Chapter XXII- Traverse Town (Part 7)
"So then a beam of light shot out of my Keyblade and into the hole. There was a clicking sound and a gummi piece popped out as it disappeared."
"We also found another one on another world." Sora and Koga explained. Leon and the rest of the Traverse Town gang listened. They were
in a one room house they retrofitted into a small base of operations for them.
Leon was silent for a minute. "What did it look like?"
"Oh, I took a picture of it! Here." Koga said as he handed him a photo of the strange key shaped hole from Wonderland.
"Yep... they definitely found a Keyhole." Yuffie said.
"...Keyhole? What do you mean by that?"
"Every World has a Keyhole and they lead to the Heart of the World." Leon answered.
Koga blanched. "I thought the worlds have a molten metal core inside them?"
"No, Not the core of the World, the Heart."
"It's like your heart, the organ that gives you blood is different from the metaphysical Heart that makes up your being." Aerith said. "Worlds are just as alive as the people who live in them. The Heart is what gives the World it's life. And like how they consume people's Hearts, the Heartless use the Keyhole to consume the Heart of the World."
Koga felt dread when he thought of the implication, matching with what happened to his world as well as something Fairy Godmother said. "What happens to the world after that?"
"They fall apart and disappear." Cid said.
"You mean destroyed?" Sora asked concerned.
"No, the Heartless creates more of themselves by consuming Hearts. So if the Heart of a World gets consumed..."
Sora and Koga said nothing, feeling a sense of dread.
"What about the people?" Goofy asked, speaking up after being silent for so long with Donald.
Aerith shook her head. "What we know is really limited, but sometimes they end up on another world, most of the time they end up here, but sometimes they disappear as well."
"But the point is that the Keyblade can lock the Keyholes preventing the Heartless from consuming the World, and without access to the World's Heart, they will eventually leave the World for good."
"B-but there are so many worlds out there." Sora said nervously.
"You can't expect us to save them all can't you?" Koga said just as nervous as his brother. "I mean, we are 14 for crying out loud!"
"Yeah but the Keyblade chose you two for a reason." Donald said smiling at the two. "If you weren't strong enough for the job it wouldn't have picked you."
"Yeah, and we are already going around searching the worlds for our friends. It wouldn't hurt to also find the Keyholes as well." Goofy said.
The twin Keybearers smiled at their companions. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to try. "
Koga gave a nervous chuckle. "Sure save the worlds, fight the Heartless, find out friends. Piece of cake!"
"Ansem's reports might've been helpful but they were scattered among the worlds."
'Oh nice, another scavenger hunt' Sora thought to himself.
"Maleficent and her goons probably have them." Cid said.
"Who's Maleficent?" The group had a grim expression on their faces.
"She's a Witch and a no good, dirty, rotten motherf-"
"Cid!" Aerith said giving a angry glare. Cid cleared his throat.
"Um, what I mean to say was that she's the reason Heartless are everywhere."
"And the reason we lost our home nearly a decade ago." Aerith said.
"And the reason this town is crowded with so many different people." Leon said. "Don't take her lightly." The group nodded.
"Well wherever she is, there's no way she'll find our hideout!"
"You see? It's just as I told you." Maleficent said. She and Riku were standing just outside the 'secret' hideout of the so-called heroes. Maleficent gave a thin smile. "While you were toiling away trying to find your dear friends, they seem to have simply made new ones in your place."
Sora seemed to have said something making Donald angry. The twins laughed at Donald's antics. Riku looked at it all with a scowl on his face.
"They seem to value them and their needs far more than your own." Riku didn't answer but breathed harshly through his nose. Maleficent put a hand on his shoulder in what's supposed to be a comforting manner but came out rather cold.
"Do not worry, I will help you find your friends." She waved her staff and a dark portal opened. "Now let us be off." The witch went through first. Riku still stared at his 'friends', he then scoffed.
"Go on, go fool around for all I care. I'll find Kairi on my own." He was about to step through the portal when he heard barking. He quickly snapped his head and saw a large yellow dog run up right in front of him, he has a collar with the name Pluto on it. The white haired boy ignored Pluto and walked towards the portal, only for Pluto to bite the bottom of his pants. Riku glared at the dog who was interested in him for some reason. "What do you want mutt? Go away!" He growled as he stepped through the portal. Pluto whined looking at the portal then to Sora and Koga.
He then remembered what the King told him.
He made up his mind jumping into the portal to follow Riku.
Koga eyebrows furrowed in thought. "So does Traverse Town has a Keyhole?"
"Bingo kid." Cid said. "We found it a couple of years back but we hid it from the public eye. We don't want this place goin up in smoke as well so we put it behind a little puzzle that no heartless could consciously figure out on their own."
Suddenly they all heard a large bell ring. Leon and the gang looked out in fear.
"What was that?"
Cid put a hand to his face. "That... would be the puzzle."
"Quick, to the bell tower!" Leon shouted. Everyone nodded jumping into action and running out the door.
Yuffie turned to Cid who was panting already. "A little out of shape Cid?"
"Quiet girl!" He growled.
Koga ran up next to Leon. "So, what's the puzzle exactly?"
"You ring the bell on the bell tower three times in a row and the Keyhole will appear."
"Really, that's it?" Donald squawked.
"Why would a Heartless ever think to do that?!" Cid said.
"Good point."
They all made it to the Second District where there was a large crowd gathering in the plaza, they must've thought the bell was meant to bring them here.
"How are we supposed to get to the tower now?" Sora said looking at the mass of people.
"Over here!" Yuffie said leading them to a maintenance entrance to the top of the bell tower. They saw the rope to ring the bell exposed next to a pile of knocked down crates. There was no one there besides them.
"Who run the bell?"
"O-oh, that would be me..."
The group looked towards the boxes and saw a figure hiding behind them. Sora walked towards them slowly.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Quasimodo." The man said trying too remain hidden in the shadows.
"Well don't be afraid Quasimodo. I'm Koga and this is my brother Sora, we aren't gonna hurt you." Koga said walking up next to him. "We just wanna know why you rang the bell."
Quasimodo looked at them nervously. "W-well the bells reminded me of the ones I used to ring back at home. They made the most beautiful sounds and I wanted to know what these sound like and..."
Sora chuckled. "Hey, it's alright. But why are you hiding back there, come on out."
Quasimodo hesitated for a moment but then stepped out. He was a man with a hunched back, and a lump on his left eye. He wore a green shirt, black trousers, and blue shoes. He wasn't exactly the most good looking man.
"Look, it's not safe out here." Koga said coolly, trying to not spook him. "You should get back down with the other townspeople."
"You aren't bothered by my appearance?"
"Look, when you travel with faces like Donald and Goofy, you learn not to judge people by their faces." Sora joked. Quasimodo gave a small smile and nodded. Trusting these two, he climbed down the bell tower. Sora sighed and turned to the others. "Alright, so now what?"
"Now we gotta make the Keyhole show up so you two can close it." Leon pointed to the rope to ring the bells. Sora and Koga grabbed it. "Wait, before you ring it I have to warn you. Once the Keyhole is reveal, the Heartless are bound to go straight after it. If even one of them gets to it then its game over, do not waste time closing it."
The two nodded and rang the bell several times. The crowd around the district quieted themselves as they heard the ringing of the bells, some pointed up to the group that was on top of the tower. Suddenly, the water fountain at the other end of the district lit up. Water spouted from it and colored light sparkled with the water vapor making a rainbow. The mural on it glowed and revealed the shape of a Keyhole.
The crowd clamored to themselves, confused by what's going on. A Shadow sneaked by the crowd and appeared 5 feet in front of the Keyhole. It reached it's hand out to touch it.
It was then shot with a blast of blue energy. Koga gave a relived sigh. "That was close."
Scream then ran out. Heartless have begun spawning all around the district. Not only that but a Guard Armor like before appeared by the fountain staring menacingly over everyone.
"Everyone get out of the district!" Leon shouted as charged at the nearest Heartless. Yuffie assisted Leon, throwing ninja stars at the Heartless. Aerith and Yuffie helped evacuate the residents. Leaving Sora, Koga, Donald, and Goofy to take care of the Guard armor.
"This thing again?" Sora said.
"Don't worry, me and Donald got this!" Koga said. Donald nodded and the two of them unleashed a powerful dual Thundaga spell on it. The Heartless's metal frame shook and then collapsed in a heap.
"That was quick!" Goofy exclaimed.
"Yeah, too quick..." Donald narrowed his eyes.
The Guard Armor's body twitched then got itself back up but it changed it's placement of body parts. The Torso was upside down, it's hands hovered under it like legs, it's feet bent itself and acted like pincers, and the helmet lifted up showing the yellow Heartless eyes underneath.
Opposite Armor
"I guess third time's the charm..." Koga murmured.
The transformed Heartless dived at the group, scattering them. It then charged it's head and it slammed into Sora, making him fall on his knees. It's clawed feet slashed at Koga and he crashed into a wall. He managed to shoot a blast of Firaga before he got hit but it did little damage. Donald and Goofy stood in front of the Keyhole in defense. Goofy threw his shield at it but it was caught by the pincers. It threw the shield back at Goofy's face. Donald looked around and saw Koga struggling to get up. "Heal!" Donald shouted before he jumped out of a swipe.
Fully revived, Koga grabbed his Key gun and fired a barrage of magic attacks.
"FIRE, FREEZE, STRIKE!" He shouted over and over. The damage it was doing looked minuscule. Eventually his weapon sputtered out nothing, out of MP. "No, no come on!" He cried shaking it. An Air Soldier spotted Koga and struck the unsuspecting target. Koga took it out a second later but was hurt, as more Heartless stalked over their prey. "Donald, Goofy!" But the two were knocked out. Sora was still on his feet and jumped over to Koga's side.
"Koga, they Keyhole!" Sora pointed to the Opposite Armor getting closer to the Keyhole. The swarm of Heartless was blocking the twin's way to it. Leon and the other's were too busy to help, leaving them on their own.
"No, not this world!" Koga said. "We are not losing this world as well!"
"We need more help. But there's no one left!"
Koga jumped up with a surprised look. "I got an idea! But I'm not sure it will work."
"Koga, I trust you. If you have an idea do it!"
Koga nodded and reached into his backpack. He pulled out the two summon gems he got. "Listen, Bambi and Simba, I think that's your name. I know you can hear me. My name is Koga and I really need your help right now. Whatever happened to your home is happening again to this place. I want to help so can you please give me strength?"
The gems started glowing and flew out of his hand. In a flash of brilliant light two creatures emerged. One was a male lion with a long and wild mane, the other was a young fawn that radiated an energetic and playful nature. They looked around in confusion then their eyes were on Koga.
"Simba, Bambi. I know you lost so much but will you help us?" They two summons nodded, understanding the one that helped bring them back. Simba then noticed the Heartless that was coming towards them. He growled and gave a mighty roar. A blast of power came from the roar and obliterated the entire group of Heartless instantly. With the opening they all ran towards Opposite Armor. Bambi hopped on the Heartless's head, prancing around as a distraction. He also glow with a healing aura which revived Donald and Goofy. Koga felt himself get healed as well as his MP be refilled. A clawed hand lunged towards Bambi but Simba swiped at it with his own paw, breaking the limb. He unleashed his Proud Roar again and took out the other one. Koga jumped in and blasted the left pincer. Sora followed next and took out the next pincer. The enemy flipped it's torso around and used the end of it to charge up energy like a cannon. It fired a blast which Sora deflected back at it's head stunning it. Sora then jumped and did a spinning slice at the head finishing it. It released it's heart as it's body vanished.
There was no time to celebrate though. Sora quickly ran to the Keyhole and pointed his Keyblade at it. Just like he did before he sealed up this world's Keyhole. With their leader gone and the Keyhole inaccessible, the remaining Heartless fled.
The world was now safe.
HAVE FUN!