Chapter One-The Heartless
"Princess Luna!?" Twilight Sparkle awoke with sweat on her face and concern in her mind. Could Luna really be right about the Heartless? Twilight thought to herself as she walked toward the window, her magenta and violet streaks in her mane glistening in the rising sun. She then went downstairs and encountered Spike, who had something of great importance to give to her.
"I’ve been trying to wake you up about this letter I just got from the Princess," said Spike. "But you were so deep in your sleep that you couldn’t wake up at all, so I had to wait for you."
"Sorry about that," Twilight said. "But I was having a dream about some people I don’t even know and something about me going on some adventure. So, what’s the letter say?" Twilight levitated the letter out of Spike’s hand and read it out loud:
Dearest Twilight Sparkle,
I have a matter of utmost importance for you and your friends. As Luna might’ve explained to you, the Heartless are about to invade the Realm of Light once more. I know this because we saw proof of this last night. We’ve seen the stars go out, one by one, and I know within our own hearts that you won’t be able to do this alone. I want you and your friends to come to Canterlot and find Master Eraqus and his Seven Guardians of Light. When you do, I want all of you, the Thirteen Warriors of Light and Harmony, to report to the throne room at once. Help us, Twilight Sparkle, you’re our only hope.
Kindest regards,
Princess Celestia
Twilight then just stood there upon reading the letter, thinking about her upcoming quest.
"What are you gonna do?" asked Spike.
"What I do best: save Equestria," said Twilight in heroic resolve. She took along her book involving Kingdom Hearts, so she could do more research on the subject.
"Can I go with you?" Spike asked. Twilight was concerned about his safety and was hesitant to say yes. But Spike reminded her of times where he was in danger and made it out unscathed, most notably, the events in the Crystal Empire. That was enough to take him along with her and, by walking out of the library, she has begun a new journey she will never forget.
Ponyville was just as peaceful as ever. Earth ponies were growing their crops, pegasi were clearing the clouds for the town, and unicorns were doing their talents with their magic. Twilight would like to practice her magic as well, but this day was different for her. To Twilight Sparkle, she knew she would never turn down a request from the Princess.
"So, do you want to get started gathering your friends?" Spike asked.
"Yes," Twilight replied. "Let’s start by picking up Applejack. Knowing her, she would be willing to listen to my story and request." "Alright, then our course is set," Spike said with determination. "Let’s head on over to Sweet Apple Acres and get Applejack."
Upon arriving to Applejack’s home of Sweet Apple Acres, they heard the familiar “yee-haw” of Applejack successfully bucking apples off another apple tree. Applejack is a trusting and down-to-earth earth pony and one of the friendliest ponies in all of Ponyville. Because of her kind and caring demeanor, she supports her friends well on their adventures. When she was a filly, she left her home to live an upper-class lifestyle with her Aunt and Uncle Orange in the urban setting of Manehattan. But, she found it too difficult to be a part of and for the first time in her life, she seriously missed her home. But, out of nowhere, she saw a rainbow pointing her towards home. After she returned home, her choice was clear: she loved to be with her family and work on the farm. Thanks to her revelation, her cutie mark, three apples, appeared on her flank and she has been working on the farm alongside her younger sister Apple Bloom, their older brother Big McIntosh, and their Granny Smith ever since.
When she saw Twilight and Spike at the entrance, she took a break on her work and offered them some of their famous cider on the house. Twilight and Spike agreed because, even though darkness is about to corrupt the land, they would never turn down an offer from a caring friend.
"What seems to be the trouble, sugarcubes?" asked Applejack. Calling her friends “sugarcubes” was Applejack’s way of showing affection for her friends.
"We have brought you some items for your understanding," said Twilight, fetching out her book on Kingdom Hearts and letter from the Princess. "This letter is from Princess Celestia and tells us of an upcoming threat known as Heartless and that we are to get to Canterlot to meet up with Master Eraqus and his Seven Guardians of Light."
"What in tarnation is a Heartless?" Applejack questioned.
"Heartless are those whose hearts are lost to the darkness," Twilight explained, flipping to Applejack the chapter regarding the Heartless. "After they turn into Heartless, they won’t stop until they consume everything into the darkness." Applejack feared what would happen to her family if they were to fail in their mission.
"Yes, I’ll help you out for all of Equestria…for my family," said Applejack. With this announcement, they set off on their mission, little did they realize that Apple Bloom overheard their conversation and is already calling her favorite cousin Babs Seed at her Manehattan branch of their club, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, to come to Ponyville as soon as possible…
Next, the two friends and Spike went to a cottage near the outskirts of the Everfree Forest, which belonged to Fluttershy. After arriving at her doorstop, Twilight was the first to knock.
"Fluttershy, it’s Twilight, Applejack, and Spike!" she said. "We’re here to get you and the rest of our friends so we can meet with Princess Celestia."
"Are you alone?" Fluttershy asked through the door. The three friends looked at each other awkwardly.
"Yes…?" Twilight replied. The door suddenly swung open and Fluttershy yanked them into her home and closed the door behind her, with a frightened look on her face. Fluttershy is a kind but timid Pegasus who loves to care for animals big and small. Although she dries up when around others, her friends are always there to help her out. As a filly, she was a mediocre flyer at a flight camp in the pegasi town of Cloudsdale. She could barely flap her wings and was ridiculed for it, but one day, Rainbow Dash, stepped in to protect her dignity by challenging the colts who were bullying her to a race. As soon as the flyers took off, they flew past Fluttershy and fell off and down to the earth below. Luckily, she was saved by a bed of butterflies and became fascinated by the beautiful land below her home. But, all of a sudden, a mysterious explosion scared off some woodland critters. After the explosion subsided, she told the animals that everything was all right now, and discovered she can communicate with animals to a certain degree. Surprised by this special ability, her cutie mark, three butterflies, appeared on her flank and she has been an animal caretaker ever since.
"Fluttershy, what in the wide, wide world of Equestria are you so freaked out about?" Twilight asked her paranoid friend. Her hoof still hurt from being pulled in.
"I…I...," Fluttershy stammered. "I had a terrible dream last night. I saw innocent ponies, loving fillies being transformed into dark monsters and a strange blue moon shaped like a heart started floating overhead." Applejack was able to calm her down while Twilight fetched out her book and letter.
"Those 'dark monsters' you saw are Heartless, creatures who lack hearts who roam the world, consuming it into the darkness," Twilight elaborated. "And the ‘moon shaped like a heart’ is Kingdom Hearts, the heart of all worlds. This is why Celestia is calling for us, to protect Equestria from the Heartless. Will you handle this?" Luckily, Fluttershy was able to get her act together and nod her head in agreement. And so, the three ponies and dragon set off for the rest of their friends, while one of Fluttershy’s animal friends, her pet, Angel Bunny, overheard this and ran off to gather Twilight and her friends other pets…
Twilight and her friends then stopped by the Carousel Boutique and rang the doorbell.
"Yes, come in, come in," said a voice coming from inside the shop. As they went inside, they were greeted by cups of tea and their friend Rarity. Rarity is a glamorous unicorn who has an affinity for fashion design. Despite her career and her love for beauty, she is always willing to give to her friends. As a filly, she was an amateur fashion designer who was designing costumes for a school play, but felt that they weren’t good enough for the audience. While working on how to make them shine, she got pulled away by the magic in her horn, which she found confusing, as unicorn magic doesn’t happen without reason. But after a long ways away, she thought her destiny, a rock, was absurd, until a rainbow-colored shockwave broke open the rock to reveal beautiful, glistening jewels. She then knew, right then and there, that this is what would make the costumes shine, literally. Indeed, when the show opened, the entire congregation of ponies was astounded by the performance and the ensemble. Rarity, proud by her work, then got her cutie mark, three lozenge diamonds, on her flank and she has been a professional designer ever since.
"What seems to be the trouble, darlings?" Rarity asked as her friends were sipping their tea. Twilight once more got out her book and letter.
"Princess Celestia requests our presence in Canterlot," Twilight answered. “"But this is different. Read this letter and book. According to the Princess, some mysterious creatures known as Heartless are about to invade Equestria and other worlds and we’re supposed to meet with 'Seven Guardians of Light' and their master, Eraqus."
"Of course I’ll go along," said Rarity right away. "I would love an audience with the Princess as much as the next pony. Plus, I would hate for these Heartless creatures to infest at my boutique." Here, Rarity paused for a moment. "Not after last time," Rarity resumed. She was referring to a Parasprite infestation that took over Ponyville.
"Well, we hate to see you down with your hard-worked designs destroyed, sugarcube," Applejack said. “Let’s get Pinkie and Rainbow and get this rodeo started.” They then departed the store, but not before Rarity’s younger sister, Sweetie Belle, overheard. She was about to go and tell her fellow Crusaders, but she was already being informed by Apple Bloom and a freshly arrived Babs Seed from Manehattan…
Twilight and her five friends were already on their way to Sugarcube Corner when they were already being accompanied by Pinkie Pie. Pinkie Pie is a hyperactive and hilarious earth pony who loves to throw parties. Despite her fun-loving nature and disregard to danger, her friends have great patience for her. When she was a filly, she worked on a rock farm where there was no talking or smiling in her family. One boring day, her spirits were lifted by a rainbow-colored shockwave and an actual rainbow. She was determined to express this newfound joy to her family, so she threw them a party, which caused their serious and conservative faces to smile. She was so happy and proud in fact, her cutie mark, two blue balloons and one yellow one, appeared on her flank and has been a confectioner and party animal ever since.
"Hey, Twilight and friends!" said Pinkie, in her usual giddy tone. "Whatcha doin’?"
"We were on our way to see you…," said a surprised Fluttershy.
"Yet, somehow, you’re out here and with us," Applejack finished.
"Well, since you’re here, maybe I can show you this book and letter," Twilight said, fetching out her aforementioned items. "Celestia is calling us to Canterlot to discuss the situation involving some creatures known as Heartless. Do you think you can understand what I’m saying?" Pinkie didn’t answer. "Pinkie, didn’t you hear what I just said?" Twilight asked in an annoyed tone.
"Yes…," Pinkie fibbed.
"What did I just say?" asked Twilight.
"'Bloo-boo-dee-boop-blah-blee-blah-blee-blee-blop,'" Pinkie babbled. "And then, I didn’t hear the last part 'cause I was looking at that thing over there." Twilight and her friends turned to Pinkie’s direction. What they saw was a Shadow, the same Heartless creature from Twilight’s Dive to the Heart. She was about to attack it until Pinkie stopped her. "What are you going to do?" she asked.
"That’s one of those Heartless creatures I was trying to tell you about," Twilight said. "I’ve got to stop it!"
"Maybe it looks like some form of dark rabbit or cat," Pinkie assumed. "Either way, I’ll decide whether or not that thing needs a beatdown." At that instant, they saw the Heartless destroy a fruit cart. "That thing needs a beatdown!" Pinkie announced. They then began to attack the creature, but to no avail. Then, when it was about to jump on Twilight, it was suddenly sliced in half and dissolved away. She opened her eyes and saw that a giant oversized key unmanipulated by her magic was responsible for destroying the creature. It looked like a typical skeleton key, but with features that reflect solely to the unicorn. Then, out from nowhere, she heard the mysterious voice from her Dive to the Heart talk to her, as if it were coming from her newfound weapon.
"Keyblade…," it said. "Keyblade…"