Based on: Final Fantasy Record Keeper
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy, Record Keeper, or any of the characters within it.
Note: This story is heavily based on RP done with friends on Facebook. There is a lot of established history between the characters, canon and OC alike, not present in the canon game. All of Hikari's adventures will all be collected here.
Warnings: CanonxOC, Polyamory, Pan/bisexuality, fluffy romance, angst
[Hikari's Story]
Phase 2
Hikari felt herself slowly wake up. She blinked open her eyes and stretched her legs down to her toes. When her brain caught to her body, she bolted up alert. The Keeper was in her flannel pajamas in her small bed, covers tussled in front of her due to her energetic rising. She looked around. Hikari felt tears well up. Had the night before really meant so little to them that they had left without telling her good morning?
She was about to throw the covers over her head and go back to bed when the door burst open and in poured not only those who had comforted her the night before, but also her assistant Vivi, Lulu, and stoic as ever Cecil, his ebony armor the darkest thing in the room.
"Surprise!" Yuna cheered. Vivi opened up the curtains, letting the morning sun pour in as the gentle Summoner set a big dish of scrambled eggs onto the table in the center of the bed chamber.
"W-what is this?" Hikari asked meekly.
"Experience eggs!" Vivi chirped cheerfully. "We made you breakfast." Hikari stood up, fists clenched.
"Why would you waste these eggs on me? I don't fight anymore. I'm useless to you all!" Hikari shouted through tears and a tight jaw. Yuna moved to her and brought her friend into a tight embrace.
"Hey!" Tidus was the one to scold her. "It's not a waste, Hikari. We all talked it over and agreed. We want you back on the field with us. Starting today."
"But…"
"No buts!" Yuna cut her off. "You will eat these eggs and you will like them. Then we are outfitting you with new equipment and taking you down to the Spring Festival."
"But whose spot am I taking?" Hikari looked at them all, still feeling guilty. Locke stepped forward.
"Mine," he smiled. Hikari gasped.
"But… my love, you're an integral part of the team. Your strength, your revive spell…" Locke put a finger to her lips as Yuna stepped to the side to allow him room.
"You will be wonderful. I believe in you. Beside, this is just for today. After this, you'll be taking Cecil's spot and I'll be by your side. Now, eat your breakfast, my love," Locke said with a kiss to her forehead.
Hikari was feeling quite stuffed after eating the crumbly hill's worth of eggs all on her own. She'd tried to share with the others, but every time they'd just give her a smile and a shake of their head. She did feel stronger, though.
So, what now?" Everyone gathered around her.
Remember this, Hikari?" Vivi spoke excitedly as he pulled a gleaming crystal from his robes.
"My memory crystal…" She edged closer to it, but she didn't even need to touch it. A blinding light enveloped the entire space until Hikari was standing by herself in the center of a stark white room with no windows or doors. The white light extended for miles in either direction that the Keeper stared in awe at.
A booming voice sounded and the room pulsed powerfully in beat with the ethereal voice.
"Hikari… I am thou and thou art I… The light within your heart, in the rift between consciousness and unconsciousness. I am thy power, true and uncontained. It is always inside you. You need only have the strength to bring it forth… Farewell for now, Light Keeper."
Hikari blinked and suddenly she was back in her room with everyone staring at her. She stumbled backward slightly and Locke caught her.
"My love?" he inquired. The pink haired girl blinked once more in response and then a huge grin spread across her face.
"I… I'm fine. I'm more than fine. I feel amazing!" She bounced up. "What are we waiting for?!" Everyone laughed, even Dark Knight Cecil who gave a small chuckle.
"Not yet, young Keeper. Let us outfit you first," Lulu said affectionately, like a mother or an older sister. Yuna nodded and pulled a golden tome from behind her back.
"This Grimoire has been waiting for you to wield it," the summoner said, place it in the keeper's hands with an air of ceremony. Hikari's fingers curled around its binding as if it were an old friend. For so many years she'd scoffed at wielding a book in favor of carrying a blade.
But now… This felt right. She held the book to her chest and thanked her oldest friend. Now Locke stepped forward.
"My dearest. Please take my Genji Helm so that it may protect you in a shroud of my love. Know that when you wear this, you are never alone for I am always with you." The treasure hunter placed the legendary artifact upon her head and tied its fastenings. Locke then drew back to rejoin everyone else, and Lulu the black mage took his place.
"My dear Keeper. I remember when you were young and mischievous. You boasted you would become more powerful than anyone and protect Yuna as her guardian, staying by her side always." Lulu's eyes glinted thoughtfully as she spoke. "You have grown into a wise, beautiful young woman. I've no doubt y ou will one day succeed in your endeavors and unite all the realms after this terrible darkness is finally vanquished."
Lulu presented the pink haired woman with a Muscle Belt from the tenth realm, their home. Hikari nodded silently and clasped it around her waist. She knew if she were to succeed, additional fortitude and physical strength would be needed.
"Let's go everyone. I'm ready. Vivi, can you keep an eye on my office today? Just in case someone comes by needing something." Vivi nodded and jumped in excitement.
"You can count on me, Hikari!"
"Hikari! Wait up!" Tidus, Yuna's most beloved guardian, yelled towards her, and catching up placed a hand on her shoulder. Birds were chirping loudly in mighty melodies and the sun was positively beaming on the world's inhabitants as they were making their way to the Spring Festival.
"Can I talk to you for a moment?" Hikari nodded and they moved off to the side of the cobbled path so that they wouldn't be in the way of students on their way to classes.
"What's up?" she inquired of the Blitzball player. He nodded.
"Right, so. I know you've been studying temporal fluxes and the affects of increasing or decreasing one's speed. My question is, have you ever actually tried using Haste on yourself?" That surprised her. She looked down at the cobblestone and rubbed her head.
"Ah, geez, Tidus. I don't know. I'm sure you're aware I've been trying to figure out why your own time manipulation skills haven't been working since I rescued you…" Tidus laughed and waved a hand in front of his face.
"Don't worry about me. I know it'll work itself out eventually. But I'm serious, Hikari, you should consider using it yourself. I think you're a natural." He adjusted her Keeper robes of cerulean hue. "It's just part of who you are." He gave her forehead a kiss and then released her long pink hair from its tight bun underneath the Genji Helm, causing it to flow out and behind her freely. She smiled to herself as she could feel her heart beat faster in excitement.
"Hold fast to dreams for if dreams die,
life is like a broken-winged bird that cannot fly."
Hikari was exhilarated. Round after round of the Weapons and Armor event came and went, no monster able to overcome their strength and teamwork. The Keeper had yet to take the advice of Tidus. While they rested and chatted amongst themselves, the Heroic Challenge was being reset for them by festival volunteers in quick flashes of magic.
In a few minutes they were all given a nod and the okay to enter the battle space. Monsters attacked Cecil and Tidus, eliciting winces of pain out of them.
"Watch yourselves, everyone! These fiends are not playing around this time. One small misstep and you could be killed," Lulu cautioned them all. Hikari looked over at Tidus, worry clear in her eyes. Yuna chanted a prayer, a quick hum of the Hymn of the Fayth, and they were all blessed with warmth. Tidus and Cecil could feel their wounds closing.
"I've got it under control. Don't worry, Hikari. Go!" the Summoner yelled.
Hikari nodded. She paused and let the world continue around her, closing her eyes. She felt her heart beat, and within each one, she found eternity. The Keeper opened her eyes suddenly, a fire flickering within her pupils and roaring in her chest. She held her hands to her chest, feeling the steady rhythym and then threw her hands to the air.
"Haste!" The world around her slowed to barely a crawl. She looked at her hands.
"Whoa," she mused as she saw the molecules of her hand flicker as she moved it front of her face. She then saw a monster about to attack Yuna, its jaws opening to take a bite out of the young Summoner.
"No!" Hikari started running, picking up one foot and putting in front of the other. She sped in front of the creature and knocked it back. She opened her book, and channeling her energy, materialized light daggers from the pages and they danced momentarily above her head as she held her right hand alongside them. In what felt both like a second and an eternity, she flung her arm forward, loosing those dancing blades of light upon the monster, killing it instantly.
Hikari took a deep breath and listened to the sound of silence surrounding her.
"Wow! That was incredible, Hikari!" A voice broke through, and with it flooded back the world. She saw Tidus grinning over at her as he felled a beast himself.
"See? I knew you could do it." Everyone was joining in on the monster slaying now. Hikari grinned as well.
"Let's do this." She took a step forward and then broke out into a run. This time, she slipped all too easily back into the speed. Her eyes flashed for a second. For the first time in what felt like forever and a day, she was truly alive. Hikari ran and continued to fell beast after beast.
Finally, they reach the final room. A group of Cactuars surrounded them. In a pink flash, Hikari disappeared and weaved in between each of the desert dwellers. Emotion swelled in Hikari's breast. With a jolt, she froze and allowed Time to move through her. Light surrounded her and her book hovered above her head. Her companions could have sworn that for a second, their friend was floating.
Hikari released her breath and let everything roll out of her in waves of light energy. It collected and convalesced on all of the enemies, the light swirling and forming tiny galaxies, which ebbed and swelled. The Cactuars then exploded in a display of brilliant light and everything recollected high in the sky above Hikari. The colors burst, spreading their light in a joyful explosion and everyone on campus that evening bore witness to the fireworks of Hikari's heart.
-Phase 2 End!-
