Shady Times

Kingdom Hearts (Yukio's P.O.V.)

As I came close to the pink-jeweled door, I bright light shined on the both of us. The light felt warm and comforting as it slowly lifted us from the ground.

"What's going on?!" I said out loud while still carrying Mitsuko in my arms "Don't worry Mitsuko, no matter what it is... Ill keep you safe."

I noticed we phased through the ceiling and where now being transported somewhere. I looked up and saw it... The heart-shaped moon... Kingdom Hearts.

"Mitsuko, look! We are here now... we made it" I said to her still unresponsive body

As we became closer to our destination, it became too bright to see where we landed. My eyes started adjusting to the light and saw we were in a room, seemed to be someone's studies. The whole room was colored in a perfect white with a shiny gold outline. Everything in the room seem to be white and gold as well; the floor, the chairs, the desk, the bookshelves, the books themselves and even the big Grandfather clock behind the big desk.

I put Mitsuko comfortably down on a chair to rest while I scanned the room. Every one of the walls was covered by a bookshelf except for the part of the wall that contained doors. I walked over to the desk and saw a book there.

"Shady Times?"

"You better not mess up my stuff, I have a system, you know?" A voice said behind me

I turned around and it was a tall, skinny man with glasses with a handful of books in his hands.

I silently backed up and stared him down, I was ready for anything.

He put the books down on the desk and then raised his hands in a hugging gesture," Its good to see you again, old friend"

I stood still in confusion,"Do I... know you?"

The mysterious man came closer to me, "Yukio... Its me."

I started coming closer with my guard still up... but his voice was familiar, "... Are.. you...?"

"You better not have forgotten about me already... Don't tell me Team Okami hasnt already met a better Large Body heartless than me."

"Ta-Takeshi... how...did you...?"

"Yeah I know, this is apparently how I... umm... looked as a human... kinda small but I will get used to it."

I smiled and started tearing up. I ran towards him and hugged him. "I've... I mean we've missed you so much"

I saw he smiled back and held me tight, "I missed you too, buddy... and I'm sorry about everything you guys have gone through... I saw the whole thing."

"Yeah... Mamoru and then..." I sniffled and try to say her name without breaking down

"I wish I could take it back, man but what I can say is that you are safe here." Takeshi held me for a bit longer.

I let go and sat on a chair in front of Takeshi's desk. "Thank you for that Takeshi... Its been hard and confusing lately, one moment we are having fun the next we are alone, hurt and in..." I looked around for clues, "Umm whats this place?"

Takeshi gave me a big smile, "This is the finish line, Yukio... You are in Kingdom Hearts."

I looked around the room, "This is it?"

"No no no," He chuckled, "This is just where I work and do what I have to do."

"...And what do you do here exactly, Takeshi?"

"A lot of different things actually. Right now, I am working on a special project and I was also given the responsibility from the higher ups to give you your Final Choice since we are friends and all."

"Final Choice?"

"Well some people that come here to Kingdom Hearts are given a Final Choice, a final decision they make before going into Kingdom Hearts paradise. Given your circumstance, you have a Final Choice and to be honest... its a hard one."

"What is it?"

He walked up to me, "Well Option 1..." He stopped talking and touched me on the shoulder.

I felt a change in my body and as I looked at my hands, they slowly started changing into human hands. Before I knew it, I looked at myself and I was a human again.

"You can turn back into your original human form, regain your past memories and spend your days in Paradise"

I smiled and looked at my old body, "Wow, no more misting, no more pain and sorrow, no worries... Why would there be another option?"

He sighed and scratched his head, "You might still want to hear this option."

Takeshi walked up to a book shelf. grabbed one of the books, and sat in his chair behind the desk.

He opened the book and everything in the room went from white into the color of a midnight's sky. The book started projecting an image on top of the pages. It was a Shadow walking in the Realm of Darkness. It seemed the Shadow was limping and stumbling in the darkest parts of RoD, The Dark World.

He looked up to me and said, "Its her, Yukio"

"Oh..."

"Yeah"

He closed the book and the room immediately became white again.I got up from my chair and started to think... There was a long pause silence in the room

I spoke "How much time do I have to save her?"

"Yukio, once you leave, thats it... I cant bring you back here"

"...alright"

He looked at me and chuckled

"What?"

"Its funny really, I came into this room trying to find ways on how to talk you out of it but i realize that your mind is made up."

"Well Takeshi, you know me more than you know how to mess up missions"

He chuckled again, "Jerk... Ill make sure to take care of Sleepy Beauty here too"

"Thank you, Takeshi... for everything"

"See you later, Yukio"

I heard the door behind me unlock and went towards it, knowing I made the right decision... 

Here I come, Yuzuki