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?

127. Futures Door: Ch2: Three Bizarre Doors

At Disney Town, Max and P.J were acting like typical, teenage boys as they ventured to the park. The Goof boy laughed at the kind of day he had yesterday. "Could you believe that Dad was that cool!" The cat boy chuckled. "Yeah, I bet Archaon went-" He mimic a roaring mad man. "Rwarrr! Curse you!"

They felt enough was out of their system and sat on the bench, Max imagined. "Man, I can't imagine what's out there." He gasped to a plan as P.J nudged. "Ha ha, you want to hitch a ride on the train and check out where it stops?"

Max was about to say "You read my mind" when they heard a girls, high pitched scream. Without thinking, they followed to a crossing of the town, finding a rabbit girl running for her life as a giant blob of Flan, that was wearing a strawberry crown, was giving chase. It was going quite fast for its form, a second Flan cut the girls escape and flopped.

The girl screamed. "I quit, I quit! It isn't worth the strawberry!" On that, the flans stopped, grumbled in disappointment and spun into mist.

The girl stood under a lamp post and was holding her chest like it was racing. P.J cringed. "Yikes! Are you okay?" The girl spotted the boys and felt a little safer, knowing witnesses saw that. "Barely! I heard of a place where you could get free strawberries and my ma wanted to bake something awesome with the celery. Since when did that thing gotten so hard?" Max knew what she was talking about. "That Flan monster?! You could have gotten eaten." The girl was aware. "And they all got spat out. But this was the first time it started going a hundred miles an hour. Why now?" The boys wished they had an answer and P.J guessed out of nowhere. "New mode?" The game language perked the girl and she pointed at him. "A Legend Rank! Only the fastest would have a hope to try it." She folded her arms. "Since you don't like you race the tracks either, how about we make sure no one else gets any bright ideas?" That was quite rash, but she did have a point.

At Down Town Traverse.

Sora and Azu sneaked into the upper reaches of an blue walled apartment complex and rummaged through a couple crates that were in the way of a path towards the roof. The two explorers spotted a treasure chest in the rummage, Sora spun his blade and tapped it open the contents. It opened and revealed a map collection. Azu picked it up and started reading it, she was quick to realize it's a map of the building and stacked them together, from the floor they're on, all the way to the way they came. She layered what looked like a square at the utmost top. (I think we're going to be heading up to a dead end, but I'm liking what this place means.)

Sora spotted a room and had a peak into another chamber that could make into a good home. "If you give the people some time, they'll like it here." Click!

Azumarril cheered. (I can think of a ton of pokemon that would make this into a good home.) She folded her arms back. (You know, in case someone gets in the mess we've been in.)

Sora had a hard time imagining how a bunch of animals can adapt to a civilized place, then he remembered a pack of Dalmatians he helped over a year ago. "There's a lot more than you guys and the ones we've heard about. Do you remember anymore like you?"

The Aquatic Rabbit marched on. (I do, I can think of a lot of people that would love cities like this. I'll bet the sunrise would be even better.) Sora had bad news for her. "I don't think this town has ever had a sun rise. It's always been night."

Azumarril stopped on hearing that and recalled a particular arachnid, a purple fur cat and many more. She missed seeing those kinds of faces. (That shouldn't be a problem.) Sora could feel that Azu's quite homesick, the Aquatic Rabbit sighed in her thought, looked to her map and thought to keep going.

The boy asked as a way to make things a bit easier for the creature. "How much of home, do you remember?" Azu quickly realize the boy was wanting to help with that predicament and laughed it off. She stretched her arms. (It's so big that you're head will go pop! But I know there was more of that town, beyond the shore we stop by in. It goes deep into the land and the land always has folks that made their travels. We used a cove as a base, so we can always keep in touch.) She looked to a boy that was putting together what she is talking about and asked. (Since you been to this town before, do you know any mysteries back there?)

Sora gasped and waved his hands together. "I know a couple that I had to open up. But I've normally just visited this place." He hurried to the door and lead to a roof top, he and Azu had a view of the road bellow and of the garden. The boy had a good guess. "I think most of these are houses, think we should have a look into them too?"

The Azumarill thought about it. (Since Kairi and the others are searching as well. I think we can come to a conclusion that there isn't a whole lot of interesting things in there right now. We just need to give them a bit-) "Sora!"

The two heard Donald and Goofy's voice from behind and turned to the other side of the roof. The boy spotted his usual travel companions, waving a hello. Goofy hollered. "Did you find anything in there?" Azu showed a map and Donald sighed in disappointment.

The Kings guard sensed something coming and turned to find Kairi and Riku jumping over to their roof. The mage had a little improve with wind and gravity magic, using them as a way for him and Goofy to make the jump. Donald raised a finger. "I think the more interesting sight's at the Garden."

Leap!

The other two teenagers caught up and Riku reported. "Looks like someones going to be set around here." Kairi admitted. "It's like how we remembered it but... more." She picked up Azu and asked. "If we're done checking this out, then we should get ahead and see what's around the corner."

That was agreed upon; Sora, Donald and Goofy jumped off the roof and slowed their fall in style, Riku followed suit and he listened to Azu yelping as Kairi made her descent. The band were back on land and Kairi let go, letting Azu take a lead across the street way. They traversed in a few minutes and were the first to find quite a curve, towards the right looks to be a long stretch of a work community, buildings more fit for various offices, storage, hospitals, schools and even a power plant.

The sign of a curve, means that who ever is coming over, is going to be in for a productive life style. On par with the kind of business they've seen on the larger towns of the neighboring worlds. It was becoming an overwhelming thought for a trio of teenagers and especially the Azumarril, who's never experience that kind of architecture in her life. She turned to Riku and admitted in her own tongue, that he was right about becoming lost in the town.

Riku admitted back. "Wanda's got a lot of work cut out for her once this town starts to grow. If we can get a map made, then we can figure out that the town can take care of itself."

Azu turned to the left and found the garden connecting to a wide forest. Spanning further is a plain of trees, a river and a couple of mountains spanning into the unknown. A place more suited for her to see. She hummed in a tune and brought the group towards the view that is as mysterious as it is inviting. A bigger world that holds a connection to adventure.

Riku took out his phone and signaled. "This is going into our log." It is pretty clear, that he wants to take a picture, it won't be big to fit everyone from the distance. Azu picked up on what it does and waved, offering to help. The older boy didn't mind the idea and crouched. "As soon as we're far enough and are lined up for a picture, just press the big button."

Azu snickered, flipped to see the camera and pressed the button. Sneaking the first picture and getting a slight flash. She flipped the phone and waddled backwards, having more of a view of the wilderness and wanting the five to line up to that. Sora put two fingers in his lips and stretched to make a doofus of a smile, Goofy chucked silly and Donald was grumbling. Riku had a look and began laughing, wanting to tell Sora that it's way too childish, Kairi snickered, pointed at the boy in a tease and was about to say something.

CLICK! CLICK!

The photos were taken and Azu had the first peak, she raised an eyebrow, looked to Sora like he was being silly and shook her head.

(You're a bunch of kids.)

She gave the phone back and Riku had a look, each one seems appropriate for the kind of group they are. A band of people who came from simple and silly lives, sticking together through and through. Kairi sighed in bliss, winked at Sora and focused on the wide, untamed garden. She lead on to a passing of trees and spotted something that made her call. "Hey, check this out."

The others followed and became the first to view a wide, rather deep lake, spanning into a second river that flowed to the unknown land. The stars, moon and the town light drew them to standing by the edge and taking a seat. Donald phewed. "This is too pretty to miss."

Azu agreed and took a step in the soothing water, she flipped on her back and begun swimming in bliss. (You can't ever get enough of this.) Kairi and Sora took it as a chance to scoot to each other and hold hands as Riku picked a tree to sit under. Donald laid on his back and sighed in relief as Goofy looked back. "Think someone's gonna find out we're missing?" Riku didn't mind it. "It wouldn't be hard to find us."

The shield bearer had a peak anyways and found the six band of teenagers, finishing their investigation. Talking it over. Goofy left it be and returned to his companions as the unaware teenagers had a look at the surprise. Ken in particular was wide eyed. "Holy smokes, I think we're looking at the border."

Olette corrected him. "I think we're looking at some kind of eco-system that's away from the town. Like how Radiant Garden has that broken sea." Dupmic felt the educated girl was onto something. "If someone wants to venture out there or if someone ends up in the world."

Hayner tried to see what's beyond the mountain, finding it quite impossible from the point he's in. "And we could be the first to see it?" Xion spotted foot prints, going into the forest and immediately doubted. "If we got here first. This feels like what we saw yesterday, an unknown world at the border of the one we know."

Hayner guessed. "Connecting to a town we didn't know about?" Ken gasped. "Like what Hiro talked about, beyond a city or a town, but not beyond a world." Pence realize. "Hence, how the discovery is easier to understand." Dupmic agreed with an admiration. "Everyone has their own way of figuring it out."

Ken walked to the green house and cheered. "So let's see whats over there and meet up with the others." The band followed to the bright light and entered the indoor jungle of flowers and fruit, the glass walls resemble a typical sun lit sky. The alien structure was peculiar and it wasn't long until the kids found a door on the other side and ventured to a look out. Giving them an overview of a curved slope going into a village and into a valley, Xion's memory triggered her to point. "I'll bet that can make a good camping trip."

Dupmic peeked and agreed. "I think it would. That looks like another last stop before you end up in the middle of nowhere." He asked. "Think it would be pretty simple, but don't you think it would spoil a bunch of dudes from that world?" T

hat is an interesting question and Ken thought out loud. "It would... unless there is another world that's in that kind of mess too. We got to ask around." It was agreed upon, if they are to solve the puzzle, they need pieces that would connect. Ken channeled an aura of a star filled sky and surrounded his friends with the blink, it felt like they were shining back where they came from, as a cluster of stars.

The six were back to the garden and searched the other way, finding the five veterans relaxing by a gorgeous lake. Goofy was sitting by Donald and waved. "Hi ya fellas."

Sora and Kairi turned to see the arrivals, the Twilight Town trio were drawn to an investigation as Xion said hello back. "We've stepped into something, much bigger than we thought. We're not even a tenth of scouting the whole town." She approached the couple and asked. "Don't you think that's weird?"

That did feel a little weird, Sora thought, either there was another miracle on schedule for the day or "Something's going on somewhere?" Dupmic took a seat next to the band of buddies and asked. "But what? Shouldn't the worlds around here be at peace by now?" Ken approached the team leader and found a stone to sit on. "Or is there a world we don't know of that is in a big mess? Do we got any clues?"

Riku was at a blank, until he recalled a certain set of people. "That's the mystery, who is the only foreigners, to have not went home?" He pointed to his life long friends, who turned with some interest. "You didn't stop to ask them, but Wander, Sylvia and those Watchdogs have came from a galaxy that nearly avoided complete destruction. While Hater put a stop to that, someone did something so the galaxy can recover. Someone from over there, is going to notice that they're gone and follow their trail." The image of various people, not unlike the ones from the Kings town, was the first thing to be imagined. Riku raised a finger. "If it the mayhem became that bad, then that could mean a lot of people are on their way here, as we speak."

Ken wowed. "Then things will feel like they did when me and my Mom were living here." Riku looked to the others. "We got to report that to Wanda, expect anyone to show up." Ken grunted and was ready to leave. "I'm right on it, because the other worlds need to know that too."

At the word, Xion followed Ken and took his hand. Leaving the others to question what else is going to await this world. The couple left the garden and found the Wayfinders feeling a lot more familiar with one side than they are at the other. Ven in particular was looking in the horizon and guessed as a typical kid. "We can make a club house from over there and no one will know."

Terra was tempted to the idea and Aqua spotted her veteran student and her recent one approaching. "Looks like someone's already made a hide out over there." She waved. "How's the report coming?"

Xion was feeling anxious, yet fulfilled. "It's going great, Miss. This town is huge." Ken nodded and answered. "And just for show. We gathered up some info on the place one of our buddies came from, the guy in the hat and his friend."

Aqua snapped her fingers, understanding the full picture. "And until that Galaxy is rebuilt, if it can be rebuilt, the people from over there will have to find a new home. The moment Hater figures that out, they're going to move their operations here just to get by." She asked. "Xion, go back to our friends and tell them, they did well. Ken, deliver this news to Wanda! We got to leave this town eventually, so we can get started on some projects."

Ken bowed in obedience and dashed to the fountain square as Xion invited the three. "Come on, we found a pretty spot."

At a Noon shining Radiant Garden.

Leon, Merlin and the Committee were staring at an oddity, connecting to a wall in the training grounds, was a marble stone door. Cloud recognized what the door is. "What's Olympus doing here?" Merlin wondered as well. "Could it be, that it is calling to us?"

"Already?" Ienzo and his brothers arrived to see the anomaly, the young scientist stepped closer to investigate as Even had theories that were redundant to say. "It appears, due to our predicament, that the worlds are making due with a limited summons."

Leon felt it made sense. "What ever is behind that door, isn't that big of a deal, but it didn't come because it felt like it." They heard the sound of someone cheering wildly for something and a whole bunch of chaos ensuing.

Lightning in particular was getting annoyed, having recently packed up. "So we're just going to stop what we've been doing and come on over?"

Yuffie turned to the noise and saw two keybearers arriving. Sora and Ken, the later was staring at an episode with confusion. The Ninja whistled. "Look who's arrived just in time."

Sora spotted the door and was in a relaxed pose. "How did that get here?" Ken focused away and had a memory of a place he visited, Cloud asked. "That's what we've been wanting to know. Think you can figure it out."

Sora was certain to that and approached as Ken passed a report to the scientists. "We got it from here, Wanda needs you guys over at Traverse, asap. Big things are ahead and Wander's got all the hints we need."

Ienzo was the first to piece together what the news was going to be and insist to the others that they should leave this investigation to the towns folk. As they were gone, Sora opened the door and felt a familiar wind blowing. He stepped in and in a minute, he came rushing out with some excitement. "Guys, come check this out!"

Merlin hummed as the band of fighters made their way over. "This really does connect to that world, but for how long?" Leon guessed with an idea of a pass time. "Until we don't need it anymore." Ken asked with an adrenaline boost. "What makes you think that?" The guns nab had a hunch. "It's a feeling. This door won't be here forever, but it will stay around so we won't get stranded."

The boy and the elder took an interest and followed in, with a shine of light, the whole group found themselves in the entrance to Olympus Colosseum.

The fanfare was a melody they wouldn't miss and Ken turned to see an opened, steam punk door. "Haha! Sora, how's it been!" The strange voice called to the chosen of the Keyblade, Sora turned to see a strange warrior he didn't expect to see so soon. Gilgamesh. Cloud raised an eyebrow. "How did you end up here?"

The warrior wanted to know and Sora sprinted to give him a leap. "You're finally out of that Rift!"

Glomp!

The warrior was surprised by the embrace and hugged Sora back. "I've been tricked like this before, but something about this feels different." The two broke the embrace as the Committee noticed that Herc was approaching, the Olympian waved to the boy. "This guy was talking about you all when he dropped in."

Ken felt that was a convenience and turned to Merlin. "We were about to ask about that. The guys set the summons to over drive to where the spell burnt out. But Gilgamesh was a bit special." The Wizard wished he know about that. "Hmm, that would have been unfortunate. We should consider what's the cause of this one,"

Gilgamesh pointed upward dramatically. "I," and pointed onward. "have no idea." He smirked and asked. "But since you're here," Sora guessed. "We owe each other a fight?" Gilgamesh drew a sword. "Right back at ya!"

The boy drew his blade as Phil rushed in between. "Hold it, hold it. No fighting outside the Colosseum!"

Leon shook his head at the nonsense and asked. "Since we all over here, how about we kill some time?" Most of the Committee, save for Merlin, were keen on the idea of a past time. Serah shrugged. "Sure, we can have a little fun before we move."

The Wizard sighed and took his leave. "This is too much of a ruckus for me." Phil signaled. "Come on, let's get another tournament set up." As the group followed, Aerith took the chance to ask the Keybearers. "So, where did your friends went off to?"

Sora felt his blood rushing. "Something came up at the Kings Town and Aqua wanted to head to Twilight Town to talk something over." Ken raise two fingers. "While Sis, Xion and Azu help Mickey out. Mom brought the others along to talk about her project."

The thought of getting into a sparring match with his idol, made him fluster. "This day's just getting better and better." Sora had the image of facing off against a light show and braced himself for a challenge.

At Disney Town.

Goofy was surprised by what his son had to report. "Someone got into trouble with that Flan monster?" Max cringed as Xion pouted. "I knew ignoring that was a bad idea." Kairi had a disagreement with that. "But those are harmless compared to the Heartless we've been fighting. But why it's still around?"

Donald guessed. "It must have thought up another game." Mickey gasped to an idea. "That's just it and it's been wanting to play it." He asked. "We should warn the folks while Kairi and the others handle it."

Azu huhed as the Princess figured. "Since we're fast enough to handle it's surprises." She nodded. "Alright, come on ladies! Let's scoop this Flan."

Xion remembered where she last seen the creature as Azu found the mission to be weird. She followed anyways, as they ventured close to the arcade, Kairi asked. "So, you know the kind of game this guy plays?"

Xion does. "It's Pac-Man! This town's going to turn into one big maze and we got to watch out for the Flans that want to slurp us." The word Slurp sounded familiar to Azu, who was imagining a walking, talking meringue. She gasped. (Those tricky Slurpuffs!)

Kairi doubted what Azu was thinking. "It's definitely not a pokemon. But if that brought a memory, we'd like to know of that." They arrived in the alley way and found the strawberry crown. The ladies approached with courage and watched it spin to reveal the great beast.

The Strawberry Flan, looked down upon Xion and danced in joy at worthy players. It puffed in sweet mist and flew where the ladies went, having them follow it to the entrance of the Arcade. It circled around them and puffed into a berry that hovered over Kairi. Nothing more was happening until it was realized, one of them needs to choose who plays first, while the rest hide in the arcade. Azu asked in a chirp. (So we just got to go around the maze and watch out for these guys?)

Xion nodded. "You'll know where to go, but be careful, this comes in waves." The Seafarer saluted and puffed up. (Then I got this!) The ladies hoped so and went into the Arcade to watch. Letting the Strawberry hover over the Aquatic Rabbit that stood proud and center.

A strange melody played and three sweet smelling trials scattered. The Seafarer enveloped herself in water and jetted downward, finding herself in a left or right path and making her turn to the right. She found the train way with a strange light orb, flipped a landing to gain an adrenaline boost and jetted back the way she came. She spotted the Flan beast right beside her and waddling in fear, Azu leaped in sparkles, circled around it and lightly tapped it on the snout, launching it into the sky, never to return.

The Azumarril zipped across, having a momentum against the Flan, circling around the maze and using the wisp power ups to enact that strange move. On reaching to the second half, she spotted a flan slipping away from sight and a shadow over her. She kept a jet speed and half turned to see the Flan actually catching up with her.

(Whu oh!)

She hurried around to the strange power up, right before an intercepting Flan was able to slurp her. It turned tail and was knocked away by a twinkling tackle. She waist little time storming the last corner and circling around where she's been.

On collecting the last whiff, she heard the sound of jiggling dancing and returned back to the arcade. Kairi had the nerve to step out and smirked with pride. "Not bad, not bad at all." She signaled that Azu get somewhere safe. The rabbit did so and was finding herself in the strange contraption house as the Princess looked to her right.

At the end of the melody, she sprinted after the wisps and circled around the center, if to deal with the more dangerous layer. From the back of the Arcade's ally, came the Flan, it spotted Kairi and hurried fast. The Princess stuck her tongue out in a taunt and flowed around the center before making her turn to her left, she spotted a second flan across the street and making it's way to her. She went to the corner of the town to grab the power up and found the Flan from before, at the corner of a turn.

It started running, only to find Kairi flying over it and dropping explosive orbs of light. The Princess tried a more aggressive style, while she had the power up and focus on where the outflanking Flan were, getting them out of the way before refreshing herself and trying it all over again. On picking the last wisp, she heard a collective dance and return to the Arcade. Where Xion was the next to step out, Kairi passed a quick warning. "These Flan aren't just fast, they're being smart."

Xion recalled from watching. "So many of them were waddling around too, but I think we can handle them."

She signaled the ladies to hide it out and sprinted around the Arcade, catching the Flan stepping into the maze. She used a corner to escape to train road and thought to gather as many wisp pellets in the off trails, before going for the power up. She was expecting a Flan to be on her trail and hurried to the train, catching the power up and finding two Flans in the way. One of them split off to the left as the other waddled backwards. Xion sprinted and cleaved it down before going off to the north east and gathering the wisp. On going around in a square, she noticed a Flan coming at her to her left and turned right to get the power up.

A Flan that was trialing behind her, tried to flank her before finding out she had what she needed to mess it up. She rushed west and made her circling before turning around and seeing a Flan running away from her just enough to make a turn once the power wanes.

Flicker!

Xion felt the sparkle disappear and saw the Flan turn with it's mouth open, the girl made her way back to the power up and quickly hunted the staking Flan down. She stormed to the south west to finish the level and heard the dance before retreating to pick up Azu. Kairi noticed Xion was putting up a sweat. "They're made you plan ahead, did they?"

The girl nodded and knocked on her cranium. Azu whistled and had her turn. (I don't know what to tell ya. They'll have to stop eventually.)

She took her stand, watched the pellets appear and waddled a ways before noticing a Flan making it's move immediately. She yelped and sprinted south before jetting left, turning and zipping to avoid a Flan at her left. She turned to cover the south west and grab a power up right at the nick of time, before that Flan slurped her.

She tackled the beast for a twinkling flight and hurried, using her quick thinking to out maneuver the flans and seeing what Xion meant, with certain Flans waiting in the corners before making a move. She quickly got through the pellets and returned to the arcade with a pant. Kairi saw and dashed out before her partner squeaked a warning. (They're not waiting anymore and we got sneaky ones.) Kairi gasped. "Sheesh, we're in for a work out."

And for the next five rounds, the Flans didn't get anymore difficult, yet ladies had to keep a constant momentum. For without a partner, they wouldn't have the luxury for a break in between. At the middle of the Noon Hour, Xion was at the home stretch of the final power up in the south east. She grabbed it, right as a Flan slurped her up and realize the bad timing. It's mouth burst open into a cloud of fire flies and Xion kicked it across the street before grabbing the last pellets.

Suddenly, the whole maze sparkled in completion and made their way for the back of the Arcade. The ladies felt their legs were going to be firm by the evening and confronted the Flan that was bouncing in joy. Oddly, when it spun to the ground, it completely disappeared and left behind a door a kin to the Bistro, although the sides had a marking of a fork and a spoon. With the crown being that of a dinner knife. The ladies looked to each other, they weren't done with the minor inconvenience. Xion asked. "Was this what it was all about?"

Kairi imagined as she put her hand on the door. "I guess it picked up that the Darkness is receding and it wanted one good game before it takes off. But something about this door seems suspicious."

Azu agreed to that. (It looks like it's going to lead us to one fancy kitchen. Someone could get lost in some Mystery Dungeon.) That word, made the Pokemon clap. (That's it, it's a Mystery Dungeon!)

Kairi seen enough door ways to know the only way to close something like that, is to deal with what ever is holding it open from the other side. "I don't know if it is that, but we can't leave it around. Azu, Xion, shall we handle this before we turn back?" Xion held the door with her Sister in Arms. "Let's do this, today's got to stay a good one."

The two pushed the door open and stepped on the other side, entering what looked like a wide mountain, going down to a bamboo forest. The humans looked around in confusion as Azu followed in a bounce. "Whu?" It was so puzzling, that Namine stepped out to have a second overview. "Where did that door take us?"

She noticed more of the bamboo and thought about it as Kairi asked. "It brought us to another world, if the markings are correct." She snapped her fingers. "This was that Flans way of giving us a treasure trove of rare cooking ingredients."

Namine sighed. "Are you thinking with your stomach?" The Princess admitted. "We ate pretty light today because of what we had to do. Do we got a way to figure out where we are?"

Namine looked around and through quick detective work, she came to a conclusion from an old memory she shuffled around. "I think this world is home to one of Sora's friends. The dragon, Mushu."

Xion blinked. "The Land of the Dragon?" Namine nodded. "Let's just call it that, if we get caught by the locals, we could cause a lot of unwanted confusion. Are we sure we want to continue here?"

Azu marched ahead. (Nothing explored is nothing earned. If you're right, then Sora or his pals will tell us after we report to them.)

Xion followed with an yearning for adventure as Kairi and Namine looked to each other and smiled wide. The Princess and her other half held each others hands and became one, Kairi sprinted as Xion and Azu stepped down a hill. The Aquatic Rabbit lost her balance and rolled down to what looked to be marshlands. She stopped in a splash and dark ripples appeared, bringing out half a dozen Nightwalkers, four Assault Riders and a Bolt Thrower.

Azu jumped in shock as the two ladies caught up with her and made a stand. Kairi yelled out. "Heartless!" Xion glared at them. "They still haven't gone away?" Azu flipped in style and answered. (Looks like they haven't, so we're going to make them.)

Kairi posed with an aura of water. "Get together, we'll flood them out!" Xion had an idea of making it swampy and had a blue aura of insects. Together, the three charge at the monsters and give off a battle cry.

At Twilight Town Park.

Riku and Dupmic finished passing a warning off to the Mystery Loving Trio, the older boy had a relapse. "Until Wander and Hater settle down in there, it's going to be complete chaos."

Dupmic agreed with that. "Wanda and the others should be scouting the rest of Traverse while we wait for the others to settle what ever is going on." Olette rubbed her shoe to the ground and pouted. "Grr, I wish we can help more." Pence sighed. "Not if we don't even know how to fight." Hayner agreed with some embarrassment. "Magic dream weapons don't count."

CRASH!

"Gwee-hee hee!" The sound of havoc was going on across the market block. The boys gave their friends a signal to stay put and followed the noise.

At the Market District, the Wayfinders rushed in to find a bellowing, purple octopus going on an intoxicated rampage. "Hee-hee hee! And they said I can't swim from my problems. Hic!" He reached his tentacles for a stall of liquid filled bottles and cheered. "Hello town, are y'all ready to sing a little song?"

Aqua half dropped her mouth and demanded. "Hey, those aren't what you think they are!" She drew her blade. "Put them down!"

The Octopus refused to and noticed the rather attractive woman, standing to him. "Eh, he, he, he! Come on now, is that something for a pretty lady to say."

His wiggled his tentacles to her and was about to be given a pyromatic blast of rejection as Terra stood in front of her. "She's not interested! Put the shampoo down and walk away!"

The Octopus completely misunderstood what Terra is doing and got defensive. "Eek! What does a muscle head, like you, know about the good quality?"

He readied to slap the trio away before Terra glared at him and blitzed after him. Aqua, Ven and any of the bystanders that would rather not look at violence, they turned around and listened to Terra introducing the Octopus to the pavement of the street and giving him a wondrous tour of the roof tops. The man politely knocked the shampoo bottles out of the octopus's tentacles and sent the creature rolling back in the dirt.

The bystanders felt the knock down was over and looked to see the Octopus with swellings and seeing pink clouds. Terra caught the bottles and gave the vandal a stare down, the creature came through, saw the man meant business and scurried away in a whimper. "I'm sorry!"

That earned a little bit of laughter from the pedestrians and Terra gave the bottles back to the vendor, Ven looked to Aqua and asked. "Where did he come from?"

The Keyblade Master guessed. "Probably from the dark corners of a slum before that flushed him out. He won't last long." She spotted a rolled, saliva drenched bottle of the substance the Octopus was drinking, pink champagne. Ven noticed it and picked it up, reading the brand out loud. "The Rosey Pachyderm."

Part of him felt like the drink in question is highly illegal for a reason and tossed it to a garbage bin. Riku and Dupmic arrived, like they saw something they weren't going to see everyday. The Bringer of Dawn asked. "What was that Octopus doing?" Aqua sighed at the crime. "Being drunk in public. Terra sent him wiggling in a record breaker."

Dupmic spotted Terra wandering off somewhere and notice a bit of a glow. "Hey," The Replica caught up and saw something in between a toy store and a craft store. An opened door that had a trial of ink. Terra turned to his close friends and confessed to Aqua. "I don't think you were wrong. Something wanted to get rid of him."

The band had a look at the strange, golden green hinges. Riku could tell a bad omen and took the lead. "If we don't get this door closed, something else might crawl into this town." He saw the handles are in the other side and gestured. "Come on," The band followed the boy through the door and found themselves in a very strange, open topped circus.

Something doesn't feel right, Aqua had a look around and found two openings where a door would have been. "What did we just walk into?"

Dupmic raised two fingers and turned around to see the door slowly closing. "Definitely no world we've seen." Riku turned to his double and asked. "The colors of the door and the colors of this place are off. I think this is a corridor." Ven spotted something particular off, floating down from the sky, a bubble. One of a strange aroma. The youngest of the Wayfinder's gasped. "Wait a minute, Riku... didn't you step into something like this before?"

The silver haired boy deducted and recalled an earlier adventure. "That's it, the worlds are up to something and that Octopus was so smashed that he became a conduit to make a dream. When enough people imagine, they make a world for it to flourish." Ven felt it made sense as he watched the bubble dance. "And a lot of people, were doing just that. But how is this happening, why?" Riku shrugged. "Beats me."

The bubble, went pink and took on a peculiar form, a translucent, hazy, elephant. The elephant blinked and waved it's front right foot. Terra was the first to realize, that elephant just said hello. "What the-" Aqua was the next to realize. "Hey what is it doing?"

The Pink Elephant blew a bubble out of it's trunk, the bubble took the form of another Pink Elephant, that Elephant blew another out. Ven remembered the bottle the Octopus was drinking and hid behind Terra in fear. The third elephant blew out a forth. Riku remembered a conversation he had about certain dangers in the dream, one caused by an alcoholic drink. "Hey, did any of you guys find out what that Octopus was drinking? This is starting to give me the creeps."

Ven answered bluntly.

"A Rosey Pachyderm."

Riku remembered it more and bop himself on the forehead and braced for a fight. "I knew it, I knew that stuff is involved!"

The Pink Elephants looked directly at Riku, turned their trunks into trumpet horns and played a dramatic fanfare for their arrival. The trumpets merged into one and enlarged before bursting into a whole parade, using their trunks as a variety of instruments. It was at that, the five became afraid. Riku and Dupmic stepped left as Aqua went right and signaled her brothers in arms to stay close.

Terra didn't want the brawl to last any longer than it needed to and used the movement to charge into the middle of the parade. Only for an elephant to stretch it's legs and stand over the charge. Terra tumbled as Riku spotted a rather small Elephant, rushing over to the adult and kicking him in the butt.

Riku wanted none of that and dashed a slash, the Elephant split into three that blared their trumpets to his face. Dupmic turned to find a giant Elephant standing over him and the other two, bringing out a cymbals. It slam them at the cluster and Dupmic leaped to stab through. The Elephant split into a smaller multitude that kept playing.

Ven and Aqua were surrounded and watched a particular Elephant inflate into a ball, it rolled after them. The two jumped and fired a lightning bolt to pop it, they flipped a landing and saw more marching around their vision. Terra shook off the cymbal smack and was seeing the elephants around him and his partners swelling. "Everyone, look out! They're about to blow!"

Riku grabbed Terra by the shoulder and used a light warp to get as far away as possible. Aqua and Ven felt the air and jump as close as possible, while rubbing the Pink Elephants out of their eyes. Dupmic glowed in soul power as a parade circled around him and turned into yellow skeletons, the boy blew out a maelstrom and toss it into the air, bombarding the Elephants into vapor and giving himself time to get to the others. He found himself floating out of control, spinning and flailing. "Woah, woah!"

He stopped right by Riku, standing upside down. The two were scared out of their minds and the older of the two asked. "What do we do, what do we do." Aqua answered as she was feeling her head spin. "We're viewing the unusual, but every dream has to come to an end."

Ven and Terra spotted elephant faced gummy worms wiggling for them and sliced at them as a jerk reaction, causing the Pachyderms to split apart into shapeless germs that morphed into mouths. Aqua used her blade like it's a baton and spun around an inferno to burn them away, the germs moved with the fire and condensed into a single, technicolor organism that tried to split into two elephants. Riku and Dupmic glowed in a unified light and spun into a rotating spear, popping the elephants and making everything feel hazy.

Ven shook the haze and saw a multicolored elephant walking in place, quickly splitting into more, the boy swelled his lungs and roared. "Go away!"

The Biting Wind answered the call and chomped the elephants, the wind turned pink, then into an amalgamation of yellow, blue, red, and green. The cloud danced into a human shaped, three headed abomination of elephant heads, meshed together. The three heads looked to each other in a smile and aimed their trunks to blow out dancing fanged cobras. The Wayfinders fought against the biting serpents as the Twins focused and aimed at the amalgamations feet.

The ground cracked open as morning light and erupted, disrupting the amalgamation and causing it to turn into an orb. The orb opened and caused snow to blow over, leaving the five shivering before a human eye. The three boys huddled together to try and get warm as Aqua sparked her free hand in pyromatic power and wrapped it around Terra's arm.

The two felt warm, but the cold was getting to them. Two elephants appeared out of nowhere and went skiing together, pushing more snow at the fives way. The three boys jumped back and watched Terra do something unexpected, he stepped forward and lead Aqua to spin out of the snows way. The Keyblade Master was shocked by the sudden movement, but quickly got over it.

Then came more elephants, dancing together towards their way and on reaching the center, danced out as a multitude of rope wearing aristocrats. The Elephants broke apart with their rope and turned the circus into an electrical ball. The boys were forced to match each others movement, if to time an escape and watched the two adults be forced into dancing together.

It didn't take long for Terra to realize that and blush. "What the heck are these things making us do?" Aqua pouted with a redder blush. "What ever it is, I'd be lying if I say I'm not liking this." Terra had a spark in his brain, let his blade go and caused it to hover. He turned to face his superior, hold her hands to his and whispered. "That's nothing."

With a slight tug, Aqua went with the movement, wrapped her arms around his waste and had him hold to her. Terra used the momentum to toss Aqua high in the air and give her an opening to fire a prism rain on the elephants. Pelting each one into mist, the tense dance was at an end for them, yet more elephants appeared to dance together. Two by two and enjoying each others company. Terra regrouped with the boys and was given a look from Ven, the youngest of the Wayfinders scolded him. "I can't believe you did that!"

Terra couldn't believe it either and passed off an excuse. "It was the only way Aqua could get an aim at these things." Riku and Dupmic felt there could have been another, if they had enough space to make the hurl. Ven rolled his eyes and shook his head as Aqua flipped a landing and spoke on Terra's defense. "It was an emergency. Now get ready."

The three chose to let it be as they heard maracas making a beat. The Pink Elephants stepped away from one another and turned into cars, driving out of the way for a train. The five jumped out of the way and herd bells and horns, the cars drove after them and forced the humans into a high traffic chase of pure chaos.

One of the Elephants turned into a ski boat to run them over and the lights began flashing. The train disappeared and rushed from their side amidst the trip and were swooped upon by a band of elephants that merged into occupied roller coaster carts. The pink haze was overwhelming their senses, yet they kept moving until the whole herd rushed into one direction and caused an explosion that scattered the elephants. The pink fiends floated to the sky and became one with the clouds, heralding the light of an awakening morning.

The danger subsided and the five tried to make sense of what they watched. After a few minutes of silence, Riku raised his hand to suggest. "So, we don't talk about this again and we stay far away from that poison the next time it shows itself?"

Ven cringed. "Why do people drink that stuff? It isn't going to make their problems go away." Dupmic agreed to that. "It doesn't but it can help you ignore it while it destroys you."

Aqua was more disturbed as she looked for the way out. "And it's so easy for an adult to get a hold of. Guess corruption comes from just about everywhere." She spotted the door way out, wide open and inviting them, Terra noticed a wide in the middle passage way. The gate had a symbol of a twenty sided spear and a trio of pencils. "Like that?"

The four had a look at the gateway, Aqua raised an eyebrow and approached. "Doesn't look like it, but looks can be deceiving." She grabbed the handles and pulled it open, seeing not of a dreamy light, but of a musty darkness. The smell felt dangerous, anxious, yet inviting and daring. "Very deceiving, think we should check it out and make extra sure we won't regret leaving?"

Riku lowered his jaw in shock as Dupmic smirked in sarcasm. "Well the path isn't pretending to be something it isn't." He marched ahead in arrogance. "Let's see how far this rabbit hole will go."

Riku followed, knowing this is going to lead to something more insane than those Elephants. Ven sighed at his experience with dungeons and readied to go in, if to honor an old friend. "We won't figure out what we'd miss unless we go see it for ourselves." Terra had a flash back of a hole he was kicked into and followed with Aqua.

Past the gate was what looked like an underground stone hide out of some kind. They heard a roll and heard a door open. A large, grey humanoid with tusks of an orc, marched in with a club and a shield. "The lollygaggers found us." He ordered. "Come on, you slackers, Dathru will make us all into bird feeders if they tell anyone!"

He marched forward as a dark skin, white haired elf stepped in with a snobbish. "I'm on it Borjar, I'm on it." He clapped and cloaked the dungeon in darkness, Riku conjured some light as Terra felt something going for his back. He turned to find a blue skin, horned man in a cloak, wielding a hand cross bow in his left hand and having a tooth dagger in another. Crackle!

Cackling next to Ven, was a tall, green goblinoid with strange tech and midget with a curved and a mark on his cheek, one that looked like a Raven's Eye. "By the Queen, you won't make it out of here alive!"

The horned assassin sprinted after Terra and tried to sink a dagger, only to be parried, it resorted to firing it's cross bow at a chest. Terra conjured a shield to stop the attack as the Orc man gave a battle cry and charge. These look like a rag tag band of thugs and Ven smirked. "Is that all you got?" He shined his blade in sunlight and sprint after him in the initiative.

At Olympus Colosseum.

Ken was staring blankly as Sora waved to the audience, like they were people he was saying hello to. The spikey haired boy flexed to give the crowd what they want and turned to the one armed boy that looked to him. Ken breathed his excitement out and asked. "Are we actually doing this?! Are we really doing this?"

Sora was in a bliss of nostalgia. "I haven't been in this Colosseum in months. Come on, our friends aren't going to go easy on us." That wasn't what Ken was worried about. "Me, with you?" He smiled wide, like he was given a proposal. "I got to be dreaming here! I got to be sleeping the day away!"

Sora gave Ken a pinch on the fleshy hand, Ken felt that and realize he wasn't dreaming. Sora snickered. "You're telling that to the sleepy head?" Ken squeed, clapped and hopped. "This isn't a dream, this isn't a dream!"

A door way opened and Ken tried calming down, he brought out Night Sky and raised it up like a spear as Sora drew the Kingdom Key and went into a battle pose. Out of the door came Serah and Lightning, the younger sister jumped to the arena and giggled. "This is going to be fun!"

Lightning had a serious frown to give to the boys, even if this would be quite enjoyable. She quietly entered as the boys were quickly figuring out a plan. "Hope you're as sharp as you look." The warning caused Sora to feel his chest pumping hard. The gong was rung and the match was ready to begin.

Sera dashed side ways as Lighting rushed at Sora, with the speed of a mighty storm. She gave a quick, rightward slash, Sora rolled over the sword and landed in a spin. He readied to counter and Lightning delivered a round house kick, knocking him back and exposing him to a quick combo. Sora flipped and parried a slash, he ducked from a kick and countered Lightning for a few light blows before letting loose a burst of light.

Ken had a good assumption that Lightning wasn't relenting and stood in between the brawl and Serah. The sister fired quick ice arrows and hovered close, Ken flipped to the right and tested Night Sky's new feature, firing fast beams in retaliation. The boy landed as Serah turned her bow into a sword and closed in for a slash. Ken leaned back and spun before going for the shoulder. Serah cringed and hovered back before springing back to her bow and unleashing a fork of lightning. Ken was zapped nice and good before he charged a great fire ball and tossing it. Serah dashed to her right and had a peak at the other fight going on.

Lightning flipped from the light burst, flipped her sword into a pistol and fired a fast fire ball at Sora, the spikey haired boy rolled and deflected another, giving Lightning time to sprint at him. Sora spun to clash, Lightning used the momentum to deliver another kick. The boy raised his free hand up, blocked the kick and pushed Lightning into a spin. That was the chance he needed to lock her into a combo and deliver a heavy swipe that sent her flying.

Lightning used that to shoot lightning bullets and force Sora out of his guard, the one woman army raised her sword and blew out ice. Sora rolled to avoid a spiked glacier, he focused and watched Lightning return to the fray before shining his blade in light and swipping. The two locked their blades in an equal strength and clashed.

Ken felt the chill, half turned and opened his mouth. It was no wonder she was able to survive against an Ork Waagh and the Skeksis. He felt his hair standing and shot himself to the far end of the arena, avoiding Serah's second forked shot and slashing the ground to draw out a fire snake. Ken slashed two more and pointed, having them slither with the speed of serpents.

Serah sprinted left to avoid one and saw Ken was keeping his finger in her direction, the other two engulfed her off her guard and flung an ember that puffed in ashes. Ken vanished in the mist and appeared right next to the sister, giving a well timed blow that sent her rolling.

Serah caught herself and pointed at Lightning. "Protect!" Lightning ducked from a sword strike, tried to sweep Sora off his feet and twirled away when it was clear Sora stepped over that. Sora went for the shoulder as a barrier appeared to block the blow, Lightning cast a haste spell on herself and slashed into Sora, knocking him in the air. Ken cringed and aimed Night Sky at him. "Projectile!"

A star shot at Sora as Lightning caught him in a storm, the spikey haired boy felt a light soothing the blow as another strike made it hurt just as much. Ken spun Night Sky to let loose a soothing breeze of light wind, Serah giggled. "Aren't you clever!"

She slashed through Ken and knocked him off balance. Ken flipped one more projectile heal, at the sync of Lightning's next attack. He let himself fall and cartwheeled before clenching his fist and punching at Serah's sword. The first had a spark of fire that knocked Serah off her aim. Sora felt enough of a lingering conscious and saw Lightning was about to unleash a fast finisher, he shouted. "Stop!"

Blink!

Freezing Lightning in place for a split second and letting himself drop down, he focused, glowed in light and saw his clothes looking like it did at the start of his adventure. Lightning made her slash, realize she hit nothing and flipped to see where Sora's at, she fired her bullets to get a momentum. Sora deflected the bullets and flung the bullets right back.

Lightning flipped to avoid the shots and saw Sora coming at her a lot faster than he did before. They clashed blades and Sora pushed the sword to the side before giving an ars arcanum upper cut. Ken held Night Sky with both hands and burned it into a katana, he rushed at Serah while she recovers and deliver three fast slashes before crouching and disappearing in sunlight.

Ken stood behind Serah and felt the cut engulf her in fire. Serah wasn't giving up and she cart wheeled before springing to her bow, flipping and shooting the ground. Ken huhed and felt a split second rumble, he side stepped from a burst of stone spikes as Serah rapid fired. Ken was in a pant and rolled forward from the first wave of arrows, Serah aimed where the boy sprinted to and followed with a quick shot to the earth.

Ken saw the attacks, flung himself backwards and twirled from a pillar before aiming his hand at Serah and forming a ray of sunlight, marking her for a mile wide dash. Serah expected that and flipped from the katana blow, Ken revert the sword and let loose an aurora that wrapped around the sister. Ken used Night Sky to wave a chill that got Serah in her arms and legs, causing her to yelp and loose balance to a numb.

Sora finished juggling Lightning in an ars arcanum and speared into a sonic dash, the one woman army refused to let that be the end and struck the spear, sending Sora flipping. Sora felt his clothes revert and rolled to add more weight, falling bellow a combo starter and landing. He focused on where Lightning was falling, hovered and fired beams of Ragnarok.

Lightning landed and spun her sword to catch the beams. Sora wowed and watched her make a nimble sprint. The boy thought of something and toss his blade at the one woman army, Lightning flipped over it and had both her sword and her fist at the ready. Sora hovered in a glide and slide backwards right as Lightning swiped the blunt end of her sword, saw she missed and used it as a shield to rush her fist.

Bonk!

The Keyblade smacked the hilt at the back of the warriors head and knocked her downward, Sora caught the blade and rushed in for a finisher. Lightning flipped her sword to a gun and fired a flash shot in point blank range, staggering Sora for a moment and setting up. Sora felt the wind going to his left and swiped in the opposite to where Lightning's sword was going. Trading a hefty blow and standing side to side.

Sora kept a stand as Lightning fell to her hands and knees. Both sisters were down for the count and the boys returned to their starting position. Both looked beaten up and covered in dirt, the sisters stood up and Lightning hmph'd. "Not bad, you got something fierce." Serah was feeling warm phewed. "You two can do this, you came far to be here."

The boys were charmed and they watched the sisters take off. Sora asked his partner. "So how are you holding?" Ken tapped the side of his cranium. "I got to get use to using one blade, but I think I know how to do it."

He gave a spear pose as Sora was imagining something more tense. "Now we're going to have to deal with three of them."

They spotted Cid and Leon coming out, a spear and a gunblade. Sora remembered that this is his first time fighting Cid, least of all seeing what he can do. Poof! A flash of smoke appeared, revealing a perky Yuffie. "Hey Sora, did you miss fighting me?"

The spikey haired boy was expecting quite the havoc and his smile answered for his voice, Yuffie flipped backwards and landed behind the men before giving Ken a wide, half apologetic smile. Leon had a small smile for the boys that grown a lot since he first met them.

The gong was run and the smile went, Cid gave a battle cry and leaped high in the air. Both boys were surprised by that and Leon sighed in disappointment. "Pay attention!"

Rush! Sora rolled backwards as Ken jumped, Cid tossed two sticks of dynamite their way and forced the boys to split up. Sora rolled to a nimble Leonhart that was jumping back as Ken caught Cid using his spear to direct a dive at the veteran. The one armed boy wasn't going to allow that and aimed Night Sky.

Poof!

He was surrounded in smoke and heard Yuffie taunting with a projected voice. "Got ya!" Ken turned to see Yuffie rushing with a chakram and used the split second to parry. Poof! Yuffie disappeared. Slash!

Ken was slashed off balance by a sneak attack, the boy caught the second one and regained some balance, giving Yuffie time to escape into the mist. Ken pointed Night Sky at her and caused the ninja's shirt to shine.

Sora was seeing that Ken was caught in his own tactic and rolled to escape a dive bombing Cid. The dive caused an intense explosion and gave Leon time to spark his blade in fire and go in for a fast combo. Sora parried, stepped back and rushed at Leon for a swift counter attack, Cid ran back and high jumped for another go. Sora wasn't going to ignore that and high jump after him, Cid conjured clouded dragon wings to fly out of striking range. Sora rapid fired fire balls and flew in his opening, getting Cid in a combo and spinning from a counter attack.

Cid let himself fall out of danger and spotted the flower pattern on Yuffie's shirt giving an orange glow. The Ninja noticed she was exposed and was shot four times, she spun from the fifth and used that to cover the signal flare. Ken used the chance to blow the smoke away and was having a wide smile, like he was about to give a boyish squee and a taunt.

Yuffie spotted Leon sprinting after the boy and cringed, Ken heard foot steps and cartwheeled from a slash before pointing at his attacker and shooting a wide spray of fire balls. Leon was scorched, but his guard was far from broken. He closed in, not allowing the one armed boy to try that again. Ken jumped and slashed with Night Sky in a nimble manner. Cid landed right before Sora did and lit up another stick of dynamite, the spikey haired boy kept a move and landed right in a smoke bomb, Yuffie apologized. "Sorry for ignoring you!" took a kunai and swiped, Sora parried and saw the knife was in the teeth.

Yuffie jerked it backwards to disarm the boy and disappeared, Cid sprinted with the blunt side of his spear for a follow up. Sora kept a move, called his blade back and high jumped in sync. The boy had a better time getting to Cid and getting him in a combo, knocking him around and spotting the fight bellow.

Ken was in a kind of dance and stepped back to let loose a combustion, Leon spotted the attack and jumped back before fighting with fire. Ken side stepped and sparkled Night Sky before rapid firing. Poof!

Ken caught the smoke in his right, spun and saw Yuffie made a jump, if to try and stomp on the shoulders. The ninja took her chakram and on landing, toss it wide. Leon moved around that, if to get a better flank. Sora aimed at Yuffie and fired Ragnarok beams, the ninja didn't notice until the last second and was sent rolling, giving the boy the chance to dive after Leon and knock off his guard.

Ken spotted Cid making his descent, aiming in between the boys for an explosion. The one armed boy cringed, flung an ember across and flew to Sora's back, grabbing him by the back of a hood and warping him as an ember. The two were far away from the attack and Sora got over a daze and saw the three were kind of clustered together. An idea came. "Think you got enough fire power?"

Ken heard a sparkle and raised Night Sky. "Not if they find out, but-" Night Sky's wings expanded to cover the hilt and caused the white lining to uncoil, breaking the blade into stars. Ken split the hilt into two triggers and peeled the string, calling the stars and forming into two black las pistols. Each with a star at each hammer.

He aimed at sync to Sora pointing the Hunny Blasters. The boys thought of the name, Comet's Volley. Leon's scowl worsen as Yuffie had a look at the gun combo and cringed. Cid turned and watched the boys shoot projectile honey and miniature comets. The mechanic was shot into a stagger as Yuffie disappeared in a flash, leaving the Lionheart to sprint in an attempt to out flank. Sora and Ken kept back to pack, the former kept to Leon as Ken spotted a shadow moving and tossing something. "Smoke!"

The two jumped in sync and avoiding the blocking screen, Yuffie rushed out with her disk for a toss as Cid rushed in a flank. Ken pulled the triggers and shined an aurora before spraying a comet cluster, catching Yuffie into a hold as Sora fired wide and lead a flight. Sora back flipped and spun as Ken stretched to get pepper shots at Cid and a Leon who rapid fired. Ken took the fire balls and sprinted under Sora, letting his idol turn upside down and counter with two strong globs. Ken twirled and fired green aurora beams. Getting Yuffie right as she was about to flank and forcing Cid to leap.

Sora landed and kept firing at the two as Ken relaxed, pressed the triggers and fired two long tailed comets at a staggering Yuffie. Poof!

The ninja was knocked down in a trail of snow as the men were gummed up, Sora turned the blasters into a Launcher as Ken pressed his pistols together and flipped them up. They turned into an icy meteor and sparkled into a comet, it fell into Ken's hands and revealed a black, military structured missile launcher, a shield with a star kept Ken's face covered and he peaked into a scope. Cid and Leon saw the two launchers aimed at them, one of Hunny, the other of Celestial.

They sprinted as one and the boys fired. They watched the projectiles merge into a golden, gummy crystal, they kept at it until they saw a large glob splat to the ground, with the two men trapped inside. Leon had a lick and raised his hand. "Alright, alright, you two won." Cid pulled himself out. "What kind of ideas are you cooking in there?"

The boys reverted their weapons and Sora admitted. "You guys are working together to cream us. So we got to get that in check." Ken watched Yuffie get up with a shiver. "Team work!" He and Sora gave each other a high five as the three gathered and breathed in satisfaction. Yuffie turned and give the boys a salute. "You two got this!"

The challengers took their leave and the boys returned to their starting point. Ken asked out of nowhere. "So how are we going to report all this?"

Sora tapped his feet, readying for a fight with the lone warrior he owes his life too. "The worlds wanted us to know that Gilgamesh is alright and we had one more tournament to beat." He smiled wide and arrogantly, Ken caught the joke and laughed in mischief. He felt nervous, remembering who sighed up to be part of the third round. "I think I know a way we can get her out of the fight without having to hurt her that badly. How hard are the others though?"

Sora recalled Tifa making the wall of a castle shake and had goose bumps, his recollection of Cloud is another story. "More than enough, do you think they're going to expect that?" Ken thought of a plan. "Yeah and that will leave you with just one of them." Sora had a time out. "If Cloud comes after you, get out of there!"

Ken had a plan of how to turn that into an advantage. "And spring the trap." Sora knew Ken had the shadow step in mind, right as the the penultimate contenders entered. Cloud could tell that the two were talking up a plan and Tifa readied her fist, giving the boys a silent glare, warning them against what ever they were plotting. Aerith waved to the boys. "You two look like you have a work out." She spun her staff and went into a battle pose. "No hard feelings?"

In all honesty, there wasn't.

The gong made its rang, as the boys readied, Aerith blew a mighty gale that pushed the boys out of their momentum and gave Cloud the signal to rush at them.

The boys felt their hearts at their throats and rolled over the sword and Tifa making a rush with her boots. Ken parried the boot, sent Tifa on a flip and watched her dive kick at Sora before hearing a high pitch battle cry. He flipped to dodge Clouds sword and spotted Aerith forming up a blizzard.

Ken went to his plan, glowed in darkness and raised Night Sky like it is a big chime. Pulse! The blizzard dispersed into a harmless breeze, Sora stepped back to avoid Tifa's kicks and phewed with some relief. Cloud gave Ken a glance, seeing the boy thinking he just taken someone down. "You just did that?"

Ken took a step back and winked all smug. "We don't have to hit Aerith now! Bye!"

With a bend of shadows, Sora and Ken switched places. The spikey haired boy had an awkward smile, telling the man they would rather not do that. Cloud relaxed his face, like he is giving credit to the thought. Sora relaxed to the fight, Ken however, wasn't so lucky, Tifa tensed in fury and threw a punch.

Ken parried, ducked a kick and was given an upper cut. Cloud slashed fast, caught Sora rolling and around his direction for another, forcing the boy to spend more time dodging than attacking. Ken focused his eye on the shadow bellow and vanished from a kick that would have knocked him into hell. He hovered away from Tifa, right as she noticed he was gone, the boy sliced a disk of ice.

The brawler felt the cold and dashed fast, Ken cringed, turned tail and felt behind an fire orb that worked as a mine. Tifa was off her balance and Ken used that to counter charge in finesse. Sora rolled close to Cloud and struck him in the back fast, ending the flurry and striking as fast as possible before catching the buster sword making a wide swing. The boy back flipped and rapid fired. "Freeze!"

Pew! Pew! Pew!

Cloud felt the cold, jumped side ways and readied to get up close again. Sora rolled to get away from that and felt the blunt end of something pressed on his back, stopping his movement, he half turned his head to find Aerith making an apologetic cringe and stepping away.

CLASH!

Sora was sent flying by the force of the buster sword as Ken watched Tifa crouch, not realizing he was about to bump into a staff. It was then, he knew, Aerith was finding another way to get in the fight. The Flower Girl stepped side ways as Tifa flew at Ken, like a dolphin missile.

Ken rolled out of the way of the punch and flipped from the turning blow. The boy used his air magic to jet himself to Sora, who was recovering from the mile wide flight. If they don't hurry and get the two fighters under control, they're going to get overwhelmed. Cloud and Tifa were side by side, on guard, Sora had a vision of the sun and tossed his blade in the air. Ken jumped to get behind it and turned the Kingdom Key into a miniature sun, allowing Sora to have it split apart into a heart shaped satellite. Sora aimed his hands and had the satellite split apart into solar rays.

Ken stretched his arms side ways and had the panels spin fire balls, catching the two in the onslaught. Ken spin his hands to make the panels cool as Sora pointed, letting loose rays that closed in.

As it looked like they had a telling blow, a magical shell circled around the Cloud and Tifa. Aerith got in between her allies and spun her staff to let loose a maelstrom of holy light. Ken landed as Sora called his contraption back and conjure a barrier, his battle buddy fed the celestial power, pushing the maelstrom away. Aerith pressed her hands together in a prayer and unleashed a colorful flower that refreshed her allies. Sora was wide eyed as Ken looked defeated. "Well that didn't work."

Sora agreed. "Alright plan B." Ken agreed to the next best thing, if shutting Aerith down didn't work. "Distract!" He disappeared and reappeared behind the Flower Girl, bringing about a cold chill that made her turn.

Ken locked his blade to the staff and made enough noise that drew Tifa to looking. The brawler drilled a kick in retaliation and made the two break the fight, Ken tapped the ground and made a line of splitting rocks for Sora. The veteran flowed to Cloud and leap behind. Aerith readied a haste spell as Ken pounced on her and knocked her to the ground, the Flower Girl landed as Tifa rushed at the boys back.

Ken danced away from a punch and let loose a screen of ashes, blocking their view from the brawl outside. Sora had a moment to breath and gave Cloud a couple quick strikes before stepping back from a counter. The veteran leaped in an ars arcanum and kept striking, keeping Cloud away from the brawl in the ashes.

At the end of the blow, Sora enveloped his blade in fire, Cloud stepped back and slashed out beams to keep Sora busy. He returned to the fray and continued to clash blows as the ash cloud glowed in patches and turned into a twister, revealing an Aerith that let loose an aero.

Beside her was Ken, who was avoiding Tifa as much as possible. The blonde pressed his blade down and braced his fist as the key glowed. Aerith made a run for it as Tifa back flipped from a rupture of earth. Sora aimed his blade at the Flower Girl and commanded. "Stop!"

Aerith was frozen in time for a moment, Ken used that to make a desperate sprint at Tifa, turning Night Sky into a fire fan and going into a dance. Aerith begun moving and was seeing a brawl spiraling out of control.

Cloud collided his sword with Sora's, pushed him back and turned. "Heads up!" Tifa danced back and made her rush at Sora to escape, Ken's eyes shrank and back flipped from a sword slash as Aerith phewed and approached the fast pace brawl between the other. Sora rolled backwards to avoid a drill punch and watched Aerith fling a barrage of magic missiles.

The spikey haired boy cast a deflective shield and redirect it right at Tifa before going in for a fast combo and letting loose a shock wave of light. Tifa was sent rolling to the floor and got up as Aerith readied to heal. Sora rushed to her and used the teeth of his blade to throw the staff off. Disarming her catalyst and giving himself time to go at Tifa again. Using his blade and his boots to keep himself from getting punched.

Ken saw Aerith was trying to go for the staff and tone the flames down, bringing a freeze as he swiped to the staff. Cloud wasn't sure if the kid was praying that it would keep Aerith out of the fight or if he was praying that it works at all. The icy wind froze the staff to the ground, Aerith grabbed to the staff and channeled the heat of Firaga for a thaw.

Ken jumped back from a buster slash and swiped a frost cut, Cloud took the blow and flew at him, forcing the boy to step aside. Ken turned to see Cloud was flying fast and returning. As the boy was in a dance, Sora gained a momentum and pushed Tifa into the fight. Ken turned his fan back to fire and let loose waves of heat for a counter, it's better than nothing. Sora called upon lightning to shock Tifa in place and giving Ken a reason to move. Leaving a booby trap for Cloud to strike and be knocked into a flip.

Crack!

Aerith felt the ice chip off, pulled her staff off and let loose a twister to protect her team mates and knock the boys out. Sora and Ken kept side by side and focused before firing a double ragnarok that pierced the twister. They high jumped into the eye of the twister, Cloud high jumped to cleave the two, the boys pressed their blades and parried, if so they can drop in safely. The arena dimmed and the boys dived down. Flipping to two ends, blade first and making it shine like a sun. Sora chanted. "Solar-" Ken joined in the chance. "burst!" They aimed their hands to call on the light. "Let's make daylight!"

The light heated into a complete scorch and broke the twister, turning the arena into a sun rise and sending the fighters flying. Cloud and Tifa were laying on the ground, quite battered and Aerith channeled something strong. Sora and Ken disappeared, got to the Flower Girl and locked their blades at the staff, stopping her spell.

Aerith sighed, nodded and wrapped her arms around the boys, issuing a surrender. Something about the way they won, made them feel proud in the heart. Cloud and Tifa were getting up, all be, slowly. Sora asked the three. "So, after we go back home, is there anything else we have to do?"

Aerith didn't feel like there is. "Nothing that we can get done today." Cloud stretched, feeling like he had enough fun. "Now knock that weirdo down." Tifa was cooling down from the battle and waved her hair. "You boys got this."

The three made their leave and went back to position, right on que for someone to make a dramatic entrance. An ever determined Gilgamesh. "Hua ha!"

He landed gracefully and brought out his polearm. "It's no wonder you became a cut of the rest. Your folks sure are something to keep up with."

Sora agreed to that. "What can I say, most of them taught me how to fight." Gilgamesh raised his left foot and kept a balance. "And that served you well. What about you, kid? You're picking up the slack."

Ken blushed, looked to Sora and admitted. "Well... me and Sis had to imitate someone while learning on the road. But we had a pretty good start until then." Sora phewed, thankful that Aqua did come when she did. "We all caught up because we got trained by an expert. Now let's see how big you really are, Gilgamesh."

The warrior saw the determination in the boys eyes and readied for battle. "Then have at ya!"

The gong rang for the final round. Gilgamesh glowed his free hand into a claw and flung himself at the boys. Sora back flipped from a spear swipe as Ken stepped back and flung himself at the warriors head, getting a blow. Gilgamesh laughed and swipped his claw at Ken, knocking him back and bringing a chill that nearly caused his heart to stop. Sora saw Ken wasn't getting up and rushed to Gilgamesh for a few blows. "Hey, what was that for?!"

Gilgamesh took the hit and attempted to claw Sora, predicting that the boy would evade that. "An old trick I learned, don't worry he'll be fine after that Death Claw." He stepped back, dispelled the Death Claw and clenched his fist. "You won't be after this rocket though."

He punched forward "Huah!" and shot out a giant, rocket powered boxing glove, Sora rolled towards Ken and cast a heal that made his partner warm again. Ken closed his right eye in shock. "Ouch!" Gilgamesh took the chance to swipe at Sora and made him jump. He turned to Ken and using the swipe as a way to make an opening for a thrust.

Ken cartwheeled and waved Night Sky like it is a wand, summoning small comets for a counter attack. Gilgamesh took it, jumped back from Sora and sang a soft song. The spikey haired boy was seeing everything growing around him and yelped at what the foe did. The warrior boasted. "That isn't my only trick, now take this!"

He leaped at the shrunken boy that made a run for his life and blew out a mighty hurricane, Ken puffed his cheeks and swapped places with Sora. Ken jumped over the spear and blasted Gilgamesh in flame as Sora rolled from the wind and hovered, he shouted in a squeak. "Thunder!"

ZAP!

Gilgamesh yelped and conjured a death claw for Ken, the one armed boy flew from the swipe and focused a shot lock of shooting stars as Sora cast a thundaga. Gilgamesh pointed at Ken and caused the arena to turn into an odd color, Ken landed on his rear and begun to fall asleep as his youthful form turned tall, wrinkly, and with a set of long, grey blonde hair.

Sora had more than enough and channeled a mass heal, growing himself back and waking Ken up. "Hmph!" The old man heard his voice having a kind of whistle and got up, aching all over and barely able to see anything. "What did he do this time?"

Sora guessed it has everything to do with magic. "This is another spell, give me a minute to get rid of that." Ken listened to that, his own voice and was not amused at being an elder. "Why I oughta." He focused his right eye and got a view of Gilgamesh in the haze, the warrior looked at a grey eye that had a fire to life. "You're out of your league, old man!"

He high jumped and slashed the wind, knocking the less than nimble elder to the ground. Ken had a back flip as Sora high jumped after Gilgamesh and attacked fast. Ken spread stars and had them assist. It was a fast clash of blows and Gilgamesh flew backwards to unleash missiles. Sora deflected the explosions and cast a remedy on Ken, causing him to glow and return to his youthful self. Ken felt a lot stronger in mind and body, the boy wished to put an end to the tricks and charged up a fire ball.

Gilgamesh was blasted by the flame and was sent into a flip, giving Sora time to dive down to his partner. The spikey haired boy felt the dark still and signaled. "Ken, if you do that, he's going to pull another trick that much sooner." Ken had a flash back to the last fight and halted the profound still. "Yeah, not yet."

Sora had an idea, right as Gilgamesh landed and looked up to the sky fiercely. Ken felt it and closed his eyes, imagining a nebula in a chromatic swirl. The boys pressed their hands to their hearts and called to the nebula, finding a stormy heart answering back. "We need your help!"

Gilgamesh huhed and turned to see a strange cloud in the sky, flowing towards him in a rage. The warrior yelped and made the sound strategy of running for his life. The cloud grew talons and landed, blowing a cold, blistering, suffocating wind and taking form of the Chromatic Kharibdyss. More of a chaotic spirit than of the war beast it was. The five heads looked on to Gilgamesh, awaiting Ken to snap his fingers. "Mess him up!"

On the order, the red, green and black head banded together to breath a hazardous inferno, doing quite a hefty amount of damage. Gilgamesh blew a twister back and rushed at the beast that jumped to the side and used its blue and white head to blast out a lighting blizzard. The Warrior slashed through it with ease and admitted. "I've always had a hunch that you were as strong as you looked. So where have you been yesterday?"

The entity pointed his tail at the sky he came from, the warrior knew what the heart was speaking. "Looking to become a fearsome star and shine upon the worlds that need your kind to get things going? Ha, you got your work cut out for you."

The Kharibdyss rushed at him with it's fanged tentacle and traded bites for slashes. Sora and Ken stepped back, realizing the brawl was a lot more friendlier than expected. As they readied to lend a blizzard barrage, the beast swiped it's tail their way, signalling that it has it under control. Acting quite independent and sparking another discovery, the beast might be on the path to becoming a divine constellation, with a terrifying if fulfilling roll to fill in the universe.

Ken rested a hand on his hip and asked with regret. "What did I do?" Sora sighed to a desperate choice that could have resulted in the beast becoming a problem in the worst possible moment had the choice not been taken. "That heart had to have gone somewhere."

Smash!

The beast and the warrior continued their brawl, until Gilgamesh jumped over a lunging head and pierced his spear into the back. That one blow, caused the cloud to disperse and turn into a stormy heart that blinked a farewell.

The warrior looked quite battered and waved. "I ought to pay you a visit again one of these days." He leaped after the boys that dashed left and right, he spun a slash and cast a flash of blinding light. They made the wise move of closing their eyes to negate the spell and sliced through as one. Sora flipped and cast a fire barrage as Ken cast frozen hail stones that on contact, burst into blizzard spells, Gilgamesh jumped far and readied to unleash rockets as Sora fired a ragnarok barrage.

The beams made their mark and knocked Gilgamesh to a flip. The Warrior was on his knees and caught a breath. "Alright, enough playing around." He stood up. "That was just to warm ya all up." He grabbed onto his cloak. "It's morphing time!" Fling! He tossed his cloak and revealed his true, multi armed form, with throwing darts, a morning star, a chicken knife at the lower left hand, a shield, an axe and a dark sword.

The boys hoped that meant the end of the the magic tricks. Gilgamesh leaped high and tossed light glowing knives at them, they rolled from that and watched Gilgamesh turn his landing and let loose razor wind. Sora made his rush and struck Gilgamesh in the chest. The warrior glowed with his dark sword and countered fast, Sora parried with some light and watched the warrior do something unexpected. Swipe! Gilgamesh took the Keyblade and caused it to enlarge. "Ha! Now lets see how you like it!"

He aimed a barrage of short swords at the boy, making him run as far as possible. Ken growled. "Hey, give that back!" He followed with more intense blizzard spells and readied a blizzaga, Gilgamesh pushed through it with his shield and spun with the morning star. "You're gonna have to try-" Roll! Smash! "Harder than that!"

PEW!

The keyblade disappeared from Gilgamesh's hand, returning to it's rightful wielder, Sora wasn't sure if he should be furious or laughing wildly. He leaped in an ars arcanum, striking through the blades and getting to the helmet, Gilgamesh readied to use his axe to trip Sora away and felt something yank it away. Gilgamesh took the third blow, jumped back and sucker punched Sora with the chicken knife. Sora was sent in a roll and was seeing red, before a warmth made it lessen. Gilgamesh saw his axe across the floor, Ken stood in the way and balked. "Ha! Let's see how you like that!"

Gilgamesh put his spear away and brought out a titan sized axe to use for two of his hands. "I have plenty more where that came from." He dashed in a spin, ready to prove a point, Ken jumped with a cloud of ashes to blind Gilgamesh and gave a few shots before jumping at his back. Gilgamesh turned, tossed his throwing daggers in surprise and used it as his chance to bring out a long katana. Gilgamesh swung his morning star as a follow up and spun to slice the katana. Ken rolled and left behind a fire mine.

Sora flipped the Kingdom Key and turned it into Oathkeeper, signalling a que to prepare for a combo. Ken understood and turned Night Sky into a curved sword and splitting it in two. Gilgamesh shrugged off the fire and caught a whift of the fire sword. "Now what kind of form is that?" Ken jumped backwards and kicked the dirt. "A power I took in and a sword that came when I needed it."

Flicker!

Sora was at Gilgamesh's personal and let loose the power of a star. Gilgamesh stepped back, crossed his swords and rushed through, engulfing Sora in a x cross of darkness and wind. Ken leaped at Gilgamesh's abdomen and watched him swipe the axe. The boy side stepped and used the pole to run up, dodging the morning star and giving an x slash of his own. Sora cast a heal on himself and went for a back attack. Gilgamesh felt that, took another x slash and snatched the curved sword for a counter. "A ha!"

Sora flipped and fired light beams as Ken held his other sword in both hands and slashed through, making a volcanic scorch and calling the metal blade into the fire. Ken back flipped and sprouted fiery wings before shrieking a fire beam. Gilgamesh yelped and stepped away from the explosions and put his axe away for a rather high tech cross bow and a green, fairy winged cross bow. "Have some of this!" He rapid fired from the high tech bow and sprang a net of electricity as the fairy bow flew faster and with sparkles.

Sora flickered to the ground to avoid the net as Ken sliced through the fairy bolt and was left scattered brained by the dust. PEW! Sora rushed right from the fairy bolt aimed at him as Ken was caught up by the electrical net, shocking him silly and binding him to where he turned his fire off. He covered himself in wings and emerged from a distant shadow. Sora lunged into close combat and got Gilgamesh in a combo before going into double form and using both blades to get an edge.

The warrior was more than pleased by the surprise and used his stealing hand to draw out Excalipoor. Using the feeble sword and his shield as a means of defense while using his upper swords and morning star for a counter, Sora flickered away and countered as a twin tailed comet. Ken shook his head, regained his senses and darken the arena. He used it as a way to burst into flames and cloak himself in darkness, Gilgamesh had a moment to see the fire works and Ken blitzing to his face. The boy gave mighty swing before turning his combo into Night Sky and used it with his wings to fire a triple beam.

Gilgamesh spun out of danger and fired the net bow in point blank range. The boys warped out of its grapple and gotten to his personal space again. Sora pressed his blades together and unleashed a star with a spinning chain as Ken gave a few quick blows on the dark sword, making an opening for another combo. Gilgamesh slashed the boys away with the his two right swords and tossed his cross bows away for a burning sword and an ice sword, wanting to try a six sided cross blade technique.

Sora flung his blades side ways and had them hover in a glow as Ken flung Night Sky into the air. The whole arena turned into outer space, with the galaxy surrounding the boys, smaller stars fired at Gilgamesh. The boys got out of the way of a slash and Ken pointed onward, commanding larger stars to bombard. Sora flickered to the edge and fired more, Gilgamesh raised his shield up and conjured a barrier. "It's just a light show!"

PEW! PEW! PEW!

The stars made the barrier crack and Sora flung a comet to shatter it. Ken's own barrage flew to Gilgamesh's side and sent him flying, Sora called his blades and leaped for a cross section. The veteran disappeared in the light and rushed at Gilgamesh from all sides as Ken aimed Night Sky at the galaxy and fed cosmic dust. "From the end is a beginning, from the beginning is an end."

Sora flipped to the dust going into the galaxy, turning it all into grey. "Coming from a Big Bang!" The grey turned into an orb of light that turned everything into a shadow, it expanded into a blast that pushed the shadows far and caught Gilgamesh in the full force. The warrior felt the flash wash through his body, he didn't feel anything in particular, but his mind was fatigued. The flash was at an end, the arena returned to it's blending of shade. Gilgamesh landed, with a faint smoke coming out of his body. He wasn't finished yet. "Ha, ha! Is that all you got?"

Sora and Ken pressed the hilt of their blades together, knowing Gilgamesh was a lot more hurt than he was letting on. The boys flung their blades and caused them to turn into a two sided disk, giving off a shine. Gilgamesh clashed his weapons at the disk, swatting Night Sky away as the Kingdom Key spun over the swords and smacked the warrior's head.

With that, Gilgamesh felt a bonk and fell to his hands and knees. Defeated. The Keybearers called their blades back and breathed out, their brains didn't pick up on how they achieved victory. Then came the cheering of a crowd and fanfare. Their brains caught up and Ken asked. "Wait, we just won?!"

Sora gasped as Gilgamesh tried getting up and was fighting the urge to pass out. "We beaten that!" Ken squeed as Sora burst into laughing. "Ha ha ha!" The younger boy used that as his chance to give Sora an embrace, Sora returned the favor with an arm wrap and nudged a fist at his partners cheek.

The Committee came out to congratulate the two on a job well done and Phil came around with a rather big, wing handled, blue trophy. The most distinguished part of it, was a strange crystal as the head piece. The local admitted. "I didn't think you throw the whole zodiac into that, but that was definitely something you don't see everyday."

Sora let go as Ken blushed. "Hey, the stars aren't going to hand themselves over." Sora snickered. "We got to reach for them, no matter how high they are."

He turned to see Herc helping Gilgamesh up as Ken picked the cup up and marveled it. He went to Sora and silently offered to hand it over, the idol didn't notice until he turned around and saw Ken was at the hue of a tomato. The older boy stepped back in a leap. "Ken, what are you doing?"

Ken answered, proudly. "I saw your blade hit him there, so you ought to take this." He smiled wide as his brain screamed the thought. "This is the best day ever!"

As much as Sora wanted to take it, he pushed the trophy back. "I've knocked this Colosseum out before and I've knocked out the one Hades tried to make." Ken pushed back and asked. "Where the heck am I going to fit this?" Sora squinted his eyes with annoyance. "Where's it going to go on that island?" Ken puffed his cheeks and was about to say "You figure it out." as Aerith went in between them and picked the trophy up. "That's enough, boys. I think I know a good spot in town that we can look at."

The assertive tone snapped the boys out of their argument and caused the two to blush in embarrassment.

Gilgamesh felt he regained his ability to speak and laughed. "I'd like to see someone try to tell these kids, they don't have what it takes." Hercules imagined that the only reasons someone would say that, is out of demoralizing spite. "These two stood up to the gods of Chaos, they can stand up to anyone."

Sora wanted to take his mind out of the argument and asked. "So, Gilgamesh, where are you going to be heading now?" The warrior pointed his thumb to the world in general. "Until I can figure that out, I'm going to be using the town as a place to stay. Just because traveling isn't going to be easy right now, doesn't mean the calling won't come around."

Sora agreed with that and turned to everywhere. "A path always opens when we need it, things don't ever stay quiet for long." Leon sighed to that. "Even after everything that's happened?"

Ken nodded. "Making sure the noise stays as just noise is our job. Even when we gone through the worst." He recalled something and asked the locals. "Hey, just in case, is there anything local we should look around for? We know a cook that can make a lot of good stuff with what ever we find around."

Phil had an interest in knowing the details. "You're standing around in Greece, where the best grubs just waiting to drop of the vine." Ken took that as, looking in the floral and took off, Sora's heart skipped a beat and he followed. "Hey, wait up!" The group laughed to that and thought to pass along a few words before they part ways.

In the Marshlands.

Kairi and Xion pounced upon the last of the Bolt Throwers and drowned it in the glimmer of the swamp as Azu kept a distance from a wiggling Black Fungus that sprayed spores and jetted to its chest for an ice punch. Some of the danger lessened and the ladies found a patch of land to stand on. On the land is a strange, vine grown tree of brown fur fruit. Kairi reached and applied some pressure in the palm, there was pressure pushing back. "Kiwis!"

She felt a little peckish and had a little harvest as Xion looked around for danger, nothing in particular is off, save for a fallen tree with brown cap mushrooms. Memories of a particular breakfast tempted her to go picking. "No one will mind if we don't get caught!"

Kairi hummed and was seeing her Sister in Arms going for mushrooms without checking the underside, she grew cold and stopped her. "Hey, hey. Don't pick what you don't know." She checked the underside as Azu was seeing a path up a dry hill. She hummed and walked off. (Do you think our friends have went down here before?)

Kairi saw the mushrooms have all the signs of being safe and let Xion harvest, she thought about the idea. "Normally, when we go to a world, there's always a local nearby or the sight of a town. It could be somewhere new for all we know." Xion plucked over a dozen and saw where Azu is going. "But why did that Flan make the door?"

Azu guessed. (Because these next couple days are kind of special and we need to make something special?) Kairi spotted the hill and asked. "Like the freshest greens we can get?"

Azu turned as Kairi went back to plucking more kiwis. "A week before we met, Sora helped Lil' Chef get out of a mess and as a thank you, our cook made one of the most scrumptious fruit tarts yet. I think if we make one that's even bigger, we can divide it up for all of us."

Azu gasped and drooled as Xion noticed something strange in the woods. A giant red mushroom with orange spots, completely out of place from the rest of the forest. She had a closer look and saw there were insect legs under it, the insect sensed a presence and turned, showing an orange, cicada head that has blank, dead eyes. Xion eeked and the insect scurried off to the hill side.

Kairi and Azu hurried and bumped into the panicking girl. The Princess nearly tripped and asked. "Did something spook you?" Xion shivered. "One of the mushrooms looked off and had a zombie bug under it!"

Azu huhed. (Zombie bug, mushroom?) She saw Kairi's hair and pointed, hopping for attention. (Does the mushroom have color like hers?) Xion figured out what the question is. "It's red and had orange marks." Azu gasped. (A Parasect!)

Kairi heard Namine whisper the name and asked out loud. "A Parasect?! What's a pokemon doing here? Xion, did you see where it went?"

The black haired girl nodded and sprinted to the hill, the ladies followed. On the top of the hill, the ladies found the remains of a fallen tree and further ahead, a meadow with a couple of bamboo huts. With in the rotten stump, is a giant mushroom cap, half of it was red and half of it was white. On the fallen trunk was an dark pink cap with light yellow spots, they found the Parasect, scurrying to the big mushroom and hissing. (Trespassers, they want our mushrooms!)

The fast speed and movement made Kairi's skin crawl and Azu waddled down. (Hey, hey. You got it all wrong, in fact.) She thought. (I think you guys might need a hand.)

The big mushroom wiggled as the ladies saw something jump from behind the tree, a green cap, fungal kangaroo. It had red nailed knuckles, red toes and red spots on the cap. The body was mostly green, the neck, head and tail were a milky white and it's tail had four hard spore cases. The Kangaroo chirped. (You all look like the lost ones here.)

Pop! The pink cap popped and revealed what looked to be a thin humanoid with a pink pair of trousers, thin yellow fingers and a cartoonish face of black eyes and a black mouth. (They come to take us from our hidey hole, Breloom. We can't have that.) The Parasect agreed and hissed. (They want to eat Mushroom Buddies. They're not welcome.)

The Breloom nodded and jumped in the way, hopping and readying his knuckles. (You and Shiinotic are right about that! The dark ones are trying to trick us again!)

Shiinotic whistled. (Amoongus!)

The big mushroom rose, revealing a white stem with two red and white cap shields a pink, bulb like mouth and a set of red glowing eyes under the cap. (They messed with the wrong gang!)

The girls realize this is a fight they can't run from and Azu was in a panic attack over the massive disadvantage. (Crud! This is a whole lot of grass types!)

The Parasect hopped left and right, making itself more agile as the Breloom spat bullet seeds. Xion rolled and rushed at the Breloom, the hopper stepped to the side from a swing and delivered a mach punch to the face. Parasect sprinted after Kairi and pounced, the princess rolled and watched Shiinotic crouch down and scatter spores on Xion. The girl became drowsy and in a haze. Azu growled and gave the Parasect an ice punch, spinning the insect silly.

The Amoonguss scattered an itchy powder that got on Kairi's nerves. Since it looked like the biggest, it would be the foe that would be the most danger. She clashed her blade against the mushroom caps and was pushed back, the Amoonguss spit out a puff at Parasect. The insect chomped on it for a heal as Breloom turned to Kairi, who realize she made a big blunder. The girl turned and faced point blank bullet seeds to her chest. Shiinotic danced and called upon rain clouds as the Amoonguss looked at Azu and spat out a ball of caustic sludge. The aquatic rabbit conjured a light screen and pleaded. (Come on, Xion wake up!)

The black haired girl snapped out of her haze and watched Shiinotic glow brightly in a moon. Xion charged the Shiinotic and took the a full moon blast, she was seeing red, yet she gave the fungus a blow of metal.

Shiinotic yelped and landed in the puddle before getting itself up. Amoonguss glared at the girl and hopped after her. Xion cast a heal on herself and watched the mouth inhale, draining green energy, Parasect jumped on her back and bit her neck. The girl yelped and knocked the insect off. "Ew! Ew! Ew!"

She launched a swarm of insects at the Parasect, each one chomped into the mushroom and made the foe shake them off. Breloom shook his head and flung spores at Kairi, bringing her into a daze and giving the foe time to focus his fist. Azu cringed and jumped in the way, taking a focus punch and touching Breloom by the cheeks. She looked him in the eyes with violent intentions. (You should not have done that!)

She smacked the Breloom across the face multiple times and used her tail to send him flying to the tree. Breloom tried getting up and passed out. Amoonguss was not amused, jumped in Xion's way and bellowed. (I'll show you!)

Scatter!

Xion had a whiff of spores and was in a sleepy haze once again, giving Shiinotic time to get up and wiggled to the brawler of the pounce. It tapped a finger to Xion's hand and made her glow in a strange pink, healing the blow it took earlier. Amoonguss spat sludge at Azu, forcing her to roll.

Kairi snapped awake and saw Parasect crossing it's pincers together in a purple x. She parried the cross poison, flung the insect back and aimed. "Fire!"

PEW!

The fire dimmed from the rain, but it made it's mark and make the Parasect screech. Kairi sprinted to finish the insect off as Amoonguss scattered his rage powder and was about to aim a giga drain on Azu. The Princess got in the way and smacked Amoonguss before facing the drain. Xion shook awake and was feeling her blade was heavier than before. Shiinotic had a moonblast for Kairi and Xion made her strike, shoving the fairy mushroom by a foot.

The illuminating mushroom was a bit impressed by Xion's strength and fired the blast at her instead. The Parasect rushed after Azu for a cross poison slash, the Aquatic Rabbit took the blow and punched the insect with a fist of ice. Parasect fumbled to the ground and gave off a whine.

Azu jetted at the Shiinotic and squeaked to Xion. (I got this, take down that Amoonguss!) The black haired girl made her escape as the Shiinotic had different plans. (I'm not letting you pluck the boss!)

PUNCH!

Azu punched Shiinotic in the face with an ice punch, the mushroom touched Azu for a strength sap that wasn't quite as refreshing. PUNCH! Another ice punch tipped the Shiinotic on its back, making it see pink and white stars. Amoonguss hopped in a last stand and Kairi cast a wide heal, letting Xion smack the mushroom. Amoonguss deflected the blade and shook out a spore cloud, bringing them into that haze. With the ladies no longer a threat, the Amoonguss hopped after Azu. "You won't knock me over!"

SPAT!

The light screen soaked the worst of the sludge bomb and Azu gotten close to punch the shields. Amoonguss countered with a healing drain and took another punch before shattering one more spore cloud. Kairi and Xion shook themselves awake, saw Amoonguss was overwhelming the Azumarril and pressed their blades together to unleash a blizzaga. Blasting the Amoonguss and knocking him on his side.

The ladies grabbed Azu and dragged her away as the Amoonguss groaned. (Not...yet.) He gotten up and was ready for another go, Breloom and the others shook off their daze, not willing to give an inch, despite how hurt they were. (We...we're just getting started.) Flap!

"DRAMPA!"

A mighty hurricane came blowing from where the ladies came, blowing the Mushroom Buddies to the tree and thoroughly knocking them out. Thud! "PA!" (And you stay down if you know what's good for you!)

The ladies heard the deep roar and turned, finding a green fur, long necked dragon with a face resembling an white haired, green stache, elder. It had pink eyes, yellow eyebrows, fluffy white feathers for arms and a white fluffy tail. The dragon was not pleased by the Mushrooms rough housing and he had a stare at the youngsters, one of concern. (You kids aren't really those monsters, are you?)

Azu waved her hands to her face. (Oh no, Drampa. We're just a couple of explorers that got a bit in the deep end.) She took out her badge and waddled to the knocked out mushrooms. (But since we're here, this ought to be another rescue!)

She shined it and caused the four to envelope in yellow light, spiriting them away. Kairi gasped. "Azu, what are you doing?" The rabbit turned with pride. (It's the power of the badge, one shine of this and our missing pal will be out of danger and into the home town.) She hummed. (A Pokemon that needs saving, is a Pokemon that needs saving, even when they're not thinking straight.)

Xion wondered. "How long were they out here by themselves?" Drampa counted. (Around two days ago from what I saw, before I fell into some light and landed by a mountain.)

Kairi asked. "Two days, here by yourselves?! That's got to be scary for you all" Drampa snorted out wind. (It got to be scary for you snappers, skies don't turn red and spooky.)

The ladies found themselves in a predicament, looked to each other and decided on something. Kairi approached and petted the snout. "It was, but we can't leave you here. If you come with us, we'll finish exploring this place and turn back towards somewhere where we can keep an eye on you." Drampa stared, not keen on going with a bunch of strangers, Azu insist. (There's still some very bad people out there, that would try to find a way to hurt you and our base is pretty far away. Is there anyone else out here, we can talk to?)

Drampa recalled a small, red dragon and turned to the forest. (He's all the way at the mountain. What are you all here for?)

The ladies followed and Kairi was feeling more peckish. "Some rare cooking ingredients that we won't find elsewhere. We got caught up in an investigation." Xion added in. "That happens more often than it should."

Drampa caught a scent of something and believed them, they continued to the simple forest, with a few trees bearing reddish, orange fruit, peaches. By the trees was the hut, living by it is a Moogle in a straw hat, organizing various fruits, mushrooms and even having a simple ice box. It noticed the strange party and tilt his head to get a view of the tree. "Ran from Mushrooms?"

Kairi shook her head. "We sent those Mushrooms away. What are you doing here?" The Moogle turned to the goods. "Gathering ingredients. Kupo! You want?" Kairi pointed her thumb to the peach trees. "Are those yours?" The greedy merchant pointed to the forest. "Forest free! Don't pick too much."

Xion looked at the ice box and went to have a look, finding slabs of pork. The girl imagined lunch. "I think we found something good for Lil' Chef to use." The Moogle extend his hand. "Pork belly good, got from Moogle Brother, Kupo!"

Xion went for her pocket as Kairi helped herself to the peaches. It didn't take long for the girls to get what they came for. The Moogle is envisioning a trip to a nearby village, if to get some handy tools and noticed the Azumarril and the dragon. He wasn't going to ask. "Thank you. Kupo!"

The ladies turned and saw Drampa facing the way they came, lowering his back and turning his head, if to offer them a ride. They thought about it, remembered how much of a struggle the Marshlands were and took on the offer, getting on the back and securing themselves. Drampa took flight to the skies, heading to the swamp as Azu asked. (The way we came is at the bamboo forest, you can't miss it.)

That was something Drampa remembers and he kept to the path. Xion spotted something appearing in the sky that was annoying, Bolt Throwers that don't want anyone returning home. "These guys again." She turned the Vector of the Heavens into a lightning bow as Drampa gave the monsters a glare of glowing eyes, he let loose an echoing roar that knocked the foes into the clouds. Xion and Kairi opened their mouths to the impressive power.

The Princess turned her blade into a cross bow and whispered. "We got you're back Drampa! Just keep flying!"

In the Unknown Dungeon.

Bonk! Ven smacked the Half Orc Fighter in the back of the head and sent him falling on the ground with a concussion, leaving the bloodied Gnome Warlock with a electrically fried Hobgoblin Artificer, a frozen Drow Sorcerer and a chained up Tiefling Rogue. The Gnome focused with his hex blade and cursed. "This isn't how it ends, I need a little more time!"

Aqua sighed, impressed by the warlocks skills but irritated by the curses he's cast. "You'll have more than that when we have a word with your boss. Sleep!"

PEW!

By that will, the Gnome fell over, struggled to keep himself awake and lost conscious. The Keyblade Master phewed and looked around. "Some ambush. Is everyone okay?" Terra opened up a potion and let loose a soothing light as Riku looked upon the rag tag band of misfits in curiosity, he realized something and clapped a hand on his knuckle. "I know where we are!"

Dupmic and Ven turned to listen as the second in command answered. "We stepped into the Realm of Imagination! Someone, somewhere is thinking up a game and these dudes are some of the bad guys."

Ven huhed. "These guys are imaginary?" Riku nodded. "They could be or someone is using a toy to make the game feel that much real." He went to the door the Half Orc used. "Since we're in here, the things that can hurt us, will hurt us for real." Dupmic couldn't help but flick his tongue, he has an idea of what kind of game they're in. "So we got to treat this like an actual trap hole? I wouldn't take a step over that, if I were you."

The older boy laughed and looked ahead, finding a hall way with three doors, one front ahead, one to the right and a hall going left. "They really don't want a bunch of heroes to come snooping around, but would these guys want to fall into them as well?"

Terra asked. "So if it doesn't look like a place they're living in, expect anything that can smash us into a wall?" Aqua wouldn't put it that crude. "Or skewer us, or ring a dinner bell for some kind of monster that knows where to go."

She and Riku lead on and checked the odd room out, on the left, they found flicking light bulbs in a kind of machine. The work shop of the Artificer that they brought down, with gadgets and gizmos the group wouldn't even begin to understand. Ven checked a drawer and found a few blue prints of interest, of pressure plated devices, of a rotating harpoon launcher of electricity, of spike walls and of a trap door for something. The Hobgoblins laughter echoed in a memory and Ven cursed. "Darn it! These things are going to be hard to spot until we see the trigger."

Aqua had a read on the machinations, just about puzzled save for her experience with a Fortress of Traps. "And if we're not careful, that trigger's going to be the last thing we see."

Ven kept the blue prints as the party returned to the corridor and opened the next dead ahead door. "I don't think this is even all of them, but I think we can figure out what these traps are." Riku listed the first one. "One of them will shoot us with spears that will impale us and then electrocute us for good measure." Ven nodded. "The other is like what Terra said, except less messy. But I can't figure out what the trap do-" He gasped. "A ha! That trap door isn't for us, it's for what's standing on it." The man of the group pieced together the rest. "And the what is something that would love getting the drop on us?"

Aqua nodded and opened the door to a pretty simple resting area, completed with three shelves, to front and right are book shelves, the left is a dice collection.

Aqua hmph at something. "So unless we want to go into a complete circle, I say this is the perfect camp from their hideout to the lair of their master." She went to the right and pressed her finger on books as Riku went to the other shelf and brushed the dice.

Nothing in particular happened, Ven folded his arms at the puzzle. "Wouldn't this be too obvious?" Aqua didn't find anything off. "It's a classic puzzle, the mysteries to everything is right behind a bookshelf." Dupmic approached the center one and looked at the puzzle. "But any master mind worth anything, would twist this." He spotted a white book that has shades of yellow. "There it is!"

Aqua turned to see what Dupmic was looking at and approached, seeing the odd book amongst the rest. She felt her heart skip a beat and realize. "This is some kind of trigger trap." She conjured a warping crystal and tossed it back, signalling the group to step away. Ven, Dupmic and Riku did so and noticed something a little off about the shelf frame, it was identical to the others but there's a round bauble on each corner.

Aqua reached for the book and gave it a touch, it was awfully sticky and couldn't come off. In a sudden, the baubles turned to ember eyes and the shelf grew out what looked like teeth. Ven cringed. "Aqua," The Keyblade Master took a step back and saw the book take the shape of a sharp tooth. The wood looked like a squishy purple tongue with in a nest of teeth. That book shelf was a monster, Mimicking one until a crunchy looking morsel decided to stay around to investigate.

CHOMP!

The Mimic chomped at Aqua and chewed sloppily before springing it's eyes forward as stalks and snort out mucus at the door, blocking the Keybearers from escaping. Ven and Terra readied to beat this Mimic with an inch of it's life and saw bright orange in it's lips. The eye stalks looked to the mouth, then looked to the keybearers in distress.

BOOM!

The Mimic burst into flames, gizzards and eyes, leaving behind a smouldering Aqua that had saliva all over her body and teeth marks, she shivered with some embarrassment and found a passage of a spiral stair case ahead.

She turned to her friends, pressing her lips together and presenting it to them. "There you have it! It was a trap." Dupmic was having none of the excuses and cast a healing spell on her. "How the heck did they keep that from eating them?"

Aqua sighed, not wishing to be humbled even further. "By feeding it their table scraps and any varmints that nose around? Let's not act like we figured everything out," She kept still and gestured to the passage before looking her companions in the eyes and silently telling them that this dungeon is a colossal death trap. The boys felt if they came this far, they might as well take the challenge. They went down the spiral stairs and entered a wide, F shaped chamber, covered head to toe by a white carpet. At the end of the hall was a strap of red, to the closest right is blue and to the farthest is yellow.

Dupmic groaned. "And the trigger is right underneath the magic carpet of our deaths."

He took a step to the side and bumped into a dreadful sight, a would be adventurer, turned into stone and screaming in silence over his fate. The boy screamed and bumped Terra towards another, a pointy eared bard that was in an outcry of his demise. The statues are all wedged to the ground and making it so the only way forward, is on the carpet. The band took a jump and glided over the carpet, escaping the statues and getting off of the welcoming of death.

Ven had enough of the constant sense of danger and took the blue carpet, going into a dark room. The boy conjured sunlight and found the room was a gallery, each picture being that of an eye. Ven walked in and asked. "Just who the heck owns this place?" The band followed in and behold the oddity of eyes, each one being surrounded by a particular color. Each one, look like they are staring down at them. In a minute of finding nothing, the eyes were becoming unnerving. Unnerving enough that leaving was a viable option. It was decided to go to the path ahead and arrive in a room with three glass doors themed around an eye.

The walls held decorative tapestry of different colored eyes and brought Ven into a whimper. "Come on!"

Dupmic felt a little insight to where they are. "This is another death trap, a spike trap. Somewhere in this room," He looked to floor, with each tile being exactly alike. "is a pressure plate that will make these eyes give their piercing glare. If you know what I mean. What's to keep us from jumping over this again?"

Riku raise two fingers. "No one every uses the same trap twice. If someone got over the carpet, then the next trigger is somewhere we would not expect."

Terra flinched and focused on the doors. "They're right over there!" Aqua felt her nerves wiggling. "Right when we think we're safe, the last thing we hear is some kind of click." She slowly approached and asked. "Watch your step and if it feels loose, step back."

The boys heeded that and Aqua blew a gust of wind at the doors, the floor panels didn't change and made the lady of the group, feel a heavy beat. She decided to dig her nails to each tile and as she felt her nails go into the edges of the left tile. She breathed out and stood, pointing at the death trap. "And there it is." She went to the right door, wanting to get as far away from it as possible. She opened the door and found a long hall way towards something lit by a sun portrait. A warm gaze that would have been laughable, had the trap not been so terrifying. "Looks like we're good for now."

The band kept close, wondering why the gateway showed up in the first place. As they reached to the middle of the hall, they heard a click and felt the hall tilt forward, sliding them into something jingling. Dupmic was fast first into something glittering and round, gold coins. As the others were shaking off the shock, the Replica wowed. "Mother of loads!"

Riku got up to see a treasure trove and walls with jeweled eyes. "Man, talk about a jack pot." Ven didn't fell for the glitter. "At the end of a booby trap? Yeah right." The Twins turned in agreement and Terra went to pick up a coin, finding an insignia of an eye. He bit at the coin and found it easy to bend. "These are fake!"

Aqua sighed the worry off and looked around, finding a pedestal with a large, indigo colored mirror that resembles a reptiles slit eye. "And when someone is stupid enough to fill their pockets and go for this, it triggers another trap."

She spotted a wide door underneath a portrait of a grey orb of flesh, with a wide smiling mouth of teeth, an golden eye and a collection of smaller eyes in the lid. It had five eye stalks on it's head and bellow the jaw, a beard of four tentacles. Aqua didn't like the tone of that smile, pointed at it and wanted to scream every curse word imaginable. Ven had a peak at the portrait, pointed fingers to his own eyes and pointed it at the image. Terra wasn't in the mood for more games and went for the door, hearing a scratching from above. He closed his eyes and counted down as the others saw something pushing the portrait like it was a window, a bull headed beast. It had the long body and girth of a red wyvern. It wiggled and stretched leathery wings, in place of talons were fiery yellow eyes.

It opened it's mouth to show a larger, brighter eye. "Clever vermin, to think you would realize the forgery this quickly." Terra opened his eyes to see the Eyedrake twitching it's vision. Aqua breathed out and balked. "Like you?"

She leaped at the Drake and had a magic barrage in mind, the Eyedrake breathed out a red ray at the Keyblade Master and caused her to shoot nothing. It flapped after her and knocked her afar before diving into the fake gold. "I assure you, I'm very real." It stretched it's wings and fired beams of negative energy. "Now witness your demise!"

The five split up to avoid the lasers, Aqua made for the tail and slashed into the back as Ven flipped at one of the eyes and cut deep, Riku flowed to one of pedestal and leaped at the other wing for a wider slash and Dupmic high jumped to pierce the back of the drakes head. Terra flipped his blade and blitz at the eye in the mouth, cutting deep into it and making the beast hiss.

It chomped at Terra, thrashed him and beat it's wings to get the boys off, before flying over and focusing it's eyes on the debris. PEW! It fired colorless rays and caused the trove of junk to fly in a tidal wave. Aqua was able to get out of the way, though Ven and Riku were smashed against the wall. Terra punched the roof of the dragons maw and forced it open before stabbing it in the eye and making it spew fluid.

Dupmic listened to the gurgle, stabbed into the neck and slid down. The Drake flung Terra in a fit of rage and rolled to flatten the Replica, it wailed in partial blindness as Aqua focused her blade, felt her magic flowing and leaped in the air, sprouting crystal wings and aiming. She breathed out a mist that flowed into Stormfall and shot out as a beam, hitting the Eyedrake in the forehead and causing it to turn to crystal.

It struggled for a few seconds and was held in place by stone hands that Dupmic conjured. It fired at Aqua, to make her stop and the Ends of the Earth was tossed in the beams way, turning into a shield that bought her time to focus. The Eyedrake turned into a statue, raising it's head up and having a defiant pose. Dupmic had the hands let go and begun checking it out. "Got to say, that look fits."

Aqua landed as Terra called his weapon back and turned to the other boys. They were shaken and bruised from getting buried in junk, but not any worse for wear. Riku looked up at the portrait. "So this is the punk that's running this dump?" Ven believed it. "Eye pictures, Eye decore, Eye monsters. Aye, aye, aye." He went to the door and pushed it open, to a really mundane waiting room with a wide set of upward stars at the left and a set going down.

The five spent some time, taking a deep breath and preparing for the deeper dungeon. They passed into a grand hall, decorated in statues and a cross section of a well decorated, black carpet. Ven looked up to find a mural of a moon and stars in the center of the ceiling, marking an obvious trap. He warned his friends about that and they went around the center, reaching a grand door with an eye for a center piece.

They entered a distinct throne room, on the far end is a trio of draconic looking gargoyles, pressed together to support a cushion and a glistening indigo mirror of an eye, sitting on it is that eye monster from the portrait. Raising his eye stalks high and giving a blink. "So you're the ones who seek to steal my mirror?" He hovered to peer behind it. "The Eye of the Platinum Dragon?"

"I stole it first!"

"All shall gaze before me!"

A half a dozen cluster of small, brown, floating heads with eye stalks and single eyes moved from the shadows. The Eye Monster looked upon the Keyblades with his main eye and floated away from it, drooling. Aqua was less than amused. "We wouldn't have had come down here if you didn't send your goons to make trouble up above. Just what are you?"

The Eye Monster snickered smugly. "What am I? How can you not see perfection?"

"I am Beholder!"

"The Dream Gazer!"

One of the Gazers hissed. "I am Dathru." The Beholder bared a laughing mouth of teeth. "You will make an excellent addition to my collection!" He fired four beams of lightning, inflicting bleeding upon Riku and the Wayfinders as the gazer swarm flew after Dupmic and shot dazzling lights at his vision. The Replica shook the vision away, enveloped in soul power and cleaved through three. Riku flickered after the Beholder and taunted. "Collect this!"

Slash! The Beholder felt the blade go through his hide and turned to Terra and Ven, it glowed it's central eye and blasted them away before giving Dupmic a glare and dispelling his magic.

The front row men were in a stun and it flew after Aqua, biting into her blade and trying to swallow it. The eyes shot at the Keyblade Master and stiffen her nerves. SWIPE! Riku got over the stun, turned his blade into a pendulum axe and sliced into the Beholder, sending it flipping and bleeding badly. It spat out Aqua's blade in a reaction as Dupmic leaped at it's eye, stabbed Fates Guide deep and twist it.

The Beholder shot a scorching ray as a last ditch effort to keep him away as Ven shook off the stun, turned to a monster that was all talk and tossed his blade like it's a bolt, sending a shock wave through it's brain and making it drop dead. That was quite pathetic. The three gazers gasped, looked to each other and shrieked as they fled to the exit.

Ven called his blade back and folded his arms as Aqua regained her movement and saw the foe laying dead, she found it really hard to believe. "Was that really all?" A yellow door appeared out of nowhere, showing the black insignia of a hawk. Riku shook Terra out of his stun as Dupmic looked to the throne and approached it. "There was no way, something that lame is controlling all this."

Ven agreed and grabbed the left handle, Dupmic grabbed the right and signaled a count of three. They pushed and revealed a ladder way down a hole. Ven hahed and looked to the Beholder for what it really is. "This dude was a fake, so we can walk off, thinking we won." Aqua scoffed to that and approached the mirror that looks exactly like the forgery, she pressed it and caused it to tip backwards, it shattered upon touching the floor. The lady of the party dismissed the mirror. "And coming out of here with nothing but garbage."

Dupmic sat over the hole and had a feel of how deep it is. "While the real thing is ahead. What ever this Eye of the Platinum Dragon is." Riku sighed. "I guess it's made up to go with this story?" Ven agreed to that. "But the Beholder apparently likes it."

He and Dupmic jumped in, Aqua turned to the others and ordered. "Come on, we're not done yet." She jumped in the hole, landing in a damp smelling tunnel. She and the boys ahead, spotted a glimmer of something and heard Riku and Terra landing behind them.

The glimmer was of five mirrors, each one of a distinct color. Gold, Bronze, Silver, Brass and Copper. They surrounded five distinct gems, a Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, Diamond and Obsidian, clashing a blend of colors and focusing on an eye stone in the center. It peered to a particular treasure on a high tower, a sky blue mirror with a gentle cat like eye.

"You seen what a lower visioned nit wit, cannot." The mirror sprouted ten, dark blue tentacles, each one having an stalk with a bright pink eye. A large mass of flesh revealed itself by the mirror, wiggling his eye stalks and showing a central pink eye that was impressed. His chin was of a bright purple and his wide, multi tooth smile was showing an opportune plan. Aqua gave the Beholder credit where it's due. "You and your goons didn't sweat the details. You're not just going to tell us what that is about, are you?"

The Beholder snickered. "In the sky above, rules the Demon of Flame. His wings shadow a perfect vision of a world. Where all in the surface, will gaze before the one and behold!" He whispered. "For eyes are of no use if they're charred."

Aqua put her fingers under her chin as her eyes analyzed an egotistical lunatic. "And I guess with that mirror, you can rid the world of this demon and make yourself look like a hero. Nothing will knock you out of all that hot air your swimming in?" She readied for a fight. "We're not letting you get that. Not after how you petrified so many people and had throats slit over it."

The Beholder's smile didn't change as the four stood by the Keyblade Master, the creature insist. "I've seen to making those thieves into treasure. Think about what you've seen and consider a vision of potential!" Terra blew to the ridiculousness. "We already have, you're just another crook that's in our way."

That is agreed upon, the Beholder shook in condescending disappointment. "I was hoping this would be easier-" He raised his eye stalks in a glow. "for yo-" Terra blitz after the Beholder, going for the large eye, the aberration floated side ways and readied to fire eye rays. Aqua and Ven jetted after it and saw it move an eye to them.

PEW! It made contact and nothing seemed to happen. The two were feeling stiff in the shoulders, Riku and Dupmic flew to the gems and leaped to get at the monsters head. An eye stalk fired black beams, the boys double jumped and speared into the head.

It spun to shake them off and fired at Terra with a different eye, draining tethers of vitality. It floated away and shot out a pink ray at the band, Aqua and Ven shook and broke from a stone cloud. They attempted a shot lock and found nothing happening, Aqua pouted at the Beholder that correctly guessed that she specialized in magic. Ven leaped to a mirror and flung himself to the cheek as Aqua made a run for the side, Terra sprinted for the more reckless move of a tackle.

The Beholder took the slashes and butted them away as the Twins sneaked from the gaze of the central eye and focused a blue light of soul power. They bombarded the Beholder and brought his attention. One of the eyes looked upon a less than experienced boy and fired a pink ray, turning Dupmic into a drooling haze. Riku was hit by a green ray and felt like he was holding a ton of bricks, it became even worse as Dupmic heckled him. Riku pushed and kicked. "Hey, what are you doing?!"

He had a look at Dupmic's eyes, they were of pink. The Beholder delighted in the boys fighting each other, turned off his anti magic ray and floated backwards to avoid Terra's combo. An upper tentacle fired an orange ray and lifted him high in the air before setting a gaze on Ven and lifting him up. He flung them at an Aqua that was trying to focus a Prism rain, sending the three bundled in a ball before turning to the Twins and chomping them.

Dupmic snapped out of his charm and was pierced by sharp teeth, he grabbed his cringing partner and shadow stepped out of danger. The Beholder felt his prey vanishing and had his eye stalks look around, finding the boys by the jewels. Riku radiated a morning sun and healed the group, the Beholder turned to the Wayfinders and had a back tentacle fire bright green rays, scorching the boys into a smoulder and making them hate their lives.

The Beholder set his gaze at trio and zapped a familiar white beam. Ven rolled out of the way as his partners were turning stiff and had another look at the many eyes. He needs those eyes to focus elsewhere. The Beholder sprinted after him with a set of wide jaws, Ven tried ducking and watched the aberration go off his flight, heading face first into his collection. The boy found his chance, glowed his blade in sunlight and screamed. "Eat this!"

The Beholder turned and was given hot slash, the blade burned through the hide and let loose a flash of sun light. Blinding it's central eye and the left half of it's vision. He screamed and flailed his eye stalks around. Ven used that as a moment to cast a heal, Terra fell on his knees and looked to find Aqua a statue for a moment, before turning back to flesh. The Twins shook off the blast they took and disappeared in light before rushing at the Beholder in all sides. Aqua took her chance to hover for a prism rain as Terra readied his Ultima Cannon.

Having some payback and blasting the Beholder. It fired fast rays at the two Wayfinders and watched them float around. As the Twins made a final slash and pose as one, the Beholder flew from the finishing blast and to the Eye of the Platinum Dragon. "Everything you see around you, is mine!"

He made the Eye shine brightly upon the brass mirror, the mirror turned to reflect the light on the emerald gem. The gem burst into a cloud of gas, Riku, Aqua and Terra felt a burn and held their breaths, Ven and Dupmic were not so lucky and were on the verge of choking and shaking from a loss of consciousness. Aqua cringed, tossed a crystal at the boys and warped, she blew the gas away and held the boys in her arms. She used a warmth to wake them up. "I got you, we got this guy mad!"

Ven and Dupmic felt their visions returning as the Beholder began to see. It looked at the Keyblade Master and her squad, glowed one of his stalks black and fired. Aqua jumped from the blast as Riku turned his blade into a cross bow. Terra picked up on the idea and called upon the Guard Crasher. Riku ran to view of the death eye and fired bolts as Terra went for the eye that fired the green rays.

The death eye was pierced by the bolt as the disintegration stalk was pierced in the base. The Beholder snarled his teeth at the two and shot a charm ray at Terra while seizing Riku in telekenesis. Terra shook off the charm as Riku was flung to the Keyblade Master and her guard. The Beholder had the Eye shine to the gold mirror and reflect to the ruby. "The Heart of Gold and the Demon of Fire are two wings to a scale. What they see" the Ruby turned into a fire ball. "they burn!"

PEW!

The Ruby blasted the four and readied a disintegration beam on the more wounded of the four.

Fling!

Terra shot two more stalagmites, they sliced the eye stalk off and sent it falling. Ven and Aqua found their chance, stood together and conjured a crystal of sun. "You glare at the sun-" "and it will glare at you back!" POW! POW!

The crystal shot magnified sun beams at the Beholder and scorched him in his eyes, each one came together and sent the villain spinning mid air in a strange shrieking. The Twins held each other by the shoulder and high jumped above, once they had a view of the central eye, they dived at it in a spear and channeled light to blast the monster from the inside out.

A light engulfed the five and the twins free fell to the ground. They heard a joyous laughter from the center and turned, finding the Beholder smiling in pride. "From the dawn of my first dream, I never imagined that the heroes of this side, reflect the heroes on the other side."

The light changed to a crypt, replacing the Beholder with a rotten, dead eyed corpse. "But don't think I am one!" PEW! A floating one eyed skull appeared beside him, it glowed a green orb and shined many. "There's never just one!" The crypt shifted to a ship, the zombie was replaced by a red skin, emerald eyed Beholder with an hook for an eye stalk. "Many will repeat the charade and keep you lollygaggers from growing bored."

A green, yellow lipped Gazer flew to it's head and squawked. "What will you do?" The light returned to show the three, in rather simple if still detailed colors. "What will you do when it stops being a game?"

Before the five answered, the scenery returned to the lair, leaving the strange treasures and the fallen Beholder, with a piercing in his eye.

A wave of satisfaction blew and the door from before, appeared with it's gate open. The boys went through it first, finding a new pocket realm, very much like the stores they've been to before. There was a table to a case of books, a box of what looked to be office supplies, dice bags and a familiar folder. The boys felt question marks over their heads as the adults arrived. The atmosphere felt calming, yet they know they're not home yet. Terra turned to see the gate closing up and a door to the side opening, one looking like one of the doors of Twilight Town. The option to turn back is there. "What... did we just fight through?"

Dupmic looked to the strange collection and found a title, he gasped and smiled wide. "I think this answers everything." He grabbed the book box and turned to show words in red. Dungeons and Dragons. "I checked up about this when that Gang was passing off an idea to get back together. Just so I'll know that Xion isn't going to walk into something... dangerous and weird."

Aqua became wide eyed. "That was the game?!" Dupmic believed it and was laughing madly. "And these are the supplies we need to make that world. All of it is make believe and it needs a bond of imaginative hearts to make it come alive. What do you all think?"

Riku answered without pause. "If we weren't in danger back there, I'd say that a good rush." Ven folded his arms in agreement. "But that sounded like it was part of something, instead of the whole tale. Who or what, put that there?"

That is a mystery that won't be solved with in a week, Aqua took out a bag and reached to pick the game up, only for it to vanish in light and disappear. Rumble! The five turned to a door to the outside world and find mist in the window. The door glowed words as the way back shine a beacon, like the universe will not judge them if they decide to turn back on reading something.

Riku approached and read the words out loud. "For more than a hundred centuries, The Emperor of Mankind has sat immobile on the Golden Throne of Earth. He is the Master of Mankind, by the will of the gods, and Master of a Million Worlds by the Might of his Inexhaustible Armies. He is a rotting carcass writhing invisibly with power from the Dark Age of Technology. He is the Carrion Lord of the Imperium for whom a thousand souls are sacrificed everyday, so that he may never truly die."

The word Imperium, made Riku stop in shock. He turned to his twin and the Wayfinders. Ven wasn't liking the sound of the scripture. "Where did we walk into now?"

Riku answered with a terror in his heart. "That game, that Xehanort unleashed upon the world he discovered. Do I have to read the rest of this?"

Dupmic would rather not listen to the bleak tale. "It's connected to that Galaxy and it produced people like Ahriman." He felt a little guilty, thinking about it. "Everything we did here, has done nothing for that Galaxy or the people that live there, besides removing two monsters that are going to be replaced." Riku breathed quietly. "What ever Be'lakor has done is going to be at an end. But the damage isn't anything we can really fix."

Knock! Knock! Knock!

The knock made Riku jump, he turned around and was the first to look at an armored woman in yellow armor. Her shoulder pads were half yellow and half white. Her tapped the door and caused the grim wording to disappear, in it's place is something a lot shorter.

Aqua had a peak and read it out loud. "He must be humble of heart, strong of arm, be savage in war, loyal to hearth, and follow deeds of Glory. He must keep honor with all, banish cowardice from his doings, and bring his House no shame. He must serve the Emperor, and defend the Imperium. Thus should a Knight rule himself." She realized. "Yet, they still didn't give up, even when it was pointless. If we can learn from the other world, then we might learn what went wrong and keep that future from happening. Should we see the gift that is being offered?"

Terra warned his fellow Guardian. "If we step out that door, we're going to face something we were better off never knowing about." Riku reiterated. "Someone found knowledge that almost lead to the end of the Worlds. What ever we find beyond there, we got to keep to ourselves and our closest friends."

Aqua took the vow. "Least it becomes lost to us, forever." Dupmic had his hand at the door. "If a bunch of comics were tied to something real, then what is real can be connected to something that another world would call a game. Let's show that grim dark world, that we've beaten it."

Ven made the vow and Terra joined in, expecting a cataclysm. They left the store and met the strange, armored woman in a world covered in fog. She waved politely and spoke in a distinct accent. "A chorus of angels, spoke about ya. Defenders of the citizens, protectors of a simple life. Do any of you got any doubts, the door to the real world is still there."

They felt honored and Ven insist. "I think we know what your here for, we're a bit scared, but I think we can face it. Who are you? What do you call this place?" The stranger turned and introduce herself. "I'm Lady Resa of House Hawkshroud. You can call this planet Propýr, goodness knows that the ones who gave it life, change it up every session. Think of me as a Knight Paladin, once we get to where my friends are."

Terra had regrets asking. "A Knight Paladin?" Resa marched on. "You will know, once you see the Armiger that are" she quoted "guarding" and unquoted. "The Hammer of Judgement. It and I are one force, bound by an oath if I still believe in that."

Riku realized, with amazement. "You two are part of... the thing we'd see on our side?" Resa marched. "Affirmative, we are the beacon of hope for when the battles become dire and we are the despair of our enemies. When you stand over the world as giants, you have a lot of responsibility at your finger tips. One slip up and the world is doomed. Me and my fellow Knights have had dreams of a world that is nothing like this one. Is it truly a dream, or is this a dream? Everything becomes a blur once you peak into either or."

The silver haired boy smiled in pride. "I guess those kinds of places, would be a dream for us. One world has had two sides, one from the view of the toys and the other from those that played with them. That was when me and my friends discovered this kind of realm."

Resa broke in her excitement and turned to them. "Then you'll probably love this, rather than fear it. Tell me a little about your House. The nobles that aren't here right now."

At the street of Twilight Town.

Kairi, Xion and Azu were in an itch as Mickey looked at a photo he took, one of a quartet of Mushroom Pokemon that were finding a damp pond to make themselves at home with. "This might become a problem." Kairi agreed with that as she watched Goofy and Donald escort the Drampa out of the train station. "They adapted to protect themselves against the Heartless that came after them and figured out that they would try anything to get them separated. Maybe if they're living close by people, they won't be in so much trouble." Drampa crawled over and was wide eyed at the town. (Well, call me a young Ducklett.)

Goofy was the first to wonder. "So how are we going to keep this Drampa from getting himself into trouble?" Donald imagined the biggest ordeal. "He's going to stick out."

Azu jumped and raised her hand. (I know a place! We can use that second base we had at the shore, it's not too far from here.) She turned to the Drampa. (That way, he can have all that he needs without someone figuring out about him. At least not until the people around here are ready for the news.)

The Placid Dragon didn't mind in the slightest and spotted some mountains. (I think I know how to keep myself a secret, but I'm going to need a flight route.) He let Azu climb on his back, the Aquatic Rabbit figured out the path. (We just need to fly over them woods, we can use that as a cover.) She saw the girls getting more itchy and had a realization. (Uh oh. I think I know why we're scratching.)

Kairi guessed why and gave the King the ingredients. "Xion and I need to find our friends for something. Can you give these to Little Chef?" The trio put together why and took it, Mickey was ready to take off. "We'll meet you at the Bistro." Donald looked to the Drampa and waved the que. "You'll find us before we find you."

The dragon grunted and flew off to the sky, the remaining parties split off. It didn't take long before the girls found the Twilight Town kids at the Struggle Pit, using a make shift dummy of a pole, a mop bucket and black branches for claws. Pence rushed to its side, using the bat as a type of shield as Olette smacked it in the stomach and Hayner kicking it in the face.

Something sparked their will, Olette turned in a pant and spotted the ladies. "Kairi, Xion!" The ladies waved back, the black haired girl asked. "So what's been going on this time?"

Hayner had a half smile, the news is going to come off as insanity. "Riku and the others chased off a giant, drunk Octopus and disappeared into some weird door. They've been gone the whole hour."

Kairi wasn't worried. "They'll be back here soon, Olette... can we ask you for a favor." Olette saw the red, itchy looking skin as the Princess asked. "Can we borrow your shower? We got into a fight with mushroom people." Pence guessed. "And you might be getting an infection if you don't get washed?"

The girl of the trio insist to the ladies. "My parents will let you in, come on." She told the boys. "Let's meet up at the Bistro, we got something to announce."

Hayner was nervous about the choice. "Everyone's got to hear it." The boys took off one way as the girls head off to a neighborhood, Olette walked backwards with a proud smirk. "It's something we've been thinking about, ever since yesterday." She asked. "We want to be able to fight with you, the next time someone tries to mess up our town again. Two times now, we weren't able to do anything that can help out there. Just gathering info and hoping you can use it."

She felt mad at two particular incidents. "Some of us that knew what was going on the other day, were scared that you might not come back." Xion pouted. "Come on, you guys did nothing but help us when we need it."

Kairi agreed to that. "It was a complete war zone and things gotten worse because of a demon from one of these worlds. We needed people that would survive in that kind of place."

She cringed at the words as Olette waved a hand. "That's the point, we wouldn't last five seconds once it got going. What the heck did that demon do?" Kairi looked around, seeing a few towns people that wouldn't listen. "We found out that he and a Chaos Marine made a deal to become one and when we were trying to get out of the Realm of Darkness, they-"

At the Plane of Imagination.

Resa wowed at the tales the Plane Walkers shared. "And together, you drove back the Chaos and sent their followers into the Pit forever more?" She had something in her throat and decided to swallow as the five looked around to see what is in the mist, the road seemed to be of dirt and the buildings looked to be of stone. Despite the scenery looking low tech, there was a distinct sound of machines, operating. Two shadows, towering the buildings, appeared.

Resa waved hello to them and turned. "Now, wait here until it is time to take arms against these two. I'll be back to begin the true battle." Ven cringed. "Against them?! They're huge!"

The left giant shined a single green lens as the right shined two, revealing themselves as yellow armored, hunch backed mechas that match the uniform of the Knight. Each one have a giant nozzle gun for a right arm and a chain sword for a left. Resa waved a hand and warned the boy. "Yes and they are as deadly as they look. If you think these are going to be a rough one, then you might as well turn back until you feel your ready. It will save you the nightmares you're gonna have."

Aqua laughed to that. "I fought bigger!" Riku raised an eyebrow and reached for his shoulder pad. "But did you fight that by yourself?" Aqua activated her armor and suit up. "Heck no! But I'm not alone here."

Riku armored up and blushed as Ven calmed down and armored up. "Yeah, we're all here together. These are big machines, so we just go to make sure they stop working." Terra placed a hand on his face. "That's easier said than done." He armored up. "But if we take out what ever looks important, we'll beat them."

Dupmic knew he's the only one without armor, but feel that wouldn't matter. "And that something is a big target. So let's do this."

He lowered his blade in a guard pose as Resa disappeared in the mist. In a moment, the Armiger Duo lowered their swords and aimed their guns. The Wayfinders rolled from a double beam of super heated fire and went after the left as the Twins rolled from the other and sprinted, the Armiger saw the Twins being quite fast and jumped back before raising its sword wide and sweeping. The Twins back flipped and learned another factor of the mechas, they're a lot more nimble than they look.

The Wayfinders had a similar problem as their foe watched the charge. It galloped and thrust it's chain sword at Terra, the trio stepped aside and watched it try to halt it's charge. Revealing baubles on its heels, cords behind it's ankles and a venting canister nested in the back.

Those are the points they got to hit, Ven flung himself at the left ankle, slashing at the part and making a deep scratch. Aqua flipped to Terra's shoulders and had him high jump to give her a boost, she flew to the canister and speared deeply in as Terra used air magic to fling himself to the other ankle.

The Armiger turned it's head and raised his left foot to shake Ven off. The boy stepped back to avoid a stomp, the other foot shook Terra off as the main body spun to fling Aqua away. It sprinted a distance and used it's rotating body to aim the small gun on it's back. The bullets made dents in the armor and gave the trio a reason to keep moving.

The Twins sprinted from the after math of an attack, spotted the weak point in the back and high jumped. Dupmic went for the reactor as Riku landed on the hunched back and saw the gun rotate. He sprinted as the stubber fired and saw the handle to a hatch. He laughed and flipped it open, spotting a pilot that was looking directly at him. The pilot swiped his left hand to his forehead, like one would a mosquito and made the hatch close up in a snap.

Riku knew what was behind him and crawled to the upper gun to avoid the chain saw smack. He gave a slash at the base of the stubber and sent it falling. The Armiger spun to toss the boys off, Dupmic flew to a building and flipped as Riku grabbed the stub. It knew Riku was still up there, crouched and turned to the building Dupmic was on. The Replica leaped to the things face and cut into the right lens. The Armiger charged the building in break neck speed. Riku crawled from the stub and jumped to get at it's backside as Dupmic jumped to the gun arm and held on the barrel.

The left Armiger caught Aqua charging for a fire ball and blitzed, Ven and Terra kept far to the side and shot locked zig zagged projectiles. The shots weren't doing a whole lot and Aqua fired an inferno, a crackle of electricity surrounded the squire and deflected the blast.

Aqua flipped to the side to avoid a thrust and aimed faster fire balls at the back engine, they melted into the metal and caused the knight to stop. It aimed it's thermal lance at Ven and fired. The boy conjured a deflect spell and was sent flying as the machine turned to Terra and fired. The man of the trio charged to get under the blast and spear the Armiger in the chest, getting in quite deep, he slashed upward and back flipped from a downward slash from the chain sword.

Ven flew with wings of wind and pierced the Armiger in the eye, sending electricity across the mechanical body and causing it to strike wildly. The boy kept close and back flipped as Aqua raced across the machine and raised her blade, erupting a fire storm. The Knight aimed it's gun at Aqua and shot off its aim before sprinting at Terra and striking down, the Wayfinder stepped left and leaped to the head of the knight, spearing into the forehead and swiping down. The head came off and caused the body to short circuit, it slumped forward and lost it's balance.

The right Armiger smashed into the building and gave the Twins a shake, Riku charged his blade in hot light and thrust in as Dupmic focused on the bricks and had them clamp the foe tight. "Head ups!"

Riku pulled and flipped, watching his other stab the ground and shoot out a pillar of earth that pierced the Armiger and caused it to yell. He swiped the debris away and turned with a heated gun. "For our lady!"

Riku side stepped as Dupmic raised a stone shield, the blast melted the shield into lava and scorched the younger twin. The molten rock burst into shadows, leaving Riku to keep moving against the Armiger's charge and turn his blade into an giant axe. He slashed into the sword, let go and gave the face a fiery kick, pushing the head side ways and calling to his weapon before cleaving into the hatch. The Armiger tackled Riku away and sent him flying to a gun range.

Burst!

A blast of soul energy was rushed through the engine and blew out to the head. It fell over and showed Dupmic standing on it's back. Riku landed in a roll and cheered to his twin. "Alright! That wasn't too bad."

Rumble! They heard something take a step and shake the ground. They got together and turned to the Wayfinders that felt that, they united back into one unite and looked to the mist that their guide disappeared into. They marched and heard the voice of a lady, giving an echo. "So you bested the Squires and are still standing in one piece? Underestimating their valor is the last mistake that many have made."

Rumble!

Riku waved to the unknown and vowed with renewed confidence. "We didn't just beaten those guys, we beaten everything your Galaxy had to give us and the gods couldn't hold a candle on us when they sent their best of the best from the Realms either."

"While keeping the honor you stand for, intact!"

Rumble!

A titanic shadow emerged from the mist. Aqua admitted in pride. "As the protectors of the Realms hearts, we do what we can to keep them from becoming lost again." Riku asked the giant. "The mecha isn't just something you use, it's a part of you?"

The shadow took a step and blew out steam that shook off the wind, green lights shined, revealing a giant, hunched back mecha with a color of yellow, gleaming silver trimmings, a right shoulder of white and a face that resembles a knights helm, having colors of a yellow and white checker pattern. On her left shoulder is a shield with a split insignia, the left is a symbol of a hawk, the other half is of the Imperium. Between her legs is a yellow tabard, showing various symbols, the most distinct is the image of a black flag, with the symbol of a red tear drop with white wings. She had a giant chain sword for a left arm and a long barreled, shielded, battle cannon in her right.

Ven forgot that he's going to have to fight this and pressed his hands together to cover his mouth, his eyes gleamed in admiration. "Woah, woah, woah. So awesome!" Terra whistled to that, keeping to the memory that this is the next challenge. "She wasn't just talking, if a punk looked at this, they would go back into their hole, while they still can."

Ven lost control and cheered. "But not us! We can take her down!" Aqua lectured the boy on his behavior "Ven, we can admire this later. If we're not careful, we'll be turned to paste before we can regret that mistake."

Riku spotted a pod of missiles on the back and asked. "So, think our plan can work like before?" Dupmic had a doubt. "This is built to handle more, but a bunch of ants can still get it done." Resa listened and watched from with in her cockpit, she sat on her mechanical throne and confessed. "You don't got a single regret, then show me if you have what it takes."

The Knight Paladin charged. "For honor!" She swiped her chain sword wide, the five jumped over the swing. Ven, Terra and Dupmic made it over in a roll and avoided the blitz, while Aqua and Riku ran up the sword and found a vent to strike. The right shoulder of the Knight turned a mounted melta at the two, Aqua flung her blade in the way of a blast and brought out a mystical shield as Riku leaped to the vent for a scratch.

Resa rotated sharp and flung the two to the ruins, she aimed her main gun at the grounded three. Smoke rushed out of the nozzle, Terra grabbed Dupmic and flung himself to the ruins as Ven glided behind. Avoiding lethal explosions, the missile pod on the back fired at the ruins. Terra heard the whistle, cringed with a terror and rolled out of a window as Dupmic used a door way.

They listened to a building coming down. Resa turned to where the other two fell and saw they were trying to get to her right leg. She raised it up and stomped with her might. Riku side stepped, felt his heart at it's limit and jumped on the toe before running up. Aqua conjured a rope of light and lassoed a cord on a leg joint, she flung herself under and got to the back.

She found the generator and flung her blade like a harpoon, it pierced the machine and used the chain to drag herself to the back. Riku jumped on the arm joint and let loose on it. Resa readied to toss the two off as she caught Ven coming at her on a glider. He flipped off, turned the glider back into the blade, sliced through the wind and penetrated the hunched back. She aimed her melta at the nimble target, missing by a hair. Ven had another cut at the helmet as Resa spun fast and flung the more experienced off before going for a strike. Ven sparkled in light and was slashed in to sparkles, he appeared one a building and gained some breath before noticing a mountain sized spear flying at Resa.

The Knight Paladin took a stand against it and sparked a rotating ionized shield. Catching the spear and making it crumble by it's own force. Terra and Dupmic looked at their combo failing spectacularly, the youngster twitched his hand. "She shielded herself against that?!"

Resa fired her missile pod at the building and sprinted after the offenders, in the speed of a full forced train. The two made a run for it and stood side by side to open the earth and let loose a soul geyser, Resa smashed through the power and had her battle cannon at the ready. The bombardment sent them flying into the mist and rubble. Burning crystals pierced the back hide, Resa ha'd at Riku and Aqua before stomping towards them and fired again. The two flew left and watched the pod shoot five missiles.

BOOM! BOOM!

They were knocked flying to the road and were in a loss of breath. Ven sneaked to the ruins that Terra and Dupmic were buried in, finding them about to pass out if trying to break free. Ven helped them out and cast a heal. "I think if we can get to those joints, we can start slowing her down."

The two pushed out and Dupmic heard something get smashed and squeaked to the approaching Titan. Ven inhaled and roared out a Biting Wind that chomped into the front hull, Resa slashed it in two and raised her foot. Ven spotted the arm joint and used his wind to high jump. He slashed deep in the joint and caused a spark to fly. Terra sprinted to the left as Dupmic retreated to the shadows and stepped behind the knight.

Resa stomped the building, giving the Replica the chance to high jump and spear into the back. Terra lunged at the knee joined and cleaved deep. Resa kneed Terra away and jumped away from Ven, blasting him down into a smoulder and flinging Dupmic away. Woosh! "Ya!" SLASH!

Ven and Dupmic watched a glider fly to the back of the knight, letting two of their friends off. Aqua turned her glider back into a blade and with Riku, slice the base of the missile pod.

Before Resa reacted, the two on top slashed again, and again. They rushed the pod as one and sent it falling off. The Knight Paladin watched and laughed to them. "So that's the end of that." She marched to a mighty tower. "But I'm far from finished!" Aqua and Riku knew the Knight was about to ram the tower and crush the two, they jumped off the front and cut into the cords, free falling as the knight jumped over them. Aqua launched a firaga at the Knights posterior and caused her to stop.

Resa turned for a chain sword strike, Riku grabbed Aqua by the arm and blinked in light. Terra charged through the turn with an Ultima Cannon and fired, blasting a chunk out of Resa's chest. The Knight aimed her cannon and watched the energy of Ultima shine. She fired a round to counter the second and a third to knock Terra in a roll, a cloud of shadows encroached and shot white eyed specters that made for the head. Resa screamed at the force as Ven flew to the sky and slashed a crack, bringing down the heavenly pillars.

They punctured the hull and caused Resa to short circuit. She stepped back in a slower pace and waited for the boy to free fall before delivering two strikes. Ven rolled from one and flipped on his blade to use as a protective skateboard, sliding side ways and jumping to the road. Terra turned his blade into a glider and rushed to Resa's chest, not quite ramming as deep as he thought he would, nor pushing her. Resa jumped backwards and blasted him with the melta. Terra raised his glider and turned it into a shield before getting scorched to the earth.

She turned on an instinct and found Aqua and Riku channeling a crystal sun and shooting a molten beam. Resa brought about her ion shield and watched it pierce, her top hull melted, but she wasn't bound to give up. She gave the two a hearty bombardment and watched them dash after her.

Flap!

Dupmic sprouted his wings, turned himself into a comet and flew to the round vault on the Knights back for a strike. The blow went in deep and pushed her in cosmic light, Resa watched her chamber flash red and looked to her options, she noticed a spark in a corner, Ven with an electrical great bow. Fling. Tink! ZAP!

The arrow made it's mark on the forehead and coursed a circuit through the machine, the Knight stopped her movement and fell to her knee, each attempt to get back up was met with a spark. The fogged world was consumed in bright light and before the five could blink, they were in a simple storage house, that was under a twilight shine.

The wounds they endured disappeared, as if they never happened. Terra looked to the door to find the streets of Twilight Town. He turned back to the others and asked. "Was any of that real?" Ven was dry in the mouth, he wasn't sure if it was or not. "We didn't actually beat that?" Dupmic didn't believe it. "Come on, we were too awesome!"

Riku spotted something on a table, the Dungeons and Dragons Kit that Aqua tried to claim, a book pack with dice pouches, tape measure and a data chip to fit into a phone. Aqua noticed and picked the former up as Riku read what the other supplies are. Stuff to understand and set up two distinct tabletop game. One was titled Warhammer: 40,000. The other was of Warhammer: Age of Sigmar. He looked to the data chip and plugged it in his phone, it downloaded something quite simple, an app to teach on how to paint and properly assemble, miniatures. A door appeared in the back of the store, a simple door with a red dot. Ven had a look and tried to turn the handle, it wasn't budging. Riku recognized the marking. "Leave it, I think if we leave this be for a while, we'll find something new."

Aqua heard a caching in her head. "This is one door we can't open. But I think I know who can." She turned to leave. "Come on, this stuff isn't going to be good for us right now. But it will later."

Dupmic and the other Wayfinders took a loss and followed out. Back to the Market place where their adventure began. They traveled to the usual hang out, the Bistro, and found the King and his Guard. They and the Twilight Town boys were impressed by a tale that two keybearers had to give, Sora and Ken were looking away from each other with embarrassment. Goofy chuckled. "Congratulations there, Gilgamesh sounded pretty tough."

Ken puffed his cheeks in agreement as Sora sighed. "Yeah, at least we know he's going to be okay. Once we were all back, the door disappeared." Ken nodded. "You can find the trophy at Merlins." Mickey had a judgement to give on a mentioned behavior. "If you two were arguing over the other keeping it, then it ought to have felt a little silly." Sora let it go. "Really silly."

He sighed with relief and saw the five, who look like they have a tale. "So where have you been?" Aqua whispered in a hush. "We can't talk about it out here. But a game might be heading to the town."

Hop! Hop! Hop!

Azu jumped in view and waved to the King. (Drampa's all settled in, an Octopus that was causing trouble, won't be doing that anymore.)

Donald huhed. "So that's where the roar came from." Riku saw three missing heads. "Before we talk, where did the girls go off to?"

"Hey everyone! Sorry that we disappeared." Olette's voice was a relief and they turned to find the local girl with the two ladies of battle.

Sora and Ken were in shock at a chance in attire. Kairi was in a sleeveless, purple top and a white pair of long jeans as Xion was in a matching black top with identical jeans. They each had a bag of their old clothes and had a lot to explain. The Princess smiled nervously. "Me, Xion and Azu got into a fight with something we shouldn't have and right when we washed off, our clothes started growing mushrooms."

Xion promised, thinking she looks awkward. "We'll be changing back once we start the next mission." Aqua twitched her nose and laughed to her new daughter. "Next mission? I think we're all finished for the rest of the week. There's just our surprise back home and that project." Ken blushed at his girlfriend as Sora admitted. "Besides, you two look great."

Kairi blushed back took a seat next to Sora as Xion smiled in pride. "All that's left now, is lunch." Hayner felt a rumble on the mention. "Lil' Chef really liked what you brought." Pence didn't want to spoil the surprise. "It's going to be a yum."

Aqua squinted her eyes, wanting to know a particular mystery and signaled to her fellow Wayfinders. "Come on, that secrets been getting on my nerves."

Ven huhed and followed as Terra stared blankly and didn't want to be left behind. Once they were in, Ken let a vision get the best of him and laughed. "I hope they haven't been surprised too much today."

Sora imagined a kitchen in complete chaos and asked the Princess. "So, what happened?"

Kairi was about tired out and looked to the sky. "Before I say, have you even been to a world that had bamboo trees and felt a little chilly?" Sora, Donald and Goofy recalled, the boy nodded. "The Land of Dragons?"

Kairi was pleased by the answer. "That! We investigated an incident with that Flan and it left behind a door, on the other side we found-"