Kingdom Hearts: The Brightest of Hearts - Table of Content

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

posting this separately so i can put it in my art tag. i drew it for my kh3 reimagining, which you can and should read about here :)

Vanitas stop projecting it's not making your case any more convincing

There are many bad things about wish, but one of the most annoying is how it fails to pay off its own set ups.

It's established Asha's father believes in the magic from the stars. He died of an illness (never specified), that Asha's grandfather (her father's father) never got his wish granted in YEARS, well now to me this feels targeted.

Follow my thoughts for a minute, how easy would have been with this already established set up to add the part where it's Magnifico who killed Asha's dad because he was promoting a different kind of magic that would undermine Magnifico's power? This would've established Magnifico as an actual villain from the start, manipulating people's perception of him with magic and the lengths he would go to keep his power and crown.

This would have impacted Asha's journey as well,instead of asking Magnifico to grant her grandfather's wish immediately (which imo is a good reason for him not to hire her, she literally asks for favoritism the moment she arrives), let her instead be perfect for the position, not clumsy and awkward but make her qualified and respectful of the king's secrecy about the wishes. And still she's still not hired. And then she starts questioning him, she's studied, she's ready and it's not enough and the king seemed to like her until she mentioned her father.

And then she talks with the people of rosa about the king, if that was unfair of him maybe , but the answer is that the king is good and kind and doesn't he grants everyone's wishes, isn't that so wonderful of him? (and maybe this can be a song) and at first it sounds like she just doesn't want to accept that she wasn't chosen but after the forth person answers the same exact thing, well then this starts to feel more like a script than an original thought. Just then she looks at all the wishes Magnifico's granted so far and they're all material, it's all about people owning bigger houses, better clothes, riches, nothing is about community, knowledge, about people becoming something(musicians, teachers, scientists, artists...) . The guy that got his wish granted last year also got it granted a few years ago too, Isn't that weird? Some people never get their wishes and this guy twice? And also his wish was so selfish? He wanted a swimming pool! How in the best kingdom, with the best king, nobody wishes nice things for others? And isn't that weird that she and her friends used to make graffitis and jokes on the guards but when Sleepy gave away his wish at 18 suddenly he doesn't make jokes about Magnifico's beard anymore? He's so respectful of the rules now.

And idk maybe Asha doesn't just wish upon a star and everything is given to her. Maybe Magnifico's source of magic is Star and she frees it and that's why Star tags along. The magic of the starts was real, her father was right! Star knew her dad, he tried to save the magical pet but he was killed instead! Now it's not just about freedom and justice she wants revenge. And this is maybe when she fucks up because she was too reckless, she got discovered. Her friends/family are watching how she's getting arrested/executed for treason and that's SO UNFAIR such a cognitive dissonance it breaks Magnifico's brainwash spell.

Now a song about revolution makes sense. But singing about revolution bc they want to be able to wish? Are you kidding me? Not only the movie established that you can have new wishes and that they make you whole again, but also girl, you all read the terms of services when giving Magnifico your wish. You give it to him and if he finds it worth it, it'll be granted. Making questions about the king choices is the opposite of living under a monarchy.

Ultimately I agree with everyone who says this movie feels empty, because it's true, it's a bunch of disney trope stitched together with easter eggs that don't makes us feel anything and that contradicts its own message. The fact that disney doesn't want to make grey characters anymore it's felt. And it mirrors the way people have started to see enjoying stories as media consumption, everything that alludes to people being flawed is an endorsement of abuse. So disney's characters have all turned is these empty shells of heroine tropes. They're always bubbly, their worst flaw is being clumsy, but the worst is that they're always right. Asha's quest to free the wishes is based only on her conviction that the king is wrong in not granting everyone's wish. It's never even hinted in the movie that the subjects of rosa lack something. It's a fairy-tale kingdom in every aspect (maybe the king is a bit egocentric but that hasn't hurt anyone so far), except that her grandpa's wish wasn't granted and so the king must be wrong. If it wasn't for Magnifico's long exposition of I don't accept criticism she wouldn't have questioned him. And even then, that's what living in a kingdom means, that you follow the king's rules. I'm sorry but singing about revolution and then ending the movie still under a monarchy is just contradictory with the whole premise.

So, go easy on me. This is my first time singing/recording/editing/mixing anything-- let alone posting it, but I really wanted to participate in March Caprice this year. I wouldn't have been able to even do this much without the incredible @projectdestati lending me their sensational talent for the accompaniment.

I hope one day to re:record this piece sometime down the road when I've got a few more collaborators (and can afford a decent microphone), Hopfully by then, I'll learn how to mix, or can afford to pay someone to mix it into an actual track. For now, there are 2 versions-- one with lots of nerdy call backs and the other that's a little more simple and .... tidy.

All that to say,

I rewrote the lyrics to Hikari to reflect the themes of Kingdom Hearts a bit better. Hikari has always hit a bit different than Simple and Clean, for me and I just wanted to sing along, so I made these lyrics. Hope you enjoy :)

Lyrics:

Been having dreams, At least it seems That way… How much is real Of what I feel And say?

Was I reckless diving in so deep and believing you would follow me, And dive in after? Was I wrong all along ? You and me weren't meant to be :( How can I face what lies ahead? How is this the path that my heart led?

And now dawn is breaking and soon you’ll be waking This that path I am taking Will lead me back to you. Hearing the dark call, I’ll fight it with my all Keep shining bright, Cause you’re my guiding light.

~Break~

Now back to back, We walk our paths, my friend But when we meet My hearts will beat again

Never thought that it would end like this-- With you and me facing the great abyss Though doors are closing Pick a side, you and I, we’ll get by Cause you’re next to me, we are the key we always were. Take my hand, And we’ll go together

~Break~

And now dawn is breaking and soon you’ll be waking This promise we are making Is like the one we made while Watching the stars fall-- I promised you my all. I’ll stand and fight For you, my guiding light

Slowly, The pieces come falling into place, and we’ve landed standing hand in hand. Regardless of heartless, I know that we’re prepared for this fight. You’re my guiding light.

Slowly, The pieces come falling into place, and we’ve landed standing hand in hand. Regardless of Darkness, I know one day we'll set this all right. You’re my guiding light.

Can I just say that it is a CRIME that Sora isn't on Riku's station of awakening but ANSEM IS???? Nomura the next to we see it we gotta have 1 an updated Riku design on it and 2 Sora front and center on there

me and the physical manifestation of my abandonment issues

a little peek into my twisted mind.

i don’t think the surrealism of learning about characters through kingdom hearts is talked about nearly as much as it should be.

kh was my introduction to everything else under squenix but actually figuring out who’s who is an experience and oddly spoilery. i only knew certain stuff about auron going into ff10 because i once knew him as “that guy who fought hades in the underworld” so seeing him as more of a badass father figure than strictly badass is somewhat bizarre.

“when’s the part where he goes to hell?” my younger self asks. idfk but he’s still cool.

also i’m sure if i knew what actually went on in ff7 and twewy before i first got into kingdom hearts some emotions would hit harder. crossovers are a curse.

The Core in Amphibia in a nutshell(In my opinion)

Seriously, The Core is awesome and I feel bitter about how the story made it a footnote.

that soriku and the little mermaid gifset is killing me bc like

we have parallels between all the disney princess couples in the games and soriku???? i think??????? not just one but ALL?????????

like

snow white: probably weakest, but snow white ‘dead’ (asleep) and the prince saving her with love (ddd)

cinderella: also weaker but uhhhhh at the very least theres fairy godmother sending cinderella off to the ball to fufill her dream (MoM). and prince charming desperately looking for her is kinda?? soras journey in the first few games?????

sleeping beauty: ditto only true loves kiss breaking the spell (ddd) and also, aurora having a connection to prince phillip through her dreams (ddd/re:mind)

the little mermaid: ariel wants to leave the ocean and go explore another world. followed by eric looking for her, but shes been rEPLACED BY SOMEONE ELSE (VANESSA AKA NAMINE) WHOS USING SOMETHING OF HERS TO DISGUISE THEMSELF (ARIELS VOICE AKA THE METEOR SHOWER MEMORY) OH SHIT I JUST REALIZED THIS RIGHT AS IM TYPING THIS OUT WAIT WAIT HHOLD ON oOKAY okay im good im good now.  and then heres the gifset that started this all of course (kh2/re:coded)

beauty and the beast: right here babey! (kh1/kh2/ddd/com) + also this (chi)

aladdin: jasmine rebelling and sneaking out of the palace to go see the world. and this is from tvtropes but, ‘When Sora calls out for Riku after the second battle with the Parasite Cage, the staging of the scene is identical to when Aladdin called out for Jasmine after defeating Jafar in Agrabah: the Hero frantically calling out for their Love Interest as the room collapses around them while their allies drag them to safety.’ theres probably more with them but idk and its 4:30 am as i type this (kh1) ETA: aladdin and jasmine are directly compared to sora and riku in recom!

mulan: here + here >:^) (kh2 novel/ddd)

tangled: rapunzel wanting to leave her tower to see the world (kh3 novel) + this, after eugene is brought back to life with the power of true love (ddd)

and then frozen world doesnt even HAVE a couple BUT it does have anna and elsa! who are DIRECTLY compared to sora and riku!!! using the word love in english!!!! and the word used previously to describe rikus precious person in japanese (taisetsu)!!!!!!  here + here + multiple taisetsu links here

also uh???? anna frozen in ice??? sora frozen if you lose the yozora fight in re:mind???? hello???????????

ETA: okay wait there are some kristoff and anna parellels i forgot about/didnt think about IRT soriku LOL

(thank you @nobodyriku​)

literally the only disney princess couples (from the official disney princess lineup) that arent paralleled with soriku are pocahontas and (blech) john smith, and tiana and naveen. and thats bc those worlds arent in the games.

and HONORABLE MENTION goes to herc and megara. like even besides the taisetsu parallels, in the original movie theres herc diving into the river styx to save megaras soul. 

you know. like sora literally breaking time and space to save his friends, which starts with him following rikus light through the tunnel. where it kind of looks like hes swimming through water?????

and riku is the first one he finds

in. olympus.

like. do you see this. are we all seeing this. because holy moley, when you put it all together, its a lot

totk Yunobo redesign because tbh his new look just does not spark joy the gold and white doesn't suit him.... sob. So I went ahead and just did whatever I wanted. For some reason mod Anon actually liked the leopard print vest... 😨(i say this affectionately ofc) They wanted to incorporate some kind of animal print and I was trying my best I really was but I just couldn't land on anything I actually liked so the snakeskin was our compromise.

Yunobo wears three pins on his vest: one identifies him as a healer, one as a Death Mountain civil council member and one as a mining coordinator. He's a busy guy!

‘What was it like, in the Realm of Darkness?’

He’s not sure what possessed him to ask that question. He knows that this is a delicate topic, and that what she went through still haunts her, just like his time as Xehanort’s vessel still haunts him.  

To his surprise, though, Aqua actually answers him.

‘Cold,’ she murmurs. ‘Dark. Terrifying.’ She shivers and tightens her grip on his hand. ‘It sucks all the light out of you, if you stay there long enough. I couldn’t sleep, or eat, or do anything except walk and fight Heartless. And lonely. I missed you and Ven and the master all the time. Sometimes I saw you and Ven there, but you were just illusions that faded away when I got too close. I… I could have died. Sometimes I wanted to die, but you and Ven always stopped me.’

‘I’m sorry,’ he says. Sorry for dredging up bad memories. Sorry for everything he did that led her to her fate.

‘Don’t be,’ Aqua says, squeezing his hand. ‘It wasn’t your fault.’

‘No?’ He looks at her skeptically. If it weren’t for him stupidly falling for Xehanort’s tricks and succumbing to darkness, Aqua would never have been put in that position in the first place. How can it not be his fault?

‘It was my choice,’ Aqua says firmly. ‘I’d do it again if I had to.’

He hates knowing that she’s right. That she willingly sacrificed herself for him, when she could have saved herself and let him sink into the darkness. Yeah, he would’ve been lost, maybe for good, but at least Xehanort would’ve been trapped. And he wouldn’t have had to be aware of Xehanort using his body for his evil plans.

He doesn’t go into that, though. It’d only end with them arguing and Aqua insisting that she could never leave him like that, not even for the greater good.

‘I know,’ he says instead. ‘Thanks,’ he adds. ‘For… doing that.’

He means it. Not that he likes that it resulted in her exile in darkness and the almost breakage of her sanity, but appreciates the thought behind her choice. That she loved him enough to brave that hell to save him.

Aqua smiles slightly and breathes out, ‘You’re welcome.’

‘I never thanked you, Terra.’

Aqua’s startlingly-loud voice jolts him out of a light doze. He opens his eyes to find Aqua gazing at him expectantly, as if waiting for him to say something.

‘Hmmm?’

‘You guided me,’ Aqua says softly. ‘In the Realm of Darkness.’

He looks away. ‘It was Namine,’ he tells her. ‘She’s the one who convinced me to find you. To help you.’ He swallows hard. ‘It’s her you should be thanking.’

‘You still came,’ she responds. ‘In Enchanted Dominion and later, at the Dark Margin. It was your heart, and Ven’s too, that helped guide me to Destiny Islands and stopped me from drowning. That helped me break through the wall between the Realm of Nothingness and the Realm of Light. So… thank you.’

‘Ah… you’re welcome.’

‘And… thank you for tonight. For being there for me.’

He keeps his eyes away from her beautiful blue eyes, lest they wreck him completely. Instead he keeps his gaze locked on their joined hands.

‘You’re welcome,’ he repeats.

do you ever forget Why youve made something. 

A list of my works

ask any questions about them

Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay

Ienzo returns to the family flower shop, talks to some people, and thinks about motivations and risks.

Chapter 6 is now up!

Help my friends get their things back!