Maleficent destroys Sora’s keyblade and sends Heartless against him, thinking that now she is sure to finish him off. But the King and Riku jump in and drive off the Heartless. According to Pete, they had snuck into Disney Castle in the real world to ask the King about their plans, but he was surrounded by the bright light from the data Destiny Island, and was taken to the data world at the same time as the King. While the King ended up in the data room that Riku had created, Pete was thrown somewhere deep in the data world. Pete called on Maleficent and they started to make another evil plan, a plan to rule the world. The King and Riku try to stop them, but Maleficent kidnaps Riku, and runs off with Pete.
The King returns to the castle and tells Sora to stay there, as he plans to go and take on the Bugs in Hollow Bastion himself. The keyblade Sora had held was only data created in the outside world, so right now there is no way to get it back. Now that Sora has lost the keyblade, he won’t be able to do actions that use the keyblade. He won’t be able to attack Heartless or Bugs, and he won’t be able to use Debug abilities or Support abilities and items (but he’ll still be able to use defense abilities and healing items.) From the Moogle at the gate you can receive the avatar item “Hollow Bastion Bookshelf Wallpaper.”
First check the gate Pete went through. You’ll find it won’t open, so get on the left lift and ride down to the sewers. Here there will be two switches that you’ll have to press simultaneously under a time limit to open up the path. Continue along the path to find two more switches, which will make a different switch in the center appear. Pressing this will make the gate open and you’ll be able to enter the castle.
Pete is just below the entrance, but he runs when he sees you. When you try to chase after him you find that the door is locked. Peta has left some Shadows behind him, and if you run around for a bit and wait, Goofy will appear and defeat them for you. Now Goofy will join you, and you go searching for Donald who has become lost. You can’t control Goofy yourself, but you can give him commands like “Fight Heartless”, “Destroy Bugs”, “Follow Sora”. You can also give him free will. Normally he is just in “Follow Sora” mode. You have to keep changing it to fit the situation. If you run too far away from him, he’ll automatically warp to catch up with you.
You still won’t be able to open up the door Pete ran through, and you’ll go in search of the four “symbol shards”. One is in the library on a table. When you take it and return to the entrance you’ll see that Donald has gone outside and you’ll run after him. Return to the sewers and you’ll see a Prize Bug which contains the Debug Ability “Slow”, which will slow down your enemies. Press the switches to continue on, and you’ll find Donald. This is where he’ll join you. Donald, like Goofy, can only be controlled through commands. Now that you have Donald, you’ll be able to use his magic to work the red switches.
There are three red switches. The first red switch is beyond the switch in the sewer that opened the gate. If you go further in you’ll find a Prize Bug containing a “Break Recipe” (which you can use to make the item “Break Boost”) and the Support Ability “Regen” (when you’re in trouble you will slowly regain HP.) Inside the gate, release the red switch that is in the air. A Bug staircase will form. Walk up it and go straight to the library where you found the “symbol piece”. There will be the final red switch and you’ll be able to continue.
You will be able to get Trinity Balls from enemies here. If you gather enough of them you’ll fill up your “Trinity Gauge” and you’ll be able to perform a “Trinity” move in battle. (It won’t work if Donald or Goofy are unconscious.) In the middle of the gate room there will be a Prize Bug in the air which contains a “Shining Recipe” (for making a Shining Ring.)
When you hit the red switch in the library, you’ll be able to go up the stairs. Up ahead there will be more groups of switches that you’ll have to press to move on. On the bottom left of the third level there is a Prize Bug which you can only break open between the time you press the switch next to the entrance and the switch on the bookshelf. On the right of the second level there is a Prize Bug on the on the bookshelf which contains a “Crown Recipe” (makes Crown Bangle).
There is another Prize Bug on the fourth level which must be opened between pressing two switches, but it contains nothing important. From the exit of the fourth level you will arrive at the top of the entrance hall, where you will find another “symbol shard” on top of pedestal in the center. You can also find a Prize Bug which contains a “Night Recipe” (makes a Night Chain) and the Support Ability “Defender” (when you’re in trouble it will lower your attack and raise your defense.) Once you get the “symbol shard” you have to go back to the library to initiate Debugging Mode. You must defeat the Defender[s?] in 4 minutes. When Debugging Mode is finished you will receive another “symbol shard”. If you finish in 30 seconds you can get a “OO drop”.
Now that you’ve gathered all the shards you will be able to go to the Symbol Wall. At the Symbol Wall you will have to defeat several groups of Heartless while riding on the lift. At the next tower near the bottom you’ll find another Prize Bug which contains a “Ghost Recipe” (makes Ghost Brace. Once you press the switch you won’t be able to get it, so you must take it first.) Here there will be a pair of switches that open the door, which will lead you to the Great Hall.
Pete is there. They try to defeat him, but instead Donald and Goofy end up cornered, with Sora on his own. Just when Donald and Goofy are going to meet their end, a bright light appears in Sora’s hand, and in the next moment he is holding a keyblade again. According to the King, the keyblade he holds is “a power only you have after connecting with all the worlds.” Holding that power, Sora goes to the other side of the keyhole to finish everything with Pete. This will be a boss stage, but before you go you’ll be able to open the menu and change your equipment. Since you won’t be able to use the Debug Ability you ought to unequip those abilities and put on something else.
During the boss stage you will be able to get different prizes depending on how long it takes you to finish the stage. It’s similar to Agrabah. The first boss will be Pete. He will throw balls and try to hit you, as well as firecrackers. Defend with Barrier and move around with Teleport to avoid attacks. Sometimes he will attack with the Debug Ability “D-Thundaga”. You will have to run around until it finishes. (But before he releases the attack there will be one moment where you can stop him.) Once you’ve defeated him, he still won’t give up. Next, he will call out Riku, who has been invaded by Bugs and is nothing but a puppet. Riku has his own mind, but his body is unable to go against Pete’s orders. There are three levels to the battle with Riku. Each time he will gain more HP, and the types of attacks he uses will increase. On the first level he will just jump around, but the second level will include a spinning attack, and on the third he will use Dark Aura and Dark Break. From the second level on he might also use Debug Abilities. At the second level he will use “Haste”, on the third level he’ll use “Haste Homing Invisi Damage Drain” [?? is this the name of multiple abilities or just one. She has it written as one full ability.] Especially on the third level attacks won’t work anymore, so you’ll have to run around a lot. When you defeat him, you will receive the Debug Ability “Cure”.
Once you’ve finished the story, you will see Riku fall onto the ground. He seems to be asleep, and his body is filled with bugs. Sora runs to him. Then a light shines from the keyblade, and it opens a keyhole, one of a completely different shape from what we’ve seen before. The King says that unless the Bugs are defeated Riku will never wake. Sora looks at Riku, he looks worried...