Take a while?" Terra said with bewilderment. "Just how long could it take?"
Sora paused for a moment, a finger to his lip as he thought about it. "I have no idea." He admitted. "Time sorta just flew, for me at least."
Terra sighed while Riku began to laugh.
"To be precise that was two years ago." Riku explained. "At least I'm pretty sure it was.."
"You too?!" Roxas said in shock. "Do neither of you keep track of time?"
"Nope." Sid said simply.
Kairi shrugged. "Can you blame them? Especially with Sora considering-"
She paused as a look of sadness crossed Roxas' face.
Namine.
Seeing the awkward silence, Sid spoke.
"We should watch more, right?"
"That sounds like a good idea." Ventus concurred.
It began where the 'theme song' left off. Sora standing on the bright green platform mosaic. Besides that nothing surrounded him but darkness. He looked around taking in his surroundings before words began appearing on the screen. It seemed as if he could hear them.
So much to do, so little time...
"That's weird." Axel exclaimed.
Sora frowned. "I don't remember hearing voices in my head." He paused. "Well, except Roxas that one time."
The others appeared confused while Roxas rolled his eyes.
"This is still a dream," Reminded Terra. "Right?"
Aqua thought for a moment. "I think so."
Riku sighed. "Sora, do you really not remember any of this?"
Sora scratched the back of his head with a chuckle.
"How time are you guys going to asks that?" Sid asked annoyed.
Take your time.
Don't be afraid.
"Me afraid? Please." Sora said with condensation.
"So you aren't afraid of anything?" Terra challenged in a teasing manner.
Sora crossed his arms. "Nope."
Axel bit down a laugh while Sid, Kairi and Riku exchanged looks.
"Sora..." Kairi began warningly. Sora waved his hands in the air.
"Okay! Okay!" He sighed in defeat.
Ventus grinned. "They didn't even say anything."
"Lucky for me." Sora mumbled under his breath.
"Unlucky for the rest of us.' Axel replied in a puff. "I really want to hear some embarrassing stories about the 'almighty Sora'."
"Hey," Roxas began. "Don't act like I don't have any dirt on you."
"Wha-hey. Moving on." Axel said quickly as everyone began to laugh.
It changed the screen from Sora to the mosaic. The girl painted on it was beautiful, skin white as snow, lips red as blood, she held an apple in her hand close to her mouth. Surrounding her were green painted portraits of some men.
"Snow White." Sora spoke. "That's her name, right?"
"Yeah," Kairi spoke with a soft smile. "She's like me."
"Yeah, definitely similar." Sid said with a smirk, Kairi glared at him.
"What do you mean by that?" Aqua asked curiously.
Kairi waved her hand deflating the question. "Oh it's nothing."
"You'll find out soon enough." Sid told Aqua.
The door is still shut.
It showed Sora standing on the mosaic once more.
Now, step forward.
Can you do it?
Axel rolled his eyes. "This dream is ridicules. Can we just skip it?"
"Hey," Ventus began. "If they're showing us it then it must be important. Right guys?"
"Right." Agreed Aqua.
"Well important or not it's bor~ing!" Axel exclaimed. "I mean-look at Sora."
Sora was half asleep.
Sid whacked him awake. "Sora..."
Sora chuckled. "I guess watching my dreams makes me tired."
Riku rolled his eyes while Kairi giggled and Sid smacked Sora on the head again.
Sora stepped forward, as he did so a platform rose from the ground. On the flat form, floating, was a red shield with three circles on the cover.
"That symbol.." Kairi began with a smile.
"Looks like it." Riku grinned with a nod.
"The King?" Sid asked.
"Mickey." Sora finished.
Power sleeps within you.
"Power?" Terra said, interested. "Does he mean the keyblade?"
"Is there any other kind of power Sora could have?" Axel asked. Sora arched an eyebrow, annoyed.
"Was that an insult?"
"Well it certainly wasn't a compliment."
Knowing how easy this could escalate Roxas spoke up. Well spoke up isn't the term, he smacked Axels arm.
"Roxas!" Axel whined. Roxas sighed.
"Could you stop starting arguments Axel?"
The red head didn't respond.
Another platform rose, this one was a blue staff with the same three circles at the end of it.
If you give it form...
The last one rose with a sword floating above it.
It will give you strength.
Choose well.
"So you had to choose between-" Aqua pulled a finger to her cheek as she diagnosed the choices. "Magic, Offense and..Defense? Is that it?"
Sora shrugged. "Maybe. I mean it looks like that."
"I'm sorry Aqua," Kairi apologized on her friends behalf. "I really don't think he knows a thing."
"I really don't." Sora agreed. Axel withheld himself from adding onto that in a humorous (or demeaning) way. Riku wasted no time.
"That is entirely right." It was a complete jab. Ventus arched an eyebrow waiting for a disputed to began. Instead Sora began to laugh.
"Yup!"
Everybody face palmed.
Sora ran forward jumping on the shield platform.
The power of the guardian.
Kindness to aid friends.
A shield to repel all.
Is this the power you seek?
Sora's eyes softened at those words.
"Are you okay?" Ventus asked upon noticing Soras energy dwindle. Sora gave out a weak smile.
"Yeah just...thinking."
Riku frowned. "Don't do that. We both know you aren't good at it."
Sora's eye's brightened up. "Hey!"
"It's the truth!"
"Riku Shut Up!" Sid yelled.
Sora looked at the shield in his hands before he spoke. "Yes."
The shield disappeared and Sora's hand began to glow, much to his shock. After a second or two the glow faded.
Now, what will you give up in exchange?
"Exchange?" Repeated Ventus. "So you have to give up Offense of Magic?"
"I don't know!" Sora whined throwing his hands up. Ventus broke into a laugh.
"Sorry."
Sora looked between the two other platforms before he ran towards the staff.
The power of the mystic.
Inner strength.
A staff of wonder and ruin.
You give up this power?
"Inner strength?" Axel laughed. "That explains a lot."
Sora growled. "Axel..."
Sora paused for a moment staring at the staff, before saying. "Yes."
The staff disappeared within his hands fading away.
You've chosen the power of the guardian.
You've given up the power of the mystic.
Is this the form you choose?
"Yes." Sora spoke. The ground shook, all the platforms melting to it. Then the ground picked up. Colors began ripping leaving nothing but the black and then Sora fell.
"Again with the falling." Roxas noted.
Sora sighed. "My subconscious is weird."
"And roomy." Sid added.
Roxas frowned and whispered to Axel. "Is it weird that I somewhat take offense to that?"
Axel nodded. "A little."
He swirled through the black, much like he did the ocean.
A new platform appear, this mosaic was blue, with a beautiful girl in a blue dress on it.
"Cinderella?" Riku asked. Kairi nodded,
Oddly enough, Sora landed quite gracefully on top of it.
"Wow," Kairi spoke. "Who knew you were so graceful Sora."
Sora chuckled with a light blush.
"Hey," Riku began. "This is his dream remember? He isn't nearly as graceful in real life."
Sora pouted. "Why does everybody keep picking on me?"
"You're the only one on screen right now." Sid said
Sora, taking that as an answer, nodded with a sigh.
His arm glowed before the shield appeared.
You've gained the power to fight.
Sora, happily, swung the shield around once or twice, testing it out.
Aqua sighed. "Boys and their weapons."
"What's that suppose to mean?" Sid asked.
"Oh nothing!" Aqua said while smiling. Which annoyed Sid.
All right! You've got it.
Use this power to protect yourself and others.
There will be times you have to fight.
Sora backed away cautiously as little black monsters with golden eyes sprouted form the ground.
"Heartless." Riku whispered.
Keep your light burning strong.
Sora moved forward and fought the heartless, his moves were chunky and obviously new to him, but in the end he defeated them.
Behind you!
Sora jumped, fighting off the heartless before it sunk into the ground. Shadows covered the whole entire mosaic until there was nothing left and Sora began to sink. He flailed his arms to no avail. He sunk.
"How scary." Kairi whispered giving Sora's hand a tight squeeze.
Sora grimaced. "I'm kinda happy I don't remember it."
"I would be too." Ventus agreed.
"I've seen scarier." Sid disagreed.
"Oh really? What is scarier then this?" Kairi asked to which Sid's face went blank.
"A mass genocide on my people and my mom being killed right in front of me." Sid explained which causes everyone's faces to be blown away with shock.
"Thought so." Sid said while placing his hand behind his head.
Sora opened his eyes, still flailing, to see he was no longer sinking. But laying on a new mosaic, a pink one. No women was on this one but instead hearts. Multiple ones. Sora picked himself up, across from him was a silver door.
"I can't open it." Sora said to himself as he crossed his arms. He then turned around to seep a bright light seeping through the darkness. The door became solid. Sora took a tentative step forward, the door swung open. He momentarily flinched at the bright light before his eyes adjusted and he walked into it.
"You really are a trusting guy." Terra mumbled.
"Huh?"
"You walked into that door without even knowing what was inside. I'd call that trusting."
"Well I saw light." Sora defended.
Terra smiled. "And you trusted it."
Sora sighed. "I'm not really that trusting, am I?"
No one commented.
The day you will open the door is both far off and very near.
Sora then appear on a new platform, a pink one with a beautiful blond women on it.
"Aurora." Kairi stated.
Heartless then appeared, surrounding Sora. He took them out. A staircase appeared, made of blocks and various colors. Sora ran up them to the next, yellow mosaic.
"Belle!" Sora shouted. Eyes turned towards him, bewildered by his new found excitement. Sora chuckled.
"She's a friend."
Roxas frowned. "Don't tell me you'll react like that whenever you see a 'friend'."
Sora shrugged.
Sora looked up as he walked forward.
The closer you get to the light.
The greater your shadow becomes.
Sora shared a small glance with had a guilty look.
Soras shadow popped up form the ground, much to his shock. He began backing away in fear.
But don't be afraid.
And don't forget.
Sora began to run, to the edge of the platform, almost falling as he did so. He turned and stared at the great monster behind him, realizing he had no choice but to fight. Sora jumped back from the monster, his shield disappeared and he fell to the floor.
But don't be afraid-
"How am I not supposed to be afraid?!" Sora shouted.
"Your not." Ventus exclaimed. "That voice is just-it's dumb."
Aqua let out a small laugh. "Yeah. It is."
A shadow beneath him began to pool him in.
You hold the mightiest weapon of all.
Sora continued falling, being overcome by the darkness.
So don't forget:
Until he was completely covered in darkness.
You are the one who will open the door.
"Open the door?" Repeated Ventus curiously.
Sora shrugged. "I really don't know."
"I guess we just have to keep watching to find out." Terra said.
Riku nodded. "We don't have a choice, huh."
"Guess not." Roxas agreed
