Authors Note: Hello everyone. Thanks for the support on the Christmas special. It took a lot of work, so it makes me happy everyone enjoyed it so much. For those of you who left a review, you have my undying thanks. Reviews are the only payoff I get for publishing and it helps future chapters come out. Getting a little something back after a chapter of that size was the best gift I could've gotten.
If you're curious about my thoughts on Kingdom Hearts 3, Oh boy, do I have an Authors Note at the end of this chapter for you. It lets you know my opinion of the game, spoilers included. I already beat the campaign, did the side stuff, and got to level 99. If you haven't played the game yet, read at your own risk.
Here is the next chapter. This is going to be a continuation of the original timeline now. You'll know when the Christmas special happened when everyone goes to visit Yukiko and her family.
This chapter though…is not my favorite. I had a difficult time writing it because it felt like an obligatory "Roxas walking up" Chapter. It was kind of annoying because I knew it had to be there, but there were other things I wanted to write. Also, I didn't want to have too much dramatic interaction because we had a lot of that in the last chapter. If I did that again, it would feel a little redundant.
Anyway, please enjoy and don't forget to review…please.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Blank Slate
Chapter 26
Day 66
Sora's eyes cracked open as the green light of a healing spell washed over him. He already knew it had been over a week because of his chat with Roxas and his friends, but it felt like a casual night's rest. Rotating his shoulders a little, a small jolt of pain shot down his body, causing him to groan in pain. He decided to just lay there for now and let whoever was healing him finish what they were doing.
Looking up at the celling, he recognized the small room designated to him in Yen Sid's tower. Realizing this, he gave a small sigh of relief because it looked like the king managed to save him and bring him back. Now that he was awake though, it was a good time to figure out what was going on.
Slowly, he turned his head to see who was healing him. His eyes rested on one of his three companions, the court magician Donald. His duck-face was courted in concentration, obviously focusing on the advanced curing magic that Sora had probably never had the opportunity to learn yet.
"D-Donald…" Sora said through a horsed voice.
The Magician turned his face to Sora briefly in surprise and relief, before it scrunched in pure fury. He ignored the boy as he continued concentrating on his work.
"Donald…um…hey…" Sora said awkwardly, knowing he was going to get an ear full from his companion. After all, it was expected after knowing what he did.
"Quiet! Let me concentrate!" Donald snapped as he continued going about his business. "As soon as I'm done healing you, I'm gonna hit you with Thundaza for doing something so stupid!"
Sora gulped as he turned his head away, allowing the angry feathered magician to keep working. He knew Donald would probably follow through with his threat.
Luckily, a couple more people walked into the room, hopefully to save him from Donald's wrath. Looking over, Sora saw that it was Goofy and Naminé. They both had worried looks on there faces, but they morphed into expressions of relief when they saw his eyes open.
"Sora!" Goofy yelled happily as he pranced over to the bed. "You're finally awake! I was gettin' all worried about ya ever since the King and Riku brought ya back."
Sora lay there, feeling awful about making them worry so much. He really didn't mean for that to happen, but what else was he expecting. He attacked Organization 13 on his own and was thoroughly destroyed. Had he not been rescued…he didn't even want to think about it.
"I'm sorry…" Sora muttered.
"Sorry is not going to cut it." Naminé said with a stern look on her face. "What were you thinking! Don't you remember what Axel, Xion, and I said about Organization 13? Were you even listening to us then? We told you how powerful they were, that you weren't ready to fight them yet! Why didn't you listen to us?"
Sora swallowed again as he closed his eyes and turned away. This was what he deserved after what he did, and he just had to accept their chastisement. They were only doing this because they cared about him.
That being said…
"I know…" He said slowly. "But…I just couldn't do it…"
"Do what?" Naminé asked harshly.
"I could never bring myself to destroy Roxas…not even if it meant my power returning to me."
"…Destroy Roxas…what are you talking about?" Naminé asked.
"Roxas…" Goofy scratched the top of his head. "Oh, I remember now. You're talkin' about the boy we met at that their castle oblivion." His face courted in confusion. "But, uh, why are we talking about him now?"
"Yeah! What does he have to do with anything!" Donald snapped. The glow from his healing spell died down and Sora felt much better. Sitting up was a challenge though and took more effort than he thought it should.
As he rested his arms on his bent knees, he looked at them in confusion. "Didn't…Didn't Yen Sid and Diz tell you? You…don't know?"
"Don't know what?" Naminé asked, looking a little concerned. "What part does Roxas play in any of this?"
"Naminé…" Sora said. "Before I left, I was told that Roxas was…well…he's my nobody."
Naminé scrunched her eyebrows a little. She had an inkling that Roxas was Sora's nobody, but it was never confirmed. "And? What does that matter? Why would that prompt you into attacking Organization 13?"
"Because…" Sora paused. "Because Roxas holds half of my power, and I was told that the only way to get it back was to…Destroy him."
Naminé's eyes widened quite a bit when hearing this news. She understood what nobodies were and how they were born, but both she and Roxas were special cases. The people they were created from had already been returned. Since nothing like this had ever happened before, no one knew the ramifications of allowing the Nobodies to coexist alongside there Somebody.
Did…Did that also mean that her own existence was preventing Kairi from being whole?
And now, Sora was telling her that Diz and Yen Sid suggested Roxas be destroyed…So that he could regain what he lost?
She bit her lower lip as the pieces started to fall into place. It was a bit of a blow to know that her very existence might be harming someone else.
"I couldn't do it, Naminé…" Sora said, catching her attention again. "I needed to see where I stood against Organization 13. I had to know if I could beat any of them at half power…but…"
"…"
No one in the room said a world as they began to process what he was saying.
"You lost." Naminé concluded.
"Yeah." Sora said sadly. "I can't kill Roxas. I just can't do it. But I'm not strong enough to take on Organization 13, not yet."
There was another silence before Naminé walked over to Sora's bedside and sat down, resting a delicate hand on his shoulder. "You will be." She assured him. "If anyone can grow in power to stop them, it's you Sora."
"…You really think so?"
"Of course, I do." Naminé said. "After everything you've done so far, all the worlds you've saved, all the connections you've made, and all the hearts you've touched, I know you can do it."
"…Thanks…" Sora said with his signature smile. "If you believe in me, then I can definitely restore my power and stop them."
Naminé blushed a little as a small smile creeped along her face. Sora always wore his emotions on his sleeve, and always said what was on his mind, no matter how cheesy.
And that's one thing she loved about him.
"And…" Sora said, scratching the back of his head. "I'm sorry I worried all of you."
"Humph! Just make sure it doesn't happen again!" Donald said, crossing his arms and sticking his beak in the air.
"Yeah! All for one, and one for all, remember?" Goofy agreed. "We're in this together, so that means we always got yer back."
"We rely on you a lot because you wield the Keyblade. But please know that you can depend on us too." Naminé said, lightly grasping his shoulder.
"Donald…Goofy…Naminé…" Sora never could express how grateful he was to have such wonderful friends. He reached up and rested a hand over hers. "I will. No more going off on my own. After all, my friends are my power, right?"
"That's right!" Donald quickly agreed. "I mean, just look at you. The one time you go off on your own and you end up like this!"
"Donald…" Goofy groaned, scratching his head.
"Yeah, I was beaten badly, Huh? So badly, I was unconscious for a week."
"Yeah…you were…" Donald paused for a few moments before he scrunched his brow suspiciously. "Wait…how did you know that?"
The other two looked at Sora with confused and expectant expressions.
"Oh boy, do I have a story for you guys." Sora said with a smile.
Flashes of light, people in strange armor, and an evil-looking man with yellow eyes. These were the things Roxas was currently witnessing. It was like he was standing in a valley filled with rusted key blades while this epic battle commenced. The three armored worries fought against the bald man while another person dressed in black fought alongside him.
Roxas knew that person in black because it was the same boy who attacked him in the Dive to Heart.
The power displayed between the five people was awe-inspiring. Wilding their key blades with such ferocity, casting magic like a seasoned mage, and manipulating the very earth beneath there feet.
Who were these people? Why were they fighting? What's with the massive heart in the sky and why did it look so familiar?
Violently, Roxas was ripped from this epic scene and was sent spiraling down the avenue of memories. Glimpse of scenes shot past him faster than he had time to process and eventually a new environment materialized before him.
The nobody looked around and saw that it seemed to be a training ground of some kind. There were fake targets, dummies, and other equipment used to hone one's skill.
As he was viewed the scenery in confusion, the nobody nearly jumped out of his skin when somebody walked right thought him from behind, as if he were a ghost. There was no acknowledgment of his existence as the person continued on his way.
It took a fraction of a second to recognize who it was. After all, it's no every day you see yourself like that.
Though this…him…was wearing different clothing. He was walking over to the edge of the landscape where two other people were standing. These two people, Roxas had seen them before in the mural in the dive to heart, but didn't know who they were. They seemed…familiar somehow. As if shadows of certain feeling emanated in his heart when he saw them interact with each other.
'Roxas' Walked up to them and they began happily chatting while watching the meteor shower. The other Roxas couldn't hear what they were saying, but their friendship and interaction really reminded him of the way he talked with his friends on a daily basis. The smiles, the laughter, the comradery, everything he had come to cherish was displayed within a few moments, signifying their strong bond.
Who were these people? Who was this strange person that looked exactly like him? What was this strange dream?
Walking over, Roxas saw the woman with blue hair pull out a couple trinkets for her companions, but before the nobody could fully see what they were, everything disappeared in a flash of light.
Roxas's eyes slowly opened as the dream came to an end. His eyebrows immediately creased because this new vision was most definitely not one of Sora. Who were those three people? Why did one of them look exactly like him? Why did Roxas feel like he knew these people from somewhere?
The Nobody was distracted from his questions because he heard a tiny whimper next to him. He looked to his right to see Yukiko curled up there. Her paws here crossed over her chest and her entire body was curled into a semi-fetal position. He could feel her shaking violently against him and her head was tucked downward, so he couldn't see her face. The only thing he knew for sure was that she was crying.
What was going on? Why was she crying.
"Yukiko?" He whispered into her ear.
Instantly, he could feel her quivering increase against his side. Her entire body recoiled violently and her crying turned a bit more intense. What was going on? What happened to her? He was starting to get really worried because nothing like this had happened before.
Pyra must have rolled over during the night because his left arm was free, so he turned over and gently grasped her shoulder. She baulked at his touch, her whimpers turning into panicked gasps.
By this time, Roxas was seriously concerned. He had no clue what was going on.
"Carefully…"
He felt Pyra's soft paw on his shoulder as the Hellhound pushed herself against his back, whispering into his hear and looking over his shoulder at the Yeti.
"Pyra, what's going on?" Roxas asked.
He noticed a small amount of hesitation from Pyra before she gently squeezed his shoulder.
"This sometimes happens in the middle of the night." Pray said sadly. "Yukiko is afraid to admit it to everyone else, but she had minor PTSD."
"PTSD?" Roxas asked.
"Post-traumatic Stress Disorder." Pyra clarified into his year. "It means she's still haunted by what happened at the bay and she gets minor panic attacks."
Roxas's eyes widened when he looked into Yukiko's face. Despite it being somewhat dark, he could make out her terrified expression. Her eyes were squeezed shut, but her countenance was fastened in horror, as if she were reliving that exact moment.
"How long?"
"Huh?"
"How long has these attacks been happening.
"…It's been happening ever since her kidnapping." Pyra admitted again with some hesitance.
"Why didn't she tell us? We could've helped her."
"Unfortunately, there's not much that can heal PTSD…besides time." Pray said, snuggling into his back, resting her chin on his shoulder while looking over his neck at the Yeti. "The night she came back from her parent's house, she had a small panic attack and came straight to my room. She's been sleeping with me ever since because it's more manageable if she cuddles with someone."
"…every night?"
"Well…She doesn't have a panic attack every night, but it helps her knowing that someone's there."
"And you've been doing this for her?"
"…"
Pyra didn't answer, instead, she simply removed her chin from his shoulder and rested it back on the pillow.
"What…what do I do?"
"Just…hold her for a bit and give her time. It'll pass." Pyra whispered with a yawn.
Roxas paused for a moment because that seemed like a bad idea. Just touching her had adverse effects. But seeing no other option, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. Yukiko resisted slightly at first as her tremors increased, but eventually melted into his embrace and pressed her head against his chest. Her cries were muffled slightly by his shirt, but her shaking was clear as day.
"Pyra…" Roxas said.
"Hm?"
"You're a really good friend. Thank you for being there for her."
"…"
Pyra didn't answer again, just buried her face into the back of his neck so she could fall back asleep.
It took a little while, but Yukiko was able to calm down. Her breathing became more relaxed and less erratic while her body slowly settled. Eventually, he could feel her relax from the fetal position and her arm curl around his waist, allowing her to snuggle as close as possible.
Roxas signed in relief when he realized the small panic attack was over, but he was sad to learn that she still suffered because of that horrible day. If only he saved her before any of it happened.
Slowly closing his eyes, he was just grateful he managed to save her at all. Just the thought that he might have been too late still haunted his thoughts ever so often.
Thankfully there wasn't another episode for the rest of the night, so Roxas was able to fall back asleep. It felt like a couple minuets before his eyes slowly opened again because of his internal clock. It was still dark outside, but the nobody was wide awake now. Nearly every day since he appeared in this world, he'd been getting up early to train with Kii, then help her clean part of the forest.
He swallowed a little because he didn't know how she would react to a week of his absence. Did she get any work done? Did anyone let her know what happened to him, or did she think he straight up abandoned her?
"Mm…" Yukiko grumbled into his chest. He looked down at her head of white air with a fond smile. She was still clinging on for dear life because of her episode a couple hours ago, so this was going to be a challenge to get free. With Pyra latched onto his back, one arm draped over his shoulder, this would indeed be difficult to do without waking them.
It took a bit of maneuvering, which included switching with a pillow so Yukiko didn't hold on tighter, before he finally free himself from there grasp. As soon as his feet hit the cold floor, he felt restless. His body had slept enough this past week to last him a few months, so he felt the urge to do something active.
Training was the best option by far. That, and he needed to let Kii know what happened just in case no one told her. With that thought, Roxas threw on his coat and left the house Via Corridor or darkness, just so he didn't wake anyone else. He appeared right outside the front door because this was a good opportunity to warm up before he started his training.
The streets were dead quiet as Roxas raced in the direction of the forest. His body and joints felt stiff as boards because his lack of movement for the entire week. He was also a bit on the hungry side since all he had to eat was some left overs the nigh before. Just thinking about Kimihito's freshly prepared food was enough to get his mouth watering. But he could wait for another couple hours.
Speaking of which, he didn't know if he was looking forward to that or not. The nobody knew the consequences of making people worry. It was either tears, bone crushing hugs, anger, pain, or scolding's, all of which were never fun to deal with. That was a lesson he learned a while ago.
His only consolidating factor was the fact that it wasn't his fault this time. It was all because of Sora that he ended up unconscious.
A cool wind whipped against his face as he thought about how he was supposed to explain all this. What was he supposed to say to the other tenants? Was it fair to keep them in the dark about everything? None of them knew about Sora…well except for Rachnera. The spider woman only knew about him because of the stories she was editing. But no one else knew Roxas's secret. So how was he supposed to explain this?
He gave a sigh as he approached the edge of the forest, thinking that it would probably be best to ask Kimihito for advice. After all, he would probably have a ton of questions, and maybe even some suggestions about how to handle this.
Roxas was interested to know what his host thought, or if he even understood that full extent of what was going on. If he did end up comprehending it all, the nobody would be thoroughly impressed. If not, then their conversation would be very interesting.
Eventually, the Nobody made it to the forest, being just slightly winded because of his extended break from exercise. It was early in the morning but he knew Kii would be up around this time. Would she be annoyed with his absence? Did Xion, Pyra, or Yukiko ever tell her? Were they even comfortable enough to be in this forest while he wasn't here?
"I see you finally awoke."
Apparently, they were.
Roxas glanced up to see a woman figure descending from the tree tops via vines. In the past week, her body had gone through another change. She was tall and well-endowed, as if she were getting quite a bit of nutrients from nature.
"…I'm guessing they told you?"
"If by them, you mean your friends, then you'd be correct. Though Xion has been coming here in the morning during your absence and continued in helping me clean the forest."
Looking around, Roxas nodded in agreement. "You two got a lot of work done."
"The cleaning is nearly complete." She said tonelessly as she took a couple steps towards the nobody. "Might I ask what happened to cause you to sleep for such a long period of time? My knowledge of human anatomy is limited, but I do know that is uncommon…except when experiencing extensive injury…"
"It's…complicated." Roxas said. "Are you really interested enough to know why?"
"If I'm being honest, no." She said bluntly. "I only care that you are now awake. Will it happen again in the future?"
"Probably not." Roxas said with a small laugh. "So, you shouldn't have to worry."
The look on Kii's face told him she felt a little conflicted. Her gaze dropped a bit as she started to reach out to him with her wooden hands, but stopped herself. "I feel…Useless…" She admitted.
"Useless?"
"Correct. I did not participate in rescuing Yukiko from the same people who took me. When you disappeared the first time, I did not assist in trying to find you, in fact I drove the people looking for you away. And now when you fell asleep, I was once again powerless to help in any way." She said sadly. "I continue to take advantage of you and your friends while I give very little in return. I feel as if this…friendship is very one-sided."
Roxas blinked a couple times as he reached over and touched her wooden arm. She stiffened up a little, but allowed the small form of physical contact.
"Kii, I have a favor to ask you."
Instantly, the Dryad looked up, her eyes widening. Roxas rarely asked for anything. The only times he did was to get information about her kidnaping, and the one time he asked her for help in training. Never did he ever request anything of her, so hearing this, she actually felt a bit happy. As if there were an opportunity to contribute something to their relationship.
"Tell me your request."
"Listen…" Roxas said, wondering how he was supposed to word this request without it sounding to crazy. "I need to train…harder than I've ever trained before. I need to push my body to its limits so I can be prepared for a future threat. Kii, can you help me with that?"
"A future threat…What would that entail?" Kii asked with a curious tone.
"A threat that could destroy everything." Roxas said. He kinda wished Suu were here so he could elaborate on it, but it didn't look like Kii was interested to know anything more that she needed to. "All life on this planet, and the planet itself, is at risk."
Kii frowned at him, trying to see how serious he was being. But his face showed the gravity of what he was talking about.
"All Life and the very planet where which we live?" She asked. "How? What threat could possibly cause such destruction?"
"…For now, let's just say…my week-long nap was very enlightening." Roxas said. "I feel like you should know what is going on since you'll be helping me get stronger, so I'll bring Suu next time. If I were to tell you with just words, it wouldn't make much sense."
Kii frowned again, but nodded slowly. "What would you have me do?"
Roxas gave a small smile. Kii was always one to get right to the point. "From now on, when we train, I need you to attack me with everything you have, no holding back at all." Roxas said seriously.
Kii paused for a few moments as she raised an eyebrow at him. "You do realize what you are asking me, do you not? I am the mistress of the forest. The trees, roots, vines, bushes, grass, even mother nature itself bends to my will. If I do not hold myself back against you, surely you will be overwhelmed."
"I need to get stronger Kii. The enemy is much much more powerful that me. I can't afford to take it easy anymore."
Kii hesitated, looking very unsure of his request. Roxas was powerful, Kii knew that, but to ask a Dryad to use the entirety of her powers against a single foe while in a dense forest was just asking for death. Even the very ground she could manipulate because of the tree roots, every living thing in the area would do her bidding.
But…
Roxas would not make this request without a good reason. He was a serious person who didn't jest about things like this.
"Very well…" Kii said. "I shall no longer hold back against you. From now on when we train, I will do everything in my power to kill you…if that is your wish."
Roxas slowly nodded as he let go of her arm. "Thank you Kii. Xion will probably be joining me, so…um…extend the same curtesy to her."
"Your thanks are appreciated, but not necessary. You both have helped me rid my forest of human pollution." She said as she glanced away. "Roxas…"
"Hm?"
Again, Kii hesitated as she reached out one of her arms and gently rested it on his shoulder. She was a bit taller than he was at this point, so she didn't have to reach up anymore. "I'm glad you woke up. I do not know what foe you face, but I will do everything in my power to help you prepare for…whatever it is. It is the least I can do."
Roxas reached up and rested his hand over hers. He was a bit surprised by her behavior but it was nice to know she cared. This was one of the first time's he'd been this close to the Dryad before. She was usually so aloof that it was difficult to tell if she felt anything for them.
But then there were these rare moments that showed she did.
"When do you want to start training?" Kii asked after she pulled away.
"Well, I've been asleep for over a week…and I need a work out." Roxas said, taking a step away and summoning the Keyblade to his hand.
"You wish to start now?"
"Just for a couple hours." Roxas responded before his battle instincts kicked in. The ground beneath his feet shook and he rolled to the side just as a massive root shot out of the ground, attempting to impale him. The nobody was given no time to recover as more roots sprang upwards and twisted into a gnarled bunch before launching themselves at him, trying to crush his body.
He jumped into the air, but vines were waiting for him, whipping and twisting around his legs before swinging him through the air and slamming him into a nearby tree.
All the wind was knocked out of Roxas's lungs and he tried to move, but he felt the bark of the tree behind him crawl along his arms and legs, securing him in place.
"Kii!" Roxas exclaimed.
"You asked I not hold back…" Kii said, vines, trees, and brush swirling around her chaotically, like some kind of forest demon. They converged around her body in a layer of foliage armor, and she looked quite frightening. "Do not let your guard down Roxas…Or you will die."
"…What have I done?" Roxas asked himself as the entire forest seemed to come alive for the soul purpose of destroying him.
Roxas had no idea how he was still alive.
Two hours felt more like an eternity when it came to trying to survive in a forest controlled by a Dryad attempting to kill you. Kii, once again, looked like she was way too into it. It seemed that she was releasing all of her pent-up anger towards the human race and directing it at a singer person.
Him.
After two hours, Roxas was no longer restless. He was completely exhausted as he limped back home. He didn't expect it to be so intense and all he wanted to do now was take a long soak in the tub to relax his muscles. Maybe even get a delicious, home cooked breakfast from Kimihito.
"Ouch…" Roxas hissed as he stumbled his way home. He held his ribs gingerly, wondering if a few of them were broken after a large tree fell on top of him. His magic reserves were pretty much empty, having used them to cure himself more than a couple times just so he could continue the hellish training.
Now he had to look forward to the drama that would unavoidably unfold back at home. He was definitely not looking forward to that. Trying to delay it as long as possible, he decided to walk back instead of using the corridor of darkness. The fresh morning did wonders for his sweaty skin.
It took a while longer because he was hobbling the entire way back home, but eventually he made it to the front door of Kimihito's house. He would have walked through the door without an issue, except for one little problem.
A scythe aimed straight at his neck.
Roxas summoned the Keyblade just in time to deflect the blow aimed to take his life. He jumped away, wondering what the hell just happened. For a brief moment, he was scared shitless that Marluxia from Organization 13 had found him.
But when he looked up, he saw someone unfamiliar. A woman with blueish skin, white hair, and shrouded in a black dress. In her hands was the scythe that was used in the attack.
"Who…" Roxas gasped as he clutched his side. His rapid movement aggravated his injury a bit.
"You have finally woken up. I was getting tired constant interruptions regarding my duty as an agent of death." The woman said, her stance hostile. "Though, I am impressed you managed to deflect my attack. Had I known you would be so skilled, I would've destroyed you while you slept, even if it was against Kimihito's wishes."
"Who are you?" Roxas asked, crouching down in his stance.
"I am the one who guides souls to the afterlife, the one who keeps balance between life and death. I am the Dullahan Lala, and it is my duty to restore balance by destroying that which should not exist." The woman said as she readied her Scythe.
Roxas stared at the woman, her words ringing through his head and causing his eyes to widen. "How…How did you know that?"
"Naturally, Dullahan's are spiritually sensitive. When something is amyss, we are aware of it quite easily." She explained. "And I sense that your very existence is an anomaly, something that should not have come to pass. As it is against the natural order of things, such an entity cannot be allowed…as it will prevent the return of the one who is supposed to exist."
If anything, Roxas was impressed that this creature could understand that much about him from just looking at him. He didn't know how to feel about that. It wasn't a secret because it was personal or anything. It was just too complicated to explain what a nobody was to anyone.
But this…person already understood what he was.
"You're…not wrong…" Roxas admitted, lowing his Keyblade a little. If this creature had attacked him a month ago, he would've wasted no time in destroying her. But after a couple incidences, he held back his weapon and tried to figure out what was going on and who this was. He didn't want to cause more drama in the house now that he and Kimihito had gotten past a pretty big hurtle.
"Then we are in accord. You need to be destroyed."
Shaking his head, the nobody could only sigh. "No, that's not what I'm saying." He said. "If you're worried that I'm preventing someone else form existing, you're wrong."
"So, you do know of what I speak." Lala said, her eyes narrowing. "It is very confusing to me as I have never seen or sensed anything like you before. It is…difficult to describe."
"I bet it is." Roxas chuckled. "On most occasions, you would be right about me…but I'm a bit of a unique case. The person I was created from has already returned. He does not want me to disappear just so he can have his power back."
Lala narrowed her eyes again. "And how would you know that?"
"Because I talked to him." Roxas said with a smile. "Sora's not the kind of person who would destroy someone else for power."
"Sora…" Lala said. "Is this the name of the person who is supposed to exist? How do I know you speak the truth? How do I know that you will not cause a rift in the balance between existence and non-existence? Life and death, darkness and light?"
"I don't have a way to prove it to you…Lala." Roxas admitted. "But it's not like I need to either. What happened with Sora is between him and I. He didn't want his power back if it meant I had to disappear, and I don't think he would be very happy if you killed me just because you thought he wanted it."
Lala stared at the boy, perplexed. This was not what she expected from an anomaly like him, A creature wherewith she had never seen before. But despite everything, she could not see any form of falsehood from him. Was it possible he was telling the truth?
"…Very well. I will retreat for now." Lala Said. "Since Kimihito has graciously offered a place where I can reside, it wouldn't do to disrespect him by attacking you against his wishes."
"…But you did attack me-"
"Furthermore, I will be keeping an eye on you both. That way, I can truly see what you are and how you affect the balance of life and death."
"I…really don't care what you think." Roxas said as he let the Keyblade vanish. "Sora gave me the change to exist, to live a life of my own. I don't plan on loosing that chance because you think it's your duty to set things right."
"We'll see, young one." Lala said as she turned and entered the house.
After the small interaction, Roxas felt…exasperated. He didn't even take a step inside the house and things were way more complicated than they needed to be. Why did crazy situations always follow him around? What did he ever do to deserve any of this?
He finally entered the house as discretely as possible, trying to avoid making any noise. He needed a quick bath and a fresh change of cloths before he had to deal with his housemates…
…Oh boy…
It was about 8:30 in the morning when Roxas tip-toed his way through the house. He sincerely hoped that everyone was sleeping in since it was a Sunday. The one thing he didn't want to happen was getting glomped by his housemates when he was still in pain. He wanted to wait until he had enough magic to cast a cure spell before he had to deal with that.
As quietly as he could, he snuck up to the kitchen before taking a peak. His stomach dropped when he saw practically everyone sitting at the table eating breakfast. Why? Why couldn't they at least have a lazy day?
Kimihito was humming away, using his godly cooking skills with flamboyant perfection to feed the bottomless pits of monster girls. He turned around and laid a fresh batch of pancakes on the table before glancing up. Most of the girls were so preoccupied with the influx of food that they didn't notice anything else.
The clever host used that to his advantage as he shot Roxas a wink.
"Girls…" he said, forcing everyone at the table to look at him and away from the kitchen entrance. "There is something I need to tell you…"
"You're the best, Kimihito…" Roxas whispered as he silently rushed past the kitchen and up the stairs. He didn't know what his host was going to say, but he was grateful for the distraction. That way he'd be able to clean himself up and get healed before talking with anyone.
Sneaking past Rachnera's attic door was his next hurtle. He really didn't want to be strung up right now, especially because he didn't see her in the kitchen. Her tendencies to drag him kicking and screaming into her layer was a thing of legend. Thankfully, her door remained closed as he walked by.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Roxas finally made it to his room without an incident. He saw Yukiko and Pyra in the kitchen, so he didn't have to worry about waking them up. He rummaged through his draws to find a spare set of clothing before exiting, leaving his Coat behind.
Thankfully there weren't any people along the way to the large bathroom, so he was able to reach it without any problems. It was only seconds later that he was stark naked, sitting near the edge of the tub with his eyes closed. The hot water ran over his skin, soothing his sore muscles and allowing the feeling of relief to penetrate deep within his soul.
Not only did the bath help his body, but it also helped clear his mind. After all, there were a lot of things to think about. Eventually, he would have to leave this world and fight the Organization alongside Sora and his friends.
Roxas, on the other hand, would have to leave his friends behind in order to fight. And that battle would be one where he might not survive. Organization 13 was no joke. They had powerful members, people strong enough to defeat Sora before he even fought Xemnas.
Splashing water into his face, he tried to clear his mind of such thoughts. No matter what happened, he needed to fight his hardest. Not only so he could return to where he belongs, but to ensure this planet would be safe from the darkness. There was no room for doubt or uncertainty.
Hearing the door open to the bathroom, Roxas glanced over to see who it was. At first, he was a little worried that one of his housemates decided to take a bath, but he was relieved to see Kimihito standing there with a towel around his waist.
There was an awkward pause for a few moments…and the nobody could understand why. If Suu was able to show him everything that transpired in the Dive to Heart, then Kimihito was still probably trying to process it. That was a lot of information after all.
"Mind if I join you?" He asked in a clearly exhausted voice.
"…Sure…" Roxas said. The bath was massive, so he didn't need to scoot over as his host sat down a few feet away. Again, there was an awkward silence between the two, as if neither knew how to start this long-awaited conversation.
"So…" Kimihito said slowly. "You're from another world…huh?"
"Yeah…"
"And, you're actually a…Nobody…of a warrior who fights the darkness…"
"Yeah…"
"…and this darkness is consuming other worlds while this…Sora…fights against it…"
"Yeah…"
There was another awkward pause as Kimihito started chuckling. His soft snickering grew until it was full blown laughter. It was a little creepy to see at first, but Roxas just assumed his host was having a small mental breakdown.
"Ah, it's just my luck to be mixed up in such a crazy situation." He laughed. "Not that it's a bad thing, but it always seems to happen to me more often than not."
"…Sorry?"
"You really don't have to apologize, Roxas." Kimihito assured him. "Hey, did you know I wasn't even supposed to be a host for any Liminal?"
"Really?" Roxas asked, a bit jarred by the sudden shift in conversation.
"Nope! Smith just dropped Miia off one day, completely out of the blue. Something about a mix up in the hosting process. But after that, my life's been one surprise after another." He said, glancing over at him with a funny smile. "But this takes the cake. Both you and Xion are actually from a different planet. So, in addition to Liminal's, I also host aliens as well."
"If you mean by aliens, you're talking about visitors from different worlds, then yes." Roxas said. "But there are many humans among the stars."
"That was pretty crazy to realize as well…" He paused as he thought about it for a moment. "actually, that was probably the tamest thing I leaned about you crazy kids." Kimihito chuckled again.
"Do…are you ok with all of it?" Roxas asked.
"Eh, sure." Kimihito shrugged. "I mean, it's not like it changes anything. Sure, it's interesting to know where you guys came from, but you're still the same ol' clueless kids I have to keep an eye on."
Roxas sank a little lower into the tub. Words couldn't describe how grateful he was to hear Kimihito say that. Out of everyone in the house, he was the one person who Roxas could rely on most. Someone he could ask advice of, and to receive guidance. Not having that in his life would've been detrimental.
"Thanks…" Roxas finally said. He simply didn't know what else to say.
"You worry to much about these things, Roxas." Kimihito said, reaching over and patting him on the head. The water from his hand dampened his hair, which was mildly annoying. "But I have to ask you something…"
"Yeah?"
"…When you do eventually have to…fight…" He paused to let Roxas realize what he was talking about. "What are you going to tell everyone? I know Yukiko and Pyra understand what's going on, but what about your house mates? Despite your differences, they really care about you."
"That…" Roxas hesitated to answer because he didn't have one yet. "I don't know. I don't even know what I'm going to say to them about why I fell asleep."
"Oh, you really don't have to worry about that." Kimihito said with a grin. "When everyone came down to eat breakfast, I told them you woke up. I also told them to take it easy on you because you've been asleep for a week."
Roxas gazed up at Kimihito like he was a real Super hero. How did this man know how to pull his ass out of the fire time and time again? He always had solutions to some serious problems.
"You're a lifesaver…Literally."
"But you still didn't answer my question." Kimihito said. "Listen, I know you probably don't want to make them worry, but if you leave one day and…don't come back…"
"…"
"Everyone will be absolutely devastated. And what am I supposed to say to them? I understand why you need to fight, but it's not ok to just leave and have them constantly wonder what happened."
"…Eventually…" Roxas started. "I will tell them someday, but for now, I just want to enjoy the time I have left…if something does end up going wrong."
"You're talking like you're on death row…" Kimihito said grimly. "But as long as you don't just disappear out of nowhere, then there won't be a problem. Just…" he paused again. "Just don't leave them waiting too long. And Don't die! You already know how miserable everyone will be, so be careful."
"…Ok, I will." Roxas said somberly.
"Good, now…" Kimihito glanced over at Roxas with an eyebrow raised. "What the hell happened to you this morning? Do you have any idea how worried everyone was when you weren't in your room?"
"My room?"
"Yeah! When I told everyone that you woke up, they immediately rushed to your room before I could stop them. Poor Yukiko was almost strangled by Miia when she mistook her for you. Then they freaked out because you weren't there. What happened?"
"…Oh boy…" Roxas slumped further into the tub, blowing out bubbles beneath the surface as he thought about the horrors the next few hours would bring.
Thankfully, Kimihito telling the others about Roxas's awakening had given them time to calm down and process. When he entered the kitchen, of course he was still strangled by Miia and glomped by Papi. Miia had tears streaming down her face, gushing constantly about how worried she was and how she feared he would never wake up.
Papi was simply glad he woke up from his long nap. Now they could play again…
What a birdbrain.
When Roxas shot his friends a pleading look, begging for help, Yukiko, Pyra, and Xion all watched without lifting a finger. In their eyes, he needed a good smothering after everything he put them through. So, they just sat back, ate breakfast, and enjoyed the show. And what a show it was. The poor nobody couldn't break free of Miia's crushing grip. If she wasn't careful, she'd end up putting him back to sleep…permanently.
Centorea was relieved as well, but decided to take a step back and wait until Miia was done. It wouldn't do to completely overwhelm him with affection at the moment. That, and she felt it would be a little awkward if she suddenly stared caring about his wellbeing, not after how she treated him for the past few weeks.
Mero watched the interaction between Miia and Roxas too, her mind buzzing with determination. She was very happy he finally woke up, but didn't feel she had the right to express her concern. After what Miia said to her, she was much more aware of her own words and how they'd be interpreted. If she'd suddenly started talking to him, telling him how happy she was that he woke up, it wouldn't make any sense. For now, she'd wait until the opportunity presented itself to pull him aside.
If not for Kimihito's warning, this could have been so much worse. Roxas was relieved when his surrogate older sister loosened her coils from around his body, but continued to hug the life out of him. He bore it with patience, letting her release all her pent-up worries before he had the chance to actually sit down for some breakfast.
Of course, there were questions, but Roxas was able to deflect them by saying he didn't know why he fell asleep. Kimihito gave him a slightly concerned look, but didn't comment as he served everyone their food. He knew they'd be angry that Roxas lied, but the poor kid had been through a lot lately. Having a moment to settle was more than he deserved. He'd have to worry about their reactions later.
Breakfast commenced in relative peace and Roxas was thoroughly enjoying the meal, savoring every bite. There wasn't much discussion, except for Yukiko, Pyra, and Xion telling Roxas about all the missed assignments he had to catch up on. Another thing he wasn't looking forward to at all. Pyra also mentioned that her aunt was probably going to be bursting through the door in a couple hours to see him.
The nobody really wanted to curse Sora's name by now. But he also felt a warmth in his chest as he looked over at his…family. There method of showing their concern might have been a little overwhelming, but just seeing how much they cared really put a smile on his face.
His thoughts were interrupted when he felt a small tap on his shoulder. He glanced over to see Mero sitting in her wheel chair, a determined look in her eyes. Instantly, Roxas looked away because he still didn't know how to interact with her. After a few weeks, his anger at her had died down quite a bit, but what was left was embarrassment. He threatened her and nearly attacked her. Because he was learning and gaining experience daily, he knew that was something he shouldn't have done, even if she said something completely awful.
The mermaid tugged on his shirt again, this time her look was more pleading.
"What?" Roxas asked.
"…May I speak with you privately?" Mero asked.
"…Why?"
"…"
Mero paused as she looked around the table. Everyone was trying to be discrete about it, but they were all looking at them, wondering what was going on.
Especially Yukiko and Pyra. They weren't glaring at her per se, but the look in their eyes clearly told her that she wasn't there favorite person. Not when she had yet to apologize for her words.
"Just a moment of your time, that is all I ask…Please." Mero said softly.
Roxas blinked a couple times before letting out a sigh. He didn't' really want to talk to Mero, not after he just woke up. But because this was the first time they even talked to each other since…the incident, he was curious what she wanted to speak to him about.
"…ok…um…let me push you, I guess."
"…"
There was a super awkward silence as Roxas pushed Mero to her room. He had an idea of what she wanted, but he didn't know what to say. It had been a few weeks since everything went to shit between them, which had given him enough time to calm down. But that made It even more awkward.
He didn't know what he was supposed to say to her in order to clear things up. Now that he and Kimihito were on better terms, his relationship with Mero was the last obstacle in returning to how things were. Despite what she said in the past, Roxas wanted to make things better, if only to have the previous atmosphere return.
A few seconds later, Roxas finished pushing Mero into her room and closed the door behind them.
"…"
Still awkwardly silent.
It felt like hours, but Mero finally initiated the conversation.
"Um…How are you feeling?" She asked.
"I'm awake," Roxas responded curtly. "I guess that means everything is fine now."
"Yes, everyone was worried about you, especially Miia." Mero continued, trying to steer the conversation in her favor.
"I could tell…I…uh…still have the bruises to prove it." Roxas said, smiling slightly.
Mero placed a hand over her mouth and giggle. The moment only lasted a moment before her expression turned somber again. "I was worried too…"
"…You were?"
Even though she expected him to answer that way, it didn't hurt any less to hear those words come out of his mouth. Did she really give off the impression that she didn't care at all for her friends? Was that really what they thought of her? Thinking back to what she said about Yukiko, she could understand somewhat why he thought that. But that didn't make it any better.
"I was…" She said. "And I know what you're going to say. How can a tragedy obsessed mermaid worry about something bad happening to another person, especially if that means everyone is sad and miserable? Miia was quite clear about that…telling me that I should be elated about it."
"…Ah…" Roxas said, staring to piece together what she was talking about. Apparently Miia and Mero had a small fallout about his extensive nap.
"But I wasn't. You have no reason to believe me, but I was truly worried about you."
"…Ok…" Roxas said, wondering why she was saying all this.
"It's funny…" she said, pausing for a moment to look over at him. "If I told this story to my kin in my kingdom, they would be enthralled and consider me lucky to have so many tragedies occur in my life…" She took a deep breath. 'It's anything but pleasant though. Everything I've done…and said to befall tragedy has brought me nothing but misery."
"…Isn't that the point?"
"…Yes, it is…but I was hoping it would be more…how should I put it…fulfilling." She said sadly. "It was supposed to evoke the purest and most powerful emotions from a person…to have the opportunity to experience something like that was the desire of all mermaids."
"The most powerful emotions, huh?" Roxas hummed. "Mero, you are right about that."
Her head snapped up to him and her eyes widened.
"When I first learned about Yukiko's kidnapping, I was filled with so much anger, so much hatred…" He paused. "And so much sadness. It's true that those were powerful emotions, but if given the chance, I would never want to feel that way again."
Mero continued to stare, allowing him to continue.
"Instead, when…Yukiko was rescued, when I had my arms around her and knew she was safe, that evoked something even more powerful. I couldn't describe the relief, the happiness I felt when I knew she'd be alright. The tears wouldn't stop falling."
The mermaid lowered her gaze a little as she listened to his story. The way he described it sounded as if the feelings evoked from tragedy was nothing but a pale comparison. But how was that possible?
"Mero, can I ask you something?" Roxas asked.
"…You may." She looked up at him again.
"I'm…just trying to understand where you're coming from, so I want to know…What's the point of losing someone just to drown in misery? Sure, you would experience sadness beyond anything you can imagine at first, but won't that dull with time? Eventually you end up with no one by your side, and that misery is replaced with…emptiness. You'll feel nothing and no one will care about you or remember you. It will be like you don't even exist."
The mermaid broke eye-content with Roxas as she looked away, pondering his words. How could someone so young understand that much about what tragedy could lead to?
"I…can't answer that…" She said finally. Mermaids never really did think about the far-off consequences of their desires. It was all about the instant gratification of tragedy…but in the long term, Roxas was right. There was nothing but emptiness.
"My friends, I owe my entire existence to them. If they weren't there, I'd might as well not exist at all." Roxas said with a smile. "For me, the way I feel when around them, I wouldn't trade that for anything."
Mero looked down again as she gave a deep inhale while thinking of her own position in the house. She thought about all her exchanges with Dear Sir…how he'd take special care of her, push her around when she needed to go somewhere, and generally had her best interests at heart. She also thought about her relationship with her other house mates. Yes, they had a few bumps in the road, but she still enjoyed being around them. Was she really actively trying to destroy that just because she wanted bad things to happen?
"I…understand what you mean." She admitted finally, looking back up at him. "It may take some…time…since it's ingrained within my being to love tragedy, but I hope one day I can fully recognize the wisdom in your words. And more than that, I wish for things to return to the way they were." She said with a downcast look. "My actions and words have caused a rift in the house. Usually that would be fantastic, but it has brought everyone nothing but misery to everyone, myself included."
She pursed her lips in a sad smile. "I Apologize for what I said Roxas. Will you forgive me?"
Roxas blinked his eyes a few times. He was actually a bit surprised she was apologizing to him. Technically, she didn't do anything to him.
"…Yes…But you really should be apologizing to Yukiko." Roxas admitted. "She was the one you wished hadn't been rescued."
Mero knew she said those words, but having it thrown right back in her face after everything that happened…she could see how disgusting they were. Did she really say that so blatantly?
"Naturally, I will apologize to Yukiko. But…I just wanted to make things right between us as well."
"…If we're going to do that, then I should apologize too." Roxas said, lowering his head. "I'm sorry I got so angry. I'm sorry for the way I treated you these past few weeks."
Now Mero wasn't expecting this. Given what she said, it was natural to be angry. But it seemed he also wanted things to be how they were. It took a lot of humility to apologize when it wasn't really your fault.
"I would like to say that you have nothing to apologize for…" Mero said. "But I do not believe that is what you want to hear."
"No…"
"Then I accept your apology…and I am honored to receive it." Mero said with a beautiful smile.
"And I accept yours." Roxas said, a smile adorning his face.
Mero sat there for a moment before opening up her arms. "Sealed with an embrace?"
"…Sure…"
Authors Note: This was an aftermath chapter, and I hope you enjoyed. Leave a review and tell me what you thought. This was a basic chapter just to get the whole "Waking Up" Issue out of the way. I was a little disappointed in how it turned out because it didn't end up progressing the story much. Next chapter will though, hopefully.
Here is my opinion of Kingdom Hearts 3, the game we've been waiting 13 years to get. This is going to be a long Authors Note, so I understand if you're not interested in reading it all. Just to be clear, it's an OPINION! I'm allowed to have one of those in 2019. I Love Kingdom hearts…but that does not blind me to the flaws of this game.
As you all know, I am a HUGE Kingdom hearts fan and I've spent a long time waiting for KH3. A long time ago, I remember going over to my friend's house and watching them play the first Kingdom Hearts on their PS2.
From then on, I was completely mesmerized by the story, characters, gameplay, and overall tone of the game. It was an epic battle of light VS darkness with subject matter of friendship, betrayal, love, and loss. I was just a young kid at the time, so the ending of Kingdom Hearts really tore me and my friends up. It taught us that life was not all sunshine and rainbows. I mean, when Sora closes Kingdom Hearts with Riku trapped inside, I was shocked because I expected everything to be hunkey-dory. I was use to happy endings and everything working out, so when that didn't happen, I don't think my adolescent brain could handle it. And when Sora was separated from Kairi, right when Simple and clean started playing…
Yikes…that destroyed me...In a good way though.
Since then, I was a fan of the franchise. I didn't know I could get this invested in something. Needless to say, I bought the game the next day for 50 bucks. That amount was like my life's savings back then, but it was all worth it because I poured hours into the game.
Fast forward to 2019 when I got Kingdom Hearts 3. I'm an adult man at this point, but I was still excited for the experience we waited so long to get. All the rumors, E3 trailers, promotions, and news articles lead to this moment.
I played the hell out of the campaign and there are a lot of thoughts I have now that I'm done. Some are good and some are bad. If you have not played the game yet, I recommend skipping this Authors Note. The game is worth a buy for a lot of reasons. I'm going to be brutally honest in this review and it will contain spoilers.
First of all, what I liked about the game. I have to GUSH about the graphics and animation. The game is Gorgeous! It is simply incredible how much the animations mimic the Pixar/Disney elements so perfectly. Sora looks awesome and the use of the Unreal Engine was a phenomenal choice for this game. Every cutscene is meticulous and an absolute joy to watch.
The Gameplay is fast-paced and exciting, not to mention generous. There is so much to the combat, the different attraction attacks, the combinations with other party members, and the form changes to each Keyblade. It brings a ton of variety to combat because you will be going through waves and WAVES of heartless throughout the game.
There weren't many technical issues that I had, maybe a loss in framerate every so often. But there weren't any bugs that broke the game, so it's polished very well.
The Boss battles were hit and miss. Some were excellent, but some were a bit disappointing as they only incorporated one aspect of combat that's never used again. (Like flying around in Pirates, or on Baymax.)
And of course, the characters are the ones we know and love.
Now for the bad.
Know that I don't like doing this because I know how difficult it is to make a game. But us KH fans have been waiting years for this and there were some things that were hugely disappointing. Again, if you haven't played the game, check it out. Because this will contain spoilers.
First of all, I HATED that the worlds were spoiled in all the damn trailers. I tried to keep away from them, but it's hard when you're watching a YouTube video or something and an ad for KH3 pops up and shows off one of the worlds. UGH! They showed WAY too much. There was no surprise world that I was excited to visit because well…we knew every singe world that was going to be there. WHY?
Second, some of the worlds were downright disappointing. I have to say, as a crossover fanfiction author, I get excited to see how Sora interacts with characters of the Disney worlds. But there were a couple worlds where his presence…or even the presence of the heartless…did absolutely nothing to change the world dynamics. Specifically, Frozen and Tangled were absolutely USELESS! It was a literal remake of the movie with Sora and some heartless Photoshopped into the background. I mean C'mon! An entire remake of "Let it Go?" Are you serious? UGH!
It's the worst when Sora is just a background character, doing absolutely nothing to mix things up. If you read a lot of crossover fanfictions, you know the worst ones are where there is no change in the world as a result of the crossover character. It becomes a rehash of something we already know about…and that's boring.
The best worlds were where they deviated from the story and there was some serious interaction between Sora and the rest of the Disney world. THAT is why I play Kingdom Hearts, not for Sora to be completely sidelined.
That being said, did anyone else feel like the Disney worlds were completely pointless? How did any of them serve the story in any way? Not a single world had any impact. It was like, "Complete a world, get a piece of story between worlds, do next world." It honestly felt like padding for the game than anything.
"Sora, go get the power of awakening."
"Ok, how?"
"Waste time at these Disney worlds that serve no purpose while Riku and Mickey do the interesting stuff."
"K."
The gummi sections were pretty cool this time. I didn't like the overlay map and found it kind of annoying to use. I did like the open world-like aspect of it though. It felt cool to explore the little nooks and crannies of space.
I did not like the User Interface to manage inventory. It felt really…strange to me and a bit annoying to look at.
Now for the kicker. The reason most of us play these games.
The story.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a complex story. I love finding out all the little details of how things happened and why they did. But Kingdom Hearts 3 has some serious story problems. The pacing was Terrible, simple as that. Actually, there was no pacing at all! Why does everything we care about happen in the last quarter of the game? Why was Roxas's return complete and utter Deus ex Machina bullshit? Why did Ventus's return leave no impact? Seriously, "Good morning Ven?" That's it? Ten years of being trapped in darkness and that's all we get?
Why wasn't everyone's return sprinkled throughout the game so we could have SOME character development here? Maybe Roxas returns earlier so he meets up with Axel, then they both start to remember Xion and go on a journey together to find her…or something? I just couldn't get over how Lazy the writing was there, how rushed everyone's return was and how it left Zero impact or made little to no sense.
Why was Kairi and Axel built up so much when they did Nothing in the game? We don't even get to see them train. All they do is eat ice cream and watch the sunset. Yawn!
There is plot armor galore, Deus Ex Machina at every corner, and some things that happen at complete random. You'll be asking questions like "Since when was he/she able to do that?" "Where did he/she come from?" "Why did that happen?" "How did that happen?" "Why did he/she leave?" Just lots of things like that. After a while, you just kinda get numb to it and expect that there will be no answers for these kinds of questions and to just accept it. There are random things the enemies do that are complete nonsense, but are used to allow them to escape, or further the plot along.
The dialogue has the signature melodramatics we've gotten used to, but dialed up to one thousand. "My heart feels this" "My hearts telling me this." "His heart is in my heart which has her heart…that's what your heart says to mine." Cringe, pure and simple.
The voice acting was on point, but the lines themselves…they needed some work.
The difficulty was a bit too easy on proud mode, but it was still fun. Not much to complain there.
And…WHERE ARE THE FINAL FANTASY CHARACTERS! Are you kidding me? Wasn't this a cross between final fantasy and Disney? Where is one half of the equation? Leon, Yuffie, Cloud, Cid, Anyone?
And where is all the content? Where are the secret bosses? (Not including battle gates…those were way to easy.) Where are the journal achievements? Where are the side quests? Where is the critical mode? Where is anything that makes me want to come back to the game? Taking selfies for lucky emblems doesn't do it for me.
Whew. Sorry about being so negative, but I had to get this off my chest. One last thing I wanted to comment on before I'm done.
The ending.
All in all, I LOVED it! The last quarter of this game was really fun, if not rushed. Boss gauntlet? Yes please! An actual challenge? Sign me up! Cool locations, the variations of boss battles, the crazy environment sets? Give it to me!
And the final cut scene. It felt like I was thrown back in time to when I beat Kingdom Hearts 1 again. The softer music along with the characters all having a good time at destiny island, and the final scene where Sora disappears…so good! I know a lot of people won't like it, but it was my cup of tea.
Secret ending was Meh though.
All in all, it was a…decent game. I know I gave it a lot of flak, but I still had fun sometimes. It just could've been so much more. Was it worth a 13 year wait? Hell NO! I know this isn't the last game in the franchise…so I just HAVE to hope they won't take so long to make the next one, and maybe get a different writer? Someone who knows how to do pacing.
That is my OPINION on Kingdom Hearts 3. Have you all played it? What did you think of the game? Let me know in a review because I'm curious if any of you felt the same way. I know I might get a bit of hate for this review…KH fandom is something to be feared…but I had to be honest about it. Like I said at the beginning, I love KH, but that doesn't blind me to its flaws.
Thanks for reading this chapter of Blank Slate. Now that I've completed the campaign for KH3, I have a few more ideas of where this story could go. Don't forget to leave a review! So close to the big milestone!