Hey there guys! Benkei Urahara here with my long promised Kingdom Hearts fic! Jesus, it took me over a year to get this out there. Life has been hectic to say the least and I just got a new computer when my brother decided to break the screen! Thanks, Otouto! Anyway, onto the story! Also, you'll notice a few extra spaces here and there. Some of my files got a little messed up when I transfered them. So yeah.

(Thinking)

Chapter 1: New World, New problems

Clang! The sound of steel on steel rang in the air as two warriors trained, filling the empty streets of Radiant Garden with long forgotten sounds of battle. Ex-Soldier Cloud Strife roared as he launched himself at his disciple, the soon-to-be Keyblade Master, Sora Alexandros. His mother, Garnet Alexandros and his hand to hand teacher, Tifa Lockhart, looked on from the side lines as Sora fought his teacher to finally be done with Cloud's rigorous training programs.

It had been almost a year since Sora had failed the Mark of Mastery. After he came home, disappointed, but determined, he asked his mom if she knew someone he could train with to get stronger. She told him his strength wasn't the problem, but he refused to listen. So Garnet conceded to her sons stubborn attitude, commenting on how much like his father he was becoming, and gave Sora an address and file number for a hospital in Radiant Garden. When Sora asked how this would help him, she just gave the same sad smile she had whenever she spoke of 'that man' and said, "Not only will you find a teacher, but you will find the answer you've been looking for." So, a confused Sora made his way to Radiant Garden, and found the hospital and file. What he found inside shocked him to the core. A birth certificate with his mothers maiden name and his fathers name.

Sora yelled as he was thrown back from the force of Cloud's massive Buster Blade. He wielded the Kingdom Key, finding it the easiest to use, but it unfortunately just couldn't hold up to Cloud's raw power. Sora slammed into a wall, shattering the stone with his body. His vision blurred for a second, but he could faintly see his superhuman teacher tear through the air at him. He took a deep breath and threw his body up, flipping over Cloud's head.

"Ya missed." he whispered as he jumped over the fighters head. A flash of light blinded the blond haired warrior as he pulled his sword from the wall. He looked and saw Sora standing over him on the wall with both Oathkeeper and Oblivion in his hands. Spinning the Keyblades over his head, a shower of sparks fell onto Cloud's head, which annoyed him a bit.

Sora launched himself at the swordsman, using Oathkeeper for the intial attack. The brightly colored Keyblade reverberated hard in his hand as he brought its darker counter part up, knocking the now unsheathed (as in the cloth was taken off) Buster Blade up. The younger fighters weapons began to glow as he activated his own version of the Omnislash. Cloud had extensively trained him in 'Limit Breaks', though Sora didn't really enjoy the training. But, this time, he was going to enjoy the pay off.

He activated the technique by locking the ends of the Keyblades together, turning them into a dual bladed glaive. He flashed by Cloud at blinding speed, striking him once, then again, and again as the Soldier fought to find his fleet-footed student. Three more strikes before Cloud could react, but thats when Sora messed it up.

Sora had the power and speed, but not the stamina. At the seventh strike, he slowed down. Not much, but enough for Cloud to counter, which he did by planting his foot firmly into Sora's stomach. The wind now knocked out of the poor boy, he gasped in a mix of pain and instinct as he tried to pull air into his lungs. But, fate is cruel and so was his teacher. Cloud brought the blunt edge of his sword down on the doubled over teens back, slamming him into the ground almost ten feet below, and effectively ending his chances of leaving the training program.

"Sora!" Garnet yelled as she started to move foreward, but a strong hand on her shoulder stopped her. She turned to see Tifa smiling at her. She nodded to the crater and Garnet turned to see what she was gesturing to. They both turned to see Sora pulling himself out of the crater, using Oblivion as a crutch until Cloud appeared next to the crater and offered his student a silent hand.

Sora smiled and took it, phasing his weapons out of existence as his teacher pulled him out of the hole. "Am I ever gonna beat you?" The Keyblade wielder asked, putting his arms behind his head as he normally did.

"One day, but not today." Cloud said, a ghost of a smile on his face. Even after all they had been through, all he had taught Sora, the only person he would open up to was still his girlfriend, Tifa, who was currently giving the very sore Keyblade wielder a 'you did okay' backslap, which, for Tifa, equated to getting punched in the back by Riku. Sora tried to tell her to quit it, but instead got knocked off his feet by the third smack, face planting into the ground. "Huh. He used to fall over after the first. I'd say he's made good progress. What about you?" the blonde swordsman looked at the women around them.

Garnet was picking Sora up off the ground while Tifa just giggled. "I'd say so. It's kinda nice to see how far he's come isn't it, Cloud?" the martial artist said, laughter still apparent in her voice. Cloud just grunted and re-wrapped the Buster Blade, attaching it to the magnets on his back. Tifa giggled again. "You care about him. You know you do." Cloud just scoffed and walked over to Fenrir, looking at Tifa as she giggled again, hopping on the back of the bike and wrapping her arms around him.

Garnet was brushing Sora down, fixing his clothes and his hair. Sora just sighed and let his mother fuss over him.. He knew arguing would get him nowhere with her. She was more stubborn than Kairi. Kairi... Sora shook his head hard, trying to dislodge that train of thought. Stop it, Sora. She made her choice and she chose Riku. It's been almost a year now. Be happy for them, dammit! He felt something flick his forehead and looked to see his mother reaching up, her fingers about level with his forehead.

"I can practically see the steam coming out you ears Sora. What's wrong, baby?" Garnet asked, concern written on her face. Sora remained silent for a moment, avoiding her gaze. She sighed and cupped his cheeks in one hand and pulled his face back to look at her, locking him in with deep brown eyes. After a few seconds, she smiled slightly. "Still thinking about Kairi, huh?" she said, making it more of a statement than a question. Sora just absently nodded. He hated how easily she could read him.

Garnet was a beautiful woman, actually seeming to be about Sora's age as well as being almost a full foot shorter than him. Her dark brown hair reached almost to the ground, the end kept in a tail. To be honest, from the pictures he had seen of her and her friends from when she was 16, she looked almost exactly the same as she did back then except that her hair was turning gray at the roots.

They were torn out of their thoughts when they heard Fenrir roar to life, Cloud pulling up next to them. "Be here early tomorrow. We'll be doing double time all day, so get some rest." Tifa laughed as Sora's face turned to one of horror. Before Sora could say anything though, Cloud tore up the lane, Tifa still laughing.

Sora's eye twitched as he picked up a rock and threw it at the wall, only for it to bounce back and hit him in the forehead. "Gahhh, damn it!" He got another smack, this time from his mother's summoner racket as a warning about his swearing. He wasn't eighteen yet, so her rule of 'no swearing around Mom' was still in effect.

Sora was absently rubbing his head when he heard the familiar sound of thrusters above both looked up to see the Typhoon, Riku's gummy ship, coming in for a landing not too far from where they were ground shook as the large ship landed a few yards from them. A few seconds of waiting and a pneumatic hiss later, Kairi came running out, her long, red hair flaring out behind her. "Sora!" she cried, smiling happily as she hugged him and he hugged her in return, albeit with a bit of hesitation that didn't go unnoticed. Kairi pulled back, a worried expression on her face. "What's up?" she asked.

Sora just smiled that cocky smile of his. "Cloud gave me a pretty good beating today and I'm kinda sore." he lied. Kairi didn't look convinced, but didn't push it either, just hugging him more gently. Riku chuckled behind them and Sora joined him. He let go of Kairi and walked over to his silver haired friend, high fiving him. "What's up, Riku? You look like you won the lottery."

"Better. But, I'll let Kairi tell you guys." Riku just smiled and looked at how beaten up Sora was."Maybe after your mom heals you up." As soon as the dark Keyblade Master said that, Sora felt the familiar warm feeling wash over him. He looked behind him and saw a green light emanating from his mom's hands. He took a deep breath to let the spell work it's magic as Kairi came around, taking Riku's hand, looking like she was fit to burst. She whispered something in Riku's ear and he nodded.

She squealed and looked at both Sora and Garnet, who were looking at her like she was crazy. "Okay, as you know, me and Riku have been going out for a while." she explained. Sora almost winced in pain at this, but nodded all the same.

"Well," Riku took over here, "I felt it was time we moved our relationship forward so..." He looked over at the excited red head.

"He asked me to marry him!" Kairi jumped up and down and Garnet squealed with her, jumping up and down with her sons friend. As for her son, it felt as if his whole world came crashing onto him. Riku looked at him strangely, walked over to him and pulled him away from the squealing women.

"Okay, what's up man?" Riku said once they were out of ear shot. He watched his oldest friends face for any sort of change.

Sora just gave him another fake smile. "Nothings wrong, Riku. I'm happy for you guys. Really." And he was. He just wasn't happy for himself. He stood almost the same height as his friend at this point, giving Riku an easy chance to see the heartbreak in Sora's eyes. He sighed and hugged Sora with one arm, which Sora returned. He was on the verge of tears, but he refused to ruin Kairi's happiness. Riku was one thing, but he wouldn't hurt Kairi.

"Look, I know this probably isn't the best time to ask you this, but I need a best man." Riku said pulling back from Sora, who just started laughing like he always had.

"Well if you're gonna twist my arm. I have one request though. Mind keeping this between us?" Riku just laughed with him, pulled him in for another hug and walked back over to the girls with his comrade in tow. They were talking pretty excitedly about something.

Garnet looked up and saw them coming back over and smiled brilliantly at her son. "Sora, Kairi wants my help to set up the wedding. Isn't that great?!" She yellled excitedly, almost making the males in attendance ears bleed.

"Mom, I think you just hit dolphin level shrieks there." Sora said, checking his ear with his finger as the older woman glared at him, pulling her racket out. He prepared for a hard whack as Riku stepped between them.

"Hold on, Ms. A. I kinda need my best man alive for the wedding." Garnets glare turned to an expression of pure happiness and excitement as she hugged the Keyblade user, lifting him off the ground with her impressive strength, gushing about how great his friends were and how good he'll look in a tux. He just gasped out that he couldn't breathe and she put him back down, laughing. After making sure he had no broken ribs, he put his arms behind his head, giving them his usual smile as they talked about the wedding plans. About five minutes into the conversation, Riku clapped a hand on Sora's shoulder. "So Sora, any ideas for my bachelor party?"

"Don't know. Is the wedding before or after my eighteenth birthday?" Sora said, smiling wider.

"Sora!" both women screamed, making the men cover their ears again.

After a few seconds of silence, Riku leaned over and whispered in Sora's ear." After, for that reason."

Almost immediately, Garnet's racket met his head as Kairi swung it. Riku ran screaming like a girl as his fiancee chased him with the weapon. Sora and Garnet laughed at them, then noticed how late it was.

"Hey, lovebirds, it's time to pack it in. Lets get home so I can put dinner on." Garnet said, pulling her racket out of the still running Kairi's hands. The two slammed on the brakes, Kairi running into Riku's back from the momentum, at the sound of Sora's mom cooking. It was widely believed that she was the best cook on Destiny Island, so they were going to jump at the chance to enjoy her cooking. As they started asking what she was going to make for dinner, they migrated to the ships.

Garnet stopped as she noticed the look on Sora's face.

She smiled and kissed his forehead, then turned and ran towards Riku and Kairi. "Wait up, you two! I'm riding back with you." Her answer was a pair of confused Keyblade users. "Sora filled the cabin with some serious poison gas on the way here." They both nodded, Riku laughed, and Kairi smacked him again as they stepped onto the Typhoon, the pneumatic door hissing closed behind them. Sora sighed as he watched his friends and mother lift off, making his way back to the Ultima. As he stepped into the ship, he hit the lights on the bridge, sitting in the captains chair before flipping the switch for the door. He went about the basic start-up for the ship in a daze, his mind and heart else where. Why didn't I just make a move when I had the chance? Am I really that dumb? The ship began to lift off. I must be. Why couldn't Riku have been the original? Sora shook his head again as the ship left the atmosphere of the Radiant Garden. Quit it, Sora. Thoses kinds of thoughts are what made you transform into... that thing.

(Flashback)

Sora yelled as he felt his Keyblade make contact with another Heartless. How many was that? 239 I think. He looked out at the battlefield that had been Hollow Bastion, seeing the dark bodies of the Heartless swarming across the field. There's no end to them! A small roar caught his attention as he swung The Rumbling Rose around to sever the head of a Sergeant Heartless. He watched as it faded out of existence, the small heart floating into the sky. He slammed the head of the Keyblade into the ground to support his weight as his legs started giving out. I can't keep this up much longer. Oh, if Riku were here this would be over by now.

Another swing, another destroyed Heartless. Dammit! Why did I have to be the Keyblade Master? I can't fight this kind of battle. If only Riku hadn't gone through the Gate of Darkness. Why would he just leave us like that? This wouldn't be happening if he hadn't been so dumb! Sora slashed at another Heartless, destroying it. But, this time it was different as the Heartless faded out of existence. A sharp pain ran up his spine as his anger at Riku peaked. This is his fault! None of this would've happened if it hadn't been for him!

Unbeknownst to him, a dark aura surrounded his body and as it did, Sora's mind became hateful and full of rage. The aura completely swallowed him as the Heartless overtook him. One moment, two moments, three moments passed, and nothing happened. The next moment, Heartless began flying into the cliff side and vanishing as a shadow covered Sora began slaughtering the Heartless.

Anti-Sora ripped through the hordes of Heartless in a matter of moments, leaving only a few behind.

Sora...

Huh?

Sora... Come back... Sora...

Who is that? Kairi? No that's not her voice. But... It's beautiful. Ooooh, my head.

The dark aura evaporated from around him, the Rumbling Rose reappearing in his hand. He stumbled a bit before gaining his full sight and balance back. The last few took the chance to throw themselves at him, but he had already recovered and easily defeated them. What happened to the others? Hm, shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth, as mom says. The others might need my help. Gotta move!, he thought as he ran out of the canyon.

(Flashback End)

I have no one but myself to blame for that. I just have to keep training. Everything will work out in the end. He thought dimly as set the course of the ship and put it on autopilot. He leaned back and closed, hoping to catch a few minutes of sleep before landing. He'd only been asleep, according to the clock on the dash, for six minutes before the alarm started going off. He opened one eye and looked out the windshield, immediately waking up fully. Now that's a Heartless!

A massive Heartless the size of several of his ships floated in front of him, blocking Destiny Islands from view. Both its arms looked like black blades attached to its pure white upper body, its head looked like the helmet that the Sergeant Heartless wear, but with a pair of red and white horns growing out the top, its lower body the same pure white of its upper body and having four clawed toes on each foot and large red wings adorning its back.

It roared and lunged at the Ultima, missing its hull as Sora dodge rolled at the last second. The strike still connected as the on-board computer said that his right engines had been severely damaged. He ignored it and swung the ship around, firing the Masamune laser blades that sat on top of his ship. The lasers hit their mark, taking one of the monsters arms off. It roared in as it lunged at him again, this time ripping away the top layer of metal on the Ultima, the lasers and guidance system with it. He could get by without them and the hull wasn't damaged enough to warrant his full attention, so he turned to face it once more, but a second set of blasts began striking the Heartless.

A hailing frequency opened on his computer, greeting him with the smiling face of Riku. "Need some help, bud?" he said as he fired his Excalibur lasers and hail of smaller blasts onto the unfortunate Heartless while Garnet and Kairi screamed at him to kill it in the background. The Heartless lost one of its legs and half its other arm. It roared and vanished into a Corridor of Darkness. Sora and Riku whooped as they saw it vanish, the girls cheering just as loud. But their celebration was short lived. They hadn't noticed that the corridor didn't leave with its conjurer until a second corridor opened next to Sora.

"Sora, look out!" they screamed in unison as the Heartless soccer kicked Sora's ship towards the first corridor. The Keyblade user in question was slammed face first into the windshield, dazing him and blurring his vision as well throwing him out of the chair. He shook his head and saw darkness close around the ship. He swore and ran for the controls, pulling the ship straight up. His breathing was labored and he felt something warm trickling down his head, drops of red hitting the controls and the floor.

He looked around in the dark corridor, shutting one of his eyes as blood flowed down his face. Damn it, there's gotta be something here! He searched for an hour at least, his vision fading slowly with every moment he spent in the corridor. Out of the corner of his still open eye, he saw a small light. A portal! He steered the ship to it, shaking his head as a new darkness began to invade his line of sight. Stay awake, come on stay... He slapped himself hard. Stay awake, dammit! His body was beginning to feel heavier by the second, his vision fading fast. What little he could see, caught the fact that he had broken through the open portal, headed straight for the earth under it.

He was going to crash, there was nothing he could do about that, but he was at least going to minimize the damage. He yanked up as hard on the controls as he could, his foot slamming the button for the landing gear. He heard the landing gear extend, and that was it. He never heard the ship slam into the ground, or the hull practically being ripped apart, nor did he feel his body being thrown from the ship as it slammed into a tree. All he knew was the darkness surrounding him and that voice...

Sora...

Whew, that was a doozy! So, follow and review, tell me if it sucked or if its downright flammable. Though, constructive critiscism is always welcome.

Sora: What the hell, man?! You made me sound like some emo dude.

I was trying to make you sound mature and heartbroken. Did I fail?

Sora: Well, no, but still, it's a bit OOC, don't you think?

Just like almost every fanfic ever?

Sora: ...

That's what I thought.