DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING EXCEPT MY ORIGINAL CHARACTERS!
A/N: HELLO THERE! I'd HATE to say it, but This Is... The... Last... Chapter... Of... THE COUNTRY OF THE MUSKETEERS...
Still, it is ALSO one of my LONGER AND MORE DETAILED Ones!
So, I wanted to say I am AMAZED at all the REVIEWS I got from Chapter 35! IF THIS KEEPS UP, THE GOAL OF 100 REVIEWS WILL BE MET IN A FLASH!
Also, I happened to take note of how many of you enjoyed the "THIS IS THE END!" Song I included in Chapter 35. That is on of my FAVORITE Songs from "MICKEY, DONALD, GOOFY - THE THREE MUSKETEERS (2004)"! The other Two are "ALL FOR ONE, AND ONE FOR ALL" And "PETEY'S KING OF FRANCE".
However, "L'OPERA" And "CHAINS OF LOVE" take VERY Close Second Places.
Plus, I wanted to inform you I also included yet ANOTHER OF MY ORIGINAL CHARACTERS IN THIS CHAPTER! DO NOT ASK FOR THEM! I WILL SAY NO!
Well... I'm SURE you are all EXCITED to see how this comes to a Close! AM I CORRECT?
IF THE ANSWER IS YES... THEN GO ON! READ TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT!
GO AHEAD! READ... AND PLEASE REVIEW!
CHAPTER 36
The Sinister Captain's Trap
Roughly two hours and forty-two minutes had passed. The rays of the glorious sun had long faded out and the countless stars were starting to shine more brilliantly than ever before. There was not a single trace of the moon, which made the landscape of the countryside full of shadows that seemed to blend into one another.
Sora failed to notice it. Since the daylight had ended earlier in the evening than usual, his mind was focused on the task at hand. Every now and then, he glanced to the side to ensure there were no Nightmares creeping in the surrounding bushes and behind the trees alongside the dirt road. He gave a sigh of relief.
The spikey, brown-haired Keyblader's mind finally started to wander. Not long after the group had crossed the sea back to the shoreline, they had found a pair of horses automatically awaiting their arrival. A note hung around one of the animal's necks had read,
"Hope Zeese Horses Help!"
– Troubadour
Taking a look into the nearby woods, Sora had thought he'd seen the turtle who had accused Donald of being a coward and sang a song to confirm it. When he had looked again, the individual had vanished from sight. Sora simply shook his head and gave his famous smile.
Mickey, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto had all climbed aboard one of the horses and immediately took off down the road leading back towards the Training Yard. Sora, Riku, and Violet had clambered onto the other horse with Shelly in front. In no time, the two horses were galloping straight in the direction of where the opéra was supposed to be. As they rode along, Mickey had turned back and called, "C'mon, Goof!"
Goofy had reciprocated the action. "C'mon, Donald!"
"I'm right behind ya!" Donald had cheerfully returned.
All Sora could do was smile. There hadn't been any doubt ever in his mind… perhaps he had contemplated on the subject too much as of late. Then again, what difference would it make? Mickey, Donald, and Goofy had always seemed to be together — no matter what world they tended to be in. Even if they were made out of wood and used for a decoration somewhere… even if they were in a videogame of some sort… even if they happened to be written in a story created by a fan… they were always sticking together! Talk about close friends being too close!
"Look!" Goofy suddenly called out. He pointed down from the hilltop the horses had just finished climbing. "There it is!"
Everyone's eyes followed the tall dog's finger and spotted a large building near the center of the city below. A number of spotlights were shining out from the building's exterior.
Sora smirked a small grin; Goofy had identified the location of the opéra. Although the brown-haired teenager hadn't ever been to a real opéra himself, he instinctively knew the spotlights meant a show… a performance was taking place.
Sora nodded. "That's gotta be it!"
Violet was staring at the horse's legs. The animal started to huff with exhaustion. "We are travelling too steadily," the angel stated. "At this pace, it could be hours before we arrive!"
"We need to go faster," Riku spoke up.
"Understood!" Shelly instantly approved. With the reins in her hands, the young lady sent the horse soaring down the hill and directly into the city streets below. A few moments later, Mickey did the same for the other horse and the three Musketeers and Pluto went sailing down the hill to keep up.
The two horses finally halted at the entrance to a gigantic, yellow brick building where the spotlights were shining on either side. Golden steps led up from the street to the front of the structure. A red carpet had been laid out and led directly to the open front doorway in the middle. Two closed doorways were situated on each side of the open one with a statue located between each of the openings. There were five windows sporting glass panes placed directly above each doorway. To the left and right of the line of front doors was what resembled a tower in the same setup as the middle, only with a slight extrusion that made them resemble guard towers from a fort. Beyond there, the building was shadowed by the nightly darkness. Still, the whole entrance was bathed in light — even the peaked roof itself was illuminated by some exterior source.
Hopping from their horses, the group rushed onto the steps. They came to a dead stop. Well… not exactly a "stop". Sora skid to such an abrupt standstill, Riku and Violet slammed into him. As the trio fell flat upon the stone steps, Goofy tripped over them, bumped into Donald to his left, who in turn banged into Mickey and then Shelly. There they were — three Musketeers, two Keybladers in the middle of their "Mark of Mastery Exam", a young lady with a Keyblade of her own, and the Angel of Dreams — lying in a single pile.
When Pluto came over and started sniffing at Shelly, she broke free and leapt to her feet. "I told you to stay away!" she demanded, gently placing her hands in front of her. As they rose to their feet, the Riku and the others gazed toward where Pluto was looking at Shelly in confusion. Riku had to shake his head. Although he had often seen people being driven away by the sight of a dog, it was one concept he had never full comprehended.
"What's the matter, Sora?" Mickey inquired, removing Riku from entering his deeper pondering state.
Sora pointed up ahead. "Over there!"
Riku and the others swung their focus toward the open doorway. Gradually exiting the building were the two tallest of the three hooded figures with black masks they instantly recognized as the infamous Beagle Boys. The pair were carrying a large, wooden chest with a lock on it. As the two stepped out with what seemed to be some evil snickers, their feet came to an audible screeching halt.
"Oi!" one exclaimed, pointing at the group. "It's them nitwits, again!"
"The boss's gonna be really mad if we botch this job, too!" the second added. "Let's hurry!"
The two rushed to the left and barged in through the end tower's now-open doorway. From within the chest, a pair of muffled voices shouted, "Help!"
The group gasped in alarm. It hadn't taken a second for everyone to realize Princess Minnie and Daisy were locked inside the chest the two bandits were hauling around. It did not matter what the Beagle Boys were going to do to the princess and her lady-in-waiting; Riku knew they had to be stopped — fast!
"Princess!" Mickey exclaimed.
"We've got to save her!" Sora proclaimed.
Violet nodded; the antennae she had acquired back in the now-awakened world of Camelot suddenly perked up. From what Riku could tell through his peripheral vision, the angel seemed to be detecting something out of the ordinary. "Those two are wandering around just inside the performer's entrance," she informed the others. "They set the chest down and are sprinting down the corridor away from it."
Shelly gave a short nod. "Sure… but we also need to prevent that corrupted captain's scheme."
"So," Riku finally surmised. "We need to catch those two with the princess and stop Pete before the show ends."
"You mean 'before the curtain falls'," Shelly corrected. "Right?"
Riku nodded back at her.
"Looks like we need to stop everyone," Goofy spoke up. "Even ourselves! A-Hyuck!"
Donald slapped his own face while Riku shook his head. It was obvious Goofy could turn anything into a random joke no one else would ever have the ability to get. Of course, this came as no surprise at all for the silver-haired youth. He had always considered Donald and Goofy to be simple-minded — only Goofy turned out to be the absolute extreme in that case.
"I have an idea!" Goofy blurted a moment later. "Why don't we think of somethin' once we're split up?"
Donald crossed his arms. "What kind of an idea is that, ya big palooka?!" He paused for a second. "You do have a point… "
"Goofy's right!" Sora proclaimed, taking everyone's attention. He turned to face Riku and Violet. "Riku, you and Violet chase down those two with the princess!"
"I comprehend!" Violet acknowledged while Riku chose to give a simple nod.
Sora turned to face Mickey, Donald, Goofy, and Shelly. "The four of us — I mean five of us — will go after Pete!"
Pluto started to sniff the ground and rushed at the open doorway. Mickey drew his sword. "C'mon!" he declared. "It's time to put our Musketeering to the test!"
Everyone else acknowledged with a series of nods. Donald and Goofy drew their swords while Sora and Shelly summoned their Keyblades. Without taking the time to summon his own Keyblade, Riku led Violet straight to the open door where the Beagle Boys had ventured into a few minutes before. At the same time, Sora and Shelly followed Mickey, Donald, and Goofy through the entrance doors after Pluto.
The time had come to stop "Captain" Pete's scheme.
One mere glimpse around the large, open space was all it took for Violet to approve she and Riku were standing in the Opéra House's "Green Room". Every inch of the carpeting and the painted walls, and even the ceiling was colorized in a light-green. A staircase led off to the right where a railing indicated a second floor while a hallway led around to the left on the first floor. The angel and Riku glanced in both directions. Unsure where each pathway led, the two were wondering which way the Beagle Boys had taken the chest.
"They might've gone up there," Riku said, referring to the stairs leading up.
At that precise second, the pair of stick-like antennae on Violet's head began twitching. The angel stared down the corridor to where it curved to the right just beyond a set of double-doors and out of sight. The slight scent of Darkness was radiating from the carpet leading down the hall. "They ventured down there," she stated, pointing at the corridor.
Riku was astounded; how had the Angel of Dreams arrived at such a conclusion? "How do you know?" the silver-headed Keyblade wielder inquired.
Violet explained, "I can detect a faint Darkness extruding from the carpet on the floor. It has to be their footprints."
Riku gave a quick nod. "Alright!" he acknowledged.
In a matter of minutes, the two had darted down the well-lit hallway and rounded the bend only to arrive in a small room with a number of closets located on two of the walls. A variety of costumes were scattered around, including a pair of ballerina shoes, a few black suits complete with blood-red ties, a handful of blue soldier uniforms, and even a sailor suit in a similar fashion to Donald Duck's standard outfit. A long, curved white sword lay alongside a stool beside the group. On the stool was a wig possessing long, silver hair. Violet found herself staring at the sword; the weapon had to be a prop. Nevertheless, it still gave her an unsteady sensation. Whatever fictional character the costume was meant for… the angel didn't wish to know.
"Hey," Riku spoke up, drawing Violet's eyes towards the former. The silver-haired youth was holding up the pair of pink ballerina shoes. "I think these are your size, Violet."
Violet crossed her arms and gave a look of irritation. It was true; Riku was well underway with transforming into Sora. Now the silver-haired seventeen-year-old was making the same type of jokes his best friend typically created on the spur of the moment.
"Please stay focused!" the angel stated with extra firmness in her voice compared to normal. "The Beagle Boys are still up ahead! The Darkness is gradually becoming stronger."
With a smirk evident on his face, Riku tossed the shoes aside and strode up to Violet; the angel shook her head. The duo pressed on down the corridor and found themselves rounding a corner to the right. The carpeting stopped at a doorway leading to a wooden staircase heading to the left. Certain the two bandits had gone down that way — and judging from the trail of Darkness, Violet knew they had — they continued on their way.
A few moments later, they arrived in a large room with a wooden balcony overlooking them. The walls and the floor were constructed from grey stone with a ceiling made from wood. Sweeping their eyesight around the immediate area, Violet noticed a number of various gadgets with gizmos attached to them. A long rope connected the second floor from the first while a few others were attached to a couple of gadgets shaped like pulleys. From what the angel could tell, the pair of pulleys were probably used to control the other pieces of machinery in the room.
"What kind of room is this?" Riku questioned, looking around with curiosity.
Violet folded her arms across her chest. "Apparently, it is where the back-stage crew operates the special effects for the show."
Riku nodded in understanding.
"Say, who are you two?" a semi-deep voice called out. Violet nearly shuddered from being startled. Riku was so speechless, he started to swerve his head around in shock.
"What was that?!" Riku exclaimed.
Violet shouted, "What is your identity?"
"First tell me who you are," the voice replied. "I'm not taking any chances!"
As Riku proceeded to glance around the room, Violet thought her antennae could detect a strong Light coming from the balcony on the second floor. Raising her head upwards, the angel took into account a silhouette peering down from above. The top of the shape resembled the dome of a baseball cap with a brim that extended over their face. Recalling how Shelly had first appeared as a similar silhouette back at the Training Yard, Violet wondered if the figure was also a female Keyblade wielder.
"My name is Violet," she said. "I am the Angel of Dreams!"
"Riku," Riku called up to the figure. "I'm a Keyblade wielder!"
The figure froze. After a few seconds passed (it felt more like a few minutes), the silhouette started to move. The figure moved into the light coming from a few, dim lamps hanging from the shadowed ceiling.
Now Violet was feeling more than startled. The figure was a young man about eighteen or so years old with dark-black hair poking through a green baseball cap with a brim shrouding his eyes. He was wearing a green sweatshirt-jacket with long sleeves, blue pants, brown hiking boots, black rubber gloves, and a pair of green-colored googles typically worn by scientists in a laboratory. Around his upper body was a small, blue camera-bag. Taking a closer examination, Violet realized the man had green eyes… or were they blue eyes? Perhaps brown eyes? She couldn't tell — they were slowly changing from one color to another.
With a sigh of relief, the young man jumped from the balcony and landed on his feet upon the stone floor. He gave a friendly smile at the two. "Sorry about that! You don't seem harmful. My name is Master Carlos."
Violet was perplexed. "'Master' of what?"
Carlos raised his right hand. In a flash of blurred Light, a key-shaped sword appeared in his hand. The violet handle was shaped like a perfect square while the green blade had three triangular spokes that each had a perfect circle on the points. The shape of the spokes gave the resemblance of a crown.
"A Keyblade?!" Violet heard Riku exclaim. "You're a Keyblade Master!"
"That is correct!" Carlos approved. "I happen to be the newest Keyblade Master around!"
"What are you doing in this theater?" Violet asked.
Carlos answered, "I'm trying to find two guys who came running through here about a minute ago. They looked very, very, very suspicious and were carrying a large trunk with them."
Violet stared at Riku; the silver-haired teenager stared back. The two individuals Carlos had noticed were most-likely the Beagle Boys and the "trunk" was the chest Princess Minnie was being held in. If they were going to stop the pair of bandits from doing anything harmful to the princess, Violet knew Carlos would probably be of some assistance.
"We were trailing them," the angel explained. "They have abducted the princess and… "
"'Abducted the princess'?!" Carlos exclaimed, interrupting Violet. His eyes were full of shock and alarm. "Then we've got to defeat them! I saw them go through that doorway!"
Carlos pointed his left index finger at an open doorway leading up a small flight of steps to a landing before curving to the right. Beyond, there was nothing but dark shadows.
Riku nodded. "Okay!"
"We should keep going," Violet added.
"I'll help you both," Carlos stated. "No one's kidnapping anyone while I'm around!"
Violet and Riku nodded in agreement. The three hurried out of the stone room and up the stairs. They passed the landing before reaching yet another enormous room. The floor was entirely made of wood and the walls were constructed from stone. A bunch of small platforms were set all around the space with some gigantic banners hanging from the ceiling and nearly reaching the floor. One of the banners bore the light-blue color of the Musketeer's uniform and even had the symbol from the Musketeer tunics Mickey, Donald, and Goofy had been wearing. In the far corner were a couple stacks of crates.
As they stepped into the wide space, Violet spotted a wooden trunk with a lock slightly wobbling on the floor nearly seven feet away from the group. Recognizing it as the same chest the two Beagle Boys had been hauling around, the angel pointed it out to the other two. They hurried over and Carlos tapped his Keyblade against the lid. In the blink of an eye, the trunk opened. Inside were two girls; one Violet and Riku instantly recognized as Princess Minnie, while the other they realized was Daisy wearing a long, blue dress.
Riku's eyes lit up. "Minnie!"
Carlos was mystified. "Do you know her?"
"Yes," Violet answered. "She is the princess. Daisy is her lady-in-waiting."
Both Princess Minnie and Daisy looked extremely grateful. "Thank you," the princess said. "Um… oh dear!"
"Riku," Riku introduced himself.
"My name is Violet," Violet said.
"I am Master Carlos," Carlos admitted. "I'm glad to see you're alright."
Minnie gave a nod and large smile before Daisy said, "Your Majesty? Don't forget the trap!"
"'Trap'?!" Riku exclaimed.
"What sort of trap?" Violet questioned, a look of puzzlement evident in her eyes. Carlos nodded in agreement.
"Captain Pete's going to lure Mickey and his friends into a terrible trap!" Minnie informed them. "I have to help the Musketeers!"
Violet was starting to wonder what "trap" the corrupt "Captain" Pete had set when her necklace began glowing brightly. Everyone stared at it; Carlos exclaimed, "That's really bright!"
A beam of Light shone from the necklace and formed a large projection on the wall. An image came into focus, showing the three Beagle Boys carrying some wooden set pieces across a stage.
"Are those supposed to be Mickey and the others?" Riku inquired, recognizing the shape of the mouse, duck, and tall dog — one on each prop. He smiled, knowing it was so. "Yeesh! Those three are together, even made out of wood."
Overhearing the silver-haired teen chuckling softly, Violet turned her head to the side and put a finger to her lips. "Shhh!"
As the trio of Beagle Boys stepped to the center of the stage, they turned to face the empty seats where an audience would be gathering in just a few hours. They gently placed the set pieces onto the floor beside one another before rushing off to the side of the platform and taking cover behind the curtain. A series of sinister chuckles could be heard as they waited patiently for a couple seconds and remained staring at a catwalk suspended in the rafters high above. Peeking out from the other side of the stage's curtain, the unmistakable form of "Captain" Peg-Leg Pete grinned with an evil snicker. He called out, "It's time!"
"Sure thing, boss!" the three Beagle Boys agreed.
The four gazed up at the catwalk. All of a sudden, the walkway tilted dangerously at the center of the stage; it almost looked like it was going to break free of its cables and crash onto the set below. A gigantic, wooden crate started to move from the opposite end and picked up speed as it neared the edge. It slid off the crooked catwalk and landed onto the three set pieces below. An enormous CRASH could be heard as the crate smashed the set pieces into splinters and broke apart into shambles.
Pete laughed with such a sinister tone, it almost sounded like he might've been possessed by a demon. "Oh yeah! The show must go on!"
Violet was astounded. As the projection faded and her necklace stopped glowing, the angel knew what had been shown was most-certainly accurate. "Captain" Pete had rigged the stage's machinery to crush Mickey, Donald, and Goofy. Since neither the villain nor the Beagle Boys had touched anything to set it off in the flashback, chances were the trap was being controlled by some other device — perhaps a timer. Whatever the case, Violet was sure there had be something in the backstage area that could also dismantle it. The only real question was… what?
"Is there anything we can do?" Riku asked Princess Minnie. His eyes were full of concern, which indicated to Violet how he didn't wish to see his friends get smashed like pancakes either.
Princess Minnie nodded. "There should be something around here to control the device," she explained. "I just don't know what it is."
"I came to the same conclusion," Violet admitted.
Carlos paused in thought, causing the others to notice how he was staring at the floor. "Maybe," he said after two minutes had passed. "Those two hooded people I saw earlier are guarding it. If we find them, we should find the device, too."
"Yeah," Riku agreed with a nod.
Violet nodded when something caught her eye. Swerving her head to the right, she noticed a panel of the wall just beyond the group had a series of large gears, some in the shape of a "Hidden Mickey". At the base of the contraption, the angel saw two figures she immediately recognized as the same two Beagle Boys who had hurried off with the chest.
Violet pointed in their direction. "Look over there!"
Riku, Carlos, Minnie, and Daisy whirled their eyesight over to where the angel was referring to. To their surprise, the two Beagle Boys were attempting to remove an X-shaped crank from the device on the wall. Despite yanking as hard as they could, the two bandits were unable to take the crank out.
"Phew!" one exclaimed, wiping some sweat from his forehead. "This's hard work!"
"It'll all be over soon," the other said. "Once the boss's king, we can go on a swell vacation to the top of the Eiffel Tower."
The first Beagle Boy looked puzzled. "What's that?"
The second shrugged in response. "I dunno! It sounds like lotsa fun, don't it?"
"Oi!" the first snapped. "Let's get this gadget offa here and then there's no way he'll say we botched the job!"
At that exact second, the second Beagle Boy noticed the group gathered on the opposite side of the room. "Say, since when did we set the princess out?"
The two Beagle Boys stared at one another in alarm. They swung their heads toward the group. Spotting the crank on the contraption, Minnie exclaimed, "There! That's the gadget we need to retrieve!"
"Way ahead of you!" Carlos shouted.
"Got it!" Riku acknowledged.
"Time to apprehend those two crooks!" Violet finished.
When the pair of Beagle Boys saw the three individuals dashing across the floor at them, they took off running, leaving the stage contraption with the crank still attached to it. They screamed at each other, "Run for it!"
The two Keyblade wielders and the Angel of Dreams didn't have to chase the two criminals far. The Beagle Boys found themselves literally cornered in one of the room's corners. Violet stayed put in case the pair tried to escape while Carlos and Riku summoned their Keyblades and rushed forward. At the same time, the bandits drew their swords. The sound of metal swords clanging against mystical Keyblades echoed throughout the immediate area. Riku swung his weapon to the left and then the right as a Beagle Boy attempted to dodge the former's strikes. At one point, Carlos slashed his Keyblade through the other Beagle Boy, making the criminal temporarily stunned.
After only a few minutes, the pair of Beagle Boys were worn out and put their swords away. As Carlos and Riku put their Keyblades away, one of the Beagle Boys pulled a tiny lever on the wall. A secret door opened in the stone wall, allowing the two criminals to flee out a side door. A second later, the doorway sealed up.
"Wow!" Carlos exclaimed. "Those two are so flight-y!"
Riku shook his head and smiled. The young man was talking just like Goofy would. "Let's ruin that trap!" he stated.
As the three turned around and started to sprint over to the contraption, an unknown shape appeared from the floor and tripped them all. After landing flat upon the floor, Violet felt a tad stunned. She then began wondering what she had stumbled over.
As the three rose to their feet, something tapped the angel on the shoulder. She spun around, only to find a blank stone wall. As Violet was starting to question what was going on, Carlos yelled, "It's over there!"
Both Violet and Riku swung their eyes around to spot an enormous creature poking its head out from the far wall. A circle of Darkness was surrounding it like a magical hole. The creature was shaped like a humungous mole with red, orange, and yellow stripes all across its body. However, its two claws were cream-colored.
Violet instantly exclaimed, "It's a Nightmare!"
Carlos immediately summoned his Keyblade. "It's just a being of Darkness," he claimed.
Riku summoned his own Keyblade. He sighed, "Why can't they just make this easy?"
Violet shook her head. "That is impossible! Nightmares can act however they wish inside a dream. Why else would many people be unable to handle them and jolt awake?"
Before anyone could move, a flash of Light filled Violet's hand. Glancing into her right palm, the angel found herself holding a giant, key-shaped weapon. It had a neon-tinted handle in the form of a perfect circle, and a violet-colored blade with three points, although not as sharp as Carlos's Keyblade.
"My Keyblade," Violet exclaimed. "It… has… returned!"
Carlos and Riku glanced at the angel. They smiled; Riku knew the angel hadn't lost her ability to wield a Keyblade — it was simply a phase. As far as he was concerned, the only way to lose a Keyblade was if you gave into the Darkness. Of course, Violet would never do a thing like that! …Would she?
Riku pushed the unnecessary contemplation aside before the group pointed their Keyblades at the enemy on the far wall. They knew it was probably going to be a long battle. Hopefully Sora and the others would not have to face Pete's trap in the meantime.
Sora was sprinting faster than he had ever imagined he was capable of running. Pluto had led the group straight into the Opéra House's Lobby, where a guard dressed in a blue officer's uniform had blown his whistle at them. Since there were three Musketeers in the group, the guard had shrugged them off and allowed the group to proceed. Sora had smiled, relieved to know he was sticking with Mickey, Donald, and Goofy. The trio and Shelly had rushed into the building a few paces in front of the brown, spikey-headed Keyblade wielder, and now he was standing alone inside the main foyer; Sora had gotten separated from the others.
Swinging his head this way and that, Sora desperately tried to find where the others had gone. Here he was standing on a grand, golden staircase leading up to the second floor, and yet there was absolutely no sign of Shelly or the Musketeers. "Hey!" the spikey-haired Keyblader called out. "Where are you, guys?"
"Sora! This way!"
Peering over the railing, Sora spotted Shelly standing on a set of stairs heading toward a long, corridor that seemed to be bending slightly to the left. The teenager gestured for him to follow. With a nod of acknowledgement, Sora hurried down the steps he had gone up, swung around the banister, and hopped onto the railing leading down to where Shelly was. The sandy-headed girl leapt to one side as Sora's feet slid down the handrail like he was riding upon a skateboard. When he reached the floor, Sora jumped off the railing and did a single flip before landing feet-first onto the floor. He smiled at a slightly-shocked-and-amused Shelly.
"You're such a show-off!" Shelly muttered.
Sora's grin grew and he bumped his right fist against the left side of his chest. "What'd you expect? This is normal!"
Shelly rolled her eyes at such a statement and turned in the direction of a doorway at the end of the long corridor. "Come on! Mickey and the Musketeers are on the stage by now!"
Sora nodded quickly before the two dashed down the hallway and through the doors. On the other side, they made a sharp right up a small ramp and arrived on a wooden platform-like structure. Before them were Mickey, Donald, and Goofy; the Musketeers had drawn their swords and were busy fighting two of the Beagle Boys. To Sora's astonishment, the bandits were the same ones who had tried to make off with Princess Minnie inside the chest. There was no indication of the chest nor the princess on the stage. Determined to help out, Sora was ready to rush over and help fight; he summoned his Keyblade and was glaring.
"Don't!" Shelly spoke up, using her right hand to prevent Sora from charging into the skirmish. "They can handle it!"
"But we're their friends," Sora countered. "And friends need to stick together!"
Without another word, Sora rushed onto the stage, leaving a speechless Shelly behind. As he neared the fight, a wooden wall to his right began moving to the side. A series of bright lights shone down on the group as Sora gazed out across what happened to be an enormous auditorium; every seat was filled with spectators dressed in very, very nice evening clothes. The audience gasped at the sight of the Musketeers battling the pair of bandits. Sora's heart nearly skipped a beat; he was on stage in the middle of a show. Fortunately, the brown-haired youth had long overcome his sense of stage-fright and smiled at the audience. With a small wave, Sora sputtered, "H-Hi there!"
All at once, a loud SNORE caught his attention. Looking up into a special-designed balcony on the second floor, Sora found a large, cat-like man snoring in his seat. The man's outfit consisted of a dark cherry-colored shirt, black pants, black gloves, a red piece of cloth around his waist in the form of a belt, and a small golden crown on his head. Squinting his eyes, Sora noticed how one of the man's feet had an ordinary black boot while the other had a golden peg-leg. He gasped in alarm; it was Pete. Seeing the villain fast asleep and unaware the show had been interrupted, Sora shook his head and gave a little smirk.
"Poor wandering girls… "
Sora spun his attention back to the Musketeers. To his surprise, a small trio of pig-like women were singing just beyond. As Mickey, Donald, and Goofy started to drive the two Beagle Boys backward, the actresses screamed in a panic and hid beneath a wooden rock used as a set piece. To ensure nothing went wrong, Sora rushed over and joined the battle.
The actresses continued to sing, but Sora didn't pay any attention. When the singers rushed off the stage, Mickey snapped at the pair of Beagle Boys, "How dare you try to kidnap the princess! Nobody walks away with the princess while Mickey, Donald, and Goofy are on the job!"
At that moment, Goofy stopped fighting and gazed in the direction of where Shelly had been watching from. "Hey," he declared suddenly. "Someone's walkin' away with the princess!"
Everyone else stopping swinging their weapons at each other and turned their eyes to where Goofy was staring. Before them was the short Beagle Boy in disguise as Princess Minnie. When Sora glanced at Shelly for an explanation, the latter stated, "He darted clear past me!"
Mickey glared at the imposter. "Let's get 'im!"
The shortest Beagle Boy screamed in alarm when Mickey, Donald, and Goofy jumped onto him and started to beat up the bandit. All Sora and Shelly could see was a thick cloud of dust. When it finally settled, the two were astounded. Mickey and Goofy were standing angrily holding a captive Donald. Realizing they had made a mistake, the mouse and tall dog dropped the duck. Spinning around, they found the three Beagle Boys starting to charge at them. In the blink of an eye, the Musketeers rushed down the stage and up a wooden staircase.
"I am the very model of a modern major general… "
Sora turned his eyes towards a short, plump pig-like man dressed in a blue general's uniform with a three-cornered hat and a monocle. Even as the three Musketeers proceeded up the staircase to flee from the chasing Beagle Boys, the brown-headed sixteen-year-old could not remove his eyes from the actor.
"…Historical!" the singer added. "From Marathon to Waterloo, in order categorical! I'm very well acquainted, too, with matters mathematical! I understand equations, both the simple and the quadratical! About binomial theorem I'm teeming with a lot o' news!"
Sora shook his head and smiled. Although he was puzzled beyond comprehension at the type of vocabulary he had typically heard Violet using, the brown, spikey-haired youth also found the lines sort of amusing. Since when would an actual opéra contain such formal language? He wasn't sure whether or not this was a part of the world's dreams or something entirely different.
The actor continued, "With many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse!"
The three actresses from before emerged from behind the curtain. "With many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse!" they echoed.
Despite wondering what would happen next in the show's script, Sora was rapidly distracted by the sound of a squeaking pulley high above the stage. Gazing straight up, he spotted Mickey, Donald, and Goofy descending from above upon a hanging blue crescent moon with a friendly smile. Up at the top of the staircase were the three Beagle Boys; the criminals were astounded to learn they had been evaded so easily. Sora smiled at this sight before his eyes.
"What the Sam Hill?!"
The deep, familiar voice caused Sora to swing his focus around to see Pete had woken in time to see the three Musketeers about to set foot on the stage. The villain scowled. "They're gettin' away!" he hollered.
Once Mickey, Donald, and Goofy had set foot on the stage, Pete declared angrily, "You three chowderheads won't be able to stop me!"
The three Musketeers whirled their attention to see the villain still in the second-floor balcony. As Mickey, Donald, and Goofy drew their swords, Sora noticed the actor and actresses hurrying off the stage in a panic. He wasn't sure why this was the case.
"What's happening?" Shelly asked, running up to Sora. All the latter could do was shrug in perplexity. Out the corner of his eye, the spikey-haired youth spotted the turtle, who had sang the negative song about Donald, staring at the stage in surprise. The turtle was wearing a black suit with a white wig and was using a baton to conduct the orchestra. When the Musketeers had drawn their weapons, everyone in the audience — including the orchestra — had gasped in shock; they were unaware this was not part of the planned performance.
"The jig is up, Pete!" Mickey declared with a firmness to his voice.
Donald added, "There's no escape!"
"Yeah!" Goofy agreed. "It's three against one now!"
To the surprise of Sora, Pete only gave a sinister grin and evil chuckle. He glanced high above the stage's curtain where a wooden catwalk was located….
Riku was beginning to feel worn out. The Nightmare was easy to hit whenever his Keyblade struck it. Otherwise, the enemy was constantly warping around the entire room. Whenever any of the three Keyblade wielders caught up to it, the monster would simply vanish through the same magical hole it had appeared from. As he gazed back at the others, Riku noticed how Violet and Carlos were nearly on the verge of collapsing. Turning his focus back to where the Nightmare was now situated, the silver-haired teenager suddenly had an idea.
"Hey," Riku spoke up. "Let's use the Light!"
"Great strategy," Violet panted. "If only you had recommended it sooner… "
Carlos nodded. "Yes… I'm tiiiiirrrrred!"
Pointing their Keyblades at the monster, the group watched as three beams of Light shone out at it. The beams merged together before striking the enemy. The Nightmare instantly exploded into a flurry of bubbles that popped the second they touched the walls or the floor.
Riku wiped some sweat off his forehead and allowed his Keyblade to disappear from his hand. "Good riddance… "
"You could say that again," Violet said between gasps of air.
Carlos smiled. "So," he said. "All's well that ends well!"
Riku and Violet gave nods of approval. They both smiled, knowing the rough battle was officially finished.
"Carlos! Riku, Violet!" The three spun around to find a frantic Princess Minnie and worried Daisy pointing at the device left on the wall. "Hurry! The machine!"
"On it!" Riku acknowledged as the three hurried over.
Being the first one to reach the contraption, Riku placed both his hands on the crank the two Beagle Boys had abandoned earlier. Despite pulling with all his might, the silver-headed Keyblader could not turn it. "How do you like that?" he groaned. It's stuck!"
"Let me attempt to turn it," Violet offered. Riku stepped aside to allow her a chance. Grasping two of the handles on the crank, the angel struggling to make it move just a little. After turning a few inches, the crank snapped off the device. Alarmed to see the key to resetting the contraption was still clutched in her hands, Violet exclaimed, "This was not what I intended to do!"
Riku sighed in disbelief. Could things get any worse?
"What is so funny?!" Shelly snapped, glaring at the balcony where Pete was standing. All the villain did in return was grin all the more. Now looking up at the catwalk, Sora wondered why Pete was watching it so carefully.
The answer came a second later. The walkway tilted dangerous at the center of the stage where the Musketeers were standing. An enormous wooden crate started to slide from the opposite end of the catwalk and headed directly for the edge.
Sora was horrified. He realized that if the crate were to fall, it would land onto Mickey, Donald, and Goofy. The three Musketeers would be crushed to nothing. In a state of alarm, he yelled, "Mickey! Donald! Goofy! Look out!"
"Look out!" Shelly screamed, rushing over to the Musketeers with her Keyblade now in hand.
The shout echoing from the stage grabbed Riku's complete attention. A moment ago, the silver-headed seventeen-year-old was starting to wonder if things would be getting worse after Violet had inadvertently broken the crank off the device. Now a shout that sounded similar to Sora's voice could be heard.
"The trap must be taking effect," Violet realized. "We have to dismantle it — immediately!"
When a scream filled the air, Carlos's ears perked up. His eyes filled with concern. "Shelly!" he exclaimed.
Grabbing the crank from Violet's hands, the young man rushed up to the contraption and swiftly slid it in place. He yanked on its handles for a few seconds until it started to move. After the crank turned almost half-way, it clicked into place. The gears on the contraption upon the wall began moving.
Riku stood in silence, wondering if they had stopped the trap in time.
The entire world went into a state of slow-motion as Sora watched the crate slide up to the edge of the catwalk. It was only a matter of moments before the crate would descend and crush the Musketeers down below on the stage.
Without warning, the catwalk rose until it was level. The crate had almost gone over and was now slightly teetering on the edge. Sora was shocked silent. Somehow, the walkway above had been stabilized and the crate wouldn't be falling off… unless a giant shockwave were to occur. Yet, what was the chance of that happening?
Pete stared up at the catwalk in a mixture of total shock and complete alarm. "Impossible!" he exclaimed.
Hearing the undeniable voice of Pete, Riku smiled. "Looks like we were right in the nick of time."
Violet nodded, knowing the trap had failed and Sora, Shelly, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy were safe. Carlos's super-speedy actions had resolved the problem with the contraption and dismantled the trap. Talk about fast-paced!
"We did it!" the angel agreed.
Carlos simply nodded. "That would be correct!"
Princess Minnie strode up to the three. "Thank you all so much! I can see you're all as brave as Royal Musketeers!"
While Violet nodded, Riku and Carlos seemed confused.
"What's a 'Musketeer'?" Carlos asked. Riku nodded in turn.
Minnie leaned in close to Carlos's ear and whispered something. He was surprised. "They really say that?"
"Of course!" Minnie admitted. "Every Musketeer is taught those words. It's a very important motto and solemn pledge."
Riku relaxed, knowing what the words were. "It sure seems to fit this moment," he spoke up.
Carlos nodded and summoned his Keyblade; Violet and Riku each summoned their own Keyblades. They pointed the tips of the weapons into the air. In one voice, they loudly and proudly declared, "All for one… and one for all!"
As Carlos's Keyblade disappeared, he stepped up to Riku. "Here," he said, placing an item in the silver-haired youth's hand. "Take this. It should be of some help to you and your friends."
Although Riku was perplexed by what Carlos had meant, he and Violet watched as the young man strode towards the direction of the exit. Carlos glanced back once more and saluted at them; the two saluted back. "See ya later!" he called.
With that, Carlos strode down the stairs leading back to the entrance of the building. He rounded the corner and disappeared from sight. Once Carlos was gone, Riku opened his hands; in them was a small package. Opening it up, the silver-headed Keyblade wielder found a photograph of three individuals. He instantly recognized two of them as Carlos and Crystal. Taking a closer look at the third (a teenage girl with sandy hair), Riku realized it was Shelly. He gasped — they had completely forgotten about stopping Pete! Sora, Shelly, and the Musketeers were counting on the Angel of Dreams and the silver-headed Keyblader to help!
"C'mon!" Riku shouted. "We need to help the others!"
Violet nodded and turned to face Princess Minnie and Daisy. "You two should most-likely stick around back here until we defeat 'Captain' Pete."
Minnie and Daisy nodded in acknowledgement. "Hurry!" Minnie pleaded.
Riku and Violet gave nods of approval before rushing toward a section of the room that led onto a wooden stage.
As Sora continued to wonder what had caused the unforeseen event to unfold, he caught a glimpse of two individuals rushing across the stage. He smiled, "Riku! Violet!"
The two nodded back. Riku gazed up at the catwalk where the crate remained on the edge. "Guess we were right in the nick of time, Sora," he said.
Sora was puzzled. "Huh?!"
"He means we dismantled Pete's trap," Violet explained. "It was rigged backstage."
Sora gave another nod of acknowledgement. That's when it hit him. Riku and Violet had somehow stopped Pete's trap and saved the Musketeers. "Riku, Violet," Sora stammered. "You saved us!"
"Yeah," Riku nodded. "Now you have to save us."
Sora shook his head and smiled.
"Why I oughta," a furious Pete snarled from his position at the balcony. Sora, Riku, and Violet turned their focus toward the villain. "How dare you thwart me at the last second! This don't add up, I tell ya!"
In one swift movement, Pete jumped onto a large, smiling golden sun hanging from the same rope as the moon. He landed onto the stage in anger. "This is it! I shall crush you like creeps!"
An audible gasp echoed from the audience. Sora spun his head at Mickey, Donald, and Goofy. "Musketeers? We'll handle things here!"
Mickey nodded. "Thanks, Sora!"
As the three Musketeers rushed off the stage and behind the curtain, Shelly hurried over to where Sora, Riku, and Violet were standing at the front of the center stage. The four glared at Pete as they summoned their Keyblades. Seeing how he was outnumbered four-to-one, Pete gazed up at the Beagle Boys still situated at the top of the staircase. "Hey!" he hollered. "Over here, boys!"
One by one, the trio of Beagle Boys landed upon the stage in front of Pete. As the four drew their swords, Sora yelled, "That's right! I knew you'd need help!"
Riku, Violet, and Shelly all nodded as the four Keybladers glared at the villains. Another loud gasp came from the audience. Through the corner of his eye, Sora thought he could see the turtle speedily flipping through the sheets of music to find the part of the performance when a serious battle would occur. He suddenly found a part that would work and tapped his baton. Sora and his friends rushed into the Beagle Boys and started to fight them and Pete as the orchestra started to play a suspenseful, yet heroic, musical number.
While Riku and Violet immediately found themselves clashing weapons with the Beagle Boys, Sora and Shelly were directly fighting Pete. Riku slashed his Keyblade through one of the taller Beagle Boys, only to have the short one sneak up and strike him from behind. Violet slapped her Keyblade straight through a taller Beagle Boy and stunned him long enough to help Riku fight the other two. Despite working together, the two soon found themselves surrounded by the trio of bandits.
"Great," Riku sighed. "How are we going to defeat them now?"
Violet was deep in thought as the three villains closed in from the sides. Taking into consideration how the three hooded criminals were advancing at a steady pace, she wondered if there was something that could knock them off guard. That's when the angel noticed what appeared to be a square-shaped section of the stage that was a different shade from the rest of the floorboards. Her eyes lit up in realization; it was a trapdoor.
Swinging her eyes around, the Angel of Dreams spotted a wooden lever hidden just behind the curtain. She turned to face Riku and said, "Keep them distracted! I have an idea!"
"What?!" a surprised Riku stammered.
Using her wings for the first time in a little while, Violet flew over the heads of the Beagle Boys; the three were astounded. As she flew towards the lever, Violet noticed how the entire audience was either busy watching the battle against Pete or her flying off stage. As she grasped the lever, the angel called out, "Riku! Leap to the side!"
Riku jumped back a few feet as the Beagle Boys charged at him. The three collided into one another as Violet pushed the lever forward. The section of the stage directly beneath the bandits flew open. With screams of fright, the Beagle Boys descended into the trapdoor. As Violet flew over to a surprised Riku, one of the Beagle Boys stuck their head out. "Oh!" he said. "Not so bad!"
All Riku could do was shake his head. Even though Violet had stopped the Beagle Boys using a trapdoor, they had only fallen a few feet. He concluded the trapdoor was not nearly as deep as the angel had assumed.
"You three stay here," the silver-haired Keyblade wielder ordered. "We'll be back for you!"
Violet nodded before the two hurried across the stage to see how Sora and Shelly were doing in their combat against Pete.
Sora was feeling exhausted. It was taking everything he had to keep Pete from shoving him to one side. To the left, Sora noticed how Shelly seemed to be having a difficult time keeping Pete at bay. It was clear Pete was easily able to handle the sword he was wielding.
Sora sighed; the villain was much more agile than Sora had remembered. The last time Sora had fought Pete in such a serious manner was back in the strange, monochromatic world he had nicknamed "Timeless River". After Pete had attempted to escape with a stolen Cornerstone of Light on his steamboat, Sora had used the boat's crane to smash the wooden cage to smithereens. It didn't stop there; Pete proceeded to head for the doorway he had been using to visit the world. Sora had chased the villain with Donald and Goofy all the way to the dockyard where the Pete from the past helped them stop their enemy.
The only thing Sora could not understand was why the kind, friendly, and considerate steamboat captain named Pete had turned into the greedy, selfish, and cruel villain who had become Maleficent's main assistant. Then again… it might have all began with the incident he was witnessing in the current Sleeping World.
"Sora! Shelly!"
The battle paused. Sora, Shelly, and Pete glanced toward the other side of the stage. From the direction of an open trapdoor, Riku and Violet were dashing over. When Pete saw them coming and the absence of the Beagle Boys, he growled in frustration.
"I'll do it myself!" he proclaimed.
Sora, Riku, Violet, and Shelly all glared at the villain. It was then Sora noticed Mickey, Donald, and Goofy were sneaking out from behind the curtain and creeping across the stage. Sora smirked a grin. "You want to bet on it?" he asked.
"That's a sucker bet!" Pete stated with an evil grin.
"Yeah!" Donald yelled from behind Pete's back. "You're the sucker!"
Pete spun around and gasped in surprise. Before his eyes were the same three Musketeers he had worked so hard to dispose of — Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy. As they drew their swords, the Musketeers declared, "All for one, one for all!"
Pete looked fearful. "Uh-oh… "
"How's this for a 'coward'?!" Donald snapped, poking Pete's eyes. The villain winced in pain.
As he rushed up to Pete, Goofy declared, "How's this for a 'doofus'?!"
The tall dog slammed into Pete's stomach, causing the villain to howl in pain.
Next, Donald jumped onto Goofy's shoulders and Mickey hopped onto Donald's. "I may be 'small'," Mickey proclaimed, glaring down at Pete. "But I've got friends who make me ten feet tall!"
Pete was dismayed. He sighed, knowing what was about to happen. "Aw… nuts!"
With a thrust of his arm, Mickey slammed his fist into Pete's head. The three Musketeers proceeded to punch and slap Pete. From what Sora and the others (including the audience) could tell, everything they were doing now was a cloud of dust. When it finally settled a minute later, Mickey swiped his sword at the floor and sliced Pete's peg-leg off.
"Timber!" Mickey called out.
A beaten, exhausted, and unsteady Peg-Leg Pete moaned, "I hate happy endings… "
Unable to balance himself without the peg-leg, Pete fell flat onto the stage. Mickey, Donald, and Goofy stepped back several steps as the stage vibrated. Sora found himself rushing for the curtain with Riku, Violet, and Shelly. All of a sudden, the crate on the catwalk far above lost its balance and tipped over the edge. It plunged straight to the middle of the stage and landed onto a stunned Pete. Although the villain wasn't injured from it, he was knocked into a further state of semi-consciousness.
"Man… " Sora said, unable to believe his eyes. Pete had been struck by his own trap.
From the trapdoor, the three Beagle Boys poked their heads out to see their boss lying semi-conscious on the stage amongst a pile of splintered wood. "Looks like the trap failed," one said to the other two.
"I'd say it's time to run away," another added.
"Let's get outta here!" the third exclaimed.
In one rapid action, the three Beagle Boys rushed for the side of the stage and disappeared from sight. Taking note of this, Sora, Riku, Violet, and Shelly all smiled.
"Well," Sora said. "That's that!"
"Yeah," Riku agreed.
Violet nodded. "Another victory!"
"And this one's for the record books," Shelly approved.
In one gigantic burst of applause, the audience cheered for such a happy ending to the show. They couldn't wait to see the next one!
The sun was high in the sky. There were no clouds in sight from what could be seen at the Training Yard. A number of banners had been hung around the compound. The entire army of the Royal Musketeers had gathered in lines in the field below. It was the perfect day for a ceremony.
At the moment, Sora, Riku, and Violet watched from the side of the porch they were standing on as Princess Minnie picked up a shiny, silver sword from a pillow Daisy was holding and held it up for all to see. The princess looked straight at Mickey, Donald, Goofy, and Shelly standing before her.
"Please kneel," Minnie calmly instructed.
Mickey, Donald, and Goofy removed their hats and held them in a similar manner to bowing as they knelt. Shelly knelt down, clutching the edges of her skirt like she was curtseying. All four of them closed their eyes and had smiles on their faces.
Sora smiled, even as he noticed Pluto and Clarabelle at the front of the crowd. Pluto had a shiny, red and silver badge around his neck and Clarabelle was using a handkerchief to wipe some joyful tears out of her eyes.
"In gratitude for saving France," Minnie said, stepping up to the four kneeling before her. "I hereby dub thee… Mickey… Donald… and Goofy… all Royal Musketeers!"
As she said each name, Minnie tapped the corresponding Musketeer with the sword. When she reached Shelly, the princess added, "And of course… Shelly too!"
Following a tap on the shoulder from the princess's sword, Shelly reopened her eyes, rose to her feet, and gave the princess a hug. "Thank you so much!" the sandy-haired girl said.
Minnie hugged Shelly in return. Afterwards, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy all rose to their feet as the Musketeers down below gave a cheer of victory. As Mickey, Donald, and Goofy put their hats back on, Sora, Riku, and Violet all summoned their Keyblades. Shelly did the same as Donald and Goofy drew their swords.
"Whadda ya say, everybody?" Mickey called. He drew his own sword. "All for one… "
Pointing their swords and Keyblades into the air, Donald and Goofy, Sora and his friends, and the Musketeers down below all replied, "…And one for all!"
A loud cheer echoed into the air. Sora's typically large smile was larger than ever before. He now knew, without a doubt, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy had fulfilled their dream and became official Royal Musketeers — both in heart and in name.
As Sora was smiling, a bright Light in the sky above caught his eye. He turned his head upwards, spotting a strange shape glowing in the endless blue expanse. He squinted for a few seconds, finally realizing the shape was just like a keyhole. He rapidly tapped Riku and Violet on each of their shoulders and pointed out the keyhole up above.
"It's a Sleeping Keyhole," Sora informed them.
"Yeah," Riku agreed. "Looks like this world's dream is done."
Violet nodded. "Should we say 'goodbye' first?"
The angel indicated Mickey, Donald, Goofy, and Shelly standing before them. Sora smiled and said, "We have to go."
Violet seemed worried. "Can we ever see you again?"
"Don't worry!" Mickey encouraged. "We're connected through our hearts!"
"Gawrsh," Goofy spoke up. "I dunno how to meet someone in muh heart. A-Hyuck!"
"Hey, ya big palooka! What do you mean by that?" Donald interrogated with a fake glare on his face. This sight made everyone else laugh and giggle aloud.
Shelly strode up to Sora. "Here you go," she said, handing Sora a piece of paper. "Take care of your friends, Sora."
Sora nodded. "Yeah! You know it! So long!"
Riku knelt down to Mickey's eye level. "Until we meet again, Mickey… " The two shook hands.
Violet saluted; the Musketeers saluted back. "Toodaloo!" the Angel of Dreams smiled.
"See ya'll real soon!" Mickey said.
Donald added, "Bye, bye!"
Goofy waved a handkerchief at them. "Buh-bye!"
Shelly waved at the group. "See you again someday!"
With a series of nods and waves, Sora, Riku, and Violet all turned to face the keyhole in the sky above. They each re-summoned their Keyblades and pointed them at the keyhole. Beams of Light shone out from the tips of their weapons, merged together, and directly struck the keyhole. A bright flash of Light appeared as the Sleeping Keyhole unlocked. In its place formed the familiar tunnel of tranquil and peaceful Light.
As they leapt into the tunnel, Sora, Riku, and Violet all gave equally brilliant smiles. They knew, without a doubt, the Sleeping World of the Country of The Musketeers had been awakened.
Time seemed to go by too slowly. For Donald, it was moving at a speed three times slower than a snail's pace. As he checked the cuckoo clock on the study's wall for what could've been the millionth time, Donald began to quicken his pace. This drew the attention of Goofy, who glanced at the clock. He checked his watch (digital so he could easily read it), and then stared at the clock once more. After a few more checks between the two, the Captain of the Guard let out what sounded like, "Aha!"
The sound instantly seized the others' attention. Launchpad turned to look from where he was leaning against the wall. From beside Yen Sid, King Mickey asked, "What is it, Goofy?"
"Looks like that there clock is wrong," Goofy explained, staring at his watch with his other hand pointing at the wall. When he took a closer examination, Mickey noticed Goofy was right on the money; the wall clock was over three hours behind what his own watch had read.
From his desk, Yen Sid took note of this discussion and gazed at the clock. He nodded in understanding. "That clock stopped many years ago. It never shows the correct time."
Shocked at seeing Goofy being smart, Donald muttered a series of illegible garble that ended with, "…Aw phooey!"
Launchpad took a closer look at it. "Why'd it stop?"
The pilot knocked on the cuckoo door of the clock. It opened, sending a large amount of water onto the floor. The cuckoo shot out a moment later, making Launchpad jump back in surprise. "Yeow!"
He banged into Donald, sending the duck straight into a shelf of books to the right of the main doorway. The shelf collapsed, sending a bunch of books falling onto the magician.
Watching the entire event unfold, Mickey placed his hands behind his back and chuckled at Yen Sid. The older wizard gave a nod of acknowledgement.
"What's the big idea?!" Donald snapped, glaring directly at Launchpad.
"Aw gee," Launchpad sighed. "It was such a nice crash."
It was at that moment, the duck spotted a particular book in the pile. He picked it up, took a few moments to look over its pinkish-red hard-cover, and opened it up. "What is this?" Donald asked.
"Let me check it out," Launchpad offered. Donald hesitantly handed the book to the pilot. Flipping through the pages, Launchpad suddenly found something he thought was interesting.
"Listen to this!" he called out. "'Journey due north past Never Land, until a faraway island is close at hand. When you're alone, but not alone, you will find help and an arch of stone.'"
Launchpad looked puzzled. "What a strange riddle!"
"Hey!" Goofy said with an excited smile. "Maybe it's a book full of riddles! A-Hyuck!"
Launchpad gave Goofy the book. As he turned to another random page, Goofy read it aloud, "'…And that's how I became a Musketeer!' Gawrsh, I wonder who wrote this. Kinda sloppy."
Wondering what the three had uncovered, Mickey walked over. "Can I see that book?"
Goofy handed it over to the mouse king. Turning to the first page, Mickey's eyes lit up in alarm. "This is," he sputtered, unable to bring out the words. "This is a journal!"
Mickey walked back over and gave his retired Keyblade Master the book. Yen Sid looked at the first page and his eyes immediately lit up in surprise. "Shelly… "
"You knew her?" Mickey inquired. Donald, Goofy, and Launchpad all turned their eyes onto the sorcerer at the desk.
Yen Sid nodded. "Yes," he admitted. "Shelly was one of my pupils when I was the main Keyblade Master. Back then, anyone who could wield a Keyblade was asked to carry a journal of their experiences with them. This one belonged to Shelly."
"Wait," Launchpad spoke up. "If it belongs to 'Shelly', then why didn't she take it with her?"
"Maybe she turned into a seashell. A-Hyuck!" Goofy suggested. Donald slapped his face after hearing the knight's comment.
Yen Sid looked down and closed his eyes. "I'm afraid I do not know. She left one night, and I never saw her again."
Mickey paused in thought. "Perhaps she was looking for someone? Maybe a friend?"
Yen Sid remained looking down. "I do not know… "
A/N: He doesn't know... Does he?
OH YEAH! YOU'RE STILL HERE! Let Me Start Again...
Well, that's that! We've FINALLY made it through THE COUNTRY OF THE MUSKETEERS! I'm a little sad... this WAS based on my Favorite Disney Movie after all.
So, I supposed NOW you wish to have a HINT! Correct? However, I wanted to SAY a few things First.
(1.) THE COUNTRY OF THE MUSKETEERS was one of the worlds I could NOT wait to write in this story! Another one was PIXIE HOLLOW.
(2.) CARLOS, CRYSTAL, AND SHELLY ARE ALL MY ORIGINAL CHARACTERS! SAME FOR VIOLET, NICCOLE, AND SANDORA!
(3.) That OPÉRA HOUSE is a REAL LANDMARK in PARIS, FRANCE!
(4.) That SHOW Sora and the others witnessed is actually a REAL SHOW, called "THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE". The Song "Modern Major General" IS from it.
(5.) There WAS a FINAL FANTASY CHARACTER REFERENCE Hidden somewhere inside This Chapter! GO BACK AND SEE IF YOU CAN FIND IT!
(6.) The WORDS Launchpad was reading are from a Disney Song called "FAIRY TALE THEATER" from "TINKER BELL AND THE LOST TREASURE (2009)"!
(7.) IT'S TIME... FOR A HINT!
Like I JUST STATED ABOVE, the time has come for a HINT to the NEXT WORLD in this Story!
Yet, I have decided that, since this is probably going to be the LAST HINT in this story, I'll make it a RIDDLE HINT!
HINT: "SORA, RIKU, AND VIOLET END UP SWIMMING THROUGH A SERIES OF 'LIVING MUSIC' INSIDE THE NOTES! THEY WILL HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER TO STOP A FAMILIAR FOE WHILE BEING UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER! A DOUBLE-WORLD COMES TO LIFE WHERE A FRIEND IS IN NEED AND ONLY SOME 'SOUND IDEA(S)' CAN SAVE THE DAY!"
Say! I do declare that was most-certainly the BEST HINT I have given YET! Of course, If You Believe You Know What World/Disney Movie(s) The HINT Is Referring To, Then PLEASE Post Your Answers In The REVIEWS Section For THIS Particular Chapter!
It's Getting Late! Therefore, PLEASE DON'T LEAVE WITHOUT REVIEWING! THE FATE OF THIS STORY DEPENDS ON IT!
This is SoraLego278 saying, "See Ya Later, Keybladers!"