Final Fantasy XV - Kingdom Hearts
Part 59
Summary: Two warriors of Light, the Chosen King and Keyblade Master, face an unseen Darkness.
*Land of Departure*
Lying in bed while keeping his eyes fixed on the ceiling deep in thoughts, Gladiolus with his left hand behind his head stares into the darkness above him as the moonlight bathes the room in a gentle glow.
His other hand was around the sleeping and nude Aqua, sleeping peacefully with her head on the pillow as opposed to his chest. He chuckled, the woman was complaining laying on his chest after making love wasn't as comfortable as the stories say and immediately laid down on the pillow instead. The shield just chucked it up to her being too tired, coming down from the afterglow of sex and first-timers are usually more exhausted in his experience.
She was out like a light the moment she laid her head on the soft surface and dozed off quickly. One glance at her put him at peace every time, her hair all tousled and unruly with her cheeks still pink with her breathing slow and steady. He carefully sits up while freeing her from his arm to look down at her, gently brushing a stray of her blue hair aside to see her face obscured. She breathes a gentle sigh as a sub-conscious smile appears like she senses him applying warmth to her.
Sleep wasn't coming to him as it came for her, his mind was too active with thoughts running through his head. As much as he would've loved to join her in the sleeping world, lying in bed while being super awake wasn't going to make tomorrow any easier for him.
He stealthily and quietly exits the bed, making sure as to not to disturb her slumber and make sure the sheets covered her form. He grabbed his lower clothing and throws on his tank-top, deciding maybe taking a walk around the training grounds and getting some air would help clear his thoughts. With the stealthiest movement he never knew he could pull off; he exits her room and heads for the grounds.
The gentle winds breezing by him as he walks on the dew-covered grass, Gladiolus stares up at the endless sea of stars. Or were they worlds, he couldn't remember which. Still, those questions paled in comparison to the ones that carried the greatest weight on his mind as he strolls in peace. Soon enough he, his king and brothers would partake in the greatest battle the worlds or universe would ever bare witness to. A battle between the thirteen lights against the thirteen darkness.
He truly wished he could confidently say he was ready for whatever Xehanort throws at him, but his fight with Genesis had shaken him more than the others knew. That fight was one-sided, no ifs or buts in his mind, Genesis had completely dominated them, and the fact even Sora of all people had nearly died to that man only reminded Gladiolus just how large the gap of power there is between his group and the others.
As he stands near the ledge where Aqua once sat with her friends, staring into the endless horizon with the moon beaming down on the world. The training that would take place soon, he hoped for the sake of the others it'd be enough for him to close the gap even a smidgen. He heaves a deep sigh of irritation as he scratches his stubbled chin, wondering what sort of hell this training was going to be if Riku says they'd be as strong as them when it comes to taking a beating.
Gladiolus' body tenses then, suddenly feeling someone had arrived…and it wasn't Aqua.
Gritting his teeth and fearing it could be someone from the Organization, he turned around swiftly to see a large black swirling vortex behind him. Slowly emerging from the portal is an armored figure, and no sooner did it step out from the vortex did Gladiolus instantly feel the incredible power radiating from this being.
Donned in keyblade armor, its helmet is mostly gold, except for its black visor, and it sports two red prongs (one on either side of the helmet) that point upwards. The arms, legs, and ribs of the keyblade armor are black and have orange patterns decorating them. The knee guards, gauntlets, breastplate, and armored boots are gold, and there are other, smaller pieces of gold armor on its legs with black pauldrons with gold edges. The front of the armor on its torso is red, as are small pieces of armor on its lower legs and gauntlets. It also wears gold anklets with red spikes on the back that curve upward sharply.
The armor is nearly the same as Kairi's, except older and more warrior-like compared to her small knight like style. Even Genesis didn't produce an aura of power as this…thing did. Was it one of Xehanort's allies, or that MOM's? The warrior raised its keyblade towards the shield, a heavier and more akin to Gladiolus' type of swords. The man senses not just great power, but rage. Unbridled and complete burning hot rage, as if the armored figure was staring down his most hated enemy. He grunts and draws his blade.
"Who are you?", he questions.
The armor says nothing before turning its head towards the castle. Slowly it marched towards it. Gladiolus looked at him with anxious but restraint anger, before it uttered a metallic groan of Aqua's name within a dispassionate manner. Gladiolus instantly stood in front of it, hands gripping the blade tightly and teeth bared. "BACK OFF!", he shouts, "I dunno who you are or if you're with Xehanort, but you're not going to set foot in that castle!". The armor still refuses to speak to him, but it did, however, dash towards Gladiolus and swings the keyblade at him.
Quickly Gladiolus meets his opponent's blade with his own, but even with all his strength put into it he just barely managed to stop the blade from tearing himself apart. Their collision of blades shook the ground and created a shockwave that was so strong the large pillar of stone on their left cracks and shattered as the ground beneath their feet cracks open like dried-up earth. Gladiolus growled as the shockwave ran through his arms and nearly forced him to drop his blade.
He is being pushed back by the armor, taking long steps forward to overpower Gladiolus. The man from Eos growled and struggled to fight back as his boots dug into the ground behind him, breaking the earth as he was slowly but easily being pushed to the ledge. He successfully managed to stop himself from being pushed off, glancing back to see bits of stone tumble into the darkness below them as he feels himself being bent backward.
The armor grabbed the keyblade with both hands and begins to press down on Gladiolus, slowly making his knee buckle. Sweat ran down the warrior's forehead with exertion as he tried to push back the armored warrior, but it feels like he was trying to push a steamroller back with how much weight and power the armor had. The armored being presses more as Gladiolus could feel his feet being pushed into the earth, breaking more of his spot away.
He curses in his mind, curses the being before him and worst of all curses how weak he is. After everything he had fought and endured on his world, through all the fights and strongest enemies he and his friends had to fight, he was STILL too weak to stand on his own against other world beings. Genesis, Xigbar and now this thing, every one of them outclass him and with the looming threat of Xehanort's own forces, he truly began to feel he wasn't enough. Frustration boiled up in him as anger manifested, but then as his strength lessens he looks to the castle.
Suddenly he growled and stares back at the armor. "I dunno who you are or what you want with Aqua…but I don't give a damn…", he growled as his body glowed with the crystal light Noctis carried, "But you are NOT setting a foot in that castle!".
Gladiolus pushes back the armored warrior, taking several steps to push it back to the training ground. Each step the shield of the king took leaves a massive print in the ground as more of the mountain near them begins to crack and break apart, their auras battling each other for dominance. With each push, Gladiolus keeps on his struggle against this being, his mind going back to Aqua, Noctis and the others.
Strength wasn't all about power, but he remembered it was having that power to protect. He fought the Blademaster for that reason, he was willing to die for them back at the keep, and he was willing to die for Aqua back in Radiant Garden. The power he gained from his trial wasn't to just able to topple his own enemies with raw power, but to have that power to be the shield that would protect those dear to him and his king.
This world has so many memories of Aqua's that have been tainted by their enemies, and he will be damned if he helps create another dark memory of her home. Back in the center of the training grounds, the armored figure was persisting in putting Gladiolus down even as the earth around them begins to form a crater around them. But the man of the king hadn't even so much as taken a fraction of step back. It didn't matter if they created a hole that could take him to the other side of the world, Gladiolus would not take a step back.
As the blue light intensified around him, Gladiolus breaks the deadlock between them by pushing the warrior's keyblade aside and with both hands grabbing the long handle of the blade, Gladiolus swung it upwards with a roar. His blade struck the chest plate of the armored warrior, splitting the armor open and throwing the warrior back by five feet from the shield. The warrior lands on its metal feet, looking at the tear in its armor as Gladiolus pants.
"I don't give a damn if you're a keyblade master, Xehanort's apprentice or whatever the hell else these worlds throw, you're not going to set foot near Aqua!", Gladiolus swore, lifting his blade up to fight.
Then…the figure stands upright and walks to Gladiolus.
With a growl, Gladiolus readies for a swing, until he sensed something had changed in the warrior. That rage that was seeping through him, the fury that could melt even stone, had passed. The armored figure stands before Gladiolus as the shield, uncertainly, dismissed his sword. Slowly as he takes in the figure's form, something clicked within the shield that perhaps this thing…was connected to Aqua…
"…Terra?", he asked, slowly and concerned.
The figure didn't twitch or even respond to the name, yet somehow Gladiolus feels as if the name resonates within him. Slowly the figure raises its hand, open and bare, to create an illusion within its metal palm. In it, Gladiolus sees a golden orange and brown Wayfinder that was a near-identical replica of Aqua's and Kairi's good luck charm. His eyes softened with sympathy at the figure, he knew about the Wayfinder and its legend, Aqua telling him during their trial.
"So…is this you? Or just, a remnant of your will?", he asks, wondering if indeed this is Terra or something else entirely. The figure says nothing as the hand is dropped and the illusion fades away. It stares at Gladiolus before turning to the castle, its visor made impossible for the shield to gauge its emotion, but he feels the guilt resonating from it. "Look, if you're not gonna hurt her, then go see her", he offered, "I just…didn't know if you…".
The armor shakes its head, turning to the shield. It lifts the keyblade into its hands, slowly the weapon begins to glow in a brilliant reddish-orange light before finally turning into a sphere. The figure lifts his hand to Gladiolus, offering it. Gladiolus looks at it with surprise, wondering if this his way of making him a keyblade wielder, but one glance to the helmet-wearing warrior, shaking his head, told him something else.
"Protect…her…", it speaks, broken and strained like it was falling apart. Gladiolus raises his eyes to face the warrior before he nods and takes the sphere with his left hand. With the resolution on his face, Gladiolus states: "I'll guard her with my life…you've got my word". The armor nods as the sphere disappears into Gladiolus, its own will passed on to the shield of the chosen king. Slowly the armor begins to crack and as pieces fall from it, they disappear into the light.
The guardian's eyes open wide as for a moment, he sees a ghostly vision of Terra's face as the visor breaks apart. Strong but brave blue eyes with brown hair, a ghost of a smile of gratitude and guilt adorned his face. Gladiolus clenched his fist, his anger to Xehanort growing as he sees the youth that, like so many others, had suffered a fate worse than death by the hands of the old man. He reminded him of Noctis, they could be the same age for all he knows.
"I swear…we'll find a way to save you", he promises, offering him a warrior's arm bump, "Then, we'll have our rematch". Terra's smile changes as he meets Gladiolus' arm with his own armored limb before he disappears into the light. As the remnants of the will disappear to the skies, Gladiolus looks at his left hand and then calls for it.
A shine of light appeared and once it faded, Gladiolus looks to see his left arm is now covered in armor. Golden red with black that covered his forearm with a gauntlet having the Crownsguard skull symbol on the back of the hand, shoulder and looking like a shode with black and blue color while underneath the armor his arm is in black cloth. Now in his left hand is a massive wall of a shield almost as big as himself.
A pavise shield with the keyblade's ring covering the edges of the shield, dark brown and green while having the emblem Aqua and the other two carry carved on the face of the shield. It was heavy than any shield he's ever carried, but Gladiolus lifts it with ease as he turns it to see the face of the shield. Terra's will was carved into the shield, his will and strength to make up for his shortcomings. A shield to protect his friends…
"Don't worry…I'm gonna make sure by the end of all this, you'll be with them again…", swore the shield.
His mind made up and all his doubts cast aside, Gladiolus dismisses his shield and returns to the castle.
Inside Aqua's room, he removes the armor and his pants, keeping his tank-top on and then climbs back into bed. To his surprise the moment he lays down, Aqua turned on him and wrapped her arms around his body and pulled him closer. Resting her head against his chest, he hears her utter: "Don't leave me…".
Swiftly he wrapped her in his arms and held her closer to him. "Never", he promises, "I'm not going anywhere". As they both drifted off to sleep, holding each other close, Gladiolus affirms his promise to her and Terra…
*Radiant Garden*
Stirred from his sleep, Ventus moans tiredly and quietly yawned as his nose picks up a nice smell. Sea salt with coconut oil, something soft and warm against his face as he nuzzled into the warmth, tiredly getting comfortable. He feels something in his hair, warm and gentle like someone was running their hands through his hair, smoothly.
He didn't know exactly where he is nor what he was doing but he didn't care. He hadn't felt this kind of comfort in a bed before and this intoxicating smell lulled him into a slumber he didn't want to wake up from. However, as his mind becomes clearer with sleep leaving him, he mustered enough will power to open his eyes, blurry as they are. He groans tiredly as he blinks out the sleep in his eyes, hearing low music nearby, pop music.
The room wasn't his as far as he could recall, not even able to remember if he made it to his room last night. Ventus takes another whiff of that lovely scent as he tried to sit up before he finds himself restricted and his legs were tangled with something smooth and warm. "Wha…?", he croaked, shaking his head and clearing his throat. He lifted one hand to rub out the sleep persistently, slowly managing to free himself from whatever held him.
Then Ventus hears a small groan and soft breathing near him, made him blink with confusion before he glances down…
His eyes widened in complete utter shock when he sees that he wasn't alone in the bed. Near him with her arms out from holding him, Rikku was still sleeping blissfully with her hair wild and tussled without her band. The sheets were up to her chest, but he sees her blue bra was ruffled and sees one strap was around her bicep. With his heart hammering against his chest as he slowly begins to piece together what could have happened last night, and only when he looks down to his own form does that possibility feel like it's the most likely thing to have happened.
He is only wearing his black vest and boxers…
He lets out a yell of complete surprise and shock that could have woken the entire population of the world as he stumbled out of the bed. No sooner did he reach the ground, he scurried backward away from the bed until he slammed his back against the door. Sweating and cheeks as red as inhumanly possible with his heart thumping so loudly and hard he was scared someone could see it. Grabbing his head as endless possibilities began to overflow his mind, he begins to panic and fears he might have done something horrible.
"WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT!? WHY AM I IN RIKKU'S BED!? WHY DOES SHE SMELL SO NICE!?", he screamed mentally with questions booming in his young mind. He tries to remember what exactly happened the other night, but he couldn't concentrate on the matter because of Rikku. He has never been so close to a girl other than Aqua before, and hell the last time he shared a bed with someone was with her and Terra for a little slumber party they had.
Never had he ever shared a bed with anyone else, and his first was with a girl who is quite fond of him he noticed…and his butt…
"Venny?".
He looks up to a sleepy Rikku looking at him with tired eyes as she sits up. He turns redder and covered his eyes as he lets out a whine. "Rikku! I can see your bra!", he squeaks. "So? You saw my panties last night too", Rikku reminds.
Ventus wailed in embarrassment, shaking his head profusely as he feels his entire head go red. Then he freezes, slowly lowered his hands to stare at Rikku as if he was caught rifling through her drawers. Looking at her Ventus sees several marks on her neck and collarbone, faint memories of him tasting sea salt and even tangerines linger on his tongue. A horrible, HORRIBLE gut feeling settles in his stomach. If she and he were in their undergarments, he woke up in her bed, and he has little memory of what happened…
"R-R-R-Rikku…d-did we…d-d-did we…", he stammers, unable to ask the question. Tilting her head like a cat, Rikku watches the boy with her swirling green eyes glowing with genuine curiosity. He begins to shake as he keeps stammering and wheezing in a vain attempt to get the word out, but after so many years of being sheltered by his best friends, this was slowly starting to overwhelm the young man.
"DID WE PERFORM REPRODUCTION!?", he yelled.
"…huh?", Rikku asks with another tilt of her head, "OOOOH. Are you asking me if we had se-
"YES THAT!', Ventus shouts, his voice hi-pitched, and he slammed his hands to close his mouth before he talked more. At this the girl giggled as she laid back down on her bed, eyes still fixed on Ventus with glowing amusement and even a hint of mischief in her eyes. That does absolutely nothing to ease the poor young man's fears that he may have done something that was meant for another point in time of a potential relationship.
Rikku stares at him with a cheeky smile. "I like your boxers", she compliments. He blushes darkly as he starts to look around for his clothes, praying to whoever was listening he didn't leave them somewhere public. He stands up and started to look around frantically for his clothes while at the same time taking in the girl's room.
It was somewhat like Cindy, there was a lot of metal and machinery around the place, a desk with all sorts of papers for plans. Sketches of grenades, combination and even some weapons were all over a desk that had some tools and screws, her wardrobe was wooden and old likely from years of holding her clothes and even her dresser looked old as him. Her room had a lot of aquatic theming, walls painted like he was in an aquarium and it smelled like a beach.
With a loud groan, he turned on Rikku, smiling like a cat. "Where are my clothes?", he asks, nearly begging. Rikku shrugged. "I dunno…I wasn't paying attention to where the clothes went", she teases, "My mind was on…something else~". She says this while staring at him, making the boy squirm and blush before she pats his space on her bed with a smile. "Come back to bed and snuggle, it is too early to get up", she insists.
Realizing that he had no other options other than performing the "walk of shame" out her room or bare another few moments of embarrassment, Ventus sighs and wordlessly climbs back into the bed. Rikku throws the sheets over them, covering them to their shoulders and then pulls Ventus into her. He blushes darkly once more the moment his own skin touched her smooth silky flesh, the warmth from her body seeping into his own.
He gulps as Rikku giggled at his shyness. "Ya know, most guys would probably be grinning ear to ear in your position", she remarks while stroking his spiky hair. Ventus refuses to speak, he couldn't trust his voice to not make him sound like a tiny mouse in the paws of a cat. "But you're being a cutie, acting all shy and nervous around a girl~", cooed Rikku, "It's like you've never even hugged a girl before".
He lowered his eyes down, she wasn't wrong in her teases. It isn't a big secret that Ventus has little to no experience with girls around his age, Aqua being the only one. His time with Kairi was super brief and minimal, and Naminé had barely interacted with him given everything that's happening. His silence and shyness tipped the girl off as she pets him. "Wait…Venny? Have you done, anything with a girl?", she asked. Not teasingly but genuinely curious.
"…no", he squeaks.
"Really? No hugging? Not even kissing!?", she asks.
"…nope…", he confesses.
Next thing he knew, his cheeks were both cupped and he was facing Rikku. She then presses her lips against his. The boy stiffens in shock before slowly he relaxed into her kiss and before he knows it, he tangled his legs with her as she pulled him into an embrace. Once she breaks the kiss, she winks at his flustered face. "There ya go, your first kiss~", she cheekily sings. Not only did she smell nice, but she also, to the boy's dismay/delight, tastes wonderful.
She begins to stroke his back as she happily keeps their legs tangled, staring into his ocean blue eyes. As confused and surprised by this circumstance he was in, the boy couldn't exactly say he wasn't enjoying…this, with Rikku. But then came the big question that looms in his mind, words of his best friend echoing in his head. As innocent as he is and given how sheltered he was back home, Ventus wasn't entirely ignorant of the dangers of the opposite sex.
Terra once warned him that women are some of the trickiest kinds of people they will ever deal with, especially when it comes to charming and flirting. Granted Aqua explained a lot more cohesive and straight to the point about sometimes some women just want physical attention and romance or affection were just distractions. Despite those lessons of caution, he didn't feel as if Rikku was just interested in it…adult stuff…
Her playfulness and the way she acted around him, given how innocent and new he was in terms of dealing with girls, his gut told him that maybe these flirty gestures were a little more than just her liking him for physical reasons. At least, he hoped.
"Rikku…what exactly is this?", he asks. She blinks at him, prompting him to elaborate. "I mean…is this just us being… friends with some benefits…or…maybe, something else?", he asked. The blond hums and scratches her cheek, before she smiled at him with a rather enticing smile. "Well, I think you're cute, you OBVIOUSLY think I'm cute, and I think, this could work", she says, joining her fingers to emphasize her point.
"I mean, I know you've got that fight with Xeha-Dork coming soon, but I'm thinking maybe after you go be a big hero, you could come to visit me?". Ventus lowered his head, taking her words in. "D-Does that mean, y-you want me as your boyfriend?", he squeaks. "Well…yeah. I mean, I like you, you like me, and we're pretty compatible", Rikku says, "Sides, even when I was tipsy and very easily confuzzled, you still managed to take me home safe and sound without so much as grabbing my butt!".
She gives him a cat-like smirk as she moves her face closer to him. "Or…did you?", she teased. Ventus shakes his head profusely, certain even as confused as he is about what occurred the night before he knows in his heart he didn't so much as brush his fingers against her cute buttocks. Rikku giggles and pecks his cheeks. "A hero, a cutie, and a gentleman, your ticking all my boxes here Venny~", she praised.
"…you're not gonna stop calling me that, are you?", he sighed. "Nope!", affirmed the girl. She then draws circles on his chest, looking at him for an answer. As quickly as things have progressed with a new relationship, his first one too, Ventus is extremely apprehensive and anxious about it. With so little experience with girls, the fact he's half-naked with one right now is a gigantic leap from holding hands. He couldn't imagine how Aqua or Terra would react, both being his siblings who, as he says, are super protective of him.
If Aqua saw him in this situation she'd probably murder Rikku, "cleanse" him and then threaten any female bodily harm if they so much as ogle him.
Then again, maybe this could work…
Sure, Rikku was obviously comfortable with them being this close, but he knows she didn't do anything risqué with him, and who knows, maybe she would be slower with him. It also kinda helped him that she was not only very pretty, but she's fun, outgoing and kinda adventurous too.
"W-Well…I, I'm not against the idea…b-b-b-but, could we go a little…slower?", he asks, suddenly feeling extremely sheepish suddenly. Rikku raised a brow at his request before saying: "How come?". "I…I mean, I'm probably going to sound super lame saying this but…I, I wanna save myself for…maybe, marriage?".
At this Rikku's own cheeks turned rosy as she pulled the sheet over her mouth. Ventus swore that girl couldn't be any cuter, now she was just flat out adorable.
"M-M-M-M-M-M-Marriage…?", squeaks Rikku. Now his own cheeks were flat out glowing at this point as he stammers: "I-I-I-I-I didn't mean! I uh, I! …maybe?".
Rikku giggled, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him close. "Sheesh, somebody's gotten pretty cocky, thinking this girl is already thinking of wedding plans", she teases. Before he could rebuke a response, the girl rests his head against her chest. "…can't say I don't like the idea…".
"Hey Rikku, have you seen-
Neither heard the door open, (wonder why) and they jumped at the voice. When they turned their eyes on the door, there was Prompto who, like ALWAYS, had his eyes wide open and whatever he was gonna say stopped dead in its tracks. There is silence before Rikku points at Ventus. "If you're looking for Venny, he's right here!", she announces. Ventus turned on Prompto with a look, but it got worse when he saw Axel behind the blonde.
The red-haired assassin smirks and whistles. "Whoa Ven! Already doing the deed with Rikku?", he praises, "Never knew you had it in ya!". Ventus sits up and points at Axel. "S-S-SHUT UP!", he growled. Undaunted, Axel crosses his arms and says: "Wonder what Aqua is going to say about this?".
"AXEL IF YOU SO MUCH AS HINT THIS TO AQUA I SWEAR TO KINGDOM HEARTS I WILL MURDER YOU!", threatens the blushing young man who were it not for Rikku's legs tangled with his own and the fact he would be chasing him in his underwear, he'd be strangling the man before him. Prompto gulped with a blush coating his cheeks and awkwardly pushes Axel out of sight while apologizing profusely for once again, entering without knocking.
Ventus growled and starts to try and get out of bed, but then Rikku wrapped her arms around his waist and pulls him back in. "Nope, you aren't going anywhere!", she declares, "I'm gonna be enjoying snuggling with my boyfriend!".
Knowing the girl was not letting go of him, Ventus submits to his new situation as the girl starts to gently peck his neck. He shivers and blushes as Rikku begins teaching him how to kiss…
*Computer Room*
Leaning against the railing of the bridge leading to the chamber with the replica, Axel stares at the endless space of rows with the large containers ahead of him.
After he checked Ventus hadn't left the world per Aqua's request and had gotten a lot more than he had bargained for, he thought about strolling around the city for a while before meeting up with someone from the party for a chance to kill some boredom. Instead, he went to the replica again and just hung out around that part of the building, getting some "Axel time". The replica's white puppet form donned in the black cloak of the Organization really disturbed him, despite knowing soon that'll be Roxas' body.
With arms crossed as he stares into space, Axel frowns in thoughts he hadn't lingered on for a long while. As happy as he was that sooner then later he would get his best friend back, they could hang out again and have as much ice cream they could possibly before they got sick. A tug on his heart often pulled whenever he thought back to the clock tower with Roxas, almost a hundred percent sure that it wasn't just the two of them…
That girl…the one who resembled Kairi in so many ways still stalks him in his dreams. He frowns in silence as he tries digging through his memories, there had to be something there that connected her to him, right?
"Having trouble, Axel?".
He raised his head to see Even, Ienzo and Demyx walking out of the room together, the older man still carried that frown on his face at the sight of the redhead. Understandably so, considering the last time they had met as nobodies. Ienzo just smiled kindly to him regardless: "We were about to go for a coffee break care to join us?". As tempting as it is to take some time to catch up, Axel feels very apprehensive about hanging around the two people he killed (or at last had a hand in killing) and another one he's barely hung around with.
His choice, however, was made by Demyx, grabbing him by the shoulder and guiding him to the break room. "Come on dude, when was the last time we actually hanged out together?", the water user asks with a very cool smile.
"I seem to recall you saying you and me never "hung" out once", Even remarks with a raised brow. Axel could hear the disdain in his voice for using the slang, apparently, Demyx's vocabulary still irked the man to no end. "All the more for us to change that from zero to many", Ienzo says, "I feel like we should since we're all working together". It still amazed Axel how positive the man had become since he returned to his human form.
With reluctance and a smidgen of awkwardness, Axel joins them for their break in the break room. Unlike the one back in the castle they worked/lived in, it had a more homely setting with brighter color choices, probably Aerith's. The coffee was something else, and as tempting as it was to ask for that tea Cid is always gone on about, Even wisely says for the sake of living long enough to see Roxas again, he'd stick with the caffeine-based drink.
The talk was casual and if Axel is honest it is also forced, more so because Ienzo was the talker along with Demyx making jokes and a touch of sarcasm. Even had yet to say a word during the chat while Axel quietly sipped his drink, before Demyx, being Demyx, speaks up: "So…what's up with you two?". The two looks at him with raised brows before he leans in his chair and placed his hands behind his head.
"You guys look like a couple who broke up and are sitting together awkwardly, what's up?", he says with a grin. Ienzo snickers at the structure of his question, composing himself as he looks to his friends. Axel scratched his cheek and decides now was a good time to address the elephant in the room as Even sighed in annoyance. "Demyx, I dunno how to tell ya this but uh, do you even know why Even's a human again?", Axel asks, wondering if Isa did tell him back then.
"Nope", says the water user, "No one's told me".
This makes even Ienzo raise a brow before he and his fellow researcher look to Axel. "Did Xemnas ever say what happened to us?", Ienzo asks. "Well…I think he did?", Axel says with hesitance, remembering he technically was under orders from Isa. Even sighs: "Bottom line, both I and Ienzo, were slain by Axel".
Demyx looks at the redhead with a look of "whoa what?" on his face, and Axel's sheepishly guilty smile only answered the question he would have asked again. "DUDE…dick move!", he chastises, "I mean I know Vexen was a creepy dude and Zexion was a weirdo but killing them?".
Axel looks at Even and Ienzo, now glaring at the water user. "Excuse me?", Even questioned. Demyx, undaunted, looked at them both with a smile. "Yeah? You guys were! You over there with your experiment and freaky science stuff, Zexy always saying "I smell the darkness" and NOT being super emo like?", he lists. He points at Axel. "Next to Roxas, you were the only cool dude!".
'That was probably because we barely worked together, most days when we weren't I was napping!", Axel reminds with a laugh. "Oh yeah! That's what makes you a cool dude!", Demyx says as if it were obvious.
Ienzo laughs at his explanation while Even rolls his eyes and sips his coffee, not bothering to deal with Demyx's logic. The less strenuous activity his brain endured the better. "We have to admit", Ienzo says looking at Even, "We were less than ideal citizens when were nobodies". Whatever he felt about his demise, Even nodded in full agreement with Ienzo's words. Looking back on how anything was an experiment to Vexen and given his quick he was to discard any "failures" like they were toys, he shuddered to think on them.
"I hate to agree, but you are correct", he says, "In some twisted sense Axel had done me great service". "And now here you are paying him back for murdering you with bringing back his buddy!", Demyx oh so cheerfully reminded. Axel runs his hands through his hair with a groan as Even's glare grows more tensely at the water user. If he keeps this up then likely they'll need a third replica body for Demyx soon…
Saying that though, Axel places his hands around his mug and thinks. "Do you guys…ever wonder if you never died, would you have stuck around with Xemnas until the end?", he asked. This made the three former members look at one another before Ienzo broke the silence. "I'd like to say no…but given how I was as nobody, I fear I would have merely stayed for my own gain", he confesses with shame.
"As would I so long as I could perform my experiments", Even sighed. Axel looked at Demyx with a knowing smirk. "You'd probably be no different if you could skip work", he says. Demyx raises his hands, not denying at all that would have been likely. As the conversations change into more normal and friendly banters, all grievances forgiven and forgotten as they talked about what happened to them and what they plan on doing once this was over.
As they talk away, Axel wonders how Roxas would react to all this, considering he and his somebody could co-exist when the time comes with Naminé. As he thinks on the blonde girl, the one in his hazy memories begins to resurface again along with heartache. Again, her name is unknown to him, and slowly the pain starts to claw into him. His silence must have been enough for Ienzo to pat him on the back. "Axel?", he asked.
He looks up to them, seeing Demyx looking at him weirdly while Even raised a brow. That is when Axel remembered that among all of those who kept a close eye on the secrets of the organization, Even was probably the best if not second to Isa. And given the fact he was the creator of replicas, maybe that girl is connected to it. "Even…do you remember there was a girl among the organization?", he asked.
"Of course,…Larxene…how could I forget?", he says with obvious contempt for that woman. "As snarky, sadistic and bratty as always".
"Yeah, dude! She's so mean to everyone! She even called me a "wet blanket"!", Demyx says with a pout. "…I suppose even she speaks the truth every now and then", Even muses, much to Demyx's dismay and amusement of the other two. Axel shakes his head and says: "No…I mean, another one? She…looked like Kairi and Naminé".
"Oh, you meant the one you've been trying to remember?", Ienzo says, leaning on the table with his elbows. This makes Even look at Axel with a more curious and studious look as the man nodded. He folded one arm and rested his elbow on the palm, pondering and trying to recall another of their members who bore a resemblance to the princess and witch. But like Axel, and anyone for that matter, there is nothing there but shadows of the person.
"…I think, this person could have been a replica of sorts…", he muses, "I remember…the Superior once asking me to create one for…for…something". He furrowed his brows in thought as he tried hard to remember what exactly the order was for and why but came up fruitless as he sighed. Then Demyx hums and says: "There was a fourteenth? So why did we call ourselves Organization XIII if we had another member?".
"Or better, if we all seemingly know there was another one, why can we not remember her?", Ienzo questioned, "Even if she had perished like the rest of us before, surely she would have returned to becoming a human, yes?". "Not if she was a replica, remember?", Even reminded, "If she had perished then…there would be nothing left for her". This made Axel's heart stop while he pales, a sick feeling settles in his stomach. Did she die? Was the reason he couldn't remember was that she doesn't exist anymore?
And why did that hurt him so much more than when he couldn't remember?
"Maybe she's working with Xehanort?", Demyx suggests, "Remember that one with the hood down 24/7?", looking at Even. "Oh yes, that one…she was a strange phenomenon. Nary a word spoken nor did she do anything but stand all day", Even says with genuine fascination.
Axel looked at his mug, slowly but surely knowing that alongside facing his best friend again, perhaps this person may come back to him on the day the clash will take place…
He smirks to himself and says: "Well, guess we'll just have to wait and see".
He changes the subject quickly, deciding maybe it was time for him to extend his circle of friends, and maybe, perhaps, move forward with them to a new life together…
*Town Square*
Waiting patiently with his back against the wall, listening to the sounds of the water flowing from the fountain and the distant voices of the town's folk, Riku is on his phone looking at the messages Sora had left for him.
After getting through all the selfies he and Kairi had been taking, he blamed Prompto for influencing them, he sees they've finally reached their world Sora had planned on taking her safely. While he wasn't entirely happy Sora had split the group up again for the sake of showing Kairi a world, the master wouldn't deny that the boy had his heart in the right place. A simple date in another world without worry was something he saw they needed.
Plus, he trusted them to be able to handle anything that came their way.
As he finishes replying to them with a "stay safe" message, he looks up to see the small gummi ship slowly land before him. He pockets his phone as the loading bay doors opening and outcomes another visitor to Radiant Garden.
Walking down the loading bay door, Iris is immediately taken aback by this new world. Her brown eyes drink in the world around her, the complete foreign worldly design of this place throws her off guard, reminding her more of her old storybooks Gladiolus used to read her when she was small. The girl looks to Riku approaching the loading bay door, a casual wave to greet her with a small but equally friendly smile.
"Took your time getting here", he greets with a smirk.
She giggled and jogged down to meet him and leaped into him for a hug. He catches her easily and clings to her tightly, missing her embrace. He looks up to give Cindy and Prompto, the ones who picked Iris up, a nod of gratitude before they waved back and headed back into the smaller ship to take it back to the castle garage. Once it was gone and out of sight, Riku glanced at Iris, still smiling at him.
"I thought you guys were supposed to keep Order?", she teased.
"I think you knowing about the worlds is a bigger issue then you seeing them", Riku replied with a shrug, "Sides, pretty much everyone part of the Restoration Committee knows about other worlds anyways". With his quick assurance out of the way, he offered her a hand and says: "But you're not here for a lecture, you're here to spend time with your boyfriend, right?". With a bigger smile, she takes his hand and he began the tour of Radiant Garden.
After everyone recovered and most of them heading off to do their own thing while Aqua and Gladiolus are gathering the necessary books for the training, and after making sure Maleficent had truly left this world alone, Riku had called Iris the following morning to talk. However, before he did, he realized that he would be away from her for an entire year, and when he gets out he'd only have only a day at most to prepare.
With possibilities of death looming over him and with every other couple spending time with their respective partners, he figured it'd be a nice change for him to hang with Iris again before he'd go forth to his final battle. Sure, he is probably going to be in so much trouble after this, but he couldn't care less. Luckily for him, he had the perfect two friends to ask for a quick pick up and drop off. Plus, seeing Iris would probably do Gladiolus some good too.
They toured around the city's market places, Iris being introduced to all kinds of people, taking in the varying sights of the world while she and Riku held hands, she would cling to his arm and look up at him cute shining eyes that he can resist and maintain his "cool dude" attitude.
He failed miserably at it.
He told her everything that's happened so far since they left leave Eos, from getting their heads chewed out by their "leader" of sorts master, the fighting in Radiant Garden, and how Ardyn was brought back somewhat. Though it was briefer and kinda abridged as he just wanted to her to be up to date on what's happened. Even then it was short and glanced over afterward, he was more focused on just allowing himself and she enjoy the peace and safety of their time together.
Walking through the marketplaces, letting her fawn over an actual fluffy Moogle (and pleading her NOT to touch their Pom-Pom), introducing her to some of the RC members who were doing their things, and then came the treat Axel recommended them.
As the sun begins to set on the world, they sat upon a wall that overlooked the vast landscape of violet and blue land, ice creams in hand. "This place is so different to home…", Iris says as she looked at her Sea-Salt ice cream with a curious look, "You sure this is a delicacy and not a prank by Axel?". Even Riku was looking at the blue object in hand with hesitance, memories his childhood of tasting saltwater flooding his mind and a sick sensation coiled in his stomach.
"…I mean I wouldn't say a delicacy, but it's all he ever ate when he was with the old organization…", he explained. Iris glances at Riku with a worried and questioning look on her innocent face. "You sure? How is he so fit then?", she questions. "Maybe Kairi helped lose weight during their training? Have you seen her fight?", Riku asked as his ice cream starts to melt. They both looked at their treat before nodding together and counted down to three, they take a bite. Riku immediately recoils with a groan.
"GAH! That's as salty as Noct waking up!", he groans. Iris has a different reaction however, humming with approval. "But it's as sweet as Luna", she says with a smile. Riku was uncertain why they were comparing the ice cream to the royal couple but after another lick the saltiness shifts into a nice blend of sweetness. Maybe it was because his tongue is a tad more sensitive compared to Iris, who knows? Together they ate their treat as the sun begins to set, talking away.
Iris started talking about taking a few lessons from Aranea and what remained of the Crownsguards, saying while the daemons had been minimal lately and even the heartless were no more than just shadows and neo-shadows, they were still a threat. So, she took up some sessions with the dragoon after Lunafreya had to go. She even teased that she could take on Sora if she wanted to, and Riku kindly showed her a photo of Sora decimating one of the empires drop ships with just a spear.
She then restated that was still learning.
Looking at the setting sun as he twiddled with the stick, Riku smiles softly at the beautiful colors, remembering Destiny Islands' sunsets. He couldn't believe he was thinking it, but he felt a little homesick, remembering he and Sora hadn't been home for more than a month since they first defeated Xemnas before they were called once again to stop Xehanort. The sunset here paled in comparison to their home, the smells of the saltwater, the warm breeze and the sense of security his world provided.
He chuckles softly as he looked at his stick, making Iris look at him. "What's so funny?", she asked. "…the sunset…just, reminds me of home, you know?", he explained as he props his knee up and rests his arm on it. Finishing off her ice cream, she smiled and says: "What was your world like? You never talked about it". He nods and turns to the sunset. "Small would be the best way to describe it. But it was home, every day there with Sora and Kairi was an adventure", he says.
"Every day we'd go to the play islands, do all kinds of things there from contests, build castles, help Kairi look for shells and then, we'd just watch the sunset", he lists, thinking back to his youth. When all their biggest worries were just what were they going to do tomorrow, what kind of games could they come up with, would all three of them make it? And all the while instead of being grateful for having a world surrounded by peace, ignorant of other worlds and the dangers, he became impatient.
He frowned as he thinks to the days where he got tired of the peace he was blessed with, his yearning for other worlds became an obsession with desire for adventure. So much so, he was stupid enough to open the door to the dark and allow his world to be destroyed. "Looking back on how we found a way off the islands…I messed up". Iris places her stick down and shifts closer to him, taking his hand in hers.
He gives her a grateful look as she says: "You wanna talk about it?". Outside of Kairi and Sora, he never told anyone else about this, and staring into those brown orbs, he retells his tale.
From him waking up here for the first time, meeting Maleficent and her bringing out the dark power within him, clashing with Sora, becoming Ansem's vessel and then fighting to redeem himself in the eyes of the light. The last time he retold this story, he had Kairi in tears while Sora looked to be miserable when he told his side of their struggles. The guilt he carried from his deeds was like a feather in comparison to putting his two friends in such states of misery.
It felt good to talk to another about this, and someone outside their inner circle too. The girl had been patient with him as he told his story as the dusk settles, now they were leaning against each other watching the day shift into nightfall. She smiled up at him and placed a hand on his heart, saying: "Well, looks like you've made up for it". He looked at her hand places his on hers, feeling the light from her heart connecting to his.
"I'm not all too familiar with what happened or the circumstances, but from what I've seen, Gladdy told me and how those two-act around you? I think what you've done has long been forgiven".
He smiles back at her, his throat tightening with emotion and gratitude to that level of faith she has for him. She looks up at him and brushes one of his bangs aside as he hoists her up to his knees, staring into his eyes. Iris cups his cheeks and leaned in to capture his lips, Riku wrapping his arms around her to hold her closer to him. She sighs happily with the kiss, Riku tastes the ice cream on her lips along with a smell of a flower around her.
Not that he was complaining.
But Riku broke the kiss with a frown. Iris blushes with concern before he gets to his feet and with her in his arms like a bride. "RIKU!", squeaks the sister of Gladiolus, her face red as an apple (and trying her hardest not to squeal and grin like an idiot). "We're going to my room", announced Riku, jogging off with her in his arms as he leaped to the building until he reached the castle.
His words sent the girl's mind into overdrive with all sorts of possibilities that could occur. She was going to Riku's room…where he sleeps…in his bed…and they would be alone…
As they arrived at his door with her still in his arms, Iris squeaks and prompted Riku to put her back to her feet. Before they entered his room, Iris begins to wave her hands in front of her with her cheeks acting like glow in the dark lights. "R-Riku! I-I know we're dating and as extremely hot you are, I-I'm not ready for something like this!", she says.
Blinking with a touch of confusion in his eyes, Riku gestured the door with his thumb and says: "You mean you don't want to make out without worrying Prompto might interrupt us again?". Iris blinks and still with cheeks red, says: "O-Oh…you meant just…".
"What did you think I meant?", he asks.
Iris says nothing, opened the door and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, pulled him into their room and after Riku used the keyblade to lock their door, she resumed what they were doing undisturbed.
After they laid in bed together with the girl asleep in his arms as he caresses her cheek lovingly, Riku kisses her on her forehead and whispers: "I'll come back to you…I promise".
A/N: …I SPENT FOUR DAYS ON THIS ONE! AND I STILL HAVE ONE MORE!
We're nearly done with the mini character episodes, just got six more to go! Can you guess who they are? If so, you're a wizard/sorceress!
Questions:
Q1: Thoughts on this chapter?
Q2: Gladiolus' new shield?
Q3: Rikku and Ventus?
Q4: Should we have Ignis' scars be healed?
Q5: Iris and Riku? Too short or what?
Q6: Excited for the training?
If you have any questions, ask away!
As always, thanks for reading! Stay awesome but more importantly stay safe!
