DISCLAIMER: The characters and setting are of Kingdom Hearts, but many of the details are warped up to suit my needs... Some of the details will be contradictory to the KH.

SAVING A HEART

Chapter 1

He brushed off the last crumbs of bread off his lap and took out his pocket watch. 12:35.

Snapping the watch shut, he stood up. "C'mon Sora, we need to get going,"

The young man called Sora remained unfazed and seated. He maintained his steady attack on the half eaten platter of roasted garlic chicken. "Hell no, Riku, I'm still hungry."

Riku raised an eyebrow at the high stacks of empty bowls and dishes next to Sora that wavered precariously. Chicken noodle soup, chicken nuggets, spicy chicken feet, chicken salad, chicken with mixed vegetables, honey glazed chicken with sweet potatoes, chicken curry, chicken tender with pepper…The list went on. He cautiously halved the stacks. "Sure. One thing Sora, you're never full."

Sora plopped a piece of chicken into his grinning mouth, "Hey, a man's got to eat. Some just need a little more nutrition than others."

Riku scoffed. "A little? Sometimes I wonder if I should just let you eat to yourself to death. But I realize the chicken would run out first."

"You're a hero, Riku."

Ignoring Sora, Riku went on. "How'd you even pay for your food until now?"

Sora moaned, "Don't remind me. Before I teamed up with you, I barely made enough to keep myself alive."

"How much is that?"

"Mnn…I could afford only five to seven dishes a meal. Those were the hard times."

Five to seven dishes a meal meant Sora had made at least 20000 munny a day. That was at least three times the wage of your average street mercenary.

Riku rolled his eyes. "Well, highness, if you want to continue your extravagant lifestyle, get your ass moving. This one's worth a fortune." He glanced at his watch again. 12:38. "We're already late, Sora. We promised to meet them an hour after noon. It takes 20 minutes from here to Twilight Town and we still haven't gotten into our armor. You know how damn hard it is getting into the armor."

Sora brutally stabbed the chicken with his fork. "We can make it in 15, and we can wear the armor later. Besides wasting food is a sin. You don't want to make me a sinner, do you?

"I'll buy you 2 packs of dried chicken strips if we get there on time. In armor."

"Make that three large packs and we have a deal."

"If we're late, you owe me 10 bars of paopu ice cream."

Sora smirked. "Just make sure you have that chicken ready and hand me my armor."

A middle aged man poorly disguised as a commoner paced around anxiously near the Twilight Town Clock Tower. Next to him stood a commoner boy that looked bored beyond belief, a red headed young woman who was impatiently tapping her foot against the concrete floor, and a nervous person wrapped up in a black cloak. The man asked the teen boy for what seemed to be the millionth time.

"Boy, are you sure these people are professionals?"

The son of the information broker recited in a dull voice what he had told the man for what seemed to be the millionth time. "Ain't doubt of about it, yer grace. Both master wielders of the Keyblade, every un' who's any un' knows Riku and Sora is best. Possibly them is best in the entire country. Gets the job done pat and nice, yer grace."

The lad shifted from one side to another and added as an afterthought.

"Yer grace would have 'ad to wait months without mah pa. Ye see, them are in 'igh demand, ya. Yer grace was lucky mah pa has connections. "

The redhead snapped at the boy, "Then pray tell me, why these Riku and Sora aren't here yet?"

The boy shrugged one shoulder. "Dunno. Riku and Sora are busy people." The boy nodded at the clock tower. An' there still be minute or two left."

The man rubbed his thinning scalp. "Let's just hope these men are as good as you say they are."

The bundle of cloth that had been silent this entire time stiffened. She slowly pointed towards the two horsemen that were approaching them from a distance.

"Shush, here they come."

They remained silent as they waited for the men to come before them.

Namine quickly hid the hand she had been pointing with back under her cloak. She peered out from under her hood and studied the two figures.

They didn't seem much older than her, which was a surprise. She had thought they'd be in their early forties or at least thirties. Instead, both were young. As expected of mercenaries, they were also lean and fit. The one that seemed older of the two had his long silver hair tied into a ponytail and sea green eyes. The younger one had short messy brown hair, and electric blue eyes. Both men were impossibly good-looking. But then again, lives weren't saved with looks.

She shuddered. These people were the ones she'd have to entrust her life and Kairi's with for 2 months.

Both men unmounted their horses when they drew close. The brown haired man was shorter than the silver haired man by a few centimeters.

The young boy ran up to the two men. "Riku, Sora!"

The brunette picked the boy up and swung him around. "Hey Pence, you've grown...ugh heavier. Where's Hayner?"

"He's with Olette. Pa sent just me to get ye to yer clients."

Riku and Sora turned to face the man and the two ladies. Sora put Pence down. Riku slightly bowed his head in greeting while Sora grinned brightly.

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Riku, at your service.

"Sora at your service. Pleased to meet you."

Ding

The clock struck one o' clock. The man checked his own watch. In a dry voice he said, "Just in time it seems."

The brunette grinned even wider. "So it seems."

The man opened his wallet. After counting out 50000 munny, he gave it to Pence. "Your job is done. Take this to your father."

Pence's eyes widened at the large sum of money. "Thank ye, yer grace."

The man regarded Riku and Sora. "This place is too open. Let us speak somewhere more private."

-tbc

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