Knights, Dog-demons, and Travelers

By: Sharys Aogail

Author's Note: Wow, this story is old. And horrible. I honestly don't know what I was on when I first came up with the damn thing. It should be burned. The idea was challenging and after seeing so many really, really bad crossovers my brain told me that it wanted a shot at it too. And so I give you the worst my mind has to offer.

RUN AWAY! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD SAVE YOURSELF! FLEE BEFORE THE HORROR!!!!

Discaimer : I own nothing. I don't even have my own my own copy of Kingdom Hearts. Sadly it was a loaner.

Chapter One

Time crept by slowly for Hikaru. She sat alone on a bench, writing in her notebook and patiently waited for the bell that would signal the end of lunch. As usual, she had skipped the midday meal in favor of the homework that was assigned to her earlier that day. It didn't do much for her health, but it kept her grades up and her brothers off her back. And it helped keep away the past.

"Hey, Hikaru!"

Hikaru looked up from her assignment to her classmate. The girl had attached herself to Hikaru the minute she had stepped foot on campus and nothing she could do would make her go away. The girl was nice enough, but being around her made Hikaru think about her old friends. Even now the bittersweet memories still stung.

Hikaru sighed. "Hello, Mira."

"Ready for that test today?"

She blinked.

"Oh, don't tell me you forgot!" Mira chided. "We've only been studying for a week!"

Oh, Hikaru thought, the math test. "Sorry. My mind has been drifting a lot lately."

"Its alright. Just don't let it affect your grades." She thought for a moment and then added, "You haven't been yourself the past couple of weeks. Are you sure you're alright?"

The tiny redhead forced a smile. "Don't worry. I'm fine!"

Mira still looked skeptical. "Well . . . if you say so. I have to go before the bell rings, okay? Bye 'Karu! See you tomorrow!" And with a quick wave she was gone.

Hikaru watched her leave and allowed her smile to fade. A sigh of regret escaped her lips. Mira would not see her tomorrow, or any other day if things went as planned.

Things had changed swiftly after she, Umi, and Fuu had visited Tokyo Tower for old times sake. First they discovered that they could no longer return to Cephiro, the world they had fought for and had come to love. Then had come the move. Hikaru had pleaded with her brothers to stay, but for the first time in her life her brothers denied her what she wanted. Umi and Fuu still wrote to her and called her whenever they could, but it just wasn't the same as before.

Since the move, Hikaru became lonely. She soon became desperate for someone to talk to, someone to share her stories with without them thinking she was crazy. Since this was impossible, she began to throw herself into the local mythology, trying to dig up something that just might help her find a way back to Cephiro. Finally, after literally months of searching, she found a something.

After weeks long internal debates, she decided to take a gamble.

She was prepared to leave today. Stashed in her locker were clothes, a sword that her brothers had given her, several small necessities and, of course, her mirror pendant. After class she would change, and place all of her school materials in her locker. Earlier that morning she had dropped a letter in a neighborhood mailbox. Her brothers would receive it some time tomorrow and it would explain everything to them.

All or nothing.

If it didn't work she would have quite a bit of explaining to do.

Please let this work, she prayed. I want to see Cephiro again. I want to see Clef, and Caldina, and Lantis. She felt a pang in her chest. Oh please let this work!

Dressed in jeans and a worn and comfortable T-shirt, Hikaru stood before the shrine. Her backpack was slung over her shoulder and her sheathed sword was clenched in her fist. A cool breeze ruffled her hair, causing her long braid to sway. The murmur of the wind seemed to draw her into it.

She stepped into the small wooden building and silently made her way down a tiny clutch of stairs. Once at the bottom she could see the square-shaped well protruding prominently from the hard packed floor.

Hikaru's heart pounded wildly in her chest.

This is it! No turning back now.

She took a step towards the well, but froze when she saw movement coming from inside. Within a blink of an eye Hikaru was face to face with a pretty black-haired girl.

Both girls shrieked. The girl in the well almost slipped.

"W-who are you?" the girl asked. "What are you doing here?"

Hikaru quickly hid her sword behind her back. She laughed nervously. "Yes, well, that's a very good question! Umm . . . I, uh, I guess I took a wrong turn somewhere! Silly me! I think I'll . . ."

Her words died upon her lips when all instincts started screaming a warning.

Hikaru leapt to protect the girl. "Look out!"

An instant later something came crashing down from the ceiling, sending both girls tumbling down the well.

Author's Note: Flame me. Gods above know I deserve it.