Sorry, it took so long to update.
And it might take longer… my laptop broke.
Fun, right.
Well, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!
Chapter 53: Ultimo- Interlude
The light faded into a silvery glimmer.
Sora gasped. It was… the land with silver grass. The place he'd visited in his dreams. "Is this a dream?"
"Nope."
He turned, looking over at all his friends. "So, is this Kingdom Hearts? I've been here in my dreams."
"Me too."
"Same."
Sora turned around, his hands brushing the silver grass around him, feeling the soft foliage against his hand. In the distance, a forest of trees with dark wood and silver leaves sparkled against the night sky. He heard water running, and could just barely make out the shimmering of water along the edge of the forest. Little flowers that looked like buttercups popped up here and there, almost glowing a soft pastel color. Mountains, glistening with snow, stretched beyond the forest.
"But if this is Kingdom Hearts, then why is that here?" Lea pointed up to the thing that gave light to this land. The heart-shaped moon that cast an ethereal light across everything.
Sora blinked. That's right, if this was Kingdom Hearts, then they should be on that moon… shouldn't they?"
Movement caught his eye to their left. "Huh?" A woman. Sora's eyes widened. The woman in white who tried to warn him about the Lich. "Hey!" He smiled, jogging over to her.
"Sora?" Kairi caught his arm. "Who is that?"
"I don't know, but she tried to help me, and she led me to a friend. He said I could call her… dang, I forgot. It was when the Lich stole my heart. She tried to wake me up." He watched as she walked across the grass, a soft glow covering her. "Come on!" He jogged after the woman, the others following behind.
They walked in silence, each one wanting to call out to the woman who walked ahead, but it was as if some unknown spell kept them from talking the further they walked into this world.
Their steps took them along the river that ran beside the forest. The water was clear as crystal and the moonlight danced in the current. Down below, the group could see what looked like little catfish swimming along, but the bodies of the little animals were pure white, like moonstone themselves.
"They're called Luna Piscis, the moonfish." The woman spoke, her voice soft and instructive, like a mother explaining things to a child.
All around them, life sprang up. Moths with glittering green wings. Large herons stood in the water, their gray and blue feathers fluffing up at the sight of the strange humans.
In all his dreams of this place, Sora never saw this much life, or any life for that matter.
The grass beside them rustled and a little fox, its fur a pastel pink and yellow, stared up at them. Beside it, stood up a leopard with soft yellow fur and silver spots. The two animals watched them curiously.
A silver and blue snake poked its head out to watch the people pass.
A bear with brown fur, flecked with tan and silver, cocked its head, growling slightly in caution.
Though, the most amazing thing was when a unicorn strode out from among the forest trees, watching them with soft eyes as the wind tossed its blue and silver fur and mane.
Near to the unicorn, a dark gray goat with shining blue eyes(1) watched them as well.
Kyokan, perched upon Ven's shoulder, yipped at the animals, bouncing in delight when they each called back in their own angelic way.
It was such a tranquil place. So full of natural life and light. It just felt safe.
The group followed the woman over the crest of a hill and stopped, staring down into a valley. The little glowing flowers covered the entire valley, lining the edge of the river which parted, creating a sort of starlike network of streams over the valley, all moving around a castle.
A castle of moonstone. The walls stood high around the spire in the center. The outer walls created the shape of a star with a long hallway leading inside. The entire building seemed like it was glowing as the moonlight reflected off the moonstone.
It was… in a word…
Breathtaking.
The woman led them down to the long hallway, to two white doors that were smaller versions of the same door Sora and the others closed at the end of their first journey.
All of that seemed like so long ago…
The woman turned before the doors, here pure white eyes glowing as she smiled warmly. "Welcome to Kingdom Hearts and to its core: the castle of Reliquit Aetherium." A beam of moonlight seemed to appear around her, shrinking to a pin of light, and then… she was gone.
"Wak!?" Donald looked around. "Where'd she go!?"
Mickey's hand rested on the doors. "I don't know, but she didn't seem evil." The door swung open all on its own, beckoning them inside. "You guys ready?"
"Yeah."
They all stepped inside. The halls were mostly white with ornate decorations of gold and silver along the walls. Every other step, there was a stained glass window on each side.
Ven reached the first one and gasped. "I-it's moving!?"
The glass picture was of a world and kept changing between villages where people ran around and played happily. There was a sense of peace and tranquility that radiated from it.
"That was before the Keyblade War." Before the window appeared the shimmering figure of Oukoku Gatsu, smiling at them. "Welcome."
Sora stepped forward. "Oukoku?"
"Yes, it's me, Sora." He smiled. "Glad to see you well again. I knew you'd be coming here eventually, so I waited for you here."
Terra narrowed his eyes at the stranger. "Who are you."
"I am Oukoku Gatsu, Keyblade wielder from ancient days… and the victor of the first Keyblade War."
"WHAT!?"
The man grinned. "I'm also dead and pretty much a ghost. I figured I'd guide you once you got into the castle, though the others wanted to do the same. But I digress…"
"You're really the victor of the first Keybade war?" Ven blinked.
"That's right." The ghost stepped aside, his hand on the sill of the stained glass window. "Do you know what these are?" No one spoke. "These windows tell stories of the past. This one… this is what life was like before the war. Everyone was happy and content. Until darkness came."
The window shifted, showing a man with black hair surrounded in darkness.
"Oni Mou brought darkness upon the world and thrust us into the Keyblade War." Oukoku beckoned for them to follow to the next window. "Each widow tells a tale. My story, Oni Mou's story… and more." He led them down past each window that told an epic tale of some adventure, until he stopped. "Even the story of Xehanort himself."
"Xehanort?"
They gathered around the window where they saw a mother holding a baby until doctors came and ushered the child away. The window changed to show Xehanort as a young boy playing with a purple-haired girl; the glass swirled as if to show the bright imaginations of the children. Until, the image of Xehanort doubled over, blood coming from his mouth. The next image was of him running from his home and meeting up with a man and boy who took him to a world where a castle sat on a giant hill.
The images that came after were quick flashes, hazy and vague. Then it stopped. On the image of Xehanort with the purple-haired girl, and them kissing at an altar.
Venus. His wife.
The window showed them dancing happily until Xehanort's side of the window grew dim with darkness and Venus pulled away, leaving him. Then, the darkness grew into a wave that covered everything.
"That's so sad…" Xion spoke softly.
Naminè agreed. "He looked happy once."
"He was… but the darkness was always lurking. Now, come. I think you'll like these."
The next few windows… their stories. Terra's window. Aqua's. Ven's… everyone's.
Riku watched the story of his fall to darkness play out on the window before turning to Oukoku. "Oukoku, why are our stories here?"
"You'll see." He grinned.
"Oh, stop playing around." A female voice huffed. A woman, dressed in pink with long purple hair, appeared. She looked quite peeved. "Just tell them, Oukoku."
The man sighed. "If you insist, Fu. Come on out guys!" Six other spirits appeared in the room. Riku jumped at the teal-haired man who appeared beside him. A moment later, he gasped. "Wait! I saw you in the Underworld, talking to my sister…"
"Good eye, Riku." He smiled. "My name is Noboru Akatsuki."
Oukoku spread out his arms. "We're all warriors from the ancient Keyblade War. Our lines have continued on our homeworlds, until we met once again."
"Lines?" Goofy cocked his head.
"Bloodlines."
Oukoku walked over to Sora, looking down into the boy's eyes. Their eyes mirrored one another. Sora gasped lightly. "A-are we related?"
"We are," a woman in a light blue and pink kimono, with soft brown hair, "My name is Kokoro. My husband and I… we're your ancestors, Sora." Sora stared up at the ghostly couple who grinned down at him. Blue eyes. Brown hair… He turned around to his own window; he saw himself with Oukoku and Kokoro standing behind him. Oukoku turned his attention over to Roxas and grinned, "Come here, kid. I count you as my descendant too."
Kokoro moved away and knelt before Xion with a smile. "I count you as mine as well. And I hope my Keyblade has served you well."
"Wait, you gave me the Keyblade?"
"Yes, it was a gift. Seeker of the Stars served me very well for a long time," Kokoro took Xion's hands in her own. "I hoped it would serve you just as well."
Noboru put his hand on Riku's shoulders, the boy stiffening under the cold touch. "The reason why I was with your sister, I'm your ancestor and hers. She's a good kid, by the way. And, sorry I couldn't protect her or you, but you've grown from the struggles you went through, and I'm proud to call you my ancestor." The ghost looked down at the boy who smiled at the spirit before him.
Kairi looked up at the woman in pink. "And you are Fu?"
"Fuyu actually." The woman sighed. "Oukoku calls me that… better than our old friend who used to call me 'Fufu'(2)." She smirked, a hand on her hip. "You know, I'm awfully proud of you, Kairi. I'm proud of your parents too." Fuyu glanced over toward Naminè. "And how has my Keyblade served you?"
Naminè blinked. "Wait, this is yours?" She summoned Embrace of Destiny.
"That's right." Fuyu grinned, patting the blonde's head. "And, I am so sorry… I wanted to protect you in Castle Oblivion I would've killed Marluxia given the chance. And Kairi, I am sorry that your parents passed…"
Lea stepped back, letting the others talk. "You know, you're not getting left out." A man with red hair grinned at him. "Hotaru Yoshi!"
"Are you my ancestor?"
"Yep!" Hotaru laughed. "What? Didn't think you had an old Keyblade Master for an ancestor?" He patted his descendant on the back. "By the way, good job taking care of those two kids." He pointed at Roxas and Xion. "It always broke my heart to see children suffering."
A woman with long brown hair, dressed in green, smiled at Aqua. "My name is Sachi Kawa. I am your ancestor… and I'm so sorry. I couldn't get you out of the Realm of Darkness sooner. I really tried."
"Well, thank you," Aqua spoke softly, still in awe at the woman before her.
A man in blue, with soft brown hair, walked over to Terra, grinning. "Hello, my name is Sakae Ren."
"And you're my ancestor I assume."
"Correct." The spirit put his hands behind his back with a smile. "It is good to see you restored to your old self. I tried to comfort your lingering will in the Keyblade Graveyard, but I did not know if my words could reach you." His face grew serious. "Terra, you are planning on going home after all this, are you not?"
Terra paused, looking into the deep brown eyes of the ghost. "I don't know. Aqua told me that my father had changed, but…"
"They have." Sakae smiled again. "They miss you greatly. Please, go see them."
"I-I will…"
Ven looked up at the ginger-haired man who smiled down at him. "My name is Osamu Yuki. It's a pleasure to meet you in person, Ventus." He grinned wider as Kyokan lept up onto Ven's shoulder, sniffing at the spirit. "And I see the hope for my other descendant is here too."
"Other? You mean Vanitas?"
Osamu sighed. "I do. That boy has endured so much… He blames you for all his suffering, and Xehanort's lies have not helped that. I have done what I can to reach out to him, but I can only do so much. When this is all over, I will reach for him once more. Hopefully, I won't be alone this time." Osamu held out his glowing hand, and Kyokan jumped over, somehow able to sit on the spirit's shoulder. "I hope you don't mind if I borrow this little guy."
"Go ahead."
Mickey looked around at everyone and their ancestors, his eyes wide in amazement. "I cannot believe all of you are part of a legacy like this."
"They're not the only ones." Kokoro sighed, clasping her hands before her. "Before the war, there was one more of us. Oni Mou. He was the man who started the war in the first place." She glanced around as everyone's eyes now looked to her. "When Oni captured the first seven Princesses of Heart, myself and his wife were among them. Being with child at the time, I noticed that Oni's wife, Makoto was also with child. When the war was over, the land split into many worlds. Makoto was on the same world as myself and Noboru, what you now know at the Destiny Islands. There, Makoto gave birth to her son… she did love our new home, and the beautiful sky. So, she named him, Sora." Her eyes glanced at Sora, her own descendant staring at her with curious eyes. "And that is when we realized the curse… Oni was the first to fall to darkness, and his line is cursed. They will be drawn to darkness much easier than anyone else, but it is not guaranteed that they will fall. But, Oni's descendant, Xehanort, did."
"Xehanort!?"
Oukoku nodded. "He is Oni's descendant, as are your friends Areth and Owari. And yes, the curse is still on them as well."
"I-is there any way to break it?"
"Yes," Kokoro smiled, "someone from our line must bond with someone from Oni's, and not just a bond of friendship, but a much deeper bond. And I doubt that will happen in this generation. But Areth and Owari are good people, so I doubt that you'll have any issues with them."
Oukoku nodded. "Now, I hate to but in, but we should move on. Xehanort is waiting… and so is she."
"She?"
The spirits all began to move down the hall to a set of crystal doors which glittered despite the fact that no actual light was inside the building. The doors swung open to reveal a great hall. White marble floors reflected the moonlight which streamed in from the clear crystal ceiling. From the roof hung a chandelier; the moonlight passing through the crystal cast soft rainbows around the room. The walls were made of opal, with the rainbow cracks in the wall glowing softly in the light. Light blue tapestries made of sheer voile fabric hung from the walls and ceiling, and purple ones hung on the other end of the room, behind a dais made of fluorite, on which sat thrones of moonstone.
The thrones, however, kept changing, fading in and out. Sometimes thirteen of them, sometimes seven. No more, no less.
"From light to darkness, and darkness to light." The woman in white appeared before the thrones. "Thirteen darknesses, seven lights, or seven darknesses, thirteen lights. Light becomes darkness and darkness becomes light." She smiled warmly, striding forward, her bare feet making no noise on the floor. "But you already know this, do you not."
"We do…"
"Then the thirteen come." She giggled. "Now, do you know who I am?"
"Uh, no…"
"Well then, I'll explain more at the city." She turned away, beginning to fade from view, "but I am, Kingdom Hearts."
She vanished.
"Wait…"
Oukoku laughed. "You just met the physical embodiment of this place's consciousness."
Mickey jumped. "That was Kingdom Hearts! That… she…"
"We'll let her explain," Sachi smiled. "She's better at it. Follow me."
To their left, a small doorway led out into a back courtyard, or better yet, a garden. Hedges of soft green and silver leaves ran along the sides. Flowers, all lit up with magic, blossomed around. On the other side of the garden, they could see the hill sloping downward.
At the bottom of the hill lay an empty city of white buildings, all glowing in the moonlight. The city seemed to be made on two different colors of pavement. The white side swirled into the black side, creating a symbol of light and darkness together(3).
"Go on… we'll wait here." Oukoku laid his hand on Sora's shoulder. "We can talk when you get back."
Sora grinned up at his ancestor. "Right…" He glanced around, eyes lit with determination. "Everyone, you ready?"
"Yeah!"
They ran down the hill, leaving the ghosts behind.
Awaiting them.
Kingdom Hearts at the town gates.
Xehanort at the town square.
Brevis mora ad secundum. Ut actores in suis locis. Visus fines est intus in novissiumis. Ne respicias tantum nem.
This is is ONE MORE CHAPTER TO GO!
Please review!
Footnotes:
(1) These animals are references ;).
(2) Nintendoman01's OC Raiden called Fuyu, "Fufu".
(3) It's the Yin and Yang symbol.
VAs:
Fuyu Akira- Anastasia Munoz (Koko Hekmatyar, Minerva Orland, Gracia Hughes)
Kokoro Gatsu- Kristi Kang (Yuzuki Fuwa, Tonko Oniyama, Levy McGarden)
Noboru Akatsuki- Jason Douglas (Gildarts Clive, Beerus, Fourth Kind, Miles)
Hotaru Yoshi- Michael Jones (Sun Wukong, Sting Eucliffe, Rapture, Gen Isurugi)
Sakae Ren- Christopher Bevins (Lahar, Akihiko Tojo, Narsus, Kubisaku Nigai)
Sachi Kawa- Lindsay Seidel (Nagisa Shiota, Luka Macken, Ruka Urushibara, Angel)
Osamu Yuki- John Burgmeier (Tien Shinhan, Switzerland, Johann, Jose Croce)
Kingdom Hearts- Tabitha Ray (Imitatia/Michelle Lobster, Hotaru Shidare)
Hospitality
In today's world, there is so much negativity all around us. You don't have to do much or go far to get insulted or just hear someone complain.
Sometimes, a spark of love can really be a light in this world. We've drawn so many lines and labeled people as one thing or another, and that causes hurt and anger to sprout up. However, there is a way to break that, and that is to ignore the lines and love others.
That person that people are telling you to ignore, that is the person you should bless and be kind to.
The early church in Acts was hospitable, helping anyone who needed it. The Bible talks about people selling property when someone was in need to give them the money.
While we may not be rolling in money, I know I'm not, sometimes the littlest blessing can bring light to someone's day.
I had quite the sucky day today, and then two people blessed me: one bought me hot chocolate, and the other gave me a KH pin.
It only takes a little hospitality and kindness to break those lines and show love to others.
