Disclaimer: The franchises utilized in this story don't belong to me. They are properties of Square Enix, Disney and Toei Company.

CHAPTER 3 – The Calm Before the Storm II

Destiny Islands

Very far away from Super Sentai Castle, Sora and the other had finished gathering the material to build the raft, and then he entered to a secret cave, which was aside of the waterfalls.

He walked throughout the cave until he found out a strange door in front of him, but what he saw perhaps was a drawing of him and Kairi, a lot of childhood memories came to his mind as the two were drawing their faces.

"Who's there?" Sora said as he felt that he was being watched, even thou he couldn't see that person.

"I've come to see the door to this world." A mysterious male voice echoed through the cave saying these words.

"Huh?" Sora couldn't understand what he was being told. "What are you talking about?"

"This world has been connected." The male voice continued. "Tied to the darkness… soon to be completely eclipsed."

"Well, whoever you are, stop freaking me like this!" Sora demanded that mysterious person to stop messing with him, just before he came to notice a hooded man in black. "Huh? Wh-Where did you come from?"

Okay this is getting weird, Sora was not understanding what was happening… Was he even dreaming? Or was he awake?

"You do not yet know what lies beyond the door." The hooded man gave him a warning about everything that lied behind that door. It was like he was giving him a message should he reconsider sooner or later.

"So, you're from another world!" Sora assumed with amaze.

"There is so very much to learn. You understand so little." The hooded man taunted him.

"Oh, yeah? Well, you'll see." Sora replied with determination. "I'm gonna get out and learn what's up out there!"

"A meaningless effort. One who knows nothing can understand nothing." The man spoke having the spiky hair boy thinking as he turned to the door.

Sora tried to speak to the mysterious man but he was gone. What the hell did the hooded man mean Sora did not understand anything? How did the door get to the cave?

Sora then left the cave and walked around the island, going through the cove heading to the beach to meet with Kairi, who was standing on the raft, which was mostly complete.

"What are you doing, Kairi?" Sora asked looking at the item she was holding at her hands.

"This? I'm making a necklace of thalassa shells." she answered casually. "In the old days, sailors always wore thalassa shells. They were supposed to ensure a safe voyage."

"I see, that must have been a lucky charm." Sora said smiling between his teeth.

"See this? It's a charm to help us find each other if we ever get separated." Kairi showed him the charm as she explained. "The three of us will always be together."

"Always…" Sora reaffirmed her words, even thou he seemed out of energy because of a lot of activity he's had throughout the day.

"Tired?" Want to call if a day?" Kairi asked him if he wanted to have a rest for now.

"Yeah, I had fun all day long anyways, let's go home, Kairi." Sora replied.

"Okay, tomorrow's the big day. We should rest up." She said as the two sat down on the wharf seeing the dusk at the sea, they were all eager to begin their journey they have always wanted for a long time. If they only knew about the strange things they were to encounter on their way…

"You know, Riku has changed." Kairi began.

"What'd you mean?" Sora asked with curiosity, what did she mean by that?

"Well…" Kairi tried to explain her words but no words came out.

"You okay?" Sora asked her out of concern.

"Sora, let's take the raft and go… Just two of us!" Kairi made a request his friend had never heard before... but… "Just kidding."

But Sora got quite intrigued by her sudden request, she said she was jokin but what if she was telling the truth and didn't want to admit it? "What's gotten into you? You're the one that's changed, Kairi."

"Maybe…" Kairi nodded acknowledging his perception. "You know? I was a little afraid at first, but now I'm ready. No matter where I go or what I see, I know I can always come back here. Right?"

"Yeah, of course." Sora agreed.

"That's good." Kairi turned to him and pledged him. "Sora, don't ever change."

Sora was puzzled by those sudden words that came out from her mouth, was she taking a like to him… nobody knows.

"I just can't wait. Once we set sail, it will be great." Kairi expressed a big enthusiasm on leaving the island as soon as possible.

It was just a matter of time before the journey begun… and it would be sooner than they all thought.

SUPER SENTAI CASTLE – Library.

While Sora and the others were preparing themselves to set sail off the island, Nami and Mele headed to the library to tell ShiroWhite about the Akared's disappearance, it were upsetting news for her since she didn't have any idea of his whereabouts.

"Oh, dear! What could this mean?" she spoke expressing worry about the king, as she shaked her head to keep her cool, so she shouldn't fall into despair. "No, we all have to trust the king, I know he's okay."

"He wouldn't be killed that easily, he's a tough man." Mele remarked Akared's qualities, he's been ranger who is hard to kill after all.

"We will find him and that 'key'." Nami assured them showing courage alongside her partner and friend as she showered one of her first alongside a bracelet which had a crown shape at the center and a gear stick on one of sides. "Consider it done."

"We will do everything that it's on own hands, ShiroWhite. He can't be far." Mele seconded doing the same gesture as her friend showing determination.

"Girls… thank you so much for your encouragement." ShiroWhite thanked the duo, no doubt these girls were the best warriors that the castle had. But then she came out with an idea. "Oh, and to chronicle your travels, she will accompany you. Wagon!"

And then, a female ranger in purple came to the scene surprising the duo.

"Hi!" she saluted everyone cheerfully.

"Is that…?" Nami was stunned by her sudden appearance.

"Yes! Wagon's the name. At your service, girls." The female ranger introduced herself cheerfully.

"Nice to meet you, Wagon." Nami replied in the same mood introducing herself. "My name is Nanami Nono, but you can call me Nami."

"Mele is my name, nice to meet you." Mele introduced herself as well.

"I'm looking forward to work with you to find the king and chronicle our travels together." Wagon said with such high spirits to traveling with them.

"I hope for your safe return. Please help the king." ShiroWhite wished them good luck in their journey.

"We will." Mele reassured her with security showing her first alongside Nami. "We promise we will help him out however we can… We must leave, Shirowhite. See you soon."

"See you later. Be careful." ShiroWhite bid them farewell as she watched the trio leave the room…

As the three went downstairs, Wagon explained her situation and how she got to the castle, leaving the girls stunned.

"Man… Your world disappeared, too?" Mele asked her out of concern upon learning the bad news.

"It was terrible. We were scattered." Wagon replied bowing her head down in sadness. "And as far as I can see, I'm the only one who made it to this castle, all thanks to Akared."

"I see… You were rescued by him… being such a ranger must be a tiring and hard task." Nami acknowledged his huge efforts.

"I guess we are gonna meet new people among our way." Mele expressed her enthusiasm of their journey.

The three then headed to a hangar which was a room for storing and maintaining a ship which had a white ace jet shape, up there, there was a tower which was handled by a thin and a fat man, which the girls knew pretty well.

"Hello, Bulk, Skull! We are ready to leave, I need you to open the gates, please!" Nami called them with the speaker.

"Roger that, Nami. Bulk, let's get these gates open for our lovely friends!" Skull, the thin guy said in a funny tone as he indicated his pal.

"I can see that they are about to go to a huge adventure, I wish we both went through the same path." Bulk, the fat man nodded as he pulled the lever, opening the gates for the girls.

"Thank you, guys!" Mele thanked them as she and the girls got into the ship, ready to take off the hangar.

"Take care, girls! Give our regards to Akared if you can!" both exclaimed as they bid farewell.

Little the women knew is that they would come to find that person with the "key" sooner than they thought, and this would make the adventure more fun and make their lives epic…

Destiny Islands – Sora's room.

While the girls were heading to the Traverse Town, Sora was lying down on his bed looking at the roof being swarmed with full thoughts… Even so as he was awaiting the day he and Kairi would come to set sail out of the island.

"I just can't wait. Once we set sail, it'll be great." Kairi's words echoed throughout his head as he stared at the homemade figure at the celling.

Sora was having a calm and relaxing time until…

"A storm?!" Sora said out of shock after he saw thunder and realized of something terrible was happening… "Oh no! The raft!"

Sora quickly opened the window and stormed off his room running as fast as he could to where the raft was.

Sora headed to the wharf only to find out a circular vortex and then he saw Riku's and Kairi's boats.

Suddenly, a few dark creatures with yellow eyes emerged from the ground and a flashback from fighting them in his dreams came to his mind.

"I have to escape!" he said as he ran away avoiding them as much as he could heading to the bridge where Riku was standing, but there was no sign of Kairi anywhere…

"Where's Kairi? I thought she was with you!" Sora asked out of worry.

"The door has opened." Riku answered him, even thou his friend couldn't understand.

"What?"

"The door has opened, Sora!" Riku reaffirmed his words. Something is wrong… "Now we can go to the outside world!"

"What are you talking about?" Sora demanded to know. "We've gotta find Kairi!"

"Kairi is coming with us!" Riku said trying to show positive attitude, but Sora found his attitude odd. "Once we step through, we might not be able to come back. We may never see our parents again. There's no turning back. But this may be our only chance. We can't let fear stop us!"

"Riku…" Sora whispered in low voice, his friend was acting strange and this worried him.

"I'm not afraid of the darkness." Riku said as he offered his hand to Sora, to which he tried to hold…

However, the silver-haired boy was covered by the corridor of darkness but he showed no fear, more like, he was still confidently smirking despite of the situation, unlike Sora who struggled to break free from the creepiness that was overwhelming him…

But then, a light converged the place and Sora broke free from the darkness that was swallowing him, however, he came to notice he was holding a huge key on his hand, but not only that, he also had the same bracelet as Mele and Nami!

"What the…" he said out of surprise.

"Keyblade…" "Keyblade…"

The dark creatures emerged from the ground and Sora knew pretty well what he had to do from now on…

"I'll take you down, stupid creatures!" he screamed as he went to slay them with his new weapon.

Sora battled the creatures taking them down as much as he could as he fought his way towards a white door that appeared from nowhere, and then he opened it and quickly entered to the cave to block the dark creatures with the door.

"Kairi!" Sora said as he found her in a puzzled state.

"Sora…" she replied as she tried to get closer to him offering her hand.

But the door opened by itself sending her flying towards Sora, however, for some reason, Kairi went through Sora's body, leaving him stunned by what had just happened. Why?

Sora felt something was dragging him out of the cave throughout the dark vortex and effectively was sucked out of the said place.

Sora got up and realized where he had ended up… The island was tearing itself into pieces by the circular vortex but then he turned around and found the big monster he had fought sometime ago in his dreams…

"That guy… What the hell is he doing here?" he spoke slightly having himself be slightly frightened but nonetheless, he had to survive by any means. "Enough fear, I have to survive! I need to find Kairi and Riku!"

Sora started his fight against the big monster leaping towards its hand and slash it with his weapon with all his might, the monster tried to crush him with its fist but Sora managed to barely step away and counterattack with a big amount of combo attacks aside of dealing with few dark creatures emerging from the ground like the last time.

Right after striking him down, everything began being sucked up to the vortex including the monster. Sora did his best to not lost his grasp on a brick as much as he could, but he couldn't last long and finally let go and was sucked onto the vortex of the darkness…

This is where Sora's journey begins…