Sora, Donald, and Goofy were in the Gummi Ship. Sora was wearing his new outfit from Yen Sid, a mostly black and red jacket and pants with checkers on the lapels.
"Okay, where to?" Donald asked, but Sora still had his arms crossed behind his head in thought.
"Oh, come on. Would you get serious?"
"Gimme a break, okay? I told you. These things take time."
"Gawrsh, is it just me, or is this becoming a routine?" Goofy remarked, watching the scene play out again.
Just then, an unfamiliar melody began playing from somewhere.
"Huh? What?"
Everyone searched around them for the source of the sound, until Jiminy hopped onto Sora's shoulder and pointed at his pocket.
"It's comin' from you, Sora!" he said.
Sora shoved his hand into the pocket and found a square, palm-sized device with a screen. Near the bottom was a button with Mickey's symbol on it.
"Can you make it stop?"
"I don't know how. Maybe...this." Sora touched the green button on the screen, and a very familiar chipmunk appeared.
"Hooray! He picked up," Dale cried.
"Huh? Dale?"
"Hey, Chipper, I finally got him! Hurry up, Chip!" Dale shouted, and the other chipmunk leaped into the image.
"Well! It's about time," Chip said.
The two chipmunks appeared to be calling from the study of Disney Castle, and they explained in turns. "Ya gotta answer the phone, Sora, or we can't give ya updates. We got lots and lots of important stuff we want to tell ya!"
"That's why we asked Master Yen Sid to make sure you got this Gummiphone we made ya. So we'd be able to stay in touch with you at all times."
"And it takes pictures."
So this gadget was called a Gummiphone?
"Oh! You finally finished it," Jiminy chimed in cheerfully. "Say, with this Gummiphone, we can talk to each other across worlds. In fact, I might even try writing my journal on it."
"Wow! Sounds like it's pretty handy, guys." Sora inspected the Gummiphone closely. "So, what's so important?"
"Head on over here to the castle, Sora. Ienzo wants to talk to ya."
The group made their way back to Radiant Garden and entered the laboratory with the large computer. Riku and the King were there, too.
"Ah, Sora." Ienzo turned his attention from the computer. Even was standing beside him, and Chip and Dale were close by.
"Hey there!"
"We have been pouring over the data on my master's computer. The data has been encrypted, so we've only deciphered some of it," said Ienzo.
"Ansem's Code!" Dale cried out.
"Mm-hmm," added Chip. "We've been workin' our tails off tryin' to crack it and see what it says."
Mickey had the utmost faith in the chipmunks. "Were you able to learn anything that could help us?"
"We did find some intriguing data in the bit of code we deciphered."
Sora noticed Ienzo staring at him when he said that. "Is it about me?"
"Yes. We've discovered a very interesting passage."
I have discovered a unique heart inside of Sora's. It has resided in Sora's heart for a very long time—his entire life, in fact.
This is a truly astonishing discovery. While this heart has now melded with Sora—grown silent and indistinct—Sora retains the memories it. The memories have been compartmentalized—placed in their own "box," so to speak.
I surmise the heart can be awoken, provided that it is returned to the box that contains the correct memories. Unite the heart with its memories, and I believe this person can be made real again.
Ienzo summarized the report. "In order to piece your memories back together, our teacher, Ansem the Wise, took a close look at your heart. And what he found...is that your heart doesn't belong just to you."
"Yeah." Sora softly placed a hand on his own chest. "There's another heart inside mine. Ventus's heart. He's one of the missing Keyblade wielders we're looking for."
"Xemnas's other 'friend'?"
"Yeah. His heart was inside of Roxas."
"This is a truly astonishing discovery. It's incredible enough that you and your Nobody were able to coexist. If you share a heart...no wonder someone as remarkable as you caught Ansem the Wise's eye."
There was another pressing question on Sora's mind, so he decided to cut right to the chase. "So, there's something I gotta ask you. Is there a way for you guys to get Ventus's heart out of mine?"
Ienzo began to quote a passage from Ansem's report. "'Unite the heart with its memories and I believe this person can be made real again'."
Sora raised his head expectantly. "What does that even mean?"
It was now Even's turn to voice his thoughts. "I am not entirely sure. However, I do have a theory."
The trio glanced at each other, then looked at the scientist. "We're listening."
"Well, as you know, our original research focused on unlocking the mysteries of the heart. Master Ansem discovered that by traversing the heart, we have a direct path into memory. Our first experiment awakened Xehanort's sleeping memories. Master Ansem did so by probing the depths of his heart."
Sora, arms folded, nodded. This was what Even told him the last time, too. The next bit of information was new, though.
"When he went by the name of DiZ, he conducted more research. And what he found was that the process worked in reverse as well."
Riku and Mickey exchanged a meaningful glance.
"R-Really?" stammered Sora.
"Yes," replied the genius scientist. "Memories have the power to awaken a heart from its sleep. You could say they are...the key."
"The...key?" repeated Sora.
Riku knew what he meant.
"I keep trying to piece his memory back together, but what if some of the pieces got lost? There would be no way for me to finish. If that happened—and they found their way into someone else—he'd never get them back.
"Oh, I think he can do without a memory or two."
"But what...what if he needs those memories in order to wake up? What if they're the key?"
"Naminé said that your memories of Kairi were the 'key' for you to awaken. The Organization was preventing them from returning to you. DiZ said that's why you were asleep for so long. Your heart needed those memories in order to wake up."
"That's why I had to fight Roxas," Riku added.
Sora wasn't sure he was following. "So then...Roxas was holding onto my memories while I was asleep?"
Riku nodded, though he wore a bit of a frown. He thought back to his confrontation with Roxas. "Yeah. And I had to fight him in order to return those memories to you. I thought I was just doing what I had to do, but...now I'm not so sure."
Even then interjected himself into the conversation. "Special Nobodies, like those of us who were in the Organization, retained the memories of our human lives. Thus, we also had the ability to awaken a heart. I knew it when I was sent to Castle Oblivion. When I stood in front of the mansion in Twilight Town, the place Roxas was first born. Suddenly I... I remembered."
"No, thank you, for keeping Ienzo out of harm's way. And... Well, let's say I have a feeling we are destined to cross paths again."
"Many years ago, when we were both still human, Ienzo had run off during one of our study sessions. That in itself was nothing unusual. But, there were strange monsters in town that day. I will never forget. I was beside myself with worry. I came to find that a peculiar young boy had saved Ienzo. And he looked just like Roxas, your Nobody."
Sora knew exactly who that had to be. "Ventus..."
This was Ienzo's first time hearing about that day from Even's point of view. As a child, he always used to resent Even for being so strict. But he understood now. All his scolding...it came from a place of love.
"This place was created solely from another side of your memory. It is on the other side of your heart that the memory of this place exists. It is your heart that remembers."
"After losing my heart, I became engrossed in my research once again. Before I knew it, my scientific findings were all I cared about. But then I arrived in Castle Oblivion and met you, Sora. The Keyblade Hero who took such seemingly foolish actions. Yet, unlike me, you were guided by your heart. Thanks to you, I remembered how I felt about Ienzo. That was the key. I began to feel."
Sora felt a little flustered. After all, he didn't remember anything that happened in Castle Oblivion.
"So. Nobodies can have hearts," Riku stated matter-of-factly.
Sora agreed. He remembered what Xigbar told him back in the Sleeping Worlds.
"Aren't hearts great? Steer us wrong every time."
"You know, right, because you all have hearts! Axel and Roxas and Naminé, and that other girl. I felt what Roxas felt and...they laughed together, got mad, and they grieved. You have to have a heart to cry."
"It's about time you noticed."
Riku continued musing. "After being betrayed by his apprentices, Ansem the Wise hated all Nobodies. He didn't want to believe that they really had hearts. After exploring Sora's memories, he must've realized that they did. And if that's the case, that knowledge interfered with his desire for revenge. He knew, but didn't want to accept it. He needed Roxas gone so Sora would wake up and destroy Organization XIII for him."
Mickey was beginning to make sense of Ansem the Wise's actions. "I get it! This data was his way of clearing his conscience! While Sora slept, he left the truth of the heart inside of him."
Riku recalled one of the last things DiZ said to him.
"Naminé, Roxas, and Xemnas… The Nobodies of those with strong hearts are peculiar beings. My—that is, our theories proved fruitless. Coming into contact with a strong heart transforms a world. And not just worlds, but people themselves—and even Nobodies."
"That's the mystery of the heart," he said. "Memories have the ability to awaken a heart. In Replicas, and even Nobodies."
"Gawrsh," said Goofy. "That reminds me of our time in the Datascape."
Donald nodded. "Yeah. Pete said he was just an empty shell. But Data-Sora had a heart, didn't he?"
"That's right!" Goofy added enthusiastically. "It's 'cause we remembered our friendship with the real Sora!"
The mouse-king was smiling. "Data-Sora wasn't just data anymore—he became a part of your heart, Sora."
Riku recalled the last words of his Replica. "My Replica could feel, too. He was a part of my heart." I could...feel his pain...
Even folded his arms and nodded confidently. "Yes. Memories. They are the key. All a heart requires to be awakened is that 'spark'—a special memory that can create a powerful enough tremor to stir it from its sleep."
Sora recalled how Roxas attacked him, not long after Axel sacrificed himself and he arrived in The World That Never Was.
His heart must have woken up inside me. But...now it's back to sleep.
Sora and Ventus's situation had a lot in common with Terra and Xehanort's.
Even glanced at the chair Xehanort once sat in a decade ago. "If Master Ansem was able to restore Xehanort's memories by probing the shadows of his heart, could we not do the same for the memories sleeping inside of Sora?"
Mickey sighed and shook his head, remembering what Naminé said in the Datascape:
"One day, Sora will have to call them to the surface. They're important memories...but very dangerous ones.
"Dangerous how?"
"These memories are too painful. Handled the wrong way, they could damage Sora's heart—even break it. I needed you to find a way to face that kind of hurt. That's why I left the message."
"Those memories are dangerous. Any attempt to awaken them could prove as dire for Sora as what caused him to become a Heartless in the first place."
"Oh... I guess that won't work then...," said Sora.
Goofy placed a hand on his shoulder.
Everyone was now back on the Gummi Ship.
Sora held out the Gummiphone in front of him. "Well, thanks for the information, Ienzo. You've been a great help. Really."
"We'll keep investigating based on Even's hypothesis. I'll be in touch."
The screen switched back from Ienzo to Chip and Dale.
"Okeydokey, we'll give you fellas a ring if there's anything else. Remember, me and Chip, the guys at Radiant Garden, and King Mickey and everybody are never far away," Dale said, and then the screen of the Gummiphone went blank.
Donald and Goofy then looked over at Sora.
"I have to save Ventus," Sora whispered to himself, staring at his phone. He raised his head to face whatever was coming next. "The others are following Aqua's heart, so I'll follow Ventus's heart!"
Donald and the others nodded enthusiastically at the idea.
"Trust the guidance that your heart gives ya, Sora. That's what Master Yen Sid said," Goofy agreed with a smile.
"Where to?" asked Donald.
In answer, Sora summoned his Keyblade and pointed it at the Ocean Between. "Oh, that's easy."
In the distance, the two bells on the famous station clocktower were ringing to let the townsfolk know the exact time. Sora and his friends walked down the hill from the station to the plaza.
"Oh, cool! The trams are still here." Sora took off running after it, much to Donald's displeasure.
"Sora, it hasn't been that long."
"Feels like it," Sora said uncertainly.
To him, it really did feel like long ago. Long, long ago—and yet not long ago at all.
Then Goofy said, "Maybe you're feelin' what Roxas feels because he misses home."
Oh yeah. This feeling might belong to Roxas.
"Actually, I ran into Roxas in the Sleeping Worlds," Sora replied.
"But it really has to be you."
He remembered what Roxas had said to him.
"It was like…seeing into his heart for the first time." Sora had felt so many emotions from the Roxas in his heart—so much regret.
Donald and Goofy had some memories of him, themselves.
"And he was in the datascape, too."
"Uh-huh. It was a test to see if your data version was ready to face the hurt that you carry inside."
"Was I ready? I do know hurt," Sora asked as he slowly opened his hands and stared at his palms. "When I lost Riku and Kairi, and later when I lost the Keyblade, and you guys had to go on without me like that… Having no one to turn to was the worst kind of hurt. But that just shows how much you mean to me. Carrying around a little hurt can't be all that bad. Hurting is part of caring."
Sora gazed at his two friends, while Donald and Goofy shared a look.
"He sounds like Data-Sora."
"Of course. Any Sora's still Sora."
The two of them smiled.
"So wait... If Roxas feels something, then we're in the right place!" Sora exclaimed, renewing his promise.
But then...
Do you seek our liege?
Sora heard a strange voice, and he gasped and spun around.
"Nobodies!" He got his Keyblade ready to fight the white creatures weaving toward him, and the battle that followed was quick.
Was that voice...really a voice at all? It was more like someone talking to me in my mind.
"Sora! This is no time for daydreaming!" Donald quacked angrily as he fired off spells.
"Sorry!"
"Be careful, Sora." Goofy knocked Nobodies away with his shield.
Sora nodded, then ran over to the last one and struck it with his Keyblade. It's still bothering me, though... "Hmm... What was that voice? I know I heard it." The fight may have been over, but Sora was still puzzled.
Donald and Goofy glanced at each other.
"I didn't hear it."
"You sure it wasn't the wind? Or somethin' else?"
Sora lapsed into thought. "I'm pretty sure..."
Suddenly, they heard more voices, and these were definitely real.
"Where'd they come from?!"
"Get the ice cream later!"
"What? Hold up!" Sora raised his head— "See? Voices!" he said while his two friends just looked at him with concern. He quickly realized these voices weren't the same, though, and turned around. "...New ones?"
Hayner, Pence, and Olette were running toward them with a pack of Heartless hot on their heels.
"What is that!?" shouted Goofy.
"Heeey! Sora! Hello, good-bye," Hayner shouted as he and the other two ran past the trio.
Sora planted himself in the path of the Heartless and yelled back, "Go! We got this."
Donald and Goofy prepared for battle, too.
Nobodies, and now Heartless?
The horde of Shadows congealed into a black current that hurled itself at the three of them. Sora blocked the attack with his Keyblade, but the force almost knocked him over. The Heartless used this opportunity to turn sharply in another direction, but Donald had a spell waiting for them. When the swarm was stunned, Sora and Goofy charged in and scattered it. After a few rounds of this, the Heartless were dealt with for good.
"Nice fightin'! Thanks, Sora," said Hayner. His two friends were with him, too.
"Hayner, Pence, Olette," Sora called. "It's been ages!"
"What? It hasn't been that long." Hayner shrugged.
Donald looked up at Sora. "Ya see?"
Really? It really feels like it's been forever, though, thought Sora.
"Donald! Goofy! How are ya?" Olette said with a smile.
"We're good," Donald replied.
"Howdy there, Olette."
Pence jumped in the mix with excitement. "So does this mean weird stuff's going down again?"
"You kidding, Pence? When have we ever seen a tornado of shadowy blobs before? It's not weird. This is underprecedented!" Hayner claimed, also worked up.
"Hmm, I guess it is. The creatures from the last time were bright white. These things must be new. Man, I can't wait to get to sleuthin'." Pence's interest was definitely piqued.
"We're already done with the school project, silly," Olette chided, then turned to look at Sora and his friends. "Whatever's going on, you wouldn't be here without a good reason."
"Which is?"
"Well, actually, we're looking for Roxas," Sora replied to Hayner.
"Roxas?" Olette repeated.
Hayner paused to think for a moment. "That's funny... I don't know any Roxas, but the name sounds familiar."
"Maybe we bumped into him somewhere," Pence offered.
"Uh...that's one way to put it," said Donald.
As Donald considered how to fill them in, Goofy began rummaging in his pocket and pulled out a photo. "Actually, he mighta been friends with another version of ya." He held it out to them, showing Hayner, Pence, Olette, and Roxas in front of a haunted mansion.
"This photograph..." Olette whispered.
"Yeah," Pence added. "We've got the same one." The photo he pulled out was identical—except for the fact that Roxas wasn't in it.
That was enough for Hayner to put two and two together. "Oh yeah! The other Twilight Town!"
Pence had hit upon the same idea. "It's like one of those 'spot the difference' puzzles...except really easy. I guess in that town, we're friends with this 'Roxas' person."
"Sora, let us help you track Roxas down," Hayner offered while Pence and Olette nodded in agreement. "He seems like a pretty cool guy," he added with a grin, looking at the photo.
"Yeah. He is," Sora agreed happily.
"Great. Then let's all go ask around town. If alternate-us knew Roxas, then maybe alternate-other folks did, too," Pence suggested to Hayner and Olette.
"Mm-hmm. Sora, you three should go to that place in the photo. It's the old mansion. The three of us'll cover places in town," Olette said.
"Thanks," Sora replied with a smile. "Oh yeah!" Remembering something else, he dug around in his pocket. "I got this phone thingy that takes pictures. Want to snap a photo while we're all here?"
Sora pulled out the Gummiphone.
Goofy took the picture, which was ultimately a somewhat silly one of Sora, Hayner, Pence, and Olette with a very grumpy Donald in the middle. Sora still thought that it would make a nice way to remember their visit, though.
"Okay, we'd better start asking around," said Hayner. "You start by checking out the old mansion. We'll catch up."
"Got it," Sora answered. With that, the trio set off for the mansion.
Although they had no memory of meeting Roxas, there did seem to be a connection between them. That photo probably represented an important memory for Roxas. Perhaps if they just went to the place it was taken, his heart would wake up.
The old mansion lay beyond an underground conduit found on the outskirts of town—and there were Heartless everywhere. Sora and his friends fought their way through, then stepped out into the woods.
"Things are a bit different than last time."
"Really?"
Everything about the place reminded Sora of Roxas. It's all so familiar—and I don't think it's just because Roxas was in the other Twilight Town. I think he was in this version, too. Maybe.
Meanwhile, Sora, Donald, and Goofy had finally arrived at the mansion. The gate wasn't locked. As he looked up, Sora thought he saw one of the curtains move.
Who is it? Who's up there in that room? I can't remember.
A strong sense of nostalgia overcame Sora—the same as when he picked up the trophy gem and held it up to the sun.
"Whaddaya think, guys? This place is even creepier than I remember," he commented.
Goofy agreed. "Well, they do say that this mansion is haunted."
Just then, a hand clapped down on Sora's shoulder. "Hey there!"
"Ahh!"
"Wak!"
"Yaaa-hoo-hoo-hooey!" Sora, Donald, and Goofy all screamed in unison.
The hand belonged to Hayner, as it turned out.
"Thanks for the heart attack!" Sora shouted.
"Oh, what? Did I scare you?" Hayner teased.
Donald bristled at the very idea. "Not a chance!"
"Our bad," Olette said, smoothing things over a bit.
"So what's up? Do we have any leads on Roxas?" Hayner asked impatiently.
Sora shook his head, holding his hand on his heart. "No... But he might be in the other Twilight Town..."
Hayner looked up, filled with determination. "Well then. This old mansion is our last hope."
"You guys ready?" Olette asked.
"Another Twilight Town awaits!" Pence declared.
Sora looked up at the mansion and nodded. "Yeah."
Inside, the place was as dusty as ever. They went up the steps and to the right to the room at the end of the hall.
"Here we go!" Sure enough, the steps to the underground computer room were still there. Pence dashed over to the computer and sat down in front of it.
As usual, nothing on the monitor made any sense whatsoever to Sora, but he could at least tell the thing worked. Pence had been in charge of all the techy stuff last time anyway.
"The password was...uh, 'sea-salt ice cream,' right?" Pence muttered to himself as he entered the code. "Okay, I'm in. Let's get the transporter working…"
Fortune wasn't on their side, however, as the text on the monitor flashed red and an error alert sounded.
Pence tried several times with no luck. "Oh man. The transporter's been protected."
"Protected from what?" Sora looked at Pence's hands.
"I guess from us? We can't use it to get to the other Twilight Town."
"Why not? It worked before! We sent Sora there!" Hayner pressed.
"Well that was then, and this is now."
"And there's no other way?" Olette asked dejectedly.
"None that I know."
What if we never find a way to get to Roxas's Twilight Town? Sora looked up sadly at the indecipherable text displayed on the monitor. "Great."
Suddenly, the Gummiphone in his pocket started ringing with an incoming call. He punched the green button again, and there was Ienzo.
"Hello, Sora," said Ienzo. "You wouldn't happen to be in front of a computer?"
"Huh? Well...yeah. But, how'd you know that?" he asked.
"I was tinkering with Ansem's computer—you know, to decrypt the code that was left in it? And I noticed that someone had logged in from another terminal. I figured it might be you."
"Oh! Yeah, the log terminal." Sora figured it was better to just say yes to whatever Ienzo was saying.
"You don't know what he said," Donald cut in.
Sora leaned in close to him. "Oh, and what, you do?" he shot back.
"I know I haven't got a clue," Goofy joked amiably from off to one side.
Ienzo realized this was going nowhere and chuckled. "Then, uhhh...who was it that logged in?" he asked.
"Oh, hi there. This is Pence," Pence called as Sora turned the Gummiphone toward him. "I'm the one who logged into the computer."
"Good. As long as it's a user that we know we can trust." Ienzo sounded relieved to finally have a grasp on the situation, especially since Sora and his usual crew weren't exactly up to the task.
"Yup. But, I'm kind of stuck here. One of the programs is protected, so...I can't run it."
"Which program?"
Hayner jumped into the conversation. "The transporter to the other Twilight Town! It's the only way to find Roxas. You gotta help us."
Hayner's shouting startled Ienzo somewhat, but he quickly gained his composure. "Another Twilight Town? And a 'transporter'? Okay… A virtual town inside the computer, made of data. Maybe I can do something. Pence, let's get a network set up. My address here is…"
Pence started typing as Ienzo gave instructions through the Gummiphone. Sora's eyes glazed over as he watched him do…whatever it was he was doing.
"Okay, sharing is enabled."
The words snapped him to attention just as boredom was seriously setting in. "Huh? Were you able to fix it?"
"Now that our two computers have been successfully networked together, I can take control of the terminal there and change the privileges…"
But Sora only had one thing at the forefront of his mind. "So we'll be able to go inside the datascape to look for Roxas?"
"Well, no. In order for me to access it, the computer in Twilight Town is now connected to the transporter here in Radiant Garden."
Sora and Hayner hung their heads in an exaggerated manner. "Awww..."
"There is some good news, though."
"Really!?"
"Yes. For the virtual world to be completely realized, Ansem the Wise would've included the real Twilight Town's full data in the construction. Meaning, somewhere on your machine there's a log of data that contains a near-perfect record of the memories of those who lived there, including Roxas's."
"Okay. Great! I can't computer, so…do that!"
Ienzo smiled at Sora's enthusiasm. "Glad you're following along. Don't worry, we'll handle it. Chip and Dale will be helping me out here on this end. I'll call you back as soon as we know anything more," he said, ending the conversation.
"Thanks," Sora replied, ending the call. Then he turned his attention to the others.
"So we can't do anything?" Hayner was sounding even more agitated.
"Calm down, Hayner," chided Olette. "Sora's done everything he can for now. We just have to wait."
"Oh no! We got work! I totally forgot," Hayner exclaimed in a sudden panic, whirling around to leave. "Later, Sora!"
"Yeah. See ya, Hayner!" he said as he stormed off in a rush.
"Bye, Donald! Goofy!"
"Good-bye!" the two waved at Olette.
And then Sora, Donald, and Goofy left the computer room, too.
"So can we leave you in charge of things here?" Sora asked.
"Sure, no problem!" Pence replied energetically, and then Sora, Donald, and Goofy left the computer room, too.
"Computers really are something," Sora muttered.
"Yeah, we don't know the first thing about 'em," Goofy agreed.
"Good thing we had Pence here to help out!"
"Yeah," said Donald as the three of them walked outside.
It's so bright. How did it feel the last time we left this place?
Sora, Donald, and Goofy approached the gates.
"So, you think you can bring Roxas back?" a voice called to them from behind. And the voice belonged to none other than—
"Ansem!"
Ansem was leaning against one of the gate posts, watching them. A Corridor of Darkness opened next to him, and someone else stepped out.
"Xemnas!"
"Roxas should never have existed in the first place. What you seek is impossible." Xemnas was being cryptic, but there was no denying his malicious intent.
"Roxas does exist," Sora protested. "His heart's inside my heart."
"And in the unlikely event you did manage to separate the two," Xemnas replied, "where is it you think you can put his heart?"
Sora didn't exactly have an answer for that. "Well..." He looked unsurely at the grass.
Luckily Goofy was there to keep Sora's hopes up. "Ansem and Xemnas used to be part of the same person, right?" he mused. "But look. Now they exist separately just fine. If they can do it, I don't see any reason why you and Roxas can't find a way."
"Oh...yeah!" Sora struck a triumphant pose.
Donald couldn't resist cheering, either. "Yeah! You tell 'em, Captain Goofy!"
Sora and Donald went back to glaring at Xemnas and Ansem.
"In that case, by all means," said Ansem.
"Nothing would please us more than Roxas's return, of course," Xemnas continued.
"You wish. He'll never answer to you again."
They could think whatever they wanted. Roxas was no longer a pawn in their little games, Sora was sure—not while Roxas had friends now. Not while he had bonds.
Unfazed, Xemnas pointed at Sora. "Still so blind. A Nobody is what's left behind when one gives his heart to darkness. There is only way to bring Roxas back, which is for you to give your heart up as well. Sora, have you finally decided to call upon the darkness?" he asked.
"What?" Sora bit his lip, unable to find a reply. Is he right? Can I not bring him back without giving my heart to the darkness? It's just— There has to be some other way.
"Go on, then. The shadows are never out of reach," Ansem sneered, just as Heartless arrived on all sides of Sora.
Meanwhile, Xemnas summoned Nobodies with a slight wave of his arm.
"Now, set your heart free," the two villains said in unison, taking their leave through a Corridor of Darkness.
"Wait!" Sora started to go after them, but Goofy shouted his name.
"Sora!" His two friends were surrounded by Heartless and Nobodies.
Sora stopped and got his Keyblade ready for action. "It's not darkness. Not if it helps him!" Sora charged into yet another battle, but his thoughts were racing as he swung his Keyblade.
The most important thing is— Sora took a heavy breath, dismissing the Keyblade now that the fight was over.
"Herc said... He said, 'With all my heart,'" Sora said softly. Hercules had mentioned a desire to help someone. "Okay. Then all my heart it is. I'm getting Roxas out." He turned to his friends. "Are you with me, Donald? Goofy?"
"You betcha!" the two said with a grin.
"I don't know what Ansem and Xemnas want, but I think we'd better tell the others to watch out."
The mansion was an important place now, and there was no telling what kind of trouble it could invite on the town. The three friends headed back toward the more populated area just to be safe.
"Hey! Guys!"
"Hayner! Pence! Olette!" Their three friends from Twilight Town came running up to join them.
"Oh! Right. I need to warn you guys."
"Why?" Hayner asked meekly.
"Well, those creepy-crawly things might come back for more, so stay on your toes."
"Sure, but don't we have you guys to take care of 'em for us?"
Hayner was laughing, but Olette seemed worried. "You have to leave again?"
"Yeah," Sora said with a nod. We have to go—but we'll be back. "Sorry. Just do me a favor..."
"Well, what is it? Don't make it too tough," Hayner warned him with a shrug.
"I know how Roxas feels. To be lost. But Donald and Goofy...Kairi...brought me back by wishing with all their hearts. So...I was hoping the three of you would do the same and wish for Roxas."
"What? That's it? That's no favor. We'll all wish. I'm wishin'." Hayner grinned, and Olette bobbed her head.
"Thanks," Sora said with a soft smile. That's right. If you want to wish someone back, one person isn't enough. You need everyone to want it with everything they have. I'm sure we can bring Roxas back. Positive.
Meanwhile—two shadowy figures were coldly observing Sora and his friends with hardened stares from the roof of a building overlooking the bistro: Ansem and Xemnas.
Shortly after, Xigbar emerged from a Corridor of Darkness behind them. "Aren't you making it a little too obvious?" he said.
"We were instructed to guide him," Xemnas replied.
"Yes... Just look at them," Ansem agreed, still watching the scene. "They wouldn't get far if we did not spell it out."
"Fair enough. But let's not forget how many times Sora still managed to rain on our parade." Xigbar still had his doubts; they couldn't be too careful.
Ansem's mouth twisted into a smirk. "If he wavers from the path we lay, we destroy him."
"But in that case...we'll have to find ourselves another vessel." Xigbar barked a laugh. Another vessel..., he says, as if it's nothing.
Just one piece of their grand, far-reaching plan.
"That is why we never have just one iron in the fire," Xemnas replied matter-of-factly.
The three of them returned to watching the smiling group down below.
Everyone was now back in the Mysterious Tower. Sora stood in front of the old wizard, hoping to report everything he learned.
"Hrm. The Key to Return Hearts," said Yen Sid, pondering everything he was told.
"Even and Ienzo think it might be important memories," Sora explained.
Goofy added to the recap. "Ienzo is gonna try and analyze the data in the virtual Twilight Town to see if he can gain access to Roxas's memories. That way, we might be able to reconstruct Ventus's heart."
"All we can do now is wait." Donald looked a bit disappointed to report that they hadn't actually made any breakthroughs.
Yen Sid raised his gaze to address Sora directly. "Sora, when you returned from Olympus, why did you insist on being the one to save Aqua?"
True, the words had just popped out automatically. But why bring that up now?
"Uh... I don't really know. I just wanted to save Aqua with all my heart, the way Herc saved Meg."
"I believe those were Ventus's feelings manifesting through you. Something may have triggered one of his memories."
Ventus... Sora closed his eyes and placed his hand over his heart. "I think I felt his heart stir inside of mine when I was standing in front of the old mansion."
Yen Sid was quiet for a few moments, then spoke. "Sora."
"Uh, yes?" Sora snapped to attention.
"If you are to awaken Ventus, you will need the power of waking."
"I know..."
"As you travel the worlds, something you encounter there may be the 'key' you're looking for."
"Oh... Hmm..." Sora paused to think.
"Your strength can't be gone forever," Goofy said, trying to encourage him. "Maybe something'll trigger a memory real soon and wake his heart up!"
"Like what, exactly?" Sora said in frustration. Goofy's boundless optimism wasn't really helping.
"I know!" Donald chimed in. "How about a bonk on the head?"
Sora glared at him, and Donald glared right back.
"Perhaps it could be something that is as simple as that," Yen Sid murmured.
"Wait, you think so, too?"
"Whenever you are in need, magic happens. That is your greatest strength, Sora."
"You make it sound like an accident," Sora said, deflated.
Yen Sid's assessment was taking the wind out of his sails, and Donald and Goofy kept laughing at him.
"Very well, Sora. While we wait for Ienzo, I believe you three should travel to more worlds. We must thwart Organization XIII's plans at all costs."
After departing from the Mysterious Tower, Sora had travelled to a new world; one where toys had hearts. He had encountered Young Xehanort there, and stopped his plan.
Back in the Ocean Between, onboard the Gummi Ship, Sora was thinking something over.
"Sora, what about the power of waking?" Donald asked.
"You had to remind me," he answered with a groan.
"Well, gawrsh, we just wanna help keep ya motivated," Goofy pointed out. Of course they were worried.
Sora sighed and told them what had been on his mind: "I was thinking about Roxas. He's trapped here in my heart. But...he needs a body to be himself again. But we have no idea how to find his body."
We learned that toys can have a heart, but what can we do for someone who's just a heart?
"Aw, don't worry. Ienzo's workin' on a way to get him free. I'll betcha he's got an idea," said Goofy.
Jiminy jumped out of Sora's hood. "You've got the Gummiphone, Sora. Why don't ya try givin' him a call?"
"Uhh, I guess so? Yeah, why not?"
Sora followed Jiminy's suggestion and pulled the Gummiphone out of his pocket.
After Jiminy showed him what buttons to press, someone appeared on the screen. But it wasn't Ienzo.
"Oh! Hiya, Sora!" It was the king, Mickey.
As soon as they heard his voice, Donald and Goofy pushed their way into view.
"Your Majesty!"
"Hey! Wha...? Wrong number?" Sora asked, confused.
The camera moved to include Riku crouching beside him. "Actually, we were just about to call you guys, but it looks like you beat us to the punch."
The pair were still in Radiant Garden after they stopped by Merlin's to give him the briefcases for Kairi and Lea.
"Sora, is something wrong?" Riku asked in concern.
Sora felt a little better seeing his friend's face again, and he decided to run the question by him. "I wanted to pick your brain. In order for us to recomplete Ventus, he needs a body, right?"
"Yeah, to put his heart in..."
"But we have no idea where Ventus's body is. Only Aqua knows where the Chamber of Waking is."
Riku paused in thought for a bit, then said, "Replicas..."
"Huh?"
Riku now had an idea. "Well, Replicas are basically human. And with hearts, the Replicas will become people."
"Cool, but if we get our hands on a Replica, will Ventus look like himself when he's recompleted?"
"Yup. The Replica takes the form of the heart inside it."
"That's perfect!" Riku's answer filled Sora with joy. All they had to do now was recover his heart, and everything would work out.
Mickey was willing to pitch in, too. "Let's talk to Ienzo and Even. They were in the Organization back then, so he might know more."
"Great. Thanks."
Sora had found hope. Just then, all this talk of containers reminded him of something. "Wait... Do you guys think they're after Replicas, too?" he asked Donald and Goofy.
Now it was Riku's turn to ask. "Who's that?"
"The Organization," Sora replied, then immediately gasped as he remembered too late that he failed to mention his run-in with Ansem and Xemnas.
His two friends hurriedly pushed him out of the way. "I guess we forgot to mention it. But we ran into Ansem and Xemnas in Twilight Town."
"Aw, it's okay. But there's something you should know about one of their members."
Mickey began to tell them of the newly made Organization XIII—the true Organization XIII.
Xehanort was gathering thirteen seekers of darkness to counter the seven guardians of light, but some of the lights were missing. Even if they did find Aqua and Ventus, they still had no leads on Terra—except that his body was in Xehanort's clutches as one of his vessels.
"So, let the rest of us worry about Aqua and Ventus for now," Mickey finished. "You journey on, and keep an eye out for Terra."
Once he was done, Donald and Goofy pushed Sora out of the way again.
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
"Stop that!" Sora snapped, shoving back and accidentally ending the call with a little blip.
"A vessel, huh..."
"Welp, at least it sounds like we'll be able to do somethin' for Ventus," Goofy said quietly, his arms crossed.
Sora still felt hopeful, though. "We gotta help out Terra, too!"
"And don't forget the power of waking!" his friends reminded him.
"Enough already, I get it!" Sora groaned with resignation.
I was so sure that just caring about other people and holding on to my friendships would be enough to get the power of waking back...but will it really?
Riku and Mickey stood facing Ienzo and Aeleus in the laboratory of Radiant Garden. The lab had once been a link to another world, but Ienzo had transformed it into a hub for all the information they had gathered.
Mickey and Riku were there trying to learn more about Replicas—artificial copies of people that could be used to house hearts. Organization XIII had previously researched the concept, and their experiments had even met with moderate success under Vexen's leadership.
"Yes. Even would know all about the Replicas from his time as Vexen in the Organization," the young man in the white coat explained.
Aeleus seemed disappointed as Ienzo continued. "Unfortunately, his work on the Replicas was incomplete. There may still be documents around, but all of them from before he made any significant progress."
Ienzo had called the research incomplete, but both Riku and Mickey had met the results of his labors in Castle Oblivion—namely, a copy of Riku called the 'Riku Replica'. Riku had a feeling he had run into one other Replica as well, but his memories of the encounter were hazy for some reason. Either way, he knew his own Replica was no more.
"Even used to have a few unused prototypes from the initial lot. We might have been able to use those. But unfortunately, they're gone."
"Do you have any idea where they might have gone?" Mickey asked, clinging to some small shred of hope.
"What if they were taken?" Riku suggested.
Mickey raised his head. "Of course! The Organization could also use the Replicas!"
"To fill out their ranks," Riku finished for him. Organization XIII shouldn't have all thirteen members yet, meaning they would have a need for vessels to house hearts, too.
"We'd better go tell Master Yen Sid. And Sora, and the others, too!"
Riku nodded at Mickey's suggestion.