Chapter 12: The truth revealed
It had been a few days since the incident in Albion. Currently, Sora was sitting on the side of the tower, staring at the rising sun that was gleaming over the academy. He had his knees pulled up to his chest, his head buried in his arms as they rested upon them. His mind was lost in thought.
He couldn't believe that this happened, Wardes killed Wales. Right in front of everyone, stole the letter from Louise and almost tried to kill him and Louise. But no, that wasn't even the worst: what affected him more was the image of Henrietta crying on Louise's shoulder when she got the news about the deceased prince. Only one thought passed through his mind as he watched her crying.
He failed his friends, Halkeginia might go to war. This only added to his guilt.
If only Wardes didn't get inside his head, made him question himself then maybe the prince would still be alive.
The feeling of wind gently blew in Sora's hair as he heard the faint sound of wings flapping against the air. He pulled his head out from his knees and saw Sylphid standing gracefully in front of him.
"Sylphid?" He wondered but the dragon did nothing but stare at him when out of the blue it started to pull on his clothes and nuzzled his body.
"I get it, you're trying to make me feel better, aren't you?" She purred at him before curling right up next to Sora was still like stone before petting her head. A smile started to show on his face.
"Thanks a lot, you're a good girl." Sylphid cooded at Sora's words and began licking him on his face. Sora smiled from the affection the dragon was giving him and this made some of his worries fade away.
Tabitha looked over at her familiar and walked over to him, he noticed her presents.
"Tabitha? Did you call her over to me?" She nodded at his question.
"She was worried about you." She said to the brown haired boy. "She doesn't like most people but she really likes you.
"I see…" He said smiling at the dragon as he continued stroking her head. Tabitha looked at him interacting with Sylphid before turning to him.
"…Not your fault." She said softly
"Huh?"
"What happened to Prince Wales? It's not your fault." She replied.
"Yes it is." Sora responded as he bit his lip. "I knew something wasn't right, I just-."
"Wardes is the cause of this, it's not like you knew the kind of power he possessed."
"That's true. But this is still my responsibility." He said standing up. "I failed my friend. And someone died because I didn't make it in time." He thought about the tears that Henrietta shed that day.
Flashback
After they returned from Albion Louise and Sora went to the castle to deliver the news about the recent events that happened while they were away in Albion. Louise explained to Henrietta that Wardes was the one responsible for the death, and how he was a part of a secret organization.
All that she was able to retrieve from him was the wind ruby.
She couldn't even finish her sentence. "I can't believe that Wales..."
"His majesty was assassinated right in front of our eyes, the letter was stolen from me as well. Forgive me but this is all that remains of the prince." The noble girl gave the ring to the princess and bowed her head in shame.
Sora went step forward and spoke up "Henrietta. I'm so sorry, this is my fault I-."
Louise intervened "It's not your fault." She said "You had your suspicions about Wardes, you told me too, but I didn't listen. The fault is mine." She started to shake out of self-loathing and regret. This failure was her because she believed that Wardes was still that man she knew since her youth, kind and humbled but it was all a facade.
Henrietta looked at the ring lowering her head, she held it to her heart. She slowly kneeled in front of Louise.
"If someone is to actually be blamed for this then it's me. Because I never thought that Wardes could be our enemy."
"Louise, please, lift up your head." She did what she was asked to do and witnessed the princess; her childhood acquaintance was crying.
"There is nothing to apologize for. Nothing at all." The princess said with her tears dropping from her face. She soon embraced Louise with a sincere hug. "If anything I'm grateful that you're okay. And I'm sorry. For putting you in danger."
"... Princess." She returned the same feelings and held the princess crying together.
Flashback End
Sora finished looking back on his memories of both the princess and Louise shedding tears, he could feel the pain they both shared with each other in every. He was furious at all of this but most of all he was furious with himself, how he couldn't protect Wales and now disaster will come. Is this it, is this the true limit of what he can accomplish?
Tabitha looked into his eyes. She saw how this was eating him up, it was strange seeing a cheerful and spirited boy like him. His eyes were lacking their usual luster, she seen this before in her own mother's eyes the day her soul shattered and her heart broken. She whistled to her familiar calling back, the dragon heard Tabitha and returned to her side. Tabitha turned away briefly before turning back at Sora.
"Are you just going to give up like this?" she asked.
"In life there are only two things to do, you can move forward and work to be better, or look back and wallow in your own self-consciousness. Now then, what do you plan to do?"
Sora listened to Tabitha and it sounded like she was giving him advice. He summoned his trusty Kingdom Key into his hand and looked at it as he stared at it like it was over an eternity. He placed his hand over heart and closed his eyes and listened well to the answer that it had for him, "I…Want to move forward!" He said.
Tabitha stared at him before nodding her head. But as she was about to walk off,
"Wait." Sora quickly grabbed hold of her wrist.
"What?" Tabitha was surprised by the sudden action.
"I just wanted to say thank you." He said in his usual gester.
"It's nothing." She said quietly
"Well maybe but it still helps. I need to get stronger, so I can protect everyone!" He said with confidence. "You know, I can see more and more why Kirche sees you as a good friend. And honestly I see it too, you're pretty quite a lot of the time, but you got a really nice side about you." Sora finished with a smile before letting go. "By the way, if you need anything from me let me know. Cause I want to help a friend when they need it."
Tabitha's expression changed a little bit, he doesn't know anything about her but he's calling her a friend for the second time. The way she sees it he was someone who always considered does impossible things then maybe…no. She doubts that even someone like him could help her mother.
"Tabitha?" Sora called her name.
"It's nothing?" She said, as Sora didn't think about it, but it looks like there is something on her mind.
"Well if you do need anything let me know, okay? I gotta go, bye. And see you later Sylphid." He waved goodbye to them.
Tabitha watched as he walked away. She turned her attention to her familiar, she still had some disbelief on how and why Sylphid is so liking towards him. Plus there is so much air of mystery about him, she once went to the library after the whole situation with the water spirit but the glasses-wearing girl found nothing about keyblades or anything related to what the spirit of water said. There was only one question on her mind: who is 'Sora' anyway?
(Louise room)
Sora made his way to Louise's room, he was thinking about what Tabitha said, how if he would move forward or backward, well he has to move forward; that he had to improve, be stronger, so that he can really protect the ones he loves, and so no one else dies I. his watch again. The keyblade wielder stared at the door he twisted the door knob and upon opening the door he heard a small yelp.
His eyes met Louise who was currently naked. He immediately turned red across his face, same did Louise. There was a short silence between them before Sora screamed.
"ACK! SORRY!" He slammed the door. Louise began to quickly put on something to cover herself with. Why did she feel embarrassed, come to think of it, this feeling happened at the fairy inn before.
Sora knocked and asked if she was wearing anything Louise responded from behind the door telling him that she was dressed.
Sora creaked the door slightly before taking a long sigh of relief, he opened the door wide and walked through it.
There was an awkward silence in the air. Neither of them talked.
"D-Didn't anyone teach you manners!" Louise said, still red.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know you were changing?" Sora rubbed the back of his head, also embarrassed.
"Just knock next time. Got it?" Said Louise as she was angry. Sora agreed in confirmation.
"So, why were you-?"
"I was taking a bath, you were still moping around so I thought I'd try to relax." She gave her answer and that would also explain why there were clothes tossed on the floor.
"Okay." Sora said, unsure of what to say next. "Well I guess I'll do some laundry then." He said as he was about to pick up her clothes but stopped by Louise.
"Stop!" She grabbed his wrist "What do you think you're doing!"
"I just said I'm going to wash." He plainly said.
"There's no need for that. I'll get someone else to do it." She replied to him
Sora couldn't believe that she said that. Granted he is glad that he doesn't have to wash her clothes anymore but ever since they left Albion she has been acting weird.
"Are you alright?" Sora asked out of concern.
Louise let go of him "Of course I am." She said, trying to sound convincing.
"Louise." He said as she couldn't play it off and sign
"Well, early I went to the principal's office. It was about what Wardes said to me as well as Cromwell." Sora listened to her as she sat on the bed "They both called me a void mage, that just wouldn't leave my mind."
"So they told you?"
Sigh* "Mr.Colbert told me not to say anything if he and Osmond were wrong."
Louis understood why he didn't say anything. "I still don't believe it. Me, me, some kinda 'ancient mage' You a legendary familiar. I can't even cast one spell properly without it blowing up in my face and I'm supposed to be someone from a legend." Louise just couldn't believe it there is no possibility of any of it being true. And even if they are right she's far from being legendary, more so after what happens in Albion.
The prince died because of her foolish choices not to mention all her previous blunders and failed spells, Louise wasn't a legend of anything. And Sora is supposed to be this powerful familiar to this so-called void mage, well he is a hero in more ways than one so that part is true at least.
Sora opened up towards Louise; this has to do with her title of 'zero' and what happened in Albion.
Louise looked at him with sad eyes when he said that. "Yes."
"...Did I ever tell you that I wasn't really meant to wield the keyblade?" Louise looked at him.
"What?" That all she said, her voice was filled with surprise. What did he mean?
"It's true. The keyblade and all these powers were in fact meant for one of my friends, but it ended up being with me. Later on down the road I lost it and learned that I wasn't chosen. It hurt to find out, but I didn't stop there. I still had something worth fighting for and I had to keep going."
"Even though you were powerless?"
"Even though I was powerless. Listen, I know this is hard on you, but you are not the only one that is affected by this. It's what comes after, Here's something Tabitha told me earlier and take it to heart. Look inside yourself and ask do I move forward or backward, what do you plan to do Louise?"
Louise looked up at him, her gaze dropping a bit as she stared at the ground. She had to deal with the fact that Wales is dead and Wardes is now her enemy, how was she supposed to deal with it. She closed her eyes thinking hard about what she wanted to do deep inside her own heart. Listening and looking for answers for what she needed.
"...I don't want something like this to happen again, ever!" She said with a very agreeable tone. Sora smiled at her finding her answer.
"Then let's both make sure nothing like this happens again." He extended his hand to her, giving her his usual grin. Louise stared at that smile and suddenly remembered how she kissed him. Her face heated up again as Sora asked if she was okay. The pink-haired mage stammered, raising her hands up.
"I-I F-fine!" She jittered "Can you leave!"
"Why?" Sora asked but Louise got up and started pushing him out the room.
With one final push she forced him into the hallway "Just leave!" Louise slammed the door on his face leaving a bead of sweat dripping from his face and with a confused expression on his face.
'You know what. Nevermind.' He walked down the hall leaving Louise by her lonesome. But behind the closed door Louise sat back on her bed with her face covered by her hands. Her face still red and her heart was beating uncontrollably, words echoing in her mind as she desperately tried to shut and ignore them.
"I'm not in love with him…I can't be."
(Outside)
Sora browsed around the academy. There really wasn't anything to do. All the students who left for summer vacation are to return today but that's probably won't be till later. He looked all over for Guiche and the others but they weren't seen anywhere. Well he wasn't completely alone he still has Derflinger with him.
"I wonder what was going on in Louise's head?"
[She is likely now starting to understand her feelings towards you.]
"Huh?" Sora said stupidly.
[Translation: I mean that she's is in love with you.]
Sora was in disbelief. 'Her' in love with him. He laughed in-between his sentences "No. No, Louise doesn't love." He said to the sword on his back.
[Am I wrong?]
"Yes. I mean what reason would she have to be in love?" Sora ask as Derflinger began listing the reasons: One he's never once disrespected her about her incompetent abilities with magic, he can be considered about her feelings, he encourages her rather then belittle her.
"Well besides me being her familiar we are friends too. Plus, I wasn't a good keyblade wielder at first so I know not every person is born good at something. They always have to work hard to get good."
[True. But you're also forgetting that she kissed you, remember?]
The sentinel sword reminded him as the image of Louise kissing him came to his mind. He was right about that as he held his mouth with his hand and wondered why she did that?
"Uh that-."
"Sora!" Sora turned to the side and saw Siesta running in his direction.However, there was something a little different about her this time. She was wearing different clothes than the usual maid outfit.
"Hey Siesta." He greeted "What's with the clothes."
"Oh this. I'm going on vacation, soon I thought I would go and visit my village." She replied with a smile.
A small smile dawned on his face. "Let me guess you're going to see your family."
"Yeah! It's been a while since I saw them. We do send letters to each other but seeing is a whole lot better. I've been wondering what everyone has been doing."
Sora had a reminiscent smile on his face thinking about his own family "Yeah nothing is more important than family."
Siesta heard the tone of his voice; it sounded like he was missing his own family. She thought about if there was anything she could do for him. Siesta blinked a few times as an idea popped into her head.
"Um, Sora!"
"Ye-Yes."
"Does Miss Vallière need you for anything?" Asked the black haired maid.
Sora shook his head "No. Actually Louise just kicked me out for no reason."
She fidgeted a little as she clasped her hands together in front of her "Umm, if you would like…Would you like to…come with me?" A blush crossed her face
Sora blinked a few times before putting his hands up. "Thanks, but are you sure it would be ok if I came with you? I don't want to impose on you or anything."
Siesta gave a large smile as she walked up to him "I know my parents and siblings would love to meet you!" She then clapped his hand with her own with an exciting smile on her face. "Well?"
Sora thought about it for a moment; he really didn't have anything to do. So with a big smile he said to Siesta that he would like to see her family and the place she grew up in.
"Sure. I love to see."
The two made their way to Siesta's home village by horseback. A few hours later before Sora and Siesta were standing on the hillside overlooking the small village it had lush greenery with a river. A lot of the people were working in the fields, but the entire atmosphere was one of happiness and peace truthly this place reminded him of the Destiny Islands a bit. They had made it to their destination: The village of Tarbes.
(Academy of magic)
Back at the school Louise went out to look for Sora. Maybe she was a bit forceful when she threw him out without a good reason, so she thought that she should apologize to him but she thought about how she should do it. As she was lost in her own little world she just so happened to cross Kirche along with Tabitha.
"Oh Zero." Kirche said to Louise. "What are you doing out here?"
"I'm looking for Sora, have you seen him?" Louise asked as there were two other voices coming their way.
"Montmorency!" The girl who's name was called had a look of anger as her boyfriend came into the picture.
"I thought I told you not to talk to me!"
"Montmorency I'm telling you the truth. We really were on a mission, I wasn't cheating on you really!" He tried to talk to her but she huffed and turned away. "Can't any of you guys talk to her?" The pretty boy pleaded to the girls in hope that they could reason with his girlfriend, unfortunately none of the females present would back him up.
"Who's to say that you weren't?" Kirche said with sarcasm.
Guiche dropped his head in defeat realizing that they won't help him.
"Look I don't care about this, Guiche have you seen Sora anywhere?" Louise asked as Guiche raised his head.
"If you're looking for him, Sora left." Guiche said, which made the three look surprised.
"He left! Where did he go?"
(Tarbes)
Siesta and Sora were walking through the village, there people would wave at Siesta and would also give the young girl a hug. Sora could tell with ease that the people here were very friendly towards others.
"This is a nice place you got here." Sora said as he watched and waved at passersby
"It is. Not many nobles come here. Plus the people here are very friendly." Siesta said as she inhaled a deep breath of fresh air. She was happy to be home.
Sora saw the smile plastered on her face. "You know, with how peaceful and quiet this place is. It kinda reminds me of my Islands." He said reminiscing his home "Maybe someday I'll see it again.
"What do you mean?" Siesta asked "Couldn't you take a boat out to sea?"
"Uh." Soar sweat a little "Let me put it like this…You can't to go my island by boat exactly."
The black haired girl looked confused. "What are you-."
"Tres Bien~"
Siesta has a surprised, but ecstatic look on her face. She turned to Sora, whose face also supported a surprised look. It was none other than her Uncle Scarron.
"OH! Siesta~" The man said, wrapping her in a bone crushing hug.
"Uncle Scarron? It's good to see you, I didn't know you were here?" Asked Siesta.
"NOOO~" he exclaimed as he flailed about. "Call me Mi Mademoiselle~" he said before he smiled down at Siesta. "Lately business is booming so much. Maybe a little too much, anyway since we made so much I decided that we take some time off from the inn~." He said as he waved his arms.
"Scarron. Hey!" Sora greeted.
"Oh~ Sora it's good to see you again." He greeted. "I didn't know you were here."
"Siesta actually invited me over." Back and forth the two carried on their conversations. Siesta was surprised, and sounded like they knew each other before.
"Sora? Have you met my Uncle already?" Siesta questioned.
Sora nodded to her "Yeah, we've met before. Louise and I did a little bit of work at his restaurant not too long ago."
"Sora was an amazing cook when he was working for me."
Scarron answered leaving the maid shocked that they had met already, and wait, Sora can cook? She didn't know that.
"You can cook?"
"Just a little bit." Sora said "By the way, where is Jessica?" Ask the keyblade, if Scarron is here then maybe Jessica is too.
"She's already at the house. Come along, let's not dilly dally~!" Scarron said as they began walking to Siesta's house. After a short distance of walking it wasn't long before Sora found himself standing in front of a decent sized log house. not nearly as large as Mott's mansion but is seemed big.
As Siesta opened the door and announced her presence a very tall and muscular man standing in the doorway was wearing a button up shirt. He had black hair and a neatly trimmed beard. He had a look of delight on his face. "Siesta, come here and give your father a hug!"
Siesta beamed before she immediately rushed over to her father and threw her arms around his neck. He picked her up and whirled her around, causing her to laugh in delight. "How is my eldest daughter doing!" he boomed.
"I am doing well father." Siesta said as he gently placed her down.
"Everyone! Siesta's home!" He shouted in the house as his wife and their other children came to greet her back Jessica was also a part of the reunion.
'A flock of siblings.' Sora thought as he looked at seven other kids running up to them.
"Welcome home honey." Her mother said, welcoming her daughter home after all this time.
"Big sis!" Two of her brothers said happily.
"Hey, Sie-Sie, it's been a while." Jessica replied.
Sora watched as everyone welcomed her home as soon Siesta's mother noticed him standing beside her.
"Oh, we have a guest." She said as her siblings looked at the boy who was next to their sister as Jessica also turned and recognized a familiar figure at the door.
"Sora is that you?"
The keybearer smiled as he raised his hand high "Yeah, been a while!" He greeted Jessica as the two of them high-fived. "How've you been?"
"Been doing well. And you?"
"Been good!"
Seista's father and mother looked at the boy that was interacting with Jessica. So this is the boy that Siesta wrote about in all of her letters, it was kinda funny though he wasn't at all what they were expecting but appearances are always deceiving.
"So your Sora. Our daughter wrote about you in one of her letters." Her father said, locking eyes with the boy with his hand outstretched.
Sora blinked a few times as he stared at the hand. He quickly smiled as he reached out and gave a firm handshake. "My name is Sora, but, uh, you alright know that." He said.
"Well Sora, my name is Lauren, and this is my wife Sophie." He introduced himself and his wife as he let go and invited the keyblade's chosen one into their humble abode. During that time Siesta asked her cousin and her uncle how they met Sora in the first place, Jessica explained to her that he and Louise were on a mission from the princess, and she tried to pose as a waitress at the Charming fairy inn.
Siesta blinked a few times as she pondered this new information. That probably would explain why he and Louise went away that one day but to find out that it was a mission for the princess.
She then burst out laughing when she told Siesta that Louise would slap the customers, pour wine on them, and yelled at a few of them it was even funnier when they tried to pose as a brother and sister. Siesta began laughing as well.
"*Laugh*...What… really!" Siesta said in-between her giggles.
"It's true!" Jessica said. "The way she acted there was no way anyone wouldn't be able to tell she wasn't a regular person." She then laughed again.
"Oh…*laugh* I can't, oh my sides!" She wiped the tears of laughter from her face and talked to Sora "And you were working for them?"
"To be fair I didn't know you had a cousin in the city." Said Sora.
As they all were getting all Siesta father cleared his throat. "Siesta, why don't you and Jessica help your mother prepare something to eat? I need to talk to Sora about something…alone." She was kinda worried about it but he gave her a smile "Don't worry. We won't scare him."
"Alright." She gave her father permission. With that he opened the front door and waved his hand telling Sora to come along.
(Kitchen)
In the kitchen, Sophie was preparing a meal for them, Siesta and Jessica were preparing the dinner table as she was helping her cousin when her younger brother came in and spoke to his sister.
"Hey Siesta? Is that guy you brought your boyfriend?" The brother said she flinched, turning bright red.
"No!" She shook her head "No, he is not my boyfriend! He's just a friend!"
"Oh." Her mother said with a fake tone "I thought he was."
"Mother!"
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to tease. It's just a surprise that you would bring home a boy." Sophie said, raising her eyebrows. "You sure he's not your boyfriend?"
"He's not my boyfriend," she said emphatically.
"I figured you'd do something to make him yours already." Said Jessica as a devilish smile was on her face "So if you're not going to make a move…maybe I will."
"What!?" That startled Siesta
"I like to keep him for myself." She said happily as Siesta came to realize what she was talking about…
"Jessica. Do you-?" She asked as she placed his finger before having a playful look on her face.
"My secret." The long-haired cousin took back her finger and continued to set the table. Siesta stood in place, her mind temporarily shut off trying to process all of this while her mother only smiled and laughed. She thought to herself, that boy must be popular with girls.
(Outside)
Meanwhile Lauren and Sora were standing face to face with Siesta's father. From the very serious facial expression that he was showing Lauren definitely had something very important to say. Sora was starting to feel a little nervous, but why was he feeling so nervous?
"So… Lauren…"
"Sora." Sora was interrupted by the man in front of him "Earlier I said that you had come up in a few of her letters. "My daughter explained what happened with Count Mott." He bowed his in front of the keyblade wielder and the mood changed "You can't understand how grateful I am to you for what you did. When she told me that she was to be sent off to work for him I was concerned, but when she said that she was about to be attacked by monsters I was scared for her." He raised himself right "I've wanted to meet you so I could properly give my thanks to you. For being there for my little girl and for saving her life."
Sora looked at this man before him and he could feel the weight of his words, "Don't mention it, Siesta is a friend. I will protect her."
"I am glad to hear she had such a good friend." He said as he took a deep breath. The atmosphere suddenly lightened up as he gave a soft smile. "You know, in all my daughter's letters she wrote a lot about you, she seems to hold you up to very high standards. I was worried about her when she took the job offer at the institution. But I guess I don't have anything to worry about anymore."
The two each brought out one of their hands and shook tightly forming a strong bond between them.
"Promise to take care of my baby." He said
"I will." Sora replied back.
Just then, the girls watch from the window seeing how the two of them got along so quickly.
Sophie opened the door and commented on how Lauren gave his trust to Sora as they let go of each other's hands.
"I see you're getting along quite well." Sophie said with a charming look.
"Yes ma'am!" Her husband said to his wife. Soon Jessica and Siesta also came out the door.
"Did everything go well with father?" Siesta asked as Sora told her everything went fine. As Siesta took a breath of relief.
"Alright then, how about we eat something. I'm getting hungry." Jessica said as everyone went inside for lunch.
"Wait a moment." Lauren halted everyone. "There's something I want to confirm with Sora about." He looked at the keyblade wielder.
"What is it?" Asked Sora
"In one of Siesta's letters, she mentioned that you wield a sword in the form of a key, correct?"
Sora answered "Yeah that right, a keyblade. Why do you ask?"
"Can I see it real quick?" Not sure why he would ask someone like that Sora followed his command and brought forth his Starlight Keyblade into his right hand. Both Lauren and Sophie were surprised that it had come into his hand out of thin air, they've read about it so it looks like it was the truth after all.
"Amazing!" Siesta's mother said, Sora's keyblade disappeared from sight.
"So it's true." Lauren said with a serious expression on his face but soon turned to a smirk. "That's quite a trick...After lunch, there is something I want to give you."
Sora was perplexed what did he have for him?
(Albion)
Wardes was sitting in a dark room, his one arm resting on the table while the other one was wrapped up. The days had passed after the prince's assassination. Needless to say, Wardes was not in a good mood at the moment as he stared at the man sitting across the table.
"You lied to me! You said that if I used that power I would be undefeated, but clearly that wasn't the case." She pointed to his arm that was badly damaged "Have you nothing to say, Xigbar?"
Xigbar merely sighed "Technically, it's your own fault. Your pride got the better of you because you still underestimate the kid."
"Ever still, I-"
"And I thought I said not to use those powers until it completely sinks in. Do not blame me, or Sora blame yourself for your own stupidity."
He slammed his good arm on the table and picked up his sword, he swung it at Xigbar who quickly and easily blocked it with one of his arrowgun. "It was your own arrogance and pride that led to you getting your arm broken and cut as well." He said as he was starting to rile him up "...And be smart about who you're dealing with. Unlike Sora I didn't care about showing mercy. And another thing, you need to keep yourself under control or the darkness will turn you into a heartless."
His hatred for this man grew and grew more but he was right, he knew not to overstep. He put away his sword and took a deep breath still glaring daggers at the figure in black.
"Thought so…" Xigbar relinquished his weapon. Just as Cromwell and Matilda entered the room as well.
"What are you all doing?" Cromwell question.
"Just having a disagreement." Wardes said
"So, how'd your speech go, Cromwell?" Xigbar asked.
An evil smile showed on his face "The entire country of Albion is riled to the core today we mark the rebirth of a new country." Said Cromwell.
"Stealing the Ring of Andvari from the Water Spirit was definitely not an easy task, but it was well worth it." Matilda said.
"But this is only the start of our conquest. It's time we move on to the next phase of our plan." Wardes said. A map of Halkeginia was placed on the table, as they all circled around it. As they begin discussing their plans for world conquest.
(Tarbes)
After lunch Siesta's father gave Sora a map to an ancient relic that was once found by his father and himself, an item they called the dragon's raiment. Lauren earlier was telling Sora and the girls stories about how his grandfather was a rather interesting character, not long before he passed he claimed that he came from a different world.
Sora blinked a few times as he felt his stomach turn. That's what Siesta said a while ago.
Of course he was a child when he heard these tales but sometimes he wondered about those stories if they were true. But his wife thought that his grandfather was crazy, a world where there was no nobility, no commoners, and only one moon in the sky and ordinary people could use magic. It all sounded insane.
But her husband felt that his grandfather was telling the truth. More than just him saying that he was from a different world, he also had the dragon raiment. According to his grandfather, this item was proof enough that there are other worlds beyond the stars.
Sora thought as he continued to absorb Lauren's words. But why would he give him a map to their treasure?
He said to Sora that he seems like someone who once believed that there are worlds out in the sky. He never got the thing to work so maybe he could figure it out, and if he did well then it would be his to use, all he asked if he did go to another world then let him know if there really are places among the stars.
"According to the map, it should be this way." Siesta said as she led Sora and Jessica through the woods.
Jessica looked over at a rocky cliff, there she saw an entrance. "Found it!"
The small group walked and they found themselves staring into the mouth of a large cave. The map said to go directly into it,
"It's just passed through here, let's go."
"Do we really have to go in there?" Said with a hint of fear in her voice.
"It'll be fine." Jessica said she was linking arms with Sora. "Besides we have a bodyguard, don't we?" She looked at Sora.
"You will keep me safe, right Sora?" Jessica said in a cute voice. As she clung tightly to his arm. Meanwhile jealousy started to flare in Siesta as she also crossed arms with Sora.
"Please after you." She said to her cousin.
"Can I have my arms back?" He said to the girls who didn't let go of him. 'I don't get it?' He thought why they were acting like this as he took back his arms and summoned the Starlight keyblade, using it as a light source as they proceeded to the cave.
"By the way, I want to say thanks for introducing me to your family."
"It's nothing, I'm glad that you came." Siesta said back. "I was surprised that Louise let you go."
"I said she kicked me out, after that I don't think she'll care." Jessica heard this and asked why she would do that, did something happen between the two of them.
"I don't know but she has been acting differently since we came back."
"Well when did it start?"
Sora closed his eyes and thought about when it did happen, suddenly his mind thought back to the kiss she gave him on Sylphid. His eyes quickly opened with a blush across his face. He stammered a bit saying that he doesn't know why. The girls looked at him with doubt. Siesta and Jessica both placed their hands on their hips and gave a subtle glare. Something must've happened otherwise Sora wouldn't be so embarrassed.
"So has anyone else seen this dragon raiment?" Sora asked Siesta.
"Just father really."
"Alright." He replied "And another thing, aside from the dragon raiment, was there, I don't know. Anything else that was passed down in your family?"
Siesta and Jessica thought of Sora's question. But nothing came up.
"No, I can't think of anything."
"Me neither."
"Okay." Sora replied to the girls but as he was about to talk to the girls about something else.
"DO NOT TAKE ANOTHER STEP!"
Sora got into his stance with Starlight as he stared into the darkness.
"Who are you?"
"Thieves! You are not going to take another step, if you think you will steal what I have been searching for.
"I think there's a misunderstanding we're not-!"
Suddenly two fireballs were shot at Sora, missing him and hitting the wall. This made the trio gasp.
"That was a warning shot! Do not think we wouldn't give you mercy!" Sora told the girls to hide but they refused, they could help him fight. He thanked the girl before turning to the darkness.
"Show yourself!"
Suddenly, there was an explosion above Sora's head. He looked up to see a stalactite had just been blasted loose and was falling straight towards him and Siesta. Quickly, Sora grabbed Siesta by her shoulders and pulled her to safety. The stalactite smashed into the ground, shattering upon impact.
Soon after that fire came from the direction behind them. Sora used his flowmotion to spring against the wall and follow in the direction of the blaze "Splash!" Jessica and Siesta cast Watera to block the stream of fire as soon as the water hit the flames steam soon produced, covering the cave in a mist. There was a thud as Sora grabbed hold of the individual who was in the cave with them.
"I got em'!" Sora called out
"Wind!" Siesta casted aerora to blow away the steam as they started to follow the tunnel.
As for Sora as the most was starting to clear up he felt something off about this person as they made a small sound the last of the steam was gone he looked at the face of the person who was in the came his eyes widened when he saw familiar red hair. It was Kirche who groaned as she soon opened her eyes. The two looked confused when they saw each other.
"Darling?"
"Kirche?"
They both greeted each other as a seductive look drew on Kirche's face. "You know we could do it somewhere a little more cozy. But I don't mind." She said to the boy who was on top of her as Sora looked down and saw that he was groping her chest with his left hand. He flinched, pulling himself off of her with a heavy blush on his face.
"I am so sorry!"
"Don't apologize." She said sitting on the ground as well "Normally I'm the one who takes charge, but to have that role reversed is a bit exciting to me."
"Sora. There you are." Siesta and Jessica made it to Sora who was sitting on the ground. Their attention soon turned to the person that Siesta did not expect to meet.
"Mi-Miss Zerbst!?" Siesta exclaimed.
"Who's she?" Jessica asked as Siesta said she's a student from the institute of magic.
Sora soon stood up just then that same voice from earlier as it sounded close. Sora summoned his Starlight Keyblade again and shined a light from the tip; the light overcame the shadows, allowing the figure's face to be shown.
"Mr.Colbert!" But that wasn't all, behind him were Tabitha, Montmorency, Guiche and Louise.
"Sora?" Louise said in shock to see him here as well as Jessica and Siesta too.
"What are you guys doing here?"
"I thought you were trespassing. I've heard that. I recently heard about it and wanted to see it for myself." The teacher explained.
"And you guys?"
"We went around asking where you were after you left the academy with that maid." Kirche said
"We talked to the staff and they told us that she went to her home village in Tarbes. Fortunately for us Mr.Colbert just so happened to be going there himself so we asked if we could come along." Guiche finished explaining. "But he wanted us to help him excavate this dragon raiment."
"That Dragon Raiment is something my grandfather and father found. We have every right to see it." Siesta said with a small frown. She was just a little angry that the professor tried to hurt them.
"I see." Colbert said as he began to bow his head in sincerity. "My dearest apologies. I did not know."
Siesta gave a small sigh as she smiled at the balding man. "It is alright professor."
"Well since we're all here we might as well go together." Sora replied to everyone present and without a thought they all agreed. This time as a whole party they walked through the cave.
Louise stood there with her hands on her hips, a frown on her face. "You left without telling me."
"You were the one who kicked me out." He flatly said to her. "How do I know you weren't following me?"
"'I'm just here helping my teacher! I couldn't care at all what you do!"
"Are you just that cynical!"
The two throw words at one another but Sora sighed in defeat "Okay, I should have told you that I was leaving. But let's not forget you were the one who kicked me out."
"What are you expecting, an apology?" She said sarcastically.
"What do you think?" The two glared at one another for a bit before huffing, turning their heads away from each other.
[Ya' know I don't mind the lover's quarrel-]
"It's not a lover's quarrel!" Louise snapped at the sword.
[-Their leaving you idiots behind you know?] The sword said as they were way ahead of them they quickly ended the argument and ran to them.
It didn't take long to make it out of the cave with the help of Siesta and Colbert. Colbert was able to interpret the map easily and Siesta was able to answer any questions he had concerning the map. With them working together, they eventually stood in front of a worn down building. Everyone was staring at it before Siesta looked at the lock on the door.
"My father forgot to give us the key." Siesta whined realizing that now she has to go all the way back.
"Sora." Louise said to her familiar as he got the message. He summoned the Starlight to his hand. A second later, the lock clicked and everyone was able to enter the building. What they saw made them gasp, especially Sora as he soon walked to it. This dragon wasn't a dragon at all…
"Amazing… So this is the dragon's remnant, truly a marvelous discovery!" The teacher said as everyone else couldn't help but get a closer look, while inspecting it closer Tabitha noticed a strange symbol on the top and on the side, it looked almost like a cross.
Siesta turned to Sora "Well what do you think?"
"About your grandfather's belief in other worlds. Yeah."
"Uh, not to question your judgment, but why are you so convinced?" asked Jessica.
Sora hesitated, he wasn't sure how to answer "I- that's."
"Alright, enough of the secrets." Kirche said with her hand on her hip.
"You've been hiding something from us and I think it's time we get an explanation. Like how do you know about this, what is a keyblade, and that time we visited the water spirit. Remember how she said when this world was whole, and don't think we forgot about how she acted like you knew what she was talking about."
"She's right. Her attitude towards you was different from how she acted towards us." Guiche came to her side. "I know everyone is entitled to their own secrets. But I'm quite curious about what you've been hiding. If you're afraid of something you don't have to be."
Sora looked at everyone and the people who actually knew his secret. He thought about how Kirche was right, after everything they've seen and heard and now this. There really was no point in hiding anything from them anymore plus they are all his friends too they had a right to know the truth even if it means breaking the rules of world order again.
"... Okay." He said to everyone "Louise. Mr.Colbert, can you come here too?" They came to Sora as he pulled out his phone and started pulling up pics of his adventures.
"So… before I tell you guys the truth. I need to ask you something."
"What?" Tabitha said.
"...Have you guys ever looked up in the sky and wondered if there is another world besides this one?"
(Castle)
Meanwhile in the outside garden of the castle the princess was currently going over the details of the recent events that transpired in Albion.
"So the letter truly was taken." Said the woman who resembled the princess.
"Your assumptions are correct Mother… I mean, Archduchess Marianne." She said with disappointment.
The duchess lowered her head before continuing "I received word from Germania, they're going to cancel the engagement."
"My inability and carelessness have caused this. Please punish me for my failures."
The duchess turned to the princess "No. You're already in pain. The pain of losing someone you love." She began to walk to Henrietta "There is nothing that can be done, all that we can do is accept this and try to move forward." She said to her daughter as Henrietta slowly leaned closer to her and hugged her as tears began to run down her.
Meanwhile in the distance a "Agnès?"
"Princess Henrietta! Queen Marianne!" Agnès said "You'll forgive me. But we have a situation, it's Albion!"
"What about Albion!?"
(Tarbes)
Jessica and Siesta began walking home with a tired expression. Especially with the information that they had discovered. As they passed through the village and entered Siesta's home. As they were greeted by their parents respectfully, upon asking Lauren and his wife asked where Sora was, they said that he had something to do back at the academy and he soon left.
They were both a little upset that he left without saying goodbye. That just left the girls staring at each other as they soon notice the keyblade in Siesta's hand they asked why she had it as she started to explain their was more about her relatives than she thought as she and Jessica explained to them.
(Academy of magic)
Back at the school all the students had returned from their vacation as they all witnessed a unique piece of machinery they had never seen before. Students and teachers practically everyone came.
"My word." Osmond said as he took a look at such a marvelous item. "I can't believe you actually found it."
"I'm thankful for your help in transporting it to the academy."
"It's no big deal, it's still truly amazing that you were able to find this. You know I made a few bets saying that this time you would get lost in the mountains. Guess I was wrong." The bald headed teacher laughed nervously. Everyone began touching it while Sora stood with Louise and the others who watched from a distance as they still had a bit of trouble believing the truth about their spiky haired companion.
Flashback
Back at the hanger, Sora had explained everything to them, about how the world they know was actually a part of one world that existed long ago. About the keyblade and keyblade wielders from centuries past, Kingdom Heart, the χ-blade, the Keyblade War, that caused the separation and creation of the universe as they knew it, the Heartless, Nobodies. His time traveling from one world to another, the amazing things that he and his friends had witnessed, the struggles they had to endure together, all the times Sora had saved the universe with his friend's side by side…to this final moment.
Normally no one would believe such information. But he's not the type of person that would make up something like this, especially after seeing this. Even seeing pictures of the worlds he's been too made it more believable.
"...So. All this time, you mean to tell us that you're actually from another world. With no nobility, no magic at all." Montmorency said.
"But you and a few people possess keyblades that allow you to use the magic arts." Guiche added.
"And that our world was really a part of one world that was supposedly separated by a great war that nearly destroyed everything…" Jessica finished pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Yeah pretty much."
They all looked at each other with disbelief, Sora began to scratch his head "Look I know it all sounded like a made up story. But it is all true. Ask Louise and Mr.Colbert."
Louise spoke up first "When he first told me I thought it all was, well, mentir. But after he showed me those pictures and he'd told it all to me I couldn't help but see that he was telling the truth."
"After the incident with Miss Longueville or rather Fouquet. He had explained to me and the headmaster the truth. I was shocked to hear that the staff of destruction we kept was actually a weapon meant for people like him. Even more to find out that there are worlds besides our own."
After hearing them speak the knowledge had started to sink in further. "Oh great Brimir. To think that other worlds really do exist… it's overwhelming." Siesta said with her hand on her face.
"And you went through such ordeals over a year ago to fight against the forces of darkness?" Kirche said as she collected herself.
"Difficult." Tabitha said.
"Yep. But it's not as bad as you guys think!" Sora said cheerfully "At first I didn't even want the power at all, all I wanted was to find my friends after we got separated. But, as me and my friends Donald and Goofy went to world after world and I started to learn the responsibility that came with it, soon I accepted the gift that was granted to me."
"...Wow… I remember what you said Louise. About how you would be some kinda powerful familiar, but I never thought he was a savior."
"But wait. If you're actually from another world what are you doing here?" Jessica said.
Sora crossed his arms "Well…It happened after me and my friends defeated a very powerful adversary, Master Xehanort wanted to purge the world of darkness and restart the universe anew but in order to do it he'd need the X-blade. But that was destroyed during the first keyblade war, but he found a way to reforge it." The brown haired teen recalled the now late master's plans.
"He tried to have someone of pure light and pure darkness forge the X-blade but that did not go well." Sora remembered how he tried to use Ventus and Vanitas for his own purpose "So he found another way to do it. After the first war, the X-blade was broken up into twenty pieces, seven of light and thirteen of darkness, so his next idea was to start another keyblade war in order to create it, but this time he would take a different approach. Seven guardians of light and Thirteen seekers of darkness or as well like to call them Organization XIII."
"They would clash in this second keyblade war all for the purpose of creating the key to Kingdom Heart."
"This guy sounds really insane." Jessica said.
"So what happened after that, did he make this X-blade?" Montmorency asked as Sora looked distraught as he continued the story.
"...He. He did. During our battle me, Riku and the king were fighting the last of the organization members with each clash a key was created but after all that Xehanort only had twelve, all he needed was one more and the person who was left in order to make the final piece was my friend Kairi…after he struck her down, right in front of me." They all gasped, Siesta even covered her mouth from the shock to hear this.
"I-I sorry to hear that."
Sora gripped his sleeve tightly as he took a sign, wanting to put that painful memory aside. "Anyway, after a long battle we all manage to defeat Xehanort and close the door to Kingdom Heart once more. But that victory was still bitter sweet, I couldn't accept what happened to Kairi- no! I didn't want to accept it. I had to find a way to bring her back and there was only one thing I could do."
"And what did you do?"
"Well there's a power called the power of waking. It's an ability to wake and recover a heart that has been sleeping in darkness. But how I was using it was to restore their hearts after death."
"Okay I'm not sure how that's possible. But if this power of waking wasn't meant to be used the way you were using it, then there had to be some ramifications to using it."
"There was… a little thing. I would lose my power of waking for it."
"Oh that's all?"
"...And not only that…I would vanish from my world and without my power of waking I can never return to my original world."
While Louise and Mr.Colbert faces were stern everyone else including Tabitha all were a look a shock, they started to feel sorry for Sora but he did this to himself, someone had to have told him to stop, did he just not care about his own life, to go that far for someone.
"Reckless."
"Yeah. Why would you do something like that!? I mean to use power in such a way that sounds like a taboo that shouldn't be broken!"
"I know and I don't care about the consequences. As long as she was safe that really was all that matters to me." Sora smiled.
They didn't expect to hear this normally. If someone else was in his predicament they would be feeling depressed and alone but no not him, it must take a strength to even smile at this to be banished from your home, never to see anyone again, it takes real will.
"Sora. I know I probably said this once. But you are amazing, you never let that light in your eyes ever die out do you?" Siesta said as she smiled charmingly at him.
Sora responded by rubbing his nose, smiling. "Thanks. Actually when you and your dad talked about your great grandfather being from another world I had a feeling. Something about you guys was different now it all makes sense." He summoned his starlight keyblade
"If I had to guess I have to say that you, Jessica, and your family are descendants of that keyblade wielder that came here."
"Really?" Jessica asked as Sora nodded.
"Yeah, your great grandfather really was from another world. Although, I can't say what world he was from originally since I've never met him."
Both cousins looked at one, the fact that the two of them, no, their family on their grandfather and great grandfather side, were actually people from another world.
Cough* Guiche cough, getting their attention "Excuse me, but don't you think we should get back on topic. Like this." He pointed at the dragon.
"So this dragon is from another world?" Kirche asked.
"Yeah but it's not a dragon at all, it's called a glider."
"Glider?" Siesta and Montmorency repeated.
"You can think of it as a small boat that can fly." Everyone looked at the glider, could this contraption really fly?
"That is quite impressive?"
Sora turned his head to the glider as well but something plagued his mind about it. The last time that he saw this thing was when he and Riku were fighting Xemnas of the original Organization XIII, and it disappeared into a vortex. Just how did it come here, into this world of all places?
"Hey Siesta?" Sora said to the short black haired girl. "Your father said that he found this right, when and where did he find it?"
Sora asked Siesta who pondered the question.
Flashback
She explained to him that it was a couple of months ago, he and his father were exploring the mountains during the last eclipse. They wanted to get a really good view when the eclipse happened. There was this bright light and when it was over Lauren said he saw something falling from the sky as it looked like it was heading east of where they were.
Both father and son began walking and for a few hours they made it to where whatever it was that fell. Lauren and his father couldn't believe it and for it to fall from the sky. They both always believed that worlds existed beyond Halkeginia and this had to be proof.
Flashback end
Sora soaked up her story as he looked at her so the glider came here during an eclipse, for him he used gummiship, for the organization used dark corridors to travel but an eclipse? So does this world have other means of travel.
Meanwhile Mr.Colbert was also intrigued, he knew Sora's ways of traveling to other worlds but that would mean their world has another possibility for arrival…if that's the case, then… "Sora you said your powers of walking are what you used to travel to worlds right?" He asked as Sora replied back to him.
"Yeah that's right."
"Well maybe you can leave in another fashion." This caught everyone's attention, especially Louise.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean you might be able to go home the same way that this came here. I also heard rumors about something falling from the sky, but I never thought it was from another world. If what Siesta says is true, then there might be a small possibility that you can leave this world… the same way this 'glider' came into our world."
Jessica knew what he was trying to say "So basically, you want Sora to fly this glider into an eclipse?"
"It's a small percentage, maybe a one in a million chance. But I think that it could work."
Sora stared at the glider from the organization stronghold, a one in a million chance of it working, but if he was right then maybe, just maybe he could make it back to his Island, to his friends and most importantly, back to Kairi.
'Sora's... Leaving.' Louise thought as she was left with a blank expression on her face.
Flashback End
"I still find it difficult to believe that there are worlds out there." Montmorency said.
"Makes you feel like this place is a lot smaller, huh." Sora replied to her as he knew the feeling quite well.
"Yes. By the way how many keyblade wielders were there?" Montmorency asked as Sora told her that in the past there were likely as many as the mages they have here, but after the keyblade war the number of wieders went down dramatically other then Sora there are nine others so ten in total.
Montmorency apologized because she didn't know. But Sora didn't care about that.
"You know after all this made me realize something." Kirche said
"Oh yeah, what is that?" Louise asked.
"That I'm more in love with you then ever." Everyone but Tabitha
started to sweat when she said that.
"...Really?" Sora, Louise and Montmorency said together.
"I'm serious! You have been a unique individual but to learn that you're actually a hero who has saved more than one world on multiple occasions. I don't think I can settle for just any man now." She wrapped her arms around him, hugging his back. "There only needs to be one man in my life now and that's you, Sora."
Sora tried to get free but her hold on him was tight as he felt her bosom pressing against him. The keybearer was starting to become flustered as the red head repeatedly did it over and over again. Anger quickly surfaced in Louise as she forcefully pulled the two apart. She then yelled at Sora to grow a spine already, if he didn't like it then he should tell her to stop.
"Okay, next time I will." He said, turning back to the glider and walking towards it. "Here's hoping it's still in good condition." Sora began to take off his left glove and touched the handle of the vehicle with his left hand as he did the runes on his and soon lit up.
"Yeah, it's still good to fly."
"You sure?"
[Trust me if he says it's good it's good. Like I said, you can use any and all weapons the second you encounter them. This counts as a weapon doesn't it?]
Sora put on his glove "Yep. That's right." He said as he recalled the moment he and Riku flew and fought Xemnas with this glider before, in a way this was a weapon.
"And just how is that possible, what is that another power to being a Keyblade wielder?" Asked Kirche.
"That's another story but, um, the short version is: Louise is supposed to be a void mage and I'm Gandálfr the legendary familiar of the void."
The girl's jaw had hit the ground when he said that just as Louise hit the back of his head for that, he knows he shouldn't be blurting things like that out in the open!
"Void?" Tabitha said with a hint of surprise in her voice.
"As in void magic, a power that was once wielded by the founder himself!" The blonde haired girl exclaimed.
"And that is zero?! The same zero who's mage always blows up leaving, leaving destruction to the school?" Kirche also exclusive before bursting out in a hearty laugh. Really this talentless girl is supposed to be a legendary spellcaster she couldn't control her amusement.
Not wanting to put up with this, Louise stormed off, Sora placed his hand on his face for being blunt.
Louise continued to walk away from this 'That idiot really doesn't know when to be quiet. Well good riddance to that when you leave.' She stopped in her tracks thinking again about that Sora was going away, yes that right he doesn't really belong in this world anyway so why should she care, but, at the same time she did care she didn't want Sora to leave but at the same time she knows that this is something that he needs to do, her heart felt it was being pulled in two direction unsure of what to do.
"Louise!" Her thinking was interrupted when Guiche came back to the school on horseback.
Louise wasn't too pleased to see him "What do you want?"
"You're not going to believe what I heard in town, it's big!"
"Let me guess a beautiful girl came into town and you missed her?" She said with sarcasm. But no, that wasn't what Guiche had to say.
"It's about Alibon!"
"Albion?" Louis replied back
"That's right! There's been word all over town, I heard that Albion has declared war on Tristain!" Louise gasped at the news that,
'War…' "How long!"
(Albion)
Meanwhile in Albion Xigbar walked down the hallway of the once known Tudor family all the while he felt that someone had been waiting and watching him from the shadows. Underneath his hood a smirk began to form as he knew whose eyes were watching him.
"Isn't it kinda rude to spy on a guy?" He said as a dark corridor opened right behind him and out came another individual with the same coat as him.
"I wondered how long it would take you to notice me. Or, perhaps you already knew I was watching." The figure said.
"Maybe I knew from the start."
"Alright right then. Tell me how are you still alive? I thought you had met your end after that drop?"
"As if. After my little leap of fate, I opened up a portal at the last minute, thus giving them the idea I kicked the bucket." Xigbar said as the figure walked closer to him.
"...And what of Sora?" He asked.
"The kid is doing good. Actually found himself a way off world. But I can't say if he's going to leave."
"Even if he is contracted, I highly doubt that he would leave. It's in his nature to do what is right."
"That's for sure. Familiar or not, once he hears that there's going to be a war his little heart will stay and fight." Xigbar said
"Though I wouldn't understand why he would fight for and with these nobles. Power and status corrupts a person turning their hearts as black and as cold as night." The other hooded figure said. "Yes there are some that do not let it get over themselves, but still once a heart comes into contact with darkness they will all eventually lose who they are."
"Maybe, or maybe not." Xigbar said "Well, we'll know in the next three days. That's when the portal from this world will open.
"Very well then." He said as he opened a dark corridor "We will see." And with that he vanished from sight leaving Xigbar alone.
End.
