Disclaimer: All Disney works are the property of The Walt Disney Company. All other characters and settings are the property of their respective legal owners.
Author's note: Originally posted by Anon e Mouse Jr. on 2018-02-04. This is the first of two chapters posted today.
Disney/Kingdom Hearts Loops, Chapter Thirty-Two
32.1 (wildrook): [Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir]
Marinette had Awakened that night, still trying to figure out how to manage her life in a constant time loop. At least, not one that involves an Akuma or, as Adrien would call it, Chloe managed to ruin someone's work and now we have an Akuma running around.
Speaking of, she was waiting for him to show up, regardless of whether he went as himself or Chat Noir. In public, they just went Baseline, but at night, it was the perfect time to be themselves.
"Sorry I kept you waiting, my Lady," a male voice said, appearing as himself, Plagg sticking out of his head. "There was a last-minute photoshoot when one of the guys got sick, so I had to step in."
"You could have just called her," Plagg muttered. "Really, cell phones exist for a reason."
Marinette chuckled. "If it helps," she said to the cat Kwami, "I managed to get your favorite kind of cheese to make up for it, Plagg."
"Then again, I shouldn't be complaining if your host is offering snacks." He then sped towards the kitchen.
Tikki, from Marinette's room, sighed. "Always with the cheese, Plagg," she said, before looking at the two. "Although you guys are taking this whole 'non-Akuma Time Loop' thing pretty well."
"Kind of have to make the most of it when the two of us happen to be repeating the same events over and over," Adrien replied, looking awkward. "Still, why'd you reveal your identity to me when you said you didn't want to compromise it?"
Marinette just sat down on her chair. "I almost didn't," she replied, "but considering that the two of us were going to be stuck together for who knows how long until the next person Awakens and me being Anchor, I would have gone mad from the isolation until Ayla and Nino Awaken." She then gave out a nervous chuckle. "And now I'm imagining their reactions when they find out about us being superheroes."
Adrien was just chuckling. "Yeah, I don't know about Nino, but when Ayla has that website about you and only realized that until that point, she didn't think that Ladybug herself was going to be her best friend." That brought out a lot of interesting scenarios for them to consider. "Although now that we know each other for real, spending time like this is better than dealing with these repeats alone."
Plagg then floated upstairs with the cheese slice on hand. "So," he said, "is there a reason why you two decided not to pursue a relationship?" That caused both heroes to blush and slightly glare at Plagg. "What, I'm just wondering."
"Plagg," Tikki said, "keep in mind that everyone else would be suspicious about them if Marinette suddenly glomps Adrien in front of the student body."
"Tikki's right," Marinette regaining composure. "We only found out about each other being Ladybug and Chat Noir recently, and there'd be questions from everyone on how I'm very close to Adrien Agreste even before I met him and thought he was one of Chloe's underlings."
"That," Adrien added, "and...well...finding out that your personal Love Triangle isn't one from our point of view is still a bit of a shock. If anything happens, we're taking it slowly. Although, I can say that I've been progressing with...cat-like tread." There were three groans. "What? I only save the good ones for when I'm Chat Noir."
Marinette just looked at Adrien with a deadpan stare. "Speaking of, I'm aware that you and Chloe have a history together due to being, well… rich. Was there ever a moment when she was nice?"
"That's the weird part. I know Chloe tends to inadvertently cause Akuma to spawn, but when it comes to me knowing her, that kind of varies from Loop to Loop. She's still a fan of Ladybug, though."
Not a surprise. There have been instances where your high school tormentor happens to be your biggest fan without knowing it, but she was hoping that there would be good traits. Maybe when the Next Expansion comes out, she wouldn't have to deal with Antibug.
And that would mean Chloe would also have a chance of getting caught in the Time Loops.
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Marinette said, looking at the others. "Right now, I'm checking Ayla's Ladybug site for any strange activity so Ladybug and Chat Noir can arrive on the scene."
"So, looking for Akuma attacks?" Adrien asked her, sitting on the bed. "I always thought tailing who Chloe angered would have been an easier method, but when some things don't act the same as normal..."
"Yeah, I'm trying to make sure I don't unleash Vulpina again." She gave him a look. "Now I'm wondering what would happen if Ladybug was her actual friend and she doesn't know it."
Adrien then shrugged. "You could always let her down gently," he said. "That, and she wouldn't be wrong since she's making friends with you."
"So," Plagg said, interrupting the two as he walked out of the closet, "is there a reason why there are several pictures of Adrien in here?"
That got them to stop in their tracks when they saw the open door of the closet, revealing the shrine. Marinette started blushing redder than a tomato as Adrien's thoughts were more of 'Wow, did I really impact her life that much?'
"Plagg," Tikki muttered, "start running. Now."
"Why, wha..."
And the night in Paris just had just got livelier as Marinette was chasing Plagg while Adrien and Tikki were watching with different expressions.
"So," Adrien said, looking at Tikki, "how long did she..."
"Since you gave her that umbrella," the ladybug Kwami replied. "We kind of forgot to destroy it after she Woke Up."
Adrien gave out a smile as the Ladybug in civilian form was chasing Plagg. 'Well,' he thought, 'considering how things turned out, at least she's more civil than some of my more… disturbing admirers.'
32.2 (Evilhumour): [Lion King]
Kovu looked at Kiara and then at their cub and tried not to show any negative reaction.
Kiara let out a tiny sigh, rubbing her face as Yggdrasil tried to be funny again.
Simba just enjoyed being a cub when he could. He was sure that Kiara would do a good job running the Pride Lands like other times.
32.3 (Evilhumour): [Lion King]
Simba let out a groan, stretching as he woke up in the normal sense, having Woken up as a youth with Timon and Pumbaa. That meant Scar was dealt with earlier, he was with Nala sooner, and Kiara was born -
There was some scratching from near the far end of the den, causing his ears to perk up. Padding around softly, he tilted his around the corner to see two certain cubs parting from each other, telling him both Kiara and Kovu were Awake and up to no good.
Puffing out his chest and screwing the best smirk on his face, he went over what he would say. He had a fatherly duty to do, after all -
"No." He felt a tug on his tail. Turning back, he saw his mother grinning at him. "Allow me," she said, tilting her head for him to go back to the den proper. He began to do so when he heard Sarabi said, "Kiara, there you are. And who is your little friend?" There was a pause, Kiara being too soft spoken for him to hear but Sarabi then said, "Oh what a nice name, Kovu. Come, let me introduce you to Simba; I think he is still sleeping, but I'm sure he'd love to meet your new friend."
With a giggle on his lips, Simba darted back to his place and enjoying the fact his mom was still very good at embarrassing her granddaughter.
32.4 (Evilhumour): [Lion King] / [Star Wars]
Simba Plainwalker glared up at Darth Scar, his lightsaber pointed straight at the Sith Lord.
Darth Scar laughed darkly with his rebreather and said, "Simba, you do not yet realize your importance. You have only begun to discover your power. Join me, and I will complete your training. With our combined strength, we can end this destructive conflict and bring order to the Serengeti."
Simba Plainwalker growled at him, "I'll never join you!"
Tsking and shaking his head, Darth Scar replied, "If you only knew the power of the Dark Side! Rafiki never told you what happened to your father."
Simba paced around the small platform, his weapon still pointed directly at him. "He told me enough! He told me you killed him!"
The Sith seemed to loom in, his face hidden behind the mask. "No," Darth Scar said, almost purring with delight. "I am your father."
Horror and fear struck the young Jedi, shaking his head back and forth. "No... that's not true! That's impossible!"
With an outstretched arm, the elder Plainwalker said, "Search your feelings. You know it to be true."
Simba was about to let out a massive cry of denial when he Woke up. He blinked, and looked around, quickly put two and two together and let out a cry of, "AGAINNNNN?!"
32.5 (Awesomedude17): [Inside Out] / [Postal] / [Half-Life]
"So let me get this straight. Your emotions are sentient and are living inside your mind?" The trench coat wearing redhead asked.
"Yes." Riley confirmed.
"Sounds like a unique Anchor we've got here." Gordon Freeman rolled his eyes. "Unique isn't interesting though."
"This isn't the first time people were skeptical..."
"Skeptical?" The Postal Dude raised an eyebrow. "Have you even heard one percent of the things that happen in my world in Baseline? This is nothing."
"No, we're both in agreement that your condition isn't interesting." Gordon said.
"So, what now?" Riley shrugged.
"Well, you could check what's inside one of our heads. I'm pretty sure Gordon's not right in the head."
"Up yours, Dude. And do we even have a way to do it?"
"Phineas and Ferb managed. I've got a few copies." Riley held up a few devices.
"...Touché, young girl."
The three hooked up.
Riley looked around and saw the usual orbs that peppered memories. Something tapped on her shoulder.
"Ah!"
"Relax, I am not in the mood for killing random stuff... now."
Riley stared at the guy who clearly resembled The Postal Dude, but was off in more ways than one.
"I know what you're thinking and yes, I'm the evil voice in his head." The Dude(?) said.
"...Okay?"
"Anyway, looks like you're dicking around for the usual Looper stuff, let's get you to the good stuff." The Dude? moved towards a random direction. Riley, still wary of him, carefully followed.
"For Christ's sake Gordon, clean up up here. The Bitch wasn't this disgusting." The Postal Dude shuffled around some random booze and drug containers that littered the halls somehow. "Fuck. I'm going to have to complain to the bosses here. Where the fuck's headquarters?" The Dude walked to a random elevator, hoping that's the right one.
"Hockey girl, eh? She'd probably do well in Canada. God knows she'll need to considering who's going to take over the people. The answer, a giant douche. To be fair, his opponent was a turd sandwich, so it's not like he had to try. I'm rambling again, aren't I." Gordon blinked as he saw an elevator. "Let's hope there's no explosives blocking my way when I get off, again. Christ knows I get enough of that in Baseline."
Riley blinked at the surprisingly green headquarters that was The Postal Dude's.
"More disgust, because Gordon Freeman." A male voice said.
"Probably some more anger." A more gruff male replied.
"Isn't it weird that Fear and I don't do anything here?"
"Sadness, we've grown tired of the world. This Looping business is merely another reason to just accept the status quo." The first voice replied.
"Hehehe... Wait, I sense a disturbance." The five emotions turned to see Riley and The Postal Dude?. To Riley's confusion, they all wore shades and had red goatees.
"Great, he's back!" The Dude's Anger facepalmed.
"I take it you're The Postal Dude's emotions?" Riley asked.
"Yeah, I guess." Fear replied, seemingly bored.
Riley knew this would be awkward.
To say that the Dude was surprised would be a lie.
To say he was annoyed was more of an understatement.
"So you're the ones in charge of Gordon's emotions."
The emotions for Gordon Freeman were, to put it bluntly, even more immature than the actual man. The glasses and beards of the five clearly painted them as Gordon's for sure.
"Duh! We've been trying to figure out who will take the reins this time." Disgust said as he wrestled with Joy.
"And Sadness is pretty sure he's going to sit this one out." Anger replied as he wrestled with Fear.
"It is stupid to react to finding another's sentient emotions with sadness. As is fear, anger, disgust and joy."
"You're the only sane one, aren't you?" The Dude asked.
"Someone has to be."
"Fuck me."
"Yep. Fuck you."
Riley's emotions were all Awake. So when someone burst into headquarters, their reactions were clear cut.
"I'm here! What do I see? Surprisingly, nothing surprising." Gordon's presence alone made Anger growl.
"I really want to use that word."
"Hold out Anger, we can do this!" Joy reassured.
"Hey, we're seeing The Dude's headquarters." Disgust pointed out.
"And from there, we're seeing Gordon's headquarters! ... Wow, he really is nuts." Fear blinked at the sight of wrestling emotions.
"Uh, duh, no shit Gordon's nuts." The Dude? scoffed. He walked up to the terminal and pressed a button.
"So this is what his emotions look like? I'd say I'm disappointed, but then again, he always was one."
"Yeouch! Dick move." Anger remarked negatively.
"What was?" Riley asked.
"Well..."
"So this is what his emotions look like? I'd say I'm disappointed, but then again, he always was one." The Postal Dude coughed as his voice changed back to normal. "Sorry, not sorry."
"What was with your voice?"
"Oh, that was just my evil voice taking over briefly." The Postal Dude coughed again. "And let me tell you, I'm bored as hell. Riley, you can hear this, end this now before I strangle someone."
"Aw hell naw, Dude! You ain't talking shit about my sanity. My sanity is the best around! Nothing's ever gonna keep me down!" Gordon spat out.
"Yeah, nuts to this." Anger punched out Gordon, and then activated the comm to Riley. "Riley, this is pointless. Stop this now before Gordon comes to."
"Yeah, I can see where you're going with this."
The device deactivated and the three woke up.
"Well that was a complete waste of our time." Gordon complained.
"Agreed."
"Eh, I'm sure we got some stories to tell from that." Riley replied.
"No we do not." The other two countered.
"...Yeah, you're right. That was pointless."
32.6 (Firehawk242): [Moana]
Moana stared at the all too familiar boat in the cave. Fine. She'd done this once before. She'd do it again. She go on this quest as many times as she had to until she finally made things right. She turned and headed for the beach.
"Grandma," Moana said.
"Yes?" the woman dancing with the mantas in the ocean said.
"I'm leaving the island," Moana said.
"Oh?" Tala said. "What for?"
"I'm going to find Maui and return the Heart of Te Fiti."
"So bold," Tala said. "So why are you telling me this?"
"Because I need the Heart," Moana said. "I know you have it."
Tala turned and looked at Moana. "Yes I do," she said with a smile, pulling her necklace over her head before handing it to her granddaughter. "The Ocean gave it to you when you were a girl you know."
"I know," Moana said, fastening the necklace and its precious contents around her neck. "The Ocean chose me to return it to its home."
"The Ocean knows best," Tala said. "Though I wonder how you know so much." She turned and continued her dance with the mantas. "When I die, I'm going to come back as one of these. Or else I chose the wrong tattoo."
"You didn't," Moana said. "Goodbye, Grandma."
"Good luck on your voyage, little one," Tala said.
Moana gathered food from the storehouse, then made her way to the boat, grabbing Heihei along the way. The chicken had been with her the first time. He might as well come along this time. She went for the boat and put her food in the cargo hold, stuffing Heihei in for good measure. A few quick pushes and the boat was in the water. She sailed through the waterfall and headed for the open ocean.
"Ocean, take me to Maui please," Moana said.
This time Moana managed to actually land her boat properly without nearly getting killed by a storm. She stepped off the boat a started looking for Maui. He wasn't exactly hard to find, what with being a boulder of a demigod.
"Hey, the Gods have sent me a boat!" he said upon catching sight of the boat. "And... a girl?"
Moana closed her eyes and breathed once. "I am Moana of Motonui. You will board my boat, sail across the sea with me to retrieve your hook, and then help me return the heart of Te Fiti."
"Oh, a fan!" Maui said.
Moana promptly smacked him with her oar. "Boat. Now."
"Hey, hey, sorry, but I think you meant to say, thank you," Maui said.
Moana whacked him with the oar again. "No. No I did not. Now get on my boat."
"Okay, okay," Maui said. "Yeesh, what is it with princesses these days? So feisty."
"I'm not a princess," Moana said. "Now get. On. The boat."
"Okay," Maui said. "But I'm not going back to Te Fiti, you got it?"
"Okay then," Moana said. "In that case, let's go back to Te Ka."
Maui turned and looked at her. "You're insane."
"No," Moana said. "Insane would be following the advice of a guy who tried to trap me in a cave, steal my boat, eat my chicken, throw me off the boat, throw away the Heart of Te Fiti, throw himself off the boat to get away, abandon me to the Kakamora, use me as bait for a giant evil crab, and then abandon me when I needed him most. Oh, and peed on my hand. But you're not that guy, right?"
"What are you talking about?" Maui asked.
"Just get on the boat," Moana said.
"Ocean, take us to the realm of Monsters please," Moana said.
"Do you even know where the entrance to that is?" Maui asked.
"That way," Moana said, pointing. Then she adjusted her aim slightly. "That way."
Maui stared at her. "Okay then. Let's go get my hook."
"Let's grab the hook and go," Moana said.
"What, you think I can't take Tamatoa once I have my hook back?" Maui asked.
"No," Moana said. "I don't."
Maui blinked. The tattoo on his chest pulled out a scoreboard and put a third line under Moana's name. Maui's side was empty. "Okay, where'd she get the other two from?" Maui asked. The tattoo shrugged.
"Okay, so we have my hook back," Maui said. "Thank you for that. I guess."
"And now you're going to help me give Te Fiti her heart back," Moana said.
"Yeah, no," Maui said.
"Yes, you are."
"No, I'm not. You're on your own, princess," Maui said.
"You know, you're just as annoying the second time around as you were the first," Moana said.
"What?" Maui said.
"At least this time I don't need you to teach me how to sail," Moana said.
"I taught you how to sail?" Maui asked.
"Yes," Moana said. "This is the second time I've done this. You were just as annoying then as you are now. I only managed to convince you to help me the first time by promising you you'd be a hero again."
"I am a hero!" Maui said.
"No," Moana said, turning to glare at him. "You were a hero. Now you're just a selfish man too scared to fix his mistake."
"I-" Maui stopped, unable to come up with a response to that. On his chest, a fourth line was added under Moana's name. "Okay, seriously, where did she get those first two points from?"
"If you want to leave, go," Moana said. "I can return the heart to Te Fiti on my own. Or you can come along and be a hero again."
Maui sat there on the boat, blinking in shock.
Before Maui could answer, they were interrupted by a shark emerging from the water with a flying leap that cut the ocean's surface with unnatural grace. The great predator descended toward the boat, but before it could crash into it, the shape of it changed, like water melting into ice, to a man - old, but strong, and taller even than Maui. Maui scrambled to his feet. "Lord Kamohoali'i," he said.
Kamohoali'i ignored the demigod and turned to look at Moana who was too busy staring in shock. "What have you done?" he demanded.
"Um, I got Maui back his hook?" Moana said.
"Not that," Kamohoali'i said. "You live. You are mortal. But you have you have no end. What have you done?"
"I... I don't know," Moana said.
The shark god stepped closer, looming over the girl. "You have not stolen my water. That much I am certain of. How is it that you have no end?"
"I don't know, lord," she said. "I just went to sleep one night and woke up a few years earlier."
Kamohoali'i stared at her. "You speak the truth."
"Yes, Lord Kamohoali'i," Moana said.
"You seek to return my sister's heart."
"Yes," Moana said.
"You know she is raging and will not hear reason."
"She heard me before," Moana said.
"Then perhaps you are special," Kamohoali'i said. He turned to Maui. "Help this human, and your crime will be forgiven."
"But I -" Maui began, only for his tattoo to jerk his body then glare at him. "Yes, Lord."
"Good," Kamohoali'i said, then jumped into the ocean, turning back into a shark as he did so.
Maui stared after Kamohoali'i as he cut the water again, barely causing a splash. Finally, he turned around to face Moana again. "So, looks like I'm helping you," he said.
"That's not good enough," Moana said. "If you're going to come with me, I need to know that you mean it. I need to know that I'm sailing with Maui, not just some demigod with a magic fishhook. So, you tell me." Moana stared at the demigod, her eyes burning into him. "Are you ready to be Maui again?"
Maui blinked, then steeled himself. "Yes," he said.
"Good," Moana said. "Then let's go to Te Fiti."
"You said we did this before?" Maui asked.
"Yes," Moana said. "What about it?"
"Did we get along any better the first time?"
"Not really," Moana said, pulling on the rope. "Not until after we got your fishhook and you figured out how to shapeshift properly again."
"So I guess you know all about me at this point," Maui said.
"Pretty much," Moana said.
"You've put up with me twice now?"
"This time I hit you with the oar a few more times," Moana said.
"You seem grumpy," Maui said.
"I risked my life to find you, get back your hook, and return Te Fiti's heart. I go home. I lead my people back onto the ocean. A few years later I go to sleep and suddenly I'm right back where I started. Wouldn't you be grumpy?"
"Yeah, I guess I would," Maui said. "I have a question."
"What?" Moana asked.
"What will you do if you have to do this again?" Maui asked.
Moana looked at him. "I'll do it again. And again if I have to. I'll do it as many times as I have to to protect my people."
Maui stared. "Well. Guess we better get started."
"We'd better," Moana agreed.
32.7 (Masterweaver): [Moana] / [Bionicle]
Moana gave a sigh, sitting on the edge of her clan's canoe and staring into the starry skies. "Hey, Ocean?"
A tentacle of water jutted up, tilting curiously.
"You've been around a while. What would you do if... everything you worked for, all you loved, got erased?"
The water shivered. Then, slowly, it leaned forward, peering eyelessly at her.
"...sixteen. Sixteen times... After I restore her heart, it's different in some ways, but I always end up back on Motonui." She let herself fall back. "I don't know, Ocean, I don't know what's happening, I just... I wish I had an explanation."
Slowly, the tentacle of water slithered around her head. She felt the current stroking her curly hair.
"...I know you'll always be here. But I'll go to sleep, and when I wake up... you'll have forgotten everything. The world itself will have forgotten. I like exploring the changes, but..." She yawned. "...Ocean?"
The tentacle leaned back.
"Are you... a boy or a girl? I never thought to ask..."
For a moment, the water was still. Then it splashed her face indignantly.
"PFFFT-okay! Okay. Stupid question, I get it." Moana shook her head. "I dunno. I guess I just thought... I don't know what I thought..."
Her eyes slowly flickered shut.
"Back to the island... back again... Ocean... say hi to Maui..."
Her eyes...
Opened? No. They didn't quite-open wasn't a good word. They weren't working and then they were, but it was less as though they were behind lids and more like they simply surfaced...
She had eyelids, yes, but they weren't... part of her face. Except they were. It was like she had a second face... over her face? A mask, except... she could move it. Make expressions with it.
Moana reached to feel at it-but stopped, staring at her hands. They were oddly shaped, her palms... almost angular, her thumb jutting from a sphere attached to one corner, and her fingers-partially fused, she could see they were separate, but up until the first knuckle it felt like she only had three digits per hand. An odd, blue carapace covered the core, but her fingers were... shiny grey? She could see bluish purple muscles twitching in the gaps..
She patted herself, up, down, all over. The same blue carapace formed shells around her feet, her waist, her chest, her forearms. And stranger still, where they did not cover, it seemed as though her bone and muscle were exposed-but who had ever heard of shiny grey bones?! She felt... something move in the bones when she moved, like, like... she didn't have the words.
Moana's eyes darted around the hut she'd found herself in. It was green, as though-it was made of leaves. Leaves and seaweed, and how did she know that-why did she remember making this? Why did... memories. Memories of strange beings like her, with glowing blue eyes, working together to make this place, to battle away monsters, to... to gather food? But they didn't eat, they just absorbed... energy, what?
Letting herself fall back on the bed-bed, bed, why a specific place to rest, why not just a blanket on the floor like reasonable people-Moana tried to calm herself. It was... it was a new world. Yes. That was it. A new world, a new... adventure, yes. That was how she should approach this. Yes. She didn't know where or even what she was. She had questions. And finding the answers...
"Okay. I can do this."
Pushing herself back up, she swung her legs out of the bed and let her feet hit the ground. It was only then Moana realized something important.
"...Why am I so short?"
Moana meandered through the village of odd blue crab-shelled skeleton midgets, nodding absently at the others milling around in their daily lives. She had looked at her own reflection in the water-her mask to feature a heavy ridges on the forehead and a powerful chin, though in the pale blue color it certainly looked more feminine. Shaking herself, she continued to where her... strange memories said the village elder was. Or was she the village chief? This Nokama filled both roles in her memory, which... couldn't possibly be as long as she thought it was. Still, she might have some way Moana could find answers.
Or at least a job.
"Um. Excuse me? Turaga Nokama?"
The robed figure turned from her tablet. She looked, at first glance, more frail then the others around, as though age had eaten at her shell and weathered her mask, but she was taller than Moana if only slightly, and something in her stance suggested that age had granted far more than it had taken away.
"Ah, yes... hmm." Nokama tilted her head. "Moana, I believe?"
For a moment Moana was startled... before she recalled that, somehow, her name had stayed the same. "Yes. I... I was wondering about something."
"Well, no matter how loopy your question might sound, I'm always awake to indulging curiosity."
"Okay..." Moana frowned, wondering at that sentence. "So. Do... do you think, in our dreams... it's possible to visit other worlds?"
"Hmm." Nokama put the tablet down on a nearby desk. "Perhaps. Although, the question then becomes, are we dreaming, or simply awake in another world?"
Moana swallowed, or tried to, before remembering she didn't actually have anything to swallow with. "Well, I... I've been having this recurring dream, where... I'm on the ocean. And I'm trying to return... a heart, to a goddess, and get a demigod to help me, and every time I do I come home and we all go exploring, but... it always starts over, you see."
"...How many times have you had this dream?"
"Sixteen times, turaga."
That seemed to get Nokama's attention. "Only sixteen? Well, well. You are young, aren't you?"
"...what?"
"And the ocean would... yes, I believe I have the answers you seek." She glanced at the sun. "Though, perhaps, we should wait for nightfall. I do believe we are going to experience some excitement in a moment."
"Excitement? What do you-"
A giant lizard suddenly burst from the water, massive fists pounding at the bridges between the floating huts. Moana jumped, but Nokama merely chuckled. "Right on schedule."
"What - you were expecting this?"
"Later." The turaga jabbed her trident into a small stone, and a hole opened in the center of the communal lilypad they were standing on. "You could stay and fight, but I suggest you join the others in the sunken chamber."
"But-" Moana looked from the stream of midgets clambering into the hole, to the wizened figure hobbling toward the dangerous lizard. "What about you?"
"Don't fret, young one, I've had many years of experience dealing with unruly rahi." Nokama straightened up. "Excuse me sir, do you have a demolition license?"
That bit of nonsense seemed to anger the lizard, and it lunged at her. Moana flinched, expecting to hear the crunch of carapace... and then gasped when she saw Nokama merely sidestep the attack and lightly poke her trident in the reptile's ear.
"Quite uncalled for. Proper documentation is important!"
For a few moments Moana could only watch as the elderly figure... played with the giant lizard trying to kill her. Then a passing somebody grabbed her wrist and dragged her into the pit.
The time spent with the other crab skeleton midgets-matoran, they were called-was an experience. Trapped with them in an underwater chamber, until another matoran-a red one, and she realized the first male she had seen-fixed the gears, and then a giant splashed out of the water and drove the lizard away. Nokama seemed to know this giant, they acted as old friends... Moana heard her name slip between the two, before the giant stood tall, twirling two fish-hooks (each only half as large as Maui's, but with a strange elegance his lacked) and moving to the shore.
The rest of the day was spent repairing their home. This, at least, was familiar to her-storms would sweep across Motonui on occasion, and while the materials were quite different, the methods were similar. Nokama passed by her as she made her rounds, pointing at a cliff-side telescope-"When the night falls, meet me there." And then swept on, as though she had said nothing. She didn't quite socialize with the other matoran. They noticed, but dismissed her reluctance as being unbalanced by the events of the day.
Sooner than expected, most of the villagers retired to their huts, granting her good evening and murmuring excitedly about the arrival of the giant, who they called Toa Gali. The words felt familiar, but they seemed strange to her, a reflection of the language she spoke distorted through a tumultuous sea. Moana's questions only grew more numerous when the stars came out-not the familiar stars that hung above her ocean, but a stranger pattern of lights and darkness, with a dull red speck oriented right above the island proper.
She could barely keep herself together as she crossed the green bridge to the beach, rushing across the sand and clambering up the steps carved into the side. When she reached the top, she took a moment to breathe, to stand, to look around.
Nokama was sitting on the other side of a sandpit, looking right at her.
"...So." Moana stepped forward. "Here I am."
"Here you are." The elderly figure gestured across the pit. "Please."
"Huh?"
"Take a seat, if you like."
"Oh." Moana stepped forward, sitting down across from her.
"...Might I ask your name?"
"It's... Moana."
Nokama sighed. "It's Moana here. What is your name in the world of your dreams?"
"It's still Moana." She fidgeted. "That much hasn't changed, at least..."
"...is it now." The turaga stood. "And you sailed across an ocean with... a demigod, you said."
"Yes. Maui. Have you heard of him?"
"Hmm. Yes, I... well. That story is long, and is not the story that has the answers to your question..." She gave Moana a long look. "It may be presumptuous of me to assume, but..."
Silence descended for a moment or two.
"No. The basics, first, then we can talk." Nokama lowered the trident to the sandpit, smiling. "Now how would Vakama start this... 'In a time, before time.' Heh."
Moana watched as she sketched an image out, the points of the trident twisting and twirling with masterful elegance. "Um..."
"In a time before time, in a place beyond places, in a realm outside realms, there is a tree. A great tree. An ancient tree, known as Yggdrasil." Nokama backed off, nodding at the image before her. "It has many branches. The branches have many leaves. And each leaf... you don't have books, do you?"
"What?" Moana looked up. "I... don't know what a book is."
"...a scroll, then. Each leaf is a scroll, filled with the history and possibility of an entire world. And as leaves are alive, so too are the scrolls-they are not merely records of a reality, but the reality itself, they are the everything that the inhabitants know. This is the purpose of Yggdrasil; to be everything. To support everything. And were its purpose fulfilled, we who live in these worlds, these scrolls, these leaves, would notice nothing and live our lives oblivious to the greater scheme."
Moana frowned. "But... we have noticed."
Nokama nodded, leaning on her trident. "Yes." Suddenly her foot shot down, kicking up the sand and letting it scatter over the tree's image. "Yggdrasil has fallen ill. Why, it is unclear, perhaps a cosmic lightning strike, perhaps sabotage, perhaps... something else. The gods themselves, who are as reliant on the tree as we are, work tirelessly to repair the damage, to heal the tree, but at the same time... they cannot let an infinity of worlds die. Which is why they have chosen a novel solution."
"The... reoccurrences? The repeats?"
"The loops, yes. Time, in any world, is allowed to extend and move up to a certain point-and then it is sent back, so that the leaf does not grow, but still lives." Nokama shrugged. "It has other advantages, it allows the gods to see if... the ink is marred, if the damage to the tree has caused problems to us. Of course, to sustain such a circle in time and space, one needs a center point. An anchor." She reached out, tapping Moana's chest. "And as it turns out, souls are pretty good at navigating a storm of what-ifs and might-have-beens."
Moana looked down at herself. "I... what? I'm the world's wayfinder?"
"Hmm. Yes, that is one way to look at it I suppose." Nokama walked around the sandpit. "The gods themselves chose you, Moana. To be the lynchpin around which your reality pulses and reforms. It is a great duty, I'll grant you, but a simple one; all you must do is stay... mentally stable, if not sane."
"...If I believe you," Moana said slowly, "that still doesn't explain what I'm doing here."
Nokama sat down next to her. "Yggdrasil has been described as being both a tree and a computer. The problem is, you don't know what that word means, do you?"
Moana shook her head.
"I was a teacher before I was a turaga. Even I would balk at trying to explain that concept to a complete newcomer, without an example at hand. Still..." The elderly leader stretched her hands. "You... are here because Yggdrasil got the scrolls confused. Because one story leaked into another. That explanation isn't nearly complete, but it is one I think you will understand. And there are computers in this world," she added, "though they're rather hard to get to at the moment."
"This world." Moana let her head fall into her hands. "This world, which isn't my world, which doesn't even have the same sky-where even am I?"
"The island of Mata Nui, on the... ocean of Aqua Magna."
"And why am I... why am I not me?"
Nokama shrugged. "There are no humans in this world. Yggdrasil let you become something that could exist here." She chuckled. "It's just as strange the other way-waking up with no metal, only flesh, and a maskless face... the hair, though. How do you handle the hair?"
She looked up at the leader, who gave her a gentle smile.
"...How long. How long will these... loops last?"
"I cannot say. Till the end of time, perhaps." She patted her shoulder. "It isn't all bad. You will see horrific terrors, but also amazing wonders. And... soon enough, you won't be alone."
"I..."
"People from your world, people you are close to, will Wake Up to the loops themselves. It's a safety net-rare is the mind that can stay sane without friends. And when they do, you can teach them what I am about to teach you."
Moana blinked. "What... you're going to teach me something?"
Nokama chuckled. "Did you think the gods would set us afloat with no gifts to weather the time? Now, to start, we must help you find your soul, and I believe learning to ping will help with that..."
A year and a half passed, and in that time Moana was continually amazed, astounded, and absolutely blown away by the crazy and unpredictable events that happened around her. Nokama helped, of course, continuously and patiently training her in both the looping arts and more practical matters that, she assured the girl, would be absolutely essential to surviving in the greater multiverse. One day, on a reforged planet-and that Moana could even understand that was a testament to her studies-the elderly leader walked up to her. "The loop's ending tomorrow."
For a moment the girl said nothing. Then she blinked. "Oh."
"That's right. Soon, you'll be home again. With your family, and the quest to restore Te Fiti's heart, and all that..." She poked Moana's shoulder with her trident. "You won't forget what you've learned, will you?"
"No! No. I'll keep up the mental exercises, expand my Pocket, all that."
"Good. Very good. In that case..." Nokama produced a small object, handing it over.
Moana took it, looking curiously at the screen embedded within. "What is this?"
"A fount of knowledge. Far future technology, loaded with information from the Hub-the entire internet, on that tiny little screen." Nokama tapped it. "Waterproof, highly durable. Not very personal, but small, which means you'll have room for my other gift in your Pocket, I hope."
When Moana looked up, she couldn't help but gasp at the object Nokama was holding. "Is that-"
"A Great Kanohi Sanok. You've been wearing a powerless version for so long, I figured you might want to upgrade."
"...I thought only Toa could use great masks."
Nokama laughed. "Only beings with great strength of soul and will can use great masks, yes. And what do you think we loopers are? Go on, then."
Moana, cautiously, took off the mask she was wearing and replaced it with the one Nokama held. She took a breath, reaching out with her mind toward the power she felt inside it. "I... wow."
"Mmmhmm."
"...Why a Sanok? Why not a Kaukau?" Moana turned to Nokama. "Water breathing might be more useful to me than throwing things with innate accuracy."
"Well, it might," Nokama allowed, "in your baseline. If you weren't an excellent swimmer already. I suspect you'll end up with some sort of artificial gill anyway eventually. Besides, not every world has an ocean, I'm sad to say." She tapped the mask. "This, though, this is an edge that will be universal. Don't underestimate a well-thrown stone."
Moana nodded, slowly pushing mask and screen into her subspace pocket. It was a tight fit, but she managed it. Putting on her original powerless mask, she gave Nokama a small smile. "Thank you. For... everything."
"It was my pleasure. Though, I still don't understand why you turned down the opportunity to become a toa."
"...the ocean is alive." Moana shrugged. "I don't mean that like a metaphor, in my baseline the ocean is actually alive, with its own personality, its own... existence. I know that's not literally true here, or in other worlds, but... manipulating water directly like that, it wouldn't feel right to me."
"Ah." Nokama nodded. "Well... I suppose there's something to be said for relying on ingenuity. I know that the Anchor for the earlier half of the Avatar loop prefers not to utilize unusual powers."
"Really?"
"Oh, yes. Sokka of the southern water tribe. You must understand, his world is one of humans and spirits, not entirely unlike your own, but with elemental bending arts..."
Once again, Moana's eyes opened, and she was back on Motonui. She stood, looking around the quiet hut, and walking to the beach. The sun was rising, but the stars were still just barely visible.
On a whim, she held up her hand, looking for a hook-shaped collection of lights. When she had found it she picked up a pebble from the sand.
Carefully, she unpocketed the mask she had been given. It was evidence that her latest adventure wasn't a dream, that her life wasn't a delusion... she looked at it for a moment or two, before putting it on.
The power within curled and toiled. She focused, reached out, took it, channeled it down to the pebble in her hand.
Then, with a flick of her wrist, she skipped the rock out, across the lagoon, beyond, into the ocean itself.
Two weeks later, when she had her usual meeting with Maui, the pebble hit him square in the head, and Moana burst out laughing. She didn't stop for a whole day.
32.8 (Anon e Mouse Jr.): [The Chronicles of Narnia] / [Lion King]
Aslan, the Great Lion, son of the Emperor-beyond-the-sea, Awoke with a start to find himself at a desk. Examining his surroundings, he smiled.
Ah. Digory's office, again. And so it begins once more.
It had been quite a surprise for Aslan to find himself back at the dawn of Narnia all those Loops ago, and even more when he realized he had returned to that point a second time, and then a third. Time and again, he had Awoken at the creation of that world, breathing life into it, and witnessed its nine hundred years of peace before Jadis returned and ruled Narnia during the Long Winter, her reign ending when the Pevensie siblings arrived and Aslan himself had sacrificed himself to save Edmund, only to be resurrected by the Deeper Magic from Before the Dawn of Time. He had watched as they returned to Earth, as Narnia fell to the Telmarines, and as the Pevensies returned to help Caspian the Tenth assume his throne, and then the long years of his reign. Always, the Loops had lasted until the end of Caspian's reign, when Eustace Scrubb and his friend Jill Pole returned to their world, accompanied by Caspian for just five minutes before Aslan took him back to his own land as the Loop ended.
Then, one Loop, Aslan had Awoken to find himself somewhere different...
The great lion Awoke to find himself standing atop a great rock as the clouds above parted, allowing a beam of sunlight to shine brightly upon a young lion cub, held into the air by a skinny mandrill.
Simba, his memories told him, and he looked around in surprise to see a wide variety of animals bowing down before the young cub.
As a female lion walked up and nuzzled him, one whom his memories told him was his mate and queen, he inwardly wondered what was happening. Was this setting, a world so different from any he had known before, a part of some test of his father's?
Answers would not come for months, when his son - his son! - was to be shown the kingdom, and told that one day, it would all be his. Simba, for a young cub, was surprisingly well-behaved, keeping himself calm. Finally, as Aslan finished telling him about his responsibilities as king, the boy had spoken up.
"Dad?"
"Yes, my son?"
"There's... something different about you." Simba's ears flicked. "I... I mean, you're my dad, and I love you, but... at the same time, you don't feel right. You feel like someone else in my dad's body, if that makes any sense."
Aslan frowned. "I am not entirely certain what you mean, my son. Just how am I different?"
"Well, you're... always so serious. The king I remember was serious a lot of the time too, but he had a sense of humor - I don't think I've heard you laugh since I Awoke. And you always seem distant, especially around Mom."
Aslan's heart skipped a beat. "Simba, I..."
"Good morning, sire!" a voice interrupted. "Checking in, with the-"
"Zazu." Aslan looked sternly at him. "I appreciate your promptness, but, if there isn't anything urgent, could you wait until my son and I are done?"
The hornbill was taken aback. "I - well, yes, sire. I'll just be over there." He flew off, leaving the two lions alone.
Simba shook his head and sighed. "And there's another thing. My dad never sends Zazu away like that." He looked at the older lion. "You're a good person, I can tell. But you are not King Mufasa. So who are you, and what Loop are you from?"
Aslan's eyes widened. "Loop?"
Simba nodded. "Time Loops."
Aslan's thoughts raced - here, at last, was a possible answer. "Time Loops... do you mean a stretch of time, repeating for you, over and over?"
The young lion nodded. "Yes. My Loop almost always starts around the time Rafiki presents me, and ends sometime when I'm an adult. I guess something similar happens to you."
"It has," Aslan confirmed. "Until now, I thought I was alone in these... Loops, I suppose. I had wondered if my father was testing me somehow, but if I am not alone..."
Simba looked curiously. "I don't know who your father is, but we aren't the only ones Looping. There's a lot of different universes - yours, mine, and too many others to count. By going through these Loops, I help keep my universe stable, and I think you might be doing the same for yours."
Aslan regarded him. "I think, my son, that this is going to be a very long discussion. I apologize in advance if I have many, many questions for you along the way."
Simba smiled. "No problem."
That discussion had indeed lasted for a very long time, and by the end of it, Aslan had understood the full implications of the Loops, and that it was no test by his father, but a means to preserve the multiverse.
Years later, after that Loop had ended (the two lions having neatly derailed Scar's attempts to overthrow his brother when Aslan went to the hyenas, approaching them to apologize for his shabby treatment of them and renegotiating the treaty that had kept them out of the Pride Lands for so long to make it fairer for both sides), Aslan had again found himself at the dawn of Narnia. Since then, he had experienced many Loops, both what he now knew was his baseline and what he had learned were variants or Fused Loops. These included a handful where, as in this Loop, he had Awoken as Professor Digory Kirke, the grown man who had opened his house to the Pevensies and, as a child, had been in Narnia at its dawn and planted the Tree of Protection that kept the land safe from Jadis for nine hundred years.
Now looking out his study window, the resident Anchor smiled as he saw Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy approaching the house for the first time this Loop, and hoped, once more, that one or more of the quartet would Awaken soon.
Meanwhile, down below, Lucy Pevensie walked with her siblings and looked around in awe as she laid eyes on the house that had once changed her life... and would soon do so again.
I don't know what's caused it, but it's so good to be back here, she thought to herself. And soon, hopefully... to be back in Narnia. Looking up to see the professor's study window, she was surprised as her eyes met Professor Kirke's... neither aware that the other was Awake.
But very soon, that would change.
32.9 (Awesomedude17): [Dresden Files] / [Moana] / [Half-Life] / [Bar Loop]
"Welcome to Mac's, our latest Disney Princess, on a technicality, of course." Harry Dresden chuckled. "Sorry, force of habit when it comes to new Disney Ladies. You'd have no idea how many times Mulan glares at me for saying she's a princess, chief's daughter."
"Right..." Moana said quietly.
"So, uh... take a seat anywhere, except near the guy in glasses over there." Harry pointed at a clearly intoxicated patron.
"Why?"
"He's a narcissistic jerk, and him being drunk and/or high makes him even worse."
"How bad could he be?" Moana walked up to the man, who looked up.
"Holy fuck, your nose ish big!" Gordon Freeman spat out, before feeling nauseous.
At that point, neither realized that someone was behind Gordon. A big meaty hand grabbed Gordon by the collar of his shirt, and lifted him up.
"How about you say sorry to the nice lady?" Maui said, holding up his fish hook.
"AH! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! PLEASE DON'T KILL ME! I HAVE A GIRLFRIEND, TAKE HER!"
"..." Maui tossed Gordon over his shoulder, crashing him into a dartboard, which was at the same being used by an overly drunk patron who thought he could bullseye a target three times at the same time, directly hitting the man in the ass in the process.
Harry stared at the sight that just unfolded before him, and sat down at the counter.
"Alright, big guy, you made your point. Now how about we just drink? The usual, Mac!"
Moana and Maui shrugged and joined Harry.
32.10 (Anon e Mouse Jr.): [Gargoyles]
"What a night," Goliath sighed.
"At least it's over," Hudson commented.
"N-n-not over yet," another voice gasped, as a man stepped in front of Goliath, carrying a heavy bazooka. "Can you believe it? Ah, this is the moment I've been dreamin' of! And now there is nothing to stop me from gettin' my sweet revenge! Gargoyle, prepare to get creamed!" Pulling the trigger, he fired.
Struck with a flying pie, Goliath just stared as the man sighed in relief. "Now, we're even." Abandoning his weapon and turning around, he walked away humming.
Grumbling as he wiped banana cream off his face, Goliath sighed as he turned to Hudson. "No matter how many of these Loops we go through, no matter how many changes we make, I always get shot in the face with that pie," he told the older male. "Why is that?"
Hudson shrugged. "Quirk of the Loops, lad. Be glad you're not the Doctor - he always gets shot by a Dalek and has to regenerate into his tenth self a second time."
"There is that," Goliath acknowledged. "Still, it is annoying."
Hudson nodded. "Aye. So, you going to Pocket this one too?"
"Why not?" Goliath shrugged. "I've been building up quite the collection of them so far. I see no reason to stop now. And perhaps, one day, I'll find a good use for them."
"Just don't forget to have that handprint scanner disabled this time. You never know when he's had it rigged to backfire on anyone besides him again."
Goliath growled. "Considering I had to clean up the entire castle by myself the last time I forgot and this thing sprayed pies everywhere, I have no intention of doing so again."
At that, Hudson just smirked.
32.1: Still relatively early for these two, and they're handling this relatively well.
32.2: Not the first time the parent-child positions have been swapped.
32.3: Nothin' like a grandparent.
32.4: Luke feels your pain, Simba.
32.5: Some minds are strange.
32.6: The Awakening of Moana...
32.7: Moana gets the Speech.
32.8: Aslan has made one or two appearances as a Looper before, but this is his first big appearance. And welcome to the Loops, Lucy.
32.9: Moana meets more Loopers.
32.10: There are worse things that could happen to a person every Loop.