Chapter Thirty Four: Trust
"I may be a bit biased, but I would certainly like to know why I'm getting these visions." Naminé spoke as she took a seat with everyone at the table with Ven. He might have been the first today to bring up the topic, but these visions had become one of the biggest concerns Naminé had these past couple of days. Especially since the visions concerned Ven and his friends.
"Well, it's kind of hurting you, so I'd say some bias is understandable." Yuffie put her feet up on the table as she leaned back. "Let's go over what we know to start. We know that you've been mostly getting them on trips to other worlds."
Leon crossed his arms as he continued to summarize. "And they're visions about Ventus and his friends in those worlds."
Aerith looked over to Merlin and the Fairy Godmother and suggested, "Maybe they're memories?"
Naminé couldn't help a clench of her hand at the word. Her power over memories she had constantly contemplated from the beginning. Whether or not the power to control memories could even be used for anything good. At first, she was almost certain it was impossible, but ever since she had met Ventus and he showed her how to create power from those cards that had changed. Although perhaps it was just the possibility she had found from her own freedom, instead of being forced to cater to the Organization's whims.
But these visions she was seeing were throwing all of that back at her. As if to mock the idea that she truly understood her own power just as she had begun to realize some kind of purpose for good. Even so, she knew that simply worrying about them would get her nowhere. No matter how difficult it was, she had to move forward and find answers.
"One thing at a time, one day at a time."
Recalling Yuffie's words, Naminé glanced over to Ven as he thought things over. Out of everyone, he had just as much to worry about as she did. Not only the organization watching the two of them, but the mystery of what had happened to his friends was weighing on him. Even so, despite the pain he kept moving forward, even if he did need some help along the way.
Eventually, Ven ran his hand through his hair as he spoke, "My heart hid in Sora's so I could put myself back to how I was. But I have no clue how much of my memory Naminé would see from doing that."
The Fairy Godmother clasped her hands together and nodded at the question. "Then perhaps we should see how her connection with Sora is doing." She held out a hand to Naminé. "Sorry to be a bother, but could I borrow one of your cards?"
Naminé blinked for a moment of surprise at the request. She wasn't totally sure what could be learned from those cards. The Organization's greatest geniuses only seemed to know how to copy the worlds she could recreate. Then again, the people she had met outside Castle Oblivion often surprised her with what they knew, so she called one of her memory cards to her hand and presented it to the Fairy Godmother. "If you think it will help. But if you specialize in dreams, how can you work with memories?"
Standing up, the Fairy Godmother pulled her wand from her robe as the card floated in front of her. "What we remember tends to shape where we dream of going."
Cid chewed on his toothpick as he narrowed his eyes. "Are you talkin' about 'sleep' dreams, or 'stuff ya wanna do' dreams?"
"She specializes in a bit of both," Merlin chuckled as he moved over to the Fairy Godmother, wand in hand. "I'll focus the card on finding Sora."
"And I'll shine some light on these memories." Sparkles appeared in the air as she waved her wand and spoke, "Bibbity, Bobbity, Boo!" Light from both her wand and Merlin's struck the card, causing it to shimmer.
And with a flash, everyone could see the chains connected to their chests and leading up to the sky.
The chains that connected Sora to all his friends and loved ones.
The memories they shared together.
The chain of memories that Naminé could see.
Wide eyed, Ven gently placed a hand to the chain connecting to his heart, only for it to phase right through. "These are all the memories Sora made with all of you?"
Aerith giggled as she shrugged. "Well, Sora is the type to make friends pretty quickly."
"But this isn't right." Naminé shook her head as she got up and walked over to Ven. "I know what memories look like. The chains should be shining bright like stars." Just as they were when she first saw them.
Yuffie stretched as she took a look at her own chain leading above. "Maybe it's what they look like as people forget things?"
Naminé shook her head. "If he was forgetting things, those chains would be broken."
"And we still remember Sora, right?" Leon asked as he glanced around the room. At everyone's nod he leaned forward, elbows on the table, and summarized, "So this isn't normal and you're not sure why."
Merlin re-adjusted his glasses. "Perhaps we should change perspectives towards memories of Ventus instead?"
Ven nodded as he looked up to Naminé beside him., "It's worth a shot, if you're seeing memories of me and my friends."
Naminé couldn't help a frown. Even if it was worth a shot, it was still a shot in the dark. "If Sora's memories are this dim I'm not sure if Ven' will be—"
"Bibbity, Bobbity, Boo!"
And then anything Naminé wanted to say meant nothing as she saw the chains coming from Ven's heart.
Chains connecting him to everyone at the table, and more reaching out to the sky.
Every link in the chain was a memory that glowing like a star in the sky.
"They're so bright."
At the sight Naminé realized something that she had been ignoring for quite some time. That she remembered every part of Ventus's journey after he woke up. Every fight and every encounter that had formed Ven's recent memories.
And she had no idea what Sora had been doing all these weeks.
Naminé's words broke the silence that had fallen over the table, and with it Leon stood from his seat, his hands balled into fists and his eyes squarely on her. "This is a problem."
Ventus stood up from his seat next to Naminé, trying to protest, "Hey! You were fine with her powers before!"
Aerith crossed her arms with a frown. "Because we thought she was just controlling Sora's memories." She wasn't looking at Naminé quite with anger, but her brow was furrowed in concern. "But if she's connecting to Ventus more, that puts all of us at risk."
Even Merlin and the Fairy Godmother nodded, as the latter ended her spell. "I must admit, this kind of power isn't something to be taken lightly. Changing memories would cause a person's personality to become unrecognizable."
"Hold on!" Yuffie slammed her hands on the table as she stood up and objected, "Are we just going to forget how she's been helping us for weeks now?"
"There's one thing I didn't forget, and I think it's time we talked about it." Leon looked to Ventus as he crossed his arms and asked, "How long was it between you meeting Naminé and taking her out of her world?"
Ven was wide eyed at the question, looking off to the side. Similarly, Naminé felt her gut sink at realizing just how fortunate she had been for such a speedy escape. Cid pinched the bridge of his nose at his hesitance."Kid, are we talking hours, or minutes?"
Clenching his fists Ventus tried to explain. "I know it wasn't long. But I just didn't want to just leave her a prisoner!"
"And what if she wasn't a prisoner?" Leon crossed his arms as he glared at Ventus and Naminé. "What if she was using her power on you from the very beginning to make you helpful or just straight up lying? Was that really a risk you just decided to ignore?"
Ventus shook his head at the question and put his hand to his heart. "If the other choice might mean leaving someone who desperately needs help, then I'd take that risk." Naminé couldn't help but wince at that, knowing how Xehanort had so badly hurt him and his friends. But her eyes widened as he put a hand on her shoulder. "Besides, Naminé's been as honest as she could be about what she knows, and saving her stopped the Organization's trap for Sora!"
Aerith sighed and shook her head from her seat, leaning forward as she pointed out, "The fact that it helped us makes your decision lucky, not good." She glanced over to Naminé and asked gently, "What do you have to say about all this?"
Namine trembled as everyone looked at her, and the first thought that ran through her head was, 'I'm sorry'. Even if she didn't intend it, her friends were all in danger because of her power. But just saying that didn't feel right, not just for how short it was for an issue this big. An issue that might just mean she wouldn't see any of them ever again if they forced her to leave, or imprisoning her again for their safety.
Naminé's friends deserved better than just throwing her life away blindly in guilt.
"I don't know what's causing this change with my powers, or what might happen to them later. But I do know that I'd never want to hurt any of you with them." That was the one truth that she held onto in spite of everything. That there was enough of herself to care. "I still want to help all of you for what you've done to help me. But if I need to be stopped, I understand. No matter what happens, I trust you to do the right thing for everyone."
"Trust." She glanced over to Ventus beside her as he murmured that one word before stepping forward. "Everyone here has a weapon, magic, or some power that they could use to just take what they want from the rest of us."
Yuffie nodded as she looked at Leon. "But we don't. We worked together even though we've all come from different pasts and paths."
Cid pulled the toothpick from his mouth and pointed back at her with it. "Yuffie, we built our trust over years, not weeks."
"Or at the very least some tolerance." Merlin chuckled as he put his wand away.
Cid narrowed his eyes as he tapped the table before sighing. "But you're still right. She has been helping us all out with the cleanup. Not to mention the fact that we're still talking about this and I'm still afraid probably means we can still trust our memories."
"At least for the moment," Aerith agreed as she began to relax. She looked over to Leon, "Still, it'd probably be a good idea for one more of us to keep an eye on you if you're going out."
Leon sighed and shook his head before walking over to Naminé and Ven. "I was getting a bit stir-crazy anyway. That and it'll give me a shot at Maleficent."
The Fairy Godmother sighed in relief. "We might not know all of the details with this power, but so long as Naminé wants to be responsible with it, I think we should be fine."
Merlin nodded at the assessment before walking over to Naminé and Ven."Which brings us to the point of dreams, and I believe you said it yourself, Fairy Godmother. If she's becoming connected to Ventus' memories, then she can connect to his dreams as well."
Ven thought it over, putting his hands to this hips. After a moment, he began to shake his head. "But that doesn't explain the dreams where I see Aqua in some kind of dark world."
Merlin began to stroke his beard as he suggested, "Keyblades are powerful magic. They can connect hearts across worlds, and even through darkness itself."
The Fairy Godmother walked over to Ventus and asked, "When you dreamed of Aqua, were you particularly stressed or unsettled?"
Ventus snapped his fingers as he began to remember, "Yeah. The first time was when we talked about the X-Blade, and after that when we met Erxart and Roxas." But at the realization, he placed a hand to his chest in worry. "So fear and terror can infect my heart with darkness?"
Merlin waved his hands in front of him as he explained, "Nothing dangerous, mind you. In fact it's quite healthy to have a small amount."
The Fairy Godmother's frowned as she turned to Merlin. "But if that's the case, then she may be in the realm of darkness itself. Going there will require a great deal of preparation."
Merlin nodded and held up a finger. "I'll contact Yen Sid as soon as I can."
Yet despite the insight, Ven hardly seemed put at ease as he pulled out his wayfinder. Naminé put a hand on his shoulder, "If we've been able to dream about her, then she's still alive."
Ventus smiled and put his hand on top of hers. "I'm holding onto that for now. And maybe we can figure out why she's there in the fort." Naminé couldn't help a smile of her own as she felt how gentle his hand was. The same hand that had helped her without fear, just as she offered her own despite his doubts.
Yuffie clapped her hands at the suggestion. "Alright! After all that drama, we've got our day planned. Let's get some breakfast and get going!"
Leon walked over to the fireplace and began to work on lighting the fire beneath the pot. "At least we can agree on that."
On the outer wall of the slowly rebuilding town, a dark portal appeared. Larxene led the way, pointing to a large building on the far end of town. "There. That's the fort we need to go to so we can read this disk."
Erxart narrowed his eyes. "Assuming the intel is correct and they have a working computer." He would assume that the castle would be where such equipment was kept.
Axel clapped his shoulder with a smile. "It is. So it's time to go get some answers."
Despite some of his misgivings of the mission, Erxart couldn't agree more.