Kingdom Hearts Light Of Nome

Chapter 3:Complications

After their frankly disastrous escapade in the town that night,Sora was getting fed up with the town's attitude towards Balto. He had no idea why Balto would stay in this place when they treated him so terribly just for being different. As they continued to stare at the stars Sora took a look at Balto and asked with a concerned tone "Balto,I've seen what you have to go through here. Why do you stay here when they treat you like that?"

Balto's happy energetic smile turned into a frown as he got up and sat by the edge of the hill they were on and hung his head. He sighed somberly and confessed his reasoning to Sora "I never knew my parents,ever since they left or whatever,it's been just me and Borris. Because I'm a half breed,no one wants me. No one…...wants to be near me. All except for Jenna,she's been what's kept me here,she's the only dog who can look past...this and actually care for me." Balto started to get more and more uplifted as he let his feelings out and soon he turned to Sora and said "You know I'm...I'm actuslly glad you'll listen to me too. Thanks Sora."

"No problem Balto. You know I think we should get back to the boat,it's starting to snow. Plus you need to rest for your big race tomorrow.

"You too if you're coming with us. If Borris sees me gone again he'll never let me hear the end of it."

The next morning they got up very early so Balto could do practice runs across the frozen wasteland,so Sora could try and get used to the cold by staying in it for a while,and for them to practice fighting together incase they come across those monsters again,of course with Sora not telling Balto about what they were. It was starting to become dawn as all the townspeople gathered to see another race by the town's finest dogs,it was a fairly cloudy morning as the sun was giving off a pink shade to the ground and the clouds that loomed above them.

All the dogs sat up straight like army men so Steele could walk past and inspect them for proper appearances. Since Steele was already seen as the town hero,he was already guaranteed to be on the team so there was no need for him to race. Meanwhile Jenna was watching along with another dog,this was a smaller dog than her,Steele,Balto,or the other dogs in general,along with white and purple fluffy fur. This was Dixie,she was a complete fangirl for Steele who would always try and get on his good side but would only get a tail brush along with all the other female dogs.

"Just look at him. He's gonna save the whole town then return here to the finish line. He's positively...magnesium." She said confidently to which Jenna replied "It's not exactly a one-dog show Dixie. They're racing to see who's gonna be on the dog sled team."

"What's with you,Jenna? Steele's a genuine hero. But do you give him a sniff?"

"That's because Jenna is running with Balto." Another dog interrupted to the shock of was a much taller dog than either of them,she had white and brown fur with very long ears. Sylvie was just as much a fangirl for Steele as Dixie was,but she wasn't as energetic as Dixie and was more of a slow talker.

"She was seen in the boiler room the other night with Balto and some other boy with a giant key. They went in together and they left together. I heard it from a very reliable source and don't bother to deny it."

"Well then I won't." Jenna admitted to a still shocked Dixie and even surprised Sylvie as she whispered "I'm speechless."

"All mushers get your dog's ready! The race is about to begin!" The referee shouted as out in the distance Balto,Sora,and the others were examining the lineup.

"Wait Balto! Racing is a spectator sport. It requires very little preparation. You sit,you arrange refreshments. You like Potato chip?" Borris tried to discourage Balto while he ate a soap flake he thought was a chip while Sora continued to encourage Balto to race.

"Come on Balto,you get out there and show those dogs who's boss. In fact I think you could get the medicine back here all by yourself." Sora said to which Balto agreed "Sora's right Borris,I'm not watching the race. I'm running it."

"You said what?!" Borris exclaimed while Balto retorted "Hey look me and Sora want to help Rosie get better. We can get the medicine through." He said this in a very determined tone as he practiced jumping on a fence but Borris was not impressed.

"First,they wouldn't put you in a sled team even if you did win which won't happen. And if it did,it wouldn't matter."

"Borris. Did you ever think maybe you're the reason the other geese fly south?" Sora asked while Balto and the others laughed in agreement to Borris's annoyance "If only your feet were as fast as your mouths."

Balto turned his head away once he heard a whistle blow and a man say "Dogs to the line!"

"They're starting. Good luck Balto!" Sora exclaimed when Balto ran off to head to the starting line while Borris retorted "Luck? I only wish you sense! Good luck kiddo." as he stared off at the dog.

Sora was with Donald and Goofy as they jumped back onto a building to see the race since it was still just as crowded as the day they came here.

"Do you think he's gonna win?" Goofy asked to which Sora replied "Of course he will,he's Balto. Part of me really wishes we could take him to a better world. The way they treat him here is horrible."

"You know we can't do that Sora." Donald said as Sora realized this and just hung his head but he got enthusiastic again once he saw that Balto had got in the starting line. However Sora got nervous when he saw that he was by Nikki and Kaltag,he thought those dogs were no good bullies that brought out Balto's inner darkness the day before and that they'd try to do something.

"Balto?! What are you nuts? Steele catches you here he's gonna turn you into kibble!" Kaltag exclaimed as he strangely showed genuine concern for Balto while the other dogs looked at him with confusion and Nikki simply stated "Let the half-dog run. It will be fun making him eat our snow." Balto paid no attention to this as the referee shot the gun that signified that the race had started.

Instantly all the dogs bolted off at a incredible speed but Jenna had noticed Balto he joined and Dixie just wondered what he was doing there. Balto was a little ways behind Nikki and Kaltag but he was starting to catch up as they huddled together to block him. Balto however tried to to cut in by Nikki's right side and managed to catch up to them,they were directly tied for first,second,and third place. Sora and the others were watching with a mixture of excitement and worry but Sora always kept a enthusiastic grin as he shouted "Go Balto!" while Borris and the others eventually joined in.

The three dogs were right on each other's tails as they reached a lake area,Nikki being the bully he was,kicked Balto off the track and onto the ice,but since they were out of view of the people no one saw…..except for Sora,Donald,Goofy,and Borris. "Hey that's cheating!" Sora yelled to which Borris agreed "That was a foul! Where's the referee? Is he blind?"

Balto was sliding everywhere but he eventually stopped as he was long behind the other dogs but he didn't give up. Luckily for him he stopped in front of a set of wooden pillars that were frozen in the ice,he got up and managed to climb and jump on the pillars as the others as well as Jenna who had followed the dogs cheered on.

"Go Balto!" Jenna and Borris shouted as Sora thinking to himself that if the dogs could cheat,they could. When he saw that the dogs were getting close to the finish line and that Balto was catching up,he got an idea. As Balto continued to jump on the pillars to reach the land,Sora jumped across the buildings to where the dogs were. Once he got at a comfortable distance he cast stop on the dogs which froze them all in place despite them not knowing it to Borris and Jenna's confusion,but appreciation at the same time. Balto jumped on a barrel that was in the ice once he ran out of pillars to jump on and it provided a nice boost to the land. The others looked at him with confusion as he didn't get back on the track and instead took a "shortcut" by climbing up a ladder to a boat that towered above the dogs in their frozen states,he jumped right off and back in first place as the spell broke and Nikki stopped in shock once he saw that Balto was back in the race. However the other dogs didn't stop and jumped right onto Nikki planting his mouth full of snow as Sora smiled and joked "Who's eating snow now mutt?!"

Thanks to Sora's little trick and Balto's little short cut,he was now in first place and the other dogs were long behind him as he bolted right through the finish line,Balto had won the race and was the fastest dog. Everyone roared with applause especially Sora as Borris celebrated "Did I teach him well? I could kiss that crazy pooch!"

Sora jumped down onto the track to a very exhausted but happy Balto. "Way to go Balto! I knew you could do it!" Sora laughed as Balto stared off to see a smiling Jenna. Sora and Balto turned around to see Steele walking towards them as he ordered "Okay,Nikki,Kaltag,Star,move it. We're strapping up."

"Hey now just a second here Steele. I was the fastest dog." Balto explained while Sora added "Yeah,and be beat your cronies too." This caused Steele to slowly shake his neck and his eye twitched with anger and frustration but he tried to revert back to his "classy" demeanor.

"You were the fastest….what?" Do you honestly think any musher would put you on his team? Your even more mixed up than I thought."

"Hey Balto's a lot more than just a half breed. He's a lot more than what you snobs think and if he wants to help us then give him the opportunity for once." Sora argued trying to defend Balto but Steele simply walked up to Sora and said "You really are something kid. I don't know why you can talk to us or what you're doing here…...but I make the rules here. And if you do anything to humiliate me like you did last night….then I can assure you that you won't leave this town alive." Steel growled but he stopped when he heard Jenna call his name and belittle him for his behavior.

"It doesn't matter who's on the team as long as the medicine gets through. Stop being such a glory hound."

"Yeah for someone who's supposed to be a town hero you sure seem to be risking these kids just for the sake of getting more attention and your stupid "rules"." Sora added to which Steele responded to Jeanna "Your a hundred percent right Jenna I- I- I wasn't thinking about those children. The important thing here is to get the medicine through and that's what I'm gonna do." Steele muttered this in a manner that sounded like it was hurting him to say it as he turned to Balto and whispered "And when I come back I'm gonna fold you five ways….and leave you for a cat toy."

Soon the referee came to examine the winner as Steele proceeded to growl at Balto. Sora and the half breed were confident that he would see the good in Balto but Steele had stomped in Balto's foot which caused him to growl in pain which revealed all his teeth.

"Ah,we can't trust this one. He's part wolf,you see those teeth? He might turn on me. Nikki,Kaltag,Star,be ready to go in a few hours. Sora and Balto looked at Steele in anger as he smiled and proceeded to follow the referee. Sora was feeling very tempted to pounce onto Steele and knock his lights out but he knew it wouldn't end well since there were so many people around. However he did shout at the top of his lungs "You rotten scum!" which Steele or the referee paid no attention to as they continued to walk off. Soon all the townspeople started to leave to continue their daily activities as Jenna walked up to Balto "Balto,I'm sorry."

"Better not talk to me Jenna. I might turn on you."

"Balto wait!"

"Just leave me alone…..please." Balto pleases as Jenna slowly but surely walked off as Balto and Sora continued to sit in the street alone in their own thoughts.

Nikki,Kaltag,Star and all the other dogs of the town walked up to the two as Nikki remarked "Did you think you had a chance getting in with the top dogs like us? You halfbreeds must have some major screws loose up stairs!" All the dogs howled with laughter as Sora and Balto didn't even look at them since Sora was too angry to think while Balto was too depressed to do anything.

Kaltag added "You said it,you would add nothing to the team and would only have slowed us down. Hey why don't we let your mother know of the situation?" The dogs started to howl like they did the other day but it seemed like every dog in the town was howling as Sora tried to once again leave with Balto but like before Balto started to growl. Sora knew that this wasn't good since Balto was starting to shake violently almost as if he was vibrating and darkness again started to flow out of his mouth and nose.

"No Balto,don't do this again! They don't know anything about you and they don't deserve to be in your life!" Sora looked Balto in his eyes to try and stop him but he didn't say a word. Like before his eyes started to glow amber and his appearance was starting to change. The other dogs were still howling as Nikki,Kaltag,and Star were just laughing at each other's jokes and Balto had finally had enough as he viciously growled "Shut up."

"Balto please stop!" Sora pleaded but Balto had completely shut off Sora from his surroundings and was only focused on the dogs.

"What did you say?"

Balto's anger was starting to cause pebbles to rise from the ground and his claws and teeth were once again growing to ridiculous sizes as he shouted at the top of his lungs "I SAID SHUT UP!"

A massive explosion of darkness enveloped Balto as it formed a pillar that touched the sky. The other dogs along with Sora backed away in fear but Nikki was too paralyzed to do anything. Once the pillar had faded away all that was there was a much taller,much wider,much bigger,and much more vicious Balto. He had completely given into the darkness in his heart and had become a completely different beast. His fur was pitch back like before,it was so black that not even the brightest sunlight could reflect off him,his teeth and claws were razor sharp and his eyes were yellow with no pupils. He had grown significantly taller and was foaming darkness from his mouth,nose,and even his ears. The other dogs had long run away by this point but Nikki was standing completely still since he was too scared to move as Balto said in a ghostly deep demonic voice "I will make you suffer!"

Balto proceeded to run towards Nikki with the intent to kill but Sora was not having it. He hated Nikki's guts but even then he couldn't fathom the idea of Balto killing him. Just as Balto was about to sink his teeth into Nikki,Sora jumped right in front of him keyblade in hand as Balto snapped his jaws clean onto it.

"Nikki! Get outta here!" This snapped Nikki out of his daze and once he saw what Sora was facing he bolted off as Balto threw Sora and the keyblade off. He tried to chase right after Nikki but Sora grabbed the keyblade and cast stop freezing Balto in place. Sora got in front of Balto to try and convince him to snap out of it "Balto stop! You don't know what your doing this isn't you!" but the spell had broken as Balto dashed right through Sora throwing him a good distance.

Once he landed on the ground he was surprised to see that he landed on Balto as he was running at a incredible speed that even surpassed him during the race. Balto was frantically searching for Nikki as Sora tried to hang on to Balto's fur as he made rapid sharp turns and high jumps. Balto was shouting stuff like "Come On Out!" and Sora was hitting him with the keyblade to no results,this was bad,Balto was now a monster and Sora didn't know what to do. Balto soon managed to find Nikki hiding in a alleyway along with the other dogs as they cowered in fear of him. Balto smiled and showed off his teeth as Sora got off and tried to protect the dogs.

"Balto,I won't let you hurt them. All the stuff they've done to you is terrible,your whole life must have been terrible because of them I bet that. But this is not you and I will not let you hurt them!" Sora said trying to get through to Balto but he ignored him as his claws started to grow even longer.

"I don't wanna do this Balto! Don't make me do this!"

"Balto!"

"Jenna!" Jenna had seen and heard what was going on and it hurt her to see that this was Balto as she tried to approach them.

"Jenna stay back!" Sora told her to do so but she ran to Balto to try and talk some sense into him but before she could get close enough to do so Balto hit her as he knocked her into a wall.

"Jenna! Balto stop your hurting Jenna!" Once Balto heard this he stopped and turned his head towards Jenna as she got up with apparently a broken leg. Once he saw Jenna he slowly started to revert,the realization of him hurting someone as close to him as Jenna was the breaking point. Not even Sora had that big of a impact on him.

Once Balto had completely reverted back to normal he had tears in his eyes as he walked over to Jenna. They stared at each other for a bit before he whispered "I'm sorry." Before Jenna could respond he ran off to be alone as the other dogs started to come out.

Sora took a look at the other dogs as Nikki asked "What was that?"

Sora simply frowned and replied "Isn't it obvious? That's what you turned Balto into. That's what all of you have done," as he ran off to find Balto. Nikki,Kaltag,and Star simply stared at each other as Star did the honor of hitting himself in the head as he had already felt bad for what they have done.

Steele meanwhile had not even known of what had happened and simply basked in his glory,he didn't know the consequences of toying with Balto and simply wanted him off the team. He was staring off into the distance as he was thinking of all the glory he'd bask in once he got back and cured the kids of their sickness,in reality he didn't really care about the kids he just wanted to be known as the dog who saved them.

"What a smart dog." A mysterious voice came in as Steele jumped up and examined his surroundings trying to find it.

"Who's there?!"

"My identity is not important." The voice replied as a dark portal opened to reveal Saix.

"Your that man that infected those kids. What do you want?"

"I merely want to help you."

"I seriously doubt that."

"Believe me if you wish but know this. That half-breed wants to take Jenna away from you. You know that she has a more leaning towards wolf….should you see him again…..don't hold back. Don't let him take her away." Those were the last words Saix said to Steele before he disappeared into another dark portal.

End of Chapter 3. This chapter took a lot longer to make and I apologize. I just have stuff to do and I can't write every day. Stay tuned for more as I have more projects I want to work on alongside this.