Whack Things With Key-Shaped Swords (Story Only thread)

[NGSoares]

[x] Go to the First District
-[x] Ask Donald to teach you the basics of magic.

"I guess that's everything?" you ask Aerith.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKOXLOsA2tA​

"Yes," she replies. "Let's go back to the others." At that, the two of you go through the doors of the First District and meet up with the others. "I take it you might tell Donald and Goofy about your future vision?"

"Tentative," you say. "Hey Donald!" you call to said duck.

"Yeah?" he calls back.

"Teach me the basics of magic," you say. Very bluntly.

"Hm..." Donald says, scratching the bottom of his beak. "Alright."

Donald takes you over to some unlit candles. "Let's start with the basics," he explains. Wait wut. "A fireball. First, point your Keyblade at the candle." You do so. "Next, try picturing flames. If you mentally see it and focus..." Donald shoots a Fire spell. "It should allow you to shoot a fireball at the candle."

You begin thinking of fire.

Yes, think of arson. Of burning. Of what I'll do to-

To who? If it's to my friends-

Fuck off, Ventus. Let me teach him how to REALLY cast a Fire spell. Not the goody-goody way you do.

Vanitas...
​

You ignore the two's bickering, and just think of a fireplace. The tip of your Keyblade starts glowing red, and a fireball goes speeding towards the candle, lighting it. You smile, and Donald claps.

"Great job!" he exclaims. "Hey Goofy, think you can teach Sora that one move?"

"Ya mean the Dodge Roll?" Goofy asks.

"Yes I mean the Dodge Roll you big palooka!" Typical Donald and Goofy bickering.

"Gawrsh, you don't have to yell," Goofy says, walking over to you. "Sora, you OK with it?"

You shrug. "Might as well." Goofy then proceeds to teach you how to Dodge Roll. You mimic him, but flop onto the ground instead of standing up. Majestic.

He shoots, he fails!
​

You scowl, and try again. This time, you have more success, and Goofy applauds. "Great job!"

Hm... what else is there to do in Traverse Town?

[] Go to Merlin's House. Besides, Merlin may remember all three of the BBS protagonists, while the Fairy Godmother might remember Aqua (and maybe Terra)
[] Visit the Dalmatian's House because it'll start your road to AEROGA
[] Moogles
[] See Cid about Pooh's storybook
[] Ask Squall if you can get Simba's summon gem early
[] WEAPONS
[] Leave for Olympus Coliseum
[] Experiment with your new fire spell. Burn everything. Yessssss
[] Write-in

This post is brought to you by The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and the sheer amount of fire in that game, as seen from the E3 trailer.

 

[NGSoares]

[x] Go to Merlin's House. Besides, Merlin may remember all three of the BBS protagonists, while the Fairy Godmother might remember Aqua (and maybe Terra)

"C'mon," you tell Donald and Goofy, going back towards the Third District and walking towards the door with a flame on it. You point the Keyblade at it and cast Fire, opening the door. "Shall we?" you say, mock curtseying.

You enter the area where Merlin's house is, crossing the bridge to the weird building. You go through the hole in the wall, and wait until...

"There's something about this musty old place..." Kairi. Almost immediately after she appears, you feel a stinging pain around your heart, Kairi's voice seeming to fade out as the pain increases... you see what looks like a member of the Organization approaching, flower petals falling out of nowhere.

He takes off his hood, and you see a man with pinkish-brown hair. Flower petals fall all around you, as a scythe appears. "I shall dispose of you."

"W-Why..." you say, the pain almost unbearable now as the petals are practically covering the floor.

"Why do you think? You probably know already."

"I don't..." you whisper, eyes beginning to close. "Xemnas... ordered this, didn't he?"

Marluxia grins. "The whole Organization knows of your future vision. Your knowledge of what is yet to come. And as a potential threat to Organization XIII..." He raises the scythe above your neck. "And unless you tell me the means to reach the Chamber of Waking... you are to be terminated." He swings down, when...

"Stopza."

A blue light surrounds you and Marluxia, the latter freezing in time. You see a man with a long gray beard, wearing a blue robe and a wizard's hat. Merlin. Merlin walks over to you, helping you up. "I find a place to stay, and it's being occupied by a psychopath with a scythe?" He sighs, and the spell fades. Marluxia's scythe slices into the floor, leaving a deep dent, and he turns to you. He then starts clapping.

"Well," he says, opening a dark corridor. "I guess Six was correct about the hearts within you. See you soon." He brandishes the scythe, his intention clear. "Oh, I left a little present for you back in town."

Merlin looks around, and sighs again. "Now then," he says, looking at an unconscious Donald and Goofy outside. He levitates them in, and then opens that bag of his, furniture coming out of it to decorate the room as the petals vanish from the floor. "Cure," he chants, healing Donald and Goofy. "As I wanted to say," he explains, "I am the wizard, Merlin. and your king asked me to train you in the ways of magic."

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVKJOFcGkNk​

Donald grumbles. "In any case," Merlin continues, "strange occurences are happening across the worlds involving not only the Heartless being more aggressive, but men in black coats. To help defend you from these individuals, I will teach you the magic of Aero early. It creates a barrier of wind around you, and when in the water, it is possible to use it to create a whirlpool."

He then instructs you how to cast Aero. It causes any remaining petals to fly around the room, making a mess. Afterwards, Merlin points towards an object near the entrance. "She also was assigned by the king to teach you about the art of summoning." He then begins conversing with Donald and Goofy.

You then go over to the object, and when you approach it, the Fairy Godmother appears. "It is exactly as Merlin said," the Fairy Godmother says, smiling. "The king gave me the assignment to teach you about summoning." She then turns to you. "It looks like you have something to ask me. Go on, dear," she tells you.

You look around, and then at the Fairy Godmother. "Do you remember Aqua?" you ask. "She had blue hair, a foot or two taller than me, and she also wields a Keyblade?" She thinks for a moment, and nods.

"Indeed I do remember her," she replies. "She helped Cinderella's dream come true. And I told her about how light and darkness must both exist. Despite that some people use the darkness for nefarious deeds, like Lady Tremaine did, it does not need to be destroyed."

"Aqua..." you say darkly. "I not only wish to save the worlds from the Heartless and the Organization, but Aqua and her friends from their fates. Even to give some villains a happy ending."

The Fairy Godmother then puts her hand to her chin, deep in thought. "Well then," she says, "that's exactly what Yen Sid wanted you to say, and I support your dream. Believe in it, and it will one day come true."

You can't help but smile, and you see Merlin give you a quick nod. So what'll you do now...? You briefly hear the sound of a Nobody appearing.

[] Write-in

Yep, the Organization wants to use your meta knowledge to learn about the Chamber of Waking.

 

[NGSoares]

[X] Fight the Nobody! Team Assemble!

You run outside, following what looks like a Dusk. "Sora, where are you going?!" calls Donald.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWHzjn3EicE​

"No time!" you answer, "Nobodies!" You run into the Third District, Donald and Goofy following after you. When you reach the plaza, eight Dusks appear around you. Donald and Goofy run into the plaza, and Goofy looks at the silvery figures.

"W-What are these things?" he asks.

"Dusks," you say firmly, summoning the Kingdom Key. "A type of Nobody."

"What's a Nobody?"

You look at Goofy. "A Nobody's created when someone with a strong heart loses their well... heart. The empty shell left behind is a Nobody." A Dusk attacks, but you slice through it. You then go towards two more Dusks, and defeat them as well.

Donald casts Fire, incinerating one of the Dusks. Goofy destroys some as well, leaving only one Dusk behind. The Dusk goes up into the air, moving almost like a liquid as it stands upside down in the air, slicing at you before slithering down and bashing you into the air.

You look down at the Dusk, and when you land, you do a Dodge Roll to avoid another attack. The Dusk's legs tangle up, bending at unnatural proportions. It then watches as you Dodge Roll again, before casting Fire right into its back. The Dusk is hit by the fireball, and is destroyed.

More Dusks show up, but this time, they're accompanied by Creepers. Just like before, the three of you eliminate the Nobodies. The Third District's silent again.

[] Go back to Merlin's
[] Ask Aerith to pass a message on to Merlin and the Fairy Godmother
[] Depart Traverse Town for Olympus Coliseum
[] Write-in

 

[NGSoares]

[X] Go back to Merlin's
-[X] Talk to him and the Fairy Godmother about what you know and see if that doesn't convince them to help you some more.
-[X] Ask Ven and Van what their thoughts on Nobody.

You turn around, leaving the Third District and back to Merlin's house. Donald and Goofy follow behind you as you cross the bridge to enter Merlin's study. When you enter, said wizard and the Fairy Godmother both nod at you. "So," you say, looking at them, "I'm not sure if Merlin or the Fairy Godmother have figured it out but..."

"You have future vision?" Merlin points out. You flinch.

"How did you know?"

Merlin strokes his beard, looking out the window. "Yen Sid consults the stars regularly about the events of the worlds. The stars told him of the newest Keyblade wielder having knowledge of the future. Why else would I teach you Aero early?"

"Of course," you deadpan. You were sort of expecting this. "I was wondering why you did that."

Merlin laughs, looking towards you again. "Exactly. Then you're probably aware I will give you a new Keyblade when you have all first-level spells."

Dammit. "Any other help?" you ask, rolling your eyes.

"Not at the moment," Merlin says.

"But I have to thank you both for your support," you tell them both. You then whisper to the two voices after you cross the bridge and begin crossing the Third District... "What do you think of Nobodies?"

I feel sorry for them, to be honest. They have no heart, and can't enjoy all the things it brings to them. It's empathy in a way.

Please, Ventus. These Nobodies aren't supposed to exist, thus they SHOULDN'T exist. They should be wiped out.​

You enter the First District now, where Squall and the others are waiting. "I'll tell the others about Xehanort," Aerith whispers to you as you pass by her.

"Thanks. And if you see men wearing black cloaks? They're bad news."

[] Leave Traverse Town for Olympus Coliseum.
[] Tell Donald and Goofy about your meta knowledge, your plans, and Xehanort's intentions.
[] Chat with Ventus or Vanitas
[] MOOGLES
[] Write-in

 

[NGSoares]

[x] Depart Traverse Town for Olympus Coliseum
-[x] While in the Gummi ship, Tell Donald and Goofy about your meta knowledge, your plans, and Xehanort's intentions. Tell them that it's a secret that you're willing to entrust them with.
--[X] Inform them about King Mickey's mission.

"Well then," you say, heading towards the town gates, "we should probably get going."

"Finally!" Donald exclaims, rolling his eyes in exasperation. If he's joking, you can't tell, but he opens the gates with you and Goofy's help.

Ahead of you is the gummi ship. You, just a normal guy stuck in the body of the protagonist of the KH series, are actually going to get on this journey. Technically, you'd rather have gone to Hyrule, but hey, beggars can't be choosers.

A car alarm goes off, and the gummi ship opens, allowing the three of you to enter the ship. You look around the place, and see what looks like a younger version of Goofy relaxing. "Heya, Maxy!" Goofy exclaims. Said son simply facepalms.

"Dad, can you please not embarrass me?" Max asks, rolling his eyes.

"Welcome aboard the Highwind," Donald says, panning his wing around the room. He then goes to the front, sitting down. "Haven't forgotten anything?"

"No, I just wanna get away from that town before we get even more of the Organization's attention."

The duck shrugs. "Uh... alright? Well, fasten your seatbelts, we'll be off shortly!"

You hear the gummi ship's engine start up, and then...

"BLAST OFF!"

You're knocked back in your seat by the Highwind's sudden acceleration, and it takes off, leaving Traverse Town behind. You look out your window, and see the celestial beauty of the Lanes Between, and Donald turns on the autopilot.

"So," you tell the duck and two dogs, "I gotta tell you all something. Think you can keep a secret?"

The trio glances at each other, and Goofy then speaks up. "What's th' secret?"

"Well..." you begin, "I actually have knowledge about things that'll happen in the future. I know who we're facing, what he wants, and my plans with this knowledge."

"Who?" Donald asks.

"Xehanort."

When you say that name, a chill goes through the air, as if the very name itself brings fear. "Xehanort's a Keyblade Master, but unlike Yen Sid? He's evil. As for his plans?" You sigh. "To create the χ-blade, and start a new Keyblade War... out of sheer curiosity."

"That's..." Max says, absolutely speechless.

"The first Keyblade War destroyed everything," you continue grimly. "It was practically a miracle that there was still light left, in the hearts of children. They rebuilt the lost world... but still, all the worlds are now disconnected and divided from each other.

"The Keyblade War shattered the χ-blade into twenty pieces. Seven lights and thirteen darknesses. And my plan with this knowledge?" You narrow your eyes, looking out in the Lanes Between. "Stop Xehanort before he can try anything. Give everyone a happy ending, except some of the bad guys... and save Master Aqua from her imprisonment in the Realm of Darkness. If everything goes right..." You fall silent. Will you be able to stop the Keyblade War? Wouldn't that Keyblade Riku uses when Xehanort's Heartless possesses him be almost the entire light half of the χ-blade?

"And speaking of the Realm of Darkness..." you continue, "King Mickey's mission involves going there."

For about five minutes, there's silence... eventually, you yawn, and head to the gummi ship's cabin. As you do, you can hear Donald and Goofy discussing the very things you explained to them. Soon, you hear a knock on the cabin door. "Sora?"

"Come in," you tell whoever's outside. It's Max.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cdx6NrcEghY​

"I know my dad doesn't allow me to swear, but... holy crap," Max says, quickly shaking his head. You aren't sure if he's confused or amazed, but then he says, "well, uh... I'll try and keep my mouth shut if I join you at a world. Dunno about my dad, though. But tell me... who's Aqua?"

You proceed to tell Max of the lost Keyblade Master, and her current status. He listens to what you have to say, occasionally giving a comment or two.

"Huh," Max says, even looking more confused. "So she can't get out? At all?"

"Nope," you reply.

"Dang... wait, I think my dad needs me."

With Goofy's son gone, you finally get some sleep. Eventually, you're woken up by Donald yelling: "We're here!" You go to the cockpit, and see just which world he's talking about. "Olympus Coliseum!"

​

The gummi ship enters the world's atmosphere, and you soon see the Greek countryside until you reach a large city. You kind of remember it as Thebes, and you also can see a mountain with clouds surrounding it. The gummi ship soon lands outside Thebes.

Hey! Olympus Coliseum! I can't wait to see Herc and Zack after all these years!

​

[] Explore Thebes.
[] Go to the Coliseum.
[] Go to the Underworld.
[] Climb Mount Olympus
[] Write-in

 

[NGSoares]

Poor Ven. If only he knew.

[X] Go to the Coliseum.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUTrpLrlPpk​

Disembarking the gummi ship, you look at the signs for directions to the Coliseum, and give a sigh of relief that there's a visual aid. This is the problem of this world being in Ancient Greece!

Anyway, you enter the city of Thebes, following the signs leading to the Coliseum. You can see beggars at corners, people screaming their wares, and some old guy with a burnt-looking cat. There's also a cart with roast duck on it, which absolutely enrages Donald to the point that you and Goofy have to restrain him.

"Donald," you say as said duck continues to rant, "I told you already - that isn't cannibalism! That's just something they eat on this world!"

"We shouldn't stay here long!" Donald shouts at you, both angry yet paranoid. The two of you continue bickering about the edibility of ducks until you decide to change the subject.

"Gawrsh, whaddya think is at the Coliseum?" Goofy asks you both.

"Getting good?" you joke, glancing at the still paranoid Donald. You then look around at the Hellenistic pottery and architecture, and smell the fresh bread. Soon, you reach the west gate of Thebes, where there's a cloud that floats people towards a building on a larger structure of clouds. That's probably the Coliseum, alright. Near the gates are plastered flyers advertising the Phil Cup,

You walk onto the cloud, followed by the dog and the salty duck. You vow never to let Donald live this down, and decide that you'll troll him sometime by reminding him of Thebes. The cloud then floats up towards the Coliseum, before stopping at the main entrance.

​

Opening the doors, you enter the Coliseum Gates, which look... rather different to be honest.

Wait, did they do remodeling?
​

The Coliseum Gates now has a lifesize statue of Hercules in the center, made of polished stone. "'Hercules,'" you read, "'son of the king of the gods, Zeus. Half-god, half-mortal."

"A-hyuck, he looks like a big deal!" Goofy comments. Then he lowers his voice. "But you probably knew that already, didn't you, Sora?" You nod. Afterwards, you enter the vestibule, looking for Philoctetes. You decide that if he isn't there, you'd make goat puns.

The block that you know the Keyhole is under has an illustration of Hercules fighting a lion on it, while there's now tapestries too. You decide to draw the Mark of Mastery symbol on the unmarked sides of the Keyhole block, to see if Phil will recognize it, too. More advertising for the Phil Cup as well.

You then hear a crash, and what sounds like Phil grumbling about a broken stool as he gets out from beneath a tapestry, his back facing you. "'xcuse me champ," Phil says, thinking you're Hercules, "could ya move that block over there? It's in the wrong place."

"I just tried," you answer, "but it's way too heavy." You remember that this should get his attention.

Phil's ears twitch. "What?! Too heavy?! Since when have you been..." He turns around, seeing you and briefly blushing. "Oh, wrong guy." You begin to say something, but Phil continues talking. "This here's the world-famous Coliseum, heroes only. I don't want ya wasting my time."

[] "Excuse me?"
--> [] Write-in how to continue
[] Be blunt
[] "Hey, I'm friends with Aqua, can I train here?"
[] Write-in

 

[NGSoares]

[x] Summon Keyblade
-[x] "I heard my predecessors came here to train in the past"
-[x] Try asking nicely if you could train here
--[x] If he refuses: "Oh dear, was Master Aqua wrong about this place? Guess I'd better tell her."

You smirk, and summon the Kingdom Key. Phil briefly flinches before you tell him: "I heard my predecessors came here to train in the past. So, I have to ask... can I please train here?"

Phil looks to you, then to the Keyblade. "Though ya have one of those Keyblade things, I still gotta say no. Two words: No. Min-" Push is coming to shove, huh?

"Oh dear, was Master Aqua wrong about this place?" you interrupt him, with a mischevious look on your face. "Guess I'd better tell her."

The satyr goes silent, and he puts his hand to his chin, as in deep in thought. He looks at you and nods. "You should've told me earlier you were an apprentice to Aqua!" he exclaims, hearts in his eyes. "Of course I'll train ya to be a hero!"

"But you-" Donald starts, but Phil gives him a look.

"Buddy, he's an apprentice to a bona fide champion from the Games ten years ago! Look at the potential!"You hear Phil mutter something about assets.

"So, how will my training go?" you ask the satyr as you head to the arena.

"Well, kid- what's your name?"

"Sora," you lie, even though it isn't and you have no idea about where the real Sora's heart is.

Pfffthahahahahaha! You really are dense!​

"Alright, Sora," Phil says. "I'll start ya out with something easy. See those barrels?" He points to a group of barrels. You nod. "All you gotta do is get them in position so you can use that barrel to blow 'em all up at once!"

"OK," you reply. So it'll be like the training Roxas did? "How long do I have?"

Phil looks out at the barrels. "I'll give ya a minute," he explains. He then pulls out a whistle. "Get ready, bud!" You go to the ring, and stand in front of the barrels. "Three... two... one... GO!"

With that, you become the self-proclaimed King of the Barrels, and all of them face your wrath! You resist the urge to laugh maniacally as they explode. Damn, Vanitas' insanity might be rubbing off you.

No, it's just that you love breaking things.

Wait, wouldn't we have run into Zack by now? I mean, Herc is probably gonna show up, but-

HAHAHAHAHA! You're just as dense!

I dunno... I just have this sinking feeling something bad happened to my friend. I mean, we haven't seen the worlds of Snow White, Cinderella, or Aurora, despite how early I visited them in my last journey.

As if they never existed. You haven't figured it out, idiot?
​

You destroy your last barrel, and Phil applauds. "Bravo!" he exclaims, walking over to you. "I'd say ya deserve something." He passes you an old scroll with lightning on it. You read it, and it seems to say to visualize lightning. You do, and...

A bolt of lightning strikes the ground! You've learned Thunder! Phil takes you back to the lobby after you're done basking in the power of lightning.

[] "So, about those Games..."
--> [] If Phil says they're sold out, go outside and wait until Hades shows up with passes for the games.
--> [] Use your so called apprenticeship to Aqua to convince him if he pulls the "no minors allowed" card.
[] THE POWER OF LIGHTNING. Find some Heartless. Smite your foes.
[] Look for Zack
[] Plan a strategy for the Cerberus battle. And maybe Cloud.
[] Write-in

 

[NGSoares]

[x] Oh for fuck's sake. All the magic taught to us say Visualize X.
[x] Try visualizing a sphere of light. See if that lets us cast Holy/Faith/Pearl
[x] Try imagining a dense sphere of mass that weighs down all within its domain. Gravity
[x] Ask Phil about training magic

Hm, if all the other magic lessons involved you visualizing something. So why not...

You picture a ball of light, and see if you can cast Pearl... only for a prismatic light to appear and circle you. Huh, Spark. However, you feel a bit exhausted from using it.

Then you try imagining a dense sphere of gravitational mass, and the trademark sphere of Gravity appears for about a second... but both spells seem kinda unstable.

So you then head back inside to see Phil, and look at him. "Can you teach me magic?" you ask.

"Kid," Phil says, glancing at you, "I'm a hero trainer, not a wizard. I know next to nothing about magic." You sulk, then go back outside.

"Stubborn old goat, isn't he?"

You turn around. "Hades."

"Now, word on the street is that you know a certain Bluebird," Hades says, approaching you. "And I'm fine with that. So..." A poof of gray smoke, and three passes to the Games appear. You're not gonna be like Terra, but accept them anyway.

"What's the catch?" you ask Hades. The god of the underworld chuckles.

"No catch!" Hades tells you. "I'm just pulling for ya, shorty." You growl, knowing Hades will probably trick you and make you fight Cloud or some shit like that. He then poofs away.

You go and get Donald and Goofy, and the three of you once again head to the lobby. "Gawrsh, does this mean we can enter the Games?" Goofy asks. You roll your eyes.

"Sure let's go with that," you reply, "I'm just using these passes to try and practice magic during the prelims. And for glory." And eventually for Hades' decision to give you the passes to bite him back. Then you can add "outsmarting the lord of the dead" to your many achievements!

You then give the passes to Phil, who signs you up for the prelims. The Organization member looks at you quickly from the distance. He sighs at this, and goes back to strumming his sitar.

Spark learned!
Gravity learned!

[] Bathe in the blood of your enemies
[] Practice Spark/Gravity
[] While preparing, try making a strategy for the inevitable fight with Cerberus
[] MONTAAAAAGE
[] Write-in

Next world to go to vote?

[] Wonderland
[] Deep Jungle

 

[NGSoares]

[X] Say hi to Demyx on the way in.

"Hi, Demyx," you say to the Organization member as you pass by. He visibly flinches. You continue onward, and into the arena, where Cloud Strife is battling a monster of some kind. When it's defeated, Phil calls you, Donald, and Goofy to the ring.

[X] Bathe in the blood of your enemies
-[x] While fighting: practice infusing spells into physical attacks. Try performing attacks like Fire Edge and Thunder Edge along with regular spells

Too bad you're fighting Heartless and not real monsters. But beggars can't be choosers. You, Donald, and Goofy defeat the first wave, just Shadows. Then Soldiers.

Next, new Heartless. Red Nocturnes. You simply jump in the air and destroy the Red Nocturnes. Afterwards, it's Blue Rhapsodies. You decide to experiment, but not before getting hit by a Blizzard shot by one of the Rhapsodies. You cast Fire, and keep it on the Keyblade. You attack! It's super effective!

The prelims keep going, until you get to the second to last wave. A Large Body. Perfect. You Dodge Roll to maneuver around the fat Heartless, and cast Thunder... but you use the Keyblade as a lightning rod. Lightning strikes the Kingdom Key, covering it in electricity.

You yell, and slice right through the Large Body. It falls to the ground and disappears, before releasing a heart.

[X] Strategy for the inevitable fight with Cerberus:
-[x] GET UP ON THE HYDRA'S CERBERUS' BACK
--[x] Then unleash hell

Finally, it's time for the fight with Cloud. You charge at him, and he parries. Cloud tries attacking you with the Buster Sword, but you barely dodge it. He then changes direction, only for you to parry with the Keyblade.

The two of you slide back, before clashing again and again, until you jump, doing a downward slice in the air like during the fight with Guard Armor. He jumps back, and hits you with the flat of the Buster Sword.

You and Cloud continue fighting when...

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5IaUyAsY_A​

The back wall of the arena explodes outwards. And behind it is a huge black three-headed dog with red eyes. It roars, and the audience flees for the exit.

Well speak of the devil. There he is. And early, too.

Guardian of the Underworld
CERBERUS
​

Cerberus walks forward, shooting fireballs at the stands and biting at the air. You can't help but back away when Cerberus eats some members of the audience, scorching the ground afterwards.

It continues rampaging around the arena until it notices you. All three heads. Cerberus roars, loud enough to blow back rubble as it runs towards you like a big monster dog going after whatever big monster dogs eat. "Come and get it, bitch," you say, drawing the Kingdom Key, ready for Cerberus to attack...

But Cerberus stops. Hercules is holding it back. "Phil, get them out of here!" he yells. You're already planning on a strategy for fighting the dog.

"C'mon!" Phil tells you, ushering you, Donald, Goofy, and Cloud to the lobby. When you get in the room, the building shakes from the fight with Cerberus outside. Goofy gives Cloud a Potion, and he gets up.

"Dammit, Hades," he mutters.

"What'd he do?" you ask him. Cloud scowls, but it changes to him sighing.

"Hades said he'd get Zack out of the Underworld if I killed Hercules," he growls, low enough so Phil can't hear.

Wait, WHAT?! Zack's dead?!?​

Before you can respond to either Ven or Cloud, you hear a scream. "Monsters at the gates!" someone yells.

[] Go back in the arena and help Hercules (boss fight, write-in a battle plan)
[] "Eh, he can handle it."
[] "Cloud, can you handle the Heartless at the gates?"
[] Write-in

Hey, 500th post!

 

[NGSoares]

[X] "Cloud, can you handle the Heartless at the gates?"

[X] Go back in the arena and help Hercules
-[x] Start off with a Strike Raid as a distraction
-[x] Circle around Cerberus until you reach the back legs
-[x] Jump up and climb on its back
-[x] Go to the heads
-[x] Spam Spark to hit all 3 Heads at once, multiple times

"Cloud, can you handle the Heartless at the gates?" you ask, looking at the blond man. He nods, and runs outside to fight. Then you turn towards the entrance to the arena.

"Kid, are you crazy?!" Phil shouts.

"No," you say, glaring down the hallway. "I'm doing this because it's right." You walk down the hallway with Donald and Goofy and into the arena...

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDyU1dbF3WY​

Where the sun is shining bright. "Watch out, kid!" Hercules yells to you. A fireball goes right towards you, but you get out of the way as it hits the ground. Cerberus roars loudly, and you see a scorch mark where you were standing. Donald's tail feathers are burning, and he scootches his tail across the ground to put them out.

"MOVE IT!" you hear Hercules shout, as if he's trying to get the attention of Cerberus. The hellhound turns all three of its heads towards him, and then... you throw a Strike Raid at the monster, and it roars. Cerberus turns towards you, and jumps, pouncing in your direction.

You do a Dodge Roll and go up into the stands behind where Cerberus hits with its pounce. But it seems to have smelled you, as it spins around, roaring right in your face. You once again circle around the hellhound, and jump onto its back.

Then, you run over to its heads, and cast Spark. The light crystals appear, and they circle around you, hitting all three of Cerberus' heads. You cast three more Sparks, all of them hitting the monster dog. Cerberus roars and spins you off, knocking you towards the stands again. Fire begins to appear in all three of its mouths, and it begins breathing flames all around the arena.

Cerberus then pounces towards you out of the fire.

[] Write-in strategy

Cerberus here is a composite of the fights with it in both KH1 and KH2.

 

[NGSoares]

[X] Focus on avoiding its attacks. Keep moving, but make sure to not let it corner you.
-[x] When an opportunity shows itself, use Thunder Raid. Attempt to hit multiple heads at once.

You get out of the way of Cerberus' pounce, and weave your way through the fire, making sure to keep moving. You hear Donald, and see a bolt of lightning hit the hellhound's flank. Cerberus looks around the burning arena and rears up on its hind legs before slamming the ground, sending out a shockwave. This extinguishes more fires, and the dog sniffs for you.

Running behind Cerberus, you jump onto the eastern stands, which are much less damaged. Then...

FLASH!

Both you and Donald hit two of Cerberus' heads simultaneously with Thunder. Cerberus loudly roars, before breathing fire again. All three heads face you, Donald, and Goofy, and growl, showing off sets of sharp teeth. The hellhound roars, and pounces towards you all. "Run!" you shout.

The monster dog looks confused, and while it's distracted, you charge the Keyblade up with lightning before throwing it. The Keyblade hits all three heads, and Cerberus snarls in anger. It runs towards you, and all three heads give you a glare. Then a shield hits Cerberus in the left head's face.

It glances around, then roars. It really likes roaring. Cerberus then lets out dark breath into the ground. It doesn't do much now, but then pillars of black fire erupt out of the ground. You Dodge Roll like hell, and after the pillars die down, you go for another Thunder Raid. However, Cerberus spins right before the Keyblade hits, knocking it to the ground.

You summon the Keyblade back, and Cerberus goes into a rage, shooting fireballs all over the arena as it stomps around.

[] Parry the fireballs!
[] Unleash hell onto it.
[] Pet Cerberus.
[] Write-in

 

[NGSoares]

[x] Parry the fireballs!

You see the fireballs shot by the rampaging Cerberus going right towards you. With that, you hold the Kingdom Key in front of you and guard. The fireballs hit your Keyblade, and you can practically feel the warmth they're giving off. Then with a slice, you deflect the fireballs right back at Cerberus.

Afterwards, you see Goofy throw his shield at the hellhound, and it whirls around, roaring at the captain of Disney Castle's guard. Then Donald casts Thunder, diverting Cerberus' attention once again. All three heads look at the duck, and you see your chance. You run towards Cerberus, but you're hit by the tail. Getting up, you decide to climb onto the tail.

Cerberus moves its tail upwards, slingshotting you skyward. You land on its back, and it roars, starting to rampage again. You climb forward on the hellhound's back, and grab the middle head's fur, trying to hang on as much as you can.

Wait, what are you doing?!​

"Watch and learn, Ven," you tell him. Then, you summon the Keyblade and press it against the middle head's neck. The middle head snarls, as the side heads try turning their heads around to look at you. The heads try biting and snapping at you, and one manages to get a nip on your shoulder, drawing blood. You cringe, keeping the Keyblade pressed against Head 2, and get an idea.

You're CHOKING it!?​

"Nope, I'm trying to control where it's heading. Keep watching." Focusing on Cerberus' back, your Keyblade begins to spark. "Thunder!" you yell, and lightning strikes the hellhound's flank. Cerberus rampages even more, and it seems almost blind with rage. Heads 1 and 3 try snapping at you again, but that's what you want.

You jump off of the monster and land on the floor. And you turn around, clenching your shoulder, to see Cerberus run straight into the arena wall, crashing into it with a loud BOOM! "Are you not entertained?" you boast to the two voices.

I can't believe what I'm about to say, but that was impressive.

A bit too vicious. But hey, at least it worked!​

All three of Cerberus' heads have dizzy expressions on their faces, and the guardian of the Underworld falls to the ground, unconscious. You roll up the sleeve of your shirt to stanch the bleeding, and grin.

"We did it!" Donald cheers, running over to you. You notice his scorched feathers, and as Goofy approaches, you see the dents his shield has gotten. Cerberus poofs away with a cloud of gray smoke. You figure it was probably teleported back to the Underworld by Hades.

Then you notice just how damaged the arena is from the attack. The three of you return to the lobby, still injured, where Goofy shares some Potions with you all. "Holy Hera, you came back!" Phil says, legitimately amazed. Cloud enters the lobby as well. Hercules nods at you. You feel the injuries from the battle with Cerberus going numb. There's still a scar at where it bit you.

[] Listen if Phil has anything else to say.
[] Leave
[] Try pushing the block to attempt to lock Olympus Coliseum early.
[] Write-in

World vote closes at 5.

[] Return to Traverse Town: 2
[] Wonderland: 1
[] Deep Jungle: 0

 

[NGSoares]

[X] Listen if Phil has anything else to say

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JZsCLfKBHA​

Phil stands on top of the pedestal. He clears his throat. "Thus," he reads, "I hereby dub thee junior heroes and confer thee full rights and privileges to participate in the Games. Furthermo-"

"Hey, whaddya mean junior heroes?" Donald demands, jumping up and down.

"You rookies still don't have what it takes to be a true hero," Phil replies. "Well, you have what it takes," he mutters, glancing at you.

You roll your eyes and think to yourself about how winning the Hades Cup will probably qualify you as one. "Well, uh, what does it take?" Goofy asks.

Hercules smiles. "That's just something you'd have to find out for yourself, just like I did," he tells the dog.

You, Donald, and Goofy leave the lobby afterwards, with Phil calling, "See ya in the games! Rooting for ya!"

The three of you enter the Coliseum Gates, where you see Cloud sitting at the foot of the Hercules statue. "You alright?" you ask, looking at him.

Cloud looks down. He mumbles a "yeah," clearly down in the dumps.

"Is it because of you allying with Hades?" you continue, sitting with him.

Cloud sighs. "Hades manipulated me into using the power of darkness. I wasn't able to find the light." You remember what Sora said here, but then you realize that it would feel wrong.

What is your light? Is it Ven? Kairi?

The SOLDIER gets up, before passing you a scroll. "Here. This teaches the art of Sonic Blade. You might as well use it," he says, leaving for Thebes. The Coliseum Gates go silent, as you look up at the Greek sky, now all the colors of the sunset.

WORLD COMPLETE!

​

About twenty minutes later, you, Donald, and Goofy return to the gummi ship. Max greets the three of you, and you sit down in the cockpit, looking over the fields of that world.

[] Talk to someone
--> [] Write-in who and what to say.
[] Go to...
--> [] Return to Traverse Town
--> [] Wonderland
--> [] Deep Jungle
[] Write-in

Already have two votes for Traverse Town, one for Wonderland, and one for Deep Jungle. Time to set the next world choice in stone.

 

[NGSoares]

[X] Go to...
- [X] Wonderland

The ride to the next world is rather quiet. The gummi ship's on autopilot, as you check the scar Cerberus' bite left on your shoulder. You look at it a bit. Not infected, at least. "We've arrived, Sora," you hear.

"Already?" you ask, peeking out of the cabin. And you see what world it is.

​

"Wonderland!" Donald announces, almost as if he wasn't burnt by a monster dog a day or two ago. The ship flies in, and opens up. Donald and Goofy walk out, but you see something.

There's no ground.

"GUYS, BELOW YOU!" you yell.

"Below us?" Donald asks. They both look down, and Goofy's the first to speak.

"A-hyuck."

Both of them fall. You just sigh, and follow, falling above them. As you descend, you notice furniture painted on the walls. Soon, you land on tile. The Dusks above you observe the events, waiting for the perfect time to strike.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rQTLa0335o​

Just as you reach the ground, you hear somebody. "Oh, my fur and whiskers! I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!" The White Rabbit runs past the three of you, staring at his large pocketwatch. "Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear! I'm here, I should be there!" he mumbles, going around a corner down the tunnel. "I'm late, I'm late, I'm late! The queen, she'll have me beheaded for sure!"

"Let's get him!" Donald quacks, running off after the White Rabbit.

You go after the duck, running around the corner and through a door. Goofy follows you, and you're now in a cozy-looking room.

On the east side is a stove and fireplace, with a faucet coming out of the wall nearby. The west side has a desk of some sort, next to two brown armchairs. Above it are two lamps and a painting of some kind, and there's a grandfather clock on the western side of the room as well. Not only that, but a small opening in the wall in the northeast corner, where it looks like a bed has been pushed into the wall.

The north side has a large window, along with a tiny door. In the center of the room is a table with a chair next to it, while on the table are two bottles labeled "drink me." You can see the White Rabbit run into the opening. He's tiny now. You can hear a dark corridor opening.

[] Drink the blue bottle
[] Drink the red bottle
[] Talk to Donald (write-in what to say)
[] Talk to Goofy (write-in what to say)
[] Make plans to stop Alice's kidnapping
[] Talk to the doorknob
[] Write-in

Welcome to Wonderland, where logic is out to lunch.

 

[NGSoares]

Short post this time. You dun fucked up

[X] Plan preemptive kidnapping

You ponder for a moment... and get an idea. Why not kidnap Alice before the Heartless get her? You could get her without the queen noticing! That way she'll be safe!

I approve! I greatly approve! Go for it! Now then, I'll help. All you have to do is...

​

[] Join your voice with mine.
[] Write-in

I'm here.

 

[NGSoares]

[X] "Dude no, I'm not letting you possess me. That weird-ass Darkness outfit would clash horribly with my hair color."
-[x] Let's just go up to Alice and ask if she wants to leave this world first.

"Dude, no," you tell Vanitas.

What.
​

"I'm not letting you possess me. That weird-ass Darkness outfit would clash horribly with my hair color," you continue, rolling your eyes.

You're rejecting my power because of your HAIR?!?

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLXeuFO3Uog​

"Pretty much." You ignore the immense amount of swearing in your head. You then turn to Donald and Goofy.

[X] Tell Donald and Goofy about the Princesses of Hearts and that there's one on this World.
-[x] You're going to try and convince her to go with you guys back to Traverse Town, since the Heartless will be after her
--[x] It's technically breaking the world order and stuff, but she is pretty important.

"So, remember what I said? About the χ-Blade?" you ask the two of them.

"Yeah, what about it?" Donald replies. He looks impatient.

"It was broken into twenty pieces - seven of light, and thirteen of darkness. The seven lights came to reside in seven women across the worlds: The Princesses of Heart," you explain. "And one of them is in this very world. The Heartless want to kidnap her."

"Really?!" Goofy exclaims. "Gawrsh, how're we gonna protect her?"

"I'm gonna try and convince her to come back to Traverse Town, under the protection of Leon and the others," you answer them, looking at the opening in the northwestern corner of the Bizarre Room.

Donald scowls. "Sora..." he steams, "are you aware that that's MEDDLING?!?" He's jumping up and down, and looks absolutely livid. "WE ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BREAK THE WORLD ORDER!"

"And risk her being taken into the clutches of Xehanort? No way!" you shout back at him. "Do you know what happens if Xehanort wins?"

"What?!"

"BAD THINGS! REFORGING OF THE χ-BLADE! A NEW KEYBLADE WAR! WE NEED TO TAKE HER BACK!"

"WE CAN SAVE HER WITHOUT MEDDLING!"

"Can you please stop yelling? How's a doorknob supposed to get any sleep with this noise?"

You turn to said doorknob, and roll your eyes. "Sorry for interrupting your nap," you say to it sarcastically. "Some birds know how to make a racket." The doorknob yawns, and you can see Donald giving you a death glare.

"If you want to get small like that rabbit," the doorknob says as it begins to doze off, "drink the blue bottle. On the table..." The doorknob then goes back to sleep. You go over to the table and drink from the blue bottle. It tastes like blueberries.

Then somehow, you poof onto the floor, now incredibly small. You also see Donald and Goofy at your size, too. "Shall we?" you ask them both with a dorky grin, going through the opening in the corner after destroying a Red Nocturne.

The three of you, including one salty duck, enter the opening. You then somehow end up in a garden, where there's a white castle in the distance. Before you is a podium, surrounded by card soldiers. You see Alice standing in front of the podium, where the Quee. The White Rabbit runs up some stairs and blows a quick tune on a trumpet. "Court is now in session!"

Alice looks over at the White Rabbit, confused. "I'm on trial! But why?" she asks, sounding absolutely horrified.

Get away from that girl, idiot!
​

You flinch at what Vanitas just said. He actually sounds... scared? "Why?" you ask.

Her heart is pure light! It hurts to be near her! I demand you get away from that girl, NOW!
​

The White Rabbit simply straightens himself. "Her Royal Highness, the Queen of Hearts presiding!" He bows towards the queen.

The Queen of Hearts narrows her eyes at Alice. "This girl is the culprit. There's no doubt about it," she says calmly. "And the reason is... because I say so, that's why!" Wonderland logic at its finest. Everyone's insane except Alice.

Alice looks annoyed by this. "That is so unfair!" she pleas.

"Well, have you anything to say in your defense?" the queen asks.

"Of course!" Alice replies. "I've done absolutely nothing wrong! You may be queen, but that doesn't give you the right to be... so mean."

"SILENCE!" the queen shouts, loud enough to blow back Alice's hair, and the girl can't help but flinch in fear. "You dare defy me?!"

Donald glares at you. "Don't do it..."

"The court finds the defendant guilty as charged!" the queen announces, as Alice gasps, backing away. "For the crimes of assault and attempted theft of my heart... OFF WITH HER HEAD!"

[] Intervene
--> [] Write-in what to say
[] Give the queen the reward of "assholish authority figure"
[] Look for Heartless
[] Storm the garden. Violence!
[] Use logic
[] Write-in

 

[NGSoares]

[X] OBJECTION. Introduce yourself as Sora, Ace Attorney.
-[x] "My Queen, executing this girl would do nothing to stop the true culprit of this case!"
--[x] "The ones behind these crimes are... the Heartless!"

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fR4P8o95WPA​

"HOLD IT!" You run into the garden after yelling that, where all the card soldiers turn to look at you. "Sora, Ace Attorney," you say. You had to do it.

"Who are you?" the Queen of Hearts asks. "How dare you interfere with my court!" Donald and Goofy scramble in after you.

"My Queen, executing this girl would do nothing to stop the true culprit of this case!" you tell her. Alice looks at you.

"Thank you," she whispers, smiling.

"No prob!" you respond. You turn to the queen. "The ones behind these crimes are... the Heartless!" Donald facepalms behind you.

"And what are these 'Heartless?'" the queen demands.

You blink. "Well, Your Highness," you explain, "the Heartless are horrible monsters. They feast on hearts, and from what you said, it looks like one tried attacking you."

"That's nonsense," she says. Preaching to the choir, much? "Do you have any proof?" You look around, then pull up the sleeve of your shirt, allowing the queen to see the scar Cerberus gave you. The card soldiers, White Rabbit, Alice, and the queen all gasp.

"This," you tell them, "is just what kind of thing the Heartless can do. They're merciless and evil." The queen stands up, glaring at you, and is about to open her mouth when the White Rabbit speaks up.

"Your Highness, the boy may have a point," he says, glancing at you, then at her. "There have been sighting of monsters in Wonderland's forests. And Article 15 says that anyone who threatens the queen's life are instantly guilty."

The queen scowls, then glares at you again. "You're lucky the rabbit's here," she says angrily. "Now then, Sora," she continues, seething with rage. "I will make a deal with you. You are to go into the forest and destroy these Heartless. If you succeed in this task, I may consider releasing Alice. If not, it'll be off with all your heads!"

A card soldier suddenly grabs Alice and places her in a cage next to the podium. You eye Donald. "No, this isn't meddling. It's the right thing to do," you tell him. The duck sighs, and facepalms again.

[] Talk to Alice (write-in what to say)
[] "Donald? Goofy? Guard Alice with your lives. Destroy any Heartless that gets near."
[] Enter the forest to hunt.
[] Look to see if the Cheshire Cat's hiding nearby.
[] Jailbreak
[] Write-in

With you all derailing Wonderland's main story, now it's all about hunting down an elusive Heartless and other ones.

 

[NGSoares]

[X] "Donald? Goofy? Guard Alice with your lives. Destroy any Heartless that gets near."

You turn to Donald and Goofy. "Donald? Goofy?" you ask. "Guard Alice with your lives. Destroy any Heartless that gets near."

"Gawrsh, with our lives?" Goofy responds. "Why?"

"Because if Alice is captured, Xehanort's one step closer to victory." You walk towards the entrance to the forest, and go in to find the Heartless.

[X] Enter the forest to hunt.
-[x] Look to see if the Cheshire Cat's hiding nearby while you're hunting.
-[x] Since the Heartless are attracted to the Keyblade,have it out while you're looking.

Entering the Lotus Forest, the first thing you hear is somebody reciting a poem. You summon the Kingdom Key, and look around. "Twas Brillig, and the slithy toves," they say, as two yellow eyes appear, "did gyre and gimble in the wabe; all mimsy were the borogoves, and the momeraths outgrabe." The eyes soon appear above a grin, which soon form into the Cheshire Cat.

You watch him appear on a tree branch. But since you're tiny, it's probably just a stick. "You're the Cheshire Cat," you tell him. The Cheshire Cat's smile never falters.

"You seek the truth?" the Cheshire Cat asks, his smile growing. "The Cheshire Cat knows all truths, and finds as yet no contradiction nor chaos." He sits in a human-like position.

"Hey! If that's the case, tell me where to find these Heartless! And what happened to the real Sora?!" you demand at the Cat. You clench your fists, but the Cat seems unfazed. He puts both paws on the sides of his head and removes it from his shoulders, before standing on it.

"Can you stand on your head?" the Cat asks you.

"No..." you growl, glaring at the Cat. "Now tell me! Why am I in Sora's body?!" The Cat laughs.

"The Cheshire Cat has all the answers," he says, putting his head back on, "but he doesn't always tell. The answers, the shadows, and the cat all lie in darkness." He then vanishes.

"That's all?!" you shout, clenching your fists even tighter in fury.

​

"Talk to the flowers, though the shadows' leader has left the forest. I will not tell which exit," the Cat tells you, "and as for what that body is? Look to the twins."

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9OxlksAIfA​

Twins... twins...

The Organization running around. Ventus. That empty feeling and pain your body had in Merlin's house. The pieces all come together, and you blankly stare ahead in terror. What you've been inside this whole time.

This body's a Replica of Sora.
Memories of the Keyblade Graveyard flash through your head.
A dark corridor opens up behind you, and an Organization member approaches, carrying two chakrams. "So, you found it out," he says, leaning against a tree.

[] Scream
[] Fly into a rage
[] Write-in

Still no sign of the real Sora. The reason why they placed you on the island? Will be revealed piece by piece.

 

[NGSoares]

[X] "What the fuck!?"
-[x] "No seriously, what's the point!? Sora wasn't even a proper Keyblade Wielder at this point!"
--[x] "If you could create a Replica and change their personality to this extent, why not make one of a proper wielder like Riku!?"
---[x] "For that matter, why the hell was I left on Destiny Island instead of fulfilling whatever sketchy schemes your Organization has in mind!?"
----[x] "None of this makes sense!"
-----[x] Scream
------[x] Sigh
-------[x] "Okay, I'm done. What brings you here Axel?"

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGKdv40dR0c​

You turn to Axel, and give him a dirty glare. "What the fuck!?" you shout at the redhead, absolutely furious. "No seriously, what's the point!? Sora wasn't even a proper Keyblade wielder at this point!"

Axel just takes off his hood, smirking as he watches you rant. "If you could create a Replica and change their personality to this extent, why not make one of a proper wielder like Riku!?" you continue, pointing the Keyblade right at him. "For that matter, why the hell was I left on the Destiny Islands instead of fulfilling whatever sketchy scheme your Organization has in mind!?" You get ready to strike. "None of this makes sense!"

You scream, before sighing. "Okay, I'm done. What brings you here, Axel?"

Axel gives an unsettling smile. You can't help but flinch, as he begins speaking. "Saïx's orders," he says, brandishing his chakrams, "to eliminate some Heartless here."

"Really?" you ask. "Tell me the truth. Xigbar said the exact same thing, yet Demyx was hanging out in the Coliseum, and Marluxia tried murdering me!"

Axel then leans against a nearby giant flower, and pokes it. Suddenly, a giant pink version of a Blue Rhapsody appears! "Is this what you're looking for?" he taunts, before heating his chakram up and pressing it against the Heartless. You cringe at Axel's sheer brutality, as he continues speaking. "There's a traitor in the Organization, and I've been assigned to eliminate them. And your future vision is the key, pardon my pun. So tell me: Who are the traitors?"

The Pink Concerto goes up in flames.

[] Attempt Soraplomacy. Try befriending Axel.
[] "It's Marluxia and Larxene that are the traitors."
[] Go back to look for Heartless.
[] Go back to check on Alice.
[] Write-in

 

[NGSoares]

[X] Look him in the eyes to make sure they aren't gold, you never know. If they aren't:
-[X] The answer they want you to find is "Marluxia and Larxene", however the true traitors are Xemnas, Xigbar, and Saïx, although Saïx might not have turned traitor yet. If his eyes haven't turned gold, then he's not a traitor yet. Those guys have been lying the whole time about the Organization's true purpose, including intentionally hiding the fact that Nobodies gradually grow new Hearts over time.
--[X] Don't believe me? Try finding this boy called Pinocchio. He started off as an empty puppet, but he now clearly has a Heart.
---[X] That's not all. Ever wonder why it's forbidden to interact with people on a mission? Or why your home base is dull and lacks decoration? It's because outside stimulus can cause a Heart to grow faster, and growing a Heart goes against the Organization's true purpose.
----[X] Honestly, I'm surprised Xemnas let you ask me about these things. He should knowthat I'm going to spill the beans on everything that goes against his plans.

First, you look around. Then, you stare right at Axel, checking his eyes. Nope, not golden. You sigh in relief. "Well, the answer they want you to find is 'Marluxia and Larxene,'" you start, sitting down on a nearby rock, "but the true traitors are Xemnas and Xigbar. Those two have been lying about the Organization's true purpose, including intentionally hiding the fact that Nobodies gradually grow new hearts over time."

Axel scowls. "Go on," he says darkly, summoning his chakrams.

"Don't believe me?" you ask. "Try finding this boy called Pinocchio. He started off as an empty puppet, but he now clearly has a heart." You see a brief flash of curiosity on his face. It slowly changes to a small smirk.

"That's not all," you continue. "Ever wonder why it's forbidden to interact with people on a mission?" Axel looks intrigued now. "Or why your home base is dull and lacks decoration? It's because outside stimulus can cause a heart to grow faster, and growing a heart goes against the Organization's true purpose."

"And tell me," Axel asks, "what is the true purpose? You said Xemnas is lying to us, so... what is it?"

"Let me finish first," you say. "To be honest, I'm surprised Xemnas let you ask me about these things. He should know that I'm going to spill the beans on everything that goes against his plans. There. Anything you have to say?"

"Xemnas didn't send me out here," Axel explains to you, "I came here on my own."

"But you said you were assigned!" you exclaim.

"Self-assigned," Axel says, putting away the chakrams. Wait, what? Then you remember: Axel isn't exactly the most loyal member of the Organization.

"Then why- gah!" you groan. You decide not to tell him Saïx may be a dark vessel. "Anyway, the Organization's true purpose? To hook you all up to Kingdom Hearts, and turn you into twelve Xehanorts." Both voices haven't spoken at all.

Axel's silent, and he looks at you dead in the eyes. "Who's Xehanort?" he asks you. You sigh, and he opens a dark corridor.

"He's who Xemnas is the Nobody of... wait, what are you going to do, Axel?"

Axel turns to you and smiles. "Well, I'm sure as hell not gonna confront Xemnas," he says. "Not Xigbar either. Nor any of the others. Do you think I want to be Dusked or have the entire Organization going after me? So I'm just gonna think on things." He waves goodbye to you, walks into the dark corridor, and it closes behind him.

The forest is silent again. Well, except for some barking from one of the entrances to a deeper part of the forest.

[] The Cheshire Cat said to talk to the flowers. Maybe that'll make the Heartless show up!
[] Go to the unbirthday garden to try and light the lamps on the Bizarre Room's ceiling early.
[] Go through some of the entrances to mess around in the Bizarre Room. Maybe there are some Heartless there?
[] Head back to the Queen of Hearts' castle.
[] Write-in

 

[NGSoares]

[X] Investigate the barking.

Hearing the barking, you go deeper into the Lotus Forest. As it gets louder, you slowly realize it's the beginning of your trip to the great power of Aeroga. You run deeper in, and see a Creeper Plant attacking fifteen Dalmatians. Well then.

You slice the Creeper Plant in two, and the dogs vanish, probably for Traverse Town. Thank god they're in such a big group. It was so damn tedious finding them in groups of three. Then, something pounces on you. "Pluto?!" you exclaim, said dog licking your face. He barks at you, and you pet him after getting up. "So you wanted to tell me something, Pluto? You were the source of the barking?"

Pluto nods, panting as you pet him again. He barks, before sniffing the ground. He starts growling at one part, and digs. Suddenly, a Creeper Plant pops up! You run over and destroy the Heartless. Then Pluto repeats the action.

You and Pluto continue through the forest, eliminating any Heartless that pops up. Eventually, Lotus Forest is clear of Heartless. And the Cheshire Cat shows up. You have to keep Pluto from mauling the Cat.

What do you think his deal is? Always talking in riddles? It's amusing, but at the same time, we need answers about the leader of the Heartless in this world.​

Wonderland logic. "Alright, cat," you ask the grinning feline, "the Heartless are gone from the forest. You know where their leader is?"

"This way? That way? Does it matter? Left, right, up, down! All mixed up thanks to the shadows!" the Cheshire Cat says. His grin then grows. "Besides, all ways here are the queen's ways!" The Cat then does an impression of the Queen of Hearts, causing you to roll your eyes.

"Well then," you tell him, "you're no help."

I think you should just kill that cat if he keeps being vague like this.​

"Go to the deserted garden," the Cat replies, "you may find shadows in the upside-down room!" He then vanishes, his smile the last thing to disappear. Soon, a corridor of darkness appears. Pluto hears a whistle coming from it, and jumps into it.

"Pluto!" you yell, summoning the Kingdom Key. You run towards the dark corridor, but it vanishes. "Dammit!"

[] Tell the queen you destroyed the Heartless.
[] Follow the Cheshire Cat's directions (Tea Party Garden to ceiling of Bizarre Room)
[] Laugh maniacally at your advancement on the road to Aeroga.
[] Write-in

Slowly coming down to the fate of Alice and the battle with Trickmaster.

 

[NGSoares]

[X] Follow the Cheshire Cat's directions (Tea Party Garden to ceiling of Bizarre Room)
-[X] Laugh maniacally at your advancement on the road to Aeroga.

You growl, staring at the where dark corridor that took Pluto away was. But... ugh. Nothing you can do now. You leave the Lotus Forest to the Tea Party Garden. Now looking at the table, you can see that it almost looks like it was abandoned halfway through the party. And seeing the portrait of the Mad Hatter and March Hare, their expressions almost look... trapped.

The leader was here. I can feel a powerful darkness.​

A chill runs up your spine. "This place feels... really creepy now that I look at it closer," you say to yourself, glancing at the abandoned table and the portrait.

What do you mean by that?​

"There's something just wrong about this garden," you tell Ven. "Let's just... keep going." You look at the portrait of the Mad Hatter and March Hare, and it almost seems like they're watching you and begging for freedom. "Sorry," you whisper to them, before entering the Bizarre Room. Their expressions change from only sad to one of total despair.

"Maybe defeating Trickmaster will free them," you say to yourself. You look to the tables the lamps are on and climb up one. Casting Fire, you light the first one up before jumping to the next table to light the next lamp. Then, you hear the Cheshire Cat reciting the same poem as before.

"I will now show you the shadows who lurk at the heart of this world," he explains, "but you already knew that, didn't you? But still..." The Cat points towards the ceiling/surface of the Bizarre Room. "You'll have a better view from higher up." And he vanishes once again. Then you realize you rescued some Dalmatians, and...

You start laughing. It gets more and more louder, until you're laughing maniacally. The road to Aeroga begins.

[] Return to the Queen of Hearts' castle.
[] Try and find a way back to the surface.
[] While you go, write-in a strategy for Trickmaster.
[] Celebrate your unbirthday.
[] Write-in

Winding down to Wonderland's endgame!

 

[NGSoares]

[x] Go back to the paintings and try to use your Keyblade to free them by pointing it at them and willing it to "open".
-[x] Whether it works or not, head back to the Queen's Castle and get ready to fight the Trickmaster
--[x] Strategy: Try combing Aero-magic with Strike Raid for Wind Raid.

Going back out to the Tea Party Garden, you push aside the chair parallel to the portrait of the Mad Hatter and March Hare. You then point the Keyblade at it, and a beam shoots out, hitting it.

The painting starts glowing, until it releases... steam? The steam engulfs the whole garden, and you hear piping noises and singing. About unbirthdays. "Thank you!" one voice says out of the steam. "You must be the one who saved us from the tea-hating shadow!"

"Yeah, I was," you reply to the voice, grinning. "I don't have time for an unbirthday, though. Gotta defeat this Heartless."

"Nonsense!" exclaims the voice, "there's always time for your unbirthday! Aaaaaa...." They then begin to sing the Unbirthday Song to you, but you see something in the corner of your eye, back in the forest. A lingering Heartless. You chase after it, but not before telling the Mad Hatter...

"I'll celebrate my unbirthday some other time!"

That was the most idiotic pile of bullshit I have ever seen.

He did the right thing. As for the unbirthday, I thought it was funny. This whole world is like a comedy act! Well, except for... you know.
​

"Wonderland's utter lack of logic getting to you?" you ask the two of them. Ven just responds with an amused laugh. On the other hand?

Bite me.
​

Ignoring their bickering, you slay the Red Nocturne and return to the castle of the Queen of Hearts. Good, Alice is still there. "Well?" the queen demands. "Did you eliminate the Heartless from the forest?"

"Yes, Your Highness," you answer. The queen then signals to a card soldier to open Alice's cage.

"Guards!" the queen then shouts. "Go and wipe out any Heartless stragglers, or heads will roll!" The card soldiers run off, some absolutely terrified. Alice then approaches you.

She does a quick curtsey. "Thank you, Sora," she says, smiling at you. "Donald and Goofy over there said that the Heartless are targeting me for my heart, which is special, according to what you told them."

You nod. "Alice, it's not safe here," you tell her. "Wonderland's not safe in the slightest until we defeat the Trickmaster, the leader of the Heartless here. Until we defeat it, you need to hide somewhere where the Heartless can't find you." Or the Organization.

Alice nods. You then turn to Donald and Goofy. "It's time," you say, "to rid Wonderland of the Heartless once and for all. It shouldn't be as difficult as Cerberus was." They both sigh in relief.

"So where's he hiding?" Goofy asks you.

"The same room we met the doorknob in," you respond. The three of you, plus Alice, enter the Bizarre Room, where you see the Cheshire Cat waiting on the table and standing on his head again. You gesture to Alice, and she runs to find somewhere to hide. Donald runs after her as well, to guard her. As you devise a strategy for Trickmaster, you go up to see the Cat. When it's all set...

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHUUn929dyw​

The Cheshire Cat puts his head back on. "The shadows should be here soon," he says somewhat smugly. The atmosphere starts to feel heavy, and the room dims. "Are you prepared for the worst? If not, too bad!" Then it falls from the ceiling. It looks like a mishmash of toys, with a stacked head and two clubs as weapons. The paper-thin jagged arms and the axe-like feet. And you recognize it all too well.

Malevolent Prankster
TRICKMASTER
​

[] Write-in a battle strategy
[] Use the one from the last vote.

 

[NGSoares]

[x] Channel wind magic into a Strike Raid. At worst it'll turn out to be a regular Strike Raid with a bit of extra damage, at best it'll turn into Wind Raid and do massive damage by hitting multiple parts.
-[x] Deflect any fireballs back at it.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vybk5QI7gI​

The Trickmaster looks straight at you and Goofy, and rubs its clubs together. They burst into flame and it lunges at you. Both you and Goofy jump back, and the latter tries getting its attention with a shield toss. While the Trickmaster's distracted, you channel Aero into the Kingdom Key. Then, you throw it at the giant Heartless with a Strike Raid, one that goes further than usual.

It staggers the Trickmaster, and you jump off the table to go in for an attack. Striking the Heartless' torso, the Trickmaster examines itself for a second before rapidly shooting fireballs at you. You parry the fireballs with the Keyblade, but unlike with Cerberus, the fireballs just dissipate.

You then see the Trickmaster slam its clubs against the ground, each crash making the sound of cymbals as it goes towards you. At that, you do a Dodge Roll as the Heartless continues crashing around. It then puts its clubs to its side and starts spinning, shrouding itself in fire.

The Trickmaster spins around the Bizarre Room, and is coming right towards you. Suddenly, large fireballs appear, and they bounce off the ground in your direction. You roll around again, deflecting any you can, but the Trickmaster then goes back to its cymbal crashing. Again, it's going in your direction. While it has your attention, you see Goofy run to Alice's hiding spot.

Goofy nods to Donald, and the duck runs over to you, shooting a Fire at the jester-like Heartless. The Trickmaster is hit in the back, but it still continues the cymbal attack.

[] Write-in strategy

 

[NGSoares]

[x] Run back and climb up the table
-[x] Cast Aero on self.
--[x] Grab your Keyblade by the chain. When it gets close enough, jump towards it and attack by spinning the Keyblade towards it like a windmill.

Seeing the table, you run at it and past the Trickmaster before its cymbal attack hits where you were standing earlier. It looks around, before Donald strikes it with lightning, and it goes after the duck. You jump on top of the table and cast Aero on yourself, while the Cheshire Cat, still sitting there, watches you with interest.

Next, you get its attention with a Thunder. The Trickmaster turns to you and begins walking over to you. Grabbing the Keyblade by the chain, you jump at the Heartless when it gets close, spinning your weapon like a windmill. "GETSUGA TENSHOU!" you yell, the Keyblade slicing across the Trickmaster's chest.

The Cheshire Cat examines his claws, and he looks at you. "Well, it's certainly a miracle you've gotten this far," he says. He then snaps, and you feel a chilling breeze, like that of a cold winter. "Here's some magic to cool the shadow off." A scroll appears before you. You speedread it, and the Trickmaster starts spinning again, covering itself with fire.

You go to the corner desk, and jump on top of it. You pull out the Kingdom Key, ready to face the Trickmaster head to head. Then, you point the Keyblade at it, remembering the frigid breeze the Cheshire Cat summoned and the instructions on the scroll. "FREEZE!" you shout, as that same cold wind comes out of the Keyblade, putting out the Trickmaster's flames.

Learned Blizzard!
​

[] Finish the battle (write-in strategy)
[] Afterwards...
--> [] Check on Alice
--> [] Lock Wonderland's Keyhole.
--> [] World to go to next?
---> [] Return to Traverse Town
---> [] Deep Jungle
[] Write-in