Disclaimer: The following series and characters belong to their respective corporations: Nintendo, Disney, and Square-Enix, including their respectful developers. The following characters of this fic: Kyle Nasher, Dirk Lionheart, Alana (Lana) Blade, Drew Devin, and Nived Werd belong to author Mace the Manakete in agreement to his written consent.

Nintendo. Disney. Square-Enix
Kingdom Hearts Chronicles: Vol.1
KINGDOM BLESSINGS

—CHAPTER 5—
Suspect

Somewhere through the twilight of the empire, a familiar figure was seen wandering through branches and woods. He wore a black leather jacket with a grey hood attached to it. He also had dark blue baggy jeans and black shoes: an outfit totally invisible in the shadow of the night.

The figure came across another figure wearing an ivory cloak, revealing through the moonlight sky. The ivory cloaked figure looked rather taller and older than the other figure it was facing. The ivory cloaked figure's hands were dry, diabolical looking, and full of wrinkles. The black cloaked figure's hands however were creamy soft and firm.

"So you've returned." The figure in ivory cloak asked, his voice sounding throaty and dry.

"Look!" the other figure came out strong, "I have no time for this. I got stuff to do y'know? So out with it."

"As stubborn as always." huffed the figure in ivory cloak, "You were just like your father when he was young."

"Actually I never met Father, but thanks for pointing it out. That's very reassuring. Yet disturbing." A smile spread across the young figure's face.

The older figure scoffed, raised his hand and snapped his fingers. Emerging from underground and out of nowhere were the Heartless and Wire Frames.

"I enjoy your sense of humor. But I doubt these creatures will." The figure said before vanishing into a blinding fiery light, leaving the young figure helpless and surrounded by the summoned enemies.

The Heartless invoke a whining sound before leaping onto the young figure, so does the Wire Frames. The figure dodged out of the way, pulled out two guns from his cloak and began firing; every shot nailed every single Heartless and Wire Frame at bull-eye into nothingness.

Then a heartless lurked behind the figure like a predator ready to surprise its prey. The figure turned around and the heartless leap on him.

-Magic Ship-

"Gawrsh." Goofy stared at Chip and Dale, baffled, "I dunno how I can memorize all that."

"It's simple Goofy." Dale said, "First you push this here red button, then pull up this here switch next to it, then type the code D-I-S-N-E-Y, press enter here, push the green button and hold onto the stick for ignition."

"That's for take-off, right?" Goofy asked, still baffled.

"Of course it's for take-off Goofy!" Donald whined. Goofy has been going on and on over the instructions on how to control the ship for three hours and it just drove him nuts, "So, could you like stop complaining and..." Donald then stared at the galactic sight of space, "enjoy the view!"

"Oh right, the view, ha-yuck!" Goofy laughed, "Hate to tell you this Donald, but the 'view' is nothing but rocks, and crumbles, and people walking in space, and more rocks, and possibly a glimpse of Aurora Borealis—"

"Wait! What did you say?" Donald exclaimed.

"Uhh…Aurora Borealis?"

Donald shook his head, "No, no, no. The other one, before that. Something about people walking in space."

"Ah yes." Goofy smiled, "Well actually, they aren't walking in space; they are walking on the moon. But it looks like they're desperate to walk into space, so technically, they are walking on spa—"

Donald pushed Goofy off the pilot's seat and took over the control stick.

-Gathered Worlds-

Kyle, Mario, Luigi, Baby Mario, Baby Luigi, and Bowser looked over a vast distance while standing on the moon. The galactic scenery was beautiful. There were stars and asteroids all floating around the vast space, including various types of planets.

"I don't see anything." Mario looked around before turning his attention to his baby self, "Do you see anything, Baby Mario?"

Baby Mario shook his head in response. Both boys sighed.

"It's so strange." Kyle uttered in awe.

The Mario brothers and Bowser faced him, "What strange?" Luigi asked.

"We're in space and we're not even suffocating." He answered.

Mario shrugged, "What's so strange about that?"

"Yeah, nothing's strange about traveling in space. And the best part about that is that we can swim on broad air." Luigi pointed at the baby brothers gliding gracefully around them just to prove his point.

Bowser looked upon the spacious horizon with his binoculars. He finally lowered them down, his eyes gleaming for adventure, "So many places to see... so many worlds in this vast space... a world with the weird Arabic structure palace (Agrabah), a world with the huge blue-crystal tower overlooking its city (Tellius), a city itself (Ivalice), a godly coliseum on clouds (Olympus Coliseum), civilization under the sea? (Atlantica.) And what about these digitally futuristic skyscrapers? (Year 2121), and that castle with its garden shaped like a head with big-rounded ears…or wigs perhaps? (Disney Empire)"

"Bowser…" Mario, Luigi, and Kyle stared strangely at Bowser.

"Toadstool must be in one of these worlds, I just know it! No doubts!" Bowser pumped a fist in the air, "I'm not letting her out of my sight that easily!"

"Well so am I!" Mario replied.

Baby Luigi stretched his hands out for the binoculars. "I wanna see!" he whined.

Bowser intended to fight for it, but Baby Mario and Luigi joined in.

"Gimme that!" Baby Mario exclaimed.

"Yeah, be nice and let us see!" Luigi whined.

"NO!" Bowser roared.

Kyle and Mario couldn't help but to laugh at the situation. Bowser got his binoculars snatched before his eyes. Baby Luigi, in possession of the binoculars, stuck his tongue at Bowser. Bowser grumbled.

Baby Luigi looked through the binoculars and popping right up to his face was Goofy's goofy smile, "Hey there strangers." he waved through the binoculars.

The startled babies and Luigi fell heavily on their butts. The magic ship was floating next to the moon where the gang was standing.

"Who are you?" Kyle asked.

"The question is: who are you, and what are you doing walking on gray sunshine?" Donald blurted out.

Mario narrowed his eyes, "It's the moon, duck." He corrected him.

Donald angrily pointed the finger at Mario, "You will be silent, smart 'stache!"

An offended Mario widened his eyes. Bowser rolled on the floor, laughing endlessly like there's no tomorrow.

"Hi. My name is Kyle. Kyle Nasher." Kyle stepped in to introduce himself, "…I don't know how I got to meet these folks but I had a strong feeling that I was destined to—"

"Yeah yeah. Nice knowing you Kyle." Donald interrupted, "but you don't look like a Mushroom Kingdom citizen, so..."

The moment they heard Donald saying 'Mushroom Kingdom citizen', the Mario bros. and Bowser's faces lit up. They excitedly jumped on the ship and glued their faces on the windshield screaming, "We are from the Mushroom Kingdom!!"

Donald fell on his butt. Goofy looked surprised, "Really? 'cause I've heard the Mushroom Kingdom had people with mushroom-shaped heads."

"We have people with mushroom-shaped heads." Mario exclaimed, "And we know Princess Toadstool like a sister."

"Yeah! Sister!" Baby Mario exclaimed.

"We're always there for her no matter what!" Luigi exclaimed.

"I'm her Maitre D'." Bowser grinned.

"Hey, what about me?" Kyle gestured, trying to get some attention.

"So Princess Toadstool was kidnapped?" Minnie asked.

The Mario brothers nodded. The Mario brothers, Bowser, Donald, Goofy, and Kyle were inside the Audience Chamber of the Disney Empire.

Minnie lowered his head, "The emperor warned us about this in his letter. Oh, if only I have done something earlier."

"Please your Majesty, don't blame yourself." Daisy told Minnie.

"Wait, the emperor wrote a letter?" Mario asked.

"Is… the Emperor's gone too?" Luigi asked.

"Well according to his letter, he went on some mission." Daisy pointed out.

"That's what he says, but I believe it differently." Donald said.

"Donald? Are you saying you don't believe the Emperor?" Goofy asked.

"Of course I do." Donald said, "Just…differently."

Bowser strolled across the chamber sniffling, "How can my sweet, sweet Peach not be here? This place is huge for a princess to get lost here, for crying out loud."

He turned around to continue his paces when his ears picked up something. It sounded like faint voices coming from the other side of the grand door. The voices grew louder by the second, and suddenly the grand door opened, catching everyone's attention. Two of the Imperial soldiers entered the chamber, escorting in handcuffs a very familiar face.

Kyle froze, "Dirk?"

Dirk's eyes fixed amazingly at Kyle, "Kyle?"

The soldiers shoved Dirk up front. "Hey, hey, hey! Careful! You're ruining my outfit!" Dirk snapped. He was obviously proud of the new outfit he sported: a white hooded sportswear with a black T-shirt underneath it, baggy pants to match the color of the sportswear and black suede Velcros.

"Your Majesty, we've found this traitor near the Empire's Keep Drawbridge." One of the soldiers stated. The party, including Kyle, faced Dirk.

"Traitor?" Dirk was shocked, "Hey man, that's harsh! And why would you call me a traitor? What did I do?! I don't even live here! Heck, I don't even know how I got here! All I know is that I was attacked by those dark shadows and digital freaks!"

"Dark shadows?" the Mario bros. exclaimed.

"Digital freaks?" Kyle pondered. Could it be the Wire Frames?

"Yeah right." Bowser muttered.

"Uhh... is this fella talking about heartless?" Goofy scratched his head.

"Nonsense!" Donald exclaimed. "We've defeated those creatures years ago! They no longer exist!"

"You just say what you wanna say, duck. But I know what I saw!" Dirk said, "These beady-yellowish eyes covered in dark untouchable skin are as real as sin."

"Then you must know where the Emperor and the Mushroom Kingdom princess are." the soldier said. "You have them captives, no?"

This alerted the gang. All, except Kyle, Minnie, and Daisy readied to beat the truth out of a confused Dirk. Minnie somehow seem to know Dirk, but can't seem to figure out where she saw him.

"Emperor? Princess-- now wait a minute. I don't know any emperor or princess."

"Do you?" Luigi asked.

"Wait everyone!" Kyle interrupted, "Release him, he's telling the truth!"

Donald, Mario, Luigi, Goofy, and Bowser faced Kyle, stunned.

"Kyle, don't tell me you're falling for his lies." Donald argued.

"I know Dirk, Donald." Kyle argued back, "Sure I will fall for his lies."

"Hey!" Dirk whined.

"Then good luck falling for this lie." A voice boomed from up front. The party turned their attention toward Pete.

"Pete? What are you talking about?" Minnie exclaimed, suddenly feeling scared of Pete approaching the party.

"With the Emperor being absent, why not look after his throne..." Pete pointed at the throne next to Minnie, "...when you can take over it instead?"

Everyone positioned their fighting stances toward Pete now. "You're the one responsible for the Emperor's disappearance, weren't you?" Donald yelled.

"Where's Princess Toadstool?" Mario yelled too as he and his brother took their fighting stances. Bowser spat fire in rage.

"That I don't know. And I don't care." Pete grinned, "As long as the Emperor's gone and you are all gone. The throne will be mine. Come out my beauties!"

Emerging from the ground once again were the Heartless. Appearing digitally were the Wire Frames. The soldiers went for the enemies but the Wire Frames landed kicks on their abdomen, knocking them out cold. The enemies surrounded the party, who formed a circle with frightened Minnie and Daisy standing in the midst.

"Dark shadows and digital freaks" Dirk introduced the enemies, "Now do you believe in my lies now?"

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