Chapter 13 (SORA): Return of the Princess

Chapter 13 (Sora): Return of the Princess

      A scream on the shores nearby ended Sora and Kairi's moment.  Both looked up and towards the shores.  Rapunzel and Eugene's boat had docked, but Eugene was gone.  Rapunzel was surrounded by the two burly thugs from their time at the dam.  The thugs eyed Rapunzel with greedy looks and held a large burlap sack and rope.  Sora and Kairi hurriedly rowed their boat to Rapunzel's side as the thugs advanced upon her.  

     "He wouldn't!  He's not like that!"

     "We told you straight from his mouth" the thief sneered.  "Rider just led you on.  All he was after was that crown.  Unlike Rider, we're not gonna lie to you, sweetie.  We want that hair of yours.  And we're willing to do anything we need to get it."

      "Leave her alone!" Sora shouted, landing on the shore with his Keyblade in hand.  "You're not going to take her anywhere."

      "Stay out of this, kid" the second thief warned.  "You'll live longer that way."  When Sora didn't budge, Kairi jumped to his side with her Keyblade in hand.  The thief rolled his eyes.  "I guess we gotta do this the hard way."  

     "Run, Rapunzel!" Sora shouted.  The frightened girl did as she was told, running away from the scene.  

     When the second thief prepared to chase her, the first stopped him.  "Leave her.  With that hair, she can't get far.  We can enjoy this beatdown."  The thieves drew daggers from holsters on their belts and prepared to advance upon the duo.  Sora and Kairi remained on the defensive.  "Fight!"  

     Before the men could strike, both were delivered swift blows to the head from a blunt branch and collapsed to the ground.  Sora looked past the unconcious bodies of the thieves to see a woman, draped in maroon colored robes, wielding the branch in defense.  "Who are you?"

     "Aren't you Rapunzel's--" Kairi began

     "Mother?" a stunned Rapunzel asked as she returned to the shore.  

     "Oh, my precious girl.  Are you alright?" the woman asked.  

     "How did you find me?" Rapunzel asked, running into her mother's arms.  

     "I was so worried about you" the woman cried.  "So I followed you all here.  And when I saw those men attack you--never mind.  Let's get away before they come to."  The woman then looked to Sora and Kairi.  "I want to thank you two for protecting my darling Rapunzel for me.  If anything had happened to her, I don't know what I would have done."  

     "Your welcome" Kairi replied.  "We're just glad she'll be safe.  Right, Rapunzel?" 

     But Rapunzel was distracted by a ship sailing away in the distance.  When Sora and Kairi stared out into the distance, they saw the makings of Eugene sailing the boat away.  Tears swelling up in her eyes, Rapunzel fell back into her mother's arms.  "You were right, Mother.  You were right about everything."  

     "I know, dear" Gothel replied.  "I know.  But we really should flee before those brutes wake up."  Rapunzel slowly followed her Mother into the woods, but not before turning back to Sora and Kairi.  She nodded and waved sadly before vanishing into the dark forest.  

      Sora clenched his fists.  "I should have known Rider would do something like this!"

     "Something doesn't seem right, though" Kairi chimed in.  "Why would he go through all of that with us just to get some crown.  He looked like he was enjoying his time with her.  I don't get it."

     "That's just what he wanted us to think" Sora fumed.  "I should go tell him off right now!"

     "Sora, what is that going to solve?" Kairi asked.

     "I don't know" Sora sighed.  "I just--don't like it when people hurt others."  

     Kairi put her hand on Sora's shoulder.  "I know.  If Eugene has a side to his story, maybe we can ease Rapunzel's pain."

     Sora nodded.  "I think we should split up.  You go with Rapunzel and her mother to find out what exactly happened.  After we saved her daughter, I think she wouldn't mind the visitors."  

     "What about you?" 

     "If you think Rider has some good in him, I should be the one who has to find it for myself.  I'l lgo after him and figure this out.  We'll meet by the tower."  Kairi nodded and followed Rapunzel into the woods.  Sora turned back towards where Eugene's ship had sailed away towards and hopped into his boat to make his way after him.  

      Sora was surprised when he made it to the docks before Eugene's sailboat.  He skidded to a halt on the dock when the ship finally stopped moving at the docks.  He was about to chastise the thief for hurting Rapunzel, when he noticed Eugene was unconscious.  He'd been tied to the mast and made to look as if he was sailing the boat.  

      Sora scooped some of the water from the lake into his hands and splashed Eugene with it.  When he came through, he finally saw his predicament.  "What the--huh?  Wait?  Rapunzel?  RAPUNZEL!  Where is she?"

      "She's gone" Sora told him.  "She's going back to her mother."  

      Eugene struggled to free himself.  "Those stinking monsters!  They were going to hurt her!"

      Sora helped him unstrap himself from the boat.  "It doesn't matter.  She's going back home now.  She'll be safe there."

      Eugene shook his head.  "No.  She won't.  She'll be miserable.  Trapped up in that tower for the rest of her life.  I won't let her go through that again."  As he tried to board the dock again, Sora stood in his path.  "Sora, come on.  Let me through."

     "It's not for us to decide what's best for Rapunzel" Sora explained.  "If she wants to go stay with her mother, it's not our choice to make."

      Eugene lowered his head.  "Sora, please.  I'm begging you.  At least let me go and say goodbye."

     "I don't think Rider deserves that option" a sinister voice called.  Sora turned to see the two goons from before approach the boat.  "After what he pulled, he's lucky we haven't skewered him yet."  

     Sora called forth his Keyblade.  "What do you guys want?  I thought you were after Rapunzel?"

     "The girl with the magic hair was only part of the deal" the grunt explained.

     "Deal?" Eugene echoed.  

     "We were promised three rewards for our loyalty: the first was the girl.  The second was payback on Rider, here.  Finally--"  The thug pointed his finger at Sora's Keyblade.  "--was that."  

     "Sora's sword?" Eugene asked.

     "How dense can you be, Rider?  That sword is the key to unlocking everything we could have hoped for.  That, immortality, and revenge?  How could you get a better offer?"  

     Sora was about to attack, when Eugene leaped from the boat and tackled the thief.  When the second tried to intervene, Sora fired a beam of light at him and knocked him backwards.  Eugene and the thug wrestled until the brute was pinned underneath Rider's boots.  "How did you know about her?  Tell me NOW!"

     Terrified of Rider and the wrath of the Keyblade, the thug capitulated.  "It was the old lady."

     "Old lady?" Eugene echoed again.  

     Sora's eyes widened in horror.  "Oh no.  It's her mother!"

     "Rapunzel!" Eugene screamed, hurrying down the path towards the forest.  Sora followed him and came to a stop when Eugene was surrounded by Heartless.  "Out of the way!"  

     "Can't take a hint, eh?" a loud, bombastic voice shouted.  Sora recognized the voice instantly.  From the shadows of the night infested village, Pete stood behind his Heartless lackeys.  "You're not messing with my plans here.  That there girl's going to be my Heartless Servant."  

     "You'd better not--" Eugene snarled.  

     "Oh what?" Pete mocked.  "Mr. Big and Scary Thief is gonna stop me?  Ha ha ha ha ha!  Gimme a break!  Run along, pipsqueak!"  

     "Then try me, you big oaf!" Sora called, jumping to Eugene's side.  

     "Payback time, Spike-Head!" Pete laughed, sending his Heartless into battle.  

Boss Battle: Pete II

HP: 560

Battle Music: Rowdy Rumble

GET BONUS:

Sora Learned Guard Break

        Pete fell to his side from the last blow from Sora's Keyblade and quickly began to nurse his ailing wounds.  "Ow ow!  Ya little runt!  That hurt!"

       "There's more where that came from!" Sora shouted.  

       "Not for much longer" Pete snickered.  "I'm sure Mommy Gothel's already turning Rapunzel into a Heartless as we speak.  Then, once Mommy becomes one too, all that magic power will be mine!  Ha ha ha ha ha."  

       "You think she'd let you turn her into one?" Sora slyly asked.

       "She won't have a choice in the matter" Pete guffawed.  "Even if she manages to get ahold of a Keyblade, she still won't stop me!"  Pete prepared to call more Heartless to battle, but a loud whinny caught his attention.  He whirled around, only to find two large hoofs flying towards him and knocking him backwards.  Pete rolled past Sora and Eugene and into the water.  

        Maximus walked up to the boys, with a triumphant look on his face.  "Max" Eugene exclaimed.  "You came back for me?"

        The horse eyed him bluntly, then huffed.  

        "I figured it was just for Rapunzel" Eugene rhetorically responded.  He hoped aboard Max's saddle and turned towards Sora.  "We have to get to Rapunzel before it's too late.  If anything happens to her--"

       "You do care about her" Sora realized.  

       "Come on!  Let's go!" Eugene shouted.  

       Maximus took off down the path towards the forest.  Sora nodded contently, until he realized the disastrous mistake he'd committed.  "Oh no!  Kairi!"  Knowing she was in mortal danger if she was in the presence of someone who could turn others into Heartless, Sora put on his armor, summoned his hoverboard, and soared into the sky towards the hidden tower.

      Sora soared through the air atop his hoverboard, staying close to to Eugene and Max and they galloped on the ground towards Gothel's hidden tower.  Finally, the trio made their way into the meadow where the tower was hidden in the shadows of the valley.  Eugene jumped off of Max and Sora lowered himself down to the ground.  They hurried to the base of the tower to look for a way up.  As they did, the window that they'd climbed down some time ago opened.  Both boys looked up to see an immense amount of Rapunzel's hair flung out the window and landed beside them.  Eugene grabbed ahold first and began to climb his way up to the tower.  Sora followed at a distance, trying not to yank too hard and cause Rapunzel pain.
     Eugene disappeared into the window.  As Sora was about to join him, he heard a muffled shriek.  Sora climbed faster, but the hair was yanked back into the tower and Sora was left to dangle from the windowsill.  Sora struggled to get into the tower, as the window had been slammed shut behind Eugene.  He slowly swung his body up and down until his feet found the tower.  With one great kick, Sora kicked himself over and flipped up towards the window.  His feet blasted the window open and he landed inside the tower, Keyblade in hand.
     Gothel stood in the center of the room, her back to Sora.  "You are quite a persistent boy.  No wonder you were able to keep Rapunzel safe for so long."
     Sora studied the situation in horror.  Eugene was slumped against a wooden column, a large stab wound in his chest.  As the blood began to drop onto the floor, he continued to weakly try to get to Rapunzel.  Behind Gothel, Sora could see Rapunzel, bound in chains and gagged with a cloth, her eyes staring directly at Eugene, who slowly seemed to fade away.
      "Where's Kairi?" Sora shouted.
      "That's none of your concern" Gothel sneered.  "She and Rapunzel will guarantee me things I could have only dreamed of.  And I will not allow any obnoxious brats or criminals stand in my way."        Rapunzel struggled against the cloth over her mouth, until she finally wrestled it free from her mouth.  "Kairi's locked in the tower.  There's a tunnel over there."
      Sora dashed towards where Rapunzel had said, but two Large Bodies appeared to block his way.  Sora prepared to fight them, but noticed Gothel was preparing to drag Rapunzel away.  Before he could get past the Heartless to stop her, one of the Large Bodies knocked him backwards with his fist.  "Our secrets will die with them."
       "We won't have any secrets!" Rapunzel proclaimed.  "I will never stop fighting you.  If you take me away from him, I will always keep running away from you and you will never find me!"  Rapunzel took a deep breath.  "But if you let me heal him, I won't struggle or resist.  I'll go away with you and we can have that life you want.  Just let me heal him."
       A stone cobble burst open from the floor and Kairi emerged, flinging rope and a cloth to the ground and surveying the situation.  Gothel slammed Rapunzel's chains to the ground and ran over to Sora.  Dazed, he was unable to stop Gothel from grabbing him and placing her knife near his chest.  "I want that Keyblade.  Unless you want your friend to die, I suggest you go back down there, child."
       "Never!" Kairi shouted, aiming her Keyblade at the evil woman.
       "LET THEM GO!" Rapunzel shouted.  "Let them go and let me heal him.  And I will go with you."
       Gothel dropped Sora to the ground.  "How should I trust you?"
       "Rapunzel?" Kairi asked.
       "Kairi" Rapunzel explained.  "Losing someone for a while is one thing.  But if I keep fighting this, we both lose the two people we care about most in the world.  If one of us has to lose something, I'm glad it will be me."
      Gothel studied Rapunzel before undoing her chains.  "Make it quick."
      The Heartless stood near Kairi as she tended to Sora.  "Are you alright?"
      Sora nodded.  "Ye--yeah.  But we can't just--"  Sora tried to rush Gothel, but Kairi grabbed his hand and pulled him back.  "Kairi?"
      "Sora" Kairi pleaded.
      Sora was about to argue, but returned his attention to Rapunzel, who now tried to tend to a reluctant Eugene.
       "You're going to be alright, Eugene" Rapunzel whispered.
       "I can't let you do this" Eugene weakly insisted.
       "And I can't let you die."
       "If you do this, you will die."  Rapunzel and Eugene stared into each other's eyes.  The two leaned close to each other as if they were about to kiss.  But Eugene, with his last ounce of strength, grabbed a shard of glass from the broken mirror and cut Rapunzel's hair.  Rapunzel gasped as her hair turned brown.
       Gothel cried out.  "NO!"
       Sora and Kairi were stunned to find Gothel's appearance rapidly change.  She was quickly morphing into an elderly woman.  Her black hair became white.  Her face was filled with wrinkles and her skin turned a ghostly white.  She stumbled backwards until falling out the window.
       Rapunzel remained by Eugene's side, trying desperately to heal him without her powers.  "Stay with me, Eugene!  Please!"
       "Rapunzel?  You--were--my new--dream"
       "And you were mine" Rapunzel cried.
       Eugene coughed slightly before his eyes closed and his breathing stopped.  Kairi buried her head into Sora's chest while he comforted her.  Rapunzel took Eugene's lifeless head in her arms as she tried one last time to heal him with her song.  Heal what has been hurt.  Change the Fate's design.  Save what has been lost.  Bring back what once was mine.  What once was mine.  But when Eugene remained lifeless, she sobbed into him.
       A tear fell from her cheek and landed on Eugene's.  With that, Eugene's entire body began to glow.  Sora and Kairi watched as the light that had once shined in Rapunzel's blonde hair shined around Eugene's wounds and began to mend him.  With one gasp from a mysterious flower, the light faded.  Eugene slowly opened his eyes.
      "Eugene?"
      "Did I ever tell you I have a thing for brunettes?"
       Ecstatic, Rapunzel leaped onto Eugene and hugged him.  Sora and Kairi cheered as their friend had survived.  Before they could celebrate, a loud roar was heard from outside.  The two Keyblade Warriors rushed to the window.  A monstrous Heartless plant emerged from the ground, frightening Maximus.  The creature bore the same kind of design as the plant that had emerged from Eugene's wounds.
      "What was that?" Rapunzel gasped.
      "The darkness in Gothel's heart" Kairi explained.
      "She's become a Heartless" Sora added.  With two swift movements, he activated his armor and Kairi's.  "Find cover.  This place isn't safe anymore!"  The two jumped out of the window and summoned their Keyblades.  The two landed in front of the demonic flower, that rose from the ground and eyed them coldly.

Boss Battle: Furious Fauna 

HP: 850

Battle Music: Extreme Encounters

GET BONUS:

Sora: +5 HP

Kairi: +10 HP, +10 Friendship 

      The Heartless form of Gothel vanished into the light and withered away into nothingness.  From where it's massive form had once stood, a single heart shined and vanished as well.  Sora and Kairi sighed with relief and put away their Keyblades.  

      Back in the village, the friends had gathered by the castle.  Rapunzel stood calmly as the dark haired King and Queen came out of the main doors to see their daughter.  Eugene stood beside Sora and Kairi, who hoped that her parents would recognize her.  

      The Queen was the first to approach Rapunzel.  She was cautious at first, but when she got a good look at her daughter's green eyes, she threw her arms around her.  The King, in tears, followed in suit as the family was reconnected.  

     Eugene smiled on as Rapunzel reacquainted herself with her family.  Even Sora noticed how quiet he was being.  "What?  No quips?"

     "I never said I was always a wise guy" Eugene laughed.  "Besides, Rapunzel's back with her family.  That's all that matters."  

     "Yeah" Kairi agreed.  "And with Gothel and Pete gone, I'm sure we won't have to worry about the Heartless around here."  She turned to Eugene.  "You just make sure you're on your best behavior.  Especially since you're going to be with a Princess like Rapunzel."  

      Eugene nodded.  "I doubt Max will let me get away with much."  

      As Eugene walked away to be with Rapunzel and her family, Sora and Kairi turned to each other.  "I guess we're done here" Sora said.  

      "Uh-huh.  And there are more people out there who'll need our help."  The two looked fondly at Rapunzel and Eugene one last time before they called forth their Keyblades and summoned a pathway to the light.  

Sora Obtained the Sundrop Wonder Keychain

STR: +4

MAG: +3

Ability:

Boost the amount of damage given during Reaction Commands  

      

      

       

Chapter 12 (SORA): Night of Lights

Chapter 12 (Sora): Night of Lights

        No matter where the group turned on their path towards the kingdom, they would be attacked by Heartless.  At every new attack, Rapunzel would either leap behind Sora or Kairi, or would leap onto Flynn's back, flailing her frying pan at the enemies trying to shoo them.  As Kairi and Sora bested another band of their familiar foes, Flynn shook his head.  "Those things, whatever they are, are spreading pretty quickly."

      "You mean those monsters are everywhere?" Rapunzel nervously asked.

      Sora nodded sadly.  "Yup.  How long have they been running around here?"

      "For a while" Flynn explained.  "A couple of friends--well--we were friends at the time, were helping me out on a little appropriation in the kingdom,  When we hit the outskirts of the city, those things ambushed us.  I got away, but I'm not so sure about them."

      "How do we get rid of them?" Rapunzel asked.

      "Easy, Blondie.  Just sit back, relax, and let Sora and Kairi take care of them."

      "Yeah" Sora bragged.  "We've taken care of hordes of those things before."

      Kairi looked ahead towards a nearby dam.  Numerous Palace Guards were scanning the area.  "We've got company" she exclaimed.
       Flynn looked ahead.  "Oh boy."
      "Who are they?" Rapunzel asked.
      "They don't like me" Flynn answered shortly.  "I think we should--"
      "And who are they?" Kairi asked.  Everyone looked down into the canyon and noticed two burly and hulking thugs beside the guards in chains.  Both had carrot colored hair and muscles that reminded Sora of Gaston.  On top of that, when the guard approached them, they grunted bitterly and made strangling gestures with their hands.
      "They don't like me either."
      Sora continued gazing into the canyon and noticed a horse down in the canyon, frantically sniffing and scouting out the area like a bloodhound.  "And the horse?"
      "Let's just assume everyone here doesn't like me, okay?" Flynn asked impatiently.
      "How are we going to get passed all those guards?" Rapunzel asked.
       Sora looked around for a way around the canyon.  "There has to be a way around.  We could get through easily if Flynn wasn't a wanted criminal."
        Kairi sighed.  "Nothing is ever easy, is it?"
        Rapunzel looked over to the other side of the canyon and noticed two small posts.  She then bunched up her long blonde hair prepared to lasso it to the other side of the gorge.  "I think I can get us over there."
        Sora eyed the young woman curiously.  "How?  With your hair?"
        "If I can lasso it across to those posts, we can climb across" she reasoned.
        "And if you miss?" Kairi asked.
        "I think we should consider something else" Flynn responded.
        "We don't have another choice" Rapunzel answered.
        Sora and Kairi looked at each other.  The flare they noticed in each other's eyes assured them they had the same plan in mind.  "We can get the hair over there without you having to lasso yourself over, Rapunzel."  Sora and Kairi triggered their armor and regained their warrior's garb, only not putting on their helmets.  "We can fly the hair over and you and Flynn can climb across."
        "Fly?" Rapunzel asked.  "But how?"
        "Leave that to us" Kairi laughed,
        Flynn rolled his eyes.  "I really should not have gotten out of bed this morning.  First, I get chased by guards.  Then I get chased by monsters.  Then Blondie and her miles of hair.  And now, two kids who think they can fly?"
        Sora tossed his Keyblade into the air and allowed to transform into his hoverboard.  Kairi followed in suit as hers transformed as well.  The two hopped aboard, each with a bunch of Rapunzel's hair and flew swiftly over the canyon, hoping no one would hear below.  When they landed, they held the hair tightly while Rapunzel shoved the rest into Flynn's.  With that, she grabbed hold as she had when she left the tower and swung down and over.  As she reached the top, Sora and Kairi pulled her back onto the ledge.
        Despite it all, Rapunzel's actions had not gone unnoticed.  The guards now looked towards the side where Rapunzel had left and saw their target.  "Rider!  He's up there!  Get him!"
        "Hurry Flynn!" Rapunzel called out.
        Rider closed his eyes and swung down, but he swung too low and crashed into a nearby window.  As he fell to the ground, the guards began to follow him to his crash site.  The horse, in particular, galloped after Rider as if they had had some feud in the past.
       "We have to help him!" Rapunzel pleaded.
       "Why?  Can't we can get to the city without him?" Sora reasoned.
       "I wouldn't leave you guys behind and we can't leave him behind" the maiden affirmed her position.
       Sora looked to Kairi.  "You ready for this?"
       Kairi nodded.  "Yup.  Time to show you how much I've learned."
       The boy nodded and turned back to Rapunzel.  "Wait here.  We can handle this."  Before waiting for Rapunzel to answer, the two took off into the canyon.

       As he recovered and grasped at his cut open hand, Flynn found himself surrounded by guards and the horse in particular.  "So, did you guys miss me?"
       "Not enough, Rider" the lead guard growled.  "You're going to do some time for what you did.  Hard time!"
      "Captain!" another guard shouted.  The guards turned to see a horde of Heartless emerge from a nearby tunnel and surround the men.  Panicked, the guards darted off shouting, "Let them kill Rider first!"
       The horse bucked and kicked at the Heartless, knocking many of them back and stomping pridefully on the ground.  The shadowy creatures kept their focus on Flynn, causing him to nervously back against the canyon wall.  Sora and Kairi landed in front of him and stood guard over him.  "I appreciate the sentiment, guys."
       "Get a grip" Sora replied.  "We're doing this for Rapunzel."
       "Go take cover" Kairi ordered.
       "No need to tell me twice" Flynn called back as he darted down deeper into the canyon.  Sora and his best friend stood back to back as they found themselves surrounded by the same creatures they'd been fighting for years.  Without hesitating, they leaped into actions.

Defeat All of the Heartless!

        Sora and Kairi looked down as the last Heartless faded into the darkness to find Flynn.  The horse had chased him deeper into the canyon,  Flynn dodged the horse the best he can, as the creature had plucked up a sword and tried to strike him with it.  Sora was about to aim his Keyblade to knock the creature back, but a loud creaking noise caught his attention.  He looked back and saw Rapunzel, who had wrapped her hair around one of the braces for the dam and yanked it free.  As the water built behind the dam began to squeeze through, she slid down on a wooden plank and skidded past Sora and Kairi.  "Come on you guys!" she shouted.  

       "What the--?" Kairi asked. 

       "That was awesome" Sora exclaimed.  

       Kairi rolled her eyes.  "We can talk later.  Let's get out of here!"  

        Sora and Kairi darted down towards Flynn and Rapunzel.  The horse was paralyzed in fear as he noticed the water coming towards him.  Rapunzel and Flynn had taken the opportunity to escape into another tunnel.  Sora and Kairi took off after them as the tunnel began to show signs of collapsing.  They slid into the tunnel just as a boulder collapsed, blocking both their exit and the light within the tunnel.  But it did not keep the water from flowing into the tunnel.  As the water flooded the tunnel, the companions could only find a dead end from this last tunnel.  

        "How do we get out of here?" Rapunzel asked worriedly.  

        "I've got nothing" Flynn answered.  "Sora?  Kairi?"

        "We should be able to blast our way out with our Keyblades" Sora reasoned, "but if we hit the wrong place, we could drown or crush ourselves."  

        "So don't hit the wrong place" Flynn laughed nervously as the water seeped into boots.  

        "We can't see anything" Kairi reasoned.  "We'd be making a blind shot!"  

        "This can't be happening!" Flynn cried.  

        "We're going to be alright!" Rapunzel spoke softly, but Sora could notice she too was fighting off tears of intense horror.  

        "So much in life we haven't done" Flynn shouted as the water pushed the group to the top of the tunnel and their last breaths of air.  

         Sora looked frantically for a way out but could not find one.  "What are we gonna do?"

         "Eugene Fitzherbert!" Flynn shouted.  

        Rapunzel, Sora, and Kairi all stared at Rider in confusion.  "What?"

         "My real name is Eugene Fitzherbert" he yelled again.  "I figured before we die, someone ought to know."

        Sora and Kairi both shouted "I've never--" but when they noticed the other was going to speak, they both silenced themselves.  When neither said another word, they turned away from each other, their cheeks slightly red.  

         Rapunzel sighed.  "I have magic hair that glows when I sing."  

         Flynn and the Keyblade warriors know eyed Rapunzel curiously.  "What?"

        "I have--I have--I HAVE MAGIC HAIR THAT GLOWS WHEN I SING!"  Rapunzel grabbed hold of her hair and handed some of it to Sora.  "Have that sword of yours ready."

         "For what?" he asked curiously, spitting out water that got into his mouth.  

         "You'll see.  Flower, gleam and glow.  Let your powers shine.  Make the clock reverse.  Bring back what once was--"  The water consumed the rest of the tunnel in time for Rapunzel's hair to start shining.  Her friends were completely flabbergasted by the new turn of events.  Sora, using Rapunzel's hair as a light, saw a small hole in a nearby wall and blasted it free with a pulse from his Keyblade.  The water surged and roared, pulling the friends through the hole and out into the river.  

         Some time later, the four washed up on the shores of the lake, desperately gasping for air.  Rapunzel climbed out of the water first, exclaiming her happiness.  "We made it."

        "I was afraid we wouldn't" Sora heaved, pulling a still adjusting Kairi out of the water.  

        Rider was still in awe about what had just happened.  "The hair glowed.  Her hair glows.  Why does it glow?"

        "Eugene!" Rapunzel shouted.  "It doesn't just glow.  There's something else it does.  Let's find a safe place to make camp and I'll show you what I mean."

         Rider pulled himself out of the water and followed Rapunzel.  Sora sat beside Kairi as she coughed out the water that was in her lungs.  "Are you okay, Kairi?"

        "Mmm-hmm" she replied weakly.  "Just a little disorientated."  

        Sora helped his friend to her feet and the two looked towards where Rapunzel had sat Eugene down.  As Sora prepared to follow his friends, he thought he had heard Kairi laugh quietly.  He stopped to look at his friend, who wore a bright smile on her face.  "You okay?"

        "I'm just curious.  What were you going to admit when we were in that tunnel?"

         Sora looked away, hiding his scarlet face.  "Uh, nothing.  I just--well--we can talk later.  Let's go check in with Rapunzel."

         

        As Sora and Kairi returned to their friends, they saw the blonde haired girl wrapping her hair around Eugene's injured hand.  "Guys, will you promise me you won't freak out?"

       "About what?" Kairi asked.  

       Eugene looked from Rapunzel to his hand curiously.  Rapunzel took a deep breath and repeated the incantation that she had sung in the cave.  "Flower, Gleam and Glow.  Let your Power Shine.  Make the Clock Reverse.  Bring back what once was mine.  Heal what has been hurt.  Change the Fates design.  Save what has been lost.  Bring back what once was mine.  What once was mine."  

        The hair wrapped around Eugene's hand glowed once more.  When he unwrapped his hand, his eyes widened and his hand shook.  The cut in his hand was completely gone.  He was about to scream when Rapunzel stopped him.  "Please don't freak out."

         In a painfully forced voice, Eugene tried to assure Rapunzel.  "Who's freaking out?  I'm not freaking out.  I'm just very interested in your hair and the magical qualities it possesses.  How long has it been like that?"
        Rapunzel shrugged.  "I guess...forever."  Her tone changed as her eyes lowered.  "Mother says when I was a baby people tried to cut it.  They wanted to take it for themselves.  But..."  She pulled back her hair to reveal a small strand of brown hair.  "...once it's cut, it turns brown and loses it's power.  A gift like this needs to be protected.  That's why Mother never let me--that's why I never left--"
      Eugene eyed his friend sadly.  "You never left that tower?  But you still want to go back?"
      "No!  Yes?  I don't know.  It's complicated."
      A moment of silence followed, where all the friends sat in an awkward silence.  Finally, summoning the courage to continue, Rapunzel turned to Eugene.  "So...Eugene Fitzherbert, huh?"
     Eugene laughed.  "Yeah.  I'll spare you the sob story of poor orphaned Eugene Fitzherbert.  You guys wouldn't want to hear such a downer."  But when Rapunzel, Sora and Kairi leaned in closer to listen, he shrugged and decided to tell it.  "There was this book I used to read to all the orphaned kids.  It was about a swashbuckling rogue with more money than anyone and seriously popular with the ladies."
     "Was he a thief too?" Rapunzel asked.
     "Well...no.  Actually, he had enough money to do anything he wanted and could go anywhere too.  And for a kid with nothing, well, it seemed like the better option."  When both Kairi and Rapunzel seemed to be about to squeal in adoration, he raised his hands in disapproval.  "You can't tell anyone about this, okay?  It could ruin my whole reputation."
      Rapunzel snickered.  "Well, we wouldn't want that will we?"
      "Well a fake reputation is all a man really has, right Sora?"
      Sora leaned back and grinned.  "I don't need a fake reputation.  I make my own one."
      "You'd be one of the lucky ones, then.  Now, I think we need to know a little more about 

you two.  I've been all across this land and I have never seen any two people like you.  Sora?  Kairi?"
      Rapunzel eagerly rested her head in her hands.  "I'm kind of curious too."
      Kairi smiled.  "It's a long story."
      "Basically" Sora explained, "there's these bad guys who run around using the Heartless to hurt people.  They've already hurt plenty of people.  But the only people with the power to stop them are people who wield the Keyblade."  Sora summoned his Keyblade to his hand.  "Me, Kairi, King Mickey, Lea, and our friend Riku.  We're the ones who protect everyone."
      "Sounds like you guys have things taken care of then?" Eugene figured.
      Kairi lowered her head.  "Not really.  There are still friends we have to find and worlds to save.  And sometimes, no matter how many times we save a world, more Heartless keep coming back.  And if something happens to any of us...well...everyone we know and care about would be in danger."
      "You've been through a lot, haven't you?" Rapunzel asked.
      "A lot more than you'd think" Sora continued.  "But we won't give up.  There are too many people out there that need us.  And the Keyblade is what helps us light the way for all worlds lost to darkness and keep them safe from the Heartless."
      "Then" Eugene remarked, "I'm glad you're looking out for this place."  After eyeing Sora and Kairi curiously for a moment, he rose from the log he and Rapunzel had been sitting on and pretended to shake in cold.  "I should go get some firewood for us before I get sick.  Let's go, Sora."
      Sora shrugged.  "Okay, I guess."  Hopping to his feet, Sora and Eugene walked into the woods to collect firewood.  As he picked up a few thick branches for burning, Eugene began to laugh to himself.  Curious, Sora stopped him.  "What are you laughing at?"
      "I'm just wondering how long it's gonna take you to notice she's into you" Eugene remarked slyly.
      "What?"  Sora looked back near the campsite, but Kairi was out of his sight.  "You mean, Kairi?  No, she's not.  We're just friends--I mean best friends--uh well--"
      "Ooh, I think someone else might be into someone" he continued teasing.
      "Okay, so what?"
      The thief put a hand on Sora's shoulders.  "Let me guess, kid.  In all of your travels and journeys across the known universe, you've never once been on a date, huh?"
      Sora brushed off Eugene's comment.  "Of course I have!  There was that--"  But when Sora let the question sink in after a moment, he realized that he was dead wrong.  Not once had he ever been on a date.  He'd never even had a kiss with a girl, which was the secret he was going to reveal when he thought they would drown in the tunnel.  He'd certainly made friends with many girls and women, including Yuffie, Mulan, Alice, Ariel, and Aerith, and had even been kissed on the cheek by Elsa, but never once had he done what he was certain his friend had done at least a dozen times.
      "I thought so.  Hey, it's no big deal, kid.  Just because some get more practice than others, doesn't mean it's over for you.  Look, I used to be a nervous kid like you.  But after you clear your first date, the rest of 'em are smooth sailing."  Eugene handed Sora more branches, causing him to stagger.  "Come on, Sora.  Tomorrow night in the kingdom is supposed to be one of the most romantic nights out there.  While I take Rapunzel out onto the lake to see her lantern show, you can take Kairi out."
      "Gee, I don't--"
      "Kid, what you need is confidence.  If you've fought hordes of those monsters, I think you could handle taking a friend out on a date."  Eugene prepared to leave Sora in the woods with most of the branches, but turned back to him.  "One last thing, before we go back.  There are just some chances you won't get to take back.  A girl like that, in your case, may not be there forever."
       As Eugene returned to the camp and called to the girls, Sora was left alone with the branches.  Eugene's words rung in his ears like bells.  What if he's right?  Someone like Kairi won't be free forever.  Maybe I should--

       As Sora finally returned to his friends, he found Kairi and Rapunzel struggling to keep Eugene from being dragged off by the same horse they'd encountered in the gorge.  No matter how far they ran, the horse was obsessed with bringing the thief to justice.  "What the heck is going on here?"
      As Kairi and Rapunzel pulled Eugene free, the horse stumbled backwards with his boot.  Eugene scrambled away and backed himself against a rock nearby.  As the horse charged again, Rapunzel stood in it's way.  "Whoa whoa!  Easy.  It's okay.  Calm down.  Sit.  Sit!"
      The horse stared at Rapunzel, then eyed Pascal, who sat on Rapunzel's head and urged the horse to comply.  Defeated, the horse slumped down.
      "Now drop the boot!"
      The horse whinnied defiantly.
      "Drop it!"
      After a moment, it's will weakened, the horse dropped Eugene's boot.  With that, Rapunzel began tenderly stroking the horse's mane.  "You are such a good boy.  Yes you are."
      "Did I miss something?" Eugene asked aloud, in complete shock at Rapunzel's attitude towards the horse.  "He's a bad horse!"
      "He is not" Rapunzel insisted.  "He's just a big softee, aren't you?"  Rapunzel lifted the horse's head and read the name on it's golden plate.  "Maximus?"
      The horse whinnied eagerly and allowed Rapunzel to pet him more.  Kairi shrugged.  "I guess it's better than being chased all over the place."
      "You can't be serious" Eugene insisted.  "Come on!  He'll crush you in your sleep!"
      As Maximus and Eugene got close again, Rapunzel came in between them.  "Hold on a second.  Today is one of the most important days in my life, okay?  And I need this thief to take me to see the lights today."  Maximus tried to brush past Rapunzel.  "And it's also my birthday."
      Maximus looked from Rapunzel to his target and slumped back again.
     "Was that so hard?" Rapunzel asked.  "Now, we're going to the kingdom to see the lights.  And tomorrow, you two can chase each other to your heart's content.  Okay?"
      When both rivals refused to budge, Rapunzel moved Eugene's arm and the horse's front leg up towards the other to emulate a handshake.  When they finally sealed their brief truce, Rapunzel looked past them and saw the bridge leading towards the kingdom.  She swiftly slid past them and stood in awe at the sight of the village beneath the castle.
       Maximus and Eugene stared each other down bitterly until Sora and Kairi came in between them.  "Remember, you're doing this for Rapunzel" Kairi reminded the two rivals.  She leaned close to Maximus.  "And if you keep your promise to her, I'll make sure you get a nice big bag of apples."
       Whinnying in approval, Maximus took off after Rapunzel.  Eugene laughed.  "You have no idea what you're getting into.  That thing's a menace to--"
       "Thieves?" Sora asked condescendingly.
       "Don't you have some apples to get or something?" Eugene replied, slowly walking after his charge.
        Sora turned to Kairi.  "Well, you said we should buy him some apples.  Guess we'd better go look for some."
       Kairi laughed.  "Come on, Sora.  What did you expect me to do?  Let the two of them beat each other?"
       "I guess not."
       "Let's at least go and make sure their aren't any Heartless in the city, okay?"  Kairi hurried into the city with her friend close behind her.

       The village beneath the castle was a bustling marketplace filled with people celebrating the Day of Lights.  Rapunzel could not keep her hands to herself, enjoying all of the wondrous new sights and smells for her.  When she kept tripping over her hair in all the excitement, Eugene convinced a group of sisters to braid the long blonde hair and make sure she wouldn't be tripped by it again.
       Kairi and Sora found themselves immersed with the culture of the village as well.  An artist painted the two of them as he noticed them walk by his shop.  They noticed many of his beautiful murals, including one of the King and Queen and their lost daughter.  Both Keyblade Warriors studied the mural closely, as their daughter looked strangely familiar to them.
      "Sora?  You don't think--"
      "It could be" Sora reasoned.  "But I don't know how she--"
      Before they could finish, a band of street performers began to reach the climax of their musical movement.  Rapunzel began gathering all of the villagers in to the center of the square for a dance.  When she noticed her friends weren't involved, she danced and spun her way over to have them dance alongside her.  Wanting in on the fun, Kairi took the arm of one of the little boys Rapunzel had coerced and she twirled and danced with him.  Sora, Maximus, and Eugene watched from the sidelines as the girls had fun.  Noticing some guards marching nearby, Eugene ducked nervously behind the horse, causing it to whinny approvingly.
      "You'd be worried too if you knew what would be in store for me" Eugene reasoned.
      "Well, not everyone is a thief, Rider" Sora laughed.
      "And not everyone is the hero type, Sora" Eugene mockingly saluted.
      Before Sora could react, Rapunzel had grabbed his arm and pulled him into the dancing crowd, while Kairi did the same for Eugene.  The girls moved with the grace of the wind, while the boys tried their hardest to catch up with them as the tempo grew faster and faster.  Every time Sora spotted Kairi, or Eugene glimpsed Rapunzel, they would get spun in a different direction, unable to meet up with their partner of choice.  It wasn't until the music finally stopped that the friends were reunited.  Rapunzel and Flynn matched up as though it had been predetermined, while Kairi had been gently tossed into the air and landed in Sora's arms.
     The crowds of villagers cheered and applauded the dancing of the couples.  Realizing how close they were, all four pulled away from their partner nervously, hiding awkward smiles and crimson cheeks.  Their attention was diverted when many of the villagers began hurrying for boats docked in the harbor.
      "Why are they going towards the harbor?" Rapunzel asked.
      "Seats on the water are the best views for the show" Eugene explained, handing a bag of apples to Max, who looked at him curiously.  "What?  I bought them."  The horse then happily ate the apples he was given while the friends followed the people to the docks.
     
       With two small rowboats left as the main ships departed, Eugene tapped Sora's arm as the girls headed for the docks.  "I think this might be a perfect time for your confidence to grow.  I'll take Rapunzel and you take Kairi."
       Sora nodded.  "Okay.  If you say so."
       "Kid, there isn't much you could do to mess this up."  Eugene walked over to the docks and picked up Rapunzel, plopping her into the boat and hopping in after her.  As they rowed out into the water, Sora nervously approached Kairi.
       Kairi's smile began to wash away all nervousness in Sora's mind and heart.  "Are you ready, Sora?"
       Sora nodded.  "Of course."  Sora walked down the dock and stepped into the boat.  Two lanterns had already been placed there.  As he made sure he kept his footing, he turned to Kairi.  He took her hand and helped her into the boat.  As she sat down on one of the seats, Sora began to row their boat out towards Rapunzel and Eugene's.

       As the night sky crept over the Kingdom, Sora and Kairi's boat finally reached the middle of the lake.  Kairi looked out into the beautiful blues of the starry unknown and let out a soft sigh.  Sora noticed this and looked at her casually.  "Are you okay?"
     "It's just--" Kairi began, but caught her breath.  "Three years ago, all we could worry about was trying to get our raft out onto the open water."
     Sora nodded.  "A lot's changed."
    "And we've done so much since then" Kairi continued.  "But now, we're getting so close to stopping the darkness and saving the world.  What's going to happen after all this?  What will happen to all our friends?  To Mickey?  To Donald and Goofy?  What about Lea?  Riku?  Us?"
      Sora was surprised at the seriousness of her question.  He had never even hazarded a thought to that kind of a future.  He'd been so used to hopping from place to place with his friends trying to save the day, that the days of peace and quiet seemed like things of fantasy.  But a few years ago, the life he leads today would have seemed like a fantasy.  "Wow.  Um--I don't know.  Maybe, we'd go back home and get back to what we were doing."
      "But what about all the things we've done?  What about all the people we've met?  What happens to all of them when we stop the Heartless?"
      Sensing the distress in Kairi's voice, Sora put his hands on her shoulders.  "You and I are going to figure things out.  Okay?  Even though the worlds might go back to the way they were before, I know the one thing that won't change is that we're going to be there for each other.  You, me--heh--even Riku.  No matter what happens out there, we'll always find each other again."  Sora reached into his pocket and pulled out a star shaped object.
     Kairi beamed.  "My good luck charm."
     "Anytime I think like you just did" Sora reasoned, "I remember you gave me this.  I remember that promise we made back in Traverse Town and I can see things the way they're meant to be.  But, if you think you may need it, you can have it back."  Sora let the charm slide down on it's thread and prepared to hand it to Kairi.  When she didn't take it, he held it out in his hand once again.  This time, Kairi took Sora's hand and put it down beside them.
     "I gave that to you" Kairi smiled.  "It's just as much yours as it is mine."
     Sora gulped nervously again.  "You sure?"
     "I know I am.  And I know I can count on you for anything."
     Sora and Kairi leaned closer to each other, but as they did, the skies above them began to light up.  Looking towards the castle, the first series of lanterns began to fill the evening skies.  From boats and streets all over the kingdom, the lights began to float into the sky and shine with the light beckoning the lost princess to them.
     Kairi called her Keyblade to her hand.  "Let's light the skies, Sora."
     Sora nodded and summoned his to his hand.  Each tapped their friend's and they lit up as the others had done.  Taking the lanterns in their hands, they gently bumped them into the sky and they floated up and away with their counterparts.  Leaning back, Sora reclined himself back on the bow of the boat to get a better view of their lanterns.  To his surprise, he looked down and saw Kairi rest herself at his side, her head laying on his chest.  He expected her to jump back in place, but the smile she bore made him all the more confident.  The two sat and enjoyed the night skies above them, never wanting the moment to end.