The Mechanic Chapter 2: Remedial Light, a kingdom hearts fanfic

Maunder, eleven years after the Birth By Sleep incident:
A journal entry by Master Aqua

I often wonder how things would have turned out if I had followed Terra into the Darkness those many years ago. Would I have reached him? Would he have survived the incident as himself, and not the apprentice Xehanort? Should I have recognized him as the Master sooner?

There are so many 'what if's in my life that I'm beginning to wonder if things were meant to turn out the way they did.

Sometimes I wish that what had happened to me had resulted in amnesia, just as they had with our foe and ringleader. To this day Xehanort remains, somewhere just beyond the front lines where we may never reach. And yet there is hope; Terra's legacy is strong and fearless. He may be the ray of hope we have been waiting for in this long, tiring war.

First Arc: Beneath a Sea of Stars
Chapter Two: Remedial Light

Maunder, fourteen years after the Birth By Sleep incident;

When the week came to an end and classes resumed, Sora emerged from his room with a groan of anguish before setting off down the hall by dragging his shoulder along the walls. The glass tugged at his shirt, texture drawing it in at the arm to tug at his torso. Drawing his PHS out of his pocket, Sora flipped it open at stared at the screen, and with an unamused twinkle in his eye he tapped at the "Academy Class Navigator" App. Reaching into his pocket, he retrieved a set of earbuds, plugged them into the PHS, then popped them in his ears.

After a second of loading, the App pinged.

"Good Morning, Sora," it greeted, small Moogle mascot waving to him from the screen. "Your first class of the day is 'Remedial Light.' Do you need directions, kupo?"

"Yes," he replied darkly.

"Great! From where you are, proceed left down your next hallway, kupo."

Dragging himself along the walls, Sora made the turn with little effort, head falling to his shoulder to drag against the cool, rounded corner with excessive laziness.

To his right, a pair of students made their way down the hall, uniforms neat and clean.

The shorter one frowned, then turned to their companion to whistle something into the pronounced hole of an intake valve.

Their companion turned its eye on Sora, then looked away pointedly.

Sora continued down the hall, mouth drawn sharp at the corners. His feet shuffled along the carpet, boots slapping the floor with particular indignation.

"Great job, kupo!" the moogle congratulated him. "Now proceed to the right and continue up the stairs until you reach the ninth floor."

Gaze turning sharply to the PHS, Sora's eyebrows rose. "The ninth…" He trailed off, attention turning to the door before him. Reaching for the lanyard hanging about his neck, he slid his ID firmly through the card reader beside the glass. It was stark black against the whitish textured glass. The light flashed twice before turning green. At its side, the door popped open.

The stairwell was wide and constantly turning; glittering in what little sunlight peeked through layers and layers of glass. Sora's foot landed on the first round. It stuck solid to the slick surface, spells of balance and sure-footedness keeping it firmly in place. And as he ascended, he glanced down towards his feet, habit driving him. There, beneath hundreds of meters of solid, spelled glass, was a gentle glimmer. An inner light that seemed omnipresent in the entire building. There, far below his feet, it was stronger. Brighter.

A deep, calming breath eased through Sora's chest, and a smile tugged at his lips.

Ascending the steps in earnest, he made his way to the ninth floor.

The second floor passed without note, as did the third, fourth, and fifth, the walls and floors glowing brighter with the sun as he went. He spared the doors leading into their levels little note as students passed through them freely, their IDs sliding quickly through the card readers and allowing them access to floors they had clearance to. As he ascended to the sixth floor he drew to an abrupt stop, mouth falling open in surprise. Stair had given way to floor. Two sections that split into two passageways, leading to two separate steel doors.

The moogle in his App remained silent.

"Is this some sort of test?" he mused to himself, glancing between them. "You're probably the stairwell." Striding up to the door on his left, shoes echoing against the glass, he grabbed at his badge and slid it through the card reader sandwiched between the handle and the wall. Blinking twice, the small red light flashed green, and the door popped open. Grabbing it with a noise of triumph, Sora strode through, closing it quickly behind him.

There, across the way, was another set of stairs. They wound just as the last did, and when the mechanic peered down he could see the blurred shadows of people walking up and down on lower levels. Turning his eyes up the stairs, he continued forward with a nervous thumping in his chest. No more unexpected doors interrupted his ascension. As he came up onto the ninth floor, where the steps came to an abrupt stop, he faced the floor access door with little in the way of trepidation. Sliding his ID firmly through the card reader, he waited patiently for the system to approve him before the lock popped open, allowing him access. He strode through the door with a firm grin. It dropped as his eyes lit upon the far wall and his feet drew to an abrupt halt.

Across the hall, a man reclined casually against the glass. His sharply spiked hair shot out behind him like a dark statement. And when Sora dared to take another step, warm yet bitter blue eyes turned on him. "You must be Sora."

"Uh…" The boy cleared his throat, fingers clenching nervously. "Yeah. Yeah, I am."

Waving a hand vaguely in invitation to follow him, the man stepped away from the wall, heading off down a corridor to his left that lead further into the ninth floor.

Sora jumped to follow, glancing nervously about the naked hallways. There were no shadows to be seen. No vague figures moving beyond thick layers of glass. The whistle of the forced air – climate control – was sharper, nearly deafening. "I, uh, guess it must be hard to keep this part of the school cool," the mechanic joked lightly.

Sharp eyes turned to him, appraising.

"Because it's so close to the sun without… something to filter it… you know?"

The man turned away without comment, proceeding through a large glass door with a swipe of his ID.

As Sora came up on his companion, he caught a glimpse of the badge, name drawing out from the card reader.

Fair, Zack.

"Follow the strange man, Kupo."

Glancing down at his PHS, Sora eyed the cartoon moogle in surprise. Turning off the app, he slapped the phone shut and shoved it in his pocket.

Zack strode quickly through the door, motioning weakly for Sora, who hopped after him nervously. As they passed through the hall, approaching the outskirts of the building, the sunlight grew stronger from one side. It was warm; almost gentle. But as they drew further away from the staircase it grew near to blinding, making the plaque beside a single door shine painfully.

Room 905

Damsels and You

Villains and Vicegrips

Remedial Light

"You know," Zack began lightly, drawing Sora's attention away from the plaque. "I don't teach that often. Haven't taught this a class in two years. And that should probably tell you how serious this is."

"Aqua told me not to worry about it," the boy argued, chest swelling with something akin to annoyance.

Turning to him with a dry expression, Zack shook his head. "You're going to anyways, so there's no use lying." Sliding his badge through the card reader beside the plaque, the man strode through the door, leaving the boy to panic in the hallway.

There were no words. Nothing came from Sora for a few long moments aside from a distressed whimper. Following the man slowly into the classroom, he bit his lip as he saw the Egg sitting innocently across the room.

"We will begin every class with some exercises." Rounding the length of a wide desk, Zack – Mr. Fair – motioned toward the room bare of chairs and equipment with one hand. "Followed by a bit of reading and a scan at the very end. This will occasionally change, but for the most part our classes will follow this pattern."

Striding into the empty room, Sora took a seat partially off to the side. The glass was warm; almost hot. It was a soothing itch beneath his crossed legs. Shifting against the solid, uncomfortable surface, he stared up at his apparent teacher with a blank expression.

And for a long while, nothing happened.

"Uh, sir?"

"Yes?"

"The exercises?"

"Eh." Mr. Fair's tanned hand waved dismissively. Reaching beneath his desk, he presented a single mirror. "There's only the two of us. Let's have some fun."

"Have…" Sora frowned. "Fun? This is a probationary class."

"It's very simple," the older man announced, pushing the mirror forward on the desk pointedly. "First, look into this mirror."

"Um…"

"Come on up here!"

Rising unsteadily to his feet, Sora carefully moved forward to the desk, peering first at Mr. Fair, then the mirror. "Okay," he mumbled. "What now?"

Settling into a chair, the teacher nodded firmly. "What do you see?"

Shrugging, the boy glanced up to meet sharp blue eyes. "My face."

"Ah, ah." Mr. Fair wagged a finger, shaking his head. "Think about it. Think about it really hard."

Sora blinked, eyebrows arching with mild surprise. "What-"

"Just look."

"O… kay." Turning back to the mirror, the mechanic stared pointedly at his reflection. And for a long moment, he saw nothing. Then, as his eyelashes fluttered in a blink, he spotted movement behind him. And as his eyes opened he screamed.

Behind him, Mr. Fair pulled his cheeks apart with his fingers, placing his teeth on display to make a foul face at Sora.

"What are you doing?"

Rising from his crouch, the teacher snorted, fingers drawing away from his cheeks with a dismissive wave. "The eyes are the window to the soul, you know."

"Wha…" Sora shook his head, turning back to the mirror, then to Mr. Fair, face flushed. "What are you talking about?"

A tanned finger drew upward, thoughtfully tapping a quirked chin. "You're way too stiff, kid. Don't tell me you're like this with your friends."

The boy shook his head, blinking curiously. "What does being stiff have to do about anything?"

"You gotta relax," Mr. Fair insisted. "When we're nervous insecurities find a way into the cracks. Same goes for when you're sad or angry. But insecurity is a very special kind of Darkness. The longer it goes unchecked, the harder it is to notice."

"So… this is a self esteem class?"

"This is Remedial Light," the teacher drawled. "The objective is to 'Lighten Up.'"

"You did not just say that."

"I did."

They stood in silence for a while, and Sora glanced back to the Egg curiously. Turning back to Mr. Fair, he motioned towards it with a shrug. "So how does that thing work?"

"What?"

"The Egg," Sora clarified softly. "How does it work?"

Mr. Fair scoffed. "What makes you think I know?"

"You teach the class, don't you?"

For a long second the teacher stared at him curiously. "Touché," he drawled. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his PHS.

"What are you doing?"

"Looking it up."

"You really don't know?"

"You're the mechanic," Mr. Fair shot back.

"Fish," Sora mused.

The teacher's head shot up. "Did you just say 'fish?'"

"Uh… Yeah."

Sharp blue eyes remained on the boy for a brief, tense second before turning resignedly back to the PHS, tanned fingers tapping swiftly at the screen. "Weird kid," he murmured, navigating through the menu. "So, theoretically speaking, there are lights inside the Egg. Special lights that sort of interact on a different plane than we do. And when they land of people, light happens. The more Light, the more color. The more Darkness, the less color. And, if the Darkness is really bad, you see shadows. That's when you're considered a risk."

"But it can't take over if you're happy, right?" Sora insisted.

"Staying happy isn't realistic," Mr. Fair replied solemnly.

"Then how do you fight it?"

Turning back to his desk, the teacher slid his hand along the polished surface. He rounded the corner with a sigh before settling into his chair. "You slay your demons," he mused quietly. "But how you slay them counts more than anything else. And then, maybe, you'll find a balance."

"A balance of what?"

"Of Light and Darkness."

-T-M-

"Hand me the wire stripper."

"Which wire stripper?"

"The one covered in yellow gummi paint."

"Oh." Reaching nonchalantly for a blob of yellow nestled among a small puddle of wires, Lilo passed it to the hand outstretched from beneath the gummi ship with a sly grin. "It's nice of you to do this for me."

"That attitude is only going to get you so far," Sora drawled from beneath the ship. "Your munny will take you the rest."

The girl shrugged, leaning against the ship with a happy grunt. "What can I say? Including a labor fee makes me seem more important to investors."

"Of course it does."

"You're just jealous of my Super Saiyan Swag."

"I have no idea what that is," Sora hissed, foot twitching distractedly. Beneath the shit, his fingers carefully gripped a small, yellow wire, guiding it into the opening of a small clamp. "- but let's settle for 'a little bit, but mostly on 火曜日.'"

"On what now?"

"火曜日."

Lilo's eyes screwed up, eyes narrowing at twisted slacks skeptically. "Let's just assume I know what that is and drastically change subjects. How's probation going?"

"It's probation," Sora admitted between soft grunts, knees bobbing as his thighs clenched and unclenched. "Teacher's a bit strange. Class is weird even by school standards. Not much to say."

"Weird good or weird weird?"

"A little of both, and we're the only ones in the room." Hand drawing out from beneath the ship, Sora dropped the yellow wire strippers to the floor before retreating. "It made me think of this saying we used to have back home – 'Hammer down the stake that sticks up.'"

Dark eyebrows drew together sharply. "That's either a safety thing or something bad."

The mechanic shifted, shoes patting at the floor before he grew still. "It's a lot of things," he informed her quietly. "If you are an individual and succeed, you will meet with criticism as you rise. It can also mean those who don't conform will be judged and beaten into their place by society. It's widely accepted that you can achieve more as a group than as an individual. If you keep your head down, nothing bad will happen to you.""

"Jeez. Harsh."

"There's this other form of the saying, though; 出る杭は打たれるが、出すぎた杭は打たれない."

"You lost me."

"Basically, 'the stake that sticks out will be hammered down, but the stake that sticks out too much will not.' If you are successful in your endeavors – if you rise above the criticism – you will change things. Big things. Those are the people who make history."

"So what? You think probation is some sort of divine test?"

"It could be. Who knows?"

Lilo snorted. "God. Duh."

"Which one, though?"

"You are taking this far too seriously."

From beneath the ship, a laugh bubbled quietly into the room. "Yeah," the mechanic admitted softly. "Yeah, I guess I need to chill out a bit."

"So, happier topic," Lilo announced suddenly. "Pick a card; any card."

"Do you think we could make one of those Eggs?" the mechanic inquired abruptly.

Eyebrows drawing together sharply, dark eyes turned on the boy with blatant confusion. "Eggs?"

"The ones from the exam. You climb in them and they test your Darkness levels. Do you think it's possible to make the technology smaller?"

"Of course it's possible," Lilo drawled. "Aside from the fact that we just don't have the resources here. Shipments of Gummi blocks and access to the Kiln for glass are one thing; a material that imitates Light on a wavelength that impacts and reacts to your soul is something else entirely. You'd probably need to artificially create Light itself."

"I'm guessing that's really hard."

"Imagine how you felt when you first laid eyes on Calculus."

"That bad?"

"Worse."

"Ouch."

A silence settled over the room, broken occasionally by the shouts of another group fumbling with some wire on the other end of the hangar. They rolled out the length, arguing and hissing and spitting half-hearted insults as toes were stubbed and fingers jammed.

"I wonder if there was a way to go around the issue entirely and make the results visible," Lilo murmured. "As things stand, the Egg can only give us the scientific equal of a Yes or No answer. Imagine actually being able to see the makeup of Light and Darkness in the body – like an EEG scan. To see your soul."

"You mean like looking at yourself in the mirror?"

"What?"

"You know – the eyes are the windows to the soul."

"That…" Lilo trailed off softly.

Feet slapping the ground in an off-kilter beat, Sora wheeled himself out from beneath the ship with a sigh. "Think we could ask Dr. Even about it?"

"Who?"

"One of the resident Scientists in the lab," he replied evenly. "You don't know?"

"Who does? Aside from his apprentice, you're the only one getting any lab time. Apparently only Cid's Little Protege is good enough."

Sora sighed. "How long do you think it's going to take for that nickname to run its course?"

"Depends."

"On what?"

"When do you plan on graduating?"

"Back on subject," the mechanic groaned, filthy hand drawing up to drag across his forehead with exasperation. "We need to get some Egg blueprints. It might give us some hints."

"Have you looked it up in the database?"

"Honestly, I just came up with this."

-T-M-

Striding casually out the yellow flaking hangar doors, Sora turned into shimmering the glass hallway. High above, a single sun shone down on the school, while another slowly sunk beneath the dip of the horizon, setting the building ablaze with a reddish glimmer. Making his way down the hallway, he passed a murder of raven-haired first years attempting to scrape a dilapidated section of carpet away from the glass floor beneath. Sora hopped carefully over the rolled section as he passed. "Keep up the good work," he called behind him.

They cheered back with sarcastic words of thanks.

Rounding a corner, Sora brandished his ID, sliding it through the card reader and popping the stairwell door wide open. He jogged to the rows of steps, taking two at a time as he descended. The thin shoulder of his blazer brushed the inside wall as he passed. On his way down, a group of fourth years drew up, squeezing past him with murmured apologies and one enthusiastic high twelve that was returned with an equally hearty high five.

As he turned the final corner, stairs giving way to the solid glass of the first floor staircase, his eyes turned to the ground. There, in the distance, glittered the far off light. With a hop to his step, he turned back to the corridor, sliding his ID through the card reader beside the thick glass door. It popped open with a single beep.

A number of students milled aimlessly about the floor, gossiping lightly as Sora passed. Bare few acknowledged him with small greetings, so absorbed in their conversations.

The cafeteria was in mayhem.

Drawing into the wide room, Sora scanned the aisles for a clear path. His eyes were met with shifting, squeezing bodies and clustered conversations. The sound echoed throughout the room, nearing deafening. His shoulders drew back, lips pursing as he took a brave step forward into the crowd. Squeezing through the aisles, he pushed through to the far side of the room. He broke through the mass with an unenthusiastic huff. Approaching the drink dispenser, he prodded at the associated panel with a nervous finger.

The screen burst to life without any more prompting.

Drinks

Arabica Drip*, Bat Guano Tea* **, Broiled Triangle, D6/D12 Supplement Shot, Fanta Orange*, Gargle Blaster, Oolong Tea*, Peanut Butter Tribadism*, Seagull Juice**, Water*, Yippie Banana Pants*.

* - Please be screened at the Medical Center for the 376 associated allergies.

** - Non-Vegan.

"A tanned finger hesitated over the menu, twitching idly as it paused twice over 'Gargle Blaster." But as it went to select it, the attached wrist drew back, then forth, selecting "D6/D12 Supplement Shot."

The screen gave a ping, and a cup dropped down into the twin prongs inside the dispenser, a stream of clear fluid jutting out from a readily-lowered straw that splashed somewhat calmly into the glass. As the stream came to a halt, the dispenser dinged once more.

Snatching up the glass, Sora turned to face the crowd once more.

-T-M-

"Afternoon," Sora called halfheartedly, striding through the padded door just. In his wake it slides closed, air hissing from the cracks as the atmosphere sealed. Hands falling casually to his sides, they drop his badge to his chest, where it bounces lightly against the light fabric of his shirt. It sits bare on his shoulders, blazer gone from his usual ensemble.

Glancing up from the dome, Dr. Even eyed him, surprised. Tugging the thin wire frames of his reading glasses from his nose, he blinks lightly as his vision adjusts, landing firmly on Sora. "You're early."

"Physics 3 was cancelled – professor's on an assignment and they couldn't find a sub," the mechanic supplied lightly. His gaze shot around the room, taking in the flashing lights, bare white walls, and padded floors. "No Ienzo today?"

"No Ienzo, yes." The doctor nodded lightly. His lips pursed, a slight, insignificant hum escaping as his eyes perused the clipboard before him. It angled against the light overhead, the sphere in the center of the ceiling growing dim with the setting of the second sun. "And I'm about to leave, as well. Think you could handle an afternoon by yourself?"

"I'll just be wiring. That'll probably require minimal supervision."

"As long as you don't touch the capsules," Dr. Even reminded him sharply, thin finger wagging towards the reinforced containers spaced throughout the room.

Sora waved him off, glancing momentarily towards the capsules. His attention pulls quickly to the length of tubing drawing out of them, feeding into the large domed machine. "Wouldn't think of it."

Nodding firmly, the doctor settled his clipboard beneath one arm. "Good, good." Rising to his feet, he stepped around Sora to approach the door. But as his hand slid against a small divot in the padding, he turned back to the boy, eyebrows drawn curiously together. "Sora," he began, words cautious on his tongue, "you are in your final mechanic's class, are you not?"

Drawing out from beneath the panel, the mechanic blinked up at the man curiously. "Uh, yeah," he mumbled. "Why do you ask?"

"Do you have friends here?"

"What? I mean – a few. Only Lilo lives here full-time, though."

"Ah…"

"May I ask what this is about?"

Dr. Even's eyes shuttered lightly, then fell closed as a small chuckle bubbled up from his chest. "It's nothing," he diverted. "Don't worry about it."

As his fingers began to curl against the door, a rushed, "Wait," bubbled from Sora.

Turning back to the student, Dr. Even waited patiently for the boy to continue.

"I was wondering if… if it were possible to possibly…" His eye flickered briefly to the machine before shifting back to the scientist. "The Eggs they use for the SWAB – is it possible to get a hold of the blueprints?"

"I can't see why not."

Sora's eyebrows drew up in open surprise, only to pull back together in confusion. "That was… easy."

"I'll see about getting them to you within the week." Fingers digging into the divot in the padding, the scientist squeezed the wall with intent, smiling firmly as it hissed open. As he stepped through, he offered a small, "Good day," over his shoulder before departing.

As the door slipped slowly closed in the wake of the scientist, Sora stared after it in relative unease before turning to his work. Approaching the wire coiled in the corner, he leaned forward to take it into his hands, lifting it with a huff of effort onto his shoulder. The coil sagged as he rose. Slim lines attempted to scatter from his fingers to the floor, and a ragged end of a cut section scraped angrily at his arm. He waddled to the dome with a sigh, the lowermost section of coil thumping against the flesh of his thigh with heavy determination.

-T-M-

With a gentle clang, a set of wire strippers clattered to the floor from a limp hand.

Sliding out from beneath the console, Sora tossed aside a short length of wire, hissing a curse. He reached quickly into his pocket. Beeping and screaming and vibrating in his hand, his PHS threw a fit as he flipped the device open and silenced the alarm. The air grew heavy as silence reigned, interrupted by a soft whisper of a sigh.

Feet slapping against the padded floor, the mechanic rose to his feet. He blinked as, overhead, the single light set in the ceiling flickered for a brief instant, sending the room into darkness before driving it out with light. He bent forward, collecting the few tools scattered about his workspace before heading towards the door. It opened easily beneath his attentions. Hissed lightly as a gentle breeze burst through from the other side.

The halls were pitch black as Sora stepped out of the lab. Glass walls had gone invisible in the night. Three suns, usually overhead in some fashion, had long set beneath the horizon, leaving the building without the hint of sky light. Hand slipping into the mouth of a bag hanging from his work belt, Sora ruffled around a bit before retrieving a small, perfectly round sphere. He gave it a good shake, wrist twitching back and forth as a steady glow found its home in the core of the ball. The light was gentle. Almost sweet. It spilled into the hall, glimmering in his hand like a beacon. Zipping his work belt closed, the mechanic headed off down the dimly lit hall, fingers extended with the light to lead his way.

Everywhere he looked was barren. Students and teachers were nowhere to be seen, leaving an eerie emptiness to the halls. As Sora made his way away from the room, his eyes raked along the walls. In the distance was the small glimmer of another light. It shimmered through several panes of glass, slowly ascending. It rose slowly, wobbling slightly, before disappearing behind a line of darkness – the line of carpet blanketing the floor above. Turning his attention away from the far off stairwell, Sora took a sharp right to head into a section. A small plaque shone in the light of his sphere before descending into darkness.

303 - SIM Rooms

The steady clip-clop of his shoes slapping against the thin carpet echoed off the sturdy glass walls blackened to a dark soot. As Sora drew up to a door, he took his ID in hand, tugging at the lanyard strapped about his neck to slide it firmly though the card reader beside a solid, metal door.

Inside, the room was black. Dark tiles lined the floor, walls, and ceiling, shining brilliantly in the dim light. A sturdy chair sat in the center, flanked by a control panel and screens. Before it stood a wide pane of glass overlooking a much larger room. Off to his left stood a single supply closet, and Sora strode quickly towards it, allowing the door behind him to slide firmly shut.

Outside, a single red light shone above the entrance. It fell across the hall, glinting off the blackened walls. Beneath it, a single sign shone, barely visible in the light. "In Use."

Tucking the sphere into his pocket, Sora shrugged out of his jacket. As the fabric slipped casually to the floor, the piping flickered a gentle purple, sending soft shadows across the closet. Tanned arms drew up, sagging beneath an invisible weight. They stuttered as they rose. Fingers closed around a small, round knob, drawing it towards the man to open the supply closet, revealing a handful of vests.

They were thick; brown. Tucked and folded neatly into individual cubbies. As Sora slid one from its container, the rough fabric hissed lightly against the smooth glass of the shelf. He slipped his left hand through the arm hole, dragging it up to his elbow before repeating the action with his right and settling it firmly on his shoulders. As the vest settled into place, the piping shimmered a gentle lavender.

Zipping up the front of the vest, Sora turned to the dark room. He glanced momentarily overhead. Eyed the gently flickering spheres built into the ceiling. Before long he turned his eyes back to the body of the room, striding quickly up to the chair and taking a seat.

"Good Evening Sora," a voice greeted as the screens burst to life before him. "Please select simulation."

Glancing between screens, Sora bit his lip.

Battle

Blueprint

Maze

Obstacle Course

His finger hesitated over "Blueprint," nail shining a brilliant white from the screen's luminescence. But instead it drew up, selecting "Battle," accompanied by a gentle exhale.

"Battle selected," the computer announced softly. "Please select mode."

A new selection displayed itself, dominating the main screen.

Mode - Accuracy | Power | Battle

Range - Close | Medium* | Long*

Speed - Slow | Moderate | Fast*

Difficulty - Easy | Standard | Proud* | Critical*

Level2 Gap - 10 below* | 5 below* | Same | 5 above* | 10 above*

Time - Morning | Noon | Evening | Night*

Civilian Action1 - Evacuation Proceedings | Hostile | Panicking | Realistic | Random

Would you like this counted among your probation hours?

Yes / No

[Proceed]

[Randomize]*

* - Locked for this profile.

Tapping quickly through the mostly restricted menu, Sora relaxed into the curve of the chair as the computer revved. The screen threw a pattern of flashes throughout the dark room, scattering the scrambled shadows as they clustered in the corners.

Processing:

Battle Mode | Close Range | Moderate Speed | Easy | Same Level

Random Zone | Morning | No Civilians

Your time here will be counted towards your probationary course.

"Please enter the practice area."

Sora eased out of his chair as the computer addressed him, settling thick shoes onto dark, shining tiles before making his way quickly to the glass door beside the wide viewing window. Taking hold of the handle, he stepped into the wide room just as the walls melted away, giving rise to a clouded sky and tall, towering buildings. The streets were paved to a smooth, flawless finish, illuminated every few feet by an overhead street lamp.

"Simulation started." The words echoed through the street, hollow and omnipotent.

Turning his eyes to the ground, Sora scanned the road, squinting at the shadows for movement as, at his side, his empty hand remained at the ready. "Come out," he whispered lightly. "Come out." He advanced down the street. Gazing from corner to corner, he scanned the sidewalks suspiciously.

As he passed a street drain, a small smudge buried within the ground shifted and oozed from the hollow cracks. It shivered as it rose. Shook as its bulbous head and thin arms emerged from the depths of the drain. Finally it grew solid, legs quaking as it came into being with a hollow whisper hissing through the air.

Eyes drawing away from the far wall, Sora turned to face the creature. But as his gaze crashed upon the Heartless they grew wide and panicked. Hand falling to his side, his fingers curled around empty air that shimmered briefly before light burst between his fingers. It extended past them, growing in mass and forming an odd shape in the air. Within seconds it grew solid and dark, leaving a large, heavy key hanging in his hand. Bringing it awkwardly into the grasp of both hands, Sora held it out before him as if in warning.

Bare feet away, the Heartless eyed him for a long, tense moment…

… and lunged.

-T-M-

End Bonus
A conversation between a Writer and their Screen

"I'm gonna put it in Japanese. You're not supposed to understand him. Why go to the trouble of translating it into Romanji or English? If they're talking and singing in Japanese I'm going to have them talk and sing in Japanese."

"Awesome. I can offload my love of Enka on Kairi."