Chapter 9: An Unlikely Alliance
Leon swung his blade upward, knocking a Shadow straight into the air. He spun around and tripped a Soldier with the tip of his blade. He formed a fist, conjuring a powerful flame from within it. After turning around, he launched the attack at the falling Shadow, and then cut the one on the floor in half.
Meanwhile, the Shadow flew right into Sora, who was ready with a powerful strike from the Keyblade; it sent the creature straight into oblivion. Soon, the sounds of Sora and Leon's panting filled the clear sky. Fighting with Leon was more gratifying than being on the end of his sword. Leon scanned the area for any more Heartless. He noticed Yuffie running towards the Gizmo Shop's entrance.
"Yuffie?" Leon asked, baffled.
Sora turned to see her, too. "What's she doing?"
Leon felt a nervous twinge in his chest. He did not like seeing her alone, considering how Heartless continued to fill the empty streets with perpetual malice.
"I-I don't know," Leon said. Worry grew in his voice. "Where's Aerith? I thought she'd be with her."
"Aerith?"
"Never mind," Leon said, brushing his hair, as he tried to quell his nerves. "She shouldn't be out here right now. What is she thinking?"
Up to this point, Leon's emotions have been reserved. No matter how hard Sora tried to read the pages of his expressions, they were always doused in white-out. But seeing him become distressed over Yuffie showed just how much he cared for her. He noticed a conflicted look in Leon's eyes. Sora would've felt the same way if Kairi or Riku were in a similar situation.
An awful, harsh reminder seared into his skin – he tried to save them, but failed. He didn't want Leon to experience the same grief he was forced to trudge through. Although he had yet to realize that Leon's burdens sank into a deeper hole.
"Leon, go help your friend," Sora said. "Leave the leader to me!"
"You sure?" Leon asked. "Like I said, you'll probably encounter a lot more on the way."
Sora smirked. "Hey, if the Keyblade chose me for my qualities, then it's time I start showing them off."
A grateful smile appeared on Leon's lips. More of Sora's confidence shined through the legions of shadows.
"Alright," Leon said. "Just stay focused. The leader won't be a pushover compared to the little guys."
Sora nodded, and the two went their separate ways, hoping that they'll be able to see each other later.
Entering the Gizmo Shop was like arriving at a waiting area for an amusement park ride: it was bright, colorful, and filled to the brim with unusual but wonderous contraptions that would keep a child occupied during the benumbing shuffle through a long line. Purple cogs spun throughout the room, moving in a clockwise motion, to provide life to the town's most iconic landmark.
A door was concealed inside one of the walls, which the staff normally occupied. However, someone decided to use it as an acceptable hiding spot; and that was none other than Luigi's doppelganger. He snuck out of the room, glancing left and right to make sure no one noticed him. In his hand was a card, which contained a picture of Eldstar on it.
With a sigh of relief, the doppelganger hurried for the exit, but was startled as a cloud of smoke covered his vision. He coughed from the particles hovering around in his throat. After it cleared, he noticed his grip was lighter, and looked down to see an alarming sight: a missing card!
His eyes scanned the area with a hurricane of panic and confusion spinning through his head.
"Hey!" Yuffie said.
He spun around to see the ninja standing there, holding the card out with an expression of condescending pride.
"You lose this?" she asked in a mocking tone. "You shouldn't be so careless with your belongings, ya know. Seems important. Maybe it'd be better off with someone who isn't so clumsy."
The doppelganger was startled; he kept looking back at his hand, as if unable to believe that someone snatched it.
"Wh-what?" he asked. His voice sounded as if was talking from underwater. "H-How did yo—that's not yours! Give it back, you big meanie!"
Yuffie raised an eyebrow. "Big meanie? Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize this grown adult was out past his bed time. Are you gonna get mommy to lecture me? I'm sooooo scared."
"Don't make fun of me!" the doppelganger said. "You don't understand! I'll be in big trouble if I don't get that back!"
"Well, you're in trouble, either way," Yuffie said; she was now angry. "You stole my Materia!"
"Materia?" he rubbed his head in confusion. "Oh! That shiny stuff I stole from that chatty lady? That was you!?"
"Chatty!?"
The doppelganger grinned in triumph. "Now who's the one acting like a grown up? I will get that Star Spirit back from you! Heartless!"
A mixture of Soldiers and Shadows appeared behind him. Yuffie stood her ground; sure, the Heartless were strong, but she trained her whole life just defend herself against them. It wasn't going to be for nothing. One of the Shadows leaped at her, but a fireball collided with it, knocking the creature into a wall.
Yuffie turned around to see Leon running up to her.
"No fair!" The doppelganger stomped up and down. "Only I can call for backup!"
"What are doing here?" Yuffie asked in surprise. "You were supposed to help, Sora! I got this!"
"It was Sora's idea," Leon said. "He wanted to handle the Heartless by himself. I saw you heading towards the tower. Thought I might lend a hand."
"Aw, Leon, ya big lug," Yuffie said with a playful grin. "Who knew you cared so much?"
Leon cleared his throat. "What's going on here, anyway?"
"Here on a rescue mission," Yuffie said. "And to kick this little twerp's butt!"
Leon noticed a smidgen of animosity floating around Yuffie's pupils. He chuckled in response. "He's the one who took your Materia, isn't he?"
"You know me well," Yuffie said.
"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" the doppelganger said, grasping his ears in annoyance. "All you grown ups do is talk! Stop being all lovey dovey and hand that card over!"
Yuffie glared at him in anger. "Lovey dovey!? Oh, you're just looking for trouble, aren't you? Don't worry. Got plenty of shurikens to deflate that big nose of yours!"
Leon prepared his Gunblade for battle. "Let's make this quick."
"Most sensible thing I've heard," the doppelganger said. "Attack!"
The clock tower shook as a battle rattled around its insides.
While Sora relied on his gut for most situations, he needed to step back and analyze his next course of action. Sometimes he would fight the Heartless; other times he would keep his distance, observing how many appeared in certain parts of the area. A plethora marched out from the alleyway that lead to the Third District, so that's where he needed to go.
After a treacherous battle through the Heartless swarm, he ran through the door and slammed it behind him. Every muscle in his body pleaded for a reprieve, but he had to push forward. Lingering would only make the problem escalate. He hurried down the stairs towards the main area of the Third District.
Luigi and Yoshi arrived on a balcony looking out over the Third District. Yoshi's nose picked up a distinct scent coming from straight below him. Glancing over, he saw what appeared to be a teenage boy with spiky brown hair. A mysterious sword was clenched in his right hand. Had they finally found the 'key?' Luigi stood right behind Yoshi, and was ready to open his mouth when he felt a sudden chill
It couldn't be the weather, he thought. How could the temperature drop in an instant? He then felt the chill glide up and down his spine, like a ravenous creature playing with its pray before striking. Turning around seemed like a bad idea, Luigi thought, but he had little choice. Upon doing so, he saw two Soldier Heartless approach him, swaying back and forth in utter joy at their new targets.
Jumping off the balcony would have been a smarter choice, he thought.
Luigi's fear rose to staggering levels. His mouth opened, but words refused to leave the comfort of his throat. All he could do was give Yoshi frantic taps on the shoulder. He turned back, seeing the Heartless creep closer to them. Luigi continued tapping Yoshi's shoulder. Upon turning around, his nose felt the full force of Luigi's finger.
"Luigi!" Yoshi said. Luigi stopped upon realizing what he was doing. "Me told you before; Yoshi's nose not a doorbell!"
Luigi directed his attention towards the Heartless. Yoshi had encountered many unusual creatures in the Mushroom Kingdom, but none were as unnatural or nightmarish as these monsters.
"A-Are these Heartless guys?" Yoshi asked as nervousness brushed through his scales. "What we do?"
Luigi took a deep breath, found a small portion of courage, and took out his hammer. Do it for Mario. Do it for Mario.
"They don't seem scary," Luigi said with a fierce tone in his voice. "We can take them! Let's do it!"
Inspired by Luigi's encouraging words, Yoshi leaned down into an attack position. He didn't know what to expect, but he wasn't afraid. Luigi would always be by his side.
"Yeah!" Yoshi said, confident. "Yoshi's body ready!"
BOOM!
Sora glanced up from the startling sound. Two green blurs were plummeting right towards him, screaming at the top of their lungs. Sora tried to move away, but the blurs landed on him. He felt the crushing weight as he crashed onto the ground. The three were dizzy from the rough impact. Soon, everyone regained their senses. Luigi and Yoshi noticed they landed on something soft, and glanced down to see Sora's spiky hair. And as their eyes trailed further, they saw the Keyblade.
Every ache and pain evaporated from a sudden surge of joy.
"The key!" they both exclaimed.
Sora groaned from their combined weight crushing his spine.
"Ooh, you okay?" Yoshi asked.
"I think he'd be better if we got off of him," Luigi said.
Yoshi formed a sheepish grin, and they both rose to their feet. Sora sat up, rubbing his back in the process. That injury won't have any repercussions later in life, he thought with sarcasm. Nope. None whatsoever. Before he could turn to address the two strangers responsible for landing on him, the ground started shaking. Yoshi grabbed onto Luigi's arms in order to keep his balance.
"Earthshake!" Yoshi said
Giant blocks rose from the ground and blocked the exits. Everyone looked around in a panic. They weren't sure how blocks appeared from the ground, but had a strong hunch as to who was responsible for them. The familiar Soldier Heartless appeared on top of the formed blocks. One of them leaped for Sora, who was struggling to his feet. Luigi leaped in front of him and swung his powerful hammer right into the creature's chest, knocking it across the room.
Luigi helped Sora to his feet. "You okay?"
"Yeah, thanks," Sora said. "But who are—?"
"Look out!" Luigi shouted.
Another one tried to pounce on them, but they both rolled away. Upon standing up again, Sora glanced around the area, staying alert for more of the creatures. Yoshi was walking backwards, also vigilant, and bumped into him. The two spun around to face each other. Sora's eyes commanded his mouth to shout in surprise at the sight of the strange dinosaur-like creature. Talking racoons and cats seemed pedestrian next to this guy, Sora thought.
"What wrong?" Yoshi asked. "Does Yoshi have something on his face?"
"Wh-What are you?" Sora asked. "Some sort of dragon?"
Before Yoshi could respond, Luigi called out to them.
"Hey, this might not be the best time!" Luigi pointed towards six Soldiers walking towards them.
Sora sighed in annoyance. The sight of these monsters was getting redundant. How many more times would he have to strike them down? But complaining was a fruitless gesture; a remark would not shred these creatures into pieces. However, having some extra hands might abate the roaring storm of this fight.
Sora turned to notice the two strangers glaring at him with confident eyes, as if agreeing with his thoughts.
"Seems like we're trapped here," Luigi said. "If we have any hopes of keeping each buttock intact, we're gonna have to fight together!"
"No complaints from me," Sora said.
"It'd be worse for Yoshi. He has tail in addition to buttocks!"
Ignoring Yoshi's random comment, the three turned to face their opposition, who were not intimated by their spontaneous alliance. An electric shock of fortitude flashed through Sora's body. He wasn't alone in this fight, and there was no reason he couldn't trust them; putting your trust in strangers was imperative in perilous situations.
And so, having nothing but their weapons and each other for support, the trio charged right for the Heartless.
Yoshi leaped over a swipe from a Heartless and rolled into a kneeled position. Another one ran for him. Yoshi swung his tail in low, knocking the Soldier over. The Heartless he avoided ran up to him with another fierce swing. Yoshi leaned back to dodge, and countered with a kick to the stomach. While the creature clutched its stomach from the pain, Yoshi grabbed both of its arms, pulled it forward, and rammed it with his head.
Metal wept before Yoshi's iron-like cranium. A random assortment of purples and blues spun around the creature's vision as it staggered backwards. Taking this opportune moment, Yoshi decided to unleash one his many innate abilities: sticking out his long tongue. The slimy, thin organ wrapped around the Soldier's leg, and tripped it over. Next, Yoshi spun it around on the floor, tripping over the other Heartless he fought in the process.
Yoshi's tongue wasn't just long, though. It was strong – something that made even the most credible of scientists cry themselves to sleep over its improbability. He spun around like a roundabout, growing faster with each turn; the Heartless ascended higher and higher. Then, Yoshi slammed the Soldier into the other one he tripped earlier. After retracting his tongue, he smacked his lips from creature's unusual taste; mixed signals were fading in and out of his mind.
"Hm, taste a little rough," Yoshi said, "but not the worst."
Luigi bunted his hammer forward to block an incoming strike from a Soldier, and then thrusted the head to his left to hit another one in the face. He brought his hammer forward and swung it straight down at the one he blocked moments ago. The Soldier leaped back to avoid the incoming attack.
It retaliated by leaping into the air, spinning around like a top, and flying straight into him. Luigi held his hammer up to block the fury of swinging swipes. It finished with a powerful kick that pushed him back, straight into the arms of the other Heartless.
"I'm already taken!" Luigi said. "Get off!"
He rammed his elbow into its stomach, spun around, and smacked it right across the face with his hammer. Luigi delivered a kick to the chest, pushing it away. Looking over his shoulder, he saw the other one preparing to strike. He spun around and swung the hammer right into the Soldier's leg, causing sustainable damage; it forced the Heartless to clutch the leg from the pain.
While distracted, Luigi ran in front of the Heartless and rammed the hammer straight into its stomach. Next, he leaned down in front of it and clenched his fist. Luigi closed his eyes, focusing his energy on the middle of his palm. A small warm glow was born from within his hand, and like a wildfire, it soon spread around his entire fist, pulsating in fury.
Luigi unleashed an uppercut enveloped in flames, knocking the creature an incredible distance into the sky. Luigi leaped after him, twirled his body around, and slammed his hammer into its back; it went plummeting into the ground. The creature was paralyzed for a few moments; even lifting its head was an arduous task. To make things worse, Luigi landed right on its back, then leaped into the air and slammed his hammer straight down on the other Heartless.
Sora moved to avoid a Soldier, and kicked it straight in the back as it ran by, knocking it over. Another one swung at him, but he brought his blade up in a diagonal motion to block the strike. The Soldier swung upward; Sora made the blade face upward and brought it close to his chest, catching the creature's attack. Sora thrust the blade straight up to push its claw off the blade. This was followed by him elbowing the Heartless in the shoulder, which made it stagger backwards. He finished it off, along with the other one in two quick strikes.
Sora looked to see how his new allies were faring against the denizens of darkness. What he saw next continued to skew his perception of reality with a sharp dagger. Yoshi had his tongue wrapped around a Soldier's neck. An unusual sight on its own, but the absurdity settled in when Yoshi ate the Heartless in one complete gulp. For a moment, he struggled swallowing the massive creature; his insides were trembling from the sheer size and weight of it. But he prevailed in making it a temporary resident of his stomach.
Sora felt a screw around his mouth loosen, which made his jaw start to drop. And the screw only rotated faster as Yoshi forced something out of his backside – a giant white egg with various green spots around it. Every thought in Sora's head scrambled around a giant room, searching for tiny puzzle pieces that would explain Yoshi's improbable feat.
"D-Did you just…turn that Heartless into an egg?" Sora asked. "How did you do that? Aren't you a boy?"
Luigi, who was holding two Heartless back, glanced over his shoulder at Sora. "Oh, you think you'll get a definite answer to that question. How cute."
"Hey!" Yoshi said to Sora. "Use 'key-sword' on egg! Me round up rest!"
While the ridiculousness of that sentence tickled Sora's ears, Yoshi's idea was solid. He hurried over to the egg and slashed it in half. Yoshi ate the next one, turned into an egg, and Sora repeated the same process. Luigi pushed the two Heartless back, giving Sora a chance to swing his blade at one of them, shredding it into dark debris.
After Sora defeated the last imprisoned Heartless, the trio stopped to catch their breath. A vacant district was a welcoming change of pace. They greeted the eerie silence with wide open arms.
But the moment of reprieve didn't last.
Sora noticed his shadow being consumed by a bigger one. Soon, everything around his personal space grew darker. His instincts clutched onto his legs, forcing him to leap backwards. A giant purple object made of metal landed on the ground. It was vaguely shaped like an hourglass. Sora gritted his teeth in frustration; his blind optimism had left his rational senses at the start of a race. He forgot that there was a leader overseeing the chaos.
"What that?" Yoshi asked, whimpering in fear.
"O-Oh, I'm sure it's nothing," Luigi said, refusing to believe that they were blessed by more trouble. "Some giant probably doesn't know how to use a recycling bin."
Sora would've scoffed at Luigi's poor explanation, but given how bizarre today had been for him, he wouldn't have been surprised if there was a giant roaming the streets. The strange armor started convulsing, making the ground rattle in the process.
"Uh…it's moving," Sora said.
"No, it's not!" Luigi shouted in denial.
The metal object hovered right above them. Two purple gauntlets, along with two feet, rained down from the sky and placed themselves in certain areas around the object, appearing as body parts around a torso; but they were not directly connected to the torso, so they could move on their own. Sora noticed a wide black heart emblem embedded on its chest. It had a red outline around it and a cross went over the middle area.
A helmet landed on top of the torso, completing the assembly of this armored creature. Its eyes were covered by a silver faceplate, but it could see the three as clear as the night's sky. It had been disturbed. It was mad. And it sought hearts. Despite its towering size, Sora wasn't intimidated. Nothing was going to stop him from finding his friends. It didn't matter the size or quantity of Heartless – his desires towered over the creature itself.
"Finally decided to show up, huh?" Sora said; his blue eyes gleamed with resolve. "Good! Your little friends were starting to bore me."
Luigi glared at Sora in shock. "Bore him? Wow. That sounds like something only a crazy person would say!"
He turned to Yoshi, and noticed that gleam had been cast upon his eyes.
"Guess that make Luigi and Yoshi just as crazy," he said.
Luigi chuckled. Sora's courage was contagious; something about having him and Yoshi around tucked Luigi's worries away into a closet. Positive energy flowed between the three, and they would use it to slay this Heartless.
Luigi and Yoshi joined Sora by his side. Three people from completely different worlds have formed one unstoppable force.
And this Heartless was set to be their first victim.
No matter how hard the Heartless tried, their sharp claws could not penetrate the youthful skin of the great ninja Yuffie. Her maneuvers were quick and elegant; and her cunningness was unrivaled. She pelted the creatures with silent strikes of her throwing stars. At one point, she conjured a magical spell that enlarged one of them, and threw it around the room like a rambunctious saw blade yearning for something to shred. Indeed, the Heartless were shredded to pieces by the relentless shuriken.
The doppelganger's moves were amateurish compared to Leon's well-honed sword techniques. All he could do was defend himself from each precise strike. He swung at the ground, releasing a wave of orange graffiti at Leon, who avoided it by rolling to his left. He countered with a fireball, knocking the doppelganger into a wall. Before Leon could strike, the doppelganger pushed his back against the wall, and managed to merge into it.
Leon's senses were as sharp as his blade. He could hear noise from within the walls; it was as if the doppelganger was scrambling around inside of them, trying to find a feasible angle to attack. Soon enough, the doppelganger emerged from behind him, but Leon put the Gunblade over his shoulder, blocking the paint brush's strike. All the doppelganger could do was retreat into the floor, move under Leon's feat, and emerge with an upward swing. Leon leaned back, and countered with a kick to the stomach, sending the doppelganger flying into the wall, and landing on the ground.
"Grrr, stop doing that!" the doppelganger said.
Leon held the blade to his side. "This is a waste of time. Better end this now."
An orange ball of energy emerged from the tip of the Gunblade, pulsating with incredible power. Terror had chained the doppelganger's legs to the ground, as he felt an overwhelming heat slap him across the face. After the ball faded, Leon knocked him into the air with his blade, leaped after him, and unleashed a fury of fast, unavoidable combos. Each strike was more impactful than the last. The doppelganger couldn't even register what was happening – that strikes were that brutal.
Leon held the blade over his head and performed a finishing slash, sending the doppelganger crashing into the ground. Despite being bombarded with sword strikes, he survived the onslaught, but the fruits of Leon's handiwork were apparent. He tried to stand up, only for his weakened body to collapse in defeat.
Yuffie had just finished off the remaining Heartless. She rejoined Leon. The two watched as the doppelganger used his remaining strength to…..throw a huge tantrum on the ground – pounding fists and everything.
"No fair!" the doppelganger. "You cheated! I would've clobbered you!"
"He didn't cheat," Yuffie said, as she patted Leon on the back. "Being awesome just comes naturally to him."
The doppelganger managed to stand up, leaning on his paint brush for support. "But you don't understand. I'm in big trouble now! I'll lose my allowance over this! Or worse!"
"Sorry. Don't care about your first world problems," Leon said.
The doppelganger stuck his free hand behind him, creating an oval shaped dark portal. He stumbled backwards towards it.
"You big meanies are going to pay for this!"
As soon as the portal engulfed him, it vanished right before their eyes.
Yuffie turned to Leon with a bewildered expression. "Big meanies? What, is his brain still stuck in Elementary School?"
"Just glad that's over," Leon said. "Have no idea what his intentions in this town are, but that's neither here nor there. Are you okay?"
Yuffie grinned. "Fine. Thanks for the help. Not that I could've taken care of it myself."
Leon said nothing.
"I've known you for years," Yuffie said, placing both hands on her hips, "yet I can still never read ya."
Leon smirked. "One of my most endearing traits, apparently. Anyway, you mentioned something about a rescue mission?"
Yuffie held up the card, explaining how it belonged to the visitors of the Mushroom Kingdom.
"Then we'll return him to them as soon as possible," Leon said. "Right now, we should meet up with Sora."
"Think he needs help?" Yuffie asked.
"No. That kid can handle himself. But it wouldn't hurt if he had some backup."
Yuffie smirked. "Aw, you're growing fond of him. Who knew beating people up brings them close together? Not that I'd want you to try that theory out on me."
Leon chuckled in responds. Without another second to spare, they left the Gizmo shop in search of Sora.
Yoshi ran away from the stomping power of the large feet. When confronted with a wall, he rolled right, having avoided getting slammed into it by one of them. Meanwhile, Luigi's hammer clashed with one of the gauntlets. Sora leaped over them both; his target was the torso. But the other gauntlet blocked his strike. The head rammed into the gauntlet, which had enough force to knock Sora into Luigi.
After standing up, they noticed both gauntlets spinning together like unruly drills. They ducked to avoid having their faces skewered by the deadly metal claws. Both gauntlets ended up getting their claws stuck in the ground. Sora saw a window of opportunity open its gate for him. He ran over to them and delivered a vertical strike, which tore through their metal skin. They removed themselves from the ground before Sora could deal anymore damage.
Sora tried to bring his blade down, but the two gauntlets spun around each other like a windmill during a severe hurricane, deflecting his strike. Any attack that tried to penetrate the spinning vortex would yield the same results. He needed a new approach. It wasn't too long before an idea exploded in Sora's mind like a firecracker.
He leaped back a great distance and threw his Keyblade into the middle of the enraged purple circle, disturbing its flow, and separating the two gauntlets. Sora hurried over to attack. One of the gauntlets formed a fist and flew straight at him; he leaped left to dodge. The other gauntlet proceeded with the same idea. Sora put his blade up to catch the first.
The one he dodged circled back around, and flew straight at him. But its opportune window was crushed beneath Luigi's hammer. Sora pushed the gauntlet back; it then flew over his head, and tried crushing him. He hopped back to avoid having his face meet the gravel. Sora climbed onto the gauntlet and thrust the Keyblade straight into it, making it vanish right in front of his eyes.
"Hey, I got another one for your key!" Luigi said.
Sora turned to see Luigi ram his hammer into the other gauntlet, sending it spinning across the floor. With his Keyblade facing the ground, he thrust it straight into the gauntlet as soon as it rolled up to his feet. It too joined the other hand in the realm of oblivion.
Yoshi managed to leap onto one of the feet and ride on it like a stubborn but determined bull rider. The foot swung Yoshi in every which direction; he didn't budge, but his eyes spun around from constant movement. Yoshi slammed his head into the foot; a minor crack had tarnished its purple coat. And when Yoshi repeated his strike, the crack grew larger.
Sensing the danger, the other foot lifted itself high above Yoshi. The dinosaur leaped off just as the foot stomped down on the other one. Because of the crack, the first foot was damaged to the point of splitting in half as a result. Yoshi stuck out his tongue and tried to devour the other foot; it gave him a fight by stomping around the area. Yoshi pulled with all his might, but the foot would not yield. The tip of his tongue started to slip from the continuous strain.
Sora hurried over and grabbed Yoshi by his upper torso, to give him an advantage in this life or death battle of tug of war.
"I gotchya!"
Their combined strength overwhelmed the foot; it flew straight towards them. Realizing that the foot was too big to eat, even for him, Yoshi, along with Sora, dove onto the ground, and it flew over their heads. As they both stood up, they saw the foot kick against a wall; it was heading right for them. Sora threw his Keyblade at the foot, stopping it right in its tracks. Yoshi leaped above it, performed a single flip, and slammed his backside into it, sending it straight into the ground.
Divide and conquer was no longer necessary; what they needed now was to combine their strengths and skills, in hopes of putting a massive dent in this armor. Before the head could attack, Yoshi grabbed it with his tongue, spun it around, and knocked it into the torso, ceasing its assault. Luigi was next, as he came in and delivered his powerful uppercut again, launching both the head and torso into the sky. Sora squeezed the hilt of his blade; it was time for him to deliver the final blow.
Luigi and Yoshi brought their hands together for him.
"All you!" Luigi said.
Sora stepped on their hands, and they pushed him into the air. He could see the armor plummeting towards the ground, helpless to retaliate from his next strike. Sora searched deep within his soul for all the power he needed to finish off the Heartless. His mind dug through sand comprised of light. He descended further and further until he felt an upheave of energy. Focusing on that energy, he transferred it to his Keyblade, which was outlined with a beautiful yellow glow.
With one fierce swing, he slashed straight through the armor. After landing, he, Luigi and Yoshi's eyes stared right at the creature. It remained airborne, but was still. An uncomfortable silence hovered over their heads.
The head fell onto the ground, breaking the silence with a loud bang.
Soon, the torso started convulsing. A bright light peeked out from the wound Sora's Keyblade inflicted. The rattling of metal became louder. More light escaped the inflicted wound. Everyone shielded their eyes from the brightness.
Leon and Yuffie arrived to witness the armor's final moments of existence.
"Whoa!" Yuffie said. "Looks like you were right: he can handle himself."
A lone heart flew out from the vacant neck of the Heartless. Its source of power had been liberated; no longer could it function. No longer could it prey on the innocent. Before everyone's eyes, a gust of wind embraced the armor, giving it some comfort before vanishing into a state of nothingness.
The walls lowered after it vanished. Sora felt a burst of air leave his mouth in relief, which was echoed by Luigi and Yoshi. A long, difficult battle was behind them. For now.
"That Heartless was a lot tougher than I thought," Sora said, brushing the sweat from his forehead. He faced Luigi and Yoshi. "But you two came along at the right moment. Thanks!"
Luigi waved his hand in modesty. "Don't mention it. You're lucky. I'm actually quite the hero. I saved a whole kingdom once."
"No way!" Sora said, surprised. "By yourself!?"
Yoshi's shoulders slumped in displeasure. "Not again."
"Well, I had some help," Luigi said, "but only I could bring peace to the land."
As he began his dramatic story, Yoshi mocked him by mouthing every word uttered.
"A letter of utmost importance arrived at my doorstep," Luigi said. "It would forever change my fate. The minister of the Waffle Kingdom knew that only I, with my skills and wit, could vanquish"—he faced Yoshi— "I can see you out of the corner of my eye!"
Yoshi leaned back with a nervous smile. "Me thinks he gets point."
"Fine, fine," Luigi said, composing himself. "I'll save the story for later. Right now, we—"
He noticed Sora starring up the sky, with both hands in his pockets; it was the only familiar, comfortable sight. It reminded him of glancing out his window, knowing he was safe within the sheets of his warm bed. But things were different now.
"You okay there?" Luigi asked.
Sora snapped out of his thoughts. "Yeah. Sorry. It's been a long day. Things have just gotten crazier and crazier."
"You're telling me," Luigi said. "Took us forever to find you."
"Wait, you were looking for me?"
Luigi and Yoshi nodded.
"They, too, have been seeking the wielder of the Keyblade," Leon said.
Everyone turned to see him and Yuffie walk over to them. Sora's face lit up in elation.
"You guys made it!"
"Well, of course," Yuffie said pride in her eyes. "We're too slick for the Heartless. And you are, too. We saw you send that big guy to the scrap heap. Impressive, right, Leon?"
"It wasn't bad," Leon said.
Sora frowned. "Wasn't bad!? Did you see the size of that thing!?"
"That's the highest honor Leon offers," Yuffie said. "Might as well take what you can get."
Sora rolled his eyes with a smile. The weight in Yuffie's pocket reminded her of something important, and she pulled out the card containing Eldstar.
"Oh, by the way," she said, addressing Luigi. "I managed to get this off the mitts of your twin."
She handed the card to Luigi. Both he and Yoshi gasped in excitement upon seeing the familiar white bushy moustache.
"Mama-mia!" Luigi said. "You rescued him! You didn't have to do that!"
Yuffie shrugged. "Eh, no biggie. Seems like he's very important to you.'
"In more ways than one," Luigi said.
Sora scratched his head in confusion. It was just a card. Why did they refer to it as 'he?' But, then, he reminded himself that he was standing in front of a talking dinosaur. His question slid through a paper shredder, forming tiny pieces that would never form that same thought again.
"Can you excuse us for one second?" Luigi asked Sora.
He held the card into the air; it was enveloped in a bright light. Eldstar emerged from within the light, hovering above the onlookers. Vitality sparked within his dark green eyes. He felt the breeze brush through his moustache. Words couldn't describe how delighted he was to be free.
"Star Spirit Get!" Yoshi said in triumph.
Sora gaped at the Star Spirit; he still wasn't sure if his eyes were pulling off an elaborate ruse.
"A giant star with a moustache?" Sora asked. "Man, I must've hit my head harder than I thought."
"Are you okay, Eldstar?" Luigi asked.
"I'm quite fine," Eldstar said. He looked at Yuffie. "If it wasn't for this young ladies' selflessness, who knows where I would've been incarcerated next. From the bottom of my heart, you have my eternal gratitude."
Yuffie blushed. "Aw, go on. I can listen to this all night."
Leon cleared his throat.
"But Leon helped out, too," she quickly said. "He's nothing but a big boy scout."
"Then you have my thanks as well," Eldstar said. "Unfortunately, all is not well. I still worry for the other Star Spirits. I do hope no harm has befallen them."
"Don't worry," Luigi said. "Yoshi and I will do what we can to rescue them. Professor E. Gadd made a device that'll let us track them down."
Eldstar closed his wise eyes in relief. "Oh, thank goodness. There's no doubt that you'll be successful in liberating them. You both exhibit the same heroism and determination as Mario. But be warned: Bowser has new accomplices. I saw them before being captured. They contain a dark, chilling power that's unlike anything I've ever witnessed. You must be vigilant in your quest."
Luigi's face froze with fear upon hearing those words sting his ears. "Should I be terrified or grateful that I've just learned this valuable piece of information?"
"Fret not, young one," Eldstar said with a reassuring tone in his voice. "For I will aid you in your time of crisis. And once the other Star Spirits have been rescued, they will offer their power, too. Sometimes the greatest strength is in numbers."
Luigi felt a bit relieved to hear those encouraging words. But Eldstar's description of Bowser's associates were vague. How powerful were they? What special techniques did they have? Luigi could see a future where he'd be reunited with his brother, but a swamp of uncertainty stood in his path; he had no choice but to swim through it, keeping a watchful eye out for life-threatening hazards.
"I must return to Star Haven," Eldstar said. "Must make sure everyone is alright. We shall meet again soon my friends. Please take care of yourselves. The journey ahead will be treacherous, but a united alliance will guide you through the storm. Farewell!"
Eldstar flew into the stratosphere and vanished into the calming night sky. Luigi looked at Yoshi; he was glad to have him by his side.
"So what was that all about?" Sora asked.
"It's a long story," Luigi said.
"Hey, why not come with us?" Yoshi asked Sora. "We can visit other worlds in our vessel. It fast! It go varoom!"
For a moment, Sora's hopes and desires started to climb up a rope. Like Eldstar, he would be free from the confinement of this world, and could visit a plethora of other ones. Just like he always dreamed.
Just like they've always dreamed.
Sora's hope started to slide down the rope. He glanced down at the floor in sadness, remembering that his dream had been fractured by the Heartless.
"I wonder if I can find Riku and Kairi…"
Leon understood what he was going through. The feeling of loss – it still lingered. Every time he tried sleeping, the memories would nuzzle into his mind like unwanted vermin.
"Sure we can," Luigi said.
Sora glanced up at Luigi, feeling an optimistic tickle in his ear.
"Luigi think so?" Yoshi whispered in his ear.
Luigi shrugged. "Who knows? We might. Lot of worlds out there. But, more importantly, we need him to help us find Mario."
Leon continued dwelling on the memories. For years he had been stuck in this town. For years he felt helpless to make a difference, no matter where the stars guided him. He wouldn't let Sora experience the same everlasting misery.
Taking a step forward, he said, "Sora, go with them. Especially if you want to find your friends."
Sora glanced back at the ground. Despite the encouragement huddling around him, a skeptical voice called out from the crowd. The prospect of visiting every world frightened him; what if it took years to find Riku and Kairi? Or what if he never found them? The hope slid faster down the rope.
"Yeah, I guess," Sora said with little enthusiasm.
"But you can't come along looking like that," Luigi said.
Yoshi turned to Luigi with a perplexed expression. "Huh? Why not? It because of the shoes, isn't it? Aw, they not that big. He can fit in ship."
"That's not what I'm going to say," Luigi said, rubbing his forehead in frustration. "You see, we're a jolly bunch. We like to keep things upbeat. So no frowning. No sad face. Okay?"
"Yeah!" Yoshi said with a joyful tone in his voice. "You have look funny like us."
"Speak for yourself," Luigi said with a scoff. He turned back to Sora, smiling. "This ship runs on happy face."
Yuffie snorted from Luigi's sappy comment, but was elbowed in the ribcage by Leon. While it sounded corny, there was positive energy behind those words, and they were trying to pull Sora out of his despondent ditch.
"Happy?" Sora asked.
He noticed Yoshi resting his hands on Luigi's shoulders. They were waiting in eager anticipation for him to smile. Feeling a bit encouraged, Sora decided to give it a try. He lifted his head, showing off the biggest smile, with his teeth clenched together, and his eyes looking towards the sky.
"Geeeeeeeee!"
He noticed Luigi and Yoshi's faces remained neutral. Embarrassment, sprinkled with a dash of awkwardness, settled in as he stood there looking absurd. The uncomfortable silence didn't help matters. His smile faltered into a look of shame. Then, Luigi and Yoshi broke down into laughter. The awkward feelings fluttered away into the sky.
"Now that one funny face!" Yoshi said, roaring with laughter.
People say that laughter is the best medicine, and Sora needed that dose. Hearing the sounds of merriment put his worries at ease. He felt a warm aura from them; they seemed trustworthy. Maybe it was because he identified with them; it appeared they were searching for someone as well. Everyone has different path towards the same goal, but sometimes it didn't hurt for them to intercept at a crossroad and help one another.
"Alright, why not?" Sora said, feeling exuberant. "I'll go with you."
Luigi stuck his hand out. "I'm-a Luigi."
Yoshi did the same.
"I Yoshi."
"And I'm Sora."
The three placed their hands together. A promised was forged. A bond had formed. This was the beginning of their story – the beginning of a friendship that would span across multiple worlds.
"All for one, one for all."
There was a room where light kneeled before the darkness. Every door was sealed; windows were nonexistent. Light was an unwelcomed guest. But, in the center of the room, a faint green glow provided just enough illumination to halt the darkness' dominance. The source of this glow was from a green, flat, transparent circle that floated above the ground; it had been conjured up by magic.
Standing on the circle was Sora and his new friends. They were sharing their stories with one another, listening with attentive ears at each sentence, and watching with fascinated eyes at each expression.
But, unbeknownst to the three, many more eyes were gazing upon with sinister intentions.
They studied their prey from behind a safe curtain of darkness; and from within the curtain, the whites of their cold, calculated eyes glistened from the green glow. Beneath the bitter cold stares was a flicker of intrigue over Sora and the Keyblade. They had watched his incredible bout with the Heartless, digesting every intense image.
For a moment, these strange individuals stood around in thoughtful silence. Soon, one of them sliced through the silence with his voice. He stood tall and confident in his black dress suit; his dark hair was slicked back to perfection. He was known as Giovanni, the leader of a criminal organization called Team Rocket.
"How could some child take down a Heartless of such large proportions?" he asked, rubbing his chin. "It's inconceivable."
Standing next to Giovanni was a giant purple, dragon-like creature. His head resembled that of a pterodactyl, and he had two giant wings. The creatures glared at the image with two yellow gaping holes that were supposed to be his eyes. His bone-like tail swished around in the air. He was Ridley, the leader of a notorious group of space pirates.
"A scrawny little brat like him?" Ridley asked. "I've eaten bigger creatures for an afternoon snack. It has to be pure luck."
"Don't be so sure," said a cold, sinister voice next to Ridley.
Ridley glanced as his colleague, a man donning brown medieval armor and a red cape. His skin was as green as poison ivy, and only fire red hair stood out from the darkness. He was known as Ganondorf, the king of a race known for their thievery.
"The Keyblade is what fuels the boys' strength," Ganondorf said. "He is merely a vessel used to channel its power. Such a fascinating weapon it is."
A giant crocodile wearing a crown turned to the others with an eager, malicious grin; his razor-sharp teeth momentarily cut through the darkness, and his left bloodshot eye widened with excitement. Like Ganondorf, he held the title of monarch. His name was King K. Rool.
"Why don't we turn him into a heartless?" He guffawed, and held his golden, plump stomach to lessen the pain from laughing so hard. "That'll put this kid out of our misery."
Another person was observing Sora and company further. Akin to Ganonford, he resided from a world where castles stood tall and horses were the best form of transportation. He wore slick purple and black robes. His pale skin made the moon appear if it were blushing. Unlike his associates, he was much slender, but his unrivaled dark magic carried the weight.
Those unfortunate enough to be consumed by his magic would suffer for an extended period before they were granted the sweet release of death. He was called Validar.
"But he's not alone," Validar said. "His annoying little friends are that wretched metal tube cleaner's lackeys. Not that it matters. My power can wipe them out in an instant."
"Is that so?" someone else asked.
The voice belonged to a man dressed entirely in a purple muscle suit, taking on the appearance of a bull. His eyes were concealed by a purple mask, which was attached to two black horns. He was known as Black Shadow, the bringer of chaos and destruction.
"Your so called 'power' couldn't take care of a group of people called Shepherds," he said. "Let me repeat that: SHEPHERDS! What, did your allergies to sheep get the best of you? Face it: you're no prize yourself there, buddy."
Both he and King K. Rool broke down into a fit of laughter. For the first time in ages, Validar's pale skin experienced the loud, vibrant color of red.
"Silence!" Validar said, hissing.
"Hey, I was going to say that!"
Everyone stopped their bickering and turned to face the owner of the voice. Standing before them was the mastermind who brought these immoral beings together in the first place. The one who orchestrated the attack on Star Haven, separating the benevolent Star Spirits from everyone and everything they cherished. He whispered to the shadows, and they would carry out his abhorrent tasks.
Right now, he felt invisible. In his giant claw he held the mystical Star Rod. With the flick of his wrist, he never had to be afraid. Absolute power was at his disposal. And he wanted to share his greatest desires with the only person who mattered: Princess Peach. Power of this magnitude meant nothing to his disillusioned mind if he couldn't share it with his one true love.
He was a giant turtle creature with bushy red eyebrows and fiery red hair. Sharp spikes protruded from the back of his giant green shell. If there was one thing tougher than his shell, it was his hard, scaly, yellow skin; it ran from his neck to his tail, while his plastron and muzzle were beige. Wrapped around his neck and legs were various spiked collars. His monstrous form was completed by the two horns on his head.
This was Bowser, the Koopa King – archenemy of the Mushroom Kingdom, and had command over the Heartless. Next to Bowser was his loyal servant Kammy Koopa, hovering above him on her broom. She wore a purple witch's robe and hat; she saw the world through her small oval-shaped glasses.
Ridley frowned at the Koopa King's sight. "Oh hooray. Our fearless leader is here."
"Like it or not," Bowser said, ignoring Ridley's remark, "the Keyblade chose this little punk. I don't get it either. Guess there was no one else around. But he will continue to fight the darkness. A minor inconvenience for us, sure, but nothing to worry about. He's too inexperienced."
He paused as a thought crossed his mind.
"Although," he continued, "we don't know the full extend of the Keyblade's power, either. Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to check on his progress every now and then. Who knows? His inexperience may be useful to use."
"Only an imbecile would propose such an asinine notion," Validar said, growing annoyed. "Remind me: why is this blithering idiot in charge?"
Bowser glowered at him, holding the Star Rod as proof of his position. "In case that straw you call a head forgot, I put this whole operation together! All me! And I got a little help from a wonderful person called: 'myself,' too. Don't try challenging me, stretch. With the Star Rod in my possession, none of your words can harm me. Mostly because I've rammed my fist into your mouth."
Validar grumbled in defeat. Sometimes he wondered why he went along with Bowser. He had neither the wit nor intelligence of a great scholar. Just the raw strength a big, dumb bear.
Ganondorf leaned against the wall, smirking. "You seem confident. You're not even a little concerned that those fools already recovered a Star Spirit from one of your subjects?"
Bowser groaned as he rubbed his forehead from the painful reminder. "Don't you worry about that. My 'subject' is going to get a long talking to. Maybe getting his head out of those video games for a week will make his ears work. That stuff rots your brain out."
Kammy felt a sudden chill in her spine, almost as if she could sense a strange irony in Bowser's statement.
"Tell that 'subject' of mine not to come out of his room until he thinks of a better plan to capture Peach," Bowser said.
Kammy nodded and flew towards the exit. Bowser turned back to face his brigade. Everyone standing before him was of a different species or race; their thoughts and feelings were far from unified. At times their opinions clashed in a great war of insults. But, as much as he hated to admit it, Bowser needed them. They were drenched in the same repugnant darkness as himself; and these individuals were the perfect candidates.
"Alright," Bowser said, "go about your business. We'll have another meeting soon."
And so, everyone departed from the room, pondering over the future of their endeavors. As the room fell silent, the fragments of light that kept it illuminated withered away from the prevalent force of darkness.
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