Chapter 2: Respect

A/N: Yay! I felt inspired! I briefly considered dropping this story. And then I found a Kingdom Hearts Script. That made it easier. I like the way this chapter turned out :)


"Memories are ambiguous... Old ones can be replaced with new ones, creating a new reality." — Ryoji


Olette awoke to an empty room. She didn't know what to feel after she saw Darky transform into a boy, an attractive boy her age no less! And she did all those embarrassing things with him! She felt her face become hot as she mentally replaced Darky with the boy in her memories of her cuddling Darky, hugging him, and all sorts of other embarrassing things. 'No wonder he always tried to break free!' Olette was shocked with how much sense it made. He saved them from others of his own kind, was non-violent, and even was able to talk! Not to mention how he always left the room at the mention of homework. She continued to mentally scold herself as she got up off the couch, pulling off her blanket as she did so. 'Wait. Blanket? And I have a pillow as well? Did... that boy do it for me?' She blushed again as she imagined him picking her up, putting her in a bed he prepared, tucking her in and then gently kis-

'Stop, brain!' She quickly stopped her train of thought. Then she noticed something in the middle of the room. It was a large wooden box. She hesitantly walked towards it, growing more and more curious with each step. On top of the box sat a note. She reached toward it, bringing it close to her face so that she could read it. The handwriting was very neat and stylistic, the note itself being written in red ink. It was a single piece of paper that read:

"In this wooden box,

could lie Salvation,

or a pile of rocks.

If you want to follow me,

then learn to shoot

where you see.

And when you master this weapon of demons and gods,

I will find you

even if it's against all odds.

And together we shall fight,

for what is good and what is right.

— Your Darky, Minato Arisato."

Olette lifted the unsealed lid of the box only to find two objects and another note inside. 'This is weird...Fight? But if this the only way to find my friend, I'll do it! We stick together in Twilight Town!' Her resolution had nothing to do with Minato's looks. Seriously. She was very much concerned for her... relatively attractive friend. And she needed to apologize for acting like she did around him. She couldn't let the shame remain! She reached inside and pulled out the objects.

"A strange red armband and... is that a gun?!" Olette exclaimed. What the heck did this guy want her to do?! She read the note and her curiosity, and possibly even excitement, grew and grew even further. She grasped the gun tightly, her knuckles turning white from how hardly she held it. She was going to master this weapon. And then she was going to find her friend! She couldn't wait to tell Hayner and Pence! They'd be so jealous!

"I've prepared an Evoker for you. I'd like you to lend me your strength."

Little did she know, Hayner and Pence had received the same things she did.

And they already started training.


Minato sighed. He did that a lot. It was bad enough he was only a Shadow of his former self and he couldn't summon Personae anymore (something he had previously attempted), but he ended up with yet another Keyblade pointed at him. And it had an even more ridiculous wielder. This time it was by a mouse dressed in a black coat. A really big cartoony mouse at that. He seemed strong, very strong (that fact that he had just defeated all the Heartless that had just tried to attack them easily was an example of his strength), but Minato knew this guy would not compare to his own complete form. Heck, Minato never even got a chance to attack the Heartless (the Evoker not working was a real time waster) and he couldn't summon a weapon either, a skill he had remembered he had. The katana he had earlier dissipated after his introduction, never to be summoned again. Minato had an internal Inventory he could pull items from. It was likely the Inventory would expand as he got more of his heart back. When he would become complete once more.

When complete, Minato would be able to destroy these pitiful Heartless without even needing a Persona. Not that he would destroy them if given a choice. He knew what the Heartless were. They were more than the manifestation of darkness in a Person's heart. They were actually the person consumed by their own darkness. They were powerless to save themselves. As a Heartless, he discovered that he could not consciously travel between worlds. He went to where he was pulled to and his world wasn't even in this universe. Their world-traveling ability was not enough. So he would heal the Heartless and allow them to become whole once more. And through that, he would regain his own heart and possibly a way home. That was his interpretation of the contract. He must save all the worlds. He looked off to the side where the rest of his party was. Sora, Donald and Goofy were just sitting there flabbergasted. Apparently they knew this mouse and the way he was acting was completely contradictory the mouse they knew.

"Hi." Minato said coldly. He glared at the mouse, righteous fury reflecting coldly in his eyes. He didn't have time for this! He needed to regain his body! The only way to do that would be to continue onward with the trio that didn't want to point a key at him right now. The mouse looked back at him, surprised. He lowered his Keyblade.

"Who or what are you?" The mouse asked in a high-pitched cartoony voice. Apparently, he wasn't expecting Minato to be around or even exist. Minato smiled. It was not a joyful smile, but one so cold it froze the hairs on the back of one's neck. The mouse seemed hesitant. Not surprising given the unnatural golden glow of Minato's eyes.

"I am a Shadow, the true self. Not one of those... Heartless you must have mistaken me for. You may call me Minato Arisato, you arrogant rodent. Next time, introduce yourself before pointing weapons at strangers, at the very least. Or else I'll make sure you can never hold that weapon ever again." With that, Minato turned around to enter the train station. 'Was I always like this? So easily... irritated?' Minato figured it had something to do with how little of his heart he currently had. He had virtually no memories, only faintly recalling what a Persona even was. There was also that phrase about a Shadow being the true self. It just seemed like the natural thing to say. He could remember no details. He started to regret arming those kids back there. If he had no idea what he was doing, how well could they possibly fare? And then there was how he just felt on the inside. He felt raw and vulnerable, like a newborn or a snake that just shed it skin. The slightest emotion could overtake him, cause him to overreact. Then he remembered something an old man in a blue elevator told him:

"A Persona is a facet of your personality that surfaces as you react to external stimuli... You can think of it as a mask that protects you as you brave many hardships."

His companions seemed frozen with pure shock. Minato didn't know why. Perhaps they were expecting something different from a man that had just been threatened? Or was it the behavior of the mouse that froze them? As he walked away he heard a high-pitched voice call out.

"I'm Mickey. Gosh, I'm real sorry for threatening you like that. You just seemed... like them. I didn't mean to offend you." The mouse seemed truly apologetic. Minato turned back around to the mouse and extended his hand. He had no idea why his mood changed so suddenly, but this feeling felt so... familiar?

"Nice to meet you, Mickey. Let's just be friends, alright. You seemed like you were in a hurry earlier. You should probably get going." Minato said as he shook hands with the 2 foot tall mouse. 'Why do I get the feeling this isn't the strangest thing I've done?' Minato mused. Mickey nodded. He ran off, stopping only to put a bag in Sora's hand and whisper something to him, unfreezing the teen at the same time, before continuing to run away to who knows where. A familiar feeling welled in Minato's chest, right where his heart would be.

"Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Emperor Arcana."

He remembered that he could check the progression of Social Links. And by the feeling he got from the two he had, it seemed like he only needed to get a Social Link to rank 5 to max it out. But wait... if a piece of his heart returned each time he formed a Social Link...

Where was the other half?

"Gawrsh! I can't believe you just spoke like that to King Mickey!" Goofy exclaimed, having been the next to unfreeze. Donald then unfroze as well, and started angrily quacking, or talking if it could even be called that, in a difficult to decipher manner. It was now Minato's turn to be shocked. That mouse was king! Since when were mice allowed to be kings?! Minato got over his shock quickly and found that he had to stifle a laugh. It looked like he would have fun on this Journey!

"So what? He's not my king. Bow to people that earn it, kids. Not because of their title." Minato shrugged as he walked to board the train. Which train he was trying to board, he did not know. But he had a hunch that King Mickey told Sora, and the boy would rush up to tell him as he entered the train station.

He was right, of course.

They were going to see Yen Sid.


"He has freed himself. Naminé, are you sure about this? Letting them go with him could be disastrous for everybody. We don't fully understand his power." A red-haired man in spoke to a blond girl dressed in white who held a notebook. She was seated at a nearby bench. A hooded man stood beside the red-haired man. They were both wearing black. They were in the very same train station from which the four had just departed, watching the train leave. The girl, Naminé, gently shook her head. She smiled up at the red-haired man.

"He has the power to make the impossible become possible, Axel. I... want to go with him, watch how he changes the world. Perhaps, he can even create a place for us somewhere. For those of us who don't have a place. He can change everything for Nobodies, Heartless, and even the Somebodies. Sora is the hero we need to defeat evil, but this wonderful man...," Naminé stared off towards the departing train, her face flushing slightly, though she did not know why. It must be the peek she had at the memories of that person, Minato. When it was combined with the sealed memories of his Nobody, it told a beautiful story filled with love, action, adventure, and hope. She found herself rooting for the hero at the end. Axel looked confused with her sudden change in tone of voice. Naminé only trailed off like that when it was something important. Axel kept his mouth shut and waited for her response. The hooded man smiled beneath the hood. He was letting them go, of course, instead of killing them like he was ordered to. But perhaps he could tag along with this group and watch the progress of this man Naminé has so much faith in. He could change everything. That meant for darkness and light.

Naminé looked down at her notebook. Drawn on the open page was a blue-haired man who stood atop an evil tower. He had his sword raised towards the sky, his back turned to the viewer. The foe he was facing was a large green moon that hung low in the sky, threatening to crush him. Various companions stood beside him. Men, women, children, animals, and sentient technology all teamed up to fight a single foe and do the impossible. Naminé smiled, no, beamed at the hope the future brought. Nobodies and their Somebodies were not always the same. This man could make it so that they could survive without each other and have their own homes, their own lives. If there was one thing Naminé wanted, then it was to live. She wanted to be just a little bit selfish and be her own person. She was different from the other Nobodies. Almost like Roxas.

"This man is our savior. He just needs to remember that. "


"I hate you guys. I hate you guys. I hate you guys. I hate you guys. I hate you guys. I hate you guys!" Minato chanted wildly as he covered his own ears. They had a whole cabin to themselves on the train. Guess what that meant? The trio resorted to singing to pass the time. Sora was okay at singing. Goofy was... tolerable. Donald was like stabbing a knife into one's ears. But that wasn't enough to make him hate them so much. No, it was when they all started singing together. They looked like they were all having fun. Minato had to quote somebody from his past on this one (though he could not remember who).

"Tch."

The train was rather smooth, however, and Minato found himself nearly falling asleep. The train ride would be a long one. He reached into the jacket of his school uniform. He smiled. He still had his headphones and mp3 player. He just remembered he had them when he formed a bond with Mickey. He put his headphones over his ears and the song began to play, lulling him towards the first peaceful sleep his body had in years. His immortal body. For he had not aged a single day no matter how much time had passed. Minato blamed it on the Universe Arcana. He didn't fully understand it himself, but it was an Arcana he apparently created. It could make the impossible possible. Immortality was normally considered impossible. That was all he knew about it. His only current memories were of his time in this universe and some things from his previous one. Like the fact that the Universe Arcana existed. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the ride. His music sent him to his dreams.

"Dreamless dorm, ticking clock,
I walk away from the soundless room.

In this night, moonlight melts,
My ghostly shadow to the lukewarm gloom.

Nightly dance of bleeding sword
Reminds me that I still live.

I will burn my dread..."


"Welcome to the Velvet Room, Minato. It has been some time since our last chat. I wanted to tell you that I am already preparing for a way for you to return home, if you so desire by the end of your new Journey. A certain female has been wishing to see you all this time. Her contract had not yet expired, so I sent her ahead. You may encounter her on your Journey. I hope you do." The familiar voice irritated Minato. Who was this woman? Why was she talking to him? How did she know his name? Where was he?!

He looked around. He was in a blue room. The entire room was made of blue doors, each one with attached to the other and having a prominent golden Keyhole on their center. He was sitting in a blue chair. It looked like a lyre. The woman across from him wore strange blue clothing. She sat on a blue bench made of fractions of doors. She had platinum hair and golden eyes. She seemed so familiar, so important. Who was she?!

"Who are you?" The lady laughed a high, lilting laugh at his question. She smiled brightly at him. She stood and walked over to him. She leaned forward and flicked his forehead with her index finger. Her face was really close to him. It made him feel nervous. She opened his hand, which he just noticed he was clenching very tightly, and placed a blue key in his grasp.

"You know me and I know you. When you can tell me my name, perhaps you'll find this key quite useful. More useful than you could possibly imagine, my love." She smiled sweetly at him and kissed him on the cheek.

And with that the world was consumed with darkness.


"Minato! C'mon let's go see Yen Sid!" Sora's abnormally (or normal for Sora anyway) cheery voice awakened the teen from his slumber. His mp3 player had run out of battery. He took of his headphones. He'd need to either find a power outlet, or summon electricity. As of right now, neither was a feasibly option. For a second, he felt something. 'These headphones... there's something more to them. They are connected to someone from... my past.' He shook his head, erasing the thoughts from his head. Now was not the time. He'd regain what he lost eventually. He nodded to Sora, stood up and exited the train. They were at a mysterious tower on a small island floating in space.

What?

"What's goin' on?" Donald said to the stranger who was peeing into the door of the tower. He was a big, fat guy. Certainly not in the greatest of shape. He seemed to be an anthropomorphic animal, like Goofy. Minato concluded that they must come from the same world.

"I sent some of my lackeys inside to see if the master of this here tower's as big and tough as they say. Word is, he's a real powerful sorcerer. Which would make him the perfect bodyguard for me. See, it don't matter how tough he is- once he's a Heartless, he'll do as I say!" The man-animal-thing (Minato didn't know what to call him) said excitedly without turning to face those who had just spoken to him. Minato restrained himself from attacking, but summoned an average sword into his hand. This guy was obviously an enemy. Minato decided to just stay and see what other information he might foolishly divulge. Sora, Donald, and Goofy seemed unaware that he was an enemy. The idiots.

"A Heartless?" Donald asked incredulously. The stranger chuckled. He seemed happy to be getting the attention he was receiving. He must have real insecurities. Minato sighed. This stranger was a lackey who desperately wanted to please his master. A weak one at that. Why else would he need a bodyguard? And if he was the boss, he'd go in by himself or at least not divulge all his plans to random strangers.

"That's right. They're those things that come outta the darkness in folks' hearts. Why, with all those Heartless at her side, my dear friend Maleficent is gonna conquer everything! And since I got me a debt to pay, I'm goin' 'round to a bunch of different worlds and buildin' an army of Heartless, special for her. Why am I talkin' to you pipsqueaks anyway? Go on, scram! I'm behind schedule as it is." He tried to shoo them away, his face still peering inside. Minato ran his hand through his hair. So it was going to be like this? He walked up to the stranger who was staring inside the doorway. The stranger turned around to face the approaching Minato.

"Who are you? I thought I told ya to scram!" He said angrily, only seeing the blue-haired boy. Minato grinned and in a lightning fast movement hit the fat stranger over the head with the hilt of his sword. The stranger collapsed in a heap. Minato turned towards his companions and shrugged at their shocked expressions.

"He was obviously an enemy. A weak one at that, but still an enemy. And now we know his boss' name and can interrogate him further. I'm surprised you guys didn't do it sooner. This guy was probably going to summon some Heartless as soon as he saw you. I'm going to take this guy with me to see Yen Sid." Minato sent his sword back to his internal Inventory and hefted the stranger over his right shoulder. He may be incomplete, but he was far from weak. That was one thing for sure. Donald and Goofy seemed to recognize the guy once they saw his face.

"Pete!" They exclaimed simultaneously. Minato cocked an eyebrow and turned his head to face the duo. Sora seemed confused as well.

"You know this loser?" Minato questioned. They nodded.

"Well, who is he?" Sora asked, intent on getting questions.

"Pete's been causin' trouble for ages! His Majesty banished him to another dimension a long time ago. I wonder how he escaped." Donald replied, a puzzled expression forming on his face. Minato opened the door to Yen Sid's tower with his free hand.

"Who cares? It was probably his boss, Maleficant." He said as he entered the tower, Pete still slung over his shoulder. Sora seemed content, jolly even. Goofy and Donald joined him in laughter. Minato was annoyed at their response.

"We beat Maleficant. That guy was following a lost cause. She's gone for good, Minato." Sora said. Minato turned his head to the trio who were still outside the doorway. His eyes narrowed, a scowl formed on his face.

"NEVER assume an enemy is gone for good. Sometimes they just come back more powerful." Minato turned his back towards them and started to climb the stairs. A Heartless jumped out at him from nowhere, intent on attacking his left side as he ascended the stairs. Minato stuck out his fist and destroyed it with a single punch, not stopping or checking to confirm the Heartless was defeated. Minato wondered where his reply and sudden anger came from. He couldn't understand himself sometimes. He needed more of his heart back.

"Damn thing shouldn't have jumped in the way of my fist."

"Wait for us!" The trio started following him, more solemn this time. Sora had a contemplative look on his face. What Minato said must have really made Sora think. That made Minato smile.

The less ignorant people, the better.


No more Heartless had attacked them on the way to the top of Yen Sid's tower. It seemed either Pete kept them away as a natural deterrent, or knocking him out stopped their influence in the tower. Either way, they reached the top of the tower rather easily. Sora opened the door. Seated at a desk was a wizard. A wizard? 'This is Yen Sid? Nice beard.' Minato mentally commented. This guy was a stereotypical wizard. It was almost laughable.

"Master Yen Sid! It's an honor!" Donald exclaimed as he and Goofy bowed to him. Sora and Minato remained standing.

"Hey there!" Sora said with a wave, greeting the old wizard rather joyfully. The wizard cocked an eyebrow at Minato, who still had Pete on his shoulder. Minato smirked.

"Yo. Brought you a present. He's a bad guy, so you can interrogate him if you want." Minato said apathetically. He dropped Pete, the large man making a loud thump as he impacted with the floor. Yen Sid smiled and nodded his head. Donald seemed upset.

"Guys! Show some respect!" He quacked at them. Minato glared at Donald.

"Respect is earned, not deserved." Minato said briskly. Yen Sid seemed pleased with his response.

"You are indeed correct. You have a good head on your shoulders, Minato." Yen Sid seemed even more pleased with Minato's reaction at his knowledge of his name. Minato cocked an eyebrow suspiciously.

"How do you know my name, Yen Sid?" Minato questioned. It was always odd when somebody you never met knew about you, especially when you were a Heartless for years.

"How do you know my name? Somebody told you. Well, let's just say a certain blue butterfly informed me of your condition. You are a person that should not be in this universe, yet you stand before me. You are a very important person, Minato. Far more important than you will most likely ever realize. Your journey with these three will be a wonderful, yet perilous one. It is my job to prepare you four, so that you may be able to face the evil in your path." Yen Sid said. Sora seemed a little upset.

"You mean...we have to go on another quest? I was looking forward to finding my friend Riku, so we could go back to the islands." Sora was not looking forward to whatever this quest entailed. It appeared he just wanted to go home already. Minato didn't blame him. He wanted to return home as well.

"Yes. I know. However, everything in your Journey, Sora, is connected. Whether you will find your way home to the islands... Whether you will return alone or with your friend... And, whether or not the islands will still be there. And the key that connects them all is you, Sora. Minato, your Journey is much the same, yet far different from Sora's."

"I'm... the key?' Sora asked. He held out his hand and his Keyblade appeared in it.

"My... Journey is different?" Minato questioned, a vexed expression on his face. Yen Sid smiled at their reactions. He waved his hand over his desk, causing a large book to appear. It spun in the air and landed at the edge of the desk, open to the group of four.

"Sora, this book contains valuable knowledge you will need for your Journey. Study it carefully. Once you have finished, we will speak of the enemies you will surely confront", He turned to Minato," Come with me. I have something for you." He said as he stood from his desk and walked towards the wall to the left of him. With a wave of his hand, a door appeared on the wall. He opened the door.

"What do you have for me?" Minato asked, growing very curious. This wizard was intriguing. He knew many things. Yen Sid looked at him, the barest hint of a contained smile showing.

"A weapon for a Shadow."


Aigis stood in an empty city. In the sky was an odd moon, it was shaped like a heart, but it was not yet complete. She picked a direction and began to walk. Minato was not in this world. According to Elizabeth, she'd be able to travel through worlds with this new piece of software. She raised her hand. A blue gate appeared and opened to her. Aigis smiled and walked towards it. Each step took her closer to her beloved.

"I'm coming, Minato. Even if I have to go through a million of these Velvet Gates."


A/N: I don't really have anything to say. Except I added in a quote at the beginning of the first chapter. I'll update M1N470 later, probably. I'm not feeling up to it right now. And Minato is awesome. 'Nuf said. I'm tired.

REVIEW REPLY TIME!:

Mzr90: Don't be so quick to judge the pairing, my friend. Twin Judge of Gemini wants Aigis. We'll see how the story pans out. I'll try to head in an Aigis-y direction, but there's no guarantee. My writing controls me, not the other way around.

HellPwnage1337: Personae for everyone! :D

Blue Bragon: ...Can you read minds?

Twin Judge of Gemini: ...True mastermind?... Whatever. And dude, the readers influence the writing. I might end up holding a poll. Or pairing Minato with Aigis and a KH2 character. You never know. Heck, I don't know. And I'm writing this! I'll try to steer it towards Aigis, though. :D

Just a Watcher: Now that's what I call dedication!

HolyMage Mouto: Minato will bop them on the heads quite a few times throughout this adventure, I assure you. He was an inch away from doing it on the train. And then he remembered music... and the batteries died. Guess what that means? He'll get his Personae eventually. But until then, he'll have to make people be shocked and awed the normal way :D

Reader-of-Many: Minato just can't stay away from the haremz now can he ;)

BloodTrinity: *Is reminded of Fairly English Story's awesomeness* Cruel and sadistic madman? Well, you'll see. No enemy has earned his fury yet. You don't want Shadow Minato's fury.

That's all, folks! I tried to answer as many reviews as I could. (The encouraging ones make me happy to read, but how can I really reply to them?)

Question of the chapter: What weapon do you think Yen Sid has for Minato?

REVIEW, FAVORITE, FOLLOW. Pretty please with Yen Sid's amazing beard on top?