Flowers. Flowers. Flowers.
A child of four years skittered through the gloom, her bright smile illuminating the melancholic state of the graveyard. She was on the most important quest of her young life, one that required her undivided attention. She slowed to a halt before the cenotaph, one of many identical ones that littered the cemetery. But she knew this one was the right one; it was her little secret after all.
She crouched behind the gravestone as her eyes lit with joy. A plethora of flowers were in full bloom tonight, and she needed many. They were her mother's favourite, and she always thanked her with a warm smile whenever her daughter picked them for her. But tonight was different; she had to be frugal with the bouquet she'll make for her mother.
A kind woman had visited the young girl earlier that day, and she absolutely had to bring her a bouquet of her own. A caring and gentle young woman such as she would surely love it. In some ways, she reminded the child of her own mother…
Flowers. Flowers. Flowers.
"Where are you!?"
The young girl's ears perked at the sound. She could recognize her mother's voice anywhere. But why did she sound so tense and afraid? The young girl stood up and stepped into the clearing, her bouquet clutched in her small hands.
Flowers. Flowers. Flowers.
Her mother darted through the clearing towards her, arms outstretched, and eyes filled with fear. The young girl sensed the danger in the air as her mother closed in on her. She had never seen her mother look so frightened, so helpless. She held her bouquet close to her chest as her heart beat faster and faster.
Flowers. Flowers. Flowers.
"Run!" her mother cried.
The dried leaves crunched beside her. The air filled with bitterness and cold. The young girl held her flowers as close to her heart as she could. She had to keep them safe. They were for her mother. They were for her friend. She had to bring them their flowers. She had to.
A figure towered beside her, blocking out the light of the moon.
"Please, you have to run!"
Her mother had almost caught up to her. All of this would go away once her mother reaches her. It has to. It always has. She always chased the young girl's fears away. She always assured her that everything would be alright. She just needed to wait for her to catch up to her. Her embrace always fixed everything. It'll fix this. It has to.
The figure moved closer, and the young child could hear the low growl in its laborious breaths. She slowly turned around, laying her eyes on the terrible creature.
It towered over her with the ferocity of a thousand beasts. The shadows made it difficult for her to see the creature, though she could make out its piercing red eyes amidst the darkness. They looked like… they were crying…
She clutched onto her flowers for dear life as the beast lifted its massive arm.
"Akira!"
Flowers.
She felt a jolt as she was sent tumbling over to the side.
Flowers.
She blinked as she watched her mother tear through the clearing, pushing the young child aside as the beast's arm ripped through the air.
Flowers.
She wanted to scream, but the words wouldn't come out. Her eyes filled with tears as the creature's arm forced her mother aside, sending her tumbling towards the stone gate. Amidst the tears and the fright, the uncertainty and the frantic beating of her heart, the young child kept her flowers clutched to her chest. Even though the force of the fall ruined most of the blooms, scattering their petals to the wind, she had to give them to her. She had to. She had to.
The beast raised its arm once again as it eyed the young child. She shouted as the tears blurred her vision, but all she could think of were flowers.
She wasn't sure what had happened next. Among the blurred muddle of colours, she could make out shades of black and blue. She thought she heard someone calling her name before everything went dark.
Flowers. Flowers. Flowers.
All Akira could see was flowers.
"Ugh."
It felt like Akira had gotten jabbed in the head with a blitzball. She clutched her head with one hand while propping herself up with the other, trying to align the jumbled thoughts that pounded in her skull. She blinked several times until her surroundings came into view. The graveyard was just as quiet as it had always been, though she felt as if she was looking at it in a new light…
The clearing she sat in, beside the elusive patch of white flowers… is where all those awful events took place.
"What… was that?" she asked softly as her mind cleared.
Surely you must know.
She pursed her lips as her staff gently materialized in her hand with a soft glow. Of course she knew. She asked out of habit; a habit she developed when she didn't want to deal with something painful. She pulled her knees into a hug as her staff lay in the dirt beside her, gleaming softly in the pale glow of the moon.
"That was… me, wasn't it?"
Yes.
"And… that was…" The next part hurt too much to say.
Your mother, no doubt.
She pressed her nose against her knee, blinking out the first of the tears forming in her eyes. She had spent her entire life wondering what had happened in her past, what happened before she awoke on the islands; and now that it was all thrust upon her so suddenly… it was almost too much to handle. She didn't know where to start. Her heart was confused, pained, and lost…
"I… don't know what to do…" she mumbled from behind her knees.
Perhaps you should begin with your heart.
She closed her eyes. It all started with her heart… this entire mess. Everything came back to her heart… and her awful stubbornness to keep it contained.
"I never wanted to listen…" she managed to say as she blinked another tear from her eyes, "Just the thought of it was painful enough. I figured, if I never let myself feel it, it would just eventually… go away." She chuckled. Look where that got her.
Pain never truly goes away. All you can do is feel it, learn from it, and grow.
She sniffled as she buried her face. She knew. She knew, she knew, she knew. She always knew, deep down, but she was too stubborn to acknowledge it. Ignoring pain doesn't make it go away; it just makes the rest of the world look grey.
And as she sat alone in the fog and the silence, she let her heart speak of its pain.
"My mother…" she said as she raised her head, "I knew next to nothing about her. All I knew was that everyone had one, and I didn't. Sora's mother was always so kind to me; I guess it's easy to see where he gets it from. And Kairi's was such a great cook; she always invited me over because she knew I loved her cooking so much. She used to bake my favourite cake for me on my birthday. And Riku's, well... she was something else. She was a bit tough; you had to follow her rules or else. But she had a heart of gold. He looks so much like her…"
It sounds like they loved you.
"I'm sure they did," she said as her voice cracked, "But, as for me… I'd go home at night, and I wouldn't have one there."
You felt an emptiness inside.
The tears flowed freely from her eyes as she sobbed into her knees. She always felt that emptiness, however faint. She never knew anything about her mother, but she knew something was always missing. The warmth she felt in her friends' homes was so different from the one she felt when she walked through her front door, and yet…
"I knew nothing about her," she said after clearing the knot in her throat, "Nothing until now… so why does it hurt so much?"
You never let yourself mourn her, did you?
She pressed her forehead to her knees as her staff's words sank in. She never imagined mourning someone she never knew. But that nagging feeling of emptiness still ate away at her heart, even when she worked so hard to ignore it. She almost wanted to kick herself; all those years of keeping her sadness contained was bound to come back and bite her, but she was too foolish to admit it.
"I never wanted to. And I feel like such an ungrateful brat… My dad did everything in his power to make me happy despite all of this and yet… I yearned for what I didn't have."
She sighed as the regret settled in. Regret for not thanking him, regret for not listening to him, regret for arguing with him before being whisked away on this adventure. And even though she begrudged him for keeping the truths of her past concealed, she couldn't help but feel sympathetic towards him. If only she allowed herself to open her heart… "I wish he didn't hide this from me; but that doesn't make me any better, does it?" she asked as she raised her head once more.
Making mistakes is part of being human.
For once, she let the corner of her lips curve. There was something oddly comforting about letting her heart speak freely of its sorrow. Though, it was only made better to have someone listen as well. "I guess, I've made a lot of those, huh?" she asked softly.
It does not matter how many you make; it's what you learn from them.
She rested her cheek on her knees, gazing at the moon shining over the hills. Even among the darkened skies and gloomy scenery, it still shined with the brilliance of the morning sun. A veritable light within the darkness…
She wiped the tears that remained on the corners of her eyes as she took in the serenity of the night. The moon had no trouble shining through the dark gloom of the night, even if it was just a tiny gleam in a sea of dusk. Perhaps her staff was right; pain was a part of life, but what truly matters is what you do with it.
She smiled; simply having it by her side illuminated the darkness she felt in her heart. "You're strange, you know that?" she chuckled.
What do you mean?
"Half the time you aggravate me and drive me crazy. But… I'm happy to have you here with me."
…As am I.
"You remind me… of them."
Them?
"Sora, Kairi, and Riku. My beacons of light. I only wish I wasn't too stubborn to see it any sooner…"
They used their light to guide you because they care for you. Although, some of them need you to have a strong heart for them now…
She smirked. Goofy had told her something similar so long ago… "Easier said than done," she said with a sigh.
What will you do now?
She pulled her knees away and picked herself up off the floor, dusting off her dress. "I'm still not quite sure," she said as she shook her head, "But, since I'm here… I'd like to know more about my mother."
You could speak with some locals.
"Or, better yet," she said, "I'll ask the doctor about that portrait he has."
Sounds like a plan.
She flicked her hand as the staff disappeared in a faint light and reappeared in her hand. She curled her fingers around the hilt and couldn't help but smile as she took a few steps forward.
Is anything amusing?
"Remember how much trouble I had just holding you up? You're not so heavy anymore…" she said as she raised her staff into the air.
Hmm… you're right.
She let her arms fall to her side as she continued to pace towards the town. Her staff wasn't any less heavy; she just grew strong enough to properly carry it. And the pain in her heart won't come to pass so easily… she just needed to grow strong enough to overcome it.
You've come a long way, Akira.
She smiled at its words. "And I still have a long way to go…"
The air was abuzz with chatter when she pushed the steel door to the laboratory open. The doctor and the mayor were engaged in spirited conversation until the door creaked and slammed to a close as Akira entered the laboratory. They stared at her as she straightened her shoulders, waiting for her to speak. She gulped and watched them with wide eyes, struggling to find the words she wanted to say. Something about people staring at you while they waited for you to speak was always so nerve-wracking…
"Speak of the devil," the mayor said with a smile.
"Took you long enough!" the doctor exclaimed.
Akira tilted her head to the side in confusion. They spoke as if they were expecting her…
"What's wrong? Werecat got your tongue?" the mayor asked.
Akira shook her head but was still at a loss for words.
"Well, don't just stand there! Come here and pull the portrait out," the doctor barked as he wheeled himself towards the bookshelf where Jack had hidden the infamous portrait earlier.
"P-portrait?" she stuttered, "Wait, you know why I'm here?"
"Of course, from the moment you arrived!" the mayor said with a wide smile.
Reality began to sink in as Akira struggled to process the quick turn of events. "So, you knew everything all along… then, why didn't anyone say anything to me?"
The doctor shook his head. "You clearly didn't remember anything about us or Halloween Town. It would have been pointless to bring it up."
Akira stood in shock as the mayor scurried towards the bookshelf. Due to his small frame, pulling the portrait out of its spot proved to be a monumental task, but he overcame it nonetheless. He gave Akira a large grin as he propped it against the wall. "Come, take a look," he said with an inviting tone.
She hesitated for a moment and shook her head. Strangely, now that the moment she yearned for was upon her, the timidity began to wash over her like a chilling wind. She approached the portrait with an unsettling mix of dread and desire filling her heart.
Even among the worn fabric and blending colours, Akira sensed an odd beauty emanating from the old image. The woman pictured wore a stoic expression, yet she felt a certain comfort and security radiating from the woman's eyes. She had always heard others expressing the similarities between her physical appearance and her father's, though she never imagined she looked so much like her mother as well; as she gazed at the portrait, she recognized the familiar hue of her eyes and the auburn locks they both shared. Akira took a strand of her hair in her fingers as she stared at the image. Would her mother's hair have turned pink if she fled Halloween Town all those years prior? She sighed as the corners of her lips curved. Of all the questions that filled her mind, how strange that that one in particular stood out to her…
She stayed quiet for several minutes, causing the mayor's anxiety to rise enough to switch to his other face. "What do you think?" he asked cautiously.
Feeling was a strange word for her to describe in that moment. So many of them filled her heart; some easy to identify and others indescribable. She gazed at her mother's unchanging gaze, almost wishing she could ask her what to say…
She swallowed hard before responding. "I don't really know. There's so much history here from a time I barely remember… it makes me sad. I wish I could ask her questions. I wish I could speak to her. I wish I could… know what she thinks of me."
The mayor watched her sympathetically as he put a hand on her arm. "She loved you very much. And I'm certain she is proud of what a fine trick-or-treater you've become."
She gave him a half smile. Though all she had of her mother was a worn portrait and an old necklace, she still felt a faint sense of calm and love from them. Perhaps they were old feelings finally resurfacing after years of forgone memories. She let her hand graze the silver piece around her neck, slightly hidden among the fabric.
"Ah, I see your father held onto that," the doctor said in a curious tone as he watched her, "He had that crafted just for your mother, you know."
She nodded in response, at a loss for words. So many of her roots were here, so many things she didn't remember, and so many things she had yet to learn. Yet, rather than feeling disconnected, she couldn't help but feel a small sense of nostalgia for a place she had never known. She smiled as she laid eyes on the portrait once more. For all she knew, her mother and father may have walked the same steps she had during her time here… And that thought alone brought her so much joy. The pain of loss was muted by the love she felt surrounding her, even if it was just a feeling from an old portrait.
The mayor gulped at her silence. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked in a concerned tone.
Akira nodded. "I think so."
The mayor sighed with relief, changing his face around once more. "Thank goodness. The town was worried sick when we only found your mother after the incident. We feared the worst for you and your father… But here you are! We're so relieved you're okay, and that you've come back to us! Everyone will be so happy to see you again. After all, this is your home," he said as he stretched out his arms.
She smiled and nodded to him, though something felt a little off about his statement. She felt a strange excitement about meeting people who knew her from a distant time she had forgotten, listening to stories they may have of her mother, to walk the same streets she walked, see the same sights she saw, but…
It's just not home, is it?
She let her gaze drop. That's what this whole adventure was supposed to be about, wasn't it? Seeing other worlds, and hopefully finding her home along the way. But now that she was here, she realized what home really meant to her.
Palm trees and endless oceans. The sound of laughter filling the humid tropical air. The sound of her father snoring quietly from his bedroom as she sneaked out of her window to meet her friends in the dead of night. Sora. Kairi. Riku.
"I… can't stay," she said quietly.
The mayor and the doctor exchanged confused glances as they waited for her to continue.
"I appreciate everything you've done for me, really I do, but my home is… somewhere else. Somewhere far away from here…" she said. She wanted to wince as the words escaped her lips; they sounded so harsh and mean.
"But, of course!" the mayor exclaimed.
It was Akira's turn to quickly lift her gaze and watch the two in confusion. She hardly expected such a joyful response.
"We had a feeling you weren't in town anymore when our searches proved to be fruitless," he explained, "Your father wanted to protect you, and it only makes sense that he brought you somewhere where you can live a normal life. To be honest, a postcard or something from him would have been nice… we hoped you weren't Oogie Boogie's lunch, but we had no evidence to prove otherwise."
As the mayor monologued, Akira's jaw fell further and further as her eyes grew wide with shock. It was strangely funny to hear them speak in such a way when she knew everything that she currently knew; they were oblivious to the worlds beyond their own. Although it saved her the mental argument of whether she should respect the world order or not, she couldn't help but smile. She didn't even want to think of the postage costs to send something from the Destiny Islands to Halloween Town…
"And this proves my theory!" the doctor exclaimed.
The mayor cocked his head to the side. "Uh, theory?"
"That they passed through another holiday door?" the doctor sighed, visibly upset, "Goodness gracious, you and Jack are hard of hearing…" He wheeled his chair over as he kept his gaze fixated on her own. "Well, my dear, considering how difficult it is to even find the holiday doors, I would love to pick your brain about the holiday world you and your father currently reside in."
He gave her a smile filled with decaying teeth, sending a shiver down her spine. Holiday doors? Holiday world? What in the world did he mean? She gave a nervous smile in response as she consistently reminded herself of the world order, while also burying any thought pertaining to whether he meant to pick her brain quite literally.
Suddenly, a deafening clamour was heard in the distance. The ear-splitting impact was enough to shake the entire town, causing dust and debris to fall from the high shelves of the laboratory. The mayor quickly switched to his other face, shaking in fear as the Akira felt her blood turn cold. The tremor subsided almost as soon as it had begun, but an eerie quiet had befallen the lab as well as the rest of the town when it passed.
"Now that can't be good," the doctor said as he rubbed his chin.
"What was that?" Akira asked.
"Oogie Boogie's torture chamber has been activated," the mayor responded, nervously placing his hands on his mouth, "Oh, I hope Jack's okay…"
Akira's eyes suddenly grew wide. "What do you mean?"
"Lock, Shock, and Barrel live at the top of Oogie's manor. We can only assume he noticed their visitors," the doctor explained, "Bah, pay no attention to it. Jack will put him in his place if he tries anything."
Even with the doctor's reassurance, Akira's fears weren't put to rest. Sora, Donald, and Goofy were there, and she didn't want to think about what would happen if this notorious Oogie Boogie had the chance to use his famous 'torture chamber' on his visitors.
"I-I have to go!" she said quickly.
The mayor gasped. "But it's dangerous! Jack may know how to handle this but –"
"My friends are there! I know it might be dangerous, but Sora is there. And… he has been my family for as long as I can remember," she pleaded. She felt as if her heart would beat right out of her chest. A part of her knew she may not be making the most rational decision, but her head was nowhere near clear enough to be able to do so. Her friends may be in terrible danger and she could not handle the thought.
The mayor sighed before speaking. "Past the Boneyard is Moonlight Hill; there, you'll find a hill that will uncurl for all who wish to pass. Cross there, and you'll be just a few steps away from his manor."
She sighed with relief and gave a small bow. "Thank you so much. For everything."
She didn't think twice before bolting through the front door and into the gloom of Guillotine Square. The mayor nervously glanced at the doctor, his hands clenched to his face in fear. The doctor merely shook his head in response, dismissing the mayor's fears. "Bah, if she is even an ounce of her mother's daughter, we have nothing to worry about," he said as he wheeled himself away from the nervous mayor.
The ground rumbled once more, doing nothing to appease Akira's rising anxiety. Her heart pounded and her hands shook, but the adrenaline kept her feet moving despite her lack of breath. She tore through the town and retraced the familiar steps she had walked before, passing through the Boneyard and the cemetery where she had her vision. She screeched to a halt at the top of the infamous curled hill and gazed in awe as it unfurled itself for her, allowing her to cross over to a restricted area housing a suspension bridge that led to the unknown. Before she could truly take in the gloomy nature of the area, a shrill voice rang out in the night air.
"Are you stupid?"
Akira wasn't sure if she was more shocked at the presence of another soul in such a desolate place, or the fact that it was so damn insulting. "What?" she asked blankly as she laid eyes on the grotesque sight before her. The three prankster children her friends had been searching for stared bitterly at her from their vehicle, an animated bathtub with stubby legs carrying them across the bridge.
"Oogie Boogie is going to make dinner out of you!" the boy named Barrel cried from the safety of the tub.
Akira impatiently shook her head. "Where are my friends?" she asked, growing increasingly upset.
"They went after Oogie Boogie after we told them we gave him the heart!" Lock answered with a mischievous grin, "He's going to pound them into patties!"
Akira gritted her teeth as the children erupted in a fit of laughter. She gave them a nasty look as they settled down, though they seemed unfazed by her reaction.
"I wouldn't go there if I were you!" Shock warned.
"But if she's stupid enough to go, then Oogie Boogie would be more pleased with us, wouldn't he?" Barrel surmised.
Shock scratched her chin. "Hm, you're right. Okay, dummy, you should go visit Oogie Boogie! He has lots of goodies for you and your friends!"
"He's waiting for you behind the green door!" Lock exclaimed.
Akira clenched her fist as the bathtub scurried away, the sound of the children squealing with laughter ringing through the air as they disappeared into the night.
What misbehaved children…
She sighed as she gazed at the steel gate beyond the bridge. In any other scenario, she'd give those rowdy kids a piece of her mind. But their words rang clear in her head: the notorious villain had her friends in his grasp, and things did not bode well for them.
Are you alright?
The downfall of wielding this weapon had to be its uncanny ability to know when the insurmountable fear filled her heart. Her resolve was clear, but her courage was almost non-existent. She never needed to do anything like this before; Sora had always led the way on their adventures, and she was always content just to follow…
Your friends need you to be strong for them now.
She took a deep breath but offered no words in response.
Can you do it?
'Can' was out of the question. Her friends had always been strong for her despite her ignorance and foolishness. And now, when they were counting on her, when they needed her more than ever... she had to do the same. There was no 'can'; there was only 'do'.
Amidst the fear and terror that tugged at her heart, she placed her hands on the cold steel and swung the gate open, taking her first steps into the villain's domain.
A/N: And there you have it; we found out where Akira comes from. I played with the idea of changing her home world for the rewrite, but I think I'm happy with my choice to keep it. The original reveal was pretty messy, and this chapter in particular was quite a challenge due to the flashback. But, I'm satisfied with it, and I hope you enjoyed reading it!