Forum:Request 11, (KH3D, story entries) - Neumannz

Traverse Town Side: Sora
Sora would require great power to rescue the individuals King Mickey mentioned in his letter and wake them from their sleep, so he agreed to the Mark of Mastery examination.

He and Riku returned to the Destiny Islands shortly before their fall to darkness. After their raft was wrecked by a phantom Ursula, they unknowingly unlocked the first "Sleeping Keyhole".

***

Sora was seperated from Riku and wound up in his first "Sleeping World," Traverse Town, where he met a boy named Neku.

While helping Neku look for his "Game" partner, Sora was confronted by a figure in a black coat. Before he could find out who the stranger was, however, he was seized by the overwhelming urge to sleep.

When Sora opened his eyes, neither Neku nor the figure in the black coat were anywhere to be seen.

Instead of Neku, he found a girl named Rhyme. Rhyme had lost her memory, but Sora suspected she might be Neku's lost partner. Together, they continued the search for Neku.

No sooner had Neku explained that Rhyme wasn't his partner than the girl vanished. Then, the figure in the black coat appeared just long enough to summon a powerful Nightmare.

Sora defeated the Nightmare, and suddely a strange projection appeared out of thin air. In it, Sora saw Riku. A boy named Joshua then appeared before Sora along with Rhyme. Joshua explained that Sora was looking at another version, or "imaging," of Traverse Town, and that there was no way for him to get there.

Neku, Shiki, Beat, and Rhyme vanished into the projection. This dual Traverse Town, Joshua explained, had appeared because it was needed; Neku and his friends were about to be wiped from existance, but in this world, the pieces of their dreams and the connections they formed had kept them in the Game—literally. "Who are you?" Sora and Riku asked Joshua.

"Let's say... a friend," was all the mysterious boy would say before flying off into the night sky.

Traverse Town Side: Riku
Having welcomed darkness into his heart, was he still worthy of the Keyblade? Riku decided to take the Mark of Mastery examination and find out.

He and Sora returned to the Destiny Islands shortly before their fall to darkness. After their raft was wrecked by a phantom Ursula, they unknowingly unlocked the first "Sleeping Keyhole."

***

Seperated from Sora, Riku found himself in his first "Sleeping World," Traverse Town, where he met Joshua. The boy's tone suggested he knew more about this world than most.

Riku agreed to help Joshua find a girl named Rhyme, but another boy, Beat, came along and picked a fight with Joshua. No sooner had Riku defeated Beat's Spirits than he found himself growing very sleepy...

After waking up, he rescued a girl named Shiki from a pack of Nightmares and found himself stuck with her. Next, he encontered a figure in a black coat, who insisted that Riku did not belong there... Beat arrived, and the stranger lowered his hood to reveal a grey-haired youth Riku had never seen before. The youth summoned a giant Nightmare, and vanished.

Riku vanquished the Nightmare, and suddenly a strange projection appeared out of thin air. In it, Riku saw Sora.

Neku, Shiki, Beat, and Rhyme vanished into the projection. The dual Traverse Town, Joshua explained, had appeared because it was needed; Neku and his friends were about to be wiped from existance, but in this world, the pieces of their dreams and the connections they formed had kept them in the Game—literally. "Who are you?" Sora and Riku asked Joshua.

"Let's say... a friend," was all the mysterious boy would say before flying off into the night sky.

La Cite des Cloches Side: Sora
While investigating an outbreak of "monsters" in the square, Sora met Quasimodo. Nightmares had Quasimodo surrounded, but he was enjoying being the King of Fools and was reluctant to leave. A gypsy named Esmeralda helped him get to safety in the cathedral.

Inside Notre Dame, Quasimodo returned the favor and helped Esmeralda escape the soldiers surrounding the cathedral by carrying her safely to the streets below. Sora learned that Judge Frollo had forbidden Quasimodo from ever leaving the cathedral, and grew concerned. He decided to seek out Quasimodo and talk to him about his predicament.

While searching for Quasimodo, Sora ran into Captain Phoebus. Phoebus was beginning to harbor doubts about Frollo's methods, and had come to warn Esmeralda and the other gypsies that they were in danger. Upon hearing this, Quasimodo produced a pendant he had recieved from Esmeralda. The pendant would reveal the location of the gypsies' safe haven, known as the "Court of Miracles".

They found Esmeralda in the Court of Miracles, but Judge Frollo appeared, arresting Esmeralda, and knocked Sora out cold.

Sora awoke to find the city ablaze. Esmeralda had been sentenced to burn, but Quasimodo rescued her while Sora confronted a giant Nightmare.

By the time the Nightmare fell, Quasimodo had already settled matters with Judge Frollo. He had learned not to let his heart be a prison, and was ready to brave the outside world.

Alone, Sora found himself face-to-face with a grey-haired youth. The young man stayed only long enough to say: "You are the one who has made your heart a prison...even if you are not the prisoner." Confused by these words, Sora unlocked the next Sleeping Keyhole.

La Cite des Cloches Side: Riku
Riku crossed paths with Esmeralda, a gypsy who was being chased by Judge Frollo and Captain Phoebus. She told Riku about the darkness that was driving Frollo.

Inside the cathedral of Notre Dame, Riku met Quasimodo. Judge Frollo was keeping Quasimodo walled up inside the cathedral, but Riku knew that the highest walls—for Quasimodo, and for he himself—were around their hearts.

As Riku searched for Frollo, he was attacked by a giant Nightmare. Somehow he escaped and caught up with Frollo, who seemed to be the one controlling the Nightmares. He also found Phoebus, who was badly injured while trying to stop the judge.

The chase continued. Riku passed Quasimodo, who had just rescued Esmeralda. Riku was reassured to see how much stronger Quasimodo's heart had grown.

Frollo's heart, however, fell to darkness. Ansem and the grey-haired youth appeared a moment later to remind Riku of the darkness in his own heart. But Riku knew he was strong enough to choose his own path, and with Keyblade in hand, he drove off the giant Nightmare.

Quasimodo resolved to brave the outside world, while Riku reflected upon his past, and the future he must shape from it. He unlocked the Sleeping Keyhole.

Prankster's Paradise Side: Sora
Sora bumped into Jiminy at an amusement park after dark. Jiminy said Pinocchio had gone missing somewhere in the park, and boys who played and goofed off there for too long got turned into donkeys. Sora agreed to help Jiminy find Pinocchio before that could happen.

But by the time they rescued Pinocchio from some Nightmares, he had sprouted donkey ears and a tail. Jiminy and Pinocchio escaped while Sora faced off against more Nightmares.

After eliminating the threat, Sora came face-to-face with the grey-haired youth and Xemnas, who accused Sora of being the same as Nobodies. Once again, they vanished without further explanation.

The Blue Fairy found Sora and told him that Pinocchio and Jiminy had gone to the bottom of the sea to rescue Geppetto, who had been swallowed by Monstro the whale.

Sora got there just in time to witness Pinocchio and Jiminy getting gobbled up too. Then a giant Nightmare appeared and froze Monstro solid.

Sora defeated the Nightmare, and having been freed of the ice, Monstro let out a mighty sneeze.

Remembering that this world would soon be swallowed by darkness, Sora unlocked the Sleeping Keyhole.

Prankster's Paradise Side: Riku
Inside the belly of Monstro the whale, Riku found Geppetto and Jiminy. He agreed to help them find Pinocchio, who had gone missing again. Jiminy tagged along.

They found Pinocchio with a figure in a black coat. Who was it this time? The figure lowered his his hood to reveal... Riku. The figure disappeared before Riku could make sense of it all. He explained to Jiminy how he had one allowed darkness into his heart, but Jiminy and Pinocchio reminded him that friends like Sora would always keep him on the right path.

He had the others return to safety and headed further into Monstro, where he found and defeated a giant Nightmare.

Something was troubling him, though. Why did this world seem to have been thrown into the past? Could it still be trapped in some kind of dream? He unlocked the Sleeping Keyhole.

Mysterious Tower
King Mickey warned Yen Sid of Master Xehanort's true motives.

They needed to wake Sora up, and Yen Sid said that only one who had unlocked the Sleeping Keyholes possessed that power. And even if that person reached the abyss into which Sora's heart had fallen, they might never return from the darkness. But Riku had heard Sora calling to him, and knew he must be the one to make the dive back into Sora's slumber.

***

In the abyss, Riku was attacked by a suit of armor clad in deepest darkness. He defeated the armor and freed Sora from its defenses, then watched helplessly as his friend sank into the darkness. Did he do the right thing? Only Sora's Keyblade remained. Riku took it and unlocked the Keyhole.

Riku's eyes blinked open. He was home, on their island. Figures appeared asking difficult questions: Roxas; another boy who looked like Roxas; a girl with raven hair. He sensed his answers mattered. When his eyes next blinked open, he found himself in the company of Ansem the Wise.

Ansem the Wise gave Riku his research data, which he hoped would serve as a clue when Sora or those connected to him were most lost. The love in Sora's heart would be the only way to save them. With that, the true Ansem assured Riku that Sora had awoken. It was time to go home.

***

Riku woke from his dive to hear what sounded like a celebration; were Sora, Donald, and Goofy having...a party? Sora threw his arms around Riku when he saw his friend was safe. Somehow, it all seemed very backwards.

Riku passed the exam. He had shown the Mark of Mastery, and so Yen Sid dubbed him a true Keyblade Master. Sora was happy to see his best friend receive such an honor. Lea, however, was still trying to get the knack of summoning his own Keyblade.

His...what? As if that weren't enough of a shock, suddenly a Keyblade materialized in Lea's hand. He had become a Keyblade wielder!

Sora realized he had unfinished business. He opened the Sleeping Keyhole and ventured through alone. When he woke up in Traverse Town, he looked around for...

There they were! A moment later, Sora was surrounded by rowdy, but very happy Spirits. With a smile, Sora thanked them for all they had done.