Half-Heartless
Chapter Two
The first ray of sunlight spills across the land, its golden light enveloping the darkness. The last twinkling star begins to fade as day consumes the night. I stir from my sleep and rise, my amber eyes gazing thoughtfully at the sun peering over the horizon. The bustle of life welcomes the dawning in Deep Jungle.
I feel like a normal, natural walk to the tree house; I have come to loath teleporting, no matter how useful it may be. The indigo mist in which all Heartless disappear and reappear in (with the exception of Shadows) reminds me of what I am and what I lost. As I'm walking, all the other Heartless ignore me. In their minds, I do not belong. I AM different, yes, but can't they accept me?
Maria bounces up to me, the essence of a cheerful expression about her. "Hey, Destiny. Good morning! What ya up to?"
"Nothing. Just taking a walk to the tree house." I answer solemnly. My Bouncywild friend shrugs and tags along behind as I creep across the campsite, careful not to get caught.
Humans; something I hate with a violent passion, yet also admire and love with all of what remains of my heart. I remind myself that I am the only Heartless that can remember my past. I love to dwindle and goof off in my spare time, calling up memories from when I was a human myself. I remember my brother Shawn, how shy and secretive I was... and I wish, just wish, that I could go back to being human for at least a day.
As I daydream, I unconsciously plunge into a pool of water. As I look around, I realize that I am in Hippo Lagoon- I hadn't been thinking. Embarrassed in front of Maria, I scramble out of the water, soaking wet, and climb the vine. Skipping a lot of unnesscessary details, I sit at the edge of the tree house roof while my friend stands behind me. We look down upon the land in awe.
"Up above, so high in the air," Maria remarks, "The world looks so different from this height. Yet it is one and the same. So beautiful and awe-inspiring..."
I nod, but my thoughts are somewhere else today. "Maria... do you think... Heartless can... have human emotions? Even if it's only occasionally?"
"I'd have to say yes and no. Some Heartless have completely blocked off all emotions other than hatred, while others can still feel." replies my friend.
I ponder on what she told me for a moment, then my eyes swerve to a place that's blocked off from the cliffs, with a large waterfall. The Heartless side of me is going crazy. Could it be...? The Keyhole...? I decide to keep my sudden discovery a secret, to let the beauty of this world last until the bitter end.
Many Heartless have become attached to the world they have disembarked on. They are reluctant to find the Keyhole. Finding the Keyhole means descending to the world's core. And when a Heartless destroys the world's core, that world is gone. Who would want to destroy one's home?
Then, Maria's cheerful voice awakens me from my thoughts. "Des! Storm's coming! Storm, over here! On the tree house roof!"
My attention is drawn to a gliding figure, marring the lovely blue of the limitless heavens. It's Storm. I wave at my Neverland-native friend and he waves in reply, the essence of his smile reaching me from way over there.
The Air Pirate lands, making a "thud" sound on the roof of the tree house. I've always admired Storm's wings. They were spread, the sunlight bringing out their full magnificent glory. To soar in the turquoise heavens above, to hear the steady beat of wings... I would give up all material possessions (not that I had any) to cut through the sky like a bird...
"I see it's the usual," laughs Storm, "Maria dancing around, happy as the sun is bright, while Destiny is sitting away from the group, wondering what her purpose is or something along the same lines."
His words make me have the essence of a grin, because Storm always seems to know what's going on. "Heh... yeah, I guess. Hey Storm... er... what's it like to fly?"
"Well..." Storm searches for a good answer as I stand up. The air about him suggests that he's sorting through his memories.
I exchange glances with Maria. The essence of an eager expression tells me that she's been wanting to ask Storm this question as well. The Air Pirate looks up at the sun, his yellow eyes seeming to have more depth than the other Heartless'.
"Well..." he repeats, "Sometimes I feel like I have power over all when I'm flying high above," (he sweeps his arms across the sky) "and other times it makes me feel like I'm on an adventure. When I feel like it, I fly really fast low to the ground and dodge trees and stuff like that. It's just exciting. And when I just stop flying and dive straight down, it feels like I'm on a roller coaster."
Maria and I are in awe of his description of flight. I want wings. I don't care if they're angel-style, dragon-style, or faerie-style, and I don't care about the coloration either. I just want wings. I wanted to feel the wind stream through my light orange fur, to have a certain feeling of superiority over the lands below me.
Maria is so dazed, I'll bet if she was a human, she'd be drooling. The way she is, Maria's probably picturing herself with some orange angel wings folded neatly along her spine. I try to picture myself with a pair of humongous pure white wings jutting from my shoulder blades, flying above the tropical rain forests of Deep Jungle.
"Hello? Deep Jungle to Maria and Des! Can you hear me?"
Maria and I shake our heads in unison. Storm shifts uneasily and tries to make his wings look as small as possible. When I first came into the Heartless world, Storm told me that his wings were a bit of a touchy subject. Many others always asked him about his wings. Storm, believing that everyone was equal, didn't like to discuss the attachments to his back. He still doesn't.
After a moment of unbearable, enclosing silence, the uneasiness seems to lift. But all of us are still at a loss of words. All of the things I want to talk about are melting out of my mind. Why is there such an uneasy tension in the air? We're friends! We've known each other since I can remember! I search through my feelings, trying to place my finger on what's causing this.
Suddenly, I know. It's fear.
My senses tell me what I'm frightened of. Another slaughter of the Heartless is over; the powers only a world away have fallen under the might of enchanted gold and silver. The previous struggle is over, and a new one is beginning. The power that all Heartless resent and fear is closer.
He's closer.
The Keyblade master is coming.
[Author's Note]
Maji: *beats her head on a rock* This chapter is shorter than most will be...
Gypsy: But it's pretty interesting, though... the end, mostly. Such poetic texture.
Maji: I didn't know you had so much vocabulary, Gypsy! OO; *starts on the third chappie*
[Disclaimer]
I don't own Kingdom Hearts (well really, I own my own copy, but of course Squaresoft and Disney actually own the whole thing), the Heartless, Deep Jungle, or Neverland. But I DO own anything that isn't trademarked!
Chapter Two
The first ray of sunlight spills across the land, its golden light enveloping the darkness. The last twinkling star begins to fade as day consumes the night. I stir from my sleep and rise, my amber eyes gazing thoughtfully at the sun peering over the horizon. The bustle of life welcomes the dawning in Deep Jungle.
I feel like a normal, natural walk to the tree house; I have come to loath teleporting, no matter how useful it may be. The indigo mist in which all Heartless disappear and reappear in (with the exception of Shadows) reminds me of what I am and what I lost. As I'm walking, all the other Heartless ignore me. In their minds, I do not belong. I AM different, yes, but can't they accept me?
Maria bounces up to me, the essence of a cheerful expression about her. "Hey, Destiny. Good morning! What ya up to?"
"Nothing. Just taking a walk to the tree house." I answer solemnly. My Bouncywild friend shrugs and tags along behind as I creep across the campsite, careful not to get caught.
Humans; something I hate with a violent passion, yet also admire and love with all of what remains of my heart. I remind myself that I am the only Heartless that can remember my past. I love to dwindle and goof off in my spare time, calling up memories from when I was a human myself. I remember my brother Shawn, how shy and secretive I was... and I wish, just wish, that I could go back to being human for at least a day.
As I daydream, I unconsciously plunge into a pool of water. As I look around, I realize that I am in Hippo Lagoon- I hadn't been thinking. Embarrassed in front of Maria, I scramble out of the water, soaking wet, and climb the vine. Skipping a lot of unnesscessary details, I sit at the edge of the tree house roof while my friend stands behind me. We look down upon the land in awe.
"Up above, so high in the air," Maria remarks, "The world looks so different from this height. Yet it is one and the same. So beautiful and awe-inspiring..."
I nod, but my thoughts are somewhere else today. "Maria... do you think... Heartless can... have human emotions? Even if it's only occasionally?"
"I'd have to say yes and no. Some Heartless have completely blocked off all emotions other than hatred, while others can still feel." replies my friend.
I ponder on what she told me for a moment, then my eyes swerve to a place that's blocked off from the cliffs, with a large waterfall. The Heartless side of me is going crazy. Could it be...? The Keyhole...? I decide to keep my sudden discovery a secret, to let the beauty of this world last until the bitter end.
Many Heartless have become attached to the world they have disembarked on. They are reluctant to find the Keyhole. Finding the Keyhole means descending to the world's core. And when a Heartless destroys the world's core, that world is gone. Who would want to destroy one's home?
Then, Maria's cheerful voice awakens me from my thoughts. "Des! Storm's coming! Storm, over here! On the tree house roof!"
My attention is drawn to a gliding figure, marring the lovely blue of the limitless heavens. It's Storm. I wave at my Neverland-native friend and he waves in reply, the essence of his smile reaching me from way over there.
The Air Pirate lands, making a "thud" sound on the roof of the tree house. I've always admired Storm's wings. They were spread, the sunlight bringing out their full magnificent glory. To soar in the turquoise heavens above, to hear the steady beat of wings... I would give up all material possessions (not that I had any) to cut through the sky like a bird...
"I see it's the usual," laughs Storm, "Maria dancing around, happy as the sun is bright, while Destiny is sitting away from the group, wondering what her purpose is or something along the same lines."
His words make me have the essence of a grin, because Storm always seems to know what's going on. "Heh... yeah, I guess. Hey Storm... er... what's it like to fly?"
"Well..." Storm searches for a good answer as I stand up. The air about him suggests that he's sorting through his memories.
I exchange glances with Maria. The essence of an eager expression tells me that she's been wanting to ask Storm this question as well. The Air Pirate looks up at the sun, his yellow eyes seeming to have more depth than the other Heartless'.
"Well..." he repeats, "Sometimes I feel like I have power over all when I'm flying high above," (he sweeps his arms across the sky) "and other times it makes me feel like I'm on an adventure. When I feel like it, I fly really fast low to the ground and dodge trees and stuff like that. It's just exciting. And when I just stop flying and dive straight down, it feels like I'm on a roller coaster."
Maria and I are in awe of his description of flight. I want wings. I don't care if they're angel-style, dragon-style, or faerie-style, and I don't care about the coloration either. I just want wings. I wanted to feel the wind stream through my light orange fur, to have a certain feeling of superiority over the lands below me.
Maria is so dazed, I'll bet if she was a human, she'd be drooling. The way she is, Maria's probably picturing herself with some orange angel wings folded neatly along her spine. I try to picture myself with a pair of humongous pure white wings jutting from my shoulder blades, flying above the tropical rain forests of Deep Jungle.
"Hello? Deep Jungle to Maria and Des! Can you hear me?"
Maria and I shake our heads in unison. Storm shifts uneasily and tries to make his wings look as small as possible. When I first came into the Heartless world, Storm told me that his wings were a bit of a touchy subject. Many others always asked him about his wings. Storm, believing that everyone was equal, didn't like to discuss the attachments to his back. He still doesn't.
After a moment of unbearable, enclosing silence, the uneasiness seems to lift. But all of us are still at a loss of words. All of the things I want to talk about are melting out of my mind. Why is there such an uneasy tension in the air? We're friends! We've known each other since I can remember! I search through my feelings, trying to place my finger on what's causing this.
Suddenly, I know. It's fear.
My senses tell me what I'm frightened of. Another slaughter of the Heartless is over; the powers only a world away have fallen under the might of enchanted gold and silver. The previous struggle is over, and a new one is beginning. The power that all Heartless resent and fear is closer.
He's closer.
The Keyblade master is coming.
[Author's Note]
Maji: *beats her head on a rock* This chapter is shorter than most will be...
Gypsy: But it's pretty interesting, though... the end, mostly. Such poetic texture.
Maji: I didn't know you had so much vocabulary, Gypsy! OO; *starts on the third chappie*
[Disclaimer]
I don't own Kingdom Hearts (well really, I own my own copy, but of course Squaresoft and Disney actually own the whole thing), the Heartless, Deep Jungle, or Neverland. But I DO own anything that isn't trademarked!