KINGDOM HEARTS

PARADOX'S DISSONANCE

CHAPTER 1

THE AWAKENING

"Lunch break!" Sora exclaimed enthusiastically while rushing out the classroom. "Man, and it's about time too. I just knew that the lecture is going to take forever." He was among the first students that nearly dozed off to sleep in today's history class. Well... he's also among one of the first to jump up out of class when that bell rang. "I'm starving."

Kairi exited the room moments later, taking her time. "You were asleep with your eyes wide open, Sora" She quipped, handing him some sheets of paper. "Well, these are the materials that we going to have to study. Teach said that a majority of it is going to be on the test."

Sora packed the notes in his backpack. "Thanks, Kai. You're a life saver. I'm pretty sure that I've missed out on a lot of notes."

"Yeah, you did." Kairi giggled. "But what are friends for? You would have done the same thing." That line was all well and good, but Sora didn't seem to be paying any attention to Kairi at the moment. "Hey? Are you listening to me?" The boy's gaze was currently fixated on someone else. "Ah..." She confirmed in realization. "You're envying Riku again, huh?"

Sora snapped a glare at her. "Envy's got nothing to do with this. You pretty much got the wrong impression, Kai. Just because Riku's surrounded by... by..." He trailed off with a stammer, gazing at a small group of very attractive girls that were currently conversing with the said sophomore. The girls seem to be having a pretty good time talking to him, too. And half of the group was older than Riku as well. "How does he do that?"

"It's called 'being yourself', green eyes." Kairi remarked. "You shouldn't be jealous of your life long friend like that."

Sora sighed. "Man... I know that he's my buddy but I think that he's practically good at everything. He's athletic, he's pretty smart, he makes good grades and it's likely that he will graduate at the top of his class." He saw a girl blushed and giggle at Riku's grin. "Ugh, plus he's the divine gift to women. The girls absolutely adore him."

"Whoa, you got it bad." Kairi patted his shoulder.

Riku skewed his gaze over the blushing faces of his fan club and spotted his best friend. "Hey Sora, you're just the guy I was looking for. Would you mind coming over here for a sec?"

"Who? Me?" Sora was a little surprised.

"Yeah, someone over here is pretty interested in you. Why don't you come over here so you two get acquainted." He made a cute younger girl noticeable by pointing at her.

Sora cracked a grin. "Hey, now we're talking!"

"Hey!" Kairi demanded attention. "What are you two up to?"

Just as Sora was about to approach Riku and the group of girls, Zell called out to him. "Yo, how bout we take a beeline to the cafeteria and grab ourselves a big platter of chilidogs, Sora?"

Sora stopped a little irritated and regarded the older boy. "Can't you see that I'm a little busy, Zell?"

The blonde senior looked at him curiously. "What do you mean, man? Yeah, you're busy shooting off to the cafeteria that's all I know."

"No, not right now." Sora replied, anxious. "You see, there's a girl over there that wants to get to know me."

"Sora! Selphie over here is getting impatient!" Riku advertised.

"What?" The said brunette exclaimed in surprise. "Don't play any games like that, Riku!"

Sora frowned. "Selphie? Ugh!"

"What's that supposed to mean, huh?" Selphie pouted and balled her fist at her hips. "I'm not cute enough for ya?" After that, she blushed in realization. "Ack! Hee hee... forget I said that."

"What I'd tell ya." Zell nodded. "It was about nothing."

"And he was pretty much in a hurry to get over there." Kairi giggled with her arms crossed over her chest. "C'mon Sora, we need to be on our way. We're going to miss out on the food that's fresh."

Sora sighed and took another glance at Riku. "I'll see you in the cafeteria, man. Got to go and get some grub, you know?"

Riku nodded. "Yeah, see you there, bud."

Meanwhile, inside the cafeteria, Tidus and Wakka had already occupied a small round table. Wakka was pretty much done with his meal because he was laid back in his chair. Tidus was drinking down a bottle of fruit punch and he seems to be dissatisfied with his food. "That really left a nasty taste in my mouth. Was the steak half cooked or burnt-- I couldn't tell."

"Chill out for a moment, Tidus." Wakka grinned with a toothpick. "Why won't you just go up to the bar and try something else, yea?"

"Yeah, you're probably right." Tidus considered. "Then again, I'm probably better off bringing my own lunch to school sometimes."

"Aw bother," Wakka waved dismissively, "you sound like a spoiled chick that's highly obsessed with her diet."

"Hey! Enough with the jokes Wakka!"

"What are you guys clowning about now?" Zell said as he sat at a neighboring table along with Kairi and Sora. "Don't tell me that it's the food again."

"Yeah, it's the food." Tidus scoffed, mean-mugging at the smoked steak before him. "Maybe my taste buds just isn't agreeing with this."

"What are you talking about, Tidus? It couldn't be that bad." Kairi sampled a bite of the said meat on her tray. She was seemingly satisfied with the taste. "Umm... Yummy! It's not the food, it's your buds." But a moment later her face suddenly paled. "Ugh! Uh, excuse me for a second." With that she immediately opened her bottle of grape juice and downed the bottle in a single gulp.

"No, it's the steak." Sora could pretty much guess what the problem was. "It left a weird taste in my mouth too." He took a swig of his sports drink. "If anything, the best thing to do with the steaks are to toss them aside."

"There should have been hot dogs for lunch today." Zell grumbled.

Wakka couldn't believe what he was hearing. "C'mon guys, are we gonna whine about the steak for the rest of lunch period? Maybe you should all just go and get a salad or something. You can never go wrong with a simple garden dish and I'm sure that it is much better than hearing you guys moping about the steaks."

Kairi shrugged her shoulders with a sigh. "Might as well... I mean, do we have a choice? I don't want to go to my history class with an empty stomach."

Wakka nodded very approvingly, "Amen, sister, amen..."

Sora just had to laugh at that notion. "Ha! Salads are for sissies! I mean, c'mon! Who in--" His quick reflexes were very useful at a moment like this. He ducked a flying rib-eye just in the nick of time and the piece of meat made a collision on the wall in which it made a weird splat sound. "Whoa! What was that all about?"

The entire group was now well aware of what was about to happen. "This isn't going to be what I'm thinking it's going to be?" Tidus said cautiously, gripping his tray tight.

"ARGH!" A voice trilled at the other side of the canteen, obviously pissed. "Who threw that nasty gruel, huh?" The victim was Selphie, who was busy wiping off gravy off her face and growling like a provoked beast. The entire dining area became deathly quiet, attention drawn to the angry brunette. "Whoever done it really needs to grow up! If I just so happen to find out who did-- it's going to be on!"

Riku was right beside her, surveying the scene. "Well... whose idea was this?"

The silence of the entire place remained... until someone started tossing food again. That move initiated pure chaos in the canteen. Riku jumped over the salad bar and used it as a barricade against the maelstrom of unwanted food. Selphie simply squealed in surprised and took refuge underneath a table. In simple words, a war was torn out in the luncheon.

Sora hopped on his table, never the one to back down from a challenge. He pumped his fist in the air and with a roar, it was "FOOD FIGHT!"

"Sora, what do you think you're doing?" Kairi exclaimed from her hiding spot behind an artificial plant. "The superiors are going to think that you've started all this because of how you're playing war hero on the table like that!"

"Yes!" Sora successfully smashed a sophomore girl with a handful of pudding. "You just don't know what you're missing out on, Kai? Whoa!" He jumped over a flying tray. "Ha! That was a close one! Someone really tried to get me just now."

Yo Sora! I got your back!" Zell proclaimed. "I'll deliver it to em like a Green Beret." The spiky haired blonde used his tray as a shield and then he used it as a catapult to launch his meal like a deadly projectile. "I'm gonna make this war tough for em! They better step their game up if they wanna give me a struggle!"

Kairi couldn't believe that Zell, the oldest of the group of friends simply jumped in this ridiculous little 'war' like a child. "Dang! I cannot believe that Zell would join in too!"

"Whoo Hoo!" Shrieked Tidus, firing off his lunch as well. "You don't mess with the blitz-ball stars!"

"You're right about that, Tidus." Wakka grinned, chunking a grapefruit with ferocious force. "I guess they don't know what they're dealing with, yea?"

Kairi slapped her forehead in defeat. "All of you are crazy!"

"Wah!" Selphie's cry could be heard over the turmoil in the cafeteria. "My new shoes are ruined!" She bawled. "Smothered in overly greasy fried chicken!"

"C'mon!" Sora was still being rowdy on the table. "You all are making this far too easy for me! Aren't any of you even trying to hit me?"

Before the food fight could get even crazier, Terra and two more adults entered the diner just in the nick of time. "What in the world is going on here?" Terra demanded with her hands on her hips, obviously appalled. "What has gotten into all of you?"

The students instantly ended their food fight and stared at the three adults at the entrance nervously. "I hate to say this... but, it's the food, right?" A young male teacher asked hesitantly.

A loud chorus of 'yes!' filled the room.

Terra glanced at her co-worker in surprise. "Hey! What kind of question was that? There's been a display of inappropriate behavior in here and all you can ask about was the quality of the food?" Most of the students began snickering at her last statement but cut it short when Terra gazed at them seriously.

"Jeez, it could be the cause of the food fight." The male defended.

The third adult, a female, sighed in shame. "You need help..."

"What?"

"Ugh! Never mind him..." She set her sights back at the students. "Look at this mess. You all should be ashamed of yourselves."

"It's not fair! My clothes are a mess!" Selphie whined. "Man! I'll never get these stains off of my blouse!"

"Well I'm afraid that this is the least of your worries, young lady." Terra informed the brunette. "First of all, who started this nonsense?"

Many fingers pointed directly at Sora, Tidus, Wakka, and Zell. "What? Aw man, you guys know that we didn't start the food fight!" Sora glowered. "Stop snitching!"

"It doesn't matter." Terra was ready to get this over with. "You four, follow me to the office, now. And the rest of you, it's up to all of you to have this cafeteria clean by the end of the school day."

There was a collective groan throughout the canteen.

Terra stared back at the students. "Do I make myself clear?"

"YES MA'AM!"

Even though she was satisfied with the regained obedience, there wasn't even a hint of a smirk on the teal haired woman's face. "Good." She made a gesture to Sora and the gang. "Come now, you know what happens next."

KINGDOM HEARTS

"This is not cool." Tidus droned, cleaning the chalkboard. "I have to do this in every room in this wing." They were assigned to tidy up the place for two days as punishment. Fortunately for them they didn't have to attend to the entire campus.

"Oh well, it could have been worse." Zell sighed, sweeping the floor. "Principle Laguna could have gave us a whole week of doing this. Or he could have us retained in our current grade."

"C'mon guys, we all know that we didn't deserve this." Sora reassured, dusting off chalkboard erasers at the open window. "I know for a fact that we didn't start that hubbub in the lunchroom. Somebody else started it all, you know." His friends didn't seem to be relieve by that fact. They were so depressed about all of this. Detention just plain sucks.

"Speak for yourself." Wakka grumbled, heading his way too the restroom with sanitizing equipment. "When you're done could you mind giving your boy a hand in cleaning the girl's bathroom? I could really use some help with that. The girl's room is going to be a real pain."

Tidus thought of something mischievous. "Hey, speaking of girls, Sora have you notice how close you and Kairi had become lately?"

A discoloration appeared on Sora's face. Kairi and he did enjoyed walking back and forth from school everyday, he was certain about that. Kairi went home as soon as the last class was over, meaning that his commute home isn't going to be as fun as it used to. Was his long time friend really that important to him? "What do you mean by that, Tidus? We're just buds, nothing more."

The blonde sneered. "I dunno. You tell me. I just have to tell you that I notice... things about you two."

"Huh?" Sora creased his brow, catching on to what Tidus had said. "Aw man, so what? She gets sort of jealous when I notice other girls. That doesn't mean anything. It's just silly women's intuition or something like that."

"Then what does that tell you then?" Tidus insinuated, still snickering.

Zell cut the conversation short just in time. "Ah, just lay off oh him, Tidus. It's just between them. Anyway, I think Riku's gains the attention of most of the girls here. And I have to say that he does so with ease."

"It could be the fact that he almost look like a girl himself." Tidus shrugged, scrubbing the board harder this time. "Shoot, even girls from other schools have the hots for him."

"That's women for ya. That goes to show you how erratic they are." Wakka said.

"Can't live with them, can't live without them." Zell quoted.

Sora nodded as he tried to stifle a laugh. "You guys are crazy, man. If there were to be some girls in here right now then we're in trouble. They may beat us up to a point that our own mothers wouldn't recognize us. So try to be careful of what you say about them."

Tidus stiffened. "Whoa! What was that all about?"

"You're getting in touch with your feminine side, man?" Wakka wondered.

"There must be a girl that you're really interested in as of late?" Zell crosses his arms. "Could it be the that Viola broad that you've been ogling about since she moved here?"

"No, I'm not interested in her!" Sora blushed, defending himself. Every since young Viola and her family moved to Destiny Island months ago he simply couldn't get his mind off of her. "I just think she's cute!"

"Boy, what are you talking about?" Tidus exclaimed. "She isn't just cute-- she's hot!" He nodded and shrugged his shoulders. "Anyway, if you're trying to get acquainted with her then you're way out of your league, pal. That's too much woman for you to handle."

"Hey!" Sora felt that he was insulted, glaring at Tidus. "You got jokes, huh?"

"C'mon guys. Give it a rest. You can resume your talk about girls when we're done with today's ordeal." Zell chided, getting back to sweeping the floor.

"Well, well, well... look what we have here." A voice said, somewhat in a mocking tone.

Tidus glances around the classroom, surprised by the sudden voice. "Who said that?"

Soar searched around the place for the owner of the voice as well. He soon spotted a white-haired boy sitting outside on a tree branch by the window. "There! Outside that window." He, Tidus, Zell, and Wakka made their way to the said pane.

The mischievous looking boy flashed them a grin. "Yo, it seems that you guys are really enjoying yourselves, no?"

Tidus went right on ahead and mean-mugged the boy. "Nagi! What the hell are you doing here, man?" Tidus never did like the mysterious white haired youth. Every since Nagi began attending school at Destiny High from where he came from Tidus just didn't get along with him. "You came to pick on us? Is that it?"

The devilish youth simply grinned and bit into the green apple in his hand. "You know--MUNCH-- you guys are repaying the debt-- MUNCH! MUNCH!-- for something that you didn't instigated."

Sora tilted his head to the left. "What do you mean?"

"I don't like where this is going, man..." Wakka muttered.

"Man! That's just like you-- always up to something." Tidus shook a fist at him.

Nagi appeared surprised, shocked that they couldn't comprehend what he meant. "You mean you don't know what happened this afternoon?"

Zell was catching on to what Nagi was insinuating. "Hey! It was you, wasn't it?"

"Bingo! We have a winner he folks!" Nagi applauded.

Sora's eyes widened in realization. "You were the one that started the food fight during lunch today?"

"Yep, and look where it gotten you guys." Nagi nodded in a self-aggrandizing way. "It has gotten you into janitorial labor for a few days. You guys are really the team players."

Tidus growled and took off his neck chain. "Alright! That's it! I'm hopping onto that branch to knock some brain cells from your know-it-all head!" He was apprehended by Wakka, whom held on to the back of his hood. "What the-- Wakka, lemme go, man!"

"It's not worth it, man. Let it go." Wakka reasoned.

"Yeah, Tidus, your friend is right." Nagi winked. "If we get into a fisticuffs, it certainly wouldn't rectify what happened earlier today. So it's best to listen to your friend."

"Yeah? I bet it'll definitely make me feel better once I knock the living crap out of you." Tidus challenged.

Sora was just as upset as Tidus was, but he kept his cool. "But Nagi, why?"

The question prompted the mischievous boy to laugh out loud. "It's just the way how I have fun, silly. What else is there?"

"Hey, you want me to show you my idea of having fun, Nagi?" Tidus cracked his knuckles. "I bet that you're gonna love it."

For a moment, Nagi narrowed his eyes, giving him a haunting, foreboding look. "Perhaps... some other time, Tidus. Maybe the opportunity shall arise one day. But anyway, it's best that I should get going. You guys have a nice day. See ya!" He was about to leave their sight but a thought came upon him. Smiling broadly he gazed at the eaten apple in his hand. "Hey Tidus, wouldn't you mind trashing this? After all, it is your job for today." He snickered, tossing him the apple.

"What the heck?" Tidus accidentally caught the apple.

"That's quite some reflexes you have there." Nagi commented. "They did say that you're quite the athlete. Keep it up, man. It can take you a long way." After that, he departed this time as he climbed down the tree.

"That fool thinks he's so cool..." Tidus muttered.

"Oh well... I guess that he had his fun for today." Sora shrugged. "C'mon guys, let's just get this place clean up so we can leave."

And with that, the four friends resumed their ordeal.

KINGDOM HEARTS

"Here's your blueberry shaved ice, Sora. Enjoy!" A forty-something man placed the said cold treat on the counter.

"Thanks Eddie. I'm sure that I will." Sora grinned, paying for the order.

"So where's your friend, Kai?" Eddie wondered. "You guys come here together all the time and you two are almost inseparable. You two must have had a fallout or something?"

"What?" Sora blushed. "It's nothing like that. I just had to stay after school today. Kai decided to walk home without me today. That's all."

"Ah... to be young again... and in love."

Sora nearly choked on the shaved ice when he heard that. "There's nothing going on between us! Kai's not my girlfriend!"

"You've could have fooled me." The shop owner grinned. "You two have been coming here together every since you could walk. I know these things, Sora."

Sora looked away, mentally scolding the man that was old enough to be his father. "I'm sorry, Ed. I think that you have the wrong impression about us."

"Wrong impression, huh?" The man leaned forward, contemplative. "Kairi's a very nice girl, Sora. I know that you two been friends all your life but I can tell that your friendship may grow deeper. That's just how it is sometimes, kid."

Sora surely respected Eddie, but he couldn't believe that he was observing them like that throughout the years. And why would he talk about a subject like this when Kairi's not around. "As I said before, we're just friends. I even had to tell my buddy Tidus that."

"Hmm..." Eddie rested his chin in his palm, surveying Sora's expression. "You have a heart, Sora. It will all come to you as you age. It'll come..."

Sora stared at the man skeptically. "Matters of the heart, huh?"

Eddie chuckled. "Well my boy, you'll just have to forgive me for prying. You still seem kind of young to understand what I'm saying. How old are you now?"

"Fifteen."

"Umm... never mind. Sorry to hold you up. I guess that I'll see you later." A idea came into his head. "Hey, next time you and Kai stop by, the treats are on the house. You hear me?"

There was a wide appreciative grin on Sora's face. "Sounds like a plan to me."

There was a sudden rumble in the skies. "Hmm... I'll be. It sounds like a storm's brewing." He gazes out over the sea, noticing approaching storm clouds. "But it can't be. This is odd indeed. The forecast says that it'll be clear skies for several days."

Sora looked in the direction of the sea as well. "Yeah, you're right. I guess the weather forecast had made a mistake this morning."

"What? Are you kidding? With all the latest tech in weather reading at the station, it's impossible not to pick up those storm clouds on the radar." Eddie scoffed.

Sora kept his gaze on the clouds, noticing that they were growing more ominous by the moment. " Whoa... and it's lightning like crazy over the sea too."

"It looks like that I'm going to have to close down my shop early today." Eddie decided. "Sora, I'm afraid that you may need to get going. You really don't want to get caught up in the upcoming downpour."

"Right. I guess that I see you around!" Sora said as he hurried down the street. Heading home as soon as possible wouldn't be a bad idea right about now.

Several minutes later, Sora was closer to his neighborhood by now. He certainly wished that he brought along his skateboard today. It was beginning to drizzle. "Man! It's raining already? I still have about a mile to go."

The once clear skies were now overcast with huge storm clouds. The calm before the storm was like a prelude before something terrible that was about to occur. Whoever worked as the weather forecaster at the news station needs to be shot. Then again, the sudden appearance of the storm clouds was unusual. Could it be a freak storm that's just so happen to waiting to unleash it's fury on Destiny Island. The clouds seem more intimidating than even hurricane clouds and it wasn't that season yet!

"Looks like I'm going to be dripping on my way home today." Sora said to himself, but he was suddenly caught by surprise when there was a parasol looming above his head. "Huh?"

"Ah. It would be most unfortunate for you if you were to catch a summer cold, no?" A pleasant voice drifted in his ears.

His face brightened and his eyes widened at the sight of her. "Shizuru?"

"I guess it's a good thing that I decided to bring along my parasol on a whim today." The brunette smiled that intoxicating smile of hers. "Perhaps we can call it a good omen."

Omen, fate, karma-- whatever it was, Sora didn't care. This girl was a life saver. "I'm just glad that you came here to lend me a hand in this weather."

"Glad to be of help, but I'm afraid that my parasol wouldn't bare against the downpour for long." Said Shizuru. "Would you like to accompany me to my home? You can hang around with me as the storm passes."

Did he just heard right? "You want me to stay over at your house?"

"Would it be a problem?" Shizuru inquired. "I'm not imposing on anything am I?"

Man, how could he turn down such an opportunity? "No! No problem at all! I would love to visit your crib while waiting out the storm!" Sora exclaimed jovially.

"Well then... let us be on our way, shall we. My home is just a block away." She began leading him on the way to her house. "Hang tight, I hate to see your nice hair get ruined by the rain."

"Okay." Sora smiled helplessly. She even smells good!

KINGDOM HEARTS

"Whoa...!"

"Welcome to my abode, Sora." Shizuru acknowledged, removing her school shoes from her feet. "Make yourself comfortable. Would you like some tea?"

Sora couldn't even form words in his mouth. He was still awestruck by the sheer regality of the mansion. He has seen the Viola estate countless times from the outside but he would never actually thought that he would ever see the place from inside. "Whoa..."

The Viola heiress giggled. "Hey, I get that all the time. It's embarrassing."

At the sound of her voice, Sora resurfaced back to reality. "Tea? Who said something about tea?"

"I was asking you would you like some." Shizuru answered.

"Oh-- yeah. That'll be great. I could use a drink right about now."

"Good deal. I'll have it ready in a few." She gestured towards the direction of the den. "Head over there and have a seat. There should be a lot of good shows on television this time of day. I'll be right there with the drinks."

"Uh... right." Sora nodded and made his way towards the den. Once he got there he was stricken by awe again when he laid his eyes on a huge tank for aquatic life, exotic plants adorning each corner, a spiraling staircase in the center of the room, and a theatre sized television set. Talk about living the good life!

"Guess it's time to make myself comfortable." Sora said to himself, grinning. He couldn't wait to feel the softness of the expensive sofas in the den. When he approached the largest one in the room, he noticed a small table with several pictures on top of it. "Hmm. What do we have here? Photos from her hometown, huh?"

The thing that Sora immediately noticed was that most of the photos was taken around a school environment. The second thing he noticed were the many attractive girls in a majority of the pictures which made him blush. Telling from the impression of the photos, Shizuru was quite popular and must have had many friends. There was some pictures of her taken with amorous male students and there were many more with her female peers. There was a picture of a cute girl with short ginger hair and indigo eyes, and the fact that she was well endowed made Sora blush even more.

With the said girl, there was a younger girl with spiky hair that made her look boyish, but cute never or less. Sora got the immediate impression that they were inseparable as the dark haired girl was always clinging to the orange haired girl. More photos... more girls. There were some photos of a lovely blonde girl with wavy hair... but to him, she always seems kind of out of it because she constantly had a mean mug on her face. She even come across Sora as fastidious just by looking at her expressions. I definitely wouldn't want to be alone with her in a dark alley.

There was a nun, a group of class instructors, two girls that wear glasses-- one mischievous and the other seemingly shy. There was a girl with a bizarre hairstyle, and it made her look like an octopus somewhat. There was a alluring youth that constantly carries around a cellular phone. A raven haired girl that seem to be socially reclusive even grazed the faces of the photos. These people are definitely prominent in Shizuru memories.

"Ah. I see that you're scoping out the photos from my previous school." Came Shizuru's voice as she entered the den with a tray. "Your tea's ready."

"Thanks." Sora generously accepted the drink and gulped it down. "Yummy! Your tea's pretty good. It's definitely better than the tea that's in stock at the convenience stores. Could it be a recipe from your hometown?"

Shizuru seemed sad for a moment. "It's only a family recipe." She spoke, a little too softly-- even for her. " I remember back at my home... people always said that I make great tea. Where I came from... I..."

"Your hometown, your old friends... you miss them don't you?" Sora asked.

She clinched the hem of her skirt, introspective. "Yes Sora. Yes I do." She sighed. "It haven't even been half a year and I already miss everything about my home... everything."

"Why did your family decided to move here in the first place, Shizuru?"

"I guess..." She stood up from her place on a recliner, and made way to gaze out a glass door into the pouring rain. "I guess my parents did what they have to do, Sora."

"Man, that sounds a little rough." Sora sympathized, trying his best to avert his attention away from Shizuru's swaying hips as she walked. "If that would have happened to me, I probably wouldn't know what to do with myself."

Shizuru turned to survey the younger boy, taking in his expression. "You could have easily deceived me. You don't look like the indecisive type, Sora."

Sora pointed to himself. "I don't?"

"You remind me so much of my friend, you know? You have so much in common with her... and yet..." She trailed off, looking at the rain bathing the glass door from outside. "You're so different from her. Same differences... different similarities."

He was now skeptical. "Your friend. What happened to her?"

Shizuru slowly turned her attention from the stormy skies to the innocent boy in her house. "I don't know. I just don't know, Sora."

"Shizuru..."

There was a sudden terrifying thunderclap.

"ACK!" Sora shrieked and covered his ears.

Shizuru found this to be purely amusing. "There's no need to be afraid, Sora." She chuckled. "It's just thunder."

"Yeah, thunder that can scare the living crap out of you!" Sora retorted, thinking that he now looked like a total wuss in front of Shizuru.

"Ara... You're right about that. It looks like this storm is going to hang around for a few hours." She stated and then she stretched and yawned with a hand over her mouth. "As for me, I'm going to my room to catch a few winks. You're welcomed to stay as long as you want." She waved and headed up the stairs afterwards.

"Thanks a lot." Sora replied, grateful. "I really appreciate it." After Shizuru was out of sight. He took one last look at the small portraits on the table and thought about how could life be from where she from. I guess she's a little homesick. Moving away from your birthplace can do that to a person. He though about turning on the gigantic television set to tune in some music videos but he too found out that he was a little drained.

He yawned. Maybe I need to take a nap, myself. That doesn't sound like bad idea.

Moments later he dozed off to sleep.

KINGDOM HEARTS

"The time has finally come..."

Sora stirred in his sleep, disturbed. It was that voice again, the same one he heard in many recent dreams. "Sora..."

He slowly opened his eyes, this time he actually thought that he was hearing the voice for real. "Awaken, Key of Destiny... confront them. Confront the darkness."

Sora sat up in the couch, trying to ignore the voice in his head. Maybe he was still dreaming? "Darn it..." He grumbled. "It's that weird dream again." He shook himself to fight off the lethargy in his body and stood up, yawning widely. With a satisfied smirk, he was ready to go. It seems that the storm had passed over as well. "It's over. That's good news. I need to give my mom a call so I can let her know that I'm on my way."

Just as he was about to use his cell phone, the voice filled the air again, frighteningly enough it was real. "Sora, beware... they're after you."

Shock filled his being. This denies all logic! Sora wasn't crazy! "What the! Who's there?" He looked around the huge den in alarm.

"Sora... it is time." The voice spoke again. "The Awakening is near."

"What in the heck is going on?" Sora demanded, totally freaked out by the phenomenon he was now experiencing. "How could this be happening? Am I still dreaming?"

"This is indeed real, unfortunately." It was the voice again. "The moment of truth is now, Sora. Accept your fate."

Wasn't this something he saw straight out of a weird horror movie? "Huh?"

"Behind you!" The voice sounded alarmed this time.

Sora did as he was told and saw... something in the middle of the den. It looked like a puddle of tar... at first, that is, until it began pulsating and moving along the floor. Whatever it was, it was mending itself into a physical form. After mere moments of it's shapeless state, it finally finished it's metamorphism. Large blank golden eyes appeared on it's 'face' and when it saw the sight of Sora, it started hissing at him.

"It's huge!" Sora exclaimed in shock and disgust. "What is it, a bug?"

"No. It is the bane of everything in existence. It is the spawn of oblivion; the pure representation of the abyss-- the Heartless."

"Heartless?" Sora repeated the voice's words, staring at the menacing creature.

"Yes. Meet you enemy, Sora. And vanquish them."

The creature suddenly advances on Sora, nearly catching him off guard. He quickly sidestepped out of the creature's warpath and was skeptical on how to deal with it. "I can beat it?" He wondered. "How?"

"It will all come to you, Sora," The voice reassured. "Because you hold the key..."

"Man! That's just great! More riddles!" He locked his attention back at the creature, highly uncertain. It was still hissing at him. "Well... um... you want a piece of me?"

"Sora! Is everything okay down here?" Shizuru queried as she descended the staircase in a long, extra baggy navy colored tee shirt. When she approached ground level she laid eyes on the very thing that was causing the air of disturbance in the den. She gasped at the sight of the creature. "What in blazes--"

"Shizuru! Stay back!" Sora commanded, trying to figure a way to deal with the creature.

"That monster, how did it get here?" Shizuru said in a frightened tone. Sensing her fear, the Heartless instantly skewed it's attention at the brunette, hissing violently. "What does it want?" After she said that the creature sized her up and sprang at her.

"Shizuru!" Sora sprang into action behind the Heartless and delivered a diving punch on it. Hitting the thing as hard as he can, it evaporated. "I got him!"

"Sora! Behind you!"

"Huh? AHH!" The Heartless reappeared behind Sora and pounced him. "ARGH! Get off of me you stupid thing, you!" He struggled with the Heartless on top of him and he suddenly felt a strange sensation. As it was hissing and clawing at him, he felt a burning sensation in his chest. It felt as though his heart was trying to jump out of his chest, and he starts to feel dizzy. "What... what is this thing doing to me?"

Fortunately for him, the sensation ceased when the creature was brutally knocked off of him. It flew towards the huge television screen and crashed against it-- hissing in pain. Sora, wondering what may have caused it glanced up only to see Shizuru looking down at him... her expression was very imposing. "Huh?"

"On your feet." Shizuru's voice was hardened and her tan colored eyes as were now dull red. "It is not safe here, Sora. We going to have to flee from here."

"Shizuru...?" Sora breathed, awe struck by the hidden strength in the beautiful girl. He noticed a naginata as tall as her in her right hand. Her pleasant eyes even narrowed a bit. "What's up with all of this? I'm getting confused."

Shizuru lend Sora a hand and help him off the floor. "It looks like this is getting more dangerous by the minute. These creatures seem persistent." She pointed towards the glass doors and to Sora's shock there were dozens more of those Heartless things. "It's doubtful that I can take on all of them." She said. "We're going to have to leave for now."

Sora didn't exactly like how the plan sounds but he couldn't complain. "Right. I'm with you all the way. But... what are they? The Heartless?"

"I... don't know." Shizuru responded grimly. "The Heartless are what they're called?"

"Uh..." He was reluctant. Shouldn't he tell her that a voice in his head revealed the identity of the creatures to him? He was pretty sure that she would consider him insane. However, this was not the time to be thinking about personal sanity. "Look! Over there!"

Three Heartless had entered the mansion from the front entrance. "I'll handle them." Shizuru reassured. "Follow me as I clear the way."

"Hmm... Okay."

Immediately Shizuru rushed at the heartless, knocking them out of their way with her naginata. Sora was simply amazed at her speed. This wasn't the lovable Shizuru from far away that he knew! She is definitely full of surprises. What is she? "Sora!" Shizuru's voice snapped him back into reality. "C'mon! The coast is clear!"

"Coming!" He rushed after her, dashing out the front door of the estate. Once outside, they both noticed that the storm was trying to regain it's strength. "Aw man! It's raining again!"

"But we don't have any choice, Sora." Shizuru cautioned, pointing towards a huge alcove on the beach far across the street. "Maybe we can use that cave for shelter and haven. It's the closest place for our safety. Once we get there, I'll call for help."

Numerous Heartless began appearing around them. "Yeah, your plan sounds good. I can't complain."

Both of them made a beeline for the said place of refuge, nearly getting hit by traffic. Once they made it to the alcove on the beach, Sora noticed that the place was familiar to him. He remembered that Kairi, Riku, and himself used to hang out in the beach all the time and they also went spelunking in any caves that were on the beach. "Looks like we're safe."

"Yes. For now it seems..." Shizuru breathed. She sat down and leaned against the mineral walls of the cave. "Sora... I'm so scared right now." She admitted.

"You are? Really?" Sora rose a brow. He took this moment to study the weapon in Shizuru's grasp. "It doesn't seem like you are." He responded. "You've could have fooled me.

Shizuru blushed and slowly gazed at him. "You're quoting me, aren't you?"

Sora held up his hands in defense. " No. I'm not mocking you, Shizu--"

"It's okay." Shizuru laughed. "It's nothing to get angry over." She looks around the interior of the cave, appreciating it's natural allure. "This place is beautiful. I'd never knew that a simple formation of rock and dust could be this fascinating."

"Yeah. My friends and I are crazy about stuff like this." Sora grinned. "As a matter of fact, I thought that this cave was familiar." He looks around the surrounding, trying to familiarize something. "Hey Shizuru, follow me down this way." He pointed to a path the led deeper inside the cave.

The brunette was genuinely intrigued. "There's something you want to show me?" She rose to her feet and followed him.

"Yeah. It's this way." Sora lead her down the path for several minutes and they ended up on a dead end with several graffiti-like artwork on the cave wall. "I knew it! This is the place my friends and I used to hang out at!"

"There are names and burlesque mug sketches all over them. Amusing." Shizuru chuckled at a supposed sketch of Sora's face. "Hey, the likeness of this one is pretty close, wouldn't you say, Sora?"

Sora blushed. "Very funny. We were all joking on each other that day."

"Aw. Don't feel so bashful about it. You should be happy." Shizuru pinched his cheek. "There are many fond memories of your youth inside this cave, Sora. Cherish them for the rest of your lives. It's obvious that you have a place here."

"Yeah. You're right. I should do that." Sora agreed, but he grew cautious at the look on Shizuru's face as she was gazing in another direction. "Hey? What's up?"

"They're here!" She dreaded. "Those creatures followed us!"

"What?" He noticed that there was a horde of Heartless several meters before them and they were trapped. "Darn it! What is with those creeps? What do they want from us?" He was even more shocked to see Shizuru cackling. "Shizuru..."

"Humph... it looks like that it all comes down to this..."

Sora thought that the older girl was now delirious in the face of doom. "What are you talking about?"

The brunette held her naginata tight as she took a stance. "Sora... I'm going all out. Please forgive me."

"But-- you can't possible hope to take on-- WHOA!" The formation of the stone wall behind them suddenly eroded away and there was a violent vortex of wind that was sucking him in the dark depths. "AAAAAAHHHHH!"

Horrified, Shizuru tried to grab his hand but she didn't make it in time. " Eh? SORA!" She gasped in dismay. Tears of frustration appeared in her eyes. "SORA!"

And thus, Sora was consumed by the impending darkness, seemingly never to be seen again.

KINGDOM HEARTS

It was the very same place in his dreams. Darkness lapsed as far as his eyes could see. Plus, it comes to find out the he was now standing on an altar. Sora had never in his life been here before, but he was terribly familiar with this dimension. "This is the weird place in my dream. What is this place?" He demanded, expectant of answers.

The mysterious voice heeded him once again. "Why Sora, this is your destiny. This is the Altar of Awakening."

"The Altar of Awakening?" Sora wondered. "Will I ever return to Destiny Island?"

"All in due time..." Three portraits appeared magically out of nowhere. He noticed that there was a portrait of a staff, a sword, and a shield. "Wisdom... Strength... Security... chose wisely Sora. You're the only one that can defeat the Heartless. It's time for the awakening."

Finally, after being in this void for many hours, he was going to get answers. He took a deep breath. "Okay... here goes nothing..."

He reached for one of the portraits, sealing his fate. "Riku, Tidus, Zell, Wakka... Kairi... Shizuru... Mom... Will I see you all again?"

END OF CHAPTER

Next Time:

Sora acquires the Keyblade, a legendary weapon that the Heartless fear tremendously. After the Awakening 'ceremony', he finds himself in a mysterious new world. However, why is he confronting a cute, raven-haired biker chick? Plus, he befriends the most unusual of friends; a mallard magician and chivalrous canine... man thingy. Tune in next chapter.

Natsuki: "You got hell to pay for crashing into my bike."

PARADOX'S DISSONANCE

CHAPTER 2

TRAVERSING ADVERSITY