Episode 1: Unexpected Departure

Episode 1: Unexpected Departure is the first episode of .
==Story summary==
On Destiny Islands, Xehanort is approached by a robed figure, who invites him to step through a Corridor of Darkness to explore the outside world.
In Scala ad Caelum, Xehanort, Eraqus, Hermod, Bragi, Urd, and Vor are given the task of finding the upper classmen, who went missing during training for their Mark of Mastery exam. While searching other worlds, they only encounter Heartless.
Four years later, Xehanort leaves flowers at four graves before leaving Eraqus and Scala ad Caelum behind in order to see what's out there.
==Quest No. 1==
Before quest
[Events from are seen, ending with Player, Ephemer, and Skuld on the Keyblade Graveyard.]
[On Destiny Islands, Xehanort wakes up with a tear running down his face.]
*: "That dream again..."
*Xehanort: "I've been having the same dream over and over again for as long as I can remember. An unfamiliar world filled with unfamiliar faces and unfamiliar good-byes... As if I'm experiencing a life that belonged to someone else."
*Xehanort: "This island surrounded by smaller desolate isles, a vast ocean, and a never-ending sky—this is my entire world. But maybe there's something beyond these waters. Maybe there are worlds like the ones I dream of."
*Xehanort: "If I could get to the outside world, would I be able to meet my friends from my dreams? I can't get the thought out of my head as I lie on the sand like a starfish day after day, feeling like I'm falling through the sky."
[A robed figure approaches Xehanort.]
*: "My waypoint."
*Xehanort: "What?"
*Robed Figure: "The world from your dreams... It does indeed exist."
*Robed Figure: "This is nothing but a prison surrounded by ocean. There is nothing for you here. Is this where you wish to carry out your life?"
*Xehanort: "Who are you?"
*Robed Figure: "I am your waypoint, as you are mine."
*Xehanort: "What do you mean? Who are you? How did you get here?"
*Robed Figure: "Answers are meaningless if you lack the knowledge to understand them. Here, there is only so much you can learn. You must explore the world outside."
*Xehanort: "Huh?"
[The robed figure opens a Corridor of Darkness.]
*Robed Figure: "It's easier than you'd think. One step forward is all it takes. But if you lack the courage and strength, your dreams will remain dreams forever."
[Xehanort walks up to the Corridor of Darkness.]
[The scene shifts to Scala ad Caelum, where Xehanort sits on a bench.]
*: "Xehanort."
[Eraqus walks up to Xehanort.]
*Xehanort: "It's almost time for class."
*Eraqus: "I know."
[Eraqus sits down next to Xehanort.]
*Xehanort: "Wait. Aren't you going?"
*Eraqus: "Eventually."
*Xehanort: "Always doing things in your own time."
*Eraqus: "It's gonna take a while for the others to show up anyway."
*Xehanort: "That's true."
*Eraqus: "What's it like out there?"
*Xehanort: "Huh?"
*Eraqus: "What was it like on the other side of the ocean? Must be nice to know."
*Xehanort: "Beats me."
*Eraqus: "But this is where they found you, right?"
*Xehanort: "Yeah, I was lying here unconscious. But what does that prove?"
*Eraqus: "The nearest towns we can see are all abandoned. That means you had to have come from somewhere farther away."
*Xehanort: "Or maybe I fell from the sky."
*Eraqus: "Well, that's new."
*Xehanort: "What you can see is only part of the picture."
*Xehanort: "Not only that, the things you get used to seeing can fade into the background."
*Eraqus: "So...you're sticking with "I fell from the sky"?"
*Xehanort: "Keep an open mind, Eraqus. Maybe then you'll actually beat me."
*Eraqus: "Wait. You've been talking about chess this whole time?"
*Xehanort: "Come on, we need to get to class."
[Xehanort walks away.]
*Eraqus: "The outside world, huh? What I wouldn't give..."
[The scene shifts to a classroom, where Hermod, Bragi, Urd, and Vor are gathered.]
[Xehanort and Eraqus walk in.]
*Eraqus: "Oh? Thought we'd be the last ones here."
*: "Me too."
*Urd: "Being late and running away IS what you do best."
*Eraqus: "That's right! And don't you forget it! Just call me Tardy Fleetfoot!"
[Xehanort sits down at the table.]
*Xehanort: "Baldr's not here yet?"
*: "Nope."
*Eraqus: "And the Master?"
*: "Not here either."
*Eraqus: "Well, that's a first."
*: "I wonder what's going on."
*Hermod: "This was pretty short notice."
*Bragi: "We're not here for class?"
*Vor: "Master Odin."
[Master Odin enters the classroom, and everyone takes place at the table.]
*: "I did not gather you here for our usual class."
*Xehanort: "The day I met the man in the robe, my world was turned upside down. But I got used to it eventually."
[The scene shifts back to the Destiny Islands.]
*Xehanort: "Your world can change in an instant. Sometimes all it takes is a single step."
[Xehanort walks into the Corridor of Darkness and it closes.]
[The scene shifts back to the classroom.]
*Master Odin: "I'm afraid I bear bad news. The seven upper classmen have gone missing during their training for the Mark of Mastery exam."
*Eraqus: "Training? What kind of training?"
*Master Odin: "As you know, there are many worlds outside of Scala ad Caelum. Before the Keyblade War, all the worlds were joined together. But the war forced them apart, and now their residents know not of the others' existence."
*Master Odin: "To maintain this order, meddling with other worlds is strictly forbidden. However, in preparation for the Mark of Mastery exam, Keyblade wielders are given permission to journey to these worlds to broaden their horizons."
*Xehanort: "How does one get to those worlds?"
*Master Odin: "There are several ways..."
*Eraqus: "Ways that you can't share with us LOWER classmen?"
*Hermod: "Don't be like that, Eraqus."
*Master Odin: "You are right. They are taught only to upper classmen. But today is an exception."
*Hermod: "Really?"
*Eraqus: "You're going to tell us?"
*Urd: "I can't believe this."
*Master Odin: "I would like you to use this knowledge to find the missing wielders."
*Eraqus: "Yes!"
*Urd: "You don't have to sound so excited."
*Hermod: "Yeah, people are missing, you know."
*Eraqus: "Right, sorry."
*Bragi: "Guys, we get to go to the outside worlds. This is huge!"
*Xehanort: "The situation IS worrying. Which is why I'd rather be part of a search party than sit here and do nothing."
*Vor: "Guys, aren't you forgetting someone? What about Baldr?"
*Eraqus: "Oh, yeah."
*Urd: "Is he still in his room?"
*Hermod: "I'll get him."
*Master Odin: "I have given Baldr a different task. He will not be joining us today."
*Xehanort: "Oh?"
*Eraqus: "What's he doing?"
*Master Odin: "As you all know, his sister is one of the missing upper classmen. I have yet to tell him the news to avoid any unnecessary concern."
*Master Odin: "I'n the meantime, I would like you to search for the missing students. Ordinarily, there is much to learn before going to the outside worlds. However, as time is of the essence"
[The screen fades and shifts to the six students walking out the city's gate.]
*Eraqus: "So how should we do this?"
*Hermod: "Well, the Master wants us to split up into two groups."
*Urd: "How do we decide?"
*Eraqus: "Rock, paper, scissors?"
*Bragi: "Xehanort, any ideas?"
*Xehanort: "About?"
*Bragi: "Well, we've all studied the other worlds, but you're the only one of us who's been out there. The upper classmen disappearing, our mission..."
*Bragi: "What do you think's going on?"
*Xehanort: "Well, regardless of my past, one thing's for sure: the connection between worlds is unstable."
*Xehanort: "According to the Master, the Keyblade War engulfed the world in darkness. When it was over, all the worlds began being rebuilt into what they are now."
*Xehanort: "But time flows differently in each one... ...depending on when and how quickly they're restored."
*Xehanort: "Some worlds are already complete, and their time had begun to flow. But others are not, and for them, time stands still. The different worlds are all moving forward at different speeds from different starting lines."
*Eraqus: "Let's say worlds are like people. Some are babies that crawl, some are toddlers that've just started walking, and others born yesterday are already adults that know how to run. Right?"
*Xehanort: "Yeah, something like that. What I'm saying is that we need to be careful about what we say and do while we're out there."
*Urd: "Right. Wherever we go, we have to make sure we don't say anything about the other worlds. We need to respect their order."
*Xehanort: "If rules and order are already established in that world, yes. But what if you're in a world equivalent to a newborn?"
*Hermod: "Then the rules can be changed..."
*Vor: "But why would anyone do that?"
*Urd: "Even if it is possible... ...do you think anyone else out there knows any of this?"
*Eraqus: "Hold up. Let's go back to what Xehanort said. I think the point was that the instability of worlds could have something to do with why they all disappeared."
*Eraqus: "Right?"
*Xehanort: "Right."
*Bragi: "So some worlds've been completely restored, while others haven't."
*Eraqus: "Exactly."
*Hermod: "But there's no way of knowing how far along a world is unless you actually go there, right?"
*Xehanort: "Yeah."
*Vor: "That's kinda scary."
*Urd: "This is gonna be a tough mission, isn't it?"
*Xehanort: "Probably. The seven wielders each left on their own, but the Master wants us in groups of three. This won't be easy."
*Eraqus: "Guys, enough talk. So how should we do this?"
<Party selection>
*Eraqus: "Are we good?"
[The students summon their Keyblade Armor.]
*Master Odin: "There are several ways to travel between worlds. To ensure your safety, you will be donning armor that wards off darkness, and your Keyblade will become a vehicle for travel."
[Xehanort's party lands in Agrabah.]
*Eraqus: "Did we make it?"
*Xehanort: "Looks like it."
*<Party member>: "This doesn't look so bad."
[Heartless appear behind the party. <Party member> summons their Keyblade.]
*<Party member>: "Guess I was wrong."
[Eraqus summons his Keyblade.]
*Eraqus: "We just got here!"
[Xehanort summons his Keyblade.]
*Xehanort: "They've gotta be Heartless."
After quest
*Xehanort: "Not bad for our first battle."
*Eraqus: "Yeah, but we need to stay sharp."
*<Party member>: "I hope the others are okay."
*Xehanort: "I'm sure they're fine. For now, let's focus on finding some clues."
==Quest No. 2==
==Quest No. 3==
==Quest No. 4==
==Quest No. 5==
==Quest No. 6==
==Quest No. 7==
Before quest
[Xehanort's party walks through an empty Bazaar.]
*Eraqus: "Notice anything weird?"
*Xehanort: "Yep."
*<Party member>: "Where is everyone?"
*Eraqus: "Maybe no one ever lived here."
*Xehanort: "I doubt it. Look at the buildings. Maybe living beings are restored last."
*<Party member>: "So this world isn't complete yet."
*Eraqus: "Were there monsters in the world you came from?"
[Xehanort shakes his head.]
*Eraqus: "Hmm, so when a world is rebuilt, the residents are the final step. Until then, monsters roam as free as can be."
*<Party member>: "Are they the Heartless the Master told us about?"
*Xehanort: "That's a good bet."
*Eraqus: "There are two types of Heartless, right?"
*<Party member>: "Emblem and Pureblood Heartless."
*Eraqus: "Okay, but the Emblem Heartless existed in future worlds projected by the Book of Prophecies a long time ago. So why are they here?"
*Xehanort: "Good point. Maybe it's a clue."
*<Party member>: "Do you think the Heartless attacked the missing students?"
*Xehanort: "Possibly."
*Eraqus: "But these Heartless weren't that strong."
*Xehanort: "Maybe not the ones we fought."
*<Party member>: "Now I'm really worried about the others."
*Xehanort: "Let's try to gather more information. We'll head back once we find something."
==Quest No. 8==
==Quest No. 9==
==Quest No. 10==
After quest
[<Party member> sits down on a rock.]
*Xehanort: "See?"
*Eraqus: "See what?"
*Xehanort: "I told you there were stronger Heartless around."
*Eraqus: "What? You call that strong?"
*<Party member>: "Yeah, I do."
*Eraqus: "But we handled them just fine."
*Xehanort: "WE did, but the missing wielders were all on their own."
*Eraqus: "What would you do?"
*<Party member>: "If what?"
*Eraqus: "If you were alone and came across those monsters."
*Xehanort: "Fight."
*<Party member> (simultaneous): "Run."
*Eraqus: "Exactly. Some would run, and some would fight."
*Eraqus: "So even if they were alone when they encountered some of these Heartless, I doubt these monsters are the reason why they ALL disappeared."
*Xehanort: "Good point."
*<Party member>: "But what if there're even stronger monsters out there? Ones you can't run from?"
*Eraqus: "Come on, seriously?"
*Xehanort: "You never know."
*Eraqus: "Then I'd run faster than I ever have before."
*Xehanort: "Of course you would."
==Quest No. 11==
==Quest No. 12==
==Quest No. 13==
==Quest No. 14==
Before quest
[Xehanort's party returns to Scala ad Caelum, where the other students are already waiting.]
*Eraqus: "You're back already?"
*HermodUrd when Hermod is in party.: "We just got here."
[Xehanort walks to the bench and sits down.]
*Eraqus: "Bet you got scared and ran."
*BragiUrd when Bragi is in party.: "Huh?"
*<Party member>: "That's YOUR M.O."
*Xehanort: "I'm glad everyone's okay."
*VorUrd when Vor is in party.: "We ran into Heartless."
*Xehanort: "So did we."
*Bragi: "But no sign of any actual people."
*<Party member>: "Same here."
*Eraqus: "Were the Heartless strong?"
*Hermod: "Yeah..."
*Hermod: "I hate to say it, but I'm not sure even an upper classmen could've taken them on alone."
*Vor: "What now? Should we report our findings to the Master?"
*Eraqus: "No way."
*Vor: "Huh?"
*Xehanort: "I agree. Let's not."
*Bragi: "So what do we do? The mission is pretty dangerous, you know."
*Eraqus: "We're Keyblade wielders, right? We see a Heartless, we take it down. We can't just run when things get rough."
*Xehanort: "The Master taught us all about the Heartless... ...and how much of a threat they pose. The students who went missing knew what they might face and undoubtedly prepared for it."
*Xehanort: "So what about us? Can't we do the same? Don't we have the same determination and drive?"
*Eraqus: "We do, and you're right. But if any of you feel like you're in real danger, run. Don't turn around, don't wait for the others. Run like the wind!"
*Everyone else: "Eraqus..."
[The students are back outside the city.]
*Urd: "Let's try to find a solid lead this time."
*Hermod: "Should we change groups?"
<Party selection>
*Eraqus: "All right! Round two."
*Vor: "Just so I know, you weren't joking about running from danger, right?"
[Bragi walks up to Eraqus.]
*Bragi: "Come on, Vor. Running away is what Eraqus does best!"
*Xehanort: "Be safe. We'll meet back here soon."
[Everyone summons their armor.]
==Quest No. 15==
==Quest No. 16==
==Quest No. 17==
==Quest No. 18==
==Quest No. 19==
==Quest No. 20==
After quest
*[4 years later]
[Xehanort places flowers on four graves.]
*Eraqus: "You're leaving?"
[Eraqus walks up to Xehanort.]
*Xehanort: "Yeah."
*Eraqus: "We had some good times, huh?"
*Xehanort: "Yeah."
*Eraqus: "You don't have to leave.."
*Xehanort: "..."
*Eraqus: "What happened wasn't your fault."
*Xehanort: "I just want to see more of what's out there before the Mark of Mastery exam."
*Eraqus: "That's not for a while. Besides, you've already seen what's out there."
*Xehanort: "Not everything."
*Eraqus: "What are you looking for?"
*Xehanort: "..."
[Xehanort walks away.]
*Eraqus: "Fine, but you better come back. We've got a score to settle."
*Eraqus: "I'm at 117 wins, 312 losses, and 8 draws."
*Xehanort: "You mean 107 wins, 323 losses, and 7 draws."
*Eraqus: "Whatever. Close enough."
[Xehanort turns around.]
*Xehanort: "Do you seriously mean that?"
*Eraqus: "Knew I'd get you to turn around. See you soon, buddy."
*Xehanort: "See you."
[Xehanort and Eraqus both head off in different directions.]
==Notes and references==