black creatures who looked like blobs of ink.
"Horace!", yelled Oswald, "We'll save you!"
They charged at the black blobs and started taking them down. The blobs ran around in circles dodging them.
Xenus raised his keyblade and shots balls of purple fire at them, "Dark Fira!"
Eventually all the blobs literally burnt out and left dry black stains on the road. The horse, Horace, ran up to them.
"Thank you, your majesty!", he said, "You saved my life."
"It wasn't just me.", he said almost reluctantly, "Xenus and Mickey here helped. They've come to help take out the Blot."
Horace looked at Mickey and gasped.
"Mickey Mouse?!", he cried, "The Mickey Mouse? I used to live in your Disney Town. It's Horace Horsecollar. Remember me?!"
Mickey smiled and was about to nod when he paused looking confused.
Horace sighed, "Don't feel bad... Everyone really did forget about me. Guess it's true that everyone in this world gets forgotten about..."
"Sorry Horace", said Mickey, "My memory's just a bit fuzzy."
He laughed nervously but Xenus wasn't sure if that was the case.
'What kinda world is this? A world in Yen Sid's basement, where his former student rules, and nobody has hearts, and their all forgotten in the outside worlds...?'
"Well thank you kindly, Mickey and Xenus!", Horace smiled and left.
When all four were alone, Xenus looked at Oswald seriously.
"Oswald-I mean, KING Oswald", he asked, "What kind of world is this?"
At first Oswald looked at him sternly before his expression softened, "Just 'Oswald' is fine, and I wish I knew myself. What I do know are two things: everybody in this world has been forgotten and nobody here has a heart. People would kill for a heart; it could be our ticket out of here."
"But why do you want to get out of here?", Mickey asked, "Other than the Blot, all looks just swell here."
"Because we've left our old worlds and we all want to go home", said Gus.
Xenus looked at the ground. It all sort of made sense to him. This world was an afterlife of sorts; all the people here lost their hearts and then came to this town.
"So why'd everyone outside of this world forget about you?", asked Xenus.
"Maybe...", thought Mickey aloud, "So nobody would have to be missed..."
Oswald's eyes widened then he looked down emotionless, "But...nobody would miss me..."
He whispered and nobody seemed to hear him. He looked up, drew his keyblade, and looked sharp.
"Come on", he said, "We've got mini Blots to clobber..."
He ran ahead and everyone looked up before chasing after him.
-
A little ways ahead, they spotted several more small black blobs. Xenus drew his keyblade but the blobs seemed to show no interest and all scurried down the street.
"Get back here!", Xenus ran after them.
They went around a corner and saw about a dozen blobs forming together into a large black monster about 20 feet high. It was pitch black and had a menacing ghost like face.
Gus gasped, "The Shadow Blot!"
Xenus ran ahead of them and Mickey drew his keyblade and followed. Oswald had a troubled look on his face but ran after them.
/Notice: Fight the Blot...
Xenus began by dashing in and whacking the Blot with his keyblade. The blot swiped at him and knocked him away. Remembering the previous fights, Xenus jumped back and shot at it with Dark Fira, in hopes of setting it on fire. Unfortunately it didn't have as much effect. Mickey and Oswald were doing little damage as well.
/Limit: Trinity Limit
Xenus, Mickey, and Oswald jumped onto the air. Oswald and Mickey slashed at the Blot from either side and Xenus thrusted his into the ground. There was a huge flash of light and the Blot shrunk back.
After several more hits from either end, the beast was no more. Xenus put away his keyblade.
"Ha!", he laughed, "That was easy. That monster hardly put up a fight."
"Hm...", thought Mickey, "Perhaps too easy..."
Without an explanation, Oswald started running ahead. Gus gasped.
"Your majesty?", he called, "Where are you going?"
Oswald didn't answer as he disappeared.
"We should go after him!", said Mickey, "Something isn't right!"
Before anyone could answer he took of and Xenus had to run to catch up to him.
"Hey!", cried Gus, "Wait for me!"
/Notice: Oswald has left the party.
Xenus and Mickey found themselves in a dark barren landscape. The ground was black, almost as black as the blob's ink.
Suddenly more blobs appeared and Xenus and Mickey reacted quickly to exterminate them.
"Why are there so many ink blobs here...?", Xenus thought aloud.
"Look up there...", Mickey pointed to a far off hill.
On top of the hill was an enormous glass bottle on it's side. The bottle looked big enough to contain an entire lake. It was sealed with a huge wooden cork at the neck. What was even more ominous was the pitch black ink inside.
As they walked, Xenus noticed a statue which seemed very out of place in the vast empty field. It looked like a cat about Mickey's height wearing a skirt but no shirt. Xenus went to touch it when-
"Keep your hands off of her!", a voiced from far behind him yelled.
The voice belonged to Oswald who was running over to them.
"That's Ortensia, or what's left of her.", he said sadly.
"Ortensia?", Mickey asked, "You mean she's alive?"
"Ortensia helped me fight the Blot the last time he was here", he said, "But this is what became of her..."
Mickey and Xenus looked at the ground mournfully.
"I'm sorry...", Mickey said.
Xenus was silent for a second, then, "Wait, the last time? What do you mean 'last time'?"
"Look in the bottle...", Oswald climbed up the hill and everyone followed.
He climbed on top of the cork.
"This is where me and Ortensia sealed the REAL Shadow Blot.", he said, "The others you fought were only his drippings. I lost Ortensia that day and vowed that nobody else would be claimed by the Blot."
Xenus noticed how the ink was slowly but surely leaking out under the cork: drop by drop.
'So that's how the Blot is still ruling them...'
Mickey looked really hurt, then he closed his eyes and sighed, "Oswald, I need to tell you something... I...am the one who created the Shadow Blot."
Oswald went wide-eyed and Gus fainted. Xenus just stared at him.
"What do you mean?", Xenus asked.
Mickey looked down at the ground, "It was about a year after Oswald left. I snuck into Master Yen Sid's workshop when I knew I wasn't supposed to and saw his model of Disney Town. There were unopened pain cans next to it and a few parts of the model were still unpainted. So I picked up a brush and started painting when I...knocked over a bottle of ink. THIS bottle of ink..."
Xenus looked to the gargantuan bottle and back to Mickey. Oswald's eyes narrowed.
"So I tried using magic to clean the paint up but I guess the ink came to life.", he laughed nervously.
Oswald stomped his foot quickly getting everyone's attention.
"You!", he said angrily, "You ARE the one responsible for ruining my life!"
He stomped again and a small crack appeared on the cork.
"Oswald! Stop!", cried Mickey.
"No, you listen!", he said clearly not getting the message, "You took away everything that was important to me in the real world, but THEN you needed to create a monster that would torment me in THIS world!"
He stomped again and the crack grew longer, nearly spanning the radius of the top of the cork.
"Oswald", said Xenus calmly, "How about you come down here...and you two talk this over."
Oswald took a deep breath, "Fine...we'll take care of this elsewhere..."
He took one more step and there was a loud cracking sound: the cork sealing the bottle had just broke in half. There was a rumbling sound and the cork shattered to pieces and gallons after gallons of ink blasted out. Oswald was sent flying and Xenus and Mickey had to duck so they weren't knocked back as well.
"Oswald!", yelled Mickey.
Gus just woke up from fainting and slowly got up groggily, "What did I miss...?", he asked just before he stood up and got basted back down the hill with Oswald.
"This can't be happening...", Xenus said shaking his head.
A huge pond of ink was forming and soon a black monster at least 100 feet rose into the air. This guy made the mammoth they fought in town look like a poodle.
The REAL Shadow Blot loomed over them and looked down with dark green ghostly eyes. In one hand he held both Oswald and Gus, both unconscious, and lowered the other down in front of Mickey. In his hand a small blob of ink shaped like Mickey formed and a small heart-shaped blob popped out of it. Mickey looked from Oswald and Gus's unconscious bodies to the Mickey ink sculpture in the Blot's hand and understood.
"I've really let you down after all these years...", he said, "Now I'm making up for it..."
Mickey drew his keyblade and held it in two hands pointing the teeth at himself. Xenus's eyes widened and he was hit with a memory; one of Sora's memories. When Sora stabbed himself with the keyblade to free his own heart.
"Your majesty, no!", he yelled.
It was too late. Mickey stabbed himself and there was a flash of light. A crystalline heart rose from Mickey and into the air. The blot grabbed it with his free hand and turned to leave. Before he did, he dropped Oswald and Gus on the hill next to Xenus and Mickey. Mickey fell backwards and Xenus caught him.
"Why...", he asked, his white hair covering his eyes, "Why'd you sacrifice you're heart..?"
"It's okay...", said Mickey weakly, "Nobody else has a heart in this world... I'm not gonna turn into a Heartless..."
Oswald opened his eyes and got up. He looked at Mickey laying in Xenus's arms.
"Why? Why did you give him your heart?!", he asked almost angrily, "Anyone from this world would KILL for a heart and you just gave yours away?!"
"It was to save you, of course...", Xenus said emotionlessly.
There were a few seconds of silence as these words sank into Oswald.
Then he sighed and looked off into the distance, "No wonder...he preferred you..."
Nobody said a word. Not even Gus who woke up after being knocked unconscious two times in a row. Finally Mickey lifted himself up.
"This isn't over...", he said, "Giving him my heart only saved you guys but not Disney Town..."
Xenus nodded, "Yeah... We need to save this world. It's all we have left..."
Gus nodded, "That heart was your last ticket out of here. But besides that, how are you going to stop the Blot? The King and Ortensia gave it their all and only managed to SEAL him."
"We just need some more firepower.", said Xenus.
Oswald smirked and nodded, "Yeah... And I think I know where to get it..."
In a few minutes, Oswald lead them to a large garage. A yellow airplane, like one of those models that could fit two people, stood in the center and around it were what appeared to be boxes of fireworks.
"We'll have at least two people fighting the Blot from below.", instructed Oswald, "They will be the bait. Once they have him distracted, we'll have the Toon Plane blast him full of fireworks!"
"Brilliant plan, your majesty!", smiled Gus, "So who here will fly the Toon Plane?"
"That would be you.", said Xenus.
"What?! Me?", Gus looked wide eyed, "I've never flown a plane in my life!"
"Well who then?", asked Xenus, "The King and Oswald need to fight the Blot below with me."
Oswald climbed up to the cockpit of the Toon Plane, "I had the Mad Doctor simplify the controls back when he was on our side. The plane will fly along a set course.", he explained, "All you will need to do is shoot the fireworks."
"Come on, Gus.", encouraged Mickey, "You will be Disney Town's hero!"
Gus's eyes narrowed, "Alright, let's load the fireworks aboard! Just one thing...", his determined look faded, "You won't let him attack the plane, will you?"
"No", assured Xenus, "You will be fine."
With that said, Gus stayed with the plane and Xenus, Mickey, and Oswald headed out to face the Blot one last time...
-
The Shadow Blot had made his way into town. He loomed above the buildings as he past through. Down below, Horace coward behind a fruit stand while a large anthropomorphic hen stood trampling in front of him.
"Dark Faraga!"
A large purple fireball hit the Blot and Xenus ran into view followed by Mickey and Oswald.
"You know that heart you took from the King? We've decided we want it back!", yelled Xenus, "And after you hand it over, get out of this town!"
The Shadow Blot turned to face the three fighters. His huge ghostly green eyes pierced through them. Xenus lifted his keyblade and glared at him.
/Notice: Destroy the Shadow Blot once and for all!
Next to the Blot, Xenus, Mickey, and Oswald were like ants but still they risked diving right into battle. As soon as Xenus so much as touched the thing he fell back in pain.
'I can't even touch it...'
He stayed back and used long ranged attacks. Mickey an Oswald did the same. Xenus kept circling the thing firing one Dark Fira after another. Mickey used Holy magic on him that came down like pillars of light.
Just then, Xenus heard the hum of an engine as the Toon Plane, looking very tiny in the distance came into view behind the Blot; Gus was ready with the fire works.
Just then, the Blot was hit with a stream of fireworks. He roared loudly and turned around to face the plane.
Xenus stopped fighting and grit his teeth, "Damn! I told Gus I'd keep that thing away from the plane!"
Suddenly he heard a voice in his head; a woman's voice, 'Throw the keyblade into the air...'
He did what she said and threw his keyblade like a boomerang. There was a flash of light and when it came back, it looked like a shadowy hover board with wings like a bat. Instinctively, Xenus jumped on. In seconds, he was flying his new keyblade glider through the air.
As he flew past the Blot's head, he jerked sideways slamming into his head with the board. Finally he was flying between the Blot and the Toon Plane.
"Fire away!", yelled Gus as a stream of fireworks shot past Xenus and into the Blot's face. The Blot screamed and swiped at the plane only to be knocked away by Xenus's keyblade glider.
Xenus was glade to see Mickey and Oswald were still putting up a fight down below. Gus shot some more fireworks at the Blot and just as he was weakening, Xenus did something that was either very brave or very stupid. He regressed his keyblade to it's original state, surrounded himself in a dark firery barrier around himself. He landed on the Blot and jabbed his keyblade into the monster, slicing through the inky blackness and burning it as he fell.
/Limit: Trinity limit
As Xenus neared the ground, Mickey, Oswald, and himself attacked the Blot and there was a huge burst of light. The Shadow Blot roared in pain as he bloated up and exploded into the ink blobs that he was.
The glowing heart hovered above the ground between Mickey and Oswald. Oswald dashed for the heart and grabbed it, staring at it intently. Mickey gasped and and for a moment felt double-crossed. Then Oswald's expression softened and he walked up to Mickey and handed the heart to him.
"This belongs to you...Mickey.", he smiled weakly.
Mickey smiled and held the heart to his chest and it went in with a flash of light, "You wanna go home, don't ya?"
"No, I'm good.", said Oswald shaking his hand at Mickey, "This is my home...and I am their king."
Just then there was a scream from high in the air.
"HELP MEEEE!", yelled Gus who somehow fell from the plane. Xenus caught him but got knocked over in the process. The Toon Plane flew far away from town where it landed and a faint explosion was heard. Xenus and Gus winced getting up. Everybody laughed and the townspeople started coming out to join them.
The sky rumbled and rain started to fall. Everything the raindrops touches started getting their color back. All the buildings became bright and sunny.
Everyone looked around in amazement. Even Oswald looked ecstatic. And things were about to get better.
"Oswald!", running over to him was Ortensia who was lively and well again.
She gave Oswald a huge hug.
"You defeated the Shadow Blot!", Ortensia said, "How did you do it?"
"I wouldn't have been able to do it without Xenus...or Mickey.", said Oswald grabbing Mickey's hand.
They both smiled and suddenly Mickey and Xenus were engulfed in pillars of light.
"What's going on?", Xenus asked looking at the light uneasily his body started to levitate.
"The Shadow Blot's power must have been keeping you here.", said Ortensia, "You are not from this world so you are free to leave."
Mickey looked at Oswald and Ortensia sadly and as if he was about to say something.
Oswald seemed to read his mind and answered, "Tell Master Yen Sid I'm alright. This isn't the end, guys. You'll see me again one day."
Oswald held out his hand to Mickey and they shook hands until they both faded from each-other's view. Xenus smiled softly and before he knew it they were both falling off of the table in Yen Sid's workshop. He fell hard on the floor but Mickey landed in the arms of Yen Sid who glared at both of them angrily. Both smiled nervously and spoke at once.
"I can explain: I was gonna tell you that Xenus was here-"
"And some giant hand grabbed the King-"
"And brought us to this world inside your workshop-"
"Where we met Oswald, defeated the Shadow Blot and saved Disney Town."
Yen Sid sighed and put Mickey down. He then looked at the model and nodded.
"So my miniature world WAS haunted by a monster. Well done on ridding them of it. And I'm glad Oswald...my prized student is safe."
Xenus looked at Yen Sid with a serious look, "What is that world? First of all, nobody there has hearts and Oswald, your own student?"
"I am keeping Oswald there to protect him...until he is ready to reenter the world.", Yen Sid spoke staring into space.
"What do you mean 'until he is ready'?", Xenus asked harshly.
"Like you said, he has no heart.", he said simply, "The Heartless are not safe in the real world."
"Huh?", Xenus was confused, "You mean he lost his heart to a Heartless? Why didn't he turn into one?"
"I've been researching ways of protecting beings once they loose their hearts to Heartless. So I created this world that you and Master Mickey wandered into. This world is connected to the real Disney Town. Whenever a person from the real Disney Town looses their heart, I bring them here until it is found. You who posses Sora's memories, do you remember when Sora was turned into a Heartless but Kairi returned his heart?"
Xenus looked at the ground, "Yeah... I-I mean Sora never went away..."
"That strange act made my continue my research. If one person could be brought back after loosing their heart, then the people in my miniature Disney Town still had hope."
"Master Yen Sid?", asked Mickey, "But when DID Oswald loose his heart? I can't remember anything happening to him."
"Exactly the point.", nodded Yen Sid, "Getting back one's heart could take years, even decades, and that's why I cast a spell on everyone so when anyone lost their heart and came to me, nobody would remember them. In Oswald's case, he lost his heart the day you saved Disney Town and were made king."
Mickey gasped, "You mean-?!"
"Yes...", he said nodding, "Disney Town's War of a Ten Million Heartless. Heartless threatened to destroy that world but you along with Oswald fought bravely to defend it. That is the day Oswald went down in battle...and you became that world's new king. Later you named the world after your Master..."
Mickey all of a sudden looked like Oswald had just died right in front of him. Then he stood up straight with his eyes narrowed.
"So he lost his heart when we were fighting side by side... Then I'll have to get his heart back for 'em.", he said.
"If you feel that is your duty then I will let you go, Master Mickey. Take care.", Yen Sid said bowing.
"I'll come too.", said Xenus, "Oswald is my friend too."
"Xenus, you have your own mission. Let Master Mickey go.", advised Yen Sid.
Xenus glared at him but sighed. He actually agreed with him this time. His own target was Nexus. Mickey looked up at Xenus and smiled.
"It's gonna be alright. I'll come back with Oswald's heart in no time!", he said, "Ya know, I never realized you have Sora's memories. I guess that's why you always referred to me as 'the King'."
Xenus was silent for a moment and Mickey laughed.
"It's okay, but if ya have Sora's memories you gotta have the same feelings too. Even though I don't really know ya, that still makes us friends. I know you and Master Yen Sid have different views but please be safe and listen to what he has to say.
Xenus nodded and they both shook hands before Mickey left on his new quest.
End of Chapter 6..