"Thinking of you, wherever you are.
We pray for our sorrows to end, and hope that our hearts will blend.
Now I will step forward to realize this wish.
And who knows:
starting a new journey may not be so hard,
or maybe it has already begun.
There are many worlds, but they share the same sky —
one sky, one destiny."
Their funerals were to be held later that week, out of respect, Xehanort, Nadia, and Eraqus agreed to remain until the funerals were over. The Hamadas were to be buried within their family burial plot. Garen and Gavener's mother was also to be buried in the Hamadas' family plot as arranged by Tadashi and Hiro's parents prior to their death. It was a bittersweet gesture for Garen and Gavener, a final testament to the bond between the two families, a showing of how much the Hamadas had cared for them, and another fresh surge of guilt.
The twins were wracked with guilt over the Hamadas death. Despite reassurance from everyone around them, they could not help but put the blame on themselves. It was their idea to enter Mr. Yamas tournament and despite assurance from Xehanort and Eraqus, they still believed something they did had caused their bot to transform into a Heartless. Even with Xehanort and Eraqus' confidence in them, the twins had noticed Nadia's distance from the topic. She had barely commented and they often caught her silently studying them, quickly averting her gaze when they noticed her doing it. As concerning as it all was, they couldn't change what had happened. It was a sobering fact that the Hamadas were gone and it weighed heavily on their minds.
In the meantime, the twins, Xehanort, Nadia and Eraqus had helped Tadashi settle into his new home. After his parent's death, Tadashi and Hiro were placed in the custody of their Aunt Cass, who had been their mother's sister. Aunt Cass owned a café style restaurant that she had previously operated with her sister.
While the place wasn't the comfort of their old home but their Aunt Cass had gone to great lengths to make the boys feel at home. The twins, Xehanort and the rest of the gang helped the Hamadas move their stuff into their Aunt Cass' place. There wasn't a lot to move but it was hard work for other reasons. Their former home was full of memories, countless stories woven into the house. For Tadashi and Hiro being there was simply a painful reminder that their parents were gone.
While Tadashi had remained strong for Hiro's sake, it was Hiro who was having the most trouble adjusting. Though he had been saved from the brunt of the Heartless' attack thanks to his parents, it seemed he still suffered from certain side effects caused by the exposure to darkness.
In the immediate aftermath of their battle, Hiro was rushed to the hospital and examined. While doctors did not have any expertise in the matter of darkness, they did detect slight head trauma. It wasn't anything fatal but the doctors did predict some slight memory loss. After a day of recovering, Hiro had finally awoken and appeared to have little recollection of what had happened. This made breaking the news of his parent's death even harder. Though he seemed to accept it on the surface, it was clear deep down he was having a hard time dealing with it. This was only amplified both by the knowledge they had died protecting him and his inability to recall the ordeal. Hiro was left in a state of frustration and depression. The small genius had become reclusive, throwing himself into various robotic projects. His brother remained as his sole anchor of support. But even so, it was hard for Tadashi to watch as his beloved brother suffered in solitude.
After a couple of days work, the gang crashed at Aunt Cass' place. The next day was when the double funeral was to be held and it was going to be a long day. Everyone was tired from the day's work and without much effort, they all drifted into an easy sleep.
...
Xehanort woke early the next morning, much earlier than the rest of the group. It was almost sunrise and Xehanort had decided to step out onto the roof and watch. Slowly, as to not wake the others up, he crept outside to the back staircase that led to the roof. As he waited for the sun to rise, he pondered everything that had happened. Though they had defeated the Heartless and closed the world's keyhole, Xehanort could not help but feel the overbearing weight of their failure. It was crushing, like the invasion of the Heartless back on Land of Departure, nothing in their training could have prepared them for this. Jensen had been right all along with his strict method of teaching. This way of life was not child's play, every moment fighting was a moment of risk. Every moment carrying out their mission was to be taken seriously. Out here was not training, out here there were life gambling ramifications for failures and it seemed that the Hamadas had paid the price in full.
It was amazing to Xehanort, the Hamadas love for their children was so strong, so consuming, that they instinctively would sacrifice themselves to ensure their children's survival. Another wave of guilt flushed over him as he wondered if his own parents would risk everything to search for him. The nature of such unconditional love very much intrigued Xehanort, a love so powerful it spurred the heart into action without words or prompting. Xehanort wondered if he would ever have the privilege of having a love that deep and how far he would go to protect it. Xehanort closed his eyes for a moment and the visage of Eraqus and Nadia swept into his mind's eye. The two of them had come closest to the unconditional love the Hamadas displayed. Eraqus, Xehanort's best friend, Xehanort knew instinctively that he loved Eraqus as a real brother and would go to any lengths to protect him. Eraqus and Xehanort had an unspoken bond form from their very first conversation. It seemed so long ago but now their lives had become so intertwined that Xehanort could not possibly imagine a life without him. Then there was Nadia.
While Xehanort held her in the same high regard and love as he did with Eraqus, his feelings toward her were far more complex. While he shared a brotherly bond with Eraqus, his relationship with Nadia was quite different. Around her, he was easily flustered. Around her, his pulse quickened and his heart skipped a beat. He laughed more when she was around and sulked more when she wasn't. These feelings were new to Xehanort and often had him flustered. It was something Eraqus had picked up on and frequently poked fun at. Sometimes he thought Eraqus egged him on purposely like he was already aware of what Xehanort himself was just figuring out. Still, even if he was confused on what his feelings for Nadia were, he knew he cared for her dearly and that he would do anything to protect her.
Xehanort closed his eyes momentarily, a smile crossing his face. It was comforting to know that even though he did not have his family with him, he still had loved ones to call his own. The bright light of the rising sun poked though Xehanort's eyelids and as he opened his eyes, he felt a hand touch his shoulder. Xehanort looked up to see Nadia standing over him, the light of the new draping over her as she flashed him a radiant smile.
"It's beautiful isn't it?" she asked him, her tone soft.
Xehanort looked the brilliant radiance of the new dawn. Struck by the resplendent majesty of the sun as its light shone against the glass buildings that dotted San Fransokyo, he nodded. "Yeah, it is."
Nadia sat down next to him. "It reminds me, that this world, that all worlds, are full of light." She looked up at the sky illuminated by the sun's light. "There are many worlds, many people, all different. But when we bask in the light of the sun, we're reminded that we share the same sky. One sky, one destiny. And maybe, if we think of each other once in a while, then our hearts will beat as one and all the light in the world will shine that much brighter." A melancholy look crossed her face. "At least that's what my mom used to say. Its the kind of legacy she envisioned leaving behind."
Xehanort knew from Eraqus that their mother had passed away shortly after Eraqus was born. He also knew how much of an influence she was on Nadia. In the few times that Nadia spoke of her mother, her eyes lit up and a mask of admiration wove its way onto her face. It was clear to anyone that Nadia's mother had been her hero. Not knowing how to address such a sensitive topic, Xehanort simply placed his hand over Nadia's in comfort. Nadia smiled at Xehanort, taking his hand in hers and giving it a squeeze. The two simply sat there, hands interlaced, basking within the moment. For that one single moment, it seemed like the world and all its problems melted away. Unfortunately, the moment was broken by the arrival of Eraqus.
Upon seeing them, he noted that the two were holding hands and a smirk plastered itself wide upon his face.
"You two look cozy," he said in a nonchalant manner as Xehanort and Nadia blushed, retracting their hands and trying to play it off.
"It's not what it looks like!" Xehanort stammered. "I mean…"
Eraqus grinned slyly and then dropped the topic. A more somber look crossing his face. "Honestly it doesn't matter. I just came to tell you Tadashi's aunt has breakfast ready and that we have to get ready for the funeral."
Eraqus paused a moment and taking in the view of the radiant sun. Nadia stood up and placed her hand on her brother's shoulder. Eraqus lifted his hand as if to grab the light of the sun, a sad look on his face.
...
The funeral attendance was impressively large. The Hamada's were well known throughout San Fransokyo. Mr. Hamada was a renown doctor at San Fransokyo Medical and had saved countless lives during his residency. His wife helped her sister run her popular café and was well known by the locals for her warm smile and cheerful attitude. She was also quite proactive within various community service projects throughout the city. When she wasn't too ill, the twin's mother Breanne had also been a huge help to Mrs. Tadashi and as such was respected as well. In fact, it was how the two families had met. People around town sympathized with Mrs. Clavis having to raise two sons while in and out of the hospital and many of the locals pitched in where they could. The twins were also very well known throughout the town both for their penchant for mischief and the helpfulness their inventions provided to San Fransokyans. They had also developed quite a following of fans due to their bot fighting escapades.
There also was those who witnessed what happened at Mr. Yama's tournament. Outraged was the mass public opinion, disgusted at Mr. Yama's cruelness. He had effectively cheated Garen and Gavener out the money that could have saved their mother's life. It was the last straw for the citizens of San Fransokyo who were tired of Mr. Yama's corrupt grip on the city. Having a hand in the deaths of Breanne Clavis, and the Hamadas drove the citizens of San Fransokyo into action. The streets were in line with protests. Offices that housed public figures connected to Mr. Yamas crime machine became stages of the loudest protests in twenty years. The citizens of San Fransokyo had enough and were demanding anyone in connection with Yama's regime, be stripped of power and served justice.
Amongst the key figures, Councilman Grayson bore the worst of the public backlash. Despite his feeble attempts to quell the public outrage, he was shown no mercy. His notoriety had reached that of Yama himself. People saw clearly that he was under Mr. Yama's payroll and his involvement in swindling the Clavis twins left a bitter taste in their mouth. Twenty-four-hour protests were held outside his offices and private home. The media showed him no mercy slinging his underhanded deals across news outlets all over the city. It was such that Mr. Grayson had no choice but to not only withdraw his mayoral bid but resign from public office as well. It wasn't long after that before police made their move and arrested him on racketeering and bribery charges.
The deaths of the Hamadas and Breanne Clavis were cruel and heartbreaking but the citizens of San Fransokyo had refused to let their deaths be in vain. They were determined to bring down the regime that had spurred the events leading to their deaths in motion.
It was that show of compassion, the love that was shown to their family, that had completely touched the hearts of the twins and the Hamadas. The appreciation for everyone who attended the funeral in support was boundless. They had all come to celebrate the lives of three beloved members of their community and give them the send-off they deserved. During the ceremony people shared stories of Irene Hamada's warm laughter, regaled stories of the lives saved by Kuroto Hamada, and admiration for Breanne Clavis' grit and bravery, raising two brilliant sons in spite of her poor health. Finally, it was Tadashi's turn to speak.
He grabbed his little brother, whose silent tears fell down his, staining it with a sorrow few could understand. The two brothers reached the podium and Tadashi reached for the microphone. He placed a hand on his little brother's shoulder in comfort.
"My little brother had something to say but given the circumstances…-" He let out a sigh. The reasoning was obvious and everyone understood. "What can I say about my parents. They were amazing people. The fact that all you have gathered here is a living testament to the love they fostered for this community. I think I can speak on behalf of my family and Garen and Gavener when I say that the kindness you have all shown us has been beyond words. It's clear to me how much an impact our parents had on your lives."
He took a moment to regain his composure as his eyes well up with tears. "Our parents were heroes. Not the kind you see on t.v. or in the movies. They didn't wear colorful costumes or have capes. They were the everyday heroes. Whether it was my mother who warmed peoples hearts with her infectious warmth, who was always there to listen and ready at any moment to help someone in need. Whether it was my father, a doctor. A doctor who not only wanted to heal a person's body, but also their smile. A man who gave people hope when there was little. And then there is Ms. Clavis, one of the strongest people I ever knew." He paused momentarily, giving a nod toward Garen and Gavener. "Here was a woman who would constantly be at the ready to help someone in pain, even when she had her own to deal with. A woman who had the courage to get out of bed every day and do what needed to be done despite her poor health."
Tears streamed down Garen and Gavener's face as they drunk in Tadashi's words. The familial bond between the two families was apparent to all present.
"Our parents lived by a simple philosophy. Help others, even when's it hard on yourself. It's the legacy that they left behind. And it's the legacy that I know now more than ever, I want to carry on. To put others before myself, that's the kind of hero I want to be one day. I even have an idea of where to start. I just hope that I can live up to what they left behind."
With that he wiped the tears from his face, a determination replacing the mask of sorrow. The attendants cheered in supports smiles replacing their looks of mourning. And that was all it took. Perhaps that's what their parents loved too. That moment when happiness wove it's way onto the faces of people whose lives they touched. It was at that moment he knew in his heart that from here on out it was his destiny to help people in that same way.
...
Later that night, Eraqus sat alone on the rooftop. The light of the moon bathed him with its pale glow. His face was wet as silent tears streamed down his face.
In his hand, he held a picture. It was one of his mother holding him on the day he was born. Her complexion was soft like her son and her dark hair matched Eraqus' perfectly, she even had the same dimples. Adoration and love permeated her expression as she looked down at her only son. Eraqus could not remember her. He never had the chance to know her in the way Nadia had.
He kept the picture as a reminder. A symbol of what the darkness had stolen from him. The darkness was responsible for his mother's death and all these years later Eraqus was forced to watch as the darkness took another parent from an innocent. It was all the justification he needed. The darkness must be allowed no corner in his heart and he would do anything to oppose it. He would become the legacy his mother envisioned leaving behind.
He looked up at the moon and the stars, their brilliance shining down on him like lanterns in the sky. He reached his hand out as if to grab their light.
"One sky, one destiny."
