"No. No. No. No...maybe - no."
Kana tossed the latest in a long line of weapons to the side with a heavy clunk in the middle of the castle's armory.
The maces with the spikes on them were killer (literally), and the little daggers were nice for portability, but...
"Is there anything more like this?" Kana gestured to Excalibur at her hip - in its sheath. Crafted and given to her by "the finest armorers" in all of England...supposedly.
"You seek to add another magical blade to your arsenal?" Sir Bart spoke, gazing at her and stroking his beard.
"Yes," Kana said, rolling her eyes. "Where would I find one?"
"W-well...there is the- tale of the so-called Caliburn, the counterpart to Excalibur..."
Kana stared at him. "Why did you stop? Keep going!"
"Well - ahem - according to myth, Caliburn exists somewhere within the mystical realm known as Avalon...which is ruled over by the ancient sorceress, Morgan Le Fay."
Kana let loose an exalted breath. She lunged forward, seizing the man's arms and dragging him closer - face to face. "That's what I need to do! Where is it? How do I get to this Avalon world?"
"H-Highness, please-"
"Talk. Now!"
"Legend says that the gates of Avalon are guarded by a den of fearsome, ancient dragons!" Bart went on quickly, blinking at her.
"What are dragons?" she asked excitedly.
"You've never heard of...? They're powerful, scaled, winged, fire-breathing beasts - as big as our church buildings."
That was it: she needed to fight them! "Where's the entrance to this realm? Where are these dragons supposed to be?"
"N-no one truly knows - it was lost to time. But, supposedly...somewhere far north, in the mountains of Camelot. There is meant to be a cave, the dragons' nest, of mystical dangers...and in the heart of which lies the gates of Avalon."
Kana released the man, spinning away. "I want someone to take me to this Camelot. I'm going to find those dragons, I'm going to enter Avalon, and I'm coming back with Caliburn."
"B-but, Madam, fearsome warrior and unholy witch as you are - and I say that with the utmost respect and admiration - even you cannot hope to contend with such powerful, ancient creatures! Nor would you last long in Avalon; that realm is said to be filled with even more dangerous creatures, all strange and magical and-"
"Even better!" Kana exclaimed, raising a hand behind her as she strode for the exit. "Find me a guide - and you're in charge until I get back. Oh, and don't change any of my laws while I'm gone, or I'll cut your head off with Caliburn when I come back."
"N-Noted - but, Your Highness, please! You can't simply go off into such dangerous territory alone!" he begged her, in his loud voice of desperation.
"Bart, Bart...however dangerous this place is - I'm more dangerous." Kana grinned over her shoulder at him, before slipping out the door.
She strode through the dark, stone hallways, ascending the steps into the ground floor.
She walked these nicer, carpeted halls lined with windows of shining sun, toying with Excalibur at her hip, pulling it from its sheath and then ramming it back in.
The thought of what was to come for her was just overwhelming! She couldn't even wait to get started-
Kana stopped, suddenly, as a bright light flashed, and she suddenly found herself in a whole new environment.
A strange, ruined, destroyed town?
Suddenly, smoke puffed in front of her out of nowhere, further confounding her.
She tilted her head, staring as a man in a blue robe appeared out of the smoke. He had a pointy hat on his head, too. A long white beard.
"...Third try, alright now, this had better be the correct time and place-" The old man stopped, blinking at her. "Ah, there you are! Thank heavens! Right on the money, as the saying goes. Ahem, now-"
"Who are you?" Kana asked, shifting her weight and pulling out her sword.
"Who- who am I? Why, I am Merlin, the most powerful wizard in the-" Merlin stopped again, staring at the sword with wide eyes. "Oh dear...that isn't a good sign for the future of my world...not good at all..."
"You're a wizard?" Kana said. "Magic, like me?"
"W-well, not like you-" Merlin began to laugh. "Our magic is fundamentally different, my dear - and the difference in power and versatility could never be under-"
Kana raised a hand and thrust out with a blast of ice.
Merlin vanished in a puff of smoke!
"What in the name of-?!" he exclaimed from behind her.
Kana whirled, raising her sword and leaping in to slash for him with burning energy!
Merlin looked thunderous, raising his wooden stick. A spray of strange motes flew out at Kana - and suddenly the world began to look a lot smaller!
She tried to yell, to move, to look - but she- she-
She lowered her head and stared at strange...fuzzy...blue - limbs? "What did you do to me?" she exclaimed, staring up at the man.
"Now, now, settle down, madam!" Merlin said firmly, raising his little stick and giving it a shake. "It's only temporary - but, hehe, rather a fitting form for one such as you, I'd say..." he chuckled to himself. "Now that you are back where you belong, I need you to stay-"
"I'm the King!" Kana yelled, lunging forward and reaching out with her strange limbs.
Merlin shrieked, jumping back and swiping his wooden stick down at her. It lengthened and smacked her on the top of her head, dizzying her! "Why yes, you are - but you were never meant to be! You've upended the entire course of my world's trajectory, my dear! Why, the future I've seen...terrible, terrible. The stories I could tell you. Not...that someone like you would understand it. You are not a learned woman. No, not educated in the least! Nor are you socialized. But that, ah, of course, is no fault of your own. All the same...can't have you causing trouble. This is a critical time for my world, I tell you."
"I got rid of all those idiotic laws about peasants and women not being able to do anything there," Kana hissed.
Merlin gazed down on her, nodding. "Yes, yes you did, and I entirely sympathize - it will take a while yet for my home world to adopt such changes naturally, through the unraveling of history - But such great change, you see, has to come about more...more...well, naturally. The people themselves need to be the ones to do it, not some clueless outsider who stumbled into the position and happened to have one good idea. That's merely a recipe for disaster! Not true, long-term change!"
Anger rose in Kana. It wasn't the desire for fun and excitement of a fight - it was the desire to kill because she hated the one standing in front of her. No games, no playing. Just...destroy!
She leapt at the man again, swiping her new limbs that had claws out now! She latched onto his leg and tore into it, swiping with fury! She opened her new mouth and she bit!
Merlin yelled and waved his stick, and Kana went flying backwards. She landed on four limbs, scrambling and confused.
"There!" Merlin heaved, pointing his magical stick down at himself and healing his pitiful wounds. "Yes, now, you just stay right here and they should be along...shortly? Yes, shortly!"
Kana bared her claws, hissing again for some reason. "I'm going to destroy you!" she shouted at Merlin.
The old wizard looked down at her, unimpressed. He waved that stick of his sharply, and suddenly she was twisting and twirling until...
She was herself again, laying on the ground!
Kana immediately leapt up, thrusting Excalibur-
The sword was gone! It wasn't in her hand anymore - she didn't even have her scabbard!
Enraged, Kana slashed her arm to summon her Keyblade. She threw herself forward-
"Alright, enough of this now!" Merlin aimed his magic stick at Kana again.
Kana stepped back and raised a hand, a shimmering barrier of magical panels appearing around her in a sphere.
But the stream of particles from the wizard's stick passed through her barrier, and she suddenly found herself falling to the ground, a heaviness overtaking her body.
She fought against it, but...her eyes began to close.
"Perhaps I should have broken this to you a little more...gently, but you aren't helping matters, yourself, you know," Merlin's voice drifted to her. "So volatile! Though, perhaps after a good nap you'll feel differently..."
As Kana felt herself falling into sleep, her last thought was cursing the name of Merlin The Wizard!
Kairi, Sora, Riku and Xion stood on the beach together in the light of early morning - on the island where it had all began.
Not just a couple of months ago, but, as they knew now...ten years ago.
When two boys had been visited by two wonderful strangers - two Masters.
Of course, a girl had also been visited by a wonderful Master around that time, too - in another world. Not even knowing that within the next year, her destiny would be tied to theirs...to those boys...
Kairi sat down in the sands, staring out across the waters, to the mainland - the beachfront homes, the docks, the tall mountains behind it all, that hilly path leading inland...
Sora sat with her, close to her, a wide grin on his face. Then he fell back into the sand completely with a thud.
Kairi giggled, and then she lay back with him, and she reached for his hand.
Sora startled, glancing over at her. But his eyes shined, and he nodded, and he squeezed her hand back.
And on Sora's other side, Riku stood there, hands in his pockets, his head tilted back. Trepidation and fear all over his face. The winds whipping at his long silvery-blue hair. Until Sora reached up for him, grabbing his hand and yanking him down into the sand with them. Riku hit with a loud oof, sitting there with a frown. Then he drew his knees in and rested his chin on them, giving a sigh.
Kairi looked to her left, and saw Xion standing there, her eyes wide, turning this way and that as she tried to take in the world around her.
Kairi smiled, relaxing into the warm sand.
A moment passed, and then Xion made a little noise, starting forward - toward the water.
"Hey, you might want to be careful there, sis - it's not like the lakes back at Land of Departure-" Kairi began.
Xion crouched down, reaching out, her black hair fluttering. The waves washed over her arm, and receded. She stood up again, turning back toward Kairi. She stepped forward and held out her hand - showing off her palm.
Showing off an exquisite, blue and yellow object in her hand.
"Seashell!" she announced unnecessarily, a triumphant smile coming over her lips.
Kairi and Sora laughed. Riku turned away, shaking his head and trying to hide a smile.
After a few minutes of Xion walking up and down the beach, she finally came to join them - depositing an armful of various shells into the sand next to Kairi. She lay down there, glancing over at them uncertainly, imitating their postures.
And that was how they all remained for...the better part of an hour.
Just the sun, the sky, the waves, the sounds, the smells of the fruit trees...all of it...
Until Sora broke the silence.
"Do you guys want to head over now?" he said softly. "I don't...want to keep my mom waiting any longer. She's probably...worried sick about me - about all of us."
Kairi nodded, sitting up and brushing the sand from her coat. She understood where his worries came from: his mom had lost her husband at sea, to a stormy night, too. If she thought she'd lost Sora the same way... "Right - we should get going now," she said.
Sora stood, nodding back to her, excited again.
Kairi helped Xion up, pulling her in for a quick hug. "Dad's going to love you - I just know it."
Xion smiled, but it was puny and forced. She immediately bent down and started gathering up all the seashells she could, stuffing them into the pockets of her jacket.
"Riku?" Sora said, turning to gaze on his friend.
Riku was still sitting on the beach. He hadn't moved at all. "After everything I've done...after destroying our home - this place - do I even have a right to still be here? How can I just sit here knowing what I did? How am I...going to face everyone, knowing what I did to them?"
Sora grinned, turning and dropping to hands and knees before Riku. He reached out and grabbed his arm firmly. "Come on, Riku...you're one of the strongest guys I know. You can handle this. Or are you saying you're too scared to do it?"
Riku turned his head slowly. He reached up to remove his blindfold, revealing scarred eyes welling with tears. Tears allowed to fall now. "Yeah, I am," he said hoarsely. "I'm scared, okay, Sora? I've never been more afraid in my life. How am I supposed to just go home, walk in and talk to my parents like I didn't...? Speaking of our parents, what are we going to do about that? We're all too different now, and we're a little older, and Kairi's- it's way more obvious in her case. And in mine. Not to mention how we'd even begin to explain Xion or Namine..."
Kairi nodded, frowning, herself. "I guess...we're just going to have to tell them the truth. About all of it. We can't possibly cover it up - and they deserve to know. It won't be too much of a surprise for my dad," she added, casting her mind back to Castle Oblivion - to the time when she'd gotten the chance to speak to a version of him made from her own memories. An extremely, scarily accurate version of him.
Riku snorted in disbelief. "It won't be a surprise to your dad when you come home looking six months older, in a totally different outfit, loaded with battle scars, and with a black-haired twin of a tag-along - and possibly also a blonde-haired copy, who, by the way, you constantly go around calling your 'daughter' without a hint of sarcasm?"
Kairi had to laugh, hand over her mouth. "Well, that's definitely going to throw him for a loop - but I meant the idea that we've been traveling to other worlds in general, doofus."
"Yeah, that part, at least," Riku acknowledged. "We've always had stories about that sort of thing. And even I always believed in them. Even before Terra showed up. But the rest...?"
"Guess we'll just have to do it and hope for the best," Sora said brightly, climbing to his feet again - and this time, hauling Riku up by the arm, whether he liked it or not.
"Let's do it, then," Kairi said, gazing out across the water. She glanced at Sora and Riku, adding, "Together."
Aqua, Terra and Ven stood together on the grassy plateau, overlooking the Land of Departure's castle.
"So...now what?" Ven spoke first, his voice a bit coarse.
"The people of Radiant Garden could probably use extra, magical hands in their restoration efforts..." Aqua said lightly, smiling.
"Good call," Terra said, smiling too.
"What about Sora, and Kairi...?" Ven asked.
Terra shook his head, clapping Ven on the arm. "They'll probably want some time to themselves - and their families. We'll see them again soon enough; there's no hurry, Ven."
"Alright," Ven said, nodding in understanding. "But what do we do now...? Right now?"
"Well, how about we have a race - last one to the front steps has to clean the halls?" Aqua spoke, a light of humor to her eyes, a mischievous smirk coming to her lips.
"Hah, you're on," Ven laughed.
"Okay, but no magic allowed," Terra told Aqua, grinning.
"Fine. Threetwoone GO!" Aqua shouted, taking off at a dead sprint down the grassy path!
"H-hey, she can't do that!" Ven gasped, starting after her.
"I think she can," Terra laughed, as he caught up to and began to outpace Ven.
"She's never done that!" Ven insisted.
"Well, I suppose there's a first time for everything, then."
"Not that kind of first- how are you so much faster than me?!" Ven demanded.
"Longer legs - my blessing and curse!" Terra called back.
"If I could use magic, I'd-"
"But you can't."
"Wanna bet?"
"Don't do it, Ven!"
"I'm gonna - lose!" Ven whined.
'Sounds like something that's not my problem," Terra quipped, speeding up.
The three of them made their way through the tunnel, down and around the mountain paths, until they came to the winding stone ramp up onto the platform. The front entrance of the castle.
Aqua made it to the other side of the courtyard first, immediately collapsing onto the steps. She laughed loudly, raising a fist of victory. "I...win!" she gasped out.
Terra reached her next, leaning over the side of the platform, grasping the low stone half-wall.
Ven came last, falling onto the grassy outer ring with a huff.
"You really need to learn to do things without magic," Aqua told him, breathless and amused.
Ven glared at her, then put his hand over his face. "Yes, Master," he responded.
Terra laughed, turning around and sliding down to sit in the grass as well, his back to the low wall. "Where's mine?" he joked.
"Aqua made you a Master - it doesn't count," Ven teased, grinning wide.
"I didn't know you had so little respect for my authority," Aqua murmured, in playful tones. "I'll have to correct that with you..."
"S-sorry - I didn't mean it!" Ven exclaimed.
"No, you're not - not yet," Aqua grinned back. "But you will be."
Suddenly, they all jumped to their feet as a swirling blue portal appeared in the middle of the courtyard.
The trio of Keyblade wielders stared at the ones who emerged from the portal.
"What is this? Who are they?" Aqua spoke tersely.
Luxu glanced left and right, to his four companions. He chuckled. He smiled. "They're my friends, Master Aqua - and they just got here. I know it's sudden, but would you mind if we troubled you for a place to stay for a while? This is a whole, big, confusing new world for them..."
Aqua held his gaze. Then her eyes flickered to the others. These people in fancy, identical robes (albeit comprised of different colors). It certainly looked...like ancient garbs of Keyblade wielders past. Long, long past... "That depends," she said finally, raising an eyebrow. "Did you manage to defeat Xehanort and Vanitas?"
Luxu laughed, incredulous. He rubbed at his neck, looking away. "Do I get partial credit? I definitely off'd Vanitas - but Xehanort fled, once he saw the odds he was up against." He glanced at Terra, adding, almost casually, "By the way, he's using your body again. It came back empty, after he recompleted - what with you being here as a Heart in a quasi-body of Princess light or whatever - and he moved into it immediately."
Terra scowled darkly, but simply nodded. "Good to know," he murmured.
Aqua stared at Luxu for a long minute. Then, she sighed, bowing her head. "Partial credit, then: I'll give you a week, but after that, you find somewhere else to stay."
"Fair enough. That shouldn't be too much of a problem," Luxu agreed easily. "I can think of a few places these guys would love to see...places that haven't seen any use in a while now..."
Ven stepped forward, gazing from one person to the other. Frowning. "I...feel like I remember you guys with masks. And where's Master Ava...?"
Luxu sighed. "Yeah, look, about that..."
Namine shut her eyes tightly as the white light flashed all around her.
The warm winds fluttered at her clothes and hair...and then it stopped.
She opened her eyes up again, and blinked around at a familiar world.
"Twilight Town!" she gasped.
She was standing in the grassy fields outside the city. The train tracks, the train station, and the clock tower standing out from it all.
"Huh...? What are we doing here?" a familiar voice breathed.
Namine turned to see Roxas standing there, looking baffled. She beamed and threw herself at him, clinging to his neck.
"Ow - hey-!" he exclaimed, nearly falling over.
"We have to find Luxu - everyone," Namine said, letting him go quickly, blushing. "Can you make a portal for us?"
"Uh - sure - but to where?" Roxas said, blinking at her, overwhelmed.
Namine frowned, biting at her lip. She joined her hands at her waist.
"Namine...?" Roxas said quietly.
"I have a way to find him - but you have to keep it a secret," Namine said firmly. "I don't want him being mad at me again."
"I thought you didn't like secrets," Roxas said, narrowing his eyes at her.
"I don't - but this is an exception!" Namine said quickly.
"Okay..." Roxas sighed, shrugging. "I won't tell anyone."
"Yes! Thanks! Okay..." Namine closed her eyes, focusing on connections of Heart...reaching out across endless space and time...
"So are you...doing anything yet-"
"Shut up!" Namine exclaimed, opening her eyes. "I need to focus!"
"Oh...sorry," Roxas muttered.
Namine sighed, shaking her head and recentering herself...
Once she found Luxu, she backed away from his Heart - from the images of a world she knew - and looked at Roxas with a smile.
"Did you find him?" Roxas asked cautiously.
"I did. Want to go get some ice cream?"
"Huh...? But - shouldn't we be going to him now?" Roxas said.
"I know where he is - we can go any time," Namine dismissed. "But right now, I want to sit up on a clock tower, and I want to have some ice cream with my brother. We have to celebrate our victory! The icing on the cake - right?"
Roxas grinned. "Hehe. Yeah! Let's go, then!"
He turned and ran off for the edge of Twilight Town.
Namine hurried to keep up, putting some magic into her steps.
In the depths of Radiant Garden's castle, a large group gathered in an old study room.
"Are we really going to just let the same guys who ran the place last time have the run of it again now?" Cloud said roughly.
"Of course we're not," Leon responded, leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. His gaze flitted between Even and Aeleus. "Any time they come down here, it'll be under guard - and anything they do will be with our supervision. Is that understood?"
"Perfectly," Even nodded.
"Yes, perfectly," Aeleus agreed, quiet. "I'm no longer fit to resume my duties - the uniform I wear was disgraced...by myself."
"That's puttin' it mildly," Cid laughed crudely, jabbing a toothpick at the large man. "But at least you admit it. And what about yer buddy, Isa?"
"I don't think he's going to be a problem for us," Tifa spoke up softly. "He was a victim of theirs as much as Cloud was...as I was." She glanced over at Aerith, adding quietly, "As we were."
"I suppose we can give him a little more leeway," Leon sighed, nodding. "taking the circumstances into account. But if he makes any move to betray us, to betray this city again...we can't hesitate."
"We won't," Aerith said, determined yet quiet. "Trust me."
"Trusting you isn't the problem," Leon said, with a small quirk of his lips.
"Understood," Even said quietly. "Now, might we...inspect the lab - please? If it's remained relatively untouched this past decade, it could be everything we're hoping for. Everything I need...to begin to make things right."
Leon jerked his head at an empty stretch of wall.
Even stepped forward, reaching out to place a hand on it; light flashed, and the wall disappeared, revealing a pristine, mechanical, metal corridor into a whole new section of the castle. The scientist took the lead, moving down the corridor and taking a turn to the right. Then, it opened up to the left. A transparent walkway with railings, leading into a large control room. A control room that overlooked a truly massive chamber, taller than it was wide. The walls on either side were lined with rows upon rows, columns upon columns, of large mechanical cylinders. Containers, with glowing purple bases.
Even entered the control room, inspecting every inch of it in silence. His gaze fell on the main computer console, and he immediately moved for it.
He started it up, tapping away at the keys-
He stopped, glaring at the screen.
"Damn you, Xehanort..." he murmured, curling a fist and stepping back from the computer.
"What's the problem?" Aerith chirped, striding forward.
Leon moved with her, his eyes falling to the screen. "Damn. It needs a password."
"So, we've hit a dead end...?" Tifa said cautiously.
"All right, young'uns, move aside now! Let me have a crack at it," Cid said loudly, hurrying forward. "I have somethin' of an affinity with electronics - mechanics, too."
"With all respect, all the affinity in the world isn't going to do us any good here," Even said steadily. "We need to try and think like Xehanort. What would he even use as a password...?"
"Maybe Isa would know - or Luxu," Cloud threw out, his voice tight, his fists balled at his sides.
"Maybe..." Tifa nodded thoughtfully.
"Cloud?" Aerith said, glancing back at him.
"What?" he said, staring back at her.
"Are you-"
"I'm fine," Cloud said roughly.
"Okay," Aerith nodded. "But, you know, it's fine to not be fine, too..."
"I can handle it," Cloud insisted.
"Alright," Aerith said lightly, holding up her hands.
Cloud sighed, shaking his head. He turned away, stalking off across the room. "Sorry..." he uttered.
"We understand," Tifa said gently. "More than anyone."
"I..." Even began, looking back at them, his expression twisting. "I am...sorry. For all that we put you through-"
"Like I give a shit," Cloud snapped. "How about you focus on doing something good - for once."
Even's mouth closed. He nodded, turning back to the computer once more.
However, after a few minutes, even Cid threw up his hands in frustration.
"It's no good," Cid growled. "We're completely locked out."
"Locked out of those systems you may be," a regal, older man's voice echoed suddenly. "but I may know of another way in. After all, they once belonged to me - before Xehanort stole it all away."
Everyone turned to see a dark portal flaring to life - and then a man strode out of it.
A man in red robes, with an aged face, blonde hair and a full beard.
"M-Master Ansem?!" Even exclaimed. "You- you're-"
"So this is him, then, innit? The real deal?" Cid spoke, gaping.
"Indeed," the blonde old man spoke, bowing his head. "I am Ansem The Wise, former ruler of this world. For many weeks now, I have watched you all - particularly the events of most recent days," he added, with a look to Even, and to Aeleus. "For many weeks now, I could not believe the things I had witnessed, all I had heard from you people. And in recent days, I thought it must surely all be a trick of some sort. A ruse. And yet...watching you all together...it cannot be anything but true. For true remorse, you see, cannot be faked."
"And thus I realized...the depths of my own failings, and the tightness of the grip that rage and vengeance had upon my Heart for all this time. Reflected in you all, I saw myself anew for the first time. And I knew, like you...that I must let it all go, and begin to work towards atonement for those failings. The students I failed, who studied under me so earnestly...the citizens who used to smile at me...and the city I loved that has fallen to ruin."
"That is..." Ansem hesitated, eyeing them all with deeply shameful eyes of amber. "if my people are willing to accept an utter failure for a king once more. But should you, I...I would like the opportunity to make amends. To fix what has been broken. To repair the damages done to this city of light, love, and joy...and to her people."
"Well, I don't know about anyone else," Aerith began, beaming. "But I think I'm willing to take you back. Things weren't all that bad, back in the day - except for the Slums. You might want to do something about that this time around..."
Ansem's expression flickered. He closed his eyes, nodding. "I give you my word, miss, that I will put all my Heart into making Radiant Garden a true place of peace and security...for all its residents. And I am terribly sorry that I - we - let down such a large portion of our constituents. I was the catalyst for my apprentices' turn to darkness. I began the research, and I shut myself away in my castle for months on end. I lost sight of my purpose, my duty, and I lost touch with the common citizen, themselves. But, if I were given the chance...I don't intend to make that mistake again."
"Hmmm...can't exactly say no to an apology like that," Cid mused. "It was a damn good one. Hell, welcome to the club, then!"
"Mm. My sincerest of gratitude," Ansem said softly. "Now, let us see what can be done about this problem we seem to be facing..."
Noctis Lucis Caelum gasped, covering his face with his arm as the energy swirled around him, lifting him off his feet.
And then, suddenly, solid ground rose up beneath him, and the energy faded away.
He lowered his arm, staring around himself in shock.
Insomnia...
The city, and the magnificent, gleaming, two-towered skyscraper in the center of it all - The Citadel. The seat of the royal family. The place of the throne...
Noctis breathed in the air - the fresh, cool air - and tilted his head back to gaze upon a perfect blue sky.
He looked around again, noticing lights flashing all over, signifying the reappearance of others...
Noctis took slow, almost unconscious steps toward the grand entrance to the Citadel building, with its three huge doorways and the statues framing them...
His eyes searched the ground, the tiered, many steps up to the front entrance...
Right around here, they should have been...
They should be...
Three lights flared on the ground, right at the base of the stairs.
Three figures lay there, gasping and beginning to move.
"Agh...what in the world...?" one voice groaned, as a muscular, dark-haired man pushed himself up. "Prompto? Ignis? Hey - wake up!" He fell over and smacked Prompto on the arm.
"Wha- I'm up!" Prompto shot up from the ground. He looked at Gladio, then at Ignis. Then, he started rubbing his arm. "Not cool, dude."
"You'll live - I believe that's rather the point of things, isn't it?" Ignis spoke, sitting upright and adjusting his sunglasses. "That we are all here...alive. Err...somehow? Which can only mean-"
"H-hey...NOCT!" Prompto had spotted him, and leapt to his feet in excitement. Emotion.
Noctis ran forward, to his friends, and he didn't hesitate to pull Prompto into a fierce hug, tears welling, as a smile broke out over his face.
"Noct? You're- alive?" Ignis gasped. "You - succeeded, then, you've-"
"L-Long story," Noctis choked out, laughing as much as crying. "One you guys aren't going to even believe...But - uh - yeah. Things are back to normal...everything's back to normal. All of us...are back. Finally. It took way too long..."
"What do you mean 'it took way too long?'" Ignis frowned. "We can't have been out for that long, surely."
"Like I said, uh...really long story," Noctis laughed again. "Something like the royal family's best kept secret - I couldn't have even told you guys, before. I didn't really believe it, myself, before...until...Well - long story?"
"Hm. I look forward to hearing it," Gladio said, giving a grin and reaching out to grasp Noctis's arm.
Noctis clung to Prompto for a minute more before letting go, stepping away. He wiped at his face and returned his gaze to the Citadel's entrance, up at the very top of those stairs. "Guys - sorry to cut and run like this - but..."
"What is it, Noct?" Ignis asked gently.
"Luna..." Noctis breathed. "If we're all back now...so is she. She has to be. You guys came back where you f-fell...and so-"
"It stands to reason that so would she, yes?" Ignis nodded. "Well then, best not keep her waiting."
Noctis nodded, but he hesitated, all the same...
Ignis clapped his shoulder, smiling. "Go on, then. We'll be fine now - won't we? If all is right again, there's nothing to fear in leaving us for a minute or two."
"Come on, just go for it, buddy," Prompto beamed, giving Noctis a shove.
"Hey!" Noctis laughed, shoving back. "Alright, alright. I'm going! Meet up with you guys again out here, after I've found her."
"Take the time you need," Gladio refuted.
"S-Sure..." Noctis swallowed, nodding to his friends. He took a moment to look at them all, take them all in again... "Uh, but, guys, I- I just wanted to tell you something I never got the chance to before..."
"What's that?" Prompto said eagerly.
Noctis sniffled, shaking his head, smiling again. "Ah, just...you guys...are the best. And I'm sorry I failed you."
"Well, we appreciate the sentiment," Gladio began.
"But let's not get hysterical here, shall we?" Ignis added.
"Yeah - save it for the lovely Miss Lunafreya," Prompto said, only half joking. "She'll love seeing that stuff from you."
"Tch...Never mind; I think I take it back," Noctis grinned, turning away and beginning to make his way up the stairs.
With his head up, shoulders back - and his back straight.
Walking tall, in the light of a new dawn.
Dad...I made it. And I walked tall. I hope...that you'd be proud of me.
As Noctis ascended the stairs, he felt a warm glow in his chest - and another warmth around his finger. A warmth that came from the Ring...
Noctis passed through the front doors, entering the pristine lobby of the Citadel, a room of magnificent pillars and lights, and paintings. Old artifacts in glass cases.
He'd always hated this room as a kid - it had always made his dad so...serious and sad.
And now he thought he knew why.
Noctis strode down the length of the lobby, to the ornate doors on the other side. He pushed them open without a thought, stalking into the throne room.
A grand chamber. Up the steps to the dais, and up higher still, at the top of a pair of spiral stairs, sat the grand throne of the King of Lucis. There were those two-tiered balconies on either side of the chamber. There were those magnificent golden statues surrounding the throne...
But Noctis had eyes...only for the lone figure that lay at the base of those steps...bathed in light from the large windows framing the throne.
A figure in a long, white gown, with disheveled blonde hair...
"Luna!" Noctis ran forward, dropping to her side instantly, as if in a dream. He reached for her, taking her into his arms. "Luna...wake up..."
He gazed down at her face, and then her eyes opened slowly.
She blinked, and a smile came to her lips.
"The darkness...it's gone," she breathed, sitting upright and glancing around herself. "You've done it, then...My King."
Noctis flushed, sitting back from her and scratching his head. "I know I gave everybody good reason to doubt me-"
Luna suddenly darted forward, placed her hand on his cheek, and kissed him on the lips. "For me, it was never in doubt," she whispered, pulling away gently. "I only hoped that, someday, you would realize it yourself."
"A-ah - w-well-" Noctis stammered, emotion surging in his Heart like nothing ever had before. Some part of him screamed at the rest of him to not be an idiot and reciprocate already - so he did. He went for it. He mimicked her, caressing her, and kissed her back, briefly.
But, even though it was brief, it seemed like a moment that could have lasted forever.
But they didn't need an eternal moment - for they had all the time in the world now to make up for every little, lost moment.
Every moment, every chance not taken...everything he'd wanted to tell someone, everything he'd wanted to do...
Noctis vowed, then and there, to never let it pass him by again.
And in the name of that...
"Hey, so I know this is sudden, and stop me if it's out of line, but - we've just been through so much, just to see each other again, and with everything that happened..." Noctis began awkwardly. He shifted on the smooth, reflective floor, moving into a kneeling position, and offering Luna his hand. The one bearing the Ring. "Luna - would you marry me? I know, it was all a ruse on Niflheim's part, b-but I-"
Luna took his hand, nodding to him. "Yes. I would love nothing more, right about now. As you said...we've gone through so much. And, being frank, I never expected either of us to be alive after the end of the path we were on. At the moment of destiny."
Noctis winced, for more reasons than one.
"Y-yeah...same here."
But that was it, wasn't it?
They were alive.
They were here.
AN: Annnnd that is a WRAP on Warrior Princess 3, the longest fic yet (possibly EVER that I've ever written; it's novel length, legit)! One big arc has come to a close, and the next one begins! :D The next fic to read in this series is going to be a slice of life in-between-quel called "Warrior Princess: Peaceful Hearts"! :D Because we have a significant timespan to cover, in a series of little vignettes or whatever you call them. xD Because we...are going...to cover...a year and a half!
YES! :D They are fourteen and a half atm, and throughout "Peaceful Hearts" they will live and age on until they're sixteen (seventeen, in Riku's case)! Which is where the next big arc in "Warrior Princess 4: Hearts At War" will pick up with them. :D When...you know...serious plot stuff kicks off again. xD But until theeeen we are doing slice of life vignettes and shit, because they all deserve a break dammit!
Plus some plotlines need time to advance... :D For the next arc...to make sense...and stuff. :D Can't spoil anything! But I am gonna go all in on using Disney Worlds now that they're back and at peace lol. Gotta rewatch a fuckload of Pixar and Disney movies over the next few weeks! xD
Repeat after me my mantra: THE WORLD ORDER MEANS NOTHING TO ME! :D You want to fuckin see Ariel tail-whipping Heartless in the face? You want Jasmine going ham with CURVED SWORDS while riding a dragon? You want Tinker Bell to come back and fight Xaldin like a boss? You want Mulan and Beast to tear through Nobodies side by side while Stitch pulls a rocket racoon on his shoulders with a plasma rifle yelling "Oooh yeaaah!"? Well, you're getting all that and more! xD I warned you. I'm gonna POP OFF in WP4/5 potentially lol.
But first...a nice, peaceful slice of life story to cleanse the palates (Plus it gives me time to actually work on WP4 ahead of time and flesh out my outlines lol so that's convenient and my excuse). It should start up within the next week or two, soooo...look forward to that!
EDIT 3/17/2023: The next fic in the Warrior Princess saga, "Warrior Princess: Peaceful Hearts" is now up and started! It's an interquel, or a midquel, again, set between WP3 and the eventual WP4! :) So that's there on my page to go check out after finishing WP3! :)