Today is Saphir's birthday, so I wrote about the kids she likes so much! Have a wonderful birthday!
Warning : this might contain KH3 & khux spoilers - although what happens in this fic never happens in canon at all so I'm just warning you to be safe.
"Over here!"
It was a voice he never thought he'd hear again. A high-pitched, almost childlike voice, calling from behind a wall.
He had woken up a few days ago in this strange town, and was trying to get used to it. He was alone, and he couldn't use magic anymore. In other words, he was stuck.
It's not that he didn't like the place, but there were many other places he'd rather be. Other people he'd rather be with. The town itself felt empty, as if it was once full of people and now only had a few meaningless individuals with not much to say.
Traverse Town, the place for those who have nowhere else to go. He chuckled. So this was his home now? It stung to think he was here because his original world was no more. And it stung to think the company he was supposed to have wasn't here with him.
So when he heard that tiny voice call, he didn't even hesitate. He chased after it. He ran, and ran, and somehow it felt like the voice was running away too.
"Come on, hurry up!" Why would it keep calling, if only to run away? Traverse Town wasn't that big of a world, but it could easily turn into a maze.
He finally trapped the voice in the Third District, after almost twenty minutes of running. The mysterious voice was waiting, not even out of breath, and clapped as he came closer.
"I see you're as fast as you used to be, Lauriam."
Lauriam. A name he had not heard in so long… But it was his name, after all. His real name. His identity as a person, not as a Nobody. The name etched in his heart.
"Likewise, Chirithy. I do not remember you liking hide and seek so much, though."
The Dream Eater squealed, finally toddling towards him, until Lauriam could kneel and pet him.
"It's been a while. How have you been doing?"
"It was a bit lonely for a while, but now everything's fine! I'm back where I belong, so it doesn't matter how much time has passed." Lauriam chuckled, sitting on the ground so that Chirithy could jump on his lap.
"You're not mine, though, are you?" he finally asked sadly.
"Afraid not. I do not know where yours is, I'm sorry."
"It's okay." Lauriam shook his head. "I knew it already. I can't feel him… I can't feel the light that used to be here. All my powers are gone, and until they are back, I don't think I'll hear from my Chirithy again. It's something I need to figure out by myself. I'm glad you visited me, though. Where's your Wielder?"
Chirithy gasped, taking a step back. "You're right! That's why I came here for! My Wielder asked me to find you! Come, follow me!"
The tiny creature wiggled and opened a portal behind him. Lauriam stared at the Light it emitted with nostalgia. The last portals he used to open didn't feel so warm, and he had forgotten how these felt like. He slowly got back to his feet, smiling at Chirithy.
"Alright, let's go. I wouldn't want her to wait, or she'll be insufferable." Chirithy crossed the portal, and he followed, taking a deep breathe in. He wouldn't be alone anymore. He was surprised, but glad she found her Chirithy and her Light back. "I'm on my way, El", he chuckled as he stepped through the portal.
This was another place he didn't know. Another world for wandering hearts? It looked pretty, a nice garden with a breathtaking view. There was someone waiting on a bench, staring at the stars, blond locks of air defying gravity.
If the view was breathtaking, it was that someone who surprised Lauriam. It wasn't the friend he expected to see. It wasn't the one he once knew as a young girl, the one he now knew as a woman ; it was a face he had seen not so long ago, and yet a face he had not seen in an eternity.
Chirithy ran towards them, poking the mysterious figure waiting. "I finally found him! He's here now!"
"Hello, Lauriam. It has been a while, I guess?"
Lauriam couldn't find the words. He had forgotten what a heart felt like, and his stay in Traverse Town, all alone, didn't really help even when it was back. Big blue eyes were now locked on him, sparkling with joy, and Lauriam found himself trembling.
"V-Ventus."
"Oh, come on, I told you to call me Ven before, didn't I?"
"You… Remember?"
Ven chuckled, blushing, and patted the bench next to him, inviting Lauriam to sit next to him. He looked a bit sad. He looked exactly as Lauriam remembered.
"Not everything. Things are still kind of hazy, but…. Chirithy helps me filling some of the blanks. I don't remember what happened to us. But I remember our team, you know? Ephemer, Skuld, and…"
"Brain," Lauriam whispered. "I don't know where they are. I have been looking for them." He lowered his voice. "I have been looking for you."
"And now you found me! I'm glad. I feel bad I forgot it all for so long. I'm the worst friend, am I not?" Ven laughed, embarrassed. Lauriam shook his head and took his hand.
"Don't say that. If there's someone to blame, that would be me. I wanted so badly to find you all… And yet, I got lost in the way. I did things… They were bad, Ven. Really bad. And now I will have to live with that guilt forever." He sighed, and his friend shrugged.
"I won't blame you for that. My friend, Terra, lives through the same kind of pain. But it's time to move on. Don't you think we need to start over? Look at us. You used to be a year older than me, and now you look ten years older! We've got a lot of catching up to do, and if we spend too long dwelling on the past, we won't have time for the future. So don't let past mistakes cloud your mind too much, ok?"
Lauriam lowered his head. "You're right. There are things I still have to do. I want to find the others. I won't give up until I know what happened to them. But I won't let history repeat itself."
"Let me help you, then!" Lauriam looked at Ven, surprised. The boy was smiling brightly. "Terra is working hard to pass the Mark of Mastery, and Aqua is training him. I should train too, but I feel like there are more important things to do. They don't need me here. And, if I'm not mistaken, without a Chirithy, you can't travel, can you?" he winked at Lauriam. "Let's go. Let's find all our friends. The Dandelions may have scattered, but it's time for us to gather, don't you think?"
Lauriam threw his arms around his friend. He had missed him so much, and it was only now that he realised that. Ven smiled, hugging back. "It's alright. It's alright, Lauriam. You're not alone anymore. You won't have to be alone anymore."
For a moment, they didn't move. It had been so long, they felt every second, every day, every year of this century apart in their hearts. It didn't matter that Lauriam aged and Ven did not. Right now, they were just two kids, two best friends meeting after being apart for a very long time.
"Let's leave tomorrow morning. I'd like to properly introduce you to Aqua and Terra, if that's fine with you. Do you have any clue on where to look first?"
Lauriam smiled, regaining his composure. "As a matter of fact, I do. There's another Dandelion we need to find. If your Chirithy found me, I'm sure he can find her too."
"Her?"
"Her name is Elrena, and she's my friend. And I'm sure she feels really lonely right now."
Ven jumped on his feet, his smile getting brighter every second.
"Then it's decided! First Elrena, then everyone else. But for now, come with me! You gotta meet my friends. I'm sure you will love them!"
Ven turned around to the massive castle behind them. Lauriam glanced at the stars one last time.
"Skuld, Ephemer… I'm sorry. I won't give up. Please wait just a bit longer."
"Did you say something?"
"Nothing. Just that… I'm glad you're alright, Ven. I'm glad to be by your side once again."
Ven chuckled softly. "I'm glad too, Lauriam. From now on, we're together. Best friends for life, remember?"
"Of course. Best friends for life."
Once again, a very happy birthday to you! What follows is going to be real KH3 spoilers though so don't read any further if you didn't finish the game and still somehow read this fic :) [will be using initials so that maybe your eyes won't catch too many things]
[SPOILERS ON]
When I started the game, I was hoping we'd see V and M interact, due to khux. You know, maybe fight each other in the KG? So right before ending the game, I was slightly disappointed we didn't get this (although honestly I was fine), and then I watched the epilogue and read the Secret reports, and I must say I'm now understand why they didn't and I'm so excited about the future of the franchise!
[SPOILERS OFF]
Hope you enjoyed, if you did, leave a review :D