KINGDOM HEARTS 3.6 Vanitas Gaiden:

Gaiden 3: A Day in the Life of the Light-Hearted.

"Ebony...Raven Lady of Beauty?" says Vanitas, thinking upon Viridian's given title. "Umm-hmm." says Viridian with a simple mannered reply, a big grin shown across her face with Steiner more or less sharing the same grin as well. "...Huh? what are you, a child or something? that's got to be the lamest title I have ever...!? (Geh! I'm getting swept into the pace!)" says Vanitas, showing a comical fault with his "mask face" styled bizarrely to show his realization.

"Hey, how rude of you! hmph. Well, I guess that someone who wears a mask 24/7 wouldn't have good tastes after all..." says Viridian, taking another go towards Vanitas about his mask. "Listen lady, if you don't shut up about my mask, I'll-!?" before Vanitas decided to confront Viridian about his mask, he senses something elsewhere.

"How dare you approach milady in such a manner, you ruffian! En-garde!" Steiner tries to pick a fight again with Vanitas before also again being stopped by Viridian. "Stop it Steiner, that's enough! wait...are you, okay?" says Viridian, even though Vanitas was wearing his mask, she could instantly tell that something was wrong with him all of a sudden.

"...This Light...could it be?" Vanitas could sense Kairi fighting elsewhere, using the Pure Light. Before he could think upon it any further however, Viridian then suddenly takes hold of his arm. "Hey, are you listening to me? hmm?" says Viridian, managing to redirect Vanitas' attention towards her.

"...Tch, whatever. At any rate...there's something...that I want to know from you. You said something...about the Solaeris Apostoli." says Vanitas, revealing his knowledge of the group that he secretly works for towards Viridian, surprising her...though seemingly not to the extent enough to shock her, appearing otherwise to instead having already believed that Vanitas had prior knowledge of the "Sola" beforehand...

"!? How do you know of that name!? scoundrel! fiend! are you...in league with them!?" says Steiner, making a random guess that is actually correct. Vanitas thinks to himself in his head upon how "stupid" Steiner is "...Wow. It really took this lunkhead in armour a random guess 1st time around to get it right? just...wow." says Vanitas, unbelieving at the captain's "stupidity".

Before Steiner could even itch to draw his sword, Viridian halts him with a hand in front of the captain. He becomes shocked, replying "M-Milady! why!? surely you are not-" before Steiner could continue, Viridian speaks up for herself. "I will judge for myself, Steiner. I won't have others do the judging for me..." says Viridian, showing a promising future ruler within her. Enough so for Steiner to see this and convince him to respect Viridian's wishes.

"...Tell me, please...just who are you really? what...is your true name?" at this point, Viridian had felt that she sincerely wanted to know Vanitas' name after conversing with him for a while...wanting to know the "real him"... "...You're not going to let that go unless I tell you, are you?" having spoke with Viridian again for a while now, Vanitas was able to acknowledge to himself that she was the kind of "pushy" woman that wouldn't take no for an answer...

"...Sigh, fine. It's...Vanitas. Call me Vanitas...that's my name." says Vanitas, finally introducing himself. "...Vanitas? what a strange name-OOF!" Viridian elbows Steiner in the stomach after making the "strange" comment. "Vanitas...Vanity. So...you are "Vanity", correct?" says Viridian. Vanitas replies "If that's how you want to interpret it." says Vanitas in a casual manner.

He turns around, shrugging his arms back and forth before Karasu reappears, nesting itself atop Viridian's head. "Vanitas...Vanitas...! I know! I shall call you "Van-Van" from this moment onward." says Viridian with an expression that is all the more serious. "PFF!" Steiner cannot help but try to laugh out loud, containing his laughter in his mouth.

"WHAT!? OH-HECK-NO! THERE'S NO WAY IN HECK YOU ARE CALLING ME THAT! I'M AWESOME! IF I HAD A NICKNAME LIKE THAT, PEOPLE WOULD MOCK ME EVERYWHERE! (Dang it, I'm getting swept up again!)" Vanitas shouts out in an angry comedic manner before realising that he was getting caught into Viridian's pace again. Truly...she was a woman unlikely any other that he has met in his entire life.

"Hehe, okay. How about just Van then?" says Viridian, willing to "compromise". "...Yeah, sure. That's what...my friends call me anyways. (If I had any...)" says Vanitas, deciding to avoid further embarrassment by going along with Viridian's "madness" at this current juncture. Steiner is still trying to contain his in laughter...

Before digressing any further though, Viridian resumes a serious conversation with Vanitas, wanting to learn just what does he know of the Solaeris. "...So then, about the Apostoli...what do you know of them?" says Viridian, asking Vanitas. Steiner regains his serious composure and before Vanitas could speak up, suddenly...Nobodies had appeared!

"!? (Huh!? Dusks!?)" Vanitas was surprised to see the Dusks appear, in truth, from around a nearby corner was it Demyx who had summoned them. "Sorry pal, I've still got to do my job of watching you. Don't think too badly of me about this...this is just me doing my job as "Turquoise Demyx"..." says Demyx, revealing his "Disciple Rank" within the Solaeris Apostoli with the title of the Gemstone-Turquoise.

"Tch, great." Vanitas summons his Void Gear Keyblade, shockingly standing in front of Viridian in order to protect her. This surprises her before he says the following "Hey, get behind me. Find someplace to hide whilst I take care of the goon patrol, you got that?" says Vanitas, "ordering" Viridian around.

"Masked nincompoop! you don't get to order milady about as though she were some ninny! why, she has a strong Heart worth tens of thousands of-" before Steiner could begin his usual monologuing, Viridian halts him by explaining-"Enough of that Steiner! please! help Vanitas! these creatures...they were sent by the Solaeris, there is no doubt in my Heart about it!" says Viridian, being unable to fight herself...can only woefully depend on the men protecting her...

"!? Milady Viridian...very well, you are not the type to depend on others, especially men above all else...unless if the situation was gravely dire. You! masked hooligan! I shall temporarily lend my aid towards you on behalf of milady, be grateful towards her." says Steiner, as Vanitas lastly states "Less chatter-boxing, more incoming!" says Vanitas, causing Steiner to refocus his attention towards the new enemies in front of him.

Drawing his sword, he and Vanitas stand side by side, protecting Viridian in the middle...was this to be a crossfire battle?

To be Continued.