Chapter 2: Nobodies And Me

This chapter was writen by roastedhawk21

We glared at each other. The rain was letting up fast. My white t-shirt was basicaly transparent by now. My black shorts on the other hand, were just heavier from being drenched. It wasn't like they could get any darker. "Enough fooling around," Joron said, and he lunged forward, but this time he was much fatser than before. His struggle rod hit me square in the chest, knocking me onto the stone walkway. When I hit the ground, the wind was knocked out of me. I let myself close my eyes for a second. But that was a second too long. When I opened them Joron was at my left swinging the struggle rod down to my head. He never lets his opponent walk away consious.

I thought just quick enough and rolled to my right as fast as I could. As I did I heard the whistle of the rod as it passed my ear. I stood up as fast as I could. But something was wrong. Joron twirled the rod in his hand, pacing back and forth, thinking. Then I had realized it. I had dropped the struggle rod when I fell. Joron noticed this too and stopped pacing. We both looked down. And this wasn't some 'the rod was equal distance between us cliche'. The rod, my rod, was right at his feet. He bent down and grabbed the rod with his free hand. "This fight is over Kai." Joron spread his arms out and lunged at me again, crossing his arms so that the rods were coming together. As the rods neared my head, I did the one thing I didn't want to do.

I dropped to the ground fast. My right shoulder slamming into the stone. I ignored the pain and cracking noise, and swung my legs left, knocking Jorons feet out from under him. I shot my left hand out, so I could avoid using my right arm, and grabbed a struggle rod form Jorons hand. Once I had it in a tighter grip than before, I kicked myself back a little bit to put some ditance between me a nd Joron, before standing up. I didn't care if this was taking it to the extreme, I had to prove that he wasn't so big and tough. I had to prove that he wasn't all he cracked up to be. Only problem was right then, I was having a hard time proving it.

Joron stood up. Anger towards me was really starting to show. "Alright Kai you're going down." He huffed and grabbed his left shoulder, the one that had hit the stone ground. Well it looked like we both had damaged shoulders now. Except his dominant hand was his right, and so was mine. And my right shoulder was the damaged one. Advantage, Joron. I had to figure out how to win this fast. I twirled the struggle rod in my left hand, thinking of a way to win. I looked Joron in the eye. I stopped. Let him come to me. Joron was dead still. Then I saw it. There was a whole group of people gathered around to watch. They were probably watching through their windows while the rain was coming down. I hadn't even heard them come out. Or see them for that matter.

Joron saw me looking at the crowd. He took his shot, jumping up in the air with the rod raised, ready to bring it down on my head. I knew he was gonna take his chance while I was 'distracted'. I jumped forward out of his reach. I heard him slam the struggle rod into the ground, so I kicked behind myself, connecting with the back of his knee. I spun around fast and rammed the struggle rod against his head. He rolled onto his side so I pointed the struggle rod at his face. He opened his eyes with shock on his face. "Looks like I win." I dropped the struggle rod and turned around.

What I saw next was really confusing. The whole crowd was still. Some people were half way through clapping, or cheering. "What's going on?" I said. A weird whinning noise came from behind me. Than a voice.

"I believe I can answer that," I turned around and saw a black cloaked figure standing in front of me. "I had to freeze a few people to make sure that we can talk in private." The voice was male, definatly male.

I grabbed the struggle rod off the ground and pointed it at the man. "Who are you?"

"I," He reomoved his hood. He had black hair past his shoulders, tan skin, and deep green eyes. "Am Kroven. And you are Kai-Sen. Seventeen year old. Orphaned at the age of ten when your parents dissapeared, and you've basicaly been living on your monthly charity donations from the town for the last seven years."

"How do you know all this stuff about me? Have you been stalking me?" I was worried at that point. And also thuroughly scared.

"Of course not," He sauntred closer. "I've been having other people do that for me."

And so I was officialy creeped out. "And why have you been doing this, exactly?" I started huffing, hyperventalating.

"Well you see I am not really anybody. I'm nobody. No one can see me or hear me." He was getting very close now. "Well except for you, of course."

"That doesn't answer my question." I held the struggle rod with both hands, and surprisingly felt no pain from my right shoulder. The man must have noticed my reaction to my shoulder.

"Oh, don't worry. I fixed that up for you. After all Nobodies have to help each other."

I took that offensivly. "For your information, I'm not a nobody."

"Hmm. I see. That is a common misconception. I was not insulting you. I was stating the truth."

My heart drummed fast and hard. "Pretty hard not to take that offensively."

"Please let me explain…"

"Then we can talk when you undo whatever it is that you've done." I interupted.

"I told you that no one can see me in your world."

"Then explain fast, I'm losing my patience." It was actually quite the opposite, I was rather intrigued. Despite my heart beating as hard as a Rhinosaur hitting a door.

"Actually I'm afraid your pointless arguments towards me have, cut our time short." A black ribbon began to envelope Kroven. "But don't worry, I will return soon." The ribbon collapsed in on itself and the Kroven was gone.

"Get back here!" I shouted this at the top of my lungs, but I knew it was futile.

A rush of air passed by and then the rest of the world was back in motion. Cheers came from the large crowd that had formed, and Joron was getting to his feet. "This isn't over Kai. I'll get you someday." And then he shoved his way through the crowd. But as he walked away I could have sworn I heard him mutter something under his breath. What he muttered sounded alot like 'Stroke'. But that didn't make much sense. Then again at that time, the whole day hadn't made much sense.

As the crowd kept cheering and clapping, the only thought going through my head was who that Kroven guy was.

"Sir." Kroven said, dropping to a knee with his right hand on his chest, head bowed.

"Rise Kroven." Said Markai. Kroven did as his lord said. "How was the evaluation of Kai-Sen?"

Kroven pulled back his hood. "It went well. Just as I suspected, he is an excelent fighter. He can think fast, but he still has a ways to come."

"Well let us hope that he achieves his maximum potential soon. We're running short on time and the slumber is coming soon."

"How soon my lord?" Kroven had worry in his voice. And Markai could sense it.

Markai turned to Kroven. "Do not worry Kroven." Markai took a few steps towards Kroven. "We have three months before the slumber comes." His voice was calm and unwavering.

"My lord, with no disrespect, I don't think that three months is enough time…"

"As I said Kroven do not worry. If we can unlock his potential, I will not need the slumber."

"And if we can't?"

"Then I sleep." Markai pulled his hood over his head. "Now, I have a meeting with King Mickey. I expect that Dread will be back soon with the Key Of Royal Glass. Once he is back, inform me, and then I'll have another mission for you."

"Yes my lord." Kroven bowed to Markai again, and dissapeared, leaving Markai alone in the dark room.

Markai turned back to a group of computer monitors. And one of them showed the court yard of the castle were Belle and her prince lived, and in the court yard walked Dread, being followed by a large group of heartless. "Too bad I can't stay and watch." And with that Markai wrapped himself in black ribbon and dissapeared.

As Dread wondered through the court yard, as he passed by the blooming flowers, plants would wilt and die, faster than nature could have done. Death was now in the air, and the prince could smell it. Decay, pain, and saddness filled the court yard like a plauge. The prince stepped out onto a balcony over looking the court yard, a snarl appearing on his face. Blue light shimmered around his right hand, and a key blade made of blue glass appeared. "What are you doing here Dread?" Shouted the prince, pointing his key blade at Dread. "Your buisness here ended over twenty years ago."

Dread smirked. "Oh, that's the funny thing," He looked up at the prince. "You actually think our fued was over with. Now see, this is the part where you hop down from the balcony and chalenge me."

"There is no chalenge here Dread. Either you leave, or I'll have my men subdue you."

Dread laughed at that. "What men?" As he said it, the gaurds surrounding the castle fell forward, and heartless with sharp claws stood behind them.

The prince let out an agrevated growl and pointed his key blade at the sky. Shards of blue glass formed in the air. The prince ponted his key blade at the heartless, sending the shards flying at them. The heartless fell around Dread like flies into a bug zapper. But while he stood there, not a single shard hit Dread. The prince leaped from his balcony and landed three feet from Dread. "Leave now Dread," The prince had a look of pure hatred and anger on his face as he looked Dread in the eye. "Or I will kill you where you stand. Is that what you want?"

"Actually all I came here for was that key blade of yours." A smile remaned on Dreads face. "You don't mind if I take it, do you?"

"You can take it," Said the prince, his gaze on Dread undivided. "The day that this castle shatters." And with that the prince lunged with key blade, aiming for Dreads throat. But when the prince's key blade was just a few inches from its mark, the key blade was flicked out of the princes hand and the prince flew back several feet.

When the prince stood up Dread was standing gaurd, and the spinning blades of fire were in his hands. The same weapons that were once used by the warrior Axel. "This is going to be fun." Dread laughed, and began stalking over to the prince.