Ah boy here we go again. Before this chapter begins, let me say I have never played the mobile games and only have the most basic knowledge of what happens in them. So there might be some uhhhhh lore inconsistencies in here, but honestly at this point, I'm kinda writing my own lore and cherrypicking from canon what I want to use and what I don't want to use. So please keep that in mind while reading this chapter. Also since this likely be the last chapter before Christmas, Merry Christmas to all! Enjoy!
Chapter 71: At Daybreak
Don't think twice,
Don't think twice,
Don't think twice,
Baby, don't think twice
"This is the past?" Sora frowns as he surveys the vast city stretched out below the cliffside. Chirithy is still flustered as they pace around behind him, trying to make sense of how they got here. Sora figures he should probably be sharing in their stress and worry, and perhaps he would. If he hadn't spent so much time wallowing in both of those things when he was alive.
"Yes," Chirithy huffs. "Hundreds of years in the past, to be exact. Just about the last place a piece of the future could ever be!"
"...Are you sure?" Sora keeps his sights set on the town. While his age may still be in a state of constant flux, his thoughts and feelings are anything but. The very same feelings that had helped him open a gateway here from the Final World. The very same feelings that are urging him onward even still, even in this strange new world so far away–and far before–the one he knows.
"Of course, I'm sure!" Chirithy counters hotly. "We need to go back to the Final World and sort this out. We won't be finding anything-" They suddenly stop short, taking time to spare a glance over at Sora. He stands almost at the cliff's edge, looking only 11 but seeming so much older. His gaze is fixed upon Daybreak Town's pristine tower and vivid homes, to the point that he doesn't even notice the flurry of dandelion seeds carried upon the light breeze blowing by him. The sight alone is all Chirithy needs to recant, to realize that they're being far too hasty, to remember who had sent them and what they were asked to do. After all, who would know better where to find Sora's final missing piece… than Sora himself?
"...You feel it here, don't you?" they step closer to him. "Your future?"
He nods, lightly skimming a hand over his chest as he turns from 6 to 16 in the blink of an eye. "This place wasn't in any of my memories…" he says softly, captivated by how the early sun glistens on the town's lavender roofs and eaves. "I've never been to any world like this before. So then… why…?"
"Well, it is a piece of your future we're looking for," Chirithy gently reminds him. "It only makes sense that it'd be somewhere you've never seen before."
"Yeah… the future…" Sora, only 7 now, rubs his arm. Chirithy can't help but notice that he always happens to be on the younger side when his fears and doubts begin to surface, can't help but notice that the lost, lonely child he used to be comes out the most in his most anxious, uncertain moments. "W-what if I don't like what we find down there? What if… my future is even worse than my past and present combined?"
Chirithy takes a moment to mull this question over before reaching the most obvious, most natural answer they can think of. "But what if it's better?"
What if it is, he wonders as he suddenly shifts into his 15 year old form. What if what he finds down there is everything he could have hoped for, everything he's ever dreamed? What if what he finds down there truly is the future he never thought he'd get to have? What if what he finds down there… is what he's always needed to see?
"...I guess we'll never know by staying up here, huh?" he chuckles, pushing his fears away the best he can. It doesn't quite eliminate those fears, doesn't free him from the constant, crushing dread they bring, he's not sure if anything will after everything he's seen. But it's enough, for now.
"Nope," Chirithy shakes their head. They gasp in sudden alarm, however, when Sora turns to begin making his way down the cliff. "Wait!"
"What now?" he asks, 13 as he glances back.
"You can't go into town like that!"
"Like what?" Sora tilts his head, confused. At least until he looks down at himself to find he's gone from 13 to 5 in a matter of seconds. A sight that's just as strange to him as it would no doubt be to anyone else he might happen to meet. "Oohh, right… So… what am I supposed to do about… this?"
"Hm… good question…" Chirithy taps their chin. "Give me a minute to think about it."
Without much else to do but wait, Sora takes a seat on the ground next to Chirithy as they silently strategize to themself. In the meantime, he preoccupies himself with picking a few of the wildflowers covering the hillside, marveling at just how diversely colorful they are. He wishes that Riku and Kairi were here to see such a splendid sight along with him, that they could be here by his side on this journey into the past to find his future. Not that he isn't grateful for Chirithy's wisdom and company–he certainly is, to the point that he's already trying to come up with some way to thank them for it. But after being torn away from his two most beloved friends again, this time by death itself… he can't help but long for them more than he ever has before.
"Aha!" Chirithy's abrupt excitement startles him out of his thoughts. "I've got it! A glamor spell!"
"A glamor spell?" Sora echoes, surprised. "Like the one Donald cast on me? You can… do that kind of magic?"
"I… used to dabble in it for my wielder," Chirithy says, not giving Sora a chance to ask what that means before they continue. "It won't be as powerful as what was cast on you before, but it should be just enough to keep your age stable for a few hours. That should be plenty of time for you to find what you're looking for, right?"
"Uh… I don't know…" Sora winces, glancing back to the town again. "That place looks… pretty big."
"Don't worry," Chirithy assures. "I know Daybreak Town like the back of my paw. I can make sure you don't get lost. And I can make sure you don't draw any unnecessary attention to yourself. The last thing you'd want is to accidentally mess up the flow of history itself just by being here."
"...That's something that can happen?" Sora asks, suddenly worried.
"It can, but it won't, not as long as I'm here to keep an eye on you," Chirithy says with a playful wink. "And as long as you don't tell anyone you came from the far future. Now, just stay still and let me see what I can do…"
Knowing he doesn't exactly have too many other options, Sora does as Chirithy says, closing his eyes for good measure. He doesn't really know what to expect, but can only hope that this spell, like the last glamor that was cast on him, won't show off any unwanted claws or fangs or wings or antennas. And fortunately, it doesn't, though it still maintains a few traits Sora would much rather hide away all the same.
The spell sets his body somewhere between 15 and 16, though his clothing is a bewildering amalgamation of outfits he's worn across all ages. From the shorts he'd worn as a young child, to the shoes he'd favored when he was 14, to the undershirt he'd had at 15, to the base of the jacket he'd most recently worn; he even finds a trace of the Organization's coat in his long, black sleeves and gloves. He can't see it, but Chirithy notices that his eyes are a vibrant mix of yellow and blue, that his hair is equally streaked with both white and brown. Even they hadn't anticipated that this would be the result of their magic, but with the tight time limit this spell has, they suppose it'll just have to do. For the time being, at least.
"Alrighty then," Chirithy lowers their hands as their spell solidifies. "That should do the trick. But like I said, it'll only last for a few hours. So we'd better get to looking for your final piece before it fades and you're left randomly rouletting between every age you've ever been in the middle of a busy city."
"Um… Chirithy?" Sora still questions as he looks over mismatched clothing. "Are you sure this won't make me stand out even more down there?"
"Mm… nah," Chirithy is quick to conclude as they begin leading the way down the hill. "Trust me, I've seen wielders in Daybreak Town who go around with outfits that are much more out there than yours."
"Wielders…" Sora repeats, curious. "You mean… Keyblade wielders?"
"Of course, what else would they be?" Chirithy replies. "Oh, but wait, that's right… Keyblade wielders are a rare breed in your time, aren't they? Well, here, they're the exact opposite. Before the Keyblade War, they-"
"Whoa, hold on," Sora interjects, still trying to gather his bearings. "Are we… in a time before the Keyblade War?"
Chirithy nods. "Not long before it, but yes. In this era, the worlds are still connected to each other, and the wielders who live here in Daybreak Town protect the pathways between them."
"From… the Heartless?" Sora guesses.
"From anything that might try to harm folks, really," Chirithy shrugs. By now, they're on a path approaching the town itself, its elegant skyline towering over them to the point that Sora can't help but feel just a bit daunted by it. Every bit as much as he still feels a lost piece of himself hiding somewhere within the city's walls. "Heartless, Nightmares, darkness in general. The wielders have all dedicated themselves to keeping the worlds and everyone in them safe. In that sense, they're not much different from the guardians of light you know–well, aside from the fact that there's hundreds of them here instead of just a few."
Sora falls silent for a moment at this mention of the lights, of his friends. He hasn't truly been one of them for a long time, not since he first fled from them, from the love and care they'd tried to offer to him so many times, love that he took far too long to actually accept. Even so, he still finds himself missing each and every last one of them now just as much as he did when he was with the Organization. He doesn't have the faintest clue of what will happen when he returns to the present, to the world of the living. But he can only hope that fate will finally show him even just a bit of kindness to let him see them again, to let him know just how grateful he really is to them all.
To tell them just how much he loves them, and just how glad he is that they somehow found a way to love him in return.
He can feel tears starting to swell behind his multicolored eyes, so he forces them back by swiftly changing the subject altogether. "So Chirithy," he begins, taking in a steadying breath. "You said you were from here?"
"Mm… yes…" they reply tentatively. Sora can tell they're not too keen on talking about themselves or why they appeared to him in the first place. Which naturally, only makes him want to know more.
"So does that mean you're a Keyblade wielder too?" he asks with a light smirk.
"Me? Oh, stars, no!" Chirithy exclaims, flabbergasted. "My kind was created to serve as companions to Keyblade wielders; we don't actually use Keyblades ourselves."
"Your kind?" Sora frowns as they reach the city's gate. "So… there's more than one of you?"
"Many more," Chirithy chuckles. "See for yourself."
They redirect Sora's attention to the city square before them, a busy, bustling scene to say the least, one that leaves him in awe as he tries to take it all in. Daybreak Town is even more spectacular up close, flowers blooming from almost every windowsill of every perfectly placed building. A pristine fountain flows clear and bright in the center of the square, where plenty of teens around his age have gathered to relax and enjoy each others' company. Several more run through the square, shining Keyblades in hand, as they engage in friendly practice spars with one another. And, sure enough, loyally accompanying every last one of these wielders are tiny creatures identical to Chirithy, to the point that Sora almost immediately loses count of them all. In fact, he's so captivated that he doesn't even heed Chirithy's warning as he wanders into the thick of it. Nor does he notice that he's absently walking into someone else's path… at least until they run right into him.
The two crash into each other, both falling to the ground at the same time. Sora is the first to recover, reassuring Chirithy when they hurry over to check on him. He glances up to find the young wielder he collided with scrambling to reclaim their fallen Keyblade, their own Chirithy attempting to help them up to little avail. Which is why Sora hurries to stand so he can extend a hand to assist in their stead.
"Hey, sorry about that," he apologies, rubbing the back of his neck. "I should have been watching… where… I was…" He trails off when he catches sight of the wielder's face. There's nothing particularly notable about them; by all accounts, they look just like any other kid running around town. But something about them, something that's more than merely skin deep, stands out to Sora in a way he can't even begin to explain. In a way that strangely concerns and comforts him all at once.
The wielder quickly notices Sora staring straight at them just as quickly as they fold under the intensity of that stare. They rush to their feet, brushing themself off as they call their Keyblade back to them. They don't say a single word as they turn on their heel, their Chirithy dutifully running after them, a testament to how uncomfortable they both clearly are.
"W-wait!" Sora calls, though he doesn't pursue them as they make a sharp turn down another street.
"That was… odd," Chirithy notes as they come to stand alongside him. "Did you know them? …What am I saying? Of course you didn't-"
"That kid…" Sora mutters, his sights set on where the wielder had disappeared. "Something was… weird about them. I don't know what, but-"
That thought, and everything else, really, is put on an abrupt hold as a round of sharp and sudden shouts rings out from the far end of the central square. The clamor only increases with the distinct sounds of clashing Keyblades and snarling monsters adding onto it. Sora and Chirithy turn toward the source of the commotion to find chaos erupting through the usually peaceful town. Chaos that comes from a sinister force that Sora is all too familiar with.
"Heartless!" he gasps, his hand instinctively opening for his Keyblade. A Keyblade that doesn't appear, that won't appear. A Keyblade that doesn't exist in this time… or any other anymore.
Fortunately, there are plenty of other Keyblades and plenty of other wielders on hand to combat such a threat. They bravely charge into battle, striking the attacking monsters down and swiftly sweeping up the peculiar specks of… something they each happen to leave behind. Sora can't help but linger to curiously watch their valiant efforts, despite Chirithy's best efforts to convince him to flee.
"Come on! Let's get out of here!" they exclaim, tugging on his sleeve. "You don't have any way of defending yourself, so the only option we really have is to run!"
"But I want to help!" Sora protests, taking a step closer to the action.
Chirithy sighs, annoyed. "You always do, don't you? But I think it's fine if you sit this one out. The other wielders deal with this sort of thing all the time; they have it covered!"
Almost as soon as Chirithy says this, however, they're proven wrong. A massive Heartless, much larger than all the rest, crashes down into the square out of nowhere, nearly taking Sora and several other wielders out in the process. He manages to roll out of its path just in time, Chirithy clumsily toppling to the ground right beside him. And while several wielders are already upon the new Heartless in a matter of seconds, Sora is quick to realize that, at least in this fight, he can't be one of them.
With a defeated sigh, he picks himself up off the ground and runs down the nearest street. Chirithy hurries after him, struggling to keep up, until he grabs them to carry them safely. Of course, simply escaping from the center of the action isn't enough to stop it from pursuing them as a horde of Heartless gives chase on them and them alone. If he still had a Keyblade to call his own, Sora knows he'd be able to make quick work of such simple shadows. But without it, he's effectively helpless, defenseless, just as Chirithy had said. The mere thought alone makes the loss of the Kingdom Key, the loss of his Keyblade, all the more devastating. Like a part of himself that's been brutally ripped away from him, a part that he's not so sure he'll ever be able to get back.
Without any knowledge of how Daybreak Town is laid out, Sora relies on the directions Chirithy haphazardly calls out to him. The Heartless are relentless in their pursuit, practically nipping at his heels as he tries in vain to shake them. Those attempts fall apart altogether when they suddenly reach a dead-end alley, finding themselves quickly cornered by the crowd of Heartless swarming them.
"W-what do we do now?" Sora asks, his back pressed against the wall.
"Um…" is all Chirithy has time to get out before one of the Heartless suddenly leaps forward. All Sora can do is gasp and hold Chirithy closer, hoping to protect them somehow if nothing else. He anticipates the familiar sting of Heartless claws slamming into his exposed arm, and yet… that sting never comes.
Instead, the monsters are defeated and dispersed before their very eyes. Sora allows himself a sigh of relief as he eases up, watching the pair that's rushed in to rescue them just in the nick of time. They're two wielders around his age, a boy with short silver-white hair and a girl with long black hair, both skilled and steady with the identical Keyblades they're battling with. They make short work of the Heartless horde, letting their weapons disappear only when they're sure the last of them are finally gone.
"Woo," the boy stretches as he cools down from the fight. "Those things sure are persistent. But at least they're a reliable source of Lux."
"Too reliable lately…" the girl muses. "They've been popping up around town more frequently and no one knows why. Maybe we ought to tell Master A-"
"Ah ah ah!" the boy interjects, hastily putting a finger to his lips to cut her off. He nods back at Sora, who can only watch the peculiar pair as their conversation, one that he's clearly not meant to be a part of, comes to a grinding halt. "Uhhh, t-that sure was a close one!" the boy forces a grin as he turns to face him. That grin turns a touch more genuine as he extends a hand to help Sora up. "You ok?"
"I am, thanks to both of you," Sora eases into a smile of his own as he takes the boy's hand.
"Glad we could help," the girl nods, though her friendliness soon switches out for confusion. "But… why didn't you just use your Keyblade to fight them off yourself?"
"Uh… well…" Sora hesitates, not noticing Chirithy shaking their head in warning not to say too much. "I don't really… have one anymore?"
The pair exchanges a brief, bewildered look. "What do you mean?" the boy asks.
"I mean I used to have one… but now it's gone," Sora replies simply, far from keen about going into any further details. It'd take more than a day to explain it all, even if he wanted to.
"But then… if you're not a wielder anymore, why do you still have a Chirithy?" the girl questions. By now, Sora's finally noticed the pair of wielders both have Chirithys of their own accompanying them; the creatures peer out from behind their companions to observe what's going on in curious silence.
"Um…" Sora steals a glance down at his Chirithy, hoping they can fill in the blanks. And fortunately, they come up with something just in time to do exactly that.
"We're not so sure his Keyblade is gone forever," Chirithy lies, even if Sora wishes it wasn't one. "So the master of his Union asked me to continue accompanying him until it returns to him."
"The master of my what?" Sora whispers down at the creature, absolutely lost.
"Just go with it, I'll explain later," they reply, hushed and hastily.
"Hm… that makes… sense, I guess," the boy shrugs, fortunately buying it.
"Say, I've never seen you around town before," the girl notes as she sizes Sora up. "What Union are you in anyway?"
Once again, Sora's left with no real answer to give, to the point that he nearly asks what a Union is outright. At least until Chirithy pipes up to answer in his stead once more. "Vulpes!" they exclaim, perhaps a bit too sharply. "He's in Vulpes."
"Oh, so you work under Master Ava?" the boy asks, suddenly very intrigued. "Then it really is weird that we've never met you before… What did you say your name was again?"
"I don't think I did say it," Sora chuckles as he holds out a hand for both of them to shake. "But it's Sora."
"Nice to meet you, Sora," the boy grins once again. "I'm Ephemer and this is Skuld."
Skuld offers a warm, cheerful wave that Sora can't help but return. Even so, she turns serious once more as she voices yet another question he finds himself hard-pressed to answer. This time, for entirely different reasons altogether. "So, Sora, if you don't mind me asking, what did happen to your Keyblade?"
Sora swallows hard, once again at a loss for words that this time, Chirithy is powerless to supply him with. "Uh… I… l-lost it." It's not exactly a lie, but it's nowhere near enough to even begin encompassing the truth either. The truth he still can't bear to admit, not even to himself. "In fact, um… we were just looking for it before we were attacked! Right, Chirithy?"
"...What?" the creature asks flatly before catching onto his ruse. "Oh, um, that's right! We've… been looking all over town for it!"
"Can't you just… summon it back to you?" Ephemer asks, calling upon his own weapon as an example.
"Uh… yeah, I… tried that," Sora ventures, essentially winging this entire conversation by this point. "It didn't work, so we resorted to just looking for it instead. I was told by someone," he spares another glance down at Chirithy, and that glance alone is enough to clue them into what he's playing at. "That I'd find what I need here, but… I don't really know my way around town, so-"
"We could help you!" Ephemer eagerly volunteers, only to catch a critical look from Skuld. "What? It's not like we have much else going on today other than the usual Lux-hunting. Besides, how can we turn down a fellow wielder in need?"
Despite her initial skepticism, Skuld is quick to fold under the pleading grin her friend sends her way. "Spoken like a true future master," she smirks, hands on her hips. "With that kind of spirit, you'll be in the same league as the Foretellers in no time, Ephemer."
"M-me?" Ephemer sputters, his face flushing red. "Nah, I could never… not unless you're right there alongside me, Skuld."
A bright, slightly flustered laugh escapes her when she hears this, one that Ephemer is quick to join in on. Sora can't help but smile as he watches the pair, suddenly finding himself reminded of another duo from another time and place entirely. Skuld's cool level-headedness is something Sora has seen in Riku so many times before, while Ephemer's hopeful enthusiasm matches Kairi's to a T. And as much as it all makes him miss the two of them even more, he feels a strange sense of comfort in meeting a pair that's somehow so very much like them. A pair he feels like he's known his whole life, even though they just met.
"You guys… really want to help me?" he asks, genuinely touched by their generous kindness.
"Sure, we do," Ephemer smiles. "After all, helping people is what we wielders do, right?"
"And sometimes," Skuld chimes in. "That means helping each other out of a bind too. We may all be in different Unions, but at the end of the day, we're all part of the same team."
Even though he only understands half of what she said, Sora still finds room to agree nonetheless. "Yeah. We are."
"So what are we waiting for?" Ephemer begins leading the way out of the alley. "Let's get searching! Not really sure how we're supposed to go about looking for a lost Keyblade, but… I'm sure we'll figure something out."
"Heh… I-I'm sure we will…" Sora mutters, exchanging an uncertain glance with Chirithy. Even so, they follow their new friends back into the city's main thoroughfare, letting Skuld and Ephemer take charge through the busy streets as their search begins in earnest. The pair checks in with a few other wielders they happen to know along the way, though of course, none of them know Sora, much less where his "lost" Keyblade could be. Eventually, Chirithy manages to convince them against asking others for help, catching confused and curious glances from Ephemer and Skuld in the process. Whatever suspicions or misgivings they might have, though, they don't speak to them, not even as Sora decides to pose them questions that they clearly assume he already knows the answers to.
"Have you guys lived here in Daybreak Town your whole lives?" he asks, purely for the sake of striking up conversation.
"Well, yeah," Skuld glances back at him. "You haven't?"
"Uh… no?" Sora says, even though he catches Chirithy shaking their head out of the corner of his eye. "Like I said, I'm new around here."
"Where are you from then?" Ephemer asks.
"The Destiny Islands," Sora says plainly. And as soon as he does, Chiritthy has to bite back a frustrated sigh at how obliviously candid he can sometimes be. Even when the fabric of time itself could be on the line.
"Huh… Never heard of them," Ephemer says after a moment of thought. "Maybe you can take us there for a visit sometime!"
"Really?" Sora asks, surprised.
"Sure," Skuld laughs. "We're always up for a day at the beach–when we're not busy fighting the Heartless, that is."
"Well, you won't find any beach better than what we've got back home," Sora grins, hanging his arms behind his head. Chirithy finally cools down when they see this, when they notice the rapport he's already starting to form with this kindly pair. They know this pair of wielders far better than they're willing to say, far more than they're allowed to even tell Sora. And if they know these two, then they know they're well worth trusting. They're welders who, after everything he's been through, after all of the memories, both good and bad, he's just reclaimed, may be exactly the kind of friends Sora needs right now. Exactly the kind of friends he deserves.
Their pleasant conversation doesn't get to go on for much longer, unfortunately. For soon enough, the telltale signs of another Heartless outbreak become clear just up ahead. Other wielders rush past the group to begin fighting them back, and Skuld and Ephemer don't hesitate to do the same.
"Take cover, Sora!" Ephemer calls as he summons his Keyblade. "We'll be right back."
"But I-" Sora's protests go unheard as the pair runs ahead without him. "You know, Chirithy," he sighs as he's forced to stand on the sidelines of yet another unfolding battle. "I'm getting pretty tired of not having a Keyblade anymore."
"You won't find it here," Chirithy informs gently, sympathetically. "You know that, don't you?"
"..Yeah," he says softly, turning away from the fight. "I do."
"It's just as well that those two got distracted," Chirithy says as they trail alongside Sora as he absently walks away. "We need to focus on finding what we actually came here for, not some wild Keyblade chase. That glamor I cast on you isn't going to last forever, after all."
"Uh huh…" Sora mutters, not really listening.
"Are you all right?"
"I don't know, I just wish I-" He comes to an abrupt stop when he realizes Chirithy hadn't been the one to ask that question. Instead, they've already turned to face the one who has. A girl sits upon a nearby bench in the quieter section of town he's wandered into, her own Chirithy resting comfortably in her lap. She's clad in a white dress, her long red hair tied in two behind her, her bright teal eyes filled with concern, but there's something else behind them too. Something that compels Sora to take a step closer to her as she presents him with another question.
"What did you want to wish for?" she frowns, her voice quiet, uncertain almost. "I-if you don't mind me asking, that is."
Sora laughs in spite of himself, running a hand through his white and brown hair. "At this point, I think I have way too many wishes to count. And after all of the ones I used to have fallen through before… I'm not so sure any of them will actually come true…"
The girl finally smiles a bit, kindness and empathy equally shining through it. "I know the feeling…" she sighs, looking away. Even so, she pats the empty spot on the bench next to her, inviting Sora to sit down. When he moves to do so, Chirithy tugs on the back of his leg, once again perturbed by his all-too-common tendency to waste the precious little time they have.
"We're looking for something, remember?" they ask pointedly.
"Oh," the girl pulls her hand back, suddenly embarrassed. "I-I didn't mean to hold you up if you were in the middle of something. You can just-"
"No, it's ok," Sora assures, promptly taking a seat next to her. "I have time."
"You don't-" Chirithy huffs, but as usual, Sora ignores them.
"Uh… are you ok?" he asks the girl. "No offense, but… you seem like you're kind of bummed out about something…"
"Huh?" she blinks, catching herself as she lets out a small, fake laugh. "N-no, I'm… Well… to tell you the truth, I… I don't really think I am. I haven't been for awhile now…"
"Did… something happen?" Sora asks, worried.
"No," the girl shakes her head sadly. "And that's just the problem…" Despite the confused look Sora sends her way, she suddenly forces herself to perk up. Even if the smile on her face never quite meets her eyes, "Oh, but listen to me go on, all without introducing myself first! I'm Strelitzia."
"Sora," he smiles as he shakes her hand. "So, um, Strelitzia, what are you doing back here all by yourself? Why aren't you out there fighting the Heartless with everyone else?"
"I want to join them, but…" Strelitzia hesitates, hugging her Chirithy just a bit tighter. "I'm nowhere near as strong or as skilled as all of the other wielders, much less as brave."
"What makes you think that?"
She shrugs, staring down at the cobblestones at her feet. "I've always felt this way, for as long as I can remember. My brother always tries telling me that I'm just as strong as everyone else, but… it's hard to believe that when all I ever seem to do is fail at every turn I take…"
There had once been a time not too long ago that Sora would have assured her that can't be the case, and yet now… now all he can think is just how close to home what she's saying really hits. "I… I know how you feel," he admits quietly. "A while back, I lost all of my strength–twice, actually. It drove me crazy, not being able to do all of the things I used to do. It made me feel so weak and… and useless…"
"But… you got your strength back eventually, didn't you?" Strelitzia asks. She begins to raise her hand to rest it on his shoulder, to comfort him in what little ways she can. But it never ends up making it there.
Sora closes his eyes, months-old pain flooding through his face as he shakes his head. "No. Instead, I… I relied on the wrong kind of strength," he stares down at his gloved hand, recalling the claws it used to bear, the dark, dangerous magic that used to pour out of them. Magic that, at least once or twice, he had actually readily, foolishly embraced. "And it cost me everything…" Everything, from his friends to his freedom… to even his own life.
"So… what did you do?" Strelitzia presses, careful, yet concerned.
"That's just it," Sora laughs bitterly. "I haven't done anything yet. But… I want to. I want to go back to my friends, to fix everything I broke. I want to find a way to be strong again, strong in the right way, the real way. I want so much more than what I was forced to have. And in the end…" he smiles, just a bit brighter now as he looks to the early morning sky above the city. An endless sky filled with all of the hope he'd once lost, all of the hope he's still trying to reclaim. "I think just wanting to be strong, wanting to make the world a better place, wanting something better for your friends and for yourself… that's what matters more than anything else."
"...You say wanting," Strelitzia says after a moment or two of thought. "But I think wishing is what you really mean. And I have been wishing–to be stronger, for so many other things really. I'm wishing with all my heart…"
"Well," Sora catches her off guard when he's the one to ultimately land a hand on her shoulder. "If you're using all your heart, then those wishes are bound to come true."
"T-thank you…" she whispers, shaken, but clearly touched. "I hope all your wishes come true too, Sora."
"...Maybe, for a change, they actually will…" he smiles, letting himself believe that. Letting all of the lies he's been fed, all of the pain he's been forced to feel drift away on the calm morning breeze. And letting every last wish he has, every ounce of hope he's still holding onto, begin to take root in the spaces they leave behind.
"Sora?!" A sudden call from somewhere not too far away suddenly rings out, startling them both. "Where are you?"
"Skuld and Ephemer!" Sora exclaims, shooting to his feet. "I almost forgot about them. Um…" he frowns as he glances back down at Strelitzia. "I've gotta-"
"It's ok," she assures. "I understand. It was nice talking to you, Sora. I hope we get a chance to hang out together again someday soon."
"Uh… I'm not sure if that's…" Sora trails off when he meets her warm, friendly smile. She's a bit of a strange girl, he can't deny that; shy and reserved and rather unsure of herself to be sure. But beyond that surface layer, there's so much else to her, so much kindness and care and strength, far more strength than she gives herself credit for. In many ways, he sees some of himself in her; a kindred spirit, someone who yearns for so much but, for whatever reason, is plagued by fear and worry and doubt. They both hold themselves back, it seems, from all of the things they want, all of the things they desire to be. He wishes he had the time to help them both find a way to grow beyond that habit, the time for them to learn together what it truly means to be strong. He wishes he could somehow see her again, that they could be friends for far more than just this mere minute moment.
He knows they can't, that they'll never cross paths again once they part ways. But he still makes that wish all the same. And maybe, if he wishes just like her, with every last part of his heart… then that wish might someday come true.
"Yeah," he finally folds into a smile of his own. "I hope we do too. See you around, Strelitzia!"
"See you around," Strelitzia fondly waves him farewell. "Sora… Thank you…" she mutters only to herself and her Chirithy once he's out of earshot. Her smile, right along with the comfort and courage his kind words had brought her, all linger in her once-uneasy heart even long after he's gone. She can only hope she can make good use of that courage to follow through, to finally say all of the things she wants to tell someone she's never spoken to before. To someone who, even from a distance, has already found such a special place inside her heart.
"I wish…" she whispers, to the breeze, to the sky, to the great Heart above, believing with all her heart that it will come true.
Except… it won't. It never does.
It doesn't take Sora long to catch back up with Skuld and Ephemer. With the latest round of Heartless cleared out, the town quickly falls back into its usual cheery calm, its streets buzzing with bright young wielders going about their business. As he falls back in line with his newfound friends, Sora can't help but wonder what his life would have been like if he'd been born here in the past instead of the future he came from. Would he still have a Keyblade? Would he still have traveled the worlds? Would he still have been targeted and turned into a monster, if not by his grandfather, then by someone else entirely? Would he have still been forced to fall into darkness, still used as a tool to bring about untold destruction and death?
Or…
Would he have been just another wielder among so many others? Would he have led a normal life-or at least as normal as life can be here–fending off Heartless and having fun with friends like Ephemer and Skuld and Strelitzia? Would he have been allowed to forge his own path, allowed to choose his own destiny, allowed to live as he truly pleased? Would he have been his own person instead of a weapon or a vessel or a slave? Would he have been free?
"You ok there, Sora?" Ephemer suddenly asks, breaking his train of thought. "You've been kind of quiet for a while."
"Oh, yeah, I'm fine. I was just wondering…" he trails off briefly. He doesn't look at either of them, instead of at the lively city surrounding them, so full of life, so mysterious, and so alluring and so different from everything he's ever known. "Are you guys… happy here?"
It's an odd question, one that clearly catches the pair off guard. Even so, Skuld readily answers it after only mere seconds of thought. "Well… yeah," she smiles softly. "Daybreak Town is our home. No matter how many worlds we go to or how far our travels might take us, this place is always where our hearts bring us back to. Back to our Unions… and to our friends."
"Right, so, uh, this whole 'Union' thing," Sora starts, his wistfulness shifting into curiosity. He hears a protesting groan from Chirithy as they walk alongside him, so he does his best to placate them by phrasing his question wisely. As wisely as he knows how to, anyway. "I, um…. definitely know what it's all about, but… I could always go for a refresher course, if you guys don't mind giving me one…?"
"Um… ok?" Ephemer asks, a bit befuddled. "What do you want to know?"
"Uh… e-everything?"
The pair shares yet another quizzical look, but Skuld is ultimately the one who kicks things off with a basic explanation. "Well, the Union system was established by the five Foretellers to protect the worlds from darkness. There are five Unions in total: Anguis, led by Master Invi, Leopardos, led by Master Gula, Unicornis, lead by Master Ira, Ursus, led by Master Aced, and the Union you're… apparently in, Vulpes, led by Master Ava."
"So they're like… teams?" Sora guesses, still more than a bit lost.
"Exactly!" Ephemer grins. "The wielders in each Union work together to fight the Heartless, protect worlds, and gather Lux."
"Right, right, Lux," Sora nods, though his confidence is quick to slip. "Um… what is Lux, exactly?"
"Lux is… well, it's light," Skuld pulls something out of her pocket: a tiny, star-shaped shard. Sora finds himself immediately mystified by it, sure enough feeling sheer, pure light brimming from every angle. He nearly reaches out to touch it on instinct alone, something within him gravitating toward it almost naturally. Or perhaps, it's the other way around; perhaps… it's the Lux itself gravitating toward him. "We're collecting it to keep the worlds safe. The Unions have turned it into something of a friendly competition between each other, but… I think everyone's end goal is still the same: to drive back the darkness and guard the light."
"Guard the light…" Sora finds himself smiling nostalgically, his focus shifting as Skuld puts the spark of Lux away. "That sounds like… s-something I've heard of before," he quickly recants, keeping Chirithy's warning in mind. Especially as they aggressively tap his leg just in time to enforce that reminder. "So… if you're–we're all trying to do the same thing, why is it a competition in the first place?"
"That's… a good question," Ephemer frowns, rubbing the back of his neck. "If I could guess, I think it's a matter of motivation? Encouragement? Something along those lines…"
"Only the Foretellers know for sure," Skuld interjects. "And well, they're… not exactly the easiest people to get answers out of."
"Huh. That sounds like someone I know too…" Sora mutters a bit bitterly. Because really, for as much as this bizarre, rather rigid system reminds him of the lights, it rings all too familiar of another group entirely. A group he'd been forced to become a part of, an organization filled with shadowy secrets, so many of which he still doesn't know. Based on the simple description of them alone, these "Foretellers", whoever they are, sound like they're every bit as cryptic and cunning as a certain master of his. Which is why, even if Skuld and Ephemer seem to place their trust in them and their "Unions", Sora isn't willing to do the same so easily.
At least… not until he meets one of them for himself.
"Speaking of Foretellers…" Ephemer starts, surprised as he spots something up ahead. Namely, the town's incredible clock tower, and someone emerging from a large door at its base. "There's one of them now! Hey, Master Ava!"
"Ephemer!" Skuld scolds as she hurries after him. "Don't go and bother Master Ava! She's probably really busy!"
"Uh… any advice when it comes to meeting one of these 'Foretellers'?" Sora asks Chirithy as he trails behind the pair.
"Only the same advice as before," they shrug. "Don't say too much. Oh, and please try to be respectful. The Foretellers are some of the most skilled Keyblade masters that have ever lived."
"And some of the most secretive too, it sounds like…" Sora mutters only to himself. He tries not to let his immediate distrust and disdain get the better of him, however, as he follows his friends to meet the master. Right off the bat, he finds her attire to be downright strange. She wears an elegant light pink cloak, a hood pulled over her head and a peculiar fox-like mask covering most of her face. She turns to the group approaching her with a startled gasp, though she's quick to ease up a bit when she takes stock of who's come to greet her.
"Oh, hello, Ephemer," her smile is bright, if not a bit reserved. She seems like she's on the younger side, only a bit older than the wielders before her. But despite her youth, she still carries herself with an air of wisdom and grace that strikes Sora almost immediately, before she even has the chance to say a single word to him. "And Skuld too. It's good to see you both again. Who's your friend there?"
Sora flinches when her sights settle on him. His sudden nervousness is only amplified when Ephemer and Skuld beat him to the punch. "Uh, this is Sora," Skuld informs with a confused frown. "He's a member of your Union… isn't he?"
"Um… I don't think so?" Ava tilts her head. By now, it's dawned on Sora that her voice sounds incredibly familiar. Though where and when he might have heard it before, he hasn't the faintest idea. "I don't think I've ever seen you before. Are you a new wielder?"
"Uh… well, actually, I-"
"Sora lost his Keyblade," Ephemer interjects, even though Sora desperately wishes he wouldn't. "His Chirithy told us that you wanted them to stick with him to help him look for it."
"No, I-" Ava stops short as she looks Sora over once more. He's hard pressed to hide the dread flooding through his face, the fear of being found out or unveiled as a fraud. He has no idea what he'll tell Skuld and Ephemer when the master inevitably tells them the truth, no clue how to explain what's really going on without explaining why he's really here and where he really came from. And yet… he soon finds he doesn't have to.
"Oh, t-that's right!" Ava suddenly exclaims. "Sora! Now I remember! It's been awhile, and I've been so busy lately that I almost forgot. So, uh… how's that search for your, um…"
"My… Keyblade," Sora hesitantly fills in.
"...Your Keyblade, right," Ava frowns. Sora can practically imagine the skeptical eyebrow she must be raising under her mask. "Have you had any luck finding it yet?"
"Um… not really?" Sora rubs his arm. This entire conversation is beyond baffling, built on a completely fabricated foundation. Ava seems to know that too, yet she still keeps the ruse going; and Sora has no idea why.
"Oh, that's too bad…" Ava seems genuinely sympathetic. It makes Sora wonder if she really believes his Keyblade is lost, if even she can't see through the paper-thin lie he's been telling all this time. "You know what? I actually have a bit of spare time right now. Why don't I help you look?"
Sora draws in a tight breath, unsure of how to respond to such an offer. Skuld does so in his stead. "Oh, we'd be more than honored to have your help, Master Ava," she says with a small, respectful bow.
"Well, I'm more than happy to give it," Ava grins. "Now, how about we split up to cover more ground? Skuld and Ephemer, you two go search the far side of the clock tower. Sora and I will take the near side. Does that sound good to everyone?"
The suggestion of this split alone is enough to make the nervous pit in Sora's stomach double in size. But of course, his new friends see nothing wrong with this arrangement as they readily agree to it. "Sounds perfect," Ephemer says. "We'll catch up with you two later, or if we find something. Whichever comes first."
Ava nods her approval, seeing the other pair off before she beckons Sora to follow her. He does so cautiously, his posture as stiff as the silence he maintains as he walks alongside the supposedly renowned master. A master who, in almost every way, isn't at all like what he thought she'd be.
"Um… Not that I'm not grateful for your help or anything," he begins once Skuld and Ephemer are well out of earshot. "But… why did you decide to cover for me like that?"
"Mostly because I wanted to speak to you alone," Ava answers simply. Her expression is largely unreadable thanks to her ornate mask, her tone almost every bit as vague. "You're not from around here, are you, Sora?"
"...Is it that obvious?" Sora asks with an anxious chuckle.
"Well, seeing as how I know almost everyone in town and I've never seen you before today, yeah, a little," she laughs before offering him a kind smile. "So where are you from then? And how do you already have a Chirithy of your own?"
"Uh… well… I'm from somewhere… very far away," Sora bites his lip as he glances down at his tiny companion. "And as for Chirthy-"
"They're not yours, are they?" Ava's smile disappears. She leans down a bit to address Chirithy directly. "Who do you belong to, little one?"
"Eh… that's a bit… hard to explain," Chirithy shrinks back. "B-but if there's one thing I can promise you, Master Ava, it's that Sora and I don't mean any harm! We're just here to look for something."
"Right," Ava stands as she looks to Sora once more. "Your… missing Keyblade, I'm guessing?"
"Not really…" Sora admits, glancing away.
"Oh? So it isn't lost then."
"Oh, no, it's… definitely lost…" Sora sighs, wishing that everything and everyone would stop reminding him around every turn. "But I already know there's no way to get it back. What we're actually looking for is… a bit different. I'm not really sure how to explain exactly what it is, but… let's just say it's something I… can't go home without."
"Hm…" Ava muses thoughtfully. "Then let's hope we can manage to find it for you, wherever it might be."
Sora blinks, surprised by such a genuine, generous offer. "Oh, uh… thanks," he falls into silence for a moment or two, continuing to follow Ava's lead through more quiet corridors of town before he ventures one of the many questions on his mind. "Um… no offense, but… why do you want to help me, exactly? Chirithy told me you're some kind of 'super important' Keyblade master. Don't you have better things to do with your time than running around town with some random kid you barely know?"
"Funny you ask," Ava chuckles. "Usually, I am very busy, leading my Union, keeping the peace here in Daybreak Town, carrying out my Master's instructions. But when I saw you, Sora, I don't know… I just sensed something… different about you."
"O-oh, really?" Sora stiffens. He's heard this before, heard just how 'special' he is from the likes of his grandfather, from the likes of his friends, from the likes of just about everyone he's met really. It's gotten to the point that he wishes he wasn't so special or different, wishes he didn't stand apart from the rest of the crowd. Wishes he could be a normal kid with a normal life, just like the one he once used to lead.
Ava nods, coming to pause at the edge of the bridge they're crossing. A clear river cuts through town beneath them, their vantage point giving them a pleasant view of the surrounding city. "Daybreak Town used to be so much smaller when I was little…" she begins with a nostalgic smile. "Until our Master arrived and transformed it into the incredible place it is now, a haven for Keyblade wielders of all walks of life."
"Your… Master?" Sora asks, flinching as he says that word. A word that's come to haunt him even here, even so far away from his own.
"He's the one who trained the other Foretellers and I," Ava explains. "Taught us everything he knows. He has the ability to gaze into the future, and in that future, he foresaw a terrible war that will destroy everything…"
"The Keyblade War…" Sora whispers, his eyes wide with frightened realization.
"What was that?"
"Oh! Uh, n-nothing," Sora quickly recants, even though he wishes he didn't have to. Even though he wishes he could tell Ava that her Master is exactly right, that a devastating disaster truly does await them only a few short years down the road. And yet… just as Chirithy keeps reminding him, the flow of history must remain unchanged. However horrible that history might be. "You were saying?"
Ava nods, solemnly continuing her tale. "To stop that war from happening, the Master guided us to create the Union system. By collecting Lux among those Unions, it's our hope that we'll have enough light on our side to push back the darkness that's coming."
"Um… yeah, but about that whole Union thing…" Sora speaks up, unable to quell his curiosity and suspicions alike. "I'm not so sure if I understand the point of it all. Why split everyone up into teams and force them to compete against each other? Wouldn't it just be easier for everyone to… work together?"
"...You know, sometimes I wonder the same thing…" Ava mutters, so quietly that Sora can barely hear her. "Our Master told us he might not be around to guide us forever. I'm… worried about what might happen if he really does disappear. He's always been there to show us the way… Without him… I don't know what we'll do…"
"You really look up to him, huh?," Sora musters the smallest of smiles as he leans against the side of the bridge. "You're lucky, to have a master like that. He sounds like he's everything my master isn't."
"Oh?" Ava asks, suddenly intrigued. "You have a master of your own? What's he like?"
"Horrible," Sora says, without a moment of thought or hesitation. "If I could, I wouldn't even call him a master. He's much more like a monster."
"Then… why do you serve him?" Ava frowns, concerned.
"I wouldn't if I had a choice," Sora sighs morosely, staring down at his reflection in the water. It isn't lost on him that some streaks of white remain in his hair, that sparks of yellow still shine in his eyes. Both bitter reminders of what had happened to him, of how he ended up here in the first place. "But he took my ability to choose–my heart, my freedom–away from me a long time ago. And once he did, he forced me to be his perfect, loyal vessel, his slave, instead…"
Sora scowls as he forcefully turns away from his reflection, unable to bear the sight of what his twisted master has done to him from the outside in. He stews in silent anger over it all, to the point that he nearly forgets where he is until he hears Ava speak up behind him.
"You're right…" she mutters sympathetically. "He really does sound more like a monster than a master…"
"Heh," Sora chuckles, but there's not an ounce of levity behind it. "Did I mention he's my grandfather too?"
Ava gasps, aptly appalled. "You're kidding."
"Believe me, I wish I was kidding."
A bout of silence fills the air, heavy and solemn. And in that silence, Sora realizes just how free he actually feels here, so far away from his master's careful watch or cruel control. It almost makes him wish he could stay here, in a place where his wicked grandfather can't reach him, in a world far before that monster of a man was even born. He knows he can't, and yet…
"Well," Ava's tone is a touch more comforting as Sora looks back at her. "If you happen to be looking for a new master, I just so happen to have some room to take another wielder under my wing…"
"Wait… are you… asking me to join your Union?" Sora asks. He doesn't see Chirithy backpedal beside him, their eyes wide at the surprising turn this conversation has taken. Perhaps one turn too far.
"Not exactly…" Ava hesitates, briefly glancing around to make sure there are no prying eyes or ears. She drops her voice down to something barely above a whisper, forcing Sora to lean in close to listen to her. "My Master entrusted me with the task of gathering Keyblade wielders across all of the different Unions, those who are strong enough to withstand the darkness to come. If the war really does happen like the Master said… then they'll scatter to protect the worlds from it, like dandelion seeds carried by the wind. I'm not supposed to just invite anyone to join my Dandelions, but… like I said before, I sensed something special about you, Sora. Something I've never really seen in any other wielder before. I'm not quite sure what it could be, but whatever it is… it fills me with… hope. Hope for a future that only someone like you can create."
Despite the master's earnest proposal, Sora nearly has to resist the urge to laugh at the irony of it. To think that she'd see him as a beacon of the future, when he's still missing the piece of the future he'd come here to claim. If only she knew what his grandfather's intentions for him were, to use him to repeat the very war she's working so hard to prevent. Certainly, if she did, she wouldn't be extending such an offer to him. Certainly, if she did, she'd wisely try to strike him down where he stands.
"I'm sorry, but… I can't," he sighs, loosely hugging his arms.
"Can I ask why?" she questions, not upset, simply curious.
"Well, for starters, I don't have a Keyblade anymore… he says, shame slipping into his tone. "Plus… standing strong against the darkness… isn't really my strong suit anymore…" He tries not to let himself sit in that shame for too long, especially not as Chirithy nudges his leg with an impatient scowl. "A-and besides, I can't really stay here. Once I find what I'm looking for, I have to go back home."
"Back… to your master?" Ava asks, worried.
"No," Sora allows himself a smile. Allows himself to hope that when he finds his way back to the present, back to his life, maybe, just maybe, things will finally be different. Maybe, things will finally be ok. "Back to my friends."
Ava comes to share his smile warmly, approvingly. "As long as you have your friends, then you'll have all you need. The choice whether you stay or go is yours," she says, and once again, Sora wonders if he's heard her voice before. With countless centuries standing between them, he knows there's not a chance they ever could have met, and yet… "All I ask… is that no matter what path you take from here, may your heart be your guiding key."
"My guiding key…" Sora echoes softly, skimming the place where his heart would be if he still had it. His heart has betrayed him, led him astray and let him fall and fail so many times before. But even despite all of those failures… he's never stopped heeding his heart and all of the feelings flowing through it. He's never stopped listening to what the voices inside that heart have to say. He's never stopped following his heart… wherever it might lead.
Until…
He had been forced to follow the heart of another, the dark, deceptive heart that had invaded it. That heart had silenced his own, had taken control of every part of who he is, had deprived him of light and love and now, even life itself. Within the world of the living, he doesn't know how much of his own heart is even left to listen to. But if any part of it remains at all, any feelings or freedom left for him to follow… then he'll gladly let it guide him, every step of the way.
"There you two are!" Ephemer's voice sounds out from the far side of the bridge. Skuld runs shortly after him as they rush to reunite with Sora and Ava. "Any luck in tracking that lost Keyblade down?"
"Um…."
"Unfortunately, no," Ava answers calmly, still maintaining their former ruse. "What about the two of you? Did you find anything?"
"No, nothing," Skuld admits, disappointed. "We're sorry, Sora."
"It's ok." He spares a glance Ava's way, meeting her steady smile with one of his own. "I… have a feeling that I'll find what I'm looking for sooner than later."
"Well… we can still help you look for it, if you want," Ephemer offers.
"You guys… still want to help me?" Sora asks, amazed by their dedication.
"Of course we do," Skuld says as Ephemer offers a ready nod. "Anything for a friend in need."
A friend… They consider him to be a friend every bit as much as he sees them the same way. The thought warms Sora just as much as saddens him. Because no matter how noble and kind they are, no matter how bright and brave every last wielder here in Daybreak Town might be… he knows how their story will ultimately end. And unfortunately… that ending is far from a happy one.
Chirithy had warned him not to say a word about the future, carefully instructed him not to disrupt the fragile flow of time. But he has to tell them. He has to let them know what's coming for them. He has to warn them, has to help them save themselves before it's too late.
He has to stop this war in the past every bit as much as he has to stop it in the present.
"You guys… listen," he begins, unsure of where to even start. "There's something important I need to tell you. I'm-"
He freezes, whatever he was going to say stopping dead in its tracks. He only incidentally glances in the space past Skuld and Ephemer for a second, but a second is all it takes for him to spot them passing by on the other end of the bridge.
Someone clad in the unmistakable coat of Organization XIII.
He chokes up, nearly forgetting to breathe as a wave of all-too-familiar terror surges through him. His thoughts race frantically, each of the countless questions he has crashing into each other at a panicked pace: How are they here? How can they be here? Did they follow him? Are they hunting him down? If they find him, will they drag him right back to the present, back to their master? How can he escape them? How can he fight back? What should he do? What can he do-
He gasps when Ephemer's hand skims his arm, when Chirithy gently touches the side of his shin. It should be enough to ground him, but it isn't. Instead, it has the exact opposite effect. He barely hears Skuld asking if he's alright, doesn't notice Ava mentioning how pale he looks. All he can focus on is what he feels, somewhere deep inside of his heartless illusion of a body. A pull, a tug, a connection… the very same connection he'd felt when he'd first stepped into this time, into this world. A connection to the last part of himself he still has left to find, his final, elusive missing piece.
A connection… to his future.
And… like every other connection he's ever made, this is yet another one he has no choice but to follow.
Without warning, without a single word, he hurries past his newfound friends. He doesn't even bother waiting for Chirithy as he rushes to the end of the bridge, taking off in the direction he'd watched the cloaked stranger disappear in. He hears the others calling for him, confused as they run after him, but he doesn't dare stop, especially not when he spots that stranger again. Their pace is casual as they weave through the town's many streets and alleyways, staying out of the better-traveled paths in favor of sticking to the shadows. The chase quickly turns into a lengthy one, but Sora keeps going regardless, that pull on his soul growing clearer, stronger with every last step he takes, until–
Until he catches up with them.
The hooded stranger has stopped in an empty courtyard, where daylight only sparsely leaks in between the buildings above. Sora grinds to a halt at its entrance, breathless and bewildered as he takes in the sight of the tall, cloaked stranger up close. Their back is turned to him at first, their hands perched behind their back while they walk into the sunlight. Despite the fear still flowing through almost every part of him, Sora still finds just enough courage to speak up.
"H-hey!" he exclaims, tensing up into a fighting stance even though he has no weapon to use if he needs one. "Who are you? Are you with Organization XIII?!"
The hooded man stops, glancing over his shoulder at the boy. His face is entirely concealed by shadows, making the mere aura surrounding him all the more eerie. An aura that, for whatever reason, Sora still feels strangely drawn to all the same. "Organization XIII…" he says thoughtfully, playfully almost. "Now there's a name I haven't heard in a loooooong time."
Sora draws in a breath, more than ready to ask what the man means by that. But words fail him entirely when the stranger takes even a small step closer to him. "Well, well… It's about time! While I've been expecting you, I can't say I was expecting you to show up looking like that. But… I gotta admit, that sure is a certified look you've got going on there, Sora."
Sora staggers back, beyond on edge by this point. "Y-you know my name?" he questions, unnerved. "That… that means you must be part of the Organization!"
"Mm… nah, sorry," the man shrugs candidly. "I don't run with that kind of crowd. At least… not anymore."
"Anymore? What do you-"
"Sora! There you are!" Ava's voice startles him from behind. He only takes his sights off of the mysterious man for a second to see her running toward him, Chirithy trying their best to keep up with her. Skuld and Ephemer are nowhere to be seen; he can only assume they split up to search for him and Ava beat them to it. "What happened? Why did you run off like-" She cuts herself off with a sharp gasp as soon as she sees the hooded man. Chirithy also jolts in shock, joining her in bowing their head in reverence that Sora doesn't understand the source of. At least until Ava makes it clear exactly who they're bowing to. "M-Master! I didn't know you'd be out today."
"Mornin' Ava!" the man, the Master, apparently greets with a cheery wave. "Just enjoying a nice stroll around town. You never know who you'll run into around here…" He sets his sights back on Sora, and even though his eyes are entirely hidden away, a shiver runs down his spine when he feels them lingering on him.
"I… um… see you've met Sora," Ava remarks with an anxious chuckle.
"...Yeah, you sure could say that," the Master says, his tone as vague as everything else about him seems to be.
"You still haven't told me who you are yet," Sora says sharply. Far too sharply for Ava and Chirithy's liking.
"Remember what I told you!" Chirithy hisses, tapping his leg. "Be respectful!"
Sora simply waves them away, not willing to let his focus on the Master slip again. For his part, he offers an answer, though by all accounts, it's not much of one. "Well, you heard Ava. I'm the Master."
"I meant your name," Sora retorts dryly.
Ava's eyes widen at such a bold question, one that even she and her fellow Foretellers have never dared to ask. Even so, she looks to her Master curiously, wondering if he'll answer it. But of course, he doesn't. "What about it?"
"What is it?" Sora presses between gritted teeth, his patience already starting to wear thin.
"What's a name?" the Master posits, tilting his head. "I'm surprised a boy your age doesn't know something as simple as that, Sora. It's what someone goes by, what others call them and what they call themselves. But at the end of the day, names are just words with no real meaning behind them. That's why I abandoned mine years ago. It was just unnecessary baggage, didn't need it, still don't. And perhaps… neither do you."
"But… h-how can you just-"
"Um, e-excuse me, Master," Ava suddenly cuts in before Sora can dig himself any deeper. "Maybe you can help us. You see, Sora's here looking for-"
"I know what he's here for," the Master interrupts, raising a hand. "A piece of your future, right?"
"W-what?" Sora starts. "How did you know that?"
"My eye can gaze into the future," the Master explains smoothly, simply. "From as soon as a day from now to decades, even centuries out. I've even the far off era you come from, Sora…"
Sora and Chirithy both flinch, especially as Ava looks to the latter, bewildered. "Wait… Sora… y-you're… from the future?"
"I-I-" Before he can even hope to explain himself, he lets out a small yelp as he feels a startling, sudden shift. In seconds, he's much closer to the ground, his body smaller, his age wound back to only 6. Ava gasps at the stark, seemingly inexplicable transformation, one that only grows more shocking when Sora shoots back into being a teenager, this time with a black coat almost identical to her Master's own, with claws and antennas and wings to boot.
"I-is he… a Darkling?!" Ava exclaims, nearly on the verge of summoning her Keyblade. At least until her Master steps in to stop her.
"Simmer down there, Ava," he advises calmly as Sora staggers back and becomes 13. "It's nothing to worry about. Looks like time's up on the glamor our new friend here had on him."
"A glamor?" Ava frowns, watching worriedly as Sora continues shuffling through several different ages. "I don't understand… You had a glamor on you and you came from the future? Have you just been… lying to all of us all day?"
"I didn't want to lie," Sora is quick to tell her, though his 7 year old voice makes him sound insincere. "I just-"
"Aw, I wouldn't be too hard on the poor kid if I were you, Ava," the Master cuts in once more. Sora fixes him with a frustrated glare, one that comes across as more of a childish pout at 4 years old. "He just wanted to keep the fabric of time and reality from tearing itself wide open, which, hey, noble goal right there! I commend him for it. Plus, it's kinda hard to just come out and say that the only reason he's here in the first place is because his dear ol' gramps killed him in cold blood."
"Enough!" Sora snaps, his voice hitching as he shifts to 15. "Even if you can see the future–which, yeah, that's definitely something I believe," he rolls his eyes, narrowly holding back a scoff in the process. "How do I know you're not trying to trap me or trick me like everyone else I've ever met in one of those stupid black coats has?"
"Trick you?" the Master asks, seemingly appalled. "Now why would I ever want to do that? You're reading waaaaaay too much into the coat, kiddo. In fact, your 'friends' in the future stole this style from me. Ooooor maybe I lent it to them. Hard to say, really, how time will truly go."
"Ugh," Sora scowls as he turns 10. "Even if you aren't one of them, you sure do like to talk in riddles just as much as every one of them does."
"Ok then, why don't I make this next part perfectly clear," the Master strangely seems to relent. "If you're really looking for a piece of your future, Sora… then I'm the only one who can help you find it."
"Tch, and what makes you think that?" Sora scoffs, crossing his arms.
"I don't think it. I know it," the Master assures. His usually coy tone turns serious at this as he leans down a bit to be more on Sora's level. "And trust me when I tell you that I want to help. But I can't do that… unless you pay the right price."
Sora nearly turns and flees upon hearing that alone. He's made far too many bad bargains and suffered far too many times from the fallout of those deals to not know where this is going. But… despite his better judgment, his burning curiosity is what wins out in the end. "...What kind of price?" he asks slowly, warily.
"Nothing too big," the Master properly stands once more when Sora shifts to 16. "In fact, it's something that's almost inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. I doubt you'll even notice that it's gone."
"Oh, let me guess," Sora sneers crossly. "My heart? My freedom? My humanity? Well, sorry to break it to you, 'Master', but somebody else already took all three."
"Yeesh, all that trauma has really done a number on you, hasn't it, kiddo?" the Master winces, as both Ava and Chirithy do the same. "Well, you can just relax. All I want is something small and something simple. Something… sentimental." He pauses for a moment before stepping closer to Sora, catching him off guard when he slips a hand under the crown-shaped charm hanging around his neck. "I think… I'll take this."
"M-my necklace?" Sora pulls the charm away, holding it tight in his 12 year old hand. "Why do you want it?"
"Why wouldn't I?" the Master asks coolly. "It looks like quite a valuable little treasure. Must be worth a pretty penny. And even if it's not, well… it's still a handsome trinket all the same."
"A-and… it's all you want?" Sora asks, wanting to make sure no strange or sinister strings are attached.
"Cross my heart," the Master does exactly that. "Oh, but what am I thinking! It's probably way too special for you to just fork it over to a random stranger on the street, right? A precious gift, a family heirloom, perhaps…? I wouldn't dare ask you to give up something that must mean sooooo much to you… Unless, of course… you want to part ways with it…?"
Sora doesn't even realize he's eight as he stares down at the charm resting in his palm. He stays eight as his mind takes him somewhere else entirely, back to a memory set years in the present… and years in his past at the same time.
"I-I wasn't able to get you much this year, Sora," his father said with a weak smile as they sat around the dinner table. "But… I did manage to find… this."
He takes a small box out, sliding it over to his son almost hesitantly. Sora remembers gasping, stars in his eyes as he opens the box and pulls the chain-bound charm out, holding it high for the morning sun to shine upon it.
"Happy birthday, kiddo," his father said, guilt and remorse in his tone that he hadn't even noticed at the time. "I know this isn't much, but… I hope you still like it all the same."
"I do, Papa!" He'd thrown the necklace around his neck just shy of hopping to his feet and engulfing his father in a tight, happy hug. "I love it sooooo much!"
Which is why it's such a shame that he doesn't, that he can't love it anymore. Not when he knows where–and who–it came from.
And so…
His hands tremble only slightly as he moves them to the chain. The Master extends a hand to receive it, saying nothing as he anticipates his prize. Sora wishes he had it in him to hesitate, wishes he could think twice about this, that he could even try to say no. But then… he remembers…
"Tsuki is my son," Xehanort had told him, the very same charm sitting in his hand as he fixed the broken boy before him with a vicious, victorious grin. As he tore what little was left of his world apart with only a few simple words alone. "And if that's the case, then I believe, Sora, that makes you… my grandson."
And just like that… the crown had been tainted, the chain binding it suddenly soaked in bitter blood. It's a chain Sora no longer wants wrapped around his neck, a noose he no longer wants to hang from. It's a charm, a crown, a legacy he can no longer carry… not in this time, or in any other.
So instead, he decides to give it all away. And somehow… that's all it takes.
The very second the crown lands in the Master's hand, a bright flash fills the lonely courtyard. Ava has to shield her eyes from it, but the Master merely watches as Sora and Chirithy both vanish into thin air. He watches as a piece of the future is finally found in simply giving an anchor to the past away.
Suffice to say, Ava's awestruck when the light fades only for her to find herself and her Master alone. As mystified as she is by everything she's just heard and seen, she still manages to ask him the most pressing question on her mind first. "W-what happened? Where did they go?"
"Hm?" the Master finally glances away from the crown in his hand. "Oh. Back to where they came from, of course."
"The… future?"
"Mm… not quite. Somewhere in between. But don't worry. He'll find his way to where he belongs soon enough."
Ava frowns, not understanding. "Master," she takes a step closer to him, eyeing the crown curiously as he holds it up. She hadn't really noticed the charm before when Sora had worn it, but now, she can't help but be almost entranced by the way the light glistens off its pure, silver surface. "Who was that boy, really?"
Somewhere under his hood, the Master smiles. He places his free hand atop his youngest student's head. "Oh, Ava, always so full of questions…" he says fondly. "Sora is just like one of your many Dandelions: a seed of the future. A seed that's finally ready to bloom into what he's truly meant to be."
Ava falls into a moment of thoughtful silence, still gazing at the crown hanging from her Master's hand. "The future he's going back to… will… will it be a good one, Master?"
"...I guess we'll just have to wait and see," is all the Master says, just as he usually does whenever one of his students tries to pry. "Now, run along and round up the other Foretellers for me, k? I'll meet you all back at the tower for dinner–my treat, as usual."
"O-oh, of course," Ava briefly bows, obedient as ever. Despite all of the countless questions still flowing through her mind. "Right away, Master.."
The Master waves her off, but doesn't follow her out. Instead, he stays in the courtyard, awash in solemn silence as he holds the crown high into the air, watching it loftily dangle from his fingertips. "And so he goes, back to where he's supposed to be, to the way he's supposed to be. Back… to open the door…" he muses softly, a single eye gleaming from the shadows of his hood. An eye set solely on a crown that will carry on through the ages, a crown as constant, and as eternal, as the man who's holding it. "Looks like you've finally managed to make a fair trade, kiddo: one crown… in exchange for another…"
The still silence of the Final World is starkly broken the second Sora and Chirithy suddenly return to it. While the former lands calmly on the solid waters, Sora collapses to his knees, eyes wide and breathing short as he tries to make sense of what just happened. Of how, in only the blink of an eye, they leapt through time and space and the veil between the living and the dead.
"W-what…" he manages to ask. He doesn't bother regarding his reflection, or the fact that reflection is still changing constantly as he stumbles to stand. "How… how did we get back here?"
"You found what you were looking for," Chirithy explains simply. "Your final missing piece, your future. Your mind is whole once more."
"But… I don't understand," Sora starts, still beside himself with confusion. "How did giving my neckl–my dad's necklace away to that guy help me find a piece of my future?"
Chirithy merely shrugs. "You tell me."
Sora lets out a disgruntled sigh, running a hand through his hair as he finally takes stock of his still-evolving appearance. "I… I want to go back."
"You… what?" Chirithy asks, aghast.
"I want to go back!" Sora insistently repeats, raising his hand as he tries to summon another portal. "I didn't even get to say goodbye to any of them! Skuld, Ephemer, Strelitzia, Ava… none of them know what's going to happen to them, they don't know how bad the Keyblade War will really be! I have to go back and help them stop it before it even starts!"
"You can't!" Chirithy argues. "The first Keyblade War is fated to happen. If you go back to try and change it… then you'll essentially rewrite history itself."
"But isn't it worth it if I can make history better then how it turned out?" Sora counters, still trying, and failing, to open a gateway to the past. "If the first Keyblade War never happens, then that town, all those people, they'll all be ok! Without the Keyblade War… m-maybe… maybe Grandfather won't…"
"Listen to me," Chirithy says sternly when he weakly trails off. "You can't change the past. What's done in that world is already done, it has been for centuries. You may not be able to stop the first Keyblade War from happening… but you can stop the second Keyblade War from being anywhere near as bad. You can change the future, just like Master Ava said."
Sora's hand falls, a small sigh slipping out. He doesn't have a heart right now, but if he did, he knows it'd be hanging heavy with grief for the world he just left, a world that was doomed no matter what he did, for all of the new friends he had to leave behind, friends fated to die in a war they tried so hard to prevent. And yet… he knows he has other friends waiting for him too, friends who are still trying to stop the same war from repeating itself. Friends he's been away and apart from for far too long now. Friends he knows he needs to return to, even if…
"If… if I go back… will I still be…?" he trails off, drawing in an anxious breath. He catches sight of his most recent reflection in the water, a black coat hanging from his shoulders, wings spread wide behind his back. His hair as white as snow and eyes as gold as his grandfather's own. "Will my heart and body still belong to him?"
"I can't say for sure," Chirithy shakes their head. "But… I can tell you this: he used your heart to forge the X-Blade. But just because he was the one to forge it… that doesn't mean it's his weapon to wield. In the past, before bequeathing became the norm, Keyblades were born from the hearts of their wielders, and the bonds between them were what kept those weapons from being stolen and misused. So, if the X-Blade came from your heart, then that means…"
"...It's mine," Sora finishes, his eyes wide with realization. His awe soon morphs into a smile, hope rising high within his soul as he lets out an incredulous laugh. "T-the X-Blade… if I have that, then maybe… maybe I could finally stop him. I could finally stop all of this! I… I could be free…"
"Well, you won't ever know by sticking around here," Chirithy chuckles knowingly. "Isn't it about time you left?"
"Oh, what?" Sora, 12 now, smirks as he hangs his arms behind his head. "Sick of me already, Chirithy?"
"Don't push it," they retort dryly. "I did you a big favor. And just for the record, running all over Daybreak Town with you wasn't part of the deal. I was nice enough to throw that in for free."
"Well, I really do appreciate it." Even at 14, Sora has to kneel down to be more on their level. "So, what are we waiting for? Let's go-"
"Ah, no," Chirithy turns from the hand he's holding out to them. "I won't be going with you."
"Huh? Why not?" Sora frowns. "Is this place… like your home or something?"
"Well… no. But I've been here for… quite some time, so I'm used to it."
Even so, that's far from good enough for Sora. "...You mentioned something about having a wielder of your own back in Daybreak Town…" he muses thoughtfully. "Who are they? Maybe I could find them for you!"
"Uh… no, that's ok," Chirithy refutes calmly. And yet, Sora still notes a hint of sadness in their high-pitched tone all the same. "He doesn't remember his past. Besides, I'm sure he's much happier with his new friends anyway. So… I'll wait. He'll arrive here one day; almost everyone does."
"But I-"
"Sora…"
He cuts himself off with a gasp as a faint, but clearly audible voice sounds through the bright skies above him. A voice that he recognizes the second he hears it.
"K-Kairi?" he wonders, awestruck. But that awe only doubles when he hears another familiar call for him.
"Sora!"
"Riku!" he shouts back, smiling up at the sky. "Kairi! I'm right here!"
"Come back to us…" Riku begs, his voice wavering with grief.
"Please, Sora…" Kairi adds just as desperately. "Come home…"
"I am!" Sora runs forward a bit across the water. At 9, his steps are shorter than he'd like them to be, but he still puts everything he has into them all the same. "We'll be together, just like we promised! And this time… I won't let anyone tear us apart!"
"Well, isn't that something?" Chirithy pipes up when the echoes of Riku and Kairi's voices start to fade. "Their hearts are managing to reach you. even here. They must really want to get you back, huh?"
"Yeah… I-I guess they do…" Sora smiles, fighting back tears as he continues staring at the sky. As he realizes just how far their love for him runs if it lasts even after they watched the life drain out of his eyes. As he realizes just how much he wants to fight for that love, how much he wants that love to go on forever and even after that.
"Well, don't keep them waiting!" Chirithy urges impatiently. "Hurry up already!"
"Right," Sora nods, turning back to Chirithy with a smile. "I'll be back to visit you, Chirithy."
"What?!" they exclaim, shocked.
"Yeah," he assures warmly. "You and I are friends now, aren't we?"
"Really?" they ask, their voice turning soft, yet satisfied. "I… I've missed having friends…"
"Well, you don't have to anymore," Sora says as he raises his hand once again, only barely noticing he's 16 as he does. His eyes flash black and white once again, a strange, unknown power surging through him that lets him open yet another gateway. This time not to the past, but to the present. To whatever his future has yet to bring.
"I'll see you soon, Chirithy," he glances back before pressing forward to the portal. He can't offer his new friend much right now, other than a smile. And for Chirithy, that's more than enough. "That's a promise!"
They simply nod, accepting that promise, even if they're not so sure he'll deliver on it. Even so, they watch as he wanders back into the light, light that shoots up high into the endless sky above as soon as he enters it. Chirithy decides to callout with one final message after him, a phrase that's echoed across the ages. A message that they can only hope will help lead his way back to where he belongs, back to the land of the living. Back to here his Kingdom awaits.
"May your heart be your guiding key…"
Ohohohoho boy. Five Chapters left ya'll. Five chapters to wrap it all up. I am... completely normal about that. :3 Anyway again, appologies for any lore flubs in here but once again there's some stuff from the mobile games that I like and some stuff that I think is uhhhh kinda fucking stupid (that's kind of how I feel about KH canon as a whole at this point). So take all of this as you will. Even so, I'd love to see what you thought about this in the REVIEWS! Until next time and again, Merry Christmas! :)
