Green is to play music, Red is to stop music.

Kingdom Hearts: Harmony of Hearts
Chapter 2
Clear Dreams

Equestria: Friendship Castle (Twilight’s bedroom)

It was only a few minutes after the message to Luna was sent, that she showed up in a flash of light. Flash had gotten his armor on to watch the proceedings from a professional standpoint. Spike had cleaned and lit up the bedroom for the impromptu meeting.

“I was told that this was urgent. What has transpired?!” Luna quickly said.

Twilight took a deep breath and began to explain, “I had a nightmare…or something similar.”

“I understood that something like that may have been the case,” Luna agreed, “As Princess of the Night, I sense all dreams. But even though I sensed yours, for reasons I am unable to explain, I couldn’t enter.”

The moment she said that, everyone was shocked. Luna picked back up, “What do you remember of the dream? Perhaps, if given enough details, we can piece together a meaning of this phenomenon.”

Twilight suddenly realized something… “I don’t have any clear details to give.”

“What do you mean?” Luna asked.

“What I do remember of the dream was jumbled,” Twilight said, with her head down. “That’s the reason I asked you to come here. If you saw the dream, you could help me understand it. But...if by some crazy chance, you didn’t get to view the dream we could use the dreamscape to piece together what I have and work from there.”

“Piecing together a dream from fragments is a difficult process,” Luna commented, “It will take a lot of time and any enemies you might have made could strike in that time.”

“Nothing that we can’t handle,” boasted Spike.

“Ugh, Spike, just keep a clear head,” Flash said, “we don’t know what to expect, either from the dream or anything else.”

“Guys, why don’t you wait outside,” Twilight suggested, “we’ll handle things in here.” She watched as both Spike and Flash exited the room before turning back towards Princess Luna. “Can we start?” She asked.

“Verily, we shall!” Princess Luna exclaimed.

Twilight laid back down on her bed and waited for sleep to take her. Princess Luna levitated as she prepared and cast a spell to put Twilight into a deep sleep. Twilight eyes closed and she let sleep envelop her.

******************************

Equestria: Dreamscape

Twilight opened her eyes and beheld a white void filled with images of the many dreams she had in the past of the friends in the island paradise. She took an uncertain step forward, relaxing after finding she was on a solid (albet invisible) surface. She walked forward glancing in wonder at every other image that crossed her field of vision. Before long, Twilight found Princess Luna walking alongside her.

Twilight looked up and asked, “What do we do now?”

“We are in the memories of your dreams,” Luna responded, “choose from one of the images for us to view the contents.”

Twilight stopped in her tracks and began looking for the image that corresponded to the nightmare she had. She was scanning so intensely that she nearly missed a humanoid figure in a white coat. The coat had a hood that obscured most of the figure’s face. The figure was standing next to an image that didn’t hold any of the scenes of the nightmare.

The figure gently pushed the image closer to Twilight. She looked at the image. It showed what looked like a castle in ruins but seemed to hold most (if not all) of it’s structural integrity. Amazingly, the castle was maintaining a perfect balance on a rock with underwater caverns.

Twilight looked back at the figure, who beckoned her to choose it. Glancing back at the image, she heard a voice in her head.

“This will give you the answers you seek and more.”

Twilight then looked at where the figure was standing, only to find that the figure was gone. Looking up to Princess Luna, she saw that she didn’t see her brief encounter with the figure.

“Princess Luna,” Twilight said, getting the taller alicorn’s attention, “I think this is the one.”

“Then let us enter.” Luna pressed her horn to the image and all the other images faded. The image Luna touched, expanded until they were enveloped in it. Before long, they were standing on a slab of stone amidst floating chunks of rock in a waterfall that was falling backwards.

“Oookay, this is weird,” Twilight commented, “It feels like Discord all over again.”

“Except that this is your dream,” Luna countered, “it can be as chaotic as your mind sees fit.”

Three additional individuals landed from onto the stone platform Luna and Twilight were on. One was a dog-like humanoid, wearing orange pants, green sweater with a black vest over it, and a hat that was somehow balanced on the individual’s head. The next was a young, scrawny human with brown, spiky hair that was wearing red, baggy shorts, a black vest with white sleeves, and yellow boots that were bigger than his feet. The last was a duck-like humanoid that was shorter than the other two and wore clothing that reminded Twilight of a sailor.

The dog pointed towards a castle in the distance and said, “Gawrsh, look at that!”

The other individuals and the two alicorns looked towards the castle ruins.

“I know this place…” the teenager commented.

“Hmm, that’s strange,” the dog said.

“I wonder why,” the teen continued, “I feel this warmth inside, right here.” He placed his hand over his chest.

Looking up at the castle, Twilight couldn’t help but feel as if she knew the place as well.

“Aw, you’re just hungry,” the duck said.

The teen turned towards the duck and quickly snapped, “Hey, I’m serious!”

The group (including Twilight and Luna) jumped when a roar sounded in the distance closer to the castle.

“What was that?!” Twilight asked.

“I’m guessing we shall find out,” Luna answered.

“Let’s go!” the teen commanded the trio.

Twilight and Luna took flight ahead and flew to where the roar was heard and began to see a conversation between a silver haired teenager and a strange beast.

“No vessel, no help from the Heartless…” the teen stated with authority behind his voice, “So tell me, how’d you get here?”

With a growl, the beast answered, “I simply believed. Nothing more to it. When our world fell into darkness, Belle was taken from me. I vowed I would find her again, no matter what the cost. I believed I would find her. So, here I am. She must be here. I will have her back!”

“Take her if you can,” the teen taunted.

“What is he doing?!” Luna exclaimed.

“Just watch,” Twilight calmly responded.

With a roar, the beast lunged towards the teen. The teen back flipped away from the attack, and summoned a sword that resembled a dark dragon wing. He then delivered a powerful slash to the beast’s chest. The beast then collapsed, the sting of the blow having taken a toll on his energy.

“Stop!” The teen with the brown hair shouted, coming from behind the beast and stood defiantly. The other two individuals showed up behind him.

“So, you finally made it,” the silver haired teen said in a cocky tone. “About time. I’ve been waiting for you.”

“What?!” Luna exclaimed.

“Shhh!”

“We’ve always been rivals, haven’t we?” the teen continued, “You’ve always pushed me as I’ve always pushed you.”

“Riku…” the brown haired teen said, ready to say something more.

“But it all ends here,” Riku continued, “There can’t be two Keyblade masters.”

“What are you talking about?” the brown haired teen asked.

“Let the Keyblade choose it’s true master.” Riku extended his hand out towards the brown haired boy.

A strange key weapon, the Keyblade as Riku called it, appeared in the boy’s hand, but started to move towards Riku. The boy gripped the blade for all it was worth, but it was for naught. The Keyblade vanished from his grasp in a flash of light. Luna and the group were surprised as the blade reappeared in Riku’s grasp.

Examining the Keyblade, Riku spoke, “Maleficent was right. You don’t have what it takes to save Kairi. It’s up to me. Only the Keyblade master can open the secret door and change the world.”

“But that’s impossible. How did this happen?” the boy asked, “I’m the one who fought my way here with the Keyblade!”

“You were just the delivery boy,” Riku cockily stated, “Sorry, your part’s over now. Here, go play here with this.” He tossed a wooden sword to the boy, who in turn, fell to his knees. Riku then walked towards the castle.

The duck turned to the dog. “Goofy, let’s go. We have to remember our mission.”

“Oh!” Goofy exclaimed, “Well, I know the king told us to follow the key and all...but…” he turned to the boy and groaned with reluctance before following the duck.

The duck paused and turned towards the boy. “Sora, sorry.”

Princess Luna had tears in her eyes. Never before had she seen such a scene, a young “knight,” of sorts, lost his weapon and all his friends that he held dear. “Is this all?”

“No,” Twilight stated, “There’s more. The scene will shift.”

They then heard the beast struggling to follow the group that left. Sora rushed to the beast’s side after he collapsed again.

“Hey, don’t move,” he said in concern, “You’re hurt.”

“Why...Why did you...you come here?” the beast questioned, “I came to fight for Belle. And though I am on my own, I will fight. I won’t leave without her. That’s why I’m here.”

The beast struggled back to his feet and continued limping towards the castle. Sora turned back towards the wooden sword on the ground. He picked it up and followed after the beast.

“Me too,” Sora confidently said, “I’m not gonna give up now. I came here to find someone very important to me.

The beast and Sora then began their trek to the Castle, with Luna and Twilight following. After a long walk, and a few fights with some creatures strange to Twilight called “Heartless”, they arrived at the gates. The gates, however, were closed. Sora and the beast walked in a different direction to find the way to open the gates. Before Luna could follow them, Twilight put her hoof on her shoulder.

“Let’s wait here; I need to say a few things before we watch more,” Twilight said, motioning for Luna to sit next to the railings on the balcony they were standing on.

“What is it?” Luna asked as she sat.

Twilight gave no response to her question. She pawed her hoof on the tiling for a few moments before giving her response. “Before the nightmare, I had these dreams that showed images of Riku, Sora, and another on an island as friends. The nightmare showed a blurry and vague vision of their friendship falling apart,” Twilight sighed and continued, “this, here and now, looks as though it is a more clear and complete version of that nightmare. Seeing all of this makes things seem more clear, but it’s still confusing.”

“The more we watch, the more clear things will be,” Luna said.

The clanking of gears and the groan of stone was heard behind them. Turning towards the gates, they saw them opening slowly. Sora and the beast came into view and stood before the open gates.

“You ready, Beast,” Sora asked.

“I am.”

Beast and Sora walked in, with Twilight and Luna following. They soon came to an open lobby-like area, with a fountain and a few balconies.

“Be on your guard,” Beast warned, “They’re close, I can feel it. Are you ready for them?”

Sora began walking forward, but Beast suddenly sensed something behind him in the doorway. “Belle?”

Luna and Twilight looked in the direction that he was looking and saw a beautiful woman in a golden dress. Beast and the two alicorns were shocked to see Belle enveloped in a dark shadow and was replaced by a weak Heartless. Beast was enraged by this and rushed after the Heartless as the door closed behind him.

Sora heard Beast’s roar and looked to see him rushing off.

“Quit while you can,” a voice said.

Sora, Twilight, and Luna turned to see Riku, Goofy, and the duck standing in front of the fountain as if they have been for a while.

“No. Not without Kairi,” Sora said defiantly.

“The darkness will destroy you,” Riku said, as a dark, muscular bodysuit materialized over his body.

“You’re wrong, Riku,” Sora stated, “The darkness may destroy my body, but it can’t touch my heart. My heart will stay with my friends. It’ll never die!”

Both Twilight and Luna were touched at Sora’s bravery and his wisdom.

“Really…well, we’ll just see about that!” Riku shouted as he fired a dark plasma bolt...directly at Sora!

Sora braced himself for the blast and both Twilight and Luna couldn’t bear to watch. But, to the surprise of all three, the attack never made connection. Sora, Twilight, and Luna looked and saw that Goofy had pulled out a circular shield and intercepted the shot.

“Sora ain’t gonna go anywhere!” Goofy firmly stated.

“You’d betray your king?” Riku asked.

“Not on your life!” Goofy answered, “But I’m not gonna betray Sora, either, ‘cause he’s become one of my best buddies after all we’ve been through together!”

“This sounds like my friends and I,” Twilight commented in awe, “Nothing, not even Discord, could break or separate us. We’re stronger together than apart.”

“See ya later, Donald.” Goofy continued, “Could ya tell the king I’m really sorry?”

“Hold on, Goofy!” Donald shouted, “We’ll tell him together.” He ran over to the two and continued, “Well, you know…All for one and one for all.”

“I guess you’re stuck with us, Sora.”

“Thanks a lot…Donald, Goofy,” Sora said, almost apologetically.

“How will you fight without a weapon?” Riku asked.

“I know now I don’t need the Keyblade,” Sora said, confidently, “I’ve got a better weapon. My heart.”

“Hmm. Your heart? What good will that weak little thing do for you?”

“Although my heart may be weak, it’s not alone. It’s grown with each new experience, and it’s found a home with all the friends I’ve made. I’ve become a part of their heart just as they’ve become a part of mine. And if they think of me now and then, if they don’t forget me, then our hearts will be one. I don’t need a weapon. My friends are my power!”

With those last words, the Keyblade vanished from Riku’s grasp and appeared in Sora’s ready hands. Both Riku and Sora were surprised at the change. Riku then summoned his sword and attacked. The fight was long and hard. Sora pressed hard with strong offensive moves, Goofy following up with a bash or two with his shield, and Donald kept a distance, firing spell after spell with a staff. Riku, on the other hand, fought with rage in his eyes.

The fight ended with Riku exhausted, his dark bodysuit vanishing. He then fled from the trio, all of whom were exhausted as well. Beast then reentered the room.

“So, your heart won this battle,” he commented.

Sora nodded the affirmative. Before the six could continue after Riku, Twilight and Luna heard one word that shut the vision off.

“INCOMING!”

Author's Note

For those of you who don't know, The Dreamscape is where Princess Luna can have individuals or groups in a specific or collective dream (like in "Do Princesses Dream Of Magic Sheep" when isolating the Tantabus).
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