-Chapter 37-

Enter King Louie

Rhythmic Jungle

Riku sniffed the ground, focusing.

"Mowgli went this way," he reported. "And someone else was with him, but no one I know. Maybe another animal."

"Whoever it is, we need to find them." Sora insisted.

"Well, let the guy with the sniffer show us the way," West suggested.

Riku led them through the jungle, his nose low to the ground.

At the same time, Mowgli was walking alone, Vanitas watching him from the trees.

"I wonder where the others are...?" He perked, hearing rustling in the bushes. "Is that them?"

He froze as Heartless peaked out at him from the bushes. "Oh, no! The monsters!"

"Don't worry," Vanitas hopped down. "Let me keep these away."

As Mowgli ran off, Vanitas nodded in their direction.

"Take five, boys," The Heartless vanished, Vanitas chuckling. "Makes things so much easier."

-X-

Mowgli ran through the jungle, slipping on some mud. He slid along before bumping into something.

"Oh, you okay?" Mowgli looked up, seeing a bear with gray fur above him.

"A man cub!?" Mowgli screamed in surprise, recoiling. The bear held up his paws. "Whoa, whoa, slow down, kid. I ain't gonna hurt ya."

Mowgli slowly relaxed, taking a deep breath. "You aren't?"

The bear nodded. "Yeah. So no need to get worked up, 'kay? What's a man cub like you doing out here?"

"I-I was raised by the wolf pack."

"Where's your pack then?"

"I was going to the man village. There's a tiger after me."

The bear blinked. "The man village? You don't need to go there."

Mowgli tilted his head, confused. "I don't?"

"Nah, you can just stay out here. You don't have to worry about anything, and that tiger will probably buzz off after a bit anyway. Name's Baloo, by the way. And you are?"

"Mowgli," Mowgli was still unsure. "But... the tiger threatened my wolf family. As long as I'm in the jungle…"

"Well, if he never finds you, he won't know. You can stick with me."

Mowgli perked. "really?"

"Yeah! You have my word. What that tiger doesn't know won't hurt him."

Mowgli thought it over before nodding. "Well... if you're sure."

Baloo smiled. "Of course. Let me show you how things work with me. Just look for the bare necessities of life."

Mowgli nodded again, following him.

-X-

Elsewhere, Riku was leading the others along.

"He's not far from here… but there's another scent too," He sniffed a bit more, trying to get a read on it. "It's familiar… but I can't place it."

After a bit, West piped up. "Do you still smell the other scent?"

"A bit, but it broke off a bit ago. It's still close, though," Riku sniffed again. "Mowgli's not far, and I can smell a third scent."

"Third?" Ven asked.

"Well, ain't this kid popular." Lea deadpanned.

"Do you recognize this one?" Hikari asked.

Riku shook his head. "It's right next to him though. And… a bit stinky," He coughed. "Wow... this guy never heard of a bath, but they're close. This way!"

They ran over, finding Mowgli lounging by Baloo.

"Mowgli!" Aqua exclaimed. "There you are!"

"Huh?" Mowgli perked. "You guys came?

"Of course we did," Sora replied. "Who's this guy?"

"Baloo," They turned to see Bagheera approach. "The local jungle bum."

"Bagheera!" Baloo waved. "Good to see you."

Bagheera sighed. "I wish I could say the same. Are you alright, Mowgli?"

Mowgli smiled. "I'm fine! That tiger won't find me here, and I'm not bothering anyone If he thinks I left the jungle, he'll go away."

Bagheera raised an eyebrow. "Is that what you told him, Baloo?"

Baloo shrugged. "Why not? It's just a tiger."

"It's not just ANY tiger!" West exclaimed.

"Baloo, may we speak to you in private for a minute?" Bagheera asked.

"Fine, fine," Baloo stood up, following them to the side. "What's going on?"

"It's not just any tiger that's after Mowgli," Bagheera informed him. "It's Shere Khan."

That got Baloo's attention. "Shere Khan?! What's he got against the kid?"

"He hates man, you know that." Bagheera reminded him. "Because he fears their gun and the Red Flower."

"But Mowgli doesn't have either of those," Baloo pointed out. "He's just a cub."

"You really think Shere Khan will wait until he does?" Donald asked.

"But…" Baloo sighed. "Let's all get a good night's sleep and we can talk about this in the morning, eh?"

"I... guess that's reasonable." Goofy allowed.

"I guess," Bagheera reluctantly agreed. "But we should be careful."

"Maybe we should sleep in shifts," Max suggested. "Make sure nothing happens."

"Good idea," Mickey turned to Sora and Riku. "You two are on first watch."

-X-

As everyone got settled in, Sora and Riku stayed on watch.

"That stinky scent, that was Baloo," Riku realized. "I still don't know about the other one."

"It could have been Vanitas," Sora suggested. "He's still out there."

"Probably. But it begs the question... why was he so close to Mowgli?"

"Whatever he's planning, we'll stop him."

Riku looked back at Mowgli. "Yeah…"

-X-

Later, Hikari and Aqua were on watch. Suddenly, the ground shook. The two perked, only to see some elephants in the distance. Mowgli woke up, yawning.

"It's just some elephants," Aqua assured.

Hikari squinted, seeing them gathered around something.

"Oh no…" She ran forward, Mowgli following. As they got close, they saw a baby elephant stuck in the pit. At a glance, Mowgli worked out an idea.

"Aqua, Hikari, I need some vines," he told them. "As many as you can get."

The two gathered multiple vines, passing them around to the elephants before Mowgli hooked some around the baby.

"Now pull!"

They all pulled, managing to get the baby out. The leader came over, embracing the baby with his trunk before turning to them, nodding in respect. "Thank you for your help."

"It was nothing," Mowgli assured.

From the distance, Baloo, Bagheera, and the others watched as the elephants headed off.

"That... is one special kid." Baloo mused.

"I know he is," Bagheera replied. "I raised him."

-X-

Later, Ven and Nixe had taken up a shift.

"How dull you all are."

Ven perked, looking up to see Vanitas. "You!"

"Relax, I'm not here to fight." Vanitas lazily rolled over on a rock.

Nixe narrowed his eyes. "We know you're after Mowgli. What do you want with him?"

"Oh yeah," Vanitas said sarcastically. "This is the part where I go on a monologue and explain my evil plan, right? Right, like that's gonna happen."

"If you don't talk, we'll beat it out of you!" Nixe threatened.

Vanitas scoffed, standing up. "Nah. Besides, you have other things to worry about now. Later, losers."

With that, he vanished into a dark corridor.

"What is he-?" Ven began before they were cut off by monkeys hooting. They perked, seeing Mowgli being yanked up and carried off by them.

"Hey!" Mowgli yelled. "Put me down!"

"That jerk!" Nixe scowled. "Everyone up!"

Everyone snapped awake, though Sora took a moment or two.

"Oh c'mon, Mom! I'm too tired to go to school!" He blinked, looking around. "Oh, right…"

"Mowgli's being kidnapped!" Ven yelled. "Get up!"

"What?!" Baloo was up in an instant.

"After them!" Sï'Lea yelled before they gave chase, only to be left behind. Riku sniffed for a few moments.

"Follow me!"

As they went, Ven and Nixe explained.

"He was kidnapped by monkeys?" West repeated.

"The Bandar-log…" Bagheera hissed. "Blast it."

Sora blinked. "The what now?"

"A group of monkeys. They serve their king, Louie."

"What would they want with Mowgli?" Sï'Lea asked.

"Louie is obsessed with man. He wants to be one."

"So they won't hurt him?" Goofy asked.

Bagheera shook his head. "As long as Louie gets what he wants from him. But Mowgli can't give it to him."

"What does he want that...?" Donald's eyes widened in realization. "Fire."

"Exactly! And Mowgli can't make fire."

"And I'd rather not think about what would happen if this monkey got ahold of fire." Kairi said.

"Definitely wouldn't be good," Baloo confirmed.

Meanwhile, Mowgli had been dragged to an ancient ruin, an orangutan seated at an old throne.

"We got 'em, King Louie!" one cheered.

"So you're the man-cub, eh?" Louie chuckled. "Crazy."

"I'm not as crazy as you are," Mowgli shot back before glaring at the monkeys. "Put me down!"

The monkeys drop him on the ground. Mowgli pulled himself up, turning to Louie. "What do you want from me?"

"Cool it, boy. Let's unwind and talk," Louie handed him a banana. "You're among friends here."

"Friends don't kidnap friends." Mowgli retorted.

Louie got to business. "I got ears all over the place, kid. I know all about you, and your little beef with Shere Khan."

Mowgli sighed. "I.. I have to go to the man village. It's the only way me and the people I care about will be safe."

"But it ain't what you want, is it?"

Mowgli shrugged. "What do you care?"

"I can pull some strings. Look around, kid. I have plentiful food, vast treasure, I command big legions."

Mowgli raised an eyebrow. "You actually think you can fight off Shere Khan?"

"With your help, I can."

Mowgli blinked. "What can I do?"

"The Red Flower. All you gotta do is give me the secret."

Mowgli shook his head. "I don't have that!"

"You're a man, ain't ya?"

"But I've never seen another man before. I never learned. I don't know how to make the Red Flower. I'd like to help, but I don't know. Why do you want it so bad, anyway?"

"Ain't it obvious? Look around you, man-cub. What do you see?" Mowgli took in the sights. Man-made objects and materials, they were in a man-made temple… "I wanna be like you. A man."

Mowgli scoffed. "I don't see why. It's never done me any good."

Louie's eyes narrowed. "You will give me the Red Flower."

"I'm telling you I can't!" Mowgli spotted Vanitas lurking in the top of the temple. "I-it's you!"

Who?" Louie turned just as Vanitas vanished. "You're seein' things, man-cub."

Vanitas appeared again, looking down at Mowgli…

-X-

The others reached the temple.

"This is the place." Bagheera informed them.

As they headed in, they heard talking.

"C'mon! Gimme the secret!"

"I'm telling you, I don't know how to make the Red Flower!"

"It's the kid," Baloo realized.

"What's the plan?" West asked.

"We have to get him out…" Sora said.

"What if someone distracts the monkeys?" Kairi offered. "Keep them busy, we get him out"

"Leave it to me," Baloo decided, heading in.

-X-

"So… if I can't help, can I go?" Mowgli asked.

"Can't?" Louie questioned. "Or won't?"

"I can't! I was raised by wolves! I never learned how! Maybe I can go and learn then come back? What do you say?"

"Maybe…" Louie pondered. "I'll think on it. For now, you stay here." He smiled. "Relax, you'll like it here. We'll have fun."

"But…"

"Worried about Shere Khan?"

Mowgli nodded. "If you know about him, you know why I can't stay here."

"Worried about that family of yours?"

"He'll kill anyone who tries to protect me. You really think you can stop him?"

"You… don't know, do you?" Louie asked.

Mowgli tilted his head, confused. "Know what?"

"Yeah, I heard it on the grapevine. Sorry to tell ya, but... Akela's dead."

Mowgli gasped, the blood draining from his face.

"Wh-what!?" he exclaimed. "No! You're lying!"

"Nope. It's true. Shere Khan did it."

Mowgli's hands shook, tears of rage and sorrow in his eyes.

"Hey! Excuse me!" They turned to see Baloo enter.

"Baloo…" Louie greeted. "Come for the man cub?"

"Well, yeah, more or less."

Louie turned to his monkeys. "Get him outta here."

The monkeys moved to do so, but Baloo just plopped down on his rear. As hard as they tried, they couldn't budge the big bear.

"Kid, what's wrong?" he asked Mowgli. "They didn't hurt you, did they?"

Mowgli shook his head. "N-no, I'm fine. But Shere Khan... he…"

"Yeah, you haven't heard?" Louie questioned. "Akela's gone. Shere Khan got him."

"No…" Baloo let out in shock.

"Then why are you sitting here, Mowgli?" everyone perked as Vanitas hopped down. "If Shere Khan wants a fight… go give it to him. He wants to kill you. Kill him first."

"Who the heck are you?" Louie demanded.

"Nobody of consequence," Vanitas waved dismissively at him. "Just go eat a banana."

"Kill him?" Mowgli questioned.

"Of course," Vanitas nodded. "You gonna to let him get away with killing and threatening your family? He ran you out of your home. Killed the wolf that raised you. So what're you gonna do about it?"

"I…" Mowgli sighed. "I can't beat him."

"I can help you, trust me. C'mon, kid." Vanitas opened a dark corridor at that, Mowgli beginning to follow.

"Mowgli, don't!" came Ven's voice. Everyone turned as Sora and the others hurried in.

"What the heck is goin' on here?" Louie yelled. "What're you doing in my pad?!"

"We're here to rescue Mowgli!" Sora shot back.

Ven turned to Mowgli. "Mowgli, listen to me. You can't trust Vanitas!"

"Why not?!" Mowgli demanded. "He's right! Shere Khan killed Akela! He'll kill my family! I have to kill him first"

"Don't give in to vengeance!" Hikari pleaded. She ran for him, only to be cut off by Unversed.

"You coming or what?" Vanitas asked.

He headed into the corridor, and after a moment's hesitation, Mowgli followed.

"Mowgli, no!" Sora yelled as they vanished.

"We gotta find them!" Baloo cried.

"But where could they be?" Bagheera asked.

"they're going after Shere Khan," Sora said. "We can't let Mowgli kill him!"

"Follow me!" Riku said. "I'll sniff him out!"

They took off at that, leaving King Louie alone.

"Well…" he mused casually, "didn't see that coming."

Meanwhile, Mowgli and Vanitas appeared outside the man village.

"What are we doing here?" Mowgli asked.

"Shere Khan's one weakness is here," Vanitas replied. "Think: what does the tiger fear above anything else?"

Mowgli perked. "Fire."

"Bingo. So go get some."

Mowgli's eyes narrowed before he headed into the village, Vanitas smirking as he went.

"All according to plan."

Author's Note:

Oh, no! Can Sora and co. stop Mowgli from falling to the darkness?

My sincerest apologies for the ungodly wait. I got pulled into my other stories, like Sonic, and lost the buzz for this fic. But it's coming back slowly but surely. I'll update whenever I can.

Please R&R. Until next time!