Kotsu's Rise - Chapter Two: A Hero Rises

Note: The story will now be depicted in third-person, as the first chapter was about how things were for Kotsu before what happened to his world happened, and I wanted a the audience to get a more personal insight of it all from the protagonist.
"Look, a star's going out!" Goku cried. Goten stared up in awe as a star disappeared in a sphere of light. Another world gone, fallen to darkness. 
"Wow." Goten breathed. Goten was the head mage for the king. He was small and young looking for his age, but was fiercely brave. He had the tendency to occasionally be hotheaded, but was usually pretty even tempered, though not as calm as Goku was about things, and Goten was more stubborn than Goku. Goten had black hair that was short and thick, and blazing eyes. In his hands, he carried his staff, with which he could cast a great deal of magical spells.
Goku on the other hand was tall for his age and calm in nature. He was the captain of the royal knights, and a steadfast friend and companion. His eyes were bright and full of laughter. He was kind and friendly, both in temperament and appearance. His hair, too, was black. Goku carried a shield, with which he could protect people. 
A very odd pair they looked to be, but they could get the King's job done.
Their king was a tiny mouse of a king named Mickey. Mickey was one of the most brave and renowned fighters of all of the worlds. Mickey had gone off to prevent evils from befalling them all, and instructed his two best men (Goten F. Jippensha and Goku Kitsun) to find the key, referring to a weapon called the keyblade. The two walked on.
"Maybe we ought to find Barku." Goku suggested.
"Let's go!" Goten cried. Pluto, the King's hound, darted off towards an alleyway.
"Say Goten, maybe we ought to..." Goku began, gazing at the departing dog.
"We can't waste any time following a dog around." Goten said.
"Come on, Pluto."
The dog instead bounded into the alleyway and turned a corner, locating a boy slumped against a wall, concealed beyond large boxes and barrels. The boy was barely conscious, and the dog licked the boy's face.
Kotsu awoke to the sensation of something warm and wet on his face. He found a yellow hound was licking him, and he was in a strange alleyway. 
"What a weird dream..." the boy muttered, about to drift back off. The dog reacted quickly and slammed into Kotsu with his front paws.
"This isn't a dream!" Kotsu cried, admiring the strange sight of where he now was. This was definitely not home.
"Do you know where we are?" he asked the dog.
The dog cocked an ear to the side and went bounding off. Kotsu stood up. As soon as he walked to the front of the place, he knew he was in another world. 
The boy walked into a building on the right of him, and made his way down a set of stairs once inside. Three ducklings sat inside, one wearing a blue cap and sweater, one wearing a red cap and sweater, and the third was in green. He walked up to the one in blue.
"Who are you?" he asked. 
"Dewey's the name." the duckling in blue said. 
"Just because we're kids doesn't mean we can't run a business." 
"I'm Kotsu Shadereign. Nice to meet you." Kotsu replied, shaking hands. 
"I'm Huey." said the one in red.
"And the guy in green is Louie. Where you from?"
"Destiny Islands." Kotsu said.
"Do you know how to get there?"
"Nope." said Louie.
"Nuh uh." said Dewey.
"No way." said Huey.
"Thanks anyways." Kotsu said, then got an idea. "Where are we?"
"Traverse Town!" the ducklings chorused. "This is our item shop."
"Our shop has all sorts of stuff for sale." Huey said.
"I'm only in charge of keepin' the shop clean. Now, my bedroom? That's tougher!" Louie giggled.
"Need any more help?" Dewey asked.
"No, thank you very much!" Kotsu said.
"No problem, pal. If you need more help, visit Vegito's shop." Huey said.
"It's right in front of the entrance you just came in. Right when you walk out, it's there." the other two ducklings chanted.
"Thanks. See ya later!" Kotsu said. The ducklings saluted him and he stepped out of the entrance he had used. He stepped through a set of wooden double doors and into a lavishly decorated accessories shop. A man with spiky black hair sat at the counter, flexing powerful arm muscles.
"Hey there, how can I..." the man began, then turned around.
"Aw, it's only a kid."
"I'm not a kid! And the name's Kotsu Shadereign!" Kotsu cried.
"All right, cool it little guy." Vegito said.
"So why the long face? Lost or something?"
"No! Well, maybe. Is this in Destiny Islands?" Kotsu asked.
"Destiny Islands? This place is Traverse Town. I've never heard of Destiny Islands." Vegito said.
"I really am in another world!" Kotsu groaned. He explained what had happened to Vegito
"Not sure what's going on, but this isn't your island. Your world must've been consumed by darkness." Vegito said. 
"Hmm...I'd better start looking for LT and Kami. Other people end up here too, right?" Kotsu said.
"Right, they sure do. This town is mostly made up of castaways right now. Good luck with finding your friends." Vegito said. "If you ever run into trouble, you come to me. And you can rest and grab a bite to eat here any time you like. I'll look out for you."
"Thank you Vegito." Kotsu said. The man winked.
"Any time, buddy boy."
After munching on a piece of bread, Kotsu headed out of the building. He found a set of huge double doors behind Vegito's shop and went through them. His first sight of the second district was horrifying. 
A man lay on the ground, his heart floating up out of his chest. As he faded into nothing, the heart flew not far from him, and turned into a helmeted version of the black things Kotsu had seen before the island faded. A swarm of creatures came towards him, and he left the second district the way he came, slamming the door shut behind him.
It was to no avail, as the creatures now came in behind him and before him, appearing throughout the first district. The fourteen year old brought out the Keyblade and began mowing them down, all the way until he reached Vegito's shop.
"Still haven't found them? Keep your chin up and take another look around." Vegito said. As he exited the shop, someone spoke.
"They'll come at you out of nowhere." the voice of a strong young man said.
The boy turned to look at the speaker, who was a tall dark-haired man wearing black clothes.
"Who are you?" Kotsu asked. His question would go ignored for now.
"And they'll keep coming at ya," he said "as long as you continue to wield the keyblade. But why? Why'd it choose a kid like you?"
"Hey, what are you trying to say about me?" Kotsu asked, a touch offended by the man's tone.
"Nevermind. Now, let's see that Keyblade."
"What? There's no way I'm letting you get this." Kotsu said. He was half offended and half mystified by the fact that the young man knew what his weapon was called. He withdrew a few steps from the man, who approached.
"Have it your way then." the man said, raising a blade that resembled a gun as well. They clashed, the keyblade hitting his weird gun-sword thingy. But the man finally got the edge over Kotsu, and he knocked the boy out cold.
"Hey you found it." a girl's voice said. "Nice going, Barku."
It was a girl around the same age as the young man, with short dark hair.
"Looks to me like things are worse than we thought. Loads worse." the young man, Barku, said.
"There's no one here. So creepy." Goku shivered as he and Goten walked down a backroad in District 2. 
"I ain't scared!" Goten chirped, sticking out his chest with great gusto. Something touched his back then, and he leaped forward a few feet, screaming bloody murder. He clung to Goku.
"Excuse me. Did the King send you?" a beautiful young woman with dark hair asked them. Goten and Goku turned to face the new arrival. She smiled at them.
"Come on lazy ass. Wake up." a voice said amidst the swimming darkness in Kotsu's mind. He recognized the voice and sat up from the bed he now lay on. Kami now stood before him.
"You okay?" Kami asked.
"I guess." he replied.
"Those creatures that attacked you are after the Keyblade." Kami explained. "But it's your heart they really want, because you wield the Keyblade."
"I'm so glad that you're okay, Kami!" Kotsu said, grinning.
"Kami? What are you on?" she asked. "I'm GF7, the great ninja." Suddenly her image distorted before him and became a girl with short dark hair, about the age of the young man that attacked him. She turned to a corner of the room.
"I think you overdid it, Barku." she said. The man who attacked Kotsu earlier crossed his arms and closed one eye.
"The Keyblade." Kotsu said, wonder filling his voice.
"Yeah, we had to get the thing away from you. Those creatures kept following us." GF7 said. "That's how they tracked you."
"Was the only way to hide you, I reckon." Barku said. "It's only a matter of time before they find us now. Hard to think you're the chosen one."
Barku picked up the keyblade and held it out, but the blade disappeared. Kotsu got a strange sensation in his hand that forced his fingers apart just so it was like he was holding something, and the Keyblade reappeared in his grasp.
"S'pose beggars can't be choosers." Barku muttered, shrugging.
"What's going on?" Kotsu asked. "Who are you?"
"Well, like I said, I'm GF7." said GF7. "And this guy is Barku. Who are you?"
"Kotsu. Kotsu Shadereign." Kotsu replied.
"As for what's going on..." Barku began...
"You know there are many worlds out there." the young woman with dark hair explained to Goten and Goku from the room next door. They discovered her name was Bulma.
"They're supposed to be a secret." Goku added.
"They've been secret because they have never been connected. Until now." Bulma explained. "When the Heartless came, everything changed."
"The Heartless?" Kotsu asked.
"The ones who attacked you, doofus." GF7 said.
"The ones without hearts." Barku said.
"The darkness in people's hearts attracts them." GF7 explained.
"And there's darkness in every heart." Barku added.
"Have you heard of someone named Ansem?" GF7 asked.
"Ansem?" Goku asked.
"He was studying the Heartless. He recorded his findings in a detailed report." Bulma replied.
"Well...can we see it?" Goku asked.
"The pages are scattered everywhere." Bulma said, shaking her head.
"Scattered?" Goten asked, dismayed.
"To many worlds." Bulma confirmed.
"Maybe that's where the King went!" Goku cried, Goten nodding eagerly.
"That's what I thought too." Bulma said.
"We have to find him!" Goku cried. "Not without the key!" Goten responded quickly.
"Correct, we must find the Keyblade." Bulma said.
"So...this is the key?" Kotsu asked, admiring the shiny surface of the Keyblade. He brandished it.
"Yep." GF7 said.
"The Heartless have great fear of the Keyblade." Barku explained. "It's why the little things keep comin' at ya."
"I didn't ask for this." Kotsu mumbled.
"The Keyblade chooses its master," GF7 said, "and it chose you."
"So tough it out, mate." Barku added.
"What happened to my home? My island? LT! Kami!" Kotsu cried, standing up suddenly.
"You know bruh..." Barku began, "I really don't have a clue."
Kotsu opened a nearby treasure chest and pocketed the goods within. He headed towards Barku.
"Sooner or later, I reckon they'll find us. You'd best be ready." Barku said.
"Prepare myself?" 
"To fight for your life. Ready?"
"Totally."
"GF7, let's go join Bulma." Barku said. "She ought be there with the other visitors by now."
"Barku!" GF7 cried. A Heartless materialized in the room right before them.
"GF7, go!" Barku yelled, moving towards the Heartless and unsheathing the Gunblade. GF7 swung the door open and unbeknownst to her, it slammed right into Goten, who was on the other side.
"GF7!" Bulma cried, following her.
"Kotsu! Let's go!" Barku cried from the other room. The Heartless went flying through a window. Barku used a broom to smash out the rest of the window and boosted Kotsu through it before following.
Goku watched as the door moved away from Goten, who was crushed behind it like a pancake.
"Owned by a door." Goku said, with a slight grin.
"Don't bother with small fry, just find the big boss." Barku said. He dashed off, and Kotsu lost sight of him while trying to protect himself from a Soldier Heartless, one of the helmeted ones. He was left to roam this Heartless infested area alone.
He entered a place called the gizmo shop, panting from all the running he had done. As soon as he did, more Heartless appeared. He ran out another door at the end of the room and kept running, nearly running off a ledge. He slid to a stop, and wondered how he'd get away now. He heard footsteps and winced.
A boy around his age appeared before him. The boy clapped and light came from his hands and seemed to make what looked like a giant blanket halfway down the drop appear out of nowhere. The boy nodded to him.
"Go now!"
"Who are you?" Kotsu asked.
"An alchemist." the boy replied.
"But...what's your name?" The boy smirked, pushing Kotsu down onto the safety device he had created before speaking.
"Callan."
Kotsu barely heard Callan's name as he dropped down onto the blanket-looking thing, which bounced him safely down the ground on his feet, and he ran down another alley. He saw a door up ahead, a sign read "3rd District" and by this point, he didn't care. He dashed through the door.
As Kotsu ran below, Goku saw a Heartless appear before him.
"Are these the Heartless guys?" he asked.
"Let's get 'em, Goku!" Goten yelled gleefully. 
The pair were blasted off of the balcony as Kotsu ran below. They landed right on top of Kotsu. As the three of them lay in a heap, groaning, Goku and Goten noticed what Kotsu was holding.
"The key!" they yelled. 
They all suddenly heard a rumbling, and the earth beneath their feet began to shake. Squares of cement raised to block the exits, and dozens of Soldier Heartless met them.
"Thunder!" Goten yelled, wiping out two near each other. Kotsu hacked away with the Keyblade, putting three down. Goku put down one, and smiled. Kotsu looked up and gasped. 
Giant pieces of what appeared to be purple armor fell down near them. The armor formed into the shape of a full suit before them, and started coming at them.
"So this is the big boss!" Kotsu cried. He slung his Keyblade over his shoulder and yanked up his pants before holding it out in front of him. 
Goten shot sparks at the armor while Kotsu artfully dodged its attacks, returning the attempts with a few good swings of his own.
They had managed to destroy the foot when the armor tossed Kotsu into the wall. Kotsu almost passed out, but then Goku came to his rescue.
"Don't give up!" Goku yelled, healing Kotsu with a Potion. Kotsu felt strength return to him and he grinned like a devil before returning into the fray, eyes blazing with passion. 
The legs gone, the armor sent its arms at the boy. Kotsu barely dodged a wicked claw of a finger and attacked, managing to wipe out the right arm. Goku and Goten tag teamed with magic and attacks and destroyed the left arm. The three took a swing at the body at once. The effect was instantaneous.
The armor shook madly, the helmet piece falling off onto the ground. In a great blaze of light, a heart lifted from out of the torso, and shot up into the sky. The armor faded away. The battle was over.
"So, you were looking for me?" Kotsu asked. Goku and Goten nodded.
"They were lookin' for the Keyblade wielder as well." Barku said from behind Kotsu.
"Why don't you come with us? We can go to other worlds on our vessel." Goku suggested happily.
"I wonder if I can find LT and Kami." Kotsu said sadly.
"Of course!" Goten insisted.
"You sure about that?" Goku whispered to him.
"I dunno. More likely than them showing up here." Goten whispered. "Plus, we need him with us to find the King."
"Go with them." Barku said. "If you want to find your friends, they're the ones to go with."
"I guess." Kotsu said. 
"You can't come with us looking like that." Goten said, noticing Kotsu's sad look. "No frowns and no sad faces."
"You gotta look funny like us!" Goku said, making a funny face. "This boat runs on happy faces!" Goten chirped.
"Happy?" Kotsu asked. The others waited in suspense.
Kotsu flashed the biggest and silliest grin he could manage. Goku and Goten burst into laughter.
"That's a hella funny face!" Goku giggled.
"Sure, I'll go with you guys." Kotsu said, smiling normally now.
"Goten F. Jippensha." Goten said, holding a hand out.
"Name's Goku." Goku said, holding his hand out too.
"I'm Kotsu." Kotsu said with a grin.
"All for one and one for all." Goku said, and he stacked his hand on Goten's. Kotsu placed his hand on Goku's then. An unbreakable bond had formed.
"Hm, he ruined my toy." a black haired young boy said from the shadows, watching as Kotsu, Goku, and Goten united. The boy wore an eyepatch over one eye. This boy was Kaygen Endless, a Heartless himself, though he bore the appearance of a young boy. He spoke to two figures hidden by the shadows.
"Maleficent won't be happy." the boy then said. He removed his shirt for a moment, revealing a Heartless emblem on his chest. He placed his shirt back on after checking himself for wounds, then wound on through the darkness.
"That little brat just took down that Heartless." Hades said, dismayed. The Table of Villains was having a meeting.
"Such is the power of the Keyblade. The child's strength is not his own." Jafar explained.
"Why don't we turn him into a Heartless? That'll settle things quick enough." Ursula laughed.
"And the brat's friends are the King's lackey's." Captain Hook said. "Swoggle me eyes, they're all bilge rats by the look of them."
"You're no prize yourself." Oogie Boogie taunted.
"Shut up!" Hook cried.
"Enough!" Maleficent said in an icy voice.
"The Keyblade has chosen him. Will it be he who conquers the darkness? Or will the darkness swallow him? Either way, he could be quite useful..." 
The witch glared.
"Kaygen, on the other hand..."
"What about that Kaygen brat?" Hades asked.
"The little-" Oogie began, trailing off as he fumed with rage. "That brat taunted me when he got me to join this Table of Villains. He's a threat to us all, even if the Heartless love him!"
"Perhaps we could find a way to eliminate him. Maybe force the Keyblade wielder to do it for us." Jafar suggested.
"We certainly can't do it ourselves. He'll turn our own Heartless against us. They take orders from him before us." Hades grumbled.
"He will receive his punishment in due time, I assure you. Serves him right for meddling with our plans." Maleficent said.
Kaygen heard the plans made about him. The boy could read minds, and he knew now.
"Let's make this a fun game." Kaygen said, grinning to the figures, who stepped out of the darkness with him. It was DJ Pendergrass and Blaze Tensa.
Category:Kingdom Hearts
Category:Page made by Dark Seeker Kotsu
Category:Fanfiction