Parallel Binds [Kingdom Hearts Watty Awards--Parallel Universe/Canon]

:5: Hospitality

They had entered a world filled with sorrow and anguish, every little thing looking as if it were dying. This is exactly how the building that appeared from behind the thistles struck them as; dead. It’s structure itself was crooked and tall, looking as if it were about to topple to the ground at any moment. The shade was nothing to be astonished at, a colorless grey, but the closer they got, the more they realized that that was all there was; there was no moss, no vines, no rust or any other parasite on the sides of the house. It was untouched by life. The picket fence around the perimeter looked more like splintered pieces of metal sticking randomly out of the ground in a lopsided square than something made by an actual intelligent being.

“What kind of weirdo do you think lives in a place like that?” Donald shouted, shaking his head at the sorry excuse for a house.

Dark acted like he wasn’t peeved by that comment. “That would be my house.” Donald’s silence made Dark smirk. He approached the unstable piece of architecture and jumped nimbly over the hazardous fence. “Careful. These spires are poisonous.”

The three stepped back with worried looks, now extremely wary of the splinters and eyes searching for a way around. Pluto apparently found one, for he was up next to Dark in a few moments. Mickey glanced over to either side of the fence, searching for a larger gap in the fence, and soon saw where Pluto had snuck in. Too small. Sighing, Mickey was the first to back up and take the running head start to the jump. He swiftly flew over the dangerous spears with inches to spare. Following him were Donald and a reluctant Goofy.

Dark stopped, hearing a clatter behind him, and turned only to see that Goofy had landed on the other two and they were all in a pile on the ground. They all laughed. Dark wasn’t amused. He continued walking up to his house.

The three looked up at Dark when he had turned, each still searching for Sora in his eyes, and they realized they had their chance. Laughing like old times might get him to join in like old times. No luck. He turned forward once again and resumed towards his home. Sighing, the three shook their heads with defeat.

“We’ll never get him back,” Donald whined. After a moment, he realized that Goofy was still on top of him and he shoved him off roughly.

Mickey stood once Goofy had rolled off, thinking. “No…” He sighed, looking around. “We never had him in the first place.” He then turned to the other two, motioning for them to come along.

Dark was only peeved that the three had been previously talking behind his back, nothing much more. He was more interested in their strange appearances than anything else, not to mention this strange creature that seemed to follow them around. “What did you say it was called again?”

Mickey smiled sadly. “His name’s Pluto. He’s my dog.”

Dark tilted his head, inspecting the thing’s head once again. “Hm… “dog”… I think we used to have those. They went extinct a long time ago, didn’t they?” Pluto perked, suddenly worried for his safety. “Amazing that you still have one,” Dark mumbled, now feeling at Pluto’s ears, something that Pluto didn’t mind at all.

Mickey watched intently as Dark’s eyes softened at the sight of this dog. His eyes were just like Sora’s. So why didn’t he remember. Sighing, Mickey looked behind him at the other two, knowing they were both glad to be indoors after that sickening howl. Clearing his throat, Mickey stepped forward again. “So, uh, Dark, do you have a library? Anything we can get a history book from?”

Dark didn’t look away from Pluto, only putting half of his interest into his guests. “Library’s down stairs. Don’t mess it up, though.” Dark eased his way into the chair beside him, now sitting and examining Pluto’s head. Pluto set his chin down on Dark’s lap, but Dark pushed it off, letting him set his head down on the chair cushion beside him instead.