Ocean Between – Gummi Ship Highwind
"And so, Neptune and her friends blast off on their epic world-touring adventure!...Anytime now..."
Neptune deflated as she fell back to her seat. Within the Gummi Ship's cockpit are six seats, one for each of the party members. In front contains a large screen used to see further outside the ship and communicate with the ship engineers, a pair of chipmunks called Chip and Dale. Below them contains three rooms, a kitchen for food and meals, a bathroom for hygiene and a clinic for treatments.
"Calm down, Nep" IF called out. "We need to verify our surroundings first. Not to mention our hero here needs a rundown on how to operate this thing."
"Oooohhhhh, but I'm too excited to sit still, Iffy!" the girl in the parka complained. "I want action now!"
"How about this?" Compa came in with a plate of dessert on her hand. "I know you've been hungry since we left, Nep-Nep, so I made this."
"Oh?" Neptune could only gaze at the yellow jelly in front of her. "Well, this is certainly bigger than a pack of crackers, that's for sure..."
Taking a spoon, she took a bite and...
"...!"
...felt as if her whole world began to spin round and round a billion times in joy!
"WHAT...IS...THIS...WONDROUS...THING!?"
"It's pudding, Nep-Nep!" Compa answered happily. "Egg pudding, to be precise."
Neptune slumped down again. "In all my short(?) life, I've never had the pleasure to experience something wonderful...And to think, it was sitting right here before me..."
She then took the rest of the pudding and cradled it like a newborn baby. "Oh, sweet pudding, I will never be ignorant to your kind ever again. I will feast and consume upon you as you desire me to!"
The guild agent could only sweatdrop at the scene in front of her. "She's gone nuts..."
"At least she will be a bit distracted before we get to our destination" Compa commented.
"That was your aim for this?" IF said worryingly.
"Hey guys!"
Goofy called over as Donald went to his seat.
"I think Sora's got a handle of the controls now."
"Great" IF said, in a not-so-reassuring tone. "Just don't crash into any asteroids on the way, got it?"
"Relax!" Sora said confidently as he got to his seat and his hands on the steering wheel. "I've got this. Besides, I've always wanted to steer a boat!"
"Enthusiasm and actual skill don't always go hand in hand, just so you know" the guild agent commented. "Not to mention, we're in outer space, not above the sea, y'know?"
"Now, now, Iffy" the nurse scolded. "Let Sora have his chance here. Who knows, he may actually get really good at this sort of thing!"
"Yeah, you gotta have faith!" Neptune mumbled with her pudding-filled mouth.
"Hey, don't eat the whole darn thing at once!" IF scolded the female Keyblade Wielder. "And don't speak with your mouth full!"
Donald sighed as he shook his head. "This will be a long journey..."
Goofy could only chuckle. Indeed, it will be a long journey, but it's not without their moments of levity, that's for sure...
Ocean Between – Approaching Wonderland
"...And here we are!" Sora called out to the party. "We made it to our first world, guys!"
Neptune woke up from her power nap. "Already!? Wow, the author sure doesn't know how to write space travel sequences, huh?"
"Nep's weird talk aside, what world is this?" IF wondered as she looked to the screen, showing the image of the world they arrived at.
"It looks...kinda weird." Goofy answered.
"How weird are we talking?" Compa dared to ask.
"Well, we won't know until we get in" Sora said with a raised fist.
"Yeah! Let's go!" Donald urged as he pressed some buttons.
"Wait! I need a moment to..."
And in pillars of light, our heroes are warped in their first world...
Wonderland – Rabbit Hole
And what an entrance they made! As soon as they arrived into the world's atmosphere, they are already falling slowly into the ground.
"Well, at least we're falling slowly this time..." Neptune commented as she laid down mid-air.
"Geez, you sure can read the atmosphere, huh?" IF commented as she is falling down like a skydiver.
Compa moaned as she kept a hand on her skirt. "I knew I should've packed different clothes for the travel!"
"Compa, you're wearing I bought for you and Nep, right?"
The nurse remembered in a jolt. "Oh yeah!"
The guild agent sighed. "Be thankful that the guys are above us, at least"
Sure enough, the boys are falling right above them, with Goofy also laying down mid-air.
The girl with the key giggled. "At least we won't have to worry about flashing the guys in our little adventure, huh?"
"Alley-oop!"
Neptune did a flip as she landed coolly. IF followed by rolling on the ground to stabilize her landing. Compa, thankfully, landed safely, only having a slight tumble.
Sora and Donald followed suit, landing square on their feet. Goofy, however, fell asleep on the way down and tumbled right down as he landed.
"You are way too relaxed for this..." the guild agent complained as she facepalmed. Her nurse friend could only force a laugh.
Meanwhile, a tiny rabbit in a red coat with a pocket watch ran past them frantically.
"Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear! I'm here, I should be there! I'm late. I'm late, I'm late! The queen, she'll have my head for sure!"
Seeing the rabbit running past them, the group now has one option.
"Welp, second rule of exploring, ask the nearby locals!" Goofy declared.
"So, let's go go go!" Neptune cheered and the party sallied forth.
Wonderland – Bizarre Room
"Why did there have to be so many doors for one room?" IF complained as they arrived in the next room.
The party then sees the rabbit from earlier entering a small door, which then closed itself.
"You think we could fit in that?" Neptune asked as they approached the small door.
"I don't think we can, Nep-Nep" Compa said. "Do you know any shrinking spells, Donald?"
The court wizard shook his head in shame. "I tried to master it. All it did was shrink everything down to be smaller than ants, and they never grew back..."
"Still, how did he get so small?" Sora wondered.
"No, you're simply too big."
Everyone gasped back in shock.
"It talked!" Donald shouted.
"The doorknob just talked!" Compa panicked. "Guys, the doorknob just talked!"
"We heard you all loud and clear, Compa" IF calmed her nurse friend down.
"Oh, great and noble doorknob!" Neptune pleaded in her hammiest voice possible. "Grant us your wisdom!"
The doorbell yawned. "Must you be so loud? You woke me up."
"Good morning" Goofy greeted.
"Good night" the doorbell yawned again. "I need a bit more sleep."
"Wait, what do we have to do to get small?" Sora pleaded.
"Why don't you try the bottle?"
The doorknob pointed behind him. "Over there"
Sure enough, a once-flattened table set with two bottles suddenly grew, hitting Neptune who ended up behind the rest of the group.
"Ouch!" Neptune reeled back as she rubbed her behind. "My poor butt..."
"That was quite sudden..." Compa commented as she checked on her friend's behind. She's a nurse in training, remember? "You okay?"
The party gathered around the raised table. On top, two bottles, one red, one blue stood near the upper right edge.
"Hmmmmmm..." Goofy inspected the two bottles. "This blue one here's the shrinking bottle, and the red one here's the growing bottle."
"To shrink or to grow..." the girl in the parka loudly wondered. "That is the question!"
"The answer's obvious!"
Donald impatiently took the blue bottle and took a swig at it.
"Hey!" IF scolded the duck. "Don't just drink it out of the blue!"
"I feel...funny..."
And in mere seconds, the duck shrank and shrank, until he is but a smidge on the floor.
"Waaaaaakkkk!"
"Oh hey, it worked" Neptune said plainly.
"Ooooohhhh, tiny ducky!"
Compa picked up the tiny Donald and started cradling him like a doll.
"This again!? Put me down!"
IF sighed. "Well, at least we know this thing actually works."
"So, what's the plan?" Goofy asked.
Sora looked around the room. "Why don't I go look around for a passageway here? Then we can all go from there."
"Sounds like a plan!" Neptune agreed.
"I'll go look with you." IF suggested. "There might be other things around here that could be useful later."
Sora nodded in agreement.
"All right!" Neptune grabbed the blue bottle. "Down the hatch!"
After shrinking, Goofy and Compa followed suit, joining Donald down on the ground.
"Still..." the guild agent looked around the room. "This is one of the weirdest rooms I've seen. A lethargic doorknob. A table with two potions on it. A flat clocktower next to a bed, a stove near a fireplace and a faucet with a flattened jar below."
IF dared to look above, seeing more of what the room has to offer. "And that's not getting into the stuff above us too..."
She then heard a thumping sound. IF turned to see Sora near the bed that is now flattened to the wall, revealing a passageway near the doorknob.
"Huh..." IF said. "Didn't know you could do that?"
"I didn't" Sora replied. "I remembered being scared to sleep along at night because a monster might jump me below the bed or behind my closet when I was younger."
"And you thought they'd come from a door near the wall?" the guild agent asked in an incredulous tone.
The boy could only laugh nervously at the remark.
"Oh well. Good find, nonetheless, Sora" IF praised.
The boy rubbed his cheek. "Thanks. What about you, IF?"
"I found out a lot just from this room, actually" the guild agent sighed. "Why don't we shrink down to the others so I can tell them too?"
A few minutes later, the party was debriefed regarding IF's findings.
"A whole topsy-turvy room!?" Neptune managed to condense into one question.
"That's just underselling it, Nep" IF sighed. "Still, there's a lot to cover in this room alone, but I don't think we can do that right now"
"Let's go chase that rabbit!" Donald declared as the party ran towards the open pathway
Wonderland – Queen's Castle
The party arrives into an open courtroom guarded by living cards acting as soldiers. In the middle of the room stood a young girl in a blue dress and in front of her, where the podium is, stood a haughty woman wearing a red and black robe and holding a small scepter with a heart.
Running up near the podium was the rabbit from before. Sounding the trumpet, he makes his announcement. "Court is now in session!"
"I'm on trial?" the girl asked. "But why!?"
"Oooooohhhh, a court trial?" Neptune said in excitement. "The outside worlds' getting more and more varied each day, huh?"
"Something about this court trial smells..." IF guessed with scorn. "And I'm not referring to a kind of stench or anything..."
"What's makes you say that, Iffy?" Compa asked.
Goofy chose to answer instead. "Well, that girl over there doesn't seem to have a lawyer and the lady who's actin' as the judge is definitely the queen here."
The rabbit, catching his breath, continues his announcement. "Her Majesty, the Queen of Hearts, presiding!"
"See?" Goofy said.
"Wow, you seem quite smart, Goofy!" Compa praised the dog.
"Color me surprised..." IF managed to say.
The queen opened her eyes and casted her judgement. "This girl here is the culprit. There's no doubt about it! And the reason is...because I say so, that's why!"
"Wow" the nurse said dully, disappointed at the queen's declaration. "Ms. Queen doesn't waste any time, does she?"
"That is not fair!" the girl in the middle complained.
"Well, have you anything to say in your defense?" the queen dared.
"Of course! I've doing absolutely nothing wrong!" the girl defended with her arms crossed. "You may be queen, but I'm afraid that doesn't give you the right to be so...so mean!"
"Ho boy..." IF facepalmed. "She set herself up for that one...innocent or not."
Sure enough, the queen fumed with anger. "Silence! You dare defy me!?"
"Hey guys, shouldn't we go help her?" Sora asked the party.
"Yeah!" Neptune supported. "That girl's clearly losing the trial case here, and my Nep Senses tell me she's completely innocent about her innocence!"
"Well yeah, but the-" Donald started.
"We're outsiders, so wouldn't that be muddling?" Goofy continued.
"You mean meddling!" Compa corrected.
"Yeah, and that's against the rules!" the dog finished.
"Oh yeah." IF was reminded. "You guys talked about the World Order and all that stuff, right?"
"Well, yeah, but..." Sora complained.
"Unless we got a good defense case for her, I don't think we can do much for her..." IF stated her logic. "And I doubt we'd want to go around toppling rulers off their high horses, no matter how insane they are..."
"Hence, the World Order!" Donald said proudly.
"The court finds the defendant..." the queen proclaimed. "...guilty as charged!"
The girl could only reel back in shock. This can't be happening to her! She was just a curious girl chasing after a rabbit in this Wonderland and now this happened!?
"For the crimes of assault and attempted theft of my heart..."
This got Sora's attention. Now he knows for certain the girl's innocent.
"Off with her head!"
The card soldiers turned to the defendant, ready to execute her!
"No! No! Oh, please!"
"OBJECTION!"
"Hold it right there!"
Despite their talk of world order, Neptune and Sora barged into the court in the girl's defense.
"Who are you!?" the queen demanded. "How dare you interfere with my court!?"
"Because this trial is bogus!" the female Keyblade wielder declared, pointing a finger at the queen. "Why? Because we say so, that's why!"
"How dare you-"
Sora cleared his throat before the situation escalates.
"Excuse us, but we know who the real culprit is!" the boy declared.
"Uh-huh. It's the Heartle-" Goofy managed to stop and seal his mouth shut before he finished his sentence.
"Good call" IF whispered. "There's a chance the Queen hasn't seen the Heartless yet. Had he continued, the queen would've accused US as the Heartless."
"That's a huge leap in logic, isn't it?" Compa complained quietly.
Sora continued. "Anyway, she's not the one you're looking for-"
"That's nonsense. Have you any proof?" the queen interrupted, impatiently tapping her fingers at the table.
"Uhhh..."
Neptune immediately ran to IF. "Do we have anything, Iffy?"
The guild agent sighed. "This is why we shouldn't be running around in court trials like this..."
And just like that, the girl was locked up in a golden cage.
"Bring me evidence of Alice's innocence!" the queen declared. "Fail and it's off with all your heads!"
"How much do we need?" IF asked.
"Gather as little or as much as you please" the queen said offhandly. "Report back here in three hours or the trial proceeds without you! Now, off my court!"
The party looked to themselves, wondering what to do.
IF, however, breathed a heavy sigh. "This will be quite the conundrum, would it?"
"So, how did you end up in this...bizarre place?" IF asked the caged girl.
"Well, it was a curious afternoon, and I happen to see a rabbit in a suit." Alice answered. "And then, I fell down a great hole and wandered around this...so-called Wonderland ever since"
"Have you met anyone else while you were here?" Goofy asked this time.
"Quite a few, yes" Alice nodded. "There was this sleepy Doorknob..."
"Ah, the great master of our time!" Neptune commented.
"...then this intelligent Caterpillar, and of course, there's the Mad Hatter and the March Hare in their unhappy Tea Party."
"Unhappy?" Donald raised an eyebrow.
"Yet the strangest of them all was the Cheshire Cat" the captive girl finished. "Thanks to his directions, I ended up in this place, and stood on trial for a crime I clearly did not, and could not, do!"
IF gathered her thoughts. "And then you got caught up in a court trial and now locked in a cage."
Alice nodded. "Yes! Although, I have seen some...strange creatures around and about..."
"Do those creatures look like black blob-like ants?" Compa asked.
"Quite so!" the captive girl nodded. "I saw a few around here, yet...something inside me told me to avoid them like the plague."
"That's good to hear" Sora said. "Those creatures are dangerous. Better steer clear of them as much as possible"
"I will take that under advisement!" Alice happily replied.
"What's the holdup!?" the Queen of Hearts interrupted. "Need I remind you that you are all on a time limit!? Or perhaps you wish to take the trial now?"
IF groaned. "Sorry, we need more clues first." She then turned to Alice. "Just stay put, okay? We'll get you out of there, I promise."
Alice nodded in thanks. "Thank you all so much, kind strangers!"
Wonderland – Lotus Forest
"Okay, so we got a little girl named Alice to rescue" Neptune recapped. "But we need evidence to prove she didn't commit heart theft like a phantom thief."
"Right" IF nodded. "She said she doesn't need much evidence, but if we can gather definitive proof, we should be able to free Alice and prove her innocence"
"But..." Sora wondered. "How do we find the evidence we need?"
Neptune hummed, crossing her arms. "Maybe we should go catch a Heartless and cage them up!"
"But we don't have cages, Nep-Nep" Goofy pointed out.
Donald hummed. "What to do..."
Suddenly, Compa yelled, pointing towards a floating...cat head appearing and disappearing around the premise.
The cat head eventually settled near the tree trunk beside them, with it's main body appearing to pick the head up and attach it to his body!
"And here I thought I've seen everything..." IF complained again.
"Who are you!?" Donald demanded.
"Who, indeed?" the cat deflected. "Poor Alice. Soon to lose her head, and she's not guilty of a thing!"
"Yeah, we kinda got that, stripey kitty!" Neptune complained.
"Hey, if you know who the culprit really is, tell us!" Sora demanded.
"The Cheshire Cat has all the answers-but doesn't always tell." the cat answered. "The answer, the culprit, the cat all lie in darkness."
"Wait!"
However, the Cheshire Cat vanished from their sights.
"Where'd he go!?" Compa looked around frantically for any sign of the disappearing cat.
"They've already left this Lotus Forest." the cat's voice reverbed throughout the area. "I won't tell which exit."
"There are four pieces of evidence in all. Three are a cinch to find. The fourth is tricky. Big reward if you find them all."
There are waiting for any more of the cat's riddling advice, but none came.
"Should we trust him?" Donald asked around.
Only for the cat to suddenly reappear! "To trust, or not to trust? I trust you'll decide!"
And then disappeared again...
"I don't do riddle speak, so I can't really say..." IF said in doubt.
Compa shivered. "I'm kinda creeped out by his sudden appearances..."
"But guys" Neptune pleaded. "Think of the reward! It could totally help us on our journey."
"Nep, you shouldn't trust shady folks like that." the guild agent scolded.
"I, for one, definitely don't!" Donald chimed in.
"You guys..." Nep turned to Sora. "Help me, Sora! You're my only hope!"
"Uhhh, well..." Sora scratched the back of his head. "I mean, we could look for more stuff on the way. Not to mention, we still have some time, so..."
"I get ya" the royal knight nodded. "Rule number three of exploration. Leave no stone or chest unturned, a-hyuck!"
"See! See!" Neptune grabbed Sora and Goofy in a double neck brace. "These two get it! We gotta explore every nook and cranny of this dungeon!"
IF sighed. "I suppose. Anyway, we need more evidence if we're gonna do this. Just be prepared for anything, be it from the Heartless or from that snobby queen."
The group in agreement, decided to search around for the pieces of evidence they needed.
The first piece of evidence was located in the nearby meadow. Luckily, it was nearby and only guarded by Shadows and Soldiers (the ant-like creatures and the armored creatures from before), so it was a cinch to deal with them.
"This appears to be some footprints" Compa wondered, lifting a yellow circle with footprints marked on it.
"Certainly tinier than any of us could make" Sora said.
"This will come in handy." IF agreed. "We better hang on to it."
The second piece of evidence is located on a lily pad, near some mushrooms. Jumping up the mushrooms, the party obtained the next piece.
"A pair of antennae..." IF mentioned, lifting the yellow circle that has the aforementioned antennae attached to.
"No way any of us have that as an accessory!" Neptune boasted.
"Looks like we got another one!" Donald declared.
Moving further ahead, they entered through an entryway on top of the giant tree, which caused the group to fall back into the Bizarre Room.
Wonderland – Bizarre Room
More specifically, on top of the currently inactive stove near the fireplace.
"Hey guys, there's the next piece of evidence!" Compa pointed towards the pink box located near the stove.
Opening the box, they saw a small yellow circle.
"A circle?" Sora wondered.
"Not just any circle" IF took a quick sniff. "It has their scent!"
"Wait, those Heartless have scents?" Neptune asked incredulously.
"I don't think we need to know more than that" the guild agent insisted. "No one is insane enough to be a Heartless Biologist."
"Definitely not me!" the nurse shouted for some reason.
"Well, we got three pieces of evidence!" Donald cheered.
"But uh" Goofy started. "how do we get to the fourth piece?"
"It's way up there!" Sora shouted, pointing to the box on top of the shelf near the faucet.
Neptune groaned. "But I don't see a way there!"
"I think I know how to get there..."
The group turned to IF.
Wonderland – Lotus Forest
After trekking back to the Lotus Forest, fighting Heartless, such as Red Nocturnes, floating red moving bells capable of casting fire magic and Large Bodies, bulky soldiers capable of deflecting any frontal assault, they reached back near the giant tree.
"See that opening up there?" IF pointed to an open passage on top, one accessible through some lily pads.
"Oooohhhh, I smell hidden treasure~" Neptune cheered with clapped hands.
"Let's get up there!" Sora declared.
And as they crossed the passageway...
Wonderland – Bizarre Room
"We're falling again!"
Compa and Neptune landed on top of the faucet of the Bizarre Room.
"Nep! Compa, jump to the shelf!" IF warned as she was falling.
Acting fast, the two girls leapt to the nearby shelf. IF and Sora followed suit, leaving Donald and Goofy behind on the faucet due to lack of space.
"Time to nab the last piece of the puzzle!" Neptune approached the pink box.
"What's inside, Nep-Nep?" Compa asked as they inspect the insides.
"It appears to be claw marks." IF noticed.
"Not just that..." Sora lifted the piece of evidence. "Notice this?"
"What, the yellow circle?" Neptune noticed. "What's the deal with all those?"
However, before they contemplate further, Donald and Goofy's loud cries signaled one thing.
"Well, look what you've found. Nice going"
The return of the Cheshire Cat!
"Look-it here, kitty! We got all four treasures!" the female Keyblade wielder boasted. "Even the tricky fourth one! Eat that!"
"Now we can save Alice!" Sora said confidently.
"Don't be so sure!" the cat warned. "She may be innocent, but what about you?"
"What do you mean?" Compa asked worriedly.
"I won't tell. But I'll give you something"
The cat tossed them a peculiar orb. One with the image of a snowflake on it.
"It's a Spell Orb!" Donald cried.
"Oh yeah!" Neptune recalled. "Didn't you give me and Sora one of these before we left?"
"Yup." Donald nodded. "With the ones I gave you, you two can use the Fire spell. That one has the Blizzard spell."
"Oh, one more thing"
Everyone turned to the cat.
"You may have gathered all that is not necessary. However, there within lies one who has lost their home. One who...Drifted here, you can say."
IF and Compa gasped at the mention.
"A Drifter!? Who was it?" the guild agent demanded.
"Why not find out yourselves? It may be worth it or it may not..." But the cat vanished before he could give a clear answer...
"Vanished again..." the nurse complained.
"I'd like to find more about the Drifter..." IF said. "But right now, we need to get back to the court room. We're running out of time."
"Yeah!" Sora agreed.
"Let's go save ourselves a damsel, ladies and gentlemen!"
And with Neptune's declaration, the party rushed to the courtroom, with only three minutes to spare...
Wonderland – Queen's Castle
"Now, show me what you have found."
The party laid their pieces of evidence on the floor in front of them. They then took their place in the jury's podium while IF stood in the defendant's podium.
"Well, that's certainly a lot of evidence, but I'm still not impressed." the Queen of Hearts said haughtily.
"No one asked you..." IF mumbled under her breath.
"Cards! Bring forth my evidence!"
One of the card soldiers brought a pink box of evidence and placed it near the others.
"W-What the...!?" the guild agent mumbled her surprise.
Suddenly, the boxes all compressed into one and after a good five seconds, returned to five boxes standing in a row.
"What was that?" Compa asked with worry.
"Hmm, checking all five would only be a waste of time." the queen complained. "All right, then. Choose the one you wish to present."
"What!? Why?" Neptune asked.
"Because I'll decide who's guilty based on that evidence" the queen said simply.
"What!? After all the trouble we went to collect it!?" the boy complained.
"You know what?" Donald said. "I'm starting to agree with Neptune here. This whole trial stinks!"
Goofy nodded furiously.
"See!" the female Keyblade wielder shouted. "Mr. World Order agrees with me!"
"Keep it down, you!" the duck scolded the female Keyblade Wielder.
"Silence from the jury!" the queen shouted back and then pointed her scepter at the trembling IF. "Now, choose! One box!"
"Hey..." Goofy noticed something odd. "Isn't Iffy...sweatin' a bunch?"
"Don't tell me..." Donald started.
"Drat! Drat! DRAT!" IF internally complained. "I was so caught up in their pace that I didn't think of what to do about this! Any wrong move and I could risk either Alice's life or the World Order! Why is it I slip up when things matter the most here!?"
"Iffy looks like she needs help!" Compa scrambled through her kit and got a water bottle. "Here, I got some water!"
Tuning out the noises around her, the guild agent went down to the boxes...
"What do I do? Which do I pick?" IF thought to herself as she neared the first box on the left. "This one? No? This one?" She then approached the middle one. "No, what could it be? If I try to check what's inside, then that snob will assume that's the one I picked."
"AGGGGHHHH!" the guild agent shouted in frustration. "WHAT DO I DO!?"
Hearing her scream got the party worried...
"IF..." Sora said in sadness.
"Iffy..." Neptune followed.
The queen however, huffed in annoyance. "Would you quit it with the theatrics? We're still in my court here, you know!?"
Meanwhile, Alice looked on the trial, trembling with fear and sadness.
"They're going this far for me..." Alice said silently. "A stranger they never even knew. Compared to the wild residents of this land, they were willing to risk life and limb for one they don't know. I must repay their kindness somehow..."
As IF continued to pace around in frustration, the captive girl took a look of the trial and noticed something odd.
More specifically, at one of the boxes.
"Is that...?"
Thinking fast, she whistled for the jury.
Neptune heard her cry and looked at the captive damsel, who was holding four fingers up.
"Huh?"
Alice then moved her hand down and pointed her four fingers to her right.
She then raised her hand up and down, hoping they would get the message.
"Four...on the right?"
"What's up, Neptune?" Sora asked his fellow Keyblade wielder.
Neptune then whispered what Alice tried to tell them.
"Four...right?"
He then looked at the boxes again. There are five boxes lined up in a row, and if what Alice told Neptune is right...
"Wait, I think I got it! IF!"
The panicked guild agent looked to the jury.
She noticed Sora and Neptune moving their mouths, but they're not making a sound.
"What are they...?"
"What's the holdup?" the queen demanded. "Hurry up and open one already!"
She ignored the ruler's demands and kept looking at the two Keyblade wielders, who kept speaking with their mouths, but not making a sound.
"They're saying something, but they're not making a sound. Four...?"
Eventually, the guild agent realized what they're doing!
"They're mouthing a hint..." the guild agent murmured. "Four...to the right?"
She looked at the row of boxes. Starting from the left, she counted and moved to the fourth box on the right, near Alice and the jury.
"This one?" She looked and see everyone nodding at her.
"Are you certain?" the queen asked. "No second chances!"
"This is what everyone's saying. Better hope this is right..." IF then took a deep breath. "Yeah. I'm sure of it."
"Now we shall see who the real culprit is." the queen ordered. "Open it!"
Doing as she ordered, the guild agent opened the box, and in a flash of light and confetti, out came...
"Whew! That took way too long, nyu."
...a girl smaller than Neptune wearing a white sailor uniform with a large yelllow...balloon(?) with a face plastered on it to her side.
"Wha...?" Donald said, his beak opened wide.
"The culprit has been revealed!" Neptune shouted out as loud as her white circular eyes was wide.
"She's...the one I sensed?" Alice questioned.
"What is the meaning of this!?" the queen demanded. "I don't recall seeing that one before!"
"That's because you didn't, nyu." the smaller girl answered. "I was having some nice tea with some rude folks when dark creatures decided to prey on poor me, nyu. Feeling danger everywhere, I hid myself in my Gema here and waited for the creatures to go away, but they ripped it up and scattered it across the place, nyu. Thanks for merging all those pieces up, by the way."
"So that's why there are yellow circles in those boxes..." Compa said, pounding her fist on her hand.
Goofy got to thinking. "Do ya fellers think she might'a been the Drifter that cat was talkin' about?"
"Maybe..." Donald replied.
"Okay, but..." Sora started. "What about Alice? Doesn't this at least prove she had nothing to do with this?"
"Alice?" the smaller girl questioned.
"That would be me!" Alice shouted from her cage. "It's a pleasure to meet you, stranger!"
"Greetings to you. I'm Broccoli, nyu" the smaller girl introduced herself.
"Broccoli?" the talking dog asked. "Like the vegetable?"
"Oooooohhhh, that's cute~" Neptune cooed. "I'mma call her Puchiko!"
"That's a stretch for a nickname, nyu" Broccoli complained, judging by her narrowing eyes.
The queen, however, became more incensed. "You dare bring discord to my court!? Your presence here proves that you have taken my heart!"
"Now that's a leap of logic!" Sora shouted.
"That's what I said earlier!" Compa commented.
Broccoli groaned. "I heard bad rumors about the Queen of Hearts, but to think they are actually true, nyu. This will be a real pain to deal with."
IF sighed. "You tell me..."
"Enough!" the queen yelled. "This conversation proves that you are all in cahoots with the thief. The same goes for Alice as well!"
"Hey!" Goofy shouted.
"This isn't what we agreed on!" Donald followed.
IF groaned. "We didn't even agree on anything. Why did we end up going through this?"
Slamming her fist on the table, the tyrannical queen gave her order. "Guards! OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!"
The entire court suddenly flattened, and a tower with three wooden gears erected in the middle of the room, which one of the guards turned over, causing Alice's cage to ascend high and the red blinds folding around her!
"Alice!" Compa yelled.
"We gotta get her down there!" Sora shouted, summoning his Keyblade.
"Okay!" Neptune followed suit with her own Keyblade. "Donald, Goofy! Let's nep these guards up!"
"Okay!"
"Coming right up!"
The dog and the duck followed the girl into battle.
"IF, mind helping me out here?" Sora asked the guild agent.
"Huh?" IF asked, feeling down.
Goofy blocked an incoming advance from three troopers, allowing Neptune to unleash combo after combo against them.
Compa looked at the guild agent, feeling worried. "Iffy, are you okay?"
Meanwhile, Donald set one of the guards on fire, causing it to spread to some of his compatriots.
IF barely nodded. "Y-Yeah. I-I'll be fine."
"Loosen your shoulders, nyu" Broccoli said, hopping up to her Gema as she massaged the guild agent's shoulders. "If they're too stiff, you'll freeze up a lot, nyu."
IF chuckled. "I'll keep that in mind. Come on, let's get Alice out!"
At the guild agent's urging, the four proceeded to the tower and tried to move the gears down, but they wouldn't budge.
"This...is quite hard..." Compa groaned as she strained her arms to move the wheel.
"Come on..." IF groaned as struggled just as bad.
The queen, however, took notice!
"What are they...GUARDS! Those fools are freeing the prisoner! SEIZE THE-"
However, a stray chunk of ice hit the queen's face hard, causing her to tumble on her stand, and, well...
"W-Woah!" Goofy immediately shielded his eyes from the sight.
"It wasn't me!" Donald pleaded, covering his eyes too.
"Hey hey hey, isn't this supposed to be rated E for EVERYONE?" Neptune complained at the sight. "Why is THIS a viable interaction, developers!? You're setting a bad precedent there, you know?"
"Why do I feel like that's hypocritical coming from her, nyu?" Broccoli wondered.
"Nep...just shut up...and help us already!" IF complained.
Compa looked around to see the guards flailing around at the queen's state of being. "At least the Card Soldiers are distracted!"
"But...I don't think we can move this..." Sora gave up on moving the wheels.
"Then why not just smash it, nyu?" the tiny Drifter suggested.
Sora, Neptune and IF looked at each other, wondering what to do.
"Not the most elegant solution, but..." the guild agent started.
"...We've got no other options now..." the boy with the key readied his weapon.
"...so let's smack this thing good and save our damsel!" the girl with the key followed suit.
Unleashing all their strength into their attacks, they broke the wheels of the tower, causing it to crumble!
"They got it!" Compa cheered.
"Guys! The cage!"
At Goofy's cry, everyone looked to the cage that descended. As it reached the ground, the red blinds unveiled...
"What the nep!?"
...and the prisoner was gone!
"Alice!?" Donald shouted.
"Did she vanish, nyu?" Broccoli wondered.
"What is the meaning of this!?" the queen slammed her fist again. "Guards, find the prisoner or it's off with all your heads!"
The card soldiers immediately scrambled about to fulfill their queen's orders.
"Looks like she's distracted" IF noticed. "Quick, to the forests!"
The party, with Broccoli in tow, ran before the Queen of Hearts noticed or even remembered what they were doing a moment ago.
Wonderland – Lotus Forest
"That...was a close one, guys..." Compa breathed out.
"No kiddin'" Goofy was all tuckered out.
"Hey" Sora started. "Where do guys think...Alice went?"
"Maybe she got kidnapped..." Donald answered with heavy breath. "While we were fighting..."
"How does..." Neptune started. "That work? That cage was too small!"
Suddenly, one of the nearby flowers bloomed, releasing a giant rock that was flung to the borders of the nearby lake(?)
And on top of that rock, the Cheshire Cat appeared once more!
"Oooohhhh, the creepy kitty..." Compa groaned.
"Have you seen Alice?" Sora asked the cat.
"Alice, no" the cat answered. "Shadows, yes!"
"Where did they go?" Goofy asked.
"This way? That way?" the cat said as he swayed his head. "Does it matter? Left, right, up, down! All mixed up thanks to the shadows!"
"Step deeper into the forest to the deserted garden." the cat advised. "You might find shadows in the upside-down room!"
And thus, the cat vanished again.
"Again with his roundabout riddles..." Neptune complained as she scratched her head. "What do you guys think?"
Sora thought for a moment, but then turned to the guild agent. "Hey, IF, didn't you say you saw something back at that tea room?"
"H-Huh?" IF snapped back in attention.
"Are you sure you're okay?" the boy asked. "You've been kinda out of it since the court trial"
"Y-Yeah. Don't worry about me" IF tried to reassure the party. "Anyway, Sora's on to something. That strange room has to house a strong Heartless, and likely Alice's captor"
"But what did he mean by deserted garden?" the court wizard wondered.
"He means the Tea House, nyu" Broccoli answered. "There's a passageway to the Tea House just over this forest, nyu. Let's go through there"
"All right! Our destination is set!" Neptune declared. "Lead the way, Puchiko!"
"Again, it's Broccoli, nyu"
Little do they know that they were being watched, and not by the shadows...
"...Is she really the one?"
Wonderland – Bizarre Room (Past the Tea House)
"Woah, you weren't kidding, Iffy" the girl with the key said in amazement as she gazed to the top. "I could see Mr. Sleepy Knob from here!"
"Still, how do we get Mr. Heartless to come out?" Compa wondered.
"Those"
IF pointed to two lanterns placed on separate tiny tables ahead.
"Oh! We can light those lanterns up!" Goofy exclaimed.
"That will get the shadow to come out for sure!" Donald cheered.
"That should be simple enough..." Sora hoped.
"Really? Such carelessness from a bunch of dunderheads like you." a cocky female voice taunted.
Everyone looked around to find the source of the mysterious voice.
"Uh, Sora, we should talk about jinxes" Neptune said with furrowed eyes. "It's a pretty important topic you need to know"
"What did I do!?" Sora complained, his eyes turning into white circles.
The duck looked up to see something descended upon them. "Look!"
A figure with long white hair, teal eyes and a black battle suit slowly descended to the nearby lantern. She was gazing upon them with a stern look, gripping her large blade on her right hand.
"Woah, who's the lovely Newtype?" the girl with the key asked. "Anyone you guys know?"
"We've never seen her before" the nurse declared.
"Not me..." Goofy thought aloud.
"Nor I, nyu" the girl with the Gema followed.
The woman flipper her hair. "Of course, you all wouldn't know me. This is the first time we've met."
She then turned to the lanterns behind her. "So, you believe you could draw out the Heartless you're after with these? How clever."
"You know something we don't?" IF interrogated the newcomer.
"Not something you need to know now. However..."
The woman turned her gaze to Neptune.
"I wish to confirm something with you." the woman spoke.
"Oh? Do you want to take me out on a date?" Neptune sputtered.
"Huh?" the woman tilted her head.
"Well, I mean, it's not everyday I get asked out, you know. But hey, you're a really pretty gal, so I'll take my chances and go for it!"
"Wha-That's not what I'm asking you!" the woman shouted, annoyed.
"Oh really? Wow, I mean I offered and all, yet you want to remain a lone wolf. So sad..." Neptune deflated.
"Since when did you get that idea!?" the woman shouted again. "And you didn't offer anything!"
Neptune snickered. "Wow, you are so fun to mess with! Your reactions are just a blast to hear!"
"Yeesh. Get a better hobby, would ya?" IF commented.
"This must be how Nep-Nep expresses her love!" Compa said with a smile. "I think"
"Really?" Sora wondered.
"Don't get caught up in their pace, nyu" Broccoli warned the boy.
The newcomer growled. This is so not her day. "I came here to probe your strength, but it seems you think I'm not much of a threat to you, aren't you?"
Everyone looked at her with confused wariness.
"In that case, I'll have to teach you how to treat people like me with respect!"
She readies her blade, and lunges straight at Neptune.
"Nep-whoa!"
She immediately drew her Keyblade and met the stranger's attack head-on.
"Nep-Nep!" Goofy and Compa yelled.
"Woah!" the girl struggled with the newcomer's attack. "She's...really tough!"
"Good thing we took a small break at the Tea House, nyu..." Broccoli commented. "Otherwise, Nep would have buckled already with all that running around you've been doing."
"Count your blessings, I guess" Donald said, bringing out his staff.
"We should get going while she's distracted." IF suggested. "Compa, make sure Nep's patched up."
"Leave it to me!" Compa saluted as the rest of the group moved to the lanterns.
Neptune repelled the attack and started unleashing combos against the stranger.
"Hiyah!" Upward slash!
"Hah!" Mid-air thrust!
"Is this the best you got?" the white-haired stranger mocked. "Surely you can do better!"
"Hey, I just got started on my journey here, so bear with me on this one, 'kay?"
"Rah!" Rolling mid-air slash!
The attacks barely fazed her!
"You done now?" the woman readied her attack. "Then taste my Lacy Dance!"
Rushing up to Neptune, she launches the girl into the air, attacked her with two spinning kicks and ended it with a spinning slash from her sword!
"Ouch!" Neptune cried in pain. "This Newtype's on a whole different level!"
"Hang in there!" Compa immediately got to work patching up her wounds.
"Hmph" the woman looked at her opponent with contempt. "Getting aid from humans. I suppose this is what happens when you don't remember what you're supposed to be."
"Hey, don't look down upon us!" Compa yelled at the stranger.
"I'm not insulting you, I'm stating a fact." the woman spoke dismissively. "So long as you are bound by weaker beings, you will never defeat me."
The nurse growled. She can't stand being insulted! She can't stand her friends being insulted even more!
"Welp, I don't have to!" Neptune got up after the nurse bandaged her wounds. "I just had to make sure you don't get in our way!"
"Bold words from...hm?"
She looked around and noticed that her opponent and the nurse were the only presences she could see.
"Woahahahahahoooo!"
The three looked up to see Goofy locked in battle against three Red Nocturnes. IF and Donald and currently dealing with a Large Body in the lead.
"I got you all, nyu!"
Broccoli threw some healing tea around to keep everyone topped off, but...
"Sora!" Donald called. "You got the lanterns?"
"Almost!" Sora called from one of the lantern stools.
"No, you don't!"
The woman attempts to charge at Sora...
"Sora!"
"Look out!"
"Huh?"
...but something was coming her way.
"Mekara Beam!"
It was Broccoli, and she shot laser beams (from her eyes!?) straight at the stranger, pushing her back.
"What even was that!?" the woman complained.
"We got you now! Cross Combination!"
Neptune took the opening and slammed the newcomer down hard!
"Now I'll show you! Time for your injection!"
Seeing a chance, Compa brought out her syringe and applied something to the stranger.
"Hrk! I can't...feel my arms..."
The Newtype tried to stand, but tumbled down, losing the feeling in her body.
"What..." the stranger lashed out. "What did you do!?"
"Oh, I just used my Paralysis Agent on you. You wouldn't be able to walk right for a bit." the nurse cheekily explained as she chuckled. "How's that for a weakling!?"
Seeing an opening, Sora took the chance and lit up the second lantern.
"All right!" the boy cheered. "I got them!"
"Nice!" IF gave a thumbs up, just as the rest of the group finished up the Heartless near them. "Good work, everyone."
"Not bad..."
The woman who attacked them slowly got up with her legs, the agent wearing off faster than anticipated. "...Distracting me while your comrades got to work. I didn't take you to be sneaky."
"This is called team effort!" Donald boasted. "Learn it!"
"There's only so much you could do by yourself, nyu" Broccoli said sagely.
The woman huffed as she floated up. "I'll take that under advisement. But, I'm afraid that this little skirmish ends now"
"She's going to try something..." IF warned everyone. "Guards up, everyone!"
With such dazzling speed and grace, the Newtype darted across the area, striking down each and every Heartless in the room!
"HAH!" There goes the Soldiers!
"Take this!" Down goes the Green Requiem Support (these green floating bells heal others, by the way)
"Away you go!" Goodbye, flock of Red Nocturnes.
"And now..." Her eyes are now set against a group of three Large Bodies that just spawned. "...your end!"
She then slashes through the big-bodied Heartless, but when it seemed like nothing happened, the Newtype snapped her fingers, causing several slashes to hit them, wiping them out for good.
"Holy..." Compa started.
"...Smokes!" Neptune finished.
"Wow" Sora could only gasp in amazement at the destruction the Newtype unleashed.
"See that? That's a glimpse of my true power." the Newtype, who retrieved her blade, boasted as she began to float away. "Now if you realize what's good for you, I advise you to take this matter seriously when next we meet. Otherwise, you will not live our next encounter..."
"Okay~" Neptune waved back at the white-haired woman. "I'll have some pudding ready for you!"
"I can't tell if you are teasing her for the fun of it or are you really...you know..." IF wondered.
"Know what?" the girl with the key asked, tilting her head.
"Nothing" the guild agent shook her head. "Anyway, we'd better get moving. Let's see if that Heartless will spawn right now"
As the Newtype saw the party leave, she had one more thought. "She didn't seem completely fazed by the threat of my Infinite Slash. On the other hand, she said that she just 'started out'. Does that mean she really doesn't recognize that's she's..."
She shook her head. "No matter. She's not good enough. If she doesn't even exude an iota of power comparable to our kind, then she's not the one. But..."
The Newtype placed a hand onto her heart. "Why does my heart begin to beat so fast whenever I was near her?"
Wonderland – Bizarre Room (Outside the Queen's Castle)
As the party returns to the part of the room with the table and the doorknob, the Cheshire Cat reappeared on top of the table.
"I see you figured a way to light the way, I see" the cat spoke in his usual roundabout manner.
"That's right, kitty!" Neptune boasted. "Now the boss will definitely appear for sure!"
"Oh yes, the shadows should be here soon" the cat danced as he points his finger up. "Are you prepared? Because if not, too bad."
The cat and the nearby bottles vanished, and something dropped down near the table and jumped over to the other side, revealing it's shape.
With long, black paper arms held on by two short shoulders, four long bony legs and a head with faces, the Trickmaster makes it's entrance.
"Who ordered a clown for a boss here?" IF complained.
"I'd hire a whole circus if I could!" Neptune replied.
"Can we save the witty jokes for later!?" Donald complained. "Here it comes!"
Spawning two batons, the Trickmaster began it's attack. It's baton swings were fast, but dodgeable. However, the uneven height gives it an unprecedented advantage.
"I've got this!"
Neptune unleashes an air combo at it...
"Take that!" A downward slash, then an upward slash and then a vertical spin slash!
...only to fall down to the ground.
"Ugh, I can see the problem now..."
"Come on, Nep-Nep!" Compa urged her friend from above the table.
Broccoli is trying to gain some distance, when she noticed the stove emitting smoke.
"Hey, ducky"
Donald looked to the tiny girl.
"Think you can put this stove out of commission, nyu?"
"Why?" the duck wondered.
"Call it my intuition, nyu"
The court wizard nodded, blasting the stove thrice with his newly-acquired Blizzara magic to stop the nearby stove.
"Okay, got it!"
"Good, now keep that thing busy, nyu!"
As Broccoli ran off, Goofy and IF are trying to launch fruitless attacks against the tall Heartless, but due to it's height advantage, damage has been sporadic.
IF groaned. "My magic can't reach to him from this height..."
"Gawrsh. We can only hold it back for so long!" Goofy kept his shield up to block incoming attacks.
"Then we gotta come up with a plan!" Sora said as he blasted the Trickmaster with Blizzard spells.
After a while, the Heartless began to converge on the stove, and placed its batons on top of it...
"What's it doing?" Compa wondered.
"Is it trying to..." IF started, then an idea hit her. "I see now! Sora, Nep, Goof! Hit it now!"
Sora nodded. "Gotcha! Come on, guys!"
"Oh yeah!"
"Let's get 'im!"
With focused strikes and critical combos, the trio hit the distracted Heartless from the spot under his legs and brought it down.
"It's down!" Compa called.
"Time for an All-Out Attack!" Neptune rallied everyone around her.
The party of six converged and launched their best attack at it!
"Take that!" Goofy launched himself up in the air, charging at the head like a Rocket.
"Here's your treatment!" Compa blasted the Heartless at range with a Paralysis Agent, further stunning the enemy.
"Feel the icy chill!" IF chanted, unleashing a pillar of ice against it. "BLISTERING FROST!"
"Ready, Sora?" Donald asked the young Keyblade wielder, who nodded.
"FREEZE!"
The two unleashed a combined Blizzard attack at it!
"And the finisher! CROSS COMBINATION!"
After Neptune unleashed her six-plus-one combo at it, the Heartless managed to get up and in a fit of anger, swung their baton erratically.
"Dodge! Dodge! DODGE!"
In the chaos, the Trickmaster managed to stomp out the table and the chair, leaving the group without any place to get up.
"This is bad!" Donald complained.
"It's going to be way harder to hit it now!" Compa complained too.
"There's gotta be some way to get a hit on it!"
IF looked around frantically, when she found her solution.
"Everyone! I got something special for it!"
Or more precisely, it found her.
"You mean..."
Realizing what it meant, she immediately turned to the group in a panic...
"EVERYONE, DUCK!"
...and pushed everyone down. Anyone who hasn't immediately ducked for cover.
"MEKARA...BEAM!"
Broccoli unleashed her mightiest beam attack yet against the Heartless. Unable to bear it's assault, it ends up dizzy and completely weakened.
"It needs one last keystroke, nyu!"
Hearing the tiny girl's cry, IF turned to Sora.
"Hey, mind finishing this off?" the guild agent asked.
Sora gave a thumbs up. "Gladly."
He then ran to IF and jumped!
IF used her hands as an improvised jumping pad, giving Sora extra room to jump higher.
"Gooooooo!"
With Neptune's loudest cheer, the boy landed one last strike against the Trickmaster, sending it spiraling down to it's defeat. As a large heart exits it's body, the tall Heartless is now vanquished.
A loud yawn was then heard behind them.
"What a racket..." It was the sleepy Doorknob.
"How did he sleep through all that fighting?" Compa wondered.
"I wish I could be as half as good as our mighty Doorknob!" Neptune said, praising the Doorknob for it's sleeping abilities.
"How's a doorknob to get any sleep?"
As he let out a mighty yawn, opening it's mouth wide, a light in the shape of a Keyhole appeared in his mouth.
"What is that?" Donald wondered.
"Seems like some sort of keyhole" IF answered. "But to what, exactly?"
As the group pondered about it, the tip of both Keyblades lit up and in swift motion, aimed themselves on the magical Keyhole, emitting beams of light against it. As the growing light that emerged from the Keyhole faded, a loud locking sound was heard as the Doorknob closed his mouth and went back to sleep.
"What was that just now, nyu?" Broccoli asked as she approached the group.
"You hear that too?" Sora asked. "Sounded like something closed."
"Yeah, but..." Neptune crossed her arms in thought. "What did we close, exactly?"
Suddenly, a piece of green fell near them.
"Hey, isn't that one of your gummi ship parts?" Compa asked as she grabbed the fallen piece.
"Welp, this gummi ain't like the others" Goofy answered. "No, sir."
"We'd better hold on to it" IF suggested. "Maybe Cid might know what to do with it."
"Splendid. You're quite the heroes and heroines!"
The Cheshire Cat took the chance to reappear once more on top of the reformed table.
"If you're looking for Alice, she's not here. Off with the shadows, into darkness."
And then the cat faded once more...
"No..." Sora bemoaned.
"Does that mean Alice is not in this world anymore?" Compa asked.
"Doesn't seem like it..." Goofy answered sadly.
"..." IF had a downcast expression on her face.
"Come on, guys!" Neptune rallied the group. "We ain't done on our adventure! If my meta-knowledge is correct, damsels like Alice would usually be taken right at the enemy's stronghold. So, let's keep on going until we get there!"
"Neptune..." Sora's face lit up, his determination restored. "Yeah!"
"Then let's go back to our gummi ship, everyone!" Donald urged.
"Sounds good!" Compa then turned to Broccoli. "What about you, Miss Broccoli?"
"I'm planning to stick around, nyu."
Everyone stopped for a moment.
"Huh? Why?" Neptune asked rapidly.
"There's still quite more to this place that I haven't seen yet, nyu." the tiny girl answered. "Besides, I want to show Alice more of this place as a way to thank her for helping out."
"Oh, Broccoli..." Goofy shed a tear at the act of kindness.
But then, her eyes narrowed as a sinister aura emanated from her.
"...That, and to sabotage that stupid Queen at every opportunity I can, nyu..."
Everyone sweatdropped at her not-so-silent mumble.
"...So much for a pure motive..." Donald mumbled. Compa could only mutter a laugh.
The tiny girl approached IF and gave her a piece of paper.
"Huh?" IF, in her stupor, noticed the paper on her hand.
"It's my contact info." Broccoli stated. "I can't go with you, but I can at least keep in touch. It's what you asked of me back there at the tea party, right?"
IF thought for a moment, but then she remembers. "Oh, right. You even took one of my phones for that..."
"You were complaining so much about it, but your nurse friend here made you relent. Remember?" the tiny girl reminded.
The guild agent sighed, eyeing her now-empty belt. "Yeah, just now. I'm really going to part with these babies, huh?"
"At least for now. Drifters have to stick together, even if we're apart, right nyu?" Broccoli reassured the guild agent. "So, don't worry about me. I can handle myself now that I am familiar with the Heartless, nyu."
IF gave a sad nod. "Sure. Thanks..."
"And don't forget to loosen up, okay?"
The guild agent chuckled. "Yeah, yeah. I hear you"
"Don't forget to write, Puchiko!" Neptune waved their new friend goodbye.
"For the last time, it's Broccoli, nyu!" the tiny girl complained once more.
Wonderland – Rabbit Hole
As the group returned to their first landing zone, Compa groaned in relief. "Good thing we're leaving! I don't think I can stand getting jump scared by that freaky kitty for another second!"
"Hey, this world ain't too bad!" Neptune said optimistically. "Sure, it felt like a werid acid trip here, but we had fun!"
"This is no pleasure cruise, Neptune!" Donald scolded the girl.
"Calm down, Donald..." Goofy tried to calm his friend down.
"..."
IF's pace was slow as the group returned, something Sora and Neptune noticed.
"Hey...IF?"
The guild agent turned to see her two friends, looking at her with worry.
"You doin' okay, Iffy? Got a stomach ache or something?"
She shook her head. "No, it's..."
The rest stopped and went to the sad guild agent.
"Are you okay, Iffy?" Compa asked softly.
"You feelin' alright?" Donald asked.
"It's just..." IF started. "I just..."
She then bowed her head in shame. "I'M SO SORRY!"
"Huh!?"
Everyone else gasped in shock.
"Sorry?" Goofy started.
"For what?" Sora continued.
"For messing up..." the guild agent cried, tears starting to leak out of her eyes. "If I wasn't so careful around the snotty queen, I could've come up with a better plan to save Alice! Instead, all I did was getting pranced around in this weird world with all it's weirdness and I couldn't adapt fast enough! If I were faster, calmer, maybe we could've sprung Alice out without smashing that tower in the first place..."
"IF..." Donald bemoaned.
Neptune sighed. "Iffy, look at us"
She did as instructed, looking at the friends in front of her in spite of her watery eyes.
"I get it. You messed up. We could've done things better. But in my point of view, things could've gotten a lot worse." the girl in the parka started. "Besides, if you haven't figured out what we were saying back at the court, we wouldn't have gotten Puchiko's help. And you trusted me and Compa to keep that Newtype busy while you got Sora to light those lanterns. Face it, if we haven't done that, that Heartless boss wouldn't spawn and that Newtype would've wiped the floor with us."
"Yeah." Sora agreed, scratching his cheek. "Besides, you stuck with me and learned about that weird room more than I did. And without your advice, I don't think we would've gotten all those four boxes. And we definitely would've made things worse for Alice if you haven't reeled us back in."
IF sniffed. "You guys..."
"So, what we're basically saying is, you don't need to apologize to us, Iffy! We're friends, after all! We win or lose together!" Neptune said happily.
"Yeah" Sora nodded. "Friends rely on each other. There's no need for favors or anything like that."
"What they said!" Goofy agreed.
"We rely on you, IF" Donald stated. "So, learn to rely on us too!"
"We're a party, Iffy!" Compa reminded her close friend. "All for one and one for all, right?"
"Everyone..."
IF let the tears and snot flow out of her face, allowing Compa to wipe them off with her handkerchief.
"Look at me. Crying out over something like that. I must look so pathetic."
"Yeah!" Neptune said, putting her hands on the back of her head. "Really pathetic."
"Neptune..." Donald scolded.
"But you were willing to share your troubles with us." the girl continued. "Nothing wrong with that!"
Sora nodded. "So, watch over us, IF. We'll watch each other's backs. It's what friends do!"
"And if you still feel bad about yourself" Compa said, placing a comforting hand on IF's own. "Strive to be better. We'll help each other get better, too!"
IF sniffed, wiping the last snot coming out of her nose. "Yeah. Thanks, guys. Thanks a lot"
As the party headed back, the guild agent felt her chest feeling lighter, as the value of trust enriched her own heart. For a person like her, who kept her feet firmly on the ground, she felt that she has become like the wind for the first time.
A gust of wind that blows the way forward for her friends...
NEPSTATION
Neptune: You're watching Nepstation, the first and only stop for the latest world buzz! Today, we're here with a different guest! Say hello to everyone!
Broccoli: Hello, nyu! My name is Broccoli! Remember, Broccoli! Not Puchiko!
Neptune: Oh, Puchiko! You're such a kidder!
Broccoli: I'm not, nyu!
Neptune: Anyway, since we're live, let's give you the latest news!
Broccoli: Why is she the hostess again, nyu?
*an image of a castle appeared, with numerous holes appearing in front of it's yard*
Neptune: First up, mysterious holes have appeared around a certain castle garden! Latest reports said that the residing family's little girl was last seen around said garden diving into one of said holes.
*the image changes to that of a blonde girl with her face obscured by blurs*
Neptune: Wherever she may be, we here at Nepstation pray for the swift recovery of said girl.
Broccoli: And an advisory to everyone. If you see something mysterious, do not interact with them without proper advisement, nyu! Curiosity is said to kill cats, you know?
Neptune: Hm-hm! Speaking of cats...
*an image of a pink striped cat and a scared woman wearing a peach sweater appeared. Her eyes were crossed out*
Neptune: There have been recent reports of mysterious talking cats lingering across a strange forest. One is said to be a disembodied head, speaking riddles that drove people mad.
Broccoli: We have an insider from a certain nurse who was walking around the area, nyu. She said 'NO TO FREAKY KITTYS! I NEVER WANTED TO ENTER THIS FOREST AGAIN!'
Neptune: Oof. That weird kitty head sure spooked her something fierce, huh?
Broccoli: That was not even the worst of it, nyu.
Neptune: It wasn't!?
*a blurred image of a black cat appeared*
Broccoli: Nope. There was a case from Witness AK, who said 'This black cat keeps telling me to go to bed early. It's really obnoxious! Also, he insists that he's not a cat, but I really doubt it.'
Neptune: Man, I'd hate to have my late-night gaming sessions be interrupted by something called sleep!
Broccoli: That is terrible for your health, nyu. Just be sure to take a cat nap every now and again, okay?
Neptune: Okay, okay. Enough about kitties. Let's head to our last headline!
*an image of a messy table, filled with ruined delicacies, appeared onscreen*
Broccoli: We have recent reports that a party was recently raided by mysterious card soldiers. When we interviewed the partygoers, they go to say things like 'The Queen is a selfish witch!' and 'We were just having an unhappy time! What did we do wrong?'
Neptune: Wow, are we really discussing about a turf war in this show?
Broccoli: Maybe, but no matter the case, always remember to party moderately, lest all your happiness in the future will all go down the drain, nyu!
Neptune: Uh, I think we're getting off-topic now.
Broccoli: Whatever do you mean, nyu? This show is chaotic, so I may as well lend to the vibe, nyu.
Neptune: Hey, hey, hey! We're a news show, Puchiko! We provide the latest buzz to all the worlds out there! We are trusted and fair!
Histoire: Neptune, we're running out of time. Please wrap it up!
Neptune: Oh, what is this!? A mismanaged award show!?
Histoire: Neptune, please calm do-
WE ARE EXPERIENCING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, PLEASE STAND BY
Sora: Okay, so since the host is out, I'll close us out. Let's read some of your reviews first.
Sora: Let's see. This one's from...
Neptune: HOOOOOOOOLD IIIIIIIT!
Sora: Whoa! Neptune!?
Neptune: I gotta take first read at those reviews! Who knows when you'll be reading spoiler-ific ones there!
Sora: But aren't our franchises over 15 years old by now?
Neptune: Hey, you'll never know! Maybe some readers here haven't gotten past our first games and need more time! We gotta respect people who actually take their time with these things.
Sora: True...
Neptune: Okay! First up, this review from keybladelight. *reads through with varying expressions* Oh-ho, I see...
Sora: What'd they say?
Neptune: *giggles* I won't say much, but I can tell you that our relationship is certainly something to watch for in this story, but keep your review in mind though. *whisper* It may be mentioned later, even if not on this story.
Sora: Neptune, what are you saying?
Neptune: Oh, nothing, buck-o! Anyway, here, I'll let you read this one!
Sora: Okay, this one's from...Enemy Stand.
Neptune: *gasps* Oh no! Has time already stopped!? Is that letter gonna explode!? Is anything bizarre gonna happen now!?
Histoire: Neptune, please let Sora read the review!
Neptune: *clears throat* Sorry...
Sora: *chuckles* Anyway, to answer your question, you're referring to that part with the glass platforms, right? I chose the Sword and gave up the Shield.
Neptune: Wow! You chose Sword, too! Ha-ha! I knew you're a bona-fide protag, Sora!
Sora: Haha! Thanks! As for the questions...I...can't recall what I answered, but I think the voice told me my journey begins in...midday?
Neptune Oh, wow! Same here! Guess you gave the same answers, huh?
Sora: Maybe. As for the race...I...won it, then Riku said why take it so seriously, it's just a race...
Neptune: Man, he must have messed you up good there, huh?
Sora: *sighs* He's always like that. Happens all the time...
Neptune: I dunno. The fact that you're looking away implies something else happened...
Sora: *flustered* Look, I won the race and got to name the raft, alright!? Nothing else happened!
Neptune: O...kay, then. Welp, that's it from us here today!
Sora: So, from all of us here at Nepstation...
Neptune and Sora: See you next time!