Scattered Hearts (a Kingdom Hearts fanfic)

Chapter IV: Heart and Key

A/N: so you

A/N: so you guys like it so far? yea well I might start doing some filler chapters too...*shrugs* we'll just have to wait and see. This chapter is dedicated to Midnight_Lily who sparked the idea for a new character.

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I looked around as we walked up to the massive castle. It had towers poking out at odd angles that defied the law physics. As we got closer I noticed we weren't going through the front door, but were taking one of the back entrances. "Why aren't we taking the front path?" I asked. It was Riku who answered, "Too many Nobodies." I frowned, "Just cause you don't wanna be bothered with them doesn't make them nobodies." Sora let out a whole hearted laugh and patted me on the back. "Your funny kid, but that's not what he meant when he said Nobodies."

I lowered my head feeling like an idiot now. Riku held open the door and allowed us to step in. As we walked through the corridors, I noticed a painting on the wall that held my interest. It was a painting of a man with pale blond hair and a goatee. He looked to be in his late thirty's, but that wasn't what caught my attention. What caught my attention was his weird orange eyes. They were soft, yet intense. The look in the painting said that behind those eyes was a vast amount of knowledge.

I tapped Riku on his shoulder and pointed at the picture. "Who's that guy?" Riku looked up at the painting and smiled, "That's Di- I mean, Ansem the Wise. This used to be his castle."

I looked around in awe. So all this belonged to him? Nice.

We walked in what appeared to be someone’s study. There was a desk with papers covering the whole surface. More notes with pictures of hearts and weird monsters covered the wall. There was another painting of Ansem behind the desk and there was someone standing there studying it. As we walked in he turned to face us and my jaw dropped. "Hiya fellas!" Mickey Mouse greeted us. "Hey you’re Majesty." Sora and Riku said back.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, WHOA!! This can’t be right. I rubbed my eyes and sure enough he was still there. I was looking at a real live Mickey-friggin-Mouse!!(A/N: sorry just thought i might add that I am not describing any Disney characters. if you don’t know what they look like, then I got two things to tell you: 1: your childhood sucked!!! and 2: google it. now back to the story *woosh*) This was so cool!!

"Y-you y-you," I stuttered, "Y-your Mickey Mouse!? You’re a King!?!?"

He gave a small laugh and rubbed the back of his neck, "Yep, that's me! And you are?" "My names Jake." I answered still not fully grasping that I was talking to Mickey Mouse.

"Your Majesty," Sora approached, "Jake here is the keyblade wielder to Oathkeeper. And we were wondering exactly how come he was chosen by it?" Mickey rubbed his chin in deep thought "Well gosh, Jake do you have someone important to you? Someone you'd do anything to protect?" The moment he asked me that, my mind flashed to that day with Sara. She was crying about something and it angered me that I couldn't do anything to help her.

From that day onward, I vowed to protect her. "Yes," I answered, "Yes I do." "Well there you have it fellas," he said, "Oathkeeper only chooses those with a strong enough promise that they are willing to keep. If Jake hadn't made that promise, to himself or to another, Oathkeeper decided to help him keep it."

So it was my promise to myself that made me a keyblade wielder? Huh, who would have thought it? I looked down at my hand, and suddenly it just appeared there. The white blade seemed to glisten in the castle lighting. It was a beautiful blade. I focused on it, willing it to disappear, and a second later it was gone in a glow of light.

"Wow," Mickey said astonished, "Looks like you got the basics down. Sora, can you teach him all the advanced techniques of it?" Sora stood at attention and saluted, "Sure your highness. I'll teach Jake - Ow!!" His hand flew to the back of his neck and rubbed it. Then there was a sudden pain in my neck like I just got stung, and then Riku winced and rubbed the back of his neck too. Riku groaned and turned around, "Ayame! Where are you?" I heard a girl giggle and say, "You guys are such easy targets." I looked up and saw a girl up in the rafters. She leaped down, and landed silently next to Riku. She was wearing a black sleeveless cloak, and had black gloves that came up to her elbows with little buckles to fasten them up. She also had on a frilly laced skirt and top.

She had straight flowing black hair with red streaks throughout it. She looked like one of those gothic lill cosplayers or something. Her piercing green eyes fell on me and I flinched.

"Who the heck's the new guy?" she asked. I cleared my throat and introduced myself, "My name's Jake," I extended my hand, "and you are?" She stared at my hand, but didn't take it. I retracted it, and she snorted, "I'm Ayame. And as for a proper welcome..." I stepped back just in time to avoid her attack. I looked at her newly received weapon. It looked like warped metal and obsidian (A/N: i can't really describe it, so I'll just find a pic to put up of it). She was a keyblade wielder too. Ayame crouched low and leveled her weapon, "Say hello to Two Cross."

She wanted to fight me? Why? I just met her. But I just couldn't bring myself to fight her. I looked over at the King, Sora, and Riku who just stood off to the side and watched.

"Whatcha waiting for?" she urged, "I know you’re a keyblade weilder, so draw your keyblade." Sora met my eyes and nodded, "Go ahead, this'll be good practice for you." I was still a bit hesitant, but finally I summoned Oathkeeper and readied myself. Her eyes widened a bit. "Oathkeeper? He has Oathkepper?"

I just shrugged at her question. Why was it so important that I had Oathkeeper? I didn't have long to think as Ayame came charging at me. I raised Oathkeeper to parry her attack. She continued to press down on me, but I held my ground. She jumped away and tried to attack me again, and I just kept parrying. "Well you have a good solid defense," she complimented as she continued to attack, "But you can't block forever." She was right, but I couldn't find any openings. Finally, she slipped up and left an opening in her guard. I pushed her arms up and slashed at her connecting with her side. She was surprised for a second then was back on the offensive.

"Nice move," she said, "But bet you weren't expecting this."

Something connected with my side knocking the wind out of me. I staggered back and was knocked down by another barrage of attacks from Ayame. She stood over me with Two Cross in my face...and another keyblade at her side!?

"Two!?" She smiled and de-summoned them and offered me a hand. I took it and allowed her to help me up. I de-summoned Oathkeeper and brushed myself off. "Why did you have two?" I asked. "I'm one of a lucky few who can dual wield." she said, "Sora's another lucky chump who can too." "Hey!" Sora said offended, and Ayame stuck her tongue out at him. I laughed. "Hey, can you teach me how to dual wield?"

Sora scratched his head and looked at the King before saying, "It’s all up to you. If your hearts strong enough, I believe you can do it!" I smiled at his comment. "Well it's getting late, and you got a long day ahead of you tomorrow." the King said, "How about you guys go ahead and turn in for the night?"

The four of us nodded, and headed off. I just followed them since they've been here longer than me. Ayame and Riku were locked in a conversation the whole time, and broke apart from me and Sora who throw an arm around my shoulders. We came up to a door and Sora opened it. "And here's where you'll be staying." he said, "Get some sleep. Practice starts in the morning."

And with that, he walked off. I went into the room and crashed onto the bed, sleep coming instantly.