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"Mayday! Mayday! Does anybody read me!" Della hits the video monitor for communications. "Stupid, no good-!" She was being attacked on all sides from various Gummi-Heartless.
"Della!"
"Uncle Scrooge!"
"Turn back! It's too dangerous! You're surrounded! Della!" He yelled before the signal cut off.
~/~
At the "End of the World ", an old robot with a cooler on its back is seen exploring the area known as ' Gate to the Dark '. Leaving tracks glowing white atop the sea of darkness. A mostly transparent, light-purple hued vast expanse with sand blowing in the wind. Trapped in an eternal matching purple dusk. All around are broken chunks of worlds that appeared in bulk over the last several hours. It has been here for a few years now.
The old robot used to be part of a waste management system to a now desolate world, now abandoned. Eventually, a young woman with long red hair, appeared one day and offered to take him and his home with her. She asked him if he wanted to find new treasures to add to his collection. He agreed, wanting to know more about the old world. It was unknowingly blinked away by the Heartless.
She smiled gently.
~/~
Peeking around a large boulder, the old bot shakily looked out to see a large Behemoth walking past. Quickly going to the opposite side of the large rock and climbing it when it sees a good hiding spot. It paused when something caught in its lens. Zooming into the distance, high in the sky… is a ship. Much like the ones that left a long time ago, but smaller and red. A ship that's falling apart and covered in smoke. The ship made a dive and crashed into the dark sea leaving huge, white, crystalline waves in its wake.
The old bot slowly came closer, loud treads rolling him along.
The lady told him that he could meet people again here, but he started to think otherwise. By the time he eventually made it to the wreckage, he found a prone figure unconscious at the base just outside.
The ship shifted slightly, startling the figure awake.
Gasping, she soon started to freak out before frantically looking around for something.
"Yes! Oxy-Chew!" A female? She (?) started reaching for a little black box out of her reach. Wall-e, wanting to help, wheeled over and picked it up. "Hey! That's mine!"
Whipping his big lenses/eyes up to her, then down to the box, her, box. Before settling on her. He held the box with both hands out to her and slowly wheeled closer. She hesitated before yanking it from him, ripping off her cracked helmet then popping one in her mouth. After chewing a few times, she shivered before flipping the box. "Ugh! Black Licorice!" She looked back at him with a wince (The gum was gross ok?) "Thank you. Sorry for yelling at you. Would you mind helping me get out of this?"
Wall-e excitedly nodded it's head(?) and quickly wheeled over to the metal thing on her leg.
Grunting and yelling, it wouldn't budge. Kicking it made it shake loudly and the engine above her, skooch down a foot closer.
"Whoa!" He yelped.
But her gaze landed on a photo falling towards her. Gently picking it up before more shaking.
The engine slipped another foot towards her. She kicked the metal thing again.
"Aw Phooey."
~/~
After a while, Della passed out again. Increasingly concerned, Wall-e sped around and used various scraps to make a makeshift stretcher-sled. Soon, he made a version that didn't fall apart when he tugged it. Gently, he lifted the metal thing off her leg while using his treads to nudge her leg out from underneath.
He then very carefully dragged her over and hefted her on the sled. Swiping his hand over his optic like he's seen people do after working too hard, he then rolled around to pull at the rope, before pausing. He looked back to see the photo that slipped from her hand.
He wheeled over and then reached back to lift up the cooler from his back and set it in front of him. Opening it up, there were various odds and ends. He picked up the photo and looked at it.
Then, he put it inside. Fastening it shut, he put it back behind him, wheeling back to the rope.
Thus began his long journey back to the canyon.
By this point, he's long since programmed a navigational route between the floating chunks of rocks that scattered the transparent sandy ocean.
As he crossed, he casually looked around to see if he was being followed. The giant falling spheres tend to carry most of the heartless. But because he's a robot, they basically let him pass. But lately they stop and stare at him. Assessing.
Even now, a pair consisting of an Invisible and an Angel fly past. The Invisible stops and looks past. Wall-e quickly shoves her behind a tall rock and assumes a ‘casual’ pose next to it, waving and whistling a random tune.
They have a sort of staring contest before it turns back and chases after the Angel causing small tornadoes and kicking up the strange sand.
Wall-e relaxes dramatically, sagging to the ground in relief. After a moment, he continues on his way.
~/~
A view from a camera flickers on. Della appears adjusting the camera.
Wall-e was behind her excited in his curiosity.
"Yes! Haha! It works! Woo! Take that science! Ok, hey! Uncle Scrooge or Donald, or literally anybody who can hear me! This is Della Duck!" The light turned off Walle- freaked before flipping the switch back on. “And my good friend Wall-e!” He waved at the camera.
"Right! So, here's what's up. That attack from those Heartless knocked out most of my systems. But! Because I am an amazing pilot, I landed this ship safely. (Wall-e raised an optic in mimicry of raising a brow) For the most part." Whipping around, she propped up her now metallic foot.
"Eh!? Eeeeh!? Pretty cool robot leg! I'm still working on it. Maybe add some jets or a can opener! Anyway!" Putting her foot down again.
"At first, upon arrival, I've been able to survive in this thin lunar atmosphere due to this! Gyro's Oxy-Chew. It provides oxygen, water and nutrition. And tastes TERRIBLE! Black Liquorice, worst flavor ever! Until Wall-e here, helped me realize I didn’t need it for the air, just nutrients. It's fine… I'm sure the flavor will wear off soon. I've activated my distress beacon so if you're able to get this, you can come get me. " Sigh" I've made efforts to get off this rock myself…" (Wall-e started his version of laughing in the background.
"It did not go great… In the meantime, Wall-e let me stay here in his pretty boss shelter. Got a nice, comfy bed (An old sleeping bag off to the side), and a calendar marking the days I've been here (a very old one stuck to the wall). "
She picks up a photo.
"And the, uh… family room." She shows the camera the photo. "I bet the boys have hatched by now. Not even sure what they look like. Oh! Uh, hold on!" She runs off to find a pen Wall-e leads her to the rotating shelf, hitting a button to make it spin until he stops it, moving over to one of the baskets and hands her a plastic container with various art supplies. She rushes back to the table the camera is propped on and starts drawing on the back of it. "Here we go! That's better!"
"Donald if you're there, put the screen up to the crib. Hey kids! I'm your mom! I know I'm on a little … trip. For now. But I'll keep sending these transmissions! You'll barely know I'm gone. I promise I'm coming home. Somehow… Nothing can stop Della Duck! Oh man, we're gonna go on so many crazy adventures when I get back! In fact there's this old song about adventures that I used to sing to-" Their home is attacked and Heartless start to swarm. The camera skips.
"Good news! I'm not alone out here. Bad news- There are Heartless EVERYWHERE here!!"
Skip.
"That's day 192, the gum has not yet lost its flavor."
~/~
9 Months After Crash
"So… it's been a few months. I haven't heard back from anyone yet. " She taps her fingers. "I need to find some other way to call for help. Luckily I found this in the wreckage! My old Junior Woodchuck Guidebook!" She flips through the pages. "How to survive a shipwreck. Create a signal for passing ships. Rocket ships!"
The camera skips showing Wall-e waving to the camera before turning around to see Della in the distance off in the distance near her wreckage.
After finishing her SOS, she jumps up high for a better view and says it aloud for Wall-e’s sake.
"HEY, SCROOGE, ITS ME
DELLA. IM ALIVE ON THE MOON
SEND HELP. AND SNACKS.
THIS GUM IS THE WORST
SINCERELY, DELLA"
"Perfect!" A large sphere drops down unleashing a swarm of various Heartless. "Oh no!" It gets destroyed and trampled on. A Behemoth simply walks through where her name was. "Well THAT was unnecessary!" The Heartless turn to them and the two start running away. Wall-e making sandy waves in his wake.
The camera skips again.
Walking back over, she sighs. Eventually, she has enough to make an "S". "Not enough scraps for a full SOS! I need something that will get Scrooge's attention…" Finding another piece of scrap.
The camera skips to see her looking triumphant. She made an $. " Nailed it!"
~/~
1 Year After Crash
She pulls out a misshapen grey cake with a flare for a candle. Wall-e is next to her having found some party supplies making her giggle. "Happy Birthday to you! Happy birthday to my boy's~! Happy birthday to you! Woo!" She tries unsuccessfully to blow it out before stabbing it in the cake itself.
"Oh! Oooh!" Trying to gather it back into a blob. "I'm sorry I can't be there for your first birthday, but I AM trying! " A rumble and the cake fell apart again. "Do NOT mess with me today!"
Looking out the window, it was attacking her $. Looking up she saw a ship. Flying overhead.
"Forget cake! Guess what you're getting for your birthday?! YOUR MOM!!!" She ran off camera, Wall-e grabbed it and the photo and tried his best to catch up.
Soon, he encountered Della fighting a few NeoShadows. The ensuing fight caused a lot of dust to rise up.
They passed her by.
"NO! Wait! Come back!" She fell down. Sitting up, she cried a little. Chewing her gum in thought… Wall-e patted her shoulder in comfort causing her to smile gratefully. "Ok, new plan."
The camera skipped back to Wall-e’s place. "Plan C. I'm gonna rebuild the Spear of Selene. I mean how hard can it be, it's just Rocket Science!" The books many pages folded down, sticky notes flying everywhere.
Laying down, book in front to her. "Focus Della! Like Donald always says, do things by the book!"
Building this ship is so easy! Even Della could do it!
"AHHH!" Getting pissed, she slammed it down before tearing it to shreds and kicking it.
"Good thing Donalds' not here!" Before storming off.
What happens next was a hilarious building montage brought to you by a quirky robot trying to be helpful. She kept dropping parts, getting electrocuted and frozen. With smaller Heartless trying to steal her parts.
The ship fell apart again.
Repairing the book, she grudgingly sat down to read it. Dropping her head down in frustration.
~/~
6 Years After the Crash
"Okay! It took… a while! But I finally did it! I rebuilt the Spear of Selene! Best mother ever!"
"Ok, I just gotta start this baby up and I'm on my way home!"
Wall-e followed her to the now fixed ship and followed her up in the ship with the camera. She set to work.
It all lit up, but when she hit Launch, nothing. Screaming, she brought out the book.
The camera skipped back to Wall-e’s base.
"It's not enough that Gyro created the worst flavor of gum that gets MORE FLAVORFUL as you chew it! Then he had to use his stupid 'Gold Tech' to make the engine run! HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO FIND STINKING GOLD ON THE STINKING MOON!!!" Proceeded to throw stuff in frustration.
"I spent 20 years with the best treasure hunter in the world! If there's gold on this rock, I'm gonna find it."
~/~
10 Years After Crash
"There's no gold on the moon (Makes fun of Scrooge). Life lesson kids, adventuring is tough. Y'know, sometimes there's a cursed idol, that turns into a demon. Or sometimes you crash land on the moon! And then you try to stay alive. But the creatures here keeps messing you up, so you miss watching your kids grow up with their uncle. But your healthy. A cool robot leg. And gum that MOCKS you with every chew-! Ow!" Pulls out the gold tooth.
"A gold filling… Hahaha! I had gold in my mouth this whole time! I had gold in my mouth this whole time!? That's why Scrooge made me go to the dentist as a kid! It wasn't about hygiene at all! I got back up gold! Nothing can stop me now! "
The Heartless attack again.
The camera skips to see a red-headed girl passed out in the Dark Sea near her ship.
It skips again to see her awake a few minutes later.
“My name’s Kairi. I’m trying to find my friends Riku and Sora. Have you seen them?”
“I’m sorry, but it’s just us and the Heartless.” Della gestured to the creatures in the distance.
“They’re the ones that attacked my Island!”
Della and Wall-e shared a resigned look.
The camera skipped again to Kairi taking a walk to calm down.
~/~
Walking back up to the Dark Sea, Kairi sees the Spear of Selene in rough shape. The Heartless eventually vacating the area, seemingly not noticing her.
"I just can't wait."
Walking along the path, she made her way to the ship.
"Once we set sail,"
Walking to the center of the deck, something breaking off next to her. She didn't even flinch as she reached out to grab a small metal shard in the clear sand.
"It'll be great."
~/~
That first night, no one got any sleep. WALL-e did his best to cheer up Kairi by showing off it's collection. The girl was curious about the odds and ends left behind by a world's destruction.
It was quiet outside, but it's not surprising considering that Heartless are naturally quiet unless they attack something. After a while, a Shadow appeared and started behaving differently from the others. Thankfully, her Shadow friend stayed outside to put her and Della at ease.
Eventually, she walked towards a hatch and left.
Standing on the roof, Kairi stood and looked around, spotlights lighting up whatever it passed over. In the shadows she saw a Shadow stalking an Invisible before tackling it. The Invisible didn't attack back but instead lifted it with one hand and studied her friend who put a hand on the others' cheek. The Invisible's deadly tail swishing curiously behind it.
“Kairi! Come back inside! It’s dangerous to explore without us!” Della’s concerned voice came from the hatch.
“Sorry! I’m coming!”
~/~
It took a while, but they settled into a routine with Kairi helping Della figure out her ship and Wall-e never letting them frown with his antics. She was even given Oxy-Chew by Della as the only source of food they have!
Della nodded in empathy from Kairi’s shudder of nastiness.
Soon though, something new happened.
A flash of silver caught her eye. Kairi saw a boy watching her and then started to run deeper into the canyon.
She gave chase.
“Hey! It’s not safe out here!”
Having plenty of practice navigating the area, but not nearly as fit or agile as Della she keeps coming across, she eventually caught up as he stopped at the entrance to the next room on the arch around it. Wind from the hole/portal, gently blowing his hair and light from it lighting him up in refractions from the crystalline dust from the canyon.
Huffing, she jumped down for the last time and walked next to him.
"Stay away from me! I'm not safe to be around!" He snapped before jumping in the hole. Startled by the outburst, she recognized Riku. She gave chase.
Jumping in the hole after him, she didn't notice she had a follower.
~/~
Crossing the Terminals and ignoring the bonfire flames, she gave chase to the stubborn boy. Until she was suddenly yanked backwards into the last flame Terminal. Stumbling through the fire and tripping backwards . She quickly looked around. It was a strange one room house with a large window on one wall looking out into a strange city at night.
"You're welcome~."
A voice from behind made her whip around in fright. It was someone new. It was a man with dark skin, long silver hair and wearing black pants, boots and a black and grey open jacket revealing his bare chest with a Heartless Emblem over it. He was sitting at the edge of the bed arms draped over his legs as he looked up to her.
"Who are you?" She asked as she backed to the door.
"Calm down, I no longer wish to harm you." The man spoke calmly.
"What do you mean?"
“What I mean is that I’m no longer shackled to an old man's manipulations.”
He studied her, unsurprised when her shadow on the wall moved and her Heartless companion sprang from the darkness and jumped between them in her defense. Ansem’s lips twitched in an attempt at showing humor at how predictable it was.
"Who are you?" She asked gently. Her Shadows eyes faded to a deep orange.
"I had quite a few names over the years. But for now, we should stay with 'Ansem'." He spoke as if defeated.
"Ansem?"
He nodded.
Ansem stood up and calmly walked over to her, she had to tilt her head back due to how tall he was.
"May I ask, but what are you doing here? You shouldn't even be in this world." He tilted his head curiously at her.
"I... I don't know. One minute I was in my room... I remember there was a storm outside. Strange, the rest is a blur." She trailed off in thought.
"I see. You don't remember anything else?" He clarified. She shook her head. He looked out the window, thinking about the situation. Eventually he faced her again.
"Why don't we bring you back to your friends in the canyon? I saw the boy you're chasing. He'll be back, he just likes to be alone sometimes."
The Shadow held its ground as he took a step forward. Ansem rolled his eyes before crouching down to look it in the eyes.
"I know who you are and we have much to discuss."
"You know him? Please! What's his name?" She pleaded, wanting to know her friends' name. They looked up at her, before both faced the Shadow again.
Ansem raised a brow and the two seemed to be silently communicating. Eventually the Shadow shook his head. "I see... He wishes to remain anonymous for now."
"Oh... I see. For now, can I give him a name?" He chuckled and the Shadow finally eased its stance before nodding. "Hmm...Does he have a preference?" He smirked amused. Looking at the Shadow, it shook its head. "Then how about... Shade? It's another word similar to shadow, which is what you feel like to me.” She giggled.
"Shade huh?" Still amused, the Shadow seemed to actually think about it before nodding. "Very well, Shade it is." Ansem then stood. "Come, let us head back." Holding out his hand.
She stared at him hesitantly with Shade looking up at them from between them.
A little while later, she saw Riku again in the canyon sitting on one of the cliffs. Ansem smirked in an ' I told you so ' sort of way. She rolled her eyes, amused at his antics. She groaned at how high up WALL-e's home was. Ansem merely chuckled.
"Come Guardian!" He bellowed. Shade jumped to attention before looking angry at a much larger (slightly taller than Ansem) Heartless coming up from the ground. "Easy, I'm just going to have him carry her up instead of climbing the rest of the way.
The two Heartless had a comedic glare down with each other, the taller seemed apologetic while Shade looked like an angry kitten facing a panther.
Kairi giggled at the mental image. "Thank you." She said sincerely to Ansem. He looked down at her surprised.
"You're welcome..."
She merely smiled and walked over to the taller 'Guardian'. Reaching down, the Guardian picked her up bridal-style. Shade, protective as always, leaped up into her lap and held her protectively while facing the increasingly amused Guardian. Ansem merely watched with a strange look before beginning to hover in the air. The group then flew up and landed quietly on the roof next to the hatch.
The Guardian then set the two down, Shade being held like a teddy bear in her arms -gaze daring them to laugh.
"Thank you for the lift." She bowed a little and the Guardian nodded before taking its place behind Ansem, crossing its arms.
~/~
It didn’t take long after meeting them to figure out a work around with Della’s ship. Gummi Blocks. Said block being everywhere in the canyon! (Della definitely screamed in frustration having not thought of that.)
Ansem offered his services to help.
But then a new problem arose: Neither Kairi nor Ansem could leave.
He could portal anywhere here, but nowhere else.
Della definitely didn’t want to leave her.
Thankfully, the decision wasn’t up to her.
Why?
Sora, Donald and Goofy just arrived in the Dark Sea.
Ansem facepalmed. (They are after him after all.)
“Sora!” Kairi yelled.
“Donald!” Della gave chase after her surprisingly fast brother. “Since when can he fly?!” (He’s actually using high jump and superglide, but still…)
It seems like the trio couldn’t see or hear them!
(Ansem wasn’t even trying and gave a half hearted ‘Over here!’ which Kairi definitely grew suspicious of when she looked back at him.) Wall-e looked adorably confused.
Taking pity in this chase, he summoned his Guardian to give Kairi a lift and promptly plopped her down a few yards ahead of Sora in the Terminals. Wall-e whipped out his Solar charger. It gave the full sound after the minute this took place.
Sora ran right through her.
“Whoa!” The little bot was shocked.
The group stopped in their tracks, Sora and co just kept running before jumping into that last Terminal.
“What’s going on?!” Della screeched as Kairi just stood there in shock. Shakily, she faced the flame Sora jumped into. Wall-e put his charger away, satisfied as he can now keep up with them.
Ansem just hovered there in deep thought.
Eventually, they continued their chase to see the three finish up their fight against the Chernabog.
Della and Wall-e whistled and was impressed.
Kairi just gaped.
The chase continued until the group were hovering in a large dark room.
The guardian snatched up the ladies and Ansem picked up the now compact Wall-e (barring his optics to see) he groaned at what was up ahead.
“IS THAT YOU!?” Kairi screeched.
“WHAT IS THAT?!” Della gaped at the giant ship-thing.
“Wait! Why are there two of you?!” Kairi snapped out of it. “Do you think this is related to why they can't interact with us?” That stopped them.
“Huh… Maybe?” Della mused.
Ansem shrugged.
The fight began.
Kairi cheered as Sora took on all Heartless with ease and how he handled fighting the other Ansem, Della gave running commentary to a scared Wall-e.
While doing so, the two kept apologizing to him. He waved them off saying he deserved it.
Soon, the giant doors of Kingdom Hearts appeared. Ansem and the Guardian set them down on the white sandy pathway a safe distance from the door.
They could only watch as Ansem vanished from the blinding light from inside.
They wanted in anticipation as Sora, Donald, Goofy and Riku tried to close the door.
“Wait?! Is that Mickey in there?!” Della screeched.
Take care of her.
Sora sealed the doors with that strange sword of his.
Ansem tapped her shoulder and pointed behind them.
“That would explain you.”
Off in the distance was another Kairi standing on a small section of normal looking sand.
Footsteps from behind revealed Sora running towards the other Kairi.
“Kairi!”
“Sora!”
An earthquake made them stumble. Both Della and Ansem put a comforting hand on both of her shoulders. Wall-e rolled up beside her and put a hand on her leg.
He reached up and started recording.
The two in the distance were slowly getting separated.
“Remember what you said before? I’m always with you too! I’ll come back to you! I promise!”
“I know you will!”
The distance was too great. The group came closer to the edge to watch batter.
A small light floated down into the other Kairi’s hands. They looked up to see hundreds of little lights.
“Look!” Della pointed behind the other Kairi as the Island started to restore itself.
Shooting stars flying up from the ground and blinking in place among the night sky.
Ansem smiled and sagged in relief.
They startled as blue fire surrounded them and closed in. The Island is vanishing on the other side.
They could see daylight pouring in rays seeping through their side of the flames.
The last thing they saw was the other Kairi smiling on the shore as water lapped at her feet.
And as the fire settled at their feet, what was once on the other side vanished.
Leaving Sora standing there alone.
This time, when Sora started slowly walking towards her in the direction of Donald and Goofy: She simply raised her arms and hugged him as he grew close enough. Arms settled to hug herself as his footsteps faded behind her.
The group watched as Donald and Goofy hugged Sora, before walking away down the long path.
“Let’s go.” Ansem spoke up. “This world is breaking apart. Lets follow them.”
The girls nodded and they started their trek in silence.