[Video]

[hiptobe_eraqus]

[Here comes another message: this one from Eraqus, close to the Twilight Town portal. He looks anxious, and a bit angry. Two of his Spirits can be heard barking and whining in the background…it’s clear they are all stressed out right now.]

I just came from Traverse Town to here, and it seems the keyhole is missing. While the portal appears to still be working, the keyhole itself cannot be found. Believe me, I have looked.

Please, everyone, be on your guard. I can only suspect that this is also Xehanort’s doing.

Comments

[video]

[trademark_skull]

[...Oh great, he definitely remembers you too.]

...

[Yeah sorry, this didn't have much to do with what was said.]

[video]

[hiptobe_eraqus]

[Yes, he does, too. But unless Emi is a Xehanort vessel, then there's much bigger problems for him to worry about right now.]

Did you just arrive back here?

[video]

[trademark_skull]

[Nope, don't think so. ....Feels fine at any rate.]

I think that's what happened, y-yeah..

[video]

[hiptobe_eraqus]

Do you know if that is connected with this happening? [He's just not going to bother asking what might have happened in his own world, because he could barely understand that anyway.]

[video]

[trademark_skull]

N-no, how would I know that?

[Juuuust as clueless as you, buddy.]

[video]

[hiptobe_eraqus]

Fine. I just did not know if anyone else who had left the dream realm had information that we still here did not.

[video]

[trademark_skull]

...I don't exactly remember going anywhere. But for a moment I couldn't even remember this place either.

[Not even sure why he felt like sharing that with you for that matter.]

[video]

[hiptobe_eraqus]

[Well that's...strange.] You didn't remember the dream realm once you left it?

[video]

[trademark_skull]

If I did, it might have been only for a short while.

[And yeah, that did worry him a bit.]

[video]

[hiptobe_eraqus]

I see...I wonder if that's an effect for everyone that leaves here... [Because this makes him think a lot about a student who's gone missing...]

[video]

[trademark_skull]

[Yup, this tiny demon is very concerned about this. Seeing everybody he met in this place recently really reminded him that he had a lot here, and he didn't want to loose that again. And his dream eaters too, although some of them may have been still missing, they meant a lot too.]

...

[unrecovered]

[Normally Wash would handle this sort of news a little better. Unfortunately, today has been anything but normal, even by dream world standards.]

You mean to tell me that the worlds are still connected, but the things we had to find to connect them in the first place are just gone?!

Do they usually fucking migrate or are we just lucky?

[hiptobe_eraqus]

From what I can discern here, yes. I haven't checked any other worlds.

No. I have never seen such a thing before, and it shouldn't be possible. [Who knows if that can happen in the dream realm, but he's sincerely doubting it, coupled with everything else.]

[unrecovered]

[This day just gets better and better.]

I'll check the one here and report back.

Well, the stars just went out, and that shouldn't be possible either. At this point, I'm not putting anything past this place.

[hiptobe_eraqus]

[And he's got a feeling it's only the start.]

Alright, thank you.

That...I have heard happening before. And it's just as bad as it sounds.

[voice]

[battleborndr]

[Sorry but have a sudden, quiet and thoughtful Doctor voice slipping in on here.]

...Stars going out...

[wow that is too familiar and too soon of a reminder for his liking]

[voice]

[hiptobe_eraqus]

[Eraqus is pretty grim, too.]

It's a sign of worlds being lost to darkness...

[letteropener]

That is concerning.

So we are, in effect, sealed here for certain?

[hiptobe_eraqus]

A Keyhole is a mark of the heart of the world. If it's hidden, missing or otherwise damaged, that means terrible things for the world...and I can only extrapolate what that means for everyone on that world.

[letteropener]

Then it seems 'concerning' is an understatement. And yet, would we not have seen immediate signs of catastrophe by now?

[hiptobe_eraqus]

Most assuredly.

Catastrophe is not always as bombastic as one would expect. And even if it is in this case, this could be a prelude to something more drastic. We'll need to stop it now.

[letteropener]

I certainly don't disagree with you there. Do you have any suggestions?

[hiptobe_eraqus]

[He remains in thought for a long moment. Why does Xehanort always seem to be so far ahead of him, even now?] It would seem best to have people both remain where the Keyholes were, and have some try to search out where they may have gone...Xehanort could be in either of those places.

[letteropener]

Forgive me, I was unclear. What I meant to ask was, does anything in your experience offer any suggestions as to how a Keyhole might be taken away, where one might be hiding, or what signs we should look for to locate it?

[hiptobe_eraqus]

[Again, he's thoughtful for a moment.]

No. Normally, if a Keyhole is tampered with, darkness has invaded it completely and the world collapses.

I don't know if the realm of sleep handles that differently.

[letteropener]

They must, or else we would be undergoing that collapse now. So we have nowhere to start for certain, save for turning over each metaphorical rock...

[hiptobe_eraqus]

All that I can think of is to start from where the Keyholes were originally, and work from there. There could be some clues left at the site.

[letteropener]

Given that this came shortly after the meddlings of the Spellican, which managed to seal each of the worlds and summon foes from them, I think investigating the spots where each of those Nightmares appeared is also called for.

[hiptobe_eraqus]

Yes, that would also be wise.

I believe whoever goes searching should also be prepared for battle. If this is Xehanort's doing, I don't believe he'll allow easy finding of the Keyholes again. [He's just hoping it's Dream Eater minions, and not Xehanort himself...]

[letteropener]

By now, I am afraid that should go without saying.

[Which saddens the peace-loving Princess, even as she acknowledges it.]

[wavesinherheart]

Not anywhere?

[Because if so that's terribly worrying, especially with Xehanort likely being involved.]

[hiptobe_eraqus]

Not that I've found. Unless it's relocated, which seems even more unlikely than it being hidden or rendered unusable.

[wavesinherheart]

It does, yes. Unless it's something that can only happen because of where we are, but surely someone would have known about it?

[hiptobe_eraqus]

If that was possible, I'm fairly certain one of the Keybearers that was in this realm would have mentioned it. Unless it's extremely rare.

Either way, this requires investigation.

[wavesinherheart]

I agree. The sooner we find them the better.

[Video]

[since1928]

What? How can a keyhole be missin'??

[Video]

[hiptobe_eraqus]

I don't know. But I know it cannot mean anything good.

[Video]

[since1928]

Gosh. And if Xehanort's behind it...

[Video]

[hiptobe_eraqus]

Then it seems fair to assume the worst.

We'll need to put a stop to it now.

[Video]

[since1928]

Yeah! Wouldn't want this to go downhill fast.

[Video]

[hiptobe_eraqus]

The question is, finding him out... [If there's one thing Eraqus has disliked even from when they were young, it's how Xehanort always seemed to be a few steps ahead of him.]

[Video]

[since1928]

[Mickey also frowns. He's only had so much experience with the old master, and if it's already been this long, they're really behind.]

...Welp. I'll still do what I can to check things out. Don't you worry!

[Video]

[hiptobe_eraqus]

Thank you.

I feel this will likely be a group effort.

[Video]

[since1928]

No problem, Master Eraqus! That'll better our chances in finding clues, haha!