KH: Rise of Darkness ch. 1

Sora was walking alone down the dirt path that he, Donald, and Goofy walked after they defeated Ansem’s Heartless.  It was a warm spring day with a shining sun and easy winds.  Sora had his hands resting behind his head while he hummed Dearly Beloved to himself.  Up on a hill in front of him, he saw Riky, Kairi, Donald, Goofy, and King Mickey standing together, waving hello at him.  Sora waved back in excitement and ran up to them.  As he drew close to them, a dark shadow rose behind them, turning day into perpetual night.  Suddenly, a Darkside appeared, but was somewhat different.  It had tentacles waving behind it, its mask torn apart, revealing a gaping and growling mouth, bearing black fangs while its eyes glowed blood red.  Sora ran faster to his friends, calling out to them, warning them of the creature behind them.

The Darkside reached out to Sora’s friends as they quickly ran down the hill.  Tentacles reached out from the Darkside’s chest, reaching out for Donald and Goofy.  It took its hold on them and pulled them into its chest, into its unknown darkness.

“Keep on running, Kairi,” Riku shouted, as he and Mickey turned around and summoned their keyblades.  The shadows continued to spread, making the earth crumble at its cold touch, falling into darkness.  Riku and Mickey managed to fight of the first assault of tentacles but more came and ensnared them, binding them tightly until they screamed out in pain and were pulled into darkness.  Kairi and Sora were getting closet to each other as the Darkside outstretched its deformed claws, making the darkness spread faster.  Kairi and Sora’s hands reached out to each other, hoping to grasp the other, but the earth fell beneath Kairi’s feet and fell into darkness.

“Sora!” Kairi cried out.

“Kairi!” Sora cried back.  He became surrounded by the darkness as the Darkside vanished.  Sora stumbled and looked around him, calling out to his friends, but there was no reply.  Suddenly, thousands and thousands of heartless appeared, surrounding him.  Sora summoned his Kingdom Key and fought off the Heartless, but they were endless.  It was like with each one defeated, ten more took its place.

They struck him with each given chance.  Their blows were like punches; each hit tiring him out with each constant strike.  His balance was becoming uneven.  He was their punching bag.  A hard blow was delivered to his face, knocking him to the floor.  Sora panted heavily, trying to lift himself up with his quivering arms, spitting drops of blood.

“Kairi!  Riku!”  Sora cried out.  “Donald!  Goofy!  Mickey!”

“No one can hear you,” said an eerie voice.  “No one but the darkness.”  The voice was drawing closer.  When Sora turned around, he saw his shadow self, looking him dead in the eyes.  It pitch black hands grasped his head, squeezing it, making Sora groan in pain.  Sora tried to pull away, but his shadow self was draining his strength.

“Let me go,” Sora groaned.

“No,” said Shadow Sora.  “You… belong… to… the darkness.”  Sora screamed out in pain and then…

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Sora shot his head up from his desk, gasping in fear, waking up from his sleep.  The other students in the classroom began to laugh at him, while Riku and Kairi remained silent, looking Sora with curiosity, wondering what happened.  Sora sunk into his seat, holding his head down with his arms up against his face and his hands trying to get his brown hair to mask his greatly embarrassed, red cheeks.

“Congratulations, Sora,” said the professor, after the laughter began to die out.  “You just bought yourself an afternoon moping the east halls and the cleaning up the classroom.  Perhaps next time you won’t sleep during my lectures.”

“Ah, damn it,” Sora muttered.

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After the last school bell rang, Sora put his book bag in his locker and met with the school janitor in the east wing, already with a mop and bucket.

“Hey, Sora, you’re the one whose on janitorial duty?” asked Frank, the school janitor.

“Yeah, that’s right,” sighed Sora.

“I had a feeling ‘bout that.  So, I took the liberty of doing most of the floor anyway.  You just need to start at room 525 and end here.”

“Thank you, Frank,” said Sora, taking the mop.

“I’ll put the other stuff in the classroom.  Just leave it there when you’re done.”

“Thanks, again, Frank.  I owe you one.”

“Anytime, Sora.”  Soar set the mop in the bucket and rolled it to room 525.  He only had to mop a quarter or so of the east wing.  When he was down with that, he went to the classroom where a roll of paper towels, a cleaning bottle, and a broom and dustpan were waiting for him on his desk.  After he swept the floor, he started on the desks.

“Hey, make sure you give my desk a good cleaning,” said Riku.  Sora looked towards the door and saw Riku and Kairi walking in.

“What are you guys doing here?” Sora asked.

“We came to see if you were done yet,” said Kairi.

“Net yet,” said Sora, crumbling up the damp paper towel then shooting it into a wastebasket.  Miss.

“Well, when you’re down, we thought you’d want to come with us to that new dance club that opened uptown,” said Kairi.

“Everyone’s saying it’s pretty hot,” said Riku.  “The mayor’s chauffer is giving us a ride there.”

“Sure, I’ll get done as soon as I can,” said Sora, and then a horn sounded outside.  Kairi ran to the window and saw the chauffer standing by the limousine, sounding the horn again.

“He got here early,” said Kairi.  “I’ll tell him we’ll be leaving as soon as possible.”

“Make it ten minutes,” said Riku.  “I’ll stay and help Sora.”  Kairi nodded and ran out of the classroom.

“Thanks, Riku,” said Sora.  Riku smiled at him.

“Sure,” said Riku, and he sprayed a few desktops and began wiping them up and down with quick strides.  “Hey, Sora, are you sure you want to go?  You look pretty tired.”

“I haven’t been sleeping well for the past few nights,” said Sora, rubbing his eyes.

“You, too, huh?”  Sora stopped wiping and looked up at Riku with a questionable gaze.

“You don’t look tired.”

“Why do you think I’m never around during gym period?”  Riky had been skipping gym class for the past week.  Now Sora knew why.

“What was yours?” Sora asked.  Riku was silent for a moment and his smile diminished.  He then drew in a breath and let it out, sweeping his hand back across his silvery hair.

“I keep wandering in the darkness, trying to find a way out,” said Riku.  “Calling out to you and Kairi.  Then Ansem appears, offering me a way out.  I keep saying no, but every time I run away from him, he keeps appearing, insisting that I take his offer, how I’m just like him, how both of us opened our hearts to the darkness.”

“But you did it to save Kairi,” said Sora.  “You’re nothing like Ansem.”  Riku’s smiled returned.  

“Thanks, Sora,” said Riku.  “What ‘bout yours?”

“You, Kairi, and the others are taken in by the darkness,” said Sora, his voice trembling a little.  Riku could tell that something was bothering him.  “I try to save all of you, but the Heartless keep on coming, surrounding me.  Then… a dark side of me appears, ensnaring me, saying that I belong to the darkness.  

“A dark side of you?” Riku asked.  “How?”

“The Keyblade that could unlock peoples hearts,” said Sora.  “I used it on myself to give Kairi her heart back.  I plunged into darkness and became a Heartless.  I keep trying to block the nightmares out, but the more I try, the worse they become.”  Riku walked up behind him and placed his hand on Sora’s shoulder.

“Hey, don’t think about it now,” said Riku.  “Tonight, we’ll drive our nightmares away with loud music and fast dancing.  Just imagine the crowds cheers when we show off our moves.”  The though of it lifted Sora’s heart enough to knock away his worries.

“Yeah, you’re right,” said Sora.  Both he and Riku crumbled their paper towels and made a shot for the wastebasket.  Double score.  “Last one to the limo is a rotten papu fruit.”

“We’ll see about that,” Riku, and they dashed out of the classroom and through the halls, sliding down the slick floors.  Kairi was leaning against the left back passenger door, arching her head back.

“Where are those two?” Kairi groaned.  She heard the front doors swing open.  She smiled when she saw Riku and Sora racing each other.  Both ran up along the bars of the fence and leapt into the air, doing a 180 backflip and landed on the other side, both kneeling.

“Well done, guys,” said Kairi, applauding their display.  “You two should do that at the club.”

“Perhaps, but we have something a little more exciting,” said Riku.  “Right, Sora?”  He didn’t answer.  Sora was whimpering through his teeth and then he fell on his butt and began to rub his ankles.

“Ah, man,” Sora groaned to the nerve tingling pain.  “That hurt.”

“Oh, suck it up,” said Kairi, trying to hide her giggle.  “And let’s get going.”  Riku helped Sora on his feet and they stepped into the limo.  Traffic was light and they made it to the club in less than thirty minutes.  ‘Sweet Life in the Night Light,’ it was called.  It was an old, abandoned factory converted into a fiery dance club and restaurant for teens.  The dance floor was on the bottom and restaurant on the second floor.  That dark areas were lit up by a sea of colorful bright lights, waving and swooping to the rhythm of the music, shaken by the powerful bass and stomping feet to the upbeat techno music.  The chauffer walked with Kairi and the others, making sure they got inside.

“Whoa, look at this place,” Sora exclaimed, trying to raise his voice over the music.  “It’s packed with kids.”

“Looks like you three will have to leave,” said a voice.  The three of them looked to the side and saw Yuki and his crew.  Yuki wore his white baseball cap backwards, blue-collar shirt and gray cargo pants with matching tennis shoes.  “This place is only for those who have style and class.”

“Really?” Kari asked.  “Then why are you here?”  Sora and Riku high-five and then low-five Kairi.

“You have a smart mouth, rich girl,” said Yuki, taking a step forward, as did the chauffer, adjusting his cap a little.  A sign of precaution.

“And a smart mind to back it up,” said Kairi.

“Yeah?  Well, here, smarts doesn’t matter; moves do.  If you three are so hot, then step up or shut up.

“Is that a challenge?” Riku asked.

“You naming the stakes?” Yuki asked.  The three of them stepped back and whispered amongst one another for a moment.  Then they looked back at Yuki and his crew.

“You’re on, Yuki,” said Sora.

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An alarm went off, going, ‘Awrooga, awrooga, awrooga.  It’s time to battle!  It’s time to battle!  It’s time to battle!  L-l-l-l-l-l-let’s get ready to BA-A-ATTLE!!!’

The dance floor was left wide open as the DJ turned off the music and began to announce the coming battle.  Kairi, Sora, and Riku stepped up to the center of the dance floor, meeting up with Yuki and his crew.  The own of the club, Mr. DaMan, walked up in between them, fitting his ear set, sort of like those small phone your wear on your ear.

“Testing, testing,” said Mr. DaMan, speaking into the mike.  He counted to three and did a short beat box rhythm.  The crowd was cheering to his sounds, bobbing and swaying to the beat, chanting his name, “DaMan!  DaMan!  DaMan!”

“A’right, a’right, a’right, boys and girls, listen up and hear me now,” said Mr. DaMan.  “We have something very special for you all tonight.  In honor of our grand opening, we are going to have our… first… battle!”  The crowd roared with excitement.  “The crew on my right claims to have the best rep in town.  Please welcome… the Destiny Dancers.”  Yuki and his crew waved to the crowd, encouraging them to cheer.

“Thank you,” Yuki shouted.  “Yeah!  Yeah!”

“On my left, the only crew to have a three person team, please give a heartfelt cheer to… the Kingdom Hearts!”  The crowd screamed with excitement; boys whistled and howled at Kairi and the girls screamed Riku and Sora’s name.

“A’right, now here are the rules,” said Mr. DaMan, and the crowd quieted down.  “This will be a ten minute, five minutes for each crew.  Each crew member will execute their moves, single or together.  Once you’re down, your opponent has the floor while your step back.  Okay?  I want no trip ups, fighting, biting, or any of that.  Got it?”  He made eye contact with both crews.

“Got it,” said Yuki.

“Yes, sir,” said Kairi.

“A’right, now will Mr. A. please come forward.”  A strong built man walked up to Mr. DaMan, wearing a gimic dark blue prison uniform with number 01 on the left chest.  “Mr. A. here is one my most trusted employees.  And he will be holding the wages, which the crews will now present.”  Yuki reached into his pocket and pulled out a roll of cash.

“5,000 munny,” said Yuki, handing the cash to Mr. A.  Riku, Sora, and Kairi took out their cash, put it in a stack, and handed it to Mr. A.

“5,000 muny,” said Sora.  Mr. A. put all 10,000 munny into his pocket and stepped off the dance floor.

“The wages are made and the stage is set,” said Mr. DaMan.  “Nuff said.  DJ, drop it like its hot.”  The crowd cheered as the DJ spun a record on his finger like a ball and slipped it onto the player, bringing the needle down.  The lights shined on the floor as the music began.  Yuki and his crew were first.  Their bodies moved in rhythm of the feet with their hands and feet.  They stayed in great unison, keeping time and proportion.  Then Yuki stepped up and executed a series of steps, and this his crew followed behind.  Two more times they did this, and then they rejoined in unison.

The girls then stepped up and did a step that included swaying their wastes and naked tummies, sort like belly dancers.  Their hands caressed their bodies in intimidation.  They twirled up to Riku and Sora, dancing around them, teasing them, as if they were trying to get them to join their side, leaving Kairi alone.  Riku and Sora backed away and shook their heads no.  Rejected.

After that, the girls backed away and the boys stepped up, stomping their feet and flailing their fists, as if they were telling their opponent to step back, this was their floor and they had no right to be here.  They are the best and greatest.  The whole crew joined together again and showed off their skills, making the crowd cheer to their moves.  The song ended and Destiny Dancers held their final pose.

The crowd cheered and applauded.  The Destiny Dancers knew that this battle was in their hands.  The next song came and the Kingdom Hearts were up next.  This next techno song had more beat to it, more energy.  Sora and Riku stepped up first, but not without reaching into their bags and pulled out a metal handle and threw their bags aside.  At their press of the button, a two-foot rod extended: Riku’s glowing red light and Sora’s glowing with blue light.

“Ready, Riku?” asked Sora, smiling at Riku.

“Yeah,” said Riku, smiling back.  “Let’s show these guys our moves.”  They leapt into the air, flipping forward and landed in the center of the floor.  Standing a few feet apart, they began twirling and swing their practice swords, in decorative dance, as if they were training.  It seems they found a new way to use their Keyblade skills rather than just fighting.  They tossed their swords into the air, switching them, and caught them in decorative manner and then they had their blades meet in the middle after every few steps, keeping in beat of the song.

Their blades emitted a colorful clash of light, like fireworks at a fairground.  It certainly caught the eyes of the crowd.  Then they swept their blades together in a circle and then tossed them into the air.  The two swords then curved and joined together in circle, like hula-hoop, glowing with purple light.  Kairi pulled out the same kind of handle from her bag, extending a two-foot rod, glowing with pink light.

Kairi held her sword high and caught the hula-hoop, making it twirl around her blade.  Riku and Sora moved aside and kneeled while Kairi stepped up.  Kairi flipped the hoop up to the air and spun around in a silhouette circle.  The hoop came down around her and Kairi began to circle her hips, keep the hoop in motion.  From there, she made the hoop rise above her body and twirl around her left arm.  Kairi’s dance involved swift swoops and turns with her body, her red hair flailing with her movements, keeping the hoop twirling, juggling it in the air from one arm to the other and then around her sword.

All throughout her dance, the colors of her weapons were dancing around her, catching everyone by surprise.  Then came the finally.  Kairi threw the hoop high into the air and at that moment, Riku and Sora were running to each other.  Then, leaving everyone stunned, Riku and Sora’s feet met in between.  Both were running up at a ninety-degree angle, using the soul of the other’s shoes, like running up a wall.  The crowd roared as Riku and Sora climbed higher and the hoop separated into two different swords.  The two boys back flipped away from each other, twirling in a barrel roll, both in perfect mirror image.  They grabbed their swords as they dived down to the floor.  They landed kneeling on the floor then twirled their legs beneath, rising in a spiraling circle and then their rods swept under Kairi’s feet and threw her into the air.

  Kairi did a full back flip 360 and then spiraled back down.  As she did, Sora and Riku clashed their swords above and then below, sweeping upward and joining at the tip.  Kairi landed perfectly still atop of their swords and clashed hers with theirs creating colorful clash of light, and the music stopped.  The crowd cheered at their finishing pose, amazed and baffled by their skill.  Sora and Riku lowered their swords level to their hips and Kairi stepped down to the floor.  Mr. DaMan walked to the center, applauding and cheering with the crowd, whooping and laughing with excitement at the impressive displayed skill.

“Whoo-hoo, that was amazing,” Mr. DaMan roared.  “Talk about skill and style.  In all my years, I have never ever seen anything like that.  A’right, a’right, a’right, let’s calm down now so we can start the judging.”  The crowd quieted down as Mr. A. walked up to Mr. DaMan, taking out the two pads of 10,000 munny.  “A’right, what do I hear for… the Destiny Dancers?”

The crowd cheered and applauded as Yuki and his crew raised their arms, accepting their praise.

“Okay.  Now what ‘bout… the Kingdom Hearst?”

The crowd roared with excitement, pounding their feet against the floor, chanting out their names.  The sound of their cheers lifted Sora’s worried heart even more.

“You were right, Riku,” said Sora, as he, Riku, and Kairi waved to the crowd.

“About what?” Riku asked.

“About this,” said Sora.

“Well then, I guess the prize munny goes to… the Kingdom Hearts,” Mr. DaMan shouted.  Mr. A. handed Kairi the munny as the crowd continued to roar while Yuki and his crew left the dance floor.  After a harder dinner, the chauffer drove the three of them back to the mayor’s mansion.

“Man, did you see the look on Yuki’s face?” Kairi laughed.

“I thought for sure he’d throw some kind of fit,” Sora laughed.

“I was hoping for that,” said Riku, trying to get his words.  “Remember how he threw that fit the other day, and his voice became high?”

“Exactly,” said Sora.  Finally, they calmed their laugh.  “Thanks again for bringing me along, guys.”

“Hey, you needed it,” said Kairi.  She opened the door and walked right in.  “Why are all of the lights out?”  Kairi flicked the light switch a few times but the lights still wouldn’t come on.

“Mr. Mayor?” Sora called.  No reply.  They checked all of the room on the ground floor and found no one there.

“Let’s check upstairs,” said Riku.  “But careful.”  Riku and Sora led with Kairi behind up the steps, dark as it was downstairs, but as they went down the west wing, they saw a faint light out creeping out from underneath the library’s double door.  Riku and Sora stood on opposite sides of the door and drew their practice swords, but kept the light off.  Better than nothing.

“I’ll go in first,” Sora whispered.

“Right,” Riku whispered back.  Sora reached for the handle and gently turned it, making no sound.  He pushed the door opened and peaked inside.  There was a roaring fire in the fireplace, and sitting in the left chair, Sora saw someone sitting in the chair.  Sora told Riku and Kairi using hand signs, and then Sora crept in with Riku behind him and then Kairi.

“Mr. Mayor,” said Kairi.

“I’m afraid he’s not here now,” said the person in the chair.

“What did you do with him?” asked Sora.

“Let’s just say, he’s indisposed,” said the person, and he stood up from the chair and stood in front of the fire, showing himself to them.  He appeared to be no older than Riku.  His brunette hair was combed back and brown eyes to match and he had well light tanned skin.  He wore a black robe with mauve color designs.  Around his neck was a black pendant in the shape of black zigzag cross and a circle arching the top and a black hilt sword hanging at his left side.  Riku and Sora took their offensive stance.

“Who are you?” asked Sora.

“Please, forgive me,” said the boy, and he bowed to them.  “I am Sir Feris Graze.”

“What are you doing here?” Riku asked.  “Where’s the mayor?”

“As I said he’s indisposed,” said Feris, rising up.  “Asleep in his own bed, and I assure you he’s in no harm.  Beside, I have come to see the two of you, Riku and Sora.”

“You ever heard of a phone book?” asked Sora.

“Why do you want to see Riku and Sora?” Kairi asked.

“It’s their experience in which I am interested in,” said Feris.  “I have heard a lot about the two of you.  Both chosen masters of the Keyblade, and of course Kairi, my apologies, and with those weapons you have stopped the Heartless and the Nobodies from taken over so many worlds.  You defeated Ansem and Xehanort where others would’ve failed.  Your skills are renowned amongst the chronicles of warriors.”

“Well, thanks for that,” said Sora.

“However, it’s not just those experience that caught my interest,” said Feris.  “Both of you had done something that no one would ever consider: you gave yourselves freely to the darkness.  Both of you were given the power of darkness and you harnessed it as if you were masters.”

“How do you know about that?” asked Riku.

“Like the two of you, I know the power of darkness.”  Feris held his hand and dark energy engulfed his hand, waving gently like a candle.  “But I’m on a much different level.  I am endowed with a power above darkness: the power of Shadow.  I have master its the vagaries, allowing me to do much more than those of that ridiculous Organization XIII.  If they were still alive, their powers would fail in comparison to mine.”

“Are you a surviving member of the Organization?” asked Kairi.

“No, my dear, I would never even consider it.”  The dark energy dissipated and Feris held his hand behind his back.  “In truth, I was hoping to recruit them in my group, but you had annihilated them.  Doesn’t matter now; I can settle for the two of you.”

“What makes you think we would want to join you?” Sora asked.

“I know that you feel the remnants of the power of darkness within your hearts,” said Feris, smiling at them.  “There is a part of you that wants to experience that power again.  Sora, when you battled against your foes, and accessed your Drive abilities, you transformed into a creature of darkness.  You were a wild beast, uncontrollable and you enjoyed emitting your powers, using it to demolish your enemies.  Riku, you felt the same kind of rush, yet prevented the darkness from ever turning you into that kind of beast.  You wanted to remain in control, this way you could have more power.  You wanted it; you craved it.”

“Shut up,” Riku and Sora shouted, tightening their grips.

“Have I struck a nerve?” asked Feris.

“Don’t ever talk like you know us,” said Riku.  “You don’t know the hell we’ve been through, having to fight against the darkness.”

“We swore that we would never go down that path again, and nothing you say will change our mind,” said Sora.  

“You say that now, but if you were given that power again…” said Feris.

“Shut up,” shouted Sora and then he and Riku charged at him.  Feris scoffed and drew his sword.  The edge of his black blade sword glistened in the firelight.  Sora attacked from the right, coming in with an overhead slash, and Riku attacked from the left, coming in with a right inward slash.

Feris held his stance, keeping his calm.  Then his blade swung at Sora’s striking, throwing him back, knocking off his balance and then parried Riku’s slash.  Feris then threw the bottom of his hilt at Sora’s stomach, knocking the wind out of him and then did a fierce spin kick to Riku’s left cheek, following in a circle while crossing his arms and then throwing them out, shooting off a great gust of energy, throwing Riku and Sora back against the wall.

To them, it them it happened all so suddenly, when in fact that Feris moved so fast that time seemed to have slowed down.  Riku and Sora were slammed against the wall and they fell to the floor, groaning in pain.  They managed to get on their knees and they snared at Feris.

“No way,” Sora groaned.  “He’s so fast.  I didn’t even see him move.”

“He’s… good,” said Riku, though he hated to admit it.

“Imagine what you could do with this kind of power,” said Feris.  Riku grabbed his sword and charged at Feris again.  Feris held his left hand at Riku as it glowed with dark energy.

“Binding Shadow,” said Feris, and a streak of black light shot from his hand, ringing like chains.  It ensnared Riku, causing him pain as he dropped to knees and screamed.  Sora charged at Feris, leaping into the air as he pulled his sword back and dived down.  Feris saw him coming and flipped his sword in an underhand position.  He raised his sword over his head and blocked Sora’s attack.  Sora would not give up.  He forced his sword against Feris’, hoping to overpower him.  Feris only chuckled and threw Sora back again as he shot another streak of black light at Sora, ensnaring him, causing him as much pain as Riku, until it subsided with a new sensation.

They felt the dark energy beginning to flow throughout their bodies like an adrenaline rush, both breathing uncontrollably.  Their eyes began to glow red and their breath growing cold.

“Can you feel it?” Feris asked.  “The power of the Shadow.  Let if fill you once more so that you may join me.”

“Let them go,” Kairi shouted.  She drew her practice sword and charged at Feris, driven by her determination to save her friends.  She came in with a strong thrust, but Feris parried it to the side, threw his fist at her stomach and then swung his blade at her neck, pressing the edge against her skin.

“Kai…ri…” Sora groaned.  He wanted to save her, yet a part of him didn’t want to stop feeling the rushing power that filled his body.  The same with Riku.  Ferris met with Kairi’s frightened eyes and smiled.

“The Seventh Princess of Hearts,” said Feris.  “Such a beauty.  A shame you can’t even harness the power of Shadow.  Therefore, you are of no use to me.”

“Firaga,” a voice shouted, and then a fierce fireball was shot from the fireplace and struck Feris back, breaking his concentration, making his powers cancel out.  Kairi backed away as she grabbed Sora and Riku’s collar, pulling them with her as two figure jumped in front of her.

“You want our friends, ya gonna have to go through us,” said the tall one, holding a shield in front of him.

“It’s ain’t going to be easy either,” said the short one with a strange voice, holding a staff in his right hand.  Feris stretched his shoulders and saw the two warriors before him.

“How I hate interruptions,” Feris scoffed, and then he sheathed his sword.  “Nevertheless, the two of you have felt the influence of Shadow.  Let me know what you think, once we meet up again.  Until next time.”  A shadow portal appeared behind him and Feris stepped back into it, and closed.  Sora and Riku were catching their breath as they sat on the floor.

“Sora, Riku, are you guys okay?” asked Kairi, kneeling beside them.

“I think so,” said Sora.

“Could you guys not speak so loud?” said Riku, holding his head like a migraine.

“Gwarsh, it looks like that guy did a number on you guys,” said a familiar voice.  Riku and Sora shook their heads, shaking the dizziness away and looked up with Kairi who had a smile on her face, and they saw old friends.

“Donald, Goofy?” asked Sora, surprised.

“What are you guys doing here?” Riku asked.

“We’ll tell you guys later,” said Goofy as he and Donald helped Sora and Riku up on their feet.  “The King has ordered us to bring the three of you to the castle as soon as possible.”

“Why?” Kairi asked.

“He didn’t say,” said Donald.  “Come on, the Gummi Ship if outside in the backyard.”

They followed Donald and Goofy from behind to the backyard of the mansion.  There in the center was the Gummi Ship.  Kairi, Riku, and Sora could see Chip and Dale in pilot seat, jumping and waving at them.

“Welcome back, Sora,” said Dale.

“Hurry up, we got to get going,” said Chip.  The door opened and everyone ran inside and took a seat, buckling up.

“Are we set, Dale?” Chip asked.

“All systems are green,” said Dale.  “We’re ready for take off.”

“Coordinates set in,” said Chip.  “Here we go!”  The ship’s engine rumbled then roared as it lifted off the ground and rose to the sky, raising its nose to the stars, and then it took off into space.  Kairi looked out the window and was amazed of how fast the their home came to be.

“Better hold on tight, Kairi,” said Sora, holding her hand.  “It’s gets a little bumpy here.”

“Approaching gateway,” said Dale.  “Warp drive in three… two… one… warp!”  The Gummi Ship rumbled and quake and it shot off like an arrow.

“Where are we going?” Kairi asked.

“To King Mickey’s castle,” said Riku.  “Can’t wait to see him again.”

“Likewise,” said Sora.  Within a few minutes, a flash of light came and then they were flying over a beautiful country land.  Then on the horizon was a grand castle, straight out of a fantasy story.

“King Mickey’s castle is straight ahead,” said Chip.  “Prepare for landing.”  The Gummi Ship flew over the castle into the back courtyard, where a hatch opened in the ground, in the hedge garden and the ship lowered into it, landing in an underground hangar.

“Attention ladies and gentlemen, we are now landing at King Mickey’s castle,” said Dale.  “Please make your seats and trays are in their upright position and do not stand up until the Gummi Ship has come to a complete stop.  Thank you for riding Chip ‘n Dale Airlines, and we hope to see you again soon.”

“Real funny, Dale,” said Chip, smiling.  Made the others giggle.

The ship landed on a plateau, which lowered level to the ground, making the ship face north.  The door hissed as it opened.  Chip and Dale were the first to get out.

“Ladies first,” said Chip and Dale, bowing down.

“Why thank you,” said Kairi as she walked out of the ship with the boys following behind.

“Long time no see guys,” said King Mickey.  He, Queen Minnie and Daisy stood together, waiting patiently for their arrival.  “Welcome back.”