I OWN NOTHING
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Everything was noise as soon as he woke up, and from that moment, with weapon in hand and shadows around him, it was all instinct.
Fighting with a mighty roar in the middle of darkness on a floor where his feet seemed to have no proper footing on, a young man bared his heart to survive. Brandishing the weight in his grip, the blood pumping in his veins reminded him that he was alive. It was a time of confusion, darkness, questions which could not be answered yet, and a desire to find the light at the end. Giving it his all, he kept swinging his arms around, his other hand tightening at last on his only means to defend himself from the shadows.
No other way existed for him to call them, for they were as numerous as they were determined… Wrong, they could not be determined, for that would require intelligence and a sense of self. The creatures around him were born of darkness, their pitch-black bodies barely resembling that of a human yet nothing like one. All of them had those dotty yellow eyes akin to marbles made of fine amber. Each and every single shadow leapt from the floors, the walls, and even the ceiling toward him. A single purpose was engraved in their mind, to attack and kill him, to devour… something.
It was either dread or instinct talking, but he knew deep down that they hungered for him yet also not his flesh, but a part of his being driving them to launch themselves like moths to a flame. Man was a stubborn creature, and at that moment he was no different than an animal, acting quite like his assailants. To survive, to see the next day, and to ensure he would understand why he found a light upon opening his eyes leading him to his weapon, he would stand firm and fight.
"Bring it on…" he gasped exhaustedly, gripping the Keyblade in his hand.
An odd weapon to say the least, for it resembled a giant key. It appeared to be a classic skeleton key approximately the same size as a regular broadsword and capable of being wielded single and twohanded. Curiously, the long silver keychain had a peculiar emblem on the end which reminded him of a mouse's head despite consisting of three circles put together. What could be considered a blade, the blunt pole that was the shaft of the key, ended with teeth which formed an outline like that of a crown. Both parts were silver with an elegant blue rain guard and a bright gold square handguard. Every piece of the weapon was that of an oversized key, and yet…
"Ha!" with a short exclamation to exhale during a swing, the boy sliced one of the shadows clean in half, watching as its black body dissipated like smoke. Unfortunately, where one fell, another two took its place, "Give me a break… What is going on?!"
Eventually, the confusion gave way to anger and anguish as he roared to the heavens for a clear answer, any at all, about why he found himself where he was…
"Ngh?!"
Pain shot through his mind, coming to him not as a physical sharp edge or a blunt strike, but a hot burst. It truly was unlike regular damage from an enemy's attack or any assortment illness which could eat at him. What stung deep into his own self was a clash of memories burning together and swirling in a maelstrom. Brief flashes of his past crossed his eyes, yet they were both incomplete and building on each other. A strangled cry of agony escaped him as everything spun around him, a myriad of images with old and new faces of not one but two lives merged into a single entity…
Clutching his head, he let out a guttural howl which actually scared the shadows, making them back off as the atmosphere of pure darkness surrounding the lad and them danced around like a flickering flame. Light coated the boy's weapon, creating anchor for him to remain in the waking world, yet also bringing forth more moments of a past he knew was his yet felt alien.
Everything started at an island where the sun shone down on him, tanning his skin, and allowing him to see a silver-haired boy with green eyes smiling at him, "There you are-" the boy spoke a word he could not hear. "I've managed to learn a new technique from those swordplay books. Want to try it out? Or are you too chicken now?"
He was about to reply as his muscles quivered in remembrance of fights, moving as best he could with no knowledge of the arts of the blade…
And yet, he could remember a man, a smirk on his face as he joked at him, "What is wrong-" he spoke a word he could not hear, a soundless name he could not recall or rather could not grasp. "Nice to see you've got the energy for more, but you're pushing yourself too much if you think you can win against me on your first round…" his own voice spoke up, a child's plea for help, a new sound he was supposed to be familiar with yet couldn't pin down as his own, "Oh, so that's why… You're a real kind soul-"
That name, his name… or was it the other name? A village which he could remember with trees. Yet there were palm trees, the salty scent of the sea, the sound of waves clashing on wooden piers, and the motions of a boat. Next, he could smell the fresh air at an open field, feel the cool from a tree's shade shielding him from the sun, and the chirping of common small birds rather than that of seagulls. One heated memory brought the image of a girl with red hair and blue eyes running after him and the white-haired boy from before. However, an image of a kind elder gifting him an idol with the hope of seeing him come back…
"I…" it was his own voice… his new and old voice. This was his body now, these were his memories, and that weapon was not meant to be his, yet he earned it, "I'm… not just Tatsumi…"
Moonlight illuminated the forest which surrounded a massive storehouse, a place of pain, despair, regret, and… rage… An all-consuming hatred which everyone and everything drank deep from, like a sweet nectar which numbed them to everything. Those who resided there were full of that single burning deep within their hearts. It was only a matter of time before the purity of such odious feelings turned everything inside pitch-black to leave not even ashes… but a being created of a darkness born of an ancient, unspeakable evil…
"Heart…less…" he whispered and looked at the creatures, "Heartless… Are you why I'm here? Or… Ngh!" holding his head in pain, he tried to process the memories colliding, "I'm… Sora…"
-Previous day-
Racketing wooden wheels awakened him slowly but surely, the melody of a soft breeze ruffling the leaves hanging above his head to shield him from a warm yet tender midday sun… It was familiar, yet it missed a magical scent of water and the whiff of salt it carried. Same blue sky, clouds, and clear air with no trace of big cities or much life around. A tranquility washed over him as eyelids grew heavier and heavier with each step forward from the horse…
Zapped by the realization that such a creature shouldn't have been around him, the figure on the back of the cart jolted up… Groaning alerted the conductors that their passenger had woken up, hunched over in a seated position as he held his aching chest.
"Kid's awake," one whispered to the other, but the boy didn't hear nor paid much mind to his tone, nor could he have with the sensation of his torso splitting open…
"Ack…" clenching his teeth until they creaked, he forced a single eye open to see a mirror. The sight of his body shocked him, almost as much as how the fact he was alive was a miracle, "How?"
"Calm down, boy," said a man, but the passenger ignored him.
It was at the back of a cart filled with merchandise that the boy looked at himself and reflected on his whereabouts and how he got where he was. Green, unassuming eyes which didn't show much of an intellect and a mop of chestnut hair framed his boyish face. Clad in a rather unremarkable attire consisting of a cream-colored sweater over a white shirt, khaki slacks, and brown boots, it was a wonder he got a second glance from anyone, let alone girls. Basic and downright dull with a side of plain, everything about his looks were those of an unremarkable teen. A part of him had quite a conflicting reaction to his own appearance being… he would've said generic. He should go for a ride and get something with more vibrant colors…
Maybe with the obvious merchants who had decided to take him with them. Both men were a pair of middle-aged businessmen who trekked through long roads wearing matching and heavy brown jackets and caps, white pants, and brown boots made for traveling in almost any weather. The boy could not even focus much on their faces as the grogginess of his near violent return to the waking world. It was with a pounding headache that he barely managed to utter a word…
"I'm… alive?" he asked, blinking in confusion as he battled through the dizziness of receiving all his memories at once. "Where… am I?"
"For real?" one merchant asked him in disbelief. "That must have been some nap, kid. We're on our way to the empire. Don't you remember? Sheesh, talk about a heavy sleeper…"
"Ngh, I could use… a potion or two," he grunted and leaned on a large wardrobe to push himself up. "Why… or how did I get so sleepy and groggy?"
"You were napping for most of the day!" one merchant told him quickly. "We found you on the road, you asked for a ride, said you'd do a good job against Danger Beasts and… well, suffice to say we could use some demonstration…"
"Don't fret, I should be able to do so," the boy gave them a smile through the pain, ignoring how wobbly his legs felt… and also trying to recall if he had that conversation with them at all.
Unfortunately for the boy, the bad footing wasn't caused by his sudden and abrupt awakening, but a literally earth-shattering tremor! In front of the cart, a giant beast the size of a three-story house broke apart the road as it emerged from the underground. A near-insectoid monster, it had pincers ready to crush the cart and a rock-like body resembling that of a lobster with round red eyes locked onto the cart. Both merchants let out screams of terror as it lunged at them, jaws ready to split all that was in the beast's sights in two, flesh and wood alike.
"Back off!"
Jumping out of the wagon, the boy leapt at the monster as he pulled a singlehanded sword from his back, a wide, double-edged blade meant for slashing and stabbing…
"Rargh!"
Not only did he strike the beast's skull with enough force to halt its attack, but he smashed it onto the ground with such great might that it managed to create a crater where it once stood. As the boy was about to land in front of the still conscious and furious beast, he was quick to slash wildly at it, slicing the monster with ease until it fell for good on the floor, dead.
"He… slayed a Danger Beast… with such ease…" one merchant shuddered.
"…no way he's human," the other gulped.
"Of course I am," the boy told them with a frown which was too innocent to be intimidating. "And the name's Sora… So… where am I?"
-Empire Capital-
Having arrived, there was a lot to marvel at the large city he found himself at. It was simply an enormous city, covering roughly two hundred thousand square kilometers, and was encircled on all sides by a huge wall. The Capital's various districts were separated by large canals in which trade ships ran through. Buildings consisted of stone bricks, wooden doors, crystal windows, and colorful tiles making it quite a vibrant place to look at. Markets were quite abundant, as was to be expected of any major city. And after a long trip on a carriage, the travelers were eager to go their separate ways and get started on their new business.
Dusting himself, Sora turned to the nearest clothing store, though not without a few words from the merchants, "Are you sure you want to be here, boy? The city isn't what it looks like."
"I don't have any idea of where else to go," he sighed, then held his head. "Last I recall, I wanted to find something, someone here…"
"Are you sure you're alright, kid?" the other merchant asked crossing his arms in concern.
"My head's a bit foggy, but at least I know what I want," he looked at his clothes and sighed, pulling at the sweater. "Some clothes with style for a start."
"Your priorities are a bit screwed if your sense of fashion's more important than answers," one man told him with a shake of his head.
"For now, I just want to trust my heart," Sora answered, then ruffled his hair. Looking at the mop of brown on a window's reflection, he frowned, "And it's telling me to look less plain…"
"Okay, how about this?" one of the merchants tossed him a small golden ring shaped like a crown. He gave Sora a smirk when he caught it, "For all the good you did with that Earth Dragon. That hairband is worth a small fortune, but for you it's perhaps the best lucky charm you can ask for."
Sensing an energy in the hairband, Sora nodded and put it on, tying his hair into a short ponytail, "Heh, thanks. Although, are you sure? It looks too nice to just give it away."
"Kid, my life flashed before my eyes for a second, you earned that," the merchant scoffed.
"Well, I may as well spend some of the Munny and…" he paused, processing that word during a brief realization. "…we use gold, not Munny, right?"
"Let's call you a doctor, then," one of the merchants was about to look for a medic, but Sora beat him to any possible motion by turning and walking off.
"I'll be fine, I swear," he insisted, smirking. "You saw me take care of myself, after all."
"Not doing much to reassure me, kid," one of the men groaned with half-lidded eyes.
Unfortunately for him, the strongheaded lad made his mind and entered the shop which caught his eye. It was a simple place with eastern clothing that reminded him of an odd figure of his past. For a moment, he recalled a strong back and stronger arms wielding a large weapon. A quick glimpse into his mind which ended upon finding a pair of hakama pants. Getting admittedly excited, he got buying what was at first simple clothing until he added his own touches. Looking into a mirror, he had to let out a small chuckle.
Red hakama pants had the ankles cut off held together under the knees with black belts giving them a ballooning effect. A pair of large blue belts around the waist acted like a sash and held close his new long-sleeved black kimono hugging his torso with enough of an opening on the chest to accentuate the athletic build and developing pecs he had. For style, he wore a pair of short, black, toe-steeled boots with yellow ankles and heels. It was a hard to choose gloves, but he found a pair of stylish yellow ones with a pair of dark blue straps crisscrossing on the back of the hand. There was an odd sensation at the back of his head as if he needed more belts and zippers, perhaps a different pattern for the fabric. On second thought, he decided to keep it at least simple.
"Going for the look of those eastern warriors, I see," the shopkeeper, a bald man who obviously had grown jaded through a long marriage, mentioned while reading a magazine on bikini armor. "If I were you, I'd stick to the knight look. More girls like it thanks to the soldiers around…"
"For real?" Sora tilted his head, looking at his samurai outfit, then pointed at the others on display. "Don't you sell-"
"You have to make a living when inheriting your wife's shop after marrying for business, kid," the man groaned and flipped pages. "If I were any good at making rather than selling, I'd be selling a lot of these hot bikinis to hot adventurer girls, not boring kids wanting to play swordsman…"
"Excuse me, then," Sora replied offended, hands on his hips.
"Just pay and get going," the man waved, too cynical to care about insulting a costumer.
"Sheesh, even Cid had better manners," Sora sighed and pulled a bag of gold coins… and paused. Repeating a single word, he tried to recall it as if tasting the name… "Cid?"
"Paying today or what, kid?" the man's groan as he looked at an insanely risqué outfit halted all of Sora's thoughts about the name and why it stuck with him.
Once he was done paying and outside the store, there was only one question after securing and adjusting the short sword on his back, "Alright, where to now…?"
"My tip, somewhere you can earn money," the man told him, pointing at the bag filled with gold coins resting on his counter. "You'll be burning through gold if you eat at restaurants and pubs instead of buying and cooking your own groceries. Not to mention all inns aren't cheap."
"Point me any place to slay the Heartless and I'll be set," the boy beamed.
"Heartless?" the man echoed, confused by the word. "Is that like a bandit group you're after?"
"Uh, no, they're…" ruffling his hair, Sora blinked in confusion. "Quite a long story, but they're a real pest. And the fastest they're left free with no one to deal with, the bigger the mess."
"Like doing the dishes with my wife," the man groaned. A frying pan flew off the backroom and into his head, bouncing off his thick skull as he didn't even flinch, but he did relent, "I'll do them tonight, honey."
"Earned the store through more than wooing your wife?" the boy rhetorically asked.
"Kid, marrying a woman is life or death," the merchant stated dully.
-Capital bridge-
"Okay, so… I'm definitely not joining the army anytime soon," Sora commented as he walked out of the recruitment center which had a long line of hopeful cadets. They were all talking about how all got either recommendations or money to get in, "Talk about a long waiting period…"
"Can you move out of the way, please?" asked a man in one of those soldier outfits, a set of iron armor – breastplates, pauldrons, greaves, helmet, and gauntlets – over a black uniform. "Or do you honestly think you have a chance to join in? You look like a hick."
Feeling even odder, the boy scratched his cheek in slight embarrassment, "Do I?" he then rubbed his chin in thought, "Then again, I felt like I had to come here, but… now I don't."
"How about making sense, kid?" the soldier groaned.
"Trust me, I wish I could," Sora shrugged with a dreadful expression. "Lately, my head's filled with a lot of weird ideas, but they feel so… simple. As in, joining the army to make money for a village… but on top of the process taking forever, it feels almost empty, like I didn't put much effort into it."
"Why even bother getting out of the country?" the man snarled.
"Because seeing what a world has to offer is where it's at!" Sora exclaimed jovially, pumping up his fists. "Exploring seas, cities, mountains, and even the skies to find everything I would've missed if I stayed in my island is what makes an adventure worth having!"
"Another dreamer…" the man sneered and turned. "Get back home, then… This place will eat you."
"Do…?" Sora started, looking at the man for a moment with a hand outstretched. Finally looking at the back of his glove, he recalled an odd cross-shaped symbol… and was struck by his own words, "I didn't live in an island… did I? Ugh… what is wrong with me?"
"My, my, don't tell me you're in trouble," asked a rather sweet voice filled with mirth and innocent glee. "How about joining my family and I for dinner?"
Blinking owlishly, Sora was met with the face of a cute, young girl. She had blonde, shoulder-length hair topped with a fluffy, light blue tiara and blue eyes. Donning a white, long-sleeved shirt with a light blue ribbon on her neck, she seemed to have a lot of money given how soft and finely stitched the silk was. Above her shirt, she wore a sleeveless, light blue dress with a black bodice and white frills made of expensive materials. The pair of white boots she had on were of high-quality leather.
Unsure of what else to do, Sora pointed at himself, "Do you mean-"
"Yes, you," she giggled and extended her finely manicured hand. "I'm Aria, pleased to meet you."
"Lady Aria, picking up another stray?" asked a guard.
Judging by his white long-coat, matching cowl and pants, elegant gray dress shirt, black tie, and the sword on his hip, the man quite well-paid. It seemed to Sora that he may have had some form of proper military training given his posture around the girl and how he assessed the boy. Seeing that the brunet was no threat, he slightly lowered his guard to talk to the girl, Aria. The man's fretting merely caused her to giggle in that sweet, innocent manner.
"I mean, it's kind of a hobby by now, and I do have an eye for quality," she stated smiling with a hand on her cheek as if portraying herself as an innocent child.
"Not to be rude, but he's a tad bland, even for your tastes…" the guard replied with a dull look.
"Hm, maybe so, but something tells me his heart's got something special despite how unassuming he looks," Aria clasped her hands with glee.
"Should I feel insulted?" Sora seriously asked himself, placing a hand on top of his head. "Like, I tried to get these clothes to not look so… boring. Maybe I should've bought pants with a square pattern or something among those lines…"
"Oh, so you wanted a makeover!" Aria exclaimed with a giggle, her hand to her mouth. "You've unfortunately got one of those faces one sees on too many stories about young heroes. But from what I can see, that sword says you've got one good thing going for you."
"Brutally blunt, aren't you?" Sora rubbed the back of his neck, surprised at such honesty.
"Frankly, I find it odd how… much I am talking," she admitted with a slightly sheepish smile. "It's as if there's more to you. Deeper inside you…"
"Guess I'll take it," he replied with his arms crossed.
Not wanting to see him go due to his frown, Aria clasped her hands with a small grin, "Please, do let me take you home. I do trust my eye in quality, and I'd at least treat you to a meal."
Upon making that comment, Sora's stomach gave out a low growl, "Okay, I'll accept. Name's Sora."
"Nice to meet you!" the girl beamed and guided him to a large carriage, enjoying how surprised the obvious outsider was to the sight of it.
Keeping her thoughts to herself, the blonde watched as the boy looked at the buildings passing by in awe, not once noticing a rather hungry look on the girl or the dark glint in her eye. Unknown to him, there was a lot more at play than he could have imagined…
-Aria's Mansion-
Coming from a wealthy family, both enjoyed a luxurious lifestyle. The father, a mustached portly man with well-combed short gray hair, was wearing a pricey suit. Meanwhile, the mother, who looked like an older and taller version of Aria with longer hair, donned a silk dress similar in style to her daughter's. Both sat on expensive chairs next to a bottle of opened wine and fine eating. Just the sight of the ham slices, cheese squares, and hot bread watered the mouth. Aria took her own expensive gold-encrusted wineglass full of apple cider next to her parents, offering a seat.
"Over here, Sora," she beamed innocently.
Having entered what by all means should have been considered a castle, Sora was overwhelmed by the wealth in front of him. Massive glass windows, enormous fireplace, armors lining every hall, exquisite portraits adorning the walls, silky furniture, and a carpet worth so much he knew a single stain on it would cost him more than anything he could make in a lifetime.
"Quite an interesting look you've got there, Sora," Aria's mother commented with a giggle. "Are you from the east or are you a fan of its style?"
"Thanks, I was inspired by an acquaintance," the boy stated, then held his chin. "Feels odd thinking about it… At this point, I'm not even sure what I'm doing."
"Perhaps you could apply for the military," the father suggested while pouring himself some wine. "A youthful lad like you who's caught the talented eye of my daughter has to be something special. I bet you'd be climbing the ranks quickly with a recommendation."
"Sounds nice, but…" Sora closed his eyes and pondered. "I feel like I have to look for someone… This is a bit of an odd story, but after I woke up, my memories feel not my own at times… Like, is any of this for real or not?"
"My, my, that sounds worrying," Aria commented, hands to her mouth in concern, though there was an amused, intrigued glimmer in her stare. "Could it be amnesia?"
"No, I know I have to find my friends, Riku… Kairi… Sayo… Ieyasu…" at that, Sora blinked, then held his head with both hands. "Ugh, I know we were to meet again… Here, but also home…"
"Do you want some tea, Sora?" the matriarch offered with a soft grin, already nodding to a guard to grab a simple tea set. "It may help you clear your mind."
"Uh, no thanks," he replied with a hand still on his head and one eye shut. "Sayo… Ieyasu… are on their way here, so I may bump into them, but…"
"I assume you're worried about them, then," Aria commented as her mother sighed and shook her head to the guard, silently telling him to put away the tea.
"Funny thing is, I don't recall much of them," Sora placed his hands on his knees and thought on the two. "All I recall is that Ieyasu was boastful and said a lot of stuff which got Sayo mad at him, but… that seems to be all I can think of my memories with them. We trained together, but it's as if neither they or I had much of a plan, goals, or interactions beyond making money for our home…"
Listening intently, Aria's mother hummed to herself in deep intrigue, "I see…"
"Could it be something he ate?" Aria asked severely puzzled by the statements.
"What about your other friends?" the girl's father asked.
"Riku was a bit of a showoff, but boy could he back it up!" Sora beamed at the memories. "He was the one who practically taught me to fight, though I mostly winged it. Kairi wasn't as much of a fighter, but she was always there to get us on adventure or play referee, more often than not trying to get us to stop fighting over who scored a point…"
"Invaluable news, it seems not all your memories are stirred," the matriarch commented.
"Goofy and Donald…" Sora closed his eyes after whispering that last part to himself.
"You must be exhausted if your mind has wandered like this, Sora," the patriarch advised after he finished his wine. "Why not take it easy and rest? Tomorrow, we can show you around the capital, perhaps even help you find these friends of yours, and set things up with some friends of mine at the army. And who knows? Maybe you can make it to captain if your strong arms say anything…"
"Keep in mind my talented eye found him, Papa," Aria beamed to her dad. "Now, kindly show Sora to his room," she politely asked a guard, clasping her hands with an innocent smile which would melt any simple-minded boy's heart. "Tomorrow we can start looking for his friends."
"Usually, I don't get this much help so suddenly," Sora admitted with a sheepish grin, rubbing the back of his head. "If there's anything I can do to repay the kindness, name it."
A smile spread across Aria's lips as she tapped her fingertips, "Well…"
"Jinxed yourself, kid," a guard whispered to Sora.
Come the next day, Sora had spent it carrying Aria's bags like a mule along her two personal guards. He was astonished by how much could the girl buy, let alone the weight her carriage managed to withstand if the last enormous package the size of a small cart didn't crack its wheels. Exhausted, he had nearly collapsed after returning to her place, but learned a few things through simple questions and conversations.
"Cute and strong, you're quite a package, Sora," Aria beamed as the boy and a guard carried a green box the size of a horse, pumping her fists to cheer them up. "I may have to ask you to be a bodyguard after daddy's recommendation goes through!"
"Ngah, no… problem…" he wheezed after he and the guard place the box next to her room. "Whew, so… not to be rude, but what is it you do?"
"Dad's a good friend of the prime minister of the empire, Honest, who basically runs the place as the emperor's right hand," Aria declared proudly with her hands on her hips. "Lord Honest is a most ambitious but wise man who leads the young emperor straight, and thanks to his work and my parents' efforts to help him I can enjoy this good life and help folks like you…"
"Back on the topic of helping…" Aria's mother said as she appeared with a journal in hand. "Sora, dear, did you have any trouble with your memories? I have been experimenting on some drugs of mine which I think you're expertly suited for…"
"Mama, Sora is meant to stick with me, you promised!" Aria pouted, clenching her hands into fists, and causing her mother to laugh.
"I know, dear, but I can't help when a gallant youth like him walks around," her eyes glistened for a second upon eyeing the lad. "He is so… unassuming, as if he's ideally average."
"Feels like I've been cursed if my face has that reaction," Sora frowned with a pout of his own, his arms crossed.
"Please, don't take it harshly, but I say this as someone who has a thing for cute faces," the mother said upon opening her journal and writing into it. "Still, I made a promise to my little girl, so do have fun with her, Sora…"
"Uh, I'll try," he replied confused, scratching his cheek in his dumbfounded state.
"Let's go to sleep first, tomorrow will be the day," Aria declared, looking at her mother, who gave a small nod back which Sora mentally shrugged off as them planning to aid him.
One glimpse towards the guard would have made him see the taciturn, cold looks in their eyes which gained a slight golden glow…
-Midnight-
Quietly snoring on the enormous bed lent to him by his hosts, Sora was sprawled all over it with his arms and outstretched, and his surprisingly soft snoring breaking the silence. It would be quite a surprise that he was such a deep sleeper one would confuse him for a lion cub in the middle of a heavy nap. Like a feline, he was content beyond belief to rest, but the warm sheets and comforting mattress did little to address his own mind. A deep dive into his dreams would reveal that he was fighting shadows, living darkness itself, through the bizarre weapon in his hand.
There was also someone else, "Sora…"
Blinking in disbelief, the boy found himself falling towards a crystal arena decorated with a bright red depiction of a boy whose wild brown hair was set in spikes pointing to the sides and the sky. A placid look on his sleeping face hid deep blue eyes while a strange weapon rested in his hand… The fall stopped then and there, for the instant he glanced at the key gripped in those fingers his feet hit the floor and he was face to face with… himself.
Reacting as best he could, he observed his copy whose hair was out of the ponytail, donning the same simplistic clothing he found himself in when waking up at the back of that wagon. Questions flashed through his mind, but he could not grasp a single one, let alone remember how to speak. In an instinctive reaction, Sora had assumed a defensive position and looked at the lad who had the face he was wearing… a face he felt was not his own.
"I'm not ready to go," the green-eyed teen in the cream-colored sweater declared and called upon his weapon, a familiar single-handed sword. "Neither am I ready to let you take over."
Sora had never seen such empty eyes, but they weren't defeated nor was the lad who gazed at him showing him a semblance of a heart, it felt empty, "Your heart…" Sora started, throwing his hand to the side to summon his own weapon, the key… "It was taken long ago."
"This is my body, my heart may be gone, but I-" the other boy declared, but was cut off.
"Look, I've got no idea who you are or what is happening," Sora stood forth and took his stance. "I need to know my friends are alright."
"You can't take over my life!" the other boy exclaimed. "I'm Tatsumi! And I am the hero of this story! This is my body you're trying to take over! What makes you worthy of a second chance?!"
Choosing to answer with actions rather than words, Sora raised his guard with his legs spread and both hands gripping his key, holding it back and to the side. Seeing that had Tatsumi roar out with a wild dash at the other boy. Lashing and swinging his sword, he delivered practiced strikes from a life of training towards the other brunet… All he hit was air.
"Enough!" Sora exclaimed after side-stepping the strikes, gliding over the floor with a flourish, and swinging his key in an arc which sent Tatsumi's blade flying. As the attacker backpedaled in shock, the key wielder stood firm, "I don't understand what's happening, but I am here! There's something I must do, and I don't plan on backing off whether I was chosen or not!"
Growling, Tatsumi grabbed and picked up his sword, holding it at Sora, "So do I, this is my life!"
"Do you truly want to kill me?!" Sora didn't lower his defense as Tatsumi charged again, swinging his sword like a professional fencer with lightning-fast thrusts the key wielder dashed back and away from. It was a clear display of how different their skills were as the less aggressive of the two jumped, weaved, bobbed, and rarely parried stabs, then swings, and the combinations the boy on the offensive threw at him, "I want to find my friends, your friends!"
Using the chance, he clashed steel against steel, letting Tatsumi's blade slide against his key until it hit the guard. Moving like the wind itself, free and unbound but forever flowing, Sora used both his and his attacker's momentum to spin and push the sword to the side. Leaving his opponent wide open, the key wielder used the chance to smash the pummel of his Keyblade against the other brunet's face and slam him onto the ground. It was an instantaneous and effective takedown as the obviously trained but less experienced swordsman hit the floor with a thud and a sore face. Rubbing the spot he was struck with a wince and a growl had the free fighting lad feel almost sorry. Anyone would have trouble being sympathetic after being attacked without warning regardless of the reason, and only a fool would allow themselves to be slain after witnessing such actions.
"How… are you… this strong?" Tatsumi snarled as he used his sword like a cane to get up, holding the sore spot on the bridge of his nose.
"I'm quick on my feet," Sora replied happily with no ill will, and surprisingly without arrogance. "And you're not the first swordsman I have fought… That I can remember…"
"No, you're not taking my body," Tatsumi growled, raising his sword.
"Oh come on, give it a rest!" Sora nearly pleaded, but the way he hefted his Keyblade on his shoulder was neither because he took it easy nor too seriously. "I get it, you're mad! And I am as well since I've got no idea how I ended up here! Fighting is not going to do either of us any good!"
"But if I beat you, then I can claim this body," Tatsumi snarled. "And I promised to find Ieyasu and Sayo, to make a lot of money for our village, and-"
"Alright, I… am still confused," Sora scratched his cheek in confusion. "I get it that they are your friends, but… how much do you know them? From what I remember, Ieyasu was full of himself and Sayo didn't like his attitude much. She was pretty, but that's… as far as the memories go."
"Gnk, I…" Tatsumi tried to argue, but he couldn't recall much more than that. Shaking his head with anger, he aimed his sword forward, "It doesn't matter! This is my story!"
"And it's mine as well," Sora reminded him. "But if I am here, and the Keyblade remains… there is darkness I must fight, the same kind of darkness which must have taken your heart."
"Zip it with that darkness load!" Tatsumi groaned and charged again. "How did it get me, then!?"
"I don't know, but…" Sora stomped forward and swung down, then upwards… cleaving Tatsumi's sword in half with the second slash and sending the blade flying off, "…if one who knows nothing can understand nothing, then I'll go out there and find the answers myself!"
Gasping at the strike which cemented how far apart in skills both were, Tatsumi fell flat on his rear with wide eyes and cold sweat caking his face. Shivering at the ease such an unrefined swordsman had easily beaten him, he could barely process how he had lost. Of course, he was disappointed, mad, and utterly lost. Not a single idea ran through his head beyond the simple tasks he set out to do with a single step at a time and no foresight for the future. He only wanted to join the military and make money off it, expecting it to go his way.
And then, he remembered that Sora tried to do so, but it led to failure due to not knowing the ways of the world.
"One who knows nothing, huh?" the words stuck to Tatsumi, whose body began to glow. "I… guess that's it for me, huh? There's no more me, just… the darkness."
Fading away like dust in the wind, Tatsumi disappeared without even knowing how to feel about a life where he merely moved without further thought beyond achieving what first came to mind. A slightly bittersweet thought was that Sora was the same, but he had experience in achieving goals one would consider impossible of him. Letting his weapon drop, the boy accepted the darkness.
-Mansion's Hallway-
Kicking the door to his room open, Sora stumbled into the hallway with a migraine and a cry of pain as he held his head. Memories of his and Tatsumi's life collided and merged with his own just barely overcoming the other boy's to ensure the body was his. A plethora of agonizing sensations flooded his mind as his heart won the battle to keep existing. It was like ripping off skin from both in and out, peeling every layer with brutal abandon. To make matters worse, as the moon shone into the building, the shadows Sora walked over had begun to shift and gain mass, attacking him… until he remembered:
"I'm Sora!" the boy let out a heavy sigh of relief once he finally got those words out with nothing but the truth, "Sora, the wielder of the Keyblade!"
Spinning the weapon on his hand, he hefted it on his shoulder just as more of the bug-like beings of darkness rose and eyed him with vacant yet hungry looks. The ant-shaped Shadows swarmed him, rushing from all sides as Sora leapt back with a firm grip on his weapon, assessing the issue.
"My feet feel so much slower than before," he groaned. "Either because this is Tatsumi's body or-"
Giving him no chance to finish his sentence, one of the Heartless sprung from his own shadow to slash at his face. Using a simple twirl of his weapon, Sora sliced the air in an upwards swing and cut the Shadow in half. Landing on his feet, the boy tried to recall his true memories and ignore those of the body he was trapped in. Once he recalled that the dark creatures had a hierarchy, he had a clearer if still elusive target. Either he found the one pulling the strings or more would keep popping out like locusts to the last grain in a devastated field.
Thus, shifting his weight on the balls of his feet the instant he landed to gain better footing and try to get used to Tatsumi's slower, clumsier build, Sora leapt forward. Even if Tatsumi had training to not just face but also cut down Danger Beasts, the new Keyblade wielder felt sluggish. Cutting through the horde of dark beings should have been easier for him, allowing him to kill about ten if not more with a single swing. Instead, it cost Sora four slashes as he dashed forward with one step per strike of his blade to cut that same amount of enemies. Being one with the wind, he would fly on his feet like he was a cloud on the sky, but even slashing through so many enemies with so little effort made him realize he was facing quite a downgrade. Unless he got some training, he could be easy pickings for something just as if not even scarier than a Heartless…
And speaking of, they kept crawling out of the walls, floor, and even ceiling, plopping down like heavy drops of rain, much to his ire, "Cut me some slack!"
Reacting to his cry the same way a starving man would to fresh food before him, the Shadows ran at him with wobbly steps, their bodies swaying side to side as they rushed him.
"More monsters…"
Suddenly, the crashing of a window stopped his charge and that of the Heartless as a small figure leapt into the hallway. Thanks to the moonlight and large windows both broken and unbroken that helped illuminate the darkness, Sora could make out that a petite, pretty young girl with black hair reaching down to her knees. Cold, emotionless red eyes briefly glanced at him… and with the flick of her wrist, several of the Shadows attacking had been slain.
"Whoa…" he was stunned and nervous, knowing she was at least not on the Heartless' side, but also not fancying his chances with someone like that who could see him as a threat when trapped in a slower body.
It took him a minute to make out her outfit in the darkness, seeing that she had on a simple black sleeveless top hugging her small to medium-sized breasts which while not too bountiful could still be seen swaying and bouncing due to either a loose bra or none at all… Shaking his head, he tried to think of anything but the hormones his current body had, looking at her white collar and red tie, and a red belt with a red side skirt cover over a black pleated skirt which just reminded him of school uniforms girls wore at his island. Her outfit came with long black socks and black shoes to cement that idea, especially how it hugged and emphasized her thin waistline and curvy if not too plump hips and thighs that were nicely shaped… Blaming Tatsumi for the hormonal thinking which he hoped would go away soon, he noted that she also wore red gauntlets and black gloves.
Of course, those red eyes came with a katana just as vibrant with its sheath and handle, "Not it."
"Huh?" Sora tilted his head, finally cleared off any and all teenage boy thoughts as he had finally at last assimilated into his current body. Thus, he came to a dreadful realization which put him on edge as he gripped both his Keyblade in his right hand and Tatsumi's short sword on his left, "Are you hunting Heartless for fun?"
"Not fun, just a nuisance," she stated and turned. "I'm looking for my target, so run off. You are not who needs to be slain for this darkness to be removed."
Putting those words together, Sora lunged at her, and the girl prepared herself for an attack with her blade held next to her head and parallel to her body with the tip skywards. In a flash, she swung it down and then up with fluid motions, a near-simultaneous and perfected attack to slay any enemy who dared think they could charge her and use feints on her…
Sora was not just any target as he not only dodged the first attack, but used his momentum to speed around the girl and cut down the five Heartless who had formed in her own shadow, "How about a little help?" he asked with a grin, hefting the Keyblade on his shoulder and aiming the short sword at the Shadows, "I've got some experience with these guys, and as soon as we take out the big one at the frontlines, the others will back off."
Everything happened too fast for the red-eyed girl who stared in stunned but forcedly stoic silence, she didn't let it show that she was in awe at the boy's skills.
His words, sincerity and that genuinely kind smile which was not made to fool anyone could have not come from malice… he truly, sincerely wanted to help, "Sure."
Blinking at the cold, emotionless response, Sora nodded awkwardly, "Uh, good, then? The name's Sora, nice to meet you…" he said as he gave his back to the girl and she did the same with him, the two not taking their eyes off the Heartless surrounding them, "And we better try and find where they are swarming up to take out their leader."
"Got it, and I'm Akame," the girl replied coolly without even a nod.
"All business, huh?" he joked with a playful grin.
"Yes," she actually nodded, but her face remained expressionless.
"Uh, right, time to fight," Sora stated.
Like he should have expected from such a cold girl, Akame was a disciplined warrior with little to no room for error in her attacks. Despite fighting the Heartless, her swordplay allowed no opening to be exploited and no pause in her swings. Using traditional fighting moves which were far tighter than his own, yet precise when they were wide to ensure multiple enemies would be taken out with no advantage for the Shadows given her guard, the black-haired girl was making quick work out of the dark beings. Sora, of course, was no slouch as he did his best with his slower body to sway around his enemies. Stepping forth and back, side to side, and all around dancing away from danger with barely an inch away from the attacks, the brunet delivered with and powerful strikes with his unusual weapon which effectively ended the monsters. His self-taught style was far too unpredictable for the swarm, and the swordswoman next to him found herself surprised by such an unorthodox fighting move set which focused on mobility and wide swings.
-Outside the Mansion-
Kicking the main door open, Akame led Sora into the woods towards a large warehouse that Aria's family owned. He hadn't gone there, being told to not risk himself with the medicines the nobles brewed and made their fortune with. A part of him wondered why do such a thing instead of using a factory or more secure building away from their place, but that was when his hostess had taken him on a shopping spree. Navigating his way through the trees, he expected to see the biggest and meanest Heartless ready for an ambush. Instead, he met the girl who took him in and a guard who was rushing her to get into the warehouse.
"Aria!" Sora called out, sheathing the sword on his back and hefting the Keyblade on his shoulder. "Where are your parents? Have they gotten out of the house already?"
"Sora, I-" the blonde started… and then her eyes widened when noticing Akame. "Night Raid…"
Unable to ignore the way the light left the girl's eyes and how her mouth curled in a fearful grimace, Sora glanced to his companion as she held her sword at the blonde, "Her parents have been taken care of, hopefully without causing a mess nor attracting more monsters."
"You… you bitch!" Aria's expression twisted into something Sora hadn't seen before, a raging and downright ugly visage of disgust. "How dare you say that about my Papa and Mama! They always treated me kindly by buying everything I wanted and even letting me play with the Heartless!"
"Oh no…" Sora put two and two together at that, and faced Aria with his hands gripping his key tighter than before. "Then you're the one pulling the Heartless' strings!"
"My cute pets do what I want!" Aria stated smugly.
"This is giving me whiplash, but I guess all that sweet girl act was to trick me…" Sora sighed with a shake of his head. "Ugh… I hate that this time it was less obvious than with Hades…"
"Do you know what needs to be done?" Akame asked.
"If possible, take out the Heartless, but if she's given this much to her own darkness…" Sora had an encyclopedia of encounters with people who, like Aria, got addicted to the power of the Heartless.
"Get ready, because I haven't fed my pet just yet!" Aria snapped her fingers.
Akame raced at her, "You won't-"
Roaring, loud and thunderous like a thunderstorm, broke the raven-haired girl's concentration. Suddenly, the gates to the warehouse burst open and out of it came a massive yet insanely fast figure. Both Akame and Sora reacted accordingly with the girl dashing to the side and the boy leaping over the attacker. Unfortunately for the guard keeping Aria safe, the beast was hungry…
"Gwah-" he couldn't finish his yelp as his body was snatched in the maws of a gigantic reptile atop which sat Aria with a malicious smirk.
"I am so sick and tired of playing around, Sora!" she snapped, her right eyelid twitching. "First, that girl with you and the other skank who came over here dare to have the precious long locks I cannot! Now I finally get to take it all out on you!"
"You're quite a twisted snake, even more than a certain vizier I met," he couldn't help but feel that such comparison would be insulting to Jafar.
Even a certain entitled, spoiled queen he met wasn't as selfish as to command the Heartless for her own gain, yet Aria rode atop the beast best fitting her. It was a gigantic cobra with purple, heart-shaped scales all over its body which carried a gold edge. The very tip of its tail was a sharp double-edged blade made of that same gold color which was akin to a dagger or even a poniard, a type of dagger designed primarily for stabbing. On its head, the Heartless had the hood of the reptile it imitated, a set of dark purple fangs with red tips dripping dangerous venom, and a large gold crown which also served as a throne, including a red velvet seat for Aria to watch and command her pet, who carried the emblem of its kin on its forehead below the crown-throne.
"Care to see how snake-like I can be?" the girl hissed.
Both swordfighters stared in anger as the girl's pet sunk its fangs into her personal guard. The man's body was engulfed by darkness itself, letting out a pink glowing light which emanated from a heart-shaped jewel, the literal manifestation of his heart. As the man's body faded to nothingness, not even leaving a speck of dust as it flew in the wind, the Heartless gobbled up his heart and started to grow. It was truly a pet fitting for Aria, which Akame remarked.
"Petty," Akame replied and held up her katana parallel to the ground with her hands beside her head with her eyes narrowed on the gold, glowing orbs that were the Heartless' own.
"This is the leader, Akame, definitely," Sora informed her. "Once we take it out, the other Heartless should back off. Are you ready?"
"Get them, you stupid worm!" Aria snapped, stomping her foot onto the snake Heartless' head.
Using its reach to its advantage, the Spiteful Fang used its bladed tail to stab the duo. Sora dodged to the side, rolling out of the way to then throw his Keyblade at the beast. It reacted fast, swaying its body to the side and causing Aria to lose her balance. The girl gripped the arms of her seat to not fall off, snarling and insulting her pet. It was a perfect distraction for Akame.
"Target locked," the girl had leapt onto the beast's tail and ran up it, holding her katana to her side to strike the girl and beast in one full strike.
"Urk, you little bitch!" Aria snapped and pulled out a gun from her dress, aiming it at Akame.
With both the shot fired and its own flexibility, the Spiteful Fang shook the swordswoman off by slamming its tail onto the ground. Akame had no choice but to dodge the shot and regain her balance at once, not an easy task when both opponents moved together. Her sword sliced through the bullet with precision born from heavy discipline and constant practice, but her body was still airborne for the grinning Aria to take aim and fire another shot.
"Heads up!" Sora exclaimed.
Akame saw a flash of light in his hand as the Keyblade materialized back into his grip for him to toss yet again at the monster. Making it spin like a boomerang, he nailed the throne to shake the girl atop it, causing Aria to yelp and grab onto it to not fall off. It granted the dark-haired girl enough time and room to land on the tail and stab it… but not kill the Heartless.
"Right, they're not alive," she inwardly cursed as both her blade and the monster's body glowed with a dark, deadly aura, causing the Slither Fang to hiss at her.
It opened its maw to let loose a cloud of purple venom at the girl, causing her to cough and grow woozy, much to Aria's delight, "Dirty rat!" the girl tried to aim… only to see the Keyblade appear yet again on Sora's hand for him to throw it at the throne once more! "Stop that! I t-told you to-"
"Back off!" the boy exclaimed as his last shot shook Aria off her throne, sending her down and also knocking the Spiteful Fang down. Rushing to the swordswoman, he recalled a spell which he used far too often, "Heal!"
Lifting his Keyblade to the skies, Sora commanded a green energy to envelop Akame, causing all her fatigue and the dizziness from the poison to vanish, much to her slightly wide-eyed shock, "Is that… a Relic? No. It's… not like any we know of."
"Oh, what is-" Sora shook his head, hearing Aria running back to her throne while muttering a few dozen curses about them. "Talk later, we need to take out that Heartless and Aria!"
"Right," the swordswoman nodded as the two faced the beast. "Go high, I'll aim low."
Ducking under a tail swipe, the two moved like different beasts in the hunt. Akame was like a hawk diving towards her prey while Sora rushed like a lion, moving around to find the right spot. Jumping onto the tail, the boy rushed upwards with his Keyblade held in both hands. For her part, the petite swordswoman used the distraction to slash the reptile's stomach. The Spiteful Fang let out a hiss as she sliced upwards with insane strength, forcing it to look upwards. Her attack had an already irked Aria who barely got back onto her throne wobbling yet again in her seat. It also gave the wielder of the key an opening to smash the overly glorified chair.
"Cease, you pest!" Aria snarled, aiming at him, but the strikes on the crown-throne brought great pain to her pet. The Spiteful Fang then thrashed around, which Sora had expected by grabbing onto the crown, "Hey! Do something useful already!"
Roaring and hissing at the same time, the Heartless slammed its head onto the floor with a thunderous crack, forcing Sora to let go and land… and also causing Aria to fly off and land onto a bush with her legs sticking out. Her tirade of curses and harsh swearing was comically halted by the hard landing and a low growl, leaving Akame and the Keyblade wielder to face off the beast.
"Hm…" the girl contemplated the chances, but turned to Sora. "If we take her out-"
"Like, we could try to knock her out, but it won't stop that Heartless from running rampant and going after others," Sora informed her, then groaned. "Yeah, they're kind of a pain like that…"
"Agreed," she gave a stoic nod, causing him to chuckle. "What?"
"I figured you'd say that, you'd almost get along with this Leon guy I know," he retorted with a cheery grin, surprising her at such positive attitude. "You're slightly friendlier, though."
"…a mini-Leone," she whispered. "Or a boy Leone."
Of course, they weren't stupid enough to let their guard fully down, leaping over a stab from the Spiteful Fang's tail with Sora landing on a tree and Akame analyzing the biggest threat. Lucky for her, Aria was too tangled in the bush to get out or even reach her gun, so the reptile needed to go. A part of her briefly wondered what giant snake would taste like if cooked over a large flame, but she recalled that the Heartless didn't leave anything behind once they were slain. It almost caused her to sigh in disappointment.
"Crown's its weak point," Sora stated, giving her a nod and a grin. "Let's go high and low! Together!"
"Roger!" Akame said as she and Sora took identical stances, holding their weapons next to their heads with the tips aimed skywards.
Lunging at the beast, Akame dashed with her body hunched low and her blade back while Sora leapt from tree to tree with dexterity an ape man would be proud of. With its attention divided, the Spiteful Fang snapped its jaws to spit a wad of venomous goop at the boy and simultaneously lashed at the girl with its tail. Used to all manner of threats from the Heartless, the Keyblade wielder did something so ridiculous even calling it magic would not suffice. He swatted back the venom and hit the monster in the face, blinding it momentarily for Akame to invert the move from before. Using a stupid amount of brute force, the small girl slammed the reptile onto the ground with yet another thunderous smash.
It was the chance she and Sora needed as the Spiteful Fang was left dizzy on the floor, "Back off!" the boy asked as he descended to double-tap the snake, creating a crater on the ground. "Ready?!"
"Always," her calm response compared to his cheerful disposition was like ice and fire.
Both gripped their weapons at the ready with Sora taking his self-taught stance and Akame took her more balanced one. Dashing forward so fast that wind was cut, the two delivered a perfect crisscrossing slash in unison towards the throne. The Spiteful Fang let out an agonizing hiss as the seat atop its head was destroyed, throwing its head up in a final roar… as its body burnt. Like dark smoke, the snake's bulky frame began to fly off, even as it tried to fight and remain alive…
"You… dirty… bastard children of a motherless pig-sow!" Aria had come back to aim at the two, her rage palpable but unamusing for the two. Cackling, she held the gun as she walked next to the Spiteful Fang… bringing a memory back from Sora, "I'll mount you all on my family's dungeon and-"
"Hassah…" the beastly cobra let out as it swayed back and forth.
Aria's shock was short lived as she turned to the enormous reptile, letting out a yelp once it finally fell down and crushed her under its weight. Sora grimaced, but didn't expect a different end for a person as twisted and revolting in and out as the blonde girl. It was a hard part of being the one in charge of the Keyblade, but a fate he had accepted. Not that he wanted to make him as unfeeling as the girl next to him, who merely sheathed her sword.
"Target dispatched…" Akame stated.
"Guess so, and it's hopefully going to leave this area Heartless free for a while," he replied as with a mere mental command his Keyblade glowed and vanished into its interdimensional pocket.
"Convenient," the black-haired girl stated, then looked at Sora up and down. "Tell me, Sora, do you wish to join Night Raid?"
"Huh?"
"It's an assassin association trying to overthrow this evil empire."
Such a nonchalant, emotionless response had him react to the best of his intellect, "Huh?"
-TBC-
Before anyone asks why did I not cut out the middleman and replace Tatsumi with Sora instead of this convoluted plotline to have Sora in Tatsumi's body, the commissioner requested it to be that way despite me providing ways to do the same thing without such complications.
Anyway, the commissioner also dislikes Tatsumi, and I can see why given the way the story itself rushes through events without letting you breathe and see the characters organically interact in the same manner as older anime like Samurai Champloo or current anime like Jujutsu Kaisen.
My main issue with Akame Ga Kill is that we rush through plot points without really digging into the characters or the setting since it's mostly about making people look cool without much substance, which I guess speaks of myself growing somewhat older and debatably wiser.
That said, I'll still put effort into this and try not to be too much of a jerk, even with how much fun I poke at Tatsumi's looks.
I'm Akito the Boxer, off to the next round.