Warning: 358/2 Days ending spoiler in this chapter. Though since just about everyone knows what happened, it probably won't spoil much.
Lost Before Birth Chapter 8: In 5, 4, 3, 2…
Seattle
Ventus exited the portal and looked around. Vanitas was gone. Ven then realized that he was in some sort of huge metal box. Did that guy trap me in here? He wondered.
To make things worse, the box seemed to be moving upwards. Ven panicked. He didn't know what to do. One of the walls looked like a sliding door, but there were no handles or keyholes. Then Ven eyed the buttons next to the door. Each one had a number on it. He pondered about pressing one when the box suddenly stopped moving. There was a loud ding! sound and the doors slid open.
Ven cautiously stepped out of the metal container and took in his surroundings. He was in a room filled with random stuff: beanbag chairs, a stoplight, a pink daschund sign, a disco ball, and even the front half of a car with flames painted onto its hood. What world is this? he thought.
Just then, the door to the room opened and three teenagers walked in, talking about why clowns should wear smaller shoes. There were two girls- one with black hair and a blonde- and a boy with brown hair. They stopped in their tracks when they saw Ventus. Everyone stared at each other.
"Carly?" said Freddie warily.
"Yeah?" answered Carly, too aware of Ven's presence.
"Do you know this guy?"
"No…" she faced Ven. "Who are you? And how did you get into my apartment?"
"My name is Ventus. Ven for short," he replied.
"Maybe we should call Spencer," Freddie whispered to them.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Sam intervened, stepping towards Ven. "A cute guy shows up in your apartment, and the first thing you're gonna do is kick him out?" she asked her friends- mostly Carly- incredulously.
"Sam, he could be a robber!" Freddie warned. "And he's not that cute," he mumbled under his breath.
Sam playfully punched Ven on the shoulder. "You're not a robber, are you?"
"Um, no. I was just looking for someone. Black spiky hair, yellow eyes, Spiderman-looking suit?" Ven asked hopefully.
"Nope." "Nuh-uh." "Haven't seen him."
"Oh…" said Ven, a little disappointed. Then again, he also had his friends and the hooded stranger to look for. Maybe I'll find them here.
"So, how you'd get in here?" Carly asked.
"I came in from that thing." Ven pointed to the elevator.
Carly thought for a moment. "Well, if Lewbert let you up here, then I guess it's okay."
"Yeah, maybe he's here to see Spencer." Sam put her arm around Ven's shoulders. He didn't mind, though her punch had hurt a little. "C'mon, let's go and ask him."
"But what about the iCarly rehearsal?" Freddie asked.
"Aw, calm your nerd nerves," Sam told him. Freddie rolled his eyes.
They walked downstairs and saw Carly's older brother, Spencer, in the kitchen making spaghetti tacos. "Hey Spence, you know this guy?" Sam asked, taking a meatball from the table and plopping it in her mouth.
Spencer glanced at Ven. "Nope. But he does look familiar…does he go to school with you guys?"
"I'm home-schooled," Ven said quickly. He gestured to the mess Spencer had created. "What are you making?"
"Spaghetti tacos. It's the most awesomest food ever! Hey Carls, can you pass me the oven timer?" he asked his sister, putting on an oven mitt.
Carly picked up the timer and passed it to Spencer. "We're heading to Groovie Smoothie when Gibby comes over. Wanna come, Ven?"
"Sure." Since Ven didn't know his way around, he figured it wouldn't hurt to stay with them until he found his friends. Besides, he'd never been on his own before. Until today, Terra and Aqua had always been by his side. And now they were gone because of him.
"Why won't this timer work?" Spencer said, irritated and messing with the dial. Flames suddenly leaped out from the timer as it went off. "Whoa!"
"I'll get the fire extinguisher," Carly said calmly, walking to the extinguisher. Sam and Freddie looked on as if this kind of thing happened on a daily basis.
As soon as the fire was put out, the door opened and a stocky boy with brown hair walked in.
"GIBEEEHHH!"
"Hey Gib," everyone except Ventus said, since he didn't know who he was.
"Hey, do you guys know about the new- Oh my god!" Gibby excitedly walked over to Ventus. "I don't believe it! You're cosplaying as Roxas! Even though you've got the outfit wrong…" he observed.
"Um, I don't know anyone named Roxas. I'm Ventus," Ven said as Gibby probed his hair. Gibby suddenly started squealing like a fangirl. "Oh my god, it really is you! I'd know that voice anywhere!"
"He sounds kinda like Jesse McCartney," said Freddie. Carly and Sam nodded in agreement.
"He's from the videogame series Kingdom Hearts," Gibby explained as if this was the most obvious thing in the world. (Which it kinda was, though not to everyone in the iCarly universe it seemed.)
Ven stiffened. He knows about Kingdom Hearts?
"Oh, you mean that roleplaying game with all those Disney characters in it?" Spencer asked. The iCarly gang laughed.
"It's not just about the Disney characters! There's a complex story about friendship, love, and the struggle between good and evil," Gibby insisted. "Speaking of friends, where's Axel and Xion?"
"I still don't know what you're talking about," Ven told him plainly.
"Give it a rest, Gib," Freddie said.
"Yeah, quit bothering the boy so we can get our smoothie on!" agreed Sam.
"Wait, I know how I can prove it to you guys! Roxas, show them your Keyblade."
Ven panicked. Master Eraqus would want him to keep his powers secret in other worlds. But he did mention Kingdom Hearts…What else did he know?
Sam grabbed Gibby's arm and pulled him through the door impatiently. Freddie and Ventus followed.
"Don't set the house on fire again!" Carly shouted to her brother.
"I didn't know those gummy bears were flammable!" Spencer called after her.
~ o ~
When the gang entered the Groovie Smoothie, T-Bo was standing by a table trying to sell pickles on a stick to his customers. "I tell you what, I'll give you this whole stick for two dollars," he bargained to an unwilling lady.
"I'll take it," Sam offered. He gave her the stick.
"Where's the money?" T-Bo asked.
"I didn't say I'd pay for it," Sam replied, heading for the counter.
"Man, why you gotta-Oh my smashed potatoes!" T-Bo said, finally seeing Ventus. "You look like Roxas!"
"He doesn't just look like Roxas, he is Roxas," Gibby insisted.
"He's just a regular boy, Gib." Freddie said. "Videogame characters can't come to life."
"Oh yeah?" Gibby challenged. "What about that guy that Spencer saw from the planet Nug-Nug in Galaxy Wars?" Freddie sighed, giving up.
They all walked to the counter. Ventus looked around at the customers, searching for anyone he knew. No such luck.
"How about I give you a Sea Salt Smoothie, on the house?" T-Bo asked Ven. "I know how much you love that flavor."
I do? "Um, sure," Ventus agreed.
T- Bo kept talking as he made their smoothies. "You, Axel, and Xion used to eat ice cream together all the time. It's too bad you kill Xion in the end, though."
Gibby's eyes went wide. "Wait, she dies?!" he exclaimed, shocked. Carly, Sam, Freddie, and Ventus looked on, wondering what the heck they were talking about.
"Where have you been, man? That game's been out for months. Didn't you beat it already? Anyway, Roxas here loses his memory, so he won't remember them." T-Bo handed them their smoothies. Ventus took a sip of his. It was salty, but also sweet. He definitely liked it and continued to drink it happily.
"Man you've had it rough," said Gibby as they strode to a table.
"Mm-hm," Ven said absently, looking for Terra and Aqua. What world were they in now? Had Vanitas (no way was Ven calling him his "worst nightmare") caught up to them already?
Freddie started talking about something called iCarly. After a few minutes, the hairs on the back of Ven's neck stood up. He looked towards the door where the late-afternoon sun shone brightly. There, standing in a black coat, was the man who had taken away his Master's powers and started this whole mess. His mask was concealed by his hood. He seemed to be looking directly at Ventus.
Ven stood up quickly. "Thanks for everything guys, but I've gotta run."
"Wait," Carly said. "Will we see you around?"
"Probably not," Ven admitted. "But I'll try to visit sometime." He smiled.
"Have a nice life," Sam said, sipping on her smoothie.
"Good luck finding your friend," Freddie added.
"Oh about that…He's not actually my friend. More like an enemy. So if you see him you should-"
"Beat him up?" Sam offered eagerly.
"Uh, I was thinking more along the lines of 'don't get too close to him.' He's pretty dangerous," Ven warned.
"Huh. Nothing a butter sock can't handle, I'm sure," she said toughly.
Ventus glanced at the door again. The hooded stranger was now walking away. Ven headed outside.
"Say hi to the Organization for me!" Gibby called after him.
~ o ~
The blonde followed the hooded stranger into an alley with a brick wall in the back creating a dead end. The man stopped walking and turned around.
"Show yourself!" Ven commanded, summoning his Keyblade.
The man removed his hood to reveal a mask with white designs and a red dot in the middle of the forehead area.
"Who- Who are you?" the boy asked. "And what do you have against me, my friends, and the Masters?"
The stranger's mask didn't move as he spoke. "My name is Amon. My goal is to rid the world of bending, so that non-benders will not be ridiculed and stepped on any longer."
"What is bending, exactly?"
"You already know what it is, though you seem to harness a different form of it." He held out his hand with his palm facing the ground. "Let me show you an example."
Oh no, he's going to put me to sleep again. Or maybe take away my magic?" Ven thought. But what actually happened was way worse. It was something he had never experienced before.
Ven's body seized. "Wha-" he tried to say before involuntarily dropping his Keyblade. The hand that he was holding it with twisted behind his back and he fell onto his knees. He strained to move, but he had no power over his actions. Amon was controlling him somehow.
"Ugh!" Ventus tried to stand to no avail. He couldn't beat the force overtaking him. His gaze was locked on the ground, and he was able to see the swish of his tormentor's black cape approaching. Amon made Ven's head jerk up.
"You and your companions seem to underestimate me. Do you understand the power I am capable of now?"
Ven tried to glare at Amon's mask and refused to answer. Amon continued. "I'm sure Xehanort would be most pleased. He asked me to lure you away from your home in exchange for the favor he did for me, and I did."
He knows Xehanort?! But isn't that Master Eraqus' friend? Then why is he working with Amon? Are they all working with Vanitas, too? Ven couldn't make any sense of his thoughts.
"Tell your other bender friends I will let them be, as long as they don't get in my way. Enjoy your flight."
Ventus was confused. "Fli-?!"
Amon jerked his head up suddenly. The young Keyblade wielder quickly rose into the air, blinking back tears as the wind rushed past his face. He was flying straight up, still not able to control his body. Ven passed the roofs of most of the apartments and buildings surrounding the alley before he felt himself free-falling head first at an alarming speed. He panicked as the ground started rushing towards him. He watched it get closer with fear in his eyes.
If Terra and Aqua were here-no, if they hadn't ditched me-maybe they could've helped me.
This thought made Ven realize he could move again. Well, I guess I'll just have to help myself, he thought determinedly, hurriedly pressing his armor button. It wouldn't ensure his life at this altitude, but at least it would partially lessen the blow. He was quickly approaching the height of a nearby building. If he didn't stop himself soon…
He spotted his Keyblade glinting in the sunlight. He stuck his hand out, willing it to come towards him. It didn't disappear. C'mon…C'MON!
He was falling past windows now. Ven crossed his arms over his chest, bracing himself however he could for the impact. Then he suddenly felt the familiar metal appear in his glove. He threw the Keyblade back into the air with all the force he could summon upside down. It turned into a Glider and came towards him. He landed on it shakily just as its bottom scraped the ground. Ven noticed that Amon had left the alley and figured that he was most likely in a completely different world by now. He sharply tilted his Glider upwards, glad that no one was outside and that he had made it out of that situation alive.
Ven started to feel a growing resentment towards Terra and Aqua. If they were there, they could have all taken down Amon together. They were his friends, but if they had darkness within them, he wouldn't just leave them to fend for themselves. He'd stick by them no matter what.
The Glider sped on, leading Ven to the next world.
~ o ~
The iCarly gang was back at the Shay apartment, watching TV. Everyone was munching on the pickles Sam had taken from T-Bo earlier. After an episode of Celebrities Underwater ended,a very special commercial came on.
The Square Enix logo appeared on the screen. Utada Hikaru's "Simple and Clean" started playing as the scene switched to three friends on a mountain watching a falling star.
Gibby shot up from the couch, realizing that the commercial had to be about his favorite videogame. "Oh my God! Everyone shut up! SHHHH!"
Freddie spoke as cutscenes of Ven's gameplay came on. "Gib, you're the only one-"
"SHHHH! Have you no respect?!" Everyone watched Gibby for a second and then turned back to the TV, losing interest in him. Aqua and Terra's cutscenes came on next.
"The saga starts here," the game announcer said. More scenes of the trio followed and then the Kingdom Hearts logo appeared. "Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep." At the bottom of the screen were the words AVAILABLE NOW. The commercial ended and the theme song for a reality show started playing.
Carly broke the silence first. "So that boy…he really was from a videogame."
"Wow. Sorry we didn't believe you Gibby. It's just so surreal," Freddie added.
"Does anyone have fried chicken?" Sam asked out of nowhere.
Gibby almost recovered from his shock and started addressing questions to no one in particular. "Oh my God…A new Kingdom Hearts game with Roxas in it! And who was that brown-haired guy and that blue-haired chick he was hanging out with? Where's Axel? So many plot mysteries! I must buy that game now!" Gibby rushed out the door. Everyone calmly watched him leave and then turned back to the screen after losing interest.
After a few seconds, Gibby peeked his head through the doorframe and added something before taking off again. "Right after I buy a PSP."
Oh Gibby. Who would've thought he loved Kingdom Hearts so much? And T-Bo too? ^.^
Imagine Vanitas getting whooped with a butter sock…That would make my day. XD
I tried to incorporate some recurring stuff from the show to make up for the lack of a web show. I don't think I'm that good at writing comedy yet.
The trailer for BBS at the ending was based on one I found on Youtube. (I put in Gibby's last remark because a lot of people had to buy PSPs just to play BBS since it wasn't made for PS2). Also, if you still do not have BBS I HIGHLY recommend getting it. It's not a waste of time, I promise. But if you can't, at least watch the cutscenes on Youtube. You'll learn a lot.
I also recommend KH:DDD too. I was mind-blown after playing it. (And it also kinda delayed this chapter a little ^.^)
The next chapter SHOULD focus on Aqua and Terra but in all honesty I'm having major writer's block with it. I know which world I'm gonna use but I might have to change it or just skip the whole chapter (and maybe add it in later as an extra if I succeed in writing it). In other words, the wait for the next one may be long. No matter how many times I get stuck with the plot I won't discontinue this story because I have some huge plans for it.
Including the next chapter (which may or may not go as planned) there are 4 more Nick worlds and 1 more KH world to go. I may add a bonus chapter with another Nick world at the end of the story if I feel up to it. I think you guys would like it :)
Since this story is about halfway done (I'm estimating here; there's still a lot more to come), I just wanted to thank all my reviewers, followers, favorit-ers, and those who just read and silently supported me. Thanks!
If you want to leave your guess for the next world in a review, go right ahead! Though it won't be any new shows-like Sam & Cat for example-since I don't know them that well.
Til next time!
~IJustDrownedUrGoldfish