SK Future: ??? Universe

Bentley finally looks up from the project he's been working on: Restoring the Continuum Jumper. "Are you sure about this, Bentley? You said during the evil Sly incident that the Cooper Gang is done messing with spacetime."

"If we're going to take down the Sins, we'll need help. And then it came to me. Sly, remember during the Dimension Generation when we met your alternate selves?" "Yes, yes I do. Where are you going with this?" "A little while ago, I asked myself, "what if there's an alternate universe Sora, and an alternate universe Mario, an alternate universe Ratchet, you get the idea. I couldn't get the idea out of my head, but if we are going to test the theory, I have to do some work rebuilding what we destroyed back in Paris after Sneak Cooper. What do you say?" "I just have one question… Soul Princes, are you ready for a new adventure?" Sora responds with, "Anytime. And if anyone disagrees with me, let me know." No objections are raised. Bentley follows up with, "It looks like the vote is unanimous. Murray, help me move this onto the Phonix, because we're not fitting all of us in the van. When you're ready to leave, just let me know. Murray nods as we cut to gameplay. The group talks to Bentley to give the all clear.

SKSKSK

Sly says, "It's been a while since I've seen this thing work…" "Oh, it's going to work. You might want to hang on. Ratchet, you ready to go once we're though the portal?"

A few minutes later, they're through the portal in the airspace of a universe unknown to them.

"Bringing out the landing gear in 3, 2, 1."

The starship makes a safe landing and the Soul Princes clap, relieved at no crash. Sly asks, "Time for recon? All 7 of us?" "No Soul Prince left behind."

SKSKSK

Ratchet comments, "So, it seems we landed in the middle of nowhere. I guess we're walking…" As the Soul Princes get their bearings, they notice something in the sky. Two things, actually. "Is that a balloon?" Sly zooms in on it using his Binocucom. "Looks like it. And is something riding on that bird to follow it?" "Looks like a… yellow mouse?" Rayman comments, "OK, now things are getting good. Let's go and get some info…" Cut to gameplay in an area listed as "??? Universe".

SKSKSK

As the gameplay goes on, you walk past strange looking animals. Players should be able to recognize a few of them, but the Soul Princes don't really.

"And we've caught up to the balloon. Should we watch at a safe distance?" Ratchet nods. In the distance, the Soul Princes notice a young boy who's wearing a white hat with… "Is that a ball?" "Looks like it. And is it just me, or is the boy guiding the bird we followed? Sly, mind zooming in?" "Absolutely." At the exact moment Sly zooms in, what appears to be a lightning bolt comes out of the yellow mouse, who is currently circling the balloon on the bird. "Wow. It's not often that you see Sora speechless. Think we should help?" And then Bentley's Heartless Detector starts beeping. Sly says, "I guess that makes the answer yes. Sora, we need to get down there!" Cut to gameplay. Sly and Sora, Keyblades in hand, get to the balloon via a platforming section that, given where we are, is easier than most of the others. I would expect lots of young kids to be Soul Kingdom fans because of this section… and here's why.

After some combat against Heartless, Sora starts talking to the boy. "You OK?" The boy nods at the yellow mouse. "Pika…CHU! An electric bolt comes out of the mouse, destroying the balloon, and as the occupants fly away, you can hear them yell, "Team Rocket is blasting off again!" The boy responds with as he looks to the sky with a smirk, "I am now. I just realized I never got your names." "Sora. The raccoon thing next to me is Sly Cooper. It's a crazy story why we're here, we'll tell it later. And you are?" A familiar song about wanting to be the best like no one ever was starts playing. "Ash. Ash Ketchum. This is my buddy Pikachu."

End Chapter