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?

130. Futures Door: Ch4 Tomorrow's Champions

At the main square of Traverse Town, Wanda and Stalwing were having a pleasing time, watching the visitors figuring out they are at home. Most of them are either those in distinct armor, robed garments or clergymen that were chiming bells of light. Lauriam finished up a report, smiling in content. "I believe this will organize itself in due time. Ma'am."

Wanda agreed to that and stood in wait for someone. "Once someone makes an establishment, we can prepare for our disputes." In a sudden, Strelitzia and the visiting Gang arrived with mugs of brew. The Star Sage cheered. "Siegward's got a tavern running and people are looking for work." Ienzo made himself known with a rather cheery smirk. "And we've spotted the Farron Sisters setting up a training grounds for our aspiring knights. I believe all this town needs now, to be welcomed back to the worlds, is time."

Strelitzia agreed and offered some of the drinks. "It's going to make into a cozy home for anyone that's lost. So," She looked at the gang. "what are we to do, now that the troubles have blown over?"

Ienzo sighed, trying to think of a new purpose in life. "Me and my brothers will see if the Restoration Committee would want us around, for cleaning up the disaster we've caused. We need to set that right and ten years can't just be swept under the carpet." Wanda sighed and patted the scientist on the back. "It might not, but I think they'll be having open arms if you all ask."

That is agreed with and Medy looked around. "So... is anyone thinking about finding Resira and seeing what her gig is?" Dorlu raised an eyebrow. "Becoming bold, are you?"

Elrena and Lauriam had their gaze on the gang member who is normally a timid one, the Bard smirked with confidence. "What do we got to lose? We're a bunch of bums that need something to do." Elrena huhed. "That might be a good point, maybe if we keep an eye on her, then we will all keep an eye on the streets together." The pink haired man agreed to that. "But must we be subservient to her again?" Medy shrugged. "She's got a heart again. Even if she's a couple screws loose, I'd say we give her a break now that she's cut off from the you know what."

Elrena giggled to the plan. "So she'll likely not throw us into the boot camp again." Wanda recalled where Resira went off to. "I think she wander off by the old inns. Stalwing, go fly over the expanded territory and double check on the Watchdogs while we sort things out."

The Gryphon took off in flight and left the humans to explore. Finding the a fight about to ensue. Resira was holding a bald, nose turned scoundrel by the scruff of his leathery armor. "And we don't take kindly towards kicking people in wells. Mister Patches." The man didn't see a point to fighting it. "Oh come on now, I was just having a little fun with the treasure hunters around ere. There's nothing wrong with that?" Sylvia scoffed. "Ha, ha! I'd saw you looking at that necklace!" Patches cringed as Wander pulled him away. "Now, now. There's no need to start another fight here, when we can all be friends instead." The stranger raised an eyebrow at Wander's suggestion and looked to Resira, who is just as confused. The friendly traveler insist. "We're all far from the world we called home, traveling on the yonder to find our way here. So how about we keep the town a friendly spot if someone's had it rough?"

Patches saw it as a chance to keep himself from being punished. "That's been the idea, the lot of us are outcasts, aren't we?" The Adeptas Sororitas relaxed in agreement. "As of now, we are. But perhaps, you can put your suspicious behavior... to a use?" Wanda wowed and asked. "What can he really do to help the town, Officer?"

Elrena had some examples and asked innocently. "Should we talk this out at the station? I think you're going to need a bigger police force than this." Resira wowed and turned to where the group came from. "So, you've answered the worlds calling? Very well." She marched. "Come, I might have an assignment for you lot." Patches cringed at his lack of options and followed along. "This is going to be a boar."

Sylvia groaned in agreement as Wander and the Gang joined along, leaving Strelitzia alone with the Mayor and her friend. She looked at them, questioning if she should join in the project. Ienzo gestured in recommendations. "This could be more interesting than policing the town, hear what she has planned." The Star Sage smiled to an idea and followed along, leaving the two to take a sip of the warm brew.

The scientist haaad. "I believe this should keep us in touch for now, once our cohorts from the Twilit lands hear of this." Wanda agreed to that. "If a purpose kept y'all together so far, then another will help the healing. Ya thinking we should report some of this to the lads and lasses?" Ienzo nodded and reached for a pocket. "I believe they should know that we're managing, so they'll continue their vacation in peace."

At the Land of Departure.

Aqua finished arranging a large, indoor pool that expands by the windows of the lounge. The four strong arms of the group, Goofy, Riku Terra and Xion, finished re arranging the sofas, table and book shelfs, so they won't get wet from the arrivals rough housing. The Lady of the Castle pressed her blade down and used her magic to make the pool deep enough, with a turn, she caused vents to open and spill in a filtration of water. As she waited for the water to fill, Ken, Kairi and Dupmic finished setting up a karaoke stand, with a legless table and the machine set up for participants. On the other end, was Mickey, Donald, Stitch and Ven, setting up a dinning table. Only Sora and the Twilight Town kids, were left with nothing in particular to do. An idea dinged in the Champions brain as Aqua watched the water reach enough of a height and conjured a mystical cube. One by one, the Team of Seafarers warp in as a sparkle of stars.

Starting from Azu, then Shooter, then Sea Fang and finally, Crinoid. Shooter bubbled at the scenery and the view of the world bellow as Sea Fang looked around, like he was in a space ship. (This is wackier than the pirate ship!) Azu agreed with that and and let herself float. (We're far from the sea now, boys.) Bob! Crinoid wiggled his head out and rested it over the edge. (We'd gotten so deep in the land that it's a whole new world for us.)

He chuckled and caused Azu and Sea Fang to laugh with him, Shooter was a bit in awe at the concept. (Like a bunch of fish out of water.) Aqua felt she understood the intended words and crouched, petting the Barnacle. "This should be big enough to give you all the room you need. We're going to go pretty wild shortly." She contemplated taking her leggings off, just to have a dip and relax. She turned to see a party room finished, impressed by how fast that took. "Looks like we'll be set as soon as we set up the refreshments." She asked her Journeymen. "So, how are we going to make this karaoke work?"

Ken turned to answer as Dupmic showed the buttons. "Well, this machine should have some songs for two of us to sing. But there's nothing saying you can't make one up." Dupmic recalled the infamous night. "If we're going to sound bad, then we're going to sound bad together and make some heads explode." Ken sighed in nostalgia. "It got fun until someone raised the dead. Only a three part harmony was able to put them all down, ya know."

Aqua found the story too ridiculous to be a tall tale. "Enough of a harmony to sing together, no matter how badly it would ring our ears?" Ken nodded. "That harmony has saved our lives, time and time again!"

He giggled as Kairi turned to announce something to the Twilight Town trio, only to find them and Sora, missing. "Whu?" She tried to find their tracks and look around. "Where did they go off to?" Aqua wondered as well, realized what is missing from the party. "Shoot, they've sneaked into the kitchen." Kairi wowed. "Without us?" Dupmic didn't mind the mystery. "If you have too many chef's in there, then nothing's going to get cooked." Aqua agreed to that and took her leave. "I'll go check on them, figure out what we're doing first before it gets late." The students saluted and signaled a group up as Aqua made her way to the kitchen.

Catching the Twilight Town trio with a selection of herbs for tea and Sora asking dim wittingly. "So we just got to boil these?" He put the tea pot on the stove as Aqua made a firm step and pointed at the four. "A ha! So you kids delved into that kitchen enough times that you would do this?" Olette was in a shiver, thinking she and her friends were breaking a rule as guests as Hayner answered. "What else could we do here? You all turned that place into a party room while we just stood there and watch." Pence pleaded. "Let us do this, please!"

Aqua sighed, folded her arms and gave a smile. "I think since we skipped lunch, we can do more." Sora felt an appetite growing. "Then what are we going to make?" Aqua listed a few ingredients that were gathered on and off during the adventures and sent to the base. "I'm thinking if we make a big pot of curry, no one's going to complain when it's time to face the Seven." That sounded quite filling as Olette was enticed. "And the last challenge didn't take too long until Sora reached the final two. So once it starts, we should be done with it before it gets dark."

Aqua agreed with that and went to get the ingredients. "If they don't beat him up too much. If there is still daylight by the time we call it." She tilted her head left and right. "I think I'll let our other leader decide on that."

Blip!

A sudden text rang and the Keyblade Master had a look. Sora is imagining the rest of the day on a beach, if Riku was to make that decision. "It feels like it's going to be tougher than the morning." His blood rushed to the idea as he picked leaves that smelled like lemons and started chopping. Aqua smirked to the message and the confidence. "They are, but they are beatable. Just let us know if any of them push you to the limit like how Archaon did." Hayner snickered. "It probably won't work on you guys, anyways. So, Sora can take it easy."

Aqua raised a finger in agreement. "He's fighting amongst friends, rather than enemies and their victims. It's going to be a test of skills, rather than of faith and will. I just got a report from our friends. Wanda and Resira are setting up a contact circle, should something go amiss around our hub worlds. I'm going to tell them about what we just finished, if given time, more of us are going to take that challenge and see how well we can hold."

Sora's other, passed a whisper in his head. "Looks like those guys aren't going to go away after all." Sora felt pleased by the thought of Lea and Isa staying around Twilight Town. "If there is something they'll need us for, they'll know where to find us." Aqua was texting a praise of a job well done, thought about the mysterious expedition earlier and asked. "There...might, our friends are going need to see the symbol that you and Riku found. As long as we're here, we can't report that to Yen Sid."

WWWWW! The tea pot boiled to a steam burst and Sora gathered the fined leaves while Hayner placed in empty tea bags. The spikey haired boy vowed. "I'll be on that!"

At Twilight Town.

A theater was playing a black and white cartoon, about a rather threatening, Mad Doctor. Two hooded figures, one in a blue robe with stars and a smaller one in a bright green jacket, were keeping themselves hidden as they watched the entertainment. Suddenly, an Ienzo in a rather casual, dark grey vest, revealing a black pair of pants, appeared, looking for someone. He spotted the two and found the blue robe to be obvious, he waved. "Excuse me, do you have a moment?"

The two disguised gentlemen looked to each other and stood up, the shorter one waved back. "We'd saw this a bunch of times before. What's up?"

The other asked. "It seems we've all been enjoying the moments peace. Come! We shouldn't disturb it." Ienzo agreed and followed them to a short cut, finding a sudden starry door way appearing as a way to bring the meeting to somewhere familiar. On the other side, the three were in the confines of the Mysterious tower, the two figures undid their hoods, revealing Yen Sid and a familiar Rabbit. The Rabbit offered a hand shake. "You might have heard of me, names Oswald!" Ienzo took the hand shake and introduced himself. "Ienzo!" He coughed and brought out a phone with a particular image. "If you haven't heard, a friend of ours was returned back to the light as a whole person and she's settling down, while continuing to provide aid. As a result, we and the Gang that were apart of that Organization have decided on staying around to keep the peace going. Until we have something we can't manage on our own."

Yen Sid was pleased by that report. "You were all lost and you found your way back to the Light. It might be difficult to keep to the path, but good things come for those that find it again."

Ienzo sighed in a smile. "And we'll try to keep to that path. In the meanwhile, our Guardians of Light have found a connection to an incident from the other day. About those creatures that appeared from beyond the known worlds." He showed a sent picture, of Sora taking a selfie and revealing two of the Seafarers. Among them is a white symbol that raised the wizards eyebrows. "So it appears, I wasn't the only one who's seen that from our ally from the Battle?" Ienzo shook his head. "Some of us saw that being of light, appearing out of nowhere when the Daemon Lords emerged in the Chaos. When they were gone, he vanished shortly after. He bore a halo that resembles this. According to this report, their Seafaring friends have seen it once before."

Oswald wowed. "At least as far as they can remember. What's this guy up to?" Ienzo guessed. "Preparing us for something to come? He's certainly laying out the clues for us, on purpose." Yen Sid realized, with a calm mood. "So that we will not panic, when this mystery is made clearer."

Ienzo agreed to that. "We are dealing with creatures with powers that we've only been given a morsel of understanding. But for now, we'll have to keep this to ourselves. Our friends will find a way to get ready before they have to gather back here for a meeting."

Oswald turned to a projector screen and let him know. "And while we wait it out, I'll go check on Dupmic and see what he's up to." He smiled to the two of them. "It's been nice hanging out here after so long, but this has a time limit I don't want to be late for."

Yen Sid gave a nod of farewell. "This is no goodbye, but our duty to the worlds must come first." The rabbit jumped in and caused the projector to disappear, leaving the scientist to envision more pleasant surprises. "Even if it gets in the way of celebration."

At the party.

The Guardians of Light were realizing that some of their party goers are taking a while in the kitchen and were spending time doing some activities to keep themselves from getting bored. Ven was checking an instruction manual from his box set and was surprised at how simple the kit is to build, besides a few parts to pay heed to gluing. At the same time he was looking at a color scheme of Knight House. The body of the pictured knight was black, with trimmings of gold and had shoulder pads and leggins of yellow and red. "Painting it to be like this is going to take a lot longer than building it."

Stitch looked at the details and imagined the handiwork it's needed to even make it stand out. Handiwork that is beyond his carefree instincts. "Heeee." Ven agreed that it requires delicate focus and thought. "Maybe if I change the yellow for some green, it could make it... me." Xion peaked at the picture and woahed. "That's going to look cool."

The boy put the manual away and sealed up the box before using his phone to check on the instruction video. "You can't have any mistakes in this, these guys are all meant to stand out." Terra huhed in good will. "You're stressing yourself out, you know." Riku over heard and advised to his senior. "Kairi and I seen those kinds of models, paintings those well, needs some requirements." Donald over heard and groan. "That's not helping." Riku signaled that he knows and noticed Ken, Kairi and Dupmic, taking turns in playing with Nomers, Zurg and Amber of all toys.

On the other end, Ken finished a tale to his Sister in arms and set Amber on a chair, crossing her legs and arms like some kind of diva and readying a picture. "And that was how we had to sneak into that party."

Kairi was spooked and pitied the doll. "That Changeling had no shame." Dupmic felt a strange, inviting call and stood up. "That thing was also how the zombies ended up coming to crash that party. I'm going go to the bathroom." He took off in his quick lie and head out, finding a movie screen flickering into existence and letting out Oswald.

Dupmic hahed and waved before taking the documents out of his bag. "Mister Oswald, I figured you'd come." The Rabbit tilted his head at the castle and waved. "You weren't the only one taking a breather. So, it looks like you made up your mind?" The boy nodded and gave Oswald the signed contract. "And I'm taking you up on the offer. We got dangerous people out there and they could use the Dreams to hurt my friends if we let them. But before I go with you and see things for myself. I want to see this party through, Sora's kicked every Dark Seeker in that arena and he's going to go the Data on the Guardians next."

Oswald gasped in a wow. "Woah, that's going to be a tough one." He put the document away and accepted the request. "When you're ready, just dream something deeply and use the Key to open the way. I'll come find ya from there. That is one of the reasons you can hop back out here, when you want to."

Dupmic had it noted. "Got it and if I think about my friends from that side, I can jump out just as easily. But, I won't be getting ready if I do it that soon." Oswald liked the boys spirit. "And it just so happens that there's a world in the Dreams that you can use to be ready. It's kind of special in how it's never the same for more than one person, unless they're invited. You'll figure it out."

Dupmic wished to ask more about that world and chose to keep the question to himself. "So I get a whole training world, all to myself and I'm expected to make something out of it?" He smirked. "I think I'll know when I see it." He asked. "Do you want to come in? The party's about to get good."

Oswald refused vividly. "I'm about out of the time I have to stay around this side and His Majesty in there's gonna be in for a ruckus if I'm in there!" Dupmic imagined a fight between brothers in some of the silliest ways possible. "Good point."

Inside.

The party goers were left astonished as the cooks set up tea cups around the table. Aqua finished explaining. "We'll have dinner ready shortly and then we can start going wild." The Destiny Trio went to the pool to pass along the hot tea as Mickey was a bit speechless. "Looks like our adventures have left a bit of a habit on us." Goofy chuckled, remembering the time spent sailing. "They've became handy when we needed it. *Hiyuck*." Donald agreed to that one. "The worlds always got something to teach us."

They watched Azu and Shooter have a sip, like a properly behaved lady and gentleman. Sea Fang and Crinoid were given a bowls worth and made an effort to show manners, the shark put his lips in the brew and slurped as the barnacle slowly dipped his tentacles in his and closed his eyes in relief. With that distributed, the teenagers joined the main group and began to unwind, Dupmic returned from his trip to a rest room and the relaxation commenced. Soothing themselves with the tart liquid.

After that, the cooks returned to the kitchen to finish preparing the dinner. Once the curry pot is brought out and the bellies became full, the party was allowed to commence. Initially, the Wayfinders, the trio of Disney Town and the beastkin, simply watched the teenagers go for the karaoke machine.

Ken played around with the buttons and showed how it works to the islanders, while Xion explained a bit more detail on how it works. At the end of the explanation, the Rebel Trio took a stand and pulled out the microphones. Ken tapped a test as Dupmic had a read on the songs, realizing that it would be a lot more fun to make up a song on the spot. He called for a huddle about what kind of song the couple sang and was told that it was made up on the spot, Xion recalled particular lyrics that stood out and looked to the afternoon sun. She pressed her lips and whispered that the song wasn't quite going to work.

At the peak, the three made a break and turned on the machine, bringing out a tune fit for the castle. Surprisingly, the trio were able to get in beat, singing about the places they've gone to and more specific how they managed to band together in the first place. Dupmic and Xion, like typical siblings shared lines together as Ken took a bit of a stand on his own. Despite the off beat lyrics, it started to get wholesome once the song becomes in sync.

Once they reached a climax, they posed as one and aimed their microphones to the crowd, offering them a go in beat. The Twilight Town trio froze in stage freight, looked to each other and contemplated taking a turn. Sora and Kairi snickered to each other at the chance to goof off and go wild. Riku on the other hand, took off, not wanting to be caught singing something this dumb. He stopped at the box of party props, put a hood over his head and take something from the box, before turning with a set of fake glasses that have a nose and mustache attached to it. He deepen his voice to sound like a dapper gentleman. "Well howdy, what kind of contraption do you got there?"

Sora stood there in bewilderment as Kairi laughed. "Riku, what are you doing?" Riku asked in faux confusion. "That gentlemen? He said he was going on an errand, I'm David!"

That started to make Sora burst in a chortle and the Twilight Town trio laughed so hard they forgot what they were going to sing. Dupmic shook his head and jumped down. "Come on, if we're going to sound bad, we're going to sound bad together!" Donald raised his hand to suggest. "Just don't sound bad on purpose!"

The group had a laugh and took turns being the entertainment. In half an hour, the teenagers finished with the karaoke machine and left it for the grown ups if they wished to give a go. Riku put away his disguise and pretended that he avoided such a thing as Kairi had a turn for the other activity. Insisting to the crowd. "Ha, so. I learned this from my trip in Corona, there was a festival with a whole lot of dancing and it was something me and boys had done a few times."

Aqua perked to that and smirked. "I knew we made the right call by moving all of this." She stood up and offered. "Shall we? Today isn't going to last forever."

Ven snickered like a typical kid and offered Stitch to be his partner as Donald, Goofy and Mickey remembered the kind of dance they watched. The King took the offer gladly. "I've always wondered where that came from." Goofy chuckled to that. "Now's a good time to learn it, your majesty!" Donald appreciated the space and was expecting high jinks. "Here we go again!"

Only Terra was stiff at the idea, petrified even more when Aqua offered him a hand. The thought of disappointing her was even more dreadful, he stood up to ask. "So... what kind of dance are we talking about?"

Kairi was glad he asked and gestured before asking her Lil' Bro. "Ken, what kind of tune does that box have?" Ken thought to press a button, going through a guitar tune, piano music, saxophone music that would be fitting if they were in New Orleans and finally a tune with flutes and a beat of drums. Kairi bobbed her head at that one. "Yeah, that hits it!"

She tapped her feet in a beat and invited Sora and Riku to join in. "Come on, they'll know when they watch this!" Sora was eagerly swept in the tap dancing and even Riku was feeling a rhythm, he folded his arms firmly and tap danced away in style. Before an outburst could be made, Kairi held Sora into a dance and on her lead, showed how to tap dance together.

One by one, the band joined in the dance. It was rambunctious at first but slowly they got a rhythm down and hopped to each others beat. Sea Fang, who has nothing to dance on, bobbed his snout left and right before smiling. Crinoid curled up and watched on as Azu was tempted to join in the dancing. The dancers picked a partner and gave their spin. From Sora and Kairi, to Riku and Mickey, Donald and Goofy, Ven and Stitch, Pence and Hayner, Dupmic and Olette, Ken and Xion, and even Aqua had some initiative to sweep Terra into the tap dance.

As the dancers had their spin, the Clawitzer raised his pincer in the air and fired a water pulse to spray fanfare. That became a que for the dancers to break apart from their partners and give a spin in a dance. Crinoid wiggled his head to a one foot stand, closed his tentacles and channeled in green. Pulse! He let loose a grassy terrain and Kairi felt the power as a que to channel a particular spell, sprouting flowers that flew up in each step. She and Xion danced toward a particular circle of flowers, locked an arm with one another and danced around to the petals. Sora and Riku thought to dance around that in a kind of ritual and clapped to the Sisters in Arms.

Ken and Dupmic joined in and clapped in a distinct beat as the Twilight Town Trio finished the circle. Azu squeed and hopped in front of Shooter. The Clawitzer bobbed his head, aimed his claw once more and waited for the Azumarril to jump before shooting a pulse and flinging his captain high in the air. The Azumarril spotted Stitch going into a hula dancing and chirped. (Look out bellow!)

The alien smiled wide and stepped away as the Aquatic Rabbit bounced her landing and swayed her hips before spinning. Stitch felt it wasn't much of a surprise, if she traveled the seas like she clammed.

Goofy thought to add a bit of a spring and raised his wrist, inviting Donald to jump on and be flung to the air. Sea Fang couldn't take it anymore and leaped out of the water, going right under the mage and letting him cast a sparkle to go with the water. Donald flipped downward as Sea Fang crashed landed by Aqua and Terra. That earned a laughter from the Queen of the Castle as Sea Fang flopped to get back in the water, Terra reached for the sharks under belly, lift him up with no effort and give him a light toss back to the water.

Ven and Mickey clapped as the circle scattered. Kairi, Olette and Xion kept together, leaving Sora and Riku to head over to Ven for an invitation. Ken and the Twilight Town boys gathered a particularly strange dance, two at a time, they held a hand and went into a twirl. Ven had a pretty vivid memory of a particular friend, raised a foot up and stretched to a twirl. Sora hopped on one foot, landed on another and hopped with the other, not aware why Ven was behaving like he is.

Riku and Dupmic approached each other to lock arms fiercely and dance around as Aqua smiled wide and invited Terra to a particular tap dance. She let go and kept a hand close, never quite touching, Terra pretended to dodge and mimicked the movement. Donald hopped to the Clawitzer and the Cradily for an idea of indoor fanfare, waving with his staff and pretending to conduct who makes a move. Shooter fired a water pulse and Donald used his magic to turn it into a sea star that burst in a sparkle. Crinoid channeled an energy ball that the mage grew flowers on. Poof! Poof!

Sparkles and flowers scattered like fire works and were given the same awe. Shooter followed along with a rapid fired aura sphere that made like mystical lights.

The girls wowed thought to go with that display, cartwheeling together and doing something most daring. Kairi grabbed Olette by the waist and helped her make a flip, Xion caught her and had her flip to make a landing. A well learned lesson in dynamic movement. The party kept on like this until the party goers forgotten about the passing time, although they slowed down and started to take turns in spectating.

It reached to the point where Sora, Kairi, Xion and Ken were the last ones still having a spark of life. The obvious couples danced together and then in a twist, split off. Sora and Xion sharing a bit of the dance and letting the siblings have something of a rivalry. Kairi dancing more like townsfolk while Ken moved like a ballerina in training.

Sora and Xion twirled each other and watched the rivalry reaching a Ying and Yang. Xion distracted the Princess with her casual dancing and had her break from her Lil' Bro. Ken noticed Sora cartwheeling towards him and halting in a crouch. The one armed boy smiled fiercely and tapped a foot as Sora spun to the ground and got on his feet. They gave each other a stare, not too different from what Sora shared with the data fight.

They approached in a step, locked hands with each other and smiled fiercely before giving a playful push. Ken took a deep breath and whispered something to Sora, going about for a while and blushing without shame. The Champion blushed, scratched the side of his head and thought about something before clenching his fists and taking a step. Ken mimicked the movement and locked fists.

Kairi and Xion crossed arms, lowered them to where they were back to back and hopped around before returning to their boyfriends, who's play punching turned to a holding of hands. Sora gave Ken a twirl and Ken gave one in kind, they noticed the ladies and tip toed. Ken grabbed Xion by the waist and lifted her up to the view of a late afternoon sun as Kairi had something of a slip over the spilled water and yelped as she fell to Sora's chest. Sora reacted fast and caught her, only to slip as well and fall on his back. They yelled out and landed in a thud, the Princess was in a daze and was laying on top of the boy that came through. The celebration stopped and the crowd expressed concern, the star couple felt their blood rushing into their hearts and felt a beating of one.

They just laid there, looking to their friends awkwardly, they realized they were looking awkward and got up hand in hand. Xion panted. "Phew, are you guys alright?" Kairi felt she was going to sweat. "I think so. We shouldn't do that every day." Sora wondered. "Is the dancing different from each town?"

Kairi blew to that. "Yeah and if we start a dance off again, it can spread." Ken sighed mellowed. "It's kind of good that we're doing it in day time and not in the streets at night. I don't think we'd be able to stop with all the lights making it..." He shivered in ecstasy and Sora imagined it. "Woah."

Hayner imagined it and waved. "There's a bit of a magical feeling you get at that hour. Not every kid gets to do that, because of school."

Aqua checked the time and huffed. "It's five now. So how about we all get some desert and get back to the Arena." She smirked to Sora. "If you still feel like taking that challenge."

The spikey haired boy was more confident in handling it. "It's all of us, you're going to be the roughest fights in there." With that, Mickey opened the large box to reveal an appropriately sized, tart aux fruits. One big enough to feed a large party of people. Riku raised his hand to suggest. "And if we finish with that soon enough, we can finish this day back at the Islands and watch the Sun set at the shore. All in favor of that?" It is unanimously voted that would be a way to finish the day.

After dessert.

The Seafarers used the cube to warp back into the pond and the party goers, Azu included, helped clean up the mess. Aqua used her magic to drain the pool and returned it to the flat ground. Once everything was cleaned up, the crowd went back to the arena, let Azu return to her friends and sat down to the rafters. Leaving Sora to enter the Challenge of the Guardians and look around. He found, separated from the two groups, a keyhole with a symbol of the Kingdom Key, marked by an image of a shield and staff. Sora wanted to have some caution and tap to the door, finding a screen asking. "Would you like to initiate the Battle: Mickey Mouse; the Musketeer King?"

Before Sora inputted a yes, Roxas passed a suggestion. "Hey, I got something for you. Close your eyes and give it a look." Sora did so and saw, with in a grey light, a strange keychain. Looking like a silver x with a spear on each end. The boy reached for it and felt something materializing in his hand. He opened his eyes to find his Keyblade in a new form, a black hilt keyblade that resembles an actual curved sword. The handle had a black and white checker pattern. The blade was of silver grey and had a hook blade at the end, to compliment black and grey spikes of teeth. Two Colors becoming One. The form disappeared and Roxas advised. "Call on this one, in case we got to work together faster." Sora had a nod back to his other half. "I'll let you know."

He felt Roxas smiling to that and pressed yes on the screen. He turned to find the Arena in a different color than before. The back drop was of a clear blue sky and the circuits were flowing yellow. Even the blue parts of the arena were of yellow.

Sora wowed and found, on the other end. A determined looking, Mickey, crouching in his battle pose and having an air of authority. "Now it's my turn!"

Sora had a moment to swallow and watched the King glow in light and make a fast flip. Sora rolled to avoid the short range impact of brightness and kept a step back as the King turned swiftly and sprinted. The boy parried one blow, rolled to get behind the King and watched him raise his blade to twirl. Unleashing a small twister that conjured light balloons. The boy saw his chance, back flipped high and flowed after the King. Striking him in the back and getting him into a stagger for a combo.

As Sora readied for a finisher, Mickey flexed. "A ha!" Pulse! Letting loose a divine force that flung Sora across the arena and knocked him into a fumble. At that moment, the boy knew that the King's using the stagger to make a leap that will end in complete disaster if nothing is done. Sora rolled left, shook off his daze and found the King charging at him in a spin. Sora jumped over and focused a ragnarok shot lock. Mickey half turned at the boy "Nice try!" and turned to spin his blade into a barrier that completely soaked the blast. Sora pressed his lips as his other admitted. "Sheesh! He's not giving you an opening." Mickey hovered, conjured glowing balloons and readied to fire them. Sora thought of something. "I'm going to have to make one."

He conjured a barrier to deflect the balloons and watch them burst in festive lights. Mickey rolled back and tossed his blade at the boy that tossed his blade for a deflect. Sora flowed after the King that called his blade and slashed side ways. Sora parried and gave the King a round house kick, making an opening for a faster combo and pulsing in light to knock the King away. Sora spun his blade and dashed as Mickey was rolling, smacking him across and charging to combo again. The King came through from the shock and readied a flex, Sora rolled back before the pulse and watched the king raise his blade to the heavens. "Holy Light!" He let loose a blue ray and Sora made a run for it, explosions let loose all across the arena and the after shock was nearly blinding. The boy looked upon the King once more, saw he was busy casting and fired his ragnarok beams.

They made contact and threw the King off his focus, making the Holy bombardment end. Sora changed the Kingdom Key to the Hunny Spout, having a plan in mind to keep a longer momentum going. Mickey flipped a landing, glowed in light and teleported to a blind spot on the boys right. Sora sensed the power and turned to make a parry. Tink! Flicker!

Mickey flickered and Sora turned to parry, then watched another teleport and flipped to avoid a fast slash. The King was exposed and Sora flung him far before turning his blade into blasters and fire an endless bombardment. Mickey took blast after blast and conjured a barrier before countering with long ranged balloons. Sora ceased his fire and waited until they were coming at him before sliding right and firing while he had the chance. Mickey teleported after taking a few globs, appearing to the closer right corner and firing his balloons in a more advantageous range. Sora glided left at that speed and fired again, prompting the King to teleport to an edge behind the boy and chant. "Ultima!"

That word, which is reserved for a powerful blade form that Sora's only wielded for a short time, prompted him to turn and see a forming orb of light so close. On an instinct, the boy used a gust of wind to fly as far away from the sphere that quickly expanded into a wide zone blast. The King used the shine of the blast as a cover to leap after the boy, Sora pressed his blasters into a launcher and closed his left eye. "Sorry!"

BLAM!

He shot a massive glob at Mickey and sent him flying for another. Then a third, Sora took the chance for a fourth blast and something unexpected happen. Goofy appeared in light speed and shielded the King from the blast as Mickey was enveloped in wind and got up in haste. Donald rushed over to the King and gave Sora a glare of determined anger. The boy huhed and had a sweat trickle down his neck as the cognition of his battle companions and some of his closest friends, were standing against him. Goofy gave the King a thumbs up. "We're here you're Majesty!" Donald hmmed fiercely. "Let's get him!" Mickey recovered from his juggle and phewed in relief. "Thanks fellas."

They rallied a battle cry. "All for One and One for All!" Goofy sprinted at Sora with the speed of a missile and Mickey followed with a leap. The boy cringed and glided from the impact before blasting a glob at them. Donald wrawked and flung giant globs of water at Sora. The boy kept moving and knew the mage was going to be one of the most infuriating hindrances in the match up, he shot a sixth glob of hunny in hopes that would gum him up. Donald swiped his staff and used the watera spell to wash away the hunny and launch the mixture right back. Sora turned an eye to find Goofy raising his shield for the King to jump on and used that as a place to flow to. Jumping on and rolling to keep away from the King.

Sora turned to see Mickey conjuring light orbs to assist him in a dive, the boy got away from that and watched Goofy make a leap and ready a charge. Sora reverted his launcher back to a keyblade, turned it to the Kingdom Key and rapid fired fire balls, each one having a wide blast radius and making the two yelp. Donald growled. "Hold on!" Pulse! A green light of healing refreshed the two from the damage and made Sora roll his eyes. He needs to knock Donald out if he's going to get anywhere and he needs to do it fast before he heals himself.

He baited Goofy and Mickey into charging and flowed after a mage that tried to find a good position to cast something. Donald flinched at how Sora was at the arm. Bonk!

Sora smacked the data cognition into the air and kept at the attack, he went for five strikes and sent Donald flying before firing fast light orbs and knocking him to the ground. Goofy intercepted the bombardments and Sora flowed from a King that was following him. The shield bearer charged in a howler and Sora flipped to stand on the shield and tap a foot on Goofy's head. Using his comrade in arms as a stepping stone to get at a recovering Donald and with one firm blow, knocked to towards an edge and to his side.

Donald was in a complete daze, he shouldn't get up on his own. With him out of the way, Sora turned to find Goofy wasn't amused. The shield bearer spun after him. "Come on now!" Sora sprinted from the twister and caught Mickey in the center, firing multi colored pearls. The boy flew, watched the pearls home in and saw Goofy stepping away to get a better flank.

Sora got closer and closer until he dashed at the King and knocked him out of his shot lock. The boy gave two blows and stepped back from Goofy's counter charge. The boy switched to the Hero's origin and flanked the shield bearer, getting him in a fast combo and keeping an eye on a King that was recovering from the juggle. Mickey went for a left flank as Sora shined in lightning and knocked Goofy away. The boy jumped back from the spear charge as Goofy caught himself and stood.

Mickey flipped over, saw Sora was keeping a distance and tossed his blade like a boomerang. The boy jumped over that, watched the blade disappear and flickered to a flank. Giving Goofy time to give a shield charge. Sora flipped over the blades return and watched a shield come at him. He flowed to Goofy as a way to get away from the blade and jumped over before turning his blade into a shield and bash Goofy in the back. Knocking him to the ground, dazed and tired.

Mickey called his blade back as Sora sprinted like a lightning bolt and bashed the King. Mickey braced himself, took the blow and watched Sora swipe his shield to give a round house kick. Mickey ducked and clashed with the boys shield, Sora charged up in a counter and let loose a giant fist. Knocking Mickey in a fumble, Sora breathed, reverted his shield back to the Kingdom Key and followed in a sonic dash. Going through the King multiple times and at the end of it, readied a firm slash. Mickey conjured a pillar of light to fling himself high and raise his blade. "Come on fellas! We can do this!"

He let loose a pulse of light that formed a halo around Goofy and Donald. Giving them a vigor to get back up. Their wounds were healed up and they were itching for another go. Sora had visions of green and wanted to take the mage down as soon as humanly possible, if Mickey is brought down, that would be the end of the fight and it will only be possible if he doesn't get healed for all the damage done. The halos lost their shine and Donald yelped. "Wrararak!"

He jumped away and fired a blob of ink. Sora rolled from the splatter, knowing if he gets blinded at this point, he might as well give up. Sora switched to the Two that Became One and focused, he fired to the air and unleashed a beam that scattered across the arena. They turned into fast pillars of light that zipped after the Mage and rushed through. Donald was sent into a roll and Goofy made a reckless charge, forcing the boy to contend with him while Mickey went to pick the mage up. The two stood side by side and aimed. "Get outta there, Goofy!"

The shield bearer heard and sprinted away as Sora watched in a horror, the two casters fired out fast flares of light. Even as Sora ran, he saw the bolts having a wide blast that would prove telling if he slips. Goofy grouped up with his companions that channeled their power to his shield. Sora watched amidst the barrage and flipped to avoid a blasting beam. At the end of it, Mickey teleported his companions and himself to the other end and worked together to form a trinity limit.

The ground glowed a holy sigil and Sora knows if that could wipe out a pack of Heartless, Nobodies and Daemons, they can easily knock him off the match. Sora flowed as the three charged and stabbed the center, letting loose a pulse of twilight that scattered the three. Sora rushed after Donald once more and used the disorientation to firmly knock him out. He held his blade with both hands, glowed in light and split the blade into Oathkeeper and Oblivion, entering a double form. Sora turned to Mickey and Goofy, who saw their plan failed. They readied for a sync charge as Sora slammed his blades and unleashed a blast of light and dark changes, knocking Goofy to the ground and bringing Mickey to the air.

The boy flung at the King, gave a multitude of slashes and unleashed comets that zipped through. Just then, Sora heard a distinct tink and watched Mickey land in a thud. The King took a deep breath, got himself up quickly and exhaled to a pant. Sora dismissed the double form and watched his blades return to one before watching Goofy and Donald getting up.

With the match over, the King gave Sora a bow of respect and his companions returned, inviting Sora for something. They aimed their weapons to a gathering center and the boy smiled, pressing his blade to that gathering. "All for One!" They raised their weapons up. "And One for All!" The combined cheer caused the arena to slow in light. With that, Sora found himself back to the lobby, in front of a Keyhole that turned to a calming blue. He phewed at the challenge and looked over to the King and the guard, smiling like there wasn't any hard feelings.

Goofy chuckled and waved. "That oughta do it, Sora!" Donald jumped and barked. "You better not give up now!" Sora gave the vow that he won't and went over to the Wayfinders section, Mickey admitted to his companions. "That was a lot more intense than I thought it was going to be." Goofy agreed with that. "Donald and I have spent so much time traveling, that we gotten the hang of it." The Mage smirked to Sora and turned to his friends. "We had to keep up for Sora's own good."

Mickey smiled, impressed by how far his friends have gone. "And for ours, when the going got tough. I'm proud of you guys." Aqua over heard and confessed. "You two went beyond the expectations, given from the so called chosen ones. You saw what needed to be done and together, with the worlds last hope, thwarted the Chaos itself." She smiled wide. "There are plenty of people like that out there, who don't know of their potential until they give it their all." She turned to see Ven shaking nervously, the Disney Trio realize that Sora was picking a particular fight that raised some concerns.

Would you like to initiate the Battle: Ventus, the Blinding Wind?

-Yes.

No.

Sora felt his adrenaline rush and faced the cognition of Ven, who was in a battle pose fitting of a samurai and have a sharp eye to match. He smirked with arrogance. "Time to knock you back to bed, Sora." Sora blinked and Ven was already charging at him with the speed of sound, swiping his wrist and giving his blade a wider slash at a higher angle. Sora parried the fast blow and watched Ven back flip fast, the younger boy dashed after the landing veteran and slashed back.

Getting a blow and going for another, Ven rolled and slashed upward in an upper cut. Sora rolled right and watched Ven spin to the movement, Sora braced himself and kept moving back before bull rushing at an opening, getting a couple blows in and turning into a second form. Sora let loose a sonic dash all across Ven, caused a couple yelps and as he went for a third, Ven leaped high and focused. "Take this!"

Sora looked up to find a wide spray of pulse bombs and glided away from the explosions, each new round was following him and keeping him on a move. At the end of it, Ven leaped down, flipped his blade and made a more refined sonic dash. Sora had a bit of preparation and side stepped from the rush, Ven turned nimbly and let loose a slash. Parry! The boys parried in sync and Ven stepped back to dash again, Sora rolled and dashed back, knocking through Ven's defenses and sending him on a roll.

Sora followed with a long winded, seven blow combo and sent his former heart brother flying. Ven used the force to roll far and envelop himself in wind before slashing it at the boy. Sora kept a move around the wind, the cognition saw that wasn't working and leaped up to the sky. Ven cut into the atmosphere and hovered with a resolved gaze, the cut turned into a crack in the sky and rained down pillars of light. Sora tossed his blade and flowed out of the bombardment before focusing a shot lock of his own and shooting Ven out of the sky with a ragnarok.

Ven flipped on his blade and froze up the air to make a slide, using his weapon like a snow board and shooting out rapid blizzard spells. Sora had a recollection of skateboards he's played with at the bastion and jumped at the slide before trying it himself, getting the hang of it rather quickly and leaving the cognition to wow'd. He charged up ice mines as a way to get Sora off, the boy tapped the hilt of his blade and jumped off in a flow, spinning in style. Ven jumped after Sora to counter the board dash, the blades tinked and the riders flipped in sync.

Sora used that as a chance to call upon a fast thunder spell, zapping Ven and landing first. Ven landed, stood on one foot and pressed his lips together, like he was barely containing something. Even in the distance, Sora could tell that the pause is an indicator for something and slowly moved. Ven closed his eyes and let out a mighty, bestial roar that condensed into the Biting Winds.

Sora felt his heart skip a beat and flowed far away from the chomp, the spell turned with a set of gusty teeth and howled a charge. Sora focused on a Ven that was breathing out and flowed at him, right where the endless spell would follow. Ven parried as Sora kept an eye on the endless spell that slowed down and begun to come apart. The older boy jumped and had the Winds make one more dash, Sora glided after the foe, turned his blade into the Happy Gear and build up a momentum.

Ven glowed his blade in a bright yellow color of the sun and taunted. "See this!" Sora formed a barrier and parried, this kind of attack always has a second effect, regardless if it connects. FLASH!

On the collision, a light as bright as the sun pulsed and got Sora in the eyes. The boy closed them fast and felt a nasty sting. He opened to find his eyes drying and tearing, blinding him to what is before him. Yet the change of wind lead to a guess of where Ven's heading to. Sora parried left, felt the tink and the wind blowing through his back, Ven's jumped far. Sora closed his eyes, felt a strain lessening and opened to see a faint shadow. Followed by a dozen orbs. Sora high jumped to avoid the pulse bombs and watched the thinner shadow fly right, raising something in the air and calling. "Thunder!" Sora formed a barrier to negate the thunder spell and blinked to see the shadows becoming more clear.

More than enough to tell where Ven is and flow at him. The boys made a clash and Ven used the momentum of his style to flip on Sora's head, kick him down and fly off. Sora was jerked forward, turned and blinked to see everything in a fuzz. Sora tossed his blade like it's a boomerang and struck Ven right as he landed, he took the chance to charge and give the opponent a fast combo before turning the Happy Gear into Agile Claws. Ven flipped, put a hand on his shoulder pad and armored up. "Heh, if that's all you got," He hopped. "Then I'm just getting started."

Sora felt an adrenaline in his veins and blinked to normalize his vision, he tapped a claw on his own shoulder pad and armored up. "That makes two of us!" Ven conjured six wind swords and jumped to take flight, he grabbed a wind sword to go with his blade and flung himself at the boy that side stepped and gave a counter punch with his claw. A punch strong enough to cause something to shatter out of Ven. An identical clone that grabbed two of the swords and flipped to get an better angle. Sora was more in awe at the creative use of the spell than he was concerned about getting beaten up.

He still took glide back to avoid the rushing clone, Ven zipped behind his double, called his other three blades for a strike resembling a windy claw crunching something. Sora rolled right and Ven spun like a twister, his blades were punched and Sora used the opening to claw at his foes chest. Ven was at a stagger and Sora kept a combo, the clone sprinted to the side for an x cross rescue and Sora stepped back. Ven used the freedom to turn his blade into a skateboard glider and zip away, taking his two wind blades and having the other two serve as the gliders razor wings. Sora felt an idea and went to attacking the clone, Ven wooshed at the boy. "Ha!"

Sora flipped over the clone to escape the rush and saw the clone flicker to intercept. Sora spun to punch the clone and transform the claws into yo-yo's, he flew away and with a fling of the bladed toy, shattered the clone and caused the wind swords to fly back to Ven. Serving as an extra set of wings, in hindsight, taking the clone out might have made things worse. Ven sailed fast, directed the board at Sora and jumped, using his power of wind to throw the whole board across as a drilling twister. Sora conjured wind magic and flew from the drill zone, the board scattered the wind and flipped as an aerial ace while tossing the wind blades at Sora. Keeping him on a move and returning to Ven to join in the dive.

Sora kept a move against the storm and the repeated rush. At the third dive, the board begun to shift and Ven jumped off with the wind swords. Giving a six point slash, with the Wayward Wind joining for a wide slash. Sora glided away from the larger attack and flung his yo yo's at the keyblade to knock it back to Ven's grip. The senior had the wind swords feed themselves to the blade and give one precise slash.

Unleashing a cut that expanded farther and farther, Sora ducked and flew under the raised end before focusing on the foe and flinging the yo-yo's into rifts. Opening a multitude that shot out the toys, pelted Ven and causing him to flip. They retreated back and Sora dashed to deliver the far ranged slash, going at it a few times and enlarging the yo-yo's for a finisher. Ven teleported in light to escape that and Sora noticed. The boy clamped down fast and retracted the form change to get it over with. Sora turned to find Ven regaining breath and readying a shot lock.

The boy calmed down and watched Ven spring out the wind swords, the senior was at Sora's personal in an instant. Slashing the blades as one, Sora kept a parry and watched Ven zip to the other flank before blocking. Each movement was a split second and Sora was running out of breath, Ven took a step back, fed the swords to the blade and unleashed a sharp vortex. Sora conjured a barrier and rushed into the twister, giving Ven a firm blow to the head and slashing six times before hearing a ding.

Ven was sent rolling to the ground, his helmet knocked off. The match was over, the senior sat up, clenched his fist in a loss and cursed. "Come on, all that and I'm still not good enough?" Sora felt the bitterness, crouched and protested. "Hey, hey." The cogniton realize he spoke out of line and found Sora looking him in the eyes, giving a fierce smile. "That fight was taking the wind out of me. You were made because the real you became that much stronger."

He offered a hand up and the Data construct began smiling. He took the hand and on standing up, was given a sportsman like embrace. Everything was consumed in light and Sora found himself by the completed Keyhole. He took a step away from Ven's gate, looked up to the real one that was having pale in a sweat and gave him a thumbs up. The fight was worthy of being a part of this kind of challenge.

With that, Ven breathed, relaxed and nearly passed out. "Phew! That was a lot." Aqua nodded in agreement. "I found that part when shuffling through the heart data. You had some amazing stuff and if you keep it up, you might surpass this thing."

Terra was watching Sora make a pick between the next two fights. "Ven, some of those were learned from what Baldred showed and you made that your own." He broke a sweat, envision that all the speed would leave him laying on the ground in a few seconds. Aqua admitted. "Among other things. It took Ven a few weeks to catch up beyond what we learned and with a few discoveries, give us a run for our money." Terra waved a hand. "I've been back for three days, what else has been going on?"

Ven spotted Sora making a choice and saw the challenger having a sweat. "You're asking for a long answer, but all it took for you to keep up was a few new tricks from that world."

Aqua watched Sora warming his nerves and realize who he's about to fight. "Terra, do you even know what your armor has been doing for all these years? The few that figured it out were glad to have ran with their lives." Terra had a complete blank, but imagined his gear became a feared ghost in the corner of the worlds. "What did it do?"

Would you like to initiate the Battle: Terra, the Enduring Earth?

-Yes.

No.

Sora pressed his finger on the button and Roxas asked with a mutual fear. "This guy's armor wasn't even close to a joke. Are you sure fighting this is a good idea?" Sora turned to the bright arena with determination. "If more people out there, get the idea to not mess with him and his friends, then we won't have to worry about someone tricking him into something." Roxas believed that as a fact. "And if someone is dumb enough to try to get into his head, then they'll have to deal with all of us too."

Sora braced for the worst and found himself face to face with the cognition of Terra, looking just as determined for a fight if not more so. The Cognition looked upon Sora, like a would be mentor when testing a student. "Let's see what you got."

At that, Terra glided with the speed of an ongoing train and gave a battle cry. Sora breathed and flew left to avoid the lunge that was nowhere near as fast as Ven, but was still fast and heavy to cause serious issues if they connected. Terra missed the first swipe and turned to swing another in a combo, Sora kept away and found an opening to go in and counter, striking Terra into a stagger and comboing. Terra used the force of the blade to push himself back, jump close and slash wide. Sora back flipped in the nick of time and watch Terra transform his blade into a bow of stone.

The adult pulled a string, showing a stalactites arrow and let it loose as fast as anyone can bling. Sora rolled from the impact and readied to go in for a counter attack. CRACK!

He heard something breaking and turned an eye to find a head sized rock coming for him. Bonk! It hit him firmly on the shoulder and threw him off his guard, by the time Sora had his focus on Terra, the man was already charging him with a double bladed glaive. One swing knocked Sora to a flip and the connected freely, Terra have a huah as Sora snapped out of the beating and found a large pole arm slamming him in the stomach and smashing him to the ground. Things went white and Sora found himself laying on the ground, Terra stood over him in disappointment, turned his weapon back to a blade and lectured. "Come on, that's nowhere near your best!"

Everything went fuzzy and Sora found himself laying before the Keyhole. This was quite embarrassing and Sora asked his other. "Some of those attacks aren't finished, even when they look like it?" Roxas agreed with that. "So we got to keep away from everything until we're sure we have an opening. Expect him to use a lot more earth magic." Sora expected that and more before getting up and activating the match again.

The boy turned to the lit arena and giving the Cognition a stare down. The Data copy of Terra is oddly impressed by the look and smirked. "So you do got something, then show me-" He glided. "that spark!"

Sora glided left to force Terra into a miss and activated his armor for good initial progress was like before, if more fluid. Once Terra jumped back from a particular combo, he drew his bow and fired. Sora used wind magic to fly far away from the arrow and watch it pierce the earth for an eruption of stones. Terra turned the opposite direction and realigned the bow for a sneakier shot, Sora spotted Terra's movement and back flipped from the other. Then found Terra aiming where the boy was landing, Sora focused on the cognition and flowed after him as the arrow was strung.

Bonk! The boy struck Terra and gave three blows before the man turned his bow into the double blade. Sora back flipped and watched the veteran spin the double blade to where it would easily reach his back had Sora tried to go for the rear. Terra went into something of a dance and Sora decided a frontal assault would be suicidal. The boy flew off and rapid cast fire balls, guessing well that Terra would slash through the lesser fire spells and be blasted by the third before dashing away from the firaza, turning the double blade into a polearm and gliding after Sora with a forward thrust.

That was the opening Sora needed, the boy high jumped from the thrust, flowed to get behind Terra and went in for a back attack. Staggering the veteran and changing to the Hero's Origin as a combo finisher. Terra turned, shifted his polearm into a shield and used a parry to fling Sora across the arena. The boy caught his landing and smirked to something going according to plan, Terra didn't notice it from his distance and glided fast. Sora expected that if he moved, Terra would follow as well, he braced and watched the man flip with his blade. Sora used that as a way to glide away and watched Terra slam the blade to the arena, causing a giant split of earth that would have marked the end of the match in one way or another.

Sora flowed back for a strike and watched Terra turn to conjure a shield of light. Sora halted his attack and stepped back, Terra ha'd. "Got you!" He leaped after Sora and flipped to have his blade's tip ready for the earth. Sora made a run for it and watched the man's surroundings erupt into spiked pillars that shook the arena and split cracks open, spewing super heated air. Sora used his blade to make a barrier and protect himself from the volcanic eruption. Terra high jumped and made a meteor dive as Sora recuperated from the blast, the boy kept a distance and watched Terra made his landing.

The adult followed with a charge and Sora used that as the chance to turn his blade into a shield. Parrying Terra and releasing a force that blew the debris away. Sora swiped his shield and gave Terra a firm punch to the face as a riposte, the adult was more shocked than anything and Sora slashed his shield, one after another. Terra staggered back and Sora charged his shield for a finisher of the giant fist, sending the opponent rolling back.

Terra caught himself, gave Sora a firm stare and burst into laughter. No one in particular was able to actually punch him in a way that would matter. Terra tapped a hand on his shoulder pad and admitted. "No wonder the others talked this much about you! But now, the real fight's just started."

Terra glimmered in light and done on the suit of armor that gave Sora a flash back of a show down at a wasteland. Seeing the remnants of the Lingering Will brought a spark of fire in the boy, a fire that is roaring that victory is possible. It's wearer, turned his blade into a cross bow and charged it in lightning, bolts fired in break neck speed and Sora resorted to gliding to get away. He listened to the explosions of earth and turned his head to find many more coming at him in a rapid fire. Sora focused his sights on Terra and glided to give him a shield bash, the man turned the crossbow back into a keyblade and parried the shield before kicking himself free and rushing in a counter.

Sora rolled and let the shield revert back to a blade. He switched it for the Favorite Deputy and watched Terra focus for something, he conjured rotating bits that hovered above Sora and began firing. They were meant for a few things, keeping Sora grounded, controlling his movement and worst of all, distracting him. Sora thought of something, begun moving with the bits that circled around and raised his blade. "Wind!"

Woosh! Wind circled around the boy as he kept hovering, then another was conjured to fling the bits around and a third turned them into frackles. Terra raised his blade and beckon. "Meteor!" Sora's eyes widden and he looked up to find a large burning rock was falling upon him.

He gave the warrior a stare and flowed at him as a way to escape the rock. Terra counted on that and swing a strike. Sora parried a block and kept a move against a full force combo that ended with Terra warping and readying a flip. "Latter!"

Sora slid under the leap and avoided the impact of stone before tossing his blade at Terra's back and flowing for his own combo. The boy flexed a battle cry and unleashed a aeroza that swept Terra away, Sora followed with a blitz and went for an ars arcanum. It was enough of a force that Terra jumped away and turned his blade into the motorcycle like glider. Sora remembered that old trick and zipped out of the way, keeping an eye on it as it went across and watch the glider shoot out bright yellow explosives. Forcing Sora on the move and barely getting a telegraph for where Terra's at. Roll! Swoosh! Pew!

Sora avoided the chaotic rush and thought in a split second, about the unguarded rear. As Terra zipped by again, Sora maneuvered to get to where the glider was and breath.

Terra zipped once more and Sora focused, turning his blade into a drilling claw and rushing into a portal, he zipped right at Terra's face and rushed through before warping next to him and repeating the charge. It kept going over and over again until Terra was knocked out of his glider, Sora warped with an aha and sonic dashed at Terra to get in close and combo. Terra was in a juggle and gained a footing before turning his blade into a whip and letting loose a battle cry that made the weapon flail. Sora rolled back and watched the whip condense into a giant club, the boy jumped over and glided far behind the foe that had a follow up in mind. Terra turned the club into a giant glaive like axe and rushed at the boy that rolled over the blade and struck the foe from behind. Terra turned with his reverted weapon, glowed in a bright red aura and kept to the attack in an odd berzerker frenzy.

Sora kept a move around each blow and guarded for the wider reaching cuts, the boy had enough of a distance to where he can unleash a fire ball and do some damage to the warrior. Terra took the blow, leaped far and turned his blade into the Ultima Cannon. The cannon glowed bright and launched a fast homing projectile. Sora spun his blade in light and struck the projectile, sending it back to the cannon that fired another as a way to counter blast. Terra charged up another and Sora glided close, another projectile was fired. Sora expected a curve ball and flowed to the far left as the blast reached impact, Terra turned his cannon and caused the whole thing to glow in energy, Sora glided right as the cannon made a flash and watched a giant beam of power fire out. The bright explosion brought some awe to the challenger that went back to focusing on Terra, who reverted the cannon back to a blade and counter charged.

Sora jumped over Terra and transformed the Favorite Deputy into the hyper hammer. The man turned and readied for an overhead smash as Sora flung at him and smacked him with the hammer. The hammer jetted and Sora used it to get close for an over headed smash to the ground. Then for a fling and a massive smash that brought Terra to the ground. Sora pulled the hammer and had it transform into the drill claw as Terra back flipped and slammed his blade to the ground. "Quake!"

Sora jumped high to avoid the earthquake and drilled to the ground as a way to close in on Terra and punch him in the chest. A ding was heard and Terra was knocked to the ground in a great thud. Everything felt still for a second and the warrior sat up to get a breath. Sora reverted his weapon back to a blade as the cognition raised his hand in defeat. "Hadn't had something like that in a while."

Sora offered to help him up and smile under his helmet. "You're friends talked a lot about you, you're stronger than I thought you were." The cognition took the offer and made a stand, smiling widely behind his helm. The light engulfed the arena and Sora was before the third completed Keyhole.

Up at the rafters, the real Terra was completely speechless and Ven was breathing out. "This was the first fight that beaten him up like that." Terra swallowed and looked to Aqua, who was pressing her hands together and had a more observing stare. "Is this what you've been thinking about with us?" The Keyblade Master turned her head with anticipation. "There are some things, I've overdone. But the two of you can topple these copies one day. It isn't that far away. He's about to finish the first half before meeting the harder half."

She worried about providing disappointment. "I think our big exam, should have been more than strength and skills. When you think you've have it all figured out, there is something around the corner that will prove you wrong. It's going to take more than having pupils and a world of my own, to prove that the title was earned in the first place."

Terra and Ven flinched and blurted as one. "But it was earned!"

Aqua crossed her legs and saw Sora was approaching her Keyhole. "Yeah, it is now. But that title meant nothing when I couldn't make the most out of that power beyond surviving. The last thing we need in this age, is to provide another disappointing outcome and bring things back to a crisis." The boys felt that one and returned to watching, anticipating a magic show.

Would you like to initiate the Battle: Aqua, the Boundless Sea

-Yes

No.

Sora activated the mechanism to get the fight going and was imagining the kind of challenge he's about to face. Who isn't just the bearer of a title, but one of the reasons he and his friends were able to reach the heights they've climbed across and in turn reached beyond the limit to overcome Archaon and expel Be'lakor from one of her students. He blushed in worry that he might disappoint people and breathed in and out before turning to the changing arena and finding, under the golden light, the last foe he has to face before dealing with simulacrums closest to him. A Data hologram of Aqua stood in a regal pose, fitting for a queen who's dived straight into her own battles. Her ever serious scowl caused Sora to brace himself, the cognition declared in a strict tone. "You better have what it takes to handle-" Pew! She warped in a glitter of light and appeared close by. "this!"

She tossed her blade and made Sora roll, the weapon glowed in magical will and begun to strike on it's own. Sora parried the weapon that flowed to his back right and turned to make another strike, only to find it flying back to it's wielder. Sora's eyes followed the blade and his heart leaped to the Master already charging him, grabbing the blade in sync for a swing. Sora back flipped and watched Aqua let loose a fast, mid air combo. Each one requiring a parry with how close the Master is, ending with Aqua back flipping and shooting fast projectiles of light. Sora rolled right from one stream and flowed after the Master, locking her in a fast combo and smacking her across.

Blink!

Aqua flickered to the center of the arena and gave out a fierce battle cry. "Inferno!" She fired an orb of fire that Sora dodged, then a fira that had a wider radius, then a firaga that made an wider explosion. Sora knew what was coming and glided left as Aqua shot out an inferno that could swallow half of the arena, the boy focused and glided after Aqua as a way to avoid that blast. Aqua spun to counter the flow and locked blades with the boy, Sora had something of a momentum, pulsed in light and threw Aqua off before following with a blitz and six fast cuts.

The seventh sent Aqua into a high flip that was clearly pre planned. She sprouted orange, bird like wings and curled into a fire ball, she scattered burning feathers that homed in on the boy. Sora took a stand and deflected the wings as he watched her transform the aura into that of a great pheonix that let loose a shriek.

It dived after the boy that used his blade as a way to flow as far away from the blast zone as possible. The pheonix scattered into fast moving fire balls that warranted another fast glide, while Sora was focused on that, he noticed a bright ember flying out of the impact. An Aqua with an orange aura around her body, her hair and clothes covered in cinders. She turned her blade into a short sword that shot out a beam of flames.

Sora rolled away from the slash and watched Aqua spin in elegance, to realign a fire ball that burst in front of her and let loose a fire wolf. Sora jumped over it and flowed through the flames to get back to her, he channeled an aura of ice and unleashed the power of a blizzard as a way to cool the Master down. Each blow caused the Master to smile in pride, she moved at the end of a combo and enveloped herself in a snow storm.

The sky turned grey and cold, calling upon hail stones that were the size of base balls. Sora kept a move as Aqua flowed an interception and left behind a trial of ice. The boy heard something glaciate and felt the cold coming closer and closer to his back. Roll! Aqua intercepted in a twirl and clashed as a frosty twister.

Sora sparked in fire and countered with a blast of flame, sending Aqua in a roll and causing her to call upon the arctic winds. Freezing up a forming prison and flying off, Sora flowed after her to escape a cage that closed up and solidified. Aqua sprouted wings of frost and turned to the boy that changed his blade to the Control Stick and used a gust of air to double jump.

Aqua conjured fast blizzard spells in preparation as Sora turned the Control Stick into the Power Gloves. The boy kept a move and countered with fast moving fire balls, ending with the boy pressing his hands together and shooting a giant duck, on part to what the Master has unleashed. Aqua took it and gave off an ompth before shrouding herself in her wings and spinning into a tornado.

Sora knew a transformation was ensuing and made it for the ground as a way to keep a solid footing. The twister brought about snow storms that swallowed the arena and made their way for a perfectly fine Soracicle. The boy covered his face with his gloves and made a barrier to push the snow around him, he swiped the frost away and looked at the twister that transformed into a pheonix of frost. Sprouting her majestic wings and diving to the center of the arena to begin a complete glaciate. Sora high jumped and watched the surroundings freeze up into a reaching tundra, they shattered inward and left behind shards of snow.

He looked upon an Aqua that was crouching to the center and getting up to pull her blade. The boy fired his barrage, clenched to conjure bombs and tossed more. Aqua took the bombardment and was sent into a roll before the boy turned his Gloves into a giant, two handed morning star flail.

The Master scattered crystals and used them to teleport once the boy glided a charge. Sora looked around and turned to find Aqua lunging behind him, he rolled and swung the flail to send the Master on a flip. He raised the flail and the ball and chain enlarge before swinging wildly at the crystals and shattering them. Aqua stepped back at a failed plan and watched Sora slam the flail at her, she glided from the impact and watched Sora flip the flail to make it compress into a spiked wheel. The boy tossed the wheel to where the Master was going and as expected, watch her fly away from the impact. Not that he didn't mind, he called his blade back and watched Aqua spin. She called upon globules of water as a way to shield herself. "You're going to be a washout when I'm through with you!"

Sora had a moment to brace himself as Aqua shot out rivers worth of globs, he flowed around the rivers and slid to avoid a wide wave. Something ding in his mind, Aqua's surrounded by water and there is one element that can pierce the barrier in no time flat. He aimed his blade and called upon the sky. "Thunder!"

ZAP!

A bolt of lighting made impact with the barrier and conducted into the Master, Aqua blew bubbles out of her mouth as Sora cast a thundara, then a thundaga. Shattering the barrier into a giant splash and knocking Aqua to the ground. The Master rolled to get back up and set a focus on the boy, she hovered and charged a prism rain. Sora charged and rolled left as the rain closed in, Aqua charged up another, and another, and another. The boy gotten closer and closer until he was able to flow at Aqua and hit her in an upper cut, the Master flipped and tapped her piece of armor. A light enveloped her form into her suit of armor and she landed in a tap. "This is right, we are unbound from what others think about us." She swiped her blade and caused it to shine in crystal power. "We have no limit!"

She warped to Sora's personal space and slashed to unleash a crystal great sword. Sora rolled back and watched a full blast of soul power wash over him, hurting like the force of a thousand needles. "But you still need more practice!" That back handed taunt gave Sora a reason to keep his focus and he saw Aqua charge up seven, multi colored, crystal masses of power. They let loose giant soul spears and forced Sora into a glide, giving Aqua the chance to raise her blade and twirl a swirling mass of power that shot the arena around her and zip across as a trail of crystals. Sora had a roll to escape the crystals and flowed after Aqua, he switched back to the Kingdom Key and shifted into his second form.

He knocked Aqua in a combo and watched her vanish in a glimmer, causing the crystals to reflect her image. The reflections took an aim and Sora high jumped to avoid a mass barrage of soul arrows. He flipped and found his eye at the odd figure amongst the reflections, one of three dimensions. He flowed after the actual Aqua and enveloped himself in light, smashing her to the ground in a shock wave and shattering a few crystals. Sora flipped off as Aqua rolled her stand, the boy took the chance to armor up and give the Master a chance to admire a peer.

Once the boy finished his suit up, the Master stepped back and kept her blade focused on him, nothing in particular seemed to happened until Sora realize what Aqua unleashed. He high jumped and dodged a stream of crystal arrows that made contact with the bare ground and made more crystals. Aqua stepped back to focus and unleash a prism, crystal rain that fired in sync to the arena that shot smaller beams. Sora set his focus on the shattered remains and flowed to it as a way to escape that and warp to Aqua. He unleashed the full force of an ars arcanum and pulsed a light at the end of the attack.

Aqua flipped and conjured the swirling mass of a the white dragon breath to finish covering the arena, Sora tossed his blade likea boomerang and stopped her from completing the spell. Knocking Aqua to a crystal she conjured and causing her to vanish. The crystals closest to the arena's center shined a reflection of the master and fired a beam to make a heart shaped formation. Reflecting an image of Aqua that emerged and roared, the heart shined out a pillar that engulfed her body and transformed into a giant crystal dragon.

Sora stared widely at the majestic form turned it's head upon him and breathed. Sora rolled to the crystal mass and had a peek at a body that is conducting the vessel, flexing and roaring without restraint. The Crystal Dragon jumped back and went after Sora with her claws, the boy found a spike to glide to. He grabbed on and spun for a back attack. As he readied, the Dragon sprinted to shake Sora off and leap for a spin, unleashing crystal spears and a wave of power.

Sora flowed to the next crystal and jumped on, he spun his blade at a plan that didn't work and glided to the Dragon's shoulder, spearing into her form and causing a crack that shot in a current of electricity. The Dragon yelped with a deep voice and stepped back before opening her mouth, Sora rolled from the blast and watched her turn her head to swipe. Giving the boy the chance to roll forward and see the Dragon crouch her head as a way to breath a point blank blast. Sora side stepped, raised his blade to cover half of his face and caused it to shine in an ancient moonlight. Before Aqua could marvel the spell, Sora lunged at the Dragon and cleaved in a deep combo that made it crack more and more. Forcing the Dragon to side step for a claw swipe, Sora flipped over the claw and made a swing for the Dragons neck, getting a good cut through as Aqua readied her other claw.

Sora flickered from the claw and slashed a ray at the body. Aqua stood up on all fours, raised her neck and opened a prism eye on her forehead. Drawing in a faint light and causing a cone in front of her to shine into blinding light. Sora flowed away and watched Aqua fire a rainbow blast, hitting the crystals and causing the form to flicker into the aether.

The Master flew out and pointed at Sora in style as the crystals shined in multiple colors. That many crystals, powering up like they are is not a good sign for anything. Sora focused on Aqua and flowed after her. SHATTER!

The crystals burst into a color of light and fired giant soul arrows at where the boy was. Aqua enveloped her blade into a great sword and parried with Sora, colliding the arcane with the moon and causing a chain reaction that blasted the two of them. Sora and Aqua were sent back to the ground in a smoulder of blue, the Master kept a flip as Sora was seeing a flash of red and nearly fell in a thud. The boy cast a heal on himself as the Master raise her blade and commanded the sky. "Thunder!"

Sora rolled from the lightning blast and watched her follow with a fira, the boy enveloped himself in air and dashed away before focusing on Aqua and flowing to get close. The Master stepped back and swung her blade for a mid range strike as Sora landed, the boy parried it back to her and gave a firm slash that caused a ding.

He found himself standing behind the Master and turned to watch her make on and shake. Aqua breathed in and out, grunting in pain. "Urk... how did you get this strong?"

Sora stood firmly, pressed his fist against his chest in a salute and answered. "Because you've showed us how to be a real expert." The cognition gasped, laughed to him and let herself fall on her knees in defeat. The ultimate joy for a mentor, is seeing her that her guidance paid off for her children. Everything went white and Sora found himself standing infront of the marked Gate. Over a half of the Challenge has been bested, a feat that few can boast to accomplishing.

In the rafters, Aqua was seeing the boy have a wide smile and leaned back, she used her hands as a cushion and sighed. "And that's a wrap." She turned to see her fellow Wayfinders speechless, Terra in particular was blushing shyly and Ven wowed. "That was so much magic!" Aqua smiled to her Lil' Bro. "It's what I'm good at. Other than Donald, not a whole lot of us has dab that deep in the arts."

The Mage over heard that and worried about something. "Even magics that came from a different world. What are you going to do with that?" Aqua answered her peer in the arcane. "I guess I could log it, in case something ever happens to me. I owe Logan that much for showing me the way." That was a decision that Donald respected and considered as well for his own tricks. "Do you think we'll ever meet the real one?" Aqua imagined that if the reincarnation of the World of Ashes and it's inhabitants has occurred, then it could be possible. "We might, but there's going to be a catch in how his knowledge became lost. He followed the trial of a mad dragon and paid for it with his mind. But, that research has lived on." She vowed with a shine of blue in her eyes. "It will live on. Once me and my bros finish that vacation, we'll get started on chronicling some details that Jiminy didn't have the chance to know. That will make the spells and miracles, easier to learn."

Mickey gave his approval and watched the other end of the audience cheering for Sora, everyone except for Kairi and Ken, who stood up and disappeared in the shadows, fetching something in preparation.

Ven watched Sora approach the other end and hollered. "There's three more to go! You can do it!" Goofy and Donald joined in the cheering as the King watched the siblings make a return, right as Sora was heading to a Keyhole. The Princess had something wrapped up in decorative cloth and the sibling was spotting something and cheering as a way to keep cover. Letting Kairi sneak back to Riku, who was acting rambunctious.

Would you like to initiate the Battle: Riku, the Traveler of Dawn?

-Yes

No

With the memory of victory resting in the back of Sora's mind, the boy began his turn on the second half of the challenge. Simulacrums of his closest, dearest friends, that defied the odds. Under the golden light was a Riku in a battle pose and an anticipating stare that was a lot less menacing compared to his darker Replica. Level headed, calm and a little regretful that he's going to beat Sora a new one. That didn't exactly make Sora feel better, but facing someone who has been a peer made him more determined to wipe the frown off of Riku's face.

Riku took a step and warped under the light. "Watch this!" Sora's seen this technique enough times to start rolling and turn, finding Riku missed the first slash and sprinted after Sora as he got up. He spun a firm slash and made the boy parry. Riku stepped back and flexed a pulse of purple fire. Sora kept back at the precision and flowed for a counter charge once the fire died down. He bashed Riku in the face, caused him the stagger and struck two times before the cognition cartwheeled.

Riku spun his blade and thrust fast, Sora side stepped and watched Riku side over and spin for a blunt end smack to the head. Sora blocked that and watched Riku ready a fist. The challengers clashed knuckle to knuckle and rolled backwards, the opponent stepped back and split his blade in two, an angel wing for a right and a bat wing for the left. Riku sprinted fast and warped in light, Sora rolled forward and turned to find that Riku went at his left in an x cross. The opponent flipped for an over slash that Sora slid under and used as a way for a back attack. Riku flipped the bat sword for a backwards parry and delivered a round house kick.

Sora ducked and used the hilt of his blade for an upper cut, bringing Riku in a stagger and following with a fast, long combo. Riku was sent rolling and Sora followed with a keyblade toss before switching to Two Become One. Riku got up, shook the blow off and merged his swords together, he jumped in a focus and let loose a morning divide.

Sora escaped the initial barrage and watched Riku disappear in the light, warping to a visible corner to repeat the barrage. Sora glided right and found a spot to flow to, only to find Riku smiling at him and waving in mockery. "Later!" Flicker! He warped away again and channeled the light into a green shining orb, Sora was more annoyed by the movement than anything else and watched the orb glimmer. The cognition leaped behind it and hurled it at the boy, Sora glided far away and watched the green engulf the arena, it shifted light orange in a spectacle. As the boy was watching, Riku teleported to the center of the arena and glided after the challenger. Making a flip and a downward slam. Sora slid under and watched Riku unleash a shock wave of light before going for a sonic dash sending the foe flying.

Sora glowed his blade and transformed into his double form before letting loose a twilight maelstrom, Riku was blown to the edge and got on his feet in a pant. The cognition activated his shoulder pad, armored up and let loose a fierce roar. "Alright, it's time to stop being nice!" He leaped high to the air, enveloped himself in fire and dived after Sora, the boy escaped and watched Riku stab the ground to unleash a meteor like impact. Fire balls of light scattered and Sora armored up as a way to show that the feeling is mutual.

Riku turned his blade into a set of draconic fists and boots, warped in the light and appeared next to Sora. Raising a foot for a round house kick. Sora dodged the foot and was pounced by a fist, he blocked with his blades and kept moving. Riku closed in to the right and aimed a foot at Oblivion, knocking it away and forcing Sora to rely on Oathkeeper, handling the punches and kicks is going require putting every bit of strength into one blade. Sora flowed to Oblivion, picked it up and merged them back into one blade. Turning off the double form and prompting Roxas to admit. "Sheesh, who knew that wasn't going to work." Sora breathed as he watched Riku begin a teleport. "Let's try it again when he moves on from this."

The two halves gave each other a mental high five and turned right to find Riku charging fist first. Sora flipped to the hilt of the blade and clashed it with a fist, sending Riku to a spin. The cognition changed the fists to winged wrist blades and his boots to long talons. Roxas asked. "Like that?" Sora nodded. "Like that, but let's be sure first."

Riku lunged for a punch as a way to interlock the blade, Sora side stepped and watched the cognition flip high and dive with his talons. The boy back flipped for an escape and Riku crossed his hands together and sprint with the wrist knives. Sora dodged and struck Riku in the back, making an opening for a few cuts and heeding the cognition using his talon feet as a grappling weapon for the blade.

Riku stepped back from a failed attempt, channeled fire from his hands and pressed them to his face. Sora cringed and glided to escape a fire stream blast. Riku was at the end of the limit, turned his weapons back to a blade and spun at Sora with a firm finesse. Sora spun back to collide blades and jump back in sync, Riku leaped for an overhead smash and the challenger tried a roll. Pulse! The light scattered, caught Sora in a blast and threw his movement off, Riku twirled after him as a way to follow on the attack and slash down as a way to start a combo.

Sora parried the third attack and spun to smack Riku in the head. The cognition moved with the blow and flexed a pulse of purple fire. Sora stepped back as a precautionary move and watched Riku prepare a slash. Warp! Sora turned to parry, watched Riku step back and teleport for another attack. Going about for a while until the cognition had his blade transform and teleport.

Sora's eyes widen and saw the blade of a pendulum axe come at him on the first turn. He rolled over the axe and watch Riku flip for a downward attack, Sora dodged and watched the blade slice through the arena. Riku jumped and tossed the axe, making it slide across with a hills worth of floor. Sora flowed to the blunt end of the pendulum and glided after Riku for a firm slash. The foe rolled back and called his weapon back, Sora felt the rumbling and side stepped, allowing Riku to jump on the hilt, grab it and slash down from the upper left.

Sora rolled left and watch Riku spin to smash the axe's bladed end. Shattering stones all across, Sora formed a barrier and was sent skidding across, Riku reverted his axe back and warped to get behind the challenger. Sora felt the presence, ready for a back attack, skid his feet and rolled. He focused on Riku, hovered and let loose pillars of light that rushed across the arena. Knocking Riku into a stagger and making an opening. Sora went into his double form and resume giving Riku a complete beat down.

The Cognition was swept away in the maelstrom and countered back with a morning divide barrage. Sora flickered through the barrage and flowed, crossing his blades and slashing through. He landed on one end and turned to see Riku flip into a crouch. Sprouting a stellar set of night colored wings, he breathed in and out before turning to a perk. Hopping like he's finally taking the fight seriously. Sora spun his blades and kept to the ground, Riku crouched and teleported as he made a leap. Giving off a valor fueled battle cry. Sora glided backwards as Riku made impact and let loose a wide blast of light. He disappeared in the pillar, drew about night and let loose a cleave of a bright morning.

Sora expected something strange from the night aura and rolled to get to the back. Finding the tide of light to be a spectacle, Riku warped to get to the right and slash into a spin. Sora parried and watched Riku spun back in the cover of wings. He flexed and unleashed a green blast, Sora shielded himself and went in for a two bladed slash. The boy noticed his double form wearing off and kept to a second attack, Riku flapped his wings as a way to back off. He aimed his hand and let loose fast fire balls, Sora spun his blade and had it soak the flames, he slashed to sent it back at the cognition that sliced the flames in two. "Not gonna work!"

He raised his blade and flew off to the sky, disappearing as a sun and warping to get a slash through Sora. The boy dodged that and realize the move Riku has done, he kept to a dance as the cognition warped to another end to repeat the spear rush. Going about over and over again until the foe hovered above Sora to make a spear dive. The boy glided away from the blast and watched the light rush out of the impact zone, warranting another roll. Riku pulled himself up and Sora flowed after him, knocking him silly and going into an ars arcanum for good measure.

The combo finisher sent Riku flying towards the edge of the arena and to a glowing sigil of light. It caught him in a carry and he regained his movement to hover, he balked at Sora. "Is that all you got? Come on, you're just being a quiter!"

The boy huhed as the sigil became green and let loose bright beams, the sigil spun to rotate the beams and make Sora heed the fast movement. The beams began merging into the center and warranted a change of movement, until they became one and flowed into Riku's blade and with them, the light in the back drop. Causing everything to transform into a dark blue sky of stars, Riku flapped his wings and let loose a spilling aura before aiming and pushing the shadows back. A blue aura burst from his blade and let loose a beam of red and yellow light. Sora was left without words and flowed used a sonic dash to get out of the blast. The two colors mixed quite well and Sora took the time to watch the attack from a different angle. The spectacle reached it's end and Riku jumped down, with a sky becoming a fading dark blue and the back drop having a rising sun.

Sora took a deep breath and sprouted a set of wings, he took his blade and split it into two. He gestured a taunt for the cognition, inviting him to a fight in the air. Riku hid a wide, boyish smile and flew up to ready a dive, Sora flew over the dive and turned to perform a shot lock, well aware that Riku had teleported. He turned to find Riku had split his blade into two and dashed. Sora parried, flipped over Riku and kept upside down in a spin, breaking through the guard and flipping as a wheel. He let the blades go and flipped upward, having them swing around to his will and return to a grip. Riku fell downward and flipped to elevate in the air. As he did so, Sora focused his shot lock and unleashed a stellar inception to catch Riku in his flip. Riku took the blast and shielded himself with his wings, he focused on Sora and flexed his wings to unleash rays of sunlight to go with the morning divide. Sora flickered to escape to the blast and propelled himself to get at Riku's back, the cognition spun to defend himself and saw Sora flicker again. Bonk! The two blades smacked Riku in the back and sent him falling, Sora took the chance and dived, unleashing pillars of light and dark. Riku landed in the power and a ding was heard.

The wings flickered away and Riku landed on his stomach in a thud. He got up to find Sora standing victorious. He cursed loudly. "Come on! I had you!"

Sora let his blades revert back to one and watched Riku go into a pout, he crouched to offer a hand and his wings and armor flickered away. Giving a wide smile that prompted the cognition to power down and smile even more, making it clear he's envious but isn't going to hold ill will. Everything was consumed in the light and Sora found himself standing before the blue glowing Keyhole. Something in his subconscious, is telling him that the blue was more than just a show of completion. What it is was at the tip of the tongue.

As he went for the other, the band of teenagers realized Kairi had something neatly wrapped on her lap. Enough to hide a shape. Olette asked in astonishment. "What do you have there?"

Kairi raised a finger to her lips and winked. "It's a secret, as soon as we saw Sora beat the Wayfinders, me and Ken went to fetch it." Ken whispered. "We worked most of the night for it, so that was why Sora and Xion found a couple sleepy heads."

Olette hand waved to Ken. "Since when have you ever slept in?" Riku answered the rhetorical question. "Never." He envisioned a pleasing surprise, non the less. "At the rate Sora's going, we might find out what it is." Xion looked to her phone and wowed. "We might have some daylight to go to the beach by the time he's done." Kairi believed that is possible and phewed. "Even if the second half of this is going to be as hard as they come. Just you wait."

Would you like to initiate the Battle: Kairi, the Bringer of Destiny's Sky?

-Yes

No

On pressing yes, Sora found himself under the gaze of something peculiar, the morning back drop that was left behind, was present in the simulation. He turned and found himself face to face with a cognition of Kairi, in her battle pose and having a determined scowl. Sora readied and found it oddly charming that the girl's taking a stand once again, even if it is against him. The cognition closed her eyes, took a deep breath and exhaled. She open her eyes and vowed. "I can do this!"

On the vow, she flowed to Sora in the speed of light and had a swing ready. The boy parried that and watched the girl flip around to get a back attack, not giving him anymore than a second for the next assault. Kairi jumped back and used her blade to fling fast light stars, Sora rolled for a dodge and felt the wind pushing by him, if any of those connect, they're going to hurt. He gotten close enough to make an attack and the Princess let loose a battle cry before flowing to the side and swinging for the boys head. Sora blocked and spun to smack the girl in a stagger. The boy went into a combo and after learning from the last fight, sent the girl back as soon as possible.

Kairi landed in a flip, aimed her blade and caused flowers of light to sprout from it, they let loose a fast barrage of light beams. As Sora made his move, the Princess halted her attack and sprinted as a way to intercept. Sora blocked the fast attack and was pushed across the arena by the force, Kairi jumped on his shoulders while he was disoriented, conjured an ice pillar in the corner of the arena and flowed. Sora blinked and turned to see the girl transform her blade into the Blizzard Claws and kicked off the block for a fast slide. As she slid, the arena begun to glaciate, trying to dodge that will have chilling consequences. Sora braced himself as Kairi gotten close and jump for a twirling ice kick. The boy twirled in the opposite direction and locked with the foot, he stent Kairi spinning back and changed to the Hunny Spout as the girl kicked blizzard spells in retaliation. The boy jumped over the blast and watched Kairi focus on him, a shot lock was about to ensue. Sora flowed to a glacial rock and watched Kairi unleash fast slashes of frozen air that would have turned him to ribbons.

As she neared the end, Sora flowed to get behind her and went to attacking. Kairi yelped and was caught in a stun lock, Sora pulsed in light to send her rolling and she slid to kick a blizzard. Sora took his chances with the slippery tundra and watched the girl turn her claws into a set of wrist blades and skates. She kicked off for a nimble skate across the rink and readied a kick for the boy that realize he's going to have to slide. He kicked away and used the momentum to turn and transform his Spout into blasters. He had the blasters barrels rotate and fired. Kairi flowed to a rightward pillar as a means to escape and kicked herself into an icicle drill. Sora flipped out of the way, slid and bombarded the girl with globs.

Kairi was knocked across the frozen arena and reverted her weapons back to a blade. She stabbed the ground and made the ice puff into snowflakes. Sora flowed through the snow as a way to evade an attempt to slow him down. Kairi rushed at him, regardless and jumped over his shots. The boy glided out of the way and watched the girl unleash a tidal wave. It was definitely the time to switch the blasters out, back to the Spout and to the Wheel of Fate. Sora high jumped over the wave as Kairi looked up and flowed. The two clashed blades for a brief moment and pushed each other away, landing in sync. Kairi turned her blade into a wooden staff of fire flies and fired the insects, she went into some kind of dance and kept the boy in a dance of his own.

He tossed his blade and used it to flow as a way to flank the girl. Kairi back flipped and blasted a cloud as Sora rolled and lunged in a sonic dash, breaking through her guard and zipping across. Kairi was sent flying, caught her landing with her feet and spun, she turned her staff into a blade and reached for her black gauntlet. Activating her armor and encouraging Sora to do the same. She yelled out in fury. "You asked for this!"

She focused a gaze on him, leaped to the air and unleash the Power of the Princess before flying over in a bombing run. Sora glided away from the explosion and found a star warping to where he was going, bringing about a Princess that rushed after him. He parried one blow and found her warping away for another go. He glided out of the other, slid right to find a new star and rushed to lock blades with the wishful girl. He flipped over her, transformed his blade into the Highwind and spun to sweep the Princess off of her feet.

Kairi caught her landing and slashed stars before conjuring flowers for a wide blast. The boy jumped to the sky to avoid the blast and spin his spear to make a dive. Kairi flickered in the light and rushed at him as a star. "Got you!" She flickered for her multi assault, Sora flipped over the rush and let himself fall. Kairi halted her move and aimed her blade at him. "Thunder!"

ZAP!

Sora spun through the lightning bolt, landed and dashed to avoid the growing barrage of thunder bolts. He expected a tundaza at the second and found nothing happening, out of curiosity, he turned to see Kairi aiming her blade over head and engulfing herself into a storm. She wasn't going to cast the thundaza, she was becoming something even more powerful than a simple spell.

Sora kept himself grounded and sprinted as soon as the sky shined in lightning. Kairi made impact and let loose a boom that made Sora's heart skip a beat. The boy felt his hair standing and turned to see storm clouds were blowing over. He formed a barrier to mitigate the worst of the storm and found a clearing, showing Kairi with golden hilt, great axe. He opened his mouth to an o as the girl placed the edge to the ground oh her left and glided after him fast.

Sora rolled to his left right as Kairi swung and felt a force unleash behind him. He spun his step and thrust at the girl, with a multitude of wind spears joining in the attack. Kairi flipped and slammed the axe over head. Sora back flipped from an impact that scattered lightning around the girl, he spun his spear and slide a thrust. Kairi was sent into a roll, enveloped herself in water and slashed a tidal wave that crackled. Sora leaped over, used his spear as a propeller and get close to dive down as a thunder bolt.

Ken stepped back from the impact as Sora pulled the spear and had it transform into the Storm Flag. She spun into a whirl pool, forced the boy to roll away and smashed a splash, Sora countered with a blow of stormy wind and went after the girl, sweeping her away into a twister and letting loose a combo that ended with him unleashing the water tentacles.

Kairi was high in the air as an after shock, reverted her axe back to a blade and let loose a bombardment of light. Sora kept a move and watched her dive by him, flipping in style and causing her blades flowers to spin fast. She aimed a stream of fast bolts and had him roll right. She spun for an opening strike and Sora spun back to throw the blade off. He went in for a firm strike and watched the girl flip, scratching the ground with her blade and unleashing a wave of light. Sora side stepped and charged once more into an ars arcanum. One, two, three, four, five.

On the sixth strike, Kairi regained some sense and locked the blade in a parry before giving a battle cry and attacking back with her own variant of the technique. The two kept locking weapons for a while and pushed themselves away. As the two slide in opposite directions, Sora switched the Wheel of Fate back to the Kingdom King and aimed an ragnarok. Kairi looked onward to see the beams coming for her and rolled to get in between the beams, escaping that as Sora went for his back up plan. "Fire!" He shot a fast fire ball at the Princess and followed with fira, getting her in a stun lock for a blast of firaga and firaza.

Sora panted, watched the flames clear and find Kairi was still standing. She crossed her arms in determination, jumped to the air and flexed to unleash six wings of light. Transforming the morning sky into a blue, slightly cloudy early afternoon sky. Complimenting an angel of divine justice. Sora was awestruck at the sun like form and wondered if he should go through with besting the girl and her height. Kairi dived after him in a spin of feathers and gave the answer, that he should unless he wants to be beaten up. Sora rolled from the dive and watched feathers that reflected a big adventure, scatter across.

The boy swallowed, switched his blade to Oathkeeper and kept his eye on a girl that ascended to the heavens and channeled her light. Sora tossed his blade to the far left of the arena and flowed to escape a holy blast, following the variant of the Smiteful Storm, were six loose rays of light. The main beam died down and Sora felt it was now or never to call upon his wings and fly after the girl.

The Princess transformed her blade into the Mirage Staff and flew away from the charge, Sora kept a move and watched the girl fire a beam of light and three at her behind. She kept flickering around to make four mirage copies and had them fire at her command. Sora dived to the arena and watched the girl and her copies fire a penta blast. The girl flickered to the ground, left a mirage behind and kept firing.

Sora glided to attempt an intercept and right as he rushed in, Kairi flickered away for a blast to the back. Connecting and quickly having Sora in a flash of red. She flickered where the boy was knocked to and readied to finish him off. Sora conjured a barrier and flew off to the mirage at the high point as a way to escape, he struck the mirage to shatter it and barrel rolled to avoid the blast. Using that as his chance to focus to unleash a sun ray lock.

Kairi flickered out of the way and readied her set up, Sora took the chance and dived after her, striking her out of her momentum and comboing her fast enough to get into double form as soon as possible. Kairi spun, turned her staff back to a blade and shifted it into the Hobbyist Joy. She blitz and swung her giant hammer, Sora flickered to get behind the girl and listen to a missile flying off. He went in for a double slash and the girl stepped forward to spin a blunt smash. Sending Sora flying for another missile. The boy warped to the ground and went for the girl again.

Kairi flapped away and repeated the cycle of her explosive offense, over and over until she had the hammer break apart into armor for her wings. She turned the handle into a burning sword and rushed in a roar, Sora flickered to get out of the way, crossed his blades and slashed through. Causing a ding that marked the end of the fight. He felt his form power down and he went on his knees, he sat on his rear, turn off his helmet and looked to find the cognition flickering out a spark to power down and turn off her helmet.

Sitting on her rear and looking Sora with a sweat and an closed right eye. "Phew! I still got a ways to go." She inhaled and gave Sora a thumbs up, bringing about a charm that made him blush red. He gave her a thumbs up back as everything went to light. He found himself sitting in front of the completed Keyhole, realizing he prevailed against his closest friends.

He stood up in his armor and stepped back to have a look at the completed gates, baring his own. He looked up to find the audience speechless at the match, shocked at how things escalated. Kairi however, squinted her eyes in a charm, blushed red and did her best to hide a wrapped present. Sora lost his breath and turned to the final gate. "H...how much time do we have left before we can go the beach?"

The teenagers didn't notice Kairi's stare and Ken checked his phone. He wowed. "Over thirty minutes before the sun starts setting. As rough as those are, you're making good time!"

Aqua wowed and had a double check with her fellow grown ups. "Over thirty? Then you got time to take a breath and get some practice in for the final fight." She clapped, had the gate ways shine into a day lit sky and warp the final Keyhole to computer with the giant heart statue.

Sora breathed in and out to calm down from his previous fight and realize what Aqua said. "Wait, practice?!" The Keyblade Master nodded and showed her teeth as a warning. "I told you that this fight is the hardest thing in here. You'll know why." Riku agreed to that and cheered for Sora. "No matter how this plays out, there's only one person here that can beat you one on one. So even if you lose, you'll beat everyone that can knock you back to our level." Dupmic laughed to the joke. "Or... he can call it quits now and get back to the beach sooner!"

Xion raised her brows. "Sora, quitting?" The Twilight Town trio shook their heads at that concept. Hayner sighed. "Yeah, that isn't going to happen." He cheered. "You can beat this Sora, do it so we can finally hit the beach!" Riku agreed to that. "So we can finally go home!"

The teenagers rallied. "Go Sora!" Ven and Terra join in the routing as Donald and Goofy cheered. "Go get him!" Mickey and Aqua looked on calmly with a proud smile, the Lady of the Land thought in silence. "This is it, you're greatest fight yet."

Kairi hollered wildly. "You can do this! You can do this!" That was the last piece of motive for Sora to give the challenge a go, he marched on to the gate, to see what awaits in the end.

Would you like to initiate the Battle: Sora, the Keeper of the Kingdom's Key?

-Yes

No

Sora felt the cheering of his friends, reigniting the challengers spirit in his heart. The rally was drowned out to the simulation of the afternoon shining arena. Regardless of how this match plays out, he's going to do this best. "Hey, so you've got the will to make it to the end, huh?"

Sora heard his own voice, and turned to find an exact copy, standing tall and proud. The Data Copy had his blade, resting over his shoulders, cracked a wide smile as a way to congratulate him on reaching to the last corner of the challenge. Sora had question marks in his head, for someone who's suppose to be the most intense match, the Data Copy seems quite friendly. It dawned on him, that this might be an amalgamation of what his friends think of him as a person. Sora pointed to his Data Copy in pride. "Anything is possible, when you keep going and don't give up what your heart wants."

He smiled to the Copy that readied in a battle pose. "The people that you've connected your heart with and the dreams they have." The Copy swallowed, having a little regret to what he has to do, Sora went into his battle pose and nodded. "They might not always come true, but it's worth being there for them. Say when."

The Data Copy nodded with a determined stare. "When!" He flowed after Sora and swung fast, the boy rolled back and countered in a parry. The Data Copy rolled back and flung his blade like a boomerang, Sora dodged and watched the Copy call the blade back before rushing to his personal again. Sora kept guard against his Copy's blows and watched him flex. "Ha!"

Sora jumped back to avoid a pulse of light and found the chance he needed to rush in and unleash a quick combo. One, two, three, four! Sora gave off a battle cry and sent his Copy rolling. The Copy aimed his blade. "Fire!" PEW! PEW! PEW!

Sora glided to avoid the rapid firing orbs, the Copy halted on the second cast and flowed to get a flip on the challenger. Sora back flipped from the slam and rushed in, the Copy glowed his blade and parried a block, turning the Kingdom Key into the Hunny Spout and dashing away. The Copy transformed the Spout into a set of Blasters, Sora had a sweat at a skill he's used quite fondly.

The Copy aimed his Blasters and begun firing a stream of hunny wands to the far sides. Sora jumped into the air and made a barrier as the Copy shot directly at him. Sora leaped over the barrage, and switched to the Happy Gear. The Copy looked up and leaped higher, turning upside down and unleashing a hunny drizzle. Sora tossed his blade far and flowed out of the bombardment, if just one drop of hunny gums him up, he won't be able to dodge the rest. At the end of the rain, the Copy flipped his landing and kept an aim to the boy.

That moment of landing was exactly what Sora needed, to flow straight in and let loose a five hit combo. The Copy was sent into a roll and Sora transformed the blade into a set of Agile Claws. The Copy quickly recovered, glided right and fired bolts of chilled hunny. Sora glided to where the Copy was going and rushed in to get a fast clawing.

The Copy took the blows, formed a barrier to block the finisher and flew off to the center of the Arena before turning his blasters into a launcher. He aimed and fired fast, Sora rolled far away from the blast, saw his copy repeat the aim and used the wind to jet himself into a spiral. He spun with his claws and the Copy swung the launcher like it's a club. Throwing Sora off and following with a blast. The boy dashed left for a narrow escape and went in again, parrying the parry and flipping over to claw the Copy in the back and letting loose. The Copy rolled out of the center as the boy turned his claws into yo-yos. The Copy fired a giant bee, Sora dodged fast, watched the bee burst into many globs and saw the clone firing the bee once again. Sora glided left, watch the Copy revert his launcher back to a blade and turn it into the Happy Gear.

Sora had the vision of many portals, bringing about a blunt pain, the Copy flowed after him for a swift attack. Sora cartwheeled and flung his yo-yos to keep the damage going, on the third fling, the Copy rolled and glided for a firm slash. Sora back flipped and had the yo-yo's extend for a parting shot as he kept to the air, he focused and conjured light rifts. The Copy back flipped, right as the warp trick opened. Making a complete dodge and turning his blade into Agile Claws, he charged as Sora landed and locked him in a fast combo.

Sora gained some sense, conjured a barrier as the Copy made one more blow. He saw the Copy enlarge the claws as a way to use them as drills and rushed to the left to escape. He sliced the Copy in the back as a way of punishing. The Copy turned, clawed the ground with his right hand and tried to punch Sora from the side. Sora rolled over the clawing and flung the yo-yo's as a way to make them enlarge and rip into the Copy. He called the yo-yo's back and had them revert to a blade, he backed away as the Copy recovered, focused and unleashed his own warp trick.

Sora used his momentum to flip over the cluster and saw two more open up, he kept stepping over the rolling blades until they reached a point to stop coming. The Copy pulled his yo-yo set out and flew at Sora while spinning the toys playfully. He flung them together as close range blenders and Sora side stepped, switching the Happy Gear to the Control Stick.

The Copy stepped back and tossed projectiles of lightning, giving Sora little time to heal himself. He avoided the thundaza and shot ice orbs, the Copy rolled from the projectile and flowed after Sora as he shot another. Rolling with the yo-yos and having them enlarge for a downward shred. Sora rolled right and went at the Copy, building up a momentum and tossing his blade to the corner of the arena once the Copy gained footing. The Copy swiped the yo-yo's wide in an attempt to catch Sora and had them enlarge to the head of a monster.

Sora escaped and the Copy called the yo-yo's back reverting them to a blade and switching to the Favorite Deputy. Sora breathed and cast a heal on himself, the Copy flew at him to begin the assault all over again. The challenger was aware that the next form change is going to be a tricky one and kept to the defense. The Copy was at the end of an assault and flexed in light, Sora rolled back and watched him turn the blade into the Hyper Hammer.

The boy transformed the Control Stick into the Power Gloves, showed a hint of blue in his clothes and fired projectiles, fitting for an arcade. The Copy smashed through the variety and launched the pixels back as explosive round. Sora puffed his cheeks and jumped over the explosives, the Copy used that as a chance to leap after the boy, with the Hammer ready for an upward swing.

Sora rolled mid air, tossed digital missiles and flipped over a horizontal swing. He dashed away from the Copy and let loose a giant bomb. The Copy floated side ways and struck the bomb like a bat. Sora twirled in grace as a way to dodge and watched the Copy make for the earth. The boy elevated as a twister and fired two fast ducks, each making contact.

The Copy turned his Hammer into a drill fist, he dashed to disappear in light and warp across the boy that dived down to the arena. Avoiding the drill dive and turning the Gloves into a mallet, he turned to a forming rift and fired a cluster of hammers. Pounding the Copy out of his Drill Punch and to the Security Protocol. Sora felt a little relief and switched the Control Stick for the Hero's Origin.

The Copy raised his blade and rain down thunder spells, keeping Sora on the move and using the move to turn his blade into Chakrams. As Sora was distracted by the thundaza, he heard a wrr and rolled over a fast disk. He saw the other coming at him and knocked it back before turning a rebound. The Copy caught the disks and Sora flowed to strike him twice. The Copy caught the third swing with his right disk and spun to slice Sora with the other.

Sora spun in the opposite direction and smacked the Copy in the head. He followed with a fast four strike combo, knocked the Copy away and turned his blade into the Shield. Sora thought of a plan as his Copy repeated the disk toss, he used the Shield as a way to absorb the damage. He pushed the disks back and kept a move as the Copy tried to flank from the back, each blow charging the shield. A particular toss gave Sora spark of a que, the Copy realize his plan wasn't working and turned the disks into a staff, it charged up digital energy and Sora used the coming blast as a way to to rush right and charge. He bashed the Copy and unleashed a fist that sent him flying. The Copy flickered the staff and the Security Protocol, back into the Kingdom Key and turn into the Second Form.

The Copy blitzed into a fast combo and Sora kept to his guard, he caught the Copy spinning the blade and rolled left to avoid a guard break. He reverted his shield back to a blade and switched to the Kingdom Key. The Copy let loose a sonic dash that Sora had to avoid and went to the back. The two were in a constant clash. The Copy slammed the blade down and let loose orbs of light that knocked Sora by surprise.

The Copy swung up to the air as a way to follow through and Sora spun out of the way in recovery. The boy went in to counter attack, smack the Copy back and landed. The Copy sonic dashed once more, following with a swing as soon as Sora got out of the way. The two repeated their clash and Sora glided back right as he felt a finisher was coming. The Copy lunged in an ars arcanum, for every move Sora made, the Copy followed with an attack.

The Copy flipped and Sora let loose light as a way to knock the Copy out of his attack. He dashed through the Copy and zipped around to keep the damage going. He finished the dash with a simple strike and the Copy flickered out of his Second Form before jumping back and bringing about Oathkeeper. "Ha! You think you can keep going?" Sora nodded with a fierce smile as his second form wore off. "You just got started!"

The Copy smiled back at the accuracy and activated his shoulder pad. Sora used that as the chance to armor up as well. He switched the Kingdom Key to Two Become One, his other half spoke an observation. "Do you think anyone can keep up with this, normally?" Sora took a deep breath and thought back. "Heck no! We got to get in sync before he does. It's always right after I change to one of those two blades and power up. We got to time it just right." Roxas had nothing more to say and it felt like he shrugged in grace.

The Copy had Oathkeeper spin before him and unleashed shards of light at bullet speeds, Sora deflected the blast, glided to the left and braced for a flow rush. The Copy was in the position to gain momentum for a form change and Sora rolled away from the beginning of a firm slash. He rushed at the Copy to get three blows and rolled over the swing of the Copy's blade. The Copy kept a spin to connect blade to blade and Sora unleashed a barrier of light to shake the Copy off.

The Copy caught his roll and shined in Light Form, he slashed wider and leaped to the air. He flipped his blade and dived after the boy that glided far, watched a shock wave of light rush at him and reflected the light to flow around him. He dashed back to the Copy and struck him the Copy enough times to feel more confident about something. The Copy parried, pushed Sora away struck in a blade clash. He performed an over headed smash that Sora backed away from and conjured five, upward rays of light. Sora rolled and watched the Copy spin to let loose the light, he hovered mid air, flipped Oathkeeper and flexed to conjure Oblivion. Going into the dreaded Double Form. With that, Sora held both hands to his Blade and pulled to enter the identical state.

Both combatants, duel wielding two simple, if imposing blades, looked each other eye to eye. They flickered after one another and went into a stellar clash of twilight and skills, it escalated to where the audience beyond the veil begun to have some difficulty in figuring out which Sora was real and which one was the simulacrum.

The most easier way to guess is seeing which one was unleashing bigger finishers more often and which one was making more attempts to avoid them. As the Copy unleashed a wave of light pillars and dark chains, Sora found the chance to warp to the Copy's side and cross his blades for a full frontal x slash. Knocking the Copy out of his guard and flipping as a whirlwind. The Copy, flickered for a higher ground, dived with both blades spinning and had Sora go on a run from an equilibrium burst.

The Copy kept to the air, crossed his blades and aimed them to the sky, shining an aura of Light and Darkness. Sora watched the sigil of the sky and earth engulf the arena and realize he needs to do something fast, because there was no way he be able to dodge what is to come. The Copy flexed and jerked his head to the heavens as Sora looked to his blades, he aimed Oathkeeper to the front and spun Oblivion to the back, making a twilight barrier right as a pillar bursted from above. Sora felt a force pushing against him and felt his heart racing as everything whited out.

Nothing more happened besides his hands and fingers acting on instinct and he watched the white dim. He dismissed the barrier and watched the Copy made a landing from the finisher. That was the chance he needed, he flew at the Copy as he was recovering from an out burst and upper cut him with Oathkeeper. The Copy flew to the air and Sora leaped as a twilight whirlwind. Committing to a long series of blows that ended with Sora unleashing a twilight blast and rushing at the copy with an x cross slash.

The armor shattered and the Copy spun to something in a sun setting back drop. A familiar, heart shaped moon. The Copy let his blades go and halted the spin, he sprouted a set of wings and his clothes glowed to a familiar white and black attire. Oathkeeper and Oblivion hovered by the Copy's side and floated to the back to cross themselves, giving Sora a moment to process what he's looking at. A Final Form for the Final Phase. The Copy aimed his hand and called back the Kingdom Key, all the while smiling to the challenger out of pride for the foe making it that far and in a determination to win.

Sora nodded to the Copy in silence as his double form wears off and he switched back to the Kingdom Key. He thought to his other. "Looks like a lot of our tricks aren't going to work." The Copy flew at Sora and unleashed the floating blades like he was double slashing, Sora rolled right as the Copy followed with a fast attack from the Kingdom Key. Sora parried and rolled away while the two blades joined in a double attack. Roxas took the moment to agree. "Just attack when you can! One mistake is all this is going to take for it to be over."

Sora tossed his blade and glided to a flank, finding the wings doing well to shield the sides and the two blades keeping guard of the rear. The Copy glided after Sora, had the two blades merge together hilt to hilt and flung them as a twilight shield. Sora rolled as they spun to his direction and broke apart to give the Copy a striking opportunity. Sora rolled back and flipped from a horizontal swing. He struck the Copy once and flipped over the returning, rotating blades. The Copy raised his hands together and brought the blades for a triple cross, super celled storm.

Sora used air magic to fling himself back and watched the Copy aim the three blades at him to shoot a triple ice blast. Sora rolled as the Copy followed with a triple blade toss, the boy dodged that and saw Oathkeeper and Oblivion break from formation and swiped wide. Oathkeeper was the first to come at a flank, Sora deflected it away and turned to swipe Oblivion away. The Kingdom Key returned to the wielder that rushed him in a sonic dash. Sora flipped over the end dash slash and gave the Copy two back attacks before flipping over the returning blade duo. The Copy flipped over him and had Oathkeeper and Oblivion stab downwards, Sora tossed his blade and glided out of a shock wave pounder.

He followed that with a boomerang toss and knocked the Copy upside down. The Copy aimed his primary blade and had the other two join in a rapid fire light barrage. Sora kept moving as the barrage fired in a set pattern of three and the Copy had Oathkeeper and Oblivion scatter to the edges of the arena. He let loose a swirl of light and enveloped himself into a comet. Sora rolled to the inner left and kept away from an approaching Oblivion as the Copy flowed to Oathkeeper and used it as a way to flow to Oblivion, spraying light spears through that rush and flowing back to Oathkeeper for another.

Sora jumped to the air and flowed to Oblivion as a means to escape the maelstrom, flipping over the Copy that made his return and rushing to the back. Shoving the Copy off balance and striking the back of the head, the Copy turned and had Oathkeeper rush a slice. Sora back flipped over that as the Copy rushed in with the Kingdom Key, the challenger blocked it and rolled side ways to avoid a returning Oathkeeper that had it's attention to the back.

The Copy crossed his hands, turned into a fiery twister with his blades and flew after Sora as he was getting a breath. The boy used his air magic to get into a glide and flew as far away as possible, the Copy had molten rocks fly out of the twister and regardless if Sora was dodging or not, was building a momentum.

It escalated until the Copy flipped to break spin upside down and burst into a fire storm that expanded the whole area. Oathkeeper and Oblivion spun out in a white hot aura and Sora glided in between the fire balls. He focused quick, aimed his blade and caused an orb of light to form at the tip, it burst into a barrage of heart shaped projectiles.

The Copy flipped on his feet as the projectiles fired and faced a full blast. Sora jumped to avoid a returning cross of the side blades and the Copy back flipped, flowed after Sora and swung his main key. Sora blocked the blow and back flipped to dodge the cross section, he got on his feet as the Copy set a focus. Oathkeeper and Oblivion spun over the copy and caused the Copy to be engulfed by the light of a galaxy, unleashing a barrage of stars for Sora to maneuver around, the Copy followed that with a ragnarok blast immediately after. The bombardment went on for half a minute, Sora kept getting closer and closer until he rolled past a particular ring of light and flowed after the Copy.

He shined into a Second form, clashed a few blows and broke the Copy's guard. With him flying, Oathkeeper and Oblivion halted their task, the light bound blade kept to the Copy's defense as the darker one slashed wide. Sora rolled and sonic dashed over the Copy, he spun for a back attack and went loose. As he dealt the third blow, he felt something glimmer and back flipped as a way to escape, Oathkeeper and Oblivion had a particular shine and flew off to a source of light, guiding the Copy towards it as a divine aid. The simulacrum of Kingdom Hearts itself was radiating brightly.

Sora panted and kept an approach to the center as the Copy stood in front of the Heart and aimed his blade to the horizon. A single, distant star shined in the sun setting sky, followed by two, then four, then eight. Sora's mouth dropped and he looked around to see the stars multiplying, the light of the worlds, joining in a unity. The light shined to both the Copy and Sora as Oathkeeper and Oblivion sparked as a set of stars. One of light and one of night. They flew from their companion and spun around Sora, the light caused everything to go white and the feeling that the fight was not finished brought a cold to the boys heart.

Images and memories, flashed before the boys eyes. From the moment he, Goofy and Donald bested a mighty heartless and embarked on an adventure, to the glimmer of a mighty keyhole sealing, to the moment he and Kairi were escaping Hollow Bastion for the first time, to the first defeat of the Dark Seeker and the sealing of a Door. Then came the images of various worlds that were freed from the onslaught of evil, a victory over a devouring horde that assaulted a place he called a third home. A break through of a discovery with a trio of friends, a show down with Roxas, a reunion with his closest partners and the final defeat of a dark other. The images begun to shine to a memory of a return to home.

It was enough that Sora was able to break out of his trance and find Kingdom Hearts and the stars radiating gratitude. The Copy had a wider smile and offered a hand, Sora approached gladly as more memories came, triumph over the Word Bearers and the Black Legion, the return of Aqua and the rediscovery of Form Changes. Of watching Kairi dragging out a discovery from the Bastion's castle, the truth of Castle Oblivion, the reunion of two Wayfinders, the meeting of a Knight from a darker world.

Then Sora had a memory of the first serious date that he and Kairi had. It shifted over to a memory of him and Kairi overcoming a blood crazed maniac in the depths of a nightmare, then to him, Riku, Ken and the Kings Guard discovering something horrific but vital. A memory of him, Kairi and Riku prevailing against a living Paradox was a peak of that set.

He was at the Copy's personal and reached for the hand as more memories came. From him, Kairi and a recovering, bloodied, Riku looking upon a Crystal of Truth, to the first time he and his friends look upon a high tech, neon lit city. Then to him and Aqua rescuing those closest to them and witnessing the awakening of miracles. Escalating to Ken crying on Sora's shoulder over a dark truth, a show down against a Vanitas that revealed his face and to a second Door sealing itself away.

Those images caused Sora to shake, his brain throbbed a bit to the memory of Kairi rescuing him and his friends from an inferno. Then to him and Kairi having that first kiss and a trip across the seas. It followed with the memory of Sora and a very unlikely ally, fighting along side one another in a race up a mountain. The set ended with him, Kairi, Aqua, Roxas and Namine, confronting an Angel of Night with in the depths of the subconscious. Sora found his hand, about to connect with the Copy and grabbed it.

Finding a memory of a trio of friends reuniting, his adventure with a lost Knight, a show down against the pinnacle of tyrants and the rebirth of a Flame. Finally, the memories brought about him, Donald and Goofy facing off against the Dark Seeker for the final time. The memory shifted to him, Kairi and Riku, facing off against an armored Dark Seeker for the right over their destiny. Sora felt the memories reaching an end point, to where they weren't so terrifying. Him and his bringers of Destiny, defying Chaos itself and expelling them from the worlds, then to him and his fellow Guardians standing before Kingdom Hearts itself, to tuck it away into the unknown.

He found himself standing before the image of the kind of person he's become and the Kingdom itself. Both, smiling to the boy in pride, Sora smiled back as a final image came around. One of him and his closest friends, back home and watching the sun setting on an endless sea.

The Copy let go and gave a nod of defeat. "The hearts, have guided me to this." Sora dismissed his blade in agreement. "They guided us all through the unknown. No matter where we go, there is always a light to show us the way."

The Copy dismissed his blades and powered down. "If anyone ever finds themselves lost," he smiled proudly. "they'll find someone like me there." The two let go, the Copy gave a two fingered salute. "We'll see each other again someday."

Sora nearly laughed with the data copy and saluted back. "Yeah, take care and don't get lost." The Copy laughed to that and everything gone white.

Sora found himself back in the Arena and found the Gateway shining clear blue. The ceiling of the arena shined out a great heart and glimmered platinum light across as a way to mark the challenge as completed. He looked around to find one side of the audience, the one with the teenagers, completely speechless in amazement. Suddenly, he felt a woman's arm wrap around his shoulder and looked to find Aqua giving him a playful noogie. "Hah! You did it! You finished the challenge in one afternoon!"

She let go and Sora turned around with a blush, as he tried to find what to say, Donald and Goofy came out of nowhere to tackle him in congratulations. The crowd of mostly grown ups stepped down and the teenagers decided it was time to gather in, Riku jumped over the edge and clapped. "You out did yourself, literally!"

Sora puffed his cheeks as he and his companions got up, Kairi was the next of the teenagers to arrive, having a particular gift in hand. By her was Ken, who was tongue tied and overheating. Aqua sighed to the silliness and confessed. "There's no limit in what we can do, remember that when the future become daunting. For we, keyblade or not, have the power to move the earth and do the impossible for the worlds."

Kairi gotten close enough and presented Sora with the wrapped gift. "Speaking of which, you earned this. It's not much," She blushed. "but as soon as Aqua told me and Ken about this, I thought we get to some smithing." Sora took the gift and looked at it dumbfoundingly as Ken confessed. "She did all the work in designing, measurements and putting it together. I just did the smelting, hammering and giving an extra hand for the specifics."

The Champion raised an eyebrow and unwrapped it as Ken advised. "Don't let it go over your head." The wrappings revealed a small, keyblade tip of a golden crown, with small, crown like decor around the base. The tiny crowns resemble his necklace and the interior was that of red. His eyes glistened to the head piece and he put it on, he looked to Kairi in a blush, words can't describe how much he adores the gift. "It's amazing!"

He wrapped his arms around Kairi and gave her a kiss on the cheek in gratitude. Kairi kissed him back and shared the tender affection. They broke from the embrace and Sora put his hands on his hips in triumph as he asked the others. "How do I look?" Riku folded his arms and squinted his eyes. "Like you let it go over your head and put it on."

He held laughing as the others started to laugh to that, Sora puffed his cheeks, knew Ken was agreeing to that and burst laughing. With that, Aqua had the challenge turned off and let the Destiny Trio take the lead. "Alright, let's do some clean up before we get out of here." Sora nodded and pointed to the yonder. "Let's get to that Beach!"