Manami trained for the following week with Izumi and Olivier. It was tough, but she was able to adapt and keep getting up. While she was still nowhere near the level of magic as Edward, nor the level of combat prowess as Alphonse… she was, at the very least, beginning to earn her right to be called a Keyblade wielder.
In this one week, Manami learned the Fire, Thunder, and Blizzard spells. She had perfected the art of summoning and de-summoning her Keyblade, as well as calling it back to her if she was ever disarmed. She also excelled at fighting in close range, and even found herself to be able to parry and defend better against Olivier's attacks.
Of course, while it was imperative that she trained and learned as much as she could, Manami needed her rest as well.
Manami woke up on a sunny day. She was greeted by Maes, and he informed her that she had the day off today.
"You know Manami, me and my family were thinking of catching a film today." He mentioned. "You and the boys are more than welcome to join us. It could help you take your mind off of all this."
Manami blinked in surprise. Amestris had movies?
"Oh, I'm sorry," Maes apologized. "Are you familiar with films?"
"Y-Yeah!" Manami nodded. "I was just surprised to hear that you have them here, too."
"A film, huh?" Ed thought for a moment. "I don't think we ever even stepped into a movie theater before, have we Al?"
"Nope." Al shook his head. "We've always had our noses buried in books…"
Manami thought for a moment. If it was 1920 here in Amestris, that meant that their "films" were probably black and white. It was even possible that they were silent films.
Still, it sounded like fun.
"Are you sure?" She asked. "We don't wanna impose…"
"Nonsense!" Maes laughed, smiling as Gracia and Elicia appeared behind him. "We love having you around! Plus, it would mean a lot to Elicia. Isn't that right, honey?"
"Come on, big sis!" Elicia pulled on Manami's pant leg. "Please come!"
"You wouldn't say no to that face, would you Manami?" Maes winked.
"..." Manami let out a soft chuckle, patting Elicia on the head. "Nope, I sure wouldn't."
And so, the Hughes family took Manami and the Elric brothers to the movie theater. As they stood in line to get tickets, Manami looked up to Maes and Gracia.
"Thank you again for bringing us." She thanked them.
"Of course!" Maes beamed at her. "You'll be off on other worlds soon enough, and who knows how often we'll be able to see each other again. Wouldn't feel right for you to leave so soon without showing you a little of what our world has to offer!"
"We know how difficult all of this has been for you." Gracia smiled softly. "We know we can't take the place of your real family, and I'm sure this whole world in itself is different from yours… but, hopefully we can help you feel a little less lost."
"..." Manami was honestly touched to hear that, and it made her smile from ear to ear.
"Thank you…"
Little did they know, they were being watched.
Two people stood atop a building nearby, watching Manami smile and laugh with the Elric brothers and the Hughes family.
"See? It's just as I told you…" Lust crossed her arms under her large chest. "Look at how happy she is. She seems more content to just leisurely spend time with those boys, opposed to searching for you."
"..." Kai's eyes narrowed at the sight of it. "I-It doesn't mean she's already forgotten about me, right?"
Manami... seeing her smiling and laughing now… Did she really forget about him, after all..?
"Forgotten about you may not be the right term, boy…" Lust shook her head. "Perhaps it's more like she's... replaced you."
Kai flinched.
"Those boys she's with… they're both much stronger than you ever were, so she never has to worry about them holding her back." She continued. "She's really enjoying their company... don't you agree? So much so that she's not even mourning her so-called best friend. She simply believed that you have passed away, and she's already moved on."
"..." Kai felt anger rush through him, causing him to clench his fists… but, then the feeling of hopelessness washed over him and he loosened up.
"... well, that's good, right? I mean... it just means she's not hurting anymore…" He tried to reason, doing his best to maintain a smile… but that didn't stop the tears from falling out of his eyes.
"I... wouldn't want her to be crying over me. I-It would be selfish enough to wish her to suffer... wouldn't it?"
Kai didn't see, but Lust smirked from behind him.
"And that's exactly why she's already moved on." She told him. "You have no value in yourself, so what value could she possibly see in you? At this point, it's clear the only reason she even tolerated you was just pity."
"NO!" Kai whipped around to face her, gritting his teeth. "That's not why we were friends!"
He paused, suddenly doubting himself..
"... was it?" He whispered. "... I... I wasn't holding her back, was I..?"
"Or maybe... she was holding you back." Lust replied. "She never let you fight your own battles, and instead just hogged up the glory; keeping you from discovering your true potential. You've seen what you're capable of first hand…"
Kai looked down, saying nothing. He was still just as confused as ever. He looked back one last time to see Manami walking into the theater with her new friends.
"..." He sighed sadly, turning back to Lust. "Let's just go…"
And with that, they both disappeared inside the dark portal. Just as they did, Manami had stopped at the entrance to the theater, and looked behind her.
"..?" She got a strange feeling, all of a sudden… but why?
"Manami!" Al called from inside, snapping her out of it.
She looked back to see the suit of armor holding the door open. "You coming?"
"Yeah..!" Manami nodded, dismissing the strange feeling she had as she went to follow everyone inside.
The second week of training came and went, and Manami was only improving.
Izumi had taught her how to use the Keyblade to lock, as well as unlock, any kind of door or lock that she faced. Meanwhile, Olivier taught her more advanced combat techniques for countering, as well as refining her newfound "boomerang" skill. She could even hold her own against Ed and Al now, often fighting them both in sparring matches to help her better fight more than one opponent at once.
A few times, Ed had woken up to find Manami in the backyard of the Hughes estate, already working out or sparring with Al as the sun was rising.
At the end of the second week, Manami had decided to stay after training to get some extra practice in on the training dummies. She had her hair pulled back in a ponytail, and her earbuds in her ears. She found that blasting music while training not only upped her morale and adrenaline, but also made it easy for her to get into her own world. She would line the wires of her earbuds under her shirt so that they didn't get in the way while she hacked, slashed, and spellcasted.
She wasn't perfect, but she was still far from the clumsy and awkward Keyblade wielder that walked in two weeks ago.
Around her, training dummies were on the ground, slashed open with the fluff spilling out. Others were singed from fire and thunder spells. Manami took out the last training dummy with a fireball, then yanked on the wire to her earbuds to pull them out of her ears. As they dangled over the neckline of her shirt, she put her hands on her hips and panted as she leaned her head back to stare up at the lights shining down on her.
Right now… she looked like a real Keyblade wielder.
"Not bad, Manami!" Ed complimented her, as he and Al brought her a towel and a bottle of water.
"You're improving so much that at this rate—"
Al stopped mid sentence when he noticed Izumi and Olivier walking in the room. He and Ed immediately stood at attention.
Manami, who was drinking out of her water bottle, turned to see her two teachers approaching her.
She pulled the bottle from her lips and swallowed the water before greeting them.
"Hey!"
"Well... it's been two weeks and honestly you've improved at a rate that we didn't respect." Izumi said, gesturing to all the training dummies on the floor around them.
"Oh…" Manami blinked in surprise at the compliment. "Thank you—"
"But don't get too cocky!" Olivier cut her off. "You've still yet to actually fight for your like in a real battle. To me, you're still a novice who still has a LOT left to learn."
"... okay…" Manami frowned a little, unsure of what to think of this conversation, now.
"That said, at this point the best possible way you can continue to unlock the power of the Keyblade is through battle." Izumi explained. "A Keyblade's true power surfaces as the strength of one's heart grows stronger, which is something you can only get from traveling to other worlds."
Manami raised a brow. "... meaning..?"
"Meaning…" Izumi paused. "You're ready."
Manami's eyes went wide with surprise. "... r-really?"
Izumi and Olivier nodded simultaneously.
"You mean it?" Manami asked. "Like... you're not pulling my chain, here?"
"We're serious." Olivier responded, annoyance in her tone.
"..." Manami stared at them, still in disbelief.
After a moment, she finally smiled from ear to ear, and threw her arms up in the air.
"I DID IT!"
"Alright!" Ed cheered.
"You did it, Manami!" Al cheered, as well.
The Elric brothers pulled in Manami in one big hug as they continued to cheer and celebrate. Izumi crosses her arms, a small smile forming on her lips, while Olivier rolled her eyes and looked away.
Though, deep down, she was impressed at how far the Keyblade Wielder had progressed in such a short amount of time.
After a few more moments of celebrating, Manami pulled away from her group hug with Ed and Al to bow politely to her teachers.
"Thank you... for all that you taught me." She lifted her head to smile sheepishly. "And uh... thank you for putting up with me, too."
"Hmph." Olivier nodded firmly. "Like I said, you still have a lot to learn. But from here on out, what you learn will be beyond our world."
"And you won't be alone." Izumi said, smiling to Ed and Al. "Perhaps these two will learn a thing or two themselves, while journeying with you."
Ed and Al could see, in Izumi's expression… she was saying, "I truly hope you find a way to restore your bodies out there."
A few days later, a special ceremony was held at Central Headquarters, where Manami would be officially declared the Keyblade Wielder of the Amestrian Military.
Manami was sporting a brand new outfit that she was to wear on her journey. It wasn't a traditional military uniform (much to Manami's relief), but it definitely was an outfit that would protect her more than normal civilian clothes would.
At this ceremony, Manami would be knighted by Furher King Bradley himself, and she was to give a speech afterward.
Tons of soldiers and civilians alike were crowded in front of the building to witness this historical ceremony. Furher King Bradley stood at a podium beside Manami, while Ed, Al, Izumi, Olivier, Roy, and other soldiers were lined up behind them.
"Today is a historical event for our world... the day we welcome a Keyblade Wielder into our military, to aid us in our fight against the Heartless." Bradley announced. "This will not only mean that our world will be safe from being consumed by their darkness, but that we can fight to ensure that other worlds will be spared."
Bradley turned to Manami, who knelt down on one knee.
"May you guide us, and other worlds, to the light in our time of need... and bring all of our hearts together." He drew his sword from his sheath, and tapped Manami on both shoulders with the blade.
"Now rise, Keyblade Wielder... and prove your power!"
As Manami rose to stand up, she looked up and saw something appear in the sky…
A Keyhole... it was massive, taking up most of the sky. It appeared to be wrapped in chains, some of which were broken and dangling. Behind the chains, she could see darkness swirling inside the Keyhole, the chains barely containing it, as well as the dark monsters that were surely inside.
Manami remembered Ed and Al telling her about the Keyhole of their world… they had been using magic and alchemy to keep it sealed, but it was always a temporary fix, and Heartless were sometimes able to still slip through…
It looked like it could burst at any moment.
"It's time, Keyblade Wielder…" Bradley said. "Show everyone in Amestris that they have nothing to fear!"
"Relax, Manami... You got this." Al whispered from behind her.
"After training with our teachers, this should be a breeze." Ed also whispered.
"..." Manami gave a small nod. She held out her hand, and the Keyblade appeared instantly.
She was told that, to lock a Keyhole, she had to point the Keyblade at it and summon the will in her heart to lock it…
Manami took a deep breath, taking the Keyblade in both her hands and pointing it up to the sky, aiming at the Keyhole. She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate…
"Just like the locks we worked with before... this is just a bigger one. We can lock this one." She thought.
But, for a moment, nothing happened. For Manami, this moment felt like forever.
Still, she didn't give up. She focused harder... until the Keyblade started to glow, and sparkles began to float around her.
"..?" Manami opened her eyes, seeing the sparkles around her. She looked back up to the Keyhole in the sky, wishing with all her might to lock it…
PING! A beam of light shot out of the end of the Keyblade, directly into the Keyhole. It immediately destroyed the chains but filled the Keyhole with light, eradicating the darkness within immediately.
Still, the light was so bright that everyone had to shut their eyes.
THUNK!
A loud click boomed through the sky, and everyone looked up to see the Keyhole now shining a bright, warm light… completely free of darkness.
The crowd exploded in a roaring applause, making Manami smile sheepishly and wave nervously.
"Let the sealing of our Keyhole not only show that we're in great hands, but that our military will support the Keyblade Wielder through her journey to other worlds to rid of the Heartless threat, so we may usher in a new era of peace for not just our world, but all others!" Bradley announced, then stepped off the podium.
It was now time for Manami's speech… which, frankly, she was more nervous about than sealing the Keyhole...
She wasn't a stranger to the feeling of stage fright.
Manami stepped up to the podium, looking down at the crowd of soldiers and civilians, spotting some people she recognized...
None of which were Kai.
"..." Manami frowned a little, not saying anything for a moment, even as the crowd quieted down.
Ed and Al exchanged glances… she wasn't choking on her big speech, was she?
Finally, Manami took a deep breath, then began to speak.
"If any of you told me a month ago that I would be here, doing this… I would have laughed." She began. "I had no idea about the threat of darkness… but, I then experienced firsthand the terror of losing my home to it. My biggest regret is that I couldn't save my best friend, whose whereabouts are currently unknown."
Manami paused to take a shaky breath. "A-And… it was because of that fear and hopelessness… that the Keyblade chose me to wield it. It gave me hope, along with the opportunity to fight back— I may be from another world, but that won't stop me from defending yours, mine, and all others!"
"Today marks the beginning of no longer giving in to the fear of darkness…" Manami pointed her Keyblade up to the sky. "And instead looking towards a future... as bright as that Keyhole! I swear, as long as my heart still beats, I will use this Keyblade to pave the way towards that future!"
Manami was welcomed with another round of thunderous applause, which Manami patiently waited to die down before continuing to speak, her smile fading..
"And… Kai... if you're somewhere out there, listening to this... I promise... I'll find you. I'll get our home back... and we'll go home together!"
Manami then proceeded to step down from the podium, and the crowd cheered for her once more as everyone left the stage.
From here, Manami would embark on her journey.
As Manami walked down the corridor to the Gummi garage with Ed and Al by her side, soldiers lined both sides of the long hall, saluting them as they passed.
Manami noticed Alex Louis Armstrong among the soldiers, saluting with one hand while wiping away tears with a pink little handkerchief with the other.
At the end of the corridor, in front of the doors leading to the garage, stood Winry, Pinako, and the Hughes family.
"You did great, Manami... and you're going to continue to do great things, I know it!" Gracia hugged Manami. "You boys...be sure to look after her, alright?"
"Don't worry; Al and I will keep her safe." Ed assured her, Al nodding in agreement.
"I know you've taken a lot of big steps already Manami, but this is going to be one of the biggest yet." Maes stepped up to Manami. "Either way, I know we're in good hands with you. Also, if you guys ever need something to brighten your day…"
Maes pulled out a photo and held it up to her. "Here's a picture of Elicia!~ You'll have her little smile wherever you go, right sweetie?"
Manami looked down to see the real Elicia, not smiling like she was in the picture, but looking down to her feet sadly.
She probably didn't understand...
"..." Manami knelt down in front of the girl, who slowly looked up at her with teary eyes.
"Mommy and Daddy said you gotta go... will you come back and visit us?"
Manami smiled sadly, Elicia's sad face tugging at her heart strings.
"Of course." Manami nodded. "We'll be back and playing again before you know it."
"..." Elicia didn't say anything, but jumped forward to hug Manami as tight as her little arms could.
Manami felt tears come to her eyes, but she managed to hold them bad as she hugged Elicia back. After a moment, she pulled away, and Gracia went to pick up and hold Elicia.
"You're welcome back anytime." Gracia smiled softly.
"Thank you…" Manami nodded. She looked to Maes and opened her mouth to say something, but…
"One minute!" Winry interjected. "Edward, you remember that you have to teach Manami how to operate the ship, right? In case of emergencies, when you and Al are incapacitated, or she's alone for what ever reason— she needs to know how to fly the thing!"
Manami couldn't help but feel a little nervous at the possible scenarios Winry had just listed...
"Well yeah, of course I was gonna teach her." Ed rolled his eyes. "I'd be dumb not to!"
"I also did an inspection of the Gummi ship and I noticed that you forgot this!" Winry slapped a small book in Ed's hands.
Manami briefly saw the word "Manual" on the book, so she assumed it was for the Gummi Ship…
"How do you expect to teach her without the manual, huh?" Winry asked.
"Winry, I read this manual tons of times already." Ed groaned. "I don't need it."
"That doesn't mean that Manami doesn't!" Winry sighed heavily. "Just keep the book on the ship, for crying out loud…"
Manami smiled a little to Winry. It was obvious that she was already worried about Ed and Al, and they hadn't even left yet...
"Don't mind my granddaughter, Manami…" Pinako chuckled. "She just wants you and the boys to be as safe and prepared as possible. She does tend to worry when Ed and Al travel off world. But do give that book a look-see when you get a chance."
"Right." Manami nodded to her. "I will."
"By the way. Manami…" Winry leaned in to whisper to her. "I know that Ed and Al are coming along to look after you, but... can you please look after them, too?"
"Huh?" Manami blinked.
"Edward can be a hot head, and Al can sometimes be too nice for his own good. I'm not gonna be there to slap some sense into them, but I'm sure you'll be able to take charge and keep them in line if you have to."
"..." Manami couldn't help but grin. "Yeah, I will. I promise."
She was the first to open her arms and hug Winry. The blonde mechanic returned the hug.
Manami pulled away from Winry and once again looked to Maes. He smiled back at her, ready to listen to what she had to say first.
"..." She opened her mouth to speak, but… for whatever reason, she only found herself getting emotional. The tears finally spilled out of her eyes, and she quickly went to wipe them away.
"S-Sorry…" She sniffled. "This is weird…"
"Heh, no reason to apologize, Manami! I understand." Maes assured her. "This is all still all new, and things just keep changing for you one way or another. Whether it's learning something new about yourself, or learning about things beyond yourself... it's happening fast, and it's overwhelming. Look at it this way, everything new that comes your way means you'll grow more… and every new thing is just the next step to getting your friend and your world back."
"... yeah…" Manami nodded, still wiping away her tears that wouldn't stop falling.
"Just remember no matter what happens, our hearts will be with you, and vice versa... You'll always have a home here, no matter what." Maes opened his arms, and Manami reached to hug him, just as tightly as Elicia had hugged her earlier.
After hugging her back for a moment, he slowly pulled away and put his hands on her shoulders. "You be safe out there."
"I will…" Manami nodded.
Maes stepped back as Manami finished wiping her tears, and she turned to look to the door to the garage.
"... wait..." She reached into her pocket. "One more thing…"
Manami pulled out her cell phone before looking at everyone. "I was… wondering if we could get together for a group photo?"
Everyone other than the Elric brothers and Winry all exchanged confused looks.
"Oh, right…" Manami chuckled nervously. "This device has a camera… so I was hoping we could all take a photo together?"
She turned on the front facing camera, holding her phone as high as she could, and everyone saw their reflection in the screen.
"Ooooh…" Winry was super interested.
"That's it," Manami directed everyone. "Everyone squeeze in close— we're all friends here!"
When everyone leaned in to fit in the frame, Manami looked back to the camera, smiling as brightly as she could.
"Alright... say, 'Keyblade!'"
"Keyblade!"
Manami snapped the picture, then lowered her phone to look at the picture. Satisfied, she held up her phone to show everyone.
It was a perfect photo… Manami was at the front and center, surrounded by everyone who helped her get this far, with big smiles on their faces.
"Came out perfect!" She beamed. "Thank you!"
And with that, Manami boarded the Gummi Ship with Ed an Al. They strapped into their seats, Ed taking the pilot's seat. Manami looked out the window to see everyone standing a safe distance away, watching as the ship started it's engine.
Roy Mustang, Riza Hawkeye, and the other soldiers of the Amestrian military gave one final salute as the Gummi Ship began to rise. Soon enough, the ship was hovering over Central Headquarters.
"Alright… prepare for blastoff!" Ed announced, taking the controls.
BOOM!
The Gummi Ship launched into space, leaving behind Amestris... and everyone in it.
As the Gummi Ship flies into space, we are finally welcomed with the title screen: Kingdom Hearts
