"Sora… Are you really…" Kairi mumbled. "No… he can't be. I won't let him go!" Donald and Goofy approached her, and Goofy looked glumly up to the Keyhole.
"Well, now what do we do?" Donald wondered.
"So…" a voice resonated, and a dark form appeared before them. "You have awakened at last, Princess." They stared at this newcomer, with long, silver hair, amber eyes, and tanned skin. On his chest was the symbol of the Heartless. "The Keyhole is now complete. You have served your purpose. "But now, it's over," he thrust his hand to the side and began to approach them.
"Don't make another move!" Donald warned as he and Goofy readied their weapons.
"Do ya think we can stop him all by ourselves?" Goofy mumbled to him.
"I don't know," Donald admitted. But, before this man could do anything more, he froze, as if something had taken hold of his body.
"I-Impossible," he grunted, and Riku's form, back in his usual outfit, appeared in front of him and blocked his way.
"N-No…" Riku protested. "You won't use me for this!"
"Riku!" Kairi called out.
"You gotta run!" Riku warned them, his tone panicked. "The Heartless are coming!" True to his words, Shadows began to appear in great numbers around them. Kairi glanced around quickly, then looked back at her friend and nodded. She, Donald, and Goofy hurried away.
"But… what about the Keyhole?!" Goofy wondered as they ran.
"Let's just get out of here!" Donald replied as the Heartless began to give chase. They hurried back through the corridors of the castle, down the lifts, until they finally reached the main hall where Sora and Riku had clashed earlier.
"Whew…" Goofy breathed. "Think we lost 'em?" Kairi glanced around once again. It seemed quiet enough, but she knew they were far from safe. And, as if summoned by her thoughts, a single Shadow appeared and approached them, staring at them with its large, empty yellow eyes.
"Confounded Heartless!" Donald snapped as he bonked it on the head with his staff. "Get lost, will ya?" But the Heartless stayed and did nothing but stare at them. Kairi stared back, until she sensed something wasn't quite right about this particular Heartless.
"…Sora?" she wondered carefully. "Is that you?" Before they could find out, though, a small legion of other Shadows appeared out of nowhere. Donald and Goofy set to work defeating them, and Kairi took up the best defensive stance she could in front of Sora's Heartless.
"This time, I'll protect you," she vowed as it scanned the Heartless around them, who gathered quickly and lunged. "Sora!" She turned around quickly and grabbed it, holding it close to her. Donald and Goofy turned around as they defeated their targets.
"Kairi!" Goofy called out as they hurried over to help her, but a sudden bright light forced the Shadows surrounding her back. When it died down, it revealed Kairi holding a ball of light- a heart.
"Kairi…" a voice- Sora's voice- resonated softly from the heart.
"Sora…" Kairi said, her eyes watering. "I… No, don't worry. I'll keep you safe. You'll be okay. I promise." She paused. "I'll find a way to fix this…"
"Thank you…" Sora's heart replied, and she hesitantly absorbed it into her chest. Donald and Goofy both gazed at her for a moment before more Heartless began to appear.
"Whoop," Goofy said as he and Donald hurried over to her. "Gotta go!" Kairi nodded and they made their way out of the castle and to where they had arrived.
"How are we going to get out of here?" Kairi asked them.
"We'll take the Gummi Ship," Donald informed her, and a few moments later, they had boarded and Donald was explaining the rather sticky situation to Chip and Dale over the ship's communication system. Kairi gazed glumly out of the ship to Hollow Bastion below as Goofy approached her.
"Gee, Kairi," he began, "I'm really sorry about all this."
"Me too," she replied. "Do you think there's any way we can get them back?"
"I'm sure there is," he assured her. "And you've got Sora's heart now, so we know he's safe. And I'm sure Riku'll hang on. He did manage to stop that guy before he could get us."
"I know," she nodded. "Thank you… uh…" she smiled a bit. "I don't think I know your names."
"Oh, yeah!" Goofy grinned. "I'm Goofy, and that there is Donald Duck. We're gonna take ya back to Disney Castle, where we live. I'm sure Queen Minnie will be willin' to help ya."
"Okay," she agreed. "Thanks, Goofy."
"Here we go!" Donald announced, and the Gummi Ship blasted off. A short time later, they docked in the hangar at Disney Castle and the three disembarked, and Chip and Dale both ran up to greet them.
"Glad you guys made it!" Chip told them.
"Welcome to Disney Castle!" Dale said to Kairi, who nodded.
"Okay, Kairi," Goofy invited, "Follow us. We'll take ya to see Queen Minnie." Again, Kairi nodded, and she followed them out to the gardens of the castle and down the hall overlooking them until they reached the castle's library. Inside, Minnie was reading over something, and looked up at the sound of visitors.
"Queen Minnie, we're back!" Both Donald and Goofy announced as they saluted, and Kairi remained quiet.
"Oh, Donald! Goofy!" Minnie greeted as she approached them. "I'm so glad you're both safe. Chip told me a bit of what happened, and I'm so sorry you've had to endure all of this. Now," she turned her attention toward Kairi. "Who is this?"
"This is Kairi, Queen Minnie," Donald introduced. "She's something called a Princess of Heart! We helped her escape Hollow Bastion, but her world was destroyed."
"Oh, I'm so sorry," Minnie apologized. "Donald, Goofy, please. Tell me what happened." Donald launched into a shortened version of everything he and Goofy had gone through since leaving, explaining Sora's situation and the Keyhole that still remained unlocked in Hollow Bastion.
"I see," Minnie nodded once he had finished. "So you need a Keyblade to lock that Keyhole and prevent the darkness from taking that world… Hm. And I have no way to contact Mickey." She fell silent, thinking. "Oh! Goofy, Donald, you know Master Yen Sid, do you not?"
"Of course, Your Highness!" Donald confirmed.
"I wonder if he might be able to help you. I would imagine that if anyone has answers, it would be him. Chip and Dale should know how to get you there."
"Then we'll leave immediately," Donald nodded.
"And Kairi, you are more than welcome to stay here," Minnie told her. "I'm sure you have been through quite a trying time recently."
"Thank you, Queen Minnie," the young girl replied.
"We'll be back soon!" Goofy promised. "See ya later, Queen Minnie."
"Be careful!" Minnie cautioned as they left and headed back to the Gummi Hangar.
"Route set for the Mysterious Tower!" Dale announced as they boarded the ship, and moments later, they blasted off for their destination.
A short time later, they arrived at the Mysterious Tower and disembarked.
"I hope Master Yen Sid knows what to do," Goofy pondered as they entered the tower.
"Aw, you heard Queen Minnie!" Donald reminded him. "If anyone does, it's him!" They started climbing the stairs, but Heartless began to show up and attack. "Not here too!" Donald complained, and the duo quickly defeated their assailants and continued the long climb up the tower. By the time they reached the top, both were ready to fall over, gasping, but they fought through and entered Yen Sid's chamber.
"Master Yen Sid!" Donald greeted.
"Sorry for the unannounced visit!" Goofy put in. Yen Sid stood from his chair and looked over to them.
"Donald, Goofy, what brings you?" he inquired, and they approached his table as he sat down once again. Again, Donald relayed the short version of their predicament, and Yen Sid listened intently.
"Sora, hm?" he mused. "I see. Mickey has been keeping me informed of his side of the situation through his letters, but I was unaware of the gravity of the situation." He paused. "Hollow Bastion is what remains of a world called Radiant Garden after it was first consumed by darkness. But it seems that world had a second line of defense through its Keyhole. However, should it remain unlocked, the Heartless should have little issue overtaking it. Our first priority must be locking its Keyhole, and then we will deal with this Seeker of Darkness."
"But how will we lock it without a Keyblade?" Goofy wondered.
"You two will need to travel to a world now known as Castle Oblivion."
"C-Castle Oblivion?" they echoed.
"That sounds pleasant," Donald grumbled.
"Yes," Yen Sid continued. "Find its two masters and explain to them the situation. I'm sure, once they are informed, that they will be willing to help you. Be sure to mention Sora and Riku by name, and…" he paused. "Tell them that Xehanort is stirring."
"Xehanort?" Both Donald and Goofy blinked.
"Uh, okay. Thank you, Master Yen Sid," Goofy nodded.
"We have precious little time," Yen Sid reminded them. "I will direct your Gummi Ship to Castle Oblivion. But you must hurry."
"Yes, sir!"
"Then go!" They did as commanded and hurried back down the tower, then boarded the Gummi Ship as soon as they were outside.
"To Castle Oblivion," Donald sighed as they left.
A short time later, they disembarked at some sort of dark green castle with a small rock face in front of it, and darkness surrounded it. Its architecture jutted out in several directions, and Donald and Goofy cowered as they approached its entrance. Donald blinked as they transitioned from the darkness outside to the bright white corridors within.
"What is this place?" Goofy wondered as he glanced around. "Hello? Anyone home?"
"Who are you to be treading the halls of Castle Oblivion?!" a stark voice echoed out from the stairway ahead, and from it came a figure dressed head to toe in steel blue and green armor. A black visor hid his face from view, and he took a defensive stance. Goofy prepared his shield, but Donald left his staff at rest.
"W-we're Goofy and Donald Duck!" Goofy replied. "We're lookin' for the masters of this here castle!"
"Goofy?" The armored figure echoed. "Donald? Wait…" he paused and crossed his arms, pondering. "Oh!" A bright light flashed around him, and when it died down, it revealed a young man with blond hair that spiked up like a wave on one side and blue eyes. His armor was now contained in a pauldron on his upper left arm, and he wore a white, black-lined jacket and light gray pants with dark gray parts near the bottoms. Under the jacket, he wore a dark olive-green shirt over a black undershirt, and over this he had black, crossing straps that bore the Mark of Mastery where they intersected. He had a bright smile on his face. "I remember you! I met you when I visited Master Yen Sid once!" Both Donald and Goofy stared at him.
"Oh, Ventus! Ven!" Goofy greeted. "Nice to see ya again."
"What are you doing here in Castle Oblivion?" Donald wondered as Ventus approached them.
"I'm one of its masters, I guess," he shrugged. "So, you're looking for us?"
"Yeah!" Donald confirmed.
"All right, hold on." Ven turned toward the stairway. "Hey, Aqua! Come on out!" After another moment, a young woman emerged, dressed in a dark blue, long-sleeved shirt that split into four sections below her waist where there was a silver belt. Over her shoulders were pink straps that bore the Mark of Mastery as well. She wore black leggings and silver boots, and white sleeves over the dark ones where she wore her armor on either side. Her blue hair had gotten slightly longer, though she still kept it relatively short, and her blue eyes were reserved but kind.
"Hello," she greeted with a friendly enough tone as she joined Ventus. "Donald? Goofy?"
"We've met before, right?" Donald wondered. "Nice to see you again, Ven, Aqua."
"You too," Aqua nodded. "So, what brings you?"
"Master Yen Sid told us to find you," Donald replied and took a deep breath before hunching over and looking at Goofy. "Okay, YOU get to tell 'em this time."
"Right," Goofy nodded and relayed their situation once more. "And now Kairi has Sora's heart, but we don't know how to get him back. This Ansem guy possessed Riku, and we need to lock Hol- er, Radiant Garden's Keyhole."
"I thought I sensed something was off," Ventus nodded. "Must have been because Sora stabbed himself. And Riku…" he sighed. "All right." He looked over to Aqua. "Then we'd better get to Radiant Garden." She nodded.
"Oh, yeah!" Goofy recalled. "We're supposed to tell you that… what was it again?" He turned to Donald, who sighed.
"Xehanort is stirring," he finished, and alarm became evident on both Ven and Aqua's expressions.
"Then we've got no time to lose," Aqua noted. "We'd better get moving."
"But how are we gonna lock the Keyhole?" Goofy wondered. Ven and Aqua exchanged a quick smile, and both summoned their Keyblades- Aqua with Stormfall, and Ven with the Wayward Wind.
"You're Keyblade wielders!" Donald realized.
"Keyblade Masters," Aqua corrected.
"Great!" Goofy grinned. "Then we can use our Gummi Ship to-"
"Don't need it," Ven smiled as both equipped their armor, and Donald and Goofy followed the Masters out of the castle. Aqua opened a path through the Lanes Between, and they transformed their Keyblades into their gliders.
"We can take it from here," Aqua told them. "Don't worry about it."
"Uh, okay," Donald replied, and the Keyblade wielders mounted their gliders and left quickly. Donald and Goofy stared after them long after the path closed, mouths agape.
"Man, why couldn't Sora do anything that cool?" Donald wondered, and Goofy bumped him.