Chapter 41
They can take your world. They can take your heart. Cut you loose from all you know. But if it's your fate, then every step forward, is one step closer to home.
(Author's note: The following chapter contains a few triggering moments and slightly mature themes and content. Reading discretion is advised.)
Sora looked at his new Keyblade carefully. It was long, elegant and shiny. But he knew it was going to be dangerous to keep around. It may attract Heartless. He had one thing to do. He had to hide it. He had to hide the Keyblade. He closed his eyes and the Keyblade vanished from his hands.
He decided to go for a walk. He was tired and very overwhelmed. In the beginning, he had doubts. And he had questions. As time went on, those questions were answered, but still, nothing made sense.
Sora finally knew what his dreams were about. They were dreams of a life he never had. A life that was so far away. Donald and Goofy were different too. And everyone in this world were figments of imagination.
The confusion. The stupid confusing story! Yes. Sora felt that this universe he was in was just as confusing, no, more confusing than the last.
But despite all that, Sora had only one goal in mind. To destroy the source of the Heartless. And sadly, it was a place he had to go alone. Donald and Goofy wouldn't be there. Sure, they had stories in this universe. Goofy and Donald's origins were already told in dreams. But was it all worth it? Was this really worth knowing too much about one thing? No. More things. Ugh! Nothing made sense! Nothing!
Sora took a deep breath, and laid his back against a tree. He closed his eyes and he was hoping not to get another dream. His head was hurting. Much more than ever this time. Was it the confusion? Was it other things? Sora bit his lip and started to bang his head on the tree.
"Sora?"
He stopped, looked up and saw Kairi. She was wearing a glorious long white dress with silver floral patterns and her hair was longer and very radiant. Indeed, in this universe, she was like a goddess.
"So it's true. You're ancient. Or so they say." said Sora.
"In this universe, Sephiroth and I have so much in common." said Kairi.
Sora shook his head. "Listen. I don't care anymore. I don't care about stories or relationships. Heck, I don't even care about anyone's history in this world. I felt ready a moment ago, but all of a sudden, everything inside me has drained. Kairi, I'm sorry. But you need to go on in this universe without me. I have another mission. I need to stop the Heartless. And after I do that, I don't even know what will happen. Will this universe be saved? Will this story come to an end? I don't know."
Kairi placed a warm hand on Sora's shoulder. Her touch was very soothing.
"I know. You have something to do, as well as me. Maybe, you didn't mean to live in this universe either. So, if you were to stop the Heartless, you will find that this universe will cease to exist." said Kairi.
"You mean… the world will end?" asked Sora.
"Yes. In this universe, the Ancients have been predicting the end of the world. The Heartless are not the destroyers. You are. If you destroy the darkness, the world will stop and the imagination will go back into the nothing." said Kairi.
"I believe this answers why you can't feel love. Or so I've heard." said Sora.
"I cannot feel love. I wish I could. But I can't. Attachment to this world can lead to my true death." said Kairi.
Sora folded his arms across his chest. "No one is going to die. And I think I know how." said Sora.
He summoned his Keyblade, and then he struck his own heart.
"Sora!?" cried Kairi.
"It's the only way Kairi. I think this was my calling. My heart vanishes from this world. If I do that, the world won't die!" said Sora.
"You can't do that!" cried Kairi.
Sora smiled. "Kairi, in one life, you and I are friends. And we fall in love. I'm sorry we couldn't do that here." he said.
Kairi was about to say something when Sora got his face to her lips. He kissed her softly and Sora smiled. "May your heart be your guiding key."
And then, Sora vanished. His heart, which was a very small broken fragment, flew up into the heavens. Kairi watched as the heart flew away and she put her hands to her chest.
"I will defeat Sephiroth. And I will save the world." she said softly.
Of course, that is a story for another time.
….
Dear Reader, thank you for coming this far into the story. By now, you are heavily invested in the story and you probably liked how things were going. A most noble endeavor for a reader.
Would it please you to know that everything you read was not in vain? For starters, Kairi defeated Sephiroth with the help of all the cartoon characters and that universe was saved. Donald and Goofy were told that Sora sacrificed his heart to save the world and they created a wonderful statue in his honor in Oblivion High. Roxas and Ventus made up with Vanitas and the brothers vowed to never again fight. Eventually, Vanitas married Xion and Ventus was his best man alongside Roxas. Mickey and Bugs destroy Oblivion High and they create a new school, one that welcomes everybody.
All traces of the Heartless, Sephiroth and Xehanort have been destroyed.
Dear Reader, at the risk of triggering you, I understand you are probably angry the story ended like this, over 40 chapters. Rest assured. This story is not over. I repeat, the story is not over!
For you see, Sora's fragmented heart soared through time and space. It was soaring into different world, while looking for his true body.
Eventually, the heart found a home. A temporary home. Sora himself materialized and he woke up in a bed.
He got up and looked at his surroundings. He was now in a small room full of Disney movie posters and Disney memorabilia.
"Where am I?" thought Sora.
He stepped outside and then….
"Sora!" cried Donald and Goofy.
They quickly ran over to hug him.
"Donald? Goofy? Where am I?" asked Sora surprised. He looked around and he noticed he was… back home.
He saw his statue. The one Donald and Goofy curated. Kairi, or rather Ancient Kairi, was standing close to it, holding a bouquet of flowers. Vanitas, Ventus, Roxas and Xion appeared.
"Sora! My baby brother!" cried Vanitas. He ran over to hug Sora.
"I'm back? But how?!" cried Sora.
"It's been a year since you sacrificed your heart to save our world. You see, by sacrificing yourself, the Keyblade vanished. And the Heartless vanished along with it. You saved the world!" cried Kairi.
"You should have been there! The fight against Sephiroth was epic! Goofy shot his guns at Sephiroth, I got to use my lightsabers against General Grievous, (long story) and…" Donald was saying things that were out of order.
"What's important is that your back home." said Roxas.
"Yeah. Back to us." said Ventus.
"What a letdown. I can't believe I missed so much." said Sora.
"It doesn't matter. You're home." said Roxas as he began to cry. All of Sora's brothers then hugged him. And Sora began to cry as well.
Donald and Goofy smiled and cheered while Kairi walked towards the boys.
She then gave Sora a flower. "Thank you." she whispered.
Sora looked up at the sky. "You know, I don't think I'll mind living here in this universe." he said.
"What the what?" asked Roxas.
"Nevermind." said Sora with a wink.
The End
?
It was raining in Oregon. Raining down very hard. And the Heartless found its way there. They felt nothing in that world. The hearts there were all filled with darkness. Such was humanity. However, they felt that indeed there was a heart of light in that world. Only one. And it was dangerous. They had to destroy it. And the wicked man, a hooded figure, appeared and raised his arms up into the sky. He then formed a heart with his fingers.
(Coming soon: The Guiding Key, A Kingdom Hearts Story)