An adventurous spin on Kingdom Hearts, a different story but with familiar characters, as a new character takes Sora's place. In this story, we join the intuitive little cartoon known as Shiro, as she finds herself sailing the Seas of Starts in search of her friends, Riku & Kairi. Joining her are the Looniest Toons of the Steampunk City - Acme Acres. All of which are on their own quest to find their King, Bugs Bunny.
An adventurous AU where Disney properties are instead replaced by Warner Brother properties, and more & more video game characters'll be taking a small cameo alongside the Square Enix cast. Another story where you'll never know just what characters to expect.
"Sleeping already? C'mon, Shiro, I thought you were livelier than that." A voice chimed in, as Shiro blissfully falls asleep.
From the damp atmosphere of her own heart…a familiar aroma of the oil & gears once again plagued the toon's black nose. The familiar summer breeze returns to course through the toon's frizzy fur and the pleasant sounds of the marketplace can be heard from outside.
Entering this room comes a boy, towering the small toon. This silver-haired boy gazed upon the sleeping rabbit with his cyan eyes.
Attire-wise, the boy was wearing nothing more than a bright white shirt, a yellow and blue vest, pristine white baggy pants, and pointed blue sandals. His tan and white-furred rabbit friend only groggily muttered, trying to sleep.
"Let me sleep, Riku…a gal's gotta have her beauty sleep." She groggily says. Riku only rolled his eyes.
"PLEASE! So do I, but you don't see me waking up at 3:00 in the afternoon. Now, chop, chop, we've got an important day today." Riku says as he opens the window curtain to reveal the full sunlight.
"HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!" The tan and white rabbit immediately hissed like a cat the moment the sun touched her fur. Before Riku could even react, the toon zipped to the darkest corner of the room.
"Funny, I thought rabbits liked the sun." Riku says rolling his eyes.
"Well, hey!" Shiro says startling the boy, as she suddenly appeared behind him. "Not ALL rabbits like to wake up at the tender hours of 8am!" Shiro says as she simply rested atop Riku's head.
"Still can't believe cartoons like you are well…REAL. Y'know, outside of paper." Riku simply says as he grabs the rabbit by the ears.
"WELL, We're as real as we can get, pally!" Shiro says, smugly as she relinquished herself from Riku's grip by DEATACHING herself from her ears. She soon blew her gloved thumb, making her ears sprout out of her head like plants.
"Alright, here's the gist: I didn't get much sleep, okay? I was in this…prison. And then all of a sudden I was dealin' with these shadow monsters. I couldn't think straight, I was just runnin' and runnin' and then-" Riku stopped her.
"Okay, okay, alright, slow down. The only thing I got from that is...you had a bad dream?" Riku asks as Shiro only chuckles lightly.
"Heh, yeah...I guess so. Still...I dunno. For a dream, really did a damn good job at makin' it seem so real.." Shiro sighs as Riku pets the little rabbit.
"Yeah, dreams'll do that to you, but you're awake now, and we've got a busy schedule today." Riku says.
"If by we, you mean you, who has to bring some payment to Vaan for tomorrow's trip, then indeed you do have a lot to do today. Try to come back home before dark, sweetie!" Shiro says imitating a parental figure. Riku, once again rolls his eyes in annoyance.
"Alright, fine. I have a lot of work today, but you're not off the hook, Shiro." Riku reminds her as he turns to the rabbit...only to see her suddenly swinging on a giant fishhook.
"No kiddin' it's fun!" She says playfully swinging up and down on the fishhook. The silver-haired boy soon grabs the little rabbit by the ears, again. He only looks at the small toon sternly.
"We've got a long journey ahead of us, tomorrow. While I'm off getting the payment for Vaan, YOU gotta get some food and lots of it for the expedition." Riku instructed as he dropped the toon.
"And uhhhh…how do you propose to get Vann's special treasure from the palace?" Shiro asks.
"Simple. I'm sure the castle wouldn't mind if I take a big ol' sword…and maybe a few extra bits of loot for the road." Riku whispered as Shiro only looked at her friend, smugly. The tan and white rabbit wiggled her gloved finger & spoke as if she was indeed a parental figure.
"Riku, Riku, Riku. Always, the troublemaker, ain't ya? How long 'till ya realize Steiner's just too smart for ya? He's got a nose that'll put bloodhound's to shame. You'll NEVER make it to the vault so long as he's around." Shiro says playfully.
"I don't need a smartass like you to doubt me." Riku says as he walks through the room. "Steiner's not gonna get me THIS time. I've planned for EVERY eventuality." He assures the toon as he took out from the corner of the room a wooden plank.
"And your eventuality begins with...a wooden plank?" Shiro asks curiously.
"With every attempt is a chance to learn from your mistakes. See, Steiner always pretends to go to sleep when he's on duty. Today's the day he's on duty and this time, he's gonna fall asleep for real." Riku says mischievously.
"I HEARD OF PHYSICAL COMEDY, BUT YOU'RE GONNA KILL HIM?!" Shiro yells out in shock.
"NO, DUMBASS!" Riku yelled out, surprised by her question.
She simply blinked.
"How can I be a dumbass and a smartass at the same time?" Shiro asks, obliviously. The silver-haired boy, however...he simply pinched his nose in frustration.
"I'm gonna knock him out and find my way to the Castle Vault. This time, I'm getting that sword. Riku says determined as he soon leaped out of the cracked hole. Shiro approaches that hole, seeing Riku zoom down to the bazaar. Shiro only sighs as she places her gloved hands behind her back, casually.
"A camera pan to the city should do well, doncha think?" Shiro says as she looks out to the horizon.
And before her, she sees a mighty kingdom in the distance, A bustling bazaar of wonders, a mighty castle towering the entire world around her…and the sun shining down upon a majestic…and endless ocean.
"Thank ya!"
Adventures of Darkness I: The Age of Exploration
Our story is set here...in the great kingdom of sand...
World Name: The Kismet Winds
Our story begins in a fresh new day. Morning in the festive Kingdom of the Kismet Winds. Just outside the Kingdom's golden barrier, a harbor bustling with Shipwrights, townspeople, and strange creatures alike.
Ships of all kinds are sailing to this one Kingdom, the capital of this adventurous world. Trade ships carrying exotic spices, Imperial ships housing a Royal who clearly wishes to do business with the Sultan of this land.
And if the massive harbor itself is bustling with people of all kinds, then the city itself is on a completely different level. Townspeople, merchants, and travelers from near and far walk through the ancient Arabian marketplace in hopes of making trade and restocking inventory for their ships.
And there. Towering the entire Kingdom…is a castle. A shimmering silver castle with rooftops of cyan, and banners of a shimmering golden scarab.
Marching along the city are guards. Majestic guards cladded in gold armor, wearing red tunics, white pants, and black boots. All of which march with both a halberd and shield at hand.
Truly a paradise of a city.
And walking amongst the people…is Shiro. A little rabbit who's unafraid to show off her toony presence, for these desserts hold stranger things for people to care just…what the hell she is.
The warm sensation of the great summer sun beating down the rabbit's face, and the smooth sensation as she dragged heel pumps across the beauty of the warm desert sand blanketing the ground.
With every turn, she sees an event here, and an event there. An event everywhere.
On one side, she sees nothing but village people communing with themselves, and the constant barking of shopkeepers, persisting everyone to buy their wares, advertising their markets, selling beauties like fruits, and bread, and dates, and many exotic delicacies as far as the little rabbit can see.
On another side...comes the performers, something that she herself does on a daily basis for a few pieces of gold.
The merchants and townspeople look in awe at the performances throughout the streets. Performances stem from jugglers, and flame dancers, to death-defying feats such as sword-swallowing.
In the Kismet Winds, there's always something eventful happening. It's a paradise that she couldn't DARE to dream, even if she tried. Expected from someone…who wasn't even born of this world.
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr
A rumble.
The rabbit looks down to notice a rumbly in her tummy. It's clear that she was hungry, and food on the market has grown too expensive for her & Riku to afford.
"I cooooould just get somethin' off the fridge that I can easily take from my Gag Bag, but why make things easier? We gotta pad out the story SOMEHOW~" The rabbit says smugly as she strolls to the fruit stand.
The moment the merchant's eyes laid on the small rabbit Toon…he could only sigh.
"Oh, it's you." The merchant says with such a bitter tone. The innocent little rabbit only looks ever so sweetly at the merchant, swinging her body back and forth, with her gloved hands behind her back.
"Abdul~ Ohhhhh, how sweet of you to remember me! How're ya? How's the kids? How's the wife?" The tan fez donning buff man only looks the annoying little rabbit in annoyance.
"I have no wife or kids." Shiro soon leaped into the man's arms.
"Call me, and we can change that, big guy~" Shiro simply says as she gives a kiss on Abdul's nose. The angered man soon grips the toon in his hands, squeezing her like a toy.
"You BETTER have intentions of PAYING this time, kid. If not, BEAT IT!" Abdul commands. Immediately retorting, Shiro takes out from her hoodie a microphone and a miniature version of herself. The mini Shiro's hat was off, revealing her messy mane formed into an even messier hairstyle.
Shiro & (Mini Shiro)
BEAT IT~ (Beat it~)
BEAT IT~ (Beat it!)
Shiro & Mini Shiro
No one wants to be defeated!
"ENOUGH!" Abdul yells out as the buff merchant throws the toon's microphone away, and the mini Shiro disappears in the rabbit's gloved hands. "ARE YOU GOING TO BUY SOMETHING OR NOT?!"
Shiro soon detached herself from the merchant's grip, leaving him with a white cottontail.
"WELLLL, That depends! Whatcha got on the market today? Ya can't really expect me to buy somethin' when I don't know what's on the menu, now do ya?" Shiro says cockily making the merchant blink in realization.
"You're so annoying and crazy that at times I forget to do this." Abdul says as he soon takes a crate of inventory from behind the counter, giving Shiro the opportunity to steal a couple of fruits for the trip.
"Well, the special shipment of Rainbow Grapes came in today. And I already placed a couple of Striped Apples on display." Abdul says…and then stops as he immediately noticed most of his striped apples are gone. Shiro simply blinks at him.
"You good for nothing thief-" Abdul started, IMMEDIATELY suspicious of the tan and white rabbit…when suddenly, she zipped to his shoulder.
"I dunno about you, Abby, but I don't see any Striped Apples on here! Seems like you're losin' you're edge." Shiro says hastily, catching the merchant off guard.
"WHAT?! I know for certain I-"
"Abby, Abby, Abby. Is it the old age? Is it the thought of livin' your whole life without a wife or kids? Don't know, don't care! So, howsabout ya go back and get those Apples from those crates, okay? Okay!" Shiro says hastily, too fast for Abdul to catch up.
"But-" Abdul tried to protest, but was immediately stopped by the fast-talking rabbit.
"Glad we could have this lil' chit-chat! NOW, AWAY YA GO!" Shiro says as she turned Abdul around and kicked him to the back of the stand with a smile on her face.
"Dumb rabbit…I swear, one of these days I'll…d'ooohh…maybe she's right, I must've forgotten to put them on display…" Abdul mutters in annoyance as he tries to find the Striped Apple crate. While the merchant's back was turned, Shiro snatched up ALL the ENTIRE crate of Rainbow Grapes and placed it in her Gag Bag.
At that moment, Abdul returned with a crate of more Striped Apples.
"Well, guess you were right. I was so sure that I placed them on dis-PLAY-HEY!" Abdul exclaims as he noticed that his Rainbow Grapes were gone. The merchant was beet red, at this point as the tan and white rabbit simply stuck her green tongue out.
"I WAITED AN ENTIRE MONTH FOR THAT SHIPMENT! WHAT DID YOU DO WITH MY RAINBOW GRAPES-"
"WELL, this has been LOTSA fun, Abby! But I think I've got enough food on my hands. AH, WHAT THE HELL!" Shiro says as she took Abdul by surprise by also taking the crate of Striped Apples from his hands.
"TOODLES!" Shiro says happily as she placed her Portable Hole just behind her, fell into it with a single step back…and disappeared. Leaving a bewildered and enraged Abdul.
"I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL YOU ARE, BUT ONE DAY, YOU'RE GONNA PAY, YOU DAMN THIEF!" Abdul screams out for ALL of the Kismet Winds to see…and look in confusion.
"Ehehe…" Abdul chuckles bashfully as all eyes were on him.
Seems like Shiro's preparations for tomorrow's journey went off without a hitch. Now…what of Riku's preparation?
The Palace
Just at the edge of town stands a great stone bridge extending leading to the mighty palace towering the entire city. A shimmering sandy-colored castle with golden roofs.
Riku stands before such a mighty masterpiece, towering the entire city of the Kismet Winds. Surrounding both him and the narrow bridge lies sandy desert gorge.
Riku's objection is simple – Captain Vaan expects payment for the perilous voyage ahead of him. Not in gold, however, no. The payment…is the blade that the Royal Army took from him long ago – The Ultima Blade.
He continues walking across the bridge until he sees one Knight. A single silver-clad knight standing in the front entrance...one of many guards of course, though it's his most annoying hurdle. The knight is asleep, lounging on a lounge chair, and snoring his cares away.
Riku, however, knew Steiner by now.
It will take more than sneakily getting past him to get inside the palace, but even so he continued to walk to the palace casually, and carefully as the silver knight sleeps. However, the moment, Riku made it to the palace door, unbeknownst to him, Steiner opens one eye, completely devoid of any sleep...the knight smiles.
"Riku you little punk...walking in while I'm 'asleep?'" Steiner whispers to himself as he tip-toed to Riku with his hands out, unbeknownst to the boy in question. As soon as Riku made his way to the doorknob of the palace...
"WHOOPS!" Riku cried out and without even looking forward, he places the wooden plank behind his back, slamming Steiner on the head as hard as he can with it.
Stars swirled around the knight as he soon...fell to the ground, unconscious. Riku turned around and smiled as he threw the piece of wood down the gorge.
"Who's the lil' punk now, Steiner? I'll be outta there in no time...I JUST need to find that chart hall." Riku taunts as he entered the Palace...slowly opening the palace door. With but a single peek he can already see the hallways filled with...
"Guards. A lot of them. I'm a goner if I just walk RIGHT in there. That damned Steiner really thought up everything, huh?" Riku says as he turned to the unconscious guard. He smirked gaining an idea.
CREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAK
The creak of the castle door echoed throughout the main hall. Many of the guards in the foyer were on high alert as…Steiner? Entered the castle?
"Captain Steiner!" One of the guards yelled out saluting...as did the others. He was right...yet...he WASN'T right. Though surprisingly no one caught on, it was Riku completely clad in Steiner's armor.
"Ahem, good work, men. Now, back on patrol with you." Riku started with his gruffest impersonation of Steiner possible.
"Good work? B-but the intruder, Captain, is there any sign of him?" A guard asks.
"The intruder hasn't made his way here. I think it's safe to say that we intimidated him quite enough. Back to your posts." Riku commanded as the guards only looked in confusion.
"Uh...but-" A guard says, but was completely stopped by Riku.
"Are you defying your commanding officer?" Riku says suspiciously, and in a dangerous tone as the guards looked at the knight in fear. They gulped and shook their heads no, as fast as possible.
"Good. Now, how are you to protect the Sultan IF YOU'RE JUST LAZYING AROUND HERE LIKE A BUNCH OF DAMN LEMMINGS?! GET BACK TO YOUR POSTS AND THAT'S AN ORDER!" Riku commanded.
"SIR, YES, SIR!" The guards all yelled out in unison as they all went their separate ways...leaving Riku alone. The armor-wearing boy smiled.
"A better question is how the hell is the Sultan protected when his army's full of idiots?" Riku says to himself in his normal tone. He soon scanned the silver-shining floors and crimson-decorated foyer of the Sultan's Palace.
"Now...to find that vault." Riku says as he got to looking around.
Castle Corridors
With the echoes of his shoes, Riku has ditched the armor and is now walking through the deepest darkest corridors of the castle.
The only light was the orange sunlight passing through the corridor windows. He spoke…these words through the echoing corridors.
With every attempt, comes a chance at learning and memorizing with each attempt. The boy needs no map to find his way to the Castle Vault, anymore. He has the layout memorized. Today was an even more perfect day with the lack of guards.
"No guards. If everything goes well, I'll be in and out of this place in no time. Heh, Steiner won't even know I came in here~" Riku sings as he travels deeper and deeper to the dungeon levels of the castle.
Unbeknownst to him, he has passed the pathway leading to what appears to be someone's bedchamber. The bedchamber door silently opened.
Riku was not alone. Someone has heard him.
But he does not know this…as he has finally reached the Castle Undercroft. Awaiting him…is a door with two braziers on both sides, completely unlit. No doubt, the door to the vault.
The boy tried to open the door…but no cigar. Almost as if it was bolted shut.
"Sealed tight. Figures…I should've bargained for something to ACTUALLY get me in." Riku cursed.
Suddenly, taking the boy by surprise…flames bellowed atop the braizers. Two beautiful blue flames…almost as if it was aware of either Riku's…or rather someone else's presence. The door slowly opens.
"Huh. Not sure what happened, but I'll take it." Riku simply says.
Soon, the silver-haired boy looks in awe and amazement, as he enters a large and empty chamber with a gigantic stained-glass window of a scarab. The chamber was filled with treasures shimmering in gold…and something glowing in the center of the room.
The sunset's embrace shined through the window…and on…a sword. A shimmering copper sword with blue jewels throughout the blade.
The Ultima Blade. The silver-haired boy only gives a smug smirk…as he approached the throne and grabbed the blade.
"The Ultima Blade. I…I finally made it. All that's left is to take it, and BOOM; our spot's secured." Riku says as he sheathed the Ultima Blade, and got walking.
"Grrrrrrrrrrrrr" Only to immediately turn around to be greeted with the face of a tiger.
"Oh, crap…" Riku says meekly.
"Expedition you say? Oh…hoho, you'll embarking on an expedition, but something quite different than what you initially thought." A new voice says sternly.
Entering the vault, an walked to the tiger's side unafraid…was a girl.
"You'll be spending your 'expedition' in the Dungeons for trespassing!" She finishes.
A girl a year younger than Riku. Ocean blue eyes and hair a shining crimson red, a small golden ring just at the top of her pampered auburn hair tied to a bun.
Attire wise she seems to have golden everything, golden leg brace, golden bracelets, golden necklace, golden curled shoes, and her attire being a scarlet sleeveless top, and baggy pants.
Riku knows who exactly who he's dealing with. Her face is everywhere in the city...it's the Sultan's adopted daughter...Princess Kairi.
"I-uh-listen..uh...your majesty...I swear I can exp-" Riku stuttered trying to think of some way out of this, but the tiger gave a vicious growl, once more, making Riku back away in fear. The Princess only got closer...and more hostile towards the boy.
"Who are you, and what happened to Captain Steiner? Give me one good reason why I won't have you beheaded on the spot?" Kairi says as she came closer, to which Riku only backed up in fear. To his dismay, he backed himself behind the throne.
"Your Majesty, PLEASE, I didn't mean any harm! I'm just here for this sword, that's it! I-it's the ONLY place I could find it! M-my only CHANCE to find it!" Riku tried to explain, but Kairi cut him off.
"So, you think it's lawful to sneak inside the palace and knock out my guardian?" Kairi demanded.
"Well...if you put it that way..." Riku says quietly.
"GUARDS! G-" Kairi cried out.
"WAIT! PLEASE, DON'T CALL THE GUARDS!" Riku whispered loudly, but the Princess wasn't having it.
"And WHY not?" Kairi barked back.
"BECAUSE! I JUST WANT TO FIND THE TOWER OF BABEL!" Riku cried out. Kairi only looked at the boy as her glare softened up, she only looked at the boy in confusion, and bewilderment.
"T-The Tower of Babel?! N-not only are you a thief, but you're crazy!" The Princess exclaims.
"How am I crazy?!" Riku protests.
"The tower is just a myth! And even IF it's real, which I doubt, the voyage would be a perilous one, ESPEICALLY without the ONLY chart in existence!" Kairi retorts.
"Is that right?" Riku asks.
"Yeah!" Kairi asserts as the silver-haired boy soon took something out of his pocket.
"Then what do you think of this?" Riku asserts as he presents to the Princess a piece of parchment. The girl's blue eyes widened. And she looked at the boy in bewilderment.
"Th-this is…the map…No. No, this is crazy. It CAN'T be the real piece." Kairi says, astonishingly.
"I thought so, too. But it's not easy to fake charts like these. Especially from a place no one…except Captain Sinbad and his crew has seen. Which means…" Riku explains.
"It really IS the map to the Tower of Babel…" Kairi says in awe.
"We all believed that the Tower of Babel is all just a fairy tale. Well, tomorrow, Captain Vaan plans to make this old fairy tale a reality. Treasures, and mystical and magical artifacts beyond our wildest dreams…and I have the map." Riku explains making both the Princess & the Tiger agape.
"But…those charts were lost at sea long ago, and Sinbad was never even heard from again. How…could a street rat like you acquire it?" Kairi asks suspiciously.
"What as the tale again? That Sinbad encased the map in a bottle…and set it afloat for the one deemed worthy of finding out the secrets of the world?" Riku asks the Princess.
"You…you FOUND that bottle…" Kairi says in awe. Evidently, Kairi shook her head, trying to snap back into reality. "Wait, wait…this is CRAZY! YOU'RE CRAZY! All of this crazy gibberish doesn't even explain why you're even here!"
"That sword." Riku says pointing to the Ultima Blade. "Captain Vaan's been wanting it back ever since the Royal Army took it. I bring back that sword to him…he secures me and my friend passage aboard his ship, The Galbana. I'd do anything, Princess, even if it means stealing from the Royal Army. ANYTHING…to secure my freedom." Riku could only say. Kairi only looks at the boy in confusion.
"Freedom? You're a prisoner? We-well, you're about to be one, so you might as well be a double offender." Kairi says rolling her eyes.
"I may end up a prisoner, Princess…but you're a prisoner, too. We ALL are." Riku empathized. Kairi only looked at the boy in surprise.
"W-What are you talking about?" Kairi asks.
"You KNOW that you're not even from here, don't you?" Riku retorts. This was what made the Princess go silent.
"H-how do you know?" Kairi couldn't help but ask.
"It just doesn't add up to me. The story we've all heard about you was that sailors found you around 10 years ago. Drifting on the seas with nothing more than a wooden plank. On top of all this…YOU have a Royal Crest. But how? Where did you even come from…and how are you a royalty if we've never even HEARD of you until your rescue?" Riku demands. Kairi…was completely taken aback by this.
And the worst part of it is…she knows how right he is.
"For a mere street rat, you really…ARE perspective. I-it's true. There are…dreams I've had of a prosperous Kingdom, bathed under a majestic white sun. I've had…an inkling that maybe it was there that I was born. But I don't even remember my home to know if it's true or not. The dreams are the only thing to come by." Kairi explains.
"Would you want to go back?" Riku asks.
"To the place I was birthed in? It…WOULD be nice, yes. I've grown to like it here. But…" Kairi says as she lowers her head…with much in her thoughts.
"Maybe…I AM a prisoner." Kairi confessed. "I've been so…confined within the castle walls. Everything just...handed to you, everything done for you for generations to come, until you realize...you can't do anything by yourself. The only thing that drives me…is a beautiful balcony view of the ocean."
"Hmph…we're more alike than you think, Princess." Riku says amidst a slight chuckle.
"You've mentioned that you felt imprisoned, too…but how? You can gallivant all around the Kismet Winds doing just about anything you please. Surely, you couldn't possibly think THAT to be a prison, could you?" Kairi asks.
"In every story, there's always a tale of a brave knight going on daring adventures, journeying to different unknown lands, and slaying the mightiest of foes. Sure, there's much the Kismet Winds has to offer…but is there really? Day-by-day, it's the same thing, from both land and sea. There's nothing eventful...there's no adventure or anything here. We're basically trapped in a book where nothing happens...and I alone can't make the story come to life and open up a new chapter." Riku explained.
"A new chapter…" Kairi echoes.
"Imagine, if you will, Princess. A sea far greater than these. A majestic sea of stars that harbors a completely different land…prosperous, filled with a rich…and majestic atmosphere. Surely, if such a thing exists then…why did we land on the blandest one? We could've easily found ourselves in something better, right? Riku asks. Kairi lowered her head...pondering at such a thought.
"I never thought of it that way...I've heard of these other worlds...but I would always dismiss them as some sort of fairy tale..." Kairi says.
"Lying around in this boiling hot desert with not a change of scenery won't do anything. That's why I'm here. To find the one place…that could start off the adventure of a lifetime…for me and my friend, Shiro." Riku says as he only sighs.
"Wow...you...really thought a lot about this, haven't you?" Kairi asks simply astonished. Riku soon turned to the Princess seriously.
"Isn't there a place that you've always wanted to go to? Any place in any world out in the cosmos, Princess?" Riku asks. Kairi ponders...but soon she thought up something.
"Aside from the place I grew up in, I've read somewhere...that there's an oasis somewhere in the stars. And there lies a tree that grows a special tropical fruit. The natives call it the Paopu Fruit. If two people share it, their destinies become intertwined. They'll remain a part of each other's lives...no matter what. I had always hoped that one would sprout here...but no. None in existence." Kairi sighs. Riku soon makes his way to the library window...gazing at the view of the bright sunset.
"If that island exists, and if…other worlds really do exist, then our only answer lies there…in the Tower of Babel. It'll be a brand new chapter of such an adventurous story…for me, and Shiro." Riku says, determinedly.
"Can I be a part of your story?" The Princess asks.
"Of course, Princess." Riku bowed as Kairi only giggled. Riku's story has completely turned her into a completely different being in comparison to when they first met.
"Kairi will be fine." She introduces.
"Fair enough, Kairi. I'm Riku." Riku introduces. They both smiled at each other. But soon...their happiness came to a short when...
"STREET RAT TWEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRP!" A loud and angry roar was heard through the Undercroft. Riku and Kairi gulped, knowing precisely just who's voice is that.
"Damn! Looks like Steiner's awake." Riku whispered.
Hastily, Kairi tapped the bottom of the lone throne, revealing a hollow staircase leading into nothing more than darkness.
"Down there is an emergency escape route installed long ago should Pirates or Vandals invade the palace. It'll take you back to the city Now take the sword and go. The voyage to the Tower of Babel could be dangerous." Kairi whispered as Riku nodded his head in agreement.
He enters the hollow stairway, but not before poking his head out from the darkness.
"You don't have to be couped up in this castle all your life, Kairi. You can come with us to the expedition." Riku offered.
"But…" Kairi starts…as she looked down, pondering. Until Riku soon spoke out these words.
"Don't let your heart be a prison. All you've gotta do is follow it." This…made Kairi look at the street rat agape.
"WHERE IS HE?! I SWEAR TO GOD, I'M GONNA RIP HIM APART!" Steiner yells as Riku and Kairi could hear him stomping through the corridors…EVER so close to the vault.
"We leave tomorrow morning. Think about it." Riku whispers…before finally taking his leave into the darkness. Kairi tapped the throne, once more making it move back to its regular position. As if on cue, Steiner enters the vault.
"AHA! Wha?" Steiner says as he looks in confusion. He sees nothing in suspicion...nothing or no one except the Princess. Steiner only bows.
"A thousand pardons, Princess Kairi, but have you seen an intruder in here? A boy...with silver hair?" Steiner asks. Kairi only laughs nervously.
"Nope! No silver-haired boy here, hehehe..." Kairi says smiling nervously. Steiner looked at the Princess suspiciously at first but then dismissed it. He bows once more.
"I'll alert your father; he may still be in the Palace. For your safety, Princess, I recommend returning to your bedchambers. MEN, RISE UP, WE'VE GOT A BRAT TO FIND!" Steiner yelled out as the other guards chimed in.
"SIR, YES, SIR!" The guards yelled out as they and Steiner ran throughout the palace, leaving the Princess alone in the library. She only sighs as she leaned down on the throne. She then looked down on it…with only one thing echoing her mind.
"All I have to do…is follow my heart." Kairi says softly.
Shiro & Riku's Home
Another day began to pass. The sun was beginning to set, the skies grew gold, and the seas glistened with the sun's light. At Shiro & Riku's house, the rabbit simply makes both her and Riku's bed, or rather matt, as the toon simply looks to the shining sun as she waits for Riku.
And judging by the heavy panting behind her, he's not that far.
"Well, well, well. Took your sweet time, didn't ya?" Shiro says, smugly, as Riku enters the home with the book at hand. "And what's the story today, Riku?" Triumphantly, Riku twirls the Ultima Blade on his finger.
"Hook, line, and sinker, Shiro." Riku says, pridefully. Shiro tilts her head in confusion looking at the blade.
"Vaan got ya to hound Steiner over a dumb ol' sword? Doesn't he have one, already?" Shiro couldn't help but ask.
"He owned the sword before the Royal Army attacked his ship and tried to take him in. But, that's a thing in the past. He gets his sword; we get passage aboard the Galbana." Riku says. "What about you? Remember we'll need as much food for the trip as possible. Were you able to get some?"
"DONE, AND DONE!" Shiro says happily as she presented to the boy the crates of apples & crates, she…"
"You didn't happen to STEAL all of those from Abdul, did you?" Riku asks, mockingly as the clown smiles nervously.
"Noooooooo, goodness, what gave you that idea?" Shiro says with a wide, sharp-toothed grin. Riku only looked at the rabbit weirdly with his mouth opened.
"...Intuition."
"Ah, intuition, shimtuition, rest up, will ya!? We've got a long day ahead of us!" Shiro says as she placed the crates back into her bag and quickly slept.
"You're such a nutjob, y'know that?" Riku says to himself as he took to his bed. Silence emanates from the empty room. Only nothing more than the cool desert breeze, and the golden skies turn to the blackest night.
"Shiro?" Riku asks. Shiro soon shuffles to face the boy.
"Hmm?" Shiro asks.
"Any memories of home? Riku asks.
"...What, y'mean in the paper? Sure…I guess?" Shiro responds confusedly.
"Wouldn't you want to go back there?"
"Back to the paper are you kidding?"
"NO-NO-NO! Not back to the paper! I mean...that paper had to have come from somewhere, don't you think? And if it did, wouldn't you want to go back there? I mean...you had to have been created by someone, right?" Riku asks. The tan and white rabbit soon gave it some more thought.
"Y'know, now that ya mention it. Maybe I did come from somewhere. I mean...I don't think this desert has some magic paper that'll bring a drawing to life. So, I'll give ya that. Finding some creator would be nice, I guess." Shiro responds. "Besides…it would be nice."
"What would be?"
"Well…I guess findin' people that y'know…looks just like me." Shiro says with a hint of disappointment in her voice. Riku couldn't help but look at his rabbit friend in confusion.
"What do you mean?" Riku asks.
"Look at me, Riku. I'm a toon. A CLOWN, BASICALLY! The only way for someone like me to survive is through the laughter of everyone else. But, recently I've been...lonely, I guess." Shiro says in defeat. The silver-haired boy tilts his head in confusion.
"Huh…this is the first time I've heard that coming from a LITERAL talking rabbit that can do just about anything if the comedic timing's right." Riku says in surprise.
"Ah let's face it, Riku, I stick out like a sore thumb. I look the kind that don't take no for an answer, but I'm still a Toon. I wanna crack some jokes 'n dish out some pies 'n anvils with people like me! If I do it here, someone could get hurt or worse...and toons don't do all that unless it's funny and ya KNOW the target won't get hurt. I just...wanna feel like I belong somewhere." Shiro explains, earning a caring pet on the head by Riku.
"Then...allow me another question." Riku simply says.
"Sure, shoot." Shiro quips.
"What's your dream? What's something you want the most out of life?" Riku couldn't help but ask.
Shiro soon lowered her head. It's clear that she hasn't been asked something like that...especially from Riku. She soon looked at the silver-haired boy in deep thought.
"Y'know…no one ever really asked me that, huh? Well…I think there's one thing I wanna do that looks…VERY cool." Shiro replies.
"What would that be?" Riku asks.
"Well, as you know, I take pride in makin' all sorts of things on my own. Props, gags, tricks, all sorts of lil' things that'll either make people laugh or go BOOM. But I've always wanted to pop into the inner machinations…of an Airship." Shiro explains as Riku looks at her, confusedly.
"An…Airship?" Riku asks.
"The seas, Riku…it just ain't my thing. Just imagine, instead…high flyin' in the skies. Broaden my horizons and see what lies beyond the clouds…maybe even the stars, themselves." Shiro says as the wind blows through her fur.
"Go where the wind takes you…and soar like a bird. That really is the definition of freedom, huh?" Riku couldn't help but ask.
"You of all people would want that, Riku." Shiro replies with such enthusiasm as she raised her gloved hands to the night sky.
"Truthfully, I was all fine & dandy with stayin' here, 'cause this place is an adventure on its own. But the more I gaze at those balls o'light, and the more you talk about Dungeons, and Sinbad, and all kinds of adventures, well…now I wanna see what's out there for myself." Shiro explains. Leaving Riku speechless, and in awe.
"Shiro…" He simply mutters. "I've…never seen this side of you."
"Would either of us be thinkin' about all this if we hadn't met?" Shiro replies in a snarky tone, earning a chuckle from the silver-haired boy.
"Y'know, you make a good point." Riku replies. Soon, he raised his hand towards Shiro. "So how 'bout it, Lil buddy? The sky's the limit. Airships, where you came from, and everything else the stars in the Cosmos have to offer. Let's brave through them, together." The rabbit only smiles.
"As if you even need to say it, Riku." Shiro says as she grabbed his hand…as they both shook on it. Soon enough, Riku looked to the map, one last time…before going to sleep.
"Once we depart, Shiro...it'll be great. Just the three of us. Yeah Me, you...and Kairi." Riku says in thought as the two looked to the twinkling night skies.
Unbeknownst to them, however, one of those twinkling stars…disappeared from the skies completely.
The sun with a literal smile on its face shines down high on a completely new world. A vibrant, fantastical…and advanced world. Far advanced compared to the desserts of the Kismet Winds. The pink skies shine down upon a 2-dimensional world with buildings & architecture akin to that of Victorian London.
Flying throughout the world are airships and hot-air balloons aplenty. Be it the smallest skiffs, to the LARGEST of galleons. Flying freely throughout the world are small creatures with helmets atop their heads and propellers for tails – Gremlins. Mechanical gurus be it innovative…or destructive.
Our story continues in a distant realm. A world where only cartoons roam. An innovative land of both laughter and violence…violence because let's be real, would you REALLY want to get hit in the head with an anvil?
The Steampunk City known as...Acme Acres.
Now we can understand the source of Shiro's intuitive & inventive nature.
High up on the rooftops of Acme Acres is a wolf. A wolf with brown fur and a bright red nose, gazing upon a carriage riding through the streets. The carriage contains a pack of sheep, and their Sheepdog Guardian driving the carriage.
Licking his lips, just TASTING the sheep dinner in the carriage, the wolf unveils his latest invention – Clockwork Wings. Like a kite, the wolf glides across the Acme Rooftops and flew into the carriage, unbeknownst to the Sheepdog Coachman.
The Wolf has successfully infiltrated the Coach. In celebration, he takes out a fork & knife to prepare his feast on the sheep.
….
Instead, he riding the coach….with the sheepdog. The wolf chuckles bashfully.
"Ehehehe….Mornin' Sam~" The wolf says nervously.
"Mornin' Ralph." The Sheepdog greets nicely…before grabbing Ralph by the neck and continuously punches him all the way through the carriage ride…to the castle.
DING! DONG! DING! DONG!
The Castle Clock chimes its great chime throughout the city.
Towering this world is a gigantic silver cartoon castle with red rooftops. Purple steam flies throughout the castle chimneys, and its towers are twisted in a cartoon fashion.
At the very center of the castle, there is a great crest shimmering in the very center of the land; a golden plaque-shaped crest with the initials WB engraved in gold.
Strolling across the long velvet red carpet of this clock & geared-filled golden corridor is a tiny little cartoon character. A tiny green worm with round-rimmed glasses, and a top hat with goggles.
This little worm was no doubt the castle Chronicler, Bookworm.
"And I pride myself if being a fine storyteller!" The little worm says to me as he soon approached…the double doors. In the center of the corridor is a steel crimson door larger than any toon in all of Acme Acres, let alone the tiny worm himself.
But he heeded no mind to it. Instead, Bookworm simply knocked on the door with his tiny nubs. It seems it was enough to even render his tiny nubs, because the moment he did…a SECOND door opened. An even smaller one atop the gigantic double doors.
"What, you didn't expect us to actually use a door twice our size, did you?" Bookworm says to the audience as he soon steps inside the giant throne room, a shimmering hall surrounded by a moat of water.
"A humble good morning to you, your Majesty!" Bookworm says as he slithers across the velvet crimson carpet. At the center of this great throne room is a small set of stairs leading to the two shimmering thrones side by side the statue of a duck archer and a pig alchemist. Unbeknownst to Bookworm…
"And it truly is nice to see you this mor-"
He's gazing upon the wrong person sitting on the throne.
Instead, sitting on the King's throne is a pitch-black duck adorned in a purple robe, and a crown atop his head. He is, of course, NOT the King of Acme Acres…but the Grand Archer, Daffy Duck.
"Ahhh~ if it isn't our most humble Storyteller, Bookworm. To what do I, the TRUE King of Acme Acres, owe the pleasure of our most GRACIOUS meeting, this fine morning?" The duck announces eloquently.
Bookworm only blinks in confusion.
"Uhh…Daffy, where's the King?" Bookworm simply asks. The dramatic black duck only gasps in surprise.
"I am shocked that you'd have to ask that question! Why, you're looking at him, of course!" Daffy recoils, defensively.
Bookworm only gazes at the duck with a bored look in his eyes. Daffy finally quits the act.
"Alright, FINE." Daffy relents as he got off the throne and dismissed his robe and crown. "I didn't see ol' Bugsy this morning, so I've decided to take it upon my OWN hands to rule the Kingdom."
"You do realize that Queen Lola wouldn't want that, right?" Bookworm asks.
"SHE WOULDN'T, but my dearest Tina would bore than honored to take Lola's place." Daffy bolsters. Bookworm only rolls his eyes.
Normally any attempts to usurp the rulers would resolve in quite a messy business, but Bookworm knows better because…he's talking to a moron.
"I don't need to my character to be besmirched by some no-account narrator!" Daffy asserts as Bookworm only pinches the bridge of his glasses.
"DAFFY!" Bookworm exclaims, gaining the duck's attention. "If you haven't seen the King since this morning, then why didn't you tell anyone?"
"Oh, because it's Bugsy. He'll turn up eventually." Daffy assures…unfortunately, he never turned up.
"Do you perhaps have any idea where he might be?" Bookworm asks. Before Bookworm could get an answer, Daffy snatched up the little work.
"Look, ya lil' creepy crawly. I'm sure what you're worrying about is nothing short of a short trip. King Bugs'll be back before you know it. Now run along, play in traffic, and try not to worry about it. King Bugs is fiiiiiiiiine." Daffy assures as he escorts Bookworm out of the throne room.
But not until both birds head a muffled…
"BLAGHAAAABLABLBLBLLBLALAAA!"
"Was that…Taz?" Bookworm asks. This made Daffy tense up, easily.
"O-of course not! You must be hearing the wind!" Daffy stammers.
"BLAGHAAAABLABLBLBLLBLALAAA!"
Before either of them could get a word in edge wise, a tan and white-furredcreature spun from behind the throne room and gazed at Daffy with a blood-shot look in his eyes…and what appears to be rope in his teeth.
It was the King's royal, trusted, and…EXTREMELY hostile companion – Taz the Tasmanian Devil.
"YOU TIED UP TAZ?!" Bookworm exclaims.
"…..He was in the wrong place at the wrong time." Daffy lies.
"BLAAAAAGHBLBLAALLBAHHHH!" Taz screams out as he forms into a miniature tornado and immediately darted at Daffy. Bookwork quickly got out of the way, but Daffy…well he wasn't able to escape the miniature tornado.
Evidently, Taz spits Daffy out completely featherless.
"Some loyal vassals YOU all turn out to be…" Daffy mutters as Bookwork soon crawls to Taz.
"Um…excuse me, Taz?" Bookworm asks gaining the Tasmanian Devil's attention. "Daffy's antics aside, do you by chance know where King Bugs could be? It…doesn't quite seem like him to miss my morning greetings."
"Maybe this help. BLAAAAAAAAAGH!" Taz says as he soon spits out a letter with the WB seal; The King's seal.
"Uh…yes…that could work. Thank you, Taz." Bookworm says in disgust as he took from his Hammerspace some gloves to intercept the drool-covered letter. Bookworm reads the letter. His eyes bulging to each word upon it.
"Um…Daffy?" Bookwork calls out as said duck got back up from the ground, gluing his feathers back together.
"What?" Daffy mutters bitterly.
"It uh…it seems this letter's addressed to you and Porky." Bookworm says. This was enough for Daffy to immediately zip to the small worm.
"WHAT!? Ohhh, brother. If that DESPICABLE rabbit ain't sharing his throne with me, then what could he POSSIBLY write to me for?" Daffy says in annoyance as he skims the letter….And then the skimming turns to actually reading it…trying to comprehend what the King has said.
Soon…he cracks.
"Hoo-hoo. H-h-hoo-hoo hohohohohohohooooo HOO-HOOO! HOHOHOHOH H-H-HOOOHOOO! HOHOHOHOHOOHOOOO HOHOHOHOHHOHOHOOOO!" The duck suddenly went into hysterics and whooped his signature whoop as he bounced on the walls like the Toon he is and barreled out of the throne room.
Leaving a confused Tasmanian Devil and Bookworm.
What his problem?" Taz growled. Bookworm simply shrugs.
Castle Gardens
Still, in a frantic fit, Daffy sped through the castle halls and into the lush green that is the castle gardens. Throughout the land are zany and silly trimmings placed throughout the hedges.
Resting by the statue of Bugs Bunny in the center of the garden is a pig adorned in a blue robe, and a poofy hat atop his head. Strapped to his waist is a belt buckle full of potions of many different colors.
"Porky, PORKS! UP AND AT 'EM! WE'VE GOT A MAJOR CRISIS!" Daffy yells out with such urgency in his voice.
"Hello." A man says peering out from the bushes, with an apple in his hand. Daffy only glared and simply pushed the man back into the bush.
"Adam," Daffy says to the audience, bluntly. The duck was soon interrupted by the loud snores of the 'Royal Guard'. The duck only sighed.
"Lesson #1, kiddos. Never expect a pig to stay awake for more than 10 minutes." The duck sighed as he slapped himself in frustration. "Alright, hold still, Porks, this'll only hurt say…a lot." Daffy says as he took an arrow and aimed his bow at the pig's…rump roast. Immediately, he took the shot.
The pig's eyes snapped wide awake.
"YAAHHOHOHOHOHHOOWWWW!" The pig alchemist screams out as he zips into the air like a rocket, and is immediately sent flying down to the shrub behind Daffy.
"A-A-A-A-Alchemist Porky Pig, r-r-reporting for duty!" The pig yells out as he pops out from the shrubs and frantically salutes like the soldier he is. He soon relaxed at the sight of Daffy.
"Oh, g-g-g-good morning, D-D-D-D-D-D-D-" The pig tries to greet amidst his stutter, but the duck clamped his mouth shut in annoyance.
"Alright, alright, slow down before ya hurt yourself," Daffy says as he got closer to the pig. "Now listen, we've got a serious problem. But ya can't tell ANYONE." Daffy says in a hush-hush tone.
"B-But-" Porky started, but was stopped by the duck.
"No ifs, ands, or buts. We can't tell ANYONE." Daffy says.
"Eh, y-y-ye-YES, BUTS!" Porky FINALLY objects. "Eh, w-we can't just keep secrets to Queen Lola of all people! J-just think of the consequences! Y'know what they say, Daffy: T-t-t-the rage of Lola Frostbane is colder than a t-t-t-toon's scorn!" Porky says, fearfully.
"Well, Porks, ya better bring a sweater, because this lil' mission is between the both of us. AND NO FORCE IN THE WORLD'LL PRY ME TO FESS UP!" Daffy announced to the high heavens.
…..
"Fess up about what?"
The voice alone was enough to make the Duck Archer's courage drop to 0, and his feathers stand on edge.
The duck and the guard turned to see the said three maidens approaching them.
The Queen's Lady-in-Waiting, and Daffy's sweetheart, Tina Russo. Caretaker of the Garden, and Porky's sweetheart, Petunia Pig. And lastly, the Queen of Acme Acres herself, Lola Bunny.
"Y'know you ain't so good at keeping secrets, Daff. Doesn't really help that you're loud." Tina says casually as the black duck chuckled bashfully.
"Well, it must be an important one if it means keeping it from your QUEEN of all people." Petunia says in suspicion as she motions to Lola who only taps her foot.
"Eheh…uhhh, well, y'see…" Daffy babbled.
"Is there something you'd like to share with the class, Daffy?" The Queen asks sternly.
"Oh uh...u-um..." Daffy says, stammering.
"Oh, D-d-d-du-Daffy. I hardly knew thee." Porky mourns as he took his hat off in mourning. Daffy sighs.
"Well…it's like this." Daffy confessed.