This was not how Serena pictured her day going.
She'd started the day off with some sense of normalcy, going to Pyrite Town's Pokemart to stock up on healing supplies. They were able to purchase most of their goods, though the mart strangely did not carry Pokeballs. They'd have to go somewhere else, but that was fine. Not like wild Pokemon were in abundance in this region, anyway.
Then, after she and Bonnie made a report to the PCC, they went to register Ash for the upcoming tournament, only to find that they'd need to come back later. The clerk had suggested they go to Outskirt Stand to snag another potential Shadow Pokemon, so at least they had something to do while waiting for the tournament.
Then, in a stroke of spontaneity, they'd decided to get their fortunes told by the town's fortune teller. To her credit, Fateen was surprisingly spot-on with a lot of the information she was providing, which gave Serena hope for the future. There were also a number of questions raised by some of the predictions, but she'd dwell on those later, like Ash's title of Chosen One and Sora's title of Guardian of Light.
Right now, she had other things on her mind.
Firstly, the fact that Sora was now standing in the middle of Duel Square wielding an enormous key in his hand like a sword.
Secondly, the fact that the town was under attack.
When she first saw the shadowy creatures currently terrorizing the town, her first instinct - as well as that of Ash, Bonnie, and Brock - was to try to identify this new strange Pokemon with her Pokedex. The message that followed was both perplexing and unnerving.
"Error. Target is not a Pokemon."
After watching one of the shadow creatures literally kill a man - she could only assume he was dead given that his heart floated away upon his defeat - Serena was entirely convinced that this was not your average run-of-the-mill wild Pokemon rampage, not that those were common in the first place. Fortunately, her time with Ash in Kalos had trained her to handle high-stress situations with some degree of poise and calm, so now she took a stance behind Delphox, who likewise seemed ready to fight. Ash had Pikachu and Metang ready to go, the latter of the two Pokemon smashing its claws together in anticipation for the fight. Bonnie had called forth Dedenne while Brock had brought out Toxicroak.
Sora, for his part, didn't hesitate in the slightest to meet the enemy head on. He didn't even call out commands to Rufflet - who was trying desperately to keep up with his trainer - instead opting to start slashing through shadow monster after shadow monster with that enormous key of his. He was running back and forth across the battlefield with incredible speed that frankly shouldn't have been possible, wielding the key with the strength and precision of a master. The shadows stood no chance and were being cut down like fodder.
"Pikachu, Thunder!" Ash cried out, pointing at a nearby shadow creature. "Metang, Shadow Blitz!"
The electric mouse summoned forth a massive lightning bolt that engulfed one of the larger shadow creatures - it had a belly so enormous she almost mistook it for a Snorlax - and stopped it in its tracks from the sheer force of the attack. Metang immediately slammed into its stomach after the electricity dissipated, knocking it back into a nearby wall. The force of the collision also sent Metang tumbling back until it righted itself mid-air.
"Delphox, Mystical Fire!" Serena shouted, pointing at a cluster of shadow creatures that resembled pitch black Sableyes, who were running straight towards Bonnie.
"Phox!" The Fox Pokemon declared, tracing a ring of fire in the air before bellowing out a column of fire from her mouth, incinerating the smaller creatures before they could reach the young blonde.
"Toxicroak, Brick Break! Watch our backs!" Brock commanded.
Immediately, the Toxic Mouth Pokemon leapt into action, intercepting a shadow creature that was larger than the smaller ones. This one seemed to be armored and moved erratically, but was still nonetheless kept at bay by the Poison type.
"Dedenne, Thunder Shock!" Bonnie cried out as she sidled up next to Serena.
"Dede!" The Antenna Pokemon squeaked, sending out a lightning bolt at the armored shadow Toxicroak was engaged with, defeating it with a puff of smoke.
"What are these things?!" Brock practically shouted as he stood back-to-back with Serena and Bonnie.
"Maybe they're Shadow Pokemon?!" Bonnie suggested before commanding Dedenne to continue zapping the shadow monsters.
"I don't think so." Serena said, shaking her head even as they were pelted by debris from the scuffle. Meanwhile, Delphox sent out another plume of fire at another shadow creature similar to the one Ash was fighting. "The Pokedex said it wasn't a Pokemon!"
"THUNDAGA!" Sora roared, sliding in front of the trio and raising the giant key to the sky. Arcs of lightning descended from the heavens, zapping many of the surrounding shadows and defeating them or driving them back. The one Ash, Pikachu, and Metang were fighting also vanished as a result of the strange attack. "Guys, be careful! You too, Rufflet!"
"Let!" The Eaglet Pokemon cried out, swooping in after his trainer, but not before smacking a smaller shadow creature with a surprisingly-well-executed Wing Attack.
"Did he just use a Thunder attack?!" Bonnie cried out in confusion.
Sora didn't answer, instead dashing over towards Ash, who was fending off a small swarm of the minor shadow creatures. Ash looked surprisingly scuffed up, much to Serena's concern. Pikachu and Metang had taken considerably more damage, but that soon changed in a way Serena was not at all expecting.
"Curaga!" Sora shouted, aiming his key towards Ash and his Pokemon. Suddenly, the three were enveloped in a green glow and their wounds seemed to… vanish?
What in Arceus's name…?
"What the…?" Brock mumbled before turning his attention back towards Toxicroak, who had just finished dispatching another armored shadow before rushing back to his trainer's side.
"Take this! Fire!" Sora shouted before sprinting towards a large cluster of the shadow enemies who were rapidly approaching. He intercepted them before they could get any closer, encircling himself with orbs of fire as he smashed into the group. Once he landed in the middle of the swarm, he began dashing in and out - almost as if being pulled by the key in his hand - and subsequently cut through the horde before it had a chance to react. Rufflet came in behind him, but huffed in annoyance at how his trainer had dispatched their enemies without assistance.
"Pikachu, Counter Shield!" Ash shouted as he started to back away towards Serena and the others. Metang meanwhile had a crazed look in its eyes as it barreled into more of the shadow creatures.
"Chuuuu!" The electric mouse cried out, spinning on its back and letting loose bolts of electricity that arced and formed a ball, striking out and blocking any would-be attackers.
"Metang, come back!" Ash shouted in concern. The Iron Claw Pokemon either didn't hear him or ignored the warning, instead recklessly rushing into one of the large stomached shadows. "Metang, please listen to me! You're leaving yourself wide open!"
After colliding and bouncing off the shadow's stomach, Metang shook its head and seemed to recognize Ash. The crazed look in its eyes dissipated as it heeded its trainer's call, retreating to float by Ash's side.
Serena took a moment to survey the battlefield. Most of the shadows had been defeated and most of the other citizens and trainers were gone. She shuddered at the thought that their absence might indicate that they'd lost not only the battle, but their lives. She thought she saw what looked to be a large red and white sphere disappear around the corner, but she couldn't afford to focus on that. Only a few of the shadow monsters remained, with Sora occupying all but one.
"Let's finish this!" Ash roared out. "Metang, Shadow Blitz! Pikachu, Iron Tail!"
"You too, Toxicroak!" Brock shouted, pointing towards the large bodied shadow. "Poison Jab!"
All three Pokemon struck the large shadow in quick succession, with each blow causing it to stagger back but ultimately resulting in each of the three Pokemon bouncing off its voluminous stomach.
"Hit the head or back!" Sora shouted, choosing to demonstrate on a large shadow he was fighting. He leapt over its head and spun vertically, using the momentum to slash and strike the creature's back, dealing a critical blow to it. Rufflet rocketed in afterward with a peck to the head, finishing off the enormous creature.
Ash nodded. "Pikachu, Quick Attack! Get around its back! Metang, circle around and Shadow Rush!"
"Delphox, hit it with a Mystical Fire!" Serena shouted, deciding to jump into this last fight. "Aim for the head!"
Delphox blasted forth another column of fire, nailing the shadow creature in the head and causing it to stumble backward. Pikachu and Metang immediately followed with their own attacks, staggering the creature forward. As it skidded forward from the impact, Dedenne struck with a Thunder Bolt to the head, defeating it.
The battlefield settled into an uneasy silence as the last shadow creature vanished. Likely the result of the battle and the intense desert sun, everyone was thoroughly drenched in sweat and all of the Pokemon looked completely exhausted. Even the battle-hungry Metang looked similarly winded from the scuffle. Pikachu and Dedenne were sitting on the ground nearby, back to back and breathing heavily from fatigue. Delphox and Toxicroak were much the same, trodding back to their trainers' sides.
Sora calmly walked back to rejoin the group, still clutching the oversized key in his right hand. Rufflet looked satisfied with himself as he perched on the brunette's shoulder, giving a squawk of triumph. Sora, for his part, looked troubled but otherwise no worse for wear. He seemed to notice the various levels of injury and exhaustion in the group as he pointed his key forward. "Curaga."
Just like before, a green light washed over everyone, knitting together scratches and healing bruises. Pikachu and Dedenne cooed in relief from the restorative effects, and Serena herself finally caught her breath.
"Is everyone alright?" Sora asked, looking over everyone while he slung the giant key over his shoulder casually.
"Yeah, we're fine… I think." Brock answered as he also surveyed the destroyed town square.
Ash frowned. "What were those things? I've never seen Pokemon like those before, and they were attacking people too!"
Rufflet did a double take as Sora's giant key simply vanished in a small scattering of light. Sora placed his now-free hands on his hips, shaking his head. "Those weren't Pokemon."
"What do you mean? You know what they were?" Bonnie asked, picking up Dedenne and cradling her partner in her arms.
Sora sighed and looked disappointed. He looked back up at everyone, who was giving him varying expressions, from concerned and confused to intrigued and suspecting.
"Let's go back to our room. There's something I need to tell you guys."
Serena blinked. This day just kept getting weirder.
"So let me get this straight." Brock said, leaning forward in his seat and resting his elbows on his knees. "You don't actually have amnesia. Instead, you're from another world - no, another reality - and found yourself stranded in this reality after using a forbidden power to save your friend Kairi from dying."
"Not really forbidden, just risky." Sora said with a shrug. "... but yeah."
"The reason you had to do this was because you and your friends finished defeating some guy who wanted to start a war and remake reality - your reality, that is - how he saw fit." The doctor continued. "But before you defeated him, he killed Kairi, which was why you had to use this power in the first place."
So far, Serena was following along, but the whole thing sounded bizarre. Granted, it was no less bizarre than watching Sora use a giant key to destroy strange shadow monsters with the agility and strength of a Pokemon.
"Yup." Sora nodded, leaning back in his seat and putting his hands behind his head casually.
"And that key-thing you were using is a Keyblade, a weapon of light that destroys those Heartless creatures we just fought." Brock said, now leaning back and cupping his chin.
"So far so good, Brock." Sora replied with a mareepish smile.
"Well, now we know where the Guardian of Light stuff came from." Serena remarked.
"I'm… having a little difficulty believing this." Brock admitted. "I'm not calling you a liar, Sora, it's just a lot to take in."
"Oh!" Sora said as he started to rummage around in his pockets. He pulled out a device that was of similar size to a Pokedex, but was clearly something of a very foreign make. He tapped on the screen several times before handing Brock the device. "My friend Jiminy recorded everything on my Gummi phone while he was with me during my adventures. Maybe this'll help."
Serena, Bonnie, and Ash all either got up and moved or scooted closer to the Pokemon doctor to get a better look at the written log of Sora's journeys. Even Rufflet, Pikachu, and Dedenne got up from their seats on the bed and sauntered over to get a look. Meanwhile, the Keyblade wielder repositioned himself on the couch he was sitting on, choosing to lay down lengthwise and rest his head on the armchair. Serena couldn't blame him, really. This log looked very extensive and he probably knew it would take a long time to read it in its entirety.
Over the next hour - yes, hour - Serena sat next to Brock and the others, carefully reading through Jiminy's log of Sora's adventures. To call his adventures bewildering and humbling would be the understatement of the century. This boy, at the young and tender age of 14 - just a year younger than Serena during her first journey through Kalos, she realized - found himself ejected from his island home and fighting for his life against literal hordes of darkness, all to save his friends Riku and Kairi. For several years at this point, he and his friends kept the darkness at bay throughout the worlds, a concept Serena was still struggling to wrap her mind around. However, she did find it especially romantic the lengths that Sora was willing to go to rescue Kairi, even going so far as to sacrifice his life not once, but technically twice now, to bring her back to the land of the living.
Were she not already head over heels in love with a certain raven-haired trainer, she might have found herself interested in Sora, but she knew better than to encroach on another's territory. Sora deserved a happy ending with Kairi.
If she ever met Kairi, Serena swore to do everything in her power to get those two together. A quick glance over at Bonnie's look of determination told her that her fellow Kalosian was making a similar vow of her own.
She froze.
Oh Arceus, was she becoming Bonnie?
She shook her head to rid herself of those thoughts and refocused on the journal entries on the "Gummi phone" before her. Sora, through his travels across the different worlds, saved them from the Heartless and the malicious Organization XIII, who seemed to spare no expense at making life as difficult as possible for the Keyblade wielder and his friends. From the dastardly 'Master Xehanort' to the laughably inadequate Pete - who reminded Serena of a particular trio of Pokemon thieves, honestly - it seemed like there were innumerable enemies that were hell-bent on bringing Sora to his knees. He just couldn't catch a break.
"Looks like Sora could give you a run for your money, Ash." Brock remarked, smirking at the man in question. "He's saved his world as many times as you have ours, probably."
"Wait, exactly how many times have you saved the world, Ash?" Serena asked pointedly. She'd been exposed to his escapades - namely with Team Flare - certainly, but Ash's wasn't of the scale Sora had experienced.
Or, at least she thought.
"Well…" Ash mareepishly began, scratching at his cheek nervously.
Ash and Brock then went on to explain the multitude of other instances where Ash ran into a legendary Pokemon and had to save the planet - or reality itself - from certain doom. Sora, at this point, had stopped napping and was listening raptly with as much enthusiasm as Ash had shown when reading about Sora's escapades. Suddenly, his title of Chosen One made a lot more sense.
By the time their tale was finished, Serena felt woefully underqualified. She was in the presence of not one, but two men whose heroics were the stuff of legend.
"So you're like some kind of superhero then, right Sora?" Bonnie interrupted as she kept scrolling through Jiminy's log, drawing either amused or incredulous looks from everyone.
"I wouldn't say that, Bonnie…" Sora said nervously, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. His expression froze as he seemed to realize something. "I've met actual superheroes before, and we were a part of their team, so… maybe?"
"You're so cool!" Bonnie cried out, ignoring his rebuttal while her eyes gleamed like stars. She turned her attention to Ash. "You both are!"
"Heh, thanks Bonnie!" Ash said, flashing her a grin.
Suddenly, something occurred to Serena. It was something that would undoubtedly sour the mood but something that probably needed to be addressed anyway. It was something that was lurking the back of Serena's mind ever since she'd learned Sora was from another reality.
"What about your home, Sora? Your friends?" She asked carefully, trying her best to broach the topic with a gentle tone. "Don't you miss them?"
"Yeah, I do." Sora admitted as his expression, predictably, changed to one slightly more somber. After a moment, he gave a weak smile and placed a hand over his heart. "... but I know that so long as I keep my friends in my heart, we're never truly apart. Even if we are in different universes now, we're still connected. Maybe one day I'll see them again."
Serena felt her eyes start to water at the heartfelt and emotional declaration. She hastily wiped away the tears before they could drop and glanced over at Ash, who seemed to be deep in thought.
"I get what you mean." Ash said. "I've traveled with a lot of people through the years and while it was hard saying goodbye, it was always like I was taking a piece of them with me on my next adventure."
"Exactly." Sora said with a nod. "They're never truly gone. The people I've met make me stronger and I help make them stronger in return. We grow together. I know I've only known you all for just over a week, but I already see and value you as friends. I hope that's alright."
"Of course that's alright!" Ash exclaimed, his posture noticeably springing up at the declaration. "You're my friend too, Sora."
"Mine too!" Bonnie said, beaming from ear to ear.
"Same here." Serena said, her volume much more restrained but no less genuine than her companions.
"I feel the same way." Brock said with a smile and a nod. "You're a good guy, Sora. I'd be happy to call you my friend."
"Even if I found a way home…" Sora began, looking either concerned or determined and continuing where he left off. "... I don't think I'd go home just yet. While the Heartless do appear every now and then naturally, I doubt they've been to this reality before. I have to find out what, or who, is bringing them here and stop it."
"I don't think I've ever heard of them coming here." Brock said, looking pensive. "I'm no historian, but I'm pretty sure stories about heart-stealing monsters wouldn't have been so easily forgotten."
"Do you think it could be that Organization XIII?" Bonnie asked as she continued to scroll through Sora's otherworldly device, eyes constantly scanning over the information presented.
"It's definitely the kind of thing they'd do." Sora admitted, slumping in his seat before throwing his hands in the air. "But we defeated them and Xehanort! There shouldn't be anybody left to do anything."
"Well, somebody's bringing them here." Ash said as he looked out the window. Serena stood up and joined him. She could see that Pyrite was starting to pull itself together, with both regular citizens and thugs - though now she started to question the latter label when it came to these people - coming together to repair the damage. "We need to find out who and help Sora stop them."
"Wait, you want to help?" Sora asked, looking startled at the declaration.
Ash glanced at Serena and immediately she saw that fire, that determination in his eyes. He then looked over at Sora. "Of course! They're invading our world, so I want to help defend it!"
Sora smiled and gave a firm, albeit happy, nod. "Thanks! We should probably get moving, though. Whoever brought the Heartless here is probably long gone at this point, so there's no reason to stick around. That, and they tend to target me since I'm a Keyblade wielder…"
"Wait, they target you?" Brock frowned.
Sora meekly nodded. "Yeah. The Heartless are drawn to attack Keyblade wielders because we're the biggest danger to their existence. That also means that so long as I'm here, I'm their main target."
"Do you think there's a connection between the Shadow Pokemon and the Heartless?" Bonnie posited, causing everyone to freeze where they stood (or sat).
Serena's brow furrowed. She didn't know much about the Heartless or the dangers from Sora's reality, but the connection between creatures of darkness and corrupted Shadow Pokemon was too close to ignore. Professor Krane had mentioned that Shadow Pokemon were created when the doors to their hearts were locked. The Heartless, Nobodies, and Organization XIII's motives and methods struck a little too close to that idea.
"That would make sense." Brock said, crossing his arms. "It's all too similar to be mere coincidence. First the Shadow Pokemon start to become a problem after 5 years of inaction, then shortly after the Heartless attack? There's no way they're not connected."
"Well, I guess we may be on the same mission after all then, huh Sora?" Ash said with that cheeky grin of his.
Sora placed his hands behind his head and flashed the raven-haired trainer a similar grin. "Sounds like!"
"Oh Arceus, there's two of them…" Brock said, shaking his head and failing to suppress a smile. "This adventure just got a whole lot more interesting. And a lot more dangerous."
"Are you sure about this, Ash?"
Serena stared down at the metal contraption currently strapped to her left arm. Before they left Pyrite, Ash had given her the Snag Machine. Her. Serena. The Performer, not the world-renowned Champion.
She couldn't help but question her crush's judgment here.
"Of course I am." Ash said, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, almost immediately inciting a blush from the performer at the close contact. "I'm still working on breaking through to Metang. I don't know if I could handle two Shadow Pokemon at the same time."
"But why me?" Serena asked, abruptly jerking her head to the side to dislodge the tuft of hair that had pinned itself across her vision. It was annoying but unavoidable, given that they were now driving across Orre's desert on their way to Outskirt Stand.
"Because you're the most caring person I know." Ash said, giving her a gentle smile that melted her heart. "I know you can help out one of these Shadow Pokemon. I know you're scared but remember what Fateen said. Have a little faith in yourself, Serena."
She took a deep breath and sighed. "You're right. I can do this. We can do this."
"That's the spirit." Ash declared, reaching down and giving her hand a squeeze.
"So what do you think, Sora?" Bonnie's voice asked from behind them.
Serena glanced over her shoulder to see Sora and Bonnie sitting in the rear seats, giving appraising looks at both her and Ash. Serena had to remind herself that Bonnie for once didn't insist on riding shotgun; instead, she wanted to sit next to Sora while he regaled her of his adventures. Now though?
Now she had that malicious grin on her face.
"I'd say three weeks to a month." Sora said, putting his hands behind his head in what she now figured was his trademark relaxed pose.
Bonnie's expression changed to playful thoughtfulness. "Really? That's sooner than I figured. I'll say two to three months."
Serena and Ash exchanged confused looks. What in the world were they talking about?
"I think it'll happen sooner." Sora stated, flashing a friendly grin. "I'm pretty good at reading hearts, remember? They have a very close bond, I can tell. Since they were kids, you said?"
Serena felt her blood rush to her face. She had a sinking feeling she knew what - or more specifically, who - they were talking about. Bonnie she expected this from, but Sora? As it turned out, the Guardian of Light had a mischievous side to him. She looked at Ash and saw that - much to her continued surprise - he had pieced together the clues too, if his flushed face was anything to go off of.
Today was just full of surprises.
"Oh yeah." Bonnie said, waving her hand dismissively. "Since they were kids. Kinda like you and Kairi."
"Yep." Sora agreed. A moment later, his expression then froze as his complexion started to mirror that of Serena's. All that was missing was the cliché sound of a record scratching. "Wait, when did we start talking about me?"
"Right now." Bonnie said sassily. Her grin returned in force as her focus shifted to the brunette. She gestured casually with her thumb at Serena and Ash. "We both know that's going to happen, so I wanna learn more about this girl of yours. You fought against the forces of darkness together and you even sacrificed yourself for her. Twice! Are you telling me that there's nothing between the two of you?"
Serena let out a sigh of relief as the conversation continued behind her, knowing that Sora had unwittingly become the object of Bonnie's teasing instead of herself and Ash. Speaking of the raven-haired Champion, Serena glanced down to see that their hands were still linked. Her gaze shot up to Ash's face, which she saw was now etched with contemplation.
"Ash?" Serena gently prodded. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah." He answered. His eyes then shifted towards her and she felt her heart skip a beat. He looked simultaneously determined and concerned at the same time. "If we run into the Heartless again, stay next to me."
"Sure. Of course, Ash." Serena hesitantly agreed. Of course she'd stay with him, but this came out of nowhere. "Where's this coming from?"
"I... " Ash started, clearly trying to put together his thoughts before proceeding. "I've just been thinking, ever since we learned about Sora and the world he comes from. I don't want you getting hurt. I know you're strong now. You've always been strong, even when we were traveling in Kalos as kids. This is different though. I don't want to lose you, Serena."
Serena felt a smile coming on at this heartfelt admission. "I don't want to lose you either, Ash. I'll promise to stick next to you if you promise not to do anything reckless."
Ash chuckled, his serious expression evaporating instantly. "Deal."
"I take it back." Serena heard Sora say behind her. "Two weeks."
"... You know what?" Bonnie said. "I think you're right."
"YOU GUYS!" Serena shouted, unable to handle the behind-the-back gossip and teasing any longer. Ash simply gave her hand a squeeze before letting go and laughing to himself.
Soon, everyone in the jeep was laughing; even Brock, who was staying out of the conversations behind him for the most part, joined in on the general sense of mirth between the friends. Once the initial shock wore off, Serena found herself laughing as well. This was what was missing during her travels through Hoenn and Sinnoh. Sure, she encountered May and Dawn from time to time during her journey, but what she sorely lacked was companionship. This was what she needed during the years following Kalos.
She missed this.
"Kairi, wait up!"
Kairi couldn't, wouldn't, wait up. As she ran towards Master Yen Sid's tower, she felt hope and joy swell into her heart for the first time in months. Training with Aqua and Ventus had been a welcome distraction and certainly necessary for her growth as a Guardian of Light, but this was different. She frantically turned the doorknob and barrelled through the door, immediately catching sight of the spiral staircase that led up to the esteemed wizard's study.
"Kairi!"
She stopped and glanced back to see Aqua and Ventus hot on her heels. The former placed a gentle, yet firm, hand on Kairi's shoulder. Ventus was out of breath, doubled over and resting his hands on his knees.
"Kairi, slow down." Aqua calmly said. "You're going to exhaust yourself if you try to sprint up the stairs like that."
"But - " Kairi began to retort, only for Aqua to hold up a finger.
"He's not going anywhere, and I don't think you want him to see you like this, do you?" Aqua said with a knowing smirk. Kairi became suddenly aware of what her teacher was suggesting, and she found herself unable to disagree. If she was going to reunite with Sora, it was going to be a memorable reunion, one that shouldn't be tainted with the smell of desperation and sweat.
"Sorry, Master Aqua." Kairi finally admitted, taking a deep breath and steadying her nerves.
"No apologies needed, Kairi." Aqua said, releasing her hold on the fiery redhead. "You've been looking forward to this for a long time. I would probably be the same way were I in your shoes."
With that, the trio slowly made their way up the spiral staircase. Kairi had climbed many stairs in her life. Light knew places like Radiant Garden were full of them, and she had frequented Master Yen Sid's tower enough times to be accustomed to the climb. Yet, this time it was different, more taxing and more arduous. She should have felt elated, but something felt off. Despite Roxas's excitement over the phone, Kairi had a bad feeling about this. Something in her heart was telling her that all was not as it was advertised.
Nevertheless, Kairi was the first one through the door into Master Yen Sid's study. Immediately she saw that her, Aqua, and Ventus were the last to arrive. Master Yen Sid was seated, as always, behind his mahogany desk, and Ansem the Wise was standing just behind him and to the left. Looking to her right, Kairi spotted Axel, Roxas, and Xion, who all looked to have been interrupted in what was probably a deep conversation. Looking to her left, she saw Riku and Namine who were likewise engaged in conversation with King Mickey and Terra. Donald and Goofy were standing in front of the wizard's desk itself and had since turned around to face the newcomers.
Yet, no Sora.
She should have expected this. It was too good to be true. The others must have noticed the dour expression on her face as similar looks of sadness and disappointment began to cross their features at the sight of her.
"Good, everyone is here." Master Yen Sid spoke up, drawing all attention to himself. He never explicitly demanded attention, but the man's authority and deep, powerful voice all but demanded that anything he had to say was of the utmost importance. He then shifted his gaze to Kairi. "Is something the matter?"
"Sorry." Kairi hurriedly apologized. "I thought Sora would be here."
Xion roughly elbowed Roxas in his side while Axel softly punched the Nobody's shoulder. A scowl crossed Xion's face. "I told you you shouldn't have gotten her hopes up like that. Now look what you did."
"I'm sorry!" Roxas half-whispered. "I just thought she'd be happy to hear that we made progress!"
Kairi gave Roxas a sympathetic smile before his statement caught up to her in its entirety. "What progress?"
"If I may, Master Yen Sid…" Ansem the Wise started slowly, earning a nod of approval from the wizard. "Through exploring Roxas and Xion's memories, and with the assistance of Namine in those efforts, we now know more about Sora's whereabouts."
That was… vague, but alright. Anything was better than nothing. Kairi stayed silent, waiting for the rest of the explanation.
"Sora has crossed over into another reality, and a very strange one at that." Ansem continued. "Rest assured, however, that Sora is not in any danger at the moment. In the week that Sora has been in this other reality, he has, in fact, made new friends and allies."
Kairi breathed a sigh of relief as a smile crossed her face. Leave it to that lazy bum to make friends in another reality. That boy's penchant for friendship knew no bounds, but that was part of his charm. She hoped they'd be able to keep him company and keep him safe until he could be rescued.
Wait.
"Wait, a week?" Riku asked, voicing Kairi's own confusion. "Sora's been gone for months."
"That's correct." Yen Sid interjected with a nod. "However, we cannot pretend to understand how the passage of time works in the space between realities, or even in this new one Sora finds himself in. While he has been gone from our reality for four months, it would appear that he has only spent a week in this new one."
"Well, at least we know he's not going to be waiting too long for us, then." Axel said casually. "If four months here is just a week there, then we could in theory take our time rescuing him."
"Axel!" Xion snapped at the lanky redhead.
"Hey now, I'm not saying we should take our time!" Axel quickly retorted. "I'm just saying that we can afford to make any and all preparations to make sure we do this right."
"Normally, your logic would be sound." Yen Sid said, cupping his chin in thought. "If time passes slower in that reality than it does in this one, we can certainly afford to properly prepare ourselves. However, we don't know for certain that this is the case. Time could have simply been warped as he traveled between realities. Now that he is in another reality, the passage of time could be the same as it is here."
"What can you tell us about this new reality, Master?" Ventus asked, stepping out from behind Aqua.
"It is a strange one, to be sure." Ansem interjected. As the one heading the memory retrieval efforts, it only made sense that he would know more about the subject at hand compared to the wizard. "The world Sora has landed on is inhabited by humans and strange creatures called Pokemon."
"Pokemon?" Everyone in the room asked. Ansem, Yen Sid, Xion, Roxas, and Namine didn't seem particularly phased by the new term.
"These Pokemon are similar to the variety of animals and beasts that inhabit other worlds, but they are much more powerful." Ansem went on to explain. "They are capable of incredible feats of strength and power. In fact, many embody the forces of nature, such as fire, water, electricity, and the like. There are many more than just those three, but it would take far too long to explain right now."
"Is Sora in danger?" Riku asked.
"Yes and no." Ansem replied, earning looks of confusion throughout the room. "On this world, humans form partnerships with these Pokemon in a strange relationship that is simultaneously that of a friendship as well as between a master and pet. These Pokemon are terrifying creatures, to be certain, but the vast majority of them appear to be docile or outright friendly to strangers."
"That's… interesting." Xion said with uncertainty.
"Indeed." Ansem said before continuing. "The humans who befriend these creatures are called 'Pokemon Trainers' and work side-by-side with their companions as they go through life. Sora, as it stands right now, has befriended four such trainers and is now currently traveling with them under the pretense that he is searching for his friends Riku and Kairi."
The friends in question shared a look of simultaneous contentment and concern. While she was flattered that she and Riku were the focus of this search of his, surely he had to know that the chances of seeing them again were slim.
"Well if we know where he is, why not just go get him already?" Axel said, pushing off of the wall he was leaning against.
"I am afraid it is not that simple." Yen Sid said grimly. "Sora is in another reality and right now, the only way we have of reaching him is through the Power of Wakening. Fortunately, we know enough now where we could reach him."
"I'm sensing a but here…" Axel said.
"Even if we send a rescue team to retrieve him, there is still the matter of bringing him and his rescuers back." Yen Sid explained. "We have no intention of making this a one-way trip."
"We have some idea as to how to accomplish a rescue, but the plan is still in its infancy." Ansem said, picking up where Yen Sid left off. "It will take time to formulate and test."
"In the meantime, why not send a rescue team now?" Ventus suggested, earning him looks of confusion and incredulity.
"Did you even hear what he just said?" Aqua scolded. "We don't have a plan for retrieval yet."
"Yeah, but if Sora has help over there, he stands a better chance of surviving long enough for a proper rescue." Ventus said. "We don't know how capable these trainer friends of his are. They're probably good people if Sora's made friends with them, but there's a lot we don't know. If we send a rescue team now, then by the time they find Sora, hopefully on this side we'll have a plan by then."
A few seconds of silence hung in the air as everyone absorbed that new perspective.
"He's got a point, you know." Roxas said with a shrug. "There's no guarantee that the rescue team will immediately find Sora, so they'll need as much of a head start as they can get."
"That… is not a bad idea." Yen Sid said, a smirk crossing his face.
"So who's going?" King Mickey asked, looking around the room.
Immediately, everyone's hands shot up. Kairi smiled, glad to see that everyone was practically leaping at the chance to help save Sora. It was a testament to how loved her lazy bum was.
"We can't all go." Riku huffed before he looked at Yen Sid. "What do you think, Master?"
"We will need someone who can safely harness the Power of Wakening to lead the way." Yen Sid explained. "Whoever goes with him will need to be those who have the strongest bond to Sora, to aid in establishing the connection needed to arrive as close to Sora as possible."
"I'll go!" Riku, Kairi, Donald, and Goofy all exclaimed. They all looked at each other and chuckled.
"I am afraid not all of you can go." Ansem said. "Riku will need to lead the charge since he has used the Power of Wakening before. However, we will need two of you to remain here on this side as an anchor."
"An anchor?" Donald asked, confusion clear on his billed face.
"Yes." Ansem replied. "Our theory of retrieval right now is that Sora and Riku will use the Power of Wakening from their side to traverse back. That is, assuming that it could work. To do so, they would need people who they have a strong bond and connection with to help guide them back here. An anchor."
"Gawrsh, that makes sense I guess." Goofy said thoughtfully. "So who stays and who goes, then?"
"It might be best if you and Donald remain here." Yen Sid suggested.
"What?! Why?!" Donald asked, looking horrified at the suggestion. He must have realized how loud he was being, as he immediately shrank back in on himself. "Sorry."
"We don't want you or Goofy encountering any issues on that side." Ansem explained. "We fear the locals might mistake you for Pokemon and… attempt to catch you."
"Wak!" Donald cried out in alarm. "I don't want to be caught!"
"Well don't we have your illusion magic, Donald?" Goofy asked. "It's never let us down before."
"We don't know if his illusion magic will work in this new reality." Yen Sid replied. "We know Sora has tested his own magic and found that it works, but since he is incapable of using illusion magic like Donald does, we do not know for sure that it will work there."
"We don't want to have to rescue the rescuers!" King Mickey joked, lightly nudging Donald and smiling.
"Precisely." Yen Sid continued. He turned and looked at Riku, then Kairi. "Since you two have the strongest bonds to Sora, we would like you to go find him. I understand you have been training under Master Aqua for the past three months, young Kairi."
"Yes sir." Kairi replied, nodding in affirmation. "I wanted to be as ready as I could be to help rescue Sora when the time came."
"Excellent." The wizard said with a smile. "I have no doubt your training will be helpful in this mission."
"When can we leave?" Riku asked, glancing over at Kairi before focusing his attention back to the elders behind the desk.
"You can begin as early as tomorrow." Yen Sid answered. "Take the rest of the day to prepare yourselves, both physically and mentally. The journey will be dangerous and you will be arriving in a foreign world. There's no telling what you'll encounter. In the meantime, we will look into ways of retrieval and communication while you are there."
Kairi locked eyes with Riku, who gave her a determined nod in kind. They were about as ready as they were ever going to be, short of supplies and rest. Those would come before tomorrow but mentally, they were prepared. Kairi had worked tirelessly for three months to give her the best fighting chance, and Riku was no slouch either; his training with Terra had kept him from getting rusty.
They were ready.
A/N:
I realize I've probably taken some liberties here with how the Power of Wakening works, but my knowledge on the subject is admittedly sparse. My apologies if I've egregiously mishandled that power and its application in canon, but it's a necessary evil. Sora used it to basically go back in time and save his friends, so it's not that much of a leap to assume it could be used in this manner… right?
If that doesn't hold up, I needed a way to bring Riku and Kairi to the PokeWorld believably without bringing the entire cast of Kingdom Hearts with them. You know everyone would jump at the chance to help Sora, but I'm not about to juggle a cast of almost two dozen people. I'm already doing that with my other fic, Unyielding, and lemme tell you… larger casts are an exercise in multitasking.
In any case, I hope the build up to Sora's "reveal" was worth it! Some of you might be confused why the Pokemon are capable of harming the Heartless. I figure these are creatures who, if you look at their Pokedex entries, are incredibly dangerous, if not outright deadly. Their attacks are borderline magical, and we've seen non-Keyblade wielders in KH canon (see: Disney & Final Fantasy cameos) capable of harming Heartless with enough training or power. It's not too much of a stretch.
Til next time!