Kingdom Hearts Alpha

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or any of it's characters and settings. They belong to Square Enix and Disney.

Chapter 24: Mowgli's Destiny

As time passed by, Sora and the others had finished beating through the swathes of Heartless that threatened the creatures of the jungle as they were directed off to the deadlands on the outskirts of the jungle. As they were making their way, the group stopped by a gnarled tree to catch their breath.

"We're never gonna find Mowgli at this rate!" Donald cried as he was panting and quacking until the group heard a slithering noise from above them as a sinister snake was descending down upon them.

"Mowgli... now what business do you have with that wretched man-cub?"

"Careful," Baloo warned Sora and the others. "This fella's bad news." However, before the group had a chance to fight back, Kaa the snake gave a mesmerizing glare that put everyone except for Sora into a state of hypnotized bliss.

"Guys! C'mon!" Sora pleaded as he shook Donald and Goofy in a futile attempt to snap them out of their sleep. "What did you do to them?!" he demanded.

"They'll be my snack soon enough... as will you. Shere Khan will be pleased."

"Like I'll ever let that happen!" Sora snapped as he batted his Keyblade towards the snake, making it flinch back, leaving Sora an opening to attack him. Quickly, the boy took advantage of the opportunity and struck back hard, knocking the wind out of it and breaking the hypnotic trance it left on Baloo, Aqua, Donald and Goofy.

"Un-unbelievable! You broke through my spell with sheer force alone." Kaa sputtered as Sora cornered the exhausted snake.

"Now, where is Shere Khan?" Aqua asked, pointing her Keyblade at the snake's throat. "Tell us now!"

"W-wait! He's heading out beyond the jungle to the deadland. There's hardly any living things there, so he might've followed the man-cub there to ambush him."

"We have to go save him!" Donald said as the group ran out from the clearing to the cracked and crusty earth lying ahead while Kaa slithered away to nurse his wounds and go back to sleep.

After some time alone, Mowgli found himself away from the jungle out near the gorge. Lying back in reflection, he saw a group of vultures that fluttered down to talk him.

"Well, look here fellas. This little guy isn't like the other ones. He's all skin and bones!" one of the birds called out to his friends.

"Leave me alone; I'm not in the mood." Mowgli rebuked as the bird was taken aback by the man's sour attitude.

"Easy there, kid. We were just kidding around with you. We don't make a habit of eating man-cubs from the village." the vulture replied. "But still, nobody should have to go through life without friends."

"Thanks, but every time I make friends, I find I just don't fit in." Mowgli said sadly.

"...And that will be your undoing, boy. You should've left for home long ago." the voice of Shere Khan spoke as he slinked into the open.

"It's Shere Khan! Run, little one, run!" the vultures warned Mowgli as he stood defiantly against the tiger.

"So, you're Shere Khan." Mowgli said in realization. "Why should I run from you? You don't scare me!"

"A rather spirited one, aren't you?" Shere Khan answered as he turned around to give Mowgli a starting chance to flee. "Let me tell you what im going to do. I'm going to close my eyes and count to ten so you can have a running start. It makes the chase more interesting. 1, 2, 3..." the tiger began as Mowgli stood his ground. Looking back towards the man-cub, he started to smolder with a dark aura, preparing to pounce. However before the beast could attack, Baloo leapt in front and protected Mowgli from danger. The fight was fierce, but Shere Khan overpowered the bear with little effort.

"NOOOO!" Sora cried out in horror as he rushed in to protect Mowgli against the evil monster. However, he was pushed back by an invisible barrier that kept Sora from attacking the tiger itself. "Mowgli, you gotta get out of here quick! Bagheera and the others are on the way."

"No, let me fight him. I'll take him down for Baloo." Mowgli said back.

{Objective: Defeat the darkness aiding Shere Khan!}

As Sora and Mowgli swerved and deflected the tiger's claw swipes, Sora attacked the blurred figure that loomed over Shere Khan, eventually breaking through its illusion, revealing a Heartless that resembled a large chameleon. With Shere Khan knocked aside, a flash of Thunder crackled in the air, striking a wooden branch with a lightning bolt as Mowgli grabbed it to guard himself.

"Away, you monster!" Mowgli proclaimed, as he directed the branch at Shere Khan while Sora finished off the Heartless. "I know who I am now; I am a man and you have no power here against me and my friends."

"You... this isn't over, boy! I will return someday, and have my revenge!" Shere Khan declared as he fled off into the distance and the Heartless collapsed dead where the tiger previously stood. {You obtained the power to heal. You have unlocked the Cure spell!}

"Mowgli, he's getting away.." Sora pointed out to the man-cub before they turned their attention back to Baloo as Bagheera and the others arrived.

"Papa Bear...?" Mowgli said with worry as he approached the unconscious bear.

"Mowgli, you have to be brave, as Baloo was." Bagheera told Mowgli as he comforted the boy.

"Was? You don't mean..." Mowgli realized as he began to cry over his friend's sacrifice. "Oh, Baloo..."

"It's alright, Mowgli." Aqua continued, as she put her arm around the discouraged boy. "As long as your friend is a part of your heart, he's never really gone. That Shere Khan gave up his heart so he could go after you, and so he only lives with pain and hatred."

"She's right," Bagheera added. "Baloo would be very proud of who you've become." The group then looked over and saw Baloo stirring back awake with a smile on his face.

"That was beautiful, Baggy." Baloo said joyfully. "I never knew you felt that way about me."

Stunned, Bagheera's composure relapsed back to a stern tone. "Baloo, you- you big fraud!" Mowgli on the other hand embraced his friend with a bear hug as Sora and Donald turned back towards each other.

"I'm sorry for what I said to you before, Donald." Sora apologized.

"I'm sorry too." Donald said back as Goofy smiled at the group making up with each other.

"Yeah, fellers. All for one and one for all, remember?"

The group then paused as the rain caused the fire from Mowgli's branch fizzle out and reveal a Keyhole amongst the smoke. Sora then pointed his Keyblade at the opening and sealed the Keyhole which produced another Gummi.

"Where are you going now?" Mowgli asked Sora.

"I still have to find my friends. They're out there somewhere, and I have to save them."

"Remember, you guys. No matter where you guys are, we will be friends til the end." Baloo said to the group, giving Sora a butterfly-shaped keychain. {You've earned the Jungle King Keyblade. If you equip different Keychains, your Keyblade can take different forms and grant you special powers.}

Jiminy's Journal

* The Vultures- A quartet of Vultures that live outside the jungle. Despite teasing Mowgli when they first met him, they immediately made an effort to be his friend as they know what it feels like to be an outsider. These birds of a feather worked together in "The Jungle Book" (1967).

* Stealth Sneak Heartless- A chameleon-like Heartless that served Shere Khan in his attempt to attack Mowgli, attracted by his desire to destroy the man-cub. However, it was defeated by Sora and Mowgli's combined efforts while Shere Khan himself escaped.

And that concludes yet another update. Please remember to review and share this story to help spread awareness and keep it going. See you all next time!