Chapter 11: Ashley Luciano: Earth

"Hey C!" I called. My friend stood up from his guitar playing on the front steps of our school building and walked towards me.

"Hey Ashley." C grinned. "How's everything?"

"It's… okay." I smiled. "I was actually thinking about going to see Leon and the rest of them today. We still need to let them know that we defeated Johnson. After all, it has been nearly a week."

"Nearly a WEEK!?" he yelled. "Then we REALLY need to. Besides, I've been itching to use my Demyx Guitar to drown some heartless." I giggled at that.

"Yeah, and I still need to practice with my keyblade." I sighed. "And maybe this time we'll find Rodney."

"Yeah." A cloud of gloom fell on us. Our friend Rodney had been captured by our worst enemy, Johnson, and he had been turned into a strange type of hybrid between a human, heartless, nobody, and Universed. He had been being mind controlled by Johnson when we had last seen him. C had fought him so that the rest of us could chase after Johnson. However, midway through C's attacks Rodney had suddenly fled the scene, and none of us had been able to find him. We still thought of him as a friend.

"Hey, you want to stay at my place tonight?" C offered. "Then first thing tomorrow we can go to Traverse Town."

"I think that's a good idea." I admitted. We started walking down a secluded alley, a shortcut to C's house. Suddenly, on the ground, a shadow appeared, with two yellow orbs for eyes. Only one. A Neoshadow appeared from it.

"I'll take him!" I said, and I summoned my Keyblade, Lurebreaker. Unbeknownst to the rest of the world, I was a keyblade master.

The Neoshadow didn't move to attack, it merely stood there. I hesitated. I didn't like killing things that weren't attacking me. Then the Neoshadow squeaked.

"Wait… that sounded exactly like Nudge." I whispered. Then the Neoshadow shook its head.

"Are you a tame heartless?" C asked it. The Neoshadow nodded. Then I remembered.

"That guy, Chris, he had a Neoshadow as his tame heartless. Maybe this is his!" I exclaimed. The Neoshadow nodded.

"… Trufflehunter, right?" I asked. Trufflehunter nodded. He then took out a note.

I picked it up. Looking inside it, I saw a badly written note.

"My friends. It's certainly been a while. I'm writing this note as I lay under seven buildings. Funny, huh? I want you to know that Johnson has been defeated utterly. Since you have both played Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories, you should have some idea of what is happening now. You probably won't remember me. I just want to let you know that I am dying. You know ho wit is when a replica puts his entire self into an attack. Anyway, I just want you to know that… *LARGE INK SMUDGE* I don't know how to say this, but watch out for Trufflehunter. Keep him in memory of me. He was my best friend. See you in a Year. - Replica-Chris Vasquez"

The note brought tears to my eyes. "I don't even remember him." I said.

"I don't feel like going to see Leon and the others anymore." C said quietly. I nodded.

C and I walked down the street in silence, Trufflehunter walking with us.