Chapter 7 (Riku): The Jabberwocky
Riku bolted full steam ahead after the flying Heartless Isa had sent after Kairi and Alice. His fear was not only showing, but it was in full bloom. He would never forgive himself if something happened to Kairi on his watch. And he was certain Sora would never, either. Faster and faster he ran through the burning Lotus Forest, dodging falling branches and incinerated blades of grass. Several Heartless emerged and stood against him, but Riku was in no mood for them. "GET LOST!"
Defeat All of the Heartless
Riku looked ahead and saw the massive beast cornering Kairi and Alice by one of the few trees in the forest left standing. The beast closely resembled a dragon. In fact, Riku could just as easily mistake this beast for the dragon form Maleficent had taken to battle both him and Sora in Hollow Bastion. Though, there were a few differences. This beast, for example, was much more muscular and more snake like than Maleficent's reptilian flame thrower had been. And it appeared as though he could talk. He sneered down to Kairi and Alice, who seemed too worn out from fleeing from the beast to fight.
"So" the beast roared at his adversaries, "I can finally dine on the flesh of a Princess of Heart. Oh, how I have waited for this day. To think that everything has occurred exactly as Xehanort predicted it would." He prepared to wrap his tongue around his prey, when Riku intervened, slicing the black snake like tongue free from it's mouth. The monster reared back, snarling in pain.
"Kairi" Riku called to his friend, almost glad to take in the onslaught this new fiend had to offer. "Get Alice back to Disneyland and have Mickey seal the entrance."
"I'm not leaving you behind, Riku" Kairi answered bitterly.
"I'm giving you an order! Now go back and--" Before Riku could finish, the Jabberwocky struck again, breathing purple and black flames at the young warrior. Riku easily dodged the attack, lunging for the beast with his Keyblade in hand. Riku looked back and saw neither Kairi nor Alice. Sighing with relief, Riku was about to return his focus onto this enemy Isa had sent to dispose of him, when he noticed a certain red headed female lunging forward with her Keyblade in hand. "I thought I--"
"When have Sora and I ever listened to you?" Kairi asked rhetorically. "Besides, how will you ever think I'm ready to be one of you guys if you never give me the chance?"
Riku was about to argue, but his friend made a few good points. I can't baby Kairi forever. Maybe this is the test I need to give her to see if she has what it takes. Riku simply nodded and returned his attention to their Heartless opponent, who reared back and bellowed one last time, before charging.
Boss Battle: The Jabberwocky
HP: 915
Get Bonus:
Riku: Obtained the Fire Element
Kairi: +30 Friendship
+10 HP
The Jabberwocky reared back one final time, before dissolving into purple flames, which crackled and torched the beast until it's cried could be heard no more. When the mounting flames began to die down, a heart appeared from it's dissolving ashes, before vanishing into the darkness.
Riku looked to Kairi and finally smiled. "I gotta admit, Kairi, I was a little worried about you at first. I have to call it brotherly intuition, I guess. But you really are starting to grow stronger with the Keyblade. I'm proud of you."
Kairi beamed. "I'm glad to hear you say that. Now, I'm one step closer to being a Keyblade Master, like you."
"You both did a splendid job" Alice answered from behind the tree. The young girl returned to the forefront to greet them. "I am truly grateful for you all saving me from both that horrid man and the Jabberwocky."
"Alice" Riku called to the girl, "why did you return to Wonderland in the first place?"
"I didn't have a choice in the matter" Alice answered, a sad look on her face. "A few moments after Kairi disappeared into the Dwarfs Mine, the Queen's Card Soldiers arrived and kidnapped me. They brought me here to resume our trial that Sora had saved me from."
"How did the Card Soldiers get into Disneyland?" Riku asked aloud, both curiously and accusatory.
"From what I recall" the young girl recounted, "the Card Soldiers kept saying something about a man named Xehanort."
"XEHANORT?!" both Kairi and Riku exclaimed at the same time.
"Is he someone you know?" Alice asked.
Riku looked around, half-expecting Xehanort or one of his flunkies to arrive. But when none did, Riku opened a portal of light with his Keyblade. "Alice, we need you to remain in Disney Castle at all times. Until Xehanort is at least restrained, you are not safe here."
"If you insist" Alice answered curiously, "though I doubt it will do if some of that man's men can get into Disneyland."
Riku looked out into the now barren plains of Wonderland, only to find a near innumerous amount of Heartless gathering. Riku looked back to Kairi and Alice. "This time, Kairi, do as your told. Bring Alice to Mickey immediately and tell him Xehanort is once more at large. I'll meet you back in Disneyland when I can. Go!"
Kairi nodded, grabbed Alice's hand and led the girl through the portal of light. Riku turned to face his destiny. But as he did so, the massive cluster of Heartless began to combine into one massive ball of darkness. And the darkness was beginning to consume anything and everything. Riku knew that he was no match for this kind of darkness. He tapped his armor and began to fly off into the Lanes Between.
Riku arrived just outside of Wonderland and looked back in horror. The entirety of Wonderland was being consumed in darkness. "What the heck is going on here?" Riku asked aloud. Never had he seen Heartless be capable of something that catastrophic. He looked back towards any nearby world and noticed Yen Sid's tower nearby. "Yen Sid has to know about this!" Riku sped off towards his mentor's tower, his heart full of incredible fear.
"A mass of Heartless with the power to destroy entire worlds?" Yen Sid asked, with legitimate concern in his voice.
"I got Kairi and Alice out of there as soon as I could" Riku continued his report to the Master.
"I do not blame you for the events that occurred in Wonderland, Riku. However, you must be aware that Xehanort will use whatever means necessary to destroy the Princesses of Heart. Any that are not in Disneyland are in terrible danger." Yen Sid rose to his feet and walked towards one of his closer windows. his back to Riku. "Even Kairi can be in danger."
"What do you want me to do about it?" Riku asked impatiently. "We can only go to so many worlds at a time. How many of the Princesses are there, already?"
"If what you said is true" Yen Sid answered, "then Snow White and Alice are the only two. But Sora is trying to coerce Belle into leaving her world, and it appears Mickey has sent Kairi to fetch Cinderella. The gateways to The Enchanted Dominion and Agrabah are still sealed, so it will be some time before we can extract Jasmine or Aurora."
"Will Wonderland ever exist again?" Riku asked, worried about Alice's future.
Yen Sid turned back to Riku and nodded. "I have done enough magic to ensure the bulk of Wonderland shall remain. Still, the Heartless must have overrun the entire world. It will be some time before Alice can return."
Riku sighed with relief. "At least I got her and Kairi out in time. Master, do you think Kairi is better off by herself? With Xehanort hunting the Princesses, is she a possible target?"
"I should think you should learn to trust in Kairi's abilities" Yen Sid answered sternly. "You need to trust her the same way Sora and Mickey trust you, Riku. If you cannot, she will never be ready for Xehanort's schemes. Do you truly fear for her?"
Riku lowered his gaze and nodded. "She's like my little sister. I'm really protective of both Kairi and Sora. If anything happened to them, I'd never forgive myself."
Yen Sid stroked his long grey beard. "Well, if you feel afraid for their power, perhaps they should prove to you they can fight evil. Let Sora and Kairi venture to a few worlds together. Then, you can see for yourself that the two of them do indeed have prodigious talents."
Riku bowed to Yen Sid and prepared to leave, but Yen Sid cleared his throat. "I sense there is still more on your mind, Riku. What more is it that troubles you?"
Riku returned to facing Yen Sid, an incredible amount of questions burdening his heart. Rather than wait around for Yen Sid to answer every question he had, particularly about Sora, he decided to focus on one of the bigger questions covering his heart. "Isa kept mentioning someone named Terra. He said him and I had a lot in common. Does that name mean anything to you?"
Yen Sid lowered his face from Riku's view. "Terra is a Keyblade Hero that Sora must one day free from his pain. For now, that is all you need to know about Terra. When he thinks you are ready, Mickey will tell you, Lea, Kairi, and Sora about those whom Sora must save. We've allowed enough time to pass. Go back to Disneyland and keep protecting the worlds from Xehanort's wrath." Riku bowed before his master and left the room. Yen Sid looked out into the blank space and sighed. "Xehanort. Why must you insist on tormenting these poor young people? Why must they be burdened for your negligence?"
"I got Kairi and Alice out of there as soon as I could" Riku continued his report to the Master.
"I do not blame you for the events that occurred in Wonderland, Riku. However, you must be aware that Xehanort will use whatever means necessary to destroy the Princesses of Heart. Any that are not in Disneyland are in terrible danger." Yen Sid rose to his feet and walked towards one of his closer windows. his back to Riku. "Even Kairi can be in danger."
"What do you want me to do about it?" Riku asked impatiently. "We can only go to so many worlds at a time. How many of the Princesses are there, already?"
"If what you said is true" Yen Sid answered, "then Snow White and Alice are the only two. But Sora is trying to coerce Belle into leaving her world, and it appears Mickey has sent Kairi to fetch Cinderella. The gateways to The Enchanted Dominion and Agrabah are still sealed, so it will be some time before we can extract Jasmine or Aurora."
"Will Wonderland ever exist again?" Riku asked, worried about Alice's future.
Yen Sid turned back to Riku and nodded. "I have done enough magic to ensure the bulk of Wonderland shall remain. Still, the Heartless must have overrun the entire world. It will be some time before Alice can return."
Riku sighed with relief. "At least I got her and Kairi out in time. Master, do you think Kairi is better off by herself? With Xehanort hunting the Princesses, is she a possible target?"
"I should think you should learn to trust in Kairi's abilities" Yen Sid answered sternly. "You need to trust her the same way Sora and Mickey trust you, Riku. If you cannot, she will never be ready for Xehanort's schemes. Do you truly fear for her?"
Riku lowered his gaze and nodded. "She's like my little sister. I'm really protective of both Kairi and Sora. If anything happened to them, I'd never forgive myself."
Yen Sid stroked his long grey beard. "Well, if you feel afraid for their power, perhaps they should prove to you they can fight evil. Let Sora and Kairi venture to a few worlds together. Then, you can see for yourself that the two of them do indeed have prodigious talents."
Riku bowed to Yen Sid and prepared to leave, but Yen Sid cleared his throat. "I sense there is still more on your mind, Riku. What more is it that troubles you?"
Riku returned to facing Yen Sid, an incredible amount of questions burdening his heart. Rather than wait around for Yen Sid to answer every question he had, particularly about Sora, he decided to focus on one of the bigger questions covering his heart. "Isa kept mentioning someone named Terra. He said him and I had a lot in common. Does that name mean anything to you?"
Yen Sid lowered his face from Riku's view. "Terra is a Keyblade Hero that Sora must one day free from his pain. For now, that is all you need to know about Terra. When he thinks you are ready, Mickey will tell you, Lea, Kairi, and Sora about those whom Sora must save. We've allowed enough time to pass. Go back to Disneyland and keep protecting the worlds from Xehanort's wrath." Riku bowed before his master and left the room. Yen Sid looked out into the blank space and sighed. "Xehanort. Why must you insist on tormenting these poor young people? Why must they be burdened for your negligence?"
Forged a D-Link with Kairi
Obtained the Vorpal Blade Keychain
ATK: +5
MAG: +1
Ability:
Boost the Strength of Ground Combo Attacks
Obtained the Master's Crest Keychain
STR: +4
MAG: +3
Ability:
Restores MP relative to damage taken
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