Chapter Three The Keyblade Master

In the middle of a great lecture hall two boys wearing white shirts, slacks and dark blue ties sat halfway up the rows. One had white hair and sea green eyes and was absently taking notes and looking extremely bored. The other had light brown hair and shining blue eyes, he had his chin on his fist and was staring foggily at the head of the person in front of him. It had been five years since Sora last wielded the power of the Keyblade and now twenty-one he had finally achieved what he and Riku had planned for so many years: they had left Destiny Island. Through hard work, study and the help of Kairi whenever they slacked off, Sora, Riku and Kairi had graduated school and had started college on nearby Alto Island. Sora sat in class daydreaming as the professor explained the finer details of molecular bonding. He tried to pay attention to class, but something inside of him was telling him something had changed, that he was desperately needed.

It was not the only thing on his mind. It had been many years since he last saw his dear friends Donald and Goofy and missed them terribly. Inevitably he'd always be separated from someone he cared for, that was the destiny of the worlds. Always apart, always connected. Sora didn't understand why this had to be. Why was it that Kingdom Hearts had to be unsealed and in danger in order to be with his friends? Why couldn't he visit them whenever he chose?

"Yo Sora, wake up you bonehead," Sora finally realized class was over, he had not taken any notes. He groaned and dropped his head on his notebook. His best friend Riku shook his shoulder again, "Wakey wakey sunshine. Jeez Sora, you've been really out of it lately,"

"Hmm? Oh sorry Riku. I've just had a lot on my mind lately," Sora shuffled up and stuffed his things in his bag, he swung the bag over his shoulder and dragged his steps out of the room.

"I know what you mean. All my life I've wanted to get off Destiny Island, but leaving hasn't changed anything. Everything is still the same," Riku sighed.

"That's not it at all," Sora explained, "I just feel like something big is going to happen, but there is nothing I can do—"

"Hey guys!" A girl with reddish brown hair and light blue eyes ran over to the boys, "How was class?"

"Oh hey Kairi," Riku yawned and stretched out his arms, "I swear, Dr. Fowling must be the most BORING human being on earth. It's no wonder Sora fell asleep during class,"

"Sora, you didn't, did you?" Kairi sighed. Sora started to stutter.

"Okay, not really, but he was close," Riku admitted, "You can stop looking so nervous pal, you can use my notes if you want,"

"Thanks Riku," Sora slumped his shoulder, "Sorry I haven't been myself lately guys. I was just telling Riku, I've just been feeling off,"

Kairi snuggled up to him, "I understand, I've been feeling the same way,"

Riku frowned and interlocked his fingers behind his head as the three walked out of the building. The sun was just beginning to set and the stars were just beginning to appear in the sky, "It's weird, we've all been feeling like something isn't right, that we need to get out of here. Do you think this has anything to do with Kingdom Hearts?"

"I don't know," Sora looked up at the sky forlornly, "Even if it is, I don't know if we can do anything. We're stuck here,"

Meanwhile, from a dark place far away, a group of people had watched through a large screen as Cid, Vincent and Matilda crashed into the ocean. Though they watched the scene quietly, there was a definite animosity in the room. Several figures sat at a large dining table: at the head was a man in a red hood with horns sticking out of his head with a small nervous looking goblin at his feet. Further down was a young man with long blue hair and elegantly embroidered robes. Down from him was an undoubtedly beautiful but cruel looking woman. A tiger in a tailored suit sat next to a duck in a flamboyant yellow costume. Near them was a woman in outlandish purple robes, drumming her long fingers on the table while her assistant was studying a recipe book. Further down the table and at the far end a group of four people busied themselves with food, drink and a card game, not nearly as interested in what was going on as the others were. Except for the four, they were all looking anxiously looking towards a throne that sat adjacent to the dining table, where a figure sat in shadow.

"You assured us you would gain the power of Kingdom Hearts," the horned figure hissed.

"Yet you come back from the world beyond the door with nothing more than control over the Heartless," the blue haired man added eloquently.

"Patience, my friends, we assumed the Heart of All worlds was only protected by the Keyblade Master and the King, none of us could anticipate that the Heart had it's own…" the shadowed figure's hollow voice paused, "…defenses,"

"Know this 'friend'. I do not intend to end up like the fool witch Maleficent, Ansem or the Organization. If you intend to take their route, we will part company here," the horned man hissed.

"Maleficent, Ansem and the Organization sought out to rule Kingdom Hearts. That is not what I plan. They lost to themselves to the darkness, but had no desire to, but rather to have the darkness lose to them," the shadow continued.

"Do ya mind talkin' in plain English?" one of the four people eating interrupted, "You don't make any sense!"

"Fine, Reno, let me put it down to your level. No one can ever control Kingdom Hearts, but if you let it control you and bend to its will, its will and your will shall become the same," the shadow explained.

"Eh?"

"Friends, in order to succeed in our plans and ambitions we cannot rule Kingdom Hearts. We must become Kingdom Hearts,"

"A plan I support, M, but you still lost her," The red robed man snarled. A murmur of anger rang through the room.

The shadowed figure seemed unperturbed, "You seem to think you all can do better than me, go ahead, prove me wrong. I am not one of those stupidly egoed persons who will stand in the way of someone with a good idea just to remain in charge. I don't need to stay in charge. As long as I get what I want I'm happy. The ball is in your court Sher Khan, the next play belongs to you,"

The tiger in the handmade tailored wool suit had a smile visible in the barely lit room, "M, my dear 'friend', did you not watch what had happened? Everything has already been arranged,"