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wilygryphon · 5 months

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Kingdom Hearts - Christmas Hearts

A Kingdom Hearts Christmas one-shot that I posted on FFN and AO3 two years ago. I figure 'tis the season to share it here.

Summary: The Guardians of Light celebrate Christmas at the Land of Departure. They open presents, take pictures, tell stories, have a magical airstepping snowball fight, and enjoy being together on the most magical day of the year.

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Sunlight shone through the stained glass windows into the castle on the Land of Departure, reflecting off of the ornaments and tinsel that decorated a magnificent pine tree that was erected in the audience chamber. Several gift-wrapped boxes sat under the tree, enough for a large group of people. Fourteen stockings were hooked onto the railing on one side of the chamber, each colored and embroidered to indicate whose it was. There were also two smaller stockings for Jiminy Cricket and Chirithy. A large stellated crystal of Orichalcum was mounted on top of the tree as the star.

The castle’s clock tower bell rang, echoing throughout the castle to announce the morning. Smaller bells chimed in tune with classic carols. Each of the castle’s occupants woke up, some with the aid of Chirithy, who bounced on top of the late sleepers until they were finally up. Ventus was the first one down to the chamber, still the physically-youngest and most evidently childish-at-heart. He was joined by: Sora and Kairi; Mickey, Donald, and Goofy, with Jiminy tagging along in Mickey’s pocket; Aqua and Terra; Roxas and Xion; Riku and Naminé; and Lea and Isa.

“Morning, guys,” Lea said, yawning. “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas!” everyone replied.

“Jeez, Ven. You think your Chirithy could bounce any harder?” Lea complained. “It felt like he was this close to breaking my ribs.”

Chirithy appeared in Ventus’ arms in a puff of smoke. “If you’d rather skip opening presents, then I won’t bother waking you up next time,” he remarked. Ventus laughed while Isa chuckled.

“Well, since we’re all down here, why don’t we see what Santa put in our stockings?” Aqua suggested.

Everyone scrambled to their stockings and took out the gifts that were stuffed inside. They all had candy and (with the exception of Goofy and Jiminy) chocolate; there was a Santa hat and a jingle bell sash for everyone; the Keyblade wielders all got a new Keychain that would give their Keyblades a holiday-themed form; everyone had a chibi plush doll that looked like them; Jiminy’s stocking had a brand new umbrella, while Chirithy’s included a festive cape and Lux pouch. They looked up and said “Thanks, Santa,” sure that the jolly man in red could hear them.

Next, Aqua passed presents around to everyone. Sora’s gift from Riku was a digital watch that would sync up to the time zones of each world. Sora and Kairi traded gifts, Sora giving Kairi a Crystal Regalia + bracelet and Kairi giving Sora a Cosmic Belt. Sora gifted Donald a new hockey stick and Goofy a new tackle box. Mickey gave Riku a new jacket. Terra gifted Ventus a Nintendo Switch. Roxas gave each of his friends a Struggle Bat and accompanying gear. Naminé gave everyone a scrapbook filled with her drawings of each of them. Kairi gave Naminé a new set of colored pencils; Riku gave her a new satchel for her drawing tablet and utensils; Sora gave her a new expansion pack for her tabletop RPG (Tidus had introduced it to her at school, and she turned out to be a surprisingly good DM). Lea gave Isa a tea set. Isa gave Xion a fantasy romance novel. Mickey gave Jiminy a new journal while Sora gave him a new scrapbook. The Keyblade wielders as well as Donald received a book on magic spells and lore from Merlin. Every human-sized person received a GummiPad from Ienzo. Donald received a Junior Woodchucks craft from his nephews and a first aid kit from Webby Vanderquack, the latter of which made Sora and Goofy laugh out loud. Leon sent them all Christmas sweaters. Sora found a gift from Ariel that contained a music box.

They sorted their gifts and disposed of the wrapping paper, then put on their sweaters, sashes, and Santa hats (and Chirithy’s Christmas cape and pouch). Sora held his Gummiphone on a selfie stick and took a group photo in front of the Christmas tree, then they all took separate pictures.

“You met Santa?” Ventus asked, amazed, as the group sat around the dining room table eating their breakfast of omelettes, French Toast, and home fries.

“Yeah. We first went there when I was fifteen,” Sora recounted. “First we’d gone to Halloween Town, then saw Jack Skellington preparing for Christmas instead of Halloween. He then led us to Christmas Town to meet Santa.”

“Sora got scolded,” Donald teased.

“Really? I would have thought you would have a permanent spot on the Nice List,” Terra remarked.

Sora chuckled awkwardly. “Well, he brought up the one time I told everyone that I didn’t believe in Santa Claus,” he admitted sheepishly.

“WHAT?!” Ventus and Xion blurted. Aqua gasped, similarly shocked.

“It was Riku’s fault in the first place,” Sora grumbled. Riku and Kairi laughed.

“So there’s a Halloween Town and a Christmas Town? I think I would like to visit those places someday,” Aqua said.

“Maybe we’ll take you to visit next year,” Goofy suggested.

“Great idea,” Roxas said.

“I don’t suppose you had Christmas when you were in the Organization,” Riku remarked.

“Well, we got a day off once a year,” Isa explained. “That was on the twenty-fifth of December, aligned with Twilight Town’s calendar. I addressed this fact when I noticed it, and Xemnas permitted a single day with no mission. I suppose that his intention of giving us a break on Christmas Day was to remind us of what we lacked in order to give us further encouragement to complete Kingdom Hearts.”

Everyone fell silent as they processed that statement, reflecting on the true purpose of the Organization that Xemnas/Xehanort had intended. Donald crossed his arms and sank back into his chair. “Humbug,” he muttered.

“You could say that again,” Roxas agreed.

They found more cheerful topics to discuss for the rest of breakfast and for much of the morning, including: how Terra, Ventus and Aqua celebrated Christmas before the Mark of Mastery exam (the tactful way in which Riku described the turning point); how Christmas was celebrated on Destiny Islands, in Daybreak Town (for Ventus and Chirithy to answer), and (mostly for the benefit of Kairi and her still-hazy memories) in Radiant Garden; and what everyone’s favorite Christmas songs were.

“Hey, guys!” Lea called, getting everyone’s attention. He pointed out the window. “You see all this snow outside? I’d say it looks perfect for a snowball fight.”

Sora, Riku and Roxas grinned. “You’re on!” Sora said. They all put on coats, gloves, and boots and ran outside. There was four inches of snow on the ground, a shining white blanket that covered the mountain islands. Snow also covered the roof and window sills of the castle. As soon as he was outside, Sora did a backflip and pushed himself off of the wall, launching himself across the forecourt. He packed together a snowball on landing and spun around to throw it at Riku, who was making a snowball of his own to retaliate.

Everyone spread out, going all in on the attack. They each sometimes focused on one adversary in particular, and other times briefly grouped up to gang up on someone. They all ran around to dodge snowballs and attack from different angles. Sora, Riku, Roxas, Aqua, and Ventus leapt through the air and ran up and down the side of the castle to take the snowball fight to the skies, leaving the others to watch from the ground and laugh as their friends glided and airstepped all over the place and snowballs arced through the air (although Donald regretted this when a stray(?) snowball dropped down and hit him square in the face). Everyone on the ground got back into the action when Naminé, who up to that point had simply sat on the steps in front of the door and watched, threw a snowball at Terra from behind.

When they were all tired from the snowball fight, they stumbled back inside, laughing, and took off their outdoor clothing. As they passed through the foyer, Kairi caught Sora by the hand and stopped him, then pointed up to show him that they were standing under the mistletoe. They laughed and then kissed. “Merry Christmas,” they said to each other. After seeing this, the other couples decided to follow their example, and Riku and Naminé, Roxas and Xion, Aqua and Terra, and Lea and Isa shared their own kisses under the mistletoe.

The gang was truly glad to be together on the day that was all about sharing the light in their hearts. It truly was the most wonderful time of the year.

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blackhakumen · 1 year

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Mini Fanfic #1048: Morning After Midnight Intruder (Kingdom Hearts x SSBU)

9:25 a.m. Inside the Smash Mansion.......

Pit: (Licks his Seasalt Ice Cream Alongside with Roxas and Xion) ('Mm') I dunno, you guys. (Takes One Bite of his Ice Cream Before Putting on a Satisfied Smile) But the Seasalt Ice Cream from your store doesn't taste half bad to me

Xion: ('Sigh') Yeah, but the taste in quality doesn't nearly stack up in comparison to Smash Town's version....

Roxas: Though, we have yet to taste the worst of the worst. So our day haven't been completely ruined yet.

Pit: You guys are really taking this tasting test that seriously, huh‽

Xion: (Smiles Sheepishly) Sorry. We've been eating these things with Axel for so long that we might have a habit of judging each of them sometimes...... (Points at Her Best Friend Right Beside her) Roxas being the worst of the three of us here.

Roxas: (Places his Hand on his Chest in a Pompous Manner) Hey, don't hate me just cause I have well balanced taste!~

Xion: (Whispers to a Snickering Pit) Definite "Well Balanced".

?????: PIT!!!

The trio turn their heads to see Sora and Kairi quickly making their way to Pit to hug him.

Sora: You're okay!

Pit: (Chuckles Lightly) Aww~ (Hugs The Duo) Good morning, you guys.

Riku: (Walk Towards Roxas and Xion) Isa filled us in on what happened last night?

Kairi: (Pulls Away From the Hug to Get a Quick Look at her Angel Companion) Are you okay? That Xigbar guy didn't try to hurt you or anything, did he?

Pit: Nope. Though, he was kinda of a creepy jerk.

Roxas: (Puts on a Deadpinned Look on his Face) That's putting it lightly.

Xion: (Crosses her Arms While Pouting) I didn't even got the chance to slice him up to ribbons. .

Roxas: All of our chances were diminished that day. Motherfucker came into our house, ate our ice cream, and gave us some cryptic warning about the foretellers being mad at us about something.

Sora: Seriously?

Xion: (Nodded) Yeah. He calls himself Luxu now.

Riku: (Grabs his Chin While Thinking) Luxu.....Luxu......

Kairi: (Turns to her Silver Haired Boyfriend) Something's on your mind, Riku?

Riku: I'm trying to remember where I heard that name from.... (Turns Back to the Seasalt Duo) You said he knows who the foretellers were?

Roxas: Yeah, apparently he's working alongside them now.

Xion: And that only one of them is missing.

Riku: Working alongside each other.....(Suddenly Starts to Snap his Fingers as He Figured Put Something) That's it!

Pit: (Raises an Eyebrow in Confusion) What's it?

Riku: Okay, do you remember the lesson Aqua and Terra gave us about the Master of Masters? How he worked alongside the Foretellers on numerous occasions, especially during the Keyblade War?

Sora: Yeah, remember.....Wasn't he like a mentor to all of them or something?

Riku: For the most. But I know for certain that he also used to had an apprentice by his side too. And... well....Let's just that "Luxu" person might be the one.

Roxas: (Eyes Suddenly Begins to Widened Along With Everyone Else (With the Exception of Pit)) Oh fuck-

Meanwhile at the Certified Moms' Tea Table

Lea: (Groans Loudly While Covering his Head Down on the Table) MEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! (Gets his Head Back Up From the Table) You're telling me that One Eyed Snake was that guy's apprentice this whole time!?

Aqua: (Grabs her Chin While Thinking and Sitting Next to Lea on One Side) Well, given his name and the history him and the master shared, the possibility isn't too far fetched I'm afraid.

Lea: (Facepalms Himself While Groaning Once More) Great.....The Foretellers are gonna be after our asses and now THIS!? We are so fucking screwed....

Samus: (Gently Place her Hand onto Lea's Arm on, Sitting Beside Him on the Other Side) Hey, don't stress yourself out over this, alright?

Daisy: Yeah, man. (Flexes her Arm Muscle With a Confident Smirk) Just say the word and we'll be there to help you take those jerks down ever step of the way!

Moms: Yeah!/Uh-huh!/Absolutely!

Aqua: (Frowns Worryingly) You ladies are too kind, but are you sure all of you want to get involved in this?

Lea: Yeah, I heard those guys are no joke.

Peach: (Smiles Reassuringlyat the Two Keyblade Warriors) We know it'll be a challenge, but we have faced through crazier stuff before. ('Sigh') Especially that whole Dharkon and Galeem nonsense......

Lea: (Raises an Eyebrow in Confusion) Who and what now?

Rosalina: Dharkon and Galeem. Two powerful entities of light and darkness, hellbent on taking over the entire universe.

Samus: (Rolls her Eyes) For whatever bullshit reason they had at the time. I don't remember.

Isabelle: (Places her Paw on her Chin) Neither do I now that I think about it.

Palutena: I think both sides wanted to create a cult of some kind?.....Yeah, that has to be it, right?

Bayonetta: (Crosses her Arns at the Past Memory of the Event) Now that you mentioned it, I do remember seeing the look in Dharkon's eyes when I was one of his mindless slave. Brainwashing me and the others to serving his cause.....

Daisy: ('Groans in Digust') Don't remind me. The video De showed of that one eyed bastard torturing Weegie with his mind games still makes me wanna punch him to oblivion...

Aqua: It was that bad, wasn't it?

Peach: It was, in more ways than not. (Smiles Softly Again) But we were still able to pull through in the end and we won't let this Luxu person get the better of us that easily. Right, ladies?

Moms: Right!

Lea: (Turns to Aqua With a Shrug) The more the merrier.

Aqua: (Gave it Some Thought Before Nodding in Agreement) Very well. We'll let you all know if Him and/or one of the Foretellers lurks by in our universe. In the meantime, try to prepare yourselves by then.

Peach: (Simply Nodded) Okay. We'll do our best.

Lea: Hey, Palutena, can I ask you something?

Palutena: (Turns to Lea) Hm?

Lea: So uh.....(Starts Rubbing The Back of his Head Back and Forth While Looking Away) I know this isn't my business and all but....is it true that Pit was....thrown into a....active volcano onc-

An instant, Palutena eyes suddenly begins to widens and tense up as she easily breaks her teacup with the grip of her hand

'GLASS BREAK'

Peach: ('Gasps') PAULIE!

Samus: The hell!?

Tifa: Your hand!!

Rosalina: Not again....

Lea: (Immediately Hides his Face Behind Aqua in Complete Fear) Nevermind! Forget I said anything!!!

Palutena: (Immediately Change her Mood From Anger to Mortified by her Actions) Oh no! I-I'm so sorry, Lea! I didn't mean to scare you like that! I-

Bayonetta: (Gently Places her Hands Onto her Girlfriend's Shoulders and Slowly Rubs Them) Breathe in and out now, darling. You can do this.

Palutena quickly nodded as she breathes in and out to calm herself down.

Bayonetta: That's it. There you go, my dear goddess. Just like that. One more.....

Palutena let out one more exhale.

Bayonetta: And that's that's. ('Sigh') You know we've talked about this multiple times, right?

Palutena: (Places her Hand on her Forehead as the Other Hand She Breaks her Cup With, Heals on it's Own) ('Sigh') I know, it just......REALLY hard not get upset every time it's brought up.....

Lea: (Puts his Finger Up) I take full responsibility for the nerve I struck today!

Palutena: (Frowns Sadly) No, Lea, you don't have to do any of that, okay? If anyone in this table needs to apologize, is me for scaring you.

Lea: (Gets Away From Aqua's Back as He Gives the Goddess a Sheepish Smile) Hey, there's no need for apologies. I totally get where you're coming from in all of this. I'd be pissed too if that were to happen to my kids.

Samus: Ain't that the truth. ('Sigh') But yeah, it's true.... Pit, Kirby, and Ganondorf were all thrown in that volcano two years ago. Not an active one thankfully, but it was still hot enough to be considered lethal.

Aqua: (Eyes Widened in Horror) Who in their right mind would do such a thing?

Palutena: (Angrily Uses her Finger to Directs the Keyblade Duo to the Culprit in the Far Distance) Him. Kazuya Mishima.

Lea: That half naked demon guy with daddy issues?

Tifa: The very same. The boys noticed Ganon was missing that night and started searching for him. Eventually, after they found and saw Kazuya throwing him off the cliff into the volcano, they began to fight. It....wasn't long before that monster did the same to the two one by one.

Palutena: ('Sighs in Deep Relief') But thankfully, they were all able to come back home safe. Didn't stop neither one of us from being absolutely livid that day, but it was still a blessing nonetheless.

Daisy: (Smiles Brightly) Buuuuuut on a brighter note, Peach made the guy scared shitless by breaking a table in half, with her bare hand!

Aqua: ('Gasps') Your majesty, you didn't!~

Lea: (Grins Proudly) Sick!

Peach: ('Sigh') It's true. I never wanted to break that poor table like that. But he WAS testing my patience at the time......

Samus: Honey, he was testing ALL of our patience that day. He'll, if it were me, I'd plasma blast his ass where he stands.

Isabelle: (Smiles Brightly) I would've throw a clipboard at his face.

Tifa: (Puts on a Bit if a Smug Look on her Face) I'd punch him straight into orbit.

Daisy: (Turns to Tifa) Girl, same!~ (High Fives Tifa)

Rosalina: I would simply silence him in an unpoppable bubble.

Bayonetta: I'd let Labolas sick him.

Palutena: I would more than gladly scorch his body from head to toe under the light and do whatever it takes to erase him and his entire bloodline from the face of the Earth!!

Everyone in the table stares at the green Haired goddess in dead silence.

Palutena: ('Sighs Heavily') That incident emotionally drained me.

Bayonetta: And it shows. PIIIIIT! YOUR MOMMY GODDESS NEEDS A HUG!!~

Pit: (Quickly Rushes Over to the Moms' Tea Table) ON MY WAYYYYYYYYY! (Hugs Palutena From Behinf) Mommy!~

Palutena: (Giggles Softly) Hi, sweetie!~ How was your night with and the others went?

Pit: It went great. Still missed you guys like crazy though. (Kiss the Top of Palutena's Head)

Palutena: Aww~ (Happily Held his Embrace Close to Her) We missed you like crazy too, Pit~ (Gives the Top of Pit's Hand a Big Kiss)

Lea: (Watches the Cute Display I'm the Short Distance) Huh. I think I might be need a hug right now. KIDS! YOUR FIRE MOM NEEDS A HUG RIGHT NOW!

Roxas: (From the Other Room) ASK SORA & KAIRI TO HUG YOU!!

Lea: Wha- WHY COULDN'T YOU GUYS DO IT!?

Xion: (From the Other Room as Well) WE'RE EATING MORE ICE CREAM AND DON'T WANT ANY OF IT TO MELT!!

Lea: HOW IN THE HELL ARE YOU- ('Groans in Defeat') Forget it. SORA, KAIRI, I WANNA HUG FROM YOU GUYS!

Sora/Kairi: COMING! (Quick Made Their Way to the Moms' Tea Tae to Give Lea a Group Hug)

Sora: There you go, buddy.

Kairi: Is everything okay?

Lea: ('Sigh') Yeah, just.....worried about the rest of the year.....with the Foretellers.....and Xigbar.....Braig....Luxu, whoever the hell his name is....

Aqua: (Smirks Playfully) Think you need yourself a bigger group hug there, Lea?~

Lea: ('Tch') I dunno. Maybe-

Peach: (Smiles Brightly) Sounds good to me!~ GROUP HUGS EVERYONE!!~

Lea: WaiwaiwaiWAIT- (Immediately Gets Surrounded by Everyone's Loving Embrace Before Letting Out Another Sigh) Okay.

Aqua: I know this is a scary situation we're involved in right now, but as long as we have each other's support and use the prep time to prepare ourselves for whenever that time come, then I'm sure we'll be able to pull through in the end. We just need to have more faith in ourselves, okay?

Lea: (Takes a Deep Breath) Yeah. You're right.(Smiles a Little) We got this. (I hope.)

To Be Continued.......

@keyenuta

@cyber-wildcat

@caleb13frede

@albion-93

@26shann

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strikelikethehammerofdawn · 1 year

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Hey, Master Terra, it’s good to have you back. You guys went through so much but finally get to be together like you deserve. Just thought I’d thank you for the keyblade. And you’re not alone. The stuff you’ve been through. I think I get it - Riku (Terra deserves being a master after all that’s happened! And Riku seems overly respectful. I think he’d call Terra ‘Master Terra’ anyway like he does with Aqua)

Brilliant crystalline hues focus on the silver hair of the boy he had met so many years earlier, now a man, one who had been through trials and tribulations akin to Terra's own. The respect in the other's voice is not lost on Terra, and his face broke into a smile, soft at first.

"Thanks, Riku. I guess... maybe it's been a long time coming?" Terra gave a soft sigh, blinking as the smile faded from his lips.

"If only it hadn't cost us so much." The loss they had all experienced together, and the way that things had turned out... even though it was a happy ending for some, it was an even more sad ending for others. And he could feel that loss just as deeply as they could. But right now... right now was time to be thankful.

"I didn't give you the keyblade to get thanks out of you, Riku. I saw in you a spark.. something I think maybe my old Master must have seen in me when he took me in. So don't thank me for something you deserved to achieve." He crossed his arms over his chest, that smile coming back onto his lips as they spoke with vigor, eagerness.

"But I am glad that putting you on the path to Keyblade Mastery helped you to understand. I don't know that it needs to be said, but I want to say it anyways." He went to the younger, slightly smaller male, and clapped his hands onto Riku's shoulders, nodding at him.

"I'm proud of you, kid."

#Kingdom Hearts #KH3 #sweet boys #verse;tbd

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drangeax · 2 years

Text

Undone

Pairing: Aqua/Terra

Rating: M

Word Count: 10,073

Chapter 1: Desiderium

Read on AO3

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Aqua couldn’t believe it. She was home at last. After years lost in darkness, wandering and hoping to reunite with her friends, it was surreal that she was here at all.

Dawn broke over the imposing mountains of Land of Departure, golden light spilling upon the peaks in a blanket of warmth and familiarity. The wildflowers by her feet swayed in the morning breeze as she stared at the castle in the distance. Its towers stood tall, impassive to time and weather.

The perfect picture of a new beginning.

If only it didn’t start like this.

Her gaze shifted back to the memorial before her. Master Defender—the Master’s Keyblade—glinted proudly in the early sun. A wreath made from the surrounding flowers rested upon its handle with their wayfinders.

They were exhausted, rest and recovery the sole thing on their mind, and yet honoring their Master had outweighed their needs. She’d done the best she could, offered a whispered prayer. Terra and Ven had lowered their heads, a hand over their hearts in respect. It should suffice, given funeral rites for Keyblade wielders had never been discussed by Master Eraqus.

Hopefully, it would bring that much-needed closure.

Afterward, they parted towards the castle quietly. They didn’t make it more than a couple of feet before Terra broke the silence.

“So…what now?” He asked, eyes fixed on her.

Ven looked back and forth between them, expectation and curiosity in his gaze.

Aqua blinked twice. It never occurred to her that without the Master, they would turn to her for guidance.

“We could join the others this afternoon,” she offered.

Ven gave her a broad smile and pumped a fist in the air.

Riku had mentioned a small gathering in the evening. The idea didn’t particularly appeal to her, but it could be the first step to returning to normal.

However, Terra appeared less than thrilled at the suggestion. He stopped before the gap leading to the training grounds and turned to her. “Let’s think about it after we get some rest.” She was ready to inquire when he looked at Ven, who fell behind. “Hey, hurry up Ven.”

The blond made his way back to them with something in his arms.

“What is that?”

Terra shook his head. “I have no idea.”

Apparently, it was a cat. One that wore a cape and a small pink purse around its neck, adding to its already bizarre look. While its sudden appearance was reason enough for distrust, it wasn’t until it introduced itself as Chirithy that Aqua was alarmed. Animals didn’t talk, at least not in their world. However, its amiable disposition and Ven’s fondness for the little cat put her at ease.

If it makes Ven happy…I guess it’s alright.

They traversed the well-known path to the castle in less time than usual. Aqua didn’t know whether to attribute it to the funny conversation between Ven and Chirithy or…that she knew her destination for the first time in years.

Once in the castle, the guys crashed in the living room. Tired to make it to their rooms, they decided it would have to do. She couldn’t blame them. The sheer number of battles they endured was enough to make anyone sleep for a week. Ven sprawled on the couch and immediately fell asleep. Not a care in the world. Terra lay on the floor on some cushions arranged into a makeshift bed, still awake. He pointed to the spot next to him and asked her to join them. It was tempting, given she was mentally and physically tapped out, but she declined.

Instead, she roamed the castle, taking notes on what needed fixing or restocking. Nothing had changed, and yet it was all strangely different in a way she couldn’t grasp.

Chirithy followed her from a distance, trying to go unnoticed, its bouncy steps on the marble floor gave it away. She didn’t mind. The little thing was curious about the new surroundings. It marveled at mundane things the way a child would. It also set its stubby paws on every dust-covered thing it came across. The place required serious cleaning. Add that to the list.

She stood before the stairs to the second floor when the little cat tripped on a table beside the stairs.

‘Smash ’

Aqua flinched. One of the vases that adorned the spot, lay shattered on the marble floor.

“Oh, dear…”

“It’s fine,” she patted its head. “It was old anyway.”

Chirithy began to pick up the pieces, but she quickly stopped its efforts, gathering the porcelain fragments herself. Maybe she could look up a spell to fix it later. She set the shards on the table and examined her fingers. There were a few scratches, a single cure spell could take care of it, but she didn’t bother. She never fussed over her wounds, even the ones that couldn’t be seen.

If a spell could fix those…

She straightened, dismissing the thought, and then she froze. There was a mirror. She didn’t remember it being there. Heart pounding, she tried to move. It was no use, her legs stuck to the floor.

Calm down, it’s just a mirror.

Her mind refused to cooperate. Sweat formed at her neck, and breathing turned difficult. She stretched out her hand with the urge to call her Keyblade, and yet her legs trembled, threatened to give out.

Deep breaths. Breathe...in...breathe...out...breathe in...breathe out. Again... in...and out.

Little by little, she slowed her respirations, and the dizzying sensation began to subside. Composed, she dared look again. It was an old mirror. Just metal and glass. Fragile, and she could yank it off the wall and throw it out a window if she pleased. It held no power.

She stared at the reflection, studying it. It was bizarre to see herself after a long time. There were no signs of aging or noticeable scars— curaga had worked wonders. Nothing had changed, but there was a sense of otherness to it, like that of an evil twin. The eyes were missing their spark. Deep, cold, and empty. She lifted a hand, it did the same. Her hand met the cold glass, it did the same.

She sighed. “I’m so paranoid it's ridiculous.”

“Are you alright?” Chirithy asked. She nodded, and it pulled on one of her sashes gently as if telling her to step away from the mirror.

Strange, curious little cat.

After the incident, she cut short her rounds and returned to the living room. Ven and Terra were fast asleep right where she left them. She made her way around, careful not to disturb them, and settled down by Terra, with her back to him. It wasn’t as comfy as a bed, but it was better than a cold and hard rock.

And yet no matter how cozy, she couldn’t bring herself to shut her eyes. It meant disconnecting, it meant being unable to watch for threats.

Are we going to be ok? She fixed her gaze on the frayed ends of the rug beneath them. What if something goes wrong? She shook her head as if it would push the thought away. What if Ven doesn't wake up, or what if Terra—what would I do? A shiver ran down her spine, and she shifted.

“Aqua, close your eyes for a bit,” Terra said, voice heavy with sleep.

She jerked, startled at the sudden words. His arm slipped around her and pulled her close enough for her back to meet his chest; solid, reliable, real. They fit perfectly together, always had. She didn’t mind, but it was weird to be this close after years.

His arm tightened over her, and now his breath was on her hair. “Try to relax.”

She let out a long exhale. It had been a while since she last did, so long it didn’t come naturally. She closed her eyes and willed herself to relax, trusting nothing would happen, and briefly found peace. However, not without interruptions.

The slightest sound was enough to snap her awake, a false alarm every time: Chirithy as it walked around, the castle settling, the wind outside, Terra shifting by her side…

I’m safe now, right?...next to him?

She wanted to kick herself for the thought.

Evening rolled around, and a curious melody played throughout the living room. Her eyes darted in search of the source.

Chirithy moved about the room, also searching but gave up quickly and poked Ven on the side, waking him up. The startled blond rolled off the couch, crashing into Terra and her. Talk about a rude awakening.

“Sorry,” Ven apologized, trying to crawl out of the mess.

The noise came from Ven’s gummiphone, and as soon as he picked it up, all they heard was Riku’s laugh. The phone had a camera, and he could see them piled on the floor. He kept it brief and merely confirmed their assistance this evening.

While Ven was hyped at the prospect of sharing with others, Aqua just wanted to unwind and catch her breath. Again, Terra was hardly thrilled at the idea. He expressed his wish to stay behind. I shouldn’t, was all he said. In the end, they convinced him to tag along.

***********

Upon arrival, Riku had gathered everyone for introductions. Once that was out of the way, they broke off into smaller groups, each engaging in their idea of fun. For some, it was a race, for others, a hunt for seashells or playing in the sand.

There was laughter and smiles, there was silliness and normalcy, there was the much-needed respite they deserved.

Ven joined a game of frisbee, and Terra was in deep conversation with Riku.

Meanwhile, Aqua watched from the sidelines, only engaging in small talk when addressed. She smiled when it seemed appropriate and laughed when others did. She blamed the awkwardness on her rusty socializing. It had been a while. To her luck, no one seemed to notice her struggle.

"...nice catch."

"...this way."

The frisbee flew in her direction, and she dodged it. Ven came after it and apologized. From afar, a tall red-haired male—Lea, she believed his name was—stared briefly at her before Ven returned, and the game continued. She moved out of the way and under the shade of a shack for safe measure.

A while later Roxas, Riku, Terra, and the ‘King’ conversed by her side. She limited herself once more, only yes or no. This time she was out of smiles, tired in fact. Pretending was draining, and she wanted nothing more than to go home and lose herself in a book, but Ven and Terra were enjoying themselves.

Why couldn’t she do the same?

She tried examining her feelings, tried to understand. But she couldn't. The more she tried, the more she felt like a ship that failed to set sail. The noise, the laughter, the smiles... I want to go home.

Quietly, she drifted away from the conversation, from everyone.

Shoes and stockings in her hands, she strolled along the shore. Soft powdery sand scurried between her toes. She stood by the water’s edge, eyes closed. The sound of the waves, the sun on her skin, a balm to her soul. Warmth. Comfort. It was all more than welcome.

She continued wandering, this time along the wet sand, leaving deep footprints. Water rushed at her feet, cool and refreshing as she watched them fade, barely leaving a trace.

I'm doing it again.

She’d done the same at the Dark Margin, walked along the shore daily, waiting. Alone in cold, relentless, and unforgiving darkness. Her only company had been whispers of the dark, disembodied voices that came when she least expected, taking jabs at her weaknesses. She endured. Then her phantom tried breaking her. She fought. It didn’t matter. In the end, darkness managed to grip her heart. She was a failure.

I don't deserve to be here.

She took a deep breath in an attempt to steady herself. The ocean breeze blew through her hair in a gentle caress, pulling her out of those thoughts. “You’re here. That’s all that matters,” she whispered to herself.

Her gaze settled on the crooked Paopu tree on the islet.

Kairi and Sora had returned. They held hands, watching the colorful sunset, caught up in their little world, the very picture of romance. And they looked perfect, made for each other. In love. The type of love she yearned to experience, one day.

Growing up, she'd entertained the idea of more than friendship with Terra. Several times.

Their past was an odd one. He looked, she caught him, he averted his gaze immediately. Then it would be her turn to admire his impressive physique until she blushed. He never noticed. And naturally, given they grew up together, they kissed, they explored to satisfy the curiosity that came with adolescence, but it was just that curiosity. Even if it was rather intimate, it wasn't love.

She caught a glimpse of Terra in the distance, carefree in a way she’d not seen since their childhood. It made sense, given he just gained control over his body after a decade.

Aqua sat, hands on her lap as she contemplated the lazy waves.

"...Thalassa shell!"

"It's so pretty!"

The girls a couple of feet away chatted enthusiastically while scanning the shore for shells to add to their collection. Xion and Naminé. The blonde one was Xion, and the black-haired one was Naminé. No, that doesn’t seem right…

Honestly, she couldn't remember.

The girls passed her, smiling, and she did the same out of politeness. The blonde glanced at something and whispered in the other’s ear. They giggled and walked away, leaving Aqua confused until Terra sat next to her.

She tensed and kept quiet, pretending not to notice him. Then she thought he could take it the wrong way. Say something, anything’s fine. Her lips parted, and yet no words came out. What did you talk about after twelve years?

“You don't have to say anything,” he said as if he read her mind. He moved her shoes away from the water. “I know it’s been a long time since we’ve been around each other.”

His words were followed by a long silence as they watched the sunset.

"The view it's beautiful isn't it.”

"It is,” she said.

"I haven't been able to enjoy a sunset in forever—a lot of things, really."

She nodded, unsure of where he was going with this.

His hand moved towards hers, or so she thought until he grabbed a handful of sand. It slid through his fingers slowly, reminiscent of an hourglass. He brushed his hand clean and held hers.

“Aqua.”

He gazed at her intently as if searching for something in her eyes. Had he always been this forward? He said something about the beach, about her eyes and hair. Then he went on about the breeze, the sunset, and his heart? She wouldn’t know. It was hard to concentrate with the way his thumb caressed her hand. It wasn’t until he gently stroked the side of her face that she snapped back at attention. Terra, what…? His lips were about to press on hers, only a breath away—

"Sora. Sora!" Kairi cried in the distance.

The commotion forced them apart and towards the others gathered by Kairi’s side. The poor girl was a mess of tears holding on to Sora’s unconscious form while Riku attempted to get a response out of him, but nothing seemed to work.

Just like Ven after their clash.

It was possible Sora was just exhausted, but a little voice in the back of her head told her otherwise. It was the price for saving all of them, for giving them a second chance—for helping them cheat death.

*************

That night, the three of them took a moment to be as honest as possible. They acknowledged poor communication as part of the problem that drove them apart. Each admitted their flaws had played a bigger role. Apologies were exchanged, overdue hugs carried out, and laughter missed for years filled the castle’s old walls.

And then came the tears, flowing freely like a river as they recounted their torment.

It was difficult to hear Terra share a bit about his experience of losing his body and being stuck in his head. Ven described his time asleep as hopping between a dream and a nightmare constantly. He never knew what would happen next.

As for her, she didn’t want to share. Not yet, possibly never. The most she ventured was: It was dark all the time. They had questions, but she was quick to steer the conversation away, stating how late it was.

Ven was the first to say he wasn’t tired, joked he wouldn’t need sleep for years, and yet half an hour later, he’d collapsed on the couch with Chirithy under his arm like a stuffed animal. So much for that.

“Hey,” Terra whispered from the armchair across from hers. “I’m going to get something to eat. Do you want anything?”

She shifted in her seat, draping a throw over her lap as she tried to get comfortable.

“No, I’m fine.” She whispered back for Ven’s sake.

Terra’s stomach growled audibly. “You sure? I’m too hungry to sleep.”

“Mmm, maybe a snack.”

He nodded and disappeared in the direction of the kitchen. She stayed put until he returned with an apple and a glass of water.

“Thanks,” she said, but he’d already left.

Aqua took a bite of the apple. Something fell off about it, but a glance at the fruit proved nothing was wrong. It was crisp, and the taste—barely there—was okay. She swallowed. It went down like sand scraping her throat. Maybe I shouldn’t eat it.

She should warn Terra that the food might be spoiled but decided by now he would’ve figured it out. She drank her water and forgot about it.

With sleep far from her mind, she left for the library.

As soon as she walked past the wooden doors, she was welcomed by the smell of papers and old books, evoking memories of study sessions and long nights. The row of tall windows remained hidden behind drawn curtains, blocking the beautiful mountain view.

While tempted to head for her favorite corner—all the way to the back—she remained near the front desk where the lights were brightest, scanning the nearby shelves for an enjoyable read.

Books were one of the things she’d missed dearly. They’d always been a form of escape; a way to instantly explore other worlds and far more exciting lives than her own. She could lose herself for hours and hours…

But she found nothing of interest and sat behind the desk, empty-handed. She eyed her surroundings suspiciously. They seemed real enough. If it were an illusion she would’ve fallen on her ass the moment she tried to sit, books wouldn’t have titles, and pages would be blank.

Nonetheless, she felt here and at the same time not, a sense of disconnection she couldn’t shake off. Her feelings weren’t quite there, dull and watered-down. She’d gone so long without them…

What if she couldn’t feel anymore?

She shook her head. It was too soon for her to go down that rabbit hole. Maybe it was perfectly normal, given she’d gone through a rollercoaster of emotions in less than a day. What was even normal at this point? That question could’ve had different answers depending on who she asked.

Still, paper and quill at her disposition, she tried putting her feelings into words, unsuccessfully, and after a fifth attempt, she gave up.

The door opened with a loud creak, and Aqua quickly shoved the papers into a drawer. She didn’t want questions right now.

Terra stood by the entrance watching her.

“I’m off to bed. Do you need help with anything?”

“No, I’m good,” she said.

“So you’re staying up or…?” he asked, his attention now on the hinges of the door like it was the most interesting thing ever.

“Not tired yet so...”

Truly, she wasn’t, and sleep wouldn’t come easily either. The idea of laying immobile for eight hours didn’t sound appealing. She’d grown used to always being alert.

“Alright, see you tomorrow then. Bright and early, right?”

“Yeah, just like old times. Goodnight, Terra,” she said. However, he remained by the door. “Yes?”

“Aqua, I…” he rubbed his neck. “I was wondering if...if you…” he paused, making brief eye contact. “Nothing, goodnight.”

After that, he left, closing the door slowly as if afraid Master Eraqus would catch them out of bed like when they were children.

They used to sneak around after bedtime. Sometimes to talk, sometimes just for the thrill of it. Along the way, Ven joined them and became their lookout when they were up to no good. She smiled. Things were a lot easier back then. They could talk for hours or just sit and enjoy each other’s company, with no need for words. Now they had…whatever that was a minute ago.

Maybe he just needs space or something…

And then it hit her. He’d mustered the courage to confess to her back at the beach, and she’d been too absorbed in her thoughts the whole thing went over her head. She’d never felt denser in her life.

She groaned and sank further into the chair. “I should’ve said something…”

Terra often kept things tumbling around his mind to the point of boredom and conspiracy. She should go after him and address the matter once and for all. But then he would expect an answer…

Maybe tomorrow., just maybe.

She looked for a distraction. If she didn’t get busy within the next five minutes, she would most likely follow Terra. She walked up to the nearest shelf and pulled a random book, dust came off it getting a sneeze out of her.

Slowly she removed the books and stacked them on the nearby tables. She grabbed a cloth and wiped the shelves clean. Then she dusted the books one by one. She was gentle with the old things, partly because if she had questions, it was likely she would find the answers in them.

There was no Master Eraqus to ask now.

After she took care of the first two shelves, she opted for a task she could complete faster. A while, later tables were clean, and the floor shined. She stood admiring her work when a ray of light slipped between the curtains.

“Dawn already?”

She glanced at the clock high on the wall for confirmation. Hours had gone by, and she barely felt it.

She drew the velvety curtains and remained near the last window, arms crossed contemplating the rising sun; a natural occurrence she’d been deprived of. No sunrises or sunsets in the Dark Realm, only a mockery of the sun; dull and cold. Time wasted on waiting and wishing with dark waters beckoning at her feet…

“Move on, don't dwell on the past…” she told herself.

Shortly after, she headed for the kitchen to prepare breakfast. She wasn’t hungry, but it wouldn’t be the case for the guys. It had been so long since she last cooked. She’d bake again, come up with new recipes and eat sweets until she couldn’t anymore, and—

It’s also been a long time since I last showered.

She turned on her heels, straight for the bathroom. “Shower first, Aqua, shower first.”

*************

Half an hour later, Aqua found herself heading for the Master’s old office, and decided to get a headstart on the cleaning. Breakfast could wait since the guys hadn’t left their rooms yet.

But her resolve crumbled the second she set foot in it. There was an open book on his desk like he’d just taken a break and gone upstairs—his room—to fetch something. Like he would come back any second now. An obvious impossibility, and yet she foolishly waited, staring at the stairs connecting the upper floor.

A strange daze fell over her, and if it wasn’t for the tick-tock of a clock, she would’ve believed time stopped.

At some point she left the room, made it down the hall, downstairs, and into the kitchen, barely processing any of the steps she took. Minutes later, breakfast was done and served, the action too mechanical it was surprising nothing burned or spilled.

And then she just stood there, waiting for Ven and Terra at the table, like every morning, like usual, as if nothing ever happened and everything was normal.

Normal…?

Normal was waking up with the sun, ready for training and eager to learn. Normal was to do so under your Master’s watchful and critical eye, take his suggestions and improve. Normal was to tell your Master and mentor—your father, goodnight, knowing you would see him again the next day.

Normal would never be the same.

#KH #terraqua #aqua #terra #fic #writing

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atomic-taco-muffin · 3 years

Note

Can you please make another KH boys HC? One where he get jealous when somebody tries to flirt with the reader and the reader was blushing. And actually the reader kinda liked them saying all those things. But this causes him to get sad or angry. In the end the reader says that they are the only one for them.

Here’s the one where the reader is jealous

KH Boys When They’re Jealous

Warnings: GN!Reader

Sora:

You and Sora were on a date in Twilight Town. You two went to a cute café and Sora went to go get your food. While you were waiting for him, some creep came to your table and started flirting with you. You couldn’t help but blush at the comments. Sora saw the creep flirting with you and your somewhat uncomfortable face. He saw the creep reach for your hand and he snapped. He stormed to your table to give this creep a lesson.

“Hey, creep. Keep your hands off my partner.”

“Oh shit, man. They’re yours? They’re cute.”

“I’m going to repeat myself one last time. Get your hands off my partner.”

“Or what?” Sora punched him in the face, took your hand and ran out of the café. When he thought he was safe, he let go of your hand and looked away.

“You okay? You seemed kind of jealous.”

“I-I wasn’t jealous!” He looked at you with a blush on his face.

“You’re jealous! That’s so cute! Don’t worry, Sora. I love you and only you.”

Riku: He looks so hot here

You and Riku were on a mission in Radiant Garden. You got hungry so Riku took you to a local restaurant. Riku told you that he had to go to the restroom and would be right back. You told him okay and waited for your food to arrive. While you were waiting, a buff guy came up to you and started flirting with you. You tried to tell him that you had a boyfriend and was not interested but he wouldn’t listen. Riku came back from the bathroom and saw the guy making you super uncomfortable.

“Hey, big guy. Why don’t leave my partner alone. Unless you want a black eye.”

“Really? You wanna go? Let’s go.” Riku summoned his keyblade and the buff guy paled.

“Y-you know what? I’m late for work.” The buff guy ran out of the restaurant.

“You okay?”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

“Anytime.”

“I hope you don’t mind me asking but were you jealous?”

“Maybe. I just don’t like seeing people make you uncomfortable.”

“You don’t have to be jealous. But thank you for looking out for me.”

Terra:

Terra saw you had been hanging out with Ventus more often than usual. Terra sulked as he watched you and Ventus together. Aqua knew that he was jealous and sent you a text message saying so. You told Ventus that you would see him later and went to Terra.

“Aqua told me you were jealous. And I just want you to know that I will love you forever.”

“Thanks, (Y/N).”

“Anytime, Ters.” You kissed him on the cheek and spent the rest of the day with Terra.

Ventus:

You can and will always be able to tell when Ven is jealous. Whenever he’s jealous, he would take one of your plushies and hug it while pouting. You were able to catch him in his jealous state when you were hanging out with Aqua. He sat in his room, hugging your favorite plushie and pouting while watching an anime, not really paying attention to it. You walked in and gave him a side cuddle.

“Why’re you jealous, bubs?”

“You hang out with Aqua too much.” he said, still pouting.

“Baby. I only love you. Aqua was just helping me figure out what to get for your birthday.”

“Oh. Sorry.”

“It’s okay. It’s cute seeing you jealous. Now, which episode are you on? I haven’t watched this anime in a while and I need to catch up.”

Axel:

Seeing Axel jealous is one of the cutest things in your relationship. This man would cling to you, almost like a koala. One day, you were talking to an old friend of yours and when you got home, Axel just would not let you go. Even to the bathroom.

“You jealous?” you asked while making a sandwich.

“Maybe.” he mumbled. You giggled and scratched his head gently.

“Don’t worry. He already has a girlfriend, so I’m all yours.”

“Thank you, baby.”

Roxas:

Roxas gets jealous so easily, it’s almost funny. You were hanging out with Olette and Xion in Twilight Town. Roxas sat on the clock tower ledge watching you and the girls having fun. You knew that Roxas was on the clock tower and that he was jealous. When you went to check up on him, you saw that he was definitely jealous.

“I can tell you’re jealous. You always come up here when you are.”

“That doesn’t mean I’m jealous. Maybe the others pissed me off. You don’t know that I’m jealous.”

“Whenever the other’s piss you off, you buy yourself an ice cream. I’m not seeing an ice cream anywhere.”

“Fine. I’m jealous. You’ve been hanging out with Olette and Xion and not with me for the past month.”

“Well, that’s because they’ve been helping me plan our anniversary.”

“Oh. Sorry.”

“No need to be sorry. It’s cute.”

“I’m not cute.”

“Yes, you are.” You then spent an half an hour arguing about who’s the cutest.

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chibi-mushroom · 3 years

Text

Hey everyone! Finally get to post my piece for the memory of promises zine! check out the link here if you want to grab one of your own copies in the leftover sale! I was so happy to be able to join in on this zine, and I hope you guys enjoy all the work that went into it! (Also keep in mind this was written before MoM.)

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Namine rubbed her temples and looked at the clock. Midnight already. DiZ was not going to like this. The next time he came into the white room would bring on some lecture or punishment of some kind. She had been working furiously all afternoon trying to get past this one section of memory, but there was something that was keeping her back. Her pulse began to race. She was feeling sick. The door to the white room opened and with a squeak, Namine ducked under the table, fearing the familiar stride of the man in red.

"It's okay, it's just me. You can come out now." A soft voice sounded in her ears. "You're safe. DiZ said he needed to run an errand and wouldn't be back for a couple of days."

Slowly looking up, Namine could see the outstretched hand of the only comfort she had in this lonely place. "Riku. You're back."

She took his offering and stood up. He hadn't let go of her hand just yet, blindfold still covering those beautiful blue green eyes he had. She was glad it stopped him from seeing things like her girlish blush. He was only offering his hand as a friend. Besides, it was wrong for her to want to be with him- nobodies weren't supposed to feel anything. So why did she?

"You're shaking." Riku stated simply. "Have you eaten anything today?"

So he could even feel the slight tremor in her hands. "No, not exactly."

"Do you want me to get something for you? I think there are some leftovers in the fridge."

"No, I'm alright. I have to get back to work." Namine tried to take her hand from his, but he held onto it all the tighter, leaning down a little to be at eye level with her.

"You were working when I left, and I can tell you haven't gotten any sleep. How are you expecting to take care of Sora when you can't take care of yourself?"

Right. Namine thought. He's just like DiZ. All he cares about is getting Sora restored. You're just a tool.

Still, she couldn't help but notice the way her breath caught in her throat as his blinded eyes sunk to meet her tired ones. Maybe she should take a small break. All of this stress was making her read too much into small gestures.

Namine simply nodded, and Riku left to warm her up some food. Sensing that going back to Sora's memories would be futile, she grabbed her sketch pad and turned it to the very last page. This was her secret page, covered in things she thought about. Mindless doodles she drew when she was waiting for the computer to check on Sora’s physical well-being.

The sketch pad was not necessary for her magic to work. She could rearrange memories- crush the hearts of her poor unsuspecting victims- without it. She used it though to help her concentrate. By visualizing the memories, she was able to make a more convincing edit or capture the feelings that were hiding beneath the surface. So many times she had drawn Sora, Riku and Kairi together. And sure there were strong feelings of both love and jealousy, but had she not had her sketch pad, she might have missed Sora's emotions of gratitude for two stalwart best friends, confusion about school topics they had recently studied, and hope that Kairi would want to go with him to the first school dance, even though he knew they would just go together and bail early to hang out on the play island like they always did whenever the school had some social.

"Here you go. It's nothing special, but it's better than nothing." Riku interrupted her thoughts with a plate of food.

With a gasp, Namine hurried to cover her sketch pad. Even though she knew he couldn't see it, he moved so gracefully that she sometimes wondered if he really was blind. Although those first couple of days made the mansion quite a bit louder with his cries of annoyance as he bumped into furniture. He even fell into the secret compartment that hid the computer lab, but luckily managed to land safely.

"Drawing something you don't want anyone to see?" Riku smirked.

"No!" Namine replied a bit sharper than she thought. "Maybe."

Riku laughed as he set their plates down and pulled a chair over. "I'm only kidding. You don't have to be working on Sora nonstop. If you want to take a moment for yourself, then do it."

"No, I need to be working on Sora. It was my fault he's like this in the first place. I want to keep my promise." Namine picked up the white plastic fork. For once would it hurt to have some color around here?

With a sigh, Riku held his hand out for her to hold. "We've been over this, Nam. What happened wasn't your fault. You were being used." Softly Riku muttered "you still are."

Namine looked at him for a moment and then looked down at her food. She picked at it for a few moments before softly sliding her hand in his and taking a couple of bites. She ate in a comfortable silence, simply feeling the pressure that came from the gentle touch. This sort of thing wasn't unusual for them. They could usually be found in silence with their hands connected. But the mountain of pressure from the recent block in memories and lack of self care was threatening to squish Namine with its enormous weight.

"How's the restoration going?" Riku asked.

Namine's stomach began to twist around itself. "I'm….not sure."

Riku squeezed her hand, urging her to explain. Namine sighed, unsure of how to continue. Would he get mad if she told the truth? He had slowly been becoming more like DiZ, after all. He used to be there with her when she was getting told off. These days, Riku was never usually in the white room for more than five minutes unless it was late at night.

"You remember what Sora's mom used to tell him all the time, right?" Riku recalled.

"Never talk to strangers on the play island?"

Riku chuckled, remembering a secret promise. "A problem shared is a problem halved. If you tell me, it might relieve some of the pressure on you."

There was no avoiding it, not as long as he held her hand.

"It's just that, well-" Namine fumbled for the words. "There's been a bit of a roadblock. I've been doing my best to sort it out, tracing the connections, but it's like the memories slip away as soon as I think I have a grasp on them. I may have gone through half a notebook trying to find a solid piece."

There was a pause, as if Riku were considering what to say.

"I'll go get you a new notebook tomorrow, then. As for the memories, we'll get it figured out. You need to take a break, anyway."

"No!" Namine swallowed back further emotion. Maybe she really did need some sleep. She was being more irrational than she expected. "No, it's fine. I'm sure I'm doing something wrong."

"Don't say stuff like that. If there's anyone who can make this situation right, it's you. Please, just take a few hours to rest tomorrow, okay?" Riku squeezed her hand again.

"I don't really have a choice here, do I?" Namine sighed.

"You always have a choice. I'm just asking you as someone who cares a lot about you."

Someone who cares? Namine thought. She slowly nodded in reply. Maybe a break was exactly what she needed.

"Thank you, Riku."

One Year Later

Again Riku tried to beat Marluxia, and again he was defeated. He only had this last battle to finish, having started against the organization members he recognized or had personally fought against. Which, admittedly wasn't many, but after several attempts, he was down to the last. It frustrated him that he still wasn't quite used to the keyboard controls, and Sora's moves were much less based in strength and relied much more on magic. Riku had never been very good with magic, focusing on perfecting his cure and dark firaga spells instead of learning the large array of magic that his friends had mastered.

Some keyblade master I turned out to be. Riku thought, sitting back in his seat and folding his arms. I can't even stop my two best friends from leaving me again. This is just like back then…

His mind began to drift away with thoughts of Castle Oblivion and Twilight Town. He heard the door open and gentle footsteps move toward him.

"Hey Aerith. We can work on that scarf in a minute. I have to get some more ethers for data Sora first."

"I take it the fight didn't go well then?" A soft voice walked closer.

He closed his eyes and shook his head. Not Aerith.

"Hey Namine. How could you tell?"

Namine placed a hand on his shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze. "You're really tense. Besides, I could feel your frustration from a block away."

What anger and annoyance had once plagued Riku's mind had since washed away. All he could register was how reassuring Namine's hand on his shoulder felt. She smelled nice, too. A faint blush warmed his cheeks. Ever since Kairi had insisted on going to sleep and Terra had left for the dark realm with Aqua and Ven, Namine was the only person Riku shared everything with. She had heard him vent several times, and she had been helping Aerith teach him how to knit. It was her delicate fingers that had lead him through the steps of a cable.

"I guess I need a little bit of a break." Riku said with a sigh. "Wanna go get some ice cream or something?"

"Sure." Namine smiled, stepping back so he could get up and stretch. They began to talk as they walked to their usual ice cream shop.

Since Scrooge, Huey and Dewey had returned home, the ice cream shop had been manned by one of the local citizens. He usually gave Riku a discount, so Riku usually put some munny in the tip jar. It had become routine over the past year to go whenever Namine came to visit from Twilight Town.

"How is everything going with Roxas and Xion?" Riku asked, sitting down and unwrapping his fruit bar.

"Slow." Namine replied, taking a small lick from her chocolate cherry ice cream cone. She wanted to try all of the flavors, and this was the last one. "Not too bad, but I think I preferred the strawberry cheesecake the best."

"That was a flavor Kairi always liked." Riku smiled softly.

When he saw the way Namine looked for just the hair of a second, he realized that was probably the wrong thing to say. He inwardly cursed himself and his inability to be the suave guy all the girls had thought he was growing up. Kairi and Namine didn't get much of a chance to talk after she got her replica body, as Kairi had almost immediately asked to be put under. Riku wondered what it was like living inside a heart of pure light. Just like Castle Oblivion, she didn't talk about it much.

"We should get some for her when she wakes up." Namine continued to eat her cone. There was an uncomfortable silence for just a moment before Namine spoke up again. "Who were you fighting when I came in?"

"Marluxia. He was the head of the castle, right?"

Namine nodded.

"I never really got to meet him as I was down in the basement back then. I'm sorry you had to deal with a guy like him."

"It's alright. I...had some support. There was Sora and Donald and Goofy. And despite everything I did to him, there was your replica, too." Namine spoke slowly, choosing her words with care. "But don't feel bad. He made his decisions, like everyone else."

This time, it was Riku's turn to nod in agreement, taking a bite from his treat.

"After the data battles are all said and done, what happens next?" Namine asked softly.

"I...don't know. All I know is that I've been having these weird dreams lately."

"I wondered. You look tired." Namine grabbed on to Riku's hand, intertwining their fingers.

Maybe it was a reflex, maybe it was a force of habit, like how they used to sit back in the old mansion. Either way, the touch on its own was enough to pull Riku away from the dark thoughts that usually sat at the horizon of his mind. He squeezed her hand in response.

"Don't hesitate to call me if you ever need someone to talk to. I miss our little midnight chats." Namine admitted.

"I do too." Riku smiled softly. "They really helped clear my mind back then."

"A problem shared is a problem halved, remember?" Namine was glad she could actually see his eyes as she recalled back to his words that helped her through her time at the old mansion. "Care to share anything?"

Riku paused. He sighed before starting to speak. After he told her of the recurring dream he'd been having with the buildings and the feeling of being watched, he also admitted to the weight that had been pinned on his shoulders.

"I know it might sound silly, but I can't help but wonder if these dreams are connected to Sora somehow. I just wish I could understand it more." Riku finished his bar and set the popsicle stick on the bench beside him.

Namine had just finished her ice cream as well, wiping her face with the napkin. "Maybe it's time you take another journey."

"With the data battle still to fight and Kairi still asleep? I can't leave now."

"Maybe not now, but after the last battle is won." Namine gently pulled his hand close to her and began massaging it. "But that means I can't follow you. Will you be alright on your own? Maybe you can check Kairi's dreams."

"I...don't know. I haven't used my dream eater powers in a long time and the process is still kind of fuzzy for me." He could feel his muscles relax as she worked at his weary hand.

Doubt was rising in his chest. Maybe she was right. Who was he kidding? He wasn't ready for this kind of thing. He wasn't like Sora or Kairi who could follow their hearts at a moment's notice. He couldn't always feel the way it was trying to lead him.

But as he saw Namine patiently working on his hands, the stiff muscles being brought to relax against her fingers, a light shone through the storm of his doubt. How he hadn't realized it before was a mystery. Ever since they had met, she had been the light in the dark, just as he had provided shade for her in the brightest situations. As she finished the massage, she tenderly squeezed his hands, reassuring him that she was there and willing to help. Surely that was love.

He felt love for her, no question. But with Sora and Kairi gone and asleep, there never seemed to be a good moment to tell her what his heart really wanted to say.

"We...we should be getting back." Namine sighed. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"No, but then, I'm not really all that sure of anything anymore."

"If there's anything I know, it's that things will get better. We'll find Sora. I don't know how or when, but we will." Namine took his hand again, standing before him.

Namine took a quick breath and then leaned over, placing a quick kiss atop his head. Ordinarily, she wouldn't be able to reach, but since he was sitting down, she could offer a small token of her affection and confidence in his abilities.

She and Riku's faces filled with blush, although a smile tugged at her lips. Namine didn't have enough courage to kiss him on the lips like she had wanted to for so long, but this was safe. He couldn't spurn her for a harmless kiss to the head. After all, what was some reassurance between friends?

"Thank you, Namine." Riku had a hard time looking at this angel of a woman without his heartbeat increasing.

To think she was willing to be by his side after all this. He decided there and then that he would listen to his heart and tell her of his feelings...after they set everything right. Once Sora and Kairi were home and together, then they could sort out their own relationship. It would give him yet another reason to bring his best friend home.

He could still feel the kiss on his forehead, and it brought a genuine smile to his face. He stood up and began walking away from Merlin's house.

"Don't feel like you have to stop working on the data battles on my account. I just wanted to make sure you were doing alright." Namine stopped for a second.

"We can get back to those soon enough. I need a little longer before I get back into it." He took his trash and threw it into a nearby can. "There are some fountains that are really pretty this time of day nearby if you want to check them out with me."

A smile formed on Namine's lips. "I'd love to, Riku."

#RikuNami #namiku #mopzine #kh fanfiction #riku #namine #post Re:Mind #Pre MoM

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kessielrg · 3 years

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[Kingdom Hearts] Old Habits, New Reasons

Summary: Three times in which Namine shies away from social functions just to draw, and the one time someone joined her. [oneshot][character study][NamiXi if you really wanna squint][also Namiku if you squint a little less]

Rating: K

Word Count: 3,469 words

If you liked this story, please reblog!

---

Their question had thrown Namine off slightly. She sheepishly looked down at her small sketchbook as if it could answer the question for her. The white page stared back at her in silence.

A part of Namine knew this would happen eventually. There was always that fear that someone would follow her, ask her what she was doing, and then tell her to rejoin the others. But that wasn't what they were asking, was it? They wanted to know why she was drawing. It was a simple question, and it was a bit odd that someone would have lugged a caboodle of art supplies with them to a banquet.

"Well?" the other girl asked. "Is there someone who would get mad you're drawing, even if you did it around your friends?"

"I don't think so." Namine decided, slowly. "But sometimes... it's just easier to draw without other people around you. And sometimes, when people find out that you're good at something, they make you do that something for them. It's not very fun."

"Do you always leave to draw, though?"

At first, Namine wanted to disagree with all her heart. But in introspection, it was more of a vice than she cared to admit. She loved drawing, but didn't like others watching her as she did it. When did that happen, she wondered. That didn't used to be the case...

"Sometimes." Namine finally said. She held her sketchbook a bit tighter before adding, "But only on certain occasions."

"Like?"

Namine looked over at the other girl with curiosity. She was greeted with a look just as inquisitive as her own. Maybe even more so. There was a genuine interest; that much was certain. Maybe there was a budding artist in their midst?

"Well..." she carefully said, moving her sketchbook a bit to flip through the earlier pages, "There was this one time..."

. . .

It was a small comfort that, while she wasn't a Keyblade wielder herself, the others considered her when they all got together. She still made sure that her presence didn't disturb anyone. Being quiet and observant was Namine's most reliable vice. That, and drawing. There wasn't much else she knew how to do. Her time as a Nobody barely ranged a year, and after that she was placed safely inside Kairi's heart until recently. Being a Somebody was... confusing, to say the least.

Being asked to join in on a slumber party with Kairi and Xion had been a surprise- perhaps even more so because Master Aqua herself gave her the invitation. Namine certainly didn't expect it to take place in the Land of Departure either. The world seemed far too grand to her -far too important in the history of Keyblade wielders- that it could be used for anything beyond a training arena. She was proven wrong after entering the Great Hall with Kairi. Aqua had given them a spot in front of the thrones, already decorated with sleeping bags for all four of them and a small assortment of snacks.

"I've never got to have a proper slumber party before, since it was me and Terra for most of our childhoods." Aqua admitted at some point. "Feels weird having one with you guys now. I feel like a mom."

It was Xion who, without skipping a beat, cheerfully declared, "And you're the best one I'll never have!"

"Xion!" both Aqua and Kairi declared, each with their own level of bewilderment. Namine only offered a stifled laugh. So proud at their reactions, Xion gave them all a smile so big, it almost rivaled Sora's.

After that, they started to talk about various things since they all met together. Apparently everyone's training was going rather well. Kairi was beginning to get a handle of second tier elemental magic, while Xion was working on personal techniques on and off for the past week. It was around this time that Namine politely excused herself from the others. They had been so caught up in their conversation that they didn't even notice.

Namine went to where she and Kairi had placed their personal things to find her caboodle. The caboodle was a neat little box with drawers that opened the same time she opened the lid. She was able to put all her art supplies in it. Most of them, anyway- her normal sketchbook was too large to fit. Instead, she used a smaller pad that was placed where the mirror in the caboodle was. Once Namine made sure she had everything, she carefully found a spot far enough away from the others so she could draw them. It honestly wasn't very far, but it was still far enough away that the other three didn't really notice her. That was fine. If anything, it was perfect.

The sounds of the others almost masked the sound of her pencil against paper. Spending most of her life locked away with nothing but drawing to distract her gave Namine a slight skill in speed drawing. However, she took her time when she started to work on her friends. She wanted as much detail as she could.

But she didn't bother to sketch her own sleeping bag. She tried to tell herself that it was because it ruined the composition. But deep down she knew it was because she didn't fit with the others, and so it didn't need to be included.

Namine finished her drawing without the others ever knowing she was gone. She placed everything back in her caboodle, then went back as Kairi went into a long story about Tidus and Wakka back on the islands. It was nice; the sounds of friendship. Namine had been the first to go to sleep that night.

. . .

At first, the only response she got was a quiet, "Oh..."

"It was a really fun time!" Namine quickly insisted. "And it really was a treat to be included."

"But you drew yourself out."

Namine flinched slightly. "It worked out better that way. From the angle I was at, it would have looked weird because I had the really light sleeping bag, and everything was so dark anyway..."

The other girl only looked more guilty.

"Do you still have the picture?" she wondered.

"I think so." Namine agreed. She adjusted herself so she could better go through her sketchbook before flipping through the earlier pages. "Here," she then offered as she handed it over.

There was a small hum as the other ran her fingers over the drawing. Namine had made deliberate choices in lighting around the three Keyblade wielders- light coming off of them as if they were lighting up the whole room. If you looked ever closer, you could see the detail of the castle's floor, and even make out the silhouettes of the three thrones in the background.

"Does anyone know that you go somewhere away from everyone to draw?" the other girl asked, handing the sketchbook back to Namine.

Namine gave a fond, almost bashful smile.

"There is someone..."

. . .

"There's a lot of people here." Namine noted as she tried to look over the crowd. Riku wasn't making the same amount of effort. Instead, he just casually looked on with a hand at his hip. Curse him being a full head taller than she was.

"Aqua said that Disney Town holds the Dream Festival every year." Riku agreed with a small nod. "Can't be that easy since Queen Minnie has almost been reigning the kingdom alone for the past few years. The effort is definitely amazing though."

Namine agreed with a nod and a small noise of affirmation. Disney Town looked absolutely splendid for the festival. All the colors, and the smells, and the energy was enough to put anyone in a good mood. The grip Namine had on her caboodle tightened slightly. A frown crossed her lips as she considered that there might have been too much commotion. There wasn't a good place to just sit and zone out without some kind of noise maker going off.

Riku must have noticed this. He looked over at her, and quickly saw her firm grip on the caboodle's handle.

"Are you sure you don't want to leave that in the Gummi Ship?" he asked. He even made a mild gesture to the box, which only made Namine hold it closer to her.

"No. I'm going to use it." Namine insisted. "I just... I just need someplace a bit more quiet..."

Riku nodded. He looked up again to see that Queen Minnie had taken the stage. The queen looked as beautiful as always in her formal pink and red ballgown. The jewels on her crown glittered under the multicolored overhead lights. Everyone cheered at seeing her- the love and admiration they had for their leader was enough to be felt from miles away. Minnie was a good queen, there was no contest about that.

As Minnie tried to settle the crowd down so she could speak, Riku bent down a bit to quietly tell Namine something.

"There's a sewage grate somewhere behind us. If you take it, there's a gizmo that will lead you up to one of the buildings overlooking the racetrack. Don't know about you, but a good aerial shot might be something to capture for later."

Namine grinned. "Thank you Riku." she said before giving him a small peck on his cheek. The young Keyblade master's face gleamed with a humble blush as he stood tall again, almost as if he had never moved at all. Namine laughed a bit at it before leaving.

Finding, and getting into, the grate had not been an issue. It did take her awhile to navigate the gizmo, though. But it was all worth it once she got to the top of a particular building. Namine let out a soft 'Oh...' of wonder as she sat down near the edge facing the racetrack. Riku was right- this was a good place to work. If only she was able to use larger sketch paper in her travelling kit.

When she was finished, Namine very quickly tried to find Riku again. She shouted his name after spotting him. He barely had time to turn around before she proudly displayed her new drawing to him.

"Do you think Queen Minnie will like it?" she asked, rather breathlessly.

Riku looked at her before looking down at the drawing. He put on a wide smile before telling her, "She's going to love it. It's perfect."

. . .

That story had brought about a rather brighter mood in the other girl.

"Did Queen Minnie like the drawing?" she asked. "You did give it to her after the festival, right?"

A sense of pride welled in Namine's heart, leading her to sit a bit straighter. "She loved it." she grinned. "She immediately had the brooms take it to the gallery to be expanded and mounted. You should have seen the look on Riku's face. He was as proud as I was, and probably more surprised!"

"I could only imagine." the other girl laughed. "Oh!" she then said, "Have you ever gone someplace with a view so nice that you just couldn't replicate it no matter how hard you tried? It's hard to recreate any atmosphere, in my opinion. I wanna know if you ever tried to as well."

Namine let out a soft hum as she thought about it. She let out a small noise of realization when it came to her.

"I did once before, yes." she agreed. "Since Kairi's parents don't mind me staying with them, I was able to join her, Riku, Wakka, Tidus, and Selphie to a beach party they had. It was still summer vacation, if I remember correctly. And Tidus really wanted to have a girls versus boys match..."

. . .

"Head's up!" Tidus shouted before serving the volleyball over the net.

"Cheater!" Selphie shouted back as Kairi managed to spike the ball back. Tidus only gave a rather sinister cackle back. However, at that point, no one was able to break their concentration just to smack talk each other.

Namine watched as Kairi and Selphie worked against Tidus and Riku in a rather well matched volleyball tourney. Wakka wasn't too far away- he had lost a bet earlier and had to make food for everyone. The smell of pineapples and fish hung in the air. It was the warmth of the midday sun that Namine loved the most. The feeling enveloped its way around her like a comforting hug. She let out a soft sigh as she got a bit more comfortable.

The sudden urge to draw made her fingers twitch.

This wasn't a good spot for it, though. She was too close to the others for anything but sand to get onto the paper than color. As much as she loved watching the volleyball match, it was still a bit too distracting. Namine started to get up and casually looked around for a better spot to draw. It didn't take long for her eyes to train to a crow's nest not far from the shore. It was part of a large treehouse that seemed to encompass the island. She looked back at her friends for a moment before quietly leaving them. If anyone noticed she was going, they certainly didn't question her about it.

After getting herself situated at the higher point, Namine found herself gaping at the scene below her. Her friends happily playing on the beach, the light reflections off the water, and even the island holding the paopu tree providing a view so beautiful, so rich, that she wasn't even aware that she was opening her caboodle at first. Seeing the Destiny Islands through Sora's heart was nothing compared to the real thing. Was it possible just to freeze time here and let everything else wash away? She smiled a bit to herself. She did have a way to freeze time, in a way.

The only unfortunate thing was that she wouldn't be able to capture it all. She couldn't encapsulate the smell of the sea, or the sounds of Tidus demanding the girls had leverage over him for some reason. She gave a small smile as she continued to work. Most of her effort was spent trying to reflect the sea around them. A certain impatience came over her as she carefully did each detail. You always had to start with the big stuff, then go down smaller. She was just so eager to capture this moment, anyway she could, that she was always picturing this drawing when it was done.

Namine had to force herself to stop after an hour. Her hands were starting to hurt, and her stomach was growling for food. She cracked her knuckles, barely relieving the tension in them, before putting her stuff away. There would always be time to clean the picture up later. For now, she needed to rejoin her friends.

. . .

And so, we were brought back to our initial setting- the banquet in Radiant Garden.

Namine had thought at first that this would be the perfect opportunity to work on drawing food. But the actual banquet itself had a lot more activity than she was anticipating. There were too many people at the tables to have space to stand at for a few minutes, and she had tried to get a plate for herself to take elsewhere- the allure of delectable aromas wouldn't let her go far without wolfing everything down. So she decided to get a higher view.

To her luck, there was a balcony overlooking the main area. It wasn't blocked off or anything, so Namine quietly crept her way to the top. She found a place to carefully overlook the area and found herself at awe. Even if she was aware that someone was behind her, she probably wouldn't have known it at first.

"Namine!" a voice suddenly said in surprise. Namine jumped a good foot before turning her attention to the newcomer. She relaxed a little when she found it was just Xion.

"Xion..." the blonde girl sighed. "It's just you."

"Am I interrupting you? I'm sorry. I'm not interested in food, and the boys are really going at it, so I really wanted to do this writing exercise where you describe an atmosphere, and..."

"No, no, no. You're fine." Namine insisted. She moved her stuff a bit before gesturing for Xion to sit down next to her. "Here," she offered, "Sit next to me. The view is nice from this area."

Xion smiled in thanks before carefully sitting down. She looked out over the balcony and gasped.

"You're right, this is a good view!" Xion marveled. Her eyes expanding in wonder. "This is the perfect place for Ebba to plant a listening device onto an enemy!"

"Ebba?" Namine wondered. "Who's Ebba?"

At Namine's confusion, Xion's face lit up in a deep scarlet.

"She's my... I think Pence called it 'self-insert.' It's a character that's based on me, but sometimes has a few differences. I've based most of the stories I write on stuff I did in the Organization. It's helped a lot with trying to cope with it. You know?"

Namine shrunk a little. "Yeah..." she agreed in a tiny voice.

"But it's real fun too!" Xion told her, trying to divert the heavy topic a bit. "I base everyone in story with someone in real life! You should see the guy I based on Xemnas... I do a lot of mean things to him."

Namine let out a small chuckle. But then a thought occurred to her.

"You based the characters in your story on us?"

"Of course I did!" she happily declared, her blush growing a bit, besides. "Roxas is Lucas, Master Aqua is head knight Meikai, I even have Pluto as the brave pup Mercury!"

"Do... Do you have someone based on me?"

Xion paused for a moment. Her face going still. However, just as quickly, her smile came back as wide as ever.

"Not yet, but I can!" she decided. She hummed a bit as she thought it over some more. "But I don't have to if you don't want to. I think I'll call her... Syrena."

"Syrena..." Namine hummed in thought. She then gave a bright smile in appreciation. "I like it."

"Great!" Xion beamed. She let out a rather contented sigh before asking, "What about you? Why did you come here?" She looked down at Namine's sketchpad and art supplies for a moment then added, "Did you come all this way just to draw?"

After some hesitation, Namine told her. Carefully, and in her own time. Xion listened intently- only asking questions when Namine was done relating a certain day. When the subject came back around to where they were, Xion seemed to understand much better.

"I get it now." she said.

"You do?" Namine wondered.

Xion gave a thoughtful little nod before explaining, "It's easier for you to draw when it's more quiet. That was how it was before. I think it's great that you're still drawing, even though you started because you were held hostage by the Organization. But the Organization didn't give you the skill you have, Namine. That’s all your own. Kinda like how writing is my special thing. We have ways to just... be ourselves, you know? It's comforting. It's like knowing that, even though we didn't start out in this world with our own goals or ideals, we can make them on our own now. We're free now, Namine. Free to do whatever we want."

Namine absently hugged her sketchbook. "I like that thought." she admitted. "I never really saw it that way before, either. Drawing is something that I know I can do. Something that won't harm others. But you are right- it's what makes me... me. Thank you."

Xion grinned. A wide, bright grin that could have lit up a room. It gave Namine an idea.

"What does Ebba look like?" she questioned, at the same time she pulled out one of her sketching pencils. "Does she look just like you, or are there a lot of differences?"

There was a moment of confusion on Xion's face, then a bright flicker of joy. Not a second after, she burst into a long babble about her character. She even used her arms to illustrate certain concepts and mannerisms. Namine laughed, and did her best to keep up. Xion was so passionate about her characters- it almost made Namine jealous. For the next few hours, Namine did a blend of Xion's idea for Ebba, while Xion herself got to writing about how Ebba got to meet a new acquaintance; a mysterious girl named Syrena, who -while mostly shy- was very well loved.

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daybreak-academy-fanfic · 2 years

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These are actually the stats for my main @kessielrg (and I have no option to change what blog it goes to) but it's still interesting to know all the same!

I posted 641 times in 2021

95 posts created (15%)

546 posts reblogged (85%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 5.7 posts.

I added 1,201 tags in 2021

#reblog - 260 posts

#kingdom hearts - 179 posts

#writing - 163 posts

#writing stuff - 162 posts

#reference - 97 posts

#fanart - 70 posts

#fan art - 70 posts

#writing prompt - 69 posts

#gif - 67 posts

#fanfiction - 64 posts

Longest Tag: 85 characters

#even after someone pointed out that oswald was likely correcting pete's pronunciation

My Top Posts in 2021

[Kingdom Hearts] Old Habits, New Reasons

Rating: K

Word Count: 3,469 words

If you liked this story, please reblog!

---

Their question had thrown Namine off slightly. She sheepishly looked down at her small sketchbook as if it could answer the question for her. The white page stared back at her in silence.

"Well?" the other girl asked. "Is there someone who would get mad you're drawing, even if you did it around your friends?"

"Do you always leave to draw, though?"

"Sometimes." Namine finally said. She held her sketchbook a bit tighter before adding, "But only on certain occasions."

"Like?"

"Well..." she carefully said, moving her sketchbook a bit to flip through the earlier pages, "There was this one time..."

. . .

It was Xion who, without skipping a beat, cheerfully declared, "And you're the best one I'll never have!"

. . .

At first, the only response she got was a quiet, "Oh..."

"It was a really fun time!" Namine quickly insisted. "And it really was a treat to be included."

See the full post

20 notes • Posted 2021-06-08 17:36:10 GMT

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20 notes • Posted 2021-09-09 00:37:08 GMT

Beneath those statues live the Seven Sisters, spirits who watch over the citizens of Wasteland.

24 notes • Posted 2021-10-07 18:44:42 GMT

[Kingdom Hearts] Misplaced

Summary: In which Xehanort finds the source of his misplaced memories… and expunges them.

Rating: K+

Word Count: 1,240

If you liked this story, please reblog!

---

To be fair, he didn’t exactly expect to be alive right now. This extraction could have damaged the both of them in ways unforeseen. He was awake now, no worse for wear at the moment, but she was still in a deep sleep. Xehanort had to force himself not to wake her up. Hearts were such a strange thing- so easily manipulated and pulled in every direction. Sleep was like a natural recovery, it seemed. So he waited.

Their air around them was thick with heat and red dust. This area was nothing more than a graveyard; no one would find them here. He had to do it here too, in the badlands of some forgotten realm. It was where he had met an enigmatic man who told of the Keyblade War and its legacy. That man had been one of the first steps toward Xehanort’s searching. This girl, who still laid unconscious, was the other.

When she finally started to stir, Xehanort’s heart jumped into his throat. He was quick to get to her side. As she hazily came to, he helped her to her feet. Not a word was said between them as he helped. However, Xehanort was not blind to how her body tensed while her senses returned- almost as if she could sense a great danger near them. It found it all dreadfully interesting.

“How do you feel?” the man asked as he let go of her body, certain that she had enough balance to stand on her own now.

The girl hesitated. She blinked once, then twice, before looking at Xehanort proper. He had expected some amount of shock, but he hadn’t really foreseen her nearly scrambling away from him. The girl even made an action as if she tried to summon her Keyblade, but nothing came of it. Xehanort simply let her do whatever she needed; not for once considering it was him causing this reaction. He simply waited for that moment of recognition- their hearts were connected for so long, after all. It would be an anomaly if there wasn’t.

Sure enough, just as he expected, he could see her eyes go from apprehensive to something a bit softer as she studied him. It happened a lot slower than what he would have liked.

“My name is Xehanort, friend.” he said to her, thinking it was time for proper introductions. “Please relax a bit more- I also wish to get to know you better.”

Again, the girl simply blinked at him. Her emerald green eyes looking over him, and a hand absently brushed against her strawberry pink hair in some effort to calm herself. She looked… confused, more than anything. Such an innocence made it hard to believe that this was the source for all his misplaced memories.

“So you’re the one.” Xehanort faintly noted, looking the girl over. “You’re not... quite what I’ve imagined.”

An embarrassed blush crossed the girl’s face. It seemed so faint against her tanned skin. This was a survivor of the Keyblade War, in line with the same generation Eraqus’s grandfather came from? He was staring at a wallflower. Then again, all he had learned so far was that appearances couldn’t be trusted. He could be wrong about her.

He hoped he was wrong about her.

“I have many questions for you.” Xehanort then said to her. “The first of which being the most obvious; what is your name?”

The wielder fidgeted slightly. “Anora.” she finally said in a soft, earthy voice.

“Anora.” Xehanort repeated, as if he were testing the word on his tongue. “You were a wielder from the Age of Fairytales. One that decided to meld into a new heart than go into sleep.”

There was a small nod- almost bashful. Or maybe timid.

“Why?”

“To… protect my friends,” she slowly admitted.

“How very noble of you.”

There was a nod, and then silence. Xehanort believed it to be because of pain. He knew of the sacrifice she had to take in order to protect those friends.

“What are we going to do now?” she questioned. “Now that our hearts are no longer together...”

“Haven’t thought that far yet.” Xehanort snorted. “Kinda working on my contingency plans, you see.”

This didn’t assure Anora in the slightest. He couldn’t help but let out another chortle at her expression. How could one so fearless in the face of uncertainty still shy away from it? Quite frankly, it was absurd.

“Your heart is going to be more susceptible to darkness with part of it missing now,” Anora pointed out, her face fully illustrating her concern, “Aren’t you worried?”

“How does it matter?” Xehanort countered. “You’re free now, as am I of your influence. We can be individuals for the first time.”

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30 notes • Posted 2021-07-09 14:39:46 GMT

88 notes • Posted 2021-01-21 04:18:43 GMT

Get your Tumblr 2021 Year in Review →

#my 2021 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review

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serenedash · 3 years

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I started rambling about my experience with kh and then it turned into khux and then it just turned into me rambling about Ryou and my art journey????? enjoy I guess,

it’s very long but there’s art in there :)

It’s funny to think about my kh journey as a whole tbh, I grew up watching my mom play video games, which included kh1 and 2. I wasn’t allowed to play the playstation2 we owned BUT I did have a gameboy so the first game I played was CoM (after my mom finished it ofc,) so I guess you could say I’ve always been passionate about kh “””side games””” lmao but I did fall off of kh very quickly bc again, I wasn’t allowed to play our PS2 and also I Am A Terrible Gamer I’ve Never Finished CoM I’m sorry you all had to find out like this, but then 358/2 came out when I was in middle school and!!! I didn’t care and I didn’t play idk why lol

Anyway, fast forward to high school I’m like 15 and my older sister, who HAS been keeping up with kh, has a wallpaper on her phone of roxas and ventus. And bc I haven’t kept up I say “nice roxas wallpaper” and she says “thanks but it’s roxas and ventus” and I proceeded to get so mad that I was determined to prove to her that her wallpaper was just roxas twice and then I fell down the BBS rabbit hole and suddenly I was reading about vanitas and then I’m reading the fan translations of the BBS novel and I’m crying??? I am sobbing???? and that’s how I actually got into kh for real lol we are vanitas stans before we are people,

It’s so funny how I thought I was some kh super fan, knowing all this stuff that I spent so long reading and rewatching cutscene movies, but I never once, SOMEHOW NEVER ever came across khx. It’s so absurd and bizarre I seriously have no idea how I never once encountered khx prior to khux. I suppose that has to do with the fact I wasn’t involved in the fandom? In early high school I had stepped away from fandoms as a whole and I didn’t have any interest in really posting content or interacting with fans anymore bc of how burnt out I was from a previous fandom,

but khux released! and I was so hype and excited for it! on launch day I was a senior in high school, I had ran around to every “nerd” and weeb I could find in school to ask them to join my party and fun fact about me is I have crippling social anxiety I literally refuse to start conversations irl so holy shit I was OUT HERE doing the MOST

My player just originally had my name (Matt) but everyone in my party had fun names so Ryou was born! High school was one big yugioh phase for me and ryou bakura is one of my favorite characters ever so it was just the logical name choice lol I quickly started creating Ryou, the character, as well. I was also leaving my homestuck phase and that + vanitas obsession made This character design (art circa 2016)

If y’all are familiar with my kh oc’s you might notice that keyblade now belongs to my kid Monty LOL

Anyway that got scrapped quickly for the chip and dale outfit (which is where Ryou’s trademark goggles are from <3) Goggles have been a staple of my character designs for a LONG TIME so like, it had to be done, (that’s a separate ramble about a separate oc tho)

OG Ryou was an interesting guy; he was a young party leader with this overwhelming responsibility on his shoulders bc of his status as a party leader. In his original story, he also struggled heavily with darkness, much like Terra but for Ryou it was more that the darkness was controlling him and not like a source of power like it was for Terra

A big part of early Ryou I kept, however, was the crushing awareness of loss. One of my party members (the strongest one at the time,) had left without saying a word and I was very confused and hurt. This was around the time the ephemera plot was happening so I decided to incorporate it into Ryou’s story; having him experience losing a friend to darkness since it’s so normal for wielders in Daybreak Town to just disappear, and this would unintentionally become a theme for both me and Ryou as khux friends would just randomly disappear.

I was desperate for khux at this point and I decided to watch the fan translations for khx and GOD, god, was I obsessed. I couldn’t stop thinking about the foretellers. And I’m not going off about that here bc I already did that, but I actually started entering fandom again! I did it slowly, I started on tumblr before this blog was made altho it was me sending anons to the few khux related blogs I could have lol a friend convinced me to get twitter where I got involved with the ffxv fandom, which led me to the kh fandom and eventually the khux fandom there which is what REALLY got me going on khux.

I joined discord servers, most of the servers I’m in are khux related, and from there I joined the khux oc rp (shout out to anyone there who might be reading this lol here’s some art from the beginning of the rp,)

It’s SO FUNNY how the RP influenced me so heavily. I hadn’t RP’d in YEARS, I used to have a strict no oc rp policy, but here I was? And the funny part is, I had barely developed Ryou. I had scrapped his original story and all I had was POST WAR Ryou so I literally had to reverse write him; I had only ever written him as a depressed, guilt ridden adult, but it was a fucking blast and I have such fond memories of this rp when it was active,

But anyway, this encouraged me to get more serious about art! I started drawing, writing, cosplaying, and roleplaying when I hadn’t done any of that stuff in a very long time. The first time I ever drew a background was for a deviant art khux competition actually LOL

also! I always think extremely fondly of the drawing I did of Aced in the keyblade war. It was also one of the first backgrounds I ever drew and it felt like my real starting point in the khux fandom. It got a ton of notes on here and someone wrote a tiny fic in a reblog which just made me SO HAPPY like it really felt like people were noticing me :) I was going to draw a matching Ira but!! I just never did!! One day tho, it’s on my art bucket list to redraw this along with Ira,

Aside from my personal growth, khux was great for my social life ngl, I made SO MANY friends online and got to meet a ton of people irl over the years! It’s crazy to think about all the people I now know and talk to? It honestly makes me really emotional. I’ll never forget taking the train into NYC and meeting up with discord friends. Going to conventions and talking with people about the latest khux update? Absolutely insane and those were some GOOD TIMES, if I thanked every khux friend or even just person who made an impact on me then we’d be here for a LONG TIME,

Fun fact, for my Lauriam cosplay all I needed to buy was the wig I just owned his outfit LOL also? Probably retiring that cosplay ngl people treated me like absolute garbage when I wore him and it led to a lot of confidence issues for awhile ngl. That’s probably one of the only memorable negative experiences I have with khux; it was great when khux people recognized me but for kh fans that weren’t in khux? They were FUCKING MEAN??? fuck kh fandom at large, I only care about khux fandom,

This leads me to another huge part of my experience in khux fandom: THEORIES!! I used to write SO MANY and oh my god my brain was so full all the time. It was a huge appeal for me in the fandom; I had been previously writing theory posts in the RWBY fandom and it just migrated over to khux for me lol I had done a ton of theorizing around Lauriam tbh, it was really the only reason I liked his character at all bc initially I did not care about the dandelions, anyone who wasn’t Skuld I was like “please leave Now thanks”

A funny part of khux fandom I never intended to be apart of is the MEMES, I really only started doing memes as stress relief bc college had me so busy all I had time/energy for was these quick little shit post drawings.

The first meme I made, file name “invi despair” LOL we need to get her a girlfriend smh anyway, I think in my senior year of college I did a bunch of rapid fire memes all in one month bc the stress of finals was getting so bad afdgfhdgf as far as I know my impact on this fandom will be my memes bc all I do now is enter a kh/khux server and introduce myself and I go “yeah I draw art. here’s a meme” and everyone goes OH YOU, honestly I am nothing if not a clown

I’ve talked so much idk where I’m going with this. Khux is just a good game even if the gameplay actually kind of really sucks yknow lol but it was the first game I played where I like, REALLY got into the meta and the mechanics. I used to read so much on the mechanics and watch youtube videos on which medals were worth pulling for. I was never a whale or a top player exactly, but I could rank well if I tried lol I’ve made it to the top 100 for solo rankings, my party has made it to top 10, and in pvp I’ve made top 300. I’m not the highest level in my party but FUCK do I know how to manipulate this game LOL

And with all that hard work, the strategies, the theorizing, the content I’ve made-- it’s been my life for 5 years. I’ve logged into khux almost every single day. At the end, I have logged 1820 days in khux out of 1910 days. Kinda crazy. Crazier I’ve never spent money on khux either lol the only “money” gone into it was one time my mom gave me a google play store gift card and I used it on my birthday for a VIP xemnas medal which eventually made it to regular pulls anyway but it was nice and a little treat :)

I’m not a gacha fan, I don’t care for it, so I don’t think I’ll be touching another gacha again. But for kh? This was pretty fucking awesome, even if it sucked a lot sometimes LOL It was worth it for the people I’ve met most of all I think. I would honestly be a completely different person without khux and that’s REALLY insane to think about.

#the khux hyperfixation is REAL #but yall knew this about me #there's so much more I could say but it's 2am and this is long enough already #im rambling

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jcmorrigan · 3 years

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001 - Kingdom Hearts

Favorite character: On the villain side: VEXEN IS BEST ORGANIZATION XIII MEMBER. Shoulda stayed evil, though. I like it when he complains and screams about everything and hates everyone. He's one of my favorite villains, just, like...in general. So fun to write. Also attached to Demyx, but I actually liked him more in III than II because it reminded me of my rawr lolspeek weeb days when I f/o'd him without knowing what f/o'ing was and then transitioned this to shipping VexDem like heck. On the hero side: MY GIRL KAIRI! But honorable mentions go to Sora, Riku, Aqua, Ven, Terra, Xion, Roxas, Lea, Ienzo, any Disney character I loved beforehand (this is way too fuckin many to list), Merlin (OKAY I WILL SINGLE HIM OUT), Yen Sid (I'LL SINGLE HIM OUT TOO), you know what let's also single out the Mickey+Donald+Goofy power trio...just...any KH hero who isn't part of the Yozora stuff or the KHUX stuff. ...Except I also LOVE Strelitzia, and she is the only KHUX-exclusive kiddo I care about but I care about her MANY. (Oh, and there's a least fave I have who's a "hero" but that's a debatable label). I would go on about why I love all of them but...that's too many characters to elaborate on

Least Favorite character: See, I think the real answer is Yozora, but the thing is I just tend to forget about him or not care (unless I'm doing a weird AU where he's Noctis' bratty Nobody, don't ask). He kinda represents the Shark Jump and I don't like watching that scene where he literally petrifies Sora for not being strong enough. But again, I can just kinda forget about him if he's not fed to me through a social-media unit. The one I LOVE TO HATE is Master Eraqus. The man actually triggered me back in the day. He is purity culture. He is the overbearing parent who will not accept you unless you are perfect. He is by and large the reason VAT didn't communicate with each other properly. He was the one who taught Aqua to think in absolutes. He lied to Ventus for years and then insisted to kill him was the only option, and then, when Terra tried to defend his brother figure/friend without knowing WHY Eraqus was doing such a thing, Eraqus didn't offer an explanation and instead switched targets to Terra citing that the problem was Terra's lack of OBEDIENCE. Eraqus is just very "my way or the highway" and uses his moral high horse to justify doing things that utterly lack compassion in any regard, which is something that GETS to me on a deep level, and let me tell you, I hated him for so long until I realized he was actually a super fuckin fun guy to imagine as a Bigger Bad in AUs that either have the KH protags teaming up or have villain protags needing a "greater good lawful evil" figure. And I just have found too many good memes about him cheating at chess and killing children. I have to laugh. Making fun of him is fun. He's a ridiculous character. That said, this recent trend of "erase everything bad he ever did and paint him as the ultimate hero of the saga" makes me raise eyebrows for SEVERAL reasons

5 Favorite ships (canon or non-canon): VexDem, SoRiku, Kairi x Jaune Arc (RWBY), Aqua x Rosalina (Super Mario Galaxy) x Bayonetta, IsaLea, Ventus x Papyrus (Undertale), that was six but they all needed to be mentioned

Character I find most attractive: Ienzo. HOO BABY he is adorable. I saw someone make a Valentine's Day gifset of KH and FF characters shortly after III dropped and seeing his smiling face paired with a romance quote made my heart FLUTTER

Character I would marry: Probably Ienzo, see above. He's also a very kind guy. Favorite redemption in the modern era.

Character I would be best friends with: I hope the Destiny Trio would adopt me into their friend circle the way they've tended to do with every other inter-world denizen they've come across. I would love to have them as my positivity squad. Or, y'know, two positivities and one "it's okay to screw up" guy. Just. I would love to hang out with them. I often worry that I'm unlikable to my faves, but even though I would usually prefer to hang with the villains, I can pretty much guarantee these three would be open-minded about me. (Do I kiiiiinda wanna be friends with Vexen though? Of course I do. He'd hate me but maaaayyyyybe he would see me as one of his pet idiots who makes him look smarter, and we could bond over our fragile egos?)

a random thought: You ever think about that one NPC lady in Traverse Town who refused to tell you where she was from because it was none of her business? You ever wonder where she WAS from? What her world was like? How she ended up being the survivor of the Ansem Apocalypse when it hit her? All I know is that when I read her lines out loud (I used to read KH speech balloons out loud all the time), I gave her a Southern accent for no discernible reason and I stand by it. That woman has a twang.

An unpopular opinion: I don't want KHUX to be canon because I feel it's smaller-scale and takes a lot of mystery out of the worldbuilding. I always assume that the KHverse just includes ALL worlds in fiction, and that includes their thousand-year histories, meaning the Age of Fairy Tales should've happened long long long LONG LONG LONG ago and not five generations. And whatever screwed up the world should've been more than just five people having a fight, and whatever saved it should've been more than just five people getting along, and Daybreak Town really suffers from having to stick to mobile-friendly graphics and therefore is the least aesthetically attractive KH town ever, and I don't like that Lauriam and Elrena used to be such selfless people. I do still love Strelitzia because she's shy and relatable and quirky (sitting on the roof) and she questions authority and if you go with shipping subtext she's probably bi (or pan?), but I don't like the "Lauriam's dead sister for his arc's drama" bit. I liked when Marluxia was angry because he wanted to run Organization XIII but it was in the hands of an idiot who wasn't him. And more than anything I just like imagining that the Age of Fairy Tales was something bigger, further in the past, and more mysterious than something designed for a mobile game. Scala ad Caelum, however, I like a lot better because there IS a lot of mystery there and also it's a very pretty town with an amazing design.

my canon OTP: I really only count the Disney couples as the "canon" ones, so this is a question of picking my favorite Disney couple that shows up onscreen. I hope I'm not forgetting an important one, but I think the title has to go to Aladdin/Jasmine, which is always perfect in everything. (This would be an ENTIRELY DIFFERENT STORY if KH had ever adapted Treasure Planet, and if it ever gets the mind to adapt Treasure Planet then even if I don't care about that game I will immediately declare that Amelia/Doppler takes the KH canon OTP crown. *taps watch* Get on it Squenix)

Non-canon OTP: SoRiku, which I counted as "basically canon" after DDD until III decided it wasn't sure. But I'm just a sucker for how DDD is the two of them all "HE'S GOT MY BACK AND I'VE GOT HIS AND I'D DO ANYTHING FOR HIM SO LONG AS HE'S HAPPY." It's just the best kind of Friends-to-Lovers, except when you take all canon into account it's Friends-to-Rivals-to-Enemies-to-Friends-to-Lovers and that's a very juicy dynamic. BUT ALSO: VexDem, which is a nostalgia ship SO STRONG I had to accept that it eclipsed my former Vexen ships by a mile and I wanted to go back to my roots. That one, I have a much longer essay about that I'll just have you refer to so I don't repeat myself for pages. To make a long story short, their scene in III was JUST DELICIOUS.

most badass character: OOF THEY'RE ALL BADASS but in the end it's between Sora and Aqua, because Sora gets the widest RANGE of abilities across the series that he masters while Aqua gets the most POWERFUL abilities due to her Mastery (Command Styles seem like they'd be the most OP things ever in-universe and I'm here for it because flashy battle moves make brain go brr).

pairing I am not a fan of: SOKAI, Xehaqus, RikuNami, Vanitas/anyone not evil

character I feel the writers screwed up (in one way or another): OH BOY. KAIRI THE MOST. YOU ALL KNOW WHY: lack of screen time, Fridging for drama, forced romance to invite death flags (they really wanted to milk that death to get people talking didn't they?), giving Alyson Stoner ZERO direction to actually follow up on Hayden Panettiere's performance. But then I remember that they made Vexen redeem and lose his entire personality and I just...uuugghhhh. I can't believe he died twice in this series. And then Demyx is FUN but also I know he's flipped sides as well, which means he won't be fun much longer! Xehanort seems to switch motivations to whatever makes him the biggest threat (and several of Eraqus' old flaws seem to be mysteriously glued onto him), Sora isn't a motormouth anymore, Riku just doesn't get anyone who cares about him anymore because everyone's distracted by Sora and Kairi, IS ANYBODY GOING TO ADDRESS THE ACTUAL ISSUES THAT DROVE THE WAYFINDER TRIO APART, oh God Marluxia and Larxene you're good guys now what have they done to you

favourite friendship: I really like each of the trios. But you know what's even BETTER than the trios? If you put...all of the trios together...meaning Sora, Riku, Kairi, Mickey, Donald, Goofy, Aqua, Terra, Ven, Roxas, Xion, Lea, Hayner, Pence, Olette...and then you added Isa back in there...and you gave them Ienzo...and you brought back Naminé...and you say that Subject X is Strelitzia and you have her turn back up so she can have justice done...AND YOU HAVE AN ULTRA KEYBLADE GROUP OF FRIENDS. As for Vexen, any purely platonic relationship I have for him is a crossover but trust me I have many crossover pals for he

character I want to adopt or be adopted by: See everyone I listed above in the friendship question. They can either mentor me or let me be their big sis/mom. But also, I will GLADLY be Merlin or Yen Sid's daughter. (But also would I kiiiiinda wanna be a VexDem daughter? This is the worst idea. Still wanna try)

#kingdom hearts

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winterstarqueen · 3 years

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I thought that you didn’t care. Part 3

After Riku saw you. He immediately went to see Naminé. Maybe there was a way to get your memories back. He filled everyone in about you and this Yozora person. “Is there anyway that we can help (Y/n) without hurting her?” Riku asked her. “I don’t know. There is no trace of Yozora in her heart. I see some unusual memories..but, nothing too much.” She said frowning. “Can you bring them up?” Xion asked. “No. Something is stopping me from touching them...” Naminé said frowning. Riku’s gumi phone rang. “Sora? I was just going to call you. What’s wrong?” “There’s something wrong with Radiant Garden.” Sora said frowning. “It’s getting really dark.” Goofy said frowning. “Make sure that everyone is safe and go check on Kairi. We’ll meet in the mansion.” Riku asked frowning. “Right.” Sora said hanging up. That was when Axel came back. “Did you guys see outside? It’s pitch black out there.” He said frowning. “He’s right. I can’t see anything.” Xion said frowning. “What’s going on?” Roxas asked. “Is it Xehnort? Did he come back?” Sora asked. “I don’t know. But,we should have our guard up. Just in case. Is it okay if I use your dreams again? I’m worried about (Y/n).” Riku asked Xion and Roxas. “Yes. If the darkness has to do with this Yozora guy. We should probably check it out.” She said nodding. Riku turned to Roxas. “Whatever you have to do to help (Y/n). Who knows what is happening in that city...” He said. “Thank you.” Riku said. Then his phone rang again. He answered. “Where is Ven,Terra and Aqua?” Riku asked frowning. “I’ll answer your question. When you answer mine. What did you do to my unversed?! I knew you all of you were jealous...but,I didn’t know that you were that jealous! I can’t even control a flood!” Vantias said frowning. The unversed were his only friends and for some reason he couldn’t control them anymore. They were extremely loyal to him. Unlike the people on the side of light. “I didn’t do anything.” Riku said. “Likely story....” “Vanitas give me back my gumi phone!” Ven said using wind on Vantias. “Don’t push me Ventus!” Vantias said dropping the phone and summoning his keyblade. Riku sighed. The brothers were fighting again. “Don’t hurt Ven!” Terra yelled summoning his keyblade. Riku could hear them fighting. “You are getting very annoying. Deep freeze!” Vantias yelled freezing Ven. “What did you do to Ven?!” Terra said frowning. “Vantias!” Aqua yelled. Riku hung up. He didn’t have time for this. They would figure out on their own.

Meanwhile, You were walking around the city alone. When you suddenly heard Yozora’s voice. “Give it back!” He yelled at some guy. You were confused. “Come on hand it over!” He said looking angry. You frowned and approached them. “Listen I’m not in the mood! Hand over (Y/n)’s wallet now!” Yozora said with his eyes glowing red. The man looked scared and handed over your wallet. “No put the money back first.” The thief did so. “All of it and put her ID back as well.” He said looking angry still. The frightened man put everything back. Before giving you your wallet back. “T-Thank you.” You said taking from him. Yozora dropped him and you put your wallet back into your bag. You didn’t even know how he got it. “Thank you Yozora...” You said. “It’s not a big deal.” He said walking up to you. He gave you a familiar smile. An image popped into your head. Of a young man smiling at you after beating a high score together. “Yes a new high score! I knew that we could do it! Let’s get some ramen to celebrate!” He said smiling. You shook your head. His smile looks so familiar. “Would you like me to buy you some ramen? You look like you could use something warm to eat.” He offered. It was cold and rainy today. You didn’t have a warm jacket on and you didn’t have umbrella. Because the weather was wrong on the news. Yozora looked at you just to make sure that you are his lost friend. “I think that I’ll take you up on that offer.” You said after sneezing. The two of you didn’t talk on the way there. However Yozora couldn’t stop looking at you. Here was his lost friend walking with him to a restaurant. Just like old times. If only she would remember. Suddenly he remembered something.

“What’s wrong?”He asked. “Huh? Oh...Nothing.” You said smiling and you were about to pick up your chopsticks. He stopped you. “What is wrong?” “Nothing.” You said. “I’ve known you for years and I know when you’re upset. That may work with someone else. But, not me.” “When you’re married are we still going to be friends?” You asked frowning. “Of course. Nothing can break our friendship. Why would you think that?” He said confused. “It’s just I thought that you would change. And not like me being by your side anymore...I can get annoying sometimes.” You said frowning. “You’re not annoying. Who told you that?” He asked willing to question this person. No one should tell you these things. Because you are everything but, annoying. You’re kind,caring,funny and loyal. Extremely loyal. These were only a few things that he loved about you. “No one. I was just thinking about the future.” “Let’s think about now.” He said looking at you. “You’re right. Let’s enjoy these hot bowls of ramen.” You said smiling. However, he knew you all too well. That wasn’t the problem with you. But, rather something else.

“Yozora we’re here.” You said frowning. “Sorry...” He was lost in thought. He opened the door for you. The two of you sat down in a booth by a window. As soon as you got your bowls you were thinking about your friends. But, mostly Riku. “What’s wrong?” Yozora asked you. “Huh? Oh, nothing.” You said picking up your chopsticks. He stopped you. “What’s wrong?” He asked. You didn’t want to hurt his feelings. Because you had a lot to say about Riku. He’s so amazing. “Nothing.” You said. “I’ve...” Yozora stopped himself. This felt familiar to him. Just being here with you. “Huh?” You asked frowning. “Nothing. Please tell me what’s wrong. I don’t like seeing you like this.” He said. “It’s just my friends. I really miss them.” You said frowning. “Would it help if you talked about them?” “I don’t know...maybe.” You said frowning. “Try it.” He said looking at you. “Okay.” You told him about the islands and how you wanted to leave. You told him about the test. “Did you pass?” He asked. “Uh...no. It’s okay though. I’ll become a keyblade master someday. Then Riku and I can teach keyblade wielders together.” You said smiling. He looked away for a second. You seem pretty fond for this Riku guy. After lunch you walked back to your apartment Yozora asked.“You talk about Riku a great deal. Do you like him?” “What?! No! No! It’s nothing like that! We’re just really close is all. Besides he doesn’t like me back.” “Did he tell you this?” Yozora asked trying to make sense of your relationship with Riku. “No. It’s obvious though. When we were young..I purposely didn’t bring my umbrella to school. I wanted him to share his umbrella with me. I thought that he would. But, as soon as school was let out he put his umbrella away. Ever time the weather man said it was going to rain tomorrow...I would purposely leave my umbrella at home. And every time he wouldn’t share his with me....” “It sounds like he didn’t understand what you were getting at.” “I guess not. Even when we were older. I would always try to get his attention or try to show him that I care about him. But,nothing...and Riku isn’t the dense kind. He never told me that he likes or dislikes me.” You said on the verge of tears. Yozora listened to you. “Thinking about it now maybe I was too annoying. My approach was probably wrong.” You said frowning. “You aren’t annoying. If he doesn’t like you than that’s his loss.” “But, I...” “But, nothing! You are everything that anyone could want. You’re kind,caring,fun to be around and your loyal to your loved ones. If he doesn’t appreciate that. Then he doesn’t deserve you.” Yozora said. “Yozora I...” “Here. Let’s cross the street.” He said opening up his umbrella. You grabbed his hand and the two of you crossed the street. You couldn’t forget about Riku though. You still had feelings about him. What were you supposed to tell him? That you were starting to like Yozora. As the two of you were walking the sky suddenly grew extremely dark. Something was wrong...you could feel it.

#cute #riku x reader #kingdom hearts oneshots #Yozora x reader #kingdom hearts x reader #kh3 remind #KH3 Riku

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joyokosuka · 4 years

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Kingdom Hearts 3 Novel 3 - Remind Me Again

Master Xehanort, Xigbar, and Saix convene

About seventy-five years later - the same Keyblade Graveyard.

Xehanort was comparatively much older - now a Keyblade Master. He had his eyes closed, deep in thought, but smiled.

The wind swirled. It was the same wind blowing as before.

“What got you to smile, Grandpa?” Xigbar inquired. Saix stood next to him.

“When I was a young man, I met another person here, and realized something. I still don’t know to this day who he really was, but he spoke the truth.”

Upon hearing this recollection, Xigbar laughed scornfully.

“Quite the retrospective. Since we lost Sora as our thirteenth vessel, we’re down to twelve, including the three of us here. Do you think they came back to this time?”

As Xigbar complained, Saix looked up. He teleported to one of the thirteen rock pillars. Master Xehanort and Xigbar followed suit. Saix raised a hand, and three images of the Real Organization members appeared on the pillars.

Master Xehanort found this familiar. The pillars were there, back then. There were thirteen. Had he realized that number’s significance at that time?

“Marluxia and Larxene both returned to this time, and have already begun investigating the New Seven Hearts. Luxord also returned to this time, but is acting upon some instructions you gave him. What did you tell him to do?”

“Oh, yeah…..that,” Xigbar answered Saix. He casually shrugged his shoulders and continued. “The task I gave Luxord will be good for us. It’s not something that affects us now. Continue.”

“Secretive as usual, I see,” Saix said, looking up to Master Xehanort. Master Xehanort seemed especially interested in what Xigbar was planning. “Well, that’s fine. The hearts of Ansem, Xemnas, Vanitas, Riku Replica, and Young Xehanort returned to this time and reassembled. Each of them is following a guardian of light.”

Projections floated around Master Xehanort, other than Riku Replica.

Xigbar looked at Master Xehanort, then turned back to the projections on the rock pillars.

“First of all, the ones who turned into humans and then Nobodies are me, you, Luxord, Marluxia, and Larxene - five. The ones from the past whose hearts were put in replicas are Ansem, Xemnas, Vanitas, Riku Replica, and the young version of the old guy - five. I don’t really get how he came back, but the old man makes eleven. So, we still need two.”

After Xigbar had confirmed the Organization’s status, Master Xehanort finally opened his mouth.

“We have an agenda today. Each of my past vessels that held my heart were annihilated, so I have been revived. In order for someone to disappear, their heart and body must be restored to their original form. That is why I put my heart in many vessels. Ansem and Xemnas were created from Terra’s young form, which has now been revived. His heart is absent, however. This body holds the same heart that Terra’s body held after his fall to darkness.”

Terra-Xehanort’s projection appeared in front of Master Xehanort.

“So that’s twelve...one left. Who’s gonna make up for Sora?” Xigbar asked.

“Vexen created twenty replicas. The first twelve were essentially just puppets. After the prototype Riku Replica, Vexen made No. i. Six were created after - five went to Ansem, Xemnas, Vanitas, Riku Replica, and Young Xehanort. The last one...we could use Demyx or Vexen, but they are just backups. The plan is to have a heart connected to Sora transferred to that replica.”

The projection named No. i floated next to Vexen and Riku Replica.

Xigbar answered Saix, looking at No. i without recognition.

“Connected to Sora? Do you have any ideas?”

“The prototype that was created after Riku Replica, No. i. It was erased from memories, but Vexen kept records on it. It is heavily connected to Sora’s memories, so it will be useful as a vessel.”

No. i had been erased from all memory. Saix wasn’t an exception. However, it mysteriously had remained through records.

“No. i….an imaginary number. How cynical,” Xigbar murmured to himself, speaking of the girl he once called Poppet.

“Young Xehanort is currently working on collecting hearts for the replicas. With Vexen’s help, we will make progress to collect the thirteen.”

As Saix continued his explanation, Xigbar chuckled.

“Just what I would expect from you. It’s good that I don’t have to worry about that. Okay, I’ll be going,” Xigbar said, shrugging his shoulders. He disappeared into a portal of darkness.

“Alright, let our plan commence.”

Saix looked up to Master Xehanort, then also disappeared into a portal.

“May your heart be your guiding key,” Master Xehanort murmured to himself, alone.

#kingdom hearts #kingdom hearts iii #xehanort #translations #xigbar #saix #sora #marluxia #larxene #luxord #ansem sod #xemnas #vanitas #repliku #terranort #vexen #demyx

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maddrmatt · 3 years

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Kairi’s Epic Journey: The Quest for Sora

New to this fanfic? Click here to properly begin!

Chapter 15: Kairi’s Letter of Departure #2: Never Land

Never Land

Dear Sora,

Of all the worlds for the Wayfinder to bring me to first on my journey to find you, who would’ve thought that it would bring me to Never Land, the home of Peter Pan?

It’s quite a beautiful place, Sora. It’s unfortunate that the most you, Donald, and Goofy saw of it was the inside of Captain Hook’s pirate ship.

Also, in addition to properly meeting Peter Pan and Tinker Bell, who already knew who I was due to having been among your summon spells, I met a few people you haven’t. They’re a group of boys in animal suits known as the Lost Boys. Much like Peter, they too never wish to grow up and spend their eternally youthful lives just having fun and adventures.

Unfortunately, Sora, I’m sorry to say that it didn’t go very easily as I would have liked here in Never Land.

First, I met a group of mermaids who were nothing like your friend Ariel. Their idea of fun was trying to drown me.

Then, when I first ran into the Lost Boys, they attacked me thinking I was a pirate trying to steal from them. Peter stopped them but then I had to put up with their childish behavior in addition to Peter’s insensitivity and Tink’s jealousy. It was not something I wanted to deal with on top of trying to find you.

The worst part truly began when Peter tried to teach me how to fly. Ever since I felt you do it during the time I was within your heart, I’ve wanted to try it for myself and it would’ve also been a great ability to have on my journey.

But I couldn’t do it since happy thoughts are needed for it to work. And ever since losing you and fighting with Riku and the others, I can’t think of any because my happiest thoughts all center around you and our friends and I couldn’t even think of them without bad memories interrupting.

Then, after I couldn’t put up with Peter and his friends anymore, I ran away from them and ended up getting captured by Captain Hook and his pirate crew. And wouldn’t you know it? The reason he captured me was so he could lure you to him so he could get revenge on you.

The fact that he tried to use me as bait really got me angry. Speaking as someone who’s been used too many times by villains to get to you, I never want to be in that position ever again. Especially since the last time it happened had far greater consequences for both of us.

My visit to Never Land seemed to be nothing but one misfortune after another. But I guess your visit was hardly any better.

After all, when you first came here, you had to see me in that unresponsive state due to my heart being within yours. Also, you had to watch Riku sink further down the dark path he was on. It’s amazing that even after all that, you were still able to fly.

Looking back on your first adventure, the fact that you were able to keep it together even after losing our home and being separated from me and Riku just shows how strong you’ve always been. I only wish I could be as strong as you on my own journey. But I think it will be a lot harder for me given everything that has happened.

I’m sorry to be such a downer, Sora. I just really needed to let it out and you’ll be glad to know that things got a lot better for me in Never Land.

In spite of what I had said to them earlier, Peter and his friends came to save me. Then, together, we took on the pirates and defeated them all.

When it came time to face Hook himself, I ended up doing something that wouldn’t have approved of: I requested to fight him alone without the aid of Peter or anyone else. I know you wouldn’t have liked it, but it was the only way I would get any better at fighting.

The duel was close and for a brief moment, Hook nearly beat me. But thanks to some timely help from Tink and a very useful strategy from Peter, I turned the tables on the pirate. Then, once I was satisfied, we all sent Hook overboard where he was chased away by the crocodile (though as amusing as that was, I do hope Peter is right when he says that the crocodile never catches him).

The battle against Hook opened my eyes to many things. It showed me that I was able to hold my own against a major villain even if he wasn’t in the same league as our other enemies like Maleficent and Xehanort. If I show the same strength against any future enemies, then nothing will stand in my way.

It also showed me the better side of Peter and his friends. They may have their flaws. But their courage and devotion to their friends is very admirable. Much like your own.

Before I parted ways with Peter and his friends, I promised that I would return with you. After all, you still need to take me flying and I know that once we’re together, I will soar the skies for sure.

But you will not believe this, Sora. You actually weren’t the first Keyblade Wielder that Peter has met. As it turns out, Terra, Ven and Aqua have visited Never Land too. And according to Tink, Roxas and Axel have also been here. Peter and Tink said that they’ll be glad to share those stories when we return.

So, my first world visit may not have been entirely enjoyable. But I’d say that making a new group of friends and defeating my first real bad guy definitely made it worthwhile.

However, a few new mysteries have presented themselves.

For example, during the fight with the pirates, one of the Lost Boys, Toodles, was in trouble and no one, including myself, was able to help him. But then, a strange power enabled me to throw off my current opponent and transport myself across the pirate ship to where I could save him. I have no idea how I was able to do that.

Also, just before I parted with Peter and the others, this mysterious card that has a moving image of them appeared out of thin air. I’m keeping the card, which I’m calling a Memento Card, with me because I think there’s some kind of magic in it. I only wish I knew what it was exactly.

But the strangest mystery concerns the Wayfinder. The woman in my dream said that when it glowed, then I would know it’s time to move onto the next world. But she never said what I had to do to get it to glow so when it finally did, I don’t know what I did to make it happen.

So many questions and so few answers. Still, I guess I can take comfort in the fact that whatever I did to make the Wayfinder glow has put me one step closer to finding you.

Now I am about to depart with Pluto to wherever we need to be next. And wherever you are, Sora, I hope the happy thoughts that enabled you to fly in Never Land keep you going until we’re together again.

See you soon,

Kairi

________________________________________________________________

Much like she did back home, Kairi stood with Pluto by her side on Never Land’s beach and watched the bottle drift off past Skull Rock. She hoped that it would reach the person it was meant for.

Holding the Wayfinder, she was about to place it to her heart and activate its power. But before she could, she heard laughter and tinkling from up above. She gazed upward.

Frolicking around in the sky, were Peter, Tink and the Lost Boys. Apparently, they had decided to go flying after she took her leave of them. They laughed and giggled as they played what looked liked to be an aerial version of tag.

Despite wishing she could join them; Kairi couldn’t help but smile. Hearing their joy brought back so many memories of the fun she had with Sora and Riku when they were younger. Back when it seemed like the good times would never end for the three of them.

‘Peter, you and your friends don’t know how good you’ve got it. An eternal youth-filled lifetime full of fun and adventure in a world where nothing truly bad can ever happen. I’m glad that the darkness never took this world and if I or Sora or any of the other Guardians of Light have anything to say about it, it never will.’

Thinking about the other Guardians made Kairi’s heart sink a little and caused her to wonder about something. She turned to Pluto.

“Pluto, I was so hard on Peter and his friends. And yet, they came to save us from the pirates. So, I can’t help but wonder if Riku, Mickey and the others would do the same after what I said to them a month ago. Do you think they would?”

Pluto just smiled and let out a bark. Clearly, he thought the answer was a yes.

Kairi sighed but gave a small smile while petting the dog on the head. “I wish I could be as positive as you. But I was much harder on them than I was with Peter and his group. But I know that we can fix things once I bring Sora home. We’d better get going.”

Pluto nodded in agreement and wrapped his tail around her ankle like he did before. Kairi placed the Wayfinder to her heart and once again, willed it to take her where she needed to be.

As the tunnel of light formed around her and Pluto, she looked up at Peter as he and his friends continue to play. She watched and listened until she couldn’t see or hear them anymore.

‘Someday, I will return to Never Land and we’ll all fly together. Once I regain the smile in my heart.’

________________________________________________________________

Nearby, perched on a tree branch, Diablo watched Kairi and Pluto vanish. Faithfully following his mistress’ orders, he had been watching them unseen throughout most of their time in Never Land.

Now that they had departed, it was time for him to leave as well. Flapping his wings, he took off and flew away.

As he flew through the Never Land sky, he reflected on what he had observed. Like Kairi herself, he did not know what exactly she had accomplished in Never Land in regard to bringing Sora back. All she had done was make new friends and defeat a villain which seemed irrelevant.

When Kairi had been captured by Captain Hook, Diablo was certain he would be able to tell Maleficent that the pirate had dealt with the Princess of Heart and they wouldn’t have to concern themselves with her anymore. But those hopes had been dashed when that flying boy and his friends rescued her and handed Hook yet another humiliating defeat.

Diablo shouldn’t have been surprised. Of all of the villains that Maleficent and Pete had allied themselves with, the pirate captain was probably the least likely to defeat a Keyblade Wielder.

The raven was so lost in his ponderings that he never saw Cubby flying right toward him. He let out a caw of surprise and the Lost Boy screamed as they headed for a collision with each other. But just before they made contact, Cubby stopped in mid-air just as Diablo made a sharp turn to the left.

“Hey, watch where you’re going, you stupid bird!” yelled Cubby causing the raven to let out a loud caw of anger in response as he flew away.

“What’s with that bird?” asked Slightly as he, the other Lost Boys, Tink and Peter gathered around.

“Yeah. We’ve never seen him around Never Land before,” said the Twins.

“Don’t worry about him, men. Looks like he’s leaving. He won’t bother anyone here anymore,” said Peter as they all resumed their game.

As Diablo flew away, he made a mental note to make a request to his mistress after he reported to her about Kairi. Once she had succeeded in conquering every world in existence, he hoped she would lay waste to Never Land and see that Peter Pan and his friends were appropriately punished.

In the raven’s opinion, they already deserved to be punished for whatever role they played in helping the Princess of Heart on her quest to bring her hero back.

________________________________________________________________

Onto the next chapter!

#kingdom hearts #kh fanfiction #sokai #kairi #pluto #peter pan #tinker bell #lost boys #diablo #maddrmatt

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revengerevisited · 4 years

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@noneofthismakessensetome KHUX is really hard to explain, and I don’t really understand it myself despite watching every update, but the most that I can glean from it is that it’s set in the past in a place called Daybreak Town, right before the Keyblade War. (How far in the past is unknown, not helped by the fact that time travels differently in each World, but it was definitely before Xehanort was born).

There was this guy named the Master of Masters, and he’s supposedly been fighting a war against darkness for a very long time. (No idea if that’s the elemental concept of darkness, or Darkness the character). He’s the person who invented Keyblades (or one of the people. KHUX is extremely vague and likes to throw little doubts in just to make you question everything), and he gathered six apprentices (all named after one of the Seven Deadly Sins). Luxu, aka Xigbar, is one of the six. The only other relevant one is Ava.

Five of these apprentices (not Luxu) become the Foretellers, leaders of these different Unions of ‘Keykids’ (which I don’t think is an official term, but that’s what the fandom calls them so I will too) who wield Keyblades against the Heartless to collect Lux (which is some sort of light energy). Each of them is also given a Chirithy Spirit created by the Master of Masters.

The Master of Masters, aka MoM, can see into the future, because he put his ‘eye’ into the Keyblade No Name (Master Xehanort’s Keyblade), as well as other Keyblades like Riku’s Way to the Dawn and Vanitas’s Void Gear (if that is the name of Vanitas’s Keyblade...). Because these ‘eyes’ exist in the future, the MoM is able to ‘see’ into the future, and writes all future events down in the Book of Prophecies. He then gives copies of the Book of Prophecies to the Foretellers (not Luxu), but leaves out a certain page. He then sows distrust through the five by telling them one of them is a traitor.

The Foretellers all mistrust each other, and through a chain of events this leads to the Keyblade War, where all the ‘Keykids’ kill each other and the World is rift apart. The only ones who survive are the Dandelions, a special group of ‘Keykids’ the MoM told Ava to form, who hide in a Data version of Daybreak Town. The Dandelions have their minds wiped of the Keyblade War by the Chirithies and believe they are in the real Daybreak Town, except for the five Union Leaders, who were chosen by the MoM and given Books of Prophecy by Ava (more on that in a second...).

In the latest KHUX update, the MoM says that it will take multiple lifetimes to defeat darkness (or Darkness), and this is probably why Luxu (Xigbar) has been hopping from body to body for all these years (centuries?). The MoM gave Luxu the Black Box (without telling him what’s inside) and No Name (to be passed down through the generations of Keyblade Wielders and eventually wind up with Xehanort before going back to Luxu). By having No Name be passed down into the future, the MoM can see through its ‘eye’ and write down future events.

So about the Union Leaders of the Dandelions, the ones the MoM told Ava to pick were Ephemer, Skuld, Brain, Lauriam (Marluxia), and Strelitzia. However, (as we saw with the most recent update) a shadowy being named Darkness killed Strelitzia and gave Ventus her copy of the Book of Prophecies instead. Ventus was in some kind of trance or had his memory wiped, and didn’t remember Strelitzia’s death until now.

Darkness has also been helping Maleficent, because for some reason after her defeat in KH1 she wound up in the past in Data Daybreak Town, and Darkness wants to help her get back to the future (KH2) with a time machine. (The time machine, called the Ark or the Lifeboat in different translations, is the same machine used by Terra-Xehanort to send five-year-old Kairi to Destiny Islands, although in that case she was transported through space, not time). It seems that Darkness wants some of the ‘Keykids’ (Ventus, Lauriam (Marluxia), Elrena (Larxene), and Skuld (who is probably Subject X)) to be transported to the future, and somehow Maleficent will serve as their Waypoint. (I don’t understand how time-travel in KH works, nor why Darkness wants to send the ‘Keykids’ to the future, but that’s the best explanation I can give).

Anyway, the whole murder mystery about ‘who killed Strelitzia?’ has been the biggest fandom mystery in KH for a long time (I’m talking like, three years). And unfortunately, it’s still not solved because it’s still not clear just who/what Darkness is. Some believe that Darkness is Ava, who is actually the ‘traitor’ trying to stop the MoM’s plan, because she believes his plan will end in the destruction of the World (which it kinda did). This is because Darkness takes the form of Ava to speak to Ventus after killing Strelitzia, and tells him that he’s a Union Leader (when really he’s the ‘imposter’). Ava is known to have the power of illusion, which is why some fans think she may have taken the form of Darkness to disguise herself. (Just a note on all this, I can’t remember exactly what all the fan-theories about Ava are, and I may have gotten something wrong here. But the basic gist is that some fans believe Ava is Darkness).

Then there’s the second theory, which unfortunately in my opinion is the more likely of the two. We know from Re:Mind that a being calling itself Darkness is hiding within Ven’s heart, and in KHUX Brain says that Darkness (or darkness) can hide inside people. Combine this with Vanitas’s speech to Ventus in Re:Mind, about how he and Ven ‘aren’t the same like he thinks’ and how he was just ‘hidden inside Ven until Xehanort tore him out’, it seems to imply that Vanitas is actually Darkness (or a piece of Darkness) who was hidden inside of Ven, and not the dark half of Ven’s heart like we’ve believed for the past decade. Basically, if this theory is true, it completely re-writes Vanitas’s entire character, motivations, and origins, while also retroactively making him a child-murderer, and I’m sure you all already know how I feel about that.

Now, literally nothing outside of Re:Mind implies that Vanitas is Darkness, and in fact the scene in the Keyblade Graveyard with Vanitas, Ventus, and Sora right after the scene in Re:Mind seems to contradict this theory, as well as every piece of material on Vanitas released both before and after Re:Mind including his character file, so this all may be just one big misunderstanding, but that doesn’t dissuade the fact that there is literally an entity calling itself Darkness inside Ven’s heart. I can’t even begin to imagine how it got there, unless 1. It’s Vanitas after returning to Ven’s heart after his defeat in BBS or 2. Darkness somehow got into Ven’s heart while he was sleeping in Castle Oblivion.

This is all pure fan-theory, but since the Vanitas in KH3 is a time traveling version of Vanitas from the past, it could be that the ‘real’ Vanitas is still living inside Ven’s heart (like how Roxas was still inside Sora’s heart), and if the ‘real’ Vanitas is now calling himself Darkness, then it’s possible that Vanitas was either lying about being half of Ventus this entire time or is only now just remembering his memories of being Darkness. Either way, if Vanitas really does turn out to be Darkness, then I can only imagine his entire personality will be overwritten by Darkness’s and Vanitas will basically cease to exist as a character. As in, he won’t just be dead, he’ll have never truly existed in the first place.

And that, my friends, is why I’ve been in a constant state of anxiety, stress, and depression for the past year, and the reason I haven’t updated A Heart and a Half, because I’m having trouble reconciling the Vanitas from the BBS Novel (an abused, neglected child manipulated from birth to be a weapon) with what is potentially his true identity as Darkness (an ancient, child-murdering demonic entity). Once again, it’s still just a fan-theory... But a very plausible fan-theory.

Anyway, the third theory is that Darkness isn’t secretly some other character, but instead is exactly what it says it is— a sapient amalgamation of the elemental force of darkness. Darkness tells Maleficent that she should think of it as an ‘old friend’, leading some to believe it’s someone Maleficent knows from the future. However, it could be that Darkness ‘knows’ Maleficent because it itself is the embodiment of elemental darkness, and Maleficent is a darkness-user. In that case, it could be said Darkness is a ‘friend’ to all people who use darkness.

Unfortunately, before anyone says this line of dialogue proves that Vanitas can’t be Darkness because Vanitas never met Maleficent, Vanitas did meet Maleficent... in the BBS Novel. In the BBS Novel, Maleficent asks Vanitas if he’s a ‘friend’ of Xehanort’s. Vanitas hesitantly says yes (because his abuser isn’t exactly a friend to him), simply because he and Xehanort are allies. He then asks Maleficent if she’s ‘friends’ with Xehanort, and she says yes (in the sense that they are allies). In this roundabout way, it could be construed that if Vanitas is Xehanort’s friend, and Maleficent is Xehanort’s friend, then that makes Vanitas Maleficent’s friend, which still fits in with the theory that Vanitas is Darkness if Darkness is Maleficent’s friend.

Even if we ignore the (technically non-canon) BBS Novel scenes of Xehanort kicking twelve-year-old Vanitas in the face and beating him with his Keyblade until he cried and leaving him isolated in a wasteland for weeks on end, and just go off of the games’ canon, the story of Ventus and Vanitas can still be seen as both literal and metaphorical child abuse, with Ven being the part of the victim who represses the trauma and Vanitas being the part of the victim who lashes out. Of course, if Vanitas does turn out to be Darkness, then he will be retconned from a victim into a scheming child-murderer just as evil as his abuser and the demon/abomination/empty creature that Xehanort always said he was! (Maybe that’s why Vanitas had such a mental breakdown in Re:Mind... he realized every horrible thing Xehanort ever told him about himself was true...). Which is why, as you can imagine, this theory causes me a lot of stress!

Anyway, that’s the story of KHUX and the reason why I turn into a big ball of anxiety every time a new update occurs. I literally wouldn’t care about KHUX at all if Ven wasn’t in it, but he is, and everything that happens to Ven in the past is something that will effect him and Vanitas in the future, whether Vanitas is confirmed to be Darkness or not. We now know that Ven has had even more trauma forced upon him than he’d had with Xehanort, and I now have a suspicion that the reason Ven refused to create the X-Blade by using the darkness in his heart in the BBS flashback scenes was because he remembered what darkness and/or Darkness did to Strelitzia.

I really can’t imagine why Ven is in KHUX other than to connect him to this Darkness character in some way. Some fans still claim that Ven is the one who killed Strelitzia because they think he was ‘possessed’ by Darkness, but it seems pretty clear that Darkness was the culprit while Ven just stood there in a trance. Even so, I suspect that Ven blames himself for what happened anyway, even though it wasn’t his fault. I don’t know how this will play out with the future/current Ven. Is he suddenly going to remember his past and think he killed Strelitzia? Why? For the angst? Is he going to realize that Vanitas is (or is a part of) Darkness and therefore the murderer of some random girl Ven barely knows? Is Darkness just going to pop out of Ven when he’s in the Realm of Darkness with Aqua and Terra and... I don’t even know. Fight him? Gloat? Enact his evil scheme of destroying the World because you see, Vanitas never really wanted his light back, he never really wanted friends (page 378 of the BBS Novel), he was lying the entire time! Yes, he’s totally this evil monster who just wants to kill people because he’s evil~!

...Alright, I’ll stop. But seriously, I don’t know where this story is headed, guys. This update basically had the MoM tell us to stop trying to figure things out or theorize and that we shouldn’t want to know everything that’s going to happen, so who knows. Next update might throw us a curveball and reveal Darkness was secretly... idk Pete the entire time. He’s Maleficent’s friend! Or maybe it’s just Xehanort again, who knows. I just feel... really tired of KH, and I don’t really know where I’m going to go from here. Hopefully this is the last time I rant about this subject, though, because I really feel like I’ve already said all there is to say.

I want to finish A Heart and a Half, but I also feel hampered by everything that might happen with Vanitas. I also feel like managing my Tumblr blogs is causing me too much stress and distracting me from doing other things (including writing my fanfics), so I’ve been thinking of putting them both on a more ‘permanent’ hiatus after their queues run out sometime later this month. I dunno how everyone would feel about that, though, nor how long that hiatus would be. I’d certainly miss talking to everyone, and you guys make me smile whenever I get a comment or a question from you all! But I also feel like I need to focus on my health (both physical and mental) and work on things that don’t involve social media. I guess I just need a little more time to think about it.

#rant #rambles #stress #khux spoilers

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