Kingdom Hearts Fan Fiction ❯ Kingdom Hearts Route B ❯ Prologue: The Gateway ( Prologue )

Author's Notes:

Let it be known that I love Kingdom Hearts and the entirety of the series, even though it can get silly at times. Yet, even now, I still wonder what the series would be like if they kept it simple and clean (get it?) and stayed with the original KH1's tone and story telling. For the sake of this rewrite, I put in some rules:

If a character did not appear in KH1, they will not be in this rewrite. This counts for only Kingdom Hearts original characters and not Final Fantasy or Disney Characters. This unfortunately means that I have to get rid of a lot of my favorite characters as well. There are only two exceptions for this rule.

There are no in-between games in this rewrite. That means games like Chain Of Memories, Birth By Sleep and so on will not be included. The story will start at the end of Kingdom Hearts one and transition directly into Kingdom Hearts 2 and then into Kingdom Hearts 3. So spoilers for the end of KH1. You have been warned.

I hope everyone enjoys my rewrite of the Kingdom Hearts series!

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy, nor any of the Disney Characters in this story. The following is purely fan made. Please support the original work.

 

 

 

Kingdom Hearts Route B

Prologue: The Gateway

A new journey begins when one had just ended,

The old had left you feeling lost and disconnected.

The long road ahead leads to the light locked within.

Yet you flow along the endless world not knowing,

Of the great connections behind you gathering.

The world is made of light and darkness,

Beware the lack of balance that will be your undoing.

 

 

 

The road before them stretched on and on, as endless as the dreams that came to Sora deep in the night. Colorful glass beneath his feet, stars vanishing from the sky above his home, laughter from the girl he had left behind, promises to his best friend he wished to keep, all these thoughts faded from his head the moment he woke up each morning.

Days after day, on the same dirt road, in the same rolling green hills, he chased after Pluto, the king's dog, with Donald and Goofy hot on his heels. And each day the sun set and they vowed to try and catch the dog tomorrow, and finally get their hands on the king's letter, but Pluto loved being chased and ran faster each day. So Sora, Donald and Goofy ran farther and farther into the unknown plains together.

One morning, Sora woke as soon as the sunlight hit his face. With a yawn, he decided to go back to laying on the grass and sleep, but the moment he looked up into the sky, Donald and Goofy's faces appeared above him.

Yelping, Sora jumped up to his feet.

"G'morning Sora," Goofy waved.

"About time you woke up," Donald added.

His scratchy voice and the smug way he looked made Sora a little peeved. With a grin, Sora put his hands behind his head and said, "It's not my fault your snoring kept me up all night."

Donald quacked, stomped his foot, and clenched his fists. "I do not snore!"

"Hey fellers," Goofy interrupted, "shouldn't we be going after Pluto?" Sora snapped his fingers. "Oh! Of course. Which way did he go?"

"I think he's further down the road."

"Then let's go!"

Again they set after Pluto, and when they got close enough, Pluto scooped up a letter in his mouth and began running. Goofy got close, tried to body slam Pluto to hold him down, but Pluto slipped out from under him with ease. Sora ran around and tried to catch Pluto off guard by blocking his path, but Pluto evaded his arms by slipping away between Sora's legs.

Donald, ever the smallest and the slowest, tried to grab Pluto's stringy, black tail as the dog ran by, but only got a handful of air. His feathers ruffling up into tiny spikes, Donald jumped up and waved his arms.

"Waaaah! Come back here, you dumb mutt! Give me the king's letter!"

Donald had done it now. With his head ducked, Pluto gave the trio one frightened look and dashed down the road, no longer playing.

"Donald!" Sora and Goofy complained together.

But Donald was already giving chase, running as fast as his temper could allow. Down the winding, dirt road they went, until the night caught up to them and they had to stop for yet another day.

Exhausted from all the running, Sora leaned forward on his hands and knees while his companions collapsed on the grass behind them. Pluto, just a few yards ahead, sticking his behind up playfully with his tail still wagging, had evaded them yet again.

Donald rolled over onto his belly and groaned. "We'll never catch him. What if we never find out what's in King Mickey's letter?"

"We've gotta get him," Sora said, "that letter could tell us how to find Riku and the king, and how to get home."

Goofy, catching his breath, stood. "Gee, Sora, you sure don't give up easy."

Sora grinned. "What's one dog when we just took down Ansem?"

"Yeah," Donald jumped up, "we'll get him."

One moment he was energized, the next he slumped forward on the grass. Fast asleep.

"Hey, Sora," Goofy said, "maybe we aught ta get some shuteye."

Sora stared at Donald, listening to his quacking snores and let out a good natured snort.

"Yeah, we'll try again tomorrow."

Goofy flopped backward onto the grass, resting his hands behind his head and putting one knee on top of the other. Sora watched his two friends for a moment and then checked on Pluto. Several feet away, he was curled up into a little ball with the letter still close by.

"Even if we did catch him," Sora said, "would we even be able to read the letter under all that slobber?"

He leaned forward in the most exaggerated sigh, letting his fingers dangle just inches above the grass.

A dark cloud flashed over him. Standing straight, Sora reached into the light that was in his heart and made his keyblade appear in his hand. His weapon clutched tight, he turned in a circle. His eyes searched for anything that moved, looking for shadows on the ground where they shouldn't be, or dark puffs of smoke in the air. But there was nothing.

Sora relaxed and let his keyblade fade from his hand. "Just my imagination."

Yet, he couldn't help but feel as though something were coming his way. Whispers from the dark caressed his ears, but he didn't understand them, and somewhere across the worlds, on a beach where children's laughter could be heard, a girl felt an ominous breeze and an intense fear for two of her lost friends.

 

 

 

Deep in a dark world, where laughter and hope couldn't reach, where hungry creatures wait to scratch and bite and tear the hearts of anyone who dared to wander, a single orb of light was able to pass through. Searching for something, the light moved through a twisted, carnivorous forest of thorns and rocks, without realizing that it had passed someone. A dark hooded person blended into the shadows, watching the light pass. Slowly the hooded figure moved to follow the light, but stopped.

It was not the time. Another light was on its way, an easier target. The figure faded into the surrounding darkness, and for a moment, the orb of light shook, as though it sensed something was near, watching. Then, like a bird taking flight, the orb vanished.

 

 

 

Sora woke up from a nightmare. In the seconds between complete waking and half sleep, he could almost hear the voice of another boy. The moon shined bright above, and for a single, illogical moment, spurred on by the remnants of his dreams and his hopes, Sora turned around.

"Riku?"

No answer.

Sora hung his head. Of course there wouldn't be an answer and now he was too awake to go back to sleep. So he wondered for a moment. Pluto, thinking it was time to be chased again, rose up but kept his distance. Sora ignored him, walking to a part of the road that split four ways. He stood at the center of the X and looked up at the moon, wondering if his friends were looking too.

"Riku?" Sora tried again.

There was no one.

Or was there?

Cold fear tingled on the back of Sora's neck and he turned around. A hooded figure floated above the ground down one of the roads.

There was no voice, but somehow, Sora understood the being's words.

"Along the road ahead is something you desire."

Sora chased after the hooded figure, ready to call his keyblade if he must, but the moment he reached it, the figure faded into nothing. Again, he felt eyes on his back, and Sora turned. The figure was pointing down one of the four paths.

"But will you plunge into darkness to reach it?"

Sora chased after the floating black cloak, and once again it vanished. Without a word, or without looking back, he walked down the path the figure had guided him toward.

Somewhere far away, a girl rose up from the shore of a beach and walked toward a dark cave next to a waterfall. And somewhere deep within the dark, a boy drifted in and out of sleep.

Sora walked down the path, Donald and Goofy behind him, and Pluto following nervously a few steps away. Something appeared in the distance. The closer they got to it, the more the grass beneath their feet faded, turning into an eery white road that was neither glass, nor dirt, nor ice, nor stone. The sky became dimmer, no longer the brilliant blue with the moon as its pendant.

A this-way-that-way castle stood before them. Towers were built out of the back and came out of the sides of the building. Brown bricks with glowing, yellow windows stood high over Sora, Donald and Goofy.

Pluto whined, and refused to go anywhere near the castle. He turned tail and ran back down the road they had come from, vanishing into the grey, misty sky.

Donald and Goofy moved to go after him, but Sora moved toward the castle doors.

Something about the castle stirred his heart, filling it with hope. His friends were inside, he just knew it. He imagined them entering the castle, and could almost see them waiting for him within.

He pushed the towering doors open and entered. He had expected a dark and gloomy dungeon, but instead the interior was completely white, and nearly empty. He walked into a grand ballroom decorated with only two white, marble decorative pillars in the giant space. There were no windows, only one white door across the room, opposite of the entrance.

"Sora! You can't just barge inside," Donald complained as he entered the hall.

From the back of Sora's hood, a cricket jumped out, landing gracefully on the floor.

"He's right Sora, it's rude to just barge in," the cricket said.

"Gosh Jiminy," said Goofy, peeking his head around the door, "I thought we all came in here because we thought the King could be here."

"Exactly!" Sora pointed at Goofy. "I just had a feeling that Riku would be in here too."

"So did I, but," Donald tapped his foot, "none of you think it's weird that we all have that feeling?"

Goofy smiled. "A-hyuck, I think it means we're on the right path, don't you?"

Donald, Jiminy and Sora all stared at him.

"Well, maybe our hearts are telling us something's in this castle," Goofy clarified.

"Huh," Sora tapped his temple with his index finger, "that guy in the black cloak did say that something we desire is here."

But will you plunge into darkness to reach it?

Donald crossed his wings and raised an eyebrow. "How do you know we can trust him?"

"Do you have a better idea? Let's just explore. I'm sure we'll find something. And, anyway, if we run across that guy again, we can handle him."

As Sora and the others moved toward the door, Jiminy reached into his pocket. Removing a journal, Jiminy pulled out his pen and was about to open the journal to a blank page, to continue chronicling Sora, Donald and Goofy's travels but then...

"Sora! Oh, this is terrible!"

Sora turned, but did not get the chance to ask what was wrong. The door they had entered through, had vanished. A blank, white wall had replaced the exit. The black figure from the plains floated in front of it.

Sora, Donald and Goofy rushed to protect Jiminy, keyblade, staff and shield in hand, ready to fight.

This time, when the hooded figure spoke, its voice was clear and smooth. "Somewhere, in this castle, is a doorway that lies in between light and dark. And yes indeed, your friends are here."

"Riku and the King are here? Where are they," Sora demanded.

"On the other side of the door."

Dark smoke appeared under the hooded man, and he melted down into the floor. Sora, Donald and Goofy jerked, staring at the empty space where it had been, but then laughter made them all turn. The man in the hood stood in front of the white door leading deeper into the castle.

"Be warned. Darkness waits beyond. That is the way in Castle Oblivion. Will you still go?"

Sora's fingers tightened around his weapon's handle. "Who are you?"

A dark cloud obscured the hooded man, and he was gone, leaving behind only a flurry of rose petals where he had been standing.

Goofy went back toward the wall, knocking on it, trying to find a hidden switch that would let them go back outside, but when he didn't find anything, Donald attacked it with fire magic next. The wall did not break or crumble. Donald and Goofy exchanged a nervous look and then faced Sora. The three friends stood staring at the petals in front of the door, each too afraid to utter a word.

Finally, Jiminy spoke. "Trusting him doesn't seem like the best decision."

Sora's keyblade faded, but his sense of courage did not. "Even if Riku and the King might not be in there. We don't have any other clues, and it's not like we can go back the way we came."

"I know. But that man worries me."

Goofy puffed out his chest. "Don't worry fellers, I'm sure we can take on anything that comes our way as long as we stick together."

Donald crossed his arms. "Yeah, we can do it. Isn't that right, Jiminy?"

The little cricket smiled despite himself. "Of course! You are are strong as long you are together." A worried expression replaced his reassuring one. "Still. Be careful."

He jumped back up onto Sora's hood. With a nod to each other, the three friends went to the door at the end of the hall and opened it. White light emanated outward from behind the door, and the three friends ventured into the unknown.

 

 

 

Jiminy's Journal

Sora (First appeared in Kingdom Hearts, 2002): A cheerful boy that wields the keyblade. He's on a journey to find his friend Riku so that the two of them can go home together.

Donald (First appeared in the Wise Little Hen, 1934): Royal court Magician at Disney Castle. Donald's magic is as powerful as his temper.

Goofy (First appeared is Mickey's Revue, 1932): Head of the Guard at Disney Castle. Goofy is king and loyal and always ready to protect others with his powerful shield.

Jiminy Cricket (First appeared in Pinocchio, 1940): Yours truly. I am accompanying Sora, Donald and Goofy to keep track of their adventures, and maybe remind them to listen to their conscience.

Unknown Hooded Man: A figure that guided Sora, Donald and Goofy to Castle Oblivion. He's dark and mysterious. What could he want?