AN: Hey guys! Man, I'm having a lot of fun today. Today's my block party. I can't do a lot of the games since it's more for little kids, but I can still do some of the things like the jumping jack or water balloon toss. Yah, so it's cool. Anyways, enjoy this next chappie. Now it's just starting to dig a little deeper into the plot!!
Mr. Moogle: Holly does not own Kingdom Hearts. But she does own her Kingdom Hearts game, along with a taco, 3 dollars, oh yes, and me.
Chapter Nine: Defenders and Exchanges
"This world seems fine to me." Donald said, walking along the beach.
"There aren't any Heartless, none of our friends are here...I say we leave." Sora announced. "I mean, except for that Stitch thing everything looks normal."
"You're right. But still," Vern said, "if we don't lock the world, couldn't Heartless come here eventually?"
Riku looked around as everyone played and had fun. "They could come. Sora, look how many people are here, just trying to have a good time. This place would be a madhouse if the Heartless invaded."
"Okay then. We'll leave, but we need to find the Keyhole. That way, even if the Heartless do find this world, they couldn't come in." Sora finalized. "Let's split up. Meet back at the ship at sunset. Riku, you take Donald, Mesna, and Vern. I'll go alone."
"You can't go alone!" Vern protested. "What if you need help?"
"I'll be fine. Besides, I've got my Keyblade."
Hear that Mesna? Keyblade, Keyblade. Get out. But why? I thought we were having fun?We're not! People might get suspicious if you're too hush hush about the whole operation. What're you talking about? What operation? Oh, I'll tell you in due time. In due time, my son. Then you will have the power. You'll have no need for the- Keyblade.
"Yah, but your Keyblade can't keep you company." Vern stared back at Sora. "Well, I've made up my mind, I'm going with you."
"Fine." Sora finally agreed. Before they split up, Sora took Riku aside. "Will you talk to Mesna for me? He has been kinda quiet lately and I'm worried about him."
"Man, do I have to?" Riku whined like a little boy.
"Will you, please? I think he's still upset about Jahu, you know, that girl he liked. Anyways, just do anything, make him smile, something!" Sora pleaded.
"Will do!"
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So...tired...walking...walking....for so long, the Defender thought. He trudged on through the gloominess. Even through the darkness, he was still entranced by that mesmerizing light he had seen. That door, that door...
Heartless, tons of them, heading towards a mysterious portal. The Defender glanced up at them. Blend in, don't talk, he said to himself silently. He had decided not to enter the portal, decided to stay in the dark underworld. I don't want to get caught up in this mess, he thought. Suddenly, the portal opened wide, and the world that it led to came to view. Palm trees, surfing....
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"What if there is no Keyhole?" Vern said. "We could be looking forever!"
"No, there has to be one." Sora said, leading Vern into the forest where the gummi ship was hidden. "If it's a world, it has a Keyhole."
"Well, how will you know if you found it?"
"I can feel it." Sora then thought about Kairi. Oh how he longed to see her and to hold her in his arms. Maybe I can reach her telepathically, Sora thought. Kairi, are you there? Nothing. Sora started to wonder if she was with him anymore. Is she still in my heart? We may love each other forever, but are the Keyblade master and seventh princess still connected at heart? Wait, I feel something. Kairi, can it be you? No, it's another feeling.
"The Keyhole!" Sora shouted.
"Where is it exactly?" Vern said excitedly.
"I'm not so sure, but it's near!" Sora exclaimed.
"Hurry and lock the world so that the Heartless can't come!" Just then, a portal flashed behind them, and there was a loud, loud rumble. "They're coming!" yelled Vern.
A defender came up from behind them. "They're already here."
"Wakka?!" Sora exclaimed. "It's...it's you! Where have you been? Are you okay?"
The defender took a step forward. Other Heartless began to come from the portal, and they stood waiting behind it. "Wakka? Who is that which you speak of? You act as if you have a bond with a Heartless."
Sora knew that something wasn't right. "Wakka?" he weakly said.
"The door to the light has been closed but we will make sure that the second one will not be." The Heartless shifted anxiously behind the defender.
"Something's happened to you Wakka." Vern added in. "Did Iqui's protection from fully becoming a Heartless wear off?" she asked to Sora.
"M-maybe. Please Wakka, try to remember yourself." A thought came up in Sora's mind. "Wait a minute, you can still speak! That means that you still have not completely become a Heartless! We can still save you!"
"Will you never learn? Things change. For you see, I cannot possibly be Wakka." the defender had an eerie glint in his eye.
"Well why not?" Vern insisted.
Another defender came up from behind the first. "Because how would you know if I was Wakka?" it smirked.
Sora and Vern gasped. Sora shook his head. "That's right, your voice isn't Wakka's. But...if you can talk and are not fully a Heartless than why are you still evil?"
The second defender spoke once again. "Because now, even complete Heartless can speak!"
Sora eyed the bunch of Heartless. There were tons, and so many different kinds. He looked back at Vern. "Two against fifty."
Vern nodded at Sora. "This'll be an interesting match!"
"Correction, five against fifty." Donald, Riku, and Mesna had searched for the Keyhole. When they couldn't find it, they went to where Sora and Vern were looking. Sora and Riku pulled out their Keyblades. Donald whipped out his magic staff. Vern began to raise her hands to summon an element. And Mesna, well, he stood there in fear.
"This'll be a piece of cake. Riku and I alone fought thousands of NeoHeartless before and have lived to tell the tale!" Sora shouted to the Heartless, who had already started to prepare for battle.
The first defender took a small step forward. "Maybe...but did they have her?" A group of soldiers stepped aside as they revealed a girl in chains, held up by an Invisible.
"Kairi!" Sora exclaimed. He felt his heart quiver, a sense of joy and fearfulness overtook him. "Let her go!" he yelled with extreme force.
The second defender let out a beckoning laugh. "Maybe if we have a little exchange."
Sora had a sick sense of dÉjÀ vu. Just like when Jafar had Iqui, I went with him in her place. "I would never think for a second anything else but Kairi's wellbeing. I am willing to go with you in exchange for Kairi."
Kairi was conscious, and she looked up at Sora with longing eyes. Sora met her gaze, and he knew right then and there that Kairi was still in his heart. A tear rolled down Sora's cheek as he mouthed the words 'I love you'.
The first defender laughed even harder than the first. "Hah! You really are clueless with what is going on, even under your own nose. You see, we do not want you, we want him!" the defender said, pointing to the young man in front of him.
"Me?!" Mesna exclaimed. I told you, Mesna. Soon, soon...
"Why do you want Mesna? He's not evil like Ansem so he won't create any Heartless!" Riku stifled.
"This is not your concern, young boy." the first defender said.
Riku's eyes grew wide. "Excuse me? Young?" Riku whipped out his Keyblade and charged at the aggravating defender. "I'll show you young!!" Riku was not about to make some sort of deal with the defender, and he would not let anyone call him young either.
"Stop!" Sora yelled. Sora didn't want to risk Mesna's life, but he didn't want Kairi to stay with those defenders. There was tons of Heartless, and he didn't know what could happen. The Heartless could kill Kairi at the first sign of them attacking. "Riku, wait!" Before Riku could reach the defender he stopped at Sora's command, though his Keyblade was still ready to attack.
"What's the deal Sora?! If we can beat all those NeoShadows we can beat this bunch of Heartless. Plus there's more people to help."
"I agree, but remember, they've got Kairi. Let's just think about this before we go ahead and decide what to do." Sora explained to Riku. "Of course, can we converse?"
The defender looked a little doubtful. "Well, I guess so. We'll give you five minutes. Then you must tell us your decision. Mesna or Kairi."
Everyone quickly got into a huddle, for they knew the Heartless would count each millisecond.
"What are we going to do?" Vern asked.
If you go with them you'll know the plan...
"We won't do a trade, but we will get Kairi. Somehow there has to be a diversion while someone gets Kairi." Sora suggested.
This is what you want deep down inside, so go for it...
"Okay, but who's gonna go save Kairi when they aren't looking?" Donald asked.
"I'll go." Mesna said monotonously.
"Great! Now, what will our distraction be?" Sora talked quickly, counting three more minutes left on his watch.
"No," Mesna said. "I mean I'll go in exchange for Kairi."
"What?!" Riku shouted. He quieted down as he saw the Heartless staring at their huddled group. "What if they kill you?"
They won't. Just trust me..."They won't. Just trust me." Mesna said. Before anyone could get a word in edgewise, Mesna walked over to the defender. "We have decided on an exchange. Me, for Kairi." As simple as that, the Heartless took Mesna and left in the same portal they entered, leaving Kairi on the ground, no longer bound by chains.