Author's Disclaimer: I do not own "Kingdom Hearts". It is property of Square Enix and Disney. I do not own anything of it from characters to items and places. All I own is Star. So... NO STEALING STAR! :) Enjoy~!
Dedication: This is dedicated to my beloved readers and my best writing pal, Megumi. Your writing inspired this!
Author's Note: This takes place a few months after "Kingdom Hearts II". Now, I'm a little rusty in the KH universe because I haven't played it in over a year, so please let me know if I make any mistake or such. But please tell me kindly. Constructive criticism is appreciated as well as feedback.
Faces From The Dark
-Agrabah
Sora laid on the bed, arms behind his head and gazing up at the ceiling. Kairi crossed his mind. He smiled. Ever since he arrived back at Destiny Islands, things between them was stronger. Sora and Kairi couldn't be closer, after all, their hearts were forever intertwined. They actually had their first date not too long ago. Riku would always tease the two which would always provoke a race between the two boys. Wakka and Tidus snickered while Selphie found it adorable and cute.
Sora squinted his eyes up at the ceiling. He started laughing heartily. Kairi and I gotta find Riku a girl when we go back to the islands!
The Keyblade Master sat up. "Better go check on the others." He stopped when he realized he was still beating Riku with a score of three to two - even though their recent race was a draw. "Can't wait to tell Kairi!"
Riku looked out the window to the city. He was glad that Princess Jasmine and Aladdin accepted his apology. He walked back to his bed. He sat on it and laughed a little. The young man stood up and started to walk to the door when he saw something in the mirror. He stopped and turned to the mirror. He stepped closer and sighed in relief when he saw his own reflection.
"For a moment," He whispered. "I thought I saw -"
Bang! Bang!
"Riku, hurry up!" Sora shouted, "We gotta see Genie and Carpet and I think we gotta find Abu!"
Riku grinned. "I'm coming." He opened the door and shook his head at the Keyblade Master. "Patience, oh great Keyblade Master, patience."
"Hey, I have patience!" Sora argued.
"Not a lot, though." His best friend said.
"Hey!" Donald quacked at them. "We gotta find Abu before he causes more trouble!"
"Oh, right," Sora wasn't looking forward to finding the crazy little monkey.
"And Iago said he'll help us," Goofy added.
On cue, the red parrot flew in. "Hey, guys." Iago set himself on Sora's shoulder. "I've missed you." He turned to Riku. "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Iago flew straight up to the ceiling. "He's with Jafar!"
"Relax, Iago!" Goofy said.
"Yeah, he's with us. You don't have to worry about him." Sora told Iago.
"Only if I get hungry," Riku joked.
Iago hid behind Sora. He looked at Riku. "Alright, I'll trust him if you guys do. After all, I still owe you guys after what you did for me."
"Do you know where Abu is?" Donald asked.
"Last I saw, he was in the market being chased by one of the merchants." Iago answered.
Sora chuckled wryly. "Things don't change, huh?"
Ten minutes later, the four and Iago were running after the monkey thief. "Abu! Get back here!" Sora panted.
"We're gonna lose him!" Riku warned while running past his best friend.
"Ri-Riku!" Sora whined. "I'm tired!"
"You fought Heartless, Nobodies, Maleficent, Organization XIII - how can you be tired?" Riku teased.
"Come on, Sora!" Goofy ran past the Keyblade Master.
Donald dragged his feet and leaned against Sora for support. "Too… tired…." He quacked.
"Me too…" Sora tried to slow his breathing.
"SORA!"
Sora jerked up. "Coming!" Donald ran ahead of him. Sora was almost catching up but when he rounded a corner, he lost them. He groaned. It was the second time it happened ever since they started chasing Abu. He made his best guesses and tried to catch up with his friends. He let out a noise of frustration when he came to a dead end between the buildings. "Come on!" He kicked the ground. He gasped when a dark portal appeared and a hooded figure stepped out.
"Hello Keyblade Master." The hooded figure said, "Its been a long time."
Sora looked at him. "Organization XIII?"
The figure stood still. "Call us all you want, it does not matter much. However, this is not a trivia." He brought out two long swords, each decorated with small symbols on the blades. "Your journey ends here."
The sixteen-year-old narrowed his eyes and called upon his Keyblade. "I don't know what connection we have or if we ever met, but I'm going to warn you now, you're messing with the wrong guy."
The figure twirled his weapons. "You need to get out while you can," He muttered to himself.
He made the first move. He ran towards Sora and slashed his swords together. Sora jumped out of the way and hurled at him his Keyblade at him. The Keyblade came back to his hand. Sora blocked the two swords just in time. The hooded man gritted through his teeth as he tried to bring the Keyblade Master to the ground for an easy end. But Sora proved to be determined, stubborn, and powerful. The figure was thrown on his back twenty feet away. He got to his feet quick. Sora stopped when his opponent's weapons disappeared.
"You're a lot stronger than I thought," He said. "This isn't over." He disappeared in a cloud of darkness.
Sora narrowed his eyes. This was getting weird. If it wasn't Organization XIII or a goon of theirs, then who was it? He knew that the hooded figure was involved. "But who was he? And what does he mean by its been a long time?" The young man gripped his weapon tightly as a precaution. He turned around to start his search for the others when Abu slammed into his face. "Whoa!" Sora fell and Abu jumped happily on his chest.
Riku, Donald, and Goofy approached them.
"The lazy bum found him while relaxing," Riku laughed.
"Geez, Sora, are you ok?" Goofy asked.
Donald pried Abu off of Sora. "Abu, you're in big trouble!"
Sora stood up while dusting himself. "Heh, sorry about staying behind."
Riku observed his friend. "Spill it. Something happened."
The Keyblade Master frowned. "How is it you know that?"
"You look tired, you look confused, and your Keyblade is drawn." His best friend replied.
"Sora?"
Sora looked at Donald and Goofy then back to Riku. "Something did happen." The Keyblade Master discussed with them what happened between the mysterious hooded figure and himself.
"He doesn't associate himself with Organization XIII?" Donald asked. "Then he can't be continuing their work."
"But he said it was a long time since you two last met." Riku bit his lip in concentration.
"Jafar, ya think?" Goofy scratched his head.
"Again?!" Donald and Sora slumped their backs.
"I doubt it," Riku said. "There were Keyblade Masters before you, you remember that, right?"
"Yeah, I do. There was that Keyblade War." Sora briefly remembered the mention of it by King Mickey.
"Maybe he got you mixed up with another Keyblade Master that was in that war." Goofy said.
"Then its someone we've never faced then." Sora put his hands behind his head while looking up. "Isn't that weird though? All of a sudden, he comes out and says that. Wouldn't he have said that like two years ago, when all of this started?"
The silver-haired young man laughed. "Can't expect us to have all the answers. Guess we'll have to find them on our journey."
"Well, we got Abu right now. Might want to worry about getting him back to Aladdin." Sora suggested. Abu jumped out of Donald's grasp and settled on his shoulder. Sora smiled slyly. "I'll race ya'll!" He ran from his friends.
"Hey!" Donald quacked angrily. "That's cheating!"
Riku ran after Sora. "Get ready to lose!"
"Wha?!" The duck magician groaned. "Come on, Goofy - what?!"
Goofy was already ahead of him. "Sorry, Donald. Everyone for themselves, right?!" He chuckled goofily.
"Oh!" Donald stomped his foot angrily and ran after the others. "Wait up!"
The morning of the wedding was a rush. The servants flocked about the palace, hastily making last finish touches. Sora and his friends decided to keep Aladdin calm before the wedding After all, the bride wasn't the only one who was nervous.
"I remember those times!" Aladdin grinned. "Jafar was tough, but not tough enough for you guys."
"Ah, shucks!" Goofy laughed.
Riku smiled.
"Or that time Abu and Donald couldn't stop their greedy selves!" Sora grinned.
"Hey!" Donald quacked angrily.
About an hour later, Riku stood up. "Hey, I'm going to wash up in my room. I'll be back. Oh, and Aladdin?"
The groom looked up.
"Don't believe anything Sora says about me." The silver-haired young man walked out of the room.
Sora frowned. "But half the stuff I say about you is true!"
Riku chuckled on his way to his room. He closed the door behind him. He dip his hands into the bowl of water and washed his face. The truth was was that he needed some air. Thinking of Jafar had Riku think back when he was under Maleficent's influence. He breathed deeply. Just forget the past, but learn from it. Now, go out there and laugh like you never did before. He lifted his face to look into the mirror. He gasped loudly and knocked over the bowl while backing away. Xehanort's face stared back at him with a smirk.
"You are in between."
Riku shook his head. "You can't control me anymore. So go back to where you came from." He closed his eyes and counted to five before opening his eyes again. He breathed and peered back into the mirror, more than relieved to see his own face. He smiled triumphantly, he could still beat Xehanort.
Sora knocked on Riku's door. "Hey, Riku, you still in there?" He twisted the doorknob and came in the room. He stopped when he saw a broken bowl and water spilled on the ground. He looked up to see Riku staring at the mirror on his wall. "Riku?" Sora called out to him.
His friend turned to him. "Huh?"
"You ok?"
"Oh, yeah."
The Keyblade Master crossed his arms and gave his best Riku impersonation, "Spill it. Something happened."
Riku chuckled wryly. "Just my imagination getting out of hand."
Sora dropped his arms to his side. "You sure?"
The silver-haired man nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure."
"Then, come on! Genie is on his way. You'll love him!" Sora grabbed his friend's arm and practically ran light speed to the others. Sora smiled when he heard Genie's familiar voice - cheerful and bubbly. "GENIE!" Sora pounced on the blue giant.
"Hey, kid!" Genie grinned. He brought Sora, Donald, and Goofy in a bear crushing hug. Aladdin laughed at the three under the genie's mercy. "Oh! I've missed you guys!" He blinked in surprise when he saw Riku. "Who's this stranger?"
"Oh, Genie! Remember I was finding my friend Riku?" Sora managed to ask. He didn't know how if he could hardly breathe.
"Oh, Sora! Good for you that you found your friend! Come here, big guy!" Genie popped a third arm and brought Riku into the group hug. "Oh! I'm so glad to see you all!"
Can't breathe! Riku coughed.
Genie released them from his arms and all four fell on their bottoms. "So, Al! Anything I can whip up for the wedding at the last minute?"
"Uh, if you can make something that won't give me a stomachache, I'm fine with that." The groom chuckled nervously.
"Ah, come on, Al! You're getting married to the girl of your dreams. What's to be worried about?"
"Well, I don't know. I guess its those wedding things -"
The Sultan rushed in the room. "We must move now. Everything is ready!"
"Already?" Aladdin gaped.
"Yes! Now, come lad!" The Sultan grabbed his future son-in-law's arm and ran to the great hall as fast as his legs could get him.
"Let's do this!" Genie grinned and rushed after his friend.
Sora crossed his arms behind his head. "Wow, Aladdin must be pretty nervous about this whole wedding."
"Well, you'll know how it'll feel when you and Kairi have one of your own." Riku teased.
Sora turned beet red.
Donald snickered. Goofy laughed. "Good one, Riku!"
Donald and Riku walked out of the room. "You know," The magician said. "We're gonna get along just fine."
"What?!" Sora gaped.
"Ah, come on, Sora. We got a wedding to go to." Goofy reminded him.
"Then let's get moving!" The Keyblade grinned with a still red face.
-The World That Never Was
Kairi and Star walked around The Castle That Never was for almost an hour before finding the king in an empty room.
"Your Majesty!" Star said, "We found -"
King Mickey turned around and pressed his finger to his lips while whispering "Shh!" The girls clammed up and exchanged wondering glances. The King turned back around, examining the room. He turned to them again after a short period of silence, "Did you cross paths with anyone?"
"Yes. Some Nobodies attacked us and this man in black." Kairi told him. "And he kept asking us for this book." She presented him the book.
"Let me see that," The King said. He opened the book on a desk and read through the pages, an edginess on his face.
Kairi sat down at one of the chairs. She held her hands and breathed. Sora had crossed her mind more than three times today. She was getting worried about him. Kairi wasn't clingy or anything, but she felt worried for him because it seemed that every one of his adventures, he's come so close to death. He turned into a Heartless almost two years ago! Kairi bit her lip. She hoped and prayed he was alright, as well as Riku, Donald, and Goofy was.
Star walked over to the window and looked out to the Dark City. It reminded her of the ones back home. She glanced down at the dark streets to find a few Dusks wandering around. She swallowed. They were so creepy to look at, no face and no actual hands or feet. The fifteen-year-old shivered and closed her eyes. She opened her eyes. She nearly jumped when she saw the window was opened. I didn't open that, did I? She frowned and reached out to close it when she saw something that gave her a fright.
A man was standing in front of her in a cloud of darkness. He was dressed strangely; his head wrapped in red like a mummy. Without thinking, the young girl stepped onto the windowsill while staring at the man. He extended his hand out to her and she gripped the window frame with one hand while another was held close to her heart.
Kairi felt a draft and shuddered. That's weird. I don't remember the window being opened. She looked over her shoulder and gasped at the window scene. "Star!" She cried out and raced to her friend.
The king turned around and stared wide-eyed. "Ansem?!"
Kairi grabbed Star's arm and pulled her into the room. The brunette snapped out of her trance-like state and moved closer to her friend while the man stared at her. The king stepped in front of the girls with a weapon drawn. "Ansem, is that really you?" The king doubted Ansem survived the explosion months earlier, but anything was possible.
The man stared down at the king and laughed.
King Mickey narrowed his eyes. This isn't Ansem. I know his voice. He watched the man evaporate in darkness.
"That wasn't Ansem," Kairi muttered.
Star blinked. "Ansem the Wise, as in the once-ruler of Radiant Garden?"
The red-head nodded. "But he died in an explosion a few months ago. At least, I'm sure he did…" Seeing Ansem just now had the princess doubt.
"It wasn't," The king shook his head. "I don't know who it was." He turned to Star. "Did he say anything?"
Star shook his head. "No, he just offered his hand to me."
The King rushed over to the table and grabbed the book. "We have to leave now."
Author's Note: Yes, I am alive! *chorus* It was just so hard to think what else to write. Originally the wedding was going to be in this chapter but I thought to submit it the way it is and have the wedding the next chapter. Hope you all enjoy this chapter~!
P.S. The story title has been changed to "Kingdom Hearts III: Birth by Sleep"! Why? Uh... because the plotline I decided for this story does suit the title. And well, I liked the "Birth by Sleep" title and it fits so... stop looking at me weird! XD
NinjaSheik: Might be Organization XIII, who knows?
Org13: I want a Lenne or Yunie or Noctic crusor!