Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or any other anime/book/movie that might be mentioned in this story, nor do I make any money on writing it.
Word Count: 814
Rating: T
Spoilers: The ending of Kingdom Hearts

-----Chapter 01 - Instatement------

"Sora. On behalf of King Mickey, I grant you the Key Blade and the duty as Guardian of the Worlds. Do you accept?"

Sora looked from Queen Minnie to the Key Blade held out in front of him. His Keyblade. Donald and Goofy stood on either side of the throne; they weren't part of this ceremony.

After sealing the Door, Sora had passed out on the floor. Or he would have if Goofy and Donald hadn't rushed forward and caught him. When he woke again, he was in a light room, lying in a soft bed.

He later learned that his friends had taken great lengths to get him back to their kingdom. They had even offered him a home there. Sora had been confused at first, and the Queen had to show him the truth: the people on Destiny's Islands had forgotten everything about him and Riku. Even if Soracould someday find his missing friend, they would never be able to get their old lives back. Not even Kairi would remember them.

Sora hadn't taken the news very well, and had ended up in bed for another week before he was willing to face the world again. The entire time, Donald, Goofy or both had kept him company, and Lady Daisy had brought him meals.

The ceremony he was attending now was his official invitation to stay in the kingdom, and he knew that. If he took up the Blade once again, he could never turn back. But it might also help him find Riku again.

"Sora, what do you choose?"

Grasping his crown-pendant in one hand, the boy reached out with the other and closed his fingers around the hilt of the Key. Taking a beep breath, Sora looked up at the Queen and said:

"I choose the path of the Blade."

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Later, Sora found himself in his new home, a few chambers close to his friends. It had been decorated with his old things from Destiny's Islands, and he had to wonder how much trouble they had gone through just to bring it there.

"This is all yours now, Sora," a voice from the door said. Sora turned around to find Goofy standing in the doorway. He smiled.

"I know."

Goofy nodded, and then suddenly managed to look serious.

"I'll still help you find Riku, Sora, I promise. And I know Donald will too."

Sora nodded and reached up with one hand to grasp the two pendants around his neck; his old one with the symbol of a crown, and a new one bearing the king's crest. His eyes sought the pendant hanging around Goofy's neck. It looked like his own. Donald had one too, but they were only copies.

Sora's silver pendant was one of a kind; it was the new resting place for his Key Blade. Everyone had agreed that it would be safer for him to be wearing it around his neck instead of having it resting in his heart as he used to. They didn't mean to but Sora could feel that they didn't really trust him after he had been turned into a Heartless.

He was forced out of his thoughts when Donald rushed in, grabbed Sora and Goofy by their wrists, and hauled them down the hall, yelling the entire way.

As soon as Sora was sure he wouldn't fall over his own feet, he removed his hand from the magician's grip. Donald stopped and turned to glare at the boy.

"Come ON, we don't have any time to lose!"

Sora just stood still, arms crossed stubbornly.

"I would like to know why you need to drag me like that first," he said while glaring at the duck. "You nearly ripped my arm out of its socket!"

Donald, seeing that there was no way he could make Sora go along against his will, deflated with a sigh and began to explain.

"There has been spotted some rouge Heartless in a world near where The End of the World was before. We need to send you there and destroy those Heartless before they become a threat!" At this point Donald was nearly jumping where he stood.

Goofy perked up. "We're gonna send Sora off alone? But we've always been with him when he had to fight Heartless."

Sora uncrossed his arms and looked disbelievingly at his feathered friend. Donald just looked back at both of them.

"It's just a few rouges," he said, "and besides, we would attract too much attention," he told Goofy. "Sora is good enough to handle this by himself."

Donald stood there and looked proud for a few moments, before shaking himself and grabbing Sora once again.

"Come on, we have to get you down to the Gummiship Dock before it turns into more than 'just a few' Heartless.

This time, Sora didn't fight, but began running alongside Donald and Goofy.