As the Cyclone glided forward, Ray craned his cramped head to look at the space outside. His eyes widened in amazement as he saw the floating asteroids throughout the endless star-spangled night. For a bit, he marveled at this wonder that he never got to see in his boring life back in Dawnshine...then he remembered that he wanted to see this with Gwen, and he looked away as he became distraught.
"Gwen and I were supposed to be seeing all of this together..." He grumbled.
Knuckles groaned in annoyance. "Did we seriously leave one lovesick teenager behind and pick up another one?"
"Well he actually lost his girl..." Tails said with a nervous chuckle. "Don't worry Ray, we'll be looking for her too!"
"But you need to do your damn job first. Weren't you supposed to ask King Arthur something about that?"
"Yeah yeah, I know." Ray muttered, closing his eyes. "Just let me sleep...I've been running and fighting all night. I'll talk to the King in my dreams, okay?"
Tails nodded and pushed a button. "Good idea. We need to rest before we reach the next world. I set the Cyclone in auto-pilot, so we'll be cruising smoothly until then."
Knuckles growled and shrugged. "I can't sleep with this guy on top of me! Dammit, your hair is in my eyes, do you even comb it!?"
"I haven't had time to!" Ray retorted.
"Guys, please calm down!" Tails whined.
Eventually, after quite a bit of bickering, the boys finally fell asleep. Surprisingly, Ray found Knuckles's head to be quite comfy like a pillow. Although he wasn't going to tell him that.
Ray opened his eyes to the sight of white sand, and a blue sea that glittered in the morning light. He looked to see the towering palm trees behind him, and recognized where he was. The beach he and Gwen hung out at during the summer, away from the stuffiness of the city.
"Another little world of our own." Gwen said suddenly.
Ray turned his head in surprise, seeing her standing beside him now. She gave him a small smile, looking a little wistful.
"The city was unchanging." She continued. "Nothing new ever happened. It was so boring there. Yet…this beach was refreshing."
Ray smiled back and nodded, taking her hand as he remembered their days spent here.
"We never knew whether the tides would be low or high." He said with amusement. "Even when we picked all the seashells on the shore, more would just come the next day, sometimes different from the ones before."
She leaned against him. "But even in the city…the boring days were fine, because they were with you. Hanging out with you at Diamondhead Tower was fun."
"Yeah…I could bear that boring city, because I had you. You're the light of my life, Gwen. Once I find you…let's explore the galaxy, and find new worlds together."
Gwen glanced up and nodded, then closed her eyes as she leaned up to kiss Ray. He blushed slightly, but started tilting his head to meet her soft lips…
"So this is what you dream about." The King mused from behind.
Ray yelped in shock and turned to see him, then glanced to see that his dream girlfriend wasn't there anymore. The blonde stomped on the sand and groaned from embarrassment.
"Dammit old man, do you have to keep doing that!?" He shouted.
"Would you rather I just keep quiet and watch?" King Arthur said with a chuckle. "But that aside, you are here for questions, correct?"
"Ugh...Yes, I have questions."
To start with, Ray summoned Excalibur and presented it to the King.
"What's up with this thing? It doesn't look right at all."
Arthur sighed and answered solemnly. "Yes, I was about to elaborate on that. This has to do with why I'm here with you. In the beginning, way back in my time, there used to be only one world. I'm sure you know what it was."
After a moment of thinking, Ray answered. "It was...Camelot?"
The King nodded. "Yes, the kingdom I ruled used to be the only world in existence. It was a pure and bright world, where the people rejoiced in a seemingly endless peace. However...there were people who hungered for Camelot's light, and their greed resulted in darkness overtaking their hearts."
"So they became Heartless? What happened to your world?"
"In order to vanquish the darkness, I had to make the ultimate sacrifice. I used my own body and heart as the catalyst for a forbidden spell. This spell, while it destroyed the forces of darkness, also broke the one world of Camelot apart. And that is how many other worlds now exist."
Ray sighed as he thought of the implication. "So you're like...the father of the galaxy or something?"
"I suppose you could say that." Arthur mused. "After my sacrifice, my heart somehow managed to persist, but I was too weak to do anything more than drift in space. For a seemingly endless amount of years, I was in a dormant state as I recovered from that spell."
"And then...you ended up inside me."
"Yes, I was drawn to you. Five years ago, your heart resonated with me, and I settled within it. I've been watching over you ever since, as I felt something strange going on within the galaxy."
Five years ago...Ray's eyes widened as he realized how that kept coming up, and he looked at Excalibur.
"Five years ago...When you entered my heart...when the Safety Committee lost Camelot...and when Gwen entered my life. Is this fate? Is it all connected?"
"Maybe it is." The King said thoughtfully. "Or maybe it's mere coincidence. Either way, you have been drawn into something far beyond your normal life. In a way, it's what you always wanted, isn't it?"
"I...I guess so. But without Gwen, what's the point? We were supposed to travel the galaxy together. To that end, I'm going on this journey. Nothing else matters to me."
"Ray...while I understand your reason, you must understand that maybe you can't always have what you want."
Ray frowned at the man and raised an eyebrow. Can't always have what he wants...Did that mean...
"What, you're saying that she doesn't matter?" He accused.
"I'm not saying that." The King replied sternly. "I'm trying to tell you that there are more important things beyond your wants. You have been entrusted with great power, and that means you have a great responsibility to uphold."
"Even if that means having to put my girlfriend aside?"
"Sometimes...especially."
Ray looked at Excalibur as he processed that. Even though he was on this journey for her...he had to set her aside? No, he couldn't...it was unthinkable. He scowled and turned to the ocean, raising the Keyblade in frustration.
"Then I don't want this thing after all!" He shouted.
He tossed the weapon as far as he could, then watched it drop into the water with a slight splash. However, it reappeared in his hand a second later, much to his shock. King Arthur shook his head, giving Ray a look of pity.
"Once that Keyblade chooses you, there is no getting rid of it." He said. "Unless Excalibur deems you unworthy, you are bound to this duty."
"What the hell is worthy about me?" Ray questioned, shaking Excalibur. "I'm just some dumb guy who can't even pass his algebra class!"
"Your heart resonated with mine five years ago. Deep down, you do have what it takes to be a great hero. That is worthy enough, no?"
Ray looked down bitterly. A hero? Yeah, right. As if he even wanted to be one...
"...I just want to find Gwen. I don't care about this duty or whatever."
Arthur shook his head, then his form faded away as he gave Ray some last words.
"Regardless, this is your responsibility. Do not fret, because I will be here to help you. From a master to his student, my power is yours."
Only too late did Ray realize that he had forgotten to ask about something. Excalibur's current state...
"Wait, you never told me why the Royal Key looks like this!" He shouted skyward.
"I will tell you later." The King promised.
With that, Ray's dream ended, sending him back to the real world.
When Ray opened his eyes, he saw the Cyclone making a tilt downward. He groaned and shifted, once again feeling cramped in such a tight space.
"Hey look, he's awake." Knuckles grumbled beneath him. "Grr...I can't wait to get him off."
"Shut up..." Ray muttered, looking at Tails. "Are we at the next world?"
"Yep!" Tails replied happily. "According to the navi, it's called The Land of Tomoeda! Before we descend though, could you tell us what you and King Arthur talked about?"
"Well...He didn't tell me anything about the Keyblade. But he did tell me what happened to Camelot in the past, and why he's with me. Camelot used to be one world, until he split it apart. Then his heart drifted...until it entered mine five years ago, because we resonated."
Tails nodded and held up a finger. "Right, long ago there was just one world. Then darkness took over, and a powerful king used the Royal Key to vanquish it. The result was the galaxy as we know it. Sonic told us that story."
"That king is in your heart now." Knuckles remarked. "I guess that resonating of hearts gave you the Royal Key."
Ray frowned at that. "Right, he said I'm worthy of it...but honestly, I don't see why. I'm just some guy who sucks at everything."
"Well you're not wrong there."
Ray bonked the echidna on the head, which kickstarted a squabble where they grabbed each other's faces.
"Watch it punk!" Knuckles barked.
"You insulted me!" Ray retorted.
"You insulted yourself first!"
"Guys, calm down!" Tails shouted, waving his finger at the window. "We're heading into the world! Camouflage on!"
The bickering stopped as the Cyclone broke through the stratosphere. The ship's surface shimmered as the camouflage activated, allowing it to blend in with the environment as it circled around.
Down below, there was a vast forest of rosy-pink trees, which were surrounded by snow-capped mountains. Winding through the forest were various cobblestone roads, all leading to the very heart of the world. And there, standing amidst a clear lake covered in pink petals, was a magnificent town unlike anything Ray had seen before.
A high stone wall surrounded the town, protecting it from the outside. There were box-like buildings that had some kind of old-fashioned feel to them, decorated with red streamers and hanging lanterns. People could be seen strolling the streets or playing in the plaza, which had a statue of a well-dressed lady standing on a sparkling fountain.
There were a set of giant steps leading into the center of the town, where a huge red building like a mansion stood proudly over the rest. Ray couldn't help but press his face against the window, in awe of what he was seeing.
"Whooooooa!" He exclaimed. "Damn, I wish Gwen was here to see this."
"This is way too much pink for my liking." Knuckles grumbled. "Hey Tails, have ya found a good landing spot?"
Tails hummed, then gasped in alarm. "No, but I see people in trouble!"
He brought the Cyclone to a stop and pointed at a road, and the other two looked to see a boy and a girl being surrounded by samurai-garbed Heartless, which were waving their katamas threateningly. The boy and girl looked ready to defend themselves, but didn't seem confident.
"We have to jump in!" Tails declared, moving the Cyclone.
"Jump!?" Ray said incredulously.
Knuckles snickered. "It's what we heroes do. Are ya too chicken to do it?"
Tails brought the ship over the site of battle, then popped open the cockpit and leaped out. Knuckles shrugged Ray off and followed the fox. Seeing as he had no choice, Ray sighed and climbed out…then yelled in fright as he dropped down.
The two kids looked up to see the newcomers coming down, and backed away as they landed. Knuckles simply landed with a punch to the ground, while Tails made a small hover with his tails. Ray, however, landed hard on his back and coughed out in pain.
"Owwwww…" He groaned. "Should have…stayed in the ship…"
"Who are you three?" The girl said curiously.
"More enemies?" The boy said with suspicion.
"We're here to help!" Knuckles retorted, baring his claws. "Now shut up, and fight if you can!"
He charged at the trio of Heartless in front of him, destroying one with a direct hit while the rest backed away. On the other side, Tails was making the other three samurai back off by shooting energy balls at them. The boy stood beside him, holding up a short sword that had foreign characters etched onto the blade.
"Spirit of Thunder, grant me strength!" He chanted. "Raitei Shourai!"
One of the characters flashed bright yellow, and the blade became shrouded in electricity. The boy thrust it towards one of the Heartless, frying it to death with a bolt of lightning.
Meanwhile, the girl held her weapon over Ray. It was a staff like clerics used, with a pink shaft that had a circular opening at the top, which held a golden star within.
"You took quite a fall." She said kindly. "Here, let me make you feel better."
She took out some kind of card and made it hover over a confused Ray, then smacked it with her staff and created a magic circle.
"Come forth, Angel!" The girl chanted. "Heal his wounds!"
An ethereal winged woman appeared from the card and waved her hand, sprinkling Ray with emerald dust. Almost immediately, he felt his aches and pain melt away, and he stood up and stretched. He looked at the girl, rather amazed by her summoning ability.
"That is super cool…" He said in awe.
The girl giggled and pocketed her card. "I'm glad that helped!"
"Great, now help me!" Knuckles demanded.
After he destroyed a second of its brethren, the third Heartless was being careful to avoid his punches and try for a counter. Of course, the echidna was quite nimble himself, so he just ducked and sidestepped the samurai's cuts. However, one of them would have to give in sooner or later.
Ray summoned the Royal Key and shot a Fire spell at the Heartless's head, making it duck. This provided Knuckles the opportunity to uppercut it and send it flying.
On Tails's side, he froze the last samurai Heartless with a well-aimed ice blast. The boy followed-up by blasting it with another lightning bolt, shattering it to bits. And with that, the battle was over.
The girl let out a sigh of relief, then smiled at Ray and curtsied.
"Thank you so much!" She said gratefully.
Now that things had settled down, Ray was able to really see who he and the others had saved. The girl looked around thirteen years old, and had bright brown hair that was cut neatly above her shoulders. She wore what looked liked a bride's dress, made of pure white silk with many frills in the skirt, and had slender gloves to match. Her jade eyes held a certain sweetness as she smiled at everyone.
The boy was about the same age, and his short chestnut hair was combed neatly. He looked quite fancy in his white suit and matching pants, and the green cape draped over his back was cool too. His amber eyes were sharp as he regarded the newcomers with a bit of contempt, folding his arms across his chest.
"Thanks, I guess." He mumbled.
"Don't worry about it." Ray said, smiling at the girl. "I should thank you for the pick-me-up."
She nodded, then gasped as her eyes fell on the Keyblade in his hand, and she pointed at it
"Lee, look!' She exclaimed. "It's different, but that's a Keyblade, right?"
Ray, Tails, and Knuckles were taken aback. Nobody else was supposed to know anything about stuff outside their world, after all.
"You…know about Keyblades?" Tails said carefully.
The boy, named Lee, nodded. "This means you're visitors from another world, doesn't it?"
Knuckles shook his head in disbelief. "Guess there's no need for World Order here. But how do you know?"
The girl shared a look with Lee, then lowered her head and clasped her hands together.
"We'll tell you everything we know." She promised. "But first, escort us to Kinomoto Castle."
Ray nodded and turned around. "May as well. I'm guessing the castle is…that way."
He pointed west, where he and his companions had seen the town.
The girl nodded, placing a hand over her chest. "Yes, thank you for your help, um…"
"The name's Ray."
Knuckles flexed an arm. "I'm Knuckles the Echidna."
Tails gave a small wave. "And I'm Tails Prower!"
The girl curtsied. "It's an honor to meet you, Ray, Tails, and Knuckles. I'm Sakura Kinomoto, the Princess of Kinomoto Empire."
Lee eyed the three guys. "I'm Lee Syaoran, the Prince of Syaoran Empire. And I'm…"
He looked at Sakura and blushed, then looked aside awkwardly. Her own cheeks turned pink as she giggled, and she filled in for him.
"He's my fiance. We were actually on our way to be wed, but that'll have to wait a bit."
Ray did a double-take. "Wait, married when you're that young!?"
Tails's eyes were wide. "K-Kids grow up fast here…"
"Let's just go already!" Lee snapped, stomping forward. "We can't waste anymore time."
The wayfaring trio shared slightly confused looks, while Sakura laughed nervously. Still, they followed the hot-tempered prince to the next destination. While they walked, Tails used button controls in his bracelet to send the Cyclone away.
They never noticed a little drone observing them from the trees, recording their every move with a camera.
Meanwhile at the Forsaken Fortress, Gwen and the Forsaken Five were once again watching live footage of Ray's adventure. The guys looked really frustrated as they saw how Sakura and Lee were saved, but Croix was rather amused.
"What a timely intervention." She mused. "Taking that princess will be easier said than done."
"Hmph, what useless Heartless." Ganondorf grumbled. "That job is beyond their level."
"I agree, which is why we should step up our game. I got just the thing for a situation like this, hm-hm."
The witch gave her liege a smug smile, as if trying to test her.
"That is, if our ruler agrees to my idea."
Gwen played aloof, though internally she was annoyed. This old bat just seemed to like poking at her. Still, she would allow Croix to do as she wished.
"You are hereby granted permission to execute your plan, as long as Ray stays alive." Gwen declared. "Tell me, what do you have in mind?"
Croix chuckled and pulled out a tablet. "It goes like this…"