Being Home
This is Part 1 of Hinata's Interview with the same questions as you've seen asked to Sam and Velcia in the last two one-shots. All of this is set post-KH3 during the events of Remind.
Enjoy!
Radiant Garden wasn't Hinata's home. It should have been, and deep in her heart, maybe it still was considered a part of her; but to Hinata, Radiant Garden was not much more than a distant memory from part of her childhood. It was a home to her dad, sure. He was the ruler, afterall. Locked away in his castle, surrounded by apprentices and people that still very much considered him the Master of the town. For Hinata though, she wasn't sure she really had a world she could see herself calling home.
She walked through the town, smiling politely and a bit awkwardly when townsfolk recognized her and offered small bows of respect. No one ever actually referred to her as a princess in Radiant Garden, but the bows seemed to say it without needing the words. She offered a bow of her head in return to a few, beginning to become accustomed to the formal greeting by the time she reached Merlin's house. So much so that when Leon opened the door upon her arrival, she bowed to him without a second thought.
Leon watched her bow with silent amusement. "Been getting that a lot today, huh?"
Hinata paused, then began to laugh, standing back up straight with warmed embarrassment in her cheeks. "A bit."
With a soft exhale of a breathy chuckle, Leon pushed the door open further and motioned his head inside.
"Thank you," Hinata said quietly, entering the darkened house.
A soft fire glowed in the fireplace, starkly contrasting the cold, blue light from the large computer screen. Hinata's eyes took a moment to adjust to the unnatural lighting, focusing on Riku's disheveled silhouette settled in front of the computer desk. Sora's digital form jumped around the screen, blocking attacks and shooting spells in response to the array of buttons Riku pressed on the keyboard. Hinata's attention went to Riku's faint reflection on the screen's surface. Bags weighed under his reddened eyes. She wondered how long he'd been sitting there without a break. Between the wrinkles scrunched through his shirt and his mussed up unkempt hair, there was no telling the last time he'd even taken a shower.
Hinata frowned. She looked over at Leon. He stood a couple feet back, arms crossed, joining her in watching Riku. By his furrowed brow and taut frown, it seemed he had the same concerns. But without saying either way, he patted Hinata's shoulder and went off to another desk scattered with paperwork.
It seemed everyone had a job to do.
Hinata's job seemed to change regularly. Leading her wherever she was needed most at any particular point in time. Her current mission hadn't required her to check in on Riku. In fact, her actual mission was meant to have her on another world entirely, tracing through each one Sora went to, and scouting them for any sign about where he might have disappeared to. Sam tended to complain it felt like busy work, and there were times Hinata found herself internally agreeing. But she also knew that without doing something to aid in the search she'd drown in anxiety.
Even that mission though, was put on hold for today. All because of a thick envelope sitting in her satchel. An envelope that brought her to Radiant Garden for the day to have an interview with Ansem the Wise, her father.
She and Sam were supposed to be heading to Monstropolis, which gave her the choice between being turned into a literal monster or to sit down for an interview with her dad. And if it weren't for the prospect of checking in on Riku, she would be currently finding out what sort of monster form the ship's magic drive conjured up for her.
Instead, she stood in a dark, cluttered room, still unnoticed by Riku as the battle on the screen waged on. Grabbing a chair, she walked over and sat down beside him. She watched silently, knowing better than to break his concentration during a data battle. Even though she'd only been able to stop by every few days, she'd seen enough of the battles to know how they worked. She'd even been able to watch Riku defeat the data version of himself, which was an odd thing for her to see, though Riku seemed unphased by it. She supposed he'd faced enough evil copies of himself over the years.
This time, he battled a data version of Xemnas. Red lasers danced around the screen and Sora dodged and blocked, sending out a massive shimmering teacup that Hinata couldn't help but smile at. She didn't remember anything like that when Sora was actually there battling. It was a strange element for the computer to add, but it also helped the data battles immensely.
It wasn't enough in this instance, however, as a red laser struck Sora's side, emptying the last sliver of health. The screen bled to black with Sora's form floating in the center. Two glowing words appeared beneath him. Continue. Quit.
Rather than choose, Riku fell back into his seat with a groaning breath. His hands went over his face, then raked through his hair.
"You'll get it," Hinata encouraged.
Blinking, Riku looked over, his exasperation softening with a subtle smile. "I didn't notice you come in."
"I didn't want to interrupt," she told him, returning his smile before looking at the screen. "Any progress?"
Riku followed her gaze and sighed. "I beat Luxord's data last night—
"That's great!" Hinata interrupted.
"But it didn't reveal anything we didn't already know," he finished, shaking his head.
"Still, that's one more battle down," Hinata reminded him. "You'll be through them all before you know it."
He chuckled, looking over at her. "Thanks." His gaze danced over her a moment more, the tension in his shoulders lightening. "I'm glad you're here."
Hinata's smile grew, her eyes softening. "I am too." Her gaze darted away. "But-um, I was actually hoping I could steal you away for a little bit."
The tension in Riku's body returned and he shot his attention back to the computer. "R-Right now?"
"You've been at this for over three weeks straight," she leaned forward on the desk to be in his line of sight. "I know it's important, but… so are you. I have a couple hours till my interview, so maybe we can get you some fresh air and some food."
Riku's expression went through a series of emotions, his pure exhaustion making him easier to read. "I've been eating," he eventually replied in a rare meek voice.
Leon cleared his throat from the other side of the room. "I don't think microwaved noodles at two a.m count as food."
Rather than respond, Riku sank further into his seat.
Hinata leaned a bit closer, half of her still on the desk, and spoke softly and quietly so only he would hear her. "If I was sitting there, you'd be saying the same thing. How it's important to take care of yourself, no matter the situation." She giggled. "And if I refused, you'd pick me up and basically drag me to the kitchen so you could cook me some food."
The stress in Riku's face slowly shifted into a fond smirk, until he was snickering along with Hinata. "Speaking from experience, huh?"
"Hmm, maybe," she teased. Placing her hand along his arm, her smile softened. "You taught me that if someone you love won't take care of themselves, then it's up to you to take care of them. So that's what I'm doing." She smirked. "Whether you like it or not."
Riku snorted quietly, placing his hand over hers. He looked back to the screen, watching Sora's floating form and the shimmering heart above him. A bit hesitant, he reached forward and pressed a button in the bottom corner of the computer. The screen blipped into rest mode, bringing up a screensaver that flipped through pictures of the Restoration Committee. Riku let out a breath. "I'll be back soon," he promised the data Sora, as well as himself.
"You will," Hinata assured him, giving his arm a light squeeze. She pushed back her seat and stood up. "Come on, let's get you out of here."
"Alright." He stood at her insistence, giving her a half-smile once he was up. "Just give me a few minutes to get cleaned up." He glanced towards Leon, rubbing the back of his neck. "Hey, Leon, I'll—"
"Don't rush it," Leon cut him off, not looking up from his paperwork. "You'll do better if you take care of yourself." He paused and smirked. "Pretty sure you're the one that told me that before."
"Heh, guess so." Riku choked out a sheepish laugh, leaving through another door that Merlin had summoned a while back to provide more sleeping quarters.
Hinata waited patiently, walking around the house and looking idly at some of the piled books around Merlin's living room. It didn't take long for Riku to return. His hair freshly washed and a new shirt. Bags still weighed beneath his eyes, but they were far less noticeable than before.
"Ready?" Hinata asked, coming forward and grasping his hand.
Riku smiled, squeezing her hand. "Yeah, let's go."
A certain liveliness permeated through the townsquare, heightening when Hinata returned with Riku at her side. The formal bows returned and a few townsfolk, well perhaps more like several, whispered to each other about the princess' boyfriend. Once again, Hinata took mental note that while none of them outright called her a princess, there was enough chatter about her whereabouts and movements that they might as well be. She ignored them for the most part, taking notice of Riku's growing amusement and slight uneasiness from all the staring.
"Was it like this for you growing up?" he asked, waving towards a couple of older women obviously gossiping about them.
Hinata sighed, stopping in front of a takoyaki stall. "I honestly don't remember," she lamented. "It might have been why my mom and gran were so against me learning how to fight." She paused the conversation to give their food orders and pay. With a laugh, she finished, "That's not exactly princess behavior, is it?"
"Imagine what they'd say knowing that both their daughters know how to fight now?" he teased.
With a scoff mixed with a laugh, Hinata handed Riku his food. "Pretty sure my gran would try to kick my dad's butt for it."
They shared the amusement as they found their seat at a circular dining table, under the shade of a vibrant umbrella. They enjoyed their food for a bit, Riku eating significantly faster than Hinata, which was a rarity. She watched him for a moment, a frown tipping her mouth.
"You really haven't been getting a lot of food lately," she realized, looking down at her own food. "Should I be sticking around here while you're working on this? Like how you were around after everything with James…"
Riku stopped, wiping his mouth with a napkin. He covered his mouth with his arm and coughed. "I'm alright," he assured her. "Aerith makes sure I eat and Leon reminds me to take breaks. I don't always listen, but… I have them there. You don't have to worry."
She wasn't entirely convinced, but nodded anyway. "It's hard to know if I'm putting my energy in the right places, you know?"
"Yeah," he agreed. "You're doing everything you can though, we all are. That's all we can do."
She nodded, then shook her head. "Sorry. You're right." Taking a breath, she smiled. "We're going to figure it out. We always do."
Changing the subject, he cleared his throat. "So, you mentioned you had an interview?"
Thankful for the change, Hinata nodded and reached into a satchel at her hip. "Yeah, from my dad of all people."
She pulled out an official black envelope with her name written on the front with gold calligraphy.
"Hold on." Riku told her, reaching for his wallet and pulling out an identical, if a little worn, black envelope that instead had his name written in gold across it.
"You got one too?" Hinata asked with a laugh.
"Weeks ago," Riku admitted, unfolding the envelope and taking out the invitation. "That's actually why I went to Radiant Garden originally, but then I got distracted by Cid's database. And well, I kept putting it off and got busy with more important things."
"I wonder why he wants to interview us in the first place?" Hinata pondered, pulling out the invitation and comparing hers with his.
Riku read the handwritten letter written by Ansem the Wise himself. "I guess you can ask him when you see him. But if I had to guess, I think it has to do with him keeping records. He's always been a guy for details."
Hinata hummed. "I wonder if we can do ours together?"
Riku chuckled. "You'd want to?"
She nodded emphatically, getting excited by the idea. "It might be kind of fun! And it's not like I have anything to hide." She held up the invitation, partially covering her face as she added cheekily, "Or, maybe I do and you'll learn something new about me."
His brow raised with a smirk. "And maybe you'd learn something new about me."
"Sooo, is that a yes you'll do it, then?" she asked, pulling down the envelope.
His smirk fell into a thoughtful frown. He looked past her, back in the direction of Merlin's house. Hinata could see the conflict in him. The way his arms tightened and the aimless way he moved his fork, stabbing it repeatedly into his food. There were countless thoughts and worries storming around in that tired brain of his.
"I…" he started. "I want to…"
"It's alright." She reached forward, placing her hand over his on the table. "You need to get back."
"Yeah…"
Hinata gently squeezed his hand. "I get it. We'll head back after we're done eating."
She went back to eating, quieter than before. Riku looked at her, then looked down at his mostly-eaten lunch. He nudged around a dumpling with his fork, though its doughy integrity was mostly destroyed due to his earlier anxious prodding.
"You think DiZ would even let us do the interview together?" he asked after a while.
Hinata looked up at him, surprised. It wasn't that she was confused by his usage of her father's previous name, DiZ. Everyone that knew Ansem during that time in his life tended to still refer to him that way, even Hinata occasionally caught herself calling him it. Instead, she didn't know how to respond to his question. She swallowed her bite of food, giving herself a moment to consider her reply.
"I think he would," she settled with answering honestly, rather than questioning his reason for asking. "We've always done everything together. Especially when we worked with him."
"Yeah," Riku huffed a laugh. "Guess that's true. I don't think he'd be surprised if we showed up for it together."
"I almost think he'd be expecting it," Hinata added, taking another bite of food.
Riku smirked but didn't reply. He went back to nudging the half-destroyed dumpling around and Hinata left him to his thoughts. The excitement from the surrounding villagers had begun simmering down the longer they sat, yet Hinata couldn't help but notice it stirring up again. She idly looked up, expecting to see people peeking towards her and pointing as if she were an exhibit in a zoo, but instead she found them looking elsewhere. Whispers rippled through the courtyard, eventually reaching a nearby table where a couple of girls gossiped excitedly about a handsome apprentice coming their way.
Hinata stifled a snicker, catching Riku's attention. She stood from her seat, cleaning up her lunch. "I think my escort is almost here."
"Heh, does DiZ think you don't remember how to get there?" Riku teased.
"Honestly?" She shrugged, throwing away her food. "With all the remodeling going on around here, I might not."
Riku chuckled. "Fair enough." He took the last couple bites of his food, then stood up along with her. "Wonder who he sent to get you?"
It was between Aeleus and Ienzo in Hinata's mind, but she didn't get the chance to guess before Ienzo walked into view.
"Ienzo," Hinata greeted him warmly.
Riku turned around, seeing the apprentice for himself. He strained a smile, the kind that likely still appeared genuine to anyone that wasn't Hinata. The kind of smile that he would have given to any of the apprentices from the lingering uneasiness of having been the one that destroyed their Nobody.
If Ienzo noticed the tension in Riku's stance, he didn't acknowledge it. Instead, he came to a stop in front of them and bowed with his forearm over his chest.
Then it was Hinata's turn to strain a smile. More respectful bows.
"I hope we weren't too hard to find," Hinata said.
"Not at all, Hinata," Ienzo assured her, standing back up straight and smiling in the sort of way that made Hinata question if he ever could have been the Nobody Riku told her about. "Master Ansem hoped you would enjoy your day home before coming in. He simply sent me here to retrieve you."
She peeked over at Riku, smiling to herself. It wasn't 'home' she was enjoying; or maybe it was, in the romantic metaphorical sort of way. "I have been enjoying it," she replied.
"If you're ready, I'll take both of you to him." Ienzo motioned his hand towards Riku, as if assuming he was coming too.
Hinata's brow raised, faint amusement in her chest at the fact that her dad did indeed assume Riku would be joining her in the interview. Swallowing the urge to laugh, she waved her hands in front of her. "Oh, Riku won't be—"
"Actually," Riku cut in, taking a short step forward, "that would be great. Thanks."
"Of course." Ienzo smiled sweetly once again before turning to lead the way, giving Hinata the chance to look over at Riku with a bewildered, yet playfully excited sort of expression.
Riku simply smirked, reaching over and grabbing her hand.
It didn't matter how many times Hinata walked through the refurbished halls of the castle, she found herself in awe of the grandeur every time. The golden arches and white marbled walls were elegant, yet splashed with colors from the sun's light pouring in through the stained glass windows overlooking the garden. Painted portraits hung from the walls, some of them standing taller than any of the apprentices and detailed enough that Hinata could nearly feel the portraits gazing back at her.
Then Ienzo reached the double doors leading into her father's study. That was a place Hinata recalled perfectly and was where she spent the most time whenever she'd visit her father both as a child and in the present. Ienzo pushed open the doors, revealing the crystal light from the chandelier dangling right above Ansem's desk. Ever since he'd had it replaced, Hinata's eyes were endlessly drawn to it. The crystals shimmered, scattering particles of light across the study and over the newly painted portrait of Ansem with his daughters, Hinata and Kairi.
Hinata still wasn't sure how she felt about a painted likeness of herself on the wall, but it was nice to see the family together again if even within the confines of a single frame.
"Hinata, Riku," Ansem's deep voice cut through Hinata's wandering thoughts. "It is good to see both of you."
She looked to her dad. He stood tall, proud, a warmth emanating off of him. A complete contrast to the cloaked man surrounded by cold, lifeless computers. The man that hid his identity, even from his own daughter. Who died in a plot of revenge. And now a man back from the dead twice over, here to make up for the past.
"Hi dad." Hinata walked in with a soft, unsure smile.
"Thanks for letting me join," Riku said, finding his seat.
Shaking his head with a chuckle, Ansem sat down as well. "If this is what I must do to have you accept my invitation, then I shall have no complaints."
"I hope we aren't keeping you from anything," Hinata said. "Between everything with Kairi and Velcia—"
"Not at all," Ansem assured, putting up his hand. "While there are pressing matters, there is nothing that requires my immediate attention." He subtly smiled. "Though I am surprised to hear you mention Velcia. Has she told you about her time here?"
Hinata shook her head. "She hasn't but it's not my business either. I've known Velcia long enough to know she'll tell me when she's ready."
Ansem hummed, accepting her answer.
"I thought Velcia was visiting her hometown," Riku muttered, looking over at Hinata as she sat down in a seat beside him.
"She was, but something brought her here and she's been here probably as long as you've been at Merlin's," Hinata whispered over to him. "I don't think she's left the castle grounds. So that's probably why you haven't seen each other."
"And you don't know why she's here?" he asked and Hinata shook her head.
Riku seemed just as confused about it as her and that came as a bit of a relief to her. The mystery of Velcia's personal mission itched at the back of Hinata's mind, but she never failed to shove the curiosity away when it tried to creep in. Velcia's business was her own. Even if it worried her that Velcia was working in secret with her dad of all people. Secret missions with him never seemed to end particularly well.
Shoving away the curiosity once again, Hinata settled into her seat and smiled towards her dad. "So, what do you want to know?"
Seeming pleased to be getting things underway, Ansem folded his hands over his desk. "I'm sure it came as a surprise to ask both of you here for an interview. After all, I know the answers to many of the questions I am about to ask. But I am not doing this simply for the knowledge, but to hear the answers in your own words and interpretation."
"Why?" Riku asked plainly.
Ansem took in a deep breath, measuring his words. "I suppose you could say this is for the prosperity of history. A record of who you are as individuals. Individuals that have shaped and changed the universe in ways that will no doubt be studied in years to come."
"It's why we keep our journals," Hinata noted with a sense of realization. "So it's not just notes and facts. It's emotion and a connection that's retelling events and memories."
With a nod, Ansem added, "It is a connection to your heart. One that will remain regardless of what the future holds."
"Wow," Hinata breathed out.
"How many people are you planning on doing this with?" Riku asked.
"In time, I hope to complete this for everyone that has had a hand in our work," Ansem explained. "Though I understand that is a sizable feat. I will complete them as I am able."
"Alright then." Hinata readjusted the way she was sitting, suddenly feeling the weight of pressure on her shoulders. Her finger traced the threaded fabric of her seat's armrest. "What's the first question?"
A cheeky smirk tipped the corner of Ansem's mouth. "I was just about to send Ienzo to the local sweets shop. What would both of you prefer he buy for you?"
Both Hinata and Riku blinked.
"I'm sorry, what?" Hinata asked.
Riku's shoulders suddenly began to shake until he sputtered into a laugh. The full, warm, and unexpected kind of laughter that caught Hinata and Ansem up in it as well. If they listened, they could even hear the faint snickers of Ienzo as he patiently awaited their orders by the door.
Wiping the corners of her eyes, Hinata got up from her seat and went to Ienzo. Laughter still riddled her voice as she asked, "Is he really sending you for sweets?"
Ienzo's subtle smile grew into a full one and he nodded. "Yes, actually. I make daily trips to Radiant Sweets."
"I'm sure the townsfolk love that," Hinata teased.
"It does get them excited," Ienzo admitted with a chuckle. "Would you like anything in particular?"
"Well, if you're already going…" She reached into her satchel, pulling out a woven pouch of munny. "Take this and—"
Riku snickered while Ansem sighed.
"Hinata, you needn't pay for it—" Ansem began.
"Shush." Hinata held up a finger to her dad. "See if you can find a box of those honeycomb truffles. They are ridiculously expensive, which makes sense, I'm pretty sure Suzette makes them herself, but anyway." She handed him a few hundred munny. "And Riku?"
"I guess I'll take some lemon heads." Riku waved his hand nonchalantly. "Thanks."
Hinata thanked Ienzo as well before he bowed and excused himself. While the door shut behind him, Hinata went back to her seat. "I don't know how you eat those things." She squished the sides of her face. "My cheeks hurt just thinking about them."
Riku chuckled and pointed out, "It doesn't take much for that to happen. Remember the last time you tried lemonade?"
"It always looks so refreshing," she lamented, still remembering the laughs of her friends when she sputtered from the punch of tart lemon on her taste buds.
Ansem hummed, a smile obvious in his tone as he scribbled a note in his book. "I never knew of your aversion to sour things, Hinata. Though I do recall your mother purchasing those truffles for you on holidays."
"Gran never failed to complain about the price to me after I opened them," Hinata said, rolling her eyes fondly.
"I suppose that does explain why you were insistent on paying Ienzo for them," Ansem noted, continuing his written notes. "And what about you, Riku? What other kinds of sweets do you enjoy?"
Riku's brow raised. "I'm not usually picky. I'll eat almost anything someone gives me." He smirked, eyes looking away as if he were recalling a memory. "Well, I don't like things too sweet."
Hinata smiled as well. "You thinking about those ice cream crepes at the pier?"
"Yeah," Riku laughed breathily.
Looking at her dad, Hinata explained, "We'd just gotten back to the island and Sora had the idea we all head to the pier to just enjoy being back—see what changed, what stayed the same, things like that. And there was this new crepe shop that Kairi wanted to show Sora, cause she knew he'd love it."
"And he did," Riku added. "A bit too much."
Hinata laughed. "Yeah, we went there basically every day until we got the message from Mickey about the Mastery Test. And Sora insisted we had to head there one last time before we left and that he'd treat us. Except he didn't just get us regular sizes, he got the massive, every topping, all the flavors, probably meant to feed the entire island size."
"For all of us," Riku said with a laugh riddled in his voice and Hinata and Ansem joined in.
"Our stomachs hurt for days!" Hinata groaned
Riku shook his head. "They were already a bit too much for me to start with. So that just pushed me over the edge."
"I admit, I too would find it all too much," Ansem told them chuckling. "That was a wonderful memory to hear about. I find Sora's seamless ability to bring joy to others' hearts rather inspiring. Even by retelling the memory, it lightened both of you in ways I have not seen in quite some time."
Though true, Hinata wished he hadn't pointed it out so blatantly. She glanced towards Riku, already seeing the light in his eyes fading to something more bittersweet. Swallowing, she strained her smile.
"It is inspiring," she agreed. "I hope to tell him that when he's back."
Riku nodded, but didn't add anything. His eyes were distant, staring past Ansem and lost in the storm of thoughts swirling through his head. Hinata noticed his hands tightening along his arms, the way his muscles tensed.
She leaned over her arm rest and whispered, "You can head back. It's alright."
It took a moment for Riku to register her talking to him. He blinked and looked over at her, his expression softening just as it had when he first noticed her at Merlin's. Shaking his head, he smiled softly. "It's ok." Hinata wasn't convinced and Riku could tell as he huffed out a short, breathy laugh. "I'm alright."
"I apologize if I made either of you uncomfortable," Ansem said.
"It's not your fault," Hinata assured him, settling back into her seat. She grasped her locket hanging around her neck, her thumb tracing the indentations of its design. "There's just a lot going on."
Ansem nodded with a hum. "That there is."
"What's the next question?" Riku asked.
Checking his notes, Ansem asked, "What is something both of you are particular about? Such as habits, or perhaps things that bring you comfort or annoyance."
Neither of them replied right away. Hinata continued to rub her locket, trying to think about what could possibly be a habit of hers. There were plenty of things she could say annoyed her, though she didn't find any of them particularly unique to her. Then she paused, a short laugh falling out of her at the obviousness of it all. She reached behind her neck and undid the clasp to her necklace. The cool beads pooled in her hand, her locket resting heavily on top of them.
The gold was scuffed, worn from years of adventures hanging from Hinata's neck. Sam had engraved it, multiple times at this point, with a heart shaped key in its center, surrounded by elegant flowers. Even up close, its design was difficult to make out, purely due to Hinata's thumb tracing the engraving over and over again. Her repeated ministrations had nearly smoothed out the gold entirely, causing Sam to occasionally snatch it back to re-engrave it, only for Hinata to smooth it out once again.
"Your locket," Riku said.
Hinata looked up at him, smiling and nodding. Then she looked back at the locket and swiped her finger over the well worn path across its surface. "This has been something I've kept with me since the moment Sam gave it to me. And every time I get stressed or worried about anything, or even just lost in thought, I reach up and grab it." She laughed a bit sheepishly. "It feels silly to talk about."
"It's not," Riku assured her, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his oval silver locket. Its surface wasn't nearly as worn as Hinata's, but as he held it out for her, she could see the faint indents in the engraving that marked where Riku repeatedly rubbed the metal.
"You keep it with you," Hinata realized, watching him put it back.
"Of course I do," he replied with a smirk, the tips of his ears warming.
Ansem cleared his throat. "Hinata, would you mind sharing the meaning behind your locket?"
Hinata looked at him. "You don't know?" Then she caught herself. "Oh, right. In my own words." She traced the details on the locket, mulling over how she wanted to explain it. "It's a reminder to me that everything's going to turn out ok. There's a vision inside of it, or a recording of one anyway, that Riku and Sam got from Hen Wen. She showed them a vision of me and Riku's future." She smiled, shaking her head. "It's still crazy to think about. And after everything that happened with Keres and the Organization, I didn't know what was going to happen. So having this, it seriously kept me sane and kept me going sometimes." She looked towards Riku, smiling. "And eventually, when Riku saw the vision again, Ben and Sam made him a locket too."
"And parts of the vision have come to pass, have they not?" Ansem asked, seeing both Hinata and Riku nod.
"It's more than just reassurance at this point," Hinata admitted, clasping the locket back around her neck. "I've always had the tendency to rub my fingers against different textures. Like with wooden seats, or countertops, or sweaters, but this is the thing I go back to the most."
"I see," Ansem said, taking notes. "And you, Riku?"
"I can't really think of anything," Riku started before Hinata snorted and scoffed all at once. He took a breath, laughing at the end of it. "But she can."
"Ok, you kick me out of the kitchen all the time," Hinata pointed out animatedly. "Because I don't stir vegetables the way you insist they have to be stirred. Or I don't whisk the eggs the right way."
"That—" he caught himself, running his hand over his face and laughing at the ridiculousness of it all. Deciding to bite back, he remarked, "I like having a kitchen that isn't burned down."
Hinata sputtered, playing as if she were offended, but half actually was. "I have never started a kitchen fire," she looked at her dad, "for the record."
"There's been some close calls," Riku said with a smirk plain across his face. "But I guess she's got a point. I prefer cooking alone. But sometimes I'll try to teach her something if she asks."
"And he's a good teacher, for the most part," Hinata said. "But he's definitely particular about it." She put up her hands. "Which there's nothing wrong with. I love his cooking."
"Riku's cooking in Twilight Town was impressive," Ansem agreed. "I found it rather surprising you possessed such abilities when we first met, Riku."
Riku chuckled. "Yeah, most people don't expect it. I'm just glad there was a kitchen at that old mansion. Eating out in Twilight Town got old quick."
"That it did." Hinata nodded, remembering it fondly.
"Are you prepared to move on?" Ansem asked.
Both Riku and HInata nodded, peeking towards each other with a smile. So far so good.
"If you were to find a close friend struggling, what would you do to comfort them?" Ansem read off the question.
Hinata cracked a grin. "I was sort of already doing that today, actually."
Riku huffed a breath, smiling. "Yeah, guess you are."
"Are you?" Ansem asked. He looked between them, smiling in the sort of way that told Hinata he knew the answer already.
"It's something Riku taught me," she explained, the tattoo along her cheek glowing like an ember. "When someone you care about is hurting, you watch over them. Whether that means getting them outside for a while, or making sure they have a good meal. And you show them that no matter what, they have someone there. Someone that's looking out for them when they can't look after themselves."
Even though she was expected to give more details, she didn't want to share the memories for others to read years down the line. It was personal, in the sort of way that she wanted to keep as a hidden secret in her heart. Something only for her and Riku.
But it all burned brightly in her mind: Riku wrapping her in a blanket after she'd fallen asleep at her desk, bringing her a freshly cooked meal when she lost herself in work, or staying awake, holding her hand while she slept so he could keep the nightmares away. After James passed, even though he didn't remember her, Riku made sure she stayed sane. He made her food, watched over her to make sure she slept and functioned. Even then, he covered her with a sense of security and she wanted to make sure she never forgot that.
"I imagine your answer will be similar, Riku." Ansem looked towards Riku, the hint of a smile in his voice.
Riku had been watching Hinata as she talked, his expression soft as if he could tell exactly what she was thinking about. He glanced back at Ansem when he heard his name. "Yeah, she covered it."
"I am grateful the two of you found security in each other," Ansem said, folding his hands over his book. "As concerned as I was for Hinata when she arrived in Twilight Town those years ago, I recognized the change her presence had on you, Riku, and I knew both of you would—as Hinata said, 'look out for each other'."
Riku rubbed the back of his neck, chuckling, "I was that obvious, huh?"
Ansem's brow raised. "I believe I recall you calling shortly after discovering Hinata back on Montressor. I had never seen you so nervous."
A laugh choked in Riku's throat, his face burning when Hinata stifled a giggle. "Man, maybe I should head back."
"Noooo, don't!" Hinata reached over, unable to completely cover her giggle. "We'll move on."
Ansem laughed, finishing up a note in his book. "Yes, I will leave the memory at that." He cleared his throat, straightening in his seat and folding his hands on the desk. "But I feel I must inform both of you that the questions from here take a more personal turn."
Both Riku and Hinata straightened at the insinuation, the amusement in their chests simmering down. Hinata looked to Riku, wordlessly asking if he was doing alright with everything. He seemed to understand and replied with a lopsided smile and a short nod. Taking a deep breath, Hinata sat back in her seat.
"Alright," Riku said. "We're ready."
"Who are you the closest to in your family?" Ansem read off the question.
A tension jolted into the room. Hinata glanced over at Riku, then up towards the painted portrait of her family… or at least, what was left of her family. The lighthearted chatter from just a moment before was all but forgotten. Each of them, even Ansem, were heavy in their thoughts. Family wasn't an easy topic for any of them.
"I…" Hinata started, her finger scratching against the grain of her seat. "I think I'm closest to you." She looked towards her dad.
Both Ansem and Riku looked at Hinata, surprised by her answer.
"You needn't feel obligated—" Ansem started.
"I don't," Hinata interjected with a short chuckle. "I know it's not what you'd expect. Especially considering all the time I've been able to spend with Kairi again." She looked back towards the portrait. "But that's part of it. I… I have a hard time viewing the Kairi I know now as the one I grew up with. It's like, Aiko and Kairi are two different people. I was gone for so long, I missed so much of her life, you know? And yeah, I'm getting to be here with her now, and she's wonderful. But, she isn't the Aiko I remember either."
It hurt to admit it out loud, the thoughts that had been threatening the rose tinted glasses she held so dearly for her little sister. The tiny flower girl with a bright smile and so much innocence that it regularly softened Hinata's heart. That was the sister she bonded with, the one she remembered the most from her childhood. Through all the shrouded darkness growing up, there was something bright.
"With you, it's different in a lot of ways," she continued. "Shortly after I realized you were DiZ, I went to you for everything. That connection was still there." She laughed under her breath. "Like remember the time I slept in the corner of your lab while you worked on the heart encoder? There wasn't that disconnect. It was like my heart knew who you were. But with Kairi, one moment I'm her big sister, nearly a decade older than her. She looked to me for guidance and protection, then I messed it up and the next time I see her she's all grown up and we're only a year apart. It's…" She shook her head, smiling even though there was vulnerable sorrow in her heart. "It's like my heart doesn't know where to put her."
Silence followed her words, the tension only heavier. Hinata took a deep, shuddering breath. Of all the questions to cause the floodgates to open, she hadn't been expecting or wanting that one to be the culprit. The thought of Kairi finding out wracked her with a new wave of dread. She looked towards Riku, then away again before he could look back.
"I'm…I'm sorry," she whispered. "She's one of our best friends, I shouldn't—"
"It's alright," Riku cut her off. He didn't look over at her or offer a smile. His eyes stared off in the distance, distracted. "With everything that's happened, there's a lot of things different than how they were meant to be. You should have been able to grow up together."
"I understand what you say, Hinata," Ansem said, letting out a breath. "I, too, have missed much of Kairi's life. I do still view her as my daughter, as much as I do you. However, I do not believe she views me as her father." When Hinata shot her eyes up to him in panic, Ansem raised his hand and shook his head. "Which is not something I intend to hold against her. As you said, we were separated when Kairi was but a child. Her memories of me are vague and I believe if it had not been for you informing her of our relation, she would still be unaware of it."
Hinata looked back towards the portrait. "Does it bother you?" she asked softly.
Ansem hummed. "No. Though I have mourned the loss of the years apart, I view this as a second chance to start anew. With both of my daughters."
Hinata hummed as well. "I suppose I should try viewing it that way, too."
"Which does not mean you forget the Kairi you knew as a child," Ansem continued. "I believe if you give Kairi the chance, you'll find there are still remnants of the little girl you once knew."
She softly smiled, a clear glaze of emotion over her eyes before she blinked it away. "Thank you."
"I think…" Riku stood from his seat, gaze still distant. "I'm going to go outside for a bit."
"Are you sure?" Hinata asked, moving to stand until Riku placed his hand on her shoulder. She resigned and remained seated, but offered with a whisper, "I can come with."
He smiled softly, shaking his head. "I just need a minute."
Hinata placed her hand over his, giving him a squeeze. "Alright."
She watched as Riku left, letting out a long sigh and slouching in her seat once he was gone. "You had to bring family into it, didn't you?" she asked.
Ansem chuckled, writing in his notebook. "I did warn you I would cover personal topics."
She half smiled then looked towards Riku's now empty seat. "I haven't heard Riku talk about his family in a long time. And then everything I said about Kairi…" Her fingers picked at her seat's armrest. "Maybe I shouldn't have pulled him away from his work today."
"He would not have agreed to coming with you if he felt his work was too important," Ansem told her. "He will be back."
Hinata took a deep breath. "You're right. What's next?"
"You have answered part of this question already," Ansem said, more than content to continue on. "How is your relationship with the rest of your family?"
"You're right, I already did answer this." Hinata looked towards the portrait. "I get along really well with Kairi. She's one of my best friends, even if I struggle to connect that she's my sister. Um, I have a great relationship with Namine, too. Especially when we were back at the mansion together." She smiled fondly, but also sadly. "I remember sneaking out at night and just sitting outside her door and we'd talk for hours. You told her she had to stay in there until she figured things out about Xion and I wasn't supposed to distract her. But we found a way to talk anyway."
Leaning her head back against the couch, she looked up at the chandelier. The shimmering rainbows of light reminded her of all the pictures against the crisp white walls in Namine's room. So different compared to the rest of the mansion, just like Namine compared to the rest of them.
"I was devastated when I found out she was gone," Hinata admitted with a whisper. "The fact she was able to come back still sends my mind reeling. I guess it does for everyone we've lost and gotten back."
Ansem didn't say anything in reply, as Hinata expected. She remembered the way he treated and spoke of Namine back in the mansion. The way he'd fervently deny any relation to her. She was no daughter of his, he'd say. But she was a sister to Hinata.
Maybe it really was Namine who she was closest to, but she decided against saying that thought out loud.
"And what of your mother and grandmother?" Ansem asked, purposefully moving on from Namine.
Hinata lifted her head from the seat and looked at her dad. "Do you still feel the same way about Namine?"
Ansem looked at her then averted his eyes to his notebook. "That is not part of the question."
"Dad." Hinata leaned forward in her seat.
With a heavy sigh, Ansem settled against his back rest, sitting straight. He folded his hands in his lap and remained silent for an entire minute. Hinata waited patiently, well used to her dad's strings of silence when she pushed him for the truth. Eventually, her patience was rewarded as Ansem explained, "I believe you will find that many of my opinions and thoughts during that time in my life have changed. Namine was used as nothing more than a tool, discarded once her use had been fulfilled. I see now that was wrong. As was my use of all of you… That is not a time I look back on lightly."
"But how do you view Namine now?" Hinata asked.
Taking a breath, Ansem nodded. "As a young woman with tremendous ability and wisdom for her age. A gentle soul that regards me kindly despite the wrong I have caused her."
Hinata exhaled, her shoulders relaxing as she smiled. "You should tell her that."
Ansem cleared his throat. "Perhaps someday I will. But not today as you have still not fully answered my question."
Hinata scoffed, chuckling. "Ok, ok. You wanted to know how I got along with Mom and Gran?"
Ansem nodded.
"There's not a lot to tell, honestly," Hinata replied. "I don't remember a lot about Gran. Nothing really good anyway. She had a lot of expectations for me that I didn't meet. Then when Kairi was born, she sort of focused all her positivity and sweetness towards her while I got the leftovers of impatience and general annoyance."
"She often mentioned you had too much of your father in you," Ansem commented. "Which I suppose I should apologize for."
Hinata snorted. "I don't think we're even that much alike. I think she just didn't like that I wasn't who she wanted me to be."
"Which is exactly the way we were alike in her eyes," Ansem noted, smiling when Hinata laughed.
"Yeah, I guess so," Hinata said. "Still, I do wish I knew what happened to her. Mom, too."
Ansem hummed, putting down his pen. "As do I."
"Do you ever think about Mom?" Hinata asked.
"Quite often," he admitted. "Though, if her heart managed to find refuge in another world, I do not believe she thinks of me often at all."
"Why's that?" Hinata leaned forward, her hands between her knees.
Ansem didn't respond right away. He looked past Hinata, thinking. She likely knew the answer. He was never around, locked away in the castle, leaving the family home in a house they bought to be closer to town. He was always the absent father, showing up at birthdays and occasional holidays to shower her and Kairi with gifts and offer words of wisdom. Then he'd be gone again.
She started helping her friends sneak into the castle just for the chance to see him. Occasionally she'd win. She'd get to be in his study and share some ice cream. Or he'd let her in the library to do her homework. But he'd rarely talk to her. Always distracted by something more important. She couldn't imagine what it must have been like for her mom.
"You spoke of Riku offering you security," Ansem said eventually, his hands folded beneath his chin. "Knowing he was 'looking out for you' and was always there when you needed him. And I know you are similar for him." He paused, taking a breath. "I was never that man for your mother. I was never that father for you or your sister. I'm unsure an entire lifetime will be enough to make up for it."
His honesty with her never failed to be a strange mixture of refreshing and heavy for Hinata's heart. It was something they worked up to during their time in the mansion. Something that made Hinata's decision for the earlier question of being the closest to him within her entire family.
"I think you already are making up for it," Hinata told him, smiling softly when he looked up at her. "Have you thought about a way to go and look for mom?" She looked down at her hands. "I know we've talked about it here and there before. But we haven't ever really focused on it or made a plan for it."
"I know," he said. "I do not know your thoughts on it, however, I admit that if your mother has found refuge in another world, I am unsure how to locate her. We could very well utilize Hen Wen's visions as Sam did for her father. However, I have been hesitant and I could not entirely say why."
"I know what you mean," Hinata admitted. "Riku's mentioned to me a few times that he wishes he could hear more about my mom. But even just thinking about her makes me feel… sad. I know that's a simple way to put it… I keep thinking, what if she's happier somewhere else?"
"She would do anything to see you and Kairi again," Ansem told her. "Though I do share your sentiments."
Hinata shook her head and shook out her hands. "Let's just put it away until after we find Sora. One missing person at a time."
Ansem smiled sadly and nodded. "Very well. One problem at a time."