Kingdom Hearts

Ch. 41

Deep Jungle

No Home

The hurt friends floated in the endless void. The only thing that ran through their head was the question, "What Next?" Each tried to come up with a solution. But all hope was for not. The light appeared through the void once again, but it was more faint then before. The friends were all plopped from the dark void onto the ground. Tired and beaten the friends struggled to get up. Sora could barely stand. The bullet wound in his shoulder has been bleeding nonstop. He felt cold and confused his eyes could hardly make out what was in front of him.

Goofy tended to Donald who began to stir a bit. The duck opened his eyes after being knocked out. "Donald thank goodness," said Goofy cheerful.

Jiminy popped out of Goofy's pocket to see if it was true. Donald has finally woken up. He sat up and rubbing the back of his head. "Did we win?" he said begrudgingly. Goofy and Jiminy hugged Donald tightly laughing in their friends ear.

"Is it nighttime. How long have I been out?" he spoke in a groggy tone. Goofy and Jiminy looked to the sky to see the once bright blue sky has turned black as night. But with not a single star in the sky.

"Home. Heart," spoke Tarzan looking onto the forest. The trees were too high to see the massive landscape. But the sounds of animals roaring, and wings flapping was more than enough to tell what's going.

"Tarzan I'm sorry," said Cloak who fell to the ground. Despite his injuries, he managed to move them all the way to the crashed tree Ralum grew. It has toppled over with broken branches and scattered leaves all around it.

The rest looked out with Tarzan to see a nightmare come true. The sky has turned pitch black as dark shadows pervaded the landscapes. Sounds of frightened monkeys and elephants echoed across the land. In a distance, black fog spread across the land as the earth cracked releasing clouds of darkness flooding the forest like a river of death. Apes of all kinds climbed to the tops of the tree shouting for help. Elephants and Rhinos stampeded down the forest hoping to find safety.

Sora could tell just by the feeling of the atmosphere. It was just like the final night he spent on his home world. He tried to hold back his tears hoping to remain strong. The pain from his injuries balanced his emotions out. Donald spoke out in shock. "What happening?" he said finally coming back to his senses.

"This world is doomed. In a short while this place is about fall into darkness," explained Cloak.

Tarzan remained speechless standing upright listening to the howls of the scared animals. "What do we do now?" asked Goofy.

"We need to leave," said Sora bluntly. He struggled to stand denying Goofy's help. "Where's the ship?" he asked.

Cloak pointed behind them. They all turned their heads to find the gummi ship toppled over on its side. It was in very bad shape after it fell with the giant tree.

Sora limped towards the ship slowly. He fell to his knees stars appeared in front of his eyes.

"Sora?" shouted Donald running towards him.

"He's really hurt Donald. You have to heal him," said Goofy following Donald's actions.

Donald brought out his staff and sounded, "Cure." Green magic sweep around Sora. He collapsed after that. His friends turned him over to see his wound has not fully healed. "Oh no, please no," quacked Donald.

Jiminy also observing the exchange listened to Donald explain. "His wound is really bad. My healing magic is not strong enough. I'm an offensive mage not a cleric. He needs a Curaga spell at the least. The four friends felt hopeless. Cloak also began to succumb to his injuries. He tried desperately to remain standing trying to hide his pain with a blank face.

"Take your friend and leave," he spoke softly. The others turned towards the draped man. Tarzan did not move an inch watching his world crumble before him. He twitched his head signaling that he's listening. "Take your ship and leave this world before it's too late."

"What about you?" asked Jiminy.

"I have to go to the colonists. I must warn them. They won't leave without their top Elite on board. I must inform them of their colleges fate. I'm sorry I can't do more for you. Forgive me." Cloaks body returned to its dark form as he disappeared into the twilight of the sky.

Goofy and Donald ran towards the ship and began to push the ship back to its right side up. Jiminy stayed with Sora who was turning blue. "C'mon guys. Tarzan, help us," begged Donald.

Tarzan did not say a word. He turned back and walked towards the ship. Energy began to erupt around his body. He lifted his arm placing it on the head of the ship. With one thrust he pushed the ship right side up. Tarzan then went to Sora and picked him up bridal style. Donald and Goofy ran to the cock pit entrance and opened the door. Donald ran upstairs to the control room while Goofy guided Tarzan to their room. He laid Sora on the couch as the boy struggled to stay awake. "It's okay Sora. You'll be okay," said Jiminy who took a ride on Tarzan's shoulder.

The ape man sensed something out in the distance. After setting Sora down he quickly ran back outside. Goofy followed while Jiminy remained with Sora.

Goofy followed Tarzan who was now standing outside on the moist grass looking up at something. Goofy followed Tarzan's eyes to see a giant black orb with a red center begin to descend upon the earth. They looked around to see yellow eyes appear through the forest. Heartless have invade this world. Donald watched everything from the cockpit. He tried not get distracted. It was already past 24 hours so the ship could still make outer space travel. He flipped on the engines firing up the guidance system. Despite the ship damages the reports showed it could still be able to fly. Donald looked through the cockpit window to see a giant figure with yellow eyes began to arise up. Goofy and Tarzan also watched it come closer. The creature was the same one that appeared on Destiny Islands.

It raised its arm preparing to smash the ship. The Spirit coursed through Tarzan's arm. Donald and Goofy looked up hopeless. The Heartless threw a massive punch preparing to drown the ship into darkness. But it was instantly stopped. Goofy looked on in shock as the ape man Tarzan stood in front of the giant Darkside. With his incredible strength, he blocked the giant heartless's fist. He roared loudly pushing back the creatures entire body. The Spirit of the Jungle has been passed to him. A man with the strength of 100 people held back the giant monster.

"Tarzan come on we need to go. You can come with us. Will take you away from this place," shouted Goofy.

"No," said Tarzan as the world around them began to disappear.

"Sora, you shouldn't be up. We need to bandage your shoulder," screamed Jiminy. Goofy looked behind him to see Sora walking towards him with one hand covering his shoulder. He has gotten a lot worse. His face seemed dried up. He tilted his head constantly showing the level of endurance he's going through just to remain focused. He pushed Goofy to the side walking outside before shouting to Tarzan.

"TARZAN Come with Us. You'll disappear with everything else. Come with us to the world OUTSIDE."

Tarzan did not speak. He leaped towards the Darksides chest. He socked it as hard as he could. Knocking it down with one punch. "No Home."

Sora confused called back, "Home is where the heart is. That's what the people of my world teach. Tarzan you're my friend too. I care about you. Please come with us."

At the sound of the word friend Tarzan turned to Sora repeating back, "Friend. Friends. Thank you, Sora Donald, Goofy, Jiminy. Please let me do this for you. And if you see Jane on the outside tell her thank you too."

The Spirit of the Jungle protruded from across Tarzan's body as the Darkside began to stand up again. Behind it more began to walk towards them through the forest. The sounds of the animal's cries turned silent as the world began transitioning to a state of the dark void. Despite the terror and chaos brought to this world. Everything was disturbingly quiet. Like nothing was there at all. The black creatures began getting closer to the treetops little by little while the ground was replaced with an ocean of darkness.

Sora collapsed shouting to Tarzan as he fell towards the ground crying begging the ape man not to sacrifice himself. But Tarzan has already made up his mind. Goofy realized this as his mind shifted to his serious thought process. He grabbed Sora around the waist pulling back into the ship. Sora tried desperately to escape his grasp but the loss of blood he experienced weakened him. Inside the ship Goofy closed the door. He shouted to Donald telling him to launch now. Donald wiped tears from his eyes as the ship took off. One Darkside attempted to stop them from leaving. But Tarzan jumped on its arm running up it leading straight to the head. He smashed his fist into the skull with such force the heartless was completely fractured. It disappeared giving the gummi ship an opening.

Donald directed the ship keeping the engine steady, so it doesn't break down. He flew the ship across the night sky till they were passed the black orb. When he finally saw a clearing. He stopped the engine and turned the ship a whole 45 degrees straight up. He turned the engine back on launching it up into the sky as fast as the ship could take them. After no less than a minute he could finally see stars again. The gummi ship has exited the worlds atmosphere reentering space. Donald's heart began to lift a bit, but he knew they weren't out of danger yet. He remembered what happened when they first got here. The dangerous asteroid field that surrounded the planet. Donald turned the ship to auto pilot and moved to the weapons stations. He brought out the ships big guns. He began to shoot like crazy blasting any obstacle in his way no matter how small. It was this or die. He will not fail his friends. These words ran through Donald's head as he braved for the final hurdle before leaving this back-water world. Goofy remained with Sora as he and Jiminy tried desperately to fix Sora who was losing consciousness fast.

Back on the doomed world Tarzan watched the gummi ship till it was out of sight. When it did, he ceased fighting the heartless as they began to swarm around him. He knelt like a gorilla would. Thoughts ran through his mind. He looked the other direction to see the voyager ship of the colonists have begun to fly in the air. It escaped along with gummi ship sparing the people this fate.

He smiled thinking back to when he first met them. When they were first stranded here. Jane wandered off trying to draw a picture of a monkey. She got into some bad trouble when she found herself facing a rhino. She screamed provoking it to charge at her. Helpless as the giant mammal could easily crush her. Jane nearly excepted her fate till the ape man swung down on a long vine. Grabbing her then bringing her up to the safety of the treetops. Starting here is where their relationship began. Jane brought Tarzan to the camp where she showed him bits and pieces of her world. She taught him how to speak and read. To think like a man. Though his leader forbids it he continued to return. He didn't do it just because he was interested with what he found. He didn't do it because he had nothing better to do. He did it because it was the first time in his life where he truly finally belonged. Being put down for being different. For the first time, he was truly happy.

He accepted his fate as darkness slipped under his feet. His limp body soon began to fade away with the world. He thought to his new friends pressing his hand over his heart. "Jane Sora Donald Goofy Jiminy …. Mother. Thank you for caring about someone like me. Even though I didn't deserve it. Whose good for nothing, only meant to die. Thank you for Loving Me."

His body faded away as the light of his heart remained lit as he fell into the void.