KINGDOM HEARTS - FRIENDSHIP OR DUTY?
(PART 1: THE DAREDEVIL)
(Takes Place 27 Years Before "Kingdom Hearts - World Unto Dreams")

DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING EXCEPT THE GENERAL PLOT AND ALL MY ORIGINAL CHARACTERS!

A/N: HELLO THERE, EVERYONE... WHO IS HERE! WELCOME TO PART 1 OF "KINGDOM HEARTS - FRIENDSHIP OR DUTY?"!

Now, from a distance, This Story might seem similar to "Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep". In reality, I was planning This Story out as early as the Fall of 2009. Nearly 7 to 8 years have passed, and I am now ready to share it with you all!

NOTE: THIS Story contains various elements from Kingdom Hearts and several Disney Movies. These belong to BOTH Square Enix and Disney alike.
In addition, this story was rated "T" due to some serious scenes in some of the Disney-based worlds.

Now, This Story will be split into four smaller stories - one for each of the Three Main Characters, and one last story for the story's main Conclusion. I shall be writing each character's story one at a time. Therefore, you may see the same worlds show up in each story, alongside the same events. This is due to the story's setup being strikingly similar to "Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep".

Please keep in mind that each character sees the overall story from a different viewpoint. Therefore, each character will go to different places and encounter different people. By reading all the parts of This Story, you will learn a large chunk of the backstory behind the rest of my KH Stories - particularly "Kingdom Hearts - World Unto Dreams" and "Kingdom Hearts - Season OF Light", not to mention the upcoming third story!

Plus, some of the worlds featured in This Story will not be appearing in any of my other stories.

In addition, I may include a Crossover somewhere in there. It could be anything from "Curious George" to "McHale's Navy" - I have considered BOTH of these!

Also (IF I MAY WARN YOU), this story contains plot points surrounding events from both "Kingdom Hearts - World Unto Dreams" AND "Kingdom Hearts - Season OF Light". If you have not read either of those two stories, I recommend you take the time to do so before reading this prequel. Of course, that is not exactly required here. It's just recommended. That's all.

Do you understand all this? I know it's a LOT of information at once. If you do, then you're ON A ROLL!

So, HERE WE GO! LET'S GET STARTED! PLEASE REVIEW AFTER YOU READ!

CHAPTER 1
Another Tale To Be Told….

"This is the story of three friends. Not just any friends. Three friends who valued Friendship above everything else… or so it appeared on the outside. Their tale is one of sadness and joy, despair and hope, disgrace and honor."

"Would ya please start at the beginning?" King Mickey asked. He flipped the large book to the front page. He pointed at the first line. "Here."

Yen Sid gave a nod. Mickey had been his apprentice less than five months. Yet, he was already eager to learn the business. Maybe a little too eager. Just the other day, he had tried to control an army of brooms to carry water from the spring inside. The study had been swamped after that. The cuckoo clock on the wall still dripped from the water that had splashed against it.

"Alright. I'll start from the beginning," Yen Sid agreed. "But remember, Mickey, this tale is about three of my former apprentices — the three who came before you."

Mickey nodded. Yen Sid looked down at the page and started to read.

The town was rather quiet. The only sound came from the gentle wind as it rushed on by. The bright colors of the red-orange sun could be seen near the horizon. The sun always looked as though it was on the verge of dipping lower and then vanishing from sight. The thing was… it never did.

The sun never rose nor set in Twilight Town.

As she gazed out from the top of the Station Tower, Crystal calmly licked her ice cream bar. It was so salty… yet sweet, too. A shop had recently been opened in the Tram Common district. She loved it so much. It had rapidly become her favorite snack.

A few footsteps caught her attention. She looked to the right to see a girl about age five approaching. The latter sported shoulder-length blonde hair and deep blue eyes. She was decked out in her favorite bright-yellow dress. Her silver shoes were pointed at the toes, almost like they were a pair of heels. A green ribbon was tied in her hair and there was a blue bracelet around her left wrist.

She smiled, causing her cheeks to sparkle in the reddish-orange sunlight. "Hi, Crystal."

Crystal waved at her friend. "Hello, Lilly!"

A drop of the ice cream slid off the stick and landed onto her dress. Crystal sighed. She had always worn a dress of this color from the very beginning. Its green color matched perfectly with the trees of the forest surrounding her home. That, and she preferred clothing with long sleeves. She also had a blue headband nestled into her violet hair, a pair of black socks, and a pair of blue tennis shoes.

"Not my dress," she sighed deeply.

"It will wash out," Lilly assured her. She took a seat beside the seven-year-old girl. The two gazed into the distance. The sun was not moving. It never did. It was this famous sky from which the town had obtained its name.

"You know why the sun's setting is red, right?" Lilly asked.

Crystal nodded. "Yes. Light's full of colors. Red travels the farthest. Blue goes the shortest," she turned to her friend. "Did you know that part?"

Lilly was no longer paying attention. Her eyes were completely fixed on the sun. "It's so pretty…. "

Crystal had to nod. "Yes, it is."

She closed her eyes and began picturing what it would be like to travel into the sun. The brilliant scenery she would see all around her… it was plenty to keep her mind going.

She always had dreamed of seeing what lay beyond this town. It was located on a mountain slope. Down below, a vast landscape beckoned exploration. However, no one was ever known to have traveled that way… unless they took the train.

The train… the only method of travel into the outside world. Too bad it was expensive. Just to go to the nearest beach cost four hundred Munny — and that was with the student discount.

Crystal sighed. "Have you ever wondered what lies beyond this town?"

Lilly paused for a moment. She shook her head. "No, I've always wondered how nature gets its glow," she explained. She looked up into the sky. "What gives it its life and color while the seasons come and go? What helps all creatures, great and small, to walk and swim and fly?"

She reached into a pocket on her dress and took out a small container. Inside was a preserved snowflake. Crystal remembered it from the last time snow had descended upon the forest. Lilly had managed to keep the tiny object in perfect condition.

"What creates all these tiny details?" she asked.

Crystal shrugged. "No one can explain everything."

"True," Lilly gave a nod. "But, I believe it's all the work of fairies," she scooted closer. "You might see one if you try."

Crystal shook her head and gave a larger smile. "Lilly, fairies don't exist. No one's ever seen one."

Lilly frowned. "I did!" she paused. "Once. She was a blue color… I think."

Crystal stood up behind the short railing. She kept her eyes on the sunset/sunrise. "Whatever! One thing's for sure, I'll be more likely to see what lies over the next mountain than you'll be at seeing a real fairy."

Lilly folded her arms. "One day, you won't be saying that," she stated. "You'll see. I have the feeling you'll one day meet a real fairy — maybe two or three!"

"Yes, sure… that would be quite the day!"

The two continued to watch the sun. It remained stationary.

BOOM!

Crystal woke with a start. She swung her eyes around this way and that. She relaxed, seeing she was only in her room, lying in bed. The only light came from the star-shaped nightlight plugged into the wall across the room. It illuminated enough of the space to make out what was there.

The long, wooden desk sat in the far corner, next to the door. A PC computer had been installed there less than five years before. The revolving chair before it had always been there. On the other side of the door, a series of shelves lined the wall. Pictures, trophies, and books were neatly placed on them.

Beside the shelves was her dresser. On top were a few pictures. One showed her best friend, Lilly Hope. Another was of her family; her Mom, Dad, and sister, Shiney, had been there for it. That had been ten years ago, the last time she had seen them.

Crystal looked up at the ceiling. A series of glowing star stickers could be seen. A comet streaked across the middle of the room and another could be seen over her bed. She smiled, recalling how these had already been here, as though they had been awaiting her arrival.

A sudden flash of lightning lit up the room. Crystal sat bolt upright in her bed. She froze and took a deep breath. A clap of thunder followed. "A storm," she sighed, gazing out the window. "Those are no fun…. "

She decided there was no point in remaining in bed. She pushed the covers off and sat up. She grabbed a beaded rope on the floor lamp beside her bed. She tugged it and the lamp turned on. She stepped to her dresser and opened the top drawer.

Her mind was going back to her first night here. The storm she had witnessed was the first one she'd endured away from home. It had been a terrifying experience. Any seven-year-old girl would have told you the same thing, correct?

She pulled her head out the top of her dress. Once it was neatly on, she stepped into her shoes and tied them in place. She then proceeded up to the wall-length mirror and looked at it. She was wearing her signature dark-green dress with its long sleeves. Her violet-colored hair stretched just below her shoulders; a small, curved piece covered part of the right side of her forehead. A blue hairband was nestled in her hair. Her red hiking boots stood out against the rest of her outfit, even her long, black stockings.

She went up to the desk and put on a pair of plastic, orange gloves. She then sat down at the desk and picked up a small, greenish book with an inkpen. She opened the book and flipped to the next blank page. She took the pen and started to write.

'YEAR 10, MONTH 10, DAY 7… I still can't sleep. Every Fall, the storms come. I wish things were less noisy. It's just as bad during the day, when I'm training….'

She stopped and closed the book. She put down the inkpen. She gave a yawn and stretched. She then noticed something else. She looked back at the window. The storm was over. A multitude of stars could be seen.

That was not all. Something else caught her eye. Crystal rose from the desk and dashed over to her window. It was a good thing she was particular about being neat. She might have stepped on something otherwise and fallen over.

She placed her hands onto the window and pushed it open. Both sides slid open and she peered out. Up in the sky high above was a sight she'd always dreamed of seeing in person.

"A comet!" she declared with excitement. Her eyes seemed to sparkle. She closed the window and grabbed her telescope kit from underneath her bed. She hurried to the door and opened it. She was about to race out when she stopped and grabbed the book and inkpen from her desk. She tucked them under her arm and dashed out into the hallway. Her footsteps seemed to echo in the large, golden corridor.

Crystal hurried out the front doorway and down the steps to the marble plaza below. She charged across the space and to the path leading into the distance. She glanced back and smiled.

There was the large, golden castle. The main chamber was in the middle. Two wings extended, one on each side. A tower was situated on the end of either wing. Long, golden chains kept the building together. On top of the structure was an enormous pole. The peak of it bore a red light. It was flashing at a steady rate.

Crystal looked all around. The distant peaks of mountains could be seen. A gentle wind had picked up and rustled her hair a little. It did not matter. She was used to it.

After all, this had been her home away from home for the last ten years — Cable Town.

She proceeded down the path as it rounded a few curves. A small, stone bridge lay just ahead. She raced across and continued past a silver tower with a golden ring hanging from it like a tire swing.

She nodded at it, recalling how she had practiced clobbering that very tower and ring many, many times. Her fighting skills had dramatically improved, as has her ability to hold her Keyblade steady.

She was proud of it.

She hurried up a steep incline and around another long curve. Lastly, she darted underneath a small, stone archway. The top of this arch contained what appeared to be three circles, one underneath the other two. It reminded her of a mouse's face.

She came to a stop at the top of the mountain. She turned to the nearest stone bench and strolled up to it. Noticing how the seat was dry already, she placed her book and inkpen on it. She then set down her telescope kit and unlocked and opened the lid. She carefully set up the tripod before using both hands to place the main telescope on top. She took a few minutes to adjust the lens.

At last, she was done. It had taken her about ten minutes to get from her room to the summit and have all her equipment set to go. She aimed the device at the comet up above and looked into the eyepiece. "Amazing!"

The comet's core was quite clear, much to her surprise. It was not all chunky and icy like she'd learned. She reached for her book and grabbed it. She opened it up and snatched her pen. As she started to draw what she'd seen, she thought she heard footsteps.

"Crystal?" a voice said. "What are you doing here?"

Crystal nearly jumped into the air. She swung her eyes to the left and relaxed. A young man about eighteen years old sporting dark-black hair and hazel eyes was coming from the direction of the archway. He was wearing a green baseball cap with a brim that shrouded his eyes. He was decked out in a green sweatshirt-jacket with long sleeves, blue pants, brown hiking boots, black rubber gloves, and a pair of green-colored googles similar to what scientists wear. A small, blue camera-bag was slung a round his upper body.

"Carlos," Crystal said, placing her right hand against the side of her chest. She could feel her heart racing and then slowing. "I came to see the comet."

She pointed into the sky. The small streak of light was soaring slowly high in the sky. It was brighter than most of the stars and had a long tail.

Carlos beamed. "That's 'Halley's Comet'!"

Crystal swung her eyes back to her friend. Had he just claimed this comet was the famous comet known throughout the worlds? "Really? Are you sure?"

Carlos nodded. "Yes! That comet only comes every seventy-six years. The English astronomer, Edmund Halley, first determined to be a rare visitor back in 1705. When it returned in 1759, it was named in his honor."

Crystal smiled brightly. That was one of things she liked about her friend. He was as fascinated about outer space and the unknown as much as herself. He had also memorized a number of facts about the history of Astronomy and was familiar with most constellations. He had even created one of his own.

"Well, you know what they say about stars?" she asked.

Carlos nodded. "Every star is another world."

"Really? Are you sure about that?"

The two spun their attention towards the bench. A slender girl with long, sand-colored hair was standing behind it. Her hair was tied in place by a yellow ribbon. A small cowlick hung down towards her left eye before pointing to the side. Her eyes were a deep shade of azure-blue. She was dressed in a short-sleeved pinkish jacket, a red skirt that stretched down to just above her knees, and blue tennis shoes. A shiny, seashell necklace dangled from around her neck.

"Shelly," Crystal and Carlos said together. The former inquired, "How long have you been here?"

Shelly folded her arms. "Long enough to know what comet's flying through the air and that every star's another world."

Carlos grinned. "It's true."

Crystal gave a nod. "Isn't it amazing to know there's so much out there we don't know about?" she gestured into the star-filled expanse. "All that starlight comes from world's hearts."

"It's like looking at every light on Broadway," Carlos added.

Shelly looked puzzled. "Huh? What do you mean?"

Crystal decided she needed to help explain. "Worlds are just like people, Shelly."

Now the sandy-haired girl looked even more confused. "How?"

"You'll learn about this, someday."

"Why can't you tell me?"

Crystal winked an eye. "It's classified information — only Keyblade wielders are informed."

Shelly frowned. She climbed over the bench and stood on the seat. From there, she appeared a bit taller than the other two. She did not look very amused by Crystal's last line. "Just tell me, already! I'm a wielder of the Keyblade, too!"

Crystal started to laugh. "I meant older Keyblade wielders," she clarified, struggling to stifle her laughter.

Shelly glowered down at the violet-haired young woman. "I'm not a kid anymore! I'm a teenager! Stop treating me like I was eight or nine!"

Now Carlos was trying not to laugh. This sight reminded Crystal of how Harvey Korman often fought back outbursts of laughter whenever he was in sketches of "The Carol Burnett Show" with Tim Conway.

Shelly glared at him. "What're you laughing about?!"

Carlos shook his head. "Sorry, you two remind me of my sisters," he continued to struggle against laughing. It failed, and he started to laugh at a loud volume.

Crystal was perplexed. Had Carlos really compared her and Shelly to his two sisters? She knew he had two; he'd shown her a picture of them in his room. He had also told her how they did not always get along too well.

Crystal had given him credit for dealing with two siblings. She only had one herself — her younger sister, Shiney. If anyone could handle just about anything, it seemed to be Carlos. That was yet another trait she liked about him. He was also very honest. Whenever he felt upset about something or other, he admitted it. She recalled the day one of his favorite actors had died. He had confessed how saddened he was about the whole thing.

Clearly, he was being honest now, when he had compared Shelly and her to his sisters. Crystal started to realize the two of them might actually be a little like sisters, only in spirit. She started to laugh at the thought of doing everything with Shelly.

She noticed Shelly was laughing away. Before long, laughter echoed about the mountaintops and into the distance.

The night sky was shining down with quite the picturesque view. Crystal took turns showing the comet to Shelly and Carlos through her telescope. The two marveled at the sight. Carlos admitted he'd always wanted to see Halley's Comet through a telescope, yet he had never imagined it would actually happen.

Now, the three of them were sitting on the bench, gazing up at the stars. The comet had flown to the horizon. "Don't worry," Crystal said. "It will be back tomorrow night."

Carlos nodded. "Yes, it will be back for the next week. Then, we'll have to wait the next seventy-six years for it."

Shelly gave a nod of her own, even though it was clear she did not have a clue what the other two were talking about. At once, she stood up and turned to the other two. "Oh, yeah!" she declared. "Don't you have your Mark of Mastery Exams tomorrow morning?"

Crystal's eyes lit up. How could she have forgotten?! It was tomorrow! "Thank you for reminding me."

"Yes, we do!" Carlos acknowledged.

Shelly smiled. "To celebrate," she reached into a pocket on her skirt and pulled out three small, plastic trinkets. One was forest-green, one was pinkish-red, and the third one was navy-blue. They were each shaped like stars and had short lanyards attached. "I made each of us a lucky charm."

Shelly tossed the navy-blue trinket to Carlos. Next, she tossed the forest-green trinket to Crystal. The latter eyed it closely. She smiled and gave a slight shake of her head. "Shelly, you know I'm not superstitious."

"I know," Shelly admitted. "I didn't want you to be left out. There's one for each of us."

"Yes, there is," Carlos approved.

"So… what do they mean?" Crystal inquired. She had not known Shelly as long. The teenager had arrived just four years ago, escorted by Master Eraqus. What secrets were locked up inside her heart and mind?

Shelly looked up into the sky as though reminiscing. "Back home, on the islands, there's a tree with star-shaped fruit. The fruit represents an unbreakable connection," she explained. She looked back down at the trinket in her hand. "As long as you and your friends carry charms like these, you'll always find your way back to one another."

She paused. "You're supposed to make them with seashells, but I still haven't found my shell collection. Once I do, I remake them with seashells."

"An unbreakable connection," Crystal realized. Being together, forever…. The thought of the three of them being separated after all this time was one point she desperately tried to remove from her head. She smiled and looked up at Shelly. "Yeah! We can't be separated for good."

Carlos gave a nod of his own. He stood on the bench and held his trinket up high in the air. "Just like the story of the fox and his hound-dog friend, we'll never be separate!"

Crystal had to grin all the more at the sight. Being friends forever was one thing she wanted more than anything else. Hopefully, nothing would happen to change all that.

She might have thought too soon….

"Really?" Mickey said. "Welp, what happened next?"

Yen Sid looked down and closed his eyes. "That was the last night those three would ever spend beneath that sky," he said. "Destiny is something you should never leave to chance."

Mickey nodded. "So, what did become of them?"

"That, my apprentice, is just the beginning of our story…. "

A/N: The start of a story I have been eager to write for so long... HOW EXCITING - EVEN FOR A PROLOGUE!

So, I am sure you recognized Carlos, Crystal, and Shelly from "Kingdom Hearts - World Unto Dreams"; they appeared in it between Chapter(s) 33 to 36. THEY ARE ALL AMONG MY ORIGINAL CHARACTERS! The same is true for Lilly. PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THEM! THEY ARE PREPARED TO DEFEND THEMSELVES IF NECESSARY!

By the way, all the information about "Halley's Comet" is true. Just goes to show what you'll discover by doing a little research about this and that!

Yes, I referenced "The Carol Burnett Show" in there. My favorite parts of that classic 1970s show are the sketches/skits with Tim Conway and Harvey Korman. The former is one of my all-time favorite actors! I just saw him today - in an episode of "WordGirl"!

I am wondering what you thought of the opening and ending with Master Yen Sid and King Mickey Mouse. Did you like how Yen Sid is basically telling Mickey what happened? Would you like to this again in future Chapters? PLEASE REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW!

Since I have nothing else to say, please heed this [important] reminder, PLEASE DON'T LEAVE WITHOUT REVIEWING! THE FATE OF THIS STORY DEPENDS ON IT!

I shall inform you how many Reviews are required for the Third Story sometime in the not-too-distant future. See You Again!

This is SoraLego278 saying, "See Ya Later, Keybladers! Have A Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah Day!"