The KHUX timeline is weird, because from what I understand, The MoM and Luxu convo happened… two years before KHUX? Followed by the events of KHUX happening over two years? So Ven would be ten at the start, and by the time of current KHUX/Ark/Xehanort, he's twelve. That's the math I'm going with, and yeah. Anyway. I'm not going over The MoM's extrapolated conversation in the computer room with Luxu, or anything actually within canon for KHUX. However, that's not to say I'm not adding tidbits on Sora's side of it, but there won't be much. I'm sure I've said this before, but just restating.
We're nearly there.
TW: Burns
A-New-xXx-Journey-xXx-May-Not-Be-So-xXx-Hard
It was late in the day when Aced finally decided he'd had enough. He silently signaled to Ira to come with him as they left the others to clean up dinner, The Master's plate cold and full.
The twenty three and nineteen year old Wielders moved through the Tower silently, Ira glancing at Aced occasionally before clearing his throat, "Where do you believe The Master to be? He left us shortly after lunch for self study."
Aced frowned, pulling levers as the Gear below them raised them into higher levels, "I have suspicions. We're normally not allowed into such areas, and a single Keyblade can't open this particular room."
Ira frowned, "But then, wouldn't that mean he doesn't want us there?"
The brown eyed man ruffled his short mahogany hair, "Honestly? If The Master is in some sort of trouble, or we look for him in concern, he's completely forgiving. Ava and I have on more than one occasion ended up someplace he'd locked us out of because of such reasons."
Ira hummed, "I see."
Aced glanced at him, "Have you never gone out of your way to check on or bother The Master?"
The spruce blue haired teen smiled wryly, diverting hazel colored eyes to the side, "Let's just say my upbringing didn't allow such pleasantries."
Aced grimaced before turning away from him for a moment, the Gear lifting them eventually coming to a stop. They were particularly high in the Tower now, the temperature cooler than the lower levels. Ira rubbed his arm against the unusual chill as he followed Aced while glancing around. "Have you been up here before?"
Aced hummed, "To get an idea of what rooms might be up here, sure. There's not much-" He paused, sniffing the air as Ira abruptly caught the smell of old smoke. His nose wrinkled at the strange undertones of whatever lingering scents were left wafting in the air from whatever had caught aflame.
Aced hurried ahead, Ira followed close as they came up to a white door, both immediately summoning their Keyblades and using them in tandem to open the door.
It slid open cleanly, the smell of something metallic having burned stronger as they rushed into the room to glance around.
"Master!"
Ira glanced to the side to note The Master curled up close to the fried machine, the other screens still cycling through different strange areas. Ira frowned at them for a swift moment before giving his full attention to the downed man, mixed brown hair singed terribly on the right side as he slept against the now cool and dead smoking machine. His hands gripped a strange device that had a red and yellow case with a screen in bloodied burned hands.
Both Apprentices grimaced at his injuries as Aced knelt next to him. The Master looked strangely small and vulnerable curled up around the device, a fitful frown on his face as dried tear tracks marked through smudges on his face.
Aced gently placed a hand on his shoulder as he spoke lowly, "...Vara?"
The Master didn't respond to him, only seeming to curl around the device more as if to protect it as the screen flashed on. The screen had a simple dark blue starry background with various icons before a teenager that resembled The Master seemed to stumble into view on the screen as if he were dizzy, holding his head, "W-whoah, let's not do that ever-!" The teenager on the screen seemed to notice them and choked on his words, "Uwah!"
Aced blinked in shock along with Ira as the younger spoke first, "What are you?"
The teenager looked around nervously as he chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head hesitantly, "Oh, me? I'm Data!"
Aced shifted to get a better view, causing Ira to become slightly put out at his view being blocked, "But who are you, and why are you inside of that screen? Why do you look like The Master!"
Data made an uncomfortable face as he seemed to notice The Master's state, "I'm just Data! I belong on this side of the screen because that's what I was made for! Now, is- uh, is my User alright? He seems kinda knocked out… eheh..."
The Apprentices weren't totally ignorant of digital information, but seeing a fully functional AI was more than they were used to. All the same, Ira grimaced at the sight of The Master's hands, "Aced." He placed a hand on the man's shoulder, "I believe taking care of The Master's burns are a bit more important than this."
Aced huffed, nodding as he shifted to lift The Master into his arms. He was always surprised at how light the man was despite his height and muscular build. He could at least tell he wasn't emaciated like the one time he'd gone… missing. All the same it was strange. Ira had more weight to him, if he were honest, and they had similar enough builds to be of decent comparison.
Ira frowned at The Master's hair, "Half of his braid is fried…"
Data gasped lightly, "W-really?" He slumped on the screen, "I wish I knew what went wrong for the computer to just… blow up like that!" He made gestures to go along with his speech, causing the two Apprentices to feel deja vu at the similarities to how The Master would sometimes gesticulate while talking.
Ira hummed as he pulled levers for Aced's sake, directing the Gear lift to take them down to the medical room, "What were you two doing with the computers?"
Data seemed to freeze before humming and hawing in thought, unsure of what he could say before shrugging helplessly, "Just making sure the mainframe was safe. I didn't do anything that should have triggered such a violent response in the circuitry though…" He crossed his arms and closed his eyes in deep contemplation, swaying comfortably on the screen as Aced and Ira glanced to each other in silent thought.
He was too much like The Master.
Once they made it to their destination, Aced set The Master onto a cot, the device still clutched close to his chest as he gently tried to pry it out of his hands. "Ira, get Ava."
Ira frowned, "Are you sure? His wounds are kind of… grim."
Aced frowned, "If Invi were to finally surpass her in Healing Magic, sure, but she simply isn't there. Ava has the most knowledge of how to Heal compared to the rest of us."
Ira sighed silently as he nodded, "Understood." He turned to retrieve the twelve year old.
Aced grimaced as he realized some of The Master's remaining skin had either gotten stuck to the device, or that there was enough congealing blood to stick to it. He didn't do well with blood despite the horrible injuries he'd seen during his years learning to be a Tree Cutter. He'd been more than happy to lug around wood than cut off limbs with saws.
Ira finally returned with Ava just as Aced managed to free the device from The Master's fingers. The girl immediately rushed over, glancing over his wounds before going to clean her hands thoroughly. She immediately started directing Ira and Aced to collect items after having them wash their hands as well so that she could quickly get to cleaning The Master's wounds.
It was a tense hour of the three working in tandem as Ava gently worked to clean his burned fingers and hands. Hi-Potions were poured into bowls to soak for some time as Ava readied bandages and salves.
Aced and Ira were slightly confused as the younger asked, "Why don't you just use Cure on him?"
Ava tilted her head as she kept her eyes on the delicate bandaging she was doing on The Master's fingers, "The Cure Magic family only works if it's used within a reasonable time from the occurrence of injury. Also, Cure can't Heal everything. It can lessen the severity of the injury, but sometimes it's detrimental, just like the Potion family when it comes to Healing ailments. Head injuries are the most delicate and concerning of them where effectiveness is inconclusive or risky."
Ira nodded with a hum, "I see. I suppose I understand now." While The Master's hands looked less mangled after soaking in the Potion brews, they were still rather rough. "How long do you think it'll take for his hands to heal?"
Ava made a contemplative sound before responding, "Probably a day. If it weren't for the Hi-Potion bath, probably weeks. The Master's ability to use Curaza might make the time shorter, once he wakes up."
The boys nodded as Aced carefully cleaned the device he'd freed, Data quietly telling him how to best do so without risking damage to his casing. Aced wasn't the best with delicate work, but his time practicing archery and other various crafts had greatly helped him. It was strange to realize that the flower chains were the most helpful at that moment.
Slowly The Master seemed to return to himself as Ava used a lukewarm rag to wipe gently at his face. His focus returned slowly as he felt the coolness of the salves and Potion Magic coursing through his fingers underneath well wrapped bandages. Ava noticed him come to, and Sora couldn't help but feel a deep pang of nostalgia for Home before it fled from his thoughts. He blinked as she checked his temperature, "I don't know if you'll get sick from your burns, but please try and be careful about your hands, Master."
Sora blinked hard as he finally snapped into proper awareness, carefully sitting up as he looked around the room, "Where's my Gummi phone?"
Aced blinked as he finished cleaning the device, looking at the bashful AI before looking to The Master, "I was cleaning it?"
Sora nearly launched himself out of his cot with grabby hands before Ava blocked him by launching herself into his chest, "Oof!" He flopped back into the cot as Ava sat back up with a pout on her face as she scolded him, "Aced can bring it to you. He's been taking good care of both of you, so say thanks."
Sora stared at her as Aced brought it over, clean and dry. He held it in easy reach for Sora to carefully take on his own as he looked down at his Data self as he felt fear course through him, "Are you ok? No lost Coding or anything?"
Data chuckled as he ruffled his hair, "I'm all here, safe and sound."
Sora sighed in relief as he hugged the device to himself. It hurt a bit to do so, but he couldn't help the relieved tear that fell down his cheek, "Thank goodness."
It was already hard enough that Auron had fallen Asleep within his Heartbinder. The prospect of becoming separated from Vanitas drawing closer each day after spending a millennium together. He didn't want to even think of how devastating it would be for him to lose Data now.
Ava gently rubbed his back as he allowed himself a few minutes to feel relief. Finally he sniffed before putting the Gummi phone away into his inventory, wiping away his tears as he chuckled awkwardly, "S-sorry guys."
Aced shrugged, "I had no idea you had such a device, Master."
Ira nodded as Ava tilted her head. Sora looked between the three of them before sighing lightly, "I haven't made much use of it until recently, that's all. It's been with me for the majority of my life."
Ava nodded in sympathy, "I'm glad it's alright."
Sora nodded as he looked over his hands, "Thank you for patching me up, Ava." He patted her head gently, causing her to smile with a short giggle.
"You're welcome, Master."
He sighed as he went to rub the right side of his hair, only to immediately run into singed ends that felt horrible against the bandages, causing him to grimace, "Augh." He huffed, "I burned my hair, didn't I?"
Aced solemnly nodded as Ira did so with greater sympathy, considering the length of the spruce haired boy's mane.
Sora reached back and deftly pulled out a fishing knife he'd been given by his father from his inventory. It was ancient at this point, but he'd taken great care of it so it was still mostly like-new. With a deft flick he swiped off some of the worst of the damaged hair and easily maneuvered the knife through the rest of the back of his hair.
Immediately the remainder sprung up into oddly arranged spikes. It was all terribly uneven, and if he would have had a mirror, he would have grimaced at how it was a little too similar to length it'd been when he was fourteen, if not just barely longer.
Still, it'd been a long, long time since he'd had such short hair, and his scalp felt the relief immediately.
Sora nearly sighed in unrealized relief as he tied the cut end of his braid, pulling the now cut off section of his hair into his lap as he patted it, "Well, it'll grow back eventually."
He looked between his students and blinked at their shocked faces, "What? Is there something on my face?"
Aced tried to straighten out his appearance as Ava simply tilted her head. Ira was the one to respond chokingly, "Master, I never would have thought that your hair was naturally spiky like that…"
Sora blinked as he tilted his head, "Why?"
Ira ruffled his hair, "I thought you used some sort of gel to make the three spikes you tend to have, that look kind of like a crown…"
Sora felt his face go blank in partial confusion, "Wh-oh." That's right, Vanitas kept a specific part of his hair short, and he'd noted the crown silhouette before, but now it made sense. "Yeah, my hair's normally pretty spiky if it's short enough."
Aced thought back to Data, and how much the two looked alike now that The Master's hair was short. He couldn't help but wonder if perhaps Data was based off of himself when he was younger.
He shrugged, "Well, so long as you're healthy and well, Master. It probably wasn't good for you to be in a room that had smoke like that…"
Sora frowned, "Oh, right." He nodded, "That was a poor choice on my part, I just kind of freaked out and uh…" He ruffled his hair, "Lost track of time, eheh."
Aced rolled his eyes as Ira shook his head. Ava patted his shoulder in sympathy.
Sora's stomach growled, making him flush, "Uh, what time is it?"
Ira stepped forward, cutting off Aced as he replied, "Past dinner."
Sora grimaced, "Oh." No wonder they'd gone to look for him. "Sorry."
They shrugged, and soon enough Sora was brought to his reheated plate of food and allowed to eat. Once that was done, Sora excused himself to his room and summoned Vanitas as a Flood to reshape his hair into a more presentable cut.
"Why does your hair do the cat thing?"
"Huh?"
The Flood warbled in Vanitas's tones, "The sides look like simplified cat ears."
Sora flushed, "I-huh? I don't know! I never thought of that!"
The Flood chuffed as it tapped his cheek mockingly, "Kitty kitty, nyah~"
Sora waved the Flood off with a disgruntled sniff, "Stop that."
The Vanitas-Flood chuckled before melting back into his shadow, pleased with his work.
Sora felt around his head as he did his best to see the work done in the mirror.
His hair was mostly shaped as it had been during the Keyblade War, though his bangs had been kept long to still cover his missing right eye.
He ran his fingers over the chunk of black on his left side, wondering if the black at his roots would disappear along with the Darkling once he'd separated their Hearts.
A-New-xXx-Journey-xXx-May-Not-Be-So-xXx-Hard
He presented wrapped packages to Aced and Ava first, along with their masks.
The two tilted their heads in confusion as Ava spoke first, "What're these, Master?"
Sora crossed his arms with a grin, "They're your uniforms of course!"
Aced frowned, "But.. the masks are different animals…"
Sora pouted, "Well, of course! Don't you have a bear on your Keyblade, and isn't there a Fox on Ava's?"
Aced blinked as he realized, "Oh. So they're based around the colors and symbols on our Keyblades?"
"Bingo!"
Aced nodded as he bowed slightly, "Thank you, Master."
Sora nodded with a wave, "It's a symbol of being my Apprentice. I made them myself and interwove Magic within them so that they can self repair, self clean, and even grow with our younger Wielders, here!"
Ava was surprised as wonder came over her expression, "Really?"
Sora nodded at her and would have winked if it wouldn't have just come off as him blinking, "They're similar to my Black Coat in that way."
Aced nodded as Ava frowned, "How am I supposed to put the mask on with my hair this long, though..?"
Sora tilted his head as he helped her put it on, "Keeping your hair braided will help a lot…" They finally got the hang of how to deal with her long hair before settling the helmet-like mask on her head.
"...It's strangely comfortable. I can also see as if it weren't there, even though it doesn't look like that'd be the case looking at it…" She ran her fingers over the mask's snout in thought, "It's pretty, Master."
Sora patted her head gently, "I'm glad you like it."
Aced easily put his own mask on, looking around with a surprised frown, "You're right. It's as if it isn't even there."
Sora chuckled as he shooed them off, "Now go to your rooms and change into the whole thing. It's kind of weird with just the masks after all."
The two bowed once more in thanks and left with their robes in packaged hand.
A week later Ira and Gula were presented their own robes, with Invi gaining hers a week after that.
Luxu pouted, "You didn't make me one, Master?"
Sora shook his head as he held out a Black Coat, "Nope. You get to take after me with this Coat."
Luxu looked The Master over critically as he took note of his own Black Coat. Sora had begun to wear it constantly shortly after giving Aced and Ava their robes, so the Apprentices had slowly come to be used to him wearing it as his own special uniform, as it were.
Finally Luxu nodded, slightly bummed but happy to have something more simple and light as he put the garment on. He frowned as Sora chuckled lightly, a package held out towards the flaxen blond, "Here, it's best to wear simpler clothes underneath. I've left your boots in your room that go with it."
Luxu nodded as he took the package and took his leave to change into the clothes he'd been gifted.
Sora sighed lightly in relief as he held his hands behind his back, walking towards his study to read over That Book as his friendly Shadow leaned close to him in familiar comfort.
A-New-xXx-Journey-xXx-May-Not-Be-So-xXx-Hard
Sora hummed and hawed as he contemplated the little ball of Light in a rounded beaker.
'Trying to make a Dreameater, are you?'
Sora nodded to himself as he tapped the beaker's glass, "It needs to be able to exist in reality along with its Wielder, I'm just not sure of how to do that."
'Tie it to their life, then.'
Sora frowned, "Hmm?"
'Anchor their existence to their Wielder's life.'
Sora contemplated that as he brought a hand to his chin, his hair now tied back in a short stubby ponytail as time passed from its untimely cutting, "I suppose that would work… but how would I test that out?"
Vanitas was silent for a long moment, '...How do summons work?"
Sora blinked as he contemplated that. 'You were able to bring Auron and I forth in physical form. Other summons have also temporarily come to your call. Dreameaters similarly usually exist in the realm of Sleep, yet we want these in reality. Tying them to the Wielder's life is one thing, but they need to be able to manifest themselves and move freely, right?'
Sora nodded as he brought his hands behind his head, "Yeah…" He frowned, "Is it possible to make something like… positive Unversed?"
Vanitas was quiet for a long moment, 'I might be capable of positive emotion now, but negativity is still easier to reach.'
Sora hummed, "What if I tried injecting positive emotion into a Flood?"
'It's probably a terrible idea, but it can't Hurt me now, so why not?' A moment later a Flood came out from Sora's shadow, twitching and watching him wearily as it hugged itself.
Sora observed it for a long time, pulling it into his lap and treating it like a cat for a while. It eventually relaxed and cozied up to him as it was wont to do in the past, but something seemed somewhat unstable about it, now that it had gone from weary to neutral.
It was a creature powered by negative emotion.
Sora pursed his lips for a moment before concentrating on positive emotions. If a Flood was based around insecurity or loneliness, then focusing on comfort and the warmth of others was what he needed. It warbled strangely at him as it seemed to melt in his hands, causing him to panic as it simply absorbed back into his shadow. He grimaced, "Oh, that's not… what I was hoping for."
Vanitas was strangely silent before he finally spoke, 'I think I understand what to do, but I can't shape it. That'll be up to you and the little Spirit you've already created over there.'
Sora looked at the ball of Light as it pulsed in the beaker. "Alright." He closed his eye and Hoped for a positive result. He felt a piece of hair get pulled out of his scalp with a twitch, the warm glow in front of him brightening for a moment before the ghost of a hand squeezed his shoulder, 'Alright.'
Sora opened his eye and blinked in surprise. The little ball of Light was now shaped into a little cat Dreameater. Though it was small, he could tell it was different from all the other Dreameaters that had come before it.
'Riku was your Dreameater, too.'
Sora made a face at that, "Don't remind me of my failures…"
Vanitas clicked his tongue, 'It actually helped me come up with this.'
The little feline was asleep as it turned fitfully in the glass. "Oh?"
'Yeah. Now all you have to do is duplicate it with every Wielder chosen. It'll live alongside them, and if a Wielder falls to Darkness, this little one will change with it.'
Sora nodded as he crossed his arms, "What should we call it?"
'I'll leave that to you.'
Sora stared upwards in contemplation.
Kai, Key, Chii… Chi? Mmm… Charitable work… protection, helpful, cherished...
"Chirithy."
His Heart warmed and settled at the name, as ideas of how to dress it immediately came to mind.
He had been able to change the colors of his Dreameaters before, but this Chirithy was more sophisticated than the usual brand of creature. It could still act on its own, with its own Will. He was sure of it, if it was to help and Guide its Wielder.
He grabbed a notebook and began to sketch the shape of Lux first, pondering how Players would collect the World's Light.
Strangely, the simplest of answers came in a change purse, nice and small, but acting like an inventory and capable of holding a limitless quantity of Light.
He nodded as he stared at the little purse, coloring it with a gold clasp and salmon pink pouch with embroidery.
'Give it a cape.'
Sora blinked, "Why?"
He could feel Vanitas shrug, 'Capes are cool, and it'll hide the fact it's a Dreameater from sight.'
Sora smirked and sketched a high collared cape, coloring it in yellow and lining it with light blue.
It was perfect.
A-New-xXx-Journey-xXx-May-Not-Be-So-xXx-Hard
He had begun to hide his appearance from his Apprentices once he had given them their uniforms, not wanting them to remember his short hair. There were a few other reasons for it, as he would soon be literally ripping his existence apart, but eh, details.
Ava had loved the little Chirithy, excited and enraptured by the little creature as he placed his hand on her head affectionately. The thirteen year old soaked in his affection as she asked questions about the little creature, allowing the others to simply listen in to his explanations of the little thing.
"We'll be getting one, too?"
Sora nodded from the shadow of his hood, "Yup! Every Wielder will have one to call their own."
Aced stepped forward, "Even you, Master?"
Sora tilted his head, "Oh, well. Maybe someday, but certainly not right now."
Ava stood and tilted her head curiously, "Why's that?"
Sora smiled depreciatively, "Oh, don't worry about it. Now then…"
Soon he would be informing them of their Roles. The Book fully written with five copies, The Rules that would be necessary afterwards also compiled in five separate notebooks. A sheet of paper with a list of names.
A few months passed as Sora prepared his Heart and Mind, placing the final touches on a black box as he finished it off by writing on the lid of it, Xsuper. He sighed lightly, staring at the black lettering enshrouded in red. Gently he opened the box, staring at the plush inside as he carefully placed his Heartbinders into it. Most still Asleep, as he stared at Vanitas's for a moment before settling it into the box as well.
'What are you doing?'
He smiled sadly, "What's necessary."
'I don't like your tone.' Vanitas was blatantly concerned and weary.
Sora chuckled softly as he summoned No Name. He stared at the goat's eyes, a weird overlapping memory of it being held above his chest-!
He gasped as he stumbled in place, clutching his chest as he laughed at himself, "More Memories?"
He could feel Vanitas's confusion as Sora stood straight once more, "It's time to start putting things in motion, Vanitas. I'm counting on you to work with me, here."
'Sora-'
The mixed brunette turned the Keyblade on himself for what would be the last time.
He gently pierced his chest with it, Splitting his Heart cleanly in half as Vanitas screamed from within before going silent.
An orb of Light left his chest as Sora woozily stared at the half of a Heart as he weakly grasped the Keyblade. He caressed it, sumbling weakly over to the console, "I need you to protect the Digital Daybreak Town from outsiders, Vanitas. You might not have a proper physical form… but I think within this little World, cut off from all others… The place where all of the Dandelions will end up working together after the Keyblade War... I need you to protect it from any outside Darkness. Only someone like you can do this for me." He was gasping as sweat trailed down his temple. He was running out of time.
You should have explained this in more detail sooner, Sora.
Sora chuckled, "I didn't know what to say, honestly…" A small cube opened up in the console as he carefully set what was now Vanitas's Heart onto a small pedestal. "You'll be able to watch over everything here in reality from this room on that side… But to escape that place, you'll need to use the Arks. I'm sure you can figure things out from there…"
Vanitas was silent for a moment. You're not going to off yourself now, are you?
Sora laughed, "No, I'll see you on the other side, after we're able to overcome that Final Page…"
Take care, Sora. Don't do anything I would.
Sora laughed painfully as a tear rolled down his cheek, "I'm sure I've retained more of your personality than I ever meant to…"
He could almost feel Vanitas smile as he said his final words before being uploaded into the Digital Daybreak Town, You've given me a lot of yourself in turn… I can only Hope to be half the person you are…
The Heart was Digitized, and soon enough the image of the computer room on the other side appeared, a flickering shadow of a silhouette there to see him off as Sora shed his mortal body, leaving behind his Heart and Will within the Black Coat, adjusting his now Slumbering body more comfortably into the black Box before closing the lid and sealing his body into an unending Sleep.
