Chapter 50: Promises
Noel, Ken, Banjo and Kazooie, Grace, Espio, Cream and Cheese, Knuckles, Carmelita, Alibaba, Morgiana, Aang, Katara, Zuko, Pax, Fulgur, Oswald, and Ness leave Jump City and return to the space area and then Noel notices something.
"Didn't you say there was a dark barrier around Bygone Fortress?" Noel asked.
"Yeah. There was, why?" Ken asked.
"Because I don't see one around it." Noel said.
The group see that Bygone Fortress no longer has the dark barrier surrounding it.
"It's gone. That means…" Pax stops talking.
"All of those strong Black Xetis that we fought and destroyed were actually the source of that dark barrier! We get to go back to Bygone Fortress!" Knuckles said.
"Finally! C'mon. We have a Keyhole to seal." Kazooie said.
"Okay. I'm ready." Noel said as she points Radiant Salvation at Bygone Fortress but then she starts to feel something.
"What's wrong?" Fulgur asked.
"I'm not sure, but my heart feels like I need to go back to Wisdom City." Noel said.
"What for?" Katara asked.
"I don't know…" Noel answered.
"Do you want to go back to Wisdom City?" Carmelita asked.
"If there's something my heart needs, then I should go back." Noel said.
"Okay then. We won't interfere. We'll let you follow your heart's command." Pax said.
"But what about Bygone Fortress?" Noel asked.
"That's important, but what your heart wants is also important." Alibaba said.
"I promise our next visit to Wisdom City won't be long." Noel said.
"Don't worry. Just let a rip for Wisdom City." Ken said.
Noel points Radiant Salvation at Wisdom City and creates a light portal and the group enter the light portal and enter Wisdom City.
The light portal appears in Wisdom City and Noel, Ken, Banjo and Kazooie, Grace, Espio, Cream and Cheese, Knuckles, Carmelita, Alibaba, Morgiana, Aang, Katara, Zuko, Pax, Fulgur, Oswald, and Ness fly out of the light portal before it disappears.
"So, Noel, what does your heart wanna do here?" Ken asked.
"I don't know. I should find May and ask her why my heart brought me back to this world." Noel said.
"Sounds fair. Let's go see her." Alibaba said.
"I promise this won't take too long." Noel said.
"Don't worry about how long, Noel. Just take your time." Banjo said.
"But there's no telling when that dark barrier will come back to surround Bygone Fortress." Carmelita said.
"Which is why I said I won't try to take too long here." Noel said.
"Let's go find May. She might know what your heart wants here." Pax said and Noel nods.
The group make their way through Wisdom City to find May and later on they come to the house and enter it and they find May with Noah and Rex.
"Miss Noel! You're back!" Noah said and Rex barks happily.
"Hello, Noah, Rex. Hi, May." Noel said.
"I see you're already feeling better after you just left. So, what do you need?" May asked.
"Well, my friends and Pax just defeated the stronger Black Xetis in different worlds we went to, and when we left, we saw that dark barrier they said about around Bygone Fortress is gone, but before I could go back, something in my heart wanted me to come back here for some reason." Noel explained. "Do you know what that could mean?" Noel asked.
"Well, maybe your heart wants you to talk to someone who is close to you and cares about you. It could be that your heart wants to see Luke." May assumed.
"Are you sure?" Noel asked.
"That's a possibility. Sometimes, our hearts feel that we should do what's as important as saving everything. You're close to Luke and you both love each other. Your heart wants you to talk to Luke and say bye to him before you could go back to Bygone Fortress and face what's out there." May said.
"Well, if that's the case, then I'll go find Luke and tell him I'll be going. Do you know where he is?" Noel asked.
"He's in this world along with Ruby. They might be somewhere around the city. My guess is that they might be at a secret underground way somewhere in a district of the city. Find that district, and you should find that secret underground way and you'll might Luke there." May explained.
"Why would Luke be there?" Noel asked.
"I don't know, but it's worth exploring. Some say that those who enter the underground way, they think of their loved ones and wish to see them again before they depart of each other." May explained.
"Maybe that's something your heart could be reacting to. Luke could be in that underground place and is thinking of you, and wants to see you before we set out to deal with the darkness." Pax suggested.
"Okay. We'll try there. Thank you, May." Noel said.
"Come back anytime, Noel." May said.
The group leave the house and search Wisdom City for a district that leads to the secret underground way and later on Noel arrives at the park area and they begin exploring through it and then they find a pathway they haven't seen before and so they follow that pathway and they're led to a district they haven't seen before and they assume it's the new district and so they begin exploring the district and Noel finds what looks like a door blocking the way and the door has an ice symbol and so Noel casts Blizzard on the door making it open and the group go to the next place.
The group are now in what looks like a tunnel area and they go through the tunnel until they reach the end of the tunnel where they see an edge at the end and so they have to jump off and they land in some water and they swim through the water until they reach some land and get on it and while exploring the new place Noel finds two people standing near another portion of water and Noel recognizes the two.
"Luke. Ruby." Noel said as she walks up to the two.
"Noel! You're up! Finally! You feel any better? Are you still in pain?" Luke asked.
"No. I'm feeling better. It's like a miracle happened to me." Noel said.
"A miracle is the best word for this. I'm glad you're okay." Ruby said.
"Y-Yeah." Noel said.
"How'd you find us here?" Luke asked.
"May made a suggestion that you two could be here, and were thinking of me and you wanted to see me again before I need to go back to Bygone Fortress." Noel answered.
"Does that mean that dark barrier is gone?" Ruby said.
"Yes. It's gone and those strong Black Xetis are defeated." Pax answered.
"I did want to see you again, Noel. To be honest, May told us that you were finally up, but you left right after you recovered, and you didn't tell us you were up, and you had to leave, and that made me worry." Luke said.
"I'm sorry…" Noel said hanging her head down but Luke hugs her.
"I understand why, though. You wanted to help your friends out. I understand how important they are to you." Luke said.
"They're important to me, just like you and Ruby are important." Noel said.
"We should go back now. You saw Noel again and she's safe." Ruby said.
"Yeah, yeah. I know." Luke said.
"Was there another reason as to why you were here?" Noel asked.
"Hmm…actually, now that you mention it, when Ruby and I found this place, it was kinda dark, but at the end of the dark, there was a light that guided us the way, and that's how we ended up here." Luke explained.
"I see." Noel said and then turns to the others. "Um, can you please leave us for a minute?" Noel asked.
"Of course." Aang said.
"We'll wait for you." Pax said and the group leave.
"When you said this place was dark, and at the end of it, you saw a light, did you mean it was just like from Grandmother's story?" Noel asked.
"Yeah. I remember her telling us that tale." Luke said.
"You know, there's something I can't get out of my mind. Back at Bygone Fortress at that chapel, when Rixla explained about this Count Faust, him being my father, and her and Millia being my sisters, I wasn't sure what to believe, and not sure who I really am. Then, I realize something; my real family is with me the whole time. You, Ruby, and my friends. You're all who I care and you all care about me." Noel said.
"Of course we do, Sis. It's not like I'd use you as a tool. That, and I'd never tried to kill you when I get what I want." Luke said.
"Now that I'm better and am able to go back to Bygone Fortress, it's time for me to seal that Keyhole before more darkness flows from it." Noel said.
"I'm hoping things will be the same between us again. Our home has already…" Luke stops talking.
"Yes. Shine City may be gone, but we're still here, still together, and nothing will drive us apart." Noel said. "I think I realize something else when you and my friends were at my side, no matter what; our hearts are connected. The darkness may try to swallow us, but our love for each other can break even the darkness itself. No matter how deep the darkness may be, a light will always shine within. It's more than what Grandmother said." Noel said.
"You're right. Let's go, Sis." Luke said.
"I'm sorry, Luke. You can't go." Noel said.
"Huh? Why not?" Luke asked.
"Because it's more dangerous than how it already was." Noel answered.
"C'mon, Noel. You've gone through so much to find me and now look. We're back together and reunited. I have to at least be of some help." Luke said.
"Luke, no matter how far apart we are, we won't be alone anymore. Our hearts will always be together and they allow us to think of each other." Noel said.
"So, what? I still can't help you?" Luke asked.
"To be honest, you'd kind of be in my way most of the time, and you'd be more overprotective." Noel answered.
"Ya got me. Okay. I understand. You win. You've shown me that you can handle yourself. You've grown into a really strong person, Sis. What's more is that you still haven't changed. You're still a kind and gentle person, who likes to help others, but the only thing different is that you're not timid anymore. You've gotten brave." Luke said as he takes something out and it's a silver scarf. "Here, I've been holding onto this. This was a gift from Grandma before she left us. I called it my lucky scarf. It's yours. Take it and you'll be even more than just okay." Luke said giving Noel the silver scarf.
"Thank you, Luke. Don't worry about me. When this is over, I'll see you and Ruby again." Noel said.
"Promise?" Luke asked.
"Yes. I promise." Noel answered as she hugs Luke who hugs back.
"Don't ever forget, Sis. No matter where you go, no matter how far you are, no matter what you've become, I'll always be with you, always love you, and always support you." Luke said.
"Thanks, Luke." Noel said.
Noel and Luke leave the underground way and return to the outside in Wisdom City and they find the others.
"I'm sorry if I took too long." Noel said.
"No prob. We know how important it is when loved ones see each other." Ken said.
"I take it you're ready to go?" Pax asked.
"Yes. It's time to go back to Bygone Fortress and settle this." Noel said.
"Awesome! Let's go and kick some Black Xeti and Heartless ass!" Ken yelled.
"Kazooie and I will help you get through." Banjo said.
"Darn right!" Kazooie said.
"Eevee!" Grace said as he nudges at Noel's leg.
"I stand ready to face any opponent that crosses our path." Espio said.
"Cheese and I won't run away!" Cream said.
"Chao!" Cheese said.
"I'm ready to pound anyone who gets in our way!" Knuckles said.
"It's time to complete this mission and settle things." Carmelita said.
"I'll protect you! No matter what cost!" Alibaba said.
"I stand ready with Alibaba! I, too will protect you." Morgiana said.
"Let's hurry and put a stop to the darkness together." Aang said.
"I won't hold back on anything." Katara said.
"You helped me, and now I'll return the favor!" Zuko said.
"Thank you all." Noel said as she turns to Ness. "Ness?" Noel asked and Ness nods. "What about you?" Noel asked Pax.
"I still have to find Nex and see if Ky's okay, but I'll help you one last time." Pax said.
"If Pax is going, then I'll help as well. You do have potential for a Keyblade wielder." Fulgur said.
"I'll go too. We have a world to save." Oswald said.
"Okay then." Noel said as she turns to Luke and Ruby. "I promise this will all be over." Noel said.
"Good luck, Noel and be careful." Ruby said.
"Go get 'em, Sis!" Luke said.
Noel uses Radiant Salvation and creates a light portal and she and the others enter the light portal and leave Wisdom City.
"Noel, be careful out there. Show them that you can do anything." Luke said to himself.
And that's the end of this chapter! I know it's short, but you have to admit, it's really neat and emotional. I hope you like Noel and Luke talking together. Now that we got done with the stronger Black Xetis fights, it's time to MOVE ONE! That's right! Noel's back and we're nearing the end, folks! I hope you're looking forward to this! Next time, Noel, Ken, Banjo and Kazooie, Grace, Espio, Cream and Cheese, Knuckles, Carmelita, Alibaba, Morgiana, Aang, Katara, Zuko, Pax, Fulgur, Oswald, and Ness go back to Bygone Fortress and Noel fights her way through to reach the final Keyhole and seal it! I'll see you all in the next chapter! Take care and don't forget to review! Bye!