May your heart be your guiding key.
Those words gave courage to those in their time of need. Unsure of which path to take, remembering those words helped them find undiscovered pathways. With those words, solutions were found for unsolvable problems.
On his journey to regain the power of waking and to save the lost guardians of light, Sora heard that particular phrase numerous times from his friends and 'master'. Listening to his heart helped Sora find gateways to new and familiar worlds, while discovering that three other hearts were inside his. During his journey to save new and old worlds from Organization XIII and the Heartless, Sora managed to free those trapped hearts.
Although Sora helped all of the guardians of light during their matches, he failed to save the one person he genuinely cared for.
The one person he truly loved.
After defeating Xehanort, his friends and allies believed the situation to be resolved, but Sora refused to give up. His Majesty warned of the dangers of using the Power of Waking too recklessly. Though warned numerous times before, Sora stubbornly pursued his plan to save her. Once again playing the role of a daring hero, Sora indeed rescued the 'damsel', if it is fitting to call her that. Recovering her heart came with a hefty price. In exchange for Kairi's heart—
Sora lost his.
Only a handful of days after the tremendous sacrifice, his friends decided to celebrate their victory, believing Sora would want them to do so. While their friends rejoiced and played games with one another, Kairi exiled herself to her favorite paopu tree, wishing Sora could be with them. Alas, his heart was wondering the worlds; trying to find a suitable person to shelter him until he regained his strength.
That is where my story begins.
Finally! Sora cheered, though his tone displayed his drowsiness. I found you just in time! I thought I was a goner!
A little girl, who could be no older than four years old, gazed around the mysterious place with wonder and excitement. Who could blame the little girl? She stood on an enormous pillar with the only beam of light shining down on her. The floor she stood on had an amazing stain-glass depiction of her home, making it appear much more beautiful than the grungy island truly was.
"It's so pretty here!" The child cheered as she twirled around to get a better view of the 'amazing' artwork. The skirt of her raggedy dress followed her movements; her waist length purple hair rebelling against her as it covered her face once more. It irritated her when her hair would do such a thing, but she refused to cut it because she wanted it to be just as long as her mother's hair.
Adverting her green-eyed gaze upward for the first time, the girl tilted her head curiously when she finally noticed a glowing ball of light just within arm reach of her. "Who are you? And . . . what are you?"
I used to be a person, but now I'm just a heart, Sora informed slowly. His drowsiness was starting to get the best of him. My name is Sora.
The little girl gasped in surprise. "I know you!" She exclaimed happily. "My mommy and daddy told me a lot of stories about you! But what happened? Why are you just a heart?"
First, who are your parents? Sora questioned calmly. How do they know about me?
"My dad is Hades, and my mom is Maleficent," the little girl replied, though her smile faltered slightly. "I know they fought you a few times, but they don't hate you anymore. Since they have to live on the island now without their magic, they said they would forgive and forget."
The island? Sora repeated, growing more confused by the moment. What island? How do they not have their magic? They were two of the most powerful villains in the worlds.
"The Isle of the Lost keeps them from using their magic," the little girl clarified all too knowingly. "After you went missing and after King Beast married Queen Belle, they decided to unite the worlds, or the worlds that wanted to. Fairy Godmother created the island and moved the villains from those worlds on it. She used her magic wand to create a barrier that would keep the villains from using their magic. Her wand is the most powerful object in Auradon."
Auradon, that sounds like a beautiful name, Sora complimenting serenely, recalling a few worlds that were tongue twisters to say. But you know what would be more powerful than her wand? A keyblade! Would you like to wield one when you're older?
"That would be amazing!" the little girl cheered once more. Then, a small frown took over her smile. "But the keyblade I want was broken a long time ago. They have the Way to Dawn in the museum on the mainland, but there's no way to fix a broken keyblade . . ."
Don't lose hope, Sora encouraged. Maybe the keyblade is waiting for a new owner to claim it. Maybe it is waiting for your light to repair it.
"My light?" the little girl shook her head stubbornly. "But I don't have any. Nobody does on the Isle."
Everyone has light inside them, Sora corrected. Some light may be hiding deep inside their hearts, waiting to emerge. You are your mom and dad's light. I'm sure they told you they care for you.
"All the time," the little girl agreed, a happy sigh escaping her lips. "They always kiss me on the forehead when I go to bed, or when they leave the house without me. Mommy holds my hand when we go to the market while Daddy carries me every where we go. I don't see other villains do that with their kids."
You see? That is exactly what I mean! Sora claimed knowingly. Because of that, I would like to make a deal with you. If you let me stay inside your heart until I am strong enough to turn back into a person, I will help you get the Way to Dawn so you can use it for yourself. Would you be fine with that?
"Of course!" the little girl agreed happily. "That would be so cool! Could I talk to you if you are inside me?"
I'm not sure, Sora admitted almost bashfully. But it wouldn't hurt to try. I would like to stay in touch with you . . .
Trailing off for a moment, Sora surprised the little girl when he suddenly chuckled to himself. I'm sorry. I never asked you for your name. What is it?
"There's no way you'll forget it," the little girl teased. "My name is—"
Mal?
Abruptly waking from her dream, little Mal quickly sat up, now fully awake from hearing a familiar voice in her head. Gazing around her dark bedroom for any signs of any person in there with her, Mal whispered unsurely, "Sora?"
Yes! Sora cheered, his voice echoing in Mal's mind. You can hear me! It really worked!
Gasping at hearing such brilliant news, Mal excitedly threw the blankets off her and jumped out of bed. Running toward her bedroom door, Mal hurriedly opened it, shouting happily, "Daddy! I can hear him!"
Hades, who had been trying to read on the worn-out couch, admittedly flinched at his daughter's voice. "Mali," he scolded softly, closing his book before approaching her. "I told you when I put you to bed that your mother wasn't feel well. I told you, if you got up, you needed to be quiet."
"But I can hear him!" Mal persisted, her voice just a little bit quieter than before.
"Who?"
"Sora!" Mal answered giddily. "I can hear him in my head!"
Hades cautiously studied his daughter for a moment, watching for any signs of dishonesty. Noticing her unwavering expression, he calmly reminded, "Sora is still missing. He disappeared years ago when the Keyblade War ended. How could you possibly hear him?"
"His heart is in mine," Mal claimed, resting a hand over her chest to prove her point. "He needed a place to rest until he's strong enough to be a person again. He said he would help me make the Way to Dawn mine if I let him stay in my heart. I can hear him in my head. He spoke to me!"
"He spoke to you," Hades repeated unsurely, pausing a moment to let the information sink in. "Let's go tell your mother about this. She may have more experience with this than I do."
Somehow through the eyes of Mal, Sora could see anything that the purple-haired girl saw. He could see how Hades no longer dressed like an Olympian, but more like a punk rock star with the start of a blue mohawk. Sora also noticed the look of concern in Hades's eyes when his daughter spoke about him being inside her heart. It was actually quite a lot of fun to have the perspective of a little kid.
But Sora really wished he didn't have to see Maleficent's scars.
Well . . . he really couldn't call them scars. Sora wasn't exactly sure what he could call those strange black nubs that protruded from her back. The nubs seemed to be a natural part of her as the black melded with her back, but it still looked incredibly disfigured. Sora didn't know what surprised him most: Maleficent's scars or the fact that she had brunette hair that reached passed her waist. Sora didn't think she had hair!
Though she laid with her back toward the bedroom door, Maleficent groaned in discomfort at the light turning on. "Aidoneus," she grumbled, straining to look over her shoulder. "You know I wake at the slightest disturbance."
Aidoneus? Sora repeated in confusion. Who is that?
"It's Daddy's real name," Mal answered out loud, not a second thought about her 'unusual' action. "He was given the name 'Hades' by the first mortals that existed."
Sitting up from the bed, careful to keep a hand on her chest to keep the blanket from falling from her frail figure, Maleficent raised an eyebrow at her daughter's peculiar behavior. "Yes . . ." she agreed slowly. "You've known that for quite some time. Why did you mention it?"
"My angel," Hades softly cooed, as though he was trying to appease the fairy, "Mali claims that Sora has taken shelter in her heart. She says she hears him talk to her in her head. I thought you might be able to tell if she's telling the truth better than I could."
"Let's put it to the test," Maleficent suggested, adverting her attention to her daughter. "Your father and I have not told you about him, but Sora knows him. You can only answer correctly if Sora helps you."
Pausing to think of the best way to word the question, Maleficent interrogated, "What is the name of the henchman that followed me across the worlds?
Pete, Sora automatically answered. His home was Disney Town until Queen Minnie banished him. I first met him at the Mysterious Tower.
"His name was Pete," Mal relayed. "Pete was banished from Disney Town by Queen Minnie. Sora says he met him at the Mysterious Tower."
If you can, Sora began unsurely, can you ask her what happened to her back?
"Sora wants to know what happened to your wings."
WINGS?! Sora shouted loudly, forcing Mal to clutch the side of her head in pain. Since when did Maleficent ever have wings?
Mal stared wide-eyed at her mother, fear written all over her face. "I'm so sorry, Mommy," she apologized with a scared shake of her head. "I didn't know that he didn't know. I-I just assumed that he did."
"It's alright," Maleficent reassured softly. "None of the keyblade wielders knew about my wings being taken from me by that peasant king. It was long before any of their time. Perhaps, if they had, maybe they would have helped me regain my wings."
Lightly narrowing her eyes at her daughter, Maleficent warned, "You can't tell anyone about Sora's heart being inside yours. If the wrong people know, you will be made a target and you could get hurt."
I promise I'll do what I can to keep you safe, Sora vowed. And I promise, I will help your mom get her wings back.
"Sora says he'll keep me safe," Mal repeated. "And he promises he will help you get your wings."
Managing a bittersweet smile, Maleficent cautiously requested, "Tell Sora he shouldn't make promises he can't keep, especially when he is just a heart."