Chapter Four: I Can Go the Distance

Fifteen years after Sora was found by Ventus and Hikari, he grew into an extremely strong young man; his only problem was that he had trouble controlling it. When he was helping his dad take a load of hay to the market he literally ran there, carrying the wagon, with the load his father, and their injured donkey in it.

"Sora, slow down!" Ventus said nervously as he held on to his fedora. Sora arrived at the entrance way where several men were busy with remodeling. "Look out!"

Too late. Sora rushed past and accidentally caused the two men to lose their balance, though they managed to hold on.

"Oops." Sora said nervously. "Sorry guys."

"Watch where you're going!" One of the men shouted out.

After arriving at the middle of the market place, Sora skidded to a stop, sinking up to his chest in the ground before climbing out.

"Thanks Son." Ventus said after catching his breath. "When old Penelope twisted her ankle back there, I thought we were done for."

"No problem Dad." Sora said as he lifted up the load of hay.

"Don't unload just yet." Ventus said. "First I have to haggle with Arthur."

"Okay." Sora said as he tossed the hay back on with a simple flick of the wrist that shot Penelope into the air. "Oops. Um, sorry Penelope."

"Now this time, Sora, please just-" Ventus began, but Sora finished for him.

"I know." Sora said. "I know." He caught Penelope as she arrived. "Stay by the cart."

"That's my boy." Ventus said with a smile as he ruffled Sora's hair and walked off.

Sora then rested by the cart when he heard someone groaning and turned to see one of the shop owners struggling with an extremely large vase. Never missing a chance to help, Sora hurried over and grabbed the vase before it was about to crash into the ground.

"I've got it." Sora said.

"Oh thank you." The owner said with a sigh of relief.

"No problem." Sora said as he turned his head to talk directly to the owner.

"Sora." The man said with a gulp. "It's you."

"Let me help you with that." Sora said, but the man just turned away with the vase.

"No, no, no." The owner said quickly. "I've got it now. I'm fine. You just run along."

"You sure?" Sora asked.

"Oh yes, absolutely." The owner groaned.

Sora then made his way back to the cart as a discus suddenly landed by his feet. He then picked it up as one of the local boys, Hayner, arrived.

"Yo, give it here!" He shouted before getting a good look at Sora.

"Hey, you need an extra guy?" Sora asked hopefully. They'd never let him play before, usually because he ended up breaking something.

"Uh… Sorry 'Sor." Hayner said nervously. "We've already got five, and we wanna keep it an even number."

"Wait, five's not an even-" Sora began before Hayner suddenly took the discus and rushed off.

"What a geek." Hayner said in what he assumed was out of ear shot, but Sora had strong hearing as well as simply being strong. "Maybe we should call him Crack-Ra."

Sora then walked to the well and sat down sadly. His only friends in the whole wide world were his mom and dad, and that was just sad for a fifteen-year-old boy.

"Heads up!" Hayner shouted as the discus came his way. "This was Sora's chance. If he grabbed that disc without breaking something, he might make some new friends."

"I've got it!" Sora said as he jumped, and he got it, but he also knocked into a pillar, which caused it to come loose. "Uh-oh."

Sora then grabbed it, but it swung around while he was holding it and hit another pillar, causing it to fall over.

"Oh no." Sora groaned as he tossed the pillar he was holding aside to stop the domino effect, accidentally causing the pillars to domino from the other side as well.

"Oh come on!" Sora called out as he now rushed the other way.

"Son!" Ventus called out as everyone rushed away.

"Hang on, Dad!" Sora called out. "I'll be right back!"

While Sora was a good runner, he couldn't out run the pillars, and eventually, they ended up approaching the vase shop owner's area, but they stopped in a triangle shape just before they could smash anything. Unfortunately, Sora wasn't able to stop himself in time and smashed into the owner, which also caused the pillars to fall down due to the sudden vibrations from the crash.

Shortly after this, Sora staggered out, still holding the discus as Hayner walked up.

"Nice catch, Crack-Ra." Hayner said as he grabbed the discus and walked off.

"Son…" Ventus said not angrily, but in simple shock over what happened.

"This is the last straw Ventus!" The owner shouted as he walked angrily out.

"That boy is a menace!" A woman said.

"He's too dangerous to be around normal people!" Another man said angrily.

"He didn't mean any harm." Ventus defended calmly. "He's just a kid. He just can't control his strength."

"I'm warning you." The owner said angrily. "You keep that, that freak away from here!"

Sora was hurt by what he had done. He'd messed up before but never as badly as this. He'd really stepped in the sheep manure this time.

()()()()()

At a cliffside near the farm, Ventus sat next to Sora.

"Son," Ventus said. "You shouldn't let the things they said back there get to you."

"But Dad, they're right!" Sora said. "I am a freak! I try to fit it! I really do! … I just can't." Sora then relaxed as he looked at the setting sun. "Sometimes I feel like I really don't belong here. Like I'm supposed to be someplace else."

"Sora, son-" Ventus began, but Sora just continued on.

"I know it doesn't make any sense."

Sora arrived at the cliffside and skipped a stone, that made it to the other shore.

I have often dreamed of a far off place

Where a great warm welcome will be waiting for me.

And the crowds will cheer when they see my face,

And a voice keeps saying, this is where I'm meant to be.

That night, Sora climbed a tree and looked up at the stars, one of them was quickly shooting past.

I will find my way.

I can go the distance.

I'll be there someday, If I can be strong.

I know every mile will be worth my while.

I would go most anywhere to feel like I… Belong . . .

Back at home, Ventus and Hikari were waiting for Sora.

"Sora." Ventus said with a gulp. "There's something your mother and I have been meaning… Meaning to tell you."

They then explained how they had found them, and how he'd saved them from two snakes.

"But if you found me, then where did I come from?" Ventus asked. "Why was I left here?"

"This was around your neck when we found you." Hikari explained as she handed Atem a gold coin pendant with a thunder bolt in the center. "The eye's the symbol of the gods."

"This is it!" Sora said excitedly. "Don't you see, maybe they have the answer! I'll go to the Temple of Zack and-"

Sora then stopped and turned to his parents.

"Mom, Dad, you're the greatest parents anyone could have, but I've just got to know." Sora said.

The next day, Hikari gave Sora a blue and white jacket to wear against the weather, and, the gold coin pendant hung around his neck, he walked towards his fate after giving both of his parents a large hug.

I am on my way!

I can go the distance!

I don't care how far! Somehow I'll be strong!

I know every mile will be worth my while.

I would go most anywhere to find where I belong…!

Sora arrived at Zack's temple and knelt down in front of the enormous statue of Zack.

"Oh mighty Zack, please, hear me and answer my prayer." Sora said. "I need to know, who am I? Where to I belong?"

There was a flash of lightning, and the statue's eyes shot open and smiled down at Sora.

"My boy." The statue said. "My little Sora."

"AHHHHHHH!" Sora screamed in horror and rushed off before the statue's hand grabbed him quickly and pulled him up.

"Hold on kiddo, what's your hurry?" Zack asked. "After all these years, is this the kind of hello you give your father?"

"Father?" Sora squeaked.

"Didn't know you had a famous father, did you?" Zack asked. "Surprise. Look how you've grown. Why you've got your mother's beautiful eyes and my strong chin."

"I don't understand." Sora said. "If you're my father, then that would make me a-"

"A god." Zack said.

"A god…" Sora said in awe. "A god?"

"Hey, you wanted an answer, and by thunder you're old enough now to tell the truth." Zack explained.

"But why did you leave me on Earth?" Sora asked. "Didn't you want me?"

"Of course we did." Zack assured Sora. "Your mother and I loved you with all our hearts, but someone stole you from us and turned you mortal, and only gods can live on Mt. Olympus."

"There's nothing you can do?" Sora asked sadly.

"I can't Atem, but you can." Zack said with a smile.

"Really?" Sora asked excitedly. "What? I'll do anything!"

"Sora, if you can prove yourself a true hero on Earth, your godhood will be restored!"

"A true hero!" Sora said with a smile. "Great! … Exactly, how do you become a true hero?"

"First, you must seek out Tidus Blits, the trainer of heroes." Zack explained.

"Seek out Tidus Blits." Sora said. "Got it." Sora was about to walk off when Zack grabbed him with his other hand.

"Whoa, hold your horses." Zack said. "There's someone who'll make this trip easier."

From the sky a horse with white wings arrived.

"You probably don't remember Pegasus, but you two go way back, son." Zack said as Pegasus smiled and bumped his head against Sora's, which stirred up an old memory of a baby boy and a baby pegasus doing the same thing, and he smiled.

"Oh, Pegasus." Sora said with a smile as the two old friends hugged.

"He's a magnificent horse with the brains of a bird." Zack said with a smile as Pegasus gave him a angry look.

"I'll find Tidus Blits and become a true hero!" Sora called out as he got onto Pegasus's back and he flew up and landed on Zack's finger.

"That's the spirit!" Zack said with a smile.

"I won't let you down, Father!" Sora said as Zack blew and gave them a good strong wind to begin their journey.

"Good luck son." Zack said as he returned to not being made of stone.

I will beat the odds!

I can go the distance!

I will face the world!

Fearless, proud, and strong!

I will please the gods!

I can go the distance!

Till I find my hero's welcome right… Where… I… Be… Long . . .!

Sora and Zack flew through the sky, unaware that the planets looked unnervingly close to perfectly lining up.

Chaos dose not own Hercules or kingdom hearts, but she owns Iris, Surane belongs to SuraneSpiral, and Hikari belongs to WingBladeWeaver1357