Author's Note 1: There will be some spoilers to Kingdom Hearts II in this chapter. You were warned.
Part 6.1: Early Experiment
Throughout the ride on the gummi ship, Sora was being taught by Donald and Goofy how to pilot the vessel in the cockpit. The Keyblade wielder was a little wet behind the ears at first, but after a few minutes of minor collisions with small random objects, he finally got the hang of piloting. Meanwhile below, Roger and Jack worked on a project of some sort. Nel struck a chat with Mirage, Ravage and Lude. Fayt was catching up with Sophia and Maria about their current Barriss was in the middle of her session in lightsaber training, with the company of Cyrus. The two emptied their thoughts and began using their lightsabers. Their movements were smooth and elegant. The sounds of their red and blue blades humming as they glided with through elegant motion. "In order to be skilled warrior, you must be one with the Force," Barriss told Cyrus. "Allow it to flow through your body. Become one with your weapon for it is an extension of yourself. Let the Force power your spirit. Then channel your spirit through your weapon. The weapon, the spirit, and the Force are all entwined."
"The true skill comes not from the weapon, but from the soul and the heart of the warrior," Cyrus said.
"Rely on all of your senses, not just sight. Only then can you truly find the power to defeat your foe."
"Hey, you two," Roger replied. "What are you guys doing?"
"We're practicing in lightsaber combat," Barriss said.
"Somethin' up, Roge?" Cyrus asked.
"No, everything's fine. Jack and I just made something I'm sure you'll like."
"Alright then." Cyrus and Barriss deactivated their lightsabers and walked over to where Jack and the Menodix worked. On the stand was a large object covered by a sheet. "This is something that we've been working on ever since we came back."
"This will help us keep it real," Jack replied. "The words of Big Snoop shall travel with every revolution. With this, our preachings will spread. I introduce what all will use for style, what all players and O.G.'s would want for whatever purpose in life…" Jack pulled off the sheet and revealed the object. It was a large tire with two separate rims. He turned the first rim which began to spin. "The spinners! For the maximum G's."
"Man!" Cyrus said. "Those are some sweet twenty-twos, Jack! But wait, aren't those already invented?"
"Not everywhere."
"If we're going to spread the word, then we need to make a product that will help us do just that," Roger said.
"This is beginning to sound like one of those pyramid schemes," Barriss replied. "Honestly, who would spend their money to buy these 'spinners' as you call them. They're nothing more than wheels with fans in them. Cyrus, what do you have to say about this? Cyrus?"
The Mirialan turned her attention to the shizznit who was mesmerized by the tire. Even Jack who supposedly helped 'created' it was staring at it. "But it's the shizznit, Barriss," Cyrus replied in a mystified manner. "It just keep spinnin', and spinnin', and spinnin'…"
"Oh Sithspit…"
"'ey, Roger," Jack said. "Um… Tell them our deal that we're… whatever…"
"Oh yeah!" Roger said. "If you buy one pair of these large spinners, you get two smaller pairs for free!"
"Just like a pyramid scheme," Barriss said.
"What's going on here?" Fayt asked as he and Lude walked over to the area.
Lude only stared at the two with subtle eyes. He sighed, and walked between the stunned duo and the spiffed-up tire. "It's always the spinning rims," he said to himself while shaking his head. Without much effort, he place a finger on one of the rim's fins to stop it from turning.
"Oh, come on," Cyrus replied. "They spinnin' man, and they spinnin'!"
"I was instantly gratified," Jack whined. "Why'd you have to do that?"
"What is it with you two and turning-based objects?" Lude asked.
"What are you talking about?" Cyrus asked.
"You're paralyzed when you see propellers."
"I am not."
"I was talking about Jack."
"Hey, that's not true! It's only breakdance moves and certain Capoiera attacks."
"Tell that to the windmills in the hills near Tracey Boulevard."
"They're big! I only stare at them because you don't know when they'll fall off."
"Spinning rims?" Fayt asked. "I don't understand it. They're just tires with fans in them."
"To tell you the truth, neither do I."
"Well, I'm goin' to take some shuddeye." Cyrus walked over to the engine generator and sat against it. The hums of the machinery were enough to lull the shizznit to sleep. However, Cyrus would get another visit from the memories of a past long since forgotten. Once again, Cyrus saw himself back in Hallow Bastion. This time, he was in its Grand Hall. It was a large room with six containment units on the walls of the entry way. Two stairways on different sides of the room led to a raised platform with a console and a strange portal filled with a large mass of energy shaped like the Heartless symbol. "I know this place. But why am I here?"
On top of the heightened platform, a man in a lab coat with silver hair walked up to the front. "Do you have the subjects?" he asked.
"Yes, Ansem," a man with long blonde hair said.
He picked up a young girl who was seven years of age and sleeping. She had short red hair with blue bangs and a black skirt. "Stop it!" she yelled "Let me go!"
"Good, Even. And the other, Dilan? Is he here?"
"Right here, as promised," a man with long black hair said.
He showed a dark skinned six year old boy with a black zipper sweater and black jeans. The child also had a short afro. "Get off of me!" he shouted. "Back off, 'else im'a go off on you!"
Cyrus stared at the him in shock. "I can't believe it…" the stunned shizznit said. "That boy… That boy is me…" His eyes were wide and his mouth gaped as he stared at the boy's attempts to struggle free.
"What do you want us to do with these children?" Dilan asked.
"Put them in the containment units," Ansem said. "Let the first test commence."
"As you wish," Even said. The two opened two chambers and shoved the children in the capsules. Ansem began pressing different commands and turning knobs and switches. The two children were being zapped by black colored surges of dark energy. With every shock, the children squinted. The two lab assistants only watched as their 'guinea pigs' suffered through the tormenting event.
Cyrus could feel the pain his younger self had to endure. The symbols on his arms started to flash dark red. After a few minutes of watching the horror, the containment units were opened. The girl and the younger version of Cyrus were laying unconscious. "It seems that their hearts and bodies are still intact," Dilan said.
"How odd?" Ansem said. "Normally the experiments would become those creatures of darkness."
"Could it be because they're from a different world?" Even asked.
"There could be another reason," Ansem said. "Take the children back to the dungeon."
"Yes, sir," both men said to the superior. They picked up the juveniles' bodies and left the room. Ansem pondered what just occurred as he placed a hand on his chin.
"Was this another memory?" Cyrus thought to himself. "Or is it a nightmare?" The young shizznit collapsed on his knees. His arms were the only things keeping him off the ground. "How come I can't remember this until now? And this scene, did it take place before the last image I had?"
Before Cyrus could think of anything else, there was a large flash of light that consumed his surroundings and blinded him. "Cyrus," a kind voice said. "It's time to go." When Cyrus opened them back up, he found himself back on the gummi ship. Maria had her hand on his shoulder, the place where she shook him.
"Are we at Traverse Town?" Cyrus asked.
Maria nodded. "We just arrived. I'm sure this won't take too long."
"Okay then." The shizznit stood up and left the ship with the Quark captain. They rejoined their comrades who pushed open the main gates of the town and entered.
Author's Note 2: Just incase you're interested, I'm working on another story in the Star Wars genre. It will have a whole new story line with a new set of characters (mainly canon, but I'm sure there will be at least two or three OCs). It's a must read if you're into Star Wars and slang in the same setting, then this is for you.
Part 6.2: Lurking Dangers
The team walked into town and looked around for Leon. As the team searched around the First District, Cyrus, Barriss, Nel, Jack, and Fayt went to the Accessories Shop to see if they could find the swordsman. "Hey, long time no see," Cid said.
"What up, C?" Cyrus replied.
"Nothing much. So, can I help you?"
"Sure, we're lookin' for a certain homie by the name of Leon, know what I'm sayin'?" Jack said.
"By any chance have you seen him?" Nel asked.
"Leon, huh?" Cid said as he put began to think. "Sorry, I'm afraid I can't help you there. In fact, I haven't seen him since you guys left."
"Thank you for your time," Fayt said. The blue-haired swordsman turned to his comrades and asked, "What do we do now?"
"Perhaps I can help," a girl at the door said. The team turned around and saw a smiling Yuffie standing by the entrance. "Hey, everyone!"
"Hey, Yuffie," Cyrus said. "Glad to see you."
"You too. So are these the friends you're talking about?"
"Correct," Nel said. "This is Jack, Barriss, and Fayt."
"Nice to meet you," Fayt said. "Anyways, do you know where we can find Leon?"
"Of course!" Yuffie replied. "Leon is training at a place near the alleyway. It's sorta secret and not many people know where it is."
"Could you show us?" Barriss asked.
"Of course."
"Thanks a lot," Cyrus said.
"I'll get everyone together," Nel said. "Meet us at the entrance to the Second District."
"Gotcha," Jack said.
The team waited for by the district gates for Nel's return. During that time, Cyrus began sensing a strange power in his diamond. He held it up and saw a slight glow of dark purple. "I wonder why the stone's acting up?" he thought to himself.
"Hey, we're back," Sora said.
"Well, are you guys ready?" Yuffie asked.
"Of course," said Ravage. "We need some of his advice if we are to continue our mission."
The group nodded and followed the ninja out the door. The team faced large numbers of Heartless. The ones that the group had problems with were the Large Bodies and the flying Air Soldiers. Time after time, the enemies were healed by the small flying foes known as Green Requiem. In the end, the efforts of Yuffie and the rest of the team paid off and they arrived at the end of the Alleyway in front of a barred entrance. "This is it. Leon normally trains here."
"I wonder how we get in?" Roger asked.
"There must be a weak bar," Lude said. "But which one, I don't know."
Barriss shook her head slightly and walked open to the closed entrance. She then pulled out the hilt of her lightsaber and activated its blue blade. With what seemed to be only one swift slash, the bars fell in small sliced pieces to the ground. She turned off her weapon and attached the handle back to her belt. "Are we ready?" she asked in a simple tone.
Fayt walked over to Yuffie and bowed. "Thank you for your help."
"Hey, don't sweat it," the ninja said. "Well, I gotta go. Take care you guys!"
"So long!" Donald replied. The group entered the secret waterway where they found Leon training with his Gunblade. "Leon!"
The swordsman turned around and at the group and leaned against the wall. "You guys are back," he said. "And I see you're on the right track." He then looked at the Keyblade with a somewhat interested look.
"Leon, we wanted to know…" Sora said before Leon interjected.
"So, you found the Keyholes."
"Uh… Yeah," Sora said.
Cyrus was also amazed how Leon knew without them saying anything. "Man, he's good," the shizznit whispered to Mirage. The Klausian nodded in response.
"The Keyblade locked it automatically."
"That's good," a woman's voice said. They turned to the doorway and saw Aerith walking in with drinks on plates. "That's why you're Keyblade is so special."
"Could you tell us about the Keyholes?" Maria asked as Aerith passed around drinks to the group.
"In Ansem's Reports, every world amongst the stars have a Keyhole," Leon said after he turned down a drink from Aerith. "Each Keyhole leads directly to the Heart of the World."
"The Heart of the World?" Fayt asked. "Then that would mean there might be one here too."
Leon nodded. "That's what I'm thinking. The Heartless enter through the Keyhole and steal its heart."
"What happens when they take it?" Nel asked.
"Then the world and everything on it disappears."
"What?" everyone shouted in response.
"So that's why your Keyblade is so important," Ravage said.
"Please lock all the Keyholes," Aerith said. "You're the only one who can."
"I don't know…" Sora said.
"Seeing other worlds is something that would fit you, wouldn't it?" Leon asked.
"That's right!" Donald said.
"And we need to find your friends!" Goofy added. "And King Mickey, too!"
"I guess you're right…" Sora replied with slight hesitation. "Okay, count me in!"
"I already asked Cid to take a look at the ship," Aerith said.
"Really?" Cyrus asked. "Thanks a lot. Oh, hold up for a sec." Cyrus turned to Donald and asked, "Do you still have that gummi?"
"Yeah, it's right here." The mage pulled the block from his pocket and handed it to Cyrus.
"Leon, you know what this one's for? It's kinda different from the others."
The swordsman studied the object, but had no answer. "Maybe you should take it to Cid," Aerith said. "He's an expert in gummi blocks."
"That sounds like a good idea," Jack said.
"Sora, before you leave, take this." Leon gave Sora a small shiny stone. "That stone has a mysterious power. I've been holding it for good luck. And now, I want you to have it."
"Gee, thanks," Sora said. "But how do you use it?"
Once again, Leon pondered. "Maybe we'll find out later on," Sophia said.
"I think you're right."
"Well, back to the shop," Lude said. "And thank you for your assistance."
"We're glad we can be of help," Aerith said. The team left the waterway and headed to the Accessories Shop. As they passed through the Second District, Cyrus looked up at the sky and saw a shooting star. However, the dark shizznit sensed that it wasn't just a regular comet. "What was that?" he asked himself.
"What was what?" Goofy asked.
"Is something wrong, Cyrus?" Barriss asked.
"Oh, my bad. Just thought a Heartless using the swiftness."
Goofy scratched his head as Barriss shrugged her shoulders. The two caught up with the group. Cyrus looked up at the sky with wary eyes. "Something's coming," he thought. "Something familiar… But what?"
He took a second to take in all of his surrounding before rejoining the team at the door to the First District. The group of fourteen arrived back in the Accessory Shop and greeted once again by Cid. "Didn't expect to see you again so soon," he said.
"Well, you are our favorite storekeeper," Ravage quipped. "But unfortunately, we do not have time for such formalities."
"So, what can I help you with?"
"We have ourselves a new gummi that we got from one of the worlds," Cyrus said. "But we don't have a clue on how to use it."
"Let me see." Cyrus gave the block to Cid who began to inspect it. "I can't believe it! You guys are telling me you're riding in a gummi ship and you have no idea on how to use a navigation gummi! What a bunch of pinheads!"
"There's a lot of stuff that we don't know," Sora protested. "What about it! We need to use the gummi ship to go to different worlds!"
"He's right," Fayt agreed. "Without it, we wouldn't be able to stop the Heartless or rescue our friends."
"Alright you two, settle down," Cid replied. "I get, okay? Since I'm such a nice guy, I'll give you a hand."
"Thank you," Fayt said.
"So, what's a navigation gummi anyway?" Donald asked.
"Basically, it's a gummi that allows you to travel to other worlds further than the ones in this system," Cid clarified. "Do you want it?"
"Yes we do," Mirage said.
"Okay, I'll install it for you. Free of charge. But you have to do something for me?"
"And what, pray tell, is your request?" Lude asked with his arms folded and an uninterested look on his face.
"Have you ever heard of the phrase 'give and take'?" Cid asked with a small but wicked grin and a vein popping on the corner of his head.
"Okay, please proceed," the slightly intimidated Lude said.
"Well, I have this really old book that I want you to deliver." Cid handed the book to Sora.
"So what is it?" Sora asked. "A love diary or something?"
"No! When it was first brought to me, the thing was falling apart. After a little work, I got it back together. Unfortunately, it's not restored the way it was, but I did a pretty decent job of it."
"So, where do you want us to go?" Sophia asked as Sora handed her the book.
"I want you to give it back to that guy. He lives in a house just on the other side of the Third District. It's on the other side of a door with a fire sign. You can't miss it."
"Okay, we will. And thanks again."
Suddenly, a loud chime was heard followed by a small tremor. Roger fell to the ground while the rest of the group were rocked by the rattle. "What was that!" Goofy asked.
"That was the bell at the Gizmo Shop in the First District," Cid said. "You guys could check it out, but deliver that book first. When you're done, I'll meet you at that house in the Third District."
"Man, first you want us to go to one guys house and now you're telling us to go to yours?" Jack replied. "What do we look like, UPS?"
"Cracker Jack!" hissed Cyrus. "Um… What he means is we'll be there." The team left the shop and went to the Third District.
Part 6.3: Hidden Elements
As soon as the team stepped foot in the center of the Third District, they were ambushed by a huge number of Heartless. Surrounded on all sides, the team surveyed the area. "It looks like we have quite an opposition," Ravage said.
"This shouldn't be too hard," Maria replied.
"This is going to be fun," Sora said.
"Let's make these chumps regret messing with us," Cyrus said.
"Now that's what I'm talkin' about!" Jack replied.
The team spread out. Cyrus slashed with powerful strokes from his Abysmal Offender at a group of Soldiers. Before one of them could counterattack, Cyrus quickly sunk into his shadow and swam in the ground to where the enemy landed. He then jumped back up and slashed at the Soldier. From above, a small cluster of Air Soldiers were swooping in on him while a few Yellow Operas used their Thunder attacks. The shizznit dodged the lightning that struck the field and leapt into the air. As soon as he made contact with the enemies, he slashed at the foes with the cursed sword, wiping them all out in mid-air. When he landed, he met up with both Nel and Barriss. "Nel, you up for it?"
"I'm ready, Cyrus," Nel said. Cyrus merged with Nel into his Valor Form and teamed up with Barriss. The two went in different directions, slicing and dicing the Heartless. The warriors jumped on the walls and bounced off their surfaces. While in the air, both Cyrus and Barriss were being tailed by enemies from behind. As soon as the two crossed paths, they began slashing away at their pursuers before landing on the ground. The battle was over as the rest of the group finished off their opponents and Cyrus reverted back to two separate beings.
"Now, where were we?" Donald said.
"I found the door over here," Fayt said as he led the group to the entrance. Just like Cid said, the door had a large fire symbol on it along with a few letters. "The problem is it won't open."
"I wonder why?" Roger asked.
"Maybe it needs to be lit with fire to get it opened?" Mirage said.
"Let's see," Sora replied. He pointed his Keyblade at the door and used his Fire attack. The flame hit the symbol directly and opened. "Well, let's go."
The group went through the path and found themselves on the shore of a lake. In front of them were four large rocks moving side to side on the surface. The rocks led to a small island with an old house that looked like it was in disrepair. "At least the guy knows how to pick his crib," Cyrus quipped. "Lakeside property doesn't come cheap."
"A rickety old house in the middle of a big puddle?" Donald sneered. "Some taste. What were his other options?"
"Let's go inside and deliver the book to him," Fayt said. The swordsman went ahead of the group as he carefully hopped from one rock to another.
"Wait for us!" Mirage replied. The team hurried caught up to the blue haired swordsman and arrived on the island. They tried to open the front door, but it was locked. Luckily, they found another way in through the side of the house. The inside of the house was empty and cold. There was a raised pillar in the center with a stairway surrounding it. There were also a ripped drape or two.
"I thought somebody lived here." Nel said. "Where did he go?"
"Maybe he went on a vacation?" Goofy said.
"Even if he did, there would at least be something here," Sophia replied.
"What do you think happened Sora?" Maria asked. She turned to the spike haired Keyblade wielder and found him in a trance.
"Sora?" called Goofy.
Sora snapped out of his daze and turned back to where he stared. "I thought…" before Sora could say another word, smoke appeared through the entrance they came. "What's that?"
As the group cleared out the smoke, a man with a long white beard appeared in the home. He wore a blue robe, long blue slippers and a tall pointy hat. He also had a pair of glasses. "My, it was good to see Arthur again. Now all I need to do is work on my landings." He then noticed the team standing around in his abode with confusion. The man turned to Sora and smile. "Well, well… You arrived sooner than I expected."
"What does he mean by that?" Jack asked.
"You knew we were coming?" Sora asked.
"That I did, my boy," the old man said.
"Does that mean you're a Heartless?"
"He doesn't look like a Heartless…" Donald said.
"Heavens no," said the man. "Please, let me introduce myself. I am Merlin, a sorcerer."
"Merlin?" Ravage said. "I've heard of you. Your skills in spellcasting is well known across the universe. You drove off a horde of wicked monsters and spirits then banished them to another dimension. I thought it was a myth."
"He's known from your dimension?" Lude asked. "What a coincidence. We also heard tales of him too. The legend goes that he was a powerful mage who was a mentor of King Arthur. With his help, the king was able to pull out the sword Escalabar and build a strong European city known as Camelot during the early fourteenth century."
"Well I do my time traveling not only through time, but space as well."
"That's amazing!" Sora replied.
"But that doesn't matter. It's just good to be home again. Anyway, I was sent by King Mickey to aide you in your quest."
"King Mickey?" Goofy asked.
"That's right. Donald and Goofy, I presume. And who might you be?"
"I'm Sora."
"Of course. And I see you have found the key."
"So what did the King ask you to do?" Goofy asked.
"One moment." Merlin set his bag on the ground. "Now if you all could please move away from the center platform…" The party near the raised column stepped off as Merlin walked up the stairs and pulled out his wand. "If anyone here likes magic, then you're going to love this." With a flick of his wand, the travel bag opened. He then began dancing in his place while swishing his wand. One by one, furniture hovered to different areas of the room. Each piece began to expand from a few inches to their large sizes. After a few minutes, the room was filled shelves and books. On the column the wizard stood on was a table with teacups and spoons and a chair where he sat. "Ah, that's better."
"That was wonderful!" Sophia exclaimed. "I need to taught that the next time I go on vacation!"
"Really?" Fayt whispered to Cyrus. "I thought you already did that before we went to Hyda IV."
Cyrus snickered before the two heard Sophia clear her throat. They turned to see the brunette frowning at them. "What are you two talking about?" she asked.
"Oh… Nothing," Fayt said.
Fayt scratched the back of his head while chuckling nervously. "I'm gonna be over here…" Cyrus said as he pointed to a spot on the other side of the room. He left his fellow swordsman to deal with the young woman's scorn.
"What was it that the King asked you to do?" Donald asked.
"Your King asked me to train you in the art of magic," Merlin said. "Especially you, Sora."
"Why is that?" Sora asked as he sat in a chair.
"Because you rely on the Keyblade instinctively. In order for you be victorious on your journey, you must learn to control your power. Use your heart and brains, my boy, and you will succeed. And I also have a friend here with me."
"Really?" Goofy asked.
"Where is he?" Roger asked. "I don't see anything."
Just then, light began to shimmer around a small horse carriage. "What's that?" Nel asked.
"That's her," Merlin said.
In a flash of light, a middle aged woman in a blue hooded cloak appeared on the scene. "A pleasure to meet you," she said. "I'm the Fairy Godmother. Your King has also called for my services. I will do whatever I can to aid you on your adventure."
"I got it." The Keyblade wielder sat got up and was about to leave the table. That was until he remembered about the book Cid gave them. "Oh yeah. Here's the book we got from the Accessory Shop."
Merlin received the book and got up from his large chair. "That book…" Merlin said. "I see that Cid asked you to bring it here. Thank you."
"So what is it, anyway?" Sora asked.
"To tell you the truth, I don't know myself."
"Really?" Cyrus asked. "Sorry for gettin' heavy on you, but how did you get it?"
"That's a very good question. I found it in my bag one day while I was traveling. I tried to read it, but it was too beat up. I asked Cid to repair it for me. And it seems he has done a good job of it. But I see there are a few pages that are missing." Merlin stopped and laid the book on a desk. "I'll put it here so that you can look at it whenever you want."
"So, what can we do?" Lude asked.
"If it's not too much trouble, would you please find the missing pages? A book has a world as well. It would be terrible if it was never completed."
"Alright," Barriss said. "If we find them, we'll be sure to return them to the book."
"Thank you very much. Oh, and about those stones of yours…" Merlin said to Sora and Cyrus. "The Fairy Godmother may help you with those."
"Alright," Cyrus said. Both he and Sora went to the magician with their items.
"Fairy Godmother, can you tell us about these stones?" Sora asked.
"Oh, poor dears! They turned into summon gems."
"Summon gems?" Cyrus asked. "I thought they were strange rocks?"
"They were once individuals from other worlds. That was until the Heartless arrived. When a world is consumed by the darkness, its inhabitants also disappear. But they had strong hearts and survived as gems."
"Can they regain themselves?" Sora asked.
"Yes, but only in spirit temporarily. Now watch this!" The Fairy Godmother pulled out her wand and began to swish it from side to side. "Bibbity, bobbity, boo!" With a flash of light from both gems, the two sensed the powers from the stones intensify.
"Whoa!" Cyrus thought. "The power in the black diamond has just spiked!"
"Whenever you call them, they will do whatever they can to help you. If you find anymore, please bring them to me."
"What about their worlds?" Sora asked.
"Don't worry. Once their worlds are restored, they will return. Please, save them."
"We will, Fairy Godmother," Cyrus said. He then looked at the black diamond and smiled. "With this baby, here, there will be nothing in our way."
"I guess it's time to go," Maria said.
"Good luck on your journey!" Merlin said.
The group left the house and returned to the Third District. "Now we have more stuff to find aside from those Ansem's Reports," Donald said.
"Yeah," Cyrus said. "Who woulda thought we'd so much work so early?"
"Hey, as long as we're together, it shouldn't be that much of a problem," Sora said with a grin.
"Good point."
Suddenly, a Soldier appeared out of nowhere and pounced on Sora. "Watch out!" Sophia shrieked. But it was too late. The Heartless had already landed on the Keyblade wielder's back. Caught off guard, it looked like the enemy had the upper hand. That was until the foe was reduced to smoke in a split second. Sora, was completely dazed. "What just happened?"
"You were goofing around again," a voice said. "Then again, I'm not that surprised." Sora turned around and his stunned face grew to a wide smile. It was a boy at fifteen years of age with short white hair, a yellow shirt, blue pants, and black and white sneakers. In his hand, he wielded a dark colored sword shaped like a bat wing.
"Riku?" Sora replied. "Is that really you?" He walked closer to the boy and began stretching his face by the cheeks.
"Hey, quit it!" Riku said in a friendly manner.
"So I'm not dreaming, this time."
"I hope not. It took forever to find you."
"So that's Riku, huh?" Maria asked.
"I wonder if he was here the entire time?" Nel asked.
"Good question," Lude said. "Hey, what's that thing, anyway?"
"That sword is the Souleater," Cyrus said. "It's a special weapon that supposedly works like the Keyblade."
"I thought it was. You know, it kinda resembles your Abysmal Offender."
"Yeah," Jack said. "I could see why."
"It's probably a coincidence," Cyrus said. "I'm sure there are many cursed swords floating around." "Or are there…?"
"So isn't Kairi with you?" Riku asked. Sora lowered his head in a sad expression. "Oh, don't worry about it. She might have made it off the island, too." The wielder of the Souleater chuckled. He then looked up at the sky with a grin and said, "We're finally free. We can go anywhere we want now. Hey, maybe Kairi's looking for us, too. It won't be long until we're all together again." Riku didn't notice, but a Shadow had appeared behind him and was silently approaching the boy.
"Um… Riku…" Roger called as he pointed at the enemy.
"Just leave everything to me." The Heartless leapt at Riku, who still had no idea about the foe. "I know this place-" Before Riku could finish his sentence, Sora struck the creature down in a split second. When the boy turned around, he saw Sora in a stance and black smoke dispersing from the spot he stood.
"Leave it to who?" asked Sora.
"Sora, what did you just-?"
"I've been looking for you and Kairi too. With their help, of course."
Riku's face faded from a smile to a plain expression. "So who are they?"
Donald cleared his throat and started to intrude himself. "My name is-"
However, Sora cut him off in mid sentence. "We've been looking for you and Kairi in so many places and worlds."
"Well, isn't that nice. I never would have known."
"And guess what?" Goofy said. "Sora's been chosen by the Keyblade."
"Who woulda thought it," Donald sneered.
"It's unbelievable, really," Maria said.
"What are you two talking about!" Sora retorted.
"This must be the Keyblade everyone's talking about," Riku said. The group turned their attention toward the boy and saw the Keyblade in his hand.
"Huh?" Sora replied as he learned that the Keyblade wasn't in his hands.
"How did he do that?" Goofy asked.
"Color me confused, dog," Cyrus replied.
"Hey, come on!" Sora said.
Riku stared at the weapon for a minute or two. "Here." In a quick second, the Keyblade was returned to Sora's hands magically.
"Now that was weird," Donald said. "Sora can't even do that even if he tried."
"How did he do that?" Sophia asked. "I thought only Sora could hold the Keyblade."
"Okay, so are you coming with us?" Sora asked. "We have this awesome ship! You have to see it!"
"Yeah, Riku," Roger said. "Come on!"
"No!" Donald said abruptly. "He can't come!"
Sora turned to the mage and glared. "What! Why not?"
"For one thing, we don't have enough room!"
"But he's my best friend!"
"I don't care!"
"Hey, where did he go?" Nel asked.
Sora turned around and saw his friend had vanished without a trace. "Riku?" he called. All that he got was no response. "Nice going, Donald."
"Sora…" Donald said.
"Oh well. At least he's okay." Sora smiled to his teammates. "Hey, maybe we'll meet him again. Maybe even Kairi, too."
Cyrus put a hand on his shoulder. "Now that's what I'm talking about, homes," he said. "And Donald, remember what you said about space?"
"Yeah," the mage said. "We won't be able to bring fit anymore people in our gummi ship."
"Not to worry," Nel said.
"We have it taken care of," Maria said.
"What are you three up to?" Fayt asked.
"You'll know soon enough," Nel replied.
"I wonder what it could be," Goofy said.
"Hey everyone!" a girl replied. The group looked up at the rail above near the entrance to the Second District. "Over here, you guys!" Waving her hand towards the group was Yuffie, as cheery as ever. "Did you guys finish that thing Cid asked you to do?"
"Yeah," Sora said. "We just met Merlin and gave him back his book."
"Great! Come up here quick!"
"What's going on?" Mirage asked.
"We're going to have our first meeting in our new headquarters!"
"Then what are we waitin' for?" Cyrus said. "Let's get our game on!"
The team went up the stair and followed Yuffie. She led them to a house on the far side of the Third District. Inside, Leon, Cid, and Aerith were sitting on the floor waiting for the team. "Hey, everyone! We're back!"
However, instead of a warm welcome, the atmosphere was rather droll and upsetting. "Did we come at a bad time?" Donald asked.
"Have you guys ever heard of Maleficent?" Leon asked. "I heard she's in town."
"No," Yuffie said. "Not her…"
"Male-who?" Sora asked.
"A witch, man, she's a witch!" Cid replied.
"It's because of her our world is gone," Yuffie said. "She has been controlling the Heartless ever since."
"So Donald was right," Maria said. "They really are being controlled by someone."
"One day, a swarm of Heartless spread throughout our world," Leon explained. "It was chaos. Buildings were reduced to rubble and countless people lost their hearts. We were helpless to stop them and were separated by our friends and family. And that was nine years ago."
"I was one of the few to get out of that mess," Cid said. "Lucky for me that I came with these guys."
"I'm sorry about what happened," Fayt apologized. "We have been through the very same thing."
"That's right," Sophia said. "The Executioners deleted almost everything in their path, including Earth, and numerous lives were lost during that time."
"From what I am hearing, my calculations are starting to become inconclusive," Cyrus said. "But if Maleficent is controlling the Heartless, why was your world her prime target?"
"Our leader was a wise man named Ansem," Aerith explained. "He worked his whole life researching the Heartless and wrote his findings in a journal. With that journal, we'll know how to get rid of the Heartless."
"But if Maleficent gets the journal, she'll have complete dominance over the Heartless," Ravage said.
"She'll be a powerful force to be reckoned with," Lude said.
"The situation gets worse," Cid replied. "I think that she already has most of the pages."
"Let's stop her!" Sora replied. "If that's true, then what are we standing around here for?"
"It's time to finish off the witch and give her an ass whoopin' she'll never forget!" Jack said.
Cid grinned. "Now that's what I'm talking about. As promised, I installed that navigation gummi. I also added a warp gummi just for the hell of it."
"A warp gummi?" Goofy asked.
"What's that do?" Donald asked.
"Those are really useful," Cid said. "You can use that to jump back to worlds you've already been too."
"Sounds useful for when you're on the go," Roger said.
"It is. I'll tell you what, after you guys figure out the bell at the Second District, meet me back at the First District doing my real job."
"Real job?" Barriss asked. "I thought you were a clerk in the Accessory Store?"
"Nope. That was just a favor asked from a friend of mine. Like I said, after you're done with that business, I'll show you what I really do."
"Alright then," Sora said.
Aerith had her hand on her chin and was deep in self thought. "Is something wrong?" Mirage asked.
"Oh. Well, I was just wondering about that bell," Aerith said.
"You mean the one that rang a while ago?" Sora asked.
"That's the one," Yuffie said. "It's over the Gizmo Shop. There have been legends surrounding that thing, you know."
"Unfortunately, it's all boarded up," Aerith reported. "There hasn't been anyone up in years."
"Hell, I doubt that'll stop you guys," Cid said. "Go up there and ring it three times."
"Okay, we will," Nel said. "Maybe it will help us get closer to stopping the Heartless."
"At least in this town, anyway," Cyrus said. "Let's do it."
Part 6.4: The Darkness Within
The team left the house and were outside. They were about to leave for the Second District, until they heard the sound of a woman's chortle. "That can't be…" Nel said. "It's impossible…" The group hurried to the barrier and looked over it.
With a smile on her face, the team stared at their old, but weakened enemy, Lystara Catalysta. "Hello everyone, it's good to see you again," she said.
"You…" Fayt said.
"Who is that?" Sora asked.
"That is Lystara Catalysta. She's a bitch who tried to take over all dimensions and also destroyed them. We supposedly defeated her, but that was before Elicoor II was filled with Heartless and we ended up being separated."
"It's good to see you all again, too," Lystara said. "Barriss, I never thought you would appear again."
"Sorry to ruin your plans so early," Barriss said.
"You don't need to worry about that. You see, everyone's invited to annihilation. If you wish to die along with these insects, be my guest."
"There's no way, you'll stop us!" Donald said as he hopped on the barricade.
"That's right!" Goofy shouted.
"Why don't you go so you don't loose twice," Roger said as he jumped onto the barricade.
"I'm touched by the fact you care about me," Lystara said. "I will go, but before I do, I want to leave you all with a gift."
Lystara moved to the side to show the team the 'gift'. Cyrus' eyes were wide open as he saw that it was the same girl he has been talking to. "It's you!" Cyrus replied. At that statement, Lystara turned to the team and gave a malevolent smile. She then opened a wormhole and left the scene.
"You know her?" Sophia asked.
"That's right," the girl said. "He and I have a certain connection in the past." She pulled off her hooded robe to reveal a long trench coat with no hood. It was unzipped, revealing a short sleeveless shirt with the face that had bright yellow eyes and a jagged mouth similar to a Heartless. She wore heavy black pants. Her hair was short blood red with long blue bangs infront of her face. Her eyes were also red just like Cyrus'.
"I don't know what this thing from the past is."
"Man, Cyrus," Jack said. "Even the ladies that you don't even know or never met want you."
"Who are you?" Cyrus asked. "It doesn't make sense. I don't even know your name! You're the reason I'm having those flashbacks!"
"No, my friend. You're the reason you're having the flashbacks."
"The flashbacks?" Maria asked.
"Ever since that first time I used a Drive Form, I've been getting these strange images in my head," Cyrus said. "Whatever they are, she's involved."
"Those are the hidden memories that have been forgotten through all these years," the girl said. "Look at me closely, and you'll know who."
Cyrus leapt off the barrier and studied the girl carefully. As he did, he slowly took small steps closer to her. It wasn't until they were three feet away that he began to have images of a younger version of her, including the one from his early memory before they came to Traverse Town. "Your name… It's…"
"That's right, Cyrus," she said in anticipation. "What is my name?"
"… Kaize. You're Kaize Mercer."
Many members of the team were surprised to say the least when a smile formed on her face. "You're right. How long has it been? Nine years?"
"What happened nine years ago?"
"For someone who has a 198 IQ, you're rather slow at grasping a subject."
Cyrus growled and his dark aura surrounded his body and intensified. "Only when it doesn't make sense."
"As much as I want to tell you, I can't indulge you with that information. That's something you must learn yourself."
"Come on!"
"In the meantime, let's see how strong you've grown since we last met." Kaize said as pools of darkness formed around her. Emerging from them were eight Shadow Heartless. However, they weren't the variety that Cyrus and the rest of the team were used to. This was a new breed. The Shadows that arrived on the scene were larger and more developed. The antennae were tappering and their arms were longer tipped with sharp claws. The legs were also longer and slender. "What the hell are those?" Cyrus replied.
"These are Neoshadows, more powerful versions of the enemies you've faced. It's true that Maleficent controls most Heartless, but I was imbued the ability to control these types. Thanks to the augments done on me after the event nine years ago, my powers have increased. The powers of darkness are at my disposal."
"That's… That's just wrong…"
"Yo homie!" Jack called as he and the team came down the steps. "We got yo' back!"
"Not likely." Kaize summoned a powerful gale that stopped the group in their place. At the same time, a dark purple flame surrounded the entire area. "This is only between me and Cyrus. I want no one to interfere in this strife."
"Fine…" Cyrus said. "Wait, I know what to do," he thought. He put his hand in his pant pocket and pulled out his black diamond. "If I can't call help from outside, then I'll have to call it from the inside." "I summon the power of the black diamond to aide me in this battle!" he yelled as he held up the gem. Suddenly, thick smoke engulfed the shizznit and the light of two red eyes pierced through it. With an eerie growl, the creature raised its large jaws over the cloud. After a minute, the smoke dispersed. "You're not the only one to summon anything," Cyrus said. The creature stood behind Cyrus. It was about twelve feet long and six feet high. The body was covered in black scales and long spines ran from the back to the end of its tail. It was armed with razor sharp teeth and large claws on its three fingered hands. The feet were also tipped with sharp claws and the second toe carried a large sickle-shaped claw. "I want you to meet my new friend Dark Deinon." The raptor walked around Cyrus and roared toward the Neoshadows and Kaize.
"So you summoned an extinct lizard, I see," Kaize said cooly. She wrapped the left bang with her fingers with nonchalance. "Let's see how you and your prehistoric pet hold up."
"Get her, Cyrus!" Roger said.
Cyrus gave him and the rest of the team a thumbs up. "We plan to," he replied. Cyrus pulled out both his lightsaber and his Abysmal Offender. The raptor hunched down, raising its hands and opening its jaws.
"Attack!" Kaize yelled as she pointed her finger to the shizznit and his dinosaur. "The Encounter" from Kingdom Hearts II played in the background. The Neoshadows leapt above them and were ready to strike. The two got out of the way just before the attacks hit.
Four of the enemies were rushing toward Cyrus. They disappeared in small pools of darkness. Cyrus stood in a guard pose, waiting for the foes to show themselves. The Heartless jumped and began to spin their bodies like disks. Cyrus blocked the blows and countered with powerful strikes of his own. However, these Heartless proved to be quicker than he thought. Half of the slashes he made didn't make contact with the targets. As he focused on one, others began to jump him from behind. Cyrus quickly evaded the claws of the Heartless and retaliated. He spun his lightsabers in both hands and sliced at the Neoshadow. The creature was weakened by attack and was finished off with a strong downward strike. Another from the side was jumped toward Cyrus. The shizznit sidestepped before it landed. "So you guys like to fly, huh?" Cyrus ran toward the Heartless and sent him in the air with a powerful kick. The enemy was slightly stunned when it landed on the ground. The shizznit saw his chance and used a few martial arts style kicks to finish it off.
Meanwhile, the Dark Deinon was surrounded by Neoshadows. It roared just before an enemy dashed toward it. The raptor saw the attack coming and sliced the enemy with its claws. The enemy slide backwards from the hit. That attack sent the other three on the offense. The raptor jumped over the attacking foes and was about to land on the one it attacked. The beast landed on top of it and was about to bite its head, but that was before the enemy sunk into the ground. Two Neoshadows were coming in to attack it from behind. The Dark Deinon was hit with the claws of one enemy, but it struck back with a swing of its tail. The other tried to attack from above. The raptor quickly turned around and leapt into the air. The two were ten feet off the ground before they made impact. The raptor grabbed onto the airborne enemy and began to kick rapidly. It was using its version of Raptor's Revenge. The Heartless slammed on the ground with the dinosaur on top. The creature's jaws latched on to the head of the large Shadow and bit hard. The body of the Heartless became nothing but a patch of thin smoke rising from the ground. Before it could react, the three Neoshadows began their attack, slicing and clawing at the raptor.
However, the foes were thrown back by Cyrus. The two found themselves surrounded by the remaining five enemies. The situation was tight as the foes closed in on them. At the last second, Cyrus used his Saber Throw, destroying one of the weakened Heartless and attacked with his summon beast. Two Neoshadows were coming in from the back, but the two turned around and began slashing at the enemies. Whatever slice that Cyrus made with his swords, the Dark Deinon did the same with the claws on its front limbs. One of the enemies hid before it was destroyed with the other. It joined with the other two on the other side. Both the shizznit and the raptor raced toward the enemies and used Raptor's Revenge. The powerful kicks were able to destroy two of the foes before they could attack. Now it was all down to the last Neoshadow. Either through bravery, or shear stupidity, the remaining foe jumped toward Cyrus with one arm ready to lash out. The shizznit stood calmly, even though the enemy was a few feet away. Before the hit connected, a clawed hand from the Dark Deinon slammed it hard on the ground. The creature tried to struggle from the hold of the dinosaur, but it was to no avail as the raptors jaws shredded the Neoshadow until it was no more.
The part of the battle was over and a slow clap from Kaize was heard. "Well done, Cyrus," she said. "I knew that those foes were no match for you. After all, we were made to handle any opposition that came our way." Cyrus called back his Dark Deinon, whose spirit returned into the black diamond. "Now I have a question for you."
"Go on. I'm listening."
"How come you fight with these people? Don't you see that they're the enemy? You're using your powers for the wrong side. Our sole purpose- our main reason- is to conquer all that stand in our way. But yet, you use the gift of darkness against this cause. Why?"
Cyrus lowered his head, his eyes hidden under the shadow of his hat's brim. "It's something that my Master once said to me." He then raised his head and smiled towards Kaize. "'It doesn't matter what you use, it's how you use it.'" He then turned to his comrades and back to Kaize. "And the reason I fight with these guys is because they're my homies. We all had eachother's back since the beginnin'. No matter what trick ass nark came in our way, we were able to beat their asses together. In your perspective, there is only one reason. However, I see that everything has a choice."
"So, it's your camaraderie and what you decided." Kaize thought about what Cyrus just said. "Whatever. What you just said had no validity. That Diogo corrupted you worse than I thought."
"What do you mean by that? How do you know my Master?"
Kaize turned her back toward the shizznit. "I can't tell you. It's-"
"'Something that I have to know for myself', I get the drill. But Kaize, answer this. Don't you think what you're doing is wrong? Do you enjoy using your powers like this?"
"No," Kaize answered. "I don't think what I'm doing is wrong and I don't enjoy it either. It was fate that I use my powers in this manner. It's my duty to fulfill the wishes of Ansem and control the darkness."
"Kaize…"
"It is time I depart. But believe me, we'll meet again."
Cyrus tried to catch up to the girl, but Kaize summoned a dark portal behind her and went through. The shizznit jumped forward, but the portal already disappeared and he fell onto the ground. "Ow… my nose…" he said as he got up and check his nose.
"Yo, O.G.!" Jack replied. "That battle was hella tight man!"
"Indeed," Lude said. "It's not everyday you see a dromaeosaur fight against a pack of Heartless."
"Are you okay?" Fayt asked. "It looked like you took a lot of energy during that battle."
"Nah, I'm cool," Cyrus said. He then looked back at the spot where Kaize stood and said, "I think Kaize isn't, though."
"Forget about her," Maria said. "She chose her path a long time ago. She has to be stopped."
"That's right," Donald agreed. "Now that we know Maleficent isn't the only one controlling the Heartless, we need to act fast."
"Good point," Cyrus said. "But first, let's focus on our objectives."
"First we'll go see what Cid's real job is," Sora said.
"Then we can go to the big bell in the Second District," Goofy said.
"Alright," Roger said. "And let's have the real men go first, if you don't mind."
"Oh, Apris," Nel sighed. The team went to the second district of the town, more determined to find the Keyhole of Traverse Town and save Riku and Kairi.
"I can't shrug off what Kaize said," Cyrus thought. "Somethin's telling me that there's more to Kaize. Whatever it is, I'll know soon and maybe be some sort of help to her…"
Part 6.5: Dangerous Chime
The team returned to the First District. The area looked normal as usual. It was safe to say that the Heartless didn't come in this area yet. They went inside the Accessory Shop where they saw a different man behind the register. "Hello, may I help you?"
"Um… doesn't Cid work here?" Sora asked.
"Cid? No, he doesn't. I just asked him to take my place. I was sick for about a week and I wanted him to have my job until I could return."
"I get it."
"So, where is he?" Cyrus asked.
"Cid's standing behind the shop. He says he's waiting for you."
"Thank you, sir."
The team left the store and went upstairs behind the shop. They saw Cid standing against the wall. "Well, what took you guys so long?" he asked.
"Let's just say we ran into somebody," Ravage said.
"Maleficent?"
"No, but she was still trouble," Goofy said.
"I see."
"So Cid, what's this real job of yours?" Fayt asked.
"Well, I'm in the gummi business. Not only do I sell blocks, but I also help make ships."
"Really?" Roger said. "That's so cool."
"It is, isn't it. Oh, and speaking of ships, Cyrus. You, Maria, and Nel's vessel is all finished. It's waiting outside right next to Sora's."
"Tight," Cyrus said. "We knew you were the guy to call."
"What?" Everyone said.
"Well, like you guys said, the other ship was losing space," Maria said.
"In order for us to get everyone back safely, we needed more room," Nel said.
"And what better way than getting a powerful new ship," Cyrus said.
"What's it called?" Jack asked.
"Well, we're thinking of going with the S.S.S. Winnipeg."
"I remember that," Fayt said. "That's what you called your escape pod before we landed on Vanguard III, right?"
"Well, yeah…"
"I'm not sure we should name it that," Maria said. "I don't even know why we have an extra 'S'."
"To make it sound really powerful." The Quark captain gave the shizznit a confused expression. "Alright, we'll drop it and just call it a Deathguise."
"You mean one of those Heartless ships?" Donald asked.
"That's right," Nel said. "You know how hard it is to stop them. So, we thought it was time for us to use their own weapon against them."
"Plus they look so cool!" Cyrus replied. "We wanted a sleek ship with some style. That's the other reason we got this."
"I guess we should go to the Second District," Ravage said.
"Yeah," Sora said. "Maybe that bell has something to do with the next Keyhole?"
"There's no point in standing here and talking about it," Sora replied. The team continued to the next area to get to the shop. As they navigated through the Second District, the team discovered more Heartless than usual. Luckily, the group were able to slice a path through the enemies. They then entered the Gizmo Shop, a small establishment covered in gears and switches that operated the large bell outside sitting above them. However, the area was also crawling with Heartless that the team had to defeat. After a few minutes of battling, the area was cleared of any opposition. They left the Gizmo Shop through the exit on the other side and climbed up a nearby ladder to the roof of the building that overlooked the entire district. After a brief battle with the smaller magic using Heartless, the group turned their attention to the bell, which was larger than what a few of them expected.
"I can see why there are legends about this bell," Goofy said.
"Well, how do we get through the fense?" Jack asked.
"I could burn it," Cyrus replied. "Burn, baby, burn!"
"Wouldn't that also burn this place down?" Mirage asked.
"Good point…"
"I would use my lightsaber, but there would be a chance that I might cut the bell in the process," Barriss said.
"Any ideas?" Ravage asked.
"We have a plan!" Sora said. The group turned their attention to the trio.
"What is it?" Sophia asked.
"You'll see."
"Do we have to?" Donald whined.
"It looks like the only way," Goofy said.
"Easy for you to say! You're way in the back!"
Sora began to count down. "Three! Two! One! Charge!" The trio rushed toward the planks of wood. Donald crashed into the fence first. Next was Sora, who was able to weaken the barrier and sandwich the duck mage in. The last was Goofy, who was able to break down the wall. The three fell in front of the new found path.
"My whole body hurts!" Donald replied once again. "I think I lost most of my teeth."
"Donald, you're a duck," Lude said. "You're toothless."
"But if I did, they would all be gone."
The three got up and Sora walked toward the rope. "Cid said to ring it three times, right?" Sora asked.
"I think she did," Mirage answered. "There is supposed to be a legend."
"Alright then. Here goes nothing." Sora pulled on the rope and the bell started to ring.
Everybody knew that the bigger the bell, the lounder the sound. And to Cyrus, the bell was not only larger than it was in the game, it was also louder. The rest of the team learned that, too. As soon as the bell rung, most of the team covered their ears at the right time. "Man, that thing was loud!" Jack replied.
"What?" Cyrus yelped while imitating Lil' Jon voice.
"I said 'the bell was really loud!'"
"Yeah!" Cyrus replied in the same rapper's voice. "Stuff happened on the ground!" Cyrus pointed to the fountain near the entrance to the First District. The group saw that the fountain was now burning and a picture of flowers was now being shown.
"Did you say something!" a Roger replied.
"It looks like Cyrus and Roger are half-deaf," Fayt said.
"What did he say?"
"Okay!" Cyrus said.
"I want to try something," Sophia replied. She held up her wand and used Restoration on the two. "Can you two hear what I'm saying?"
"Yeah," Roger answered.
"What did I just say?"
"You said 'what did I just say?" Cyrus said.
"I heard that, too," Roger replied. "We can hear again!"
"I guess Healing also cures partial deafness," Ravage said. "Now, back to the bell." Sora nodded and rung the bell. After the second time, the relief turned to a picture of trees and the decorative arch above the fountain began to glow. After the third and final pull, the water from the fountain rose up into pillars and the picture of butterflies appeared.
"Hey, look!" Donald replied. The group went to the edge of the roof and watched as the Keyhole revealed itself.
"We found it!" Sora replied.
"Let's get down from here and seal that Keyhole," Fayt replied. The team left their view point and ran to the ground below. They stood in front of the Keyhole, ready to seal the doorway to the Heart of the world.
That was until Barriss said, "I'm sensing a dark presence nearby." The team looked up and saw a large Heartless land on the ground. It was none other than Guard Armor, an enemy that they had to defeat on their first visit to Traverse Town.
"I thought we already stopped this one," Goofy said.
"I guess it wants another taste of defeat," Jack said.
"Let's indulge him," Ravage replied.
Ravage, Fayt, and Goofy attacked the enemy Heartless. Luckily, this one didn't put up much of a fight and was put down in less than a minute. The enemy's armor was littered on the ground. "That was supposed to be a fight?" Fayt asked.
"I don't think it's over yet," Sora said as he readied his Keyblade. The team turned to the remains of the Guard Armor and watched as they began to shake. Before they knew it, the pieces of the armor reassembled back to its Guard Armor design. Then, then enemy slammed its gauntlets onto the ground and raised its center piece flipped over. The parts that were once its feet bent and became hands. A helmet of the monster returned to the top of the armor. However, it opened and revealed two bright yellow eyes as it hovered above the ground as if it was light as a feather. The creature was a Guard Armor no more. Now, it had transformed into an Opposite Armor.
"It transformed into a more advanced tin can," Cyrus said.
"I'm ready to expose the kink in its armor," Ravage said.
"Let's do it," Maria replied.
Sora, Ravage, Jack, and Maria went into battle against Opposite Armor. Cyrus also joined the battle just before turning his MP3 Player to "Lap Dance" by N.E.R.D. As Jack and Maria shot at the creature from a distance, the rest attacked up close and personal. However, the attacks were bouncing off the enemy. Instead, the three were hit hard when clenched gauntlets punched forward, sending the trio back. It then turned its attention to Maria and Jack who were still shooting at it. Seeing that the enemy was coming closer, the two used hand to hand combat to fight the creature. Unfortunately, the foe swung its hands at the two, knocking away Maria and throwing Jack on the steps above. Cyrus used Power Up on him and his teammates and attacked the Opposite Armor with Fire Bolt. The fireball hit the foe square in the face, interrupting its attack. The Heartless retaliated by hurling its clawed glove at him. He was able to dodge one, but the other made impact. Jack destroyed one of the gauntlets with his Rapid Shot. He then got back to the lower level of the area and began shooting. The Opposite Armor turned to Jack and separated. It then spun its helmet head around like a wheel, hitting Jack, and then punching the shooter back. Ravage jumped up and began slicing at the foe with her Tiger Claws. She was able to destroy the other arm with powerful slices and dices. Now the Opposite armor was down to two legs and the torso. Cyrus and the rest of the team hurried to the finish it off. However, that was before the mid section rammed through the team. It then pointed the top of the midsection toward the group, attached its feet to the sides and hid its head behind the armor, becoming a powerful canon. The swordsmen were the first to attack, and the first to get hit as a ball of darkness that fired at the two. The shooters once again fired from a distance, weakening the Heartless and destroying one of its feet. Ravage continued her raid, but the living cannon fired at her. Fayt once again attacked the last foot along with Maria and Cyrus. It was destroyed, but now they were critically wounded from the Heartless' attack. Cyrus and Maria knew that it was time and used Wisdom Form. With rejuvenated health, the merged Cyrus hovered along the ground in a zigzag pattern as he avoided the shots of the Opposite Armor. He then fired his own rally of bullets at the foe aimed at its head. After about a few minutes of firing, the enemy Heartless was destroyed. The battle was over and the Wisdom Form reverted. "Well, that was easy," Jack said.
"That depends on what your definition of easy is," Ravage replied. The team went back to the Keyhole, ready to complete their mission with getting interrupted. Sora lifted the Keyblade, which started to react. The weapon shot a powerful beam of light at the hole, which sealed it. The heart of Traverse Town was now safely locked away.
"Okay, now that we finished locking up the Keyhole, it's time to start going to the next world," Sora said.
"With our gummi ships and the navigation gummi Cid installed, we should be able to arrive in other worlds," Fayt said.
"Then what are we waiting for?" Cyrus replied. "Let's go." The group went to the First District. After saying goodbye to their friends, they left the world of Traverse Town and continued on their saga.