A Serendipitous Key of Hope

Disclaimer: Let's not repeat what's obvious... Fine! Kingdom Lightz does not own Naruto or Kingdom Hearts. He does own a plethoral of Naruto fanfictions that are connected together.

Yusei: TCM's stories are connected in a multiverse?

Tenji: No, just those that are from the Naruto universe. Especially Ever Ask Why the Devil May Cry.

Manabu: This story won't take off for quite a while so just focus on the others.

The First Key - Dive Into The Heart

Silence reverberates through a torn and desolate battlefield, the skies polluted by light and darkness fighting for dominance of presence. Among the humans on the field, most of whom are laying in the dirt, two warriors clash with one another. The one on the left underneath the fumes of darkness has black hair wearing a dark purple haori over samurai clothing.

The other facing him is a blond spiky haired male the same age as him. He has a black t-shirt underneath torn away armor with orange pants matching the remains of an unzipped tracksuit with matching orange and blue sneakers with zippers around it. Around his right arm he wears a metal piece secured tightly on the shoulder and around his neck is a crown like necklace.

Gritting his teeth, he slaps the metal piece. Light glitters around him, before dispersing to reveal him wearing orange and blue armor. Over his face a shogun helmet with a yellow anchor visor, over his head a jagged, golden crescent moon designed similar to a sword. A strange attachment appears on the right of his waist shaped like a curved barrel. From his back two flags rise up, with a blue heart in a gold outline painted under a blue spiral on orange material. The same symbol appears on his chest.

His opponent holds his left hand out, summoning from a trail of light a key shaped sword. Removing the keychain, he attaches a new one changing its form. His is now golden with three spikes on the curving teeth with a guard split half open on both ends. The keychain is a cross shaped symbol with a heart shaped gap in its center, the top half gold while the bottom gray.

The armored warrior summons his own key sword before swapping the keychain too. His weapon is now a longsword wrapped in an ornate gold filigree in a fish bone like pattern. The teeth of the key are a golden crown on top of a golden heart. The guard of the weapon is a rainbow color changing heart. The keychain is gilded heart.

The armored warrior moves in first. Despite the bulky armor he manages to move at a pace the enemy couldn't believe at first. The dark warrior blocks his sword strike, and kicks him back. He then summons a giant ball of dark flames, firing it at him. The armored warrior draws a flag and blocks with it, before his visors show him a dark blue and purple tengu like being of chakra wielding a blazing sword in the left hand. The dark warrior stands in a gem on top of the forehead with the key sword, his right a copy wheel and the left a gray ripple.

The armored warrior gets slashed by the chakra sword, splitting off pieces of his armor. He scuffs, before glowing inside. The sun chakra explodes from within, removing his armor in place of his tracksuit colored glowing gold with a black full bodysuit with a gold circle around his stomach. On the back of his suit the ripple pattern from his opponent's eye above nine magatamas in a cube formation forms. His hair rises up spikier while his whisker marks turn thicker and blacker, his eyes turning into yellow with slits through a rectangle. Seven black orbs float behind him. His necklace chains transform into magatamas and the crown shines.

He flies away from the sword swing, summoning his aura in the form of an energy fox with nine tails wielding the same black markings. He blocks a swing and throws his elbow, an attack blocked by the ethereal tengu. They step back.

The tengu warrior summons black lightning around the left hand and moves in to strike. The fox warrior summons a sphere of chakra and flies forward to counter. The two attacks collide with one another, a struggle that causes the darkness and light above to push harder.

The attacks explode, collapsing the world in a veil of gray chaos.

The orange warrior gasps as he is blown away, falling into a deep ocean; several men stand over him dressed in black overcoats that completely cover their appearance. He loses his powers into the dark, leaving him in his tracksuit battle worn nevermore. He tries to speak, only for nothing to escape his lips.

He looks around as the darkness illuminates away, a bright blue light from below slowly approaching. From above he could see it's coming from a cylindrical platform. On top of it appears his whole body laying on something, wielding the sword from before.

He lands on top of the platform, a melodious tune playing throughout the dark recesses of the area.

So much to do. So little time. Take your time, don't worry.

He looks around when the words appear in his mind.

The door is still closed. Now, step forward. Can you do it?

He walks forward, stepping into the centrifuge of the light. While it's true that at first this situation seems amazing and real, he comes to the true realization that all of this is a dream. Such a surreal and impossible situation befalling him shouldn't be happening. Going along with it is easily the best option.

Standing in the middle of the platform, a light from above shines down. To his eight o'clock a silver crown like podium rises up from the ground; a red and black shield appears from a white light, a red circle with two circle like ears on top as its design. Despite it, there are no markings of the floor breaking in anyway.

Power sleeps within you.

A second podium appears to his four o'clock. This one displays a green rod with a blue circle just like the one on the shield.

If you give it form...

A third podium appears directly in front of him. This time a sword with a yellow curved guard and blue felted hilt appears, the same design in the center of its guard.

It will give you strength. Choose well.

Choose? He has to choose between one of these three weapons? Well, the shield isn't really a weapon but still. He steps forward to the sword, and new words enter his mind.

The power of the warrior. Invincible courage, this is a sword of terrible destruction.

He looks to the staff.

The power of the mystic. Inner strength, this is a staff of wonder and ruin.

Knowing what comes next, he looks at the shield.

The power of the guardian. Kindness to aid friends, this is a shield to repel all.

Taking this in, he comes to see this as a choose your own adventure thing. That works; it's his dream after all. Even though right now he isn't as strong as what these weapons are implying him to be, he would choose the right thing for him. Reaching out, he approaches the rod. Even if the possibility of ruin awaits him, he could easily guide that power to protect all around him like a shield, or destroy anyone who threatens him like a sword. He takes up the rod and twirls it, which disappears in a twinkle of light that enters his hand.

Your path has been set. Now, what will you give up in exchange?

He leaves the podium and approaches the shield. Though he plans on giving it up, he takes a moment to think about it. Even though the people around him aren't many, he will definitely need something for protection. So with that in mind, he leaves the shield to its podium before going to the sword. Taking it up, he relinquishes the blade. It turns into light soaring upward in the sky.

You have chosen the power of the mystic. You have given up the power of the warrior. If this is what you choose, accept it.

He nods, accepting his choice. The podiums enter the ground, with the shield entering his body. The podium then shatters, its glass fragments dispersing into nothing. The boy falls downward into the sea of darkness.

Though afraid, he continues to fall until coming to another light. This light appears as another platform, which resembles the one above. This one however shows an orange fox with red eyes and nine tails all over the picture. He lands, standing before a pink and magenta double door way.

Step through and set your journey.

He walks to the door and opens it, a blinding light released that consumes him. This is a pretty interesting dream for him.

As the light dies away, he finds himself in his home village on top of the Hokage Monument. There, three people stand there. He can't see their faces because they're darkened, but through their figures he could see they're two guys and a woman.

The door won't open just yet. There are things that must be questioned. Tell me more about yourself.

He walks to the shorter male first. Unlike the words in his mind, this person talks in a modern voice. "What are you so afraid of: getting old, being different or being indecisive?"

That's a no brainer, he understands. But regardless of what he wants he still can't talk. So, he raises three fingers.

"Being indecisive? Is that so bad?" His response transforms the blackened figure into a male with bright eyes and a yellow aura.

Of course to him, it's obvious. He will be more absolute with his decisions, and have no regrets. He will never back down on his words. Done, he goes to the next person, the female looking silhouette.

"What's most important to you: being number one, friendship, or your prized possessions?" she asks him.

He doesn't care about material possessions so the first two are better off. But, despite wanting to be seen as the greatest the one thing he really wanted was to be seen. To be acknowledged. To be with friends. So he goes with that decision, holding up two fingers.

"Is friendship really such a big deal?" She transforms too, turning into a red haired woman with strong, blue eyes.

Looking at her, his heart twinges. It feels as if it knows her. Putting that aside, he goes to the last person. He asks, "What do you want out of life? Do you wish to see rare sights, to broaden your horizons, or to be strong?"

That's a no brainer too. He holds up three this time.

"To be strong huh?" The man transforms, revealing his appearance as a dark haired adult he recognizes as an important figure to his home.

All three disappear. The boy then sees the sun setting quickly.

You're afraid of being indecisive. You want to be strong. Friendship is important to you. Your adventure begins in the dead of night. Your road won't be easy, but a rising sun awaits your journey's end should you persevere.

Thinking it over, it fits perfectly for him.

The day you will open the door is far off, and yet very near.

A bright light takes away his sight, until he appears back in the darkness. The platform illuminates the dark, showing him light. This picture has him again, which shows him with the fox. This time, he's glowing with the same form he had before in the earlier dream. The light from above guides off the platform, which creates a bridge of stain glass to a nearby platform.

Running along the bridge he reaches new ground. This new platform shows a picture of him and eight other beasts with the fox. His form is surrounded by the other nine creatures, each one with distinguishing numbers of tails from one to nine.

The closer you get to light, the greater your shadow becomes.

He looks back at his shadow, which has grown several times larger than him. It rises up from the ground.

But don't be afraid.

The boy backs away as the being takes on the appearance of a muscular black humanoid monster with long, tentacle hair and glowing, yellow eyes. A hole where its chest is is open in the shape of a heart.

And don't forge...

He flinches when the voice fades out. All he got from that is that he should not forge. But don't forge what is the question now.

And don't forget...

He calms down hearing the rest of the word, before wondering what exactly that means as well. These are his thoughts before he gets hit by the shadow's hand.

There are times where you'll have to fight. Keep your light burning.

Fighting. Lately that's all he's been doing; ever since he decided to become a shinobi, he's been forced to fight battles; some of which he didn't mind, and others he wishes he couldn't hurt. But, that's his life for now. Fighting a giant monster is no big deal.

He crosses his fingers into a hand seal, before flinching realizing nothing is happening. He can't summon his chakra, which means he can't destroy it. But to his surprise, the rod appears in his hand. Thinking it a little weird he has to use this, he goes along with in and smacks away the monster's hand. Dark fumes bleed from where he hit, leading him to realize he can do it after all.

He swings, flames erupting from the blue ball within a short period of time. The fire consumes the dark monster, who releases darkness to expel them. He swings again, this time unleashing a powerful wind that blows away the monster's darkness. It then glows, changing its shape to become a key sword like before.

Designed like a skeleton key, the sword has a silver 'blade' connected to a blue rainguard with a golden square guard around a deep green handle. Attached to the end is a silver keychain with the same three circle symbol. The teeth of the blade is a crown.

Grinning, the orange guy runs towards the dark monster. With a mighty swing he cuts at its chest, forcing it back a few steps. He swings the sword, adjusting himself to the weight.

The monster punches the ground, summoning a pool of darkness that calls out smaller, chubby monsters that look like it. Looking at them, the boy feels they could be shadows turned evil. Two come at him in leaps. The orange guy slashes through them, dispersing the monsters into dark smoke, before ducking from the shadows that came at him from behind. He then turns to the big guy, slashing off a part of its hair before punching it in the face.

Whatever this experience is doing, it's made him stronger than usual. Such a blow wouldn't be possible without him being able to gather chakra. He concentrates, flames igniting around the teeth of his sword, and with a dash he slashes through the monster. It explodes into flames, falling to its knees. The boy turns around to face the monster, who twists its body to swing at him. The sword disappears, and the monster slams its other hand down. Darkness gathers around him, slowly consuming him in an endless black void.

Its heartless eyes continue to stare into the boy's as he falls into darkness. As it does, the rest of the message comes to his heart.

But don't be afraid. You hold the mightiest weapon of all.

His heart continues to remain strong as he stares up at the demon. His blue eyes keep their shine even as the darkness takes him.

Don't forget. You are the key, who will open the door to light.

The boy shoots up suddenly. The light of day burns into his eyes as he adjusts. The remnants of the dream continue to plague his mind even as he tries to stay awake. He holds his hand up, remembering the feel of using that sword. He could feel a sweet light in his heart that made him happy.

He rolls out of bed, and immediately steps on top of a bowl of noodles. He sighs realizing he was the one who left it there. Shrugging, he goes to his closet and throws on his outfit; unfortunately it's the same tracksuit he always wears. He adds a headband with a leaf symbol on his forehead, before going to the door.

Right as he is about to open it, the door opens revealing an old man with white, long spiky hair. "Oh, you're up."

"I'm ready to go, pervy sage," he says to the old man. Despite the dream, he's much more focused on going on this training trip.

"How many times do I have to tell you? It's the Toad Sage Jiraiya!" Jiraiya throws his hands back and forward, striking a pose. "You calling me that is only going to ruin my rep!"

"It's not my fault you're a hopeless pervert who writes disgusting books." He knows from experience that Jiraiya would never change to prove him wrong, and accepts him enough to make fun of the aged hermit.

"Shut up boy."

"Not to mention a large amount of the strongest people here are perverted on the inside." He steps past Jiraiya and locks the door, before sliding down the railing off the apartment. "You coming or not?"

"Little brat." He laughs hearing the old man.

He hasn't felt this at peace in a while, especially not after a few days ago. In three years, he's definitely going to become stronger. So strong he can defeat even his best friend, and bring him back alive. Maybe then he will discover what that dream means, and take full control of the power of that beast inside of him. Though the more he thinks about it, the more he worries about the dream. After all, that one dream feels more real to him than any of the many he's had. Even more, he can remember everything about it, which isn't normal for a dream.

Regardless, he will become stronger. As he does, hopefully the secret to the dream will grace him. Who was providing words in his mind? What were those black things that tried to kill him? Why was he questioned by the Shodai Hokage? And how come he felt strongly for a woman he has never seen before his entire life?

As he leaves the village, he fails to take into account a girl with short, indigo hair watching him with her white eyes. "Good luck. I'm going to do my best too, Naruto-kun."

…

"Isn't this a treat? All of us meeting like this."

"I'm much more interested in that Orochimaru. Apparently he found himself a new toy."

"Oh yeah, that's right; Itachi, your brother's been taken by that little traitor snake. How does it feel?"

"..."

"Saw that response coming."

"You're boring me now. Lets get this meeting over with. Wait, why are we here again?"

"We have a bit of a problem; it would seem one of the Jinchuurikis is much more special than originally anticipated."

"How special?"

"He has taken hold of a special type of power, one we have been searching for quite a while after observing his notes."

"You mean the Keyblade?"

A drop of water falls. Its tiny tinkle reverberates through the halls of a dark and moist cave. A light flashes through for a brief moment, revealing several people dressed in cloaks with red cloud spots. In total they equal nine. Among them are two others wearing black coats and gloves that cover their entire appearance.

"And just who are you two?" The two in coats pull over their hoods, taking the others by surprise with their appearance.

"That's right. Now that you know who we are, this can go more smoothly."

To Be Continued...

Yusei: That ends this chapter. Next time...we'll pick up on Naruto during his training later. It won't just be shinobi he'll be training for.

Manabu: Yusei, wrap it up.

Yusei: Right. Anyway, just wait.