Radiant Garden

The sun shone brightly over the kingdom. The pink marble walls glimmered in the light, radiating happiness and peace into the clean stone courtyards with neatly trimmed, luscious green vines covered in flowers. 

“Wow…” Kiera breathed, “This world is beautiful!”

Ventus glanced over at a street to the right of them. Suddenly, he gasped: “Mickey?”

“Mickey? Where?” Kiera asked.

“He went down that street!” Ventus pointed.

“Well let’s go after him! I’ve been worried about where he went!” Kiera exclaimed.

And with that, they took off.

They entered into a courtyard with a blue and white flowery design in the center. Ventus and Kiera suddenly spotted a giant Unversed, shaped like a giant knight. But he had no shining armor. The Unversed was attacking an elderly, anthropomorphic duck with a top hat and spectacles.

“Ach! How dare ye? Back off, ya fiend!” The duck shouted.

He was taking his cane and relentlessly beating it in a comedic fashion.

“Ye’ll not be gettin’ my money!” 

“Look out!”

Ventus summoned his keyblade and went after the Unversed. Kiera followed close behind.

Ventus and Kiera’s sudden attacks seem to frighten the giant Unversed away, which was suspicious. It seemed to take off into the air, and floating towards another courtyard. 

“Come on Kiera! Let’s go follow it!” Ventus exclaimed.

“Now hold on a moment, laddie!”

The Unversed disappeared over the rooftops. Ventus turned to the duck.

“Don’t I even get a chance to repay ye?” The duck asked.

“Oh, you don’t have to-!” Ventus started, attempting to flee.

Then the duck used his cane to grab Ventus by the waist. Ventus whobbled and fell on his rear onto the ground. Kiera couldn’t help but snicker. 

“Now, just hold yer horses. I dinna mean me fortune. Maybe a wee bit o’ gold, or a small token of…”

Ventus groaned and scrambled back up to his feet.

“Er, well, could ya make it fast?” He stammered.

The duck looked at Ventus, then at Kiera, then smiled with a mischievous glint in his eye.

“I know! I’ve got just the thing in me hat!” 

He reached into his hat and chuckled excitedly.

“C’mere” he motioned, “both of ye.”

Cautiously, Ventus and Kiera stepped closer. The duck covered his beak with his hat and whispered:

“Ye can tell me, lad and lass. You came here from another world, didn’t ye?” 

Ventus and Kiera’s eyes widened with surprise.

“What makes you say that?” Kiera hissed.

“Dinna worry. Me bill is sealed. Yer secret’s safe with me. I’ll not be askin’ ye any awkward questions. Ye see, ’tis the same with me. Me name’s Scrooge McDuck. I asked a wizard named Merlin to bring me here from another world. After all, adventure is the mother of industry, heh, heh, heh!” 

Ventus and Kiera exchanged dumbfounded looks.

“Er, great, is that all?” Ventus asked, anxiously.

“Ven, don’t be rude!” Kiera scolded. 

“Ach, but I’m holding ye up, lad and lass.” 

Scrooge reached into his pocket and pulled out four, crown shaped cards.

“Here be four life-passes to Disney Town” Scrooge announced, “There’s enough for you, your lass, and two grown-ups!”

Ventus and Kiera’s faces went red. 

“Oh! Y-you’re mistaken!” Ventus stuttered, “We’re not together! W-we’re just friends!” 

Kiera said nothing, only giggled shyly. Ventus glanced at her for a moment. They met each other’s eyes and stared. Were they? 

Kiera observed her pass.

“Disneytown, huh? I wonder if that’s another world? An amusement park perhaps?”

Suddenly, Kiera spotted Mickey again walking down another street. She pointed. 

“Look! There’s Mickey!” She cried.

“Ugh, poor timing!” Ventus exclaimed, “Kiera, you go catch up with Mickey, I’ll track down the Unversed and meet you later.”

“I dunno Ven, that Unversed looks tough. You sure you’ll be okay?” Kiera asked.

Ventus nodded. “I’ll be fine. Now go!”

Kiera reluctantly nodded, and took off down the street to find Mickey.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

When Kiera rounded the corner, she heard a scream. A little girl with red hair was running towards her and ducked behind her, grabbing her shirt tightly in fear. 

“Woah, hey!” Kiera stammered. 

The Unversed aggressively galloped towards them. Kiera summoned her keyblade and was ready to block the attack. Just then, Aqua suddenly appeared and knocked the Unversed back! There was Mickey, helping her out. 

“Hurry! Ya gotta get that girl someplace that is safe!” Mickey exclaimed. 

“Who are you? Why do you have a keyblade?” Aqua demanded.

“I’ll tell ya later. Right now, we gotta stop these things!” Mickey replied.

Aqua was unsatisfied, but reluctantly nodded. She looked over her shoulder.

“Kiera, get her out of here! I’m gonna help him!” Aqua ordered.

Kiera nodded. She looked over to the little girl.

“Come on, alleyoop!” 

Kiera swept the girl off her feet, and ran. 

Kiera ran until she came to a courtyard with a wide path towards a castle. Kiera gently placed the little girl down. Kiera began pacing. Her attention turned to Aqua and Ventus. Both of them could use her help. But she needed to stay with the little girl. Suddenly, an Unversed appeared. The girl clung to Kiera’s shirt again in a fright. Kiera groaned.

“Go away!” She snapped as she summoned her keyblade. 

Suddenly, her right arm started to hurt. She glanced over it and noticed the scar, which formed from the wound she received during the Mark of Mastery Exam. Dark purple and black was oozing out of it. The little girl backed away. Kiera began to panic.

“Wha-? What is this?” She cried.

The darkness filled her lungs like smoke and she began to choke and hack violently.

“Ven…! Aqua…! Terra…!” She coughed. 

The darkness enveloped her, turning her skin a dark black and her eyes shone bright yellow. Dreamseeker grew entangled in smoke. Kiera growled as her fists clenched, staring up at the Unversed with eyes of fury.

“LeAvE…mY fRiEnDs…ALONE!”

Kiera shot her keyblade forward and a giant blast of fire spouted from the Dreamseeker. The raging keyblade wielder was too fast for the Unversed, and the fire plastered it the face!

“Stop!” a little voice shouted.

The little girl jumped from her hiding place. She ran in front of Kiera and reached her hands to her side as wide as she could.

“Don’t hurt her!” the little girl exclaimed.

The Unversed cocked its head, and cackled. It lingered forward and raised its hand, ready to strike the defenseless child with one swipe. Suddenly, the little red-haired girl began to glow. It started off faint, but grew brighter and brighter. It became such a glow, that the Unversed turned away and covered its eyes. Then, in a horrid groan, the Unversed fizzled out, and disappeared.

Kiera panted, breathing heavily, shaking aggressively. 

“Miss?”

Kiera whirled around and snarled. The little girl shrunk back a little. 

“Please don’t be upset” the girl continued, “The monster’s gone now. You can stop.”

Kiera’s face softened. She calmed slightly, and straightened.

“Your light…” she thought, “It’s so…bright…”

Then, the darkness began to fizzle away. Kiera’s skin returned to its normal peach color and her eyes returned to violet. Then, she fell onto the ground, and passed out.