Aris and the others awoke early the next morning to aggressive tapping at one of the windows. Aris drew open the curtains to see his Spirit Summon, Tulin, furiously clawing at one of the windows with his talons, as if to alert the party of something. Aris opened the window. "What is it?"

Tulin moved aside, motioning with his wing to a bunch of knights in the front yard. They were escorting Van Reichnott to a carriage - and the noble was bound at the wrists.

"What's going on?" asked Ness.

"Reichnott's been arrested," Aris sighed. "This cannot be good."

A maid suddenly burst into the room. "Sir!" she said to Aris. "You and your friends must get out of here at once!"

"We gathered that much." Loretta sprang out of bed and holstered her blasters.

"There's more to it," said the maid. "Lord Reichnott is being arrested because a nobleman from the next town over marched in here and accused us of hiding you!"

"Then we do need to get out of here," Sora agreed.

Everyone ran down the hall, following the maid. "There's a secret backdoor in the kitchen," she said. "You can escape through there!"

"What about Filo, Ness, and Melty?"

"We don't know where they are."

"Then we're not leaving without them."

In the meantime, though, Aris and company dipped into the kitchen.

"Hide!" the maid hurriedly whispered to them.

Raphtalia and Loretta concealed themselves in an empty pantry. Sora ducked behind a pile of potato sacks. Aris used the Cloak of Shadows for the first time, turning himself completely invisible and standing in the far corner of the room.

The maid, meanwhile, pretended to prepare breakfast.

The knights burst in not a moment too soon. "Hey, you there! What are you doing?"

"I-I'm just preparing breakfast," the maid replied.

"Forget that, get over here!" one of the knights boomed, grabbing her by the wrist and dragging her out of the kitchen.

A familiar girl's voice interrupted the commotion. "What do you think you're doing!?"

All eyes - hidden and otherwise - were on Melty.

"As crown princess of Melromarc, I demand that you cease this behavior at once!" she ordered.

"Well, well, well, who do we have here?" sneered a pompous voice. "If it isn't the second princess herself."

In the empty pantry, Raphtalia gritted her teeth at the voice. Her tail stood on end, like that of an angry cat.

The pompous-sounding nobleman, who was quite portly, bowed before Melty. "I am quite glad to see you well, princess," he said. "I rushed here at my earliest convenience out of concern for your safety."

"You really sure about that, Lord Rabier?" a deadpanned voice interjected as a figure stepped out of the shadows.

It was a tall, somewhat muscular man with spiky blond hair and blue-green eyes, wearing black clothing. Strapped to his back was a massive, mechanical-looking sword with a single edge.

Sora gasped. "Cloud...!?" he whispered to himself.

"Ah, but of course, Mr. Strife," the nobleman said.

"And why did you even hire me, anyway? I haven't even done anything." Cloud looked like he didn't want to be here.

"For my protection, of course," replied the nobleman - Lord Rabier. "You were to defend me in the event that the Devil of Hyrule appeared and attacked me. But it seems he's either gone or in hiding. Not that it matters, since we have what - or rather who we're looking for right here." He motioned to Melty.

"Right," Cloud deadpanned.

"Idol Rabier," said Melty. "I've heard quite a bit about you. You've fought with my father in the past."

"That I have, yes," Idol admitted.

Melty looked around at the knights. "These are your troops, I presume?"

"Correct."

She eyed Cloud. "And this gentleman?"

"A mercenary I hired as my bodyguard," said Idol. "You won't be seeing him very long, I'm afraid. He agreed to accompany me for only this endeavor."

"Right," said Cloud. "And I better get my payment for it when we get back to your home."

"I assure you that you will, Mr. Strife," Idol assured him. "But, before we withdraw," he turned back to Melty. "Where is the Devil of Hyrule and his friends?"

"Not here, I can tell you that much," replied Melty. "I requested that he leave me and escape. And now that I have a chance to do so, I plan to speak with my father directly and clear the Swordsman Shield Hero's name!"

Cloud seemed to hold a bit of silent respect for the second princess. He glanced at her with an apologetic look.

"You will take me to the capital at once," Melty ordered Idol.

"Understood," said Idol. "We will make the necessary arrangements for your journey at my home."

Idol, Cloud, and the knights escorted Melty out of Reichnott Manor.

"Filo! Ness! There you are!"

Aris and his party ran into Reichnott's attic to find Filo and Ness snooping around.

"Oh, papa, there you are!" Filo sang happily.

Aris didn't seem as cheery. "How long have you two been up here?"

"Not long," said Ness.

"Mel said she wanted to play hide and seek with us and told us to hide somewhere we wouldn't be found by anyone," Filo added. "Ness said we should come up here! But...Mel never found us."

Aris looked at the others. "...Shall we inform them?"

Raphtalia nodded.

Aris filled in Filo and Ness on the events that had just transpired.

Ness clenched an enraged fist. "I'm going to save her!"

He started out the door when Sora grabbed his shoulder.

"But if we don't save her, she'll-"

"We know, Ness," Loretta assured him. "And we're going to save her."

Sora looked glum. Aris tapped his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

"Oh, yeah...I'm fine," said Sora. "I just...why would he do something like this...?"

"Who?"

"That mercenary who was with Idol," said Sora. "He's...He's an old friend of mine."

"You know that guy?" said Raphtalia.

Sora nodded. "Cloud and I go way back. But...if Idol wanted to take Melty away...then chances are he's working with Maleficent and her goons. Which means that technically...so is Cloud."

"We'll bring him to the right side of the battle, Sora," Aris assured him. "One way or another."

Sora smiled. "Thanks. Now...I think we've got a princess to save."

"This Idol fellow," said Aris to Raphtalia upon their arrival, "...you know him, don't you?"

"Unfortunately," replied Raphtalia.

"You don't have to join us if this is too much for you to handle," Aris assured her.

"No...I want to," said Raphtalia. "Melty is just as much my friend as she is yours. And I'm not going to run from my past any longer."

Sora pointed at the outer gate of Idol's land. "What's going on down there?"

A bunch of figures had come to the gate and were shouting, holding torches and pitchforks and the like.

"They seem to be Demi-Humans," said Loretta. "They must have come here in an attempt to free Reichnott."

"Which means we have a distraction," Aris pointed out. "They can keep the guards' attention away from us whilst we infiltrate."

He summoned his Crimson Loftwing. Loretta readied her jet boots. Raphtalia and Ness mounted Filo. Sora didn't do anything, but he seemed ready for something or other.

The Crimson Loftwing took to the skies as Filo bounced from rock to rock, scaling a cliff near the gate. Loretta followed suit, using her jet boots to propel her jumps. Sora activated Flowmotion and followed behind.

"What's happening outside?" Melty demanded of Cloud.

The reluctant mercenary looked out the window. "Seems a bunch of Demi-Humans from that Reichnott guy's district are banging on the gate."

"And we will get rid of them posthaste." Idol barged into the room. "Now, princess, will you tell me where the Devil of Hyrule is?"

Melty shook her head. "I will never yield."

"Then perhaps...he will convince you to talk."

Another pompously dressed figure entered the room. This one was clad in red, with a fancy hat and sword, and a stylishly trimmed mustache. "Do ye have the blasted princess already?" he said, exasperated.

Melty noticed something about this figure - his left hand had been amputated and replaced by a sharp hook.

"Oh, but of course, Captain!" said Idol. "She is right here."

"Good," said the captain. "I'll have me crew deliver your payment once we get her aboard me ship."

"And speaking of payments..." Cloud walked over, holding a hand out to Idol.

"Ah, yes, of course." Idol reached into his pockets and pulled out a bulging pouch chock-full of gold coins. Cloud looked inside and nodded.

But then he noticed the captain.

"You," Cloud seethed.

The captain barely acknowledged Cloud. "Oh. You're the lad who worked for that bilge rat Hades all those years ago."

"I am," said Cloud.

"Captain, take her away!"

Hook didn't need to be told twice. He grabbed Melty, who screamed and kicked to attempt to free herself, and fled the scene, heading for the docks not far from Idol's manor.

Idol, meanwhile, grabbed Van Reichnott by his hair. The benevolent noble had been bound to the wall not far from Melty.

"I demand to know the location of the Devil of Hyrule!" Idol yelled.

"I know no such person," Reichnott replied. "Unless, of course, you're referring to the Swordsman Shield Hero. But you may as well just kill me, because I don't plan on telling you anything."

Idol punched Reichnott in the gut, making him yelp in pain, panting heavily as the wind was knocked out of him.

"Sir, if I can ask...why are you doing this?" Cloud seemed to be concealing some form of emotion now.

"Ah, Mr. Strife, I'm glad you asked," said Idol. "We're having a hard time getting our...guest here to talk." He motioned to Reichnott. "But, as a servant of my god, I must punish any who side with the Devil of Hyrule." Idol held up a three-pronged rosary. "That includes his friends. I'm...quite interested in the one with spiky brown hair. He seems...unusual."

Spiky brown hair...? Cloud thought. No...No, he can't mean...him...

"A person with spiky brown hair?" Cloud feigned curiosity. "Sir, I think you have me intrigued, too."

"Ah, so I do," Idol mused. "I believe his name is...Sora."

Cloud snapped.

"M-Mister Strife?" Idol looked almost scared. "What are you doing?"

Cloud drew his massive sword. "Betrayal."

Idol's nostrils flared and his eyes widened. "What!? I demand that you obey my orders and allow me to conduct my business by defeating the Devil of Hyrule and his friends!"

"As if I'd do that."

"Ravage them, Filo!"

Filo began going to town on some defending soldiers while Aris equipped his Chimera Viper Shield.

"Sora, go with her! We will rescue Melty!" Loretta called out.

"Got it!" Sora jumped off his Keyblade Glider and summoned it back as a Keyblade, joining Filo in her battle.

Meanwhile, the rest of the party barreled into Idol's mansion.

They breezed their way through Idol's soldiers, mowing them down like a middle-aged man would an overgrown lawn on a Saturday morning.

Aris blocked a sword from a lone soldier with his Chimera Viper Shield. One of the emblazoned snakes came to live from the shield, sinking its fangs into the soldier's unarmored sleeve and piercing the skin.

The soldier cried out.

"You have been injected with a very potent venom," Aris cautioned him. "And, if left untreated, said venom will kill you. But I will relinquish the antidote if you listen to me."

"Y-Yes! A-Anything!" the soldier begged.

Aris narrowed his eyes. "Where is Princess Melty?"

"L-Lord Rabier's bedroom!"

Aris handed him the bottle of the antidote. "Now, get out of my sight, lest I change my mind."

The soldier ran off, chugging the antidote.

"Lord Rabier!" A knight burst into Idol's bedroom, where he was currently locked in a tense exchange with Cloud. "The Devil of Hyrule and his followers are storming the mansion!"

"What!?"

As if on cue, Filo, Ness, and Sora burst through a nearby wall, the former knocking Idol flat. Cloud stared in surprise.

"Good timing," mused the mercenary.

"Cloud!" exclaimed Sora. "What are you doing here!?"

"I'll explain everything later," replied Cloud. "I'm helping you guys out."

"Good!"

"Mel!" Ness cried. "Where's Mel!"

"You won't find her here!" Idol cackled maniacally as he staggered to his feet.

Cloud suddenly slammed his foot into Idol's face, knocking him back to the floor and dislodging a few of his teeth.

"Tell them." The mercenary pointed his massive sword at Idol's neck.

"A-Alright, Alright, I'll talk!" Idol shouted. "I...I handed her over to someone else!"

"Go on," Cloud prodded.

"A-A man named Captain Hook!" Idol continued. "He...He said he would bring Princess Melty back to the capital!"

"He lied," Sora realized. "He'll bring her to Maleficent the moment he gets the chance!"

"I don't know what you're talking about, I swear! He never mentioned anyone by that name!" Idol cried.

"He sounds like he's telling the truth there," Aris noticed.

"Where do we find this 'Captain Hook'?" Loretta demanded.

"Don't bother asking that," Cloud sighed. "Hook's probably long gone by now."

Cloud sheathed his sword.

Idol staggered to his feet once more. "Y-You dare...make a mockery of me!?" he seethed through some missing teeth. "Torture won't be enough for the likes of you!" He took out a whip. "You will pay with your pathetic lives!"

Cloud was about to knock him back down when Raphtalia stepped forward instead.

Idol seemed to recognize her. He raised his whip and cracked it against her arm.

Raphtalia winced, but did not relent.

"Lowly Demi-Human!"

More whip cracks. Still, Raphtalia moved forward.

Idol raised his whip once more, only for Raphtalia to draw her sword and cut it at the base.

"W-Wait!" Idol cried. "Don't! Please!"

Raphtalia kicked him to the floor and pointed her sword at his undefended neck. "So many of my kind - my friends - begged for their lives just like that...and you did nothing but continue torturing them."

Idol gritted his remaining teeth. "You animals would've died had I not taken you in back then!"

Raphtalia pushed her sword further. "Shut up!"

Idol cowered further away.

"Do you really think I don't remember what you did?" Raphtalia said, her voice breaking a little. "The atrocities you committed? No! I could never forget what you did to us!"

"I-I know!" Idol cried. "I realize I was wrong now! I-I'm sorry!"

"Liar!" Raphtalia slammed him in the head with the pommel of her sword. "You took Rifana and you have the audacity to try and apologize!?"

She lifted her sword.

Idol whimpered.

"You can offer your apologies to Rifana in person."

"N-No, don't! Don't kill me!" Idol blubbered.

"Oh...you're right." But Raphtalia didn't sound merciful. She grabbed him by his hair and pressed the back of his head against the wall. "I shouldn't kill you." She placed the blade of her sword against his throat. "I should just leave you here to suffer. That's what you deserve."

"Then...do that!"

"No."

Idol started blubbering again, like the adult baby he was.

"Because you're not the kind of loose end I'd leave untied.

Raphtalia pressed her sword into his throat, leaving a nice coating of blood on the wall behind Idol.

The noble's head rolled off his neck and onto the floor, leaking blood from the stump of its neck.

"Jeez," Sora remarked. "Remind me not to get on her bad side."

Raphtalia suddenly gasped. She staggered back. Her sword fell out of her hand.

The weight of what she had done had finally fallen upon her.

"I...Did I just..."

She fell to her knees.

Aris didn't hesitate to comfort her. "Raphtalia...it's okay..."

"It's not okay!" Raphtalia cried. "Nothing about this is okay! I just...I killed someone, Aris!"

"And that someone killed so many more people," Aris reminded her. "And he doubtless would have killed more had you not killed him first."

Raphtalia whimpered, leaning her head onto Aris's shoulder as her tears subsided. "Y-You're right...besides, I avenged Rifana...didn't I?"

Aris didn't know who this Rifana person was, but he nodded. "You did."

Raphtalia got to her feet. Aris did the same.

"Swordsman Shield Hero."

Loretta and Sora had cut Reichnott free.

"Thank you for coming to my rescue," said the benevolent noble. "But...unfortunately, the princess-"

"Was handed over to Captain Hook," Aris finished. "I'm aware."

"But...we don't exactly have a boat, do we?" Sora pointed out. "How are we supposed to get to Hook before he brings Melty to Maleficent?"

BGM: Captain Hook's Pirate Ship - Kingdom Hearts 1.5 ReMix

Melty had been tossed into the brig aboard Captain Hook's ship, the name of which she didn't know.

Does it even have a name? she pondered.

She shook her head. Melty scolded herself for thinking about such trivial things at a time like this.

"I have to focus on how to get out of here," she chided herself.

She saw the lock on her cell door. That gave her an idea.

That Captain Hook and his lackeys made the mistake of having my wrists tied in front of me, she thought. But, the joke's on them, because...

She summoned Waters of Justice, holding it in her bound hands.

"Now, if what Sora told me was right, then I should be able to just..."

She pointed Waters of Justice at the lock. A small beam of light shot from the tip, engulfing the lock.

The beam disappeared and the light died. The lock came undone and her wooden cell door creaked open.

Perfect! Melty thought.

Her guard, a lanky, foul-smelling pirate of Captain Hook's crew, was fast asleep outside her cell. That, Melty realized, was a big mistake.

She threw her arms around his neck from behind, using the ropes binding her wrists to her advantage to strangle the sleeping pirate into unconsciousness. "Shhh..."

Melty dragged the unconscious pirate into her cell, using Waters of Justice again to lock the door.

She noticed something had fallen from her captor's belt - a knife.

"Awfully convenient," Melty remarked.

She picked up the knife and sawed through the ropes, severing them and freeing her arms.

"Mother gave me a few basic sailing lessons," she remembered. "If I can find a way to commandeer the ship, I should be able to get myself back to safety."

So began Melty's mission.

She snuck through the bowels of Hook's vessel, either dodging or knocking out any pirates who happened to be down there at the time.

One particular pirate happened to be quite burly, forcing her to incapacitate him with a Keyblade strike to the back of his head.

I can't move this guy out of sight, she realized.

Such a predicament meant that the pirates would inevitably find their unconscious comrade and likely realize that Melty had breached containment.

She found a familiar-looking portly pirate carrying a tray of food - which didn't look at all appetizing.

That's Smee, Melty realized. I might be able to get him to tell me the way to the upper deck.

Melty suddenly grabbed Smee and pulled him into a nearby storeroom, pinning him to the wall with Waters of Justice pointed at the old man's throat. "How do I get to the upper deck?"

Smee seemed terrified. "I-I...J-Just up that ladder, not far from here!" he blubbered.

Melty sighed. "Thank you."

She smacked Smee's head with the butt end of her Keyblade, knocking him out.

It was quite a shame - Melty actually liked Smee. He was the only pirate aboard this god-forsaken ship who wasn't a foul-smelling derelict.

He's just too naive to realize he's on the wrong side of this conflict, Melty thought. It's a shame...I'd love to have him around the castle.

Melty found the ladder Smee had told her of and sneakily climbed to the top deck.

Too many pirates up here, she realized. Well...I guess I'll have to go in loud.

End BGM

Melty burst out of Captain Hook's quarters and onto the deck of the ship, much to the surprise of the pirates stationed there. "Hello, everyone!" she quipped. "It was getting terribly stuffy down in the brig, so I figured I would come up here for some fresh air!"

Captain Hook screamed. "What!? How did you escape!?"

"You didn't know I had a Keyblade?" Melty laughed. She summoned Waters of Justice.

"Blast!" Hook exclaimed. "She's just like that bilge rat, Sora! After her!"

BGM: Pirate's Gigue - Kingdom Hearts 1.5 ReMix

Every pirate on deck suddenly charged, drawing various weapons.

Melty knew the pirates were bumbling fools with weapons and the ability to flaunt them - none were true fighters.

She spun in a circle with her Keyblade out, knocking out the pirates surrounding her. She jumped into the air and clung to the mizzenmast of the ship, swinging Waters of Justice down at the advancing pirates.

Melty jumped from the mizzenmast to the main deck, knocking a shorter pirate to the wooden boards of the deck with a landing kick.

A muscular pirate - probably the ship's cook - came out with a frying pan in hand.

Melty raised Waters of Justice to block the frying pan.

The cook faked her out and nearly launched her overboard. Melty clenched her teeth at the pain in her hip.

I can still fight, she told herself.

She certainly could. She practically danced around the deck, knocking pirates unconscious and sending some overboard.

"Swoggle me eyes, you bilge rats!" Hook roared. "I'll deal with this wench myself!"

Hook drew his saber and swung. Melty parried. She grabbed a rope and swung to the top of the main mast, knocking a pirate out of the crow's nest and into the dark ocean below.

She and Hook crossed blades atop the main mast. Melty had to admit - though Hook was quite a bumbling idiot, not unlike the rest of his crew, he was a skilled fighter.

But not skilled enough, she thought, giving herself a bit of an ego boost.

The princess and the pirate were evenly matched in their swordplay. Just as Melty had received sailing lessons from her mother, so too had she received some classes in swordplay from her father.

Those lessons were finally paying off.

"Cap'n!" a pirate suddenly shouted.

"Blast it, I'm busy!" Hook yelled.

"Cap'n, we got another ship off the starboard bow!"

"What!?"

Melty took the chance to knock Hook to the deck. The captain didn't bother going back after her, instead looking over the side of his ship. Melty elected to take a gander as well.

Sure enough, another ship had approached them and was sailing alongside them. The pale moonlight barely illuminated its black hull, but Melty immediately took notice of the Jolly Roger flag atop its main mast.

More pirates? she thought.

BGM: He's a Pirate - Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

She was correct, but those pirates did something she never thought would happen.

The new pirates - these looking much stronger and more skilled - all swung from their dark ship to Hook's and began battling Hook's crew.

"Find that princess girl and get her onto the Pearl!" one of them ordered - a well-dressed pirate with a big hat and long blond hair with a beard.

They might be on my side, Melty realized as she fought Hook's crew alongside the crew of the dark ship - the Pearl, she thought it had been called. But on the other hand...being imprisoned by more experienced pirates might be a step down from Hook's crew. But then again...what other choice do I have?

She decided to speed things up by fighting Hook's pirates.

"You there!" a pirate from the Pearl acknowledged her amid the fray. This pirate looked much cleaner than the rest. "You're Princess Melty, aren't you?"

"Yes!" Melty cut down another of Hook's pirates.

"You should come with us!" the well-kept pirate shouted over the sound of yelling and the clashing of swords.

"Aye!" The blond pirate - who seemed to be their captain - came closer. "We're not here to imprison ye."

"And why should I trust a pirate?" Melty exclaimed.

"Do ye have any other ideas?" the blond pirate pointed out.

Melty pondered, then shook her head.

"Then come with us!" The well-kept pirate held out his hand.

Melty took it.

Cannons began to fire from the Pearl, ravaging Hook's ship. Melty could already feel the deck lower toward the waves beneath her feet.

"Hurry, Will!" a woman's voice shouted from the deck of the Pearl.

"I've got her, Elizabeth!" Will, presumably the well-kept pirate, shouted back. He clenched Melty's hand and swung from Hook's ship back to the Pearl, where he landed next to a rather pretty woman with blonde hair.

Another voice from the Pearl addressed the ship's crew. "They're going down! Retreat back to the Pearl and return to your stations!"

A chorus of, "Aye, Cap'n!" echoed from the deck of Hook's ship as pirates from the Pearl returned to their ship. Hook's vessel sank below the waves, its captain screaming obscenities at the Pearl.

End BGM

The dust settled before long. The crew of the Pearl had returned to their stations, leaving the blond bearded pirate, Will and Elizabeth, and another pirate with black dreadlocks and suntanned skin with Melty on deck.

"Why are you doing this?" Melty asked them. "Are you going to hold me for ransom or something?"

"No," said the woman - presumably the "Elizabeth" Will had called out to earlier. "Captain Jack decided that it would be better for us to return you to your kingdom in exchange for a reward as opposed to holding you for ransom. She eyed the tanned pirate - probably Captain Jack. "But I really think he just wants to do a good thing for once."

"Ah, but therein is where you're wrong, Elizabeth," Captain Jack countered. "A pirate always looks to make a profit." He turned to Melty. "Savvy?"

Melty, confused, nodded.

"But, wait!" she suddenly interjected. "I can't go to my home yet."

"Ye can't?" the blond-bearded pirate asked. "Why not?"

"Because my older sister - who isn't crown princess, mind you - wants to hand me over to some...witch for god knows what reason, probably so she can take the throne instead of me. And I wouldn't trust Melromarc with her in charge if my life depended on it."

"Aye," said the blond-bearded pirate. "Then perhaps it's best we keep ye here for the time bein'."

"Agreed," added Will. "We can keep you safe here, your highness."

"Oh, no need for the formalities," said Melty. "This is your ship we're on, after all. I should defer to the more experienced sailors."

"Good answer, madam," Captain Jack commended.

"But, anyway, I should introduce myself officially." Melty curtsied before the pirates - something she never thought she would be doing. "I am Melty Q. Melromarc, the second princess and heiress to the throne of Melromarc."

"William Turner," replied the well-kept pirate. "And this is my wife, Elizabeth."

The blonde woman shook hands with Melty.

"Hector Barbossa, at yer service, lassie," said the blond-bearded pirate.

"Captain Jack Sparrow," said the last of them. "And as captain of this lovely vessel, Princess Melty, it is an honor to welcome you aboard the Black Pearl."