Chapter 4: The Start of A New Adventure

"Just what the heck was that yesterday?"

As I sat on my bed my mind started to wonder. Wads was acting strange and I had no idea why. What could have happened? He got ticked off out of no where... Such a stupid fight...

"I didn't even care about them bandits huh?" Maybe I didn't show it, but it really did bother me. After all they were people. "Oh well I guess I shouldn't worry about it too much."

As I got up off of my bed I looked out the window and could see that it was a bright and sunny day. Too nice of a day to stay inside if you ask me. "Maybe I'll go talk to Wads after all." I then made my way to my door and headed outside. I hadn't been to Wads house for a long time, heck I'm not even sure I still know where it is, but I knew I'd find it sooner or later.

Wads lives at a small house a few blocks over from mine. Even though he lives pretty close I hardly ever have a reason to go over there. Mostly because Wads shows up at my house long before I even think about going over there. Maybe he just doesn't want me over there? I mean Wads grew up living with his foster parents but a few years ago they had a huge fight. Ever since then Wads has been living on his own... In that empty house of his.

"Hey! Could you help me?"

"Huh?" I heard a voice come from behind me, and when I turned around I saw a silverish Bronto Burt. "Uhh hello?"

"Sorry for bothering you, but could you help me out?"

"Help you out? With what?"

"Well I'm new to the town was wondering if you could tell me how to get to the cafe."

"Oh ok you just go to..."

"Actually..." He cut me off. "Could you show me how to get there? Chances are I'd get lost."

Really I didn't feel like going off with him but I went ahead and agreed to show him the way. "Sure follow me."

"Thanks a lot!"

"Yeah, no problem... Uh..."

"Gray."

"No problem Gray. My name's Night, it's nice to meet you!"

"Same here!" Gray smiled, then followed me out of the housing block.

"So did you just move to this town?" I asked him as we walked through Town Square.

"Yeah, I heard it was a nice town so I figured I'd buy a house here and move in. It's a lot safer than the other places I've seen after all."

"Safer?"

"Well you know, with Dark Matter and all."

"Oh... Yeah I guess so." I couldn't help but remember that dark cloud I saw when me and Wads went to the water park. I know that was no normal rain cloud... It couldn't have been.

"So have you lived here a long time?"

"Yeah all my life."

"Oh that's cool!"

"Yeah, I guess I just never felt like leaving here."

"Ha ha, yeah I don't blame you. The outside world can be a painful place ya know."

"What do you mean?"

"Well you know there's more than just this town right?"

"Yeah, but this town isn't perfect either."

"It isn't Kuro?"

"WHAT!" Everything started to spin. Kuro... He said Kuro...

"What is it?"

"How did you..."

"Know your name?"

"..." I didn't know what to say.

"Follow me." Gray's tone changed. He was no longer the hyper Bronto Burt that I had met just moments ago. It's hard to explain but something was different about him now.

"Fine." I wasn't sure if I could trust him, but I followed him anyway. Gray then led me to an abandoned part of Green Greens, an area that had been long since forgotten.

"So... Tell me what's going on. Why do you know my name!"

"Well... you see... It has to do with Dark Matter."

"Dark Matter? What about it?"

"You see my home star was destroyed by Dark Matter... I fought for a long time with my friend... Blazer..."

"Blazer?" Something about that name...

"Yeah... We spent a long time fighting together, but one day he just got up and left."

"He left?"

"He said that he knew the world would be in good hands."

"But why did he leave?"

"I'm not really sure, he left a note saying that it was time for him to go and that was it."

"So you don't know where he is?"

"Well, I guess you could say that. A few weeks ago I was able to meet up with him but he was acting different. He didn't know who I was, but apparently he had plans to use me."

"What do you mean?"

"He told me that a... someone lived here in Dream World."

"You mean me?"

"Yeah, he sent me here to awaken some type of power that's locked away inside of you."

"Power?" What is this guy talking about? I have no power...

"You remember yesterday?"

"Wait... You mean that was YOU!"

"Yeah. Blazer told me that if I ang... I mean, met you then your powers would awaken and we could use them to destroy Dark Matter."

"You've got to be kidding!" There's no way I could believe this guy.

"Here take a look at this." Gray pulled out a strange rock.

"A rock?" I said as I reached out my hand to take it from him. Just then the rock started to glow and a spark shot off of my hand. "A SPARK!"

"So you are one!" Gray seemed excited.

"I-I'm a what!"

"Ah sorry, I guess I better explain. You see Blazer told me about these keys known as destruction keys. This rock here happens to be one of them."

"And what do these things do?"

"Well there's said to be five of them, and when all five are found and used at the 'key hole' Dark Matter will be destroyed!"

"So wait, you mean all you have to do is find all five of them things, and that's the end of Dark Matter!"

"Well I wish it was that simple. See we need all five keys, but apparently a person can only use one key at a time, and on top of that only a few people are able to use them."

"So you're saying you have to find all five keys plus someone to use each one?"

"Exactly."

"And you're saying I'm one of them?"

"Well didn't you just see that for your self?"

"Yeah, I guess I did."

"So what do you say Kuro? Will you come with me to find the keys?"

I had to think for a few moments. Finally I found a way to stop Dark Matter, a way to get revenge! I've been waiting for this moment for a long time, and finally it was here right in front of me! Not only that, I found out that something was locked away inside of me, and just maybe that "something" will tell me who I really am. I wonder... Just how much Gray really knows about me? Also what did he stop himself from saying earlier?

"Yeah. I'll do it. Dark Matter has to be stopped, and if no one else will, I'll kill it with my own hands!"

"Ha ha, well ok then!"

"But wait, do you have any idea where to even find another one of these keys?"

"Well... Ha ha, you see..."

"You have no idea..."

"Yeah... that's about right."

"Ok well no problem! I think I know someone who can help us."

"Huh? Who?"

"There's a goo in town who likes to spread rumors, but most of his so called 'rumors' end up being real."

"Oh so you're saying we could as him about it then?"

"Yeah most likely."

"Ok then, lead the way."

"Well actually... He's at the cafe!"

"Ha ha ha wow ok then. Show me to the cafe!"

"No problem!" So we set out for the cafe, this time for real, and Gray followed. The goo normally sat at the table by the water, so I knew it wasn't going to be hard to find him. I just hoped that he actually knew something about these keys. Or at least something that could lead us to finding one.

When we reached the cafe I could see the goo was sitting in his normal spot just like always.

"So is that him?" Gray asked.

"Yeah."

"Well ok then!" Gray said as he walked over to the rumor spreader.

"Hiya!" The goo said as he looked at us.

"Hey long time no see!" I said.

"Oh hi Night what can I do for ya?"

"We need to know if you've ever heard of a Destruction Key" Gray blurted out.

"Destruction Key?"

"Yeah it looks a lot like this." I took out the rock Gray let me hold and showed it to the goo.

"Hmmm sorry I cant say that I have."

"So you're saying you don't know anything?" Gray asked.

"Well there was one thing..."

"One thing?"

"Yeah, a long time ago a strange object was found in Ice Town, deep in the ice caves. However the waddle dee who found it was attacked by monsters and dropped it as he ran away."

"So you're saying it might be in them, Ice Caves, was it?"

"Yeah."

"Oh ok, well thanks for the help!" Gray then turned and walked back towards Town Square.

"Hey Night, who's that?"

"Oh that's one of my friends who just moved here. His name is Gray."

"Ah ok, well see ya around!"

"Yeah, see ya." I then followed after Gray.

When we reached Town Square we sat down at the table in the center of town. Normally someone is always sitting here, but looks like today we were lucky and we were able to sit down before someone else beat us to it.

"So where's this Ice Town?" Gray asked.

"It's to the north of here, but you gotta go through a cave to get there."

"A cave?"

"Yeah, there's also a rail car that leads there but it's currently shut down and might not be open again for a few more months."

"So there's no way around it then. We gotta go through that cave."

"Yeah but just one thing."

"What's that?"

"Before we go anywhere, I need to talk to my friend Wads."

"Wads? You mean that guy you were fighting with yesterday?"

"You saw that?" I wasn't sure if I should be shocked or just plane ticked off.

"Yeah, but what were you fighting about?"

"I really... Don't know. He said something about gooies then he just went crazy."

"Wait... Did something happen to him?"

"I don't think so, why?"

"Well you see... Remember when I told you about Blazer, and how he was acting different?"

"Yeah?"

"Well that wasn't really Blazer. When I returned home yesterday I found out that that 'Blazer' was a monster known as a Copy Gooey."

"A Copy Gooey?"

"It's a monster that can clone a creature... It's a part of Dark Matter. When I found out that wasn't the real Blazer, I stole the Destruction Key and set out for Dream World to find you."

"So wait, you think Wads might have ran into these Copy Gooies?"

"Maybe..."

"But what do these things really do?"

"Well, they kill the original and then take it's place living it's life."

"So that means Wads might have seen that happen!"

"Could be."

"If that's what happened then... Maybe you should talk to him."

"Why?"

"I cant just leave without telling him, and if he's involved with Dark Matter somehow then we have to tell him what's going on!"

"Yeah you're right. Well what are we waiting for then? We should hurry up and get going before the sun sets."

By this time it was getting pretty late, and it would be dark within the hour. I guess I lost track of time with so much happening around me. I started out the day just like any other, but then I met Gray and everything changed. It's kind of funny. I didn't want to help him, and if I wouldn't have then I might have never found out about any of this. Anyway I didn't have time to stand around and think about what had just happened. So with Gray I made my way to Wads house.

When we reached Wads house we could see that it was dark inside. Not a single light was on, and the house looked empty.

"Is he home?" Gray asked with a puzzled look on his face.

"Yeah... It's always like this." Even though Wads was a fun loving guy, his house always looked empty. Wads normally spends most of his time outside, and only uses his house as a place to sleep. Really it's no wonder that it looks like no one even lived there.

"Well lets go." I said as I walked up to his door.

"Ok."

I rang the door bell and knocked a few times, but Wads wasn't showing up at the door. I could tell he was home, but he just wasn't coming. Almost as if he was ignoring me.

"WADS! OPEN THE DOOR! I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE!" There was no answer. "COME ON! GET OUT HERE!"

"WADS OPEN THE DOOR FOR ME AND KURO!" Gray yelled.

Just then the door opened and Wads looked at us with a confused look on his face. "Who the heck is Kuro?" He asked.

All I could do was just look at him. How do you tell your best friend that you've been lying to them since the day you met?

"I'm Kuro." I said.

"What?"

"I'll explain."

"Ok... and who's this?" He asked as he looked at Gray.

"Like I said... I'LL EXPLAIN!"

I then told Wads all about how I had met Gray earlier today, and how he had told me about the Destruction Keys. Also I told him how we planed on going to Ice Town to look for the second key. Gray also asked him about the Copy Gooies. Apparently the day we went to the fall fest Wads saw a few of the towns people get killed by the things. After he told us about it, things started to clear up. I understood why he freaked out yesterday, and why he brought up them bandits. I guess he felt that I was like them things. That I could kill without feeling any regret.

"So... When are you going?" Wads asked me.

"I guess first thing tomorrow." I replied.

"Yeah it's best that we leave as early as we can so we have plenty of time to get there. I'd hate to be trapped in caves I don't know late at night." Gray commented.

"Well then, I guess I better get to bed early for once!" Wads blurted out.

"W-what! What are you talking about!"

"Oh COME OOONN! You really think you can leave me behind Night... I mean... KURO!"

"But Wads even if you did see them Copy Gooies, you still aren't involved with this! You have no reason to come along!"

"Kuro's right. You'll just slow us down, and we can't let anyone get hurt."

"Yeah yeah whatever. I'm coming if you like it or not. Dark Matter is going to pay, and I want to be there when it does!" There was no arguing with Wads. Once he has his mind set to something, you can't change it.

"Ok ok fine you can come!" I caved. "But just remember, we don't know what's going to happen. The world outside of Cappy Town is filled with monsters now days, and Dark Matter is almost in full control. You could get hurt!"

"And... What's you're point?"

"My point is you cant just run off and do whatever you want!"

"Look who's talking Mr. IMMA GO ON AN ADVENTURE AND SAVE THE WORLD BECAUSE ONLY I CAN!"

"Darn... Got me there."

"Ha I can already tell this is gonna be a fun trip!" Gray yelled.

"Wow this is the first time I've seen you act this way Gray!"

"Well seeing you guys reminds me of how me and Blazer used to be."

"Ok so I'm heading to bed. I hate to kick you guys out like this but... GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" And with that Wads kicked us out into the street.

"Is he always like that?" Gray asked.

"Yeah." I said as I smiled. "HEY WADS WE'RE MEETING AT TOWN SQUARE AT 6 AM TOMORROW! DON'T FORGET!" With that being said, I headed home with Gray to get ready for the next day.