KINGDOM HEARTS III: Final Mix
For this new update, I just wanted to show off a new side of the story, showing what Riku and Mickey were up to while searching for Aqua and Terra as Sora was on his own adventure. A couple of worlds that appeared in Birth by Sleep will return here and feature some new stories as a result. I truly hope you enjoy this new chapter, everybody!
Disclaimer: I do not own the story or characters featured in this story. They are the sole creation of the Walt Disney Co., PIXAR, Marvel Comics, Tetsuya Nomura, and Square Enix. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.
WARNING! Contains story spoilers for Kingdom Hearts III, so read with caution if you haven't played the game yet.
Chapter 14: Let's do the Time Warp Again
As Sora and his friends were assisting Woody and Buzz in getting to Galaxy Toys, another story was unfolding for Riku and King Mickey, who were traveling around the worlds from Aqua's past adventure to see if they could find a way to bring them back. After they dropped off Kairi and Lea's new garments with Merlin, the duo arrived at their first potential lead: the Castle of Dreams, where Cinderella calls her home.
"Gosh, so this is Cinderella's world," Mickey remarked as the two took in the sights of the castle exterior and the forest path lying beyond it.
"Everything looks so peaceful here, but we don't time to sight-see," Riku added, as he started to head down the dirt path through the forestry. "Maybe we'll find something regarding Aqua over at Cinderella's house."
"But Riku, wouldn't the castle technically be Cinderella's house?" Mickey asked. "What with her being a princess and all?"
"You have a point, your Majesty, but Yen Sid told us that Aqua mentioned long ago that Cinderella used to live in a chateau past the woods."
"Okay then, Riku," Mickey answered. "Lead the way, pal."
Unbeknownst to the duo, Cinderella's wicked stepsister Anastasia (who was previously thought to be killed by an Unversed called the Cursed Carriage) was wandering back to the chateau carrying the wand of the Fairy Godmother, after having snatched it from the old woman without her knowing.
"To think, it was magic that helped Cinderella get her happy ever after... I wonder what exactly that wand does though," she pondered out loud to herself before absentmindedly waving the wand at a mushroom. "Now what were those words again? Allykazoo? Flippity-graut? Or maybe, Bibbidy Bobbidy Boo?" With a flash of light, Anastasia was shocked to find that the mushroom turned into a pile of jewels.
"You should know that magic is not a toy, child," a voice called from the shadows, stepping forward to reveal himself as Young Master Xehanort. "However, I must commend you for your bout of curiosity leading me to this power."
"Wh-who are you, mister?" Anastasia questioned in shock, feeling a shiver run down her spine by the newcomer's presence.
"In time, you may learn to call me a friend," Xehanort replied, as he took the wand from Anastasia's grasp and carefully observed it. "So, this belongs to a Fairy Godmother, who helped a girl strong of heart to fufill her dreams. Interesting..."
"Ah, so that's where it went," the Fairy Godmother remarked. "I apologize for being so bold, my dear, but I must have that wand back immediately."
"No! I need this wand, more than you know," Anastasia rebuked.
"Oh, I am aware, but using this wand will be going at things for all the wrong reasons. I implore you, give the wand back." the Fairy Godmother said as calmly but firmly as she could.
"I've heard enough of this," Xehanort proclaimed as he summoned forth Heartless in the woods to surround the Fairy Godmother and aimed the wand at its former master. "To stone with you, old crone! Let my will be done; Bibbidy Bobbidy Boo!" And in a puff of smoke, the poor fairy was left petrified in place as Xehanort and Anastasia transported away back to the house, moments before Riku and Mickey ended up in the part of the woods where their enemy previously stood.
"Heartless!" Riku shouted, as he summoned forth his new Keyblade. "Now, face my Braveheart, little pests! Your Majesty, cover me!"
"You've got it!" Mickey responded, as the two took down a group of Crescendos and Neoshadow Heartless before looking upon the now lifeless form of the good-hearted fairy.
"Poor Godmother, I can't feel or hear any sign of life from her or her heart," Mickey told Riku sadly as the two of them figured quickly that the Organization may have had a hand in this occurance.
"Quick, before anything else can go wrong!" Riku told his friend as they ran as fast as they could to the chateau, where Xehanort and Anastasia stood in front of the main door.
"Now tell me, child, what is it that you desire?" Xehanort asked the stepsister.
"Well, I want what Cinderella has, a chance at true love and happiness," she replied as Xehanort raised the wand in the air at nothing in particular and began to recite an incantation. At that moment, Mickey and Riku rushed in to stop the vessel from causing havoc.
"Hey, whatever you think he'll offer you, you can't trust him!" Riku shouted before he and Mickey were picked up into the air by Xehanort and slowly felt like they were shrinking in size.
"I won't have you meddle in my affairs here, now go scurry off like the rats you both truly are. Begone!" Xehanort seethed as he hurled the shrunken Keybearers into the chateau throw an open window, leaving them dazed upon impact with the floor. "Now then... to undo the princess's perfect life, forces of the universe bring her strife, hands of time, turn back the hour, through darkness grant me this absolute power! Bibbidy Bobbidy Boo!" In a moment's instant, time itself seemed to freeze and reverse as images of Cinderella and the Prince's reality were being ripped apart, going back to the moment when the Castle's Grand Duke arrived at the house to search for fair maidens that could possibly fit the glass slipper that was left behind at the ball. As time resumed, Riku and Mickey finally came to, noticing a mouse dressed in a tiny red hat and vest lugging along a key that was twice his size in the living room they appeared to have landed in.
"Hey, are you alright?" Riku asked the mouse.
"Can't stop, gotsta hurry. Mean stepmother locked Cinderelly in her room; I got to help my friend, yes, zuk zuk." the mouse muttered out loud.
"How about if we help you?" Mickey asked, as he and Riku summoned their Keyblades.
"Ah, thank you," the mouse replied before turning around and noticing the newcomers and their Keyblades. "Oh, that's just like Ven's! Are you friends of Ven's?"
"Not exactly, but can you tell us how you know Ven?" Riku asked the mouse. "I'm Riku by the way, and this is my friend Mickey."
"Ven and Jaq is good friends- good, good friends. He helped fix Cinderelly's dress for the ball!" the mouse, apparently named Jaq, explained to the two heroes.
"Hold on, do you know where Ven might be now?" a stranger asked as she stepped forward next to Riku and Mickey to hear from Jaq.
"No, he went to look for friend- another friend," Jaq answered stoically, as Riku and Mickey noticed who the blue-haired Keyblade wielder next to them was.
"Aqua?" Mickey and Riku asked at the same time, as she turned her attention towards the duo.
"I'm sorry," Aqua said to the Keybearers. "Do I know you two?"
And that finishes this another chapter. An interesting spot to end it at too, with Aqua apparently back in Cinderella's world, but how can this be? Well, you're going to have to stay tuned to the story to find out. I hope you enjoyed this little update, and please remember to leave a review! See you all next time, and may your heart be your guiding key.