AN: Well, spring break is FINALLY here, and I guess that's why you see me updating, because this is the only time I could do it! I'm fairly satisfied with this chappie. I didn't want too much to go on action-wise, it's a bit more about everyone's emotions. Anyways, I don't want to keep rambling.
Mr. Moogle: Yah, quiet down! Aliasfan still doesn't own the best game in the world. She does own Evelsone/Mesna, Jahu, and Vern though.
Aliasfan: I own you too! XP Sorry for the wait! Now go on and read…
Chapter 20: The Chance to Speak
"Now, there was something very important that you wanted to tell me…" Evelsone said.
"Yes, there is. I don't know why you would, but I hope you won't think of me differently after I tell you." Jahu explained. Her mystic eyes slowly became adjusted to the darkness of the closet, and she was able to faintly see Mesna.
She loves me, I know it! "Why didn't you ever tell me before?" Mesna asked. Maybe you were afraid to tell me. I know I've been afraid to tell you…
"I didn't know it at first, so I couldn't tell you." Jahu responded. "I'm still not sure what it means. The King and I went to Merlin, the wizard in Traverse Town, and he was able to explain some of it to me. So I can only tell you what he told me, which is all I know."
"What?" Mesna said, a little confused.
"Yah, it's weird. One minute I'm just a nobody Barbado in a nothing world like Bendugria, and the next I'm the Mystique Heart traveling to different worlds."
"Huh?" Mesna said, this time even more puzzled, though he figured she probably wasn't going to proclaim her love for him. I guess I…was wrong…
Or maybe you were right, Evelsone. You knew deep down she didn't love you. You knew you would never hear her say those words. But your weaker self, Mesna, tried to get you to believe that she cared. But no, she's too busy thinking about her powers as the Mystique Heart.
What powers?
Why don't you ask the Mystique Heart herself?
"Y-you're the Mystique Heart? What exactly do you do?" Evelsone asked.
Jahu could sense something was troubling Mesna, though she couldn't figure out what. She redirected her thoughts to the questions asked of her. "I know it sounds crazy, but I can see into people's souls. All I have to do is look into their eyes, concentrate, and I can see their thoughts, their actions, their very being! Merlin said it was a power but I don't really see the importance of it all."
"Wow, I never would have thought that you'd have a power. At least I think it's a power. I mean, it's not like anyone else can do what you do. I wonder if I could have any hidden powers in me…" Evelsone said.
You do…
Me.
-
"So, are you ready?" Vern asked, biting her lips nervously. She waited patiently for a response, careful not to upset the person sitting across from her. The gummi ship swayed gently back and forth as Donald continued to follow Mesna's lead to the world containing the door to the light.
"Ready? Ready for what?" Tidus responded snobbishly. He sat slumped on the couch, one leg resting on the small table in front of it.
Vern scratched behind her ear, seeming to gain ten nervous tics at once. "Ready to talk…talk about us…"
"There is no 'us'" Tidus spat at her. "Never was and never will be."
Vern knew it'd be hard to get Tidus to listen to her, but she had to try. It didn't even matter to her the he hated her guts. Vern accepted the fact that she had hurt people in the past, but she wanted to be forgiven for it. She wouldn't be able to truly be in the light until she faced her darkness-and Tidus' resentfulness added to those shadows. "Well, can I at least talk to you about me?"
Tidus was about to say another witty remark, but he didn't. He saw the look in Vern's eyes. Has she come to apologize to me? Is she really sorry? I don't know…but I should at least give her a chance to speak. "Sure, I guess, go ahead." Tidus said in a kinder tone.
What? He's letting me talk to him? Maybe my soul will be at peace after all! Vern took in a deep breath, exhaling loudly, causing a strand of her midnight black hair to fly up from it. "Let's see…where to begin…" she said, fiddling with her fingers. "Well, there goes another nervous tic to add to my collection!" she laughed. Tidus didn't respond. "Um, anyways, back at Destiny Islands, when we were in the Secret Place…I never got to tell you what really happened that day."
Vern suddenly got Tidus' attention. "What really happened? I thought all that happened was that we were going out, you kissed Sora, fought with Kairi, and that was that. I saw it all. What else could there be?" Tidus asked.
"Listen," Vern hesitated, lowering her head. "Before I met you…I wasn't a good person."
"We've all done some rotten things in the past, I for one am one of them."
"But…you weren't…evil…" Vern said softly. Everything that she had said and done seemed to be coming back to her now, things that she had wanted to forget. "You didn't wish for all the power of the worlds. You never tried to kill someone. You never acted in a way that the very darkness of your heart started to show up in your physical features." Vern grabbed a strand of her hair. "This used to be brown, ya know."
Tidus was confused at this point. "W-what are you saying? You really did all those things? Who were you?"
Vern shut her eyes tight. "I'm trying to forget her…the old me that is. She was…a demon…a monster…call her whatever you like-she was it. She was like a lollipop. She looked so sweet on the outside. Sometimes she'd let you have a taste. But once you got to her center, she was rotten." Vern explained, her eyes watering up as she opened them. "So people decided to throw her out. You…you don't know how that feels. You don't know what it's like to have everyone around you hate you, including yourself."
Tidus' eyes wandered around the room. He looked everywhere, but he seemed to be avoiding Vern's eyes. "I…I never knew. I'm so sorry…"
"Sorry for what?" Vern asked, wiping her tears away. "I was in love with Sora even before I came to Destiny Islands, that's why I kissed him. I played you for a fool. It wasn't until after I did it that I realized how wrong I was, along with all the other things I had done before. So I'm the one who should be sorry. And I am sorry." Vern swallowed hard then continued. "But that was the old me. That demon has been dead for a while now. I…understand if you never want to speak to me again, but all I ask for is your forgiveness. I won't be able to forgive myself until you do."
Tidus sat still for a bit, seeming to be in thought. I can forgive her…and I can be her friend…but nothing more, nothing less. Tidus got up and sat next to Vern, taking her hand. He studied her face and ran his fingers along the scars across her face. She's been through so much; she's got the scars to prove it. I truly believe that she is sorry. Finally, he looked Vern in the eyes. "You have my forgiveness. Now go in peace my child." he joked, resting the palm of his hand on Vern's forehead. "Don't forget to take communion before you leave."
Vern chuckled. "Priests can't have girlfriends, ya know!"
"Oh, then never mind!" Tidus laughed.
"Tidus?" Vern said. "Thank you…" she pulled Tidus into a hug.
Tidus nodded as if to say 'You're welcome'. "Wait a minute." He said abruptly. "You said you loved Sora before you got to the islands. So when you first met him you really already knew him?"
Whoops. "Uh, yah, I did. It's a long story and I don't want to get into it." Vern said.
"But then that means you lied to me, pretending you didn't know them. Sora, Kairi, Riku…that means they lied to me too!"
"We did it to protect you, T. We didn't want you caught up in something like what you're in now." Vern explained, hoping Tidus wasn't upset. "You're not mad, are you?"
"No, I'm not mad." Tidus said, understandingly. "I know you guys were just doing what's best for me. I mean, I do wish I wasn't here now. But soon all of this will be over once Sora seals the door to the light, right?"
"Yep." Vern nodded. "I'm so glad we have Mesna here. "Without him, we'd have a slim chance of ever finding ourselves back home."
Tidus smirked. "Let's just hope the little guy knows where he's going."
-
"Left! I said left!" Evelsone exclaimed. He grabbed his hair and tried the best he could to remain calm. "I leave for one second and you can't even remember my directions!"
"Don't get mad at me!" Donald yelled. "Mickey told me you said to go 'Right!'"
"No I didn't. I said you were right that he said to go left!" Mickey said. The gummi ship rocked back and forth slightly as they tried to figure out the controls-and most importantly-where they were going.
"Well I didn't know!" Donald exclaimed, his temper getting the best of him.
Evelsone breathed out slightly. "Well now you do." He stated, looking out of the small circular window. A smile formed on his face as he recognized a star. "We're almost there. Just a little bit farther."
King Mickey turned around in his seat to face Evelsone. "We really appreciate this Mesna. I'm sorry we're all jumpy today. I guess we're just tired or something. But we shouldn't yell at you when you're the one helping us in the first place."
"Heh, it's okay." Evelsone said, whisking his hand away. "It's nothing, really."
"No, it's not just nothing. Once we get to the door to the light we'll be able to go back to our homes, and the Heartless will cease to exist. I'm pretty sure that's something." Mickey responded.
"Yes, it is something. But…have you ever wondered if that's what will really happen?"
Mickey lifted his eyebrow. "Go on…"
Evelsone continued. "Well, the way I see it, the Heartless will still be alive, they just wouldn't have access to the worlds. But how can we be sure that sealing the door will keep them in their prison of darkness?"
"Well…" Mickey said, unsure. "I guess I've just always assumed…"
"Hmm." Evelsone said. "Well, I don't know. You're probably right. Once we get there and the door is sealed I can go back home with Jahu to Bendugria and everything will be like old times." Everything will be like old times alright, except you won't be around to live it.
"Yes…" Mickey responded, eyes seeming distant. "But I wonder if it's really the old times I want…"
"What do you mean, Your Majesty? I thought you were happy before all of this happened." Donald said, continuing to drive the gummi ship according to Mesna's commands but listening to their conversation as well.
The King scratched his round ear. "Well, yes, I was happy. But if I had never gone through all of this…I never would have known about other worlds. I would have been selfish in a way, only caring about my world and ruling it. Darkness would still be able to take over. And of course, I never would have met so many other great people. My knowledge has grown three times the size it had been in the old times."
Donald leaned over, resting his wing on Mickey's shoulder. "Well, maybe we can still have the old times, but the new times as well. We don't have to forget any of it." Donald said, showing some of his softer side.
"Donald! You're not paying attention! The portal is coming up to the right!" Evelsone said sternly. "We don't want to miss it!"
"Well, Sor-ry." Donald said in a sarcastic tone, rolling his eyes. "Excuse me for trying to have a conversation with the King."
The King? Mickey's not the king. Evelsone said to himself.
That's right, 'cause I am.
Shut up, Ansem. I'm the king…
-
"I wonder if Mesna thinks I'm some weirdo or something…" Jahu said softly. After she left the closet she had walked to the bathroom to freshen up. "I mean, I feel like I should be in some freak show at the circus. Hey look everyone, come gawk at the girl who can look into your soul! Only 1 to get in!" Jahu said sarcastically in an announcer's voice. "And don't forget to get a free t-shirt when you exit. It's grand!"
Jahu sighed, resting her hands on the sink. Is this a gift or a curse? What is it for? Jahu turned the faucets on and let the water run till it got really cold. She splashed her face with the water, the liquid feeling cool and fresh on her flustered face. She looked up at the mirror, drying her face with a hand towel. Jahu looked at her reflection. Her eyes were blazing hazel, and she couldn't help staring at them. Suddenly, Jahu's eyes turned white and she dropped the towel. Oh no…I'm…Her hands started to shake slightly and she could feel that same tingly feeling that she got before. She could see swirls of light before her, though some of her sight was slightly covered from shadows.
"Ugh, Mrainer, you always have to have your daily amount of flirting don't you? I told you before, I'm not interested."
"This report talks of a girl who will be able to look into people's hearts. She will be able to see them for who they really are, and determine if they are good or bad. He called her…the Mystique Heart. I never thought I'd see the day…"
"Really? You mean all of this can be over soon? We can go back to the way things used to be!"
"Hey Mesna, did you tell Jahu you love her?"
Suddenly Jahu came back to reality, her eyes slowly changing back to her normal color. She came to, her head hurting slightly. She furrowed her eyebrows, thinking back on what she had just heard. Some of those phrases…I didn't say…Jahu thought back to that day when she first used her powers on the King:
"Well," Mickey said, pulling out his Keyblade. "I am a Keyblade wielder, so I must have light in my heart which is what you saw and felt. I guess what you heard were just some things I said that just back up the conclusion that I'm good."
Jahu thought hard. He said that I would hear things the person said. But when I looked into my heart, I heard what other people said…
"Hey Mesna, did you tell Jahu you love her?"
Is it…is it true? Jahu asked herself. Mesna… She could feel tears forming in her eyes. Liquid soon began to wash her face, but this time it wasn't the water.