Fragments

Prologue

The sun is setting

Close your eyes

Remembering, forgetting

Soar to the skies

They had been walking so long that his feet felt as though they were about to pop off and send him tumbling to the dirt ground below. Miraculously, feet were unable to do that (not usually, at least). With a groan and a yawn, Sora took a good look around: grass, trees, and the path set out before them were the only things visible. They couldn't have possibly taken a wrong turn, and yet....

"Where did Pluto go?!" raged a rather frustrated Donald, large eyes narrowed, as he stomped along. Not too long ago had they spotted the yellow canine, tail wagging playfully, with a seemingly important letter in his mouth. Now, however, the dog was nowhere in sight!

Goofy thought for a moment, as he usually did, before stating, "Ya know, maybe he's at th' end of this here road?"

Ignoring the sudden squawks erupting from his feathered friend, Sora turned his attention toward the sky. 'I wonder... what everyone's doing right now...,' he pondered while half-heartedly watching the tired sun end its long journey across the sky. It was hard to view this picturesque scene without awakening memories of his old friends; they danced and twirled about the boy's mind, taking advantage of his loneliness. A look of longing spilled onto his gentle face.

...not that long ago had he been laughing and playing with his friends on the Destiny Islands.... At the end of the day, they'd finally settle down and rest... by watching the sun set. Their... ritual. He remembered the last sunset he'd seen on that island-- the one he had shared with... her.

Now, however... Riku, Kairi, and Sora were no longer together; Destiny had deliberately separated them for her own sick enjoyment. Hated it, he did-- the fact that their friendship was being so harshly tested. But... if they were able to withstand this trial, then maybe they would be able to make it through anything...! That was it-- he had to make it! The outcome of his friendship depended on it! 'Even though we're not together...,' Sora told himself, 'the sun can still be seen setting.' Perhaps Riku and Kairi were watching the fiery orb fall... wherever they were.

At least, that was what he hoped....

So... what next? What, exactly, was he supposed to do now? Well, for starters, he had to find the door to Kingdom Hearts again and free King Mickey and Riku. How he'd find it... heh-- the answer to that would come to him later! Still, what would he do after that...?

Crossing his arms, the boy jammed his eyes shut and furrowed his eyebrows in thought. A face... pale and smiling; with a laugh, it turned and faded from his mind. There was still one other thing he had to do... right? Something that he'd have to do when his journey was finally over....

~"I'll come back to you-- I promise!"~

Yes... he'd said that, hadn't he? Sora smiled weakly, his normally gleeful blue eyes bursting with intense sorrow. How long would it take...? Would... would she wait? Quietly, he pulled out a white, flower-shaped key chain: the Oathkeeper. He'd made a promise to someone very dear to him-- someone who was waiting for him to make good on that promise. He trailed his finger over the ornament gingerly, whispering, "Kairi... I--"

"Sora...?"

Wha-what the...?! The boy glanced up, cheeks reddening in embarrassment. Once again, he'd let his mind wander off; whenever this happened, Sora wasn't completely aware of his surroundings. In fact... his two comrades were currently tossing him the strangest looks...! "Umm, guys...," he stuttered, hiding the keychain behind his back. "Y-you.... What?" Had they seen his little array? Yes... most likely. Man, he felt like an idiot!

With a soft, quack-like chuckle, the duck rolled his eyes. Poor, lovesick kid-- couldn't stand being away from her, could he? Donald threw the thought aside, then pointed to the now-starry sky. "It's getting late," he informed his partners.

Mouth covered slightly in hopes of suppressing his laughter, Goofy mused, "Gawrsh-- will ya look't that! It sure got dark out fast!" The starry sky had gone unnoticed to him; he had been too busy watching Sora! Okay, so he wasn't very observant.... It was just his nature...!

Sora heaved a sigh of relief. For a brief moment, he'd thought he was going to get ridiculed! Luck must have been on his side, eh? Grinning widely at the thought of sleep, Sora announced: "Alright, then! Let's set up camp for the night!"

~*~

It was no use....

No matter how much he longed for the sleep to overcome him, he just couldn't find himself able to drift off into the world of dreams. He envied his companions; they seemed to fall asleep so easily! Perhaps his problem... was stress?

A worn and withered sigh escaped his lips as Sora moved to a sitting position, stretching and yawning as quietly as he could. The fire before him burned weakly, threatening to go out with the next gush of wind. Its cocky attitude was beaten down when a few large branches and some grass were thrown at it; hunger took over the flame, and it feasted on its late dinner. The keyblade bearer gave the fire one last lingering glance before tilting his head to the stars.

Life was strange.... No matter how hard one tried, the path being traveled always seemed to remain foggy. How would one know if there was a hole before them? A dead end? I guess... that was what made life so enjoyable: the 'not knowing.'

Nonetheless... it was annoying.

"I can't take this...," he muttered, pushing himself to his feet. Maybe sleep would come to him after a short walk? It was worth a shot. Besides, watching Donald and Goofy sleep made him sick.... Sora chuckled. "Lucky goof-balls...."

The brown haired boy toddled down the path slowly, arms crossed. His spiked hair bobbed with each step, and his deep blue orbs seemed to be transfixed on the ground before him. Since sleep had all but deserted him, a wide variety of thoughts decided to rush through his mind.

He missed them... Riku and Kairi. Without them, he felt incomplete.... It was as if a piece of his heart had been ripped out and taken out of his reach. 'It's just... not the same,' he muttered silently; confusion enveloped him merely seconds later. What... what did that mean? Why on Earth would he... think something so cruel? The boy hung his head in shame.

It wasn't that he didn't like them-- Donald and Goofy, I mean. They were great pals who were always there for him. No matter what, they found ways to make him smile... and helped him whenever a battle seemed too tough. If anything... he owed them his life. Never... he never would have made it had they not been by his side.

But... they were not Kairi and Riku....

Sora stopped and let out a breath of air; the wind was calm... yet frigid-- as if something were in the air that shouldn't be there. That's when he noticed it: the crossroad before him. A small ounce of fear dripped into his veins. Just how long had he been walking...? Soon he found himself studying the paths. Each one seemed to go on forever.... 'Like my journey...,' he added somewhat bitterly. So many choices... each with varying results. One alone would lead unto salvation, whilst the other would wreak havoc upon the world.

...which would he choose?

Above him, the stars twinkled and shimmered like diamonds scattered across a soft, midnight quilt. They seemed to taunt him-- test his will. Perhaps they wanted the pure longing for his friends to make him turn around...? Did the stars... wish for him to go mad? Tears urged to be released... yet he stood firm. He had to be strong... for everyone. The keyblade bearer allowed his arms to fall to his sides; he trailed his crystal blue orbs up... toward the ominous moon, gleaming and grinning in devilish delight. It made him feel so small... so insignificant. Rasped he:

"How can I be strong for those I care about... when my memories of them make me weak...?"

Sora had meant to ask no one in particular; he merely felt that it would be better said aloud. What the young boy hadn't expected... was an answer. A chilled, hollow voice echoed out from behind him, cutting through the forced silence like a knife. "What you need lies beyond here...," it informed him slowly, "but in order to get it, you must lose something very dear to you...."

Who...? That hadn't been his imagination... had it? The voice sounded vaguely familiar.... Eyebrow cocked, the child spun on his heels; in his gloved hands rested a key-shaped weapon: the keyblade. Fighting stance ready, his mouth opened to shout out a threat. However... no one could be seen. Eyes wide in shock, Sora straightened and scratched his head.

"...something very important."

This time... the voice sounded off to his right! What... what was he supposed to do? If it turned out to be an enemy.... A gulp. Clutching the keyblade tightly, he willed himself to look. There... nearly shrouded in the darkness, stood the same cloaked man he'd fought at Hollow Bastion! Well... at least, he thought it was the same one.

~"You look like him... which means you are incomplete."~

What had the enigmatic man meant when he'd said that at their first encounter? Did it... did it have something to do with what was being stated now? The man, had his face been visible, probably would have grinned at the boy's sudden stupor.

There was an unworldly silence before the black-clad intruder continued, murmuring, "The more important it is, the deeper you keep it in your heart... until eventually, you forget it." The shadowy face bore a hole in him; Sora felt a drop of sweat slide down his cheek. What the person muttered next made his blood run cold:

"That includes yourself...."

...fear flooded his soul; his breath caught in his throat. "Myself, too?" questioned he, attempting to understand the meaning behind the statement. Tumbling... he felt lost-- confused. What was he supposed to do...? Was... was this really an enemy? With a quick shake of his head, the boy sent a glare toward the speaker. A trick-- it had to be...!

The hooded figure nodded solemnly. It was almost as if this person knew the outcome of things yet to be.... Transparency engulfed the unknown, and it silently spread out its arms... as if in an invitation. "You will lose the light in the dark...," acknowledged its evanescent voice, "and even forget what you lost." With those fleeting words... every trace of the enigma vanished into thin air.

"The light in the dark...?"

Only one path remained.... As confounded and scared as he was, he should have turned tail... but something called out to him. It begged him to push onward... for the sake of his friends-- both new and old. A tug at his soul....

Sucking in a large gulp of air, Sora took his first of many steps forward, not knowing where the path would lead... and not caring what the consequences might be.

~*~

White....

A bright, blinding white that made it seem as if nothing were there-- the kind of white that gave one an unimportant, bland feeling.

Mumbling something incoherent, a small girl clasped her hands around her bare, scrawny legs. Blonde hair spilled over her pale, round face as she rested her head on her knobby knees. Alone... yet loneliness did not capture her. Tired... yet sleep did not find her.

Trapped... and yet she did not want to be free.

A small, wired artpad sat off to her right; drawing utensils, such as pencils and markers, were scattered about the small, dangling cage. With a sigh, the girl tilted her head back... so as to look down, past the iron bars which barred her of much movement. Even the floor was white....

Just as she was beginning to get comfortable, a clank sounded off to her left. The lazy attitude subsided, and her dull eyes narrowed angrily. "What," she hissed disdainfully, "do you want?" Cackles pervaded her confinement, sending chills down her spine. Her glare wavered as she shuddered weakly.

A silent sneer formed on her kidnaper's lips; although she couldn't see him (a secret he would never share) he could see her in all her fiery glory. Mused he, "My, my, my-- aren't we feisty today?"

A snort was her tempered reply.

The man decided to continue, allowing the enjoyment to melt away from his voice: "I have a job for you, girl. I want you to draw a castle... or something of that nature."

A... castle? Why something so simple? Extravagant visions exploded within her mind. Just think of what she could draw with such a simple demand! Had she liked this person, she would have complied to his every waking whim tenfold-- down to the shape of the bricks used! However, that was not the case. Wanted a castle, did he...? Well... he'd be get a 'castle,' all right....

"Whatever you say, sir...," the girl whispered, eyes shadowed thoughtfully. "You needn't explain your reasons-- I care not what you plan to do." When the sounds of his leave entered her delicate ears, she picked up her artpad and turned to a fresh, white page. White... like the room in which she resided. Emotions swirled about; each one tempted her to draw a certain way.

Pencil met paper; it glided and curved where need be, slowly adding shape to the image in her mind. Colors splashed about-- meek, foreboding colors that expressed her inner self. With a final dab, the picture was complete. The blond tilted her head, taking in the full view of her masterpiece: a topsy-turvy castle with a dreary, haunting look to it.

A tiny, yet tentative smile tugged at her cherry-tinted lips. Although it was without her normal cheer, it was a picture well worth praise. Chewing slightly on the eraser of the pencil, the girl pondered, "What to name you...?" Why give it a lovely, generous name when that meanie was probably going to use it for something... bad? Well... not necessarily 'bad' but she was certain that it wasn't for anything 'good.'

Eyes lighting up with an idea, she took her pencil and wrote down two words:

"Castle Oblivion."

~*~

How much further...?

Sora squinted his eyes in a futile attempt to see whatever was ahead of him. The pitch black that seemed to come from both everywhere and nowhere revealed nothing.... Somehow, he knew that there was something out there, but as to what... well, that remained unknown.

A chilled wind brushed past him, causing a slight shiver to flee down his spine. There was a feeling of uneasiness in the air that made the boy glance around nervously. Was it a trap, of sorts? Even as that taunting thought entered his mind, he dared not pull out his weapon. With his eyes being of little use in the swirling darkness, he'd be at a disadvantage. Besides... from what his ears told him, nothing was out there.

At least... not yet.

'What had that guy meant?' pondered he... in hopes of keeping his thoughts off of the impatient curiosity welling up within him. Light... and dark: two words he'd only just recently learned so much about. However, what the man had said made little sense. Losing the light in the dark? The brown haired boy heaved a weakened sigh. How was he supposed to figure out the secret meaning behind those words if he didn't understand any of it?!

Light... light was good-- pure, right? Darkness was... well, he couldn't exactly assume that all darkness was evil. Why? Well, seeing how all hearts contain at least some darkness (with the exception of the Princesses of Heart), that would make one think that all people are evil... and that's not exactly true. What if the light was used for evil? Could that even happen...?

What confused him even more... was that he would lose the light in the dark, of all places! How could that possibly be true when light was able to pierce through even the darkest of night?

Sora sulked silently; he'd best try to figure out a different piece of the puzzle, seeing as that one just made his head hurt.

What, exactly, was he looking for...? And what was he supposed to give up in order to receive this needed... thing? Forgetting... he would forget something important-- wasn't that what the cloaked person had said? But what? ...would he forget himself?

He gritted his teeth and muttered a few choice words. Confusion ruled-- he knew nothing more than he had before trying to sort out his mind! Doubt.... Was he really, truly strong? People told him that his heart was strong; it had to be true, else he wouldn't be able to wield the keyblade. And yet... as powerful as he was, the poor boy didn't feel it at all.

"I'm so pathetic...," he spat hoarsely, kicking a nearby stone in anger. Here he was-- whining about trivial matters, when he should have been--

A fleeting gasp. Sora slowed to an abrupt halt, rounded eyes glued to the scene that now rested before him: an oddly shaped castle. Towers shot out here and there, and some seemed to be upside down! Despite its strange coloring (well, gray was pretty dreary, but a teal-like green was considered 'cheerful,' wasn't it?), it had an overbearing sense of melancholy to it. It felt as though the castle was not meant to be there... as if it had been placed there-- by magic! Come to think of it, wouldn't he had been able to see it a while back? It was rather massive.

Perhaps... this was where he had to go? Was it made specifically to test him? He cocked an eyebrow and crossed his arms for a moment. Mused he, 'How... did it get here?' Did that unknown man make it appear? Or...? He knew not, and it angered him. Now what...? What was he supposed to do?! Again, life had taken another spiral, one that sent Sora reeling in confusion.

With small and cautious steps, the child made his way up to the large-- too big for him, at least-- door. How on Earth was he going to open this thing? He gave it a gentle kick; of course, it budged not. The doorknob was just a little too high for his liking! I mean, sure the door to Kingdom Hearts dwarfed this one... but he had help that time!

...there wasn't anyone by his side to help him this time around.

Before Sora could berate himself for his meaningless depression... the entrance to the castle began to open. Creaks and groans pervaded the ears of the boy as the doors swung open slowly; the inside... seemed to glow with an eerie light. A meager attempt at finding the person responsible for the opening was wasted-- of course, no one could be seen. The bright room beckoned to him... and he found himself being lulled forward. One foot; then, hesitantly, another. Soon, the keyblade bearer found himself well within the spacious hall. The floor was checkered with blue and white tiles. A long, red carpet paved the way from the entrance; it trailed up the distant stairs, as if leading him to his next destination. There were doors... many doors-- each with a small, detailed picture.... If he could just get a bit closer...!

The doors slammed shut.

Crap...! He spun around, blue eyes growing to the size of saucers as his mind quickly processed his current predicament: he, Sora, was locked in a large, ominous castle... without his companions. 'Gee,' he drawled darkly, 'what could possibly--

Laughter. A sickening, stomach-churning cackle that made even the hairs on his neck stand on end. Who...? There was actually someone there?! The brown haired boy turned to face the voice... only to find that the room seemed empty! What in the world...? This... something wasn't right. There was a feeling of nervousness spreading throughout his body that made him uneasy and queasy. Something definitely wasn't right.

As if he were there all along... a man phased into view. Green-- a deep, pure green that would drive a person insane if gazed at for too long-- eyes bore a burning hole into the intruder; a snide, cocky grin appeared on his face. Fiery red hair flamed and danced behind his head... as if he really were on fire. Perhaps that assumption wasn't too far off.... "Welcome!" boomed he, crossing his arms roughly. That's when Sora noticed it: the cloak.

"You...," the child rasped with a finger of accusation pointed toward the man. "You're... the one from before...!" It was the same outfit-- it had to be him! But... why did he now wear his hood down...? Sora shook his head and took a few steps forward. Answers would come when need be!

The redhead's smirk widened. Replied he, "Am I...?" Amusement coursed through his veins as he witnessed the keyblade bearer's dumbstruck face twist with confusion. A snort; it seemed as though things would prove to be much more interesting than he had first predicted...! "Soon... soon, everything will be clear to you...."

A wave of fear collapsed over him... and he suddenly felt as though he were drowning. Sora kicked and struggled with all his might, begging and longing to catch at least one gasp of air.... Memories... they invaded his mind and soul.... His friends; the worlds he'd visited; the heartless; everyone... and everything.... Everything came crashing down.

...his mind was blank....

"Welcome... to Castle Oblivion...!"

~*~

A/N: Hello, o-lucky people who actually read this! This is my first attempt at a Kingdom Hearts story. As you may have guessed... it takes place right where Chain of Memories is supposed to start. Well... actually, just the prologue is about CoM; the actual fanfic 'Fragments' takes place during KH2! ^-^' *laughs nervously*

Some of the phrases were translated from info from CoM. I'll give credit to the Amsem Report for the translations! Anyway, like I said, the first chapter will start off with KH2. Don't think that I'm writing the actual story for KH2, though! This is a creation of my own mind from the little info that I have!!! If you have a certain world you want Sora and co. to visit, just ask! Any place that has been confirmed (Beauty and the Beast world, Coliseum, Twilight Town, etc.) will most likely find their way into this story. If I write like crazy... I hope to finish this before the game comes out...! *sighs* Like that would happen....

Please, please, PLEASE review!!!! If I get at least... a few *chuckles* reviews, I'll work harder and get the first part done faster! -- Angel-Chan