Zatrion Present:

Kingdom Hearts II: The REMIX!

Chapter 1: Back to Hollow Bastion

Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts is not mine. It is the property of Disney and Square-Enix's cranial coupling. And what a coupling it is.

KHIIR

"The King, Riku – and now I lost Kairi again, too." Sora looks down at the floor of the Gummi ship, his sorrow coming forth. Behind him both Donald and Goofy look at him.

"Don't be sad." Donald tries to cheer up Sora, but his voice shows his lack of enthusiasm.

"Donald's right, you know! Why, you're the key that connects everything!" Goofy is far more hopeful, and is trying to cheer up the Keyblade Master.

With a sigh, Sora continues to look down at the floor. "So it's all MY fault."

Shocked, Goofy replies, "Gawrsh, I didn't mean that. Just do what comes natural to ya and we're sure to find 'em."

"You said it!" Donald reaffirms Goofy's statement.

With a sigh, Sora finally looks up from the floor. "Thanks, guys." Taking control of the Gummi Ship, he is about to head out when he receives a message from Chip and Dale.

"Oh, no! Hollow Bastion! It's all covered in darkness!" Chip's voice rings through the speakers of the Gummi Ship.

"You're right, Chipper! Uh, I wonder what's going on?" The red-nosed chipmunk is in a state of shock.

"Sora! We better hurry and check it out right away!" With that, the intercom on the Gummi ship shuts off, leaving the three heroes more determined.

"Let's go!" Sora cries. With a push of a button, the trio set off to Hollow Bastion to stop the oncoming darkness.

KHIIR

When the three heroes arrive back in Hollow Bastion, they land behind the nearby Accessory shop in the marketplace. Taking a couple of steps forward, they are surprised to see a small squad of Soldier Heartless walking in front of them. Not even taking notice of them, the Soldiers fade away into there small spheres of darkness.

"Do you think…?" Sora starts to say.

"Looks like there's more Heartless now." Goofy has his hand under his chin, thinking on how this is possible.

Donald shakes his head in agreement, as does Sora. They soon are surprised again with an emergence of Dusk Nobodies. Donald sighs, while Sora goes "Let's go check in with everyone."

"I think they're at Merlin's." The anthropomorphic canine replies. Sora once again nods. The three head down into the Marketplace. While Donald and Goofy went to look at any possible items that they may need, Sora notices a man leaning against a wall, his head crooked down. Walking back to see if the two grabbed anything, the three walk on over to the Borough. When they get in close, they recognize the man. His outfit may have changed, but his demeanor just says…

"Oh, Cloud!" Sora exclaims.

Cloud finally looks up, and notices the three standing next to him. Taking time acknowledge them, he tilts his head back down.

"Whatcha doing?" Donald looks at the spiky-haired man.

Without looking up, Cloud replies, "I'll get him. This time, we settle it. Me, and the one who embodies all the darkness in me."

"I thought you looked kinda different, Cloud." Donald is taking note of his new wardrobe. He has gone to wearing all black, instead of the small variety of colors from when they last met.

"If I do, it's his fault." Cloud is still looking down at the ground.

"Whose?" Sora asks him.

"Sephiroth. Tell me if you see him." He still hasn't taken his eyes of the ground.

"Okay. What's he look like?" Sora waits a short while before he gets the answer.

With his eyes closed, Cloud begins his description. "Silver hair. Carries a long sword."

Sora thinks Isn't he the one that I fought back at Olympus Coliseum during my first adventure? And Cloud wants to face him? Cloud's good, but is he that good? "Sure. Well, be seeing you, Cloud."

Looking up at Sora, Cloud speaks. "Be careful. He messes with your head, makes you think that darkness is the only way."

The three are getting ready to head over to Merlin's when they hear an airy voice. "Is something wrong?" The three, plus Cloud, turn to see a woman in a pink dress.

Ah, no. Why now? Turning away, Cloud tries to walk away. Sora is in a small state of shock, and the other two are just standing there. Of course, she has to follow me. Turning around he says, "It's nothing." Aerith answers with a "hmm?" "I don't want you involved." Cloud is trying to dissuade her.

Aerith places her hand under her chin, as if examining Cloud. "You mean you don't want me there when you go away again?"

"I just… "Cloud pauses for a moment, trying to think of an answer. "Listen, even if I go far away, I'll come back."

"Do you mean it?"

Looking away from her, Cloud replies with a low "Yeah."

"See? You don't look so sure." Aerith looks into his eyes and sees that he has to do this. "Well, okay, I understand. Go, get things settled."

"Huh?" Cloud's response is soft, but heard by the group.

With her eyes filled with determination, Aerith speaks. "No matter how far away you are… once you found your light… I'm sure it will lead you back here again. Right?"

"I suppose."

"So I'll stay here, and I'll cheer for you… Okay Cloud?"

"Okay." With that, he walks off towards the Borough.

Wonder if he'll be okay?" Aerith once again has her hand under her chin.

"He'll be fine." Sora walks up to her, giving her that reassurance. "I'm sure there's some light in him somewhere."

"You're right." With that, she head off to the Borough herself.

Turning around, Sora looks at Donald and Goofy. "You think there's something between Aerith and Cloud?"

"I dunno. Seems like it." Goofy now has his hand under his chin, thinking about what just happened.

"But why would Cloud try to avoid Aerith?" Donald begins to tap his foot, trying to figure it out.

"Should we ask one of them?" Sora is beginning to move towards the set of stairs that lead into the Borough, his arms behind his head.

"That wouldn't be right, Sora. That would be muddling in other people's business." Goofy walks alongside him, with his gangly style.

"That's MEDDLING, Goofy. Besides, he's right, Sora." Donald is now following them.

"But you're just as curious as I am. Why else would you ask that question?" Sora looked back at the magician.

"It was rhetorical, Sora."

"Really? So you were tapping your foot because…"

"I felt like it."

"Come on. Admit it, you are curious."

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"Sora!" Goofy points ahead of the arguing two. They stop to see that they almost walked into a small group of Heartless. The small group is made of two Shadows and one new type they have never seen before. The three pull back and pull out their weapons.

"THUNDER!" Donald's spell is cast, hitting all three. Two are damaged, but one of them shines, showing that it is immune to the magic. "What?" The duck avoids three fireballs that the new Heartless shoots out from its book. Goofy jumps in and smacks all three of them with a Tornado attack. This destroys the Shadows, and weakens the new Heartless. Sora Jumps in, and with a strong downward slash, destroys this new threat.

"Stupid Heartless." Donald gives out a very loud raspberry. He would want to take it back since that little taunt caused more Heartless to appear out of the darkness. "Ah, phooey." With that, their battles began again, with more of those new Heartless. Instead of using Thunder, he tries to use Fira and Blizzard. And as before, the spells do nothing to those Heartless, except get their attention. With them distracted, Sora jumps up, and in a flurry of moves, slices up two of those new Heartless. However, he misses one, and it manages to smack him with its large book. Sora flies back, only to rush back forward, hitting the Heartless with multiple hits, before spinning the Keyblade around and slamming down on its hatted head. This final strike makes the Heartless disappear in a cloud of black smoke.

"We really should hurry over to Merlin's. Aerith probably told them that we were here." Goofy continues down the road to Merlin's home. The other two catch up to him as they enter Merlin's.

When they enter, they see Cid at the computer and Yuffie beside him. Hearing their footsteps, Cid turns around. "Hey fellas, you're just in time. Got some good news for ya, so get yerselves over to Leon's."

"What kind of news?" Sora looks to both Cid and Yuffie in anticipation.

"We found the computer Ansem was using!" Yuffie's grin is infectious, passing over to Donald.

"Oh boy!"

"Yep. Should be able to get all kinds of info on the Heartless and the Organization." Even Cid can't hold back his grin.

"And maybe something on the dark realm, too?" Sora is anxious to hear the answer. "It sounds like that's where Riku and Kairi are."

"And the King." Donald adds in.

"Go see for yourselves." All the while, Cid chews on that piece of straw in his mouth.

"It can't hurt." Once again, her smile is there, but it seems to be hiding something.

"What do you mean?" Sora is a bit curious on what is going on.

Cid decides to cut him off. "Nothin'. Just get to the computer room through the castle postern. Watch your step!"

"Right!" With this new info in hand, the trio head out of Merlin's.

KHIIR

Well, this is my first chapter of KHII: the REMIX! I know this is just a lot of filler, and essentially a rehashing of what already happened in the game, but I have to get through this in order to get to the good stuff. So, bear with me.

Feel free to review and critique.