Long ago, people lived in peace, bathed in the warmth of light.

Everyone loved the light. Then people began to fight over it. They wanted to keep it for themselves.

And darkness was born in their hearts.

The darkness spread, swallowing the light and many people's hearts. It covered everything, and the world disappeared. But small fragments of the light survived… in the hearts of children.

With these fragments of light, children rebuilt the lost world. It's the world we live in now…

Look deep inside your heart.

This is where your journey begins.

Kingdom Hearts Re:X[chi]

Chapter 1: Awakening

The world was silent and still. Not a sound, not a breeze. Only a tiny sliver of light that shined down through the endless abyss and the lone platform that rose out of its depths.

It was a station of glass. A pattern of stars and colors—of blue, of pink, of green and yellow and red—and of the faces of five animals staring ahead to the warm light that pierced the darkness.

Here is a chance to begin anew. From here on, you will forge your own path forward.

Which Union does your heart belong to?

Banisher of darkness, gatherer of light—what is your name?

"My name… is…"

The person standing on the platform opened their eyes.

It was the beginning of dawn, and the stars over the town began to fade into the lightening sky.

The grand clock tower stood above every other building in town, its hands pointed to signal the end of the night. The streets were quiet, the windows dark. Smoke wafted from the chimneys of the quaint little buildings with their shingled purple rooftops and warm yellow bricks. Only the earliest of risers moved in the morning, tending to the flowers that bloomed in the windowsill planters, tying their shoes on the steps of their houses, and starting forward through the alleyways with bright excitement in their eyes.

In the center plaza of the town, surrounded by a floor of tile and stars, stood a lonely fountain. And slumped over at the bottom of that fountain, lingering under the cool misty spray of water, was a girl.

The girl shifted where she sat, stirred awake by the icy droplets that landed across her cheeks and nose. She grimaced and scrunched up her face, letting loose a loud yawn before opening her eyes.

Where am I?

She sat there for several moments, slowly looking around at the buildings and walkways that surrounded her. Cobblestone and brick, archways and beams, bushes and flowers and greenery that broke the soft yellows and deep blues and royal purples. She reached out with a hand, bracing herself against the slippery rim of the fountain and hauling herself up to her feet.

A chill rushed across her skin, colder than the water and the morning air. She turned her head, eyes locking onto the gunk bubbling up through the cracks in the ground. Purple and black, like thick tar and tendrils of smoke. She watched as the mass bubbled up higher and higher, until it began to take form.

It was… a person?

No, "person" wasn't right. It was a giant, as broad as the buildings and as dark as ink. Its massive hands hung down low at its side, its long fingers nearly touching the ground. Its hair twisted around its head like snakes, obscuring its face except for the two empty yellow eyes that stared down with all the emotion of the dead.

But the main thing that caught her attention was what remained of its body. A gaping heart-shaped hole had been torn into its chest and stomach, leaving no trace of what might have once been there behind.

The giant took a slow step forward, teetering on an unsteady gait. The girl stepped back, her legs shaking as the air froze in her lungs.

Pressure in the palm of her hand forced her fingers open. Blinding light erupted around her, making her flinch and shut her eyes. Her hand grasped onto something solid. When she opened her eyes, she saw…

What in the world?

It was… a sword? No, a key? A shaft of silver, a guard of cobalt. At one end, it had teeth shaped like a hollowed out star. At the other dangled another star, this one gold and hanging by a silver chain.

A word came to her without her knowing from where or why. "Key… blade?"

Keyblade… The power of Light that drives away Darkness.

She stared at the strange blade for only a few moments before a shadow caught her eye. Her head jerked up just in time to see the giant swinging down with its hand.

Pain exploded in her side, and she went flying. She hit the ground hard on her back, a gasp catching in the back of her throat. She blinked the white lights out of her eyes, holding onto her throbbing head, the Keyblade laying idle on the ground beside her. She couldn't move as the giant closed in, its hand raised and palm open for another crushing blow.

A streak of blue cut through the sky, and suddenly the giant staggered back. Smoke erupted from the gash cut along its front.

Standing in the middle of the plaza, between the girl and the giant, was a woman. Her lithe figure was draped in robes of blue and white and gold, her head hidden under a hood, her face covered by a snake-shaped mask. In her hand was a long blade—white and black, as sharp and cold as broken ice.

She had a Keyblade too?

The giant shifted, stepping back into the swirling mass of darkness. The tendrils seemed to wrap around its body, pulling it back into the shadows. The woman with the snake mask gripped her Keyblade tightly in both hands. Without a single word, she launched herself forward, flying into the darkness as the portal faded away.

The girl only stared at the spot that the giant had been, that the woman had disappeared to. What… Was she dreaming?

"Well, I think that's enough for now."

She jolted, turning around and wincing as pain shot through her neck. She hadn't heard anyone behind her, but suddenly there was a… a cat? Or was it a doll?

"You look a little confused," the cat said. It was a tiny thing with a big head and sleepy blue eyes. Its fur was smooth and gray, decorated with tabby stripes. But it stood on its hind legs, wearing a little cape and holding onto a pink pouch with its paws. "Don't worry, I'll explain. You were chosen by the Keyblade because you sought out the light."

"The Keyblade…" The girl's eyes flickered to the strange weapon at her side.

"That's right," the cat said. "That Keyblade is called Starlight. We need Keyblade wielders like you to collect the light and protect the world from the darkness. That monster that attacked you? It's called a Heartless, and it's one of the creatures responsible for spreading darkness around. Follow me so far?"

The girl only stared.

"Well, don't worry," the little cat said. "You'll get the hang of it. Newbies are always confused at first—that's why I'm here! It's my job to help out new Keyblade wielders like you." He held out a paw. "I'm Chirithy."

The girl hesitated. She opened her mouth, lips twitching as she tried to find her voice. "I'm…"

Here is a chance to begin anew. From here on, you will forge your own path forward.

Banisher of darkness, gatherer of light—what is your name?

She reached out to take his paw in a gentle grasp. "… Hope."

"Nice to meet you, Hope," Chirithy said, giving her hand a friendly shake. Then he pulled away, taking a step back to give her some room as she slowly rose to her feet.

Hope rubbed her scraped elbow with a wince before crouching down to grab Starlight. She raised it before her, letting the light glint off the sleek metal, contrasting with the brightening pink-orange glow that stretched above the horizon. She could see the sun beginning to rise between a pair of tall pine trees that bordered a steel gate and a set of stone stairs before her. She aimed out, pointing at that warm yellow ball in the sky until the sunlight seemed to emanate from the end of the blade.

"Now, why don't we have a little test to see what you can do with that Keyblade?" Chirithy asked, turning around and taking a sweep of the plaza. "Aha!" He pointed. "Over there!"

Hope honed in on a distortion on the ground—another pool of bubbling darkness on the other side of the fountain. She started to back away as the portal opened up and shape began to rise up from within. But instead of a towering giant like the last had been, it was a tiny thing with twitching antennas and bulging eyes. It wasn't nearly as intimidating as the giant from earlier. In fact, it looked… sort of cute.

"That's a Shadow," Chirithy said. "Small fry should be easy enough to deal with, eh? Time to test out those skills. Go get 'em, tiger."

"…?" She looked between her Keyblade and the Heartless, then back to Chirithy. Was he serious? He wanted her to fight that thing? But she'd never even swung a weapon before, much less fought off a monster.

"What? Oh, are you afraid you'll get hurt?" Chirithy asked. "Don't worry—Heartless like Shadows are no big deal. Just give it a few hits—go on, try it out. I'll be here if anything goes wrong."

Hope wasn't quite sure if a little cat would be able to help her out against a monster of darkness, but she supposed it was worth a shot anyway. This one didn't look too dangerous, at least. She edged forward, gripping Starlight in both hands the same way the woman in the snake mask had held her Keyblade—like a sword, or a bat, with the teeth-side up. The Heartless scampered around the plaza with clumsy movements, looking around with its antennas swiveling back and forth, as if it were searching for something. Then its antennas shot straight up.

It must have noticed Hope approach. It turned around to face her, crouching low, its claw pulled up to its chest as it started forward. Despite its small stature, there was something predatory about its movements and the gleam in its glowing eyes. Hope's grasp tightened on her weapon, and she swallowed down a nervous gulp.

The Shadow lunged. Hope gave a startled cry, staggering back and bringing the Keyblade down. The blunt end of the blade slammed into the Heartless's head and smashed its face into the ground, a solid impact that traveled up her arms. She swung a second time for good measure.

The Keyblade cleaved through the Shadow's body with surprising ease. The Heartless's form seemed to melt away under that second impact, dissolving into shadows and something tiny and blue that remained behind in the smoky remnants.

Hope stared at the blunt edge of the Keyblade, turning it over in her hands before giving it a few test swings. Impressive.

"Good work! Not bad for a newbie." Chirithy shuffled over. He popped open the little pink pouch in his paws before scooping up the glowing blue crystals lying idle on the ground. "I'll be taking this in the meantime. Look at you, working hard and collecting the light already."

Hope shifted her feet, cheeks heating up a little and a smile tugging at her face even if she didn't quite understand what was going on.

"So… You too have been able to tap into the power of the Keyblade."

Hope blinked at the same moment Chirithy jumped in surprise. They turned around to see the woman in the snake mask approaching them, the hem of her robes skating across the tile ground with every one of her silent steps. This time, her hands were empty.

"Master Invi," Chirithy said, straightening up.

"Surely, with that strength, you will be able to defeat the weaker Heartless," the woman said. "But in order to defeat more powerful Heartless…"

A familiar chill cut through the air, a familiar smell, a familiar darkness. Hope stifled a yelp when she saw the swirling portal open up once more and the giant that was struggling to climb free. She stepped back.

A hand landed on her shoulder. The woman in the snake mask gave her shoulder a firm squeeze. "You must combine your strength with those who share your will and purpose."

"Haha! Let's go!"

Hope's eyes widened. She looked up, watching the shapes that were just silhouettes leaping down from the buildings overhead. There was a dozen of them—boys and girls of varying ages, each a wielder of a giant star-shaped key.

"Hraagh!" One gangly teenage boy in blue cargo shorts dropped down, slashing the giant's face. A second boy, this one a little younger, with sunglasses and a top hat, threw his Keyblade at the giant's hand before the Keyblade returned to his outstretched fingers in a flash of light. A girl with thick, curly red hair aimed out with her weapon, mustering up a hidden power before letting loose a blast of fire.

Hope stood there, watching with her mouth agape as the Keyblade wielders surged forward in a flurry of swings and spells. They moved with unspoken coordination—with ease of movement, with grace and agility. They were people who had done this before. And Hope could tell that they took pride in doing it.

"You're finished!" A girl with a Keyblade that was gilded along its star-shaped teeth brought down the Keyblade in a final blow, slicing through the giant's head. Smoke erupted from the wound, and the giant began to sink back down into the darkness, its body disappearing into the morning air until only those shards of light were left behind to rain down on the plaza.

"Alright!" The girl with the gilded Keyblade high-fived a boy with a bright orange afro. "Now that's what I call a morning workout."

"And since she's the one who landed the final blow… Breakfast is on Annaliese!" the boy in the blue cargo shorts called out, pulling the girl with the gilded Keyblade into a playful headlock.

"Hey, what?!" the girl exclaimed, giving him a shove.

Hope simply stood idle, watching as the fighters started for one of the roads that led out of the plaza. They were all patting each other on the backs and bumping fists, smiling and laughing. Hope felt her own lips twitching into a sort of half-smile.

"This must all be overwhelming," the woman in the snake mask said, making Hope turn to stare at her. "You're one of the young ones… But perhaps that's why the Keyblade chose you. It's the children who often hold the greatest potential. Your heart led you here, to this place. Have faith in it." She moved forward with a regal grace that matched her calm and gentle words. "I am Invi, the leader of the Union Anguis. Allow me to welcome you, young Keyblade wielder, to Daybreak Town. Chirithy, I trust you'll guide her well."

"Of course," Chirithy chirped. "That's what we were doing earlier before that big ol' Heartless came back."

Master Invi seemed to smile behind her veil. "I'll leave you to it, then."

They just stood there as Master Invi walked off and disappeared down one of the winding side roads. "You know that group of Keyblade wielders just now?" Chirithy said, looking up at Hope. "They're the Northern Lights—one of the strongest parties in Anguis. Maybe you'll join a party like that one day. But for now, let's just get you settled in, okay?" He started walking too, his stubby little legs moving surprisingly fast.

Hope moved to follow him, but something made her stop in her tracks. She looked around as the dozen or so pouch-holding cats appear around the plaza in puffs of white smoke. The cats paid her little mind, instead focusing on the glowing shards of light that littered the ground. Hope watched them for several moments before turning her gaze skyward, lifting a hand to catch one of the little lights that still floated down like flakes of snow.

"Ah?" Chirithy paused when he realized Hope wasn't following him. He turned around and cocked his head to the side. "Oh, I guess I should have explained earlier. That stuff is called Lux—bits of light the Heartless are holding onto, the same stuff that the Shadow dropped when you defeated it. This is the light the Keyblade wielders need to collect to protect the world from the darkness. You take out the Heartless with the Keyblade, and we pick up the light." He patted his little pink pouch. "Then we tally up the numbers at the end of each week and compare with the other Unions. Sounds like fun, huh?"

Fun… Hope nodded. Unions, parties, a competition between Keyblade wielders. It was all just a game. Her grasp on her Keyblade slackened, and a tingling spread through her palm. Starlight disappeared in a bright flash, leaving her to look down in surprise at her empty hand.

A tug came at the leg of her pants. One of the other cats had come up to her side, holding up its open Lux pouch. "Mind if I take that?" it asked in a high, squeaky voice not unlike Chirithy's.

Hope hesitated a moment before she dropped the shard of Lux into the pouch. "Sorry."

The cat said nothing else, merely returning to the Lux on the ground.

"Come on, Hope, let's go," Chirithy said, bouncing on his paws. "You must be getting hungry. You can get a look at the town on the way to breakfast."

"Ah." Hope nodded, jogging the rest of the way until she was right behind Chirithy, following him out of the plaza and into the morning streets.

A/N: This is a little story that I've had bouncing around in my head for a while. A retelling of the X/UX era to compile major plot points, though from the primary perspective of the children rather than the leaders. I am also considering the possibility of accepting reader OCs to help fill out the various unions, so I will let you all know when that time comes. Until then, I hope you enjoy the story.

Welcome to the era of the Keyblade War.