After it ends, Peace reigns
Fandom: Kingdom Hearts
Pairings: (by order of appearance in this chapter) Riku/Sora; Cloud/Leon; Tifa/Aerith
Rating: Hmm, I'll keep it safe and give it an M for latter chapters.
Summary: Everything has ended. The Heartless are gone, Sephiroth has been destroyed and peace reigns in every world. Sora, Riku and Kairi are trapped in Radiant Garden by some unknown reason. Now what happens?
Warning: Curse words? Dunno. Haven't checked! Sorry!
A.N.: I did say I was going to update on Spring Break, didn't I? Well…In my defence, I did start "collecting" plot bunnies for this chapter a whole day before Spring Break started, so there! It's the same as saying I started before the break and kept on developing the story until it ended. So, technically, I didn't lie…I just, let's say, "waltzed" around the truth, eheheh! *Is shot for tricking readers* *Is dead on the ground with a blood pool forming around the wound* *Is revived by the amazing power of your forgiveness (?) (Please?)*
I'll take that as a "yes". ;) Carrying on…!
Chapter Four: Believe me when I say this
The person standing right in front of him wasn't the one he was expecting. He felt slightly disappointed, but surprise was the predominant feeling.
"What are you doing here, Merlin?"
"Just came to check on you." – The old man smiled. – "But I see you're alright. You're looking fancy! What are you going to do, Sora my boy? Going on a date, eh?"
The brunet blushed slightly. He was going on a date, but that wasn't what he was anxious about. Not that he was about to tell this to Merlin, the man could very well have a heart attack as soon as he said
"Sex…"
Yes, sex. He could not mention that word around Merlin… "I…What! Did Merlin…? No…!"
"…sex"
"I'm sorry, what?"
"I said I've had my share of romantical walks around town. I'm quite the ladies man myself, even if I'm a sexagenarian. Didn't you hear what I said? You must have something clogging your ears, m'boy! Let's see, I have a spell for that…"
"Oh no, no!" – he interrupted hurriedly – "I did hear you, Merlin! I just thought I heard wrong, since you don't look a year older than forty… hundred."
Obviously, he said the last part to himself. He was starting to become obsessed about what he hoped Riku would do to him. He tried to calm his hyperactive hormones down as best as he could while still paying an ounce of attention to the kooky old man.
"Why… yes. I have been told that my appearance is rather misleading. All the young lads and lasses keep telling me they don't believe I'm 62! It is quite good to hear."
That's because they think you're a lot older, like I do. But, I'm not the one who'll tell you that. I'm too afraid of being transformed into a guinea pig! - Thought Sora.
"Even if that is the case, I haven't come here to hear you compliment me, m'boy. I've sensed some natural energies mixing and merging into a determined location – this house. As you surely know, I've warned you countless time not to do it. The magic resulting from it may very well be powerful and one of the most useful, but it is also very complex. Too complex for my students, even if you all have great potential! One puny mistake can have a disastrous consequence! But it seems like you are not the one meddling with such forces, Sora. For that I am both relieved and worried…" – Told him the old man. Sora had a surprised look on his face. He had heard about such a process in one of Merlin's classes – with was something French sounding… "Comme un seul", he believed. He also remembered that it required quite a bit of components, time and some knowledge of French, since the incantation was written in it - which was to be expected, knowing the magician who established it was French.
"Why would you be relieved, Merlin? This is a huge problem!"
"Yes, Sora, I am well aware of the danger. I'm relieved because it means you were paying attention to me… Also, you are one of the few of my students, if not the only one of them, who would be able to correctly carry on with the process. This is a very unstable age you all are in, and I'm not sure what would be worse – the process going wrong, or the opposite… It truly is a fantastical source of power…"
"I'm sorry, but why exactly do you say I'm the only one capable of doing it? I know I'm one of the highest rating students, it's not something I brag about, but it is still true… But I'm not the only one that's good at magic! Why do you put so much worth in someone who is only better on the tests? Riku or Kairi are the ones who study and participate more, and Yuffie is the one who has the most inventive personality, she has already created a lot more spells than I have!" – Sora was upset. He cherished justice and equality above all else. He didn't think it was fair for Merlin to be calling him "the best"… It just wasn't, even if it was something good…
"Sora," – started the old wizard – "I'm aware of the differences between you and your friends. That's not why you are the one who would most likely succeed with the process. You were chosen by the Keyblade. Much ancient magic comes with it. And, before you ask, even if Riku has been chosen as well, he has gone through some events which have rendered him momentarily weak in terms of magic. You know what I am speaking about, I'm sure."
The whole Ansem ordeal… that's what weakened him. Thought the brunet teenager. He acknowledge that Merlin was right about that issue. But the more pressing matter, much more so than Sora's abilities, came once again to his mind.
"The magic! We have no time to lose! If it's in the house, we'll find it quicker if we both search for who's doing it." – Suggested the Keyblade bearer.
Just after Sora said that, a silver haired teenager appeared next to Merlin. He's so hot…! Thought Sora, but his mind decided it would give him a break from his hormones and the problem the old magician had told him flashed bright inside his head.
"Sora? Merlin? What are you two talking about? Did someone go missing? What happened?" – Riku was worried. We noticed Sora's distressed expression and that definitely wasn't good – Sora was too happy-go-lucky to care about a minor problem. This was big!
I have to do this… I have to! It's the only way. For me… For them… It'll be better if I do this… right? It's the only way…! Why am I the only one to have thought about this? It seems so simple! Almost as if destiny had let this fall unto my lap…! Almost too simple… If this goes wrong… Please, please forgive me!
"Well, the first thing to do is knowing whatcha wanna do, Cloudy!" – Started the bumbling raven-haired girl.
"What do you mean?" – Asked the young blond man – "I think that's a little obvious, don't you think, Yuffie?"
"Ah, not really, Cloudy! How am I supposed to know what you want if you don't tell me?" – Pointed out the teen ninja – "There's lots of things you could want from Leon… He is a good piece of man meat, if ya know what I mean!"
Cloud started sputtering instantly and red tinted his cheeks completely. Leon was a "good piece of man meat" as Yuffie put it, but that wasn't the only thing that caught Cloud's attention… right? At this point, he couldn't be so sure. Shiva, this whole crush thing has gotten my head all messed up!
"Well… I do like his looks. I mean… How could I not? The man's practically a god who decided to bless this planet with his presence! Plus… He's very kind, even if he doesn't show it to just about everybody. He's just misunderstood. I kinda get him, since I've been a lot like him at some point in my life. It's… I don't know, ok? It's complicated. It always is when I get involved. It seems I mess everything up just by being around. But, this time I'm not going to run away. I may not know exactly what I like about him, but I do know I like him. A lot, actually." – The blond man explained.
"Hm, you can stop your monologue now, Cloudy! Leave the rambling to me, 'kay? I didn't ask you why you like him, choco-brain!" – She snickered. – "That's not really important, see? I wanna know what you wanna do with him… Do ya understand?"
Cloud scoffed. And here I was, blurting out things I shouldn't… Nice, Cloud, real nice!
"I don't want him for the sex… Although I won't refuse it if an opportunity presents itself." – He tried to hide his embarrassment by looking up at the slightly cloudy sky, almost making it seem like this was a trivial subject. The attempt didn't work. The raven-haired ninja started giggling, to which the young man quickly responded with a demand for her to shut up. – "I want a real involvement on both parts. I want us to be committed to one another, to fully understand each other… I want love. I think you'd call it a long-term relationship."
Cloud had to turn his head completely to the side in order to ignore the girl he was talking to. Or the closest thing you can get to talking when it comes to crazy-moomba over here. – He thought. Even that didn't help when he started hearing her shrieks and coos. She even started calling him brand new nicknames. What the hell is a Cutchy-Cloudy?…And now she's jumping up and down. Great! Awesome day today turned out to be, eh? - Observed the annoyed man. His attempt to ignore the upcoming flood of embarrassment proved once again to have failed when he noticed a man with chocolate-coloured tresses pursing his lips as slightly as he frowned, seeing as you wouldn't notice unless you were about a metre from him, as the blond swordsman was. When did he get here? And how? I didn't even notice him… Damnit, this day just keeps getting better! –Thought the alarmed man.
"Who do you love?" – This was the first thing that came out from his mouth as he looked straight at Cloud. The blond thought he couldn't ask anything worse at the moment. Before he even started thinking about what to say, the girl in front of him answered, a 1000 watt smile on her lips.
"Why're you interested, Squall?"
"I'm not!" – Said the brunet, a bit too quickly to be credible. Plus, the light red covering his cheeks didn't help matters. As an afterthought, he added. – "And it's Leon."
"Sure it is, Squally! And I absolutely believe what you just said!" – Replied the ninja girl, in an ironic yet playful manner. – "Let's make a deal then. I'll tell you who it is Cloud loves above everyone and everything else in this world and all the others, above his own life even! But, in exchange, you'll have to do one and only one task I give you. What do ya think?"
"You will not!" – Ordered Cloud, to which Yuffie responded by repeating what he had done to her only moments ago – she told him to shut up. Even so, ignoring the slight exaggeration on the girl's part, he couldn't help but feel less than worried. Leon would never agree to that! It's not like we're talking about a crucial piece of information that'll make his life a hundred times better. Even if it did… This is Yuffie we're talking about! That "task", as she put it, can't be anything good! I have nothing to be worried about!
"Deal!" – Said Leon with a determined look and a slight smirk.
Shit! -Thought the blond man.
"Okay then!" – Exclaimed Yuffie, with a gigantic grin and a couple of excited jumps. – "I'll tell you!"
She started chuckling contently, going for a moment of suspense. She counted to three all the while looking at both men's faces. One of them was wide-eyed, shaking his head and mouthing "No!" to her, while the other stared expectantly at her with his eyebrows a little raised.
"It's me! Yuffie Kisaragi, the greatest ninja in the whole Universe! I'm the one Cloudykins here loves!" – Said the girl, hugging Cloud tightly while looking straight at the brunet gunblader. Doing such, she failed to notice the scandalized expression the person she was hugging was exhibiting and paid attention only to Leon as he folded his arms as hard as he could, - probably already cutting off a good amount of blood from flowing within them – frowned and looked down at his shoes.
"I see… I hope you'll be happy together." – Said the man, not one single word spoken with the emotion one would expect them to have, considering it was him. He sounded disappointed and discouraged. The proverbial kicked puppy.
"Well, thank you, Squally! We will!" – Quickly answered the girl who managed to confuse one man to high heaven and disappoint another to low hell. – "Let's talk business now, shall we?"
I'm so close! It'll all be over soon. The moment I finish saying this incantation, we'll all be as happy as we possibly can… Unless…What if this is not what everybody wants? What then? Then this'll be a huge mistake. But I can't stop now! It's already too late. I'll just have to do this and then I'll face the consequences - I won't be able to escape them anyway. When I finish this… I hope everybody smiles at me and say I did a good job.
Aerith supported one of her elbows with one hand and raised an index finger to her chin. She was intentionally making Tifa suffer by omitting a piece of information from her.
"C'mon!" – Whined the woman in question. – "You said you'd tell me. Please, oh Great Aerith, Master of Suspense, tell me already!"
The shop owner laughed. She herself was getting tired of beating around the bush. She had had her fun, but now was the time to end her lover misery. As I speak, thy worries and stress will be vanquished with the power of the truth. Clean thy ears and listen attentively, for I shall proffer the reason I relinquished the item we have spoken of before this same exchange of words as well as its true nature.
"Aer…?" – Tifa asked, looking bemusedly at her lover. Aerith was gripping her hands in a gesture similar to one you'd do when you were praying, her mouth displaying a dreamy smile and her eyes glinting slightly as she looked upwards. Did she drink one of those obscure label teas again? – "Are you ok?"
"Uh…? Oh, yes! Quite ok! You wanted to know what the necklace did, right? And why did I give it to Riku, as well. Well, to answer the first question, the necklace reflects the feelings of the one who wears it. As to why I gave it to Riku, well… It's for him to finally realize something obvious, and let's leave it at that. Wouldn't want to meddle too much in the boys' life, now would we?" – She smiled contently.
"That's it? " – The dark-haired woman shrieked. – "You've been stalling all this time, and for such a trivial ability? C'mon!"
Tifa's huffs of frustration were accompanied by Aerith's chuckles. It may have been a trivial matter to Tifa, but it would be very useful for Riku, she was sure of it. To calm her lover, the blue-eyed shopkeeper took a jar of chocolate and almond cookie and presented them to Tifa. Her reaction was as expected: a glance at the jar, a blank stare at Aerith, another glance at the jar -this time more attentive-, mouth forming a perfect "o" and a trio of "I love you" said with amazing speed. A quick chaste kiss and then she started the ravishing of the treats.
Aerith waited a moment, looking at her girlfriend with a nagging worry on her mind. She sat at the chair behind the counter, with her hands on her lap, one on top of the other. She cleared her throat once as she formed the words she wanted to say in her head, twice as she tried to get Tifa's attention, thrice as she finally got it. With a slightly distressed expression, she declared:
"I have something to tell you, dear."
"Uát iz it, Ahé?" – Answered her counterpart with her mouth fully stuffed with sugary snacks.
"I think I've done something terrible wrong…" – The brunette started nibbling on her own lips.
"What is it?" – This time, Tifa responded with a firm tone, not one cookie distorting the sounds she made.
"It's just a feeling I'm having now, but… Well, you know those Book Unlockers I've got?"
"Those things that people use as master keys to open books with locks in them?" – The raven-haired woman provided.
"Yes, those are the ones. I gave one to Kairi because she said that she was going to try reading Yuffie's diary so she could avoid one of her pranks. You know I don't usually tolerate violating someone's privacy, but Yuffie as been so quiet…" – Aerith started sobbing, her body trembling with every hiccup. As tears streamed down her cheeks, Tifa's momentary surprise vanishes and she was quick to embrace her lover. Stroking her hair softly and kissing her tears away, she asked:
"Aerith, honey… So you allowed her to snoop around Yuffie's diary. What's the big deal? You might have done something good! Maybe Kairi can prevent a very troublesome set of events."
"I-I know, b-but I f-feel bad… I feel as if s-something b-bad is going to happen. And it's m-my f-fault! I shouldn't have given it to her! I sh-shouldn't have!"
The female shopkeeper's sobs still went strongly and loudly. With all the gentleness she could manage, Tifa kissed Aerith on her forehead, going downwards towards her watering eyes, planting a soft press of lips to each eyelid as she massaged calming circles on her back. After kissing her repeatedly on both of her cheeks, always in random places, she stopped to whisper in her anguished lover's ear.
"There is not a single situation – bad or good – that we can't get through and stay both on our feet, holding our hands and looking proudly and happily towards our future."
With the visible calm that washed soon afterwards throughout Aerith's body, Tifa continued.
"Whatever happens, I'll be here. Our friends will be here. We'll face everything together, ok honey?"
The once crying now softly smiling woman nodded, her face buried on the crook of her beloved's neck. They stay like this for a while, soaking up the warmth their bodies produced when they were so near to each other.
Moments later – had only seconds passed? Minutes? Hours, maybe? -, Aerith lifted her head up and looked straight at Tifa, whispering quietly to Tifa:
"I need you."
Vous êtes comme un seul
L'eau et l'air
Le raz de marée et l'ouragan
Ecouté mon invocation!
Crée une porte!
Apporte ma destination chez moi!
Kairi finished saying the incantation. The words had seemed familiar, like she had heard them a long time before. Maybe before she met Riku and Sora? She had no clear recollection of what she had done or who she had met – not one memory. She vaguely remembered her parent's faces, but not their names or their voices. They had been much like her, or, to be more correct, she was a lot like them.
Skin tone, hair colour… Those characteristic she remembered. Not the colour of their eyes, not their height… She wished she could meet her parents one more time. She wished she could have a single conversation - just one. It could be about the most stupid subject, as long as it was with them.
Kairi had suffered a lot with not remembering anything about her origins, but she had gained a strong sense of protection towards her friends. Maybe because she was afraid she might lose them as she lost her memories from long ago.
It was because of this sense of protection that she believe this to be the right thing to do – to return to where they belonged, to return to the start point. Even if it cost her, she would do it. She would grant the wishes of the people closest to her.
As a door of a dark purple colour appeared, she started to smiled in relief, but as soon as that door opened and a giant dark hand gripped her body tightly, her facial muscles soon contorted to a screaming disposition, muffling the sound of footsteps not too far away.
Yeah, I'm horrible. I deeply apologize for taking so long. I further apologize because I've started on a new fic in the meanwhile.
That did not distract me from writing this chapter, don't get me wrong. The new fic was my way of getting rid of a slight writer's block. Plus, I was on vacation with no access to a computer and nothing to inspire me but a great deal of trees and the beach. (P.S. I don't find a crowded beach to be very inspiring. Oh, and I was too busy having fun to even remember I had to finish this up… I'm sorry for my momentary egoism…)
I'm going to cosplay for the first time in my life! Yey! I would be happier, but I'm going back to school soon, which gravely tones down my enthusiasm. The only thing I'm missing is the long black gloves… The staff is going nicely! Ah! I'm doing a Fai D. Fluorite cosplay, if you haven't been informed. Wish me luck, will you?
