Disclaimer: All original titles, plotlines, characters, settings, abilities, weaponry, and events belong to Disney Interactive & Square Enix. I hold no rights whatsoever.
Claimer: Any OCs, Keyblades of my creation, worlds that do not appear in Disney (which I doubt there will be any except I entirely), belong to me. If you wish to use them, please just ask.
Also, if you have questions, or very long comments that are not pertaining to the chapter or story as a whole * after reading it, naturally* please PM ME! So that I can answer you correctly and in an orderly fashion.
Chapter 1: Jiminy's Journal
{October 3rd 2013: Disney Castle Study: 8:30am}
Sitting upon a desk in the vast study of the Disney Castle was one Jiminy Cricket. With his small blue top hat settled next to him, along with his trusty red umbrella, the little conscious had been examining his journals from a series of adventures that had come about in the past year and half. He smiled as he flipped a page and examined the words that had been written. There were more than two mere journals, but there was a very special one that contained all events to the letter, recorded magically as they transpired in his view from the shoulder of a thirteen-year-old boy with a key-shaped weapon. Sora Seiren, that was the boy's name, and he was now sixteen, living within the halls of Disney Castle with his friend Riku Hirigaya, and his girlfriend Kairi Misaki. However, there had been recent changes since the start of this year.
Sora and Riku had undergone the Mark of Mastery Exam in April, and it had turned dark in a terrible manner. Xehanort had done his best to corrupt Sora's pure heart, and had ultimately failed, despite having shattered the boy's heart and mind. Since then, Sora had been more jaded and cold in specific points, but he knew the boy had a reason for those behaviors, and in time, he would be able to heal. Nonetheless, more change had come roughly a month ago, when Sora, Riku, and Kairi had gone to Twilight Town, and returned with two teenagers. They were the newest Keyblade wielders: Roxas Lyster and Namine Olamayne. The two of them had begun training under Sora, who had gained his Mark of Mastery in April after the Dream Drop incident. Jiminy smiled again as he set to reading the first adventure Sora had gone through, and then paused as he looked to his last notes.
"So now we have taken two journeys. One to stop the darkness from spreading, and the other to put all lost hearts back where they belong. To tell the truth, neither one was easy, but I sure was glad to be the cricket to write down what happened. The two journeys, both sittin' quiet, right here in these books. But now, looks like the only thing left in one of 'em is a single page. Of course, maybe that's because they're the only words this book was meant to hold, and it's time to close it for good. But...who exactly is this mysterious person Sora mentioned? The one who helped him when Kairi, Riku, Donald, and Goofy went to save him?"
"I wish someone would give us some answers around these parts. It would be good to know what exactly all this has to do with Sora and the others…." As Jiminy stated this, the secondary journal at his side that was laid open pulsed, causing the little cricket to look at the book.
"What in blue blazes…." Picking the journal up gently, he examined the pages, and then found a secondary entry.
"Their hurting will be mended when you return to end it".
Jiminy put a hand to his head in confusion. He most certainly hadn't written the passage; it wasn't in his penmanship, and it was far too cryptic – he always preferred clarity to riddles – but because of those two key details, Jiminy Cricket, conscious of Pinocchio, knew that he needed to let King Mickey Mouse know of the trouble that was unraveling itself within his journals. Grabbing up the books, the little cricket put his top hat back on and grabbed his umbrella, before racing from the study to the King's private office as if he was running from a crow that thought he looked rather filling for a snack. The cricket bounded, jumped, and hopped as he ran towards the large door as fast as his small legs would carry him.
{King Mickey Mouse's Office: 8:50am}
King Mickey Mouse read through a series of letters that were quite old, and rather close to him, as he thought of the sight he'd seen only a few days prior. Sora, with Donald, and Goofy's help, had taken Kairi, Riku, Roxas, and Namine on an adventure through the worlds he had traveled to during his first travel nearly two years prior. When they had left, most of them had been unsure of what to think, and once they'd returned, the teenagers were smiling, laughing, with a near glow of excitement upon their forms as they told Donald, Goofy, himself, Queen Minnie, and Daisy all about what Sora had showed them, and all their newest experiences. Since then, Roxas and Namine had gone back into heavy training via Sora's natural expertise with Keyblades, but they knew that there was so much more awaiting them outside of the halls of Disney Castle, and it had done exactly what Sora had so hoped it would: it had inspired them.
As the King reminisced with the letters, and thought about the boost of energy that Roxas and Namine had received from the adventure, a tiny door opened in the large ones that lead to his office, and drew his attention to Jiminy racing to him at top speed. The King watched as the tiny series of steps that lead to his desk were cleared just as quickly as the floor was, and the cricket slumped, breathing harshly as he sat down two journals, and removed his hat and sat down his umbrella before sitting down himself to catch his breath before looking at the King.
"Y-Y-Your Majesty…" the mouse King frowned.
"Take a moment to get your breath, Jiminy; don't rush yourself," King Mickey stated.
"But this is…important!" the King, and the conscious glanced to one another as the cricket righted himself and took in another deep breath, before looking at the journal on top of the one settled against the table.
"Is this about the journals?" the King asked.
"Yes, remember how I said there was a single entry I myself put in there that was Sora's recount of a person helping him out of the sleeping spell, when Kairi, Riku, Donald, and Goofy had went to rescue him?" the King nodded.
"There wasn't much to write, was there?" inquired King Mickey.
"No, in fact, it only covered a single page, front to back, which is nothing compared to what is normally written down, even though it was at the end of the journal...however, I was rereading the first journal recently, trying to see if I could figure out who this person was, and then the single-entry-journal pulsed, and a very mysterious new entry was put into it!" dark eyes looked the cricket over.
"A mysterious message?" the King questioned.
"Uh-huh. I certainly didn't write it. And you know I never once let the journal out of my sight. I don't know when anybody woulda had a chance to..." Jiminy paused.
"What does it say?" probed the King.
"Their hurting will be mended, when you come to end it." the cricket watched the King contemplate the statement.
"Hmm...Their hurting will be mended? Gosh, Jiminy. Sounds like somebody needs help and doesn't know what to do. Let's get to the bottom of this," the King suggested.
"Of course, but how? All of the other pages are completely blank now…" the cricket gave the journal to the King, and let him use his magic to grow it a bit larger before observing the pages, until he reached Sora's account of his aid in the dream world.
"This is the only other entry?" King Mickey questioned.
"Yes, I don't know what happened, because those pages were full prior to Sora being rescued back in January. Now, it only has that single entry about the person that helped Sora wake up, and now this one." The King flipped to the first page, where the words were written.
"Well, the words you wrote are gone, but that doesn't mean the journal is empty…we could find a way to get the information out some other way," the King stated.
"If it'll give us more clues, I'll take it! What do you have in mind?"
{9:30am: The King's Study}
King Mickey, Jiminy, Donald, and Goofy were currently standing off to the side as Chip and Dale – the two technical wizzes within the castle – set up a large, computer-like object, and hooked in the journal to the contraption as they watched the two work, as they had for nearly an hour. For the time being, the King was thankful Sora had decided to move training outside for the day, and knew that once they were done, the group would be back to see what everyone was up to out of pure curiosity, but he sincerely wasn't sure what any of them would think about this situation. Taking in a deep breath, the King watched the two chipmunks work away as he stood next to the others.
"Do you know what they're up to?" asked Donald.
"Nope." Goofy shrugged in unsureness as he watched the two continue to work.
"Your Majesty! Everything's ready!" Chip said as he saluted the King.
"Your Majesty! What Chipper said!" Dale saluted the King as well, as they turned their attention back to the machine, and Chip jumped upon a yellow button on the table.
With a burst of smoke, the large computer, along with its several screens, came to life as Chip pulled a lever on the side, and a laser was directed to the first page of the journal within a chamber at the side of the computer. The others watched as Chip and Dale began to pull up readouts of the journal upon the main monitor, before a digital version of the journal appeared on the screen, and the pages began to flip, and flutter as various images of worlds appeared in different screens, before a siren of alert sounded, and a sharp, red light began blinking frantically on the machine. Within seconds black and red blocks appeared, covering the world images.
"Hey! What's goin' on?" asked Dale.
"Jiminy's journal…I think it's gone completely nuts!" the red-nosed chipmunk looked around.
"Nuts? Where?" the other rolled his eyes.
"That's not what I mean!" Chip declared as Dale took a step back.
"I don't know what's causing it exactly, but there's something wrong with the worlds inside the journal. And we can't analyze that message for you, either." The group stared at the screens in dismay.
"Hmm….isn't there something else we can try?" asked King Mickey. The two chipmunks began typing frantically at keys and searching for any clues that could help them.
"Gwarsh, if we could get in there somehow and fix the data, we could figure out what's wrong…" Chip paused.
"That's it! We could look for somebody inside the journal, and send in a few people to help them find what we're looking for!" he said in excitement.
"Once inside, they can explore the worlds and repair the data!" Dale stated.
"That's a great idea, Goofy!" King Mickey smiled at Goofy, who smiled and waved him off.
"Awh, Gwarsh, it's nothing…" he said.
"Somebody to explore the data from the inside….but who? And how?" Chip, and Dale glanced to one another.
"Well, there's an object one of our contacts from another world gave to us that transfers brainwaves into digital code, and allows the person to move around in the virtual system. Once they're inside, they can fight, and leave their bodies here, where we can monitor them while their minds explore the digital worlds with someone within the journal," Chip stated.
"Really? How many do you have?" Dale frowned.
"Only five, and they don't typically work well with animals," he informed them.
"So…we're stuck without…wait a second…" the King thought momentarily on his idea, before nodding to himself.
"Your majesty?" asked Donald.
"I need you and Goofy to go and get Sora, Kairi, Riku, Roxas, and Namine right now. Tell them this is urgent." Donald, and Goofy saluted.
"Very well, Your Majesty!" with that, the two of them dashed out of the room.
"You're going to send them into the journal?" questioned Jiminy.
"Sora and the others are our best bet. Chip, Dale? I need the two of you to get those devices you have, and hook them up for them to use."
"We're on it, Your Majesty!" the two saluted the King before dashing out of the room.
"Are you sure this is a good idea your Majesty? Sora and Riku may be dealt a harsh blow if they relive these events," Jiminy stated.
"I know, but they're our best bet. Roxas and Namine have never been on an adventure, but if we're going to fix the journal, and stop this from destroying the information you gathered, we'll have to run the risk." The cricket nodded.
"Alright, if you believe they'll be up for it, then I'll trust your judgment," Jiminy said.
{Palace Court Grove: East Side flat field: 10:25am}
"That's the best you've got?" Sora rotated his Keyblade in his hand as he looked at Roxas. Kairi and Namine stood off to the side with Riku, who were playing the part of audience today, as Sora decided to give Roxas a little bit of one-on-one training in the style of a mock fight.
"No, but you're too fast," Roxas stated as he looked at the boy.
"I'm not even running, and I'm moving slower…seriously? You're not getting soft on me, are ya?" Sora looked the other over, and he glared.
"No!"
Roxas locked blades with the teen, and Sora jumped back before throwing him off as he shifted his Keyblade him his grip, and then hit him in the side with the blunt edge of the weapon. Roxas hissed as he jumped away, and Sora slung his Keyblade out before tightening his grip on it as he crouched. Kairi and Namine watched closely as Riku observed in curiosity at the boy's movements when he sprang forward and knocked the Keyblade from Roxas's grip, only to catch it moments later, and brace both Keyblades on either sides of Roxas's throat. The blonde gulped as Sora kept a stern eye on him for a moment.
"You lose your temper too easily when you get beaten down. Keep calm, reign it in, or you'll get hurt, or you'll cost someone their life," Sora stated.
"Dammit! How am I supposed to do that when I can only kill freaking plushies?!"
"Plushies are the things I dealt with when I was thirteen, Roxas, and while they're nowhere as deadly as what they could have been, they're still risky, and they get stronger. You've never faced Neo-Heartless which are stronger, faster, and twice as lethal, and you've never faced dusks, or Organization Thirteen. None of this is easy…not even the plushies…believe me," the chestnut-haired teen told the blonde as he gave him back his Keyblade.
"You got your first Keyblade back home, right?" asked Namine.
"Yea, on the Destiny Islands when they were under attack from the Heartless. That's where all this began…why ask?" the blonde shrugged.
"Well, I was curious because I wanted to know how you typically get Keyblades," she asked.
"I got a lot of the ones I have from helping out in the worlds we visited a few days ago. Jungle King, Crabclaw, Mysterious Abyss, Lady Luck – which now belongs to Kairi – the Olympia Keyblades, Hidden Dragon, Fairy Harp, which I got from Neverland, Wishing Star from Jiminy and Pinocchio, I got Three Wishes and Wishing Lamp from Princess Jasmine in Agrabah, and Spell Binder from Merlin the Blue Wizard, and a few others from people I know or places I've been…" Roxas felt his jaw slack a bit.
"You have a freaking arsenal!" he said.
"Um…kinda…some of those Keyblades don't really like me. Crabclaw and Mysterious Abyss aren't fond of me, and neither is Wishing Star or Photon Debugger. Come to think of it, Follow the Wind, Circle of Life, Fatal Crest, Jungle King, and Metal Chocobo aren't acting right when I try to use them lately, either…"
"Maybe it's because you're not their proper wielder anymore," Kairi suggested.
"Probably; they didn't exactly feel right in my grasp to begin with…" Sora flexed his right hand momentarily.
"They can change ownership like that?" asked Roxas.
"Yea, momentarily, Riku possessed the Silver Kingdom Key in Hollow Bastion, but it changed back to me when it realized my heart was stronger, and more pure." Namine looked him over.
"Pure….you're pure of heart?" Sora looked her over.
"Don't sound so surprised," he said.
"I'm not really, and I can see that, but you seem oddly cold at times for someone with such a pure heart." Sky-blue eyes rolled in annoyance.
"If you'd dealt with most of the insanity we've had for the last year and a half, you would understand the reason behind the slight change in personality…" Roxas looked him over.
"Your personality used to be different?" he questioned.
"Oh…yea…he was a little more lax about things, but he's also a practical joker!" Sora grinned, putting his arms behind his head.
"Maybe…" Sora stated with his teeth bared in a clearly cheeky grin. Riku narrowed his eyes a bit.
"Troll…"
"Gremlin..." sky-blue eyes narrowed.
"Imp."
"Elf."
"Hobbit!"
"And…here we are again…" Kairi said.
"This happen often?" aquamarine looked to pale blue and ocean blue.
"Well, kinda…Sora and Riku…."
"Dwarf!"
"Ogre…"
"Got anything better?" asked Riku.
"Only if you have half a brain, Scarecrow!"
"Shut up, Cowardly Lion!"
"That's rich, Tin Man!"
"Quit yapping, Toto!"
"Where's your ruby slippers, Dorothy?" he said in a mocking tone.
"I…" Riku narrowed his eyes.
"I have a list of burn centers on hand near the Disney Castle…or do you need the one from the Emerald City, instead?"
"That had to be one painful burn…" muttered Roxas with a deadpan expression.
"Maybe I should get some ice for that, Riku." Kairi felt laughter bubble up as Namine and Roxas joined in.
"What is this? Pick on Riku day?" asked the silver-haired teen. Sora came over, and walked towards him with a calm expression as he rested an arm on Riku's shoulder – as best he could with his height – before smiling in his cheeky manner.
"Oh, sweet, naïve Riku…don't you know? Every day is pick on Riku day!"
"You little bastard….THAT'S IT!" Riku lunged at Sora, who cackled and took off running around the courtyard, with Riku right on his heels.
"What's the matter, Riku? I thought with that mane of yours, you'd be fast as a lion! Not a Chihuahua!"
"I'LL SHOW YOU WHO'S THE CHIHUAHUA, YOU LITTLE FLEA!" the chestnut haired teen laughed again and ran faster.
"Well…this escalated quickly," said Namine.
"Na, what gave you that idea?" Roxas's expression showed a mixture of humor and discomfort as he watched the two teens run in circles around the courtyard.
"I SHOULD HAVE LET YOU STAY IN THAT DAMN CHAMBER!"
"I WOULD HAVE HAUNTED YOUR DREAMS, ANYWAYS!" Sora jumped out of the way, and Riku ran smack into a tree.
"Ouch…" the trio on the sidelines winced and cringed away from the sight as Riku got up and went after Sora again.
"I'LL GET YOU THIS TIME!" Riku glared.
"WHAT, DID YOU GET AN ACME SAFE RECENTLY, WILE E. CYOTE?"
"When I get my hands on you, I'm gonna…" Sora stretched his lips as he showed his teeth and crossed his eyes.
"Make that burn number two…of what degree?" asked Roxas as Namine pulled out her sketchpad.
"I'd call that a second degree burn…"
"You're keeping score?" asked Kairi.
"Why not? It's entertaining, at least…"
"I'm surrounded by trolls," Kairi muttered while shaking her head and looking at Sora, who was now sitting in a tree limb, with Riku glaring from below.
"Get down here, you little squirrel..."
"Sorry, but I'm not a nut," Sora stated.
"What the hell is up with you today?"
"You're just too much fun to mess with. Riku?" sky-blue looked to cyan.
"What?" he asked.
"Look out…" Riku looked around, and then Sora dropped down onto him. The two hit the ground, and Sora grinned broadly as he flipped off the silver-haired teen and took to running away as fast as he could.
"DAMN BRAT!"
"CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, GINGERBREAD MAN!"
"THAT HAPPENED WHEN WE WERE SEVEN, SORA HIKARI SEIREN! DAMN YOU!" Riku jumped just as Sora turned and tripped the boy, which sent them falling back swiftly, only to land atop something other than the ground.
"GWAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"
"YAHOOOOHYA!"
The sudden impact, followed by the sound, had the two teens looking at Donald and Goofy. The two shook themselves to their senses, and were met with Sora and Riku's bright colored eyes looking down upon them. Donald righted himself first as the two teens looked at them, and Goofy took a deep breath as he watched the two teens move back to where they could sit up. The Court Magician and the Captain of the Knights looked at the other teens who were coming over, and then took a moment to finish righting themselves. Donald sighed, and then looked to Sora and Riku.
"What are you two up to this time?" the two glanced at one another.
"Nothing at all…"
"Uhuh…well the five of you need to get to the King's study – we have a job for all of you," Donald stated.
"What?" the Court Magician stood.
"We have a new mission for all five of you! Now get going!" Donald summoned a thunderbolt, which struck near the ground of all the teenager's feet, which had them bolting towards the castle and towards King Mickey's study.
"Gwarsh, do you think that was a little bit much?" Donald tapped his foot.
"Grhmmm…"
"Donald?"
"Teenagers!" with that, the duck marched off towards the castle.
{….}
I was left to my own devices, many days fell away with nothing to show….
{….}
Author's Note: And so begins an interesting rewrite of Kingdom Hearts: Re: Coded. This is a midquel before we get to the biggest parts of the stories. If you're coming in on this part, please let me tell you that this is a series, so, please go to this title:
Kingdom Hearts: Krone
If that Title is not up yet, then go to this one:
Kingdom Hearts: Cypher
Hope you love the stories. Please leave a review; I really like to hear what readers think of the stories, and on where I can improve the story. Please don't flame the stories, it's actually very rude. Please critique it.
Also, yes, I did put Sora back to thirteen for his first adventure, but it had to be done for the timeline.
Preview:
"We're doing what?"
"You're going directly into the computer."
"And…we're dead, we're dead, we're dead…"
Chapter 2: Zeros & Ones