Since the day her brother was born, Lanri and Sora had been near inseparable. When she thought back to the first thing could remember, it was a memory of her brother, barely a year old, waddling along the sandy shores of the islands and laughing when the cool water of the waves came up to touch his toes. She had been there for every milestone. Every laugh and every cry. For his first steps and his first words. Not a day could she remember had she spent without her brother, not a day in her life had she not loved him, so when Lanri woke up cold and alone in a place she didn't know without the warmth of Sora by her side, she cried.
Lanri picked herself up from the ground on her shaky legs, trying her best to wipe the dust she had picked up from where she had been unconscious in the street and the sand that remained as the last remnants of her home that stuck uncomfortably to her skin. She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself in an attempt to keep the chill from seeping into her bones. Living on an archipelago for her entire life had called for shorts and tank tops to help keep the heat of the sun from becoming too overwhelming, but wherever she had landed was dark with stones that seemed to hold the cold within their very being and her clothing showed off too much skin for her to easily keep warm.
A dog barked behind her, and she was startled at the sound, jumping as she turned and curling in on herself instinctually to protect herself from any danger that might appear. Two dalmatians stood at the end of the street and their tales perked up and wagged when they realized that they had her attention. Lanri smiled and released a breath of relief that there was nothing to be afraid of, for now at least. She knelt on her knees, wincing slightly at the hard cobblestone on her sore knees, and held out her hand as a sign that it was alright for them to come forward. The two dogs approached slowly, and as they got closer she could make out their collars, one blue and one red.
The red collared dalmation reached her first and nuzzled his head into her outstretched palm. Lanri giggled and scratched him behind his ear, "You're a sweetheart, aren't you?" He yipped softly in response and licked her fingers in thanks. She watched as they both bowed their heads and turned around but stood still with their ears perked up as they listened for her to rise and follow them. Lanri shrugged and trailed after them as they led her to whatever destination it was they had in mind. She'd been through enough shit that day that allowing two dogs to lead her to what she hoped was safety was the least insane thing to happen to her that day.
As she took a moment to take in her surroundings, she noticed that it was quiet for the most part at least. Most people seemed to stay tucked in their houses and apartments, and she could hear the signs of life in the quiet hum of familial love that echoed behind closed doors. Lanri closed her eyes and willed away the tears. She would not allow herself to think about what she might have lost. Every once in a while she would catch the eye of someone sitting on their balcony or through the window of a shop and gaze at her with a look of pity but also understanding. She was starting to get the feeling that those with nowhere else always managed to find themselves here.
The dogs led her out into what seemed to be a shop square, and Lanri saw more people milling about, but still, less than she was used to and much quieter as though they were trying to remain as inconspicuous as possible. She caught sight of a hotel, and Lanri thought that perhaps this is where the dogs intended to bring her, but they continued further on into the square. When at last they stopped, Lanri and the two dogs stood before a fountain upon which was perched a young woman.
Just as they had done with Lanri, the dogs barked to gain the woman's attention and Lanri was able to gain a better look. She was dressed in a pink dress with a purple belt draped across her hips. Her fingers danced in the water of the fountain and Lanri was almost sure that the water around her hand was glowing. The eyes that gazed upon them were a soft, kind green framed by chestnut brown hair pulled back into a braid.
"Hello, Pongo, Perdita," she greeted, whom Lanri could only assume, the dogs that stood before her. At the call of their names, they bounded towards her, happily receiving the praises and pets that were being offered to them. At last, the eyes of the young woman fell upon Lanri, and she felt somewhat shy at the warmth and kindness that seemed to radiate from there depths. The woman gave her a pleasant smile and tilted her head curiously, "And who might you be?" The two dogs, aware that their mission to bring the girl to someone who could keep her safe had been accomplished, returned home.
Larni crossed her arms in front of herself and looked at the ground shyly, more than aware of the mess she looked like. Fighting a demon... thing and literally falling through hell into an unfamiliar place probably does that to people. "Oh, I'm uh... I'm Lanri." She lifted her hand and waved small and awkwardly.
The woman nodded and allowed her small smile to morph into a grin, "Well, Lanri, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Aerith." The woman, now known as Aerith, held out her hand and Lanri reached out to shake it. Aerith kept her grasp of Lanri's hand gentle but firm, and pulled her forward and urged her to sit beside her on the fountain. Aerith brushed Lanri's hair behind her ear and the teenager reveled in the act of care from the stranger. "Are you lost?"
Lanri wanted to burst into laughter to hide her state of sheer panic, but she managed to settle for a pained grimace instead, "I guess you could say that."
The lost islander was able to accept the look of understanding that came from Aerith easier than any of the other people that had given it to her. Aerith let out a small laugh that was barely more than a quiet exhalation, "Don't worry, most people here are like you. Even me."
The sky stars in the sky called out to Lanri and she looked up to see that they looked so different from the stars that blinked overhead on her island. "Where is 'here'?" She asked, meeting the calming emerald gaze of the woman beside her.
"Well... it's a sort of haven for lost things." Aerith began, huffing a bit as she pulled the two over them to their feet. She held out an arm, the bangles on her wrist clinking and jingling together as she introduced Lanri to the world. "Might I present to you... Traverse Town!"
At that moment, the few people that amassed in the square began to shout, drawing the two women's attention to the black creatures beginning to swarm and attack. Lanri gasped when she saw them, recognizing them as the same creatures that came when her island was destroyed. The yellow beady eyes of the dark creature found Lanri and Aerith, and it fell into the ground like a shadow as it stalked them like its prey.
Aerith pulled Lanri by the wrist and summoned a stave out from the air, "Come on! These are the small fry, so they won't be after us long, but we still need to get out of here!"
"What are those things?!" Lanri shouted, yelping as one jumped from the ground and tried to grab at her ankles.
Aerith glanced back at Lanri briefly to ensure that she was alright before continuing to pull her along. "They're called the Heartless! They steal people's, well, hearts!"
The two women continued to run, and Lanri was dragged down an alley by the older woman only to be met by a hoard of Heartless waiting for them. They turned around and found the entrance of the alley they had come from overrun with Heartless as well. Aerith held her stave out in front of herself and Lanri defensively, twirling her weapon in her hand and releasing a small burst of magic anytime one of the dark creatures threatened to venture too close. Lanri felt that same power from before well up inside of her, that almost instinctual pull towards whatever source resided within the very depths of her heart and she closed her eyes and just... let go. The fire burst forth from her fingertips and flung outwards in a whirl, incinerating the Heartless as soon as it touched them.
Aerith lowered her stave, looking at Lanri with a sense of wonder. "You must be pretty powerful to cast Firaga without a conduit. Are you alright?" She looked over Lanri in an almost motherly gesture, petting her hair and checking her over for bumps and scrapes.
Lanri breathed in deeply, trying to calm the panicky beat of her heart as it was currently trying to leap out of her throat. "Yeah, yeah, I'm- I'm fine." She met Aerith's gaze and saw the concern melt away at the confirmation that the teenager was indeed fine. "What- what was it you said I did?"
"You mean you don't know?" Aerith asked, sliding her hand down to Lanri's shoulder and squeezing it gently.
Lanri shook her head, "No, not really. That's only the uh... second time that's happened."
Aerith hummed and laced her fingers into Lanri's with a bright smile on her face, "Well, then I know just the man we need to see."
Yué sat for what felt like hours after the Gummi Ship landed, waiting to be sure that she had no chance of running into Donald and Goofy too soon after she departed that they would be rushing her back into the safety of the ship before she was able to even accomplish anything. She arose from the hold with a great groan of pain, every joint in her body protesting at having been crammed into a confined space for an extended period of time. She stretched, lithe limbs reaching far above her head towards the stars in an attempt to ease the discomfort permeating her bones. It didn't really work.
At last, she slipped from the vehicle responsible for her space travel and onto the cobbled streets of Traverse Town, breathing in deeply as she took in the world around her. It had been so long since she had seen any world other than Disney Town or Master Yen Sid's tower that it felt nice to take in the new surroundings. Yué gazed upon the town with an almost nostalgic sense of wonder. There was something about it that reminded her so much of her home. Not Disney, but the world in which she had been born. Radiant Garden. She could almost imagine that she was five years old again walking downtown. But Radiant Garden was, well, radiant, and this was not a trait that Traverse Town could claim to have. It was night here in town, or rather she was more tempted to say that you could simply see the stars in the sky because there was no sun. It made sense, in a way. What need did Traverse Town how for a sun when it simply existed to act as a sort of safe ground for the lost. It didn't need to abide by the normal rules. Although Yué did notice the nighttime chill that nipped in the air and realized that a lack of sun probably didn't help with keeping the place warm.
But enough sitting and taking in the sites, she was a Princess with a mission. The note from King Mickey instructed Donald and Goofy to seek out Leon as well as their first lead in seeking out the newest of the Light's chosen Keyblade wielders, and they were closer than they realized to finding them. Her unexplainable connection to the Light of the Worlds allowed her to feel it the moment they set foot in this world. Whoever this new Champion was was already here, and they might not know it yet but their heart was probably leading them right where they needed to be. And so Yué would allow her heart to be her guiding key and lead her right to the new Keyblade, and something deep within her told her that when she did she might just find a familiar face.
She started her venture confidently. In front of her laid a few townhouses, a small cafe, an item shop, and an accessory shop nestled amongst them. There didn't seem to be too many people out and about, and overall Traverse Town seemed to be a generally sleepy town. Yué waved kindly to the few people she passed as she made her way through the streets. She climbed a small set of stairs and walked into the accessory shop. Upon entering, she was greeted with the sight of a gruff-looking middle-aged man, a lit cigarette dangling from where it was clenched between his teeth, the tobacco scented smoke billowing up from the end, and creating whirls in the air before dissipating into the air.
The sound of her entry drew his attention, but he only groaned when he caught sight of her, "Aw, yer just another kid. And here I was actually hoping for customers today."
Yué let out a small huff of laughter. He may have sounded annoyed but she could feel no actual negativity behind his words. "Sorry for the lack of business then." She walked up to the counter, leaning her elbows on it while placing her chin in her left hand and holding out her right. "I'm Yué."
"Cid," he replied, grasping her outstretched hand in his own and shaking it briefly but firmly. "Now what's a kid like you doing here? You're not going to tell me that your island disappeared now, are ya? I've already how to deal with one of those today."
Yué's bright silver eyes widened at the mention of a disappearing island, but she didn't press for more, not from Cid at least. This felt like a story she would rather hear from the person who had to experience it. From what it seemed, it was most likely this island was the world she has just most recently fall to the darkness, so it gave her some semblance of relief to know that there were some survivors that had managed to find their way here to Traverse Town.
The Princess pulled herself up from her elbows and let out a small sigh, "I'm actually looking for Leon. Seen him around lately?"
"Leon, eh?" Cid mused, pulling the cigarette from between his lips and waving it around as he talked. "Can't say I've seen him, not today anyway at least. He and Yuffie are always mucking about somewhere doing who knows what. Check the Hotel in the Second District. They stay around there. But watch out for Heartless! More of the worlds going down, more of them are able to find their way here."
Yué nodded and waved her thanks, walking out the shop and headed for the Second District as Cid had said. She summoned her rapier to her hand, on edge at the knowledge of the Heartless lurking about. Where the First District seemed full of apartments and townhouse with the occasional shop littered about, it was obvious the Second District had been focused on shopping. Everything was centered around the central square, with shops bordering most of the sides. In front of her was a raised walkway with sets of stairs that allowed citizens down to the lower level to admire the fountain that sat on one of the far sides of the square. To the left of Yué was the hotel that Cid mentioned, and she checked here first for any sign of Leon. The small building felt homey and cozy, and she was sure that it was a very comfortable place to stay, but sadly she had no time. She asked at the front desk if Leon was home, but was told that he had been out all day. A dead-end for the hotel then. It's fine, though. Yué would not allow herself to give up hope at every wrong turn.
She wandered around back alleys for a little while, feeling the forlorn sense of despair wash over her and leave a bitter taste in her mouth. Something must have happened recently, the essence of darkness still hanging in the air. The Heartless were getting stronger with every passing second it seemed. The Princess turned a corner and stilled, the remaining presence of a powerful spell swirling around her and prickling the hairs at the back of her neck. Someone incredibly gifted had come this way, but the not the Keybearer, she thought. The remnants of what magic remained here didn't feel like the magic of one the Light's Chosen, but it was still powerful nonetheless.
The atmosphere itself seemed to warble, and Yué felt the darkness invade the area around her, Heartless returning to the area of their defeat to seek revenge on whatever poor weak soul happened to wander in. Unluckily for the Heartless, Yué was not weak. The small thing that appeared before her was as small as a shadow, with willowy little limbs and a large round head with beady yellow eyes. It was almost sort of... cute, that was if it wasn't responsible for stealing people's hearts. The small thing charged her, and her rapier was summoned to her hand. She slashed with a downward sweep on the thin blade, swiping through the Hearltess and causing it to dissipate into nothingness. She waited for a moment in silence, listening for the sound of more of the creatures materializing but none never came. They were still too weak to try and outnumber her it seemed.
Yué sighed, turning to make her way out of the alley. Another dead end in her journey it seemed. Someone turned the corner and ran right into her, sending both of them falling to the ground. The princess groaned, wincing as her elbows hit the hard stone street. Well, that hurt like a bitch. She huffed as she lifted herself, her vision of the other person blocked by the fluorescent yellow shoes on their feet. Wait a minute... They jumped up, cerulean eyes wide, brown hair poking up at all angles and Key held defensively in front of themselves.
A laugh pulled itself out of her throat as she took in the figure that stood before her, joy radiating in every facet of her being. "Holy shit."
So the original plan was to go through one world a chapter, but this felt like a good place to end it.
Yes, I am aware that Cid has a toothpick in KH, but that sure as hell ain't no toothpick in FFVII and cigarettes are more fun to describe.
Speaking of FFVII, if you love Aerith (who also appears in this chapter) as I much as I do, then go and read my Aeriseph one-shot And As I Lay Dying! Or don't. Entirely up to you.
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Until next time! I hope you're all well.