Based on: Final Fantasy Record Keeper

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy, Record Keeper, or any of the characters within it.

Note: Welcome! This is my first installment in the project that SuzuriHeinze and I are working on. Go check out her story, The Secret Garden. You might also want to read my previous stories, Records of Keeper Hikari and Vivi's Burden if you want to know what's going on here. Also Suzuri's former story Records of Keeper Canti. Even then, there's lots of unwritten stuff that has been either RPed or heavily discussed between Suzuri and I. If you have any questions, I'd be more than happy to fill in any gaps.

Warnings: Mention of CanonxOC, Polyamory, Pansexuality. Potential OOC.

From her mighty throne woven from starlight, Cosmos could see everything in the multiverse. She witnessed Hikari combust from her experiment. She saw Vivi try not to cry while Minwu tended to his wounds. She watched the pink flaming energy that was Hikari race in a panic through every corner of the mutltiverse looking for any sign of her friend and Vivi pick up on her wavelength in his sleep. Finally, the pink energy raced towards Cosmos herself and She caught it effortlessly. The Mother Goddess calmed the erratic energy and soothed it into a small pulsing ball within Her hands.

"Oh, little one. Your devotion to your friend is great. You have also suffered much. If you wish to see her again so greatly, I shall grant it," She said softly and lovingly. She turned towards the universe that Leviathan reigned over. "Leviathan, my son, come to me now."

As quickly as She had said his name, the Eidolon appeared suddenly at the foot of her throne.

"How may I assist you, Heavenly Mother?" Leviathan bowed.

"Leviathan, I have another charge for you. This is Cantirena's friend, Hikari, and I wish of you to do the same for her that you did for the other child." She manipulated the energy between her hands until it took the form of a small child of ten, still pink in essence. Leviathan took a sharp breath, wanting to deny Cosmos this second project. He had only just set the final touches on Canti and her nakama, not to mention getting chewed out by his wife Asura, and frankly, he could do with a decent night's sleep for once. All the same, he could not deny the Goddess that gave him life.

"Yes, of course. You would have me keep a special eye on her like Cantirena to one day prepare her for the inevitable battle against the Ardent?" Cosmos smiled.

"That's right. This girl had no living blood relations when she perished. Her closest ties were her lovers, her chosen little brother, and the man who cared for her like a father. I heard his promise to her to be there for her and to protect her always," the Mother Goddess continued as She fleshed out Hikari. Long, pink hair contrasted against honey skin and eyes as blue as the Sea of Spira. Cosmos loved that large body of water; it had been one of her more favorite creations. "Find my messenger Auron, and tell him his work for me is done, for the time being. Repurpose him for a life in Daguerro along with Hikari, Tidus, Yuna, Locke, and Vivi. These are the people whom our little pink enigma needs most surrounding her."
"Ahh, but… My Heavenly Mother, the girl's lovers are under stasis as punishment for fraternization with her. She never fulfilled the Council's demand to provide alternative Souls for them," the Eidolon protested.

"Leviathan…" Cosmos said, an edge of sternness to her otherwise gentle voice.

"Yes, Mother. Of course. I shall retrieve them right away," he said, bowing again before he cradled Hikari in his arms.

"Thank you, my son," Cosmos smiled warmly. "Oh, and Leviathan?"

"Yes?"

"Her speed is of utmost importance. She is still One with the Speed Force, but you will need to help her foster it before she can truly unlock its true potential. That, combined with Cantirena's magic, is our only hope against the Ardent. Take great heed, my son."

"Of course, Heavenly Mother. I shall not fail you."

. . .

Leviathan sipped slowly from his coffee mug, which had the words "Go East-1 District Abes! Blitz!" with a blitzball on the side, and he rubbed his temples after setting it back down.

Saving the cosmos never comes at an easy price, he told himself.

"First and foremost, Hikari herself," he spoke aloud. He grumbled slightly, since Cosmos had taken special care to program Canti Herself, but seemed to have left Hikari's reprogramming to his imagination. "I suppose since Hikari hasn't seen the same kind of hardship the other has."

Leviathan made sure to first wipe her memories of Ramuh's realm. He quickly programmed her to have the the bubbly confident persona that was common to Keeper Hikari when she felt on top of the world, competitive, and… he kept the fierce loyalty. Instead of losing a father to war, he chose to have her birth parents give her up early on, so that she would never feel the loss of them. Brought in by Auron at roughly the same time Cid adopted Canti. Brilliant at both theory and application and… Let's dial back the obsessive nature a bit. There. He looked at Hikari in her crystal and nodded to himself.

Now, the ronin. Obviously the memories of traveling between realms must go, but I cannot simply wipe them. There may yet be a day that Cosmos calls upon him once more. He decided to keep those memories dormant, capable of being awakened should a threat pass through the universal barrier. Leviathan kept the distrust of authority and religion. Age set to... 30 seemed like a good rounded age. He formed memories of Auron, Jecht, and Braska growing up together and dumped the memories of Spira, Sin, and the Pilgrimages. The Eidolon made sure to keep the devotion to Hikari and her safety and the fatherly love Auron felt for her. Before adopting Hikari, Leviathan programmed in memories of fighting as a sell sword after being groomed from an early age to serve in the Senate. He would discover corruption and turn from the path that had been laid out for him since birth, not unlike his other life in Spira. There. That should do it.

Leviathan looked towards the next crystal. Tidus. This was a simpler rewrite. He dialed his age back to just a year older than Hikari. This time, Tidus would have both his parents watch him grow up, something Jecht would have given anything for back in Spira. Leviathan chuckled to himself and brought his mug to his lips. He might scold himself about reading cheesy human novels, but he did love his happy endings. Or beginning in this case, he supposed. The Eidolon wiped the memories of the Dream Zanarkand and Spira. He kept the light-hearted but still fiercely competitive spirit, the things that Hikari loved about him. This time, Tidus would be Hikari's childhood best friend. Tidus would encourage and push her to better herself from a young age.

Yuna's crystal was next. She proved to be a bit more difficult for Leviathan. He of course wiped the hardships of her Pilgrimage, but kept the unwavering faith that Yuna held in even the darkest of times. This, coupled with her unwavering loyalty and love of her friends was what originally attracted Hikari to her. The towering Eidolon, still tall in his swivel chair, made the summoner's father, Braska, an honest member of the Senate. Her mother would have died early on in Yuna's life. He set her age the same as Tidus's. He kept the innate talent for White Magic and Summoning.

And now, Vivi, the little brother. No need for any memories of Gaia or the struggle of autonomy. He'll live with his beloved grandfather… a year younger than Hikari, but still a brilliant Black Mage and a year ahead in school. He wondered if he should program Vivi as already knowing Hikari. After a moment of deliberation, he decided it would be better to let their friendship develop naturally. Knowing Vivi's clumsiness and strange magnetism for trouble, he figured it wouldn't be too long until the black mage stumbled into trouble and Hikari rescued him.

He turned to the final crystal. The most important piece of the puzzle, he told himself. Locke Cole. Hikari's life partner. He was the one who had fostered Hikari's love of adventure, both as a student studying Sixth Realm History and after she rescued him. The love of adventure had to stay. Rachel… the memories of Rachel must go. Her death would be a fixed point in time even if I brought her to this realm… No, I cannot have Locke trapped in his own head for years while he gets over Rachel. Leviathan also decided to keep the quality that had Locke helping those weaker than himself and those in need. His kindness. These were the core of what made Locke Cole who he was and what caused Hikari to fall in love with him and decide she had wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. Leviathan also decided to put in Edgar as his best friend. Every leading man needs his best friend. Everything else from the Sixth Realm was wiped. He set Locke (and Edgar) to two years older than Hikari.

There, he sighed. Leviathan looked into his coffee mug and realized it was cold before it even touched his lips.

"Maybe now I can get a decent night's sleep."

"Not likely!" Asura shouted coyly from another room.

=Hikari awakens… Next Time!=