AKHSI Chronicles: A Marvelous Stellar Fantasy

by StrangerDenB4

A man awakens to familiar yet strangely different worlds. Forces beyond took interest in the darkness within his heart, yet a flicker of light shone brightly deep inside it. Lost in both life and purpose, he must discover his invincible courage, the stalwart kindness, and the inner strength to face all adversaries. More Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, and Squeenix stuffs awaits you.

The date is 29/7/2022, and apparently the morons in charge of the internet censorship bullshit didn't go through with it. As usual.

But fuck 'em, they're not important.

Edit 30/7/2022 Holy fuck they blocked , LinkedIn, Steam, and many others… you fucking kominfucktards, why.

… I'm sure by the time I finished this chapter, things will get better… please God let it be better.

So yeah, I've joined the many, many, fanfic authors who have done Kingdom Hearts stories. I'm a picky bastard, so there's only a few of the stories in that category that piqued my interests. And that's only from this site and not AO3, which I may or may not crosspost this story there due to how confusing that site is for me.

Anyways, if I ever managed to figure that site out, the tags will help you figure out what this story will entail, if the subtitle wasn't indicative enough.

AKHSI… Another Kingdom Hearts Self-Insert.

Let's face it, a lot of OC centric KH fics these past 20 years are basically that. Sure, we all add bits and sprinkles of ourselves in our OCs, but admit it; most of us did more than sprinkling.

In this case, I'll be a bit more honest than the rest and admit that I'll drop a version of myself and have him suffer through all sorts of nonsense that is Kingdom Hearts.

I was a fan since the beginning, only now I've decided to write something because of how much stuffs have happened, and not just KH related things.

A Marvelous Stellar Fantasy.

Yes, expect Marvel Comics, Star Wars, and more Final Fantasy elements in this story. I will also include many games made by both Squaresoft and Enix somehow, and other works that have been made under Disney.

I understand KH Fics tend to be bloated, far more than the games themselves, by adding a lot of worlds based on all sorts of random things the authors enjoy. I might do that too, but fret not; I'll try and limit myself to just the things owned by Disney and Square-Enix respectively.

One of the reasons I'm writing this story is because, as always, the kind of story I want to read doesn't exist, so here I am creating it. I'm sure I'm not the only one who wished that the Squaresoft-Enix side of KH was represented more, and perhaps there are those who wished the stories of the Disney worlds were accurate to the original movies… or the original story they're adapted from. I'd like to make that a reality with this fic.

Also, no SI-Me won't be getting his own Keyblade; too damn many fics already did that and in the games themselves, the criteria for acquiring one ensures that… well, we don't all have strong hearts, do we? And personally, I don't want to.

Let's get started, shall we?

---

I've been having these weird thoughts lately… like, is any of these for real, or not?

Familiar words to many of you, I'm sure. As I grow older, the world we're living keeps making less sense the more we age.

I thought if I reach 30 years of age, I'd make it as an adult… but we never stopped faking it until we make it, do we? And I still have a lot more fakery to perform.

I thought by the time I reach 30, my life would've been better than how it was during my 20s… still the same shitty life I wish I could've improve, at least so my mom and sisters could have easier lives.

I thought when I become 30, I would've gotten my act together, get a decent job with a damn good salary so I can buy the things I want and help my family… jokes on me, I'm still the same useless fucking failure that I was a decade ago.

But as much as it hurts me to say it, I don't have time to worry about all of that.

Because right now, I'm thinking about how the fuck did I get into this mess?

Call me Rasyid. And my story began in a dead-end alley of a familiar town that seems to be stuck in a perpetual night. The lights were on, but the first thing I saw waking up was this damn thick fog around me. I made my way out to the district… only then I recognize this place. I took off my glasses and wiped them with my shirt, then put it back on; yep, I'm not seeing things.

Traverse Town; a fictional location debuted in the original Kingdom Hearts, way back during the PS2 days. Specifically, I'm in the First District; there's Cid's Accessory shop, that weird big mailbox with the mouth and tongue out on the left side—or perhaps more accurately the right side—of the stairs… there's the inn (or maybe restaurant, I never checked) with the magic candles that will magically relit themselves if you attacked them, and the Item Shop owned by the Duck Triplets.

Only thing missing was that sweet, sweet theme music belonging to this place. Oh right, the alley I walked out of is where Sora woke up in, neat.

'A damn good recreation, never thought about how cool this place is… air conditioners doing their jobs, of course.' I thought to myself, but I remembered that there's no way I'm wealthy enough to afford a ticket to someplace like this, let alone a plane ride.

Speaking of wealth, when I looked down, I know for sure I could've never have bought these clothing I'm wearing right now.

Like, damn… I'm dressed up like Adam Jensen from Deus Ex; this is the exact same black/gray trenchcoat he's wearing in the games, I think this one's from Mankind Divided, with some extra pockets here and there. Both sleeves seem to have zippers running down from my elbows to my wrists, so I guess I could open them up when it gets too hot, what a neat feature. If I had Jensen's cyborg arms, my blades would've pop out of these openings. I craned my neck back, and saw that the coat has… three separate tails, I think that's the name for these. First thing that came to mind was that longcoat John Marston gets when you get high honors in RDR1. If I ever ride a horse it won't feel weird, probably.

Sliding one side open—oh hey the linings have floral patterns, but they're all gray—not only do I see even more pockets in this coat, the shirt I'm wearing seems to a black t-shirt with a… blue number 4 in a blue circle? I thought it was the original Deus Ex logo, but since when did I buy this Fantastic Four shirt?

My pants are black cargo pants made out of some durable material I can't tell—I'm not into fashion or textiles after all—but I count four extra pockets, two on each thighs, and two on each of my… cheeks. There appears to be… zippers as well around my knees, so they're detachable too? Reminds me of an older pair of cargo pants I have with similar features.

My black shoes appear to be boots worn by the military, and instead of laces they have wrap-around straps. I could feel the socks from either of my feet, and they're quite comfy.

Hey, I like darker colors, not my fault those fancier bright colors hurt my eyes, doesn't make me a goth or an emo, I'm not that gloomy. It's a miracle I'm not sweating buckets in this thing…

Looking around and seeing nobody in this foggy district, I began to do stretches, testing how flexible these attires are and—oww!

Man, my body feels stiff! I can hear my joints popping here and there, how long was I out?

Is this what I have to look forward to in my 30s? Surprise aches every now and then?

… Anyways, after making sure that these getups definitely fits me, it's time to check my pockets. I couldn't help but smirk as I pulled out my smartphone and wallet, I felt some other things from the thigh pockets, so I pulled them out too. Turns out, I was also carrying my phone charger and earphones.

A standard procedure for me whenever I go out, so maybe I did planned on a walk before I somehow woke up here? Would've carried some folded nylon bags for any groceries or meals-to-go I'll buy, but they're not in any of my pockets, weird.

I then put everything back in except my phone, I slid my thumb on the fingerprint scanner to activate it. Fortunately, that works because…

"Shit, no signal."

I made my way to the inn and sat on a chair—I'm sure they won't mind—as I check what else works… Ah, I still have my contacts.

I tried calling mom, no dice. Tried calling my little sisters too, no pass. Damn, Natalie would've loved this place. Let's see if the camera works…

I hate selfies, mostly because I never look good enough to be photographed, but at least I got a good look at myself; I'm no Snake Plissken, not my fault I get a natural mullet if I grow them out. It's as fluffy and rough as ever as I run my fingers through them, I should get a haircut.

My moustache and beard… well, I wish I had Plissken's facial hair, but unfortunately mine don't look as good as his, definitely need to shave these.

My face… well, I'm just your average Indonesian, nothing notable except these two… beauty marks on each of my cheeks. I still feel weird calling them that, nothing beautiful about this mug.

Although I remember my highschool friends telling me a few girls somehow had crushes on me, so I can't exactly judge myself.

Eh, what the hell. One snap, and that's one selfie done, no bits required.

Not bothering with the social media apps, considering there's no internet signals here. I did try checking what my last conversations were with my online friends, but I the apps keep crashing and can't access them, what a time to not work.

… Speaking of time, I checked the clock on the main screen.

"What the fuck?"

It's past midnight, but the date's all wrong; why does it say 8th of March, 2002?!

I would've never messed up my own phone like this, who the hell… what's worse, I can't remember what day it was before I woke up here. I know it's definitely some months after my 30th birthday, but for some reason I can't remember a damn thing about what I did before I woke up here.

Then again, thinking too much might give me stress induced headaches, and this time it's not because of reality sitting on my back menacing me with all sorts of bullshit real adults have to deal with.

I shook my head and pulled out my wallet… I smiled as I see my rupiahs still intact, what's left of them anyway. Being jobless fucking sucks and I hate that I have to live out on my family's money as allowances.

But… that means I didn't go to a currency exchange kiosk because there's no way the government has the moolah to build this place; they're still dealing with those retarded fools who decided to block basically all of the internet last time I remembered.

God, that's another headache I don't want to think about right now. Prideful know nothing know-it-all geezers are the worse, especially in Indonesia.

I rummaged one side of it, and pulled out an old polaroid photo. There's me, hugging my darling little sisters; Cassandra and Natalie. This was taken by Cassie's then boyfriend when we were watching a Disney on Ice show; I was probably in my early 20s when this was taken.

Wish I was the one who bought the tickets, mom would've been there and she would've been in this photo… I'd have my own the polaroid camera too. Maybe if I was wealthier I could help my mom more, make her and my sisters happier.

Dammit, not the time for woes about how much of a shitty son and brother you are, man. What's done is done, time to investigate.

I inserted both items back into my pockets as I stand up. The big door ahead of the inn should take me to the third district, but unfortunately there are barriers in front of it, not to mention those wooden planks nailed onto them. The one on my right would've taken me out of this world and into the gummi ship section.

I'd go there, but I should find somebody first. Surely the nightshifts are walking around.

I haven't played Kingdom Hearts since I was 10, and I haven't played the PS4 version of Final Mix in years, but I still remember bits and pieces of the area. The triplets' item shop should be closed at this hour, and Cid's shop was locked, so I made my way right, left, and left again until I saw the door leading to the second district. I give it a push, and in I go into another area.

And this damn fog is here too, great.

Visibility is a bit clearer though, the lights helped but not much. Not sure if they're gaslight, but if this fog gets any thicker, I could call this place Gotham.

I see that big railing thing where the fountain-pool with the red flowerly art is below it. Yes, I know I could've worded that better, but description has always been my weakness as a writer.

Okay, this looks exactly like the second district. Long chairs down there, hotel on the left, shops on the right… Huh, there's the Mad Hatter up there as a shop mascot. Must've been one of those little details I forgot because I would've not notice them. The Dalmatian's House is the most noticeable from this fog, and I think the path on the left will take me to the clock tower?

Where is everybody? Not a single soul except for yours truly, I get that people should be asleep at this hour, but surely I'm not the only night owl prowling.

Just as I decided to walk into the hotel, something leapt into where I was standing!

"Wha—what the fuck?!"

That's… that's a shadow; the most basic of mooks you fight in Kingdom Hearts. Why is it there, how is it there?

The games made them look so cutesy despite being eldritch creatures of darkness… but seeing them wriggling before me, I could feel something from it. The words that come to mind are dread, and some sort of emptiness.

The Heartless flattened itself into the ground, I instinctively tried to stomp it like the roaches they are, but as per the games, they're invincible in this state. I should've run while it's doing that, but these particular types hunt in packs.

I raised my arms up to guard my face, and as you can guess, that was a mistake as one of those creeps clawed my forearms!

Wait… the coat arms should've been ripped, why are they intact? How could—oww, fuck! Guess they don't negate pain!

Muttering curses and swears won't help me right now, but I chose to leap down into the lower area. If the throbbing pain on my arms didn't wake me up to reality, the jolt of pain from my knees as I landed did; this is really happening, I somehow ended up in the Kingdom Hearts universe, I should've exercised more, and I envy Sora and his athleticism because that kid's tough even before getting the keyblade.

Shit, not time for that, I need to fucking bolt!

I ran towards the Dalmatian's House as I could hear those shadows chasing after me, but a ball of darkness popped in front of me, and out comes a group of soldier Heartlesses.

Instead of skidding to a halt, I decided to throw a punch at one of them. Another mistake, as you can guess.

My fist went through a soldier, and my momentum caused me to basically ate a mouthful of darkness as I tripped and rolled over.

Who knew that the living embodiments of darkness are actually cold to the touch? I'm sure the ones that have elemental magics will feel different, but since I went through one, coldness was all I felt, before the throbbing pain from my forearms brought me back.

Well fuck, of course I have to lose my glasses right now! I'm seeing blobs of darkness approaching me now and I can't tell how close they are, it's all a blur except for their bright yellow eyes.

Sweet Merciful Allah, what the hell is this… do You want me to go down like this? I've accepted that we all go "home" to You someday, but I refuse to go out without a fight, especially against these abominations.

Gazing up, I noticed that the soldiers looked… different, despite my impaired visions. The one I punched was more purplish blue, but the other two were more brownish. What the hell, both original and Final Mix colors? Do they mean something now and not just palette swaps?

Shit, they're coming closer!

They say your life flashes before your eyes when you're about to die… but I didn't see any because I felt something else instead.

How dare they try to kill me? You guys think because I don't have a keyblade that makes me an easier target? Those weapons might be magnets to your kind, but as if I let myself turn into one of you!?

"FUCK OFF!"

Pulling myself up to a kneeling position, I swiped my right hand at them, and to my surprise three shadows were bisected in half, fading into the void. I felt something heavy on my hand and glanced at it.

It was a sword. A steel blade almost as long as my arm, with yellow hand guard and a… Mickey Mouse emblem in the center.

This was the Dream Sword, the very same weapon Sora could've picked in the Dive to the Heart section of the original game, and I'm holding it in my hand.

A soldier's clanking brought me out of my stupor as it was about to attack me! I raised my left hand, and in a blink of an eye I saw a flash of light materializing something into said hand, and as it swiped a claw to me, the attack bounced off of the object I'm holding onto.

It was a shield. I took a moment to peek the design; it has a pentagonal shape with the bottom three corners being rounded. Red and black, with the yellow bits surrounding a familiar three circles in the middle.

This was the Dream Shield, once again another weapon Sora could've picked in the tutorial section, and something Goofy can use if I get it. Unlike the game version though, this one had leather straps that wrapped over my forearm, and I'm obviously holding the handle with my hand.

I should be glad that I'm no longer unarmed, but the fact is that I am absolutely not used to combat. Sure, I had Pencak Silat training ages ago, but that was back in elementary, and I have no idea how to use the sword and shield to fight and defend myself. No way can Skyrim's combat style work, I never even played any SoulsBorne games, but what choice do I have? These things are heavy but I want to live!

I pushed the soldier back with the shield and swung the sword into another trio of shadows, bisecting two of them as the last one managed to flattened itself. I picked the other soldier as my next target, and thrust the tip of the sword into its face, killing it instantly, indicated by a sparkly cartoon heart floating away.

Sora needed 3 strikes to kill these specific types at first, yet here I am—an absolute rookie compared to him at 14—slaying them with ease. I should be happy, but I was confused; does this strength come due to my age, or are my weapons stronger?

I hissed in pain as the soldier I ignored slashed my back, dammit! That was stupid of me! I swung the shield into the creature and it fell down, I took my chance and stabbed the Heartless with the sword.

Creatures of darkness they may be, but I forget that they're solid; the moment I stabbed it, I could feel that I just impaled a living, fleshy creature. The thought faded away the same time the soldier did, because I still have a few shadows hounding me.

Shit, more of them are spawning! From what I can see, they're only a dozen comprised of shadows and soldiers, but that doesn't change the fact that I'm outnumbered. If only there's a way I could blast them all away…

Then, half of them were struck by something fast, the source coming from my left. Above the upper platform was someone… firing a silenced pistol?

Holy shit, KH with real guns? This is definitely not something that happened in the game, because like hell Disney would allow actual firearms to appear in their games… despite having works where people use them, those hypocritical cowards.

"On your six!"

I heard the woman and immediately rolled forward to dodge an incoming attack! Ignoring the one that did it, I focused on the 3 in front of me and slashed them instead. Again, one swing took them down easily, but I couldn't let my guard down again because the other 3 are behind me. A shadow was pouncing at me, but I countered it with a stab of the sword. Luckily for me, the last 2 were gunned down by the woman above.

Just… wow. Is it over? God, that was exhausting. And… well, now I'm definitely sweating buckets.

I heard her jumping down behind me, "Hey, you okay?"

Turning around, the most visible thing I can see are her blond hair and white shirt. I think she's wearing some sort of leather jacket—where she just holstered her pistol into—and a pair of blue jeans.

"You got dusts in your eyes or something?" She asked me, probably because I was squinting right now.

"I… lost my glasses." I told her, using my head to point at the general direction next to the Dalmatian's House, "Somewhere over there."

The woman tilted her head aside, "And you were fighting back basically blind? Gotta say, I'm impressed."

"This is the first time I've ever been in a fight and using these things." I gestured both of my arms at her, "Honestly, it's a miracle I managed to take most of them down with one hit, I'm not sure it's because this sword is just that strong or my adrenaline giving me the strength to do all that."

"Maybe it's both, I saw how you fight. Crude, but it seems you had some ideas of what to do."

"Well… playing video games all my life would help me with that. I probably subconsciously thought of certain maneuvers and try to replicate those."

"No kidding?"

"Yeah… Um, about my glasses?"

The woman turned to the direction of the house, and beckoned me with a wave. I followed her for a sec, and it appears she's found them since she's bent over to…

Dude, she saved your life, control yourself; and you can't even see a thing right now, so this is extra pointless.

I decided the stars above were far more interesting for the moment. I'm sure they're wonderful to see, but again, my impaired visions. The blonde's footsteps were coming close so I looked down to her.

"Here, let me."

The woman—who's a few centimeters shorter than me now that she's this close—offered to put them back onto my face. For some reason, I allowed her, as I'm sure she herself was wondering why she's doing this for someone she just met. As my visions returned, I finally got a good look at the woman and… she looks familiar.

Whoever she is, I think she's about my age or maybe a few years younger? She looks American, but I see a bit of East Asian in her, maybe a Japanese-American? I should say something.

"Thank you, pretty lady."

Dude, WTF?! Of all the dumbass things to say to her, awwww fuck!

Miraculously, instead of being offended or dismissive, she… smiled and chuckled?

"You're welcome, Scruffy." She told me, patting one of my scraggly bearded cheeks.

Very funny, "Lead me to the barbershop so I can fix this, then."

"Sorry, they're all closed around this hour."

Stabbing my sword to the ground, I leaned to it like a cane, "I figured… does that hotel have any vacancy or is there any alley I can safely sleep in, because I'm broke."

The woman frowned at me, "That's no good. My place has some empty rooms you can sleep in, what do you say?"

"… I say you're quite bold, lady. Saving the dude in distress and hoping to get some action as a reward? How scandalous of you!"

… Seriously, why the fuck did I say that? And what do you mean she's laughing right now?!

"You're quite the comedian, big guy! Don't worry, I'll keep my hands to myself so you can get your beauty sleep, deal?"

"Uh… sure."

Unfortunately, that sleep won't happen anytime soon as I heard something big dropping in behind me. The woman immediately went into action as she pulled out her pistol and went behind my back, aiming at the assailant.

I turned around, and it's actually two assailants; a pair of Large Bodies! One has purple clothing, the other wore brown… again, the original and final mix colors side by side. What's the deal here?

"Fall back, I'll hold them off!"

"To where?!" I retorted, "I just woke up here a few minutes ago and I have no idea where to go, I can't just leave you to fight alone!"

Not exactly a lie, since I remember some things from the game, but this is reality; I dunno how big this place really is and what kind of buildings it has. If I remembered right, the 4th and 5th districts poofed into existence when 3D introduced those World Ends with You kids.

I never played those games and honestly, if I ever meet them I wouldn't know what to say or do. If I was a fan, I'd probably be excited, but… I don't really care, to be honest. No hate, but that game just isn't my thing, sorry.

Speaking of regrets, the purple LB was about to charge, and I shoved the woman aside to block it with my shield.

I don't care how good or bad your stances are, if something as big as a truck rams you, you will be sent flying.

I felt my back hitting a wall, and you can't imagine how painful this actually was. No fictional medium could ever prepare you for experiencing the kind of injuries the heroes get. Tried my best to remain standing, but I fell flat on my face.

I struggled to stay awake, I can't let that lady fight all by herself… or perhaps she could?

Whoa, did she just throw a fireball from her hand? Those fatsos were faster than they look, but she's dodging them with such ease… damn, she's shooting and reloading with such agility, that's rad!

Oh shit, the brown one almost caught her, and now the purple one is about to bodyslam her! She dodged it, but now she's cornered.

Dammit… I can't just lie down here. I see the shield still attached to my left hand, but where did the sword go? Even if I found it, I'm too far away. It's not like I can throw it and pray that I hit one of them in the face or—

Just then, a flash of light appeared on my right hand… it materialized into something that wasn't the sword.

It was a staff. Green haft, a brown disk on the tip of the handle and on top of it was a blue Mickey Head.

This was the Dream Rod, the last weapon Sora could've picked in… you get it already. What I don't get is why do I have all of those three weapons available for me? I don't even know how to use any of them properly, let alone casting magic!

Shit… from what I remembered, magic is a sin; the class was told a story about a pair of angels sent by God to teach people magic in the olden days. They offered the humans a choice, learn how to harness magic at the cost of being barred from heaven, or refuse and go on with their lives.

I don't remember the moral of that story, or why it was told to begin with… I am so far behind on my studies, I'm not confident in calling myself a proper Muslim, not since I graduated high school.

However… that lady needs help.

… From the way I see it, magic is a tool; no different from a pencil, a hammer, a sword, or a gun. It always—always —depends on the users' intent with them. It's up to them to use those tools as intended, be they to help or to harm.

To quote Inui Takumi; if fighting is a sin, then let me be damned. In that case… if using magic to save lives will doom my soul, then let me be doomed!

With the help of my newly acquired weapon, I pushed myself up, and limped my way to her. The rod had a surprising heft to it, I can imagine bashing heartless' heads in with this like a mace, but that's not what I'm planning right now. Aiming the staff at one of the Large Bodies, the first thing that comes to mind was what she did, throwing a fireball.

In an instant, the Mickey head began to glow orange, and ignited itself like a torch. The flame morphed into a spherical shape as it launched itself behind the purple LB, igniting the Heartless! It didn't suffer much as it burned away to nothingness, and that gave the lady an opening to go around the last LB and shot an entire magazine worth of lead behind it. As the last round went out of her pistol, the Heartless finally died and evaporated.

… This is still unbelievable, but I made it. The staff is actually as big as a cane, probably to accommodate Donald's size, so I used it as such as I make my way to her, "You alright, lady?"

She reloaded and holstered her pistol before she answered, "I should ask you that, you look like hell."

Huh, I do feel more fatigued than I was after fighting with the sword… I guess casting magic would make you feel lethargic, I wonder what tabletop games or RPGs use magic that way, because I could barely keep myself awake.

"I'm fucking tired and I need some fucking sleep." Whoops, guess my filters off.

Her pretty mouth formed into a smirk as she shook her head at me, "I'll take that as a no. My place is close by, you think you can hang on until we get there?"

I was about to answer her, but for some reason my body feels pretty light as the last thing I saw was her bosoms as I accidentally planted my face between them soft mounds.

Way to go, you perverted jackass. Hope you don't wake up to an incoming slap.

---

"Despite his lack of skills, he survived. Not bad. To think those weapons came to him… He's no Warrior of Light, nor does he possess a Keyblade, but I see in him a warrior in the making nonetheless."

"I sense faint traces of light within him, yet his darkness seems denser than most… he might make a decent apprentice."

"Bah! The boy is a fool who knows not what he seeks, a lost child who refused to find his way out, forever remaining in the void of his own making… Doom shall lead him to salvation or demise, if he could not save himself. The first thing I shall do is to burn his blasted shirt."

Three figures sat around an altar, a magical ring projecting Rasyid's fight were playing as they observed him.

The first figure was a tank of a man; a horned, caped knight who fell to the darkness, towering the other two. Beside him was a gigantic claymore to match his size. The visors of his helmet illuminated in yellow gazing upon the potential warrior's soul as he crossed his armored arms together.

The second figure was more machine than man; a constant sound of forced breathing emanates from his helmet, as his body needed air for it was crushed under a ship a long time ago, somewhere far, far away. His black armor doubling as protection and only means of survival, the lean stalker tapped his clawed gloved fingers together in contemplation.

The third and last figure was also a man in armor, yet he had an air of a monarch surrounding him; a pair of critical eyes piercing through his metallic visage, shadowed over his green hood.

"Come now, Your Majesty." The Horned Knight placated, "He may not look much, but the fact that those three weapons came to his aid is an interesting development. I'm sure you have already read about the War; the fact the Dream Armaments chose him yet not giving him a Keyblade raise a few questions."

"The so-called Dive to the Heart, said to appear in dreams of potential Keyblade Wielders." The Monarch explained, "According to written accounts, they always see three specific weapons appearing before them on individual altars, a disembodied voice giving them choices on what to favor and discard. Such powers in their possession and yet they were forced to limit themselves… it's no wonder they're all but extinct, especially because they killed themselves destroying one another."

"A familiar tale, that one is." The Dark Stalker added, "My master taught me the history of the adversaries I've fought; to think a civil war wiped them out the same way as these Keybladers… I'm sure there are details that would've shown the whole truth, but they're lost to the darkness of history."

The trio watched on as the blonde carried Rasyid off just as he passed out. The Horned Knight chuckled at the sight, "To think the woman is strong enough to carry him with such ease, despite how small she is… I must admit she looked familiar."

"A relative to an adversary of yours, perhaps?" The Dark Stalker suggested, "This realm of scattered worlds will eventually bring together all sorts of souls together; even familiar faces such as the rest of our… colleagues, shall we say?"

The Monarch crossed his arms as he leaned back on his chair, "Loathe as I to admit it, but if our goals are to be achieved, we must tolerate this inconvenience by working alongside these… rabbles. Kingdom Hearts may be a source of great power, but those fools limit themselves with such trivial matters."

"Global domination may be one thing, Your Majesty." The Horned Knight interjected, "But to rule more than one world will be a monumental task."

The Dark Stalker barked out a laugh, "My master has ruled the galaxy I came from for decades, yet rebellious scums keep spawning like the insects that they are… I cannot help but admire their resolve to fight for what they believe in."

"Their beliefs mean nothing to Doom, and all dissidents will eventually perish or submit. Do you doubt my abilities, Dark Lord?"

"Hardly, for I have seen your sparring sessions with our generals, not to mention the one we did days ago. But you will have rivals to contend with if you choose that path. I need not remind you that the realms each of us originated from have powerful adversaries, be they sided with the light or the darkness."

The Horned Knight hummed to himself, "I welcome such conflict, but so long it ends with the deaths of all Lufenians, I will enjoy the chaos of this war regardless of the victor. Speaking of which, how long are we to watch the boy? I have ideas on how to strengthen the darkness within him, but as of now, he is far too weak for us to convert him."

"Our benefactors are waiting for someone to appear with a Keyblade." The Monarch explained, "Whoever wields it, the fool will be forced to follow the wielder, for he has no other choice; remaining as aimless as he ever was before, or find a purpose that he desperately needs."

The trio nodded at themselves, when a dark orb manifested somewhere in their vicinity. The Horned Knight stood from his chair to face the visitor. A feminine figure appeared before them, whom the Knight bowed to, "Lady Maleficent, welcome back."

"Thank you, Sir Garland. I hope I am not interrupting your meeting with Lords Doom and Starkiller."

"Worry not, milady. In fact, there is a development that you should be aware of; he is no Keyblader, but he possesses a powerful amount of darkness that may interest you."

"Truly? Then by all means, introduce me to this one."

Maleficent made her way towards the altar, as Doom waved his hands and manipulated the recording, zooming into the man of interest.

The Lady of Darkness frowned at first, before letting out a gasp, followed by a furious scowl.

"It's him."

---

Sweet Merciful Allah, my head…

"Hey, he's coming to."

With a groan, I tried pushing myself up, but my arms felt like noodles for the moment, so that's a no go. I turned to the source of the voice, and whoever that man is… I can't see his face, other than that he seems to be wearing a black jacket.

I mean, whoever put me here obviously took off my glasses so—hold up!

"Where's the pretty lady?"

Dammit, I should've asked her name before that second fight. Her chuckle seemed to echo around the room, so I guess there's her answering me.

"Right here, Scruffy." As I turned my head, she seems to be standing in what I'm assuming to be the kitchen area of this room, since I can make out that large white fridge over there. She approached me while carrying a mug, before putting it down on the side table next to the bed.

I guess this is her place, since she took off her jacket, and is wearing a plain white T-Shirt… speaking of which, I'm not wearing my jacket and both shoes and socks are off; makes sense because this blanket combined with what I wore would be terribly uncomfortable.

"Sorry, but I ran out of coffee." She raised me up, ensuring I sit upright thanks to her. The blonde picked up a mug and gave one to me, "I hope you don't mind hot chocolate."

I couldn't help but smile, especially because how good this smells, "I prefer this, actually. Tried coffee once when I was a teenager, and I've avoided it ever since, closest thing I get in consuming coffee was eating coffee candies."

Blowing the steaming mug for a few seconds, I sipped the chocolate, before gulping it down a few times.

The blonde shook her head, for some reason I can tell she was smiling, "Really? Aren't you a little too old for hot cocoa?"

I couldn't help but to roll my eyes at that, "There's no written rule where adults aren't allowed to enjoy sweets anymore. Diabetes be damned, I'd gulp down a carton of ice cold chocolate milk if I could."

What's even sweeter than this cup of chocolate is her laughter, "Hope you get enough exercise and have decent meals to avoid getting that, Scruffy."

I… um.

"I'm afraid he's been neglecting both, if it wasn't obvious."

I frowned at the man sitting on the sofa, "At least I'm not obesely overweight."

"That's not an excuse to not take better care of yourself."

"You'll have difficulties motivating yourself if you've experienced my life, but yours are probably more exciting than mine, huh?"

The man crossed his arms, sighing to himself as he leaned into the sofa, "I'm sure you'll get plenty of excitement from now on, whether you like it or not."

What is he… oh, right.

Just as I was wondering where the Dream weapons are, I notice them lying on the coffee table across where Squall was sitting. When I was thinking of going there and picking one up, the sword disappeared in a flash and reappeared on my right hand.

"How the hell?" I muttered to myself, inspecting the blade. I'm still holding the mug on my left hand, so I put the sword on my lap and put my grubby right hand on it.

Yup, cold to the touch and I can feel the sharpness from my palm, this thing is real.

"Try not to cut yourself."

"I ain't that clumsy." I muttered to the man, setting the sword next to the side table. Feeling invigorated enough, I moved my legs to the left and cracked the joints as I finally sitting upright, if only I could find…

"Looking for these?"

The blonde handed me my glasses back, wiping it with my shirt before putting them back on, "Thanks again, pretty lady."

"Anytime, Scruffy."

I couldn't help but smirk as I take another sip, "Okay, as fun as it is, we both have names. Call me Rasyid."

The woman raised an eyebrow, "Just Rasyid?"

"My full name's a mouthful."

"If you say so. Name's Aya Brea, mister moody over there is Squall Leonhart."

"Cool."

That's all I could say as I slowly sipped the hot chocolate… Oh shit, it's actually them.

The protagonists of Parasite Eve and Final Fantasy 8 respectively… I'd say they're damn good cosplayers, but her shooting and fire blasting skills proved otherwise. I remember now; she's wearing her PE1 clothing, the T-shirt and jeans combo she wears after the opera—her jacket's hanging on that coat hanger-rod thing alongside my own—while he looks the same way he does in KH1, exclusive design included.

Still… Squall, not Leon? He would've told her to call him Leon, but he seems fine with it… I can't believe how young these two looked; they were in their 20s in their respective games, but as usual, Japan made them seem much older and mature than that. Then again, I've never played their games before, so I only have words of mouth and pop culture osmosis to rely on.

Come to think of it, why is Aya even here? From what I remembered watching Pat and Woolie playing both games, and she seems more cheerful from where I'm sitting. I recalled reading about how she was supposed to be in the original KH, but got replaced by Aerith instead… wait, is Aerith here too or is she dead?

"Something on my face?"

Crap, he caught me looking, better think of something… Ah, got it, "Aren't you hot with hair that long? You should cut it."

"I could suggest the same thing to you."

"Unlike you, I actually want to get a shave and a haircut."

Aya clapped twice before another argument can be started, "Okay, this two-bit gag needs to stop. Don't bother my patient, Squall."

"Whatever."

Ah, there it is. The line that's always there in his dialogue options.

Putting the mug back on the table—oh hey my stuffs are on the coffee table, good to know—and pushing it away from the edge, I turned my sights to Aya, "So, can I assume this is your apartment?"

"You'd assume correctly." She replied, "Not as cozy as my old place, but it's an alright place."

"You own this place?"

"Well… I'm the only tenant here, so in a way, I do."

I never looked into apartment rooms in a long while, but the first thing that came to mind is that motel room Cloud slept in as seen in the remake, but it's much roomier and cozier than that.

To my left is the side table with the mug of chocolate, beyond it is a large TV set—the oldschool big ones, so I'm guessing they're still using 2002 techs here—on top of a thick shelf with... a bunch of VHS tapes and their player, haven't seen those in ages. The sofa Squall is sitting on was set below the window overlooking whatever part of Traverse Town we're at, and I'm guessing Aya might've watch whatever shows this world has lying on the sofa, probably with whatever snacks she has set on that coffee table. A few centimeters away from it was the door that should lead outside, and then there's the kitchen area with the standard dining table and chairs, the kinds that would be small enough to be taken in and out of a medium room like this. There's another door, which I'm assuming leads to the bathroom, and right in front of me was a bookshelf, a big fancy chair, and her wardrobes shelf. To my immediate right is the wall, nothing fancy except another side table with a lamp on it.

"It's fancier than my own room, that's for sure."

Aya smiled at that, "Thanks, I made it work."

"Speaking of work… Moody Blues over there has been talking to himself long enough; say your piece, man. I'm sure you're not here for a social visit."

Squall narrowed his eyes, obviously having some choice words for me, but it seems like in his original game, he's keeping them to himself.

"What, everyone talks to themselves, that's what thinking's for, after all."

Squall leaned forward as he frowned at me, "How did you get those weapons?"

I looked at my gears, then back to Squall, "They just appear on my hands when those void beasts attacked me, and while I'm at it, I have no idea where the hell I am because last time I remember, I was just… I was…"

Well, shit. What was I doing before all of this?

"The name of this world is Traverse Town." Squall explained, "It's a place where people displaced by the Heartless goes to… Those who were lucky enough to not be devoured by them, anyway."

"The Heartless… that's what you call those shadow creatures?"

"The small ones you fought are named shadows, actually. But the Heartless comes in multiple shapes and sizes, and naturally all have unique names."

"Who gave them, anyway?"

I'm sure you can tell that I'm playing dumb right now. I might have vague memories of the lore, but there's absolutely no way I'll remember every details, nor will I start telling these two that they're video game characters who are guest stars in a different video game starring Disney characters. That sounds fucking insane.

Still, a refresher from the characters themselves won't hurt, hence me listening in.

Fuck, Aya should come from earth just like me, except having the freaky shit with Parasite Eve, so she might recognize and know similar things I'm familiar with. Just to be safe, if she doesn't bring it up, I won't either.

Squall continued his explanation, "A researcher named Ansem studied the Heartless long ago. Ever heard of him?"

I do, but again, playing dumb. I replied with a shrug, "Sounds European, but no. There's no way a scientist studying creatures that are living embodiments of the darkness would've been taken seriously where I come from; people on the internet would probably make jokes about it, but to answer the question, no."

Squall raised an eyebrow, "And internet is…"

Oh… oh right, his world probably doesn't have an equivalent.

"It's short for interconnected network." Fortunately for me, Aya answered him, "Basically it's a digital informational highway that we can access with the appropriate devices, like a computer. And if you're also wondering, European means a person from a continent called Europe, which has dozens of nations."

"I see… you two from the same world, then?"

That is… almost accurate, but I'm absolutely positive that the events from Parasite Eve—the novel, movies, and games—never happened and only exist in fiction. Mitochondria may be the powerhouse of the cell as they keep memeing about, but they don't give us psychic powers.

Better answer him, "Maybe? She may know similar things I know but that doesn't mean we're from the same earth."

It was Aya's turn to be confused, "Wait, aren't you from planet earth too?"

"Absolutely, but… ever heard of the word multiverse?"

Her confusion turned into understanding as she gave me a nod, "Gotcha. So, what's different from your world?"

"Oh, is this that famous Twenty Questions I keep hearing in old cartoons and shows? I'll go first; what year was it from your earth before getting stuck here?"

I could hear Squall groaning while Aya rolled her eyes, but obliged my whim as she sat on the bed next to where my feet are, "Last time I remember, it was the year Twenty-Ten. Memories are still hazy, but I don't think it was a good year for me."

… Yeah, it definitely wasn't. I wonder if events from the sequels actually happened to her, or is she a variant from a timeline where they never happened?

"My turn; what year are you from?"

"Last time I checked, it was Twenty-Twenty-Two, and a couple of months ago, I turned thirty. According to my phone, I somehow jumped back twenty years, so…"

Aya's mouth hung opened for a second before she closed them, "Wow, someone from the future, huh? I know it's late, but happy birthday."

… Scratching the back of my head was the only thing I can do, other than saying the obvious, "Thanks. So, what major events happened in your earth, because there's gonna be differences like that… unless said events affected you personally, so if you don't want to answer that one…"

I know that might count as a dick move, but logically that's a good question to ask if you meet other earthlings from different timelines. I mean, imagine meeting someone where Kingdom Hearts was a crossover with Nintendo, or Warner Bros., or even Universal Studios so you'd have Woody Woodpecker as the king or something.

Must've been an expensive series considering they would have more live action stuffs than cartoons relatively speaking during 2002.

Expectedly, Aya frowned at my question. I don't blame her for hesitating to answer it considering how traumatic Parasite Eve would be for her. She closed her eyes, and opened them again as I await my answer, "There was this… pandemic, in a way. Unlike something similar to the black plague, these turns people and animals into… literal monsters. It all began in New York on the Christmas Eve of ninety-seven, and... three years later, I became a member of a task group to clean up all the surviving mess of the incident, but I couldn't remember much about those times, let alone what happened afterwards before twenty-ten."

"Wow… and you still look so youthful after all that, what's your secret?"

Wait, shit, why did I ask that? I know it's her sentient mitochondria keeping her young but you can't just ask a woman that, that's creepy isn't it?

I thought she would be offended, but to my surprise she let out a playful scoff, "Hey now, it's my turn this time."

I raised my hands in surrender, "Ask away, then. And if you're wondering, that never happened in my time, but there is a pandemic happening right now, but nothing horrifying as what you've gone through. Just the world getting sick and morons making things worse."

"Same old, same old, it seems. Anyway, what's your favorite movie?"

I couldn't help but smirk at such typical question, but I answered her regardless, "Godzilla. The original nineteen-fifty-four movie, specifically. The English version with Raymond Burr was fine, but nothing beats the original Japanese."

"Huh, I guess you're into tokusatsu, aren't you?"

Whoa, hold the phone, "You know what tokusatsu means?"

The blonde reeled back at my sudden enthusiasm, but answered me with a grin, "I'll take that as a yes."

"More like hell yes! I grew up with all the major franchises of tokusatsu; Godzilla, Ultraman, Kamen Rider, Super Sentai, and Metal Heroes, not necessarily in that order. Sure, they're all just guys and gals wearing costumes beating the crap out of each other with sparks and explosions, but each of them have great stories if you're willing to pay attention. Yes, yes; heroes fighting monsters are always the focus of tokusatsu but ignoring the story is basically ignoring the other half of a full course meal, you're only eating your favorite bits and ignoring the other ingredients that made it all delicious! I swear, without the Big Five I wouldn't be the person that I am today, and I've consumed all sorts of different mediums too, but tokusatsu is just that important to me, it's all art, I tell you!"

… Oh, wait.

"You're quite the absolute nerd for this, aren't you?"

I… should feel ashamed, but I felt nothing but joy when Aya teased me with a smile. Squall on the other hand buried his face into his.

"Yes… I am. Sorry, but I just really love tokusatsu a lot, I wish I have encyclopedic knowledge for them all, but we'd be here all day."

"It's okay, kinda rare to see guys this passionate about the things they like."

I pointed my thumb at Squall, "Sorry that you have to deal with him being quiet all the time."

"Eh, he's alright. There are other guys beside him that's more honest about his feelings."

Squall rolled his eyes at us, "If you're quite finished, it's about time they arrive."

Aya looked at a clock on the wall to my right, "Oh, you're right! I should make some tea for them."

The woman got up from the bed and went back to the kitchen, preparing the beverage for whoever these expected guests are. I slid my legs out of the blanket and I felt the coldness of the wooden floor giving me slight tingles.

"You should clean up in the bathroom over there." Squall pointed to the door next to the fridge, "Control that bedhair of yours."

Cheeky brat, isn't he?

"Must be nice to never need shampoos and combing to fix that hair of yours." I commented, getting out of the bed, "If you actually use them, then I feel sorry for your wallet because it must've been weeping at how many cans of hairsprays you've bought."

"… Whatever."

As he crossed his arms, I was about to leave with a smirk, but there is something I need to know, "Oh, serious question; these guests your bosses or something?"

Squall wasn't even looking at me, but he did nod at my question, "In a way, yeah. They'll fill you in on whatever else you're going to ask when they get here."

… Okay, not gonna get anything else from him, then. Time to clean up.

---

Damn… I really need to get to the barbershop. I'm sweating bullets in here.

However, right now the guests they're expecting were right in front of me, and… once again, characters that never appeared in Kingdom Hearts, but are… and should, in my opinion.

Squall was comfortable leaning back on the wall to my left as said guests were occupying the sofa. I was sitting on a chair I dragged from the kitchen table, same with Aya. The guests were a man and a woman… but considering who I'm looking at, I can't help but think that they're an actual couple, despite their prim and properness.

Seriously, as mature as they look they're still just kids in their 20s. Or is it my brain tricking me into thinking them as such, like Ezio always seeing his sister as a kid regardless of how old she's supposed to be in later games?

I'll spare you the suspense; I'm currently staring at Firion and Maria, protagonists of Final Fantasy 2. I only know him from the Dissidia games, and I'm only semi-familiar with a version of her that debuted in Opera Omnia which I know little about. Their clothing was the least eye-catching compared to what's above them. Which is funny since my mind defaulted to Amano's designs that were used in Dissidia for them, but if I'm not wrong, their simple outfits were similar to the ones seen in the PS1 intro FMV clothing they wore; I think Maria has the FMV outfit as an alternate costume in Opera Omnia?

Firion wore his signature tri-colored bandanna that covered his long silvery-white hair that's been done in a ponytail. Maria's hair was long, wavy, and wisteria—I'm shit at colors so it's probably a different shade of purple—that hangs down past her shoulders, but her eyes were focused and sharp like an eagle, like Firion's were. Makes sense, considering what they went through.

I had hoped that my poker face won't give me away; I'm assuming they're sharp enough to notice looks of recognition from other people, but somehow I gotta prepare for the worse.

What I wasn't prepared for was Maria's reaction when she saw me. Specifically, she narrowed her eyes as she stared at me, before exhaling a gasp.

"By the Crystals… is that you, Rasyid?"

What in the actual living fuck?!

I must've muttered my thoughts aloud when Aya smacked my arm, "Hey, cool it."

"I'm sorry, but… how do you know me?" I gestured to the duo by chopping my hands at their direction, "Because this is literally the first time I laid eyes on you two in the flesh. And no, I don't think this is a case of amnesia because from what I read, the forgotten memories will eventually return and I would've definitely remembered actually meeting you two."

Maria seemed disheartened at first, before clearing her throat, "I guess it's to be expected… I do not think you would believe me if I tell you of our meeting."

"We have time, it's fine."

… It was anything but.

Okay, so here's the deal; according to them, they met me during their quest to defeat an evil emperor from their world—aka Mateus but I guess they don't want to remember him that much—and I apparently appeared from a portal during one of their supply runs. For obvious reasons, they were suspicious of this other me they met, but he proved himself trustworthy eventually. This other me seemed to have a gift of foresight according to Firion, as he saved the lives of their comrades from hidden dangers, but it was all for naught when those same comrades died saving their lives much later.

… He must've tried to save Minwu and the others, but because of fate or something, they died anyway. I know Emperor Mateus took over heaven in one version of the story so someone has to fight him while the main 4 fights his demonic self, but… seems disheartening that in the end, he couldn't keep them alive.

Shit, if I go through the Disney worlds, I wonder if I could actually change anything for the better and have them stick… Ugh, should focus on the present for now.

When Firion saw my weapons, he called them the Dream Armaments, and explained how past Keybladers would have visions of these 3 specific weapons. One to favor, one to discard, and one that remains, in order to determine what kind of fighters they would become. At least there's a name for them now, but not even they know why I got them instead of a keyblade, sadly.

Unfortunately, because they're tied to the Keyblades that means these things are also Heartless magnets, but since I'm not an actual wielder the effects are diluted somehow, so the dangers are minimized, but not entirely gone. Makes sense, but still wish that I don't have to worry about the Heartlesses, Nobodies, and Unversed gunning for me like I'm a buffet.

What intrigued me was when Maria described my other self wearing a suit of armor. My brain can't comprehend her detailed descriptions of what he's donning, but the image I got from her was me wearing a red ensemble of an armor, any exposed skins were covered by some sort of bodysuit, an elaborate horned helmet that covered my face with a skull mask, and a tattered black cape.

From the looks of it, she described my other self to be wearing a version of what the OG Warrior of Light wore, specifically a combo of his Amano/Dissidia look and his red warrior costume based on his original game sprite that other Dissidia games have. According to her, the horns were facing forward so either the helmet this other me wore was based on the FF14 version or I somehow got promoted from Warrior Class to Knight Class.

Either he got promoted ala FF14 jobs or he fought Bahamut and won. Either scenario scares me.

That's… cool, I guess? I honestly don't know how to feel about this time travel bullshit. Speaking of which, "Okay, so I know nothing of magic, but it sounds like you either met a future version of me, or you met another me from another timeline or dimension… it's confusing, I know. But I need to understand what's going on… Do you remember how this other me behaved?"

Firion shook his head, "You… I mean, he kept to himself most of the time, only engaging in conversation when approached."

I nodded and shrugged, "Well, I'm somewhat of an introvert so that checks out."

I heard Maria chuckling, "We weren't sure if you're friend or foe early on. But Guy, a friend of ours, somehow managed to open you up and you eventually showed proof of how otherworldly you are, using that device."

She pointed at my smartphone on the table.

"Motion pictures, instant paintings, portable musics… I'm still amazed that it is but one of many technological advancements from your world. And Aya came from the same world as yours?"

"Not exactly." She and I said together, "JINX!" we both cried out, causing everyone but Squall to laugh.

I beckoned Aya to explain the differences, which I'm amazed at how she made it so easy… then again, she's way more social than I am.

Firion stroked his chin while nodding, "To think people could come from the same world, but also not… I understand if time travel was involved, but you're both came from the same era, yet there are significant events that happened in her earth that never happened in yours."

"I'm somewhat jealous." Aya admitted, "Compared to mine, your earth seems peaceful, Rasyid."

I let out a mirthless chuckle, "Maybe… but there's still a lot of bad there that I wouldn't consider it peaceful. You know how it is; wars of ideologies, political shenanigans hurting others, abuses of authorities… mundane badness, really."

"I get you. Guess there's no escaping those headaches anywhere, huh?"

"Speaking of going places… what do I do now?"

We sat in quiet contemplation as I plucked out my eyeglasses and wiped my face, exhaling a sigh.

"I'm lucky to have found you guys, but I'm guessing you haven't figured out how to find our respective ways home?"

Maria shook her head, and I can tell she's frowning despite my blurry vision, "We have transportations that would help, but searching for the exact coordinates are difficult."

"You guys have spaceships?"

"It is… difficult to explain, unfortunately, but we have a friend who could explain it better. I hope he won't confuse you with whatever terminologies he'll use."

I nodded at her, so I guess it's safe to say Cid is really here… I shouldn't worry about which Cid it is considering there are 15 of them in the mainline games, and I know little of the ones from the spinoffs.

That reminds me, "Say, does this little group of yours have a name?"

"The Wild Rose of Radiance!" Firion answered, huffing his chest up, "Security and Protection, we'll provide anything you need!"

Maria slapped his arm, "We haven't even decided on the name, don't get ahead of yourself, Fir!"

How adorable, she has a pet name for him. Are they from the novel timeline where they get together or what? Man, this universe is confusing.

Still… not as confusing as what my next steps should be. I know I want to go home, but right now I'm in Point B, and home is Point Z. In-between them, I have figure out whether to go with Sora, Donald, and Goofy or my separate way by either staying with the FF gang or fly my own gummi ship. I may usually enjoy my alone times, I don't think I could afford literally flying solo… but no way I have the charisma to convince people to fly with me going on adventures like I'm Commander Shepard or a Dragon Age protagonist.

…Dammit, focus on the present; what should I do now?

"You want to get better at fighting?"

I looked to my left, Squall still leaning on the wall as he continued, "We've been searching and waiting for the whereabouts of the Keyblade. Whoever it chooses would help decide the fate of all worlds."

"No pressure on whoever gets it, then."

"Sucks to be them, but it doesn't change the fact that they might need help."

… I know where this is going, "You're suggesting that I train myself so I can help whoever the Keyblader will be?"

"I doubt you're disciplined and knowledgeable enough to train yourself. As for the last part… is that what you really want?"

I'd take offense to the first parts if he wasn't right about them, but… do I actually want this? Wait for Sora, ask him if I can come along, help the trio out on their adventures, and keep at it for a year or two until I somehow survive long enough to be involved in KH3? Shit, KH4 was announced and there are rumors that Endor from Return of the Jedi being one of the new worlds, and since I'm stuck here who knows how much time has passed where it's revealed to be true or not?

Fuck, are my mom and sisters alright? Am I in a John Carter situation where I'm actually a weirdass astral projection while my actual body is in a coma, or is this an isekai situation where… where it's a one way trip and instead of the kind of afterlife the imams and teachers described, some random omnipotent bastard stole me away?

Is any of these for real… or not?

I felt a hand on my right shoulder, I turned to see Aya. Without my glasses, everything's a blur, but she was close enough for me to see her clearly comforting me with a smile, "Hey, it's going to be okay."

… She's just being friendly and compassionate, man. Maybe my social skill is too shitty to tell what's considered friendly gestures or flirting, but Aya's a good gal; she's more worried about me than wanting to get to know me in that way, like any decent human being would.

"Thanks, Aya." I wanted to put my left hand on hers, but I don't think that's appropriate so I simply nod.

"I was in your shoes before." She explained, pulling back her hands and sitting straight on her chair, "You already know that I don't remember much about what I did before waking up here. That was a month ago, Maria and Firion have been great helps, but you know what keeps me going?"

"… You remember your friends from your world?"

She smiled at my answer, "And hoping that I'll find my way to them someday. It might sound silly, but I've been writing letters to them, as a way to chronicle my own journeys."

"It's only silly if you actually sent them in a mailbox." I commented, "And I doubt there are any postal services powerful enough to go through dimensions to deliver anything, let alone a mailperson crazy enough to do it. They'll have quite the salary, I'm sure."

"Imagine how much it would cost."

I shuddered at the thought, "I feel sorry for the receivers if they have to pay for them."

We both laughed at the idea, but eventually I have to make a choice. There's no mom or sisters to persuade me to do something other than being a couch potato who play games every day; instead of the pressure of being a worthless NEET struggling to find a job where I fit their bullshit criteria, I'm pressured with the choice of adventure to possibly find my way home, or… nothingness yet again. Either I could die via monsters or stagnation.

I… Fuck, and here I thought what I'm experiencing now would relit the spark within, but I still feel like that it's a dim and dying ember inside of me instead of a burning pit.

"You don't have to decide anything for now." Firion interrupted my thoughts, "I understand that combat is not for everyone, and I don't expect you to make this choice lightly. Just know that I'm willing to teach you the basics if you wish."

I raised an eyebrow at that, "You're willing to train me?"

"Of course! Sword and Shield might be the simplest but they're more complex than you think, so if you so choose, I'll train you on how to utilize them."

I glanced at the Dream Rod, "Even in… magic?"

"If you want to, I don't mind. But I admit that I'm not much of a mage, so you may need the tutelage of someone far better in that arts."

"Who, you have Merlin living somewhere in this town?"

… Wait, shit. I'm not supposed to know that, aren't I? My question sounded sarcastic enough, wasn't it? Surely they're thinking that I'm joking or—

"How do you know Merlin?" Great, Maria's suspicious now. I nervously turned to Aya and… wait.

"You haven't told them?" I asked Aya, pointing my thumb to them, "Surely you've told them about King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table when they mentioned Merlin? Even you should know some bits about that."

Aya was bewildered by my sudden question, "Uh… I do, yeah. I never met the guy, and I thought maybe he's just some eccentric genius who named himself after the wizard. I never asked either, so…"

Oh boy. Okay, I think I got something.

I put my glasses back on and gestured Maria to stop with my hands, "Hold up, you seriously have a wizard named Merlin in your employment? Where we come from, Merlin is a fictional wizard from an old, old story about a boy who became king after pulling a sword in a stone, goes by the name King Arthur Pendragon, who eventually lost said sword only to be given the Excalibur by a Lady in the Lake. Admittedly, I only know bits of the story thanks to pop cultural osmosis, but judging from your tone, Maria… you think he's the real deal?"

Firion widened his eyes when I mentioned Excalibur, but didn't say anything. Maria frowned for a moment, and answered, "I had no reason to suspect his identity when we met, and his magics have helped us from time to time, despite how busy he is."

"Okay, so you trust this Merlin. You must understand that for me and Aya, this is basically like a storybook character coming to life."

Maria stroked her chin, contemplating what to say next. She then gave me a solution, "Well, since you're so curious, why don't we visit him right now? Firion and I are about to visit him next, so how about you come with us?"

That's… that's great! "Sure, why not? And it those heartlesses comes back I don't have to fight alone again."

The woman smirked at me, "As tough as they are, I've fought worse. You're safe with us, don't worry."

---

I am very worried.

The journey to Merlin's caveman crib was less perilous thanks to these four veterans escorting me. I imagine Squall making some choice commentaries about me in his head, but he's professional enough to shut up, especially with Maria around.

I shouldn't be surprised that she summons her bow and arrows in a flash of light, the same way Squall summoned his Gunblade, except he doesn't flash, and it just… appears. I'm aware my attention span is shit, but how did I not notice him pulling that thing out?

Firion is the worse, because his instantly equipped his Dissidia arsenals while I wasn't looking. One second he's just walking, the next he punched a heartless knight with his bare hand, and poof! The knight dies in one punch and he's surrounded himself with his weapons.

At least these two didn't instantly change into their Dissidia/Amano clothings, that'll be funky to see… and I'd probably ask her how that one piece of armor on her left breast is hanging there without a string of clothing going behind her.

Yeah, gotta try and keep that to myself if I ever see her wearing it.

Aya on the other hand, was the most realistic of this group by having her silenced pistol hidden in a holster she's wearing, concealed with her jacket. Thanks to youtube, I understand the basics of gun safety and realized why she's only using that; anything of bigger caliber would've penetrated the walls and potentially hit someone.

As for me, I managed to take down a few of the heartless myself, but because of my inexperience I can't do anything fancy other than thrusting the sword into them while holding the shield close to my body. And I'm not confident enough in using the rod anything other than a mace, because I'm not even sure how much MP I have, not like I could even see the bar in my sights.

Thanks again youtube, a shame you won't exists in this universe until 3 years from now. I wonder if there's a way for me to enchant my phone to have transdimensional connections… Oh wait, Chip and Dale. But I won't be going there until KH2, which happens next year from now.

I'd go there myself, but I have no idea how to pilot a gummi ship, nor do I know the exact coordinates to that world. The games simplified it, but since I'm right here, there must me some complicated things that they don't show that would hinder things in more believable ways. Fuck, the waiting game this time sucks.

But that's not what makes me very worried.

I… leveled up.

Unlike all of those gamer fics, the pop-up display works the same way as KH, except I see it on the top corner of my field of view. I tried to look, but Squall berated me for daydreaming as he sliced a shadow in half.

When the action died down, I attempted to activate the menus with a thought, but nothing happened even when I whispered the word menu. Then again, usually in those stories, they always begin with the protagonists being greeted by the sentient menus and them allocating whatever points they have into their stats.

None of that happened when I sat down in the empty café, so either it works differently or… I'm actually seeing things that weren't there. Yet, I feel stronger for some reason, and that chime I heard was quite distinct enough for me to recognize; it's the same level up sound effect used in Kingdom Hearts.

Shit, I'm not looking forward for whatever surprises I'll see in this adventure.

… I'll worry about that later, Maria's beckoning me to enter the door that leads to Merlin.

Entering the cave, I was in awe at how vast this place is compared to the game. Unlike how it was there, I see some sparkly stuff on the ceiling. I thought they were glow worms, but I've seen enough nature documentaries to recognize what they should look like, so these must be natural cave crystals.

And right here in the middle of the underground lake is Merlin's crib… forgot that it has a wizard's hat for a roof. I don't remember if it was empty until Sora came to visit, but right now the house seems lived in. To get there, Sora has to jump through some rocky platforms. That moves from side to side.

Just my luck, we have to do it the same way.

"Why couldn't you guys build a bridge or something?"

Squall exhaled a sigh, "I'm sure finding woodworks in this world would be as easy as finding the Keyblade wielder, conveniently living among us this whole time."

"You've barred that door in the first district well enough."

"Unlike building a bridge, we don't need dozens of planks to barricade that door. And no, we don't have enough ropes long enough to support it. Besides, you saw the door; Firion had to use fire magic to open it, so not just anybody can enter."

I shook my head, pressing a fist onto my forehead. With sigh, I pulled out all 4 contents of my pockets, and approached Aya, "Hey… can you keep these for me for a moment?"

Aya looked at me quizzically, before turning her gaze to Merlin's house, and her eyes basically sparkled with realization, "Don't want to get them wet, right?"

Of course she knows. She's a damn good detective, she is, "Yeah, and I don't trust myself enough to safely jump across without messing it up."

Aya took my belongings into her hands, before putting them all into her jacket, "I'll keep them safe, don't worry."

With a nod, I turned to the house as Squall made his way across—Firion and Maria went already—and I prepared myself to jump… Oh boy.

I felt a hand on my shoulder as Aya walked next to me, "I'll be right behind you."

With a nod, I took a few steps back. And then… I leaped!

Whew! Okay… that's one platform done. Slowly but surely, I'm getting closer to Merlin's house. I turned around to see Aya one platform behind, giving me that lovely smile of hers, "Good job, Rasyid! Just one more and you're home free."

I smiled back at her, before turning my attention to where I could jump onto next. Firion was standing by with an open hand in case I fall.

I can make it, for sure!

---

"Warm enough for you, Sruffy?"

No, I did not in fact, make it.

Jacket off, socks and shoes too, I stood next to the torch as I try to dry myself up. Can't believe this is the only source of fire in this house, guess I forgot he gets a fireplace in Radiant Garden in KH2.

I grumbled and mumbled something angrish at Aya, which she giggled at, "That's a yes, then."

"There wasn't any moss on that rock, I'm sure of it." I muttered, growling as I moved closer to the fire, "How the hell did I slip, this is bullshit."

Aya offered a white towel to me, which I gladly took as I dry my hair off. Dunno where she gets it from, but that doesn't matter right now.

Squall was standing by the door… or the broken wall that's used as the entry point anyway, by leaning next to it. Firion and Maria went upstairs, thanks to that magic platform that worked like an elevator, so they basically confirmed him being here. They've been up there for some time, but I'm fine with waiting.

Okay, so with how different this KH timeline is, considering Squall doesn't go by Leon, and the presences of the FF2 protagonists and Aya Brea, I think it's safe to assume this Merlin would be different somehow. Sure, he'll look like his Disney self from Sword in the Stone, but… there are so many versions of him, and according to the Nasuverse version of Merlin, he can see the future.

… I guess this is where I'll tell him everything, but I hope he could help me proof most of the things I say.

Fuck, what if in this reality he's like Gozer from Ghostbusters, where he looks different depending on what realm he's in and chose to do it that way all this time? Sword in the Stone was an adaptation of a series of books, and from what I remembered it gets much grimmer in the end, as per the original stories.

"Something on you mind?"

Aya sat next to me as I continued drying my hair. A few moments later, I took it off and… God, her giggles are soothing, it's such a contrast to how she was in her own games. But at least she's happier in this universe.

"You look like a mad scientist."

Oh, I see how it is. I put my hands on my face and imitated a certain doctor, "Great Scott, Marty! We have to go Back to the Future!"

"You built a time machine out of a DeLorean?!"

"One point twenty-one gigawatts!"

"This is heavy!"

Right, she knows her pop culture, even in her games, I guess without copyrights bullshit tying her down, she can quote and mention whatever she wants, same like me.

She laughed for a few seconds, before composing herself, "Really though… what's up?"

I did my best combing my hair with my fingers, before answering her, "Well… it's Merlin. There's so many works using Arthurian mythologies, I'm not sure which version of him I'm going to meet."

Aya nodded to me, "I see. For all you know, you might get the original version where he's probably more serious than whatever versions used for kids. Kinda doubt the former since this place seems friendly, if you get it."

"Or maybe he's actually eternally youthful and is somewhat of a pervert because he's half incubus."

"Say what now?"

Oh… right. "There's this Japanese franchise called Fate. It's a very, very long story and I don't even know a quarter of it, but that's can of worms too big for me to open and dump on others. Point is, the Fate version of Merlin is… weird."

Aya shook her head with a chuckle, "You sure know a lot of things."

"Wish I knew the more important stuffs, especially the kind that relates with me getting and maintaining a job… any jobs."

"What do you do for a living, anyway?"

… I knew this would come up eventually, but this early? Shit. I better sit down for this, and I'm not comfortable getting Merlin's chair wet so I sat down on the stone platform. Aya stepped down as she paid attention to my answer.

"Office job, worked under my dad who inherited the position from grandpa." I began, "But shit happens and… well, I've been trying to find a job ever since the pandemic happened in my world. I got no notable skills whatsoever and I'm not savvy enough with computers to become a youtuber, so I spend my days lazing around video gaming… and occasionally writing fanfictions. All those jobs have bullshit criteria and I'm not getting any younger for any of them to accept me."

I don't know what to expect, but her hand on my shoulder and a sympathetic smile weren't that, "I'm sorry that happened to you."

"… I want to get a job and become so rich, my mom and sisters would have better lives, you know? I know cushy office jobs pay well, but sometimes I wish I had the courage and grit to struggle like many others and earn my money, but I don't. Now I can't do any of that because I'm fucking stuck here in this alternate dimension with demons of darkness and magical mumbo-jumbo. Sure, thanks to video games I could probably understand some things but that doesn't change the fact that I'm a pathetic excuse of an adult!"

"Just… fuck." I took off my glasses, basically throwing them to my side, "I didn't mean to rant, but for some reason I couldn't dam up all these anger in me right now. We know each other for barely a day and here I am pouring out my garbage, the hell is wrong with me?"

I looked up, seeing that Squall wasn't inside anymore—guess he's decent enough to give me some space—and I couldn't hear Firion or Maria conversing with Merlin ever since they went up, so I guess they're not hearing me mouthing off.

Just… me and the pretty lady sitting next to me.

"I know it's different, but I felt the same way after my ordeals." Aya explained, "Not that it's a competition or anything, but I understand wishing to have better lives, especially for the sake of somebody else. I… I have vague memories of somebody in my life that's important, but I can't remember whoever it was, yet I know this person matters."

… She's talking about Eve from Parasite Eve 2, the girl she adopted as her little sister, has to be.

Better make sure, "Is this person a sibling of yours? Or someone… real special?"

Aya pondered my question for a moment, before answering, "I think… it's the former. It's a gut feeling, but it felt right."

Damn, of course she has it rougher than me, I know she means well… but that doesn't help me with my problems. However, I gotta figure out what to do after this… after I found my way home. If Samwise Gamgee can finally ask a girl out after a harrowing adventure, maybe I can get the courage to push forward and find a decent job.

"I'm sure you'll remember her… or him." I ensured after almost messing that up, "Who knows, this universe might have some surprises for us if we found the right path to walk through. You'll reunite with this sibling of yours, I'm sure."

"Hopefully they aren't in this universe." Aya commented, "Hate to see them face off against the Heartless all alone."

"God willing, they're safe in your home universe instead of this weird realm we're in."

We both sat in contemplative silence as I put my glasses back on. Life's crazy, and right now I'm experiencing something crazier… Yet despite my worries, I feel like things will be just fine. Of course, this being the Kingdom Hearts universe, who knows when it'll stay fine, and I don't think getting Sora to help me will be a viable solution; hope incarnate he basically may be, he's just a kid. I don't need him worrying about a schmuck like me.

Dammit, I need to figure out what to do.

As if to answer my question, the platform above levitated down, bringing Firion and Maria down with it. I stood up and approached them, "How did it go?"

Maria answered me as she got off the platform, "You're in luck, he's about to leave next week but you can go see him now."

"Where's he going?"

"Who knows, wizards and sorcerers can be so secretive, but he's one of the good ones."

If my memories served me right, this house will be empty by the time Sora arrives, so that checks out. I know Mickey will ask him to help Sora, but they didn't bother with how they communicated with each other.

I exhaled a sigh, "Well, moment of truth."

"Oh, wait!" Maria stopped me, "Merlin wants to meet Aya as well."

I looked to the blonde in question, who looked at Maria quizzically, "Me? I know we haven't met yet, but shouldn't Rasyid have his turn first?"

"We don't know when he'll come back, so might as well."

This is quite the surprise, but I welcome it. Please say yes.

After a few seconds, Aya gave Maria a nod, "Okay, then. It's better than have my curiosity nagging at me for not taking the chance."

Maria smiled at her, "We'll go on back to the orphanage, but take your time, I'm sure Merlin have some important wisdoms to part on you both."

Okay, that's new, "This place has an orphanage?"

"It does. We did say this world is for those displaced by the Heartless… and that can mean anybody, regardless of age."

Ah… okay, that makes sense. Just another addition to this new timeline I'm in, then.

I'm glad I won't be doing this alone, but I do wonder why he needs her too. Only one way to find out; time to get on the platform.

"Wait, shouldn't you dress up properly first?"

Turning back to Maria, I answered with a shrug, "My stuffs are wet, if you've forgotten. I'm used to go barefoot indoors, and I don't want to get his house any wetter, it's fine… speaking of my stuffs, Aya?"

As if reading my mind, Aya gave them back to me as she got on the platform with me.

After pocketing them all, I turned to her, "Thanks, pretty lady."

"Anytime, scruffy."

I playfully hit the back of my hand at her shoulder, smiling at her sass. In return, she smacked me back with a smirk. A few seconds later, the platform flew up, and I waved goodbye to Firion and Maria.

The attic looks the same way it does from the first game, even if I don't remember much. Colorful floorings with a red star in the center, cool murals of the night skies and ocean waves… and not much else, since this is a training area.

And lo and behold, the Grand Caster himself wearing all blues and his fancy long beard, sitting near a desk with a great big book.

"Ah, good to have you here at last, Master Rasyid."

… Oh right, Maria would've told him about me. Better greet back, "Well met, Merlin. But judging from what you said, you've been expecting me?"

"Long before Maria told me about you, yes."

I frowned at him, but then I remembered one of the things he could do, "Oh right, Merlin can see the future… assuming you are Merlin from the days of King Arthur."

He had an unreadable expression when I mentioned that name. I realized my mistake, but I need to keep up the pretense of an ignorant—

"To think Little Wart's life story has been told over the centuries… Ser Mallory must've exchanged his swordmanship for penmanship if it's lasted to your time, Master Rasyid."

Mallory… I think that's the surname of author of the original Arthurian Legend. But does he know it because he knew what he is, or is it something related to the books the Sword in the Stone movie adapted from?

"You still doubt me?"

I gave him a shrug, "I'd be lying if I believe you this instant."

Merlin nodded to himself, before standing up and—"What the hell?"

He… he shape-shifted. That's right, it happened in the Disney movie and it's probably a power he had in the original tales, but… he shifted into himself. To be precise, Merlin from Fate Grand Order! White dress, beardless façade, handsome looks, everything!

"I believe the modern term for this would be a… sight for sore eyes, is it not?" Merlin smiled, arms spread apart, "Of course, that applies even more so to Lady Brea."

I looked at Aya, jaws agape like mine is, before looking back at—"Again?!"

This time he shifted into something that's not an anime character, but a… live action person. Hold up, is that… the Merlin from that one live action TV series from the 2000s?

"Perhaps you would prefer a more subtle form as this? I admit, Wart would probably have an easier time bonding with this version of me due to the similar age, but considering this one's personality, he'd call him a prat."

Damn… even his voices changed as he transformed, but how could he know? I guess he has the gift of prophecy but can he even read minds?

"I am capable of many feats, young man." Merlin answered, walking closer still in his TV show form, "But if I do everything myself, how else would anybody grow to become better people?"

"Harry Dresden could've used your help." I blurted out. Wait, why did I even do that?

"Oh, I see you've read his case files? How far have you read, I'm curious about the happenings within the White Council I created."

"I've only read the first five books, but I don't—Hey now!" I interjected, "There's no way you're the same Merlin in every single fictional medium, you're dead in many of them, what the hell?!"

With a laugh and a snap of a finger, Merlin instantaneously reverted into his Disney form, "I've done many things since my time with King Arthur, one of which is meeting me, myself, and I."

If I was a cartoon character, you can imagine how baffled my expression would be, "What, there's a Council of Merlins, now?"

"Oh, nothing so grand, lest I pretentiously joined the likes of Reed. But enough about me, we're here to talk about your predicament, Master Rasyid."

"Stop calling me that, please." I held out a hand, shaking my head as I felt queasy, "I understand this is probably some medieval term of politeness or something, but I'm not a master of anything or anyone."

Merlin tilted his head, before approaching me while stroking his magnificent beard. I could see how wrinkly he gets as he frowned, and said, "Goodness… perhaps not yet."

What is he talking about?

"Don't worry about it, young man." He tapped my shoulders with both hands, "If I told you about what I saw, it probably won't happen. You'll get there eventually, I'm sure of it."

Ah, right. His future vision thing… Great. He walked back to his desk and rummaged that big book of his, while I try to gather my thoughts… Which reminds me, "Aya, you okay?"

The blonde shook herself out of her stupor, "I… I'm not sure."

"Yeah, that was quite the spectacle, huh?"

"True… but there is one thing I'm confused about."

"Better get ready for more confusion after this, but what's up?"

Aya titled her head and crossed her arms, her foot tapping the floor a lot, "This Merlin… why does he choose the form of a Merlin from that old Disney movie? You know, the one called… Sword in the Stone, I think?"

…

What in the actually living fuck?!

---

The date is 10/9/2022, and I would've uploaded this immediately but my internet keeps dying because of constant raining, so this will probably be uploaded in 11/9/2022.

But thanks to that, I managed to beat Sakura Wars 6 on the PS4. I know it's just titled Sakura Wars… but God of War PS4 is GOW4 and Ragnarok should be 5, but nope some fans are calling it God of War 2… even though it already came out for the PS2 ages ago.

Blasted whippersnappers lol

That said, I'll be replaying it multiple times to get all the endings with all the girls. Main girl Sakura is done, next up is the one that ticks off all my boxes, Hatsuho.

Ultraman Decker is fun so far, and I'm glad I managed to have seen the latest episode before the internet died again. Kamen Rider Geats had a great first episode, and I can't wait for what the 2nd episode will show, not to mention what other surprises it'll have for us. Don Brothers is nuts, and I can't wait for whatever crazy twists Inoue will give us.

Life update… well, same old same old. Internet situation is still kinda fucked because Kominfo is being idiotic for the umpteenth time. I tried to avoid news about it because I feel dumber reading about them.

Speaking of reading, I'm getting worried for the characters in My Hero Academia. I'm sure the complaints about this arc are valid, but I've been invested since the beginning and I ain't gonna stop enjoying this wild ride; although it'll probably help me make my Kamen Rider x MHA fic better.

And yes, I'm on a break with that fic. I'll go back to it eventually, but I have some other fanfic ideas in mind, this one included.

I haven't seen the latest Berserk chapter, but from the panels I've avoided, Guts seem to be suffering yet again… Struggle on, my man. You're princess is in another castle and you will storm that place eventually.

Assassin's Creed will have its own stream tonight… but by the time you're reading this, I can't watch it. I'm hoping whatever it shows would restore some faith I had with this franchise, but for now, if I can, I'll buy the older games and actually finish some of them. Speaking of which, of the classic pre-PS4 games, I've beaten the first 3 games—OG and the first 2 Ezio games. I beaten AC3 on the PS4, and I imagine I'd be devastated if I've had beaten it years ago. I miss Desmond.

11/9/2022 Edit: AssCreed Mirage looks promising, and Berserk 369 was... holy shit.

Anyways, this fanfic exists because of a whim. I do have some plot ideas about it, but in the end, I'll be winging it as usual, as annoying as it is. I'll be using stuffs from KH canon, even the mobile games I know little about, but don't worry about me dumping lore or anything.

I don't know when the next update for this fic will be, but I'm glad to have gotten this one outta my system at long last. What I can tell you is that next time, SI-Me will be experiencing some shenanigans with the locals before Sora arrives… you might see some guest stars, some you might not expect.

Anyways, that's all for now; Read, Review, and Rejoice!