Meanwhile, Leon and Cloud saw a flash of light in the distance.
"Sora! Hikari! Donald! Goofy!" Leon cried.
"Relax. Those four aren't going down that easily," Cloud assured as he walks away. "The Keyblade's chosen one... and the princess of Kingdom Hearts... They're lucky kids."
Leon smiled as he watched the beam of light hit the sky. "See you soon."
Meanwhile at Where Nothing Gathers... Saïx arrived to speak with Xemnas. "Sora and Princess Hikari knows the truth now. The more Heartless that they defeat, the closer they are to becoming our perfect puppets. This new knowledge will make them that much harder to control."
"What does it matter, really?" Xigbar, an Organization member, scoffed. "Whatever their circumstances, Sora and Princess Hikari has never been able to help themselves from saving people from the Heartless. It's what their pure little hearts wants."
Another Organization member, Luxord, spoke as he tossed the dice in the air. "There. The dice have been cast. Things are in motion. He can't stop this."
"Nothing is set in stone," Xaldin said to Luxord. "If the dice aren't in your favor, you will share Demyx's fate."
"The fun is in not knowing, isn't it?" Luxord said. "What is the point of betting on something if you already know the outcome?"
"Are you sure that defeating them won't derail the Organization's plan?" Xigbar asked.
"If they are to die so easily, they are of no use to us," Xemnas said.
"That's exactly what I wanted to hear," Xaldin nodded. "It's not in my nature to hold back."
Meanwhile at the Gummi Ship, Sora was talking with Hikari and Donald. "I guess sometimes help comes from unexpected places."
"Sure does!" Donald nodded.
"I couldn't agree more," Hikari smiled.
Earlier at Hollow Bastion... Hikari fought off the Heartless with Sora, Donald and Goofy.
"Maybe everything we've done... Maybe it was all for nothing," Sora said to Hikari.
"Yeah, it was," Hikari nodded. "Well... What are we supposed to do if we can't use the Keyblade and my powers!?"
"Imbeciles!" Maleficent's voice shouted. "You can't be trusted to do anything!"
"Wait, what?" Hikari looked around.
A dark portal appeared beneath the four who sunk into it. And without knowing, Sora, Hikari, Donald and Goofy found themselves at a burnt home in another world.
"What's this place?" Goofy looked around.
"It must be another world!" Sora said, looking around. "And we're in a house that's... burnt down."
Hikari sighs. "Yeah... Guys, this is my home." She saw a jackalope named Connor. "Connor!"
Sora looks at Connor. "Whoa... a rabbit?"
Hikari smiled. "Sora, this is my pet jackalope, Connor. He used to keep me company when I was little."
Goofy finds a Mickey Mouse stuffed toy. "Hey look! I found the King!"
Donald facepalmed. "That's a stuffed toy, Goofy. And it does look like the King."
Hikari grabbed the Mickey stuffed toy from Goofy. "That's because it's mine!"
Sora looked around again. "I wonder if there's anyone living here."
Goofy sees two people. "Hey. There are people living here." It was Rini, Hikari's pregnant aunt who's making sweaters, and Sakiya, Hikari's grandmother who's cleaning the rubble and ashes. And then there was Ozuru, Hikari's uncle, and Taigen, Hikari's grandfather collecting wood to rebuild the house.
Rini looked around. "Who's there?" Then she saw Hikari with Sora, Donald and Goofy. "Hikari? Is that really you?"
Hikari saw her aunt, uncle, grandpa and grandma. "Aunt Rini! Uncle Ozuru! Grandma! Grandpa!"
"Hikari!" Taigen, Ozuru and Sakiya cried.
Taigen and Ozuru hugged Hikari. "We thought you were dead just like your parents," Taigen said.
"I can't believe you're alive," Ozuru smiled at Hikari.
"Well, it's not just me that's alive," Hikari said. "My little sister, Haya, is still out there and kidnapped by my enemies." Then, she turned to Sakiya. "Hey, grandma. You seemed to be in a better mood."
"Yeah," Sakiya nodded. "All this dirty ashes and rubble I had to clean up. It's a good thing your uncle and grandpa are on the job."
Hikari looks at Rini. "And auntie... why is your belly big?"
Rini giggled. "You want to know why? I'm nine months pregnant."
"Wow! I get to have a baby cousin?" Hikari gasped.
"Yes," Rini nodded. "And it's sad that your parents are not here to see us."
Hikari nodded and turns to see Sora clearing his throat. "Oh! Auntie, Uncle, Grandma, Grandpa! These are the boys that are with me: Sora, Donald and Goofy."
"Hey there!" Sora waved.
"Nice to meet you," Sakiya nodded at Sora.
"So you're friends with a strange kid, a duck and a dog?" Ozuru asked.
"When you put it that way, yes," Hikari nodded.
"Aw thank you so much for keeping our niece safe," Rini said. "You're such a great young man."
Sora laughed nervously. "It's nothing."
"So do you have to leave with those three?" Taigen asked. "I mean... you can come back and visit anytime."
Hikari nodded. "Yes, grandpa. I still have to find Haya and help Sora find his friends."
Taigen smiled as he watched Sora, Hikari, Donald and Goofy. "Okay, good luck out there and stay out of trouble."
After leaving the house, Sora began shouting. "Kairi! Riku!"
"Haya!" Hikari shouted.
Donald sees two figures in black coats. One of them is holding a white box. "Who's there!?"
The two vanished as Donald ran over to grab the box. "What is it?"
Goofy sees Donald opening the box. "Are ya sure you wanna open that?"
Donald sees a photograph and then hands it to Sora as Hikari stares at it.
"Gawrsh, it's the gang from Twilight Town," Goofy said, recognizing the photograph. "There's Hayner, Pence, Olette...and, uh, um..."
"Roxas," Sora said.
"And Kirihax," Hikari finished.
"You know them?" Donald asked Sora and Hikari.
"No... Those names just popped into our heads..." Sora said.
Hikari nodded. "I agree with Sora. This is Roxas and Kirihax."
Goofy sees Donald tasting a sea salt ice cream bar. "Are you sure you wanna eat that?"
Donald had already tasted the ice cream. "Salty... No...sweet!"
Soon... the ice cream bar was raised up to the air and Sora and Hikari opened another gateway with their Keyblades.
"Not yet! I gotta look for Kairi!" Sora said.
"I must find my sister!" Hikari said as well.
After the flashback ended... Goofy began thinking. "A photo and some ice cream? Hmm. Wonder if they're some sorta clue. And who woulda left 'em for us, anyway?"
Sora looked at Hikari. "Riku?"
"Apparently... he could be with another stranger in black," Hikari said.
"Ya think?" Goofy asked Sora.
"Just this feeling I got," Sora said to Goofy and Hikari.
"Look! We're almost there!" Donald said.
Hikari was worried about what Saïx forced her to do. "Hey, what if the Heartless are back again? I can't use my powers and Sora can't use his Keyblade—that would only help the Organization." She looked at Sora who agrees.
"But Hikari, Sora, I think ya have to use 'em," Goofy said. "If we don't fight 'em, the Heartless'll keep on hurtin' folks."
"I think you have a point, Goofy," Hikari smiled. "Let's continue on with our mission."
Next chapter coming soon...