Kingdom Hearts: The Chosen

[kazukifafner]

That's the idea, lol. Love that episodic feel

[kazukifafner]

Whew! Finally got Chapter Two done (I'm punctual, just not very speedy, lol). This is the last of the "introductory" chapters, so the next one should start to delve more into the actual story. Enjoy!

*****



Kurenai sat up in a cold bed on board the Ichiyasen. Despite that, the ship was very impressive. Outside, he had seen the entire ship in full view. It had the sleek appearance you would expect from an interstellar ship, and the silver finish gave it a nice futuristic look. Then inside was just as well designed. The walls were smooth, the floors were polished, and the crew had a friendly air about them, at least that was what his brief observation showed him.

Tired of sitting in his temporary room, he stood up and strolled outside. Before taking two steps outside, he ran into another person, crashing onto the floor. Kurenai saw that the person was a teenager like him, though he looked a couple of years younger than him. He had short black hair, wore a loose gray shirt with two thin, deep blue straps crossing his chest from shoulder to mid-section, and baggy blue-white tie dye pants.

“Watch where you’re going!” The young man said in a stern tone, with a voice much deeper than Kurenai had expected.

“Hey, cut me some slack, I just go here!” Kurenai responded.

“Humph, please, you’re just another piece of cargo to me.”

The young man stood up and started to walk away. As Kurenai watched him, fists clutched in anger, he felt a tug on his arm as he was lifted to his feet. Kurenai looked over his shoulder and saw a chestnut haired man, wearing a suede jacket, yellow shirt, and black leather jeans. The man was looking back at him with a compassionate smile on his face.

“Hey! I'm Sen.” He began. “Sorry that Haruku was so rude to you, he has a bad way with people. Nothing to worry about though.”

At this Haruku turned and a shimmering light blossomed from his hand. One second later, a majestic chain whip was clinging to Sen's arm. The gold and red pattern on the chains mixed together with an almost frivolous nature. Sen gripped the chain with his free hand and tugged on it. Haruku's eyes and muscles strained trying to keep his weapon in hand.

“You know better than that, Haruku.” Sen said. “I'm sure you were taught that Chosen aren’t supposed to use these weapons against each other.”

“Chosen!?” Kurenai thought. “Then, that weapon is a Keyblade too? But, it doesn't look like one at all.”

Haruku dismissed his whip and continued walking down his way with a huff. Sen simply smiled warmly as the kid walked away. Kurenai also watched him with his eyes, but with a much more curious expression. Then, he heard Sen's voice speak to him again.

“Got something on your mind?”

Kurenai answered, “What kind of weapon was that? He's a Chosen, right?”

“Didn't you know? A Chosen's weapon reflects his personality, even though a sword is its most common form. Haruku's is a whip, or what is known in the Committee as a Keylash. He doesn't look it, but he's one of the most agile Keylash Chosen around. He was probably taught most of it by his fath- Oops! That's right; I forgot he doesn't like me talking about that. Never mind.”

“What kind of weapon do you use?” He asked with an inquisitive eye.

Sen extended his left hand, and a beautiful bow bloomed into existence. Its jagged curves and strong form gave the look of a weapon that could easily hold its own in battle. Sen also showed him his right hand, or more accurately, the ring finger on his right hand. On it was a ring similar in design to the bow, and attached to it was a chain just like on the ends of Kurenai's and Shin's Keyblade.

“The Committee calls this a Keybow, clever aren't they? But it is a very good weapon for me, since I'm not very good on the frontlines. This ring draws power from my heart to form the arrows; so the more confident I am, the better I'll fight.” Sen walked away, down the same hall as Haruku. He waved back to Kurenai and said, “See ya, Kurenai.”

Kurenai waved back before he realized, “Wait!” He shouted, “How did you know my name?”

“Oh, that.” Sen answered as he walked. “Shin already told us.”

Kurenai just stood in that spot. He couldn't understand how such completely opposite people could work under the same ship. He shook the question out of his head and started walking in the opposite direction. All the while, he was beginning to wonder if going with Shin had been such a good idea.

- - - - - - - - - -

A looming mansion towered over Kurenai as he walked up its ivory steps. Shin told him that this was the famous Committee's planet when they got off the Ichiyasen a little while back. The Committee insists that the planet be known only as Headquarters, to prevent any confusion. The mansion was the highlight of the entire world. It was as brilliant as any royal castle, but regal enough to be considered part of the military. Small towers erupted from either side, and well-carved columns lent support to its already stable frame.

Shin walked a few paces in front of him and threw open the wide double-dutch doors, perfectly ready to make his presence known. However, the captain never said a word, and just looked straight ahead. Kurenai followed him into the dark interior of the Committee's office. Inside, he found Shin in the center, but couldn't see anything else around him. Then, suddenly, a bright light from the ceiling cast a spotlight on the both of them.

A voice in front of them spoke, “Welcome, Shin. It's good to see that you weren't harmed in your last mission.”

Shin let a grimace slip out, “I hate you and your formalities.” He said, not even trying to hide his temper. “I brought the kid didn't I, so just let me outta here!”

“Hold it a moment, Shin!” came the powerful voice of the Committee leader. “You should have known before you accepted this mission that “the kid” would be in your care after our talk is done.”

Shin gritted his teeth. “Why do you always decide my actions for me, the universe isn't yours, you know.”

The leader waved a hand that reached beyond the sleeves of his cloak. “You have no say in this matter, Shin. Please, just accept this without complications.”

Shin made a full turn, and grudgingly stomped outside, letting the doors slam shut behind him. Kurenai looked back in that direction for a while, but the leader's enormous presence forced him to set his attention back to the people in front of him.

“Kurenai Nimaru, son of Denjin Nimaru, please step forward.”

Despite his urge to step away, the sheer magnitude of his voice pulled him forward.

“Show me your Keyblade, young Chosen.”

Obliging them again, he allowed Diamond's Bond to form in his hand. He held it up high so they could get its full view.

Another member spoke, “A defensive style Keyblade? From what I gather of you, you would lean more to the offensive style. Oh well, I suppose your Keyblade hasn't deemed you worthy to release your true nature yet.”

Kurenai finally built up enough courage to speak, “Um, why did you call me here?” His voice was quiet, but easily understood in the still room.

“Merely a formality. It is our job to find and bring new Chosen before us and assign them to the crew that they will be working with. The latter was easy, since you've already spent a couple days aboard the Ichiyasen. All that is left for us now is to welcome you as a new member of the Chosen.”

Kurenai was put off by their formulaic actions, but didn't expect much less from this kind of group. However, he couldn't help but feel a little bit proud of being called a Chosen by such an esteemed group. The thought alone made him grip his Keyblade tightly.

“Now, we shall move on to your first mission. I will call in your captain, as it is as much his mission as it is yours.”

With a simple clap of his hands, the double doors spread open. Shin, used to the behavior of the Committee, was ready to walk in, and once again took his position in the center of the dark room. Crossing his arms over his chest, he stared at the leader, impatiently waiting for him to speak.

“I'm sure your aware of Sora, the legendary hero who conquered Organization XIII.”

“Yes, I have,” Shin answered, almost arrogantly. “According to rumor, he's been missing for the past eleven years. Apparently, these rumors aren't unfounded, then?”

“No, they are not true. Sora is not missing, as you say, but scattered. While we still do not know the exact details, during a fight against an unknown Heartless, Sora was overwhelmed by this creature, and turned into a Heartless. Since then, his Heart has gone missing, as well as his Nobody and his Heartless.”

“Why have you waited so long to send out a search party!?” Kurenai shouted, suddenly. “If he is as great as you say he is, wouldn't you risk that much to help out one of your teammates?!”

“The answer to that is simple,” began the leader. “We weren't sure if we would need his assistance again.”

Kurenai's eyes widened; he had never met people so cold before. Sweat ran down his face, and he thought about turning and running, but he couldn't. At the same time, he thought about wanting kill that moron for treating his own members like cattle. As this thought filled his head, his eyes narrowed and his grip on his blade became even tighter.

In one mad dash, he charged the man sitting on the other side of the narrow table and swung his sword down. To Kurenai's horror, the man only had to hold it back with his hand. He didn't even need to reveal his Keyblade. A moment later, the man shattered the Keyblade into a collection of dust particles that settled to the ground. Kurenai stepped back, shocked by what just happened.

“Remember, Kurenai, a battle between Chosen is not only a battle between blades, but between hearts as well. If the gap is wide, then the one with the stronger heart can easily halt the others movements. Please, remember that.”

Kurenai said nothing and stared at the floor, humiliated.

“And now, the details of your mission. That task is to revive Sora!”

Shin exclaimed, “Revive Sora! How can we bring someone back who has been a Heartless for so long!?”

“By collecting his Nobody, his Heartless, and his Heart. Recent leaps in technology have allowed us to fuse beings back together after they've become a Heartless. However, it only works if all three are present.”

Shin smirked, “And where do you expect us to find these pieces. Do you really think it will be that easy to find one in this universe?”

“True, we do not have any leads concerning exact location. However, we do have a lead nonetheless. In order to make a route to Sora, you'll have to start at the place he was born. You're first destination is Sora's homeworld, Destiny Islands.”

“Tsk, whatever. If that's all, then let me at least get out of this rat's nest.”

“Yes, that is all for now. Oh, and please work on your attitude while your gone.”

“Yeah, that's gonna happen.” A hint of sarcasm was obvious in Shin's tone.

- - - - - - - - - -

Kurenai and Shin headed up the ramp of the Ichiyasen. Before entering the ship, Shin turned around and looked Kurenai straight in the eye. Kurenai wasn't sure what to make of it, and Shin just kept on staring at him. A cold sweat started to come over him. Finally, Shin spoke.

“Look here, you're part of this crew now, so you'd best learn the rules here. You do as I say, when I say, got it!?”

Kurenai stood firm and then walked right past Shin and into the ship. He turned his head and looked back on the bewildered Shin still on the ramp. “It's not like I wanted to get on this ship either, but I guess I'll listen to you, as long as it isn't an inconvenience.”

Shin watched him as he walked into the ship and said, “Tsk, little punk.” All the same, he couldn't help but smile at the rebellious kid. So, he stepped inside his precious ship, eager to get his mission under way.

*****

Thanks for reading! As always, feedback is greatly appreciated. I'll get started on Chapter Three right away

[Shadow Denizen]

The though alone made him grip his Keyblade tightly.

thought.

“Look here, you're part of this crew now, so you best learn the rules here. You do as I say, when I say, got it!”

"you'd best" and "got it?" or "got it?!" Other than that, no spelling mistakes.

The story's become much more interesting. It makes me want to read more, and that's an important quality in writing. Though I found the attack of the Committee leader to be a bit abrupt and unnecessary.

[kazukifafner]

I'll fix up the errors (not even Word can catch everything it seems, lol, though I don't have the recent version) And I know the attack seemed kind of random, but I just wanted to reinforce the idea that the Committee were very powerful.

Thanks for the comment! As I said, I'll get to work on chapter 3.

[kazukifafner]

Here is Chapter Three.

*****



Kurenai stared out one of the large windows of the Ichiyasen. The depths of space stared back at him, along with each and every star of every known color in the universe. He looked up at a small nebula as it passed by. The bright white flourishes and pinpoints of light gave it an almost holy essence. It was the first time he had been allowed to roam the ships corridors, but he found what lay outside the ship to be far more attractive.

The sound of footsteps called his attention, and he saw Sen and a female crew member walking down the hall. Sen had his right arm draped over the woman and laughed at everything she said, and the woman just ate it up. He spotted Kurenai and waved to him with his free hand, and then they walked over and stared out the window with him.

“Beautiful, isn't it?” Sen asked as he stared dreamy-eyed at the nebula.

Kurenai hesitated a moment, but then smiled and followed suit, saying “Yeah.”

“Most people go on and on about the worlds they just visited, about how wonderful they are, and how they'd love to go back sometime. While I can't say that there aren't some lovely worlds out there, I find the space in between them to be much more marvelous. Heh, I guess that's only natural of someone who always looks in the distance, even when fighting.”

Sen kept staring for a bit before he remembered where he was and added, “Oh, this is Cilia.” He motioned to the girl with his head. “She's new here, as well; just got assigned to the mechanic section a couple days ago. Since it's not like me to let a woman stay in unfamiliar territory for too long, I thought she might like to see what the Command Deck looks like. Why don't you come along? The more the merrier, right?”

Kurenai shot him a puzzled look, “Umm, alright.”

As they walked together, Sen leaned towards him and whispered into his ear, “Thanks, man. She might've gotten suspicious if we had kept walking by ourselves. You're a life saver!” Sen nudged him with his elbow, and returned to his conversation with Cilia. Kurenai put his hands behind his head, and continued the rest of the way with an irritated look on his face.

- - - - - - - - - -

“Wow! Amazing!” Cilia exclaimed as they stepped onto the Command Deck. Towards the front were numerous terminals, each one with different menus on the screen and different people sitting in their chairs, analyzing those menus. All the crucial information was projected holographically onto a wide transparent screen that covered the entire front and part of the sides.

In the back, elevated above the rest, Shin sat in his chair and studied the statistics as they were updated, keeping careful watch on all that was happening outside. Sen waved, and as soon as he saw us he hung his head low and let out a deep, troubled sigh.

“What's with that expression, Captain?” Sen asked, a broad grin on his face. “Surely you don't mind me showing our new mechanic around.”

“I wouldn't if you didn't do this every other week.” He responded flatly. Cilia looked at Sen and chuckled.

Sen looked at Shin and moaned, “Captain! Why do you always do this to me?”

“If you know I'm gonna do that then stop bringing your dates here.”

A flash and beep on the screen caused Shin to avert his eyes from their conversation. On the monitor, a small planet was shown. The planet was one large ocean, with various islands speckled on its surface. Shin stood up to address his crew.

“We're here. Prepare docking procedures at once.” The captain turned to Sen and Kurenai. “You two, follow me.” Then turning back to his crew he added, “Someone, escort this woman back to her post.”

“Y-yes, sir!” said the person nearest the door.

Kurenai and Sen followed Shin as he moved along. Kurenai asked, “What do you mean, here?”

Shin arched his head back and responded, “What do you mean? We're here, at our destination. You were paying attention to the Committee, weren't you? We're at Destiny Islands.”

- - - - - - - - - -

The Ichiyasen's hatch opened with a resounding hiss. As the ramp slowly lowered itself, Kurenai was treated to a glimpse of Karakara Town, one of the largest towns on the entire world. Even from the port, he could see all sorts of people bustling about the cobblestone streets. There weren't many tall buildings, but there were plenty of small ones. Along the side that he could see ran a line of produce shops. Each had a different fruit on display, and the eager buyers happily handed over their munny to have a taste. Kurenai felt a hard push from behind as they walked down the metal dock.

“Move it, Rookie!” Came an arrogant voice from behind. A split second later, Haruku sped past him and fell into step with the other two. Kurenai gave him a sharp look from behind and casually brushed the dirt off his shoulder as he walked with them. Shin stopped next to a middle-aged man who stood near the dock.

“Excuse me,” he began, “Can you tell me where I can find Sora's house?”

The man's face began to put on a sorrowful demeanor. “Well,” he responded, “His house is just a little ways outside of town, but Sora hasn't been there in years.”

“I know, but I still have to go there. Thank you for your time.”

“It's right along the road leading out of town. You shouldn't have any trouble finding it.”

After Shin waved farewell to the man, they found the right exit from the town. There were a few others traveling in and out; but for the most part, they were the only ones on the road. The road wound around a small wood that lay to the East of Karakara Town. They walked for a little ways, then Kurenai heard the sounds of someone fighting nearby. His instincts from his homeworld kicking in, he edged towards the source. This part of the woods was particularly thick, so it was hard to see through. The others followed behind.

“Um, what are you doing, Kurenai?" Sen asked.

Kurenai answered, “Shh! I hear fighting nearby. I think we should check it out.”

“Are you sure we should concern ourselves with this? It's none of our business.”

“But we're Chosen. It could be a Heartless, so we can't just ignore it.”

“Yeah, but what if you're wrong?”

As he was finally able to get past all the trees and to the source, he said, “Look, there are four Chosen here. There is no Heartless that we can't take. So stop complaining and -”

Kurenai was interrupted by the sight of a Keyblade flying at him. It hit its mark. He fell backwards onto the ground, a deep red mark running down the middle of his face. He sat up with a groan, and heard feet running towards him through grass.

“I'm SO sorry! Are you alright?” said the young woman who was standing over him. Strands of her deep red spilled over her shoulders, and her crystal blue yes peered into his crimson pools. “I was practicing with my Keyblade against these trees. I've gotten really good at throwing it, and that's when you came out.”

Kurenai blushed and tried to speak, but Sen leaned in front of him and beat him to it. “That's okay,” he began. “A sweet girl like you shouldn't have to apologize for every little mistake.”

Shin grabbed him by the collar of his jacket and yanked him away, saying, “That's quite enough of that.” Then he turned to the girl and said, “So, miss . . . um . . .”

“Natsume.” She replied with a grin.

“Right. Anyway, this flirt here is Sen, my name is Shin, the depressed guy behind me is Haruku, and the man you blind sighted here is the newbie, Kurenai.”

“Hello, everyone.”

“Yeah, hello, so which crew are you with? I didn't think any others were around here.”

“Um, crew?” A bewildered look flashed on her face.

“Yeah, a crew. Weren't you given one, you know, a sort of team that you're assigned. You're a Chosen, right?”

“Yep, at least, that's what my dad called me. I don't know what 'crew' you're talking about though.”

Shin sighed. “Well, it's not really that important. Well, do you at least know where Sora's house is around here?”

“Of course I know, he's my father.” She answered matter-of-factly.

“What?!” All four of them shouted in unison.

- - - - - - - - - -

“Mom! I'm home!” Natsume shouted as she barged through the front door. “I brought some guests with me!”

A woman with long, brunette hair came into the room. She had the same blue eyes as her daughter. Her small frame moved over to them, and she shook Shin's hand firmly. A light smile of recognition spread across her face.

“It's been a while since I last saw you, hasn't it, Shin?” She asked him.

“Yeah, but you don't look any different, Kairi.” He responded.

“Huh? You know this guy, mom?” Natsume spoke up.

“When you were just a little girl; you, your father, and I went to the Committee. While we were there, we met an arrogant man who back talked to them every chance he got.”

“Can you blame me?” said Shin. “Those arrogant dead weights don't know when to leave me alone. Do I look like I have time to come at their every beckon call?”

Kairi let out a soft giggle, then asked, “Why did you come here after all this time?”

Shin's light-hearted demeanor changed to a serious one in an instant. “It's a mission, and I need your help. Please, let's sit down and talk.”

- - - - - - - - - -

“Bring him back?!” Kairi gasped, clutching her hands to her mouth. She lowered them a second later and asked, “Can you really do that?”

Shin responded, “To be honest, I'm not sure, but that's what the Committee said.”

“And what do you want me to do?”

Kurenai saw Natsume sitting in another room. She had a sorrowful and thoughtful look in her eyes. Even though she acted happy and cheerful on the outside, he could tell that the loss of her father had hurt her. He figured she was probably in disbelief, since she came the same expression throughout the talk.

“Could you tell us anything about where we could find anything? A hint, a clue, an inkling, anything would help.”

Kairi closed her eyes and shook her head. “I'm sorry; I honestly don't know where he could be, but there is someone who might. He lives down the road a bit.”

“Who is it?”

“Mine and Sora's best friend, Riku.”

As soon as she said that, Haruku's eyes widened, his pupils shrunk, and his skin turned pale. It was almost as if the very name sent shivers down his spine. Kurenai didn't know for sure what was going on, but it didn't look like something that Haruku was very keen on.

“Thanks for the advice; we won't take up any of your time.” Then, one by one, they left Kairi's home, but Shin looked back and said, “I promise, we'll bring him back.”

She nodded, and then Shin left as well. They walked away from Sora's humble home and continued down the road. Kurenai wasn't sure what to expect from Haruku's strange attitude, but that didn't matter. If they wanted any chance of keeping that promise, they would have to talk to another legend. One of the few Chosen to venture into the darkness and come back; a man named Riku.

*****

Thanks for reading! As always, feedback is greatly appreciated!

[Shadow Denizen]

Lol you must be bewildered.

He looked up at as they past a small nebula.

at what?

“Wow! Amazing”

You forgot the exclamation point after "amazing".

“Um, what are you doing, Kurenai? Sen asked.

You forgot to end the quotation.

“Yeah, but what if your wrong?”

"you're" not "your".

“Look, there are four chosen here...

Capitalize the "c" in "chosen".

“Yep, at least, that's what my dad called me. I don't know what “crew” you're talking about though.”

"crew" should be wrapped like this: 'crew'. This is always the case when you have a quote within a quote. You can't have quotation marks within quotation marks.

Shin sighed, “Well, it's not really that important...

A period after "sighed", not a comma.

“Of course I know, he's my father.” She answered, matter-of-factly.

The comma after "answered" is unneeded.

“Bring him back?!” Kari gasped, clutching her hands to her mouth.

Kairi.

“Kairi closed her eyes and shook her head.

The quotation mark is unnecessary.

“I'm sorry; I honestly don't know where he could be, but I there is someone who might. He lives down the road a bit.”

Huh?

Then, one by one, they left Kari's home

Kairi's.

As for the plot, very good. I still want to read on. Good job! You might want to proofread more often though.

[kazukifafner]

This one took a little longer than I had expected, mostly because I've been away for a few days. Well, I'm back, and here is the fourth chapter. Hopefully, I did a better job proof reading than last time (though, truth be told, I'm terrible at proofreading my own works, lol)

*****



A man with short, white hair that hooked slightly to the left sat in an antique chair in the study of his house. His green eyes stared deep into the yellowed pages of his book. With each turn of the page, his eyes brows became more furrowed, and the bridge of his nose became shorter. Finally, he threw the book against the wall, which landed with a sharp thud. He buried his face in his hands, desperately trying to hold back his tears.

“I'm sorry!” He mumbled. “I couldn't do anything! Not a single thing! Please, forgive me, Sora!”

- - - - - - - - - -

The leaves and twigs beneath Kurenai's feet crackled as they walked up the cement path to Riku's house. They looked up at the two-story home. It wasn't the same as a mansion, but it certainly gave off a similar feel. The group stepped onto a raised block that was used like a porch. Shin beat the brass knocker against the door and took a step back to wait.

Moments later, a woman opened the door. She had the stern face that you would expect from a worker. With a wave of her hand, she bid them entrance into Riku's house. As the group walked over the threshold, one of them didn't take another step forward. Sen turned towards Haruku, whose eyes were gleaming with malice.

“Hey, Haruku,” Sen began, “Don't you want to come inside?”

Haruku's expression never faltered for even an instant. “You already know the answer to that,” He replied.

Sen sighed. “Well, I guess that isn't too surprising. Just don't go wondering off or planning anything you might regret.”

“I don't regret the images in my head at all.” Haruku's voice was as flat as a sheet of glass.

After closing the door behind them, the woman led them up a nearby spiral staircase. The railings were made of clean ivory, perfectly contrasting the onyx steps. The more they climbed, the more the place felt like a mansion.

Finally, they reached the top. There were no hallways of any kind, just three walls and a single door opposite the stairs. The lady informed them that this was Riku's study, and that they could find him there. Then, she traveled back down the onyx staircase. Shin took a deep breath; this was the first time that he had ever met one of the legendary heroes during the Organization XIII incident. His fingers curved around the handle, and he pulled the door open.

Inside, a white-haired man sat behind his desk with his head in his book. They slowly approached him, and when they were a few feet away, he lifted his head. When Kurenai saw the look those green eyes, all he could think was that this man had been blaming himself for everything that had happened up until now.

Shin spoke first. “Are you Riku?”

“What do you want? Did the Committee send you here to drag me back to them?” Riku turned another page of his book.

“No, they didn't, but we do need your help on our mission.”

“I haven't been interested in missions for a long time.”

“Even if the mission was to bring back Sora?”

Riku's pupils widened, and the page that he had started to turn fell back down. “What did you say?”

“The Committee has given us the task of finding all the pieces of Sora and then brings them together to revive him. To do that, we need to know everything that happened, as well as any place that we could start searching. Please! Will you help us?”

Riku went silent, and that silence felt the room with a strong discomfort.

“Riku!” Shin repeated, “Will you help us?”

He remained silent.

“Will you-”

“It was a simple job.” Riku said at last. Everyone else went quiet and let him speak. “All we had to do was clear out a minor Heartless infestation on a nearby world. When we got there, we found the Heartless immediately. There were a few Nobodies as well, but they weren't anything to worry about. We easily took care of them, and were heading back towards our ship. That's when he appeared.

“When we had made it about halfway back, a small kid appeared before us. He had white hair that ran down to his shoulders, and his face looked devoid of any and all emotion. Just by the look he gave us, we could tell that he was a Nobody, but we didn’t expect one so young. That didn't matter though; all Nobodies were the same and had to be defeated so that something like Organization XIII didn't happen again.

“However, even as we drew in with our Keyblades in hand, the Nobody didn't move. He just stood there. Then, the closer we got, it began to smile. When I saw it, the smile seemed to almost be a sign of pity. After we were just a little bit away from him, he spoke words that have been etched into my heart ever since that day. The little Nobody kept on smiling, and he said, 'I am sorry for you. I wish you didn't have to have feelings.' It was the strangest thing I had ever heard: A Nobody pitying humans.

“But he wasn't done. The Nobody lifted his hand and that dark aura that we had become so familiar with began to form around him. The next second, a dark pool manifested on the ground before us, and a strange creature came out of it. It had the most basic appearance for a living creature: A head, a torso, two arms, and two hands. Yet, running down the middle, was a single zipper. On one side, the creature was black like a Heartless, and on the other it was white like a Nobody. On the torso, half of the Nobody insignia and half of the Heartless insignia were connected by that single zipper.

“The last time we heard the Nobody spoke, he said, 'Please, let me relieve you from the pain of emotions.' Then, with a snap of his fingers, the synchronized creature jumped on us. It was so much stronger than we were expecting. It took all we had just to defend against it. But even though we fought so hard against it, the creature obviously had the upper hand. And then, it found an opening in Sora's defense. Right in front of my eyes, I saw my friend impaled by that being's arm.

“It had pierced through Sora's heart, and I saw it rise into the sky. Then, slowly, Sora's body disintegrated, leaving nothing but dust blowing in the wind. I fell to my knees and told my self over and over again that this wasn't happening, but I knew that I couldn't change the truth. My friend had been killed by that monster. But, for some reason, that young Nobody dismissed that creature, the smile never leaving his face. A portal into the darkness opened up behind him, and he walked through it, still wearing that ugly smile.”

When Riku finished his story, everyone was speechless. None of them could even imagine what that must have been like. Shin, however, recovered from this state the quickest and stood in front of Riku's desk. Shin reached over and grabbed him by the collar, pulling him towards his face.

“If that's the case, then help us! Help us bring your friend back!”

Riku responded, a growing sense of determination filling his eyes. “Then, you should seek out his Nobody first.”

“His Nobody?” repeated Shin.

“If Roxas has indeed been brought back to this world, then there is only one place that he would go, his home: Twilight Town.”

Shin released his grip, smiled and said, “Well, then what are we waiting for? We've gotta get a move on!”

Riku stood up and said, “I'm going with you! I won't sit by and wait for Sora to come back; I've got to do something about it myself!”

With that, all of them left Riku's study and returned down the stairs. When they opened the door to go back to their ship, Haruku was sitting on the edge of the porch, staring off into the distance. He heard their footsteps and turned around to face them, but when his eyes met Riku's, he ground his teeth and flared his nostrils. With one loud scream, he swung his Keylash at Riku's neck, but he quickly countered by pulling up his Keyblade to block it. Haruku started panting, and the ferocious look in his eyes grew even stronger.

Riku said, “I'd ask if you still hated me for what I did, but your answer doesn't seem to have changed. Has it, my son?”

Kurenai was shocked. He had no idea that the arrogant punk was Riku's son. He wasn't sure what it was that made Haruku hate him so passionately.

“Shut up!” Haruku shouted. “You don't have the right to call me your son! Not after what you did! Not after all the things that you did!”

Sen put a hand to Haruku's chest. “This isn't the time or place for this.” He said calmly. “Please, don't waste energy attacking an ally.”

Haruku, with a single tear rolling down his cheek, reluctantly dismissed his weapon, not willing to look at anyone. Then, they all began walking down the road together. As Riku passed Haruku, he whispered into his ear.

“I'm sorry. I'll say as many times as it takes.”

- - - - - - - - - -

When they reached the ship, Kurenai was surprised to see Natsume standing in front of the dock. She stood erect, wavering eyes fixed on them all. She clenched her trembling fists, and spat out, “Let me come with you! Please! I want to see my father again!”

All of them stood there, dumbfounded by the sudden occurrence. Then, Shin stepped up to her and put his hand on her shoulder. With a smile befitting the captain of the ship he said, “As long as you don't get in our way.”

“Um, no problem.” She answered sheepishly.

Finally, the team was ready to start there mission. With two new members, the odds began to lean closer towards their favor. The next thing to do was to set a course for Roxas' homeworld. They were heading out to Twilight Town.

*****

Thanks for reading!

[Shadow Denizen]

Sorry, I couldn't read for a while.

“No, they didn't, but we do need your help our mission.”

On our mission.

Besides that, no mistakes. I'm interested to know how this story will unfold. Keep it up, and as a side note, you have the best punctuation skills I've seen on the forums.

[kazukifafner]

Originally Posted by Shadow Denizen

Sorry, I couldn't read for a while.

That's alright, to be honest, I didn't even see this post 'til just now, lol! Fortunately, I'm at least catching most of the mistakes, but I guess it's impossible to catch all of them (no Pokemon pun was intended, lol). Also, thanks for the punctuation complement! Granted, Word corrects most of the semi-colon problems, but I tried very hard to improve on punctuation from where I was back in 9th/10th grade.

Well, unfortunately, I didn't have much of a drive to write a lot recently, so it took a little longer than I'd hope to get this up. Nonetheless, I've finally finished Chapter Five! Enough stalling, here's the chapter

*****



- - - - - - - - - -

The small candle was barely able to light the room. While the desk, window, and traces of the bed were illuminated; the rest was still clung to by the shadows. To be honest, that was exactly the way that the keeper liked it. He gently blew on the candle to keep its fragile flame alive and sat down in the chair behind his desk. The man wore a pure white cloak, decorated with various silver adornments. Emblazoned on the breast of his cloak was the number one in roman numerals: “I”.

As he threw back the hood covering him, the face of a young man was revealed. He had white hair that fell down to his shoulders, as well as a tormented look on his face. He picked up a cup and twirled the pencil that sat helplessly within it, all the while allowing thoughts to race through his mind: The thoughts of the Nobody who led the new organization, XV.

He clutched a hand to his forehead as he thought, “Why? Why do humans cling so tightly to their emotions? Everywhere I look, everything I see, it all tells me that emotions cause nothing but fear, anger, and hate. I can't understand why these pointless feelings have been allowed to continue.” He took the palm from his head and stared at his hand. After a while he clenched it and added, “That's why I'll save this world from heartache, from suffering, with my own hands!”

- - - - - - - - - -

Kurenai was walking lazily down the hall. Despite being assigned to Shin's team, he still didn't really feel like he was apart of it. He breathed a heavy sight and continued his stroll when he heard the sound of something crashing nearby. Quickening his pace, he saw and open door and peered inside. Natsume had just dropped her bag on the floor, and was frantically digging through the pile.

“Are you alright?” He asked, staring down at her.

She didn't stop digging, but said, “Huh? Oh, I'm just looking for something.” After a few more minutes of searching, she cried victoriously and held up her prize: A keychain with a golden heart hooked on the end, traces of silver ran along it in a snake-like manner. “Whew,” she said, “I was afraid I'd lost this.”

“A keychain? What's so important about that?”

“My mom gave it to me. She said it's a good luck charm. This will probably sound silly, but she told me that she gave a good luck charm to my father a long time ago.”

Kurenai arched an eyebrow and said, “What's weird about it? Your mom gave you a good luck charm. Doesn't seem all that strange to me.”

She smiled and replied, “I guess.”

- - - - - - - - - -

The Ichiyasen touched down on the most prominent docking station in Twilight Town. It lay just outside the town square, and was a popular destination for tourists, and consequently, a breeding ground for information. Twilight Town had the same feel that the Destiny Islands had, right down to the tan buildings. The main difference was that there were far more buildings here, and much taller too.

They wandered around for a little bit, having a hard time picking out exactly who to ask. Then, Sen thought he saw something running in the distance, he squinted his eyes for a good look. Racing down the street, a couple of kids with wooden swords came out of the crowed and tackled Sen to the ground.

“S-sorry, Mr.” said one of the kids. He looked very scrawny and didn't seem to be enjoying this at all.

“Don't say sorry to him!” shouted the one kid who was still on top of him. “He was in our way! If he didn't want to be hit, he shoulda moved!”

Sen's left eye started twitching, “Little brats.” he said.

“I'm not a brat!” replied the loud one. “I'm the greatest person in the world, and I'm gonna prove it! So get outta my way!”

Sen pushed the kid off of him and said, “Who do ya think you're talking to, you little punk?” Steam was rising from his ears.

Natsume stepped up from behind and smacked Sen on the back of the head. Sen winced and began rubbing the spot. He then turned and yelled, “What was that for?!”

She answered, “That's not how you deal with things like this.” Then, she got down to the first boy's eye level and asked, “Where were you guys running off to?”

Before he could answer, the loud kid stepped in. “We're gonna go to the mansion! A really strange guy lives there, I've seen him, but he never comes out of the house. I'm gonna drag him out, beat him up, and show this town how awesome I am!”

“What's he look like?” Natsume continued.

“I don't know, but I hear he has a really weird sword, kinda like a key. Seems pretty stupid to me, but I'll beat the crap outta him all the same!”

A sky smile spread across Shin's face. “Hey, kid,” He began, “Why don't you let us tag along?”

“Why would I do that?!”

“To be witnesses, of course! Every good hero needs witnesses. How else are people gonna believe your story?”

The two boys ears perked, then they huddled together, whispering back and forth. Every now and again, one of them would pop his head out to look at them. Finally, the two stepped towards them, and the loud one said, “Alright! You can go, but don't expect to get any of the glory!”

“Wouldn't dream of it.”

- - - - - - - - - -

“Well, here we are!” shouted the loud kid, sword slung boastfully over his shoulder.

The mansion truly was a sight to behold. Its gate alone was the definition of brilliant craftsmanship. Sleek iron bars, curving gold-plated steel, even the silver handles stood out. The mansion itself was two stories high, and twice as wide. Enormous windows were placed evenly on both sides, all of which overlooked an ancient-looking garden. Fortunately for them, the gate was already unlocked; all that was left was to walk through it.

Shin turned to the kids and said, “Thank you for your service.” With that, he picked the two up by their collars and hung them on the gate's bars. Then, he just walked inside with the rest of his team.

“Hey!” shouted the loud kid, “Get us down, ya moron! I'll beat you 'til you can't breathe!”

He waved back at them and said, “Well, that doesn't give me much reason to come get you, does it?”

- - - - - - - - - -

The instant Shin's foot passed over the threshold of the mansion's entrance, the doors slammed shut behind them. In front, two staircases made their way to the top floor. The entire area was covered in a deep brown, with the only exception being a wide window on the bottom floor, between the stairways. Riku immediately started up the stairs that led to the right side of the second floor.

“Follow me!” He called back to them, “I think I know where he is.”

Riku entered a door at the top of the stairs, and the others quickly took his example. The room was a library with a single table in the middle. Kurenai didn't see a single person in the room besides them. He wasn't sure what Riku was hoping to find, but it looked like he was wrong. Then, Riku walked to the table, and etched a strange design into the wood. He backed up to where we were, and a short while later, the floor vanished, revealing a secret staircase below.

The area below had a much more metallic feel to it, and it was tough for him to get over the surprising difference right away. Kurenai watched as chords spiraled and clumped together, weaving in and out of the walls. Next to the only door at the bottom of the stairs was a refrigerator. He opened up the freezer, and saw a few boxes lined up. Each one of them was labeled “Sea-Salt Ice Cream”. With a baffled expression on his face, he closed the door and followed his team as they walked through the door.

They found a man with long brown hair sitting in front of a computer terminal. He wore a black vest, which was covered by a white jacket, and white khaki pants. The zipper to his jacket had a strange “x” symbol on it. Riku approached him first, but before he got within three feet of him, the man turned around and stared him straight in the eye. After a few moments of silence, he spoke.

“Are you here to finish our match?” he asked, turning once again to his computer monitor.

Riku smiled and let out of soft chuckle, “So, you are Roxas after all.”

“Well,” he added without so much as a smile, “Are you?”

“What? No, no, I'm not here for that. We just need you to come with us.”

Roxas grabbed Riku by the arm and brought his face close to the monitor. “Look, do you see these three people here?”

As soon as he saw them, recognition permeated his mind, “Yeah. They're Hayner, Pence, and Ollete.”

“And as you can see, they are living their lives comfortably. They have no recollection of me at all. If you head into the city, you'll see the same. I'm either treated as a specter, or a strange person who shouldn't be here. It's not that I blame them for it; I am a Nobody after all. But, what use could a Nobody be to you?”

Riku smacked him on the back of the head for being so depressing, “What do you think? The same reason that you were needed last time! Didn't you think it was strange that you were called back into existence? You of all people should have known that we'd need you again to revive Sora!”

“Revive Sora, huh? To be honest, I had figured that out when I was brought back into the universe, but this time I don't want to take part in this. I know this isn't much of a life, but still, it is my life, and the thought of giving it up so easily makes me a little uneasy.”

“You'll still have your life even if you are joined with Sora! You'll still share the same experiences! You're a part of him! If two parts are separated, isn't it only natural for them to be reunited!”

“Even though I know that, I still won't have complete control. I won't be able to decide what I do, where I go, who I'm with. All of those will be decided by Sora. So, why do I have to do anything for my Somebody?”

“Because we need him! You can't do it on your own! You can't fulfill what we need! If we could, Sora would have had no need to come back to fight the Organization. Just you isn't enough! You are only one part of it! Why can't you realize that?”

The depressing face remained on Roxas, as he stood and walked past them. Heading up the stairs, he told them, “It's getting late. You all can stay in the mansion for the night; there are plenty of rooms. As for the morning after, well, we'll just have to see.”

They all watched him as he walked away. Kurenai wanted to scream out how frustrating a Nobody was. He couldn't understand how someone with no heart could think like that, but there was nothing he could do. Ever since he left his world, that seemed to be commonplace for him. So, they all left and let one of the help guide them to their rooms for the night.

- - - - - - - - - -

When the pale moon was highest in the sky, the leader of Organization XV walked through the peaceful Twilight Town. He was fully clad in his Organization outfit, and had thrown back his hood, letting his white hair blow in the wind. He usually strolled through a place to clear his mind. This also doubled as a chance to make sure that Kurenai, who he had been watching closely, didn’t cause him any problems.

On one of the streets, he saw a tall drunk come tumbling out of the local bar. He shouted obscenities at the building before chucking his beer bottle at the wall, shattering it into thousands of pieces. The drunk saw him and staggered his way over to him. He grabbed him by the collar of his lifted him up. Despite all this, the Nobody never batted an eye.

“Hey! You little . . . punk! Can ya belief thoz jerkzes?! I waz juz divorzed by me wife! O'course I had a bunch to drink! If dat had happen to you, wha' would you do?!” the man shouted. Then, without putting the Nobody down, he started balling his eyes out on the spot.

“Are you sad?” the Nobody asked.

“Whadyu think, retard!” The man suddenly became very aggressive.

“Would you like freedom from that pain?”

“Huh”, the man had calmed down, “You can do dat?”

“Yes, I can.”

“Really?! Pleaze, pleaze helps me!”

“Very well.” The next second, the Nobody had shoved his arm through man's chest. As his hand came out the other side, the heart of the man came with it, firmly held in his clutches. Blood from the wound flooded from the man's wound and splattered on the floor. The man's drunken spell was over, and sobriety quickly flooded his mind. He looked at the Nobody with confusion in his eyes.

Coughing up blood, he asked, “What are you doing? What are you, you monster!?”

“I am Fenrir, and I do not exist.” After saying those words, he crushed the man's heart in his palm, and the man disappeared within the darkness. Feeling satisfied with his endeavor, he opened up a portal to the Dark Realm in front of him. Right before vanishing into its corridor, he looked back and said, “Now you are free. Please, rest in peace without those troublesome emotions.”

*****

Thanks for Reading!

[kazukifafner]

No update, sorry

Just figured I'd bump this since I've finally started chapter six, lol.

[1-up salesman]

This is an interesting story! Pretty good!!! .....Poor...drunk.....

[kazukifafner]

Thanks 1-up! I know it's been a while since I updated (sorry, lol), but, here it is now. Chapter 6 of Kingdom Hearts: The Chosen! Thanks for reading!

*****



- - - - - - - - - -

The dark linen sheets on Roxas' bed felt as cold and unfamiliar as they ever had. The lamp that provided the only source of light at night had gone out months before. Now, the only thing he had time for at night was to think and remember everything that he had witnessed throughout his life, the life that he was never supposed to have. As he did this, the clock hanging on the wall ticked on, not willing to give him time to rest, always moving forward. To him, each time the hand lurched forward represented another chapter of his life.

- - - - - - - - - -

A man dressed in black approached him. His face was covered by his outfit's hood, but he could still see strands of long silver hair peeking out from the sides. The closer the man stepped toward him, the more the shadows grew. Even in the dark place where he was first born, The Nobody could tell that this was a man who was feared even by the darkness. He pulled back his hood, letting his hair spill over his shoulders and down to the center of his back. The handsome face stared down at him with deceptively warm eyes.

“Well, well; what have we here? A lonely soul, lost in the cruelty of this darkness.” His voice carried with it a haunting allure that the Nobody couldn't hope to understand. The man's hand wrapped around the Nobody's wrist, and he pulled him to his feet. “Come with me,” he said. “If you do, I promise that the troubles of this life will waste away.”

The Nobody just stared up at the man, and all at once his name mysteriously jumped into his throat. “Yes, Xemnas.”

Xemnas smiled at him and added, “Why don't we turn on the lights?”

With a snap of his fingers, the place he had lived in suddenly became bright and vivid. They were inside a mansion, one with brown walls, twin stairwells, and artifacts placed gingerly onto pedestals. The Nobody couldn't believe his newborn eyes. To think that the darkness he had only known contained such beauty.

“It's still too dark in here,” said Xemnas. “Why don't we go outside? The gates outside this mansion are absolutely marvelous.”

Outside, by the gates that Xemnas had mentioned, the bright sun beat down on their backs. The Nobody didn't care, though. He was too busy staring at the wonderful garden before him. He didn't have time for that, however, as Xemnas interrupted his quiet thoughts. A sequence of four letters appeared before him, spelling something out in the air.

“S-O-R-A,” Roxas said. The word sounded strangely familiar to him, even though he knew he had never heard it before. Then, a fifth letter was added, and all the others rearranged themselves around it, forming a brand new word. The Nobody tried to read that one as well, “R-O-X-A-S.”

“This will be your new name.” Xemnas told him. “Do the name well.”

At that time, all Roxas could do was nod his head. Then, Xemnas opened up a dark, swirling portal, and the two of them walked through it. Roxas didn't have any special feelings on what just happened. He didn't really care. All he knew was that he was tired of sitting in that darkness by himself.

- - - - - - - - - -

“Hey, Roxas!” a voice called from the distance. “Xemnas want to see you. You better hurry before he gets even more ticked than usual.”

Roxas answered, “Thanks, Axel. I'll try and memorize that.” A broad grin flashed on his face.

“You don't have to start teasing me for it,” said Axel, a red-haired member of Organization XIII who looked like he went to sleep in a vat of hair gel.

Roxas laughed as the ivory doors opened up for him. The only sounds that accompanied him were his own footsteps and the jangling of the chains on his black coat. Xemnas sat on the tallest of the thirteen thrones that formed a circle around the room. Roxas stood in the center of the ring and looked up at his leader's indifferent face. The face that was so kind to him when they met now looked at him with an expression that matched their dark clothing.

“Roxas, it seems that there is a bit of trouble outside this castle of ours,” Xemnas began. “I have a feeling that the intruder is just the right challenger for you.”

“Challenger?” Roxas repeated. “What are you talking about?”

“I'm talking about a man with a Keyblade, such as yourself.”

A look of shock ran across Roxas' face, but he subdued it in an instant. “What do you want me to do?”

“Take care of it.”

“Yes, my master.”

As Roxas left, his eyes met Axel's, and he could tell the concern that was burned into them; but he didn't have time for concern. He had a mission to fulfill, and that mission was to stop the Chosen that was causing trouble in the city of Deep Dive.

- - - - - - - - - -

Shin stepped outside the mansion, closely followed by the rest of his group. They all could sense his annoyance from being hounded by their constant questions, but they had to find out what he was planning to do about all of this.

Sen asked, “Shin, just what exactly do you plan to do? We can't just leave without him.”

“I know that!” Shin shouted. “Do you think asking me that question over and over and over again is gonna change that?”

“Then what are we supposed to do?”

“Just trust me. We still don't even know what his answer will be, so just put your little interrogation on hold for now, okay?”

A voice from the front of the gate called to them, “I'm sorry, but I can't really wait around for you to get this 'answer' that your supposed to get.”

They all turned and saw a man in a long white coat gazing at them from a distance. He had an unnatural sway to him, and it made him look like he could go haywire any second. His hands lurched up to his hood, and he cast it off in one quick, spastic motion. Underneath the hood was a man with dirty blonde hair, and the most unnerving smile that any of them had ever seen. His eyes danced in their sockets, and he clutched himself with both arms, doubling over. While still in that state, he outstretched an arm and pointed in the direction in the party.

Slowly elevating himself, he said, “So, how many of you like fireworks?”

- - - - - - - - - -

The city of Deep Dive was drenched by the pouring rain. Unfortunately for Roxas, the hood was serving as much protection as he had hoped, for he found himself brushing water off of his face a few times as he walked along paved streets and between the towering skyscrapers. The flickering of the street lights helped guide him to the source of his mission. The tallest skyscraper in Deep Dive city stood leaps and bounds above the rest. The neon lighting gave it the appearance of an active building, but in truth it was no livelier than all the rest.

Before he could even reached the stairs that led to the entrance, dark swirling pools began forming all around him. From them, countless Neo Shadows spewed forth, writhing and convulsing in their usual, sickly fashion. Without hesitating, Roxas called Oblivion and Oathkeeper to his hands. Despite the contrast between Oblivions's dark, formidable frame, and Oathkeeper's light, peaceful frame, the two felt completely natural within his grip.

The teeming Heartless hurled themselves at him, caring little for their allies as they clawed there way past each other to reach him. As the swiftest made its way to him, a quick smirk appeared on Roxas' face, but vanished just as quickly when the sharp point of Oblivion pierced through the pitiful creature. That simple act triggered a hailstorm of motions from the nimble Nobody. He cut to the left, then to the right, vaulting over the Heartless that dared get close to him. Tossing Oathkeeper through the surge, he spun and dealt with five more as the keyblade came sailing back to his hand.

Despite his flawless assault, wave after wave kept coming. Each time one was slain, five more would rise in its place. The dark masses refused to offer any form of surrender. During all this, another presence alerted him. Looking up, he saw a man standing at the very top of the skyscraper. He wore the same dark cloak as he did; and, if it wasn't for the band covering his eyes, the silver hair would have caused Roxas' to believe that it might have been Xemnas. Although he wasn't sure who this stranger was, he decided to offer his trust to the man, and darted straight up the side of the building. The man followed suit, allowing himself to fall towards him. Roxas tossed Oblivion in the his direction, and he caught it as he fell past.

The blindfolded man crashed on the ground so hard that the shockwave threw rain water into the air. Roxas reached the top of the skyscraper and leaped off the edge of the roof. As he fell to the ground, he spun around and around, thrashing the Neo Shadows that leaped at him. Before he reached the ground, he extended his hand, and a silver ring formed around his arm. As he drew out energy, elaborate symbols formed inside the ring, surrounding his arm.

“AERO!” Roxas cried, and a huge gust of wind flew from the palm of his hand, slowing his descent and blowing away any Heartless in his landing zone. Roxas touched down, and came back to back with the stranger.

“Hey, what's your name?” Roxas asked, keeping an eye on his side of the battlefield.

“Riku,” replied the blindfolded man.

“You're not part of Organization XIII. Why are you here?”

“I'm here to take you back with me. You’re the key part in saving someone who I care for.”

“Is that so?”

Then, the two spun around each other and began their combined attack on the invading Heartless. Riku leaped over Roxas, as Roxas ducked under Riku. They executed their assault perfectly. It was like watching a well rehearsed dance as one Heartless after another was torn in half by the flailing of their keyblades.

- - - - - - - - - -

Roxas reflected on all the memories that he kept as he lived his life. He could still hear the voices of everyone so clearly from back then. He could hear Riku's frustration: “Why?! Why do you have the keybalde?!” He could hear voices of his friends; Hayner, Pence, and Olette: “It's not how often we see each other, but how often we think about each other, right?” Clearest of all, he could here the disappointment in Axel's voice: “So, you really don't remember me.”

Even with all those memories, both good and bad, he never felt complete. Only one time in his life, could he ever remember feeling that way. He had though this decision would be hard, but after thinking about it, it really wasn't that difficult at all. He knew now what he had to do.

- - - - - - - - - -

The clash of the katars from the man in the white coat brought down lightning all around him. With each bolt, his laughter grew more and more intense. He cracked his neck one time, then two, his smile never once leaving his face. Kurenai didn't know what to make of this character, but whatever he was, it didn't seem like he was in a very helpful mood. Shin stepped forward and questioned the figure directly, making sure that he held Frozen Face at the ready in case of a sudden attack.

“And you are?” Shin asked with a steady tone.

“XV sends you their greetings, and that's all I'll ever say,” came his reply, followed by a bout of insane laughter and more bolts of lightning. He ran one of the blades on his right katar across his tongue, and gave them a look that Kurenai knew all too well. It was the same look that the Heartless always carried with them, the look that held the desire to kill.

[1-up salesman]

Yes, I was really worried that this wasn't going to be updated.