(Philia Speaking) "My memories about you are ones I will cherish like a precious treasure box. It may be filled with rusted or damaged pieces, but inside is glittering with gold and jewels. But the treasure I seek out is more than just about you. There is much, much more than that. These are the memories that I made that made me the person I am today..."
Deep Space
The unknown space, which hid the many world from one another, unaware of each other's existence. However, there are those who are aware of their existence, and many of them wield a special weapon called a Keyblade, which can unlock pathways to other worlds. While that is one way to do it, there are those who don't wield Keyblades who are still able to travel between worlds. One such character was a young girl who was looking for her way back home.
A blue shooting star was dancing about in space, going to who knows where. In the light was a teen girl with dandelion-colored hair, ruffled, reaching her shoulders, and blue eyes. Her normal attire was hidden underneath a black and silver-lined coat that reached her feet, where her combat boots stuck out. The hood on the coat was open up, and she had her face out.
She was holding a blue and yellow gem that looked like a star with a lightning bolt replacing one of its points, and held it close to her chest. This was her Star Shard, which was given to her by a man named DiZ. She was looking down at it while in the blue glowing light, thinking to herself of the journey she had been on up till this point.
'It has been about a year since I parted ways with Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy from Castle Oblivion. I had to leave. The damage that was done to our friendship in there was hard to deal with. Naminé was forced to meddle with Sora's memories, while I was being tormented by PHox, what he made me believe, and what he said caused to me and my friends. It was a mental torment that I would deal with so long as I was with them. Unlike the boys, I couldn't erase the memories of what took place in there, as my memories were not even altered in the first place. As DiZ said, I am just a walking heart, and this body being a digital copy from a game called 'Sword Art Online'.'
'So now, I must bear with the memories that took place there, and move on. I need to know where I originally came from, and prove without a doubt, that I was a good person. But where is my original home world? And what will happen when I meet the other me that is there, who holds the rest of my memories? I have been on this journey since I left, and I still have not found any clues as to where home is."
"However, I do know this; the Heartless are still about, and using my own skills, including the Soul Burst of Sora, I was able to defeat them. Now, I need to know where my journey is going to next.'
Philia suddenly heard a deep booming noise, which very much surprised her. She never heard another noise in space like that before. She couldn't see outside the cone of light formed by her Star Shard. "What was that?" she asked herself, "I hope that wasn't anything too concerning..."
Little did she know what was happening outside. She was sent flying towards the world of Disney Castle, just as six beams of lights shot out to create a large vortex of light. The vortex suddenly pulled in the world into it, until it disappeared. The blue light that was Philia suddenly shot towards the vortex, and was pulled right through just behind the world, vanishing into the vortex, which closed up a second later.
Inside the light, Philia was flipping and tumbling about, unable to keep a straight path through the blinding light of energy. "What is going on?!" Philia questioned, flipping and tossing about. In the past year, she had never dealt with turbulence going from one world to another. This was completely new. She wasn't sure what was happening, or where she was going. All she could do was hold onto the Star Shard for dear life, and pray she would survive in a helpless situation.
Kirito & Asuna's Dimension
In a completely different space, the vortex of light opened up, with the world of Disney Castle coming out of it slowly. Just as it fully came out of the portal, the shooting star shot out of the portal, the light starting to die down as it flew further and further away from the vortex of light. Finally the light vanished as Philia appeared, a glow emanating around her body. Her eyes were closed as she fell unconscious from the travel.
For about a half-hour, she was unconscious, her body slowly recovering from what took place. Finally, it was only when a Gummi Ship came out of Disney Castle to take off into the unknown did she start to wake up. She opened up her eyes slowly, seeing the empty space above her. She then snapped her eyes open wide, flailing herself into what she hoped was an upright position. "What... I'm in open space?!" she questioned, "But...I can breathe?!" She looked at her body, now noticing the glow that is about her body, asking, "Is it because of this glow?"
She then looked to her hand where the Star Shard was at, and noticing it was sparking a bit with magic. She focused as she mentally asked it to take it to the next world. However, the Star Shard didn't react to her like before. She opened her eyes, looking at it, puzzled. Why wasn't it working? Was there something wrong with it? Did that turbulence somehow damage it?
As she floated aimlessly in the air, she then noticed Disney Castle nearby. However, she was unaware that it was the home world of many people she knew and held dear. "Great, and I ended up next to a world, but I can't get to it!" she exclaimed. She looked around, trying to find a way to get around, but found no way to do it. "Don't tell me I'm stuck like this..." She told herself, looking very worried about her situation, "Is this...what the cost is for being alone?"
Just then, a ball of light suddenly started to come her way, flying around in curved form towards Philia's position. She noticed it coming, and summoned her Swordbreaker dagger to her side, ready to use it if it was hostile. The light came to a halt as Philia barely noticed a figure within the ball of light. Judging from the hourglass figure, Philia assumed the person is female.
"There is no need to worry. I am an ally, Philia." a female voice emanated from the light.
"How do you know my name?" Philia questioned suspiciously.
"I know you very well. I know your connection to Sora, too. As well as Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy." The reply was startling to Philia. How did she know her connection to Sora and the others? Apart from Riku, Mickey, and Naminé, no one else should remember. Naminé's power over Sora's memory should've put the memories of her to sleep until the time is right. That meant that all those connected to Sora, even her friends of Traverse Town, would forget her.
"I will explain all you need to know if you come with me." she told Philia, her silhouetted hand reaching out to her, "Unless you want to be continuously stranded out here until the magic protecting you wears off."
"When you put it that way, do I really have a choice?" Philia asked, looking to the person, before looking at her hand. She reached out and took the person's hand, and her body glowed brightly, the light surrounding the person now surrounded her. She suddenly felt herself being pulled along as they shot across the sky, heading off to who knows where the destination was.
"Where are you taking me?!" She demanded as they flew. The person didn't answer. There was a good reason for that. Philia noticed that she started to fade away, until she disappeared entirely. "Wha-?!" Philia was stunned, as she was now alone again, carried by the light surrounding her. She looked ahead to the path through the light, wondering where she was being taken too.
Finally, she started to see a world come into view. It was small, with plenty of grassy mountains, and a couple of small towns. What stuck out was a large castle-like structure on it, with a color mixture of gold and beige stones. There were four parts of the castle surrounding the main building in a square, with a golden chain connecting to each of the four building parts. The main building had a sort of tree-shaped structural look to it.
"What is this world?" Philia asked, as she was carried within the atmosphere.
She got pulled along at high speeds before, but started to slow down as she got closer and closer to the ground, until finally, she was spun around onto her feet, and she landed gently onto the cobblestone ground, the light vanishing around. She looked ahead, seeing the heavy metal grated gates ahead of her. She was standing at the entrance of the very castle she had seen before, which had a straight cobblestone path with a grassy area around it. It was circular, as on the outskirts of the area that walled the entrance was a sheer drop down to who knows where.
Philia looked around, wondering if the person who summoned her was nearby, when she heard the gate squeak open, allowing her access to the stairs that led further in. "Looks like I'm being invited in." she assumed, "I don't know whether this that is a good sign, or a trap. Better be cautious." She looked at the Star Shard she still held, and pocketed it, seeing it as useless at the moment. She wandered inward as she mentally thought that if Sora, Donald, and Goofy were here, they would've entered in a lot sooner than she did.
Reaching the top of the stairs, she looked around the courtyard area of the castle. It was wide open, with some shrubbery here and there, the cobblestone pathway going around the area and towards the entrance.
"Hello? Anyone here?" Philia called out, looking about. There was no answer. "Great. You bring me here, and don't even greet me properly?" she questioned irritably, "Manners are not a thing in this world, I guess."
She had taken a few steps forward, when suddenly, he heard a young voice shout, "Aero!" Philia reacted, and backstepped from a blast of wind that nearly hit her spot on. She came to a halt, and saw a boy that came out of nowhere.
He looked about ten years old, with blonde, wavy hair with two pieces curled out on his forehead, and green eyes. He was well built, and he wore an open silver vest a light blue collar and a yellow short-sleeved shirt underneath. He had on a pair of blue jeans, a belt with a golden buckle, blue and white-striped shoes with silver buckles, and white, fingerless gloves. However, it wasn't his age that surprised him, but what he carried.
In his left hand was a Keyblade, which was golden yellow and silver, with a long stem, the teeth looking like a fountain, and a pattern on the front of his guard with a rainbow gem on the back. The keychain was also golden yellow, with a multi-colored star as the medallion.
"No way... A Keyblade?!" Philia gasped, seeing the weapon.
"Back for more?!" the boy demanded, "Sorry, but I won't let you do the same thing you did to me before!"
"Wait, what are you talking about?!" Philia demanded, "I don't even know you!"
"No more talking! I'm gonna win this time, black coat girl!" he declared, charging forward at Philia, who saw no choice, and she placed up her dagger in defense, blocking the attack. It was strange, but she was pressured by this boy's attack, which was weird. Her strength should've been far stronger than this boy's strength.
She backed off as she pointed her dagger, shouting, "Firaga!" Her dagger let out a small puff of flames, but nothing else. "What?!" Philia gasped, looking at her dagger.
"What's wrong? Not enough heat?!" the boy asked, smirking in amusement, before throwing his Keyblade in a Strike Raid.
Philia looked startled, and dove out of the way, before pointing her dagger, shouting, "Blizzaga!" A small dusting of ice came out of her weapon, but nothing else. "What is going on here?!" she questioned, placing a hand to her chest, "My magic...it's gotten worse? Wait." She pointed her dagger, shouting, "Blizzard!" Finally, a burst of ice shot out of her dagger, going at the boy, who slashed the icicle. "Good. My base level magic works." she told herself.
"Is that all you got?!" the boy demanded, "I thought you were tougher!"
"This kid is REALLY getting on my nerves!" Philia growled, and she charged in at the boy.
The two engaged in a clash against one another, with the boy being a lot stronger than Philia, which surprised her. However, she was more focused on the fact that for some reason, her strength, magic, and skills were a lot worse off than before. She could only use standard-level magic. She couldn't use any other Dagger Skill apart from her Armor Pierce. Her overall physical capabilities were a lot worse than before. What was going on with her?
The boy and Philia were backed off from one another, both panting heavily. "Okay, you aren't too bad." he acknowledged, "You still aren't gonna get the better of me!"
"Believe me, I should've really finished you off a lot sooner." Philia argued, "But I still got one last trick up my sleeve. Let's hope this works." She closed her eyes, concentrating as she felt the fragment of Sora's soul deep within her. He was still there, and Philia needed his power. "Soul Burst: Sora!" She roared, raising her dagger high. The illusion of Sora appeared, spinning his Keyblade and shouldering it, before diving into her dagger. The weapon then transformed into the Kingdom Key Keyblade, and she took the same fighter's stance as Sora.
"Wha-?!" the boy gasped, "So you can use the Keyblade, too?! And the Kingdom Key?!"
"You're familiar with this blade?" Philia asked, "Well, I'm gonna put it to good use!" She charged in and unleashed a combo of slashes with her Keyblade, finishing with a Ripple Drive that sent the boy flying. He recovered as he landed on the ground, and unleashed a Sliding Dash, quickly coming at Philia and knocking into her. She retaliated by unleashing a Fire spell, damaging him. This gave her a chance to come at him, unleashing her own Strike Raid that struck the boy hard.
"You wanna play copycat?!" the boy questioned, seeing his own move thrown back at him, "Then how about this?! Shotlock: Lightning Ray!" He encased himself in electricity, and shot towards Philia in high speeds, striking her numerous times. She couldn't even react quick enough to dodge, block, or counter, and after the final strike, she collapsed to the ground, her Soul Burst dissolved back to her dagger.
The boy walked over to Philia, pointing his Keyblade at her. "See? I told you I would win!" he declared, smirking at her.
"Ow..." she grimaced, her face in the dirt, "Why am I so weak? What happened?"
"I'm just that good!" the boy retorted, "Now why don't you turn back the way you came?"
Philia got on her hands and knees, fed up with this boy's attitude towards her. "Listen to me, kid. I don't know WHY we are fighting!" she growled, "I was stranded in space, my Star Shard busted, a ball of light with a woman's voice suddenly appeared and took me to this place. So even if I wanted to leave, I couldn't! Now would you get off my back?!"
The boy looked confused, but could tell her anger and irritation were true. "You mean...you're not here to attack us like that other Keyblade wielder and those black coat guys did before?" he asked.
"What are you talking about?!" Philia demanded.
"Jackson, stand down!" shouted a familiar voice. It was the same female voice from the ball of light. The boy and Philia looked to the entrance to the castle, and saw three characters there; a young boy and girl, and a woman.
The boy was about twelve, with black hair that was spiked in front, and red eyes. He was also well built, and he wore an open black short-sleeved jacket with white Xs on his sleeves and front, with a dark red, sleeveless shirt underneath. He also wore a belt like the boy named Jackson, only it had a silver buckle of a different style. He had long black and white-lined pants, and black and brown boots with white soles. He also had on one black and red glove on his left hand, and a scarf with the same color.
The girl looked about nine-years old, with scarlet hair that reached her waist, with two ear-like hairstyle on top of her head, and yellow eyes. She was slimly built, wearing a red and white long-sleeved shirt with blue triangles on each sleeve. She also had a pink skirt with red shorts underneath. She also had red open-back shoes with silver soles, and a red broach around her neck.
The woman looked like she was early middle-aged, with silver hair tied in a high ponytail that reached in between her shoulder blades, held by a gold band, and purple hair pieces on her side bangs. She had a gentle expression and green eyes. She wore an open white and purple-lined haori, which only had one sleeve for her right hand, while the other was removed, and her arm was placed within the cloak itself. Underneath, she had a silver and black armor plating on her abdomen, exposing a bit of the cleavage in her chest, and a long violet skirt, and silver and black-armored pointed boots. She also wore a white choker with a heart hanging from a small chain on it.
"Be at ease, Jackson." the woman addressed the boy, "This young lady is my guest."
"She...she is?" Jackson asked, looking from her to Philia, back and forth a couple times, before stepping away from her, exclaiming, "Crap! I am so sorry!"
"Sure, after you beat me up..." Philia grimaced, trying to get to her feet, but stumbled a bit.
"Typical Jackson..." the boy next to the woman sighed, "You just jumped to conclusions again!"
"In all fairness, since the attack, he has become somewhat wary of newcomers. And that coat was the same as the others." the little girl pointed out as the woman descended the stairs toward Philia.
She approached the young girl, before producing a weapon from her free hand; a Keyblade. It looked very old compared to others Philia had seen. It was grey and silver, with a B-shaped teeth, a lock-shaped handle, a thick silver chain, and a symbol that looked like two diamonds overlapping each other. "Allow me to heal you up." she told her, and raised her Keyblade, "Heal!" Her Keyblade shined, and a wave of healing energy shined upon Philia, curing her of her wounds."
"Thank you." she thanked her.
"Wait, what about me?" Jackson asked, "I got injured in that fight!"
"Yet you still stand and move about." the woman addressed the boy, "As such, you can go and heal yourself."
The black-haired boy laughed as Jackson puffed up his cheeks, muttering, "No fair..."
She turned back to Philia as she started, "I apologize on my student's behalf. It was quite unfair of him to attack without reason. Then again, I can understand why he was wary in the first place."
"Hopefully, I can get an explanation on that." Philia responded, "Speaking of which, mind explaining to me who you are and where I am?"
"Of course. My name is Mistress Gretinal." the woman introduced herself, bowing to her respectively, "I am the Keyblade Master and head teacher of this school. These three are my students, Jackson, Cypress, and Latias." She waved a hand to the three children around her.
"A Keyblade Master?" Philia echoed, looking surprised.
"Yes. I am well aware of your familiarity to the Keyblade, as you had a companion that also wielded one." Gretinal explained, and Philia knew she meant Sora, "As to your question to where you are, this world is the Realm of Arrival. It is mostly known as a place where we teach children how to wield the Keyblade."
"So, there is a school for learning to use the Keyblade?" Philia asked, looking about the campus, "Wow. Sora and I certainly didn't know about this."
"That's because the school of your dimension is... well, how should I put this... temporarily closed off from all but one." Gretinal explained, "But that's not something you need to know the reasons about."
Something she said just now completely took her off guard, but it wasn't the fact this school was 'temporarily closed', or that she wasn't needing to know the reasons. "Wait a minute... my dimension?" Philia echoed, "What do you mean by that?"
"It means you traveled beyond your dimension by mere coincidence." Gretinal explained, "You are in a brand new dimension."
The fact stunned her for a moment. She had traveled beyond her dimension? She was in a whole new one?! "How?! How was that possible?!" Philia questioned, pulling out her Star Shard, "Is it because of my Star Shard? Is that why it's not working?!"
"No. The damage was done during your travel between dimensions, on account of the surrounding energy affecting it." Gretinal explained, "Your travel to this dimension was caused by an entire world being sent here. The power of multiple Keyblade wielders ended up opening up a wormhole to this dimension, bringing the world you noticed before into this dimension. You were just guided into the wormhole afterwards."
Philia did recall the world before, before asking, "Wait, multiple Keyblade wielders? Does that mean-?"
"Before you ask, yes, Sora is among those wielders, as well two others, Riku, and Mickey."
"Sora, Riku, and Mickey were in that world?!" Philia questioned in shock, "Where are they? Are they okay? What about Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy? Who are the other Keyblade wielders?"
"Be still, Philia!" Gretinal told her abruptly, waving a hand to silence her, making her quiet down, "I'm sure you have a long list of questions that you want answered. And I assure you, I will answer them all in due time. For now, please follow me. We should go to a more appropriate room. Cypress, Latias, please escort Jackson to his room. He needs time to think about his actions."
"Yes, mistress." the two answered, as they walked over to Jackson, who followed with disgruntlement. Gretinal and Philia followed afterwards.
They entered into the place, which had wooden flooring on some parts, and marble in others. They parted ways with the three students, before making their way through the complex halls, before reaching an area that was a couple floors up. Inside was an open room, with shelves of books on the sides, a small reading table with a chair and a lamp, sofa chairs on the other side, and a main desk on the opposite end from the door, with the windows showing the outside behind it.
Philia was led up to the desk as Gretinal circled around and sat down in front of it. "Now, where to start..." Gretinal started, "I guess I will start at what made my student attack you."
'That would be a good place to start.' Philia mentally stated.
"You see, a while ago, we had two separate encounters, each with a pair of intruders. One was a pair of people in black coats like the one you are wearing. The other had a Keyblade wielder among the two. The second pair attacked me and my three students. However, because of their shrewdness and my lack of observation, they were able to best me..."
She folded out her haori to reveal her left hand, which Philia was startled. It was badly damaged, with red glowing marks on it. It also was strapped to the side of her haori, as a makeshift sling.
"Not only did they damage my arm, but they also stole something important that was within the body of Jackson; a Key of Darkness."
"Key of Darkness?" Philia echoed.
"Yes. It is one of many that were placed in those with strong hearts to repel the darkness they exude." Gretinal explained, "As to where they went, I have no clue."
"So, do you want me to find the people who did this to you?" Philia asked.
"I am already looking into them currently, so there is no need to worry about them." the teacher assured her, "Besides, you are not exactly up to standard in your strength."
"Yeah, that's another question; Why did I suddenly get weaker when I came here?" Philia asked, placing a hand on her hip, "It's like how I was when I woke up in Traverse Town, or at the beginning of Castle Oblivion."
"There is a good reason behind that." Gretinal answered, "When you traveled to this dimension, your body ended up with a 'hard reset', so to speak. Meaning the strength you had in the other dimension is no longer with you here."
"That really sucks." Philia grimaced, looking down sadly. She knew she could use her basic magic spells, being Blizzard, Fire, Thunder, and Cure, and her one Dagger Skill, Armor Pierce, and her Soul Burst of Sora.
"But it might be a good way for you to start anew." Gretinal told her, "No journey is easy, after all. Take this as a way to learn."
"I'm not sure what you mean, especially since I was already so skilled in fighting before." Philia noted.
"Well, let's push that aside for the time being." Gretinal waved off the subject, "I guess the next subject I should go from there is how I know you and your old friends. That is because I am a seer, and a powerful one, if I do say so myself. I have the power to see events in other worlds beyond this one. However, that doesn't normally include other dimensions. There are exceptions, like say if there is a great surge of power that distort the barriers between dimensions. As such, I have witnessed you, Sora, Donald and Goofy take on the Heartless, saving worlds, and seal off the door to Kingdom Hearts."
"You witnessed all that?" Philia asked, surprised she noticed so much.
"Not all, mind you. Only fragmentary moments." Gretinal further explained, "But it wasn't just that I also witnessed. I had also witnessed what was taking place in Castle Oblivion."
"You...you did?" Philia asked, now growing nervous.
"There is no need for your worries. What I witnessed was both you and Sora taken into a perilous ordeal, and because of how special you are, you chose to let Sora forget about you, which resulted in everyone connected to him also forget you. But because I had recorded all that had happened, I never forgot."
"I see. So that's why." Philia understood, now having one plot hole filled.
"You have been traveling from world to world, trying to find your way home." Gretinal explained, "Although, that is my assumption, as I have not noticed you since. Meanwhile, your dear friend, Sora, and his companions, old and new, have been going through their endeavors against new threats, as well as the Heartless."
"So, even after Sora's memories have been restored, he still had to fight new threats?" Philia questioned.
"You were already familiar with one of them; the Organization." Gretinal told her, and Philia grew concerned by this. She had hoped she didn't ever hear them mentioned again. "They were led by a person connected to the man known as Ansem that you defeated long ago. Fortunately, they were dealt with by Sora and other Keyblade wielders."
"Other Keyblade wielders?" Philia echoed, "So, there are other Keyblade wielders that joined Sora, Riku, and Mickey?"
"Yes. Three more, in fact." Gretinal explained, "In fact, they have a strong connection to your situation, as they were brought over from the digital landscape of your world by DiZ."
Another mental blow that stunned her. There were more victims of DiZ? Wasn't it bad enough that she was one of the victims of his actions? Didn't he say the world of Sword Art Online was deleted? Unless there was another digital world besides that, and he looked into that. Why did he do it? Was it accidental or on purpose? She only prayed that their memories weren't as damaged as hers.
"However, with a new threat that surfaced in this dimension, the three Keyblades of this dimension and three from the other joint together, and brought Sora and his companions to this dimension to stop it."
This was a lot to take in for Philia. Apparently, Sora and her other friends had to go with more ordeals even after Naminé helped him recover. More people joined in from her world to join in, and more threats started to take place, and that's how she got swung into this dimension. However, before she could continue straightening things out, something in the conversation led her to a conclusion.
"Hold on a moment." Philia spoke up, "Are you telling me that I am actually from this dimension, and not Sora's?"
"Was it not obvious?" Gretinal asked.
"No, of course not!" Philia answered, "Not even DiZ told me I was from a different dimension! So all that flying about in other worlds was pointless?!" She slumped over in shame.
"Not pointless. You got to understand multiple different worlds, each give you an opportunity to learn about what they have, as well as what hearts are there. You were learning as well as saving the worlds from Heartless, correct?" Philia did see a point in what she said.
"Well, do you know how to get me back home?" Philia asked, "That's what I have been trying to search for since I left Sora and my friends. I need to know who I really was before I met Sora so long ago."
Gretinal paused, thinking about it, before answering, "I could take you back home. However, I believe that for the time being, you are needed for other causes. In other words, I am asking for your assistance."
"My assistance?" Philia asked, looking confused, "What causes are you talking about?"
"There is no need to worry about it. I will compensate you in many ways, not just helping you on your way home." Gretinal answered, standing up and going to the window, "Remember what I said before; This is your chance to start anew. A new adventure to improve yourself, not just in strength, but in heart. I can see you are still scarred from your time in Castle Oblivion. Do you think yourself as fully prepared to confront who you truly are, while you are filled with so much doubt about yourself?"
Philia looked down, thinking on that question. She wanted to meet the person she was originally. However, there was definitely a lot of fear and doubt in her mind on what would happen if she did meet her. What if the person she was really was as PHox said? What if she was someone she was not proud of seeing? How would she confront Sora and her friends after that? This, mixed in with her feelings for Sora, made her a major mess. She couldn't really prepare herself to meet who she was until she got who she is right now put together.
"You already know you are not ready. Therefore, this mission I have for you isn't just a necessity, but also a way to repair your damaged heart." Gretinal told her, not looking back at her, "So, do you want to accept what I have in store?"
Philia paused for a moment, thinking. Finally, she nodded to herself in conformation, and looked up, answering, "I will. What do you need me to do?"
Gretinal turned around and smiled at Philia, saying, "Good. I am happy for your cooperation. Now, before we go any further, let me, for lack of a better term, put in a down payment for your assistance." She walked towards and around her desk, coming to Philia's side. She then summoned out her Keyblade, and held it towards the teenager, part of the handle exposed to her. She then cleared her throat, and began.
"In your hand, take this Key. So long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking, its wielder you shall one day be. And you will find me, friend; no ocean will contain you then. No more borders around, or below, or above, so long as you champion the ones you love."
Philia looked from Gretinal's face, to the Keyblade. 'Is this... Am I suppose to take the Keyblade?' she questioned, 'If what she said is right, and I read between the lines, this means I will use a Keyblade, too?' She took a second, before deciding not to hesitate, and took the handle of the Keyblade next to Gretinal's.
There was a couple second pause, before Gretinal pulled the Keyblade away from Philia, smiling as she said, "And with that, your Keyblade Inheritance Ceremony is now complete."
"Keyblade Inheritance Ceremony?" Philia echoed, looking at the hand that took the Keyblade, "So I will be able to use the Keyblade?"
"Usually it takes a while before someone can use it." Gretinal told her, "But we need you prepared now, so I'll make you one. Hold out your dagger." Philia nodded and took out her Swordbreaker dagger.
Gretinal backed off and raised her Keyblade directly. She closed her eyes, concentrating as magic energy surged from the medallion of the Keyblade, going down the chain, through the weapon, all the way to the tip. It then shot chains out of the tip, snatching the dagger out of Philia's hands, and pulling it away from her as it was lifted into the air. Philia stood in awe as she saw her dagger suddenly get intertwined with the shining chains, wrapping its body entirely, until it shined even brighter, blinding Philia. When the light died down, Philia looked down, and saw the shining chains loosen and relinquish themselves from Philia's dagger, who was stunned by the new look it had.
The dagger was now very different, with a standard arc hand guard, a green gem at the front, and a jagged-side blade. However, there were three arrow-tipped spikes at the end, forming the 'teeth', and a keychain with a sword at the place a medallion would be.
"Is that...a Keyblade?" Philia asked, amazed as it descended down towards her, and she took it in both hands. It was around the same size as her dagger.
"In a way, it is." Gretinal answered, making her Keyblade vanish, "It has all the properties of a Keyblade, and can only be used by someone who can use a Keyblade. However, it not a true Keyblade. It's more of a pseudo-Keyblade, with your dagger as the base of it."
"So it's not a Keyblade, but more of a... Key-dagger." Philia understood, swishing her weapon to one side.
"It will do you well in the battles to come." Gretinal told her, "Now, to give you your mission." She walked back to her desk and sat down at it, as Philia held the Keydagger to her side.
"So, am I gonna get involve with stopping this 'new threat' that you spoke of?" Philia asked.
"No. I am actually setting you on a path to a different rising threat." Gretinal answered, "You see, recently, other teachers in my school have traveled to other worlds, and uncovered something rather unusual; a modified Heartless."
"Modified Heartless?" Philia echoed, "Modified in what way?"
Gretinal snapped her finger, and the wall towards her right side opened up, revealing a hallway, with shelves filled with crystal balls. She concentrated with her palm raised, and one of the spheres floated off its part of the shelf, and flew towards the pair of girls. It floated onto the table, and Gretinal raised her hand to the ball, activating the contents within. She seemed to struggle, although she did say, as Philia noticed, "I'm use to doing this with two hands."
The crystal ball suddenly glowed, and revealed something to both her and Philia. The latter watched as it showed an area surrounded by clouds, with a marble floor. Someone was walking along it until it stopped to reveal something pop out and look about. It was a Shadow, but something was different. The claws and arms were covered in a dark metal. It turned to the screen, and lunged forward, and the screen went blank.
"Before you ask, this was recorded by a friend of mine, and she is okay." She assured Philia, putting the crystal ball away, "But as you can see, that Shadow Heartless was different to the normal. Don't you agree?"
"Yeah..." Philia agreed, "That Heartless had a sort of mechanical enhancement to its arms. But, I've never seen that done before. I wonder if Ansem did something like this, too?" She thought back to Ansem's Reports, which she vaguely remembered, but didn't remember anything like that.
"There are recordings of other Heartless with these enhancements in other worlds, as well." Gretinal explained, "We searched the worlds, but found no source as to where they came from. We came to the conclusion that someone from a different world is sending the Heartless out. We can be sure they are from this dimension. The question is, where are they at?"
"So you want me to go search for the person behind these new Heartless?" Philia asked.
Gretinal nodded in response to this. "Normally, I would go and confront an issue like this myself. However, with the new threat that is taking place, and my injury as it is, I'm afraid my reach is stretched thin as it is. So I require your assistance in this matter."
"I get it. But, what about this other threat you keep talking about? What is it anyway?" Philia asked.
"Let's just say an action made by the Organization resulted in the birth of an enemy very similar to Ansem, and brought in a threat that had not been seen for over ten years, called the Unversed."
"Unversed?" Philia echoed.
"Yes. Instead of being born from darkness, Unversed are born of negative emotions." Gretinal explained, "I pray you won't encounter them, but I believe you might, with how things are going. But never fear, as I am sure Sora and his companions will focus on the threat."
"Yeah..." Philia answered, looking a bit worried, before closing her eyes, recalling the times with Sora she had in her first adventure with him. She smiled as she noted, "I'm not worried. If Sora's still the same boy I remember, he will overcome it, and defeat this new threat. Donald, Goofy, Riku, Mickey, and all their new friends, as well. I have faith in them."
"I'm happy you have faith in them." Gretinal told her, standing up again, "Now, let's get you ready for the adventure, starting with your garments."
Philia looked down her clothes. Now that she thought about it, underneath her coat, her clothes were rather worn out from the travels thus far. Not only that, but she also recalled her clothes were getting tight around parts of her body. She was still growing up, so she should've seen this one coming.
"Follow me." She told Philia, and she walked towards the left side of the room from her position, where a door was at. She opened it up, and guided Philia within.
She examined the room, seeing an assortment of clothes available, coming in all shapes and sizes. The room looked rather large to be comfortably inside the castle, but Philia just assumed this was magic at work. They made their way through to the supposed center of the room, where a changing room stood in the open space.
"Okay, time to get you set up with new garments." Gretinal told Philia, waving to the changing room, "If you wouldn't mind stepping inside. Take off your coat in there, and we'll get you started."
Philia looked a bit trepidatious, but stepped in all the same. The door to the changing room closed behind, and she took off her coat, putting it over her arm. The first thing Philia felt was magic surging around her as she looked at herself in the mirror. "What is happening?!" She called out to Gretinal.
"Never fear. I'm merely getting your body measurements." Gretinal answered, walking over to a part of the exterior of the changing room, where a blackboard was at. It suddenly glowed as a listing of measurements appeared on it. She nodded in understanding, before saying, "Very good. A pretty average build for a girl your age. Now, to find garments that work for you and your style. I'll make it sort of similar to your colors you have on."
Inside the room, Philia felt her clothes suddenly magic away on her, and she covered her chest, giving a girlish yelp as she exclaimed, "Hey, what's-?!" She suddenly felt a veil suddenly replace what she lost, like a full-body cloak, tied at the neck, covering her birthday suit. She blushed horribly as she wondered what was going to happen.
"No worries. We are placing your old clothes away in a safe area." Gretinal assured her, "Now, to have one a little more fashionable and functional." She raised her hand up, and the clothes in the large room started to come off their hangers, circling around her and the dressing room, mixing and matching different attire pairings.
"Are there any recommendations?" Gretinal asked Philia in the box room.
"Um, well, something that won't get in the way of my treasure hunting capabilities." Philia stated, "Also, I wanna make sure I can carry my things close at hand. Oh, and is there any way of mixing my coat in my new attire in some way?"
"Right. Form-fitting, easy to move in, a carrying case to go with it, use the cloak, but I will add a little flare." Gretinal listed down, continuing to circulate through the attire, removing the frilly attires as she did so. She summoned out the Organization's cloak, examining it with a look of concern, before magically disassembling it, trying to make it work with the clothing. It took some time, but she stopped at one setup, smiling as she stated, "Ah, here we go. This will do just fine." She made the clothes shine, and the vanish.
Inside the dressing room, Philia felt the veil float upwards as her body glowed, and the clothes Gretinal picked shined brightly as they magicked themselves onto her body. Her attire now consisted of a blue and white sleeveless, form-fitting top with black lining from the Organization cloak, showing her belly button, held up in the front by a metal triangular piece on her black and white-lined collar. She had black and white-trimmed shorts, with a brown leather belt and a silver buckle, and a blue and white-trimmed waist cape that almost reached her knees. It had a silver heart and crown symbol on the back. She wore black thigh-high boots with silver and white lining and white soles, and blue stockings underneath, and a leather band on her left thigh, with a satchel attached to it. Her arms were adorned with black detached sleeves and fingerless gloves, with blue and yellow neon lining and metal pieces on her backhands.
'Insert Sora's Theme 'Project Destati: LIGHT'.'
The veil vanished from her body, as she looked down her body, examining her new look. The door opened up as Gretinal appeared, smiling as she asked, "Well, is that suitable for you?"
Philia stepped out, getting a feel of the movement behind the attire, before answering, "This is really nice. I don't feel constricted by it. And I do look very good in it."
"I'm glad you like it." Gretinal answered, "Now, those garments come with many sorts of magical properties, alongside your Keydagger. For example, it gives you better focus with your Soul Burst."
"It does?" Philia asked.
"Yes. And speaking of which..." she raised her hand and snapped her finger. Suddenly a glowing ball of light appeared before Philia. She looked to the orb in surprise, as Gretinal explained, "This is a Soul Pact. It contains a replicated soul of another, allowing you to harness the power of those with great strength and heart in the form of Soul Burst. Take it, and you'll see."
Philia nodded in understanding, and raised her hand to the Soul Pact, and she absorbed its power. She felt the surge of energy from the Soul Pact she absorbed, and in her mind, saw the brief glimpse of a young boy with medium-length blonde hair, a lanky figure, and a tail. Suddenly, a feeling came over her as she raised her Keydagger high, shouting, "Soul Burst: Zidane Tribal!" Her weapon shined as the image of the same monkey person appeared, doing a backflip and raising his dagger high, before his figure dove into her weapon. She released her Keydagger as it floated in front of her, before it created a mirror of itself, transforming into a double-bladed weapon. She spun the blade above her, before bringing it down, ready to fight with it.
She blinked, before staring at the weapon, asking, "Is this...another Soul Burst like the one I have with Sora?"
"Correct. I managed to find this one recently." Gretinal explained, "Perhaps you would be best to utilize its power."
"It's totally different from Sora's power." Philia argued.
"Yes, but a versatile arsenal can help you overcome a myriad of obstacles." Gretinal explained, "And speaking of which, there are a couple more things to give you before I send you on your way. Follow me back to my office." She walked with Philia, who dismissed her Soul Burst, and followed suit. She had other times to test out this new Soul Burst.
Once they returned to the office, Philia started, "You know, I feel like you are giving me way too many powerups. Is it okay for me to get so much?"
"It is necessary, as you will be going on a very dangerous adventure on your own, right now." Gretinal answered, "Although, that doesn't mean you will be completely alone. I will give you some allies, as well as someone to write about your adventures."
"You mean, someone like Jiminy?" Philia asked.
"Yes. And I am sure you are familiar with this one. She ended up stumbling into this dimension by complete accident, much like you." She dug into one of the drawers, and pulled out a small whistle. She took a small breath, and blew into it. Philia could not hear anything from the whistle, but felt it was specifically targeting someone. Suddenly, the entrance door to the office opened a crack, and in came in a glittering light. It flew past Philia, who saw what was within the light for a brief moment, and was stunned. She landed on Gretinal's desk, and the light lessened to reveal the green-dressed pixie that was a dear friend of Philia's for a long time. It was none other than Tinker Bell.
"Did you really have to summon me with the pixie whistle?" she questioned, digging a finger in her ear.
"Tinker Bell!" Philia gasped, getting her attention, "Wha- How did you get here?!"
Tinker Bell turned to Philia, flying up to her, looking at her face with curiosity, before asking, "You... you look familiar to me." Philia's eyes flashed, before realizing that this was the first time that she ended up encountering someone she was very familiar with, and they forgot her. This was the result of Naminé and her powers.
"Tinker Bell told me that a man in black clothing ended up opening a corridor to this dimension from her world, and she ended up following the person out of her own curiosity." Gretinal explained, "After a bit of traveling, she wound up here. I have been taking care of her since then. I even used magic so she could be understood by me, my teachers, and my students."
"I see..." Philia understood, looking to Tink. If she did forget her, then she had to start anew with her. "Well, it's nice to meet you. I'm Philia." she greeted, a look of sadness over her face.
"And I am Tinker Bell, but you already knew that." the pixie answered, "But how did you know?"
"Oh, well..." Philia started, looking very hesitant for a moment, before she replied, "You and I use to be friends...when we were traveling together with Sora, Donald and Goofy."
"Sora, Donald and Goofy?" Tink echoed, "I do remember them well. I was on their travels after we stopped Hook, and I got really annoyed by Peter being so affectionate towards Wendy." She got annoyed by the thought of it.
Philia recalled that memory, and giggled as she stated, "Yeah, and it was right after you and I grew accustomed to each other. You thought I was interested in Peter Pan when I was not. My feelings were to Sora. You didn't even understand the friendly rivalry Kairi and I had for winning his affection."
Tink paused as she pondered on this, before saying, "It's strange. I don't remember this, but I feel like it should be the truth. But why...?"
"Let me change that." Gretinal spoke up, "Philia, Tinker Bell, do me a favor, and place your hands together."
"Why? What do you plan on doing?" Philia asked.
"I'm going to help reform the bond you and Tinker Bell had before Naminé put the memories to sleep." Gretinal explained, "While I cannot alter what she did to Sora, I can still transfer the memories you had of your time together over to her, which will reawaken her memories of you. So put your hands together, and Philia, recall all the memories you can of you and her."
Philia nodded in understanding, looking to Tink, and raising her palm in front of her. Tink looked suspiciously at it, before deciding to follow through and place one of her hands onto Philia's. The treasure hunter closed her eyes as Gretinal raised her Keyblade, and a small sparkle of light appeared from it. Instantly, both Philia and Tink began to glow. While Philia recalled all the memories she had of her time with Tink, the little pixie gasped as she was suddenly fed these same memories, from the day they met on Hook's ship, to the time in Hollow Bastion, to the formed rivalry between Philia and Kairi, all the way to the final battle with Ansem, and when they parted. These strong memories started to reawaken the smaller ones, until finally, Tink recalled it all.
"Philia!" Tink gasped, flying up to her face, "My memories...they've returned! How did I forget all that?!"
"I'm so glad you remembered me, Tink." Philia replied, so happy that he started to shed tears. She started to wipe them away, even though they continuously fell. "Sorry." She apologized in a sniffle, "It's just, it's nice that someone I hold dear actually remember me again. I had to put the memories of me in Sora's memories to sleep, which caused everyone I knew to forget me."
Gretinal remained quiet as Philia continued to sob. Tink, looking at her sadly, flew to her forehead, and patted her head. "I really don't get it all, but it feels like you had to leave your happy thoughts behind for a while." she assumed, "Don't worry, Philia. I'm here to help you be happy again." Philia finally dried her tears, nodding in relief.
"As I said before, Tinker Bell will be your journal maker, like Jiminy did." Gretinal explained, pulling out a small box. She opened them up, to reveal a collection of rolls of parchment paper, with a tiny part containing a quill and ink, "I'm giving this to you so you can record your adventure for me. Are you willing to do that, Tinker Bell?"
"Writing the stories of my best friend and me? I can do that!" Tink answered as Philia took the small box, and placed it in her satchel on her leg carefully, "When I am able to get back home to Neverland, I can't wait to show Peter the stories about our adventures together!"
"Yeah. He would be extremely jealous." Philia noted, causing the two girls to giggle.
"I'd hate to interrupt this moment..." Gretinal intervened, causing the pair to stop talking and look to her, "...but I did tell you I was gonna give you allies. Or did you forget that?"
"Oh, right. You did say that." Philia remembered, as Tinker Bell sat on her shoulder, "But what allies are you talking about besides Tink?"
"Summons, of course." Gretinal answered, rummaging through the drawer where she pulled Tink's journal supplies, before pulling out three medallions, placing them in front of her. One had a picture of Tinker Bell on it, with sparkles around her. The second had a picture of a racoon-like face on it, with a cane with a hooked end to it. The third had the picture of a sniper rifle.
"These are for summons?" Philia asked, taking the three medallions, holding them in between her fingers, "And one of them has Tink's picture on it!"
"While Tinker Bell is with you, she is not able to use the full potential of her power." Gretinal explained, "At the very best, she could give you a brief boost to your aerial abilities. With this, you can temporarily access her full power."
"That sounds useful." Philia noted, holding the pixie's medal in her other hand, showing it to Tink, who looked intrigued and excited. She then looked to the other pair, and asked, "What about these other two?"
"They summon two different allies. Let's have them introduced to you. I'll summon one, and you summon the other." Gretinal walked around her desk, and Philia decided to hand over the racoon-faced medallion. "Feel the connection with the medal, and the name of the summon will come to you." Gretinal informed her.
"Got it." Philia replied, focusing on the medallion she had, before getting the name produced to her mind.
"Summon: Sly Cooper!" Gretinal declared, raising the medal high.
"Summon: Sinon!" Philia called out, raising her medal high. Both medallions surged with magic, blinding the pair.
Gretinal stood in the streets of Paris, France, at knight, as she looked to see someone fly down on a glider. The character using it was a humanoid racoon with grey and black-striped fur, a black mask, and brown eyes. He wore a blue elbow-sleeved shirt with a yellow collar, a belt with the racoon symbol on it, blue boots, blue gloves with yellow cuffs, and a blue cap. He also wore a brown satchel on his left leg, and a backpack on his back.
He landed on the ground, the glider folding into his backpack, and he summoned a brown staffed cane with a large golden hook on the end. He twirled it around, before stabbing it into the ground, and tilting his hat to Gretinal, who bowed back to him.
On the other end, Philia was in the middle of a desert-like environment, with an abandoned, broken down building behind her. She looked around before seeing a large scorpion approach. She prepared to attack when she sensed someone dive from the building above, and saw a girl with short, neon-light blue hair, with her side bangs tied by black metal pieces, and eyes that matched her hair. She wore a green, black, and white jacket over a black and white attire, black short shorts underneath her green pants that acted like leather armor, a black belt with a gold buckle, black combat boots, and a white muffler over her neck. She also carried a jet black sniper rifle.
She saw the girl look through the scope as she fell, aiming at the scorpion, before pulling the trigger, and shooting it in the back, destroying it in a sparkle of digital data, before rolling along the ground as she landed, before coming to a halt in a crouched position. She stood up next to Philia as she raised a fist to her, smiling. Philia smiled as she fist-bumped her, before they took a stance together to fight
Back in Gretinal's office, the two summoned allies looked around, wondering what happened. "Okay, this isn't where I expected." the racoon named Sly Cooper muttered.
"What...where am I?" the girl named Sinon asked. She looked down herself, asking, "Wait, why am I in my GGO avatar?"
"GGO?" Philia echoed.
"Hello and welcome, my friends." the Keyblade Master greeted the two, "I am Mistress Gretinal, and I have called upon the two of you to be summoned allies for this young lady when she needs it."
"Summoned allies?" Sinon asked, "Wait, is it like what happened with Yui? I didn't ask for that!"
"Yui?" Philia echoed, feeling like she is familiar with summons.
"Neither did I. What's the catch?" Sly asked, folding his arms while still holding his cane.
"Just that she can only summon you when needed, to protect her from harm, and to aid her when your unique talents are necessary." Gretinal informed.
The two looked to Philia and Tink, the former waving her hand innocently at them. "My name is Philia. I'm a treasure huntress. It's nice to meet you. I hope we can be good friends and allies."
"And I'm Tinker Bell. I'm her best friend." the pixie added.
"Treasure huntress, huh?" Sly asked, tilting his cap, and giving a smirk, "Well, I can't say no to a young lady, especially in a profession like that. The name's Sly. Sly Cooper. I'm a thief."
"A thief?" Philia echoed, both her, Tink, and Sinon looking to him with concern, "Exactly what kind of thief are you?"
"Just one who steals from other criminals." Sly assured her, "Me and my gang make sure other thieves don't get what they want."
Philia gave a sigh of relief, and said, "Well, I can be at ease knowing you are a good kind of thief." She then looked to Sinon, asking, "And what about you? What's your story?"
"I'm just a normal girl going to school in my world." Sinon noted, "But I guess, in this attire, I should explain that this is my avatar in a game called Gun Gale Online."
"An avatar?" Philia echoed, "And another game that ends with the word 'Online'. Tell me, have you heard of a game called 'Sword Art Online'?"
Sinon's eyes lit up in shock as she answered, "Of course I have! I have friends who survived that game! But how do you know it?!"
"Because according to someone I know, I was originally from that game." Philia explained, "But...I can't remember much of my past. And I am trying to get home."
"Which you have no idea how to bring her home, do you?" Gretinal stepped in, "But I can let you know that she is connected to those who are allies of Sora and his friends."
"You are familiar with Sora?" Sinon asked. Before she could get an answer, she started to glow, as did Sly.
"I guess times up for now." Gretinal noticed.
"Then I guess I'll be seeing you." Sly stated, looking to Philia, "If you need the aid of the Cooper Gang, let me know."
"Wait, I still have more questions!" Philia exclaimed, looking to Sinon.
"Maybe next time." Sinon answered, "Mind you, I don't like to be pestered so much, so only call me when you need me."
"Right. Maybe after the next fight I need you in, we can talk for a moment." Philia answered. Sinon nodded in agreement, and with that, Sly and Sinon vanished, leaving their medals remaining.
"They seem like a lively bunch." Tink noted.
"Yeah. And one of them is from the same world as me." Philia noted, looking to Gretinal, "But, how did she end up becoming a summon?"
"She wanted to be helpful to stop the threat her friends were fighting against. It was her heart and spirit that ended up forging a contract so she could be a summon."
"That's incredible." Philia noted, looking at the sniper rifle medallion. She decided to name them the 'Pixie Charm' for Tink, 'Thief Charm' for Sly, and 'Sniper Charm' for Sinon's.
"Now, you have all the necessary powers you need to start your adventure." Gretinal told her, walking past her as she walked to the door, "Now the next thing you need is a transport to worlds."
"Right. Since my Star Shard no longer works." Philia noted, pulling out the Star Shard.
"The power is still in there, but it is unable to release it properly." Gretinal noted, walking to the entrance door, "But with some modifications to my vessel, you should be able to utilize it."
"Vessel?" Philia echoed, "You mean like a Gummi Ship?"
"Exactly. Follow me." she told Philia, and they left the office.
Moments later, they arrived around the back of the school, where there was a large platform for ships to be on. In the center of it, there was a circular door on the floor that opened up, as a platform was lifted up from down below, bringing with it a new Gummi Ship. It was slightly bulky, but a bit sleeker and longer than the Gummi Ship she was use to, looking more like a jet than a spaceship. It was mostly violet, with pink and black mixed into it, with a white dome roof for the pilot deck.
Philia and Tinker Bell vocalized their awe at the sight of it, while Gretinal walked forward, before stopping and waving a hand to it, saying, "This is one of my prized vessels; the Heartiel. It is for you to use."
"Are you serious?!" Philia questioned, "This is for us?!"
"Yes. As we came here, I called to my friends to modify it. Come on inside." They leapt onto the Gummi Ship, which opened up its dome roof, and they entered in. The interior was very similar to Sora and the boys' Gummi Ship. However, in the center of the room, Philia noticed there was a machine with a glass capsule top, showing a space big enough for Philia to place the Star Shard in.
"If you place the Star Shard into this device, it will become the automatic navigation system for you." Gretinal explained, "Like it was before, it will automatically take you to a random world based on where it wants to go. When you arrive, contact me, and I will give you a brief explanation of that world. After that, channel your magic into the Shard, and it will descend you down to the world."
"So what am I suppose to do when I get to the worlds?" Philia asked, "They are completely random, after all."
"With the device, this Star Shard is able to detect whether a world needs your assistance, and will take you to those destinations. Once those have been resolve, it will automatically take you back to the Heartiel. Your mission is resolve those world, while trying to find the discovery of where the modified Heartless come from. Keep your eyes, ears, and your heart out for clues."
"Of course." Philia replied.
"Good. Now, before you place the Star Shard in place, I'll give you a tour of the place..." For the next few minutes, Gretinal showed her the stations of the main deck, where to find all necessary locations, including a room that was magically able to switch between rooms, from a training hall, to a kitchen, a resting area, a changing room, a bathroom with a bathing station, and even a dance studio. Why she would use the latter one, Philia didn't know, but Gretinal said that it might come in handy.
Once they were done with the tour, they stood back on the main deck again. "Okay, you are all set to go." Gretinal told Philia.
"Thank you, Mistress Gretinal." Philia thanked her, "You are giving me so much, that I almost feel nervous on how much confidence you have in me."
"Philia, I am one who is able to see the potential people have, and I see you have great potential." Gretinal explained with a smile, "I just think you need to strengthen your heart once more. This journey, this challenge, will help define you, as well as help you grow up to become a stronger person than ever before. And you will be helping your friends beyond, and the rest of the dimension by accomplishing this task."
"Once again, I'm getting a lot of pressure from you saying this." Philia muttered.
"Yeah, stop doing that to her!" Tink defended.
"Then don't listen to me as much. Instead, listen to this..." she pointed down at Philia's heart, who touched the spot she was indicating. Gretinal placed a hand over her heart as she quoted, "May your heart be your guiding key. It's a saying the Keyblade Masters of old would say. Basically, you must do what your heart believes is right."
"May your heart be your guiding key." Philia echoed, closing her eyes. She then opened them as she smiled and replied, "Right. I'll do just that, Mistress Gretinal."
"Very good. Now, it's time to take off." She told Philia, leaping out of the ship, landing a good distance away, turning to watch her ship.
"So, we just place the Star Shard in here?" Tinker Bell asked.
"Yep. And it will take us to our next destination." Philia recalled, opening up the capsule, and placing the Star Shard in. The shard started to glow once the capsule closed up, and it floated slightly as the Heartiel whirred and started up on them, the dome roof closing down on top of them. Philia took a seat at the main station, with Tink resting on her shoulder, already pulling out the scroll and pen.
'Insert 'Hand in Hand' Reprise Kingdom Hearts OST)
"Now begins our new adventure!" Tink declared, pointing a pen forward.
"Yep. A new mission, but new memories to gain." Philia stated, "And hopefully, it will lead me back home." The two girls looked determined as the Heartiel turned to the sky, before the rockets ignited, and they shot off into the open space, leaving Gretinal watching them leave.
(Insert 'Catch the Moment' Amalee cover)
Music intro
(In the darkness, gold coins started to fall into a black darkness, with the words 'A story that takes place during Sword Art Kingdom II: Dimensional Bonds', followed by a blue Star Shard light that bounced about the falling screen, before hitting the center of the screen, and with a burst of light, the reveal the title.)
I sigh, saying that I'm fine with every breath of mine
This regret, it leaves another bitter taste, Yeah
(SAK: Heart's Origin Philia started off walking along a path of light in the darkness, the memories of her first adventure showing, her expression going from happy to painful, before stopping as she stops in front of the capsule of the sleeping Sora, before turning as tears fell from her, and she instantly donned the Organization's cloak.)
Why does the sun shine but only when I slip and make a new mistake?
'Cause I hate the feeling it's all a waste
(Philia is running along that path of light, as the many people of her past started to fade away, not remembering about her, with only Riku, Mickey, Naminé, DiZ, and Kairi the remaining people watching her run away. She suddenly found herself on the dirt path of the open grasslands, reaching the crossroad.)
If I could cut away my fate with this blade
I would if that'd let me re-start
But something tells me if that happened
I might not see you there
(Philia turns to one path, where Riku and Mickey in black coats were walking away from, before looking the other way, seeing PHox standing there, before looking behind to see DiZ and Naminé behind her. She looked down to the ground, thinking what the best path is, before Tinker Bell appears, flying in her face, and waving her to the path straight ahead, where Gretinal is standing. Philia smiles as she races towards her, she points to the path ahead as Philia takes off her Organization coat, unveiling her new attire.)
I'm only held by the limit inside my soul
The voice in my heart
I trust it will break the mold that it holds
(Philia summons her Keydagger, and starts slashing and casting magic onto the standard and Cyber Heartless that got in her way. She unleashed Soul Burst: Sora, her dagger becoming the Kingdom Key Keyblade, which she threw in a Strike Raid, before tossing up three Summon Charms, which shines to reveal Sly, Sinon, and Tinker Bell in front, her hands held up high)
It will never end;
(The darkened appearance of Maleficent, Pete, Heartless Oberon and Vanitas appear.)
May it never end
(Dr. Tenma and the hooded Tears stand together, with Cyber Heartless and hidden allies behind them appear.)
No matter what's in store
(PHox appears, with fifteen more shadows behind him, as he pulled out his butcher knife weapon, and spun around, swinging it with blood red energy that unveiled his maniacally-enjoying face.)
We must be faster 'cause right now there's no more time
I fear at this rate, the world will leave us behind - And so I
(Philia runs along a starlit path, with the images of Sora, Donald, Goofy, Riku, Mickey, Kirito, Asuna, Yui, Leafa, Recon, and Kairi passing by her, their smiling faces appearing as she passed them, followed by any characters she met since coming to the new dimension, with the rest in black outlines.)
Wonder how long I have left with you, in this life?
There's not a minute we should waste
Catch the moment
(In a dark, rocky environment, Philia and the hooded Tears fought one another in a powerful battle, with Tears striking her back with her greatsword, only for Philia to skid to a halt, before launching back and unleashing an Armor Pierce Dagger Skill that sent Tears flying away. However, she flipped in the air, and landed on a gigantic, shadowed monster, who roared down at Philia, causing her to brace herself.)
So will you seize today with me?
Because it's fleeting, like a dream
Catch the moment
(Philia tightened her grip on her Keydagger as she glared up at the monster, before leaping at the monster, her body glowing a white hue, as her weapon shined brightly, and she brough it down at the head of the monster. Upon the strike, the scene shifts to the black atmosphere with the falling gold coins, shifting from a top-down view to a face forward view of it falling into a treasure chest with a gold heart emblem on the front, before revealing Philia closing the lid of it, embracing it in her arms, holding it close to her heart, before the heart shine, blinding the scene.)
Next Time on Sword Art Kingdom: Treasured Memories
Dancing Blossom Machine Guns!