Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½ or Kingdom Hearts. Any resemblance between real people and actual events is purely ludicrous and you should see your physician.

A Different Side,

A Different Story

Prologue

"Where am I now?" was the cry heard in the darkness. The bandanna-wearing boy just grumbled as he realized he was lost again. The floor was beautiful, it looked like stained glass, almost fragile looking. "Well…this is strange…certainly isn't my island…" he said, trying to find any sign of familiarity. The atmosphere felt peaceful, serene, which only served to make him feel even more on edge. "Hmph. This isn't the first time I've gotten lost, but I'm usually somewhere near my house… Crap." Hanging his head, he continued his dejected shuffle.

"You appear to be lost."

"Who's there?" whipping his head around to try and find the speaker. "Come out and show yourself!"

"I'm sorry, I can't do that. We have more important things to worry about."

"Whatever it is, you can count me out. I just wanna go home." With that he proceeded to walk off in precisely the wrong direction to leave, but the right direction for the voice.

"Kids are such a handful…" the voice laments quietly.

Sometime later…

"Hey I recognize this… Unfortunately it's the same stained glass floor I passed twenty minutes ago…" The Eternal Lost Boy continued to plod along.

"Are you ready to listen yet?" for a disembodied voice it was starting to get testy. He hates having to repeat himself, but this particular subject is very uncooperative.

"…Fine." He flopped down on the ground, looking for all the world as if he wanted to sit there anyway. Truth is, he was getting tired.

"About time…" the voice muttered but before the boy could respond it launched into its sales pitch. "The time when the door opens is both very far off and very near. You must be ready for you are the only one who can do it. You are the only one who can save all the wo… Pay attention dammit!!!" the voice finally erupted at the source of its ire. The boy was lying on the ground, hands behind his head, one leg folded over the other and tapping his foot. With a blink, he sits up. Ryoga Hibiki, the king of cool, riiiiight. "As I was saying…" if voices could glare Ryoga would've been speared through. "You are the only one who can save all the worlds."

"That's it."

"Yes, that's it. Also, I need to know something about you."

"…This oughta be good…" shaking his head, he lay back down. "Fine oh High and Mighty Voice…whaddya wanna know?"

"What are your goals?"

"Hmph…that's an easy one. To be better then my friend Ranma, to get the girl I like to notice me, and to see rare sights…" by the end of that sentence he had assumed a thoughtful expression.

"With your sense of direction you already see rare sights…" the voice laughed softly. "You just might be what I need. I like you kid, so I'm gonna give you a gift. Pick from these pedestals." As he finishes speaking, three pedestals rise up from the floor, each bearing a different item. On one is a shield, on another is a rod, and on the last is something that caught his attention immediately, a sword.

"Well, since I do want at least a souvenir from this experience, I'll take this." So saying, he sweeps the sword up with a grin.

"Ah the power of the warrior, a sword of great power and terrible ruin. This is what you seek?" at the boy's enthusiastic nod he continued. "What do you give up in return?" the confused Ryoga looked at the remaining pedestals and, without hesitation, pointed at the staff. "You give up the power of the mystic, a rod of wisdom and great destruction… Is this the form you seek?"

Suddenly he felt seized up by some strange force, his next words would determine everything. The sickening realization almost made him refuse immediately, but he felt something greater win out, something that would forever change him. "Yes. This is what I want." Almost as soon as he spoke those words did his world slam down around him and drag him into darkness. He had no idea how long he'd been out for, but one thing was certain, at least he wouldn't wandering around the same stained glass floor, this one seemed to be different. "Belle…from Sleeping Beauty?" suffice it to say, he doesn't know his Disney movies. As he tried puzzling out this new problem, the voice decided to speak again.

"Just remember…the closer you get to the light, the greater the darkness will grow…"

"Whaddya mean by THAT?" he cried out before turning quickly, just in time to catch a look at his shadow as it expanded into a terrifying creature of pure darkness. "…Another thing I can't blame on Ranma…twice in one day." He sighed mournfully as he readied his sword. After all his fights with Ranma he realized something immediately, damn this guy was slow.

The disembodied voice was quietly worrying to itself about how the youngster would deal with his own shadow when he saw something completely unexpected.

"Tch… weak. Slow too. Weak and slow." Ryoga felt something bubbling up inside of himself that he wasn't used to feeling, confidence. He felt total confidence causing a grin to form on his face; to the voice it seemed a slightly predatory grin. The giant Shadow wasted no time in beginning the assault. To the Eternal Lost Boy, this was gonna be cake. The fist descended rapidly, forcing Ryoga to jump, and with a somersault landed on the thing's big wrist as the fist dived into the floor. The youth flashed a fanged grin as he ran up the monstrosity's black arm, the shadowy substance that made up its body was trying to cling to his ankles, but that didn't matter. He was gonna win. He adjusted his grip on the sword into a two handed grip, held low and to the side, upon reaching the summit of this monster mountain he jumped up and delivered a vast overhead blow to the creature's head making it erupt in a geyser of darkness. As the beast pitched forward, Ryoga flipped lightly to the ground…at least that's what was supposed to happen, but the creature's blood seemed to have coated the floor. "What the hell?? Aw man!" he yelled as he slipped and fell in the shadowy muck, feeling himself beginning to be dragged under, he panicked.

"Just remember…only you have the key to the final door. The time of the door's opening is both far off and very near…"

"Just great! Some encouragement!" he thought angrily as he was dragged under finally…falling…falling…falling…

"Ryoga ya lazy bum!"

End Chapter 1