Sora did his best not to look out the window of his room. He had stolen a glance as he went to sit on his bed to rest, and the sight made his heart sink. Out there were the stars as usual, but…there were so many gaps in them now. Much more than before…swaths of hundreds, maybe thousands, of worlds that the Heartless have dragged into darkness! It made him feel sick, like everything he was doing had no point to it. He had saved a handful of worlds, but what had that actually accomplished in the bigger picture? The group was no closer to finding out a way to restore the worlds than when they started. Kairi was still missing too…
As he thought of his dear friend, Sora's chest ached, almost bad enough to make him wince. It also didn't help that he kept having to leave new friends behind, most likely to never be seen again. Tron and her family were…well, they were different…their morality questionable, but he still liked them, and he appreciated the familial love they had for each other.
He just felt so useless.
Doubt crept into his heart, the heavy numbness he had grown used to crawling over his body. What was wrong with him? Why did he feel so horrible? He didn't understand his own emotions, or sometimes a lack of them. Right now, he just felt empty. Not even sad, just hollow. His eyes grew heavy, and exhaustion spread through him. He rested his head on his pillow, knowing his tiredness was the kind sleeping couldn't fix, it never seemed to. And yet…he closed his eyes and passed out.
When he awoke, it felt like hours had passed, but there was no way to tell. Out the window, it was the same starry expanse, chunks still missing. He figured it'd take even longer to get to their next world, more empty space between them now. Sora knew he couldn't just sit around, as much as he wanted to. He also knew he couldn't look so glum when he left the room. As Donald had said, no frowning and no sad faces…so he had to keep his frustrations to himself…
And Sora managed to do that over the next two weeks as they traveled. Donald and Goofy took turns in the cockpit, making sure they didn't run into anything or miss a world. Sora socialized when he was feeling up to it. When he wasn't, he was training even more, wanting to build his strength and hone his magic usage. It was all he could do to keep his mind off of things and have him lost in his thoughts as little as possible. During this time, he got a bit stir crazy, disliking only having the ship to stretch his legs in. While he was trying to see places outside of Destiny Islands, at least there was room there to roam a bit…here, he just felt trapped…
Once the two weeks were up, just like last time, Donald announced over the speaker that they were coming up on a new world. Sora went up to the cockpit where Donald and Goofy were waiting, the upcoming world dead ahead! It didn't seem particularly unique in any way. Landmasses and oceans were present, a nice balance of both. Really, the only noteworthy thing was many landmasses had lights streaking across them, large cities full of lights that even they could see from the Gummi Ship.
"Think you can actually get us near the Keyhole this time?" Donald asked GLaDOS, who was plugged into the ship once more. "You've been pretty bad about it so far!"
"I've gotten you pretty close most of the time." The A.I. pointed out in a curt tone. "Not my fault things interfere with my sensors. In fact, there are a lot of signals coming from this world…too many to count. It will make the destination another estimate."
"Well, as long as we're pretty close, it ain't too big of a deal, is it?" Goofy asked, wanting to look on the bright side of things as usual.
Sora had to hold back a sigh, wishing things could just be a bit easier. His mood was going down again, but he had to pretend that all was well for Donald and Goofy's sake. "As long as we can find our friends, that's enough for me, even if we end up pretty far from the Keyhole." Surely this would be their lucky break, right? He tried to tell himself that, but deep down he knew the chances were slim.
"See? You should be more positive, Loud Mouth." GLaDOS says to Donald, taunting him. "It'll help with that temper of yours."
Donald scoffs with a roll of the eyes. "Just get us down to the world, alright? If the King is down there, he'll probably be by the Keyhole."
"Kairi too!" Sora reminded Donald, giving him a frustrated look behind his back. He always forgot about Kairi!
"Alright, let's head down and see what the deal is. All those signals could be trouble." GLaDOS informed. Before Donald could reply with something sarcastic, the four of them were zipped down to the world below!
The group found themselves in an alleyway, Sora holding GLaDOS, whom he quickly pockets. They are in a city, right away being reminded a bit of the world where they met Mob. It was night, the sky above starless due to the city lights and a blanket of clouds. From deep in the alley, they heard the hustle of city life, people walking around and so many voices speaking that it sounded like a buzz.
"So, we're close to the Keyhole, right?" Sora asked GLaDOS, glancing down at his pocket.
"I'm not sure. So many signals at once…it's grown stronger now." The A.I. admitted. "They're making it hard to pick out the one that Keyholes give off. We should be relatively close, though."
Goofy scratched his head. "Uh…how close is 'relatively' though?" That could mean all sorts of things.
"Look, it's not my job to lock these things up, that's Clown Shoes' job." GLaDOS insisted. "Go out and look, maybe it will help your meager minds if you use them more often."
Donald scowled, stomping on ahead as Goofy and Sora quickly caught up. When the three leave the alley, they see just how different the world is from Mob's. While people were walking around, like in his world, one thing was very unique. Along with people, there were robots all over the place! Walking metal men, women, and even animals, going about the city!
These robots came in all sorts of shapes and sizes, too. Some were very distinctly inhuman, with square limbs, bodies, and heads, shining lights from their eyes as they walked. Others appeared human, except each had at least one detail that showed otherwise. Either their skin was a dull, metallic grey or their hands had been replaced by pincers, amongst other giveaways. Some robots were alone, some came in pairs, some were walking along with humans. There were even robotic animals, like a metallic dog that a man was walking, as though it were a normal dog.
"Robots…all over the place!" Sora gasped out. "Is this what you meant by all the signals, GLaDOS? The robots are giving them off?"
"Nothing gets by you, Clown Shoes." GLaDOS replied dryly. "All these robots are giving off signals, almost all of them unique, making this very loud and noisy to me."
The trio was at a loss, unfortunately. Where were they going to find the Keyhole? Given the pattern that seemed to be set from all the other worlds, just going around asking anyone they saw was going to be of little help. It really seemed that Keyholes were generally a secret amongst the inhabitants of each world.
Not sure what to do, the three observed the world a bit more, things would've probably been a bigger shock if they hadn't just come from Tron's world. At the very least, the robots here were more diverse, and it seemed that they coexisted with humans rather well. Sora recalled how the Servbots seemed to have hearts, the Heartless even going after them when they arguably shouldn't even bother. Did the robots in this world have hearts too…?
Sora's pondering was interrupted as, as if summoned by his thoughts, Heartless appeared! Shadows and Soldiers, which seemed to almost always be present in Heartless attacks, along with Yellow Operas and a new type of Heartless resembling cannons, Cannon Guns. The Yellow Operas shot Thunder spells about as they floated around, while Cannon Guns launched projectiles into the air, letting them rain down on people, robots, and cars.
Naturally, it was chaos, the people and robots scrambling to get away from the monstrous beings. Sora, Donald, and Goofy weren't even surprised when they cropped up. They were, however, a little shocked the robots didn't stay to fight. Some of them seemed pretty formidable, so they thought they'd help out. Maybe the Thunder spells deterred them, the attacks surely capable of damaging their computing.
So, the outsider trio leapt into the fray, starting to wipe up the Heartless with relative ease. Sora and Donald unleashed barrages of Fira and Blizzara spells, able to do so with increasing ease due to their training, with Donald also having done some during their two week trip. Goofy acted as support, throwing his shield at his opponents or crushing the smaller Heartless beneath it.
Thankfully, the people and robots around the trio managed to get away, letting the three fight the Heartless without worrying about collateral damage. The Heartless kept coming, and as they kept getting swatted away, a massive being of darkness emerged! A floating Heartless, made of stone and gears, a Gear Golem!
As it appeared, it smacked a car right at Sora and Donald, the vehicle hitting them and sending them sprawling and dazed. Goofy threw his shield at it, but the hit seemed ineffective as it bounced off the emblem over its chest. It spun its arms in a circle, throwing cars all over the place, trying to take down its smaller foes with overwhelming force! Sora, Donald, and Goofy had to duck into an alley to avoid damage, the sound of police sirens slowly closing in.
When the three peeked out of the alley to try and formulate a strategy, a new sound emerged from the chaos. Jet engines! From the sky, something small came flying towards the area, and right at the Gear Golem! As the object got closer, it really became clear how small it was, not even five feet tall. Nevertheless, the thing slammed into the Gear Golem's head, rocking the Heartless' entire body and nearly knocking it to the ground! The object then landed, revealing itself to be a human, a young boy!
The lights of the city didn't illuminate the child enough to reveal his features well, but black hair was evident, as well as the fact he wore odd red boots that went up to his knees. Even stranger than that, he wore little else, just a black speedo! As the Gear Golem recovered from its blow, the boy pointed at the Heartless. "You look different from those other things, so I'll try and negotiate! Leave our city alone, or I'll have to stop you by any means!" He yelled out, almost seeming wary about fighting, yet confident in his own power.
Naturally, the Heartless didn't respond nor let itself be deterred by words. It raised its left arm, the gear in place of its hand spinning rapidly, shooting its limb forward to punch and skewer the boy! "Hey! Look out!" Goofy screamed, shield at the ready as he, Sora, and Donald rushed forward.
Yet it turned out their worry was for nothing. As the punch came, the boy held out his hands and actually caught the blow! The gear kept spinning, sparks flying, but the child wasn't deterred, and didn't even seem like he was injured at all. In fact, the gear started to slow, and when it got slow enough, the boy grabbed it and in a move that made Sora, Donald, and Goofy freeze in place, swung the Gear Golem over his shoulder! In a mighty move, he slammed the Heartless into the road, the impact so strong that the creature of darkness vanished instantly! At this point, the police sirens were drawing in quite close!
"What the…? How'd he do that?!" Donald exclaimed as the boy dusted his hands, turning to properly face the trio.
Something about the child just seemed…off. Normally, someone would have a blemish, a freckle or something on their face, even the slightest imperfection. Yet the boy had none of that, his face essentially perfect, for a lack of a better term. And while Sora's hair was spiky, the strange child took it to another level, the points of his hair looking sharp enough to cut metal!
The boy seemed surprised to see the three, gesturing to the area around them. "Hey, what were you still doing here? Those things are dangerous, you know!" He said it more out of concern than anything, almost like he had a personal stake in the trio's safety despite just having met them. "You aren't hurt, are you?"
"We should be asking you that!" Sora exclaimed in surprise, but as he looked closer, he saw no signs of injury or strain on the boy. Looking closer, there seemed to be something on his chest, but the lights around them weren't bright enough to be sure of what it was. "And…why aren't you dressed…?" Thinking of it, how did he fly down here? He heard the roars of engines, were those boots some sort of flying devices?
And…somehow…Sora almost felt like he had met the boy before…
Before the boy could answer, several police cars turned the corner, arriving at the street. They slowed to a stop, several officers, both human and robots, got out of their cars. One man in particular seemed to be leading the group, a grumpy looking individual in a brown coat and a hat. Though his most notable feature was his long, round nose, sporting a mustache that looked like a bristled brush.
"Don't worry, Inspector Tawashi, I got it all cleared up without anyone getting injured!" The boy said to the long-nosed man. "These three were in the alley, but they don't seem to be hurt."
The inspector huffed, not seeming all too concerned about the three strangers. "Well, that's fine." He said, though his tone was far from caring. "I just want to know why you went ahead of us, Atom, your theatrics make us look bad, you know! We need one of these things captured alive, too!"
The boy, apparently named Atom, didn't seem to mind being chewed out by the grumpy man. "There was only one creature, and it was too big to capture, so I had to take it out!"
"Reports said there were a bunch of them!" The inspector barked back, looking at Sora, Donald, and Goofy. "Is Atom telling the truth? Was there just the one? You saw it all, right?"
"Well…there were a lot of smaller ones…but we took them out." Sora confessed, gesturing to himself, Donald, and Goofy. "We didn't know anyone would want to capture a Heartless, so…"
Inspector Tawashi looked the trio over with a huff, glaring at them openly. "You three were interfering, huh? Why'd you do something like that? And where'd you get a name like Heartless from anyway?"
Donald glared right back. "You're welcome for helping out! So we should've just let the Heartless rampage?!"
"And, uh, well, some of them got them there emblems with a heart crossed out." Goofy chimed in. "So, we've been callin' 'em Heartless!" He felt like that was a good enough excuse.
"It's pretty catchy." Atom casually responded. "Inspector Tawashi, they're right, they helped save people, we can't be mad at them for that."
The man huffed again. "Maybe you can't, but I can! Remember, you're not part of the police force, so you don't speak for us!"
Again, Atom didn't seem affected by a grown man talking down to him. "That's not what I was getting at…I just think they did a good thing. That's all."
"Look, we're sorry, we really just didn't know you wanted to capture a Heartless." Sora reiterated. "We're not from around here, so we're not used to how you handle things."
Before the inspector could respond, one of the police robots stepped forward. "Inspector, I think we should be worrying about the damage rather than yelling at people that stopped those creatures."
"…Fine. Whatever. Just go on and get out of my sight!" Inspector Tawashi scolded, waving the trio away dismissively. He then glanced at Atom. "You too, kid, get lost!" Before Atom could even respond, he turned around and started to look over the area with the rest of the police.
The unusual looking boy glanced over at the trio. "Are you three really okay? Apparently there were a whole bunch of those creatures…the Heartless." It seemed like he was testing out the new name for the creatures a bit as he spoke.
"Yeah, we're fine. We're kind of used to handling them." Sora admitted. "…But…I'm kind of curious. What's your deal?" With Atom standing closer, he saw the thing on the boy's chest was some sort of square line. Not a shirt or something, though, it's like it was drawn on.
"My deal?" Atom asked, tilting his head in curiosity. "I'm not so sure…oh! You mean you can't tell I'm a robot, can you?"
"Wait, what?!" Donald exclaimed, looking Atom over again. "You're a robot…?"
It was odd…but…it also made a lot of sense. His flawless skin and freakishly pointy hair, of course. That strength of his was pretty unreal too, though that didn't necessarily make him inhuman, given how different things could be in other worlds. What made Atom stand out is that, from a distance, he'd look just like any other kid. All the other robots the three had seen so far either were entirely made of blatant metal and could never be mistaken for a human or had some sort of metal piece of an uncanny bit that stood out a mile away. Atom's uncanniness was just…far more subtle. Even up close the three never thought to actually pin him as a robot!
"That's right! I'm a bit more realistic than most." Atom explained, having a modest tone about his statement. "I don't think I caught your names, though…"
Sora was still reeling a bit from the revelation, but he supposed it was hardly the strangest thing he had encountered during his journey. "Oh, right. I'm Sora. And this is Donald and Goofy." The teen introduced, gesturing to his friends in kind.
"You really couldn't tell he was a robot? I could tell without even properly seeing him." GLaDOS' voice rang from Sora's pocket.
"Hm? Who's that? I thought I picked up an odd signal…" The robot boy murmured, watching as Sora took GLaDOS from his pocket.
"Right, it's just GLaDOS here…she's an A.I. that…well, she just sort of chronicles things." Sora said, having been about to say that GLaDOS helps them, but that doesn't happen too terribly often…
Donald huffed, wanting to yank the A.I. from Sora's hand and toss it into the sewers. "Of course you'd know he was a robot. You probably just picked up on his signal or something." The mage retorted, not even sure if that's how it worked.
Atom seemed almost in awe at GLaDOS, looking over the small tablet she was contained in. "She's really advanced! Where did you guys get someone like her? I'm not sure even Professor Ochanomizu could make someone like her…"
GLaDOS let out a noise that sounded a bit like a breathy smirk. "Seems like Atom here knows his stuff. You three keep running into some smart people." Apparently she really was flattered, even calling Atom by his name instead of just giving him a mean nickname. "Looks like all these robots are messing with my signals. No wonder I couldn't detect the Keyhole."
That also got Atom's attention, eyes shining with curiosity, looking remarkably human-like. "Keyhole? What Keyhole? Are you trying to get in somewhere?"
Goofy just went with the flow. "It's sorta a special Keyhole. Probably real big…does it ring a bell at all?" He tried to explain it in a way without mentioning what it truly was, realizing it didn't really help at all.
With that vague description, Atom shook his head. "I've never heard of a special Keyhole. Maybe Professor Ochanomizu can help! He's really smart, so if anyone might know something about that, it'd be him!"
"We don't know who that is." Sora replied, putting GLaDOS back into his pocket. "Can you take us to him?"
Once more, Atom seemed surprised. "You don't know Professor Ochanomizu? He's the Minister of Science! You guys aren't from around here, are you?"
"No, we just arrived today!" Donald quickly explained. "So, we have no idea where this guy is, so you'll have to take us to him!"
"If ya don't mind, he means." Goofy chimed in, trying to outweigh Donald's demanding nature. After all this time, he wished his friend could be a bit more gentle asking for things!
Atom didn't seem to mind, though. Apparently a lot of things didn't get under his skin, artificial or otherwise. "That's not a problem. I'm on my way back to see him anyway, he'll want to know about that new Heartless that showed up."
The robotic boy started to lead the group, the streets starting to become more crowded again as they went, the panic from before winding down. "So, have the Heartless been a problem for a while? Seems like they pop up everywhere we go." Sora asked, curious about something. "Seems like they just attack everyone.
"It's been a few weeks…they just showed up one day, and no one's been able to figure out where they came from." Atom explained, seeming dejected. "They keep stealing the hearts of humans and robots, it's becoming a big problem…no matter how many get taken out, more just show up!"
That's what Sora was looking for! The Heartless went after robots…so they have hearts too! The Servbots really piqued his interest in that…it's just a shame it got confirmed to be true in another world in such a grizzly way. "I didn't know it was that bad! But the robots really have hearts?"
Atom turned to look at Sora, almost seeming insulted by his words. "Robots and humans are the same. Not everyone thinks so, but it's the truth. Professor Ochanomizu sure thinks so, but not everyone seems to be able to agree…"
Goofy thought about that inspector, who seemed really harsh on Atom for no real reason. If anything, he should've been praising the robot for helping to thwart such a dangerous Heartless! "I think I see what ya mean. Don't worry Atom, we know humans and robots are the same!" The Servbots didn't just make an impression on Sora, but Goofy too. Those little yellow fellas really loved Tron, and she loved them back. If that wasn't proof of them having a heart, Goofy didn't know what would.
This brought a smile back to Atom's face. "I appreciate that. Do you guys have a lot of robots where you come from?"
"Well…no, but we met some on the way." Sora replied, essentially being honest. He still disliked the idea of lying to people from other worlds, despite it being the safest route.
"So, hey, is this Professor guy really going to be able to help?" Donald butted in, trying to focus on the mission. "We're also looking for people, can he help with that?"
Atom seemed worried, as if the very idea of someone in trouble caused him distress. "Really? Are they lost? I don't know if the Professor can help with missing people…and I don't know enough about the Keyhole to really say. Tell me about your friends, I'll see if I've seen them at all." After Sora, Donald, and Goofy gave information about their friends, Atom shook his head. "No…they don't ring a bell…but I've memorized their descriptions, so if I see them, I'll remember them!"
As the group walked, Sora felt his curiosity grow again. "So…why are you so different from other robots? All the ones we saw just ran from the Heartless, but you fought one off. Did Professor Ochanomizu build you to protect the city?"
"No, he didn't build me, he just looks out for me." Atom replied, noticeably leaving out who actually built him. "He keeps me repaired whenever I take damage, things like that. I guess he keeps me maintained so I can keep an eye on the country."
"The entire country? Ain't there any other robots that can help out? Why, you're just a little feller, Atom!" Goofy proclaimed, almost feeling a little silly given what the 'little feller' was capable of. Something told him that display back there was far from Atom's maximum strength.
Atom nodded. "There's others. Montblanc and Gesicht for instance, they try their best to keep their parts of the world safe. Most robots just aren't made for combat, a lot of people wouldn't like it if there were armies of robots that were nearly as strong as me."
Sora had to remember that Atom wasn't a human kid…did that mean he could handle these sorts of things more, even with a heart? Sora had a few nightmares during the weeks of travel, a lot of them recalling Kenshrio's…messy way of handling his foes. The stress of the journey was starting to pile up…but Sora just had to smile through it. Was Atom the same way…?
Not long after, the group arrived at a large building, a dozen stories tall at least. With 'Ministry of Science' in large letters across the building, no one had to make a guess of where they were. Instead, Goofy asked another question. "So, what's this Professor like? You said he's nice, but what else? Will he actually help us out?"
"Oh, Professor Ochanomizu will help us out for sure! He really is nice, but he can be a bit stern if you aren't careful." The robot boy warned as he took the group inside the building. "I know his title seems scary, but he's not pompous about it or anything!"
The interior of the building was about what the outsider trio expected. Scientists and important looking people going about, talking and looking over papers. Some raised a brow at the three strangers in the building, but it seemed Atom's presence was enough to prevent them from raising a fuss. Before long, Atom took the three into an office, books lining the walls, a large desk near the far side of the room where a man was sitting.
This man was somewhat short, probably about Sora's size, and wide too. He had little hair, what he managed to have was white, and mostly on the sides of his head in large tuffs. Most notably, though, was his nose. It was gigantic, practically the size of Sora's head, in fact. The man was writing something down on some sort of form, his gaze rising as the group entered his office.
His eyes lit up upon seeing Atom, a small smile creasing his face. "Atom, my boy, how was the call? And I see you've brought guests…?"
"The call didn't go so well." The robot boy admitted. "I couldn't capture any of the creatures. And these three are Sora, Donald, and Goofy. They helped fight off some of them…they call them Heartless. Seems like a good enough name to me, huh Professor?"
"I suppose…" The older man mused, but quickly changed subjects. "So, what brings you three here?" He stood up, walking around the desk to get a better look at his guests. "Not very often Atom brings visitors to my office."
"Well, Atom told us you might be able to help us." Sora started, trying his best not to stare at the man's gigantic nose. He had to wonder how the professor kept his posture straight with it weighing him down. "My friends and I are looking for something called the Keyhole. Atom said you might be able to help us with that."
Professor Ochanomizu gave a perplexed look to the teenager. "A Keyhole? Like in a door? I assure you there's quite a great many in this city alone. Can you be more specific?"
GLaDOS let out a sigh from Sora's pocket. "Hey, let me out, I want to talk to him." She chirped, Sora obeying as he takes her out. "Can you analyze particular signals? I can share the information directly if you plug me into a device where I can share my data."
That really got the older man's attention, stepping forward and looking GLaDOS over closely. "My word, is that an A.I. you have there? She seems remarkably advanced! I think we should have a device able to handle her complexity."
"Flattery will get you nowhere, professor." GLaDOS chirped, yet despite her words she notably didn't give Professor Ochanomizu a nasty nickname. Especially since he had a very obvious point to make fun of right in the middle of his face. "We can try that method, it's a lot easier than trying to explain things."
"I see! I'm hoping I can take a look at you when this is done, I've never seen something so advanced in such a small parcel before!" The professor gushed, but then composed himself. "It will still help if I had some more information about this."
Donald stepped in, thinking he could explain just enough to get Atom and Professor Ochanomizu to just help them out already. "It's a source of energy that we think is nearby. The Heartless are after it, and it'll be real bad if they get to it before we do!" It was mostly accurate, so the robot and professor couldn't accuse him of lying or anything.
Atom chimed in before the professor could reply. "We can trust them…I don't sense any ill intent from them at all. Donald seems a bit grouchy, though, but he's a good person."
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?!" The grumpy duck snapped back, glaring at Atom.
Apparently, the robot's word was all Professor Ochanomizu needed. He gave a slow nod, and gestured towards the door to his office. "Well, if it will help without Heartless problem, I can't turn down the opportunity to help. I'm hoping you'll explain more of this later, still. Those dark creatures just showed up one day, it was quite frightening…" As he said this, he began to lead everyone out into the hallway.
"Yeah! It'll help! Sora here can get the Keyhole all sealed up so none of them Heartless can reach it!" Goofy explained as Professor Ochanomizu nodded some more, humming in thought.
"It all truly sounds fascinating." The man admitted, still seeming a bit confused, though. "Well, once this is all cleared up, we need to talk this over in length! My expertise is in robotics, but this is all very fascinating!"
Sora, Donald, and Goofy just nodded along, knowing once they sealed the Keyhole, they'd have to leave. They weren't sure they could even search for their friends here. In a huge city like this, what were the chances they'd find them? It'd take days, maybe weeks, to do a proper search, and they just didn't have that kind of time!
The professor took the group into a room that had all sorts of machinery in it, a few scientists working at some stations. Frankly, nothing in the room made sense to Sora, Donald, or Goofy. Keyboards, screens, electrical graphs and charts…it was all over their heads. Professor Ochanomizu took them to a machine that had ports in it that plugs could go into.
"This is the device, is it?" GLaDOS remarked, almost seeming like she was amused for some reason. "I can work with this. Clown Shoes, hold me close." She ordered Sora, who just did as told without argument. Atom seemed to find her nickname a bit funny, a small smile forming on his face.
Out of GLaDOS' device, a wire came out, plugging into one of the slots of the machine. "I didn't know you could do stuff like that…" Sora remarked as beeping sounds came from both GLaDOS and the machine she plugged into.
"You never asked." She replied dryly. After another few seconds, the wire retracted. "I uploaded the data, the specific wavelength that Keyholes give off. You should be able to find it now, right?"
"Well, let's see…" Professor Ochanomizu mumbled, working the nearby keyboard. All sorts of numbers and bars appeared on the screen before him, the outsider trio not even bothering to try and decipher what it was he was looking at. It all seemed to make sense to the older man, though, as he let out a surprised hum. "I've never seen a reading quite like this before…yet I can already say, if this sort of energy fell into the wrong hands, it could be a disaster! How has no one ever picked up on it before…?"
Donald cleared his throat with impatience. "So, can you find the Keyhole or not?" It'd be such a nice change of pace to have someone just point them right to the Keyhole for a chance.
The professor nodded, but didn't seem too confident. "I believe I can, yes. However, it will take time. The reading is getting mixed up in the countless signals of the robots within the city. Frankly, I can't tell you anything at the moment. However, leaving the machine running, it will be able to sift through all the signals and pinpoint the location of the Keyhole. I don't know how long it will take, though, it could be all night…"
Sora saw Donald's brow furrow and his bill open up to, surely, yell. Sora quickly clamped it shut. "Okay, yeah! I mean, we can wait, and we appreciate it!" He said, struggling as Donald tried to push him off.
"Uh…but we don't have anywhere to stay." Goofy pointed out. No money, whatever currency this world even used, to pay for anything. "We're kinda…broke."
Atom chimed in, raising his hand as if trying to be called on in class. "You can stay with me! We don't need to sleep in beds, so you can just use ours!"
Sora was about to question Atom having a house at all, him finding it odd to think a robot even would. Then he realized that'd be a horrible thing to say. He couldn't help but think of robots like how he saw them in movies or from books, generally mindless or evil. Or both. "You sure that's okay? Who's 'we' exactly?"
"My family, of course! My mom, dad, and Uran." Atom explained, and giving a shake of his head. "It won't be a problem at all, like I said, we don't really need our beds when we rest. It's just something we like to do most of the time."
That sounded a tad bit unusual, but the trio hardly cared. It was that, or sleep in the streets somewhere. "Okay, we appreciate it." Sora said, finally letting go of Donald, who slapped Sora on the arm in a huff.
"So, they're all robots too? What about the guy that made ya? Does he live with ya?" Goofy asked. Atom didn't say anything, and a shadow seemed to pass over Professor Ochanomizu's face for a split second.
"You should get going." The older man said, trying to sound casual, but there was a sort of urgency to his tone. "The machine should be able to point you in the right direction by morning, okay? Run along now!"
That was the second time asking about Atom's creator made things awkward. The trio got the hint at that point. Whatever was going on with the guy that made Atom, it wasn't good. That made them a lot more curious, though, but they had to resist pushing for an answer!
It was a bit of an awkward trip back down to the entrance of the building, but once they were outside, Atom spoke up again. "So, is the Keyhole the only reason you're here? It seems pretty important. Your friends too, though, right?"
"Right…We think our friends may be near where the Keyhole is, but we're just not sure." Sora answered, feeling awkward he has to keep dancing around the true answers to these questions.
"Do you know where the Heartless came from?" Atom suddenly asked, his voice a bit more serious. "It seems like you guys know more than you're telling me."
Sora figured it was only a matter of time before more specific answers were demanded. "Well…not really…" That was sort of true. The Heartless were formed from the darkness in one's heart, but did they actually emerge from that, or called from somewhere else? Was that the origin of all Heartless? He had no idea!
Atom stared at him, his too-perfect eyes giving him an uncanny appearance, somehow both artificial and very much human at the same time. "I see." Was all he said, his tone hard to read. Things were a bit awkward after that, and quiet, as the group went along. It wasn't long, though, before they came across a quaint, comfortable looking home. Atom's mood quickly changed to a more cheerful tune, as he gestured at the house like a presenter of some kind. "This is my house! Everyone should be home by now, come on!"
Sora, Donald, and Goofy felt like trespassers, somehow. Probably because they had never stayed in such a normal home in the various worlds they've visited. It almost seemed…out of sorts, in a way. A welcome change, though, to be sure.
As Atom took them into the abode, they saw the inside was just as cozy as the outside, furnished and set up like any normal home would be. Sora couldn't help but think of his own home, his chest aching as the memories pushed into his heart. When would he get to see his home, his island, his parents, Kairi, again? It was getting harder for him to keep his hopes up…
His thoughts were interrupted as a pretty woman appeared, Sora presuming her to be Atom's mother. Like Atom, she was very human-like, though not quite as perfected as him. She had the appearance, almost, of a doll. Not in an uncanny way, though, she looked fine, wearing some casual clothes with brown hair and matching eyes. From a distance, she'd be mistaken for a human.
"Oh, Atom, you brought guests! I wish you would've told me ahead of time." The woman gently chided, seeming more surprised than actually upset.
"Sorry, mom, it was kind of sudden." Atom replied. "These three helped me out with those dark creatures earlier, so I want to help them out too!"
"My name's Sora, and this is Donald and Goofy." The teen greeted, wanting to keep up his manners. "It's nice to meet you, ma'am." She didn't seem stern, but it just seemed wrong to act too casual around her, he couldn't explain why.
The woman smiled, showing off perfectly white teeth. A bit unusual, but it made sense. "Just call me Rin, dear. Same goes for you too Donald and Goofy." She chirped, turning to call deeper into the home. "Ethanol, darling, Atom's brought some guests!"
As the three guests were taken into the living room, they saw a man robot reading a newspaper in an armchair. Like Rin, the man seemed human from across the room. It's only when the outsider trio got closer that he seemed more doll-like. His black hair was coifed a bit, and it was revealed to be one solid piece, there even being a plug in its front, whatever it was for was anyone's guess. Notably, in the corner, a terrier was asleep, not seeming bothered by the guests in the home.
The man, Ethanol, beamed at the guests. "Oh? Some unusual guests…not the kind Atom usually brings home."
"They helped me fight off some of those dark creatures, so I want them to stay the night. That's okay, isn't it dad?" Atom asked.
Ethanol was a lot more casual than his wife, shrugging. "Fine with me. They can have the beds."
"If you're robots, why do you have beds at all?" Donald couldn't help but ask, not seeming to think about how it could be rude to ask.
Thankfully, none of the robots seemed to mind, at least outwardly. "It just helps us feel more human, that's all. We don't feel discomfort if we sleep on the floor, but that's not what people do, so neither do we." Ethanol explained.
Atom looked around, seeming to realize something, or a lack of something, rather. "Hey, where's Uran? I figured she'd come running in to greet us…"
Rin and Ethanol exchanged worried glances, looking back to Atom. "We were hoping you had seen her at some point. She should've been back a while ago." The father said, a worried frown on his face.
"Maybe she found another animal in need…" Rin suggested. "We already have Jump… She glanced at the dog in the corner. "…so she knows she can't bring them home. She's probably tending to a stray cat or something…"
"If ya need help findin' her, we can lend a hand!" Goofy offered, getting worried for the girl himself. He'd hate to know a kid was out there in need of help with Heartless running around.
"We'd appreciate that, thank you." Rin said with a breath of relief. "Atom, you know where Uran's hangouts are, you take them around and see if you can find her. With those creatures out and about, I really worry for her…"
Sora grinned, wanting to reassure the parents. "Don't worry, we can't just leave our friend's sister out there where it might be dangerous! You can just count on us!"
Atom nodded, but also sighed. "Uran's always getting into trouble. Not the first time I've had to save her. Let's get moving!" He led the charge, the four rushing out of the house and back out into the city.
A young girl moved along near the alleys of the city. From a distance, she seemed just like any other girl, a pink dress and black hair done in an admittedly unusual fashion. The sides are curved up, almost looking like horns. Up close, people may notice her skin is smooth and flawless, and her hair horns are sharp, sharp enough to prick one's finger on! The unusual looking girl hummed as she walked along, a strange sensation going through her brain.
In the air, she sensed unease and sadness coming from a source unfamiliar to her. A heart calling out for aid in the night, and she felt she had to investigate. It was most unusual, loneliness and despair that stretched deep and dark, catching her attention from miles away, calling her to the current location to look for its source.
As the sensation grew stronger, she peered into a nearby alley, pinpointing it as the source of the emotions. There she saw a boy, a teenager, with silver hair and blue eyes leaning against the wall, doubled over and seeming to be in pain. Was that the source of the unease? She had never sensed something like that from someone so young before. She wasn't afraid, though, she was stronger than she looked!
Skipping into the alley, the girl called out. "Hey! What's wrong? You seem so sad!" She declared, being as blunt as a punch to the face, as is her nature.
The young teen turned around, surprised a bit at what he saw. "What's a kid like you doing around here all alone?" He asked, voice sharp. Not mean, but like he was trying to keep his distance.
"I could ask you the same thing!" The unusual child countered, seeming more amused with his answer than anything. "You look real tired, and you feel real sad. Is there something wrong? Trouble at home?"
He was perplexed by her bold words. She didn't ask if he was sad, she declared he was with such confidence. The teen had seen the robots in this world, of all shapes and sizes. She didn't seem like one, though, but…something about her seemed…off. "How'd you know I was here? You sensed me somehow? How does that work?" The teen was more curious than anything, not finding the girl odd enough to be on active guard.
The girl grinned, almost mischievously, like she knew a funny joke and refused to share. Yet, she then told it anyway. "I'm a robot! Couldn't ya tell?" She revealed, spinning as if to show off her robotic-ness. Still, she seemed very much human, just a bit uncanny up close.
That took the boy by surprise, but it made sense, she didn't seem entirely human, but he had never seen a robot that actually passed this close. It certainly explained how she 'sensed' him, but he never expected a robot's circuits could even pick up on things like emotion and being tired. "Guess I couldn't. What's your name, anyway?" He asked, standing up straighter, his energy returning a bit. "My name's Riku."
"Nice to meet you, Riku! My name's Uran!" She introduced, beaming at Riku. "So, why don't you tell me what's wrong? Maybe I can help!"
Riku shrugged. "Just tired, traveling can be tough these days." He replied vaguely. Dio was able to use darkness to travel so easily, but for him, it was still a challenge. "Is helping people your function or something?"
Uran huffs, offended. "I don't have a function, that's rude!" She scolds, pointing a finger at Riku. "I came to help because it's a nice thing to do!" As she was saying this, several Shadows emerged from the dark of the alley, glowing yellow eyes trained on her.
Riku hadn't called these Heartless, they came on their own…and their attention was focused on the robot? The Heartless only wanted hearts…so did that mean…?
In a seedier part of the city, a grimy warehouse stood, the kind of place people would cross the street just so they didn't walk by it. Inside, a group of men crowded in a room, all of them ruffians in suits. One in particular stuck out, a face that just screamed that he was a no-good criminal, his skin so pale it was practically a hue of grey. He was talking on the phone, grinning ear to ear as he spoke.
"…I said we'll get it to ya soon. The guards won't be a problem, not this time. Just ease up, got it?" With that, the man hung up the phone, a nasty laughter escaping his crooked grin.
"You sure it'll be that easy, Skunk?" One of the men asked the pale figure. "Half of us got caught last time, they're never getting out of jail!"
Skunk smirked, the expression almost reeking of a nasty smugness. "I've got it all handled. I swiped something that'll help us out, alright? Found this band a while ago, messes with your heart. Never had a use for it until this real strong looking guy showed up out of the blue. With him on our side, we'll snatch that part easily!"
A door to the room opened and an intimidating figure stepped in. He was tall and powerful looking, spiked blonde hair and blank blues eyes. The man had a tattered red cape and a metal claw, a massive sword with bandages slung over his shoulder. Around his head was a copper band, humming with a mysterious energy as he looked towards Skunk with glassy eyes. "Whatever you want from me, I'll do it." The man said, voice lacking all emotion…
A/N: Back to the Astro Boy world, or Atom world, I suppose. I honestly was oddly conflicted about if I should call him Astro Boy or Atom, which is his actual, original name for those unaware. I figured since I used Gash instead of the more commonly known Zatch, I should do the same for Atom. Crazy to think this is the second-to-last "Disney" world in the story. Also, for those familiar with Astro Boy and its various anime incarnations, I'd say to see this world visit as akin to the manga/1960s anime version of him. A bit of trivia for those that may care, Princess Sapphire, another of Tezuka's characters, was someone I considered having as a Princess of Heart and would've shown up in this world. Looking more into her, though, I decided it was kind of an awkward idea and opted out of it.
And as another note, I know it may seem an odd choice to have another world with robots having hearts, but I see this as building upon the theme introduced with the Servbots, if that settles any issues some may have.