Okay, so here's the thing.

This story has AU elements that I surprised myself with. Not just a few. A LOT. At the end of chapter four, I have MOST of them listed. Not all of them though. I don't know what I'm going to do past chapter five, because this thing just writes itself...Anyways, I was looking at those elements and thought, "Would people get mad if I actually wrote this? Because I am basically rewriting almost every (if not actually every) aspect of Kingdom Hearts."

So, look at KH as you know it...and throw it out the window, because this fanfiction is probably gonna destroy its universe. Starting with this chapter.

And I am sorry if you start to hate this fanfiction, but I write for my enjoyment and because I want other people to enjoy reading stuff like this too! If you hate it, the most I can say is don't read it.

I may just be overreacting and being paranoid that people will start flaming me, but I just wanted to say it in case I'm right.

So, this chapter is relatively short, which is why it came out kinda early. Hope ya like it! :D

She was tired.

It had been a long day. Any problems had been dealt with immediately and efficiently, but perhaps it was because she had not gotten much sleep, or maybe she was just paranoid. But she felt exhausted.

During times like this, when she was restless, she enjoyed coming to this particular place: a lovely beach where the sunset could be perfectly captured. Right now she was sitting on a low hanging tree. Its fronds swayed in the wind, and it creaked gently beneath her weight. The pastel colors of red, orange, and pink were aesthetically pleasing to her, and she smiled gently. The soft wind and the fading warmth were perfect.

Then she sensed light.

Gasping softly, she turned her body around and pinpointed the source of the purity. "Impossible..." she breathed. "A child?"

Indeed, this untainted, pure heart was a child. She could hear his heartbeat thrumming beneath his skin, brimming with light. It was shocking to her. While most children she encountered had a good balance of it inside of them, this transcended her expectations. How could someone such as this go unnoticed?

He was engaging in a game of hide-and-seek with another boy. The boy turned around and started to count, and the light-hearted one giggled and ran away, skidding down the shores and nearing her. Her breath was stolen from her upon feeling how soft and loving the light was, and yet its intensity was almost beyond anything she'd ever sensed.

He neared her, and looked up at the tree, and then at her. "Can you help me hide?" he asked, his eyes shining like a perfect blue sky.

She blinked, then smiled. "How so?"

He pointed up at the top of the tree, where it curled back over their heads. "If I hide up there, no one'll ever find me!" He bounced on his toes at the prospect.

The woman chortled. "Sure. Just be careful. I'll help you up."

"Yay!"

She helped him climb the tree, where he nestled in the fronds. Making sure no one would notice, she cast two silent spells: one that made sure his damage would be reduced if he fell, and another that created illusion that he wasn't there.

The other boy finished counting, and one of the first places he checked was the beach. He looked up at the woman with curious eyes. She sensed a good deal of light within him as well.

"Have you seen anyone come by here?" he asked.

She smiled at him. "Sorry, young one." It wasn't an outright lie, at least.

He tilted his head, but ran off in the opposite direction. She released the spells and helped the light-hearted boy down from the tree. "Good job. You stayed quiet."

"Thank you!" he beamed, as bright as the essence in his heart. "Now he'll never find me and I'm gonna win~!"

She couldn't help but laugh. She sat on the trunk again, and he scrambled to sit beside her, swinging his legs. "The sunset is so pretty!" he chirped.

"I agree," she smiled at him again. "Do you come here often?"

"Uh-huh! With my mom and my friends, so we can play games!"

"That sounds nice."

"It's great!"

She looked back at the horizon again. She felt like there was something she should do...after all, this child held so much light, and with it, potential.

Yet there was the careful order she'd been instructed to keep...

'But what if the darkness spreads here?'

Everything was safe- for now. It might be some time, but the darkness always returned and tried to overpower the light.

She made her decision.

"I have something to show you," she said. "Will you keep it a secret?"

"Ooooh! I love secrets!" he grinned, "I'm awesome at keeping them."

She held out her hand, and light particles swirled around her fingers before taking physical form. In her hand now was a beautiful key, carved with precision. Its colors were similar to the sunset's.

The boy eyes widened, "Oh, wow! So pretty! What is it?"

"It's called a Keyblade."

"Wow..."

"Would you like to hold it?"

"Yes!" He reached out eagerly, and she handed the special weapon to him. For a moment she felt his light wash over herself, and then he had taken it completely.

He stared at it in awe. She went by his side and gripped another part of the hilt.

"In your hand, take this Key. So long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking, its wielder you shall one day be."

His gaze went from the key to her, slightly puzzled. She sighed in relief as the key enveloped them in a soft glow. This boy would be able to wield a similar weapon now as well.

But not yet.

She remembered one of her friends had also chosen someone, but since there was no need for other wielders yet, they had cast a spell to make them forget. So she decided to do that as well.

"I'm glad to have met you, young one," she said softly, then placed her hand on his forehead. His eyelids fluttered and drooped.

"You may not remember what has transpired, but your memories will not truly expire. They'll be concealed and locked away, until one certain day. When they are needed again, you will find them, my friend. But for now, let these thoughts and new ability be hidden. When the danger comes alive, to your heart you'll dive, and the lock will be overridden."

The boy's eyes turned glassy. The woman now had two minutes before he regained consciousness. Any memories of her had been substituted with fake ones with just him and the seeking boy.

She walked away and smiled. This was to be her successor. Perhaps she would come back and speak to him, one day.

And then she vanished from the shore.