vision returned and he noticed himself in a pristene arena, the companions were up on rafters just as confused, looking down at the knight finding the place both alien and familiar. The knight looked at the floor to find his reflection and looked up to the sky to find clouds basking in the sun light. Ana yelled out. "What did you do?"

Baldred had no idea and saw the katana was missing, his weapons were missing save for the black steel katana. He drew it out and saw his shadow extend across the floor, forming into something in a sitting position, the group looked at the shadow to find an armored samurai with the long sword on his lap. Ven recognized the knight. "Alonne, what gives?" The knight gave a nod to Baldred and had a glance to Ven. "This will awaken the honor in his heart, young one. You and the others have the privilege of watching." He grabbed his sword and stood up to confront the knight, he tilted his head and asked. "You have nothing to ashamed about, noble warrior. Fate was never kind to you, yet here you stand." Baldred shook his head, like a child who ran away from something. "But... why am I?"

Alonne wondered and asked. "What have you sacrificed and was it worth it?" Baldred's eyes pulsed, the knight drew his katana for battle. "I...I don't know, is that where this feeling is coming from?" Alonne answered back. "Does it matter now? If it does, you will never vanquish this old spirit and you shall never be free from the burdens of your heart. Enough talk Baldred, for this is all that matters now."

The katanas shined in the light and the onlookers felt something burning in their chests, Aqua realized what Alonne was talking about and shook her head. "He knew, he knew where he was."

Ven looked at Aqua confused as Ana asked. "Huh?" Aqua answered. "As the Soul of Cinder, he knew where his journey ended. But what was he thinking when he Linked the Fire?"

Moonfang growled as Ven asked. "Was that how he ended up in the Realm of Darkness?" Aqua corrected him as Alonne made a trust of wind that nearly caught Baldred off guard and forced the knight to roll and slash. "No, it's after Benedict defeated the Soul of Cinder and put an end to that cycle. Baldred talked about the peace that came after that." Ven watched Alonne side jumped and slashed after Baldred, the knight rolled to dodge a slash and thrust. The boy gasped. "That's when he saw Death and was happy staying there?!"

Aqua nodded. "But what he was thinking when he Linked the Fire and what he is thinking now is separating something you tell yourself is true from what is. That... that's why he didn't want to remember the Throne." Ven saw the start of a fierce battle and asked. "But what are we going to do now? We're stuck here?" Aqua took a deep breath and was content watching. "Right now, we did our part. What happens is up to him to decide."

At a line to a water ride.

The Replica was smiling at ease to Xion tilting her head back and forth. "And the goat tosses the stick." The Replica laughed to that. "Ha, I did notice that goat." He asked. "Are you sure you don't want to go to the Matterhorn and give that Yeti what's coming to him?"

Xion shook her head. "Maybe another time since the Screamer took a bit of our day and I don't want to see that Yeti in the dark." The Replica found that fair as they found themselves in a prop lumber mill and hearing the splashing. "That could get spooky, animatronic or not. Who knew that ride has a following."

The line became shorter and Xion giggled. "And the best part is how those guys know where I am and let me ride like everyone else. I wonder how Ken's holding up?" The Replica guessed. "Either fine by himself or with friends. I'll bet you're wanting to find him and get him through that Screamer before he leaves?" The girl imagined the thrill on the boys face. "If he didn't hear of it, he will soon."

They kept silent in thought and reached towards the end of the line, one group of people went on the cart and the Replica realized he and Xion were getting back seats. He wanted to pout and kept patient as the minutes passed, the carts came back and it was there turn, much like before, the employee operating the cart noticed Xion and let her and the Replica take a seat in the back, despite some of the on lookers complaining. Xion knew why and lowered her head as the Replica whispered. "Don't worry about it, it's them or you." Eventually the employee resolved the argument and made a clear for the log like cart to move along a river track, the relaxing music eased Xion of her guilt as she noticed the cart being lifted up on the ride. She and the Replica saw the park in its splendor and waited for the cart to be lifted across the lumber mill. They were in a make shift canyon and looked around, seeing sign posts involving a rabbit, fox and bear.

They felt the cart being rushed down from something, braced themselves and were met of a splash. Xion casually asked her brother as her hair dripped. "What are we going to do to help with that... thing tomorrow. Only a keyblade can do anything against the Heartless and I think that's what our baddie is going to use among other tricks." The Replica found that a good point as he kept focus on the animatronic animals and the plot of the ride. "We could do that, we should if things take a turn for the worst and maybe, just maybe, we should show Baldred that we still have his back. I kind of been thinking about what he taught us, maybe having some friends is what he needs to brighten up out of the Dark." He and Xion noticed a bear being caught in a trap and being lectured by a fox, along with various hijinks, Xion thought more of it. "I guess at the end of the day, he's kind of like us." The Replica agreed back. "Having things we didn't want in the first place forced upon us, having to get by and put up with our own Curse. Getting out of that mess and kind of getting by with few people in contact."

Xion asked rather conflicted. "But he drew attention from the people we are trying to avoid and I think that is helping him more. Should we try that?" The Replica felt a chill tried to say something and noticed the raft going up a rail, changing the subject. "I think a bigger one is coming, get ready."

Xion braced for it as she and the Replica saw an animatronic of a rabbit tied up and a silhouette of an insane fox readying something. They found a light at the end of the tunnel and signs of a long drop, the raft tilted down and gave the passengers a view of the drop under a thicket of vines with sharp looking thorns, a brair bush. The siblings cheered in anticipation as the raft dropped down under and to a massive splash.

SPLASH!

The two were given a soaking and laughed with each other, Xion let the laughter die down and saw her brother was happier not thinking about the ordeals. She ignored her lingering questions and enjoyed the nonsense of the ride, they reached the end and were at the stations once more. They got out and had plans for the next water ride, she smiled and whispered. "No matter what, we got each other's backs." The Replica felt that fly in his head and he promised. "We got to try, but not here. It would be a horrible time."

Xion trusted her brother. "If you say so, at least... we'll start with the one person we can trust to not flip a lid about... how we kind of been lying to him from when we first met him." That the brother agreed with. "He'll just go crazy for a moment, ask a lot of questions and we'll be cool by the end of the day." They looked at the late afternoon sun and went to an attraction that seemed bear themed.

At the main park by the castle.

The mystery obsessed quartet compared tall macaroons that has white chocolate covering most of the extended pastry and shredded coconut for a more snowy mountain look. Ken closed his left eye at the comparison as Hayner realized. "They do look like the mountain." Pence almost laughed to a child like wonder. "What they won't do for more authenticity." Olette agreed with that and held onto a bag. "And we all have something dry to wear when we are done with the two water rides."

She looked at her treat and licked her lips. "Three cheers for Matterhorn." The four cheered and took a bite of their own macaroons, their eyes lighting up to stars, a voice shouted to break out of the snack time. "Hey, you could have warned me more about that ride!"

Ken knew that was directed at him and he turned around to find a bewildered Sora, the one armed boy asked. "It's exactly like that world you visited if you replaced the reptiles with people?"

Sora cringed and answered. "A bit." He noticed Riku and Kairi following behind, looking like they saw quite a show. Ken took another bite and swallowed. "*Gulp* I don't mind if you made friends with one of those guys, that be pot calling kettle black. So you guys are having a hard time picking one water ride over the other?"

Sora shook his head as Riku asked. "The Grizzly River Run can fit six people in one place, since we kind of heard you guys arguing." Pence and Hayner listened to that as the silver haired boy continued. "We thought maybe we can all do it together before going separate in the park again." Pence swallowed and asked. "Actually, after the water rides we were going to go check that Dinosaur one. If that Yeti was able to get some of us jumping, what is it about the Carnotaurus that is that scary in comparison?"

Kairi felt a that was a good point. "How about we find out together?" She nodded and Olette joined in agreement, the brown hair girl gave a nod to the boys with her, Sora smiled wide to that as Riku snickered. "Heh, the Yeti was impressive, so the Carnotaurus ought to step things up. Then we can try resting up until the sun sets."

The group found that a sound plan and started traveling to the bear like signs and a statue of a grizzly bear that wore an orange life vest and green hat and held an oar and a lantern. The four finished their treat and Olette asked. "So how were you guys enjoying this trip?" Kairi answered without hesitation. "So far so fun, same?" The four gave a yes as Riku confirmed that. "It's a good way to get away from all the drama coming tomorrow. Maybe this won't be pointless for all of that." Sora laughed to that. "We seen stranger things happen."

The group found the rather small line leading to a wooden station with tubular, round rafts, fit for eight. The keybearers noticed one other pattern that was odd, Sora asked. "Is it pretty weird that there isn't a Heartless, Unversed or... what ever causing trouble?" Riku nodded. "We're pretty use to it, but I think that's because the people behind it really don't care about this place. That's a good thing for us though." Kairi agreed with that as they reached to the actual line near a red building. "Although we shouldn't let ourselves be caught off guard if they decide to show up on the fly." Ken agreed with that and yawned. "That's probably because people are normally not dumb enough to mess with the stuff that draws them in or with the Unversed... there is only one major source."

The subject was dropped as the line moved rather quickly as Pence asked. "By the way, what do you guys want us to do tomorrow? When Garland shows up again, where?" Riku felt that was a valid concern. "None of you can really fight, but you have been a big help before. We have no idea why Garland is doing this and for all we know, we are going to be spread out as far as possible and he knows of our plan by now. Just keep yourselves safe while figuring it out."

The three understood as Ken had a closer look at the ride. "Well this is another reason why the line is going this fast, this isn't a cart ride." The group saw three rafts go in, eight people for each raft going going and being filled with more, each raft being let out in a careful manner, Olette looked at the relaxing looking ride. "That's kind of obvious, but that means we'll be a bit closer to finishing the day."

In a few moments, the line moved at a steady pace, Hayner counted and multiplied. "Eight teen go in and out of this a ride. I think we're going to be next." The group looked forward to that, Ken heard someone walking from behind and turned around to find a slightly damped Xion, annoyed yet determined. The boy wanted to ask something and Xion answered. "The operator didn't notice me and Dupmic had so many people that there was no way he would have sneaked me on. I don't think anyone else is getting in line right now because its getting late for some of the kids."

Ken silently signaled her that what she was doing might be a poor idea and Xion asked. "But if someone does come along, I'll leave." Sora and Kairi had an odd chill and turned back to find just Ken, the Princess asked. "What's up?" Ken felt surprised and turned around. "Just... thought I saw something. Ha, ha." Xion felt a little depressed and waited. To her fortune, no one was arriving behind her and the line moved once more.

The group of eight arrived at the boat ride and picked a raft, the mystery solving trio picked a blue one, Hayner and Pence sat on one of the three corners with obvious excitement as Ken picked another nearby, Olette sat next to the one armed boy and gave a dorky smile as Xion jumped into the last one by herself. The black haired girl gave a smile much wider to Ken, like it was a fortuitous meeting. The one armed boy smiled back, happy that she was having a good time. On the other raft, Sora, Riku and Kairi had a corner each all to themselves.

Sora felt a suspicious feeling leave and asked. "So how is this going to work?" Riku guessed. "They let the raft ahead of us drift a ways away and then it be our turn. We'll have this part of the river to ourselves and hopefully this doesn't give some of us that deja vu." Sora puffed his cheeks. "That other ride was just... similar to where Jack lives. That's all."

Kairi closed her eyes to relax. "Let it go, that's probably a coincidence." She took a deep breath and brought some order to the boys bickering, she opened her eyes. "It's kind of lousy that Master Aqua isn't her enjoying these things, I think she might have liked this." Riku agreed with that. "The worlds are constantly threatened and most of the older guys are trying to make it easier for the rest of us to manage. But she isn't that much older than us... if her aging was halted that is."

Kairi thought that answered a lot of questions. "It's probably how she actually survived in there, so what you said makes sense... even if that was ten years ago." The rafts moved and the one ahead of them drifted along, Sora sighed and asked. "Maybe after we beaten Garland they'll come here. Ha."

Their raft was pushed into the water, the trio listened to the park out of the ride and the flow of the water. They saw a station carrying the rafts upward, Sora and Kairi felt an urge to that a topic was dropped, they looked at each other confused and felt the raft going up a conveyor belt. In a few minutes, the belt guided them to a flowing river up a mountainous hill, it went into a more rapid stream and accelerated at an even pace, going through a cave of colorful lights and out into a river complimented by nearby trees, any remaining worries washed away in the river and the trio felt like they really were in a mountain. The raft spun from the currents and led them to the first downward slope. Leading to some water splashing upon them and them seeing more rapid waters. At the outer edge was what looked like logs giving an authentic feeling, the trio noticed the raft ahead of them making a turn towards a waterfall, Hayner laughing at what was to come, Olette gasping and having a playful cringe and Pence and Ken cringing in realization of how wet they were going to get. Kairi laughed and warned the boys. "Were next. I hope we got a way to get dry... heh." Sora hummed at a dampening hope. "Not one bit. Ha, oh no." The raft ahead of them dropped down the water fall and a collective scream was heard. Their raft drifted and spun towards that circle around to an open wooden gate that became more open, letting the raft go down the water fall ramp at accelerated speeds and causing the trio to give a rather joyous scream. "Woo hoo!"

SPLASH!

The trio became soaked and looked to each other, bursting in laughter as the rafts drift back to the station. In a few moments, they got out and let themselves drip, Olette went to get a bag she left behind and asked. "Didn't get a spare shirt? We're going to need that after the other one."

Kairi answered firmly. "Nope and I don't think the park would appreciate fire getting loose just so we can dry off." Ken looked into space and turned with a relaxed mood. "A little drip drying won't kill us." Riku agreed with that. "It won't and by the time we're at the Dinosaur ride, we'll be ready." Olette snickered to that. "I'm not so sure we will be." Sora took it as a dare. "No ride is going to scare us off," He pointed to the yonder. "Come on lets go."

At the dream like arena.

Baldred dodged Alonne's upper cut and slashed to the right, looking confused as Alonne's sword gave a glow of dark. Alonne turned to Baldred to try and stab him. ROLL!

Baldred rolled again and felt the blood in his veins flowing, he countered and watched Alonne jump back, the knight shook his head and rolled back as Alonne dashed to him like wind and tried to upper cut him with his katana. Baldred slowed his breathing as Alonne slashed at him again, the knight rolled back once more and Alonne leaped to the air, slashing his blade down. Baldred rolled to the left to dodge a slam and gave two slashes. "Why have you gone out of the way to have Ven bring you here? Was it worth this?"

Alonne looked Baldred in the eyes and answered. "Does that matter now? Why do you search for memories of yore if they bring pain?" He jumped back and dashed towards Baldred for a frontal stab, the knight rolled to the right and gave a rather weak slash, the knight asked. "I... miss them and those times. Is that wrong?" Alonne side jumped and kept Baldred's focus on him. "It's the humanity you hold on to. Days that have long blown into the ashes, but would that protect you from my blade's hunger?" Baldred dodged quick slashes and countered, Alonne jumped high for his downward attack and knew Baldred would avoid that.

The knight felt lost to nostalgia as Alonne continued. "You have gotten better in avoiding my blade and kept yours as sharp as before. But will it cut me down again?" He rushed for an upward slash and Baldred dodged it more fluidly, the knight scoffed and countered more strongly. "It can cut you now, so that doesn't matter." Alonne's blade glowed once more in darkness, the samurai tried to stab Baldred again, missing and taking another carve. "You are speaking this to an old ghost? Will you be able to truly vanquish me or will you keep calling me back?"

He slashed once more, saw Baldred roll back and jumped back himself, Alonne darkened his blade more and slashed in the air to send waves of Dark. Baldred rolled left to dodge, then rolled right to dodge another. Alonne rushed again, seeing the knight roll right and trying to regain stamina. "You escaped one Curse for another, as long as you hold on to the weight of you're sin, we will always keep coming back."

SLASH! Dodge! Baldred jumped back and to the left with Alonne, blades keeping guard. Baldred gave a calm, battle ready smirk. "Does that sin matter anymore? Is this what you haunt me with?"

Alonne blew a faint wind from his mask and asked. "That depends, what was that sin?" Baldred answered confidently. "It wasn't anything they would judge me for and it isn't something I should let weigh me." WOOSH! Alonne tried to stab Baldred, the knight dodged more nimbly and upper cut his foe, Alonne gave a sinister snicker and side stepped, his blade glowed once more and thrust quicker than normally. Baldred dodged that one as well with a side jump, lowering his katana and rushed for a forward slash. SLASH! Baldred found himself at Alonne's right side, the samurai almost fell over and gave a prideful whisper. "Do you feel that in your soul?" Baldred felt a satisfaction, followed by memories of trials and tribulations being washed away. "It... feels a little lighter here, admittedly."

He kept his sword in hand and stepped away from Alonne, seeing for a moment, a grey dragon falling, a Fuming Knight of dark fire going limp, a Burnt Ivory King calling to someone as his body collapsed. He felt the images becoming unreal and focused to see Alonne with his legs shaking. "It stops feeling like you are being crushed. Like going up a mountain after a long journey and looking down at the world bellow." Alonne nodded. "Be it the bindings of lost love or the suffocating dark, all of that is behind you. What more remains of that path?"

Baldred turned around towards a sun set road. "Who knows, but that is something only I can see now." Alonne sighed and lifted his katana, aiming it towards his own chest. "That is something no ghost has the right to take away from you, that old cycle can be broken. That is the strength to vanquish the Chaos that chokes the world and bring balance. Farewell Sir Baldred, may you find the everlasting peace you deserve."

Baldred kept an eye on Alonne and the sword at the samurai's chest. "Farewell Sir Alonne, thank you." He gave a respectful bow and watched the samurai impale himself with the blade, Alonne gasped and fell on his knees as Baldred walked to the sun set road. A light shined and he found himself back on the islands, with Ana, Moonfang, Aqua and Ven waking up from a dream.

Ven noticed the katana giving off a glow of light and flickering away and was the first to notice Baldred having a little more color on his skin. The knight apologized for the transgression. "I guess the nostalgia was keeping me in the Dark?" Ana put her hands at her hips and yelled. "That was keeping you from warming up. What was going on in your head?"

Baldred gave a gruff grunt and shook his head. "A long journey, memories that made me, but shouldn't break me." Aqua nervously backed away and asked. "So that jogged more of your memories huh?" Baldred sighed like they were clearly. "I went to a city drowned in a dragons poison, a frozen kingdom and a tower owned by some tyrant. Searching for something, yet they give the same feeling. Something to keep on going." He looked on suspicious about something. "And there is something we need if places like this are to have that peace it has. But what?"

Aqua and Ven had no idea, the Keyblade Master asked the undead. "That is something we need to push back the Chaos gods and the hold they have over the Darkness. So long as their followers around trying to spread that, so long as those like Archaon or Xehanort try to spread the Dark over and over again, we won't be able to find a way to deal with them. What is that something?"

Baldred shrugged and looked to the shore once more. "We'll have to figure that out one day." He smiled to Ana. "Thank you for taking me here. But I need to get back to the others and get ready to do my part in pushing back this madness." The Stormcast had Moonfang ready to carry and Baldred had thanks towards Ven. "You and Alonne did a lot in sparking my head back into place. You got me in another debt I won't be able to repay, but that wasn't the intent?"

Ven sighed. "Don't worry about it," He had a sweet smile. "That was just another thing that needed to be taken cared of. Hey, do you mind helping us out with something once you got time tomorrow?"

Baldred gave a knights vow as Aqua was having a suggestion against that. "My blades and my soul are are the call." He gave a bow of respect as Aqua asked. "Are you sure you want to be apart of this? It's going to bring you back into fighting the Darkness again and those that are abusing it won't be happy to see you."

Baldred snorted like he didn't care as Ana gave him his helmet back. "You're not convincing me to refuse, so that means I should." He gave a mischievous smile and relished the look on Aqua's astonished face. He put his helmet on and Aqua's astonishment became a scowl. "No, I guess not. But that doesn't mean your ready for fight that... at least not alone."

Baldred kept a smile under his helmet. "I been fighting things that were way out of my league before. But that won't stop me from trying to set this right." He got on Moonfang's back and Ana got on the front of the dracoth, the Stormcast gave a fierce smile to the knight. "If Sigmar were to have heard that, he would be having a word with you. But that's the kind of spirit we need now. Moonfang, let's get back to the train station." She nodded to Aqua and Ven. "I'll be at the... thing once I drop him off. His Majesty and Wanda have got to be worried if we are all out here."

Moonfang grunted and took off towards the main land as Ven noticed Aqua questioning something. "Was something suppose to happen?" Aqua folded her arms and asked. "Normally when someone shows a heart that strong, much more happens beyond that. They hold a power to truly push back the Darkness that was eating away at them."

Ven nodded unaware. "But doesn't he already have that?" Aqua thought of it. "I guess so if those miracles were something. But not like that." Ven thought of something. "It was bringing him more to life, eek I don't want to think about how he looked like before." Aqua shoo'd away the mental image. "Undead is still partially dead Ven, I think we know that he didn't look like sun shine."

Ven gasped and felt he got it. "What happened is that he isn't scared of himself. Of his own Dark," he looked to Aqua in accepting a lost debate. "that would be a problem, he's going to throw a lot of what they think is the Dark out of the window." Aqua agreed with that. "He's going to eventually use those horrible powers and he isn't going to regret it. That will also be how he would still use the miracles and at no point, get corrupted by that. That brought this question, why is this all that happened?"

Ven felt a bell in his brain jingle and asked. "Aqua, you know that the keyblade doesn't just go to anyone with a strong heart. There has to be a reason for that." Aqua guessed out of random. "Like how the Curse of Undead works and turning someone into a Hollow, how he spent so long as kindling and was cast into the Darkness? They are the only reasons I can think of as to why he didn't get one just now. That power can leave a strain on his heart and he almost gave into the Darkness when he woke up to find people that only cared about a plaything at worst or... a thing at best. How he thought he was going Hollow. Despite how strong his heart is, he's another level beyond us."

Ven scratched the back of his head. "It's probably how someone like him fights the impossible and wins in that world." Aqua agreed more enlightened. "It's how just any one can become greater than what others say they are. Everyone starts off small and look what they accomplish now?" She smiled wide and caused Ven to give off the same aura, the boy asked. "Like how most of us went and made a Realmgate?"

Aqua admitted. "Like how they made the Realmgate, we're just using it." She frowned a little bitter as Ven insisted. "We'll be able to beat even Garland with that and once we finish with him, we'll be able to save Terra. Come on, let's get home." Aqua gasped and felt determination burning in her heart, she grunted and lead the way out of the islands.

Towards the south of Disney Land.

Sora was dripping and feeling humid against the sun set as Kairi squeezed her hoodie to get all the drippings out. "That was wet." The trio from twilight town wore t shirts with the image of the Yeti in the snow as Ken finished shaking water out of his cybernetic arm and put it back on. Hayner asked as he saw an wide exhibit with red macaws mimicking the words wet. "We'll be fine by the time we get there. It's a pretty long walk from there, here and to the Dinosaur Stampede."

Olette looked at an exhibit with lazy iquanas basking in the sun and answered. "Because the noise would make these guys miserable. If we're still wet, they got some exhibits that will tell us all about these animals, including dinosaurs." Sora wondered about something as Riku guessed. "Models of the bones and info about them, me and Sora might have seen something about them once." The group listened and Ken asked. "Cool, so we might see a little more about them besides a T-rex, Triceratops and all that?"

Riku put that in the. "Maybe, those two are the ones you think about when someone talks about Dinosaurs, but how many of you know of an Allosaurus? Any of you even heard of a Carnotaurus until recently?" The four shook their heads and Sora answered. "Not really." Kairi had something to state. "A lot of these dinosaurs are related and become different because of evolution. A Centrosaurus has similarities to that Triceratops and you won't even know by the name." Sora whistled. "Really?" Kairi took it as a dare, folded her arms proudly and asked. "If we get close to the exhibits, we could give that a visit if we are still wet from those rides." Ken argued against that. "But that can take hours and the sunset is coming."

Kairi took it as a dare and asked. "You have a point, how about this, if there is any dinosaur from here and there that looks similar, talk to me or Riku, we know a few things."

The group gave a nod of yes and followed her and Riku, looking at exhibits with a few ponds, including one with a grey crocodile silently watching them. A couple of black feathered storks with white bellies and one particular Ken took interest in, a large brown tortoise enjoying a day of nothing in a pond. A description caught his eye as the others read the ones of the crocodile and the stork, the one armed boy snickered and saw the path leading to something dinosaur themed. "So these are the survivors of those long ages? The descendents of the dinosaurs."

Riku and Kairi noticed Sora and the others being drawn to the odd animals minding their own business, the silver haired teenager nodded to the one with one arm. "Or they evolved from those traits, the crocs and gators are the idea of what some of those animals are like." Kairi listened in. "Especially the predators that live in the water, if you ever meet a crocodile or an alligator, you're going to know what a Spinosaurus is like."

Sora had one to add as he looked at the stork. "Or the dinosaurs that became birds, some of those guys have beaks like birds and lay eggs like birds." Hayner and Pence took the enlightenment as Olette walked down with the knowledge. "And I'll bet these tortoises were related to those like the ankylosaurus, think about why." Riku felt a light bulb shine. "The shelled back? That might have became a shell for some, that might not be the case, but it's pretty fun to think about."

The tortoise turned to the humans and waddled to the edge of the glass that was covered in leaves, like it listened to that. Ken snickered and waved to him, he turned and followed Olette, going to a more dessert like exhibit and finding brown feathered, flightless birds with red legs. Olette guessed. "I'll bet this red legged seriema is related to a gallimimus or those like it." The red legged bird squawked and clucked, unaware of what the human was saying. The teenagers thought they spent enough time looking at the animals of the topic and found grassy terrain leading to a line going into a false cave, they heard the distant roars of a feral beast and panicked grunts.

Riku asked. "So the ride takes place over the cave? Got ya." He noticed a petrified P.J being pushed out of the exit by a just as terrified if confidently speaking Max. "Chill, that Carnotaurus isn't real. Just get to the gift shop and everything will be fine." P.J stuttered. "Horns, big teeth." The two went over to a nearby gift shop that was filled with all kinds of dinosaur merchandise, Riku shook his head and ordered. "Come on, this is only the line to get to the line." The group took their spot and waited for the line to get them in the cave, Sora read the wait que. "Twenty minutes, that doesn't sound too bad." Pence agreed with that. "I think Thunder Mountain was a little longer."

He noticed Hayner shaking a little and asked. "It's all the build up that's going to make this seem longer." Hayner turned and yelled. "Hey, none of us are scared." Olette's eyes half dropped. "You're totally scared of that Carnotaurus." She reminded him. "It's like what that kid was saying, it isn't real. It won't hurt us."

Hayner felt his pride was shot as Ken assured him. "If this area of the zoo is dinosaur themed and they are going out of the way to make us know them all, I wonder what dinosaur's they are going to use for the ride besides the obvious." Kairi shrugged. "The cart is definitely not going to be a ceratops, those frills would get in the way." Sora blinked and had his hands behind his head in a relaxed mood. "What ever it is, it's going to be one I never heard about and it's going to be cool." Riku knew his friend was getting to understand the main appeal. "It's going to be if they keep this up."

At a table near the parks entrance.

Xion felt dry from an adventurous trip through a water ride as the Replica came with a plate of six buns, two bowels of a sauce and two, lightly yellow ice cream floats. "What a line, I thought I get us these bao buns and these dole whips. Then when it comes later tonight," Xion giggled. "We'll pig out on the snacks if we can?"

The Replica closed his eyes. "Bingo and everyone is so busy with themselves they won't notice." He raised three fingers and pointed at the buns. "One's filled with what's basically spicy beef, ones filled with lime chicken and the other's filled with vegetables."

He took one that had yellow spices and took a bite, his eyes widened for a moment. "Huh, remind me if we ever see Ztardon again to never tell him about this place." Xion took a bite of one with red spices and took a bite, feeling the flavor of the spice. She agreed with her brother and dipped it in the sauce. "He and the Tzaangor would raid this place to learn how these are made."

Nom! She felt a spice kicking in and was going sporadic as the Replica tried it and felt the flavor complimenting it. "*Gulp* Xion, that's what the ice cream's for. It's kind of sad that of all the people you kind of mooched a ride with, Ken was the only one that spotted you. There goes the plan of you getting any help from them."

Xion didn't mind it. "I'm kind of use to it, but... I felt an odd feeling that someone was noticing something was wrong. I don't know who or why." The Replica wondered who. "Where was that feeling coming from?" Xion answered more mellow. "A boy with brown spiky hair and a girl with red hair. Ken told me about them, Sora and Kairi." The Replica gasped and he formed a plotting smile. "I think Dad might have told me a little about that, you could still be in luck, someone with in those two have taken notice and are just as confused as you."

Xion took a small spoon full of the ice cream and tasted pineapple, cooling her tongue as she asked. "Should I go look for them again after tomorrow?"

The Replica nodded. "You should at a good time." He looked up at an afternoon sun slowly becoming a setting sun as Xion felt hopeful. "I'm having a pretty good time, thanks for sticking out for me as much as you can." The Replica looked at his sister and promised her. "I'll keep having your back until we can do something about your problem. That would be the best thing to see done." The ambitious, hopeful tone comforted Xion as she continued with the stuffed bun, enjoying a light dinner prior to a sugar riddled evening.

Back at the Line.

The group of seven saw hints of a rail leading to a grassy, rocky world outside, finding the carts being of a short, orange quardepedal reptile with a hard scaled back and a curled tail at the end. The front was of a beaked reptile and directed to the right, Pence recognized what dinosaur the cart was themed after as a lightly brown, matching cart arrived. "That's a Nodosaurus, a relative to the Ankylosaurus." Riku gave credit where it was due. "Wouldn't have thought that, would be the dinosaur they chose to run around in the ride." Four passengers got on the cart, wondering what frightened the leaving four. They got on and oddly, the cart left the station at a rather moderate pace, Kairi felt a familiar air and turned around to see the same blue bunny girl from before, shaking at her knees. Sora turned to find the girl and asked. "You been into this before?"

The girl shook her head. "Nah, but some kids who have got me on a dare to go in alone." Olette asked. "Maybe if me and these three go before, it will give you time to group up?" Riku allowed it. "Eh, sure. Just don't tell us anything. We fought scarier things before." The line shortened more over time, with passengers going in unaware and either leaving terrified or exhilarated. It was time for the Twilight Town trio and the tagalong to have their turn. The trio from the islands and their tagalong watched two of the boys take the front and Olette and Ken taking the back, the rabbit girl noticed something as the Nodosaurus cart drove off. "Are the two in the back dating?"

The boys didn't wish to answer as Kairi answered firmly. "That's none of our business, but I don't think it's that yet." The rabbit girl understood and asked. "At least not until night. Phew, I seen that a lot." Kairi imagined why. "Just how does things get at night?" The rabbit girl answered with her hands at her hips. "Well, with the sun gone, we need some light for us to see, so the street lights and lights from the rides light up. That's why a lot of people start dating at that time."

Sora tried not to blush as Kairi gave a slight look at him. "And when they start going for the less thrilly rides? That's good to know." Sora stuttered. "Y...Yeah, it is." Riku asked the girl. "Who are you anyways? You're someone from the town nearby." The girl hand waved it. "Yeah I'm a local. Names Matilda and I think I read about ya from the papers." She pointed to Sora first, "Sora," then Riku "Riku," and finally Kairi. "and Kairi. You three are going about saving the worlds, don't ever think that is getting swept under a rug, a lot of us owe you."

The spiky haired boy appreciated the gratitude. "It's nothing, really." Riku bluntly told Matilda. "Sora's been getting some of that recognition lately." The girl knew that and relaxed. "You should try getting the V.I.P pass next time to avoid these lines. They can get crazy at times and this is the thrill ride on a good day."

The trio took that advise into some consideration as the Nodosaurus cart moved over right. Roars and screaming were heard from the right. It became frequent and was heard from the right. The Nodosaurus returned, Pence and Hayner looked petrified with fear, the later was in a hurry to get off the ride and fell on his knees to pant. Pence slowly got up and tried to help him up. "It's over, we can say that we-" Hayner wanted him to stop. "Not, yet, give me a moment."

Oddly, Ken was holding Olette by the hand and helping her get out, she was speechless at what she saw as the one armed boy agreed with the silence. "Aboard on a space ship that would blow up planets, filled with complete psychos that would kill me on the spot... easily. That Carnotaurus almost reminded me of the guys that tried charging me." He shook his head and asked the group. "Think we need to use a bathroom before we go to the gift shop? I kind of do."

Olette didn't let go and answered. "I think all of us do." Pence nodded to that as Hayner slowly got up. "We oughta, we barely got out of that one." Olette agreed, noticed the trio from the islands and whispered. "We should stop talking." The boys knew why and left for the exit. The gate opened and the four felt a foreboding atmosphere as they approached, Sora and Kairi took the front as Riku was stuck with the tagalong. Sora asked. "That was a little specific." Riku didn't mind it so much. "And he's pretty use to that. This is promising." Kairi had a warning as she felt a weakness in the stomach. "A little too promising."

Matilda wasn't too worried about it. "These things are exactly like that yeti, their not real and they won't be able to hurt us." The teenagers took the warning to heart, Sora asked. "So we shouldn't let all the rumors spook us, we need to see this for ourselves?" Matilda nodded. "Pretty much."

The restraints lowered and the Nodosaurus cart began to move. At an easy pace out of the cave and into a lush grass land with a few trees and mountains to their right, the Nodosaurus made a subtle turn to the left to get around some fallen rocks and towards a haven of herbivores. The four saw a grey long necked dinosaur grazing on a tall tree and scattered through out, a green, smaller, rhino like dinosaur with a round shield like frill on the back of its head, the thrill had spikes to the sides. To the right, under a mountain, was another similar beast, except it was yellow and had a frill that was a little more square with a gap on the top, it had three horns. By its side was a green, ostrich like dinosaur pecking the ferns at the ground and a spiked dinosaur much like the Nodosaurus, curled up for a nap. Finishing the immersion was a light pink lizard like herbivore that had a beaked mouth and a crest that looked round from the side, it turned away from the group and stood on its legs to look up the mountain. Sora had a look and saw under the slowly oranging sky, three winged reptiles with a rather long neck and a large beak, looking down at potential prey to snatch up. The Nodosaurus slowed even more, like it was looking for grass to feed on. Riku had an odd prediction. "This is the part where the Carnotaurus shows up and this ride goes into high gear?"

For a few seconds, nothing happened save for harmless rustling of a jungle, the group heard something yelp and something running out of the jungle, a small light green lizard with a round crest on its head. Kairi gasped and tapped Sora on the shoulder, pointing to something as the Nodosaurus started to speed up, if cautiously. The spiky haired boy was the first to notice something with in the jungle, particularly something growling, he saw hints of a reptile's head moving out of the vegetation, light red at the top and grey at the bottom, having horns and a maw full of teeth.

One of the dinosaurs gave an astonished grunt and caused the Nodosaurus to pick up the pace, Riku had a brief look of the horned dinosaurs head as the Nodosaurus made a turn to the right and went down to a slope in an accelerated speed. The sounds of dinosaurs squawking and sight of the various dinosaurs looking like they were running for it was all complimented by the sound of a heavy beast charging something. The Nodosaurus reached an even bottom and a patch of jungle, it made a turn to the right as it saw it rustle and circled around it, straight into the path of green, ostrich like dinosaur that cornered by something approaching coming. A large, horned beast closing in on its prey, having stubby arms, slender legs, a mighty tail, sharp teeth and horns, it gave off a mighty roar and gave the impression that it was about to sprint at the smaller dinosaur. Matilda saw it and screamed as Sora and Kairi held onto each other in shock, Riku's eyes widen at the fast pace, yet brutal scene. The Nodosaurus made a swift turn right in an attempt to save itself as Riku blurted out. "That gallimimus is done for. But that means that Carnotaurus would be too busy to catch up, right?"

The group thought that would be the case, the Nodosaurus reached another grassy patch and slowed down once more, turning to the left and finding a small pond along with reeds to the side. It approached and turned right, bringing it into a complete still, the four felt their hearts nearly stopped at what was waiting for them in a corner, an even larger Carnotaurus with signs of battle scars, looking down upon them in complete silence.

Kairi made a quick look to her left and found faint hints of a cave way, she whispered to the cart. "Don't go left, don't go-." The Nodosaurus cart gave off a panicking yelp and bolted alarmingly fast to the left, bobbing up and down through slopes and making sharp turns across the jagged rocks. Sora and Riku knew Kairi saw something they didn't, the silver haired teenager asked. "Why was running here a bad thing?!"

Kairi answered. "A cave is exactly this way and that Carnotaurus knows it." Sora was the first to bellow. "Oh no." The Nodosaurus reached a cragged clearing and the group looked right to find the Carnotaurus charging after them from the exit of that cave, it roared and caused him to be the first of the trio to scream. The Nodosaurus turned sharply left, around the rocks and curved around the right, finding an upward slope over a mountain. The group noticed a hole in the rights they curved across and saw the Carnotaurus rush its head out, snapping at them as viciously as an animatronic would and looking like it might break free through that, the Nodosaurus refused to slow down and go up the slope as Sora and Kairi gave a louder scream.

Matilda was panting at the frantic speeds as Riku asked. "That thing's giving up, it ought to be giving up?!"

Kairi had bad news for him. "After all the time spent on this hunt, no it isn't." The Nodosaurus reached the top of the mountain, found a small flat ledge to stand on, slowing down for a brief moment and immediately took a sharp turn downward. The four screamed at the drop doing a good job at mimicking a real fall. Woosh! The cart reached the bottom and made a straight slide across the tracks, slowing down. The group found another slope to their left, a pink lizard laid battered from its fall and was desperate to get up, it's back right leg was bent in a painful manner and the Nodosaurus kept slowing down. Riku quickly looked right to find that same Carnotaurus looking at them and the injured dinosaur, he saw small hints of a cave near it and wanted to curse as Sora, Kairi and Matilda saw the smaller Carnotaurus in front of them, looking at them and to the injured dinosaur to its right. Kairi cringed. "And the Nodosaurus has little choice here, this Hypacosaurus is on its own."

The group felt that chilling, Riku especially, the Carnotaurus pair gave the motion of approaching and the Nodosaurus turned right in a fast move and to the left, avoiding the Carnotaurus and leaving the Hypacosaurus to its fate. Riku panted and went into a mantra. "That was planned, that was planned, that was planned." Matilda gave Riku a light shake to break him out of that as Sora found that the more disturbing part and cringed as the Nodosaurus was far from the scene and slowed down, going back into the cave the ride started. "That... was enough thrills for one day."

Kairi and Matilda agreed as Riku took a slow time relaxing and vocally agreed. "No wonder those four made a sprint to the nearest bathroom. We're good for now?"

Kairi nodded. "Yeah, the ride has a good pick of dinosaurs to show case. Could you imagine going on this in the dark of the-" Riku interrupted her as the cart made it stop by the exit. "Nope! Nope! Nope!" Matilda sighed. "Point taken," The bindings lossen and the four got off, shaken, but satisfied, Riku made a rush out and left Sora and Kairi with the bunny girl.

The spiky haired boy asked the Princess of Heart. "Should we go to that gift shop next?" Kairi nodded with a grunt. "We need to show those that aren't with us that we went on this ride. Then we'll go get a bite to eat and watch the sunset."

She thanked the bunny girl. "Thanks for coming along, it's pretty nice to go through these things together." Matilda nodded and walked off to the exit. "We only have to do it once and it's behind us. Maybe I'll catch ya later." With her gone, the boy and girl were left alone and followed out.

At the gift shop.

Ken looked at a detailed, stocky, four legged, spiked dinosaur figure he purchased as Olette had a matching Nodosaurus figure, Pence with a Carnotaurus t shirt and Hayner with a plush hand puppet looking like the head of a long necked dinosaur. The one armed boy asked. "Polacanthus is related to it? Wow."

Olette nodded. "These two nodosaurids are pretty common in school books, but you never heard of them if you just watch dinosaur movies."

Ken felt that was a good point as Hayner gave a wide smile to try and forget a rather humiliating scene he made. "That's one ride we're never going back into ever again." The one armed boy understood the feeling. "There are a lot of scarier things and people I run into than those two Carnotaurus, but those two things will give you nightmares."

Pence felt it made sense and asked. "Those things you talk about are worse even if those Carnotaurs happened to have been real." Ken silently nodded as Olette marked a difference. "Predators that need to survive and actual monsters that want to hurt you are two different things." She took out a map and asked. "We stop and try this soup cafe and once that's done, we'll try one of the slower rides when it gets dark. Ken, are you going to be ready then?"

The one armed boy answered with a growing hole in his stomach. "Yeah, the lighting is going to get good." Pence and Hayner realized Olette's meaning, the vested boy asked. "I guess we'll check out Tomorrow Land while you two are busy." Pence nodded. "Good luck you two."

That made Ken pick up a que as Olette smiled confidently and let her friends know. "We're going there last. We'll meet up there before it strikes midnight because that's when they set up that fire works show for most of the park." She noticed Ken blushing and announced to him. "Now it's a date,"

The door opened and the four noticed their trio of friends getting into a debate, Sora mispronouncing. "Quesocoatalls?" Kairi shook her head. "No, Quetzalcoatlus, there was a lot of pterosaurs and those are the biggest of them all." Riku recalled. "And didn't I hear they were the last of them before a meteor came and-" He clapped his hands like a pop, Sora felt a chilling memory and answered. "Wow, that's some way for them to go." He was the first to notice the gift shops main merchandise, dinosaur figures of a wide variety as Kairi agreed. "Most of them were at their peak before the asteroid came and messed their whole world up." She noticed a figure of a light brown, four legged three horned dinosaur with a straightened thrill that had two additional horns, her eyes lightened. "They actually have it, the Pentaceratops."

That name Sora did get. "It's like all the other ceratops except with five horns?" He looked at the figure and realized he was spot on as Riku noticed a figure of an orange carnivorous dinosaur with a horn above its snout and another figure of a blue long snout carnivore with a curved sail, an aquatic tail and close to the ground on all fours. "This place really does know about them. Nice."

He noticed the four that were getting ready to leave and asked in a joke. "You could have warned us what was going to happen, you know."

Hayner wished he did. "Then it wouldn't surprise you. Last of the scary rides?" Riku answered bluntly. "Not until I check out the Haunted Mansion, but that one, I know that isn't going to be near as a chase." Ken asked. "Unless the haunted house is going to pull things you would actually see in a haunted house, I think we're going to be good going in there. This is going to be where the groups split up more?"

Riku nodded with a sly smile. "Fraid so, but that's not a bad thing, is it?" Ken gave a quick one and Olette answered for him as she had a sly smile towards Sora and Kairi having a closer look at the toys. "It isn't." Ken noticed Sora reaching for a long necked pterosaur figure as Olette asked the boys. "Should we get going?" They nodded and left the store, leaving Riku to see Sora and Kairi bicker over the similar, yet different dinosaurs. The teenager placed his hand over his face and thought. "I can't believe I'm doing this."

At the Land of Departure's Castle Hall.

Ven finished explaining to Mickey what happened. "Then both Alonne and that sword vanished like that." Ana added in as she kept watch over a bored Stitch. "This was the first time I seen Baldred become that happy about something and the battles he recalled matched what the lads met before they got the crowns. I think it's nearly time to show him those crowns if we are to help him find what he is looking for."

Stitch voiced what that something was. "Crown in picture?"

Ven felt that made sense. "It's the one he took with him to the throne. But what's going to happen when he gets that?" Mickey had no idea as he noticed the door opening. "Goosh, that could be just about anything. But now his heart isn't trapped in that fog anymore. How is he doing now?" Ven answered as he noticed Aqua entering. "The guys found a place for him to sleep in and he is ready for tomorrow. If it wasn't for that, we might have shown him all this by now."

Aqua corrected Ven on that statement. "Ven, remember why that isn't a good idea." Ven agree with a lighter tone. "I know, because of his ties to Darkness. How is it outside?" Aqua answered with three concerns. "Merlin is heading back to the town, so Wanda is having her men get ready for an early morning and Exrirsa... she watching and waiting. Sun's starting to set and I have a guess that everyone else will be back here by around midnight."

Ana asked. "If neither of you got a pass, it's way too late to go today. What do we have to do?" Stitch scratched the back of his ear and answered. "Sunset?" It was one idea, Mickey felt an odd spark of brilliance from somewhere and looked around like there was something calling to him, Ven noticed and asked. "Something wrong?"

The mouse shook his head. "Nah, even if it might look silly, we all needed a break. It might lead to new ideas." Ana agreed with that. "I'm always on duty, but a refresher helps keep moral up." Aqua raised an eyebrow to ask the King. "Where did that come from?"

Mickey felt the spark fading away. "It just... came from somewhere." Ana felt there was a connection. "Not sure, well even if that be the case, if those lads turn what is in there hearts and memories into power and if they are having a good time, they might come up with something that would reflect that."

Aqua clapped her hands as Mickey and Ven realized the full possibilities, the Keyblade Master spoke. "I rather not rush to conclusions, but if all of that gets processed, we could end up having some surprises in a couple days. Come on, we got both the sun and a Realmgate to watch."

In an odd dream.

Sora found himself waking up on an odd couch in a dark castle that had a gorgeous light trinkle down from the windows, he noticed Kairi waking up to the odd sights and the first to notice a chair next to the couch, a black furred rabbit with great resemblance to someone she knew was enjoying a pleasant flick. "Wha...where are we?"

Sora saw the rabbit and looked at a t.v screen that showed people having a good time at a theme park. The rabbit looked at the two and was a both heart warmed and disappointed. "Dark Beauty Castle over in dream world. Heya Sora, it's been a long while."

Sora felt his legs relaxed to leave the couch and decided on saying hello back. "Hey Oswald, what's going on?" The rabbit answered with good will. "I'd thought I pass a long a heads up since you being at that park is starting to cause things to mix together in your heart. That last ride was the last pigment needed to make a picture. I was hoping Riku got all tired out and is here to join in on the news. But what he's doing once he noticed isn't too bad of a trade."

He noticed two more guests on the couch, wide eyed and interested, Roxas and Namine, Oswald laughed nervously. "Not you, you're kind of a package deal." Namine felt she and Roxas were intruding and apologized. "Sorry about that, what do you mean by a picture being made?"

Oswald forgave that and flicked a switch, showing a rather well detailed picture of Sora and Riku staring at a sun rise. "It's all the wakening stuff Sora and Riku dabbled in when they first came here and learned about flow motion. If you know about a heart, you know how strong emotions can really made it show itself. In a place where you let yourself go from the real world and into fiction, that oughta make it easier to get into, to the point where you don't even have to try."

Namine sighed and knew what power Oswald was talking about. "And their memories of their minds tapping far has let them reach places far faster than any of us."

Sora blinked and asked. "You're saying this is happening again?" Oswald flicked to an odd show about a family of dinosaurs living in a cave, with a green one being hit in the head by a pink baby wielding a frying pan. "Kind of, if you start having weird dreams once this vacation is over, let it flow, it will take you, Kairi and the other two somewhere that could be important."

Tap!

A door opened and a black, blob like mouse screeched annoyed news, Kairi was ready to fight as Oswald thanked the creature. "So even that kid is getting drawn to it." He flicked to an odd show that had people sharing laughter, he explained the Kairi, Namine and Roxas what the creature is. "Don't mind him, the Bloats are pretty friendly as long as you don't try to mess anything up."

The Bloatling noticed the show and scampered to the couch in between the two sides, blabbering something to both and having his head resting on his hands. Roxas guessed. "Whats on this time?" Oswald made something up with an obvious signal that he was. "Just a documentary on how moments and emotions matter when we don't expect it."

The laughter converged and took the shape into something resembling a mouse, Oswald continued. "Whether it is rough drafts of what we want to say to someone. Feelings that really get into your heart, you don't want to let them go and let that imagination run wild. They can come at the flip of a switch, but those things exist here." He pointed to his cranium as Kairi asked. "Like spirits? Figments?"

Oswald had a more correct term. "Figments of Dreams. Some call the ones that look like animals, Dream Eaters because when they show up, that means your having a really good dream and it isn't going to end in a nightmare." The mouse took the shape of something like a bloat and laughed with the unaware people, the image showed to a person having troubled emotions, Roxas guessed. "But wouldn't the same thing be said about the negative ones?"

Oswald nodded as the bloat hid under a cushion. "Oh boy you had to say that? Some of these images can also turn into a nightmare." A shadowy figure hovered over the person, looking horned, menacing and having green eyes and a mouth, growing larger, Oswald sighed. "Sometimes the Figment's of Nightmares would come out of nowhere and put you into a nightmare or would turn that nice dream into a nightmare." The menacing figure formed a hand under the crouching person and slowly started absorbing him, sending the person into a panic as complete darkness consumed him. The four were having a mutual feeling to the cowering Bloatling, Oswald finished. "Whether it is any object or a Dream Eater, when something shows up that means something to you, you'll know where the dream is going. Maybe you kids might have the will power to turn those Nightmares-" A light shined in the inky darkness, the image expand to the Shadowy monster rupturing from the inside out. BOOM! "Back into a dream," A figure of a person giving off a glow expelled the dark and looked enlightened.

Sora asked curiously. "So, you're saying if we keep having fun, we might run into those and can turn it into a new power?"

Oswald corrected him. "You might and that's if you can figure out the meanings of the Dreams and Nightmares before you wake up. Those with a Keyblade ought to unlock that power and if Riku wasn't awake watching over you two." He pointed to Sora and Kairi. "He probably have an idea of what's coming. The kid that's somewhere dreaming, he's just now dropping into that."

He flicked the channel to show Kendry resting by a tree, looking puzzled before a Polacanthus chewing ferns and staring at him with mutual judgement, the Polacanthus heard five gurgling sounds saw something rather terrifying and made a sprint into the wilderness. Ken stood up and saw the Kharibdyss chasing the dinosaur off, the boy put his hands at his hips and said something that caused the beast to cringe and back away, disappearing into light and flying away. Ken yawned and sat back down, closing his eyes and ending the dream.

Namine guessed. "And the Dream Eater's aren't exactly obvious. That Kharibdyss is something like that?" Oswald nodded. "That monster apparently doesn't want to let go and it let its heart become apart of the kids subconscious. It just chased away a native Dream Eater, but the kid will figure out how to make friends with it on his own."

Kairi felt the attempt was cute. "But about the objects? What are they?" Oswald shrugged. "That'll be what you all need to figure out on. I'll talk to Riku myself when he gets here, otherwise this wouldn't make sense to him. He got shaken up a bit by that Dinosaur ride and he might be in for a different dream from you."

The four understood, Sora asked. "Thanks for the warning Oswald, is there something you need?" Oswald shook his head. "Nah, just go have fun." Boom!

Sora and Kairi woke up in a resting center, seeing the sun finishing setting and the start of fire works. Distracting them from their dream and seeing Riku take off to do his own thing, Sora sighed as Kairi asked. "Want to go for some of the rides now?" The park lit up in all kinds of colors to compliment the night sky as the girl offered with that glow. "You're pick." Sora noticed a distant ship going back and forth, giving off a glow of lights, a pirate ship, he giggled like a young child and picked. "How about... this one?"

In another spot in the park.

Olette listened to what Ken said and was hesitate on the offer. "Tomorrow Land sounds like where it is at, but if you're letting me have first pick, we're going on the carousel along the way. Are you sure you want that?" Ken nodded. "All those dinosaurs were getting to my head, I thought I was dreaming about a Polacanthus that got chased off by a certain monster of mine."

Olette found that out there. "That is pretty weird, but we're rested up, those soups were amazing." She was ecstatic over that as Ken agreed. "Tell me about it and those fire works were worth staying." Olette looked forward to that. "And that won't come again until another hour." She smiled wide and perked Ken up to be more observed a radiant glow, a circular ride with many lights and a variety of plastic horses, the two had a plot forming as Olette went in the line first. "Speaking of which, those two are finally spending some time alone in this park."

Ken knew who she was talking about. "Heh, if those two don't finally do the big pucker, I'm buying you that other dinosaur." Olette gasped at the bet. "That Crichtonsaurus? I don't know, it's limited edition and a bit too special for this."

Ken agreed with that. "And it be some miracle for them not to finally do it. So odd meets odd." Olette agreed with that. "If they at least get close enough, I'm going to get us some t-shirts from this place and it's going to be all about the fireworks." Ken imagined it looking pretty. "I'll take that bet. When we get to Tomorrow Land, that's when the real fun will begin."

The line quickly progressed and the sound of festive music filled their ears, childish smiles formed and they forgotten most of their worries, in a few minutes came there turn, they stepped into the stopped ride and picked horses that were side by side. Olette was at the one armed boy's right and giggled. "They turned one of the rides into a shooting game based on a show I watched." Ken heard and nearly squealed. "I know and it's going to be so fun." He boasted. "Watch this sharp shooter reach the highest score in the whole ride."

Olette wanted to correct him and realized. "You are that accurate." He insisted. "You all can still try, it wouldn't be fun if you didn't." Olette took that challenge. "I'm not better than that, but you're on." In a few moments, the music turned on and the passengers felt the horses go up and down as the ride spun, the duo looked forward more determined than ever.

At a glowing Pirate ship going like a pendulum.

Splash. Sora was hypnotized by the ship as Kairi watched the water splash both ways, under the moon light she gasped. "Wow." She giggled like a little girl and made the first step into the line, she asked. "Did you see the whole park light up?"

Sora agreed with that with childish glee. "It's like it's a whole different park now." Kairi signaled a better term. "Or the park is in a different light now and we are just now seeing it. Tee, hee." She felt a small realization and looked up to the night sky, the stars and the lights bellow, Sora noticed and asked. "Something wrong?"

Kairi shook her head. "Not really, somewhere, someone is looking up at the sky and having a better view of the stars. I think all the park lights is distracting the view." Sora looked up, squinted his eyes and saw the lights. "Yeah I think it is too." The line grew shorter as Sora felt more as to why Kairi was talking about that. "That's what he's been seeing the whole time. That Light that shined his way though the Abyss." The Princess felt the fighting spirit and advised against it. "You know what he uses that other power for, he isn't going to agree to fighting you with it."

Sora felt he knew that was going to be the answer and asked. "But he always keeps that part of himself hidden and that's why he's been scared of us. If we see the whole him, we won't have to worry about him getting pulled back into the Dark, we would know what he is."

Kairi whistled at the foolish courage. "He is the only other person we know to have done something like this and got to see things beyond his world. Beyond the Flame. I'm worried that he ended up going down that path in between alone." Sora listened and thought of another issue. "And that he is going to end up going there alone again?"

Kairi nodded. "That was why Riku was gone for a year trying to wake you up and why he kept staying away. I don't want to see someone do that to themselves again." Sora agreed back, unaware that he and Kairi were holding hands. "Me neither, being alone for that long must have been hard for Riku and we don't know what he was doing during that time. But, you got him back to us."

Kairi noticed and agreed, she realized she and Sora were next. "And we'll find a way to break that cycle and get back home. This has been going on for way too long." Sora agreed back. "Aqua and Ven got back home, we ought to try and help them find Terra. Then we'll try to get a message across to the people trying to mess around with the Dark and get them to stop, that'll kick all this Chaos stuff back to where they came from." He noticed where his left hand was and where he and Kairi were, it was there turn on the stilled boat.

They found a seat together, Kairi asked. "I know none of it is going to be easy, but chaos is something that is the hardest thing to push back. But we'll find a way. I'm sure of it."

Sora hoped so, in a few moments, the rails went down and the pendulum slowly begun to swing, rocking the water back and forth and swinging, giving the sound of splashing that was almost hypnotic, the swinging became higher and the two saw more of the water pushing back and forth. Like they were in an rough ocean, the two cheered in amusement as the cycle continued, the water splashes complimented the lights and the night, riveting back and forth in their minds. In a few minutes, the ride slowly ended, reducing momentum and calming the two down, Sora asked with a stutter. "Hey Kairi, me and the guys heard about a couple of your adventures." The Princess nodded. "It wasn't much besides finding the Princesses. But that bayou was just one world."

The boy realized he was falling out. "And we saw some of your lessons to. I didn't think you would pull those off in a week." Kairi misheard the intention. "Oh and it took you longer? That's what school could do." Sora realized he was even deeper in as the boat slowly stopped. "N...maybe, but how much of that was taught?"

Kairi answered clearly as the boat finished stopping and the bars raised. "A lot of the taught skills were the roots, you should ask Ken if you want to know exactly how that last fight went." She gave a bright aura of self confidence as Sora blushed. "Or...I could... figure out another way." He felt the confidence burst and asked. "After we deal with Garland, we have a match, just you and me."

Kairi gasped and realized what the talk was about, she flared up and answered without hesitation. "Why didn't you say that sooner? Of course I'll accept, don't hold anything back." Sora blushed. "I..I...I...this is the first time I asked you." Kairi had her hands at her hips, slightly irritated. "Just because I'm a trainee doesn't mean I haven't gotten stronger."

She relaxed and kept the confident aura, giving a wide smile as she took Sora's hand and noticed a ways ahead by a more wacky themed section of the park. "Let's see what's over here before we check Tomorrow Land out." Sora noticed and realized. "I saw it on the map, there is a spinning tea cup ride." His curiosity sparked a wild imagination in Kairi as she remembered. "Right and not just any old spin, we have to make it happen. Let's do that next." She lead the way off the boat and towards an insane idea.

At a Mansion.

Riku looked at rather round carts and was guided onto one, looking forward to a laid back raid of mild spooks and subtle implications. He sat on by his lonesome and hoped for luck. "They don't need me ruining the fun."

He exhaled and drowned out the sheer terror of a previous ride and noticed an odd, black haired woman with eyes of grey emerging from the line, she was in a brown shirt with black pants and was guided by a horse person into Riku's kart. "Alright, step in and listen to the voice."

The woman climbed in and gave a small smile to the teenager that sensed an untrustworthy aura. "What's you're name?" The woman noticed the hint of hostility and answered. "I knew a skinny little thing would turn a few heads. I am Yurla, I've heard of this park."

Riku wasn't trusting of the name and had an odd scent of stillness. "I hope you didn't miss out on the afternoon, anything about this ride I need to know? It's just ghosts." Yurla sat casually and answered. "Specters and fiendish little things. But it is of bumbling sort." The teenager agreed. "So expect something ridiculous and worth a laugh? It's something to keep some worries out of my mind, that Dinosaur Ride can make your heart run." Yurla giggled. "A bunch of wires and metal in plastic, something a lad such as you would have no problems besting."

Riku guessed. "You're from Hollow Bastion?" Yurla answered the fickle boy. "Let's say I am." The carts moved as the boy asked. "You're from any town I might have heard from?"

Yurla raised four fingers. "I've been squandering bellow Radiant Garden with the little monsters that lurk, keeping the grot duo and their pet entertained. Sniggering little devils." Riku put it together and wanted to keep quiet. "You came to Hollow Bastion not too long ago?" Yurla nodded. "I settled down during the invasion of the wretched demons in armor. So much desires of conquest, yet their souls have plummeted back from whence they came, with few of our own lost in return."

Riku had a growl in remembering the Black Legion. "And I hope those lunatics feel the kind of madness they tried to wrought. Show's starting."

The cart drove into an exhibit and turned towards a hall way that had rather convincing three pronged, floating candles, fascinating Riku and amusing Yurla, he noticed a suit of knight armor moving subtly. The cart went into another room and turned to the right, showing an opening casket to the right. It kept going backwards to a hall way of spooky snarls and an out of control grand father clock at the left, it had the shadow of a skeletal hand sway through it. Riku looked to the right and found nothing, sending an odd chill. The carts go to a fortune teller's room, finding a hovering orb with a woman's head, she gave a chant that conjured various noises, Riku had an appreciation towards the special effects being most convincing and was smiling. He turned to noticed Yurla giving a wider one, the karts went through a hall that had a balcony on a side, showing a ball room with dancing ghosts. The cart turned ahead to a cob web ridden attic and showed the two around, finding a specter of shadow playing a tune on a piano, in another turn, the two saw a fiendish ghost in a dapper top hat and holding a lantern.

The ghost had a green skull head that disappeared and reappeared in the lanturn, looking at the group menacingly. That startled Riku and made Yurla gasp and had her hands at her cheeks. The lantern head returned to the body and brought a critic urge in Riku's mind. The cart spun to the tracks and guided them into a dark grave yard with out of control spirits, complimented by an animatronic dog like person with his legs shaking and a shovel firm in the ground. Specters were over their graves, playing a song, animatronic howls hooting and animatronic cats hissing, it was a paranormal chaos. At the end of the grave, a spectral voice spoke to the riders, having a surprise to warn them about. A group of hobo like ghosts, wanting to hitch hick a ride out of the mansion. Riku nearly burst laughing, distracted from a hall of mirrors coming, which showed the riders with a ghost mooching off a ride. The boy's laughter stopped when he noticed Yurla missing and in her place was the special effects of a hobo ghost. He turned to find she really was gone, a deathly chill filled his spine. The ride reached its end to an exit leading out of the building, Riku got off stoically and wanted to get the feeling of the supernatural out of his mind.

He walked the hall out and on the way out, heard a mocking laugh of the ride seeing him out. He looked back and around in the lit streets of the park, finding a slight hint of a figure in a similar attire to Yurla, a large tattered dress and a witch's hat covering her eyes. Waving him goodbye and giving him a wink. He blinked and saw she was gone, he shivered. "Brr, did I just meet a real-" He shook his head. "No, she had too much of a... smell." He had the concern noted and walked towards a section of the park looking futuristic. "Let's see what awaits in the morrow. Ha."

At a tea cup ride.

Sora and Kairi sat in a purple cup together and found a wheel in the center to grab on to. The cooky music sparked an immature aura in the two of them, the ride spun and they follow the instruction, grabbing the wheel at once and turning it, causing the seat to spin, faster and faster until the world around them started to blurred. The two shared a laughter together at the revolving world, in a few moments, the revolving ride slowed and they let go together, having one final, out of control spin, the cup itself slowed down and they got off together and felt their vision revolving, stumbling out, Kairi felt she had control of balance and lead to the exit. "Ha, that was fun." Sora agreed and nearly stumbled, leaning on Kairi by accident. "Wo..." He realized what he did and kept a small distance in embarrassment. "Y..Yeah, you want to do it again?"

Pop! Pop!

The duo looked at the castle to find grander fire works shoot out of the sky, Kairi answered. "There isn't that much time." She blushed proudly and pretended to ignore the stumble. "I don't think the ride was built to spin that fast, let's hit Tomorrow Land and see what's the big deal of this ride we keep hearing about." They went the east of the part and saw a scyfi themed park, they found a shining indoor ride with a logo to read as they noticed Hayner and Pence talking with recent arrivals, Olette snickered about something out loud. "I think we all needed a break from the thrill rides before we go into this. Those two are finally on that date and I think we are about to get swamped in this ride."

Sora took it literal and asked. "Wait, this is a swamp ride?"

Olette gasped, turned around to see Sora and Kairi together, seeing that they really enjoyed a particular ride together and answered sweetly. "No, none of the rides here are. Read the sign and look at this guy drooling." Kairi noticed Ken looking up to something and posing his cybernetic hand like it was a hand gun. His thumb serving as a marker and his pinky as a trigger, he pressed the pinky multiple times. Sora walked closer to read the rides sign. "Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters. Who's Buzz Lightyear?"

Ken gasped offended as Pence asked. "You never heard of the show?!" Sora shook his head as Ken relaxed his hand. "That Space Ranger is the main protagonist of that scyfi show. Part of a group called Star Command, that keeps order and piece in the star system while protecting it from baddies like Emperor Zurg."

He remembered and sighed. "It's what you expect in a cartoon. I wonder where the guys at this park got the rights from?" Olette shrugged. "It's been here for a while, so they had permission to use the image." Hayner looked around and asked. "I wonder if they got the toys around here."

Olette thought of it. "That could be true, but we already went to a gift shop once and ho boy they were a bit pricey." Ken gave Olette an overconfident look. "Buying a Zurg toy anyways if I make it to the top rank. You did one of these shooting galleries before?" Olette answered with mutual pride. "I been to one in a fair, but none like this."

Ken had his cybernetic hand posed like a pistol, Olette mimicked it with her right arm and used her left to hold it in, the one armed boy was greatly impressed and advised. "You're the one moving this time, think about that and just assume these are not automatics."

The girl winked as Ken gave a fiery stare to Sora and Kairi. "Think you can actually beat me? The Sharpshooter?" Kairi gasped as Sora's eyes half closed. "Really?!" Ken nodded. "This is the thing I'm best at compared to the pyromancy and I'm more of a hit and run kind of guy. How's it going with those blasters?"

Sora saw the taunting smile and gave one back. "How about I show you once we get on that ride." A familiar, masculine voice asked. "Starting this contest already? Come on guys, I know this is a game, but this is taking it too far."

The group turned to find Riku approaching, Sora gave off a challenger's aura to Ken. "He started it." The one armed boy agreed with that. "And I'm finishing it," Kairi felt the rare moment was a spectacle, she and Olette pulled the boys away from each other and got them out of the challenger's gaze as Riku signaled a time out and had one to Ken. "Oh I believe you, this is the first time you ever issued something like this. Last time wasn't anything like this."

The one armed boy agreed and had a sharp one to Sora. "He's still my hero, but I'm taking this shooting gallery as my fort." The spiky haired keybearer heard and had a challenging smile back. "As if any of us are going to let you win." Ken saw there wasn't a visual line and approached the walk way. "Good, it give me more reasons to boast."

He turned to Olette and asked. "This is still going to be fun, want to go on this and be apart of the good fight?" Poke! Olette had her free hand at her hip and she poked Ken on his fleshy shoulder. "Sora isn't the only one that's going to make you eat those words, can you really back all of it up?"

Ken nodded and pleaded. "Come on, this isn't fun if we don't give it our all. If I'm full of hot air, prove it." Olette felt the challenge and lead forward. "Alright, I will." They entered the line first, Sora followed and was held at the back of his hoodie by Kairi. He turned to find a challenged smile that asked. "Are we going to put his money where his mouth is?"

Sora nodded, he and Kairi rushed in together, Riku bobbed his head in a mental rhythm and followed. "They turned this ride into another game? We'll, let's see if it's all that." Pence followed as Hayner answered. "Hey, we're not going to be on the bottom of this."

The line was surprisingly non existent, the group saw pictures of an astronaut in a green and white suit, having a winged jet pack, fighting a bunch of robots with his wrist mounted laser gun. The sight of smaller, green, three eyed, four armed aliens in blue suits also dragged them into submersion. Ken and Olette slowed down for the others and looked at an anamotronic of that very astronaut explaining the plot of the ride. "Alright you junior Space Ranger's, listen up. Zurg is using the stolen battery cells to energize his secret weapon. Our mission is to find those robots as soon as possible-" Olette finished with a whisper to Ken. "and stop them before Zurg can use it to conquer the galaxy."

The one armed boy snickered. "Sound's easy enough." They reached a slowly advancing line and turned around to find Sora and Kairi had caught up, the spiky haired teenager forgot that there was a challenge going on and asked. "We're going to be Space Rangers?!" Ken nodded. "We can't let Zurg get away with this, we all need to work together to push him back."

Kairi assured the group. "We won't let him win, just don't get cocky, who knows what kind of tricks he has up his sleave." She passed an awkward smile to Ken, who knew that was a subtle warning that she didn't forget the challenge. The other three boys caught up, seeing that they were in for more than just a ride, they were in for a game.

The line reached a point where they were next, seeing the stream of carts sail by, being replaced by another set at around a minute. The employees signaled the group that they need to hurry. Ken and Olette rushed to the front row and sat side by side as Sora and Kairi did the same. Hayner and Pence picked a cart behind a barren one and Riku took one furthest in the back. The group had a closer look at the relaxed front of their carts to find a toy ray gun. Ken sat comfortably on the right and turned his head around to find Sora giving a silent stare that the game was to begin. Ken gave a silent, sportsman like smile that spoke good luck. Sora gave one back. Olette noticed the front of the cart closing in with the blasters and whispered something, Ken almost yelp and rushed to grab the laser gun. Finding it with a cord and seeing it glow, a screen bellow flickered lights and showed numbers, Ken held the pistol with both hands and isolated his mind into a zone. Olette looked at the determined face and realized he was serious about his gun fire, she looked at the green back sail of her blaster and focused as Kairi whispered from behind. "I think we are suppose to aim for any glowing buttons, that's are target."

Ken appreciated that knowledge. "Thanks for the tip. I'm still not holding back." Kairi focused on her aim as Sora felt his grip familiar. The carts entered a hall that had the first visual view to their right. An orange, blocky robot in front of a wall looking like a cosmic void. A boxobot looking menacing, Ken immediately aimed at the glowing button on the robot's chest, rapidly pressing it and noticing Olette gasped in shock, he noticed a robotic dog in the wall paper and fired a shot at the glowing button, they turned the cart left and saw a large still robot with three, tube like limbs, to the robot's left was a large claw close to the cart and a magnet stealing batteries, the magnet had buttons to shoot at. He realized that was exactly what Olette was aiming for and turned his fire at the details, seeing a buzz saw to the robots right, a stocky body and a name for the robot. "You're not sneaking up on me Gigantobot."

Pew! Pew!

He fired upon the various buttons, unaware that Sora and Kairi were quick on the aim themselves. Sora read the words at the robot's belly. "Zurg... rules?! This guy is full of himself!" PEW! PEW! PEW!

They saw the fourth limb in the wall, popping a ship open for its batteries and for a red bandit like robot to fly off with a bag of batteries. Ken shot at the saw, hand and robot with quick precision and kept shooting the robot particular. The group noticed they were going into a conveyor belt with a the stolen batteries with a glowing square button, Olette realized what needed to be done. "Come on, let's make sure Zurg never uses these." She aimed and heard Ken shooting the batteries, they were the first to notice an animatronic moving, a menacing purple figure with a black cloak and a three barreled laser gun, the two identified the villain and shouted. "Zurg!"

They noticed a button at Zurg's hip and fired, they had a closer look at Zurg's helmet, it had glowing red visers and a yellow glowing grill of a vox, complimented by horns appropriate for an evil emperor. Ken saw Zurg firing his gun and saw a yellow button on top of it.

PEW!

They heard noise of something getting hit and Zurg yelled as his gun was recoiled back. "Ow. You'll pay for that Space Ranger." Olette shot at a tall joystick as the cart circled around, they heard sparks and an alarm blare, Zurg growled. "Not bad. Join me and together we will defeat Buzz Lightyear."

Sora and Kairi noticed a button bellow Zurg's gun and shot at that in refusal as the duo ahead noticed a pod like weapon that was armed with fire works. They focused on that as the cart moved away into the next hall, they had the cart turn ahead and heard a boast. "Resistance is pointless." Ken casually aimed his gun at a button at Zurg's other hip and fired one more pot shot, he focused on the hall ahead and saw an cross section with menacing robots to the right, shooting at the robot with the visible button a couple times and relaxing to take a deep breath. He and Olette saw to the left, two robots, one standing with a menacing pose and another that was being electrocuted, giving off a bellow Sora was familiar with.

Pew! Pew! Pew!

Ken focused his gaze away from the increasing numbers and asked those behind. "Holding up?"

Sora finished firing upon the robots and answered. "You weren't kidding when you called yourself The Sharpshooter, think you can keep it up?" The front riders noticed a path way with animatronic aliens of various shapes and a planet of green ooze out of the crag landscape. Ken aimed without remorse. "Ha, we're just getting started."

PEW!

They fired upon the aliens and saw in the wall paper, Zurg on his weapon, it had spider legs to compliment a green trail, yet there was no button, Kairi whispered. "Shoot, he's too far away." Olette agreed with that. "Focus on the aliens."

The group did so, shooting through unsightly fiends and even a large mosquito and a snake, the ride lit up in the chaos and they saw what seems to be the climax of the ride. Zurg was on top of his weapon, firing upon a green planet, boasting proudly as he was unaware of his back having a literal target, with a triangle button behind the moving image. "Green planet is mine and Star Command is next!" The cart took the shooting group into a tunnel of flowing lights, they found targets with a Z flicker across the walls, they fired rapidly at what they could find as Zurg taunted. "Fools, you think you can stop me?"

Ken gave a deep grunt as the cart reached the end of a tunnel and showing Zurg being cornered by Buzz and his laser beam, a couple of green aliens joined in and tried dismantling the super villains doomsday weapon. The group had an odd satisfaction of seeing the machine be destroyed and fired at the variety of buttons on Zurg's weapon. Listening to him throw a temper tantrum at a ruined plan. "Not fair, I should be ruling you're planet right now."

He grunted like this wasn't the first time it happened. "You ruined everything, curse you Buzz Lightyear. Arrrgh." The cart reached to the conclusion of the ride, a bunch of the green aliens celebrating and taking an imprisoned Zurg away with a claw holding his box. The group saw the button on Zurg's prison and fired, the evil emperor vowed. With a promise of vengeance. Ken took a deep breath and placed his blaster away, looking down at a score he didn't think he reach. "Wow I actually reached all nines."

He looked at Olette's score and whistled. "Nine hundred and fifty seven thousand." The girl smugly swayed her hair and calmly placed her blaster in its stand. "What can I say, I did this sort of thing before." Ken looked back at Sora, finding his idol a little bewildered. "Nine's as well?" Sora looked at the one armed shooter silently and noticed the title for ranking. "There was two zeroes at the end. How did that-" he realized what and had an even fiercer smile. "You had that extra shot back when Zurg wouldn't shut up."

Ken realized that, snapped his fingers and cringed. "That made the difference, hey Kairi, what about you?" The Princess answered proud of herself. "Nine hundred and thirty thousand." She had a congratulatory smile to Sora. "It's because he was use to the hunny blasters, that's the reason he had that kind of advantage."

Ken agreed with that. "Even if those shots home in on you, he been through some wild places. I don't have that luck, I gotta aim. That can make or break someone here." He asked Kairi. "Do you mind taking shooting lessons some time, once that aim gets better, you're heading to the nines." He looked more genuine than taunting, Kairi considered it. "I haven't really used a gun of any kind, I'm not sure if that can help... unless."

Sora asked. "You think there is another form change like it?" Kairi felt that was a possibility and heard Hayner complaining about something, she ignored it and congratulated Ken. "Anyways, you backed that ego up, good game." The one armed boy appreciated it. "Same, I knew what I was getting myself into, but I didn't think it go that far. Guess that makes you three Cosmic Commandos." He confidently announced. "As for Zurg, I'm going to see he doesn't get loose again... if you know what I mean."

The carts reached the landing bay and the front of the cart relaxed and the four got off, waiting for the other three boys to get off. Ken and Sora saw a calm look on Riku's face, something of pride, the silver haired teenager spoke. "Nine hundred and eighty thousand." He looked at Ken. "You're able to back it up now?"

Ken spun to the exit with Olette. "Let's see if that score is important here, then I'll say it. I stopped paying attention to that." Riku hummed. "So you have?" Hayner kept his embarrassment a secret as Pence whistled. "That was fun, Ken are you SURE you want to go through with it?"

Ken shrugged. "Gotta boast somewhere, even if it is toy anyone can buy." The group went down a hall and found three paths, one to the right lead to the exit, one to the middle was to a gift shop and to the left was a score board. Hayner and Pence's names weren't even on the score board. Most of the group went to a computer screen and saw the option to have photos sent. Riku saw someones name at the top with all nines, followed by one other, looking more silent.

Ken typed away of wanting a virtual photo of him in the cart with a focused face and the blaster in hand. "Hello phone backdrop."

The variety were tempted to be apart of that as Olette insisted to Hayner. "Come on, you couldn't have done that bad." The embarrassed boy knew it wasn't and waited in line. "I guess not."

At a line in a certain cave.

Xion chirped a tune and looked rather peckish as she debated with the Replica. "Churros, funnel cakes, waffles, ice cream?"

The boy under cover protested at the last one. "We had ice cream earlier. We are going for something extra large and maybe get one souvenir if the budget holds out." He looked at the Nodosaurus cart returning, finding passengers petrified, he asked. "Are you sure we should get on this? We been hearing from a lot of people that it's even scarier at night."

Xion answered determined. "If we don't, we won't have something to talk about to those that went on this ride. Why do so many people want to get scared?" The Replica shrugged. "Probably because they like the thrill and want to witness this once. Also because they know this stuff isn't real and it won't hurt them unless they do something stupid, this includes the Carnotaur."

Xion felt that made sense and laughed. "Ha, ha. Guess when you put it that way, this ride isn't so scary."

The Replica wouldn't say that and pointed his thumb to the people leaving. "That isn't what these guys think. But if that means you'll not be having nightmares after this, I'm cool with it. Heh, you think you can talk Ken into going into the Screamer with you? That would make the night perfect."

Xion shook her head and pouted. "As much as I want to, it would make things awkward for him. I think he might already be on a date with someone and showing up for that would ruin it." The Replica didn't mind that factor. "I'm not saying anymore, you are right about that." The sister gave her brother a small hug as they traverse the line.

At Tomorrow Land.

Sora was almost distracted by the shining lights as Kairi marked something off her list. "I think most of the really good snack stands are back towards the entrance of the park. Should we do that or go to Space Mountain next?"

Sora asked. "Is there something we missed coming here?" Kairi didn't wish to speak it. "There is, but there is a carousel ride that we could have a quick ride on. Riku, Hayner and Pence are taking the mountain first and are acting a little distant. Hmmm." Sora noticed something. "You're still thinking about those blasters?"

Kairi nodded. "Thinking about it, my Keyblade can form change into a lot of them while you can switch keyblades on the spot. Think those are connected?" The boy nodded, "I think they are, I sometimes find a keychain when I finish visiting a world and lately, the ones I find are able to do that," he gave a small laugh as Kairi tapped the side of her head with her fingers. "It's a bit selfish, but if I get use to shooting like that, I might be able to have a better aim. Ken didn't brag like that unless he KNEW he could back it up from here back to Master's Place and you saw he was trying once the game began." Sora tapped his foot in a decision. "That's his style, can't believe he ended up the score screen along with that."

Kairi nodded. "He won fair and square, but once he noticed, he stopped talking about his ideas of what to do with Zurg and walked off with Olette to where Thunder Mountain is. I don't think he's going to speak again for another hour."

Sora felt what ever feeling was going on was pretty understandable. "He put his heart into what he does best and forgot about winning, then once the game ended, it all caught up to him. That would hit him once he realized what he did. We'll do Space Mountain latter, what's a funnel cake?" Kairi shrugged. "I only heard of it myself. Maybe we ought to catch up with those two and see what they are up to, after the carousel. Sugar and spinning rides aren't a good combo."

At a table near a cafe.

Olette and Ken looked at a platter of fried pastry bits that were bundled together under strawberries and whipped cream shaped like someone they knew. Olette swallowed nervously. "We won't be sitting in a roller coaster after this. You're ready, I'm not eating this by myself."

Ken took out a fork and felt the urge to talk return. "Yeah. You never know how far you're going until you reached the top. I kind of expected to be shutting up for a different reason, then it was one bragging right after another."

Olette used a fork to get a first bite of fried goodness. "Mmm. Gulp. You bought that toy to remind yourself about that, but that stopped you in your tracks. I'm sure it will be gone by tomorrow." Ken hoped so and had his own bite, feeling himself at ease. "This has been one night and right before then, we were talking about Emperor Zurg figuring out a way to get a Polacanthus to be his minion now that he is banished to a low tech planet. I'll think of a scenario when I got the time."

Olette suggested. "And you're not paying that much to get his actual minions, why are you dragging Polly into that?" Ken answered back. "Because she is another souvenir like Nodo and I might have to get you ol Crichton for that bet we made." Olette gasped. "That would be the perfect image. How would Zurg be able to conquer anything with a bunch of herbivores?"

Ken laughed out loud. "He won't, they don't have any reason to attack people unless its self defense and if he wants to keep them around for company, he is going to have to learn to think like them."

The two took a forkful of fruit, cream and funnel cake and took a bite, enjoying it in the span of five minutes. Olette thought about it more. "This could be a funny diorama project, do you mind if... we split the budget for Crichton? I think I got a plan for the fans out there."

She smiled wide as Ken was uncertain. "That was a bet, but the more of those kinds of dinosaurs around him, the better it is. Add something for the forest and we got comedy," He wondered as Olette asked. "If they don't do the thing, could we try it? It's not every day we get a chance like that." She giggled in mischief as Ken answered without hesitation. "We could," He and Olette noticed Sora and Kairi arriving and looking at the sky together, they tapped their fingers impatiently as the duo noticed them and approached.

Olette greeted the two. "Hey, we still got a couple hours before midnight and we are heading to Space Mountain soon. What you been up to?"

Kairi answered and noticed the two were discussing about something. "Finished a carousel ride and we thought to try some funnel cake before heading back to Tomorrow Land, what you been up to?"

Olette answered calmly. "Just talking." Pop! Pop! Pop! Sora and Kairi looked to the fire work castle and saw the sparks light up the sky, in an awe together. Ken and Olette was caught by the sight and fought the urge, realizing a teetering edge when they see it, the one armed boy took a deep breath and admitted to Sora. "Sorry about going overboard in the bragging. That went completely out of control once the ride ended." The spiky haired teen didn't mind. "None of us know that would happen if you get the top score for the day. Do you think this is going to get better at midnight?"

Ken took his phone to check the time. "We got two hours, hey Olette, there's a change of plans. You mind if we leave these two alone?" The brown haired girl asked. "We're getting that Crichtonsaurus now?"

Ken nodded. "Things might close at midnight and we'll never get that diorama near perfect." Olette agreed with that and wished the two luck. "If you came for funnel cakes, those are pretty good. Line's getting long though, so you ought to hurry. See you at Space Mountain."

The two took off and left the duo confused, Sora tilted his head and asked. "Why are they in such a-" he realized what and became nervous as Kairi guessed out loud. "They are waiting for us to do something and that's none of their business." She folded her arms in annoyance and noticed the line into a cafe, she tugged to Sora a line growing.

At the Dinosaur Stampede ride.

Xion was in a laughing fit of joy at the end of the ride as the Replica was shaking stiff. "Ha, that was good. It really did felt like we were apart of a hunt." The Nodosaurus cart stopped as the Replica tried to shake a mental image out of his mind, he was silently praying to all that was holy for the bindings to lessen. "G...Great, the dark did nothing to make any of that better."

Xion agreed with that as the bindings raised up, she jumped off and let her brother take the charge, she followed him out of the ride and to the bath room, she waited outside and thought of a prank, putting her hands at the sides of her heads and pointing fingers like horns. In a few moments, the Replica walked out relieved. "Phew, I that was way too close, I don't think a bladder would last another sec-" "ROAR!"

The Replica jumped to the side at the hearing of the roar and saw Xion impersonating a Carnotaur, the brother growled at the laughter and roared back with his teeth to bare, getting Xion to stop. She stuck her tongue out as her brother threatened. "Do that again and we are going out of this park right now, we were about to check for any interesting dinosaur toys and be a shame for it all to end now."

Xion squeaked into submission, the brother gave a firmer scowl. "I thought that get you to listen. The things he talked about with creatures stalking you from the dark becomes a whole new thing of terror, you never know the kind of things you mess with until that idea is in your face." Xion agreed with that and felt that chill. "Things like Nashandra were just a hint,"The Replica nodded and made a walk to the gift shop. "Things like her are real, things like those Carnotaurss are real enough. Now let's see what dinosaur we ought to take home."

Xion wondered. "Maybe an unusual dinosaur that isn't so scary, l-" The Replica heard a stopped, turned around and was yanked by a red coated arm, it was an instant shock and he and Xion felt their mouths muffled.

BASH!

Something knocked something and caused the two to be dropped, getting on their backs to find a large, elderly man in a red coat, being knocked asunder by a floating black keyblade that burst into a red eyed, humanoid form. Xion and the Replica felt the stink of darkness in the man and drew their weapons out, the Replica growled. "You! What is a psycho like you doing here?"

The Coachman caught himself, drew out a whip and cracked it, causing a swarm of Shadow heartless to surround the trio. "Well what does it look like. You all had your fun, but that comes at a price and it looks like you're not willing to pay."

The humanoid glared at him as bystanders from away were talking about something, the Replica coldly answered. "Sorry, were not going with you. Who sent you?"

The Coachman wasn't telling them and asked back. "Where exactly did you lot take that Curse fellow? I been hearing that he been causing a bit of trouble for our part and you have something to do with that, I'll only ask once before I bring you to someone who will really make you talk."

Xion gasped and focused her keyblade, giving off a glow of holy light in refusal. "We're not telling you anything, except leave." The Coachman gave them a tsk tsk and tried to crack the whip in a signal.

BASH! Something charged from the shadows to bash the man in the face, a storm of lightning brewed to vaporize some of the swarm. The trio saw a dog like person with a shield and a duck waddling towards the duo to get them to safety, the duck quacked. "Get lost, you're not welcome here!" The shield bearer agreed and jumped back. "Mhmm, this place is s'posse to be a fun place for everyone and this is against the rules."

The creature grunted in agreement and quickly approached the Coachman, changing its humanoid, if familiar form, into an allosaurus, it snarled to take a bite as the Heartless charged back. The Allosaurus gave a silent roar to call down more lightning and grow spikes on its tail as Xion and the Replica charged after the Heartless. The shield bearer blocked an attack from five shadows and rushed through as the mage raised his staff to summon wind, the Coachman saw an attempted kidnapping going sour and tried to retreat into a corridor, finding an odd witch standing in the corner with a chiming tune, almost like a buzz. Her right arm was surrounded by insects and she chanted. "You have no business here, go back into the Abyss along with the little monsters you make home with." She aimed and sent out a swarm of insects after the Coachman, that made a quick run into the corridor, with the insects following.

The Allosaurus fought the heartless swarm, tooth, claw and tail, Xion dived into the swarm as the Replica focused, caused beams to shoot from the shadows and the witch hurled odd black wisps, with the park guards, they quickly vanquished the Heartless and tried to find the mysterious witch, only to see her vanish. The Allosaurus approached where the corridor was and took a smell, it's teeth more bare, Xion saw the guards looking terrified of the creature and spoke. "Shadey, he's gone and I don't think he's going to come back tonight." She was shaking. "C...Could you please hurry and leave before more people see you?"

The Allosaurus turned to her and the group, staring at them and backing away, a feminine voice shouted. "Hey, get out of here!" The group turned toward the gift shop and see a brown haired girl with an umbrella pole yanked out of a table and being used as a spear, following her was a sprinting blonde boy that saw the red eyed creature and wanted to scream something. The Allosaurus closed its eyes and silently vanished, Xion and the Replica felt a presence truly vanishing and looked to each other in a crestfallen manner as the girl asked the guard. "Goofy, Donald, what happened?"

Donald answered loudly. "That Coachman was trying to kidnap two kids, that's what." Ken gasped in complete horror. "That guy?! Oh no," Goofy nodded. "Mhmm. We gotta warn Sora and the others about that," Ken agreed as Olette asked confused at a quiet Replica. "What about him?"

Goofy looked at the both of the siblings and answered. "We got to get them to a public place and make sure this doesn't happen again. Hey, do you mind doing us a favor?"

The one armed boy was on it and gave the two a salute. "I'll get them to the gift shop and I'll make sure they stay close by." He looked to the siblings. "Dupmic, Xion, would you tell us exactly what was going on?" He cringed and forgot about something as Olette asked. "Xion?!"

Ken was in a panic as Goofy and Donald realized something was wrong, the duck asked. "She is... right there..." Goofy snapped his fingers and chuckled. "Hi yuck, and I think she'll be able to see her if she connects a little more." Ken felt a light bulb shine above his head. "Of course, Olette, do you mind if we talk about this in the gift shop? It's complicated."

The girl sighed and trusted him. "Alright, we'll take it from here guys." The duo hoped so and followed the teenagers to the gift shop, they went their separate ways and left them to sort out the problem.

Olette put the umbrella back where she found it and followed the group into the store, where Ken began introductions. "Olette, I'm sorry you got dragged into this mess." He pointed to the boy in the hoodie. "This is Dupmic, a friend of mine who is using my house." Dupmic felt what Ken was doing was a poor idea and greeted her. "Sup... I don't know what else to say here."

Olette felt it was mutual. "I have no idea what's going on, but hey." Ken sighed, looked at Xion's distraught and explained to his date. "Xion is kind of a special case, someone gave her a condition where only a select few people can see or interact with her. To everyone else, like you, she doesn't exist and you might have passed by her without giving her acknowledgement."

He placed his cybernetic hand in the middle and asked the siblings. "Could you put your hand here and focus really hard on who exists?" The two did so and Xion pleaded. "Ken, this isn't going to work." The boy asked. "Please, this is all I know from Goofy's idea and I hate seeing you like this. This place should be fun." He looked at Olette. "Now you're turn, please."

Olette did so without hesitation and had a more wishful smile. "I trust you, now what?" Ken asked with a deep breath. "Okay, all of you, just close your eyes and focus deep, let the worries go. All of them." He did so first, the Replica followed and Xion closed them with tears forming in her eyes, Olette closed hers last and felt she was going in a zen, in the darkness of the zen, she found two figures with their hands in the middle, the Replica with his face more hidden. Ken, who looked dimmer and to her surprise, a third hand, leading to a black haired girl in dark clothes, looking depressed and that she was about to cry.

Olette opened her eyes in shock and saw that girl, the boys image looked back to normal, yet the black haired girl saw something odd and looked directly at Olette. The brown haired girl gasped and approached her. "You're Xion?! Oh... my..." Xion shy greeted herself. "Hey... this actually worke-" Glomp!

Olette embraced her on an instinct, giving the girl something she longed for, Ken's mouth dropped. "Can't believe that worked." He smiled to the Replica, who's mouth was forming to a smile of his own. Xion hugged Olette back and felt a tap on the back, in a few moments, the girls let each other go. Olette frowned in guilt of something she had no knowledge of what she did. "Xion, I'm sorry that I pushed you away like that. If I known you were there, I wouldn't have ignored you like that."

The black haired girl let Olette know it was fine. "That wasn't your fault, you don't have to apologize." She hugged Olette again, happy that she made a new friend, Ken felt an idea coming as the Replica asked. "Do you think that can work again?"

The boy wondered. "Maybe, Olette had to trust me on this one. I'm not sure if this could work again." The brown haired girl heard that and asked him. "I might be able to pull some strings with Hayner and Pence, do you mind helping out after that thing is dealt with tomorrow?"

Ken vowed. "I will." He awkwardly asked. "Sorry I kind of been hiding her from you," Olette didn't mind and had a sarcastic smile. "I would have never figured it out if you didn't try to ask me out, did you do anything else?" Ken blushed and answered. "I only helped her out with a couple things, I swear. Just... could you hold off on telling Kairi and her friends until I get the chance, if Goofy and Donald haven't told them. I'm going to be in so much hot water."

Dupmic laughed to that. "No you won't," He looked to Olette as Xion let go. "But seriously, Olette, you have no idea how much this means for the both of us. Thank you for not freaking out." He asked Xion. "Now, where were we? Ah, this place."

He went to the dinosaur figures and whistled loudly on the most obvious one Xion would have wanted. "Oh, forget that, I don't got that much. Hey Ken," The one armed boy refused. "I'm you're friend, not a bank. I got to do some treasure hunting soon because of the expenses piling up."

Xion pouted as Dupmic shrugged. "Good point, thought I try." He apologized to Xion. "We're not going home with a Carnotaurus. Let's try looking for something a bit in the budget." The black haired girl sighed as and had a look as Olette shook her head at Ken. "I'm glad you put your foot down, but what else is there for them?"

The boy went to the shelves. "I'm going to look, they should be going home with good memories. Then we'll look for Crichton's Lizard."

Olette looked at a corner to the left, filled with lesser known dinosaurs and searched as Ken looked with her. She looked at the top shelf as Ken looked at the bottom, he found a puny raptor like figure worth little munny and found it an insult to a friend. "Eoraptor? Too small."

Olette agreed as Xion and Dupmic counted the dinosaur's on the right corner back, the boy in the hoodie whistled. "They have them all listed with the more known cretaceous dinosaurs being the biggest munny sink and some of the Jurassic ones aren't much cheaper. Hey Xion, look at this." The black haired girl noticed the grey strange lizard toy. "Allosaurus? Hmm. Maybe?" The Replica put the Allosaurus back. "It's the Jurassic T-rex, but maybe we can do one better."

Olette gasped at a red theropod with red scales, a grey underbelly and a primitive look, even compared to a dinosaur. "I don't believe it, they actually have it." She picked up the box. "Xion, is this what you're wanting to buy?" Xion went to have a closer look and read the name ou tloud. "Herrerasaurus?" She took the box. "Huh? What is a Herrerasaurus?" Dupmic answered. "It's one of the first theropods, most of the carnivorous dinosaurs like the Carnotaruus, Allosaurus and the T-rex could date back to this."

He looked at the price tag rather satisfied as Olette threw in her own knowledge. "It's a pretty interesting dinosaur and you won't know this thing exists. Kind of like how the Megalosaurus and Iguanadon were important to the discovery of dinosaurs, the Herrerasaurus was important to the dinosaurs evolution."

Xion blinked confused. "What are those two?" Dupmic sighed as Olette answered. "I'll tell you later. You think you want this?" Xion nodded. "Yeah, it sounds pretty cool." The brother approved of that. "It actually does," He thanked the duo. "This helps us forget that we almost got kidnapped by some creep we might have heard of," Olette nodded as Ken looked for a particular dinosaur, a spiky, four footed lizard much like the Nodosaurus, except with a round clubbed tail at the end. "Now that's done, here is ol Crichton." He and Olette saw the price tag and took out their munny pouch, acting like their night went back to normal.

At the front of the park.

Sora and Kairi were taken aback by what Goofy and Donald told them, the spiky haired teenager asked with his heart racing in anger and shock. "That Coachman tried to kidnap some kids?! Why?!" He stopped in sheer horror and insisted to Goofy and Donald. "On second thought, I don't want to know, not tonight."

The two understood that wholly and Donald answered. "Nothing good would have came out of that," Goofy nodded. "Luckily, those two kids had a friend get them out of that mess, giving us enough time to get there in time." Donald nodded back to him and heard someone sprinting behind them, a panicking Riku that shouted. "Did I just hear that?! What happened there?"

The duck sighed, "Their friend is pretty weird," the shield bearer added. "maybe dangerous. But once those two asked him to stop, it left without a fuss. Hiyuck." Riku nodded. "But who were those kids and what did their friend looked like?"

Goofy answered that. "A kid looking a little younger than you that was covering himself and a black haired girl in dark clothes. One of them had a pretty strange sword and the girl had a keyblade. Their friend..." Donald couldn't help but feel a familiarity. "Kind of looks like a red eyed Heartless, then it turned into a big dinosaur with a spiked tail."

Goofy felt the mentioned creature was a much larger problem. "It was only attacking the Coachman and his Heartless, he tried to get away until some witch in the shadows sent out some bugs after him."

Riku gasped. "Witch, tattered robes and a big hat?" He wondered. "Is Yurla even her real name?"

Kairi asked the two. "And where is she?" Donald sighed. "She disappeared without a trace." Sora tapped his foot and asked. "Do you know the kind of dinosaur that thing turned into?"

Goofy felt that wouldn't help. "I reckon it's a shapeshifter, but it kind of looked like an Allosaurus if it roars silently. It must have spent a lot of time at the Dinosaur ride." Sora and Riku felt that kind of form was familiar as Kairi asked. "It isn't important now, how are the kids?"

Goofy gave a rather serious frown. "Ken and Olette is keeping an eye on them and sorting something out. That Coachman wouldn't be trying that trick again."

The trio hoped not and Kairi sighed. "It takes quite a nerve to try and ruin the Park on this night." Sora shook his head. "It takes a spiteful heart to try something like that no matter when or where." The Princess agreed and gave him a small hug. "If he shows up again, we're kicking his butt."

Sora felt the burning anger in his heart subsiding as Riku nodded to Donald and Goofy. "Thanks for the warning. We only got a couple more hours left tonight, does Ken know those two?" The duo nodded and Riku signaled his friends. "Then we'll ask more from him. Come on, we know where they are heading." Sora and Kairi gave a firm. "Right." In unison and lead the way back to Tomorrow Land, Goofy and Donald kept a watch at the castle and left Riku take off with his friends.

At Tomorrow Land, in front of the Buzz Astro Blaster Ride.

Ken mimicked holding a pistol and fired nothing at a round sign while teaching Xion and Dupmic. "And if you do that, you'll get points." Xion was fascinated by that as the Replica thanked him and Olette. "This would get these worries out of our heads while you and Olette enjoy you're date without us getting in the way. We'll meet up after you finish Space Mountain."

The brown haired girl cringed at the words, getting in the way, tried to say something and watched Xion rush to the line, Dupmic followed with his bag of a particular toy. She pitied the two and looked at Ken with a depressed look. "Are you sure we should try that while watching these two?"

The one armed boy agreed with the contradictory plan. "We are kind of relying on Dupmic and Xion staying out in the open and avoiding anything looking like a dark alley, but they'll do it if they are done with that ride early. Then we'll keep a watch until they decide to leave. It's pretty scary business, but it needs to be done."

Olette agreed with that and felt her fist tightening. "I want to punch that Coachman in the face, Kairi told me that Sora got hit with a pretty bad case of depression after his first meeting with him." Ken cringed. "Because he watched the Coachman finish a messed up deal with a complete psycho and that deal involved corrupting kids into Heartless and selling them off. That's an evil that sounds hard to think about being possible." His eyes ignited into a fiery orange and he closed them to keep it under control. "And it makes me angry as well. Are we going to let this ruin the last of the day?"

Olette shook her head and saw the eyes opened back to brown, Ken agreed with the aura. "Not after how much fun we been having. We're going on that scify ride, we are going to use it as the ride to cap things off before we meet up with the others to see the fire works and whether that other thing happens or not, tonight isn't going to ruin it."

Olette approved and felt there was some emotions bottled up. "And if some ass hole tries to ruin it, you're going to stop that?" Ken blew out heated air and smiled fiercely. "I'm the guy that survived worse, they'll be scared of me." He lead to a large building resembling something of a ufo as he heard a familiar voice call. "Hey, Ken!"

The two turned around to find Sora, Kairi and Riku catching up, it looked like Sora was about to say something as Ken stood firmly and gave a military esc salute. "If it's about my friends, they are at the Astroblasters as we speak and I don't know how long it'll take for them to be done. They got the memo to not go near dark alleys as well." He broke out of the stance and asked. "Want to go through it again just to catch up with them?" Sora shook his head. "Not tonight, what's there names?"

Ken answered. "Dupmic, who is always under a hoodie and is the more serious of the two and Xion, who may or may not be easy to see because of her condition. Only some people can see her, least of all interact with her and it took a big trust exercise just to break that hold on one person." Olette nodded with a wide frown. "Xion is a nice girl, who could do something that terrible?"

Sora felt an odd, pained feeling in his chest and answered. "I don't know, but that sounds miserable." Kairi agreed and asked Ken. "How long have you known those two?"

The one armed boy answered. "Around a week. If you all try meeting them now, I'm not sure if my little trick would work again. It's all a bad timing." Riku asked. "It involved you three connecting each other's hearts and Olette trusting you enough to join in on that? That would take some effort to pull off and we don't know those two besides a pet of theirs not sounding normal." He sighed. "We'll try it some time after tomorrow. You better have what it takes to quell the drama."

Olette noticed Pence and Hayner talking about something, finding a convenience as she went to ask them about something, leaving the four remaining teenagers by themselves, Kairi looked at the place the two walked out of and wondered. "This ought to be the last ride before we settle down and think about this." She asked Ken with hints of payback. "So how did things go between you two?"

Ken answered unaware. "Me and Olette? She's fun to talk to and we were having a good time until... that happened. We helped fix this up a little for Xion and Dupmic as well. Oh, expect the two of us posting something silly one of these days," The unaware attitude wasn't what Kairi counted on and she asked curiously. "Silly... does this involve Zurg?"

Ken nodded and smiled like an annoying sibling, Sora and Riku had no idea what Kairi's intentions were, the spiky haired teen asked. "Huh?! What about him?" Ken answered with a temptation to laugh. "Zurg always relies on his technology to get out of sticky situations and whether he is imprisoned or not won't matter if he escapes again. Banishment to a world far beyond the reaches of technology or time would be appropriate to make sure he never rises again."

Riku connected it together, imagined the scenario and burst laughing. Olette returned with Pence and Hayner, finishing explaining something. "I'll try to tell you more tomorrow, but for now, just keep an eye on Dupmic and if you see anything strange, yell."

Hayner dropped his over confident attitude and nodded. "We'll make sure nothing happens to those two and if that freak tries to touch them again, I'm kicking him in the face." Pence nodded more tense. "Yeah, those kinds of people are not welcomed here."

Riku stopped the laughter and approved. "We actually do want you make a scene if the worst happens. If that Allosaur monster or that witch show up out of nowhere once, they'll do it again." Sora wondered. "Why did she try to hide her name?" He shook his head and lead to the ride. "Come on guys, lets go."

At the Land of Departure.

Aqua returned from the castle and yawned, finding Mickey setting up camp and waving Wanda a good night. The General was on her Gryphon. "Rest well, for it's going to be an early morning. Let's go Stalwing."

The Gryphon cawed and took flight, leaving Mickey with a bonfire, the mouse turned and waved. "Hey Aqua, it's also getting late, are you sure you want to keep staying up this long?" Aqua nodded. "Until Sora and the others get back here, if it isn't long after midnight, I won't have a reason to go look for them. Ven is resting on a regular schedule and the Realm Gate wore Ana out." She felt an odd spark of heat ignite in her heart, feeling a slight radiate sense of justice complimenting it, she looked around and approached the bonfire. "I'm in for quite a morning."

She sat down as Mickey agreed with that. "Were all in for quite a day. Hopefully, it won't be nearly as bad as the last time this happened."

Aqua nodded with a fierce memory. "The Black Legion blowing up a whole world wasn't what I wanted to come back to. I guess this is kind of a reverse of that, I spent so much time traveling in the Realms that at best, I met a few people that were doing something mutual or at worst, I was passing by." She looked forward to seeing old acquaintances once more. "Maybe this time, we'll get to actually know them. The people of the Realm's are fierce fighters, I promise you that. So Halvek might do a little more than just give us the orb, the Kharadron Airships are not like the things you have seen."

Mickey counted on that. "If they are going to bring them across, didn't you say Halvek had a deep connection to them?" Aqua nodded. "The Ironclad, Ol' Bountiful gave him some nostalgia while the Aerial Ultilizer is a frigate that I think was built not long before I showed up. You might see just why and why they aren't just for show, if kept alone, one of them can wipe out a small army. Together... mmhm." Mickey whistled. "Wow, they sound like they are ready to go to war."

Aqua corrected him. "Actually, because of the kind of place they live in, they need all the self defense they can get while they go harvest this aether gold they need. That's why I doubt they are going to stay for too long, they are a cloud mining company first and an actual army second." Mickey had memories of a particular friend of his. "Maybe a professional should try and negotiate with them, just in case." Aqua guessed who. "Uncle Scrooge?! I suppose he could come along with this, where is he right now?"

Mickey felt it was at the last minute and answered. "He should be at the park, he is in charge of the costs and management." Aqua decided on something as a valkyrie like gummi ship arrived in sync. She noticed and waved. "I should get going right now before, will they let me in if it is an emergency?"

Mickey took out an emblem of his symbol and tossed it to her. "With this, they will." The gummi ship opened her door and gave a signal to the resting silver gummi ship that she had the honors, Aqua thanked the ship. "Nice timing Bryn, I guess you got a little bored and followed?"

She saw a blue light answering yes and asked Mickey. "I won't be gone long, will you be okay here?" The mouse gave Aqua a thumbs up. "This place will keep safe on my watch. Good luck."

The Keyblade Master stepped in and found the screen showing a simple pair of eyes and a smile, she took a seat and asked. "Thanks for the help Bryn, let's try to make this subtle so the others won't notice." A relaxed face flickered with signs of fingers keeping a mouth closed. The door closed and the ship was ready to take off.

In a line with in a clean, futuristic building.

Sora and Kairi were in the front as Riku, Olette and Ken were behind them. The keybearers felt uneasy about being in such a place and Olette asked. "The last time you were in a place like this, things didn't go so well?"

Riku shook his head. "The last space station tried to eat us and its owner was over the edge and Ken's trip into two others, nearly cost him his life and one of those two cost him an arm." The one armed boy nodded as Sora tried to lighten the mood. "Come on guys, this place is nothing like it."

Kairi agreed with that. "It just brings back some bad memories. But that will go away once we are on the ride, I heard the atmosphere is at its best during the night." Ken asked. "Because space is dark and it would be like that." He snickered as they reached the end of the line, Sora and Kairi taking the furthest seat to the front, Riku took the middle, while Ken and Olette took the rear one. In a few moments, the carts made their journey into the hall way of a space station, seeing two of the employees dressed up as astronauts and giving safety instructions.

The group had a sense of adventure returning and felt the cart take a turn to the right. Going into a flashing tunnel that sucked any lingering trauma from past shuttle experiences and guided them to an upward slope. Surrounded by swirling stars leading to a rift. Olette realized what was happening and smiled wide. "We're about to be launched deep into outer space." The rest of the group realized that was the gimmick of the ride, they were out of the tunnel and surrounded by darkness and stars, like they were in the void of space. A voice counted down. "Three, two, one, lift off!"

WOOSH!

The cart dropped down a barely visible path and made a quick turn among an endless sea of stars, turning the wonder into screams of joy, sailing across the stars in twists, downs and ups. Going on for what seemed for ever, sense of depth was gone and exhilarating wind blew. They saw a form of reality returning as the cart slowed and heard the sound of a ship landing. They found themselves returning to the station, Sora was overwhelmed. "Wow, that was out of this world."

Kairi and Riku laughed to that as Olette agreed. "That was a way to finish the night." Ken was almost speechless and inhaled. "...Not quite."

He pulled his phone from a storage pouch. "We got one more hour before we call the night over." He took a deep breath as Riku asked. "That's when the biggest fire works show comes to see off the day and the park really does start to close. It's a good thing most of us have the stuff waiting for us when we get out."

The cart stopped and the group got out as Kairi was looking forward to the finale. "I'm sure Master won't be too upset that we been gone for this long." Riku whistled. "I'll get the camera since you four might be busy." Ken and Olette blushed as Sora knew quickly what his friend meant. "You too?!"

Kairi nodded. "Fraid so," The five went out of the station and back to the front of Tomorrow Land, the trio of the islands found a hooded boy saying something motivating to Pence and Hayner. Ken and Olette gave a parting and went to join the boys of Twilight Town. Riku felt nothing too suspicious and guessed. "I think I know who might be responsible for this kind of mess, but I'll check another day." He smiled with his teeth gritting. "I'll be having the video ready while waiting for the fireworks, once we get back to Main street, you two are on your own."

Sora and Kairi blushed at that knowledge and went the other path. The spiky haired boy grumbled. "Now everyone's saying it." Kairi agreed with that feeling. "It's getting annoying, do you want to know a secret that can make it stop?"

Sora was willing to listen, having mixed emotions in his head arguing, Kairi whispered. "I've been waiting for you to make that first move."

Sora's eyes jolted and he was more tongue tied. "R...Really?" Kairi nodded with an understanding frown. "That will be when you do it, not when these guys say it. Don't let them pressure you," She smiled sweetly. "okay?" Sora felt comfortable about the advise and answered. "I won't."

The two went to Main Street and found Goofy finishing giving a slight scolding to Max as a nervous P.J kept a distance. "With what happened, hiding an alley way is one of the most dangerous things you could do." Max hummed embarrassed. "Sorry, I didn't know that was what was happening." Goofy relaxed. "The corridors is how those bad people sneak around and they are always in the cover of darkness. Bet you're exited to see the big ones? Hiyuck?"

Max nodded and looked at the castle. "It's going to get good." P.J listened and had a camera ready. "Way ahead on ya buddy." Goofy noticed Sora and Kairi and waved. "Hey ya Sora, hey ya Kairi. You're here pretty early to get the best spots."

Sora waved back. "Hey Goofy, where did Donald go to?" Max kept quiet as Goofy answered. "He's spending some time with his nephews. Did y'all have a good time ere?" Kairi nodded. "We sure have." She saw a bench near the water. "Hey, let's try waiting over there."

Sora looked and found it comfortable enough, he gave a wave to Goofy. "We'll meet at the exit really soon." The duo sat on the bench and looked at the lit castle together, feeling like a whole day was well spent, they exhaled together and counted the minutes.

During the count down.

On a table that has two big soft pretzels and cups of cheese dip. Xion saw the Replica waving four people goodbye and felt warm in the heart, her brother sat on one side for the salty treat as she asked. "I can't believe we actually found a way."

The Replica agreed with that and felt his heart racing. "It took those two giving an idea and Ken trying an idea that silly, but someone that didn't knew you were there has finally saw you." He smiled wide. "And you made a new friend. That alone, was worth coming out here and becoming that close to meeting, him." His smile lessened to an ashamed frown. "I need to confront Riku. This can't keep going on forever, it likely won't fix anything, but it will keep the stress off my back." He tore a piece of pretzel and asked. "You had a good time? That one guy aside, I haven't seen you do anything but smile."

Xion nodded. "More than ever, let's try it again during a season." The Replica found that fair. "That would give me enough time to scrounge up some munny for this. Who knows what time would bring." The two bit into a piece of pretzel and counted down, Xion wondered. "But who sent that guy? Who told him we were here?"

The Replica thought of it. "Considering how Dad was trying to warn us about people like him, he and the Tzaangor are off the list since they allowed us to get this far. That leaves one possible suspect, we need to get to training back at the town for when we have to deal with that without Shadey bailing us out. I think him showing up was replacing one problem with another."

Xion still pitied the creature. "But that wasn't Shadey's intention, if it was, he wouldn't have quit." The Replica agreed with that. "But two more important people know he exists and that could be a danger for him. As powerful as he is, he isn't invincible, but where did he get that form from? The Keyblade I mean."

Xion shrugged. "All he turned into were animals... maybe Baldred showed him a trick. What dark secrets he have is exactly where it needs to be." The Replica snapped his fingers. "And I think it is something that forms the shadows into a weapon." He took a watch. "Forty minutes until we see the finale to the night. The very thing Baldred talks about is going to be tested once again." Xion agreed and watched. "They have been tested a lot lately, it would make him feel better if more of us tell him the truth in how he is right." The Replica agreed with that and counted down.

Thirty Nine minutes later.

Sora and Kairi looked at the fire work castle anxiously, they checked their phone to find it seconds before midnight and turned it off, like they were waiting for a spell to be broken. Lights lit up at the sides of the castle, signaling a finale. The castle lit in lights that complimented the shadows and fire works shot out, small ones at first, then more of a variety of color, drawing Kairi into the sight and distracting Sora for a moment. The boy reminded himself, looked at a distracted Princess and was certain of himself, he sneaked to the closest cheek and gave it a peck with his lips, Kairi was caught off guard and turned to find Sora backing away. Feeling like what he did was a mistake.

POP! POP!

More fire works gave Sora a chance to distracted himself, Kairi had a mischievous smile and sneaked to the boys cheek to return the favor. Peck!

She wrapped her arms around him in affection as the show was becoming wild, the boy wrapped his arms around her to return it, watching the finale to an eventful day finish together, feeling a bright light shining a path through the tides of chaos.