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Kingdom Hearts: Dark Dawn	By : RotSeele Category: Kingdom Hearts > AU - Alternate Universe Views: 3168 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts. I do not make any money from this story.

Chapter List
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Thirty-Eight - Edge

The portal spat the three of them out onto a wide, dry plain. There was nothing but dust and scrub plants as far as they could see, the flatness broken up only by jutting rock formations that stuck out like the broken bones of the earth. Their clothes had changed back to their original outfits, which Rinally had pointed out right away, patting her skirt with a loving sort of touch. Kaoru was also glad to be in his original clothes, finding an odd sort of comfort in the familiar after what he’d gone through in Halloween Town. Kai seemed indifferent to the whole affair. His attention instead seemed to turn toward trying to figure out where they were.
The Paths of Darkness they’d taken this time had been shorter than the others, and not as fraught with danger as some Paths before had been. Of course, Kai had been maintaining his Black Knight mode the entire time they had been in the World Between Worlds, which had granted them a measure of peace from the smaller and somewhat weaker Heartless. Even the ones that might have proven a challenge for them to fight seemed to take a look at Kai and think better of it. Besides that, they had heard the bass roar of the creature Kaoru and Rinally had first encountered when they had taken the Paths of Darkness, or at least they thought it was the same creature, and that had caused Kai to seek an alternate way out of the Darkness and to a new world. Kaoru couldn’t help but feel as though they were being watched the entire time they were traveling through the World Between Worlds, and that the roar of that monster hadn’t been a coincidence.
“I really hope we didn’t end up in a wasteland.” Rinally said.
“I guess we need to find high ground then.” Kaoru replied, grinning at the pink-haired girl.
Rin smirked back. “The last time you did that, we ran into a princess and got attacked by a bear Heartless.”
“I doubt we’ll run into a princess here.” Kai said blandly.
“You don’t know that.” Rinally started moving toward a jutting piece of rock that rose at a forty-five degree angle from the ground. “And you don’t know if we’ll be attacked by bear-Heartless, either.”
“There are Heartless here.” Kai muttered, following close behind Rin. “Don’t go walking off on your own.”
“Don’t worry so much. You think you can’t protect me if something big came at us?”
“No. I think I can’t protect myself if you start slinging magic around at the big something coming at us.”
“Jerk.”
Kaoru smiled and hurried after his friends, climbing up the rock after Kai and Rin, reaching for Kai’s hand when the redhead turned back to help Kaoru climb the rough stone. Once they had all reached the top, they carefully made their way to the highest point of the formation, shielding their eyes from the glaring sunlight as they searched for any sign of civilization.
“There!” Kaoru said excitedly, pointing toward the northwest. “Can you see it? There’s a city!”
Kai squinted, his lips pressing together as his face assumed an expression of pure concentration. “I see something glittering, but are you sure it’s a city?”
Kaoru nodded. “It’s a pretty big city. There’s lots of buildings and glass and steel. It looks pretty modern. Reminds me of Paradise City, just, you know, smaller.”
“I have to agree with Kai on this one, Kaoru,” Rinally said. “I can see the glitter, but... I can’t confidently say that it’s a city I’m looking at.”
“You trust me, don’t you?”
“Of course!” both Kai and Rinally responded. “Though,” Kai continued, “I might have second thoughts if we get into a fight and you decide to have a soft moment.”
Kaoru glared at him. “That’s not fair. What happened... I...” He cut himself off and looked away from his friends, staring at the city only he seemed to be able to recognize for what it was.
Rin punched Kai’s shoulder. “That wasn’t nice. You know how much yesterday cost him.”
Kai glowered at her and rubbed his shoulder. “It’s better to remind him now than in the crucial moment.”
“Whatever.” Rin tossed her hair and moved to grip Kaoru’s hand. “Come on. We’ll let Kai be a jerk by himself.”
Kaoru glanced over his shoulder at Kai as Rin pulled him forward, jumping off the rock to the ground below. Kai shook his head and followed, moving up beside Kaoru. He leaned his head down toward the other boy’s and whispered, “I meant it when I said I’d protect you.”
Kaoru’s lips twitched in a small but sad smile. “I know.” he whispered back. “But... you’re right. I can’t afford to let my enemy get the better of me. It’s not just for myself I’m fighting, but for you and Rin, for Sora, for Tae, even for Hiromu. And all the Worlds too. If I hesitate, I’m just putting you and Rin in more danger.” The blonde’s hand clenched into a fist. “Besides, I have to protect you, too.”
Kai shook his head and wrapped his arm around Kaoru’s shoulder to pull him close in a tight, quick hug. He pressed his lips to Kaoru’s hair, then released the smaller boy before Rinally turned around and saw him having a soft moment himself. Kaoru wrapped his arm around Kai’s waist and hugged him back. Then they released each other once more and walked side by side with Rinally as they headed toward the city. The three moved in near-silence in the wasteland, keeping their eyes and ears open for any sound or sight that seemed out of the ordinary.
The land around them seemed to be only of a monotone color, broken only by jutting rocks or scrub brush and the shadows thrown by those objects. The only sounds were their own breathing, and sometimes a howl echoed across the wind, but the three of them continued their journey relatively unaccosted by any Heartless or any monsters that happened to live on this world. There were a few times they had to beat back rather adventurous monsters that looked at them like they were tasty morsels, but they didn’t encounter anything more dangerous as they headed toward the city. What they did encounter, however, was a bright sun. The rays beat down on them, giving them no respite from the harsh heat. Even if they tried to walk in the largest shadows they could find, it didn’t give them much comfort. They shared what water and food they had between them, trying to make it last.
The city never seemed to get any closer, no matter how long they walked. Kaoru was beginning to wonder if they were walking in circles, trapped in a loop or something like that, where they could see their destination but never reach it. Kaoru looked up toward the sky and squinted. Not even a cloud in the sky to give them a break from the harsh sun. The dry dustiness of the air didn’t give them a break either, making it rough to keep their throats from turning scratchy and hurting. The sun continued to climb higher in the sky, making the shadows switch directions slowly.
“Break time.” Kaoru finally said, pointing toward a long shadow that spread itself out from its parent boulder. “We need to rest.”
Rin grunted her agreement and started for the rock. Kaoru followed behind her, with Kai bringing up the rear. Rinally all but dropped into the shade, pressing her forehead to her knees with her eyes squeezed shut. Kaoru sat beside her and offered her his canteen of water, not that there was much left in it. Kai stood nearby, his eyes watching the horizon. Kaoru looked up at him, then followed the redhead’s gaze toward the distance. The city still glimmered on the horizon, but it didn’t look any larger than it had before.
“I doubt we’ll reach it by nightfall.” Kai said. “It looks like we came out pretty far away.”
“Do you think it’ll be easier for us to travel at night?” Rin asked.
Kai lifted his shoulders in a shrug. “Could be. The temperature will definitely drop, but we wouldn’t have to worry about the sun beating down on us.”
“But more dangerous things could start wandering around.” Kaoru pointed out. “If we’re not careful, we could get killed before we even get halfway to the city.”
“We keep on like we have been, and we’ll die of thirst before we even get halfway to the city.” Kai replied. “We didn’t exactly prepare for this trip when we finished up in Halloween Town. We’ve got limited supplies.”
“So do we keep moving or do we wait?” Rin asked.
Kaoru looked down at his shoes, studying the muted colors of his sneakers. He glanced then at his exposed skin, noting the redness his flesh seemed to have now. Rin and Kai didn’t look much better, as both of them were slightly paler than Kaoru and were more affected by the sunlight. They were all tired. They were all thirsty. They were all hungry. If they kept traveling now, the chances of them collapsing from thirst and hunger and heat were very high. Yes, they might eat up more miles but that wouldn’t mean anything if they passed out before they reached their destination. But if they waited for dark, they would have to contend with lower temperatures, which might mean they’d be battling frigid cold along with whatever monsters roamed the land at night. It was a catch-22. Either way, they were in danger. Either way, they were risking themselves. Either way, they needed to move, otherwise they would never get anywhere.
Kaoru got to his feet. Both Rin and Kai looked at him with unreadable expressions. He moved to the edge of the shade, past Kai, and looked out toward the city. “I can go by myself. I’m sure I can sustain myself with the sun’s light, and you guys can catch up after dark.”
“And what are you going to do about water?” Rin asked.
Kaoru shrugged.
“It’s a stupid plan.” Kai said abruptly. “We shouldn’t split up in the first place. You can take care of yourself, but this is an unfamiliar world. There’s no telling what’s out there, and no telling if you’d be able to overcome it by yourself. If we move, or if we stay and wait, we do it together.”
Rinally pushed herself to her feet and brushed dust off her skirt. “Let’s keep moving. If worse comes to worst, I can use magic to give us some water. I don’t know how it’ll taste, but it would at least keep us hydrated.”
“Then we keep moving?” Kaoru looked Kai and Rinally in the eyes, getting nods from each of them. He took a deep, chest-expanding breath, expelled it, then turned around and started for the city again. Kai and Rin were close behind him.
The hours crept by so slowly as they walked, and the sun continued its track through the sky. The city at last began to increase in size, becoming more distinct as they crept closer and closer. Kaoru could see individual buildings, huge cranes that hung motionless in the air, and suspended highways. There were flashes of movement, glimpses of things moving too fast to be sure of their identity, but Kaoru was certain they were cars.
At last, the desert and rocks and scrub brush gave way to clear land. Kaoru could see a road now, a well-traveled dirt road that stretched out from the city to their far right. He pointed it out to his friends, and they began to angle toward the road, keeping the city in sight so they wouldn’t get too lost. Seeing the road gave them hope. If they found someone traveling toward the city on the road, then they might be able to catch a ride with them. They didn’t know what kind of story they would tell, but Kaoru was certain it would be as close to the truth as they could get without actually giving anything away. He wasn’t sure if Keyblade Wielders would be welcome in this place, or if anyone here actually knew about the Keyblade. He didn’t want to alert any enemies to their presence, not wanting to give them an advantage over him and his friends.
It was dusk when they reached the road, but the only thing on the stretch of dirt were dust devils and tumbleweeds. There were signs that vehicles had passed to and from the city, as the dirt was impressed with the tracks of tires. Kaoru swallowed hard, his throat feeling dry and scratchy. He almost reached for his canteen, but he stopped himself. He didn’t want to use the last of the water just to relieve himself, and then have Rin waste her magic on making them more.
“Here.” Kai shoved his water canteen into Kaoru’s field of vision. Kaoru looked up at him, frowning. “Just take it. The night is coming. I’ll be fine.”
“We’ll be at the city soon.” Kaoru protested.
Kai’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he nodded and withdrew his arm.
Rinally shook her head with a soft huff. “You two are hopeless.”
“Shut up.” Kaoru and Kai said at the same time.
She gave them an impish smile. “It won’t take much to cast a Water spell. Drink it. I think I can handle it. Besides, we really are almost to the city.”
Kaoru shook his head. “We don’t know how long it’ll take to walk there, even following the road. I can wait.”
Rinally eyed him, as if she couldn’t quite decide if she’d get away with ordering him to drink or not, especially with Kai standing so close. But she nodded. “Fine, but when you can’t stand it anymore, I’m gonna sic Kai on you.”
“Don’t talk about me like I’m a rabid dog.”
“What was it you said earlier? He’s your Light, and so it’s your responsibility to protect him.” Rin grinned widely and skipped past Kai and Kaoru, heading down the road toward the city.
Kai glowered at her back. “Do we really have to keep her around?”
“Do you know any healing spells?” Kaoru asked.
The redhead snarled softly under his breath and stomped after Rinally, with Kaoru trailing behind with a small smile.
The sun slowly continued its sinking path, bathing the sky in bright hues of sunset and the colors of the growing night. Traveling on the road was a little easier, though the dirt shifted easily under their feet. They kept toward the center of the road, walking almost single-file. The darkness began to grow around them, but with the darkness came the bright face of a rising moon and the tiny pinpricks of stars. Kaoru watched in amazement as the bright world of day gave way to the whitewashed world of night, suffused with darkness but illuminated by a pale glow that turned the entire landscape into a monochrome matte painting. Kaoru thought it was absolutely beautiful. He looked toward Kai, finding his friend walking with a relaxed step. Kai’s red hair looked steely grey in the monochrome light, and his eyes had once more taken on the black and gold colors of the Heartless.
“What do you see when your eyes change like that?” Kaoru asked softly, coming to walk beside Kai.
Kai shrugged. “More definition in the areas in total darkness. The light of hearts. I can see the glow of your heart and Rin’s, and I can see lots of hearts in the city.”
“Is it just the light of hearts you can see?”
“So far, yeah. I can also tell when Heartless are getting close. It’s a strange feeling; it’s like my skin is being pricked by thousands of needles and I can almost hear what they’re saying.”
Kaoru looked up at Kai with a confused expression. “The Heartless can talk?”
Kai shook his head. “Not like you and me, but they have their own form of communication. I can almost understand it, but I feel like I’d go mad if I listened for too long.”
“I’ve never heard them say anything.”
“That’s because you’re not part of the Darkness. I’m sure there are things you can see that I can’t. Like the light or darkness within people.”
Kaoru shrugged. “I’ve only seen the light within a few people, like a Princess of Heart and other people who just have a great connection to it. And I’ve only ever seen your darkness.”
“My previous statement stands.”
Kaoru smiled and shook his head, but kept pace with Kai and Rin as they followed the road toward the city. The night grew darker and darker as they traveled, and the stars competed with the city for brightness. The city still never seemed to get any closer, despite the distance they covered.
Rinally paused, half turning back to look at Kai and Kaoru. “Do you hear that?”
Kai frowned, canting his head at her. Then he closed his eyes and listened. Kaoru lifted his shoulders in a shrug; he couldn’t hear what his friends obviously could. Finally, Kai opened his eyes and nodded. “Yeah. Sounds like an engine.”
“Like a car engine.” Rinally clarified.
Kai nodded again. “Yeah.”
The three of them turned at the same time to look behind them, just in time to see a pair of headlights illuminate the night. Kai threw up an arm to shield his eyes, as did Kaoru and Rinally, though they weren’t as badly affected by the sudden glare of light as Kai was. Still, the sudden appearance of the headlights froze them in their places for a moment, and by the time they got their wits back about them, it was too late to throw themselves to the side to avoid a collision. Tires squealed even on the dirt as the truck’s brakes locked, and Kaoru found himself staring at the grille of a rather old, beat-up pickup truck mere inches away from his nose. Kai and Rinally both let out an expletive and Kaoru released a shaky breath as he realized just how close to becoming a Keyblade wielder smear he’d come.
The doors of the truck slammed open. “Are you okay?” called a woman’s voice.
“They better be okay! Damn kids! Don’t they know better than to be walkin’ on a road at night?”
“Stop it, Barret.” She came around the truck into the headlights, a tall woman with long brunette hair and kind dark eyes. Her outfit was completely black, save for where her pale skin remained uncovered. Her companion, Barret, was a big man, with short dark hair, mocha-brown skin, and one arm seemed to be made of some sort of silvery metal. He wore only combat boots and dark green pants, along with a chainmail vest that left nothing of his upper body to the imagination. He scowled at the three teenagers, as if them being there was an obstacle he hadn’t been expecting. “Are you three okay?”
Kaoru nodded wordlessly. He couldn’t help but stare at her. The woman was glowing with a soft inner light, muted somewhat, but still there. Still, it only seemed like she was glowing with half the light she should’ve been glowing with. She seemed to notice his staring, but she only smiled and said nothing about it. Instead, she said, “That’s good. I was afraid that you’d gotten hurt. You know, it’s really dangerous to be traveling in the middle of the road.”
“We know, but,” Rin gestured to the land around them, “it was better than wandering lost in the wild. We’ve been trying to make it to the city.”
Barret and the woman looked at each other. “Where did you three come from?” Barret asked.
Kaoru glanced and Rin and Kai, then back to the woman and her companion. He swallowed. “We came from, um, Halloween Town?”
Technically it was the truth. That place had been the last world they had been on. The woman’s eyebrows shot up to her hairline and even Barret looked shocked. They looked at each other, expressions changing on their faces far too fast for Kaoru to interpret them all. Kaoru took a step back toward the solid presences of Kai and Rinally, feeling a little safer with them at his back. The woman looked back at them, her dark eyes studying each of them. If she noticed how defensive the three were becoming, she didn’t indicate it. She folded her arms over her chest and leaned her weight back on her left foot. Barret also assumed a similar position, though his metal arm he kept down by his side, his eyes riveted on Kaoru.
“Are you saying you came from an outside world?” the woman asked.
Kaoru nodded.
“And you’re trying to get to Edge?”
Kaoru nodded again.
The woman and Barret again looked at each other, the expressions on their faces now incredibly concerned. “Well,” said Barret, “we ain’t solvin’ anything standin’ around here talkin’. We can take the kids to Seventh Heaven. They’ll be safe enough there.”
“I guess you’re right.” The woman looked toward Kaoru and his friends and gave them a smile. “My name is Tifa. This is my friend Barret. How about this? We’ll take you to Edge with us and you can stay at my place, and then you can get some rest and tell us what’s brought you here?”
Kaoru glanced back at Rin and Kai. They both lifted their shoulders in a shrug. “It’s that or walk,” Kai whispered.
“And it probably wouldn’t hurt to have someone watching our backs,” Rinally said. “I’m not sure if we can trust them one hundred percent, but they seem like okay people. Besides, we need a place to stay, and maybe it wouldn’t hurt if we could get them to feed us.”
“Do you always think with your stomach?” Kai asked.
“Only when I’m hungry.” Rin replied, giving him an razor ice smile.
Kaoru shook his head. “Stop it.” He turned back to Tifa and Barret. “What guarantee do we have that you aren’t lying to us?”
When Tifa smiled this time, it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Because I’m guessing you came here without a Gummi ship, and the only people who can do that are those who wield Keyblades. So, get in the truck.”
Taken aback, Kaoru, Kai, and Rin were frozen for a second, but after a minute of hesitation, they moved to follow Tifa’s orders. They climbed into the bed of the truck and Tifa and Barret got back into the cabin. The engine once more let out a throaty growl into the night, and the truck rolled down the road toward the city of Edge.
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Kingdom Hearts: Dark Dawn