The next morning, after breakfast, Hajime and chiaki were ready to leave when natsumi stopped them.

"I'm coming with you" natsumi said.

"Wait, why?" Hajime asked.

"I gotta find my brother" natsumi said," and I don't trust you two alone"

"No, it's too dangerous" Hajime said.

"Clearly it's not if a shrimp like you is still in one piece" natsumi said," besides I got a spear and combat training"

"It would be nice to travel with one more person...I think" Chiaki said.

"Fine" Hajime sighed," but you better not complain or cause trouble like when we were reserve knights"

"It's a deal" natsumi said

...

Once everyone settled on the boat, Chiaki used her keyblade to track down the next heart fragment. Natsumi watched in amazement at the keyblade while Hajime checked the map of worlds.

"Looks like we're headed to the world of sand" Hajime said.

"What a lazy name for a world" natsumi commented.

"Don't blame me" Hajime said," blame the person who named the world"

"Sounds like it's going to be hot" natsumi said.

"Yep, that's why we'll need to dress properly and pack a lot of water" Hajime said," we could get some at the nearest village there, but I'm worried it will be another ghost town".

"Right, cause a hopeless could have attacked" natsumi said," but maybe the town will have a protector like me"

"We can only hope" Hajime said.

...

They sailed for a while till the spotted the world of sand. As their boat drew closer, the trio started to feel the heat of the world.

"Uh god" natsumi said as she started to sweat," how can anyone stand to live in this heat?"

"Is it really that bad?" Chiaki asked.

"Wait, Chiaki you're not even sweating" natsumi said," how?"

"I don't know" Chiaki said.

"Does the heat bother you?" Hajime asked.

"I don't think so" Chiaki said.

...

The trio docked on the beach before making their way to the nearest town. Once again the town was pretty lively. It looked like a normal desert town, except it was full of steam punk contraptions like fans that sprayed mist. Surrounding the town, was a tall wall that overshadowed the village. In the the center stood a high tower that shined like a light house.

"Excuse me sir" Hajime asked a nearby merchant," do you have some clothes we could purchase?"

"Of course" the merchant smiled.

Chiaki took a pink robe, natsumi took a yellow robe, and Hajime took a green robe.

"That will be 30 in total" the merchant said.

"Wait a minute" natsumi said," why?".

"The robes are made with silk from the world of zen" the merchant explained.

"No they're not" natsumi said," this is cheap string made to look like silk".

"What proof do you have?" The merchant asked to which natsumi pulled out a silk lace necklace with a tiger pendant.

"This right here is silk from the world of zen" natsumi said," I know because I've lived there my whole life"

"Fine I'll drop the price to 27" the merchant said.

"You'll drop it to 21, or else I'll tell everyone about your little scam" natsumi said.

"Okay, 21 it is" the merchant said.

Hajime paid the merchant while natsumi smiled triumphantly.

"I didn't know you still had that charm" Hajime said.

"Of course I do" natsumi said," my brother gave it to me after all"

"What animal is it?" Chiaki asked.

"It's called a tiger" natsumi said," my brother and I were always like tiger cubs"

"You still are" Hajime said.

"Tigers are badass so I'll take it as a complement" natsumi said.

Just before the trio was about to leave the town, chiakis keyblade appeared in her hand and pointed. The trio looked to see that the keyblade was pointing to a tall tower in the center of town.

"We better check that out then" Hajime said.

"I usually hate detours but if it means I don't have to go through a desert I'll gladly take it" natsumi said.

...

As the trio approached the tower they walked through a town garden full of exotic plants. When they reached the tower doorstep it was guarded by two guards.

"Excuse me, but what is this tower?" Hajime asked the guards.

"This is the light tower" one of the guards said," it is not open to the public though"

"Could we talk to the person in charge?" Hajime asked.

"No, she is busy right now" the guard said.

"Hey Chiaki" natsumi whispered," show them your keyblade"

Chiaki summoned her keyblade much to the guards surprise.

"Oh, you must by knights" the guard said," forgive me, I'll show you to lady irumas room".

...

Following the knight, the trio walked through the tower until they came to a steal door. The guard was about to knock until they heard a loud explosion.

"God damn it" a girl screamed from behind the door.

The guard rushed in along with the trio. Inside, a girl with pale pink hair and goggles was covered in smoke next to a broken contraption.

"Lady iruma, are you alright?" The guard asked.

"Nothing the worlds greatest inventor can't handle" the girl said proudly even though she was still a mess," now why are you here".

"These three needed to speak with you" the guard explained," one of them is a knight"

"Fine, I'll play along" iruma said," now leave us be"

"Yes, lady iruma" the guard bowed before leaving.

"Okay what do you lot want?" Iruma said," gadgets, an autograph, sex?"

"No!" Hajime said rather disgusted," we came to find something else"

"Typical virgin" iruma murmured," what are you looking for?"

"A piece of heart" natsumi said," it looks like a fragment of light"

"Yeah we got one of those" iruma said," but we're using it"

"For what?" Natsumi asked.

"Lately there's been this monster that's been trying to attack the town" iruma said," thanks to my genius, I created a machine to repel the beast using that light".

"If we got rid of the monster, could we have the heart fragment?" Hajime asked causing iruma to burst into laughter.

"Sir go ahead, but you'll probably die a virgin" iruma said.

"Get ready to eat you words" natsumi taunted.

"Do you even know where the monster is?" Iruma asked.

"We'll find it on our own" Hajime said before the trio left.

"Good luck on your suicide mission" iruma called.

...

"I never thought I'd meet a girl with a fouler mouth than you natsumi" Hajime joked on their way out of town.

"I may talk shit, but at least I have fucking manners" natsumi said.

"Compared to her you do" Hajime said.

Chiaki watched Hajime and natsumi bicker, but she could tell they were rather close.

'Is this how normal friends talk to each other?' Chiaki thought.

...

Outside the town wall was an endless sea of sand. The sun shined piercingly bright over the hot sand.

"So what's the plan?" Natsumi asked.

"I figured we'd walk a bit away from town and then the hopeless will show up" Hajime said.

"Okay Hajime" natsumi said.

The trio walked about a few hundred yards from the town till the heard something. It sounded like a metallic hiss. Following the sound a giant cobra hopeless emerged from the sand. It's body was pale white with black stripes and the heart insignia under its head. The cobra hissed and flicked its tongue as it stared at natsumi and Hajime.

"Natsumi stand still" Hajime said," if we move it might attack"

"Fine" natsumi said," but what do we do?"

Chiaki took charge and aimed to shoot her keybeam, but then the cobra hopeless swiftly dodged it by entering the sand.

"You better run you bastard" natsumi yelled only for the cobra hopeless to reappear behind her.

The cobra hopeless lunged its fangs at natsumi, but fortunately Chiaki was able to push her out of the way. Before the cobra hopeless could lunge at the two, Chiaki blasted the cobra hopeless with a gust of wind from her keyblade. Natsumi jumped in with her spear and impaled the cobra hopeless through the neck.

"Do it now!" Natsumi commanded as she held the cobra hopeless in place with her spear.

Chiaki fired her keybeam and successfully landed it on the heart insignia. The cobra hopeless hissed before turning into shadow. From the shadow, a few hearts escaped along with one heart that entered chiakis keyblade. Immediately after, natsumi fainted from the heat, so Hajime carried her back to town with chiaki.

...

Back at the light tower, irumas jaw was dropped.

"You actually defeated it?!" Iruma asked.

"Yep, so you don't have to worry about it anymore" Hajime said," now please give us the heart fragment"

"Oh, and I was going to do so much with it" iruma said," maybe you should get on your knees and beg me to give it to you".

"Hell No!" Natsumi yelled.

"Ah I was just kidding" iruma cried," please don't get mad at me".

"We just need the heart fragment" Chiaki reassured iruma," it's nice of you to give it to us...I think"

"O..okay" iruma sniffed," just don't yell at me"

Natsumi rolled her eyes while chiaki nodded. Then iruma led the trio to where the heart fragment was.

"I've never seen these things before" Chiaki said.

"Yeah I made it all by myself" iruma said.

"That's cool" Chiaki said making iruma blush.

"Well of course it's cool" iruma said," I made it after all"

Chiaki walked over to the heart fragment floating in a capsule before taking it out. Hajime stood beside her, ready to catch her when she fainted. Chiaki took a deep breath and pushed the fragment into her chest then fainted.

...

'Nanami, it's time I told you the purpose of the knights'

" okay"

'You see, the knights are an extension of our families will to keep peace and hope throughout the world. When you become queen it will be your duty to decide how to use the knights and for what purpose.'

"I'll make sure they keep balance and protect others like the knights in my storybook."

'That's quiet noble of you, however choosing and maintaining knights will not always be easy'

"Why's that?"

'Even the most hope filled knight can be tainted by despair. You can not allow your knights to fall to despair for they are an extension of your will'

"What about selecting knights? How will I do that"

'In the future you will be free to examine and choose people to become knights. Though you should take into consideration how susceptible they are to despair. For example, I only select people with strong hearts that aren't blinded by false hope'

"It sounds difficult"

'Don't worry. You still have much time to grow and learn'

"Thank you, papa"

...

While chiaki slept, Hajime and natsumi chatted on the boat.

"Hey, I need to know" natsumi said," Where did you go back then?"

"I left to become stronger and I did" Hajime said.

"Really cause you don't show it" natsumi said," you don't even have a weapon"

"I do" Hajime said," I just don't want to use it".

"The worlds don't care what you want" natsumi said," you have to do whatever it takes to survive and protect the ones closest to you"

"I'm sorry I left" Hajime said.

"It's ancient history now" natsumi said," just don't make the same mistake again"

There was silence followed by more silence. Unfortunately Chiaki didn't wake up to shatter the silence that night.