Author's Note:

Going to WWE Friday Night Smackdown tonight, wahoo! I wanted to do a shorter chapter than usual this week, so I threw together his quick little number and called it a day. Or a week, rather, since it took me a week to write this. Review time:

"I can understand Cinco de Mayo and Canada Day. But Bastille Day? Really? Why would they even celebrate Bastille Day? What is the correlation between France and Smash? The only thing I can think of is the best European Smash player, Glutonny, who played Wario, is from France."

There isn't that much correlation between Super Smash Bros and France. (Unless one of the characters is secretly French conically.) If I do a Bastille chapter today, it will most likely be because I had nothing else planned. Next is The Reader:

"So, now we know that this is not the TOTK timeline, does that mean Commander Zelda (she's not a Champion, btw) kept her long hair? I mean I like her short hair, but this is important for the lore, you know."

Champion...I mean, Commander Zelda does have long hair. Now on to some sad news:

"Sad news. Brendan O'Brien, the original voice actor of Crash Bandicoot and other characters (including Cortex, Brio, N. Gin, and Tiny), has passed away at the age of 60. He died in March, but the news was just announced this week. RIP Brendan, your work as Crash will never be forgotten."

Died in March, and it wasn't announced until May? Wow. Brendan O'Brien really made his mark in the video game world with his voice acting for the Crash Bandicoot franchise, and his work and contributions will indeed never be forgotten. Now for some bad news:

"From a sad news, now a bad news. It has been announced by the Overwatch 2 developers that the planned PvE content will be scrapped. Yes, the one thing that will differentiate Overwatch 2 from the first Overwatch...is gone. Overwatch 2 is basically just a balancing patch of Overwatch 1 now. What's your opinion on it?"

That is very disappointing. Admittedly, I haven't been playing Overwatch 2 much compared to Overwatch 1 since they removed the loot box system and replaced it with the battle pass. The removal of the planned PvE content will definitely put a damper on things. Finishing off with David:

"Is Takumi gonna get killed off and possessed like in the Conquest route? Is Kasumi Yoshizawa taking gymnastic classes with Wii Fit Trainer? (I've noticed a huge lack of appearances lately). Are there any Shido loyalists in Seattle that want the Phantom Thieves dead? A scene of Ivy from Fire Emblem Engage freaking out to the ghosts and Boos living in the mansion? And finally, do you think Roman Reigns not defending his titles at Night of Champions is a huge mistake? (Fans are joking that he'll hold the titles hostage until 2050)."

Takumi will not be killed off. Kasumi is doing some sort of gymnastic stuff with Wii Fit Trainer; you may see her in action soon. No Shido loyalists in Seattle. I could do that scene if/when Ivy appears. And Roman not defending his titles at NOC isn't a huge mistake in my opinion; it might give the World Heavyweight Champion match a bit more prominence. But will that match be the main event of the show? With Roman on the card...probably not.


Episode 387: YoungXehanort

Giovanni and Rufus two members of Dimentio's coalition, were in Seattle having lunch. The two villains were sitting outside, enjoying some Mediterranean cuisine and some margarita on the side.

On one side of the table, you had Giovanni - the calculating leader of Team Rocket, and a manipulative mob boss who only saw Pokemon as tools of power and control. On the other side, you had Rufus Shinra, Shinra Inc.'s enigmatic vice president who enjoyed ruling with an iron fist. Both Giovanni and Rufus were similar in so many ways, yet at the same time very much different.

As the two were having their lunch, there was a noticeable animosity brewing between Giovanni and Rufus. Whereas Giovanni was smirking, Rufus on the other hand had a scowl on his face. The way that Giovanni was smirking irked Rufus, and Rufus desired to know what was going on in Giovanni's diabolical mind.

"Not enjoying your meal, Rufus?" Giovanni asked the Shinra VP, before grabbing his glass of margarita and taking a brief yet subtle sip. "I see that you haven't picked up your fork in the last minute or so."

"How very nice of you to keep track of time," Rufus sarcastically replied, causing Giovanni to smirk even harder as the Team Rocket leader placed his glass back on the table.

"Pick up the fork just once, I insist! Your food is getting cold." Furrowing his brow, Rufus looked at his fork and picked it up...for only a few seconds before putting it back down.

"There, I picked it up. Happy now?" Not the kind of reaction that Giovanni was going for, but at least Rufus did what he was told to do. "Now tell me what's going on in that mind of yours."

"Is that why you've suddenly lost your appetite? Are you that worried about what I'm thinking? I'm not smirking because I'm concocting a plan, mind you."

"So you're smirking just for the sake of smirking. I don't buy it." Rufus fixed the cuff on his right sleeve, as he looked at Giovanni suspiciously. "I know that you're plotting something, Giovanni."

"Enlighten me, then, what am I possibly plotting? I would really like to know." Giovanni rested his elbow on the table, leaning in close to Rufus waiting for him to speak. Just then, a server approached Giovanni, tapping him on the shoulder.

"No elbows on the table," the server informed Giovanni, who grumbled as he removed his arm; satisfied, the server walked off to serve a waiting customer at another table.

"Really, Rufus, I'd like you to spend the next minute or two educating me." Giovanni placed both of his feet on the table, as he was getting relaxed...maybe a little too relaxed, even.

"No feet on the table either," the server came back to inform Giovanni, who grumbled yet again as he put his feet back down. You can't break the rules all of the time, Giovanni.

"Enjoying lunch so far?" someone asked, as a dark corridor appeared nearby; the server shrieked and ran off in fear, as Young Xehanort exited the corridor to confront Giovanni and Rufus.

"Mostly," replied Rufus, not hiding how he honestly felt about having lunch with Giovanni. Young Xehanort could sense it too when he saw Rufus's face. "What do you want, Young Xehanort?"

"I was about to tell you my plans for today...my plans to add a fourteenth member to the Organization." And just like that, Young Xehanort had Giovanni and Rufus hooked as both villains were looking at him intrigued.

"A fourteenth member, you say?" said Giovanni, finding the concept to be tantalizing as he stroked his chin. "Do you have anyone in mind?"

"We have already decided on who we're going for; it's a Keyblade wielder that you might be familiar with." Didn't take Giovanni that long to figure out which Keyblade wielder Young Xehanort was referring to.

Young Xehanort: Believe it or not, the Organization came close to making Sora a vessel back in our universe. Sadly, Riku and King Mickey thwarted our plans, but this time we won't have a lousy mouse to worry about. Riku will be the only person I'll have to worry about, and there is no telling how tied up his hands will be. Anybody who dares to get in my way will be dealt with promptly.

"Ah, Sora! I should've known," exclaimed Giovanni, as he recognized how powerful Sora was; such power on the Organization's side could be lethal. "You think he'll surrender to you easily?"

"He doesn't have to surrender...I'll just take him in with force," guaranteed Young Xehanort, having full confidence that his mission would turn out to be a success. His mission can't possibly turn out any worse than how his Organization XIII peers have fared.

"In that case, we'll leave you to it," Rufus said to Young Xehanort, partly wishing that he could tag along with the young man - if it meant keeping himself away from Giovanni. "We hope to hear positive news soon."

"There will be a positive result, I am sure of it." Young Xehanort walked away from Giovanni and Rufus's table, as he was off to the mansion to find Sora. Seconds after Young Xehanort was gone, the server returned.

"...is he gone?" the server asked Giovanni and Rufus, wishing that she had called the local authorities rather than hiding like a coward. "Who was that creep?"

"That 'creep' is none of your concern," replied Rufus, only to furrow his brow when he saw Giovanni laughing slightly to himself. It was bothering him greatly. "What are you laughing about, Giovanni?"

"None of your concern," replied Giovanni as he gave Rufus a taste of his own medicine, causing the Shinra VP to be incensed. Rufus kept a wary eye on Giovanni as he resumed eating his meal.


In the previous episode, Champion Link advised Master Hand on which folks deserved to stay at Omnis Adest and who should probably be kicked out. The Hylian was back at it again today, as Master Hand had yet to make any final decisions.

"Check out my cool ninja sword!" Harvey said to one of the new Omnis Adest members, Ryu Hayabusa, as he showed off the homemade sword he made in the last episode. "You like?"

"Let me see it," offered Hayabusa, as Harvey handed over his ninja sword...only for Hayabusa to toss it in the trash can and dust his hands off. Harvey gasped in shock.

"Nooooo, I worked so hard on it! Do you not realize how much glue I used?" Evidently, Hayabusa didn't seem to care as much as he gently patted Harvey on his head.

"I did you a favor - I put it in the trash where it belongs." As Harvey reached inside the trash can and fished for his ninja sword, Hayabusa was later approached by Kasumi, who had also joined Omnis Adest.

"Guess what I found lying on the sidewalk," Kasumi said to Hayabusa, as she was holding an object behind her back. The object was revealed to be Hayabusa's legendary Dragon Sword.

"My Dragon Sword!" Hayabusa took the Dragon Sword from Kasumi, inspecting it briefly to confirm that it was the real deal. Not a single scratch on the blade, much to Hayabusa's delight. "But how?"

"I may have seen it near someone's RV..." Kasumi gestured to Harvey, who had just pulled his sword out from the trash can. Harvey looked up and became overwhelmed with fear when he saw Hayabusa glaring at him.

"Wh-Why are you looking at me like that?" Harvey questioned Hayabusa, who let out an angry scream as he did a downward slice on the trash can with his Dragon Sword. Harvey shrieked as Hayabusa chased him around the vicinity.

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Hayabusa angrily vowed to Harvey, while an amused Kasumi looked on; also looking on were Master Hand and Champion Link, albeit from a distance.

"Alright, Champion Link, what say you?" Master Hand asked the Hylain, wanting his honest opinions on the new residents of Omnis Adest. Champion Link looked at Master Hand as if he was crazy.

"Ryu Hayabusa and Kasumi? They literally just got here," stated Champion Link; if Hayabusa and Kasumi were to be removed from Omnis Adest today, they'd break the record for the shortest-tenured residents by a mile.

"I was mainly talking about Kasumi. She and her friends might be too...distracting if you catch my drift." That's when Champion Link understood where Master Hand was coming from - although Master Hand's concerns really had no merit.

"Eh, it won't be that bad. Now let me show you who should really leave this place." So Champion Link led Master Hand away, with Master Hand looking at Kasumi for a brief moment before following after the Hylian.

"Cut it out, Hayabusa, he's just a dog," Kasumi said to the ninja, who was putting Harvey in a chokehold and telling him to tap out. Sheldon approached Kasumi, but it wasn't to check her out.

"Excuse me ma'am, but have you seen a ninja sword anywhere?" Sheldon asked Kasumi, who looked at the horseshoe crab as she had her lips pursed. "Was planning on adding it to my collection."

Sheldon: I have a fetish for all sorts of weaponry - guns, swords, you name it! People may think that I'm just a nut for ink-based weaponry, but they won't know what's coming to them when they see me wielding a battle hammer. That reminds me...my toy Mjolnir is supposed to come in the mail today.


Young Xehanort arrived near the mansion grounds unannounced, walking out of a dark corridor that appeared in Mario's front yard. The first thing that Young Xehanort saw was a giant American flag, which was perched atop Mario's house. Mario, Spyro, Hunter, and Guile were all standing outside, looking at the flag.

"Guile, tell me again-a why you placed the American flag on my house?" Mario asked the major, who was watching as the American flag was waving. Guile was doing his best not to shed a tear.

"Because today is National Armed Forces Day," replied Guile, feeling the urge to salute the flag - which he eventually did. He looked at Mario and company and was personally offended that they weren't following suit. "Salute the flag."

"Aye-aye, captain!" shouted Hunter as he saluted the flag, showing how patriotic he was. Mario forced himself to do the same, as Spyro tried to salute as well only to fall on his side.

"But why my house-a specifically?" Mario questioned Guile, as Peach walked out of the house holding a crying Lou. Not even the tears of an infant could deter Guile from properly acknowledging the flag.

"Mario, it's your turn to change Lou's diaper," Peach said to her husband, who was about to head back inside his house. But then Guile held his arm out in front of Mario after the plumber had taken his first step.

"No...Mario must stay outside and acknowledge the American flag," Guile said sternly to Peach, making sure that Mario wouldn't be out of his sight - despite keeping his eyes on the flag. Long as the flag remained waving, Mario wasn't going anywhere.

"Either he can acknowledge the flag...or he can acknowledge this frying pan." Peach whipped out her frying pan, looking menacing as she smacked the pan in the palm of her hand repeatedly. Mario looked afraid...and so did Guile.

"Go and change your son, Mario." Guile nudged Mario forward, allowing the plumber to go back inside the house and tend to Lou's current needs. "There is nothing scarier than an angry wife, believe me..."

"Silly peons and their beloved flags..." Young Xehanort quietly muttered under his breath, as his eyes soon drifted to Luigi who was walking outside. Spyro saw Luigi approaching and wanted to look out for him.

"Luigi, go, go while you still can!" the purple dragon called out to Luigi, but it was too late - Luigi looked up and saw the American flag atop Mario's house, and was easily allured.

"Woah? That's one big-a American flag," remarked Luigi, only for Guile to grab him by the shoulder and pull him into the position that Mario used to be in. "Hey Guile, what-a gives?"

"You will stand-a here and salute the flag," Guile said to Luigi, who wanted no part of it as he slapped Guile's hand away, angering the major in the process. "You dare to disrespect this great country?!"

"I can salute-a the flag another time, leave-a me be!" Luigi had just about enough of Guile, as he looked to get away. And that's when Young Xehanort decided to make his presence known, as he stepped forward.

"Ah, Luigi, the eternal sidekick," Young Xehanort smirked as he drew closer to Luigi, who stopped wrangling with Guile as he looked around. "Always lurking in the shadow of your heroic brother, Mario."

"You talking to me?" Well, who else would Young Xehanort would be referring to, Luigi? Not like either one of Guile, Spyro, or Hunter was related to Mario or a sidekick. Although Hunter was definitely a sidekick, in most regards.

"Is that Organization XIII?" Spyro whispered to Hunter, as it was the first time that he and the cheetah had seen anyone from Organization XIII in the flesh. "Do they not have anything better to do, other than bothering people?"

"Considering that all they do is wear cool black cloaks, probably not," Hunter whispered back, before feeling like he was implicating himself by saying something positive about Organization XIII. "Don't tell anyone that I like their fashion sense."

"Tell me, have you ever considered the futility of trusting others, especially your beloved brother?" Young Xehanort asked Luigi, attempting to get under the green plumber's skin. Luigi saw what Young Xehanort was trying to do, and refused to fall for it.

"Of course! I trust-a Mario with all my heart," replied Luigi as he stuck up for Mario, not letting that Young Xehanort said to him get him down. "He's my brother."

"The bond of brotherhood, it is indeed precious. But let me warn you, Luigi, trusting someone blindly is a dangerous path. Your faith in Mario will be your undoing."

"That's where-a you're wrong. Mario has always been-a there for me, through the highs and the lows. You know nothing about the bond-a I have with Mario."

"You're simply a pawn in Mario's shadow. He keeps you close to maintain his own image; he'll leave you behind when it suits him."

"That's not true! Mario has always-a treated me as an equal. I trust-a him with my life." Luigi closed his fist and held it close to his chest, letting Young Xehanort know how genuine his words were. An impressed Guile applauded Luigi.

"Well said, Luigi, well said," Guile applauded the plumber, as Young Xehanort glared intensely at the major. But Young Xehanort wasn't done just yet.

"You're blinded by your loyalty, Luigi," Young Xehanort tried to warn the green plumber, as he was starting to grow a bit impatient. "Mario will show his true colors when it matters most."

"Mario would-a never betray me," assured Luigi, fully confident that Mario would never leave his side even when the chips were down. "We're too close."

"Your unwavering faith and loyalty is your weakness, Luigi You'll witness the cold reality of his true nature and realize the worthlessness of your misplaced trust. And who knows...maybe one day you'll come to regret your misplaced trust in Mario. The weight of that betrayal will crush you.

"La, la, la-la-la, I can't hear you!" Luigi was now taunting Young Xehanort, pretending that he couldn't hear the young man as he had his fingers in his ears. Spyro and Hunter laughed, and Guile even tried to crack a smirk (although he couldn't get it done).

"Fine then, have it your way...Mr. L." Mr. L?! Luigi definitely heard that one, looking bug-eyed as he took his fingers away from his ears. Young Xehanort smiled, the mere mention of Mr. L having Luigi shook.

"Mr. L? You don't mean..." Luigi started acting panicky, as he took off his hat and inspected the top of his hand with both of his hands. Young Xehanort turned his head and saw Sora in the distance heading inside the mansion through the backdoor with Riku and Kairi.

"Well, good talk, Luigi. It was nice speaking with you." Done speaking with the now panicky Luigi, Young Xehanort summoned a dark corridor and made his exit. Spyro and Hunter were both hesitant to take on the Organization XIII member.

"Nice of you to stand around and not do anything," Spyro said to Guile, startled that the major hadn't laid a single finger on Young Xehanort. Perhaps Guile didn't have the incentive to do so.

Guile: It was simply not in my best interest to deal with Organization XIII. Now had that young man trifled with the flag, I likely would've dealt with him accordingly.

"Some fresh-a air...just what I need!" exclaimed Mario, doing a giant exhale as he returned outside after changing Lou's diaper. He would come across Luigi, who was on the ground inspecting his head.

"Floro Sprout must-a be in here somewhere!" said Luigi as he was digging through his air, hoping to pull out a sprout of some kind. A puzzled Mario looked towards Guile and company for answers.

"You just missed it - someone from Organization XIII popped up," Spyro informed Mario, giving the plumber every right to be alarmed. "He said that made Luigi, well...as you see right now."

"Mario, I think there's a Floro Sprout in-a my head," Mario told his twin brother as he got up, placing his hands on Mario and shaking him silly. "You have to get it out-a for me!"

"Let's take a chill-a pill," Mario soothed Luigi, who was growing concerned that a sprout may have been planted in his head while he was asleep. "How about I take you back-a home." Mario escorted Luigi to his house, as Spyro and Hunter followed. Guile, meanwhile, remained outside.

"I will never leave you behind," Guile said to the American flag atop Mario's house, as he went back to saluting it. Suddenly the flag fell down from the roof and fell on top of Mario's car, causing the car horn to sound off.

"Guile, was that you?" Peach angrily asked the major as she stepped out of her house; Guile nervously clenched his teeth, as he inspected Mario's car for any signs of damage.


Much like how Star Records was in dire straits at the current moment, Touma's show Force Five was in dire straits as well. Touma's creative juices weren't flowing as much as they used to, and the redhead was steadily running out of ideas. So he met with Fox, Falco, Itsuki, and Eleonora in the Star Records room, hoping that they had some ideas themselves.

"I think you should kill off Yukari," Falco suggested to Touma, alarming the redhead and the others with his greatly drastic idea. "Send a strong message to the audience."

"But she just joined the squad as the sixth member!" stressed Touma, who would only kill off Yukari on the show if she was a seasoned vet. All the other Force Five members were fair game. "What good would that do? And what would the message even be?"

"There is no message - Falco is just being misogynist, as always," Eleonora replied in a slightly teasing manner as she folded her arms. Falco frowned at the blonde as he angrily stood up.

"I am not a misogynist!" Falco defended himself, unnerved by the smug smile that Eleonora had on her face. "If I was, I'd also advocate for Tsubasa and Kiria to be killed off as well. Speaking of which, I'd leave that one on the table."

"We are not killing off any Force Five members," stated Fox, as Falco let out a saddened moan and sat back down in his chair. "Would take too much out of the show's budget."

"Not necessarily," stated Itsuki, only for a knock to be heard at the Star Records door. Everyone instantly knew who it was. "That must be MC Ballyhoo."

"Fox, Falco, I'm here!" announced MC Ballyhoo as he barged inside the Star Records room, nearly taking the door off of its hinges. He saw the meeting that was going on and was intrigued. "Ooh! What is this meeting for?"

"We're having a meeting about Touma's Force Five show," explained Eleonora, as MC Ballyhoo looked for a seat only to see that no chairs were available. "Touma is revealing to us how short-sighted he is."

"Am not!" Touma frowned at Eleonora, who for the second time today got another man super defensive and all up in his feelings. Once again, Eleonora was smiling smugly.

"You have to admit, she does have a point," Fox sided with Eleonora, as Touma looked at the pilot and wanted to sock him in the face. "Your crazy ideas sort of turned Force Five into a zombie franchise."

"So what you're saying is that the main villain should be a zombie? I can make that work; I'll do a plot twist where Ridley becomes a space zombie pirate!"

"...this is exactly what I mean by you being short-sighted," Eleonora said to Touma as buried her face in her hands, unable to reason with the redhead anymore. She was on the verge of losing her sanity.

"Short-sighted, hm?" said MC Ballyhoo as he adjusted his gloves, looking to offer Touma a little word of advice that he could take with him. "Mr. Touma, have you ever considered living in the present?"

"No...is that like an idea for a new story arc, or what?" Touma eyed around, wondering what Ballyhoo was getting at, and it was up to Ballyhoo to educate the redhead as much as possible.

"Far from it! Live in the present! Focus on the now, take things one step at a time. Tomorrow will take care of itself." Those were some words to live by, as Touma was convinced as he nodded his head in agreement.

"Now that's some good advice! But how do I live in the present?" Touma looked towards Ballyhoo for a suggestion or two, and Ballyhoo only had one that came to mind.

"If what the others have said holds any merit...you should just cancel your show." The Force Five, canceled? The thought alone brought much ruin to Touma, whose mouth went agape.

"Yes, I second this decision," said Eleonora, as she felt like standing up and applauding Ballyhoo. Touma slowly turned his head towards Eleonora, looking at her as if he had been betrayed.

Eleonora: Personally, I wouldn't be opposed to Force Five getting canceled. The pay that the actors get is not very shabby; Kiria compared it to the hourly wage of working at Mcdonald's. Working at the window. I get paid a bit more but only because I'm the director.

"How could I? The Force Five is my baby!" stated Touma, who would never dare to cancel his beloved show even if he was held at gunpoint. "It's like the child I never knew I had."

"To be fair, viewership hasn't been looking hot as of late," said Fox, although Touma refused to believe the fact; in Touma's mind, the low viewership numbers were because of a bug in YouTube's system.

"Not to mention the quality hasn't been the same," added Falco, with Touma taken aback by the slander from the Star Fox pilots. "One episode had a monster based on a pizza chef! A pizza chef!"

"Oh yeah, well Power Rangers Turbo had the same thing!" defended Touma, only to later reconsider his point for a brief moment. "Granted, Turbo was one of the worst Power Rangers seasons..."

"My point exactly." Validated by Touma, Falco folded his arms behind his head as he rested his feet on the Star Records desk. Touma was exasperated, too afraid to come to grips with reality.

"We can discuss Force Five's cancellation another time," said Ituski, turning his attention to Ballyhoo as a downtrodden Touma got up from his seat and walked to the far corner of the room to mope. "Ballyhoo, would you like to join us at the table?"


Young Xehanort had infiltrated the mansion and was on the hunt for Sora. He could care less if anyone saw him, as long as he found his target. Leaving the mansion empty-handed was easily a worst-case scenario for him.

"Where are you, Sora?" Young Xehanort called out to Sora, searching around the mansion's pantry area for any signs of the Keyblade wielder. Pit happened to exit from the pantry, holding a large jar of honey.

"So putting honey in coffee is fine, but pickle juice isn't..." said Pit, maintaining his hold of the honey jar as Young Xehanort took sight of the angel. "...I will never understand your ways, Joker."

"Pit, the angelic hero of Skyworld," Young Xehanort said to the angel, startling him just as he was about to leave for Cafe Leblanc. "Have you ever stopped to consider your own self-worth? Or are you content living in the shadow of others?"

"In the shadow of others? You're not talking about Incineroar, are you? 'Cause his shadow is pretty big, and it's kinda hard not to..."

"Not talking about the Pokemon, you insolent buffoon...I was referring to Joker. You've been in his shadow ever since you started working at the cafe, and it must've made your self-worth a facade. Who knows if Joker truly values you."

"Joker values me a lot - so much, that he gave me a part-time schedule! But no special counsel, though. That said, I'm not seeking validation from him."

"But happens when your efforts go unnoticed and unappreciated by Joker - or the other baristas? Will you still believe in your worth then?"

"My worth isn't dependent on anyone's recognition or praise. I work at the cafe because I like it - not for personal gain. Even if my work goes unnoticed, I keep on keeping on!"

"Your self-assurance is pure delusion, Pit. Your efforts are in vain, and Joker likely sees you as a disposable tool. When it's most convenient for him, he'll cut bait with you."

"I know my worth! And what about you, what's your worth to the Organization?" The longer Young Xehanort remained silent, the more convinced Pit was that he totally owned that lamer.

"I won't engage with you any further, Pit. But you'll see. You'll see how insignificant and replaceable you truly are. One day, Joker will show you." On that note, Young Xehanort walked away from Pit, leading the angel to assume that he won the argument.

"Yeah, that's right, you keep on walking! 'Cause you're worthless! Master Xehanort's worthless son! That's all you are!"

Pit: Wait, so Young Xehanort isn't Master Xehanort's son? He's actually a younger version of Master Xehanort who time-traveled from the past?! Phew, that's a relief...I was feeling extremely bad for a wife that never even existed! How did I miss that?

"Who was that you were talking to?" Diddy Kong approached Pit, catching the angel shaking his fist like a crazed madman. The spidermonkey was eating a banana that had just turned ripe.

"Just some loser from the Organization," replied Pit, and soon it hit him - he allowed an Organization XIII member to walk away unscathed. "Crap, I let him get away! Joker's so gonna fire me!"

"It's probably not that big of a deal." Diddy did his best to assure Pit, who was full of fear as he dropped the jar of honey unto the floor and ran off. Diddy looked at the honey, and then looked around, before taking the lid off the jar and dipping his banana inside.


Pit frankly didn't have to fret as much, for Samus was on the case...well, sort of. The bounty hunter was up in the computer room, and she was apparently dozing off while in front of the computer as live security footage was playing.

"Psst...Samus!" Wendy Koopa whispered into the bounty hunter's ear, causing her to wake up from her slight slumber. Samus opened her eyes and saw Wendy holding her Tamagotchi toy. "Susie says hello."

"Get 'Susie' out of my face or I'm breaking that stupid toy in half," Samus threatened Wendy, who gasped as she held her Tamagotchi toy away from the bounty hunter. Wendy held "Susie" as if it was her precious baby.

"That is no way to talk to my best friend! Let's go, Susie...Mommy's got you." Wendy kissed her Tamagotchi toy delicately, cradling it gently in the palm of her hands as she exited the computer room. Samus rolled her eyes in disbelief.

"She's her best friend and her 'mommy', at the same time...how laughable." As Samus turned to face the computer monitor, she leaned in close with her eyes bulging out as she saw Young Xehanort, casually strolling through the hallway.

"Today's a good time for playing some online slot machines," gleamed Wario as he entered the computer room, rubbing his hands with much anticipation as he sat at a computer. "Even if they don't reward me with real cash. Best scam ever!"

"Wario, I need you to go and get Link and Zelda for me," Samus said to the fatso, just as he got himself comfy in his chair. Wario was about to reject, but Samus's icy cold stare kept him from saying a word.

"Dang it, I just got here! Why me..." Grumbling to himself, Wario got up and left the computer room. Samus went back to the security footage, keeping her eyes focused on Young Xehanort.


Meanwhile, back at Omnis Adest, Champion Link brought Master Hand to the townhouse where the Special Support Section stayed at. But it wasn't the Special Support Section group that Champion Link believed should get the boot, mind you.

"Found this car at a run-down car shop," Lloyd Bannings said to Sean Diaz, one of the members of Omnis Adest; if you might recall, Sean and his brother Daniel had joined Omnis Adest back in episode 372.

"Don't mean to be blunt, but this car looks like a piece of garbage," Sean gave his honest thoughts on the car, inspecting it all over and seeing rust on the hood, headlights, and even the wheels. "How many other cars did you see?"

"Almost a hundred of 'em - and they were of the same quality as this vehicle. Funnily enough, the place was deserted!" Lloyd was awfully confident that the rusty car could drive, while Sean was left shaking his head.

"Let me guess, some of the cars were piled on top of each other." Following a nervous eying around the area, Lloyd uncomfortably nodded his head as Sean sighed and facepalmed. "I should've known..."

Lloyd Bannings: In my mind, I thought that it was a good deal - I got the car for free, and I didn't have to pay any money straight up. Of course, the car is not in the best shape for driving...but I got it for free! That car was ripe for the picking, begging for a car owner. And that's when I stepped in and took hold of the opportunity while it presented itself. My thanks to that gorilla for letting me have that car.

Cranky Kong: *wheezing* Haha! That Lloyd Bannings...he really thought that I was running a car shop! In a junkyard! *laughs excessively as he slaps his knee* Oh my, I wish everyone else at Omnis Adest was that gullible.

"I'd like to hear your reasoning for why Sean and his brother should stay," Champion Link said to Master Hand, standing with the giant hand on the opposite side of the street. The Hylian was curious as to what Master Hand would say.

"They both originated in Seattle, did they not?" questioned Master Hand, as the rusty car's bumper fell off and nearly landed on Sean and Lloyd's feet. "So it makes sense to keep them here."

"Yeah, but they can live in a different neighborhood. Unless you had planned on being their friend somehow..." Champion Link furrowed his brow intensely at Master Hand, putting pressure on him to say something.

"...that may have been in the cards." Getting the answer he wanted, Champion Link backed off on Master Hand. "But I've come to realize that I don't need friends. Not after that lovely talk we had."

"So you're all about earning respect. Want to know an easy way to have the Diaz brothers' respect? Give them the option of leaving Omnis Adest, and respect the decision they make."

"Sounds easy. But what if Sean moves in with his girlfriend, and plays house? What will happen to Daniel?"

"Okay, now you're thinking too far ahead...let's go, there are some more people I got to show you."


If Young Xehanort wished to find Sora, then he would keep a close eye on anyone that Sora might be hanging out with. Folks that Young Xehanort could see Sora with, other than Riku and Kairi. Cloud was one person that fitted the criteria, and Young Xehanort would find Cloud speaking with Sonic in the vending machine room.

"I was crazy for thinking that I could just revive Conker's girlfriend," Sonic spoke with Cloud, who was getting a snack from a vending machine while Crash was waiting patiently behind him. "You should've talked me out of it!"

"Didn't feel like it," Cloud admitted, who finally inserted his dollar bill into the vending machine after several attempts. The vending machine wanted that dollar bill to be crisp and straight.

"Seriously, I was looking like a fool asking Samus and Mercy for help. Now I knew that Samus would be a holdover, but Mercy, though..." After mashing the buttons, Cloud grabbed his snack from the vending machine - a bag of onion rings.

"To tell you the honest truth, I was waiting for you to come to your senses. I'm glad you did." Taking his onion rings with him, Cloud exited the vending machine room. Young Xehanort kept close to the wall so that Cloud wouldn't spot him, and then he was about to take off after him, until...

"I second what Cloud said," said Aku, who was with Crash; Young Xehanort overheard the mask speaking as he came to a stop. "Alright, Crash, vending machine's all yours!"

"Woah!" shouted Crash, finally coming to his senses after he was mindlessly picking his nose. The bandicoot dug into his pocket and looked sad when he only pulled out two quarters, a nickel, and...a cat hairball?

"I got you, buddy!" Sonic said to Crash as he offered his friend two quarters, providing him enough compensation. Crash took the quarters from Sonic and inserted them into the vending machine coin slot, one by one.

"That was very nice of you, Sonic," Aku commended the blue hedgehog, while Young Xehanort was peeking inside through the doorway. Crash took a bag of M&Ms out of the vending machine, opened it, and poured all of its contents in his mouth.

"What can I say, it was the right thing to do." As a token of his gratitude, Crash offered some M&Ms to Sonic, who respectfully declined. "Uh, Crash, you ate all the M&Ms." Apparently, Crash did not know this as he checked the inside of the bag to make sure.

"Sonic the Hedgehog...you must think of yourself as the beacon of righteousness," Young Xehanort spoke as he stepped inside the vending machine room, causing Sonic to tense up and turn around at the young man. "Do you truly believe in doing the right thing?"

"Uh...yeah? I mean, doing what's right isn't always easy, but I always do my best." A response like that was enough to make Young Xehanort laugh, in a very mocking tone.

"Doing the right thing is nothing more than a fleeting illusion, a belief that is easily shattered. You can only do so much right until you end up on the wrong side of the equation."

"It's not an illusion. It's the power we have to make a difference!" As Sonic made his point, he clenched his fist to further his argument home. Nonetheless, however, Young Xehanort was not convinced.

"Power, Sonic. That's where you're mistaken. In the face of power, doing the right thing often leads to failure and disappointment."

"It's not power itself that determines our actions; it's the choices we make. Making a choice to stand up against what's evil and to protect those who can't protect themselves!"

"You tell him, Sonic!" exclaimed Aku, as he and Crash cheered on for the blue hedgehog. A stern look from Young Xehanort made the floating mask and bandicoot stop in an instant.

"This is our conversation, thank you very much..." Young Xehanort said to Crash and Aku, keeping their mouths closed as the young man returned his attention to Sonic. "...your ideals are nothing more than meaningless words, Sonic. Doing the right thing will only bring you pain and heartache."

"Pain and heartache, huh? That's all you guys know about," countered Sonic, and Young Xehanort didn't say a word to refute the claim. "Though I'd say headache more than heartache since you're always getting in our way."

"You're a fool, Sonic. You'll learn the hard way that doing the right thing is a futile endeavor. Best to stop while you still can."

"Talk all you want, but I'm gonna keep doing what I'm doing. It's not about the outcome; it's about standing up for what's right, regardless of the odds!"

"Excellent point!" exclaimed Aku, only to get another stern look from Young Xehanort. Aku lowered his head to the floor, hoping that Young Xehanort wouldn't cast any dark magic on him.

"If that is the choice you're willing to make, then so be it," Young Xehanort said to Sonic, done lecturing the blue hedgehog as he backed out of the vending machine room and into a dark corridor. "You'll witness the futility of your efforts sooner or later."


Luigi was convinced that a Floro Sprout of some kind was in his head and asked that a doctor inspected the inside of his head. Fortunately for him, the doctor was in, as Mario changed into his Dr. Mario persona and inspected the inside of Luigi's ears through an otoscope.

"See anything, doc?" Luigi asked Dr. Mario, as he was sitting on a couch in his living room. Daisy, Yuffie, Spyro, and Hunter were all looking on as Dr. Mario finished his diagnosis.

"I see a lot-a of ear wax...but no Floro Sprout," confirmed Dr. Mario, as Luigi let out a huge sigh of relief while clutching his chest. Luigi literally had nothing to worry about.

"Been telling you for weeks to clean out your ears, sweetie," Daisy said to Luigi, who got up from the couch and stretched out his arms. The worry that Luigi once had was now gone for good.

Daisy: Always felt like a broken record reminding Luigi to clean his ears out. I could see the wax hanging out of his ear at the dinner table, so disgusting. But now, his tired "getting old" excuse won't work anymore! Then again, to be fair, it never even worked in the first place.

"I gotta ask, who's Mr. L?" Spyro asked Dr. Mario, asking a question that has been on his mind ever since Luigi first started freaking out.

"Mr. L is simply the alter ego of Luigi," explained Dr. Mario as he cleaned off his otoscope with a piece of cloth, before putting away his instrument in the pocket of his lab coat. "A brainwashed-a Paper Luigi, if you will."

"Is this Mr. L going to kill us?" asked Hunter, expressing some genuine fear about this Mr. L fellow. Spyro looked up at the cheetah in disbelief.

"As if some man made out of paper is capable of killing anyone," snorted Spyro, not viewing Mr. L as a threat for the very fact that he mentioned.

"To be fair, Luigi here became-a Mr. L once," stated Dr. Mario, causing Hunter to gasp; Daisy and Yuffie were amused by Hunter's irrational fear, while Spyro rolled his eyes. "But for a short period of time. It could-a happen again..."

"So you're saying that Luigi could kill us?!" asked Hunter as he looked at the plumber in question, finding it hard to imagine him as a bona fide killer. "I got my eye on you, Luigi."

"Erm...thanks," Luigi awkwardly responded, while Hunter looked at him warily; the cheetah even flinched in anticipation when Luigi simply moved his foot.


Link and Zelda were with Samus in the computer room, as they were watching the footage of Young Xehanort. Samus was tracking the young man's every move, switching between security cameras when it was necessary.

"Can you keep it down, Wario, we're trying to focus here," Link said to the fatso, who was sitting in the back playing his slot machine games. But it wasn't Wario who was making noise...

"Haha, three sevens - I'm on a roll!" cheered Wario, as some celebratory music started playing while flashing colors appeared on the screen. "Now what were you saying about keeping it down?"

"Forget it..." Link took his mind off of Wario, as he kept his eyes on the security footage that Samus had pulled up. "...wonder where our crook is going now."

"He's getting inside an elevator," observed Samus, watching as Young Xehanort stepped inside an elevator; Banjo ran out of the elevator before it closed. "Banjo could've easily stopped him there..."

"You know that Banjo sometimes acts like a coward," said Zelda, as Banjo was seen on the security footage running down the hallway in fear. "Let's see which floor the elevator will stop at."


Young Xehanort arrived at the top floor of the mansion, the sixth floor, as his search for Sora continued. Upon stepping out of the elevator and into the hallway, he came across MC Ballyhoo speaking with Fox and Falco.

"Aw, what, you want us to live in the present too?" Falco asked Ballyhoo, who pretty much shared with the pilots the same thing he told Touma. "Is that really the best advice you can give us today?"

"It will do wonders for Star Records," enticed Ballyhoo, trying to get them to see things from a different perspective. A different point of view. "Try following the latest trends, for instance!"

"Sorry bud, but following trends isn't in our DNA," stated Fox, preferring his old business practice of just doing non-mainstream things. "Only rival record labels do that, and we're not in the mood for competing with..."

"It's not about competition - it's about sticking with the times. Most of the big-name record labels are doing it, no?"

"Guess you got a point there." Suddenly a loud cry was heard, and it came from the Star Records room. Fox and Falco both looked greatly concerned.

"That must be your red-haired friend. I'll go and console him." So MC Ballyhoo went inside the Star Records room, as he took Big Top off of his head reaching inside his hat for some tissues.

Touma: They can't make me cancel the Force Five...it's too good to end anytime soon! So what if the show is in decline, what great show hasn't gone through that? My show's just completing the circle of life - and it's gonna go out with a bang.

Kiria: Eleonora has brought to my attention that Force Five might be canceled. Personally, I wouldn't be opposed to seeing it happen. The writing was on the wall when Touma introduced a monster based on a pizza chef...

"Fox McCloud and Falco Lombardi...I must applaud you both," said a certain Organization XIII member, as Young Xehanort crept around the corner and did a slow clap. Fox and Falco pulled out their Blasters, pointing them at Young Xehnort.

"Not this guy..." frowned Fox, anticipating any sudden move from his target. The pilot leaned in close to Falco and whispered, "...what do you think he wants from us?"

"Must be in the mood for getting roasted again," replied Falco, as he recalled how hard Young Xehanort got bodied in episode 372. Young Xehanort was probably rattled and was too macho to ever admit it.

"So you've decided to live in the present," Young Xehanort said to Fox and Falco as he brought his slow capping to an end. "Living in the moment. But tell me, do you truly believe that living in the moment is the key to success?"

"I mean, if it gets Star Records back on track, then sure," Fox replied with a shrug, as Falco nodded his head in agreement.

"Let me enlighten you, Fox and Falco. Living in the present is nothing more than a momentary pleasure, an indulgence that blinds you to the bigger picture. For instance, what about the future? By living solely in the present, you neglect the consequences of your actions, and the ramifications they may have."

"We would appreciate it if you stopped with the riddles. Try talking to us like a normal person, will ya?" Fox wasn't holding his breath on Young Xehanort acknowledging his request.

"Your pursuit of momentary satisfaction will lead you astray, Fox and Falco. You'll realize that living in the present only breeds regret and missed opportunities."

"Living in the present doesn't mean not caring about the future. It means being fully engaged in the now. Just gotta adapt and overcome."

"Learn from the past, and plan for the future - that's gonna be our motto," affirmed Falco, expecting Fox to back him up only for his friend to remain silent. "That's gonna be our motto, right?"

"I mean, we don't have a motto...but you do you." Given that Falco already had a bunch of personal mottos, he could just add another one to his collection.

"Your focus on the present will be your downfall, Fox and Falco. You'll see how fleeting it truly is, and how it crumbles beneath the weight of the past and the uncertainty of the future."

"Enough with the RIDDLES!" Fox was so ticked off with Young Xehanort that he was screaming at the top of his lungs, not caring how much damage he did to his vocal cords. "Is that how you Organization posers can communicate, in riddles?"

"Their vocabulary is really on point, you gotta admit," Falco said to Fox, who greatly considered the avian pilot's point; most of the Organization save for a few select members sure had a way with words.

"Believe this - any belief that you have in the present will be your undoing, Fox and Falco. You'll realize the transient nature of your pursuits and the emptiness that comes when the thrill is gone."

"Good news, boys - your friend has finally stopped crying!" Ballyhoo happily announced to Fox and Falco as he returned to the pilots. The moment he saw Young Xehanort, Ballyhoo gasped - with Big Top gasping along with him.

"MC Ballyhoo...we meet again," Young Xehanort greeted the emcee, looking to make his move after he was done with his monologue. "Be not alarmed...it is not you I'm after. My eyes are set on another target."

"And who would that be? Let's get him, Falco!" said Fox, as he and Falco ran towards Young Xehanort with their Blasters. Young Xehanort stepped out of the way, causing Fox and Falco to trip and fall.

"If you two wish to live in the present, then be my guest. Just be ready to embrace failure." On that note, Young Xehanrot pressed a button to open the elevator door and went inside.

"He's getting away!" Fox and Falco both got up and ran to the elevator, only for the elevator door to close by the time they reached it. Fox threw his Blaster on the floor in defeat, while Falco punched a nearby wall.

"So they do use elevators..." marveled Big Top, with Falco looking sheepish as he accidentally left a small dent in the wall. No matter how big or small the dent was, Mr. Game and Watch was bound to have a fit.


Joker was starting to realize that he made a huge mistake in letting Pit run errands. He had yet to receive that large jar of honey from Pit, and it was the longest that he ever had to wait. So while the other baristas held it down at Cafe Leblanc, Joker set off to find out where Pit was.

"Pit? Pit! Where are you?" Joker called out to the angel, wearing his cafe apron as he traversed through the hallway. He soon came across Sonic, Crash, and Aku who were comforting someone hiding in a closet.

"It's okay, Pit - you're not that worthless!" Sonic assured the angel, as Joker ran over to the blue hedgehog and company once he heard Pit's name. Joker looked inside the closet, and lo and behold, there was Pit.

"Ah, there you are," Joker said to Pit, growing concerned as Pit was sitting on the floor with his face buried in his knees. Safe to say that Pit was in a mood.

"Go away..." Pit said to Joker in his muffled voice, too ashamed to even look Joker in the eye. Wanting to understand Pit's plight, Joker knelt down at the angel as Sonic and company moved out of the way.

"He thinks you're gonna fire him because he couldn't stop an Organization XIII member," Aku explained the situation to Joker, who was lightly alarmed that Organization XIII was in the mansion. Then he saw Pit and how down bad he was.

"Get over yourself," Joker said encouragingly to Pit as he put his hand on the angel's shoulder, as Pit slowly looked up at the young man. "Do you think I would base your job performance on stopping the bad guy?"

"You did give me a raise for stopping Balrog," replied Pit; given the kind of guy that Balrog was, the fact that Pit put him in his place was commendable. "When he tried to get his coffee for free."

"I never gave you a raise - I don't pay you. All I did was give you a few pieces of candy, as a token of my appreciation."

"Still counts as a raise in my book...so you're not gonna fire me because I goofed up?"

"Perish the thought. I can assure you that if this Organization member gets caught, you'll feel much better."

"Yeah, you're right. Knowing their track record..." Pit saw that Joker offered his hand to him, and the angel took Joker's hand as he was helped up to his feet.

Sonic: *in a mocking tone* "You'll learn the hard way that doing the right thing is a futile endeavor. Best to stop while you still can." *laughs* That guy is not as smart as he thinks he looks. Could say the same about the rest of his friends.

"Can I ask you one quick question, before we go to the cafe?" Pit asked Joker, who was all ears as he braced himself for whatever stupidity he might face. "Will you ever cut or replace me, Joker?"

"Replace you with who? Don't be ridiculous," replied Joker as he carried on down the hallway, with the fully reassured Pit following after him.


Ragna the Bloodedge and Jin Kisaragi both hated each other, that much was obvious. So it was a great concern when both men were allowed to stay at Omnis Adest, given their history. The two brothers were at each other's throats again today, as they were quarreling...at a public water fountain. A water fountain, of all things.

"I was going to use this water fountain first," Jin shouted in Ragna's face, while Champion Link and Master Hand watched the quarreling from afar. Noel and Mai were spectators too, but they noped out pretty quickly.

"Oh yeah, well I saw this water fountain before you did!" claimed Ragna, trying to claim superiority over his brother - even trying to stand over him.

"Nonense, absolute nonsense! You were nowhere to be found when I was heading down this way. Stop making up lies to fit your narrative!"

"Not sure if you know, but these two have been the subject of many complaints made to Link and Zelda," Champion Link said to Master Hand, who couldn't stomach the arguing much longer. The arguing between Ragna and Jin was grinding Master Hand's gears.

"I am well aware..." Master Hand sighed deeply, forced to take matters into his own hands as he floated over to Ragna and Jin. The giant hand didn't say a word, as he waited for the quarreling brothers to stop.

"The last time I checked, this water fountain doesn't have your name on it," Ragna said to Jin, who was holding his ground as he angrily tightened his fists. "So who are you to say that you have priority?"

"Whoever said that I..." responded Jin, only to stop speaking as he and Ragna noticed that they were in someone's shadow...Master Hand's shadow. Ragna and Jin looked up and were startled to see Master Hand.

"Ahem..." Master Hand cleared his throat, as he got Ragna and Jin to give him their uninvited attention. Had both men scared straight. "...if you two can't learn how to get along, I will remove you both from Omnis Adest. Understood?"

"...understood," Ragna curtly replied, before looking at Jin and allowing his brother to use the water fountain. "Water fountain is all yours, brother," Ragna said to Jin in an uncharacteristically cordial way.

"Much obliged, brother," responded Jin, also acting rather uncharacteristic as he used the water fountain. Ragna sheepishly walked away while looking back at Master Hand, who returned to Champion Link.

"Personally, I would have kicked them both out, on the spot," Champion Link offered his two cents to Master Hand, not holding out hope in Ragna and Jin getting along anytime soon. "Nice of you to give them a second chance, I suppose."

"Meh, I'm not cutting anyone as of yet," stated Master Hand, as he and Champion Link still had some unfinished business in Omnis Adest. "Saving that for next week."

Harvey: Master Hand is looking to cut people, but I'm not sweating it. Long as I have my cool ninja sword, I'm set! Just gotta make myself a new one, since the old one got trashed.

"I was also treating those brothers with kindness," added Master Hand, believing that giving Ragna and Jin a second chance showed how kind he was. "That is how you gain respect, right?"

"It's a decent start..." Champion Link replied with a shrug of his shoulders, as he and Master Hand left the premises. Jin kept drinking from the water fountain until Master Hand was gone for good.


Young Xehanort was seemingly one step closer to finding Sora, as he went down the hallway and saw Cloud speaking with someone. But unfortunately for Xehanort, that someone was not Sora...but rather Aerith. Still, the conversation piqued his interest.

"I'll take care of it later today," Cloud assured Aerith, with Young Xehanort paying close attention to the dynamic between the two lovebirds. "No need to sweat about it."

"Knew that I could count on you, Cloud," smiled Aerith, giving Cloud a peck on his cheek before walking down the hallway. Once Aerith was far enough down the hallway, Young Xehanort decided to make his move.

"Greetings, Cloud," Young Xehanort greeted Cloud, who instinctively took a jump back the moment he saw the black cloak. Cloud backed away, as Young Xehanort inched closer.

"Not another move..." Cloud said to Young Xehanort, who did as he was told as he stopped inching closer and remained where he was. The tension in the air was so succinct, it could be cut with a knife - or even a Buster Sword.

"Don't mind if I ask...but what is your love life like?" By no means was Cloud prepared for a question about his romantic life, especially one that was asked by a member of Organization XIII. Cloud was struggling to come up with an answer.

"It's...complicated. Not in a bad way, mind you. But I haven't given up on...wait, why are you asking me this?"

"Because I am merely trying to save you. Keep you from doing down a path that will only lead you astray."

"Don't know what you're talking about - things with me and Aerith have been positive. So what path will lead me astray?"

"Everything may be well with you and Aerith...but what about Tifa? Do you not care for her?" Young Xehanort struck a chord in Cloud and even had the swordsman second-guessing himself.

"Tifa has nothing to do with this. She's accepted the fact we're not meant to be together. She's moved on."

"Not meant to be together based on what? Poor Tifa, she must be broken and alone without you at her side."

"That's what you think. Tifa is far from broken, you're just making assumptions. And based on what?"

"How stubborn of you to think, even for a second, that your love for Aerith has not affected Tifa any. That is very senseless of you, Cloud."

"Says the man inquiring about my love life when he shouldn't. Why don't you focus on, I don't know, sending a horde of Heartless on Sora and leave me alone? Get lost."

"Funny you should mention Sora...he's the man that I'm after." Young Xehanort summoned a dark corridor behind him, not forgetting his mission of reeling Sora into Organization XIII. "In the meantime, try talking to Tifa - she might be feeling lonely."

"I said, get lost..." So Young Xehanort would get lost, as he went through the dark corridor. Cloud clenched his teeth as the dark corridor closed.


"He went into another dark corridor..." Samus muttered with a frown in the computer room as she, Link, and Zelda were still keeping track of Young Xehanort on the security footage.

"Gotta pull up another camera, then," said Link - and that's exactly what Samus did while muttering something under her breath. "Wario, can you keep it down just for a second?"

"I'm trying, I"m trying!" replied Wario, as he was playing his online slot machine games - perhaps the fatso should invest in getting some headphones.


His interaction with Cloud was the kicker that Young Xehanort needed, as speaking with Cloud gave off Sora's scent. Young Xehanort followed that scent to the table tennis room, where Sora was present.

"Do you ever wish that Cloud was a better table tennis player?" Sora asked Roy, as he was playing a game of table tennis with the swordsman. Meanwhile, a dark corridor appeared but neither man noticed.

"Sora, I've been wishing for that for years," replied Roy as he served the ball right back to Sora, who struck the ball with his paddle. "I learned not to trust Cloud when it comes to full effort."

"You may not trust Cloud, but I do. All he needs is a little bit of motivation, that's all!"

"By motivation, you must mean Aerith." Roy served the ball to Sora, who sent the ball back to the swordsman and out of his reach.

"Oh yeah! Sora shoots, Sora scores!" As Sora celebrated, Roy momentarily left the table to go retrieve the ball. But when he got the ball and returned to the table, he stopped when he saw Young Xehanort exiting the dark corridor.

"Uh, Sora, we got company..." Roy warned the Keyblade wielder, who stopped celebrating as he saw Young Xehanort. The dark corridor was already gone, so who knows how long Young Xehanort was standing there.

"Young Xehanort?!" Sora uttered the young man's name, as there was a standoff in the table tennis room. Sora and Young Xehnort both stood on opposite sides, staring each other down.

"Sora, Sora, Sora...always so naive," Young Xehanort smirked at the Keybalde wielder, feeling awfully delighted to see him again after who knows how long. "Trust is but a foolish notion."

"You may think that, but I believe in the power of friendship. I've faced countless challenges together my friends, and it's the trust we have in each other that keeps me going!"

"Trust, friendship...such fragile concepts. You cling to them like a child clinging to a teddy bear, hoping they'll shield you from the darkness that surrounds you. Such childish thinking."

"Darkness doesn't define who we are! It's the choices we make, the bonds we form, and the trust we place in one another that guide us toward the light."

"Light, darkness, what difference does it make? In the end, you'll realize that trust only leads to betrayal. Your precious friends will disappoint you, leaving you shattered and alone."

"No, I refuse to believe that. Trusting others may be risky, but it also brings hope and strength. It's through trust that we find the courage to face our fears and overcome the darkness."

"You're a fool, Sora. You'll learn the hard way, just like countless others before you. Betrayal will lead you down a dark path, and the weight of your shattered trust will crush you.

"Maybe you're right, maybe I will face betrayal someday...but I'd rather risk it all, knowing that I have friends who stand by me, than live a life consumed by fear and mistrust."

"Hmph. What friends do you even claim in this mansion? Other than the ones from your world? You're playing a dangerous game, Sora. Trust will be your downfall, mark my words."

"We'll see about that! And I have plenty of friends, other than Riku and Kairi. No matter what you say, I'll keep believing in my friends and the power of trust. It's what gives me the strength to fight, to protect, and to save those who need it."

"Your resolve is admirable, but it will bring you to ruin. I look forward to witnessing the world around you crumble, Sora, when trust turns to dust."

"We'll see who's left standing in the end, Young Xehanort. I won't let your words break me, or anyone else. Trust will prevail, and together, we'll overcome any darkness that comes our way!"

Roy: Not throwing any shade or anything, but...the Organization XIII must love to talk about the "darkness", do they? Guess it's super on-brand for them.

Young Xehanort took a step forward to Sora, who was about to take action and whip out his Keyblade. But then Young Xehanort suddenly hesitated, daring not to take another step.

"You know, I was going to make you a vessel," Young Xehanort said to Sora, sharing with the Keybalde wielder what his mission was. "Put you in a deep sleep, and let the darkness swallow your heart."

"What's the matter? Having second doubts?" Sora taunted Young Xehanort, daring the young man to get closer. For weeks, Sora had been feigning to beat up an Organization XIII member with his trusty Keyblade.

"I have done enough damage today. Planted a couple of seeds during my quest of finding you, Sora. Only time will tell whether these seeds sprout or not."

"He sure loves to talk in riddles," Roy said to Sora, as Young Xehanort ignored the swordsman's comment and summoned a dark corridor. Young Xehanort was officially calling his mission off.

"The rest of Organization XIII is looking forward to seeing you again...be warned," Young Xehanort imparted this warning message to Sora, before going through the dark corridor and making his exit.

"Gotta hand it to him - he didn't run for the hills like the other members!" Sora remarked to Roy, as he heard stories from the others about how they dealt with Organization XIII. The Keyblade wielder sometimes wished that he was there.


Samus found out where Young Xehanort was, as she had pulled up the table tennis room security footage. She saw Young Xehanort show up, speak with Sora, and then make his exit.

"So he just spoke with Sora for a brief second...and then dipped," Samus recounted Young Xehanort's actions, before closing out of the window on the computer screen. "You think he's gone for good?"

"He looked like he was about to attack, but then hesitated," replied Zelda, who made note of that first step Young Xehanort made towards Sora. "Your guess is good as mine."

"I think we can assume that he's gone if Sora is who he was after," said Link, but the Hylian wanted to be sure just to be on the safe side. "Samus, check all the security cameras."

"On it," replied Samus, who pulled up every security camera that was accessible to her. No signs of Young Xehanort or a dark corridor in any of them - meaning that Link, Zelda, and Samus were in the clear.

"Guess he's gone for good," confirmed Zelda, relieved that the threat within the mansion didn't have to be dealt with. The threat had shown itself out.

"Wanna crack open a celebratory champagne?" Wario asked Zelda and company, who turned around and saw the fatso holding a bottle of champagne. Wario cracked open the bottle, only for it to explode in his face.

"Thanks for your help, Wario," Link sardonically thanked the fatso, who was forced to clean the champagne off of his face and clothes. "And for the last time, CAN YOU PLEASE TURN DOWN THE VOLUME?!"


Champion Link: All done here at Omnis Adest. This place may look different in a short amount of time...and it'll be mainly because of me. Heh.

Champion Link and Master Hand wrapped up their business today at Omnis Adest, as the two were huddled at the entrance gate. Thanks to Champion Link, Master Hand had a general idea of which Omnis Adest deserved to leave.

"This has been a good learning experience," Master Hand said to Champion Link, as he and the Hylian were ready to head back to the mansion. "I've come to realize that I made a few mistakes..."

"Yeah, more like a lot of mistakes," remarked Champion Link, who was in disbelief at how many folks Master Hand allowed to live at Omnis Adest. "You got a chance to correct those mistakes."

"Well, if you love something, set it free...and I reckon there won't be any love lost once I make some cuts. Hopefully, those affected will understand."


Giovanni and Rufus were still at the Mediterranean restaurant, and both men had finished their lunch. They were waiting on Young Xehanort to return and give them a report on his mission.

"There you go, smirking again," Rufus said to Giovanni who was staring off into the distance with a smirk, elbow on the table with his chin resting on his fist. "Tell me what you're thinking about."

"So worried about what's going on in my mind!" responded Giovanni as he turned to face Rufus, delighted by how much he was ruffling the VP's feathers. "Why do you want to know so bad?"

"Because you've been smirking pretty much the entire day. What is it that you're plotting?" Since Rufus was dying to know, Giovanni was going to tell him just to keep him quiet. But as Giovanni opened his mouth...

"No elbows on the table, sir," a server came by to inform Giovanni, who grumbled as he removed his elbow. Soon a dark corridor appeared, and the server ran off in fear as Young Xehanort exited the corridor.

"Young Xehanort, where's Sora?" Rufus asked the young man, who showed up empty-handed, Rufus expected Young Xehanort to be carrying Sora over his shoulder or something. "You said you were going to make him a vessel!"

"I came to the conclusion that it wasn't worth it," replied Young Xehanort, stunning both Rufus and Giovanni as both men gave shocked reactions. "I've done some things on the side during my quest that will be just as effective, if not more."

"Personally, I still would've gone and made Sora a vessel anyway," said Giovanni as he folded his arms; a man of his caliber would finish the job, and not call quits depending on the situation. "Now what are we going to do now?"

"Dimentio talked about bringing out 'the big guns,'" replied Rufus as he pressed his fingers together - while also being mindful about keeping his shoulders off of the table. "I think it's about time we revealed our trump card."

"Ah, Master Xehanort! Good thinking." Giovanni expected Rufus to give a word of confirmation, but he got the vibe that he gave the wrong answer. "Is it not Master Xehanort?"

"Not just him...our other trump card. The one we've kept hidden. I think it's time for us to finally go...infinite."