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Dandelion Tongue - Chapter 8, “Neonormality”

Chirithy sighed, their explanation to the scientists having been cut off yet again by the computer’s annoying beeping. Even stood to walk over to the computer.

“There’s another one…” he sighed, reading the notifications. “All about this mad woman running around the town and screaming at people… Aeleus, Dilan, would you go find out what the problem is?” The guards, who had been positioned by one of the side doors, nodded and took their leave.

“As I was saying,” Chirithy started again, clearing their throat, “I’ve been working— well, trying to work on Ven’s memories some more. I… Think it’s been going well? He hasn’t reacted negatively to any of it, at the very least.”

“Has he been able to recover any more memories?” Ienzo asked, legs crossed and taking notes across from the spirit.

“Um, not that I’ve noticed, at least,” they explained. “I’ve only started working on them again recently…”

“I see,” the steel-haired scientist muttered absentmindedly, jotting down more notes. Even huffed at the computer and returned to his seat next to Ienzo.

“I swear,” he said, pinching the bridge of his nose, “There never used to be this many issues around town.” Ienzo nodded along, not truly listening.

The door to the lab opened, and Naminé stepped inside, carefully shutting the door behind her. Ienzo stood to greet her.

“Ah, Naminé! How was your session with... Ven..?” He noticed the serious look on her face. “Is everything alright?” She wordlessly handed her sketchbook to him, already open to the most recent page.

Drawings that were incredibly skillful for the short time Naminé had been alive covered the page. A girl with dark hair, a boy whose hair was much lighter, several adults clad in robes and animalistic masks, another boy with hair as dark as the girl’s and—

Oh. No wonder Naminé looked so serious. There was a name written underneath each of the figures. The adults he identified as the Foretellers Ven had told him about. He carefully studied the letters of the last figure’s name, rearranging them in his head. He felt his jaw drop slightly. Sure enough…

“Naminé, I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize—” Ienzo stammered as Even stood to take the sketchbook from him. The older scientist’s eyes widened as his gaze fell on the last figure.

“This is… Marluxia..?”

“Chirithy,” Ienzo looked over his shoulder to speak to the Dream Eater. “Do you know this—” He looked back at the drawing. “Lauriam..? Is he one of Ventus’ friends?”

“Oh!” The spirit perked up. “They were both Union Leaders together.”

“Union Leaders..?” Ienzo questioned. “I thought it was the Foretellers’ role to oversee the Unions.”

“Well, it was ,” Chirithy sighed. “Until they all disappeared. Master Ava had chosen five wielders to watch over the Unions after they left.”

“As if she knew the Foretellers were going to disappear…” The scientist noted. “And Lauriam was one of these keyblade wielders?” Chirithy nodded.

“I don't think I ever met anyone in Daybreak Town that wasn’t.”

“Interesting…”

“He always did show an interest in the keyblade,” Even added. “Perhaps he missed the ability to summon his after he lost his heart.”

“That brings up another question,” Ienzo continued. “Ven mentioned that people from his world don't have naturally occurring darkness in their hearts. However, if Marluxia was originally from the same world, that simply can’t be true. Those with hearts of pure light cannot normally create Heartless, or Nobodies for that matter.” Even furrowed his brow.

“Even Ventus was not born with a pure heart. Why, the darkness within him had been great enough to create an entirely new person in the form of Vanitas.”

“Strange…” Ienzo turned to Naminé, who had taken a seat next to Chirithy, gently petting the spirit’s head. “Were you able to find any information on this topic?” She shook her head.

“Nothing that I noticed, anyways. I didn’t dig too deep.”

“I see…” Ienzo tapped at his chin. “Thank you, anyways, Naminé. I don't know what we would do without your assistance.” She gave him a shy smile and a nod, while Chirithy— despite their limited capabilities to show emotion— was looking very confused.

“That can’t be right… We were fighting the darkness to make sure it stayed out of people's hearts… And you’re saying that they all had darkness in their hearts to begin with?”

“Perhaps there is more to this than meets the eye,” Ienzo noted. “I suppose it is too early to jump to any conclusions with the limited information we have.” The Dream Eater let out a small sigh of relief.

“We should have Naminé examine Ven’s memories again,” he added, turning to the girl. “If that’s alright with you, of course.” She gave him a slight nod.

“It should be fine,” she hummed. “I’ll just… Make sure to be careful.”

“That would be wise,” Even muttered to himself, turning back to the computer. The lab’s door opened again, Ventus slipping into the room. He gave the group a shy wave, then sat down just across from Naminé, setting Chirithy in his lap. They fell into easy conversation, passing foreign whispers between each other.

It fascinated Naminé how naturally they could communicate in words she could never hope to understand. It must have been the other way around for Ven, she supposed, now that his memories of speaking their language had been locked away. So many things had changed simply overnight for him. It was almost uncanny how different he had become while being so similar all at the same time. He was an alternate version of himself, just slightly to the left of who everyone knew. Same mannerisms and dreams, but with a different past and relationships. No longer best friends with Terra and Aqua but rather—

Thinking about him, Marluxia— Lauriam — made her stomach churn. Her heart raced if his name even darted across her mind. He had been horrible . To think that he had been friends with Ven, not so long ago? She couldn’t imagine Ven becoming friends with someone as malicious as Marluxia; he must have been nice before, and fallen from grace somewhere along the way. What could possibly cause someone to fall so far?

Perhaps it was simply losing his heart, becoming a Nobody? No, it wasn’t just that. The other reformed ex-Organization members had been cold, but they hadn’t been cruel . Axel, heck, even Saïx had shown that they still had some sense of humility. Marluxia? He was just… evil. Him and Larxene, she would never understand their merciless actions.

Those two… They had been, well, friends might be stretching it a bit, but they had definitely been close. Had they been friends before the Organization too? Had Ven also known Larxene, and Naminé had just happened to gloss over his memories of her? She pinched the edge of her skirt, her hands shaking. Just the idea of diving back into Ven’s memories was beginning to scare her.

Breathe, she reminded herself. She tended to panic when she was scared. Ienzo had shown her some breathing exercises to help her calm down. To ground herself. Right, it’s important to breathe.

In. Pause. Out.

In. Pause—

“Hey, we might need a little help with this one!” Demyx called, the door bursting open with his entrance. Naminé nearly choked on her breath, startled by the musician’s sudden appearance. He hadn’t told anyone much about his past before the Organization, but apparently he didn’t have anywhere else to go, so he mostly wandered from world to world, stopping in Radiant Garden every now and then.

His hair was windblown, the longer strands plastered against his reddened face with sweat. His chest heaved as he gasped for breath.

“What, are you running away from an elephant?” Even teased from his spot at the computer, hardly reacting to Demyx’s appearance.

“No, seriously! Dil’ n’ Aeleus barely have a hold on her!”

“Oh, the mad woman,” Even sighed, closing down the program he had been working in. “Why don't you bring her to the infirmary, get her to calm down, and then we can—”

“I don't think that’ll—” Demyx was interrupted by a loud crash that shook the castle walls. "I don't think she'll make it that easy!"

"Oh for crying out loud," Even muttered, reluctantly pulling himself from his seat. "I don't understand what you think I could possibility do if Dilan and Aeleus can't even—"

As if on cue, the guards finally found themselves in the lab’s doorway, shoulders ramming into the doorframe as they struggled to restrain—

Naminé froze, completely unable to move.

Oh, God, she thought. Not her… Please, anyone but her!

Today was officially the worst day of Elrena’s life. She had woken up, laying on the ground with torn and dirty clothes, in a place that was decidedly not Daybreak Town. Surrounded by— ugh, way more people than she was used to being around. Sure, it’s freaky, but a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do, right? Asking for directions, an explanation, or heck, even just for the name of this weird place should be easy enough right? Well, the universe really must have been out to get her that day, because not one — not one!— person could understand a single word she was saying!

And, man! A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do! Even if that means screaming your lungs out at whoever will listen until you get your point across. Or, in Elrena’s case, until the local police or whatever noticed her behaviour and dragged her to their castle, kicking and screaming all the way.

They’re absolute brutes, too. She couldn’t even move her wrists with the way they held her arms behind her back. Yeesh! Don't they know how to treat a lady?

She dug her heels into the ground just to spite them, catching her ankles on every door frame and corner they turned. She screamed every time their grip tightened. At least they seemed to understand that she was upset; they just didn't particularly care . Well, at least one of them doesn’t seem to care. The man with long dreads kept griping to his partner about, let’s be honest, probably her.

Good, she thought. If I have to be upset, then he ought to be too.

They dragged her, who knows where, until she saw— A large metal rack, completely loaded with glass beakers and vials. And just barely within reach of a well timed kick.

The perfect opportunity for a get away.

Or so Elrena thought. While the crashed rack and shattering glass did startle the beefcakes into letting go of her, she didn’t quite get around to considering that their giraffe legs would be able to quickly outrun her. It’s not hardly even thirty seconds before she’s back in their restraining arms and— ouch, they’re definitely not messing around anymore.

Before she knows it, they’ve dragged her into a room with— oh great , more people. Now they’re all staring at her and she doesn’t even know any of them—

Wait. Is that…

“Chirithy?” she asked, confused and relieved and feeling so much all at the same time. But no, it’s not her Chirithy, is it? No, their fur was a few shades too light, their eyes were a different shape, and Elrena’s spirit would never give up an opportunity to make fun of her. This one just… Stared at her. So what? It just must be somebody else’s. Like the kid whose lap they were currently sitting in.

They’re probably just another Dandelion. If she’s lucky, it might even be someone she knows. Even if she didn’t, that’s still someone that would understand her situation— and could help her get out of it. They could have each other’s backs; them against the world! Just her and—

“Union Leader Ventus..?!”

#My writing #fanfic #kh #ventus #Chirithy #ienzo #even #elrena #Naminé #dandelion tongue #crosspost from AO3

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ari-writes-stuff · 2 years

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Dandelion Tongue - Chapter 7, “Discovering”

He had woken up to the lights being flicked on and off by the blonde scientist at what must have been the break of dawn. Between the excitement of yesterday and the few hours of sleep he had gotten, he was exhausted. That didn't stop the scientist— Even, Ienzo had said— from insisting that he had to be up and ready as soon as humanly possible. He hadn't even had a chance to eat breakfast before he was sitting on a lab table, Chirithy yawning in his lap.

Ienzo entered the room with a thick book and, thankfully, a plate of warm food in his hands. Ven felt his mouth water from the smell, and the scientist luckily didn't hesitate to set the plate down beside him, angrily muttering something about Even in his own tongue. He flipped through his book as Ven scarfed the food down as politely as he could manage, offering the occasional bite to his spirit.

"I'm terribly sorry for how suddenly we woke you this morning." Ienzo sighed. "Even has other work to do and wanted to have your check-up completed and processed sooner rather than later." Ven nodded, scrapping the last few pieces of egg into his mouth.

"Check-up?" he asked once he had swallowed. The scientist nodded.

"Even wants to ensure that your memories being… Tampered with didn't have any other negative effects on your being."

"Oh," Ven said, setting his fork down on the now empty plate. "Okay."

"After your results have been processed," Ienzo explained, flipping through his book again, "We'll work from there. We would like you to meet with Naminé as well, if possible."

"Is she a scientist too?" Ven asked, setting the plate to his side so he could pull Chirithy back onto his lap.

"Oh, no," the scientist said. "She's simply well-versed in manipulating and revealing memories. It's quite fascinating, really." He tapped his fingers against a keyboard that was set into the counter, the smooth screen quickly lighting up in response.

"Oh." Ven absently picked at bits of fuzz in his Dream Eater's fur. If he was being honest, he had hardly any idea about what Ienzo was talking about, but at least it sounded like something interesting.

"To put it simply," Ienzo thankfully explained, "She has the power to see and change people's memories— even ones they may have previously forgotten."

That made a bit more sense, Ven thought. In fact, it sounded pretty cool. You'd never have to forget anything, unless you wanted to. If you did, you could just change it or erase it from your mind.

"Do you think I could learn how to do that?" he asked, a smile on his face as he thought of all the possibilities.

"Believe me," the scientist moaned. "I've tried. My attempts to copy her powers have led me nowhere. I'm sure it must have something to do with the peculiar nature of her creation."

"Because she's a Nobody?" Ienzo shook his head.

"It's… a little more complicated than that," he muttered. "How to explain…" Ven watched as the scientist slowly started pacing back and forth, absentmindedly picking at his lips.

"Basically," he stopped pacing and turned back towards the younger boy, "Kairi's heart had found its way into the body of someone else— her friend Sora. Being a Princess of Heart, she was born without any darkness in her heart, so when-"

"Is anybody?" Ven interrupted him.

"Pardon?"

"People shouldn't be born with darkness in their heart, right?" Ienzo's brow furrowed.

"Where you're from, are people born with hearts of pure light?" Ven nodded, a confused expression on his face.

"The darkness is a dangerous thing," Chirithy added from Ven's lap. "It wouldn't be good if people started letting it fester in their hearts from the day they were born. That's why we were trying so hard to collect the light— to fight against the darkness."

"Is that so?" Ienzo grabbed a notepad and began jotting down notes as the spirit nodded. "And what would happen if someone happened to be tainted by darkness?"

"Their heart, and by extension, their Chirithy would become corrupted and quite possibly fall completely under darkness's hold, becoming power hungry monsters that hardly resemble what they once were."

"I see," the scientist hummed, flipping through his notes. "Anyways," he shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Normally, someone that is pure of heart would not be able to create a Nobody, but Naminé was created with the help of Sora's body, giving Naminé a special power over Sora's heart and those that are strongly connected to him."

Of course a power like that wouldn't come without repercussions. Still, it certainly must prove to be useful despite its limitations.

"Oh, I see," Ven commented. Ienzo nodded.

"I could probably go on about all of that for hours, but we have a check-up to prepare you for and I'm sure Even is already upset with how long we've made him wait."

"Oh… Right." Ven clutched his Dream Eater close to his chest and carefully slid off of the table.

"One last thing," Ienzo added, holding his book out to the younger boy. "This is for you. It's a dictionary that translates words between our language and yours. I thought you might find your stay here a little less… Frustrating if you were able to understand the others."

Ven opened his arms to let his Chirithy hop down so he could take the book. It was almost humorously thick, took both of Ven's arms to hold, and smelled just as old as its stained and torn pages looked.

It was probably, Ven decided, the best gift he had ever been given.

"Thank you!" he smiled, his eyes sparkling as he gently traced his finger over the worn cover of his present.

"Of course," Ienzo gave him a soft smile. "I should hope you put it to good use." Ven gave him an affirming nod before venturing out into the halls to attend his check-up.

Compared to the other places Naminé had lived, Radiant Gardens felt like heaven. Not that it wasn't lovely on its own, or didn't have its fair share of difficulties, but it was certainly more than Naminé would have ever known how to ask for, so she wasn't about to complain.

In fact— despite having a little rough history with most of its residents— living in the castle for the past year had been rather fun. She had gotten to meet tons of new people and improve relationships with the people she already knew. The scientists had taken it upon themselves to educate her, and she had learned all sorts of new things. She had gotten to pick out a brand new wardrobe. She even had her own room— not a blank, white room like she had been forced to stay in before, but a place that reflected who she was as a person; books and art supplies scattered everywhere and pictures covering the walls, which had been painted a warm lavender colour.

The Gardens were a fresh start and had quickly grown into a home. It made it easier to forget how terrible her life had been not all that long ago. To the people here, she was little more than a nice girl that resided with their ruler and his scientists.

However, one thing had not changed since the day she had been born. Her special connection to Sora, and the ever present need of her unique powers. Especially now, with Sora still missing even after a year and Ven having severe issues with his memories.

Thankfully, as helpful as she was, most of the pressure was never set on her shoulders. Kairi and Riku were focusing on finding Sora, and the scientists here were working with Ven.

Over the past couple of days, Ienzo and Terra— honestly, mostly Terra— had been helping Ven tear their language barrier down. It was slow work, but he was determined to learn and quickly became familiar with several common words and simple phrases. Just the day before, Ienzo had deemed him proficient enough to have Naminé try to sort through his memories with him.

Having to use her powers again after so long worried her slightly, but the guards had helped her pick out a nice outfit— a blue blouse with cream coloured pants and white shoes— and she carried an unopened pack of coloured pencils under her arm.

Drawing had always helped her sort of memories. Something about getting them down onto paper made them seem much simpler to piece together. It also made it easier for other people to understand them, and gave the scientists as much time to study them as they liked.

Naminé had just finished laying her coloured pencils out on the table— in rainbow order, of course— when Ventus entered the room with a shy 'hello.' His delivery when speaking was shaky, and his accent very evident, but his progress was impressive nonetheless.

She greeted him with a nod and a smile, gesturing at the seat across from her, inviting him to sit down. He took the seat, setting the giant dictionary Ienzo had given him on the table. It had started to fall apart recently, partly from the amount of use it saw, but mostly due to its age.

Naminé motioned for Ven to rest his hands on the table, ready to start her process. Ienzo had explained the procedure to the boy beforehand, hopefully keeping the communication required during the process to a minimum.

He complied, setting his hands palm side up in front of her, already letting his eyes slip closed. She flipped to a clean page in her sketchbook, double checking all of her supplies one last time. Satisfied, she let out a deep breath, and gently placed her hands in Ven's.

Then she began to see .

She closed her eyes, trying her best to focus on the swirl of memories that flooded her mind. It was hard to pick any single image out at first, but Naminé knew that all she had to do was be patient, and all of the memories would even themselves out. Finally, they began to calm, and she started to sort through them.

The most prominent memory was one of a town— surely Daybreak Town from what Ienzo had been able to discover. It was full of small houses and plaza areas, flowers and fountains decorating every empty corner. In the center of it all was a giant clocktower. It must have been possible to see the entire town and then some from the top. The sky was coloured in the soft shades of early morning— it was almost always that way, the memory said.

Naminé opened her eyes to begin drawing, still focusing on the memory. She quickly sketched in the purple and blue rooftops, adding pale tiling along all the pathways. The clocktower loomed in the background, and she filled the sky with lavender and light orange. 'Daybreak Town,' she scribbled beneath the drawing. She turned to a new page, then dove back into Ven's memories.

She focused on a different image this time. Instead of a place, she began to see people. She started sketching again. A girl with long, black hair and star shaped earrings. A boy with hair the colour of snow, which Naminé wasn't entirely sure how to draw. Several taller people— they must have been adults— clad in robes and masks shaped like different animals. Another boy; dark hair and a fedora— he always wore that thing. A figure wearing a black c—

The memory hissed, burning when Naminé tried to focus on it. She decided to leave it alone.

She was starting to wonder about all of those people's names, just about to dig deeper, when she noticed the memory of another person. He was taller than the other children, but not quite the height of the adults. His blue eyes sparkled and his hair was cut around his chin, feathered around his face and—

Naminé gasped, jerking her hands back and nearly tipping her chair over. Ven jumped to his feet, his eyes now wide open.

"Okay?" he asked, concern written all over his face.

—bright pink. Naminé would have recognised that person anywhere.

"Y-yeah, I'm okay." She did her best to slow her breathing, and Ven slowly sat back down. Naminé glanced over at the book the boy had brought with him. She turned it to face her, and started flipping through the pages. Ven didn't try to stop her, but rather watched her with a curious look.

She turned the book back to him after a moment, pointing to a specific word on the page— 'name.' She then tapped her finger on her sketchbook. It was a question— ' what are their names? ' She handed the drawing to Ven.

His finger hovered over the first figure, the black haired girl.

"Skuld," he said, his eyes lighting up in recognition. Naminé flipped in the dictionary again. Another word, another question— ' spell ?' She handed Ven a pencil to write out the girl's name. S-K-U-L-D was now printed under the drawing of her in Ven's lettering. Naminé nodded, pointing to the next figure.

"Ephemer." Ven wrote his name too. He quickly worked his way down the row, adding their names as he went. "Ira, Aced, Invi, Gula, Ava, Brain."

Naminé found herself holding her breath when he got to the last drawing.

"Lauriam." He hardly had enough room left to fit the name. Naminé was starting to feel sick. It was all too similar to be a coincidence. She stood and gathered her things, trying to ignore the sudden wave of nausea that had come over her.

"Okay. Thank you, Ven." He gave her a bright smile.

"Thank you, Naminé." He glanced towards the door. "Leave?" Naminé nodded.

"Yes, goodbye."

"Okay, goodbye!" he waved as she left the room. She closed the door gently, then leaned against the shut door, letting go of a wavering sigh. Her heart was beating too quickly again, her shaking hands barely holding on to her pencils and sketchbook.

She felt a tear roll down her cheek. She huffed, brushing it away. She couldn't cry now, not when she had something important to tell the scientists.

#My writing #fanfic #kh #ventus #ienzo #Naminé #dandelion tongue #crosspost from AO3

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ari-writes-stuff · 2 years

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Dandelion Tongue - Chapter 6, “Relearning”

This was… Well, definitely something good. Ven doubted anything bad could come from him finally being understood by someone other than his Chirithy. However the young scientist that had spoken to him— Ienzo, he said his name was— had a look of concern on his face that worried Ven.

At any rate, it was definitely better than the utter mess that had occurred that morning. This was a big step in the right direction! All he had to do was stay patient. In the meantime, the scientist had taken a great interest in what his life had been not even a full day before. In fact, it seemed as if it was entirely alien to him.

"And these 'Unions' had been created to gather 'Lux,' correct?" Ienzo asked, adding a few more scribbles to his ever growing notes. Ven nodded.

"There were five of them. Unicornis, Ursus, Leopardos, Anguis, and, um... Vulpeus. Each of the Foretellers led their own Union."

"I see." More notes. "That makes five… You said this 'Master of Masters' had six apprentices, did you not?"

"Right— his sixth apprentice wasn't a Foreteller, so he didn't have a Union. He disappeared not long after the Master did." Ienzo nodded, gently tapping his pen on the side of his notepad.

"And his name?"

"Oh," Ven said. "It's Luxu. L-U-X-U." The scientist silently mouthed the letters as he spelled them out on his paper. His brow furrowed for a moment as he made a few hasty scribbles. Changing his mind, he scratched them out as he brought his gaze back to meet Ven's.

"I'm extremely grateful for your willingness to cooperate, Ventus. As for now, I believe I should discuss how we should move from here with Terra and Master Aqua, if that's alright with you." Despite his unfamiliarity with the language, Ienzo had quickly fallen back into his polite and scientific patterns of speech.

Ven nodded again in response to the scientist. He stood, offering a slight bow to the younger boy.

"You are welcome to explore the gardens if you wish— as long as one of the guardians accompanies you, that is."

"I think I'm okay, thanks." Ven muttered shyly. Ienzo gave him one last smile before turning to leave the room.

"Oh, and, Ienzo?" The scientist looked back towards the boy, eyebrow raised in question.

"Please, call me Ven." A soft smile fell on Ienzo's face.

"Of course, Ven."

"You know how it is… After everything that's happened over the past decade—" Aqua's comment was cut off by the sound of the waiting room's door opening, the steel-haired scientist stepping inside. His arms were full of books and a few assorted notepads.

"Any news?" Terra asked, unfolding his arms from where they had been held tightly against his chest. Ienzo softly closed the door behind him with the tip of his boot.

"Well," the scientist started, setting his load down on the counter with a groan. "I certainly learned quite a few things. Among those just how much more I still don't know…" He trailed off, his brow furrowing. "Regardless, I believe a more in-depth analysis of Ven's memories is required. If it's alright with all of you, I would request he stay in Radiant Garden for a while longer. Preferably staying at the castle overnight."

Aqua and Terra met each other's gazes, silently considering the idea. Neither of them much liked the thought of leaving Ven alone, especially with Aqua's duties as a master making it more difficult to visit regularly outside of the Land of Departure. However, they both knew that any and all information Ienzo could find would be beyond useful. Their contemplation was interrupted by a squeak from Chirithy.

"I can keep an eye on him for you two, if you'd like. I'm sure he'd be more comfortable with me here, anyways."

"Actually, Aqua," Terra added, turning to the master. "If it's fine with you, I'd like to stay here with him as well." Aqua took a second to consider the offer, then nodded.

"Yes, that's fine with me. Do you have enough space for that, Ienzo?"

"Oh, yes," the scientist confirmed. "We have plenty of rooms for all of you. Chirithy, I would assume you wish to room with Ventus?" The spirit nodded vigorously, climbing onto Terra's shoulder.

"I shall arrange for that, then. In the meantime, I'm sure you would like to see him again, correct?" He was met by nods from the keyblade wielders. "Of course— I had Aeleus sit with him on the steps outside. They should be there now.

"Also," he added, walking over to the pile of literature on the counter. "I composed a brief summary of my findings regarding Ven's memories." He pulled a small notebook out of the pile. "I believe it would be beneficial for you to review it." He held it out towards them, Aqua taking it in her hands.

"Thank you for all your help, Ienzo," she smiled. "I don't know what we would have done without you."

"It's no issue," the scientist said, rubbing at the back of his neck. "I have much to atone for, and giving you the assistance you deserve is only a small part of that."

"Regardless," Aqua said. "You've been beyond helpful. We're very grateful for that." Ienzo gave a slight nod.

"O-of course." He glanced at the watch around his wrist. "I better get back to the preparations. I'll let you know once the rooms are ready." The three visitors dismissed him with a nod, leaving the room.

Walking down the hallway, Aqua carefully opened to the first page of the notebook she had been given. Taking a moment to decipher Ienzo's rushed but consistent handwriting, she began to read the notes out loud for Terra to hear.

"He lived in a place known as 'Daybreak Town,' which was full of keyblade wielders and was overseen by a keyblade master known as the 'Master of Masters' and his six apprentices…

"Five of these apprentices were known as 'Foretellers' and oversaw individual groups of keyblade wielders called 'Unions.' The Master's sixth apprentice didn't have his own Union, but rather acted as a close assistant to the Master.

"The Master created special creatures known as 'Chirithies,' which played the role of assisting young keyblade wielders in their missions to collect 'Lux' or fragments of light for the Unions they belonged to. "

"Does that mean that Ven had been a keyblade wielder even before he became one of Master Eraqus' apprentices?" Terra interrupted, glancing down at the Chirithy in his arms. They nodded.

"He's wielded a keyblade ever since I first met him. Although the one he has now looks a bit different from the one I remember him having…"

"Has he always held his keyblade backwards?" Aqua asked, an amused smile crossing her face.

"Yeah, actually!" Chirithy squeaked. "He always said it was more comfortable."

"That used to frustrate the Master to no end," Terra recalled, softly smiling at the memory.

"Hey, it worked, didn't it?" Aqua joked, earning a laugh out of Terra.

"Guess you shouldn't try to fix it, if it isn't broken," he smiled. "What else do the notes say?" Aqua turned back to the book in her hands, continuing to read.

"The Unions' goal was to collect light from different worlds in a unified attempt to protect it. However, a large divide grew between the different groups and competition over the light became more and more common. Life became more chaotic, until one day, the Master and all of his apprentices mysteriously disappeared, never to be seen again…

That's all that it says." Aqua finished, quickly flipping through the rest of the pages.

"That's probably all Ienzo had time to ask Ven about," Terra commented. Aqua nodded.

"It all sounds so… Fantastical. Like a fairy tale. Have you ever heard of so many keyblade wielders all in one place?" Terra shook his head.

"It's almost… Scary. It sounds like they didn't get along very well after they grew apart. Do you think they ever fought each other?"

"They did," Chirithy explained. "It was terrible, seeing people that were supposed to be on the same side fighting one another just because of the Union they belonged to." A somber look flickered over their face.

"I had no idea," Aqua apologized. "That must have been awful. For you and Ven, both." The Dream Eater nodded.

"It was. And Ven, well, he didn't really have many friends then. He was pretty shy, and it was hard to find someone he could trust and depend on. I think that's part of the reason why he became so close with me."

Ven, a shy, frightened child who had trouble making friends? It hardly sounded like the boy Aqua knew, but the more she thought about the idea, the more she started to believe it. Ven had always cared deeply about her, Terra, and the Master and was quick to get attached to anyone who would consider him a friend. Losing the people he had cared about most and falling into a deep, decade long sleep must have hurt him in ways that she would never be able to truly understand.

"I'm glad he was able to find people like you to be his friends," Chirithy continued. "He really needs that kind of support in his life." Aqua and Terra shared a soft smile, before Aqua found her face being slammed into a pillar.

The group froze as Aqua rubbed at the spot that would surely have a bruise later.

"I think you might've gone the wrong way," she commented, voice muffled by her hands. "I'm pretty sure that wasn't there when we came in." Terra gave a light hearted laugh, setting his arm around her shoulders for support.

"Maybe we should ask Ienzo for some ice before we go find Ven," he suggested. Aqua breathed out a laugh, but nodded. The three of them turned around, going off to find the castle steps and possibly an ice pack.

#my writing #fanfic #kh #ventus #aqua #terra #chirithy #ienzo #dandelion tongue #crosspost from AO3

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Dandelion Tongue - Chapter 5, “Emerging”

The excitement Ven had felt earlier was starting to drain from him. He was getting tired of waiting, and his rumbling stomach didn’t hesitate to remind him that he hadn’t eaten anything that day. He was also bored, seeing as the only person in the room he could actually carry a conversation with was his Chirithy. As surprising as it was, he was quickly running out of questions to ask the spirit. Or at least, questions he knew that he had.

“Naminé and Kairi,” he asked, glancing down at his Dream Eater. “Are they… Sisters? Cousins?” Chirithy perked up at being addressed, then shook their head.

“N-not quite, they’re, uh—…” They tapped at their chin, trying to find the right words. “Geez, how do I explain this...?” Ven waited patiently, or, at least as patiently as he could in that moment, as they leaned over to presumably repeat Ven’s question to Kairi. She thought for a moment, gave a sheepish smile, and then gave an answer that she didn’t look entirely confident in. Chirithy thought a bit, then turned back to the young boy.

“Well, uh, you know how people have hearts that let them live and wield keyblades, right?” Ven nodded. The spirit continued, “Well, people’s hearts can be tainted by darkness. Sometimes their heart may even become lost. When this happens, the heart is overcome with darkness and turns into a Heartless.” Oh, so that’s where the Heartless come from, Ven thought.

“If someone who has a strong will has their heart consumed by darkness, their body can be left behind as a creature known as a Nobody. If their will is especially strong, their Nobody can even talk and act like them. Naminé is the Nobody that resulted from a time when Kairi lost her heart, which is why they look so similar.”

“Oh, okay. Thanks, Chirithy,” Ven smiled. “I didn’t know that Darkness had the power to consume people’s hearts… That sounds terrible…”

“You- you didn’t know that?” Chirithy asked, concern in their voice. Ven shook his head.

“Should I have..?”

“No,” the spirit turned their head down. “I guess I’m just a little surprised that you didn’t remember.”

“Is that… A bad thing?” Chirithy quickly shook their head.

“No! Not at all! It’s, uh, nice to know, actually.” Ven was about to ask them why exactly it was a good thing to know, when Naminé reentered the room, a tall man trailing behind her. He was dressed in the same lab coat the man with the steel-blue hair had had on, but his hair was much longer and a washed-out blond. He was also quite a bit older, so Ven shouldn’t have a problem telling them apart.

That was still one of the harder things Ven was trying to get used to; seeing people that were much older than him again. Daybreak Town had been inhabited by none other than children after the Keyblade War. Said war had taken place a while ago, long enough for Ven to have gotten used to walking down much emptier streets whenever he left the Clock Tower. Lauriam had probably been the oldest— and tallest— person he had known. Now, with all of the adults fussing over and analyzing him, he felt even smaller than he already knew he was.

He tried his best to avoid eye contact with the blond man that had kneeled down in front of him, seemingly trying to study the boy’s face. Up close, his older age became even more apparent; the skin underneath his sunken eyes rough and darkened from what must have been many sleepless nights. His scowl that Ven assumed was permanent was kind of scary, so the younger boy tried to bury his face in his Dream Eater’s short fur. He heard the man sigh and, with some effort, pull himself back up to his feet.

“Well, I don't see any noticeable injuries, and he appears to be in good health,” the blond scientist explained. “However, due to this, should I say, abnormal circumstance, I would strongly advise scheduling a physical check-up for him regardless. He hasn’t shown any out of place symptoms before this morning?”

Aqua shook her head. “No, nothing out of the ordinary. When would be a good time for a check-up?” Even opened his mouth to answer her, but was interrupted by the sound of the door being kicked open.

The youngest of the scientists entered the room, carrying as many books as he could in his arms. Aeleus followed him inside, holding about twice as many books. Ienzo dropped his load onto the counter with a loud thump . Even eyed the pile suspiciously.

“I suppose you have some… ‘Resources’ on this matter?” The young scientist nodded vigorously.

“Well, at least, I believe so.” He ran his hand against the stack, lining the spines together. “Aeleus, could you help me find the introductory volume?” The larger man nodded as he added his load to the pile of books, and began sorting through them.

“During my time in the Organization,” Ienzo explained, clearing his throat, “I had taken quite an interest in studying different languages. I believe I recognize the one that Ventus now communicates in.” His explanation was met by smiles and excitement from the key bearers. “However, if my hypothesis is correct, that would only raise more questions…” He quickly shook his head to clear his thoughts.

“We should test it before we jump to any conclusions.” He turned back to Aeleus, who was still sorting through the stack of books. He finally pulled out the volume the young scientist had requested, which turned out to have been on the very bottom of the pile. Ienzo nodded a silent ‘thank you’ as he took the book and began leafing through the pages.

Clearing his throat, he kneeled down in front of Ventus. His eyes skimmed over a few more pages, double checking that his vocabulary and grammar was correct, and then he started speaking to the young boy.

Ven’s head lifted from where he had hid it to the best of his ability behind Chirithy, his expression slowly shifting from fear to realization to excitement. Ienzo’s performance of the language was far from perfect— he stumbled over several words and often had to rephrase himself— but it was obvious that Ven understood his all the same. A soft smile appeared on the scientist’s face, and he said something to the boy that must have been a question.

Ven nodded his head vigorously, then spoke a few more words before falling silent again. The scientist glanced back at the book for a moment, furrowed his brow, then gave the boy what must have been thanks and stood back up.

“Chirithy,” he asked, carefully setting his book on the counter. “You said that you and Ven have been speaking this language as long as you’ve lived, correct?” The spirit nodded in response, tilting their head in curiosity.

“Is that so strange?”

“Well,” Ienzo explained, “It wouldn’t be so out of the ordinary if, perhaps, it was commonly spoken in the modern day. However, this language has not been used commonly in, well, a very long time. In fact, many professionals would say it’s been lost to time.” The room filled with confused looks and hushed whispers.

“Regardless of how and why you two are native speakers to this language, something out of the ordinary is most certainly occurring.”

#my writing #fanfic #kh #ventus #aqua #terra #chirithy #ienzo #even #aeleus #dandelion tongue #crosspost from AO3

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Dandelion Tongue - Chapter 4, “Explanation”

Kairi was, well, surprised. She probably shouldn’t have been, being so used to Sora’s antics, but she still found herself impressed by the amount of time Ven was able to keep himself entertained by staring out the window. The look of wonder had yet to leave his face, and he had hardly moved from his position at all, even when Chirithy had gotten up to explore the ship. She watched him with her hands in her lap. Chirithy was somewhere in the closed off quarters that made the bedroom and bathroom, and Aqua and Terra were sharing quiet conversation between each other as they took turns piloting.

Kairi pulled out her Gummiphone, the screen flickering awake to show the time. It had been nearly two hours since they left The Land of Departure, which meant Ven had kept himself busy staring outside for nearly two hours. That also meant that Kairi had kept herself busy watching him stare outside for nearly two hours. She sighed, sliding her phone back into her pocket.

She never could have guessed how much of a constant reminder of her best friend Ven would become. There were days when being around him hurt, just as there were days where she felt as if she was talking to an old friend, instead of a person she had hardly known for a year.

A whole year . Sora had been gone for a whole year now, and any progress they had made was small. Sure, they had some leads from Kairi’s memories and Riku had left for Quadratum to look for him, but it didn’t feel like anything had changed. It was different when he was gone not long after Kairi had returned to Destiny Islands when she was 14. Then, missing him was just a dull ache, a longing she couldn’t quite place for a boy she couldn’t quite remember. And as horrifying as it had been, the steps to get him back were simple. Destroy his nobody, reconstruct his memories, recomplete him. But now things hurt so much more. Kairi knew exactly what was missing and why . Sora had sacrificed himself to save her , and what was she doing about it now? Hardly anything. She was supposed to be the one protecting him now; she had promised . Instead, he had become a festering wound inside her heart. A gaping hole that she couldn’t fill despite her best efforts.

She closed her eyes, resting her head on the back of her chair. She was tired of being cast aside. She wasn’t going to be the weak, helpless girl of the group anymore. This time, she was going to get Sora back, no matter what it took. They were going to go back to being the carefree trio that had lived on Destiny Islands what felt like so long ago.

“We’re going to be landing soon!” Aqua called from the driver’s seat. “Chirithy! Can you let Ven know?” At the mention of his and his Dream Eater’s names being called, the young boy looked up from the window for the first time and instinctively held onto the back of the couch. The spirit quickly shuffled into the room.

“Nevermind,” Aqua laughed. “I think he’s got the idea.” Chirithy sighed and turned to Ven, saying something to him in the language only they understood. The boy nodded, relaxing slightly into the couch. They chatted back and forth, Ven pulling the Dream Eater onto his lap at some point.

Ven, as Kairi was learning, was full of surprises. He had already changed so much from how he had been that morning. Even before that, he was always quick to find the positive in any situation. Aside from occasional flickers during sparring and his scene from earlier that day, Kairi couldn’t really remember ever seeing him upset. Maybe she just hadn’t known him for long enough, but what she had seen so far was, well, impressive. Even Sora hadn’t been this content all the time.

She watched as Aqua carefully chose a landing spot behind the world’s castle, nervously setting the vehicle down in as clear of an area she could possibly find. The blue haired master was still nervous about driving the ship, and usually didn’t have much good reason to practice. Upon landing, she wiped her hands on her pants—yes, pants; she had finally decided that her previous outfit wasn’t fit for her line of work—and released the pressure lock holding the door closed.

The four of them, er, five, if you counted Chirithy, exited the ship, stepping out into the warm sunlight that reminded Kairi of her home on the islands. Aqua closed the ship up once Ven had stepped out, curiosity in his eyes. He spun around slowly, taking in his surroundings. His gaze finally settled on the blonde girl standing in the shade of the castle.

“Naminé!” Kairi called out to her. The girl smiled and carefully walked over to the group.

“It’s nice to see you all,” she said. “You said Ven was having some… issues?” Aqua nodded.

“We think he—” she glanced at Terra, “—may have suppressed some of his memories while trying to uncover ones he had forgotten.”

“I see,” Naminé nodded, a solemn look flashing over her face. “Oh, I shouldn’t force you to stand outside. Please, come in!” Kairi followed her other into the large castle, the others close behind her.

Ven liked this new world much more than the one he had woken up in. It reminded him of Daybreak Town, in a way, and the lack of hallways so far was a definite plus. The blonde girl that had welcomed them shared quite the resemblance with the redhead girl— Kairi. Maybe they were sisters? He would have to get Chirithy to ask. If Kairi had reminded him of Lady Ava, then this new girl—he thinks her name is Naminé, but he can’t be sure—reminds him of Lady Invi. Quieter and more shy, but she seemed nice all the same. Unsurprisingly, he can’t understand anything she says either, but it’s less of a frustration now that he’s getting used to it. Probably-Naminé makes conversation with the others, while Ven pulled his Dream Eater a little closer to his chest.

“Her name is Naminé, right?” he asked. Chirithy nodded, and the blonde girl perked up at hearing her name being said. She gave him a polite smile and then turned back to talking with the others. They followed her through the castle, passing by several libraries and rooms Ven didn’t even have names for.

Eventually they ended up in a futuristic looking room with a large computer. One of the walls was made entirely of glass, giving a view into a long corridor with tons of… Containers? Ven couldn’t quite tell. Stacks of papers and books littered the floor and the counters. Naminé motioned for them to sit in some chairs that looked like they had been set up specifically for the occasion. She nodded at the older two, commenting something in their language, before excusing herself from the room.

“We just have to wait a little bit now,” Chirithy explained as their wielder watched Naminé leave. He nodded in understanding, then chose to occupy himself with observing his surroundings. This new building shared some similarities with the Clock Tower, at least more than the castle in the mountains had. It felt mechanical, and the piles of books reminded him of his bedroom. It made the nearly empty room feel lived in, gave it a little bit of personality.

Ven wondered why there would be so many books in this room in particular, given that there were many libraries that probably served much better for housing them. Maybe this room was someone’s favourite spot to read, he thought, as he remembered how he would spend hours in his own reading corner, far enough away from everyone else that it would be quiet enough to concentrate, but not so far that he would get lost trying to find his way back. After his reading sessions, he would usually stack the books he had been reading somewhere on the floor or tables in his room. Despite all the books he kept in there, he tried not to read them in his bedroom, as he would usually get tired, try to read in his bed, and then fall asleep only to wake up later with a sore neck and his book dropped on the floor with no indication of where he left off.

He temporarily pulled himself from his daydream to hug his Dream Eater closer to him. Kairi was showing Aqua what looked like a small, flat, box. She would occasionally tap and swipe at its surface, smiling and talking with the blue haired woman. Terra watched over their shoulders, adding his own comment every now and then. Ven wondered what the box could possibly be, if it was able to hold all of their attention like that. He was about to ask Chirithy when he heard a loud crash outside the door. Everyone’s heads jerked up at the sudden commotion, and Terra got up to his feet and sped to the door to see what lay on the other side.

“Again, I am so sorry,” the young scientist muttered, bringing in the last of the books he had dropped in the hallway. “We’re still in the process of digitally archiving all of Even’s notes and you came on such short notice—.”

“It’s alright, Ienzo. Really.” Aqua gave him a patient smile. “We’re not in any hurry.” Terra sat the pile of books he had helped Ienzo gather on the counter, giving a nod that showed he agreed with her.

“Right,” Ienzo sighed. “Well, would you be willing to elaborate on your issue? With… Ventus’s memories, I believe you said?” Aqua nodded.

“Well, he woke up this morning and suddenly couldn’t recognize any of us or speak our language. The only one he remembers is Chirithy, and they can talk with each other just fine. Chirithy said they had been trying to restore some of Ven’s lost memories, and we think that he somehow repressed his memories of being with us in the process.”

“That is peculiar,” the scientist remarked, looking over to the young boy. “Have you been able to deduce what language he understands now?” Terra shook his head.

“It’s nothing like any language I’ve ever heard before.” He looked over to Ven’s spirit. “Do you know the name of it, Chirithy?”

“Oh, no, I don't,” they squeaked. “Only that Ven and I have been speaking it all our lives. I’m not sure about him, but I’ve only recently become fluent in English.”

“I see,” Ienzo said, resting his hand against his chin in thought. “And you’ve known Ven since he was a child? Do you recall the name of the world he grew up in?”

“It was known as Daybreak Town,” the spirit explained. “But I don't think it’s around anymore.” Ven suddenly perked up and asked them a question in his strange tongue. Ienzo listened intently as the two of them conversed.

“Uh, if you will excuse me for a moment, I believe I may have some resources on this language.” He moved towards the door. “I believe Naminé was assisting the guards with a task; she should be back momentarily.” Aqua and Terra nodded, signaling they would be alright in his absence. He slipped out the door, leaving the five of them in the computer room.

“Ven grew up in… Daybreak Town?” Terra asked, turning to Chirithy.

“I’ve never heard it before,” Aqua remarked.

“Neither have I.”

“Um, yes, but, I believe it was, er, destroyed a long time ago,” the spirit said. “I haven’t been there in quite some time…”

“It’s a shame,” Aqua said. “I was kind of hoping we could pay a visit. Especially with how Ven is now...” Chirithy nodded.

“It would be nice, but—,” they shook their head, attempting to clear their thoughts, “—sadly, that’s not possible.” They leaned in closer to Ven’s chest, feeling his warmth that they had gone so long without. “I’m sure right now, most of all, Ven is the one who wants to be there the most.”

#my writing #fanfic #kh #ventus #aqua #terra #kairi #chirithy #naminé #ienzo #dandelion tongue #crosspost from ao3

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Dandelion Tongue - Chapter 3, “Reuniting”

Terra walked down the various halls, looking back occasionally to make sure Ven was alright and still following him. The younger boy still seemed unsure of himself, and was awfully on edge around Terra, and probably, the building in general.

His memories must have been messed with, Terra thought as he guided the young boy. That’s got to be why he freaked out when he saw us. And why he’s speaking an entirely different language… He felt a slight tug on his wrist, and glanced down to see that Ven had latched onto his arm. Terra gave him a sad smile and fluffed his hair a bit.

He must be terrified. Waking up in a place he doesn’t recognize, with people he can’t remember. It reminded him of when the boy had first joined them as one of Eraqus’s apprentices. Scared, lonely, unable to answer questions.

It hurt Terra’s head knowing that had all been seventeen years ago. If you counted the years he had been without a heart and asleep, Ven was nearly thirty years old. And yet here he was, still the frightened child holding onto Terra’s arm like his life depended on it.

Technically, the three of them had only known each other for five years, yet Ven had always felt like family. The little brother to complete their trio.

The boy in question leaned his head against Terra’s shoulder. Or, as much as he could when Terra was so much taller than him. His eyes gently fluttered, trying their best to stay open. His desperate attempts to stay awake made Terra smile softly.

It’s no wonder he’s tired if he’s been dealing with this all morning. And he’s probably been doing quite a bit of running on top of that. He set his hand on Ven’s shoulder, a signal that he was giving the boy a moment to rest. He rubbed at his eyes, still holding onto Terra with his other arm. The older man stretched while he rested, his head lifting when he saw Aqua speed walking towards them. Ven hid behind Terra when the woman called their names, peeking out slightly.

“You okay?” she asked when she finally caught up to them.

“Aqua… How do I explain this,” Terra winced, trying to find the right words to explain the situation. “Ven… I don't think he can remember any of this right now.”

“‘This’..?”

“You, me, the castle, any of it. I- It seems like he can’t even understand English anymore.” Aqua’s eyebrows furrowed, her glance shifting between the two boys.

“What… Makes you say that?” Terra tucked his arm around Ven’s shoulders.

“When I found him, I asked him if he was alright, and he started talking in some language I’ve never heard of. He hasn’t been able to answer any of my questions…”

“If he can’t remember,” Aqua muttered, putting the pieces together in her head. “Then that would explain why he… Was acting so strangely. Because he was scared…” Terra nodded.

“But that still wouldn’t explain why he can’t understand what we’re saying,” he added. Aqua folded her arms, looking back at Ven. He cowered further behind Terra, trying to avoid eye contact. She couldn’t help but smile.

“At the very least, he’s still latched on to you, as always.” Terra smiled at Aqua’s teasing.

“Even if his mind forgets, his heart will always remember, right?” He laughed, messing with Ven’s hair again. The young boy suddenly perked up, staring at something- no, some one running down the hallway.

“What is it, Ven?” Terra asked, despite knowing that Ven wouldn’t answer him. He and Aqua lifted their heads to see Kairi and-

“Chirithy!” the young boy called, his eyes lighting up. He ran out from behind Terra, nearly tripping over his own feet. The Dream Eater leapt out of Kairi’s arms and into Ven’s. He cried the spirit’s name again, then a string of words that the others had no hope of understanding.

“Ven! Oh, no-” Chirithy groaned, before switching to speaking to the boy in the strange, new language. Aqua let out a small gasp.

“He remembers Chirithy-! And Chirithy can understand him-! Didn’t Ven know Chirithy when he was young?” she asked Terra. His eyebrows raised.

“Then, he must have spoken that language when he knew Chirithy… So maybe, he hasn’t gotten new memories-”

“But remembered ones he had forgotten,” Aqua finished. Terra nodded. Kairi walked over to the two of them.

“If that’s so,” she asked. “Then why would he have forgotten the memories he’s made since then?” Terra lifted his hand to his chin in thought.

“You make a good point,” he muttered, glancing over to Ven and his Dream Eater, who were deeply engaged in conversation. The spirit sighed, jumping out of the boy’s arms and waddling over to the others.

“I am so sorry about all of this,” they squeaked. “I was just trying to restore some of Ven’s memories and- well, I honestly don't know what went wrong-”

“You can restore his memories?” Aqua asked, dropping her arms to her sides.

“Of course I can! I’m his Dream Eater!”

Dream Eater? Kairi wondered. She had briefly heard Sora and Riku mention the term before, but she wasn’t quite sure what they were. If only they were here to help us… As if reading her mind, Terra asked the creature to elaborate on what exactly Dream Eaters were.

“It’s- ugh,” Chirithy sighed. “It would take a long time to explain, but essentially, I’m connected to his dreams, and through his dreams, his heart. I can influence the things he dreams about and- supposedly help him remember forgotten memories. But, uh, as you can probably tell, that didn’t go all that well.”

“Maybe- uh, maybe Naminé could help?” Kairi suggested. “She worked with Sora’s memories, and Ven shares a strong connection to him…” Aqua’s eyes lit up.

“And perhaps the other Radiant Garden scientists would be able to aid as well!”

“I’m not quite sure who you’re talking about,” Chirithy commented. “But you seem to trust them and if you think they could help…” The three of them gave the spirit confident nods. Terra walked over to place a hand on Ven’s shoulder.

“We’d better take the Gummiship, just to be on the safe side.”

Ven was relieved to have finally found a familiar face; his Chirithy. He was also glad to be leaving the wretched maze that the hallways created. However, he was nervous about boarding the… Well, it was hard to describe. It was a little smaller than the room he had woken up in, and looked like it was made from large building blocks. The inside looked like a very compressed house, with a small bedroom and bathroom in the back and tons of computer-looking gadgets in the front. The brown haired man took a seat in front of the computers, and the girls found places to sit on various couches and chairs that had been squeezed into the small space.

Ven sat as far as he could from the rest of them, tucked into the corner of a couch. These people seemed nice, sure, but he still felt a little weird around them. Maybe it had been so long since he had seen others who were that much older than him, that he was instinctively cautious around them. He sat Chirithy on his lap, his leg bouncing slightly.

“I- I’m sorry, Chirithy, what did you say their names were?” he asked the Dream Eater, tucking his hands beneath him.

“Oh! No- It’s fine! The one with blue hair is Aqua, Kairi has red hair, and he’s Terra,” Chirithy explained, pointing to each of them as they listed their names.

“Aqua, Kairi, and Terra…” Ven repeated, making a mental note to remember them. “Right. Thanks.” Chirithy gave him a patient smile, or at least, as much of a smile as they could when they didn’t have a mouth. The older man- no, Terra. Terra turned in his seat to say something. Tell… the others something? Chirithy perked up at his words.

“Uh- He says we should probably hold on to something!” Ven’s brow furrowed.

“Hold on to something? Why would we need to-” The room suddenly lurched forwards. This thing… Can move? Ven was nearly knocked off the couch at the sudden movement, and Chirithy landed on the cushion beside him. The woman- Aqua ran over to steady him, and he quickly shifted to look out the window to his right. They were moving . No, the entire room was moving. It was almost like being in an elevator, but they could move in any direction.

Well, except for going up, Ven thought. This contraption was cool, but he doubted it could move like an elevator could without tracks to rest on. The vehicle lurched again, the ground outside turning askew. Ven’s eyes widened. It…. It can go up, too?!

He watched in amazement as they soared further from the ground, the mountains and castle coming into view and then shrinking to the size of toys. Before much longer, even they had disappeared and the window’s view filled with stars.

“Chirithy! Are you seeing this?” the boy squeaked. He barely registered the spirit nodding out of the corner of his eye. Ven pressed his forehead against the window, trying to capture as much of the marvelous view as he could. He heard Aqua laugh behind him, and she ruffled his hair before returning to her seat. The boy relaxed, resting his head on top of his arms that were crossed on the back of the couch.

He felt happy , as if he was going off on some grand adventure. He still missed his friends from back home, but with Chirithy and his new friends by his side, he was sure he would be able to find them in no time.

#my writing #fanfic #kh #ventus #aqua #terra #kairi #chirithy #dandelion tongue #crosspost from ao3

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Dandelion Tongue - Chapter 2, “Confusion”

Ven’s feet slammed against the floor with every step. If the maze of this new place had scared him before, it had quickly become a comfort compared to facing the strangers that had confronted him. He desperately called out for his Dream Eater, hoping for something, anything that was familiar to him. Tears threatened to pour down his face as his metallic footsteps echoed through the hallways. He didn’t know anyone. He couldn’t understand anyone. He couldn’t find his Chirithy. Even his keyblade was different. He was alone and confused and still stuck in those horrible halls.

What he wouldn’t have given to open another door and see the rest of the Union Leaders inside the room.

To at least have people he recognized and understood. To at least know what was going on at that moment, no matter how terrible it might have been.

At least it would have been familiar. At least he wouldn’t be lost in this strange new building.

Ven’s heart ached almost as much as his head did from the constant running and slamming doors open. He began to stumble, tripping over his armoured shoes.

He wanted to see his Chirithy. He wanted to see Ephemer. He wanted to see Skuld and Lauriam and Brain. He wanted to hold his keyblade. The unfamiliarity of it all, the confusion and frustration, finally broke him down and he crumpled to the ground.

It was all too much for the young boy. He found himself wailing, begging anything and anyone who may have been listening to bring him back to his home. To make this all just a bad dream.

Between the endless running, his terror, and now, his sobbing, Ven was exhausted. Too tired to stand, he continued to lay on the floor even after his tears had dried. A part of him wanted to stay there forever, to stay perfectly still until either time or darkness ripped his consciousness away. Unfortunately, or perhaps, fortunately, he heard heavy footsteps echoing nearby, growing louder. He heard his name being called. By the sound of the voice, it must have been the man that had been in the dining hall. He pulled himself up on his elbows, rubbing at his puffy eyes. Preparing himself to start running again.

He was about to get up onto his knees when he saw a large pair of metallic boots step into his peripheral view. Surprised, and frankly, scared, he scrambled to sit up, hitting his head against the wall in his panic. The unfamiliar man put his hands on Ven’s shoulders, seemingly trying to steady him. He hesitated, but brought his eyes up to meet those of the stranger.

Blue eyes stared into concerned brown ones, and the man comfortingly said Ven’s name. Then more words he had no hope of understanding. Tears began to return to Ven’s eyes. This man… It was as if he was trying to help. Trying to understand Ventus, but not knowing that his gentle words were spoken in vain.

“I can’t- I can’t understand anything you’re saying!” Ven sobbed, tears once again rolling down his checks. “I don't know where I am or who any of you are!” The man suddenly looked shocked, pulling back slightly from the younger boy. His glance sifted quickly between Ven and the hallway the man had previously walked down. Ven pulled his legs closer to his chest and buried his head in his knees, tears soaking into his clothes. He felt a hand rest on his shoulder, and lifted his head back up.

The man nodded towards the path they had entered through, nudging Ventus gently like he was suggesting they go back to the dining room. Ven was still anxious, but something in his heart was telling him, begging him to understand that this strange man was only trying to help him. He gave a hesitant nod, and the man grabbed Ven’s hand to help pull him up. The boy wiped a few stray tears from his face, and the older man gave his hair a reassuring ruffle. Ven gave him a shy smile, and they started to walk down the hall together.

Kairi picked at the remaining pieces of her breakfast. Between her training and trying to get Sora back, she was normally starving, but the incident with Ven all but drained her appetite. To be fair, she didn’t know Ven very well, but they had gotten close in the time that she had spent in the Land of Departure. He reminded her of Sora, in a way. Determined to make friends with everything with a pulse (sometimes even that wasn’t required) and strongly connected to those he loved. Supposedly, Ven had been within Sora’s heart since her friend had been born. Maybe Ven’s influence was what had made them so similar.

The red head pushed her plate away from her, leaning back in her seat and pulling her Gummiphone out. She idly swiped through her texts and social media, disappointed but unsurprised to find that not much had changed since she checked her phone earlier that morning. She yawned, stretching her free arm up and out behind her, as a puff of smoke appeared and Ven’s Chirithy landed on the table.

“Oh, hey, Chirithy,” Kairi muttered through her yawn. “Is Ven okay?”

“You’re asking me!” the Dream Eater squeaked, extremely on edge. “I haven’t seen him all morning!”

“Can’t you just… ‘Teleport’ to him..?” Kairi asked. Chirithy shook their head.

“I can’t seem to find him! He wasn’t there when I woke up, and I can't sense him anywhere!”

“That’s… really strange. He was in here a little while ago, but he seemed really scared about something. He even summoned his keyblade when Aqua tried to comfort him. He ran out after that, and Terra and Aqua followed after him.”

“Oh, lights,” Chirithy groaned. “This can’t be good!”

“Do you think we should go after them?”

“Please! I can’t leave Ventus if he’s like that.” Kairi nodded, scooping the Dream Eater into her arms, kicking her chair in, and running off into the castle hallway.

#my writing #fanfic #kh #ventus #aqua #terra #kairi #chirithy #dandelion tongue #crosspost from ao3

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ari-writes-stuff · 2 years

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Dandelion Tongue - Chapter 1, “Awakening”

Ven’s eyes fluttered open to the glaring light that had filled his room. He shut them again, hoping to catch just a few more minutes of sleep. Even with his eyes squeezed shut, it was still too bright for him to fall back asleep. Eventually he gave in to the light, opening his eyes to find a large window taking up most of the wall he was facing. That definitely had not been there when he had gone to bed the night before. The shock jump started his still tired brain, and he sat up and whipped his head around the room, taking in his surroundings.

Now he was certain that he wasn’t in his room at the Clock Tower. It didn’t even look like the bedroom he had had before becoming a Union Leader. It was much smaller and messier, a desk next to the bed covered in knickknacks and papers. There was a small fireplace in the corner, and stacks of books littered the floor, much like in the room he had grown used to. The giant window to his left had no curtains, and he could see a mountainous landscape outside.

Ven leapt out of the bed, on edge at the change of scenery. He grabbed the shoes sitting by the bedside. They were heavy, metallic, and looked way too big for his feet, but he found they were rather comfortable and fit perfectly once he got them on. Anxious to explore, he nearly slammed the bedroom door open and ran out into the hallway.

He called out for his Chirithy, suddenly noticing their absence as he began to navigate the strange new place. He became more nervous with every moment the Dream Eater didn’t show up next to him. The hallways seemed like an endless maze that he had no hope of escaping. Every door he opened would lead him to another hall with even more doors. Even more wrong decisions to make. He was about to curl up in a ball and let all of his frustration through tears, when an open door finally led him somewhere promising. It opened out into a large room with a long table sat in the center.

Three unfamiliar people sat at the table, in the middle of enjoying a meal. A brown haired man had been talking with a red head girl who must have been a few years older than he was. A blue haired woman was standing beside them, placing dishes full of food on the table. They all looked up as Ven entered the room, calling his name and looking happy to see him. The woman with blue hair said something in a language Ven couldn’t understand and looked at him expectantly, as if she had asked him a question.

The relief that Ven had received from finally finding his way out of the maze of halls quickly vanished with the appearance of the strangers. It seemed as if they knew him, but he had never seen any of them in his life. He found himself slowly backing up towards the door he had entered through. The woman’s face became concerned. She called his name again and approached him with her hand hesitantly reaching for him. He didn’t know this woman. He didn’t trust her. He reflexively called his keyblade to his hand to defend himself. It felt like his, the same blade he had called to his grip time and time again to fight off Heartless. But this was not his keyblade. It was bent oddly, as if it had been specifically made to be used with a backhand stance. It was accented with brown, instead of the cool colours he associated with his Missing Ache. He dropped the blade out of shock, nearly throwing it at the feet of the woman whose horrified expression must have matched his own. It disappeared after settling on the floor, and Ven used the distraction as an opportunity to run back into the maze of doors, not really caring where he was going as long as it was away from the unfamiliar people.

Aqua watched as Ven ran out of the dining room, deep terror struck across his face. She had never seen him so terrified before, and considering all they had been through over the past 13 years, that was saying something. He had never drawn his weapon against his friends like that. Terra stood up from his seat at the table and walked over to Aqua.

“What did… We do?” Aqua muttered softly to herself. Terra put a gentle hand on her shoulder.

“You didn’t do anything wrong, Aqua. I’m sure there’s a perfectly good reason for this.” Aqua turned back to the table, where Kairi was sitting.

“Sorry to… Catch you up in all of this, Kairi,” Aqua apologized. “I- He’s never been like this before…” Kairi shook her head.

“Like Terra said, it’s not your fault, Aqua.” Aqua nodded absent mindedly, gazing at the door again. Terra gave her shoulder a reassuring pat.

“I’m going to go try to talk to him. ‘Kay?” he asked, Aqua nodding in response. “He probably just had a nightmare.” He followed after Ventus, leaving the girls in the dining hall. Aqua sighed and walked over to sit next to Kairi. She found she had lost her appetite, and gently pushed her plate away to clasp her shaking hands on the table.

Kairi set her own plate aside and turned to Aqua. “Are you okay?” she asked, her expression posing the question before her mouth did. Aqua gave her a small nod.

“I’m just, I’m always so worried about him. I lost him because I wasn’t looking out for him. I can’t afford to let that happen again… Why- Why would he summon his keyblade against us..? I don't understand…” Kairi placed a hand over Aqua’s clenched fists.

“I-I’m not sure why he did that. But you two are his best friends.” She gave Aqua a shy smile. “If anyone can help him, it’s you.” Aqua finally met her gaze, returning her smile.

“Thank you, Kairi. I… I think I’m going to go talk to him. Will you be alright on your own?” Kairi nodded her response. Aqua stood from her seat, giving the red head a reassuring nod, and followed her best friends paths into the castle’s hallways.

#my writing #fanfic #kh #ventus #aqua #terra #kairi #chirithy #dandelion tongue #crosspost from ao3

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ari-writes-stuff · 2 years

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Thirteen

“My wrist still hurts,” he mutters from his chair beside you. You don't even need to lift your blindfold to know that he has his sleeve rolled up, scratching at the tender skin.

“Stop scratching it,” you say, a hint of annoyance in your voice. “It’ll never heal if you keep irritating it.”

“Nah,” he shrugs. You roll your eyes— he can probably tell without even looking at them.

“Then stop complaining about it,” you snap. He sighs, his chair creaking slightly as he leans back in it. You can picture him crossing his arms behind his head, just like he’s always done.

“It’d be real nice if She, you know, didn’t feel the need to cut us open?”

“It’s necessary for the initiation—”

“Yeah, whatever.” He sighs again. “Pretty sure she just does it ‘cuz She likes seeing us squirm.” You jump to your feet, chair nearly clattering to the floor at your sudden motion.

“You dare speak ill of The Divine Terra?!” He doesn’t even need to see your face— your anger and disgust is plain to hear in your tone.

“Look— Can we be real, Vitra?” he groans, sitting up in his seat. “Sure, She’s great, and all powerful, and the saviour of our universe or whatever but, really? What has She ever done for us that’s all that great? All She ever does is gaslight people and complain about how I’ll never ‘live up to my full potential—’”

“She,” you hiss. “Has given you a life others would kill for. You ought to appreciate that.”

“Yeah, ‘cuz the first thing I feel when she tells me I’ll never be anything if I’m not a girl is appreciation.” You huff.

“She’s… Just a little misguided,” you try to explain. “She’s only looking out for your best interest. She would have never chosen you to be a Divinity were that not the case.”

“Oh, really?” he quips. “I feel more like Her pet project. Just a poor, broken soul that She felt kind enough to fix.” That does it— you snap. Your fist slams into your desktop.

“That’s ENOUGH, Calister!” He doesn’t even flinch; you can tell. “She has done everything in Her power to give you a successful life! Why can’t you just accept that?!”

He doesn’t respond at first, but you can all but see the scowl on his face. The silence gives you time to relax your balled fists, falling gently by your sides.

“I just…” he finally says, voice softened. “I just don't want to be working for somebody who’s only ever gonna criticize me for everything I do, you know? That’s really the only thing She’s ever done.”

“I know—” you respond. You understand, you really do, but you’re scared of what She’ll do to him if he keeps this behaviour up. You’ve already suffered some of the lengths She’s willing to go to—

“—I just don't want you to keep fighting Her. I don't want to see you keep getting hurt. It’s like—” You clench your fists again. “It’s like you just can’t learn your lesson.”

“If I’m not there to fight Her,” he says blankly. “Then I don't know anyone that will.”

“Then just shut up and—!” You cut yourself off with a frustrated moan. “Why can’t you accept that that is just the way things are?!”

“Because they shouldn’t be! She shouldn’t be allowed to get away with that nonsense— ‘Divine Nature’ bull or not!” Divinities, you can feel tears beginning to well up in your eyes. Not like he can see, but he knows you well enough that he probably already knows you’re on the verge of crying.

“I—” Your fingers go up to your scalp, absently tracing the stumps where your horns used to be. Before She cut them off. Ripped them out of your head.

“You can’t possibly stop Her on your own…” you whisper, trying your best not to make your tears evident from your voice.

“No, I can’t. That’s why I need to convince everyone else to stand up against Her, too.”

A sound escapes your lips; a half laugh, half sobbing noise. “I think all you’ve managed to do is make everyone dislike you.”

“Yeah, well,” You can hear the smile in his voice as his arms gently wrap around your shoulder. “They’ll come around eventually.”

“I hope so,” you murmur into his shoulder, hiding your face in his collar.

“Hey, when have I ever been wrong?”

“Do you want a list? It’ll take all day,” you joke, letting a soft smile find its way onto your face. He scoffs, punching you lightly in the shoulder as he pulls away.

“Yeah, yeah, laugh all you want. But I’m telling you, you just have to hold out a bit longer, okay?”

You hum in response. “But if She tries to cut your horns off again, I’m not going to be there to intervene.”

“Hey, I’ll be careful, alright? I won’t do anything stupid.”

“Promise?” you ask.

“Promise,” he confirms. His pinky finds its way linking with yours. “No take backs.”

You smile. Naturally and wide and for real this time.

“Right, no take backs.”

You were young, and naïve, and still living in a time when pinky-promises couldn’t be broken. That night was what, years ago? Decades? Maybe even centuries?

Oh, how times have changed.

#my writing #one shot #vitra vandea #calister vandea #divinity terra #original writing #original character #judgment awaits

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ari-writes-stuff · 2 years

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Vacation Days

“God, Penryn, is it really that hard to clean up after yourself?” You hardly raise your head to meet Winston as he approaches. You offer little more than a shrug and grunt in response, drawing a sigh from him as his feet step into your line of sight.

“Was it really that bad?” he asks, voice softened at your condition.

“I guess,” you mutter, letting your head fall further between your knees. He sighs again, finally resolving himself to sit next to you and your carelessly tossed belongings, bags hitting the floor as his head knocks back against the wall.

“Do you… Want to talk about it?”

No, you think, you really don't. It’s not that big of a deal— it shouldn’t be that big of a deal, right? You shake your head roughly, temples hitting your kneecaps.

“Alright, fine,” he murmurs. You pout slightly— or at least, as well as any skeleton can— as he begins to remove his formal uniform. He’s much neater than you, carefully folding his tie and jackets before shoving them into one of his bags.

“You’re letting it get to you,” he remarks, as he digs through his things, no doubt looking for his journal or a toy to fidget with.

“Am not!” you snap, bringing your head up to glare at him. “It was stupid and they shouldn’t have said that stuff but it’s not a big deal!” His eye socket narrows.

“What did they say to you?”

“God, it’s nothing, okay?! Not a big deal.” You fold your arms over your knees, and bury your face in them.

“Well obviously it’s not just nothing if it’s getting you this worked up! Pen!” You groan, unmoving apart from turning your face ever so slightly further away from him. You don't even need to look at him to know he has his head flung back, rolling his eye as he struggles with how he’s supposed to deal with you.

“I’m getting demoted,” you finally say, setting your chin on your crossed arms. “They said I deserved it, too.” Winston’s gaze snaps to yours, anger clearly written out on his face. “You’re getting— They said what?!”

“It’s whatever, Winston! It sucks and people suck but it’s… whatever…”

“You’re already working on one of the lowest ranked Projects— how much more can they expect from you?!” You run your fingers idly through your messy head of hair.

“I don't know… I really don't… I just want a break from it all every once in a while— is that too much to ask?” There he goes— leaning his head back again.

“Stupid…” he mutters under his breath. He balls his hand into a fist, rubbing it into his eye socket like he’s trying to go fully blind. He mutters angrily to himself as he dives into digging through his bags again.

It is stupid, you can’t deny that, but it’s not as if you have much other choice, right? You have to do the work they assign to you, or you don't get paid. No paycheck, no money to pay for time off. It’s a losing battle, but you don't exactly have any other source of income. Unless…

“Wait!” you exclaim so loudly you make Winston flinch. “That’s it!” His brow furrows in confusion.

“What’s ‘it’?”

It’s the perfect idea, of course! A smile finds its way onto your face.

“I can work double duty! Then I’d have no problem getting enough money for a few days off!” His look of confusion sifts into something more like… Pity?

“Pen, you just got demoted. You really think they’re going to trust you with any more work than they’re already giving you?”

“No, no, no—” you cut him off. “I mean outside of the Projects. Like odd jobs! Just for whoever needs it!”

“Like… Mercenary work?” He still looks unsure.

“That too! If people are willing to pay! And there are always people in need, right? It’s practically perfect!” He sighs. Great, he’s still not convinced.

“Pen… There’s no guarantee you’ll be safe… What if you get hurt?”

“I’ll be fine!” you assure him. “I can stand up for myself! A-and I’ll stay out of trouble!” His face is pinched. He’s thinking about it, but he’s obviously conflicted.

“Fine,” he finally says.

“Yes!” you exclaim, pulling him into a side hug. “You’re the best, Winston!”

“If,” he continues. “You let me go with you.”

“Oh— Sure! Twice the people, twice the work, twice the money, right?”

“Right,” he sighs, as if he regretted the words that had just come out of his mouth.

“Hey, this’ll be great! I’m sure of it!” You let him free himself from your hold, unable to hide the smile stretching across your face.

“You say that…” he mutters. He’s joking, you can tell, so you punch him lightly in the shoulder in retaliation before swooping down to pick up all your dropped bags.

“Well, what are you waiting for? There’s work to be done!” You proclaim, tossing your belongings on your shoulders and taking off, hardly even waiting for Winston to gather his things.

“I— Penryn! Hold on!” He scrambles to gather his bags. You keep running; he’ll be able to catch up to you in no time, what with those long legs of his. Ducking and dodging through the crowds of people lining the complex’s streets, you find yourself grinning uncontrollably.

“Vacation days, here I come!”

#my writing #one shot #penryn wright #winston vail #original writing #original character #judgment awaits

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