Worlds of Sanctuary
Riku woke up back in Traverse Town, a new Sleeping World open to him. Now that things had quiet down for a bit, Riku took a moment to us the Tama Sheep recipe he had seen in Traverse and make the new Dream Eater. It was a cute ball of wool with curling horns that could use Sleep. Tama Sheep did come in handy for battles, it would be great as a passive Spirit.
With Traverse Town awakened and all its treasures opened, it was time to head off to another world. Leaving through Traverse Town's door, Riku entered the realm between Sleeping Worlds and took the Dive towards a world with a bell tower.
The Dive down was fascinating. He could see the city this world had to offer as a river split in two around it only to meet back up again as one. The buildings the roads, all seemed to meet up at the cathedral in the center of the city. Diving down as the clouds moved out of his way and the wind brushed along his face was an experience like none other. It was a pity that a Queen Buzzerfly Nightmare and her hive minions came and blocked his view.
Riku guessed that he would have to take care of them before he reached the ground. Illusions of houses passed by him as he dived down, dodging Queen Buzzerfly's stinger attacks. She sent her Buzzerfly minions after him once her stingers had failed, which he destroyed with a Dive Strike while also breaking the distance between them. Attacking her at blank range, he did a good number of damage on her before she started to back away. But Riku wouldn't let this opportunity slip, she was on the run. Dive Striking, he did some damage while also catching up to her. Before he knew it the Nightmare was down for the count, just in time for the ring opening to the Sleeping World to appear. Diving through, Riku continued his fall down with no more hindrances.
He shot up once again like before, as if waking up from a falling dream, in the center of the city plaza. Colorful tents and stringed up decorations circled around the plaza, along with a stage. Was there a festival going on.
"Stop her!" Riku heard the call of a guard as he looked around, almost bumping into a young woman whom seemed to be running away. She was beautiful in a free, untamable way. With gentle green eyes and sun kissed skin. And blazing raven hair, uncontrollable even as a purple ribbon held it back from her face.
"Huh?" Her white and purple dress fluttering behind her and bare feet making silent steps as she ran passed Riku, disappearing behind the corner.
"You there! Have you seen a gypsy woman?" Asked a guard in a blue cape and golden armor, almost the same color as his air. He carried a fancy sword, signifying that he was a guard of rank.
"Nope. Sorry." Rank or not, the lady looked like she would be in trouble if she got caught, so Riku told him no. The woman didn't have anything dangerous in her heart, so she more than likely did nothing wrong.
"All right. Thanks." The guard walked back, without even questioning Riku's answer or continuing the search himself- as if he didn't want to. Returning to an old man dress in a black robe like a judge. "I'm terribly sorry, sir. We've lost her."
"(Sneer) Slippery vermin!" The judge sneered with venom before calming himself as he turned to the guard. "I am beginning to question having summoned you back from the wars, Captain Phoebus."
"(Sigh)," Captain Phoebus had to fight back from groaning at his superior as he shook his head. His superiors desire for purging their world of corruption was troubling. But Phoebus was a captain and he followed orders, so he followed his superior.
Riku was about to walk off in his own direction when the woman finally came out from her hiding place around the corner. Her earrings, bracelets, and dancer's belt surprising silent as she approached, as if she controlled whether she wanted to be heard or not.
"Thank you. You stood up for me." Riku turned to face her as she approached him with gratitude. "I'm Esmeralda."
"Riku. And it's not like I know what a "gypsy" is." Riku replied back as it was no trouble to him, but the surprise on Esmeralda's face at his words seemed like there was more to this "gypsy" thing on this world than he knew. "Why were they chasing you?"
"Judge Frollo has been hunting us for years." Esmeralda's face sadden as she explained her people's plight, to a boy with innocent eyes that held the world in their colorful depths. She could see that he held no judgement towards her for what she was in his eyes, only seeing her as a person of this world. Such pure eyes were refreshing to her, but he must have not been from around here if he knew nothing of the gypsy's plight. "We gypsies are guilty of nothing but loving our freedom, yet Frollo hates whatever he can't control. Now he's even brought in fresh blood to torment us."
"..." Judge Frollo? So that old man is a judge? Riku could Sense the darkness building up in his heart.
"I'd hate to know what darkness drives that man."
"I think I can imagine..." Riku has seen enough of the darkness at work around people's heart to know that things will get ugly if it continues to grow. For that person and the people around them. Riku would hate for something to happen to Esmeralda and her gypsy people because the darkness in this man, this had to be stopped. Riku could related with them. Ancients and Gypsies had a lot in common with one another: both of them were free in many ways; they were different from others in the worlds and that made them persecuted at times. Forced to hide as they were hunted for being different...Cetras could relate to that plight very much. "Tell me more. Was he always like this?"
"I don't give Frollo much thought." Esmeralda huffed as she turned away from Riku, as if the mention of Judge Frollo left a bad taste in her mouth. She had no care for that awful man, but...she didn't want to take it out on Riku. Taking a breath, she calmed herself again. "But if you'd like, you could try Notre Dame. They say it's a place for answers."
Her face pointed towards Notre Dame, the giant cathedral in the center of the city, Riku turned around to look at it and all its glory as it shined in the sunlight. It's bells ringing like a song.
La Cité des Cloches
Riku turned back around to thank her, only for Esmeralda to be gone. She was more silent and stealth moving than he was. Color him impressed.
Looking around the Plaza festival ground before heading to Notre Dame, Riku Flowmotion around. Finding treasure chest and taking care of Nightmares along the way, even completing a Link Portal challenge. Every moment was a form of training and he needed to get stronger to pass this test. The Link Portal was surprisingly linked to Squall, his friend Leon, as if he was fighting one of Squall's dreams- or possibly nightmares on this matter.
Once he collected all that he could outside the plaza, Riku entered Notre Dame's main doors to the Nave. The cathedral was massive, but empty... The almost sacred silence disturbed by the hollowing echoed sounds of his footsteps.
"Is anybody here?" Riku called out. There no way such a big, clean cathedral wasn't being taken care of, somebody must be here. Someone with the answers he needs.
"Who...who are you?" Came the quiet call of a young man hiding behind one of the columns. The guy had on a green shirt with grey pants and blue shoes. His brown hair was well kept and long enough to partially hide his face when need be. He had a hunchback and a disfigured face, but Riku could see that he had a heart of gold inside. Riku didn't even have to Sense it, he could see it in his river blue eyes.
"I'm Riku." Riku introduced himself as he approached the guy, beginning polite conversation first since he was the one disrupting this person's time.
"Oh. M- my name's Quasimodo." Quasimodo introduced himself with a stutter, as if he wasn't use to having polite conversations with others. "I'm very sorry, but the Archdeacon is away."
"Actually, I'm looking for a man named Frollo." Riku explained, stopping at a polite distance away from a new acquaintance. Quasimodo was nervous at Riku's approach and almost eager to leave before Riku brought up a name he recognized. "Do you know where he is?"
"My master? He said he had business in the outskirts of the city."
"Do you mean you know him?"
"Oh, yes." Quasimodo nervously replied, not use to talking to others for so long. "He's...he's very kind. Master Frollo saved my life. He protects me from the outside world."
"He "protects" you from it?" Riku didn't understand. Did Quasimodo have something he needed to hide from?
"The people out there would be cruel to me." Quasimodo looked at his hands with sad disgust, covering his face. "I'm a monster, you know."
"Is that what Frollo told you?" Riku asked in sad sympathy for this kind hearted soul. Quasimodo looked up from his hands as he could here no disgust in Riku's voice. "Trust me, looks can be deceiving. A good friend sees you for who you are, no matter what face you wear."
"!"
"..." Riku smiled, hoping that Quasimodo would take the first step to opening his heart to the world. He had such a bright light, and Riku knew that this world would love him. "You should go out there- find some friends who understand you."
"Oh no..." Quasimodo began to curl back inside himself again, imprisoning his heart from the rest of the world. "My master forbids it. I'm not to set foot outside."
"..." Frollo's chains had great hold on Quasimodo's heart. But those chains aren't what's holding him back. "Are you sure that's what's stopping you? Because I think something else is holding you back."
"..." Quasimodo said nothing to refute that, he just turned and walked away.
"Ask your heart, Quasimodo." Riku said, stopping Quasimodo on his feet.
"..."
"I'll check the edge of town. Thanks." Riku left the choice to Quasimodo as heading out the cathedral. Walking away, hoping that Quasimodo would make the right choice, for his heart's sake. Realizing that he was just the pot calling the kettle black. "Wish I could take my own advice."
The door was still open for Quasimodo, just like it was for him...
But as Riku was about to head out that door, his Drop Guage depleted. Plummeting him into a slumber as he dropped where he was.
"Again, Riku?"
He woke up, back in the cathedral with Quasimodo nowhere to be found. He hoped that Quasimodo took his advice and went out there. But while he was still inside, Riku thought it wouldn't hurt to explore the cathedral a little. He had found so much; from treasures to more Nightmares to be taken care of; and, even a Link Portal to Vivi's dream battle. Either these people were having some nightmares or Riku was misinterpreting what exactly these Link Portals were. Well, either way, Flowmotion along the Nate floors were fun. He even took the spiral stairway up to the Square, looking out at the city before finding the door into the bell tower. Where even more treasures lied and gratefully no Nightmares.
But that was enough straying off course. He had to make his way to the edge of town. Exiting Notre Dame back to the Square, he took the back streets to enter the Town. Finding treasures and Nightmares the further into the outer part of town he went, riding the Faithline along the rooftops. Even making a Yoggy Ram Spirit and finding a special Link Portal along the way.
After awhile Riku made it to the city's gate, crossing it as he took the bridge to the other edge of town across the river. A huge shadow had flown over him. Looking up, Riku saw a colorful gargoyle flying in the sky.
"A Dream Eater. And a big one!" Riku commented aloud to himself before the Dream Eater, Wargoyle, turned and started spitting Fireballs at him. "What?"
Riku ran out of the way, as the fireball hit a nearby wagon. Realizing that it missed him, it began bombarding down on him with a rain of fireballs.
"Oh, like this is fair..." Riku groaned, knowing that he couldn't reach the Dream Eater from that height. "No use- I gotta run for it."
Taking cover behind barrels and storming through smaller Nightmare, Riku dashed passed the raining Fireballs. Adding insult to injuries as he opened some treasure along the Bridgeway. He had made it to the other side's city gateway with the Wargoyle still on his trail; running through the city street, hoping that no one came out. Taking cover under bridges as he made it out into the countryside by the city.
He had found Judge Frollo in front of a windmill farmhouse with Captain Phoebus standing between the two with blade drawn.
"Stand aside, Captain Phoebus." Frollo ordered.
"I will not! What have these people done wrong?"
"I have proof this family gave harbor to gypsies!"
"That's not a crime."
"I can think of few crimes that are greater."
"(Gasp)!" Captain Phoebus gasped in alarm as the Wargoyle came flying towards them, finally catching up to Riku, as it stood/flew beside Frollo. "What demon is this?"
"Oh, you are mistaken, Captain Phoebus." Judge Frollo corrected as he walked toward the Wargoyle, the darkness in his heart rising within him. "This is no demon. It's righteous judgement! I have been granted this power so that I may smite all gypsies now and forever!"
"This is all wrong!" Captain Phoebus stated what should have been obvious. It was to everyone here, except Frollo! His dark obsession consumed his mind and poisoned his heart. There was no hope for this man.
"He won't listen." Riku silently tells Captain Phoebus to save his breath. "Once you've fallen that far, there's almost no coming back."
"How dare you." Judge Frollo was insulted by his words. "I am a virtuous man. Good and evil shall be made plain...once the gypsies face the fires of judgement."
Those were not the words of a virtuous man and that grin he was wearing certainly didn't look virtuous. It gave Riku chills down his spine. Frollo laughed as he walked down the road back into the city. The Wargoyle following after him as Captain Phoebus tried to block its path.
"No you don't!" But the Wargoyle did a bomber spin through Phoebus, knocking him down. "Guh!"
"You all right?" Riku ran over to check Phoebus. That bomber spin did a number on his right arm as he gripped it through the pain. It was probably just a sprain, but he wouldn't be able to use it for a while.
"(Hard Exhale) Well, I can't say you didn't warn me." Captain Phoebus joked a bit before the slight motion sent a jolt of pain through his arm.
"You should take it easy. I'll deal with Frollo."
"Thanks." Captain Phoebus had a feeling in his guts that he could leave things to Riku, but still... "I gotta tell you, this is embarrassing- having to rely on a kid."
"You wouldn't be the first. Sorry." Riku said with a small grin, understanding Phoebus feelings but still showing respect to the guy that stood between giant Dream Eater and his city to protect all its people.
"I'll admit, you look more capable than me right now." Phoebus liked the spark in this kid. He would do what he thinks is right and see it through, Phoebus could relate and respect that. "All right, be careful. It looks like that creature...is heading for the cathedral."
"Okay. Got it." More than likely Judge Frollo was going to try and stamp out the gypsies in the city, one by one if he had to. Riku was not going to let that happen. And yet for all Riku's determination and hurry, his Drop Gauge depleted as he fell to sleep.
'No... Not now.'
"How long has he been doing this?"
"Not for long. It just started happening today."
Riku shot up with a start, running back towards the city as he realized he had to catch up with that Wargoyle before it destroys the city. He ran. Hoping that he wasn't asleep for long.
He could see smoke rising from the city in the distance. Nightmares appeared to block his path.
"Sorry." But they were no match for Riku as he Faithline through them, taking care of the stragglers that survived with his Keyblade. At least it stalled him enough to grab and open a few chest items around the area. He even found a big one with a new skill technique, Sliding Crescent, detailed inside. It might turn out to be just what he needed right now. But he was wasting too much time here, he had to hurry. Making his way back to the Outskirts of the city he rushed through the streets. Taking out more Nightmares along the way as he made it to the Bridge. "You're done!"
The closer he got to the city, the more Nightmares seem to show up. He would never make it time before the Wargoyle wreaked havoc on the city if he fought through them all. Using his Shock Dive ability, he grabbed on to the flagpoles spread throughout the bridge and swung himself passed the Nightmares. It was best to take care of the big fry first and then worry about the little ones afterward. It was already bad enough that the city had a red glow to it that was not related to the sun and smoke rising all over.
The bridge was barricaded with wagons, barrels, and crates all over. As if the people were trying to make a makeshift barrier to stop the Nightmares from entering the city. It was a pity it couldn't do something for the ones that could fly.
He made it into the Town from the Bridge in good time, having to jump over the bridge gate to get in. But it was for the best, the town was in bad shape as it is. Who knows how much more damage it would have suffered if the gates were broken through. Crates and Stalls were on fire all over the town. The alarm bells were ringing as the people sought shelter away from the streets that were crawling with Nightmares.
"Thunder!" Riku shot a Thundara as swarm of Nightmares being lead by a Zolephant, an elephant-like Nightmare, charging at him. Shock Diving through the town as he rushed to make it to the town Square and Notre Dame. The Square was blazing as a stage with a bonfire was lit in its center. Riku couldn't help but notice the stake in the middle of the bonfire and hoped in horror that he didn't just walk in to a witch-burning. "!"
But looking to the side of the stand to see Quasimodo holding an unconscious Esmeralda in execution clothes had confirmed that it was an attempted stake-burning. It looks like Quasimodo got her out of there in time before she suffered any burns, but that doesn't mean she didn't inhale smoke in her lungs.
"Is she going to be all right?" Riku asked Quasimodo as he rushed to their side to make sure they were okay. Quasi looked fine for someone who jump in a fire to save someone. However, he couldn't really say the same for the one whom was tied in it. But Riku finally let out a held breath in relief as Esmeralda slowly opened her eyes.
"I'm fine, thanks to Quasimodo." She was so tired and weakened from her time in the fire, she could barely get her words out.
"..." Riku was glad that she was okay as a small smile made its way on his face, but she needed to save her strength. She needed rest and to get away from the fire. The smoke was not doing her any good. And it wasn't safe here. "Quasimodo, where did the creature go?"
"It's...it's up there." The looked up towards the top of Notre Dame to point in direction as he held on to Esmeralda. Riku could see it looking down at the city from the Bell Tower as if admiring its work.
"Right." Riku would finish this. He ran to cathedral doors to held up to the Bell Tower.
"W-wait." Quasimodo called out to him, finally finding his voice. "Wait, I'll go with you!"
Riku was glad that he was finally coming out shell. But there were others that needed him more.
"Thanks, but stay with her." Riku was about to run off before he turned around to ask Quasimodo one last thing. "Quasimodo. Did your heart have the answer?"
Quasimodo nodded without hesitation. The walls that had been surrounding his heart seem to have crumble down. Looks like his heart was finally free. Riku was glad for Quasimodo, perhaps now he could finally see what was out there. The world had so much to offer him.
But in order for him to see it, Riku would have to defeat Wargoyle that threatened to destroy and suppress this world. Entering the Nave to see that the room was entirely cleared out. Unlike outside there wasn't a single Nightmare crawling the walls of this room. Looks like three gargoyle took care of them. They were walking and talking and clearly alive, maybe they were friends of Quasimodo, probably.
"Well! I guess...you three got this covered." Riku was actually impressed.
"It was a walk in the park!" Bragged the shortest one.
"How would you know? You don't have any legs." The Tall gargoyle called him out. Bringing to Riku's attention that they did have no legs, so they probably hopped to get around. How has nobody heard them moving?
"Yeah, but- Aw, gimme a break!" Huffed the short one. "It's just a figure of speech!"
"Both of you, pipe down." Commanded the oldest one, clearly showing that she was the one that kept the other two in check. "And get ready! 'Cause here come some more!"
"!" Riku was about to pull out his Keyblade, but the three rushed on in without need of his help.
"Yee-haw!" Called out the short one in excitement, not following too far behind the other two.
"..." They could handle things down here. Riku's charge was elsewhere. "It's up there."
Riku ran to the spiral stairs, making his way up to the Bell Tower, looking above the Square. Judge Frollo was there, holding a sword. Laughing. He was laughing as he watched the city burn.
"Yes! Let it burn. The flames will consume everything!" He barely even looked back as Riku ran up to him. "You see? This is the power that has been granted to me!"
"I see a sad old man with a dark heart." Riku braced himself for combat.
"Again, you are wrong!" Frollo finally turned around to face Riku, furious that this boy did not understand his virtuous judgement. The darkness consuming more of his heart. "Now you will be judged, just like the rest!"
The Wargoyle came as if called by the darkness in his heart. The wind from its wings shaking Judge Frollo already delicate balance as he stood on the Bell Towers railings. The first thing Frollo dropped was his sword...then he dropped himself into the fire below. Riku's eyes widened in horror.
"Judgement is mine!" Judge Frollo declared as he fell from Notre Dame into the fire.
A figure in a black coat approached Frollo's dropped sword. To Riku's surprise, he wasn't alone.
"(Gasp)!" Riku recognized the stranger-from-before's company, and he had hoped he would never have to see him again. "You're Ansem! Why are you here?"
"Your best friend is never far." The stranger replied first, not answering Riku's question, but cryptically leading to new ones.
"So sad." Ansem said with indifference as he picked up Judge Frollo's sword. "The cost of yielding to the darkness."
"You could write a book about that." Riku called him out.
"But I embraced the darkness-" Ansem countered before pointing the sword at Riku, "and unless you hurry up and learn to do the same, your story will end just like his."
"I walk the road to dawn!" Riku declared as he summoned his Keyblade. If these wanted a confrontation, he would give it to them.
"..." The young stranger looked at Riku...with disappointment. "Still afraid of the dark, I see."
But instead of the fight Riku was expecting, they had opened up a Dark Corridor and walked away. The young stranger leaving first as Ansem dropped the sword on the ground. But before leaving, he looked over his shoulder at Riku and smirked at him.
"Wait!" Riku called to them, but they were already gone. Leaving him confused and frustrated. "He thinks I'm afraid of the dark? No, not while I have the Keyblade. It will guide me to the light!"
Riku calmed himself and focused. They were gone but the Wargoyle was still here. It was time for him to finish what he came here to do.
His opponent liked to fly high in the sky. So he would just have to meet him up there. Using Thunder Dash, Riku glided in the air, circling around the Wargoyle as he attacked. Out-flying the Wargoyle's attack as he circled back to the cathedral. Using Balloon to stay in the air just a bit longer to get in a few more strikes. As he was falling back down to the cathedral he got in one more Thundara.
"Thunder!" It was a direct hit. But it angered the Wargoyle, leading to a bombardment of spherical attacks. Riku had to run in dash to dodge them as he waited for his energy to charge back up again so he could take to the skies. But he wasn't going to take these attacks sitting. Giving the Wargoyle a piece of its own medicine, he fired a Dark Firaga at it. "Fire!"
Seeing that it would take more time for Thunder Dash to recharge again. He decided to use another means to take to the sky.
"Dream." Riku closed his eyes. Like a single raindrop in a body of water he activated Faithline to surround the Wargoyle. It took him to the skies again like a rail-line while also strengthening his Keyblade. He stuck at his opponent as the Faithline stopped, adding in another Thundara before his Thunder Dash finally charged again to keep him up in the air. "Thunder!"
The Wargoyle didn't take too kindly to his health being brought so low. The Nightmare began to set itself ablaze as it spiral dived at Riku in retaliation. Riku had to dash out of the way in midair, using another Balloon command just to stay up for a bit longer. His Keyblade was still empowered by his previous Faithline ability and he was going to use it to the fullest.
"Fire!" Riku used another Dark Firaga as the Wargoyle came to a stop. Dashing to the Wargoyle, Riku used another Faithline. It Broke the Wargoyle's guard and left the Nightmare wide open. Riku began attacking and finished off before it could get in another attack. "Hah!"
The Wargoyle went down, falling into the flames below as its wings tore off one after the other. Riku watched as it faded away; finally the battle was over.
With the major threat gone, the other Nightmares ran away. Now all that was left was restoring the city. Fires were put out, Stalls were rebuilt, and the bridge gate reopened for travelers again. Quasimodo was a great help putting out the fires, no longer afraid of what others would think if they saw him. A few looked, admittedly, but they were mostly glad for a helping hand. And from there they grew to like Quasi for "himself" as they got to know him. And Quasimodo was more than happy to make new friends just like he had dreamed about from his Bell Tower. His heart was as free as the birds that would fly over Notre Dame and he was ready to sore out there. Riku, Esmeralda, Captain Phoebus...they couldn't be more happy for him.
"Master Frollo- he made me live inside the bell tower," Quasimodo confessed to Riku once the commotion was over and the city was safe once again, "but the real walls were the ones I built around my heart. You helped me see that, Riku."
"..." Riku's fist clenched as he thought about his own hypocrisy. He wished that he could have followed his own words. Let alone, avoided the whole need to follow them in the first place. But the past can never be changed. Quasimodo noticed Riku's hand clench as a troubled look came over his face. "I was...speaking from...personal experience."
"I'd say you still keep a lot locked inside." Captain Phoebus pointed out.
"We all do that sometimes." Esmeralda said in helpful truth as she approached Riku arms crossed with an understanding smile. "There are just some things we need to keep separate from the world at large at least until we have time to figure them out."
"..." Riku...actually understood what Esmeralda was saying. Her arms slowly uncrossing during their conversation as if metaphorically showing that he could open up to the world in his own time. Riku smiled at the gesture and Esmeralda's wise words. They really did help.
After some time, the others had to patrol around the city to make sure that everything was alright. Leaving Riku alone to himself and his thoughts.
"..." Riku thought about what Ansem said to him on the cathedral. His heart troubled that he might walk down the same path as Frollo. But Riku knew as he looked up at Notre Dame...he never wanted to follow that path to darkness. "I know the road my heart walks."
As he accepted his words as his heart's truth, the world's Sleeping Keyhole revealed itself to him on the cathedral. Drawing his Keyblade, Riku unlocked this Sleeping World. Waking it up to return to the Realm of Light. As a gift, this world gave to Riku the Keyblade of Guardian Bell: a long ranged Keyblade with a Magic boost. This will come in handy for the next Sleeping World Riku would be visiting.
And with this world awake once again, Riku fell into a sleep as his Drop Gauge depleted. As he fell deeper into a slumber Riku claimed all the Relay Bonuses he could with his droplets he gathered on La Cité des Cloches. He gained a lot of boost. Hopefully it'll help with the next Sleeping World he drops in to.
"Hey, I think he's waking up." Riku recognized the voice of Loz as his eyes focused into the light again.
"Morning sleepyhead." Yazoo monotonously teased down at him.
"Gugh, waking up to your monotone sass is the last thing I'd want-" Riku began to counter back in good measure, shaking his head awake as he rose his upper half up off the ground. Riku was about to throw in more teases at his older brother when he suddenly realized that Yazoo was riding his Yoggy Ram. "...are you riding my Dream Eater."
"Indeed I am." Yazoo gave out the smallest of smirks as he trotted Riku's Dream Eater Spirit around Riku like he had been horseback riding for years. "Jealous?"
"..." It wasn't odd for Loz, Yazoo, and Kadaj to make their way into Riku's dreamworld, he had gotten use to that. But what he didn't expect was for them to hanging out with his Spirits. Loz had been tossing a ball around with Riku's Tama Sheep circled around Loz before Riku had woken up; Yazoo was still riding around with Riku's Yoggy Ram like he was the king of the forest; Kadaj was enjoying the company of Riku's Komory Bat; and, his mother was giving pets and cuddles to his Meow Wow and Necho Cat in her lap.
"Oh!" As his Meow Wow noticed him awake, it ran off of Aeris's lap in its excitement. Barking as it leaped at Riku's lap wagging his bottom.
"Hehe, easy boy, easy." The tackle wasn't enough to knock Riku down again; however, the tackle hug from behind by his Tama Sheep was. "Ooph!"
Riku was knocked back down as his Spirits cuddled to him, taking him a second to get back up again. He kneeled down to their level, giving them the pets and rubs they craved for.
"How did all you guys get here?"
"You let them in, Sweetie." Aeris answered.
"What?"
"Through the bond you've built with your Spirits, you've opened your heart to them and allowed them into your dream world." Aeris explained before pointing towards something behind Riku. "You've even made room for them."
"Huh?" Riku turned around to see what she meant, only to be surprised by the large octagon chamber that wasn't there before. With French doors just as large as its walls, bearing the symbol of Dream Eaters Spirits on each door. Riku couldn't fathom what he was seeing as he approached the stand alone chamber in his vast emptiness of a dreamworld. Touching one of its doors to confirm its existence. "H-how? I don't understand. How did this get here?"
"(Gentle Giggle) I'm sorry Riku." Aeris apologized in good gesture at his confusion. "It seems I failed to explain properly how dreamworlds work."
"Worlds?" This was a revelation for Riku. "As in, we aren't the only ones that can make a dreamworld."
"Hehe, yes." Aeris nodded to her son in confirmation. "Everyone has the potential of creating their own dreamworld connecting with other's heart. However, most lack the refinement and concentrated energy to form a proper dreamworld like we can. Some crumble into dust after a message is sent across. Others desperately reaching out to others through the bond in their heart, reaching them but no world is form."
"I...understand what you're saying. However...are you saying that Cetras are the only ones that can create a stable dreamworld?"
"Hmm, more like Cetras are the only ones that have made dreamworlds that doesn't crumble so far." Aeris explained more in depth as tapped a finger on her chin with her free hand in thought. The other still occupied with petting Necho Cat. "However, that doesn't mean our dreamworld won't crumble if the other heart in the bond shuts itself off from us and we won't have to make another dreamworld with them all over again."
"!" He was remembering back in Destiny Islands when he was giving in to his darkness and grew angry and distant with his mother...and how their dream world cracked... "So the dreamworld that you and I had before is truly gone..."
He would never see the grass and the calming flowers that blew gently in the distance breeze. Or the huge tree he use to play around. The one he use to sit under with his mother as she read and told him stories...
"..." Aeris noticed his growing distress. Rising up on her feet she walked to Riku. Gently cupping his face as she guided his gaze to look at her again. "Don't be troubled, Riku. This dreamworld you have made is so much better."
"?"
"In my dreamworld, I held so much back. I was afraid that it would lead you down towards a dangerous path. So many things...so many memories. Experiences that I didn't know were good or bad to show you. So my dreamworld was not as open, not as creative as it could have been." Aeris confessed as she slowly backed away from Riku. "But yours..."
"?!" Riku was slightly startled as he felt the Magic build up in his mother.
"Your world has so much potential to grow. So many experiences and memories that you opened your mind to. You've grown so much in these pass few years. And there's so much more I want to show you, so much more that you have to see. Dreamworlds are a canvas of our hearts' experiences." As Aeris continued on, she stretched out her hands and unleashed the Magic. "With an open heart and the courage to grow, as long as we remember it we can create ANYTHING."
"!" Riku watched as the tree he remembered throughout his childhood grew around his mother, catching her on one of its branches as it raised from the ground to its former glory. It was only now, when he was older, that he realized that the tree he remember in their dream world growing up was the same tree growing in his mother's backyard.
"You all can do that too. That is, if you're willing to share your memories." Aeris explained to all her boys.
"I...wouldn't mind seeing more." Kadaj struggled to admit to Riku. Reluctant to admit any interest to Riku, being competitive as he was with his younger brother.
Loz on the other hand was not.
"Me too!" Loz agreed, waving his hand in excitement as the other was holding Tama Sheep to him.
"Hmph," that was the closest Yazoo would come to agreeing, the tiny smirk said everything.
"(Giggle) Yes. I can't wait for us to show so much more of our adventures to each other. I long for you boys to go on many more adventures to see what the worlds have to show you, the lessons you will learn..." Aeris said in proud excitement before jumping down from the tree and landing on the near-invisible light grey ground again. Holding her hands behind her back as she smiled towards the others before turning back to Riku. "So don't be shy at showing us more, Riku."
"I-... All right. Sounds like fun." Riku nodded, getting pumped. He couldn't wait to show his mother and his brothers more things from the Sleeping Worlds. But first, Riku guessed he should check out the octagon chamber that made its way into his dreamworld.
"Riku?" Aeris tilted her head in curiosity as he moved to open the chamber's doors.
"I'm just going to take a peek. See what's actually inside this thing." Riku answered without looking back, pulling on the handle of one of the doors. Opening it to a crack to get a peek inside.
It was...more colorful than he had expected. The walls and floor was cushioned like a nursery. And lined along the walls were giant cards. Pictures of Dream Eaters graced these cards, each one with a different Dream Eater that Riku has never seen before. But something inside of Riku told him that they were rare. Wait, he remembers this room from his time in the Sleeping Worlds...
This room was special...as if directly connected to the Spirits. He could create more Dream Eaters with the Dream Pieces he has collected from the Nightmares he's defeated. He can bond with his Spirits and unlock their special abilities here. This was a place for them to rest when he wasn't calling them for battle. And as he learned, if he touched the AR Cards lining the walls he had the potential of calling the rare Dream Eater on the card to him.
Touching three cards called other rare Spirits to him: Frootz Cat, Kab Kannon, and R & R Seal. All energetic and happy to see him. The other cards did not respond to his touch. Perhaps he wasn't strong enough to call them out to him right now. He would just have to look forward to that in the future.
And now that he has a moment to himself, he can make more Dream Eaters from the Sleeping Worlds he has visited but didn't have a time to before. He even found recipes for Dream Eaters he didn't even remember collecting- perhaps because he wasn't the one who collected them. So he happily made himself a Kooma Panda and Zolephant. Perhaps most of his Spirits wouldn't see that much combat with how many he already has, but it still felt nice to have them around.
And after their birth and a few pets from Riku, they rushed out of the room to play with the others. Explaining to Riku why the doors were made so large as the Zolephant easily passed through.
"Huh, Riku? Why is there an elephant coming out of the room?" Aeris called to him from outside the room as the animal-like Spirits marched out.
"Did you unleash a zoo?" Kadaj cracked a joke at him.
"I call dibs on the elephant." Loz said in calm ecstatic, practically calling shotgun on the Zolephant ride.
"(Chuckle)" Riku chuckle to himself at his family's antics, he couldn't help but love them. But as he was walking out to join the others he felt a powerful urge to sleep hit him as he made it out the doors.
Knocking him back to the Sleeping Worlds' between realm, where a new world was opened up to him. Well more like two; but, he decided to go to the one with the catching colors. Deciding to take Tama Sheep and Yoggy Ram along for this trip, he took the Dive.
The Dive down was not as colorful as Riku had expected from the vibrant world. He dove between netting patterns of giant hand string, each one distinctive from another, avoiding the ones with tighter patterns. Nightmares came at him on the way down, leaving him not much choice but to blast them away as they came at him all at once. Diving through rings and avoiding blocks and pool balls on the way down until he finally broke through to the world below.
The stars shined brightly around as the clouds surrounded by dark, soft blue skies indicated the night. Rollercoaster rails stretched and circle around Riku's diving point, as if drawing him in. More Nightmares came at him again as he broke through the clouds. An easy fix as he made it down into the Sleeping World.
This place seemed familiar to Riku...
'Oh no.' Riku groaned to himself. Yeah...he had been here before. Back when Sora was asleep for a year and Riku wondered the worlds trying to find the pieces of Sora's memory. '"This" is that horrible place on Pinocchio's world where they lured in brats to be even more of a jacka-'
Riku stopped in mid-thought, looking around for his mother. As if she would pop out if she heard him curse. Aeris never liked a potty mouth, and she certainly didn't tolerate it from her boys. Riku felt slightly embarrassed at his behavior. That he still flinches at his mom catching him saying a bad word at his age was positively absurd.
Regardless on the matter, this place was still a bad place to be for boys, especially for misbehaved boys. Because in this place, if you act like a 'donkey', you'll become one. Riku didn't have fun the first time he went to this place and he doubts that he'll enjoy visiting its Sleeping counterpart. But he had to do what he had to do to wake up the Sleeping Worlds. And if this place so happens to be one of the Sleeping Words, then by his Keyblade, he was going to find that Sleeping Keyhole. And who knows, maybe this place will turn to the better after its wakened up.
So far it already seemed slightly different from its counterpart in the realm of Light. Instead of going by the name Pleasure Island, this Sleeping world called itself...
Prankster's Paradise
Not a promising name for better world, but Riku wasn't going to get his hopes up too much. When he finally touched down on this Sleeping World, Riku ended up landing not where he was expecting.
This wasn't Pleasure Island... This was the belly of a beast...
"Ahhh," Riku gasped in awe as he looked around. "Hmm..."
"Pinocchio!"
"!" Riku recognized that voice.
"Son! Where have you run off to?" And there he was, on that tattered boat Riku remembered from before, calling for his son.
"Isn't that...Geppetto?" Riku said aloud to himself. Then...this must be..."
He remembered this place too.
'I'm inside Monstro's belly.' Riku figured it out for himself. It was almost funny...how such a massive whale's heart would be strong enough that its stomach would be considered a small world. So many worlds out there, some of which inhabitance sees them as too small, and this whale's stomach fits that category. The irony was laughable.
But he would have to save the jokes for later. Pinocchio was missing, and more than likely getting into trouble. Making his way over to Geppetto's boat and opening some treasure chest along the way, Riku approached Geppetto who seemed to be panicking to himself.
"What's the matter?"
"Huh? Goodness, who are you?" Geppetto startle and concerned that another poor soul got swallowed down here.
"?!" Riku was alarmed for a second when Geppetto didn't recognized him. But then he remember what Master Yen Sid had told Sora and him about how familiar faces might be found in the Sleeping Words, but they're memories would only be up to the point their world had fallen into a slumber. So this would be a first introduction for Geppetto here. Riku would have to go along with it. "Riku."
"Oh, Riku. You poor lad. Seems you were swallowed up by Monstro just like the rest of us." Geppetto was sorry that such a young soul had ended up being a meal for Monstro- the old whale was insatiable. However, it was nice to see another friendly face. "My name is Geppetto, and I'm looking for my son, Pinocchio."
"Pinocchio's gone missing?"
"I'm afraid so." Geppetto sighed, his spirit deflating. He seemed tired. "After all my searching, I found him here in the whale. But then he ran off again to who-knows-where."
"That sounds kind of...familiar." Riku was getting a lot of deja vu in this place. But for now, he needed to focus on the situation at hand. Geppetto was clearly tired and this place was dangerous, he could get into trouble if he went to look for Pinocchio himself. "Mister Geppetto, let me go look for your son."
"You would do that?" The hope lit up in Geppetto's eyes again. "Thank you. Are you sure?"
"Yeah. Leave it to me." Riku assured to Geppetto that he could handle this as Geppetto walked out onto the boat's deck in the case that Pinocchio comes back on his own.
"Did ya say you were really going to help us find Pinocchio?"
"Hm?" Riku turned to the new voice, surprised to see Jiminy Cricket there. "Jiminy?"
"Huh? That's right- name's Jiminy! Jiminy Cricket." Jiminy introduced himself, slightly startled that Riku new his name. "But shucks, have we met?"
"No- you know, never mind." This was starting to get complicated.
"Hmm, if you say so. Anyway, Pinocchio comes first." Jiminy decided to brush off Riku's strange behavior for now.
"Right. Any idea where he went?"
"Well, I'm almost certain he wandered off with a stranger."
'Crap, stranger danger.' Riku hissed to himself. If Pinocchio wandered off with some stranger inside the belly of a whale then he could be in more trouble than if he wandered away by himself. "Can you describe him?"
"Hmm...I remember he was dressed in a black coat."
"(Gasp)! A black coat?" This wasn't good. "He's back again."
"..." Riku pondered to himself that this was most likely the same guy he had been running into on the other Sleeping Worlds. Could this person be following him? And if so, for how long? Since the test started, or perhaps...longer? He can find his answers once he meets up with that guy again when he gets Pinocchio back. He should hurry. "Thanks."
Riku thanked Jiminy for the help, and started to head off to find Pinocchio. Only to be surprised as Jiminy hopped on his shoulder.
"Huh?" He wasn't use to having others this close to him, let alone being used as a ride.
"Well, I'm goin' with ya. Pinocchio's gonna need his conscience, and that's where I come in."
Riku could respect the crickets dedication to the job, and the company would be appreciated, so he let Jiminy tag along as he went further into the beast's belly. Or more accurately, Gullet.
The Nightmares were quick to show up the further in they went. Jiminy did good to stay out of the way as Riku and his Dream Eaters fended them off. This place had as barnacles around and separate chambers as he remembered. Though it did make him question if a whale actually did have this many chambers in its stomach.
The barnacles were a big help at helping them climb up higher into the chambers and over gaps, so he wasn't complaining to much. He even found a couple of chests- one big one carrying a Sir Kyroo recipe- and a Link Portal to his friend back of Destiny Islands, Tidus. The strength of his spirit came in handy as Riku faced new kinds of Nightmares and riding along cluster strands.
He had to use a Balloonga to reach higher terrain at points, which coated his Keyblade in darkness, but the boost was well appreciated. He found himself going down a long passageway before having to climb up to reach another chamber before he found Pinocchio, following behind that guy in a black coat.
"Pinocchio!" Jiminy called out, alarmed that Pinocchio was so easily following a stranger deeper into this unknown, dangerous place.
"Jiminy!" Pinocchio turned to look back at the call, happy to see if. Smiling at Jiminy as if he had know idea that he did something wrong.
"Let him go now!" Demanded Riku, hoping to get Pinocchio out of danger before things turned.
"(Ooph)! Hm?" The stranger mildly push Pinocchio towards, indicating that Pinocchio was free to go as he please. Silently stating he would not harm the boy. Pinocchio turned in confusion at the push, but still ran over to Jiminy.
"Thank goodness." Jiminy met Pinocchio halfway. "Are you all right? Riku and I looked for ya everywhere."
"Uh-huh. I'm just fine." Pinocchio replied, knelling down to try and get on Jiminy's level. "Sorry, Jiminy. I messed up real bad. You and Father must have been so worried about me."
"Why, Pinocchio, I think ya just might be finally startin' to learn." Jiminy was glad that Pinocchio learned his lesson. But there was still a big elephant in the room, wearing a black coat, that needed to be address. Riku walked in front of Jiminy and Pinocchio to stand between the stranger and them.
"Who are you?"
"..." The stranger said nothing, only reached up to lower their hood. Revealing to be Riku from the first time he visited Monstro.
"Me?" A Nightmare of himself? One of his own making? No. This was a trick, Riku knew this, but he was not in a mood for jokes. The stranger-with-his-face opened a Dark Corridor and simply walked off. Riku tried to go after them. But they were already gone.
"As I live and breathe..." Jiminy couldn't believe what he had just seen.
"That was my...my dark side." Riku didn't like talking about the past, but...Jiminy deserved an explanation. "I gave in to the darkness once. And ever since, it's chased me around in one form or another.
"..." Riku began to wander with his thoughts. "The Seeker of Darkness who stole my body...a puppet replica of the shadows in my heart...and now, I'm facing me."
"Your dark side?"
"Gee, Riku, don't you have a Jiminy like I do?' Pinocchio asked, trying to help. "He's my conscience. He's taught me all kinds of important stuff. Maybe you just need somebody to show you what's right and wrong."
"Sure. You can't shoulder all your problems alone, ya know." Jiminy agreed along with Pinocchio, hopping up on to Pinocchio's shoulders to better look up at Riku. "You must have somebody- a friend you can talk to?"
"Yeah..." Now that Riku thought about it, he had a lot of people he could talk to. Family...friends...people he took for granted when he gave in to the darkness. Riku looked up with his eyes closed as he thought about them, he smiled a little as Sora came to mind, "actually, I do. That stupid grin he's always wearing- he's the best teacher I could ever have."
'Sorry, mom, you're up there too.'
"Gee whiz... I wish I had lots of good friends." Pinocchio pouted a little at his lack of finding friends. Whether it had been on his way to his first day of school, or his short lived moment of fame, or on Pleasure Island. He just couldn't find anyone that he could call a good friend. The people that he had met along the way that he thought were friends had mostly led him into trouble.
"You will, Pinocchio. More than you can count." Jiminy insisted to him in encouragement. Sure there were a lot of nasty people out there, but there was more good people out there than nasty, and a golden handful of them that will end up being your true friend.
Suddenly everything began to shake around them as Monstro's growl rumble through its belly.
"What now?" Riku steadied himself, preparing for what could be thrown at them next. He noticed that the focus point of the rumbling seemed to be coming from the chamber next to them. "Is something in there?"
"..." If that was the case, it was up to him to check it out. "Pinocchio, Jiminy, you should head back. I'll see what's shaking things up."
The two of them nodded and headed back the other way, leaving Riku to press onward. This time, into the Belly of the beast. It seems that the next chamber had a build up of stomach acid. Monstro was suffering from some acid reflex. But what was the cause? Grabbing a few treasure chest- one even obtaining the Collision Magnet skill in it- along the way, continued further in. Leaping from walls to uplift areas to avoid the acid, his Dream Eaters following behind.
The Nightmares along the way were not much help- as they caused him to slip a foot in the acid a few times. But he had found another Link Portal along the way- strengthening him with the Spirits of someone by the name of Bartz- and eventually made his way to Monstro's uvulas. Which flipped the world upside down when Riku hit it, literally. Although the new perspective opened another path for Riku to go.
It lead to a dark blue, open Cavity. There seemed to be a fog to this chamber. Riku hoped that this was only condensation and not gas. But before he could find the answer...his Drop Gauge depleted.
'Great...this is not the best spot to take a nap.' Riku groaned to himself. This was probably the worse place to fall asleep; however, there was nothing he could do about it. He would just have to hope for the best and that his Dream Eaters looked out for him while he sleeps.
"He's doing it again..."
"Hehe, he went down so quick."
"Let's draw on his face."
"No."
Riku woke up again, his Yoggy Ram helping him up with its antlers. Luckily, everything was fine and the fog was harmless. He explored the giant chamber finding a few chests along the way. Strangely he found another uvula, which flipped everything around again. It was a good thing, too. This chamber was so massive that he would have never reached the pathway above on his own otherwise.
He found a Special Link Portal along the pathway, too, that didn't seem to be connected to anyone in particular. He didn't get a boost from it, however, he did get the recipe to make a Juggle Pup from the fight.
There was more than one uvulas- which was more than unsettling- he had to hit to flip things around multiple times in order to proceed further. Why did this whale have so many uvulas? And why in other areas besides the mouth?
...Riku decided that he didn't want to know. Pushing the thoughts aside as he continued on. Until he made his way through a long, looped stretch of a pathway in the Cavity that lead Riku to Monstro's Bowels.
He was not expecting a giant parasitic Nightmare to greet him as he walked in, especially one with blaster claws. Riku had to slid under it just to avoid its attack as it leaped at him. This thing was able to shake the ground as it landed. No wonder Monstro was suffering from indigestion, this Char Clawbster was causing up a storm. And it was huge enough to cause some damage. When did Monstro eat this? WHY would he eat this?
Riku was going to have to ask his questions later, the Nightmare was preparing to attack. This Nightmare couldn't fly, but it sure did jump like it could. The propeller tail that helped it move back from attacks and maneuver around in a glide didn't help much either. This thing shot out fire too and could stick to the ceiling. There were uvulas in this place too...
… Riku needed to finish this quick.
He fired all the Thundara and Dark Firaga he could, even doing a Bubble Burst as he gave this thing everything he had. Luckily going all out made the battle go by much quicker. The Char Clawbster was down before Riku knew it, giving Riku a new hate for crustaceans he didn't have before.
He had made his way back to the mouth of Monstro, after opening all the chest in the area and obtaining the magic spell Mini, relieved that all those hits to the uvulas did wreak havoc on Geppetto and the others on the boat. It was a tearful reunion seeing Pinocchio running in to Geppetto's open arms for a big hug, happy to see each other again. As touching of a moment as it was, something left Riku...troubled.
"I thought I was only sent into the past on the Destiny Islands. So why does it seem like time was rewound in this world, too?" As if this sleeping world was created in the very moment its original world fell into darkness... "Maybe it's like Master Yen Sid said- the world was freed from darkness, but has yet to wake from it. It's trapped in a never-ending dream."
As Riku came to his answer, this world's Sleeping Keyhole revealed itself to him. Standing high over Monstro's sharp, tight-sealed teeth. Waking this world from its sleep with his Keyblade, Riku was gifted with an Ocean's Rage. A Keyblade that had the power to unleash more frequent Reality Shifts and magic boost, but at the cost less critical hits.
With another Sleeping World awaken to the realm of light. Riku allowed his Drop Gauge to deplete. There was nothing more he could do for this world. It was time to sleep...
"Look who's decided to wake up." Yazoo said down to Riku with a tilted head.
Everyone seemed to be surrounding Riku. Yazoo and Loz standing up and looking down at him while their mother bent down a little with her hands on her knees.
"Welcome back, Sweetie." Aeris smiled down at Riku. As comforting as it was to be surrounded by familiar faces as he was waking up, the one kneeling beside him with a marker in their hand was disconcerting.
"Tch, we'll get him next time." Kadaj grumbled at the missed opportunity.
"Get that away from me." Riku commanded, smacking Kadaj's hand holding the marker away from his face. Sitting up as the others stayed still to let him move at his own pace.
"Isn't it a little disturbing that he's sleeping inside a dream?" Loz asked, hoping that he wasn't the only one that finds this weird.
"Time flows differently inside a dream. Such a small thing that distorts the flow of time in the real worlds. Just imagine the nearly non-existing flow of time inside a Sleeping World. With something so massive, time could relatively be stopped compared to flow of time in the realm of light." Aeris explained to Loz. "To reach such a place, one would have to go into an even deeper sleep. But I can see your point at finding this unsettling. The further in you dive into the deeper sleep, the higher the chances of losing yourself in its depths."
"..."
"Lucky for us, Riku has a strong heart." Aeris said pointing out the brighter side before offering a hand to help Riku stand up. "How was the new Sleeping World, Riku?"
"Fine... Familiar...? Gross? I can't really fine the right word to describe it."
"Why not start with "where" you went," Aeris suggested.
"I was in the belly of a whale."
"..." The others went silent at his answer. Until Loz decided to be the first to break it.
"That counts as a world?"
"If it's big enough," Riku shrugged in answer.
"Ahhh, you must have been at a sleeping remnant of Geppetto and Pinocchio's world."
"?!" Riku was surprised that his mother figured that out with the little given out by him. "How did you know?"
"I had met the two of them before, during my time in Twilight Town. They had told me their story, and so I had just put two-and-two together from there."
"So...you got swallowed by a giant whale?" Loz's excitement was growing.
"Technically, yes?"
"That sounds like so much fun." Loz was bursting with curiosity and questions. "What was it like inside a stomach?"
"It was filthy and squishy with a disturbing amount of uvulas." A piece of Riku's dreamworld had changed to a small piece of Monstro's gullet, a uvula dangling up as Riku described this world.
"Was there any stomach acid? Tell me there was acid."
"There was and it burnt like crap." A small puddle of green stomach acid form around the Monstro tissue at Riku's description, bubbling a little in reflection to Riku's frustration.
"You fell in? Metal."
"Disgusting." The expression of disgust barely made it to Yazoo's eyes. "You clearly need a bath."
"Where?!" Riku pointed out in sarcasm, looking around at the emptiness of his outstretched dreamworld with no water in sight. That is it until a bathtub load of water came splashing down on him from above. He was soaked to the bone by the Water spell with any chance of lingering smell on him removed. He turned to culprit, looking at her like a grumpy, soaked cat. "Thanks."
"You're welcome." Aeris smiled, casting a gentle Aero and Fire to dry him off. Leaving Riku fresh and clean. "By any chance, could you remove your Monstro souvenirs from here? They're a little unappealing to the eyes."
Not to mention Aeris was not liking how Loz was eying the puddle of stomach acid as if he would stomp around in it at any moment.
"...(Sigh) Yeah, I guess you're right." Riku conceded to her request, wishing the pieces out of existence to return to his memory.
"(Phew)" "Aww." Aeris sighed in relief while Loz pouted.
"Did you bump into anything else while you were there?" Kadaj asked, bringing back the conversation.
"Just a few Dream Eaters I haven't seen before that I'll try to create later." Riku answered before deciding to confide in his family to see if they could find the answers he was missing. "However, there was this strange guy in a black coat that has been following me around through the Sleeping Worlds."
"?!" Well that was concerning, even Yazoo's eyebrows raised a little for the occasion.
"Could he be apart of your test for the mark of a Keyblade master?" Aeris offered in suggestion, trying to put all possibilities on the table.
"I don't think so... Master Yen Sid would have mention something about him." Riku replied as he rested a hand on his chin in thought. "And I don't recall him from Organization XIII, he wasn't one of the members. But he was hanging around Ansem, Seeker of Darkness, so there has to be some kind of connection."
"Did he give you a name?" Kadaj asked. If there was a name, there a lead. With a name they could ask around the worlds' hearts for an answer.
"No, he didn't..." He gave Riku nothing to work with.
"Has he tried to harm you?" Aeris asked with concern, her worry starting to rise.
"He hasn't attacked me, or anything. He's only been antagonizing me with cryptic messages."
"So he's just an annoyance." Kadaj concluded for himself. "Why not just get rid of him?"
"That's not always the answer, Kadaj." Aeris was trying to teach Kadaj and the others that fighting wasn't the only solution, and sometimes it left holes in the problem that made it hard to find the real answer. "You should catch him and demand for some answers."
"Even if I could, he keeps running off in his Dark Corridors."
"It sounds like he's trying to shepherd you in some direction." Loz pointed out, drawing the others attention in surprise that this might actually be a possibility. "What? It sounds like what I would do when I wanted someone to play with me."
"..." Yazoo just stared... That explained so much.
"You have a point there, Loz. But if this guy is working with Ansem, then he can't be up to anything good."
"You should wait and see." Yazoo suggested.
"Yes. I hate to say it, but you should wait for him to show up again and see what more he has to say." Aeris agreed with Yazoo suggestion, still worried about the stranger that was so easily traversing through Sleeping Worlds that were beyond a normal person's reach. "Just be cautious about following them, all right?"
"That...sounds reasonable." Riku removed his hand from his chin and nodded to them in agreement. However, there were some other things that Riku didn't understand. "Mom, I have one more question."
"I might have one more answer." Aeris smirk but was still paying attention to him.
"There are these "Link Portal" inside the Sleeping World that are sometimes linked to a person I know, along with someone I don't. They open up a portal for Nightmares to challenge me, and if I win I'm rewarded with a piece of that person's strength or an item.
"However, I don't think there is any relations to individuals and the Sleeping World that the Link Portal is on. They've probably never been to that world before, and some of them have never met me before. What is exactly is the meaning of these portals?"
"It's just as you said, Riku, they're Links."
"That doesn't explain anything."
"Think about it." Aeris point up, going into lecture mode. "These hearts are reaching out in the darkness in their dreams. Calling out into the darkness for anyone to save them from their Nightmares. Calls that are lost in the sea between worlds, only to be heard in the Sleeping Worlds. Some of them must have found their way all the way onto the Sleeping Worlds... To you..."
"..."
"When you defeat their Nightmares, you save their dreams. Creating bond between you and them that connects beyond the stretch of worlds. A link between your hearts through the dream. You may or may not know each, and you may possibly never meet, but your hearts will always be connected through the sleeping dream. Making you both stronger through the link."
"..." That made sense. But...it also lead to other concerns. "Mom... Squall had a Link Portal, too."
"?!" Her eyes widened, for a moment, before saddening at not being so surprised by this. "Yes... Squall has been through many things that would give him Nightmares..."
"Mom..."
"Thank you for helping him, Sweetie. (Sadly Chuckle) He's a stubborn soul that doesn't know how to ask for help when he needs it."
"Glad to help..." But Leon wasn't the only one he knew with a Link Portal that he encountered. Tidus… How many more of his friends could be suffering Nightmares in their dreams, reaching out with their hearts for anyone to help them? "These Link Portals are growing in challenge the further I dive into the Sleeping Worlds. Do you think they're worth it?"
"That's all up to, Riku."
"..." Taking a deep breath, Riku sighed with a grin, already knowing what he wanted to do. "I guess I can play Dream Catcher for a while."
"Hm, that sounds just like you, Riku."
"But wait, what are the Special Link Portals linked to?"
"Hmm, think of them as the Sleeping World's power nap."
"Wait- what?"