Hi guys. This chapter would have been posted a lot earlier today if i hadn't discovered that my Kingdom Hearts disc still worked. After getting pwned by Riku on the Destiny Islands about 30 times, i realize that i had a chapter i needed to post and reminded myself to never face Riku on hard mode again. Anyway, this chapter explains a lot of my theories about the magic and crap in Kingdom Hearts, as well as a lot of my ideas on emotions. Please Enjoy!! And if Anything does not make sense, just ask and i will be sure to clarify, if i can. Kingdom Hearts is not mine.
Chapter 8: Philosophy of the Heart
"Ok… Axel, you read through these notes on the connection between fire and the heart and spirit. Marluxia, here is some research on hearts and how ones environment affects them. Kairi, Sora, you guys get the info on hearts and memories, as well as research on hearts and different worlds and the hearts of worlds. Demyx, music and human emotion is for you, as well as the effects of the five senses on human feelings." Zexion said, having quickly scanned through the research and sorted it by topic. The people he appointed nodded at him and got to work on their assigned readings. He turned towards another cluster of people.
"Larxene, you are to research what exactly light is. The physical aspects of it, not the metaphysical or philosophical. Riku, you and Xion when she wakes up take the stuff on darkness and light and the heart. A lot of that data is linked to what Sora and Kairi are doing for some reason, so you might want to sit near each other in case something comes up. Luxord, you have changes in the heart over time, as well as addictions and emotions. Saíx, you get how the time of day affects emotions." Zexion handed them their indicated research, and they scattered around the room and began to read.
"Xigbar, how distances effect human feelings is yours. Vexen, you get items on the chemistry behind human emotions. What hormones and pheromones trigger what emotions, exactly what the heart is made out of, etc. Since Ansem actually didn't leave any research of that type, you'll have to do some research on your own. Xaldin, how the heart deals with emotional wounds is right up your alley, you sadistic bastard. Get to work. Lexaeus, you get how one persons emotions and actions can affect the emotions of another. Xemnas, these notes on the physical heart and the spiritual heart are for you. That includes the difference between them, as well as how to separate them. That includes a lot of data on Nobodies, so be prepared. It also has info on memories and light and darkness, so you guys may want to form a group." They got their indicated documents from Zexion and started to go through them. Xemnas headed over to the corner where Kairi, Sora, Riku, and Xion were sitting.
"Donald, I want you to take these notes on magic, as well as search the library for anything else on magic. Take any book you deem necessary for your research. Goofy, you'll be working with me on how the heart can be tricked by memories, deceit, illusions, etc." Donald nodded, took his assigned work, and went off to scour the library for research. Goofy stood by Zexion, waiting to begin.
"Anybody have any questions?" Zexion asked as everybody got settled in.
"Yah. How the hell did Ansem have the time to do all of this research and write it down between his mayoral duties and the fact that human beings need sleep?" Axel asked, shocked at the amount of paper that constituted the research, a total of about 20,000 pages.
"Axel, I honestly have no idea. Maybe the answer lies in the research. If you find anything of special interest, let me, Vexen, or Kairi know, or write it down on the giant chalkboard I put up. If you come across a word you do not understand, there are dictionaries available on the bottom shelf of the hallway outside this alcove. I have a pot of coffee brewing in case anybody is still hung over or needs something to get them awake. In three hours, we will take a break and give our eyes a rest. And if anyone finds any of Naminé's drawings among their data, please place them on that table right there. There is a bathroom if you take a left into the hallway and go down about three hundred feet. Remember, people, we are technically in another world right now, so don't do anything stupid. Feel free to look through the library for any additional information you might need. Now, let's get to work."
Zexion cracked his knuckles, then immediately regretted it as a sharp pain shot through his hand. He grabbed a stack of papers from the table, and he and Goofy set to work.
Xigbar's Reading
It is oft quoted that separation makes the heart grow fonder. My research has proven this to be true. However, this seemingly only works with long distances. Two people will have more of an emotional connection if they are in the same room than if they are in different rooms. However, if they are on different continents, their emotions for each other will be at or above the level of their feelings if they were standing right next to each other.
It is also interesting to note that while emotions are strong at a long distance, it seems these emotions are mostly made up of longing, sorrow, and love. At shorter distances, more positive emotions such as happiness and elation appear, as well as love. This is assuming that the subjects have romantic feelings for each other, however. If they hate each other, hate will consume their mind, no matter what the distance. If they have a great anger for each other, they will be angry. Only with romantic and platonic relationships does distance seem to change the emotions.
Subject A is quite a good example of this, having been separated from two friends with whom was shared a platonic relationship. At first, the Subject mostly experienced feelings of longing and sorrow, as well as no small amount of rage at myself. However, once reunited with Subjects B and Subjects C, Subject A exhibited feelings of joy and love.
Xibgar read, his mind instantly coming to understand what Ansem was getting at. After all, an understanding of space and distance was his forte. He was a rather good shot with a pistol, and could easily use the same mental understanding of the mechanics of ballistics and translate that concept to human emotions and distance. At short and long distances it was generally harder to hit a target that it was at a medium distance, which can be He went back to reading, intrigued at the similarities between emotions and firearms.
Marluxia's Reading
The effect of one's surroundings on their emotional state can be quite fascinating and can produce unexpected results .At first, the tests went as planned, with Subjects placed in a dungeon showing fear and despair, subjects placed in a beautiful Alpine Valley experiencing feelings of happiness and joy, etc. However, once the experiments began to incorporate colors, the results became more varied and interesting.
One notable example is when I placed a test subject in a virtual recreation of Mordor from the Lord of the Rings. This area used mostly colors of a black and red shade, with the occasional yellow being used in the flames from Mount Doom. The subject experienced a great deal of terror and fear, as well as traces of self pity and sorrow. The subject acted on instinct, not planning out its actions or using rational thought. However, once the palette was changed from red to blue, the subject immediately began to calm down and showed signs of curiosity and became more rational and thoughtful.
It seems that the color red has an aggressive and primal effect on humans, causing either great fear or great anger. Red also brings about passion and romantic feelings. Blue has a calming gentle effect, though it can also bring about a total emotional shut down, shown by an icy demeanor and an uncaring attitude. Green has connotations of life and healing, often causing one to assume a peaceful demeanor, due to it being the color of a good deal of plants. However, green can also bring out feelings of greed, envy and sickness.
Purple brings about arrogance and grace, due to it being associated with royalty. Yellow can bring about feelings of happiness and joy, yet it can also cause feelings of cowardice. Pink is often associated with love and passion. Orange is connected with joy and radiance and light. White brings about a sense of cleanliness, purity, and light, while black bruings about feelings of impurity, fear, despair, and darkness. Though they are usually considered opposites, this seems to be false. White doesn't bring about feelings of happiness and joy. In fact, white can be quite frightening, as seen in the case of the archetypical dystopian nation. The primary color in those civilizations is most often either white or black.
Natural environments usually bring about feelings of joy, while unnatural urban environments usually bring about feelings of depression. However, this can vary widely, depending on the exact subject.
Marluxia, a knowledgeable botanist and florist, agreed with Ansem's conclusions. Different colors and surroundings brought out different responses. That was why people ordered different color flowers for different occasions. Marluxia smiled to himself and continued to read, intrigued by the depth that Ansem put into the specifics of each color's impact.
Donald's Reading
Magic is the art of using the energy of one's heart to accomplish a task that could not normally be done. Examples include instant healing, the summoning of balls of fire, the freezing of time, the sudden increase or decrease of the effect of gravity in an area, among other things. Magic is most often channeled through some sort of staff or rod, though other objects such as swords, guns, another assorted weapons are known to have been used. One notable case is that of the Keyblade.
There are three major factors that determine how strong a person's magic is, or if they could even use magic. These are the Strength of the person's heart, the nature and strength of the emotions they are experiencing at that moment in time, and their personality.
The Strength of a person's heart is the main factor in equating how powerful somebody's magic will generally be, as well as the regulating characteristic on whether they can use magic at all. The more vigor ones heart contains, the stronger their magic will generally be. A person must have a strong heart to even use magic in the first place.
The emotions that that person is experiencing also play a role in how strong that specific casting of magic will be. The more deeply they feel an emotion, the more of an effect it will have. Generally, happiness vastly increases the power of a magic, anger lends the magic strength at the cost of needing more power, sorrow can either cause magic to fizzle out or become extremely powerful, shock can cause magic to become weaker, hate has the same effect as anger, and love can often times bring about castings that can be considered miraculous.
The type of personality a person has determines what type of magic that person can use. A person who is passionate, quick to anger, and extremely loyal is most often most proficient in the use of Fire magic. A laid back, relaxed, peaceful person is usually a wielder of Water based magic. Those who are serious, emotionally closed, and quiet either use spells of an Earth or Ice type. Bold, dazzling personalities with a love for speed are often adept in Lightning magic.
Donald was fascinated by the research he had been given to examine. He had always known that the heart had a great deal to do with magic, but the specifics of it had always avoided his grasp like a rather angry cat trying to avoid a bath. Now, he finally knew exactly what the connection was between the two.
Something that intrigued him was the mentioning of a weapon called a Keyblade. He hoped to find out more about it as he read on.
Demyx's Reading
One of the more interesting influences on human emotion is music. It can have much the same effect as color on feelings, with sweeping ballads often bringing tears to the eyes of listeners and heavy metal invoking those of rage. However, one very intriguing result showed up among deaf subjects.
When these deaf subjects could feel the vibrations of the sound waves, often with their hands and feet, they later described their emotions in a way that matched those of the subjects who listened to the same song. It seems as if the body learns to recognize sound vibrations and their connotations not only with the ears, but with the sense of touch. When the same experiment was tried with people who have had their ability to hear taken away from them temporarily, the same results occurred again.
Apparently, touch has as much to do with sound as hearing does. The other senses also have some interesting effects on emotions, with sight having the most profound. It is often said that the eyes are the window into the heart, as they show a person's true emotions, and allow one to see the true feelings of another. The sense of smell has an unusual connection to the memory, with the smell of a loved one oft times enough to bring back repressed memories from years ago. Taste usually does not have much of an effect on the emotional state of a person, except that people tend to be angrier when hungry and happier when full, and are usually happier eating sugar than they are vegetables.
Demyx was astounded at the data he had before him. Being a musician, he knew the effect that music could have on a crowd. He was shocked by the news that the vibrations, without being translated into data by ears, can be read and understood via the sense of touch. And this info on the other senses was just as intriguing. He read on.
Xaldin's Reading
Every human being is different. This truth holds for their hearts as well as their physical appearance. The emotions that one person would have in a situation can be profoundly different that ones that another might experience. What would totally shatter the psyche of one person might be just a scratch to another. What would bring about a sense of rage in one could cause a sense of dark humor in another. It all depends on the personality of the person involved.
An aggressive person will become very defensive when emotionally hurt. A happy go lucky sort will usually become sorrowful or become very angry. An emo person will become even more so. Careful study of a subject is needed in order to determine exactly what response would come from the wounding.
In Xaldin's mind, Ansem had basically rediscovered psychological torture. In order to break a person, you first must study them til the point that you know them better than you know yourself, to the point where you love them as much as you hate them, for only through your love can you find their weakness, and through your hate can you use it to destroy them. Xaldin kept reading, enjoying the refresher course in psychology.
Lexaeus's Reading
The effects that the actions and emotions of one person can have on those of another are quite astounding. Happiness can lead to happiness, anger to anger, love to love, sorrow to sorrow. However, happiness can also lead to jealousy, anger to sorrow, love to hate, and sorrow to happiness. It all depends on the situation at hand, as well as the specific actions committed.
A kiss is notable for having many connotations that can lead to unpredictable results. It could mean love, or it could be a sign of hate. It could cause anger and rage, sorrow and depression, happiness and joy. It all depends on who the people involved are, and what the nature of the situation is.
Lexaeus nodded in agreement. Human emotions are very complicated, as well as the actions that result from them. Since no two people think or feel exactly alike, it could never be known for sure the exact effect an action will have on another person, unless that person is extensively studied. Lexaeus shook the clouds from his head and went back to reading.
Saíx's Reading
The time of day has a major impact on the emotions that are experienced by a person. When a subject was placed in a graveyard environment at night, they became unnerved and paranoid, their instincts overriding reason and using their emotions to force the body to respond as instinct demanded. However, when placed in the same location at noon, the subject seemed to forget that it was surrounded by dead bodies covered by a scant nine feet of dirt and wood.
Generally, at night the subjects experienced more of a sense of fear than at day, except for a few that felt a strange sense of calm at night. Apparently there are a few who are not afraid of the unknown that the darkness hides, that the same things will be there whether there was darkness or light.
The most favorable hour of day to most people seems be in the morning, about half way between dawn and noon, around 9:00 or so.
Saíx was immediately captivated by the research. The time of day had always mattered to him. He especially liked twilight and midnight, when the moon was high in the sky. For some reason, daylight always messed with his mood a little bit. It was just the way he was. He went back to reading.
Luxord's Reading
Over long periods of time, some emotions that the heart feels grow stronger. This is most common with the duality, love and hate. The opposite effect happens to happiness and anger. Sorrow, it seems, can go either way. The short term emotions that need something to be based off of, happiness and anger, either run out of fuel or are replaced by another emotion over a long period of time.
Addictions are a physical, mental, and emotional dependence on a substance or action. The most common types of addictions are those to drugs, tobacco, adrenaline, sex, and gambling. Usually, the addiction takes over the person's life, causing friends and loved ones to eventually leave.
An addictee usually cannot feel happiness without their addiction of choice. Unless they break the habit, they are usually doomed to spiral into oblivion.
Luxord agreed with the passage he had just read. He continued to read, his interest piqued by how emotions can change over time.
Axel's Reading
Throughout the course of history, fire and the human heart have shared quite an interesting connection. The element of fire has nearly always represented humanity, its thirst for knowledge, its wisdom illuminating the darkness. Yet they also realized that fire burns as it illuminates, and that those with strong hearts weren't necessarily the wisest of people.
This analogy fits better than the ancients would have ever expected, as I have recently discovered that the energy of the heart in its purist form becomes so powerful that it appears to be aflame. However, if a heart grows to be too powerful, as Subject A's did, the light and dark in their heart will fall out of balance, and they will fall.
Axel was stunned. He never knew that fire was connected to humanity in that way. He also wondered who this mysterious Subject A was. He continued to read.
Zexion and Goofy's Reading
It seems as if the heart is both the hardest and easiest thing to trick in the world. You cannot trick the heart into feeling what you want it to feel, but you can get it to change the target of those emotions via the memory. The heart will know that it has a strong love or hatred for a person, but if you change the memory of who that person is, the heart can easily be fooled.
Illusions get a bit trickier. The heart can be fooled, but it is a hit and miss thing, especially when it comes to strong feelings of love and hate. Sometimes, the heart wants to be fooled, wants the illusion to be real, so to the heart it is real.
The most complicated trickery of the heart is when a friend or loved one is deceiving you. Because you trust the person, you will believe them. But, the shadow of a doubt may lie in your heart, poisoning the love and friendship till it becomes hatred and distrust and paranoia.
Zexion and Goofy were enthralled by their reading. They had always been exceptionally good at piercing deceptions, and finding out the process the heart went through to pierce a façade was very intriguing for them. They read on.
Okay, i am going to stop here for right now. This chapter was originally around 5,500 words, so i split it up into two. The other chapter should be posted with in a few hours. Maybe three or four. That chapter will have the documents that Kairi, Sora, Riku, Xion, and Xemnas got, which will reveal my theory on nobodies!!! Please review!!! I'll see you guys in a couple of hours, then.