Chapter 12:
Hollow Bastian:
"It was reckless to bring her here without at least using a vessel," says Maleficent, "remember, relying too heavily on the dark powers could cost you your heart." Riku then hears something. "A castaway. Though his world perished, his heart did not. When we took the princess from his castle, he apparently followed her here through sheer force of will. But fear not. No harm will come to you. He is no match for your power."
"My power," asks Riku.
"Yes," says Maleficent, "the untapped power that lies within you. Now, child, it's time you awakened that power and realized your full potential." Riku then started to glow.
Traverse Town:
Now Sora can summon Tinkerbell should he need it. It would be nice to have someone close enough to my size. Anyway, Sora's feeling down.
"Sora," says Donald.
"Now, just remember what Donald said to ya," says Goofy, "no frowning, no sad faces."
"How can you be so cheerful," asks Sora, "there's still no sign of your king. Aren't you worried?"
"Aw, phooey," says Donald.
"The King told us to go out and find the key bearer, and we found you," says Goofy, "so as long as we stick together, it'll all work out okay. Ya just gotta believe in yourself, that's all."
"Just believe..." He then thought about Kairi saying she believes in him. He then imagined a young Kairi talking to an old lady who told a story about people who believed in the light. How people began to fight over it. They wanted to keep it for themselves. And darkness was born in their hearts. The darkness spread, swallowing the light and many people's hearts. It covered everything and the world disappeared. But small fragments of light survived... in the hearts of children. With these fragments of light, children rebuilt the lost world. Their world. But the true light sleeps, deep within the darkness. That's why the worlds are still scattered. But someday, a door to the innermost darkness will open. And the true light will return. She then told Kairi to believe in the light and the darkness will never defeat her.
"What's the matter," asks Goofy.
"Um," says Sora, "nothing." Did Kairi call Sora?
Hollow Bastion:
Sora, Donald, and Goofy took the Gummi Ship and arrived in Hollow Bastion. Sora felt a warmth inside, but he didn't know why.
...
Riku was faced with the Beast. "No vessel, no help from the Heartless," says Riku, "so tell me, how did you get here?"
"I simply believed," says the Beast, "nothing more to it. When our world fell into darkness, Belle was taken from me. I vowed I would find her again no matter the cost. I believed I would find her. So, here I am. She must be here. I will have her back!"
"Take her if you can," says Riku.
The Beast roared. "You think you command the darkness," asks the Beast, "I should tell you; my nickname is the Dark One!" The Beast then fought Riku, but Riku wins.
"Stop," says Sora.
"So, you finally made it," says Riku, "about time, I've been waiting for you. We've always been rivals, haven't we? You've always pushed me as I've always pushed you."
"Riku..."
"But it all ends here," says Riku, "there can't be two keyblade masters."
"What are you talking about," asks Sora.
"Let the keyblade choose," says Riku, "its true master!" The keyblade then goes to Riku's hand, confusing Donald and Goofy. "Maleficent was right. You don't have what it takes to save Kairi. It's up to me. Only the keyblade master can open the secret door... and change the world."
"But that's impossible," says Sora, "how did this happen? I'm the one who fought my way here with the Keyblade!"
"You were just the delivery boy," says Riku, "sorry, but your part's over now. Here, go play hero with this" He throws a wooden sword to Sora.
Sora gets on the ground.
"Goofy, let's go," says Donald, "we have to remember our mission."
"Oh, well, I know the King told us to follow the key and all..." says Goofy, "but..." Donald and Goofy didn't want to leave Sora, but they felt they had no choice.
"Sora, sorry," says Donald.
The Beast starts limping forward. Sora then runs to the Beast. "Hey, don't move," says Sora, "you're hurt."
"Why," asks the Beast, "why did you... you come here? I came to fight for Belle. And though I am on my own, I will fight. I won't leave without her. That's why I'm here."
Sora then picks up the wooden sword. "Me too," says Sora, "I'm not gonna give up now. I came here to find someone very important to me."
...
Sora and the Beast joined forces to travel through Hollow Bastion. They fought through many Heartless.
...
Jasmine, Snow White, Alice, Aurora, Cinderella, Belle, and Kairi are all held captive by Maleficent.
"O Purest of Hearts," says Maleficent, "reveal to me the Keyhole!"
"Lookin' good," says Pete.
"I have you to thank for this," says Maleficent, "none of this would be possible if you haven't told me about the Seven Princesses of Heart!"
"You are welcome," says Pete.
The Princesses all started to glow.
...
"Be on your guard," says Beast, "they're close. I can feel it. Are you ready for them?" The Beast then gasps and turns around. "Belle!" Turns out to be a Heartless disguised as Belle. The Beast was furious. He then leaped at it, but the door closed, separating the Beast from Sora.
"Quit while you can," says Riku.
"No," says Sora, "not without Kairi!"
"The Darkness will destroy you," says Riku. Riku then got this new dark look.
"You're wrong, Riku," says Sora, "the darkness may destroy my body, but it can't touch my heart! My heart will stay with my friends. It will never die!"
"Really," asks Riku, "well, we'll just see about that." Riku then fires a mystic blast at Sora, but Goofy shields him.
"Sora ain't gonna go anywhere," says Goofy.
"You'd betray your king," asks Riku.
"Not on your life," says Goofy, "but I'm not gonna betray Sora, either, 'cause he's become one of my best buddies after all after all we've been through together! See ya later, Donald! Could ya tell the King I'm really sorry?"
"Hold on, Goofy," says Donald, "we'll tell him together!"
"I just said I'm sidin' with Sora," says Goofy.
"I think he's saying he is too," says Sora.
"I think you're startin' to understand Donald better than me," says Goofy.
"Really," asks Riku, "what did he say?"
Donald runs to Sora and Goofy. "Well, you know," says Donald, "all for one and one for all."
"I guess you're stuck with us, Sora," says Goofy.
"Thanks a lot..." says Sora. For the record, I've been with Sora the whole time, but my job is to just narrate their adventure.
"How would you fight without a weapon," asks Riku.
"I know now I don't need the keyblade," says Sora, "I've got a better weapon. My heart."
"Your heart," asks Riku, "what good will that weak little thing do for you?"
"Although my heart may be weak," says Sora, "it's not alone. It's grown with each new experience, and it's found a home with all the friends I've made. I've become a part of their hearts just as they've become a part of mine. And if they think of me now and then... if they don't forget me... then our hearts will be one. I don't need a weapon. My friends are my power." The Keyblade then suddenly disappeared from Riku's hand and returned to Sora's. This shows he is the true Master of the Keyblade.
Sora, Donald, and Goofy were then fighting Riku. Riku was powerful, but Sora, Donald, and Goofy manage to defeat him. Riku then runs away and the Beast returns. "So, your heart won this battle," says the Beast.
...
The four then race to stop Maleficent.
...
"Why," asks Riku, "it was mine!"
"Know this," says the mysterious stranger Sora met before, "the heart that is strong and true shall win the Keyblade."
"What," asks Riku, "you're saying my heart is weaker than his?"
"For that instant, it was. However, you can become stronger. You showed no fear in stepping through the door to darkness. It held no terror for you. Plunge deeper into the darkness and your heart will grow even stronger."
"What should I do," asks Riku.
"It's really quite simple. Open yourself to the darkness. That is all. Let your heart, your being, become darkness itself."
...
Riku then comes to Maleficent. "So, I see the path has emerged at last," says Riku.
"Yes," says Maleficent, "the Keyhole to the darkness."
"Unlock it," says Riku, "and the Heartless will overrun this world."
"What do I care," asks Maleficent, "the darkness holds no power over me. Rather, I will use its power to rule all the worlds."
"Such confidence," says Riku. He then got out his dark keyblade.
"Oh," says Maleficent. But then Maleficent sees something isn't right. "Impossible! The Princesses of Heart are all here!"
"What is wrong with this thing," asks Pete, "his plan... I mean your plan should be working!"
"It must be her," says Maleficent, referring to Kairi.
"Without her heart," asks Riku, "she will never be able to release her power."
There was a sound. "The King's fools are here," says Maleficent, "I'll deal with them myself. You two stay here and guard the princesses." Maleficent then walks away.
"She has no idea who's pulling the strings, does she," asks Pete.
"No, she doesn't," says Riku as he starts to glow.
...
The heroes are faced with Maleficent. "I'm afraid you're too late," says Maleficent, "any moment now, the final keyhole will be unsealed. This world will be plunged into darkness. It is unstoppable."
"We'll stop it," says Sora, "after coming this far, there's no way we're gonna let that happen!"
"You poor, simple fools," says Maleficent, "you think you can defeat me? Me, the Mistress of all Evil!" Maleficent then turns to a dragon.
The Heroes attempted to fight her, but Maleficent was beating them around. She proved too strong. Sora then looks at the Keyblade and looks at Maleficent. It was a long shot, but he was going to try it, and he managed to stab Maleficent with the Keyblade. Maleficent is dead.
"How ironic," says Riku, "she was just another puppet after all."
"What," asks Donald.
"The Heartless were just using Maleficent from the beginning," says Riku, "she failed to notice the darkness in her heart eating away at her. A fitting end for such a fool. Isn't that right, Pete?"
"Surprise," says Pete, "I was never working for her!"
"Who were ya workin' for," asks Goofy, "couldn't have been Riku and you definitely couldn't have been the mastermind!"
"Hey," says Pete.
"Let's go!" Riku and Pete then both disappear.
...
The heroes get to the princesses. "Kairi," says Sora. He then ran to her. Sora picked Kairi up. "Kairi! Kairi! Open your eyes!"
"Sora and Kairi sitting in a tree," says Pete, "K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"
"Aren't you going to continue," asks Riku.
"You mean there's more," asks Pete.
"That girl has lost her heart," says Riku, "she cannot wake up."
"What," asks Sora, "you... you're not Riku!"
"The Keyhole cannot be completed so long as the last Princess of Heart sleeps."
"The Princess," asks Sora, "Kairi's a princess?"
"Yes," says Riku, "and without her power, the Keyhole will remain incomplete. It is time she awakened."
"Whoever you are," says Sora, "let Riku go! Give him back his heart!"
"But first, you must give the Princess back her heart," says Riku.
Sora suddenly felt the strangest heart attack.
"Your girlfriend's heart has been in you the whole time," says Pete, "talk about having her heart!"
"Kairi..." Sora begins, "Kairi's inside me?"
"I know all there is to know," says Riku.
"Tell me," says Sora, "who are you?"
"It is I, Ansem, the seeker of darkness. Ansem then walks forward. Donald tries to attack him, but Ansem throws him aside. "So, I shall release you now, Princess. Complete the Keyhole with your power. Open the door, lead me into everlasting darkness!" Ansem's then about to strike Sora with his dark keyblade...
"Sora!" Sora blocks with his Keyblade.
"Forget it," says Sora, "there's no way you're taking Kairi's heart!"
Sora and Ansem then fought. Ansem was stronger, but Sora managed to win. Ansem and Pete then disappear.
"Sora," says Donald, "look!"
"The... the Keyhole," says Goofy. Sora tries to use the Keyblade. "It won't work! The Keyhole's not finished yet!"
"What can we do," asks Sora.
"Maybe we gotta go wake Kairi up," Goofy suggests.
"I think you're right," says Sora, "if we can free her heart... But... But how?" Sora then sees the dark Keyblade. "A Keyblade that unlocks people's hearts... I wonder."
"Sora," asks Goofy. Sora walks over to the dark Keyblade and picks it up. "Sora, hold on!"
"No, wait," says Donald.
Sora then uses the dark Keyblade on himself and all the hearts return to the princesses with the last heart returning to Kairi, who finally wakes up. Kairi then runs to Sora, who disappears...
To Be Continued