In the beginning, Keimei was an orphan. His parents were unknown and he was simply left on the doorstep of a local villager. He grew up, being raised by the people who found him as if he was their natural son. He wasn't told of his true heritage. The surrounding villagers and Kage simply believed that Keimei was just some random abandoned orphan. However, as Keimei later learned on, he wasn't.

His adopted parents had Keimei live an average life of a growing shinobi. He went to the Academy and did well. He was smarter than the average student, which resulted in him being constantly bored and unsatisfied. His parents, sensing this, did personal training at him, honing his bloodline skills. They informed him of his hidden abilities, which coursed through his veins.

As for his childhood, he spent the majority of it alone. He didn't have any friends, as rather than being simply shy or weird, he didn't find any interest with his classmates. After a few years, his classmates learned that Keimei wanted no company and they just chose to leave him alone. They didn't attempt to bully him, as he had proven before that he was not one to be messed with. They just pretended he didn't exist. Keimei was alright with this.

As Keimei grew older, he grew more and more restless. He found himself annoyed by his peers as well as his instructors. Eventually, he graduated from the Academy and passed the Genin exam at the top of his class. Finally, he was free of the Academy and he was able to do things by himself. He was able to start his life as a shinobi. From that point on, he did several low level missions, accumulating a sum of money and gaining reputation.

One day, while not on a mission and just taking the day off, Keimei accidentally overheard some local villagers discussing how the Genkaku residence was still pretending that the orphan really was their actual child. Irked and curious by this, Keimei confronted his parents about it. They confessed to it, and said they were keeping a promise. Irritated and angry, Keimei left, refusing to listen to their explanations. He didn't like it that they lied to him for his entire life.

For a while, Keimei rented himself a cheap apartment, paying rent and buying food with the money he got from his missions. He refused to talk to his parents, despite their attempts. However, while doing his duties as a shinobi, Keimei increasingly became interested in how his parents knew his bloodline. From what he heard, his actual parents were unknown. Finally, overcome with curiosity, he confronted his parents once more. He discovered that he was actually related to them and that they weren't simply picked at random. After further talking, he learned his real parents were out there somewhere, continuously looking for something.

After all the explanations, Keimei and his parents had closure, although Keimei decided that it was better that he continued to live on his own. Although reluctant, his parents agreed and helped him find a better apartment. Although asked not to search for his parents, Keimei secretly did while on missions, trying to find out where they are.

Keimei became a Chuunin, passing the Chuunin Exams with hardly any trouble, a few months after becoming Chuunin. He continued on, taking more difficult missions and traveling to farther lands. His search for his parents, however, proved futile. It seemed as through they disappeared off the face of the earth.

While assisting in helping a minor village fend of attackers for a mission, Keimei finally met challenges for the first time in his life. He had trouble surviving the minor war, as there were shinobi there far above his level and more experience. However, in the end, he came out alive and victorious. It gave him a new perspective on life, making him want to enjoy and value life.

Eventually, due to the successful streak of missions and superior combat skills, Keimei was promoted to the rank of Special Jounin. Excited to be moving up in the world still, Keimei continued to go on even more difficult missions while also becoming more skilled.

Keimei was assigned a mission involving a war with two villages, although they were both minor. However, unlike before, this war was bigger. Keimei had an even rougher time there, even though he was stronger. He did know how to deal with war, as he was already experienced.

While fighting at the war, he finally found a lead on his parents, after abandoning his search on them after the first war. It was when he was having to help lead an attack on the enemy village. When raiding a house, he found a picture that matched the picture his adopted parents gave him. He believed the house, although abandoned, used to belong to his parents. After searching his parents house, he found a clue to where they might be. However, having to deal with the war still, he had to save searching for them for later.

As the war dragged on, Keimei became more hardened. He grew less and less hesitant to killing, as he learned that the enemies wouldn't hesitate to kill him. He also grew more and more like his old way, finding that life wasn't as great as he thought it was. Eventually, the war ended with his side victorious. He lead the last attack, which decided the outcome of the war.

Keimei returned very successful on his mission. Back at the village, he was title Dawn's End as he ended the war at Dawn. He was awarded the promotion of Jounin. Although, rather than taking on another mission, he decided to take a break and to travel a while, to search for his parents. As he did, he discovered that he was beginning to lose interest in his menial life. He found that doing missions over and over again were just dull.

During his travels, Keimei dropped his name and took on the alias of D. He met several people, visited several places, and learned several new things. He enjoyed traveling, as there was always something new. However, he kept in mind the reason why he was traveling. He followed the clue he found in their old house to another country. After several months, he found another house. Although, upon entering, he found it was abandoned as well. He continued to travel, although he kept within his origin country and the one he found the house. Finally, he decided it was time to come home. He returned to the village, a year later after he had left. Coincidentally, it was on his birthday. He was seventeen now, and a Jounin. Quite young, even given his age. Although, unlike before, he decided to take it easier, and to not just take mission after mission.

Asher cruised in his old gummi ship, flying towards the End of the World. In his memory, Asher never once visited the place before. This would be the first. For a moment, Asher worried about getting lost. That moment passed, and Asher knew that it wouldn't be that hard. If it proved to be a difficult task, he would simply sniff Ansem out. Asher wondered about the heartless entity known as Ansem. He didn't know him very well, except for what information Yima had and the old stories. He would still have to tread lightly, for Asher knew that Ansem was quite powerful. However, after meeting him in the Realm of Darkness, Ansem seemed friendly enough to offer him lessons in the art of portalling. That excited him. He's wanted to learn portalling for a while now. Yima was supposed to take him along for portal lessons, except he left before he had the chance. He sighed. So disappointing.

The young Pumpkin King arrived at the End of the World. Morbid if taken out of context, although that made it even more amusing. After exploring the world for a bit, intrigued by the fascinating layout that the world held, Asher finally came upon a boulder which Ansem was standing atop, who was just joined by Etzolix. Hm. So Etzolix was being trained as well...this should be interesting. Asher landed his ship next to Etzolix's and got out. A few minutes late, but oh well. Not that extreme. The Pumpkin King was wearing the Apprenti Robes Yima had given him. They were form fitting, easy to maneuver and train in. He walked next to Etzolix, and looked up at the heartless. "Present," he said, as if a bored student in a classroom and answering the roll call of the teacher. He pushed his long black hair out of his face and to the side, revealing sharp, emerald-colored eyes, underneath. Asher was due for a hair cut, but he had been too busy organizing attacks and other events to bother with such a trivial matter. Portalling would certainly help him in this time. It'd make transportation much more efficient than gummi ships.

Asher glanced at Etzolix and got a feeling he didn't like it that he was here, being trained here. It was nothing more than a slight inkling. Truthfully, the Pumpkin King had trouble reading Etzolix's emotions and sometimes even questioned if he himself wasn't a heartless. Mentally shrugging it off, he listened to Ansem as he explained their first training lesson. Ansem explained how they would need to step into a higher gravity area and stand up straight. It seemed easy enough, simply just adapt to the higher gravity. Asher was pretty strong, although not as strong as Etzolix or Ansem, but still. Added with the fact he wasn't a heavy weight would mean it'd be less hard. He watched Ansem create a portal and enter through it, then watched as Etzolix entered the same portal. Taking a deep breath, Asher mentally prepared himself and stepped through the portal. The experience of being in the corridor of darkness itself was new, although nothing special.

When he reached the end of the passage of darkness, Asher took a step out...and feel forward. He caught himself with his hands, although now he was on both knees and hands. "What the hell," he managed to exhale, struggling. He wasn't expecting the gravity to be this heavy. "Fuck," he swore as he lifted his head to see Etzolix struggling as well. After some effort, he stood up on one leg and straightened out his back. He could always feel the sweat beads forming on his forehead and body. He then continued to struggle until he was on both feet, although bent into an awkward crouching position with one hand on the ground supporting him. He swallowed. He didn't have the strength Etzolix did, which would mean he would have to try as twice as much.

"Where the hell are we," Asher asked, wiping the sweat off his brow. After some concentration, he was able to support himself without his hand, although he was still in the crouching position, with his rear very close to the ground.

Wiping the sweat accumulating on his brow, Asher listened to Ansem berate them and for Etzolix to reply with a snide remark about his daughter. Asher was surprised to hear the Ansem had a daughter. Could heartless reproduce? Technically, they were once human...and humanoid heartless seem to have a sex, which would mean they'd have the right organs to reproduce....Ugh. Asher shuddered at the thought of two Shadow heartless having sex. It was not a pleasant thought. Although, perhaps later, Asher would ask Ansem about whether or not he can reproduce. It may lead up to an interesting conversation.

Asher watched in awe and interest as he struggled to stand straight up. It seemed as though he was forcing himself...but, he succeeded faster than Asher would have thought. Asher didn't know whether it hurt Etzolix to stand up straight that fast or if he really was that strong. He silently sighed. Asher would take the harder route...he didn't want to injure his spinal cord or something. Portalling won't be useful if he was paralyzed.

Asher silently took an account of his body mass, strength and the gravity around him. Asher wasn't a heavy set person, and he strength was his strongest forte, so that would decrease his difficulty. However, because of his frame and the lack of strength he could have, it would make it more difficult. Ugh. Asher didn't know if it was the gravity or the thinking that gave him a headache.

After fifteen minutes later of struggling, aching, and groaning, Asher stood straight on his legs. Although, his back was bent forward a bit, gravity still pulling him down. He knew he was taking longer than Etzolix was, but he wasn't as powerful as him. Whatever. Etzolix could get used to the gravity, while Ansem can think about his next lessons. Fifteen minutes later, Asher finally managed to stand up in a straightened position. He sighed and said, "Okay. Let's move on."

Ansem nodded, and explained what they had to do next. He said they had to walk forward five feet and attempt to focus the darkness within their hearts.

Asher sighed. He had to walk forward about five feet and then focus his darkness around him? It didn't seem challenging, even with the gravity...although, considering how hard it was to stand up straight, it'd be no surprise if Asher struggled with this as well. This time, though, there was no taking baby steps. Asher didn't feel like having to take all day, especially with Etzolix excelling at a much faster pace. He breathed in and breathed out and then took a step. He took another, maintaining his balance, and another, which put him at roughly five feet from where he was. He held out his right arm in front of him and closed his eyes. He focused on the Darkness that was within the depths of his heart, tamed by his will. He also focused on the darkness swirling around him, creating an aura of darkness. This aura of darkness represented somewhat of a power level of Asher, as it was the strength of his darkness. Asher never bothered to learn to conceal it, as it never came up as a problem...well, except for the Aoi Thief, but that was a different story. Anyways, Asher breathed in again and focused on old memories. Memories of his mother, his grandparents, and this strange girl that often haunted his dreams. He also focused on his drive, which was to be weak. In fact, that was half the reason for the events he had been planning and doing: to make it known that he was not weak. He focused on his drives, his ambitions, and his memories and weaved them with darkness, building up within him...until he released it to call forth a passage to the Corridor of Darkness. It didn't work out. Instead of opening a portal, Asher produced ribbons of Darkness spiraling off randomly around him. He then lost his balance from the sudden release of Darkness and fell to his knees. "Fuck," he said as he gritted his teeth. He stood back up, much quicker than before, and went back to focusing his energy.
Asher accomplished the previous lesson quickly, already knowing what he had to do. The memories of his past were now fresh in his brain. He briefly thought about Yima, his old mentor. He sighed. Asher's ears perked when Ansem talked, giving the next instructions. Jump higher than he normally could? But...that's...Argh. Just as he was about to attempt to, he saw Etzolix suddenly open a portal and run through it. Asher stood in shock, wondering how Etzolix did it so fast and where he would end up. After a moment, a shadow heartless suddenly popped up, holding a letter addressed to him. Asher figured that Etzolix had gotten stranded on some other world and sent a letter notifying him so.

He opened the letter, scanned the page and froze. The letter slipped from his fingers and floated to the ground. Etzolix was gone...Just like Yima. His two teachers. The two people he looked up to, strived to succeed for...gone. They were the ones that helped him grow up. Yima was one thing...but now, without Etzolix...it made Asher feel alone. He felt as alone as he did when his grandparents died...He sighed. He couldn't cry over this. No time to be angst, neither Etzolix nor Yima would approve. Asher would have to just keep training and getting stronger. Then, one day, he would meet Yima and Etzolix again, he would not disappointment. Their hearts would lead them all to each other, just as Etzolix's heart would lead him to the blue haired girl. The Pumpkin King sighed again, but for once, he sighed not out of grief or annoyance, but out of the anticipation of the future.

Asher pocketed the letter, informed Ansem of the situation with Etzolix, and resumed his next lesson. He first started to run, straining his muscles and ignoring the pain that started to build up. After gaining a steady pace, he jumped. He reached about half the height of his normal jump. He jumped again. This time, it was near his average height. Again. Same height. And again once more...and he succeeded. Asher landed with a thud, panting hard. His leg muscles were burning, not used to being pushed so hard in such gravity, but again, Asher ignored it.