*I don't own ANY of the Kingdom Hearts/Naruto characters, I only own Katie Heart.

Oh! And sorry if I got some OOC going on...^^'

(PS: Sorry if this chapter is a wee bit fast-paced...I'm tired and I wanted to upload a new chapter...xD)

Katie was running as fast as she could, chopping down leaves and branches as she progressed. 'God, please don't let me be too late. Please don't let me be too late!' she thought frantically. Katie never heard a pain-filled scream yet but it could be very possible that the scream happened while she was fighting the Heartless or, heck, it could have happened hours ago! But she kept her ears pricked, waiting for an expected scream. Katie quickened her pace, wandering aimlessly to find Team 7. She jumped when she heard an explosion. "What the-?!" Katie looked around, but didn't see any smoke. But she did smell blood. "Oh, Lord, that's foul!" Katie said in disgust. "What the hell am I doing?! I need to keep going!" She burst back into a sprint. Her asthma started to kick in after another mile of running. 'Oh c'mon! Not now! I'm almost there!' she complained to her lungs but she couldn't take it. Katie fell to her knees and wheezed in deep breaths and had a giant coughing fit. She was coughing so loud she didn't hear a person walk up behind her.

"Katie-San?! Is that you?! You alright?!" a familiar voice asked worriedly.

Katie could barely move because she was coughing so much. She's just hoping her Sicklic Vomiting Syndrome won't kick in, either. She jumped when she felt a hand on her back.

"It's alright, Katie-San! It's Naruto!" said Naruto. "What's wrong?"

"Need...inhaler...!" Katie wheezed.

"What does it look like?" Naruto asked.

Katie shook her head. "Don't have it. Here!" She handed Void Gear to him. "I need...you to use...a Cure spell on me!"

"A what? What is this thing? Weird looking sword..." Naruto rambled.

Katie groaned between hacking up her lungs, "Just point it at me and say 'heal'!" she barked. Naruto did what she said and watched green vines of light go around her and go into her chest. The tightness in her throat and lungs instantly disappeared. Her wheezes slowly turned back to normal breathing. Naruto helped her up and handed her back her Keyblade. "Thanks, Naruto..." Katie said with a weak smile.

"No prob! Hey, where's your team?" Naruto asked.

"Fighting a giant snake." Katie answered shortly.

Naruto stared at her. "You left your team?!"

"No!" Katie answered quickly. "I'm terrified of snakes..." Her mind clicked on what she was doing earlier. "Speaking of snakes..." She ran off.

"Hey, wait! Katie-San! Come back!" Naruto yelled after her and followed right behind her. "Where you goin?"

"I'm going to save your team's ass, that's what." Katie answered blankly.

"MY TEAM IS IN TROUBLE?!" Naruto yelled. He used Quick Step and got in front Katie in a blink of an eye. "Why didn't say you so?! See you there!" With that statement, he was gone.

Katie rolled her eyes and smirked. "Same old Naruto..." She slowly quickened her pace. 'I now know that Cure can, well, cure anything so if I do get there too late, I can just cast a Cure spell!' Katie thought. 'Just need to remember that I have to stop back at Merlin's at some point...' Out of nowhere, a dark portal formed in front of Katie. "Yipe!" Katie yelped. She almost fell inside the portal but she jumped out of its way just in time. She wielded her Keyblades. "I don't have time for this!" Katie growled. Like the portal back in Radiant Garden, no one came. This angered Katie and she yelled, "What do you want?! I'm a little busy at the moment…" She was shocked when a person in a black Organization XIII coat walked out of the portal with their hood up. Katie took a couple steps back slowly as she asked, "Who are you?"

"That is not important." Said the hooded figure.

"You're one of Xehanort's puppets, ain't cha?" Katie challenged. "If you are, I got a message for the old coot. There is no way in hell I'm joining him and I will get Terra back! Even if I die trying!"

The hooded figure chuckled, "My, my. You are a sharp one. No wonder why Master Xehanort wants you as a vessel. Don't get your hopes up, Katelynn Heart. We will keep that sorry excuse of a Keyblade wielder until either we decide to let him go…or you joining us." He held out his hand. "I'll make your journey easier and…less painful. Come with me now, we will not harm your friends and let Terra go. If not, continue through this pointless journey and make your friend suffer…"

Katie clenched her teeth and played many scenarios in her head. Did this hooded figure say they were harming Terra? Katie shook her head as she laughed, "What part of 'no' don't you understand? I will never join the Darkness. Hell, I'll never join you!"

"Your heart is already etched on a Dark path…ever since you were four. You can't escape the Darkness now, it will slowly consume you…you will lose all of your friends in the end." Katie couldn't see his face but she could hear the smirk in his voice as he continued, "You will even lose your heart. Goodbye, Katelynn Heart…I hope you will accept our offer before it is too late for you to make choices on your own." He slowly backed up into his dark portal and disappeared along with it.

Katie stared at where the dark portal once was. 'Lose my heart? My heart was etched? What does that mean?' She shook her head hard. 'Don't listen to him, Katelynn…he's trying to mess with your head. Don't let Xehanort get to you, it's what he wants.' She told herself. She heard the snapping of branches and low hisses from far up ahead. 'Gr! Stupid Xehanort made me forget what I was doing!' Shivers crawled down her skin. "Snakes…just follow the sound of snakes…" Katie mumbled to herself, she burst into a sprint. The smell of burning flesh entered Katie's nose as she got closer; she knew exactly what it was. "I'm coming, Team 7!" she yelled. Katie doubted that they heard but Katie continued forward as fast as she could. Her hope increased when she saw Sakura and Sasuke in the distance through the undergrowth. She remained hidden, waiting for the right time to strike. The tall man with black hair from earlier was standing in front of them.

"Just who the heck are you?!" Katie heard Sasuke yell at the man.

"I'm Orochimaru, the giant snake." Katie shivered at the words 'giant snake'. He continued, "If you want a rematch…then pass this Exam as quickly as you can! I'll see you again, if you manage to defeat the three Otonin Sound ninja who answer to me."

"Wh-what are you babbling about?!" Sakura stuttered. "We never want to see your face again!"

"Perhaps not…but wishing won't chase me away." Orochimaru sneered.

A loud hiss filled Katie's ears. This was her chance. She jumped out of her hiding place and wielded Void Gear as she charged forward. Orochimaru didn't notice her until he felt his fangs sink into metal instead of flesh. "Don't even think about it, Snake-Man." She growled.

"Katie?! What are you doing here?" Sasuke asked her. "It's too dangerous!"

"Says the person that almost got a Curse Mark!" Katie shot back. She had the sudden feeling her hand that was holding Void Gear was on fire, she looked at her hand and found her Keyblade glowing orange and black with a dark purple aura swirl around it and it slowly progressed to her hand. "Ouch! God, that stings!" Katie hissed as she threw her Keyblade to the ground before the purple aura got to her hand and disappeared.

Orochimaru's neck shrunk back to its original size. "You know of the Curse Mark?" he asked Katie.

"Yes, I do. I reckon I almost got myself one just now, right?" Katie asked with a smirk.

"No one outside the Sound Village should know of the Curse Marks…who are you?"

Katie wielded Darkness' Master and Void Gear, now Curse Mark free, as she answered in a monotone voice, "My name is Katie Heart; wielder of the Keyblade and a warrior of Light. My job is to find the Dark Realm, and you're in my way."

"Is that so, Ms. Heart?" Orochimaru sneered. He peeled off the skin on his face and revealed his true identity and slit eyes. "Then you will have to fight me if you want me to get out of the way."

"You're on, Snake-Man." Katie said with a smirk. She looked over to Sasuke and Sakura, "You two better get out of here. You're exhausted. Take Naruto and find my team, tell them I sent you."

"He's very powerful, Katie. Are you sure you want to fight him alone?" Sasuke ask.

Katie rolled her eyes. "Man, you sound like Repliku. Yes, I'll be fine. Just get outta here and find my team. You'll be safe with them." Sasuke was hesitant but he nodded his head and left with Sakura and grabbed the unconscious Naruto as they ran off. Katie returned her attention back to Orochimaru and hit the red orb on her arm piece. Shadowy light engulfed her and shot off of her body to reveal her armor. "Let's dance, Snake-Man."

Katie's first boss-fight next chapter! WOO! :D Just need to figure out how the heck she should fight Orochimaru...that might take me awhile. I'll also need some fighting scene advise cuz I ain't good with fighting scenes, like at all...^-^'

Tell me what you think! See you guys later and check out my new Naruto fanfic "Until The End" if ya'll got the time! Peace off. BOOP!