Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy, Disney, and all that fun stuff.
A/N: Back again! Sorry about the wait, but here is the chapter finally. And again, just so you all know, I kind of lied! There will be references to Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days in this story, but there won't be any mega spoilers concerning the main story and what happens at the end. Mostly just some quotes and flashback-like moments. Even I'm not sure how much from the DS game will make it into this story. Just thought I'd let you all know in case you are someone who has not finished the game yet. Also, I am rewriting The Way to the Heart and The Eyes of Twilight to be more in line with the canon of Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days. I think the rewrites also fit a little better with this story, as well, so if you have some time, go take a look and read the new versions. Only The Way to the Heart is started so far and four chapters are currently done. The rest will be coming and then onto the second story rewrite. That's it from me. Hope you all enjoy this new chapter. The third chapter is also done and will be posted in a couple weeks!
Sunset Dreams
Chapter 2: What Cannot Be Seen
Sora
The Usual Spot/ Sandlot, Twilight Town
Shielding his eyes from the harsh light of the transport beam linking the Gummi Ship to the surface of the sleepy little town residing somewhere between the realms of light and darkness, Sora slowly lifted his head, his sapphire eyes coming to rest on the faded green couch sitting against the wall on the opposite side of the small building tucked beneath the train tracks that were, like the Station Plaza, a symbol of Twilight Town's most popular form of transport.
Built on top of a mountain, the city relied heavily on its railway system for mobility, and listening to the familiar sounds of the trains rumbling over the tracks, the occasional whistle blowing, its shrill cries coming from the direction of the station, Sora felt oddly comforted by the simple everyday sounds of the city, a routine that, despite Chip and Dale's dire predictions, appeared not to have been affected by the darkness hovering over the town Sora had come to love as his second home.
It was a relief, and yet at the same time it was also a bit unsettling.
Throwing courtesy out the window, Donald and Goofy had beamed them down from the Gummi Ship directly into the usual spot, and letting his eyes wander over the empty crates in the corner, the dart board hanging on the wall over his left shoulder, and the burgundy curtain covering the doorway, Sora was forced to admit that something about the small room didn't feel quite right.
There was nothing about the small building under the tracks that seemed particularly out of the ordinary.
Except for one thing. Something very important.
Hayner, Pence, and Olette were nowhere to be seen.
Great...So...now what?
Normally, at this time of the day, Hayner and his two friends would be lounging around the usual spot, talking and doing their homework, and basically just killing some time before they had to be home for dinner, but today the place was unusually deserted, and realizing what that could potentially mean, Sora felt an unpleasant shiver race down his spine.
Next to him, Roxas must have realized the same thing because the golden-haired Nobody let out a soft sound that could only be described as a cross between a gasp and a strangled cry of despair.
"I'm not liking the way this looks, " Riku muttered, crossing the room and sitting down on the arm of the couch with the grace of an accomplished fighter. "It's too quiet."
"I agree," Kairi murmured, leaning up against the wall next to the door. "Something doesn't feel right. I can't really explain it. It's just...something feels..."
"Out of place," Naminé said quietly, moving over to stand next to Kairi. "There's something about Twilight Town that seems out of place."
Hayner, Pence, Olette...
Pulling Roxas down beside him on the couch, Sora placed his chin in his hands, his elbows resting on his knees, and frowning at Donald and Goofy, who were seated on the floor, he said uncertainly, "So, what do we do now?"
"Don't ask me!" Donald quacked indignantly, brandishing his staff. "You're the one who wanted to come here in the first place! Why don't you figure it out? If you want my opinion, I think Twilight Town seems perfectly fine. It doesn't look like there's anything suspicious going on to me."
"A-hyuck, it's too late to pretend now, Donald!" Goofy teased. "You wanted to come here just as much as the rest of us."
"I...well...that's not the point! Besides, this place doesn't look any more gloomy than it usually does. Chip and Dale must have been imagining things. I wouldn't put it past them. They're not as reliable as they like to think they are."
"Gawrsh, Donald, that wasn't a very nice thing to say."
"Well, it's true!" the court wizard grumbled. "Speaking of Twilight Town...Sora, you owe me an ice cream for dragging me all the way out here for nothing!"
Glancing anxiously at Roxas, Sora said quietly, "Let's hope it is nothing."
If it means Hayner, Pence, and Olette are safe, I'll buy Donald all the ice cream he wants...
Turning to Roxas, Sora said quietly, "What do you want to do?"
For a moment, it looked as if Roxas wasn't going to answer, but then he suddenly lifted his head and said flatly, "We need to find them."
"And the sooner the better," Kairi agreed.
Summoning his Keyblade and leaping swiftly to his feet, Riku said calmly, "Then what are we sitting around here for? Let's search this town from top to bottom. They've got to be around here somewhere."
At least we hope so...
Following Riku's example, Sora quickly jumped off the couch, and pulling Roxas up beside him, he quickly made his way towards the door. A swift peek around the curtain obscuring the entrance to the usual spot from view confirmed there was nobody standing in the back alley close to the door, but even so Sora chose to proceed with caution, conscious of the fact that there could be anything waiting for them somewhere down the side street that ran along Station Heights before eventually connecting to the station on the far side of town from the Sandlot.
"It's so quiet," Namine murmured, glancing nervously towards the Sandlot.
Nodding in agreement, Sora hesitantly slipped past the chain-linked fence into the alley, and glancing up at the sky, he said in confusion, "I still don't get what Chip and Dale meant by a 'cloud of darkness.' I mean...look at the sky. It doesn't look any different than it usually does."
"Gawrsh, you're right, Sora," Goofy whispered, scratching the back of his head in confusion. "I don't see any cloud of darkness anywhere. The sky looks the same as it always does; like the sun is about to set."
"That's because it's not something you can see," Roxas said shortly, pushing past the captain of the King's royal guards and heading towards the Sandlot. "Don't let the normalcy of the town fool you, though. There's definitely something wrong here. Trust me, I know this feeling. Things aren't always as they appear to be. I learned that the hard way, and I'm not going to make the same mistake again."
Roxas...
Racing to catch up to the golden-haired Nobody, the rest of his friends nearly stepping on his heels, Sora panted, "Roxas! Hey, wait up! Where are we going?"
Without warning, Roxas suddenly halted, and unable to stop his momentum, Sora crashed into the golden-haired Nobody's back, a grunt of pain escaping his lips.
Apparently, Roxas didn't seem to notice, though, because instead of complaining he merely nodded his head towards the Sandlot and said, "We'll try here first. If they're not hanging out at the usual spot then the Sandlot would be the next best choice. I wouldn't put it past Hayner to be practicing for the next struggle competition already. If not, we'll try the station tower next. It's getting a little late for ice cream, but there's still a chance they might be up there."
"You think so?"
Summoning Oathkeeper and pointing the shiny Keyblade in the direction of the Sandlot, Roxas said quietly, "Stay on your guard. Whatever is going on around here...We might not be able to see it, but we can still feel it."
Darkness...It feels...like...like how it always feels just before the Heartless invade...
But if that was the case then why weren't their Keyblades warning them of danger?
"Roxas, do you think the darkness surrounding Twilight Town has something to do with why it's so quiet here?" Naminé asked hesitantly, glancing nervously at Kairi. "Do you think it has something to do with why the town seems so deserted? I mean...do you think the darkness is the reason why there seems to be less people around the town?"
"I can't say for sure, but I think so. The last time we were here, I felt it too, only...that time it wasn't quite as strong, which would explain why it didn't show up on the Gummi Ship's radar system. Something must have happened since then to make whatever is going on in Twilight Town even worse."
"What's done is done. There's no use beating yourself up about it," Riku interrupted, hefting his Keyblade onto his shoulders and frowning at the golden-haired Nobody. "I know what you're thinking, but you're wrong. There's nothing you could have done."
"I know, but still...we never should have left."
It's my fault. I knew there was something going on, but I...
The expression on his face must have indicated what he was thinking because Roxas suddenly looked at him and said sharply, "Forget it, Sora. Don't even worry about it. You know I wouldn't blame you. We all felt it, even if some of us, like Goofy and Donald, didn't notice it at the time. We all could have done something about it, but nobody did. The blame lies with all of us, not just you."
"But I..."
"Focus, you two," Riku interrupted, gazing at each of them in turn. "We need to worry about what's going on now, not about what happened in the past."
Riku and Roxas were right, of course, but even so, Sora couldn't help feeling as if he were partly to blame for what was happening to Twilight Town.
Your Majesty...Is this...is this what you meant?
"Are you ready?" Roxas asked, studying him closely.
Taking a deep breath, Sora quickly summoned Oblivion, the Keyblade materializing easily in his hand, and hefting the weapon over his shoulder, he said firmly, "Let's get this over with."
"You go first, Sora," Riku instructed, nodding his head towards the entrance to the Sandlot. "This place might look like a ghost town, but that doesn't mean there might not still be people hanging around. We don't want them to panic at the sight of Roxas. The less attention we receive, the better. Plus, we can't forget about the Heartless and the Nobodies."
"I guess..."
"Roxas, you follow Sora, and I'll follow you. That way if there is anybody hanging around, you'll still have a chance to get yourself out of sight."
"What about the rest of us?" Kairi asked curiously.
Pointing his Keyblade at the King's men, Riku said seriously, "Donald and Goofy will flank Sora in case we're attacked, a possibility we can't overlook, which leaves you and Naminé. You two will follow me."
"Okay. Be careful, guys."
Smiling at the red-haired female, Sora said cheerfully, "Aren't we always?"
"Yeah, right."
"We'll be fine."
Raising her eyebrows, Kairi said dryly, "Just don't do anything too dangerous, Sora, or you're going to be in big trouble!"
Making a face at the red-haired female, Sora raced through the entrance to the Sandlot, his dark Keyblade sparkling brilliantly in the light of the setting sun, and spotting a group of people standing on the opposite side of the Sandlot near the entrance to the Tram Common, the Keyblade Master came to an abrupt halt, a soft groan escaping his lips.
Instead of leaping into a hoard of Heartless and Nobodies, Sora instead found himself in the presence of the group known as the Twilight Disciplinary Committee.
"Roxas!" Donald hissed, giving the golden-haired Nobody a push.
Grabbing onto Naminé's hand, Roxas quickly leaped behind one of the old wooden benches surrounding the perimeter of the Sandlot in the nick of time, his transparent body only barely missing Fuu's sharp gaze.
Sensing they were no longer alone, Seifer turned to glance over his shoulder, and bright blue eyes narrowing into a deep frown, he whirled around, the struggle weapon in his hand coming to rest comfortably on his shoulders.
"You again," the head of the Twilight Disciplinary Committee said quietly, moving slowly towards them.
Attempting to smile, Sora said cheerfully, "Um...hi, Seifer. Er...don't mind us, we're just passing through."
Coming to a stop about a foot away from their small group, Rai and Fuu standing on either side of him, and Vivi hovering behind Fuu's legs, Seifer raised his eyebrows, clearly not convinced. "Just passing through, huh? Like I'm going to believe that. You attract trouble the way a dog attracts flees. Whatever is going on around here must have something to do with you. You wouldn't be here if you weren't involved somehow. The timing is a little too convenient for my liking."
Wait a minute...he...he feels it, too?
Sora stared at the head of the Twilight Disciplinary Committee in surprise, unable to respond, and twirling his Keyblade nervously in his hand, he glanced anxiously at Riku, uncertain of what to do.
Before either of them could respond, though, Kairi said curiously, "Then...we're not just imagining things?"
"You feel it, don't you?" Vivi said softly, his bright eyes darting nervously around the Sandlot. "Everything feels...dark."
"Eerie," Fuu murmured, a slight frown on her face.
"Plus, Twilight Town seems pretty empty, y'know?" Rai interrupted, nodding his head towards the entrance to the Tram Common for emphasis. "I mean, where did everybody go? Even the station is practically deserted."
"We've been trying to figure out what the heck is going on around here, but so far no luck," Seifer said shortly, shaking his head in frustration. "I take it the five of you aren't having any better luck?"
"Gawrsh, Seifer, I wish we had a different answer for you, but so far we don't know much more than you do," Goofy said regretfully, smiling sheepishly at the head of the Twilight Disciplinary Committee.
Grumbling to himself, Donald muttered, "And even if we did it's not like we'd tell you anything."
Thanks a lot, Donald. Even if you are right, that doesn't mean you have to go and say it!
Thankfully, the court wizard spoke low enough to prevent Seifer from overhearing his words, but apparently that still wasn't enough to satisfy Riku because instead of dismissing Donald's outburst the way everyone else appeared to have let it slide, he gave the court wizard a hearty whack with his Keyblade.
"Really," Seifer said slowly, ignoring Donald and crossing his arms over his chest. "So...none of you know what's going on around here? I find that hard to believe. Spill it, Sora! What kind of trouble have you brought to our town this time?"
"Yeah, tell us!" Rai demanded. "This is so not cool, y'know?"
"Dangerous," Fuu agreed, her sharp tone cutting through the tension in the air.
Huh? Hold on a moment...They think what's happening around here is my fault?
Growing indignant, Sora shouted, "Hey! It's not my fault this is happening! I'm not the one who caused all of this!"
"Maybe not, but you're still somehow at the centre of it!" Seifer snapped, his deep blue eyes narrowing into angry slits.
Tilting his head to the side, Riku studied the head of the Twilight Disciplinary Committee with a thoughtful look on his face, and twirling his Keyblade lightly in his hand, he said mildly, "So, what's your point? Maybe we are, and maybe we aren't. What exactly do you want us to do about it?"
For a moment, Seifer looked like he wasn't going to answer, and then suddenly, without warning, he turned his face away and said quietly, "Fix it."
"You started it, now you have to finish it, y'know?" Rai said firmly, clenching his hands into tight fists.
"Please?" Vivi pleaded.
"Promise," Fuu insisted.
Seifer...
Taking a step closer and placing his hand on Seifer's shoulder, forcing the blond-haired teen to meet his eyes, Sora smiled and said confidently, "Don't worry, I plan on it."
"Stay on your guard and keep that weird sword of yours close at hand. There's no telling what might happen around here."
"I will, and don't worry. We'll be careful."
"You guys be careful, too," Kairi insisted, her face tight with fear.
Nodding her head and giving Kairi a look that was almost a smile, Fuu said, "Easy."
"Nothing to it, y'know?" Rai said confidently, pumping his fist into the air.
"How long has Twilight Town been like this?" Riku asked curiously, already knowing the answer but nonetheless still asking to figure out how long Seifer and his friends have been aware of the situation.
Crossing his arms over his chest, his struggle weapon still clenched tightly in his right hand, Seifer frowned at the soft sand beneath his feet, a look of concentration on his handsome face. The cool breeze blowing down from Station Heights made the golden-haired teen's long white coat flutter gently around his legs, and shaking his head, he said slowly, "We're not really sure. Whatever this...this feeling is, we think it's been going on for a while, but we didn't really start to notice it until about two days ago. That's when things started to get really bad. This town feels...suffocating, and though there are still people around, it just looks and feels...empty somehow."
It's just like we thought. This whole thing must have started on the same day we brought Roxas here to reunite him with Hayner, Pence, and Olette. The forest...Could all of this have something to do with what's been bothering Roxas lately?
"In case you're wondering, none of those weird white things have appeared yet, but that doesn't mean we're out of the woods yet," Seifer said shortly, his words sharp and to the point. "Just thought I'd let you know. Like I said, stay on your guard. Don't get careless, or you'll hear about it from me later."
Turning on his heel, his white coat billowing out behind him, Seifer began to make his way towards the entrance to the back alley, his lackeys trailing along behind, but before he could get very far, Sora called out, "Hey, Seifer! You wouldn't happen to have seen Hayner lately by any chance, would you?"
Glancing over his shoulder, Seifer smirked, "Chicken wuss? Haven't seen him since earlier this afternoon. Knowing him, he's probably gone into hiding somewhere. He's such a wimp. Can't say I blame him, though. He can't even win a struggle match, let alone a real battle. I'd hate to see him try to stand up to those creepy white things. They'd probably eat him alive."
"They'd cream him, y'know?" Rai snorted.
"Owned," Fuu agreed, dismissing Hayner with a wave of her hand.
Ouch. Harsh!
"No, wait!" Kairi suddenly cried, a soft gasp escaping her lips.
Huh?
Whirling around in surprise, Sora turned just in time to see Roxas leap out from behind the wooden bench he'd been using as a hiding spot, Oathkeeper in his hands, and racing up behind Seifer, he whacked the golden-haired teen in the back with his Keyblade, sending the head of the Twilight Disciplinary Committee sprawling face first into the sand.
"Ghost!" Fuu shrieked, pointing at the golden-haired Nobody in horror.
"I can see right through him!" Rai whispered in fear, unable to move due to his immense terror. "He's like transparent, y'know?"
Scrambling into a sitting position, Seifer stared at Roxas in astonishment, his handsome face turning a milky shade of white, and trying unsuccessfully to form a coherent sentence, he managed to stutter, "W-what...what are you?"
"It doesn't matter!" Roxas snapped, swinging his Keyblade over his shoulders and glaring at the golden-haired teen. "What matters is the fact that I'm getting really sick of the way you keep bad mouthing my friends! If you trash Sora or Hayner again, next time I won't go so easy on you!"
"You...you're..." Seifer managed to gasp, staring at the golden-haired Nobody in fear. "Ghost..."
Sora let out a gasp of surprise as Oblivion suddenly disappeared from his hand, and raising his eyebrows he watched as the dark Keyblade rematerialized in his other half's left hand, the one that was not already occupied by Oathkeeper.
Twirling both Keyblades in a fashion that was similar to the way Axel would always spin his chakrams, his deep blue eyes narrowed in fury, Roxas snapped, "Have I made myself clear or do you want another demonstration?"
"Run!" Fuu shouted, gesturing frantically towards the entrance to Station Heights with her hand.
"Come on, Seifer, let's split, y'know?" Rai cried, taking his own advice and sprinting across the sand towards their escape route, Fuu right on his heels.
Scrambling to his feet, Seifer quickly hurried after his two underlings, his shoes kicking up a trail of sand, and letting out a yelp of surprise at being left behind, Vivi quickly stumbled after the blond-haired teen, nearly losing his tattered hat in the process.
Just before reaching the entrance to Station Heights, the smallest member of the Twilight Disciplinary Committee suddenly stopped, his bright eyes shifting to stare intently at Roxas, and tipping his hat in a gesture of farewell, he said softly, "See you later...Roxas."
No way! Vivi?
Smiling slightly, Sora watched the little mage disappear from sight, and turning to look at Roxas, he said in exasperation, "You had to pick now, didn't you. Would it have killed you to wait a little longer?"
Staring after Vivi, clearly startled by the little mage's use of his name, Roxas dismissed both Keyblades with a flourish and said innocently, "What?"
"Forget it, let's just hurry up and find Hayner and the others."
"Vivi...he remembered you," Naminé said softly, stepping slowly out from behind the bench she had been hiding behind with Roxas and giving the golden-haired wielder of the Keyblade a warm smile.
Smiling in return, Roxas said simply, "I know."
Just like Hayner, Pence, and Olette. But this time, it's even more surprising because Roxas never met Vivi in the real Twilight Town, like he did with Hayner and the others...
"Enough fooling around!" Donald grumbled, sending Roxas a rather disapproving look. "Where to now?"
"It's your call, Roxas," Riku said simply. "You know their routine better than we do."
Frowning, Roxas said slowly, "Well, like I said earlier, we can always try the station tower, but since we're on this side of town, we might as well try the Tram Common next."
"Tram Common it is then."
"Let's go," Kairi ordered, taking Naminé's hand and leading the golden-haired Nobody towards the opposite side of the Sandlot.
Glancing back towards the usual spot, Sora let Roxas pull him along by the wrist, and shaking his head he let out a frustrated sigh, still uncertain of what to do.
The longer Hayner, Pence, and Olette remained missing in action, the more he felt as if they were in serious trouble, though he was reluctant to admit such a thing to Roxas.
After all, his Nobody was already worried enough as it was. Roxas didn't need him making things worse.
Hayner, Pence, Olette...Where are you guys?