Aoi Hyoudou: Thank you for your continued support. It's always great to see readers enjoying the additional scenes and content added to a story. Well, this could be the final part of the Frozen visit. Expect some battles, Ash showcasing his strength and funny moments at Ash's expense. There will be a brief flashback opener that focuses on Ash's childhood with Kairi.


XXXIII

Arendelle - III


Ten Years Ago...

Within the grand halls of Radiant Garden's castle, the soft glow of lanterns flickered against the polished marble walls. The air carried a heavy stillness—one laced with regret, sorrow, and the weight of sins that could never be undone.

Ansem the Wise stood near the window with his golden eyes fixed on the starlit sky beyond. His hands were clasped tightly behind his back, the long sleeves of his white coat hanging loose at his sides. Though he had achieved so much in his pursuit of knowledge, tonight, he felt nothing but the bitter sting of failure.

Behind him, Kairi's grandmother sat gracefully in a high-backed chair, her hands gently folded in her lap. Her kind, aged eyes observed the troubled ruler, sensing the turmoil within him.

"You've carried this burden alone for far too long, Ansem," she spoke softly.

Ansem exhaled slowly. "I do not deserve to share it."

The elderly woman shook her head. "Regret is a heavy chain, my lord. But the effort to right one's wrongs is never in vain."

Ansem turned his gaze downward with a heavy heart. "You give me too much credit." He paused before continuing. "I…used them. Ash's real parents. I delved too deeply into the mysteries of the heart, blinded by my pursuit of knowledge." His voice grew quieter as if speaking the truth aloud made it even more damning. "And because of my arrogance, they perished."

Silence filled the room, save for the faint crackling of a nearby candle's flame.

"And so, in your grief," Kairi's grandmother murmured, "You took in their child."

Ansem slowly nodded. "Out of guilt…yes." He turned to face her fully. "I had hoped that by raising him as my own, as the future heir of Radiant Garden, I could atone for my sins."

The old woman's eyes softened. "And yet, that is not enough for you."

"No," Ansem admitted. "Because one day, Ash will learn the truth. And when that day comes…" He clenched his fists. "He will never forgive me."

A long pause stretched between them.

"…So you've decided to take away that choice," she finally said, looking torn with his decision.

Ansem turned away again, staring into the darkness beyond the window. "I have already asked King Mickey and Master Yen Sid to erase Ash's memories of ever knowing Kairi as his sister."

The revelation made Kairi's grandmother's heart sink. "You would truly separate them?"

Ansem's jaw tightened. "It is for the best."

"And what of his future?" she pressed.

Ansem closed his eyes. "There is…a woman. From another world. Her name is Delia. She has agreed to care for Ash and give him a better life than I ever could."

Kairi's grandmother lowered her gaze. "A kind gesture…but even the brightest futures cannot erase the past."

Ansem's voice was firm, yet hollow. "Perhaps not. But Ash deserves a life untainted by my sins."

A somber silence fell over the room once more. The weight of Ansem's decision settled like an unmovable stone between them.

"…One day, he will remember," Kairi's grandmother finally whispered. "And when he does, will you still believe this was the right choice?"

Ansem the Wise did not answer. Instead, he turned back to the window, staring into the endless night.

And the flashback faded to black.


Ash let out a tired sigh. He shifted slightly, feeling the soft crunch of snow beneath him as his senses slowly returned. That dream—no, that memory—still lingered in his mind, leaving a dull ache in his chest. He couldn't make sense of it, but something about it felt… real.

Before he could dwell on it further, a familiar voice pulled him from his thoughts.

"Well, well, the sleepy prince finally decides to wake up," Sora grinned down at him, hands on his hips.

Ash blinked up at his fellow Keyblade wielder, noticing his white silky cloak/cape was still draping over Sora's shoulders.

"…Hey," Ash muttered. "That's mine,"

Sora smirked. "I'm still borrowing it, you know. That way, when I give it back, you can smell like me."

Ash rolled his eyes before glancing to the side, where Donald and Goofy stood nearby.

Donald crossed his arms. "We were this close to poking you with a stick to see if you'd wake up,"

Goofy chuckled. "Gawrsh, but we figured you needed a little extra rest after that fall."

A soft chuckle escaped Ash's lips as he shut his eyes for a brief moment. "You guys are the worst," he murmured.

Sora laughed and held out a hand. "Come on, Ash. We've got a queen to help, and a giant angry ice monster to—well, probably avoid this time."

Ash smirked as he took Sora's hand, allowing himself to be pulled up to his feet. He dusted off the lingering snow on his clothes and stretched his limbs.

Whatever that dream was… I'll figure it out later.

Moments later...

As the group trudged their way back up the icy mountain path, Ash had his arms crossed, still pouting as he kicked a small pile of snow in frustration. "I still say I could've handled that big guy if you just let me fight instead of running away," he grumbled.

Donald, walking beside him, nodded in agreement. "Yeah! We could've taken him! But noooo, Sora had to drag us into running like a bunch of cowards!" He flailed his arms dramatically.

Sora let out an awkward chuckle, rubbing the back of his head. "Okay, okay! I might've misjudged that one…"

"Might have?" Ash and Donald deadpanned in unison.

Goofy chuckled at their antics. "Gawrsh, fellas, at least we're still in one piece. 'Sides, chargin' into battle ain't always the best answer."

Ash huffed, kicking another patch of snow. "Yeah, well, I'd rather not go tumbling off a cliff again because of it."

Sora smirked. "You were pretty loud about it on the way down."

Ash shot him a glare. "Yeah? Well, next time, you can be the one falling while I do the dragging."

Donald snickered while Sora just shook his head with a grin.

The conversation lulled for a moment before Goofy spoke up. "I just hope Anna, Kristoff, and Olaf made it out okay…"

Sora nodded. "Yeah… and Elsa, too. Something about all this doesn't feel right. I mean, why would she push Anna away like that?"

Ash's brows furrowed slightly. He remembered the pain in Elsa's eyes before she forced her sister to leave.

It wasn't anger—it was fear.

"I dunno…" Ash muttered. "But we better hurry. I've got a bad feeling about this."

With that, the group quickened their pace, climbing higher towards the ice palace. As the group trekked up the mountain, they spotted Kristoff and Sven up ahead. But something was off—Anna and Olaf were nowhere in sight.

"Kristoff!" Sora called out as they ran up to him. "Where's Anna? And Olaf?"

Kristoff sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "I had to take Anna back to town. She—" He hesitated before continuing, "She wasn't doing so great. I left her so she could rest up and wait for Hans because... well, because true love is the only thing that can save her."

Ash furrowed his brows. "Wait—what do you mean by that?"

Kristoff waved his hands, looking a little flustered. "It's—uh—complicated. Basically, her heart's freezing. The trolls—long story—said only an act of true love can break the curse, so I took her back home to be with Hans."

Goofy scratched his head. "Gawrsh, that sure is somethin'."

Sora, however, smirked, sensing an opportunity. "Sooo… you like Anna, huh?"

Kristoff immediately turned red. "Wha—?! No! I mean—what?! Where'd you even get that from?!"

Donald snickered. "You totally hesitated."

Kristoff groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Look, it doesn't even matter now. She's with Hans." He quickly changed the subject. "Olaf ran off somewhere—he wouldn't stop bugging me about my 'mixed feelings.'"

Sora laughed. "Sounds like someone's in denial!"

Before Kristoff could argue, he huffed and crossed his arms. "Besides, Anna was more into Ash than me, anyway."

Ash, who had been quietly listening, suddenly snapped his head up. "Wait—what?!" His face flushed. "Why am I even part of this conversation?!"

Sora nudged Ash with a teasing grin. "Ooooh, someone's blushing!"

"Shut up!" Ash grumbled.

Kristoff exhaled heavily and shook his head. "Anyway, it doesn't matter anymore. Anna's with Hans, and I promised her I'd go back up the mountain to find him."

That's when it clicked.

Ash's eyes widened, his heartbeat picking up. "Wait… Hans went up the mountain?"

Kristoff shrugged. "Yeah, he disappeared not so long ago with the Duke. Figured they went looking for Elsa, but—"

Ash didn't wait for the rest.

He bolted.

"ASH?!" Sora yelped as his friend suddenly dashed past him. Sora quickly turned to the others. "Something's wrong! Let's go!"

Without hesitation, Sora, Donald, and Goofy sprinted after Ash, leaving Kristoff standing there, completely bewildered.

"What the—?! Hey, wait! What's going on?!" Kristoff called after them.

Sven snorted and nudged Kristoff. The ice harvester sighed in exasperation. "Ugh, fine, guess we're going too."

Moments later...

Sora, Donald, and Goofy finally caught up to Ash, who stood motionless a few feet ahead. His eyes were locked on something in the distance. When they followed his gaze, they saw a surprising sight—Marshmallow, Elsa's giant snow guardian, was stomping around wildly with his deep voice echoing through the cold mountain air.

"Elsa!" the snow monster bellowed, scanning the area desperately. "Elsa!" His large claws curled into fists as he growled in frustration.

Sora slowed his pace, exchanging a confused glance with Donald and Goofy. "Uh… what's going on?"

Ash didn't take his eyes off the distressed creature. "I think something happened while we were gone… And I have a bad feeling Hans and that Duke guy had something to do with it." Then realization came to him. "Elsa might've been kidnapped."

Before Sora could react, Ash stepped forward. "Hey!" he called out.

The snow monster spun around with his massive frame shifting with the movement. His icy eyes narrowed when he saw them.

"You!" Marshmallow's voice rumbled with anger. "You took her!"

Ash's brows furrowed. "Wait, what?! No, we didn't!"

Sora held up his hands. "We literally just got here!"

Donald quacked angrily. "Yeah! We'd never do anything to Elsa!"

But Marshmallow wasn't listening. His frustration erupted as his sharp icicle-like claws scraped against the ground. "LIARS!" he roared. "WHERE IS SHE?! GIVE HER BACK!"

Before anyone could react, Marshmallow charged.

Ash instinctively leaped back, flipping in mid-air before landing into a battle stance. "Guess we're doing this the hard way!" He spun his dual Keyblades—Oathkeeper glowing with light, Oblivion crackling with dark energy.

Sora summoned his Kingdom Key with a determined smirk. "Alright, big guy! If you won't listen to words, maybe we'll knock some sense into you!"

Donald and Goofy got into position, ready as ever.

"I hope Elsa won't be mad at us for this," Goofy muttered, gripping his shield tightly.

"Just don't hit him too hard!" Sora called out as Marshmallow let out an earth-shaking roar.

With that, the battle began.

Marshmallow was a towering force of nature—massive, powerful, but sluggish. His strength lay in his sheer size, but his slow movements gave Ash, Sora, and the others a chance to dodge and counterattack.

"Alright! Fire spells should do the trick!" Sora called out as he jumped back, raising his Keyblade. "Fira!"

Bbboooommm

A burst of flame shot from his Keyblade, slamming into Marshmallow's chest. The flames crackled for a moment before fading. The snow monster grunted, barely reacting.

Donald followed up with another spell. "Fira!"

Bbboooommm

The fireball struck Marshmallow's shoulder, but the cold mountain air weakened the impact, causing the flames to fizzle out faster than expected.

Ash gritted his teeth. "Great. The cold is making the fire spells useless."

Sora dodged a heavy fist slam, rolling to the side. "Then we'll just have to do this the hard way!"

The two Keyblade wielders rushed in. Oathkeeper and Oblivion slashed through Marshmallow's icy form, cutting off chunks of snow and even slicing off one of his massive arms. And Kingdom Key landed a clean direct strike through the snowman's chest. But the moment they stepped back, the snow reformed. His severed limb and wound regenerate instantly as if nothing had happened.

Goofy raised his shield. "Gawrsh, he just keeps fixin' himself!"

Donald flapped his arms in frustration. "This is impossible! We need a new strategy!"

Marshmallow roared and slammed his fists into the ground, creating a shockwave of ice and snow. The team had time to jump before the ground beneath them cracked from the force.

Ash landed with a determined glare. "We need to find a way to stop his regeneration!"

Sora smirked. "Then we just have to hit him harder and faster than he can recover!"

Ash's eyes lit up with an idea. He quickly turned to Sora and Donald. "Listen up! Keep him distracted with a constant barrage of Fira! We just need to get him into his regeneration phase. The moment he starts rebuilding himself, I'll hit him with Thunder to stun him. That should give us the perfect opening for a clean strike!"

Sora grinned. "Sounds like a plan!"

Donald, however, crossed his arms with a skeptical look. "Are you sure that'll work? We've already seen that fire isn't doing much!"

Ash smirked. "It's not about the fire damaging him—it's about keeping him busy. If he's focused on putting himself back together, he'll be vulnerable. Trust me on this!"

Donald sighed but relented. "Fine, fine! But if this backfires, I'm gonna quack at you for days!"

"Noted," Ash chuckled. "Now let's move!"

Sora and Donald immediately sprang into action, launching a relentless wave of Fira spells. Each explosion of flame struck Marshmallow in different areas, forcing the massive snow monster to constantly regenerate as he roared in frustration.

Ash kept a close eye, waiting for the perfect moment. As Marshmallow began to reconstruct his limbs once more, Ash raised his Keyblade skyward.

"Now! Thunder!"

Bolts of lightning shot down from above, crackling through Marshmallow's body. The electricity surged through him, causing his regeneration to falter as his form stiffened. The snow monster groaned, stumbling backwards a little.

"That's our cue!" Sora shouted.

Without hesitation, Ash and Sora dashed in with their Keyblades ready to strike as they delivered a synchronized, powerful strike straight to Marshmallow's core. The impact sent a shockwave rippling through his body, shattering large chunks of ice and snow.

For the first time, Marshmallow let out a pained roar as his form wobbled, struggling to hold itself together.

As Marshmallow struggled to piece himself back together, Ash cautiously stepped forward, lowering his Keyblades and dismissing them.

"Easy there, big guy," Ash said in a calm voice, holding his hands up to show he meant no harm. "We're not your enemies. We're looking for Elsa too. We just want to help her."

Marshmallow's glowing eyes narrowed, still wary, but he paused. The rage in his posture softened slightly. "You… want to help Elsa?" the snow giant rumbled, tilting his head.

Ash nodded. "Yeah. My name's Ash, by the way."

The moment he said his name, Marshmallow's eyes widened in recognition. "Ash… Elsa mentioned that name before."

Ash blinked in surprise. "She did?"

Marshmallow nodded, then suddenly let out a low hum, as if he had just put something together. "Ah… now I understand. Elsa likes you."

Ash nearly choked on air as his entire face turned bright red. "W-WHAT?! No, no, no! That's not—We're just friends!"

Unfortunately for him, Sora and Donald weren't about to let this golden opportunity slip by.

Sora grinned mischievously. "Ohhh, Elsa likes Ash~?"

Donald joined in, flapping his wings and making exaggerated kissy faces. "Ash and Elsa, sittin' in a tree, K-I-S-S—QUACK!"

"YOU TWO—" Ash's face burned as he immediately lunged after them, chasing the laughing duo around the snow. "SHUT UP! I SWEAR I'M GONNA—GET BACK HERE!"

Goofy chuckled, watching the antics unfold as he scratched his head. "Gawrsh, guess things are back to normal."

Marshmallow, completely dumbfounded, just stood there blinking. He had no idea what just happened.

Moments later...

As Marshmallow finished reforming himself, Ash finally calmed down—though Sora and Donald were left nursing a few fresh bruises from his "punishment."

"Alright, enough messing around," Ash said, rolling his shoulders. "We need to find Elsa."

"Yeah, but where do we even start?" Sora asked, glancing around at the endless white landscape. "It's not like Hans and that Duke guy left a trail of breadcrumbs for us to follow."

Donald folded his arms. "This is bad… they could be anywhere by now."

Ash pondered for a moment, then an idea struck him. If there was ever a time to rely on his abilities, it was now. He knelt down, pressing his palm against the snow, and took a deep breath. Slowly, he focused inward, reaching for the power buried deep within him—the power tied to his heart, his aura.

As his breathing steadied, a soft blue light began to radiate from his body. His auburn eyes flickered, then shifted into a glowing sapphire hue. For a moment, the world around him blurred, and a trail of fresh footprints appeared before him—ones invisible to the others. Ash's eyes followed the trail leading down the mountain, heading towards Arendelle. His instincts told him that they belonged to Hans and the Duke. As the glow faded from his body, Ash stood up and turned to the others.

"They're heading to town."

Sora blinked. "Huh? How do you know?"

Ash shrugged. "Just a feeling."

Donald narrowed his eyes. "A feeling?"

Ash didn't answer. Instead, he spun on his heel and started down the mountain. "Come on! We don't have time to waste."

Sora and the others exchanged glances before hurrying after him, trusting his instincts.


"What in the world?!"

The group had made their way back down the mountain and was just about to set off for Arendelle when they noticed Kristoff, standing tensely with his eyes locked on Marshmallow. His stance was wary with his hand resting on Sven's reins, clearly on edge.

"Why is that thing with you guys?!"

Ash noticed Kristoff's unease and smirked. "Don't worry, he's with us now," he reassured, giving Marshmallow a friendly pat. "He's our new friend."

Kristoff didn't seem entirely convinced, but he gave a reluctant nod. "I'm... I'm glad you've got him on your side. But, he's, you know?"

"Big, and... snowy?" Goofy chimed in, looking up at the giant snowman.

"I was thinking more of the line...a monster!"

Sora chuckled. "Anyway, we've got more pressing matters. Hans and the Duke are heading to Arendelle with Elsa."

Kristoff's brow furrowed. "What? But why would they take her back to the town?" His voice was laced with doubt. "Doesn't make sense."

Before anyone could answer, they heard a familiar, frantic voice coming from the distance. "Hello! Hello, anybody there?"

The group turned to see Olaf rushing towards them as he hurried along. He was still fuming, visibly upset. "Kristoff! Kristoff!" Olaf called out, his little twig arms flailing. "I haven't forgotten about what you said! I know what you think of me!"

Kristoff groaned. "Not again…"

Sora couldn't help but chuckle. "Olaf, what's going on?" he asked, already guessing something was off.

"Anna!" Olaf's eyes widened. "She left her bed! She's out looking for Hans! She... she won't listen to reason, and she's just so stubborn!"

Kristoff's face contorted with disbelief. "What?! She went looking for Hans?! After everything?" He slapped a hand to his forehead in frustration. "That girl's going to get herself into trouble again." He shook his head with a frustrated sigh. "That's it. I'm going after her."

Ash stepped forward. "Let's go then, no time to waste."

As they prepared to head off, Olaf, despite his concern, tried to approach Marshmallow. "Maybe… we can be friends now? You're so big and impressive, and I'm so small and... well, kind of round!" Olaf beamed at Marshmallow with his arms wide in an attempt to befriend the giant snowman. "What do you think?"

Marshmallow didn't respond. He simply stared ahead, completely ignoring the snowman who was now bouncing around him.

Olaf blinked. "...Alright, maybe not."


As the group rushed towards Arendelle, Kristoff's eyes suddenly locked onto a figure in the distance. His heart lurched when he saw Anna stumbling across the frozen lake. Her body was shaking violently, and her once-brown hair was now completely white. Frost covered parts of her face and arms, and her steps were unsteady as she called out for Hans.

"Anna!" Kristoff shouted.

Anna's head jerked towards the sound of her name, and her eyes filled with relief when she saw Kristoff. But before she could take another step, her legs gave out beneath her, and she collapsed onto the ice with a painful gasp.

"No! Anna!" Kristoff cried, rushing to her side. He slid to his knees beside her, grabbing her arms to keep her from slipping further into unconsciousness.

Olaf waddled behind him with concern written all over his snowman face. "Anna! Oh no! You're freezing! Kristoff, what do we do?"

Anna barely looked up at him with her body trembling uncontrollably. "I... I had to find Hans..." she whispered weakly.

Kristoff's face twisted with worry and frustration. "Anna, stop! You're not well! You need to come with me, now!" He tried to lift her, but she was too weak.

Anna pushed weakly against him with tears welling in her eyes. "I have to find him... I have to find Hans..."

Kristoff's eyes softened, but he shook his head. "Anna, no. He's not the answer to this. I'll get you help, I promise."

Meanwhile, Ash, Sora, Donald, and Goofy were continuing their sprint towards the town, but Ash's sharp eyes caught something in the distance. Two figures were carrying something—or rather, someone. Elsa, unconscious, draped over Hans' shoulder. The large snowman, Marshmallow, was following them, trailing behind like a lost child, and crying out for Elsa.

"Elsa!"

"That's them..." Ash murmured under his breath with his eyes narrowing as he spotted their culprits. "Hans and the Duke..."

Sora and the others quickly noticed the same thing. They exchanged determined looks and hurried to close the distance, ready to confront the two men.

As they approached, Hans and the Duke stopped, sensing their presence. They turned to face Ash and the group. Hans shifted Elsa's unconscious form in his arms, while the Duke stood smugly beside him.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here? Little lads lost on their way to the circus?" the Duke mocked smugly.

"Save it!" Sora growled with a sharp glare.

"Let Elsa go," Ash demanded, stepping forward with a clenched fist. "Now."

Hans scoffed, his lips curling into a wicked grin. "And why would I do that? She's far more useful to me in this state."

Sora narrowed his eyes sharply. "What do you want with Elsa? She's done nothing to you!"

The Duke's eyes glinted with amusement as he crossed his arms. "What do we want with her? Simple. Our new Master, Marluxia, has ordered us to bring him the new Princess of Heart. Elsa is just the one he's been looking for."

Ash blinked in confusion, the term "Princess of Heart" unfamiliar to him. He was a prince, so it made sense that there might be others—princesses, perhaps—but this was the first time he had heard that specific term.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy exchanged uneasy glances. Sora's brow furrowed as he looked at the Duke. "The new Princess of Heart?" he repeated. He wasn't sure what that meant, but he could sense something was off.

Donald crossed his arms. "There are more princesses? We didn't know that."

Goofy scratched his head. "And who's this Marluxia fella?"

Ash's mind raced. He didn't know much about these "Princesses of Heart," but something in his gut told him this was more than just a random kidnapping. His memory felt hazy, but flashes of his Nobody's past seemed to surface—those people in black coats, the ones who always lurked in the shadows. He couldn't quite piece it all together, but the feeling was unmistakable.

Sora narrowed his eyes as if a memory was just on the edge of his mind. "It sounds like the Organization. We should've known those has-been clowns were behind this."

Ash's face hardened. He didn't know exactly who this Marluxia was or why Elsa was so important, but one thing was clear—he was going to stop them. Whatever their plan was, it wouldn't work. Not on his watch.

With a swift motion, Ash readied his dual Keyblades, and Sora followed suit, his own Keyblade raised high. The Duke's smug grin faltered slightly as he sized them up, but Hans didn't seem phased.

"This is going to be fun," Hans said darkly with his grip tightening around Elsa.

Ash's voice rang out, sharp and filled with authority. "Release her, now!"

The Duke chuckled. "You'll have to come and take her then," he sneered.

Ash's eyes narrowed as he glanced at Sora, speaking in a low voice. "I'll handle this one."

Before Sora could even respond, Ash moved with lightning speed. In a blink of an eye, he elbowed the Duke in the face with a sharp, decisive strike. The Duke stumbled backwards, crashing to the snow with a grunt, completely caught off guard.

Hans froze, eyes wide in disbelief. "What the—?!" He barely had time to react before Ash's foot connected with his face, sending him sprawling backwards across the snow with a trail of snow following in his wake.

With a swift motion, Ash dashed over to Elsa's limp form, effortlessly lifting her from Hans' grasp. She was still unconscious but safe from the clutches of the two men. Ash gently set her down at a safe distance, making sure she was out of harm's way.

Sora, Donald, Goofy, and even Marshmallow stood in stunned silence, completely taken aback by Ash's sudden display of speed and power. Sora's jaw dropped. "Whoa... did he just...?"

Donald blinked rapidly. "Ash got moves…"

Goofy grinned, scratching the back of his head. "Guess we underestimated him."

Ash stood tall as he turned to face the Duke and Hans, who were now consumed by darkness. Their forms twisted and writhed as they glared furiously at him.

"You'll pay for that!" Hans growled with his body shuddering with the dark energy enveloping him.

"No one does that to us and gets away with it!" The Duke's sneer was twisted with hatred as he clutched his fists.

Ash was unfazed by their empty threats. "You can't hurt anyone else. This ends now."

The Duke's laugh was mocking as he stepped forward with his eyes glowing with dark energy. "Delusional lad! You think you've won? This is just the beginning. You have no idea what you're up against."

"Try me," Ash challenged.

Hans stepped forward. "You're nothing but obstacles. Lord Marluxia won't be pleased when he hears about this."

The darkness that surrounded Hans and the Duke twisted and warped, merging into a new, terrifying form. The air grew colder as the two men became one with their twisted hearts giving birth to a creature unlike any other. The Heartless they had become took shape—Sköll, an enormous wolf-like beast.

Its head was composed of solid crystalline ice, a face of opaque white with glowing yellow eyes that seemed to pierce through the darkness. The Heartless insignia was emblazoned on its forehead, marking its corrupted nature. Its shoulders and legs were made of translucent cyan ice, edged in white, surrounded by large icicles resembling bristly fur. The rest of its body was a swirling miasma of dark energy, attenuating into a bushy, flickering tail.

Sora, Donald, Goofy, and even Marshmallow stepped back with their eyes wide with shock at the beast's new form. The air around it was thick with dark energy, making it feel as though the temperature had dropped even further.

The massive creature snarled with deadly intent.

But Ash... Ash remained calm. His expression was steady as he took a deep, slow breath. His eyes closed briefly. When he reopened them, they glowed with a familiar intensity—a pair of heart-shaped pupils, reflecting the same determination he had shown when facing off against the Heartless Honest with Esdeath.

"May my heart be my guiding key," Ash muttered under his breath.

The moment the words left his lips, Sköll lunged forward with a roar with its enormous claws aimed directly at Ash.

The others shouted in unison, "Ash, move!"

But Ash didn't budge.

With one fluid motion, Ash summoned one of his Keyblades—a swift, clean arc through the air as he effortlessly deflected the powerful swipe from Sköll's claws. The massive wolf-like creature faltered, momentarily stunned by the ease with which Ash had parried its attack.

Sora couldn't help but exclaim, "That... was so cool!"

Donald crossed his arms with a shake of his head. "Yeah, yeah. But why do you have to be so cool all the time, Ash?"

Ash didn't respond immediately, keeping his gaze fixed on the beast.

Sköll's yellow eyes flashed with fury as it opened its massive jaws, releasing three dark orbs from deep within. The orbs crackled with dark energy, twisting and spiraling towards Ash with precision, homing in on him as they zipped through the air.

Ash didn't hesitate for a second. He twirled his Oathkeeper Keyblade and, in a single fluid motion, sliced through each orb with perfect timing, cleaving them in half before they could even get close. The dark energy splintered and dissipated, leaving nothing but empty space where the orbs once were.

Sköll snarled in frustration. It lunged forward, slashing its massive claws through the air in an attempt to tear him apart.

Ash didn't even flinch. He danced around the beast's strikes with incredible speed, his movements fluid and precise. Each swipe of Sköll's claws seemed to miss by mere inches as Ash easily evaded the attacks, weaving through them with grace. The wolf Heartless growled in annoyance as its frustration mounted with each failed swipe.

Finally, one of Sköll's claws came in from the side, aiming directly for Ash's head. This time, Ash was ready. He raised his Keyblade just in time to block the powerful strike, the force of the blow ringing through the air. The sheer strength of Sköll's attack sent a shockwave through the ground, but Ash held his ground. With a swift and practiced motion, Ash responded. He leaped into the air, landing a clean strike with his Oblivion Keyblade against the Heartless's icy fur. The blow cracked through the ice-like armor, leaving a visible scar on its body. As Sköll staggered back in pain, Ash used the opening to kick the beast square in the chest, sending it sprawling backwards.

The wolf Heartless crashed into a nearby tree with the sound of splintering wood echoing through the clearing. Sköll howled in anger, but Ash didn't give it a chance to recover. He stood his ground.

Sora couldn't help but cheer, "Way to go, Ash!"

Donald and Goofy were equally impressed. The Heartless was powerful, but Ash was handling it with ease, and they had no doubt that he would see this battle through to the end. Sköll, now enraged, slowly stood up, ready for the next round.

Sköll's massive wolf head threw back its head in a fearsome howl, sending a wave of dark energy rippling through the air. As its howl echoed across the snowy environment as the ground trembled. From the darkness surrounding it, a multitude of wolf heads materialized, swirling around the beast like hungry shadows, each one snapping at the air with vicious, glowing eyes. They lunged at Ash from all directions with their jaws snapping and claws slashing.

But Ash was prepared. With an agile twirl of his Keyblades, he danced between the wolf heads, dodging each bite and swipe. His movements were quick, fluid, and precise—each step was calculated, avoiding the Heartless's relentless barrage of attacks. However, just as he thought he had a moment to breathe, Sköll's massive tail lashed out, sweeping across the field with the force of a thunderstorm.

Ash managed to leap out of the way, but the tail swipe still clipped him, sending him tumbling across the snow. He quickly righted himself, but the moment he did, Sköll lunged with its enormous claws grabbing him by the waist and lifting him off the ground.

The massive wolf squeezed, its claws crackling with dark energy as it held Ash in place.

The Keyblade wielder winced slightly.

Hans and the Duke's voices came from the Heartless's maw, mocking Ash cruelly.

"Well, well," Hans' voice sneered, "Seems like the smug brat isn't so invincible after all. You really thought you could defeat us?"

The Duke's voice followed, dripping with disdain, "Playtime's over, boy. You're nothing but a nuisance. And now, you're ours."

Ash gritted his teeth against the grip. The darkness that surrounded Sköll seemed to tighten its hold on him.

Sora, seeing his friend in danger, couldn't wait any longer. "Ash!" he shouted, "I'm coming!"

But just as Sora moved to intervene, something extraordinary happened.

Ash's body suddenly erupted in a blinding, intense light, so brilliant that it sent a shockwave through the entire area. The light was so overwhelming, so pure, that it forced Sköll to release its hold on Ash as its massive claws recoiled as it staggered backwards. The wolf's many heads yelped in pain, retreating from the sudden surge of light. Ash's eyes, glowing with the power of his heart, remained steady, even as the light began to fade and his body settled back into place.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy watched in awe as they witnessed the sheer force of Ash's light.

Ash stood tall, eying Sköll. "Is that all you've got?" Ash said quietly in a mock tone.

"Stupid boy, you dare mock us?" A furious growl rippled through the air as Hans and the Duke's voices rang out in pure irritation. "We will show you our ultimate attack!" Their anger resonated within Sköll, pushing the Heartless to unleash its most devastating attack.

With a thunderous leap, Sköll launched itself high into the sky, its massive form shifting and morphing into a swirling mass of darkness. In mere moments, the beast transformed into a nightmarish dark sun, eclipsing the frozen landscape below. The sky was swallowed by its ominous glow, and from its core as countless wolf heads emerged, swirling like a chaotic storm. Dark rain began to fall, each drop infused with pure malice, burning into the icy ground like falling embers.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy took defensive stances, shielding their eyes from the blinding darkness as the massive entity loomed above them.

"This is bad!" Donald squawked, gripping his staff tightly.

"We might have to brace ourselves!" Goofy called out.

Sora clenched his Keyblade, ready to act, but before he could move, Ash took a determined step forward.

"No," Ash muttered under his breath, glancing upward at the dark sun. "I'll end this."

Without hesitation, Ash bent his knees and launched himself into the air at blinding speed, his body surging with energy. The moment he ascended, his two Keyblades—Oathkeeper and Oblivion—began to glow intensely. As he soared higher, Ash brought the two weapons together with their light intertwining in a magnificent display of raw power. The fusion unleashed a radiant glow as the Keyblades merged into one, forming the Ultima Keyblade.

Hans and the Duke's voices rang out from the swirling darkness.

"What?! No! This can't be happening!"

Ignoring their panicked cries, Ash gripped the Ultima Keyblade tightly, channeling all his strength into a single, decisive strike.

"This ends now!" Ash roared.

With a final push, he shot towards the heart of the dark sun, piercing through the swirling shadows like a comet. Energy crackled around him as he raised the Ultima Keyblade high and then brought it down in a devastating slash.

A massive shockwave erupted upon impact.

The dark sun split apart, cleaving cleanly into two halves. A deafening scream filled the air as Hans and the Duke's agonizing voices howled in defeat. The remnants of Sköll trembled violently before exploding into fragments of darkness, which quickly faded into nothingness.

Silence followed.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy stood in awe, their jaws slightly agape.

"Whoaaaaa," Sora finally breathed out, completely stunned.

Donald blinked. "Okay... that was impressive."

Goofy let out a low whistle. "Gawrsh, that's some real hero stuff right there."

Ash let out a soft breath as he landed back down to the snowy ground. He turned to his friends with a small grin. "Told you I had it."

Sora let out a playful laugh as he watched Ash dismiss his Keyblades with his glowing pupils fading back to normal. With a smirk, he crossed his arms. "Man, you really know how to put on a show," Sora teased. "Seriously, if I was a girl, I'd probably kiss you for that one!"

Ash immediately recoiled with his face heating up in embarrassment. "Wha—?! What the heck, Sora?! Don't say weird stuff like that!"

Donald and Goofy burst into laughter while Marshmallow tilted his massive head in confusion.

"So... does that mean Sora has a thing for Ash?" the snow monster asked innocently.

Both boys froze with their faces now completely red.

"WHAT?! NO WAY!" they shouted in unison.

Ash whirled on Sora, jabbing a finger at him. "See what you did?! You're causing too many misunderstandings with your stupid teasing!"

Sora just grinned, shrugging. "Hey, not my fault you make it so easy!"

Ash groaned, rubbing his temples while Donald and Goofy kept laughing. Meanwhile, Marshmallow still looked utterly puzzled.

"So... no kissing?" the snow giant muttered, earning a collective groan from both Keyblade wielders.

"NO!"

Moments later...

As the group gathered around Elsa, she let out a soft groan with her eyelids fluttering open. Blinking in confusion, her blurry vision slowly adjusted, and the first thing she saw was Ash kneeling beside her, looking relieved.

"Ash…" she whispered weakly with a small smile forming on her lips. "You… you came for me…"

Ash nodded with a reassuring smile. "Of course. We weren't gonna let those guys take you."

Sora leaned in with a playful grin. "Uh, we helped too, y'know!"

Elsa let out a soft chuckle, while Marshmallow rumbled happily, overjoyed to see his queen safe. As Ash and Sora helped Elsa to her feet, her attention suddenly snapped towards the frozen lake, where a grim sight awaited them.

"Anna?" Elsa gasped in horror.

Anna was barely holding on with her entire body trembling violently. Her hair was completely white now, and frost was creeping up her skin, her breath coming in weak gasps.

"Kristoff…" Anna's voice was barely above a whisper as she lifted her trembling hand towards him.

"Anna!" Kristoff yelled, grasping her hand into his own.

Elsa's eyes widened in horror as she suddenly realized what was happening. She gasped, covering her mouth with a trembling hand. "No… no, this is my fault…" Without a second thought, Elsa ran toward her sister, dropping to her knees beside her. "Anna! I'm so sorry!" she sobbed. "This is all my fault… If I hadn't—"

Anna gave her a weak smile. "It's… not your fault, Elsa…"

Tears welled in Elsa's eyes as she clutched her sister's freezing hands. "No, no, please… Anna, stay with me… I can fix this… I—"

But before she could finish, Anna's body suddenly stiffened, and in the next moment, her entire form was consumed by ice, freezing solid in Elsa's arms.

The world fell silent.

Elsa gasped as she clutched her now-frozen sister with tears streaming down her face. "No… no, Anna… please…" Her voice cracked with raw grief. "Don't leave me…"

The weight of the moment pressed down on everyone. Ash's hands curled into fists as he watched helplessly. Sora, Donald, and Goofy looked down. Even Marshmallow let out a sorrowful groan.

"There has to be something we can do…" Ash muttered, his mind racing for answers.

But with Hans gone, their options were dwindling

Soon, a chilling, taunting laugh echoed through the frozen air.

"Aw, how tragic," a familiar, mocking voice sneered.

The moment those words rang out, the entire area around Ash and the others suddenly froze—literally. Time itself had stopped, locking Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Olaf, and Marshmallow in place with their sorrowful expressions frozen mid-motion. A swirl of darkness engulfed the area like living snakes.

Ash, Sora, Donald, and Goofy immediately tensed as they turned towards the source. Emerging from the darkness, a smug smile plastered across her face, was none other than Larxene. Her amber eyes gleamed with mischief.

"Well, well," she drawled, tilting her head as she glanced at the frozen scene before her. "What a mess, huh? But hey, I gotta give credit where it's due. Who would've thought this world had two newPrincesses of Heart?"

Ash's eyes narrowed as he repeated, "Two?"

Larxene let out an exaggerated sigh, shaking her head. "Wow, and here I thought Sora was the slow one." She smirked at Ash with amusement. "Guess I overestimated you, huh, hero boy?"

Sora took a step forward. "What does the Organization want with the new Princesses of Heart?"

Larxene shrugged, tapping her chin playfully. "Now, now, that would be spoilers~" she sang teasingly. "But I will say this—maybe you should worry less about us and more about finding your seventh Guardian of Light."

Sora narrowed his eyes, not liking the sound of that. "And let me guess—the Organization finally found their thirteenth Darkness?" he shot back with a sarcastic tone laced in his voice.

To his surprise, Larxene didn't deny it. Instead, her smirk widened. "Ding-ding-ding~ We sure did! And guess what? We're all set."

Sora, Donald, and Goofy looked at each other in shock. "No way…" Goofy muttered.

Ash, meanwhile, looked completely lost. "Uh… what?"

Larxene giggled at his confusion but didn't offer an explanation. Instead, she gave Sora a lazy wave. "Welp, I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got places to be."

Before she could disappear into the darkness, Sora called out, "Are you still after Roxas?"

At that, Larxene's smirk instantly dropped into a look of pure boredom. "Ugh, Roxas? Please. That's old news." Then, just as quickly, her smirk returned—except this time, her amber eyes locked directly onto Ash. "We've found someone way better than him."

Ash blinked in confusion. "Huh? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Larxene just chuckled, stepping backward into the swirling darkness. "Take care of your heart, Prince," she cooed before vanishing.

The moment she was gone, time abruptly resumed. The dark energy dissipated, and the cold wind howled once more as if nothing had happened.

But Ash stood rooted in place, staring at where Larxene had been with her words repeating in his mind.

Take care of my heart?

Moments later...

After the bizarre encounter with Larxene, the group refocused their attention on Anna's dire situation.

Sora clapped his hands together as if he'd just had a genius idea. "Alright! So, Kristoff, earlier you said only true love can break the curse, right?"

Kristoff blinked. "Uh… yeah?"

"Then it's simple!" Sora grinned, pointing at him. "You gotta kiss her!"

Kristoff's face instantly turned beet red. "W-What?! Are you insane?!" he sputtered. "Hans is her true love! Remember?"

Sora waved his hand dismissively. "Hans betrayed her, and he's long gone. That means you're the next best option!"

Kristoff looked utterly baffled. "That's not how true love works!" he argued. "What if you're wrong?"

Sora confidently crossed his arms. "Well, we won't know until we try!"

Kristoff groaned, running a hand down his face. "This is ridiculous."

Donald snickered. "C'mon, lover boy. What's the worst that could happen?"

Kristoff glared at him. "If this doesn't work, I'm blaming all of you."

Even Olaf, who had been giving Kristoff the cold shoulder earlier, clasped his little twig hands together. "Please, Kristoff! We have to at least try!"

Sighing in complete frustration, Kristoff reluctantly knelt beside Anna. He took a deep breath, mentally cursing Sora for putting him in this awkward position, and hesitantly puckered up. He pressed a light kiss to Anna's forehead, then quickly pulled back, bracing himself…

…Only for nothing to happen.

Silence.

The seconds dragged on, feeling like an eternity.

Kristoff opened one eye. "Hah! Told you!" He stood up triumphantly, crossing his arms.

Donald tapped his foot. "Maybe you weren't trying hard enough."

"Yeah!" Sora nodded. "That was barely even a kiss! Put some real feeling into it!"

Kristoff groaned. "Are you seriously telling me how to—ugh, fine." He knelt down again, this time closing his eyes and trying a little harder, pressing a firm kiss to Anna's cheek.

And…

Still, nothing.

Sora's confidence wavered. "Uh-oh."

Kristoff pulled away, now visibly sweating. "Yeah. That's what I thought."

Realization finally dawned on Sora. "…Wait a minute." He rubbed his chin. "What if… Kristoff isn't really Anna's type after all?"

Kristoff's eye twitched before he dramatically fell over anime-style with a giant sweatdrop forming on his head. "Oh, come on!"

The moment Ash felt all eyes shift onto him, he flinched.

Sora grinned mischievously. "Well, looks like it's your turn, Ash."

Ash's entire face turned red. "What?! You're ridiculous!" he snapped, throwing his arms up in exasperation.

Even Elsa frowned at Sora's suggestion, crossing her arms. "That's enough, Sora."

Sora and Donald exchanged knowing smirks. "Ohhh, someone sounds a little jealous," Donald teased.

Elsa scoffed with her cheeks dusted a faint pink. "I am not jealous! I just don't want to see Ash pressured into something he's uncomfortable with!"

Kristoff groaned, throwing his hands up. "Oh, so he gets defended, but I had to kiss a frozen girl twice?!"

Everyone conveniently ignored him.

Sora smirked at Ash. "C'mon, quit stalling."

Donald quacked in amusement. "Yeah, what's the hold-up?"

Ash scowled. "You do remember Kristoff was joking when he said Anna liked me, right?" He turned to Kristoff, hoping for some backup. "Right?!"

Kristoff just shrugged. "Eh, I dunno, kid. You do have that whole dorky, innocent thing going on."

Ash mentally cursed. Traitor. His face burned as he hesitated, knowing full well if he even tried something like that, Aqua would kill him if she ever found out. "I hope you jokers aren't going to tell Aqua about this or I'm going to kick your a—"

Now Elsa perked up, narrowing her eyes. "Who's Aqua?"

Ash instantly paled. Oh no.

He said that out loud.

Sora and Donald snickered at Elsa's growing curiosity while Ash mentally screamed.

Desperate for a way out, he quickly thought of an alternative. While he didn't fully understand his prince of heart powers, he did wonder… could they be used to heal? If love could break the curse, maybe his heart's power could do the same?

There was only one way to find out.

Taking a deep breath, Ash closed his eyes and held his hand out towards Anna. His entire body emitted a radiant light, and when he opened his eyes again, they gleamed with that same heart-shaped glow from before.

Everyone watched in awe as the frozen Anna began to glow in response. The same light pulsed through her frozen form until suddenly—

CRACK.

A loud fracture echoed through the air.

Then another.

And another.

The ice around Anna began to split.

As the cracks spread across Anna's frozen form, a burst of brilliant light erupted, illuminating the entire area. Then—

GASP!

Anna inhaled sharply as color returned to her face. She blinked rapidly, dazed, before realizing—she was alive.

Elsa was the first to react, tears spilling down her cheeks as she rushed forward, throwing her arms around Anna. "Anna!" she cried, holding her sister tightly.

Anna, though still processing what just happened, let out a weak laugh and hugged Elsa back. "I-It's okay, Elsa… I'm here…"

Olaf immediately flung himself onto Anna as well. "HUG PILE!"

Kristoff let out a deep breath of relief, running a hand through his hair. "Well… that was way too close."

Marshmallow rumbled happily with joy at the sisters' reunion.

Meanwhile, Sora, Donald, and Goofy stood there in stunned silence.

Sora finally broke the silence. "Okay, but how did you just do that?"

Ash, who was still catching his breath, looked down at his hands. "I… I don't know," he admitted. "I just hoped it would work."

Elsa suddenly turned to Ash, her eyes filled with gratitude. Before he could react, she wrapped him in a warm embrace.

Ash froze for a moment—then immediately turned bright red.

"Thank you," Elsa whispered. "For bringing her back to me."

Ash swallowed hard, but he slowly smiled and returned the hug. "Anytime."

Anna, watching the scene unfold, smirked playfully. "Hey, hey, no fair! I also want a turn to hug the guy who literally saved my life!"

Sora snickered, nudging Donald. "Looks like Ash is pretty popular with the ladies."

Donald quacked in amusement. "Better watch out, Sora. You might have competition."

Ash, still flustered, groaned. "Oh, shut up."

Meanwhile, from a distance, the trolls—who had been silently observing the whole event—murmured amongst themselves. They had witnessed many things over the centuries, but this was something entirely new. A mysterious boy, appearing out of nowhere, wielding a power capable of breaking an ice-bound curse that should have been irreversible…

One of the elder trolls narrowed his eyes in thought.

"Just who is this boy… really?"


Arendelle


Back in town, the grand celebration of Elsa's official coronation was in full swing. The sun shone brightly over Arendelle as its people gathered in the castle square, cheering for their newly crowned queen.

Onstage, Elsa stood tall and proud, draped in a dazzling ice-blue gown. Beside her stood Ash, Sora, Donald, Goofy, Anna, Kristoff, Sven, and even Olaf—her closest friends who had supported her through it all.

Taking a deep breath, Elsa addressed her people. "Today marks a new beginning for Arendelle. I promise to rule with kindness, strength, and hope—for all of us, and for our future."

A thunderous round of applause filled the air.

As the celebration continued, some of the citizens began whispering amongst themselves, their curiosity piqued by the unfamiliar faces standing with their queen.

"Who are they?" one person asked.

Elsa smiled warmly. "These are my dear friends—Ash, Sora, Donald, Goofy, and the rest. They are heroes, and Arendelle will always welcome them with open arms."

The crowd murmured in admiration, but then—

"So… is that young man your fiancé, Your Majesty?" someone suddenly blurted out, motioning towards Ash.

Silence.

Elsa and Ash both turned bright red with their eyes widening in sheer embarrassment.

Anna grinned slyly. "Well, I wouldn't mind having Ash as my cute brother-in-law."

Sora and Donald immediately gasped. "We have to tell Aqua about this!"

Ash's eyes snapped open in panic. "You better not—" Before he could finish, Sora and Donald took off running. "HEY! GET BACK HERE!" Ash shouted, immediately giving chase.

The audience chuckled at the scene unfolding before them while Elsa hid her blushing face behind one hand, unable to suppress a small smile.

Goofy simply shook his head and laughed. "Gawrsh, they sure do know how to keep things entertainin'."


San Fransokyo - Hiro's Garage


Meanwhile, in another world—San Fransokyo, a high-tech metropolis bustling with innovation and energy—trouble was brewing.

Deep within Hiro's hideout, the home base of Big Hero 6, a group of young heroes closely monitored an alarming new threat. Multiple screens flickered, displaying footage of shifting, amorphous black blobs slithering through the city streets, consuming whatever lay in their path.

Fred dramatically pointed at the screen. "Black blobs of DOOM!" he declared with excitement and terror.

Go Go crossed her arms, rolling her eyes. "Uh-huh. Very descriptive."

Wasabi furrowed his eyebrows. "Yeah, because 'black blobs of doom' is totally a scientific term."

"Baymax, do you have any data on them?" Hiro asked, turning to their robotic companion.

Baymax blinked and tilted his head. "Scanning… No known biological or technological match found in my database. Conclusion: unknown threat."

Fred gasped, flipping through a comic book he had conveniently on hand. "Wait a second! What if—" He dramatically held up a page depicting eerie, writhing monsters. "—they're ALIENS? Ooze-based alien invaders bent on world domination!

Go Go groaned. "Fred, seriously?"

Wasabi sighed. "Every time… Every single time, it has to be some ridiculous comic book theory."

Fred, however, was undeterred. "Mark my words, guys! And next, a group of mysterious weirdos from outer space will swoop in to save the day!" His eyes sparkled with excitement.

Go Go rolled her eyes again. "Oh yeah, sure. Let's just add that to the list of totally plausible scenarios."

Fred gasped in delight. "You think so too?!"

Hiro shook his head with a small laugh before refocusing. "Regardless of what they are, we need to check it out for ourselves. Let's move, team."

Go Go smirked, cracking her knuckles. "Finally. Some action."

Honey Lemon beamed, already pulling out her chemical spheres. "This could be a great chance to gather data and get some extra training in!"

As the team suited up, none of them could have guessed just how right Fred's wild prediction was about to be.


And...that wraps up the Frozen visit. Poor Ash. Getting involved in unfortunate situations xD Let's hope Aqua doesn't find out. And yup, Elsa is officially part of Ash's harem now. Hopefully, Ash wasn't too OP in this chapter lol. The tease at the end of the chapter pretty much sums up where Ash and the others are heading next. Get ready for some fun shenanigans. The next chapter won't be worked on until I finish the next chapter for Aura Traveler, unfortunately xl But at least enjoy the special for the time being.


Extra scene: Who are you again?


Twilight Town's sunset bathed the streets in a golden glow as Ash took a bite of his sea-salt ice cream, savoring the perfect balance of sweet and salty. After all the madness in Arendelle, he had earned this peaceful moment.

Or so he thought.

"Oi, noobie!"

Ash blinked, mid-bite, as a familiar voice rang through the air. He turned, licking some melted ice cream off his thumb, only to see a trio of figures standing before him.

Seifer, Fuu, and Rai.

Seifer crossed his arms, scowling. "You've got some nerve showin' up here all smug after that fluke of a win in our Struggle match!"

Ash tilted his head, chewing slowly. "...Huh?"

Seifer's eye twitched. "Don't 'huh' me! You beat me once, and I ain't letting it slide! I'm here to settle the score!"

Ash scratched his cheek, blinking in confusion. "Uh... Who are you again?"

Silence.

Then—THUMP! Seifer, Fuu, and Rai collapsed to the ground in perfect anime-style disbelief with a giant sweatdrop forming above their heads.

Seifer shot back up, fuming. "Are you SERIOUS?!"

Ash scratched the back of his head, looking genuinely lost. "Uh… Sorry, but I've met a lot of people on my journey. Hard to remember every single face."

Rai let out his signature, "Totally!" while nodding, as if that explanation made total sense.

Seifer growled. "Tch! Don't play dumb with me, noobie! I ain't lettin' you off the hook! We're doing this right here, right now!"

Before Ash could respond, Fuu—who had been silently watching him—tilted her head slightly, her eyes lingering on his new outfit. The sleeveless top, the exposed shoulders, the way his arms flexed slightly as he held his ice cream… It was a far cry from the scrappy kid Seifer fought before.

Her face warmed up.

Seifer and Rai noticed immediately.

"Oi, Fuu, what's with that look?" Seifer raised an eyebrow.

"Uh, yeah, you're blushing, totally!" Rai added.

Fuu snapped out of it, coughing into her fist. "Observation."

Seifer narrowed his eyes at her before looking back at Ash. His glare deepened. "Tch! Whatever! Stop flexin' your weird noobie muscles and fight me already!"

Ash, still confused but now thoroughly entertained, smirked. "Alright, alright. But don't cry if I make you eat pavement again."

Seifer's eye twitched. "THAT'S IT! YOU'RE GOING DOWN, NOOBIE!"

As Seifer lunged, Ash grinned, cracking his knuckles. This was not how he planned to spend his break, but hey—some things never change.

A few seconds later...

Five seconds.

That's all it took.

Seifer was sprawled out on the cobblestone ground with swirls in his eyes, groaning in defeat. "Ugh… Noobie… h-how…?"

Ash, still holding his half-eaten ice cream in one hand, casually dusted off his other like this was just another Tuesday. He looked absolutely adorable with his cheeks puffed slightly from his recent bite, completely oblivious to how effortlessly he had just flattened Twilight Town's self-proclaimed Struggle Champion.

Rai crouched beside Seifer, patting his shoulder in sympathy. "Yo, boss, you okay? That was, like… super fast, totally."

"Shut up, Rai…" Seifer groaned.

Meanwhile, Fuu, who had been watching everything unfold, took a slow step toward Ash. She stared at him, eyes scanning his features—the determined yet soft expression, the toned arms, the way his outfit emphasized his broad shoulders… and of course, the way his armpits were slightly exposed in that sleeveless top.

A faint pink hue dusted her cheeks.

"You," she spoke firmly.

Ash, still chewing, turned to face her. "Hm?"

"Marry me."

Silence.

Ash nearly choked on his ice cream. "PFFT—WH-WHAT?!"