FicWad

Linking the Chain

By Pata Hikari

Based off Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories By Disney and SquareEnix

Chapter One: Drawing it together

The grasslands spread out for miles. Endless stretches of grass, with only the occasional tree sticking up. A dirt pathway cut through the grass, stretching as far as the rest of the land.

Three people were walking on the path. A tall dog walking on two legs. He was wearing a thick long sleeved green shirt. A yellow-orange vest with various large pockets along with thick stitched pants. His yellow boots had steel tips on the fronts. A hat that seemed too small for his head was stuck on top of it, with some goggles wrapped around it. His face was gentle, with a long snout that ended in a round nose. Two teeth could be seen sticking out from his mouth. He walked with a wide step, his arms, with white gloves on his hands, moved in a wide arc. His long ears flapping with each step.

Next to him was a short, only half the dog's height, duck. He waddled along the path, wearing a blue shirt with many pockets like the dogs vest. He was also wearing a hat with metallic strips running across it.

At the left of the duck, there was a boy. He appeared to be about fourteen. With spiky brown hair that stuck out on his head. He was wearing a silver vest with a red coverall that formed both a shirt and pants. A silver pendant shaped like a crown hung from his neck on a chain. Large yellow shoes made quiet thuds as he walked. His hands, covered with fingerless gloves, were held behind his head.

The three were an unusual looking group, to say the least. Yet they had managed to stave off Darkness so powerful that the whole universe had been threatened.

Each and every star had threatened to fade, vanishing into the abyss. Yet these three had prevailed, against every odd, taking on armies of creatures that felt nothing and ravaged everything.

"Darn it!" The duck suddenly shouted, in a quacking voice that was difficult to understand without either effort, close acquaintance, or a translator. "Where is that mutt!?"

"Now, now Donald." The dog said in a simple and gentle voice. "Just because Pluto's a little ahead of us doesn't mean anything."

"What do you know?" The duck Donald snapped.

"Well..." the dog began.

"Guys!" the boy shouted, "Look. I know that we've been wandering for hours. And that we lost sight of Pluto after the first five minutes. And that there's no end in sight. And..." He trailed off, sighing in defeat.

"Gawarsh Sora," The dog patted the boy on the shoulder, "Don't worry. All we have to do is keep following the path and we'll reach our destination!"

"And that is?" Donald asked, narrowing his eyes.

"I don't know. I hope there's something to eat there though..."

"Thanks Goofy..." Sora smiled weakly, "But Donald's right. We need to find a way to save Riku and the King. All we have to go by is this path, and that dog." He looked around the grasslands.

"Well, don't worry about a thing!" A new voice said. A small cricket, wearing a suit and top hat, hopped out of one of Goofy's pockets, "Remember Sora, you're the Keyblade Master!"

Sora laughed softly, "Thanks Jiminy."

"He's right you know." Goofy said, "As long as you're here. As long as we're together, nothing can stop us!" He patted Sora on the back.

Sora smiled, "You're right."

"Yeah, yeah." Donald said drolly, "Come on! Let's keep moving.


Night came. The stars glistened with a peaceful light, while the moon shone down upon the ground.

A fire was burning brightly, keeping the four traveling companions warm. Sora was lying down, looking up at the sky. He could hear his friends making the gentle sounds of sleeping. (OK, in Goofy's case it was more like the racket of snoring) Sora couldn't sleep, and he had a few good reasons too.

"What am I going to do?" He asked himself, "If... if the worlds are separate again. How am I going to find Riku? Or get home?" Riku, Sora's oldest and best friend. The two had been friends longer then either could remember, yet the last time Sora had seen him he had been sealed away, for who knows how long?

Kingdom Hearts, the heart of all worlds, where the brightest light was covered by the deepest darkness. Sora didn't understand what it was. Though, in all honesty, he wasn't sure he wanted to know.

"Well, what now?" Sora sat up, "Can't you guys give me any clues?" He asked the stars, even though he knew that they couldn't answer him. Sora held up his hand, "What about you?" There was a flash of white light and a burst of tiny stars. "Nah. You wouldn't know either."

In Sora's hand was a large, about two feet long, silver key. It was old fashioned looking, a simple round rod with some teeth sticking out at the end. Sora was holding the key by a golden handle. A small silver keychain dangled from the handle, two small circles atop a larger one.

The Keyblade.

Sora had never found it very odd, that he held what many called the most powerful weapon in the universe. It had always felt like a part of him, an extension of his own body. In fact the one time that someone else had held the Keyblade, he had felt empty, something had been missing.

He stood up, spinning the Keyblade in his hand. "I wonder... which star is home?" Memories of his island home flashed through his mind. Of his friends, and family. "Tidus... is your dad OK? Wakka... did Chappu give you back your autographed blitzball? Mom, Dad... are you both alright? Kairi... will you be OK without us?" He sighed, looking at the Keyblade, "Guess you wouldn't know of any way to fix all this would you?"

"There is a way to find the answers you seek..."

"Huh? Who's there!?" Sora spun around, grasping the Keyblade with both hands.

Nothing. All that was there was the dirt path, still stretching onwards. Yet, there was something about it that called him. "Maybe it's a little ahead..." He walked along the path a short distance.

"Huh?" Sora had reached a split in the path. "Wait..." It looked like he had been traveling on one of the forks, because he could see two other dirt paths to the side of him, converging into one.

"Ahead lies something you hold dear."

A person completely covered in a long black coat appeared on the path. Its hood was up, shadowing its face. "But to find it... you must lose something important to you." The person beckoned to Sora, pointing to the path that the other three merged into one. "Go..."


She sat in her room. Sketch pad on her lap. Colored pencils in her hands.

She was alone. So she would draw.

Draw pictures of mystery and truth. Pictures of happiness and sadness. Pictures of the Heart and Soul. Pictures of Light and Darkness.

The pictures of Dreams and Memory.

All contained in a little sketch pad...


It was a castle suspended in a void. That is where the path led them. It was a light brown color. With the tops of the towers being greenish blue. The towers stuck out in all directions, not just up but left, right and even down. It was a twisted building that seemed to defy logic.

"Wow..." Goofy said, "Sure is strange lookin'."

"It is..." Sora walked up to the castle, it seemed to be both close and far away. "But I feel... like something's important there."

"I feel it too." Donald fell in step behind Sora, "You think King Mickey might be in there?"

"Yeah! And maybe Riku is there as well!" Sora smiled, "Maybe I'm feeling his heart..."

"Wait for me!" Goofy shouted, running after the two.


They quickly reached the castle, reaching it faster then they would have thought possible, pushing open the great doors that made up the entrance.

Inside the castle was quite different then the outside. While the outside was chaotic and random, the inside was pure white, cold, and orderly.

"You know, I think the King might just be in here." Goofy paused, "Weird."

"It isn't a coincidence!" Jimmy jumped out of Sora's pocket, "I have this powerful feeling... someone important to me is here." He adjusted his hat, "This is no ordinary place."

"Hmm... maybe we should shut the door..." Goofy turned around. "Gawarsh! The door's gone!"

"What?" Sora turned back; there was only a blank wall where the door had once been.

"Impossible!" Donald shouted.

"No... I assure you, it's quite possible." The hooded person appeared again, the voice sounding confident.

"It's him..." Sora whispered.

"He looks like the guy we fraught in Hollow Bastion!" Donald growled, pulling out his wand, "Eat this! /Graviga!"/

Nothing.

"Wha?" Donald shook his wand, "Firaga!" Only silence followed... "Blizzard? Aero?" Donald's eye twitched, he screamed incoherently and waved the wad around wildly, "Why won't it work!?"

"It's quite simple." The cloaked person said with a laughing tone, "Once you set foot in this castle you forgot every skill and ability you learned."

"Huh?" Sora reached inside himself, trying to pull out the Keyblade. Yet, despite the fact that he could still feel it inside of him... he couldn't quite remember how to pull it out, despite the fact that it was normally instinct.

"Yes. Even the Keyblade is beyond your grasp. Such is the way of Castle Oblivion" The cloaked person spread its arms out wide, "Where to find is to lose and to lose is to find." The cloaked person blurred, becoming mere movement, dashing through Sora.

Sora gasped and his eyes widened, thousands of images running through his head.

icantwaitoncewesetsailthedoorhasopenedyouunderstandsolittletheyllcomeafteryouaslongasyoucontinuetoweildthatkeybladethekeybladechoosesitsmasteranditchoseyousfriendsinourheartsyouguysaintheroeitriedtoexploitthepowerofdarknessiwishyouwerefreewhatmakesaheartanywaywehavenoneedforyouoryourkeyyouthinkyoucandefeatmethemistressofallevilthiskeybladehasthepowertounlockpeoplesheartskairisheartlieswithinyouiamansemtheseekerofdarknessitsmyluckycharmallworldsbeginindarknesseverylightmustfadeeveryheartreturntodarknessnowsoraletsclosethisdoorforgood...There will always be a door to the light...Take care of her...I know you will...

Sora stumbled back, nearly collapsing. Goofy caught him before he could hit the ground. The boy was wide eyed and had broken into a cold sweat. "What did you do!?" Donald leaned over Sora, desperately trying to cast a Cure spell.

"Unn..." Sora snapped out of the daze, "That... was weird."

"I have sampled your memories." The hooded person said, "They have proved most... enlightening."

"My... memories?" Sora walked towards the hooded person.

"Yes." The hooded person held up its hand, a white card was held in it. It had three points on top with a crown shape. "Catch." The card flew towards Sora.

Sora's hand reached up, catching the card automatically. He looked down at it; the card had a familiar image of old-fashioned buildings.

"Use the card to progress." The hooded person said, pointing to the end of the entryway. "Everything in Castle Oblivion comes from the cards." With a rushing sound, the person vanished.

"Sora...?" Jiminy said, "This is strange... I think we should leave.

"But then what?" Sora whispered, "We keep on wandering through that field? This is the only clue we have."

"He's right you know." Donald folded his arms, "We have no choice. The door's gone." His eyes narrowed, "I don't like it though... the next time we see that guy, I'll show him a fireball!"

"How you going to do that if you can't remember your magic?" Goofy asked.

Donald jumped up, grabbing Goofy by the ear. "Shut up." He growled.

"Come on!" Sora rolled his eyes at his friends bickering, "Let's get going." He picked up Jiminy, the cricket jumped into his pocket. He then started walking towards the end of the hall. Donald and Goofy trailed after him.

The hall ended with another large set of double doors. Only this one had no way of opening them. They pushed at the doors, feeling around for any handle. Nothing.

"How do we open this?" Sora wondered, looking at the card. "He said we need this..." He held the card up, holding it against the door. The card began to glow, the door glowing to match. It opened a crack.

"It's working!" Donald exclaimed.

The door burst open, revealing a bright white light behind it. It covered everything, making the room vanish.


"Unnn..." Sora opened his eyes. "Huh?" He looked around; his friends were laying beside him "Donald! Goofy! Wake up!"

"Huh?" Donald opened his eyes, "Wha...?" He looked at Goofy, "Wake up!" He whacked Goofy with his wand.

"Huh?" Goofy sat up, "Where are we?" They were in a dark forest; the night sky could be seen. Large trees loomed above them. "This place looks familiar..."

"Look!" Sora pointed out to the distance, a large stone wall with a huge gate could be seen. A neon sign that said "Entrance" was attached over the gate. "It's Transverse Town!"

"It can't be..." Donald whispered.

A rushing sound and the cloaked person appeared again.

"What's going on?" Sora asked, "How are we in Transverse Town?"

"You are not." The hooded person answered. "You are still in Castle Oblivion. This world you see is merely an illusion created from your memory, Sora.

"An illusion?" Sora bent down, picking a strand of grass. "It feels so real..."

"Memory often does feel real." The hooded person said, "The cards took your memory and gave them life."

Sora gasped as the strand of grass suddenly vanished in a burst of light. Leaving behind a green card with the image of it. "What the!?"

"Like I said. Your memory of grass became a card. Then the cards made the grass in this world."

"Amazing..." Goofy pressed his hand against a tree, "It doesn't feel like a card, that's for sure!"

"With the cards, you can take your memories and make them real again. With the cards, you can fight. Reach into yourself, find the Keyblade. Make it part of the cards." The hooded person reached into its cloak, "Because not all memories are pleasant." A black card was pulled out. The hooded person threw the card to the ground. It stopped, hovering for a moment, before bursting into a flash of black.

A small creature appeared. It hunched over, vaguely insect like. Its antennae twitched as its glowing yellow eyes looked around hungrily. Its eyes turned to Sora.

"Gah!" Sora dashed back as the creature leapt at him, "Heartless!" A Shadow Heartless. The dark creature swiped at Sora again. Sora kicked the Heartless, knocking it back. "Help!"

Goofy pulled out his shield. "Come on Donald!"

"Right!" Donald held his wand defensively.

"No." The hooded person stepped in front of the two, "Sora must learn how to use the cards. Then you two may learn."

Sora growled, "Stay back you stupid Heartless!" That's when he felt something. A card had appeared in his hand. It was sky blue, with the image of the Keyblade on it. "Huh?" Sora held up the card, "Um... please work?" The card suddenly burst into starry light, growing longer and stronger. A second later, the Keyblade was in Sora's hands again. "All right!" Sora grinned, clutching the weapon with both hands.

The Heartless leapt at him, but Sora swung the Keyblade, cutting straight through it. It vanished in a burst of black smoke. Leaving behind the card, which Sora could see had a picture of a Shadow on it.

"Very good." The hooded person said, "Take the card. Consider it a prize; you will be able to use its powers."

Sora examined the Shadow card, "It's my memory of these kinds of Heartless, isn't it?"

"Exactly. In Castle Oblivion, memories are the most powerful weapon of all." The hooded person stepped back, "Good luck, Keyblade Master, may you find what you seek." There was a rushing sound, and nobody was there anymore.

Sora looked at the two cards in his hands. "Well, let's go." He headed towards Transverse Town.


The gates were pushed open, and Sora, Donald, and Goofy walked into the First District.

"Wow..." Sora looked around, everything; from the stone cobble ground to the unusual streetlamps to the cozy brick buildings. It was all there, exactly like he remembered it. People off all kinds were walking through the square. Even a Moogle or two could be seen! Sora poked a Moogle's pom-pom. The large red fuzz-ball bounced over its head. "It's all real..."

"Hey! Why the kupo did you do that?" The Moogle looked up at Sora, glaring.

Sora flushed, "Sorry, I... I was just seeing if it was real."

"Well it's real kupo!" The Moogle shook its head, "Why do people always kupo around with it..."

"Enough playing around." Donald grabbed Sora's arm. "Let's find out what we need here."

Sora nodded to the Moogle before continuing on.

They walked past the Café; some people were drinking coffee and other drinks. Sora waved to some of the people who he had talked to often whenever he had visited Transverse Town. Yet, they just seemed to ignore him. In fact... they didn't even look at him...


"Hello?" Goofy knocked on the door of the Item Shop. "Anybody there?" Nothing, he jiggled the knob for a moment. "Odd... why would it be locked? Huey! Dewy! Louie! You boys in there?"

"Cid?" Donald shouted into the locked Accessory Shop. "Cid!" Donald slammed his fist against the door.

"Guys?" Sora pulled at the door the Item Synthesis Shop. "Come on? It's me, Sora! Remember that keychain you made me?"

"Come on Geppetto! Pinocchio! It's me Jiminy!" Jiminy peered into the window of Geppetto's shop. "Are you guys there?"

"This doesn't make any sense." Sora folded his arms, "All the buildings are locked. Nobody really recognizes us... I just don't get it."

"Maybe we should try the Second District." Goofy shrugged, "Maybe there's somebody there."

"Probably." Sora sighed, "Who or what are we supposed to find, anyway?"

"If you're looking for someone, you came to the right place."

A man walked out of the shadows. He was older then Sora, in his early twenties. He was wearing an open leather shirt. A white tank top was underneath the leather shirt. There was a charm shaped like a cross with a lion's head on top hanging from his neck on a chain. This same symbol was emblazoned in red on the sleeves of his shirt He was wearing black pants, shoes, and gloves. Various belts and straps were across his waist and even his right arm. His messy black hair strung about his shoulders, dropping around his neutral face.

"Leon!" Sora sighed with relief, "It's good to see you again!"

Leon raised an eyebrow, "Do I know you?"