Kingdom Hearts; The Light's Keeper

Chapter XXVI; Innocence of the Stars

Y slowly blinked her eyes. She tried to keep them open, but the bright sunlight made her forcefully close her eyes again. It was much too early to wake up she decided. She could wait until Ven came to wake her up for training. Or maybe they had a day off. That would be wonderful.

Hearing voices Y kept in a groan. She curled into her pillow burying her face in it. The pillow was oddly firm and was carrying a scent that was familiar and pleasant. But it wasn't the normal scent.

"Tinker Bell." An unfamiliar voice said. 

"Uh, they ain't movin'." Another voice said. Y was certain that wasn't anyone she knew. Y opened her eyes slowly and moved so she could see. She realized she was in a forest somewhere. Not the Land of Departure. Y frowned as she remembered everything that had led to this. So many things that just seemed to pile on top of each other.

"Let's try kickin' them!" One of the voices suggested. Y jumped back at the sound of that, not eager to be kicked. Her face flushed bright red as she saw what she thought had been her pillow was actually Ven. Luckily he was still asleep though that wouldn't be for long as a little girl only a few inches tall was floating in front of him. The girl pulled back her foot and kicked Ven with enough force for her to spin in the air. Ven jumped back it shock, waking very suddenly.

"Who are you?" A boy asked. Y turned to see two boys dressed as animals. One looked like a fox and the other was dressed as a bear. Ven stood and brushed himself off before offering a hand to Y. Y took it and allowed Ven to help her to her feet.

"Name's Ventus. But everybody just calls me Ven. She's Y." Ven introduced. He grinned over at Y. "Guess when we sat down to rest we must have fallen asleep." He said Y. Y nodded, though she was pretty sure they actually crash landed here.

"But where'd ya come from?" The boy dressed as a bear asked. Ven and Y exchanged a nervous glance. They really weren't supposed to answer that. Protecting the world order was of utmost importance.

"Well, you see..." Ven began trying to come up with a lie on the spot. He was saved the effort by the little girl, that Y suspected was a fairy, tugging on the ears of the fox boy harshly.

"All right, all right, we're goin'!" The fox boy said trying to get the fairy to stop her tugging.

"So long, Ven, Y!" The bear boy said as the group turned away to wander off. They seemed to have some goal, almost like they were looking for something together.

"Hey, where are you guys off to?" Ven asked. They stopped for a moment again to answer Ven's question.

"Tink saw a shootin' star and we're gonna go hunt it down!" The bear boy answered. Y assumed Tink was the fairy that was with them. That was probably why she was so impatient.

"A shooting star?" Ven asked in excitement. "Mind if we come along?" He asked.

"Course not. But ya gotta agree to follow us!" The fox boy said.

"Yeah, it's, uh, right over, that-a-way! By the Indian Camp!" The bear boy said, pointing in a direction. Y glanced in that direction. She didn't know why but this place was very familiar. She swore she knew where it was, but she knew she had never been here before.

"Ready, men? Forward march!" The fox boy said before marching off in the direction the other boy had pointed. The group marched together in a straight line with Tink in front, the fox boy following her with the bear boy behind him. Ven followed close behind with Y bringing up the rear.

They stopped their march in a clearing with a hollow tree at the sound of a roosters crow. The group looked up to see a red-haired boy wearing green flying above them. Y felt her jaw go slack as she watched the boy circle them.