Kingdom Hearts : Worlds Apart

As is with every fanfiction, I do not own a majority of these characters. However, when they appear, you'll know which ones are mine.

He looked at his hands, then up at the bright sky above him. The sun was peeking out behind a cloud, hovering high above the arena of Olympus Collesium. There was a loud roar coming from the crowd as they filled in every spot available on the benches. Before him stood his opponent: the half-human and half-god Hercules. What stood out was his glow. As a god, he couldn't be killed. That was the fun of fighting him. Who could last the longest? The young challenger was dressed in a golden chest plate and a armored 'skirt'. The boy's long blonde hair draped over his shoulders like silk. Hercules was dressed in the same apparel, equipped with a small purple cape. Given to both of them, a short sword tied into its sheath. Unlike most of the inhabitants of Olympus, he was given a fairly different name. William stood up onto the battle square, his arms crossed over his chest. Hercules looked at him and gave a small thumbs up. "We'll be careful, right?" William asked, returning the gesture. A nod was given. There was the sound of metal against leather and Hercules had his sword pointed out. William did the same, sweat dripping from his brow. Never before had he been this nervous. He gulped and ran toward his opponent, sword held over his head. Hercules jumped out of the way, twirling his sword around as swiftly as a ballerina spins her batton. William skidded to a halt, turning to face the other man.

"You'll have to try better than that," Hercules laughed in a soft voice. William turned and swung at him once more. The blade made contact with Herc's skin. However, the slash simply healed itself in the blink of an eye.

"I'll last the longest!" the boy growled, "Just you wait and see!" The blade swung out once more, making contact with Hercules'. The two swords began to clash with each other, over and over. The halfling looked at William through the assault, thinking he was getting too dangerous with the fight.

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The soft coo of the waves echoed within the ears of a young pirate. Her arms were crossed over her chest as she stared out lovingly to the waters. She was looking for someone. Her heart ached upon the very thought of him and she brinked tears at the mention of his name. The boat groaned as a wave splashed up against its starboard side. She turned to look at her crew; a group of females much the same age as her. She wore her hair up in a bun, with locks of hair draping over her face. She had soft blue eyes and a face beggeting a child. "Captain Kristel!" piped up a crewman.

"What is it?" she asked, turning her gaze back to the ocean. She was still waiting for him.

"The..." but that's all that was said. There was a sudden crash, causing Captain Kristel to stumble a bit.

"What did we hit!" she barked out, looking around her and then back at the crew. She jumped down from her spot, her red and black skirt fluttering as she landed at the bottom of the staircase. As she walked, jingles from her coins and jewels could be heard. She wrapped her slender fingers around a bar and looked down at the water below the ship. "Doesn't look like we've hit a reef..." she turned and gasped at what she saw. A single tentacle was jutting out of the water, swinging around and snatching up twenty crewmen at a time. "My God..." she whispered. Just then, three more shot up from the depths, coiling themselves around her ship. She pulled a gun from its holster and fired. To no avail. The beast couldn't be stopped.

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A young girl sat on the steps of the train station, looking down at the orange tiles. She drew circles on the ground with a stick that she had found on the way up there. The circles were being drawn between her feet and her elbows rested on her khaki pants. She sighed heavily. The Struggle champion, Setzer, had turned down a date with her. The girl stood up and fluffed out her red hair. It was a little bit longer than shoulder length. As she began to leave the train station to go home. I sense there's something wrong...whispered a voice. It was calm and soothing. The girl turned around. "Who's there?" she whispered. There was no answer. She paused and then started back on her way. Maybe she was hearing things. Yet it was so clear.

"Lacey!" called out a familiar voice. The girl perked up once more and turned to see a boy standing on the steps of the station. He had black hair that jutted out in all different directions due to the headband that rested on his forehead. He wore a red jersey with unidentifiable 'grafiti' on the back of it. His legs were covered by a pair of baggy jeans. "I'm headed toward the mansion. Didn't expect to see you here. Want to come along?" Lacey smiled and fixed her orange vest and she shook out her black sleeves.

"All right, sure, Pence," she smiled. She waited for him to approach her. Together, the two walked silently down the hill past Pence's hideout behind the chain fence. Lacey paused when she heard the same voice once more, saying the same thing. She shook her head.

"Something wrong?" Pence asked, looking at her from over his shoulder. She blinked a few times before realizing what he had asked.

"No," she said, "It's fine." She walked a bit past him, a skip in her step. The mansion had always interested her. She had just never had the courage to go and look into the building herself. Since Pence was with her, though, maybe it wouldn't be so bad. The hill took a turn to the left, and they paused for the trolley to pass by. Pence then broke into a run, noticing that another trolley was on its way. Lacey jumped as far as she could over the tracks and then ran across. The trolley went past and sent a small rush of wind past them. She ran a hand through her red hair.

It was another fifteen minutes or so before they reached the mansion. The wind seemed to become silent and everything around them seemed to stop. "Well, come on," Lacey said, pushing the large gate open and entering the yard. The weeds were large and overgrown. And they wrapped around the large broken pillars that were in the yard. Nobody in Twilight Town was sure where this mansion had come from. They weren't even sure who had lived in it. However, here it stood. Just as mysterious as its history. Pence followed the girl into the yard.

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William stopped. He had gone to swipe at Herc's feet when a sharp pain shot through his body. He felt something cold running down his shoulder. Something cold and sticky. With horror, he stared at his shoulder, dropping his sword. There was a loud clang as the metal contacted the stone. Hercules noticed what he had done. There was a collected gasp from the crowd. William stared at his shoulder as the blood dripped all over the stone arena. The pain was blinding. Everything around him was becoming a blur. This was it...he could feel himself falling...deeper and deeper...into a blackness.

"Looks like Wonderboy made a bit of an...oopsie," whispered a voice. William opened his eyes to see a blue faced person, with blue flames atop his head. A black cloak draped his body and black smoke swirled up around the person's feet. "Sorry to say it kid. But you're under my jurisdiction now."

"Who..." William tilted his head, standing up slowly. The bleeding had stopped. He looked down at his body. He saw through his own outline to the ground below, "What's happened to me!"

"The name's Hades, Lord of the Undead. And you...well, you're dead," he shrugged his shoulders, wrapping an arm around the boy. His slender and pointed fingers were coiled around his shoulder, "Well? What are you waiting for?" Hades asked, "Hop in. You're not going anywhere."

"No!" he cried out, falling to his knees and holding his head, "This was an accident! I wasn't supposed to die!" As badly as he felt like crying, he knew it was impossible.

"Such a shame, isn't it?" Hades asked, looking at his fingernails, "Too bad, so sad. You win some, you lose some. Get in the river." William stood up and looked over his shoulder at the Lord of the Underworld.

"You made deals...with Hercules?" There was a nod from the God, "How about you make one with me. You let me live, in any form you wish. And I'll do your bidding." Hades wrapped his fingers around his chin. William was willing to do anything to continue living, no matter it be in the form of a rodent, worm, or other creature that roamed the Earth.

"Hmm..." Hades mumbled, "I get complete and utter control of someone..." ("Going ONCE!" William barked) "Someone who's already technically dead and I get to choose whatever form I want for him..." ("Going TWICE!") "All right then!" Hades barked, the flames on top of his head flashing red for a moment. His spinedly fingers clasped around William's ghostly hand. A bright light emitted from their touch and at that moment a purple smoke surrounded the boy. When the smoke cleared, a small black creature jumped about at Hades' feet. It had bright yellow eyes and small antennae perched atop its head.

However, at the birth of this creature, another one was born...

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She looked at her feet, then stared up once more when the disgusting smell of mucus and water filled her nostrils. A man...or was it beast? stood in front of her. Tentacles draped from his chin, as if like a beard. On his shoulder was a large chunk of coral and a pipe rested in his mouth. The smoke, however, spewed out of a small hole on the side of his face. "Ah...it's been quite some time, Kristel..." he growled. His accent was slightly that of a scotsman and he said her name with emphasis on the 'L'.

"Yes..." Kristel mumured, "Too long, eh, Davy Jones?" she smirked at the king of the oceans. The creature smirked as well, looking at his vicious crew. None of Kristel's had managed to make it off the ship in time. Davy Jones himself had salvaged her for his own reasons.

"You...have a debt to pay," he whispered, "I've been helping you find Jack Sparrow for five years. That was our agreement. And now," he grabbed her hand. It was cold and slimy. A tentacle wrapped itself around her wrist for a moment before jerking back with its owner. He then took his other hand, or claw as it were, and examined her face with it, "You will fufill your end of the bargain. Ten years of service on the Flying Dutchman." Kristel sighed.

"I'll admit," she began, "That I do owe you my soul for these next ten years. But how's about..." she got real close to his face, regardless of the smell that came from him, "I ransack and pillage every blessed town for you?" Davy jerked his head in her direction, with a sickening squealch.

"Material possessions do not..." he growled, making a popping noise with his lips, "pike my interest as much as your soul does. Now, either serve upon my ship or go down with the rest of your crew and your ship!" The Captain was fed up and he slammed his peg leg on the already decaying wood of the Flying Dutchman. A few of the crewman laughed darkly. Kristel shrugged her shoulders, then looked at the hand Davy Jones had touched. It was started to become covered with what looked like a barnacle.

"Fine then," she said simply. She looked at Davy as he clasped his hand over her mouth, the tentacle wrapping itself around her head and covering her eyes. She let out a soft groan as she felt her body shake once and then fall limp into Davy's grip. Her heart had become his, surrendered to the darkness and under the control of the King of the Sea.

At that precise moment, another being appeared on the docks of Port Royal...

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The two stood inside the foyer of the building. A priceless gem was resting in a glass case in the center. Two large marble staircases covered in a carpet that looked to be made out of satin. Lacey took her steps foreward, her eyes aglow. "I never thought it'd be this big!" she laughed. Pence smirked, slipping his hands into his pockets.

"I'll check the left side, you check the right. How's that?" he asked her, heading over to the left staircase. As if she had a choice, Lacey nodded and moved toward the right. It was a lot taller than she thought it was. The girl ran a hand along the railing. It was covered in dust. It was as if nobody had lived here for years. She reached the landing, looking over at Pence. He waved over to her and she could hear a small laugh come from him. Her eyes then met a door.

"I wonder where this goes..." she walked toward it, wrapping her fingers around the door handle and opening it. She stepped inside and looked around her in awe. It was a large library with a staircase leading downward. These stairs looked to be made of steel. Carefully, she followed them downward into a room in the floor of the library. The walls were made of metal and the light came from the glow of a single computer. However, there was one other door. Lacey took her first steps into it. This room was brightly lit up by many computer screens. There was also a small circular pad with the ceiling coming to a point above it. A light was on the tip, shining along with the screens. It flickered once or twice. As Lacey walked further in, she ran a hand along the wall. It was cold as ice. No dust had accumulated; this had to be new. Her footsteps echoed in the quiet room. The girl looked at the circular pad. She lifted a foot and stepped on it. At that moment, everything around her stopped. The hum of the computers, the echo of her footsteps. Everything. The girl then shook her head.

"I've been expecting you," whispered a voice. Lacey recognized it almost at once. It was the same voice as the one who had whispered to her at the train station. Everything around her looked the same. However, a man with long blue hair was standing behind her. He had a scar in the shape of an X that crossed over his nose. He was wearing a long black coat with chains across his neck and ones that dangled from the hood. The dangling chains had round ends on them.

"Who are you?" Lacey cried out, looking up. The light that was on above the pad had gone out. She then spun around entirely to view the man.

"My name is Saix," he began, "and I sense a pain in your heart." Lacey paused, then looked at the floor, "Yes. Would you like to escape that pain?" he asked her. The girl nodded slowly. He held out his hand, which she took. He then lifted up his other hand to create a swirling black cloud. Together, they stepped through into a large city. The moon was high above them. Lacey noticed something odd about it in an instant: it was shaped like a heart. Lacey then looked at Saix. "Surrender yourself...give your heart to darkness and to Kingdom Hearts...all your pains will be over then."

"How...how do you know?" she asked. Saix didn't answer, "Tell me!" she took her hand away from his and stomped her foot. The blue haired man looked at her darkly.

"A girl who whines will not get what she wants," the man crossed his arms over his chest, "Will you or will you not? I'm not afraid to take it by force," he growled. Lacey then paused. Saix looked the type who could inflict some serious damage. She then fell to her knees, looking up at him. For once, a smile appeared on his lips. "Good..." he whispered, placing a hand on her head. Lacey closed her eyes.

"I just want all the pain to go away..." she whispered. Saix nodded, as black fumes rose out of his hand. The girl began to get an empty feeling in the pit of her chest.

"It'll all be gone soon. Just let your heart become one with the darkness..." It wasn't long before Lacey's body fell limp. Something light and glowing floated above Saix's hand. Her heart was pure and untainted. "Amazing..." he whispered, "How could someone this pure...have so much pain?" The heart then floated out of his reach, towards the heart-shaped moon. When he looked down, he noticed that Lacey's body was replaced by another. She, like Lacey, had red hair. However, she was now dressed in something identical to Saix. She stood up, her eyes cold and distant.

"Why am I...here...?" she asked him. She didn't know who he was.

"A Nobody?" he mouthed. Saix shook his head, his blue hair swishing behind him, "Ah...your spirit was strong enough for a Nobody. Xemnas was right when he saw promise in you..." He turned his back and began heading toward a large castle that loomed up in the distance. "I'm sure our paths will cross once again...Elyxca." The girl shook her head.

"I don't need you. Or this 'Xemnas' that you mentioned," she turned her back to him and started heading toward a dark alley way. She then heard a thud. Her eyes went down to a boy wearing the same thing she was. He had long hair that rested on his back and she saw a glimmer of glasses that rested on his nose.

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"Man, what a wild ride," he whispered, looking down at himself. Although everything was familiar to him, it felt all so brand new. "Looks like Hades brought me back as a normal person," he laughed, looking around him. He was wearing a black cloak with a chain around his neck. Two chains dangled from latches located near his clavical. At the bottom of these chains were small, capsule shaped metal objects. "What am I? A house lamp?" he laughed, playing with one of the chains.

"No..." whispered a voice behind him. He turned, his dark blond hair swooping while it followed. Another being appeared from what looked like a ball of black smoke. He looked at this new person over his half-moon spectacles with his dashing blue eyes.

"And just who might you be, Gramps?" he asked. Indeed, this man did look odd. He was adorned in the same outfit as the boy, but he had long white hair that shot up near his forhead in three directions, "And what do you know about me?"

"My name is Xemnas," he whispered, "a Nobody much like yourself." A twisted smile appeared on this man's face, "Before you even ask, a Nobody is a being without a heart. When someone gives their heart to darkness, much like William did, and they had a strong spirit, a Nobody is created. You, my friend, are one of them." The boy took a moment to let all this sink in.

"But I am William. I didn't give my heart to the darkness. I merely--" Xemnas raised a hand to silence him.

"You are not. You are Maxiwill," he turned his back on him, "When you allowed Hades to take control of you, he turned you into what is called a Heartless, creatures with hearts that have been taken over by the darkness. Once that happened," he paused, looking Maxiwill over from his shoulder, "you were created."

"So, let me get this straight, old man," Maxiwill placed a hand on his chin, tapping his forefinger on his cheek, "I'm not William? Just his spirit?" Xemnas nodded firmly, "Are there others like us as well?"

"Countless. However," he smirked, "Only the strongest become what we are. Others merely become creatures with a shape that isn't worthy of being called 'human'. You were lucky enough to keep a human shape. But...You're a child..." Xemnas began taking his steps into the black cloud. Maxiwill clenched his teeth and his fist.

"What's THAT supposed to mean!" he barked out. However, Xemnas had disppeared into the black smoke and the cloud itself vanished. "OOOH!" he stomped his foot, "That makes me so angry! Walking out on me like that!" Maxiwill looked at his hand then at the spot the cloud had been just moments before, "I wonder..." the boy held his hand out. A cloud of black smoke appeared. A smile then formed on Maxiwill's lips and he walked through the portal. When he reached the other side, he fell onto his stomach, at the feet of a girl. He looked up at her and blinked.

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She shook her head, looking at the ocean below her. The girl then looked at her apparel. "These aren't my clothes!" she cried out. She was dressed in a tight fitting black cloak with chains dangling from her neck. She pulled on one, and it tightened the hood of the coat slightly. One chain wrapped across her neck and settled softly across her bosom. She then took a few steps back, only to bump into someone. A small squeak escaped her as she turned around to see who she touched. It was a man with bright red hair that jutted out behind his head. He had small markings under his emerald eyes. "Why, hello there, doll face," he smirked. The girl blinked. He was wearing something much like hers. The only difference is that his sleeves were very tight fitting as well.

"Who are you?" she asked him, tilting her head and examing him from top to bottom. She acted much like a girl in a candy store, taking her pick from the bin of lolipops.

"The name's Axel. And you are Lexstrik," he stated, "Got it memorized?" His voice had somewhat of an edge to it, but it was playful at the same time. The girl shook her head laughing.

"No...no..." she chuckled, "You've got it all wrong. My name is Kris--" she paused when Axel held up his hand.

"No, you've got it all wrong. That was your former self. When you dedicated your heart to ol' Chthulu, what was left of your soul and spirit formed you. Lexstrik. You're merely a Nobody," he explained. The girl paused, then ran a finger through a lock of hair that dangled in her face. It was the same as she remembered it; soft and smooth. It was still up in a bun. Then she noticed something odd; her hair wasn't the brilliant blonde it used to be. It was now a soft brown. "You'll figure it out. And now, I'll take my leave," he turned his back to her, a cloud of black fumes appearing.

"Wait!" she called, "Why did you come here?" her hand gripped his tightly, as if she didn't want him to go.

"I had come here to gather you for Xemnas. I'm sure you'll hear about him later," he smirked, "But you're just too cute to get involved with something like Organization XIII. Stay out of trouble now," Axel smirked, walking through the portal of smoke. However, Lexstrik wasn't the Nobody of a pirate for nothing. She jumped through the smoke just as it was disappearing from Port Royal. She felt herself land on cement, hard. When she looked up, Axel was gone. The girl looked about her surroundings, noticing people near by. He had long blonde hair that fell over his shoulders, down his back a few inches and a girl with red shoulder-length hair. They were both dressed like her and Axel. Quickly, she made her way toward them.