In Their Memories: Forging the Key of Heart

A/N: this story happens happens just after the chapter "Frozen Heart" in these small fanfic and
transpires in the chapters of "A big, crazy rescue" and the beginning of "Spiritual forest" in my story "True friendship never dies."

I waited for a while submitting this story, because it is filled with plots of where I am heading in these fanfics

"the pieces are coming together, friends are becoming enemies and truth of who the Seekers are are revealed" my eyes went to the newest drawing I have made, a drawing of Sora fighting someone very similar to the small King Mickey, yet that wasn't Mickey.
I don't know who it is, all I know that he is from the same place where Mickey lives and somehow knows about the great Keyblade Master from the old times.


____


After have giving some very strange instructions from a mysterious hooded man, Sora, Riku and Kairi returned back to Radiant Garden, although they were all unsure if what the hooded said about someone being there could help them was true. all what knew that they have to try.
not long after their arrival, a awesome sight of a huge bear with blue stones around its shoulders charge right at a Behemoth and took it out with a single strike with its paws.

"did you see that?" Kairi gasped in awe of that bear took out a pretty powerful Heartless with no effort.

"sure did" Sora nodded and wondered out loud "I wonder what it is?"

"definitely not a Heartless" Riku said, keeping his eyes on the bear creature wandering rather calmly towards the city. "we should make sure that creature is friendly"
with a nod from Sora and Kairi, the trio ran towards the maw. just outside the city, they encountered the trio called the Gullwings, but they weren't alone.
speaking with the fairy trio stood a person they never have seen before, it was a man with brown skin. wearing a brown robe with a sash that covered most of the head, and they couldn't see the face thanks to a mask in form as a bear.

"that was awesome!" Rikku cheered and made a small jump to show how awesome she thought it was that the man´s bear destroyed a big Heartless. the darker Gullwing Paine nodded in agreement "pretty impressive" far more calmly than her companion. their leader; Yuna flew up to the masked man, smiling "yes thank you for saving us"

the masked man nodded to them and said with a deep voice "you should return back to the city. no treasure is worth a life"

"we will!" Rikku said cheerful, her two friends nodded and they turned around, just as Sora and friends appeared.
"oh, hello again" Yuna greeted to the three wielders, flying over to them.

Sora nodded to the Gullwings in greeting, before he turned to the masked man who stared at them with a calm demeanor, but what got both his and his two friends true attention was the keyblade in his hand.
"you're a keyblade wielder?" Sora asked kinda shocked, mostly because he never thought he would meet more wielders of the keyblade.

"not a mere wielder young man, I´m a Keyblade Master" the masked replied kind even it was a little hard to hear with that deep voice. the keyblade disappeared as he remarked "and you're not unfamiliar with the keyblade either"

"no, me and Riku has been training to be keyblade masters" Sora explained and turned to his silver haired friend "only Riku became master though"

the masked nodded and said to Riku "I can see why, it´s rare to meet someone so young have so strong resistance and control over darkness while I can clearly see you belong to the light"

Riku blinked of the masked words, not sure what he should say of the flattery other than "thanks"
he was taken quite aback that this keyblade master knew so much with only what seems like the same form of sensing he could.

the masked turned to Kairi, seemingly happy "ah, one of the Princesses of Heart. I admit I'm surprised seeing you having a keyblade as well"
he chuckled "but maybe more of the pure heart should follow your example. after all, you aren´t completely defenseless"

Kairi smiled of the praise the masked gave her. still she had to ask as the huge bear from before came up to the masked who strangely enough has a bear mask.
"what is that creature behind you?"

the masked turned around to the creature, asking "first time you have seen a Keeper?"

"a Keeper?" Sora asked, eyeing the bear with the pale blue eyes. to his surprise, the eyes suddenly changed creepier as a oval pupil arrived and darker shade of blue surrounded the pupil.
but it was Riku who was most shocked at the sudden change of the Keeper´s eye. he called his own keyblade, looking down to the blue eye in the middle of Way to Dawn´s handle, an eye he knew as Eye of Darkness.

"I see you are not unfamiliar with the Eye of the Watcher either"

"I have always thought the eye was a sign of Darkness" Riku said.

the masked made a soft sigh and admitted "I'm not surprised" he eyed his own keyblade, it was brown and big, having the same bluish stones on the handle. at the hilt, a bear´s face could be seen, it had the same markings around its eyes as the bear Keeper. the masked man lifted his keyblade, showing that it too had a Eye of Darkness on the keychain or Eye of the Watcher the man called it. the trio stared at the eyes as the masked man explained.
"the eye has a deeper meaning. some gets the eye on their keyblade or weapons if they are seeking something or watching over someone. and one of its other symbolism is that every Keeper, good or evil; always bear the Eye of the Watcher" he dismissed the keyblade "and every keyblade that have created a Keeper has the eye as well"
the Bear Keeper´s eyes turned back to the pale blue color and disappeared with rocks and light, leaving a small item behind. before any of them could see what the item was. the masked keyblade master took it and went towards the city with; "we have much to talk about it seems. we should speak in more peaceful place than here" just as a Heartless tried to attack him but with a single strike of his keyblade, it disappeared and the masked man muttered "these pests are getting on my nerves"
at the entrance to the city, he stopped and introduced himself kindly "my name is Master Ursus"

"I´m Sora"

"Riku"

"and I'm Kairi"

Ursus nodded once and took the lead once again "follow me please"
Sora, Riku and Kairi followed Ursus towards the castle, and to their surprise it seemed he knew the castle for he lead them into a room none of them has seen before.
the room looked very much like the huge library, except the room was way more open and only the walls shelves held books. the room had two floors, the upper floor lead to more books and the lower floor, the one they stood in had a single table make out from oak, on the table stood a chessboard with handmade chessmen the resemble of animals, the black king were missing though.

"I didn't know this room existed" Riku admitted as he went over to the table and looked at the chess board.  

"it is because it shouldn't really exist" Ursus said as he went past Sora and Kairi who enjoyed the view over the city from the huge window, musing before muttering mostly to himself "none of us should be here actually..."

Sora turned away from the window, confused by the Keyblade Master´s words "what do you mean by: shouldn´t exist?"
Ursus glanced to the boy, but to Sora´s disappointment he said as he softly shook his head "I'm sorry, but I cannot tell you"

Sora frowned "it seems that many wishes to keep secrets lately" first it was that woman named Adria, then it was the hooded guy and now Ursus.
well, maybe Ursus could help them with something else, hopefully "then what about the Key of Heart?"

"how do you know of that keyblade?" Ursus asked, voice turned harsh of surprise.

Riku moved a single chessman as he replied "we saw an incomplete Key of Hearts on our first journey"

"and the one who lead us here said that there was someone who could help us completing it" Sora explained to the Keyblade Master. "could you be the one he mentioned?"

Ursus did not answer at first, instead he went over to the chess board, placed a black king on the board and moved one of the pawns. only then he spoke "I know how to summon it, yes"

"then, you can help us" Sora said both hope- and cheerful that they found the right one, however his smile faded when Ursus said hard "but it does not mean I will help you making it"

"why not?"

Ursus made another move on the chessboard and said again softly "because that keyblade is too powerful. it belong in the same place where the X-blade resides"

Riku moved a white chessman and said calm "what is so dangerous about the Key of Heart?" and Kairi asked the older man slightly confused "isn't it like an ordinary keyblade?"

"no, the Key of Heart is not like the common keyblade. that keyblade can; like the X-blade open the path to Kingdom Hearts. as you probably know; every keyblade can unlock any lock."

the trio nodded.

Ursus continued "but the Key of Heart can do more than that, it can unlock everything, even someone's heart. the wielder of that keyblade can unlock the light or the darkness within a person, make either of them consume the heart"

"what about releasing a heart?" Sora asked, he crossed his arms and made a suggesting "like, someone posses someone else's heart?"

"separations?" the black knight chess piece got moved "yes, the Key of Heart can do that too" Ursus admitted, asking slightly confused "why are you asking?"

"you see, there is a few people we need to save. and one of them. well... he is being possessed, according to Aqua" Sora tried his best to explain. fortunately for him, Riku took over, way more familiar with this subject "his name is Terra and a man name Xehanort has taken control over the darkness in his heart and using Terra as a vessel against his own will"

"the sounds horrible familiar" Ursus admitted, but he did not go further into details. he stood for a while in deep thoughts. what felt like an hour later, the keyblade master said "even though I´m fairly vigilant about the thoughts of summoning such a dangerous weapon. I can see your intentions with that keyblade is good, so I have decided to help you"

Sora gasped in relief "really?!"

Ursus nodded, but have to add "but I´m not comfortable letting a mere trainee wielding such a powerful weapon, I would prefer it is wielded by a Keyblade Master."

"Riku is a Keyblade Master" Kairi suggested. Ursus eyed the silver haired boy and nodded "yes, so I would allow Riku to wield it"

Sora far too well remembered the hooded words, but if Ursus said he would rather have Riku to wield the Key of Heart, then it have to be that way. he didn't really care, just so long that keyblade could help them saving their friends.

"I will gather the six princesses" Ursus told them, summoning his keyblade "meanwhile, you should help the resident against the Heartless threat. it is our duty as wielder of the keyblades to protect the worlds against the Darkness"
the trio nodded and left the room, leaving Ursus on his own.


with those three gone.

a small figure appeared, looking up to Ursus with hard eyes. the keyblade master sighted and said without turning around "if you think my choice was wrong, then be my guest and strike me down "

"you know I wouldn´t do that"

Ursus turned around, facing the other Keyblade Master "then tell me Lucky One, why are you here?"
he didn't get any answer.  

__


Sora Riku and Kairi helped the Restoration Committee with the Heartless, those dark beings has always been a problem ever since Xehanort; who acted like one of Ansem´s apprentice unlocked the Door to Darkness in this world. fortunately, the Heartless mass has been decreased thanks to the united work of the Restoration Committee and the visiting keyblade wielders.
after spending some time helping with the Heartless. Leon told them to the trio´s relief that things has gone surprisingly well. maybe it was because that darkness was losing its grip around the world, or maybe it was because they got more help with the Heartless since the apprentices of Ansem returned, either way, Radiant Garden has almost fully recovered from its countless attacks and transformation from Hollow Bastion back to its original name.

"that´s is good news" Sora smiled to the leader of the Restoration Committee. Leon gave the teen a nod and everyone in the room turned to the door as someone in a white coat walked inside. it was Ienzo.

"Ienzo" Kairi greeted with a warm smile. the youngest of the apprentices simple gave her a polite nod before saying why he was here "you're needed at the castle" remarking with his hand up to his face "for some reason, another wielder of the Keyblade has invited every Princesses of Heart to the castle" the young man eyed the trio "and he´s asking for you to make an appearance"

"that didn't take long" Riku said quite surprised and along with Ienzo, the three wielders went up to the castle and into the same place where Maleficent tried get to Kingdom Hearts. the place has changed quite a bit, all the pipes were gone and the room has gotten lighter, not looking so gloomy anymore. Ienzo left them at the entrance of the room and the three friend walked inside where all six princesses of Heart waited along with Ursus and to the trio´s surprise, Aqua was there as well.

Kairi ran over to one who passed the keyblade to her, smiling happy of seeing Aqua again.
the blue haired woman smiled sweetly to Kairi, also happy to see the teen.

"when did you get here?" Kairi asked.

"I was on visit in Cyndella´s world when Ursus came" Aqua explained.
she and Kairi turned to Ursus when he cleared his throat and asked "you ready?"
both females nodded and like Sora and Riku, turned to the princesses.

Ursus went over to them and explained "the reason I brought you here is because these young people" he glanced to Sora, Riku and Kairi "has asked me helping them bringing a certain keyblade back to the Realm of Light. and in order doing so, we need your help" he eyed each of the seven princesses "so I ask you Princesses of pure hearts; will you help us?"
with almost no hesitating, each of the princesses agreed on helping, for even though Riku had in the past kidnapped some of them, they could see that he has changed and was at Sora´s side. and all of them trusted the brunette, they have all seen the strength and light in that boy´s heart.
and so, every single of the princesses gathered into a circle and used their light to call the keyblade that once before has been created by their light. this time however, it was with no force.
the light gathered in the middle of the circle and with a flash, a keyblade fell to the ground, piecing down into the floor and still with light around; a keyblade stood in the middle of the circle.
the princesses separated, allowing Sora and Riku to go over to the keyblade.
the keyblade; the Key of Heart did at first glance look very alike to the one Ansem the Seeker of Darkness created with Riku´s body under his control. but with closer inspections, everyone could see some changes on this keyblade.
it was no longer black and red, now it was lighter; skyblue and silver to be exactly. having a full heart mark at the edge at the blade and its handle having far more on it. this keyblade did as well have a keychain. it was a crown with the Eye of the Watcher in the middle.

Sora and Riku glanced to Ursus and the keyblade master turned to Riku, giving him an sign to approach the keyblade. the silver haired boy did, but just as his hands was about to take hold on Key of Heart. unwelcome guests appeared.
all around, Heartless arrived, surrounding the keyblade wielders and the princesses. Ursus took a quick control over the situation "Master Aqua, bring the princesses back home, I´ll help you." he turned to Sora Riku and Kairi "you three will keep the Heartless away while we do so"

"right" the three friend nodded and went in battle stage against the Heartless.
Riku glanced back when Ursus added hard "by first change, grab that keyblade" the masked man eyed the blue and silver keyblade "it can´t get into the wrong hands"

"understood" Riku nodded and the wielders of the keyblade did what Ursus wanted them to.
Sora, Riku and Kairi kept the Heartless away from the portals Ursus and Aqua have made in order to bring the princesses to safety. the Heartless were more or less easy enough to keep at bay, but the unwelcoming visitors wasn't over.
on the upper floor, green fire appeared and out from them. the dark fairy; Maleficent made an appearance with Pete by her side. the dark fairy smirked as her eyes went to the Key of Heart "ahh the keyblade to people hearts, I have heard much about it" but she was more interested in the masked man not far from the keyblade, she have met one of his comrades and knew where Ursus was from.
"Ursus, am I correct?" she asked and the Keyblade Master turned to her, answering hard "what do you want?" not at all feeling threaten by her presence. he was confident in his strength.

Maleficent was a little irritated that Ursus did not pay her more respect, but from the last encounter, she wasn't really surprised "I want the book of prophecy and all its powers!" she said and spread out her arms.

Ursus snorted "you have to get through me first" and he went in battle stage against her "and even the few tomes I have won´t give you the full book's powers"

"don´t worry, your comrade Leopardos gave me his pages when he joined the Darkness"

"what?!" Ursus gasped, for the first time losing his cool. he growled almost like a real bear, angry of these news "how could this happen...?"
and as if things weren't bad enough, an strong quake told that there was someone or something attacking the castle. Ursus turned away from the evil fairy and to the quake, not sure if he should investigate or stay and fight the fairy.
he took his choice and called the youngsters "Sora, Riku, Kairi, go and help the rest of this world!"

"what about you?" Sora asked after have slain a Heartless.

"you shouldn't worry about me." Ursus lifted his keyblade "I´m a true Keyblade Master" he eyed Maleficent under his mask "fighting this compares nothing to what I saw in the Wasteland"

"go, I´ll stay and help" Aqua said and a nod, Sora, Riku and Kairi left the room, just as Ursus jumped into battle against Maleficent.

___

still inside the castle, the two guards, Aeleus and Dilan had their own share of invading Heartless. the trio helped the two guards, but Dilan would prefer they helped the city "we have these fiends under control." he told the trio.

"okay, be careful" Sora said and left with his friends.

Dilan chuckled, finding it pretty ironic "from enemy to ally, never would have thought it"
Aeleus simple nodded and both returned to fighting the Heartless.

outside, Heartless attacked everything that moved, but luckily there weren´t as many as when Maleficent had send her 1000 Heartless at the city.

"Leon!"
the leader of the Restoration Committee turned around to the three wielders and remarked dryly "don't worry, we got this" he eyed Yuffie who struck down a Heartless without much worrying about being attacked by others.
"they aren't as many as the last time"

"that´s good news, right?" Riku said, although he did get a little uncertain with the worried frown on the older male's face.

"it is, but it isn't the Heartless that is the problem" Leon pointed out to the maw and out there, they saw, what probably might be another Keeper. this one looked like a goat of some species, its horns was long and compared to its buff appearance, the Goat Keeper leaped on the cliff surprisingly agile. on one of the cliffs it made a pretty disturbing "Braaa!" which sounded more like nails on a board.
around it, Heartless arrived, almost like they obeyed its command.
"that creature is the source of the Heartless" Leon said and asked Sora "do you think you could take it out?"

"sure" Sora nodded, he turned to his friends "together we can do it"
Riku and Kairi nodded and ran out to the maw to catch this other Keeper.
out in the maw, the Goat Keeper stood, as if it waited for them. not a good sign.
"huh?" Sora blinked, confused over this behavior.
the Goat Keeper stared down to them with its creepy demon like eyes, then with another ear piercing screech, it attacked.
the trio quickly went against it, but then the Goat Keeper changed tactic and began running and jumping around them, to suddenly charge at Sora and Kairi who had let their guard down of confusions.

"look out!" Riku called and made a shield to his two friends. it protected them against the attack, but Riku lost the shield because it has been a really strong attack. the Keeper turned swiftly around to the silver haired and rammed into him once again.

"Riku!" Sora called horrified as the Goat Keeper´s attack was so fierce that it forced Riku up against a cliff. Riku did succeed in defending himself from the first attack, but his shield shattered as the Keeper backed enough away to ram against him, and again. and it did not make it any better than the silver haired stood up against a wall, at the third attack; Riku was barely conscious as it went for another go.
"stop it monster!" Sora roared as the Keeper was about to ram itself against Riku the fourth time. Sora struck his keyblade over the Goat Keeper´s face, making it back away and let Riku fall to the ground, allowing Kairi to heal her wounded friend. with most of his wounds gone,  Riku warned his friend "don´t let your guard down around that thing!"

"got it" Sora nodded and charged at the Keeper who did the same. Sora jumped into the air, tried making another strike over its face, but the Goat Keeper made almost an U-turn so he only got the armored hide and before Sora realized it. the Goat Keeper used the flowing metal vines on its legs to an attack. several thorns of metal shot out from those vines, giving Sora no time to block and when the rain of sharp metal finally stopped. Sora could barely stand. "this is bad" he muttered through his hard breathing. this Keeper was unlike anything he has ever fought. he thought it was like the other monsters like the Heartless and Nobody dusks he and his friends have fought in their travels, but this Keeper was different from the others. this one could think ahead, it was like fighting a human and not some creature.
the Goat Keeper turned almost casually around, almost like it knew Sora was on his last legs. with a snort, it charged. Sora closed his eyes, waiting for the devastating attack.

"enough"

the Goat Keeper stopped, much to Sora´s surprise. he opened his eyes and behind the Keeper, a man with a black cloak appeared. the cloaked chuckled and said with a voice greatly familiar to Sora "not many lives this long when they face a Keeper"

"you... have a Keeper?" Sora asked weakly, uncertain what it meant. for neither he nor Riku saw this monster under neither of the battles they did with this guy. did this mean that Xehanort have found and now controlled a Keeper?

the hooded took down the hood, revealing his face. "that's correct, although.. I wasn't the one who created it; this Keeper" Xemnas glanced to the Goat Keeper "is connected to my true self´s heart. and thus, it will only listen to those with his heart"

Sora looked up to the Keeper, slowly understanding why it was so ruthless- it was merely doing what its master would have done.
he glanced back by Riku calling his name and his older friend casted a healing spell over him. Sora nodded thankfully to his friend and asked "where´s Kairi?"

"I asked Kairi to keep her distance" Riku answered, then turned to Xemnas, asking "what are you after?"

"Ursus"

both Sora and Riku gasped, none of them saw this coming, but Xemnas wasn't done and said with his monotone voice and facing towards the castle "or rather, one of my other incarnation is doing that. my job is merely keeping you away" he eyed them "but even if you defeat me, it is already too late. Ursus will join the ranks"

"he would never do such a thing!"

Xemnas smirked, the first real reaction that man has ever really done "he has already done it." he sat a hand up to his empty chest "he was in the ranks when we tried getting you to join us. Sora"

Riku blinked, far too well remembering the thirteen Seekers of Darkness inside the Room Where Nothing Gather. had Ursus really been one of them? then why...?
"why isn't he now?"

"because, he returned back to his time. what you saw inside that room was mere illusions of what was going to happen. many of us has come back, others are still joining" Xemnas explained, not at all seemly worried about them knowing this.

Sora went in battle stage, he wasn't going to let Xehanort take Ursus. he was both a friend and a good ally.
"we´re going to stop it!"
Riku lifted his keyblade as well. Xemnas chuckled, snapped his fingers and the Goat Keeper attacked by his command. like all other times both Sora and Riku have fought one of Xehanort's incarnation. the battle was very hard and pretty long. and it did not make it better that the Nobody of Xehanort had a huge help from the Goat Keeper. the Keeper kept using its speed and element of metal to keep Sora and Riku away from Xemnas, who was hard enough to catch as it was.
and even if they did not want it, Kairi joined to help and gave the final edge to defeat Xemnas. while she and Riku kept the Keeper busy with a united strength of magic and close up combat. Sora got close enough to Xemnas and give him the final blow to finish him off once and for all. the Nobody of Xehanort disappeared without a word, returning back from the place from whence he came.


"now to that Keeper" Riku muttered and he and his friends turned to the Goat Keeper. at first it did look like it was about to fight, then it turned its head towards the castle and like it got pulled by invisible strings. it ran towards the castle.
forcing the three friends to follow.
they lost sight of the Keeper inside the city, but there was something else far more important than the missing Keeper. out at the main street, another Xehanort stood, unlike Xemnas who have been using Ethereal Blades and the Goat Keeper. this Xehanort had the grey keyblade with the goat face on.
lying on the ground was Ursus, unconscious and with Darkness sweeping around him.
this Xehanort did not have the hood up either, so the face could be seen. like all other Xehanorts, this one have silver hair and yellow eyes. however, when he turned around, the face of a younger Xemnas could be seen, but this man wasn't Xemnas for he was destroyed.
Riku blinked, feeling as if he knew this man from somewhere else. it was closely resembling to the feeling he got when facing Xehanort's Heartless. the feeling was just stronger this time.
could this man be...

"Terra!"
Aqua came running towards the man, towards the possessed Terra.

Sora blinked, baffled of these news "that's Terra?" and he eyed the man again. Kairi and Riku did the same, but Riku was the only one feeling almost the same as Aqua by seeing this man.
Aqua stopped few meters away from the man, almost begging "Terra, please, if you can hear me; stop doing this!"

"your friend is long gone." the possessed Terra said, his voice was like Xehanort's Heartless, not the voice that belonged to Terra. "returned back to the Darkness"
he even spoke like Xehanort's Heartless...
the possessed man glanced down to Ursus, smirking "another has joined the ranks"


"not if I have something to say about it!" and from the top of a building, a small figure leaped towards the possessed man and struck after him. Xehanort blocked with his own keyblade, making it possible for those around to see what keyblade the new arrived had.
it was the Key of Heart.

Sora gasped over seeing this, then his eyes went to the wielder. he blinked, for this person had the same size and almost same clothing as someone else he knew, could it be Mickey? "your majesty!"

Xehanort struck the figure and the person landed not far from the others. revealing that he wasn't Mickey for he had too long ears to be the small king also he looked closer to a rabbit than a mouse. not to mention the clothing was blue instead of red. the person turned his face around to them, saying spiteful "no, I´m not the beloved King Mickey"
he turned back to Xehanort, but it was already too late. the possessed man disappeared with his prey. the stranger groaned "dang it..! I was too late"

"... who are you" Kairi asked and the stranger turned around. he sighted and muttered with an irritated tone "guess no one knows me nowadays...."
he said that a bit too early...

"wahaha! well isn't that our lost leader?!"

the group and most importantly the rabbit turned around. Pete laughed again and said as he went towards the group "long time no see Oswald, I almost forgot about you"

Oswald puffed his chest up and fists his hands. "of all the people who could remember, it just have to be you" he spat looking ready to pound on the brute any second.

"you know Pete?" Sora asked the rabbit and Oswald replied shortly "yeah, he´s probably still angry over I beat him in that race" added with a careless shrug "I can't help he´s big and slow"

Pete did not take that nicely "why I outta..." and he punched out after Oswald, but as the rabbit have said, Pete was too slow and with a single kick from behind, Pete fell to the ground with Oswald on top.
the rabbit stomped several times down on Pete´s back, remarking hard "still too slow you big brute!"

Pete growled "you little..! Heartless gather around!" he ordered and more Heartless appeared. attacking the rabbit.

Oswald quickly defended himself, not only by using Key of Heart. but an electric shield appeared on his left hand, from a device on the glove. the attacking Heartless got electrocuted and those who didn't, well they got whacked by Key of Heart. the rabbit growled annoyed that Pete has gone so far calling the Heartless.
then to his surprise, Sora ran in to help and with the Heartless gone. Pete stomped his feet angry "I´ll get you the next time!" and he left as fast as his legs would allow him.

"I had it under control" Oswald said harshly to Sora.

"I was just trying to help" Sora said and added with eyes on the Key of Heart "when did you pick it up?"

"when the guy from before began attacked Ursus and the woman" Oswald mused and added hard to the three teens "I did not like he agreed on helping you, but it seems he trusted you guys"

"and you don't?" Riku asked.

Oswald turned his back to them "no, I have no reason to."
he eyed the Key of Heart, muttering "and I see no reason to why you should have this keyblade either"

"that man you saw, he was a friend of mine. his name is Terra" Aqua explained, hoping the rabbit would understand "me and my two friends lost one another thanks to Xehanort. one of my friends; Ventus is alright now, but Terra..." she trailed off lowering her head. Oswald turned to her, no longer looking angry, this time he showed sympathy in his big dark eyes.

"I´m sorry about your friend, but..." he eyed Sora and Riku "even if you had this keyblade, it does not mean it will do what you want it to."

"meaning?" Sora asked, getting more and more confused over this.

Oswald sighed, again looking annoyed. but at least he was kind enough to explain as he showed them the keyblade "this keyblade; will reflect the wielder. if someone has a dark heart wields it, then if used, only darkness will come from the Key of Heart. the same if the person has a heart of light, but it won´t help. a heart needs both, it needs a balance." he lowered the keyblade  "in other words: to bring those lost back, the wielder needs to understand hurt"
he eyed them again "does any of you truly understand hurting? not you own, but others. being willing to help them, even if it seems like a lost cause?"

"we all would" Aqua said, but Oswald thought otherwise "then prove it to me. show me you are willing to take someone else's pain as your own. never turning away even if it meant falling to the darkness. even if the someone is someone you barely know"
Aqua hesitated, true she would do anything for her friends. but to what seems like a stranger?

Oswald didn´t seem surprised by her hesitating. he turned to the three teens, and to his surprise. Sora stepped towards him, calling his keyblade.
Oswald nodded and went in battle stage "show me how far you´re willing to go"
and they charged at each other.

Sora quickly realized that the battle wasn't just two keyblades against one another, for the second his keyblade hit the Key of Heart, he and Oswald was surrounded by memories, at first Sora was startled, mostly because he could feel hurt, not his own, but what seems be from others. he was quickly taken back to the battle as the rabbit struck out after him. Sora fought the rabbit while he saw memories from when the Organization trapped him in a dream and his own heart showed him people who he needed his help. he saw Naminé, a strange black haired girl. he saw Aqua and the man from before, except his hair was brown and eyes blue, face genuine and friendly, he also saw Roxas and felt his pain as it has been his own, it has confused and enraged him what it all meant, and still he had gone further in, refused to back away even though it ended in him being trapped by the Organization and almost turned into a Vessel.  
he also felt that even this rabbit was hurting, he just didn't understand why. could it because he has been forgotten? he wanted to help the rabbit, trying to not making him feel so lonely anymore.

Sora slammed his keyblade against Oswald´s expecting the rabbit to jump off as he did before, but this time, the rabbit did not back away. Sora blinked and looked into Oswald´s eyes, they looked shocked, but also filled with understanding. "you´re already doing it" he muttered softly.
the teen blinked, yet somehow knowing that the fight was over and both blade steadily released one another and went down to the ground. the realm of memories disappeared.

Oswald smiled softly up to him and to everyone's surprise, he handed Sora the Key of Heart "it is yours now"
shocked, yet also feeling very honored Sora took the keyblade. he looked down to the rabbit muttering "you're also hurt..."
Oswald nodded, but said with a smile "don't worry about me." his smile faded and he said seriously "you should help those who you saw. they need you, and now.." his and Sora´s eyes went to the Key of Heart "you have the keyblade to do it"

"how does it work?" Sora asked.

the rabbit smirked "just follow your heart" and added with a halfhearted shrug "and.. I hope I will meet you again" and with those words. Oswald took a white Star Shard and was gone in a flash of light.
Sora and his friends watched the rabbit´s light leave the world.


"so, where are you guys going?"

Sora, Riku and Kairi looked upwards to one of the buildings. on the building sat the same woman Sora met on Treasure Planet, this raven haired woman with a deadly accuracy and kinda rotten attitude was Adria.
the woman scratched her chin, sitting pretty relaxing on the roof. "from what I got from the conversation, you're going to save someone.. no?"

"how long have you been ear-dropping?!" Sora exclaimed annoyed.
Adria shrugged with a smug smile, never revealing how long she has been there. she didn't seem to be on anyone's side, but she seemed to be a good person, so Sora saw no harm in telling her

"we're going to save someone I saw"

"and who is that?"

"some girl, with raven hair. not sure why, but I think she will be in Twilight Town."

Adria rolled her eyes, looking annoyed "sheesh, you´re not very good in the details.. anyway" she rose and said with a smirk "if you see that Oswald again, do say thanks from me"

"why?"

as reply, the woman took up her own Star shard, this one was purple. with a teasing wink she disappeared in light , just as the rabbit.
 
"what an strange woman" Riku remarked, he turned to his friend "guess you´re the wielder of Key of Heart after all"

Sora nodded and glanced down the keyblade, the one that would make him able to save those who are hurt. but that keyblade wasn't only that anymore, now it was also a sign of a promise, a promise to see an quite unusual rabbit again.

_____

with my sketchbook close to my chest, I walks downstairs and towards the pod that held Sora when I was helping him recover his memories. now it was holding someone else, still she isn't ready, but soon.
I took up my sketchbook, looking at the drawing of Lea, Roxas and her sitting on the clock tower "soon, you will join them" my eyes goes up to her face

"Xion"