November 2003
Kingdom Hearts: The Darkheart Crystal
Prelude
Kydran reeled back, the force of the blow too much for his equilibrium to handle. The black-haired boy fell to the ground. A searing pain flared through his head. His ears were ringing. His hands each lost grip of his 'blades. A dull thud sounded, no echo responding from the nothingness. His bright green eyes stared out into the void, out into the eternal abyss that was the Darkness.
I could go there, now, thought Kydran as he lay on the ice-cold ground, floating on that rock in the center of the Darkness. He closed his eyes. I could end it.
The figure loomed over him. Twin leathery wings expanded out from it, stretching forever, sinking into the Darkness that had spawned the boy's killer.
Kydran's eyes opened, looking up into the face of his Nemesis.
His father's eyes glared back at him.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------
Chapter 1 In which our Hero, Kydran, awakens in a new place and finds a home.
The boy woke with a start, jumping upright from his place on the alley floor, his breath coming in shallow heaves. Disoriented, he braced himself up with his arms, the reality beginning to sink in. He wasn't dead. His father hadn't killed him.
His father?
Kydran placed a hand on his head, the ache beginning to seep in. In moments he would forget the dream, the pain overcoming the fading images. He picked himself up, taking in his surroundings, feeling lost. Where was he? Certainly not where he was last.
Wherever that is, he mused. And it certainly wasn't the time that he remembered it being. The night sky, clear as crystal, beamed down on him... with little light, for the sky seemed sparsely starred. As he looked up, he sighed, realizing that this did not bode well.
He carried himself to the end of the alleyway, the dull roar of a bustling city reaching his ears after what seemed like an eternity of the buzzing in his head. He checked himself, from the matted black hair atop his head to the black combat boots about his feet. No injuries as far as he could tell. He stepped out into the street, completely unfamiliar with where he was. He knew it was some manner of city, and a busy one at that. But the houses looked too... off-kilter for it to be his home. They seemed to lean against each other, curve in and out, some windows larger than others, no conformity. Like some sort of cartoon. It wasn't bad enough to disturb him, but it was strange enough to catch his interest.
He dazed down the streets, where so many people bustled their way to wherever they were going. Kydran observed that there were no cars, only the streets and the strange houses and shops and the people moving along. He checked his pockets to see if he had any money. No such luck. He had nothing at all.
Beginning to become aware of his plight, Kydran moved out of the crowd and toward what appeared to be some sort of inn. The smell of cinnamon and coziness drew him. Walking into a cozy place was usually a good place to start, he figured. Better than trying to hit up a complete stranger for information.
He pushed the door open, and the bells on the handle tinkled softly, alerting the innkeeper to Kydran's entrance. She was a portly woman, weathered, but Kydran could sense no unfriendliness on her face.
"Well, good day to you, young man! What can I do for you?" spoke she, and Kydran felt mildly apprehensive. He had expected a little less boisterous a greeting.
"Uhhh... yes, ma'am, I know this is going to sound a little weird..."
"I doubt it."
"...right. Um, where is this?"
"You're in the Inn of Good Fortune, young lad."
Kydran shook his head, but was unsurprised by this response. He had seen it coming.
"No, I mean... here. This whole place. This city."
"Auntie Reifa, why don't you give the poor boy a straight answer? I swear, you do this every time," came a sweet, friendly female voice from up the stairs. Kydran turned to look, but saw nothing but the stairway. He looked back to the innkeeper, who was apparently named Reifa.
She old woman shook her head, and addressed Kydran. "You're in Traverse City, young man. I can tell you're not from here. Nobody is."
Reifa laughed at Kydran's puzzled look, and shook her head. "This place is where most people go when their worlds have been destroyed. They live here now, and have made new homes."
The boy was no more enlightened, but being the sharp fellow he was, furrowed his brow, coming to a conclusion.
"...so... my world was destroyed?" he said.
"More than likely. Unlesss you jumped down the wrong rabbit hole, or took a left turn at the wrong star."
Kydran looked from the woman to the floor, the puzzled look still resting upon his face. He didn't remember going down any rabbit holes. Or taking lefts at any stars. He hadn't even taken any rights at any stars. His ears picked up the sound of soft footsteps coming down the stairway from the second floor, and turned to look. His eyes weren't disappointed.
It was a young woman, apparently somewhere around Kydran's age, thirteen or fourteen. She was very pretty; fair, unblemished skin, raven locks coming in soft waves, spilling down her back, luscious blue eyes and that look of innocence, a look Kydran had never seen and thus could not recognize, but was nontheless captivated.
"Have you finished with the linens yet, Pandora? Have the rooms been prepared for our special guests later this evening?" spoke Reifa, who appeared to take as much joy in watching the girl as Kydran did.
"Yes I have, Aunt Reifa. And our guests will be very pleased with their rooms," came the reply as Pandora stepped briskly past Kydran and through a nearby large door, from within which Kydran could hear laughter and the tinkling of dishes.
Kydran turned back to Reifa, saying, "...wow. She's your niece? Are her parents around here, too?"
The old innkeeper eyed him warily, speaking sternly. "Best not be getting any ideas, my young friend. Both her family and the patrons of this inn are more protective of her than they are with their own lives."
"...uhhh, sorry. I didn't mean anything by it- she's just very pretty," replied the young man, taken slightly aback.
"Don't mention it. Happens all the time. Anyway, I suppose you need a place to stay? I can't give you a room for free, and I can't give you a nice room, but I can provide you with food and a bed in exchange for labor, if you're so inclined," the innkeep said, still watching him with her benevolent eyes.
For some reason Kydran couldn't place, the thought didn't bother him at all. I need somewhere to be while I gather my thoughts and figure out what to do, anyway, he reasoned. Why not?
"Sure. This looks like a fine establishment anyhow," Kydran reponded brightly, tacking on that last bit just for a response. Reifa laughed.
"Then you'll be staying here. We always need help in the kitchen. Report to Cook. Both he and Pandora can show you the ropes. I run a fine inn, I expect good work of you, young man," she replied, and headed up the stairs, groaning something about her old body not being able to take much more of the stairs.
Kydran moved toward the dining room door, through which he had seen Pandora pass. Within, there were a few people, mostly men, drinking tall glass mugs of some golden fizzy substance and devouring their dinners. A few of them took notice of Kydran, finding it odd that such a scruffy- looking boy was on the way to the kitchen of one of the city's best inns. The young man was suddenly self-conscious; he hadn't really taken a moment to check his attire. His blue jeans, old and faded and tattered, as well as his faded green t-shirt gave the impression of a ragamuffin when paired with the matted, semilong hair sitting atop his head.
He watched a rather buxom maid pass through the kitchen door, and she flashed him a smile before tending to one of the tables. Kydran walked through that wooden door, and found a rather chaotic scene. A rather portly, very dark-skinned man ran frantically back and forth from oven to stove to washbasin to a frying pot to a roaster and back again. Pandora was stirring at a large pot of soup, and Kydran chuckled inwardly at her choice of dress. She wore a pair of what seemed like nylon tights, and what would have been a skimpy, revealing dress without said tights. A gorgeous, ruffled shirt, which appeared to be made of silk, graced her upper body, and around her neck was some sort of silver chain.
"I think it needs some more kupo grinds, Cook," she said, taking a taste of the soup. Kydran really hoped she didn't spill any of the thick, dark-looking stuff on that white shirt- it likely would have stained and never come out.
"We ain't got no more kupo grinds, Pan! Sub in some o' that grayspice. Just a pinch, hun! No no, that's just fine. There we go. Stir it real good, or it'll be too strong!" was the boisterous yet kind voice of Cook, who was still making haste between the range and the ovens.
Kydran stepped toward Cook, dodging one of the maids, and looked up at the dark-skinned man dressed in a very messy and stained chef's outfit. "Excuse me? Uh, you're Cook, right?"
"Cook! This soup is great! Our special guests will really be pleased!" came Pan's voice from beside the cookpot.
"That be a great thing, hun! Now, go tend to the patrons out in the dining room, help Ria out, she's busy as a one-legged chocobo!" replied Cook.
Cook checked the roast in the oven once more, and in his haste to get to the stove, he ran into a young man, approximately fourteen years old, with matted black hair and dingy-looking clothes.
"Who'ah you? Get outta here, urchin! Go on! Shoo!" Cook began waving him out, pushing him toward a back door.
"No, no! I'm Kydran! I-"
"Ah don't care! Get movin', beggar child!"
"No, Cook! That's our new help!" cried Pandora, realizing that Kydran was there and what he was doing.
"But, Miss Pand- oh, darn it, why can't dear ol' Reifa ever tell me 'fore she sends some young ragamuffin into my kitchen! Alright boy, if'n you're help, go an' handle those dishes over there in that basin. Water's already run, just gotta clean an' rinse 'em," hollered Cook, who rushed to the stove, worried about the mushrooms he had frying.
Kydran, unsure but amused, stepped toward the basin.
...man, that's a lot of dishes, he thought, surveying the work that he would have to do. He got to clearing the first basin of the dirty dishes.
Pandora watched the boy, stepping into what she called a 'calm spot', a place in the kitchen where the waitresses and maids and the boisterous Cook didn't usually barrel through. She was intrigued- if the boy was cleaned up, and given some new clothes, he would be very handsome. Where did he come from? thought she, folding her arms. Her heart panged momentarily when she realized that his home world had probably been destroyed.
Like hers had. Like Reifa's had. Like Cook's had. She sighed, then bobbed and weaved through kitchen supplies and utensils and waitresses and barmaids and Cook, arriving by Kydran's side.
Kydran was pleasantly surprised to find somebody help him rinsing the large pile of soapy dishes he had cleaned. He was even more pleased to find it was Pandora.
"Reifa seems to like you. I don't think she's ever hopped to giving somebody a job so quickly before. Then again... it could be because we're short on help!"
Kydran turned to the girl addressing him, then smiled, cleaning off a plate and setting it in the rinse bin. "This seems like a really nice place. Do you live here in this inn?"
Pandora nodded. "Yep. I stay here in return for my work."
"...you mean, you can't leave here?" Kydran said, slightly alarmed.
"No, no, no. Auntie Reifa's like a mother to me," she replied.
"She's your aunt, huh? Where do your parents live?"
Kydran was immediately contrite about the question he had asked. The pained look on Pandora's face indicated to him that she had lost them- or some other tragic event. He looked into the washbin, scraping the residue off of a fork and placing it in the rinse bin. "I'm sorry."
"Don't mention it... we all have sad pasts. I lost my parents when my world was destroyed by the Heartless," she said softly.
Heartless? thought Kydran, but decided not to pursue it.
Kydran shook his head, continuing to clean. "I can't remember my world. Or my parents. I don't know if I have any of them... and right now I don't want to think about it. I just want to put it off for a little bit... maybe tonight I'll have the presence of mind to think about it."
Pandora was incredulous. "You mean... you just got here?"
"Yeah. I woke up in an alley not far from here."
"You don't remember your home? Or your parents or family?"
"Nope."
"Wow... lucky you. It's a terrible feeling."
"I'd bet. So... what's all this talk about 'special guests' coming this evening? The mayor of town or something?"
"No, the Five are coming. Traverse City doesn't have a mayor."
"The Five?"
"Oh yeah! I forgot, you just got here," Pandora said as she picked up a tray of clean dishes and set it on what seemed like a bunch of rollers, and rolled it into a huge machine. The machine ignited and hummed, separating the dishes and placing them in their respective places in the kitchen. Kydran grinned at the sight of it, and then watched her return and continue her explanation.
"The Five are a set of warriors that keep the loose Heartless around the city under control and at bay. In the abandoned Third District, there's a whole army of Heartless. They seem to be searching for the keyhole, but they won't be able to find it, or even access it at the very least. About a year ago, a boy named Sora came and locked the keyhole, which is a gate to heart of a world. The Heartless won't be able to get into the city's keyhole, and so they won't be able to eat the heart of this world. So Traverse City's basically a haven for everyone."
Kydran absorbed this new information. Heartless? Keyholes? Hearts of worlds? Maybe his own world was destroyed by these Heartless. He put the thought aside, and listened further.
"Strangely enough, they won't leave the Third District. But we can't go in, because it's too dangerous, so we ignore that corner of the city. We had to build a new power plant and everything. Anyway, the Five are warriors who stayed from before the Sealing. Their names are Leon, Aerith, Yuffie, Cloud, and Dyne. They destroy any Heartless that escape, and keep constant watch over the Third District. They're coming tonight, and we're holding a celebration in their honor."
The boy was listening intently, and through the whole story, and finished the bin of dishes, even as new dishes had come in. He turned to her and smiled, nodding as she finished, and turned to watch Cook, who was putting the finishing touches on what looked like a grand feast. Turkey, a huge roast, huge bowls of side dishes and countless biscuits. The smell of them was getting to Kydran, and for the first time he realized he was very, very hungry.
Kydran dried his hands and stepped over to Cook, looking up at him, and spoke a little more loudly.
"Cook, what do I do now? All the dishes are cleared up."
The chef looked to Kydran, unbelieving. He then looked to the empty washbins and the draining boards, then looked very pleasantly surprised. "By golly, boy, you do dishes faster'n even Pandora can whip through 'em. Well, I can't very well send you out in public with those clothes. Go talk to Reifa, tell her Cook says you did a real bang-up job. She should give you some clothes and show you your room. Then come back, our guests should be here by then. Now go on, boy! Hurry!"
Kydran grinned from ear to ear, happy to hear the praise in Cook's voice. He turned and slipped out of the kitchen and toward the front desk. Upon arriving there, he realized Reifa was nowhere to be found- and so he jogged up the stairs.
The second floor consisted of a single, curved hallway, marked with doors that led into similar cozy rooms. The boy spotted Reifa, who was coming out of one of the rooms. She turned and locked it, and began down the hall. He stopped abruptly, startled by Kydran.
"Oh! Kydran! Aren't you supposed to be helping Cook?" Her expression went from surprise to irritation in almost a heartbeat.
"I finished all my work. He told me to tell you I did a good job, and that I need some new clothes so I can... well, go out in public."
"I see. Well, I don't have any boy clothes here," Reifa said, beginning to dig through her apron. "Here, here's some munny. And the key to your room- the room number is on the key. Go buy yourself a nice outfit. I'll send Pandora with you, she knows where the clothes shop is. Very well, in fact. Go find her and hurry, our special guests are almost here."
"The Five?"
"You bet. Now hurry along!"
Kydran jogged back down to the kitchen, trying to avoid notice by the patrons of the inn. Upon finding Pandora, he gave her the instructions and the two went out the back door, through the alley, and out into the bustling streets.
Kydran and Pandora walked together, and the boy noticed that the traffic in the streets was subsiding. The streetlamps were lit, and Kydran was thankful for that. He simply looked at the ground as they walked, forcing himself not to think about anything at the time.
"So, uh, Kydran... what do you enjoy doing? Like, what kind of hobbies?" Pandora asked finally, breaking the mutual silence between them.
"I don't know. At least, I can't remember any of them. I'm trying not to think about that right now."
"Oh... sorry," Pandora said quietly, feeling mildly dejected.
"I'm sorry, Pandora."
"You can call me Pan."
"Alright, Pan. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you or snap at you. I'm just... really confused. This is all very new to me. I've never seen this place before, I don't know where I've been. All I can really do is trust in you, and trust in Reifa. Then I can figure out what I'm going to do..."
Pandora nodded, remaining quiet. Through the crowd, the soft lights of Altair Tailoring Shop were coming into view.
As they approached the threshold, Pandora lit up, and piped, "Wow, that necklace is really cool, Kydran. Where'd you get it?"
Kydran stopped at the door, turned and looked at her, and raised his eyebrow.
"Huh? What necklace?"
"The one around your neck, silly!"
Kydran instinctively reached up around his neck, and felt the cold touch of metal. He followed the necklace down into his shirt, and pulled of a silvery pendant. He hadn't even noticed the weight of it around his neck before. Kydran inspected the pendant.
The thick silver object was rather small, only about six square centimeters, but it was very elegantly crafted. Kydran felt it to be solid silver in the shape of a gilded heart, upon which was emblazoned a small lock. Two golden vines crept from the sides of the lock, encompassing the hearts in an almost impossibly intricate matter. Three silver spines jutted from the top of the heart, and the symbolism of the pendant and the keychain puzzled him. He hadn't even known where he had gotten it.
Pandora giggled, and said, "You know, Kydran, you are one of the most interesting fellows I've ever met."
"I'm beginning to think so, too," he replied incredulously. He pulled the door to the tailor shop open, and stepped inside.
The warmth of the shop was a relief from the chill of the night air outside. Pandora sweetly called a hello into the shop, and they were greeted by a rather spindly, yet fair, woman dressed in a beautiful red gown. She introduced herself to Kydran as Camille, and Kydran smiled to her in return.
"My, we have a rather raggedy young man in our midst, Miss Pandora! And a rather handsome one, if we could clean him up a bit," cooed Camille, and Pandora giggled.
"He's a cute one, all right, but a cute one that needs clothes," said Pandora in return, and Kydran felt himself blushing.
"Yeah, I'd like to get out of these dingy old clothes. I'm working for Madam Reifa now, so I should look my best."
Camille laughed, and took Kydran by the wrist, leading him toward a few racks of clothing. "We have the best selection in the City! And these new threads will be easy on your pocket-threads, I would say."
Kydran nodded, and began to sift through the clothing. He found an outfit that he liked- a pair of baggy black pants, with several belts tied and untied all over the legs, a black, short-sleeved shirt with sleeves that opened into large bells, and a sharp-looking black vest with a high collar and a deep blue lining. Kydran stepped into a dressing room, climbed into the new clothing, and found it to his liking.
He emerged from the dressing room to the cheers of both Pandora and Camille. Pandora, armed with a brush, took to Kydran's hair ("We'll worry about washing it after tonight, but we can't have the Five looking at that scruffy hair, now can we?" smiled Pandora). Not long after, Kydran sported a rather debonair hairstyle, bangs falling softly over his eyes and the rest of the ebon hair brushed to the back of his head. He looked rather striking now- his soft, pale features seemed to match the black outfit, and the brushing of his unkempt hair did the trick.
Pandora seemed to dance over to him, took his arm, and made toward the door. Pan, who had slipped the munny out of Kydran's old pants, had given it to Camille in advance- and so the two were free to leave. Camille waved them goodbye, and the two stepped down the street happily, arms looped together, smiles on their faces.
When the two arrived back at the inn, Reifa greeted them at the front door, ushering them into the building. Kydran took note he was being eyed carefully by the old innkeep, but simply smiled goodnaturedly in return. After all, he meant no harm to anyone, much less Pandora.
Pan unlooper her arm from Kydran's and made made her way up the stairs. Reifa instructed Kydran to wait in the foyer while everyone prepared for the Five's arrival. The young man was happy to do so, and found himself a wall upon which to lean until all was prepared.
He was surprised to find it didn't take long. The buzz of excitement was already in the air. The maids, Cook, Reifa, Pandora, and the other staff of the inn had all returned to the foyer, each dressed in spotless clothing denoting their station. Kydran was the only one who looked somewhat out of place; he was wearing sharp attire, but looking at him, it was impossible to tell if he was a cook, waiter, or if he even worked in the inn at all.
The staff of the inn each lined up, Reifa dressed in a very fine- looking green dress. The old woman opened the doors, to the cheers of the people of Traverse City. Down a red carpet (Kydran hadn't noticed its presence before) came five very formidable-looking warriors... well, three formidable and two very pretty. There were two men and one male much younger than the others, each wearing tuxedoes. One of the two female fighters was dressed in a breathtaking pink gown, the other dressed much more casually than the other, donning a pair of black jeans and a rather revealing white shirt.
One of the men led the way. This man sported semilong brown hair and a gruff demeanor. His gray eyes reflected the soft lighting of the inn, as did the silver chain about his neck- which reminded Kydran of his own chain. The man had a large scar running across his face, over the bridge of his nose- it gave him a rather stylish look, and it was obvious to Kydran that he had been in combat before.
The man that followed gave no visible notation of his mood. Blonde hair, spiked in a manner that Kydran had never seen before, jutted from atop his head. The boy that followed behind him was the fighter that really caught Kydran's attention. He seemed vaguely familiar; Kydran dredged through his foggy memories for any recollection of the boy, but could find none. Nontheless, the bright crimson hair and the happy expression on his face stirred something within him.
The fighters entered the dining room through the foyer, into the transformed banquet hall. All of the workers of the Inn of Good Fortune bowed, and Kydran followed suit. As the gray-eyed man passed, his eyes met Kydran's, and Kydran felt suddenly alert, drawn. The moment was gone in an instant, but the young man could not shake the feeling that he had revealed something to the man, or that the man had read him like an open book.
"His name is Leon. He's sort of the leader of them all," whispered Pandora, from Kydran's side. "The man with spiky hair is Cloud. The boy is Dyne. Lady with the gown is Aerith, and the teenage girl with the green headband is Yuffie."
Kydran nodded, and spoke, spoftly, "How long are they going to stay?"
"A week," replied Pandora.
"Ah, alright. Thanks," he said, and Reifa came up to the two of them.
"The two of you need to attend the kitchen. Help our ladies out, it's gonna be a long evening," said Reifa, and the two nodded and headed off in that direction.
It had, indeed, been a long night. The Five were not the only guests; on top of them, there were other freelance fighters and many admirers in the building, eating from the feast that Cook had prepared. The inn received nothing but good remarks from the gathering, and by the end of the night, when the guests had left and the Five had announced their departure to bed, Kydran hurried to finish his dishes. He looked forward to some time alone, to think.
As the kitchen closed down, Kydran walked out into the foyer, sighing in exhaustion. Pandora had already gone to bed- as had Reifa. Now only a couple of maids stayed at the front desk for the night shift; they blew kisses at the boy, and he grinned, his face flushing a light pink.
Kydran carried himself up the stairs, and was startled to find Lean leaning against the right wall, apparently in thought. Kydran quieted his steps, and made his way past, trying not to disturb the hero.
"Hold on one second."
The young man froze, and turned to face his addresser. Leon had spoken to him! What could he want? wondered Kydran. He maintained his composure.
"Yes?"
"Your name is Kydran, isn't it?" asked Leon.
Kydran nodded in return. "Yeah. How did you know?"
"I heard the young lady, Pandora, talking to you," he replied.
"Oh. Well, uh, what did you need? Did you enjoy your dinner?"
"It was fine. But I want to know where you came from. You look familiar."
Kydran shook his head. "I... just got here. I don't remember where I'm from."
"You look like someone I know."
"I... uh, don't know what to tell you. I don't think I've ever met you before."
The man turned, looked at him, and his eyes narrowed. Kydran felt a twinge of fear, not exactly liking te look he was being given.
"Forget it," said Leon.
"Ummmm..."
"What do you want? I said forget it."
Kydran shook his head. Leon didn't appear to be very friendly; holding a deep conversation was out of the question. But what he was about to ask had been nagging at him since Pandora had spoken with him, so he felt compelled to speak.
"What are the Heartless doing here? They don't have hearts, and they steal and destroy other people's hearts, I gathered that much. But Pandora said a boy locked the keyhole... and they won't leave the Third District. Why?"
"I don't know," responded Leon softly. "I really don't. We've been racking our brains on that one for a while."
Then, with a thoughtful tone that contradicted his appearance, Leon said, "Would you like to see the Heartless? I can talk Reifa into letting you come with us... if you're up for it."
Kydran simply stood, thinking to himself. Do I want to see the Heartless? These things that destroy and cause misery? Well... if they destroyed my world... maybe if I see them, I'll remember something.
"You don't have to give me an answer now. Think about it," Leon said, coolly.
"I'll do that."
"Good night," said the fighter, and he opened the door nearest him and left Kydran standing there, speechless.
If you can't think of anything to say, it's best to say nothing, the young man thought, though he couldn't recollect where he had heard such words of wisdom. He turned down the hall, and made his way toward the room Reifa had assigned him. He pulled the key from his pocket, unlocked the door, and entered.
It wasn't a very big room; it had barely enough space for himself, the bed, and the bedside table-bureau with the lamp on it. Kydran shrugged, removing his vest and shirt, folding them neatly and laying them on the foot of his bed. He then removed the pants, laying them on top of the shirt and vest, and crawled into the neatly-made bed.
He rolled onto his side, and instinctively wrapped a hand around the small silver pendant.
I wake up in an alley. I get a job. I learn that creatures called Heartless can steal people's hearts and destroy worlds. I get new clothes and a new friend. I suddenly have this chain and a cool-looking pendant... a fighter named Leon offers to let me see them... none of this makes sense. I feel like tyhis is where I belong... I want to remember where I was, who I used to be, but things seem nice right now... maybe it would be better if I didn't.
But it still bothers me.
I can try to remember... try to force my mind to dredge up some kind of memory. Anything from before today. If I can remember how to talk, if I can function like a normal person... I have to have some kind of memory...
Kydran was very cold. He wrapped his arms around his legs, placing his head on his knees. His breath was visible. He looked around him. The room was empty. It was his own room. The one window was broken, boarded up. Snow fell softly outside, but he could find no warmth or happiness in the beautiful weather. He felt terrified. He felt hungry. He was freezing.
His green eyes moved to the doorway, where he thought he had heard something. Deep within him welled a feeling of horror, a feeling that told him not to be where he was because something terrible was going to come through the door.
He could hear the baby crying in the other room. He could hear a woman- his mother, maybe- cooing to the newborn, who was just as cold and hungry as Kydran was.
He heard the front door slam. A man was shouting loudly, angrily, but Kydran could notmake out the words.
Kydran woke up.
Kingdom Hearts: The Darkheart Crystal
Prelude
Kydran reeled back, the force of the blow too much for his equilibrium to handle. The black-haired boy fell to the ground. A searing pain flared through his head. His ears were ringing. His hands each lost grip of his 'blades. A dull thud sounded, no echo responding from the nothingness. His bright green eyes stared out into the void, out into the eternal abyss that was the Darkness.
I could go there, now, thought Kydran as he lay on the ice-cold ground, floating on that rock in the center of the Darkness. He closed his eyes. I could end it.
The figure loomed over him. Twin leathery wings expanded out from it, stretching forever, sinking into the Darkness that had spawned the boy's killer.
Kydran's eyes opened, looking up into the face of his Nemesis.
His father's eyes glared back at him.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------
Chapter 1 In which our Hero, Kydran, awakens in a new place and finds a home.
The boy woke with a start, jumping upright from his place on the alley floor, his breath coming in shallow heaves. Disoriented, he braced himself up with his arms, the reality beginning to sink in. He wasn't dead. His father hadn't killed him.
His father?
Kydran placed a hand on his head, the ache beginning to seep in. In moments he would forget the dream, the pain overcoming the fading images. He picked himself up, taking in his surroundings, feeling lost. Where was he? Certainly not where he was last.
Wherever that is, he mused. And it certainly wasn't the time that he remembered it being. The night sky, clear as crystal, beamed down on him... with little light, for the sky seemed sparsely starred. As he looked up, he sighed, realizing that this did not bode well.
He carried himself to the end of the alleyway, the dull roar of a bustling city reaching his ears after what seemed like an eternity of the buzzing in his head. He checked himself, from the matted black hair atop his head to the black combat boots about his feet. No injuries as far as he could tell. He stepped out into the street, completely unfamiliar with where he was. He knew it was some manner of city, and a busy one at that. But the houses looked too... off-kilter for it to be his home. They seemed to lean against each other, curve in and out, some windows larger than others, no conformity. Like some sort of cartoon. It wasn't bad enough to disturb him, but it was strange enough to catch his interest.
He dazed down the streets, where so many people bustled their way to wherever they were going. Kydran observed that there were no cars, only the streets and the strange houses and shops and the people moving along. He checked his pockets to see if he had any money. No such luck. He had nothing at all.
Beginning to become aware of his plight, Kydran moved out of the crowd and toward what appeared to be some sort of inn. The smell of cinnamon and coziness drew him. Walking into a cozy place was usually a good place to start, he figured. Better than trying to hit up a complete stranger for information.
He pushed the door open, and the bells on the handle tinkled softly, alerting the innkeeper to Kydran's entrance. She was a portly woman, weathered, but Kydran could sense no unfriendliness on her face.
"Well, good day to you, young man! What can I do for you?" spoke she, and Kydran felt mildly apprehensive. He had expected a little less boisterous a greeting.
"Uhhh... yes, ma'am, I know this is going to sound a little weird..."
"I doubt it."
"...right. Um, where is this?"
"You're in the Inn of Good Fortune, young lad."
Kydran shook his head, but was unsurprised by this response. He had seen it coming.
"No, I mean... here. This whole place. This city."
"Auntie Reifa, why don't you give the poor boy a straight answer? I swear, you do this every time," came a sweet, friendly female voice from up the stairs. Kydran turned to look, but saw nothing but the stairway. He looked back to the innkeeper, who was apparently named Reifa.
She old woman shook her head, and addressed Kydran. "You're in Traverse City, young man. I can tell you're not from here. Nobody is."
Reifa laughed at Kydran's puzzled look, and shook her head. "This place is where most people go when their worlds have been destroyed. They live here now, and have made new homes."
The boy was no more enlightened, but being the sharp fellow he was, furrowed his brow, coming to a conclusion.
"...so... my world was destroyed?" he said.
"More than likely. Unlesss you jumped down the wrong rabbit hole, or took a left turn at the wrong star."
Kydran looked from the woman to the floor, the puzzled look still resting upon his face. He didn't remember going down any rabbit holes. Or taking lefts at any stars. He hadn't even taken any rights at any stars. His ears picked up the sound of soft footsteps coming down the stairway from the second floor, and turned to look. His eyes weren't disappointed.
It was a young woman, apparently somewhere around Kydran's age, thirteen or fourteen. She was very pretty; fair, unblemished skin, raven locks coming in soft waves, spilling down her back, luscious blue eyes and that look of innocence, a look Kydran had never seen and thus could not recognize, but was nontheless captivated.
"Have you finished with the linens yet, Pandora? Have the rooms been prepared for our special guests later this evening?" spoke Reifa, who appeared to take as much joy in watching the girl as Kydran did.
"Yes I have, Aunt Reifa. And our guests will be very pleased with their rooms," came the reply as Pandora stepped briskly past Kydran and through a nearby large door, from within which Kydran could hear laughter and the tinkling of dishes.
Kydran turned back to Reifa, saying, "...wow. She's your niece? Are her parents around here, too?"
The old innkeeper eyed him warily, speaking sternly. "Best not be getting any ideas, my young friend. Both her family and the patrons of this inn are more protective of her than they are with their own lives."
"...uhhh, sorry. I didn't mean anything by it- she's just very pretty," replied the young man, taken slightly aback.
"Don't mention it. Happens all the time. Anyway, I suppose you need a place to stay? I can't give you a room for free, and I can't give you a nice room, but I can provide you with food and a bed in exchange for labor, if you're so inclined," the innkeep said, still watching him with her benevolent eyes.
For some reason Kydran couldn't place, the thought didn't bother him at all. I need somewhere to be while I gather my thoughts and figure out what to do, anyway, he reasoned. Why not?
"Sure. This looks like a fine establishment anyhow," Kydran reponded brightly, tacking on that last bit just for a response. Reifa laughed.
"Then you'll be staying here. We always need help in the kitchen. Report to Cook. Both he and Pandora can show you the ropes. I run a fine inn, I expect good work of you, young man," she replied, and headed up the stairs, groaning something about her old body not being able to take much more of the stairs.
Kydran moved toward the dining room door, through which he had seen Pandora pass. Within, there were a few people, mostly men, drinking tall glass mugs of some golden fizzy substance and devouring their dinners. A few of them took notice of Kydran, finding it odd that such a scruffy- looking boy was on the way to the kitchen of one of the city's best inns. The young man was suddenly self-conscious; he hadn't really taken a moment to check his attire. His blue jeans, old and faded and tattered, as well as his faded green t-shirt gave the impression of a ragamuffin when paired with the matted, semilong hair sitting atop his head.
He watched a rather buxom maid pass through the kitchen door, and she flashed him a smile before tending to one of the tables. Kydran walked through that wooden door, and found a rather chaotic scene. A rather portly, very dark-skinned man ran frantically back and forth from oven to stove to washbasin to a frying pot to a roaster and back again. Pandora was stirring at a large pot of soup, and Kydran chuckled inwardly at her choice of dress. She wore a pair of what seemed like nylon tights, and what would have been a skimpy, revealing dress without said tights. A gorgeous, ruffled shirt, which appeared to be made of silk, graced her upper body, and around her neck was some sort of silver chain.
"I think it needs some more kupo grinds, Cook," she said, taking a taste of the soup. Kydran really hoped she didn't spill any of the thick, dark-looking stuff on that white shirt- it likely would have stained and never come out.
"We ain't got no more kupo grinds, Pan! Sub in some o' that grayspice. Just a pinch, hun! No no, that's just fine. There we go. Stir it real good, or it'll be too strong!" was the boisterous yet kind voice of Cook, who was still making haste between the range and the ovens.
Kydran stepped toward Cook, dodging one of the maids, and looked up at the dark-skinned man dressed in a very messy and stained chef's outfit. "Excuse me? Uh, you're Cook, right?"
"Cook! This soup is great! Our special guests will really be pleased!" came Pan's voice from beside the cookpot.
"That be a great thing, hun! Now, go tend to the patrons out in the dining room, help Ria out, she's busy as a one-legged chocobo!" replied Cook.
Cook checked the roast in the oven once more, and in his haste to get to the stove, he ran into a young man, approximately fourteen years old, with matted black hair and dingy-looking clothes.
"Who'ah you? Get outta here, urchin! Go on! Shoo!" Cook began waving him out, pushing him toward a back door.
"No, no! I'm Kydran! I-"
"Ah don't care! Get movin', beggar child!"
"No, Cook! That's our new help!" cried Pandora, realizing that Kydran was there and what he was doing.
"But, Miss Pand- oh, darn it, why can't dear ol' Reifa ever tell me 'fore she sends some young ragamuffin into my kitchen! Alright boy, if'n you're help, go an' handle those dishes over there in that basin. Water's already run, just gotta clean an' rinse 'em," hollered Cook, who rushed to the stove, worried about the mushrooms he had frying.
Kydran, unsure but amused, stepped toward the basin.
...man, that's a lot of dishes, he thought, surveying the work that he would have to do. He got to clearing the first basin of the dirty dishes.
Pandora watched the boy, stepping into what she called a 'calm spot', a place in the kitchen where the waitresses and maids and the boisterous Cook didn't usually barrel through. She was intrigued- if the boy was cleaned up, and given some new clothes, he would be very handsome. Where did he come from? thought she, folding her arms. Her heart panged momentarily when she realized that his home world had probably been destroyed.
Like hers had. Like Reifa's had. Like Cook's had. She sighed, then bobbed and weaved through kitchen supplies and utensils and waitresses and barmaids and Cook, arriving by Kydran's side.
Kydran was pleasantly surprised to find somebody help him rinsing the large pile of soapy dishes he had cleaned. He was even more pleased to find it was Pandora.
"Reifa seems to like you. I don't think she's ever hopped to giving somebody a job so quickly before. Then again... it could be because we're short on help!"
Kydran turned to the girl addressing him, then smiled, cleaning off a plate and setting it in the rinse bin. "This seems like a really nice place. Do you live here in this inn?"
Pandora nodded. "Yep. I stay here in return for my work."
"...you mean, you can't leave here?" Kydran said, slightly alarmed.
"No, no, no. Auntie Reifa's like a mother to me," she replied.
"She's your aunt, huh? Where do your parents live?"
Kydran was immediately contrite about the question he had asked. The pained look on Pandora's face indicated to him that she had lost them- or some other tragic event. He looked into the washbin, scraping the residue off of a fork and placing it in the rinse bin. "I'm sorry."
"Don't mention it... we all have sad pasts. I lost my parents when my world was destroyed by the Heartless," she said softly.
Heartless? thought Kydran, but decided not to pursue it.
Kydran shook his head, continuing to clean. "I can't remember my world. Or my parents. I don't know if I have any of them... and right now I don't want to think about it. I just want to put it off for a little bit... maybe tonight I'll have the presence of mind to think about it."
Pandora was incredulous. "You mean... you just got here?"
"Yeah. I woke up in an alley not far from here."
"You don't remember your home? Or your parents or family?"
"Nope."
"Wow... lucky you. It's a terrible feeling."
"I'd bet. So... what's all this talk about 'special guests' coming this evening? The mayor of town or something?"
"No, the Five are coming. Traverse City doesn't have a mayor."
"The Five?"
"Oh yeah! I forgot, you just got here," Pandora said as she picked up a tray of clean dishes and set it on what seemed like a bunch of rollers, and rolled it into a huge machine. The machine ignited and hummed, separating the dishes and placing them in their respective places in the kitchen. Kydran grinned at the sight of it, and then watched her return and continue her explanation.
"The Five are a set of warriors that keep the loose Heartless around the city under control and at bay. In the abandoned Third District, there's a whole army of Heartless. They seem to be searching for the keyhole, but they won't be able to find it, or even access it at the very least. About a year ago, a boy named Sora came and locked the keyhole, which is a gate to heart of a world. The Heartless won't be able to get into the city's keyhole, and so they won't be able to eat the heart of this world. So Traverse City's basically a haven for everyone."
Kydran absorbed this new information. Heartless? Keyholes? Hearts of worlds? Maybe his own world was destroyed by these Heartless. He put the thought aside, and listened further.
"Strangely enough, they won't leave the Third District. But we can't go in, because it's too dangerous, so we ignore that corner of the city. We had to build a new power plant and everything. Anyway, the Five are warriors who stayed from before the Sealing. Their names are Leon, Aerith, Yuffie, Cloud, and Dyne. They destroy any Heartless that escape, and keep constant watch over the Third District. They're coming tonight, and we're holding a celebration in their honor."
The boy was listening intently, and through the whole story, and finished the bin of dishes, even as new dishes had come in. He turned to her and smiled, nodding as she finished, and turned to watch Cook, who was putting the finishing touches on what looked like a grand feast. Turkey, a huge roast, huge bowls of side dishes and countless biscuits. The smell of them was getting to Kydran, and for the first time he realized he was very, very hungry.
Kydran dried his hands and stepped over to Cook, looking up at him, and spoke a little more loudly.
"Cook, what do I do now? All the dishes are cleared up."
The chef looked to Kydran, unbelieving. He then looked to the empty washbins and the draining boards, then looked very pleasantly surprised. "By golly, boy, you do dishes faster'n even Pandora can whip through 'em. Well, I can't very well send you out in public with those clothes. Go talk to Reifa, tell her Cook says you did a real bang-up job. She should give you some clothes and show you your room. Then come back, our guests should be here by then. Now go on, boy! Hurry!"
Kydran grinned from ear to ear, happy to hear the praise in Cook's voice. He turned and slipped out of the kitchen and toward the front desk. Upon arriving there, he realized Reifa was nowhere to be found- and so he jogged up the stairs.
The second floor consisted of a single, curved hallway, marked with doors that led into similar cozy rooms. The boy spotted Reifa, who was coming out of one of the rooms. She turned and locked it, and began down the hall. He stopped abruptly, startled by Kydran.
"Oh! Kydran! Aren't you supposed to be helping Cook?" Her expression went from surprise to irritation in almost a heartbeat.
"I finished all my work. He told me to tell you I did a good job, and that I need some new clothes so I can... well, go out in public."
"I see. Well, I don't have any boy clothes here," Reifa said, beginning to dig through her apron. "Here, here's some munny. And the key to your room- the room number is on the key. Go buy yourself a nice outfit. I'll send Pandora with you, she knows where the clothes shop is. Very well, in fact. Go find her and hurry, our special guests are almost here."
"The Five?"
"You bet. Now hurry along!"
Kydran jogged back down to the kitchen, trying to avoid notice by the patrons of the inn. Upon finding Pandora, he gave her the instructions and the two went out the back door, through the alley, and out into the bustling streets.
Kydran and Pandora walked together, and the boy noticed that the traffic in the streets was subsiding. The streetlamps were lit, and Kydran was thankful for that. He simply looked at the ground as they walked, forcing himself not to think about anything at the time.
"So, uh, Kydran... what do you enjoy doing? Like, what kind of hobbies?" Pandora asked finally, breaking the mutual silence between them.
"I don't know. At least, I can't remember any of them. I'm trying not to think about that right now."
"Oh... sorry," Pandora said quietly, feeling mildly dejected.
"I'm sorry, Pandora."
"You can call me Pan."
"Alright, Pan. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you or snap at you. I'm just... really confused. This is all very new to me. I've never seen this place before, I don't know where I've been. All I can really do is trust in you, and trust in Reifa. Then I can figure out what I'm going to do..."
Pandora nodded, remaining quiet. Through the crowd, the soft lights of Altair Tailoring Shop were coming into view.
As they approached the threshold, Pandora lit up, and piped, "Wow, that necklace is really cool, Kydran. Where'd you get it?"
Kydran stopped at the door, turned and looked at her, and raised his eyebrow.
"Huh? What necklace?"
"The one around your neck, silly!"
Kydran instinctively reached up around his neck, and felt the cold touch of metal. He followed the necklace down into his shirt, and pulled of a silvery pendant. He hadn't even noticed the weight of it around his neck before. Kydran inspected the pendant.
The thick silver object was rather small, only about six square centimeters, but it was very elegantly crafted. Kydran felt it to be solid silver in the shape of a gilded heart, upon which was emblazoned a small lock. Two golden vines crept from the sides of the lock, encompassing the hearts in an almost impossibly intricate matter. Three silver spines jutted from the top of the heart, and the symbolism of the pendant and the keychain puzzled him. He hadn't even known where he had gotten it.
Pandora giggled, and said, "You know, Kydran, you are one of the most interesting fellows I've ever met."
"I'm beginning to think so, too," he replied incredulously. He pulled the door to the tailor shop open, and stepped inside.
The warmth of the shop was a relief from the chill of the night air outside. Pandora sweetly called a hello into the shop, and they were greeted by a rather spindly, yet fair, woman dressed in a beautiful red gown. She introduced herself to Kydran as Camille, and Kydran smiled to her in return.
"My, we have a rather raggedy young man in our midst, Miss Pandora! And a rather handsome one, if we could clean him up a bit," cooed Camille, and Pandora giggled.
"He's a cute one, all right, but a cute one that needs clothes," said Pandora in return, and Kydran felt himself blushing.
"Yeah, I'd like to get out of these dingy old clothes. I'm working for Madam Reifa now, so I should look my best."
Camille laughed, and took Kydran by the wrist, leading him toward a few racks of clothing. "We have the best selection in the City! And these new threads will be easy on your pocket-threads, I would say."
Kydran nodded, and began to sift through the clothing. He found an outfit that he liked- a pair of baggy black pants, with several belts tied and untied all over the legs, a black, short-sleeved shirt with sleeves that opened into large bells, and a sharp-looking black vest with a high collar and a deep blue lining. Kydran stepped into a dressing room, climbed into the new clothing, and found it to his liking.
He emerged from the dressing room to the cheers of both Pandora and Camille. Pandora, armed with a brush, took to Kydran's hair ("We'll worry about washing it after tonight, but we can't have the Five looking at that scruffy hair, now can we?" smiled Pandora). Not long after, Kydran sported a rather debonair hairstyle, bangs falling softly over his eyes and the rest of the ebon hair brushed to the back of his head. He looked rather striking now- his soft, pale features seemed to match the black outfit, and the brushing of his unkempt hair did the trick.
Pandora seemed to dance over to him, took his arm, and made toward the door. Pan, who had slipped the munny out of Kydran's old pants, had given it to Camille in advance- and so the two were free to leave. Camille waved them goodbye, and the two stepped down the street happily, arms looped together, smiles on their faces.
When the two arrived back at the inn, Reifa greeted them at the front door, ushering them into the building. Kydran took note he was being eyed carefully by the old innkeep, but simply smiled goodnaturedly in return. After all, he meant no harm to anyone, much less Pandora.
Pan unlooper her arm from Kydran's and made made her way up the stairs. Reifa instructed Kydran to wait in the foyer while everyone prepared for the Five's arrival. The young man was happy to do so, and found himself a wall upon which to lean until all was prepared.
He was surprised to find it didn't take long. The buzz of excitement was already in the air. The maids, Cook, Reifa, Pandora, and the other staff of the inn had all returned to the foyer, each dressed in spotless clothing denoting their station. Kydran was the only one who looked somewhat out of place; he was wearing sharp attire, but looking at him, it was impossible to tell if he was a cook, waiter, or if he even worked in the inn at all.
The staff of the inn each lined up, Reifa dressed in a very fine- looking green dress. The old woman opened the doors, to the cheers of the people of Traverse City. Down a red carpet (Kydran hadn't noticed its presence before) came five very formidable-looking warriors... well, three formidable and two very pretty. There were two men and one male much younger than the others, each wearing tuxedoes. One of the two female fighters was dressed in a breathtaking pink gown, the other dressed much more casually than the other, donning a pair of black jeans and a rather revealing white shirt.
One of the men led the way. This man sported semilong brown hair and a gruff demeanor. His gray eyes reflected the soft lighting of the inn, as did the silver chain about his neck- which reminded Kydran of his own chain. The man had a large scar running across his face, over the bridge of his nose- it gave him a rather stylish look, and it was obvious to Kydran that he had been in combat before.
The man that followed gave no visible notation of his mood. Blonde hair, spiked in a manner that Kydran had never seen before, jutted from atop his head. The boy that followed behind him was the fighter that really caught Kydran's attention. He seemed vaguely familiar; Kydran dredged through his foggy memories for any recollection of the boy, but could find none. Nontheless, the bright crimson hair and the happy expression on his face stirred something within him.
The fighters entered the dining room through the foyer, into the transformed banquet hall. All of the workers of the Inn of Good Fortune bowed, and Kydran followed suit. As the gray-eyed man passed, his eyes met Kydran's, and Kydran felt suddenly alert, drawn. The moment was gone in an instant, but the young man could not shake the feeling that he had revealed something to the man, or that the man had read him like an open book.
"His name is Leon. He's sort of the leader of them all," whispered Pandora, from Kydran's side. "The man with spiky hair is Cloud. The boy is Dyne. Lady with the gown is Aerith, and the teenage girl with the green headband is Yuffie."
Kydran nodded, and spoke, spoftly, "How long are they going to stay?"
"A week," replied Pandora.
"Ah, alright. Thanks," he said, and Reifa came up to the two of them.
"The two of you need to attend the kitchen. Help our ladies out, it's gonna be a long evening," said Reifa, and the two nodded and headed off in that direction.
It had, indeed, been a long night. The Five were not the only guests; on top of them, there were other freelance fighters and many admirers in the building, eating from the feast that Cook had prepared. The inn received nothing but good remarks from the gathering, and by the end of the night, when the guests had left and the Five had announced their departure to bed, Kydran hurried to finish his dishes. He looked forward to some time alone, to think.
As the kitchen closed down, Kydran walked out into the foyer, sighing in exhaustion. Pandora had already gone to bed- as had Reifa. Now only a couple of maids stayed at the front desk for the night shift; they blew kisses at the boy, and he grinned, his face flushing a light pink.
Kydran carried himself up the stairs, and was startled to find Lean leaning against the right wall, apparently in thought. Kydran quieted his steps, and made his way past, trying not to disturb the hero.
"Hold on one second."
The young man froze, and turned to face his addresser. Leon had spoken to him! What could he want? wondered Kydran. He maintained his composure.
"Yes?"
"Your name is Kydran, isn't it?" asked Leon.
Kydran nodded in return. "Yeah. How did you know?"
"I heard the young lady, Pandora, talking to you," he replied.
"Oh. Well, uh, what did you need? Did you enjoy your dinner?"
"It was fine. But I want to know where you came from. You look familiar."
Kydran shook his head. "I... just got here. I don't remember where I'm from."
"You look like someone I know."
"I... uh, don't know what to tell you. I don't think I've ever met you before."
The man turned, looked at him, and his eyes narrowed. Kydran felt a twinge of fear, not exactly liking te look he was being given.
"Forget it," said Leon.
"Ummmm..."
"What do you want? I said forget it."
Kydran shook his head. Leon didn't appear to be very friendly; holding a deep conversation was out of the question. But what he was about to ask had been nagging at him since Pandora had spoken with him, so he felt compelled to speak.
"What are the Heartless doing here? They don't have hearts, and they steal and destroy other people's hearts, I gathered that much. But Pandora said a boy locked the keyhole... and they won't leave the Third District. Why?"
"I don't know," responded Leon softly. "I really don't. We've been racking our brains on that one for a while."
Then, with a thoughtful tone that contradicted his appearance, Leon said, "Would you like to see the Heartless? I can talk Reifa into letting you come with us... if you're up for it."
Kydran simply stood, thinking to himself. Do I want to see the Heartless? These things that destroy and cause misery? Well... if they destroyed my world... maybe if I see them, I'll remember something.
"You don't have to give me an answer now. Think about it," Leon said, coolly.
"I'll do that."
"Good night," said the fighter, and he opened the door nearest him and left Kydran standing there, speechless.
If you can't think of anything to say, it's best to say nothing, the young man thought, though he couldn't recollect where he had heard such words of wisdom. He turned down the hall, and made his way toward the room Reifa had assigned him. He pulled the key from his pocket, unlocked the door, and entered.
It wasn't a very big room; it had barely enough space for himself, the bed, and the bedside table-bureau with the lamp on it. Kydran shrugged, removing his vest and shirt, folding them neatly and laying them on the foot of his bed. He then removed the pants, laying them on top of the shirt and vest, and crawled into the neatly-made bed.
He rolled onto his side, and instinctively wrapped a hand around the small silver pendant.
I wake up in an alley. I get a job. I learn that creatures called Heartless can steal people's hearts and destroy worlds. I get new clothes and a new friend. I suddenly have this chain and a cool-looking pendant... a fighter named Leon offers to let me see them... none of this makes sense. I feel like tyhis is where I belong... I want to remember where I was, who I used to be, but things seem nice right now... maybe it would be better if I didn't.
But it still bothers me.
I can try to remember... try to force my mind to dredge up some kind of memory. Anything from before today. If I can remember how to talk, if I can function like a normal person... I have to have some kind of memory...
Kydran was very cold. He wrapped his arms around his legs, placing his head on his knees. His breath was visible. He looked around him. The room was empty. It was his own room. The one window was broken, boarded up. Snow fell softly outside, but he could find no warmth or happiness in the beautiful weather. He felt terrified. He felt hungry. He was freezing.
His green eyes moved to the doorway, where he thought he had heard something. Deep within him welled a feeling of horror, a feeling that told him not to be where he was because something terrible was going to come through the door.
He could hear the baby crying in the other room. He could hear a woman- his mother, maybe- cooing to the newborn, who was just as cold and hungry as Kydran was.
He heard the front door slam. A man was shouting loudly, angrily, but Kydran could notmake out the words.
Kydran woke up.