The Songs in Our Hearts Book One: Reaching Out

Chapter Seventeen: It's Raining Ducks and Dogs

"The Keyblade can supposedly unlock almost anything," Leon explained when Sora asked about the Keyblade's powers. "You're bound to run across treasure chests and other locks. Try it out." Sora watched as Leon pointed a finger at a chest that was sitting on top of a small table. Walking up to the locked container, Sora summoned the Keyblade. Upon noticing that the weapon would not fit in the keyhole, the boy tapped the top of the chest, and a clicking sound could be heard. The lid of the chest swung open; inside, there was an elixir.

"Excellent job, Key Master," Yuffie half-teased, clapping her hands. Sora smiled and rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. After learning that his friends might be in danger, Yuffie talked with him to cheer him up. She was right: just because Kairi or Riku weren't in this world doesn't mean that they were gone forever.

"Well, sorry to interrupt, but sooner or later, the Heartless will find you," Leon reminded Sora. "You'd best prepare yourself," he advised.

Tilting his head in confusion, Sora asked, "Prepare myself?" Leon's expression grew darker.

"To fight for your life," he answered grimly. The boy responded with nervous laughter. "Are you ready?"

Sora shook his head before answering, "I'm ready!" If he really was a hero, he was ready to help all the worlds out there. Leon smiled at his newfound determination.

"Yuffie," he called, pushing himself off the wall. "Let's go join Aerith. She should be there by now with the other visitors," Leon told the ninja. Sora looked over to Yuffie to find that she was no longer sitting on the bed. Yuffie's gray eyes were wide with fear.

"Leon!" she screamed, pointing at the floor before her. The fourteen-year-old brunette watched as a Soldier Heartless appeared in the room. Its armor rattled loudly as it "danced" its way over to them.

"Yuffie, go!" Leon told her. Yuffie ran to a door that had been next to Leon. Both Sora and Leon had their weapons ready to attack. "Sora," the man called. The boy looked at him. "Let's go!" With that, Leon slammed the blade of his weapon into the Soldier, sending it flying through an open window.

Leon then jumped off the balcony; Sora followed, amazed at how none of them sustained any injuries. More Heartless waited for them at the bottom. He was about to charge into them when Leon stopped him.

"Don't bother with the small fry. Find the leader!" he told the Key wielder. As Sora gave the man a quick nod, Leon turned and began running through the Heartless. Sora followed him into the Second District. There were so many of them, and the moment they saw the Keyblade, they turned their complete attention to them.

"Are you sure we shouldn't be focusing on them right now?" Sora asked as he dodged their attacks.

"We take down their boss, we take down most of the Heartless," he explained, driving his blade through a Shadow that started chasing Sora. "Now, c'mon— we have to move." Sora nodded and continued to push his way through the Heartless.

As he avoided their attacks, he wondered to himself what they were even looking for. He knew they needed to find the boss, but how would he know which Heartless was the boss?

"Sora, I'm going to make sure everything is fine in the First District," Leon told him, heading to the gate. "Check things out at the Third District for me." Sora nodded.

"On it," he replied, heading down the stairs and over to the narrow path. Some Shadows blocked the door that lead into the next district, and Sora quickly defeated them.

When he stepped through the door, he noticed that it seemed relatively void of Heartless. Still, he checked anyway, especially considering how they tend to some out of nowhere.