Aladdin's House

"I figured you kids need something for the road ahead. Here you go!"

Genie picked up his old lamp and zapped it, condensing it into a sphere of light blue magic adorned with the symbol of his former portable prison. The sphere was classified as a brand new Summon Orb which, unlike the ones released from Summon Gems, housed Genie's magical essence rather than the heart of a creature whose world was lost to darkness, or his heart for that matter. Giving Wendy a playful wink, the ex-spirit of the lamp dispersed the orb into a stream of light with a snap of his fingers. The wisps fluttered around the room until they became one with the Keyblade, adding a new slot to her Summon Magic. As soon as the changes took root, Wendy sensed the new energy resonating inside the steel, astonished. "What was that?"

Genie explained, "I took the liberty of adding an extra ingredient to your spicy little concoction. I would honestly like to come with you on your grand swashbuckling universal adventure, but as of this moment, I'm on vacation! What better way to enjoy my freedom than a tour outdoors?" He packed a suitcase with clothes and random stuff, "I'll be with you through the new Summon Gem Wishgrant. Just think of it as my second lamp. You know how it works. Whenever you need me, just gimme a ring, 'kay?"

Wendy contemplated the idea of having a second summon at her beck and call, next to Simba, who could assist the party in times of battle. All the same, she was enthusiastic that Genie could be of great help. She answered, "Of course! With your help, we'll be able to stop the Alliance of Evil in no time!"

Romeo fantasized, "Just think, you against a whole army of Heartless when they backed us to a corner..."

Sherria beamed, "You'd make 'em disappear like a plain old hat trick, or do something even more dazzling."

Genie grinned coyly, "Maybe a little magic show or two, but I'm your pest exterminator at large. Just give a call and I'm there. Satisfaction guaranteed! You don't like it, you get your money back!"

Carla assured, "Regardless, your assistance will be very much appreciated."

Genie chuckled, "It's all part of the favor, isn't it? Any friend of Al's is a friend of mine."

Wendy smiled, "Thanks a lot, Genie."

Aladdin added, "Oh, I've got something for you, too. Here you go." He took something out of his pocket and dropped it in the palm of Wendy's hand. It was a Keychain different in design than the ones she had in her collection; its metallic links were blue, and a miniaturized version of Genie's lamp was the token. "It's something I found in my first treasure hunt. Your must've had a long journey, so I'm giving you a lucky charm. I'm sure you'll know how to make good use of it."

Wendy recognized the small object, before deciding to give it a whirl. "A new Keychain! Let's see if I can install it." Having removed the Jungle King Keychain and secured it in her pocket, she filled the empty slot with the new chain. She and everyone else looked at the key-shaped weapon expectantly. A second later, light began to creep up the body of the Keyblade, until it subsided to reveal its new form. The base of the blade was sky blue, but the rest was solid gold with a point emerging near the base. The guard was predominantly gold as well, though its base was sky blue. The blade had a simple wooden handle with a yellow pommel, and its teeth were a bronze color, arched downward from the tip in the shape of a stylized number three. Overall, the Keyblade's new design was sleek and curved similarly to the magic lamp, as though it had turned into an extension of the lamp itself. Wendy and her friends exchanged amazed looks between focusing their attention on the Keyblade's brand new golden frame, the sun's reflected rays giving a comforting glow.

Donald remarked, "Wow! Solid gold! Just like the treasure at the cave!"

Lisanna stated, "More like Genie's lamp. It looks a lot like the real thing, but much prettier."

Elfman commented, "Can't you just admire the new quality? It shines like a hundred men!"

Carla asked, "So what name did you come up for it, Wendy? Surely when you install Keychains, you give their respective Keyblade forms names befitting their appearances."

Wendy held a hand up to the side of her chin and let out a soft "Hmm..." before determining the title of the Keyblade's current form. "I'm calling this one Three Wishes. When you rub the lamp, a genie comes out to make wishes come true. The Keyblade makes a lot of things happen in its own way, so I guess they're pretty much alike. If a genie can help people and fix mistakes, why not a Keyblade?"

Genie smiled, "By that definition, you mean your key is a wish-granting key. And it grants wishes the way it knows how— breaking locks on doors and bashing baddies in the heads!" He paused for one more opinion in his review, "Overall, Three Wishes is a perfect name for your personal lamp; it suits the shape and color."

Wendy giggled, "Thanks again."

"You have gained the Three Wishes Keychain. Its solid gold casing deflects all manner of elemental attacks. Its Command Style will enable you to summon streaks of a genie's light. Use the light to clear your path." Wendy could hear the mysterious voice buzzing in her head; it was providing her new information about the Keyblade's different forms. Figuring that the voice would always inquire her of any Keychain she could find, as well as their specific attributes, she let the details sink in with a confident nod.

"Well, this is it," Levy turned to Aladdin. "We've been through a lot together, and now that you've reunited with your friends, I guess this is where we part ways. Do you have any second thoughts? You can always hang out with me and Abu." His pet monkey chattered in agreement.

"I'd love to, but my friends need me more than ever," Levy replied. "I'm going to do everything in my power to help them search for the rest of Fairy Tail. If it means crossing other worlds with them, I'll do it. The others have got to be out there in some other world. I just know they are." A short pause, and her thoughts drifted to one particular wizard in the guild that got her concerned the most. "Gajeel..."

"Gajeel?" Aladdin overheard the last word whispered out of her mouth. "Who's that? Someone you know?"

"Let's just say he's a close friend of mine," Levy answered with a smile. "The first time I met him, he kept to himself and didn't get along with others. I felt uncomfortable around his steely attitude at first. But deep down, he has a big heart and is not the kind of man who would back down from a challenge. I respect him for that. I mean, he did save me a couple of times..." She then sighed, "We've had our fair share of experiences, almost as invigorating as the ones you and I had in the marketplace."

"So that makes him very special, huh?" Aladdin asked. "He sure means a lot to you."

"Uh... I..." Levy's face blushed at that comment, unable to find the right words to back her statement. Truth be told, ever since Gajeel offered to be her partner at the S-Class promotion exam, sparks had been flying between, in spite of his gruff personality and her gentle heart. But she was too shy to admit those feelings.

"Levy, how come your face is all red?" Goofy looked at the Solid Script wizard.

"Huh?! It's not red!" Levy protested, trying to cover her face.

"Aww, I know who you're thinking about. You like this Gajeel guy, don't ya?" Donald teased. He and Goofy chuckled at Levy, whose face reddened with embarrassment. Perhaps she said too much about her relationship with the Iron Dragon Slayer... Wendy, Aladdin, and Sherria couldn't help but join in the laughter until it died down.

"If that's what you want, if you're willing to find your friends that badly, then I won't stop you," Aladdin complied. "I hope you find what you're looking for, Levy. But don't forget, if anything happens, you can always pay a visit."

"I'll remember that," Levy nodded. "Thanks for everything you've done for me, Aladdin."

"Anytime," Aladdin grinned. "And Wendy..." He reached over and placed a hand on the Sky Dragon Slayer's shoulder. The young thief looked her in the face, his eyes pleading and desperate. "Please find Jasmine for me."

"Don't worry," Wendy promised. "I won't let you down." Aladdin did his best to retain his smile in spite of the sadness gripping his heart, the throbbing desire to once again see the princess who was whisked away.

Just then, Genie pulled Wendy, Aladdin, and the rest of the group together in his arms. He was dressed in a Hawaiian shirt with golf clubs around his left shoulder and a hat on his head based on Goofy's likeness. "Oh, all of ya. Come over here. Big group hug! Mind if I kiss the monkey?" He kissed Abu on the cheek, who gagged at the mischievous act. "Well, I can't do any more damage around this popsicle stand. I'm outta here!" Genie's grin broadened as he flew out the window and took off into the sky, leaving a trail of sparkles behind him. "Bye-bye, Miss Marvell! See you next issue! Yo, Al! I'm history! No, I'm mythology! Nah, I don't care what I am! I'm FREE!"

Everyone looked up from the window as they watched Genie vanish out of sight in a cloud of twinkling dust, waving their hands and giving shouts of good luck on his very first vacation in what seemed to be an eternity. "Bye, Genie! Goodbye! Bye! See you later! Enjoy your freedom! Come back soon!"

As soon as the farewells rescinded, Elfman let out a sigh of satisfaction. "I'm gonna miss that big blue lug. Perhaps someday I'll ask him for some friendly competition, a one-on-one match between me and him." He flexed his muscles, "A real man versus a real genie. What I'd like to call the next big thing!"

Lisanna admired, "He's wacky and goofy all the time, but there's no denying he's a lovable friend. I hope we'll see him again."

Levy grinned, "I'm sure we will, Lisanna. After all, he is the Genie of the Lamp. Well, he used to be..."

Wendy beamed, "Thank you so much, Aladdin. We'll be on our way now. See you around!" She and the others turned to the exit and marched down the steps, waving at Aladdin and Abu before they were completely outside the house. The young thief's smile grew as he watched his friends depart, running a hand through his dark hair. The heroes' quest in the desert kingdom of Agrabah came to an end, but this may not be the last they would hear from the Alliance of Evil. More villains would surely stand in Wendy's way and try to put a stop to her efforts...


Gummi Ship Cockpit

Returning to the Gummi Ship's landing site in the desert a few miles from the city was a simple task for Wendy and her friends, owing to the vessel's teleportation system connected to the watch on Goofy's wrist. Not a single scratch was found in the metal, indicating that Alzack and Bisca did a great job in guarding the ship. The Connells were immediately delighted at seeing the return of Fairy Tail's resident bookworm, but before the engine lounge could turn into another festival of merriment, the gunslinger duo told the group what went down on guard duty. A unified force of Sleepy Hollow wizards and Heartless tried to storm the ship under the pretense that the Keyblade master was there, not knowing that she left shortly after arrival. To their chagrin, only three were onboard, and the enemies decided on a new scheme to steal the Gummi Ship and hold the passengers hostage. The attempt ended in failure when Alzack and Bisca retaliated with their Guns Magic, their daughter Asuka watching from the sidelines. The pair would have called Wendy and the others for help at any given moment, but seeing as the Sleepy Hollow minions and Heartless were easy to beat despite the numbers, they had it under control. Eventually, the enemy squadron bit the dust, and the Gummi Ship was left with no dent. Donald was most impressed.

The Gummi Ship once again returned to its solitude among the stars, flying for the next world somewhere in the vast reaches of space. Levy McGarden, the newest addition to the party, split her time in the engine lounge between sharing her exploits with her fellow guildmates and reading Donald and Goofy's collection of Silly Symphony books. The moment she laid eyes on the pages, she was astonished of the theme of each book revolving around joy, cheer, and brave souls overcoming impossible odds despite their different backgrounds. She grew to admire them, and so would her best friend/fellow bookworm Lucy if she was there with her. Levy's most favorite was Flowers and Trees, a tale about two male trees fighting for the affections of a female tree. The background, the battle, it reminded her of Gajeel's duel with Kawazu and Yomazu on Tenrou Island. The next time she was caught in a situation akin to the book's plot, she imagined the possibility of a heroic tree coming to her rescue. Whether Gajeel would be there or not, she couldn't guess. Either way, she wanted to see him again. Surely, his absence from the invasion wasn't just a coincidence... was it?

In the meantime, the cockpit was lively as usual. Besides the co-pilots and the Keyblade master sitting in the middle, two were standing on either side, for they had volunteered to join the meeting and take heed of the information acquired thus far. Wendy, Donald, Goofy, Romeo, and Sherria were listening to Carla reading aloud the first page of Ansem's report. Nestled in the folds of her Sky Dragon Slayer companion, the Exceed was close to finishing what was written. "...darkness of the heart. How is it born? How does it come to affect us so? As ruler of this world, I must find the answers. I must find them before the world is lost to those taken by the darkness." With that, Carla folded the page and spoke her mind, "Fascinating! Ansem's studies were not only focused on the Heartless, but the darkness in people's hearts as well. He must be deeply concerned with the current state of nature that he struggled to find answers."

Goofy remarked, "Gawrsh, that must mean he's both a researcher and an explorer! No wonder he's got the big educated brains like any ol' teacher at school." He poked a finger at his brain to make his point.

Donald commented, "Well, what do you expect from the king of a world who works part-time as a science guy? He must've hit the books for extra pointers."

Sherria wondered, "But why would Maleficent get her hands on the pages? Maybe she needed a few instructions on how to cook up tons of Heartless. She didn't know how to pull it off back then."

Carla assumed, "I suppose that explains how she and the other villains had the means to marshal an army. They manipulated the darkness in the hearts of countless innocents, and in turn, the Heartless came into being. If it happened to anyone, it could happen to the rest of our guild."

Romeo frowned, "Man, those guys are no pushovers. When are they ever gonna stop this whole Heartless business? How many more people have to suffer before they're satisfied?"

Wendy suggested, "We have to keep pressing on. Everyone's counting on us! For all we know, our friends could be stranded in another world or captured by Maleficent and her crew. Who knows what'll happen to them if we don't do something about it?"

Carla chuckled, "As always, Wendy, you are the catalyst that raises everyone's spirits."

Sherria beamed, "Yeah, what's an adventure without smiles and laughter? It makes it all the more fun!" She ruffled Wendy's hair, making her giggle.

Romeo grinned, "No point beating around the bush. There's more worlds to explore and more friends to rescue. Maybe we'll run into Natsu when we get to the next world!"

Wendy sighed, "Let's hope so. If only Fairy Tail's strongest team is brought back together, we could even the playing field. I'm a member, after all..." Her smile had long since disappeared at the mention of her fellow Dragon Slayer, "But Kaze kidnapped Natsu. And Erza, too. Lucy and Gray... I don't know what happened to them." For a moment, she kept silent about her unknown connection to the guild master of Sleepy Hollow, as she wanted to save the sensitive parts for last.

Donald said proudly, "We'll find them. Because we're heroes!"

Goofy pointed out, "Don't ya mean junior heroes?"

Donald boasted, "That's beside the point! We kicked Clayton's butt in Deep Jungle, won the Phil Cup, and trapped Jafar in his own lamp! Too bad the goat man can't see us for who we are, 'cause we're the best of the best!"

Carla smiled in amusement, "Modest, aren't you? If I recall correctly, you were sent bouncing all over the walls when Genie slapped you. You could barely do anything until the battle was won."

Donald barked, "Hey! I was just about to show him my best magic spells! They're leagues better than that ponytail-haired, hot-steamed palooka!" That prompted laughter from everyone in the cockpit, much to his annoyance.

Carla turned her attention to a certain cricket sitting on the armrest of Wendy's chair. "I assume you heard everything from the report?"

Jiminy nodded, "Every word! I'm writing a copy of the page you recited in my journal. Feel free to look over it once I'm finished." He licked his thumb as he turned to the next page of his journal and wrote down the contents based on Carla's summary.

Sherria looked over at Wendy, "You mentioned something about a missing page of Merlin's book. Did you find it somewhere?"

Wendy replied, "I found it in the treasure room at the underground cavern." She went through her pocket and pulled it out, before presenting it to the group. "It looks rusty with a jumble of words, but I'm positive it's one of the missing pages."

Goofy turned his head from the co-pilot's seat to examine the page's outline. "Hmm... So it's one page down and four more to go. I'll hold onto it 'til we find 'em all, and give 'em to Merlin when we stop by Traverse Town again."

Wendy smiled, "Thanks, Goofy. I'm counting on you." She handed the page to the captain of the guard, who fastened it under the left pouch of his pants with his free hand before zipping it up, while his other hand kept its grip on adjusting the controls. Donald was dubious about the reliability of a simple-minded party member to keep safe things of great value. He would have preferred to keep the torn page safe in the engine lounge, but there was no denying Goofy was the right dog for the job.

"Okay, last order of business is taken care of," Sherria affirmed. "Now that it's just the six of us here, and with no one to interrupt us..." She turned to Wendy, "It's high time we talked about what happened at the lamp chamber. You know, the part where you fought Sleepy Hollow's boss all by yourself?"

"Kaze?" Wendy stiffened. This was the point of no return; she was moments away from revealing the result of her second round with her rival. But before she could spill the beans, she asked a different question. "Aren't we gonna tell the others about—"

"Some truths may be hard to sink in for everyone," Carla stated. "To give them news of your connection with a stranger would be most unwise. It's best if you share your story with those who are understanding. You have nothing to worry about, for we share your concerns." The other four nodded in agreement.

"We've had our fair share of troubles that nearly cost us our lives, so that means we're on the same boat," Romeo pointed out. "I mean, I was lost in the darkness, and so were you and Sherria, but we all made it out." He then smiled, "Anyway, you can trust us."

"Guys, I..." Wendy blushed. "I'm speechless. I really am."

"Don't gotta say anythin'," Goofy chimed. "Friends stick together. That's all there is to it."

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Donald said eagerly. "Tell us what happened!"

"By all means," Carla agreed. "Explain everything."

Wendy took a deep breath, ready to share her story. She foresaw that the unknown connection between herself and Kaze, as well as the latter's comparison with the mystery girl, would come to light sooner or later, so she took it upon herself to disclose all that she knew, starting with the dreams based on her hidden memories. This was going to be a very long explanation.

Later...

"So you're sayin' Kaze's the girl you can't remember?" Goofy asked. "The one you've dreamt about?"

"I didn't know there's another Sky Dragon Slayer just like Wendy," Sherria remarked. "It must run in the family."

"But why'd you think of those two as one and the same?" Romeo wondered. "Isn't Kaze Viriniam the leader of Sleepy Hollow, a member of Maleficent's band?"

"Honestly, I'm not so sure," Wendy said hesitantly. "But I can't shake the feeling that Kaze acts just like the girl in my dreams. She's playful, loves to joke around, and has a habit of calling me a blueberry. She even calls herself a Dragon Slayer! But why? Does Kaze know something that I don't?"

"Well, before she left, she did mention she's a Dragon Slayer," Romeo recalled. "If she really is one, what kind of element does she eat?"

"How do we know for sure? We haven't seen her breathe fire or anything," Sherria crossed her hips. "I have a hunch something fishy's going on with that pink-haired desperado, and it's making me feel uneasy."

"Why don't you start at the beginning, Wendy?" Carla suggested. "Tell us again what you know about the girl so far. It might even give us an insight if she is anything like Kaze or not."

"Hmm..." Wendy tapped her chin thoughtfully. "There isn't much to say. It's coming back to me in bits and pieces. The girl and I were trained by the same dragon, Grandeeney." In her mind's eye, she could see the outline of the mysterious girl alongside herself, living and training together under the Sky Dragon. "She was three years older and was better at Sky Magic than I was. Like I said, she's playful and had a knack for getting into trouble, but she's very brave and kind." A thin smile broke over her face, "She cared for me like a little sister. I remember the two of us playing hide-and-seek in the forest. But then, one night..." Her smile was replaced with a sad frown, "...she was gone. I think Grandeeney knew the reason. She might even have tried to explain some of it to me, but I was too little. I probably didn't understand what was happening. I remember crying after the girl was gone."

"Then what?" Romeo asked.

"That's it," Wendy confessed. "I still don't remember her name. Could it be Kaze, who acts pretty much like that girl? Or is she..." She struggled to make her words come out, "It makes me feel awful, that I was missing something precious to me. How could I? I don't even know what to do."

"Oh, I bet you'll remember that girl's name in no time," Donald assured. "You said it's coming back to you in bits and pieces, right? That means you'll have to wait a little longer."

"And if Kaze's anything like the girl, we'll have to find out for ourselves," Sherria affirmed. "Whether she's a childhood friend or a long-lost relative, there has to be a reason why you forgot about her. Or is it the other way around?"

"Here's an idea," Romeo proposed. "When you run into Kaze again, why don't you ask her yourself? But this time, don't leave us out of this. We're sticking with you all the way. We won't fight her unless we have to. What you're gonna do with Kaze, we'll leave it up to you." He added with sincerity laced in his voice, "We're all in this together, aren't we?"

Looking around to her friends, Wendy was grateful for their supportive influence, especially towards Romeo's kind attitude. This was one of the reasons she came to respect the Rainbow Fire wizard as a true friend. Having felt a sense of resolution in herself, she replied, "For what it's worth, I never stopped believing in you guys. After all, it's only a matter of time."

Romeo and Sherria cheered in unison, "Alright!"

Goofy beamed, "Now that that's outta the way, let's get back to keepin' the boat runnin'."

Donald interjected, "Speaking of which..." He rose from his co-pilot's seat and gestured towards the control panel. "Wendy, the controls are yours again. I promised I'd teach you how to make use of the Gummi Ship's most advanced mechanics on the way to the next world. You think you're up for it?"

Wendy saw no reason to refuse the offer. Her skill in piloting the Gummi Ship was most impressive on her first try; giving it another whirl would put that skill to the test, even when it comes to mastering the vessel's unique mechanisms. "Okay!" was her reply before she stood up and walked over to the vacant co-pilot's seat. The instructor Donald stood by the chair and stared dutifully out the windshield.

"Cool!" Romeo smiled, taking the empty middle seat. "This is the first time I get to see Wendy drive the ship!"

"Not for me. I've watched her drive before," Sherria pointed out, resting her chin on the top rail. "And she's done an amazing job. Did she tell you?"

"Yeah," Romeo nodded. "That was before we reached Agrabah."

At the start of her second flight session, Wendy kept her grip on the wheel, keeping an eye out for any obstructions amidst the star-decorated blueness. At the same time, the wide gap of information just before she left Agrabah still smoldered in her memory. Any qualms about the chain of events, though, were quickly consumed by the resolve to find an answer to the question that had plagued her for so long. "Kaze... Why are you after me? Why do you want me so badly? There's so much I wanna ask you..." For a moment, her thoughts drifted elsewhere, and her eyes were beginning to avert from the cockpit window.

"WENDY!" Donald's voice snapped her out of her trance. "Eyes forward!"

"Aahh!" Wendy realized where she was. "S-Sorry about that."

"Okay, you see those buttons over there?" Donald instructed, pointing at a few buttons on the control panel. "There's the shields, missiles, plasma bazooka..."

While the Royal Court Magician was teaching Wendy, the Gummi Ship zipped across a cluster of asteroids. It was only after it passed through the floating mass of rocks did one particular asteroid erupt in a shower of radiant darkness. Standing at the surface were two females encompassed in a barrier of dark energy that enabled them to breathe freely in the empty vacuum. A purple flame shrouded the body of one female— none other than Kaze Viriniam— with the flame's emission composing the surface of the barrier, and Mirajane Strauss by her side. They both stared at the Gummi Ship as it vanished into the stars, Kaze with glee, Mirajane with slight fear.

Bursting with anticipation, Kaze widened her scope of the vastness in front of her. "This is it, Mira. The show's about to start. You ready to roll?"

Mirajane asked nervously, "Didn't Maleficent specifically instruct us to stay put in the Jolly Roger and await further orders?"

Kaze chuckled, "Does it look like I'm worried? We get to give Wendy a taste of her own medicine. This is our only chance. Our one-way ticket. We don't wanna waste it. We oughta hit her where it hurts. Leave her vulnerable. And then..." Her hand slowly curled into a fist, squeezing the invisible air around her palm. "...she'll fall right into my hands! Me and Blueberry are gonna spend a lot of time together with no one to disturb us. Not even that horned hag." She chuckled again, "This is gonna be great! I've picked the perfect playground, and no one will ever know we're gone!"

Mirajane questioned, "Care to explain why you're dragging me into this again?"

Kaze answered, "Because it's all part of the game. The same game I've been playing with my rivals for years. Think of it as a roulette of tricks and traps. In this game, there are no rules, no cutting corners, and no limits. Win or lose, the stakes are always high. Chances are if we win, not only do we have Blueberry right where we want her, but we also might get our hands on something that holds the key to a certain..." She strolled over so that she could hiss in Mirajane's ear. "...complication. Think about it. We can find clues as to where the heart of your dragon friend skulked off to. Either way, the prize is big."

The eldest Strauss sibling recoiled at Kaze's intention to lure Wendy into a trap. Her mind screamed that she needed a way to turn the tide without raising suspicion. Second of all, if a solution to Natsu's current predicament could be found beyond the stars, that moment could be hers; the only thing to do for now was to play along. If the time was right, she would help Wendy and her teammates, then make sure Kaze and the Alliance of Evil would never continue their sinister plots.

Kaze beamed, "C'mon, Mira! Let's have some fun! Time for the whale to play his part!" With a flick of her hand, the barrier morphed into a comet and blazed across the starry skies, destroying the asteroid where the Sleepy Hollow guild master and her accomplice once stood. Whatever she got planned, it was going to be bad news for Wendy and company indeed.

Meanwhile...

The last Heartless ship had been gunned down by a homing missile and was blown to pieces before it hit a chunk of rock, courtesy of Wendy's growing expertise as a pilot. Pretty much anybody who looked at such as scene would classify a little girl operating a vessel as unusual, but it was impossible to deny her sharp mind and adaptability made her an expert in short order. Just recently, she obliterated a fleet of Heartless and even mastered the ship's unique defense systems in a matter of minutes! And not a single scratch! Donald, Goofy, Sherria, and Carla were amazed at how proficient the young pilot-in-training had become, while Romeo was simply awestruck. He had the privilege to see Wendy's piloting ability come into play, and he got more than he bargained for.

Romeo breathed, "Whoa, she's really good..."

Donald remarked, "You're even better than I thought!"

Goofy cheered, "Nice shootin', Wendy!"

Sherria winked, "You handled it like a pro."

Carla asked, "How are you feeling?"

Wendy smiled, "I'm good. Not even breaking a sweat."

And so...

Her second flight session drew to a close. Wendy returned to her seat in the middle, allowing Donald to once again be the co-pilot. She looked to her right to see Romeo standing beside her, and could make out the wonder spread across his face. She knew what he was looking for. "Well, you saw what I did there. What do you think?"

Romeo gave his answer only after a pause. "That. Was. AWESOME!" He was overcome with the same excitement he felt the first time he laid eyes on Wendy's new weapon. "You flew really fast, blew up those enemy ships, and no one got hurt! You drive good!"

Wendy was glad of Romeo's enthusiasm as always. "I know, right? I never thought driving a ship would be so easy, even for me. Looks like Donald's lessons finally paid off."

Donald laughed and pointed a thumb at himself. "You learned from the master."

Carla asked the ship's co-pilots, "How long until we reach the next world?"

Goofy checked the navigation system, "Not for another two hours."

Sherria stretched her arms, "I guess there's more time to unwind. Let's get back to the engine room."

"Uh, guys?" The worry in Donald's voice captured the attention of everyone present, as he spotted something unusual blocking the Gummi Ship's path. The others leaned over the dashboard, following the duck's gaze. The object somewhat looked like a round gray sphere floating in the middle of nowhere. "What is that?"

"Wow, it's huge!" Wendy breathed. "Another asteroid?"

"I don't think that's an asteroid," Sherria stated. "We haven't seen one with that kind of color."

Then suddenly, the object moved forward, growing bigger and bigger by the second. It turned itself slightly to the side, revealing its entire body. Everyone was completely baffled at the sight.

"It's a giant whale!" Goofy exclaimed. "A real whopper!"

"There's no way!" Romeo protested. "How could a giant whale float in outer space?"

True to Goofy's words, the whale had to be at least two hundred feet long with a huge box-shaped head, a small hump two-thirds of the way down its back, and ridges on the skin between the hump and tail flukes. The whale propelled itself straight ahead by whipping its powerful tail up and down, its mouth opened to reveal gigantic cone-shaped teeth. The entire Gummi Ship shook as the whale flew over them. Everyone abroad had to grab hold of something in order to stay on their feet. Down in the engine lounge, Wendy could hear the rest of the passengers shouting in the midst of this sudden transition from serenity to chaos.

"That's no ordinary whale," Jiminy looked terrified, recognizing the massive creature that zoomed above the cockpit. "It's Monstro!"

"Monstro?" Wendy and her friends looked at the cricket in confusion.

"He's a whale of a whale, and vicious besides!" Jiminy explained. "He eats whole ships alive!"

"Whole ships?!" Wendy gasped. "That means he's coming after us!"

Just then, Monstro flew back around and turned on the Gummi Ship. With a mighty flick of his enormous tail, he made his way towards Wendy and company. The horror in their hearts rose higher than ever.

"Well, don't just stand there!" Carla shrieked. "Get us out of here!"

Not wanting to be told twice, Donald and Goofy threw the engines in reverse and tried to back up as quickly as they could. But the giant whale was too fast. He was practically on top of them, his mouth wide open.

"Too late!" Donald quacked.

"He's gonna swallow us!" Goofy panicked.

"EVERYBODY HANG ON!" Romeo yelled.

Wendy and her companions screamed in terror as Monstro inhaled a massive amount of air that put the Gummi Ship's boosting capabilities to shame. The darkness within the whale's mouth overtook them, the giant teeth closing the ship under it. The alarms flickered. The screams intensified. The shaking increased. Bodies were pushed around as the ship was knocked from side to side. They clung onto whatever they could find to keep themselves steady, but to no avail.

During the chaos, Wendy bumped her forehead on the ceiling. The emergency blares and the screams became muted as her life flashed before her eyes.

Then everything went black.


The hidden memories resurfaced. The strange girl who played the role of sister figure and fellow Dragon Slayer in Wendy's youth emerged from the light and walked down a path in the forest lined by trees, the leaves scattering the rays of the sun in random directions. A teary-eyed toddler ran across the soil, paused after a minute, then looked behind her, making sure that her best friend was following her as she tried to explain what she discovered in her recent adventure. The mystery girl laughed as she followed after Wendy, calm and easy-going as usual, her hands folded behind her back.

"A monster?" the mystery girl smirked. "Yeah, right. The only monsters I saw were wild animals, at least beyond the borders of Grandeeney's nest."

"It's true!" Wendy protested. "There's a huge monster in the cave! I saw it with my own eyes!"

"How could a monster get into a cave not so far from the nest?" the mystery girl questioned. "There's nothing around here but trees and fruits. You sure you didn't just hear it?"

"I'm not lying!" Wendy shook her head, pointing a finger straight ahead. "I tell you, it's that way!"

"Okay, suppose there really is a monster dwelling in some spooky old cave..." the mystery girl deduced. "If it's anything like the beasts out there, you think we can beat it with our magic?"

"I don't know," Wendy replied timidly. "What if it's too big for us to handle? We're just kids."

"It'll be okay!" the mystery girl gave a friendly pat to the back. "You and I are a duo. There's nothing in this world we can't do together." She placed an arm around Wendy, "And besides that, we're Dragon Slayers. I'm sure we can pull it off with what we've got, heck, even take down a dragon with fifteen heads."

"F-F-F-F-Fifteen-heads?" Wendy shivered. "Sounds scary..."

"Oh, don't be so modest," the mystery girl smiled. "That's what our magic is for to fight all the bad things in this world. Your magic needs work, so all you need is a little practice. As for me, I'm the veteran here." She then beamed with an idea, "How about you leave the so-called monster to me? I'll take care of it. What better way to see how far our training took us than using some freak as a punching bag?"

"You'll take care of the monster for me?" Wendy wiped her tears and looked up with hope. Her fellow Sky Dragon Slayer nodded, much to her delight. "Oh, thank you so much! I know I can count on you! You'll use your magic to make the monster go away, won't you?"

"It's worth a shot," the mystery girl shrugged. "Let's do it!"

The minutes went by like paper in the wind, and the two girls arrived at their destination- a cave hidden behind the towering plants, a cliff encompassing one section of the forest as its structure. They stopped a few inches from the entrance, which had green vines and flowers growing all over the surface.

"We're here," the mystery girl determined.

"Listen!" Wendy whispered, pointing into the dark hole. "Can you hear it growling in there?"

A deep rumbling noise could be heard from within, along with a hollow whistling. The sound was soft, but definitely audible. Wendy's heart began to beat rapidly when she saw her friend's eyes growing wide; she would have to admit that the five-year old was right after all.

"Shh," the mystery girl warned as she stared into the dark. "We gotta stay on our toes."

The eight-year old took a hesitant step forward, and Wendy followed her lead. They ended up walking down a long tunnel towards a faint light. The vegetation stuck out from every side, keeping the tunnel walls in place. As soon as they reached the end, they found nothing apart from a hole in the ceiling that air was pushing through, the cause of the sound Wendy thought was the growl of a monster.

The mystery girl let out a relieved breath, and turned to Wendy. "You see? It's just the wind making that noise."

Wendy sighed as well. "Phew... For a second there, I thought it was a monster."

The mystery girl snapped her fingers, "I wish it was. Where's the fun in that? Where's the danger? So much for showing off my sweet moves..."

Suddenly, Wendy's eyes caught something at the far end of the cavern. "Hey, what's that over there?"

Nestled amongst the sand on the other side of the cave was what looked like a oddly-shaped blade. It was depicted as a classic skeleton key approximately 3.5 inches long, the hilt shaped like a bow, the blade forged silver, and the tip cased with teeth forming the outline of an unknown symbol. The metal seemed to have rusted for a long time, with intricate marks embroidered on its surface.

The mystery girl picked up the strange-looking blade and inspected it closely. "A key? Or maybe a blade? It's hard to tell. How could it end up in a place like this?"

Wendy guessed, "Maybe somebody lost it?"

The mystery girl placed one hand around her hip, "I have no clue what's going on, but one thing's for certain." She paused to let it sink in, "It's definitely not from around here. I bet it's from the outside world."

Wendy's eyes widened in surprise, "The outside world?"

The mystery girl replied, "Obviously! You know, the places far away from the forest? Big cities! Huge islands! Lots of people like us!" She presented the blade to Wendy, "This doohickey's unlike anything we saw before. In the nest, or anywhere in the forest for that matter. There are many places out there, and the proof's right here."

Wendy wondered, "Is that really all that's in here?"

The mystery girl answered, "When you put it that way, it looks a lot like some busted old piece of tin. It doesn't seem to do anything, so that makes it useless." She dropped the trinket back to its resting place on the sand.

Wendy gasped, "You're leaving it behind?"

The mystery girl nodded, "Yeah, Grandeeney will probably freak out when she sees us carrying something like that around. Best if we leave it where it's safe." She relaxed and walked away from the doohickey to join Wendy with another idea in mind. "Hey, Wendy..."

"Yes..."

As Wendy responded to her friend's question, something incredible had happened. Thus far, the name of the mystery girl had been obscured by a static noise that strayed sound out of thought and time. It interrupted any chance of knowing that girl's name, possibly due to the lack of information the current flow had provided. The hidden memories couldn't be denied, but as they continued to swell back into Wendy's mind, the truth was becoming clear. So was the full appearance of the elder Sky Dragon Slayer in training, the kind sister figure, the spunky youth with a brave heart... At last, the silhouette surrounding the girl's appearance faded into color. Wendy could see the serene teal color in her eyes, the short dark-pink hair as delicate as the rose, the sleeveless red shirt, the blue shorts, and the long black stockings.

It was at this specific, fateful moment in time when the void shrouding the mystery girl's name finally disappeared. The noise was gone, and it became clear to Wendy's ears. It was a name that would undoubtedly haunt her as time went on. A name that changed everything.

"...Kaze?"

Yes, beyond a doubt, that was her name. Kaze. The youthful form looked at Wendy with an expression that spelled eagerness and optimism. Had there been a longing in that look? Or something else entirely? What could it be? Nonetheless, the dark pink-haired youth decided on her proposal.

"When we grow up and our training is complete, let's get off this forest. We'll go on real adventures. We'll explore the outside world together! We can't spend the rest of our lives in the forest, can we? There's more to it than that. We need to get out there and experience a lot of things. We'll grow stronger every day. C'mon, Wendy! This'll be fun! I wanna see it all! Just imagine it. You and me, taking on the world!"

"Wow, really?" Wendy's eyes widened at the idea. "Is Grandeeney coming with us, too?"

"Well, she could, her being a mighty dragon and everything," Kaze grinned. "She is our mom, after all. The best dragon in the whole world. It'll take more than a hundred monsters to slow her down. No harm in having a dragon accompany us, right?"

"Sounds great!" Wendy beamed. "I can't wait to go on an adventure with you when we grow up. This is gonna be great!"

"Couldn't agree more," Kaze patted the toddler's back. "You know something? I think this is going to be the start of something... wonderful."

The two girls turned back to the tunnel to leave. Kaze marched casually out of the cavern, her little friend following behind her. Then, her mind focused on something else of interest, she glanced back at Wendy with a bright grin on her face.

"Isn't there anything fun to do now? Word on the leaf is that there's this old lady in a robe who arrived at a village fifty miles from the forest. Did you hear?"

Wendy tried to listen, but was no longer able to. The dream had already come to an end.


Mouth

Wendy opened her eyes slowly, pulling herself together. She found herself staring at a humongous set of teeth a few inches away from where she lay down. She sat up, trying to figure out her new surroundings. Her hands planted on what seemed to be a wet and squishy terrain, giving her an unsettling feeling in her stomach. The large cave-like area of some sort had a very organic feel to it, decorated in pink and red, drenched in a mixture of water and slimy fluids. The air itself was warm and heavy with moisture. It didn't take long for Wendy to realize where she was; she and her friends were thrown into the belly of Monstro the whale! Judging by the teeth and slime, she was sitting on the whale's tongue, and the area itself was the mouth.

The next thing Wendy saw after she regained consciousness were Romeo and Sherria kneeling next to her, Carla standing below their level. The Rainbow Fire wizard was the first to express his relief, "You're okay!"

Carla breathed and placed a gentle paw on Wendy's cheek. "Oh, Wendy! I was starting to worry."

Wendy sat up from the tongue, shaking her head for a split second, abandoning the traces of slime that were soiling her white dress. She appeased her Exceed companion's worries with a gently smile. "I'm okay. Thanks, guys."

Sherria remarked, "That was a wild ride. It's amazing we didn't get munched after we got stuck inside the belly of the beast."

Wendy suddenly gasped as the incident flashed in her memory. She turned around rather hastily, envious of whatever fate befell the rest of the group. "Wait! The others! Are they..."

"Over here!" The four turned at the sound of Levy's voice calling to them. There was a large body of water nearby, the broken remains of ships Monstro devoured reduced to pillars of wood scattered all throughout. Much to Wendy's relief, the Fairy Tail guildmates that had been in the Gummi Ship's engine lounge had survived the crash course. Levy and Lisanna were seen surveying the mouth from a wooden platform not so far away, Alzack, Bisca, and Asuka from another. Elfman was carrying a load of timber, jumping from pillar to pillar. The Gummi Ship's crash site stood next to what appeared to be the half of a wooden boat that had miraculously survived the whale's rampage. It sustained no damage, but any function had long since turned off after the disaster. The hatch was left open on another squishy terrain from the other side of the water, which made an easy exit for the passengers. Wendy discerned that everyone else was in the same situation as she was. Regardless, she was happy to see them. Levy called out from her spot in the platform, "Glad to see you're alive and well. You had us worried for a second."

Lisanna replied, "The engine got clogged after we're guzzled by that giant whale. Donald and Goofy filled us in. We've been searching for spare parts that can help us fix the engine."

Elfman appeared next to Lisanna after a quick jump from a shipwreck. He added, "The bad news is, the ship's busted. The good news is, we can fix it with any piece of junk we can find. Leave the heavy-lifting to a real man!"

Wendy asked, "Speaking of Donald and Goofy, where are they?"

Carla answered, "They're right here." She gestured to the two Disney Kingdom explorers nearby, staring up at a high ledge. A frustrated Donald was crossing his arms and tapping one webbed foot on the damp exterior, while Goofy was anxiously holding his shield over his head. "Apparently, their own search for spare parts gets interrupted by random objects..." She cleared her throat, "...falling out of the sky."

Sherria questioned, "Sky? There's no sky around here. All we see are shipwrecks and water."

Carla clarified, "I'm simply being realistic." She added with a sigh, "I never thought it would come to this. Stuck in the belly of a whale with our ship under maintenance. If only we were fast enough to avoid that monstrosity."

Romeo remarked, "Well, it's a miracle Monstro didn't chew us to bits with his freaky teeth. Why won't he just munch us and be done with it?"

Wendy guessed, "Maybe it's because the teeth didn't drop on us when we got swallowed." She then giggled, "You're right, though. We're lucky to be alive." She approached Donald and Goofy, her shoes making a squish with each step.

"Knock it off!" Donald registered his impatient quack above the wooden pillar towards whatever caused the ruckus. "Can't you see we're in the middle of something here?"

Goofy turned to look at Wendy, a concerned look on his face. "Hey, Wendy. Are you okay?"

Wendy asked after a nod, "What are you guys doing?" Suddenly, an item box came flying from overhead. "Whoa!" She immediately jumped back and dodged it.

Goofy answered, "We're lookin' to fix the clog in the ship's engine after that big ol' whale Monstro gobbled us. Donald and I just ran into a roadblock, whatever it is." He glanced upward, "And for today's weather: expect showers." Just then, one more box dropped with a heavy clunk on top of Goofy's shield. "Heavy showers!"

Donald continued to look up at the source, raising an angry fist in the air. "Hey! Whoever's up there, show yourself and tell us what's going on!"

In the higher levels of the wooden platform, random objects were being thrown from a treasure chest. Once Donald's message reached the ledge, the shower receded. It wasn't long before the one responsible made his presence known: a young boy with thick black hair and skin strangely made out of polished wood. He looked down at Donald from the ledge and waved one gloved hand in the air, saying cheerfully, "It's me!"

Donald relaxed. "Oh, it's just Pinocchio." He did a double-take, "Pinocchio?!"

At that moment, Jiminy hopped onto Wendy's shoulder and stared at the living marionette with a stunned expression on his face. "Pinocchio?" The aforementioned puppet pulled something out of the chest and walked down the ledge. It looked like a huge green square made from an artificial substance of some kind. Unless Donald and Goofy were wrong, Pinocchio was just on his way with a giant gummi block. "Pinoke, where are you going?" Jiminy called again. "Pinoke!" No answer. Pinocchio hopped along the various wood piles scattered throughout Monstro's enormous mouth, carrying the gummi block in both arms. Jiminy grew increasingly worried, fidgeting with the handle of his umbrella. He then looked to Wendy and the others for help, "Come on, everybody! After him! Quick!"

Wendy wondered, "How did Pinocchio get inside Monstro when we just met him in Traverse Town?"

Carla suggested, "We'll worry about that later. First, let's find out where he is going."

"Help!"

Wendy, Donald, Goofy, Romeo, Carla, and Sherria froze when they heard the voice of a female close by. The Sky God Slayer first spoke her reaction, "Did you hear something?"

"Please, help! Somebody! Anybody! Help me!" The distressed cry came again, taking in a distorted quality that sounded like a mouth gargling water. Donald and Goofy didn't seem to be taking it lightly, as they anxiously looked around for the eerie voice calling out to them.

Donald quacked, "Wak! Another one? Who goes there?"

Goofy worried, "I have a feeling we're bein' watched."

"Help me! I'm just a helpless woman stuck in the water! Please, help me! Before I drift away again!"

Wendy blinked, "Somebody's stuck in the water? But who could it be?"

It was at that exact moment when the six heard a splash below their feet, prompting them to look down at the water. Nestled amongst the blanket of ripples was the aquatic image of a young woman with shoulder-length hair, her clothing attire being a coat with a fur shawl and a Russian Cossack hat. The two Disney Kingdom adventurers, seeing that they hadn't feast their eyes on a water phantom before, began to panic. "GHOOOOOOOOOST!" They shivered and held each other for comfort, mistaking the woman's watery form as an ill omen.

Donald shuddered, "A g-g-g-g-g-ghost in the w-w-w-w-water! This place is h-h-h-h-h-haunted!"

Goofy pleaded, "Please don't eat us. We're too young to be ghost food."

The woman questioned, "W-What are you talking about? I'm no ghost. I'm a normal person as much as you are."

Goofy raised an eyebrow, "Huh? You're not?"

Donald asked, "Then why are you in the water?"

The woman explained, "I've just merged with the water by accident. I must've become overly stimulated by the stress of being stuck inside those innards for so long. That was a careless mistake on my part." She then pouted, "Oh, Gray! Where is my knight in shining armor when I need him the most? He should be on his way right about now, riding a stallion across the stars, searching for me!"

Wendy, Carla, Romeo, and Sherria widened their eyes in astonishment. There was only one person in the Fairy Tail guild who usually spoke of romantic fantasies involving Gray Fullbuster. And who better to greet them than Juvia Lockser, the Rain Woman! In a surprising twist of fate, she took refuge in not a world, but the belly of a whale that crossed the star ocean. Thoughts of Gray continued to overwhelm Juvia's mind, whether he would free her from the confines of her slimy prison, or if the opportunity presented itself, she would escape from that prison herself and be with him again. The Rain Woman suddenly snapped out of her thoughts when she gazed upon a few familiar faces. "Oh, my goodness! It's Wendy! And the God Slayer from Lamia Scale! What a surprise!"

Wendy cried happily, "Juvia! There you are!"

Sherria beamed, "Hey, I know you! You're the water girl I fought at last year's Grand Magic Games! But..."

Romeo remarked, "Monstro swallowed you, too! If you're in his belly, doesn't that mean Gray's with you?"

Juvia moaned, "I wish. Every time I think about him, it makes me feel empty like a river with no fish."

Carla sighed, "As imaginative as ever, I see."

Donald asked incredulously, "So the 'ghost in the water' is actually another Fairy Tail member?"

Wendy nodded, "Uh-huh. This is Juvia. She's a wizard in our guild who can control water."

Goofy realized, "Gawrsh, that pretty much sums up how's she's blendin' in with the water."

Juvia clarified, "Well, I wouldn't exactly call it 'blending in'. My body assimilated with the water under the pressure of multiple attempts to get Monstro to spit us out. The stress overtook me, and because of that, I couldn't get myself out. So here I am, trapped with the ripples..."

Donald breathed, "That means you're not a ghost after all. Phew! You had us worried for a second. We're sorry for the trouble."

Juvia confirmed, "At the very least, you seem rather honest. May I ask your names?"

Donald introduced himself and Goofy, "I'm Donald, and he's Goofy. We're friends of Wendy and Fairy Tail."

Juvia affirmed, "Well, I was expecting Gray to come to my rescue, but I suppose you'll do just fine. Now then..." She couldn't finish her sentence when the waves grabbed her astral body and began to rock her like a cradle. Her gaiety boiled into dread once more, and she desperately reached for the unseen void between air and liquid. "Oh, no! It's happening again! The tide is taking me!" With that, the Rain Woman was swept away by the waves, slowly but surely making their way to the nearest pile of wood. "SOMEBODY HELP MEEEEEEEEE!"

Wendy called out, "Hold on, Juvia! Sky Dragon's Wave Wind!" With a flick of her wrist, a tornado rose from the water and snatched Juvia in its swirling embrace. Just as the water blended with the wind and the Rain Woman's startled screams, the Sky Maiden waved her hand close to her chest, gesturing the Wave Wind to bend its direction from horizontal to diagonal on a new course for terra firma. The mingled elements stained the floor where the tornado struck, and all that remained was a mere puddle of water yet to dry itself up.

Donald screamed in horror at the scene. "AAAAAAAHHHH! SHE'S DEAD! SHE'S TURNED INTO A PUDDLE!"

Carla snapped, "Fool! Don't jump to conclusions!"

Wendy examined the puddle beneath her feet before saying, "She's gonna be okay, Donald. Did I forget to mention she can transform her body into water? It'll take a while before she regenerates, so don't worry." She said this to assuage Donald's fears, since she could tell that the duck was worried about Juvia's extraction ending in failure.

Everyone looked over at the tiny splash and saw the strands of liquid creeping up and becoming one with it. The splash grew into a mound, before it popped to reveal Juvia's complete form, much to the delight of Wendy and her friends. Once she was fully restored, the water wizard looked herself over and sat up from Monstro's tongue, briefly stretching her arms. Donald let out a sigh of relief at Wendy's words of assurance proved right. Juvia then gave the Sky Dragon Slayer a cheerful smile and said, "Thank you, Wendy. Oh, the sweet ground! I missed it so much!" Her cheeks blushing, she caressed the sticky substance that composed the floor, although she didn't seem to mind. "My worries of spending eternity as a delicate flower trapped in the water are finally at ease."

Wendy couldn't help but grin softly at that statement. She then asked, "So how did you end up in Monstro's belly, Juvia?"

Juvia cleared her throat, "Oh, yes... The reason behind my trapping in the viscera of a mammal the size of a mountain. The Sleepy Hollow mercenaries assaulted our guildhall and loaded us like cargo. The ships they used are obviously not of the ordinary kind— they're space shuttles constructed of non-combustible materials based on an artificial substance. The designs show questionable taste."

Goofy wondered, "They wouldn't happen to be gummi ships by any chance?"

Juvia blinked, "Gummi ships? Is that what they're called? Capable of interstellar flight, yet they were named after chewing gum. How odd."

Donald groaned, "Don't explain the joke."

Juvia continued, "As I was saying, it was a terrible crisis. One by one, the villains wrapped our Fairy Tail friends into presents to be delivered on each ship, excepting special trips for two or three." She waved her arms for dramatic effect, "I was one of the few selected to have another passenger accompany me on their way to the enemy base, and to my delight, it was Gray! Not my idea for an interstellar honeymoon, but him being at my side brings warm feelings to my heart." Her face then softened, "But it was not to last..."


The gummi vessel Juvia and Gray were abducted on steered to the right, following the herd of dark guild ships back to the world where the Alliance of Evil's leading authority resided. However, the trip was not without a roadblock- a blue comet seemed to be in the distance, except it was larger, and had a very odd shape. A Sleepy Hollow wizard interrupted just as the pilots were talking to each other, "Hey, do you see that?"

The co-pilot on the left pointed a finger in front of the glass window. "Straight ahead!"

The rest of the crew gathered round, dragging along Juvia and Gray tied up in ropes made of anti-magic material. The two wizards also stared at the strange comet, which grew closer. It was a simple matter of discerning the danger closing in on them, even the hostages' faces were filled with horror at what they saw.

"GIANT WHALE!"

The behemoth Monstro was on the prowl, casting a dreadful shadow on the shuttle and everyone onboard. When he finally approached, the ship was rocked to the core. A frightened Juvia leaned on the confused and also startled Gray for comfort, screaming, "What's happening?!"

Gray couldn't hug Juvia because his arms were bound, so all he could do was make the best out of a hapless situation. "Stay with me, Juvia. It'll be okay. We'll find a way out of—"

BOOOOOOOOM! The next thing they knew, a wall of fire split them apart, the ashes and metal mingling with the foul voices crying out. The ship was torn in two, Juvia on one side of the divide, Gray on the other. Soon, all that remained was the ship's cargo area floating aimlessly amidst a pile of scrap and bodies that had long lost their oxygen.

The cockpit wasn't nearly as fortunate. Monstro crushed it under his massive teeth before swallowing it, having finished his meal. The gummi blocks that composed it, along with a tiny stream of water, made their way into his belly.

I was able to survive through my water body. The shuttle's remains were scattered among the pile of wrecked ships Monstro devoured. My luck soon turned to worry when I realized there was no one else. Including Gray...

Once Juvia reformed from the water she was composed of, she looked her way around the whale's enormous mouth, praying for the safety of her beloved Ice-Make wizard. Her panic resurfaced in a matter of minutes, and she glanced through the water and slime and shipwrecks. With all of her instincts to follow Gray's scent on fire, he may have been hiding anywhere. But he was not.

Eventually, Juvia put her search on hold, having understood where the situation led to. She couldn't stop thinking about Gray, who may be lying outside the whale's mouth, wedged between the stars where he couldn't be found. Was he alive? Was he even looking for her? Uncertainty gripped her heart as the water wizard sank to her knees and clenched her hands, tears streaming down her cheeks. She whispered, "Hello? Gray? Anybody?"


Wendy, Donald, Goofy, Romeo, Carla, and Sherria were silent as Juvia finished her story. She wiped the same tears she shed during the first hours she spent in Monstro's belly before speaking. "My darling Gray was left behind in the sea of stars, leaving me alone in my imprisonment. Not a minute goes by when it doesn't haunt me." She gave another sniff, her eyes glistening with passion, "How I longed for him and I to be together again. My heart yearns so much that it makes me want to burst!"

Goofy cooed, "Aww, you miss your boyfriend? I feel so sorry for ya."

Donald stated, "Well, at least you're okay. You're lucky you didn't get didn't get chewed."

Juvia exclaimed, "OKAY? How could I be okay at a time like this? The experience was utterly awful! My beloved Gray is gone, every attempt to force Monstro's mouth open ended in failure, and my beautiful body was drenched in acid and slime the more I explored the whale's body! I had to wash myself every hour! How cruel fate must be, wandering without purpose or direction in a labyrinth of organs! Of all the worst things that could happen to a frail raindrop of a woman, that was the worst. Possible. Thing." Goofy ran over to catch the drama queen as she fell onto her back. After a minute, she looked up to see the others staring at her. "What? It was, you know!" They had a different reaction to this comment. For Carla, she applied her paw to her face and shook it slightly.

Sherria questioned, "How did you know the whale's name was Monstro? You said you're the only survivor."

Juvia nodded, "From the ship I was shanghaied into, yes. But there is one other person who took refuge in the whale's mouth. He came here with a ship of his own."

Wendy asked, "What's his name?"

Juvia replied, "His name is Geppetto, an elderly wood-carver from another world. He was on a quest to find his missing son until the whale gobbled up his ship, leaving half of it still intact. That leaves us in the same boat, him and I. He misses the most important person in his life as much as I do."

Wendy and her friends gasped in surprise. "Pinocchio's dad? He's here?!"

Jiminy took the news with utter disbelief, and swiftly wrote the next line in his newest entry for posterity. "She knows Pinoke's father! And..." He stopped writing for a moment to let the next bit of information sink in, which was a bit of a surprise for him. "Mister Geppetto's swallowed up as well?"

Juvia continued, "For a time, we were the only people inside the whale. It was only brief when another person came in before you. A living wooden marionette, who turned out to be Geppetto's son."

Jiminy thought out loud, "Pinocchio..."

Juvia pointed out, "By a twist of fate, father and son reunited. They were very happy. I would be too, if Gray was with me. Even before Geppetto's son arrived, the old man and I came up with ideas on how to escape Monstro's confines, but none succeeded. Monstro only opens his mouth when he eats, then everything comes in. Nothing goes out. The whale's teeth is virtually indestructible, even the full extent of my Water Magic wasn't enough. As time passed, I lost hope and grew tired from every attempt. And then... you saw what happened." She then gestured to the Gummi Ship resting beside the partially damaged wooden ship, "This is the ship you came from, isn't it? You came all this way to rescue me?"

Wendy nodded, "That's the idea. We're looking for King Mickey and our Fairy Tail friends. The bad guys kidnapped most of the guild."

Juvia beamed, "If you're on a daring quest to reunite the guild, that means you're looking for Gray as well! Did you find him along the way? Please say you do!"

Wendy shook her head, "Sorry, Juvia. We haven't found him yet." The Rain Woman looked depressed at the regretful news, but the Sky Maiden cheered her up. "But we will. If Monstro didn't swallow him, he must've gone off to another world. On top of that, Gray's tough. He'll never let anything stop him. He'll be fine. I know it."

Juvia sighed happily, "That's very sweet of you, Wendy. Exactly what I wanted to hear." She kissed Wendy on the cheek, making her blush. "A young girl with a bright soul and a heart of gold... One of many fine qualities in a member of Fairy Tail's strongest team." Her smile turned into a frown for a few seconds. "But seriously, I want to see him."

Wendy assured, "Don't worry. We'll do our best."

Juvia asked, "How did you end up in Monstro's belly? Is your ship damaged, too?"

Donald explained, "Not really. The engine was clogged and it missed a few gears. Without it, we can't fly."

Goofy stated, "We're lookin' for stuff that'll get the engine back in top shape." He stroked his chin, "Y'know, I think we saw Pinocchio carryin' a gummi block on the way out. Are these the pieces of that ship Juvia came in?"

Carla suggested, "Hmm... Perhaps we can use the gummi blocks from Juvia's ship for spare parts. If they're scattered amongst the pile of wrecked ships, finding them will be a chore."

Donald grinned, "There are loads of gummi blocks everywhere? This is perfect!"

Goofy agreed, "Yeah! We can get that engine fixed in no time!"

Sherria wondered, "But where's Pinocchio taking the block?"

Wendy guessed, "Maybe he wants to show it to his father, since they're together again and everything. Does he have some sort of idea?"

Juvia offered, "I'll take you to Geppetto's ship. Follow me!" She transformed her body into a cascade of water and bounced from shipwreck to shipwreck in the direction Pinocchio had gone. From their spots in various piles of wood, the rest of the Fairy Tail wizards were quick to identify the image of the woman coated by the watery substance. Delighted that Juvia was found, they welcomed her back with a myriad of cheers and shouts of joy. The Rain Woman smiled and waved to her comrades between jumps. Meanwhile, Wendy, Donald, Goofy, Romeo, and Sherria jumped in the water and swam off to where Juvia was heading, Carla flying over with her wings. Jiminy jumped on Wendy's shoulder and secured himself in the folds of her white dress.

MONSTRO

Pinocchio carried the green gummi block all the way to the wooden boat. As Wendy and her friends pulled themselves out of the water, they walked over the strips of wood until they were high enough to reach the deck. There were two figures, one of whom was Pinocchio, setting the block down on the floor. The other was his father Geppetto, an old man with black eyebrows, thick white hair, a large round nose, slightly pointed ears, blue eyes, and a white mustache. He wore frameless rectangular spectacles, a lilac-colored shirt with baggy sleeves under a red-violet vest, a red-violet belt with gold linings around his abdomen, black breeches covering his legs, knee-high grey socks, and brown shoes with gold buckles.

"What have you got there, Pinocchio?" Geppetto asked.

"With this, we can get out of here, Father," Pinocchio suggested.

"Really? With this big block? You think so?" Geppetto's eyes widened.

"He's right about that."

The two turned at the sound of Wendy's voice. The Keyblade master smiled at them as she entered the deck, Donald, Goofy, Romeo, Sherria, and Carla following closely, and Juvia landing next to them after a watery bounce. Wendy took a few steps forward, addressing the boy puppet, "Pinocchio, how did you end up here? Did Monstro find you first? Or did you go off on your own?"

Geppetto gasped in surprise, "Oh, my! So the whale swallowed all of you, too?" He could hardly help but chuckle nervously. "My goodness. I suppose you also came from the ship that crashed next to mine?" When he received a nod, he gestured his hand from the Gummi Ship to the other party members investigating the shipwrecks. "A lot of people have been moving around the whale's mouth, looking for things. Perhaps they're trying to find a way out, even better than what this young lady..." He motioned to Juvia, then to himself, "...and I attempted to do."

Wendy giggled, "Yeah, that pretty much looks like it."

Juvia stated, "Mister Geppetto, these fine people happened to be my friends. They were looking for me."

Geppetto chortled, "Well, it's nice having more people than two for a change." He turned to Wendy and cleared his throat, "My name is Geppetto. I'm Pinocchio's father." The group's eyes grew wider. They finally had the privilege to see the father of the puppet brought to life by the Blue Fairy. They each looked to one another in astonishment, but Geppetto didn't seem to notice as he went on, "When we got separated, I traveled all over, looking for him. Thank goodness we're together again."

While the conversation dragged on, Pinocchio was distracted by something behind him. Whatever it was, it compelled him to walk over the plank. He could see someone running further into the bowels of Monstro's body...

Geppetto picked up the gummi block and carried it over to a small bed sheltered by the boat's rooftop. There was even a small fishbowl on top of a drawer, with a tiny stone castle and a delicate-looking goldfish inside. Curled up on the bed was a small black and white kitten, fast asleep. He said, "So, you seem to know Pinocchio quite well. I hope he was a good boy in my absence."

Carla noted, "And you seem to know Juvia. You and she have been working together in multiple attempts at escape, aren't you?"

Juvia nodded, "Pretty much, yes."

Geppetto placed the block on a nearby table, before gently rubbing the top of the kitten's head. He chuckled, "Well, we've all had quite a journey. Right, Pinocchio?" He turned to look over at his son, only to find him missing. "Pinocchio?"

Sherria blinked, "Where'd he go?"

Wendy and her friends immediately joined the search, wandering the deck of the ship and looking for signs of Pinocchio. Donald grunted, his gaze sweeping from one end of the ship to the other, "Wasn't he just here?"

Goofy commented, "He sure moves fast for a little wooden guy."

Wendy leaned over the railing, looking towards the tunnel in Monstro's gut. She squinted her eyes, spotting something lurk deeper into the shadows. When she leaned further enough, she caught a glimpse of the red overalls and white gloves. "There he is!" Wendy informed the others. She cupped her hands around her mouth and drew in a deep breath, "Pinocchio!" No response.

The others hurried to the Sky Maiden and looked over at the entrance to the inner chamber. Romeo asked, "Where?"

Wendy pointed her finger, "Inside that tunnel. I think he's heading deeper into Monstro's belly."

Geppetto sighed sadly, "I warned him not to wander off here. He can be a naughty boy sometimes. Even so, he's very precious to me."

Wendy gave Geppetto a look of sympathy. She knew how the old man felt and how worried he was about the well-being of his son. He had been so happy just knowing that he reunited with someone important to him; of course, he would be afraid to lose Pinocchio again. Similarly, Wendy couldn't help but wonder what happened to the rest of the Fairy Tail guild. Most of all, why a certain rival became integral to her past. With that in mind, Wendy eased the wood-carver's worries with a gentle grin. "Don't worry, Mister Geppetto. We'll go get him."

Geppetto asked, "You would do that? I'd hate to trouble you..."

Wendy assured, "No trouble at all. Helping people is what we do best. Leave it to us."

Juvia grinned, "It looks like you need a guide through the whale's innards. I'm going with you. With my help, you'll have no problem catching a small fish in a big pond."

Sherria nodded, "Sure! You explored every part of the whale, so that makes you the expert."

Juvia admitted, "I didn't exactly explore everything. There are certain things I found hard to access. I almost got digested for that. Either way, Juvia Lockser at your service. Drip-drop."

Carla confirmed, "We're glad to have you with us, Juvia."

Donald proposed, "Goofy and I will stay behind and find some more gummi blocks like the one Pinocchio found." He added with a snicker, "We're basically pros when it comes to gummis. Nothing we can't handle!"

Goofy suggested, "You fellas go on ahead and find Pinocchio. All we gotta do is fix the engine, get the ship rarin' to go, and we're home free! If you need help from us, just give us a holler."

Wendy smiled, "Thanks, Goofy. We'll let you and Donald hold down the fort till we get back." She turned to the other four who volunteered to expedite the full extent of Monstro's insides. "It's up to us now. But why would Pinocchio run off like that? Wasn't he happy to see his dad again?"

Romeo determined, "Whatever's bugging him, we'd better tag along."

Geppetto advised, "Beware of the monsters floating around. They'll try to drive you deeper into the whale."

Sherria worried, "Monsters? I'm not taking a wild guess..."

Wendy called back, "Got it! We'll be back!" She waved goodbye and vanished out of Geppetto's line of sight, delving deeper into Monstro's body with Romeo, Carla, Sherria, and Juvia by her side. Donald and Goofy departed from the ship as well, ready to assist the remainder of the crew on the Gummi Ship's maintenance. The old wood-carver sighed and sat down on the bed, patiently awaiting the rescue party's success.


Inner Chambers

Wendy and her companions didn't know what part of Monstro's body they had entered, but it was a strange sight to behold. The organic walls speckled with bright multi-colored spots that twitched and moved, pulsating in rhythm. They could hear the sound of a heartbeat echoing somewhere deep within the whale's body. It sounded far away, but the walls seemed to suggest otherwise. There were several other tunnels connected to the chamber the group entered, each spreading out in different directions. Wendy soon gave her opinion on their new surroundings, "Whoa... So that's what a whale's insides look like... They look kinda weird." She felt a bit sick to her stomach at her next comment, "And gross!"

Romeo tried to give a positive spin on the matter, barely suppressing the urge to vomit. "Yeah, I mean, we're inside the body of a giant whale floating in outer space. What's the worst that could happen?"

Juvia counted her fingers, "Digestive acids, living organs, and creatures of the unholy kind. Trust me, I've seen it all. Morbid, messy, and malicious."

Wendy gulped, "It was?"

Romeo sweated, "This was low, even for a whale of a whale."

Carla pointed out, "But it's not like we can't help it. Monstro swallowed us. We can't just leave because the sight of a whale's inner workings makes us feel sick. We just have to keep a steady pace and we'll come through fine. The only thing to do at this point is press on."

Wendy gave up, letting out a breath. "Yeah, you're right. We'll get over it."

Juvia grinned, "Not to worry, my friends. I've grown accustomed to these experiences throughout my journey to the depths of the whale. At the end of the tunnel, there is always a guiding light. As of this moment, you can count on me to lead the way."

Sherria shrugged, "Well, as long as we don't run into trouble, I won't argue."

Romeo agreed, "You got it."

Wendy urged, "Please lead the way."

Juvia pondered, "Now then, where to begin..."

Just as Wendy and company were about to look into a different inner chamber, they spotted Pinocchio peering out from the entrance. Jiminy pulled himself up onto Wendy's shoulder, pointing his umbrella at the young puppet. "There he is!"

The search party was relieved at being able to find Pinocchio so quickly. The latter withdrew slightly as everyone approached him. Wendy spoke first, "Pinocchio, what are you doing out here?"

Pinocchio responded, "I saw something really interesting, so I had to follow it."

Sherria said gently, "Come on, let's go back. Your dad's awfully worried about you."

Pinocchio lowered his gaze to the fleshy surface and inched a little backward. "B-But I have to..."

Carla said sternly, "Stop fooling around! Can't you see that you're causing your father unnecessary grief with your disappearing act? You must come back with us. This is not the time for games." The white Exceed's usual serious attitude was just the edge they needed to assert the discussion. Pinocchio looked somewhat embarrassed at being chewed out. Wendy watched him for a moment before she and her teammates turned back to where Geppetto was waiting.

"Aww, that's too bad. When you're a Fairy Tail wizard, life is all fun and games. It's no surprise you're one of them, Blueberry!"

Alarms suddenly went off in Wendy's head. A chill ran down her spine at the sound of the familiar voice. She whirled around to see a tall dark pink-haired girl with sharp teal eyes entering through the same tunnel Pinocchio hid in. The newcomer strode forward and came to a stop next to Pinocchio, her arms placed proudly around her hips, her face sporting a teasing look. "So, have you gone fishing with the band members? Or are you too cool for that since you have the Keyblade and those fancy new moves?"

"K-K-Ka-Ka..." Wendy stuttered incoherently, almost feeling her heart stop from shock. "Kaze?"

"Hi," Kaze greeted with a playful salute. "Long time no see."

Wendy didn't respond. Her eyes dilated with horror and her jaw was quivering. At any moment, she would react to any new trick the guild master of Sleepy Hollow had set up, but instead of hostility, it was trembling fear, and for good reason. The visions and hidden memories had culminated into a single revelation that Kaze was the name of the girl from her past, the other Sky Dragon Slayer who had aspirations of exploring the outside world. Romeo, Carla, and Sherria were equally surprised to see Kaze making another appearance, and began to show concern for Wendy's reaction. Bit by bit, they understood what it meant. Juvia, on the other hand, never saw her Wendy that way.

"Wendy, are you alright? You look pale," Juvia inquired.

"I believe the answer is right in front of us," Carla glared.

"Hey! You don't think..." Sherria began.

"What a surprise," Kaze commented. "Wendy Marvell and her pals on a quest to explore an underground cave made out of a mammal's organs. And I wager this isn't all of them."

"So you finally decided to show yourself, Kaze Viriniam," Romeo growled. "We heard all about you— what you did to our guild, and what went down between you and Wendy. We have a bone to pick with you! After what happened, there's no way we're letting you get away with it!"

"A bone to pick with me? Because I've got this thing going on between Wendy and I?" Kaze quipped. "Or is it the number of Fairy Tail wizards we've captured? C'mon, I thought we were over this. Or have you guys already noticed? We just wanted them to join the party, but they refused to listen. We had to keep tabs on our schedule. Once upon a time, the boss demanded more recruits for the uprising. Strength in numbers, as they say. But with our forces dwindling in numbers, including the council, we had to rely on our reserves. Too bad some of them weren't a cut above the rest."

"The nerve of some people," Sherria frowned. "A bunch of villains from other worlds playing guilds for pawns!"

"Nice try, lady," Romeo retorted. "But just so you know, you can't mess with us."

"Did I?" Kaze snickered, much to Romeo and Sherria's displeasure. Her eyes darted to the woman in blue next to them. "Say, aren't you the water girl Zeppelin blew to a puddle of pig milk at your guild's doorstep?"

"Zeppelin?" Sherria wondered. "Who is he?"

"One of Sleepy Hollow's Headless Horsemen," Kaze answered. "Loves to blow stuff up. Borderline psycho."

"I'm surprised you remember me, Miss Viriniam," Juvia remarked. "You must be a highly-esteemed leader to have the loyalty of such talented wizards like your demolition robot lackey. But did you not notice that I'm made entirely of water? Try as you might, you cannot easily destroy the spirit with your parlor tricks. I'm still standing because my heart is devoted to my beloved, and it urges me not to stop!"

"Well, good luck with that," Kaze advised. "I'm sure your boyfriend is proud of your bravado, wherever he is. I doubt he survived the long fall to darkness. You probably won't see him again."

"Shut up!" Juvia snapped. "There's no way Gray is gone! I know he's still alive!"

"Believe what you have to believe," Kaze shrugged. "I won't stop you. But I'm not interested in your gloomy love story..."

"GLOOMY?! TAKE THAT BACK!" Juvia heard enough of Kaze's insults and swiped her arm, sending a Water Slicer at its intended target. Wasting no time, the Sleepy Hollow wizard swiped the blade of liquid away with her bare hand. The Water Slicer hurtled towards the wall and splashed against it, leaving plenty of traces behind. Juvia was shocked to have seen her attack deflected like it was nothing. "No way!"

"As I was saying..." Kaze shook her soaked hand to dry. "I'm not here for that." She turned her attention to Wendy, "I'm here for her."

"K-Kaze..." Wendy stammered in disbelief. "H-H-How did you—"

"End up inside the body of a monstrous freak of nature?" Kaze cut her off. "No special reason, really. I'm just hanging out with your puppet friend here." She noticed the unsettling expression on Wendy's face, and tried to cheer her up. "Come on, Blueberry! This is how you greet me after so long? No 'Hi, Kaze' or 'Nice to meet you again'? Not even a hello. How rude."

The moment those eyes made contact with Wendy's, the fear gripping her heart faded to make way for something else. She knew hers and Kaze's paths would cross again at some point. With what she knew about her past thus far, it all came down to this. Wendy shook her head vigorously, pushing her doubts aside for the time being, and responded, "Kaze, we need to talk. There's something I wanna ask you..."

"And I'm not in it for your make-believe companion, either," Kaze continued. "I know exactly what you're going to say, but we need to face facts. You and I are related in strength and willpower, but never in childhood. I mean, almost becoming a pancake in a river of lava only to be saved by a dynamic blueberry? Sure, I'll give you that one. But getting a splitting headache AND blurting out I was a Dragon Slayer when I never was to begin with? Nuh-uh. No thanks and no more."

"That's exactly what I'm talking about!" Wendy cried desperately. "Please, let's just start over!"

"Geez!" Kaze moaned. "When are you ever gonna stop acting like reality's a fantasy? I don't know what you've got in that brain of yours, but you're in way over your head. I insist you leave me out of it. Ask a better topic instead. If you keep rambling on how I'm connected to your past or whatever, I'm gonna be seriously upset."

Wendy was taken aback by her rival's strange behavior. Since when did Kaze get grumpy about being dictated to? Even Romeo was taking things seriously! She pleaded, "Kaze, I don't wanna fight you. Don't do this."

"Yeah, we should've had a pleasant conversation," Kaze admitted. "But here, it's all play and no talk. Like I said, you can't fight fate." She rubbed the side of her nose with a finger, "How about a hug from your best friend, hmm? Or better yet, how about a hug from this!" She drew one of her Soul Eaters in Revolver Mode, the turret aimed for Wendy's chest. "Think of this as the start of our second family reunion!"

Wendy kept silent about this, visibly shaken. This was the second point she wanted to make about her connection with Kaze. Before her rival could pull the trigger, Romeo stepped in front of Wendy with his arms raised, Sherria following soon after. "Now you want a hug, too?" Kaze taunted.

"Stop right there, Kaze! Don't even think about it!" Romeo shouted.

"We won't let you touch her, so do us all a favor and back off!" Sherria demanded.

"Romeo, Sherria..." Wendy whispered, touched by her friends' resolve.

"What about the rest of Fairy Tail? Where did you take them?" Carla questioned.

"You wanna know? If you play my game, maybe I'll tell you everything," Kaze smiled.

"We don't have time for this nonsense! Stop at once!" Carla argued.

Kaze's smile widened as she grabbed Pinocchio's hand. Not realizing what was going on, the puppet couldn't find it in himself to shake out of the dark pink-haired youth's plot. "Come on, puppet boy. Let's play hide-and-seek!" They both vanished after a Shadow Step, her mocking laughter echoing amidst the dispersing dark petals. The sudden rush of wind pushed Jiminy backward, sliding from Wendy's shoulder back into her pocket.

"Wait!" Wendy called after them, shocked and confused.

"How in the... Why'd she do that?!" Sherria exclaimed.

"She was provoking us all along," Carla frowned.

"This is not good. If anything happens to him..." Juvia worried.

"We gotta go after them, and fast!" Romeo insisted.

"Right!" Wendy nodded.

The group was unable to give chase at the moment, due to a new breed of Heartless storming the chamber after popping from a series of miniature dark portals. Pale-skinned and bearing the classic footless shape of ghosts, these Heartless were clad in purple tunics bearing the heart-shaped emblem. The sleeves ended in white cuffs with golden links, and the tunics' fashionable nature was ruined by the torn hemline and a rip of the left side that exposed their ribcages. They also wore white cuffed gloves, but noticeably, there was no flesh or skin connecting their sleeves to their hands, only a disturbing empty gap. The ghost-like Heartless bore the traditional jagged jawline and yellow eyes; however, their wide yellow eyes had black angled spirals on them. In addition, the right eye had been pulled out of the socket, only held to the head by a silver chain.

"What are Heartless doing here?" Romeo protested. "This doesn't make any sense!"

"Yeah, we're inside a giant whale!" Sherria concurred. "A Keyhole can't be in a whale's belly, can it?"

"Kaze must've brought them here," Carla guessed. "I'd say that's another way of provoking us."

"You see them?" Juvia implied. "These are the monsters I mentioned earlier, the ones Geppetto warned us about." She formed two bubbles of water hovering above her palms. "Don't take them lightly!"

"Sounds like a job for us," Wendy affirmed, before summoning the Three Wishes Keyblade in her hand. "Let's get 'em!"

The new Heartless known as Search Ghosts were considered spooky specters for more than one reason. Their left eye was used as a searchlight to find their prey, emitting a yellow glow while looking, and turning red when spotting a target. Some of their bizzare abilities include the ability to warp from one place to another and absorbing an enemy's life force by flicking their ghostly hands. However, a Search Ghost's attack pattern was slow and mostly close-ranged, making them easy to avoid. At this point, Wendy and company had no problem standing a ghost of a chance against them.

Twelve Search Ghosts surrounded the heroes and attempted to do them in, first by draining an unlucky few of their health, then warping in random directions to confuse their prey. Their defeat was all but certain, as Wendy and her friends saw through their trickery in one enduring minute. Romeo dispatched two Search Ghosts with Yellow Fire, Carla slew two with her lightning fast kicks, Sherria wiped out three with Sky God's Boreas, and Juvia trapped three in Water Locks before blowing them away with Water Nebula. As for Wendy, she executed a basic Keyblade combination to defeat one Search Ghost, then cast a Fira spell to dissolve the other in a burst of flames.

Seconds later, Juvia stared at the key-shaped weapon held in Wendy's hand. She commented, "An impressive looking blade. What's it called?"

Carla insisted, "Save the explanations for later. We have work to do."

Sherria worried, "Kaze took off with Pinocchio. His dad's gonna have a heart attack if he finds out."

Romeo wondered, "But what does she want with him?"

Wendy thought out loud, "She's using Pinocchio as bait to lead me to her." She guided her hand close to where her heart was, unable to tear her eyes away from the tunnel that led deeper into the heart of Monstro. "What is this sensation? It makes me feel like she wants me to fall right into her hands. Like she's asking me to come to her. But..." She tightened her grip on the Keyblade, "I want to see her, too. I want to know more about her. I have to know!" Knowing that this was another opportunity at finding answers, the Sky Dragon Slayer turned to her friends with resolution. "We gotta catch up with Kaze. We'll bring back Pinocchio fast, Geppetto won't even know he's kidnapped." It was only for a short while before she sighed hopelessly, "But where to start? They've gone off to who knows where, and I can't make heads or tails of this place..."

Juvia suggested, "I'll lead the way! Search every innards from top to bottom, and we're sure to find them."

Sherria groaned, "You mean we have to look through Monstro's whole belly? All of it?!"

Carla shrugged, "It appears we have no other option, Sherria. If were are to succeed, we must count on Juvia."

Romeo pointed out, "Well, she did say it's like catching a small fish in a big pond..."

Wendy suggested, "We have to try. This may be our only chance."

Juvia advised, "Be wary of your surroundings, everyone. The depths of Monstro's belly tend to stray you off the path at times. And obstacles are never far behind." She pointed at the tunnel, posing heroically, "Follow me, my friends! To Kaze and Pinocchio!"

The rest of the group shouted in approval, "Yeah!" They passed through the same tunnel Pinocchio hid in, never knowing that the search would lead them to a new set of complications bound to test their wits.

Cue Music: Norfair (Super Smash Bros. Brawl)

The next chamber Wendy, Romeo, Carla, Sherria, and Juvia had entered looked similar in its biological interior design, except that the path was a dead-end marked by a large piece of debris blocking off the other lowest exit. Instead, a collection of Heartless ranging from Air Soldiers to Large Bodies to Blue Rhapsodies greeted them. With no time to lose, the group tore through the flood of Heartless with their respective abilities. For instance, Wendy used a blend of Keyblade attacks and Sky Dragon Slayer Magic spells, and would often dish out Fira and Blizzara as extra leverage. She and her friends defeated the battalion in less than a minute, leaving nothing more than black dust and floating hearts. They returned to the first chamber and took the next door on the nearest ledge.

In the second chamber, Wendy and company found themselves on a set of high ledges divided by a pathway below, where several treasure chests were positioned in shell-shaped platforms to the left, and were deemed impossible to reach by a single jump. A swarm of Yellow Operas and Green Requiems emerged to pester the group, but Romeo defeated them with his elemental-based colored flames, and Sherria with her black winds. With no enemies in sight, Wendy and Carla approached the shell-like platforms with their flight-based magic. They opened the chests, uncovering a bounty of munny and healing items, and even another set of Dalmatians that had somehow made their way into Monstro.

Found Dalmatians. Numbers 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, and 54 returned home!

The third chamber was another room split into two ledges, complete with more shell-shaped platforms that almost reached the ceiling. The third wave of Heartless consisted of Blue Rhapsodies, Yellow Operas, Green Requiems, and a new type known as Barrel Spider. Just like the Pot Spiders Wendy and her friends encountered in Agrabah, they assumed the guise of ordinary wooden barrels. Once incited, four spider-like legs burst from the sides, the fifth piece chipped away in the process to reveal its sinister glowing yellow eye. But the residual barrels weren't ordinary ones- they were filled to the brim with gunpowder! Barrel Spiders had the tendency to charge into their prey and blow themselves up, making them suicide bombers of the sort. Any physical impact or fire would set them off. To play it safe, Wendy and company authorized long-ranged attacks. However, they often used a Barrel Spider's explosive properties to their advantage, to stun groups of enemies. Once the Heartless were disposed of, they reached the platforms and opened more treasure chests, one of them containing the second missing page of Merlin's book.

Found Torn Page. Page 2 of Merlin's Book is in your possession!

The fourth chamber was a wide hallway riddled with pools of acid, turrets of slime, and living tentacle-like organs capable of swatting any that drew near. A legion of Shadows, Soldiers, Air Soldiers, Large Bodies, Blue Rhapsodies, and Yellow Operas was added as extra defense. Juvia trapped the Shadows under a Water Lock, allowing Wendy to cast Blizzara. Carla kicked several Soldiers into the acid pools, the hot liquid scorching their bodies asunder. Romeo blew a few Air Soldiers towards an organ tentacle, allowing it to wrap around the enemies and squeeze them until they popped into a cloud of dust. A squadron of Blue Rhapsodies and Yellow Opera fell victim to the slime, before Wendy delivered a string of aerial Keyblade attacks. The fourth wave of Heartless was quelled in short order, and the only thing left was to cross the obstacle course of sour flavor and sentient organ.

The fifth chamber stood out above the rest because it was formed like a set of stairs. No slime turret or acid pool was in sight, except for an entire fleet of Barrel Spiders, Air Soldiers, Blue Rhapsodies, Yellow Operas, and Green Requiems. Wendy and Romeo used their Fire Magic to blow up the Barrel Spiders, engulfing a wide assortment of Heartless in a sea of flames conducted by a symphony of explosions. Sherria took out the rest with Sky God's Bellow, and Juvia with Water Slicer.

As Wendy and company took the staircase to the next chamber, they stood on a thin walkway with a drop off to both sides. To make things dire, the Air Soldiers, Blue Rhapsodies, and Yellow Operas that appeared had aerial superiority so it was easy to fall. Despite the odds, the group chased away the Heartless, and advanced to the next room.

A few hours later...

Backed by Juvia's guidance, Wendy and her friends kept searching through the various maze-like innards of Monstro, fighting through numerous Heartless and figuring out which way was the right one, but no trace of Kaze or Pinocchio was found. Every chamber seemed exactly the same as the ones they passed. As minutes bled into hours, they had a very strong feeling they were moving in circles.

Sherria whined, "This is nuts! We can't tell which way is which!"

Romeo complained, "How long do we have to do this? We're getting tired."

Wendy moaned, "Can someone please tell us where Kaze is?"

Carla raised an eyebrow at Juvia, "You said you know this place like the back of your hand."

Juvia confessed, "Well, not so much. I was completely lost the first time I stepped in."

The gang groaned at not being able to understand Monstro's belly in its entirety. It took a long while for the quest to bear fruit, but they didn't stop. Their promise to bring Pinocchio back to his father was still etched in their minds.


Final Inner Chamber

Kaze strode forward, entering a chamber somewhere deep in the heart of the whale. It was a good hour or so since she outran Wendy, and she had to keep tabs on the young puppet, the main prize of the game she organized. With waves of Heartless left in her wake, even the gaping depths wouldn't be enough for Wendy's group to track her down. For a while, at least. But to her, it added more fun to the challenge. Kaze was leaning on a ledge in silence with her arms crossed, letting the whale's heartbeat invade her thoughts. She seemed relaxed but was close to let her emotions run wild, unable to curb her lust; one minute she was a happy-go-lucky master of a mercenary guild terrorizing cities for sport and money, the next she was a mad girl attracted to a girl with dark blue hair. Kaze could only stare at the tunnel she passed through and only hope Wendy could follow at some point. After all, the Sky Maiden was her personal entertainment, so giving her a sporting chance wouldn't seem so bad. Kaze just stood there, patiently waiting for Wendy to come to her, until...

"Why did you leave Captain Hook's vessel without my permission?"

A sudden jolt raced through her spine at the familiar voice. She knew the jig was up. She removed herself from her spot on the ledge and turned around to face Maleficent, who walked over with a secretive smile. The horned witch didn't seem displeased of Kaze's unruly nature; she only appeared a little concerned. "I noticed Mirajane was missing in the same time as your absence. Is she involved in this?"

Kaze turned away from the eerie expression, trying to keep herself from trembling. She growled, "Buzz off. I don't need any trouble from you. Mirajane's got a job—"

Maleficent cut her off, "You lie poorly, Kaze." That made the dark pink-haired youth tense even more. "I know you dragged her into your little escapade." She paused to let her next statement sink in, "And you still insist on pursuing Wendy Marvell when I told you not to. Pray tell, what got you into doing something monumentally reckless?"

Kaze looked to return the grave gaze that had been set on her. "This is my business, not yours."

Maleficent remained unfazed, merely watching Kaze slowly get angry. "I just wanted to say I had hoped you would listen to reason."

Kaze barked, "What are you gonna do? Ground me? Send me back to Hollow Bastion? Convince me to stop taking part in this pointless endeavor? How many times are we going to have this conversation? I didn't get this job just so I can be extra muscle for some group of villains, born into power from deception and chaos, that hadn't found a single Keyhole since last year." She added with a sneer, "Let's face it: You don't get me, and you never will. If that's not good enough for you, why don't you go back to the castle chapel where you usually hang out?"

Maleficent closed her eyes during this lecture. Once it ended, she opened them again, and stared down at Kaze. Her face remained incomprehensible for a few seconds. Then she spoke after a nod, "I see. No matter how many times I get through to you, you still care for Wendy Marvell. But can you not see the consequences your obsession will bring? She has all but outclassed you with the Keyblade and its hidden powers, after all. If you are planning to face Wendy again and throw your life away so rashly, I'm afraid you have overestimated yourself. Or perhaps you've come here with Mirajane to test her."

Kaze inhaled deeply. The horned witch was fully aware of Mirajane's involvement in her scheme. She tried to discretely wipe her sweaty palms dry on her skirt. It was like cutting fabric with scissors; now that the most difficult part was over, the rest was easier to begin with. Kaze frowned, "So what if I still care, huh? I was just messing with the blueberry a little. It's all part of the plan. I've done my part, now Mira's doing hers. That way, when all of this is over, Wendy won't be a threat anymore. You've got nothing to worry about."

Maleficent raised one eyebrow, still smiling. "Oh, really? Then do what you will. I certainly hope you live up to my... expectations, my dear." Kaze chose not to respond to the mocking tone in her voice. She just snorted in annoyance, not bothering to notice the dark sorceress strolling past her. "Beware the darkness in your heart. Your lust beckons the darkness. The Heartless prey upon it. Fail to keep your emotions in check, and not even that little trinket inside your body can help you. If I were you, I would be careful."

Kaze's face paled as she watched Maleficent summon a whirling vortex before her. Only after she walked through did the disgraced guild master of Sleepy Hollow clench her hands into fists. She yelled, "Mind your own damn business! I can take care of myself!" Her gaze was still set firmly on where Maleficent had left.

Agitation rose in Kaze than she had ever felt before; the words cut her deeply almost as Wendy could ever reach with her Keyblade. Maleficent didn't know the first thing about her, and had no right to pretend that she did. If given the chance, she would give that horned witch a piece of her mind.

Soon, Kaze's senses were overwhelmed by a series of footsteps, the organic floor squeaking with each step. She traced the noise to the chamber entrance. In walked Wendy, Romeo, Carla, Sherria, and Juvia, the Three Wishes gripped tightly in the Sky Maiden's hand. After a long journey through Monstro's labyrinthine inner workings, they finally located Pinocchio's kidnapper. As soon as they saw one another, Wendy slid to a halt and looked at her rival in desperation. "Kaze!"

Kaze's insecurities immediately slipped away at seeing the guest of honor. "Just what the doctor ordered."

Sherria cheered, "We found her! After all the trouble of looking through the whole place!"

Romeo breathed, "So we finally made it... Looks like the game's over!"

Juvia grinned, "My skills as a guide appeared to have paid off. Though not exactly the best, I did what I could."

Carla affirmed, "Now there is only one matter left to settle..."

It was a grand face-off: five Fairy Tail wizards who participated in this game of cat-and-mouse, and the Sleepy Hollow guild master who started it. "Congratulations, Blueberry! You're the hide-and-seek champion," Kaze clapped her hands. "I see it took you surveying the whale's entire body to find me here. But this is only the prelude. The real fun's about to begin."

Wendy didn't answer her. She merely stared at her adversary for a moment, as if her eyes were attracted to a magnet. She wanted to strike a conversation, but her voice had somehow been caught in her throat.

"Spill the beans, Kaze!" Romeo shouted. "Where's Pinocchio?"

"Let him go!" Sherria demanded. "Don't you know what you're doing to him?"

"What do you think I did to him?" Kaze shrugged. "I pampered him extra special for the climax, and trust me, this isn't child abuse. You can't have a game without a trophy."

"Pinocchio is not a trophy," Carla argued. "He's just a innocent child. A child you stole!"

"A wild goose chase around the nervous system, and all you do is bombard me with complaints?" Kaze snickered. "Don't worry about your puppet pal. I've got an important use for him. I'll just add him to our Fairy Tail collection on my way back to headquarters. Oh, wait! I can't go back. Not yet. Because the party's still on!" She laughed to herself, not noticing that she was glared upon in light of her mockery. "Speaking of Fairy Tail, you're still on a scavenger hunt to find the stowaways and recruit them to your cause. Yeah, I've seen it all, and you've done a great job so far." She placed a hand around her left hip, "I should've tightened the leashes a long time ago after the invasion. I entrusted my underlings to secure the cargo, only to have some of it slip through their fingers..." She added with a sigh, "How disappointing."

"What gives you the right to treat our Fairy Tail friends like they're disposable?" Romeo growled. "We won't let this stand! You will pay!"

"We're bringing Wendy's guild back together," Sherria glared. "Then we'll see who's laughing when you get a Sky God's Dance with your name on it!"

"Or how about a Water Cane straight down your butt?" Juvia offered. "Whatever's good for you. If we use any means to see the guild reunited, we'll make it so."

"We have friends willing to help us on our quest," Carla stated. "No one has to face this threat alone."

"So the point of this whole adventure is to reunite the entire Fairy Tail guild," Kaze confirmed. "Is that what you want? That badly?"

"What kind of stupid question is that?" Romeo replied angrily. "That's exactly what we're doing! What else?"

"Go ahead. I'll let you see them. If you can, that is," Kaze nodded. "The question is, can you face them?"

"Face them?" Juvia questioned. "What do you mean?"

"It looks like your journey across the universe has a greater influence on you," Kaze implied. "Mostly on your blueberry friend here." She averted her gaze towards Wendy, who uncomfortably fiddled with the Three Wishes' handle. "All she ever does is run around and show off that Keyblade. If I didn't know better, I'd say she's getting attached to that fancy trinket, much like a troll in a cave swooning over a golden ring!"

Wendy was taken aback by the comment. She did rely on the Keyblade for guidance, but had never once entertained such thoughts of obsessing over it. She finally broke the ice, "Who said I was getting attached to it? I didn't choose it. It chose me. I use it just so I can help people in need. I don't need a reason to!"

"Really?" Kaze smirked. "First you were a pretty little girl belonging to the strongest guild Fiore has ever known, then you turned into an upbeat star-crossing Keybearer. The way I see it, you seem to be enjoying your new job these days. Even more so than hanging out with your guildmates. Does it really mean that much to you? Better than your friends? Do you even care what happens to them?"

"Of course I do!" Wendy shot back. "Why do you ask that? Are you saying that I've turned my back on Fairy Tail?"

"I'm not saying that you did, I'm saying that you never gave any thought about them," Kaze taunted. "Ever since you joined those two dopes from the Disney Kingdom on their haystack joyride. Sure, you found some friends, but you deluded them into joining your pitiful little posse, and made them forget about Fairy Tail, too. Now they're only interested in jumping from world to world, much like you are. Just how blind are you people?"

"Donald and Goofy wanted to help us," Wendy argued. "They trusted me, and I trusted them. They're our friends! You can't just accuse people for something they didn't and would never do!"

"Predictable," Kaze sighed. "Does it depress you to think just how you could've saved your guild before our world was destroyed? If only you had been a little faster. That way, you wouldn't have to take such a hopeless quest. And now here you are, up on top. Your new friends are counting on you now, aren't they? Let's hope you stop letting them down. Just like you've let down Fairy Tail. Welcome to the new team, kid!"

"You're wrong!" Wendy shouted. She was getting livid at the dark pink-haired girl's insults, her four friends likewise. "We're all on the same team! I would never—"

"Do you know what else I noticed?" Kaze cut her off. "There's one Fairy Tail member in particular who wasn't very happy about your new direction. She thinks you're defying the guild and everything it stands for. It makes her awfully sad."

"She?" Wendy stiffened.

"Who?" Romeo wondered.

"You'll have to choose which side you're on, Blueberry," Kaze grinned widely. "There's a question that people ask about picking sides: 'Who do you love more, us or them'? You're gonna have to give an answer sooner or later. So I figured, why not sooner?" She paused to add dramatic effect to her message, "Let's see how you feel when she asks you herself!"

At that moment, Kaze Shadow Stepped out of the chamber. The final phase of her plan was about to commence. Wendy and her friends gulped, their faces filled with sweat as they braced themselves.

But one minute later, there was nothing. Just the sound of Monstro's beating heart. The wind passing from one chamber to the next seemed to hold its breath.

When Kaze returned from another Shadow Step, the ecstasy on her face was replaced with confusion. This was supposed to go according to plan. She expected Mirajane to take her place and give the Sky Maiden a verbal beatdown, to break her, to chastise her, to accuse her of abandoning Fairy Tail for the Keyblade and new companions. Once Wendy was at her most vulnerable, Kaze would have the demoralized Keyblade master for herself. However, Mirajane did not appear. "Uh, I said, let's see how you feel when she asks you herself!" She Shadow Stepped again. Another minute went by, and the chamber was silent still, save the heartbeat. Kaze reappeared. The confusion festered. Wendy and company were equally puzzled by her reaction. More signals. More minutes. More silence. Later, the frustration blended into her bewilderment, and the two quickly began to ferment into panic. "W-Where is she?" Kaze dared not speak aloud, for it would spoil her scheme. Her thoughts did the screaming instead. "Where's Mira?!"

All of a sudden, Mirajane's voice transmitted into Kaze's mind. It burned with such a foreboding that it made the dark pink-haired youth pause. "You know, I never really gave it much thought. Disturbing Wendy wasn't my idea of following you. I never agreed on that. In case you haven't wondered, I've returned to the Jolly Roger. You could say it's my way of doing what I feel is right. Maleficent just provided a little incentive."

Kaze couldn't believe it. She wasn't sure if Mirajane had lost her mind or was being honest. She mentally registered her complaint to the voice connected to her brain, "WHAT?! You can leave me here! I need you! We have to stop Wendy together! This is our chance!"

"Wendy is your concern, not mine. Why don't you figure out what to do with her? I've got important things to do. You're on your own. And do you want to know something else?"

"Yeah?"

"Wendy was right. She would never abandon Fairy Tail, nor would she turn down anyone in need. In fact, she's a wonderful girl who wants to make everyone happy." Somewhere in the unseen depths, Mirajane saw the confused expression on Kaze's face, and smiled. "It goes with everyone who's a member of our guild. And you're about to find out the hard way, Kaze!"

With that, the mental connection was severed. Kaze's chest was rising and falling with the growing horror the She-Devil's words filled her with. She had been deceived! Played like a fiddle! "Could it be...?" Kaze muttered. "Was she never on our side to begin with?" Her hand balled to a fist, shaking with rage at realizing the meaning behind Mirajane's abandonment. Her voice trembled likewise. "Damn it! I thought the brainwashing process worked! Is she playing us for fools?! Pretending to be loyal all along?!"

Wendy and company were addled by Kaze's odd behavior. Juvia and Sherria even cringed at the scene. Romeo spoke, "Uh... You were saying?"

The Rainbow Fire wizard's question snapped Kaze out of her thoughts. Reminding herself to get to the bottom of Mirajane's intentions later, she sealed the cracks in her upbeat exterior, and the aggression returned in full force. She complied with a deep sigh, "Oh, this is what happens when you try to rely on others. So ungrateful!" She reached into her skirt and pulled out a Soul Eater in Blade Mode. "Okay, fine. You want something done, you've got to do it yourself. I'm no good at holding back, just so you know."

The Sleepy Hollow guild master edged her blade, indicating she was ready for another bout. Wendy's breath quickened as she prepared herself to act when...

"Aaaaaaaaaahhh!"

Pinocchio's voice rang out in a horrified scream. Wendy and her friends turned their attention to the tunnel on the left. Kaze gritted her teeth in annoyance, suspecting another complication in the strategy she couldn't possibly foresee. "I told her to stay out of this," Kaze spoke through gritted teeth. She Shadow Stepped out of the chamber to other business, putting what was supposed to be her third battle with Wendy on hold. The Sky Dragon Slayer watched her go, then turned again to the source of the puppet's desperate cry.

"That sounds like Pinocchio!" Sherria indicated. They wasted no time heading left. Wendy only stayed behind for a moment, her mind spinning from the words Kaze said earlier.

"You'll have to choose which side you're on..."

Wendy knew in her heart that her place was on the right. Whatever her rival said about misplaced loyalties, she refused to believe it. She still had a home in the Fairy Tail guild, no matter where the path may took her. Pulling herself together as quickly as she could, she followed after the others through the tunnel valve.


Bowels

As soon as they entered, the young heroes beheld their new surroundings in a mixture of surprise and nausea. It was a huge circular chamber with pulsating walls, where fluids could be seen oozing out of several large pores scattered about. At the center stood a Heartless with a large magenta blob as its main body. A pair of yellow eyes adorned the bulbous abdomen, and its gut looked more like a cross between a mouth and a cage by the thin rounded teeth. The body rested on a violet and aquamarine flower-like base. A much smaller pink head rested on top of the blob-like body, sporting a jagged mouth, yellow eyes, two short purple spikes under its mouth, and a curled antenna on its head. Two long aquamarine tentacles sprouted from either side of the second head and ended in violet three-lidded suction tubes, each with a dark purple spike on it. Just between the blob's eyes was the Heartless emblem.

Pinocchio could be seen trapped inside the cage-like teeth, looking drained and in distress. He cried out from his prison, "Help! I'm scared!" The Heartless known as Parasite Cage swung its mallet-like appendages wildly upon seeing Wendy and company, waiting for its prey to come near only for them to suffer a painful beating.

Juvia encouraged, "Hang in there, Pinocchio! We'll save you!"

Pinocchio sniffled, "I'm sorry I ran off. I just wanted to help Father. I'll never do it again."

Carla promised, "You'll have plenty of time to apologize once we get you out of here. Just hold on!"

Romeo turned to look at Wendy with a confident smile. "You ready for this?"

Wendy smiled back as she assumed a fighting stance. "More than ready. Let's do it!"

Pinocchio screamed for help once again. "Get me outta here!"

Wendy, Carla, and Romeo made the first move, jumping down from the spiraling platform and making a vicious charge at the Parasite Cage, Juvia and Sherria following suit. Wendy sliced into the monster's blob-like frame with various Keyblade combinations, each cut shedding a portion of its skin, all the while Romeo threw his Purple Fire Fists and Carla flexed her legs for extra damage. Soon, the Heartless swung its appendages like a toddler carelessly throwing his toy around, swatting the three away.

"Take this! Sky Dragon's Roar!" Following a quick recovery, Wendy blasted the Parasite Cage by breathing a powerful gust of wind. The Heartless screeched in pain and swayed its tentacles again, only for the Sky Maiden to swiftly deflect them. "Sky Dragon's Crushing Fang!" Her wind-induced claw was paired with the Keyblade, and multiple cuts and scratches rained down on the imprisoning blob. "Sky Dragon's Claw!" She backflipped with her wind-induced legs, forcing the Parasite Cage to reel back. "Fira!" She shot a scorching fireball from the Keyblade's tip between the blob's eyes.

"Here's a taste of my Rainbow Fireball!" Romeo threw a multicolored fireball against the Heartless, exploding upon impact. Moments before the smoke cleared, he was taken by surprise when he crashed into an appendage and fell to the damp floor. The Rainbow Fire wizard shook his head, picking himself up. "Is that all you got? Blue Fire!" He leapt back into the fray with his knuckles doused in icy blue flame, before punching the daylights out of the magenta blob.

"White Moon!" Carla cartwheeled and then performed a missile drop kick on the Parasite Cage. She eluded the monster's attacks before taking it to the air, and kicked the body at a purely inhuman rate that was impossible to follow with the naked eye. The punishment was only brief when an appendage bashed her.

"Sky God's Boreas!" A horizontal tornado struck the Parasite Cage from the side, courtesy of Sherria. "Hey, ugly! You missed someone!" She was dancing all around the Heartless, smacking it repeatedly with her arms and legs empowered by the black winds.

"Drip, drip, drop. Water Slicer!" Juvia swiped her hand, summoning an enormous wave of water erupting beneath the Parasite Cage and sending it flying. Swelling with rage, the Heartless connected its appendages into a single hammer and struck down the Rain Woman in both directions. Amazingly, the areas where the bludgeon hit turned into water and merged with the rest of her body. The Parasite Cage kept on swinging its appendages, but they had no effect on the liquid. "Water Cane!" Juvia transformed her hand into a watery whip, matching the Parasite Cage's tentacles in speed and flexibility. "Water Jigsaw!" Once the Heartless was wide open, she morphed into a swirling mass of slicing water, tearing it asunder.

Over the course of the battle, the Parasite Cage's sole method of attack was using its tentacles to swat opponents, but the creature was fairly impulsive and not much of a strategist, preferring to mow down enemies as fast as it could. Those flaws gave Wendy and her friends the advantage. Although they sometimes took damage from the tentacles, they overpowered the Parasite Cage in any regard. However, what made up for its lack of strategy was its extremely high physical endurance, hence explaining why it refused to release Pinocchio despite all the damage it took.

The young puppet watched the battle rage desperately from within the Parasite Cage's prison-like innards, still wailing. "Help! It's scary in here!" Juvia was bombarding the Heartless with a flurry of Water Magic spells. Sherria just charged head first, occasionally getting thrown back by another mighty swing. Carla flew over the appendages and delivered a kick to the small head. As for Wendy and Romeo, they were putting on quite an interesting show, fire and wind in synch for a perfect combination.

The ensuing fight dragged on in no less than three minutes, and both opposing sides found themselves at their wits' end; Wendy and company were confused and slightly worn out from dealing so much damage, while the ever persistent Parasite Cage seethed with irritation. Juvia complained, "I don't understand! Why can't we get this beast to spit Pinocchio out?!"

Carla indicated, "That Heartless can somehow withstand physical pain. We have to figure out its weakness!"

Wendy contemplated the white Exceed's suggestion. Even with such an ability to block out pain, a window of opportunity is bound to open in times of danger. Suddenly, she had a stroke of inspiration. "If all else fails, use Genie!" It was time to call forth her new summon. "Summon Gem: Wishgrant!" Her hand shone with the light representing the gift bestowed upon her by the former spirit of the lamp, and her heart resonated with the Three Wishes. Once the energy was gathered around the tip, Wendy tossed the blade spinning up in the air. As soon as she caught the handle, a blend of smoke and sparkles poured out of the Three Wishes, followed by the silhouette of a familiar whimsical genie. With a yell, he stretched his arms, having answered Wendy's call.

"He's BIG, he's BLUE, he's ready to BUST some baddies!" Genie boomed, before changing himself into a suit of armor and bowing in front of Wendy. "Your knight in shining armor at your service, m'lady!"

"Genie!" Wendy was delighted to see him in her hour of need, and as lively as ever. Romeo, Carla, Sherria, and Juvia took notice and shared the Sky Maiden's expression.

"What's the situation here, gang? That ugly mug a problem for ya?" Genie pointed a thumb at the Parasite Cage. "Give me a sign and I'll pound the tuna like nobody's business."

"Not just that," Wendy clarified in the middle of deflecting a tentacle swipe. "We need you to help us bust Pinocchio out of that Heartless." She pointed at the living marionette, who was still trapped in the cage-like blob. "We tried to open its body, but it's just shut tight!"

"Nothing a little Showtime can't fix," Genie rolled up his sleeves. "One cosmic can opener comin' right up!" Flickering his hands, he unleashed a volley of random magical blasts on the Parasite Cage. "Hoo! Ha! Hey! Ha! Hoo! Yeah! Whoo! This may leave a mark!" He added one final blast that engulfed the Heartless in a sparkling explosion. From what Wendy and her companions could see, Genie's Showtime spell appeared to have affected the Parasite Cage greatly, for when the smoke cleared, it was wobbling in agony, the heat of battle seemingly taking its toll. Still, the prison binding Pinocchio didn't budge. Genie rubbed his chin, "Okay, maybe I should've brought the operating equipment..."

Wendy gasped, "Guys, look!"

The weakened Parasite Cage used its long arms to latch onto the ceiling, pulling itself off the ground for balance. The floor where it once stood opened up and the Heartless swung forward, the cage-like blob finally opening and spitting out Pinocchio into the newly created hole.

Romeo shouted, "There he goes!"

Sherria urged, "Quick! After him!"

Wendy turned to Genie, "We can handle the rest ourselves. Thanks, Genie."

Genie grinned, "Catch you on the flip side, Miss Marvell! Toodle-loo!" He disappeared in a puff of sky blue smoke, knowing his role was finished for the time being. Wendy, Romeo, Carla, Sherria, and Juvia pursued the puppet by jumping down the hole, oblivious of other dangers that lay ahead...


Ansem's Report 1

Much of my life has been dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge.
That knowledge has guarded this world well. Not a soul doubts that.
I am blessed with people's smiles and respect. But though I am called a sage, there are things I do not understand.
I believe darkness sleeps in every heart, no matter how pure. Given the chance, the smallest drop can spread and swallow the heart. I have witnessed it many times.
Darkness... Darkness of the heart. How is it born?
How does it come to affect us so?
As ruler of this world, I must find the answers. I must find them before the world is lost to those taken by the darkness.


Author's Note:
The first part of the Monstro Arc is finished, finally! Sorry it took more than one month to get it done, but it's all in the wrist. Next time, Wendy will settle more matters with Kaze as Pinocchio's fate hangs by a thread. The story's halfway done, but there's still more to come. As for the dream sequence, it's official, everybody... Wendy and Kaze are childhood friends. More secrets on how they're connected and why they forgot each other will be revealed as the story progresses. Are you mind-blown by the revelation? I'm sure you are!

With that said, it's time for me to make my exit. The second half of the Monstro Arc will be out very soon. Until then, be sure to fav and review. This is TheSavageMan100, and I'll see you guys next time. Peace!