AN: I'm continuing this story slightly earlier than I expected because my sister is awesome and encouraged me to stick with it.
Since their initial meeting, Harry, Sora, Donald, and Goofy had followed the path leading away from the ruined village. Harry would still have the occasional memory lapse but, while they were traveling, he had managed to create bonds with his new friends. He had been awestruck as the trio relayed tales of the journey that had caused their paths to cross. As he walked, Harry looked up to the sky as he contemplated what it would be like to be able to travel to the distant places that, though different, were united by the same sky.
"So, do you think that village's destruction has something to do with that Organization that you mentioned?" Harry mused while looking to Sora. Although Donald and Goofy brought wisdom to the group, Sora's intuition was the driving force. The young man had overcome adversity and faced ultimate evil in his quest to prevent the evil Ansem from claiming the power of Kingdom Hearts.
Sora came to a stop and put his hands behind his head before letting out a long whistle. "As much as I wish that it wasn't the case, it seems likely. The Organization preys upon the evil within people's hearts and uses that evil in order to tip the scale towards darkness." Sora removed his hands from his head and clenched his fist. "That's where we come in."
"A-hyuck, we're the light that balances out the darkness," supplied Goofy.
"If the Organization is here, we'll stop them!" proclaimed Donald.
Sora and Goofy nodded in agreement while Harry silently accepted the declaration. The group continued following the path in silence until they reached a fork where the path split.
"So, which way do we go?" Goofy vocalized the question that was on each of their minds.
"Let's take a vote," prompted Donald. "I say right!"
"I agree with Donald, let's go right," Sora added.
"Shucks, I think we should go left," Goofy stated while looking down the path that led to the right.
"I agree with Goofy," Harry said, which caused the other three members of the group to turn towards him. "Something is telling me that I need to walk that path."
Sora once again put his arms behind his head before responding. "It looks like we have a tie. Donald, Goofy, I think we're going to have to show Harry how we handle ties."
Donald and Goofy nodded in agreement and advanced upon Harry with calculating looks upon their faces. When Sora, Donald, and Goofy were close enough to reach out and touch Harry with their hands they pulled their arms back as if they were going to punch their new friend. Harry was frozen with incredulity and didn't even attempt to protect himself.
"Rock," yelled Sora.
"Scissors," shouted Goofy.
"Paper," screamed Donald.
"Shoot," the trio exclaimed together while thrusting their fists toward the center of the circle.
"Ya-hoo!" Goofy whooped in jubilation as he crushed Sora and Donald's 'scissors' with his 'rock.'
"Aw phooey," pouted Donald.
"Alright, it looks like we go left. Hopefully we find a village soon. I'm starving and we are almost out of food" Sora lamented as he started walking toward the path on the left.
"Well, we are about to find out," Harry answered with a grin.
The group continued walking and eventually entered a thickly wooded area. The leaves of the trees blocked out almost all of the sun's light and caused night to fall early for the travelers. After hours of fighting through bramble and spider webs an unnatural fog crept along the ground. The fog made the already treacherous forest seem much more foreboding.
"Ah!" Harry yelped when his foot found no purchase and was swallowed into the ground. As hard as he fought against the suction, Harry could not free himself. The young man became increasingly frantic as Sora, Donald, and Goofy continued walking, seemingly unaware of Harry's plight. "Sora, Donald, Goofy! Help me!"
The trio did not heed Harry's pleas. After several agonizing moments, Harry knew that he was alone. In the time that it took for Harry to realize that his friends either could not or would not help him, both of his legs had been ensnared and he continued to sink. As the seconds passed Harry sank deeper. Although it seemed to be in vain, Harry continued to struggle against what seemed to be an inevitable fate.
With each passing second, Harry sank deeper. It took only seconds for Harry to be completely enveloped. However, a strange thing happened once Harry's body had been swallowed. The boy fell for an indeterminate amount of time at an unfathomable rate and landed on his back on a platform. Once he awoke, Harry rubbed his eyes and looked perplexed. Somehow he had survived the fall and found himself in an unfamiliar setting. As Harry stumbled to his feet there was a great rustling sound was caused by thousands of doves taking flight.
Harry crossed his arms in front of his face braced himself to protect himself from the birds. Once the air had cleared Harry removed his arms from his face and gasped. On one side of the platform was a depiction of Harry. On the other side were five pictures; the first three were very easy for Harry to identify because they contained the faces of Sora, Donald, and Goofy while the other two were more difficult. In one of the other circles the smiling face of a beautiful girl with a charming smile and curly brown hair.
Harry walked over to the depiction of the girl and stood there with a puzzled look on her face. "Who are you?" Harry asked, clearly not expecting an answer. After a few moments he moved onto the last image. It showed the image on a smiling boy with three marks that looked like whiskers on each of his cheeks. Based on Harry's expression this last image was just as perplexing as the previous image.
Harry was not given much time to contemplate the images as three pedestals materialized on the platform and a booming voice declared, "Power sleeps within you… If you give it form… it will give you strength." Harry's gaze darted back and forth between the pedestals that had just appeared. On the first pedestal was a sword with a golden cross-guard and a red jewel shaped like a mouse's head set in the center. On the second pedestal there was a green staff with that same mouse-like shape adorning the top. On the final pedestal there was a black shield with the mouse-like emblem proudly displayed in the center. "Choose well."
Harry initially walked toward the sword. When he was close the voice sounded again, "The power of the warrior, invincible courage; sword of terror and destruction. Is that the power you seek?" Harry paused before shaking his head and walking toward the staff. Once again, when he was close enough to touch the pedestal the voice called out to him. "The power of the mystic, inner strength; a staff of wonder and ruin. Is that the power you seek?" Seemingly of its own accord, Harry's hand reached out and grasped the staff.
There was a flash of light before the staff disappeared. "Your path is set. What will you give up in return?" Once again, Harry's body seemed to move of its own volition. Harry gave up the Warrior's Sword and chose to keep the Shield of the Defender. After Harry gave up the power of the warrior there was another bright light and he was left alone on the platform which had begun to shatter. Once more Harry was falling through the darkness.
Moments, minutes, or days later Harry landed with a thud.
"Harry, wake up," Sora's voice called out.
"He's out like a light," Donald verified.
"I hope he's ok," Goofy added thoughtfully.
"Uh," moaned Harry. "What… What just happened?"
"You passed out while we were making our way through the forest," answered Sora.
"Yeah and, no matter what we did, we couldn't wake you up," explained Goofy.
"I just had the strangest dream," Harry mumbled as he rubbed his head. "I wonder what that was all about."
"Well, sleepyhead, while you were asleep we got out of the forest." Goofy replied.
"And look! We found a village!" Donald indicated while sweeping his wing in the direction of a village on the horizon.
Upon seeing the village Harry leapt to his feet and asked, "Well, what are we waiting for?"
Goofy let out a throaty chuckle. "We were waiting for you, Harry."
Harry's face tinted red in embarrassment. "Oh, erm… Thanks for that."
"You're our friend, of course we'll wait for you," assured Donald.
"It's good to have you back, Harry. I agree that we should get a move on. Are you ok to move?" asked Sora.
Harry tested his limbs experimentally before giving a thumb's up in affirmation.
Sora smiled and returned the gesture to Harry. "Glad to hear it. Donald, Goofy, are you two ready?"
The two looked at each other conspiratorially before breaking into a sprint in the direction of the town. "Last one there is a rotten egg!" they shouted back at Harry and Sora.
Harry and Sora exchanged a quick glance before breaking into a sprint in pursuit of their friends.
AN2: The awakening sequence from Kingdom Hearts was perfect and I didn't want to corrupt it. All credit for that sequence goes to the producers and script-writers of that amazing franchise.
AN3: Please Review!
