Episode 4. The Magic Within You
While the Keyblade wielder was off in memory-land again, Merlin set about preparing a snack of simple cookies and a pot filled with tea. When questioned about that a bit by Goofy,he explained: "You will certainly faint from low blood sugar if you don't eat first, Sora."
Donald nodded in agreement, adding (accompanied by some sweeping hand gestures): "Magic is Mana that's being refined by your mind and channelled through your body to cause the effect – meaning spell – you want. It's impossible to create energy; that means you need something to use."
Merlin picked up the explanation there: "Food in your stomach provides chemical energy for all of your organs, as well as turns into raw Mana inside the cells." At Sora's confused expression and Goofy's curious one, he added: "Mana is life energy itself." The old man's dark eyes briefly sparkled at the thought.
The teen crossed his arms, glancing up at the ceiling in thought but then looked at Merlin to ask: "Life... energy?"
"Yes, Sora. Once I have taught you how to access the Mana inside yourself, learning spells will be quite easy. Well, relatively speaking."
"What about ambient Mana? That's everywhere, right?"
"Indeed, there is such a thing; ambient Mana is generated by the environment." Merlin smiled, pleased that Sora was not completely clueless about the concept.
"How you know that?" Donald asked the brunette, surprised and a bit suspicious. He was certain Sora hadn't even known Magic existed, considering his shocked exclamations whenever the feathered wizard had used it to battle Heartless and Nobodies when they walked around earlier today. Not to mention what Sora had said only twenty minutes earlier at the door to Merlin's hidden home.
"The main Island back home has a huuuge library. Riku talked Kairi an' me into researching legends there for our Literature summer homework assignment the day before..." Sora's enthusiastic explanation trailed off with an anxious air. He finished silently: Before the bizarre dream and everything happened.
He stared at nothing for a moment, the others respectfully waiting in silence since they knew the reality of his situation was bound to be hard on the 14-year-old sooner or later; losing one's home World was bad enough to deal with as an adult, so there was no telling how traumatic the experience could be for a teenager or a child.
Sora shook his head before plastering a strained smile on his face. "Anyway, I read about there being Magic inside all living things but it takes a looot of training to even see it; trying to use any takes way longer. And it seeps – I think that's the right word? - over time into the environment, mostly when lots of magicians live close to each other in one, small place like a village."
"You are correct," Merlin replied at the same time Donald nodded with a pleased "Right!". The elderly male's cheerful smile dropped a degree. "Furthermore, because Mana is the essence of life itself, the less life you find in an area the more difficult you will find it to draw upon ambient Mana even from a barren environment seeped in it. Not impossible, but simply more complicated.
Because of how challenging it is to learn the skill of properly sensing the background Mana all living beings generate and yet more so to channel it, very few people bother." Merlin paused in thoughtful melancholy. "Particularly these days."
Sora looked up at the much older human with determination sparking in his eyes. "Well I'd like to learn!" And promise to find you, Riku, Kairi...
For a split second, the spiky-head could've sworn he heard her voice say with a small, joyful laugh: "You already have!"
"Alakazam!" An rhombus-shaped platform floated down from the wooden ceiling where Merlin had just shot a spell - after all the baked cookies had been eaten and the tea drank, that is. He hopped onto it, the trio behind himself exchanging dubious looks before following suit. They were raised up into the attic which had circular, triangular and square targets set up all around.
"Now then," Merlin said as he got off the platform, "to start with, Sora, you need to take a seat over there."
The brunette turned his head to where his new teacher indicated, cocking it in confusion at seeing a cushion on the floor in one corner with a triple candlestick in front of it. "Why?"
Merlin let out a brief, good-natured laugh. "To use Magic, you need to find the personal Mana stores inside of yourself first. That is why not just any kid off the street can become a witch or wizard; the stores must be found and therefore opened before the age of majority for their species, as otherwise the stores will remain locked."
Donald crossed his arms, tapping a yellow webbed foot impatiently as he scoffed: "Obviously."
"Take Leon, for example – I taught him when he was about 5 years older than you, Sora, but the poor lad was unable to do much beyond the various stages of Fire regardless of how hard he practised. The only reason Leon managed to use Magic at all was because he had been using certain marble-like Magical items known as Materia to perform basic Elemental spells from youth, which opened his Mana pathways. Those are also known as Chi or Chakra pathways on many Worlds. Regardless, Leon's difficulties stemmed from him being a 20 years old human – as opposed to, say, 14 like you – when starting to learn Magic from me, a sorcerer. Sorcery is more subtle than Materia Magic, which only requires some willpower and good eye-hand coordination."
"Gee, no pressure," Sora mumbled with a hint of sarcasm.
Goofy put a gloved hand on the teen's shoulder. "You can do it, Sora; I know you can!" he said encouragingly.
Said Keyblade wielder returned the smile, feeling – amazingly enough – better for some reason. Goofy kinda reminds me of Mum. Maybe that's why...?
While Sora was sitting on the cushion trying to calm his erratic thoughts in a vain attempt to meditate, Riku was not staying idle either.
He was sitting on the floor in a large, mostly-windowless library, surrounded by piles of books not unlike Merlin's own. "Okay, so... A Keyblade is 'the key' that can open/close any lock. 'Keyblades are said to hold phenomenal power. According to legend, the wielder of the Keyblade – formed by the Realm of Light – saved the Worlds. Through numerous trials across the cosmos, the Wielder proved themself worthy of their weapon.' …Go figure." Flicking the pages of the dusty old tome, Riku soon came across a (slightly) newer passage on the pages of parchment. He read it aloud too: "'The Keyblade wielder originated from the Realm of Darkness. Claims of their extraordinary feats were twisted to profess noble intent, when the truth is much more sinister. The weapon carried by them was borne not of Light, but Darkness. Their actions wrought chaos and ruin to the Worlds.' Huh. Looks like history can't make up its mind…"
A heavy sigh. The 15-year-old rubbed his temples, wondering under his breath should he go nick a Potion (a bottleful of something lime green with the texture of carrot sauce, he had learned of this item earlier today) or search for an aspirin. That might get rid of this migraine...
"You could always destroy Nobodies with that Keyblade of yours."
Riku's head snapped up, gloved hands clenching into fists as he demanded: "Who's there?!"
"Does it matter?" A cold laugh. "Not as if a sad washout like you can do a damn thing about it; a Keyblade wielder who can't summon his own weapon."
The silverette whirled around and punched the tall bookshelf behind himself out of sheer frustration at the young, mysterious voice's nerve. "You son of a–!"
"Ah, ah, ah! Don't disgrace your father with such language. That little jump through the Realm of Darkness was quite invigorating. For me that is, since you just passed out – like him.
...He never cared, by the way." Was there… a hint of pain present? And why did the confused 15-year-old feel as though the "he" mentioned was a separate person from the "him"?
What?! Riku leapt to his feet with practised ease, looking around for the source of that voice but to no avail. He growled in his throat, deeply irritated – his first assumption was that it had referred to the role model he'd had half his life. The impatient teen abandoned that trail of thought in favour of shouting: "Who are you?!"
"I'm me." Total conviction.
"Was that... was that supposed to be a joke? 'Cause I'm not laughing!"
The voice chuckled in malicious amusement. "Better hurry; time is ticking, Riku."
Riku ran off with a snarl. But its last words kept echoing in his ears, no matter where he went.
In the castle's Entrance Hall, he literally bumped into a very tall, thin woman with skin a sickly shade of light green; two black, devilish horns were atop her head. She was clad in black from head to toe, a sceptre being held by its shaft in one bony hand with sharp, purple nails. "Do watch where you run, child."
Riku looked up at her suspiciously. Just 'cause you gave me a place to sleep last night doesn't mean I trust you, Maleficent. But he had enough common-sense to not voice this thought.
Raising her dark eyes from the silverette to a random point behind him, the witch added: "Try to show at least some decorum. My castle is not a playground."
The tense boy, having already become mad as heck, clenched his gloved hands into tight fists but nevertheless nodded. "Of course, ma'am," he said as politely as possible through gritted teeth. Riku then crossed his arms, scowling as he looked away thinking: No way I'm going to tell her what just happened, but I might as well say something. As he would say, 'truth is always subjective'. "I was in the Library," the 15-year-old sulkily answered Maleficent's question about his whereabouts. Trying to find out how I can reach Sora and Kairi, but none of the books did any good. And what little I found out about the Keyblade was sooo helpful, NOT.
"Regardless, you do require a weapon if you are to traverse the Worlds. I will not have my new apprentice die from helplessness," the witch stated, although her tone of face and the look on her face completely lacked warmth. She only cared to pass on the knowledge of sorcery – that goody-two-shoes Merlin and incompetent Madam Mim, not to mention Yen Sid the recluse, were no proper teachers as far as Maleficent as concerned. There were others, of course; none besides herself worthy of training potential like Riku's.
Ah, right. The Magic lessons. How could I forget? said boy thought with a hint of sarcasm. I can't decide if Maleficent is taunting me about the lack of a particular weapon, or just stating a fact. ...Why can't I summon my Keyblade?! To Riku's irritated anger, that disembodied voice only he could hear chuckled evilly.
"Hades?" Maleficent quietly called. At once, a light-blue-skinned and sharp-faced male appeared in a large puff of smoke. He stuck a pointed finger into his ear and pretended to remove earwax. In place of hair was a bluebell flame.
"Hi, how you doin'? The name's Hades, Lord of the Dead. And you are the man of the hour, Riku! Pleasure to make your acquaintance, kid; truly." Riku cringed at Hades' up and down tone of voice as his hand was grabbed to be shaken. Realising he was showing weakness, the silverette then scowled and wrenched his fingers from the creepy guy's bony ones. Undeterred, Hades disappeared in the same smoke as less than a minute ago. And instantaneously afterwards reappeared a foot behind Riku, the startled teen whirling around at having a hand placed onto his shoulder. He glared at the bigger male whom was wearing a grey, smoky toga and now literally lounging on thin air.
"Don't touch me!" the silverette at once growled. I hate to be touched. ...Unless it's Sora or Kairi; I don't mind Dad and those two.
For a split second, his chest ached in melancholy at having been separated from his parent and best friends. Riku then shook his head a bit, lips twitching into a small smile as he focused on the fact he was finally on a whole other World. Free from boring old Destiny Islands.
He looked up at the two people – for lack of a better word – standing near himself. Looks like I completely missed their conversation... Maleficent started walking away while Hades smiled (which was quite creepy considering the sharp teeth Riku caught a glimpse of). Scowling in annoyance at his own inattention, the teen asked: "What do you want?"
Hades placed a hand over his heart in mock-offence. He then shook his head, saying in the tone of voice that made him sound as though he thought the youngster was a 5-year-old instead of 15: "Riku, Riku, Riku Riku... C'mon, kid, get your head in the game! Speaking of which, lets go get that weapon for you."
Cyan eyes blinked in surprise. "Huh?" Riku at once bit his tongue for letting his confusion show.
"Follow me, kiddo." With that, Hades vanished in a puff of smoke again and reappeared before the door which bore the Heartless symbol and led to the Lift Stop. Grumbling obscenities under his breath, Riku hurried over.
Their trek through the bizarre castle ended at a pair of thick, metallic double doors at Level 0A (as opposed to Level 1B, where they started from). Riku rolled his eyes when Hades made a short production of slamming the doors open, with his arms covered by orange flames, to reveal a weaponry. "Hel-lo, Cloudy! See here, kid needs a weapon. Mind takin' care of that? Thanks!" Without giving the pale-skinned young man (whom was leaning against a wooden worktop, wiping his enormous broadsword's wide, single-edged blade with a clean cloth) a chance to respond, Hades instantly Smoked away.
Riku turned his gaze from where Maleficent's colleague had disappeared from to the human male now picking up a bottle of oil. Tilting his chin up, the silverette stated with a hint of pride: "I've been training with swords since I was a kid. I can handle getting my own weapon just fine."
"All right, class, listen up!
If you fool around in here, I will kick you out. If you come in late, I will kick you out. If you DISOBEY even once, I will what?" A honey-blonde (clad in a knee-length pale pink skirt over black trousers and a dark pink jean-vest with a golden collar) walked from one side of the cuboid gymnasium to the other, hands clasped behind her back as she looked at the 40 or so children sitting on the floor from the corner of her eye. She was less than ten years older than the students, yet her presence garnered immense respect.
12-year-old Riku stared impassively, though a snort escaped him as an excited Sora waved his hand in the air. Their tough-sounding Self-Defence teacher looked over all her students before her stern gaze settled on the messy-haired brunette. "Caelum!"
"Kick us out?" Riku bit his lip to keep from snickering at the sheer adorableness of Sora's innocent answer. Selphie, whose curved, chocolate brown hair bobbed a bit whenever she moved her head, had no such caution as she let out a loud "Aww!".
"Precisely." The bespectacled young woman's gaze then moved on from a grinning Sora to take in all her new pupils. "Is that clear?"
"YES, MA'AM!" came the chorused answer.
"Yeesh! The rumours 'bout Miss Trepe weren't exaggerated, ya?" a caramel-skinned boy, Wakka, whispered to a smaller boy with sandy brown hair. Tidus grinned, whereas Selphie glared at the orangette in annoyance.
"Call me Quistis, DiMaggio. And no talking when I speak."
Wakka gulped. "Ya, man – I mean, Quistis ma'am! Got it!"
"Good." Clapping her hands together, she ordered: "Everyone, choose a weapon."
Riku tugged on Sora's hand. They wandered with their peers to the huge closet in one corner, its double doors open to show racks with an organised set of various weapons. There was a definite air of excitement despite Quistis making it clear nobody would be doing any actual sparring for at least half a year.
A snow-blonde eyebrow rose at Riku's arrogant-sounding certainty, lips quirking in a hidden smirk in amusement at the naivety. It was not so much funny as it was giving him a rueful feeling for the innocence lost long ago. I suppose I can give the kid a hand for now. ...What better way to keep an eye on a potential mini-Sephiroth?
In Traverse Town...
"Merlin, I was wondering..." Donald said, tearing his gaze from Sora. It had been over an hour already with no change.
The human wizard followed suit as he looked at his fellow magician in curiosity. "Hmm? What is it, Donald?"
"Well... what kind of Wards do you have here?"
"Ah, the Runes on my entrance door are most of the framework for an Intention Ward. If a person approaching my house means harm, the boulder will carry them back to the starting point and drop them there. If a Heartless or a Nobody appears on top of it, the boulder will vanish from underneath their feet and so the intruder is plunged into the water. Which has been spelled to slowly disintegrate anything touching it that isn't a Somebody.
The second Ward, around the islet, is an invisible wall that bounces backwards anyone not keyed in to enter. It is mostly a warning; there is also an Alert tied to it, which is how I knew people had come to see me. I expected you, Goofy and Sora long beforehand, of course."
"Ah," Donald replied, scratching the side of his head. He then shook it and turned his attention back on Sora.
His eyes widening in shock, the feathered mage leapt into the air and instinctively flicked his wand into his hand from its holster before instantly enlarging it into staff form. Goofy did the same with his shield, unclipping the teal arrow made of a small piece of cloth to take the shield into his gloved hand. Merlin, meanwhile, relatively easily Transfigured himself into a blue-shelled, turtle with pale grey skin, then pulled his little head (as well as limbs) into the shell. The energy wave soon passed.
Once all of the dust that had just kicked up from the corners of the long-disused Magic Training Room settled, Merlin returned to normal and the anthropomorphic duo shrunk their respective weapons. All three stared at Sora.
This isn't working! the brunette thought, scowling in annoyance. He took a deep breath and tried again to reach a meditative state, as Merlin had described he needed to do. Sora had found his thoughts floundering every time he finally managed to clear his mind. I wish Riku were here... Then me an' him could stink at meditating together.
"Well that makes two us."
That was the voice he had heard a little while earlier today, and in his bizarre dream yesterday! Where'd you come from? Sora mentally asked, confused.
The 14-year-old soon found himself floating down in a dark abyss. After he moved upright and landed softly on a platform of some sort, Sora was surprised by 'birds' when taking a step forward made them fly upward and, in doing that, they revealed a bright, stained glass underneath his shoe. They then soared away into the abyss.
He looked down in curiosity, strongly reminded of the Yin and Yang legend by the 2 sleeping boys. One of whom could pass as an older version of himself! Well, if it weren't for the paleness and soot black hair... Their age difference was a year or two.
"So much to do, so little time…"
"Huh? Who's there?" the teen at once asked, slowly turning his head as he tried to figure out where the mysterious yet youthful voice was coming from.
"Don't be afraid; now, step forward. Can you do it?"
Sora frowned at how the voice went from comforting to mildly challenging. Kinda reminds me of Riku… Shaking his head, the brunette walked to the center of the Station. He looked from the golden blonde to the ravenette and back again, puzzled. Raising his head, Sora peered up into the darkness in a vain attempt to locate the source of the voice.
He was startled by the three pedestals appearing from the stained glass, each holding a different dream weapon than the next. They formed an imaginary triangle around Sora, the voice having said as the pedestals had appeared: "Power sleeps within you; if you give it form, it will give you strength."
Sora picked up the floating sword first, poking a red ruby embedded in its pale yellow hilt with an index finger. "The power of the warrior... Invincible courage... The sword of terrible destruction," the voice told him.
Sora blanched. Shaking his head, he returned the sword.
"...Why don't you want that one?" the voice asked curiously, sounding as though it just wanted to keep a conversation going.
"Dad says it's wrong to break stuff on purpose if you're not a construction worker. I'm not as good as Riku at sword-fighting, anyway," Sora explained, mentally adding: And I don't want to destroy anything...
"I know what you mean."
"How come?"
"Not sure... I just, urgh..." Sora couldn't help staring up into the abyss with concern for his invisible companion. He heard a loud sigh that echoed in the Station's silence. "Never mind, lets carry on."
"O.K., if ya say so..." Sora murmured, going to the shield next. It was bright red, with a large black circle in the middle; the side that had its grip was completely black.
"The power of the guardian..." the voice told him once he'd picked it up,"Kindness to aid friends... The shield to repel all..."
Sora grinned. The spiky-haired boy looked upwards, letting out a laugh. "This one sounds perfect!"
The voice laughed too. "Yeah. I think– Erm, better that I don't say my opinions until you've picked your dream weapon."
"I look forward to hearing 'em." Sora put the shield back, his curiosity driving him to take a look at the green staff with a bright blue orb at one end.
"The power of the mystic... Inner strength... The staff of wonder and ruin..."
The 14-year-old bit his lip, then nodded in determination. He returned to the shield and picked it up.
"Is this the power you seek, Sora?"
"Yeah." It vanished in silvery sparkles. Next he watched in fascination as the pedestals – for lack of a better word – melted into the stained glass.
This time, his shadow didn't come to life. Sora stared at the Yin-Yang boys in silent wonder. He then looked into the abyss, loudly asking: "Who are you? What is this place?!"
"Your Dive to Heart."
"And you? How long have ya been here? Why can't I see you but you can see me?" As he questioned the voice, Sora saw colourful glass stairs appear. He followed them down to the Station of himself, listening intently at the voice's answer as he went:
"…I don't know. My memories… they're so messed up, so out of reach. ...I, I only know stuff. By instinct."
Oh. Giving a sympathetic smile, Sora changed the subject just as he stopped in the middle: "You were going to tell me about the dream weapon you would pick, last time I was here. Except my shadow kinda stopped that." The way he had gotten knocked off the Yin-Yang Station and landed softly onto his own flashed though the brunette's mind.
The voice laughed brokenly. "Can't believe you remembered... Yeah, I woulda wanted to pick the shield too."
Sora's smile turned into a grin, the teen oblivious. "So can ya help me? I'm trying to learn Magic." He pouted at the lack of success, crossing his arms.
"Nope, sorry! Although, I 'm pretty sure I once was a person... And the whole Magic thing's familiar t–"
The voice cut himself off in shock at the appearance of someone behind Sora. Puzzled by that, the 14-year-old turned around in alarm. He gaped.
"K-Kairi...?" Sora reached put towards her. She looks so real, not like glass this time. "KAIRI!"
She gave him a sad smile. "Sora!"
To the brunette's horror, a cyan-tinted white puddle appeared underneath her feet. The redhead began to sink through as though it was quicksand. But she wasn't afraid.
"NO!" Sora rushed over and wrapped his arms around her, only to be stuck in that strange liquid thing too! Thick wisps of it snaked up their bodies and the pair were swallowed by the Light soon enough, much like how Sora was consumed by a puddle of Darkness in his bizarre dream (once he had defeated his shadow on the platform of himself) just before waking up on the beach.
The teen was flailing as the Light began to clear, sky blue eyes opening wide in shock at feeling himself laying on something solid. Panicking, Sora sat up. "Kairi?"
He gaped at seeing he was sitting on a third Station, this one unfamiliar since he only had the two his last time in Dive to Heart. It was Kairi's.
The male 14-year-old got up but did not see the girl anywhere. A few tears trickled down rosy, dimpled cheeks; the pain was too much!
"RIKU!
KAIRI!"
A.N.: Sooo, yeah. Hope the Episode's length makes up for how long it took to get this thrice damned thing done. I couldn't find a good cut off point… Eventually I just cut Ep3 into two coz I reeeally wanted to update.
Was gonna call it 'Your Magic Spark', but I might use that title later.
I know, I know. Tons of exposition... But I deemed it all necessary sooo, yeah. *rubs nose with a nervous laugh* B.t.w., I added that bit about Wards for the heck of it; I promise it'll be relevant, though.
Yes, I'm calling Hades' method of appearing & disappearing "Smokes/Smoked/Smoking". Don't care that it sounds stupid... *grumbles under her breath*
Not sure how clear I made it, but the first 24 hours 'Kairi' spent in Twilight Town is parallel to this Episode. Following one will cover the next two weeks she spends there as well as the first 3 weeks Sora and Riku are off Destiny Islands. From the start of Ep5 onwards, those three are in tandem with each other. (I'm not including the rest of Week 1 for not-Kairi in Ep4 as that's already been seen in Ep2.)
O.K., so I know I gave a spoiler in here about the fact that Riku is a Keyblade wielder like heroic Sora, but surely y'all don't mind since it's been common knowledge from the day 'Kingdom Hearts' first came out? I apologise if that ruined the surprise for anybody who has not finished the game yet. This story is gonna have a LOT of spoilers for entire K.H. franchise.
Sora's surname – Caelum – is Latin for "sky", while I gave Wakka DiMaggio since that's his English voice actor's surname in 'Final Fantasy X'; I'm tempted to give Riku's O.C. (Original Character - which means a character not present in canon nor anywhere else, instead they're made up by a fanfic Author) dad the name Noctis now that it has been pointed out to me that there's a Final Fantasy character named Noctis Caelum whom K.H.3 Riku resembles.
I do NOT view flashbacks as just a person's memories; rather, they're a glimpse to the relevant point in the past for me. Hence we got to see a fair bit of Aqua during one of Sora's in this Ep (b.t.w., Ep is short for Episode; I call the chapters of this story Episodes coz canon K.H.'s cutscenes remind me of watching a T.V. show).
P.S. Sorry about the long Author's Note! *scratches back of head with a sheepish grin*
P.P.S. Is it weird that I somehow picked up tendency to say "y'all" despite having never been in America? Dunno when it happened...