The escorting of Xion was not without its benefits, you had to admit as another strange Heartless collapsed before her rough, but firm stance.
Gained 49 exp from the various kills.
64 EXP banked!
You weren't a mooch, however. For every Heartless Xion drew in, you were peppering it with shots or occasionally firing a big shot to distract them, clearly pulling pressure off Xion as she dashed in.
You even got a kill or two!
20 exp gained!
30 Munny gained.
Xion looked around the clear area, wiping her brow after seeing the small alley was clear.
"Thank you for the cover fire!" she said, bowing slightly at your approach.
"You are quite welcome, but thank you for your hard work. I must admit, I was underestimating their strength. Something to keep a note of for later," you commented and Xion flushed with a shake of her head.
"Roxas is much better and Axel is stronger," she deflected the compliment.
"But that doesn't change how capable you appear to be," you insisted. Xion opened her mouth to argue then closed it.
"Thank you, Mr Eraqus," she said, looking pleased with a small smile. She looked around at the town.
"I like this town. This is where my friend Roxas said he woke up. So... it's his home town," she said and spun slightly with her hands behind her back. She slowed as someone ahead was peering into a game shop window. A short head of blond.
"It's Luxord..." she whispered to you. Xion looked at you.
"He enjoys games?" you asked and she nodded once.
"His power is over luck and time I think. He can make those games very real," she warned. She turned and bit her lip.
"You need to run. I don't want... the others to use you," she instructed. You did make a promise and those were important.
"Very well. I hope to see you again, take care of yourself," you instructed. Xion blinked then leaned over, bending at the waist to smile.
"I got the Keyblade. It's from a friend so I know it'll protect me," she promised and then patted your head with a giggle.
"Be safe, Mr Eraqus," she replied and ran off.
Xion N-Link gained!
Gain +1 fighting any Data or Memory foes.
You slithered off and out of sight.
You felt your bonds out and found two overlapping bonds close together. Mickey and Aqua hopefully. Still, you needed to talk to a mummy man about some coats and partake in some Interesting Biscuit.
You turned and waved to the direction where Xion had gone off.
"Later, Shy Oreo," you said and vanished.
-
"You look happy," Luxord commented lightly as Xion stopped before him. The girl blinked then looked away.
"Do I? I thought we couldn't feel anything?" she answered perhaps a bit more defensive than she meant to. Luxord turned once, his many earrings and studs glinting.
"Look, Xion... look. But regardless. You should smile more, even if it means nothing, it's an improvement over the sad look you wear so well," Luxord said, chuckling.
Xion just nodded once.
She didn't have much reason to smile since Axel vanished and Roxas was asleep... no reason to smile at most of the members of the Organization, but... Mr Eraqus made her smile.
So, she'd only smile when she wanted to. Not when people told her to.
-
A spooky mansion was interesting. You slid between the bars of the mansion with ease and slipped into the front door that was unlocked.
Not a good start for security, but you weren't here to judge... yet.
"I see you found us with little issue," came the sardonic tone of DiZ from the second-floor landing. You looked up to see him eyeing a painting of some white castle.
"Yes, it was quite a pleasant surprise to arrive somewhere so easily," you agreed, joining him with a slither. He narrowed his eyes but kept the comment he wanted to say inside.
"Tell me... Eraqus, what do you know about Hearts and Memories?" he asked.
"Not nearly as much as I would like to. They are related, though it's possible to have one without the other. They influence one another. Memories can be messed with and the Heart can change the chain of memories?" you offered. DiZ was quiet for a moment, eyeing the painting for a moment longer.
"You aren't wrong. Hearts, when they interact, created experiences. Bonds and familiar roads that allow them to reach each other smoother and smoother. Hearts can be quite intertwined by various emotions. The roads are built of memories. You cannot love or hate someone without experience, without any experience. The Heart, for all its wonder, is also quite lazy at times. If a Heart meets something they might have experienced in a different shape or form, they will use their established memory roads to branch new paths. Using old experiences and memories to skip to a more... established emotion. This is the basis of prejudices, favour, preferences, likes and biases," DiZ said and looked down at you.
"Like how you mentioned in our previous discussion? Your prejudice from another time leading you to act more aggressively towards my kind and I?" you asked. DiZ snorted.
"Quite. I find you are more the exception than a standard, but it is still ill-advised of me to ignore willing allies and anomalies. I have been spurned by a group and they are all Nobodies. My emotion of hate went from them all, to their common factor, their desire and simply a road of hate encircled the whole shambling mess," DiZ sighed and then gestured to the painting.
"Hearts can lose those bonds and roads through dramatic means, often lethal, but if they survive then those bonds may survive like a phantom limb. Did you know even Worlds have Hearts?" he offered up.
"I've never had it confirmed, but a magic that I've been using let me assume such a thing," you agreed and DiZ nodded.
"If Worlds have Hearts then the Worlds themselves would have lanes of memory and bonds. I find that sometimes, their memories can be so powerful that literal remnants of another World will appear in the strangest of places," DiZ said then shook his head.
"Mickey was quite surprised to find an accurate painting of his castle in this World," he said casually and strolled off.
"Mickey lives in a castle?" you asked, staring at the painting.
"He certainly isn't a King of a mousehole," DiZ laughed aloud. He gestured to a closed door.
"If you're after the Wit-... after Naminé then she is in there, I have work to be doing," he explained and vanished through another door.
"I also need some of those Black Coats. Some of my friends need them to safely return home," you called.
"I... shall look but do not be hopeful, pardon the expression," DiZ's voice floated out.
You had a moment to collect yourself before going in to see Naminé. You had all this ambient power about you...
You funneled some energy into your Sharpshooter form to toughen it.
Sharpshooter levelled up! 23
Enemies now suffer -5 to accuracy to physical attacks if you're at medium range or longer. The range of Eraqus will be dependant of battle scene and DM deliberation.
Total level of 11 reached. New class unlocked!
Once again, you floated in a dark space surrounded by symbols. A lance surrounded by swirls. A shield frozen over. A giant greatsword. A book covered in shadows. Twin wheels of fire. An instrument with bubbles. Cards showing an ace. A scythe with petals coming off it. Weird knives crackling with energy. The final one was curving katana of sorts.
You picked the Shield as you felt curious about it.
Your body changed as ice crawled up your form. Your torso became more like a buttoned grey lab coat with large black buttons on the front and you reached up to feel a set of goggles that felt metallic. In a flash, the shield you got from Taris appeared to complete the appearance.
Bastion of Ice Unlocked: Next class unlocked at total level of 18
Learned: Blizzard.
Learned: Scan.
Blizzard: Shoot a single ball of ice. 1 NP.
Scan: Know the enemies HP with a clear look, free.
You liked that. You levelled it again!
Bastion levelled up: 12.
Physical damage reduced by 1!
Learned: Decoy Ice!
Decoy Ice: Leave an ice statue with the 'memory' of your image to distract foes. Roll how well it works and the foe will have to pass that. Can still be used as a 'wall' if you need one. Bastion only. Cost 2 NP and has 3 HP.
You were a little happier with your survival chances. You knocked on Naminé's door.
"Naminé, I have obtained the power of ice, do you wish to build a snowman?" you knocked again. The door opened and the blond girl smiled, giggling.
Something about the giggle was giving you major Deja Vu all of a sudden.
"Come in," she beckoned to a room that looked...
"Miss Castle Oblivion?" you asked politely. Naminé pursed her lips.
"DiZ was trying to make me... feel at home," she shrugged.
"Yes, I'm sure," you said as you eyed the bare walls. "That place wasn't really what I would consider 'Homey'," you added.
"No, but the walls let me work better," she explained, gesturing to a drawing of three scribbles on a beach. The style was... artistic, but one of the figures was recognisable eventually.
Riku.
"He's been letting me work in the garden... it's... different and he's being weird," Naminé added. At your questionable look, she smoothed down her white dress.
"Awkward, he's being awkward. Using my name without sarcasm or letting me read books in the library or... I don't know. I think you did something to make him think," she smiled.
"Debates tend to have that effect. He seems to be a man that thinks a lot. Maybe his thoughts led him to believe he needs to act differently," you offered. Naminé shook her head.
"I think you touched his Heart in a way that he buried for a long time. DiZ... is in a lot of pain I think. The first day, it was 'you won't exist for long' or 'you shouldn't have fun for what's the point?', so its a nice change," she admitted.
"Good. Aside from his awkwardness, how are you doing?" you inquired politely and Naminé looked both pleased and trouble.
"Good. I'm beginning to fix Sora, but there's already a lot of issues. His chain of memory was broken apart, but I didn't do anything to secure them because I didn't think there would be an issue, but there is an issue. The parts are being drawn away. I can't complete the chain and if the links aren't in place, Sora will wake up and be... broken. His memories will collapse in on themselves and..." Naminé trailed off then shook her head.
"Sora won't be Sora anymore and I won't let that happen," she announced.
"I could help. I've seen someone who has excess-" you began but Naminé was quiet when she interrupted.
"Xion... a friend of Roxas," she announced.
"You know her?" you asked calmly. Naminé smile sadly.
"Not as well as I'd like," she pulled out a drawing from a pile where Riku, the boy who had to be Sora, and two girls laid sleeping together.
They all held hands and Sora held hands with Xion who held hands with the girl at the end.
"Kairi," Naminé said gently.
Xion had no face.
"Xion is the memories of Kairi, the road build between them, funnelled into a body. Xion is Sora memory of Kairi. Those memories have taken on a life of themselves. It can't return to Sora because its trying so hard to be someone," Naminé said with sorrow.
"Is it possible for her to truly become someone else and for Sora to still be himself, as well?" you wondered. Naminé bit her lip.
"I want to say yes, but not in the body she is now. The Organization have done something terrible, Xion can't stop taking memories. Soon, even the being known as Xion will be buried under their true desire of the body," she warned. Then she really looked sad.
"But then there is Roxas, the main issue," she went on.
"Roxas is the Nobody of Sora," she began then looked a little unsure of how to continue.
"But Sora has a body," you reminded, unless they were just incubating a naked heart somewhere...
"It's a shell, it's more... an image placeholder than the real thing. Sora won't grow or age or... Kairi created it with her memories and emotion since her power over light is immense if uncontrollable," Naminé explained, clearly picking her words carefully.
"In other words, for Sora to truly be whole again, Roxas will have to return to him... along with the bits inside Xion?" you summarized. Naminé looked like she could use a stiff drink at the words.
"Not an easy task since both pieces are forming their own friendships, wants, desires... but Roxas, I know won't vanish. His experiences, emotions, feelings... they don't belong to Sora. They're his and will continue to live on even once he rejoins. It's Xion. She's a using Sora's memories to build her own and removing those pieces mean the rest will break... I don't know what will happen to her," Naminé answered honestly.
She turned to you.
"Can you search the Worlds... for any way to make a new body or capture a soul? It might help," she asked. She then winced.
"Avoid the dark stuff or evil methods, please?" she added quickly.
"So no blood rituals, demonic bindings, or calling of the damned. Got it," you said easily.
"Shame Vexen was destroyed. His ability to make Xion in the first place would have been a great place to start, but all his files are locked in the Organization Headquarters, wherever that is," Naminé explained.
"I'll just look for a giant grey ship or castle. Nobodies aren't terribly tasteful," you said easily.
"Speaking of defeated Organization members, how has that memory orb been coming along?" asked. Naminé perked up.
"I didn't get the full thing or close, but I was able to pull out a fraction of the power Zexion held," she explained and went into a small backpack where she extracted a smoky quartz of some kind.
"The best I could do was reform the memory into some kind of charm. What it contains... I couldn't say," she said apologetically. You took it and you felt a pull to the inside... where something awaited.
You could ignore for now or tackle it, but whatever it was? It didn't come off as hostile. You opened yourself to it and you found yourself in a space that didn't exist in a time that never quite was in a dream.
All quite terribly symbolic of course.
A young boy sat on a window overlooking a beautiful city with familiar purple mountains.
He looked over at you, his slightly too big lab coat and silver fringe covering one eye left the other to gauge you for a long moment.
"This is a right mess, isn't it?" he asked, voice heavy despite the youth to it.
"I wouldn't call this an orderly situation," you agreed. The boy eyed his hand.
"I am... or was a part of the being known as Ienzo. He lost his heart and became Zexion. If my Heart is currently a Heartless and by recent Nobody is gone... I suppose I am the third of this trifecta. The Memory that lingers," he said methodically. He seemed to search for something.
"A very... very... limited memory it seems. I can't remember much at all. Did you break me or something?" he asked affronted.
"A friend tried to gather things up. You're what she found," you explained blankly. Ienzo thought about that.
"I see... a fragmented will. No doubt Zexion along with the others...who I forget right now, will be unable to bring their thoughts and processes back to their original Somebodies. Zexion was known to be manipulative and cruel when it suited him. Not a trait Ienzo had. Incompatibilities would arise. The true self would be reclaimed, the falseness cast off in some lingering form," he paced and sounded ever so adorable.
"So would that make you more of Zexion than Ienzo?" you asked and he thought about it. His hands patting downing his pockets.
"That depends, how soon after my demise did this fragment come to be collected?" he offered back.
"Days," you admitted. He frowned and sat back down on the window ledge. The room around you both was... murky... undefined.
"Then I'm afraid it could be either. A piece of Zexion freed from his hollowness or a lost fragment of Ienzo. I cannot honestly say," he admitted.
"Months or a year at least would let the will settle in someplace to consume or fight anyone that it has strong ties to and that would be Zexion 100%, but wherever my Somebody wakes up, will be Ienzo. This is sadly a pointless discussion. I suppose I can instead turn the talk to us. You have me at your mercy it seems," he said bluntly.
"It seems I do... Yet, I have no idea or plan on what to do with you. I'm not sure what a 'fragmented will' could even be used for. Do you know if there is anything you could offer me?" you asked then paused.
"And if you are indeed a piece of Ienzo, I would not wish to keep you from becoming whole," you said after a moment.
"Despite what the girl who did this told you... Nam...Namb...The girl, said, Chain of Memories are hardier than you'd think. A single link missing will not actually cause great trauma or death. Just a sense of old age syndrome around that moment or time period," he said smirking.
"Well, barring any other ideas, then... What do you want?" you offered.
Ienzo eyed the shrinking reality.
"Forge me into a weapon or a tool. I perhaps may continue to exist in such a manner. You've transformed tools before, no?" he prompted.
"A weapon or a tool... If you are sure. I'll thank you now for lending me your power, for however much or little it may amount to," you said and turned to leave.
"Be careful... empty shells don't remain empty for long," Ienzo's voice carried, but the world collapsed before you could turn.
As you returned to the main world, the fragment churned in your hand. The essence inside unravelling to your existence.
It changed to become...
A book that pulsed with shadows. It had no pages. Sorcerer/Illusionist. +5 to dark attacks and +5 to magical accuracy and +1 NP when equipped.
A large barreled sniper with curving dark vines along with the symbol, a thorn rising to form a scope. Along the side, a blade emerged like a tooth. Viper's Gleam. Warrior/Sharpshooter. +5 to accuracy and +2 dodge. Does D4+2 damage and has 10% chance to inflict poison. Three turn cooldown, killing a foe reduces the cooldown by one.
A hexagon shield that produces smoke in a hazy pattern as it moved. +5 to dodge. +3 defence against darkness and grants additional +5 to escaping. Bastion/Sorcerer.
The fragment formed into a book that opened in the space above the your noodle limb.
Gained 'Volume of Lies'.
The book vanished slowly as an open 'page' filled with words.
The chain of memories may be broke but in the moment of clinking links, freedom can be obtained.
"Are you okay?" Naminé asked nervously. You waved her concern off with your calm demeanour.
"I had an interesting discussion and got a book out of it. He decided to make himself useful, ultimately. Knew he wouldn't be long for the Worlds, otherwise.," you explained and Naminé nodded slowly.
"It's comforting to know I'm not the strangest thing around," she smiled after a moment.
"There are lots of strange things around. We tend to congregate, I've found," you said and the girl nodded seriously.
"When I'm gone... you'll have to take up the weirdo banner in my name," she teased.
"If you go. You did ask me to find ways to grant a body to souls without them. Wouldn't you want that chance as well?" you asked with a blunt tone. Naminé hummed.
"I... wouldn't mind but I can wait. Where I'm going is nice and it'd be nice to rest for a while. Ever since I became... I've never stopped working, being afraid, tired, scared... I've never stopped," she admitted.
"hmm... I can comprehend that. I'm sure you'll find a way to let someone know when you're ready, should the time come," you amended but were surprised when Naminé poked you with a finger.
"You need time off to have fun too. I heard from Riku you haven't stopped either," she mocked-chided.
"To be fair, most of my adventures are fun, and not... Whatever the Organization and Diz have put you through. But I have promises to keep. People to send home, things to grab, Overbearing governments to steal from. It's... interesting. Lets me feel, for a lack of better words, like I'm doing something," you promised and Naminé nodded, standing awkwardly in her empty room of sorts.
"I've had a weird... feeling about collecting shells lately. Do you think if you find anything nice? You can bring a souvenir?" she asked hopefully.
"Sure... You'll want to define 'nice', however. Your sense of worthy keepsakes probably differs from mine. I'm in the habit of collecting weapons from worlds I visit." you pointed out.
"Shells, charms... I don't know. Something...simple but important," she said then grinned.
"If nothing else, you can just visit more," she promised.
"I'm sure I can manage that. I'll even share some stories from where I go. My ability to visit should prove a little more... Stable, now that I'm not having to contend with repeated attempts at entering and exiting the Dark Realm as well." you explained then waved as Naminé got back to work, looking happier than when you walked in.
A job well done in your opinion.
Naminé N-link gained!
+2 to all rolls made involving a chain of memory.
"Eraqus," DiZ called and you looked up.
"A message from Mickey. He has taken Aqua to his Master. He asks that you do not...appear. His master has ferocious defences against outsiders," he said, holding up a note with a royal stamp.
"I see... Thank you for passing on the message. Is there anything you need, while I have no exceedingly pressing issues to resolve?" you asked. He shook his head.
"Aid Riku where you can and bring the missing parts of Sora home... besides that, I shall have two coats in a few days, more if complications arise," he waved a hand.
"Thank you. Those coats should help get a couple of wayward souls currently residing in Traverse Town back to their own world safely." you explained, getting the barest hint of a smile out of the man before you went on. "I have one more important question to ask. Do you like my new look?" you asked casually, spinning for effect. He grimaces.
"You look like Even on his most pompous of days," he grunted and turned to walk back into his office.
Who the frig was Even?
"Who is... Even?" you asked and the cold posture and glare slammed back on to DiZ's face so hard it was like a flash.
"The worst of your kind and a loathsome sort of mine," he said darkly and slammed the door.
'Master... I did not know.'
'They told me you...left.'
Your chest ached for some reason and you did not enjoy the experience. You took a portal out of the mansion towards Riku. You wondered how he was getting on?
The dark corridor rocked and bumped and while you felt no discomfort, two pieces inside you seemed to huddle closer.
...You might need dewormed, this was getting weird. They weren't hearts, but definitely had an aversion from the oblivion of being lost in the Darkness.
You arrived not far off from where Riku was supposed to be. This world was... well... wasn't this something? It looked modern in ways that a world you left behind so long ago would. You saw a teen figure overlooking the streets as the moon hung fully in the sky. He turned and relaxed when he saw you. He dropped his hood to reveal his face.
Riku looked a little tired and one of his eyes looked a little...off.
"New costume, little old to be playing dress-up, aren't you Eraqus?" he asked with a smirk.
"I'm young at heart," you answered before giving him a look. You flickered between Warrior, Sorcerer, and Sharpshooter before going back to Bastion. Riku blinked.
"Changing costumes for powers? Sounds like a weird power," he said casually.
"I enjoy having a full wardrobe. Let's me have some fun," you argued. There was an ominous bell toll across the city and Riku stiffened, all humour leaving his face.
"So, joking aside, what is this place, and why is that bell apparently a bad sign?" you asked but froze as you felt a tremble in the air.
Then World you could feel around you... leaked a powerful...
Will.
The night sky dripped green before the few people in the streets stiffened and then the rules of the world seemed to shift. One second, laughing or people keeping to themselves, the next looming coffins. Shells tried to manifest around you and Riku, but they simple collapsed.
Then it got strange as a building in the distance shifted, grinding so loudly you could feel it from here. A tower rose as the building stretched, wings slithering like water and vines as a central tower rose high into the sky.
Flagpoles, cores, loose housing, smooth roofs, jutting halls turned the building from simply strange into something that was impossible. At the very top, the moon seemed to crown the building like a jewel.
It was all in this green sickly tone that gave everything an uneasy quality.
"The streets are covered in blood..." Riku said in a dark tone.
Oh, that too, but that green was really offputting. Riku turned and you saw the world had done some interestingf design choices for you both.
"Well, that was certainly a change in atmosphere. If it's any consolation, I think it's just part of the World's aesthetic, not the blood of anyone in particular." you offered as Riku stood in a long trench coat covering a school uniform while your own shape was something closer to a white doll with gears visible at your joints and your 'face' a mask that had a zipper across it.
Oh... fingers!
Riku jumped down and bent to examine one of the coffins. You followed, floating down like a plastic bag with tick tock parts.
"The people went inside these," Riku said confused, but brushing the coffin gently. The coffin was a sealed thing and from what you sensed? A decent combination of stasis magic and protection. The people inside didn't even know they were in there.
"It seems to be preserving them. Does that mean people aren't normally out when the world is like this?" you asked.
It was impressive because of the physical shell inside less not the goal, but the Heart. The Heart was protected from this period which was strange because it implied that the Heart... needed protection.
"Yeah... I can feel...not Heartless but something else skulking about," Riku said, sniffing the air.
"Likely best to leave the coffins be... I don't know about you, but the giant tower seems a good starting point to me and we might spot these not-Heartless. Shall we go see for ourselves what they might be?" you offered. Riku adjusted his wrinkled school shirt with a grimace.
"I'm not looking forward to having to fight in this," he agreed with a sigh.
You walked onwards, under a sickly moon and through unfamiliar streets of blood.