Kingdom Hearts

Torn Apart

By: SMS

"For without Darkness; there can be no Light…"

-Ansem the Wise

Prologue

When the Last War of the Kingdom ended all that was left was Nothing. The Heroes of the battle left and lived there lives on various worlds far from the Mass. The Mass came into existence. As one generation lived and died out spawning a new generation, the Mass never changed. Hundreds of years passed before rumors among the worlds spread about the section of space that contained the Mass. By then no one remembered what had happened, but all knew the Legend. Still legends can be misleading and more often then not false. Questions were asked.

Where had the Mass come from? What had been there before the Mass? What or Who was responsible for that place? Would anything ever reside there again? Rumors were all the answers those questions got because they were ignored by the Kingdom. Passed down through the years was a secret. The newly appointed King was always informed of what had happened. Detailed journals were kept very secret as to the who, the why, the how, and to the Kingdom's fears, the when. It was in the Legend that the three journals belonged to the Hero, but then who can believe it? Why would they believe it when the newly appointed King denounced the fact that it was true. Who would question the new King, especially if the old beloved King agreed?

Centuries passed, the Legend continued to grow. The Mass just continued. Finally small things happened… Insignificant things that would later be revealed to hold powerful meaning to everything that would come in the future. Things that everyone would pass off as everyday occurrences. A baby girl was born. The new King was appointed and informed of the three journals. His awareness opening to the facts and the predictions. Three new Princesses on three different worlds were accepted into their Royal Family. All these changes were so insignificant and contained only within their own worldly realm, that no one noticed the exact time the Mass began to change.

At first only the nearest worlds questioned the flickering lights. No one ever really asked the main question because the lights were so sporadic that every so often they'd only glow once in a year. Other times it was more often. The lights were very faint as stars went in the night sky so that the only optimal time to view them was midnight when the moons were new. Hardly anyone in their right restful and peaceful mind would stay out that late, so the changes were not noted to the officials.

The next sign was, of course, increased lights. The brightness as well as the frequency. Still not bright enough to view during the day, the nearer worlds passed it off as comets on their way to a far off destination. If they had only knew. Near the space that contained the vast expanse of Mass, the Mass that ate all light that dared to shine its way, lived four worlds. Two very close worlds and two farther away. If those worlds had paid more attention to the changes taking place around the Mass, they would have realized that the bright lights were actually space debris (asteroids, rocks, metals, and such) burning up in the energy given off by the Mass. Then measures could have been taken. As it was, all the worlds within the near vicinity (counting over a hundred) saw the immense white light that blinded a few animals caught unawares.

The Mass exploded taking the four unsuspecting worlds with it. After the immense white light that lasted about ten seconds, all stars were dark. There was no light in the night sky. All the citizens of the worlds that the light had reached wondered what had happened, but unfortunately no one was close enough to witness. But if one could see in all the black they would witness a joining of matter. With more matter the object grew. There being no scale in this vast Mass, one would not be able to tell what size or how fast the object grew. As the object grew, lights appeared in the surrounding Mass; small flashes that pin pointed certain areas but would wink out before one could see anything. The flashes grew more numerous and finally one would be able to see that the Mass surrounding the object now contained swirl-y… things. Like clouds, one would think, but with a darkness so immense that all light from the flashes were sucked away. One would compare the scene to a thunderstorm on a distant world, but then there being no reference to what was happening, the idea seemed ridiculous… or was it?

The tiny flashes became streaks; long and jagged and then one would be correct in assuming that the streaks were lightning. A storm was raging around the object. A cosmic storm. This Mass had received sufficient energy in order to change. Metamorphose into something that wasn't there before. The object now resembled something that one had seen before. A planet. A planet so intensely dark that one would not want to dwell there; for surely this planet would not be like all the others: hospitable to sentient life forms. If one was observing and it was the one from long, long ago; then that one would not only recognize the planet and the darkness for what it was… He would recognize the purpose for this new planet.

Chapter 1

Everyone knew. They all knew. There was not a person within the whole system that did not know. The legend was… well legendary. That was what legends were after all. A story fact or fiction that was passed down from generation to generation; one that was held with high regard or whispered with reverence. This legend was the only legend that children always knew and fantasized about. Every little boy wanted to be the legendary Sora, though no one wanted to be Sora's best friend Riku. Every little girl wanted to be the fated love of Sora, Kairi; though no one acknowledged that Kairi ultimately ended up with Riku (that was the part that was whispered). But as all legends go, everyone questioned whether it was real or not. Did the Kingdom Hearts War actually occur? Was there actually a Sora and Kairi (and Riku, but again only the whispered ones asked this)? Was there a darkness within all hearts that could ultimately unlock the Heartless and the ever terrifying Nobodies?

Even though all the worlds were open to one another (though it was speculation as to whether the legendary Sora and his key opened them or not); the Kingdom was whole and everyone visited. The King was a generous… mouse and he made sure that there was little unrest within his domain. He also encouraged the legend. A proclamation that had been passed down by the Royal Family for eons was held that every year on the 14th of February (the human equivalent of Valentines' Day) there would be a celebration. It was called Heart Day. All who knew the whole legend understood that this was Sora Day, but everyone also knew that to call it so would make the King look weak (even though, it was whispered, that the Legendary King Mickey had fought right beside Sora).

So the legend was spread unceasingly from one world to the next, from one generation to the next. The not-so-well-known parts were also whispered along from one generation to the next, but only down one family line. The Royal Family also whispered it down but for different reasons; for King William knew, had known from the moment he took the throne, that the time of peace and happiness would soon be disturbed. This February 14th would most likely be the last this Kingdom would celebrate for a while.

Centuries Before

"You know of what I speak?" A tall man with an odd looking hat said to a very short mouse.

"Indeed I do. I figured, but how could I not let him rest and live his life peacefully? We had to call on him three times throughout his life and he unfailingly and sometimes unquestioningly took the burden and helped us all." The mouse hung his head at the knowledge that Kingdom Hearts was not yet fully safe.

"I agreed with you on that, but someone does need to warn them. Eventually they will resurface and if no one knows of what transpired these last ten years, then all will be lost. What we and they had fought for will be for nothing. I didn't want the vision, but none-the-less I got it and so our future holds in the balance. They as well as you and I will be long forgotten when this occurs and yet we must find a way to warn our descendents." The tall man hung his own head.

"Master Yen Sid, I will find a way to pass it down. My family will always know. The far distant King of that time and place will know his duty when the time comes. There is only one way to warn the family of the distant future though. We have to make it rumors. The only things that survive the tests of time are legends and rumors. Legends as we all know are always questioned but always hopeful. Rumors on the other hand… Rumors usually turn out to be true and believed far more than the legend."

"I think I understand what you are saying. It is fact that the one true love of the girl was not who we all thought it to be. Even after…"

"I've already consoled him numerous times. He's happy that he saved us all, but not happy with his life as it is now. I am deeply troubled that she would do that to him too."

"Then it's settled. The rumor will live with the Best Friend and not the Hero."

"I, King Mickey, declare that from this day forth. February 14th will be known as Heart Day. He will always be loved and remembered. The fate of the next battle will not be of his family. Peace is all I can give him now. Happiness is beyond my control." King Mickey sniffed with tears in his eyes. Master Yen Sid wrapped his arm around his grown apprentice with sorrow in his always cold eyes.

"She is the one who chose. She's the one who chooses now." He said as if closing that matter for discussion. The decision made that day would not hold any affect until centuries later, but all involved will eventually know the betrayal. And they would still love the Hero.

Chapter 2

A pop was all I heard as awareness struck me. I could feel my body. I shouldn't be able too, but I could. That last move was fatal… I know it. I thought as I experimented with movement. Disorientation swallowed my awareness. I felt sick, queasy. I stopped flailing and stood/laid/sat very still. Then I realized that my eyes were open, but there was nothing. This is hell… or the Nobodies' equivalent of it anyway. I thought. Then a blinding white light struck my eyes and I cried out. A sudden rush of noise tore into my head and I instinctively covered my ears. The sensations of touch were so overwhelming that I cried out again (feeling like a dumb-ass).

THUD

My chest lurched and it was agony...

THUD

My hands went to my chest where I knew there should be nothing, but now there was. A noise followed by a very painful hammer.

THUD

The sound was deafening. It drowned out all the other noise. I thought I heard a voice, but the noise and pain from my chest was all consuming.

THUD

Someone was screaming at me. I could tell it was a guy… I think. Now, along with my chest and sharp pain as the sound hammered my ribs, my throat hurt too. Wait, am I screaming like that?

Thud

I can tell that the noise is lessening. It's not as loud now. I stopped screaming at least. The pain was still too unbearable. My mind was reeling, like a movie. Playing back everything I had ever done and with each new scene the hammering of a spike went through my chest.

THUD

I was still crying out, but not because of the sound anymore. It was deafening… It was continuous. Something that would always be there… As well as the memories. Why oh why the memories?

Thud

The pain I realized was not because of the sound in my chest. It was feelings. The memories all bad. Everything I had done I was re-living them. I hated myself. Hate. I could hate!

THUD

And care!

Thud

And want!

THUD

And miss!

Thud

And… love. I was whole. I had a heart. I was now a Somebody… But how?