Sora awoke to find himself in the middle of a colorful world full of strange and delightful characters. There was a man walking on his hands, dogs walking their owners, even a fish pushing a pot full of chefs. It took Sora a moment to realize none of it was real: they were just acts put on to look like the world was upside down.

"Oh, wow!" Sora gasped in wonder, dodging the costumed people and noisy crowds best he could. He stared around at the jugglers and food, the music and laughter. It was all so stunning he forgot to look where he was going.

He ran into someone tall and imposing with white hair. An older man who looked down at him in utter disgust.

"I'm sorry-" Sora apologized at once.

"You should be. You gypsies don't deserve to even look upon holy figures such as myself…" The man scoffed.

"What?" Sora asked confusedly. What's a gypsy?

"I've never seen you before..." The man realized softly. He was about to question the boy further when the sound of trumpets were heard. He gritted his teeth in annoyance before giving the boy a glare. "You're lucky this festival as among my duties otherwise-"

"Judge Frollo, is there something I can help you with?" A golden-haired guard asked, coming to Sora's rescue.

"Yes, Captain Phoebus, there is." Frollo waved his hand to the boy. "Take him to the Palace of Justice to be interrogated."

"But sir-!"

Frollo answered with a look that would strike fear in any man, including the captain.

He turned back but found the boy nowhere in sight. He looked relieved before glancing back. "I'm sorry, sir. He's gone."

High above them, Sora sat on a roof with a new friend, a cloaked hunchback who'd hoisted him up to the rooftop.

"Witchcraft…" Frollo hissed in fear. He turned to his guards. "Find that boy at once!"

"We should go…!" The hunched person whispered, leading him away.

"That was a close call." Sora sighed. He pet his Spirit who appeared by his side. "I'm Sora and this is Yakumo. Thanks for saving me from that wicked guy."

"Wicked?" The person asked in slight surprise. "Oh no, no, my Master's not wicked. He's the pinnacle of charity… so he says."

"But he was being rude to me only because I look like a gypsy, whatever that is..." Sora trailed off, seeing the person bow their head. He'd seen the whole thing, including the threat to use force, he didn't need a pointless reminder.

"There must be a good reason, my master is kind." The man whispered.

"You keep saying that, how do you know?"

"Because he took me in when I was a baby even when… I looked like this." The young man pulled off his hood to reveal his face that had been twisted somewhat thanks to his hunched back.

Sora blinked in slight confusion not at his face but at the way he praised his master for doing the bare minimum. If someone, especially a baby, needed help, it should be given without hesitation.

"Sorry." The man whispered, his hood sliding back on. "I didn't want to scare people, it just happens."

"What? I'm not scared." Sora said truthfully, surprising the man. "How could I be scared of someone who saved me? You seem like a pretty good guy from that alone. Yakumo thinks so too!"

The man gave a slight laugh at receiving a few picks from the spirit before smiling, tears in his eyes. He'd found a friend who truly saw him. "My name's Quasimodo. You have no idea how nice it is to meet you…"

The new friends explored the festival together, playing games, eating good food and singing along with the music.

"Quasi, check this out!" Sora exclaimed. He leapt onto a nearby barrel, spinning on it like a top.

Quasimodo clapped in awe. "You're so talented…! Have you ever tried scaling the cathedral? I think you'd like it!"

"Huh, sounds-Whoa!" Sora attempted to get off only for the barrel to end up rolling with him on it. "Heeelp!"

"Sora!" Quasimodo cried, running after him.

People dodged out of the way as the two charged through the streets.

"Oh no!" Sora wailed, seeing a circus tent in their way. "Look out!"

"Gotcha!" Quasimodo caught him and they crashed into the tent.

"Hey!" A young woman gasped, peeking out from behind a changing screen. Realizing it was an accident, she hurriedly went to their aid. "Are you alright?"

"Just a little dizzy…" Sora mumbled, grabbing his head.

"We didn't mean to intrude. We're sorry." Quasimodo apologized, trying to get Sora up off the ground so they could leave.

"Well, you're not hurt, are you? Here, let me see."

"No, no!" Quasimodo cringed as she took off the hood. He expected her to gasp in fright or scream monster, but the pretty woman simply smiled. She looked like an angel, smiling like that.

After a quick check of Sora, the woman let them go, telling them to have fun at the festival. "By the way,"

They turned back.

"Great mask." She winked at Quasimodo.

"Come one, come all!" A man called, gathering in a crowd around the stage. "See the finest girl in all France: Esmeralda!"

In a poof of purple smoke, the young lady from before appeared, now wearing a red dancing outfit with gold accessories. She danced beautifully, mesmerizing all who watched her.

"Look at that disgusting display…" Frollo spat despite watching her intently along with the rest of the crowd.

"Yes, sir!" Captain Phoebus grinned, thinking it the best order he'd ever received.

Esmeralda noticed this and danced over to the two, wrapping a sash around Frollo's neck to pull him close. She looked like she was about to kiss him but it was all just a ruse to get close enough to pull his hat over his eyes.

The people laughed wildly, even his guards shared a few chuckles. The only one who found it terrifying was Quasimodo. His master looked especially upset.

The woman suddenly grabbed a soldier's spear and stabbed it into the stage. She spun around it and cascaded down until she landed with a bright smile, giving a wink to the bell keeper in acknowledgement.

Quasimodo blushed, hiding behind his cloak. Sora gave him an encouraging nudge. "I think she likes you!"

People cheered and clamored, showering the dancer with coins.

As Esmaralda and her troop gathered up the money, the host of the festival riled the crowd up for the next event: "And now, ladies and gentlemen,

the piece de resistance! The contest you've all been waiting for!"

The crowd went wild as men in masks were hurried up on stage.

Esmeralda searched the crowd until her eyes landed on Quasimodo. She offered him help up onto the stage with a bright smile.

"Go on, maybe you'll win… whatever this is!" Sora grinned, wishing nothing but the best for his friend.

Quasimodo scrambled on stage to see Esmeralda taking off the masks one by one as they made goofy faces, her goat headbutting whoever the crowd didn't like into the mud.

"I should've joined…!" Sora whispered, thinking it was a challenge to make the funniest face. He loved making silly faces.

Before he could warn Quasimodo, Esmeralda reached him and attempted to pull off a mask, only to find Quasimodo wincing in pain.

"That's no mask!"

"It's his face!"

"He's hideous!"

Frollo stood up from his throne in shock at seeing the boy he thought had been locked away.

Sora looked around in surprise while Quasimodo covered his face in embarrassment. The contest wasn't who had what the people of Paris deemed the silliest face, it was who they deemed had the ugliest. "Stop saying that stuff…! Quasi, don't listen to them!"

"Ladies and gentlemen, don't panic!" Cried the ever-smiling host. "We asked for the ugliest face in Paris and here it is! Quasimodo, the hunchback of Notre Dame!"

The people suddenly burst into cheers as he was crowned the King of Fools.

Quasimodo was in shock until he realized this is what he always wanted, to be adored and accepted amongst the people, even if it was for just one day.

Sora felt a wave of relief seeing his friend smile and joined in. "Yeah! Go Quasi!"

Unfortunately, not everyone was thrilled to see the King, including Judge Frollo.

Quasimodo was just getting into the festive spirit when he was hit by the tomato.

"Now that's what I call ugly!" A guard jeered.

Another guard threw a tomato, causing the crowd to burst into laughter as Quasimodo slipped and fell. "All hail the king!"

"Why are you doing this?! Leave him alone!" Sora yelled as the people tied Quasimodo to a wheel, spinning him around.

"Sora! Master! Help me, please!" Quasimodo sobbed.

Frollo made no move to help him while the boy and his Spirit were blocked by the Nightmares that had appeared in front of the stage. Sora summoned his keyblade. "I don't have time for this!"

The people went into a panic, screaming and shouting as the Nightmare invaded the square. Quasimodo was abandoned on the stage.

"Sir, permission to assist that boy in stopping those demons." Phoebus grunted, stepping forward.

"I wouldn't call them demons, they are divine judgment." Frollo smirked. "He and the bell ringer must learn not to cross me…"

Just as the captain was about to take matters into his own hands, Esmeralda leaped on stage. She quickly wiped his face. "I'm sorry, this wasn't supposed to happen-"

"You! Gypsy girl! Get down at once!" Frollo bellowed. "You are not allowed to free him!"

Esmeralda glared at him before slashing through the ropes with a hidden dagger. "You mistreat this boy the same way you mistreat my people! You speak of justice, yet are cruel to those most in need of your help!"

"Silence!"

"Justice!"

Frollo narrowed his eyes in fury, his hand curling into a fist. "Mark my words, gypsy… you'll pay for this insolence!"

"Then we have crowned the wrong king. The only fool I see here…" She tossed Quasi's crown at Frollo's feet. "is you!"

"Arrest her at once." Frollo growled.

Esmeralda quickly turned to Sora who'd finished off the Nightmares, pushing Quasimodo to him. "I'll distract them, you two run!"

It was a while until Esmeralda managed to join them. She'd claimed sanctuary in the church, meaning Frollo could do her no harm as long as she stayed there.

"I think it's time to get Esmeralda out of here." Quasimodo said, looking to Sora.

The boy was a bit concerned. Quasimodo had a traumatic experience that afternoon, what if something like that happened again? "You sure you'll be okay?"

Quasimodo nodded, taking Esmeralda into his arms. "Normally after that festival, I'd just wish to hide away from the world forever but if I did that, I'd be hiding from you and Esmerlda too. My heart can't be too protected, otherwise nothing would be able to get in."

"Yeah…" Sora was reminded of the time he'd hidden from his friends. He wish he'd heard Quasimodo say that back then, would've saved him a lot of grief.

Suddenly, the tower shook, causing them to glance up in surprise.

"I better go check that out." Sora grunted, summoning his keyblade. He ran to the window, about to hop out.

"Sora?"

He glanced back at Quasimodo. "Yes?"

"Thank you for being my friend today."

Sora scaled the cathedral as the world glitched to reveal the church burning, a bellowing inferno in the streets below. Could it be Kairi or Riku's versions of the world was leaking into his?

He stopped suddenly, seeing Frollo standing there, waiting for him. How had he gotten here so quickly? Was it the power of dreams?

"I will rid Paris of one more black-hearted sinner… in my quest to eliminate darkness from this world!" Frollo announced, pointing his sword at the boy.

Sora gritted his teeth in anger, seeing a dark aura flood from the man. "You aren't eliminating it, you're just making it stronger with your hatred and fear of these people you don't even know!"

"Silence!" Frollo yelled, raising his sword.

"Justice!" Sora repeated Esmeralda, putting his fist in the air.

Justice came swiftly in the form of a Nightmare in the form of a gargoyle.

In its attempt to get at the dreamer and his Spirit, it knocked Frollo off the cathedral and into the fire below.

"Judgment is mine!" Frollo screamed in one last attempt to convince himself.

Sora cringed before glancing up to the beast. Yakumo quickly fused with him, allowing him to easily avoid the shots of fire just by jumping over them.

The Nightmare growled in annoyance before suddenly breaking out into physical attacks, punching and spinning wildly. Unfortunately for the monster, it had awful balance which gave Sora the opportunity to hit it into the fire, right after Frollo.

The world glitched back to its normal state.

Sora caught his breath before hearing someone pick up the sword Frollo had left behind. He turned to see someone he wished he could never see again.

As long as there is darkness in your heart, in the hearts of those you love… you will never escape me! One day… I will return! It was nearly three years since he'd last seen Ansem. He made true on his promise, somehow.

"Ansem! But… how?!" Sora gasped, eyes wide.

"Don't be so shocked. Why wouldn't your nightmare be here?" The young man he'd met before smiled tauntingly.

"Nightmare…?" Sora whispered. He felt a wave of relief. "Right, I'm in the Realm of Sleep, this is all just a bad dream! You're just a bad dream!"

Ansem smirked. "Perhaps I am. Either way, I am still with you and always will be, much like the darkness in your heart…"

"I embraced it, so don't you go and tell me otherwise!" Sora growled, taking a step forward. "I walk the road to twilight, kingdom come!"

"Yes. And I'm so very proud of you for that, such a big step in the right direction." Ansem grinned sharply, giving a slow clap. He suddenly stopped. "But you will never wield its full power, not unless you let yourself succumb to it entirely. Let yourself wander off into nightfall…"

"I'll never do that again, not now that I have Kairi and Riku relying on me!"

The men exchanged knowing glances before looking back to him.

"You do…." The young man laughed softly, turning away as a dark corridor appeared. He looked back at Sora. "But not for much longer~"

"What?! What's that supposed to mean?!" Sora yelled in fear. Had the Organization found his loved ones already? Were they trying to steal them away again?!

Ansem merely smirked, following the other man through the corridor.

"Come back here!" The boy cried, but the dark corridor had already vanished. He grabbed his hair in worry. "This is bad, so, so bad!"

He heard a slight whimper and turned to Yakumo. Sora bent down and got an encouraging nuzzle in response. "Thanks, girl… If Kairi and Riku have Spirits even half as good as you, I'm sure they're better than okay."

Just then, a keyhole appeared in front of them. Sora summoned his keyblade at once, feeling Kairi doing the same on her side. He unlocked the keyhole with the swing of his blade before running into the light, wondering which of them would reach the next world first. Kairi, Riku, keep your lights strong and stay safe!