Darkness Hearts: Season 1 Reborn
Darkness Hearts
Episode 1: Rise For the Occasion
As I remember...
I always knew I was not normal.
I've had the feeling since I could remember.
However, no one at our church was normal.
We were a group of kids, with different races, genders, likes and dislikes, all of our parents having vanished not long after we had been born. But we all shared one thing in common.
We weren't normal.
Although on the outset we appeared normal, and had no strange superpowers, something inside always told us we were different from the average humans.
From that, we were all connected.
From that, we could understand the true nature of good and evil, as seen by any religion, and not just our own.
****
Rob crashed down on his bed. The tired youth's brown skin glistened despite it being night. His glowering, neon orange eyes and his Bart Simpson styled hair completed his look Today totally wiped him. It began with their usual morning service. Although church itself went without a hitch, Rob had caught something evil within Charlotte's eye. Charlotte was his local rival at the church, one of the many adopted kids cared for by the Mira family, who ran the church. The thieving beautiful blonde had come up with another idea to get Rob in deep trouble, and the boy could practically smell it. Right after service, Charlotte fled outside into the never-ending rain, where the famous Crying Church derived its name and another surefire sign that if Rob didn't chase her, he was most certainly screwed.
Ken Mira, the lone son of the natural family, saw the chase and knew he had to play peacekeeper once again. Although of nerdy appearance and wiry frame, he was fast and strong enough to ward fights. And this fight he'd have to ward before it even began. "See ya, dad, gotta stop Bob and Charlotte before they mess something up AGAIN!" He had ringed as he dashed out into the rain, hoping his dad would forgive his semi-rude exit.
Turned out the precise trick Charlotte concocted turned out to be nothing... on the outset. Rob forgot to don decent rain protection, so he'd be screwed when he got back in... HOLY CRAP! When he realized Charlotte had only tricked him into running outside, He whirled back to go in, only to run into Ken. "KEN!" Rob had shouted. "Charlotte's gonna frame me! We've got to get back inside!"
"It looks like she framed you already," Ken had used his "dumb" voice with a grin.
Rob just snarled. "She'd just better not have attempted to kidnap Clara and Christie again, LAST TIME I had one heck of a time trying to explain that one to your mom..."
"Well, better get moving then," Ken and Rob had dashed back inside, dealt with Daniel (known to them as "Taz" due to his amazing mimicry of the Tasmanian Devil while eating.) and his usual greeting ("Hope you enjoy starring in yet another really bad rescue-the-chick flick!"), and headed up to the living quarters, where of course, Charlotte had succeeded in making poor Clara and Christie victims of her "evil" plots again.
"This is too easy. You're not fun anymore, Bob," Charlotte had taunted.
"You will NOT call me BOB!" Rob shouted, in which they then began to fight each other with pillows found on the beds. Ken wouldn't-and couldn't-help. He fell over laughing, having once again witnessed yet another hilarious spat between Charlotte and Rob. He once joked that they would forever be eternal rivals, having no idea how dead on he was.
Mr. Mira had stopped the barbaric fight at once, and the rest of the day the two had to work on "group projects", one that included untying the very thoroughly bound and gagged Clara and Christie. Rob had taken to cursing Charlotte's name all the way to bed.
Now Rob lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, musing in introspection. He always despised evil, especially if it was hidden. It's why he held such a grudge against Charlotte... but was such a grudge right to hold? He figured that Charlotte wasn't such a demon as he made her out to be, and yet he could never shake that deep, mutual feeling of not-exactly-hatred.
The other three girls walked in. Clara, Christie, and his twin sister Maya all flanked around Rob. Ken always considered him a ladies' man, and Rob couldn't exactly figure out why.
Maya spoke first. "Heard you got in another fight with Charlotte again..." she flicked her bangs from her face. She looked like a feminine version of her brother, with much more hair that fell around her.
"Yeah, did Clara not tell you?" Rob sighed.
"Like, we actually wanted to come by and thank you..." Clara said. The tanned girl had vicious fashion sense to match her beauty, as did the dark-skinned Christie-even as they both were in pajamas. "I mean, you always show that there's like, still dignity in men. If only Charlotte would see that..."
"Yeah..." Rob sighed. He seemed to sigh a lot.
"Being a ladies' man, are we?" Ms. Mira stood at the door.
"Aw, come ON!" Rob buried his head in his pillow from embarrassment.
"Well, I guess we'll see just how charming you are when you try to get married another 10 or so years from now, huh? All right, ladies, time for bed. We've got some work to do tomorrow!" Amidst the groans from the three of them, some managed a "Good night, Rob."
Rob punched a pillow. He wouldn't have a time sleeping tonight...
There were dreams.
These odd, freaky dreams of a woman picking a fight with a giant creature in black, losing, dying, and then saying, "Rob... your destiny awaits... You shall face your father..."
Then a dark and vicious being would awaken. Its cold yellow eyes pierced into him, its dark body surged with evil power. It rose to its towering height, and then it slashed him. He would awake in a furious sweat, looking around like a paranoid monkey.
Tonight was no different... on the outset. Same dream, but now he could see something extra.
Now the woman seemed to be enshrouded in the same darkness as the creature that killed her... but there was a distinct difference.
HER DARKNESS WAS NOT EVIL.
This woman now stood before him, her yellow eyes looking kinder than the creature's.
However she had different news. "Hello, my son... Your destiny at last begins."
"What destiny?" Rob asked. He eyed her suspiciously, almost comically. "Are you my mom?!"
She chuckled lightly. "That revelation should've been saved for another day, but yes, I am your mom... You and your sister will unite our family at last. You will also lead our race to its former glory, and wipe the evil from the darkness."
"Question: WHAT?!"
"See this..." She opened what looked like a portal. Creatures with weird, heart-like crests were stealing people's hearts, and then there was a boy with spiky hair, wielding what looked like a giant key. He was slashing all the dark creatures. "The creatures... they are called Heartless. They were once simple creatures that were carriers of the dead. They escorted the Soul and the Heart to the afterlife. But one day someone corrupted them. They began to mutate to the awful forms you see here. They then began to revert to stealing the Hearts they once carried, seeking to unite under the superior darkness, the final darkness that is Kingdom Hearts. The boy you see... he fights to end them. He hopes to return the connected worlds and restore than which is peace. But there is one problem... an endless flood of light may defeat the Heartless, but it will destroy the balance forever... something that cannot be done..."
"What balance, that between Darkness and Light?"
"Exactly..."
"So what am *I* supposed to do?"
"You fight for the darkness. Your mission is to restore the balance..."
"And how can I do THAT?"
"First you must dive into the Heart, as you are doing now. Here..." Three stones rose. One held a sword. One held a shield, and one held vast magic. A giant... KEY slammed in front of him. He picked it up.
"What IS this?" Rob asked. The key had a navy blue hilt and its ridges had a similar look to the symbol for darkness.
"The Keyblade... of Darkness. It may look funny, but doubt not its powers. Now you, as your sister is doing now must choose your fate. Your way of battle..." Rob looked at the three stones.
"My SISTER is doing this?" Rob looked incredulous.
"Yes, you think you could leave your own twin sister out of the loop?" His mom raised an eyebrow.
"No... I'd forgotten she had these same dreams..."
Rob walked over to the sword. His mother began. "The sword... a weapon of incredible justice... and darkness; evil. Is this what you seek?"
"Yes, mom..." Rob said.
The power of the sword forged itself into the Keyblade. "Now... you must sacrifice something in return." Rob looked about. Between the shield and the magic, Rob preferred to be able to defend himself, rather than depend on the power of a mage.
Rob said, "Mother... I sacrifice the way of the mage."
"Very well." The magic shattered, and the shield came inside of the Keyblade. "Your sister has chosen the opposite. Keep together through your differences. Don't let the Darkness tear you away." She looked out somewhere, and then she turned back to Rob. "Darkside is coming. Return to the waking realm. You and your friends are in grave danger..." the dark creature, its black hair, yellow eyes and large body rose from the darkness. "But fear not... for the darkness shall protect you from its evil..." the being was ready to slash, but Rob got his Keyblade out this time. This time, he was ready.
Then, he woke up.
Right out of his dreams, he saw the dark being outside! It was none other than Darkside. His dreams had melded with reality. "Holy crap..."
Beside him was now the Keyblade.
"Keyblade..." Rob breathed. He picked it up.
"ROB!" Maya dashed in. She had thrown on some clothes, an outfit of black, wearing a dark cape for some odd reason. She wielded twin daggers. Obviously, she was going for the vampirish mage look. "Come on, we're in serious danger! Lets go!"
"Yeah, tell me something I DON'T know!" Rob shot back. As he threw on clothes himself, matching white shirt and shorts, he asked Maya. "Where'd you get those daggers?"
"Ummm... I stole two knives from the family kitchen?" She gave a sheepish smile. Rob gave her a look.
"HEY, I HAD TO DEFEND MYSELF FROM UGLY BLACK CREATURES CALLED HEARTLESS!"
"THE HEARTLESS ARE HERE?!"
"YES, AND UNLESS WE GET OUT OF HERE, WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!" Maya grabbed Rob, and the two of them headed across the hall to alert their friends. Two creatures, looking like ant/human hybrids, with beady yellow eyes and a human stance, emerged from the ground and started attacking. Rob wasted no time driving the Keyblade down its throat and destroying it. Maya killed the other with several stabs of her daggers.
They burst into Clara's room. She had cowered in a corner, being surrounded by more Shadow creatures. She spotted Rob. "Rob! Help!"
"I'll save you... as long as it takes," Rob echoed the words, as if he wasn't the first to speak them. He chopped the Heartless to nothing and took Clara by the hand. The three ran out the room, only to encounter an angry Christie and a very panicked Ken.
"I can't find my parents! What's going on here?!" Ken bellowed.
"I hate these creatures! They'll kill all who are dear to me and ruin my hair-style!" Christie snarled as another Shadow was forced to eat her baseball bat. "DIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIE!"
"We're under invasion. We must escape now..." Rob said, and the five of them headed towards Taz and Charlotte's room.
When they found Taz, however, he was alone. Fighting off various Shadows, he used a metal pole he found somewhere within the room. "Rob!" Taz called.
Rob knew what to do. He swung the Keyblade in a wide arc and swept the floor with the rest of them. A struggling Shadow then got the privilege of suffering head force trauma with another round of Christie's bat ("DIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIE!").
"Where's Charlotte?!" Rob asked.
"I don't know... I don't freaking know..." Taz sniffed. Ken hung his head. His parents, Charlotte... what happened. How had these creatures appeared? Is this connected to the Revelation? (A/N: Forgive any offense I bring, Revelation is the last book of the Bible.)
"In any case, we've got to split!" Maya yelled. "Let's go!"
The six teenagers ran for their lives, going for a quick and swift exit out the door. The rain greeted them, although somewhat mute. The glowering darkness outside filled them not with dread but a strange sense of adrenaline, wondering who-or what-they'll fight next.
In the distance, Rob could see... Charlotte.
A great darkness, flooded with evil, was surrounding her. However, Rob could oddly detect her heartbeat.
Charlotte looked at the group. Her eyes had a crazy, yet sad look, and her smile was very faint. "I see it now... light has never doubted its power and its quest for justice but... darkness... is it good, or evil, or both? It is for some reason..." she turned to Rob. "... I must have your blood, Robert Benton. I must have your blood..."
"What?! Charlotte! Snap out of it!" Rob commanded.
"You know you longed for this day. We share a mutual... not-quite-hatred... you can't deny it, fool," Darkness surrounded all of them now. "We are now free... free of this planet... which isn't our true home."
"What are you talking about?" Ken asked.
"Accept this darkness and find out..." The darkness washed over all of them, and Rob blacked out.
When Rob came to, only he, his sister, and Charlotte were still there. Charlotte leered at him. "We'll settle our score LATER. But for now... someone requests your presence..." Charlotte extended a finger, and behind them... Darkside rose to his full height. Rob's mouth hung open. Darkside was that much more imposing in real life. What was it doing here? Rob whirled back to snarl at Charlotte, but she was gone. Only Maya was with him now. Rob stood up and began to approach it.
"ARE YOU INSANE?!" Maya roared. "Who knows what it can do?"
"Sis, I lost it YEARS ago. Don't worry about me..." He stepped closer.
At this, a shadow formed from nearby him. It was another Shadow. It skittered about and turned to Rob. After examining him it spoke in what seemed like psychic power. (It is you.)
"Don't make me kill you," Rob threatened.
(I assure you, I'm THE GOOD GUY!)
"And how can *I* tell?!" Rob eyed him like he did his mother earlier.
(The symbol we all share...) The Shadow extended its hand to show an emblazoned blue symbol looking like a cross with two lines evenly spaced from each other instead of one near the top. Rob checked his right hand and saw he had the same symbol. (We are Soulless... the ones with the stronger Hearts, for we lack a soul. We are immortal... sort of.)
Rob eyed him again. "Did my mom send you?!"
(Yes, she did,) the Shadow sweat-dropped.
"Fine... so aside from the Keyblade, what's so special about me?"
(You are the one, who shall make Darkness wield the light of justice. You are the one who shall wield the Keyblade of Darkness.)
"How did you know?"
(Your mom's dreams were your own, were they not? They told us to come here... prepare you.)
"But of course." Rob said. "Although this Keyblade feels like I owned it for ages, I have ZERO sword fighting skills... What IS Darkside, anyway?"
(Heartless... unlike us. Giant leader of the Heartless...)
(We are different. We have hearts, and we've seen the evil made by our dark kin, like him.) The Shadow pointed to Darkside.
"That thing is huge... Can I fight it?"
(Fear not, for I shall help.) The Shadow perched itself on top of Rob's shoulder, and the two stepped forward, ready for battle.
Maya just looked in shock. "What?! Just pick up an evil key and fight without me?" she hung her head.
(You chill out. Your turn to fight shall come soon.) Another shadow akin to the one before appeared out of nowhere. Maya just noted the creature, nodded, and looked back.
Rob stood now close to the nightmare creature, its claws preparing to tear into the church. As it raised its fist, Rob shouted, "Hey, YOU!" The creature stopped in mid-attack and leered at Rob in an impassive curiosity. He raised his fist, but being slow, Rob saw the attack and dodged the swipe made by the creature.
(Strike his arms!) Exclaimed the little creature.
Rob did so with swift movements, damaging the beast. Darkside roared and reared back, and a mighty slash smacked Rob backwards. Rob didn't give up his assault, though. He struck again with more Keyblade combos, and the Darkside howled again. This time, it reared back and sunk its arm into a pool of darkness.
Smaller Shadows appeared. Rob faltered. "You DO realize I could still confuse you with them, right?!" he clenched his teeth, talking to the friendly Shadow.
(Riiiiight...) It said, forming another sweat-drop.
Rob went back to attacking. Two dark shadows slashed him, but he killed them easily with one swipe of his Keyblade. The Shadow hopped off of his shoulder and dive-bombed another Shadow, killing it before he landed back on Rob's shoulder. The Darkside emerged. This time it swept its right arm, flew up and smashed the ground with incredible force. Rob jumped up, but Maya and the other Shadow were blown off their feet.
"Maya!"
"ROB! Don't worry about us! Show him who's boss!" Maya yelled.
Rob turned back to see that Darkside had somehow improved its speed. It flew towards him and attempted to slash him. Rob blocked the move but was thrown back.
Darkside reared back and prepared to smash Rob into oblivion.
The dreams struck again.
His mother... now he saw, is mother "died" to that... that thing! Rob's eyes flared with rage. "You... you murdered my MOTHER! I'll SEND YOU BACK TO THE HELL IN WHICH YOU CAME FROM!" He jumped incredibly high, twirling his body like a screw, and landed a slash right on Darkside's face.
Rob rose from falling to the ground, grinned, and gave Maya a thumbs-up.
It stopped.
Darkside reared back suddenly, as if in surprise. (It's you... But why do you strike me?)
"What do you mean?!" Rob was still poised for battle.
(The wielder of that Keyblade... is none other than my son.)
"What... NO! YOU CAN'T BE!" Rob twitched, his blood boiling.
(But I am... You mother's insolence was a minor setback, but I guess this day had to come.) Despite his changing words Darkside only showed apathy. (You were destined to wield the Keyblade of Darkness, to restore glory to the Heartless.)
"You... you disgust me..." Rob walked closer to Darkside.
(That's too bad. MY father disgusted ME with HIS evil ways, and look where I am now...)
"That means NOTHING!" Rob bellowed.
"You... you can't be my-OUR father, can you?" Maya walked beside her brother, her eyes threatening to cry.
(But I am. You two are the greatest Heartless to ever exist. The wielder of the Dark Keyblade, you can open doors to worlds to provide infinite feasts to the Heartless,) he pointed to Rob. (And you... his sister. As twins, you share the same power. The Darkness of your hearts are synonymous with mine. Together... the Heartless shall forever render you two gods.)
"No..." Rob shook his head. "WE CAN'T!"
"We WON'T!" Maya said.
(You can deny your fates no longer... Your mother's babble about doing good is falsehood, unless you turn against your Heartless brethren. And if you destroy the darkness, Light will also cease to exist.)
"WE HAVE TO TRY!" The twins echoed. "There IS justice in this world, and your evil ways won't change us, FATHER!" The twins spat out father like an unpleasant taste from their mouths. They roared and charged their father.
(I... see... In that case, you can fight your family or die trying...) Darkness came from under Rob and Maya, and the two shadows. Rob felt himself... sinking into it. (Farewell...) Darkside turned around as Rob fought to get free of the darkness, but he only fell in, and he faintly saw the Darkside wipe out the church with one mighty blow.
Before Rob could cry out, he sank in utter darkness.
*****
Rob stood up. The room he was in was black. Maya was next to him wandering in confusion. "What IS this?" she asked.
"I've not the faintest idea." Rob said. "Our father... is he right, or is our mother right?"
(That would be YOUR decision to make...) The two shadows showed up.
(You two are in the Heart of Darkness. The mental gathering place of the Soulless.) One said.
(Only the Soulless have the power to come here... and you two are in fact... both Soulless.) The other added.
"My 'dad' said something to that effect... what does it all mean?" Rob asked.
(The Soulless and the Heartless are much the same... but there is one vital difference.) the first said.
"And what would THAT be?" Maya asked.
(The Heartless lack both Heart and Soul. We only lack the soul.)
"So... we're Soulless..." Rob said. He pulled another Suspicious Eye on one Shadow. "ARE WE DEAD?"
(One of these days I'm going to poke your eye out...) the Shadow stared back without flinching. (In truth, you two are the raw exception. You're not dead. But anyone who was not born Soulless may have died at one point or another.)
"So our mother died?" Maya asked.
(I'm afraid so...)
"So the dreams I had-" Rob began, but Maya smacked him.
"WE HAD," Maya interjected.
"-was of 'dad' killing our mom?"
(Yep. Weird way of communication, I know...)
"We were never normal... were we?" Maya sighed.
(And that's a BAD thing?!) The Shadows mimicked Rob's Suspicious Eye.
"I guess not, but our friends weren't normal either, were they?" Rob answered.
(No...) One began.
(Your friends... are all over the universe. Perhaps they are Soulless, perhaps just lost, or maybe even transcended through time. No doubt one of them would have actually seen this coming... and we don't mean the one called Charlotte.)
"If not her, then who-" Rob began, but the Shadow interrupted.
(You'll find that out soon. Now as the Soulless leaders, you know what you must do, right?)
"Ummm... find our friends and stop our mad, psycho father?" Maya asked.
(And that's just the beginning. There are many things you must do... one which means finding the other Keyblade masters, and finding what you truly are as Soulless, and most of all... uniting your family... There's only so much we can tell you...) the other Shadow said.
"Where do we start first?" Rob asked.
(A former king named Ansem began reports on us and the Heartless... find that information... it shall be useful to you. It shall guide your way.)
"Yeah..." Maya appeared. "I suppose we'll meet other Soulless in the fight against the Heartless?"
(Of course. They're disguised and everywhere. They shall help... in more ways than one. Good luck, Rob and Maya.) A portal appeared. It showed Rob and Maya's limp bodies being carried by a blue hedgehog into a hotel.
"So... this begins everything..." Rob stood up. "Our grand destiny... the fight to balance light and darkness..."
"DON'T WORRY, MY FRIENDS, I'M COMING!" Maya cheered and leapt into the portal.
"Oy..." He turned to the Shadows. "When will I see mother again?"
(Soon enough.)
Satisfied, Rob followed his sister to his new fate.
(The TRUE version of Episode One. I hope you enjoy this better version. I mean, who ever thought of Heartless as GOOD GUYS?)
. In case you're wondering why some things are happening much differently than what they were supposed to be, it because it's slightly Alternate Universe. kaybye.)
