A/N: Happy New Year, everyone! Due to many factors last year, ACT II isn't entirely finished. I still have a bit more to go. But I feel bad for leaving you guys hanging. So I will be releasing the first few chapters of ACT II, up until the completion of the Hyrule Arc. Sorry for the wait, and thank you for your patience! Please follow my social media links down below for further updates! Enjoy the beginning of ACT II! :D

ACT II: Friendship and Betrayal

Chapter 27: Lost and Found

Sora's problems were swept under a rug as he and the others approached the coliseum. The familiar convivial atmosphere brightened his mood. Everywhere they looked, people meandered throughout the area – their enthusiastic chatter congested the clear blue sky. Venders shouted over the endless ocean of noise, trying to capture a customer in the process. The familiar smell of stadium food tickled Sora's nostrils (If it wasn't for Luigi's watchful eye, Yoshi would've hunt down the source of that smell in an instant).

Sora felt his heart race; he was eager to jump into the arena right now and listen to the uproarious cheers of the audience. To feel inspired. To feel like he could tackle the impossible. After what happened earlier with Riku, he needed something to keep his spirits from drifting into the wind of sorrow, like leaves separating from a tree.

He turned to the others with an ecstatic grin, clenching both fists. "This is gonna be great! What kind of Pokémon you think we'll face this time?"

"As long as it's not that lion-thing," Luigi said, the usual skepticism protruding from his face like hives, "I'll be okay."

Sharing Sora's excitement, Yoshi said, "Me ready for anything! I here to take names by stealing the tags!"

"That's the spirit!" Sora said. "Show me your scary face!"

Yoshi gritted his teeth together, trying to appear threatening. But it looked like he had the widest smile on his face, like a kid getting his picture taken. His ferocious growl didn't help, as it was about as intimidating as the sound of a squeaky toy. Sora and Luigi did their best to hide the forthcoming laughter from erupting.

"Aw," Isabelle said, cooing. "You purr like a kitten."

Yoshi sighed in disappointment. "Yoshi sometimes think his cuteness can be a curse."

Not wasting anymore time, the four walked towards the entrance. Isabelle stopped; she thought someone had grabbed her shoulder. Turning around, she noticed no one was even in proximity of her. Strange, she thought. Must've bumped into someone. Shrugging off the feeling, she hurried after the others.

Nearby, a familiar figure watched the royal chronicler's every movement from within the confines of his dark cloak.

As the group approached the entrance, they noticed a familiar person with blonde spiky hair leaning next to the door. His blue eyes didn't even flinch at their presence; they were just as difficult to read as ever. Luigi shoulders tensed, remembering nothing but sore muscles from their last encounter. But Sora saw a lot more complexity hidden behind those eyes – ones filled with tragedy and unfulfilled desires.

"Hey, Cloud," Sora said as he approached the swordsman.

"Here for another round, I see," Cloud said, amused. "You never back down from a challenge."

Sora placed both hands behind his head, grinning. "Yep. What are you doing here?"

"Well, I'm doing some part time work for the professor," Cloud said. "To make up for everything that happened. Keeping troublemakers from trying to cause a commotion."

Sora smiled; he always admired someone who sought redemption.

"Oh, so like a bouncer," Luigi said.

Cloud cleared his throat. "I'd prefer the word security guard, if you don't mind." A random man approached the entrance. In the blink of an eye, Cloud grabbed his sword, pointing it at the hapless individual. "State your business."

The man screamed in fear and sprinted for the exit. Everyone stared at Cloud with dumbfounded expressions for his method of keeping the peace.

"Think you need more human contact in your life," Sora said.

"I'm fine," Cloud said. "The professor says if I'm efficient enough at this job, he'll let me compete again."

Sora felt a chill of excitement spin around his spine like a hula hoop. He would jump at the chance for a rematch. Cloud was one of his toughest rivals; he forced the Keyblade Master to push himself past his limits. And at least this time, it wouldn't be a battle of life or death.

But Luigi, who was now horrified by this revelation, begged to differ. He turned to where the man had fled, and said, "Wait for me!"

"Luigi!" Sora said in annoyance.

"Do you remember the last time we faced him!?" Luigi asked, panicked. "I'm lucky my organs are still in their proper places!"

"No sweat," Sora said, in his usual confident tone. "We're going to be ready this time."

"Oh, so you weren't ready last time?" Cloud asked, raising an eyebrow. "Could've fooled me."

Sora turned to him with a flustered expression. His face was redder than the inside of a watermelon. "No, that's not what I…never mind."

"I admire your strength, kid," Cloud said, as his eyes morphed into a stern gaze that was sharper than his blade. "But no one is getting in my way. Not even you."

Sora frowned. "Geeze, it's just a competition, man. Why take it so seriously?"

"Have my reasons," Cloud said, glancing away from Sora. "You guys better go. The tournament's starting soon."

Cloud was like an impossible riddle; reading between the lines of each clue was met with an empty white sheet. Why was he taking this competition seriously? Did it have to do with that person he mentioned? There were too many potholes that needed to be filled. It seemed pointless to try and understand him now. Sora's mind was too focused on winning the competition to care about other people's problems.

After saying good-bye to Cloud (and convincing Luigi not to partake in a triathlon with the man that was threatened earlier), the group entered the coliseum.

At the lobby, the group saw Professor Oak conversing with a young girl who appeared to be roughly Sora's age. She had long brown hair, brown eyes, wore a blue tank top, a pink mini skit, long blue socks, and white shoes with a single pink strap. Her white rectangular hat had half of a circle etched near the bottom.

"And so I say to Professor Elm," Oak said, "your hypothesis has merit, but it's too Farfetch'd."

Silence cried out in pain from his horrible joke. The girl stared blankly at the Professor.

"G-Get it? Because there's a Pokémon named Farfetch'd."

The girl narrowed her eyes at him. "Making the hole bigger, Professor."

Where's a stage hook when you need it, Oak thought. Before things took an awkward nosedive, Oak noticed Sora's group approaching them, and thought of a perfect excuse to change topics.

"Ah, Sora!" Oak said. "Welcome back! I had a feeling you'd be here in a heartbeat after I sent that message."

Sora's smile widened. "You'd be right about that."

"Let me introduce you to Leaf," Oak said, gesturing towards the girl. "She is a legendary trailer that hails from the same town as Red. If you manage to conquer the first cup, you'll be able to face her strongest Pokémon in battle."

With such a pristine title under her belt, Sora assumed Leaf must have a Pokémon that was as strong as Entei. The prospect of facing another legendary was both exciting and intimidating; those emotions rolled around Sora's stomach like billiard balls. But, in between the crevasses was an unwavering confidence.

Leaf smiled. "It's nice to meet you. Red's told me all about your battles. Seems like you're eager to win this thing."

"You bet!" Sora said. He looked around the room. "Say, where is Red?"

Oak rolled his eyes with a chuckle. "Oh, that boy. He's always wandering off, seeking new adventures. He should be here soon. In the meanwhile, let me go get Pikachu for you. He's raring to go."

"Please, take your time," Luigi said, displeased. "I'm in no hurry to get shocked again."

Sora elbowed him in the shoulder. Oak left to fetch Pikachu. The unwavering confidence had a small fracture, and unless Sora could keep Pikachu and Luigi from fighting each other, it would grow into a giant crack, which would snap in half at any moment.

"Red has hyped you guys up quite a bit," Leaf said. "I'm eager to see you fight out there!

"Well, we're gonna show you that every word he meant is true," Sora said.

"Good." Leaf smirked. "Don't disappoint, okay?"

Sora placed both hands on his hips. "Heh, so no pressure then, huh?"

"You're in the main competition now," Leaf said, retaining her confident smirk. "I'm not sugarcoating anything. I expect you to give it your all!"

A familiar voice cried out in elation: "Pika!"

Sora turned around just in time to see Pikachu lunge straight into his arms, almost knocking him onto the ground. The mouse rubbed his head against Sora's chin in affection.

"Whoa!" Sora said, laughing. "That's quite a hello!"

"He's been eagerly awaiting your return," Oak said. "He seems to share your enthusiasm."

Pikachu smiled at Sora. He was overjoyed to see his new friend again. Those familiar feelings of comfort settled in as he continued nudging against the boy's chin. The outside world didn't feel so large and intimidating anymore; he was safe and happy with his friend.

The mouse then turned to Sora's other friends, and stopped smiling upon seeing Luigi. A strong feeling of dislike caused his fur to stand up on end; electricity discharged from his rosy cheeks, hissing like a venomous snake. Luigi responded with a nervous gulp.

"C'mon," Sora said, trying to diffuse the situation. "If we want a shot, we need to work together."

"Fine by me," Luigi said, crossing his arms, scowling. "Pikachu can work with you. I'll work with Yoshi."

"I don't think you understand what I'm talking about," Sora said in a flat tone; he was starting to become irritated.

Oak checked his watch. "No time to linger, boys. The tournament's about to start!"

Luigi channeled out Pikachu, and focused his thoughts on winning the whole competition. He still wanted to share the same pride his brother felt from being called a champion. Plus, he would gain a new respect for himself, and no longer be a shadow that stood idly behind his brother. Instead, he would stand next to him as a strong induvial.

Feeling inspired from the notion, Luigi cracked his knuckles. "Alright, then! Team Gonzales, out!"

Luigi headed for the arena. Oak noticed both Sora and Yoshi looking at Luigi in disapproval.

"If you'd like to change that name…" Oak started to say.

Sora chuckled. "No, that's fine. Keeps him from leaving."

And so, the tournament began. Fans couldn't contain their excitement as they screamed and shouted during each match. Their deafening cries could cause the entire world to tremble from the sheer volume. But Sora and his friends didn't mind the potential hearing loss; the cheers only fueled their desire to win even further.

Sora's group faced many challenging Pokémon during their climb up the ranks. One of them was a giant pink cow that rolled straight at the group like a wheel. But, using his blizzard spell, Sora was able to trip the cow, rendering it immobile, and finishing the job for the victory. Another Pokémon they fought was a bizarre cyan creature called Wobbufeet. It swayed back and forth like a clock's pendulum, eye closed, refusing to attack.

Luigi described it as "something out of a modern artist's fever dream." Strangely, their attacks just made bounce back and forth again, as if they were hitting a punching bag. However, using his fire punch, Luigi was able to knock it outside of the arena, counting as an automatic victory (thankfully the staff on sight were able to retrieve it).

At last, they reached the finals. It was their most difficult challenge yet. The Pokémon were aggressive, forcing the group to stay alert. One of them was a red insectoid with giant pincers; it flew around the area, dodging Sora's spells. As it flew straight at him, Sora swung the Keyblade at a diagonal angle – only for the creature to catch the blade with its pincer.

Sora launched a fire spell, but the Pokémon tilted its head to dodge. Then, it countered by punching him in the face. He slid back a fair distance. This creature was strong, Sora thought, as he rubbed his cheek from the throbbing pain. The Pokémon flew at the boy, preparing another punch, but Yoshi used his head to block the attack.

"Get him!" Yoshi said.

Sora leaped to the right and launched another fire spell right into the creature's shoulder. It flailed around as the fire singed its perfect red coat. Seeing that it was vulnerable, Sora used his spiral energy blast to finish the job. The Pokémon could barely defend itself from the onslaught of magical energy, and collapsed in exhaustion.

Luigi found himself in an awkward position. Standing before him was a bizarre yellow duck-like creature. Its oval shaped eyes remained unblinking, staring straight at Luigi. He felt an uncomfortable lump hover like an unwanted fly within his throat. Why was this Pokémon acting so strange? Was it trying to him intimidate him through unconventional means? To be honest, it was working.

He noticed that the duck's hands were clutched to its head. Did it have a headache? That's the same pose he makes whenever Yoshi sings, so it was an easy assumption to make. Luigi held his hammer with both hands, and took careful steps towards the duck. It continued staring blankly at him. Sweat drizzled down his forehead. He was now in breathing distance of the duck. Taking his hammer, he tapped the edge of its beak.

Nothing happened.

Then, the duck grabbed its beak, crying out in pain, "Psyduck! Psy-psy-psy!"

Luigi raised an eyebrow. He wasn't sure if this Pokémon was pulling a ruse on him. And, given how uneducated he was about these fantastic creatures, Luigi was not going to let it spring its trap. He spun his body around like a tornado, delivering a flurry of punches to Psyduck's head. Each punch made it respond with a monotonous: "Psy. Psy. Psy."

Next, he used a blizzard spell to freeze Pysduck in place, and then delivered a kick to the stomach. The Pokémon rolled into the wall. Still, its expression didn't flinch. Luigi prepared to finish it off with one focused strike from his hammer. As he prepared to bring it down, Psyduck lowered its hands. A jagged blue aura surrounded its body; its pupils were consumed by a void of blue energy.

Luigi felt as though someone was squeezing his entire being. He was unable to move in the slightest, surrounded by the same blue aura. He stared into the Psyduck's eyes; nothingness stared right back at him.

A mantra of words shouted in Luigi's head: I knew it! I knew it! I knew it!

The plumber felt an invisible hand pull him back and forth across the arena. No matter what he did, his muscles refused to respond. He was the puppet; Psyduck was his master. Luigi felt himself doing the moonwalk. People in the audience started laughing at his misfortune (except for Isabelle, who had both paws on her mouth, horrified).

Luigi's fear and panic had been in envelope in a gray mist of embarrassment. It got worse when he started river dancing. But the humiliation line grew longer, as he heard a familiar voice laugh right nearby him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Pikachu on the ground, howling in laughter.

"Excuse me! Ridicule isn't part of the teamwork credentials!" Luigi said.

Luigi moved over to Pikachu, grabbed his paws, and began swinging him in the air. He then inadvertently brought the little mouse into his arms; they started performing the tango. They finally found something to bond over, and it was the sinking feeling of shame.

"Sora! A little help!?" Luigi said.

Sora threw the Keyblade right into Pysduck's beak, ruining its concentration in the process; the duck hollered in pain, clutched its beak, and ran around the stadium in distress. Luigi regained movement in his body, although the embarrassment of doing a whole dance sequence kept him lethargic. Pikachu, now enraged from the ordeal, leaped out of Luigi's arms, charged a thunder attack, and unleashed its fury on the hapless duck.

Try as it might, Psyduck could not withstand the relentless force; soon enough, it fainted. The laughter was replaced with the usual cheers from the crowd; perhaps even louder since the group won the final round. They were moving on to the championship match of the first cup. Already they had a feeling it would be a spectacle.

Sora walked over to Luigi. "You alright?"

"Remind me to never check this world's internet browser," Luigi said, trying his hardest to forget the match ever happened. "I don't wanna see the pictures."

"It not too bad," Yoshi said with a reassuring smile. "We face Leaf next!"

"Yeah!" Sora said. "Everyone will forget about this incident once we beat her! Can't wait to see her Pokémon in action!"

Luigi looked hesitant. "Well, if they have the power to make you dance, then I don't mind waiting until I have a beard as long as Kraden's."

Sora sighed; his team was still uneven diamond – rough around the edges, but incredibly strong. He believed that it could be cut into something perfect – something unstoppable. They survived against a Legendary Pokémon; he was confident that they could win against Leaf. Sora would nerve give up on them; and he knew they agreed with his sentiments.

A half hour passed. Most of the audience had returned to their seats. Pressure built in their stomachs; it was as if a bicycle pump had filled them with excited air. They couldn't wait for the match to begin. But Isabelle was running late. She had just emerged from the bathroom, and hurried down the empty hallway, refusing to miss her friends' chance at advancing to the next round.

Her loud panting filled the hallways; it was her only form of escort. But a harsh chill brought her to a halt. She didn't know why. It brushed against her furry ankles, seeping into the skin like toxic venom; she felt immobilized. And afraid. A dark portal appeared in front of her, and the hooded figure emerged from it.

The chill evolved into a blizzard; she was trembling in fear. "Not you again! Stay back!" She held out the Wii Stream – her only line of defense. "Or I'll put trigged material on screen! You wouldn't like that!"

"Please, wait!" the figure said. "I...I just want to talk."

Isabelle was confused, yet still on edge. At first, she wasn't sure if he was trying to deceive her. But, then, she noticed his body was in a relaxed position. The tone of his voice was calm; sprinkled within it was the sound of uncertainty. But she still remained apprehensive.

The hooded figure approached her. "Something about you feels familiar."

His scent hit her nose like a tidal wave; she recognized it in an instant. It was a scent she had known since her birth. Isabelle's heart started to pound harder and harder, as if it were seeking for a way to escape, refusing to accept this reality. She couldn't move her legs; it was as if their bones had been grinded into dust.

And then, he pulled back his hood. For a moment, it was like staring into the mirror. Then, she saw his features; his brown fur, those six small pink freckles, and his once cheerful eyes (they had been smeared with pain and misery)

"Who are you?" he asked. "And do you know who I am?"

Isabelle's emotions spun through a perpetual pinwheel – unable to stop, unable to process everything.

A single tear streamed down her face. "Digby."

Overwhelmed, she fainted. Before she hit the ground, Digby grabbed her.

"Oh, no!" he said; his eyes were filled with panic. "Are you alright? Please, answer me!"

"Hey!"

Digby spun around to see Cloud standing in front of him, sword at his ready. Immediately, he could sense that Digby was covered in the foul stench of darkness.

"Take your hands off her!" Cloud said.

Compiling, Digby lowered his sister the ground. "Listen, I'm not here to harm here. Please, let me explain."

Before Cloud could respond, two Soldier Heartless grabbed Digby and pulled him towards a dark portal.

"No! Let me go!" he shouted in rage. "I need to talk to her! She knows who I am! I felt happy! Stop!"

Digby's pleas echoed throughout the room before vanishing along with himself and the Heartless into the portal. Cloud hurried over to check on Isabelle. While she was unconscious, he noticed a distressed expression on her face. For the first time, Cloud exhibited sympathy towards a person. He didn't understand the context of what happened, but knew what it was like to lose someone important to the darkness.

Sora felt a nervous tick glide across his fingers as he and the others stood ready to face Leaf. She walked to meet them in the middle of the ring. Confident sparks flashed across her eyes. They knew she was the real deal. Defeating her was going to take all their skill and talent. But Sora was ready. He had to be ready. Not even the cheers of the audience could ruin his concentration.

On the sidelines, Professor Oak shouted, "Everyone give it their all!"

An orange blur then startled the Professor, causing him to almost fall over. The blur belonged to non-other than Red and his Charizard. After making a graceful landing, Red hurried over to the Professor, and looked out towards the arena with an enthusiastic gleam in his eyes.

"Aw, man!" Red said. "Hope I didn't miss anything!"

Oak tapped him on shoulder. "Well, you almost missed this old man get a heart attack."

"Sorry," Red said, blushing. "Was in a hurry. Forgot the first round of the tournament was today."

"I swear, you're getting a bit carless these days," Oak said. "Living on a mountain hasn't done you any favors."

Red laughed. "Now you're sounding like my mom. It's the only good place I can get training done. Need to keep my Pokémon physically fit!" He turned to see who was competing. "Well, I'll be! Sora and his friends are facing Leaf! I can already tell this is gonna be an awesome match!"

"Indeed," Oak said, sharing Red's intrigue and excitement for the match. "She will prove a formidable opponent for these boys. It won't be easy."

"Congratulations on making it this far." Leaf cracked her knuckles. "Think you can stand up to the strongest Pokémon I have? Doubt it. The two of us make an unstoppable team!"

"Tough talk," Sora said, "but we'll show you that we're just as unstoppable!"

He turned his attentions to the others. Luigi and Pikachu were looking away from each other with their arms crossed. Meanwhile, Yoshi was chasing his own tail for amusement. Sora shoulders started to slump, but he raised them back up, refusing to ingest any negativity into his throat.

"Okay, maybe we're ninety-nine-point nine percent unstoppable," Sora said. "But, dang it, we're going to give it one hundred and ten percent!"

Leaf smirked. "Good! You're going to need it!"

"Let the match begin!" the referee said.

"Go, Venusaur!" Leaf threw her Poké Ball.

A quadruped Pokémon with bumpy, blue-green skin emerged from the white light. It was big, vicious, and ready to fight. The bud on top of its back bloomed into a large pink flower with white spots.

Luigi felt a small tickle in his armpits. "I recognize that creature. Wasn't it a lot smaller?"

"Smaller?" Leaf asked in confusion. She then understood. "Oh! You must've faced its weaker form: Bulbasaur."

"Weaker form?" Luigi asked in a nervous tone. "So, technically, it has the same powers?"

"Yep," Leaf said.

Flashbacks of a tickle assault alarmed Luigi. He brought both Sora and Yoshi into his arms. "Protect my pits, boy!"

Yoshi, in confusion, turned to Sora for an answer; and was met with disappointment when the boy shrugged his shoulders, just as puzzled. Regaining his focus, Sora commanded Pikachu to use a thunder attack on Venusaur. The little mouse was surprised by this strange request, but proceeded with the attack. Venasaur felt like harmless fleas brushed through its fur. It didn't suffer even a sliver of damage.

"Still new to this whole Pokémon battle thing, huh?" Leaf asked, smirking. "Thunder types barely put a dent in grass types."

Sora blushed in embarrassment. "N-No. I knew that. Was just testing ya."

"That so?" Leaf asked with a raised eyebrow. "Then it's my turn! Use Razor Leaf!"

Sharp, pointed leaves flew out of Venusaur's flower like projectiles. Sora deflected a few with his Keyblade, while the others rolled to avoid them. But Venosaur's assault had only begun, as it fired giant seeds into the sky. They rained down onto the arena, exploding upon contact with the ground. It was like being thrown into a warzone. Everyone did their best to avoid getting caught in the explosion.

Yoshi curled into an egg and rolled straight for the giant Pokémon. It slammed the ground, producing a violent earthquake that stopped the dinosaur in his tracks. Sora hurried in from the side and prepared to bring his blade downward. Venusaur wrapped its fine around Sora's wrist. With incredible strength, it managed to throw the boy straight into the air.

Sora managed to land on the edge of the wall that connected to the audience bleachers. He launched a fire spell. Venusaur opened its mouth – a green energy ball manifested from within, and the Pokémon fired it right into Sora's spell. Then, Venusaur felt a small push against its ribs, and turned to see that Pikachu was the culprit. It tried to bring a vine straight down on him, but the agile mouse leaped backwards.

Luigi prepared to attack, but Veusaur wrapped its vine around his leg, tripping him in the process. His brow felt moist from nerves; he had a feeling Venusaur wasn't going to be delivering a tickle attack. Venusaur swung Luigi over its body, preparing to slam him onto the ground. Like an alarmed cat, Luigi stuck out his hands to catch the ground.

But he wasn't safe, as the vine started pulling him towards Venusaur. Sora hurried over and grabbed his hands, playing a dangerous game of tug of war with the mighty Pokémon.

"Yoshi!" Sora shouted. "Put those chompers of yours to good use!"

Yoshi nodded, ran over to the vine, and bit on it with all his might. Venusaur shouted in pain, releasing its grip from Luigi. While the Pokémon was distracted, Sora launched a fire spell right into its neck, dealing damage. Yoshi and Pikachu headbutted together in the tender spot, causing Venusaur to shout in pain.

Leaf felt her jaw drop. They were giving her partner an actual challenge. She noticed a smug look on Sora's face.

"Ok-okay," Leaf said. "So maybe you're a quick learner. Guess that means its time to go all in! Venusaur, use Solar Beam!"

After regaining composure, Venasur lifted its back towards the sun's everlasting rays. Energy started to build within its flower. It felt warm; it felt nurturing; but, most importantly, it made the Pokémon feel stronger. The group noticed the flower starting to glow brightly. Whatever this Solar Bean was, they had to stop it now!

Sora hurried over to try and attack, but Vensaur used its whip again. This time, Sora blocked the attack with his Keyblade. Luigi ran in from the side; Vensaur slammed the ground with its feet, causing another earthquake that stunned the plumber. The Pokémon then rammed its head straight into Luigi, sending him flying into a wall. The jolt was enough to make his bones tremble with pain. He needed a moment to regain his senses.

Yoshi was next to try, but Vensaur launched a seed bomb, which landed near him. Unfortunately, he couldn't avoid the shock of the explosion, and he too was knocked backwards. Seeing an opening, Vensaur used its vine to trip Sora. As the boy sat up, he saw the Pokémon point its flower right at him. It started to tremble from the pressure; any second it would burst.

Sora had no time to move; all he could do was brace himself for the inevitable. But a yellow mouse soon rewrote the pages of fate, by leaping onto the grass Pokémon, startling it in the process. A giant yellow beam emerged from the flower, just narrowly avoiding the boy. Sora melted into a puddle of relief.

But Vensaur was furious – being bested by a small rodent was like watching your pride fall down an elevator shaft. The Pokémon wouldn't stand for it. Jerking its head, Vensaur knocked Pikachu onto the ground. It fired another Razor Leaf. Before it could reach the mouse, Luigi hurried over and deflected the attacks.

Pikachu was surprised – Luigi risked his life despite the disdain he felt for him. Perhaps he wasn't such a bad person. An appreciative light hung over Pikachu's head. Luigi gritted his teeth; they needed a strong attack if they were to deal substantial damage, or else this battle would never end.

Vensaur tried to go on the offense, but Yoshi threw an egg right into its face. Just the distraction I need, Luigi thought. He glanced over his shoulder at Pikachu – his lightning attacks were devastating. The image of disintegrating Heartless was a testament to that fact. But it would barely affect Vensaur.

At least, not by itself!

"Sora!" Luigi said in an urgent, yet excited, tone. "Prepare to launch a Blizzard spell over his head! Wait for my signal!"

Sensing a confident shine in Luigi's eyes, Sora hurried to his feet, and pointed the Keyblade above Venusaur.

"Now!" Luigi cried.

Sora conjured Blizzard, while Luigi summoned Fire. When the two collided, they transformed into water, which splashed onto Venusaur. Its fur was soaked from the ice-cold liquid. Leaf gasped in surprise. She knew what they were planning, but wasn't sure how to stop them. Everything was happening so fast

Luigi turned to Pikachu. "Quick! Give him your strongest attack!"

Pikachu nodded and hurried towards his target. Surges of electricity discharged from his cheeks as he built up power. Once again, Venusaur tried to stop him, but the mouse was far too small and far too agile to be hit.

He leaped into the air, shouting, "Pika-CHUUUUUUUUUU!"

A giant bolt of lightning rained down on Venusaur; it howled in pain from the intense shock. Every muscle convulsed faster than leaves rustling in a hurricane. The audience was stunned by this turn of events. Leaf couldn't believe her strongest Pokémon was being overwhelmed by these four.

But, when the attack ceased, she saw that her Pokémon was paralyzed, drained of its vibrant colors. Professor Oak thought air was trapped in his lungs from amazement. Maybe he did make the right decision in letting the group complete. He'd never expect these four individuals to go the distance in the tournament.

"Incredible," Oak said. "I'd say these boys have potential to win the whole championship. Wouldn't you say, Red?"

No response. He turned to see the trainer was just as slack jawed.

"Red!"

He regained his senses. "Wh-what? Oh, yeah. They've got moves alright."

"Feeling a bit concerned, are we?" Oak asked with a playful smile.

Red turned to him with a defensive, nervous expression. "N-No. It's impressive, but there's no way they could touch us. Besides, they'd still have to beat Blue in the next round. I mean, IF they win."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Charizard giving him a smug look. Even he knew Red was doing a horrible job at hiding his concern.

"I mean it!" Red said to his Pokémon. "I ain't worried."

Oak chuckled. "Ain't, huh? I think we let these trainers begin their Pokemon journey too soon."

With Vensaur defenseless, Luigi delivered a fire punch to its face. Sora closed his eyes, channeled energy into the Keyblade, and performed the same move he used against Stealth Sneak the other day. Overwhelmed with exhaustion, Vensaur collapsed onto the ground.

After the referee examined the fainted Pokémon, he said, "Vensaur is unable to battle! Team Gonzales advances to the next cup!"

The entire audience erupted into screams and cheers. It was such an incredible match. They already liked Sora and his friends before, but their admiration for them grew like a sprout. Everyone couldn't wait to see if these four would take the champion title.

"We did it!" Sora shouted, pumping his fist into the air. Although he clearly sounded tried. "Th-that wasn't so hard." He sat on the floor, taking a moment to catch his breath. But he didn't get a long break, as Yoshi ran into his arms. "Easy, you! Let me catch my breath before celebrating!"

After regaining some strength, Sora got Yoshi into a headlock, and followed up with a noogie. Sure, he was exhausted, but the pride he felt was indescribable. It kept him falling face first on the ground. Regardless of whether they'd survived the next round, he'd never forget the victory they obtained.

Pikachu walked next to Luigi. The two immediately turned to each other. For a second, neither said a word. Their expressions remained neutral. It seemed the wall of animosity would remain standing between them. But then, a small crack of light found its way through, as Luigi smiled.

"Gotta say: you weren't too bad out there."

Pikachu nodded in agreement, and extended his hand. At first, Luigi was skeptical, but then saw a friendly twinkle light up in the mouse's eyes. A chisel began chipping away at the wall as the two shook hands.

After Leaf returned Vensaur to the Poké Ball, she stared at it with a sunlit glow in her eyes. "You did great out there, buddy. I'm proud of you."

"Good match!" Sora said, as he approached her with the others. He donned a pleasant smile as he extended his hand. She could tell he enjoyed every moment of the battle. And that left her with a good feeling she wouldn't forget anytime soon.

She shook his hand. "You too! I was pleasantly surprised. You've got some moves. Looks like Venusaur and I have some training to do. But just because you won doesn't mean things will get easier."

"Oh, we know," Sora said. "Trust me."

"Especially if you make it to the championship match of round two," Leaf said. "Things are gonna get more intense."

Luigi chuckled. "You definitely don't like to sugarcoat things, huh?"

"Nope," Leaf said. "Like to be honest up front. Especially with you guys. You have potential to win this whole competition. I'll be cheering from the sidelines. Good luck!"

And so, Leaf walked towards the exit, enlightened by her loss. She would continue her own journey, growing stronger as a person and trainer. Sora's boundless enthusiasm had an effect on her, because she was excited for the challenges that stood upon the horizon. Red hurried over to congratulate the group. Before Oak could follow, a staff member grabbed his attention.

Upon noticing Red, Sora said, "Hey! Was wondering when you'd show up!"

"You kiddin'?" Red asked with a huge grin. "Wouldn't miss it!" His competitive nature emerged from the depths like a powerful tank. "Just enjoy this moment while you can. If you somehow make it to me, you're going to wish you were back in this cup again."

Sora's own desires to win met Red's straight in the face, refusing to concede. "Ha! We'll see about that when you address us as the champions."

"Alright, then!" Red said. "I look forward to the day we face off."

It's strange – Sora felt like it'd been forever since he'd experience a strong sense of competition For a moment, he felt like things were back to normal – he was home, engaged in another battle with Riku, while Kairi watched from the sidelines, cheering. He missed those feelings, and wished to hold onto them forever.

But they started slipping between his fingers. Oak hurried over to the group, informing them of an unfortunate event that transpired before their match began.

The lights hummed a low droning melody throughout the hospital's bedroom. Sora sat in concerned silence as he, along with Luigi and Yoshi, watched Isabelle sleep in a bed; but it wasn't peaceful – they noticed a hint of sadness in her expression. Sora's knee jittered from the anxiety dancing around inside of it. There were so many questions on his mind.

But he kept replaying Cloud's detailed description of the mysterious figure: a dog that appeared identical to Isabelle, albeit with brown fur. Something inside of Sora's mind clicked faster than a snapshot – a dormant memory flashed before him. That sounded like Isabelle's brother. No, it couldn't be. Why would he try to hurt his own sister?

But before he could further conceal himself within those thoughts, they heard Isabelle grunt. Everyone stood up immediately, and hurried over to her side. Sora called her name in a soft, calming tone. Soon, she opened her beady little eyes and sat up in bed. The room swayed back and forth, but focus started to return.

Once again, Sora called to her. She turned and saw her friends. It didn't matter where she was now; she felt safe with familiar faces. Shaking her head, the world became vibrant again. The trio felt themselves sink in massive relief.

"Thank goodness you're awake," Luigi said. "Are you alright?"

She didn't answer. Painful memories started to leak into her mind. This wasn't the same brother she remembered – the same one she grew up with, laughed with, cried with, and shared success with. This was the person that sided with the Heartless. His wonderful smile was gone; instead, it was nothing but a shell of his former self.

The vibrant world was soon replaced with painful watercolors. Her breathing became rapid. She felt herself trembling.

"Isabelle?" Sora asked; his concern had returned, more prominent than before.

"How…how could…how could he do this?" Isabelle asked, fighting back the tears.

Sora sat next to her. "Who did what?"

Isabelle tried to speak, but the words refused to leave the sanctum of her throat. She didn't want to state the undeniable truth. But, sometimes, releasing the truth was better than obscuring it.

"The hooded man….is my brother!" And then, she cried. And cried. And soon is exploded into loud sobs. She couldn't control the feelings anymore.

Everyone stared in absolute shock at this revelation. Sora knew it! It was him! But, in this moment, he wished he were wrong. Isabelle pressed her face against Sora's chest; he wrapped his arms around her in response. The tight squeeze was soothing; it made her feel safe. She could pour her emotions out and never be vulnerable.

Soon, the others joined in the hug, and they never let go.

Digby caught himself after the Heartless threw him to the ground. He was back in the hallway of the dark castle. His eyes took a moment to adjust to the familiar dreary setting. The sounds of his harsh breath echoed throughout the room; but he couldn't hear it, because his mind continued bellowing out constant noise.

Fuzzy images started to faze in and out of his mind. He felt like he knew them. The image of Isabelle was the most prominent. She brought on this feeling of elation – that being around her reminded him of a time when life was beautiful, not fraught with suffering. But the word she uttered rung in his ears, and it grew louder:

Digby.

Was that his name? Something from deep within his subconscious tried calling out, but it stopped when ground started rumbling in small, quick successions. The putrid smell of flames made the hairs in his nose stand up on end. Looking up, he saw Bowser standing over him – his slimy lips had formed a scorn.

"I see you're getting out a lot more often," Bowser said. "Careful. Even your fur won't save you from the sunburn." Digby rose to his feet. "So, care to explain? I don't take kindly to you hanging around those idiots. Goody-goods like them don't mix well with us bad guys."

"I can go wherever I want!" Digby said, snapping back at him. "My only requirement for staying here was to go along with your little schemes. I'm not your prisoner!"

Bowser glared at him. "Well, you might've just lost your outside privileges by doing that. You're not to go near them again."

"Is it because you think I'll betray you?"

Bowser chuckled. "Wow. Look who's using that peanut sized brain of theirs today. Remember our deal? You'd work for me until we complete our mission. Once I've obtained the ultimate power, I can use it to restore your memories."

"Somehow I have my doubts," Digby said, crossing his arms.

"What? You don't trust a face like this?" He formed a massive grin. Digby narrowed his disbelieving eye at him. "Actually, don't answer that."

Digby clutched his chest. Whenever she dwelled within his mind, the warm feeling returned. "I must see that girl again. She is the key to recovering my memories. I told you before: I can't ignore these feelings in my heart. I need to listen to them!" He drew his blade. "Because I'm certainly not listening to you!"

Bowser stood in stunned silence for a moment. He didn't know how to process this information. At first. Then, he broke down in laughter, which made the entire hallway shudder from its colossal power.

"Oh, is this really happening now?" Bowser said. "This can't be real. Ha! You're actually looking me dead in the eyes! Cute." He summoned the Star Rod. "Don't tell me you're forgotten that I'm invincible. A.K.A, immune to pain? Indestructible? No one can touch me? We on the same page? Good."

The Koopa King's expression turned to anger in a heartbeat. "You will do as I say. Your job is to get out there and find the princesses. It's all part of my brilliant plan, you see. With them, we—"

A ball of dark energy hit him right in the face. Bowser screamed as he felt the burning pain seer into his skin. Digby hurried to grab the Star Rod, but the Koopa King was quick to recover, and knocked him straight into the wall. It felt like a car rammed into him. His muscles rattled like loose change being shook violently.

He tried standing up, but stumbled into a kneeled position. The floor shook furiously as the Koopa King approached him; smoke dispersed from his nostrils. A towering inferno of rage burned throughout his body.

"How dare you interrupt my evil monologue!?" He delivered a fierce punch to dog's stomach.

Digby coughed up the air from his mouth. The pain was so intense; his body didn't know how to respond. He started to lose control of his consciousness. Then, he collapsed onto the ground, holding onto that last bit of feeling.

Bowser rubbed his nose from the pain. "Ow! Gonna need a big band-aid for this boo boo." He heard Ganondorf laugh. "Shut up, desert boy! It was a huge blast!" He turned back to Digby, grumbling in embarrassment. "Stupid dog. You made me look bad. Guards, take him away! May have use for him later. But don't take your eyes off him. He may use the darkness to escape."

Digby felt his body slide across the ground. Everything grew darker. Before everything faded, he recalled the image of Isabelle; if this was to be the end of his life, he wanted that sensation of happiness to be the last thing he remembered.

Isabelle took slow, deep breathes, feeling the tightness in her body melt like snow. Being in the comforting presents of friends had helped reduce the emotional swelling in her heart. But the feeling was still there; it wouldn't leave.

She sniffled as she wiped her eyes. "I…I'm sorry. I…I didn't mean to make you worry."

"There's no need to apologize," Sora said in an understanding tone. "Learning something like that isn't exactly going to put you in a good mood."

"Tell us what happen," Luigi said.

At first, Isabelle was reluctant. She didn't want to recount the events that lead to the horrible reveal. But she could see the concern on everyone's faces. They wanted to help, and it wouldn't be right to keep them uninformed. She explained every unpleasant detail, stopping on occasion to prepare herself for the next string of sentences.

After, Luigi mulled over the details, trying to piece together an appropriate response. "He didn't remember, huh? That might explain why he's with Bowser. Any decent person would have common sense not to follow him."

Sora felt a small pinch in his neck. Right now, there was one person he knew who might not be using common sense, and that made his situation more discouraging.

"Yeah," Isabelle said; she lingered on Luigi's words for a moment. "My mind was so frantic that I didn't think about that until now."

"From what it sounds like," Sora said, as tried to forget about his own issues, "he was trying to find you. Which means a part of him must be in there somewhere, right?"

Isabelle sighed, disheartened. "I guess."

"I know you're shaken up, but you can't think like that," Sora said, putting energy into his voice. "His memories have to be there! Why else would he ask YOU who he is?"

"That's a good point." Isabelle reflected on everything. For a moment, she was regressing into that passive state of mind. That was what caused her to lose Digby the first time. She couldn't relive it again. True, the person she cared for wasn't in a good place, but does that mean you quit on them? No! This was her second chance. She refused to squander it.

Sifting confidence out of the sands of uncertainty, she said, "Then I need to see him again. Whenever you're ready, let's start searching more worlds."

"Is Isabelle up for it?" Yoshi asked in surprise.

She nodded; the faint glow in her eyes grew brighter. "I have to be. It's the only way I can save him."

"And you can count on us to help!" Sora said in his usual upbeat tone.

Isabelle smiled. "Thank you. Had a feeling you'd say that. This journey has been enlightening. I've learned many things. But more importantly, I'm glad to have met you all."

"Aw." Yoshi licked her face. "We glad to meet you, too, Isabelle."

Was Isabelle afraid? Absolutely. But, being afraid is a part of life. What's important is how we go about overcoming those fears and taking a step forward. We'd do it for the ones we love. She was going to do it for Digby. But also herself. To never be afraid of conflict again.

Already, she was wrapped in a blanket of confidence in the form of her friends.

The group waited outside while Isabelle took a few minutes to collect herself. She was prepared to face the major hurdle that awaited her arrival.

But Sora was still struggling to climb over his. His thoughts started to run rampant about Riku. Right now, he was in a similar situation, but with one key difference: Riku hadn't lost his memories. He was making a conscious effort to go against his friends. While Sora felt awful for Isabelle, he believed to be in a worse situation.

Riku was his best friend – they've been through everything together. Why would he choose Bowser over him? Was he going to use the darkness to hurt people just like Digby did? It was upsetting to fathom the very idea.

Yoshi noticed the sadness in the boy's eyes. "Is Sora okay?"

"Huh? Yeah. I'm fine. Just feel bad for Isabelle."

As Sora glanced out a nearby window, he failed to notice Yoshi's skeptical expression. He knew Sora was lying. Staring at his face, he didn't see a concerned friend – he saw a person struggling to reform the two missing pieces of his world.

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