Chapter 87: Do I know you?
Roxas stood silently as he stared at the number of stations that shined with the brightness of Kairi's heart. Being the princess of heart, Roxas expected that the station would be full of light instead of darkness but he didn't expect the stations to be formatted like a maze that a hamster is stuck in. He continued to look at the number of stations before breathing in as much as he can, "NAMINÉ!" He yelled as much as he could, trying to get some form of response from her. He waited for a response before trying again, "NAMINÉ!" he called again.
Xion stepped beside him and placed her hand on his shoulder, grabbing his attention. "There's no use, Roxas." She said to him, "She won't hear you."
"How do you know that?" Roxas said sharply to her, making Xion jump slightly. "Naminé is a part of Kairi, she should hear us. NAMINÉ!" He stepped away from her.
"Roxas!" Xion said firmly to him, "Naminé can only be found in her section of Kairi's heart, beyond the stations." She pointed to the maze.
Roxas turned to her in confusion, "Then why do these stations stayed in the way?" he asked.
"Because Naminé is in the process of restoring forgotten chains of memories from when Kairi was younger as well as making sure that her memories of Sora do not shatter in the process." Xion explained before looking at the other stations, "Just think of it, if we were to travel through these memories, we might learn about the past of Radiant Garden, even memories of the Keyblade apprentices."
"As much as I like to follow Kairi's toddler steps," Roxas said, walking past Xion with no emotion, "We can't waste any time, we need to find Naminé before he finds us." He looked at the stations, "Which way leads to Naminé?" he asked.
"I don't know." Xion said sadly, "This is where we part for now."
Roxas shot back round to face her, "You can't come?"
"You can travel through Kairi's memories because you have a connection with her, when you spoke to her with your heart. The only way I can get to Naminé is to quickly pass through the forgotten memories before the memory is connected by to the chains in Kairi's heart. Otherwise I might mess up Kairi's entire heart just by being here." She walked over to him and told him, "Just remember the times I wasn't in the organisation, I'll be fine."
"But-" Roxas spoke, he remembered those times but not the time after her mission with Axel and Xigbar.
"I'll meet you there." She smiled softly at him before jumping off the coloured mural, shocking Roxas as he tried to grab her to safety. He reached down only to miss her hand by mere inches, watching her form disappear within the light.
He continued to stare at where his friend had disappeared, not believing that she had just left him with no clue what to do. He quickly shook his head, telling himself that this was not the time to feel doubtful about him. He needed to get to Naminé, no matter what memory might get in his way. "Hold on Naminé." He said aloud, "I'm on my way." He closed his mind, forcing on a memory that focused on him and Kairi but also had Naminé in presents, creating a light blue memory portal.
BOWBOWBOW
After taking the break, everyone continued down the route with everybody patrolling, as much as it annoyed Brian as his back began to hurt again and was forced to walk on his paws. They travelled to the first checkpoint with no problem as they began to set up camp so that they could have something to eat before heading to the next checkpoint. Shang quickly set orders to everyone as Sora and Kairi were to set tents up, Jun was to set the table up, Donald and Goofy were to gather fruit, Mulan and Shang were to catch some fish and Brian was to set the fire up, ready for the fish. It didn't take long for the red tiger to set the fire, as well as try and change himself back which failed miserably, before quickly receiving Mushu.
The two guardians were already at their plan as the two had already checked on Sora and Kairi, as part of Brian's agreement, to see that they were acting as their usual selves. Brian slowly sneaked into one of the brushes nearby, with Mushu on his shoulders, as the tiger laid his sights on Jun as she began to place supplies needed to set the table, "Ah ha! That's my queue to put Operation: Shang into action." Mushu smirked before looking down at Brian, "You know what to do, right?"
"Yeah. Yeah. Yeah." Brian pushed the dragon out of his face, "Just get going will you!"
"Alright. Alright! I'm going." Mushu jumped off of him with slight annoyance in his voice, "That cat needs to lighten itself up." He muttered to himself before going to find Mulan and Shang.
Brian ignored the 'gecko' as he pushed himself out of the brush and approached Jun, not noticing the small table, "Hey Jun." He smiled until he tripped over the table, making the flip the table, sending many cups, plates and oranges. Brian quickly flipped back up to his feet and grabbed the cups in one hand and the plate of oranges with the other, hearing Jun giggling coming from behind him. "That was close." He grinned sheepishly.
"Sure was." Jun agreed as she flipped the table over, "I'm sure your little feathered friend wouldn't like to gather a new bunch of fresh fruit again."
Brian chuckled at this as he began to set the cups and plates of oranges down on the table, "He has his moments to show his rage. I just wish the moments stop coming." Brian stepped away from the table, seeing that it was set. "Well, the table is set. That just means that me and you can relax for a while." He grinned.
"But General Shang said not to slack off anymore." She reminded him sense the two were strictly told by Shang not to slack off.
"Last time I checked, Mulan was your teacher." Brian said to her, making the pupil think. "Besides, we'll be sitting for some food in a minute anyways. We might as well start early."
"Well..." Jun thought about it, "Okay talking tiger! Let's go."
BOWBOWBOW
Mushu smirked from the weed grass as he watched Mulan and Shang fishing, "This is gonna be delicious. Pretty boy is gonna look sooo bad that it will send Mulan running for the hills." He silently sneaked into the water as Mulan swung into the water. As Shang was about to impress Mulan with his swing, the little dragon quickly placed the hook at the end of Shang's training robe before swimming back to the weed grass to watch his plan. Shang pulled his fishing rode, pulling his training robe over his head, not allowing him to see. As he shrugged to get out of his shirt, Shang lost his balance and feel back into the water, grabbing Mulan's attention.
Mushu smirked at this, feeling that Mulan will complain about him being clumsy, that is until Shang began to shake as something seem to be moving inside his soaked training robe. As he struggled to get whatever that was wiggling inside, Mulan reached inside of his shirt and pulled out a small fish, "Good catch Shang." Mulan joked, laughing along with Shang. Mushu growled at this, he would need to make another plan.
BOWBOWBOW
Brian and Jun relaxed under one of the fruit trees that Donald and Goofy had finished picking at, talking about themselves as Brian was currently talking about his brothers, "They may not be my blood related brothers and they can be a pain but they're still my brothers." Brian admitted to her before turning towards her, "Okay. I've talk about me. What about you?" He asked as he looked up at the clouds and the edge of the tree again, "What's your family like?"
"I don't have one." Jun answered casually.
The crimson tiger sat up and turned back to look down at Jun with a serious look, "You're an Orphan?" He asked quietly.
"Yep!" She smiled. "You're lucky that you're an alien tiger, the orphanages here are a bunch of meanies. They never give you more sweet and sour chicken when you ask for it."
"What happened to your parents?" He asked.
Jun sat up casually, not feeling any different from telling the story, as she looked at Brian happily. "I lost my dad in a war, I lost my mum from the news that I lost my dad in a war."
"Your dad got killed in a war?" Brian said with surprise.
"What? No. I mean that one minute he's next to me during the war and then next thing he has disappeared. Like fireflies!" She smiled, earning a thought like expression from Brian. "I told my mum that dad disappeared within fireflies when she disappeared in fireflies too. I've been at the orphanage until a couple of months ago, when Fa Mulan took me in." She explained.
"So you've never left this world?" Brian asked her. She replied by shaking her head, 'no' while keeping her innocent look on her face. If she's never left this world...how can she be within my memories? This makes no sense. Maybe her version of an orphanage could be her time in the Order. Brian thought before looking at the girl once more, "Are you sure?" He asked her again.
"Nope." She smiled, "Never left. But I do wonder what other worlds are like." She admitted before looking at him with curiosity, "Why do you ask?" She asked.
"You just seem familiar. That's all." Brian shrugged, "Do you know any one called Nikolai?"
BOWBOWBOW
Mushu chuckled evilly as he watched Mulan, Shang, Donald and Goofy casually drank their drinks as they talked about what had happened to them since Mulan was also made a personal guard to the Emperor. The small dragon looked at the small earthworms that wiggled in his claws before placing them down Shang's shirt. The small dragon snickered as he watched Shang shot up from the log that he was sitting on, trying to get the worms out of his shirt as Mulan stood up to help him. As Donald and Goofy stood up, Shang fell against a tree, freeing the roots that were under Mulan, sending her flying into him as both of them landed on the broken tree.
Mushu smirked at this, waiting for Mulan to yell at Shang for sending her flying off the ground and into him only to be gobsmacked that both of them laughed at Shang's clumsiness, which was followed by Donald and Goofy's laughter. The small dragon banged his head on the side only to realise that he was banging his head on Donald's staff, which fell over and hit Goofy's shield to give off a big gong sound.
Donald halted his laughter as he turned around to where the two had left their weapons, "Did you hear that?"
Goofy looked at Donald with confusion, "Garwsh I didn't hear anything." He said.
"I'm telling you. I heard something." Donald stepped towards the weapons, where Mushu remained hidden. The duck looked at the weapons, not knowing that Mushu was shaking from behind the shield, before shrugging it away. "It was properly just the wind." The duck said, making Mushu sigh in relief.
BOWBOWBOW
"Nope." Jun answered, "Never heard of them."
"What about Colonel Devil?" Brian asked her.
"The devil is in the Chinese Army?" Jun gasped with shock, making Brian groan with annoyance. "I better get going. General Shang asked me to sort out the wagon before we set off again." She stood up from under the tree before facing Brian again, "I think that you should listen to the voice that rests inside you. Maybe then you'll be able to find those that seem familiar." She advised him before heading to the wagon.
The tiger turned away from the departing Jun to be collected in his own thoughts, She knows none of the Order members but from my memories we knew her. This makes no sense! Brian groaned at the mystery of the girl, as well as the strange flashbacks that just wants to drive him insane. He got up from resting under the tree and headed towards the camp, maybe he could catch up on Sora and Kairi.
BOWBOWBOW
"Ohhh I try and I try." Mushu remained under the wagon, hiding behind the wheel as the raging white feathered mage searched for him within small grass bushes. "I put my heart and soul into busting them up and what do I have to show for it?" The small dragon looked at his thunder burns that he had received from Donald when he managed to get himself caught when Shang was running away from a bear. "A chance of getting murder." Mushu kicked a rock that was underneath the wheel, removing it away from the wagon. "Oh great ancestors, I throw myself at your mercy." He cried, not releasing that the wagon was slowing moving. "Great spirits, take me no-" The small dragon opened his eyes to find that he was no longer in the shadow of the wagon as the wagon began to head itself down the hill, straight to the camp. "Ohhhh." Mushu gulped with fear as he head after it, unable to hear a distance call come from inside the wagon. "That can't be good."
BOWBOWBOW
"Hey Brian!" Kairi smiled at the approaching tiger humanoid, giggling as she watched him watch on all fours with an annoyed expression. "Where's Jun?" she asked as Sora began to wake up from his nap.
"She went to the wagon." Brian shrugged, ignoring Kairi's giggles, as he collapsed on the grass, facing the fire with a distance look. "There's something familiar about her though." He opened up.
"Maybe she's from another world." Sora yawned as he lazily turned towards Kairi, "Hi Kairi." He smiled drowsily. She smiled softly at the Keyblade Master, before pushing him back down on the floor with her arm.
"I thought that too." Brian spoke as Sora chuckled on the ground from Kairi's playful taunt. "But I asked her and-"The Endless halted himself as his ears twitched slightly, "Do you guys hear that?" Brian turned towards the grass brushed hill, looking for the source of the noise.
"What is it?" Sora shot up, ready for the possible attack. "Heartless? Unbirth?"
"The Order?" Kairi jumped up as well, standing on guard beside Sora. The two keybladers watched the tiger raise himself from the grass ground as he slowly approached the source of the sound. "Brian?" Kairi asked.
"It sounds like-" Brian listened to the sound with his eyes closed, allowing him to imagine what object could possibly be. As soon as an image appeared in his head, his eyes shot open as he quickly looked through the brushes. Both of the keybladers turned their direction to the source of the noise that Brian had heard as it sounded like a wagon coming down a hill at a dangerous speed. Before the two could say anything about it, Brian shot back round with a panicked look on his face as the supply wagon came shooting from the front of them, sending Brian down the hill with the wagon.
"HELP!"
Sora quickly helped Kairi up, as the two managed to jump to the side of the wagon to avoid getting taken away with the carriage. Kairi looked at the wagon with concern, "It's heading straight for the cliff and I've could have swore that I heard someone else on the wagon as well."
Sora quickly summoned Kingdom Key and changed it into pure energy, allowing him to change into his element. "I have a plan but you have to trust me for what I'm about to do." Sora turned to Kairi with a serious look.
"What's your-Woah!" Kairi looked down at the ground as she began to hover up in the air before turning to her friend, who had her in his arms as he looked at the descending wagon with a serious look. "Sora..."
"Hold on tight." He said to her before he sped after the carriage with Kairi in his arms.
Brian planted his claws behind him before swinging himself around to face the wagon, allowing him to plant his feet on the front of the wagon. He quickly made his way to the edge of the wagon; from there he could at least land safely when he jumps off. He grabbed the edge of the window as he looked behind him to see if he can jump off.
"Haru..." A voice called from inside, "Help!"
Brian looked back at the window and looked inside to see that Jun was trapped inside the wagon as she was trying to get her foot out of the wooden flooring of the wagon. "Jun! Hang on!" He reached inside the wagon, helping her pull her foot out of the floor.
Above the carriage, Sora softly landed on top of the speeding wagon, using his wind abilities to keep the both of them balance as they looked at the cliff in the distance. "Kairi. I'll try and slow down the wagon. I need you to make the ground muddy." Sora instructed. She quickly nodded as she began to cast her wateraga spells at the ground, making the path lumpy and brown while Sora tried to slow the wagon down with his element. The wagon was going at a speed that Kairi didn't have time to soak the ground enough to slow the carriage down while Sora seemed to have trouble with casting wind based attacks.
"Sora!" Sora landed back on the top of the wagon to see Brian hanging for his life at the side as he tried to free Jun. The Keyblade Master quickly forced the flooring up, breaking it completely with his wind element, freeing Jun. "Quickly." Brian grabbed Mulan's pupil and pulled her out of the wagon.
"The Cliff!" Kairi pointed out to the others as the wagon jumped off of the cliff. Sora quickly dashed over to Kairi, grabbed her and jumped off the wagon while Brian jumped off the side with Jun in his hands as the wagon fell on a sharp rock end, destroying the wagon completely. The four of them yelled as they fell into the lake that rested underneath the cliff.
BOWBOWBOW
As soon as the wagon had been released into its free run across the chinese countryside, Donald and Goofy had quickly reported back to Mulan and Shang so that they could help receive the wagon. Unfortunately, as soon as they had reached the cliff that the wagon had fallen off, they had found Sora, Kairi, Brian and Jun swimming to shore while carrying any supplies that they could get a hold on. "What happened?" Shang demanded as he stood in front of the four, he did not like the situation one bit.
"Will you cool your head, General?" Brian told him. "You should be glad that you don't have to carry dead bodies." Since Brian was a tiger, he was soaked in everyplace possible, making him rub across his body where he felt discomfort.
Shang ignored the tiger as he turned to Jun, "Weren't you guarding the wagon?" he asked.
"Well yeah but..." Jun began to explain.
"So you slacked off again and because of your actions, we've lost half of our supplies." Shang stepped towards Jun, making her cower slightly. "I have had it with your slip ups, Ning Jun."
"Shang!" Mulan quickly stepped between the two of them, "It was an accident. You can't possibly blame her for an appearance of bad luck?"
"Yeah." Sora stepped follow, "It could have happened to anyone of us, right guys?" Everyone nodded in agreement.
"We should be making camp and plan our next route before blaming each other." Kairi told the General. "Sir." She quickly added at the end. Shang continued to look at Jun darkly before storming, giving comrades to make camp for the night.
As everyone seemed to either follow Shang's orders or tend to Jun, Mushu appeared as he crawled up Brian's back and relaxed casually on his shoulder. "I see Shang's steaming like a fresh pork bun." He smirked, "I knew my plan would work."
"All you managed to do is nearly kill all four of us." Brian growled at the dragon, "If you managed to destroy a wagon then you should have no problem with working on your own." He said as he picked the dragon off his shoulder, "Do what you like with Shang and Mulan but Jun doesn't need to be hurt in the middle."
"She's just a young girl anyway." Mushu looked at him in disbelief, "It's not like she's important."
"Actually..." Brian said as another flashback crossed his mind, one where Nikolai and Brian are talking about Jun's teachings. "The ones that are looked at the less are the most important of all."
A/N: Hey everyone! I'm trying to write as fast as I can but it's annoying that I can only write when the TV isn't on in the same room. Okay, time for messages =D
Celticskyedancer: It's fun to mess up other stories like Kingdom hearts does with going to the worlds. ^^
Vat Pat: Life is fair for Brian...awww I love it ^^
Joahikim: I'm having summer fun...it's preventing me to reach the target though.
Artism: I need all the luck I can get.
Kisdota- The Freak Gamer: Yep. I'm going with this movie ^^
Future Keybearer: I will do.
LozzyBoo93: AWWWWWWWWW THANK YOU! I love it. I'm happy that you enjoy my story and actually think that Brian is a good character. Birth by Sleep is hard to do as I have to guess. Knowing me, it'll be all wrong and I'll be like, 'NOOOOOOOOOO! IT WILL NEVER BE KH3 NOW!' On the plus side, Birth by Sleep will be out in the US and the UK (Yay us X3) on the September 10th, I know this because I have it on pre-order ^^. I know what you mean, I have come across a couple of stories like that when I just end up forgetting the story line if they don't update soon. Mind you, I keep having to check up on previous chapters as some small stuff that's important keeps slipping and I end up repeating myself...ohhh well. They will properly make a film one day, just in CGI graphics like Final Fantasy films...well that's what I think anyways. It's cool to see that other UK readers like my story. ^^ Maybe our paths will cross one day at someplace that relates to Kingdom Hearts ^^
Right, I need sleep. See ya next time.
Kingdommad