Heart walks over to Key with a saddle bag levitating in her magic. She placed the saddlebag on his back before strapping the belt tight. "Hey, easy on the strap." He complained when he felt it it was too tight.

"Sorry, just didn't want a default off when you're getting the rest of the supplies for the raft." She explained. "We can't build a raft without materials, right? Here's where we're going to need: Two logs, one cloth, and one rope. Bring everything back here once you get them, got it?"

"I hear ya." Key responded with a smile.

"If you need any help, just ask. And most importantly, no more slacking." Heart added with a raised brow.

"Very funny." Key went off to find the items he was told to find along the beach. He found one log along the shore before he went into a small shack. He went up some stairs before going out and going along a bridge to me smaller island where Dusk is sitting on a tree and looking out across the ocean. "Hey Dusk, I see you're now being lazy."

"Very funny." Dusk commented as Key found another log and placed it in the saddlebag. "I already gave everything I found to Heart." He then pulled out a wooden sword as he jumped down from the tree. "Hey Key, how about a quick round?"

Key looked over and smiled before he held out his hoof. "Pass me a sword." Dusk smirked before passing Key another wooden sword. Both of them stood a good distance from each other as they both stood on their back legs while holding their wooden swords with their front legs.

"Ready or not." Dusk taunted before Key charged forward as a reeled his wooden sword back. Dusk quickly jumped high when Key swung right at him. Dusk then struck him before he could reached the ground. Key recovered before clashing wooden swords with Dusk. "You gotten pretty good since last time."

"Practice makes perfect." Key retorted before landing a couple of blows on Dusk. Dusk quickly jumped onto the tree he sat on before and taunted Key to come at him. Key falls for his taunt before he jump towards Dusk, only for him to miss when Dusk used his wings to fly up and he fell into the water. "Hey, no fair!"

"I told before that you need to think of a strategy when in combat." Dusk told Key. "By the way, you should check the ship and the treehouse for anything else you're looking for." Key went back to shore before shook his body to dry off. He then went over to the tree house and remembered the time when he and Dusk were little and their fathers brought them here. They remembered how many times they came by and built up this place.

Key went into a hollow spot in the tree where he found a cloth hanging on the wall. He carefully removed the nails before folding the cloth so it would fit perfectly in his saddlebag. Key remembered all those times he, Heart, and Dusk used to tell scary stories in the spot when they were little. After leaving the hollow spot, he made his way over to the shipwreck that the had a walkway connected to it. He remember all the times he and Dusk used to play pirates on this part of the ship.

Key soon found the rope they need for the raft laying on the deck. After placing it in his bag, Key went back to Heart now that he has all the items she asked for. "Hey Heart, got everything we need for the raft."

"Thanks Key." Heart said as she took the items from his bag. "Now let's get to work. Hey Dusk, let's work on the raft!" All three of them went to the cove and started working on their raft. Dusk took the rope and helped Key tied together the logs they gathered while Heart levitated the cloth up as they used it as a sail. Once they made sure everything was good and tight, they decided to watch the sunset before going home.

Both Key and Heart sat on the tree while Dusk was leaning against it. "So, Heart's home is out there somewhere, right?" Key wondered.

"Could be?" Dusk responded. "We'll never know by staying here."

"But how far could a raft take us?"

"Who knows?" Dusk shrugged. "If we have to, we'll think of something else."

"So, suppose you can get to another world." Heart spoke up before she let out a small giggle. "What would you do there?"

Dusk let out a hum as he thought about it. "Well I... I haven't really thought about it. It's just... I've always wondered why we're here on the island. If there are any other worlds out there, why did we end up on this one?" He stopped for a moment to listen to the waves. "And suppose there are other worlds... Then ours is just a small piece of something much greater. So we could have just as easily ended up somewhere else, right?"

"I don't know." Key responded as he laid back against the tree with his front hooves resting behind his head.

"Exactly." Dusk said before he stood on all four of his hooves and looked out towards the ocean. "That's why we need to go out there and find out. Just sitting here won't change a thing. It's the same old stuff." Heart and Key look down to the ocean as they thought over what he was saying. "So let's go."

"You've been thinking a lot lately, haven't you?" Heart asked him.

"Thanks to you." Dusk turned to her with a smile. "If you hadn't come here, I probably would've never thought of any of this. Heart, thanks."

Heart smiled at that thanks from Dusk. "You're welcome."

"Well I'm really excited to see what's out there." Key spoke up. "Who knows what we'll see out there. I bet we'll see dragons, hippogriffs, and griffins. It would be so cool to see a creature that can breathe fire, be part lion, and be so full of pride."

"Once we set sail, we'll probably see any of those creatures along the way." Dusk told him before Key and Heart hopped down from the tree before deciding it's time to go. The three of them walked across towards their boats with Heart ahead of the colts. "Key!" Key turned around before Dusk tossed a bright yellow star shape fruit to him. "You wanted one, didn't you?"

"A paopu fruit..."

"If two ponies share one, their destinies become intertwined. They'll remain apart of each other's lives no matter what." Dusk recited as he walked past Key. "C'mon, I know you want to try it."

"What are you talking--" Key try to asked before Dusk let out a laugh. He looked at the paopu fruit before tossing it aside. He then raced to catch up to Dusk and Heart to the boats for home.

---

Meanwhile in another world known as Equestria, a small purple dragon with green scales, a orange dragon with light purple scales, and light blue changeling are making their way through the halls of Canterlot castle. These three are known as Spike, Smolder, and Ocellus as they passed by royal guards before they reached the doors to the throne room. Ocellus used her magic to open the doors before all three of them entered.

"It was so kind of you both to come in place of Thorax and Ember when they were too busy to come." Spike told Smolder and Ocellus.

"Hey, it's no big deal." Smolder said as she put her hands behind her head as they walked.

"Plus it would be so nice to see our old Headma-- What?!" Ocellus gasped when she looked ahead. The two dragons wondered why she gasped before they looked ahead and saw that the throne was empty. Spike quickly ran over as he was worried what happened to the one who is supposed to sit there before the owl with a letter in its beak flew around it. The three of them took a closer look at the letter and saw a purple six pointed star on the seal.

Spike took the letter from the owl and open it up. Smolder and Ocellus gather close to him as they read the letter. Their eyes went from one side to the other as they read down the letter before they blinked when they reach the end. All three of them quickly flew out of the castle and straight towards a small town known as Ponyville.

Sitting by a lake is Gallus the griffin, Sliverstream the hippogriff, Yona the yak, and Sandbar the earth pony studying together before Spike, Smolder, and Ocellus flying in. The three of them didn't have time for slowing down as they splash down into the lake. "Heh, now that's what I call a cannonball." Gallus commented before the three resurfaced.

"Hey guys!" Sliverstream called out as they swim over to them. "It's great to see you again, Spike."

"Guys, we have a serious problem!" Smolder told them in a worried tone.

"What's wrong?" Sandbar asked.

"Princess Twilight discovered something very bad!" Ocellus told them before she looked around. "But no one can find out about it, it's top secret."

"Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy?" Sandbar asked.

"Not even they can know." Spike told him.

"Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Headmare Starlight, Celestia and Luna?" Sliverstream added.

"No!" Smolder exclaimed. "They can't know that Princess Twilight is gone!"

"But ponies already know because ponies behind dragons and changeling." Yona told them which caused Spike, Smolder, and Ocellus to freeze up. They slowly turned around and saw them not too far and realized that they overheard everything they just said. Spike let out a nervous chuckle as he knows that he's going to have to tell them now.

---

The next day at the Destiny Islands, Key parked his boat by the docks before he hopped off. "Okay, time to see what else we need before we set sail." He said to himself before he heads to the cove where Dusk and Heart are waiting. "Hey Dusk."

"Hey, Key. Our raft still needs a name." Dusk told him. "Let's see... How about Highwind? What would you call it?"

"Me? Well...hmm..." Key took a moment to think about a name for the raft before he smiled as he came up with one. "Excalibur!"

"Hey, how 'bout..."

"The usual?" Key already got what Dusk had in mind to settle on what name to go on.

"Let's do it!" Dusk declared as Heart overheard them.

"You guys at it again?" She asked before she let out a amused giggle. "All right, I'll be the judge. The usual rules apply: Take any route you want... First one to tag the tree at the end of the cove and make it back here wins." Key and Dusk stood next to each other as they stretched before they start.

"If I win, not only will we call the raft Excalibur, but I'll be the captain." Key told Dusk. "And if you win...uh..."

"I get to share the paopu with Heart." Dusk quickly said, which surprised Key. "Deal? The winner gets to share a paopu with Heart."

"Wha... Wait a minute..."

"Okay." Heart spoke up as she raised her hoof up high. "On my count: 3...2...1...Go!" The moment she brought her hoof down, both colts took off across the broken walkway. They jumped over the gaps as they made their way past a tower with a zip line. They soon climbed their way up some cliffs before they tag a tree with the star on it. They soon jumped across the palm trees on their way back as they were neck and neck.

They made their way across the walkway before Key was the first to make it back. "Yes, I won!" He cheered. "Now we call the raft Excalibur!"

"Whatever, it's just a name anyway." Dusk shruged. "By the way, the paopu thing was just a joke. You should have seen looking your face." Key shot a glare at him while Heart giggled a little.

"Okay, let's just collect some provisions for the trip!" She told them. "Key, you go look for three mushrooms, two coconuts, three mangoes, and a bottle of fresh water." Heart levitated a bottle from her saddlebag over to Key. "Use this to fill up with fresh water. But don't get it from the ocean."

"I know." Key said as he placed the bottle in his saddlebag.

"We'll get the rest of the supplies." Heart continued. "Bring everything back here once you find them."

"Okay." Key responded before he will not define those items. He moved a folder out of the way to get a mushroom from behind it. He then went over to a coconut tree before hitting it with his wooden sword. This caused a coconut to fall from it before he placed it in his saddlebag. He tried to hit a few more around the cove, but none of them had the coconuts he needs.

He then went back to the beach to look for the items. He found another mushroom by the waterfall before he filled up the bottle with the water from it. Key climbed his way up a mango tree before picking three mangoes from the top. He then went over to another coconut tree before hitting it with his wooden sword to cause the coconut he needs to fall in his saddlebag.

"Now where'd to find that third mushroom?" He asked himself before he remembered seeing one in the secret place at the base of the tree. Key went over and crawled his way through before going down the tunnel. He then came to a cave filled with many drawings that was carved along the walls and a large wooden door with no handle. He remembered the first time he met Heart and she was drawing these when he found her here.

Overtime, the three of them carved these drawings along the walls and had fun together ever since. He found the final mushroom that he needed before he stopped to look at a drawing him and Heart made when they were little. The drawing was of himself and Heart as he remembered himself drawing Heart while drew him. Key would be lying if he said he didn't have feelings for her as he really liked her. Key then took a small rock and started carving into the wall to draw something.

It took about a few minutes before he drew a star on it as if he was giving Heart a paopu fruit. Key had a small smile on his face before he heard something from behind. "Who's there?!" He called out as he saw somepony wearing a large brown cloak with a hood covering his head. He couldn't see the face of this stranger and he could also see two straps on his chest in the shape of an X.

"I've come to see the door to this world." The stranger said in a deep voice.

"Huh?"

"This world has been connected." The stranger continued.

"Wh-What are you talking about?" Key asked the stranger.

"Tied to the darkness..." The stranger said and completely ignored Key's question. "Soon to be completely eclipsed."

"Well, whoever you are, stop freaking me out like this!" Key told the stranger before he realized something. "Wait, where did you come from?"

"You do not yet know what lies beyond the door." The stranger told Key.

"So, you're from another world!" Key assumed.

"They're so very much to learn. You understand so little."

"Oh, yeah? Well, you'll see. I'm gonna go out and learn what's out there!" Key declared with confidence.

"A meaningless effort." The stranger scoffed. "One who knows nothing can understand nothing." Key glared at the stranger before he turned his attention towards the door. Key wondered what the stranger was talking about before he looked back and was shocked to see no one there.

"What the...where'd he go and how did he get here?" Key asked as he was confused by the stranger. He decided to shrug it off before he head back to the cove with the supplies he gathered. Key student found Heart weaving together some seashells near the raft. "Hey, Heart, what's that?"

"This? I'm making a necklace of thalassa shells." Heart answered. "In the old days, sailors always wore thalassa shells. They were supposed to ensure a safe voyage. See this?" She showed him she connected one of the shells to a chain while the shells were in the shape of a star with one missing on the bottom right. "It's a charm to help us find each other if we ever get separated. The three of us will always be together."

"That's so cool." Key complimented before he noticed Dusk wasn't around. "Hey, where did dusk go?"

"After getting the rest of the supplies, he headed home early." Heart told him before she noticed the sun was going down. "Looks like it's getting late." She levitated the items from his saddlebag and into a box on the raft. "Let's go home and get some rest. Tomorrow's the big day." The two of them went back to the docks only for her to look out into the ocean as the sun was setting.

"What's up, Heart?" Key asked.

"You know, Dusk has changed." She told him.

"What do you mean?"

"Well..." She couldn't explain how which made him tilt his head a little.

"You okay?"

"Key, let's take the raft and go, just the two of us!" Heart asked, which really shocked him. "Just kidding."

"What's gotten into you?" He asked her with a slight chuckle. "You're the one that's changed, Heart."

"Maybe..." Heart spoke in a soft tone. "You know, I was a little afraid at first, but now I'm ready. No matter where I go or what I see, I know I can always come back here. Right?"

"Yeah. Yeah, of course!" He answered while nodding his head.

"That's good." Heart said as they both watched the sunset. "Key, promise me you'll never change." That made him wonder why she asked him that as she looked at him with a smile. "I just can't wait. Once we set sail, it'll be great."

---

"Spike,

Sorry for rushing off without telling you or sayin' goodbye, but there's trouble brewin'.
Not sure why, but the stars have been blinkin' out, one by one. And that means disaster is not far behind.

I hate leaving you all but I've gotta go check into it. There's somepony with a "key"--
the key to our survival. I need you and the six students from the school of friendship to find him, and stick with him. Got it?

We need that key or we're doomed! So go to Traverse Town and find a griffin named Leon. He'll point you in the right direction.

P.S.
Say sorry to the girls for me.

Sincerely, Twilight Sparkle."

Spike finish reading the letter to everyone in the Headmare office. "I have noticed some stars were going out but I didn't know it was this serious." Luna spoke up in a worried tone.

"Oh my, what could this mean?" Fluttershy asked with concern.

"It means we'll just have to trust Twilight and her decision." Celestia answered.

"I sure hope she's okay." Rarity added.

"She trusted us with finding a key and save the world." Gallus recapped with his arms crossed. "No pressure or anything."

"Twilight trusted you six with this task because she believes in you." Starlight assured them. "After all, you six saved Equestria's magic and saved the harmony throughout the land. I would trust you with something like that."

"Don't worry. We'll find Princess Twilight and this key." Ocellus assured their teachers, headmare, and the two retired princesses.

"We're so proud of all of you for doing this, darlings." Rarity told them with a bright smile.

"I'm kind of little jealous that you guys get to go on a big adventure, but it's cool." Rainbow spoke up with a shrug.

"Just be safe while y'all are out there." Applejack asked of them.

"I have a feeling that Twilight will want a detailed report of our adventures." Spike said as he placed a few ink bottles, blank scrolls and a few writing quills. "I'm gonna be really busy."

"Don't fret, Spike." Celestia spoke up. "To help chronicle your travels, he will accompany you." She just turned over to a table only for Spike to look around as he saw no one there.

"Over here!" A voice called out before they saw a cricket wearing a tuxedo and a top hat jumping on said table. "Cricket's the name. Jiminy Cricket, at your service."

"Oh cool, a talking cricket." Sandbar said as Jiminy jumped his way over and hopped onto Spike's head.

"Yona ready to go to Traverse Town!" Yona declared. "What train will Yona and friends take?"

"Actually, you'll be taking something else to Traverse Town." Celestia told them. "Follow us and we'll explain." They followed both Celestia and Luna as Celestia explained about other worlds and that Traverse Town is one of them. The others couldn't believe it at first but then Jiminy started telling them about his world as they made their way down a spiral staircase in Canterlot castle.

"So Mr. Cricket, your world has vanished as well?" Luna asked after hearing what happened to his world.

"It was terrible. We were scattered." Jiminy told them as he got scared chills at the memory. "And as far as I can see, I'm the only one who made it to this world."

"Don't worry, Jiminy, we'll help you find your friends while we're out there." Sliverstream assured him.

"One more thing, while you're in other worlds, you mustn't let the inhabitants of that world know where you are from." Celestia told them. "You must protect the world order." They soon reach the end of the staircase before walking down a corridor. "Lucky for you, there is something that will help you blend in with other worlds."

They soon entered a big workshop with gears and machinery. But what really caught their attention is a big red ship with a yellow stripe on the nose and a glass dome. "This is known as a gummi ship, it will allow you to travel between worlds." Luna told them before she levitated a big box over to them. "In this box contains clothing that are infused with magic that will help you blend in to other worlds." She explained to Spike and the Young Six. "These also holds some weaponry in case you run into some trouble."

"Now we're talking." Smolder said as she pulled out a pair of fighting gloves from said box.

"We wish you the best of luck." Celestia told them as she used her magic to levitate Spike and the Young Six into the cockpit of the gummi ship, along with the box just when Owloysius flew down and joined them. The hanger doors opened up to reveal a runway as the ship faced in the direction of it. Spike gave a thumbs up as he winked at Twilight's friends, Starlight, Celestia and Luna as to let them know they have everything under control.

The gummi ship's boosters started to boost up as the passengers inside were ready to take off. "Blast off!!" Sliverstream shouted before they saw a big red arrow in the way pointing down. The ship then dropped down when a sudden shoot opened up and the passengers inside screaming as it fell. The ship soon came out of the other end of the shoot before it blasted off to its destination: Traverse Town.

---

Key lays awake in his bed as he was thinking about how Heart was excited to set sail to see other worlds. But he also remembered what that cloaked figure said which made him worried. He then notices something out the window in the corner of his eye hovering above the island. "A storm?" He asked before he quickly realized something. "Oh no, the raft!"

"Key, dinner's ready, come on down!" A mare's voice called out. "Key?" Key, however, was no longer in his room as his window was open.

---

Key was rowing his boat over to the island as to save the raft from the storm. As he got to the island, he saw that this was no ordinary storm as there was a big ball of darkness hovering above the island. "What's that?!" He wondered as he parked his boat on the docks before he saw two others he recognized parked there as well. "Dusk's boat. And Heart's!"

Key wondered why they were here before he saw little black creatures with yellow eyes emerged from the ground. He recognized these things from before as they waddled their way towards him. Key quickly equipped the wooden sword as to fight back, but his attacks had no effect on these creatures as he swung the wooden sword at them. He was shocked by this before one of them attacked him from the side and knocked him onto the beach.

Since he couldn't fight back against them, he need a run for it as more of them started to appear. He made his way towards the secret place at the base of the tree, only to find a large white door blocking his path. "Where did this door come from?" He wondered. "I better go find Dusk first." He quickly looked around before he saw Dusk on a small part of the island.

After running past and dodging the little black creatures, he made his way over to Dusk who was looking up at the orb the sky. "Where's Heart?!" He asked Dusk. "I thought she was with you!"

"The door is open..." Dusk spoke in a serious tone, which confused Key.

"What?"

"The door is open, Key." Dusk repeated as he turned to him. "Now we can go to the outside world!"

"What are you talking about?! We have to find Heart!"

"Heart's coming with us!" Dusk exclaimed before he looked up at the orb again. "Once we step through, we might not be able to come back. We may never see our parents again. There's no turning back. But this may be our only chance. We can let fear stop us now! I'm not afraid of the darkness!" He then looked back at Key before he extended his hoof out to him.

"Dusk..." Key spoke before he a pitch black and purple void underneath Dusk before the pitch black started to wrap around him. Key went to go save him, only for the darkness to try and swallow him up as well. He did his best to fight back against this as he reached for his friend. The darkness soon covered both of them as everything went black. Within the darkness, a light shined bright before the darkness around Key suddenly vanished and Dusk was gone.

Key looked around before he noticed something in his right of. It looked like a big key that felt like a sword. The key is depicted as a classic skeleton key approximately 3.5' long with a long silver Keychain and a six pointed star token on the end of the Keychain. The blade and teeth of the key are silver, the rainguard is blue, and the guard is bright gold. The teeth of the end of the key form the outline of a crown which matches the crown charm Key wears.

"Is this a key or a sword...?" He wondered before he heard a voice whisper.

"Keyblade?" He was then suddenly surrounded by the small black creatures again as he took a battle position with this 'Keyblade.' One of the black creatures jumped forward before Key swung the blade and this time, he was able to hit the black creature as it was destroyed in a puff of black smoke. After taking care of the others, he got a pretty good idea of where Heart could be at this moment.

After finding his way through the small black creatures, he made his way to the door to the secret place at the base of the tree. After opening and going through the door, Key made his way until he reached the end where he found Heart facing the wooden door. "Heart!" He called out to her. She slowly turned around before facing him with a sad look on her face.

"Key..." She spoke in both a sad and weak tone before the door behind her suddenly burst open. A big gust of wind and shadows blew before Key saw Heart being blown towards him. Key was about to catch her before she suddenly vanished when he was about to catch her in his hooves. Key was then blown back and back outside.

Key then crashed on the ground before he saw that the island was completely destroyed as there was only a big chunk of land left as it was being lifted up into the orb of darkness. "Whoa! What's happening?!" He exclaimed before he turned around and saw the big black creature he fought before rise up. As there was no way out, he equipped the Keyblade as he was prepared to fight.

Like before, the large creature was drawing energy into its claw before it slammed it down to the ground. Key then attacked its claw as much as it could before offending off a few of the small black creatures that risened from the ground. After it lift its claw up, it got on its knees and arched back as the large heart shape hole and it's just started to fire black orbs at Key. Key did as much damage as he could before he climbed up its arm and deliver the final blow to its head.

After it was defeated, it was then sucked right into the large orb of darkness in the sky. Said orb was then trying to draw Key in as he was holding on for dear life. He did the best he could to hold on to a chunk of wood in the ground before he lost his grip and was sucked right up into the orb just before he blacked out.

Next Chapter: Chapter 2: Traverse Town Estimated time remaining: 21 Minutes