Kingdom Hearts of Harmony

Fluttershy’s breath quickened, her heart racing as she took a small step backward. She tried to steady herself, forcing her voice to stay calm despite the overwhelming sense of danger creeping in. "Y-Your brother?" she asked with a studder, her wings trembling at her sides.

Vanitas nodded, his smile sharp and unsettling. "Yeah, my brother. Maybe you’ve seen him?"

“I... I just got to Ponyville,” Fluttershy finally managed, her voice barely audible as she tried to step back toward the safety of her cottage. “I haven't really seen anypony all too much.”

Vanitas’s smile faded. "Really? That’s a shame. Pretty sure he had something like this with him.” The dark shape of a Keyblade materialized, its edges jagged and ominous, a stark contrast Sora’s own.

Fluttershy's breath caught in her throat as her eyes locked onto the weapon Vanitas had summoned into his hoof. The dark shape of a Keyblade materialized, its edges jagged and ominous, a stark contrast to the bright, hopeful Keyblade Sora wielded.

Her wings trembled as she tried to speak, her voice barely a whisper. "T-that's a...Keyblade..." she muttered, fear lacing her words. "How...?"

Vanitas’s smile returned, “ So you do know what this is?" He twirled the Keyblade effortlessly, as if it were an extension of himself. "Makes things easier I guess. Hate it when stuff gets…messy.” He smiled. “In any case. Thought I would ask around. Test the waters a bit too. Cause something tells me things are gonna get a lot more interesting soon.”

Fluttershy's heart pounded as Vanitas's words lingered in the air, each one laced with an unsettling calm that only heightened her anxiety. His nonchalant attitude, paired with the darkness surrounding him, made her feel as though a storm was brewing, one she couldn't escape from.

Summoning all her courage, Fluttershy took a shaky step foward, her voice soft but determined. "I-I don’t know anything about what you’re looking for... or who you’re after. But I won’t let you hurt my friends. N-Not you…Or Grogar!"

Vanitas raised an amused eyebrow and widened his smile. "Hurt them? You wound me." He twirled the Keyblade once more before letting it disappear into the darkness with a wave of his hoof. "I don’t know what that old coot has planned. But it has nothing to do with me."

Fluttershy swallowed hard. "So... you know who Grogar is, then?" she asked, her voice soft but filled with curiosity and a hint of fear. Mostly fear if she was being honest.

The black stallion chuckled. His golden eyes glinted with a mixture of curiosity and arrogance as he stepped closer, though his posture remained relaxed. "Of course, I know who that old coot is," he said, his tone smooth, almost casual. "Did a little studying you see. The so-called ‘Father of Monsters.’ The big bad who’s been lurking around the shadows of this world for far too long." He paused, eyeing Fluttershy with a sinister smirk. "But don’t get me wrong. I have no interest in what that old fool is scheming and I could care less about what happens to this world. All I care about is finding out where my little brother slithered off too. Take too long…and well…I guess I’ll just have to find a new sibling.”

As Vanitas turned to leave, Fluttershy’s fear mingled with curiosity, and something in her heart told her she had to understand more. Summoning her courage, she called after him, her voice trembling slightly but filled with determination. “W-Wait!” she stammered. “Why me? Why did you come to me, and why are you telling me all of this?”

Vanitas paused in his step, his wings twitching slightly as he glanced back over his shoulder, a smirk playing on his lips. Slowly, he turned to face her again, his eyes glinting with dark amusement. “Why you?” he repeated, his tone laced with mockery. “Well, that’s the question, isn’t it?” She smirked. “You have the same scent as my brother, so it's only natural I come to you.”

Fluttershy blinked, her mind racing to process Vanitas’s words. The same scent? What did that even mean?

“Haha. Guess I’ll see ya then. Places to be and things to do.” He waved a hoof before allowing his wings to spread wide, flapping high into the sky.

Fluttershy watched as Vanitas spread his wings and soared into the sky, disappearing into the distance, her thoughts racing.

She stood there for a few moments, her eyes still fixed on the spot in the sky where Vanitas had disappeared. Her heart was still racing, and the strange mix of fear and confusion weighed heavily on her. He could have attacked me, but he didn’t... why? she thought, her wings trembling slightly.

Maybe he didn’t see me as a threat. Or... was he just toying with me?

The unsettling thought sent a shiver down her spine. Vanitas had made it clear that he had no interest in working with Grogar or helping with whatever dark schemes were brewing in Equestria. His only focus seemed to be finding this brother of his.

But whether he saw her as a threat or not, she couldn’t let it go unspoken. Her friends needed to know Vanitas was here, and that he was looking for something, or someone, that could throw all of them into danger.

~~~

On the grand airship soaring through the skies of Equestria, Sora found himself leaning back in one of the plush seats, his hooves crossed behind his head in a pout. He glanced over at Pinkie Pie, who was sitting beside him with a similar expression, though hers was tinged with a bit more of her usual cheerful energy.

"I can't believe we got banned from the kitchens," Sora grumbled, his voice tinged with disbelief.

Pinkie Pie nodded vigorously, her mane bouncing with the motion. "Yeah! And I didn’t know my new invention, the instant frosting packages, would make so much frosting! I thought it would just be a little, you know, to top off a few cupcakes."

Sora sighed, remembering the chaotic scene in the kitchen. "Well…I mean It was like a frosting explosion... everywhere."

Pinkie giggled, her spirits lifting slightly as she thought back to the event. "It was kind of fun, though! I mean, when else do you get to see that much frosting all at once?"

The stallion couldn’t help but crack a smile at Pinkie’s unrelenting positivity. "Yeah, I guess. But still… banned? That’s a little harsh, don’t you think?"

Pinkie Pie shrugged, her usual bounce returning as she waved a hoof dismissively. "Oh, don’t worry, Sora! We’ll just find something else fun to do. Besides, it’s not like we need a kitchen to make things fun! There’s a whole airship full of possibilities!"

"Why don’t y’all put a cap on that plan for now?" Applejack drawled as bot she and Twilight made their way to the two of them. The farm mare adjusted her hat and looked between the two mischief-makers. "I think we’ve had enough excitement for one day, don’t ya think?"

Twilight nodded in agreement. "Yeah, the last thing we need is the two of you causing more chaos—especially since we’re, you know, several thousand feet in the air. Let’s not accidentally bring the ship down with your antics."

Pinkie Pie gave Applejack and Twilight an innocent grin, her mane bouncing with her usual energy. "Aw, come on, Twilight! You know we’d never do anything that crazy! Well, not on purpose, anyway."

Sora chuckled, nodding along. "Yeah, we were just thinking of exploring the ship a bit. No more frosting explosions, we promise."

Twilight shook her head with a small sigh, though there was a hint of a smile on her face. "How about you two hold off on the exploring for now? There’s something important we need to discuss—our plan for when we reach the Diamond Dog Kingdom."

The stallion blinked, tilting his head slightly as he processed Twilight’s words. "Wait, I thought you and Applejack had that covered," he said, a hint of confusion in his voice. "You know, the planning and all."

Twilight sighed, though her expression remained patient. "We do, Sora, but given… certain recent events," she glanced pointedly at Pinkie, who was still bouncing in place, "we’ve decided it’s best not to let you two out of our sight for now. We can’t afford any more unplanned surprises, especially not when we’re about to enter a potentially dangerous situation."

Pinkie Pie’s bouncing slowed, and she pouted slightly. "Aww, you mean we’re stuck with you guys for now?"

Twilight gave Pinkie a deadpan look. "For now, yes.” She perked up and smiled, “But it’s not all bad, Pinkie. We’re going to need everyone’s input, and having you both close by will make sure we’re all on the same page."

Applejack nodded in agreement. "That’s right. We’re gonna need all hooves on deck for this one. These disappearances ain’t somethin’ to take lightly, and the more heads we’ve got thinkin’ about it, the better."

Sora nodded, his expression becoming more serious. "Yeah…Right. I got ya."

Pinkie, ever the optimist, perked up again, her grin returning full force. "Okay, fine, but we’re still gonna make this as fun as possible! Planning can be exciting too, right?"

Twilight shook her head at the pink mare’s enthusiasm. "We’ll do our best to keep things interesting. Now, let’s go over what we know so far and figure out our next steps."

She took a deep breath before continuing, looking between the others. "Queen Jennino Lanternlight mentioned that the Diamond Dogs have been vanishing. Not all at once, but over time, and enough of them have gone missing to make her very concerned. We need to figure out what’s causing these disappearances and how we can stop it before more of them vanish."

"Do we have any idea where they might be disappearing to?" Sora asked. "Or what could be taking them for that matter?"

Twilight shook her head, her brow furrowed in thought. "Not yet. Queen Jennino didn’t have much to go on. The disappearances seem random—different diamond dogs, different times. There’s no clear pattern that we can see from the information she gave us."

Applejack chimed in, her tone thoughtful. "Could be somethin’ underground, considerin’ how Diamond Dogs like to dig. Maybe somethin’ or someone’s takin’ ‘em from their tunnels?"

Pinkie Pie’s eyes widened, and she gasped dramatically. "Ooh! Maybe it’s a secret underground cupcake-eating monster! Or a big, spooky diamond ghost!"

Twilight gave Pinkie a look that was somewhere between exasperated and amused. "I don’t think it’s a cupcake monster, Pinkie.”

"Actually, Twilight,” Sora cut in, his hoof raised. “I wouldn’t put it past a Heartless to turn into something like that. I’ve seen some pretty weird ones in my adventures—things made out of bags, pots." He paused. "And don't get me started on Oogie Boogie" He shivered. " And he wasn't even a heartless...so...You never know what form something might take."

Twilight’s expression shifted to one of contemplation, considering Sora’s point. "That’s surprisingly true… And also something we’ll have to be prepared for I suppose. We did face those Crystal Heartless after all."

"Ah do remember facing down those varmints back at the Crystal Kingdom." Applejack added, "Those Spiky critters had us ducking for cover near every second.”

Sora blinked in confusion at first, his brow furrowing as he tried to piece together what Applejack and Twilight were referring to. “Wait, what spiky critters? What are you talking about?”

Twilight gasped. "That's right! You were busy with Sombra at the time. You remember when we were in the Crystal Kingdom, right? While you were busy dealing with him, Applejack Pinkie and I were inside the Crystal Castle with Cadence fighting off some kind of Crystal like Heartless creatures."

Sora’s eyes lit up in realization. "Oh Yeah! That's right! You did mention something like that back when I woke up back them." His ears droop a little. “Sorry…I couldn’t help you back then.”

Twilight’s expression softened as she shook her head gently. "There’s no need to apologize, Sora. You were doing everything you could to keep Sombra away from the Crystal Heart. Without you, things could’ve turned out a lot worse."

"Twilight’s right, sugarcube." Applejack added, tilting her hat at him, "We all had our parts to play, and you handled yours just fine. It was tough for everypony, but we made it through thanks to each of us doin’ what we do best."

“Yeah…Until Sunset ruined everything.” Pinkie mused, earning a rough nudge from the farm mare.

“Pinkie! We’re trying to uplift, not bring us down.” Applejack said, gently pushing the mare’s shoulder.

Sora raised a hoof, giving Applejack a reassuring look. "It’s okay, Applejack. Sunset got the jump on us that day, but I’ll be ready for her next time."

Applejack still seemed a bit concerned but relaxed slightly, her eyes softening as she studied Sora. "You sure, sugarcube? I just don’t want ya blamin’ yourself for somethin’ none of us saw comin’. We did the best we could."

Sora nodded with a confident grin. "Yeah, I’m sure. Sunset was clever. But I’ve learned from it. Next time, if she tries anything, we’ll be ready—together."

“True that!" Pinkie Pie cheered before frowning and tapping a hoof to her chin. "Anyway! Back on the topic of ghost…maybe we’ll run into a friendly ghost or two while we’re at it!" She gasped, “If we do, can I call it Casper!?”

Sora's ears pushed to each side as he looked away. "Can we not and say we did?" He asked chuckling nervously.

Pinkie Pie's smirk grew wider, and she leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a teasing whisper. "Aww, Sora, are you still afraid of little ol ghosts?"

Sora crossed his forelegs defensively. "I'm not afraid of ghosts!” he stated defensively. Though a slight blush did form on his cheeks at the accusation. He looked to his side and froze.

Applejack didn’t say a word but simply raised an eyebrow, giving Sora a knowing look that spoke volumes. The silent judgment made Sora shrink a bit, his confidence faltering under her steady gaze.

"Okay, okay, maybe I’m a little freaked out by them," Sora admitted, his voice dropping to a mutter as he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

Applejack finally let a small smile tug at the corner of her mouth. "Ain’t nothin’ to be ashamed of, sugarcube. We all got our fears. But don’t worry, if we run into any ghosts, we’ll make sure they’re friendly—or at least that Pinkie doesn’t go namin’ ‘em before we know for sure."

Twilight gave a pointed look at the group. "More importantly, there’s no such thing as ghosts. We’ve got enough on our hooves without worrying about imaginary things, especially with Heartless and disappearances to deal with." she sighs. “Though for right now all we can really do is wait till we are there so we can ascertain the situation better.”

“Soooo…we wait then?” Sora asked, both of his hooves moving behind his head.

Twilight nodded, her expression resigned but practical. "Yes, for now, we wait. Once we arrive at the Diamond Dog Kingdom, we’ll be able to assess the situation and figure out exactly what’s happening. Until then, there’s not much we can do."

Sora let out a long sigh, leaning back even further into his seat, his hooves still crossed behind his head. "Waiting… not my strong suit." He glanced at Pinkie, who was now happily bouncing in her seat as if the conversation about ghosts had never happened. "But I guess it could be worse. Guess we can find some way we can entertain ourselves till then.”

Twilight shot Sora and Pinkie a stern look, her wings fluttering slightly in emphasis. "Yes, but whatever you do, please make sure it doesn’t involve bringing down the airship with all of us in it."

Twilight bid them a farewell before she turned and walked away, her horn glowing faintly as she muttered something under her breath as she did so. Applejack stayed behind, glancing between Sora and Pinkie with a raised eyebrow.

"So, what’re y’all gonna do now?" Applejack asked, adjusting her hat as she gave the two of them a curious look.

Sora stretched out, letting out a lazy yawn as he reclined further in his seat. "Honestly, I might just get some shut-eye for a while. It’s been a long time since I’ve had the chance to just laze around. And, well, sleeping’s one of my favorite pastimes."

Pinkie Pie gasped, her eyes wide in mock horror. "Sora! How can you think about sleep when there’s so much fun to be had? Dreams are fun, sure, but there’s real life fun happening right here!"

Sora grinned, giving her a playful shrug. "Hey, I’m not saying sleep’s better than your kind of fun, Pinkie, but every now and then, a guy needs a nap, right? Gotta recharge for all the action ahead."

Applejack scoffed, tipping her hat back as she gave Sora a teasing look. "Didn’t ya just say you don’t like waitin' around, sugarcube? Now here ya are talkin' about nappin' away the time."

Sora chuckled, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "Well, I don’t like waiting around when there’s something I can do, but if there’s nothing else, I might as well take a nap and save my energy."

Applejack rolled her eyes, though a small smile tugged at her lips. "Guess I can’t argue with that logic. Restin’ up ain’t the worst idea if we’re headin’ into somethin’ big."

Pinkie Pie bounced in place, still full of energy. "But rest is boring! Don’t you wanna play a game or do something fun while we wait?"

“I’m all for fun Pinkie but think I got enough of it for a bit.” He touched his his. “Think there still may be frosting in my fur from our last bout of fun.”

Pinkie Pie giggled, her eyes lighting up with amusement. "Oh, come on, Sora! A little frosting never hurt anyone! In fact, it just makes everything sweeter!"

The stallion laughed at the pink mare’s pun. “I don’t doubt it. Still maybe later we can hang out. Wouldn’t mind having some time to myself after all.”

Pinkie Pie tilted her head slightly, studying Sora with a thoughtful look. "Hmm... okay, but only if you promise to be ready for some super-duper fun later! No backing out, mister!"

Sora grinned, holding up a hoof as if making a solemn vow. "Promise, Pinkie. I’ll be ready for whatever crazy fun you’ve got planned." He winked, adding with a smirk, "As long as it doesn’t involve another frosting explosion."

Pinkie gasped dramatically, her hoof over her heart. "I can’t make any promises about that!"

Applejack chuckled, shaking her head at the pair before giving Sora a pat on the shoulder. "Well, get your rest then, sugarcube. We’ll be needin’ ya at full strength soon enough. Can’t have ya nappin’ when things get serious."

Sora nodded, the easy smile still on his face. "Got it, AJ. I’ll be ready."

With a grin, Sora turned and made his way toward the lower decks, heading to where his room awaited. As he descended the staircase, the soft hum of the airship’s engines filled the background, and he couldn’t help but admire the grandeur of the vessel. The interior was sleek, yet warm and welcoming, with polished wood floors that contrasted the metal railings and beams running along the walls. Large windows offered stunning views of the open skies outside, the clouds drifting lazily as they soared high above Equestria.

As he gazed out of one of the large windows, admiring the sprawling landscape of Equestria from high above, he couldn’t help but marvel at the view. “Space is one thing,” he muttered to himself with a grin, “but seeing a world from up above like this… it still amazes me.”

The soft hum of the airship’s engines combined with the serene view outside gave the journey an almost magical feeling. He had seen countless worlds, each with their own unique wonders, but there was something peaceful about flying above the clouds like this. The rolling hills, sparkling rivers, and vast forests below looked like a painting, untouched and perfect.

So focused as he was, that when he turned a corner, the stallion nearly bumped into Prince Blueblood, who was walking down the hallway with his usual air of aristocratic detachment.

The two nearly collided, and Sora quickly stepped back, blinking in surprise. "Oh, sorry about that!" he said, offering an apologetic smile.

Prince Blueblood, looking slightly startled at first, quickly regained his composure. He straightened his posture, his expression shifting into one of mild disdain. "Hm. Watch where you’re going," Blueblood replied, his tone clipped but not overly harsh.

Sora chuckled lightly, brushing off the brief tension. "I'll keep that in mind," he said, flashing the prince a friendly grin.

Blueblood looked the stallion up and down before widening his eyes. “Hang on a moment. You are that keyblade user my aunty told me about. Sora was it?”

Sora blinked, a bit surprised to be recognized, especially by someone like Prince Blueblood. "Yeah, that’s me—Sora, the Keyblade wielder." He offered his usual easygoing smile, hoping to lighten the mood.

Blueblood, who had been wearing an expression of mild disdain, now looked at Sora with more curiosity than before. "Hmm, yes, Aunt Celestia mentioned your... abilities. I must say, you don’t look like what I imagined."

Sora chuckled, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "I get that a lot. But it’s not about how you look—it’s what you can do, right?"

Blueblood raised an eyebrow, his tone shifting into one of detached curiosity. "How quaint… But tell me, what is it that you want out of all of this?" His question hung in the air, as if he were trying to gauge Sora’s true intentions.

Sora blinked, a little surprised by the sudden shift in the conversation. He tilted his head slightly, thinking for a moment before responding. "If the Heartless are causing trouble then theres no way I can’t help.”

Blueblood raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued, though he still maintained his aloof demeanor. "Is that so? You risk yourself for the sake of others, simply because of some... sense of duty?" His tone was both incredulous and intrigued.

Sora nodded, his expression turning more serious. "Yeah, that's how it's always been for me. If the Heartless are involved, I can't just stand by and do nothing. I’ve seen what they can do, and I’m not about to let them cause more harm."

Blueblood regarded him with a critical eye, as though weighing Sora’s words carefully. "Quite noble, I must admit. Most ponies in your position would demand something in return for such actions, but you seem to be driven by... something more altruistic." He paused, as if considering whether or not to continue, before adding, "I suppose my aunt wasn’t exaggerating when she spoke of your selflessness.” He closed his eyes. “Never got the appeal of pony’s who say such childish words myself. But If it's for the betterment of Equestira then please, give it your all.”

Sora smiled, undeterred by Blueblood’s aloofness. "Thanks, I will. Childish or not, I think helping others is always worth it." His tone was light but earnest, showing he meant every word.

Blueblood opened his eyes, studying Sora for a moment longer before giving a small nod. "Well, if you are as capable as my aunt believes, then I trust you'll do your part. Equestria is not without its challenges, and... despite my reservations, it seems you’ve made a habit of rising to the occasion." He huffs. “Shame tho. Thought for sure you would have been my type of stallion.”

Sora raised an eyebrow, clearly caught off guard by Blueblood’s parting words. "Huh? His type of stallion?" he muttered to himself, blinking in confusion. He wasn’t entirely sure what Blueblood meant by that, and it left him scratching his head.

As the prince walked away with his usual regal demeanor, Sora couldn’t help but chuckle to himself. "Well, that’s one way to end a conversation," he thought, still trying to process the unexpected comment. He decided not to dwell on it too much—after all, Blueblood had his own way of thinking, and Sora had bigger things to worry about.

Shrugging it off, Sora continued down the hallway toward his room, shaking his head with a smile. "Kinda weird…but had worst talks." He would have to have a sit down with Rarity to get the full story between Blueblood and herself when he got back.

With the strange encounter behind him, Sora focused on getting some rest, knowing that the real challenges were just ahead in the Diamond Dog Kingdom.