Gummi Ship
After a successful lift-off from the Disney Kingdom, the Gummi Ship was now flying through space, zooming at a fast pace. Inside the ship, the monitor screen switched on with Chip and Dale jumping and waving ecstatically from the control booth, communicating with Donald Duck and Goofy as they continued operating the vessel. Pluto just slept cozily at the only empty seat of the cockpit, which was to be reserved for the person holding the mysterious key.
Chip complimented, "Congrats on a successful launch, guys! Now that you're out in space, we can officially begin our super-epic mission."
Dale chimed, "Yup! The guys back home can't stress how important it is that you return home with King Mickey. First off, we gotta search for this key person."
Goofy smiled, "We've got all the essentials packed: lots of snacks to keep us up for days, and some extra gummis to fix our ship. I sure hope that we'd take the time to unwind. Nothing a little refreshment can't fix, right? A-hyuck!"
Donald nodded, "You said it. We gotta get ourselves in shape for the big mission. It could be the biggest adventure of our lives, so we need to bring in everything we've got. I've got my magic, while Goofy has his, um..." Glancing at Goofy, he added with a confused look, "...gear." He returned to the topic, "Have you found anything?"
Chip reported, "Our identification readings searched files of all residents living in Traverse Town." The monitor screen shifted to the image of the aforementioned world, its appearance resembling a round sphere with its atmosphere crowded with houses and buildings.
Dale added, "The data doesn't lie. It says that a fella named Squall Leonhart goes by the alias 'Leon', the name of the person mentioned in the King's letter. The Second District's where you need to go."
Goofy confirmed, "Sounds like a good place for some exploring."
Donald reminded, "Don't forget, we have a mission. The King is depending on us to find that key. We'll find it faster than you can say my name."
Chip saluted, "Good luck on your first world, guys!"
Dale rooted, "We're with you all the way!"
Both waved in unison, "See you soon!" With that, the monitor was switched off, disrupting the communication. Seconds later, the computer system caught wind of a world's nearby atmosphere.
Donald informed, "This should be the place. Once we land, let's find a store and get a change of clothes."
Goofy agreed, "You got it!"
First District
Traverse Town's infrastructure and architecture was reminiscent to that of the classic Victorian era, and the sky was always dark blue and black with stars, always shrouding the town in unending night. People who lived here were survivors of the destruction of their home worlds, and were oblivious to the fact that they got there through portals of darkness. In reality, Traverse Town was a safe haven for those whose worlds no longer exist; in order to serve as a new home, it was able to reshape its own layout to suit their needs. The town itself was separated into three different districts, the first which Donald and Goofy entered once they emerged from the main gate. Their old clothing was now replaced with special travelling clothes that were not only stylish, but also made them fit amongst the citizens.
Donald's new clothing was a navy blue jacket with sky blue lining and cuffs. There were three pouches, all of which were blue with yellow lining, along the middle of the jacket; the center pouch was secured by a flap, while the other two were secured by silver zippers. He also wore a blue hat with a belt and a zipper spanning the length. Goofy's outfit consisted of a orange hat with a pair of goggles around it, a green turtleneck sweater with sleeves, brown bands around each wrist, a sleeveless black combat vest, yellow pants with rather large pockets and a pouch on each leg, and large shoes.
The two walked along the open street until something in the sky caught Goofy's attention. Pointing his finger upward, he cried out, "Look, a star's goin' out!" Donald followed his gaze, and a startled gasp escaped his mouth. True enough, a bright star blinked out from the sky, and was no longer seen among the stream of lights. This was the sign of another world lost to the void, an unfortunate set of circumstances as predicted by King Mickey.
"Come on, let's hurry," Donald announced boldly, to which Goofy nodded. Together with Pluto, they walked through the center of the main district towards a flight of steps. It was going to be the most epic adventure any character from Disney would ever have.
TRAVERSE TOWN
The First District was made up of various shops for people to buy supplies. Lampposts and neon letters flashed across the town, almost like Christmas, and a few townsfolk inhabited the picturesque town square. A mailbox stood next to the stairs, a restaurant on the left side, and two large double doors on the right. Pluto ran up ahead, energetic as usual, as Donald and Goofy walked and pondered about the first place to look.
Donald crossed his arms with a serious look, "Now, where's that key..."
Goofy suggested, "Hey, ya know, I think our best bet is to find Leon. He should be around here someplace."
As they reached the top of the steps in front of an accessory shop, Goofy was noticing Pluto sniffing around a dark alleyway, while Donald walked off to the right on his own course. Goofy motioned with his hand, trying to get the duck's attention, "Uh, Donald? Ya know, I betcha that..."
Donald scoffed, "Aw, what do you know, ya big palooka? I know exactly where we're going. Unless you wanna get left behind, I suggest we keep going, and leave the directions to me."
"Directions? Hmm..." Goofy pondered for a second, before he decided to go along with Donald's suggestion. "Good point." He called out to the alleyway, "C'mon, Pluto!"
But instead of following Goofy's request, Pluto continued his search down the alley, until he came across a figure unconscious around a corner at a pile of wooden crates. It was none other Wendy Marvell, the Sky Dragon Slayer who survived her skirmish with Kaze Viriniam and the raid on Tenrou Island. Had Donald and Goofy actually went down the alley, they would have found the chosen wielder of the Keyblade without much trouble. Pluto bent his head down and licked Wendy's face.
"Ugh... What...?" Wendy's eyes blinked open slowly, and she peered around with droopy eyes. Her vision was a bit blurry, and she developed a thought that she had passed out after a long dream. Her eyes didn't bother to perceive the image of the dog happily wagging his tail at the sight of her. "What happened? Where am I? Have I been sleeping the whole time?" She stretched her arms and yawned, "That was some dream..."
Wendy started nodding off again, before Pluto pounced on her for good measure. Her eyes snapped awake, and she gave off a startled yell, "This isn't a dream! This isn't even my bedroom!" Wendy got up to her feet and observed her surroundings, her eyes regaining their focus. She glanced at the several notices pinned against the wall, but even in the dimness of the alleyway, what she saw was not familiar to her at all. She asked herself, "Where am I?" She turned towards the brighter end of the alley, "Oh, my... I have a feeling I'm not on Tenrou Island anymore. Am I back in Magnolia? Is everything back to normal? I have no idea." Wendy noticed Pluto looking at her, and bent down to address him, "Excuse me, do you know where we are?"
Before she could get an answer, Pluto's ears perked up, hearing whispers of a voice calling out to him. Rushed by a pulse of excitement, the dog scurried out of the alleyway.
"Wait! Where are you going?" Wendy reached out with her hand. When she followed the dog out into the open, she found herself out of the alleyway and into the main part of town, the brightness of the streetlights finally providing a clear view of the town. Around her, Wendy could see houses, shops, neon lights, a mailbox, a restaurant, and townsfolk of various shapes and sizes. She had never seen a place in this magnitude of serenity before, at least not anywhere she had been in Earth-land.
Wendy spoke, "This is seriously strange. Where am I? Where are..." She stopped herself in mid-sentence, as she remembered the night before she blacked out. Her eyes widened in shock, "Carla..." She quickly looked from side to side and called out, "Carla? Where are you? Carla!" When no answer came, Wendy ran down the stairs in a panic. "Carla! CARLA!" Again, no one answered. Any civilian passing by watched with odd stares; some insinuated she had lost her mind, while others thought she needed help. "CARLA!" Wendy screamed at the top of her voice, almost about to hyperventilate, praying that her Exceed friend could at least hear her. "CAAAAAARRRRRLA!"
"Wendy!"
The familiar voice caught her attention. Looking over, she saw Carla fly into the town square.
"Carla!" Wendy cried in relief, and she rushed to give her a tight squeeze. "You're okay!"
"It's alright, Wendy," Carla nuzzled at the Sky Dragon Slayer's embrace, affection glowing in her eyes. "The two of us are together, safe and sound."
"Where have you been all this time?" Wendy pulled from the hug, staring at Carla while holding her in her hands. "I've been looking for you! Do you have any idea what's going on? And where we are?"
"I was hoping you could tell me," Carla replied. "After you defeated that monster, we were whisked away into the sky, and got separated from each other." She sighed in relief, "We were lucky that the two of us arrived at the same place, but woke up in different locations. Well, not that it matters. I'm glad to see that you're alive and well."
"Yeah, me too," Wendy smiled, until her face was laced with suspicion. "But we still don't know where we are. This couldn't be any town I ever saw. Have you seen it?"
"No, I haven't," Carla shook her head. "It's nothing like the scenery of any town we've ever visited in Fiore. The fact that we arrived here by chance is beyond me."
"Let's go ask around," Wendy suggested. "We have to see if anyone knows more about this place."
"A plausible solution, child," Carla agreed. "Information is the key."
And so...
Wendy and Carla conversed with a woman at the restaurant first. "Everyone in this town has a secret past. It's best not to ask them about it. What's mine? None of your business."
Next, they talked to a boy around Wendy's age, who was standing near a lamppost. "I ended up here and got separated from my parents. I don't know where they are, but I hope they're okay."
Thirdly, they talked to a man standing next to the barricaded double doors. "You'll have to go around back if you want to head to the other two districts. The doors are boarded up and closed."
Finally, they talked to a fat man, who told them the importance of currency for the shops. "You won't get much for free in this town. If you find any munny around, it's a good idea to keep it in your pockets. Around here, munny talks."
Wendy confirmed, "Well, that solves a few problems. But they still haven't told us where we are."
Carla assumed, "They're probably busy with their own matters. It's best not to get involved." She then pointed a paw at a certain shop, "Perhaps someone in there can help us."
Item Shop
The inside of the store was pretty basic: it had a counter with shelves displaying various items, a stairway leading to another exit, and a scale to test weight. There were three store attendants, the first on a ladder fixing the ceiling fan, the second looking over things on the shelves, and the third dusting the counter. They were a trio of small virtually identical anthropomorphic ducks, each wearing a long-sleeved turtleneck shirt and baseball cap with different colors of red, blue, and green.
The duck dressed in red climbed down the ladder, but suddenly shivered when he felt the wind blowing from the open door. "Hey, can somebody close the door? I feel a draft."
Wendy closed the door behind her, since she was the one who opened it to come inside. "Excuse me."
The three ducks turned around to notice Wendy and Carla. They greeted in unison, "Welcome to the Item Shop!"
The red-dressed duck introduced himself, "I'm Huey!"
The blue-dressed duck chimed in, "I'm Dewey!"
The green-dressed duck added, "I'm Louie!"
Wendy gasped in amazement, "Wow! Talking ducks!"
Carla rolled her eyes, "Of course they are talking ducks. You think they're the only animals?" She waved a paw to gesture to herself, "Exceeds are anthropomorphic felines with a potency of Aera Magic. I'm sure you've met your first one in your youth. Not just Exceeds, but dragons as well, such as Zirconis and Atlas Flame."
Wendy confirmed, "Yeah, I know. It's just that I never met any animals that could speak like people." She then composed herself, "But I shouldn't doubt my senses about this. I don't have to be afraid of what I see. It's simply amazing." Her attention turned to the three ducks, "Where did you come from?"
Huey replied, "We came here all the way from Disney Town to open a shop."
Dewey added, "We're making a fortune, to go out on our own adventures!"
Louie fantasized, "Just imagine all the places to go and people to see."
Carla smiled a bit, "I suppose anything is possible."
Huey agreed, "Of course! Nothing is impossible for someone who wants to prove it."
Dewey smiled, "We could pass the time in the First District finding something worthwhile."
Louie added, "All the pretty girls around the grand—"
Huey cut him off, "Anyway, you want to buy something, miss?" He thrust his arm to show Wendy and Carla around, "We have a wide variety of stuff just waiting to be purchased by your hard-earned munny."
Wendy reached into her pockets, "I'm sorry. I don't have any munny. But I do have one thing I can sell. It's a Pretty Stone I've won from a game I played with my friend Sherria in Oak Town." She then pulled out the aforementioned glittering stone. "What do you think?"
Dewey grinned, "Cool! That Pretty Stone in your hand is a super-rare mineral for synthesis."
Louie offered, "If you sell it to us, we'll give you some munny to start."
Wendy handed out the Pretty Stone, "Okay." In a flash, Louie took the object, rang up the register, and went back to give the currency. She looked at her hand to notice a pouch with thirty munny inside.
Louie asked, "So, what do you think?"
Carla complimented, "I think it'll do just fine. We should thank you for giving us the currency in this rather unfamiliar place."
Dewey smiled humbly, "All in a day's work. Anything for Miss Blueberry and you, Miss Kitty."
Wendy corrected, "Please, call me Wendy."
Carla added, "And my name is Carla."
Wendy promised, "We'll come back when we have more to spend, but right now, we need to find more information on where we are."
Huey smiled, "We know just the guy who can help you out!" He pointed to the stairs that led to the other door, "Right outside that door is an accessory shop. The guy running the place can probably tell you more than we can."
Wendy smiled, "Great! We'll head right over!" She and Carla climbed up the staircase and exited the shop.
Accessory Shop
By the time Wendy and Carla entered the accessory shop, they noticed it had a fireplace to the right, along with a couple of couches, a glass display of jewels, and a ladder on the ceiling leading to a second floor. To the left was a shelf with kitchenware, the cashier counter, and another display of jewels. Behind the desk was a middle-aged man with blonde hair, who happened to be the store attendant. A toothpick was chewed in his mouth, and he wore goggles, a necklace with a rectangular charm, a white T-shirt with two buttons descending from the neck, blue baggy pants, grey socks, and black shoes. The attendant was in the middle of arranging a stock of accessories while waiting for a customer to walk in. His patience was rewarded with a tinkling bell from the front door.
"I'll be with you in a minute!" the man called in a southern drawl. After placing the last few bags, he walked to the register. "Hey there, welcome to the accessory shop. How can I..." Before he could finish, he changed his attitude once he saw Wendy and Carla. "Oh, so much for a customer. It's only a kid and her pet kitty cat."
Carla flew over to the counter, a bit annoyed at the tone of the attendant. "I'm not a pet! I have a name, you know, and it's Carla!"
The attendant eased, "Okay, okay! Don't blow yerself up over nothin'. I see you're no ordinary cat." He turned to the dark blue-haired girl, "And who's your owner?"
Carla frowned, "She is my friend, and I am her guardian, thank you very much. Her name is Wendy. You would be wise to show respect."
The attendant couldn't help but notice the sad look on Wendy's face. He said, "Why the long face, Wendy? You look like yer bicycle got thrown in the garbage. I bet you're lost."
Wendy gasped, "Lost? N-No, I'm not! Well, maybe..." She cleared her throat, "We were wondering if you have any information on where we are."
The attendant took the toothpick out of his mouth and flashed a grin, "Well, you managed to catch me during my break, kid. I guess you deserve to know."
One brief explanation later...
"...and that's the story," the attendant finished. "Several folks in town were victims of having their homes invaded by those freaks in black. Those lucky enough to survive took refuge here in Traverse Town, and came to live here. Not a happy tale, ain't it?"
Carla tapped her chin with deep thought, "Traverse Town... That is the name of the new place we've arrived in."
Wendy asked, "Is this a world separate from ours, mister...?"
The attendant introduced himself, "Cid Highwind. Call me Cid. And about yer situation, 'bout your fancy town in the ocean, your magical guild, and the dark storm... Not sure what yer home looks like, but this town sure ain't it." He gritted his teeth, nearly breaking the piece of straw in his mouth, "It doesn't even have a beach in it or nothin'."
Carla sighed in agitation, "I should've seen this coming. We're in a world different from Earth-land, and it's all because of that dark storm. It's Edolas all over again."
Wendy took a moment to think, "If that storm took us all away and dropped us here, chances are, our Fairy Tail friends are somewhere out there too. Guess we'd better start looking for them." She turned to Cid with a grateful expression, "Thank you for telling us about Traverse Town, Mr. Cid. But we need to get going."
Cid grinned, "Well, I won't stop ya. Good luck with whatever it is you're doin'. If you ever run into trouble, you come to me. I'll look out for you."
Wendy beamed, "You'd do that for us?"
Cid stated, "Somebody has to keep an eye on a kid, especially around your age."
Carla refused, "I'm sorry, but this is my responsibility. Wendy already has a guardian."
Cid shrugged, "Fine, suit yourself, kitty cat. Don't blame me if she's lost her way."
Wendy assured, "I can take of myself. Carla will look after me. See you later!" She waved as she and her Exceed partner headed out the door, and they made their way up the stairs around the back of the shop to find two double doors leading to the Second District. Courage filling their hearts, they opened the double doors and entered to commence their search.
Second District
The Second District was separated into two paths. The first led to a wide hotel, and further up was a building which happened to be the local gizmo shop, with a bell tower on the roof. The second pathway had a bunch of clothing stores with awnings over the windows and a stairway to the lower levels littered with benches and a beautiful flowing fountain. Wendy and Carla walked forward as the doors closed behind them. Everything seemed normal, except for one thing.
Wendy questioned, "Where is everybody?"
Carla pondered, "How strange. It's too quiet. There doesn't seem to be a single soul occupying the district. Let's keep moving—"
At that moment, a random resident of the town ran down the street, before he stumbled to the ground on his back. The man's face looked like one of sheer horror.
Wendy asked, "Are you okay, mister?"
She got her answer when a dark aura formed around the man's chest, with a glowing object bursting out of it. It was the man's own heart, which floated for a little bit before merging with a nearby orb of darkness. The metamorphosis was complete, and it formed into a creature clad in a bluish-black suit of armor, the chest bearing a strange yet familiar emblem on its chest. The creature, otherwise known as a Soldier, performed an awkward somersault in the air before disappearing in a flash of black. Wendy and Carla couldn't believe what they just witnessed. They rushed over to where the man's body once laid to assess the lingering situation.
Wendy gasped, "What happened? That man fell on the ground, and his heart disappeared along with his body!"
Carla rubbed her chin, "And in his place, a strange creature popped into existence. And that emblem in its chest..." She paused to let it sink in, "It looked somewhat familiar. How did it come to be? It doesn't make any sense..."
Those thoughts were interrupted when a group of Shadows formed out of the ground and became solid. Wendy and Carla recognized them right away.
"It's those creatures from Magnolia! Where did they come from?!" Wendy exclaimed. The Keyblade materialized in her hand out of nowhere. She was startled for a second, but immediately got into a fighting stance. "I'll just have to do what I did last time."
"Their persistence is rather bothersome," Carla gritted her teeth. "We have to defeat them if we are to get a move on!"
"Yeah!" Wendy agreed. One of the Shadows came rushing at her, but she easily responded by unleashing a 3-hit combo, dispersing it into a cloud of dust. Another rushed at her from behind, only to have Wendy do a backflip over it, and then strike it with another 3-hit combo. The rest of them came after her, but they fared no better and soon, after defeating at least twenty, a fog of dust smothered a part of the Second District. She got out of her stance and relaxed, "I hope that's all of them."
Carla complained, "It's bad enough those monsters appeared in Magnolia, but now they have in Traverse Town."
Wendy affirmed, "Well, if we're ever going to find our friends, we'd better fight them along the way. Hm?" Her eyes shifted elsewhere, "What's that?" She walked over and bent down to pick something off the ground. It was munny, dropped as spoils with every Shadow she had defeated. "Munny!" She picked up the pieces, one by one, and put them in her pockets. "We're going to need them if we're going to buy some stuff at the shops."
Carla insisted, "This isn't the time for games, Wendy. We should go. It's not safe if those black creatures are around." She looked to her left at the hotel, deciding that it was the first place they should probably investigate. "Let's check in there."
Wendy didn't need to be told twice, as she and her Exceed partner walked over to the hotel doors. At the very moment the door closed behind them, Donald and Goofy just arrived into the district looking for Leon. Perhaps if Wendy stayed a bit longer, the three would have met.
Goofy looked around, "Nope, doesn't look like he's here."
Donald suggested, "Keep looking!"
Hotel
Everywhere Wendy and Carla could see, the lobby was like a cultural art exhibit. There were a few paintings on the walls, and the walls themselves had various colored wallpapers and designs. The rooms to the left had different colors, each of which most likely indicated what kind of room it was. Fortunately, some of the rooms were empty, and the employees didn't bother to check in, presumably due to their focus on the other guests. Wendy and Carla checked each of the empty rooms to see any sign of their fellow Fairy Tail wizards, but found none. When the Green Room was the last place to search, they left for the doors, and decided to try out the gizmo shop, going up the pathway while defeating a bombardment of Shadows along the way. About a moment later, Donald and Goofy walked out of the same hotel.
Donald crossed his arms, "Hmph. Where is he?"
Goofy called out loudly, "Leeeooon!"
Gizmo Shop
Wendy and Carla passed through the hallways of the gizmo shop, a conglomerate of wheels and gears spinning to keep the monotony alive. They surged onward, destroying a mass of Shadows and collecting munny all the while, until they came across a large ornate door, unaware that Donald and Goofy had entered the same gizmo shop.
Donald shook his head, "Not here, either."
Goofy sighed, "This could take a while..."
Dalmatians' House
Inside the house, Wendy looked around and saw no one in sight. She called out, "Is anyone home?"
The sound of a dog's whimper came in the room, and Carla's ears were attracted to it. "Is that a dog I hear?"
"Hello?" Wendy continued to look around, until she noticed two adult Dalmatians cuddling each other against the floor. As she stared, she saw their ears drooping with sorrow, their eyes shining with tears, and their voices whining with anguish. "Oh, hello there, big doggies." Wendy knelt down to their level and ruffled the Dalmatians' heads, "What's the matter? Why are you crying? Do you miss someone?"
The male Dalmatian stared back in quiet depression, and answered by edging his head over the scenery around him. Everywhere in the whole living room, it was devoid of life. Every piece of furniture, every utensil, and every fine silverware was placed exactly where it needed to be, and yet no one was around to disarrange either of them. The male Dalmatian then pointed his muzzle to the door, granting Wendy permission to investigate. She perused the dining room, the piano room, and another living room, and like the first room before them, they were all empty.
Wendy returned to where the Dalmatians were, and turned to Carla with a thought in her mind. "I think I know why the dogs are so sad. They have a family, and they miss them very much."
Carla guessed, "There's a possibility that the dogs' family didn't arrive home in time, or they suffered a serious accident."
Wendy folded her hands, "I know what it's like to lose a family. Without a family, you're all alone with no one to help you." She shuddered upon remembering those nostalgic memories, "It's the same thing that happened to me when Grandeeney left me behind, and my Cait Shelter friends disappeared."
Carla emphasized, "It comes to us all, Wendy. It's a painful reminder that a family's love grants you strength, but losing that love can render you powerless."
Wendy lowered her head in sadness, "Why are they left behind? Is it wrong to have someone be there for them?"
Carla shook her head, "I couldn't say. We'll figure out a way to help them. For now, we need to keep going."
Wendy agreed, "Right." She turned to the sorrowful Dalmatians, her eyes brimming with pure sincerity, "Don't worry, we'll find a way to cheer you up. I promise you. When I get back, I want to see you smile again." The two dogs only whimpered in reply.
Carla informed, "It seems we haven't found anything in this area, either. Let's return to the First District."
Later...
Having exited the Dalmatians' house and passed through an alleyway leading back to the Second District, the two were suddenly ambushed by another mass of Shadows. Before they could even react, Wendy focused her magic on her legs, and gained a fair amount of speed. In one swift motion, nine Shadows were smashed into pieces. She ran straight ahead for the fountain and towards a pack of Shadows, and swung her Keyblade and Sky Dragon's Crushing Fang simultaneously, taking them all out. Climbing up the stairs to the doors leading back to the First District, she scratched and clawed through the rest of the Shadows, each blow slicing anything in her path in half, until she finished the onslaught by sticking the Keyblade right into the final Shadow's shoulder, eliminating it.
A slightly exhausted Wendy relaxed her back against a corner near the double doors, breathing steadily to regain her energy. Carla flew over and reminded, "Don't forget to reserve your Magic Energy."
Wendy replied tiredly, "I know. There's just so many of them that I had to use a bit of Sky Dragon Slayer Magic. I hope that's the last of them..."
Carla placed a comforting paw on the Sky Maiden's shoulder, "Try and rest. Breathe in the air around you. It will replenish your strength."
After a brief recovery, the Sky Dragon Slayer stepped through the double doors with the white Exceed in tow, unaware that Donald and Goofy once again exited from the hotel.
Donald yelled out, "Leeeon! Mister Leon?"
Goofy joined in, "Where are you?"
First District
"I think we finally lost them," Wendy sighed with relief, but before she could take two steps, Shadows came up from the ground, making her whine. "Not here, too!"
"Leave it to me, I'll fly you through!" Carla carried the Sky Dragon Slayer up with her wings. "You can use the Keyblade to cut your way!"
"Okay!" Wendy nodded. "I'm ready anytime!"
Combined with Carla's powers of flight, Wendy sprinted through the menaces, slashing any that appeared on or above the ground while soaring down the stairs. In a few seconds, black dust filled the First District, and Wendy landed safely to the ground. Making it to the accessory shop, Wendy tried opening the door, but it was locked. She kept pushing and pushing, but it refused to budge an inch. Giving up her previous option, the one thing she had left was to knock her fist repeatedly on the door.
"Cid? Mr. Cid!" Wendy called. "Can you open the door, please?"
Inside, Cid was on the phone talking with someone. "That's right, the little girl's in here earlier, and she's got a talking cat with her. Ya better go lookin' for her if you want her now." His ears were suddenly drawn to the continuous knocks, and he put his hand over the receiver, "Sorry, we're closed!"
"It's me, Wendy!" the voice outside echoed.
"Don't you know it's rude to lock the door in front of people?" another voice sternly stated.
"Wendy's back in the First District?" Cid thought out loud. He talked back into the phone, "Actually, she's back here right now. I'm puttin' you on hold for a sec. Fasten your seat belts." He put the phone down, pushed a button to put the caller on hold, and called outside, "Wendy, what's happenin' out there?"
"We came back from the First District," Wendy explained back outside. "Those creepy monsters were chasing us, and they've been bugging us for a long time. It's so tiring."
"Need a breather, huh?" Cid called back from inside. "Hang on, sweetie! I'll open it in a jiffy!"
Sounds of several locks were heard clanging on the other side of the door until it opened up, and Wendy and Carla went inside. The white Exceed frowned, "Well, it's about time! What have you been doing while we risk our lives fighting those black creatures?"
"Those 'black creatures' crawled their way here, too," Cid explained. "They came out onto the streets, and everybody turned tail and ran. At least you know why they locked their doors and windows, and I had to close up shop 'til then. Anyway, besides those jerks, you find those fairy friends you're looking for?" Wendy sighed and closed her eyes, shaking her head sadly that she hadn't found her guildmates. "Keep your chin up, kid. Take another look around town. I'll bet you hadn't searched everywhere just yet."
"While I don't condone his rude behavior, he may be right," Carla pointed out. "We haven't checked out the other districts. Moments before we left, I spotted a door next to the fountain in the Second District. We might be able to find them there."
"I hope so. Let's check it out," Wendy gave a small wave to Cid before going back out the door with Carla. Once they were gone, Cid pushed a button on the phone and picked the receiver back up to talk to the person he had on hold.
"She's just left the building. You'll find her right outside near the corner. The floor is yours."
Wendy took out the Keyblade just in case more of the Shadows would show up, with Carla floating alongside her. She determined, "Alright, I'm ready this time. I'll make my way to the next district."
Carla reminded, "Remember to stay focused and keep your energy up. That way, you can destroy them all."
"You think that'll make a difference? You can't fully destroy them. And the odds of winning are one in a million."
A quiet voice laced with subtlety stopped Wendy and Carla in their tracks, and they looked around to where it came from.
"Those monsters will come at you out of nowhere."
Wendy whirled around to see where the voice originated, "Who are you?"
"And they'll keep on coming at you, as long as you continue to wield the Keyblade."
Out from the corner emerged a tall man with long brown hair and a large scar above his nose, who wore a silver Griever necklace, black gloves, a white undershirt, a short black jacket, small leather belts around his left wrist, two belts crisscrossing around his hips, black pants, and black zipper-lined shoes. He raised a gloved hand and pointed a finger at the blade in Wendy's hand, his blue eyes gazing at the weapon with a purpose unclear.
"But why?" the mysterious man placed a hand to his forehead, his voice indicating some worry. "Why would it choose a kid like you?"
"What is that supposed to mean?" Carla glared. "Is this some sort of joke?"
"Never mind," the stranger walked slowly towards Wendy, his arm reaching out. "Now, let's see that Keyblade."
Wendy got into a defensive position upon hearing that. She cried, "If you're asking me to hand it to you, forget it! It's been helping me beat those monsters. I'll never give it to a jerk like you!"
"Really?" the stranger remained calm and collected. "What are you gonna do with it, huh?"
"What we're doing doesn't concern you," Carla raised her paws defensively. "If you have nothing to say, leave now!"
"Alright..." While he respected the girl's decision, the stranger was pretty intent on obtaining the key-shaped sword. "Then have it your way." He took out his weapon known as the Gunblade, a sword with a revolver embedded in it, complete with a trigger and a chain hanging down the middle. He slung it over his shoulder before holding it firmly in his strong hands, ready for battle.
"This man is also equipped with a sword," Carla analyzed. "Not just any kind; it has a revolver equipped. You have to take extra care."
"I will!" Wendy confirmed.
The battle began with the swordsman gripping the handle of his Gunblade with both hands, building up a fireball by collecting magic. The shot fired at Wendy, who jumped away over the stairs and landed on the lower level. The stranger jumped up and landed where Wendy was, and the two walked around in a circle, never taking their eyes off each other.
"You missed me," Wendy taunted. "Just so you know, I'm full of surprises."
"Show me what you've got," the stranger dared. "I won't hold back just because you're a girl."
With a fierce cry, Wendy charged and delivered fast swings of the Keyblade, which the stranger effortlessly parried with the Gunblade. She attempted to cast Sky Dragon's Claw, but he easily swatted her knee away and pushed her in her stomach. The force of the push was was so great that the gusts of wind enforcing her legs was cancelled out, and she collapsed to the floor.
"Give up yet?" the stranger asked.
"Never!" Wendy shouted defiantly, flipping herself back to her feet. She charged and threw a mighty swing, and the stranger spun his Gunblade to meet it, creating a shockwave between the weapons that blew away the leaves of any surrounding trees. He went for a horizontal strike, but she jumped out of reach and tried a thrust, which he blocked with his sword. The stranger gave a vertical slash which missed, and Wendy took the opportunity by unleashing five hits, the last attack hitting him across the stomach. The hit made the stranger keel over for a second, and Wendy added four more hits. Before the last blow connected, he quickly recovered and brought his Gunblade up to block it.
Wendy and the stranger parried, dodged, and blocked multiple times in what was quickly becoming a vicious duel. The stranger spun out of the way of a thrust, and Wendy jumped over a diagonal slash, allowing her to swing the Keyblade that he rotated to avoid. During the fierce clash of blades, Wendy cast Sky Dragon's Crushing Fang and scratched him in his vulnerable side. The stranger winced a bit, but didn't let himself lose focus, and he continued clashing with Wendy again. The Sky Dragon Slayer pushed back against the force of the Gunblade with her magic focused on her arms, and she delivered a 7-hit combination attack that impacted his body with great ferocity. Before Wendy could attack again, the stranger pulled a trigger of the Gunblade and slammed it to the ground, creating a shockwave and pushing the Sky Maiden away from him.
"What's with this guy?" Wendy wiped sweat from her forehead. "It's like every time I hit him, he keeps on fighting like it was nothing."
"Having second thoughts?" the stranger taunted.
"That won't stop me! I'll keep on fighting, no matter what!" Wendy declared.
"Okay, don't say I didn't warn you!" the stranger retorted. His Gunblade shot a few more fireballs at the Sky Dragon Slayer, who managed to dodge them all. He made a run towards her, ready to strike. Wendy noticed that she was near a lamppost and decided to take advantage; she jumped into the air and dodged the sword strike. All the stranger hit was the lamppost with a loud clang, and Wendy struck his arm as she came down. The stranger clutched his arm, which made him drop the Gunblade unknowingly. She charged at her defenseless opponent and smacked him with six fierce slashes, followed by three thrusts. Before she could deliver another thrust, the stranger squatted down and quickly picked up his Gunblade, and delivered a very strong swing.
With a deafening bang, Wendy's chest received a large hit from the Gunblade, the blast knocking her backward and causing her to scream. She clutched her chest, the pain was so unbearable that it felt like a fire consuming her skin, much like sunburn- a different kind of sunburn that drains away strength and vitality. Wendy bent down on one knee, her other leg not bothering to support her, and she looked up to see the mysterious swordsman raising his Gunblade aloft.
"Taking a hit from my Gunblade, and you're down for the count," the strange scoffed. "I expected better from the chosen one."
"How about THIS?! Sky Dragon's Roar!" Wendy breathed a mighty gust of wind against the swordsman, who simply swatted it away with one single swing, scattering the wind in multiple directions. Wendy gasped in shock, "No way... You cut through my breath attack!"
"Nice try. Now it's my turn!" the stranger landed a downwards strike at Wendy, who quickly reacted by doing a series of handsprings away from the Gunblade's aggressive swings, until she eventually blocked it, and counterattacked with a Sky Dragon's Claw which hit the stranger square in the face. He recovered and shot five fireballs, which the Sky Maiden effortlessly eluded, and the last one deflected and sent flying back at him. With the stranger stunned by the small explosion, Wendy delivered seven fierce hits, followed by Sky Dragon's Wing Attack, the combination moderately damaging his body. As she rushed in for the finish, the man snapped back and gave her another brutal strike in the chest, and agonizing pain consumed her again. With the Sky Dragon Slayer paralyzed, the stranger raised his Gunblade, charged it with magical power, and slammed it into the ground, shattering the pavement.
When the smoke cleared, it was revealed that Wendy blocked the strong blow with a shove of her Keyblade, having concentrated most of her Magic Energy into every muscle. She then leapt above the stranger, and dodging his swings, she delivered a 6-hit combo, followed by Sky Dragon's Wing Attack and Sky Dragon's Claw. Again, the stranger endured these strong attacks, and continued to swing his Gunblade. Wendy was forced to leap off onto a rooftop, and the swordsman fired a fireball that compelled her to run across it. She used the Keyblade to stay on the vertical surface of the roof until the stranger ran forward and fired more fireballs at her, which she dodged by scaling the rooftop's face and eventually leaping to another. He followed suit on the opposite rooftop, firing off round after round at her distant opponent, until a cloud of white steam consumed her.
The stranger narrowed his eyes, expecting his opponent to make her next move. He stood silent and waited, until finally...
"Dragon Slayer Secret Art: Shattering Light: Sky Drill!" Wendy flew towards him, transforming her legs into a giant drill of wind, and the swordsman blocked the attack. A large part of the street collapsed from the force, causing the two to crash back down to ground level, and they continued their furious attacks towards each other. During the brawl, he was forced backward by a Sky Dragon's Crushing Fang, and he dragged his Gunblade into the ground to slow to a stop, tearing the ground beneath him, before holding it in a one-handed stance.
"You're pretty tough," the stranger remarked, almost out of breath. "I'm just getting warmed up! POWER!" He raised the Gunblade into the air, and astral energy began to circle around it, fueled by his growing anger. "Give up now, while you still can!"
"No..." Wendy steeled her resolve in spite of the grievous injuries sustaining her body. She was fueled by a promise that, as a wizard of Fairy Tail, she would never give up, no matter the cost. That she would stay strong to the end. "I can't... I won't..." She gripped the Keyblade tightly in her hand, "I WON'T!" Every fiber of her being urged her to scream in absolute rage, "BLUE MISTRAL, GIVE ME STRENGTH!"
At that moment, her body rose into the air, her chest erupting with a massive pillar of light, the Keyblade in her hand shining with pure blue radiance...
"Blade and heart harmonized, the Keyblade grants the power to unseal incredible new powers..."
"What the...?" the stranger widened his eyes.
When the brightness cleared, Wendy propelled herself forward with a blue aura surging in her body. Crying thunderously, she landed a swing of the Keyblade that sent the stranger back, disabling his energy charge. She rushed up avoiding each attack of the Gunblade, even taking one with no effect, to slash him with an unrelenting bombardment of left-right swings, every hit generating explosions of light that greatly damaged his body. The swordsman had enough time to let out a pained groan, before he was hit in the chin and sent flying up, and Wendy dealt the finishing blow to the face. He then crashed to the ground, severely wounded.
"No way... I can lose..." the stranger cringed, getting down to one knee. He couldn't believe the willingness of the girl who defeated him.
Within seconds, the blue aura around Wendy's body disappeared. She panted heavily from the grueling battle she got drawn into. "Serves you right... you big... big..." She could not finish her sentence, as she felt all the energy in her body slowly fading away. The Keyblade wielder stood for a second, wobbling on her feet, before she fell over onto the cobblestone street, fading to unconsciousness.
The stranger stood back up, his strength allowing his body to ignore the wounds. He remarked, "I gotta admit, for a kindergarten schoolgirl, she's put up a good fight."
"Aww, you're slipping, Leon," a playful female voice echoed behind him.
The man known as Leon turned his head to see a smiling young girl standing behind him with her knuckles crossing her hips. She had short black hair and violet eyes, and she wore a silver headband with two green tassels, a yellow scarf around her neck, a green tube top with two blue belts holding it up, tan shorts with another blue belt around her waist, white socks that reached about mid-thigh, and orange shoes.
"I went easy on her," Leon addressed the girl. "I wasn't trying to hurt her, just get the weapon away from her. She almost unlocked a Command Style..."
"What do you want to do with her?" the girl asked curiously.
"Take her to the hotel and lock the doors," Leon replied. He looked at the Keyblade in Wendy's hand, "Things are getting worse than we thought. A lot worse."
"I WON'T LET YOU TAKE HER!"
Carla flew in at maximum speed, tears staining her rageful eyes, as she dashed towards Wendy in a desperate attempt to protect her ward. Unfortunately, Leon countered with one quick tap against her forehead, and the white Exceed instantly fainted, collapsing alongside the Sky Dragon Slayer.
"And bring in the cat as well."
ELSEWHERE...
"Alright, get moving! On your feet! Move!"
In another world completely separate from Traverse Town, the Sleepy Hollow forced the Fairy Tail wizards, bound in chains designed with anti-magic material, into a straight line down the path of crystalline rock platforms floating in the air. Whips cracked and stung the backs of guildmates, shouts of anger and bitterness kept the line going, and the bandits reveled at the fear and torture they've wrought. Even Mirajane and Erza, inarguably the strongest wizards in the guild's ranks, were left powerless to stop them. In one giant platform of cold stone, the four Headless Horsemen oversaw the development.
Wrecker laughed, "Oh, look at those fools! To think that a pack of rats would have the audacity to call themselves the strongest guild in Fiore... They've never faced an unstoppable force as great as us."
Diva smiled, "It's a shame we don't have to execute them live on stage, since Master Viriniam has big plans for them. I can't say that I blame her. Whatever script is written for Fairy Tail, I simply can't wait for the rehearsal."
Silver declared, "Tonight, the Fairy Tail guild will be our honored guests. Not only will they serve as slaves, but as soldiers. They would make perfect additions to our invincible army."
Zeppelin pouted, "Aww, why don't we just kill them all? Turn those prisoners into trophies instead? If it were up to me, I would blow the brain of every wizard in Fairy Tail and dump their corpses into the Rising Falls."
Silver reminded, "Be patient, Zeppelin. I assure you, you'll see plenty of action soon enough. We have more worlds to conquer."
Diva crossed her hips, "So, we're going through with Madam Maleficent's plan to collect more candidates for the Princesses of Heart, such as the blonde bimbo and the Ice-Make wizard's watery girlfriend. I suppose we have some time to kill."
Zeppelin snickered, "You better not be letting the gas out of my tank, because I'm been waiting for this... More worlds means more to slaughter. More blood... Hee-hee-hee-hee-hee..."
Wrecker rolled his eyes, "Ugh, why does killing people always have to be your answer to everything?"
Zeppelin replied, "Death is a medicine, one that all must take. It's the perfect cure for those who lived miserable lives. Life is a passing dream, but death is eternal." He sighed affectionately, "Ah, yes. A sweet symphony, music to my ears..."
He was snapped out of his fantasy when Kaze Virniam appeared in front of the Horsemen in a flurry of dark petals.
Zeppelin frowned, "No fair. I was getting to the good part."
Diva beamed, "Master Viriniam!"
Silver bowed in respect, "We're glad you have arrived on such short notice."
Kaze smiled proudly, "I'm true to my word; I arrive exactly when I mean to. I didn't mean to miss the party while I was out in Earth-land, where I had to deal with a nuisance Dragon Slayer and bring his tattered body to the castle chapel." She cleared her throat, "Anyway, what's your status on the dark guilds?"
Wrecker reported, "The Desert Cobra, Neptune Trident, and Poacher Fang guilds sent reports of minor resistance movements stirring up trouble in their respective worlds. It seems they haven't learned their place." He chuckled with confidence, "But we'll re-educate them. I'll go with Poacher Fang in the Deep Jungle and continue our hunt for the gorillas."
Silver offered, "I'll go to Agrabah. The Desert Cobra guild and its master, Kurt Zisa, have proven to be quite loyal. I will make sure of it."
Diva proposed, "That leaves me with Atlantica. The Neptune Trident can't go on stage without the main star." She posed dynamically, with light glimmering in the background, "Like me."
Zeppelin added, "I must return to Halloween Town and arrange a meeting with the Neon Insecticide guild. I heard the bag of bugs has found new ways to snuff out terror and replace it with bone-chilling death." He added with glee, "Halloween is my favorite holiday. Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"
Kaze asked, "Speaking of Halloween, where is he?"
Zeppelin raised an eyebrow in confusion, "Um, excuse me?"
Kaze shouted impatiently, "Has that nimrod ringmaster gone off without asking permission again?! Where is he?!"
Silver scoffed, "Are you referring to the guild master of Lantern Viscera, that incompetent guild of clowns? They have brought disgrace to the Alliance of Evil."
Diva shrugged, "Don't blame us, blame it on the clown! He took off with the Lantern Viscera guild to Traverse Town, along with an entire legion of Heartless."
Kaze groaned in agitation, "That idiot! Didn't I specifically instruct him to keep his hands clean? I didn't pay him to clown around! I told him to lay low before we found the Keyhole. Instead, he decided to blow his cover by putting the king of Fiore on a wild goose chase. And now, thanks to him, we've been compromised! Our operations will be exposed!"
Wrecker cut her off, "That's not all. Sources from our intelligence units confirmed reports of a dark blue-haired girl with a key-shaped blade arriving at Traverse Town."
Kaze's eyes widened in realization, "The Keyblade... Wendy Marvell? How did she survive?"
Wrecker asked, "Master Viriniam? What is it?"
Kaze answered simply, "A loose end."
Diva wondered, "Loose end?"
Kaze explained, "The Keyblade has chosen a new wielder."
The four Horsemen stared wide-eyed at these sudden developments. Silver argued, "This is absurd! The Keyblade is only a myth! The only weapon that can seal the Keyholes and erase the darkness only existed in legends!"
Kaze crossed her arms, "Obviously, the legends are wrong. There's no doubt that it chose Wendy Marvell, the blueberry I fought at Earth-land. Looks like Maleficent is right after all."
Diva exclaimed, "A survivor from Earth-land possesses the Keyblade?!"
Wrecker dreaded, "If she has it in her hands, then our plans are doomed to fail."
Kaze grinned smugly, "Like I said, it's a loose end. All we need is a little observation, and when the time's right, we'll strip it down. For now, we'll let Halloween and his bozos have their fun with the Keyblade." She then chuckled, "I can't wait to see the look on his face when the teeth of that key sticks in his brain!"
Zeppelin giggled maniacally, "Now this is entertaining. We'll watch the entire Lantern Viscera drown in blood at the hands of a legendary key. Laughter is the best medicine! You laugh over and over until you DIE!" His laughter increased throughout the Rising Falls, the wind carrying his demonic cackling.
In the meantime, Kaze turned from the Horsemen and sat over the floating platform, confident over the next part of their amazing scheme about to unfold. "The Alliance of Evil will soon pull the curtain on the whole universe, and all the lights will go out. The soul of a pure dragon is added to our collection, and now the princesses are next. The best part, all those little fairies are gonna stain their hands with blood. Hey, Blueberry!" She called out to the sky, hoping that somewhere in the stars, Wendy could hear her voice. "The party's about to start, and you're the V.I.P.! Don't miss it!"
MEANWHILE, IN ANOTHER PLACE...
Romeo Conbolt's eyes opened to a world of black. To his right, all he could make out was his right hand; everything else was completely dark. He shifted his fingers a bit and began to move his head as he shook off the last bits of unconsciousness. After a minute, he pressed both hands against the ground, pushing himself up. He then shifted his weight to his left foot and right knee, holding himself up as he held his right hand to his head. "Ugh... Where am I?" Shaking his head, he stood up and looked to his left, and then to his right.
It was at that moment when Romeo realized his new environment was a long and stretching road of white, floating by a landscape obscured by bottomless, infinite darkness. Not a single trace of light in sight. Slowly, the gears in Romeo's head started to turn, as he remembered the incident in Magnolia. Bit by bit, he felt himself tearing up, and he grew worried that no one was around. Romeo screamed out, his voice echoing into the void, "Wendy! Carla! Master! Where are you?! Can anybody hear me?!" The echoes rescinded, and he felt sad that no one answered. "Where is everybody?"
Far beyond the reach of the stretchy path, Romeo's arrival was noticed by a small figure in red and black, observing from a floating platform. The figure's gloved hand gestured at the boy, "Looks like another one fell in. Well, I guess it's up to us to get him outta here."
"That's right. Our priority is to whisk Romeo out of this realm of darkness. The Fairy Tail guild must stand together if we're to defeat the curtain of evil and restore light to the worlds."
The voice of another resonated behind the figure, and a figure of white stood alongside him.
It was Makarov Dreyar, who looked over the path with a serious expression.
"We're going to need all the help we can get..."
