Author's Note:

(October 2, 2017)

Hi everyone! Welcome to my first Kingdom Hearts fanfic! I started writing this way back in April, and my writing style has changed and (hopefully) improved a lot since then, so I decided to go back and rewrite this chapter. I haven't changed it too much, just a few things here and there.

A huge thank-you to my BFFs Mother of the Universe and Jackie Vocacia for all their support and help in writing this first chapter! I never would have published it if it weren't for you guys. I can't thank you enough! :)

The title was inspired by my BFF Jackie Vocacia, and it'll make sense later on in the story, I promise.

Okay, this author's note is long enough! Here is the very first chapter of Kingdom of Broken Hearts, newly rewritten! I really hope you like it! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Disney, or any of the canon worlds/characters/dialogue/ANYTHING.

Chapter One: Endings and Beginnings

"Nononono... That can't be the end... It can't be! There has to be more..."

The words came out in a whisper as I stared at the top screen of my 3DS XL, tears blurring my vision. "It can't end like this!"

But the credits were scrolling up the screens now. It was over. It was all over.

Before you think I've lost my mind, let me explain that I had just finished Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days. After nearly three hours of trying to beat the final bosses (and lots of crying... I admit, I cry easily), I had finally made it. The game was over for me. I guess I should have been happy, right? I mean, I had beaten the game. It was an accomplishment.

But in a strange way... Roxas, Axel, and Xion had become my... digital friends, I guess. After long stressful days at school, I'd unwind by killing Heartless and finding out more of Roxas's backstory. I'd freaked out when Xion pointed her Keyblade at Roxas in that Twilight Town mission. And when Xion revealed her final form? OK, I'll admit, I cried a little. But I quickly recovered and struggled through her battles. I didn't want the game to end. I wanted it to go back to the beginning, when my trio of digital friends got along happily. I swear, sometimes I felt as if I was there with them as they sat at the top of the clock tower. I could almost feel the wind, taste the sea-salt ice cream. Whenever Roxas grinned, I felt like he was smiling right at me.

But then I'd blink. Back to reality. Back to overwhelming homework, fighting friends, and all my everyday worries. Instead of being in the Castle that Never Was or Twilight Town, I would find myself back in my bedroom, my faded pink wallpaper welcoming me to the real world once again.

Now the game was finished. I had blinked back to reality for the last time.

The credits were still playing, the occasional picture of a moment from the game appearing to break up the darkness the white text scrolled up. I wiped my tears away with my left hand and struggled to silence my crying. I didn't want my parents to know I was sobbing over a video game. Not that they would have thought something was wrong with me or anything, I just... I don't like people seeing me cry.

"The End" declared the words on the bottom screen now. Underneath the simple phrase was a picture of Roxas shedding his Organization XIII cloak- and his past- in favor of his new life. In the top-right corner, the Sea-Salt Trio sat happily on top of the clock tower, ice cream in hand.

It hurt. Why did this game always have to rub the feels in my face? Xion was dead, or, at least, forgotten- which was worse than death, in my opinion. Imagine living your life and making friends and then- poof! They all forgot you ever even existed. Just the thought made more tears spill out of my blue-green eyes. That's what had happened to the girl I had shipped Roxas with so much- my newest OTP. Only not really 'one' true pairing, since I had at least a dozen of them from my multiple fandoms. But now Xion was gone and Roxas was stuck in some digital land with digital friends (however that worked, I wasn't entirely sure), thinking whatever bits he remembered from his time in the Organization were just crazy dreams.

That made me wonder- what if every time I had a dream, it was really a memory from a past life? But that didn't really make any sense. My dreams were way too random. And what if I had a nightmare? I mean, I hadn't had once since I was six, but still. Next time I had one, I'd think that whatever monster my mind had invented was something from my past coming to get me. Lovely.

I realized then that my thoughts had been wondering all over the place. With a sigh, I pressed the 'Start' button on my 3DS, saved the game, and powered off the console. The two empty, dark screens reminded me that it really was game over. Goodbye, Twilight Town and Castle that Never Was. Farewell, Roxas and Axel and Xion... Nononono why did she have to die... I mean, I knew why, but... It was still so sad!

My thoughts were a swirling storm of emotions and soon even I had to admit I was tired. What time was it, anyway? It was a Friday, so there was no school tomorrow (thankfully). I could basically stay up as long as I wanted, within reason. I picked my phone off the desk and double-tapped the screen, almost dropping the device back onto the wooden surface when I saw the numbers displayed. "2 AM? How can it be that late?" I gasped, quickly scrolling through a bunch of missed messages from my friends. Nothing too important.

Just how long had that boss fight taken? I struggled to remember. I came up to my room just after dinner (about 7:30), messaged my friends for awhile, then had gotten frustrated by yet another fight among them and decided to vent out my frustration by killing Heartless. Only, I ended up battling two Organization members instead. One of which was Xion... Why did this game make me so sad?! It's just a video game!

But no. Kingdom Hearts was more than just a video game to me. It had been a big part of my world for the past few months. I'd played it when my eyes were filled with tears, when I was stressed, longing for a change. Why couldn't my life have more adventure in it? Like Sora, or Roxas. Their lives were filled with excitement.

Only... I'm not exactly brave. Sure, I'm outgoing and friendly. My friends say I'm one of the most kindhearted people in the world. But I'm not strong. I get scared easily. I'm emotional. I have a list of fears I keep in my dresser drawer that I started when I was ten and kept adding to, even now that I was almost fourteen. Five pages of wrinkled printer paper, filled by my greatest worries scribbled with my lucky pink pencil. Some of them I had outgrown, thankfully, but others still haunted me. If I happened to fall into an adventure, I'm so weak I'd almost certainly get killed in some horrible way. Before any of the exciting things really happened, I'd be dead.

Oh. Lovely thought. Was this another thing to add to my fears list? 'Dying in an adventure before it really begins.' I sighed and stared up at the ceiling, my storm of emotions dying down and making me feel empty inside. This is why video games exist, I thought. So people like me can go on adventures. It's for the best I'll never get to go on a real one. I'd for sure find a way to ruin something.

With that thought, I stood up from my desk and got ready for bed.

~Time-Skip~

You've probably already guessed by now that something really weird happened that night. And since I made a big point of mentioning how I was perfectly happy to stick with videogame adventures, it only makes sense (in a weird, twisted way) that a real adventure would come my way. Well, stop guessing, please. You're ruining the story for yourself.

Speaking about you, have you ever had a dream so real, so vivid, that you honestly believe with all your heart that it's completely real while it's happening? You never doubt it for a second, except for maybe the ironic thought of "This is so amazing, I must be dreaming!" or "If only this was just a nightmare..." And when you wake up, it takes you a moment to realize you've come back to reality. I have those dreams often, although usually I can't remember what they were about. I'm just left with a strange feeling, like whatever I dreamt was a part of my life I'd suddenly forgotten. Actually, wasn't that how Roxas felt after his dreams near the end of the game...?

But I'm rambling again. Sorry, I do that alot. I swear that last paragraph was important to the story though. You'll see.

I don't even remember falling asleep that night. Next thing I knew, I was standing next to the front gates of a large mansion. It was sudden, with no warning. I blinked several times, looking around in surprise. It was hard to see the mansion through the huge gates, to my left, while on my right was a large empty lawn that ended in a forest. In front of where I had 'appeared,' I guess, was more lawn which was cut off by a wall of trees. Behind me was the same. What had just happened?

I stood there stupidly trying to remember. Something was bugging me, though. Something seemed off. It took me a few moments to realize what it was: I felt ... empty. Uncaring, sort of. Only not really. It was almost like being in shock, when all your emotions just woosh out of you. I felt like something was missing. And for some reason this place seemed awfully familiar...

I closed my eyes for a second, trying to remember where I had seen those gates before. An image popped up in my mind that caused me to open my eyes with a gasp. A scene from a video game. A teenage boy with spiky blond hair and shockingly blue eyes. He's standing by a gate, exactly where I am now. It's more pixely and very CGI but definitely the same spot. In front of him stands a man in a black cloak. It was so familiar; a scene that I'd watched dozens and dozens of times. I knew exactly where I was now, but I just couldn't bring myself to really believe this was actually happening.

No way. It couldn't possibly be.

Was I- Had I- Was I really in Twilight Town?

No way. My life isn't some fanfiction where people just randomly appear in the world of their favorite video game. Where had I been before this? Think! That's right, I was at home, in bed. So why... How...?!

It couldn't be a dream. It had to be, but it couldn't possibly! It was so real. Then again, with me, it was hard to tell. I had dreams like this often.

I was so confused. I just wanted-

I tensed, noticing a movement out of the corner of my eye. Turning toward it, I took a few steps backward in surprise, almost falling over when I backed into the gate. The rough chill of the metal against my back started me, and I let out a small squeak of surprise. Smooth, Alea, real smooth, I scolded myself mentally. Oh, that's my name, by the way. Alea Hart. Guess I should have mentioned that earlier, huh? Sorry.

The main reason I was so surprised was that a hooded figure in a black cloak was walking toward me. But I recognised that cloak. As the figure came closer I could see the glint of golden eyes from underneath the hood's shadow.

Here's the weird part, though (even though I guess suddenly finding yourself in a strange place with a creepy guy in a black cloak walking toward you is pretty weird, huh?): I wasn't afraid. I mean, my brain was telling me "Danger, danger!" but I didn't get all panicky and run away or even cry like I normally would have. I stayed calm, maybe just a little nervous. It was... well, weird.

"You seek answers," the cloaked man spoke. He was now so close I could see his eyes clearly, along with a few stands of gray hair. It was him. I wanted to say his name, ask him why he was here, or where here even was. Although I knew. I knew where I was. But I couldn't say anything. My mouth wouldn't move. I could only nod dumbly as the man continued, "I can give you purpose."

If you've ever played 358/2 Days you know by know who the stranger was and what was happening. So did I, mostly. As the glowing letters appeared in front of me, spelling out my first name, I thought how odd it was that I wasn't scared, or excited, or anything, really. I felt... numb, I guess. I didn't even question what was happening. It seemed perfectly normal now. The letters spun around me, finally stopping to spell out "Alexa." Not very creative, I thought. But something made me want to say it aloud, so I did: "Alexa."

And then it fully hit me, like an avalanche coming out of nowhere: Xemnas just made me a member of Organization XIII.

Xemnas just made me a member of Organization XIII. I really was in Twilight Town.

Did that mean... Was I a Nobody?

Xemnas was right. I did want answers. I had a lot of questions.

What would turn out to be the biggest adventure of my life had just begun.

Author's note:

So there you go! There's the first chapter of Kingdom of Broken Hearts! Why is Alea in Twilight Town? Why did Xemnas recruit her into Organization XIII? What adventures wait in store for her? Will she ever return home back to her world? Keep reading! This chapter may be over, but the story's only just beginning.

Thanks for reading! :)