Mount Myoboku was, not to put too fine a point on it, breath-takingly beautiful.
But at the moment, I didn't really care about that.
I had much more pressing concerns, obviously.
Alongside Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura, I was following Jiraiya as he led us to the Great Toad Sage.
It was, perhaps, unnecessary.
The moment I'd arrived here had been the moment I'd sensed his Heart- and I knew it was his Heart simply because of the feel of it.
It was Old, filled with a serene calmness that echoed with countless long years. So different from every other Heart that laid within Mount Myoboku that I couldn't help but notice it.
Nearby were two similar Hearts, both old, but not Old. Shima and Fukasaku, probably.
On top of that was the Natural Energy of this place. It was strong, powerful, more so than the Natural Energy within Konohagakure and its surroundings.
More so than the vast majority of the Elemental Nations, actually...
It ebbed and flowed around them, all three so in tune with nature that it was actually kind of hard to tell the difference between their Chakra and the Natural Energy around them.
It didn't take us very long to get to them.
"Now, remember this." Jiraiya stated as he paused at the entrance. "These three are the three oldest Toads on Mount Myoboku. So... just be polite, would you?"
Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura nodded.
"Good."
And with that, he entered the Great Toad Sage's domain.
We followed behind him, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura looking around as they examined the room- impressive, certainly, but that wasn't what I was looking at.
Instead, my eyes were locked on the center inhabitant of the room, the Great Toad Sage himself. Flanking him on the right and left were Fukasaku and Shima, but I barely noticed them.
My gaze was met by the old Toad's, his eyes actually opened wide enough that I could see the stormy grey iris, and bar shaped pupils.
To my surprise, he spoke first.
"Not since the time of the Sage of Six Paths have beings of Darkness walked this world." His head tilted slightly to the side as he examined me.
Not a capital 'W'.
And the Sage of Six Paths...
"Such things are usually unknown." Usually. "Good evening. My name is Drich."
"Gamamaru." Came the slow reply. "Welcome to Mount Myoboku, Drich."
He seemed... unworried. He knew of the Darkness, and he didn't worry?
"Fukasaku, Shima..." He addressed the two Toads, who, I only now noticed, were rather confused. "Please take the younglings to be taught. I wish to speak with Drich alone."
They looked at each other for moment. "Are you sure?" Fukasaku asked.
Gamamaru nodded. "This is a conversation only for us."
"Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura. Good luck."
They didn't take long to leave, confused as they were. Still, the discretion was rather nice.
"They do not know of Darkness, do they?" I asked.
A rather slow nod answered my question. Not hesitant, just slow. "No."
How much did he know? "Jiraiya said you wished to meet with me."
Again, another slow nod. "I did." He agreed. "You are quite different from the two beings of Darkness I saw all those years ago. They were both Human..."
Two? Interesting.
"Though they were also enemies." He continued, giving a considering hum. "They fell from the sky, both wielding weapons shaped like keys, both clad in black armour..."
Keyblades and Keyblade Armour. That...
"They fought each other for hours, until one of them eventually fell..." His eyes closed as his head tilted to the side again, seemingly remembering the past. "It was a long battle, one that I witnessed from the beginning to the end."
Two beings who used Darkness, fighting against each other... Fell from the sky?
"That block you gave to Jiraiya..." If they'd fallen from the sky, then they'd must have come from outside of this World. Or there was something screwy going on, which, knowing Darkness and the average sanity of those who wielded it, might very well be the case. "Did it come from them?"
He nodded again. "I sensed that it was important, but I do not yet know how."
"You are correct. They are quite important." Quite useful, and also quite dangerous. "May I ask how much you know of the Darkness?"
"Precious little." Gamamaru answered. "What I am aware of comes from only from what I saw and heard during the fight between the two wielders of eld."
That... was probably a good thing. The less the knowledge of Darkness was spread around, the better.
"I had not even realised that beings like yourself existed... beings who are only Darkness."
No knowledge of the Heartless. Thank fucking god.
"Perhaps that is a good thing. The others of my kind lack both self-awareness, and benevolence." I replied. "Though, what is it that makes you believe I am naught but Darkness?" I already had an inkling of the answer, but...
Best check to make sure. I could always be wrong, after all...
"It is the feel to you." His eyes opened and he looked at me again, though now they were half-lidded. "All things in this world resonate with the energy of nature... earth, soil, water, air, metal, plants... even animals, for it was from the world they were born, and to the world that they shall return... all things, that is, except Darkness." His eyes closed. "When the two who wielded Darkness came, they both lacked that energy of nature, but, even still, there was a degree of interplay... which was lacking with the Darkness that they wielded." Again, his eyes opened. "You lack even what little interplay they possessed, for which I presume the reason is because you are entirely Darkness."
Interesting...
"Thank you for the explanation."
It seems I had a fair bit to think about.
And there were still a considerable amount of questions...
Which one first?