Home beclongs to Framing Hanley.

Kingdom Hearts and characters aren't mine.

Chapter One: Home

This will be a long, long ride

And I'll be dreaming of coming home

The blinding flash of magic consumed them. Everything turned white; he shielded his eyes with a metal-plated arm. He called for them desperately, hoping for just the faintest of replies and despairingly receiving none.

He opened his eyes wearily, sparing no time to glance around the surrounding area for his fallen—no, he wouldn't think like that, it couldn't be true—comrades. There were no visible signs of them; they were gone, and so was their nemesis.

Frantic thoughts overwhelmed him—both of them were possibly alone in dangerous environments, and who knew where Master Xehanort had gone?

They had lost.

Failed.

The new, like the old.

With a fatigued sigh, he began walking in the direction he thought would lead him home. He trudged onward through the dusty terrain, coughing at the dry air catching in his lungs.

He had been right—by dusk, he had reached the outskirts of his hometown. He went no further than that; the city was completely destroyed. He saw the remnants of the school—memories of that magnificent graduation ceremony flashed rapidly through his mind—and the nearby ruins of the residential district. He could only gape at the terrible sight; he could not move, save for the weary trembling from the tiring battle.

"Dear boy," a motherly voice cooed from behind him. He still couldn't move, not even to see who had the skill to sneak up on him. A hand touched one shoulder; an arm settled on both. "Your home has been destroyed, has it?" It felt like he was choking—was he? "I could fix it for you," she whispered.

He jerked away, only to turn to face her. He stared unwittingly—he had never seen anyone like her. A sickly green hue colored her skin and black, twisting horns adorned her head. Black robes were draped about her tall frame; she tightly held a simple staff with a glowing green orb at its tip in her left hand. He fleetingly wondered what she was before her offer rang again in his mind.

"Y-You would do that?" he asked, voice raspy.

"I could," she answered, "but I would need your help in return."

"With what?"

"I am trying to protect Kingdom Hearts from the nonexistent ones—they are a terrible threat." He nodded decisively.

"I'll help you, then. Please, fix my home."

The strange woman smiled and took a few steps toward the ruined city, raising her arms to summon the proper magic. She was thwarted, however, when a horde of white creatures suddenly mobbed her, closely followed by even more small Shadows. But despite these distractions, the city rose before him, restored to its former splendor.

He took this as his chance to help the magician, swatting the nuisances away with difficulty; if he wasn't so fatigued from the battle, it would have been much easier.

She rose proudly, looking around her suspiciously before turning back to him. "This world will be lost," she informed him. "The Nobodies will destroy it; we must go now."

Panic washed over him. "But why? You just restored it!"

"And the Nobodies will destroy it again," she replied calmly. "We must leave before the world disappears, child."

He struggled to accept her words. "…Alright," he agreed reluctantly. She offered him her free hand; he took it uncertainly. With a flourish of her staff, they were transported from his home to hers—he was surprised to note that it was a castle. He gawked at the immenseness of the room they were currently in; it was probably the entrance hall. She swept through the hall, swiftly turned back to face him with an inviting smile.

"What is your name?" she asked curiously.

"Talamh."

"Well, then. Welcome, Talamh, to my home. I," she greeted, "am Maleficent."

A gentle smile crossed his lips. "…Maleficent," he said, removing his helmet to reveal tousled, sweaty black hair and bright blue eyes set in a darkened young face. He was still breathing heavily, although it was easier without dust in the air. "I never had a chance to thank you."

"Don't be ridiculous, child," she replied. "As long as you keep up with your end of the bargain, you need not thank me."

"It wouldn't feel right if I didn't," he protested. "Maleficent, thank you so much for trying to resurrect my home. It means the world to me.".

A smile formed on the witch's dark lips. "Of course." She turned to leave, pausing only to say, "Come with me, Talamh." Curiously, he followed as she led him to a dark room, a single table as its furnishings. He examined it in confusion.

"A… table?" he asked dumbly. She waved a hand over it; a dull glow began to cut through the shadows.

"Who is it that you wish to see?" Maleficent asked.

Stunned, he nearly shouted their names and not a second later, there was the first: Farraige. She was obviously lying down—sprawled, actually. He couldn't tell where she was, but he watched in fascination as two others appeared in the projection, one of the brunettes with a pink dress and boots, the other in brightly colored attire. Each pulled one of the Chaser's arms around their shoulders and began to walk, letting her feet drag on the ground behind her.

The image changed: now, he could see Breacadh stumbling about in a daze. He could see her mouth moving, but couldn't make out what she was saying. She fell against a wall—it appeared in the image. Suddenly, she whirled around, a short flash of white appeared and disappeared, as if she'd failed to summon her weapon. She stared at her hand, disbelief plainly showing in the one confused blue eye he was surprised he could see. Her helmet and body armor were broken beyond repair—the apprentice of Master Xehanort was a vicious enemy, indeed. Breathing heavily, she stared at the opposing brick wall until she finally crumbled to the ground in a heap of ruined armor.

The projection faded.

Talamh released a small, unintelligible protest—he wanted to know more. Farraige could be taken somewhere for execution, and Breacadh—obviously she wasn't well. And she, the weakest in heart of them all, seemed to have lost her weapon, to boot! If only he knew—

"Maleficent!" he exclaimed, turning to her. "Do you know where they are? I have to help them!" The witch shook her head.

"I do not know, dear Talamh." His excitement visually deflated; his posture fell into a slump. "Don't fret," she cooed. "We will find them soon." The soldier looked up with a sad smile and turned away.

"So… am I to stay here with you?" he asked.

"Yes," Maleficent said quietly, "you are."

Crappy start is crappy.