Chapter 116: A Cold Past
Since Ven had never been on a gummi ship before, it didn't take long for the keybearer to look at everything excitedly before crushing Donald and Goofy into a group hug. After explaining to Kairi, Donald and Goofy what happened, they began to make their way to the last world. As the team slowly travelled their way through the open pathways to the last world, Sora, Kairi, Ventus, Riku, Hikari and Brian sat up at the table in the bridge while Max and Goofy were in the kitchen, sorting the group meal and Donald was in the cockpit flying the gummi. Using this time, Ventus told the others a little about Vanitas and what his life was like before he went adventuring the worlds to stop the Unbirths before while Brian continued looking through old reports.
Hikari and the other laughed at the thought of Ventus getting stuck in one of the training exercises that he had back home. "So Ventus, what world are you from?" She asked.
Ven only smiled sadly at this. "I'm not entirely sure but I always thought of Land of Departure as my home." He grinned. "Home is where the heart is."
"Land of Departure?" Riku fell in deep thought as he thought about the different worlds. "I've never heard of it." He looked over to Brian. "What about you?"
"Only in books." Brian shrugged as he looked away from his papers. "Apparently, before all of the worlds separated, Land of Departure was the sole place where keybearers would train and complete against one another for their mark." He told him.
Ven nodded in agreement. "That's right. I remember my master saying that there used to be a Tournament of Mark.
"Tournament of Mark?" Kairi leaned forward with interest. "What's that?"
Ven chucked slightly as he replied. "I'm not sure. Only those that gain the mark to become full-ledge Keyblade Masters got to know."
"I wonder what happened to the world…" Sora wondered. It was strange that such a world could just disappear. They knew that some worlds that fell to darkness would just rest within the realm of darkness instead or be hidden away in the realm of between like Twilight Town, Transverse Town and even Castle Oblivion.
"It'll properly appear soon." Riku assured them.
"I hope so." Ven smiled gratefully.
"So how do you become a wielder in the first place?" Hikari asked Ven. "Do you get trained to become one or is it part of the great all-mighty Kingdom Hearts' plan?"
"A little bit of both actually." Ven chuckled. "It's rare occasion that you'll just appear with a keyblade. Most of the time, a Keyblade Master would have crossed paths with a child with a strong heart. If they think that they can fulfil the duties of a keybearer then the Master would perform the Keyblade Inheritance Ceremony. Sometimes, normal wielders with the potential to becoming Masters can perform the ceremony."
"Do you think that's how we got our keyblades?" Kairi asked.
"I assume so. I mean, I can sense that the power must have been given to you by Aqua." He told Kairi. He turned his attention over to Riku as he finished. "And you by Terra."
"I don't remember any ceremony." Kairi sighed, trying to think about her past life in Radiant Garden. "I remember being saved once."
"I remember." Riku spoke up. "I remember a man. He came to the islands; I knew he was from another world. I remember him showing me his keyblade." His last words had caused the Aversion Endless to snicker slightly, only to be back handed by Hikari.
"I remember now!" Sora looked at Riku with surprise. "Is that what that secret was all those years ago?"
"What I can say? I was five?" Riku simply shrugged.
"Well normally when you see a stranger, you don't go up to them and touch their gigantic key." Brian snickered, only to be back handed by Hikari once more.
"I remember Terra telling me the ceremony phase to me once." Ven told them before gaining a thoughtful expression. "With this keyblade—not that isn't it." Ven paused in thought before trying again. "With this blade you take in hand—ahhh. Why can't I remember it?" Ventus could only pout at his ability to forget.
"In your hand, take this Key. So long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking, its wielder you shall one day be. And you will find me, friend—no ocean will contain you then. No more borders around, or below, or above, so long as you champion the ones you love." Brian recited, word by word, his eyes closed in thought. When he opened his eyes, he noticed how everyone looked at him with disbelief. "What?"
"And you say you aren't a keybearer." Hikari shook with disbelief.
Brian rolled her eyes. "Just because I know the ceremony speech doesn't mean I'm a keybearer."
"Actually Brian, I do sense that power in your just like any other potential keybearer." Ventus told him. "All you have to do is believe in yourself and you can summon it.
"Thanks but no thanks." Brian denied the advice. "I would rather be a black mage than a keybearer any day. That way, I don't have to leave my home just to train with others like me."
Max quickly came into the bridge, announcing that dinner was ready, letting the subject drop as Sora and Riku helped Goofy with the plates while Max went to get Donald. Ven breathed in deeply as the aroma of the cooked food filled his nose. "Hmmm, that smells good." He smiled pleasurably. He couldn't remember the last time he had a home cooked meal. "What are we having?"
"I think hot dogs." Hikari shrugged. "It's Goofy's turn for food so…"
"Oh." Ven grinned sheepishly. So much for a home cooked meal.
As the huge amount of hot dogs made their way onto the table, scattering Brian's reports in the process, Max and Donald returned into the bridge, quickly grabbing a good amount of hot dogs as everyone took their place around the table and began to tug in. There was even a place for Steve to eat from as the chocobo gladly enjoyed her food. "Wewareapp-" Donald talked as he ate.
"Donald, eat your food first." Riku glared at the duck, not feeling like seeing the mushed up contents in the duck's peck.
"What he means is that we're approaching Pride Lands." Max told them before eating his hot dog.
"So who's going?" Goofy asked.
Sora swallowed his content before looking at Donald and Max. "Do we need a keybearer?"
"Most likely." Max nodded.
"I'll go!" Kairi volunteered herself, excitement filling her features.
"You still need to rest." Sora told her with concern.
"Sora. I'm fine." She quickly assured him before grabbing another hot dog.
"Yeah Sora. She's-" Brian noticed the glare that he was receiving from Riku, making the mage swallow his food before continuing. "She's fine."
"You obvious had forgotten about her falling over from trying to rush to us earlier." Riku reminded him, taking a tip of water.
"And?"
"She's still limping from said fall!"
"And?"
Kairi could only sigh at Riku and Brian's arguments, giving Brian a sign of appreciation before looking back at Riku. "I'm fine now, Riku. I can fight!" she told him
"I think Sora and Riku are trying to say is that even though you have nearly healed, you should save your energy." Ventus voiced for the keybearers. "This may be the last world but the Order is still out there. We need to be at our best when we face Vanitas or even the Colonel."
Realising that Ventus was right, Kairi dropped her hot dog in disappointment and leaned back on her seat as she pouted. "Fine. I'll stay." She said sadly.
"I'll stay here." Sora told them group before turning to Kairi. "I wanna use this time wisely." He smiled softly, making the Princess of Heart grin happily back.
"Whipped." Brian muttered with annoyance. He has failed again to keep the two separated from each other. The sight itself just made the Aversion Endless' heart ache.
"So that leaves Ventus and Riku in the keyblade department." Hikari looked at the two, watching as each other them finished their last hot dog. "So, who's going?" He asked.
"I'll go." Ventus grinned, looking forward to heading to a new world; he had never been to a world where he had to change physical form before. He turned his attention to Riku. "Is that alright?" He asked.
"Sure." He shrugged. "I don't feel like being changed into a different time of mammal anyways."
"I wanna go. I've already been changed into an animal out of my own will so this shouldn't make any difference." Brian confirmed before looking at Hikari and Max. "Guys?"
"I'm up for it." Hikari smiled.
"Yeah! This is going to be awesome!" Max said excitingly.
"oh!" Brian shot out of his chair. "I just remembered! Be right back." He quickly went into the cupboard and began to move boxes out of the way while searching what he was looking for.
"Donald. Goofy." Sora grabbed their attention away from their huge pile of food that still needed to be eaten. "You guys go too." He instructed them. "You're our best connection to Simba." He grinned as he watched his two friends agree to his suggestion.
"Found it." Brian watched back over to the others as he placed an metal case onto the table, after moving plates and food out of the way. "Right. Before we left Little Devon, Kyle gave me these." He opened the case to reveal small badges with Little Devon's symbol on them. "He said that these would protect while down on Prides Lands." He told them as he began to hand them out to the team members heading down to the world.
"Protect us how?" Hikari questioned as she placed her badge on the shirt.
"The Prides Lands have been separated into two realms due to the misbalance on the world. Pride Rock remains in the light while the Outlands are within the dark." Brian explained to them. "Outlands has a high infection ratio due to the unbalance and there might be a possibility that the keyhole would be in the Outlands so these balance badges will protect us from the infected atmosphere in that area."
"Wait!" Sora looked at the Endless with concern. "You mean if Simba went into the Outlands-"
"Those from that world are not infected." Brian quickly covered, making the Keyblade Master sigh in relief.
"Gawrsh, that's a relief." It looked like Donald and Goofy were worried about their lion friend as well.
"What's the item?" Ven asked him.
"Lion's main." He answered. "Right, we better get prpepared." He looked back over to Sora, Riku and Kairi. "You guys sure you don't wanna come?"
"It would be good to see Simba but I'm sure." Sora smiled before he saw Ven adjusting his armour on his shoulder. "I'll open the teleporter for you, Ven." Sora rose from his seat, making his way to the cockpit.
"Don't worry." Ventus told him as he slammed down at his armour piece. Within a flash of light, Ventus was completely covered in his bronze like armour, Wayward Wind in hand. "I'll scout ahead." He simply said as he summoned a portal of light and jumped into ot before it disappeared behind him.
"Show off." Brian shook his head, hearing Sora continue his way into the cockpit.
"Right, I see you guys later on." Riku waved to them as he began to get up. "I'm gonna try some of those techniques that Ven talked about."
"Me too." Kairi grinned as she began to follow Riku while limping slightly.
The Wielder of Dawn halted and turned back round to give the Princess of Heart an stern look. "Go help Sora." He told her.
"Fine." She rolled her eyes at the silver haired boy before making her way towards the cockpit.
Brian quickly looked over his team members, seeing them getting ready for their last world, happy grins on their faces. He wasn't sure why but he had a feeling that this might be the last time where everyone is grinning and are truly happy. He couldn't help but feel that something will change while on the animal world.
"Haru…."
Brian felt a cold feeling past through his body as he turned his attention towards the hall. He wasn't sure but he felt some sort of presence there, a familiar one to him. He quickly looked back at Hikari and the others, they wouldn't notice if he quickly went to see what that mysterious presence was coming from.
BOWBOWBOW
Feeling the cold feeling again, he began to make his way through the hall and into his room, seeing the familiar amount of notes and reports over one part of his wall with items and old photos on his desk. As he looked at the multiple amounts of paper on the wall, he couldn't help but feel like an idiot. Each report told its own story, some were with his father, some were with his brothers and sister, and some were even with Aiddie. He could only sigh at the number of memories that he had recovered, some began to make sense while others still remains a mystery.
He knew that him, his brothers and some of the Order members came from somewhere else, he wasn't entirely sure where but they were all focused on the worlds and their balance. He remembered times when he would correct the Colonel by calling himself Haru, the pain of his punishment followed after. It made the young teen realise that even though the chains of his memories were broken, his body remembers. He remembered some of the feelings he gets when looking at the old photos, he missed the way his father would joke with him whenever he would get something wrong, he missed the wisdom and friendly advice he would receive from Nikolai, he missed the feeling of being safe within the people he could trust. He couldn't lie that he didn't feel the same safety with Sora, Hikari, Max, Kairi, and the others; he knew that he was missing someone, that one feeling that made him feel like he could do anything. "I miss you…" He silently said, looking down at the old photos he had gathered, he mainly kept his eyes on the one with him and Aiddie, goofing around.
"Time does a lot to us." A familiar voice spoke, causing Brian to turn around. "During that time, we being to miss the ones we love."
"Nikolai…" Brian couldn't believe what he was seeing. His best friend was standing before him; he didn't look any different from his memories.
The Sorrow Endless stood beside his Aversion friend, looking down at the items and photos on the table, picking up a handmade rope bracelet and looked at the item carefully as if it could break and shatter any minute. "Have you gathered your chains?" He asked, keeping his sights on the bracelet.
Brian ignored the question; his disbelief had faded as his mind was brought back to him. "What are you doing here?"
"I asked first." Nikolai simply said.
He only sighed at this, shaking his head at the Sorrow Endless. "I still need to gather the rest. Then things will make sense." He muttered, mainly to himself.
"So you're not going to ask for clues?" Nikolai took his vision away from the bracelet and looked at his red headed friend questionably.
From this, Brian just simply shook his head, a smile on his face. "This is something I have to discover myself. There is only so much people know. They can aid but they can't help me recover everything."
Nikolai chuckled slightly at the answer. "And here I thought you would demand the answers out of me."
"I remember our time in the Order and some of our time trying to find Little Devon with Aiddie." He noticed the Sorrow Endless flinch slightly from the white mage's name, making him ask another question. "What was Aiddie like?"
"Aiddie?" He looked up at his friend before looking back at the bracelet. "She was sweet but she knew what the world had become." He told him. "I remember me and her playing happily before the Endless came—" He paused slightly before looking back up at Brian. "She was happy in the resistance. At least I knew she was safe."
"She was your sister." Brian concluded, a memory of their reunion was fresh in his mind. "Do you know where she is now?" He asked.
From this, Nikolai looked up at Brian with shock and confusion. "You were with her last. Don't you remember?" He reminded him. When he saw Brian look away, he grabbed Brian's shoulder and showed his friend the bracket. "This bracelet was Aiddie's. She was wearing it when I got captured, when you guys escaped-"
"Look!" Brian pushed Nikolai away as he glared at the teen. "I'll remember where she is and we will find her! Okay!" Brian looked away from the black haired teen, trying to calm himself down before looking back. "Why are you here?"
Nikolai only glared at his friend, annoyed that he had trusted him to look after his little sister and had still managed to lose her. "The Colonel moves for the 'One for a thousand'" He simply said, pushing his annoyed tone aside.
"What?" Brian said in disbelief. "Since when?"
"Abroc's death."
"No surprise there." Brian spoke. "They were best friends after all and I wouldn't work for the Dark Master if it meant finding out that they fell into darken—" Brian halted his sentence out of shock, an painful memory crossing his mind. "Oh no." He let slip out.
Nikolai seemed to catch Brian's panicky tone and the fact that they was talking about Abroc falling to darkness and his sister moments ago made the Sorrow Endless look at his friend in disbelief. "What happened?"
"Nikolai, I-" Brian tried to explain.
"I just wanna know what happened!" He yelled while sobbing slightly, it didn't take a genius to figure out what had current during their journey, he just needed to hear it.
"I don't know exactly. We arrived at Hollow Bastion and we ran into Scott. We asked him if he could take us to Little Devon when Mako appeared out of nowhere and sent me and Aiddie into the darkness. All I know is that, I woke up in Little Devon and she wasn't there, just her bracelet."
"Brian!" Hikari called from outside his room, knocking on the door. "C'mon, we need to go."
"I'll be right there." He looked at the door before looking back, only to find the Sorrow Endless gone. "Nikolai…" He walked over to the table and noticed that the Endless had left behind his sister's bracelet.
Nikolai, Aiddie…..I'm soo sorry.
BOWBOWBOW
The Colonel stood upon the fission cliff that remained in Radiant Garden, feeling the winds past by him while a happy Jenova stand beside him, Sea Salt Ice Cream in hand. He took in the sight of the rebuild city, grinning as his plan was slowly taking place but he knew that if Nikolai choose to aid the Devon brothers, he will have a slight disadvantage. He sat down beside Jenova, seeing her happily enjoy her ice cream. "You think that he'll come?" He asked her.
Jenova licked her popsicle in thought before turning to the Colonel. "No matter how much he wants to escape, Nikolai knows that he can aid to the others more from here. He has more to protect here, sir."
The Colonel huffed at this. "Like what?"
"The safety of my sister for one." A cold voice spoke as they took their place beside Jenova. "And he may not have remembered yet but the safety of my friend as well." He finished.
"You have a choice here, Nikolai." Colonel Devil made clear to him as he watched the teen keep his eyes on the sights. "Once we begin, there is no out."
"I've made my choice." He spoke before facing the Colonel. "If Haru can cast his sins then he wouldn't mind if I cast some as well." He said coldly, his breathe came out cold.
A/N: There we go! Nikolai has made his choice. And we now know what important Aiddie had between Nikolai and Brian. Now its time for Pride Lands. WOOO! Last Disney World. Let's get this show on the road!
Kingdommad