Chapter 3 – Two Is Better…

Sora walked aboard the Midnight, eager to get this adventure started. He sat in the pilot's chair, taking hold of the steering wheel. "Aw, yea, I could get used to this…" He said to himself.

Someone placed their hand on the wheel. Sora looked up to see Riku, who jerked his thumb behind him. "You're in my spot."

Sora frowned, crossing his arms. Riku sighed, then picked up a protesting Sora, and tossed him into the co-pilot's chair. He then sat down in the pilot's chair, checking their systems. Kairi walked in, seeing Sora right himself in his chair. She frowned and looked at the pilot's seat. She sat in the only passenger seat in the hub, staring out the windshield. "So it's just us three?" She asked, brushing a stray lock of hair out of her face.

Sora glanced at her. "Yea…just us…" He answered, frowning.

"So…what's our first stop?" Riku asked, opening up the navigation screen.

Sora rolled his eyes. "The Mysterious Tower, obviously."

Riku nodded. He turned on the engines, setting their destination to The Mysterious Tower. They launched out of the hanger, jumping into hyper-space before they reached space. Their ship disappeared in a flash of light.

The only person to see them leave was a person in a cloak with a tattoo of a roman numeral on their neck. A 'IV'.

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Mickey walked up to the big door that led outside the Tower. He had a black cloak on. He stepped outside, going to the edge of the cliff. "K? Are you there?"

He waited a couple of minutes before giving up and turning to go back. A man stood in his way, also in a black cloak. Mickey jumped, but sighed before walking up to the man. "For a minute I thought you were one of the other members…"

The man looked around before speaking. His voice was normal, that sounding of a young man. "I wouldn't allow myself to be followed, your Majesty."

"What information do you have now?" Mickey asked, sitting with his feet dangling off the cliff. He gestured for the man to take a seat.

The man shook his head. "No…I have a thing with heights…"

"Anyway, I'm just updating you on a plan the other members are cooking up…" He began, sitting in the grass.

Mickey nodded, turning toward a setting sun, where a clock tower was obviously visible against. "Go on…"

The man nodded. "I didn't get a name, but the other members are planning an abducting attempt on one of the Princesses of Heart…"

Mickey got up rather quickly, surprised. The man continued. "I think it may be the one the Keyblade's Chosen One travels with…"

Mickey brought his hand to face, very upset about this development. "When?"

The man shrugged. "Could be today…could be tomorrow…I think it may be when Sora leaves her alone…"

Mickey nodded, tossing the man a keychain. The man was utterly shocked, looking up at the king, his yellow eyes showing from beneath the hood. Mickey smiled, then said, "A present from a certain someone…who isn't me."

The man looked down at the keychain, and then slipped it in his pocket. "Thanks…I appreciate it."

The man jumped off the cliff, disappearing into a Corridor of Darkness. Mickey looked up as a bright light flashed. A black gummi-ship appeared, appearing to orbit the world. Mickey quickly summoned a Keyblade, cutting into thin air, creating a rip in space. He took off his cloak, revealing his normal clothes. He tossed the cloak into the rip, which closed it. He ran back into the tower.

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Sora appeared on a cliff before the Tower. He looked as if he landed there, his butt sticking in the air. Riku appeared next to him, standing as if nothing happened. Kairi landed on her back, sliding into Sora. Sora shook his head, then opened his eyes, noticing Kairi underneath him.

Riku smirked. "That position suits you…"

Sora got up, helping Kairi up. Both of the teens had beet red faces. Sora started walking toward Riku, ready to pound him, only to get tackled from behind. "Sora!"

On top of him were a duck in a blue jacket and a blue pointy hat and a dog in a green and white jacket with a knight's helmet on his head. "Donald! Goofy!"

Mickey stepped out of the Tower, helping to extract Donald and Goofy from their tackle-hug. Sora smiled, brushing himself off. Kairi brushed his shoulder off, smiling at the duck and dog. Riku walked up to the King, and they shook hands.

"Now, let's go see Master Yen Sid…" Sora said, walking up to the door.

Mickey was the last one in, looking at the cliff where moments ago, he was having a conversation about the very girl in front of him. "You coming, you Highness?" Riku asked, looking back at him.

Mickey shook his head, then turned around and headed inside. Someone stepped out from behind the bushes, a numeral 'V' on their neck. The person disappeared in a puff of black mist, leaving behind a rather bulky heartless. It had huge fists, muscled arms, and ab-loaded torso. Tiny legs, and an armored head, it charged for the cliff, several Shadows and Soldiers following in its wake.

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Sora slammed his hands on the table. "WHAT?!"

Mickey frowned. "According to my informant, The Darkness is planning to kidnap Kairi. Or one of the other Princesses of Heart."

Master Yen Sid nodded. "This is a frightful development, but you must remain vigilant. This threat must be neutralized in 6 months time…or I fear that their other plan will become a reality…"

"What's their other plan?" asked Kairi, her voice trembling.

Yen Sid gestured to his Tower, or so they thought. "The complete destruction and reconstruction of our universe, into a universe where the Heartless rule all!"

Sora hung his head. "This is much more dangerous than Maleficent and the Organization…"

The old master nodded. "Yes, Master Sora, it is. But you will not be alone in this endeavor. Radiant Gardens and the SeeD are working with all their might to stop this end from occurring, as well as several traitors in The Darkness' midst. But I fear that it will not be enough…" He gestured to Mickey. "If you would, my young apprentice."

Mickey nodded, then placed a rather thick tome on the table. Sora and Kairi looked at it in awe. Riku broke the silence. "What is it?"

Mickey explained, "This is a book of prophecies that used to be in the possession of The Darkness before my informant stole it and gave it to me…It holds all the prophecies of the universe, and some of beyond our universe."

Riku shrugged. "What is your point?"

"After rifling through its pages, I found a rather disturbing prophecy…" Mickey said, turning to the page.

"In the End of the Beginning, seven Princesses of Heart were placed into the universe. If all seven are gathered, the door to Kingdom Hearts would open. If one, even one, were to be killed, the end of everything would begin. The Beginning of the End of the Universe would occur. All worlds would be flooded in the blood of the dead, and the once dead would rise to plague the universe. In the End of the Universal Apocalypse, the universe would be destroyed, leaving it to be reborn. The cycle would begin again, anew. All life would cease to exist for all eternity."

Mickey closed the book, looking at the three gaping teens. "This book holds a prophecy that, if acted out, would result in the end of not only the life of a Princess of Heart, but of the lives of everyone living in this universe, and some beyond it!"

Sora shook his head. "No…no, that's not possible."

Riku nodded, "And they decided that they would enact this prophecy, with Kairi as the Princess of Heart to be sacrificed…"

Mickey nodded. "The only ones to survive this would be the Heartless and Nobodies. They would create the new universe, in an image of what they desire."

Sora looked up. "What can we do?"

The mouse king looked up at the old man, who was deep in thought. "There is only one thing we can do…" Yen Sid murmured, opening his eyes, "We have to hunt down every member of The Darkness…and eliminate them…"

Sora nodded. "We can start hunting them right now!"

"But where would we look? No one knows where they hide out before they strike!" Riku asked, muttering curses under his breath.

Kairi raised her hand. "Um…I think I may know…" They all looked at her. "…This looks evil enough to be right up Maleficent's alley, so maybe their held up in The World that Never Was?"

Sora looked at Riku, who shook his head. "Maleficent would die if this prophecy came true, albeit she would be one of the last…"

"Anyway…" Mickey interrupted, looking to his old master, "we should probably let Master Yen Sid continue…"

"Thank you, Mickey." The old man said, folding his hands together, "Now, as I was saying, we must eliminate the members of The Darkness, but as to the fact that young Riku has pointed out, we have no idea as to where they may be hiding. Therefore, I implore you to go about your normal business of sealing off the worlds hearts against the Heartless, but to keep a weather eye out for members of this organization. As this 'K' person Mickey keeps talking about is a traitor, he will possibly try to make contact with you. Listen to him. He is a vital source of information that you will need to take down key members of The Darkness."

Sora nodded, and saluted. Riku nodded, and crossed his arms. Kairi looked worried, but nodded as well.

"Now…your gummi-ship has received an upgrade while you all have been down here. The closest world to this one is the one called Twilight Town. Go there. Lock its Heart away, and then continue on to the next world. You are making your way to a world that has no name or needs one, but you will meet someone who will help you on your quest to stop The Darkness." Master Yen Sid said, then nodded.

"I have something for each of you…" Sora and the others looked at each other.

Yen Sid turned to Kairi, waving his hand over her. Her clothes glowed faintly with a yellow aura. "I have given you the ability to activate Drive Forms, like Sora. Unfortunately, I was only able to activate two." Yen Sid explained, "It shall drain some of your mental energy."

He turned to Riku and waved his hand over him. His clothes glowed with a red aura. "I have given you the ability as well. One you will use often, the other, you will loathe." Riku frowned. "But, as Kairi, this will drain you of your mental energy, making you vulnerable."

He turned to Sora, smiling. He waved his hand over Sora. His clothes glowed with a dark aura. "As for you, Young Keyblade Master, I have added another form to your arsenal of Drive Forms. It is called Shadow Form, and will automatically activate if you are knocked into unconsciousness." Sora smiled, then bowed.

"Thank you…Master." Sora murmured, then turned around and walked out the door, with the others following.

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After the three had left the tower, Mickey had a private conversation with Master Yen Sid.

"Are you sure it's a good idea? Giving him that form?" Mickey asked, watching them leave the world in three flashes.

"It will aid him in the battle that is to come." Yen Sid responded, rubbing his forehead in deep thought. "I sense an old enemy is stirring, one that hasn't been seen since The Keyblade War."

Mickey turned around abruptly, eyes wide. "You don't mean…?"

"Yes, my young apprentice. Indeed I do. Those long forgotten warriors of old, who were sealed away by three Keyblade Wielders, two Masters, including myself, and one Chain-Maker. And yet they still returned, after four and a half centuries of imprisonment." Yen Sid muttered sadly.

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Sora looked weary as he plopped down into his seat. "The destruction of the universe…"

Riku nodded. "Let's go to Twilight Town."

They all nodded and Riku entered the coordinates. The ship zoomed off into space, with its new upgrades and extra cargo.

XXXXX-Meanwhile-XXXXX

Maleficent looked back from the window in her office back to the man seated. "And you say I am invited?"

The man nodded. "As I have said before, The Darkness is looking for powerful people to join us…you are one of these people."

Maleficent smiled evilly. "And…what did you say your name was?"

The man stood, bowed, and lowered his hood. "My name is Matt…" answered the blonde.

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An alarm started blaring on the ship Selvana as Heartless seemed to swarm it. Its pilot, a teen with black hair and yellow eyes, swerved the ship to avoid laser blasts. "Damn!" He yelled as the ship was hit.

He swerved the ship and activated the hyper-drive to the closest world possible…Twilight Town.

XXXXXXXXXX

Sora, Riku and Kairi were beamed down to the surface. They looked up as a bright light flashed to see another gummi-ship start to orbit the planet. They looked at each other, but moved on with a couple of shrugs.

Behind them, a bulky heartless stalked, waiting for the right moment to attack…

A/N – Yea…I got kinda lazy at the end here, but I still put a little bit of suspense in there for you guys who miss it. XD

DaniPotterLovesGod – Um…what hologram? You mean the hologram during the strategy meeting? Or the blue…thing meeting with Maleficent?

PS – As per someone's request, I have not centered the writing to make it easier to read. It will be torture for me, but I will manage.