Hikari's POV
As we stepped out of the portal, the sweet smell of flowers greeted us as we entered Radiant Garden's main courtyard.
"How beautiful," my mom stated, holding my dad's hand.
I smiled at them, before turning to Riku. "We should head over to Merlin's," I stated. "That's our best bet in finding Kairi and Chise, if not one of the restoration committee members."
Just as Riku opened his mouth to respond, the sound of an explosion echoed nearby, followed by a familiar voice.
"Heads up!"
My eyes rose to the sky, seeing a large ablaze object heading straight for us. Quickly, I threw up a Shield, right before the projectile crashed into it, breaking off into several pieces.
After waiting a few seconds to make sure there wasn't any more debris flying our way, I dropped the Shield, then let out a sigh. "I'm so gonna kick that guy's..."
However, the words left me when my eyes landed on a mop of red hair tumbling down the steps.
To put it quite bluntly, Lea was a wreck. His coat was disheveled, powdered in dust and torn pieces here and there. His face was that of someone who hadn't gotten a good night's rest in ages, for his eyelids were drooped and dark circles underneath. He also was walking more slowly than usual, as if every step was a struggle.
Either he didn't notice or just ignored my worried expression, for he simply waved and smiled. "Welcome back," he called in a clearly weakened voice. Immediately after he said this, the color seemed to drain from his face as he stumbled and fell to his knees.
"Lea!" I rushed to his side, my irritation vanishing instantly. I kneeled beside him, trying to discern any possible injuries.
Lea lifted his head slightly to look at me, giving me a much closer look at just how exhausted he was. His usual bright green eyes were dulled and bloodshot. "Hey there, squirt."
I sighed once more. "When was the last time you slept? You look like you haven't seen a bed in weeks."
He let out a weak attempt at a chuckle as if trying to ease my worries. "A Keyblade wielder's job is never done, got it memorized?"
"You're an idiot." I pulled out an Elixir from one of my pockets and popped the cork off before putting it to Lea's lips. "Slowly, I don't want you choking."
The hot-headed male complied, although with a groan, and allowed me to administer the medicine. As he took in more of the liquid, the color in his face returned somewhat and his tensed muscles eased.
Riku and my parents had joined us just as Lea finished off the Elixir, seeming a little better but nowhere near his full strength.
I turned to Riku. "His injuries are minor, but it'd probably be best to find a bed for him to rest."
The silverette nodded. "Merlin's place is probably our best option. Kairi and your sister should be there like you said before."
"Actually-" We both looked at Lea. "-the Heartless were getting out of hand here, so
Merlin sent those two off to Yen Sid's place."
"Then that's where we should go," Riku stated. "There's more than enough rooms at Master Yen Sid's tower for Lea to rest."
"Okay," I replied.
"I'll help your friend, sweetie," my dad, who had been silent this entire time, stated.
I nodded and stepped away, letting the man take my place beside Lea. He draped the younger male's right arm around his neck before wrapping his right arm around Lea's waist and standing up, effectively pulling Lea to his feet.
"I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess you're the squirt's folks?" Lea inquired, indicating with his head to my dad and then my mom.
"Smart kid," my dad said with a chuckle. "I'm Hayase Kurai."
"And I'm Yuriya Kurai," my mom chimed.
"Let's do proper introductions once we get to The Mysterious Tower," I explained. Turning to Lea, I added: "My mom's a nurse, so you're in capable hands."
Riku once again opened a Corridor of Light and we left Radiant Garden as fast as we had arrived.
General POV
In a large room, a man pounded his cane against the floor in frustration. Once again, his plans had been thwarted and he was no closer to his goals.
"There must be something I'm missing," he muttered to himself. "Something that will catch them off guard and guarantee my victory, but what?"
"Perhaps I can be of assistance."
The man spun around upon hearing the new, unfamiliar voice. "Who's there!?"
From a dark corner of the room, a figure clad in a black coat stepped slightly into the light provided by a large window above. The shadows of the hood and room kept their face hidden, the only distinguishing factor being that the voice belonged to that of a younger man. "I can give you exactly what you need; that is if you'll hear me out."
"What, daresay, could you possibly have that would of use to me?" The older man retorted. "And what makes you so certain it is what I need?"
The hooded man chuckled. "I've known about you and your goals for quite some time now. You and I are quite alike; doing whatever we must for those that we love and hold most dear. Because of that, I'm ready to offer my resources to your cause."
The man with the cane was indeed curious but kept his harsh expression. "And what do you want in exchange? Surely you aren't going to give me the power I need without a catch."
The light from the window shifted briefly, showing a wicked grin from underneath the mysterious man's hood. "Let's just say that I may require your skills in twisting one's emotions and pulling out the darkness in people's hearts."
This time, the older man smirked. "I'm listening."
Riku's POV (Third Person)
A little time had passed since Riku, Hikari, Lea and Hikari's parents had arrived at The Mysterious Tower, with so many things happening in quick succession.
As soon as Master Yen Sid had seen the redhead's condition, he had sent them to a vacant room in a different part of the tower for the Keyblader to rest.
Chise - who had been playing with Kairi and the three good fairies- was a sobbing mess upon being reunited with her mother and father. She was currently enjoying a much-needed nap, with Hikari and their father keeping watch over her while Hanako tended to Lea.
During this time, Riku updated the sorcerer on what had happened in Atlantica. The main focus of the conversation was the strange time-lapse they had discovered.
"Though time indeed runs different for every world, the fact that over a decade had passed in the short while since Sora's last visit is quite unsettling," Master Yen Sid stated upon Riku finishing his report. "Could the heart of that world have sensed the growing Darkness, pushing the need to leap several years? Or was it an outside source?"
"I was beginning to wonder the same thing."
Riku turned to see Hikari enter the chamber, seeming more relaxed now that she had seen her sister and parents together again.
"While Chise was sleeping, my father told me a little more about their arrival in that world," Hikari continued, standing at Riku's left. "Although it's only been a few weeks since my family was separated, my father claims he and my mother had been living in Melody's kingdom for nearly three years before Riku and I got there."
"Are you serious? How is that even possible?" This was going far beyond Riku's own experience in the Dream Worlds where each world had been split by separate imaginings, thus causing the irregularities he and Joshua had witnessed.
"I was worried about how it might affect Melody and her parents, so I used my powers and sent my spirit to check on things." She closed her eyes and shook her head, seeming confused. "The strange thing is, it appeared as though little time had passed at all; time's now flowing there at a natural pace."
Master Yen Sid hummed in thought. "It would seem that the sporadic timing had already started well before Xehanort made his move against your homeworld, Hikari, but returned to normal upon your parents' departure. Based on that, we can only assume that not only did the world itself change the movement of time, but also an external power pushed the process along when Mr. and Mrs. Kurai arrived, as they were foreigners of that world."
Hikari clenched her right hand in frustration. "Mom and Dad were left in that world for so long, unable to find out where my siblings and I had been sent to. Even though it was just a few weeks outside to the rest of us..." Her hand began to shake and her voice trembled. "I will not forgive the person that made them suffer from not knowing."
"Hikari." Riku could not begin to imagine how hard that must have been for not only her but her family as well. Kairi probably had a better understanding of what they were going through, having been stuck on the islands for over a year after their initial adventure, worrying about Sora and Riku. Maybe talking with the Princess of Heart about it would help Riku figure out how best to comfort his companion.
"Although this could be an isolated incident, you must stay vigilant if something similar were to happen again," Yen Sid pointed out.
The two Keybladers nodded. "Yes, sir."
"I am still waiting on a report from King Mickey, so for the time being, take this opportunity to rest," the bearded sorcerer added. "We must not have any other Keyblade wielders exhaust themselves."
"Thank you, Master." Hikari and Riku bowed before exiting the chamber.
"I think I'm going to join Chise and get a little sleep in," Hikari stated, stretching her arms above her head.
Riku nodded. "I have to ask Kairi something, but I'll probably try and get some sleep as well after."
"Alright. Goodnight." Hikari gave a small wave as she walked towards the room Master Yen Sid had prepared for her family.
"Goodnight," Riku replied. He watched the dark-haired girl disappear around a corner, still feeling guilty about not being able to comfort the teen more.
"Riku?"
Said boy turned to see Hikari's mother walking up to him from what he could only guess was Lea's room. "How is Lea doing?" He asked the older woman.
She gave an encouraging smile. "He'll be just fine. Lots of rest and he'll be back to fighting the good fight."
"Glad to hear. Hikari just went to rest in the room Master Yen Sid provided for your family if you're looking for her," Riku stated.
"Actually, I was hoping to run into you," she replied.
Riku had certainly not expected that. "What can I do for you?" He inquired, thinking she had a question.
"If it's not too much trouble, I'd like to ask a favor of you."
Hikari's POV
The next day, Master Yen Sid summoned Riku and me to his chambers. It had been nice being with my family, but I still had work to do. After all, we were still two members short of being whole again, plus Sora was still MIA.
"I hope you two were able to get enough rest," the sorcerer opened.
Riku and I both nodded.
"I can't thank you enough for allowing my family to stay here," I stated. Placing a hand on my chest and looking down at it with a smile, I added: "It puts my heart at ease knowing that they're safe here."
"Think nothing of it," Yen Sid stated with a wave of his hand. "Having someone with vast medical knowledge like your mother to look after Lea is more than welcome. I also believe that The Good Fairies enjoy your sister's company."
I lightly laughed. "She's pretty gifted when it comes to making others happy, no question there."
The former Keyblade Master smiled as well and gave a small nod. "Your family is welcome to stay here as long as necessary. Now, onto the reason I called for you. It has come to my attention that with the Unversed having returned, I fear one particular world may become the next target."
"How so?" Riku inquired.
"An acquaintance of mine in a position not unlike Mew's has told me of a certain individual who manipulates the emotions of others to- put bluntly- transform them into villains," Yen Sid explained.
My eyes widened almost immediately. It was quite clear as to why this would concern the sorcerer. There was little doubt this wouldn't catch Organization XIII's attention and send their forces to take advantage of the ensuing chaos. "Is this world disconnected just like the Pokemon world?"
"No. However, with that being said, it may prove best if you leave as soon as possible," Yen Sid pointed out. "My friend's name is-"
General POV
"Where do these monsters keep coming from?" The blue-haired teen questioned, batting away another Jellyshade with her yo-yo.
Her blond companion swung his staff into a similar creature, his breathing starting to become labored. "No matter how many we take out, they just keep swarming. We gotta find a solution fast before we transform back."
The ladybug-colored heroine was looking around, trying to find a way to clear out their opponents. However, with her Lucky Charm already used up, she saw no possible advantages within her current ability. The only other option was to retreat, recharge, and take on the horde again, but even then the enemy seemed impervious to all of their attacks.
What do we do? What can we do? Nothing we throw at them seems to have an effect and it doesn't look like we'll be able to break away; they've got us surrounded. If we don't do something soon though, we'll transform back and not only reveal our secret identities to each other but possibly the whole world!
Unbeknownst to either hero, a figure clad in a hooded black coat was watching them struggle from atop the Eiffel Tower's beams. They crossed their arms over their chest at the spectacle, no doubt smirking in the shadows of their hood.
"Let's see just how powerful those Miraculous are when faced with the darkest of emotions."
Hikari's POV
We arrived in the new world in a small alley, the sounds of a bustling city heard not far away. When we stepped out of the shadows and into the streets, I noticed how bright and warm the place was. People were going about their daily lives; doing their shopping, having a snack at a café, or just enjoying the day. It was a busy atmosphere, but it also felt peaceful.
"What a beautiful city," I stated, still gazing at our surroundings.
Riku nodded beside me. "Let's just hope we can find this friend of Master Yen Sid's."
"If we're lucky, they'll show up just like Mew did," I offered. "Let's look around and see-"
My sentence was cut off by sudden screaming coming from down the street. We both looked to see people running away from something, the expressions on their faces an all-too-familiar one.
"Monsters!"
"Everybody, run!"
I turned to the silverette. "The Unversed?"
"Only one way to find out." He took the lead as we ran in the opposite direction of the crowd.
The further we went, the businesses would thin before disappearing. Larger buildings that had a sort of historical vibe took their place and I began to feel a sense of familiarity. Was this another world that's story found its way to mine?
"Look out!"
Riku's warning snapped me back to reality and I quickly dodged to the left, just as a large slime-like Unversed crashed into the earth where I was just a moment earlier. Summoning Angel's Keyblade, I dispatched the weakened creature, causing it to disappear in a flash of purple light. I turned back to where the Unversed had come from, instantly spotting a familiar structure, as well as an even more familiar duo fighting just below said structure.
Surrounded by a large horde of Unversed, two teenagers, one girl, and one boy were desperately trying to fend off their attackers. The girl wore a bodysuit that resembled a ladybug with matching mask and yo-yo, while the boy had black bodysuit, cat ears, mask, belt, and staff.
I turned to Riku and he must have seen the distressed look in my eyes because his own eyes grew firm.
"It's another world you know, isn't it?" He asked.
I nodded, looking back at the two heroes. "That's Ladybug and Chat Noir; they're the protectors of this city. They're gifted but stand little chance against the Unversed. We gotta-"
I was once again cut off when a Wild Bruiser charged the two teens, causing them to let out a cry of pain and be sent crashing into one of the Eiffel Tower's legs.
Riku and I acted on instinct, not saying another word to each other as we rushed into the battle. I cast an Aeroga, surrounding my body in a gale, sending whatever Unversed that came too close flying away. Riku, meanwhile, performed quick, powerful swings, spinning around while still heading towards the tower and occasionally throwing up a Dark Shield when my spell didn't work initially on our opponents.
When we finally reached the heroes, we quickly realized they were out cold. What was more concerning, however, was a continuous beeping sound coming from Ladybug's earrings and Chat Noir's ring.
"Riku, we need to get these two someplace out of public view," I quickly stated, already beginning to gather Ladybug into my arms.
"What? Why?" He has a confused expression on his face.
"I'll explain more later, but to put it simply, they're about to transform back into their civilian forms and no one can know their secret identities." I got to my feet, holding the heroine bridal-style. "I'll try and have Ayame reach out to you and give a meet-up spot later. Just get him out of sight for now. His kwami should be able to explain things a little more when he transforms back." I didn't wait for him to respond before summoning my wings and taking off. I just hoped I'd be able to find the bakery without too much difficulty.
A/N: A couple quick apologies. One for being so delayed in getting this chapter out, two for it being such a short chapter, and three for it possibly not being the world you had hoped for. This chapter was a tough one to figure out mostly due to it being a dull between big worlds. Not a lot of action in the first half, but had a lot of important factors that needed to be said in order to move along the story. As for the reasoning behind this world, I thought really hard between Naruto and Miraculous and both would fit the theming of this story beautifully. Unfortunately, the more I drafted for Naruto, the more I realized it was gonna end up having to be its own side-story, simply due to the fact that so much happens and I've dragged this story along for over 5 years now. Plus I know you guys are getting anxious about the mysterious characters I've thrown in and the fate of Hikari's brothers.
With that being said, this world is going to be no more than 4 medium-length chapters or 3 super-long ones. This will also be the last world before we finally find out where Sora's being held. Hopefully now that I got that dull out, the chapters will flow a little better. I also am working less due to coronavirus and it has affected my work flow. Don't worry, me and my family are safe and very healthy and being super cautious. I hope you all do the same and I look forward to seeing you all in the next chapter.