Needed that extra week. Thanks for waiting.
The air stank of magic. It was by no means a bad thing, but when the months-long day that was yesterday was all that stuck out in her mind, every restoring breath simply felt off. Aqua gingerly moved out of her meditative pose, wincing at the aches that felt like they penetrated down to her bones. Magical exhaustion and general overstraining, let alone whatever internal injuries she might have suffered throughout the entirety of her battles, was what she cataloged. For a brief moment, she wondered exactly how long she was unconscious for, and looked out one of the star shaped windows, only to stare blankly at the night sky for a few moments before sighing. "Right. Forever night," she muttered to herself, beginning the slow and arduous travel towards the kitchens to try and recover some energy.
Whatever time it was, it was clearly 'late'. With close to ten people likely inhabiting the tower (assuming everyone had taken temporary residence here and not somewhere else), the fact that only her footfalls accompanied her told her all she needed to know about whatever time it was. For the second time in a far too short period, she found herself stopping in front of a barely opened door, the light pouring through far more inviting than the soft yellow-orange of the arcane sconces illuminating the halls. With an amused sigh, Aqua opened the door and stepped through, blinking at the sight before her. "Ven?"
The scene was almost exactly the same as the last time she meandered into this room, except triple the dishes and a fair bit messier. One juice splattered plate held two whole tomatoes, with the last remaining quarter of one still rocking back and forth from its last touch. Another, the sliced portions of what she remembered was an avocado as well as a red onion. And taking up a fair amount of room on the nearby space, three opened containers each holding their own unique meats.
The black haired girl beside Ven (who were both wearing the same robes as 'Elren') giggled while he himself frowned at her, shaking his head in exasperation before giving Aqua an apologetic smile. "Sorry, my name's Roxas. Long story short, I come from Sora but only look like Ven. Totally different person."
"Oh, my apologies." As she hobbled towards them, using the furniture to support herself, she appraised Roxas visually. The differences were subtle, but they were there all the same. It was the way Roxas held himself: his natural stance that felt far too civilian; the way his shoulders slumped slightly instead of being squared; and maybe it was just the lighting, but something about his hair and brows felt off to her, like the phantom hues left behind after staring at a light for a long time. "I'm Aqua," she said once she was next to them. She turned towards the black haired girl, noting some passing similarities to both Sora and Kairi in her facial features. "And you are?"
"Xion." The girl poked Roxas in the cheek with a tomato soaked finger, giggling as he flinched away. "It's nice to finally meet you, Master Aqua. Sora and Ven have said a lot about you."
"Good things, I hope?" She motioned towards the sandwich supplies, barely stumbling a step closer before Xion started making one for her.
"Mhm. They said how amazing your magic is, and that you managed to keep one of Xehanort's forms busy all on your own." Xion moved with a cautious hesitancy, as if still unfamiliar with the actions of cutting and slicing. Busy with eating his own sandwich, Roxas watched with an observant eye, visibly stopping himself from offering advice from time to time. "Let alone how much you took care of in the fights leading up to the final battles."
"A day and a half," Ven— Roxas, said. "That's how long you've been out of it." Sora's former(?) Nobody held out a plate for Xion to put the sandwich on, setting it down on the counter near her. "Everyone was starting to get a little worried," he said quietly. "Me and Xion don't really know you that well, but we know what it's like to have someone you care about fall asleep for a while. For you guys who haven't really been through that before, I guess it'd be a scary thing, but for us we figured it'd just take some time. Wounds of the Heart or mind don't heal all that quickly." The two of them shared a short smile before Xion began making another sandwich, this time adding some yellow condiment that had Roxas scowling in disgust.
"Is it nighttime right now? Essentially, I mean."
Where Roxas nodded, Xion spoke up. "The others went to sleep a little while ago, but we're used to long days. That or eventful days." She looked up from the whole avocado before her, motioning the knife and fruit(?) towards Roxas for him to handle again. "I guess we're a little different from you guys. As Nobodies, apparently we generate energy more efficiently or something, so us not needing to sleep or having to eat more is normal." She took back the knife, avocado seed still stuck on its edge. Using the counter to roll it off, Xion began to cut the insides of the avocado into slices. "At least, that's what Even and the other scientists are saying."
"The fact that our bodies are Replicas don't help, but they're still trying to figure out what that means for us entirely," Roxas added.
Aqua nodded along, pretending to understand. The terms they used were familiar to her, but she only knew them in passing. Enough to understand that there was a fundamental difference between her and them, but in ways that ultimately weren't that important. Friends and keybearers were still friends and keybearers, after all. "So what happened after I passed out?" she asked after another sandwich.
The two paused, staring at each other in a silent conversation. After a moment, it was Roxas who spoke up. "I'm not too sure on the full story, but apparently Sora, Riku, Grima—" here Xion chimed in with a quiet 'Robin'— "and King Mickey fought against Xehanort's younger form, his Nobody, and his Heartless. Sora said it was a really difficult fight, but they managed to beat the three of them in the end."
"He also said that Grima—" here Roxas asked whether or not Xion meant Robin, to which she responded in the negative— "didn't really fight that hard until Xehanort the Master almost killed Kairi."
"Yeah! One moment he was right behind them, the next he was right up by Xehanort and was blocking his keyblade."
"But only for a moment. Sora arrived right after and started attacking Xehanort," Xion added.
For a brief moment the two devolved into an argument over whether or not Robin ('Grima!' Xion interrupted, much to Roxas' annoyance) was a potential keyblade wielder with how he was able to block a keyblade, and whether or not he would need that much training to utilize such a weapon. They only stopped when Aqua inquired what happened next.
Roxas leaned back against the counter, crossing his arms in thought. "Well, once Riku brought Kairi to safety, apparently the four of them tried to fight Xehanort, but they all got caught in a Stopza. We think with no one to stop him, Xehanort summoned the χ-blade and then Kingdom Hearts as well. He did something to it to cause it to rain down Darkness, and that's when we all started arriving."
"The fight only happened a day or so ago, why you guys— Oh." Lea paused as he stepped through the door, staring at her for a moment. "Master Aqua," he greeted. "Didn't think you'd be up this early."
"I wasn't hurt that badly," she frowned.
"Yeah, but you're only a Somebody. You're not a Nobody or Replica so you've only got normal biology or whatever." Lea shrugged nonchalantly. "I mean not that I've got much room to talk, now that I'm a Somebody myself, but I'm not exactly the one that was throwing third and fourth tier spells around like they were going outta style." He chuckled.
"Wait, third and fourth tier spells?!" Roxas and Xion shouted in unison.
"It's really nothing that impressive," Aqua dismissed easily. "I specialize in magic and had a lot of time to focus and refine my abilities."
The two went silent at that, likely informed at some point about her time in the Realm of Darkness.
"Alright, that's enough of that." Lea hooked an arm around each of their necks, smiling at them each as he spoke. "Roxas, mind continuing the story? Xion, can you hook me up with a sandwich? Whatever you think I'd like best."
Once Roxas shrugged Lea's arm off his shoulder, he began speaking. "Because Xehanort can travel through time and space, apparently he was able to function as a portal. Sora was able to take advantage of that and fight him in a different realm along with Donald, Goofy, and Grima." He shot Xion a look, giving a silent, exasperated sigh when she said nothing about his name choice. "The rest of us kept whatever Xehanort did to Kingdom Hearts at bay. And then, well." He shrugged. "Not much later, Sora, Donald, and Goofy came back out. With another keyblade on hand," Lea gave her an apologetic look as Roxas continued to speak, "we were able to stop Kingdom Hearts from spreading any more Darkness, but since Grima decided to hole up inside the portal to try and recreate a body with the χ-blade, we can't exactly seal it away just yet."
"Recreate a body?" Aside from a slight purse of her lips, Aqua kept her expression meticulously confused.
"Story goes that Grima's niece is probably lost somewhere among the worlds, among others from his world," Lea answered. "Sora tried telling him that we'd be willing to help with our Gummi Ships and Dark Corridors, but all he said was that his new body would be able to move faster than what we could manage." He made an undecipherable noise at her nod of understanding. "That was about a day and a half ago. We've got another two days or so before he said he'd be ready." Lea shrugged, motioning his sandwich towards Xion in gratitude once he took a bite. "Mm, that's good. Nice choice, Xion."
A somewhat comfortable silence fell upon them as they continued to eat, Roxas and Xion significantly slower than when she first arrived.
"You two should probably get to bed now," Lea mentioned off-handedly. "Not sure how long you've been up, but you've definitely eaten more than enough for a late night snack." He waved the remaining half of his meal at them teasingly, and with surprisingly little resistance (and a promise from Lea that he'd handle the dishes), the two ambled through the door. Said door creaked quietly back to that barely open position, rather than shutting tight.
"You know something about what Grima's doing, don't you?" Lea asked after a couple moments. "What 'building a body' actually means."
A statement, not a question. Aqua poured herself a glass of water and took a few sips before giving an affirmation, and only that affirmation.
Lea sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "What in the worlds could somebody need something like Kingdom Hearts to create, though? Xemnas said back when we were Nobodies that he could use it to grant us Hearts, and honestly that's probably a load of rubbish, but for someone like Grima or whatever his actual name is to say he can create himself a new body and to hole up in that portal without a word about whether or not he's succeeding?"
"You guys didn't leave anyone with him?" she asked.
Lea scoffed. "Leave is a really strong word there, Master. Apparently the portal Xehanort left behind leads to a memory of a world called Scala Aüd Kallum—" something about his pronunciation of the world bothered her, but the memory was far too elusive to discern why— "Supposedly even though there's not really any books there, the place seems to be designed enough that if we ever find the real place, locating places of interest would be a cinch. Terra, Ven, Riku, and Mickey are in there right now exploring the place and trying to get a map down." Stealing a few more slices of meat for himself, Lea began putting everything away, warding her off from helping with a quick pointed look. "Think you're able to fall back asleep?" he asked as he began rising off the plates.
"Probably," she answered, feeling just the littlest bit out of place with how little she was able to do the past few minutes. "But I'm assuming you'd like to go somewhere?"
"You'd be right, Master." Lea flicked his hands a few times before drying them with a nearby towel, casually opening a Dark Corridor behind him. "Hm." He thumbed the lapels of his clothes thoughtfully, closing the corridor with a quick wave of a hand. "Gimme a sec." A short while later, Lea returned with a black coat of his own. "Alright, you got—"
Aqua silently pressed her pauldron, the familiar sliminess of Fell magic weaving across her body and sealing herself off from the world.
"Uh. Right."
/ - /
Aqua leaned forward, resting her arms on the windowsill. Before her, the night city of Agrabah sprawled out. Candle light flickered out from windows here and there, and a few blocks down, the boisterous laughter of a tavern faintly reached them. While Lea wasn't quite able to bring them to this hideaway, a few light magic aided leaps were more than enough to bring them close enough to the unused attic that overlooked the district, even if she did stumble significantly the first few times.
"Great place, isn't it?" Lea leaned down beside her, coat still on in order to ward off the chill of the evening. "Not quite as spectacular as Twilight Town's sunsets, but being this close to civilization hits different." Quietly, though not enough to not be heard, "Even as a Somebody."
Aqua didn't respond, choosing to bask in the ambience a little longer before speaking. "Not that I don't appreciate the view, but what did you want to talk about, Lea?"
The red haired man let out a heavy sigh and scratched his head. "Geeze, this was a lot easier in my head," he muttered. "Right, so..." He took a step back and stared at her. "How sure are you that we can trust Grima?"
"With our lives," she answered immediately. "Well." Everyone's lives was probably a bit too strong. To ensure they were as safe as possible because Robin would be extremely upset if anything were to happen to those around him? Yes. But trusting beyond that? She had a feeling that Grima himself wouldn't particularly care that much. "In regards to trying to make a new body for himself, I trust Grima. If he said it was to try and find his niece and anyone else among the worlds, I believe him."
"Huh." Lea returned back to the window, staring at nothing in particular. "To be honest, that was all I really had. I only brought you out so you could have a chance to try and stretch you legs. A Dark Corridor's a lot easier than a Gummi Ship, you know?"
She smiled. Truthfully, she was grateful for the air of a different world. Even if it was still a desert world, unlike the Keyblade Graveyard, there was still a liveliness to the air here. The voices from below turned heated for a moment, falling silent for a while longer before erupting into cheers. "Can I ask what's going on between you and Roxas and Xion? You seemed to have an almost familial bond with them."
"Ah, that." Lea chuckled. "Well, the short of it is that I'm sort of a mentor to the both of them. Nobodies are born when a strong willed Somebody loses their Heart, as I'm sure you know. They have little to no memories of their former life, and any emotions they have early on are just mimicries of what they used to have. They're in essence a newborn, but in a similar form to however their Somebody passed." He blinked. "Uh, Roxas and Ven's case notwithstanding." He gave a somewhat self-conscious cough before continuing. "Point is, as someone who had a personality by the time they came around and as the apparent person they latched onto, I've taken upon myself to make sure they do okay in life." He grinned and rolled his head towards her. "Aren't I just such a gracious person?"
Aqua let out an amused breath. "Truly, the kindest of us all."
He laughed, shaking his head when the voices from below continued their exuberations. "Truth be told though, they kind of feel like kids to me. Not like kids-kids, but more like my kids." Lea made a face at that realization. "Ugh, really showing my age there." He sighed once again. "You know, it's weird. Ten years ago, I met Ven for the first time. We were about the same height and nothing really mattered in the world. Couple'a years pass by, next thing you know I meet someone that seems so familiar but isn't. Couple more and I meet Ven once again with his twin from another mother and suddenly realize they only come up to my chest!" He slumped over at that, folding his arms on the windowsill and resting his chin on them. "You ever resent Xehanort for what he did? For essentially stealing all those years away from you guys?"
She pressed her fingers against her arm, focusing on the sensation that her armor was giving in return. "If it was only one of us, I definitely would. If it was only Terra or Ven or me that had to let the years pass by while the rest of us moved on, I would definitely hate him. But..." She unfolded her arms, moving a hand so that her palm was upright. Slowly, like the flames born from a bundle of tinder and kindling, an orb of Dark Fire sparked into existence, flickering so very much like the candlelight below them. "Because of Xehanort, I had over ten years in the Realm of Darkness to hone my craft. My time there's left its scars, sure, but I've otherwise been untouched by the passage of time. I'm still physically the same age, but I've got the endurance and will power of someone a decade older." She made a fist, snuffing the fires out with the same motion. "I can't speak for Terra or Ven, but I personally don't blame Xehanort. Because at least now we're all together again and can get back to trying to live normally."
"See? That! That right there!"
Aqua blinked as Lea thrust a finger at her.
"That's exactly what I want for Roxas and Xion! I want for them to have a nice and proper life, like the kids they really are! No working for annoyingly cryptic bosses and second-in-commands who are all 'Hnn, do your job'! Just kids being kids and being stupid and having fun!"
She let out an amused breath. "So does that make you papa Lea or uncle Lea?"
He paused. "Uncle, I think," he said after a moment. "Too close in age to them to be 'papa'." The laughter from below roared once again. Lea stared down in thought before turning to look towards her. "I mean we've got stuff to do tomorrow, but whaddya say about us grabbing a drink or two? Share some stories? I'm no Master or anything, but my time in the organization was pretty eventful, if I do say so myself."
She smiled. "I'd love that."
/ - /
"Terra, I'm telling you, it's the Ocean Between, not a raceway. You don't have to go so slow!"
Terra huffed and hurried his pace just the tiniest bit, forcing her to quicken hers in response. "But we don't know how many other people have a Gummi Ship. The lanes might be clearly defined and easily noticeable, but at the pace you wanted me to go at, I'd be forced to pull combat maneuvers if something happened."
"And what's wrong with that?!" she shouted in disbelief.
He raised his voice to match hers. "We're only taking a day trip, Aqua! It's not like we're rushing for anything!"
"Uh, excuse me?"
The two of them turned their heads in unison, their combined gaze forcing the young girl with amethyst eyes to step back.
"Woah, talk about intense..." She cleared her throat. "Hi, I know you're probably used to not having to deal with others while out and about, but this is a residential district. Mind keeping your voices down a little?"
Aqua cleared her throat in embarrassment, something Terra echoed. "Sorry about that. We were just having an— a—"
"A disagreement," Terra finished. "Could you direct us to the castle? We're supposed to be picking someone up."
The girls' eyes lit up. "Oh, are you the ones picking up Kairi today?" She smiled and rocked up on her feet a little. "Yeah, I can show you the way. Things have been pretty quiet lately. No one's been needing any help or anything. I'm Yuffie, by the way."
Aqua and Terra introduced themselves in turn, following after at Yuffie's almost lackadaisical pace.
"It's honestly a little boring, really. Heartless and Nobodies haven't been showing up since Sora dealt with that Xehanort dude, and any that do show up tend to be single things that just about any of us can deal with." She paused at the top of some stairs and turned around, waving her hands frantically. "Not that I'm saying I wish things were more hectic or anything, just."
"You wish things were more immediately solvable," Terra completed.
"Yes! Exactly that!" Yuffie began walking backwards at the exact same pace she was walking forward, absolutely no hesitation in any of her steps. "Fighting monsters you have the joy of a physical workout plus the knowledge that you're keeping the town safe. These days it's just 'help construct this thing!' or 'help move supplies over here!'. And I mean I get it, we're helping people out and all, but it's just not the same," she groused.
"Have you tried finding an overlook for the area you're helping out with and getting an aerial view? Terra and I would do that sometimes for the world we helped out one way or another." It was true. Be it natural disaster, someone that was messing around with Darkness too much. or general accidents, after a battle there was clean up to be done. A blade was one thing, but it was an extra pair of hands that could do the most work for restoring Light.
Yuffie spun around in one smooth motion, the swaying of her bangs the only sign she'd done so. "You know, never really thought about that. Overlooking a square, sure, but looking over an entire district?" The girl stared up at the roofs as they continued along. "Hey, so, how do you two even know Kairi, anyway?"
"Friends of Sora," Aqua answered, following Yuffie's gaze. This early in the day, not many chimneys were billowing smoke, but a few were. With the distant voices of playing children and burble of water from the occasional water fountain, Radiant Garden felt much the same as ever, despite the obvious signs of construction, repair or otherwise.
"Ah, yeah, that'd do it." Yuffie nodded as if her answer made perfect sense. Considering exactly how many people Sora seemed to know and had befriended across all the worlds, perhaps it was truer than she thought.
As they continued walking along, Yuffie continued to ask them various questions. 'Had they been to Radiant Garden before', 'what world they came from', and a teasing 'between the two of you, who's the strongest?'. That last one had them holding an almost completely uninterrupted conversation as to whether or not her magic reserves could count as being equal to his strength, and whether or not any sort of consideration needed to be held as to how much magical effort was equivalent to physical.
By the time they arrived at the castle gates they were no closer to reaching an agreement and, despite having agreed that certain things needed practical comparison, were still bringing up things they thought held merit. All the way, Aqua was increasingly aware of the fact that Yuffie seemed more and more concerned over the feats they were raising. "Oh, look, a distraction," she muttered, barely loud enough for Aqua to pick it up. "Hey, Dilan, Aeleus!" The two uniformed men standing at attention on either side of the gates hardly moved in response, the shorter of the two giving a barely perceptible nod of recognition. Yuffie ran forward with all the energy befitting one of her age, launching into a rapid fire explanation of who her companions were.
Aqua smiled softly as they neared, giving a small wave when they stopped.
"Are you two Young Kairi's escorts for the evening?" the black haired one asked.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Terra subtly sizing the two up. It was the way he squared his shoulders slightly; how he jutted his chin out the littlest bit; how he slid his foot forward ever so subtly as if to interspace himself between her and the man. "We are."
Behind the first man, she saw the larger, more stern looking man with red hair give Terra a minute nod of recognition.
"I can vouch for them, Dilan," Yuffie interjected. With a cheerful grin that Aqua knew meant far more than she interpreted, the girl leaned in conspiratorially. "They're code S personnel."
As one, the two guards bodily sighed. "Very well." Dilan turned towards his fellow guard. "I shall escort them to the Young Lady." Moving to just bring them into sight, the man nodded at them. "After me."
That Aeleus opened a much smaller, human sized door on the multi-story tall gate shouldn't have been surprising, yet it still took Aqua a brief second before she started after Terra. Monochromatic greys checkered the floor of the halls, and geometric lavender patterned the cream peach walls. Their path was illuminated by lights covered by transparent sea green glass, high enough that a ladder would have been needed to access them. Dilan said nothing as they continued along, navigating them through the barely confusing twists and turns she expected of a Castle.
Without any warning, the man suddenly stopped beside a door, rapping the back of his hand against it twice. "Miss Kairi, your escorts are here for you."
"Just a minute!" she called back.
Whatever conditions he had satisfied, Dilan turned around and took post by the door, his face studiously blank as any notable guard was able to. Aqua silently laughed when she noticed Terra mimic Dilan's pose, the latter subtly adjusting to emphasize certain aspects that Terra was apparently lacking.
A few moments later, the door opened and Kairi poked her head through, a few crumbs of something around her mouth. "Oh, hi, Aqua, Terra," she greeted. "Where's Sora or Riku?"
"They got roped into a competition with Roxas and Ven," Aqua answered with an amused smile. "They flew off to Twilight Town to use the Sandlot there before Mickey could remind them you needed a pickup today."
Her huff ballooned into an admittedly adorable pout. "Those two." With a sigh of long suffering, Kairi stepped through, closing the door behind her. "Thank you, Dilan, I can guide them out from here."
"By your leave, Miss Kairi."
Kairi looked at them both expectantly, an expression that turned to confusion when neither of them moved. It was only shortly after Dilain rounded the corner that Terra spoke up.
"Miss Kairi?" he asked, turning slightly towards the same direction the guard left.
Kairi moved toward the other direction, briefly faltering as she and Terra took up positions on either side of her, a partial step behind so that she was leading the way. "Yeah. Ansem told them how I'm a Princess of Heart and now they consider me a special enough guest to escort me around whenever I'm here." She pursed her lips in loose consternation. "Which I wouldn't mind if they weren't so serious all the time. I know they're just doing their jobs, but it would be nice to have some conversation partners instead of shadows."
They both let out an amused breath. "Considering how old the two of them looked, is it that surprising they take their job seriously?" Aqua glanced up at the wall, following the lines along the hall as she mentally backtracked the path they'd taken so far. "Kairi, I don't think I ever asked. How long have you had a keyblade for?"
She hummed. "Maybe a year or so? Riku handed me one after I escaped from Xehanort—" annoyance briefly flashed across her face at some realization— "and then we had some time to ourselves, Sora and Riku took their Mark of Mastery exams, and then some more training before we all gathered together." She made a thoughtful noise, repeating it in a slightly more confused tone as she stopped at another fork. "No, this way," she murmured, turning right instead of the initial left she first looked towards. Their silence continued for several moments, Kairi becoming more sure of their direction with every turn.
"Aqua," Terra suddenly said, "as a Master, when do you think would be a good idea for me to retake my Mark of Mastery?"
"If everything with Xehanort hadn't happened, I would have followed up on you asking Master Eraqus for a reconsideration the day after. You were just as good a keybearer as I was, Terra. But after everything?" Aqua let a few tiny motes of Darkness flow out unnoticed from her palm. "The first step would be to learn to not be uncomfortable by the Darkness you can wield. After that, maybe try and control it." She made a quick interruptive noise when Terra began to protest. "I know, Terra, I know," she placated. "After being under Xehanort's control for so long, I can only imagine how much you wouldn't want anything to do with Darkness, but that doesn't change the fact that you were innately attuned to it. As a friend and a Master, I'm not saying you have to learn how to use it, but at the very least I think it would be best if you learned how to not flinch every time you can feel it surging forth."
He turned away slightly. "You saw that, huh?"
She let out a tiny breath of exasperation. "Terra, I landed about twelve hits this morning that I shouldn't have because you or I utilized Darkness. Xehanort may not be an issue anymore, but that doesn't change the fact that there might still be Dark users among the worlds we'll have to deal with some day."
"Yeah, you're right," he grumbled.
"Speaking about training, what sort of stuff did you guys go through for your studies?" Kairi asked.
"Mostly ethical studies and wilderness survival," Terra responded. "We had some historical stuff related to keyblade wielders of yore, but Master Eraqus didn't really talk too much about that. Even for Scala Ad Caelum we only know stuff about it in passing, like how it was once the home for all aspiring Keyblade Masters."
"Now that you mention it, I think whatever happened there is why Master Eraqus was so rigid regarding Darkness. He always talked about it the way some former soldiers talk about whatever war they went through." Aqua hummed in thought. The few times Scala Ad Caelum came up, Master Eraqus always seemed so heated or despondent about it before shaking his head and changing the subject. In the quiet moments in the Realm of Darkness when she wasn't overcome by the hopelessness and loneliness of the Realm, sometimes she pondered over the relationship the two elder Masters had. They were so opposite in their specialties, and despite how much Master Eraqus denounced Darkness, there was always some measure of respect towards Xehanort.
"So you guys didn't study mathematics or sciences much?"
"Beyond the basics of bookkeeping or haggling for resources, arcane interactions, or worldly things like how storms form or the importance of a good diet, not really. Why do you ask?"
Kairi hemmed. "Sora always wanted to see the outside worlds. Now that he has a Gummi Ship, I know he'll want to be an explorer of some kind. I wouldn't mind going along with him, but I feel like I'd need some skills to make sure we can survive whatever world we end up in. Having math and science skills like a 'noble' feels like a good way to ensure we have a good standing."
Terra nodded. "I completely agree. On more than one occasion someone's treatment of me changed when they realized I wasn't just 'some dumb warrior'."
"'A martial and an art', our master would always say. For Terra, that was philosophy and maths."
"Hey, don't poke fun at my maths," he countered in mild affrontment. "There's absolutely nothing wrong with running calculations for a spell in your head instead of being able to intuit what you want by your third cast."
Aqua giggled, slipping past him and holding the door to the outside open for him. "I would never dream of it, Terra."
/ - /
There was a strange malodor to the Graveyard. In the days since they were last here, giant tendrils that reminded her of that time on those floating islands had stabbed through the different fragments of the ruined world, all of them pulsing ever so slightly. For her, the scent of decay and ashes was something she no longer flinched at, but she could see the discomfort in her companions. The strangest bit though was the scent of wet foliage, almost like peat that had been damp for far too long. It was a strange addition to the usual odor of Fell magic and the lack of any rain clouds or signs of moistened earth in general was extremely confusing.
"Geeze, when he said he was making himself a body, he wasn't joking," Lea commented.
None of them had missed the massive, almost moon sized cocoon wrapped in wings of purple black feathers on their approach. While not quite as big as Kingdom Hearts itself, whatever was hidden within was undoubtedly large enough to traverse the worlds with no issue. It was a miracle that no one had said anything the entire time here until now, but perhaps it was just the peculiarity of it all that kept everyone silent.
"You think he knows we're here?"
"I'm sure he does," Aqua answered Riku. "If he had the ability to create a body outside that portal, I'm certain he's aware of what's going on outside it."
As if in response, an almost blinding beam of light shot down from the portal high above, focused on the empty space their group was partially circled around. When it died down, Grima rolled his neck and shoulders, χ-blade in hand as if the weapon had always belonged to him. "I thank you for your patience and understanding, Light Bearers."
It was her and Sora that stepped forward in response. "No problem," Sora chipped happily. "I'm glad you were able to get a body made. Crazy to believe that you were able to make all of that," he gestured at the floating cocoon as well as the tendrils visible on the horizon, "with Kingdom Hearts, though."
Grima laughed in genuine delight. "And there was so much more I could have done, if so inclined. But no, other than one extra liberty for the sake of this barren world, creating a space faring body was all I did."
"What exactly did you do to this world, Grima?"
Grima glanced down at Mickey, momentarily turning his gaze to the χ-blade in his hand before looking out at the various tendrils still pulsing with ethereal light. "An attempt at restoration, albeit in a way that only I am able to manage. My talents belong in the realm of destruction and perversion of reality. While someone else might be able to simply 'create life', I instead have to approach such a task as an 'inversion of corrosion'." He smirked at the confusion many of them had. "Don't fret upon it much. In essence, this world should become inhabitable once again in a decade or so, though it will need some guidance." He glanced in the direction of the mountain with the gaping wound through it and hummed thoughtfully. "Perhaps I might make a home there. Slopes are a rather useful deterrent for visitors."
Aqua coughed meaningfully. While most of their group seemed indifferent at his words, there was still some discontent visible on their faces. "Grima, Kingdom Hearts?"
"Hm? Oh, yes." He turned towards her and offered the χ-blade with both hands. "Careful. It's surprisingly heavier than—" he chuckled as her arms dipped slightly.
Aqua pursed her lips when her body still protested at the strain of using magic to bolster her strength. "Riku? I'm still a little injured. Would you mind being the one to do this?"
He blinked at being called out. "Me?"
She smiled. "You are the only other Master here right now."
Everyone chuckled at that.
"Hey, come on, Riku. Stop hesitating!" Sora moved behind Riku and began pushing him forward. "Look, we can even do it together, just like with Xehanort's Nobody."
"I—" Riku's hands hovered before the χ-blade.
She couldn't blame him. There was a tangible etherealness to the weapon she knew she would never be able to forget. A sense of power and limitless potential that her Heart felt, even if her body said otherwise. "This thing isn't getting any lighter, Riku," she joked.
He let out an amused breath, taking the weapon into his hands. As Riku and Sora both moved to point the weapon towards the Heart of All Worlds above them, she moved to stand beside Terra and Ven, Grima silently stepping behind her and giving an encouraging nod. We were all affected by Xehanort," Riku started. "Whether because of the Master himself or his fragmented versions, he's the reason we're all here today. But just because it's me and Sora holding this weapon, doesn't mean we can't do this together. Everyone? Lend us your power." Holding it by handle and hand guard, Riku and Sora raised the χ-blade into the air, radiant light beginning to emanate from their bodies and suffuse the weapon.
As she and the others, Donald and Goofy included, began to well up their own Light, she felt Grima place a hand on her shoulder, offering only moral support in likely fear of what his own energies might do to the sealing. Their combined Light began swirling into the χ-blade, turning the glow of the crystal blade and filaments even brighter. With a sonorous peal, their offered energy erupted from the tip, shooting out towards the heart shaped moon.
"Long ago, far before I was ever born, it was said we all lived under the same sun, the same moon," Grima whispered to himself, soft enough that she could hear. "But as often happens, darkness took root in the hearts of man. It made them desirous of things that were not theirs, all for the sake of fear and greed. This darkness grew into a catastrophic maelstrom, and fractured the land, much like the world we stand upon today."
The beam connected with the moon, causing vibrant emanations of Light and Darkness to explode out.
"But in those fragments, aspects and bastions of light and hope remained. Separated by the vastness of space, these islands of life did their best to survive and thrive. Some have succeeded, while others are still crawling out from the remains of their arrival."
The light from Kingdom Hearts built up to another blinding crescendo, making it impossible to see her friends beside her.
"Lucina, wherever you are, I'll find you. So stay strong."
When the light faded away, all that remained was the feathered cocoon above. Hidden underneath the scent Fell magic, whispers of life began to flutter along on the wind. "Will you be heading off now, Grima?"
"Aye. I mean no offense, but I've dawdled far too long." He grinned wryly. "There are those among my flock that are lost, and as a Shepherd, I must do all in my power to find them."
Aqua let out an amused huff, passingly aware that the others were paying attention to them. "Will we ever see you again?"
"I'm certain our paths will cross again some time in the future." Grima stepped forward, motioning for Riku and Sora to give him room. "I will still have to check on this world to make sure it's progressing as planned, and Le Grand Bistrot is a rather enjoyable eatery." He rolled his shoulders, frowning at something or other.
"Is something wrong?" Riku asked.
"It's been far too long since I used these. I seem to be having trouble recalling how to pull them forth."
"'These'?" Sora parroted.
"Yes, 'these'." Grima shifted once more, giving a soft 'ah' as something mentally clicked. "'These'." With that one word, a sextet of black feathered wings, much like the ones swaddling the cocoon above, appeared from his back. There was a pair of wings from his shoulder blades like one would expect; a smaller pair underneath that was close to the small of his back, and an even smaller pair that seemed to have appeared from the base of his neck. He gave each of them an experimental flap, frowning slightly as they continued to do so in an unsynchronized pattern.
"Once I'm recovered, I'll spend some time in the Realm of Darkness from time to time," Aqua offered, ignoring the incredulous looks the others gave her. "If both you and Chrom were down there, it's possible there might be others." She gave an amused smile. "Besides, I made a promise to myself to be a wayfinder for any lost souls that might be down there."
"When you're ready, Aqua, I'll join you," Terra added, an opinion that Ven quickly agreed with.
"Heh. My gratitude, Light Bearers." His wings continued to flap slowly, slowly gaining some semblance of a pattern.
"And once we locate the proper Scala Ad Caelum, we'll do the same," Riku spoke up. "In the copy that Xehanort's portal went to, we found some places that looked like libraries. If the real place still stands, maybe we can find something that can help locate your friends."
Grima nodded once again, his wings gaining speed once they were in unison. "I would be wary on your arrival. Such a place of wealth and knowledge, who knows what might be there." The cocoon above began shifting. "Now then, until we meet again, Light Bearers." With one great flap of his wings, Grima lifted into the air. Almost unnoticeably, wind began swirling at his feet, aiding him in his movement through the air.
Aqua stood firmly as the giant wings above began to unfurl, revealing a coiled dragon whose phantom image had been lingering at the back of her mind for so many years.
"Is that a— dragon?!" Lea shouted, giving words to the shock of the others.
As Grima's form disappeared into the giant creature, the beast began to uncoil, revealing its full length. "The real question is how he plans on preventing any world he visits from panicking," she dryly remarked.
"A powerful sorcerer like him, I'm sure he has a trick or two to hide himself," Mickey commented.
She chuckled and shook her head. Around her, everyone stood in awe at Grima's recreated form. If no one said anything, it was likely they'd stay there until he eventually left. "It's still breakfast for Twilight Town isn't it?" she voiced. "If we leave now, we could get there for lunch."
"We should probably call ahead," Sora added slowly, shaking his head and looking away from the events above. "I'm sure Remy would appreciate a head's up."
"I'll stop by Radiant Garden first. Ansem the others should be done by the time I get there with what they're working on."
"Can I come with you?" Kairi asked.
Riku shook his head. "No offense, but I think she'll want some quiet to herself for the time being. Wouldn't want to overwhelm her immediately."
Aqua began moving away, the others following her cue. "By the way, would anyone happen to know about a set of armor and an ownerless keyblade?" Above, Grima the dragon began flapping all six of his wings, moving relatively slow through the air but what must have been a rapid pace for someone that high up.
"Armor a few shades duller than your hair, right?" Lea asked. "Funny you should mention that..."
Afterword
According to my FFN profile, this story is one year and 7 months in the works. According to my personal files, it's approximately three years and 7 months.
That's a fair amount of time for a project, you know?
Aside from the stumbling I had while dealing the Keyblade Graveyard (because gods damn was that a crap of combat), I'm actually really proud of what I did. Granted, I still believe the story functioned perfectly fine if it were to have ended right after San Fransokyo, but as a result of continuing onward, I got to do the whole scene with Chrom. I was able to develop an interaction between Aqua and Larxene.
So what am I doing from here?
Take a decent size break. There's some stuff IRL that I'd like to focus on, and while I do think I'll still be writing here and there, I don't think I'll be uploading anything for a time. Writing for me was always a hobby and a way to train myself to meet deadlines and learn how to manage personal expectations, and honestly? I call it a great success.
So until next time,
May the Muse be with you.