I have been waiting so long to write this story! Ever since I started my Kingdom Hearts stories, I was really eager to begin Dream Drop Distance.

I hope you guys enjoy the wild ride and are strapped in for awesome plot twists and reveals.

Enjoy the first chapter :D

Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts belongs to Square-Enix and Disney

Connections Within Dreams

Chapter 1: Where It All Began

In the Mysterious Tower, Mickey stood before his teacher, the great sorcerer Yen Sid. That tower was the place where Mickey had once undertaken his training to become a Keyblade Master, and it was also a place Sora had visited before his battle with Xemnas. And, it was also a place that Terra, Aqua, and Ventus had once visited.

Two journeys had been completed, and connecting the memories from them had been another journey that was now over.

However, Yen Sid's expression was somber.

"Master Yen Sid. I think we've finally almost figured out where Ven's heart is." Mickey

"Have you now…?" Yen Sid questioned stroking his beard deep in thought So now it's just Terra left."

The aging noble wizard was about to say more when the door opened. Mickey and Yen Sid saw a teenage boy. His messy brown hair seemed to be filled with sweat and his blue eyes were heavy from exhaustion. The boy wore an orange tunic with a white undershirt, green pants, and long brown boots. He had a small mage hat. The boy dropped his mace to the ground sinking to his knees.

Mickey quickly rushed over to the tired boy helping him to his feet. "Gosh, are you alright?" He asked.

"Hiko…" Yen Sid addressed the tired boy. Hiko was brought to Yen Sid years ago by King Mickey. He frowned. "I trust your venture through the Realm of Darkness did not go well."

The boy named Hiko shook his head. "No Master…," Hiko replied with a small frown.

"The Realm of Darkness?" Mickey asked curiously. "Gosh what were ya trying to do there all by yourself?"

"My test…" Hiko murmured. "Master Yen Sid gave me a task to do. To find the Realm of Darkness, your majesty." He said. "I was eager to finally speak with you. Master Yen Sid wanted me to aid you in your quest. To help find your missing friends."

"Yes, and we can help all three of them for sure." Mickey said firmly.

"Next is working out how Xehanort will appear, isn't it." Yen Sid thought out loud.

The name already felt somewhat nostalgic to hear, to Mickey. He titled his head. "Xehanort? He split into Ansem, who commanded the Heartless, and Xemnas, who commanded the Nobodies, and didn't Sora and his friends defeat both of them?"

The battle was supposed to be already over. However, Yen Sid closed his eyes and got up to stand by the window.

"Yes, those two were certainly destroyed," Yen Sid explained. "However, the fact that those two were destroyed means that their original form, Xehanort, will revive."

Mickey's breath caught. "What?"

"If the heart is released from the Heartless trapping it, and the body that has become a Nobody is destroyed, the two will become one once more. In the end, that means Master Xehanort will return."

Master Xehanort. That was the name of the man who had once tried to spread darkness throughout the worlds.

Hiko listened intently to his teacher. Whoever this Xehanort person was he seemed to be really dangerous.

"So, you think he will try to start something again?" Mickey asked urgently

"Xehanort was a man of many plans." Yen Sid replied.

"But, if another crisis comes, Sora and I are here, and Riku too," Mickey told Yen Sid, voice full of confidence. However, Yen Sid turned to Mickey and quietly shook his head.

"They are definitely strong. But Mickey, you are the only Master. What if there were more than one Master Xehanort…?" Yen Sid assumed.

"Huh? What do you mean!?" Mickey explained.

Yen Sid didn't answer Mickey. He opened his huge eyes. "Mickey, would you call Sora here for me. Levina and Riku, as well." The wizard urged.

"What on earth for!?" Mickey wondered curiously.

"We shall hold a Mark of Mastery Exam." Yen Sid answered.

Thus begins a new battle—and a tale that will connect the future and the past.

Sora stood next to Riku, Levina stood between the two boys waiting for Yen Sid to start speaking. Sora was feeling a little uncomfortable. He was fine with being called to the Mysterious Tower by a letter from the King, but he'd come all this way and it had been such a long time since he'd seen Donald and Goofy, and the King too, but here he was standing stiffly before Yen Sid. It was so boring. Riku was waiting silently for Yen Sid to start talking too. Maybe he was nervous, or maybe he was lost in thought by himself again.

Levina knew this feeling all too well. It completely mirrored what Aqua and Terra went through when they were taking their Mark of Master exam with Eraqus.

Lira stood beside King Mickey, Donald, and Goofy. Hiko smiled at the new visitors in the Tower. He hadn't seen this many people since his village years ago.

Hey…" Sora tried to say something to Hiko, but that was the moment Yen Sid chose to finally speak.

Master Xehanort was a genius Keyblade Master." Yen Sid told the three participants of the exam.

At the mention of Master Xehanort's name, Levina squeezed her fists becoming tense. Riku noticed, but said nothing.

Sora thought about the person named Xehanort. 'When the leader of Organization XIII, Xemnas, was human his name was Xehanort. And then Xehanort stole the name of Ansem the Wise and tried to plunge the worlds into darkness,' He thought. 'But I don't think I've heard of anyone called Master Xehanort. I wonder if Xehanort and Master Xehanort are different people? ' If they were, Sora didn't know of a Master Xehanort.

Choosing to leave Sora's doubts aside, Yen Sid continued speaking. "Such rare genius causes troubled thoughts. What is the heart, that which decides even a person's strength? The answer he arrived at was the Keyblade War."

'Keyblade War…' Levina thought. That was something Master Xehanort rambled about in the Keyblade Graveyard. The last place where she was with her friends. The last place when her life changed forever.

'There's something else I haven't heard of. Keyblade War….,' Sora thought with a frown. 'Maybe that means people fought a war with keyblades.' Thinking this was a little strange, Sora continued listening to Yen Sid.

"He intended to seek from the battle of light and darkness of ancient times the essence of the light and darkness within the heart. Over his duties as a Master, he chose the journey of a seeker. On his long journey of searching, he changed form many times, and stood in the way of the Keyblade Wielders who protect the light." Yen Sid informed them.

Sora scratched his head. 'Umm so basically, this Master Xehanort guy was worried about what the heart was, and he tried to find out about the light and darkness inside the heart by starting up some battle between light and darkness called the Keyblade War, is that about right?' The boy thought getting more confused. 'And then on top of that he changed forms a bunch of times, which means… umm…?'

Having confused himself, Sora sneaked a look at Riku's face. Riku was listening to Yen Sid with a serious expression. 'Riku probably understands all this…' He looked at Levina. He saw the same serious expression on her face just like Riku. 'Why am I always the last to know everything!'

"However, it is not yet over," Yen Sid told them. "I am afraid that hereon an even greater threat will arise. We must prepare in order to face up to this threat."

'Seems like this Master Xehanort is going to do a bunch of bad stuff,' Sora thought in understanding. 'Oh, so they called us so we can face it! I think I get it.'

"So, Sora, Levina, and, Riku, I would like you to take the Keyblade Master's Mark of Mastery Examination."

Riku and Levina were more than ready to take on the exam. Their quiet stature and intense listening to Yen Sid's words were proof of that. Sora on the other hand…

'A Keyblade Master Exam…!' Sora thought with glee. At those words, Sora finally snapped up to match everybody else's straight posture. 'The word 'exam' makes me a bit nervous, but surely there's no way they'll test us on math or anything,' He dreaded the thought of doing math homework. 'But, what if they make us study the history of the Keyblade or something? I don't really like the sound of that.' He felt something hit his head.

"Ow!" Sora frowned looking back seeing Lira tapping the boy's head with her scythe.

"Pay attention!" Lira scolded the boy.

"Nice to see you back too, Lira…" Sora mumbled.

Lira had left Destiny Islands after the king had sent the letter. She had retreated to Radiant Garden. Her heart was trying to heal over losing Axel, so she decided to rekindle an old flame and to see what was left over with her relationship with Kain.

"Originally, years of training were necessary for one to become a Keyblade wielder," Yen Sid told them. "However, now, we will not hesitate. We must outmaneuver Xehanort and prepare for the coming battle. The Keyblade is something one bears having received tutelage from a Master. However, Riku and Sora, up until now you have wielded in your own style. To become a Keyblade Master, you must learn the correct methods."

'I never even thought there was a correct way to use the keyblade,' Sora thought. 'Well, I've been defeating Heartless and Nobodies all along, so I've been using it right. What else could there be to learn?' Feeling worried, Sora waited for Yen Sid's next words.

"Now the three of you must forget the way you have been wielding the Keyblade so far, and learn again from the beginning." Yen Sid said to them.

"What?!" Lira gasped. "That's absurd! They are more than ready!"

"Gosh Lira," Mickey replied. "Master Yen Sid knows what he's doing. We gotta trust him.

'Learn from the beginning…!?'' Sora frowned. 'I've come all this way to be this strong and now I'm meant to go and be weak again!?'

"I don't have to do that, no one can beat me. Not now that I have everyone by my side! We'll win this together! Right, Riku?"

Sora looked up at the boy by his side. But, Riku's expression was still stiff.

"I…," Riku took a deep breath. "There's still darkness lurking in my heart." Riku made his Way to Dawn keyblade appear in his hand. "I think we need to make sure someone like me, who walked the path of darkness, is worthy of wielding the keyblade."

Levina looked over at Riku. 'I never heard someone talk that way when it came to the darkness.' She thought.

"Riku…" Sora looked down. 'For Riku to be suffering over that…,' He thought. 'I had no idea he was still thinking that way.'

"We'll take the Mark of Mastery Exam too, of course. Then Riku, Levina, and me will be Keyblade Masters together!" Sora declared, and Riku smiled very faintly. The King, Donald and Goofy all looked at each other as though relieved. Lira rolled her eyes at Sora's over confident nature, while Hiko looked at the people who fought against the darkness many times over.

'They have so much experience,' Hiko thought. 'How am I supposed to help them fight this great battle?'

Yen Sid addressed them."Thus, let Sora's, Levina's, and Riku's Mark of Mastery Examination commence."

'I can hear that same old sound, the one that makes me feel good right down in my heart,' Sora thought. 'The sound of waves… this is Destiny Islands.'

Sora, Levina, and Riku were on the island. It was also the childhood home of that particular 'someone else'. The man named Xehanort.

Standing by the lapping tide, Sora, Levina and Riku gazed out at the horizon. They were dressed differently than they had been when standing before Yen Sid a moment ago. They had returned to the way they looked about one year ago, when they had departed from this island. Levina's outfit had reverted back to when she was with Terra, Aqua, and Ven. They had even lost what little height they had managed to gain in the past year or so.

It seemed that this was what "forget the way you have been wielding the Keyblade so far, and learn again from the beginning" had meant. Yen Sid had told them a good deal more, but there had been a lot that Sora didn't quite understand.

'Anyway, if I win the fight then I'll pass the exam… right?' Sora wondered.

"How far do you think we could go on a raft?" Sora asked Riku, still staring at the horizon.

"I wonder. Well, if it doesn't work out, we'll find another way," Riku said, and he started walking. The raft that they'd made together back then was in front of them.

"You guys made this raft?" Levina asked curiously. "Why?"

"To see what else is out there." Riku answered. 'If there are other worlds out there, then why do we have to be here?' He thought remembering how he had felt before Destiny Islands was taken by the darkness.

'That's what Riku said, that day,' Sora thought. 'I've seen lots of other worlds, and made lots of friends.'

Unlike Riku, Sora had never wondered why they had to be on their world. But, it seemed that Riku was always thinking about it.

Levina watched Riku get on the raft. 'How is this part of the test?' She thought.

Sora chased after Riku and climbed onto the raft. Levina hopped on the raft looking around. There was nothing but ocean for miles. It looked like it was the only way to get to the other worlds.

The sea around Destiny Islands was fundamentally always calm. However, the open seas weren't.

After only about an hour, the skies darkened and the sea began to get rough.

"Riku, a storm's coming," Sora called, a little worried. The wind was now chilly. Thunder began to rumble from the skies.

Levina looked at the darkened skies trembling a little. Something about this storm seemed to be unnatural.

"This doesn't feel right…" Levina told her friends frowning.

"Yeah," Riku agreed. "The waves are getting high, too. Let's fold up the sail," Riku said, moving over to it.

Sora nodded, and as he also went to go over to the sail, a great wind began to blow. The raft's sail billowed out in the wind and the mast snapped off.

"Whoa!" Levina yelled clinging to the raft.

Sora hurriedly held onto Levina clinging to the raft, but Riku went tumbling with the broken mast into the ocean. He narrowly managed to cling to the mast, which saved him from going under.

"Riku!" Sora and Levina screamed.

"…I'm okay!" Riku groaned.

Sora stretched out his hand. However, that moment, the ocean heaved ominously. And then, a sea-swallowing whirlpool formed. A pitch-black hole opened in the center.

"What is that…?" Levina stared at the black abyss that appeared.

"What?" Riku hissed, and in that instant, a huge purple octopus arm thrust out of it at the surface of the water. Then, with a splash, a huge monster—no, Ursula—appeared with a booming laugh. Ursula was a witch from Atlantica who had tried to trick Ariel.

"It's true, you really are here," The sea-witch glared. "How about you let me give you some payback!" Ursula yelled to Sora and Riku, tentacles undulating.

Sora gripped his Keyblade. "Ursula! Is this part of the test!?"

"Sora! We don't have time to wonder!" Riku told him.

The three held their keyblades in their hands.

"I know!" Sora replied. Riku was making his way back to the raft, using Ursula's tentacles as stepping stones.

"Not going to happen this time!" Ursula brought the raft up in her tentacles. Her lough laughter booming with the thunder, Sora, Levina, and Riku attacked.

"Time for a lesson!" Ursula's huge face, five times bigger than Sora's body, began to fire bubbles. However, Sora deflected them with ease.

'Forgetting how to use the Keyblade doesn't mean forgetting how to fight,' Sora thought. 'Plus, I have Riku and Levina beside me.'

"Okay, let's go!" Sora told his friends.

Sora, Levina, and Riku ran across the raft simultaneously, and struck Ursula with all their might. Ursula disappeared with a scream.

However, the instant Ursula had been annihilated, the three were thrown into the sea.

They sank deep below the waves.

Losing awareness, Sora could see a light in the distance.

'Is that a keyhole…?' He thought.

Light beamed from the keyhole as it opened by the keyblades in Sora's, Levina's, and Riku's hands.

The strong light that had shot from the keyhole enveloped their bodies.

A shadowy figure had been watching them.

A man in a brown robe…

"This world has been connected…" Those words were said once before.

Half-asleep, Sora saw the man, but he was already fading out of consciousness.

Sora, Levina, and Riku drifted off to sleep.

Let the confusing plot of Dream Drop Distance sink in. I really hate the whole time travel plot that was brought in this game. It was very annoying to make sense of everything while writing this first chapter. I felt like I was writing backwards.

Anyway I hope you guys enjoy the first chapter :D

Review :)