The Will to Strive

Sean walked through the last barricade, visiting the memories of a how a boy, whose parents got divorce and had to live in underprivileged lifestyle while his young brother lived in luxury. It was unfair to see that boy work hard, day by day, up till his adult age to reclaim the life he had once while his brother just had it. He looked up at the dead end wall. Hung there was two pictures. Silhouettes, to be more precise, of a crystal like human-being and one of a short person with a round head with a pair of scissors ontop.

"Obihiro," said Serenade through telepathic thought, "I think I know why these memories are here-"

"WHAT'S THE POINT!?!" shouted Sean angerly.

"Obihiro… I understand that the world does has some dark movements but-"
"It will always be there, not matter what you. All the pain you suffer will never go away."

"Sean, don't dwell on those thoughts."

"And then what? Forget that people lives are ruined everyday and that all of efforts were for nothing. Didn't see all what happened to those people. Forest land that a nature lover bought to persevere was bought right under him and was destroyed. And the princess of Brightland, the land who provided the materials for the world-wide net, was force to watch her country be doomed to fade into nothing because it was being considered to be obsolete for today's standards. And don't get me started on those others."

"Sean… they had lost themselves in their troubles and walk down the wrong path."

"Do you know who you're talking to? I'm just a rejected half of a kid who couldn't remember the faces of his own parents!"

"But when you set things right here, you can-"

"Take a trip into the slammer! I commented acts of terror in countries. Do you think the people are just going to be easy on me just because I'm just a kid? …No matter what I would do, it will be pointless and a waste of time."

"But… what about your vow?"

"My vow? My vow! Serenade, before today, I was just five years old… how can I understand things like this work out? I'm smarter now and I say that it is worthless. I might as well let Darkside to have control of Sean. He did rejected his light side after all… who am I to contradict my true self?"

There was a silence began to make the artic cold room more chilling to the heart.
"…Serenade?" There was no reply. "… and she too abandons me…."

He took a look at his keyblade and read the inscription, "Once you atone of what you did, I promise to be your first friend."

I don't even have any real friends! Sean though to himself, Ha, 'ATONE?' What good will it do?

The keyblade then began to vibrate violent in Sean's hand. Then it began to jerk. And finally it glowed with an eerie light and than vanished in a blink of an eye. Sean brought his hand to eye level, inspecting it to see if the weapon truly disappeared. The hand was tremble from the sudden movements of the blade. Sean gave a heavy sigh. His worst day ever just took several bad turns.

Then, without warning, a hand as cold as ice grip Sean's shoulder. The boy reacted with great speed. He sprinted a small bit ahead and turned around to the same form of the crystal human in the picture. The being was a complete shade of black, almost like it was a living shadow. Next to him the Scissor head man. Sean slowly backed away from the two and look to behind to see more of those Shadows were coming. From beneath the pictures of the NetNavis, came the shadows of them through the wall. They included a Boomerang theme Navi, a Magnet theme, a Air-condition theme, and a Knight.

Slowly, the group of Navis began to the walk up the defenseless young boy. Sean swallowed hard as he pinned himself to wall behind him. He began to sweat with fear and felt his throat tightening and drying out. He knew he was about to die. He knew that no-one will come to save him. He has committed sins that were completely, no matter how hard he could ever try in his entire life, irredeema-

"HEAVENS' LIGHT!!!!!" Two spheres of golden energy whizzed across the hallway and made connect with the big Fan and Knight shadows, then they were consumed in a strong light and then they both shattered into a million of pieces, which fall on the floor and soon faded away completely.

Having their heavy weight partners obliterated caught the group of Navis by surprise, they turn around to see who the attacker was and to Sean's surprise, it was Serenade. The angelic being then began to hover at a fast pace to Sean's rescue.

"GUARDIAN ANGEL BLADE!"

In Serenade's right hand appeared a majestic that took the appearance of a Celtic sword in gold and silver colors. The Boomerang and Magnet theme Navis went off to engage her. Though the numbers were against her, Serenade easily defeated the two with no problem. As the two leapt towards her, she simple slashed their sides as they leapt towards her. She then duck and move forward. Before the shadows can recovery from their landing, Serenade lifted her sword in the air and with on 'swish,' she cut through the two like a guillotine with the greatest of ease. The shadows shattered into numerous shards, which soon disappeared, just like the Knight. The way she fought was a grand performance of skills and movement. It was almost as if she was dancing. But to Sean, the sight of the Serenade coming to rescue him when he thought she left was twice more amazing than her fighting skills.

With Serenade at the last wall-barricade in the hallway, The Crystal and Scissor Shadows then stood their ground and gave her their full attention, forgetting about Sean completely. The three stood still in a stereotypical stare-down. The two Shadows were at the opposite sides of the room while Serenade stood in the middle of barricade.

Within one complete second: The Crystal extended his arm and fired shard at Serenade while Scissors grabbed his head piece and flung it to Serenade like a razor boomerang. To counter these attacks, Serenade just gently lift her arms over her head. This caused her two back veils to grow in size. Strangely, the enemy projectiles seem to home in on the veils and ran along the sides of them, without really touch Serenade. The projectiles then escaped the veils pulls and went straight to their launcher's partner. The Crystal's shard hit Scissors, while Scisscors' blade cut through Crystal. And just like their comrades before them, they shattered and faded away.

Sean smiled and laugh in relief of Serenade of rescue. But it soon faded the might female fighter fall to her knees and then to the floor. Sean ran up to her and turn her over on her back.

"Serenade," Sean shuttered with fear, "What's wrong?"

Serenade cough gently before answering, "I… risk to venture this dark room to save you… I draw my strength from positive emotions…. But here… here is filled with doubt, fear, and anger."

"But… why?"

"To save you… the REAL you. I realized that when you were talking before… you talk with dobut and rage… feelings that a mere Light Side would not have, but…. But feelings that a full minded human would have."

"I AM real?" Sean muttered to himself in disbelief. He turn his attention to his dying rescuer, "We have to get you out here. You won't last long here."

"No… I understand how…. How the memories of others are in your mind."

"How?"

"The one who claimed to be your Dark Side… he draws his strength from dark emo-emo-emtions…" Serenade's pristine appearance was fading. Her veils began to wither and shrivel like dying rose petals.

"Serenade, you NEED to get out of this room."

"No-No time!" she wheezed, she then weakly lifted her arm and using two of her fingers, Serenade touch Sean's forehead and the two found themselves in a silver bedroom room with tables and bedroom.

The room was big and had various items on tables and hand drawn pictures were hung on the walls. Sean found himself standing in the room while Serenade sat on the bed, with her beauty fully restored.

"Serenade," said Sean in awe, "Where are we?

"We're in your mind… at least, the par t of it that is still yours."

"Still mine? I thought you said I'm real."

"You are, but that one who side who said he's your dark side took over your most of your mind. I manage to reestablish you with the one place that he had no use of: You childhood. It's only temporary but it will suffice"

Sean strolled around the room looking at all the items with the feeling of nostalgia, "Why? Not that I'm ungrateful, this part of my day so far."

"As I said before, the Dark Being that lives in you is drawing strength from painful memories. I, however, draw my strength from respect and love of others. It was strength was design from my creator after her best friend died in plane crash."
"Hmm, I know how painful that will be."
"My creator's name was Kalinka Blaze. And her friend was… Tron Wily Obihiro…. Your mother"

"W-w-wha?"

"She wanted a force that could do good with the power of love, respect, and mercy. She gave me her memories of being a mother with love and compassion for her child as a based program and handed me to her co-worker to use guard Undernet the secrets of the Undernet when she passed away.

"Sean, in life, there are moments that can harsh, even devastating. But one thing is for sure: there will always be light. The total aftermath of disasters brings out the true goodness in humanity. And in individual cases, family and friends will support them, if they just let them.

I know what this Dark being is, he is just like me. He seems to draw strength from the misery and anger from others. He must have token roost in you and the other senior members of Gospel."
"So where did he come from anyway?"

"A few years ago, I felt a presence of dark power deep within the net. I investigated the deepest and dark part of the Undernet, and I found the source of Dark Energy: It was a Nebula.

"A nebula? Aren't they suppose to be in space?"

"Space is in indefinite to measure; a whole galaxy can exist within the space of molecules.

"At the core of this nebula, there was a dark star, small and immature. I believed that this nebula was created by negatives forces in this world. But before it could be fully examined, the Nebula vanished."

"And you think this Nebula is the Dark Being inside of me?"

"A part of it, yes. I believe someone implanted pieces of the Nebula into the higher ranking officers of Gospel and have them exploited the emotions of their hosts."

"So… all the things that Gospel done… are still my fault."

"Sean, feeling anger and sadness is normal for all humans, just as much as joy and love. All Emotions make humans human."

"So… how do I get rid of this Nebula?"

"With that, I can only advise you. You must recall the most influential memory in your life and draw strength from it to push yourself forward. Something that will give you strength through weakest times."

"Easier said than done, I can't recall anything pass my parents' dea-"

Sean stopped dead center as he took a good look at a big portrait painting of himself and his parents enjoying a good time. They were at the park and Sean was young with brown hair and a hige grinning smile. Sean stared at the portrait long and hard, as though he was in a trance…

000

Five years ago…

Young Sean woke up in the middle of the night with a start. It was quite a surprise, Sean has just had a normal dream and the temperature was decently warm, so there was no real reason to why he woke up.

Feeling fully energized, Sean pulled out his father's laptop and began to web search on the web. Even though he was five years old, Sean was a decent web surfer. His parents had to put up state-of-the-art website blocks to keep their child from the 'bad' sites.

The young boy decided to check his E-Mail and found that his parents sent him a Vid-Message. Rubbing his eyes, he open the file.

Sean's parents were seating in their plane seats, looking sad and holding each other's hand.

"My little guy," said Tron with watery eyes, "I am sure but… Mommy and Daddy won't be coming home… ever again."

This made a cold shiver up Sean's spine.

Volnutt then took his turn, "Something came up, and… we will be passing on…"

"Sean, I know it isn't fair… No child as good as you has to deserve to lose their parents like this. But the both of us love. Now and forever."
"I can understand that your life will never be the same and you might face tough times without us to help you through it, son. But don't fear, you have relatives and friends that will help you, so have no fear."

"And no matter what you do, we know that will turn out great and we'll always be proud of you."

"And Sean, if you ever make a mistake and feel… trapped; just stand up and try to carry on in the best way you can."

There was an awkward silence the video until both parents said their final words. Tron started first.

"… I love you, Sean."

"Be strong, son…"

Then the video went blank.

000

Sean wiped the tears from his eyes and took a moment to recollect himself. He looked over at Serenade and said,

"I've found it."