Kingdom Hearts: Mirrored Hearts ~Book 1~

An Innocent Heart

"Hey, Ayame," I heard a familiar voice say. I turned around to see my friend Celty laughing and smiling as she ran toward me, giving me a tight rushed hug, helping knock the strands of my long black hair out of my soft crimson green eyes, to the sides of my face. I laughed and smiled as I hugged her back.

"Ow Celty," I said as I regained my balance from her hug. "No need to be a stampede."

"Oh, I'm sorry. " she smiled as her brown hair bounced on her shoulders and her blue eyes shined. "Are you going to the festival? It's tomorrow you know?"

"Of course I am, the best part of living here in Radiant Garden is the festivals." I lived in Radiant Garden, a beautiful, calm, place, with kind and caring people at every corner. Radiant Garden was a place where anyone could start a new life, to get away from any troubles they have. But lately everyone has been worried that our place of peace and serenity will be shaken and stirred due to the heartless.

From what I understand heartless are frightful beings that long for human hearts, and dwell in the darkness. They do not have their own, so they take what they want. I've never seen a heartless, but from what I've heard they can appear as many different things, whether small, large, in rags, or armor. But no matter what it look like you'd always be able to tell it was a heartless by the empty, yearnful, yet determined look in their eyes. There's no way anything could happen, a heartless has never been here, and if there ever were it was a small amount and they were taken care of (A/N: birth by sleep wielders). So I don't think there's anything to worry about. Everyone is just scared, who wouldn't be? Who could even imagine the thought of losing their heart.

Celty and I were walking from the market place to the magic shop where most hung around to admire the trinkets and anything else captivating. As always Huey, Duey, and Luey were behind the counter tops arguing, goofing off, or sleeping.

"No Duey don't touch it like that, it's fragile!" Huey yelled.

"What do you mean? I didn't do anything."

"Hmmm," Huey looked down at the ring that was in his hand as he scratched his head and his jaw dropped. "Its bent Duey!"

"What? Lemme' see," he said as he stomped over to Huey. "I didn't do that, you did it!"

"Na uh, you did!"

"Blah blah blah," Luey cut in. "Would you guys stop yapping already I'm trying to sleep here." I leaned over and looked to my left to see Luey half laying in a chair with is feet propped up.

"But Luey no one will buy it if it's bent." Huey stated.

Luey made movement to get up and walk to stop between his two brothers. He looked at the ring, then looked between his brothers. He then took a sharp tool in one hand and the ring in the other, and lightly grazed the tool around the ring evening out the metal and then used it to push the dent forward. "There, " he said as he tossed the ring on the counter. "Problem solved," then walked in the other room.

Then Celty and I both started to laugh. That's when Huey and Duey noticed we were there.

"Oh," Huey blushed a little from embarrassment. "Hi Ayame, hi Celty."

"Hi, " we both said. Celty and I after doing some work or doing our own stuff, we'd always come visit Huey, Duey, and Luey. They were nice, funny, sweet, and good friends. We would also come here to wait on for her brother Cal. The shop's bells rang as the door opened. Speaking of the devil, it was Cal.

"Hey Celty, Ayame," he said smiling as he pushed his golden hair back and then shielding the sun from his blue eyes when it shined.

We did as usual after waiting Cal, we'd go walk around, get some ice cream, and then go to the flowery garden and talk for hours it seemed. When the sun started to go down, like always Celty and Cal would walk me home.

"Rest up ok?" Cal said waving as they continued to walk.

"Yeah, cause you're going to need it for the festival ok? And where something like you wore today, your blue dress is pretty." she said with a big smile.

"Ok, I will." I called after them as they turned the corner. After being inside for a while my mom asked me to go outside to see if the cat had gotten outside. I walked outside into the dark with only a little light coming from the lantern. I started to call for the cat, "Serina, Serina where'd you run off to? You should be inside now."

"Meow," I heard then turned to my left to see a man with red spiky hair in a black hooded cloak holding Serina.

"Is this your cat?"

"Oh yes, thank you," I said as I steady jogged over to him to get Serina from him.

"Your welcome."

"I've never seen you before, this is a pretty big place.." I decided to say before he tried to turn and walk off.

"No, you would've never seen me, I'm a bit of a traveler sweetheart."

"Oh really? Where could you possibly go, from what I know there's only so many places you can go."

"Oh yeah, i am, " he said with a charming smile. "But you got it all wrong doll face, there so many worlds out there to explore. Worlds that are more beautiful than this place."

"That's amazing."

"Sure is, " he said then stretched. "Who knows maybe I can take ya with me some time.

"I bet that'd be fun."

"Glad you like the idea." he fell silent for a moment before speaking. "ya know you seem really special."

"you think so?"

"Yeah I think you're gonna accomplish great things kid." he then started to turn ad walk off.

"Will you still be here tomorrow? What's your name?"

"Actually tonights my last night kid," he said waving while he walked. "And the name's Axel." he then disappeared around the corner.

"Hmmm, Axel huh? Nice name," I said as I walked back toward my house until I heard someone else speak.

"He is right." I looked over and saw another man in a hooded cloak, but this time the was on covering his face. I just started at him, I didn't say anything. "You will indeed accomplish great things....if with the right team."

"...Team?" I finally said.

"Just never be afraid of the dark, embrace it, and you will always come out strong."

"wha-" I started to say until I heard my mom's voice.

"Ayame, did you find the cat?!"

"Yeah mom, I did."

"Well hurry in, you'll need rest for the festival."

"Ok mom."

"Now what do you-, " I said as I turned back to the hooded figure, but he wasn't there. "Huh?" I started look around. "He was here just a minute ago." I was so confused it was as if he vanished in thin air. I walked back in me house trying to figure out what just happened. And what the hooded man meant by 'never being afraid of the dark' and 'you'll always come out strong if you embrace it.'. I for time being pushed the thoughts back and went in my room to sleep to be prepared for a fun and eventful day at tomorrow's Radiant Festival.