Hello, everyone!
Terribly sorry it took so long to post an update, I really didn't mean for it to take six months to post the next chapter!
Due to semi-foreseen circumstances, my responsibilities doubled this semester, and I simply didn't have the time to do so. However, I was able to write the majority of the chapter in December, which meant the chapter had just been sitting on my computer 3/4 of the way done...all semester long.
Going home in the middle of the semester didn't help, either. Studying from home was really hard, but I don't have to tell you guys that, especially those who were in the same boat.
But in between a pandemic, finishing the semester, protests, and trying to study for a big upcoming test, I reached a new low in my anxiety, and I had to take a bit of a break to get back in a better, happier, healthier head space.
I am happy to say that all is now good, and I am so happy to give you guys this next chapter! I hope you enjoy, things are starting to get good!
She glared at the ripples cutting back and forth across the water. She took a breath, tried and failed to steady her hands. To her dismay, her fingers, the glass they held, and the water it contained still trembled despite her best efforts.
Sitting on the exam table, Nightly looked up, trying to focus on the group in front of her. They were talking. Not to her, of course. About her?
Definitely.
She focused on straining her ears to try and hear what they were saying. Her senses were still coming back to her: a strange white sheen invaded the edges of her vision, pins and needles ran up and down her legs, the uncontrollable shaking preoccupied her hands. Her hearing had a slight ring to it, but she was able to hear her friends when she finally came to as they held her and helped her calm down.
They were talking too quiet for her to hear, so she simply observed. At the computer, Ienzo stared intently at the screen, his inner thoughts putting a crease in his brow. He exchanged a few words with Ephemer and Skuld, who were looking over the screen with him, but didn't seem able to understand what was on it. The others stood behind them, talking intently about something. Riku, Kairi, and Aqua held faces of concern. Lea had the same expression, but hope glimmered in his eyes.
Sora's back faced her, so she couldn't see his face, but he leaned forward, his hands waving back and forth, and he seemed to be doing most of the talking. He stopped, and Mickey took over the conversation, holding the same expression Lea held. Donald and Goofy, however, seemed completely on board with whatever Sora was talking about.
They weren't stealing glances her way, didn't seem to be trying to hide their words. Her anxieties lessened, and she felt her hands grow a little steadier.
Her vision flicked to her right as Chirithy hopped up next to her. "How 'ya feelin', kiddo?"
"I'm alright," she replied, taking another sip of the water. She cleared her throat; her voice had been sounding weird ever since she came back. She wasn't sure if it was just because of her separation, or if the other girl had something to do with it.
'Strelitzia,' she thought to herself. When she had calmed down enough for everyone to tell her what had happened, they immediately told her about Strelitzia and everything she had been through.
'I wish I had seen you. I would have liked to be your friend, too.'
Her mind switched to another matter her friends had brought up. She looked down at Chirithy, amusement glimmering in her eyes. "So…human, huh?"
Chirithy chuckled. "Don't ask."
"What? That sounds so cool! How tall were you? What did you look like?"
"Umm…" Chirithy thought momentarily. "Well, I didn't see a mirror, so I'm not entirely sure what I looked like. I assume I looked normal—for a human, at least. My ears had changed, and my fur turned into skin. When Ephemer and Skuld helped me up, I was a little shorter than them, so I think I was as tall as you are."
"I wish I had seen that."
"Well, once we get your heart back, maybe you can."
Nightly smiled brightly, scratching Chirithy on the head as he giggled.
"How are you feeling, Nightly?"
Aqua stood in front of the girl, a strained smile on her face. The others stood behind her, still in their little group, watching her leave. Nightly stole a glance at Sora's eyes. He was confused, like he was second-guessing something.
"I'm okay," Nightly replied. "I'm sorry I scared all of you."
Aqua smiled patiently. "It's alright. I can imagine the whole thing was very jarring for you."
Nightly nodded toward the others. "What are you guys talking about?"
Aqua paused, sighing heavily. "Sora has this crazy idea to bring Ven back with this machine." She gestured to the device still suspended above Nightly's head. "He thinks since it extracted Strelitzia's and Chirithy's hearts, it can extract Ven's, too."
"What's wrong with that?"
Aqua paused again. "We're worried it will take Sora's heart, too; and that he won't be okay after everything happens."
'Like I wasn't,' Nightly couldn't help thinking to herself.
Instead, she said, "I think it's a pretty good idea, though. Yeah, it's really scary at first, but this seems like the only way to bring Ven back. Why wait for a better answer that might not exist when we have an answer right in front of us already?"
Aqua took her words into consideration, nodding slowly to herself. "I want to bring Ven back, I just don't want anyone else getting hurt in the process."
"Aqua," Nightly said slowly, "I understand. You don't want to lose one friend in trying to save another." She spread her arms out, gesturing to herself. "But look at me. I went through with it, and all pieces are back where they're supposed to be." She fought the glimpse she wanted to take toward Chirithy. "I'm sure he'll be fine."
Her vision flicked to behind Aqua, where Sora now stood. Aqua faced him, and he smiled, "I want to do everything in my power to get your friends back to you, Aqua. No matter what."
Aqua held the boy's eyes, so much like Ven's own, and found herself smiling.
"Well, then…I guess we better go get Ven."
The group watched Aqua, Sora, Donald, and Goofy disappear into the hallway, on their way to retrieve Ven's body and bring him back to Radiant Garden. Kairi approached the still-recovering girl as she heard their footsteps disappear down the hall.
"Hey, Nightly," Kairi began, "we're all about to head over to the library. Wanna come with us?"
'Find the Book.' The woman's voice rang through Nightly's head, her instructions clear yet oddly vague.
"Sure," Nightly said, placing the glass down and hopping off the table. She teetered a bit, her legs still a little numb, before Riku caught her arm to steady her.
"You alright?" he asked, smiling encouragingly.
"Yeah, I'm good," she replied once she found her balance. She caught Chirithy in her arms and smiled at Ephemer and Skuld as they all joined the group on the way to the library.
Ienzo watched them go, giving Kairi a wave as she disappeared around the corner, going the opposite way Aqua and Sora had just gone down. Lea knew his way around fairly well, and was leading the group. He ignored the too-long looks Ephemer and Skuld gave him, and ignored the curiosity his mind was presenting him with in regards to the two. Something within him was nagging at him about them, he just couldn't figure out what.
Instead, he turned his attention to the data about Nightly on the screen. With a double keystroke, the data about Sora came into view beside her.
"Tron," Ienzo commanded. "Run an analysis on Nightly's and Sora's energies."
"Certainly," came the reply. "What am I analyzing, exactly?"
Ienzo answered, "Similarities and Compatibility."
"Woah," Kairi breathed, taking in the sight of Castle Radiant Garden's library. No longer mismatched and jumbled like it was when Radiant Garden was Hollow Bastion, the library stretched wide and long, a staircase at the far wall leading up to the right, where a half second story sat above the shelves to the right. Taking in all the books, her eyes led to a door to her right.
Curious, she approached, asking, "Where does this lead?"
"Pretty sure it's a study," Lea answered.
Kairi stopped herself at the doorway. Calling this a study was an understatement. It was more like a miniature version of the library she had just left. Just across the door stood another bookshelf, and the far wall to the left sported another staircase that led to yet another second story.
She stepped back, an excited smile on her face. "I wanna start here."
Lea chuckled, Riku giving a playful smile behind him. "Alright, kiddo. Hang on one second, and we'll head in with you, alright?"
At Kairi's nod, Lea turned to Nightly, Ephemer, and Skuld. "Where are you three gonna start?"
Ephemer and Skuld looked to Nightly for an answer, but she was currently taking in the sight of all the books, biting her lip as she looked slightly overwhelmed. In her arms, Chirithy looked around with her, every bit as enraptured as she was.
Skuld chuckled, "I guess we'll start out here."
Lea nodded curtly to the trio, stepping toward Kairi and gesturing toward the door. "After you," he said with a smirk. Riku followed the two red-heads in, giving the remaining teenagers a backwards glance as Ephemer and Skuld approached Nightly, intending to snap her out of her gaze.
Nightly felt so small in this huge library. So many books. The one she was looking for had to be here.
Right?
She felt a hand on her shoulder, and jolted to find her eyes meeting Ephemer's. "Everything alright?" he asked playfully.
She nodded. "There's just…so many. I really hope we can find it in all this."
"Same here," Skuld agreed. "Where should we start?"
Nightly considered her options. "Umm, I guess…Ephemer will start in the A's and work forward, you can start in the Z's and work backward, and I'll start somewhere in the middle."
"Sounds good to me," Skuld seconded. She joked, "Just gotta find where the end of the alphabet is."
"I'm willing to bet it's up those stairs," Ephemer said, pointing a lazy finger to the staircase. Nightly nodded in agreement.
Skuld gave a nod, whistling out her amazement as she went up the stairs. Ephemer went to his place at the A's, climbing a ladder to reach the top of the shelf as he began to read the spines, Nightly walking to the other side of the library, starting near the window at the N's.
As they began, Ephemer asked, "Do you know what we might be looking for, Nightly?"
"Mmm, not really," Nightly admitted. "The woman told me I'd know it by its familiarity, whatever that means."
"So, it might not even be here?" Skuld called out wearily.
Nightly only shrugged in response, her eyes scanning through the N titles and moving on when she didn't feel a pull of any kind.
"Well, if it's not," Ephemer said cheerily, "then that's one library we know it's not in." Nightly and Skuld looked at him, each raised a single eyebrow. "That sounded a lot better in my head," he added sheepishly.
Nightly chuckled, returning her gaze to the books' spines. Oa…Odd…Of…Oil…
"What about this one?" Skuld asked, pulling a book off the shelf and reading its title out loud:
"World Order and How to Maintain It"
"Umm, no, I'm not feeling anything," Nightly answered. "Seems interesting, though." Skuld shrugged and put it back in its place.
Nightly kept scanning the books, biting her lip as she passed book after book, not feeling a response of any kind. Oli…Oper…Ost…Ove…
"Or maybe this?" Ephemer grunted as he heaved a large book off the lower shelf and brought it to where Nightly could see it:
Atlas of the World of Yore
Nightly once again shook her head. "You might want to keep that one out, though. Could be useful trying to find Daybreak Town." Ephemer nodded and lugged the tome to the closest table, setting it down with a thud.
They continued on in silence, making slow progress across the library. P's…Q's…R's…S's…
Nightly continued to look over the spines, biting her lip as she began to think Ephemer might be right. 'What if it's not here? How many worlds will we have to search through to find it? I feel like she knew I was at the right place, so it's gotta be here…right?'
Beginning to feel anxious, Nightly's vision scanned spine after spine, title after title, internally begging to feel something—anything—that would tell her the right book was—
She stopped. A spine with brown leather and golden letters caught her eye.
The Tale of the King
She read the title once, twice, and felt unexplained tears well in her eyes. She reached for it, and she felt an ache where her heart should have been as she contacted the worn leather and pulled it off the shelf. She blew the dust off the top and readjusted it to look at the cover, and felt the ache grow.
The title, in fancy calligraphy, made the light shining upon the gold letters dance. In the middle, a gold heart was imprinted into the cover, a small gold crown adorning the cover right above where the two top curves of the heart met. The top corner of the leather was a lighter shade than the rest of the cover, as if someone had rubbed that spot far too many times.
She put her thumb on the spot, and rubbed it back and forth, déjà vu shooting through her head as two voices filled her mind:
'Please, _, just one more time?'
'Heh, alright, Little Bud, if you promise to go to sleep after this.'
'I promise.'
The tears ran freely down her face as she looked up, intently staring into space as she desperately tried to put a face to the voice she just heard. 'Little Bud,' she thought. 'Why does that hurt so much?'
"Is that it?" Ephemer asked, pulling her from her thoughts. He had noticed her stop, and was now looking at the book from over her shoulder. She sniffed, rubbing away her tears.
"I don't know," she said. "But it hurts to look at this book."
"That's probably it, then," Skuld called down as she leaned over the railing, her and Ephemer's interest heightened.
Nightly took a moment, steadying her breath. She opened the cover to the title page…
And saw something fall to the ground, lightly hitting her foot as it landed.
She stared, dumbfounded, at the envelope lying right in front of her. Her mouth opened, but words refused to leave her gaping jaw.
In slightly faded ink, written in similar calligraphy as the title, was her name.
Kairi couldn't contain her excitement. She ran through the small library, eyes drinking in the dusty books and shelves. She hopped up the stairs, her hand running along the railing as she felt her heart swell with memories she could almost see.
She wasn't positive, but she was pretty sure she used to peer through the stairway bars as she hid from her Grandmother, who would pretend she couldn't see her. She was sure she could hear the laughter of two children in the corner as one made a monster noise, the other squealing in delight. She was sure she could hear her Grandmother's voice as it softly filled the usual silence of the study
Kairi eyed the desk at the corner of the room, right under the staircase. It was the one thing she remembered of her grandma, and was where she was told the story of the worlds' light many times. She ran her hand along the edge, spying a small envelope at the center of the desk.
Written in swirling cursive handwriting, her name adorned the white envelope.
Her heart began to race as she picked it up. She turned it over, pulling out the neatly folded piece of paper. She tried to steady her trembling hands as she began to read.
My dearest Nightly,
If you are reading this, then it means you have found The Book, as per the instructions you were given. This means the Prophecy within these pages is about to be fulfilled, with you, your friends, and those you are travelling with at the very center.
I have been informed you have no memory of your past from before Daybreak Town, which means you have no idea who I am. While this pains me to think about, I know none of this is your fault. You and countless others were chosen by the Key, and this is simply a side effect of what must have been. Or—for you—what must be.
I know you are confused, but do not worry. In these pages, you will find more letters I have written for you in the hopes to explain the contents of this book once you reach them.
Even though I may never see you again, I want you to know how proud I am of you, and that no matter what, I will always be your big brother.
Godspeed, Little Bud.
Love you forever,
Aerglo
My dearest Kairi,
I'm not sure when you will read this, but I trust this letter will find you well. By the time you read this, I will be little more than a memory. Radiant Garden is falling to Darkness, and I must do my part to ensure everyone's safety, including yours.
To the young woman who put that spell on your necklace: I thank you; for now my job has been made much simpler. The same light I used to hold now shines within you, Kairi, and I'm certain it will send you to the light of another, and to safety.
When the day comes that you will return, I have prepared something that only you will know how to find. Our Secret Garden will show the way.
Radiant Garden holds a wondrous secret, as do I. All will be revealed when you find what is waiting for you. But be warned, a dark presence is also aware of this secret, and will try to take it from you once you have retrieved it. Believe in your light, Kairi. Trust that it will protect you.
Good luck, my granddaughter.
All my love,
Ava
Skuld and Ephemer read the letter over Nightly's shoulders. They shared a glance with each other, waiting for Nightly to put down the page. Instead, it began to tremble in her hand.
The voices from before had returned, the blank filled.
'Please, Aerglo, just one more time?'
'Heh, alright, Little Bud, if you promise to go to sleep after this.'
'I promise.'
She sniffed, her eyes glued to the name of the person who wrote the letter. 'Aerglo,' she mulled the name over. 'That name…it hurts…and he says he's my brother…and that I don't know him…what's going on?'
"If, um…" Nightly began. "If he's my brother, like he says he is…then why don't I remember…?"
Ephemer explained, "Well, none of us remember our lives before Daybreak Town, remember? And from the looks of it, someone told him that, and he knew you wouldn't know him."
Nightly nodded, rubbing her tears away and putting the letter back in its envelope as Skuld asked, "Do you want us to stay here and read it with you?"
Nightly nodded again, hoisting the book up to her chest, turning the page.
Another letter fell to her feet.
"Already," Ephemer joked, a chuckle passing through the three. He knelt to pick up the letter. "Geez, how complicated is this book?" The name on the letter caught his eye, making him double-take. Two names addressed two people on this envelope, neither of them being Nightly.
Ephemer and Skuld
"What's wrong?" Skuld asked. Ephemer turned the envelop to face the girls, letting the names say what he couldn't.
After a pause, Nightly broke the spell. "Well, open it."
Ephemer hesitated, opening the envelope and pulling out the letter, Skuld leaning over his shoulder to read it with him.
A moment passed, and both teenagers had looks of confusion on their faces. "What's it say?" Nightly inquired.
"It's Aerglo again," Skuld began.
"He's telling us to leave you alone, that you need to read the book by yourself," Ephemer continued.
"And that we're needed somewhere else," Skuld finished, the two looking at each other as they shared a silent signal.
"I guess someone told him about Kairi's search, too?" Nightly offered. "If someone told him I'd be here now, why wouldn't he know about everything else?"
Skuld shrugged. "I mean, it makes sense," Ephemer stated, though still a little unsure as he tried to wrap his head around the current events.
"Well," Nightly said, placing her finger in between the pages as she closed the book, "I guess you guys should go see what Kairi and the others are up to. I'll be here if you need me."
The three shared a knowing smile. "And we'll be with them if you need us," Skuld returned.
Nightly nodded, watching her friends walk away. She looked around, spying an armchair under a window. Climbing onto it, Chirithy hopped onto the armrest by her head as she curled up, opened the book on her knees, and began to read.
Once upon a time, there were two brothers…
Kairi read the letter over again, tears welling in her eyes. By the third time, they were freely falling down her face. It was clear to her this letter was one of the last things her grandmother had done, and was the very last thing she did before sending Kairi to Destiny Islands. Shortly after that, Radiant Garden fell to darkness.
And apparently, her grandmother had gone with it.
Her sniffs drew the attention of her friends, and Riku reached her first.
"Are you alright, Kairi?" he asked, concern obvious in his voice.
"Yeah," she replied. "I found her last letter." She waved the letter slightly, emphasizing her point.
"Aw, man," Lea breathed, trying to imagine what the letter might be saying. "I'm sorry, kiddo."
Kairi pulled on a pitiful smile. "I'm okay." She looked back down at the letter. "Hey, Lea?"
"Yeah?"
"I thought you said Grandma's name was Eve."
"It is. Ienzo said so, too."
"But she signed her letter 'Ava'."
"Woah, really?" Lea asked, rubbing his chin. "That's odd."
"Hey, everyone," Skuld greeted as she and Ephemer entered the area everyone was in.
"Oh, hey," Kairi said back, rubbing away the rest of her tears. "Did Nightly find what she was looking for?"
"Yep," Ephemer said, "even had a letter to confirm it."
"And another letter told the two of us to leave her alone while she read it," Skuld added.
"Wait a second, seriously?" Lea inquired. "The letter told you guys to leave her alone, and another told her it was the right book? Who wrote those letters?"
They shared a look before Ephemer replied, "Apparently, her brother."
At the furrowed brows and confused eyes that responded, Skuld explained, "None of us remember our lives before Daybreak Town. It's very possible that all three of us have families we don't remember. It's just something that happened to every single wielder there. And…there isn't anything we can do about it, either."
Though she said it without a waver, Ephemer could hear the strain behind her voice. It was something everyone in Daybreak Town just didn't talk about, and something everyone had to get used to just not knowing.
Kairi, trying her hardest to pull the conversation back to something not as intense, said, "Well, you guys aren't the only ones with strange letters." She held out the one from her grandmother. "It's my Grandma's last letter, but she signed it 'Ava' instead of 'Eve'."
Ephemer blinked. "Really? That's weird."
Kairi continued, "And she said something about our Secret Garden, whatever that means."
"Maybe it's a book?" Riku suggested, already starting to look around for it.
"Oh, yeah!" Kairi replied, excitement showing through her words. "Maybe it's The Secret Garden!"
"Huh," Lea hummed, strolling over to a bookshelf. He mumbled to himself, "Secret Garden comma The…"
"Got it," Riku announced, pulling a small white book off the shelf.
"That was easy," Skuld smiled as Riku handed the book to Kairi. The red-head flipped it over in her hands, frowning as she looked the book over.
"I…don't really know what to do with this," she confessed. "I've read The Secret Garden before, but I can't remember anything that could be code for something else." She opened both covers, looking them front and back. "There aren't any notes here, either."
"Maybe it's in the other part of the library?" Ephemer suggested. "If it has to do with a big secret, then it probably wouldn't be the easiest one to find."
"Good idea," Riku said, "let's go search for any copies we can find. Kairi, maybe you could stay here and see if you see anything else she may have addressed to you?"
Kairi nodded at the suggestion. "Okay. Let me know if you guys find anything."
"Of course," Lea smiled, following Riku out into the larger library as Ephemer and Skuld followed him, leaving Kairi to her thoughts and the study.
Kairi's eyes panned the room, feeling the ghosts of forgotten memories float around her heart. She knew she knew what her grandmother meant, why couldn't she just…remember?
She turned back to the desk, seeing something against the wall she hadn't noticed before. A little white bookshelf no higher than a child stood against the wall behind the desk.
Wilted flowers sat in a white and pink vase on its top, and a thick layer of dust covered the wood. Once she laid eyes on it, Kairi felt as if she couldn't look away. Tears welled in her eyes again as her heart presented her with a thought:
'That's…my bookshelf.'
As soon as the thought crossed her mind, Kairi's mind presented her with an image of her younger self. Kneeling in front of the bookshelf, she was rearranging them. They were arranged by author before, but now she was arranging them by title.
She could almost hear her grandmother's laugh as she watched her.
She approached the bookshelf, kneeling down to its level. She felt an odd sense of nostalgia as she read over the titles. She didn't recognize any of them, but her heart told her they meant more than she'd ever be able to remember.
She skimmed them quickly, stopping near the bottom as she went through the S's. Another copy of The Secret Garden sat at its place among the titles. Thinner than the one Riku found, it seemed more like a children's book than a novel.
She wedged her finger in between the two books between it, tilting it so she could slide it out.
She heard a click, and the book stopped moving, stuck in its leaned position. Before Kairi could even try questioning it, she heard the sound of something sliding against the carpet and the muffled sound of gears turning beneath her feet.
Startled, she looked behind her to find the bookshelf behind her had slid to the right, slightly obscuring the exit and revealing a hallway between the shelves.
'What in the world?' she thought to herself, stepping up to the secret passageway. 'Has this been here the whole time?'
Her curiosity got the better of her as she stepped inside, noticing the carpeted floor gave way to stone. A faint light shone around the corner, and she stepped in a little farther.
'I should really go get the others,' she reasoned with herself, stopping cold when she heard a click. The gears started turning again, and she gasped as she whirled around to see the passageway entrance closing up behind her.
The library study was left empty. Not a sound could be heard, not a clue to be had that Kairi was ever there.
The little white bookshelf sat in its space, its disturbed book having fallen back into place and sealing the startled girl inside the castle walls.
"So, now we're trying to help Kairi find a book, too," Ephemer finished.
"Have you made any progress with yours?" Skuld questioned.
Nightly hummed. "Not much. I haven't gotten another letter, yet, but I don't really need anything to be explained right now. It's just a fairytale about these two brothers who trained to be Keyblade wielders. I mean, it's implied they trained in Daybreak Town, but so far there's nothing striking me as odd."
"Weird," Skuld said, "what does a fairytale have to do with what's going on right now?"
"Apparently enough that the woman who has my Heart in a jar had to tell me to find it," Nightly said, turning her attention back to the pages, fully engrossed in her task.
Ephemer chuckled, "Yeah, I guess so." He and Skuld shared a look before the two left Nightly to her reading.
"Let me know how it goes," Nightly called to them, the story enrapturing her once again.
"I found another copy," Riku announced as he rushed back into the room to find Kairi. "Kairi?"
He was met with silence.
"Kairi?" he called again, stepping in. He looked to the desk, heading to the stairs when he didn't see her.
He called her name again, Lea, Ephemer, and Skuld walking in as he reached the small second story.
"Is she not in here?" Lea called up to Riku.
"No," he answered. "She's not answering me, at least."
"Weird, we would've seen her leave," Skuld thought aloud.
Riku scanned every inch of the upper floor, not seeing a sign of the redhead girl. "She's not here," he said, panic beginning to grip his heart.
"I'll go get Ienzo," offered Lea, running out of the office, heading back to the lab.
"We'll get Nightly," Ephemer added, he and Skuld hurrying out of the office while Riku hurried down the stairs again. He came up to the table again, where the letter she was reading lay waiting for him at the center of the table.
He picked it up again, flipping it over, holding it to the light.
'It's gotta be something with this thing, right?' he asked himself. 'It was the last thing she was looking at when we left, and now she's gone.'
He couldn't see anything obvious. He brought the paper down, beginning to read it over as he heard Ephemer and Skuld come back with Nightly.
'Where did you go, Kairi?'
"I have completed analysis on the Similarities and Compatibility of Nightly's and Sora's energies, Ienzo," Tron announced.
Ienzo looked up from his book as he stood to approach the computer. "Thank you, Tron, could you please display them?"
"Certainly." The results popped up onto the screen just as Ienzo reached it.
Ienzo stopped short, seeing the large number in between the two diagrams. The one on the left held Nightly's outline, while the one on the right held Sora's. A block of text between them talked of their similarities, while the large number above it told their compatibility.
Ienzo blinked, then rubbed his eyes, making sure he had seen the number correctly. In large font, there it still read:
97.6%
"Tron," Ienzo asked slowly, "are you certain that number is correct?"
"Absolutely," Tron affirmed. "I ran the data twice just in case I had missed something, but the results read the same thing."
"But that is impossible!" Ienzo exclaimed, running a hand through his hair. He grabbed the console, beginning to furiously read the block of text telling of their Similarities.
"The only reason two people should be this compatible is if they were—"
"IENZO!" Ienzo bolted upright, whirling toward the door as Lea stopped hard at the doorframe.
Lea took a couple gulping breaths before panting, "We can't find Kairi."
Ephemer, Skuld, and Nightly ran their eyes over the letter, trying to look for any kind of clue as to where the Princess of Heart had disappeared to.
"Have you found anything?" Lea panted as he and Ienzo entered the study.
"Not yet," Riku answered, looking under the table and at the surrounding bookshelves for any type of clue.
"Why did she sign it Ava?" Nightly questioned, hugging The Tale of the King to her chest.
"We're not sure," Skuld answered in a low voice. "Me and Ephemer are honestly hoping it's just a coincidence."
"Yeah, 'cause the three of us know how crazy the thing we're all thinking is," Ephemer added, giving a pointed look to the girls beside him.
They nodded back, looking back to the letter as Skuld spied something.
"Hey, what about 'our Secret Garden will show the way'?" she asked.
"What about it?" Riku asked, standing up again.
"Well," Skuld explained, "if it's theirs, it wouldn't be out in the big library, it would be where they spent a lot of time together, like in here."
Lea spoke up, "Yeah, but we already found the one in here."
"Okay…then is there a bookshelf that isn't included with the others?"
Riku paused, looking to the side. He had noticed the little bookshelf earlier, but hadn't thought anything of it. It didn't seem important at the time.
He knelt in front of it, skimming the titles. "Got it," he said.
"Wait, really?" Lea asked.
"Yeah," he replied, reaching for the little book.
As Riku wedged his finger in, Ephemer asked, "Will that book really do anything different, though?"
Riku pulled the book, but it stopped at the corner. He was about to grip it in order to yank it out when he could have sworn he heard the floor underneath him shift. And apparently, he wasn't the only one.
"What in the…?" Lea began, looking down and around to try and discover what was making the odd clicks and whirs underneath him.
"Woah!" Ephemer shouted, jumping back from the sudden mobile bookshelf behind him. The bookshelf immediately behind them slid to the right, revealing a cobblestone hallway lit by a solitary torch about halfway down. More light illuminated a corner heading off to the right, offering only one way to go once one would enter the previously-hidden hallway.
"Well," Skuld said, gazing down the hallway, "looks like that's our answer."
"Guys, we're back!" Sora shouted, his voice preceding the boom that shook the walls when the doors connected with them. He entered the lab with a spring in his step, Donald and Goofy following close behind and Aqua trailing, the familiar weight of her young best friend adorning her back.
"Hey! Where is everyone?" Donald asked, looking around as he realized no one else was in the room.
"Huh, I dunno," Goofy answered.
"Sora, help me get him on the chair." Sora rushed over to Aqua, easing Ven down onto the same lab table Nightly had previously occupied.
"Hello, everyone," Tron greeted happily.
"Hey, Tron," Sora replied, positioning Ven's shoulders to make sure he wouldn't fall off. "Where is everyone?"
Tron answered, "While I don't have all the details, Lea came in earlier to tell Ienzo that the others could not find Kairi."
"WHAT?!" Donald squawked.
"Wha-what do you mean they can't find Kairi?" Sora asked, almost tripping over himself as he rushed to Tron.
"I am uncertain," Tron answered. "I believe everyone is in the library, if you wish to see them."
"YES, PLEASE!" Sora shouted in answer, rushing out of the library.
"Tron, keep an eye on Ven," Aqua instructed, hurrying after Sora.
"Of course," Tron replied happily. "I am always happy to help my friends."
Tron turned his attention to the sleeping boy under the device. Deciding to take something into his own hands, he scanned Ventus, taking a measurement of his energy in order to compare it to Sora's data.
He was halfway through the scan when he felt something shift deep within the castle. Almost as if a shock had sent a pulse through its very foundation and out into the worlds beyond Radiant Garden's borders. Had he been human he would have stopped to ponder its meaning. Instead, the scan continued, his circuited whirring as it carried on his task, leaving only a small response to be released into the lab as proof he had felt anything at all.
"Oh my…" he breathed.
Kairi ran her hand along the rough, dusty wall of stone. The only sound to meet her ears during her trek were her own footsteps as they echoed emptily down the hall and back. She hardly dared to breathe, a solemn, sacred weight pressing against her heart as she continued on.
There was an upcoming bend that would lead her to the left, the light coming from it brighter than she had previously seen. Her hand left the wall as she crossed to the other side to peek around the corner.
She blinked at the new light, which seemed to be coming from a rounded-out room of stone. She couldn't make out what the light was coming from, the source hidden a little to the right of her vision; but it felt…warm, somehow. Familiar. Soothing.
She pulled in a breath, calming herself, and stepped forward lightly. Slowly, a figure came into her view. Little by little, she entered the chamber. Little by little, she was able to make out someone kneeling in the center.
Pressing herself against the mouth of the chamber, Kairi could only stare at what—or whom—she found herself facing.
Soft, delicate, translucent hands held down a Keyblade made of soft shades of pink, yellow, and blue. The colors bubbled and swirled, as if the Keyblade itself was carved from a cloud. Kairi's eyes hovered over the animal's face that adorned the hilt of the Keyblade before moving to take in the wielder's appearance.
Their head was bowed, hiding their face from view. But, poking through the pink hood, Kairi could see what was clearly two white and pink fox-like ears. The hood fell down to her shoulders, the fabric extending out to the person's elbows, where sleeves of the same shade rested upon their arms and hugged their waist, accents of gold trim and cerulean gems decorating the fabric along the way. White fabric fell from their hips, covering their feet as they knelt, where Kairi could just make out the pink soles of boots poking out.
Kairi took another breath, blinking at her racing heart as she finally opened her mouth to speak.
"H…hello?"
Her voice, unused in the winding cave system until that very moment, reverberated around the chamber, echoing thrice before silence finally ruled once again.
Slowly, then all at once, there was movement. The kneeling figure's hands twitched, then tightened around the handle of their Keyblade. Shoulders rose, as if they were taking a breath for the very first time, then their head came out of its lowered position, raising and turning to face its visitor.
Kairi felt her breath catch in her throat, the golden eyes and intricate blue designs twinkling at her from a mask that held the structure and shape of a fox. The only feature of the person's face she could see was their mouth, which stayed blank as they regarded her. Then, their mouth turned up into a small, peaceful smile.
With poise and grace, the figure rose from their kneeled position. The woman who know stood before Kairi could not have been much older than her, and certainly matched her for height. Kairi watched as one hand reached for her hood, pushing it up and over the ears of the fox mask and letting it fall to her shoulders. Her hand grasped the mask, gently lifting it off her face and lowering it away, revealing her features.
Kairi stared back at a face that held the same features as her own. Red locks twisted into braids ran to the back of her head, where they joined in a heart-shaped, braided bun. Her eyes, an odd shade of blue that was borderline purple, twinkled at Kairi in a smile.
Kairi couldn't pull her eyes away from the woman, who looked at her with longing in her eyes, as if she wanted nothing more than to wrap the teenager before her in a strong embrace. Kairi herself felt an odd pull on her Heart, telling her something her head could only begin to comprehend.
They regarded each other silently for a moment, before the woman finally broke the silence.
"I'm so happy to see you home safe, Kairi."
Kairi felt her heart leap to her throat, its pace quickening. Slowly, she opened her mouth, the only word she could muster escaping her lips.
"…Grandma?"
Sora burst through the library doors, immediately shouting out, "Guys! Where are you?!"
"In here."
Sora huffed in relief, beelining for the place he heard Riku's voice coming from. Aqua following right behind, he threw himself into a side room and around an extended bookcase to find himself faced with his friends in front of a newly-revealed passageway leading into the very walls of Radiant Garden.
"What in the world is this?" Sora inquired.
"This is where we think Kairi went. A book on that bookshelf back there opened it," Riku replied, pointing to the little white bookshelf sitting at the back of the room.
"Where did Donald and Goofy go?" Lea asked.
Aqua replied, "They went to get Mickey from Ansem the Wise's study."
"Should we wait for them?"
"They'll be fine," Sora replied, "we need to get to Kairi. She might be in trouble."
"Alright, alright," Riku replied. "Don't worry, were going now."
Sora nodded, shifting nervously on his feet as the group of friends began the trek into the passageway.
The friends traveled through the winding hallway within the walls of Radiant Garden. Though weaving left and right at various points, the passage seemed to be a single, straight shot to wherever their destination would be.
Finally, the path ahead seemed to brighten, with the source of light coming from somewhere at the end of a bend in the passageway to the left of the group. Sora ran on ahead, the group following close behind as he rounded the bend and broke into a chamber of stone, where the missing Princess of Heart was waiting for them with her back turned to them, facing a figure the light appeared to be coming from.
"Kairi!" Sora called, pulling the red head into an embrace as she turned to face him. "Are you okay?" he asked, holding her shoulders, concern crossing his Heart as he saw her tears.
"I'm okay, really," she reassured him, wiping away tears. She gestured toward the woman, "I found my Grandma."
The other four paused, collectively looking toward the strangely-dressed woman. Just like Strelitzia, she was nearly transparent, and she smiled patiently at their stares.
Lea broke the silence. "L…Lady Eve?"
The ghost-like woman's smile deepened, and she giggled. "Yes. Although, I must say, while you knew me as Lady Eve, my real name is—"
"Master Ava."
Ephemer stepped forward, having spoken through the rising tears in both his eyes and his voice. The group's gaze panned to the other three in their party, noticing their expressions and fixed gazes.
"What?" Kairi asked, looking back to her Grandmother. She took in her Grandma's figure once again, having overcome the shock of meeting her once again. Slowly, things began to click into place. The way she was dressed, that Keyblade, the mask, her youth. "Are you really…?"
Ava's smile returned as she addressed the emotionally distraught three in front of her. "It is so good to see you three again. I have been awaiting this day for a very long time."
"You…you've been waiting for us?" Nightly asked timidly.
Ava's eyes fell on the brunette, her eyes twinkling with an inside joke. "Yes, I have."
Skuld reached behind her, grasping Nightly's hand. "We…we couldn't leave her behind. We…we went back and got her and…and we're not sorry about it," she finished her sentence strong, drawing herself up as she faced her former master with a steely gaze.
A gaze that faltered at Ava's humorously raised eyebrow. "And I expected no less out of the two of you." Her face softened, and her gaze lowered. "In fact, I am grateful the two of you did what I could not."
Her eyes crossed to Nightly's timid stance, and finally her smile fell. "Nightly, please don't look at me like that."
All eyes went to Nightly, who looked like she was ready to bolt. With tears in her eyes, she stammered, "Th-the last time…the last time I saw you…and now you…I have too much I wanna say to you, so much I wanna ask, and…I don't have time, do I?"
Ava pulled on another smile, but her eyes no longer held the light they had a moment ago. "I'm afraid not. What question is weighing on your mind the most?"
Nightly stepped forward, not hesitating before asking, "Did you know? Did you know the War was for nothing? That all those kids you didn't choose were going to…" she didn't finish, her tears overflowing as she clenched her teeth, shutting her eyes against her memories.
Ava hesitated in answering. "I am ashamed to admit that I did, and take full responsibility for my actions," she glanced toward her granddaughter, who couldn't hide the overwhelming emotions she was feeling from showing on her face. "I can only ask for your forgiveness, and the chance to make it right again."
"How do you expect to do that?" Nightly cried. "How do you expect any of us to set this right, Master?!"
Her former Union leader paused. "After all this, and you still call me Master?" She let out a short chuckle, looking down at her Keyblade. Though it seemed like it could pass through her at any moment, she lifted it up and approached her granddaughter.
Kairi stepped toward Master Ava. "Is it true?" she asked tearily.
Master Ava's sorrowful eyes looked into Kairi's. "I hate to leave you with this burden, and did not wish for you to pick up the pieces, but I am no longer able to complete this task myself."
"But—"
Ava interrupted, "Once you have my Keyblade, I will disappear. I am only here by its power, and will not be able to last once it is no longer mine."
"What? No, I can't—I just…I just found you again. How am I supposed to…I want you to stay!"
"My time has been spent, and my mistakes have been made. And I much as I hate to do so, I must leave you to finish what was started."
"But…but…I don't understand. Why can't you do this?"
"My body perished when this world fell to darkness. The last thing I wished to do was to see you return home and to show you who I really am. Passing my Keyblade on to you…is my last wish."
Kairi silently digested the information she was being given. "But…why now? Why not when you sent me away?"
Ava smiled lightly, nodding toward Ephemer, Nightly, and Skuld. "They are the reason. Their return was also necessary, for this information would be lost to them if I had not waited."
"What information?"
"That you are not only my granddaughter, but my Legacy. You will wield my blade; and you and your friends will set right what my friends and I made wrong."
Nightly piped up, "That's what it means?!"
The question caught Ava off-guard. "That's what what means?"
Nightly stepped forward, seeing three specific members of the group in a new light. "I didn't mention this earlier…because I didn't know what it meant, and I didn't know what to do with the information, but…I've been seeing things. I guess they're visions, but…I've been seeing you and Masters Ira and Invi."
"You have?" Master Ava asked, her all-knowing façade breaking as she heard something she had not previously known.
"You what?!" Ephemer and Skuld asked at the same time.
Nightly explained, "Ever since coming here, sometimes I would feel like I was having a dream, and suddenly I would see you and Invi and Ira. But it wouldn't be just anywhere. I would see you where Kairi would be, Ira where Riku would be, and Invi where Aqua would be."
At her explanation, Riku and Aqua exchanged a look, Kairi looking back at the two before looking to her grandmother, hoping for an answer of some kind.
Something seemed to click in Ava's mind. "You have the heart of your Chirithy within you, don't you?"
Nightly blinked. "How did you know?"
"I was around when Ansem the Wise conducted his Experiments of the Heart. I assume you learned of the initial findings, but what you may not know is that sometimes one may inherit a certain trait from a Heart that is not theirs residing within them."
"Oh, yes, that makes sense now," Ienzo said thoughtfully. "So, in this case, having the heart of a Dream Eater lets Nightly see certain things that only a dream could reveal."
"Correct," Ava said, stopping when she saw Ienzo. "Ah, yes. How silly of me. I had almost forgotten." She hesitated, thinking over her words before saying, "Ienzo?"
Ienzo looked at the woman. He had been unable to shake the feeling from before, and the only reason he had not spoken until then was his desire to not say anything that sounded foolish.
"Do you remember the password to the safe in Ansem the Wise's office?"
"Yes."
"In it you will find a key. That key goes to the top drawer of the cabinet farthest from the door. You'll find the answers you seek there."
Ienzo studied the former Master. 'How does she know what I'm thinking? Better yet, what answers does she think I need?'
Master Ava turned her attention back to not only Kairi, but the group behind her. "Once I am gone, you must find my friends. I am not the only one that has left a legacy, but it is up to you to find them before the last battle begins. They will aid you in the coming fight."
"But…how are we supposed to find them?" Ephemer inquired.
Master Ava smiled patiently. "Once my Keyblade has been passed on, my friends will know what must be has begun, and they will reach out to their Legacies for contact. You will know where to go from there."
Nightly shifted back and forth on her feet. "Master Ava?" she asked, her curiosity getting the best of her.
"Yes?" Ava answered, giving the young girl her attention.
"What, um…what happened to Master Gula? On the night of the Keyblade War?" She paused when she saw Ava's fallen face, but she had to know. "Earlier, I was able to connect with my Heart, and I saw Master Gula. He was in a sleeping pod with the rest of the wielders from the War. I saw a woman, too. She said he 'summoned the Kingdom and paid the price'. I just…I'm trying to understand what she meant, and what happened to Master Gula that made him end up there."
Master Ava frowned at Nightly before closing her eyes, her eyebrows knitting together and her face strained as if she was fighting off a memory.
She answered, "The night of the War, Gula broke the one thing that our Master forbid us from ever doing. He summoned Kingdom Hearts, and disappeared upon its arrival."
"So…so that means…" Ephemer began, his head trying to wrap around what he was hearing.
"My Heart…everyone…is in Kingdom Hearts?" Nightly asked incredulously.
Master Ava's lips drew thin, trying to provide a sympathetic smile but unable to complete the task. "I don't know what will happen, but I wish to help you in the only way I am still able to." With this, she turned to her granddaughter once again.
Kairi looked down to the Keyblade being offered to her, only able to shake her head in response, tears brimming her eyes.
Ava gave a sad smile. "I'm sorry if I didn't quite meet your expectations. This is all I can do to help you now."
Kairi finally managed a smile. "I just wish we could talk more. I have so many questions, and I…who is supposed to answer them if you aren't here?"
Ava's eye glanced to the three teens behind her. Ephemer understood the look, and gave a barely-seen nod. Ava smiled in return and looked back to Kairi. "You'll always be able to find the answers you need."
Kairi's chin quivered, and she swallowed hard, looking back down to Master Ava's Keyblade. She felt her Heart pull her towards its glow, calling on her to take it.
She looked up one last time to Master Ava. "Okay," she said, a smile pulled onto her face. She reached out and met her Grandmother's hand at the handle of the Keyblade. A light flashed from the handle, engulfing both Master Ava and Kairi in its light. Kairi felt her grandma pull her into a tight embrace, and she threw her arms around her, closing her eyes against the light.
"I love you, Kairi," Ava spoke into her ear. "Never forget to trust your friends and to be honest when you need help."
"I will," Kairi replied tearfully.
She held the former Master tight, feeling her slipping away through her arms. She opened her eyes to see the light dissipating, her grandmother leaving with the fading of the light.
All at once, the light vanished, leaving Kairi alone at the center of the group, holding the Keyblade of the former Master and leader of the Vulpes Union.
The first thing he felt was his back pressing against a firm surface. The feeling of contact grounded him, and he allowed his instinct to breathe to fill his lungs and further rouse him from his previous deep slumber. His eyes fluttered open, and he had to squint for a moment to let his eyes get used to the light they had been deprived of for the last ten years.
Aqua watched as the brilliant blue eyes of her friend regained focus, and she felt as if her heart was about to stop when his eyes met hers.
A moment passed, life filling his eyes before his mouth seemed able to move again. He smiled at the bluenette and spoke for the first time in ten years.
"Aqua," he breathed with a smile.
His voice broke the spell. Throwing her arms around her friend, laughing in relief, Aqua cried, "Ventus!" She pulled him up, helping him sit up as he smiled brightly at her.
"It's so good to see you again," Ventus replied, hugging Aqua back. Aqua laughed again, not caring about the tears she felt streaking down her face as she held him close.
The moment ended when two nervous teens stepped up to the two.
"Uh…Ventus?" Skuld asked timidly, trying to swallow her nervousness.
Ven broke away from Aqua, looking to Ephemer and Skuld as they stared back at him, waiting for a response they weren't sure they would receive. Aqua glanced to the two before looking back at Ven, concern creasing her brow as she, too, searched for any sign of recognition on her friend's face.
Ephemer felt his heart sink as he saw Ven's eyes look through them. He took Skuld's hand, knowing she had noticed the same thing. Ven blinked, smiling softly as he said, "Hi. Are you friends of Aqua's?"
Aqua's breath caught in her throat, and her gaze shot to Ephemer and Skuld, her expression unreadable. She wasn't sure how to feel when Ephemer and Skuld told her of their relationship with Ven, but not knowing Ven's past, she had to be honest with herself: she was really hoping Ven would remember something when he saw them. She didn't know how he felt about not remembering anything from before he met her and Terra—she had never thought to ask—but she couldn't help but wonder how he would feel knowing the two in front of him used to be his friends.
Aqua swallowed, "Yeah. This is Ephemer and Skuld. They've been really excited to meet you, Ven."
"Oh," Ven responded, beaming at the newcomers. "It's good to meet you both!"
The smiles they gave him in return were strained, sad. "It's good to meet you, too, Ven," Ephemer replied.
"You okay, Sora?" Kairi asked a few feet away, helping Sora sit up on the second lab table that had been set up.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Sora replied, hopping off the table. "Never better." He looked up to Ven, smiling as he waved to the blonde. "Hey, Ventus! It's good to finally meet you."
Ventus chuckled, smiling at an inside joke within his own head. "Yeah. It's nice to meet you too!"
Nightly smiled next to Ienzo, watching the introductions take place, hugging The Tale of the King close to her chest. At her feet, Chirithy looked up to his wielder, lost in thought.
'If the book was here, and the woman she saw knew it would be in the first place she looked, then who else is working to set these events in motion? Or is there anyone doing so? Just what are we playing into?'
His thoughts were interrupted when he saw Nightly's eyes shift. He following her gaze, resting on Kairi, who glanced Nightly's way before dropping her gaze to the ground.
Chirithy looked back up at Nightly. "What'cha thanking about, kiddo?"
"I wanna talk to Kairi," Nightly replied. "I have a feeling she wants to talk about her grandma, but she doesn't want to ask me or Ephemer or Skuld about her."
"Why do you think that is?"
Nightly frowned in thought. "Well, she left her home before she could really begin to learn anything about her. Then we come back, and she tries to learn, and it's not at all what she was expecting. Now she's left with a Keyblade and an expectation that could make the best of us crack under its pressure. And she's desperate to know more, but because of our history with Master Ava, I think she thinks it's too much to ask us about her."
"And what will you do if she does ask?"
"I'll answer her questions. I'll tell her everything she wants to know."
Chirithy paused. "Are you sure about that, kiddo?"
Nightly nodded. "I know it's hard for me to think about it too hard, but even so, I don't…I just don't blame Master Ava for what happened. Something tells me there's more to it." She pulled the book away, holding out so she could read the title again, rubbing her thumb against the worn spot in the leather.
"This can't be random," she said. "This has to mean something. I feel like something big is coming together, and that this can show us more answers than we think it will."
Chirithy smiled at his best friend. "I hope so, kiddo."
"You coming, Nightly?" Riku asked, snapping the two out of their conversation.
Nightly blinked, smiling at the two as she walked and Chirithy hopped to the others. She turned and gave a wave to Ienzo, who returned it with a small smile of his own.
Ienzo watched them leave again, Ven in tow as they tried to catch him up on everything that had been going on. His hand hovered over the console again, and he brought up the previous results of the analysis between Sora and Nightly. His eyes landed on and stayed glued to the number in between them.
97.6%
He took a breath, and began reading their Similarities, one thought running through his mind on repeat:
"The only reason two people should be this compatible is if they were related.'
So, what do you guys think? My theory of Ava being Kairi's grandma is also why I have the theory that Ava is also a Princess of Heart. To me, it just made sense that Ava would both be the person to make Kairi a Princess of Heart as well as tell her the story of the world before the War.
But, I gotta say, with the new characters we were introduced to with the new pictures of Dark Road, I'm starting to think differently (I personally think Vor might be it now, idk). However, I already said this story is now officially an AU, so there we go. This story is the result of a culmination of thoughts I had about how the story of KH3 would go and my wonderings of how UX could possibly tie in, so while I wanted this story to be as canon-accurate as possible, its accuracy can only go so far with a constantly-updating game.
If you read my profile, you know that I was planning on taking a small hiatus after this chapter. However, with everything that happened, I would like to jump right in to the next chapter, albeit taking a small break beforehand to get the finer details of the story straight in my own head to essentially get these chapters out to you guys faster than I've been doing.
I'd love to see what you guys think of this chapter, and where you think the story may be going from here. I'll see you guys in the next chapter!
NightOwl, out!