'A monster-making machine, a strange weapon, and dreams she couldn't explain—it was about time she went looking for answers.'
Chapter Two: Starlight
Skuld didn't want to stay down there, in the dark with the Heartless. But she didn't know what she was supposed to do next; her legs were frozen, ram-rod stiff, as she stared at the rows and rows of cells, strange new weapon sticking to her fingertips.
No more had come out of their cages. She didn't know if that meant they were different than the first, or if they just didn't want to expend the effort.
Yellow eyes flickered in the darkness. They wove back and forth, tracking the movement of her sword as it bobbed.
She ran a thumb absently up and down the handle. The weapon in her hand felt familiar. So had the movements when she was fighting the Heartless. She'd never seen or heard of a weapon materializing out of thin air, though. Magic. It had to be—like what that man with the eyepatch did, with the portal. But she had no idea what kind, or how she could use it, or why.
The hilt in her palm was warm. It almost seemed to purr quietly, a steady tingling that throbbed in her hand like a heartbeat. It was familiar in an uncanny way; some part of her recognized it, even if she had no conscious memories of wielding the weapon, and it made her uneasy.
One of the Heartless hissed at her.
Skuld tensed, lifting her weapon defensively. The sword (key?) went from a soothing purr to an aggressive thrum that rattled in her chest.
The Heartless flinched back a little.
Skuld swallowed. "I should—I should let you out."
The yellow eyes tilted.
(They'd attacked her, before.)
"I should—you shouldn't be trapped in a cage."
(What was stopping them from doing it again?)
Skuld's hands shook. The weapon still rattled aggressively.
(One had attacked her. One had attacked her, and she had to—
But they were people, once. They were people, and they were in cages, and that could've been her—)
Eventually she took a deep breath and lowered the sword. "It doesn't matter, anyways. I don't have the key."
(Don't you?)
Skuld paused.
The sword (key)in her hand had gone quiet.
She stared at it a moment, then at the cell. Slowly, cautiously, she lifted the blade.
The key glowed. Something sparked, deep inside her chest. Light formed like a sunburst at the weapon's edge, tiny sparks spitting around it like a halo.
The Heartless hissed, pulling back. Now that she could see it better, this one looked…different, than the first. Not quite complete. Parts of it dripped, splattering off the arms and melting into the floor.
A beam flashed from the tip of her blade, and Skuld straightened almost instinctively. The light struck the center of the keyhole in the cell door; something clicked, the door opening with a grating screech, as the room slowly faded back into the darkness.
Skuld tensed.
The yellow eyes moved.
Skuld pointed her weapon at the Heartless. "You stay back," she said, voice shaking just slightly. "I let you out."
The Heartless toppled forward. Glowing golden eyes caught hers, stuck a moment before they were sucked into the floor.
Skuld kept her blade pointed towards the shadows, half-expecting the Heartless to come back. When it didn't she finally, slowly, relaxed.
The others watched her from the cells.
I should let them out, too. If—if they're people—if they were people—then they shouldn't be in a cage.
…But the townspeople should know. And will any of them believe me, if I don't show them?
Skuld swallowed bile. She took a couple of hesitant steps back.
The eyes tracked her.
"I'll come back," she whispered, even if everything in her wanted to leave, leave, get away from the cages and the darkness—
She turned, walking purposefully back through the corridors. It took a moment for her to realize she could see, even if only slightly. She glanced down.
The strange key-like sword glowed faintly, pulsing with the unsteady thump of her heartbeat.
Did it do that on its own? She lifted the blade, examining it carefully. What kind of weapon is this?
(Keyblade.)
Skuld blinked and tilted her head. "Keyblade…?"
The weapon (Keyblade?) hummed in her hands.
Skuld swallowed and held the Keyblade cautiously out in front of her to light the way.
-Skuld didn't get back to sleep that night. She snuck near-silently back to Tut's house, pacing the hallways, an agitated, nervous feeling twisting around her chest and making her jittery. She eventually settled on the couch, tense and alert, the Keyblade sitting in her lap. She shook slightly; every noise made her want to jump into action, the weapon humming aggressively with her tension. By the time morning came she was exhausted, but adrenaline kept her going, her back straight, her new weapon clutched tightly in her hands.
She hurried to stand when Tut emerged from her room, cutting her off before she could get to the kitchen.
Tut jumped, then let out a breathy laugh. "You about scared the ghost right out of me, dear—"
"I need to show you something."
"Pardon?"
"Please. It's important."
Tut furrowed her eyebrows. Her eyes darted down. "Where did you get," she paused, as if searching for the word, "that?"
"I don't know."
Tut's eyebrows raised.
"Please, it's—I went to the windmill last night—"
"What did I tell you about—"
"There are people down there."
Tut's mouth snapped shut. She scrutinized Skuld carefully, eyes flicking up and down as she studied her.
Skuld bore it, lips pressed flat.
After a few moments Tut let out a long breath. "Alright. Show me."
Skuld tightened her grip on her Keyblade. She ducked out of the house and headed towards the windmill, skirting the edges of town, darting nervous glances about her and trying not to feel like something was going to emerge from the shadows. Tut didn't seem nearly as wary, walking with an even stride, occasionally jostling stones and brushing grass and it made Skuld want to scream.
(It's fine. It's fine, it's fine, we're just going to check the windmill—)
The windmill seemed different in the growing light; less a dark, frightening place to try and traverse, and more just another part of the town. Skuld might've thought she'd just been imagining things, if she didn't still have the Keyblade in her hand.
She moved to the metal lid—door?—and dragged it back open.
Tut eyed it skeptically.
Skuld tucked her Keyblade awkwardly under her arm and prepared to descend.
"Why not leave that up here?"
Skuld froze. "I—it's better if I don't. We might need a weapon."
"Why's that?"
"Something happened to them. The people, I mean." Skuld swallowed, her throat dry. "One of them attacked me last night."
Tut wore an expression Skuld couldn't read, tight and wary and like she didn't quite believe her. Still, she followed willingly, dropping into darkness.
Light filtered from above and spilled across the floor, but much of the underground area was still pitch black. Skuld stepped off the ladder and into the shadows warily, searching for any flicker of movement or flash of yellow.
Tut landed behind her with a huff. "Land's sakes, you'd think they'd want to have some light down here. Honestly. I imagine there must be a lantern somewhere."
"I've got it," Skuld said, almost without thinking. The Keyblade glowed faintly.
Tut's eyes went wide, highlighted by the faint light. "Magic, is it?"
"I guess."
"You 'guess'?"
Skuld extended the Keyblade, using it to guide her towards the edge.
"You didn't find that thing down here, did you?"
Skuld's foot hit empty space. She leapt down, then turned, ready to help Tut.
The older woman huffed and climbed down herself. "Not giving out answers, I see."
"I'm sorry."
"Mm. Let's just see what's down here."
Skuld led the way back down the tunnel, Keyblade extended like a barrier. She wanted to listen for signs of other people—the workers in the windmill, or the Heartless—but her attention was caught by the sudden glint of metal cages, and suddenly she found herself frozen in place.
The Heartless didn't seem to have the same problem. Some hissed at her arrival; one tried to lunge at her through the bars, but hit them with a heavy clang. Some sort of dark sludge dripped from the creature's arms and splattered against the floor.
"What the hell are those?"
"Heartless," Skuld answered, her voice distant. "They were—those are the people. The ones I was telling you about, I mean."
"They sure as hell don't look like people."
"It's what that man said."
(It wasn't exactly right. It's what he had implied, though.
…She couldn't help but feel like there was some other reason she thought this; something scratched at the back of her mind, rattling like chains.)
"What man?"
Skuld's mouth snapped shut. "Just—someone I knew. Briefly."
She could feel Tut studying her. The farmer didn't press, however, instead just releasing a shaky breath. "People, huh?" The words came out quivering. Tut approached the cages cautiously.
"Careful!" Skuld lunged, catching Tut's arm before she could get too close.
The Keyblade vibrated in her hands.
"I'm not going to get too close," Tut said, the faint annoyance in her voice almost hiding the shaking. "But I need a better look."
Skuld swallowed. After a few hesitant moments she released Tut.
The farmer moved closer to the cages.
The Heartless didn't lunge this time; one tilted its head back and forth, yellow eyes gleaming.
Tut stared at it for several long, long moments. She let out a long breath and ran a hand over her face. "Hell."
Skuld reached a hesitant hand towards her, then paused. She bit her lip and, after a few moments, pulled her hand back.
Footsteps sounded back down the path.
Skuld whipped towards them, Keyblade lifted defensively.
Tut stood abruptly, dusting herself off and marching straight past Skuld, her hands shaking and her expression taut.
Skuld barely had time to react before Tut started shouting: "You idiots! What were you thinking? What are those things in those cages?"
Stammered responses—too quiet to properly hear—came down the corridor.
"I don't care how good the queen pays. Who were they? Who were they?"
Skuld glanced at the Heartless, still in cages. She hesitated half a beat before going after Tut.
Light spilled down the corridor. A group of villagers stood there; one had a lantern in his hands, swinging wildly as he stammered, "I'm serious, they aren't anyone. I swear, we haven't done anything to actual people. I—what is that?"
It took Skuld a moment to realize he'd turned his attention to her Keyblade. She pursed her lips and pointed it at him. "You're lying," she said, voice wavering. "That's what Heartless are."
(Are they really?)
"Look, I don't—none of us would've taken the job if it meant experimenting on people. I promise."
"Lots of people promise things," Skuld said, and suddenly she was angry, shaking with a fury she hadn't known she'd possessed. "That doesn't mean they're true."
"Just—just put that thing down, alright? We just got the orders. That's all. Someone gave us the blueprints for a machine that's supposed to make them, but I don't think we built it right. They keep—they keep melting, or something, and sometimes we can keep them in cages and sometimes we can't, but—they aren't living things. They aren't people, I swear."
(Could she have been wrong?)
Skuld didn't lower her Keyblade; it bobbed almost imperceptibly, almost as if it had a mind of its own, and she wasn't sure whether she wanted to attack or run away. "How do I know you're not lying?"
"I can show you. I can show you the machine. Just—look, it's right over here." The man started to move, eyeing Skuld warily.
After a few moments she stepped aside. Her Keyblade was still held at the ready, and the man gave it a wary berth as he moved.
The lantern's light dipped and bobbed, but it still glinted against the metal of a large, cylindrical machine and a conveyor belt. A symbol that almost resembled a heart was plastered on the side. "Look," the man said, "look, you just—here." He moved to a control panel and typed something in. After a few moments the machine roared to life, spitting smoke. A harsh, acrid smell stung Skuld's nose. Something dark and slimy leaked out the sides and a small, dark creature appeared on the belt.
Skuld stared at it, not quite sure what to say.
(It felt like sitting back in that cell. It felt like listening to the researchers prattle on about hearts and experiments and what they could do to get the results they wanted. It felt like Xehanort promising to help them both find their memories and then running more tests that she didn't understand.)
"See?" The man gave her a desperate look. "See, we aren't harming anyone. It's fine."
"Why's it hidden?" Tut asked.
Skuld started; she'd almost forgotten the farmer was there.
"It's—well." The man looked to his companions.
They shifted awkwardly, not quite looking at anyone else.
"Are they dangerous?"
"I—look, I don't really know. We just got told that the queen wants them. That's all."
(These weren't people. These weren't people, but—they could've been. And the queen—what if she was like Xehanort? What if she was promising lies?)
"Hey—hey, wait, what are you doing?"
Skuld didn't remember moving. All she knew was that, suddenly, her Keyblade was swinging through the air. The shaft hit the machine and sent vibrations through her arm. She barely noticed it, pulling her Keyblade back to hit the machine again and again and again—
Someone touched her arm.
Skuld swung around, barely stopping her Keyblade in time.
Tut barely flinched, gently nudging the Keyblade away from her head. "You can stop now. I don't think that thing's going to be producing any more monsters."
Skuld breathed deeply, inhales shuddering in her chest. It took a few moments for her to realize that something wet was running down her cheeks, and she scrubbed at the tears, staring at her hand blankly. "Why am I—?"
Tut looked a little at a loss for a moment. She sucked in a breath and squared her shoulders. "I don't want to hear that you rebuilt one of these things," she said, turning towards the others. "You hear?"
"But—"
"You hear?"
"I—yes, ma'am."
Tut nodded firmly. "Good. If I hear you have, then I'll come down here and break the thing down myself."
Skuld finally lowered her Keyblade. She hadn't stopped shaking.
Tut gripped her arm firmly and turned her back towards the hallway. "Come on, dear," she said, voice gentle. "We've still got some work to do today."
"Right." She glanced at the Keyblade. "I should—I should get something to carry this in."
Almost as soon as she'd said it, a sharp, hot-cold tingling sensation shot down her arm. The Keyblade glowed, then vanished in a burst of sparks.
Tut blinked, staring at the space where it had been. "That's—convenient, I suppose."
Skuld closed her shaking hand into a fist and pressed it against her mouth.
"Let's just keep moving," Tut said, her voice brisk. "It's not good to stay down here in the dark."
-Tut came and found her again later—after work was done, after their findings at the windmill had been announced, after the remains of the strange machine had been carted away. She sat beside her, against the outer wall of the house. "Are you okay?"
Skuld tilted her head back. "Yeah. I think so."
Tut hummed quietly.
"Did they say who gave them the blueprints?"
"No. Just that the orders came from the queen. They didn't have any other information."
"Those were Heartless. They had to be. But they're supposed to—" Her head hurt, and she winced, pressed a palm against it. "Maybe I got it wrong."
She could feel Tut studying her. After a few moments she said, "You seemed uncomfortable, back when we were underground."
Skuld shrugged.
"I didn't want to pry before, dear, but I'm worried. Were you—"
"I don't want to talk about it."
Tut's lips thinned. "Alright," she acquiesced. "But if you need someone to talk to, just reach out, alright?"
Skuld managed a small smile. "I will."
Tut didn't quite smile back, turning and striding back into the town.
Skuld released a shaky breath. She flexed her fingers; the familiar warmth of the Keyblade still lingered there in her palms. She focused on that feeling, reaching for—something.
A weight beside her heart shifted. The faint sounds of nightfall stirred in the back of her mind. The Keyblade flashed into her hand with a quiet ringing sound.
Skuld fingered the blade, then reached out and tried to will it away. The Keyblade obeyed instantly.
She stared at her hands for a few moments, then curled them underneath her armpits and pressed her back against the wall.
-The airship for Alexandria came the next day.
Tut walked with her to the airship platform. Skuld hadn't asked—hadn't been sure for certain if she'd wanted the company—but she could hardly tell her to leave.
Skuld hesitated for a moment outside the airship. The Heartless—they won't come back, right?
…The machine was destroyed. They weren't people. They weren't—
And I need answers.
While Skuld was distracted, Tut shoved a bundle into her arms.
Skuld blinked, staring at it.
"You'll need shoes before getting on the airship," she said with a wry smile. "And you'll need money if you plan to do much in Alexandria."
Skuld stared at the boots, then carefully examined the bag of coins. "I can't—"
"You can. Consider it repayment for the help over the last few days—mystery machine included." Tut lifted her hand like she was going to pat Skuld's shoulder, then hesitated, pulling it back.
Skuld offered her what she hoped was a grateful smile. "I—thank you."
"I hope you find what you're looking for, kiddo." Tut stepped back, then turned and headed back towards the town.
Skuld stared after her. "Yeah," she murmured. "Me, too."
-After some brief discussions with the crew—"I thought we were picking up cargo in Dali, not people"—Skuld was directed to a small, enclosed space with few seats and even fewer people. She settled on the edge of a seat, but her leg bounced uncomfortably. One thumb picked at a hole in the leather as she cast uncertain glances at the other passengers.
A couple of older individuals, leaning back in the seats and chatting quietly. A well-dressed gentleman, thumbing through some papers. A younger girl, bright-eyed and eager, peering out through the windows.
Skuld pulled her shoulders in. The space felt…small. Small, and crowded, despite the fact that she knew it could clearly house more. The engines of the airship thrummed underfoot and vibrated in her ears; the quiet chatter and rustling of paper felt more like a cacophony than the private activities of the other passengers.
She didn't know how far it was to Alexandria, but she didn't think she could stay sitting here the whole ride.
Without a word she stood, walking swiftly towards the door and slipping onto the back deck.
The wind rushed wildly around her, practically stealing her breath away. It stung her cheeks and whipped her hair around her face; it took her a few moments to recollect herself, spitting hair out of her mouth and wiping at her burning eyes. When she did, her breath caught.
The world passed far below them, green fields blotted by clouds. Mountains towered in the distance, highlighted by the sunlight. A couple birds flew by, nearly close enough that Skuld could touch them; she reached out a hand, and one squawked and fluttered away. She laughed despite herself, then stretched her hands, trying to reach for the clouds. Her fingertips remained just out of reach, but it still felt—amazing. She leaned against the railing, fingers gripping it tightly, staring and trying to drink in everything she could see.
Lea and Isa would've loved this.
The thought came without her consent, and it made something in her chest twist. Her excitement bled away and, slowly, she slid to the deck, feet dangling between the rails. Lea and Isa might've been here to see it, she thought, if I'd realized I had a Keyblade in the first place.
(Never mind that the man with the eyepatch had sent her here. Never mind that she had no idea where she would've hidden if she'd gotten out on her own. Never mind that the two of them were safer if she just…wasn't there anymore.)
Skuld's fingers flexed. Something thrummed through them, humming in the back of her mind; if she closed her eyes, she thought she could see a field blanketed by stars, glimmering in the darkness.
The Keyblade flashed into her palm. She wasn't sure if she wanted to throw it or hold it close. "What is this thing?" she whispered. "What did the past me do to get it?"
A magic weapon wasn't something that people just naturally came by. She knew that much, from stories Lea and Isa had told her—stories Xehanort had told her.
("There are tales of legendary warriors that used to travel the worlds. I thought perhaps I might've been one of them, once."
She tilted her head towards him. "And now?"
Xehanort laughed humorlessly, his head resting against the door. For once he looked less determined and more…tired. "I'm not sure I would be found worthy.")
Skuld dismissed the Keyblade rapidly.
Who was I? And what am I supposed to do with this weight in my chest?
-Skuld blinked, and she was back on that hill, the laughter of her friends background noise she wished she could focus on. Her heart ached as she stared out across the hazy landscape.
The Keyblade sat in her lap.
"Hey," she said in a whisper, not quite daring to turn around, not quite sure she wanted to risk the chance that she'd shatter the dream, "did you guys know I had this?"
She thought one of them answered, maybe; a sarcastic quip or a confused, "Well, yeah?" in a voice that was achingly familiar.
Something welled in Skuld's chest, climbing up her throat and nearly choking her. "It's—I want to know about it. I want to know about you. If you knew, then—can you tell me?"
The specters of her friends had gone very quiet.
The temptation grew too great, and she finally whipped around, a question on her tongue.
It died when she saw a fox sitting in front of her.
Skuld blinked. She glanced about, but caught no sign of the others.
The fox tilted its head.
Skuld tilted hers in turn.
The fox chittered something that almost reminded her of a laugh.
Skuld's eyebrows furrowed.
The ground beneath her shook.
No, Skuld thought, panic making her stomach twist. No. No, not yet. I don't want to leave yet.
The ground started to break away. Skuld ran and jumped for the edge—
And missed.
She tumbled, over and over, and the fox stared from far above, something almost too-knowing in its eyes.
A second figure emerged opposite the fox, black and gray and ram-like, a single golden eye glinting from what looked like billowing clouds. "So close, Dandelion," it—he?—said, voice crackling like lighting.
Skuld lifted the Keyblade, but it felt like her arms were moving through sludge. She kept falling, falling, into—
Starlight.
-Skuld jerked awake with a gasp. She hadn't meant to fall asleep on the airship's deck; she was still leaning against the railing, head pillowed on an arm. Her back and legs were stiff, but she barely paid them any mind, too focused on the remnants of her dream.
A weight sat in her chest, next to her heart. Skuld mentally poked at it and tasted something cool and crisp in the back of her mouth. She flexed her fingers, silently willing her Keyblade into existence.
It came when called, bursting into the palm of her hand.
Starlight.
"That's its name," she whispered in realization. "Starlight. It's called Starlight."
The Keyblade flashed briefly. Something like a pleased hum rumbled through her fingertips, tingling bells ringing quietly in her mind.
Skuld settled the weapon across her lap. She traced the golden bits absently, the metal glinting faintly in the sunlight.
Skuld took a deep breath, but didn't dismiss the blade. Instead she settled it beside her, one hand clutching it like it was an old friend.
"Alexandria's up ahead!"
Skuld's attention jerked towards the sound. She scrambled to stand, peering around the side of the ship.
The world below passed in a blur of green and gray. In the distance was a large castle that almost seemed to pierce the sky. A small town was nestled underneath, providing dots of color in the landscape. Is this what Radiant Garden looked like, from the outside?
"Get ready for landing!" someone was shouting. "Oi! Do we got all the permits?"
"Yeah, yeah, boss, I have everything ready…"
"Excuse me, miss?"
Skuld started.
One of the airship workers was staring at her. "I'm going to have to ask you to go back inside while we dock."
Skuld's face heated. "Right. I—sorry." She scrambled back down and slid into the hold.
The few other passengers on the airship kept to themselves, muttering quietly, reading, or just casting nervous glances towards the windows. Skuld settled on the seat nearest the door, sitting half on the edge. The ship rocked around her; the confined space chaffed at her, and she ached to go back up and feel the wind against her cheeks again.
The airship came to a sudden halt. Skuld threw out a hand to keep herself from falling.
One of the other passengers grunted irritably. "Think they could make a smoother stop."
Quiet voices came from the front. Skuld strained to hear, but couldn't quite make out what any of them were saying.
After a few moments the airship started moving again. It settled, slower this time. The door to the hold flew open. "Alright!" one of the workers shouted. "You lot are free to get out!"
Skuld threw herself forward, practically sprinting out the door and ignoring the irritated murmuring coming from behind her. She vaulted over the edge of the airship, wobbling a little at the landing.
The place where they'd docked was crowded. People rushed about, boarding or leaving airships, carrying cargo, shouting orders. Several airships of differing makes sat at what looked like docks fastened to a floating platform; most were similar to the one she'd boarded, with rudimentary propellers and what looked like fins attached to the sides, but one looked more like a standard ship, with something like thrusters on the back. A cacophony of noise assaulted Skuld's ears; sweat and ozone and something acrid she couldn't place filled her nose.
It was amazing. It was overwhelming. It was much bigger than Dali, and Skuld had absolutely no idea where to start.
Skuld took a few stumbling steps into the crowd. Her shoulders hunched, but she tried not to shrink into herself too much. She didn't know where she should be going, and so she mostly tried to follow the crowd, letting them guide her.
(Everyone was so close. They were so close, and anyone could be in this crowd, and it made Skuld feel like she couldn't breathe.)
Someone knocked into her. "Watch it!"
Skuld winced, trying to pull away. She clutched her coat tighter.
(I need to get out of the crowd.)
Without really thinking about it, Skuld started moving faster, faster, faster, until she was sprinting through the crowd, ignoring angry shouts and frustrated muttering until she broke through the front and stumbled onto the city streets.
Things seemed less packed out in the open; people slipped away from the group, shouting to old friends or asking for directions or chattering about their day. Skuld slowed a little, blinking rapidly. She took several deep breaths and tried to shake the tingling out of her hands.
(It was still a lot. The noise still made her head spin slightly, but it was…bearable. If she didn't focus on it too much.)
There are supposed to be knights in Alexandria. She didn't know if they'd have any information, but she thought it might be a good place to start.
(And if they don't know anything? some part of her asked.
She tried to brush that part away; if they didn't know anything, then she'd have to find a way off world somehow. It's not like she hadn't planned on that, before.)
Skuld started walking, but it didn't take long for her to get distracted by the sights and sounds. She turned slowly as she traveled, eyes bouncing from place, eager and nervous and barely giving herself time to absorb everything. From that building, something sweet smelling; from another, frustrated shouts and hearty laughter. A couple of children rushed past her, waving pinwheels, and she jumped instinctively aside. Someone stood by a bulletin board, passing out fliers for some sort of play. It was chaotic and terrifying and exciting in a way Skuld hadn't really experienced before, and she wanted to explore as much as she wanted to slip into the quieter side streets and collect herself.
(She imagined, for a moment, that Lea and Isa had escaped with her; that their plan had worked, and they were all out of that castle and far away from Xehanort and exploring this place together. Lea would've immediately dragged them to the area that seemed most interesting. Isa would've protested but let himself be pulled along anyways. And Skuld—
Skuld would've had to try and explain what her new weapon was. But she thought, maybe, that they'd understand. Maybe they would've helped her find her missing friends.
Maybe if they were here, finding answers would've seemed less impossible.)
Something moved in the corner of her vision. Skuld might not have paid attention to it, if that strange, built-in sense of danger wasn't practically screaming at its presence. She turned in its direction, Starlight humming at her fingertips.
For a moment, she didn't see anything, and she half-thought she imagined it. But then the shadows shifted again, and—there. The flash of beady yellow eyes, blending into the darkness.
Starlight was in Skuld's hands before she'd had the chance to think about it. She shot across the street, swinging wildly.
The Heartless turned into her strike; it barely seemed to have realized she was there before it was disappearing into tendrils of black smoke. Something crystalline and heart-shaped floated from its body. Skuld stared at it, feeling like something had caught in her throat.
"Hey!" someone shouted. "What was that about? No weapons in the streets!"
(Heartless were supposed to be people. Had that one been a person? Or had it been like the others—made from a machine?
…The queen supposedly gave the people in Dali the plans to make the Heartless.)
"Hey! I'm talking to you."
A hand landed on her shoulder.
Skuld whipped around, Keyblade swinging. It clanged against metal; someone grunted.
Skuld scrambled backwards, breathing heavily, Keyblade lifted to defend herself.
Standing in front of her were two men in armor. One shook his fist at her. "Hey! What's the big idea? You can't just go around attacking people!"
"I—" I wasn't. "Did you see—?"
"What? You pulling that damn magic weapon out of thing air?"
"The Heartless."
"The what?"
He didn't. He doesn't even know. What if I'm wrong? What if there's nothing here? What if I'm just making a big deal out of nothing?
(She couldn't take the risk. She couldn't, she couldn't, she'd already left people behind—)
"The queen. Is she in the castle?"
"Wha—yeah? What the hell does that have to do with anything?"
"I need to get there."
The guards both tensed.
"You're—there might be Heartless there. They—"
She didn't know how to explain this. She didn't know how to explain the panic, or the darkness, or the part of her that screamed danger-danger-danger.
Metal scraped against leather. It took Skuld a moment to realize that it was because the guards had drawn their swords.
Skuld's shoulders stiffened. She pointed Starlight towards them reflexively; it shook in her hands, just a little.
"Look," the guard said, sounding slightly apologetic, "we can't just take anyone to the queen—especially if they're swinging around some sort of weapon."
The other murmured, "Should we take her to a holding cell?"
"That seems a little like overkill, don't you think?"
Skuld barely heard him; the word 'cell' blotted out any other sounds, ringing loudly in her ears.
"Hey—hey, you look a little pale. He wasn't serious, but we can't—"
Skuld didn't stay to hear; she bolted, scrambling blindly through the back streets, feet practically tripping over themselves. Shouts sounded behind her, and then footsteps, and she ran faster, faster, weaving blindly through the alleys trying to put distance between herself and the guards—
And then suddenly she found herself falling into open air.
(She thought of her dreams, and of a fox, and of a sky turning red.)
Then she hit the water.
The impact was enough to shock her back into reality. She took a gasping breath and inhaled water; her legs kicked, and her head broke the surface. She coughed and sputtered, shaking her hair out of her face.
"Where did she go?"
"I don't know, I lost track of her."
Skuld stiffened. She pushed herself closer towards the wall (?) on reflex, pressing herself against the stones.
Footsteps and clanking metal sounded overhead. She held her breath, waiting silently.
After a few moments, the sounds drifted away, voices fading into the distance: "Can't believe we lost her."
"It's not the end of the world…"
Skuld gripped the edge and pulled herself back onto the street. She rung out her jacket as best she could, coughing again, then looked up, trying to get a better idea of where she was.
She was near some stretch of water—a canal her mind supplied, dragging something from the depths. Across the water stood the castle, spires stretching into the sky.
Skuld stared at it for several long moments. It's right there, she thought. It's right there, but—
But she needed to get across the water without being seen.
She glanced back at the canal.
(…Was she really going to do this?)
Biting back a sigh, she pushed herself off the edge and plunged back into the water.
-The castle was…big. She wasn't sure if it was bigger than the one in Radiant Garden, but it certainly felt that way, from the outside. She wondered if Lea and Isa felt this intimidated, when they'd started sneaking in to meet with her; this adrenaline, the rabbit-fast beat of her heart inside her chest, a shaking, nervous thing that made her want to turn and run back to the canal. But I can't go back. Not if there's another machine in here. Not if there are people like me.
She wondered if they felt that way, too.
"And here I thought," a voice said, somehow both exceedingly quiet and too loud, "that I'd be the only one trying to break into the castle."
Skuld whipped around, Starlight in her hands in a heartbeat.
A boy about Lea and Isa's age (her age) sat on an overhang above her. A tail flicked back and forth, brushing a couple of hanging plants. One of the boy's hands rested on a weapon at his hip; the other was draped leisurely over a knee. He was smiling, but his eyes studied her carefully.
Starlight hummed beneath her fingertips. Skuld tightened her grip, bracing herself.
The boy watched her a moment longer before his whole posture relaxed; he lifted both hands peaceably, shrugging. "Hey, relax. No reason we can't share the loot, right?"
"Loot?" Skuld asked warily.
"Yeah. Treasure? You know, the reason most people would break into a castle." The boy leaned forward, planting his chin on one hand, elbow braced on a knee. "Unless you're here to—what? Kidnap the princess? Assassinate the queen? Harass the knights?"
The words felt like they were coming at her too fast, and she could hear the sounds of guards in the distance, and all she wanted to do was find a way in.
It occurred to her that she could just…leave. And so she did, lowering Starlight and striding past the overhang.
The boy laughed. "Not much of a talker, huh?" The grass rustled behind her.
Skuld tensed, side-stepping to try and keep her eyes on the boy. "I need to find a way in."
"Don't we all?" The boy caught up to her, sticking out a hand. "Zidane."
She eyed the hand warily but didn't take it. "Skuld."
Zidane didn't seem to take offense, pulling his hand back and sticking it in his pocket. "Alright, Skuld. So if you're not here to steal, why are you here?"
To find a monster. That I might've just imagined. She swallowed hard. But who in the world's going to believe that? "You're here because you want the…'loot'? Treasure?"
"Of course. I'm going on a bit of a journey for a while, so I figured why not have some fun while I'm here?" Zidane flashed her a grin. "But I noticed you didn't answer my question."
"Do you know how to get in?"
"Still haven't answered. Maybe if you do, I could show you the way."
Skuld hesitated. She studied Zidane carefully.
He seemed…relaxed, more or less. She didn't know how well he knew the area, but she guessed it was better than her. And she really didn't want to be found by the guards. I can't go back into a cage. I can't. "I'm looking for a—a monster."
"Oh, you mean the queen."
Skuld almost said 'no,' but thought of the Heartless maker at Dali, and what the man with the eyepatch said, and faltered. "Is she one?"
"Oh, lots of people would say so. But I was joking."
"Oh." Not a Heartless, then. Probably.
Zidane leaned back and stared at the castle, hands on his hips. "You sure your monster's here?"
(Don't have time. Don't have time, don't have time, I need to get in—) "You said if I told you, you'd help me get in."
"Sheesh, all business. Right, fine. Guess this helps both of us." Zidane waved her onwards, heading around the edge of the castle. Skuld hurried to follow.
Zidane turned the corner and jumped, shimmying up along the side of the building, bounding easily from ledge to ledge until he reached a window. He jammed a shoulder into it, grunting quietly; the window opened with a quiet squeal.
Skuld stared.
"They can never quite get this one shut," Zidane said with a shrug. He saluted, then disappeared inside.
"How am I—?" She broke off and huffed a frustrated sigh. After a couple of heartbeats she took a couple of steps back, giving herself a running start and leaping as high as she could, kicking against the wall and trying to reach the window's edge.
She didn't quite make it, her fingers scraping against stone. She bit back a yelp as she tumbled, her breath driven out of her as she hit the ground.
Zidane's head poked through the window, eyebrows furrowing with faint concern.
I thought he left. Skuld stared, then shook her head. Just focus on getting in. A quick glance around told her that there wasn't much she could use to boost herself: a couple of stones, some sticks, discarded bits of armor. Which means I need to climb.
Ivy crawled up the side of the building. Skuld dismissed Starlight and tested it carefully; it sagged under her weight, but didn't break, and she cautiously used it to crawl towards the window.
Her fingers found purchase in a gap between the stones; she used that to hall herself higher, hands straining. They burned with the effort; her whole arm shook, unused to bearing so much weight. Xehanort had never been particularly concerned about making sure she was physically fit—most of her activity came from pacing around a cell—and she could certainly feel the consequences now, her chest shuddering as she took great heaving breaths. But she needed to reach the top; how else was she going to get in?
(It wasn't like she hadn't dealt with worse pain before.)
Skuld almost jerked away when Zidane grabbed her hand; as it was, she still lost her grip, leaving Zidane to bow under the unexpected weight. He tugged her forward, and she kicked against the wall, scrambling through the window. She toppled over the edge, and for one horrible moment, she felt the sickening experience of falling.
Then she landed hard on the floor, a dull thud sounding at the impact. Slight pain ran up her back, but—she was alright.
She was in.
Skuld took a shuddering breath, her eyes squeezed shut, and tried not to feel like the walls were closing in around her. I'm in. I'm in. Now what?
…Go forward. Just focus on finding the machine and destroying it.
(What if the queen makes more, after you're gone? something inside her asked.)
"That fall didn't knock you out, did it?"
Skuld blinked, sunspots dancing across her vision.
Zidane flashed a cheeky grin. "I'm blinding, I know."
Skuld huffed, and for a moment, she thought of Lea. (Not him.) She pushed herself to her feet; her legs shook slightly, and she wobbled as she tried to steady herself. "You don't—I can find my way. From here."
Zidane lifted an incredulous eyebrow. "You know what you're searching for?"
"A machine. A—something that makes," she paused, thinking, "that makes these small black creatures. They have a broken heart symbol on them."
"…Right."
Her shoulders hitched. "You have your own stuff to look for, right?"
Zidane shrugged. "Well, yeah, but I can find that stuff easy. But monsters hiding in a castle? Can't let someone go run off and fight that alone."
She wasn't sure whether to feel grateful or wary. "Why are you helping me?"
"I'm curious. Not every day you see someone trying to sneak into Alexandria Castle saying they're looking for a monster-making machine. Besides, do I really need a reason to help people?"
Skuld wasn't sure what to say to that, and didn't think she wanted to spend the extra time arguing. So she just gave him a tight nod, turning and slipping out the door.
The room they'd landed in looked to be some sort of storage area, filled with barrels and crates of different kinds. The hallway outside was mostly empty, and Skuld pushed the door open fully, slipping out.
Zidane left near-silently behind her. He took the lead, stealing through the shadows like he belonged to them, darting quickly from hiding place to hiding place.
Skuld didn't think she had the same art of hiding, but she knew how to be quiet; she slipped Tut's borrowed boots off her feet and hurried, barefoot, along the stone floors.
Zidane landed at the top of a set of stairs and perched on the railing, near the shadows of the wall. He paused and glanced back, raising an eyebrow.
Skuld thought it was probably a question, but she wasn't sure about what. Directions, maybe? "In Dali, they hid the machine underground," she murmured. "So—go low."
Zidane nodded and darted over the edge.
Skuld slid down the stairs, taking them two at a time and trying not to feel like she was overly exposed.
Voices and the clunking of armor came from down the hallway.
Skuld's heart jumped into her throat.
A hand grabbed her arm.
This time Skuld did react, shoving an elbow backwards and spinning around, Starlight in her hand in a matter of seconds.
Zidane blocked her attack with a dagger, stopping the weapon just shy of his neck. "Easy."
Skuld stared at him, her heart still jack-rabbiting against her ribcage, her chest shuddering with the effort it took to breathe.
Zidane's eyes darted over her shoulder, and he lifted a finger to his lips.
Skuld froze. She swallowed, holding her breath. She couldn't bring herself to turn around; she couldn't bring herself to disengage.
The sound of armor clattered closer. "All clear!"
"All clear!" came a return cry, and then the clattering sound was fading into the distance.
Zidane's shoulders relaxed a little. He stepped aside; Starlight dropped, and Skuld dismissed it almost unconsciously, the weapon disappearing into light before it'd had the chance to hit the wall. "No touching, then," Zidane murmured, sounding slightly warier than before.
Skuld nodded; she breathed slowly through her nose, trying to get her heart to just calm down.
Zidane didn't rush her, waiting while she breathed.
After a few moments she inhaled and lifted her head, stepping out of the shadows.
Zidane followed, keeping a careful distance between them.
Just find the machine, Skuld thought. Just find the machine, then get out of here.
The tension didn't leave—not when they started searching rooms, not when they went further through the castle, not when they started descending towards their destination. If anything, it felt like it got worse, something wrapping around Skuld's heart and squeezing it.
(The basement was where they'd kept her, back in Radiant Garden. Away from prying eyes. Away from anyone who could've helped her.)
"Zidane," she said, quietly, carefully, "do they keep people down here?"
"Hmm? I mean—in the dungeons, sometimes."
"Dungeons?"
"Kind of like a prison. Cells and stuff."
Skuld froze.
It seemed to take Zidane a moment to realize she wasn't following. He paused, glancing back towards her. "Skuld?"
She should answer, but her tongue was stuck to the roof of her mouth. She wasn't quite sure what she should say; if she wanted to ask to be taken to the dungeons to find out if there were people there, or if she wanted to ask to be taken back out, or if she just wanted to reassure him that she was fine.
What she said was this: "Take me to the queen."
"Huh?"
She didn't think she could repeat it again, so she just stood there, staring, her hands clenched so tightly that her knuckles were turning white.
"Thought you said you were looking for a machine."
"I did. I am."
"Okay—"
"She'd know where it is. It's—" She took a shuddering breath and forced her palms flat.
(She didn't know how to explain this. This curled, ugly thing wrapping around her ribcage, fear and anger and grief all in one.)
"Please."
Zidane was silent for several long moments. "You know," he said, "going to speak to the queen's a lot more dangerous than poking through random rooms in the castle."
"Then I'll find her." She turned on her heel and left.
"Wait, wait, wait, hang on." Zidane's hurried footsteps came from behind her. "What's with the change of heart?"
Her throat felt like it was closing.
"Was it something about the dungeons? There's nothing special about them or anything, if that's what you're worried about. Or did you get an idea of where this machine of yours would be?"
She looked at him, trying to answer, but the words were stuck in her throat, lodged there and refusing to come out.
She wasn't sure what her expression looked like, but it must not have been great, given Zidane's slowly softening facial features. He sighed, then ran his hands over his face. "Shit, okay. We're going to see the queen." He gestured for her to follow, then zipped back through the castle.
The route took them down several hallways, past a kitchen and several nondescript rooms, and up a spiraling set of stairs. Zidane hesitated at the top.
Skuld glanced to either side. "Which—"
"Shh!"
Skuld jumped at the admonishment, then listened closer. Just at the edge of hearing was—
The sound of voices, coming from the left.
She stayed tensed where she was, wary as she strained her ears.
Zidane didn't seem to have the same qualms; he darted across the floor, pressing his ear up against a large door on the left. He narrowed his eyes, then gestured for her to come closer.
After a few hesitant moments she obeyed, holding her breath as she leaned in.
The voices were still somewhat muffled, quiet like the speakers were trying hard not to be overheard, but their words still reached her well enough:
"…don't know what happened. That shipment should've come in on the last airship."
"Maybe your contraption just didn't work."
"It's not mine. I just bought the plans for it. That's all."
(Contraption. Last airship. She was—the airship from Dali had come today.)
"That your machine?" Zidane whispered.
Skuld didn't answer, straining her ears desperately in the hope of hearing more.
"Bah. I'll need to go out there and check things out. Can't have them messing everything up. You'd better hope that machine of yours works like you promised."
(If the queen went to Dali—what would happen? Would the villagers get in trouble? Would she build another machine?)
"It does. I was given a demonstration. If something went wrong, it was those villagers' fault, not mine."
(Just another corrupt ruler, running experiments they were never meant to, not caring who got hurt or why—)
"Skuld?"
(Not again not again not again—)
Skuld didn't remember opening the door. She didn't remember summoning Starlight, either. She did remember the startled, then terrified, look on the queen's face as she lunged across the room and swung her Keyblade hard enough that it sent the woman stumbling backwards. Skuld's arms vibrated, and she wasn't sure if it was from the force of the blow or from the sudden, all-consuming fury that thrummed through her chest.
Distantly, she thought she could detect voices: "What in the world…?"
"Well, shit."
The queen tried to stumble to her feet. "Who are you? Guards! Guards, get in here!"
"Double shit."
Skuld straightened. Starlight hummed aggressively in her hand, and she lifted her Keyblade, pointing it at the queen's chest. "That machine—Dali—you—"
"You—I didn't get my Heartless. Was that your doing?"
"Why?"
The word rang through the room, loud and cutting and painful.
The queen just stared at her for several moments. Then she laughed, the sound half-frantic. "Why?" she repeated, bracing herself against what looked to be a throne. "I need an army. What better way to build one than by making soldiers?"
(It didn't sound all that dissimilar to what Xehanort or the other researchers would say. "We're doing this for the good of the kingdom. We're doing this for your own good.
"We're doing this for us.")
Skuld had moved before she'd even entirely registered it, Starlight a blur.
The queen stumbled backwards.
Skuld stopped her strike. Barely. She stood there, shaking, breathing deeply.
(She had no idea what she was supposed to do, now.)
The queen eyed her warily. "Who are you?" she whispered. "Did someone send you to attack me?"
"I—"
Movement flickered out of the corner of her eye. The seller.
She whipped towards him.
He stilled, eyes gone wide.
"Who sold you the plans for the machine?"
"I—I didn't get a good look at their face. I'm sorry, I just—you know, that's a very—a very peculiar sword you've got there. I'm sure it would look much nicer if it wasn't pointing—"
"Are there any more?"
"Pardon? I mean," he gave Starlight a wary look, "there—I might have some in my pocket. But they'll require a fee—"
She pulled Starlight back as if to strike.
"Of not striking me with a sword! Yes, of course, that's—that's the perfect repayment, just—just give me a second." He fished the papers free.
Something hot burned inside Skuld's chest. Energy thrummed through her arms. A starburst exploded from the tip of her Keyblade, the weapon red-hot and angry.
The salesman screamed and ducked.
The fireball crashed into the papers; they exploded into flame, embers cascading around the fallen salesman.
(She hadn't known she could do that. What was this weapon, that she could summon fire just like that?)
She felt eyes still pinned to her. She turned, slowly, back to the queen.
The queen was watching her, scared, wary, angry.
Skuld straightened, trying to seem braver than she felt. (Mostly, she just felt angry.) "You're not going to make any more of those machines."
The queen's eyes narrowed.
"—uld! Skuld!"
It took several moments for her to realize that Zidane was shouting at her. It took until something solid crashed into her to realize why.
Metal scraped roughly against her arms and back. Starlight tumbled from her hands and disappeared in a flash. The world tilted, first her knees slamming into the floor, then her cheek, her chin grinding into the ground.
"About time," the queen snapped. "Useless guards—take them to the dungeons!"
No. The word 'dungeons' rang around her head, bouncing off the sides of her skull and making her head spin. She kicked and bucked, and the guard hissed quietly as they tried to pin her. She screamed wordlessly, trying to free her arms and summon Starlight. I can't go back in a cage!
Something hard hit her head. The world spun, turning into blurred blotches of color. Her hearing dipped out, like her head had been shoved under water. The queen stood over her, hazy. "That'll teach you to go around giving orders."
And then everything faded entirely.
-"Do you know what this one is?"
Skuld blinked, and—oh. This was a memory again. It took her a moment to focus, attention turning towards the flashcard Xehanort held. She opened her mouth to speak, the word sticky in the back of her throat. "D…d—og."
"Right. That's good." He flipped the card. "And this one?"
"H—hous—e."
"Mm-hm. And this?"
A fox. The animal was stylized, but she recognized it, all the same. She made a quiet noise, but her head hurt, and the word wouldn't come.
Xehanort's eyebrows furrowed. A glance at the card, then back at her. "It's called a fox."
I know, she wanted to say, but couldn't, so she just nodded, frustrated tears pricking her eyes.
Xehanort sighed and put the cards away. "We'll try again tomorrow."
Her head jerked up. In the memory, she'd shaken her head, not wanting to stop the exercise just yet. (There was something there. There was something there, if they could just keep going.)
She didn't know what she wanted, now.
"I understand it's frustrating to make so little progress," Xehanort said, his voice surprisingly gentle, "but it won't help you to over-exert yourself."
(Where was this when you started running experiments on me? she wanted to ask. Why couldn't you have stayed like this?)
Xehanort hesitated, seeming reluctant to leave. He turned to study her, giving her a look she'd come to be very familiar with: a half-confused, almost sad expression, something just on the edge of recognition flickering in his eyes. He blinked, and it was gone, his facial features falling into something more neutral. "Would you—" He paused, breaking off, then looked almost embarrassed as he continued, "Would you like a story?"
(This was…a happy memory, she recalled. This was a memory where Xehanort had just talked, telling story after story and growing more animated as he did. This was a memory that hadn't caused her pain, and she wasn't sure if it was better or worse that these happy moments existed at all.)
She nodded.
Xehanort didn't quite smile, but something about his expression seemed relieved. "I've heard some fairytales, from this world," he said. "There is something about them that—well. They seem important to me."
Skuld leaned forward a little.
(She'd never admit it to Xehanort, but she'd thought the same thing, when she'd heard them. She liked them. They made her feel…comforted, somehow.)
Xehanort cleared his throat, taking a moment to collect himself. "'Long ago, people lived in peace, bathed in the warmth of light…'"
-Skuld returned to awareness in bits and pieces. Feeling came back first, something cold, hard, and damp pressing against her cheek and the palms of her hands. Then came the faint scent of something musty, and the sound of water dripping and quiet voices.
"…why we have to stay here."
"Just until that merchant gets here. The little thief says he knows her."
"Hey now," said a familiar voice, "you don't have to insult me like that."
Metal slammed against metal. "Quiet, you."
Skuld blinked. The world swam back into view, blotched and blurry. Zidane sat against a wall, grinning tightly. Two guards stood nearby, just outside—
The bars.
Skuld was upright in an instant, her breath catching in her throat. She wobbled on her feet, not sure if she wanted to rush towards the door or slam herself back against the wall.
(I'mbackI'mbackI'mbackIcan'tbe—)
"Hey," Zidane said, and his voice sounded…distant. Muted. "Glad you could rejoin us!"
Skuld's arms shook. Her head spun, and for a moment, she thought she was going to pass out again. Slowly she crouched, lowering her head between her knees, lacing her fingers behind it. Breathe. Breathe. Just breathe.
"Skuld?"
"Should we do something about that one?" a guard muttered. "She attacked the queen."
"She's not going to do anything. Just look at her."
Don't think about them. Don't. Just—breathe.
She sucked in a breath and held it, counted, then released it slowly. She repeated it, over and over and over, trying to focus on something other than the presence of the cell bars, or the stone walls, or the guards outside. It was surprisingly easy, with her eyes closed; the smells and sounds in this (cell) place were much different than that of her prison in Radiant Garden, stale and damp in comparison to the sterile smell of cleaning chemicals, voices rough and cheerful in turns rather than the clinically-detached comments from the researchers. She gripped those differences and held them tight, superimposing them over her memories.
She was in a cell, but she wasn't in Radiant Garden. She had company, here—not a friend, maybe, but not an enemy, either. She wasn't going to be experimented on—unless the queen wanted to punish her for breaking her machine, or turn her into a Heartless, or—
Breathe.
She inhaled, the breath cold against her heart, something like the taste of ozone and fire on her tongue. Starlight.
That's—that's right. I have a key.
Nothing is ever going to trap me again.
The thought leant her strength, her legs more stable as she stood. Starlight snapped into her grip.
Zidane turned and started to give her a smile, but the expression flickered when his attention darted to her Keyblade.
She lifted Starlight and pointed it towards the door.
"Uh, Skuld?"
The guards jumped away. "What did I tell you?"
"She's locked in there, what do you think she can do?"
Energy thrummed through her arms, fueled by the need to get out, get out, get out. Her fingers tightened around Starlight's hilt; a light formed at the tip of the blade and shot for the door.
The guards made shouts of alarm and covered their heads.
The light struck the edge of the cell and faded. For one horrible moment, Skuld thought it didn't work.
And then there was a click, and the door creaked slowly open.
Skuld barely had time to register that she'd moved; her fingers slammed into the bars, and she threw the door open, stumbling into the hallway.
"You've got to be shitting me," snarled a guard, jerking his sword out of his sheath.
Skuld had no plans of fighting—not here, not when she could be shoved back into a cell so easily. Instead she turned to dart down the hall—
And nearly collided with someone else coming down it.
Skuld stumbled backwards, whipping Starlight up into a defensive position.
"Hey!" Zidane was shouting. "Hey, easy!"
"What," the newcomer snapped, "is going on?"
Her voice rang with authority, and Skuld's spine snapped straight on reflex.
Behind her, the commotion quieted.
There were two people, standing in the hallway. The leader was a woman with cat-like features, dressed in captain's attire. Behind her was a boy that might've been around Lea and Isa's age (her age), with his hair pulled back in a ponytail, expression somewhere between exasperated and smug.
"I was told," the woman said, "that I needed to pick up a wayward member of my crew. I wasn't informed he'd picked up a stray."
"In my defense," Zidane said, "she was probably going to break into the castle anyways."
"Quiet. You shouldn't have been anywhere near the castle. You and the rest of your troupe were meant to be helping us load for departure."
"So," one of the guards interjected, "only the thief's with you?"
"Ye—"
"Nope!" Zidane hurried closer to Skuld, going to throw his arm over her shoulder; he seemed to think better of it after a second, awkwardly folding his arms. "She's a recent recruit. The captain just forgot about her."
"I most certainly did not," the captain said, narrowing her eyes at Zidane.
"Really?" the boy behind her asked, exasperated, quiet, like he hadn't quite meant to be heard.
The captain glanced back at him briefly. "You were supposed to be keeping an eye on them," she commented, "but we'll talk about that later."
The boy stiffened, but nodded tightly.
"So she's not with you?" one of the guards asked.
The captain studied her.
Skuld tensed. She didn't want to fight, but—she would, if she had to.
"…What did she do?"
"These two," the guard growled, gesturing with his sword, "attacked the queen."
The captain raised an eyebrow.
"She was creating Heartless," Skuld explained, but down here, with her anger faded, the words felt strangely hollow.
The captain's eyebrows raised. "How do you know of…?" Her gaze turned thoughtful. Her eyes flicked to Skuld's weapon, then towards the open cell door. "I don't suppose you'd just let someone like that out of their cell, would you?" she asked, slow, careful, like she was turning something over.
One of the guards gave an incredulous laugh. "She broke out. With that damn magic sword of hers."
"Yeah, and I wouldn't get too close," the other said. "Don't know what she could do with that thing."
The captain's expression looked more surprised and intrigued than anything. She knelt, slowly.
Skuld started backwards.
The captain didn't move closer; she just stared at the weapon, eyes flicking along its length. Her attention darted to the door, to Starlight, and back again. "You have a Keyblade," she murmured, shocked and uncertain, and the quiet comment almost made Skuld's heart stop in her chest. "But I had thought—"
"You know what it is," Skuld breathed. "You know what it is, but—how?"
The captain's attention flicked upwards. For several moments she stared, silent. The she stood and brushed off her jacket. "There's been some confusion," she said tersely. "Zidane is right. This young woman was recruited recently. He came here to collect her."
"But you just—you know what? Fine. Fine, whatever. If she's yours, then you'll be responsible for the fine. And she'll have to stand trial—"
"I'll cover the fine. But I'd imagine you'd prefer her to be far from here, right? Without her magic sword? I'm certain these cells won't keep her, you know. You might as well be confident she's no longer around."
The guards exchanged uneasy glances.
The captain didn't give them a chance to respond, ushering all of them towards the entrance.
"Wait—"
"Jim will discuss the fine with you," the captain said.
The boy's attention snapped to her. "Wait, Captain—"
"I trust you."
The boy gave her an uncertain look, then sighed and nodded, running his hand through his hair. "Right."
Skuld let herself be guided away, her heart in her throat.
Zidane said, "Thanks, Captain."
"You are a menace," the captain answered tersely. "I'll have you cleaning the hull for a week."
"You helped me," Skuld said, trying to put into words the thoughts that were currently rolling over themselves, bouncing uneasily off the inside of her skull. "And you—you know." She lifted Starlight.
The captain stared at her for several long moments. Then she sighed, slumping. "Where did you get it?"
Skuld swallowed, then answered honestly, "I don't know."
The captain appraised her. "What's your name?"
"Skuld."
"Well, Skuld. I am Amelia, captain of the R.L.S. Legacy. I think we should probably go somewhere more secure to discuss your…circumstances."
-Skuld stood awkwardly in the ship's cabin. Her back was ramrod straight, and she kept darting glances around the area so she didn't have to stare at Captain Amelia. A map was pinned to the wall, part of one side ripped away; a chest sat, locked, in the back; instruments Skuld didn't recognize were meticulously organized on a table off to the side.
Amelia opened her mouth like she was going to begin, then paused, casting a look at the door. She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, then shouted, "No eavesdroppers!"
Shuffling came from behind the door. Someone made a quiet 'ooph!' Another hissed, "Be quiet!"
"Leave."
Footsteps hurried away.
Amelia stared at the door for a few moments, then turned her attention to Skuld. "Now—"
"What do you know about the Keyblade?"
Skuld hadn't meant to interrupt, but she didn't try and correct herself once she had; she felt like she was on the precipice of something, and she was desperate to finally have answers.
Amelia just watched her carefully.
"Please," Skuld said. "Please, I've been searching for answers for so long. My friend and—" She broke off. "I—I mean—I've been—research was—we didn't know about it. I didn't know I had it, but—"
Amelia lifted a hand.
Skuld's words stuttered to a halt.
Amelia studied her for a few moments, her hands steepled in front of her. Then her whole posture seemed to shift; her shoulders lowered, and she ran her hands over her face. "I don't know if I'm going to give you the answers you want."
Skuld held her breath.
"You truly don't know where you got the weapon?"
"It appeared just a few days ago." But it feels familiar, she didn't say.
"And you've been looking for answers on something you only recently discovered you had?"
"I—well—not exactly." She scrunched her eyes in thought. "I—I don't—" Remember anything.
The words, even unspoken, made her feel vulnerable. They made her feel like someone was going to try and reach inside her skull and dig around to find answers.
(Like Xehanort was going to come back and ask her about things she didn't understand.)
"We had other questions. About the Keyblade."
(It wasn't quite a lie, but it was close enough that it made something twist in Skuld's stomach.)
Amelia gave her a look that suggested she didn't quite believe her.
Skuld met her gaze and refused to look away.
"I had always believed," Amelia said finally, "that Keyblades were supposed to be myths."
Something thrummed inside Skuld's chest.
Amelia pulled a book from under her desk. She flipped a few pages, then turned it towards Skuld. The image of a vague figure wielding a key-shaped sword was emblazoned on the page. There was text beside it that read:
'Keyblade wielders occupy a strange space in inter-world mythology. Explicit mentions of these wielders appear sparsely, and yet they've been found on many disparate worlds across the universe. Some have stories that only vaguely reference something that may be similar to the wielders. Others have artifacts that came from 'ancient keybearing warriors.' And others have actual stories—but even those tend to be quite varied. Of what is known, only a couple things seem consistent:
The Keyblade is a weapon that can unlock anything—be that literal locks or a person's heart.
The Keyblade was wielded by a warrior or warriors, chosen for their strength of heart.
Regardless of the truth, Keyblades and their wielders have certainly made their way into legend—one that the worlds seem to cling to stubbornly.'
Skuld closed the book. The cover read, 'Myths and Legends of the Universe.'
"I don't understand," Skuld whispered. "If the Keyblade is some sort of legendary weapon, then—"
"One wonders how you obtained it. Yes."
Skuld gave Amelia a questioning look.
Amelia tapped a finger against the table. "I've only heard stories in bits and pieces," she admitted. "Some posit that the Keyblade is passed down from wielder to wielder, choosing its next owner itself. Others say that there are entire orders of Keyblade wielders that train new warriors in secret. And others say that Keyblade wielders aren't even human at all."
Skuld swallowed.
"Up until this point, I assumed none were true. But now here you are, wielding a Keyblade."
"I really don't know where it came from," Skuld whispered.
"I believe you. But unfortunately, I don't know much more than you."
Skuld flexed her fingers. She glanced at the torn map, tracing patterns of stars and worlds. "Do you—where does your airship travel?"
Amelia raised an eyebrow.
Skuld tapped the book. "This talks about other worlds. So you know about them, right?"
Amelia's lips twitched into a grin. "I do."
"Then can you take me there?" Skuld curled her fingers against the cover. "I need to find answers, and someone out there has them."
Amelia seemed to consider that for a moment. "This isn't a passenger ship. We're merchants. We have a set route we have to take."
"That's fine. I don't know where I'd start looking, anyways."
"I'm going to reiterate: there are no passengers. If you want to come along, you'll have to work."
It didn't seem like a bad trade, if it meant getting answers. "Okay," Skuld said. "What do I have to do?"
Amelia gave her a full smile, this time. "I'll get you set up with the others for training tomorrow." She stood and extended a hand. "Welcome to the crew."
Fun fact: This chapter was an exercise in, "We are only two chapters in, I am NOT extending the chapter count already." Suffice to say, most of these chapters will be…long.
Anyway, we're introducing the next…well, I guess not 'world,' per se, but the next property: Treasure Planet! Kind of like with Gaia, this is one I knew I was going to have from the early planning stages. The thought process was kind of, "Skuld needs a way to travel between worlds, but she doesn't have access to a Gummi ship…wait, hang on, doesn't Treasure Planet have literal spaceships?" I figured it'd be a good way to get Skuld from place to place. Plus, it allows me to worldbuild a little more.
Also, this is the first of many times Skuld is going to hear legends about herself and her friends and have no idea that's what the stories are about, haha.
And thank you to James riemer and Lacan Shinn for reviewing last chapter! I'm going to throw some review responses here:
James riemer: Thank you! I'm glad you like it so far!
Lacan Shinn: I'm glad that you were able to resonate with Skuld's situation and that it's helped you in some way! Some stuff I can't respond to because of spoilers, but I can confirm that it's not Kuja or another Final Fantasy character that's behind the Heartless machine (though, uh…I feel like it's not going to take too much guessing to figure out who actually IS behind it). And I guess it's obvious from this chapter, haha, but yeah, there'll be Disney worlds, too! Limited in number because I'm limiting the chapters, but they'll definitely still be here.