"Ugh. The cold sucks." Katrice only groaned with her wearing the thickest winter coat she had and having jeans on to protect her legs and body from the cold nature of Tundratown.
She hated the cold. The snow and the freezing temperature. The ice on the road. She hated it all. Yet she had to bear with it. The red panda was only doing this because of one reason and only for that said reason; it was for her boyfriend. The rabbit who was taking stuff out of the very home he used to live in. Now he was moving away.
He was saying goodbye to the past, for now he had the future to continue on with. His new home was going to be with Katrice. Spazzie was going to have a life going for him, and with the help of his partner by his side he knew he was going to do well. He carried a box full of his games and his console as he gently put the cardboard box in the back seat of Katrice's car.
"I just got one more left and I am done." He said as she stood beside the driver's car door and was ready to lend a helping hand whenever she was needed; even though she felt like she was suffering as Spazzie was not even asking once for any help.
"Good. I can't believe you actually lived in this place." She had her arms crossed together. "How the heck could you handle this freezing cold?!"
Spazzie chuckled to himself. Having on a black winter coat and pants on; his hands having to be wearing gloves. "Well I love the snow and the cold. Give me that warm merry feeling you know?"
"Hopefully you are done before I turn into a popsicle." Katrice shuddered as the rabbit nodded and started to run to the door to get the packing over and done with.
Katrice looked over at her side to see the not so busy streets. It was kind of quiet. The wind humming softly being all she could hear in her ears under her hood. It was odd to see. Usually the place had some traffic due to the ice that needed to be salted or mammals rushing over to get some fish or hot chocolate in stores or cafes.
Must be a slower day in Tundratown than she thought. Something big must be going on if everyone just seemingly vanished. The red panda tried to think of reasons behind this strangeness. A parade perhaps? She never heard it on the news so it most likely isn't that. Maybe a new mall is being announced and being declared open? Again, if it wasn't trending in the news or on social media then it might not be it.
Whatever was going on was getting Katrice's attention; it was both curiosity and her attempt to ignore the cold and the snow around her that fueled her need to know the answer. Knowing Spazzie, he'd probably say something gaming related. Katrice chuckled to herself from what he would say in such a nerdy way possible.
Her train of thought of the many ways that the rabbit gamer would explain why everyone isn't out in the open was stopped as soon as she saw three figures from close by. They passed over the cafe shop that was opened but yet had no mammals inside or outside. The clothing of the three strange mammals were all unique, but also familiar in style.
A tall brown bear was following a red fox vixen and a lion down the walkway. Again, the fashion of their clothing seemed out of this town. Even out of this world. Katrice squinted her eyes and leaned her head forward to get a better look at them.
The brown bear had two red intersecting straps over his gray and black high collared shirt. A strange but specialized looking fashion choice, but his pants were ones Katrice had known about. Hakama. A traditional samurai pants that the red panda had seen and learned in history class. This bear must be some sort of fighter. As soon as she saw his left arm, she saw fingerless gloved armor with only his digits being exposed while his entire arm was protected in a dark gray and dark red mixed in with a golden colored armor. The clanking of his paws showed he also had on armored boots of dark brown and gold.
The fox vixen was Katrice's next focus as she seemed to stand out more than the bear with the armored arm. It was the clothing and the bright color of pink straps being on a black and blue high collared halter top. Her shorts were black too. On her upper arms was small segmented armor as well. The other color that stood out was the blue strips of cloth draped by the side of her hips with black stockings that reached up halfway to her thighs. Like the bear, the fox had on armored boots, but they were silver and were pointed.
The last mammal, the lion, was the reason why Katrice felt some sense of familiarity towards the three. The clothing was one thing, but the lion looked like someone important. Someone they knew. The black and white jacket with the collar being red, the blue eyes, and the style of his yellow mane. The only things that had some standing out was the color the gray vest and his shoes being armored with the choice of color of it being steel blue, gold, and black; not to mention the piece of armor on his left shoulder that stood out.
That lion alone looked like a close friend. Someone they knew. Someone that she and Spazzie haven't seen in a while. Katrice's eyes widened from an idea that popped in her head. It couldn't be. There was no way it could have been him, but Katrice kept trying to deny the doubt. It was him. It was-
"Katrice?" She jumped and turned around to see Spazzie having to pack the last of his things and jump back in surprise from Katrice's response. "Whoa! You ok there?"
She quickly rushed and grabbed him and pointed her finger over to the three mammals who seemed to be busy to not notice the two.
"Spazzie! Do you see that lion over there?" Katrice made the rabbit look and he nodded his head.
"Yeah I see them. Although I gotta ask what is with the armor?" Spazzie said before his girlfriend made him forget that question and start to focus on something else. Something more important.
"Doesn't that lion look like someone we know?" Katrice questioned in hopes that he would remember or that at least she wasn't seeing things because of the coldness getting to her. The faces that Spazzie makes next were the ones that Katrice wanted to see.
Eyes wide. A slight gasp. Disbelief all over his face and body. From how he acted, Katrice figured that he was thinking what she was thinking too.
"No way...is that...Roxas?" It has been a while, but he remembered that lion well from his mane and face and eyes. The clothing was different, but time has changed so maybe it's just a change in wardrobe.
"There's no Heartless around is there?" Katrice and Spazzie looked around them to be sure there were none of those creatures in sight. There was nothing but snow.
"So...if there is no Heartless, then why is he here with new friends?" Katrice questioned aloud with Spazzie being just as conflicted with wanting to find the answer to that just as much as Katrice does.
The lion and his two friends turned over to the curb and started to walk down the empty street. They were in a rush as they went down the sidewalk until they couldn't be seen with the hardware store blocking the red panda and rabbit's view. Roxas and his new friends being here could mean anything. They could be finding any Heartless, or more hopefully, they just might be close to finding Sora. The latter seemed like the right answer; at least to both of the mammals who hoped it was true.
They were curious to know if it was actually happening. That Roxas was able to finally find Sora after all these years. Plus, if he was after Heartless, it wouldn't hurt to try to help out. The keyblades were still in their hands and they were right to duke it out. Katrice and Spazzie looked at each other's eyes and had the same agreement in mind.
"Let's go." They said together with the rabbit shutting the car door and Katrice using her key's button controller to lock the car. The two started to run out and go after Roxas and the other mammals. They looked both ways and saw no cars in sight, so they started to run over to the corner the trio took.
As soon as they got to the hardware store, they hugged their backs against the building with Katrice peeking over. There she was able to see the three mammals looking around. They seemed confused. They looked like they were anticipating something.
"Over there!" The bear yelled out as he pointed over to something that was running into an alleyway. Katrice couldn't see what it was that ran away from the sight of the trio. It wasn't a Heartless but more of a white blur that vanished before the red panda could catch a glimpse of it. The three started to run over to the alleyway as the red panda and bunny made their move and started to run and follow.
Again, everyone wasn't here. Nobody was in the streets and cars were just left in the parking spaces. Something big must be happening or something already happened to create a lifeless ghost town. It made it feel like Katrice, Spazzie, and the three other mammals were the last ones here. The trio went into the alleyway while Katrice and Spazzie started to catch up.
Before the three mammals could move deeper inside the alleyway, Katrice and Spazzie appeared behind and only could say one word together.
"Roxas!" They shouted as the three mammals turned around and saw the two.
The lion cocked his head in confusion and looked weirded out by the mammals. "How do you know him?"
Katrice chuckled softly. "What do you mean?"
"I mean. I ain't Roxas." The lion said with no hesitation to his voice.
Immediately, the two looked surprised as much as the three were. "You...aren't Roxas?"
"No. I'm not. I'm sorry." The lion looked over to the bear to see if he knew them. He shook his head no. Then the lion looked back at the vixen who seemed like her brain's gears were grinding to think of who these strangers could be.
"Wait…" The fox vixen started to cut in the middle of this awkward moment. "Are you friends with Sora and Roxas?"
The two nodded their heads. Immediately this vixen knew who they were; much to the shock of the bear and the lion who was surprised that she knew them.
"I heard from Roxas talking about them. This is Spazzie and Katrice." She pointed over to them as her pals were still confused by the red panda and rabbits presence.
To show off the proof that they were pals of Sora, Katrice and Spazzie started to pull out their special weapons. The Keyblades. They made them appear from the mammals' very eyes and they saw the Keyblades that Sora had with him before in battle. The lion was stunned by the discovery.
"So it is true. He did meet up with the two of you." He paused and quickly changed course "Wait, why are you following us then?"
"We figured you weren't from around here." The red panda pointed out the clothing they wore as one example. The other being the armor looking not so usual for Zootopia to have. The last was the fact they looked like they were in a hurry. Before Katrice could ask a question, Spazzie stepped in with a question of his own.
"If you ain't Roxas, then just who are you?" He wanted to know who this lion was. The lion had such an uncanny look to Roxas and Sora. The rabbit just had to know the answer.
Thankfully, it was going to be answered. "I'm Ventus."
The bear stepped forward to be beside Ventus. "My name is Terra."
Lastly, the fox got her turn to say her name. "Aqua."
They all said they knew of Sora and were good friends to him before he disappeared. That they too were looking for him. Katrice started to say what she was trying to ask the trio. "So with you guys being here, this means you finally found him?"
Aqua looked back behind her and the others to see only a dumpster and Ventus rubbing the back of his head. It seemed like it was too complicated for them to explain. The red panda and rabbit could handle the crazy nature that always comes by whenever they meet Sora's friends, so they could handle whatever was happening.
"A umm...a friend of ours has been able to finally locate him." What the brown bear said made the two mammals feel their minds going blank. So is it really happening? No fighting the Heartless and Nobodies? These mammals finally found Sora after so long? It sounded way too good to be true.
"She can bring him back home after years of searching." Ventus was able to bring hopefulness to their hearts. It was the truth wasn't it? It had to be. Sora was going to come back.
Spazzie started to focus on the dumpster and Aqua who still kept her eyes on it. What was so intriguing about this green trash bin? Granted they might not have trash from whenever they were, but still it was a curiously odd behavior of hers.
"What's wrong?" Spazzie was able to get Aqua's attention. Her reaction was confusion and embarrassment combined. Something about that dumpster really got her full attention.
"Oh u-umm. Maybe it is best that you two should leave." The vixen politely said in a way to not offended the two mammals who seemed taken aback.
"If it's more Heartless, then you know we can take care of them." Katrice flashed the Keyblade in her grip and Spazzie nodded in agreement with her.
"It's not Heartless but something else. Something that we must deal with alone." Terra said in an attempt to plead with the two to leave immediately as he too looked back at the dumpster.
Before they could go, Spazzie had to understand another thing. "Is this problem the reason why everyone has suddenly vanished?"
Ventus stepped in to give the reasoning. "Well, yes and no." He began to explain. "Everyone saw something strange and then a couple of Heartless appeared and almost caused havoc. We were quick to stop them but also stealthy enough to get out unnoticed. The same can be said for her-" He paused as he realized he said too much.
Now, curiosity started to fill the two mammal's minds. The Heartless were after someone? It must be whoever they are trying to find. Katrice was a smart cookie and knew that maybe this stranger was close by. Really close by. Spazzie asked what they meant by 'she'. Was it one of Sora's friends that they were after? Someone with unique powers he bet.
They asked Katrice and Spazzie to go and ignore what they were doing. Terra again demanded that they just go back to what they were doing and let them handle this. Of course, the two were not going to let this slide because if this means that Sora was able to be found, they should at least help out in this case. They couldn't just abandon him. It wasn't in their nature to leave a friend behind.
Before any arguing could be made, the sound of a new voice got everyone's attention.
"Wait."
Katrice and Spazzie never heard that voice before. It sounded like a woman. It was someone new, but to the trio they looked back at the dumpster, the same being said for the red panda and rabbit, as it was where the noise came from. Ventus knew who it was and tried to tell this voice to not show herself.
"But I believe them." The voice spoke out. "I do believe that they really are Sora's friends."
Aqua stepped in to side with Ventus. "By showing yourself, it would mean you would be breaking the Order."
"Still. They have the Keyblades. Sora's Keyblades." The voice wasn't showing hesitation.
"Then they could give us the Keyblades before they leave." They all sounded like they really didn't want Katrice and Spazzie to see this person. Was she like Medusa and her gaze would turn you to stone? Would her presence suck the soul out of you? It was starting to sound more mysterious.
"No. It's ok." As soon as the voice said that, a white leg suddenly appeared from behind the dumpster. The leg was furless. Skin being shown and being white as a cloud. The trio was starting to make a plea to not have her show herself while Katrice and Spazzie watched on from behind.
Seconds later, the voice started to appear right in front of the five mammals. She was finally exposed and out in the open. To the trio, they had a look of being shockingly horrified that she showed herself to the eyes of inhabitants in this world. To the two mammals wielding the Keyblades, they were stunned by the look of this strange mammal. Katrice had no idea what kind of species she was.
White skin, blonde hair, and eyes of blue. Wearing a white dress that reached mid-thigh and wearing light blue sandals. Despite the strange look of her, Katrice and Spazzie couldn't help but put a finger on how she looks like a known being they encountered before.
"N-Namine!" Aqua was overwhelmed by the stranger's actions she just created.
"Guys. I know about the Order, but you know I had to come with you all as myself regardless."
"I-I know." Ventus said while still puzzled. "I know it takes a while for you to blend into a world since you still have bits of Nobodies abilities in you, but we weren't expecting the Heartless to attack us and have you go into that portal and be exposed out in the open."
Namine nodded. "I know." She looked behind the three mammals to spot the ones still holding onto Sora's Keyblades. "It's them."
The trio turned around and looked back at the two mammals who now were in an uncomfortable position. Katrice chuckled awkwardly and Spazzie could only attempt to look up but make himself look more weirded out. Regardless, the trio looked back at Namine who was double positive that those two were the reason why she came here.
"The Keyblades." She pointed over to the Keyblades the two mammals held. "Those are Sora's, correct?" They nodded and she smiled softly. "I knew it. His presence lingers on those two."
Katrice and Spazzie both looked at their weapons. "So, what do the Keyblades have to do with Sora?" Katrice asked as Namine started to walk forward to join Ventus, Aqua, and Terra.
Ventus started to give the rundown of what was happening. "We have decided to look for Sora's Keyblades. With Namine having some of her powers of controlling the memories of Sora still in her after she no longer became a Nobody, we are trying to find all of Sora's Keyblades he had wielded in the past so she could use her abilities to bring him back."
Namine agreed with what he said was true. "My powers still hold on to Sora. By collecting the Keyblades and absorbing all of them, not only would I have all of his Keyblades by my side, but combining my powers of manipulating memories of Sora, there is a high chance that I can bring him back."
"So...the Keyblades are like, keys to his memories?" Spazzie might have sounded stupid just saying that, but Namine was impressed by what he said.
"Yes. Sora had wielded these Keyblades before. By absorbing the Keyblades, I unlock and form his memories and make them into the shape of Sora. By having all of the memories of his past, I can create Sora in my mind and free him from wherever he is and bring him back as himself. Not as a Nobody, not as a Heartless, but as his true hopeful self."
Normally, they would think it was just all crazy talk or just hopeful sayings that maybe they would find him. Yet, an unknown creature saying this made the two feel like this was really going to happen. Sora was finally going to be found and brought back home.
"So...with our Keyblades, can they help him return home?" Spazzie asked as he looked down at this weapon. It helped him with so many battles. Even protecting his girlfriend and even the Kit Kats he cared about. This was not a weapon to him. This was his helper. Losing it would mean if the Heartless were to come back, how could he and Katrice defend themselves? How could they defend everyone?
The pro for giving this girl their Keyblades was a noble cause. The con would mean they would risk having no fighting chance against creatures from another world. It was tough for Spazzie to think about, but for Katrice it was even harder. Spazzie was always there for her, as she was always there for him during those Heartless battles. Her aim was good, and her swinging and sheer willpower to continue was improving. Losing these Keyblades would mean they would go back into being normal mammals that would just run and hide.
They didn't want to be dull. To live a boring life. To lose something that would protect them and keep them safe at all times was something no other mammal could do. Yet they wondered, would this really work? Doubt clouded their minds and hearts as they looked at the weapons and realized that the inevitable had happened; that they would lose the Keyblades forever.
"It will work." Namine got them to focus back to her.
"Are you sure?" Katrice was not always this doubtful, but losing something she would use to protect her family, her boyfriend, and the citizens of Zootopia was one of the biggest decisions of her life.
"Yes. I have hope that it will work." The strange being made Katrice feel easy on her head and chest. As for Spazzie, he still had some doubts.
"I just...I feel like it...it might not work and we would be losing our only thing that makes us unique and helps everyone out."
"With Sora being back, it would mean the Heartless would stand no chance at all. He would be there to keep the Heartless at bay for a very long time." Ventus was sure of it. Aqua and Terra both stood by his side with his heartfelt statement.
"As for your uniqueness." Namine moved close to the two. "Those Keyblades don't make you become you. It's your true self that guides you through." She smiled. "Just follow your heart. That's what I'm doing right now."
It was hard to argue with that logic. For a small pre-teen looking girl of an unknown origin or species, she made a lot of sense with her words. She was believable. They knew she wasn't lying to the two nor was she trying to swindle them out of the Keyblades. They knew that these were important. That these would help Sora and it was the one shot in bringing them back.
Katrice bit her bottom lip. "I always wanted to do good. To protect Spazzie, the Kit Kats, and everyone I knew and loved. I wanted to make up for being so evil and mean back then. I was cruel to everyone, including Spazzie."
Katrice felt a hand gently touch her shoulder. "Yet, you have changed and done so much for me and my friends and even my family."
"Still. I wanted to make up for everything bad I have done." She slightly tilted her Keyblade. "This Keyblade helped fuel my need to do good and to do what is right. To become good and no longer feel like a vile mammal."
Namine tilted her head slightly. "I feel no Heartless energy in you." It sounded like a good thing for Katrice to hear. She doesn't know much about Heartless and Nobodies, but hearing that come from the small creature made the red panda grin.
"Well that is nice of you to hear but-"
"It means you really are a good person, even if you never use that Keyblade." Katrice always had her weapon by her side, but only in the combat with the Heartless and Nobodies did she use it. With everything else she followed her gut, her heart, and did what was right.
Katrice's eyes widened. "So...I can still be doing good deeds, even if it means I can no longer fight for good?"
"Just be who you are today, and never feel guilt. The past is in the past. Holding onto it will ruin your heart. Keep being the mammals that you are right now. Never change." Namine held out her hand and had her palm be exposed to Katrice.
She was right. The red panda didn't need the Keyblade to do good. It was her strong good morale filled heart that made her do good deeds. No Keyblade would do that. Katrice looked at Spazzie and smiled. Without her changing thanks to his help, she would have been lost. A mean vile mammal that would never have true friends. She looked back at the Keyblade in her hand and then looked at Namine's.
"Here." Katrice moved her hand over and gently placed the Keyblade's handle in Namine's hand. Slowly her fingers letted go of the handle and placed it into Namine's palm. The girl gripped the handle and the Keyblade disappeared in a second. Now, it was Spazzie's turn.
Spazzie looked at his Keyblade and saw Namine walk over to him and again placed her hand out to him. He looked conflicted. Like the weight of the world was on his shoulders, which it was.
"You say the chance of Sora coming back is pretty high but...this Keyblade makes me feel different. Like, it makes me into someone else. Someone that isn't...m-me."
Katrice knew of Spazzie's problem. Spazzie was the rabbit who dyed his fur blue and always wore black. Never in his life did he say his true name. Not to his friend and not to his girlfriend. He was a loner. Someone in a colored shell that wasn't ready to let the world see his true colors; figuratively, and literally.
Losing this Keyblade would mean he would have to let go of his blue fur and clothing. He would become the real him, even though the Keyblade made him feel like a completely different mammal with his blue fur intact. In games, he was the warrior. The hero. The fighter that does good. With the Keyblade he felt like his true self without even showing it.
Thinking back on it, it sounds selfish that he wasn't willing to give it a try. Even though he had many chances to change and finally reveal his true name, he just couldn't do it. Katrice was always there to support him, but he still felt fear she would reject him like so many others have.
"You don't have to be afraid." Namine told the rabbit as he looked at her. "Change is good. Being someone you're not is never good. It's a lie that you have to carry with you. It doesn't feel good to hold this lie for so long does it?"
He shook his head. "No...it doesn't." His hand slowly went over to Namine's but stopped. "I never had made this decision before where my whole life would change and I would go back into being myself again...so...I hope this works." He placed the keyblade into her hand.
Her smile grew to the point that a vague showing of pearl white teeth were shown. "I have hope that it will."
Like with Katrice's Keyblade, the weapon disappeared before their very eyes. They signed their fate that will change their lives forever. No more weapons. No more fighting battles with the Heartless. Most likely, no more will Sora and his friends appear again. It was all coming to an end on this very moment on this very day.
Namine took a step back and suddenly she started to have a white aura emitting around her. Head to toe, she was starting to bask in this floating light. Was this her power? Spazzie and Katrice looked on and slightly covered their eyes with their hands. In between the cracks of their digits they saw the bright girl still showing off light.
And then a figure appeared behind her. Black and hidden in between the light. The body and hair were odd to them. They know that body and that style of hair. The missing features were noticeable, but regardless both of the mammals knew who it was. It was him. This was finally him.
"Sora? Is that...you?" They said together before the brightness increased and made them cover their eyes fully.
Seconds passed and there was no sound, but is the brightness still there? Bravely, Spazzie started to peek his eye out. "Katrice." He got Katrice to uncover her eyes and now they both were seeing what they were now witnessing.
Nobody. No one was there. Ventus, Terra, Aqua and Namine were gone in a flash. Where did they go? Did they go to find Sora? Did they teleport away to him? So many questions to be asked, but they were stopped from thinking when they looked to see the mammals were starting to come back into the streets. It was a clear sign to get a move on and leave before someone would question them.
Katrice started to walk with Spazzie as they couldn't happen in a span of ten minutes. They lost their Keyblades, but gained confidence in themselves in the future. Maybe they will get the chance to meet up with that strange being again. Along with her friends. Maybe get the chance to hang out with the others. Maybe Spazzie and Katrice would finally get the chance to meet Sora again. They hoped that they'll return again in just one day.