"Okay, Kairi. You can do this. Axel may have tried to kidnap you before, but as Riku and Mickey said he has become a better person. Besides, that was his Nobody. Lea should be a much better person. Just trust everyone, Kairi. Sora and the others are counting on you," Kairi was saying to herself as she paced back and forth as she waited for Lea to show up. She wanted to be nice and trust him, especially given that he helped save the others on more than one occasion. But a part of her was still conflicted. After all, she couldn't just forget what he did to her. Still she knew she shouldn't be petty and hold that against him forever.
Besides, when Lea was Axel, he just wanted to get Roxas, his friend that helped him to reclaim his heart, back so she couldn't completely blame him for what he did as Axel.
"So, are you just going to stand there talking to yourself or are you going to say hello?" Lea joked as Kairi turned to see him, blushing and looking awkward as she did so.
"So, Lea, how are you doing?" Kairi politely asked the red haired assassin.
"I told everyone that the name isn't Axel! It's Lea! Wait. You got it memorized?" Lea asked, surprised and happy to see that someone remembered his true name. As Kairi nodded, Lea smiled. "So, I guess from what you said earlier you don't completely trust me. I get it. I did some pretty bad things when I was Axel. I wasn't the best Nobody or even friend. But I'm willing to try once more if you'll give me that chance."
Kairi looked surprised to see the sincerity in Lea's voice as he said this. She could see that he was trying to make an effort to be a better person and perhaps could even be a friend. Her earlier reluctance forgotten, she held out her hand for a handshake and Lea returned the gesture. "So, let's see where Merlin and Yen Sid want us to go," Kairi said as the two entered Yen Sid's room.
"So, I take it Merlin told you two the change in plans then?" Yen Sid asked, to which the duo nodded. "You see, while we are expected to keep the world order and keep the truth of other worlds safe from outsiders, there is one being who was able to find out the truth. Her name is Princess Celestia."
"So, what do you want us to do? Make sure she keeps this a secret?" Kairi asked curiously.
"I'm worried if she'll be a threat or not. After all, queens and princesses aren't always the best people from the worlds I've seen," Lea sarcastically said.
"Lea...," Kairi teasingly said.
"Actually, she has become a close friend that I've shared many a conversation with. However, she believes that there will be many threats that will come to this world and she wants some help with protecting her subjects from them. Hopefully you'll both learn more from practical use of your abilities. You'll find her in the city of Canterlot. Meet up with her there in order to get your first briefing," Yen Sid explained.
"Got it. But what about our training? We may not have as much time to get ready for the Keyblade War if we go there," Kairi was concerned.
"I wouldn't worry about that. You see, the world has time that flows similarly to the world I originally planned on sending you both to. So, while weeks or even months will pass for you two, the outside world won't have changed at all. And if you leave the world, you will be returned to the time in which you left it," Yen Sid explained.
"Sounds convenient. So, what is the deal with this world? Like, who are the inhabitants?" Lea asked.
"You see, the world is populated by a variety of strange magical creatures, but the main creatures you will be dealing with are ponies with magical abilities. And, to maintain world order, you two will have to take their form," Yen Sid revealed.
"Really?! We get to meet and become magical ponies?! Thank you Master Yen Sid!" Kairi cheered on excitedly.
"Um, can I just train in the world originally picked please? I don't know how much cuteness I can stomach," Lea asked.
"Don't worry. From what I've learned about this world, you'll see plenty of action. Now, I'll just give you two some time to finish preparing before Merlin and I will teleport you there," Yen Sid said as he finished speaking, though unbeknownst to them, he whispered, "May your heart be your guiding key."
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After the two were ready, they entered the portal created by their master, Merlin, and got ready to face whatever the new world had in store for them. As soon as they made it to the other side, the two immediately fell onto their faces as they realized that they had been turned into ponies themselves. Not only that, but they noticed that it was nighttime and that the moon had the image of a mare on it.
“Wow! Can you believe it, Lea? We’re in a world filled with magical talking ponies!” Kairi gleefully yelled. Kairi found a nearby pool of water and looked at her reflection in it. She noticed that her coat was pink, her hair auburn, and she was wearing a version of the pink dress she was wearing, except it exposed her flank, which had a strange mark on it which turned out to be her Keyblade Destiny’s Embrace. She also noticed that she had a unicorn horn on her forehead. “Looks like I’m a unicorn. What about you, Lea? What are you?”
“Well, let’s see. Hooves. Wings. Looks like I’m a pegasus. Great. I couldn’t have been turned into something cool like a dragon, could I?” Lea, the red pegasus, snarked, not exactly happy with what he had turned into. His hair was also red, he was wearing a black coat, and he had his signature charkarms on his flank. “So, where do we go first?”
“If I remember correctly, we are supposed to try and meet up with Princess Celestia in the city of Canterlot. She will be able to instruct us from there,” Kairi remembered.
“Well, okay. Right now we are in the middle of nowhere, far away from any civilization. I guess Merlin must have made a mistake. I elect that we look for civilization and ask for where Canterlot is from there,” Lea suggested.
“Well, okay! It would be nice to meet some of the inhabitants of this world. I hope they are friendly,” Kairi said.
“From what Yen Sid said, I bet they are. Let’s get going,” Lea said as he walked toward what appeared to be an apple orchard. “Well, looks like someone here is into apples.”
“It must be some sort of farm,” Kairi brought up the possibility. “Maybe there are other ponies nearby. After all, someone has to be growing these apples, right?”
“Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s get moving,” Lea said as the pair began walking through the orchard. If they were being honest, the apples were looking to be very delicious and they were tempted to eat some as they were hungry. However, not wanting to steal, Kairi stopped Lea from trying to grab any of the apples until they knew for a fact if they belonged to someone or not. “I really hope that we can find civilization and be able to eat soon. After all, we can’t exactly train on an empty stomach.”
“Don’t worry, Lea. It shouldn’t be that long now,” Kairi reassured. After a few minutes of walking, which felt like an eternity, the two found a barn that seemed to have lights on. “Well, looks like we’re on a farm. And it looks like there are ponies in the barn. Maybe these ponies will know where we can find Canterlot.”
“I just hope they’ll let us take some of these apples to go,” Lea hungrilly muttered. Suddenly, Lea noticed a black Shadow Heartless appear right behind Kairi ready to strike. “Kairi, look out!” Lea warned the teenager as he got out his Keyblade. Kairi noticed the Heartless and was able to strike it down fast with her Keyblade. “Of course the Heartless would follow us here,” Lea angrily muttered.
“I know. From what Yen Sid told us, this is a peaceful world. It’s sad to see that this place would be overrun by Heartless,” Kairi looked sad.
“Hey, it’s no big deal. We can always deal with the Heartless before they hurt the civilians, right?” Lea reminded Kairi.
“Right,” Kairi responded with a smile. Before the duo could approach the front door of the barn, more Heartless appeared to try and steal the hearts of both Lea and Kairi. With Keyblades in hoof, they prepared to battle the darkness dwellers.
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Meanwhile, inside of the barn, Applejack was trying to get Applebloom to go to bed. “Applebloom! I know that it’s the weekend, but you still have chores to get done tomorrow,” Applejack sternly reminded her younger sister.
“But Applejack, I’m not even tired. Why can’t I stay up?” Applebloom countered.
“Besides the fact that you have chores, you’re also a growing filly in need of sleep. You may not understand it now, but any growing filly needs to sleep.”
“But-.”
“No buts Applebloom. It’s bedtime,” Applejack said as she led her younger sister to her bedroom and shut the door behind her. “I’ll see you in the morning. Good night, Applebloom.”
“Goodnight, Applejack,” Applebloom said through the door. She got into bed ready to fall asleep in order to avoid getting into trouble before she heard the noise of fighting outside. “Huh? What’s going on out there?” Applebloom wondered as she looked outside and saw two ponies with red hair fighting against some strange creatures outside. “Applejack! Big MacIntosh! There’s some fight going on out front! Monsters are trying to attack these ponies!”
After a moment, the two siblings entered the young filly’s bedroom. “What is this about monsters?” Applejack asked as Applebloom led her to the window. “This better not be a trick to get out of sleeping, Applebloom.” She looked out the window, seeing the sight of Kairi and Lea fighting Heartless, mostly Shadow and Soldier Heartless. “Whoa! What are those creatures, and why are they at our home?”
“I don’t know! I just heard noises from outside and saw the ponies fighting with these strange weapons,” Applebloom explained.
“Well, if those creatures think they can pick a fight with us they have another thing comin’. Big Mac, I’m heading’ out to help. You stay here with Applebloom to make sure that she remains safe.”
“Eyup,” Big Mac agreed as his younger sister left to help fight the Heartless.
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Kairi and Lea were fighting off wave after wave of Heartless, their numbers thinning as time went on. However, the Heartless still kept on coming, much to the frustration of the exhausted Keyblade wielders. Just as one of the Shadows was about to lunge at the duo from behind, Applejack kicked the Heartless with her hind legs. “Alright, can one of you explain to me why there are shadow monsters outside of our home?”
Kairi was a bit hesitant to answer that, not wanting to break the secret that there were other worlds. However, Lea was much less hesitant and answered, “We just got here and these creatures, called Heartless, appeared and started attacking.”
“Well, do you have room for one more to fight?” Applejack offered her help.
“Are you sure? The Heartless are very dangerous,” Kairi was uncertain.
“Trust me. I can fight just fine,” Applejack said as she kicked another Heartless.
“Well, okay. Just make sure you leave the finishing blows to us. Our weapons are the only thing that can get rid of them,” Lea and Kairi both agreed.
And so the trio worked together to try and fight off the remaining Heartless. Kairi and Lea both sliced at the Heartless with their Keyblades while Applejack used her hind legs to kick at the darkness dwellers. Eventually, the last of the Heartless fell and the trio could finally relax. “Well, that was some battle. So, what’re you two doing near Sweet Apple Acres, anyway? You’re a pretty fair distance away from Ponyville.”
“Oh, we got lost and found your apple orchard. Don’t worry. We didn’t eat any of your apples. Speaking of which, do you know where Canterlot is? We have to get there and talk with someone,” Kairi explained.
“Well, if you’re lookin’ for Canterlot, it’s all the way up there,” Applejack said as she pointed towards a castle located on the side of a mountain. “However, most trains don’t run at night, so you’re gonna be in for a bit of a wait before you can head to Canterlot.”
“Well, we’ll just get going then. Thanks again for helping us fight the Heartless, what was your name?” Kairi kindly said goodbye.
“My name is Applejack, and don’t be runnin’ off just yet. If you need somewhere to stay for the night, you can stay in our guest room,” Applejack offered.
“Sure thing! How can we help you in return? We don’t want to be freeloaders,” Kairi asked.
“Well, I did need to go out and do a few things tomorrow. If you can just do that for me, that’d be swell,” Applejack offered.
“Alright, fine. We’ll help you,” Lea reluctantly accepted, not wanting to waste time on menial chores. “My name is Lea by the way. Got it memorized?”
“And mine is Kairi,” Kairi introduced herself.