Chapter 19: I Know
A little girl called Ten ran about with her friends, playing silly games that made them all smile and giggle. She had blue hair that had a mind of its own, with piercing blue eyes like her Momma. As she rolled up her light pink sleeves of her shirt, Ten adjusted her armoured shoes. One time she had asked Pappa why the family wore those shoes, and he had said 'protection' and a bunch of other confusing words that made Ten regret asking.
Unfortunately, it was pretty dark by now and although none of them went into the scary dark alleyways, a few of her friends had to head home. Ten said a sad goodbye to them, cheeks aching from how much she had been smiling. Ten had made these friends only recently but she had a feeling that these ones were going to be good ones. Ones that did not beat her up and call her mean names when they found out that she did not have any cool abilities yet. It was not fair that Momma and Pappa was not letting her learn magic until she was older!
Ten was the last one to remain as she began to head home, yawning and rubbing her eyes. She turned around a corner as a loud noise nearby made her jump out of her skin. People began to bump into her as they ran past her. She tried to ask people why they were running- was it some event? But soon she was knocked onto the ground.
Tears pricked her eyes when an adult finally came down to help her up. The adult was really tall, and wore a funny mask. However, the adult felt the same as Ten's parents did, the kind and similar vibe that no one else really had.
"Do you need some help getting home? It's dangerous around here."
Ten nodded eagerly but then realised that this was a stranger. And strangers were dangerous sometimes, especially adults.
And her Momma taught Ten to run when strangers wanted to take you home. Especially when it was late and darkness was playing.
"Hello. Kamino Pizza Delivery." Kamui Woods, a pro hero, knocked on the door of the noisy League of Villains base.
Kamui waited for a few seconds, before nodding to All Might. He powered up a punch and destroyed the wall.
Only to see Bakugo, in the corner, face scrunched up in agony at the kids trying to set fire to any of Kurogiri's alcohol collection, with Kurogiri dodging all of the attacks.
Kamui Woods easily trapped each of the villains as everyone looked shocked. Except for Bakugo, who strangely showed an emotion of relief.
"Fear not Bakugo, because I am here!"
Vanitas was annoyed at the world yet again. Why oh why did he have to deal with Sora so often? It was infuriating. He was such a goody two shoes and his light… urgh. Disgusting.
But what his brother had been trying to tell him recently? That was the worst. It grated at him, and wormed its way under his suit. The information was fake, it could not be true at all.
Yet a part of him hoped it was true.
That he really did not have to be the bad guy just because he was a shadow of Sora, of Ventus. He could do whatever he wanted, not what fate determined him to be.
He could be a shadow of Sora yet stand alongside him.
Vanitas snapped back into hyper awareness mode as the sound of a falling building reached his ears. The few people who were still out and about at that late time were scattering as quickly as birds did as joyous screams reached Vanitas' ears. He hefted Sora up into a comfortable dragging position as he began to run towards the chaos, a grin overtaking his features. Unversed formed underneath his heavy footsteps, running alongside him as for once Vanitas was comfortable in this world.
What made him pause was dozens of Nomu attacking dozens of heroes, a colossal amount of emotions passing by in an instant. Vanitas felt every single emotion, and was almost overwhelmed.
Key word almost.
He set his brother down limply against the wall before summoning his keyblade. He calmly walked closer and closer to the chaos, and Vanitas took one shaky breath as he steadied himself.
I like this. Vanitas reminded himself as he melted into his Seeker persona.
He ran in and began to assist the struggling Nomu. His Unversed protected blows that were meant for the Nomu and disappeared into mist, before reforming quickly as Seeker channelled the excess of emotions into forming them. As for Seeker himself, he easily knocked out a few of the minor heroes who were caught unawares- but that was not Seeker's goal. The real threat here was the large hero who wielded fire. He was the one who was actually gaining some ground against the Nomu, and he was the pillar of the heroes' offense. And the first tactic that Seeker had learnt under the old man?
Take out a pillar and a whole building comes crashing down.
Seeker whispered a quiet 'blizzara' as he dodged a person's attack. He aimed Void Gear perfectly at the fire hero's back and the spell gracefully twisted its dark self to its target.
The pure malice that was suddenly directed at Seeker made him take a few steps back. It was similar to the old man, and normally he was not affected by it but with all the emotions he could barely-
Seeker barely managed to block the next three attacks that the hero launched at him, who did not give him any breathing room. Seeker was barrelled with several different attacks all at once, and every time he was about to take advantage of a potential opening, the hero would change up his moves again. It was frustrating.
Finally, Seeker was given half a second to make a move. And of course, he did not hesitate.
Endeavor saw the slight change in the villain's stance a fraction of a second too late. The villain who somehow was blocking all of his attacks with a custom made weapon with his two hands shifted to using only one hand. Endeavor could not dodge the other hand, which created an ice-filled punch- no, not just that. A strength enhanced ice-filled punch. It sent Endeavor skidding backwards, a feat not many had achieved. A small detail that could be easily ignored.
The attack, in fact, helped him significantly. He was close to overheating but the ice cooled his flames only momentarily. Which meant he could finish the battle quickly. He began to power up a punch as he distracted the S-rank villain.
"Give it up, villain. You can not beat me."
The villain started to cackle in a slightly unhinged way. He was swaying slightly as the cackling crescendoed, his weapon raised up in a form of a battle stance as his other hand taunted at him to attack.
"I'm not afraid of you, hero. In fact, I haven't had this much fun ever since I came here!"
Ten more seconds needed. "You barely managed to block my attacks." Endeavor raised an eyebrow.
"Exactly! You gave me a challenge, finally. Not a particularly hard one but still one. This world's so boring!" He sounded slightly out of it though. He began to... what could only describe as glitching in and out.
Endeavor finally finished powering up enough fire to his fist as he launched forward. Does not matter if the villain in front of him was near defeat or not. He could be preparing an attack too. This last attack would defeat him!
"Flashfire-!" Endeavor began before a flash of blue light got between him and his target. And when the blue light disappeared, so did the villain.
Drat.
Sora grimaced slightly as Vanitas tried to squirm out of his grip. Unversed was pouring out of him like gloop, almost like Vanitas could not control it. He was glitching every now and then, and every time a part of that energy hit him, it was like when he got the migraines. Except concentrated and even more painful.
I guess that's how I look when I have those moments. But why is Vanitas getting them too? Actually, I still don't know why I am getting them. Never mind, I can find out later. Right now I need to help Vanitas!
Right on time, Vanitas started to growl as he made one last ditch effort to escape, elbowing Sora in the crotch and scampering away as Sora was forced to let go. Surprisingly though, Vanitas did not scamper away back to that intense battle the heroes were taking part in. Instead, he gritted his teeth and casted a barrier around the small and slightly damaged area.
Unversed stopped pouring out of Vanitas as he began to chuckle manically. He rested his head against his hand as he slowly became more and more insane. And the glitching affect got worse.
"You want to turn me? ME?! FINE! I won't go down without a fight! The past ones were just a test! It's the real thing now. Come on Guardian of Light! Show me how weak you really are!"
"Seriously?! You are barely surviving and you have the whole glitching thing going on too! You shouldn't fight when you are already in pain!" Sora yelled back.
Vanitas spat, practically screaming. "What, what, do you know? Nothing! You got everything in life, you weren't tortured by training and pain every single day of your depressing life! You don't understand and you NEVER will!"
Sora gently spoke, head lowered slightly and hand over his heart. "Maybe not. I suppose I have been lucky, unlike you. But I do know one thing: anyone who suffers shouldn't do so alone. My heart tells me that you need help, and I'm going to help you no matter what. After all, I carry hurt too."
Sora raised his free hand out to the side slowly. Kingdom Key came as ordered, even as Sora was slightly reluctant to give the order.
"Vanitas, I wish we don't have to fight. But I understand now. All I ask, is if I win, listen to what I say. Properly listen. And let me help you." Sora finally looked up with steel in his eyes.
Vanitas glitched slightly as his mask slowly came off, showing his true emotions and true face. Sora's face. He summoned his keyblade again and quickly got into a fighting stance far too similar to Sora.
"Bring it on, brother."
Xerayn's Notes 19:
Short but I love this chapter so much. It was honestly as easy as what any of my other chapters in my original story is to write, which was really refreshing. And of course, cliffhanger.
Thank you so much to Kirisuma on discord for their oc Ten! I really like her, and I hope you guys do too.
Personal update for the chap: I hate bites. So. Much. I am dying I've had six active bites all itchy and like fourteen in three weeks. I am so tired of them. I'm also out of the country tomorrow for a trip so I will be tired tomorrow. Sigh.