Empty Heart
Epilogues:
Thinking of you wherever you are. We pray for our sorrows to end, and hope that our hearts will blend. Now I will step forward to realize this wish. And who knows: Starting a new journey may not be so hard or maybe it has already begun. There are many worlds, but they share the same sky – one sky, one destiny.
White, it stretched on forever seemingly. Xires noted that as she floated through the void. Dying was an odd sensation but she wasn't sure if she even was dead. The last thing she remembered was Sora defeating her. She growled as she thought of that name. Twice he had beaten her even if the first fight was not even serious on her part.
Swearing to avenge that loss now lay far ahead of her. No way out of this realm lay open. Her Organization cloak still lay wrapped around her body. It was a symbol of her identity, no it was her identify. Eris was gone she had accepted that since now. Another reason why she felt she was not dead. Death was a concept that was on every animal's mind she supposed. The world was full of dangers, mostly humans being the prime cause.
Was this the afterlife? She asked herself.
"Bingo!" a voice made her sit up. Actually float up was the better term. Her feet touched solid if that was even possible in this realm. Standing before her was a face she had not seen in a while.
"Axel!" she grew defensive.
The red haired Nobody smiled. "Well you memorized my name good for you!" Xires didn't change in her stance
"Relax it's not like either of us can do each other in right now." said Axel.
Xires knew what he meant. "You mean?"
"Yep." Axel answered. "We both bit the big one fading away was an unusual feeling right?"
So she was dead. She had thought so but had hoped it wasn't true. "Is this the afterlife?" asked Xires.
"For nothings like us it is." Axel answered. "Welcome to the Realm of Nothingness."
Xires had heard of the Realms of Light, Darkness and even In-Between, but never Nothingness. "I'd say its fitting." she replied melancholically. "This is our fate then to float through nothingness?"
"Guess so unless." Axel trailed off.
"What!" Xires perked up.
"I heard that if a persons Heartless and Nobody is destroyed, then that being comes back into existence.
Xires sank back down in sadness. Her Heartless was destroyed yet her heart was trapped within Kingdom Hearts. Slowly she started to walk then she stopped. "Was it worth it?" she asked.
"What?" Axel answered.
"Killing yourself like that."
A laugh came from Axel. "I'll admit dying hurt like heck but I don't have any regrets."
As Axel gave a laugh, Xires gave a scoff, "Even when you're dead you're a fool."
Again she started to walk. "Xires wait!" Axel called.
"Go away." Xires responded. "I'm going to find a way out of this place one way or another."
"Oh and how do you suppose you are going to do that?" Axel asked. "You're nothing but soul now you don't have a body."
Turning Xires snarled. "Better than floating here!"
Axel wasn't bothered by the gruffness. "Let me ask you what's better? Looking for eternity or spending it with someone?"
Growling again Xires tried to think of a spat. Nothing came to mind. Hating to admit it Axel did make a point. There was a chance she would never make it out but would spending it with him be better than a chance at escape.
Her eyes grew tense. She was trying to do something she tried before to no avail. She was trying to cry. No tears came and somehow she knew that was going to happen.
---
The celebration within the town was uproarious to say the least. They had just welcomed in the new president of Shinra Incorporated. Storeowners had done their best to cater to the young president. If the president of the corporation that owned your town was coming liked your business, well it didn't need to be said.
Of course, mixed feelings were abounding of Rufus Shinra. Some who disliked the corporation felt that another Shinra in charge would be no different from the previous President Shinra. As the old saying went, "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree." However, that applied to those who hated big business or extremist anti-Shinra groups such as AVALANCE.
The other half supported the company that fed and clothed them. Belief in the younger generation at is finest. A parade of soldiers was a different sight but another matched it in peculiarness.
A young man walked about the streets garbed in dark blue clothing missing one sleeve. What set him off was his spiky yellow hair but more so than that was the bandaged sword across his back, a zweheinder. Passerby's gave him a glance before looking away
The man would walk up to them asking the same question. "Have you seen a man? Silver hair? Black coat? Long sword?"
Each and every time, his answer was "No." and every time after that, the man would walk away to ask the next person. When he did this to two men he heard one of them ask the other.
"Hey Brain you think he's got a license for that thing?"
They were referring to his sword of course. Perhaps this wasn't the best place to ask he reasoned to himself. The sky of this world was similar to the last. He hadn't expected the battle to bring him to a world such as this but no matter what he would search. Search for the one who represented all the darkness in him.
"I know you're here Sephiroth. When I find you we can finish this once and for all." he swore.
Therefore, the man known as Cloud walked of into the distance. In the back of his mind, he thought he heard. "I'm not going anywhere Cloud."
What Cloud did remember was something he learned after meeting a spiky haired boy with a key. Wherever he goes, his light would be with him. Cloud kept that to mind.
---
Dash gave a sigh. Her back against the ground she looked to the sky. In her paws she held a flower. Its petals had been plucked as she contemplated the feelings of one she held dear to her heart.
"Dash!" she heard Plucky call.
Her head turned to him. "There you are I've been looking for you." He said.
"Oh hello Plucky." she greeted sighing once again.
"You're still not moping about are you?" Plucky asked. It wasn't in annoyance more like concern. He missed the perky hare that she was.
Dash felt his concern and accepted it. "No I'm fine Plucky." Quickly she rose to her feet. "Come on how about a race?"
A smile bordered Plucky's face. "Anytime!"
The two friends were off to where ever their hearts drove them. Dash was not entirely better. Sora had been all she could think about. Of course if another hare entered the picture she would take that chance, she didn't want to remain single her entire life. But she was not quite done with the one who had stolen her heart. If they ever crossed paths she would make certain to make him hers.
"Just you wait Kairi it's on!" Dash thought to herself. Even though she and Kairi had never met, she would stick to that.
---
Within the empty realm of the World that Never Was hung Kingdom Hearts. Or rather what was left of it. A gaping hole lay open within the artificial source of hearts. Whatever became of it only the residents of the world knew. All the hearts that had been collected scattered after the destruction becoming Heartless as they touched the ground. The lesser Nobodies had desperately tried to grab the hearts they so sought.
What became of them is unknown. Whilst a large majority of the hearts were now lost, a few left behind served as fuel for Xemnas, a power boost to use against the Keyblade masters Sora and Riku. Despite the greater strength, Xemnas succumbed to the masters and faded away into nothingness. The hearts he had absorbed did not join the others as Heartless. Seemingly they were gone.
However from the open moon a pink light sank down. It was a single heart most likely one of the ones that Xemnas had absorbed. Reaching the bottom the darkness absorbed it snuffing out the light. A black pool formed upon the streets. From it two antennae popped out, connecting to it was a Heartless a NeoShadow. Its yellow eyes scanned its surroundings. Something was aloof about this one, it moved not with the wild tendencies of its brethren but more intelligent.
The NeoShadow looked over itself examine its form. Then something strange happened, its spoke.
"Well this is a start I suppose." Its voice was female, high and snotty with an accent laced. A chilling whisper permeated its speech patterns. Disappointed was she in returning to this lesser form. But it made sense after loosing all those hearts she had consumed. Likely most of them were other Heartless by now. No matter for being absorbed by that Nobody had done something. She felt, stronger, smarter. Perhaps eating hearts wasn't the best route.
So many plans and ideas formed in her head and in time she hoped they could be fulfilled. "Best be off then." she said to herself, it was time to show the rest of her kind who was the queen. Slinking off the being formally known as Eris disappeared into the darkness.
---
The waves of Destiny Islands never seemed such a relief before. At long last Sora had made it home. Not alone but with his friends. At his side was Riku, the both of them reclining against a palm tree, the site where they had play fought many times. No longer was Riku in the guise of Xehanort. Due to recent events, every trace of Xehanort's Heartless had been erased from the boys being.
It had been some time since their adventure and since they parted ways with King Mickey, Donald and Goofy. Although he admitted he missed the adventures he went on, he was glad to be home.
"It never changes huh?" Sora asked Riku referring to the waves.
"Nope nothing ever does." Riku answered.
Indeed the waves never changed always going in and out. "What a small world." Riku mused "But part of ones that's much bigger." Sora added.
Riku agreed.
Sora had one thought on his mind. "Say Riku…what do you think it was, the door to the light?"
Gettign up Riku pointed to the one part of Sora that could only be considered the door to light, his heart.
Both agreed with each other, the light was closer than they thought.
"Sora! Riku!" Kairi ran down the path, an urgent look on her face as she ran to her friends.
"What is it?" Sora asked.
In her hand Kairi held a bottle, and inside was a message. Pinning it together was as seal, a mouse shaped seal.
"A message from the king!" Sora said in realization.
Opening it up the trio read the contents. Another adventure was on the horizon.
---
White Deer Park: Another spring
The cub darted around the den yipping widely at his father's feet. Friendly watched his son with amusement, his mate Russet doing the same. He never expected himself to mate with a blue fox. Times were changing he supposed.
They had picked the perfect name for this cub. Pace was his name. Red furred like his father it was hard to tell he was a mixed breed. Gone was his jealousy at not being the leader. Plucky had been proving himself and he had all eh wanted.
Suddenly Pace let out a whine as another cub tackled him biting his leg. It was a female.
"Silver stop!" Russet scolded. The blue cub looked very much like her brother and like her sibling it was hard to tell she was a mixed breed.
Silver aptly named for the color of her fur didn't heed her mother's words. A rough tap on the head form Russet made her stop. Seizing his chance, Pace pounced on his sister spurring a yelp.
"Atta boy Pace!" Friendly cheered.
"Don't encourage him dear." Russet warned.
"Relax its good to let them defend themselves. Can't let anyone walk all over them can we?" Friendly presented.
Russet knew her mate had a point. "I suppose but."
"Don't worry with you as their mother they'll grow up right I know it." Friendly said reassuringly.
Russet smiled. Her mate's attempts at cheering her up were half-successful. She made sure never to spoil her children especially after hearing Charmer complain so much how Lady Blue spoiled hers. Pace growing up into a fine fox, there was no doubt in her mind about that. Silver on the other hand.
A yelp interrupted her thoughts. Silver had instigated another fight. If they didn't know any better they could say the little vixen was enjoying this. Who knew what the future held but they would face it together. That and whatever the world offered, for they were not the only ones with tests. There were many worlds, different but with the same sky.
The End.
A/N: It's done! Well at least until I finish the omake chapter but this is the end of the normal story. I would like to thank everyone who has read and reviewed so far or to those who have just read. Although the main story is complete one more chapter until the story as a hole is done. Again leave your thoughts and tell me what you have thought. Enjoy! Ps: I decided to have epilogues of many hence the title, Epilogues.
