Author's Note-Fluff-sama! –huggles plushie and grins- Thank you, DemonSurfer! Sessho is my favorite Inuyasha character! To everybody, I've been writing quite a bit lately, so I'm hoping that my final draft won't catch up with my rough draft any time soon. My schedule for this semester in school had to change so I could have some more academic classes instead of electives, but hopefully the work won't bog me down. I'm still wondering if anybody would be interesting in reading the prologue that my friend and I are in the process of writing (but it would probably come after this fanfic is finished.) If you would, just let me know and I'll post it. I still don't own Kingdom Hearts. If I did, then KH2 would probably be like this. Anyways, please read and review.

"Thank god, it's cooling down." Tam said, looking through what was left of dusk's weak light. She shivered slightly and rubbed her arms. "But now it's getting cold." She whimpered.

Taro glanced over at her, then shrugged and took off his coat. He then draped it onto her shoulders. "There. That should keep you warm," he said.

Tam blinked, then blushed slightly. "Don't worry about me, Taro… You need the coat for yourself-you're the one with short sleeves."

Taro shrugged. "I guess, but…strangely enough, I'm not really all that cold. I don't mind," he replied. He looked around, having to squint through the darkness now.

Bagheera noticed Taro's disadvantage of being unable to see in the dark. "Let's stop," he advised. "We should all get some rest, anyway."

"But we can probably keep going for at least another hour." Taro argued, defiant.

"Do all mancubs act like this? Always arguing? I won't even bother. Baloo, I'm taking these mancubs up into the trees. They should be safe up there." Bagheera said.

"From what? Shere Kahn? They already said they took care of him," Baloo said.

"From the Heartless," Bagheera explained.

"So what am I down here? Chopped liver?" Baloo asked, wrinkling his nose.

"Don't tell me you're wimping out on us now," Bagheera said.

"If you think you could find a tree around here that's big enough for you…" Tam said, looking around. "Although it's highly doubtful."

Baloo grinned and shook his head. "Nah. Just givin' you guys a hard time. I'll watch the base-you guys just make sure to watch the treetops," he said.

"Yes, I think we pretty much found out the hard way that that would be the smart thing to do. -.-;" Taro said dryly.

"Well, come along, then." Bagheera said, leaping up gracefully into the tree.

Tam followed, a surprisingly high jump that took her up into the tree. Taro followed by jumping up, wrapping his hands around the lowest tree branch, and then scrambling up. Bagheera eyed the teens with a bit of surprise and even slight suspicion. Taro shrugged.

"My dad always did say I was a tiger, whatever that is." He said, as if that mere statement explained everything.

"You don't know what a tiger is?" Bagheera asked in slight disbelief.

"No. Sorry to say, but we don't really get a whole lot of wild animals in the world of Twilight Town. My parents spoke of tigers and stuff, but I don't know what they are." Taro replied dryly.

"A tiger would be Shere Kahn." Bagheera replied. Taro made a face.

"I think I hate my dad now..."

Tam smiled and shook her head.

Sora jumped up and tried to grab onto the branch. Missed, then jumped again. His hands just brushed the wood.

"Here, Spiky-Head. Let me help you." Baloo said, grabbing Sora and lifting him up.

Sora looked down at the bear, then grinned a bit sheepishly. "Thanks," he said.

"No problem. You kids just get some sleep." Baloo chuckled.

Tam nodded and nimbly scampered up higher into the tree. She yawned. "'Night, you guys." She said.

"Goodnight." Taro said. But he didn't sleep. Rather, he watched everybody settle down to sleep, instead. When all was still, he looked up. Through the treetops, he could see fragments of the pale, full moon, occasionally covered by black, wispy clouds.

This is all just crazy, he thought. I'm just sixteen. Why am I doing all of this? What was I thinking when I took this job?

He didn't feel at all sleepy. On the contrary, he was feeling quite restless. He couldn't exactly toss and turn, not on the branch he was sitting on. He sighed, ran a hand through his hair, and quietly, carefully, so as not to move the branch and wake Bagheera, he climbed down. He looked around, sure that he'd be unable to see without light, but willing to take a walk and try it anyway.

Off to the side, he suddenly heard a twitch, a rustle in the trees. He whirled around, spun on one heel. His black keyblade glinted in the moonlight, but his silver one glowed, illuminated. At the following silence, he narrowed his eyes and muttered, "Damn, I'm getting paranoid. Glad my friends aren't here; they'd laugh at me. There hasn't been a single Heartless spotted on this planet…"

Another rustle in the trees. Taro turned again. Then again, as far as I know, they may only come out at night, he thought.

A sudden hiss. Taro frowned. "A snake…?" he murmured.

"Hello, young mancub." A voice said. Taro took a step back, looking around in the vain attempt to spot the speaker.

"I should have known. Another talking animal…" Taro said.

"You don't ssseem ssso sssurprisssed."

"Well, once you've met a talking bear, a talking tiger, a talking black kitty, a whole bunch of literally chattering monkeys, a talking snake isn't all that surprising," Taro said.

"You sssound extra cautiousss."

"Yeah. One: How often does the average person of average intelligence trust a snake? Two: Your snake lisp is getting really annoying."

"Well excussse me for being a sssnake," The snake retorted.

Taro shrugged. "I'm just sayin'. So, what's your name, snake?"

"Kaa. And you, mancub?"

"Taro." Taro replied.

"I sssee. And what bringsss you here at thisss part of the jungle?"

"Well…I started out looking for my friends. But I haven't seen them, so I guess they're not on this world. So now some other friends and I are looking for the keyhole to get rid of the Heartless," Taro explained. He blinked and frowned. Wait. Why was he telling all this to a complete stranger? This snake could be an enemy for all he knew.

"The keyhole, huh? I've ssseen it. Jussst follow me," said Kaa.

"How can I trust you?" Taro demanded.

"Don't worry. Of courssse you can trussst me." Kaa replied.

Taro blinked. The eyes that had grown used to the dark were starting to blur. Why…?

"Relax. Don't be ssso uptight. Jussst trussst me." Kaa soothed.

Taro felt himself waver and his keyblades slip from his fingers. Something was wrapping around him, but he didn't struggle, didn't push it away. So weary… He suddenly felt so very tired, so very sleepy…

And his mind gradually yet so suddenly slipped into darkness…

-----

A white-haired boy stumbled to a stop, then turned, his bladed staff in his hand. His blond-haired teacher grinned back at him. "…Alright.. Try again. But think this time," she said.

The eight year-old paused, then ran at her. He suddenly leapt up, jumped into the air before he got to her, then landed behind her, turned, and swung. The blade met air as his teacher jumped up and flipped into the air, landing a few feet away, the grin still on her face.

"Good," she commented.

"Good? How was that 'good?' You were still able to dodge," the boy demanded.

"You think I'd just let you hit me?" the teacher asked, her green eyes a bit laughing.

"But you didn't even try fighting back!"

"I don't wanna hurt you, Yuki-chan.. Not yet.." the teacher said.

"Stop calling me that! And you don't have to worry about me; I'll be fine." The boy replied confidently.

His teacher's eyes narrowed at him. "If you really think so." She said a bit warningly, skepticism replacing the laughter in her eyes.

"I know so!" the boy shot back.

"Fine." With that, the teacher attacked.

-----

"Hello? Anybody home?"

"Hm?" Yukiro asked, snapping out of his thoughts.

Jessie blinked. "…You okay?" she asked, watching him curiously.

Yukiro straightened, regaining his composure. "I'm fine. What's going on?" he asked.

"Rufus has woken up. Vincent's with the others. They're all waiting, but if you'd rather just get some sleep or something…" Jessie started.

"No, that's okay." Yukiro said, standing up. "Let's just go." With that spoken, he walked out, Jessie following.

As they entered the room, the bound blonde man-Rufus-glared up at them.

Yukiro glanced over at Red XIII. "He just woke up?" he asked.

Red XIII nodded. "Yes."

Yukiro turned to face Rufus with a nod. "You are Rufus Shinra, are you not?" he inquired.

"Yes." Rufus replied.

"Did a Dark Knight assign you to this place to attack it? It's a bit unusual that you decided to come here in person."

"This is my planet-"

"No, it is Kingdom Gaia's planet. You are merely head of the base stationed here." Yukiro shot back. "A position that is soon to be denied. Now tell me: who sent you?"

"I've always lived on this world, but I did become a Dark Knight recently. A man with red hair recently told me that my ancestor was one. With the help of him and the Heartless," Rufus explained, unable to hide the traces of a smirk, "I am now one, too."

Yukiro and Vincent exchanged glances. Finally Yukiro sighed. "A descendant," He said.

"What?" Barret asked.

"There was once a Dark Knight in our kingdom with the same name and face as the one we have captured. This guy isn't him, but merely his descendant." Yukiro explained. He looked back down at Rufus. "This red-haired man-what was his name?" he asked.

"Chaos," Rufus replied.

"Was he the leader?"

"No," came a weak voice from the door. Everyone looked over to see Riku, one hand gripping the doorframe to steady himself. "Chaos is not the leader. He's just the psycho that takes orders from only the second-in-command."

"Riku, you shouldn't be up yet…" Jessie said, starting over to him.

"I'm fine."

"You were shot," Yukiro said.

"Didn't even feel it," Riku replied.

"I believe it. I'm not surprised," Yukiro said, almost casually. "But you have lost a lot of blood, and that should be enough to weaken even a Dark Knight."

"I've lost more blood than this before," Riku said. "Let's just deal with the matters at hand."

"What's going to stop the Heartless?" Barret asked.

"Destroying the source," Vincent answered.

"Rufus?"

"No. The greater, more ancient darkness. Killing Rufus would only make the Heartless run wild without a master. However, it would probably decrease their number drastically if we could find and seal the keyhole to this world," Vincent responded. "But we do not have a keyblade wielder."

"Actually, we do," Yukiro said, glancing back over at Riku.

Riku shook his head. "I don't think so. I can't summonmy keybladeanymore, much less use it right," he objected.

Yukiro sighed. "Then we should at least put a protective barrier over it until another wielder can come by and seal it. Does anyone know where it may be?" he asked, looking around at everyone in the room.

"I doubt it, but I am sure that Grandfather will probably know." Red XIII said.

"Grandfather?"

He's a man named Bugenhagen at Cosmo Canyon, my home," Red XIII replied.

Yukiro nodded. "I see…" he said. He nodded over at Vincent. "Let's go."

As he and Vincent started out, Riku said, "Wait!" Yukiro stopped and turned to look at the boy.

"…I'm going, too," Riku said.

"It is probably dangerous. You're too weak to go. You've done your part, so go back and rest." Yukiro reprimanded.

"I've had worse. I'm going with you guys and that's that," Riku argued.

Riku and Yukiro glared at each other with equal stubbornness. Finally Barret sighed.

"Just let the kid go. I'll cover him-you'll need me to install the new gummi engine anyway," he said.

"But he'll just get in the way!" Yukiro argued.

"Yukiro." Vincent said. Yukiro looked over at him. "Time is not a luxury and therefore, we do not have time to argue. Let us just go with Barret's idea."

Yukiro frowned, hesitating, then sighed in defeat. "Fine." He said, a bit exasperated. He turned to Riku, glaring a little. "Just remember, I'm not going to babysit you. At least, not more than I already am."

"…Don't worry, you won't have to. Just give me my staff and let's go," was Riku's cold reply.

Yukiro shoved the staff into Riku's hands and walked out. Barret, Vincent, Riku, and Red XIII paused, then followed.

Author's Note- -sigh- I tried and yet failed to get this out before Thursday. Blast. But oh well, I did get it out, and I made this chapter a bit longer than usual, or at least I tried to. The rough draft seems to be doing well. I've been working hard on it lately. –nodnod- So I'll try to post more often and write more. In the meantime, just be sure to review. Ja ne!