A/N: Thanks to erikfinnvladimir and tuckeyhunger99 for reviewing. Before anyone gets too excited, don't expect me to update this often all the time. I don't really have much free time to write with, so it takes me a while to get out a new chapter. Still, I hope you enjoy my work enough to follow it so you can get an email update when I do post a new chapter. Peace!
As the only one who had yet to see the newly-in-the-process-of-being-restored Radiant Garden for himself, Even elected to head into town to talk to Cid Highwind about a Gummi ship for their 'quest'. Having lazed in bed for so long, he decided it would be prudent to bring a walking stick to conserve his energy, and after a quick look around the castle he luckily spotted a cane that Lord Ansem had used on bad-weather days when his hip acted up. Coincidentally, he set out at the same time Leon did, which was fortuitous because it had been so long since he'd been to this world, and even back then he'd been a bit of a shut-in, that he probably wouldn't have known how to get around even if everything had been the same as it was before…well, before everything.
Ienzo had taken it upon himself to do the organizing as his mind was even more disciplined than Even's, who had a tendency to occasionally get lost in tangents of thought, whereas Ienzo had never really been much for daydreaming even as a child. Dilan was gathering anything they would need that could be found in the castle, while Aeleus was going to head into town as soon as he was done compiling a list of things they would still need, like foodstuffs and extra toiletries and the like.
As they neared the home of Merlin the Wizard, where Cid and the rest of the Committee could usually be found for most of the day, Even felt compelled to break the not-so-companionable silence between him and the young warrior. "Mr. Leonheart…or, since you changed your given name to Leon, is it now just Mr. Heart?" Even asked, realizing how awkward he sounded even before Leon gave him a funny look, "Uh, never mind, not important. I just wanted to say…thank you. For all that you've done for the citizens of Radiant Garden while we…well, while we were…out of sorts?" Even felt his face heating up and knew that he was blushing from shame, and quickly went on, "When we bring His Lordship home, I'm sure he'll reward you and your friends greatly for your services to our world."
"We didn't do anything for reward or praise," said Leon, "We did what we did because it just needed doing, that's all."
"Yes, well, of course! I just meant that…that I'm–we're grateful. Very much so, yes. After what we…what happened to us…and what we did…I'm just glad someone stepped up to make sure that the people were able to weather the storm. Most of all, I'm just glad that Radiant Garden is looking like itself again." Even's voice cracked near the end of his rambling, and he felt hot moisture stinging the corners of his eyes, and quickly wiped them with his sleeve.
Leon's hand was on the handle of the door, but he suddenly seemed to be hesitant to open it. "Just out of curiosity…what was it like, not having a heart?" he asked. When Even didn't reply right away (because he was thinking of how to but the experience into words) Leon looked him in the eyes and added, "Sora explained that Nobodies have no hearts, and therefore no feelings…but our desires come from our emotions, so if the Organization had no hearts, how was it that you could want them back?"
"Well, to be perfectly honest, it felt like nothing. Nothing whatsoever. There's really no other way to explain it. But Nature abhors a vacuum, so it was only natural that we would seek to fill the vacuums inside of us. Life is so terribly dull and uninteresting without your emotions. I myself missed the elation I felt whenever I made a breakthrough in the lab. The work I did for the Organization brought me no joy. I was only able to continue on as I did because I knew–or rather I believed–that the only way I would ever feel that elation again was if the Organization succeeded."
"Hmm," said Leon ambiguously as he opened the door. Even followed him inside.
"Well, 'bout time ya got back, Leon," said Cid as he got out of his seat and turned to face them. He noticed Even, and his eyebrows lifted. He took the toothpick out of his mouth and smiled, "Well, well, well, if it aint the Professor himself. What brings you into town?"
"My fellows and I are going to depart soon on a…quest…and we shall require an interspace-traversing vessel of the…gelatinous confectionary variety.
Cid laughed, "You mean a Gummi–"
"I categorically refuse to call it that," Even cut in, "I remember when I was seven years old and gummi worms were my favorite treat. I'm just not comfortable with the thought that the vehicle transporting me between worlds is made of the same substance I used to ingest on an almost daily basis."
"Huh. Ya know it aint really–"
"Yes, I'm aware that the material actually has nothing whatsoever to do with gummi candies. Still, it's a matter of conceptual associations. In any case, do you think you can help us, Mr. Highwind?" Even asked.
"Well, seeing as I'm the only certified Gummi engineer in town, I don't see how I can rightly turn ya down, Professor." Cid pulled a memo pad and a stubby pencil out of his back pocket. "So, what all ya gonna need?"
Even blinked in surprise; he had been expecting some level of resistance, or at least having to bargain for the ship. Based on Dilan's near-constant grumbling and Aeleus's mild despondence, Even had been under the impression that the townsfolk didn't think very highly of them. As if reading his thoughts, Leon spoke up, "It's true that the townsfolk are a little wary about you guys–we spent most of the last ten years thinking you'd all died, then there was that Heartless calling itself Ansem and then we picked up rumors of your involvement with Organization XIII, who gave us more than a little trouble last year, and then you four just pop in out of nowhere. But the last time Sora stopped through here, on his way home, he explained as best he could what you guys had been through. The townsfolk still aren't sure quite what to think, but Sora's word carries a lot of weight with this Committee. He asked us to do anything we could to help you guys."
"I see," said Even. He felt a sudden gush of gratitude towards the Keybearer, and he felt a renewed sense of shame for all the trouble Vexen had given the boy. Particularly the whole 'Riku Replica' business. He had known full well how much it would hurt Sora to make him fight what appeared to be his best friend, but as Vexen he simply hadn't–couldn't have–cared. Even made a mental note to fall down on his hands and knees and beg for Sora's forgiveness the first chance he got. On second thought, maybe he'd offer him a more practical and dignified token of apology, like a kick-ass science-y doo-dad to help him on his adventures. He recalled that armor that Xemnas used to have conversations with, as well as some books he had found in Castle Oblivion on the subject of 'Keyblade Armor'. He wasn't much of a blacksmith, but a suit of magically-reinforced lightweight high-durability collapsible armor shouldn't be too difficult for a genius of his caliber. Assuming he hadn't already gotten a suit of his own from Master Yen Sid.
"Uh, Professor?" Cid asked.
"Hmm? Oh, yes! The ship's specifications," said Even, abruptly remembering what he was doing here in the first place. He filed away his thoughts for further reflection at a later time, and quickly went over the list in his head that he had put together on the way into town. "Well, it needs to have room for at least five people, but it should also be able to accommodate as many as ten. We'll be using a shift system, so the sleeping quarters need only accommodate three at a time. Decent weaponry goes without saying, but I'd rather the ship be geared more towards speed and durability over offensive power. Speaking of power, Ienzo and I would like to set up a laboratory on board, so space to accommodate that, plus the highest yield power source you can spare. We'd like Warp capabilities, of course, and the most up-to-date navigational charts you have should also go without saying. What else…ah, is there anything you can provide in terms of escape pods?"
"I've actually been working on an emergency escape system that I'd like to test in the field," said Cid, "A Teeny Ship big enough to seat three people–four or five if some of you are a little on the small side and you don't mind being really cramped for a little bit–that scans for the nearest world and warps there. A Teeny can't support both an independent power source and a Warp system, so it's powered by a battery that's charged up by the main ship's reactor."
"Excellent. Give us two…wait, has it been successfully tested off the field, at least?" asked Even.
"Course it has! I wouldn't a suggested it otherwise," said Cid with a grin.
"Good. Two of those, please. That's about all that I can think of, but is there anything else you would suggest, as an expert?"
"Depends on what yer doin' an' how long ya reckon it'll take," said Cid as he sat back down at his computer and opened up the Gummi Editor application.
"We're going to search the worlds for five missing individuals, and we're not sure how long it will take, but hopefully no more than a month or two at the most extreme."
"Lookin' for missin' folk, eh? Lord Ansem one of 'em?" asked Cid.
"Indeed," confirmed Even. "As his apprentices, we feel responsible for bringing him safely home."
"Well, best o' luck there…but didn't Sora say that he disappeared when a machine of his exploded?"
"His Lordship survived being banished to the Realm of Nothingness and found a way back on his own. We're confident that he's out there somewhere. That he hasn't returned yet means he's either in some kind of trouble or has something more important to do. In either case, we ought to be by his side, assisting him."
"Well then, let's see what we can come up with," Cid muttered to himself, sticking his toothpick back in his mouth and donning his metaphorical thinking cap.
Some time later:
Aeleus had forgone shopping for armor and accessories. He and Dilan would no doubt do most of the fighting, and their uniforms were woven with a decent level of defensive enchantments, and in any event they didn't have a whole lot of Munny to spare. There was no need to buy weapons, either. So instead, he just went straight for the Ducklings' Shop. There, one could find most anything one might need, from groceries to toiletries to camping supplies to miscellaneous recreational equipment and other sundries. It was also the only place in town where one could buy such adventuring essentials as Potions, Ethers, Elixirs, and all variations thereof. Since it was most often Aeleus who went into town for provisions, he had gotten well acquainted with the Ducklings.
"Hey there, Al!" squawked Huey as he entered the store. For some reason, they had difficulty pronouncing his name.
"How's it hangin'?" asked Dewy.
"Back already? You were just in here the other day," remarked Louie.
"My fellows and I are embarking on a mission, so we will need provisions," Aeleus explained succinctly as he handed them his list.
"Right," said Huey, ripping the list in half the short way and handing one half to Dewy. "We'll get-cha what-cha need, Al, no worries. Louie, get him the you-know-what."
"Roger!" replied the green-wearing duckling as he dove under the counter, while his red-and-blue-wearing brothers set off into the back of the store. A moment later, Louie tossed a large box onto the counter, and then hopped up after it. "This is for you and your pals, Al. It comes free of charge, courtesy of Ms. Gains…uh, Gainsburlo…no, Gainsbro…uh, Miss Aeris! Aerith, I mean."
"A gift?" asked Aeleus uncertainly.
"Yeah. A few weeks ago, she brought this package in and said that someday, one o' you fellas would come in to get a whole bunch-a stuff for a journey, an' she told us when that happened to give you this," Louie explained.
"I see. When you see Ms. Gainsborough, tell her that we are most grateful for her generosity, and that we will be happy to return the favor whenever we can," said Aeleus.
Not long after this exchange, Huey and Dewy returned to the counter pushing a dolly with a large sack on it. Louie rang up the cost, and Aeleus was just about to hand over the lion's share of he and his fellows' savings when someone spoke up, "Not so fast, laddie!" Aeleus turned around to see Scrooge McDuck clacking his way towards them, cane in one hand and a bar of sea-salt ice cream in the other. "Boys, put the big man's purchase on my tab, if you'd be so kind," he commanded.
"Sir," Aeleus protested, "I couldn't possibly let you–"
"Pish-tosh! I dinna ask yer permission, now did I? The lads may run that store but it sits on my property an' I'm their great-uncle so they'll be doin' what I tell them to."
"But…why?" Aeleus asked, puzzled.
Scrooge just grinned. "I reckon you lads are finally off ta bring the real Ansem home, aint-cha? I've already put a lot of munny inta puttin' this world back to proper order. Just consider this another investment ta that end, laddie…an' you an' your mates be sure I get a proper return on that investment, ye ken?" Scrooge asked with mock-severity.
Aeleus smiled and bowed. "We will not fail you, sir." The Duck Brothers wheeled Aeleus's purchase out of the store, and Aeleus effortlessly heft the large sack and slung it over his shoulder. "And we will not soon forget what you've done for us, either."
"Ha-ha, I'm sure ya won't. Good luck on yer quest, laddie!" Scrooge shouted after him as he made his way back to the castle in high spirits.
On his way back through the boroughs, Aeleus met Even coming out of Merlin's house. "How did acquiring the Gum–"
"Interspace Transport. I'm not calling it that," said Even quickly, "And it went splendidly. Of course, the design we eventually came up with would have taken several days to build, but I convinced Mr. Highwind of the urgency of our mission so he let me ask Merlin if he would lend some magical aid to the project. Despite being fellow members of the Committee, I get the distinct impression that those two don't like to work together. In any event, it should be ready by tomorrow afternoon. A bit later than we were hoping for, but we'll be getting off to a good start at least. Also, it turns out the Committee's view of us isn't as dim as we feared. Perhaps we've been misinterpreting Leon's reason for accompanying Ms. Lockhart to the castle?"
"Well, computers are delicate instruments, and Ms. Lockhart…isn't what I would call a delicate woman," said Aeleus thoughtfully.
"We're really no good at understanding other people's hearts, aren't we?"
"Hmm."
Back at the castle:
"Hmm…curious," muttered Ienzo as he stared at the computer's three-dimensional map of the Known Worlds.
"What is?" asked Tron, his voice issuing from the computer's speakers.
"Well, I…Zexion, that is, was the Organization's records keeper, and among other things he catalogued the worlds where Numbers Nine through Twelve were found and recruited. Those are the worlds where we will most likely find their recompleted beings. Unfortunately, I don't have access to those records, and I don't remember them off the top of my head, but I do have a fairly good memory. I should be able to recognize them if I see them. And while I've identified the worlds where we found Marluxia and Larxene with reasonable confidence, I'm still not sure about Demyx or Luxord. And none of this helps with identifying Lord Ansem's whereabouts, but that's neither here nor there."
"Processing," said Tron, which was his way of saying "Hmm." "These lost comrades of yours; they had to lose their hearts in order to become Nobodies, and the most common way to lose one's heart is to have it taken by the Heartless, correct?"
"That's true. Why, what are you thinking, Tron?" asked Ienzo.
"Well, it seems that the most likely place to find their Others, based on the information you've given me on the subject, would be the worlds that suffered the most from Heartless attacks. If you'd like, I could use an algorithm to compile a list of the known worlds organized in order from most to least severely overrun by the Heartless."
Ienzo grinned. "Thank you, Tron, that would be very helpful to us. But there's still the problem of how to find Lord Ansem…any advice there?"
"Processing…sorry, Ienzo, but I lack sufficient data to make an educated guess about User Ansem's whereabouts."
Ienzo sighed, but he wasn't too surprised. "I figured. It's not like there's any precedent for having a heart encoding machine explode in your face. Say, what's the status on Project Drum?"
"Calculating…processing…I've had a minimum of 17% CPU capacity dedicated to Project Drum since we started it. Unfortunately, it will not be complete for at least four more days, possibly more."
"I see. Say, Tron, how would you like to get out of here for a while?" asked Ienzo, "I was thinking maybe you could make a copy of yourself that we could bring along with us. A program of your caliber would be a tremendous asset to us on our…quest."
"Processing…it would be nice to help bring the real Ansem home again. And I'm more than a little curious to meet the Others of these Organization members you've told me about. If I start now and pause all nonessential processes and applications, I should be able to compile a copy of myself within twelve hours. It would be faster if I didn't have the singing and dancing subroutines Sora patched me with…not that I'm complaining, mind you."
"Some music would be nice; it looks like we might wind up spending a good deal of time in Interspace."
"Very well. I would be honored to join you Users on your quest. I'll begin copying right away," said Tron.
"Very good. Let's see…Aeleus is helping Even pack up the equipment, and Dilan is writing up a daily schedule to keep us organized, so I guess I better go get started on dinner," Ienzo said to himself as he stood up. "Huh. Is it wrong that I miss having the Dusks around?"
Before turning in to bed that night, Dilan wrote an entry in his journal.
Tomorrow, we leave on a quest to find the recompleted Others of Demyx, Luxord, Marluxia, and Larxene, and if we are lucky we may even find our missing Lord Ansem. We will begin by visiting the Mysterious Tower of Master Yen Sid to ask our former comrade and newly-minted Keyblade wielder, Lea, if he will lend us his strength. I will admit, I am not completely certain we are ready for what may turn out to be a dangerous task, but we cannot falter. Organization XIII caused a lot of misery throughout the worlds, and for the part we unwittingly played in its founding we have much to answer for.
I have not mentioned this to the others, for I do not wish to dishearten them, but it has crossed my mind that just as Xehanort 'retained' Xigbar and Saïx, he himself may choose to seek out these missing Others for his grim purposes. If this is true, or if he happens to take an interest in them for any other reason, then we may well cross paths with him or his agents. I fear that such an encounter would most certainly not go in our favor, but…privately, I must admit that part of me is excited at the prospect. I owe Xehanort a great deal of suffering for what he did to me, and what he had me Xaldin do in his name. And if I should run into Xigbar…I fully intend to make his right eye match his left.
As for the others; well, I have long wondered if I could have taken Xemnas in a fight, and I am equally curious about what Xehanort's Heartless is capable of. I also owe that one a severe punishment for his inexcusable crime of leading the Heartless in terrorizing the worlds using our Lord and Master's good name. As for the 'Young Xehanort' Lea told us about, if we should run into him I doubt there's much we can do to hurt him given that he's a time traveler from the past, and destroying or seriously maiming him would cause a temporal paradox. Lea said he said something about going back to the time he came from, so it is unlikely we will see him in any case.
But I digress. Our immediate priority is not inflicting revenge or delivering justice, but recovering those Others who have been lost. We must set out not with the attitude of conquerors, but healers. On that note, I should get some rest. Tomorrow should be…an eventful day. Good night, Radiant Garden; I have a feeling I will not return for some time.
A/N: And so, on the morrow, our heroes stand poised to embark on their epic and daring quest, their hearts full of courage in the face of uncertainty. Shall Victory favor them with her grace and see them return home in triumph to face laurels and accolades, having earned their happy ending? Or will they run afoul of the forces of Evil and meet an ignominious fate even worse that Nobody-fication itself? Only time will tell, and I kind of wish I had a ghost-writer with the caliber of Tolkien to do the story justice, but y'all just gonna have to settle for little old me instead. Strap in chums, and join me on a Magic Carpet Ride.
Hit it, Steppenwolf!
Also, shout-out to Gexegee of Organization VI, author of Those Lacking Spines (one of my top three all-time favorite Kingdom Hearts fanfictions). Her depictions of Xaldin, Vexen, and Lexaeus have profoundly impacted my own perspective on them and, by extension, their Somebodies. Mostly by helping me see Xaldin/Dilan as more than just That One Boss (and also pointing out that those are braids, not dreads) and helping me get past the Dr. Hojo flashbacks Vexen gave me. Even's little spiel about Gummi ships, and particularly him calling them 'interspace-traversing vessels of the gelatinous confectionary variety' is a direct homage to her. Thanks for being awesome, Gexegee; I might never have wanted to write a fic with Dilan and Even as main characters if it weren't for you. PS, if you're reading this, PLEASE tell me what you think so far, it would mean a million worlds to me.
Wolfman Ow-out!