Chapter 24: Who Framed Luigi Mario?

Traverse Town's docking area was tranquil. People meandered throughout it, stopping to partake in casual conversation with each other. But the mood soon erupted into panic as the Labo Ship came crashing into the runway; everyone screamed as they ran for their lives. The ship stopped just before it hit the exit to the town.

Sora sat back in seat, exhaling in relief. His heart was pounding from the injection of wild emotions. To his right, he saw Luigi sprawled out in his seat, staring out the cockpit in stunned silence – with a ruffled moustache and a titled hat. Looking over his shoulder, he saw that Yoshi was cowering underneath the seat.

"Me miss the minecarts!" Yoshi said.

"Erm, you okay, Luigi?" Sora asked, feeling awkward for even opening his mouth.

Luigi shook his head, regaining his composure. He turned to Sora with silent fury; his arms were crossed, as if trying to restrain the anger he was feeling.

Sora formed a nervous grin. "This is probably a dumb question, but how'd I do?"

"You almost crashed us straight into town!" Luigi said, unleashing his rage, yelling. "How do you THINK you did? You're lucky if you can even drive a remote-controlled plane! And even that's pushing it! I'm never letting you touch the controls again in my lifetime! Never!"

Sora rubbed his head, apologetic. "Yeah, I probably deserve that."

"Where's Isabelle?" Luigi said as his head darted around the cockpit. "She pushed for this idea."

Everyone looked around the cockpit. It was as if she vanished into thin air.

Sora glanced outside. "Look!"

The group saw Isabelle run out of the ship. She spread her arms into the air, saying, "Oh, sweet, wonderful land! I'll never take you for granted again!" She ran up to a random person. "Hello! How are you? Isn't life wonderful? I'm so happy to be alive right now! Aren't you!?"

"I think I can safely assume that she agrees with my sentiments on your driving abilities," Luigi said.

Sora sighed in embarrassment. "Don't have to tell me twice."

Once the commotion had been mitigated (which took quite a while), the group made their way towards town. Mistakes were learned. There was no reason to linger on the issue (although Sora could've sworn Luigi was giving him a look of contempt on occasion).

As Sora approached the door, he remembered something important. "After we visit Leon, I want to take the Pikmin and the ship parts to Captain Olimar. I'm sure that'll make him happy."

"Sure thing," Luigi said. Despite the earlier ordeal, he was surprisingly calm. "Gotta be honest. I'm glad to be back in Traverse Town after all the insanity we've been through. Nothing like returning to a nice, quite…"

He opened the door to see the once peaceful town infested with Heartless. The silent sky rattled from the hysterical screams of people running for their lives.

"…town?" Luigi was left in complete bewilderment.

Isabelle gasped in horror. "Goodness! Seems like a Heartless Festivale has been scheduled for today!"

"Look up there!" Yoshi said.

Everyone focused their attention to a figure standing above the Accessory Shop. It was Luigi's doppelganger. His red eyes were locked onto the group, like heatseeking missile preparing to fire. He leaped off the building, and landed at the edge of the stairs. The group hurried over to the bottom – Sora and Luigi had drawn their weapons.

"Hey, troublemaker!" Luigi said with a fierce tone in his voice. "Leave these people alone! And stop pretending to be me! Only a coward wears a disguise!"

The doppelganger laughed. "Says the biggest coward of them all! You losers are too late to stop me. Soon the princess will be mine. Smell ya later!"

He vanished into a puff of smoke. Heartless surrounded the group. Their presence couldn't be any more vexing. Luigi was far too concerned about Peach's safety. But, unfortunately, the Heartless didn't empathize with anyone; their concern was devouring a fresh beating heart.

The group battled their way through an entourage of familiar faces: Shadows, Soldiers, and even some Space Pirates. And they struggled to slay each one. They were a lot more aggressive compared to Sora's first visit. The battle was long, it was fierce, and felt everlasting. It was like the hands of Father Time's clock had crawled to a halt., refusing to budge.

But through perseverance, they vanquished the denizens of the dark. Everything was calm. Only the sounds of their panting echoed throughout the town. And it was loud! While taking a minute to recuperate, their minds digested everything that happened.

Luigi heard the imposter's threats blare in his ear like an alarm. He knew what needed to be done. "Change of plans. Let's go see the princess first. Want to make sure she's okay."

Luigi knocked on Peach's door. No answer. He tried again. Still no answer. Panic latched onto his spine, and it grew longer with each passing second. The others were infected with that same feeling of dread.

"Me not liking this," Yoshi said.

"Where could she be?" Sora asked.

Yoshi glanced at the floor. He noticed a piece of paper sticking out of its sill. He picked it up from the ground; it was a letter. He handed it to Luigi.

The letter read: "Dear, Luigi. Sorry for leaving so abruptly. That troublemaker resembling you tried to capture me. Thankfully, Leon rescued me from his clutches. He has secluded us in the underground cavern behind the hotel. We should be find there. That's where we'll be if you need us. Sincerely, Peach."

The nervous feeling in Luigi's spine shrunk, as if disappointed by the immediate relief he felt. "Thank goodness for Leon. He knows when to come through for us."

"Wish he didn't have to beat me up in the beginning," Sora said, grumbling, placing both hands in his pockets. He noticed everyone looking at him. "Which, by the way, I totally kicked his butt."

Luigi smirked. "Sure you did. About as likely as me hating pasta."

"Hey!" Sora said.

"Let's head for the cavern, then," Isabelle said, diffusing the frivolous conversation.

Outside the hotel, the group prepared to head for the back alleyway. Unbeknownst them, they were about to find themselves trapped in another net of inconvenience.

"We've finally caught you!" someone said.

The group turned to see a mob approaching them, in a complete uproar. Some were shouting insults at Luigi; others were clamoring at how he dropped a bomb of paranoia on their peaceful town with the Heartless. Sora and his friends started to walk backwards, apprehensive; they weren't sure if contending with an angry mod was worse than fighting the Heartless.

"Listen!" Luigi said, shouting, waving his arms to get their attention. "This is just a big misunderstanding. I'm not the guy you're looking for!"

A woman glanced at the wanted poster in her hand. "Ridiculous moustache? Overalls? Nope. You're the guy alright!"

"Ridiculous!?" Luigi asked, offended.

Sora stepped forward, interjecting before Luigi lost his temper. "He's not the culprit. Some guy's disguised as him."

"A likely story," a man said. "Some people saw you leave town the other day. Things were peaceful. Then you show up again and those creatures are back. Something doesn't add up!"

Another person couldn't contain his excitement. "Let's get him! I hear there's a big reward for catching this guy."

"I hear it's free pizza," someone else said (what an odd choice for a reward, Luigi thought).

"You gotta believe us," Sora said, searching within the mob for a shred of understanding. "We'll catch the real culprit for you."

"I'm not waiting," another person said. "I want my free pizza now!"

The mob started to approach the group like a freight train. Sora and his friends felt the heat of their fury brush across their faces.

"Now's a good time for a plan," Luigi said, in a panic. "Anyone have any ideas?"

"I do!" a familiar female voice said. "I happen to be the master of them!"

Yuffie descended from the rooftops like an agile squirrel, and landed in front of the group.

She looked over her shoulder, smiling. "Friendly neighborhood ninja at your service!"

Yuffie threw a smoke bomb in front of the mob, causing it to explode in their faces. They coughed as the remnants covered them like a dusty rug.

"After them!" one person said.

They ran through the smoke in pursuit of the group, yelling and screaming the whole time. One person that was straggling behind shouted, "Free pizza, woo-hoo!"

However, this so-called freight train didn't have any blind spots: when the smoke first erupted, Yuffie lead the others to a nearby door; they soon found themselves behind the hotel, within proximity of the cavern. The group took a moment to recuperate. Yuffie grinned with pride, as if waiting for everyone to burst out into a musical number, singing her praises.

"Man, Yuffie," Sora said. "Your timing couldn't have been better."

"Naturally," Yuffie said. "All in a day's work for the greatest ninja this side of Traverse Town."

Luigi chuckled. "Apparently ninjas aren't the modest of people."

"Hey, I'm modest!" Yuffie said with an innocent expression on her face. "My modesty is just very selective, that's all."

"So is everyone in the cavern?" Sora asked.

"Yep," Yuffie said. "Leon's there, too, if you're looking for him. That's his training spot. Which mostly consists of swinging a sword back and forth. Boring way to spend the afternoon with him, if you ask me."

Sora snickered. "That sounds like something he'd do."

"Follow me," Yuffie said, gesturing towards the cavern.

Below the entrance, they noticed a stream of water traveling straight into its maw. Yoshi's felt like someone threw the switch for his aquaphobia; which, ironically, made his legs shut down faster than a dying car engine.

"W-Water?" Yoshi asked in fear.

Yuffie glared at him in confusion. "Yeaaaahhh. What'd you think was going to be here? Dry rocks?"

"He's afraid of water," Luigi said, irritated.

"Really?" Yuffie asked in surprise. "How do you bathe him?"

Luigi rubbed his temples. "Whenever someone asks that, I get reminded of the sanity I'll never get back from carrying out such a cumbersome task."

"Come on, buddy," Sora said in a gentle, encouraging tone. "We'll be right here with you."

Yoshi stubbornly crossed his arms, "No!"

"Great," Sora said with a disappointed sigh. "Anyone have any food on hand?"

"That no work on me," Yoshi said. "Me no give in."

Luigi glared at him with a serious expression. "Well, then. Guess you can stay here. All by your lonesome. In a spooky dark ally."

The dinosaur felt Luigi's intimidating words wrap around his neck like a snake. He glanced around the alley: the lights were dim; the only voices heard were the wind's whispering.

"S-Spooky?" Yoshi asked, fearful.

"Yes," Luigi said in an ominous voice "Who knows what disgusting creatures lurk here." He paused, and was terrified by his own words. "Wait! I don't want to know! I'm beelining it!"

He ran into the water; the violent sounds of splashing trailed behind him as he entered the cavern. Sora and Isabelle glared at each other with narrow eyes, as if unable to believe what they just witnessed.

"He's not very good at reverse psychology, is he?" Yuffie asked.

"It's you call buddy." Sora walked over to the cavern. Yuffie and Isabelle followed. "We'll be right inside if you change your mind."

Yoshi watched as the others were swallowed by the cavern's mouth. He was alone. Only the stars kept him company; but they were too far away to embrace.

He tried shoving the fear back down his throat. "Me be fine. Me a big boy. Nothing can spook Yoshi."

It was quiet. Soundless. Yoshi heard his heart beating in his ear; it started pounding faster, drumming perpetually. Soon, it was drowned out by the sounds of creaking; it moved slowly, as if someone was opening the door. Then, it got louder. And closer.

"Okay!" Yoshi said, whimpering in fear. "Everything spook Yoshi! Wait up!"

He hurried into the cavern. Two red dots emerged from within the darkness, and grew brighter, making the shadows wane beneath its overwhelming power.

Lights were connected to each side of the cavern's walls. It reflected off the water, creating a lightshow of watercolors on the ceiling. Sora felt the hairs on his legs rise as he trudged through the water; it was cold. But it didn't bother him. His younger self would've been ecstatic to be traversing this tunnel; it reminded him of when he and Riku would explore the Secret Place. Good times.

His thoughts were digging deep into a trench of nostalgia. He missed home.

"Wow," Isabelle said in amazement. "Didn't think there'd be a cave like this in the town's sewers."

"I know, right?" Yuffie said. "Every world has its own little mystery."

Luigi was groaning, taking slow, methodical steps through the water. "Well, there's a mystery I'm working on right now…."

He was carrying Yoshi on his back.

"…how the heck does Yoshi carry us like this? Especially my brother!"

Yoshi gasped. "You call Mario fat!?"

"N-No!" Luigi said in nervous denial. "Tell me where I said that?"

"Sounds like you implied it, though," Sora said with a playful grin.

"Oh? And I'm implying that someone else is going to carry Yoshi any second," Luigi said.

"Erm, that's okay," Sora said. "I'll pass."

As they continued through the tunnel, it expanded like a lizard's throat, and soon opened to a large area. Orange light reflected on the wall, blinking on occasion, as if a fire had been lit. The group noticed land to their right. Standing near the edge of it was Leon, swinging his blade back and forth.

Behind him they saw Princess Peach and the Toads gathered around a fire.

"Guys!" Luigi said, overjoyed to see them.

"Master Luigi!" Toadsworth said. "Thank Star Haven you and your cohorts are well!"

Everyone reunited; it was nice to be in the company of familiar faces. Words were tossed at each other like a football; they were fast and frantic.

"Are you okay, Peach?" Luigi asked.

"Yes, I'm fine." Peach clasped her hands together; she was trying to squeeze a disquieting feeling out of her chest like an orange. "Luigi, that imposter has to be Bowser Jr. again. This is EXACTLY like what happened on Isle Delfino."

"Bowser Jr?" Sora asked in surprise. "You mean he has a son?"

"Yeah," Yoshi said. "He disguised himself as Mario; caused mischief to frame him and get him locked up in jail."

"But why would they execute the same plan twice?" Isabelle asked. "Doesn't seem very original."

Leon crossed his arms. "Maybe not, but it was effective last time. And now they have a whole new town to deceive."

"That's a good point." Luigi sighed. "Well, I don't want to keep sneaking around like a fugitive. We have to stop that little brat – not only to clear my name, but to prevent any more people from getting hurt."

"I agree," Aerith said. She had a sympathetic glare in her eyes. "Such a quiet, humble town doesn't deserve this kind of treatment."

"Then we should come up with a plan," Sora said. He gasped as an important memory kicked him in the back of his head. "But before we do – Leon, we wanted to see you."

"Sure. What's up?"

Sora unloaded a huge bag of sentences onto Leon, who listened, sorting through each word, constructing his own thoughts together like blocks.

"So, you found the Keyhole," Leon said.

"Yeah," Sora said. "They Keyblade locked it automatically."

Aerith felt her shoulders relax in relief. "Good. At least one of those worlds will be safe."

Sora froze upon hearing that vague statement. A small discouraging feeling started compressing his ribcage together like twigs. But he tried to ignore it. He didn't want to assume the worst.

"What do you mean?" Sora asked.

"Every world among the stars has a Keyhole," Leon said. "And each one leads to the heart of the world. This was something Ansem wrote about in his report."

"So there must be a Keyhole here, too, right?" Aerith asked.

"Possibly." Leon turned back to Sora. There was a mist of urgency hovering within his eyes. "You'll need to find that Keyhole as soon as possible."

"How come?" Sora asked.

Leon hesitated for a moment. The words lingered around his throat, and it was painful, like an inflammation. He knew they would bring devastation. But he couldn't coat the truth in sugar, or hide it. It wasn't fair. Sora noticed the reluctance in Leon's face. That discouraging feeling squeezed harder against his ribcage. Any second it was going to snap from despondency.

"The Heartless enter the Keyhole and does something to the world's core," Leon said.

His worse fears were coming to fruition. He wanted to go home. To see his loved ones again. He didn't want to ask, but needed that clarification.

"W-What happens to the world?" Sora asked.

Aerith sighed. "In the end, it disappears."

The room fell silent. Only the gentle dripping of water was heard. The Mushroom Kingdom residents were horrified by the revelation.

But Sora was numb. He didn't know how to react. Ever since arriving in Traverse Town, he wanted to believe his island was still intact – that the broken pieces of earth he saw was part of an illusion. But reality had made his dreams crumble into sand, which drifted away into the cool breeze of sorrow.

"C-Can you excuse me for a moment?" Sora asked, completely distressed. "I need some space."

"Sora…" Yoshi said in a sad tone.

Nearby the group was a small cave that lead to some stairs. Where it led to was anyone's guess. But to Sora, it was a place where he could be alone. Where the walls would keep him comfort in his time of grief. Wordless, he walked into the cave and leaned against the wall, starring up the stairs.

"His world…it must've disappeared, too," Luigi said, feeling tremendous guilt in his chest.

"Oh, poor thing," Peach said. "He must be devastated."

Silence befell the room again. Everyone wasn't sure how to comfort him. No one was ever safe from losing something, or someone, important. It was the cruel law of nature; all you could was abide to it – live life to the fullest. But losing your entire world? It was such an alien concept to the denizens of the Mushroom Kingdom.

But there was one person who understood. And he had to walk through life with that regret strapped to his shoulders.

"Let me talk to him," Leon said.

"No offense, Squall," Yuffie said, "but you're not exactly the warm, fuzzy type."

"But I know what he's going through," Leon said, never taking his eyes off Sora.

"So do we," Aerith said. "Are you sure about this?"

"I know we've had to share this pain," Leon said. "But it's my own personal pain that I never want him to feel."

Yuffie shrugged. "Your call."

Sora continued to stare at the stairs; he had been injected with a profusion of emotions. It seemed impossible to filter through them. Tears started to obstruct his vision. Everything and everyone he cherished – gone in an instant. The sights, the sounds – nothing more than a memory. He felt lost, confused, and scared, unsure of his future.

Sora heard footsteps, and out of the corner of his eye, saw Leon approach him. He wiped the tears away with his wrist.

"Sora…" Leon started to say.

"It's…gone," Sora said. "I've lost everything." Anger rose to the surface. "Had I known about that stupid Keyhole sooner…I…"

"There's nothing you could've done," Leon said. "If you continue dwelling on this train of thought, the feeling will never go away."

Sora turned to face him. "But there could've been—"

"I lost my world, too," Leon said in a firm tone.

Sora was taken aback. "Y-You did?"

Leon crossed his arms, as if comforting himself from reliving those awful memories.

"Do you know what I hate being called Squall?" Leon said. "It's because I chose to get rid of that name after failing to protect my world." His eyes drifted away from Sora's. "I was angry with myself. Ashamed at the person I was for letting everyone down. Years later, though, I realized that getting rid of a name isn't going to change how I feel. I was only fooling myself. Instead of letting the regret go, I kept it bottled up inside."

"Wow," Sora said, stunned. "I had no idea."

Leon focused on Sora again. "The point is: you shouldn't blame yourself for something that was beyond your control. It's okay to mourn your loss. That's understandable. But that loss was not of your own accordance. It's pointless, and will only make you more miserable."

"I guess so," Sora said, still depressed. "But what do I do now? My island is gone for good."

"No, it's not," Leon said in an assured tone.

Sora glared at him in surprise. "How are you sure?"

"There's a story I used to hear about the Keyblade when I was younger. There's a legend that, at one time, two key wielders existed. One saved the world, while the other wrought chaos and ruin upon it."

"What exactly does that mean for me?"

Leon smiled, which was a rarity. "I believe that you're the one who will save every world out there. Of course, what I hear could've been a fable, but none of us know the Keyblade's full potential. Perhaps you may be able to find a way to save your world."

Sora still felt skeptical. He still failed to understand the Keyblade's power himself. How could he save every world? What was set upon him seemed impossible.

"I don't know," Sora said, in an uneasy tone.

"Remember what I said before?" Leon placed a hand on Sora's shoulder. He glared into his eyes; confidence seeped from the irises. "The Keyblade chose you for a reason. It knows you have good qualities. If you're going to save your world, then you need to bring those qualities out."

Sora finally felt the weight of Leon's words push him out of his morose state. He was adamant in his belief about Sora. It was inspiring. Even if the rumors weren't true, Leon would still hold onto faith until the bitter end.

"You're right," Sora said; a small smile started to crack through his lips. "I shouldn't give up. Maybe I can find a way to bring my world back. If there's one thing I learned from this journey, it's that anything's possible. As long as I have the Keyblade, I'll keep fighting."

"And for the record: your world is not totally gone. It still exists in the form of two people you know."

"Riku and Kairi," Sora said. Ever since the beginning, he believed they were alive somewhere; and even now, he refused to let his intuition falter.

"Exactly. So, you haven't lost everything. They're out there waiting for you. I know you'll find them."

Sora's optimistic smile returned. "Thanks. I feel better. Who knew that you were the sensitive type?"

"I'm not a stick in the mud all the time," Leon said with a chuckle. "Don't listen to Yuffie."

Sora grinned. "Can you blame me for thinking that? When we first met, we shared our feelings through our blades. And that feeling was pain."

"Fair point."

The two walked back to join the others; everyone else rose to their feet in a hurry, like they witnessed the two walk out of a doctor's office, and were anxious for results.

"Are you okay, Sora?" Isabelle asked.

"Yeah," Sora said. "Leon gave me a pep talk. Can't sit around and mope. Have to keep moving."

Yuffie raised an impressed eyebrow. "Well, whatdaya know? Looks like I was right – Squall is a big old sofie."

"That's Le—never mind." Leon knew it wasn't worth the trouble reminding her again.

Luigi smiled in relief. "I'm glad you're okay. Just know that if you ever need to talk, we're here. Remember, the ship runs on happy faces. If one of us isn't happy, we're going to help set things right."

Sora felt elation fill his chest; he had forgotten that about his new friends. Sure, he and Luigi's relationship sometimes slipped on a small patch of ice, but they were always by his side through the most onerous of situation.

"Luigi's right," Peach said, as she walked over to him. "We're all here to support you. Just like you've supported us. I've skimmed through some of Isabelle's entries. You have been such a tremendous help to Luigi and Yoshi so far. I can't thank you enough. Whatever the outcome of your journey will be, just know that you're always welcomed to the Mushroom Kingdom."

"Y-You mean that?" Sora asked.

"Absolutely."

Sora blushed and rubbed his head. "Gee, your majesty. Thank you."

"Call me Peach, sweetheart," Peach said.

Before she could get another word in, Peach was assaulted by affectionate lashes from an excitable Yoshi.

"Easy, Yoshi!" Peach said in hysterical laughter. "Okay! Someone's happy about the news!"

The dinosaur leaped into Sora's arms, licking his face in the process. He had the biggest, brightest smile on his face. Even the cave didn't seem as gloomy now.

"Oh, boy!" Yoshi said. "Yoshi can't wait for Sora to visit. We have sleep overs, play games, and eat all sort of food. What Sora like to eat?"

"Calm down, you!" Sora said, laughing. "I can't think that far ahead!"

Isabelle leaned into Luigi. "Yoshi's growing attached to him. So sweet."

"I'll say," Luigi said. "Those two have a similar brain." He shuddered at the thought. "And now I'm concerned for my sanity."

As Sora placed Yoshi down, he looked at all the new people he met. Although his island was gone, he still had incredible support from his friends – people that had become a part of his life. He never wanted them to become a memory, just like his island.

With a burst of confidence, Sora said, "Well, I'm ready to head back out now!"

"Good to hear," Luigi said. "First, let's take care of Bowser Jr. – if that's really him. No one has the right to imitate my good looks."

Sora rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say. So what's the plan?"

"Here's the plan," a familiar, distorted voice said. "Hand over the princess. Simple as that!"

Everyone turned to see Luigi's doppelganger staring down the group with his vicious red eyes.

"Goodness!" Peach said, covering her mouth.

The others ran in front of Peach, drawing their weapons, preparing to defend her at all costs.

"Well, well, if it isn't the imposter himself," Luigi said. "Picked the wrong group of people to sneak up on. Better give up if you know what's good for you."

The doppelganger stuck out his long, cartoonish tongue. "Or else what?"

"Or else you're going to wish you never came alone," Sora said.

The doppelganger placed both hands on his hips, filled with confidence. "Who said I was alone?"

Silence. The doppelganger waited for something to happen. Still, silence. You could hear an army of ants marching nearby.

The doppelganger was growing annoyed. "I said, who said I was alone?"

Soundless again.

"Get over here, you stupid head!" the doppelganger said, hopping up and down in anger.

A dark portal appeared beside the doppelganger, and the hooded figure emerged; his eyes were still concealed beneath the shadows. But they were calculating – planning to make a move.

"I'm sorry," the figure said in a dry, sarcastic tone, "did you say something?"

"Hey, I'm in charge here!" the doppelganger snapped. "You'll do as I say. I wanted this to be an awesome reveal!"

"We're not here for fun and games," the figure said.

The doppelganger moaned. "You're lame with a capital O."

If you could see the figure's eyes, they would be rolling into his head. "Lame with a capital O. I see foolishness lies in the dominant gene of your family."

"Shut up!" the doppelganger said, insulted. "Or I'm telling!"

Luigi whispered to everyone, "Quick. Let's get out of where while they're bickering."

Before he could move, Luigi saw a dark ball of energy fly right towards his face. He ducked, just avoiding the blast, feeling the explosion bellow against the back of his neck.

Luigi looked back at the figure, flabbergasted. "How did you—?"

"Acute hearing," the figure said.

The doppelganger gave a boastful smile. "That's right! And he does more than stand around and act all cool. He, along with yours truly, is going to deliver the smack down."

He snapped his fingers, making Heartless appear behind them. Sora felt a seething resentment for them rumble in his stomach. They were the ones who destroyed his island. He was looking forward to cutting them into ribbons; it'd be therapeutic.

"So how do you want to do this?" the doppelganger cracked his knuckles. "The hard way?"

There was an awkward pause from that statement.

"Uh, what's the other way?" Yuffie asked, confused.

The doppelganger's menacing red eyes brightened the room. "Oh, there's only way here. You don't get a say in the matter." He glanced at the figure. "Ready to take these losers down?"

No response. The figure was too busy staring at Isabelle. She felt herself backed against the wall, daunted by his vacant stare. It was like a cold hand reached out from within his hood, and wrapped itself around her, squeezing her very essence onto the ground.

But he wasn't staring at her to intimidate; a strange, warm feeling started to expand in his body. It was small, like a light pinch; as time went by, it grew stronger. What were they? Why was she eliciting them?

And why were they familiar?

"Hey, Mr. Acute Hearing!" the doppelganger said. "Is your hood on too tight or something?"

The figure snapped out of his train of thought. "I-I got distraction."

"Well, cut it out!" the doppelganger said in a chastising tone. "You're making me appear less awesome!"

What a strange sensation, he thought. No time to mull over it. He had a mission to complete. The figure summoned his sword. "Surrender while you still can breathe."

"Make us!" Yoshi leaped in front of the princess with a courageous glare. "It won't be easy!"

The sounds of water splashing echoed throughout the cavern as the fight commenced. Yoshi stayed behind to guard Peach. Sora fought the Heartless, feeling satisfied with each one he cut in half; that was for my island, he thought. Yuffie and Aerith assisted him against the Heartless.

Meanwhile, Leon fought against the figure, who proved to be a worthy – albeit troublesome – opponent. He was agile, dodging Leon's swings with ease. The figure swung at Leon's left foot; he raised it, then countered with a thrust. The figure, holding the hilt with both hands, brought his blade straight up, catching the Gunblade. He spun behind Leon, elbowing him in the back, which knocked him into the water.

Luigi swung his hammer at the doppelganger, who ducked underneath it, and tried retaliating with the brush. The plumber leaned his head back to avoid it; he then brought his hammer straight down on the brush, which forced it onto the ground, along with the doppelganger's arms. Luigi delivered a punch, but the doppelganger vanished in a cloud of smoke.

Soon, Luigi felt a powerful strike in the neck, and landed face first in the water. While at an advantage, the doppelganger ran straight for Peach. He summoned a Soldier Heartless to land right on Yoshi's back; like a bull to its rider, he tried in desperation to shake the Heartless off him.

The Toads (including Toadsworth) tried to stop him next. He rammed the dull end of the paintbrush into the Blue one's stomach; then used the brush side to leave graffiti on the Yellow one's face. His skin burned from the toxic goop; it felt like it was going to melt faster than a snowman. Screaming in pain, the Yellow Toad dove into the water.

Toadsworth stood in front of Peach, brandishing his cane. "Stay away from our fair princess, you rapscallion!"

"Like I'm going to take you seriously after calling me a rap….rat….erm…whatever!" the doppelganger said. He knocked Toadsworth aside, threw the princess over his shoulder, and ran for the exit.

"Help!" Peach said.

Leon tried to answer the call, but felt a powerful burst of energy hit him in the back. He stumbled into the water; he felt the searing pain grow stronger. Leon hissed and squinted his eyes, trying to fight through it. But when he stood up, the figure slashed his arm, adding a whole new layer of pain.

He kneeled over, taking harsh, rapid breathes, refusing to let the pain overwhelm him. But the figure raised his blade, preparing to make it worse. Before he could strike, however, Sora tackled him into the water. Aerith and Yuffie hurried over, horrified to see their friend in such a debilitating state.

"Leon, are you right!?" Yuffie asked.

He grunted from the pain, trying to stand up with all his might. "Gotta…stop….him."

Leon fell into the water again; his body couldn't continue the fight. Sora had the figure pinned down, but he kicked the boy in the face, and retreated towards the exit. Upon standing up, he saw Yuffie and Aerith help Leon onto his feet. He was a wreck; a fresh new scar appeared on his arm. His body trembled from the pain.

Sora had never seen him so incapacitated. It was distressing. Especially since he and Leon formed a bond. He never wanted his friends to be in such agony. Enraged, Sora threw his Keyblade into the figure's back, who flinched from the strike. He looked over his shoulder to see Sora running straight for him.

As the boy swung at him, the figure leaned right, avoiding the strike. The figure turned around, bringing his blade down to retaliate. Sora held his blade at a diagonal angle (with the tip facing the ground) to block the strike. He then brought the Keyblade over his shoulder to attack, and the figure leaped back to avoid it. Sora continued pursuing him throughout the cave.

Luigi stood back up, rubbing the tender spot on his neck. He heard Toadsworth call for him, and turned to see the royal steward flailing his arms around in a panic, pointing towards the exit.

"He's got the princess!" Toadsworth said.

Luigi felt his chest tighten in anxiety. It was bad enough that he had to spend every waking hour without his brother. He didn't want to experience those same feelings with Peach. Luigi wasn't going to let his doppelganger win. He noticed Yoshi had disposed of the Soldier Heartless.

"Hurry up, Yoshi!" Luigi said, and he left for the ally.

Yoshi watched as Luigi stumbled through the water in a hurry. His fear had returned, and it was stronger than ever.

"Me want to help, but…"

"Yoshi!" Toadsworth shouted. "This is no time to dwindle!"

"But me afraid of water."

Suddenly, Toadsworth was calm; eerily calm. He placed his hand on the dinosaur's shoulder. "Yoshi?"

"Yes?"

He unleashed a typhoon of anger upon the dinosaur. "IF YOU DON'T MOVE YOU TAIL, I'LL GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO BE AFRAID OF!"

Yoshi whimpered in terror. Even the water seemed nice now. Taking a deep breath, he hurried after the others. Yuffie watched the event unfold, and then looked at Leon; he winced as the soreness slid through his back like a saw.

"C'mon," Yuffie said, focusing on Aerith. "Let's get him out of here. We'll let the others take it from here."

But Leon's stubbornness refused to yield. "I…I…can still…fight…"

He stumbled over again, but Yuffie and Aerith caught him.

"Not like that you won't," Aerith said.

"Yes…I….can."

Yuffie was frustrated. "For once, Leon, realize that you've been beaten! We need to get you help!"

He was afraid of failing again; to let down everyone he loved. It was hard to cope with the feeling of helplessness. But his body refused to fight. Even if could move, he would be a burden to the others. Perhaps it was for the best. After their conversation, he had gained a new respect for Sora – his positive attitude was inspiring. It reminded him that, sometimes, even when one falls, another will rise to pick up the pieces.

Sighing in defeat, he let his body relax, and prayed for Sora's success.

Outside, the figure tried to escape, but he could hear Sora's heavy breathing. The figure gritted his teeth in annoyance. Sora would never quit, not until he was in the same pathetic state as Leon.

"Where are you going?" Sora asked. "Think you can walk away without paying for what you did to my friend?"

The figure spun around, pointing his blade at Sora. "You wish to continue fighting? You're more naïve than I thought. Just because you wield the Keyblade doesn't mean you're invincible."

Sora swung the Keyblade downward, but the figure moved left, elbowing Sora in the hip. He kneeled over, clutching it. Still, he wouldn't be deterred; the horrifying image of Leon continued spinning in his mind like a turntable. He spun around, swinging the Keyblade, and the figure performed a back flip over it.

After landing, he unleashed a ball of dark energy from his hand, which Sora deflected with the Keyblade; next, he threw an inward punch, and the figure caught it with his palm. Then, he kicked Sora's arm up and rammed him in the chest; the boy stumbled backwards.

"Man, you're tough!" Sora said.

"Your posture is flawed; it's too relaxed. Even in a dangerous situation you need to be on guard."

What was this, a lecture, Sora thought? Was he trying to play head games with him? It wouldn't work. He was fueled by anger, and wouldn't quit until this unknown figure was struck by vengeful lightning.

Luigi's doppelganger arrived back in the second district, carrying a yelling and screaming princess. The mob, who'd been searching every square inch of town, noticed them running towards the center of the area.

"There he is!" one of them said. They saw Luigi and Yoshi pursuing him. "There he…is?" They soon followed, perplexed by this sudden turn of events.

The doppelganger jumped onto a platform, and turned, looking down upon Luigi and Yoshi as if they were random peasants on the street.

"Luigi!" Peach said.

The doppelganger summoned two Soldier Heartless, and he placed Peach in their 'care.' She continued struggling, hoping to break their grip.

The doppelganger laughed at the two. "What a bunch of slow losers. Thinks they can keep up with me."

"Too bad your father is worse at coming up with new plans, Jr.," Luigi said, smirking.

There was a long pause. Luigi started to sweat. Was his assumption wrong? He waited for a sound. Any sound. Even a random person coughing.

But then, the doppelganger stomped his foot in anger. "Dang it!"

He leaped into the air, performed a flip, and landed on the ground; his entire appearance had changed. A bandana covered his mouth. He removed it, making himself transparent. If Bowser had been turned into a kid, this would've been his appearance. Jr. had two little fangs, beady eyes, and the same fiery orange hair (although his hair was tied up in a ponytail).

"Dad said this plan was guaranteed to work again!" Jr. said, furious.

"Did he now?" Luigi asked with a raised eyebrow. "The same guy who had the bright idea to drop a cake on the princess before? Face it, kid. Your old man's getting rusty."

Jr. growled. "Shut up! My dad is the greatest, coolest king around. Nobody can ever outwit him!"

"Except rocks," Yoshi said. "That have been run over twenty times by a go-kart."

"Can it, you overgrown donkey!" His tan face was red with anger. "In case you've forgotten, I'm the future heir of the entire Koopa Kingdom. I demand respect!"

"Me not a donkey, me a" –he sighed in aggravation, tired of going through the same ordeal of having his species mislabeled— "Whatever. Fine. Me a donkey, okay? Happy?"

Jr. grinned. "And soon all of you will become our loyal subjects of darkness. This time I have the Heartless working for me. Nobody can stop my dad's ultimate plan."

"Jr, these creatures are dangerous," Peach said. Despite her animosity towards his father, Jr. was still a child, and would feel guilty if something horrible happened. "You have no idea how to tame them. They may take your heart as well. And if you lose control…who knows how many casualties will suffer at their hands. You included."

Jr. turned to her with a serious on his face. She was taken aback; Jr. always had that permanent, mischievous smile on his lips. This wasn't like him. It made her uncomfortable, and a bit concerned about his well-being.

"It's a risk I'm willing to take for you," Jr. said. "For dad's loneliness."

Peach blinked in confusion. "Loneliness?"

"Every day he's sad not to have you around." Jr. lowered his head, despondent, feeling more upset the further he saw his father sitting on the throne, alone. "I'M not sad having you around. Dad may have lied about you being my mom, but that doesn't fill the huge hole in my heart. I still WANT to believe you're my mom."

Tears started to form in his eyes. They weren't fake; they were filled with despair.

"You…make me feel happy," Jr. said, sniffling. "And safe. It's not fair that those terrible plumbers keep you from me."

Everyone was speechless. They had never seen Jr. in such a woeful state. It almost made them feel guilty.

"Jr, I had no idea," Peach said in a gentle voice. "I'm sorry you feel that way. It must hurt inside to not have a mother. But you must understand that kidnapping is wrong. Love must never be forced. It ends up causing emotional damage to everyone – not just the person you kidnap. You're feeling it right now. Please, end your anguish; find peace for both you and your father."

For a moment, they thought Jr. was considering her words. He was contemplating every sentence. But, the proud, strong voice of his father raised him from the ground.

Regaining his composure, he looked back at Peach. "No! We have no choice. Otherwise you'd just run back to your true captures" –he pointed at Luigi and Yoshi— "them!"

"What?" Luigi said in a flat voice, unable to believe what he heard.

"Isn't it obvious? YOU'RE the ones keeping her from us!" Jr. said. "Why do you make us suffer!?"

"That's ridiculous," Luigi said, snapping back at him, "and you know it! Seems like your dad loves shoving lies down your throat!"

Jr. snarled at Luigi. "Take that back! My dad wouldn't lie about this! Not when I see the pain in his eyes. He's miserable. Well, the princess is right about one thing – I plan on ending our anguish. I was trying to get you locked up by pretending to be you, so that you wouldn't interfere with our plans." He glanced at the angry mob. "But these idiots didn't do anything."

"Hey, who are you calling an idiot!?" one person from the mob said.

"Let's get this brat!" another one said. "I want my free pizza!"

The mob started running straight for them.

"Don't worry, new mama," Jr. said with a warm smile. "I won't let these pests bother you anymore."

He raised his hand to the sky, which exhaled a familiar, large Heartless with purple armor. It landed right in front of the mob, causing them to run in terror. Guard Armor had risen again, planning to take its revenge on Luigi and Yoshi. It threw a punch right at the two, which forced them to leap away, in separate directions.

"Keep him busy!" Luigi said to Yoshi.

Jr. created a dark portal, and walked through it first. The Heartless struggled to bring Peach through it. At the last second, her hand broke free; she saw Luigi and tried reaching for his. They just missed, and Luigi watched as she vanished through the portal, calling his name in the process.

She was gone. He failed to keep her safe. Luigi fell onto his knees, staring at the spot she once stood. Sure, she was kidnapped on a regular basis, but this felt different; and it felt worse than normal. He knew why: because his brother would be there to make him feel encouraged. He felt alone, terrified, unsure of what to do next. But one thing was clear:

He had lost both his brother and sister.

Sora's eardrums howled in pain from the constant clashing of blades. He felt a rush of wind every time the figure's sword just missed his face. Landing a decent hit proved to be irksome; the figure's speed was superhuman. At one point, Sora held both hands on each side of the Keyblade, repelling a flurry of strikes.

The boy gritted his teeth – from both pain and fatigue. He could see why Leon struggled against him. Right now, it was like trying to break a statue; there had to be a crack within his stone-like structure.

"You treat battle as nothing more than a game," the figure said. "This isn't some heroic fantasy adventure. Real life doesn't pull any punches."

"That's not true," Sora said in protest. "I give it my all, especially when my friends are in danger."

"That's your problem. Relying on your friends means you don't put forth as much effort. They serve as a safety net for you."

Sora became suspicious. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because you need to cease being overly optimistic. It's not healthy for you. I've watched your progress, and despite how bad things get, you always come away with a smile. If you don't even it out, the darkness will consume you."

"And you're being helpful because…"

"You remind me of my former self." He glanced up at the stars, admiring their beauty. They just hovered there, blinking, without a care in the world. Everything appeared simple. Why couldn't life be more like them? "My world was taken from me by the darkness. Unfortunately, most of my memory was wiped clean."

He glanced down at the water, seeing his murky reflection stare right back at him.

"Little by little, I tried remembering my past," the figure said. "I see nothing but silhouettes of my former friends. For a moment, they reminded me of the carefree life I use to live." He turned back to Sora, brushing the past off his shoulder like unwanted dust. "But I should have been weary to how harsh reality can be."

Sora felt like he was looking through a peephole attached to the figure's mind; he saw his emotions weeping in a dark corridor, unable to find contentment. In a way, he could relate to how the figure felt. The revelation of losing his home still drizzled across his heart like acid rain; every toxic drop caused nothing but pain.

"I see," Sora said. "It'd made you aware of how serious we have to be in dire times."

The figure nodded. "Maybe if I've taken things more seriously, I could have saved my friends. And that's what I do: take my job very seriously. I make sure nothing bad will ever go wrong again. I've met new people who have taken me in. But I can't sit back and let them do the work. I need to give it my all for them."

Again, he could sympathize with the figure. Throughout his own journey, he had experienced multiple failures; and lingering within its crevasses was regret, refusing to step out into the bright sun. Many of his victories, he realized, wouldn't have been possible without Luigi and Yoshi's assistance.

But, at the same time, he had to be there for them. All three of them needed to pick up the pieces for each other. He glanced at the Keyblade; when his journey began, the weapon served as a tool for survival. Now, he needed it to become an extension of himself – not just for his sake, but for the others, too.

"You're right." Sora assumed his battle position. "Then I guess it's time for me to win this fight! Facing me one-on-one was a big mistake."

The figure smirked, as if pleased by Sora's newfound confidence. "Yes. That's it. Show me your true strength."

"But don't think I see your flaws as well," Sora said in a bold tone. "They're as clear as day. Well, as clear as it can be in this town."

The figure scoffed. "Is that a fact? Think you've spotted my flaws?"

"Yep," Sora said, grinning. "Want me to show you?"

The figure raised his blade. "Enlighten me. Might make things interesting before I defeat you."

And so, the battle resumed, as the constant high-pitched sound of swords colliding rustled the night sky.

If you wish to support my work, please visit my YouTube page: channel/UCTt8bVl63VokPqhTXg2xRKQ

Check me out on social media:

Twitter: kingdomkey23

Facebook: kingdomkey23

Instagram: kingdomkey23

Deviantart: kingdomkey23

Twitch: kingdomkey_23

Cover Artist's Twitter: jitart1