I had no idea what Snow White's world was called. So I just made it up. Chances are this world won't appear in my KH2 fanfic. The only reason Kristy knows what dwarfs are is 'cause she's a magical creature and those appear in Tengoku myths, I guess. Maybe they're actual races in Tengoku, I dunno. I don't like Snow White that much. There's not much to say about this chapter. Read and review!
Chapter 8: Dwarf Forest
After fighting the Heartless in their Gummi ship, the group of heroes finally cleared the path and made it to Dwarf Forest. They landed in a clearing and got out, everybody stretching from the long ride and stiff positions during the flight.
"Nyaaa…." Kristy yawned as she stretched cattily, "Belle, should I put away the Gummi ship or just leave it here?"
"My suggestion is leaving it here. It is a seventy-six percent chance that no one will discover it. My sensors detect living beings, but most of which do not speak any humanoid species' language."
"Oh, okay then. Besides, it's not like anybody here knows how to drive it, nya."
Just then, they heard a scream echo through the forest around them. They looked at each other, nodding, and headed off into the forest, Mary Belle jumping onto Kristy's shoulder.
Near a darker part of the forest, they saw a girl with short black hair and a blue and yellow dress running. She was screaming for help, holding up the skirt of her dress as she ran from the Heartless trailing behind her.
As she ran past the trio, they readied their weapons. Half the Heartless immediately changed course and headed for the Keyblade. Alex handled those Soldiers and Nocturnes easily, while Chris and Kristy fought the Heartless chasing the girl.
"Thunder!" Kristy cast, and heard a zap, but the Heartless in front of her was unharmed. "Huh?"
"Damn it! What the hell was that for!?" Alex yelled behind her, smoke rising from his body as he recovered and resumed fighting.
"Huh, nya? What happened? Thunder!" She tried again, and it obviously didn't work like the previous time, but the Heartless was still there when the zap sounded.
"What, nya?" Kristy wondered out loud, confused, unnoticing of the Heartless advancing.
"Damn it, kid! Focus! And stop shocking me!" Alex said as he jumped in front of her and swiped at the Heartless, fuming.
"Huh? Oh… Thanks, nya!" She said cheerfully, turning and whacking a Heartless Shadow on the head.
When the battle was finished, they were all tired and the girl had disappeared. She had probably run away during the match. The first thing Kristy did was ask Alex a question as she looked over at him.
"What happened to you, nya?"
Alex grunted, glaring at her. He must have been zapped a few more times after Alex defended her. He was black in places that were burnt yet his clothes remained almost in tact and clean. His Keyblade must have absorbed most of the shock.
"Don't worry, I'll fix it, nya!" Kristy grinned toothily, "Cure!"
In a moment his face was normal and his teammates could see his skin again.
"Shouldn't you say 'thank you'?" Mary Belle asked, sticking her small head out from under Kristy's hat.
Alex rolled his eyes, then paused, as if thinking, then finally he said, "Thanks, Kristy." Mumbling something about Kristy being sorry, he turned away.
"You're welcome, nya!"
"Where did that girl go?" Chris asked the other two.
"I dunno. I think she went this way? It doesn't matter, let's just get the hell outta this place. I don't like it, I was born in the city after all."
"My sensors are detecting life forms north of our current position. Human ones."
"Let's go, then!" Alex said, impatiently walking off.
Chris and Kristy followed suit briskly. While walking, Chris wondered out loud, "Why were the Heartless chasing that girl?"
"I don't know. Maybe because she has a strong heart, nya?" Kristy answered.
About a half-hour later they reached a bridge and a small cottage. Kristy's ears twitched curiously as she looked around.
"Why did the damn girl have to run this far? I didn't even know someone wearing a freakin' skirt could run that fast." Alex complained, resting his feet.
"Shh…. Look." Chris put a finger up to his lips to signal silence, and they all looked towards the house. Many short men with beards were in the house, looking around and out the window with fear.
"What the hell are they doing?"
"I think those are… dwarfs, nya!" Just then the girl appeared, smiling. The dwarfs seemed to relax, and the girl began to sing and do chores as the men exited, animals surrounding the house.
"What's going on?" Chris wondered after stepping out from his hiding place after the dwarfs marched by, singing a mining tune.
"I don't care. Let's go." Alex said, walking over the bridge and to the cottage.
"Don't forget to be nice, nya!"
"Shut up!"
Alex knocked on the door and the girl answered, blinking. The animals nearby watched curiously and shyly.
"Yes…? Excuse my rudeness, but you don't look like you're from around here, or the castle. If you don't mind me asking, where did you come from?" The girl asked.
"My name is Alex, this is Kristy and Chris," Alex said politely the best he could, motioning to Kristy who seemed to be talking to the animals, and Chris who waited patiently behind him. "We're from a very far away place."
"My name is Snow White," The girl said, curtsying, "Welcome to Dwarf Forest."
"That's nice to know, I'm sure. We were wondering, why were those black things chasing you?" Alex asked bluntly.
"So you were the three that helped me in the forest when I was searching for one of my animal friends! I thought you were one of my stepmother's soldiers come to kill me."
"What? Your stepmother?" Chris asked.
"Yes. Oh, how silly of me. Come in, come in. Watch your head, the ceiling and doorway is a bit low. This is the dwarfs' house, after all." They all entered, sitting down in the low chairs in the kitchen. When they were all settled, even though the small chairs were uncomfortable, Snow White continued talking.
"My stepmother is the Queen of the castle that rules the lands. She's tried to have me killed countless times. I think those black things are on her side."
"Well, we'll protect you from them, then. We're here to get rid of those anyway." Chris said. Alex nudged him in the ribcage, hard. Flinching, he still managed not to say "ow".
"Really? That's great! Thank you!"
"Excuse us for a moment." Alex said bitterly, pulling Chris and Kristy aside. Snow White smiled and turned to do chores in the kitchen. "What the hell do you think you're doing? We're not a protection service! We have to find the freakin' Keyhole!"
"I know! But Snow White is being hunted by Heartless, and her stepmother seems to be affiliated with them. Maybe there's more going on then we know!" Chris pointed out, "I just think we should stick around and check it out."
"Yeah, well, our mission was to find and lock the Keyhole, and that's what we're going to do! We don't have time to see what's up with some old hag!"
"I agree with Chris, nya!" Alex paused, staring at the other two.
"Fine. But I'm not doing anything… much. I'm gonna go find the Keyhole." Alex crossed his arms, turning and about to leave when he stopped. "…How the hell am I supposed to find a Keyhole? I don't even know what it looks like."
"Good question. Me neither, nya."
"Great…. Just great."
"Why don't we search by foot? Didn't Leon say something about your Keyblade knowing when there's a Keyhole nearby?"
"Chris, he said 'maybe', and something about my Keyblade being kinda different from Sora's."
"So? I still say we look around."
"…Fine." Alex grumbled, then he turned to Snow White, "Snow White, we're going to check Dwarf Forest out. Do you mind?"
"Not at all. I'm sure the Queen won't plan another attack so soon." With her permission, he went outside and faced a tree, screaming a few curse words. His teammates stared.
"What? This is what happens when I try to be so freakin' polite."
"Nya. You're weird, hehe."
"Shut up, Kristy."
The group wandered around for a while, seeing trees and trees all around them.
"Didn't we already pass this place?" Chris wondered.
"Damn! When are we going to find something? We've been going in circles!"
"Maybe we should head back to Snow White's house." Chris suggested.
"Good idea! The best one I've heard from you yet, Chris." Alex said sarcastically. "If I recall, it was your freakin' idea to come here and search this place by foot in the first place!"
"Well, sorry! Okay? Let's just get out of here."
"I wonder if we'll remember the way back to the Gummi ship, nya?" Kristy giggled. "I wonder if we'll even make it there? Let's see how long it takes for those two to tear each other apart. Belle, nya?"
Mary Belle popped up from under Kristy's hat again. "You shouldn't encourage your friends to fight each other, Kristy. You should—"
"I know, I know. I should stop them, nya. But you've got to admit, Alex started it."
Mary Belle looked at Kristy from her position, and then played back the beginning of the argument. Her lips didn't move, but sound came out of her. From the sound of it, it was more like Chris starting it.
"You recorded us!?" Alex screamed, frustrated.
"Belle is—"
"I'm chronicling this whole journey, for future reference such as the example before. And it is for personal reminiscence." Mary Belle explained it herself, instead of Kristy, who was pouting a little. "It is one of my few features that is actually technology-like."
"Where I come from, that's freakin' illegal! Recoding someone's life…."
"Not on this journey, nya!"
Chris waved his hands, trying to get their attention as if they were far away. "Guys! It doesn't matter! Let's just get out of here…"
