-Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters from Disney, Square Enix, or Final Fantasy!

Kingdom Hearts: The Beginning Chapter 6

Dive to the Heart

Hoshiko Hardly slept that night, her mind was going to fast, to loudly for her to sleep. She tossed and turned, switching from one end of the bed to the other in a vain attempt to sleep. Some time early in the morning, before the sun rose Hoshiko was a sleep. Her dream was confusing, she had never seen a place like this in all her life, Everything was black, except the tower that she was standing on. It was decorated with bright earth colors, and a girl with long black hair billowed in the wind, a willow tree, a humming bird, and a raccoon were just some of the few things that were around her. She looked around, not seeing anymore heartless when the voice sound in her head once more.

So much to do, and so little time…

Take your time. Don't be afraid…

The door is still shut. Step forward, can you do it?

Hoshiko walked forward, her eyes glancing around her, it was eerie, almost. She felt as though she wasn't the only one to have done this. She didn't know how, but she knew that more then one person had stood where she had, and many more would until the Darkness was defeated. Maybe….Maybe she was the one.

Suddenly behind her a square stone table appeared and the voice spoke once again.

Power sleeps within you.

And above the table appeared a shield with the shape of a mouse head embedded on it.

If you give it form…

Above the newest table appeared a staff with the shape of a Mouse head on the end.

It will give you strength.

Another table appeared a few feet from the other one, above this one hovered a sword.

Hoshiko walked to the last stone table, as if being pulled by an invisible force. She took hold of the sword, looking around, what good would this do? Only the key blade could destroy Heartless.

The power of the warrior.

Invincible courage.

A sword of terrible destruction.

The voice rang in her ears, and she realized that it had stopped. She set it down, and walked to the shield, holding it in her hands, waiting for the voice to again speak.

The power of the guardian.

Kindness to aid friends.

A Shield to repel all.

The voice stopped once again and Hoshiko carefully set down the shield and walked over to the staff and held it in her hands just as she had done to the other two.

The power of the mystic.

Inner strength.

A staff of wonder and ruin.

This time the voice didn't stop. It continued in her head, evenly.

Now what will you choose, and what will you leave behind?

Hoshiko bit her lip, this was going to be a hard decision to make. She looked at the sword, the shield and the staff, all of them had strong power, and would help her on her quest, but only two would help her the most.

Her eyes lingered on the shield as she glanced at them all again in turn. This was going to be a battle, she would have to leave something behind, and take whatever would give her most strength and power.

She reached for the sword and the shield, her fingers trembling as they closed over the hilt and shield. The both vanished, leaving a glittering trace, leaving her feeling, somehow, stronger.

As suddenly as her fingers closed around nothingness the stone's sank into the stain glass, making everything shatter. Hoshiko ran to the center, and as she ran the glass beneath her shattered and she fell with it. The fall didn't feel like falling, no wind rushed past her, she was afraid of hitting the ground as much as she was of falling into the darkness.

She wanted to close her eyes as darkness pressed around her, but she could see a shape, a circle some where beneath her, and another women, her hair also black, her eyes were closed and she looked peaceful. Hoshiko noticed a dragon surrounding her, and a horse, she looked like a warrior.

Hoshiko made to cover he head, squeezing her eyes shut, wait for the impact that never came. She was let down slowly and easily. She opened her eyes and stood up, and looked around.

She looked at her hand as a burst of light brought the sword into her hands. She felt used to things suddenly appearing in her hands already.

You've gained the power to fight.

Heartless appeared, a first they looked like shadows, before they emerged from the ground all the way, their yellow eyes shining bright.

There will be times you have to fight.

Keep your light burning strong.

The heartless twisted and twitched as she moved forward. Hoshiko struck at the heartless, her sword becoming a key blade as she swung it at the heartless. As soon as they appeared they were gone, melting back into the ground, only as they vanished the darkness they vanished into grew, surrounding Hoshiko before she fell into it. She felt as though she were choking in the darkness as she tried to fight it. Soon she saw nothing but the endless darkness, calling out was useless, as was fighting it alone. Suddenly it cleared and she found herself on yet another glass picture, of a girl with long black hair, and a blue outfit. A tiger stared at Hoshiko in the picture behind the girl.

A door, sort of pinkish appeared, and Hoshiko leapt to her feet, hoping it was the way out of this nightmare.
She reached forward to open it, but it opened by itself, casting a blinding light into Hoshiko's eyes. It felt warm, as she walked closer to it, glad to be away from the darkness.

It had taken her to another stain glass tower. The girl on this was had lone read hair and blue eyes, it looked ocean decorated, as mer-folk swam about her. She walked to the center, not sure what to do now. A light appeared beneath her and move forward, making stain glass stairs appear. Hoshiko hesitated, not she if she could trust the stairs that were fairly far apart. She moved forward, hoping this was they way out. Her foot steps sounded loud as she moved forward, walking up the winding stair case, she looked down at the next person in the stain glass, but didn't get a change to get a full look at it because the voice spoke. She was beginning to dread the voice.

The closer you get to light,

The greater your shadow becomes.

Hoshiko sighed and turned around to look at her shadow. It seemed unusually black and bigger then it should be. It stretched forward, and Hoshiko noticed that it was not her shadow, but a giant heartless melting out of her shadow.

She jumped back as it unfolded it self, she was stunned in place as it glared down at her.

But don't be afraid.

It stood up to its full height, unfolding its arms. When it moved forward, Hoshiko jerked to life and scurried backward.

And don't forget…

It bent down slightly, as though to get a better look at Hoshiko. She was backed up against the edge, she peered over, wondering what was the most dangerous, the Heartless or the never ending darkness.

She drew the sword out of the air, waiting for it as it reached out for her. She was ready to strike when the sword vanished. It crouched over her, leering at her as she stood at the edge waiting to be pushed over. Then she summoned the key blade. She hit whatever she could reach of it, trying her hardest to deal damage. When at last her blade dealt the last blow, she was sure she had defeated it.

A pool of darkness appeared under her feet and she tried to move out of it. It felt like trying to run through syrup.

Don't be afraid.

The words seemed to be having a hard time reaching her as she fought through the darkness.

You hold the mightiest weapon of all.

The voice was getting harder to hear still as she flailed around vainly. She sank lower into it, it was up to her elbows now, gonging quickly into her face, spreading fast.

So don't forget:

You are the one who will open the door.