Chapter 3 (KAIRI): Dopey's Wild Mine

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Chapter 3 (Kairi): Dopey's Wild Mine

        As Kairi and Dopey arrived at the entrance to the Dwarfs Mine, they found the gates sealed shut with a massive keyhole jutting out from it.  Dopey rushed forward and tried to push the doors open, but stumbled when he couldn't get the door to budge.  Defeated, he stepped away and looked to Kairi with a distressed look on his face.  

        Kairi shook her head, with an amused look on her face.  "Let me handle this, Dopey."  Kairi called forth her Keyblade, and in one swift movement, a beam of light stretched from the flower tipped weapon and the gates to the mine opened without hesitation.  The young maiden stretched back and smiled.  "And Sora and Riku told me this was a thankless job."  She turned back to Dopey and smiled.  "We should be able to save your friends, now."
        Dopey jumped for joy and skipped his way inside.  Kairi followed seconds later, but before she could further entertain her victory, the door to the mine resealed itself.  She spun backwards and gulped as she realized how she and Dopey were also now trapped within the mine.
        A high pitched cackling shivered Kairi's spine as the small dwarf fell beside her and clutched at her skirt.  "Who's there?"
        "So close to rescuing the dwarfs, yet so far now, from saving Snow White" a harsh female voice sneered in the shadows.  "You, Keyblade bearer, have allowed me free access to the heart of that wretched princess.  And for that, I thank you."
        Dopey, upon recognizing the voice, pulled his cap over his head and dove into a pile of logs and hid beneath them.
        "Maleficent?" Kairi asked, angling her Keyblade to a defensive stance.
        "That name is of no consequence to me, child" the voice continued.  "Besides, you should worry more about the wellbeing of you and your dwarf friends long before you know about me.  I'd like to see you delude yourself into thinking you can somehow save the day."
        Kairi looked up to the ceiling and shook her head.  "I don't need to delude myself.  A Keyblade warrior's job is to always protect the light.  And if you are one of the villains who seeks to disrupt the light, then I won't have a choice.  I'll have to stop you.  And you won't hurt Snow White, either."
        "Bold words from a child so new to the realm of heroism"the voice taunted.  "You will not be able to escape from the mines again without the aid of your dwarf friends.  And I suggest you find them soon.  Who knows when Snow White will come along right into my trap?"
        Kairi looked ahead down the dark tracks that led deep into the Dwarfs Diamond Mine.  "How am I going to get to the dwarfs without a cart?"  A rattling sound caused Kairi to throw herself out of the way of a passing mine cart.  Dopey had commandeered the vessel and sent it hurtling towards the shadows.  "Dopey?  Wait!"
        Kairi raced over to the mine cart and hopped alongside Dopey, who nervously steered the cart along the tracks, looking from side to side to see if he could find one of the dwarfs.  Kairi also joined in on the watching, until several raven-like Heartless appeared in the air above them and darted towards the mine cart.  One struck one of the wheels and almost knocked the cart off track.  Kairi struck it down with her Keyblade, but watched nervously as more flew above them, their eyes fixed on destruction.

Protect the Mine Cart from the Heartless

GET BONUS:

Kairi Learned Treasure Magnet

        The last raven was scared off by a thunderous sound that rang out in the mine.  The raven vanished into the shadows as the destructive sneezing continued.  Dopey used the handbrake on the cart and stopped in front of a dwarf, who wheezed and sounded stuffy as he breathed.  "Don't suppose you have room for a--a--ACHOO!"  Kairi jumped back from the force of the sneeze as Sneezy hopped into the mine cart.  "Thanks.  I think I saw Bashful and Happy by our ruby lanes."

        "Then it's the ruby lanes next, Dopey" Kairi exclaimed.  "Hurry!"  

        Dopey shifted the brake to allow the cart to move again.  As the cart whirred down the tracks, it was almost knocked off course by a large rounded heartless that stood in the way.  Kairi aimed her Keyblade at the dark being and obliterated it with one bolt of lightning.  Another Large Body appeared and tackled the mine cart, but this caused it to vault ahead at an uncontrollable speed.  Kairi grabbed ahold of the cart as it sped down a steep hill.  

        

        Back at the cottage, Grumpy stood in front of Snow White, who had just recently arrive, as Heartless cornered the two.  "Get yerself inside, Princess!  This is no place fer ya to be!"  

       Snow White gasped.  "But Grumpy?  What about you?"

        Grumpy grinned.  "Let's just say ol' Grumpy's got a few tricks up his sleeve!  Now go!  And don't you be coming out until the others return?  Got it?"  

       The princess nodded and disappeared behind the doors of the Dwarf Cottage.  Grumpy cracked his knuckles as the Heartless encircled him.  Grumpy remained confident, until a shadowy specter appeared around him as well.  The spirit of the Wicked Queen smirked as Grumpy grabbed a pick-ax and prepared to defend himself.  

        "You have courage, Master Dwarf" the Queen snarled.  "But not enough brains to know when you are outclassed.  Stand aside, and allow me to finish what I started a long time ago."  

        Dopey stopped the Mine Cart as they spotted Happy, Doc and Bashful still mining some ruby's out of the shimmering walls of the ruby lane.  Kairi hopped out and hurried over to the dwarfs.  Happy turned around and greeted her.  "Hello, deary.  What can we do for you?"

        Kairi nodded.  "It's nice to meet you, Happy.  I'm Kairi.  I'm a friend of Snow White's.  I'm here to get you and the others out of the mine to meet with her."

        Happy scratched his head.  "We're supposed to meet Snow White, today?"

        Bashful stopped mining and walked up to his fellow dwarf.  "Gosh, I thought that was supposed to be tomorrow.  With all the Heartless running around, I just hope she makes it all right."

       "Let's go and meet her then" Doc exclaimed.  Dopey tugged at his shoulder with a worried expression on his face.  "Oh no!  That's right.  We need to find Sleepy too.  I wonder where he is."  

        "We've looked all over the mine" Kairi said searchingly.  "Where else could he be?"

        "Sleepy always likes to bake traps--duh I mean--take naps near the entrance.  He's got to be there."

        "Then let's go!" Kairi shouted as the Dwarfs all piled into the mine cart.  

        Kairi looked ahead as the mine cart finally arrived back in the entrance, only to find a massive raven-like Heartless soaring above them and screeching violently.  The dwarfs ducked into the cart as their Keyblade guardian leapt out into the line of fire.  "Back off!"

        Defeat The Heartless

Boss Battle: Archaven

HP: 310

NOTE: Use Thunder based attacks to defeat this aerial opponent

Battle Music: Extreme Encounters

GET BONUS:

Kairi Learned Wishing Edge

+5 HP 

        Kairi lowered her Keyblade as the Archaven vanished into the shadows.  As she heaved a sigh of relief, she heard a loud snoring noise near the entrance to the mine.  She peered ahead and saw the dwarf sleeping near the entrance.  "Sleepy!"

        Sleepy yawned loudly and looked towards the group.  "Did I miss something?  Is it nap time, yet?"

        "No one takes naps around here except for you" Doc grumbled.  "What are you doing wheezing--duh I mean--sleasing--duh I mean--sleeping on the job?  Don't you know you're supposed to keep a look out for all them monsters?"

        "Haven't seen any monsters, Doc" Sleepy drooped.  "But I do think I saw something that looked like the Queen here in the mines, before.  But I coulda been dreaming."

        "THE QUEEN?" the other dwarfs gasped.  Dopey found his old hiding space beneath the logs and resumed his position.  

        "What's this about a Queen?" Kairi asked, wondering why they were afraid of some monarch

        Happy sighed.  "The Queen was Snow White's stepmother and a mean ol' witch.  She was horrible jealous of Snow White's beauty.  So, after she sent some hoodlum out to hurt her, she changed into an old hag and gave her a poisoned apple.  Only the quick work and thinking of a young woman and Snow White's prince was able to keep Snow White's heart from sinking into darkness."

        "But if the Queen is back" Bashful gasped, "doesn't that mean Snow White's in trouble at the cottage?"

        "Then we have to stop her" Kairi proclaimed.

        "But your just a mild--duh--a child" Doc reasoned.  "The Queen may be too powerful for you to handle, my dear."  

        "I have to try" she explained, holding the Keyblade in her hand.  "I am a chosen wielder of the Keyblade.  I have to protect the light."  

        The Queen stood over Grumpy, darkness pouring from her shadowy form.  "I grow tired of this you pitiful fool!  If you are so bent on protecting Snow White, then you can JOIN HER!"  She fired a bolt of lightning at the dwarf knocking him backwards.  The Queen set her eyes on the cottage, until she noticed Kairi leading the rest of the dwarfs down the path.  "Hmph!  It's time for me to alter my plans.  But mark my words, dwarfs!  I will return for Snow White!"  With that, the Queen vanished into the shadows.  Her Heartless followed her and went deep into the bowels of the haunted forest.  

        Kairi skidded to a stop as the Queen vanished.  "We're too late."

        "What're ya talking about?" Grumpy asked, hunched over.  "Yer right on time!"

        Snow White opened the door of the cottage and hurried to Grumpy's side.  "Oh, Grumpy.  Thank you for saving my life."  

        "Fergit it!" he answered grumpily.  "What are we gonna do about that Queen?"

        "She'll stop at nothing to get to the princess" Doc exclaimed.  "We've got to keep her safe!"

        "But how?" Bashful groaned.  "She's in her castle full of magic and monsters.  We can't just barge in on her."

        Kairi looked at the distraught faces on the dwarfs and Snow White and sighed.  "I'll go.  The Queen doesn't frighten me.  And if I can find a way to stop her, you can have your reunion in peace."

       Snow White clasped her hands together.  "Oh, but Kairi.  It's much too dangerous for you."

       "I'll say, Red" Grumpy scowled.  "The Queen's a witch.  Not many who trifle with her make it out in one peace.  I'd steer clear from this one."  

       "But Kairi is the only one who can stop the Heartless" Sneezy reasoned.  

       Snow White looked at Kairi and was surprised by the sheer confidence she emitted.  The princess cautiously nodded.  "Please, be careful.  I wouldn't want anything horrible to happen to you."

       Kairi patted her chest proudly.  "Nothing will happen to me, princess.  I'll be back soon!"  Kairi turned from the Dwarf Cottage and took off after the Heartless.