Castle of Dreams

Castle of Dreams is a world that is featured in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep and Kingdom Hearts Union χ. It is based on the Disney film, .

Development
In early trailers, Ventus is shown looking at the Castle Entrance with awe as Cinderella approaches, but in the final game, this scene never occurs.

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
Yashikimae (屋敷前) is the frontyard area to Lady Tremaine's house, and also where Anastasia, Drizella, and Cinderella live. Inside is the Ishō Heya (衣装部屋), a nice and blue dressing area, where a shrunken down Ventus fights Lucifer the cat. While shrunken down the various entrances to the Nezumi no Tōrimichi (ねずみの通り道) can be entered, which is a collection of pathways going up and down inside the house's walls. Heading towards the area's highest point takes Ventus or Aqua to Shinderera no Heya (シンデレラの部屋), a petite attic with a simple bed, but with great view of the world's castle. In cutscene, the chateau's foyer is briefly seen as the Grand Duke pays a visit to the house.

The only exit from The Chateau area leads to the Yashikihazure no Mori (屋敷はずれの森), which has a small fountain area leading into a much larger space. Continuing onwards takes one to the lit. "Castle Gate Square" (城門広場). Heading straight and up a couple of stairs leads to the the castle#s entrance and its Rōka (廊下). The Corridor leads to the castle#s grand Daikaidan (大階段), from which there are two ways one can go; either up the large staircase or through a smaller door to the right. Going up the stairs leads to the Ōhiroma (大広間) where Cinderella and Prince Charming shared their romantic dance. Going right leads to a small Shōmen Tsūro (正面通路), which can be navigating to eventually reach the Hikaeshitsu (控え室). Passing through the Antechamber will have Terra arrive at the Ballroom's balcony, which can be jumped off to reach the Ballroom's main level.

Kingdom Hearts χ
As the Player enters the world, Chirithy notes how amazing the Castle looks, but that they're not here to sight see and that they have to track down and banish the darkness. While travelling along the road, they come across the Grand Duke being attacked by a horde of Heartless. The Player steps in to help and the Grand Duke asks if they mind delivering a letter to the Chateau down the road for him. At the Chateau the Player meets Cinderella and gives her the letter before leaving. On the way out they notice Jaq the mouse being chased by some Heartless so step in to help him. Jaq thanks the Player before introducing himself, then introduces them to Cinderella properly. Cinderella is then called away by her Stepmother, Lady Tremaine, and stepsisters, Anastasia and Drizella, to which Jaq explains to the Player that all they do is make her work.

Jaq expresses his worry that Cinderella won't be able to finish her dress for the Ball, so the Player suggests they do it for her and offers to help. Jaq is delighted and asks the Player to go find some trimmings for the dress, and to watch out for Lucifer the Cat. After finding a discarded necklace, Jaq and the Player are confronted by Lucifer who steals, it but luckily the Player retrieves it and uses it to finish Cinderella's dress. Jaq and the Player present the dress to Cinderella, who prepares to set out for the Ball. However both her Stepsisters, at their mother's encouragement, ruin Cinderella's dress before leaving. Cinderella runs off into the garden in tears, where Fairy Godmother appears and gives her a new dress and a horse and carriage to go to the Ball, before explaining that the spell will wear off at midnight.

After sending Cinderella on her way, Fairy Godmother disappears, but the Player discovers Heartless pursuing Cinderella and on Chirithy's insistence, escort her to the Ball. At the Castle, Cinderella, thanks the Player before they take their leave. Cinderella dances with the Prince, before the clock strikes Midnight and she is forced to flee before the spell wears off, leaving behind one of her glass slippers. The next day, the Player returns to the world and sees the Royal Decree about whoever fits the glass slipper will become the future Queen. With an idea of who the slipper might belong to, Chirithy ugres the Player to check on Cinderella.

On the way to the Chateau, the Player once again rescues the Grand Duke from some Heartless, as he makes his way with the slipper. At the Chateeau, Lady Tremaine informs her daughters that the Grand Duke is on his way with the slipper and about the Royal Decree. Cinderella overhears and becomes lost in a day dream, making Lady Tremaine suspicious, so she locks Cinderella in her room. Jaq manages to find the Player and tell them about cinderella's plight. Jaq retrieves the key from Lady Tremaine and the Player fights the Heartless up to Cinderella's room. There, the Player defeats a Heartless created from Lady Tremaine's darkness that attacks Cinderella. Meanwhile Anastasia and Drizella attempt to try on the glass slipper with no success. As Lady Tremaine dismisses the Duke, Cinderella appears and at the Duke insistence goes to try on the slipper. However Lady Tremaine trips the Duke and the Slipper breaks, but Cinderella reveals she has the other one. Cinderella is taken to the Catle where she meets the Prince, while the Player and Chirithy leave having banished the darkness from the world and saved another precious light.

Kingdom Hearts Union χ
Following the events of the Keyblade War, Player and rest of the Dandelions lose their memories of the previous world, causing Player to relive their experiences in Castle of Dreams. The Player returns to Castle of Dreams to check on Cinderella. Jaq notices the Player enter the Ballroom and asks if they want to see Cinderella. Jaq directs them to Cinderella and Prince Charming dancing and tells the Player to say hi. Cinderella tells the Player how glad they are to see them again.

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
Ventus is the first to visit this world. As he arrives, he is shrunk to the size of a mouse and finds himself in a mouse trap, taking over the role for Gus, Jaq's best friend. He is rescued by Jaq and Cinderella, who serves her stepmother Lady Tremaine along with her two stepsisters, Anastasia and Drizella. As Cinderella is called off to help them, Jaq tells Ventus that a ball is being held at the king's castle, and Cinderella can only go if she can find a dress. To help her get there, Jaq and Ventus decide to find the last of the materials for the dress. Ventus travels down through the house to find them and brings them back to Jaq. The last item on the list is a pearl, which is guarded by the Tremaines' evil cat, Lucifer.

Ventus sneaks up on the sleeping cat, but Lucifer awakens and attacks. Jaq fends him off with a ball of yarn and gets away with the pearl, while Ven stays and fights. Lucifer is defeated and runs off. When Ventus returns, he asks Cinderella if she is looking forward to the ball. Not knowing her dress is finished, she tries to cheer herself up by saying that the ball would be boring anyway. When Jaq reveals the dress, Cinderella is excited that her dream can come true. She goes off to the ball, and Jaq asks Ventus what his dream is. Ventus answers that it is to become a Keyblade Master with his friends.

Terra arrives in the Tremaines' garden and meets a crying Cinderella, whose dress was torn to shreds by her evil stepsisters. Terra senses the light in her heart and tries to get her to believe in that strength, but her negative feelings at the ruin of her dress and dream bring out the Unversed. Terra defeats them as the Fairy Godmother appears. She uses her magic to create a carriage, a dress, and glass slippers for Cinderella, but warns that the spell will be undone at midnight.

Cinderella goes off to the ball, and Terra asks the Fairy Godmother why she fulfilled Cinderella's dream for her. The Godmother replies that believing in one's dreams is work enough to deserve them and says that he should see for himself. Terra goes to the castle and escorts Cinderella through the halls of Unversed to the ballroom.

Cinderella meets Prince Charming and dances with him for the whole night. Terra, meanwhile, senses an Unversed, and fights the Symphony Master, disrupting the ball. He defeats it as the clock strikes twelve. Cinderella runs away before the spell is undone but does not tell Charming her name. As she runs down the stairwell, one of her glass slippers falls off and is picked up by the Grand Duke.

Terra leaves as well and meets Aqua at the entrance to the castle. She asks what he has been up to after hearing of the dark deeds he committed in other worlds. He tells her that Master Xehanort is looking for the Princesses of Heart, but is not in this world. Aqua still wants to look around and heads inside the ballroom as Terra leaves.

After her meeting with Terra, Aqua enters the ballroom and finds out that someone left a glass slipper behind. She senses a notably strong darkness within Lady Tremaine's heart in the process, concerning her greatly. Prince Charming and the Grand Duke decide to tour the kingdom to find the girl whose foot fits the slipper. Aqua follows them to the Tremaines' manor, with the intention of killing Lady Tremaine before her darkness harms anyone, but meets the Fairy Godmother, who advises her not to do it, since Light and Darkness must co-exist, something Aqua had not learned from Master Eraqus. The Fairy Godmother tells Aqua that Cinderella has been locked in her room by Lady Tremaine so that she cannot meet the prince. The Fairy Godmother then shrinks Aqua to the size of a mouse to help her rescue Cinderella without being seen by Lady Tremaine. Aqua meets Jaq inside and protects him from the Unversed as he carries the key to unlock Cinderella's door. Once she is rescued, Cinderella heads downstairs to try on the slipper.

Aqua looks on from the banister, but suddenly grows back to her normal size and falls to the floor. She is able to distract the Grand Duke long enough for Cinderella to come down. Tremaine breaks the slipper so Cinderella must remain her servant, but Cinderella pulls out the other one. She leaves to meet the prince at the castle, but Aqua hears a scream in the meantime. Tremaine and the stepsisters summon a giant Unversed, a Cursed Coach, to murder Cinderella because she is no longer useful to them. They laugh as it attacks her, but before Aqua can strike the Tremaines, a fire bomb from the Unversed lands on the trio, which presumably blows them away.

Aqua faces the Unversed and defeats it, allowing Cinderella and Prince Charming to reunite. However, she is still worried about Terra's darkness. The Fairy Godmother informs her that Terra had helped Cinderella's dream come true, renewing Aqua's hope.

Some time after Master Xehanort and Vanitas are defeated, Cinderella and Prince Charming dance in the ballroom as Jaq and the Fairy Godmother watch from the balcony.

Between Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep and Kingdom Hearts
The Heartless eventually invaded the Castle of Dreams to kidnap Cinderella, one of the seven Princesses of Heart needed to open the Final Keyhole to the Door to Darkness. When Cinderella was taken, the Heartless ate the heart of the world, destroying it and sending the remains to the Realm of Darkness. This caught the attention of Aqua, who was attacked by the Dark Hide that had taken up residence in the forest. Defeating it, Aqua was left shocked and horrified at the next sight that awaited her: the Castle of Dreams itself.

Aqua continued on through the Castle Town, finding clock gears to rewind the clock to midnight to restore the path to the castle. As she did so, Aqua reflected on her last adventure and wondered about her friends. Upon reaching the castle, Aqua found a ghost of Terra from his time in the world, leaving her to wonder what happened to everyone who lived there.

When the Door to Darkness was finally sealed, the world was restored.

Characters

 * Prince Charming's father, The King is mentioned in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, but he does not physically appear.