Namine screamed and growled, struggling with all her might - but she didn't move an inch!
Aqua had dragged her through a portal to Twilight Town - and then left her there!
And Namine. Was still. Frozen!
Lauriam's sister, Strelitzia, looked at her anxiously. Then she looked to the front door of the house on the green hill before them. "I hope this is your house or I'm going to be really embarrassed...How would I even explain this? Okay, I'll just go for it!" The girl scurried up to the door and gave it a quick, light series of knocks.
It opened slowly - then swung wide open. Luxu took in the sight of Strelitzia, and then his eyes went to Namine. He sighed, raising a hand to his forehead. "Alright, what happened?"
"It's kind of a long story and I'm not too sure we have time to tell it!" Strelitzia babbled out.
"What do you mean?" Luxu asked, even as he flicked a finger at Namine; blue light flashed, and suddenly she could move again! YES!
"I was trying to go and help Elrena fight those Foreteller friends of yours-" Namine began immediately.
"Excuse me, WHAT?" Luxu exclaimed.
"They were going to start a fight in Radiant Garden, but Aqua broke it up and told them to take it somewhere else - so they went to the Keyblade Graveyard," Namine explained. "And then she froze me when I tried to go help Elrena!"
Luxu gave her a stern look, mixed with a mild exasperation. "Of course you would try and get involved...This is fucking great - all right, you two get inside and stay put! I'm going to go deal with this situation!"
"Luxu, I want to help Elrena-!"
"NO!" Luxu said forcefully. "Either you stay put, or I'm putting you right back under a Time Spell - and I'm leaving it on until I get back. You understand me? For once in your goddamn life, do exactly what I say and not a thing else!"
"But I want to-"
"Look, why don't you and Strelitzia here...raid the fridge, set up a pillow fort or something - make it a...a sleepover! Yeah! Have a- a girl's night! Watch all the TV you like! Just...stay here!" Luxu said desperately. "Lauriam would kill me if I let his sister get hurt, and I'll probably kill you if you put yourself into danger even one more time, princess!"
"We get the whole fridge? And all of the TV?" Namine said, conflicted now.
Luxu gave a nod and a shrug, already turning back inside the house, summoning his Keyblade and creating a blue portal in the living room. "Yeah, sure - whatever - it's all yours! Have some real fun with it: that's what normal kids do! Make some messes, paint the walls, blast some music! I don't care, alright? This is an anything goes night! Just stay!"
"Well...okay!" Namine agreed. She grabbed Strelitzia's hand and pulled her in, racing past Luxu and his portal. "Come on! I'll show you my room!"
"O-Okay...!" Strelitzia stammered, almost falling over as Namine dragged her toward the stairs!
Luxu watched them go, then turned and rushed into the portal, letting it snap shut behind him instantly.
"Aqua - I...I have to go with them," Ventus spoke, gazing after Elrena and Lauriam. He turned to Aqua in Radiant Garden's square. "I have to be there, too."
"Ven, don't go getting swept up in this dangerous, foolish-" Aqua started, frowning.
"I have to, Aqua!" Ven said loudly, over her. "Not for me, not even for them, but for...for all the people who can't be there to confront the Masters about it all. About...what we were all put through, and...where we were led. Like our other friends - Brain, Amaya, and...and Ephemer. You've been to the Graveyard before, Aqua, you've seen all of those Keyblades! But it's not just history for me anymore: it was my life! I might not have all my memories back, but who knows how many of those belonged to people I knew? People I called friends? For them, I have to go. And you have to let me."
Aqua gazed down at him for a long moment. Into his face of shining resolve and determination. Then she sighed. She nodded. "If you're going, then we're all going. Terra, come on. We made a promise never to get separated again - and I'm going to keep that promise, Ven. Even if you feel like you have to do this, you don't have to do it alone. We're going to be there for you...always."
Ven nodded back. "Thank you."
Aqua turned and raised her Keyblade, creating a new Keyblade portal of her own.
Ven hurried toward the opening - but a voice caused him to stop.
"Wait - Ven!" a new voice suddenly shouted.
Ven turned back, staring. "Skuld?"
Skuld stood there, her loose pants and oversized sweater sleeves fluttering with the breeze. Her dark hair was a mess around her face. Her amber eyes glistened at Ventus. She raised her arm slowly, and her Keyblade appeared in her hand. A blue handle, a golden blade, with an ornate, silver and gold star with a blue core on its end. "For Ephemer," she said, loud and clear - and certain.
"Yeah. For Ephemer," Ven agreed. "C'mon."
"Ven, she definitely shouldn't be doing this!" Aqua refuted firmly. "She's- she's not- mentally or physically- well-"
"I'm not your- charge," Skuld spoke again, turning glinting eyes on Aqua. "I'm- a grown woman. And I will...do this!" She lowered her weapon, and held her head high as she joined Ventus.
Together, they passed into the portal - followed closely by Aqua and Terra.
"You came!" Elrena whirled as she saw Lauriam come hurrying out of her portal. A wide smile split her face, a warmth filled her Heart-
"I just came to make sure things don't get...out of hand," Lauriam replied.
Elrena's face fell - along with her Heart - into pure hurt. Then, it hardened. "We are so far beyond that now," she hissed.
"Perhaps." Lauriam gazed back at her, his face just as hard. "Elrena, if you could enlighten me: why are you doing this?"
"Why? Because those fuckers have to pay - because we're the only ones left who can make them pay!"
"Are you sure...that this isn't more about yourself than about them?"
"WHAT?"
Lauriam stepped closer to her, almost touching her. "Elrena, you just confessed to me that you felt you didn't deserve to live. That's not usually an indication of good mental health."
"Oh, and suddenly you're an expert?" Elrena rolled her eyes. "Fucking spare me..."
"Are you trying to end yourself - with this?" Lauriam asked plainly, his eyes narrowing at her. "Is that the reason?"
Elrena squirmed - hated herself for it! But then she sighed, and she stepped in closer to Lauriam. She grabbed his shoulders and pulled him down until her lips were to his ear. "What if I were to say it was a bit of both...?" she whispered.
Lauriam gasped, drawing back from her. "Then I'd beg you not to go through with this. I can't lose you, too, Elrena!"
"Oh, so it's about you now, is it?"
"Elrena-"
Elrena shoved him away, turning to stalk away across the rocky, dead ground. She stopped, bowing her head and joining her hands at her waist. She breathed deeply. "A-and is that- that not wanting to lose me thing- what sort of feeling is that...?"
"I...what? I don't understand what you're asking me..."
Elrena squeezed her hands together tighter. She dug her nails into the backs of them. "So, all those years you said we'd been together - that impossible, enduring connection of ours that you admitted was there - and you still can't figure it out?" she went on, laughing harshly. "Men, I tell you...I'm literally going to have to smack you in the face with this, aren't I?"
She took in another breath, raised her head, and looked back over her shoulder. Her lips curved into a shaking smile. "I'm- in l-love with you, you fucking idiot!"
"W-what...?" Lauriam gasped.
"Oh god, no, don't tell me you're not into women. I could have guessed that one, but shit-"
"E-Elrena, I- that's not- no-!" Lauriam stuttered out, looking incredulous. And embarrassed.
"Okay, let's make this simple for you..." Elrena muttered. She drew her shoulders up and spun around. She strode right up to Lauriam, grabbed him again, and this time she pressed her lips right to his. She held it for a long moment, before she pulled away. "Now - just answer one question for me, okay: is that something you'd want more of, or not?"
"I...Well..." Lauriam looked down. Away. "Yes," he finally said.
"Done!" Elrena pulled him in again and kissed him a second time.
A portal burst to life in the clearing, and the Foretellers emerged out of it together.
"You actually showed up?" Elrena called out, breaking away from Lauriam. She summoned her weapon at her side, giving it a vicious swing, electricity rippling down its length. "I'm shocked!"
"This isn't a fight you can win," Ira said back, shaking his head.
"Tell me something I don't know - but even if it kills me, it'll be worth it to get my licks in!" Elrena retorted. "Let's say, one cut for every person you killed?" She looked out across the clearing, pointing to a nearby cave entrance, which was littered with Keyblades. "Why don't we start counting them up?"
Another portal appeared to her right, and Luxu stepped out of it. He immediately looked the scene over - relief washed over his face. "Is this the right Graveyard? I was expecting to come across some people trying to kill each other?"
"Oh, we will - don't worry about that! We're just getting some long-standing issues out of the way first," Elrena responded, raising a hand to wave with fluttering fingers.
"Right..." Luxu stalked off, heading for the Foretellers. He beckoned the four further away, gathering them in close as he began speaking with them.
While that was happening, a third portal appeared, and Ventus and Skuld walked out of it - with Masters Aqua and Terra.
"Ventus? Skuld?" Lauriam turned to stare in shock. "Are you both here...for the same reasons as Elrena - to pit yourselves against the Masters?"
"We did try and talk them out of it - they both had compelling arguments to allow this," Aqua sighed as well. "But at least we can make sure...that no one goes too far in all this."
"Oh, please, shut up!" Elrena exclaimed. "This isn't a sports match, we don't need referees - I'm playing for keeps! They never should have survived the war they started! I'll just be putting them back inside the graves they crawled their way out of! The graves that Luxu dug them out of..." she added, throwing a glare across the rocky clearing to the man in question.
Aqua pressed her lips together, taking a deep breath. "I understand-"
"No, you don't!" Elrena snapped. "These people are our Xehanort! They slaughtered our friends, destroyed our literal, entire World! And you want us to just, what? Let it go, make nice with them? Have a friendly spar together? Like you'd ever feel the same way if it were Xehanort here right now!"
"Xehanort hasn't shown so much as an inkling of remorse or guilt for any of his actions - so, no, I wouldn't," Aqua replied evenly. "That's true. But for weeks now these people have shown the truth of their Hearts, and for those weeks now they haven't done anything to threaten anyone or any world out there."
"Oh, so they deserve to get off scot-free because they feel sowwy?" Elrena mocked.
"No more than you do," Aqua bit out, holding the woman's gaze. "No more than Master Luxu does. In my honest opinion, I'd feel better if all of you could be thrown into a prison cell and be forgotten about - for all of your crimes. I haven't forgiven him for anything he's admitted to, and I still don't fully trust you, or any of these other former members of the Organization, either. But, given the circumstances, and that regret that you mock in them but have shown us yourself...I'm willing and capable of working alongside you all for the sake of protecting these worlds from the greatest threat of all: Xehanort. And you should be willing to do the same."
"That is never going to happen," Elrena responded.
"Pity," Aqua retorted, gazing at her coldly now. "I don't know what anyone has ever seen in you."
Elrena blinked, her shaking lips parted. "I-"
"All right!" came Luxu's voice. He came striding back across the clearing, to stand in the middle - between the distinct two groups. "Everybody better listen, because I'm not repeating myself: whoever has got shit they need to work out, you can work it out, here and now. But nobody is going to be killing anyone. If anyone tries to go for it, I'll make you pay for it myself - and you don't want that, believe me! I'll make damn sure you can't use your Keyblade to hurt anyone like that again."
"How do you think you can pull that off?" Elrena laughed. "They're expressions of our Heart - you can't just block off our access to them."
"There are ways - spells, magicks of a powerful, more esoteric sort," Luxu said, slowly and clearly. "I know of them, and I could implement them. I could put a lock on your Heart, stopping you from pulling your Keyblade out. I've never had to use it before - not even on Namine - but if you prove yourself enough of a threat to the safety of others...you're losing your Keyblade privileges, kids."
"And what about us?" Invi spoke quietly. "Are you really that powerful, Luxu?"
Luxu looked over at her, silent for a moment. "That might be more difficult to pull off, but don't doubt that I could do it...The things that I've seen and heard..."
"We've studied that kind of magic ourselves," Terra spoke up. "Master Eraqus never had to use it for Aqua, or Ven and I, but he's told a few horror stories about Masters binding the Hearts of exceptionally difficult or dangerous students before - and he claimed he could do it, too. It's not common, and above all it requires an extremely powerful person to even attempt it - and even if you did succeed, it wouldn't last too long. It takes more power and more skill to make it last longer than mere minutes or hours. But some...the longest was several months, if I remember the story right. It was an alternative to just kicking the kid out and sending her back to her own world - and it worked, made her shape up."
Terra looked around at the others, a slight flush coming over his features now. "I've messed around with it before, myself - using myself as a test dummy - and I managed to cut myself off from my own Keyblade for about a minute. When I tried it again, I was able to seal away my own magic, funnily enough..."
"How does that even work if you need magic to...?" Elrena pondered.
Terra shrugged. "I'm not too sure. I just know it worked."
"You've never mentioned this before," Aqua remarked. A slight smile came to her lips. "I can see why."
"Yeah, well, I was saving it for a mid-battle surprise someday," Terra answered. "I thought it might come in handy against a troublesome opponent - a surprise to pull out, catch them off guard. But, as Masters Luxu and Invi here have alluded to, you need to be more magically powerful than your opponent to succeed at casting it on them, so it's fairly useless in most situations."
"There you go, then," Luxu announced. "If any of you kiddies want to get all uppity on me, I'll pull out the old Keyblade Master extreme solution to the problem. So don't give me any problems here! You beat the shit out of each other, exhaust yourselves, and you hopefully come to an understanding - but nobody tries for kill-shots! If I see that shit, you're out, and you're done! Does everyone understand me!"
"And what if we don't agree to your idiotic terms in the first place?" Elrena asked quickly.
"Then I'll send you packing, and that's that - return to status quo," Luxu replied. "If you can manage to maintain even that..."
Elrena looked to the Foretellers. She looked back at Luxu. She growled. "Fine. Agreed. I suppose I can satisfy myself with beating the ever-loving shit out of them - if you reaaally can't allow us to actually kill them."
Luxu nodded, then suddenly teleported backwards about a hundred feet. He raised a hand of glowing orange energy and gestured casually: orange light rippled across the earth beneath everyone's feet, glowing bright. When it faded, the uneven, dusty ground was revealed to have been replaced by smooth, carved stone. They were all now standing on a massively wide, circular arena. It had to be a hundred feet in diameter, at least!
"All right: have at it, then, people!" he shouted out to them.
Aqua and Terra immediately conjured their armor, with helmets and capes and all.
"Ven, you should probably-" Terra began.
"No," Ven refuted, quiet and intense. "I don't want to fight this battle as...Master Eraqus's student. I want to fight it as the boy from Daybreak Town."
"Ven...you're both of those boys," Aqua said gently.
Ven shook his head, staring down at his palm. "Not today," he whispered. He curled his fingers, and Wayward Wind appeared in his grasp. Then, it suddenly was bathed in light, and it morphed into another Keyblade entirely. A straight, black and green one, with curved spikes coming out of the hilt and guard. The "teeth" of the Keyblade was...well, like a single, black crystal with a blue crystal core set into it.
He assumed his battle stance, holding his old Daybreak Town weapon in his reverse grip.
Aqua and Terra stared for a moment, then summoned their weapons as well.
Elrena and Lauriam did the same - while Skuld simply adopted her own battle stance, holding her weapon in both hands before herself.
The Foretellers gazed at the younger wielders. Then, Ira shook his head and conjured his own weapon.
"If you're certain this is what we have to do..." he said to himself, glancing over to Luxu.
Invi, Gula and Aced followed suit, pulling out their Keyblades as well.
And then they all just stayed like that for a moment. Both sides watching the other. Both waiting to see who would make the first move...
"Screw it - it's time to give you bastards what you deserve!" Elrena yelled out, and she broke from the others and raced forward in a streak of lightning - literally.