Chapter 6

Kingdom of Corona

RIKU AND MICKEY STOOD FACING IENZO AND AELEUS in the laboratory of Radiant Garden. The lab had once been a link to another world, but Ienzo had transformed it into a hub for all the information they had gathered.

Mickey and Riku were there trying to learn more about Replicas—artificial copies of people that could be used to house hearts. Organization XIII had previously researched the concept, and their experiments had even met with moderate success under Vexen’s leadership. Riku and Mickey knew about the chilly academic’s demise in Castle Oblivion and the events surrounding it, but they weren’t sure what had become of him after he reawakened as a human.

“What?! We’re too late?” Mickey asked Ienzo.

“Yes. Even would know all about the Replicas from his time as Vexen in the Organization. He was recompleted like the rest of us, but he didn’t regain consciousness. After Lea left, he must have woken and taken his leave,” the young man in the white coat explained. Aeleus seemed disappointed as Ienzo continued. “Aeleus here and Dilan went out and turned the whole town upside down to try and find him. But no Even.”

“That’s not good,” Mickey said as he digested this news.

Riku asked the next question. “What about his research?”

“Unfortunately, his work on the Replicas was incomplete. There may still be documents around, but all of them from before he made any significant progress.”

Ienzo had called the research incomplete, but both Riku and Mickey had met the results of his labors in Castle Oblivion—namely, a copy of Riku called the “Riku Replica.” Riku had a feeling he had run into one other Replica as well, but his memories of the encounter were hazy for some reason. Either way, he knew his own Replica was no more.

“Do you have any idea where he might go?” Mickey asked, clinging to some small shred of hope.

“There’s no place that he could go now that he’s human. He has no means of leaving this world,” Ienzo replied, then let out a small sigh.

“The dark corridors…,” muttered Mickey, half to himself.

“…are beyond his faculties and mine now,” Ienzo softly added.

“But not everyone’s,” Riku said, breaking his contemplative silence. “What if Even was taken?”

Mickey raised his head. “Of course! The Organization could also use the Replicas!”

“To fill out their ranks,” Riku finished for him. Organization XIII shouldn’t have all thirteen members yet, meaning they would have a need for vessels to house hearts, too.

“We’d better go tell Master Yen Sid. And Sora, and the others, too!”

Riku nodded at Mickey’s suggestion.

I remember a conversation I had with my mother when I was just a little girl.

“Why can’t I go outside?”

“The outside world is a dangerous place. You must stay here, where you’re safe. Do you understand, flower?”

She told me why I can’t leave the tower—because the world is full of dangerous, terrible people, and she is the one keeping me safe. But what about those lights that appear on my birthday every year?

Rapunzel gazed up into the distant night sky from her window. Several lights were floating up into the heavens.

I need to see them. I need to see them for real, not just from my window.

I have to know what they are. And…I can’t help but feel like they’re meant for me.

When Sora, Donald, and Goofy landed in the next world, they found themselves in the middle of a lush, green forest. A gentle breeze drifted through the gaps between the trees, while the twittering of songbirds filled the air and soft sunlight filtered down on them through the leaves.

“It sure is a pretty day,” Goofy remarked as he peered up into the sky.

Sora gave a big stretch and replied, “Yeah, the weather is great. It’d be perfect for a picnic.”

“Why do you think we came here?” Donald wondered as he surveyed their surroundings. There didn’t seem to be any signs of Heartless or Nobodies.

“Got me, Donald.”

“We’ll figure it out as we go.”

Sora and Goofy didn’t seem overly concerned about the situation, and Donald wasn’t especially pleased by the fact. “Okay…,” he said.

“I’m sure we were brought to this world for some good reason, but can’t we figure it out later?” Sora asked as he walked.

“Fine with me, as long as there’s no Heartless,” Donald replied, and just then, they heard a man scream nearby. They all looked toward the sound and saw the owner of the voice sitting at the foot of a cliff, apparently having just fallen. And hot on his heels were a bunch of Heartless shaped like plants and flowers.

“Make way! Make way! Make way!” he shouted as he scrambled to his feet and charged by Sora and his friends, who in the meantime had gotten their weapons ready for a fight. Sora and Goofy didn’t seem too worried about the turn of events, though.

“You see? Soon as you mention ’em, they show up!” Sora joked.

“There goes our picnic,” Goofy added.

The man dashed through Sora and the others, then hid behind a large boulder.

“I didn’t do it!” Donald snapped, spinning to face his comrades with an angry wave of his staff.

“S’okay. Let’s send these guys packing,” Sora said, unfazed. He got his Keyblade back into position.

“Say, since you three seem to know what you’re doing, mind if I leave this one to you?” the man asked Sora, Donald, and Goofy from his hiding place. He had a small goatee and didn’t seem much for fighting. More importantly, he wasn’t carrying anything that would be helpful in a fight.

“Yup. We’ll take care of them. Go on, skedaddle!”

“You have my thanks,” the man said, then added to himself, “The horse was enough. Don’t need any monsters on my trail.”

“The what was enough?” Donald quacked irritably, not quite able to hear what the man had said.

“Oh, nothing, nothing. Name’s Flynn. Flynn Rider.” The man introduced himself, then shouted, “Ohh! Watch out, they look mad!”

As he reminded them of the Heartless bearing down on them, Sora and crew charged into the mob. Watching them, Flynn tiptoed away slowly at first, then ran off at full tilt.

“Huh? Where’d Flynn go?”

Now that the Heartless had been dealt with, Sora, Donald, and Goofy were searching for Flynn.

“He skedaddled.”

Sora and Donald were craning their necks looking for him, but the only one who actually saw Flynn’s escape was Goofy. “I think I saw him go thataway,” he offered.

“Huh? But ‘thataway’ is…just a dead end.”

The direction Goofy indicated ended in a cliff face covered by ivy.

“Yeah. That’s puzzling,” said Goofy, confused. He was positive he knew what he saw.

“I say we investigate.” Sora approached the wall of rock, but it was indeed a dead end. Maybe Flynn had found somewhere else to go?

“Well, at least he got away safe, right?” commented Sora, leaning back against the wall, when—

“Hey! Now Sora’s gone, too!”

As Goofy inspected the rock face, Sora’s voice came from beyond the vines. “This way, guys! It’s a secret passage!”

The ivy had actually concealed an entrance in the rocks.

With a quick glance at each other, Donald and Goofy pushed the vines aside and stepped into a short tunnel with a bright light at the far end.

“Let’s check it out!”

The trio ran toward the sunny exit and found a small meadow encircled by steep cliffs. A waterfall poured down into a river from the bluff on the far side, and in front of the water was an impressively tall tower.

Meanwhile, Flynn had woken up bound to a chair, unable to move.

Before him stood a girl with blond hair brandishing a frying pan. He realized the rope tying him to the seat was actually her incredibly long hair.

“How you doing? The name’s Flynn Rider. How’s your day going? Huh?” he asked the girl with the same nonchalance he had used with Sora earlier.

The girl remained stern. “Who else knows my location, Flynn Rider?”

“All right, hang on, Blondie—”

“Rapunzel,” the girl interrupted with her real name.

“Gesundheit. Here’s the deal. I was in a situation, gallivanting through the forest when I stumbled upon a—” Just then, Flynn realized something. “Oh! Oh no, no! No, no, no! Where is my satchel?”

Rapunzel crossed her arms, frying pan still in hand, and smiled at her panicked prisoner. “I’ve hidden it. Somewhere you’ll never find it,” she declared, then jabbed the pan in Flynn’s direction. She started pacing around him, the coils of her hair constricting him more tightly with each step she took. “So what do you want with my hair? To cut it?”

“Wha—?”

“Sell it?”

“No!”

“Wait. You don’t want my hair?” she asked, puzzled.

“Why on earth would I want your hair? Look, I was being chased, I saw a tower, I climbed it, okay? End of story,” Flynn snapped.

A chameleon—Pascal—poked its face out of the hair of Rapunzel’s head and gave him an appraising look.

Rapunzel and Pascal then started discussing something, until—

“Okay, Flynn Rider. I’m prepared to offer you a deal.”

“A deal?”

“Look this way.” Rapunzel hopped up onto the fireplace as she spoke, accidentally unwinding her hair and spinning Flynn’s chair until he hit the ground face-first. Completely oblivious, Rapunzel pulled aside the curtain above the mantel to reveal a painting of bright lights dancing in the sky. “Do you know what these are?”

“You mean the lantern thing they do for the princess?” Flynn answered from the floor.

“Lanterns? I knew they weren’t stars,” Rapunzel said raptly, then jabbed the frying pan at Flynn again. “Well, tomorrow evening they will light the night sky with these ‘lanterns.’ You will act as my guide, take me to these lanterns, and return me home safely. Then, and only then, will I return your satchel to you. That is my deal.”

Flynn rolled his eyes up at her from the floor. “Yeah. No can do. Unfortunately…the Kingdom and I aren’t exactly ‘simpatico’ at the moment, so I won’t be taking you anywhere.”

Rapunzel reeled in her hair, pulling Flynn’s chair upright, then approached him. “Something brought you here, Flynn Rider,” she pressed. “Call it what you will: fate, destiny… So I have made the decision to trust you.”

“A horrible decision, really.”

“I am serious!” She grabbed the back of the chair, her face earnest.

“Let me get this straight. I take you to see the lanterns, bring you back home…then you’ll give me back my satchel?”

“I promise. And when I promise something, I never, ever break that promise. Ever.”

Flynn looked away from her. His satchel contained a pilfered tiara; he really, really wanted it back, but the closer he got to town, the more people would be after him, not to mention the weird little monsters from earlier.

Either way, he wasn’t going to be getting that satchel back if he couldn’t get Rapunzel to play along.

As Flynn was considering the best course of action, the trio who had helped him popped into his mind. If I had them with me, then maybe—if worse came to worst I can let them handle things while I make a break for it.

“All right, fine, I’ll take you. But on one condition: my three sidekicks come along.”

Rapunzel nodded happily.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy were on their way to the tower when they spotted Flynn carefully climbing down the wall, jamming arrows in between the stones for support.

Beside him, a cascade of long, golden hair billowed to the ground, followed by a girl sliding down along it.

She suddenly stopped just shy of the ground, and then lowered her feet nervously the rest of the way. She crouched down and ran her hands along the grass.

“It’s so soft!” Then she burst into a run. “I’m free… I’m really free!”

Flynn watched her twirling and dancing around the hill, as he arrived at the bottom.

“Flynn, good to see you in one piece!”

“Guys! You’re here, and just in time,” he called out to Sora and crew as they walked over.

“Oh… Who’s she?”

“Uh, that would be Rapunzel. Something tells me this could be her first time outdoors. Give her a few minutes to get used to it.”

The girl in question was currently walking into the stream flowing from the waterfall.

It reminded Sora of the first time he left the islands. While he hadn’t been quite that excited, everything had seemed so new and different.

“I can’t believe I did this! I can’t believe I did this. I can’t believe I did this!” she cried as she dashed here and there about the meadow—only to suddenly stop and duck down by the edge of the water. “Mother would be so furious if she knew I disobeyed her and left the tower…”

Still, she perked back up in no time at all.

“But that’s okay—I mean, what she doesn’t know won’t kill her… Right?”

Rapunzel’s dancing quickly turned to fretting again.

“Oh my gosh. This would kill her.

“This is so fuuuuuun!

“I am a horrible daughter. I’m going back.

“I am never going back!

“I am a despicable human being.

“Best. Day. Ever!”

Sora and the others watched Rapunzel go back and forth for a while, until she at last dropped down by the base of a tree and burst into tears.

“I notice you seem a little at war with yourself here,” Flynn said to her.

“A little more than a little,” said Sora.

“More like a lot,” added Donald.

“Yeah…,” said Goofy.

Finally noticing the three strangers beside her, Rapunzel looked up in surprise and brandished her frying pan. “Stop right there! Who are you?”

“I told you before: my sidekicks,” Flynn answered, then gave the three of them a look. Just play along? Please? “May I introduce, eh…”

“Oh, uh… My name’s Sora.”

“Donald!”

“And I’m Goofy. Pleasure, ma’am.”

They quickly caught on and introduced themselves, but Rapunzel still seemed wary. Pascal poked his head out from around her shoulder.

“Sora, Donald, and…Goofy. It’s…nice to meet you, too. I’m Rapunzel.”

“Yep. My sidekicks,” Flynn reminded her.

Sora came up and tugged his sleeve. “Since when is that?”

“Look, she really wants to see the lantern show tomorrow night. Now, I’m a nice guy, so I’ve decided to help her. Only problem is those monsters might show up again. I can get her to the Kingdom—but you guys are clearly more cut out for combat. The hero type, know what I mean?”

Flynn was clearly buttering them up, but Donald took the bait. “We sure are!”

Goofy raised a hand. “And we’re Heartless experts.”

“Just leave it to us!” Sora added.

Flynn pointed at the trio with both hands and said, “Done.”

He then extended a hand to Rapunzel to guide her, and she began to walk along beside him.

“Rapunzel is interesting,” Donald commented as the trio started after them.

“Yeah, her heart’s pulling her all kindsa ways.”

Behind Donald and Goofy, Sora couldn’t help but think back on how it was for him when he ventured beyond his home, too. “The outside world must seem so big and scary. I know how she feels. Lucky for me you two came along at just the right time—and the rest has been unforgettable.”

I remember it like it was yesterday—leaving the Destiny Islands and arriving in Traverse Town, and then Donald and Goofy dropping on me from the sky.

“Awww…,” Donald said softly as he looked up at his friend, touched.

When Sora’s eyes met Donald’s, though, the moment was suddenly a lot more embarrassing than before. “Yep, unforgettable…just like your face!”

Once again, Donald started yelling angrily. “Oh yeah?!”

Yeah, I never had any friends before who looked as funny as you two!

Goofy stood grinning next to Donald as Rapunzel turned back toward them.

“C’mon, let’s go!” Sora called to his two friends, then started walking.

I’d never forget you, Donald and Goofy. You’re two of my best friends.

At that very moment—a woman was searching the empty tower. “Rapunzel!” she called. “Rapunzelll!!”

She was the woman who had raised Rapunzel, Mother Gothel. She paced around the chamber, but there was no sign of her daughter anywhere.

Just then, a ray of light shining through the window fell on something tucked away beneath one of the stairs.

Mother Gothel hurried over and pulled away a loose board, uncovering the satchel concealed beneath it. She pulled out the bag and examined what was inside, which turned out to be a glittering tiara. There was also a WANTED poster with Flynn’s face on it.

“Missing someone?”

Mother Gothel spun around in fright at the voice.

The intruder was a man with pink hair in a black coat. A dark mist hung in the air about him.

“Who’s there?” Mother Gothel asked, still terrified.

“She’s such a precious gift. Allow me to assist you in getting her back,” said Marluxia.

As he drew closer to Mother Gothel, her dark eyes took on an ominous hue.

Rapunzel’s enthusiasm was still going strong in the forest.

“Who would’ve thought flowers can grow on water! The world is just full of so many things I’ve never seen before!”

“Guess she really hasn’t ever been outside before,” Goofy remarked idly as he watched Rapunzel run around, beaming like the sun.

Suddenly, something Riku had said just before they left the Destiny Islands popped into Sora’s mind.

“If there are any other worlds out there, why did we end up on this one?

“We need to go out there and find out. Just sitting here won’t change a thing.”

He was just like Rapunzel is now. I don’t know if the path Riku chose was the right one, but I’ve never regretted venturing into the outside world. That’s how I met all my friends, too.

Her joy was contagious—she was having a blast, blowing dandelion fuzz into the air, chasing rabbits, and splashing water to make rainbows, and Sora had a great time swinging across ravines on her hair. Rapunzel was just fun.

There were Heartless along the way to the Kingdom, but the group was unstoppable. Rapunzel joined in the fighting, too.

But then…

“Oh, look. What is that?” Rapunzel exclaimed as she spotted something.

An enormous flower bud was growing in their path.

“Whatever it is, it’s not normal. I’ll go take a look.” Sora went over to inspect the bud, but he couldn’t find anything suspicious about it for the time being. “We’re all clear,” he called over his shoulder, reassured.

It appeared to be a normal flower that was just exceptionally large. But just as everyone breathed a sigh of relief—

That giant flower bud opened up, revealing a humanoid upper body with a scythe in its hands. It floated into the air and swung the blade at Sora with dreadful speed.

“Sora!” Donald shouted.

Sora spun around at the warning and swiftly dodged the slash.

As he got back to his feet and readied his Keyblade, two more monsters appeared.

“They’re Nobodies!” Goofy shouted. No Heartless this time.

“Mother said the outside world would be full of ruffians and thugs.” Rapunzel held her frying pan at the ready.

“Those aren’t ruffians. Those are…uh, I dunno…” Donald attempted to explain what Nobodies were, but he wasn’t sure how.

“Rapunzel, Flynn, stay back!” yelled Sora.

“No. I want to help you fight,” Rapunzel replied.

But Sora still planted himself between the creatures and his friends. “I know. But I’m afraid you can’t hurt these guys with a frying pan. Trust me on this,” he told her. “Flynn, could you explain?”

“No problem. Knowing when to flee is one of my specialties,” he replied, then walked over to Rapunzel and said, “C’mon, Rapunzel, gotta go.”

“But—”

“Look, I wanna stay and slug it out, too, but my sidekicks have it covered,” Flynn explained, but Rapunzel didn’t seem convinced. She regarded him for a moment, then turned back to Sora.

“All right. Please be careful, Sora.”

Once he was sure that Rapunzel and Flynn had finally fled to safety, Sora fixed the Nobodies with a steely gaze. It was time to fight!

The scythe-wielding Nobodies looked like grim reapers—but what were Nobodies doing here at all?

Sora couldn’t shake the question from his mind as he fought them.

If these guys are here, then—

“You know who uses Nobodies…”

“The Organization!” Donald quickly finished Sora’s thought.

“Yeah. I’m surprised we haven’t seen ’em.” Sora surveyed the area once the last Nobody had fallen. “I know you’re there! Come out, you has-beens!”

“‘Has-beens’? Now why would you say that?” asked a man in a black coat with shoulder-length pink hair, stepping out toward them.

Sora had never seen him before, but he glared at him anyway. “Because, bossing around Nobodies? That’s the old Organization. Why? Are you in the ‘real’ one, too? Good for you.”

The man snickered. “My name is Marluxia, and yes, that is correct. How interesting it is to see you again, Sora.”

“‘Again’? Do I know you?” Sora looked back at Donald and Goofy, but they only shook their heads. Weird—it does feel like I’ve met him before. But where?

“A shame you’ve no memory of me, because I remember you exceedingly well. Although…it’s those memories I’d soon erase.”

“I don’t know what you’re saying,” Sora said.

The creeps from Organization XIII sure like their mysterious monologues, don’t they?

“Nor should you. Nor will you ever, for that matter,” Marluxia replied, taking a few steps away. “Now if you’ll permit me, I’ve come to ask a favor.” He crossed his arms.

“Favor? You have got to be kidding me.”

“Please hear what I have to say. I’m sure you’ve noticed…” Marluxia paused and gave Sora a thoughtful look. “Well, perhaps not. But you know that maiden with you, Rapunzel, is the very light of this world. I would see you guard her from its dark horrors.”

The request caught Sora off guard. “Huh?” he replied, exasperated. “Starting with you, right?”

“All the Organization seeks is balance. You must understand, our ultimate objective is not to clash with the light. We seek to complement it. Use that Keyblade…to keep Rapunzel safe,” Marluxia told him dramatically, then vanished into a Corridor of Darkness.

“Rapunzel’s light…,” Sora muttered. Sora and his friends had once fought to protect the seven hearts of pure light—the seven princesses. Kairi was one of them. Which would mean Rapunzel was also—

“Hey. Where did they go?” Sora’s head swiveled back and forth, but there was no sign of Flynn or Rapunzel.

“I guess they musta run on ahead.”

“Then we’d better go find them.”

Sora, Donald, and Goofy resumed their trek into the forest…while Marluxia watched them go from atop a cliff.

Marluxia watched the dandelion fuzz floating against the sky.

These woods were lush in flowers, and the seeds of dandelions danced through the air. Some flowers, everyone can name—and some flowers are lost to obscurity.

The most terrifying thing of all is to forget, and to be forgotten. An errant link or two in the chain of memories can lead one astray. Sora and his friends are living proof.

Am I even remembering correctly? Have I not forgotten how I felt back then? Has my recollection not deteriorated after all this time?

The experiment in Castle Oblivion was about memory—and at the end of it, I vanished for a time.

Yet here I stand.

Who am I, and why am I here? Those answers should be clearly etched in my memory—shouldn’t they? Do I really remember? Who knows the truth?

I only recall the name of that flower, that tiny blossom—the name and nothing more.

Was I consumed by the blooming darkness and pulled down into this lightless oblivion?

Please, little flower, I only wanted you to blossom forever.

My dear little flower—Strelitzia.

After they had ventured through a gloomy marsh, Sora and the others heard Rapunzel shouting. “Wh-wh-whoa! Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Easy, boy, easy! Settle down. Whoa, whoa!”

Sora, Donald, and Goofy glanced at one another, then took off running. Rapunzel might have been under attack.

“You are such a good boy! Yes, you are.”

Once they were close enough to hear her more clearly, they found Rapunzel patting the nose of a white horse. By the look of it, the horse was angry with someone.

“Are you all tired from chasing this bad man all over the place?”

The horse neighed. Did that mean the “bad man” in question was…Flynn?

“Nobody appreciates you, do they? Do they?” Rapunzel cooed as she checked the plate on the horse’s neck. MAXIMUS, it said. Rapunzel grinned. “Isn’t that right, Maximus?”

Maximus didn’t seem entirely upset with having Rapunzel’s arms around him.

“Wha… You’ve got to be kidding me.” Flynn smacked his forehead, and Maximus shot him an angry glare. Apparently, Maximus had been chasing him.

“Look, today is kiiind of the biggest day of my life, and the thing is, I need you not to get him arrested,” said Rapunzel. Maximus shook his head fiercely and stared heatedly at Flynn. “Just for twenty-four hours, and then you can chase each other to your hearts’ content. Okay?”

Flynn gave up with a sigh and held out his hand to Maximus, but the horse simply turned his head away.

“And also, it’s my birthday. Just so you know,” Rapunzel added, her eyes full of hope. Maximus sighed, too, and moodily extended his front leg. Flynn shook it reluctantly.

“Rapunzel!”

Sora, Donald, and Goofy came running up. As soon as Rapunzel was distracted, Maximus gave Flynn a good kick, causing him to drop to the ground with a wheeze.

“You’re here. And you’re okay!”

“Yeah! You too.”

Rapunzel and Sora shared a smile. “And look! I made a friend.”

Maximus whinnied as Rapunzel gave him a pat on the nose.

“Meet Maximus. You could say Flynn introduced us. And where one goes, the other follows.” Then she gestured to Sora and his friends. “This is Sora, Goofy, and Donald. They’ve been helping me.”

Maximus seemed to have his doubts at first, but once he figured out they were Rapunzel’s friends, he tossed his head with pride and nodded approvingly.

“Come on, the Kingdom’s not far,” said Flynn as he got back to his feet, rubbing his stomach.

Beyond the forest was a lake, and beyond that was the magnificent castle town around the royal palace. Sora and the others walked along the shore until they found the stone bridge leading into town.

“Wow…!”

Rapunzel practically danced her way across the bridge with Flynn and Maximus in tow. Sora, Donald, and Goofy were not far behind.

“Rapunzel sure looks happy.”

“She does.”

Watching her running ahead with glee filled Sora and his friends with happiness, too.

As merry music drifted over the bridge toward them, the trio followed Rapunzel, Flynn, and Maximus through the gate. Everyone here seemed to be having a wonderful time; some of them were even dancing in the streets.

Goofy caught some snippets of conversation as they walked by. “They’re sendin’ the lanterns up after dark,” Goofy told Sora.

“Cool!” Sora cried excitedly. “We don’t wanna miss that!”

When they reached the plaza, there was a huge mural standing in the center, a mosaic depicting a little princess between the king and queen, with an inscription on it.

For the lost princess.

He saw Rapunzel was dancing along with the people of the city. Her hair was braided now, too, and threaded with flowers.

“Should we join ’em?” he called.

“Of course!” Donald bounced into the air, shaking his tail feathers.

All three of them joined hands with the townsfolk and began to dance, working their way around the circle until they finally found themselves back with Rapunzel.

Even Flynn, who had been watching from the sidelines, joined the circle eventually.

Time flew by, and before they knew it, the nighttime part of the festival was almost upon them. Once it was dark, Rapunzel would at last be able to see the wondrous lanterns in person.

The evening sun sank into the sea, and night fell upon the Kingdom.

Rapunzel and Flynn had gone out on the lake together in a small boat.

Goofy came over and sat down to watch the sky on a nearby jetty next to Sora and Donald, who were griping at each other again.

“Don’t you dare interrupt!”

“I know, I know!”

The big moment was almost here.

Out on the boat, Rapunzel, too, was gazing up into the night.

“I’ve been looking out a window for years, dreaming about what it might feel like when those lights rise in the sky. What if it’s not everything I dreamed it would be?”

“It will be,” Flynn assured her gently.

“And what if it is? What do I do then?”

“Well, that’s the good part, I guess. You get to go find a new dream.”

Rapunzel smiled, and Flynn gazed back at her intently. During the festivities, a special bond had formed between them.

A small light—a lantern—rose up from the Kingdom, signaling its fellows to join it in the sky.

The view was like something out of a dream.

Rapunzel watched with rapt attention as the night sky filled with innumerable lights, and then she turned back to Flynn. He was holding a lantern in each hand.

Their eyes conveyed everything that needed to be said. Rapunzel took a lantern from Flynn, then released it into the air as he did the same with his. They watched their lights float away together, drifting closer and closer as they rose into the night.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy watched all the lanterns make their journey up into the sky.

Unfortunately, the quiet was shattered when a bunch of Nobodies appeared behind them.

“Could you guys have possibly picked a worse time?” Sora sighed as he got to his feet.

“I don’t think they appreciate the moment, Sora,” Goofy quipped.

“Not one bit!” added Donald.

“It’s time for these wet blankets to go!”

Sora and his comrades jumped into battle with the Nobodies.

Not long after, the lanterns vanished into the night, and Rapunzel and Flynn returned to shore in their boat.

Flynn seemed somewhat nervous. “I’m sorry. Everything is fine. There’s…just something I have to take care of,” he said, walking away from Rapunzel.

“Okay.” She nodded uneasily.

“I’ll be right back.”

Flynn vanished behind some rocks farther down the shoreline.

Pascal appeared on Rapunzel’s shoulder, an uncertain look on his face.

“It’s all right, Pascal,” she told him, perhaps trying to convince herself as well.

A short time later, Rapunzel spotted a small boat sailing slowly along the black surface of the lake while she was waiting for Flynn to return.

She peered at it. She thought she could make out Flynn on it, but she couldn’t quite tell from here. “Eugene?” she called to the boat.

There was no response.

Instead, someone else appeared in front of her.

“Who are you?” Rapunzel asked, even though her eyes were still on Flynn and the boat.

“Forget Flynn Rider,” said Marluxia. “You know where you belong, and it’s not with him. Now…”

Nobodies materialized as if to keep her away from Flynn. Rapunzel gulped nervously and turned to flee.

She had only run a short distance, though, when her hair snagged on a log, trapping her.

Someone suddenly called her name. “Rapunzel!”

“Mother?”

It was her mother, gripping a branch in her hands. The Nobodies had vanished.

Did Mother defeat those monsters?

Rapunzel’s heart was flooded with relief.

“My precious girl.”

“Mother…”

Mother Gothel ran over to Rapunzel and swept her up in her arms. “Are you all right? Are you hurt?”

“M-Mother, how did you—”

“I was so worried about you, dear. So I followed you. And I saw them attack you, and—” Mother Gothel pulled Rapunzel into another tight embrace. “Oh my. Let’s go. Let’s go before they come to.”

Still in her mother’s arms, Rapunzel turned to look at the small boat making its way across the lake.

It’s just like Mother always said: The outside world is a terrible place. I was right to be afraid.

Keeping close to her mother, Rapunzel began to walk away.

“Hey, isn’t that Rapunzel?”

Once their battle with the Nobodies was over, Sora, Donald, and Goofy spotted Rapunzel being led away by a woman. There was no mistaking that gleaming golden braid, but at this distance, they couldn’t identify the woman she was with.

“Wait! Rapunz—” Sora shouted, but he cut off before Rapunzel could hear him as Marluxia emerged from the darkness.

“Show some decorum.”

Sora and crew got their weapons ready for action.

“You again!” Donald shouted angrily.

“The girl has found her dear mother,” Marluxia admonished them. “You should let them be.”

“And why is that?” Sora couldn’t hide his irritation.

“Because Rapunzel is far too important. Atop her tower, she must remain out of sight, and live out her days with Mother Gothel.”

“And never see anyone else?”

Goofy was confused, but Sora quickly caught on to the implications. “But that’s like…locking her in prison!”

Now that she’d experienced the wonders of the world outside, Rapunzel’s life in the tower would be so much harder.

“That is exactly what it’s like. Rapunzel’s hair holds the powerful magic of healing. And yes, Mother Gothel wants it for herself. As do others. And, if Mother Gothel’s actions will protect Rapunzel, preserve her…then she is doing the Organization a favor,” Marluxia admitted shamelessly.

Sora was stunned by how unbelievably selfish Marluxia’s logic was. “What favor?” he asked curtly.

“Let’s say she’s keeping Rapunzel on the shelf for us. An extra pawn in case you fail to find the remaining guardians of light, and we have occasion to call on other hearts of light instead. A New Seven Hearts to fill out the ranks.”

Sora hadn’t heard anything about this. “‘New Seven Hearts’?” he repeated softly. That meant Organization XIII needed the new lights of the princesses as backup.

There were seven guardians of light and seven new hearts.

Marluxia had also mentioned failing to find the other guardians—he must be referring to Aqua and the others.

“Yes. Seven who inherited the princesses’ light after their role was fulfilled.”

“So, you don’t care about her. You guys just want Rapunzel for your own purposes!” Sora glared at Marluxia and jabbed his Keyblade at him. “Well, you’re done here!”

“Hmph. I just knew you would go and make a scene. Very well, then it’s lights out for you.”

With a wave of his hand, Marluxia sent a mist swirling toward Sora and around his face.

Almost instantly, Sora felt his head growing heavy.

Huh…? Is this…?

A dream from which there was no awakening. Sora’s consciousness was slipping away.

“Sora!”

He could hear Donald and Goofy calling out to him from far, far away.

I can’t remember when, but…I don’t think this is the first time I’ve fallen asleep like this. When—when was that again? I can’t… I’m just too tired…

“You always were a sound sleeper.”

Those were the final words Sora heard.

Meanwhile, Rapunzel was lying in bed after returning to the tower with Mother Gothel.

Everything that happened—it all seemed like a dream. Maybe it really was a dream. The outside world was a nightmare, just like she said.

…Or was it? Was it really so full of terrible things?

Rapunzel clutched a small flag that she had gotten at the festival in her hand. It was embroidered with the sun-shaped crest of the royal family—exactly the same as the symbol on the ceiling, she realized.

Yes… Yes, I remember now. That tiara—it belonged to me. I know the truth now.

I—am the lost princess.

Rapunzel got out of bed and began to pace around aimlessly.

“I…

Mother Gothel was with her, watching her. “Please speak up, Rapunzel,” she said. “You know I hate the mumbling.”

“I am the lost princess. Aren’t I?”

Mother Gothel’s eyes went wide.

“Did I mumble, Mother? Or should I even call you that?”

“Oh, Rapunzel. Do you even hear yourself? Why would you ask such a ridiculous question?” Mother Gothel said soothingly as she reached out to Rapunzel, but Rapunzel swatted her hand away.

“It was you! It was all you!”

“Everything I did was to protect you.”

Rapunzel shoved away Mother Gothel and her attempt at an embrace, then dashed down the stairs.

“Rapunzel…”

“I spent my entire life hiding from people who would use me for my power…when I should have been hiding from you!” She hurried over to one of the tower windows.

“Where will you go? He won’t be there for you,” Mother Gothel declared coldly.

“What did you do to him?”

“That criminal’s to be hanged for his crimes.”

“No…”

“Now, now, it’s all right. Listen to me. All of this is as it should be.” Mother Gothel drew closer, pressing Rapunzel up against the window seat, then reached out to stroke her hair.

Rapunzel caught hold of her wrist before Mother Gothel could touch her. “No! You were wrong about the world. And you were wrong about me. And I will never let you use my hair again!”

Mother Gothel shook off Rapunzel’s grip.

“You want me to be the bad guy? Fine. Now I’m the bad guy.”

A dark aura appeared around Mother Gothel, and her eyes took on a crimson glow.

I’m asleep… Where am I? What—what am I doing?

“Sora!”

It was the morning after the festival, and the pale light of dawn fell across Sora as he slept. Donald and Goofy were shouting at him desperately, but he wouldn’t wake up.

Suddenly a young man riding a white horse came galloping by—Flynn and Maximus, as it turned out. Flynn had escaped his perilous situation thanks to the help of his friends, and now the two of them were on their way to rescue Rapunzel.

“Whoa, Max! Whoa, boy.”

Maximus screeched to a halt, and Donald and Goofy looked up, clearly upset.

“Oh!”

“Flynn!”

The young man peered at Sora from atop Maximus. “Is Sora okay?”

“We don’t know. We keep callin’ his name and shakin’ him, but he won’t open his eyes.”

Flynn sighed as Goofy filled him in on their dilemma.

“Sora!”

“Wake up!”

No matter how many times his friends shouted at him, Sora never stirred.

“Hmm… Unresponsive sidekick… Wait a minute. I know how to fix this!”

Flynn thought for a moment, his arms crossed, then turned his eyes toward the horse. “Max, give him a wash!”

Maximus licked Sora’s face.

“U-unh…” Sora’s eyes slowly opened.

“Well, that did the trick. Nice work, Max!”

The horse beamed proudly at the praise.

Since when were those two friends? Donald and Goofy watched the interaction, puzzled.

“Huh? How did I end up…,” Sora wondered as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and got to his feet.

Umm…

Then it came back to him.

“Oh no! Flynn, Rapunzel’s being held prisoner!”

“That’s right. In her mother’s tower. This calls for a rescue.” He paused and looked Sora in the eyes. “Are you with me?”

Flynn held out his hand. Sora took it, and Flynn pulled his friend up behind him atop Maximus.

“Yeah.”

Donald and Goofy jumped astride as well, with Donald on Sora’s shoulders and Goofy sitting at the very back. Naturally, the weight of the entire crew was almost too much for Maximus’s legs as he struggled to stay upright. But with a low, determined whinny and mighty effort, the horse managed to pull himself together and neighed again.

“Let’s go, Max!”

Maximus set off at full gallop for the tower where Rapunzel was trapped.

The dense trees and flower fields of the forest sped by; they were traveling as fast as Maximus could go, until Nobodies appeared to bar their way. They looked to be pretty tough customers.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy leaped down from Maximus, their weapons ready for combat.

“We’ll take it from here, Flynn. Go help Rapunzel.”

“Thanks!” replied Flynn, skillfully weaving his way through the enemies with Maximus.

“Okay, it’s party time!”

Sora charged into the pack of Nobodies.

Flynn made his way up the tower as quickly as he could.

I hope she’s okay. Well, Mother Gothel wants Rapunzel for her power, so she wouldn’t do anything to hurt her. But as long as she’s here, Rapunzel will never be free.

Once he had scaled the wall of the tower, Flynn poked his head in the window.

“Rapunzel! I thought I’d never see you again.” Then, he realized she was bound with chains, her mouth covered by a cloth, and he hurried into the tower to free her.

Rapunzel shrieked a warning around the gag as Mother Gothel crept up behind him to strike. Just as he realized what was happening, Flynn felt something like fire in his stomach. Rapunzel’s screams were still muffled.

Flynn fell to the floor and groaned at the dizzying pain, but he didn’t take his eyes off Rapunzel.

“Rapunzel, really! Enough already! Stop fighting me!”

Mother Gothel dragged the girl along by her chains, but Rapunzel was putting up a fierce struggle. The cloth fell from her mouth.

“No! I won’t stop! For every minute of the rest of my life, I will fight!”

Mother Gothel looked down at her fearfully.

“I will never stop trying to get away from you!” Rapunzel told her vehemently, then looked back for a moment at Flynn. Her rebellion turned to supplication. “But…if you let me save him, I will go with you.”

“No! No, Rapunzel…,” Flynn pleaded, his voice full of pain.

But Rapunzel wasn’t finished. “I’ll never run… I’ll never try to escape. Just let me heal him…and you and I will be together—forever, just like you want. Everything will be the way it was. I promise. Just like you want. Just…let me heal him.”

Mother Gothel glowered coldly at Flynn, then swiftly moved over to him and bound his arms with chains.

“In case you get any ideas about following us,” she hissed once she was sure he couldn’t move.

“Eu…Eugene!” Rapunzel ran over to Flynn. “Everything is going to be okay.”

“No…Rapunzel…” Saving me means she loses her freedom forever.

“I promise. You have to trust me.”

“No! I can’t let you do this.” I want you to be happy, even if it costs me my life.

But Rapunzel just softly rested her hand on his cheek. “And I can’t let you die.”

“But if you do this…but if you do this, you will die,” Flynn gasped out. The pain was starting to cloud his mind.

“Hey. It’s gonna be all right,” she said gently.

Flynn made one last attempt to save her. “Rapunzel…wait,” he murmured. She paused, and he reached out to hug her close—and then cut her hair with a shard of glass he had kept hidden in his hand.

“Eugene, what—?!” Rapunzel’s blond locks darkened before their eyes.

“No!” screeched Mother Gothel, gathering the fallen hair to her. Its golden light was already gone. “Oh, no. No…”

In a heartbeat, Mother Gothel’s body began aging, her raven hair turning white, her firm skin growing wrinkled, and her back hunching over.

“What have you done?” Mother Gothel pulled the hood of her robe over her head to conceal her decrepit form. “What have you done?!” Even her voice croaked like an old woman’s.

She thrashed about, screaming like a madwoman, and just as she drew near the window…

Pascal took the remnants of Rapunzel’s long hair on the floor in his mouth and gave them a hard tug.

The hair tangled Mother Gothel’s feet, throwing her off-balance and sending her staggering right into the window—and out of it, plunging to the earth below.

Sora’s eyes went to the top of the tower as he heard the scream. Something was falling—but all he could see was a robe.

What had become of the old woman, Mother Gothel?

Marluxia was watching from a distance. “Fallen to darkness…,” he murmured to himself. “We can’t allow her near our pure light now. Her presence would only cast a pall over it.”

The Organization member gave a dismissive wave of his hand, sending flowers dancing around Mother Gothel’s robe. Darkness enveloped it, transforming it into a gigantic Heartless that resembled a tree—Grim Guardianess.

Sora summoned his Keyblade as he stared at the four-armed monstrosity that looked like something straight out of the heart of a cursed forest.

The vile creature rushed toward him with frightening speed and loomed over him, bringing its arms crashing down. Sora sprang out of the way, while Donald used the opening to fire off a quick spell.

Grim Guardianess took the hit, then rolled her big eyes over angrily toward Donald and slammed her leafy, dark green head into the ground, releasing a shower of pollen over Sora and his friends.

“Quachoo!” Donald sneezed loudly. Sora and Goofy couldn’t stop sneezing, either.

“What is this stuff…? Achoo!”

It was all Sora and his comrades could do to avoid the Heartless’s attacks, since they were too busy sneezing to launch any of their own.

Meanwhile, Grim Guardianess latched on to the tower and started shedding branches to form a cage around the trio. When she had them trapped, she started raining down bombs shaped like nuts.

“Oh, come on! Achoo!”

Sora managed to break down the cage using his Keyblade in between sneezes, while Goofy knocked away the bombs with his shield. Donald took off running, with Sora and Goofy close behind.

It was time to turn this around.

Donald and Sora dashed up the tower and teamed up to unleash a massive flaming barrage that eventually set her ablaze. Grim Guardianess toppled from her perch, and Sora jumped after her. He struck at her with his Keyblade while Donald kept up the heat with magic.

“Let’s end this!”

When Sora landed the final blow, Grim Guardianess fell still and vanished in a burst of light.

“What about Rapunzel?!”

“Let’s hurry!”

Sora and his friends began climbing to the top of the tower.

“Don’t go. Stay with me, Eugene.”

Rapunzel cradled him in her arms; he was limp and unconscious. I could have healed him right now, but…my hair doesn’t have its power anymore.

Rapunzel touched Flynn’s hand to her hair and began to sing. The song was magic; normally, her hair would gleam and glow to heal anything, even the ravages of old age.

Now, the magic of her hair was gone.

“Rapunzel. Hey. Rapunzel,” Flynn murmured weakly.

“What?”

“Rapunzel… You were my new dream.” With that final confession, his eyes closed.

“And you were mine.”

Rapunzel could feel the strength leaving his body. She pressed her forehead to his and fought back her tears, still singing. A few drops still fell onto his face—and turned to light.

Then the same golden gleam that had once belonged to her hair shone from his wound.

“Rapunzel…” Flynn’s eyes opened slightly.

“Eugene!”

“Did I ever tell you…I’ve got a thing for brunettes?”

Rapunzel broke out into a smile and hugged him tight.

Flynn returned the embrace.

Meanwhile, Sora, Donald, and Goofy, who had been watching quietly from the window, put their arms around one another’s shoulders and grinned.

Down in the meadow, the brilliant light of the sun cast the tower’s dark shadow across the grass.

Having bid the tower farewell, Rapunzel, Flynn, and Maximus stood facing Sora and his friends in one of the brighter spots.

“Wow, Rapunzel! You’re finally gonna get to see your real home.”

“I know! I mean…I can’t believe it. I can finally be with my real family! I couldn’t have done it without your help,” she said, still unable to hide her surprise at how it had all turned out.

“You’re welcome,” replied Donald, and then Flynn nodded quietly.

“Well, from where I’m standing, the Kingdom couldn’t ask for a better princess,” said Flynn. “And I couldn’t have asked for better sidekicks. Thanks.”

Rapunzel drew close to him, then looked over at the three heroes. “Yes, thank you so much.”

“Happily ever after,” Donald said with a touch of mirth.

“Now, Flynn, you and Maximus play nice,” Goofy added. Flynn and the horse shared a look, until Rapunzel took Flynn’s hand.

Seeing them so happy together, Sora was content. “You’re gonna be great.”

“Huh?” they both asked in unison.

“We haven’t seen the guy controlling the monsters in a while, so that’s one less worry,” explained Sora.

Goofy added, “But there’s still a chance that he might be around here somewhere.”

“Well, if he comes back and tries to bother Rapunzel again, then Flynn will keep her safe. And we three won’t be far behind.”

“Yeah, I won’t let her out of my sight,” Flynn declared firmly, while Rapunzel blushed with embarrassment.

“Oh… Eugene.”

“‘Eugene’?”

It was the first time Sora had heard that name.

“Oh! That’s my real name. Eugene Fitzherbert. That’s right. I never told you guys,” said Flynn—well, Eugene now.

“That’s different,” Donald commented, while Goofy added:

“I think it’s a great name!”

“Me, too,” said Sora. “Nice to re-meet you, Eugene.”

“Hey! I thought I was the only one you were going to tell.”

Rapunzel seemed a bit disappointed, so Eugene pulled her close and whispered, “Don’t worry. I’ve saved plenty of Fitzherbert-y secrets just for you.”

“Really?”

Before they could get too lost in each other’s eyes, Sora jabbed a finger at them. “Hey! What are you two lovebirds talking about?” he teased.

“Nothing!”

“Nothing.”

Eugene and Rapunzel laughed.

Donald and Goofy seemed to have gotten the wrong idea, too. “Hey, you can tell us!” Donald griped.

“Yeah, it’s not nice to keep secrets.”

“This one is none of your business.”

“Maximus, get him!” Sora hollered.

The horse turned toward Eugene in a warning. While the two of them squared off, Pascal hopped onto Eugene’s shoulder and shot his tongue into his ear.

“Ack! You have got to be kidding me!”

Everyone laughed as Eugene clapped a hand over his ear.

Rapunzel will be safe in this world, I know it.

There in that meadow, they were happy.

Right around then, Maleficent and Pete were elsewhere in that very same world.

“Another world where we got doodly-squat.”

“Hmph,” Maleficent snorted.

“You sure this box thingy’s even real?”

“Yes,” the witch replied confidently, then turned away from Pete.

“Yeah, and just how do you know that?”

“It is etched.”

“It’s what?”

Maleficent opened a Corridor of Darkness before her confused cohort. “Come with me.”

“Where to? Those bozos ain’t gonna help us. Sora’s sure not lookin’ for the box.”

“Who said anything about following them?”

The witch stepped into the portal, and with no other choice, Pete trailed after her.