After they left the forest, they reached what seemed to be a large wasteland with marks and scars of had there a great battle. But soon discovered where they were. It was the very same battlefield where the Battle of Gallowmere happened, and just where Dan died 100 years ago. Roaming around after of discover that the bridge to their destination was destroyed, they found Death, who greeted them.
"Sir Dan, Guys, Ciao! You're not doing at all badly. But there's still much if Zarok and his hellsing Fazguls are to be vanquished. I can ferry you on from here - but first you must help me," Said Death.
"What happens now?" Asked Rena.
"My new robotic assistant, Mechadeath has just blown up. I'd set him off to clear up this battlefield when suddenly there's an almighty bang, and machine parts are raining everywhere. I KNEW I shouldn't have bought second hand. Do me a favor and gather up the pieces, would you? I've got to go and fill a warranty card..."
"Ok!" Accepted Dan.
"These things usually happen when you buy second hand," Said Kairi.
"I hope he knows how to put him back together," told Kuran. "And it would be helpful to tell us how many pieces were are looking for… and why do I have the feeling he needs to tell something else"
"Oh, and while you are at it, if we're ever going to leave I'll need you to release my boat. It's around here somewhere, locked up in a boathouse," told Death. "I don't know, you miss ONE repayment and they impound your whole livelihood!"
"Seriously?" asks Kuran. "You are DEATH! Shouldn't they, don't know be afraid of doing anything that might get your bad side?"
"Trust me, you have no idea of how many times I make myself that question," Death sighed.
Kuran groans and offers to the others"Let's split up. That should help us to find these pieces faster."
"Who goes where this time?" Wondered Will.
"Not in groups but in a single person" offered Kuran.
"I don't know if you're blind, but out there are a large number of undead and Fallens roaming around this place, and you want us to split up?" Rena asked.
"Oh yeah that's right you guys aren't immortal," Will shrugged.
"I think for one or two hours to search this place we'll be able to survive on our own," told Kuran. "I bet each of us had been on their own at least once"
Then he also adds. "Don't forget: The faster we get the parts and this boat, the faster we get to the next place."
"Then let's get this over with," Will said.
"Errr… I only was alone, alone, an only day, and I nearly got squashed by a fragment of Twilight town's bell tower," Said Kairi.
"Seriously?" Asked Kuran.
"You should have seen the Fallen that threw it," She replied. "And I don't count my trip to Agrabah by Aladdin's and Genie's help."
"Pairs of two?" offered Kuran with a sign.
Edea began to count the group. "Yeah, is possible."
"So… how to split up? I would like to go with Rena here to get some lessons from her regarding archery," told Kuran, showing his bow to underline his wish.
"If it is needed," Said Rena. "We will try to get the boat free while dealing with the mobs that they got in their way."
"Of course"
"If we're doing that how about I go with Kairi and Edea with Dan?" Will suggested.
"If there is no other option," said Kairi.
"Do you want a different combination?" wondered Kuran
"I was with Mr. Bones' before!" Said Edea. "This time other will stay with him."
"Will?"
"I honestly don't mind either way," He stated.
"Seems that this time touches me goes with him," said Kairi.
"Well, then shall we get going?" Will asked
As was said, they split. While Rena and Kuran tried to find a form of unlocking the Death's boat, the other four began to search in the old marshes, having to deal with every type of undead, including some fat ones that the only form to deal with them was sunk them in the marsh.
Either if the route taken by Edea and Will was easy, they had to deal with something that was working the catapult.
Kuran and Rena were shooting down different creatures with the bows and Kuran asked for some points on how to do better. Which gave him some tips for that.
While Kairi and Dan reached to a dead end: a Centinel was blocking the way inside an old fort, and there was no other form of entering inside but the entrance blocked by the Sentinel. Casually, Kairi spotted some projected shadows done by the walls.
"I think I have an idea. Let's test it," she said.
In a moment, she flashed and now her clothes changed. Now was wearing a black top armor with red lines in the cup, a small black-red skirt-like armor, two large black clawed gloves that cover her arms without reaching the shoulders, a pair of black-red boats that reached the knee, and a black tiara with two horns. She looked at herself for a moment. "Very exotic, and somewhat suggestive."
"Ummm…" Dan only scratched his head for a moment, not knowing what to say.
Kuran had noticed a change of darkness and turned to look. As he saw Kairi in her new suit, he only had wide eyes, dropped jaw, and a bleeding nose.
Will only looked with a blank face as he stuffed two tissue pieces up his nostrils to clean up HIS bloody nose. "... That's hot…"
"Hello?" Asked Edea looking at his face.
"Man…" began Kuran. "I have seen many great-looking suits but this… WOW!"
"Men…" Rena shook her head looking at Kuran.
"Wish I had a camera… well… what I don't have I don't have."
"Now… let's see if this works," Said Kairi, ignoring the boys, and walked into the shadow, and instinctively, and surprise of all, she turned into something similar to a Neo Shadow Heartless.
"WHOA! For a moment I thought you turned into a Heartless," Said Al. "Yes, I know their common name. In the past, we called them Shadow Walkers, but that's another story," Dan shook his head at the unnecessary comment.
"Could be fooling a lot of people into making them think she is one" muttered Kuran. "So… where is this boat?"
"I think is inside his building, but first we must find a way to open it," Said Rena.
While Kairi, in her 'heartless' disguise, moved to where was the Centinel, being spotted.
"A Heartless ereh? Bah! Yeht dluohs teg tsol dna evael su siht dlrow," Commented the Sentinel, ignoring soon the heartless.
She got behind the Centinel, and when got outside the shadows, her disguise disappeared, but she was enough quick to stab her keyblade in the Sentinel's back, taking it out of the picture, and leaving the access free for Dan.
"Seems that your disguise only works in a shadow, so the next time avoids stepping into the light," Commented Al.
"Thanks, mister 'obvious'," Replied Kairi, and soon began to look for the Mechadeath's pieces.
While looking around, they found what was working the old catapults that were attacking Edea and Will: a group of small green creatures than jumped everywhere working the catapults (Gremlin), and they were aided by some of the undead soldiers.
"Eve, communicate me with Edea," She asked and soon after said. "Edea seems that I know what is shooting at you."
"Really?" Asked Edea.
"What the hell are they and how should we kill them?" Will asked.
"Seems that some Fallens can manipulate other mechanisms. I will deal with them for you," Said Kairi.
"Roger."
Kairi and Dan got near the group and began to attack them, stopping their bombardment. While Dan attacked slashing around with his sword, Kairi struck the enemies that had near, but when she made the last strike, she banished her keyblade and her gloves formed shadowed claws and her boots generated dark energy, and began to strike them with kung fu like attacks, until finish the last gremlin in the place with an uppercut that sent it flying, banishing mid-air.
"I must think about using these tricks in the other forms," Said Kairi, after seeing what happened.
Soon they found inside the fort, after of look around, two parts of what they were looking for.
At the same time, Rena and Kuran were dealing with some Boiler Guards who kept getting in their way. Kuran used his Keyblade and shield to keep them at a distance while Rena was decorating them with her mana Arrows. They slowly kept forward until they reached a building and as they looked through the door Kuran grinned"Looks like we found the boat"
"At last, I was getting tired of this searching mess," Said Rena. "I hope the other can find the parts of that machine."
"They should be" he replied and took an axe, breaking the door open due to the lack of a lock, and went to cut the ropes loose which hold the boat in the shack.
"Any luck yet?" Will asked before knocking one of the overweight monsters into the marsh.
"I'm doing what I can, but seems that the pieces got hidden in the explosion," Said Edea. "It will take more time than I thought to find them."
"God I just hope we don't have to find every single nut and bolt," Will groaned before tripping over a mechanical leg. "Oh hey would you look at that?"
"You're really lucky," Said Edea. "You can repeat it again?"
"If you wanted someone that can mess with luck you should have gone with Kuran," He smiled.
"Did somebody just call me?" asked Kuran from the other side of the place.
"Hey! Think you could use your power over irony to tell us where the other pieces are?" Will shouted at him.
"Please, don't tell us that a piece is just inside of the pools," Said Edea.
"Well… I have seen a fisher net on a different spot" told Kuran"So worth a shot. Not to mention we got Death's boat."
"That's good, but I don't want to swim inside a marsh," Said Edea. "I don't want to know WHAT is inside of it."
"At least a few dozen remains of people and monsters that fought here," told Kuran. "At worst… well… something that will eat you alive…. or the liquid will disintegrate your body in a way."
"Thanks for the help," Will said.
"How about you dive in and find out?" offered Kuran. "You are Immortal after all"
"That's the idea," He said before going to the spot Kuran mentioned and dove in.
After about a minute he came back up with a mechanical arm.
"I don't see what the big deal was it wasn't that bad," He said crawling out, before realizing his entire lower section was eating away. "...Oh."
Edea nearly fainted seeing that view.
"Well… interesting bones you have," Kuran told
"Funny you saying that now when I KNOW you've seen them before," Will joked.
"They weren't green before."
Will looked to see what they were talking about. "..H. uh what do ya know... Anyway, we got all the pieces so I don't see the big deal."
"It will take me a lot to forget this," Said Edea, dizzy.
"Girl, you haven't seen HALF of the things I've been through," Will stated.
"And I DON'T want to know them!" Stated Edea. "Point!"
"Let's head back to Death and hand him the pieces over"
"Yeah," Will nodded in agreement.
Everybody returned with the pieces and the boat with Death, and after he activated it, leaves Mecha-death to do his work.
"Well DONE guys, Excellent work!" Congratulated Death. "Parts collected… boat freed… your can-do attitude is a inspiration to all! Now, what d'you want to hear first - the bad news, or the bad news?"
"Only bad news?" asked Kuran. "Not even a small good one?"
"Doubt anything could be considered 'Good news' with Zarok around," Will said.
"Bad news then," Dan added.
"Bad news it is: Zarok has pulverized King Peregrine's castle and released a river of molten lava that bars your way to the entrance," Explained Death. "Bad news 2 - the sequel, if you like - is that I can't ferry you there, only take souls on one-way journeys - it's a clause in my insurance - so I could ferry you there, but you'd be stranded in no-man's land. But apart of that, everything's great!"
"Is it a joke?" Asked Kairi.
"So let me get straight: You can get us there but not off the place where molten lava is running everywhere, ready to burn us?" asked Kuran. "Then how about you tell us where we could find something fireproof, like a suit or spell."
"Or we could try the makeup bridge with arrows," Said Rena. "Will could fly to a side of a river of lava and use arrows to form a bridge."
"That could be a good idea if wasn't for the bad news 3," Said Death.
"A third one?" Asked Edea.
"Zarok and the Fallen have positioned on that territory a creature that they named the Pursuer, armed with an odd weapon similar to a cannon. If spots Will flying, he will be shot, and surely will end up flying to the other side of the world, or worse, turned into pieces."
"That Pursuer again?" Asked Kairi.
"Been there, done that," Will said.
"So back to walking the entire tour," told Kuran. "Suit or spell that can protect us from this hot place"
"Well, as my people say, there is more than one way to mount a camel," Said Al. "Legend tells of suit of fireproof armour hidden on Dragon Island. If we get our sweaty little paws on it, we could WALK through the lava, and test the idea of the bow-made bridge. If we can't fly, we can walk through the river avoiding his view," Suggested the small genie.
"Gad, your little talking worm is right!" Said Death. "Good luck, my brave but somewhat idiosyncratic team of adventurers," The group believed that he referred to Dan and Al. "I'll take the boat upstream and wait for you by the ruins. Maybe point the icy finger of death at a herone, or something… I don't know," He said and sighed loudly. "Sometimes this job lacks the creative spark."
"Let's go to the port," told the dark user.
After a long trip, they reached a port, or better said, a pirate port and the worse is that was completely filled with Zarok's Boiler Guards and many Fallens of the type Armor Knight and Crossbow Armor patrolling the area, but luckily they found that they could try to find a boat asking the Harbour Master.
They got to the master and he looks up telling. "Right, what have we here then? You're not one of my regulars, I can see that."
"Can we have a boat please?" asked Kuran
"A boat? You want a boat? Not possible I'm afraid: The Seafaring Chapter, chapter 3 rule 7 only pirates can rent pirate boats. Got standards to keep up, see? NEXT!"
"Looks like we have to 'ask' some pirates to lend us their clothes," mumbled Kuran, only hearable for his comrades.
"And seems we have company," Said Kairi looking at a coming pirate ship, and from it appeared a lot of skeletons pirates with black hoods, followed by a group of Fallen that seemed rotten pirates with large scimitars (Zombie Pirate).
"Well from them we can't take anything useable, so let's take them out of the sea," Said Rena, preparing her bow.
"Let's hope that Davy Jones doesn't decide to appear here at this moment," said Kuran, remembering the LAST time he had to deal with the such pirate. "And if this happens, I present my resignation!"
And they attack the pirates before Kuran remembers. "Wait… Jones can only set foot on land every ten years and cannot land on a port," But then remember that either if he can't, his crew can.
"Less talk and more fight," Said Rena, shooting down some pirates.
One of the pirates tried to swing at Will only to have his arm ripped off and used as a bat to have his head knocked off.
Kuran, on the other hand, opted for bashing their skulls with a large club, while Edea decapitated some of the pirates and Kairi blasted some of them with her spells.
After a few minutes, nothing was left except for scattered and crushed bones.
"Well, now let's go to find something to disguise us as pirates and get a boat," Said Kairi.
"Yeah, but where?" Asked Edea. "I doubt that we can find a shop that sells pirate outfits," Then she thought. 'Sadly don't have with me the Pirate Asterisk...'
"So then we have to look around and find anything that can help us to be like a pirate," Said Kairi. "Surely around here are things that we can use."
"And it might help if we take clothes from other pirates," offered Kuran. "Just hope we don't have to get parrots… they are awfully hard to find."
"I remember to have spotted a pet shop near here," Said Rena. "Surely we can buy one."
"Let's not forget the eye patches and peg legs," Will added.
Kuran padded the side of the head and an eye patch made of darkness wrapped around him. "How about that?"
"Not bad."
"Only problem: I cannot give one to Kairi," told Kuran.
"If only she could take them… I hope that Diabolos' powers could help her, by creating a 'protective mantle' where a dark object touches or something."
"We could try," offered Kuran. "If it works it solves the issue of the eye patch and leg pegs. For the rest… we have to get them from the pirate… never did clothing before and this is a rather simple thing."
"It's an idea," Said Kairi.
And he offered her a small dagger, far inferior to his usual ones but just enough to test the theory of the protective mantle.
She grabbed it, and to her surprise, instead of disappearing, was able to hold it because appeared a black smoking glove similar to her Diabolos Form gloves. "Seems that this appears when I touch something. But I'm sure that the eyepatch will be another story."
"Should we try?" he asks
"Worth a shot," Will shrugged.
Nodding, Kuran raised his hands and holds it around her head. Concentrating a bit he starts forming the eyepatch on her head. But this time it didn't work, and there was no eyepatch.
"Was worth the try," Said Kairi.
"Now we know that she can grab dark objects with her hands, but things such as clothes are another story," Said Rena.
"Well… so we need for her a peg leg and an eye patch," shrugs Kuran. "Still saves us the time to get them for everybody else."
"Let's look for the parrot," Said Edea.
"Where is the pet shop?"
"I'm going to get some wood to make some peg legs," Will said.
"Okay."
As Will left to find the wood for made the peg legs, they went to the pet shop, but they got a very awful surprise.
"There are no more parrots?!" Asked Kairi, starting a poster in the shop informing about the lack of parrots.
"And what do we do now?" Asked Rena.
Then Edea spotted some seagulls flying around. "Well, If they haven't got any bread, let them eat cake… so if they haven't got any parrot, let them use seagull..."
"Seagulls… well… this guy could be dumb enough to mistake seagulls for Parrots," shrugged Kuran. "Just have to catch them alive"
"And how?" Asked Kairi.
"Easy, with a bait, and what like the seagulls to eat?"
"Bread for example, but also fish," offered Kuran. "They eat almost everything they can find on sea and beaches, no matter if alive or dead"
"Let's try to get to the market and find something."
Nodding they got to the market and the first thing they found was fish, and Kuran laughed at it. "Just as I had thought… a good set of fish."
"Let's get some of it and catch some seagulls."
They got the fish, and with that trick, they were able to catch enough seagulls for everyone.
"Now we need the peg legs and some hats," Said Kairi.
"Well, Will is on the legs… so we have to search for the hats. Should we try to rob other pirates or search for some random ones? Or did anybody notice a clothes store on the way here?" asks Kuran"I admit I heavily doubt the last one."
"So how are things going?" Will said as he joined them, finished with the pegs.
"We're needing the hats for the disguise, but we don't know where got them," Said Edea.
"Well, this place is filled with pirate hideouts, so we must look for them and try luck," Said Al.
"Then how about Kairi and I look at the south while the rest go north and we meet here back in an hour?" offered Kuran.
"And why do you want to go with Kairi?" Asked Rena.
"Private talk," he told. "And don't worry! I won't try anything if that's what you're worried about."
"For your own good," Said Rena, and they went to the north, while Kairi and Kuran went to the south.
"Your friends are really protective about you," told Kuran to Kairi.
"I'm glad about that. After all, I'm the objective of…" She said and began to count. "The League of Villains… the Fallen…, and at least one of them wants me dead."
"Well… be glad that one of my troubles doesn't exist or life would be complete hell," told Kuran. "But that's in the direction I want to talk with you… did you run into someone who has control over darkness as I do? Or somebody who has the family name Yamo?"
She shook her head. "No, I didn't find anyone like that, and I never met somebody with the name Yamo."
"I shouldn't be surprised," shrugged Kuran. "but can I ask a request?"
"What do you want?"
"Simple: If you run into a different version of me, be nice to him," told Kuran. "And… it's a bit awkward but… could we kiss? I am curious if kissing a Princess of Heart is different from other girls."
She looked at him completely confused and blushing. "W-w-what do you mean with that?"
"Well… I admit I only kissed a few girls so far. Two surprise kisses, one of them stole my first kiss and a few others due… odd things." explains Kuran. "And… since Princesses of Heart are pure light and special in a way…"
"Well, if you put it that way… okay… but if you dare to say something about this to somebody of this universe… there will be no world where you can hide from me…" She said, still blushing.
"Why should I hide from you?" he wondered, blushing as well, but then thought about the punishment that she could do to him.
She sighed for a moment, and after of doubt a little, she kissed him on the lips. Returning the kiss he held her for a moment and the two also seemed to enjoy this a little.
Then Kuran broke it and told. "Wow… definitely warmer than the others"
"Thanks… I think," She replied, blushing.
"Make me wonder why Sora never made that move," he told while rubbing the back of his head, but then remembered what she told him about Sora's fate, seeing her face darker. "Ups, my bad... Well… let's keep on looking."
"Good idea." She said and began to walk. They soon found a hideout and began to explore it, smashing some pirates and picking up at least three hats but the rest… not really fitting or usable anymore.
Not finding anything more useful, they returned to the meeting spot to wait for the others.
"Any luck?" Will asked as he approached.
"We have three pirate Hats, and you?" Kairi asked.
"Two hats, and a captain hat," Said Rena.
"Which leaves an eye patch for Kairi"
"We have found only one eyepatch," Said Edea, showing it. "But is for a captain too, and I doubt that Kairi can fit the captain role."
"Maybe we can try to disguise one of us with all this as captain, and we put only what can be needed," Suggested Kairi. "But for that, we need somebody that fits as captain."
After a moment, everyone looked at Dan, who watched them. "Uh?"
"You're thinking the same as me?" Asked Edea.
"A skeleton pirate captain? Classic!"
"Can work."
Time later, they returned and called to the Harbor Master, who looked at them. "Ah at last, somebody I can do business with: A genuine scurvy sea-dog, black-hearted scourge of the high seas!" He said, seeing Dan who was wearing the captain hat, a seagull in his shoulder, and a peg leg, while seemed to accept the others as a pirate crew. "And, if I may be so bold, quite a dashing one at that!"
"He has taken the bait," Said Edea in low voice.
"Well, I'm sure you have plundering to do! Just follow me and I'll show you your boat."
They followed him, and Dan was wanting a huge ship, but instead of that, he offered them a small boat, about to sink from what they can see.
"That is… our ship?" Asked Kairi, worried.
"It seems," Said Rena, also worried.
"Either this or we all start swimming," Will stated.
"I will not climb to it!" Said Edea. "Look at it! I bet that if one of us jumps into it, it will sink at the moment!"
"And I'm not in the mood for swimming all the way to the island," Said Kairi.
"Well, you know what they say: When life gives you lemons…"
"Then make lemonade… or should we try Cave Johnson's approach to this?"
"I always take the Cave Johnson approach," Will grind
"Where do we get Lemonade granates?" joked Kuran, "I think this thing would only fit one person… one which is only bones".
They then looked at Dan again, who now knew what they were thinking, getting worried.
"What's the big deal? Worst-case scenario you'll fall in and encounter a man-eating shark, but even then it's not like it can do much to you considering you're nothing but bones," Will stated.
"And don't worry, we will be waiting for your return with the armor," Said Rena.
"At best you get the action while we bore our head out of it," told Kuran. "So have fun."
Dan sighs and went on the boat, sailing off.
Shrugging Kuran told. "Let's pass the time somehow."
"Yes, let's see if we can find a hotel or something," Said Kairi. "I don't risk on stay outside where Zarok's goons or the Fallen can find us easily."
"I think I saw a hotel over there… let's go."
