KINGDOM HEARTS III: Final Mix
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 16: Saving Rex and Cinderelly's Break-In
Using the rail system from the capsule machine, Sora and the gang grinded their way to the second level of the store, finding the entrance to the action figure section open. Woody could've sworn as they entered that he saw a dinosaur's swishing tail enter a tight corner, so the cowboy went to investigate.
"I was sure Rex went back there," Woody pondered, as everybody observed the stand of kaiju figures, noticing ornate power bulbs pulsing with electricity behind the display.
"There's something about this that feels wrong," Buzz remarked, before a red dinosaur-like beast marked with a Heartless insignia smashed away the boxes and gave a vicious roar.
"Let's get out of here!" Donald yelped in panic, rushing to leave only for the gate to slam shut and lock them in. Buzz looked at the toy in concern, knowing that it wasn't attacking by its own free will, but then assumed a battle stance.
"Buzz, are you sure about this?" Sora asked.
"If it wanted to play nice, then it shouldn't have threatened my friends," Buzz replied as the group prepared for a tough fight. Trying to attack the toy head on was practically a death sentence, as they found how hard its claw swipes could hit. To remedy this, Sora kept his distance and shot fire and water spells at the kaiju creatures, dodging its laser attacks until they were left facing another one of the enemies, with Woody calling Sora over.
"Sora, I found something that can help us!" Woody called out as Sora saw a firecracker rocket lying behind the spot Woody noticed before.
"Why would somebody leave one of these rockets here? I guess it's a good thing we haven't seen any kids around here, because somebody could get hurt by one of these."
"You mean no kids apart from you, right, Sora?" Donald asked.
"Donald, with all respect, please shut up," Sora groaned, as Woody and Buzz climbed on and Sora lit the fuse as they launched the rocket directly at the giant figure, knocking it down and purging it of the Heartless that possessed it. However, another figure had snuck up behind them to attack, as everyone looked up to see Rex clinging to dear life on an insectoid display figure.
"Rex! What are you doing way up there?" Buzz shouted to the dinosaur to get his attention.
"I honestly c-can't rememberrrrrrr!" Rex cried, as the figure broke free from the wall hook and was sent flying at the monster, knocking the Heartless out of it, as Sora then took it out as soon as he could.
"Those were some nice moves, Rex," Woody assured his friend.
"Really? Would you say I was impressive? I mean, it's all the grip, actually..." Rex said as he started to ramble on until Woody got him to pay attention again.
"Rex, did you see where the others were taken?" Sora asked.
"Taken? Did something bad happen?" Rex replied in confusion, as Woody and Buzz sighed in disappointment that Rex was completely unaware of what happened to the others. Woody then turned his attention towards Sarge as he climbed down through the air vents to deliver some news.
"Sarge? Any status on the others?" Woody spoke to the Army man.
"Sir, my troops have spotted Hamm in the Babies and Toddlers toy section. The corporal went to debrief him, but something must've gotten to him, as we lost all radio contact. But there is one piece of recon the rest of my men have gleaned from that area: just before Corporal's signal cut, some kind of music with a sonic interference began playing."
"Music? Wonder what could've caused it?" Buzz pondered.
"There's only one way to find out," Sora recommended as the others went to climb through the air vents and make their way to the other side of the store.
"Listen, Rex," Buzz told Rex before they left. "I have an important job for you to do by the entrance, and that's to be the lookout to see if anybody we know comes in or out of the store. Can you do that for us?"
"Yes, sir!" Rex answered assuringly.
"Then we'll see you soon, soldier," Buzz told his dinosaur pal as the heroes continued their exploration.
Meanwhile, back in the Castle of Dreams, Cinderella and the others had finally reached the Prince's castle, finding the front entryway was bogged down by heavy security.
"Well, we can't get through that way, it seems," Cinderella realized as the others thought over where else they could get in.
"Look at those maids entering through the back way," Aqua pointed out to Cinderella, as she got an idea.
"You four go on ahead, I'll meet you inside the castle," Cinderella told them as the heroes snuck through a mouse hole-sized crack in the mortar foundation of the castle. After they left, Cinderella stepped forward to the end of the row until she came face to face with the Chief of Staff.
"May I help you?" she asked.
"Oh, yes, you see, I'm here to assist with the marriage preparations," Cinderella explained. "I'm the royal mouse catcher."
"Royal mouse catcher?" the woman asked. "I don't remember ever seeing you before."
"Well, I was just recently hired, ma'am. Now I'm sure that His Majesty wouldn't want his son's wedding to be ruined by a vermin infestation, correct?"
"I assure you in all my years of service, there has never been a single, solitary-" the woman replied before she was interrupted by a cry of "MOUSE!" coming from the kitchen, where Jaq, Mickey, Riku and Aqua were attempting to spook the cooks in the kitchen, until the chief grabbed a broom and began swatting at them. To make matters worse, small Heartless and blue creatures that were unfamiliar to Riku appeared and pounced at the heroes.
"Unversed!" Aqua and Mickey both realized as they fought off the group of enemies.
"Perhaps I could help," Cinderella offered.
"This is my kitchen branch; I'll do it myself!" the chief declared as she smashed the broom into anything and everything in her path.
"She's crazy! Duck, your Majesty!" Riku shouted, weaving through the woman's attacks, as Mickey followed Riku's lead. Eventually, they made their escape, but not without Jaq pushing a cooking pot over the woman's head.
"If you don't mind, I'll just get those mice snatched up," Cinderella told the chief maid as she began to make her leave.
"Go on ahead," she deleriously told Cinderella as she gestured for the girl to go on ahead. After the group made their up to the second level of the castle, they regrouped with Cinderella.
"So far, so good," Aqua remarked to Cinderella. "Now what do we do?"
"Well, I think we'll find him best if we split up," Cinderella told the others as she took the West Wing path and Riku and friends took the East Wing path. Following some lengthy walking around the vast mouse hole paths in the castle, the group popped out of a hanging chandelier to see as Lady Tremaine and the others were meeting with the Prince. The view wasn't the best, but they could hear the conversation between Anastasia and Prince Charming play out.
"...The royal decree dictates that whoever fit the slipper shall be your bride," Tremaine clarified to the Prince.
"Yes, madam, I am aware, but it seems to me that perhaps more than one girl fits the slipper. I apologize for this misunderstanding, I really do, perhaps I can clear away for the Grand Duke to return you home safely?" the Prince told Lady Tremaine.
"Yes!" Jaq cheered. "Knew that Prince wouldn't forget about Cinderelly!"
"Wait," Aqua told Jaq as she peered over the chandelier's edge and saw Lady Tremaine pull out the Godmother's wand without anyone else looking, as Aqua gestured over to Riku to watch the scene unfold. "This doesn't look too good."
The Prince then stopped short of opening the door back to his Father's chambers to break the news when he turned back around, his eyes glazed over in a trance-like state.
"Hold the trumpet, now I remember. It was you! You were the one I danced with that night. This may be sudden, but will you marry me?" he asked to watch Anastasia happily replied "Yes!".
"I-I mean, yes, Your Highness," she corrected herself as she regained her composure.
"Then it's settled," Lady Tremaine told the Prince. "The wedding shall be held at sundown, if I may be so bold to request it?"
"The sooner the better," the Prince told the stepmother as Riku and the others were already scurrying up the chandelier in a panic.
"This isn't good at all," Mickey said as they looked for the fastest way to reconvene with Cinderella. "Cinderella's gotta know that the stepmother was behind this with the help of the Heartless!"
"I know," Riku replied as he then thought to himself in frustration "Xehanort, just what are you trying to do?"
And that finishes this another chapter. 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.