Chapter 2
The Gummi ship set down just outside of Traverse Town's first district. The loading ramp extended, allowing a sleepy Goofy, and an irritated Donald access to the world's surface.
"So, we gotta find Leon, right?" Goofy asked through a yawn, as Pluto shot past them, scratching at the large doors in front of the pair.
"Apparently." Donald replied, stretching his wings.
"C'mon. Let's get to it. The sooner we find this dope, the better." He quacked, as he and Goofy opened the huge doors inside the town. Pluto shot in, and immediately began exploring with his nose, tail wagging high in the air.
"Hm, guess we got here after dinner time." Goofy said aloud. The two strolled through the quiet, dimly lit city. The streets were relatively empty, and, walking between two wildly shaped lamp posts, they made their way up the small flight of stairs, coming face to face with a brightly lit store. To the left, a dark alleyway and to the right, a second set of stairs, heading further up into Traverse Town. Pluto headed for the alleyway.
"Where's that key?" Donald groaned.
Goofy, noticing that Pluto seemed to have a scent on his nose spoke up.
"Uh, maybe we should--"
"Aw, what do you know, you big palooka?"
Goofy thought, before speaking.
"What do I know? Hmmm..."
A large neon sign out front read,
"ACCESSORIES SHOP!"
Goofy smiled up at the sign.
"Maybe we should ask around inside?"
"No! We can find him on our own." Donald steamed.
"Well maybe Pluto can help find 'im."
"Whatever." Donald muttered.
"Wak!?" Donald quacked, looking up into the starry night.
"Oh no! A star's goin' out!" Goofy cried. The two watched on in horror as yet another world blinked from existence in a firey blaze of glory.
"We better hurry!" Donald said, before heading in the direction of a second set of stone stairs.
"C'mon Pluto!" Goofy ordered, following along behind the duck mage.
Sora's eyes slowly crept open, and, much to his amazement, he was alive.
Or at least he thought he was. His body didn't feel like it, but he was pretty sure this wasn't another dream. A strange wetness seemed to be coating his face, as he began to stir slightly.
"Hmm?" He mumbled, starting to nod back off.
"Whoa!" He hollered. He was wide awake now, as a pair of heavy paws slammed into his chest. A happy looking orange hound dog looked back at him, pleased with his ability to wake the sleeping boy.
"Wha--Where am I?" Sora asked, looking around. Some way or another, he'd found himself in a dark, wet alley. A wooden fence stood to his left, whilst his back laid up against a cold and dingy brick wall. The same wall was at his front, and to his right appeared to be the only way out of this gutter. His body ached, and his mind raced, but slowly and surely, he managed to rise to his feet, his back still resting against the wall.
"Do you know where we are?" He asked the happy dog in front of him. Naturally it had no response, but suddenly, its ear raised slightly and it ran out of the alley, seemingly headed in the direction of what it had heard call it.
"Huh? Wait!" Sora called out, reaching a hand for the dog. Confused as ever, he slowly, and painfully began to walk out of the alley, only to be met with a dimly lit little city.
"Holy crap..." He mumbled. "I must be in another world..." He figured. He began looking around, before heading over to the top of a flight of stairs. Looking down them, he noticed that this city seemed to be sparsely inhabited. Two oddly shaped lamp posts stood at the base of the stairs, and a large set of wooden doors were even further back than that. A small cafe, or rather defunct cafe, was to his right and a boarded, massive wooden door to his left.
"What is this place?" He wondered aloud, before turning around. Looking up he noticed a massive neon sign.
"Accessories, huh? I'll bet you have a shop keep..." He muttered, before pushing the double doors open. Inside was much warmer, and brighter in its color scheme. A fireplace heated the shop to the right, and a large glass display wall sat at the back, only divided by a ladder, that led to the blocked off upstairs. The left was where a counter stood, and behind it was a blonde haired older man, smoking a cigarette.
"Howdy. What can I do fo-- Oh. A kid. What do you want junior?" He asked, with a thick gravely voice.
"Hey! I'm not a kid!" Sora replied.
"Sure, whatever you say squirt. Whatchu want?" Sora groaned. This guy was a pain.
"Looks gramps, I'm kind of lost. Where are we?"
"Well first off, it's Cid, not 'gramps', so learn some damn manners. Second, you ain't the first to walk in here asking where this is, kiddo. We're in Traverse Town. Lots of folks end up here, one way or another."
"Traverse Town..." Sora said softly.
"Yup." Cid responded.
"You, uh. You alright?"
"My friends!" Sora exclaimed. "Riku! Kairi! Have you seen anyone else lately, gramps? A silver haired grumpy guy, or a beau-- uh, a red headed girl?"
Cid smiled at that last bit, taking a long drag from his smoke.
"Fella ran off with your girl, huh? Well, I ain't seen anyone else new this week, outside a you, shorty."
"No, it's not like that! Just-- Nevermind! You haven't seen them, right? That doesn't mean they're not here, though." Sora reasoned.
"Well sure. Lots of shops around. I tell ya what. You take a look around town, and I'll keep an eye and ear out for your friends."
"Okay, sounds good."
"And kid?"
"That's Sora."
"Look, you need anything else, just come on back here. I'll help how I can." Cid said sincerely.
"Thanks gramps..." Sora said through a smile. It felt nice to experience some compassion, and kindness in this strange new world. Sora walked out, closing the door as he did.
"Damn teenagers..." Cid said through a sigh, putting out his cigarette as he did. He pulled the pack from his headband, beginning to light up another one. Sora meanwhile, ran a hand through his spiky hair, and turned to his left. He was a bit overwhelmed at the moment, but he had to start somewhere. He had scanned the lower section earlier, so he figured why not head higher.
Taking the stairs to his left, he began his meticulous search. Checking a large dead end to his right at the top of the stairs, it was clear there was no one there. Yet another set of wider, but shorter stairs brought him upward to what looked like an old rundown outdoor market stall. Nobody had sold from this place in a long time. It was becoming patently obvious to Sora that finding anyone in this town would prove to be difficult, let alone his two best friends. He noticed he'd only explored part of the city however, as to his right there was yet another set of massive wooden doors. Pushing with all his weight, he shoved the right door open a touch, and slipped into the crack, passing into the second district of Traverse Town.
Upon entering, he was met by a man who'd fallen down, apparently running from something.
"Huh?" Sora said aloud.
"Oh, are you okay? Let me help you u--" He was interrupted however, as the man was enveloped by a shadow. No, not the same shadows exactly as on Destiny Islands, but Sora knew from the dead yellow eyes that glowed underneath its knight like helmet, that this creature was the same as the others. His blade suddenly appeared in his hand and with a swift downward slash, the monster dissipated, like those before. Sadly however, the man was also gone.
"Oh no..." Sora sighed. "They're here too..." He didn't like the looks of these things, especially after watching what it had done to that poor guy. His weapon vanished from his grip, and Sora knew he didn't have any time to waste now. Those things could be after Riku!
Or Kairi.
That thought bothered him, on a deep level. With new found determination, his body's aches and pains seemed to lessen and ease. He surveyed the area. Still, a practical ghost town, the second district was larger at least. Shops lined the right wall of the elevated platform he stood on, whilst a hotel of some sorts occupied the left. Down below looked like a paved over courtyard, with a fountain that had wrought-iron accoutrements adorning it. At the far end was a large bell tower, and several alleyways peppered the many brick walls.
Traverse Town seemed as if it had the potential to be, or even had been at one time, a bustling hub of commerce and trade. A place full of life, instead of a cool, still night air that emanated a sense of dread and even death.
"This could take a while..." Sora said softly. It didn't matter though. He had to find them. No matter how long it took.
"This could take a while..." Goofy said, as Donald and he exited what was apparently known as the Gizmo shop, to the locals.
"Leon! Hello! We're looking for you!" Donald hollered. This wasn't the most effective way to find someone, but once Donald had it set in his mind that he didn't need any help, there was no convincing him otherwise and Goofy knew that.
"Leeeeoooonnn!" Goofy hollered out, before glancing down.
"How 'bout that door down there?"
"At the bottom? Why not?" Donald quacked, as they headed for a wooden door to the right of the ornate fountain. A short walk led them there, after having jumped down from the high platform that was the exit of the Gizmo Shop, which, looked to be a bell tower to a tourist. Unbeknownst to them, someone very important had just entered the Second District, right above them.
Sora had checked every nook and cranny of this damned town. If Riku and Kairi were here, they weren't any longer. Defeated, he headed back to the Accessory Shop, in the first district. He'd run into a few more of these God forsaken shadow demons, but this new found weapon had proved to be their Achilles heel. When he swung it, it was as light as a feather, but carried with it a strength that made these beings seem as if they stood no chance. A few managed to jump out of the way, but if even a bit of the blade connected with them, they vanished into thin air. Pushing the door open, he saw Cid, checking his stocks, whilst puffing away at another smoke.
"Howdy. How can I hel-- Oh, it's you. How'd you make out? Managed to find your friends?" He asked.
"I looked everywhere. I don't think they're here..." Sora mumbled.
"Sorry kid. Look, there's a hotel in the Second District." Cid began.
"I already checked."
"No, look." He pulled out a bag of munny, and laid it on the counter.
"Take this. Getcha a good night's sleep, and take another crack at it tomorrow. You look beat." Cid grumbled.
"I..." Sora sighed. Maybe gramps wasn't so bad.
"Thank you." He muttered, before taking the bag cautiously, and heading for the door. Opening it, he left, and Cid was left alone again.
"Goddamn kid. What the hell am I gonna do with you..." He groaned.
Outside, Sora pocketed the munny, and felt a tingling sensation in his right hand. It had become familiar at this point. A moment later, one of the knight shadow monsters materialized before him, but before Sora was able to end it himself, it vanished on its own, albeit minus the glowing heart drifting toward the sky, afterward.
"They'll never stop chasing you, you know."
Sora turned. Before him, on the stairs stood a tall man, with brown hair and a scar carved into his face. He wore black leather pants, and a matching jacket, with a white tee-shirt underneath. He certainly looked intimidating, but the most alarming thing about him, was the weapon he wielded. What appeared to be a sword, if one just looked at the blade, it had a large revolver chamber at the base of the blade and its handle was shaped like that of a firearm. The man had it slung over his shoulder, a projectile from it clearly the demise of that monster.
"So long as you wield the Keyblade."
"What? Wh--Who're you?" Sora asked. Physical and mental exhaustion had begun to set in, but Sora didn't trust this guy just yet.
"But why? Why would it choose a kid like you?" He asked, ignoring Sora, seemingly.
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean!?"
The man sighed. "Never mind. Now, let's see that Keyblade."
"Ha!" Sora said, jumping back.
"Fat chance! There's no way you're gettin' this!" Gripping his weapon tighter, the man groaned.
"All right then. Have it your way." He leapt into the air, suddenly and came crashing down toward Sora. His adrenaline keeping him going at this point, Sora rolled out of the way, and swung where the man had landed. The stranger hadn't anticipated he'd be so quick, and barely had time to throw up a block. Thankfully for him, however, Sora was weak right now and the swing wasn't very strong. He shoved forward, knocking the boy backward.
"Had enough?"
"You wish." Sora moaned, before rolling backward and standing, ready for more.
"Good. I hate quitters." The leather clad stranger cocked the hammer on his gunblade and aimed it at the island boy. A large flame ball fired out of the tip. Sora's reaction time wasn't what it was usually, but the flame ball was moving pretty slowly. With a well timed swing, the Keyblade sent it careening back at the attacker. He had to jump out of the way and watched as his projectile dissipated. That moment of distraction was all Sora needed, as he placed a well positioned swing at the man's knee. Crippled for a second, the stranger groaned, before blocking Sora's downward swing. With another exertion of overwhelming strength he pushed the boy back and did his best to clamber back to his feet.
"Yeah, not-- not so tough now, hu... huh?" Sora asked, backing up clearly wobbly and dizzy. The exhaustion was taking hold. The mystery man stood, running a hand through his hair.
"Oh yeah? You-- You want some m-more?" Sora asked, before he started seeing white spots. His body couldn't go any further. He'd been too long without a meal, sleep, or even something to drink.
"C'mon then, let's, let's..." Sora fell backward, collapsing, fortunately not hitting his head too hard, or falling down the stairs.
"Damn, you're losing your touch Squall." A young feminine voice noted.
"That's Leon. And I went easy on him."
Wandering along the alleyway that housed a large ground aqueduct, Donald and Goofy searched aimlessly.
"Helloooo! Can anyone lead us to Leon?" Goofy asked loudly.
"Not that we don't know where he is, already!" Donald cried out, equally as loudly.
"But uh, Donald, we don't--"
"I know that! Just don't want to look like a couple of rubes do w--"
"Hello? Is someone down there?" A sweet and calming voice asked.
"Wak!?" Donald quacked.
"Uh, yes ma'am. I'm Goofy, and that there's Donald. We've been sen--"
"Wait, who are you?" Donald interrupted.
"Someone that can help I think. Please, come up into the hotel. I'm in the Red Room." The woman replied.
"Gawrsh, a break!" Goofy guffawed.
"Maybe..." Donald grumbled as the two made their way back outside of the alleyway and up to the hotel. Walking through the front door, finding the aforementioned red room was easy, as all the doors were color coded. With a light knock, the door opened and a tall woman with bright green eyes and brown hair answered the door. She was wearing a green, ankle length dress and combat boots.
"Please, come in." She offered, as the pair accepted.
"My name is Aerith. It's nice to meet you Goofy, Donald." The room was elegantly designed, with gold trim along the bright red decorations that gave the room its namesake.
"Shucks, the pleasure is all ours, Miss Aerith." Goofy smiled.
Aerith took a seat on the bed.
"Your king sent you, right?"
"Right. How'd you know about--" Donald began.
"You know there are many worlds out there, beside your own and this one, right?" Aerith asked.
"Well sure, but they're supposed to be a secret." Goofy said with his hands covering his mouth.
"Right. They've been a secret from one another, but now, they've been connected. The Heartless changed everything."
"The Heartless?" Donald asked.
"Those shadows that have been roaming around town. You haven't seen them?" She asked.
"No shadows other than our own!" Donald quacked.
"Really? They're souls who've hearts have been consumed by darkness." Aerith clarified. "Our leader, well, our former leader, dedicated his life to studying them and the inner workings of the heart..."
"Gee, do they have anything to do with these stars blinking out, one by one?" Goofy asked.
"You mean worlds?"
Goofy and Donald shared a look. Clearly this Aerith was very aware of the urgency of the situation.
Sora stirred slightly, rubbing his eyes.
"C'mon you lazy bum! Wake up!" Sora heard the delightfully sweet familiarity of a voice. Her voice. It was like music to his ears, even when being teased.
"Huh...?" Sora groaned, through a smile, as he leaned up from a soft bed. He was inside now, where it was warm and dry, though where exactly he was, he didn't know. It didn't matter though. Once he heard her voice and now, through slow, hazy blinks, saw her face, he knew, everything was going to be alright.
"Kairi! I'm so glad you're okay..." He said softly, looking into her dark brown eyes. Her raven black hair framed her face so we--
'Wait a minute! Kairi's eyes are blue, and her hair is red! This isn't--'
"Kairi?" A feminine voice answered back that Sora was, evidently, not familiar with.
"I'm the great ninja Yuffie!" It all became clear to Sora. He was just hearing, and even seeing partially what he wanted to hear and see.
"Huh? But, wha...?" Sora sat confused, as the petite brunette eyed him over.
"You maaaay have over done it Squall." She said to the mystery man from earlier.
"That's Leon. And he'll be fine." Sora began to truly wake up now, finding himself in a room that was green in color, and filled with a pair of strangers, one more familiar than the other. A set of windows were behind him, with a balcony. Was he in the hotel?
"The Heartless. They're the creatures that keep attacking you. It's the Keyblade. Turns out that's how they're tracking you." Yuffie said to the stunned Sora.
"The Keyblade...?" Sora said softly, looking over at his weapon propped against the wall.
"That's right." Leon said, grabbing the Keyblade by its handle and raising it to eye level. He looked it over, before the legendary blade grew tired of a hand that didn't belong to its Master. Suddenly it vanished, and as quickly as it had, it appeared in Sora's hand.
"Whoa!" He exclaimed.
"Still hard to believe you're the chosen one..." Leon said quietly. Walking over to Sora he smirked, slightly. The kid was tough after all.
"But, I guess beggars can't be choosers."
"Why don't you start making sense, tall and sad? What's going on here?" Sora asked, irritated now. His confusion was beginning to turn into frustration. He was tired of being in the dark. Leon sighed.
"The Heartless. Our former leader, Ansem, was studying--"
"Heartless?" Sora asked.
"Those creatures that attacked you. Remember? They're souls who've had their Hearts consumed by Darkness." Yuffie clarified.
"Anyway." Leon continued. "Ansem was studying them..."
"Everything he discovered, he put down in a detailed report." Aerith continued.
"Gawrsh, uh, can we see it?" Goofy asked.
"No, it's lost. All of the pages have been scattered. To many worlds, when we lost our own." Aerith clarified.
"I'll bet the King went to find 'em!"
Aerith nodded, "Yes, my thoughts, exactly."
"Well gee, then we gotta find him! And quick!"
"Wait!" Donald quacked, finally inserting himself into the conversation.
"First, we need that 'Key'!"
"That's right. The Keyblade." Aerith smiled.
"So, this is a key, as well as a weapon?" Sora asked, looking it over.
"Yes. The Heartless have a great fear of it. That's why they'll never stop hunting you."
"Well, I didn't ask for this!" Sora cried.
"The Keyblade chooses its master, kid." Yuffie chuckled. "And it chose you."
"So tough luck." Leon said dismissively.
Sora's memory was a bit patchy. The past day and a half had been unbelievable, after all.
"How did this all happen..." He mused. "I remember I was in my room, and-- and..." Sora said quietly.
"Wait a minute! My home! What happened to my island!? Riku? Kairi..." Sora moaned sadly.
"You know what? I really don't know." Leon replied, sympathetically. He knew, all too well how Sora felt. Finally finding the strength to stand, Sora stretched his tired, and aching limbs.
"Sora, for what it's worth..." Yuffie also stood, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry." A small tear escaped Sora's eye, before Leon spoke up.
"Look on the bright side. The Keyblade is one of a kind. No one knows its limits, or even its full potential. For all we know, there's no lock it can't unlock." Sora gazed thoughtfully at it, gripping the hilt tightly.
"It's gonna be a fight for your life, from here on out. Are you ready for this?" Leon asked.
"How could I be? I don't even know what I'm suppo--" Sora was interrupted, as a knight Heartless suddenly materialized in the room.
"Leon!" Yuffie shrieked.
"Yuffie! Go find Aerith! Get somewhere safe!" Leon ordered. Yuffie didn't think twice, shoving the red door in the room open. Sora could hear another woman's voice call out to Yuffie, before Leon kicked the Heartless out of the hotel window, shattering it as he did.
"It's worse than we thought. Sora, let's go." Leon brandished his gunblade, and headed out of the broken window, with a vault. Sora followed suit, as the two landed in an alleyway, with a rill built into the ground. Back to back, the pair were surrounded by a cluster of the knight like Heartless. Leon made quick work of the one directly in front of him, with a shot from his blade. Sora, following suit, swept at two, as they moved in to double team him.
"Look, let me handle these small fry. There's gotta be a big one around town somewhere. Take care of him, and the rest will be like rats on a sinking ship." Leon spoke with authority.
"Got it!" Sora nodded, as he sliced through another attacking Heartless. He headed for the nearest door he could find, before turning, to catch a glimpse of Leon teaching these Heartless a lesson.
"Leon!" He called. Leon glanced in his direction.
"Good luck!" Sora wished, pushing open a door that led out of the alleyway. A smirk found itself on Leon's lips.
"Yuffie!" Aerith cried, as the young ninja burst through the door, much to Donald and Goofy's surprise.
"Wak!?"
"Huh!?"
"Goofy, Donald! Take the roof! It'll lead you to the Third District! There's a house there where we hide out when it gets bad! Meet us there!" Aerith ordered, as she and Yuffie fled the hotel.
"Gee, things here are pretty bad, huh?" Goofy asked, as Donald noticed the next room over had a balcony.
"Yeah! Let's get outta here!" Donald said, as the pair made their way out onto the balcony. Goofy, using a table to add to his already tall frame, helped boost Donald up onto the roof. They could hear fighting going on in the alley below, but couldn't stop to dwell on it, or help.
"C'mon Goofy! There's a passage up here! Let's go!" Donald quacked loudly. Goofy clambered up onto the roof tops, as the duo made their way, carefully, so as to not slip, fall, and break their necks, across the slick roof tiles. Sure enough, a hole had been bored into the side of one of the buildings, that, evidently led to a balcony that over looked the Third District.
A large, square area, the Third District was indeed home to a, seemingly, abandoned house, but below that was a large square, entirely paved over. A golden fountain stood in the corner, that perpetually flowed water, and was artificially lit, whilst depicting two dogs sharing what seemed to be a romantic dinner. A few alleyways led to different parts of the Third District as well, but those were irrelevant, at the moment. Looking over the balcony, Goofy paused.
"I think that must be the place, Donald!"
"Probably, but first, we gotta handle these jokers!" Donald was already gripping his staff tightly, before Goofy turned and discovered that two Heartless had appeared on the balcony. Both clad in some kind of armor that seemed familiar to Goofy, they jumped and twitched violently. Goofy didn't like the look of them, and quickly drew his shield from his back.
"On three, you go left, I go right!" Donald ordered.
"One!"
"Two!"
Goofy was confused.
"Wait, one, two, go, or one, two, three, go?"
"Huh!?" Donald asked as he inadvertently turned to look up at his tall friend. A fireball was already escaping his wand though, and coincidentally shot directly into Goofy's held up shield.
Goofy's shield was coated with a special substance that allowed him to deflect most magic, and in some cases, even cause it to fire back at the offender. Unfortunately, it didn't take friendly fire into account. The fireball colliding with the shield created a massive blast of energy, and, whilst destroying the Heartless, also sent Goofy and Donald airborne, careening toward the middle of the square below. And, on a direct collision course with a spiky, brown haired boy, wearing a red, short legged jumpsuit, and big yellow shoes.
Sora found himself in the middle of the Second District, and was completely turned around at this point. He was used to landmarks like beaches, trees, and natural landscapes. He couldn't find his way around a city, this quickly! The Heartless didn't care though. They just kept appearing, and twitching menacingly toward Sora. He took off into a full sprint, dodging some of their swings, and being forced to destroy a select few that got directly into his way. Sensing that he was close to being overwhelmed, he took a back alley, and quickly took a right. Leaping over a couple of shadows, and turning with a swing to destroy them, he continued his search for the head honcho. Thankfully, at the end of this alley, stood a door. He figured it was better than nothing, and burst through it.
Finding himself in another alley, he couldn't get pigeon holed. He knew that, so he quickly made for the alley's exit. He stumbled into a large open square, and noticed that no new Heartless had appeared. Yet. The air was deathly quiet here. That was until a great explosion sounded over head. Sora whipped around in the direction of the sound, readying his Keyblade as he did. To his surprise, he saw nothing at first, before hearing what sounded like a prospector striking gold, as two figures were flying down at him like a couple of bats out of hell.
The three groaned, before Donald and Goofy cried in unison, "The Key!", upon seeing the Keyblade directly in front of them, still being held by Sora's gloved hand.
There wasn't any time for introductions, however, as a second later, the entire district began to rumble. Just as the trio found their way to their feet, a pair of large metal shoes slammed into the concrete, seemingly sent from far above. A massive matching armor torso came second, emblazoned with a black heart that had red trim, followed by a pair of gauntlets. Finally, a head finished the form of a large version of the knight Heartless. Sora was in shock, and failed to bring the Keyblade up, after the big Heartless sent an armored claw at his head. Goofy however, jumped in front of him, holding up his shield, deflecting the arm.
"Say, you may wanna wake up, pal!" He hollered, as Sora heard a strange voice call out, "Blizzard!" Suddenly the torso was being pelted with icicles, some of them embedding themselves into the beast.
The Heartless reacted by leaping high into the air and beginning to twist into a tornado of sorts. Sora rolled out of the way, before noticing the armor was headed right back toward him. He threw up his Keyblade, attempting a parry, and was shocked to see he'd knocked the armor's gauntlets away, in a burst of green light. The feet however, slammed into the ground again, causing a massive shockwave to occur, sending the trio flying in all directions. Sora's back slammed into the gold fountain, and he was pretty sure he'd broken a rib.
Or all of them.
His breath was short, and he was in tremendous pain.
"Hold on!" He heard the white duck quack, as he ran over. The dog, meanwhile began an all out assault on the armored shoes, tossing his shield at them, and jumping and dodging their own attacks.
"Hold still." The duck muttered, angling his staff at Sora.
"Heal..." He said softly, and like something out of a story, Sora began to feel the pain fade. His ribs seemed to shift back into place, and after a few moments, he even felt a small energy boost.
"Whoa..." Sora mumbled.
"Now c'mon! Goofy needs our help!"
"Right!" Sora replied, grabbing at his Keyblade.
"Hey fellas!" Goofy cried out, slamming his shield into the second of two shoes. It blew apart as well, after he'd already finished the first, and now they had only the torso and head to deal with.
"I've got an idea! How good can you throw?" Donald asked.
"Good enough?" Sora replied.
"Let me see that Key!" Sora showed him the blade, and Donald, pointing his staff at the weapon, quacked out, "Thunder!"
A bolt of lightning shot down, onto the Keyblade, and, without electrocuting Sora, the blade was suddenly charged with electricity. Picking up what Donald was putting down, Sora angled the Keyblade at the armor, which was now positioned like a cannon, and revving up for a large attack. With a hard, and precise throw, Sora lodged the Keyblade into the 'cannon's' mouth. A moment later, the torso, and head exploded, sending green energy in all directions. The head, in a slow and devastating defeat, drifted downward, disappearing, as a massive heart drifted up, toward the sky, slowly.
"Yeah!" Sora exclaimed, high fiving his two mystery partners, before the Keyblade suddenly materialized back in his hand.
"Nice goin'!" Goofy said with a chuckle.
"Kicked its butt!" Donald quacked.
"Wait a minute..." Sora said, dismissing the Keyblade.
Wait, he could do that now?
"You guys were looking for me?" He asked.
"Uh-yup!" Goofy replied.
"These two have also been seeking the wielder of the Keyblade." Leon said, as he approached.
"Say, why don't you come with us? We can fly to other worlds, with our vessel!" Goofy suggested, with Donald nodding in agreement.
Sora looked down, thoughtfully. His islands weren't coming back. That much was obvious. He had this damn Key now, and absolutely no clue where Riku and Kairi were. At this point, what did he have to lose? Right?
"I wonder if I could find Riku, and Kairi..." He mumbled, half to himself, half to the mystery duo.
"Of course!" Donald quacked.
Goofy looked down at the duck.
"Are you sure?" He whispered to Donald, as the two turned their backs. Yuffie had said something to catch Sora's attention, giving the pair a moment to talk privately.
"Who knows? But we need him to come with us, to help find the King. Maybe the kid finds his little schoolmates, maybe he doesn't. No skin of our bill, either way."
Goofy nodded, but he didn't feel great about it. He didn't like the thought of using someone, even if it was to help the King. Still, there was a chance Sora could find his friends, and it wouldn't exactly be using Sora, if Goofy did his best to help, right?
"Sora, go with them." Leon said, looking into his eyes.
"Especially if you want to find your friends."
"Yeah, I guess..." Sora said, hanging his head. He didn't ask for any of this crap. He didn't want this Keyblade. He didn't want to go with these two. He didn't want to go galavanting around foreign worlds, or anything, if he had to do it without Riku, and especially without her. But Sora wasn't the type to just quit. To just, give up. These two needed his help, and it gave him an opportunity to look for his two closest friends.
"But you can't come along looking like that!" Donald's voice broke Sora out of his train of thought.
"No frowning. No sad faces. Okay?"
"Yeah, ya gotta look funny, like us!" Goofy laughed, before Donald shoved him back out of his way.
"That's right. This ship runs on happy faces!"
'Well, at least they're nice. And trying to cheer me up...' Sora thought.
Donald and Goofy waited on pins and needles, for Sora's happy face to appear. Mustering up his courage, Sora bowed a bit further, before tossing his head back up and managing the biggest, silliest smile he could muster.
"Cheeeeeeeessssseeeeee... uh?" He moaned, as his face grew tired, even holding this face for a few seconds. His expression was met with silence. That was until Donald and Goofy could no longer contain their laughter.
"That's one funny face!" Goofy remarked, pointing at Sora's mug, holding his sides. Donald laughed, just as hard, tears forming in his eyes.
"Okay, why not? I'll go with you guys." Sora said cheerily.
"Donald Duck!" The mage introduced himself, putting his hand up.
"Name's Goofy!" The knight followed suit. Jiminy Cricket jumped from Goofy's hat, with a small smile and proceeded to leap to Sora's shoulder. "Jiminy Cricket!"
"I'm Sora!" Sora did as well, their hands stacked one on top of the other.
"All for one, and one for all!" Goofy exclaimed. Leon smirked, looking down at Yuffie.
'Maybe this kid is alright...' he thought to himself.
'Maybe, he can really do this. And save us all...'
"That little squirt took down the Heartless! Who'd of thought it?" A tall, menacing man growled in a castle, worlds away. Upon a pedestal illuminated in miniature, were our heroes. Sora, Donald, and Goofy. A motley assortment of fiends stood around the pedestal. The man who just spoke was tall, and grey skinned. Donning a black toga, with a blue flame flickering atop his head, he appeared undead. The chamber the goons lurked in was dark, and cold. Evil emanated from the room.
"Such is the power of the Keyblade. The boy's strength, is not his own." Another man spoke, his voice dripping with elitism. Suave, and smooth, yet pompous, and condescending. He wore black, as well, but an elegant robe and cape, whose other half was red. A large matching turban with a massive feather sat atop his head. His black facial hair was precisely trimmed, and his green eyes were viper like.
"Why don't we turn him into a Heartless? That'll solve things quick enough!" The loud, and theatrical voice was followed by a boisterous laugh, and came from a massive being. Half white haired woman, half black octopus, she was someone who was unnecessarily vain. Only so much makeup, and overall beauty products can work when you're that hideous.
"And the brat's friends are that King's lackeys." A rugged and harsh voice remarked. This man was also tall, but exceptionally thin. A long, and pointed black mustache laid above perfectly white teeth, that were housed in a menacing scowl. His bright red coat was trimmed with gold, and he too wore a hat, though his was in the style of a cavalier's, a large feather adorning it as well.
"Swoggle me eyes, they're all bilge rats, by the look of them." He continued.
"You're no prize yourself!" A large burlap sack teased the man in red. Monstrous in size, the bag appeared to have a pair of slits for eyes, and one large opening for a mouth. A wriggle seemed to worm underneath the workings of this walking nightmare.
"Shut up!" The well dressed man replied.
"Enough." An elegant, and even soft voice called out. Lithe, and tall, a sickly horned woman spoke. She wore black from head to toe, and appeared to be the de facto leader of this horrid gang.
"The Keyblade has chosen him. Will it be he who conquers the Darkness? Or will the Darkness swallow him? Either way, he could be quite useful..." She mused, a sinister grin stretching across her gaunt face.
Sora stood in the galley of the Gummi ship, still in total amazement. Here he was, on a space ship, that was piloted and operated by a talking duck, and dog. To top it all off, they were about to head for yet another world, oh, and he also happened to be some chosen wielder of an almighty and all powerful key sword.
What a couple of days.
The only sleep he'd had in the last few days was his brief collapse after his battle with Leon, and he was well aware of the burn in his stomach from lack of sustenance. The tour had just finished, as Goofy gestured to the middle of three doors, directly off of the galley.
"And, I guess that room'll be yours, pal. Welcome aboard!" He smiled, patting the boy's shoulder.
"Thanks, Goofy. I appreciate you making me feel at home. So to speak." Sora chuckled.
"Well sure, Sora! Folk deserve to be treated nice, as the very least!"
"Yeah, yeah, now who's hungry?" Donald asked, fetching a pan from under a white counter. The rooms in the ship were compact, to say the least. The galley barely fit the small table that was meant for floor seating, a fridge, small stove, and tiny counter. It was enough, for between missions, however. The bedrooms housed a bed, and a small in wall closet, built for compact items more than clothes. A tiny porthole laid at the bed's head. Everything was painted stark white, spare the counter and stove top, which were a light brown and black, respectively.
"So, Sora, what do you like to eat?" Donald asked, fetching a space age pancake mix.
"Uh, well..." Sora wondered for a moment. He was a teeenage boy, for God's sake! What didn't he like to eat?
"What're you cooking, Donald?"
"Pancakes. Sound good?"
"You guys know about pancakes?"
Donald and Goofy shared a look, before both chuckled.
"Good grub travels more than from stove to plate, buddy!" Goofy said before seating himself at the table, legs folding in. Sora followed suit, with a smile. Donald began pouring the ready to cook mix into the heated up pan, and started making the first pancake.
"How 'bout some milk Donald?" Goofy asked, with a chuckle.
"Hold your horses, I only have so many wings!"
"I'll get it!" Sora said cheerily, standing up, heading for the fridge.
"I'll grab the glasses, and plates! Ooh, forks too!" Goofy laughed, that signature laugh of his.
'How many times did Mom make me pancakes...' Sora wondered.
'Maybe this'll be better than home in some ways! Maybe...' Sora thought, optimistically. At least the company was amenable. Which, at home, was a lot better than usual.
Riku groaned, as he came to. Was that rushing water he heard? The slick stone he'd woken up on certainly wasn't dry. His vision began to clear, and with it, the world he found himself in.
'Holy crap. I did it...' he mused. Here he was, in a different world. It certainly was that, alright.
Different.
Gone were the white beaches, clear skies, and warm ocean breezes. In their place, a dark, dreary atmosphere, grey skies, and a cool chill in the air. This world felt more like a graveyard, than a wonderful new experience.
'What is this place..?' He wondered, before fully standing up. All around him appeared to be some sort of waterfall, forever running into a canyon of water, of sorts. Ahead of him laid broken pieces of stone, some even hovering! They climbed higher, and higher, and if one's eye followed them all the way up, you could see an enormous and dilapidated castle in the distance, separated, and surrounded by an endless sea of cold salt water. On what appeared to be the hovering rocks' climax stood an archway, with electricity beeming from it, to the castle, and beside that archway was a figure.
A tall, thin, black robed, horned woman watched Riku, and suddenly, he felt the blood in his veins turn cold.
Ice cold.