Traverse Town – Third District – Vacant House

The party has flown from the ruins of Hollow Bastion, all the way back to the Refuge World of Traverse Town. Upon being informed of the situation, Leon and his group put their preparations on hold and had the two groups gather at the sole house in the Third District.

"You must've gone through a lot..." Leon said, noticing the weary looks of the party. "Tell me what happened."

"So basically, blah blah blah..."

The party then told Leon and his group everything that happened during their trek into Hollow Bastion, from their landing up until their exodus.

"I see." Leon said, taking in all the information. "The Final Keyhole opened, Maleficent gone, the remaining Princesses of Heart still being held, and Ansem's return as well..."

"That certainly explains why there are more Heartless everywhere..." Aerith said, petting the dogoo on her lap.

"Yeah" IF nodded, pocketing her cellphone. "I got info from all across the worlds. They say the Heartless have been reappearing throughout the worlds, including some really dangerous ones at that."

"Even after we sealed up all those Keyholes!?" Neptune groaned. "Great..."

Yuffie groaned as she laid down on the bed. "Just when we got the all clear, this had to happen..."

"Um, sorry?" Compa apologized weakly.

"It's not your fault" Artisan reassured. "Besides, it was at our request that you move in as much as possible, and from your progress, I'd say you exceeded our expectations at that."

Leon nodded. "Not only that, but with the Keyholes sealed, the Heartless will still have a hard time consuming the worlds they arrived in."

"So, they can hold out for a while, huh?" Donald summed up.

Goofy nodded. "And with our pals out there, I'm sure the other worlds are safe!"

"There's still the issue of that Keyhole back in the castle..." Artisan said. "It being left open like that will definitely cause trouble down the line..."

"Well, with an open problem like that..." Aerith pondered. "The only way to solve it is..."

"Seal the Keyhole, right?" Sora interjected, his Keyblade in hand.

"Maybe" Leon replied. "But who knows what'll happen once it's sealed..."

"Isn't this just like all the others, though?" Neptune wondered.

"Not quite" Artisan answered. "This Keyhole is artificially made. From what you all told us, we believe that this Keyhole does not lead to the world's core, but rather a passageway leading to where most of the Heartless spawned from..."

"The Realm of Darkness..." Aerith murmured.

"I heard that term before" IF recalled. "What is it?"

"Basically, it is an empty realm where the darkness of our universe resides" Artisan explained.

"Meanwhile, the Realm of Light is where the light of our universe resides" Aerith followed.

"It's also the Realm we are in!" Yuffie finished.

"Well, that's great and all" Sora interrupted. "But we can't just sit here and wait! I've got a friend back there!"

Leon closed his eyes in thought. "That's right. You've got one more friend to worry about."

Artisan turned to Donald. "You mentioned that a man calling himself Ansem possessed Riku and even wielded a sort of Keyblade with him, right?"

The royal wizard nodded. "What about it?"

"Have you all noticed anything strange about him?" the horned woman asked. "Aside from the fact that he possessed Riku, that is."

"I noticed that Keyblade he had had no keychain near the handle" IF noticed. "Does that mean something?'

"It can mean two things, actually" Aerith answered. "Either that Keyblade's a fake or a dead one"

"Fake?" Compa wondered.

"Dead!?" Neptune exclaimed.

"In that case, a Keyblade that lost it's power" Artisan said, taking over. "But from how recent you all saw it, that Keyblade must've been a fake that was made."

"From what?" Sora asked.

"The captive princesses' hearts" Leon answered. "Riku's Keyblade was made from their hearts, just like that Keyhole you saw"

His attention turned to Kairi, who was reading through Jiminy's Journal with a monoscope.

"Of course, without Kairi's heart, the Keyhole could not be opened" Leon continued. "However, once that Keyblade's destroyed, the princesses' hearts should have returned to their owners"

"I think it did" Compa interjected. "We saw some lights pouring out and went into where the princesses were held. Maybe they've woken up while we were running away"

"Meaning they're still in there..." Leon mused as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"That is a problem" Artisan mused. "While their hearts can resist the darkness, they can't withstand a direct assault from the Heartless on their own."

"Even though the Beast is there?" Goofy said.

"Don't forget Noire, too!" Compa interjected.

"They're quite tough!" Sora commented.

"Tough though they are" Yuffie said. "Even they can't hold forever without a Keyblade wielder with them, y'know!"

"But Noire has one!" Neptune protested.

"Nep" IF bitterly reminded. "Noire got her power absorbed like yours, right? That means she can't use it anymore..."

"Ah..."

The girl in the parka began to panic.

"Oh no! We gotta go back! Noire's in serious trouble!"

"Calm down, Nep-Nep!" Goofy tried to stop the girl.

"But she's up against the scary man all by herself!" Neptune protested. "What if she ends up becoming his puppet like he did to Riku!?"

"I don't think we have to worry about that"

Everyone's attention, including the reading Kairi, turned to the large tome lying in the middle table.

"Histy?"

"So, that's the Histy you've been talking about?" Artisan mused.

"Never thought I'd be speaking with a book of all things..." Yuffie commented.

"What do you mean by that?" Sora asked the tome.

"It will take a while to explain in full, but to sum it up" Histoire said. "It's because of Noire's latent Share Energy that she will be able to resist this 'Ansem's' possession."

"Share energy?" the boy asked.

"Wazzat?" the girl who once had the key asked.

"It is the latent energy that originated from Gamindustri" Histoire explained. "Do you recall how I thought you and Noire are CPU's, Neptune?"

"I think so" Neptune answered as the realization slowly dawned on her. "Wait, you saying me and Noire have this sort of energy in us?"

"Yes" Histy answered. "If you wish to know more, may I please be released from this seal? I'm honestly starting to get tired due to the strain placed upon me from it..."

"Yeah, but, uh" Neptune said, scratching her cheek. "How do we do that, exactly?"

"Is there some sort of trick to this?" Sora asked. "Like, what kind of magic seal is placed, exactly?"

"Maybe the answer's simpler than you think"

The two Keyblade wielders turned to Kairi.

"Kairi?"

The girl stood up from her seat and turned the large tome around, pointing to a keyhole lock on it's handle.

"How did we miss that?" Neptune wondered.

"I don't think we did" IF pointed. "The lock didn't look like that when you first got it"

"Maybe when that old lady tried to use her power, the seal on her tome weakened." Kairi theorized. "The reason why I pointed this out was because you were all talking about Keyholes and whatnot, and I happen to notice that tome had a lock looking like that."

"And if it's a lock" Donald noted. "It can be opened"

"And since the Keyblade can open any lock..." IF concluded.

From there on, the answer was clear...

"Kairi..." Neptune approached the islander girl with cheer. "You are a genius!"

Sora chuckled. "You always were the observant one!"

Kairi giggled, fixing her hair. "I had to. Who else will tell you how badly you lost to Riku in all the duels you had?"

Sora became flustered. "C-C'mon! Do you have to say that?"

Yuffie snickered. "Everyone's a loser at some point in their life!"

"Not all the time!" the boy complained.

Everyone began to laugh at the boy's expense.

"Oh, what's with all this laughter now?"

Suddenly, a puff of smoke appeared in the room, revealing a familiar wizard.

"Hey, Old Man Merlin!" Yuffie greeted.

"What are you doing here?" Aerith asked.

"I sensed a being of great power here" Merlin answered. "And since the Fairy Godmother's away on an errand, I figured I'd investigate this for myself."

"Well, you're just in time!" Neptune chirped. "This buck-o and I are at the ready to unseal Histy!"

"With your Keyblades, hm?" Merlin inspected the tome in question. "Hmmmm, it appears you both may be right on the munny on this one. The seal's located on the keyhole lock right here. With your powers, you should be able to undo the seal!"

Sora chuckled, glancing at his fellow islander. "Thank Kairi for that. She took notice of it and showed it to us."

Kairi chuckled nervously, twirling the edge of her hair. "It was nothing. I just pieced it together from what everyone's been talking about and took a gamble from there"

"Either way, you pointed them to the right direction" Merlin insisted. "I feel like that alone deserves praise, don't you think?"

Kairi nervously scratched her cheek.

"Oh, just take the W for this one, girl friend!" Neptune cheered. "It's not everyday you get to do stuff like this, so just take it!"

Kairi nodded. "Okay. Thanks!"

Merlin nodded as he stepped aside. "Now, allow me to step aside so you two can do your work."

As the Great Wizard moved, Neptune and Sora went to the front of the tome, ready to undo the seal...

"Oh yeah..." Neptune remembered, stepping back. "I don't have a Keyblade anymore. I can't undo the seal like this..."

"Huh?" Sora looked to his fellow Keyblade wielder, looking a bit sullen.

Neptune forced a smile. "Go on, buck-o. Unseal her. You have the Keyblade, after all."

But the boy shook his head. "No. You do it"

The girl was taken aback. "Huh!? But I can't! I don't have a key anymore!"

"Then use mine!" Sora insisted, pushing his Keyblade onto her.

But Neptune pushed it back to him. "Nuh-uh! You got this, Sora!"

Yet Sora was persistent. "No, you! You made the promise, not me!"

"No, you!"

"No, you!"

This trade went on and on for three whole minutes, until...

"Um, guys?" Kairi stepped in, causing the two to stop. "Why don't the both of you undo the seal instead?"

The two Keyblade Wielders looked at each other for a bit, and then back to Kairi.

"Girl friend" Neptune chirped. "Have I mentioned that you are a super genius?"

Sora chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "Thanks again, Kairi."

Kairi giggled in thanks as she stood back.

"Ready, Neptune?" Sora asked his fellow Keyblade wielder

The girl nodded, gripping the handle of Sora's Keyblade. "Time to fulfill my promise!"

Holding out the Keyblade together, they shot a beam of light that hit the keyhole on the time, an unlocking sound is heard across the room.

"Ah!" Histoire breathed. "I can feel my senses returning to me! Neptune, Sora, thank you both so much! This is truly a joyous day!"

As the large tome opened, releasing a flash of light, someone appeared from the tome's pages.

"Greetings, everyone! I am the tome Histoire. I hold the records of the Lost World of Gamindustri, and was once the Oracle of one of the world's nations. It's finally nice to meet you all properly!"

A fairy, much larger than Tinker Bell with blonde, wavy hair, wearing a purple outfit and a small white cap appeared out of the once-sealed tome.

"Compa, IF, Donald, Goofy, thank you all for guiding Neptune and Sora on their journey. They could not have made it this far without you all."

She then glanced around, taking in the faces of the people she had the honor to meet.

"Squall Leonhart, Yuffie Kisaragi, Aerith Gainsborough, Artisan, Great Wizard Merlin and Princess Kairi. It is an honor to make your acquaintances. Thank you all for providing aid to Neptune and Sora in your own ways."

"Wow..." Aerith gasped in amazement.

"She's so freakin' tiny!" Yuffie screamed, the dogoo barking in tandem.

"How'd you know our names?" Leon asked the fairy.

"It is a function that is embedded into my being" Histoire explained as she floated along with the tome. "Whenever I set foot, so to speak, in a world, I essentially copy the records of history that are embedded into that world's heart. In short, I enter a world, and then it's history is recorded into my tome. The events that occurred in it. The people who walked into it. How many times it rained or flooded. Everything that the world can recall. All recorded into my tome."

"Wow!" Neptune's eyes sparkled. "So, like, you're the ultimate copying machine, is that it?"

IF sighed. "Nep, I'm pretty sure she's more than just that."

"Still" Compa approached the tiny fairy and gently rubbed her cheek. "Histy's so small and cutesy! I wanna keep her!"

"Get in line, mucha-cho!" Yuffie exclaimed. "She's gonna be telling me where all dat phat lewt is!"

Aerith sighed. "There she goes…"

Artisan could only laugh nervously while Leon pinched his nose in annoyance.

The tome fairy cleared her throat, grabbing everyone's attention. "Now, I understand that you all have several questions for me. I will try to answer them to the best of my ability, so please, do not hold back on your inquiries!"

"Well, you heard the tome lady!" Neptune chirped. "Grab your snacks and drinks, cuz tonight's the time for..."

Teach Me Histy – Introduction

"Okay..." Compa started, raising her hand. "First off, what, exactly are you?"

IF sweatdropped. "Starting right off with the loaded ones, huh?"

"Hmmmmm" Histoire hummed. "As I said, I am a tome, one that was made with the express purpose of watching over and recording the history of Gamindustri as it goes."

She then placed a hand on her chest. "I am it's everything, just as Gamindustri is my everything. There is almost nothing I do not know about our Lost World..."

"So" Sora wondered. "You are its heart, in a way"

Histoire giggled. "In a way, yes. Though, it's more accurate to say I was created from it."

"A being created from a world's heart to observe its history, huh?" Artisan noted.

"Oh! Oh!" Neptune chirped. "Then, can you tell when someone snuck into the kitchen at 3 AM? Or when the next big game is released? Oh! Or when the next round of pudding is coming?"

"Certainly!" the tome replied. "So long as it occurs in the world I am residing in, I can tell what has happened."

"Then try us!" Yuffie dared.

"Very well" Histoire accepted the challenge. "At 11AM-"

Several embarrassing secrets later...

"Okay okay okay!" the great ninja screamed. "You can stop! That's enough!"

Aerith sighed as she covered her face in shame. "This is embarrassing..."

"Yuffie..." Leon called out as he facepalmed. "You should just shut up from now on..."

"Don't say I didn't warn you" Histoire said with a smile.

Neptune grimaced. "Who knew Histy had a playful side like that?"

"I guess she must've wanted to do something like that after being sealed for so long..." Donald guessed.

IF sighed. "Idiots, the lot of you..."

Teach Me Histy – Gamindustri

"So...Gamindustri" Neptune started. "What's it like?"

"Geez, another one?" IF facepalmed. "Try some lighter questions next time"

"It is alright, IF" Histoire reassured. "I can handle this"

IF hummed. "If you're sure..."

The tome fairy cleared her throat. "Gamindustri is a vast world, filled with all kinds of unique creatures and people of several faiths."

Her eyes turned to the sole wild animal in the room. "This little dogoo here is one of the aforementioned creatures!"

The dogoo barked loudly.

"So" Artisan mused. "These little ones really did come from Gamindustri, huh?"

Histoire nodded. "Indeed. There are other various creatures that once lived there, such as kupokitties, pixelvaders and even horsebirds!"

"Horse-birds?" Yuffie wondered. "What, do they have yellow feathers and run around the plains or something?"

"Those are some...unique creatures, to be sure..." Donald mused.

"Were there any standout locations?" Leon asked.

"Yes" the tome lady nodded. "Much like how your worlds have certain landmarks that make up most of their identities, Gamindustri has four nations that comprised it."

"Four nations?" Aerith asked.

Histoire nodded. "First, the land to the south, an island filled with lush greenery, high-class services and a motto of 'bigger is better'. That is the Land of Green Pastures, Leanbox"

"An island with lots of greenery, huh?" Artisan imagined. "I don't know why, but I feel nostalgic when I hear about that."

"Oh!" Aerith gasped. "Do you think that might've been your hometown?"

The horned woman hummed. "Maybe? I'm starting to see the problem IF and Compa had when they were recalling their hometowns..."

"Still" the flower girl mused. "that place is bound to be beautiful. Maybe it'll have a huge flower garden there!"

Histoire nodded. "It has plenty of forests across the nation. I'm sure there are bound to be flower gardens there if you looked"

The tome fairy then cleared her throat. "Now, to get back on topic. The second is the land to the north, which is best known for its perpetual winter, family-oriented traditions and a belief that 'small is justice'. This is the Land of White Serenity, Lowee"

Neptune shivered. "Perpetual winter? Does that mean it snows every day?"

Histoire nodded. "Even in the hot seasons, Lowee continues to snow."

"Snow, huh?" Sora imagined. "I wonder what that's like"

"You've never experienced snow before, Sora?" Compa asked.

The islander boy shook his head. "Never even seen 'em"

"Considering your world's an island" Yuffie commented. "I'd be more surprised if it DID snow at one point!"

"I..." Sora started, but then deflated. "...concede to that..."

Histoire chuckled. "Moving on, the third land lies to the east. It is known for its industrial revolutions, boasting some of the hardest-working and competitive forces in the world, and a motto of 'work hard, live better'. This would be the Land of Black Regality, Lastation"

"Hard working and competitive, huh?" IF thought aloud, her thoughts reach to a familiar someone. "Sounds like someone we knew, eh Nep?"

Neptune gave a wistful smile. "Yeah..."

Histoire's expressions soured. "I apologize for what has happened to Noire. I truly wish she could be here with us as well."

The tiny CPU shook her head. "It's alright. Besides, even if she does go down, I'll just go in and rescue her!"

Kairi cheered her on. "We know you will!"

Histoire continued her explanation. "And now, the last nation. It is hailed for its progressive ideas, technological advancements and the motto of 'life is fun, so enjoy it'. It is the Land of Purple Progress, Planeptune"

"Pla-neptune?" Yuffie said slowly. "Are you for real?"

"Why does that nation have Neptune's name on it?" Aerith wondered.

Everyone looked to the tiny CPU, who only shook her hands in protest.

"Don't look at me! I didn't even know a Planeptune before two chapters ago! Heck, I didn't even know my NAME before Histy guided me out"

"As for that" Histoire butted in, bowing her head. "I apologize. In my elation over finding her, I quickly gave her a name based on the nation I presided over."

"That explains why Nep-Nep is named like that..." Compa summed up.

"So" IF said. "Planeptune is the nation you ruled over, then"

The tome fairy shook her head. "No, the nations in Gamindustri are ruled over by the Console Patron Units, or CPU's for short. I am simply it's Oracle."

"Like an advisor, then?" Artisan guessed, to which Histoire nodded.

"Which leads us to our next question..."

Teach Me Histy – Console Patron Units & Share Energy

"What are these CPU's?" Leon asked this time. "And why is Neptune one of them?"

"Yeah" Yuffie agreed. "What's the big deal with these CPU's, anyway?"

"From what we heard from Noire" IF recalled. "These Console Patron Units are hailed as goddesses in Gamindustri. Do note that she was essentially acting on information that old hag told her, so it could be wrong..."

"Actually" Histoire said. "That information is correct. Console Patron Units, or CPU's for short, are the divine rulers of each of the nations. These goddesses preside over their respective nations and over Gamindustri as a whole"

"Seriously!?" Yuffie shouted.

"Neptune, a ruler!?" Donald screamed.

"Hey!" Neptune complained. "What's so wrong about me being a ruler of a nation?"

"I dunno" Sora shrugged. "It's just...weird to see you ruling over something, that's all"

"You're about as lazy as a house cat when we're not on the ground..." IF pointed out.

"I cannot see anything good happening if she's a ruler..." Leon said, shaking his head.

"Aw, c'mon!" the tiny CPU exclaimed. "Since when is today 'Pick on Nep' day?"

Compa giggled as she patted Neptune on her head. "Don't worry, Nep-Nep. I'll always care for you!"

"I think a land ruled by you could be loads of fun!" Goofy cheerily said.

Neptune, feeling touched, glomped on the two. "Oh, you two! I can always count on you to be in my corner!"

Histoire cleared her throat again. "Anyway! CPU's not only govern the nations, they also protect them and the people that live in them. This, in turn, provides them with Share Energy."

"Share Energy?" Merlin asked.

"Yes" the tome lady nodded. "It is energy native to our world. It is also from said energy that these Console Patron Units are created, goddesses shaped by the people's faith to govern them and their nation."

"Sooooo..." Goofy wondered. "How can we tell the difference with this Share Energy?"

"Quite easily" Histoire boasted. "Share Energy is quite distinct and unique compared to light and dark energy. In this case, Share Energy is color-coded and shines brightly."

"You mean like that purple aura around Sora when he was a Heartless?" Kairi wondered.

"Yes" the tome lady nodded. "Share Energy is a type of energy native to Gamindustri. It is generated as the people pray and give thanks to the goddesses of their nations."

"Hold up!" Neptune interrupted. "Before we continue, Histy, how is someone like me and Noire able to wield Keyblades and what's the deal with Sora having some of my Share Energy?"

"Huh?" Sora said with a raised eyebrow.

The tome lady hummed. "For the first question, I can only make an educated guess."

"What is it, then?" the purple CPU asked.

"I believe the reason why you and Noire are able to wield Keyblades, is because of your powers as CPU's."

"Uhhhhhh, come again?"

"How does that work?" Sora asked.

"How do I put this?" Histoire thought aloud. "I believe it may be because of how Keyblades themselves are revered across the worlds according to their legends, and that, in turn, caused your CPU abilities to essentially crystallize themselves into the shape of these legendary weapons, even being able to perform their functions to manipulate any type of lock."

"That would make the most sense" IF figured.

"How so, Iffy?"

"It's pretty obvious" the guild agent answered. "When you and Noire transform into those HDD forms, your weapons are replaced with new ones that are well-suited to your fighting styles."

"Oh." Now Neptune is starting to get it. "Ohhhhhhh~"

"Not only that, there's also the matter of your Keychains" IF pointed out.

"Keychains?" Neptune wondered. "The ones hanging around our Keyblades?"

"Like Aerith said before, the Keychains hold the identity of the Keyblade itself. Your Keychain is a purple crystal with a power symbol on it, right?"

"Yeahhhhh?"

"Oh!" Compa figured out. "Then Noire's Keyblade must also have something similar to it, right?"

IF nodded. "Precisely. I believe those Keychains, and thus the Keyblades they wield, hold proof that Nep and Noire are CPU's, Lost Goddesses of Gamindustri"

"You are correct, IF" Histoire chimed in. "Those crystals with power symbols are the shape of Sharicite, the central source of power of a Gamindustrian Nation."

"Are you following along with this?" Kairi asked the girl in the parka.

"Yeah, I think I am" Neptune nodded along.

"Then, what about Sora?" Donald asked.

"Yeah, why does he have Nep-Nep's Share Energy?" Goofy pointed out. "Not only does he still have it as a Heartless, but it's likely thanks to that that he was able to hear Histy when the rest of us couldn't before!"

"Yeah!" Sora exclaimed.

"As for that..." Histy said, clearing her throat. "Neptune, do you recall when we first met?"

"Duh!" Neptune chirped. "Couldn't forget it even if I wanted to, and I don't want to!"

Histoire nodded. "Indeed. Before you took your trials, you asked me for a way to escape the void you are in, correct?"

"Yeah" the girl nodded. "Then you said something like 'try feeling with your heart' or something, right?"

"Yes, and then you felt someone whose world was lost to darkness and began to Drift away."

"Uhhhhhh..." Sora stammered. "What are you getting at?"

"I see" IF understood what they were talking about. "So that's how she did it..."

"Did what, Iffy?" Compa asked. "What did Nep-Nep do?"

"And what's this gotta do with Sora?" Goofy followed as Sora nodded.

"Basically" Histoire explained. "I guided Neptune into connecting her heart with someone to help her establish a link to the outside world. By connecting her heart to theirs, this not only grants her a way out of the void she was in, but also grants the one she has connected to protection via her Share Energy."

Her eyes turned to the now-confused Sora. "In short, Neptune has connected her own heart to that of yours when you were Drifting in the darkness, Sora. That's what allowed you to survive and for Neptune to arrive here in the Realm of Light."

"I see" IF understood. "So, the two established a Share Link, then"

"That's an appropriate term for it, yes!" the time lady approved.

"Really?" Neptune asked. "Is that how it worked?"

"It couldn't be anything but that" the guild agent said confidently. "Remember that time when you and Sora fought Noire and Riku?"

"Yeah...?"

"During that fight, didn't you feel like you're glowing? Like we were right there with you even when we're apart?"

"Uh-huh" Neptune nodded along.

"And around that time, Sora was also starting to glow. Heck, during our fight, he began to use your techniques, too!"

"Huh?" Sora asked, looking confused. "Really?"

IF chuckled. "You didn't notice? You were using moves like Cross Combination against Riku. You even used magic like Blaze Break on him, and I'm betting Nep was using your moves, too."

"Huh..." Neptune hummed. "So, that's what it was, huh?"

"And there's more to that" the guild agent continued. "Remember those dreams you've had?"

"Wait..." Neptune began to figure out. "You're saying the reason we can see each other's dreams is because of our...Share Link?"

Artisan hummed. "That seems to be the most plausible conclusion."

"Wow..." was all Yuffie could say.

"This Share Energy is really amazing, huh?" Aerith summed up.

"Is this true, Sora?" Donald asked the boy, who is taking in all the new information.

"I...think so" Sora answered. "When my island was destroyed, I recalled floating away, not knowing where I am. That's when I felt something in my heart, something warm and fuzzy. Something that just makes me feel like I'm gonna be okay. When I came to in this town, I barely felt it until I met Neptune, but even then it wasn't as...intense as before?"

"That much is understandable" Histoire understood. "Neptune, as of her awakening, has yet to familiarize herself with concepts such as CPU's and Share Energy. Not to mention, she just woke up and started out. The feeling within has gotten stronger as the two of you travelled together. It certainly helps that Neptune has gained more knowledge through Noire and Arfoire."

"I see..." Sora nodded. "So, in a way, you saved my life, Neptune."

"Huh?" Neptune said, tilting her head. "I did?"

The boy nodded again. "If it weren't for you, I don't think I would be able to arrive here safely. If I didn't, I don't think I'd be able to meet you all and find Riku and Kairi again. So, thank you, Neptune. I owe you my life."

Neptune chuckled. "Shucks! You don't have to say that. I bet that you'd be able to survive even without ol' Nep's help."

"Really?"

"For realsies! I already knew from the moment we met, that you were gonna be one heck of an awesome-sauce Keyblade Wielder!"

"You think so? I don't think I could've gone anywhere without you cheering me up!"

"Naw, dog! You totally got this!"

"I don't know. You do things better than I can..."

"Dude, you took on that snake guy and that old sea hag without me, right?"

"I mean, Arfoire split us up, and yet you foiled most of her plans time and again..."

"Aaaaannnnnndddd...I heard you even took on that possessed Riku by yourself and won too!"

"But you managed to beat Noire and got her AND Histoire away from that old hag and..."

And this exchange went on for three more minutes...

"Geez, look at these two... " IF sighed, shaking her head. "Exchanging humble remark after humble remark..."

"It's almost like seeing someone speaking to a mirror image of themselves!" Compa chirped.

"Yeah!" Kairi giggled. "They feel like long lost siblings who just found each other after so long!"

Neptune perked up at that. "Siblings, huh?"

"Huh?" Sora said, not liking the grin on his fellow Keyblade Wielder's face. "What are you on about?"

"Sora!" Neptune shouted. "You soul-sister demands a fresh-supply of egg pudding, stat!"

"H-Huh!?" Sora yelled.

"Soul-sister?" Donald repeated.

"Well, we ARE connected, quite literally" Neptune explained. "Via my Share Energy and soulmates tend to be used for more romantic purposes, right Kairi?"

The aforementioned girl looked away, her face flushed with embarrassment as she nodded.

"So, we're going with this soul-sibling vibe instead!" Neptune nodded. "Yeah, this totally works for us! Now get moving, soul-brother! Chop, chop!"

"C'mon, I'm not your butler!" Sora complained.

"Poo!" Neptune pouted. "You're making your sister very sad..."

"Uh-oh!" Yuffie exclaimed. "You better not make your sister sad~"

"That will not do at all..." Aerith joined in, shaking her head as the dogoo whined.

"C'mon, guys..."

After another round of hearty laughter, the group returned to their discussion.

"So, going back on topic." Compa wondered. "Since Nep-Nep is a CPU, do we need to pray to her so she gets stronger?"

The tome fairy shook her head. "Not necessarily. Prayers are not the only way to generate share energy. Simply having faith in them, or believing in them will suffice as well."

"Basically, what we've always been doin', right?" Goofy asked.

Histoire nodded.

"Well, that's a relief" IF commented. "I'd feel weird kneeling down and offering a sincere prayer to a dunderhead like Nep"

"And what's so bad about that, Iffy?" Neptune replied, causing the guild agent to simply shrug.

"Incidentally" Histy continued. "We Oracles are assigned to preside over the CPU's in maintaining their nations. While I was created from Gamindustri itself, I became attached to Planeptune and became its first ever Oracle"

"So, that means the other nations have Oracles too?" Kairi asked.

"Yes" the tome lady nodded. "Though unlike me, these Oracles are humans, personally handpicked by yours truly to preside over the other nations."

"You must have some good standards to be able to pick out advisors for the other nations, huh?" Yuffie wondered.

"Question!" Aerith shouted, raising her hand. "Is it possible for someone to not believe in any of the CPU's?"

Neptune gasped. "Et tu, Aerith!?"

The flower girl giggled. "Not like that. I like you enough, Neptune. It's just a curious question. Is all!"

"To answer your question, Aerith, it is possible" Histoire explained as her expression darkened. "However, those people tend to harbor resentment towards the CPU's and are considered outlaws in our world. Some have even formed organizations that wished to abolish the governance of CPU's in Gamindustri"

"Did it work out?" Artisan asked.

"Not a single one" Histoire shook her head. "Though, that doesn't really matter now..."

The atmosphere darkened at that moment.

"Why is that?" Sora asked.

"Because..." Histoire started, her bangs covering her eyes. "Gamindustri has been consumed..."

Teach Me Histy – The Rise and Fall of Gamindustri

"Consumed?" Donald asked.

"By the darkness?" Merlin followed.

Histoire nodded sadly.

"How did it happen?" Artisan asked.

The tome lady looked down in shame.

"I understand how difficult it is to recall such painful memories" Artisan pleaded. "But...I feel like we're at the cusp of remembering something important, and I believe you hold the answers to it."

The horned woman approached Histoire, kneeling down. "Please. Tell us what happened. We're right here with you."

"Artisan..."

She looked around, seeing everyone who gave her a reassuring nod (numerous in Neptune's case). Seeing this sight, Histoire breathed in and let out a deep breath.

"Very well" the tome lady said, bracing herself for a long story. "I will tell you all what has transpired. The Fall of Gamindustri..."

The Fall of Gamindustri – The Beginning

"But first, let me start from the beginning. Ages ago, when our world was young, before the concept of nations was ever conceived, the people lived in lawless lands. They hunt to survive, bartered with fellow groups and even waged battles with them that resulted in pain and death."

"One day, however, a being of great power appeared before them, promising them guidance, wisdom and safety in exchange for their services and gratitude. The people flocked to this being, eventually creating the first ever nation of our world. The Great Nation of Tari"

"It thrived for a long time. With the being's knowledge and innovations, the nation of Tari enjoyed a long period of peace and order. More and more people flocked into the nation, causing it to swell. But such days were never meant to last..."

"As more people came into the nation, more problems began to arise. Over time, the being became despondent, uncaring and unwilling to provide aid to matters that did not interest her in the slightest. The people became disgruntled and displeased with her, and eventually revolted against her."

"But the being, despite being deprived of most of her followers, was still powerful enough to quell the revolts. This, however, only served to stoke the flames of rebellion further amongst the populace. Eventually, a group of heroes gathered and, with the aid of the common folk, led a disastrous charge against the tyrannical being."

"The clash was fierce and destructive. Numerous lives were lost in the battle, even most of the heroes. However, just before the being could flee, one of the heroes stood up and in a last charge, was able to cripple her, causing her to remain within her citadel that was on the verge of collapse. And thus, with the loss of both the nation and it's citizens, the Great Crash of Tari came to pass..."

"However, that was not the end of the being. In her grief, she had wandered the world again, never daring to enter human contact in fear of continued persecution. In her sojourn, she had come across a peculiar door in an ancient ruin located within the world's center. She entered the ruin and discovered something incredible."

"The being had come to realize that what she discovered was, in fact, the living beating heart of the world she lived in. Still wracked with guilt and fear, she prayed to the heart for her salvation, but it did not respond. She instead wished that the world be at peace, that the people would learn from their mistakes and move on from their disastrous pasts. And thus, the heart responded, giving birth to a being it could consider its other half. That would be me, the tome Histoire"

The Fall of Gamindustri – After The Crash

"Soon after the Crash, the people have lived on in anarchy, waging battle after battle for their rights to land, resources or whatever inane reason they could come up with. Despite the disaster that occurred, there were still people who wished to be guided by beings like the ruler of Tari, whom these people now referred to as the One True Goddess. Whether it was out of true devotion or regret over what happened then, I could not say. However, the world had responded to their pleas, and in the cold north, another being as strong as the last emerged. She would become known as the first true CPU, and with her followers, would eventually establish the nation of Lowee."

"Much like the last, the people flocked to the new CPU and her nation, and much like the last, the new nation thrived. However, armed with the knowledge of the Crash, I paid the new CPU a visit and informed her of such events that transpired. She heeded my warnings, creating strict laws and impositions to ensure the nation would remain and thrive without the risk of a second Crash. However, much like the last, some people grew dissatisfied and eventually led rebellions as well, and much like the last, they were repelled."

"But, a group of people who grew disillusioned with the draconian rule of the First CPU fled to the southwest and prayed again to the world. They prayed to it that they be guided by a CPU who understands and practices the value of fun and entertainment and most importantly, peace and freedom. It responded, creating a new CPU born of their faith, and thus, the second CPU was born and with her followers, founded the nation of Planeptune."

"This event eventually drew the ire of the first CPU and led an assault on the rising nation herself, leading to a fierce clash between both beings. This, however, was not a one-time occurrence. Time and time again, the CPU's continued to clash over their differing ideologies and methods to rule, sometimes with even the common populace being involved, whether by their own choice or not. Despite the continued clashes, the two nations thrived for a time."

"However, within the confines of both nations, some people have grown discontent, whether from Lowee's draconian policies or Planeptune's lack of desire to progress. These people gathered to the eastern border and began to pray as well, promising that they would work hard, harder than any one nation to prosper. The world responded and thus emerged a third CPU, one who would establish the nation of Lastation. This, too, caught the attention of the other CPU's and eventually, the three CPU's clashed over and over, with Planeptune leading more assaults against the new nation due to their close proximity to each other. In spite of their hardships, the nation of Lastation managed to thrive through hard work, effort and most importantly, tenacity."

"However, despite all this, there are still people, especially those of the higher class, who were still dissatisfied with the current status quo. Since they felt none of the nations could cater to their desires, these higher-class citizens fled to the southern island, a land of lush greenery and bountiful forests. From this land, these people prayed, prayed for a goddess to bless them with a nation just for them. And thus, for a fourth time, the world responded, granting these people their own CPU, and with her guidance, their own nation named Leanbox. And thus, the Four Nations of Gamindustri were founded."

"Once Leanbox made themselves known, the four CPU's convened to assess each other and that of their nations. Seeing such a momentous event, I decided to preside over it as a neutral arbitrator. You would expect there to be a formal exchange of words, of four leading heads coming to a civil agreement in the name of peace and prosperity, but none of that happened. What happened was a clash of words, weapons and even powers against each other, leaving this gathering with no true victor or resolution. This would later lead to the next catastrophe, which would then be known as the First Console War."

The Fall of Gamindustri – The End of the Console Wars

"Despite the disagreements, the nations lived in, albeit somewhat, harmonious times in the surface, but underneath that surface, the CPU's were preparing for when the next war would erupt. It eventually did at least twice, and it was during the Third Console War that the tides had changed. In a bold move, three of the nations have formed a secret alliance to ensure a change in the flow of the war, and thus during the Third Console War, these three nations have joined forces against the ever-advancing nation of Planeptune, with then-CPU Uranus being grievously injured and forced to flee."

"It was during my visit in the nation that I heard the news of her loss. When I came to see her, I saw her, face wounded, body scarred and bruised and her Share Energy almost ready to give in, kneeling to the Sharicite in her room and praying for a successor, one who would guide their nation to true peace. I still remember the words she said..."

'I failed them. I thought I was created to guide and protect my people, but in doing so, I have forsaken my heart, discarding my desires to ensure their prosperity. This cannot happen again. I pray to you! I beseech you! Grant me a successor that will not only ensure our nation's happiness, but their own happiness as well! They must not repeat my mistakes again!'

"I remained behind in Planeptune to care for the ailing Uranus, treating her condition and talking to her whenever we had the time. In that time, I had come to understand the burdens laid by the CPU's. They were no miracle workers, only flawed beings who were created to guide equally flawed people. Eventually, three days have passed and Uranus passed away. In that same day, a new CPU was born with Planeptune's Sharicite."

'Who are you?'

'I am...'

'Are you sad?'

'Huh?'

'P-Please cheer up! It's not okay to stay sad forever! You know what? U-'ll cheer you up!'

"She was cheerful, full of youth and vigor, very unlike the previous CPU who was noble and mature. It was then that I knew, I HAD to guide her. I MUST ensure that the hopes of the being who created me and the wishes of my dearly departed friend, whom I only knew for three days, be realized, and thus..."

'Oracle?'

'That's right! I am Histoire. I will be your nation's Oracle starting today! It's a pleasure to meet you!'

"Once she became acclimated with her role as a CPU, the successor would later meet her fellow CPU's for the first time. Despite the initially hostile reception, she would..."

'Why are we fighting a lot!? Sure, we have differing methods and all, but does that really mean we had to keep beating each other up for it? Why can't we just get along?'

"With her fists, her words, and most importantly, her heart, she was able to quell the feud between the four nations and proposed an end to the Console Wars. As per their agreement, she and the other CPU's signed the Friendship Treaty, putting an end to the long-blood feud between their nations once and for all, and ever since then, the world of Gamindustri long knew peace."

"But even then...that was never meant to last..."

The Fall of Gamindustri – Fall to Delusion

"Within the nation of Planeptune, the newly-christened Orange Heart, as she would later be called by the people for her efforts to bring peace, was increasingly burdened with the tasks of watching over her nation. Several efforts were made to lessen her burden, like the establishment of numerous services, such as the Intelligence Grid, the Medical Schools, the Guild Network and the Volunteer Services. However, even with the aid of these establishments, Orange Heart's burdens were too much. These burdens led to her losing control over her powers, causing disillusionment amongst her people, even leading to the formation of several rebel groups. One such group even tried to assassinate her, but a brave volunteer managed to keep her safe physically. But with such burdens to her mind and heart, she eventually closed herself off from even me. She stayed indoors and refused to come out, even to the pleas of the children and for a time, Planeptune declined."

"But that's when I began to hear them..."

"As I did my routine checkups on Orange Heart, I began to hear mumbling and whispers. At times, I even hear her cry in pain. In others, I even hear her laugh like a woman possessed, as if she was haunted by something terrifying. Even though the medical checkups all came out normal outside of her dwindling share energy, I could not help but fear for the worst."

"Three weeks have passed since then, and, all of a sudden, I couldn't find Orange Heart in her room. However, I did find a letter saying 'Come to the Sharicite Room'. I did so immediately, and I found our CPU, staring blankly at the Sharicite itself. I approached her, asking her if she was feeling better, and do you know what she said?"

'Oh, I'm feeling fine, Histy. I just...had a revelation.'

'Oh?'

'This world's history has been stained with nothing but pain and suffering. From the Great Crash to the birth of our nations to the Console Wars. There's been nothing but hurt. Hurt so painful my heart will burst out!'

'Orange Heart, what are you saying!?'

'I'm going to impart this truth to you, Histoire. The one truth that this world will soon come to know.'

'Stop it! What are you doing to the Sharicite!?'

'The truth...that this world belongs to darkness...'

"She eventually corrupted our nation's Sharicite and flew off to parts unknown. As I felt weakened from the loss of our nation's Share Energy source, I could not give pursuit. With what strength I could muster, I warned the other nations immediately of what transpired and last I heard, all the other CPU's gave pursuit, leaving me and the other Oracles to come up with contingencies."

"And then...three days later...that's when it happened..."

The Fall of Gamindustri – The Final Hours

"The sky has gone red. A large dark orb emerged above, threatening to swallow all that exists. As it did, strange black creatures started spawning across the world, ravaging everything in their path."

'My goodness! This is a nightmare...'

"These creatures come in endless waves, and for each being they consume, more will spawn. People, wildlife, it didn't matter. These dark dwellers consumed all in their path. It was an endless tide that threatened to swallow everything whole, and from then I realized, our world was doomed..."

'There's nothing left. Then there's one thing left to do!'

"Sensing our world's doom, I convened with my fellow Oracles one more time, and with their aid, we initiated a ritual that will ensure that our world will one day be restored. As I began my preparations..."

'Tsk tsk tsk. You shouldn't be too hasty, Histy'

'You!'

'Come now, no more Orange Heart? I'm hurt.'

'You are not Orange Heart anymore. I can see it plainly now. You have consumed her heart.'

'You are half correct. I did consume her heart, but in a way, I am also her.'

'What!?'

'To be more precise, I was created from the depths of her aching heart. Her heart that experienced the pains of burdens, the hurt of never doing enough, and the suffering that came from failing the people she was in charge of protecting. I am her Darkness. I am Dark Orange!'

'...!'

'That's right. Ever since the burdens of leadership became too great for her, I began to grow, and as she continued to suffer each and every day, I grew greater still. Eventually, once she felt the suffering of loss, I began to whisper to her ear, lulling her ever closer to the darkness, to me. Once she realizes the truth, she allowed me to swallow her being, sinking her heart into the deepest abyss while I rise to claim my prize.'

'We won't let you consume our hope!'

'Ah, yes. Your 'hope''

Laughter escaped her face.

'What can you hope to do with that little ritual of yours? Even out there, their successors won't be able to remember or know anything about our world. And let me remind you, I corrupted our Sharicite. It will be near impossible for you to create 'my' successor. What you're doing is the height of idiocy! I thought you were smarter than that, Histoire.'

'That may be...What I am doing may be the height of foolishness, but even so, I believe in our hope. The hope that one day, our world shall return to the light and become something new, something better! I'm sure of it!'

'Quite the optimist, aren't you?'

'Well, I learned that from 'you', after all'

'Is that so? Then I'll snuff your hope right out of you!'

'Not today!'

'What!?'

Dark Orange jumped out of the way as cards were flung into her direction. She snarled at the sight of her attacker.

'You!'

'You came back!'

'Histoire, keep going! I'll keep her busy!'

'You dare!?'

"Thanks to a timely rescue, I was able to initiate the ritual. However, due to the lack of Sharicite on my end, I was forced to expend most of my latent energy to compensate for it. But thanks to the ritual, I was able to take the share energy from each of our nations and thrust them away to the unknown. They may be scattered across certain worlds, to different times even, but I have faith that they will come one day and restore our world..."

'May this hold the last salvation of our world...May they fly away to parts unknown...'

A sigh of relief escaped my lips...

'It is done...Now, to ensure that those who are still alive can find peace out in the worlds...'

"Eventually, I began to perform another ritual, one that only I can cast. In case of world-ending emergencies, I can send whoever's left alive away from Gamindustri and send them to other worlds. However, due to the unstable nature of this ritual, those sent away may end up with impaired or damaged memories, so much so that they cannot remember this world even if they connect the clues leading to it. Still, it may be for the best that no one knows what happened here until our world has been restored once more. Then, and only then, can we learn about our mistakes and how to avoid them in the future. And thus, with a heavy heart, I performed my last ritual with a hidden prayer..."

'May those who survive...continue to live in peace...their memories of this world be reduced to nothing but a dream...And perhaps...one day...this world will be restored...so that our sins...may be redeemed...'

"And that...is what happened. That is the Fall of Gamindustri. Our mistakes. Our pain. Our hubris. All of them have casted our world into the darkness."

Traverse Town – Third District – Vacant House

Everyone looked shocked at the massive infodump that they have just gotten.

"So" Leon started, trying to keep it cool. "That's what happened..."

"To think..." Aerith said, hugging the dogoo tightly. "That much has happened in such a short time..."

"That's..." Yuffie stuttered, and then groaned as she fell onto the bed. "That's just not fair! How much more are the Heartless gonna take from us!?"

"I'm sorry, Histy..." Goofy apologized

Donald moaned in sympathy.

"I can get it" Sora murmured. "The feeling of helplessness as our world was being consumed. The desperation to do anything to save it. I can relate with that."

"Sora..." Kairi called, putting a hand on his sleeve.

"Dang..." Neptune managed to say, feeling flabbergasted. "I...I don't know what to say. There's just so much, I-I can't even process all of this. What do you think, If—huh?"

As the girl turned to her friends, she saw them crying out in tears of pain and sadness.

"O-O-Our home..." Compa cried.

"That's..." IF whispered. "That can't be real, right?"

Artisan tried to keep the tears from flowing out of her eyes, but some managed to leak out.

"What's wrong?" Sora asked the strange Drifters. "Why are you all crying?"

"We..." the horned woman said through her tears. "We remember everything now...Who we were. Where we lived. Who our friends and families were. How everything went down before we arrived here..."

"It was..." IF cried as she clutched her head. "It was dark and chaotic...Everyone in the guild was scrambling around to contain the damage from those weird monsters. But then, as we were helping with the evacuation, we lost contact with some of our guild members. When we went to where they were last, there wasn't a trace of them left, and then those monsters showed...and then..."

"I was on my way home to my family's place" Compa stuttered as tears flew from her eyes. "The sky was getting dark, and then those weird monsters showed up. People were panicking everywhere but all I could think about was how my family was doing. I ran and ran as fast as I could, but by the time I got there, all I saw was my grandpa...fading away as those monsters started crawling up to me and then...and then..."

The nurse began to wail loudly. IF, who was also crying began to hug her as they both mourn the loss of their home.

"Artisan!"

Leon and Aerith, who passed the dogoo onto Yuffie, immediately went to support the horned woman whose legs started giving out on her.

"Sorry about that...It's just..." Artisan apologized. "I remember stuff too. I was sent along with my team to Leanbox to observe the movements of the CPU there. But then the sky darkened and those monsters attacked. One by one, my teammates were being consumed by them and then more took their place. I was cornered, and then...I was engulfed in a pillar of light, and the next I knew, I woke in Leon's world..."

"But wait" Yuffie noticed. "How come they're just remembering what happened now?"

"I am not sure myself" Histoire admitted. "The ritual's side-effects are apparent, but I have no idea if such effects can be reversed."

Merlin hummed. "I do have some theories to it, but the main line here is that hearing your story must have triggered something in their minds to finally link together that Gamindustri was their home and thus, recall everything they lost before the Fall."

"Is it really that possible?" Kairi asked.

Merlin hummed again. "Like I said, it's just a theory. I'm afraid memory spells are not my forte."

Neptune, noticing that her closest friends were still sobbing, approached them. "H-Hey. C-C'mon, you two, cheer up."

The two, still with tear-stained faces, looked at Neptune.

"Sure, things aren't looking good right now, but things will work out somehow and..."

"Work out?" IF started. "HOW WILL THIS WORK OUT!?"

Neptune yelped when the guild agent raised her voice.

"WE JUST REMEMBERED WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR HOME, NEP! OUR HOME! OUR FRIENDS! OUR FAMILIES! ALL OF THEM ARE GONE NOW AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THERE'S A WAY TO GET IT ALL BACK!"

"C-Calm down, Iffy" Neptune grimaced. "You're scaring me..."

"Calm down? Calm down!?"

The guild agent swiftly grabbed Neptune by the collar and lifted her up in anger.

"HOW IN THE HECK AM I SUPPOSED TO CALM DOWN!? IF YOU WANT US TO CALM DOWN, THEN DO YOUR GODDESS-DARNED JOB AND GET OUR HOME BACK ALREADY!"

The atmosphere in the room was tense, with only the loud breathing of a weeping IF filling the room with noise...

"I...I...I don't know how..."

IF, in her anger, pushed Neptune away and stormed off the house.

"Iffy!"

And Compa gave pursuit...

"W-Wait..."

Neptune attempted to do the same, but Merlin grabbed her by the shoulder and shook his head, beckoning her to NOT go after them.

"Ooooooohhhh..." Goofy muttered.

"What do we do now?" Donald asked around.

"Everyone's feeling flustered right now" Aerith said. "Why don't we take the time to cool our heads for now? Sound good?"

Leon nodded. "We'll halt our preparations until everyone's feeling better."

"You don't have to..." Artisan said, struggling to stand. "...worry about me..."

"Nuh-uh!" Yuffie protested. "We're all getting our home back! That's means you're with us, too, Arty!"

"DO-GOO!"

The horned woman chuckled sadly. "I'm sorry, guys."

"What should we do?" Sora asked.

"I actually have a favor to ask from you." Merlin said. "Will you, Neptune and young Kairi come with me and Histoire?"

"Oh, sure" Sora nodded, turning to the two girls. "You two wanna come?"

Kairi nodded. "No problem. What about you, Neptune?"

But Neptune was staring at the door with a forlorn expression...

"Neptune?"

The girl jolted. "Oh, uh, yeah. Sure. What-ev's"

Histoire hummed as she turned to two particular people. "Donald, Goofy, can you keep IF and Compa company for now?"

"You got it!" Goofy exclaimed as Donald nodded.

"Splendid!" Merlin said, bringing out his casting stick. "Now, this might feel a bit nauseating at first, but you will get used to it, I assure you!"

"Wait, are you teleporting u-"

And just like that, the aforementioned five have vanished in a puff of smoke...

NEPSTATION

Sora: You're watching Nepstation! As you can see today, a certain someone's not around to host today's news.

Kairi: The previous host is currently feeling under the weather and is resting today, so for this broadcast, Sora and I will be delivering the news!

Sora: It sure feels surreal to be hosting with you, Kairi. I...never thought I'd get to do something like this with you...

Kairi: *giggles* You know what they say. Life takes unexpected turns every now and again, and considering who I'm with right now, I'm glad for it.

Sora: Kairi...

Kairi: Sora...

Histoire: *clears throat* Please get on with the program! You both are still live right now *_*!

Sora: *flustered* Ah, right! Sorry! Let's...get to the news, okay?

Kairi: *blushing* Y-Yeah! Of course!

an image of Heartless swarming out of Hollow Bastion appears onscreen*

Sora: There has been a recent surge of Heartless attacks in the outlying worlds. Reports state that a huge wave of darkness that emerged from the fallen Hollow Bastion may be the source of this problem.

Kairi: The worlds have reported that stronger Heartless has emerged into their worlds. Some with unique properties. Others that are large and powerful. Everyone, please tread carefully when moving around, more than ever. The Heartless do not play around when there are hearts to feed.

Sora: Hm-hm! However, we do have some good news.

an image of Hollow Bastion surrounded by a magic barrier appears onscreen*

Sora: Recent scans has shown that the surge of darkness within Hollow Bastion seemed to be contained within it's own borders. Later scans shows that a barrier of light was erected around the world.

Kairi: This barrier seems to be holding back the huge wave of darkness coming out of the world. While some dangerous Heartless managed to break through, most were being held back inside the world itself. I hope whoever's left there is doing okay...

Sora: Me too...I'm worried about Beast and the other princesses there...

Kairi: Then let's pick up the pace, Sora! We still got news to cover!

Sora: Right! Now, to the last bit of news.

an image of the Gummi Ship parked outside of Traverse Town is shown onscreen*

Kairi: There have been talks of a group of Drifters who are ready to head out and take back their world. For the longest time, there has been nothing but radio silence from them. However, a recent call came in saying that 'We are ready'. This gives people hope that these Drifters can at least fight back against the growing darkness.

Sora: I'm sure it will be fine! If they have been preparing and training for that long, I'm sure they can handle a couple of Heartless, no problem!

Kairi: *giggles* Always appreciate the optimism there! It's one of the things I like about you, Sora.

Sora: *blushes* Oh...really?

Kairi: Really...

Sora: ...

Kairi: ...

Histoire: *clears throat* *_*

Sora: *flustered* Uh...That's all the news we got for you today, ahaha! T-Thanks for hosting with me on this one, Kairi!

Kairi: *giggles* Sure thing. Always happy to help out, Sora!

Sora: Since we still have some time, mind helping me with these reviews, Kairi?

Kairi: Of course! We do have quite a lot due to how many parts this chapter have…

Sora: True. But, are you sure this is fine?

Kairi: What do you mean?

Sora: I mean, some of these reviews are quite…how did Neptune put it? Spoiler-ific?

Kairi: Oh, no need to worry. I've been spending my time backstage to catch up on everything. Both in our games and in Neptune's, too! It was quite the experience too!

Sora: Uh-huh…I see…

Kairi: Well, let's get the reviews started, shall we?

Sora: Uh, right! First off, we got one from…an Enemy Stand!

purple symbols appear on top of the hosts*

Sora: First off, we've answered this question in this chapter, but the TLDR here is, Neptune used her Share Energy to link up with my heart, which helped me survive when the islands fell and let Neptune escape from…wherever she was before we met her.

Kairi: I didn't know about that. Where was she?

Sora: Some black void, she said.

Kairi: She must've been lonely before she got out, huh?

Sora: Well, she's happy here, so we got no problems on that. Anyway, to answer your question, I felt our easiest fight yet was against Captain Hook. That codfish couldn't keep up with us after we got used to flying!

Kairi: *giggles* You kept telling me about that. Honestly, I was expecting to hear you say you commandeered their ship and made yourself Captain! You always wanted to take the lead whenever we Play Pirate!

Sora: *chuckles* Yeah. But, I was still looking all over for you and Riku. I couldn't afford to Play Pirate until we're all safe. Is that alright?

Kairi: It's fine. Gives us something to look forward to.

Sora: Thanks. Anyway, our next review is from Hopeful Determination! Been a while since we heard from you!

Kairi: It's definitely a relief to hear that your friends still stuck by you! You made some wonderful friends, Sora.

Sora: Yeah. Honestly, a part of me felt like they would've ditched me since I lost my Keyblade. Imagine my own surprise when I heard they're planning to get it back for me.

Kairi: They must understand how important it is to you.

Sora: It's not that. It's just…I hate feeling helpless, not being able to help them was upsetting me. They must've understood that when I lost my Keyblade. That's why they've gone out of their way to get it back for me. They knew I hated not being able to help out, even a little…

Kairi: Sora…

Sora: Sorry for being such a downer. A lot has happened recently…

Kairi: I know. Why don't I read out the next review for you?

Sora: Sure thing!

Kairi: Okay then! Our next reviews are from ShootingZero! If I recall, this is the first time you've left a review in a long while, hasn't it?

Sora: People out there are quite busy, after all.

Kairi: Let's see here…*reads through review*. Oh dear!

Sora: What's wrong?

Kairi: Ehhhh…let's say that…some people got a kick out of things happening and leave it at that.

Sora: Kairi, why are you clenching your fists there?

Kairi: Hm? What are you talking about? I'm perfectly fine!

Sora: *shudders* You're smiling, but I'm getting the jitters. I'm…shutting up now…

Kairi: If you say so. Anyway, for your question. I'd…have to say Neptune. She reminds so much of Sora that I couldn't just tear my eyes away from her!

Sora: Is this because we're…soul-siblings now?

Kairi: I mean, think about it. You're both lazy bums. You're both hardy and competitive. And you both bring cheer to everyone you meet. You're like two peas in a pod! No wonder Neptune managed to link up with you!

Sora: Huh…Never really thought about it like that…

Kairi: There's some other stuff here, but that's going to be relevant in the future, so I'll go ahead and read the last batch of reviews instead.

Sora: Hmmmmm…this wouldn't be from keybladelight, right?

Kairi: *nods* They're a frequent reviewer of this story, right?

Sora: Very frequent, yeah. Just…uhhhhh, a word of warning, Kairi. They're know to be…very imaginative, especially when it comes to how our relationship with Neptune works out.

Kairi: I'll keep that in mind. Now then…*reads through reviews*

Sora: Still, to keep up with all these reviews. They must be that devoted or had a lot of time on their hands. Then again, we have someone who leaves comments over on the other site too, so…

Kairi: Wow! You weren't kidding with the imaginative part. They've certainly got their own ideas for a narrative in their reviews.

Sora: No kidding!

Kairi: Apparently, they thought that the others would stick around to see you fight the possessed Riku, but that didn't happen. We're very sorry about that.

Sora: Yeah. Besides, that old hag was still around. Can't believe she went in and took Neptune's powers just like that…

Kairi: I'm a bit worried…She seems to be going after you now for some reason.

Sora: Is it because I am linked to Neptune?

Kairi: Most likely.

Sora: *gulps* Well, I'd better be careful, then.

Kairi: Now then, in regards to our…relationships. I'd say you've got an…interesting way to see how things pan out, but…

Sora: Kairi?

Kairi: I'll be blunt here. If Neptune and Sora both wish for us to move to the next level, I won't be opposed to it.

Sora: Huh!?

Kairi: But that's not the direction the author wishes to take with us. I don't think he's ready to maneuver a relationship like that throughout our story, so we ended up with the whole 'soul-sibling' just to make it work. So, I hope you're not too upset by it.

Sora: Wait, hold the phone there! What did you mean, you wouldn't be opposed to it?

Kairi: I mean what I said. We both know you have a big heart, Sora, and I can tell Neptune does too. If things moved that way, I don't want to cause you two grief.

Sora: Kairi…

Kairi: *exhales* But this is only a hypothetical scenario. If you want to, you can write it our yourself. You are able to dish out these reviews, right? I'm sure you can make something out of this yourself. After all, Mr. Author did the same for this story, and look where we are now!

Sora: Wow…You're really strong, Kairi.

Kairi: *giggles* Only because you're here with me, Sora!

Sora: *laughs*

Kairi: And that's all of them! This is pretty fun, Sora! I hope we get to do this again!

Sora: Y-yeah, me too! It's really fun whenever you're here with me, Kairi...

Kairi: Sora...

Sora: ...

Histoire: If you're going to flirt, then please end the program, you two *_*

Kairi: R-Right! One last thing. The upcoming chapter will also be split into parts! Thankfully, not as many as this one. So, the 3-day upload schedule will still go on. We'll update you all again in regards to the upcoming chapters after that, so stay tuned!

Sora: And from all of us here at Nepstation...

Sora and Kairi: See you next time!