Kingdom Hearts

Ch. 35

Deep Jungle

The Forest of Death

The sun has set. Goofy wandered through the forest alone. Common knowledge dictates the jungle is even more treacherous during the night. It got so bad that Goofy could barely see his hand in front of his face. He figured it would be best to wait until morning and then continue his search. He found a nice flat area and grabbed some leaves placing them all together making a bed out of them. Goofy put his hat down to the side as he padded his man made bed.

"EOWW!" he whaled as he seems to have sat on a hard object. He felt around his self-made bed and pulled out a hard rock from under the leaves. He threw the rock away barley even caring as he was too tired to even keep his eyes open. He sat down yawning before laying down and falling asleep.

After an hour, Goofy was still sleeping. He snored loudly while in the most comfortable position he could make in his man-made bed. Suddenly he awoke with no real disturbance. He looked up to see the forest lighting up. Pink flowers began popping all over the jungle on every single tree.

"Gawrsh, I didn't know trees could do that," he said to himself. He concluded this was a normal occurrence for this world as it was the first night he spent here. He decided he might as well look around since he could see again. He got up and began walking through the lit up forest. After a few minutes he suddenly tripped by accident. Goofy fell to the ground with a loud thud. Being a known klutz he brushed it off and got up again. As Goofy stood up he swore that it was a vine that he tripped over. But there was nothing there. He looked around to see what was wrong.

Just then a pack of heartless appeared out of nowhere. They jumped off the trees around Goofy with an aerial attack. He summoned his shield and lifted it over his head thwarting any in coming attacks. The attackers consisted of shadows and Power Wilds. Goofy threw them off him and began destroying them all. After the last one was defeated Goofy lifted his ear as he could hear faint crying. He looked up realizing its coming from the tree the heartless jumped off from.

Goofy being a self-proclaimed hero knew what he had to do. He lifted his pants and marched towards the trunk of the tree. He then began to climb it the best he could. With his two buck teeth as support he began climbing the tree. His arms and legs were stretched wide while he sunk his teeth in the bark for support. He slowly made it to the treetops to see the branches of all the trees around come together forming one large area where Goofy could walk on.

He looked around to see if anyone was up here. "Hello, anybody?" he shouted cupping his hands around his mouth.

Thankfully, a voice did call back. "Please someone help us." Goofy quickly ran over to see who was calling. He looked up to see Jane and Terk together in a hole imbedded in a tree with vines blocking the entrance like a cage.

"Goofy!" called Jane from in her tree cage. Terk had her arms wrapped around Jane too scared to move.

"Jane what's going on? Why are you in there?" asked Goofy.

"I don't know some heartless came after us and the next thing I know I woke up in this cage," she yelled back.

"Well hold on I'll get you out of there. Just hold on for a moment." Goofy hopped up a level to arrive in front of Jane. He summoned his shield and tried to cut the vines.

"Goofy Slash," he sounded. He wiped his weapon attempting to cut the vines down. From left to right he sliced right across the bars but he didn't even dent them. "Goofy Tornado" he sounded yet again attempting to free his friends. He spun round and round multiple times slicing the vines, but it was useless.

"Goofy look the vines their leading back to something." She pointed out that the vines are not coming from the tree but lead to a giant black fruit that's hanging on the bark of a nearby tree. "Maybe if you destroy the root the vines will die," suggested Jane. Goofy nodded, he rushed over to it. He hopped on the branches that fruit was closet too. He was about to destroy it until a horde of heartless appeared out of nowhere protecting the fruit.

"It was those heartless that were behind this. I knew it." Goofy lifted his shield and was prepared to fight. He stepped forward only to realize that he was still in the treetops. He looked down only to see he was standing on thin leaves. "YAAAAHOHOHOOOO!" he yelled falling to his death.

"Goofy!" shouted Jane as she lost sight of him. He preceded to fall only for his leg to get tangled up in some vines hanging down from the tree. Goofy bounced back and forth after he stopped falling. He swooned upside down with his leg tangled up and the other lowered towards his head. He was hanging upside down with no clear way to get out of it.

"Whoops," he said to himself. Unable to think of a way out of this he accepted his state and waited till something comes up to assist him.

After a few minutes, he began to get bored and started whistling to pass the time. After 20 minutes he began humming. After 21 minutes he was getting woozy from all the blood rushing to his head. After 26 minutes with nothing to do he began to whistle again. After another ten minutes, he was about to whistle another song. But his new-found hobby was interrupted by a man hanging right beside him. "Yahoo!" he screamed.

He then got a good look at the man and recognized him as Tarzan with Donald holding on his shoulder. "Goofy, what are you doing?" asked Donald.

"A-huck, aw you mean how's it hanging. Don't worry I've gotten out of worse situations before."

"I'll cut you down," said Tarzan holding a knife in one hand and the vine with the other.

"Wait fellers, can you pull me up instead. I've got to help Jane and the gorilla feller up there," Goofy said.

"What Jane, where?" Tarzan demanded an answer.

Goofy looked up explaining. "Jane was captured by the heartless and I was trying to free her. But I got a stuck."

"Jane? Heartless!" shouted Tarzan. He quickly climbed up the vines to the tree tops. While Donald continued holding onto his shoulders. He got up to the top and looked around. When he got his footing, he let Donald down and began pulling Goofy up. Upon being right side up again Goofy's head returned to normal. Donald tended to his friend while Tarzan began looking for Jane.

He climbed through the brush only to hear her call out. "Tarzan." He turned to see Jane and Terk still in the cage.

"Jane!" he ran over to her quickly. He attempted to pull the vines off, but he was not strong enough.

"Tarzan try that black fruit. We believe it might have something to do with these vines." She pointed up at the black fruit placed above them. Tarzan grabbed his spear and climbed up to the fruit. He prepared to pierce the fruit. But getting close enough caused the horde of Heartless from before to appear again. They began their assault as they all tried their best to keep Tarzan away from the fruit. They jumped from the treetops attempting to crush Tarzan. He used his spear to fight them off. They fell one by one trying to hit him, but the ape man was too fast. Donald and Goofy joined him destroying the heartless one by one. But for every one they destroyed another would appear. After a few minutes of fighting the heartless would not cease their attack.

"Is there no end to them," said Donald using thunder magic to destroy several of them at once. "Maybe it's that their black fruit. It could be spawning the heartless. They'll probably leave if we destroy it," said Goofy using his Shield Slash to decapitate a Power Wild. Tarzan agreed and attempted to run his spear through it. With one great leap, he jumped in the air pouncing off a power wild giving him an extra jump. He thrusted his weapon at the fruit with all his strength, but his spear could not penetrate the fruit.

"What?" shouted Tarzan. It did not even dent it.

"What are we goanna do?" said Goofy. The heartless increased in number surrounding the three heroes leaving no way to escape. The three friends who were running out of options heard a loud roar from above them. The heartless began to shiver at the sound of the voice. The three heroes looked up to see a great ape appear. It was Kerchak of the Jungle standing on a higher branch. He jumped down landing on the branches below sending the heartless away. Kerchek turned towards the black fruit and grabbed it. Energy appeared over his body again. He roared once more yanking the black fruit out of the tree ripping the vines connected to it like it was just any other fruit. He threw the fruit over his head sending it tumbling down to the forest floor.

Kerchak looked to Tarzan breathing fiercely. Tarzan froze still not saying anything. Donald and Goofy followed his lead. Kerchak jumped up to Jane and Terks' cage. The vines that blocked the exit were withering away. Terk quickly ran away from Jane to Kerchak. The two began to speak in monkey tongue. Kerchak huffed again before turning around. He looked at Tarzan again before walking off with Terk following him. Jane's heart nearly stopped at the sight of the great ape. The heartless seemed less scary compared to Kerchak. She was able to stand up again and ran out into the jungle. Kerchak and the other ape have already left.

"Jane!" cried Tarzan. He climbed up to her making sure she's alright. Jane relived to see her friend grabbed him and hugged him tight.

"Oh Tarzan, I was so scared." She held back her tears while smothering her face in Tarzan's shoulder. Tarzan also wrapped his arms around her back.

"A-huck, looks like these two love birds need some alone time. Right Donald," said Goofy winking at him.

"Yeah, don't do anything you won't regret," said Donald jokingly.

After hearing this Jane pushed Tarzan back saying, "Oh no no, were just j-just friends that's all."

"Sure," said both Donald and Goofy giggling at each other.

Tarzan kept looking down not saying a word. "Tarzan are you alright?" asked Jane.

Tarzan looked at Jane with a dead stare. "When can you leave?" he asked.

Jane surprised Tarzan would say something like that answered, "Well the ships repaired we just need to gather everyone else before we go."

Tarzan grabbed Jane's shoulders and gripped them tightly. He spoke in a soft but concerned voice, "You must leave now. It's too dangerous here." Donald and Goofy closely listened to what Tarzan had to stay. "I overheard Kerchak. He said apes all over were being captured by heartless. He said there's something bad happening. So he's been going around freeing them before bringing them back to safety."

Jane remembered back to the fight with Ralum and Dagger. She remembered how Ralum was acting so strange. Did the Elite have something to do with this she thought? "Jane please," asked Tarzan.

"Tarzan I," she spoke rashly. Tarzan turned to Donald and Goofy asking them the same thing. Before they could answer the wind suddenly picked up causing the branches to stir greatly. Tarzan stepped in front of Jane attempting to protect her. Donald and Goofy knelled down holding on for their life. Descending from the tree tops a rocket lowered down shining its bright lights in the gang's eyes.

It was the gummi ship. "Hey," cried Sora from the cockpit. He lowered the hatch letting his friends in.

"It's Sora guys," said Goofy relieved. He was the first to jump landing on the hatch. Donald jumped next landing behind Goofy. Tarzan looked to Jane giving her the signal it's time to go. He grabbed Jane and lifted her up. He jumped into the ship landing on the ships hatch door. His bare feet thumped on the harden gummi rock. He let Jane down setting her bare feet on the metal covering. Jane was at this point used to being carried around by Tarzan. Sora closed the hatch door and flew off.

The gang walked into the ship witnessing what's inside. The ship was much larger on the inside. One must see it in order to believe it. She has never seen a ship like it. It wasn't steamed powered like her home worlds. Her eyes wandered at the sight of the ship taking a glance at every room she walked by. She followed the others to the control room. They climbed up the ladder reuniting with the rest.

"Donald, Goofy," said Sora happily.

He jumped out of his seat hoping to greet his friends. Only for him to get conked on the head with Donald's staff. "Why do we always have to do this in every world we go too?" Donald shouted furiously.

Sora crashed to the ground dazed. He mumbled some gibberish while in a daze. "He's right Sora. We have to stick together. We've only been lucky so far," Goofy proclaimed.

Sora jumped to his feet admitting their right and apologized. Dagger giggled at the exchanges of the three friends. Cloak remained silent. "Seems anything can make him laugh," he thought.

Everyone gathered around in the room and began to talk about what's happening. Jiminy also attended standing on Sora's shoulder. The gummi ship remained in the air in standby mode. Each of them grabbed a seat in the control room. They all sat down except Tarzan and Cloak. Tarzan went onto explain what's happening to the others. About the forest and the fact heartless have been targeting gorillas.

"I think it has something to do with Ralum," mentioned Dagger. She went on to explain the battle between her, Sora, and Ralum. She recalled the fact the Ralum for some reason could control plant life. "Ralum is not himself. He isn't the man I knew. But he wasn't around any heartless though?" she said puzzled. Her hands were crossed, and her lips perked out.

"I think I know who's behind the heartless invasion," said Donald. The magic duck retold the events that took place at the tree house.

"What Clayton?" shouted Dagger discouraged.

"Yes, me and Tarzan saw Clayton call upon the heartless." Tarzan nodded confirming his claim. Dagger slumped down in her seat shocked at the idea that her two comrades have sunk this low.

Sora focused on the conversation began thinking, "Have they both fallen into darkness."

Jane could hardly believe it either. She hasn't spoken a word. Jiminy had his nose in his journal writing down everything. Cloak still remained stagnant not moving at all.

Sora jumped up and shouted, "Enough!" He stood on his chair. His giant shoes sat upon the seat as he kept speaking, "I'm tired of asking who and what. I wanna know why. And sitting around here talking to people who don't know any more then I do is a waste of time. I say we find Ralum and Clayton and make them tell us the truth." The rest of the gang remained speechless waiting for someone to answer.

Cloak stepped forward his mouth crept opened preparing to speak. Before he could they heard a giant rumble. The ship jolted in all sorts of directions. Sora was thrown off the chair slamming the ground on his side. Donald ran to the control panel to see what's going on. He brought up the ships camera's seeing what's causing it to shake. The screens showed images from all over the ship.

Coming from all sides vines were wrapping themselves around the ship. They were making their way up the trees reaching the ship. It was floating in midair and was an easy target.

"What the forest is alive?" shouted Goofy being thrusted around. The entire gang were struggling to stand while the vines tugged on the ship.

"Hold on!" said Donald. He put the engine in full blast launching in full speed. The ship managed to break the vines freeing them. The Gummi Ship shot up in the air as fast as lighting. Everyone else was thrown to the back slamming the wall. The ship eventually slowed down and reduced ascendance. Everyone but Donald were still attached to the wall. Sora, Goofy, and Dagger fell to the ground. While Jiminy, Jane, Tarzan, and Cloak landed on their feet. Jane would have fallen if Tarzan hadn't grabbed her. Sora fell face first on the ground Goofy on his butt and Dagger on her knees.

"Is everyone alright?" said Dagger. Sora gave her a thumbs up even though he was facing the floor. Groans uttered from the rest. Tarzan checked Jane to see if she's alright. They all got up and walked back over to Donald. He grabbed the controls taking the ship back down to the jungle. They all looked through the cock pit to what has become of this world.

Jane looked to Tarzan noticing him shaking. His eyes were wide open his teeth clenched together. The vast jungle has become a death zone. Multiple giant plants with a dark green tint began growing up out of the ground. They grew to great length growing taller than most of the rainforest trees. They resembled towering bean stalks. The gummi rocket flew by the massive sprouts making the ship look minuscule by comparison. The glowing pink flowers covered them illuminating the landscape in the middle of the night.

"Ralum," said Dagger cautiously. The rest of the gang remained silent as they tried to think of a way to combat this.

"Jane needs to leave," spoke Tarzan abruptly.

"What Tarzan no, I can't leave without you," said Jane. She ran over to him laying her left arm on his shoulder.

"My world. My problem. You must leave." Jane removed her arm stepping back.

"He's right. You must all leave," spoke Cloak. He continued without looking at anyone "Dagger, I'll take you back to your ship. They won't leave without you. You need to tell them about Ralum and Clayton. Order them to launch as soon as possible."

Dagger was reminded of the rest of the colonists back at the bamboo thicket. She thought about how they'd react to abandoning two Elites on a desilt world. But she knew she had no choice. "Your right, Jane we need to go."

Jane turned towards Dagger nodding. "The rest of you should leave too," said Tarzan to Sora and the others.

"What about you?" said Goofy.

"Take me back to my family Kerchak will keep us safe. Our world. Our business." Dagger and Jane walked to Cloak who reformed back to his shady form. Jane glanced back at Tarzan who was to focused on his home. They disappeared in the darkness just before Cloak swooped them away. They were gone in a flash.

Sora turned to Tarzan who was standing up straight like a normal man. "Tarzan," spoke Sora softly. The ape man's head twitched. Sora summoned his keyblade. Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy silently listened to what he had to say. His face was a deadlocked. He gave little emotion from his face. His eyes were half open and his mouth barley moved when words escaped them.

"The heartless are beings of pure darkness. They invade worlds before they drag them into the darkness. I lost my world to the heartless because the darkness in people's hearts lured them there. But not yours. Your world was a peaceful haven. But because we came here and with our evil hearts. It's our fault that this is happening to your home. And I know what it's like lose everything you care about. You see this weapon I hold. It is the most powerful weapon there is. It's the key that will light the darkness. Heartless fear it so they wish to destroy it. So you see it's my fault. I'm the one luring the heartless to the worlds. They wish to face me. It's my fault that your world is crawling with them. It's my fault your home is like this."

The rest of them were in shock. Sora's been luring the heartless to this world. Donald and Goofy couldn't make any sense of it. Tarzan remained silent. "So the least I could do is fix what I started. Let me defeat Ralum and save your world." Tarzan could not bring himself to say anything. Jiminy couldn't even bring himself to continue writing in his journal.

He raised his arm and rested it on Sora's shoulder. He nodded giving Sora a small smile. The rest of them smiled as well in relief. Sora sent his keyblade away. He looked to the others. "Okay where do you think we can find Ralum?"

Tarzan pointed towards a giant tree that towered over the jungle. It was bigger than the others. Its vines sprouted out giving the illusion of branches. It had a giant pink flower on top glowing bright enough that the tree branches couldn't even block out its light to the forest floor.

"You think he's there?" asked Sora. Tarzan nodded.

"Well it's the best lead we got?" said Donald. He went to the controls sending the ship in that direction. The friends new it was time for their next great battle.