KINGDOM HEARTS DX
Chapter 3: Third District
Akira and Kimiko were eating dinner in a pub in the First District. On their table were a variety of foods, including pork, potatoes, corn, etc.
"How can we taste this food?" Akira asked as he shoveled some pork into his mouth. "I thought this was all virtual."
"I'm not sure how it works," Kimiko replied. "Somehow, the pods feed you in the real world as you eat in the virtual world."
After they were finished, Kimiko took one last swig of her drink and slammed her cup down.
"Now let's get ready for some more training," Kimiko said. "One loss is no reason to just sit around and eat all day."
"I know," Akira said. "Let's go back to the Second District, now that we've eaten."
As the two of them stood up, a loud siren could be heard in the air.
"ATTENTION! ATTENTION!" a female voice sounded. "EXTREME HEARTLESS INVASION IN THE THIRD DISTRICT. ALL NEW PLAYERS ARE ADVISED TO STAY AWAY."
The siren continued to sound as such for two more times until it shut off. Kimiko looked excited.
"This is our chance!" Kimiko exclaimed. "A Heartless invasion is a great way to level up!"
"But didn't the siren-lady just say that new players should avoid the Third District?" Akira asked.
"Don't worry," Kimiko said. "You're with me. The two of us can handle a simple Heartless invasion. Now let's go!!!"
Kimiko dragged Akira out of the pub as fast as she could. The two of them soon found their way to the Third District. Akira looked around and couldn't believe his eyes. Hundreds of Heartless were spawning continuously before them.
"This will be awesome!" Kimiko exclaimed. "CHARGE!!!"
Kimiko rushed out into the Heartless crowd brandishing her shuriken.
"Wait up!" Akira shouted as he tried to chase after her.
Akira took only a few steps before he was surrounded by the Shadow Heartless. Akira pulled out his Keyblade and began to fight them off. As he knocked them down, more appeared in their place. After a while, a new form of Heartless appeared near him. They were taller, had blue and red bodies, red claws, a heart-shaped insignia on their chests, and a metal helmet that resembled that of a knight.
The "Soldier" Heartless charged straight for him, jumping in the air and slashing at him with their claws. He began to fight them off with his Keyblade. Eventually, the amount of Heartless that attacked him began to reduce. As soon as he could, Akira made his way towards where Kimiko ran. He found that the Third District was much larger than he thought.
"Just where the heck is she?" Akira thought.
Akira found a large area with a fountain. Standing there were Kimiko, Gofure, Meek, and Largo, fighting off an army of Soldier Heartless.
"These things won't stop spawning, Boss!" Meek said.
Gofure sliced another Soldier Heartless in half.
"No problem," Gofure said. "They keep spawning, and we'll keep bashing them down."
A Soldier Heartless jumped up from behind Gofure. Akira sliced it with his Keyblade and destroyed it.
"Why are you here?" Gofure asked when he saw Akira.
"That's a nice way to say thanks," Akira said.
"Where were you?" Kimiko asked as she sliced up another Heartless.
"I was fighting off some Heartless," Akira answered as he knocked a Soldier Heartless away like a baseball.
Suddenly, the Heartless stopped attacking. Everyone kept his or her guard up, just in case.
"What's happening?" Akira asked. "Why did they stop attacking?"
"I don't know," Kimiko replied.
"Boss?" Meek asked Gofure.
"Something bigger must be coming," Gofure said. "Like the calm before the storm."
Suddenly, the Heartless were all sucked together as if a tornado pulled them together. They began to swirl around and around in the air until they became a big, black twister.
Back in reality, Jacob and Carmen were monitoring the game. Jacob suddenly had a look of confusion on his face.
"Hey, Carmen," he said.
"What?" Carmen asked.
"Traverse Town is a low-level area, right?" Jacob said.
"Of course," Carmen said. "It was made for new players."
"Could you explain the level 30 Heartless appearing in the Third District?" Jacob asked.
"What?!" Carmen exclaimed as she rushed over to Jacob.
Jacob immediately pointed out one screen. It showed a level 10 player, a level 8 player, two level 7 players, and a level 6 player all facing down a level 30 Heartless in Traverse Town's Third District.
"How can this be?" Carmen asked as she typed on the computer's keyboard. "I can't even find out what kind of Heartless it is!"
Meanwhile, in Traverse Town, the black twister began to take shape. It transformed into a being made up of black armor. Its arms, legs, and head were separated from its torso. On its chest was the same insignia found on the Soldier Heartless.
"What the heck is that?!" Akira exclaimed.
"I don't know," Kimiko gasped.
The large Heartless began to stomp towards the group.
"MOVE!!!" Gofure shouted.
All five of them jumped out of the way of the monster's path. Gofure then lunged the point of his Keyblade towards the creature's torso.
"Taste this!" Gofure shouted.
His sword merely bounced off of the creature's armor. The monster's flying right arm then slammed Gofure into the ground.
"Boss!" Meek and Largo exclaimed.
The monster prepared to strike down towards Gofure one more time. Just before it hit, however, Akira managed to jump in, grab Gofure, and roll out of the way.
"You alright?" Akira asked.
"That was a stupid thing to do," Gofure said.
"You really suck at giving thanks," Akira said.
"Get moving!" Gofure shouted.
Akira and Gofure jumped out of the way just as a flying arm came straight at them. Back in the real world, Carmen and Jacob were trying to figure out what was happening.
"I've got something!" Jacob exclaimed. "The creature is called Dark Armor. Now what is that?"
"I'm not sure," Carmen replied. "Wait! Didn't Mr. Paragon once mention creating Heartless designs that didn't get added in the end?"
"Yeah, but what does that…" Jacob began.
"What if this is one of those Heartless designs?" Carmen asked.
Jacob was completely silent.
"Call Mr. Paragon," Carmen said. "Tell him that it's important!"
Meanwhile, the five fighters continued to fight off the Dark Armor. Whenever they struck the armor's chest, however, Dark Armor merely spun its arms around its body and knocked them away.
"None of our attacks are working!" Kimiko exclaimed.
"Every time we hit its body, its arms flail around and hit us," Meek said.
"What if…" Akira thought.
He then charged forward.
"You idiot!" Gofure shouted. "That thing's unbeatable!"
As Akira drew closer, the Dark Armor swung its arm towards him. Akira merely slipped out of the way and charged straight for its leg. After striking the leg a couple of times, the leg disappeared. A bunch of strange, green orbs came out. Whenever Akira touched the orbs, he felt fully refreshed.
"Guys!" Akira shouted. "Aim for its limbs!"
They began to nod until they suddenly had a look of surprise on their face.
"Look out!" the four of them shouted.
Akira turned around and got whacked by one of the arms. He was sent flying straight in front of the rest of the group.
"To think, you looked so cool for a minute," Kimiko groaned.
"He did have a good idea," Gofure said. "Everyone, charge!"
Akira got up, and the five of them charged for Dark Armor. Largo used his shield and crashed into the second leg, after which Meek cast a Thunder spell and destroyed it. Kimiko threw her shuriken, which spun around the right arm like a saw and completely destroyed it. Gofure lunged at the left arm and struck it with the point of his blade. After a couple more swings of his sword, the arm was destroyed. Akira jumped into the air and made for the head.
"Now for the kill!" Akira shouted as he sliced downwards.
The torso split in two and was completely destroyed.
"Alright!" Akira exclaimed.
Back in reality, Carmen and Jacob dragged Mr. Paragon into the main computer room.
"See!!!" Carmen shouted.
Mr. Paragon stared at the screen.
"What level 30 Heartless?" Mr. Paragon asked. "All I see are five players. No Heartless."
Carmen and Jacob stared at the screen. Only the five players were on the screen. All five of them had leveled up.
"But…but…but," Carmen and Jacob stuttered together.
"I told you to leave me alone unless it was important," Mr. Paragon said angrily. "I really have a lot of work to do!"
Mr. Paragon stormed out of the room.
"He seemed upset," Jacob said the moment Mr. Paragon left the room.
"We've disturbed him twice for nothing," Carmen said. "I would be pissed off too."
"But I don't get it," Jacob said. "We did see that Heartless, right?"
"Of course we did," Carmen said. "Those players must've beaten it."
"Five level 10 and under players took down a level 30 Heartless," Jacob said. "It doesn't sound easy."
"It doesn't sound easy, but I guess it's possible," Carmen said.
Back in the game, Gofure and Akira stood face-to-face.
"You're not half-bad," Gofure said as he held out his hand.
"You too," Akira said as he shook it.
"Forget what I said before," Gofure said. "You are worthy of that Keyblade you hold. I hope to battle you again someday. See you two later."
Gofure and his team left the Third District and went back to the First District. Akira and Kimiko then fell to their knees, exhausted.
"That was tough," Kimiko said. "But it was cool."
"Yeah," Akira said.
Suddenly, something began to glow above them. They looked up and saw what looked like a giant glowing keyhole. Akira's Keyblade began to glow as well. Akira pointed the tip of the Keyblade toward the keyhole. A beam of light shot from the tip of the blade and into the hole. Akira then heard a click, and the hole disappeared.
"What just happened?" Akira asked.
"I'm not sure," Kimiko said.
Suddenly, a small red block bounced in front of Akira's feet. He picked it up and began to examine it.
"What's this?" Akira asked.
Kimiko looked at the block, smiled, and snatched it from his hand. She examined it further, and her smile widened.
"Akira," Kimiko said. "Tomorrow, I'll show you something cool. For now, let's head home!"
Kimiko ran to the First District to log-off of the game. Akira looked confused for a minute. He then ran to the First District as well.