//------------------------------// // The First of Many // Story: Kingdom Hearts: The Elements of Light and the Warrior of Fire // by DARKPHANTOM13 //------------------------------// Twilight's P.O.V. My friends and I stared in awe of the at the sight before us. The endlessness of the void left us speechless as we could see a number of worlds within sight and for those we couldn't clearly see were the countless stares that surrounded us. There was a brief silence as we took in the magnitude of the moment, most us thankful that we were already seated. "Oh my gosh, this is so exciting! So which world should we go to?" The driver said from her seat. But you can count on Pinkie to break any silence with the grace of a flying hammer. "How about a world that is majestic? I could use some new inspiration for my designs." Rarity suggested. "Someplace with a lot of action!" Rainbow said as she slam her fist into her palm. "Ahm up for anything." Applejack shrugged, really not caring which world they good to. "Maybe someplace peaceful and safe?" Fluttershy quietly asked. "I think we should make our choice carefully." I proposed. Before I could say anything else Pinkie Pie jumped into the driver's seat. "I'm basically fine with any world as long as I learn something new. Though we should first go to worlds where we can hopefully find information about Spike. It shouldn't be too hard since Dragonbloods are rare. Anybody who gets a good look at Spike would easily remember him." "Umm, Twilight we might have a problem with that." Rarity said. She was fiddling with the screen that was place in front of each seat before she sent what she was seeing onto the main monitor. She got up and went to get closer monitor to point out the problem. Everyone besides Pinkie looked at each other before getting up and following Rarity to get a closer look. "This screen shows us what worlds are nearby, the problem is that there is no information on their files. Not even their names. At the moment we are basically flying blind." "Oh, there is nothing wrong." Pinkie gained everyone's attention. "Since we haven't been to any worlds yet we don't know anything about them sillies." "If we don' have any information than how the Sam hill are we going to choose?" Appplejack asked "How about this!" Pinkie declared as she started to point at different worlds. "Enimie, mimie, minie, Pinkie!" She pulled on the lever for the thrusters and headed towards a random world at blinding speed. Causing the rest of us, who didn't have the time to sit in one of the chairs, to be pressed against the walls due to the G-force. From what we could see from our position the world was mostly made up of meadows with patches of forest here and there. On the bottom, to the side, was what looked like a small, old fashion village while on the opposite side of it was a black medieval castle. "PINKIIIIEEEEEEE!!!" We yelled as our friend screamed with joy as if she was on a roller-coaster. Third P.O.V. On the world below a hooded figured was making it's way through a clearing in a forest. Suddenly the figure looked up at an object as it shoot across the sky. A blue haze of light appeared beside the stranger's head before Torch appeared to look at the object. "Is that what I think it is?" The stranger asked. The object was suddenly hit by a large fireball that was launched a great distance away at it's side. The two continue the watch as the object spiral out of control crashing into the forest a few miles from their position. "If you mean a crash landing Gummi ship, then yes it was." The machine noticed his companion was staring at the object. The stranger felt something from the object. Suddenly two familiar voices whispered in his mind. "It's the others." "The six of seven." The young man's eyes widen at the whispers. Quickly realizing what the two voices mean he mentally asks, 'Are they alive?' "Yes." The two voices say as one. "Is there something wrong?" Torch asked. From darkness of the hood he could see a fang filled smile. "They sensed some fragments on that ship." The figure turned around and continued towards the small town in the distance. "They?" It asked before he realized what his friend was referring to. "Where are you going then? We have to collect them as soon as possible!" The machine urges as he follows his partner.. "Or least make sure their owners aren't going to abuse their power. If one of those dark fragments get into the wrong hands..." "It's not one of the dark fragments." The answers caused the floating machine to stop in surprise before continuing his pursuit. "What? If it's not a dark fra..." Torch cuts himself off as he thinks over the information. It's electronic green eye widen as it realized what this means. "They're here?! Are you sure?" "They haven't been wrong before." The stranger answers without breaking his stride. "Their wielders are alive?" "According to them." "And are you sure their wielders are who you think they are?" Torch questioned. "Sure enough that I would bet my UMP3 on it." The machine could only blink in shock at the statement. "...Seriously? You must be, without a shadow of a doubt, certain about this if your even joking on betting that thing. So, it looks like they have finally left Luna's protection. What are you going to do once we met them, are you going to tell them everything?" "...No. As much as I would like to do that the others don't think it would be a good idea. It will have to depend on how far along their relationship with their fragments. If they aren't truly connected to them, then it is best to letting them explore a few worlds and let them grow, get stronger. Get their feet wet, so to speak, before confronting them. Though that doesn't mean we can't give them a hint or two, but we'll have to keep my identity a secret for the moment." "So basically we're taking a page from Dark Shadow's book and be as mysterious and cryptic as possible?" The machine asked. "More or less." "You do realize you don't exactly have the best track record with being cryptic, right?" "True, but I got some tips from Dark to help in that department. The key is to speak in half truths and give as little detail as possible." "Sounds easy enough. Though I have to question why you want to keep your identity a secret?" The stranger sighed at the question, his shoulders and posture slumping as he stated, "As much as I would love to be honest with them I can't right. If they knew they would do everything in their power to make me come with them no matter what I say, and I can't do that. I have too much stuff going on to stay with them. I still have to train the girls until they are ready to have a proper master to teach them. Not to mention that there are still four dark fragments still not accounted for. I can teach those three and cover a lot more ground if it's just you and me Torch. And I doubt they would approve of some of our methods we sometimes use for our missions. " "I see your point." Torch admitted. "You can travel faster and more easily with the Dark Corridors or Flame Portals than a Gummi Ship. The fact that not just anyone can safety use either method only adds to your case. However from what you told me about them I highly doubt they would agree with your decision once they learn of it. Especially when they learn about how you knew where they were for the last three or so years." "Oh yeah, it would be a miracle sent by Bahamut himself if they didn't at least try to kill my ass, but I'll deal with that bridge when I cross it." "And I would like to let you know when that day comes I will be my upmost best to stay out of it." You didn't need to see the young man's face to tell he was rolling his eyes at his companion's declaration. His next words dripping with sarcasm. "Thank you Torch. It's nice to know that you will have my back no matter what the situation." "You are most welcome, I appreciate the kind words." "I was being sarcastic." "I know, I was being nonchalant." "...Touché." "How is rerouting the controls coming along Twilight?" Fluttershy asked as she hovered our the cockpit of the Gummi Ship using her cream colored, transparent wings made by the magic of a Valkyrie with Angel standing on top of her head. The nose of the ship was buried in the dirt with a trench as long as a city block trailing behind it with trails of smoke coming from one of it's side and engine. "I can't seem to override the system commands." Twilight answered with a huff. "It looks the computer will let only Pinkie change any settings and is set to only let Pinkie drive it unless she is incapable of driving or isn't present for a situation that requires someone to drive the ship." Fluttershy tilted her head in confusion. While not being a computer expert like the technical Twilight or the engineering Pinkie she understood the general of what Twilight said. She asked, "But how would the computer make that kind of judgement?" "Somehow Pinkie had managed to create an A.I. that runs and controls the ship's systems. Though I'm having an hard time communicating with it for some reason." "Oh!" Pinkie yelled out. She was currently placed in time out with her standing still while facing a tree. Rarity was standing near her to act as pink haired girl's warden. "I thought I forgetting something, I still have to install the voice and input module. By the way, can I get out of time out now?" "No! What part of nose diving into a world's atmosphere seemed like a good idea?! You've could have gotten us all killed!" Twilight yelled. "But that wasn't my fault..." Pinkie whined from her position as her eyes begin to water. "I was about to level out when we were shoot down by some meanie head." "Be that as it may Darling, but it is still your fault for making us such an easy target." The fashionista pointed out. Twilight sighed as she got out of the cockpit. "Rainbow, Applejack, how is it looking over there?" Twilight yelled. The last two of the group was checking at the back of the ship to see the extent of the damage. "Pretty bad," Rainbow Dash yelled. "Whatever hit us left a huge blast mark on the side, but it could have been a heck of a lot worse." "Lotsa dings and scratches, but most of it ain't tbat deep. Though the left engine is a bit of a mess. It's goin' to some tools, parts, elbow grease, and at least a few days to get it up and running again." "Don't worry about it Twilight." Pinkie said as she appeared next to the purple mage, surprising her. Twilight looked at where her friend currently is before looking where was, seeing Rarity just as confused as she was. "The ship can heal itself. All I got to do is this." She said as she pointed the object that wasn't in her hand a second ago at the ship. It looked like the combination of a short sword and an old fashion skeleton key. A single magenta streamer running around the length of the bright pink shaft. Running from the roughly balloon shaped blue handguard, to the teeth that were shaped like a piece of cake. The chain at the end of the handle ended in three small balloons. This object was known as a Keyblade, a weapon unlimited potential and power. This particular Keyblade's name was Laughter's Sake, though it is affectional called Candy Cane by it's hyperactive wielder. Before Twilight could question Pinkie light gathered at the tip of her weapon then shot out at a keyhole symbol on the side of the Gummi Ship that the other girls didn't notice. The entire craft lighted up before disappearing in a burst of light and the sound of a lock clicking. Everyone looked on at the scene with looks of awe, confusion, disbelief, or excitement. Twilight in particular was doing her best impression of a gapping fish. "Pinkie..." Twilight quietly asked as she got her mind back in order. "Did you just... unsummon the Gummi Ship?" "Yeah," Pinkie cheered as she waved her Keyblade. "It's Candy Cane's special power. It allows me to-" "Summon to you anything that you marked with your Keyblade!" Twilight finished as her eyes sparkled with excitement. She pulled out her family's Book of Magic and began to furiously write down what she just learned and it's possible uses on one of it's empty pages. "That's how you can make things seemingly appear out of nowhere." After many attempts, failures, and frustration induced rage quits Twilight finally had an understanding of a least a few of her friend's strange abilities. It almost wiped away all the stress that was building. "Yup!" Pinkie furiously nodded her head. "It took awhile to learn, but it was soooo worth it!" "That's awesome Pinkie." Dash compliment as she and the others gathered around the two. "Now lets start checking this place out!" "Um, excuse me." Fluttershy whispered, gathering everyone's attention. Angel, still on top of her head, silently told her to speak louder. She heeded his advice and said, "While I was in the air I saw a town about a mile that way." She pointed at the direction. "I think that is a good place to start, if you all think so." "Good going Shy." Dash said as she patted her friend on her shoulder. "Okay girls, this is our first adventure, lets get serious." Pinkie said as she donned the most serious face she could muster. Too bad it was ruined by the fact that she was hopping in place like a kid on Christmas morning. Her friends simply either rolled their eyes or snicker at her antics as the six girls began their journey to the town. Ten Minutes Later "Are we there yet?" Pinkie asked. "No." Rainbow answered with her voice dripping with boredom. "...Are we there yet?" "Nope." Applejack answered with the same tone. "......Are we there yet?" "No Pinkie." Twilight said as she ground her teeth, her eye rapidly twitching with annoyance. ".........Are we th-" "No Pinkie, but we'll be sure to tell you when are we there." Twilight had physically keep herself from yelling at her friend. "Ok!" Pinkie said as she saluted. "..." "..." "..." "Twilight~" Rarity whined. "How much farther, my feet are starting to hurt." "Oh don't you start Rarity!" Twilight yelled, her patience was nearing its end. "Excuse me ladies," Somebody with an electronic voice spoke. The six girls turned to the voice's direction to see a floating metal orb covered in green spikes. "but do you know the direction of the town?" The six girls just started at the strange machine. There bodies tensing, ready for action at a moment's notice. Twilight spoke up by asking, "Who...What are you?" "Oh, that is rude of me. I am a Ghost-" The machine. "You don't look dead." Pinkie interrupted. "Not that kind of ghost. I am an artificial intelligence created with the power of Light." "Wait, how does work." Rainbow asked as she scratched her head in confusion. "...Too be honest with you I'm not too sure how I was created myself." The machine looked around as if it was trying to find an answer before centering his focus back on the girls. "Anyway, you can call me Torch." "Well then, why are you trying to get to the town?" Twilight asked. "You see my partner and I were on our way there when we were attacked. During the commotion we ended up splitting up and agreed to meet up there. I was just making sure I was heading in the right direction." "Why were you and your partner going there, if you don't mind me asking?" Fluttershy kindly asked. "The two of us are travelers and that town is the only sign of civilization we've seen so far on this world." The purple haired leader quickly processed the words before realizing something. "You and your partner aren't from this world, are you." "Yes, we are not." "Why are you here then?" Pinkie asked before she gasped. "Oh! Are you two on a secret mission or something to route out some ancient evil that lurks here?" Torch just blinks at the question before answering, "No, we here because my partner wanted to kill some time by exploring a world we haven't been to yet before we go to a prior engagement." "So no looking for ancient evil?" "That's not what we had in mind when we came to this world, but if we do run into such a thing I have no doubts my friend would jump at the chance to face it." "Then why don't you come with us?" Pinkie invited. "We were heading there anyway." "As long as your friends are okay with it." Torch replied. "Can he come with us? Can he, can he, can he, can he?" She asked her friends while hopping in place at the speed of a jack hammer. Twilight sighed as she rubbed her forehead in slight annoyance. She knew once Pinkie got like this there was no stopping her. "Fine, he can come with us." "YAY!" The hyper girl cheered before walking towards the village with Torch by her side and the others following behind her. "Nice to meet you Torch, I'm Pinkie Pie, these are my friends Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Twilight Sparkle." "It is nice to meet you all." The machine bowed his head in a greeting. "Oh my gosh we are going have so much fun! Do you like cake and if you do what flavor do you like?" "Umm, I can't eat cake or anything for that matter since I am a machine." The floating orb slowly stated what should be obvious. While the two continue to their conversation, more precisely Pinkie firing question like a minigun with torch doing his best to keep up while trying to not overheat himself in the process, a much quieter conversation is happening behind them. "What do you think Applejack?" Twilight whispered to her friend. The cowgirl always had this talent for telling whether or not a person lying or not, matter how the acting or how small the lie. A talent that has helped the group in more than one situation. "He's been straight with us so far," Applejack replied. "but something is off with it-him-whatever." "What do you mean darling?" Rarity ask. "You just confirm that Torch has been nothing, but truthful with us." "The problem is how it went about it." Applejack answered. "So you noticed that too." Twilight stated as she stared at the floating orb. "What do you mean Einstein?" The rainbow haired girl asked with an raised eyebrow. "It might be due to the fact that he is a machine, but Torch has been wording his answers very carefully. Making sure that they are truthful yet doesn't give a lot of personal details." "Maybe he just doesn't want to a bunch of strangers to know about him and his partner." Fluttershy rationalized. "Maybe." Twilight conceded,but wasn't completely convinced. "Well keep an eye on Torch for now and give him the benefit of a doubt." "Say Torch, what attacked you and for friend in the first place?" Pinkie loudly asking. The others girls realized that was a question that they should have asked. "I'm not sure whether or not you six have heard of them, they were a group of monsters called the Heartless." The orb stated as if he was commenting the weather. It took a second or two before he realized that his new companions had stopped. When he turned around he saw that they had stopped dead in their tracks, most of them with a surprised and or serious expression on their face. With Fluttershy being the exception since she was hiding her face behind her, shaking in fear with Angel by her side trying to consul her. "I take it that you girls know about the Heartless." "You could say that." Dash grinded out through gritted teeth. "Aren't you worried about your friend, dear?" The fashionista asked with concern in her voice. "Oh, you don't have to worry about my friend. While I wasn't built with combat in mind he is more than capable of taking care of himself. Besides this is far from the first time we have ran into the Heartless." "Ok." Twilight accepted, while she and her friends continued their journey with their new travel companion she asked about something she noticed. "By the way, what is your friend's name? You haven't said what his name was this entire time." The purple mage was surprised when Torch's response to her query was to chuckle. "That's because my friend prefers to make his own introductions. I think it has something to do with his love of making an entrance." The cloaked stranger stood in a clearing that showed the signs of battle with indents and claws marks on the ground and surrounding trees. In his gauntlet claw he was hold a struggling small, black creature, no bigger than a slightly small dog, by it's neck. It has a humanoid shape with a bulbous head, three finger claws, and curled antenna on it's head. The most unsettling thing about was it's glowing yellow eyes, that even in it's current position showed nothing but the desire to consume and destroy everything in it's path. "Seriously, that is all you guys throw at me, a bunch of Shadows and Soldiers? I literally bet you guys with one hand. There better something stronger than you guys here or this is going to be a really dull day." Without so much as a thought he crushed the Shadow's neck, causing it to disappear in a small explosion of dark particles. The mysterious fighter clapped his hands together a few times to get rid of any dust before calmly walking towards the town. "I better get over there, Torch should have met up with the girls by now. The most important part about an entrance is the timing after all. Now should I go with loud and proud introduciton, or maybe a more subtle and mysterious approach would work better."