Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts…only Bella

"Aw, you're slipping Leon," called out a voice from an unseen source as Leon fell to one knee after losing his balance. A young woman flipped out off a balcony above a small café where she had watched the fight carefully. "Hey Bella, what's up?"

"Hi, Yuffie," Bella greeted. She slapped the hand easily in a sort of high-five and stood over Sora bending down over him. "That was really pathetic. I thought he was sloppy in the other district, but this was just plain embarrassing."

"I went easy on him," Leon commented. He was lying. Bella had seen him fight before, harder than this, but nowhere close to his full potential according to Yuffie. Who knew what kind of past he had to be able to fight like that. Bella didn't want to know, but was glad he had such skill. It sure came in handy in times like these.

The three stood over Sora, worry etched on their faces. Leon spoke first, voicing what they were all thinking.

"Looks like things are worse than we thought," he muttered darkly. "A lot worse."

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Leon had carried Sora to the second district and Bella held the Keyblade carefully. Yuffie bounded ahead of them, keeping a sharp eye out for danger. Nothing stirred in the shadows. Leon's theory of getting the Keyblade out of Sora's possession to defer the little imps was spot on, and Bella was grateful for the chance to be somewhat safe.

The group made their way swiftly to the hotel rooms Leon had booked and put Sora on the bed. Bella leaned the Keyblade against the wall respectfully. Now all that was left was to wait for him to wake up and start asking questions. This was going to be a long night.

The door to the adjoining room opened and another female popped her head through the doorway. Her long brown hair was twisted into a braid down her back and secured with pink ribbons. She glanced briefly at the unconscious Sora and brought her attention back to Leon.

"Leon, the others are here," she said softly in a musical voice. "A duck and a dog. I think they are here under the king's orders. Shall I speak with them and explain the situation?"

"Are you sure it's them? They aren't heartless in disguise?" Leon questioned.

"I'm positive," she confirmed.

"Fine, then," Leon said. "Be careful, Aerith. Call if you need us."

Aerith nodded once and hurried back through the door to get the ones she needed to speak to. Bella sighed and leaned against the wall, sinking down to the floor. How boring.

"Be honest Leon," she said suddenly. He looked up at her from his seat at the small table in the center of the room. "Just how much trouble are we in?"

"A lot," he said vaguely. "This is just a kid. The Keyblade chose a little kid as its master. All our hopes for survival and the survival of every other world out there rest with him. He can barely fight. He has a few skills, but it's nowhere close to powerful enough to stop what's coming."

"The big bad," Bella murmured. "This sucks."

"No kidding," Yuffie replied, poking Sora swiftly, attempting to wake him up. "What are we supposed to do now?"

"Give him more experience and make him get stronger, I suppose," Bella said, whacking her head against the wall. "I know I'm still no great shakes when it comes to a fight, but I picked some things up. Maybe he can do the same. He's already got the basics down, which is more than I knew. He'll learn."

"That's the way it works for everyone," Leon agreed. "We aren't born completely equipped to fight. Everyone has to learn to gauge their own power against the enemy and how to exploit weaknesses and defeat the enemy. This kid will have to do the same."

"Sora," Bella interrupted suddenly. "He hates that nickname. Just call him Sora."

As if in response to his name, Sora began to stir on the bed, groaning a little. Yuffie walked over to him, standing over the younger male expectantly.

"Come on, lazy bum," she ordered. "Wake up!"

Sora opened his eyes, squinting against the brightly light of the room. He raised one hand to cover them, slightly dazed still.

"You okay?" Yuffie asked. Being hit by Leon was like being hit by a truck. Sora couldn't have been feeling his best right then.

"I guess," Sora muttered, rubbing the spot where he was hit gingerly. He winced when he felt the bump. Well, at least there was no blood.

"Those creatures that attacked you are after the Keyblade," Yuffie explained slowly. "But it's your heart they really want, because you wield the Keyblade."

Sora seemed to ignore her words, just staring at Yuffie in complete wonder and relief before speaking. "I'm so glad you're okay, Kairi."

Bella snorted into her arms that were crossed over her knees. Oh yeah, this boy was cracked.

"Kairi?" Yuffie exclaimed, clearly offended at having been mistaken for another girl. "Who are you talking about? I'm the great ninja Yuffie."

Sora shook his head, clearing his vision and looked at "Kairi" again. Red crept up his cheeks as the embarrassment took over. "Whoops."

"I think you might've overdone it, Squall," Yuffie said with an annoyed huff as she flopped down on the bed next to Sora, who had moved into a sitting position and was now looking around the room.

"That's Leon," Leon reminded her. He wasn't Squall anymore.

"Whatever," Bella muttered. "Get back to the part about the Keyblade."

"The Keyblade," Yuffie murmured. "Yeah, we had to get it away from you to shake off those creatures. It turns out, that's how they were tracking you."

"It was the only way to conceal your heart from them," Leon interjected. He picked up the Keyblade, holding it lightly. "But it won't work for long. Still hard to believe that you of all people are the chosen one."

He swung the Keyblade through the air and it disappeared in a shimmer of light and rematerialized in a surprised Sora's hands. He studied the Keyblade and looked up at Leon with an even more confused look on his face.

"Well, I suppose beggars can't be choosers," Bella commented. She received a dirty look from Sora at that, but she ignored it.

"Why don't you start making sense?" Sora demanded angrily. He was being made fun of and he didn't like it. And he was still a little miffed about the fight with Leon earlier. Cue entrance of question time now. "What's going on here?"

"Listen up," Yuffie commanded. "There are many other worlds out there besides where you came from and this town, you know."

"There are?" Sora asked.

"Yeah," Bella replied. "They're supposed to be a secret though. You see, they've never been connected before, or at least not until now."

"When the Heartless came, everything changed," Yuffie explained.

"The Heartless?" Sora asked. He looked toward Bella for help understanding everything.

"Those nasty little buggers that kept attacking us, remember?" she supplied. "Scientifically speaking, they are those without hearts. They are attracted to the darkness in people's hearts, and there is darkness in every heart."

"Hey," Yuffie said suddenly. "Have you ever heard of someone named Ansem?"

Sora shook his head. Who the hell was Ansem supposed to be?

"He was studying the Heartless," Leon told him. "He recorded all his finding in a very detailed report. However, the pages have been scattered everywhere to many worlds. The only way you can get to those worlds to find the reports is with that "key" to open the door, so to speak."

"So this is the Keyblade?" Sora asked, slowly piecing together all the information he was given. He held up his weapon as Exhibit A.

"Exactly," Yuffie said, pleased that the conversation was getting somewhere at last.

"The Heartless have a great fear of the Keyblade. That's why they'll keep coming after you no matter what."

"I didn't ask for any of this," Sora muttered to himself. All he had wanted to do was see the world with his two best friends. Not have to save everyone from these Heartless things and do it by himself no less.

"Sorry, Sora," Bella replied. "The Keyblade chooses its master and it chose you. Tough luck kiddo."

"How did all this happen? I remember being in my room." Sora moaned, leaning back on the bed in frustration. He leapt to his feet suddenly as a new thought struck him. "Wait a minute! What happened to my home? My island? Riku! Kairi!"

"You know what?" Leon said, leaning against the door joining to the other room and crossing his arms. "I really don't know. I do know that sooner or later, the Heartless will find you. You'd best prepare yourself."

"For what?" Sora asked suspiciously. He already didn't like where this was going.

"To fight for your life," Leon said, eying the teen. "Are you ready?"

Sora looked down at the floor, thinking over everything he knew, everything he had just learned, and the options he had. This was too much to ask from someone who was only 14. He glanced up at Bella, who was staring back, waiting expectantly for an answer. Everything rested on him. He was the only hope. There was no choice. However, this meant that it was up to him to bring back Riku and Kairi. He had to do this, for them at the very least.

"I'm ready," he declared with a serious expression. Bella swore she saw him grow and inch in that moment. Such a young age, accepting the responsibility of the worlds, even though it may cost him his life. Thank God for that!

"Yuffie, Bella," Leon said with a slight note of relief in his voice. "Let's go join Aerith. She should be there by now with the other visitors."

"Leon!" Yuffie shouted suddenly. She pointed to the center of the room where the light was shuddering and getting darker. A soldier heartless appeared and taunted the group with some unknown message before jumping out the window and onto the balcony.

"Yuffie, Bella, go!" Leon ordered. Yuffie grabbed Bella wrist and tugged her toward the door Leon had been leaning on. The burst through the door and Bella latched onto a confused Aerith's wrist as well, dashing away to a safer place.

Bella looked back once to see Sora follow Leon onto the balcony and felt herself hoping he would be alright.

A/N: I've noticed people are reading, but I've also noticed that not a single one reviewed…not good people. Let me know if you hate it and let me know if you love it and let me know if you think it's ok. I need feedback!