WE'RE BACK FOLKS! 👍
(Updated: I've had some thoughts and advise from some of my readers. And I've decided changed the relationship of Cloud, Tifa and Aerith. Now it's Cloud and Tifa. Aerith is their friend and motivator. That way there will be an eventual love connection between Aerith and Zack like in the previous FF games. Yes Zack will show up later in this series and yes he'll remember Terra, Ventus and Aqua.)
(Yes I can use emojis in authors notes now. Is that okay?)
And once again I must apologize for taking too long to post this chapter, what can I say? Life drags my time.
Also am I the only comic book fan who thought that the last two episodes of 'Marvel's What If:' were way too depressing? It's probably just me. If you like them anyway, I can't blame you. Creative animation and artwork are always rewarded no matter what. Unless your name is George Lucas. Lol!
Anyhow. For those of you who played Kingdom Hearts II during and after your childhood, then you know what epic battle and dramatic moment is coming up next. Only this one might be a bit more dramatic.
"A bit? Dude the readers just read the title of this chapter. They now it won't be just a little." Maverick scoffed.
Alright so this chapter is going to be very dramatic! But it's not like you haven't had them before.
"True but even on the Mav scale. This one is a humdinger." Maverick quipped.
Bottom line. Some answers will be given. Secrets will spill and it will affect how you see some of the characters. And I'm going to change a few tactics while staying true to the heart of the epic battle. Including the 1000 Heartless battle. But there are two things I must warn you about. Number one. Sephiroth will not appear in this chapter. He will have an entrance in this story, just not yet. And two. For those of you who have weak constitutions or just hate dramatic cliffhangers. Please leave the tomatoes alone and know that there is always a clear cloudly day chapter right after a dark storm chapter. So I promise to post the next chapter as quickly as possible.
Okay? Good. Let's answer some comments.
Haxorus knight: Uh...Which Darth Vader reference?
olehbilenko93: Thank you! I appreciate your support. Please ask questions and share insight if you can. I would very much appreciate the variety in your comments.
RustyPete12: Thank you! Yeah I tried to drag out those hostile programs but I figured they were out matched and out numbered and I was running out time to post the next chapter. And yes, Tron and IRIS will eventually go much further if you catch my drift 😉 ❤️. And yes, Aiden now realized thst everything he thought about Nobodies was wrong. Yes the Organization killed his mother, but he now knows he shouldn't take it on their entire kind, now that Aiden knows what happened in 'KH 358/2 Days'. He even knows about Roxas and Xion, and what happened to Axel and especially Dianex. Aiden plans to make things up. But first, there is another secret he has been keeping. One that was hinted in the last chapter. And one that he probably shouldn't have kept. Also yeah! I'm good tend to be clever with jokes, you'll see in this chapter despite the humor. And definitely enjoy the epic battle in this chapter. There's more then one.
SPYRO 101: Yep. He has. But when Sora learns a certain truth from Aiden. There will be consequences, there will be fallout. But. After this chapter, there will be absolutions and returns of a certain favorite character.
Also just to remind everyone. With the exception of Yuffie, Leon and Cid. Every Final Fantasy character has there looks, majority background info and voice actors from 'Final Fantasy VII Remake'. Yes even their outfits. Which means this KH story has the Cloud, Tifa and Aerith from the FF 7 Remake. And I repeat 'their outfits'. Which means Tifa and Aerith are hotter and prettier then KH II. Because they're 'FF 7 Remake' instead.
"the PS4 or the PS5 version?" Maverick teased.
Does it matter?!
Anyway...Now that we're all here!
LET'S GET DANGEROUS! ✊
Sora Vs The Maverick: Battle Of Trust.
Back In The World That Never Was…..
Stormur was slowly walking through a hallway to report to the Xemnas for his next mission to terminate the Maverick. As he was walking, he looked down as he reflected on the moments that brought him here. All this time he's been fighting to get rid of the Maverick. To fulfill his destiny, and then mark his own future afterwards. But could he really do that? Without Xion. What's left of him?
Can he truly be happy without her?
Flashbacks to his last moments with Xion….
During the period of when Xion was asleep and wouldn't wake up for days. It was quiet and miserable for Dianex. Those days when she never came to visit him in his cell. Those days Xion never came in to give Dianex a present. Those days when she never came in to treat his wounds. And those days he felt miserable.
Is this what Xion felt during that period she lost her keyblade?
Then she came back through the door of his cell one day, after 25 days of never showing up. Xion finally returned.
"Xion?" Dianex stood up as he was surprised and happy to see her.
Xion smiled at Dianex and walked up to hug him, and he hugged her back.
"Hey Dee." Xion coed.
That day. Dianex was happy and satisfied then. But look at him now. Hopeless, empty, unhappy, void, cold, miserable.
Dark.
And it was all because of one bad day, following after a heartfelt and unmindful farewell to what once was, the only one he ever loved.
The last time they saw each other…
After Xemnas granted Xion to speak with Dianex one last time. Xion walked down the halls toward his cell. This took place after Xion met and spoke with Namine for the first time. Xion never told Namine about Dianex, for risk of exposing him to their enemies and getting him killed by compromising their plans for him.
But after Axel brought her back. Xion knew only one person in existence….Or rather their non existence, could still see her the way she always was.
Xion was losing her face to join back with Sora. But Dianex can still see her. Only her.
Xion walked into Dianex's cell. While he was busy reading the specs for his new armored suit. He looked up and was concerned to see Xion with a depressed look.
"Xion? What's wrong?" Dianex got up and asked her.
Xion slowly walked up and took hold of Dianex's hands.
"Dee?...There's something…Something I have to tell you. Before anything else happens. I'm afraid that whatever is about to happen next. I won't have time. And I never got a chance to tell you." Xion went on with a broken voice.
Dianex squeezed her hands feeling more than concerned about where this was leading. For the first time ever. Dianex was feeling fear.
That he might lose her.
"What are you trying to say?" Dianex asked her calmly.
Xion held back a sob and let her tears fall as she embraced Dianex in a tight hug. She silently cried in his shirt while he hugged her and whispered words of comfort in her ear.
Then she looked up with her tear stained face and kissed Dianex on the lips passionately. Dianex was happy to kiss her back with the same passion.
Then she pulled away to say one thing she never got to tell him.
"I love you. I love you more than anything Dianex. And I'm glad to have met you." Xion whimpered in love for the Nobody of the Maverick.
Something was wrong. Something was very wrong, and Dianex could not let go of the feeling that there was nothing he could do about it. Xion had never expressed in words that she loved him before this moment, and she only ever hinted at her love for him in action, and other statements. But never directly and clearly.
Dianex was not prepared for what was happening.
"I love you too, Xion." Dianex could only respond while wiping her tears and smiling at her.
He gave her his first and only genuine smile. And his last.
Three days later….
Inside the training simulator. Dianex wiped the floor with the last simulated soldiers. And his body was covered in scars, bruises and blood from so many he slaughtered. This time he didn't kill any Heartless spuns. But mystical simulated mercenaries and soldiers. To bring out the killer in Stormur for when he faces off against human beings.
Dianex huffed and stood on one knee to relish his victory in training, brutingly.
"Well done Stormur. You're just a few steps away from your first mission." Saix spoke from the intercom.
"What's the next step?" Dianex growled while looking up.
"Before we discuss this. I am afraid that must bring grave news of one of our members of the Organization." Saix stated, as this was part of Xemnas's plan for Dianex. "The puppet…..The member known as Xion…..Has fallen."
Hearing those words made Dianex feel whatever resemblance of what humanity calls a heart, shatter in an instant. As the shocking neon tears rolled down his cheeks. He collapsed on his hands and knees which caused an EMP to emit from his hands. Then everything in the room began to burst in sparks of fire, pipes bursted and stationed similar androids began to short circuit and melt.
Saix was up behind hard steel glass in the control room. Smiling sinisterly at the sight. The hardest part in molding Stormur into a weapon of mass destruction and the eventual death of the Maverick.
It has been done.
"EIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Dianex let out a blood curdling scream that echoed loud throughout the fortress.
The love of his life. Xion was gone.
Present day in the round room….
Dianex sat on his knees in the middle of the meeting place of the Organization. With only Xemnas sitting on his throne. Looking down at one of his greatest accomplishments.
Dianex had his eyes closed while reflecting on how every battle he ever had with the Maverick hasn't brought him any closer to his destiny. He was made to destroy him. But no matter what, Maverick always outsmarted him.
"I know what you are thinking. You have come a long way to become the very tool that will dig the Maverick's grave. And yet no matter what, he always gets the better of you. If this is what you believe, then your potential is wasted." Xemnas stated.
Dianex didn't respond.
"Your failures are not your downfalls. But rather, it is a catalyst to improve and do better. I've seen your attempts. Every time you fail, you adapt. You hit harder. And every time you do. You may not see it, but the Maverick always stumbles much harder." Xemnas revealed. "So what do you think will happen if you hit your hardest? What happens if you get personal with him?"
"The only way I can get personal is with his family. And his home world is guarded by a cornerstone of light." Dianex said in a low tone.
"But his world welcomes him and anything that is him. What if his world won't be able to tell the difference between you and him?" Xemnas hinted.
Dianex opened his eyes as he now came up with an excellent idea. Based on Xemnas's facts. This time, Maverick won't be prepared.
This time. The Maverick will die.
Before the Guardians left for Hollow Bastion…..
After the Guardians got back from Twilight Town. After losing Namine's trail. The team came back to Castle Arendelle to rest and prepare and discuss where their next stop will be.
Aiden was with Elsa in her bedroom telling her all that's happened. Every now and then when he loses confidence, he feels the urge to. He always had his mother there when he needed her. Sometimes just to listen.
"So after we lost her trail. We're sort of just hoping another one pops out like a mole after hibernation. For now me and the team are just sitting and Waiting." Aiden stated while he was sitting on Elsa's bed and she was sitting on her chair listening to her son.
And sometimes a mother like Elsa doesn't need to be told when it comes anything else is going on with her son.
"And yet there's something else that's bothering you." Elsa stated, making Aiden look at her, slightly surprised. This got a chuckle out of her. "Oh come on Aiden, I'm your mother. I've had enough time to understand your tell signs."
"I try not to leave signs. I have potpourri for that." Aiden made a quick quip about bad smells. Then he sighed and added. "Sora...Spike is really good at his role. He made a large impression saving lives during his last business trip and now this one. But it was all centered around Riku."
"The one he grew up with?" Elsa asked.
"Yeah." Aiden took a deep breath then he spoke with a serious plea. "There's something I have to tell you and I need you to promise me, you won't say this to anyone else. Especially Sora."
This surprised Elsa, but she knew whatever he was about to tell her was serious. Aiden would usually say 'Sora' instead of 'Spike' only when it's serious.
"Of course. What is it?" Elsa said in a serious tone.
Aiden clasped his hands together.
"Before I met Sora. I've been having visions of his homeboy, falling in battle. Fighting some dude in a dark city. With a black robe. Every time I try to find a trail on Riku. It keeps leading me to the same rumor. And now after seeing whoever that hippie with the blue was. And hearing him mention best friend." Aiden looked up at his mother. "Bottom line, I don't think Riku made it."
Meaning he's dead.
"Ar-are you certain?" Elsa asked, slightly shaken, knowing the kind of impact this revelation could have on the team, specifically Sora and Kairi. "I mean... You said it yourself. That guy was probably just saying those things to get a rise out of you all."
"I only said that so that Sora wouldn't slip up and try to go look for him. If Riku was going to make his comeback, he would've by now. So far there have been sightings of Mickey being around Hollow Bastion, Twilight Town. Even in the Marvel World. But Riku is not with him for some reason." Aiden stated and affirmed. "Which can only mean one thing."
Riku really is dead, he thinks.
Elsa looked down at her hands in her lap before looking back up at Aiden. "Are you going to tell them?" She asked.
"No." Aiden stated which surprised Elsa. "They can't know. Not yet. They need to stay focused on stopping the Organization."
"Aiden, What if they find out from your enemies or they learn it from someone else? That you knew and didn't tell them?" Elsa said, crossing her arms with a firm look on her face. "It could cause a rift in the team."
"I know that. And the only people that know are me and you. And possibly Mickey and Organization." Aiden recalled. "Mickey showed up at one point and gave Sora a bag with money for the train that brought him to Yen Sid tower. For some reason he didn't tell him then. And there's a reason no one told Sora now."
Elsa just looked at her son for a moment before sighing in defeat.
"Okay Aiden. If you think this is the best course of action, I'll back you." Elsa said before taking on a sad look. "I just hope you're wrong about Riku, and that he's still alive."
"I hope so too. But...All we can do is hope. And it's all Spike has." Aiden nodded sadly. "But Spike is the first one in decades. Possibly centuries to start a Keychain big enough to save thousands, possibly billions of lives that fell into darkness. The first one to ever close the door to darkness. Sora doesn't just save lives, He brings out the best of all of them. And it's all centered around the hope that he will be back with Riku and Kairi on his home world."
Elsa nodded in understanding and replied. "I still believe he deserves to know."
"I know. And I know it's wrong for me to keep this from him and Kairi. But If he finds out. The spark that drives him to follow the light. The hope that makes his heart strong enough to bring down the Organization. That spark will die with Riku. If he loses hope, so will the team. Sora will do something reckless in quest for revenge." Aiden stated how keeping this secret was important. "And Riku's death will be for nothing."
Aidan believed Riku died for a reason. To stop the Organization from hurting others and ruining more lives. Like what happened to Aiden and his birth mother Amelia.
"You're not giving Sora enough credit." Elsa said, earning Aiden's interest. "You assume that when Sora finds out that it will in essence break him. But he has you and his other friends to help him through it. And Kairi... I know those two together will pull through anything."
"Except that the process of grief takes time and effort. I can't fill a foundation as wide as Sora's best friend." Aiden said with doubt. "Riku was the first person in Sora's life that he ever called family. I don't think this will break him. I know it will. And right now Spike and I have too much responsibility to change his course."
"Okay…. Maybe you're right. Maybe it will break him." Elsa stood up before walking towards the bed and sat right next to him. "But I think even then, the friends and family he's made during his journey, will help him put the pieces back together, and help him stay on course."
"But he'll still have a hole in his heart where Riku once was." Aiden said, looking at his mother. "And the pain he'll feel won't go away."
"But it will fade with time, and in the end, he'll have those who care about him to lean on." Elsa said before giving him a small smile. "Doesn't that remind you of someone else?"
Aiden snickered and grinned back. "Like looking at my very own action figure." He made a small remark which made Elsa giggle, including the next joke he made. "If I were an anime fanboy from TGI Fridays….With two double subway foot-longs for shoes."
Sora and Aiden do in fact have that drive in common. Aiden had when he saved many lives during his early years as the Maverick. Trying to get back home to his mother.
"You and Sora have a lot more in common than you think." Elsa smiled while holding his hand . "It'll be alright. Trust me. I know these things."
Aiden appreciated Elsa's confidence. But he held her hand and looked at her with his mind made up.
"I'm not worried about his reaction. I'm worried about the people he's going to save. Sora won't be there for him if he's too busy mourning or trying to get revenge." Aiden affirmed. "It's a risk I can't take. When all of this is over. I will tell him. But not now. He may hate my guts for not telling him then. But I know after he sees all the good we've done. What the team did to bring down the Nobodies, then maybe…... Maybe he'll understand."
Aiden believes no one has a heart more strong than Sora. And it's the same strong heart that changes the lives of every world they traveled through together.
"Always trying to look out for everyone, no Matter what" Elsa said with a sigh before smiling wryly. "It's something that both warms my heart, and aggravates me to no end."
"Well...Are you warm right now or aggravated?" Aiden humorously asked. "I can't tell due to your cold skin."
"Keep it up and you just might find out the hard way." Elsa threatened jokingly.
"Ouch...But. You do understand though, right?" Aiden asked in a hopeful tone. "Are we in agreement?"
"I understand. I don't completely agree with it. But I understand." Elsa nodded with a smile. "My lips are sealed."
"Thank you." Aiden nodded with a relieving smile as they shared a hug.
So far nothing went wrong between him and the team. Especially his friend Sora. And Aiden can only hope it remains that way when the time comes for secrets to spill.
"Present Day in Hollow Bastion….."
After they left Asnem's office and went through the corridors and made it outside. The Guardians were with King Mickey as they ran out across the postern and past the ramp onto the platform area that leads forward to the restoration site.
Just then Wedge ran across the exit ramp towards the team, looking both surprised and excited to see them while looking out of breath and covered in dirt and bruises.
"Guys! You made it!" Wedge yelled joyfully while he was catching his breath.
"Wedge? What's wrong?" Sora asked as he and the team were concerned to see him come up to them frantically.
Wedge huff with his hands on his knees.
"There's…*huff*...There are….*huff*...Thousands of Heartless! Coming from over the barren border! Most of them look like medieval Knights and Shinra soldiers!" Wedged stressed loudly how serious the situation really was.
"You know it's shitty situations like this That makes me miss the Dark Mongers and the Brood." Aiden exhaled at the thought of fighting more Heartless.
"And Taskmaster?" Victoria teased with a smirk.
"Hold that sharp tongue, Woman." Aiden pointed at her with a fake warning tone.
"Where's Jessie and Biggs?" Kairi asked.
"they're in town evacuating all the town's folks towards the shelters." Wedge answered.
"Good. We'll take it from here. You've been a big help wedge." Mickey replied in appreciation, which made Wedge relieved.
"Thanks. I'll head back to that computer and download every copy of Shinra's war machines." Wedge said while holding up a flash drive.
"And make sure no one gets in or out. We can't let anything happen to that computer or let anyone else get their hands on it." Victoria cautioned.
"You got it. Good luck Team!" Wedge beam and ran for Ansem's office.
"Hey….Was he calling us 'Team' or did he just invite himself in?" Donald frowned as they ran off toward the battle.
Once the team ran past the postern towards the restoration site. Which was a small rocky canyon cutting on two sides with one which was a hole in a giant wall. The Guardians spotted Leon with his gunblade and Aerith was with him holding her bow staff.
Leon was slashing and shooting at the group Armored Knight Heartless blocking the road. Leon was given his all while Aerith was spinning her staff like a professional and launching glowing round projectiles which emitted from her bow. Those glowing orbs seem to work as every Heartless she hits were vaporized.
"Heads up bug bags!" Aiden jumped in the air and landed hard on the group of Armored Knights, taking a lot of them out with a shock wave.
Sora came into the fight by running across the wall and joining Aiden in slicing up those Armored Knight Heartless while backing up Leon and Aerith who were both fighting.
Sora even did a trick by flipping over one and impaling it in the back with his keyblade, he threw the Heartless in the air and Aiden zoomed over to swing his keyblades at it like a baseball bat.
"Hey batter batter!" Aiden quipped as he swung his keyblades knocking the Heartless above Leon who aimed his gunblade and shot it down.
"Bang." Leon grinned.
After doing that a few more times with Aiden flipping and changing directions doing air tricks. It was working with thinning out the group of Heartless.
Mickey, Donald and Goofy were standing back to back taking on a small group of Heavy Heartless.
Mickey made the first move by jumping, flipping in the air and shooting a "Thunder!" Spell which took out one but knocked a few others down.
"Flair!" Donald responded but casting his magic flair spell from his mage staff at them which stunned five a little more.
"Charge!" Goofy ran out and shield bashed five of the Heavy Heartless which knocked them over like bowling pins. Then he'd toss his shield like Captain America but more cartoony as he would sometimes stumble but never missed.
"I am Groot!" Baby Groot was running around and jumping in the air with stick whips, cracking at some Armored Knight Heartless.. Which seemed to work as his wooden whips hurt and do more damage than cat-o-nine-tails
So far everyone was holding their own against the Heartless. But they kept coming.
"Kairi behind you!" Aerith pointed at a newly spawned group behind Kairi and Victoria.
Both girls turned around to see Dancer Nobody spawns. These looked like Arabian belly dancers with the pink attire and shoes with legs that danced like stringed jelly.
"Are they making fun of us?" Kairi inquired since they wore outfits like that earlier.
"Let's kick their ass." Victoria cracked her neck.
Then both girls ran up with their keyblades and slashed at the Dancer Nobodies but they spun around like lines in a circle which gave Victoria the means to strike them with lightning. But the Dancers spun in a different direction before they grabbed Kairi by the legs and Victoria by the hair making them yelp as they were flung around with the Dancers and kicked aside to the ground.
Victoria and Kairi tumbled but regained their fighting stance as Kairi spun in the air with her keyblade and slashed at three Dancers to get them spinning. Then Victoria turned into a stream of lava and spun as fast as the Dancers which caused them to melt.
Kairi grinned as she got the idea. So each time a Dancer spawned, she would stun them with any random attack leaving Victoria with an open door to burn them in the form of a streaming line of lava. After five Kairi would use a gravity spell on three more Dancer Nobodies which allowed Victoria to land back in her regular form and blow a mini volcano under them which burned them. Then she jumped, flipped and landed with her keyblade slammed down to the ground causing a shock wave to wipe out the rest.
Thus ending that short fight
"That's the last of them." Mickey stood back up.
"Come on! We need to head to the bailey!" Aerith urged everyone to follow her and Leon.
"Got it!" Sora nodded and he and the team followed them to the bailey.
Once they got there to the bailey, they saw a giant hole on the city wall, so the team went up to it and they could see a perfect view of the entire barren valley outside Hollow Bastion's borders. Vast and empty, covered in a midnight color on the rocky canons as far as the eyes can see. No signs of life with the exceptions of roads and areas for travelers from other cities. But even those were empty.
"Woah." Sora's eyes widened as he saw something over the horizon.
"You said it." Aiden agreed as he and the team saw what he saw.
Across the vast wasteland was a large army of Armored Knight Heartless and Surveillance Robot Heartless marching over to the city. No doubt to repeat history on the world of the Maverick's birth.
"That bitch doesn't know when she's had enough." Aiden snarled.
"What do you mean?" Sora asked, looking concerned about Aiden's anger.
"Who else was the last one to invade this town with thousands of Heartless?" Victoria reminded the team.
"Maleficent." Mickey glared out at the field.
Maleficent was the one who invaded and took Hollow Bastion over almost ten years ago. And she was the reason Aiden couldn't go home. Without a doubt Maleficent is back to repeat history before the Nobodies can write a new one.
"It won't end the same way. We won't let it." Aerith said with a determined stare and her staff gripped. "This is our home. And this time, we will fight for it."
"Damn right." Leon agreed as he clocked his gunblade.
"***k yeah." Aiden agreed as he shifted into Maverick.
Victoria shifted into Blaze while Sora and Kairi shifted into their armored forms. And everyone summoned their weapons and keyblades. Blaze split her keyblade into the form of katannas.
Armored Kairi split hers into a set of floral daggers that float around her.
Donald summoned his mage staff and Goofy summoned his shield.
Baby Groot formed wooden hammers on his tiny arms while growling on the ground.
Mickey looked at the coming threat with a serious look as he threw off his black coat and revealed his keybladers outfit. Which consisted of a short-sleeved jacket with white lining. The top half of this jacket was black, while the bottom half was red, and there were two yellow straps dangling in front of it. His pants were red and sported a zipper going down the front of each leg. Each leg also had a yellow pouch with a black strap that partially covered the zipper, as well as a blue strap on the outer side of each pant leg. Mickey also wore very large, yellow shoes with grey backs and two orange, intersecting straps attached to the front of each shoe.
And in his hand was a keyblade just like Sora's. But golden like a pure gold bar. And a golden keychain with a Mickey emblem hanging on the handle.
Armored Sora discovered a new drive form on his mystical outfit. Courtesy of King Mickey as he activated it. "Give me strength!" He yelled as his Armored form shifted into gold armor and he was holding two keyblades. One was his Kingdom Key and the other was the Star Seeker. And he stood looking good while Kairi admired his new look.
And finally, Maverick held his keyblades but shifted his ice keyblade into an ice laser pistol and he cocked it while holding his main keyblade.
"Let's go cream the floor with monsters." Maverick grinned as the team rolled out into battle.
As the army of Heartless marched towards the city. Avalanche, the Restoration committee and the Guardians of the Multiverse clashed with Heartless and began to hold them off with everything they got.
Yuffie was down there jumping in the air tossing Shurikens at three Armored Knight Heartless taking them out instantly. But then Yuffie fell on the ground when a Surveillance robot Heartless stunned her ankle. Suddenly as SR Heartless was about to attack Yuffie again. It was immediately blasted by an energy ball flung from Aerith's staff. Yuffie looked up to see Aerith run over to her and use her healing materia orb to heal Yuffie's bruises and her sprained ankle. Yuffie smiled in appreciation as Aerith helped her back up and they both got back into the fight as they charged for more Heartless.
Barret was down at another column road using his minigun arm to shred through so many Heartless, including using focused shots and triple blasts from the center cannon to blow SR Heartless out of the sky and crash into multiple AR Heartless. Barret was surrounded, but they couldn't stand a chance against the proud leader of Avalanche, bullets were flying as he spun and turned in different directions, destroying the Heartless left and right.
"That's right assholes! The weather's cloudy with a chance of bullets!" Barret jested in excitement and thrill as he destroyed every Heartless in his path.
Blaze and Kairi joined up as a pair as they ran into battle. Blaze swayed her hands clearing their path of Heartless with waves of fire scorching them so Kairo could run through and strike six SR Heartless with ice ball spells from her keyblade daggers. While tossing ten daggers into several approaching Armored Knight Heartless.
Suddenly in a clear area of battle in front of the two girls. a dark portal opened. Stepping out was the lowlife Organization member they faced back in Hades' Underworld. Demyx, he was a little staggered to see he was about to fight the girls instead.
"Uh...Hey there! You ladies are looking quite lively." Demyx greeted trying to act smooth and casual.
Which made the girls look unamused and want to vomit.
"Scram James Dean. Or else I'll air fry your eyeballs." Blaze ignited her hands to intimidate Demyx, which seemed to work as he was startled.
"Yeah we aren't looking to date a wimp who doesn't have the balls to even fight a girl." Kairi mocked with her arms crossed and a smirk.
Demyx glared at her. "You shouldn't judge anyone by appearance." He held his finger up to her like he was scolding.
Then both girls stood in a fighting stance to warn Demyx not to do anything stupid, because he already crossed the line.
"Either you let us pass. Or we'll pass over your ashes." Victoria warned.
Demyx staggered fearful and groaned as he turned around to talk to himself. "Ugh...I told them they were sending the wrong guy….Why didn't they send Stormur instead?" He muttered while quivering.
Blaze and Kairi stood back up and gave him some weird looks as they found him to be just weird and pathetic.
"Who is this dweeb?" Kairi inquired.
"Sheesh. Even without a heart, This shrimp could even get killed by a nerf gun." Victoria snorted.
Demyx turned. "Oh we do too have hearts! Don't be mad…." He retorted.
"Right. And I'm Sleeping Beauty?" Kairi scoffed with her arms crossed.
Technically Kairi was asleep at one point losing her heart. But no one needs to remind her.
Demyx stood back up and remembered who Nobody Kairi used to have. Or rather Sora's memories of her. The members of the Organization remember. Even if everyone else that betrayed them doesn't.
"Silence traitor." Demyx pointed at Kairi with his eyes narrowed. Which made Kairi glare back.
Then Demyx formed a watery bubble around himself which formed into his magical air guitar. Then the girls stood against Demyx and clashed with him as he summoned water musical notes to bounce and fight at his sight. Creating duplicates of himself to fight Kairi and Blaze.
"Yah!" Kairi roundhouse kicked a Demyx Duplicate in the balls making it's eyes pop out and then it vanished.
Before she tossed a keyblade dagger into another Demyx Duplicate's butt, making it jump and holler like a girl while covering it's butt before it vanished.
Kairi was right. Demyx is a wimp.
Back over on another side. Leon was standing back to back with Cloud as they held out their large swords against so many Armored Knight Heartless. They both have the skill and confidence to take them down.
"Think you can handle so many?" Leon asked with a grin with his gunblade held out.
"Well….Might be tough if one more shows up." Cloud remarked while doing the same with his buster sword.
"Hmmm...Then that'll have to be the one I take care of." Leon smirked.
"What? You're fighting too?" Cloud inquired with a little humor in his dry voice.
Leon snickered before they both clashed and started slashing and dashing at the Heartless. As each one kept coming to try and attack them. One tried to do a 'jump rush' attack down on Leon, but he shot that one down before he spun and slashed five more Heartless.
Cloud performed final judgment slash attacks. Triple slashes and focus slashes on multiple Armored Knight Heartless. Over and over he would jump, spin, parry and slash at every incoming Heartless while not giving them a chance.
Butas more Armored Knight Heartless spawn up from behind both Leon and the Merc. Ready to attack them from both sides.
"Heads up!" They heard, as Tifa landed on several of the Heartless and joined the fight. Both guys nodded as they continued on their ends, switching places every now and then to keep up their fighting pace.
Tifa began to punch, kick and slammed the Heartless down with the use of her materia unbridled strength. She delivered multiple amounts of her signature moves. The 'Rise and Fall' attack which ends with a strong kick. The 'Chi Trap' which sucked five Heartless in a whirling orb for her to beat the crap out of with a flurry of punches. The 'Overpower' which consisted of multiple punches that took out six more. The 'Divekick' that took down an AR Heartless. And a 'Focus Strike' and 'Starshower' that cleared the road for the boys to finish off the rest. With fast punches and strong multi kicks.
That and Tifa looked hot while doing it, with the white tank top, midriff and busts. That was perfectly covered…..
She was busting Heartless with her fists while Leon and Cloud covered her and vice versa.
Meanwhile back with Kairi and Blaze. It didn't take long for them to finish off Demyx as Kairi tossed Demyx into the air. And delivered and air kick, sending him over to Blaze who floated in the air as she slashed her keyblade katannas at Demyx who shrieked in pain, before she struck him down with a lightning strike just from the wave of her hand.
"AAAAH!" Demyx screamed as he fell and crashed to the ground. Then he dropped his weapon as he noticed, his hand was withering away in petals of darkness. "No! Nooooo waaaaaay Aaaaaaahhhhhhh!"
Demyx collapsed and screamed as water and darkness formed around him and he faded from existence. That's another member gone from the Organization. Lost to two badass femme fatals.
"Don't mess with the best!" Kairi beamed.
"Hell yeah! Let's go find some more Heartless!" Blaze agreed, feeling the thrill as she flew off and Kairi jumped into the air using her freeflow abilities to follow her.
Down at the Crystal Fissure…..
With Avalanche, the Restoration Committee and the two female members of Guardians taking care of making sure the army never crosses the border to Hollow Bastion. Sora, Donald, Goofy, Mickey and Maverick were together at the passageway to a large barren area in the great maw. Where they saw a larger number of Heartless approaching from three rows separated by rocky mountain walls.
"Oh boy. Seconds." Maverick quipped seeing the army approach.
Suddenly the army of Heartless Armored Knights and Surveillance Robots stopped in their tracks and halted completely.
"Huh?!" Mickey was confused as the rest of them to see that.
"What's with them?!" Sora inquired.
"Did I say a secret stop phrase or something?" Maverick asked with an eyebrow raised.
"Hey!" Goofy pointed up high above the mountain ridge.
They looked up to where he was pointing to see a dark portal open and reveal none other than the one they had disclosed. The one who was calling the shots.
"It's the guy who's not Ansem!" Donald gasped, as the guy let his hood down to reveal his face.
"You mean it's his Nobody!" Goofy added.
"The leader of Organization XIII." Sora understood as the leader grinned down at them. He could see them.
"What's with the Death Note silver hair cut?" Maverick inquired about Xemnas's hair style
Then it dawned on Mickey.
"Wait a minute! Now I know!" Mickey realized.
Flashback to almost ten years back in Hollow Bastion…..
Mickey came to finish Ansem in his office as the good professor and leader was at his desk eating sea salt ice cream.
"Wise Ansem. I'm here to seek your advice." Mickey stated.
After they took time to discuss the matters at hand. Ansem was in agreement with King Mickey.
"I am glad we have the opportunity to speak like this my friend. After dealing with Zanderhall's destruction and the disasters that struck. I am intrigued by your hypothesis. And I am finding it difficult to stave off the urge to test it." Ansem replied to the king. "Still, I am concerned about the stability of the multiverse."
"Yeah. That's what worries me too." Mickey shared Ansem's concern.
"The doors that appeared, the place the Heartless seek. I fear my research may have brought this upon us." Ansem pondered as he held his forehead feeling worried for the safety of his own world as well.
Then they both heard a knock as Ansem's apprentice came in respectively. And with a bow to him and King Mickey.
"Master Ansem. Regarding the experiment I presented the other day…." The Apprentice said. "With your permission, I'd like to proceed-"
"I forbid it!" Ansem the wise interrupted with a slam of his palm on the desk as he stood up and added. "Forget this talk of doors and the heart of all worlds. That place must not be defiled."
"But Master Ansem! I have been thinking…" His Apprentice insisted.
"Xehanort. Those thoughts are best forgotten." Ansem said sternly to his Apprentice.
The guy in the picture.
Back in the present day…..
"Now I remember! Xehanort! Ansem's apprentice! The leader of Organization XIII is Xehanort's Nobody!" Mickey stated looking up at the leader.
"The files in the DTD call him Xemnas. On account of him taking after his mentor, and spamming his name." Maverick stated.
Just then the Heartless resumed and advanced toward the heroes.
"Let's get him!" Mickey summoned his Keyblade.
"Charge!" Donald and Goofy yelled as they went with Mickey on one side of Heartless.
"Hey Aid?! You got any sweet tracks for this moment?!" Sora asked as they were running into battle.
"Just try and stop me." Maverick quipped as he played a track and projected giant neon speakers over the battlefield.
(No Sleep Till Brooklyn - Beastie Boys)
No sleep 'til
Brooklyn!
Armored Sora ran into one row of Heartless while Maverick ran into another.
Sora began to slash at so many Armored Knight Heartless, jumping and flipping while in his gold master form as he used both keyblades to slash and take out dozens of Heartless.
Foot on the pedal never ever false metal
Engine running hotter than a boiling kettle
My job's ain't a job, it's a damn good time
City to city I'm running my rhymes
Maverick was sending waves of neon drill blades one after another through dozens of Armored Knight Heartless while sending falling ice stones on top of AR Heartless.
On location, touring around the nation
Beastie Boys always on vacation
Itchy trigger finger but a stable turntable
I do what I do best because I'm willing and able
Mickey, Donald and Goofy felt happy to be back together as they swung so many different attacks and magic spells at the Heartless. Goofy swinging his shield like a silly version of Captain America. Donald using thunder, fire and lighting spells like a grumpy Doctor Strange. And Mickey jumping and flipping in the air while slashing and attacking like a Mouse Yoda.
Ain't no faking, your money I'm taking
Going coast to coast watching all the girlies shaking
While you're at the job working nine to five, The Beastie Boys at the Garden - cold kickin' it live
They all displayed greatness as they took down so many Heartless and the numbers were climbing.
No sleep 'til -
Another place - another train
Another bottle in the brain
Another girl - another fight
Another drive all night
Sora snagged an AR Heartless and performed a Sparkle Ray attack and spun the heartless around as it shot it's death ray at so many enemies before Sora tossed it aside. Then he pressed his keyblades together and slammed it into the ground to make it stick out like a flagpole. Then hebused his freeflow ability to spin around it while kicking and stepping on so many approaching Armored Knight Heartless.
Our manager's crazy, he always smokes dust
He's got his own room at the back of the bus
Tour around the world, you rock around the clock
Plane to hotel, girls on the jock
Maverick flipped and twirled like a ninja as the spun his keyblades like helicopter blades and used them to slash so many enemies down and flew up to freeze five AR Heartless and pushed them to crash down on top of more enemy Heartless like cold meteors.
We're thrashing hotels like it's going out of style
Getting paid along the way cause it's worth your while
Four on the floor - Adrock's out the door
M.C.A.'s in the back because he's skeezin' with a whore
We got a safe in the trunk with money in a stack
With dice in the front and Brooklyn's in the back
Why won't you take my ride
Sora performed multiple Rising Sun attacks as he zoomed past so many Heartless, vaporizing them as he showed no signs of fatigue. Then he snagged another AR Heartless and performed another Sparkle Ray attack.
No sleep 'til
No sleep 'til
Brooklyn!
No sleep 'til
Brooklyn!
Maverick formed himself into strings of neon as he wrapped around so many Armored Knight Heartless and tightened the ropes to crumble them and crush them. Then he turned back and Jumped high in the air and performed multiple neon dives. Forming mushroom clouds of neon that wiped out so many Heartless as he kept dive bombing down on them like destructive rain.
Ain't seen the light since we started this band
M.C.A. - get on the mic my man
Born and bred Brooklyn - U.S.A
They all me Adam Yauch - but I'm M.C.A
Donald and Goofy used spinning fireball spells and ran like trains past the Heartless while Mickey rode on Goofy Shoulders to leap in the air and bounce on top of so many AR Heartless in the air before he spun like a drill and dive bombed into more Heartless wiping more out.
Like a lemon to a lime - a lime to a lemon
I sip the def ale with all the fly women
Got limos, arena, TV shows
Autograph pictures and classy **s
Sora hovered as he spun his keyblades in so many directions impaling and slashing every last Heartless in his path. By the time there were no more. Sora still had enough energy to 'clean house' around the entire planet if he had to.
Step off homes - get out of my way
Taxing little girlies form here to L.A
Waking up but I get to sleep
Cause I'll be rocking this party eight days a week
Maverick used his super speed to run around in different directions with his keyblade and pistol shooting at so many Heartless and slashing them. Including the ones in the air as he bursts speed through all of them. Making them collapse.
No sleep 'til
No sleep 'til
Brooklyn!
No sleep 'til
Brooklyn!
No sleep 'til
Brooklyn!
No sleep 'til
Brooklyn!
Yeahh!
Thus the battle was concluded when there wasn't a trace of Heartless left. Leaving just the many that the other team members and supporters of this world to take care of. They could go and help them out, but right now they need to go after Xemnas.
Sora huffed as he shifted out of his armor, but his Master Drive form was still own as his keyblader outfit was still gold.
Maverick came up to him as he shifted back into Aiden. Along with Mickey, Donald and Goofy. Who all looked just slightly exhausted.
"Whoo! What a rush!" Sora beamed.
"Alright, how many did everyone kill?! I took down 700!" Maverick bragged
"We took down 200 each!" Donald beamed.
"Which adds up to 500….I think." Goofy pondered as he counted.
"More like 600 Goofy." Mickey chuckled as he corrected.
"Ah phooey." Donald pouted as they got less than Aiden.
"Well….." Sora smirked while he leaned on his two keyblades and wiped his knuckles against his shirt looking cocky. "I took down 1'000."
Which shocked everyone!
"What?! One thousand Heartless?!" Donald exclaimed in shock.
"Woah Spike! I think I just lost my WWE weight set!" Maverick quipped as he was both shocked and impressed as he patted his back. "You've gotten even stronger than the day we met."
"Way to go Sora!" Mickey complimented him.
"Thanks guys." Sora smiled at his friends.
"But we're not done yet. Let's go and deal with Xemnas." Mickey suggested before they could celebrate.
"Right!" They all nodded and ran off with Mickey towards where they saw Xemnas.
Down at the Dark Depth…..
At a cliffy dead end. Which felt like the end of a barren road. Which was about to feel even more barren as the heroes gained up on Xemnas. Who of course didn't run or even acknowledge them as his back was too anyone.
Xemnas the entire time was smiling as the team took out all of those Heartless. Not knowing that they were falling for his plans. His dark plans.
"Xehanort!" Mickey yelled out to him.
Xemnas sighed as he lifted his eyes to the sky.
"How long has it been since I abandoned that name?" Xemnas stated.
"Out with it Nobody! Where's Riku?!" Sora demanded.
"Spike, focus. We got him right where we needed him." Aiden hissed to his friend.
Now wasn't the time for that secret to spill.
"Hmmm….Perhaps you should ask your King. Or better yet." Ansem turned and gestured at Aiden. "You should ask the Maverick, your so-called friend."
Sora looked confused as he looked at Aiden who was hiding guilt and down at Mickey who glared at Xemnas.
"Stop!" Mickey shouted as he ran towards Xemnas.
Then the Organization lead quickly opened a dark portal which wasn't fast enough as Mickey jumped right into it. And they both vanished.
"YOUR MAJESTY!" Donald and Goofy screamed in horror as King Mickey vanished.
"NOO!" Sora shouted. Then he fell in defeat and slammed his fists in the ground. Goofy held Sora's shoulder to comfort him. "He's gone."
"Sora…." Donald crooned sadly.
Aiden stood where they disappeared. That was their finish line that went away. Their chance to end all of this. Gone along with Mickey. All they could see now were the ruins of Maleficent's old fortress. Where Sora and his team claimed victory over the Door to Darkness. But now. This is a short lived finale. Because they have nowhere else to continue. Sora's keyblade didn't open a path and there was no other sign to go on.
This was a bigger dead end then when they lost Namine
"GOD DAMMIT!" Aiden screamed as a burst of neon emitted from his body which startled Donald and Goofy while they stood sadly.
"It's okay Aiden. Another way will come to us. I'm sure of it." Goofy assured him.
"Aiden?" Sora looked up at his friend. "What did he mean? When he said to ask you and the king?"
Aiden gripped his fists and turned to Aiden with a frown. He didn't want to break Sora's heart. But now that they're stuck with no other trace to go on. He deserved to know.
"Shit….Spike…..I swear I didn't mean to keep this from you." Aiden said with earnest honesty.
"What? What have you been hiding from me? Hiding from Kairi?!" Sora was starting to get upset as he stood up and glared at Aiden. "You knew where he was and you didn't tell me?!"
"How could I?! Look at all we've done! They would've taken you too!" Aiden glared back. "How many pitfalls are you willing to fall in before you realize you can't bring him back?!"
"WHAT ARE YOU NOT TELLING ME?!" Sora bellowed while Donald and Goofy stood with worried looks.
"If you two are done raving. Can you see you all fell into their trap?" They heard a voice snort as they turned to see none other than Axel. Who was leaning against a wall.
The trio stood in a fighting stance ready to take them while Aiden teleported between them and held his hand out to them.
"Hold it guys! He's not here to fight." Aiden stated.
"Aiden, what are you doing?!" Sora inquired.
"Out of the way!" Donald barked.
"Come on it's a set-up by Organization XIII. Xemnas is using you to destroy as many Heartless as you can. That's his big master plan." Axel sarcastically stated as he approached them.
"Why?" Donald inquired.
"Organization XIII wants to get rid of the Heartless?" Goofy inquired in confusion as the team eased up to listen.
Axel rolled his eyes and sighed with his hand on his hip. "Man, you're slow. Every Heartless slain with those keyblades you all keep using, releases a captive heart." He gestures at Sora's keyblade. "That is what the Organization is after."
Aiden's eyes widened as he understood, after reading their plans on Ansem's computer, to create a new Kingdom Hearts. A Kingdom Hearts that would doom the entire multiverse. They were a part of the plan all along! They played right into the Organization's hands!
"We've been getting them closer to opening Pandora's box all along." Aiden realized.
"Bingo! Got it memorized?" Axel mused with a smirk as he tapped his forehead.
"Oh I got a lot more than that memorized, Genderbend Erza Scarlet." Aiden scoffed with his arms crossed.
"And more than enough to not share." Sora snorted at Aiden
"Not now Spike." Aiden hissed back and looked at Axel. "Listen, Axel right? I can bring them back."
"Come again?" Axel raised his eyebrow.
"I can bring back Roxas and Xion." Aiden stated which took Axel left.
"Say What?!" Axel said in shock which surprised the other team mates.
"Oh so you know who Roxas is too?!" Sora exclaimed.
"Shut up Spike!" Aiden snapped at Sora before he looked at Axel. "You don't have to bring down Sora to do it. The Replica program. I perfected it. I can bring them back whole. I can even make you whole!"
Axel was not expecting this. All this time running from the Organization and interfering with their plans. He never thought he could find it easy to be back with his best friend. But where has he heard that other name? He doesn't know anyone name Xion.
"Roxas….Xion?" Axel looked down and felt confused by that last name, and then gave Aiden a skeptical look. "You're bluffing."
"Try me. I know you and Roxas were best friends. It doesn't have to end in a fight or you following them." Aiden assured and held his hand out. "Come with us. I can take you to them. They're almost just an hour away from waking up."
Axel took a deep breath and pondered what to do next while Sora, Donald and Goofy were completely lost. Aiden always hated the Nobodies and saw them as nothing more than the monsters that killed his mother. Why is he willing to help Axel?
"Axel!" They heard another voice as Axel turned to see Saix appear.
""Uh oh!" Axel quickly panicked and vanished into a Dark Portal.
"Wait!" Aiden yelled out.
Sora tried to run after him but Siax blocked his path with his arm.
"We'll ensure he receives the maximum punishment." Saix assured as Axel vanished.
"Like he needs a spanking from you and your ass wipe boss! What have you done to Namine?!" Aiden demanded.
"Her safety is not your concern." Saix responded as he turned to face Aiden.
"I decide what my concerns are." Aiden snarled.
"Clearly." Sora muttered feeling betrayed that Aiden is keeping secrets from him.
"We're taking good care of Namine. To ensure that she doesn't interfere." Saix stated. "We'll also have Axel soon enough."
"I don't care about any of that! Just let me into the Realm of Darkness okay?!" Sora pleaded in frustration.
"Why? To find Riku? What is he to you?" Saix inquired.
"A brother." Sora grimaced and pleaded with his fists balled. "Please."
"Spike don't." Aiden warned him knowing where this was going.
"No Sora! It's what he wants!" Goofy pleaded.
"In that case…." Saix opened a dark portal leading to the Dark Realm. Where the Heartless dwell. "You will have to destroy as many Heartless as possible. In order to get to Riku."
"Sora no!" Donald gasped.
"And you get to keep the ***king hearts?!" Aiden snapped at Saix who just grinned in return. "Spike, don't do it! It's not worth sacrificing the entire multiverse!"
"So that's what I am to you? I'm a galactic tool? And your some elitist prick that can pick me apart?" Sora glared at Aiden.
"It's not like that." Aiden insisted.
"Like hell it isn't! You've been lying to me since day one! You knew where Riku was! Haven't you?!" Sora raged at Aiden.
"I Knew! I knew what happened to Riku!" Aiden admitted. "But he is not down there!"
"Why should I? How do I know you're not lying to me now?!" Sora demanded.
"I gave more then just my word to give!
"Sora please, listen to him!" Goofy pleaded as they knew this was a bad idea.
"This is getting out of hand!" Donald feared.
"You're gonna listen to me!" Aiden stepped up to Sora and jabbed his finger at him. "You are about to lose everything you have left! WE are about to lose everything we have left! If you step one ***king foot through that portal!"
Saix just stood there grinning as this played out while the portal stayed open.
"Because only God knows I haven't haven't lost everything in this world. Because we were being stupid." Aiden snarled referring to the day he lost his mother on the very grounds they stand on.
Sora flinched a bit hearing Aiden reference what he lost in this world. But at the same time, he felt like Aiden was taking advantage of him. So he scowled and knocked Aiden's hand away.
"We're done." Sora stated.
Thus ending their friendship.
"Don't take another step." Aiden hissed with a heated glare.
"And I'm done listening to you." Sora snarled.
"I SAID STOP!" Aiden screamed as he shot a burst of ice at Sora.
But Sora deflected the blast which bounced off and hit Donald and Goofy. Freezing them in blocks of ice. "Sora!" They screamed as they froze in place.
"Donald! Goofy!" Sora yelled in fear for his two best friends and then glared at Aiden who zoomed up and knocked him aside as he shifted into the Maverick and protected an ice wall to block the portal to the Dark Realm.
"Step aside." Sora demanded as he stood back up and shifted into his armored form while still in his Master Drive and held up two keyblades.
"After you stand down." Maverick warned as he held his two keyblades.
"Not a chance." Armored Sora snarled.
Then they both jumped into the air clashed. Saix watched as the clash between two heroes began. While Donald and Goofy remained Frozen in place as their eyes followed the fight. Watching in terror as their pals were now fighting.
"Order vs Chaos. Law vs Independence." Saix stated feeling victorious with all of this happening.
Sora Vs The Maverick.
Maverick and Armored Sora were clashing Nd clinging their two keyblades with fast pace and precision as they didn't miss a step. Twirling and spinning their keyblades as Sora kicked Maverick into he air only for him to flip and land back down. Then the clashing of their weapons continued as Maverick was wallking backwards and Sora was pushing him ahead while fighting him. Then Sora slashed at an opening and knocked Maverick six feet away as he stumbled and regained his stance.
Sora then roared as he struck him with a thunder spell, but Maverick blocked the lightning and beam a ray of ice at Sora. But Sora uses his freeflow ability to projected an interdimensional shield and beam it back at Maverick's leg. Making him stumble. Then Maverick broke out of the ice and flew into Sora, forcing Sora high in the sky as he gripped Sora's neck making him choke. But Sora punched Maverick several times in the face and kicked him in his stomach making him grunt as Sora got the upper hand and used his keyblades to slash at Maverick's metal face multiple times. Scraping his screen eyes as he recoiled multiple times.
Maverick crashed first into a mountain that shattered into multiple pieces as he got back up in time to block Sora's incoming attack from his two keyblades. Maverick then used a neon pistol to stun Sora in the face twice.
"Gah!" Sora hissed as his face felt like it was being electrocuted from those blasts as he wiped his face to see Maverick slam him and pin him to the ground.
"How many lives are you willing to sacrifice to get him back?! That's blue haired hipster is lying to you!" Maverick pressed.
"No! You are!" Sora yelled back as he fought to get out of Maverick's grip.
Maverick wanted to tell Sora the real truth. The whole truth. But seeing that Sora was willing to enter the dark room and kill as many heartless as possible to get a Riku back, which will further the Organization's plans to create a new Kingdom Hearts and sacrifice many lives.
Aiden wanted to know that Sora wasn't willing. That he won't put the multiverse at risk for one life. It felt like Sora was being selfish. The same beings that killed Aiden's mother, is Sora really willing to doom all life just to desperately save Riku? A guy who is already dead no less?
He won't let that happen!
While Sora was realizing that Aiden had been lying to him about Riku. He knew where he was and he could've told Sora. Where is he?! Is he okay?! Is he in pain?! Lost?! Hungry?! Alone?! Helpless?! Or is Riku…..No! Sora wasn't going to believe that. He had to know the truth! At the same time he was wondering why was Aiden defending the enemy? Why would Aiden believe what these dishonest monsters would say? If they need to collect hearts? Why not do it themselves? Why do they need his keyblade and his friends keyblades?
And if they do need Sora and his friends, then why has the Organization been trying to kill them. It didn't make any since to Sora.
All the more reason why he doesn't believe anyone them. Not Aiden, not Axel. Not the Organization! He won't stop until he brings Riku back to him and Kairi.
So Sora pushed Aiden off and they resumed clashing and fighting.
Back Down at the Great Maw…
As Blaze and Kairi took down the last of the Heartless. They stood around the battle field to see it completely clear. Everything that was going to threaten Hollow Bastion and start a new apocalypse around them. Has been vanquish. Whoever sent them will be next. But for now, they felt a since of victory, as Leon, Yuffie, Cloud, Tifa, Aerith and Barret stood together with Blaze and Kairi.
Wedge, Biggs and Jessie were standing in town with the rest of the citizens which included Scrooge McDuck. Huey, Dewey and Louie. Sid and Merlin.
They knew who saved them.
"LET'S HEAR FOR AVALANCHE AND THE GUARDIANS! HAHA!" Wedge cheered with his fists pumped in the air.
The crowd of people cheered as their city was saved. Jessie and Biggs cheered as well.
Huey, Dewey and Louis didn't waste time to celebrate to put there sell stands up and the duck trio started to sell their merchandise while the crowd was ripe for the taking. By that it means their wallets.
"Step right up folks! We've got all the Guardians and Avalanche merchandise up for sale! Hey there Sonny would you like to by a cranky wanky Donald plushie or a Maverick swears-a-lot action figure?! It's complete with all the swear words including the ones Mommy never knew about!" Louie announced as they started selling. "We also got hundreds in stock for Sora's original yellow shoes! Perfect for cosplay! No they're not from King Mickey's wardrobe!"
Like uncle, like nephews.
Down below the team were celebrating with cheers and giving each other props. Blaze shifted back into Victoria and Kairi shifted out of her Armored form.
"We did it!" Aerith beamed.
"Yeah! Whoo hoo! Take that Heartless bums!" Yuffie beamed in excitement.
"Duh duh duh duuuhhh duuuhhh duuuhhh duh duh duh-duh!" Barret sang his signature fan fair with his fist up.
"Not bad Tori!" Kairi shared a girl hug with Victoria.
"Not bad yourself girlfriend." Victoria complemented her as she hugged back.
As Cloud sheathed his sword behind his back. Tifa came over to grab his left hand while Aerith grabbed his right hand. They both shared concern for the Merc.
"Are you okay Cloud?" Tifa asked.
"I'm fine. But Sephiroth….He was never here." Cloud said grimly as he was disappointed to not find his old colleague.
"Awe. Don't mood about it tough guy. We'll find him. Together." Aerith said nicely with a warm smile as she held his hand in comfort.
"And we do mean together this time." Tifa said sternly with a smile and wink as she wrapped her arms around his arm.
Victoria and Kairi looked confused as both Tifa and Aerith were sweet and acting like their really close to Cloud. While Tifa seemed more intimate.
"Um I hope it's okay to ask. But...I thought you two were in a relationship." Kairi gestured Tifa and Aerith as she was trying to understand.
"Oh it's actually me and Cloud." Tifa clarified as she kissed his cheek.
"Yep. And I'm their compassionate motivator." Aerith beamed and smiled."Besides. They're both perfect together."
Earlier the Guardians thought Cloud and Aerith were in a romantic relationship. Instead it turned out to be Tifa. Makes sense even if the earlier signals were a little misleading.
"Okay sure whatever works." Victoria shrugged and saluted Cloud and Tifa. "Good luck to both of you."
"Yeah. I'm happy for you too." Kairi chirped and gave them two thumbs up. She seemed okay with it.
"I am Groot." Baby Groot was one the ground giving a thumbs up and a smirk to Cloud and Tifa.
"Awe." Aerith gushed at how cute little tree was.
"Thanks little guy." Tifa smiled at Baby Groot with a slight giggle.
Just as they were celebrating their victory. An explosion was seen and heard over the horizon.
*BOOOM!*
Everyone staggered to see a mushroom cloud of neon in the distance which made Kairi and Victoria worry.
"IRIS what's happening?" Victoria asked feeling worried about Aiden.
'You need to get over there fast! It is serious!' IRIS stressed which made the girl run down to the explosion as fast as they could. Baby Groot hopped on Kair's shoulder and rode the rest of the way.
While the others stayed with different looks of worry and curiosity.
Back down at the Dark Depth…..
Sora was unleashing a flurry of different punches, slashes and kicks into Maverick who was backed up against a wall taking all the hits. Maverick tried fighting back, but he didn't want to give Sora his all for risk of possibly hurting him. Sora was already covered in cuts and bruises under the armor from the fight. Maverick didn't want to hurt him. But he was being left woth no other alternatives.
'You can't beat him hand-to-hand.' IRIS stated to Maverick as he was taking a beating.
"Ugh! Analyze his fight pattern!" Maverick commanded while taking a few more hits.
'Scanning….Countermeasures ready.' IRIS stated as she displayed Sora's data and combat analysis on Maverick's screen.
Then Maverick caught Sora's Keyblade with a strong grip of his hand.
"Let's kick his ass." Maverick quickly said.
Then he delivered a four combo punch to Sora's chest and face. Then he shot a neon stun round in his torso and kicked Sora's knee to make him fall.
"Agh!" Sora grunted as he fell on his side.
Sora slowly sat up as he was huffing and having it difficult to breath in the armor.
"He's…..My friend." Sora wheezed.
"I know. And so am I." Maverick said as he was feeling sympathy for Sora then he reached his hand out to Sora. "Please Spike. Give me a chance to tell you everything. No more lies this time."
Sora looked back over at the open portal where Saix was still standing and watching. And he could still think about Riku. He wanted to save him no matter what.
"I've seen enough. And when it comes to my friends….I never get up on them!" Sora trip kicked Maverick as he fell and hit his head on a hard stone.
Then Sora got up on Maverick and punched him three times in the face and then slashed his Keyblade on his face and chest. Cracking a few ribs making him grunt and yell out in pain. And just as Sora lifted his Keyblade and pointed it straight to his face. He pinned Maverick down to the ground
"I'm going to save him." Sora snarled as he had Maverick pinned
Sora won the fight. He beat Maverick in the fight. And Maverick knew. Maverick just didn't have the heart to give his all, because he still cared about Sora like a friend.
So he had no choice.
"HE'S DEAD!" Maverick screamed out.
Sora felt his heart stop as he his eyes widened while he still had Maverick pinned down.
"What are you talking about?" Sora said in shock as he lets go of his grip on Maverick and stood back.
Maverick groaned as he rolled on his side and struggled to sit up.
"IRIS. Display last event archives on the keyblader Riku." Maverick ordered.
'At once.' IRIS obeyed.
Then IRIS displayed a file on Riku with his picture that had the title 'Deceased' displayed on the front. Including a photo of Riku's last moment. Evidence of Xemnas killing Riku in battle. With a stab in the stomach with an Ethereal Blade. Everything Sora needed to know, Aiden was telling the truth.
"No." Sora whispered in shock as he shifted out of his armored form.
Saix knew the real truth. And the fact that he and Xigbar planned that evidence in the DTD. But making them think this worked right in there hands.
"Mission accomplished." Saix grinned as he dropped the portal and vanished in thin air.
Sora fell on his knees and gripped his hair feeling intense grief. His best friend. His brother. The first person he ever called family. His role model. The person he looked up to. Riku was gone? No. This wasn't possible!
But the sad truth is always the most real.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Sora screams of rage and grief echoed throughout the mountains before.
Maverick shifted back into Aiden as he too was covered in scars and bruises, only his were healing. Aiden looked cover and thawed Donald and Goofy out of the ice, they shivered a bit but the cold left them completely thanks to Sora's magic.
They both looked sadly to Sora as they heard and saw the whole thing.
Victoria and Kairi ran up to them. But Sora couldn't hear their words as they were horrified to see the conditions Sora and Aiden were in. They both looked like they were hit by a stampede of mutant whales.
"Aiden?! Oh my God are you okay?!" Victoria ran over to help her boyfriend up as she was horrified to see his conditions.
"I am Groot?" Baby Groot asked if he was alright as well.
"I'll live." Aiden breathed.
"Sora! What happened?!" Kairi got down and placed her hands on Sora's face wondering why he was covered in blood scars and bruise. And why he was crying as tears fell down his swelling eyes. Sora wanted to say he wasn't okay, but there was no words.
Riku's dead.
Kairi knew Sora wasn't in a condition to talk or answer questions. So she just wiped Sora's tears hugged him while comforting him. "It's okay Sora. I'm here….It's gonna be okay."
Victoria looked around and could tell there was nothing else to do on this world. "Let's go home." She softly suggested.
Her boyfriend nodded and touched his ring. "IRIS. Get us out of here. Beam us back to the ship." Aiden said with a voice and expression that read guilt.
And on that noted. The Guardians were beamed back up to their ship. Once they were there in the ship . Aiden began to tell the girls everything that happened. What they discovered about how the Organization was collecting hearts of every Heartless slain by their by their keyblades, which shocked them. But then Aiden spilled the big secrets about Riku.
Kairi wasn't too happy to hear that Aiden was physically fighting Sora and giving him all of those cuts and bruises. But she wasn't upset hearing all the details on why. She understood and forgave Aiden. Especially for keeping secrets.
Kairi always had a kind forgiving heart.
But Kairi was heartbroken and upset to hear about Riku and she grieved with Sora at the loss of their best friend. Kairi always saw Riku as a teasing older brother. And she cried and sobbed hearing the news. Donald and Goofy was doing their best to comfort them.
Victoria knew about Aiden's secrets. And she was there in the pilot seats with her boyfriend. While everyone else was below deck. Victoria was trying to give words of encouragement to help Aiden understand he had nothing to feel guilty about. That both of them were manipulated into fighting. Aiden received her words, but he still felt the impact
He was glad to know Victoria still loves him no matter what, he felt like he lost a friend. Even though Sora hasn't said anything to him since they've been back on the ship. Aiden wish he could read Sora's mind and know what he was thinking. But it wasn't Aiden's style to fret or whine over it. And as the icing on top of the big disaster cake. They realize that they can't use the keyblades to fight back against the Heartless. It turns out that at every effort and good the Guardians of the Multiverse had done, to protect the innocent. All they did is bring everything close to destruction by doing what the Organization wanted all along.
Elsa was right. There was going to be fallout because of this secret. And it felt out real hard.
Down below, everyone watched as the the Guardians were beamed out of their word as a new gummi ship road flew out of the world. The Highwind II.
As new and advanced as the gummi ship was for everyone below. The team on board wasn't in a mood to enjoy it. But the folks below didn't know that.
Avalanche and the Restoration committee looked up to see them fly off and the crowd cheered for their saviors. Despite the sour moods on board. They still have a victory. Even if the Guardians doesn't feel victorious. The others below them do.
"See you soon." Aerith said while looking up and her hands were clasped together.
Even if the Guardians lost fate in each other. The worlds still have faith in them.
Later that evening in Arendelle Castle…..
Aiden's entire family were gathered at the dining room for dinner together. Everyone was there except for Aiden and his team.
"Too bad Aiden's not here. He would've loved this." Olaf sighed as he chewed on his sandwich.
"It's okay Olaf. He's just doing his job to make sure many more families like us get to dine in peace and quiet." Anna assured the little snow man while she was eating her baby.
Just then they heard a knock at the dining room door.
"They know we're eating right?" J'son inquired about the knock before he swallowed his food. "Tell em to leave it in mailbox."
Elsa rolled her eyes with a grin at her husbands bad table manners. For a king he tends to turn them on and off.
"I'll check." Elsa got up to check the door.
When she went to answer. She saw Aiden standing there at the door. Which surprised her. She didn't expect to see her son back so soon and unannounced.
"Aiden? I didn't expect to see you back here so soon…..Are you okay Sweetie?" Elsa placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm fine." Aiden said in a low tone.
"You don't sound find." Elsa caught the dejected sounding tone. And she noticed his teammates weren't there with him. "Where's Sora and the others?"
"They'll be here soon. Is it okay I talk to all of you? Alone?" Aiden asked looking up at her.
Elsa smiled tenderly at her son. She was concerned why he sounded like he lacked emotions.
"Alright. But I gotta say. I'm not used to hearing you this quiet, and with your humor meter off. It's so unusual for you." Elsa softly remarked as she took his hand and lead him in where everyone greeted him.
But little that they know. This wasn't Aiden. He and the Guardians weren't back yet. This in fact was the horror that was fighting him throughout the multiverse. This was Dianex AKA Stormur. Disguise as Aiden so he could infiltrate the castle and have Aiden's family right where he wanted them.
"Define unusual." Dianex said darkly as he eyes glowed red.
This is going to be the final confrontation between him and his enemy the Maverick. And this time. No escapes and no failures. He was determined to bring him down once and for out.
'This time. I'm not going to lose.' Dianex thought. Before he shifted into his Stormur form. Much to everyone's shock.
THAT'S ALL FOR NOW FOLKS!
"And I hope everyone loves me despite breaking their hearts just now." Maverick meekly added.
Rest assured, all of this will be resolved. And if you ask me if Riku is alive or not, you clearly haven't seen or played the video game this story is based on.
Also there is good news for the rest chapter. Look forward to the return of Roxas and Xion, right after we see if wether or not Aiden saves his family from Dianex and if the Maverick survives his final battle against the deadly Stormur.
Will Sora also forgive Aiden for keeping the so called demise of his best friend a secret?
Will The Guardians resolve their predicament with the Organization trying to collect hearts from them fighting the heartless with Keyblades?
"Please forgive me Sora fans. I didn't mean to hurt him I swear." Maverick pleaded.
Anyone who deals with childhood traumas go berserk when they're dealing with friends and loved ones who don't listen while dealing with enemies. Hopefully you all understand.
Thank you all for reading! Don't forget to leave comments and reviews to let me know your thoughts! 👍😁
And as always Disney/Square Enix fans!😎
FISTBUMP! 👊