Chapter 62: Resolve
A/N: I do not own Kingdom Hearts. It is the property of Square Enix and the Walt Disney Studios. I also do not own The Dresden Files, which is the property of Jim Butcher.
This is a creative work that I do not profit off of in any way whatsoever.
Hey, howdy, hey! Welcome, welcome my dearest readers! I hope you all enjoyed the last chapter! I know I enjoyed writing it.
Where were we when we last left our heroes?
Lea had let Amaya, Sora's mother, know the whole story.
Tidus had befriended Hayner, through a competition to eat as many fish tacos as possible.
Roxas and Naminé settled the specifics of their relationship—and promptly got into an "argument" over which of them is the elder twin.
Xion and Kairi reconciled at long last, for their role in fighting each other in the Keyblade War.
Now, we go further on and further in, my friends. Read on, my dears, read on:
oooo
Inhale slowly, hold your breath for five seconds, then exhale for ten seconds. That was the way that Kairi practiced breathing when she couldn't sleep. She wasn't sure why she couldn't sleep. It'd been a wonderful, amazing day. Searching for sea shells with Xion, eating fried calamari for lunch with Roxas and Xion, wading in the shallows and watching the fish swim around their legs and then the dolphins. Tricking Xion into lying down in the sand—only to have Roxas and Naminé help her bury her—had been delightful.
She had spent such little time with Xion and Roxas, especially considering who they were. Sora's Nobody—Naminé's twin. Xion, a Replica, . But that wasn't really who they were—it was what they were. Who they were was something different. Roxas was a boy who could skateboard and ran faster than anyone else Kairi knew, except for Riku. A boy, fiercely loyal, who never went looking for a fight but could hold his own like nobody else. And Xion was achingly kind-hearted. Soft-spoken and sweet, she loved sea shells. She was also desperately ticklish. Kairi grinned to herself as she remembered the way Xion had laughed and shrieked and giggled. For all the talk of how Xion copied powers and abilities, she had definitely inherited both her and Sora's weaknesses.
Xion was asleep now, smushed between Kairi and Naminé, cuddling her stuffed tiger. She and Naminé and Olette had all piled into Kairi's room. It reminded Kairi of when she was younger and how Selphie would spend the night. Late nights of watching the stars and telling stories. Selphie's stories were usually of knights in shining armor rescuing princesses, locked away in towers. Kairi preferred stories of talking animals having adventures.
Kairi's room was not particularly large, even if Daddy did have one of the largest houses on the islands. Xion and Olette had been willing to sleep on the floor, while Naminé shared Kairi's bed. Naminé hadn't liked the idea of special treatment and Kairi had objected to treating guests poorly. The end result was the four of them snuggled on the floor, together, in a "raft" of blankets and pillows.
Was this what it would have been like, had Naminé and Xion been able to grow up properly? Have fifteen proper years instead of fifteen months? Or suppose Kairi had ended up in Twilight Town, rather than Destiny Islands, when she had first been cast off by Xehanort all those years ago? Kairi wasn't sure. She and Olette had started getting along from the start. She hoped they would still have been friends.
What about Olette, then? Kairi turned her head, slightly, so she could check on her friend. Olette had undone her braids before bedtime and her brown hair hung down to below her elbows. She was wearing a borrowed nightgown—apparently, this trip to the Islands hadn't been intended to be an overnight stay. It was still nice—the green nightgown matched Olette's eyes. Olette was one of the New Seven Hearts. That made her a target for denizens of darkness. Kairi did not like that one bit.
Kairi turned her head around so she could at Naminé, wrapped up in blankets. Her blonde hair made her look almost angelic. Naminé was still so quiet and soft-spoken, but she seemed more at ease now than she had been when she first arrived on the Islands. This had always been Naminé's home, even if she didn't realize it. They didn't talk much about what Naminé had been able to feel—if she had even been able to feel—when her heart dwelled within Kairi's. But Kairi had explained it to Daddy—just like Sora had explained who Roxas was to Amaya and Benjiro, when he had first returned to the Islands. If anyone had the right to know about their Nobodies, it was their parents.
And as much as it had hurt—an aching, gaping wound—when Sora had vanished…faded from existence…died right in front of her…there had still been a glimmer of light when they got back to the main island. Daddy had scooped Naminé up in his arms and given her a hug, beside himself with joy over having another daughter to love. Naminé had been speechless.
It hadn't been easy. None of it had been. For ten years, it had just been Kairi with Daddy. Adjusting to three people instead of just two had been a challenge, and that was without Naminé's nightmares. Some nights, not every night, but more than just a few, Naminé would have nightmares. She would pad barefoot into Kairi's room and snuggle under the covers with her. Kairi usually woke up when this happened, but she didn't mind drying Naminé's tears and shushing her back to sleep.
Because Kairi had her fair share of nightmares too. Nightmares of the Fall of the Garden. Nightmares of the Keyblade Graveyard. Nightmares where Sora or Riku or Axel died, trying to save her. Nightmares of Master Xehanort raising his Keyblade and…
Kairi shook her head and bit her lip. She wasn't scared anymore. She really wasn't…most of the time. It wasn't fear keeping her awake tonight, she knew that much. It wasn't grief either…Kairi's heart felt warm.
"Eh…no…"
Kairi's widened as she looked at Xion. Xion looked very tiny under a quill, still in her fairy-made clothing, seeing as she had declined to borrow pajamas. And she was having a nightmare…
"Please…sorry…sorry…help…"
"Shhhh…" Kairi whispered, reaching a hand out to stroke Xion's hair gently. This was just what she would do for Naminé when she had a bad dream. Or what Daddy would do for her when Kairi had a bad dream. "You're alright…you're safe…"
"I can't…no Keyblade…Roxas…"
"Your Keyblade's gonna come back," Kairi murmured, running her hand down to Xion's cheek. "Master Yen Sid's spell won't last forever. You'll have your Keyblade back and everything will be back to normal. Shhh…shhh…"
Xion was exhausted. She'd been the first to fall asleep, and that wasn't even considering that she and Naminé weren't really aware that sleep-overs didn't usually involve much sleeping. But Kairi had seen the bags under Xion's eyes. And the way she held herself, always ready for a fight, always afraid she'd done something wrong. From what Kairi could gather from Axel, they'd been to a half-dozen worlds, fighting and fighting and fighting. They never stopped fighting. Just like Sora and Riku never stopped fighting…
Kairi knew what she had to do.
She needed to join Roxas and Xion on their journey.
oooo
Far from the Destiny Islands, but not so far as to be away outside the boundaries of the Realm of Light, Even slumped in his chair. It was just after dawn in Radiant Garden and Even had spent another sleepless night crunching the numbers for his research. Research into the many worlds spread across the cosmos, research into the nature of being, research of the histories of these realms and where they differed and where they aligned.
For so many years, Even—and for far too long a time Vexen—had done unspeakable things in the name of science. He'd sought knowledge and cared not for the consequences, only for the results. So many had suffered at his hands…even before that damned Xehanort had come, Even's intentions had never been as pure as Master Ansem's. It was fitting then that his atonement be continuous. There was much that he had done that could never be rectified. What he could do, using his vast knowledge to better mankind at the cost to himself, was only natural. Only right. Regaining his humanity had come at a cost and Even had never been one to accumulate a debt and let it go unpaid.
The ringing of a Gummiphone—an eternally, infernally frustrating device, whatever its other practical uses—jarred Even from his state of semi-rest. He fumbled with the machine awkwardly. Even knew well his way around technology, but the sheer size of the Gummiphone made it a bother at best and that was without factoring its numerous buttons that were merely ornamental. And the ringing, if anything, grew louder and louder. Finally, he managed to turn the communication device on.
"Hello?" Even snapped. He felt a twinge of regret at the sharpness of his reply, but he disregarded it. His fatigue could be excused as an explanation for his irritation. Moreover, it was not as if he meant harm.
"Is this a bad time?"
Ienzo. The twinge of regret grew sharper. Ienzo, the youngest of Master Ansem's apprentices. Ienzo…the boy they had taken under their wing. The boy who had been lied to and manipulated and deceived. The boy that Even had helped ruin…all so that his research could be done.
"Ah, Ienzo," Even cleared his throat. Ienzo's expression through the screen of the Gummiphone became more pensive, but surely, he had no idea of Even's own fatigue. "How are you?"
"I've been well," Ienzo replied. "Or at least, I have no complaints for my own sake. There are others who have had it considerably worse than I."
Ah…that would be true. The Keybearers who had trained under Master Eraqus were conducting their own travels and of course Master Riku had taken to searching the worlds for any clue as to where Sora—and for that matter, any number of souls who had vanished under similar circumstances—might be. Even nodded politely as Ienzo described at length the situations that had occurred over the last several weeks. It may have been pernient information to their goals as a whole, but there was very little that was specifically relevant to Even's own areas of expertise.
"With the computers in Disney Castle—or at least those set aside specifically for King Mickey's use—lined up," Ienzo said, "We should be able to travel between Disney Castle as freely as we can with Twilight Town. This should make things considerably easier for Roxas and the others. Tron is particularly interested in being able to communicate regularly with Donald and Goofy."
Ah, yes. Master Ansem's computer program, which served as the MCP for the whole of the computer systems they used, had befriended Sora and his companions some time back. The implications of such a situation were actually rather fascinating—the idea that a computer program itself could have such decision-making abilities that it could form bonds of friendship would have been considered lunacy when Even had first started his research with Master Ansem.
But then again, so too would talk of other worlds, hearts, the heart of all worlds…and goodness only knew how many more things that defied all logic. It was a curious balance, the science of the heart. Even punched the bridge of his nose. He was not in a mood that would lend itself to curiosity at the moment.
"Will the Keybearers be visiting in the near future?" Even asked. "Shall I alert the Master? Inform the Restoration Committee?"
"I don't believe there will be any visits in the immediate future," Ienzo responded. "I just felt it proper to check in, as I will be returning home soon. I did not want to take you by surprise when I arrived."
"Oh, right then," Even nodded. "I shall alert the others of your arrival. Is there anything else?"
"There is one other thing," Ienzo said. "Xion did want me to tell you that she says—"
Even hung up. Xion had recently taken to relaying messages to Ienzo to pass along to him. The messages were never of any significance. They had been mere messages of greetings, devoid of any wit or distinction. And what, pray tell, was preventing her from sending these messages herself? It wasn't as if the girl was unintelligent. Even had more important things to attend to.
Back to the computers then. Back to his research and studies. His knowledge. His purpose. What mattered.
Even knew what he had to do.
oooo
Roxas ran his fingers against the doorframe of Sora's room. There were tiny dents in the wood. Markings of how Sora had grown over the years—each mark for a year. The marks stopped at "fourteen."
"Brother…" Roxas sighed. "Where are you?"
It was jarring, in some ways, being on these islands without Sora. This wasn't new…Roxas hadn't seen Sora since the Land of Dragons, when Mushu had called him up from wherever it was Sora was. Wherever that place was…it wasn't some place they could reach. Roxas's insides tightened with shame. He hadn't given Sora much thought at all lately. It wasn't fair. It wasn't right.
Sora was the only reason that Roxas existed in the first place and he wasn't here. He wasn't home. And it burned in Roxas's heart. It shouldn't be his hand running against the door, it should be Sora's.
Roxas poked his head into Sora's room. Memories flowed back—they were clearer here than they had been in any other world he'd visited in a long time. Almost as if they were his…in a way, they were.
In one corner, hanging up on a hook by the ceiling, was a small wooden boat. It was about the size of his skateboard back home. In the boat were two small dolls…and a very vivid memory….
"What do you think?" You says, holding up the wooden boat. He hasn't named it yet…maybe Excalibur! Or maybe Lancelot! You look from Riku to Kairi and back again. It's awesome, isn't it?! A real pirate ship, just like it all the stories they've been reading! It's cost you two whole months of your allowance on all the art supplies you needed for it. And you had worked with Dad on it too! It's the very best thing you've ever made!
"It's kind of dorky," Riku says as he holds it up in his hands. "The shape isn't right at all. The bow is too pointy, for one thing. And the masts are all wrong. These are supposed to be sails? They look more like flower petals. Or propellers? Is this supposed to be a boat or a helicopter?"
He doesn't like it at all. You feel your stomach tighten up, the way it did last year when Riku dared you to play blitzball and you broke a window.
"I think it's lovely," Kairi says, patting you on the arm. "It looks like a pirate ship. Like Blackbeard! Or maybe Cap'n Kookaburra from the cartoons!"
"Thanks Kairi!" You say. Kairi always knows what to say to make everyone feel better. Kairi's the nicest girl in the whole wide world! She likes your pirate ship and you worked really, really hard on it…but maybe Riku's right that there could be ways to make the ship better. But already Kairi is grabbing it from Riku. The next thing you know, she's tugging out your chair from your desk. She sets one foot on the chair but it's slippery under her sandals. She kicks off her sandals and stands on the chair in her bare feet. But she's too short to reach the hook to hang up the pirate ship.
"Sora!" Kairi calls. "Give me a boost and we can hang up your ship and give it a name…the Sora Ship!"
"That's the worst name for a ship ever!" Riku says. "Nobody names a ship after themselves!"
Riku goes on about what the ship should be named, but you're not paying attention anymore. You stand up on the chair with Kairi as careful as you can. There's not a lot of room for two of you to stand up on it at the same time. You put your hands on Kairi's sides and lift her up—she giggles and oh wow, her laugh is pretty! She manages to hook up the pirate ship to a hook just as your arms are getting tired.
"Heh heh, Sora, that tickles!"
You're not trying to tickle Kairi, but she squirms around and then she bumps her head into yours and you both fall down. But it's not so bad—you land on a pillow…your pillow from your bed. Riku's standing over you, his arms crossed like a grumpy teacher, but he's smiling.
"You two are gonna drive me crazy!"
"Crazy isn't bad," Kairi says as she puts her sandals back on—they're on the wrong feet, but she doesn't seem to notice. "Daddy says that he's crazy about me, because I'm his daughter. Sora, we should make sailors for your ship…"
Roxas groaned as he looked around the room. The floor was clean of dirty laundry, but beyond that, most of Sora's personal belongings were right where they'd been left the last time Sora had been here…actually, most of them were right where they'd been when the world had fallen.
"It's like he's never left," Roxas muttered. "Sora…please, wherever you are, come home."
Everything was still here—the books on his desk. Two books about pirates and a book about astronauts. The little jar with pencils and pens that had stickers of sharks and octopuses. The wastebasket that Sora would try to throw rolled-up bits of paper into. The fishing poles…a broken oar. There was a robot on a shelf…Roxas could remember that Sora had tried to invent a robot for a science fair.
It hadn't worked out, but Sora had been able to keep the robot. From what Roxas could remember, Tidus had also tried to build a robot…and his had melted.
But the memories were here. They were tangible. Roxas shut his eyes and pinched his nose. He knew it. He knew what was going to happen when he opened his eyes.
Slowly, Roxas opened his eyes. And there he was…standing in red clothes and big yellow shoes. Roxas bit his lip. This wasn't real. Sora was older than that now and wore different clothes. But still…he watched as the apparition of Sora walked around his room. Nothing he touched moved…he didn't make a sound. But he did link his fingers behind his head and grin that classic smile.
Roxas brushed back tears and swallowed—the lump in his throat was the size of a cantaloupe. And then Sora faded away…again.
"He's always fading away." Roxas croaked. "He's never here."
"He'll be back, Roxas."
Roxas froze and turned around slowly. Amaya was standing there, wearing a light yellow blouse and floral skirt. Her expression pensive, she pressed a hand to Roxas's cheek and his eyes began to burn.
"I miss him too," Amaya said. "So, so much."
"Leaving it like this," Roxas said, turning back to Sora's room. "I guess it makes sense. This way, it's like he's only gone out to the play island and he's going to come back any minute."
"In a way," Amaya agreed. "Ben and I decided that Sora can clean his room when he comes home. It's not a shrine really. He just said he'd get around to it and then…well, he never did. I'll say this—when he gets home, he's not getting dessert until he finally cleans his room."
"Yeah…" Roxas said. "I guess I understand."
"It's almost time for breakfast," Amaya said. "Come and eat, Roxas. You're a bit peaky."
"I'll be right there," Roxas said. "Thank you, Amaya."
He watched as Amaya turned on her heel and walk down the stairs. Away from Sora's bedroom and into the kitchen.
Roxas held out his hands and summoned Oathkeeper and Oblivion. The Keyblades that represented his connection to Xion and Axel. The Keyblades he had inherited from his brother.
Roxas knew what he had to do.
"All for you, Brother…all for you."
oooo
Early dawn was one of Tyson's most favorite times of day. The stillness provided a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle that his job demanded. Watching the sun rise on the horizon stirred something in his heart. He sipped from a mug of hot chocolate. It was a bit unusual for a breakfast beverage, but Tyson had always had something of a sweet tooth. And the effect with the salty morning air allowed a contrast—salty and sweet, it was like the ice cream that Kairi was always talking about.
The gentle creaking of the wooden beams of his porch alerted Tyson that he was no longer alone. He turned his head slowly and grinned to himself. Brown slippers…pink pajamas…a t-shirt that had once been his, with painted handprints along the front. The princess who had captured his own heart.
"Daddy?" Kairi asked, her voice hoarse from sleepiness. "Do you have a minute?"
"For you, sweetheart," Tyson smiled, as he stood up. "I have a lifetime of minutes. You look like you have something on your mind. Want a walk?"
This had been his method of getting Kairi to open up to him, ever since he had first taken her into his home. A hard day at school? They would go for a walk. A day where she had gotten all the questions the teacher asked right? They would go for a walk. Dealing with an argument her friends were having? They would go for a walk.
The last year or so…maybe more, it hadn't happened as often. It wasn't that Kairi had suddenly started to give him the cold shoulder. But something had been missing—it all came back to this nature of worlds and hearts. It couldn't just be that Kairi was getting older, could it? Tyson didn't like dwelling on the idea of his daughter growing up.
"I'd love to," Kairi said, an uneasy smile spreading across her face. "Daddy, there's something we need to talk about."
Grinning, Kairi stepped out of her slippers, pressed her bare feet against the porch beams and walked down the steps. Tyson trailed after her and took her hand, just as he stepped onto the beach. Kairi's hand was small and warm…even now, she still liked holding his hand. So far as he knew, none of her classmates held their parents' hands.
They didn't talk at first. They only walked. It took a minute to get the proper pace down between the two of them. Kairi was still so much smaller than he was—she had to take three steps to match his two. But the quiet in itself was delightful. The early morning was still enough for them to hear things they otherwise wouldn't. With so few others out and about, Tyson could hear little things—his daughter's deep breathing exercises that she didn't even realize she was still practicing, the shifting of the sand under their feet, the tiny little laugh Kairi gave when a breeze blew a blade of sea grass against her foot. But her laugh didn't last…
"Daddy," Kairi said. "I…I need to go away for a while."
Tyson winced. He wasn't surprised by this new development. Kairi hadn't come from this world. This planet…these islands…they were hers, but she wasn't theirs. Kairi came from a place far away…a world that was millions of miles away. Radiant Garden. And she could wield a Keyblade…a magical sword that could tear apart the stars or build them back up again. A wondrous weapon—that made her a target. For every foul beast and otherworldly demon across the cosmos.
"Daddy?" Kairi's voice began to tremble, just slightly. "Please don't be angry with me. I don't want to upset you."
"You could never," Tyson said gently. He reached out and brushed a few strands of hair behind Kairi's ear. Her eyes were dark from lack of sleep. "Sweetie, you didn't sleep so good?"
"No…" Kairi said. "I felt…I guess guilty. Daddy, I'm not doing my share."
"I don't know about that," Tyson shook his head. "I would say you're doing quite a bit. Everything you did to make Naminé feel like part of the family, everything you've done to make Olette and Xion feel welcome."
"That's what I mean," Kairi sighed. "Daddy, ever since…ever since it happened…I've been here. I've been safe…"
Tyson's fingers tightened around Kairi's. She had been safe before…when she had come home with Sora and Riku. But then she hadn't stayed. She had gone away…to fight. To train for a war. And it had been a very, very close thing that she hadn't come home at all. Tyson wasn't an idiot. He could see the way Kairi would flinch and rub at her back. Where that damned devil Xehanort had sliced her, shattered her, hurt his little girl.
"It isn't fair that others do so much," Kairi shook her head. "And Daddy…if I can help, then I should. I have a Keyblade…"
She held out her hand, but she did not call it forth. As Tyson understood it, Kairi wasn't generally allowed to use her Keyblade unless it was an emergency, or she was training. But she could if she wanted to. The last time she had used it…had been the night she'd said good-bye, right before she left to train. Tyson let go of a breath he hadn't realized he'd taken.
"Daddy?" Kairi asked, her voice fragile. "Please don't be mad."
"I'm not mad," Tyson sighed. "I'm…I'm sad, I suppose. But then again…I don't suppose there's anything I can say that could chance your mind."
They had reached the stairs of the porch. Tyson hadn't realized they'd already returned home. They walked up the stairs slowly, deliberately, until they reached the top. Tyson sat back down in his chair. Kairi stepped up to her slippers, but then shook her head. Turning back, she padded over to Tyson and placed a hand on his knee.
"There isn't," Kairi said quietly. "My mind's made up. I'll tell the others when they wake up."
Tyson smiled at her. He wasn't surprised. As long as he'd known her, as long as he'd had her as his own daughter, Kairi had always been devoted to helping others. It had started small—Kairi sharing her lunches with students whose families weren't as well-off as hers. And then volunteering at the nursing homes—none of her friends but Sora ever joined her for that. Oh, his wonderful daughter. Tyson squeezed her fingers and Kairi smiled back at him, her eyes watery.
Tyson patted his lap and Kairi giggled. She turned around and eased herself down, sitting in Tyson's lap. Memories rushed back to when she was small. For years, after a bad dream or with an upset tummy, Tyson would scoop her up and set her in his lap and Kairi would cling to him. She'd rest her little head against his chest and press her tiny toes against his leg and Tyson would hold her.
"I'm getting too big for this," Kairi murmured, as she squirmed around, trying to fit herself in. "Not fair…"
"Nonsense," Tyson grinned. "You're never going to be too big for your daddy's lap. Let's see…"
He reached out a hand and linked it around her ankles. Gently, he set her feet up further in his lap. His fingers brushed against her soles as he did this and Kairi squirmed even more and started to laugh. Tyson grinned. She'd always been so ticklish. Eventually, Kairi managed to fit herself into his lap. Her head rested on his shoulder, her feet propped over his legs, but she fit. Mostly. Tyson placed one hand around Kairi's shoulders and the other at her ankles, drawing her into a hug.
They didn't talk for a while. The sun was rising higher in the sky now. Dawn was almost over. But Tyson could still enjoy this wonderful morning. This magnificent gift. If Tyson concentrated, he could hear Kairi's heartbeat. He pressed his lips to her temple.
"You won't be alone, Daddy," Kairi said. "And it won't be forever. I'll be back again before you know it."
Tyson tightened his hug. Of course, he wouldn't be alone. Kairi was his darling little girl, but she was only one of two. He had Naminé as well. The daughter he never knew existed for most of her short life, but she was his all the same. Just as Kairi was his.
Tyson knew what he had to do.
He had to let Kairi go.
But not just this second.
oooo
Stupid islands that were a million miles from anywhere…stupid sea…stupid sky…Seifer hated this stupid world. He wanted to smash it up. Burn it. Drown these stupid people in their stupid blood. He gave a snarl of frustration—why weren't they allowed to engage?
The set-up in the jungle had turned into an absolute mess. That little witch had nearly broken his leg back at that temple. If Seifer hadn't been taught to make Dark Corridors—and his were better than anyone else's—he would have been sunk. It still hurt to put weight on it. Oh, how he was going to make that little brat pay.
The gorilla, the elephant, the dinosaurs! None of them had worked against the Keybearers. How could this keep happening? It wasn't fair! Seifer was supposed to be able to beat them! It was his turn! It was his right! He was the biggest and the strongest kid back in Twilight Town but he kept being beaten! By Roxas and Xion…Seifer's guts burned like fire.
But there was hope. Maleficent was smarter than King Mickey realized and they were keeping real close tabs on all the Keybearers. The brat Xion had lost her Keyblade. Gotten it taken away because she was too pathetic to follow the rules that her stupid old Master had set up.
He nodded at Maleficent. She had always done right by him. Even if things weren't working out…he did trust her. She believed in him. She knew he was special, the best. And she offered him powers. The ability to bend the world to his will. She knew what Seifer deserved to have.
"My boy," Maleficent purred. "You do intend to join us?"
"Yeah," Seifer said, crossing his arms. "I'm here, aren't I?"
He looked around the circle. Maleficent was there, as always. So were Pete and the Phantom Blot and the Big Bad Wolf. There was no sign of Eris, but that was fine with Seifer. No sign of that weird rhyming doctor either…which was also just fine with Seifer, since the rhyming could get really annoying. Rai and Fuu were there, hanging back, not saying anything. That wasn't really new from them—they'd never been big talkers, but they used to be doers. Seifer frowned. He'd have to talk to them about that. They'd barely done anything lately. This wasn't their sort of thing but he couldn't abide laziness…
"Yes," Maleficent said. "You are here…and it is going to be time for you to come into your own. Very soon, you will claim new powers as your own."
"Mistress, I admire your determination," The Phantom Blot said. "But these Keybearers have proven to be far more resilient than I imagined. It would appear that every attempt we make against them only backfires."
"In some respects, that is true," Maleficent said. "But the longer you apply heat to iron, the more brittle it becomes. These three are bonded together but the tension between them is tightening. It'll break with the right pressure."
"You said that last time," Pete argued. "And it ain't working. The little shrimpy is in lovey-dovey mode with the runt and they're all about helping each other."
"They've always been that way," Seifer said. It was old news at this point. The little layers weren't able to do anything by themselves
"Why can't we build our own army?" Seifer scowled and crossed his arms. "Those lamers are nothing special—Xion was made in a lab. That crazy doctor has a lab."
"A lab that is now completely destroyed, utterly compromised," The Phantom Blot shook his head. "But there could be merit in that idea…"
"Eh, I dunno," Pete grunted stupidly. "None of us has ever done much making stuff that was never living to be alive."
"There are ways, of course," Maleficent said, "To break the bonds of life and death and to break the laws of nature. With that in mind, the other abnormalities could prove the key to that…imagine if you will, an army that we create. An army that we control—completely. The Heartless…they seek out the darkness in hearts. Even our own hearts are not immune to falling to their claws."
"Where you goin' with this?" Pete asked. "Are we building a giant robot?"
"No," Maleficent shook her head. "We have no use for such beings. What we need…is someone who can create a doll."
Seifer shrugged to himself. That was beyond his pay grade. But it didn't matter that much what was their next plan, so long as it actually started working. He wanted to taste those lamers' fear.
There had never been anything for Seifer in Twilight Town. Nothing that was worth anything at least. There wasn't any way to learn magic. No way to show his greatness in ways that made a real difference. It was a stupid town, just like these islands were stupid islands.
As long as those pathetic, worthless, useless, nothings lived, then Seifer would never be able to reach the greatness he deserved. He held out his hand and summoned his mordite sword. It may not be soon, but he'd get his chance.
Seifer knew what he had to do.
A/N: Here we are my dearest readers! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Giving insight to characters' motivations is always a good time for writing.
Thank you for reading my dearest readers. Please leave a comment if you're so inclined!
I appreciate each and every one of you!