Chapter 62: ■■・

'Count three! Damn it! I knew that going on my own was going to get me killed by the witch but I guess that's my fault for thinking that would work.'

Subaru managed to get back his mind from the previous death, having been too confident that he can drag the witch away from the group. The only thing he didn't account for was the dusk nobodies and the heartless to block his pathway, leading him to his death by the witch's hand once again. He looks around to see that he has returned to the spot his previous checkpoint was at with Rem having beaten the heartless with his keyblade. Subaru crossed his arms and evaluated his two counts.

'Okay, Emilia-chan and her group are going to struggle without our assistance, but Julius needs help with the trial since that prick is not making things easy...Hm.'

Subaru knew within the few seconds he has to make some plan that he needs to divide the group into a perfect combination, with one group going to help out Julius in beating Reid while the others help Emilia and her group deal with the Organization members. His father and Kishida are highly skilled but they can't do much against overpowered people such as Lye and Roy. Rem can only do so much before she gives up on her strength, making it important that she fights alongside someone like Ram, Shaula, or Elsa. He along with Sora are the weakest of the group, both of them not at their full potential due to the loss of memories, something he still needs to get back.

'Okay, aside from that, I think if Rem and me go to assist Emilia-chan while Beako, Sora, dad, and Kishida help Julius will be worth trying. Sora could probably help Julius with his fight considering how he can change his keyblade's design into a powerful looking one. Then once down there if I can make sure nothing happens to Shaula, I can ask her to take on the Sin Archbishops with me and Rem.'

As Subaru came up with this idea, the group reunited which gave him the opportunity to pitch this new plan to them. He alerts them that Beatrice, Kishida, Sora, and Kenichi should check on Julius and help him out while Rem and himself go to check on Emilia's group. The group was okay with this except Beatrice, who wanted to stay with her contractor.

"I'm not leaving Betty's Subaru alone, I suppose!"

"I know but I'll be fine. Besides Beako, I have an important job for you."

"And what might that be, in fact?"

Subaru kneeled and patted her head while saying with a smile on his face,

"Protect my parents."

Beatrice looked at Subaru and knew that this request was big, knowing how important Subaru's parents are to her contractor and to herself. She stood silent for a brief moment before hugging her contractor, showing how worried she is with this plan yet she trusted him. After hugging for a few seconds, she looked at Subaru and with a serious facial expression she said,

"Y-You better return back to Betty, I suppose!"

"I will, I will."

"Okay."

Beatrice got up and followed Kenichi, Sora, and Kishida up towards the second trial's room in hopes of helping Julius with his part while Rem and Subaru went down the stairs to help Emilia's group. As the two went down the stairs, Subaru and Rem encountered the dusk nobodies with Roy and Lye catching up to them. Subaru turned back to see this and smiled, having counted on this to happen. He pulls Rem and continues to lead the two down the stairs, allowing the dusk nobodies to fight off Lye and Roy to buy the two sometime to help their allies. As the two make it to Emilia's group, Subaru turns towards Rem to say,

"Go help your sister, I'll assist Shaula."

"Okay, just don't get yourself killed."

"I won't."

The two nod at each other before going off to assist Rem and Shaula. As Rem jumps into the fight against Replica Riku to help Ram, Subaru jumped in on the fight between Shaula and Terra-Xehanort, attempting to attack the Organization member only for the keyblade wielder to move No Name towards Subaru's direction to block off his attack. This caused Subaru to quickly turn to Shaula and give her a nod, indicating that she should take the opportunity to attack while Terra-Xehanort's guard is down. Shaula looked at the Organization member and quickly fired her most powerful Hell's Snipe.

Terra-Xehanort noticed this and quickly tried to deflect off the attack only for Shaula's attack to barely land a deadly blow in a part of the Organization member's arm. This hurt him yet it didn't stop him from fighting the pair, forcing Subaru to think carefully on his next moves. As Subaru and Shaula worked together to take on Terra-Xehanort, the boy would eventually be overpowered within a few hits, causing him to be knocked out of the fight.

'Okay...this wasn't a good idea...'

Subaru tried to get up but his body was hurting so much which was something Shaula noticed, causing her to be angry towards Terra-Xehanort before going all out.

"You'll pay for hurting master!"

"Bring it on!"

Terra-Xehanort and Shaula both clash with the two trying to end the fight as fast as they can with their set of skills while Subaru was barely able to stand on his feet. As he stood standing, he looked at the entrance to the room they are in to see that Lye and Roy are approaching them. He turned towards Shaula and Elsa to see if he can get one of the two to help him yet he collapsed to the ground due to how much his body was hurting. As he was on the ground, both Elsa and Shaula noticed this and tried to do something to help the boy yet their opponents were not letting them. Subaru looked up and was hoping that a miracle come by only for Emilia to quickly approach him to help the boy get back on his feet.

"Subaru, you are such a dunderhead. I told you to not risk your life."

"I-I know Emilia-chan but I couldn't help but make sure you are okay."

Emilia looked annoyed by Subaru's constant need to put himself in harm's way despite being weak which is the same thing she likes about him. She likes how he cares for everyone and will do his best to fight for them despite being weak. Emilia helped carry Subaru to the corner to rest before turning her attention on the two Sin Archbishops of Gluttony, seeing that she will need Puck's help. Before Emilia and Puck could do anything, Subaru was killed by one of Terra-Xehanort's attacks, having send a barrage of darkness attacks towards the boy.

"Count four."

Subaru says this once his mind had returned to the checkpoint, making it clear that a new strategy needs to be made. Although his latest one wasn't too bad, he still needs to send the right person to deal with Terra-Xehanort. He turned towards Sora to ask him,

"How strong do you think you are?"

"Well I'm not the strongest here but I can fight!"

"Okay...I'm going to need your help."

Sora smiled with confidence the moment he heard this, always happy to help a friend in need. Subaru began to explain the plan to the Keyblade wielder, telling him what they need to do to which the boy responds with,

"Why don't we all go together? We will have a better chance."

"Yes but we can't leave Julius on his own."

"You have to trust in him, Subaru. He is doing his best to beat the trial, we just need to give him faith."

Subaru looked down as he heard this, knowing from his second count that this is something he cannot overlook.

'I know you want to have faith Sora but Julius doesn't have the necessary means to win.'

Before the boy could argue with his fellow Keyblade wielder, Kishida and the others join the two to see what is going on. Subaru turned towards them to say the plan he came up with, having Kishida, Rem, and Beatrice join him and Sora to help Emilia's group while Kenichi assists Julius. Sora was did not like the idea of splitting up but he knew that he needed to trust in Subaru's judgement. Kenichi looked at his son and said,

"Okay, I can help out Julius-san but I need you to be safe."

"Don't worry dad, I'll be safe."

Kenichi gave his son a hug before he went towards the top floor where the second trial is taking place with Subaru taking his group down towards the room where the Organization is facing off Elsa, Shaula, and Ram. As they went down the stairs, the nobodies attacked the group yet Subaru managed to get his group out of the fight, knowing that this will force Lye and Roy to face them which would buy the group time to help take down the Organization members. As Subaru's group arrives at the location, he quickly splits the group up with Rem helping Shaula take on Terra-Xehanort, Sora and Kishida assisting Elsa, and himself with Beatrice going off to help Ram against Replica Riku.

As the group went to assist the person they were designated to, Subaru and Beatrice both managed to help Ram push back Replica Riku with Subaru blocking off the attacks while Beatrice waited for the right moment before using her last mana she had in one powerful and fatal attack. As she was preparing this, Ram and Subaru both worked together with Ram's dream eaters to put Replica Riku in a position for Beatrice to use her trump card. They were on the offensive for a bit until finally Replica Riku had enough and started to teleport around the two, giving Beatrice a chance to attack. She lifted her right hand up and shouted,

"El Minya!"

As Beatrice shouts this, a barrage of purple icicles appeared on top of her, waiting for her command to strike. She waits until the perfect moment where Replica Riku will appear, sending all of her icicles towards the Organization member. As she does this, Replica Riku appears a few feet away from Subaru and Ram, having a dark fireball in his left hand, ready to use it. As he was about to throw his attack at the pair, he noticed Beatrice's attack far too late, causing him to be hit with the barrage of purple icicles. As he was attacked mercilessly, a purple smoke was created around him for a moment. After a few seconds, the smoke disappeared to see Replica Riku frozen in place, his entire body covered in shiny purple. Subaru was surprised by this while Ram was amazed by Beatrice's attack, seeing just how capable the great spirit of the forbidden library is. Beatrice walked towards the two with a smug look on her face before she said to the pair,

"That should put an end to him, I suppose."

"That was pretty amazing, Beatrice-sama."

"Yes, that was amazing, Beako."

"More praises for Betty, I suppose!"

"I mean...you are the best!"

"That is without a doubt, in fact."

"I don't mean to interrupt Beatrice-sama, but we must help the others."

Beatrice nodded at what Ram said, knowing that they should not get distracted. As she nodded at this, Ram told Subaru to help Elsa, Sora, and Kishida against the Organization member they are facing while she helped out her sister and Shaula in facing Terra-Xehanort. Subaru nodded at this and watched as Ram went off to help Rem and Shaula with her two dream eaters accompanying her. As she left both Beatrice and Subaru, the boy turned towards the little girl while saying,

"Do you think that you can do that ability once again?"

"I wish but that was the last of the mana I had in me, I suppose."

"Oh...alright then I'll just have to protect you."

"No, the last thing Betty wants is Betty's Subaru ignoring his own plan. Go and help that bowel hunter woman and her group. Betty will be safe over her, away from the fighting, I suppose."

"Are you sure?"

"Don't question Betty!"

"Okay Okay!"

Subaru listened to Beatrice and had faith in her that she would be safe, causing him to turn his attention to Elsa, Sora, and Kishida's fight against the Organization member. As he was doing this, he knows that they need to take her out as fast as possible before she goes into her final form, knowing that they stand almost no chance against her if that happens. He waits until the Organization member's guard is down and is going on the offensive against Sora and his group before attempting to attack.

Once he sees his opening, without warning he tries to attack from behind only for his opponent to easily block off the attack. As the girl blocked Subaru's attack, she was left too open for Elsa, Kishida, and Sora all three to strike at the Organization member, landing a combined powerful attack. This was enough to inflict close to critical damage, allowing Subaru to try once again to attack only this time for his attack to connect to his opponent. As Subaru manages to land the hit, the hood once again revealed the girl with short hair, yellow eyes, and a somewhat familiar face yet unknown to the boy. Sora looked at Xion and for some reason he felt that she was someone he knows.

"Wh-Who are you?"

The Keyblade wielder asked this yet he received no answer, the only thing the Organization member did was run towards the balcony similar to a previous vision. Knowing what was going to happen, he turns towards Elsa to say,

"Don't let her escape!"

Elsa nodded at Subaru and quickly went after the girl while Subaru, Kishida, and Sora turned their attention on helping the others. Terra-Xehanort noticed that Replica Riku was taken out while the puppet was running away, forcing him to use all of his power while also summoning a couple of heartless and nobodies to assist him. Subaru and the group noticed this with the boy having a small smile on his face.

'Seems like we are cornering this guy. Once he is done, the next one to deal with is Lye and Roy.'

As Subaru thought this, he divided his forces by having himself and Kishida taking on the nobodies and heartless while the others assist in taking down Terra-Xehanort, knowing that he is the bigger threat here. As the groups did their jobs and faced their targets, Subaru looked at the entrance to the room to see that it is Reid for some odd reason. This caused him to ask,

"What are you doing here, Reid?"

"..."

Reid stood silent for a moment before smiling, pointing his chopsticks towards the boy before saying,

"You are disgusting!"

"Wha—?"

Before Subaru could say or act, Reid destroyed all of the nobodies and heartless in between him and Subaru before going off to kill the boy. Subaru and Kishida were not expecting Reid to attack them and had no time to react to Reid's attack. Subaru sadly didn't survive the attack due to how powerful Reid was when going all out.

'You have got to be kidding me!'

Subaru once again returned to the checkpoint, confused on what exactly happened in the previous loop since everything was going well until Reid randomly showed up. This caused him to analyze what had went wrong.

'We literally had it! Damn it! Now I'm in count four! Okay, I need to think...why did Reid all of a sudden appeared?'

This question was something he needs to find out, knowing that without this answer, he won't be able to come up with the perfect plan to save everyone. As he was thinking of this, it made him realize that something went wrong with his parents and Julius for Reid to all of a sudden appear. Because of this, he chose to change up his strategy a bit.

"I think I should check on Julius, I want to make sure he is alright. While I do that, the rest of you should check on Emilia-chan's group."

"Then Betty will join you, I suppose."

"I figured you'd say that but I need you to go with the others."

"You are Betty's Subaru! I will protect you, in fact!"

"Yes but I need you to protect dad while I'm checking up on Julius and on mom."

Subaru whispers this to Beatrice, making the little spirit a bit conflicted since she has grown to care for Kenichi and Naoko like they are her family. This was enough to convince Beatrice to go along with Subaru's plan with only one condition.

"Y-You better make it out alive, I suppose! Betty will be mad if something happens to you."

"Hehe...don't worry Beako, I'll be okay."

Subaru patted Beatrice in the head before looking at his father, noticing the concern in his face. This prompted Subaru to say with a cheerful expression,

"Don't worry father, I'll make sure mom and I don't get hurt."

"I understand that my son but are you okay?"

"Huh? What do you—?"

"I can tell that you are under a lot of stress. Maybe I should accompany you or have little Beako accompany you."

"No No...I-I'm fine. I just want us all to make it out of this alive."

"Yeah I know my amazing son but...if you push yourself too much, you'll burn yourself out. You can trust us, you know."

"I know..."

Kenichi wanted to go with his son to check on Julius, seeing that his son was pushing himself too much yet he trusted his son. He gave him a hug before the group went towards Emilia's group's location with Subaru giving the directions on how to get there while Subaru stood standing for a moment in the library, confused on why his father was suddenly worried for him.

'He...is probably worried since I'm going on my own, that has to be it. This is something I can't have in the next count...I can't have father, mother, or any of the others worrying about my sake since I need to be the one to suffer if I want everyone to make it out alive.'

Subaru re-established his determination, recalling the things Emilia had told him on his second vision of events, knowing that he needs to save everyone. He summoned his keyblade and quickly made his way up the stairs as fast as he could. While running up, he thought of many things that could've caused Reid to turn on them but also just randomly appeared in a different area of the tower. The only thing that he could come up with was related to the gluttony duo since they probably did something to Reid to cause him to just leave and to target him.

'Okay, so the objective should be taking down Lye and Roy...but I also need to take down Sora's enemies because all of the strongest fighters are being distracted dealing with them. Damn, this situation is quite stressful.'

Subaru rubbed his eyes since they were tired out for some reason before reaching the floor where the second trial is taking place with Julius trying his best against Reid. Subaru waited and observed the fight to see that Reid is toying with Julius, allowing him to be on the offense before trying to knock the knight out in one hit. The moment Julius was going to be knocked out, Subaru shouted to "duck", causing Julius to listen and duck down which caused him to dodge Reid's attack.

"What the?!"

Julius smiled and was close to landing a hit on Reid yet the stick swinger managed to deflect the attack quickly before kicking the knight away from him. Subaru quickly ran towards his friend to make sure he is alright, playing events similar to his second try of this loop, cheering Julius up before turning towards Reid to talk to him. As he was going to speak with Reid, Naoko approached him and started to check on her son.

"Wh-What's wrong, mom?"

"My baby boy...are you okay? You look stressed out."

"S-Sorry mom, I guess I'm a little stressed out by this situation."

"You need to rest then. It isn't good for you to be pushing yourself like this."

"I'll be okay mom, trust me."

"Hmm."

Naoko looked at Subaru with a concerned facial expression, knowing that her son is pushing himself. She put her hand on his arm while saying in a calm yet concerning tone,

"My little Subaru, I know you want to help everyone. That is something that makes me proud of you, but you also can't put yourself in this kind of situations. You are strong like your father but you need to keep in mind what is your limits."

"...I know mom...just let me talk to this guy and then I'll rest. I promise."

"Okay."

Naoko gave Subaru a kiss on the cheek before allowing her son to speak with Reid. As Subaru walks towards Reid, he starts to realize that this chain of events are different due to how stressed out he is. This made him realize that he needs to be careful on how he acts and looks from her on out, the last thing he wants is to worry the others when he is the one who can solve everything. Having this in mind, he approached the stick swinger in order to get some information out of him.

"Reid, do you have a moment?"

"Wh't d'ya want?"

"Whose side are you on?"

"Wh't'r ya babbling 'bout?"

"Would you ever kill any of us? Just answer the question."

"..."

Reid stood silent, still confused on why the boy keeps asking this odd question but after taking some quick thinking, he answered the boy's question in an honest manner.

"Listen kid, I don't understand what yer talkin' about but ya can stop worryin'. I'm neutral though I do want a good fight."

"Okay...follow up question, would you kill any of us?"

"Nah, yer all not worth the trouble. Not even th'adult version of that Keyblade wielder. I only kill those who are needed to be killed."

"Like?"

"...non of yer business, kid. I'm done talkin'."

Reid turned around before walking away from Subaru, slightly annoyed by the boy's questions while the boy was silent since he didn't get any real information. Because of this, he is worried that he needs another count to get some answers but before he could truly make a full thought, he noticed Lye and Roy entering the room. This prompted the boy to quickly approach Reid to get his assistance. As Reid felt someone tap his arm, he turned around to see the boy but this time he had his keyblade in hand.

"Yes?"

"I need your help. These guys are bad news."

"Hm."

Reid looked at the boy for a moment before going off to look at the two sin archbishops of gluttony. At first Reid didn't care for it until he noticed everyone else starting to get defensive. He turned back towards the Gluttony duo and sensed something was off about them. This got his curiosity and quickly with Subaru and Julius, they approached the threat with their weapons ready for a fight. Anastasia and Naoko noticed this and were both worried for Julius and Subaru's sake since they know how much of a threat the two sin archbishops of gluttony are. Naoko wanted to help her son yet Anastasia grabbed her wrist.

"Let me go! I need to help my son!"

"I can't say that I understand but if you get yourself involved, you'll get your son and yourself hurt."

"I'm his mother, I can't let him be in danger."

"Naoko-sama, please think this carefully."

"I am."

As Naoko was about to go get her son out of danger, Subaru turned towards his mother to tell her,

"I will be okay mom, just trust me here."

"Subaru..."

Naoko was unsure on what to say but she knew that she needed to trust her son's judgement. All she did was nod before watching her son join in on the fight against Lye Batenkaitos and Roy Alphard while Julius and Reid assisted him. Julius and Subaru took on Roy together while Reid on his own faced Ley. Julius and Subaru were both able to somewhat hold their own with Julius using his six quasi spirits to be on the offense while Subaru was the defense of the two, confident his strength can block off any deadly attacks. As the two were doing their best, Lye pointed his knife at the stick swinger to ask,

"Who are you? You look gourmet~tsu."

"The name is Hauroy Rallior, the one who'll kick yer ass!"

"We are with the Witch's cult, representing Gluttony, Lye Batenkaitos~TSU!"

Reid smiled when he heard this before starting their fight, both of them giving it their all. During the battle between Subaru's group and the gluttony duo, Naoko and Anastasia watched with the two growing more worried for Julius and Subaru's sake since they are barely able to keep up with Roy. As their worries grew, they witnessed how Subaru and Julius were both overpowered within a matter of seconds once Julius' usual techniques with his spirits weren't working and Subaru was starting to get overpowered. Just as it seemed like the two were done for, Reid looked and at first was tempted to leave them be yet he felt that he could make things interesting. He stopped his fight with Lye by pushing him back while he turned his attention to Roy, curious to know which of the two is tougher.

"I'll be yer opponent."

"You will be eaten by us!"

Roy and Lye both nodded at each other before charging at Reid in unison, confident that their combined strength will overpower the stick swinger, yet they didn't expected their target to be extremely powerful. Due to this, Lye used Lunar Eclipse to attack the first sword saint by creating a fireball that looked familiar to Anastasia and Julius. As Lye used this attack, Roy also used Lunar Eclipse to summon a familiar thunder ability, causing the pair to see that the two gluttonies are using some of Subaru and Sora's techniques.

"Seems like they stole their memories."

"Huh? What do you mean, Anastasia-sama?"

"Those techniques are from your son and his master. Considering they both lost their memories and usually the Sin Archbishops of Gluttony are involved with memories, it is logical that the two keyblade wielders lost their memories because of them."

Subaru looked at Anastasia when he heard this, causing him to think that if both Roy and Lye die then it is possible for Rem, Sora, and himself to regain their memories. Seeing this as a possibility, he quickly helped Julius up before making sure he is alright before going back into the fight.

"Julius?"

"Don't worry Subaru, I can still fight."

"Are you sure?"

"I should be the one asking you that. Considering how weak you are."

"Okay, no need to rub it in."

"Apologies."

"Hehe don't sweat it."

The two laughed it off before turning their attention to the fight, knowing that this is something they have to do to protect Anastasia and Naoko. As the two got themselves ready for a fight, Roy got close enough to Reid in order to eat him only for something off to happen. Reid disappeared for a moment before all of a sudden Roy changed into Reid.

'This makes sense...Reid didn't kill me, it was one of the gluttony boys.'

Reid looked at Subaru for a moment before starting to laugh, confusing Subaru and his group, even Lye was confused by this as well.

"Brother?"

"Hahahaha! Th's feels amazin'! I can walk out freely!"

"What are you doing?"

"Kid, I'm free to finally walk outta here...but first."

Reid looked at Subaru again before charging at him similar to the previous loop yet this time Subaru was ready for this. He managed to block off the attack just barely before Julius joined in on fighting Reid. As both Subaru and Julius were on the offense against Reid, they both realized that they are in trouble. With the two focused on the fight against Reid, Lye Batenkaitos escaped the room to look for the others. This made Subaru realize that he needs to act on this since the others are in danger.

Subaru turned towards Julius but before he can say anything, Julius already knew what Subaru was thinking and just simply nodded at him before being the only one fighting Reid, confident that he can win with the stakes being high. Subaru quickly ran down the stairs in hopes of finding the others only to realize that time is up since the witch had arrived to consume everything in her shadows. Despite this, Subaru continued to make his way down the stairs while avoiding the shadows from grabbing him.

'I need to time this right...but I know what happened at least with Reid.'

Subaru managed to reach the room to see how the group was doing, seeing that Sora, Rem, and Ram were working together against Replica Riku while Shaula, Kenichi, Kishida, and Emilia took on Terra-Xehanort, the girl from the Organization taking on just Elsa, and lastly Lye facing Puck and Beatrice with her limited mana.

'I see...so things are at least going well here but I need...I need to get things right in the next run. At least this time I know what I have to do.'

Subaru confidently joined the fight between the two spirits and the sin archbishop of gluttony, knowing that Beatrice can only do so much on her own. As he joined in, Beatrice looked at Subaru with a surprised facial expression for a moment before smiling, happy to see her contractor by her side.

"I know I'm not Natsuki Subaru, the one who you made a contract with Beako, but I'm still here to protect you."

"Hmph. It's usually the other way around, I suppose. But Betty always enjoys seeing this side of you."

Subaru smiled since it did made him feel happy hearing Beatrice's voice before turning his attention towards the fight. Puck looked at Subaru and began to say,

"It is good to see you once again Subaru. I hope you are ready to give it your all."

"Yeah...I got this!"

Subaru said this confidently and quickly assisted the two spirits in their fight against the Sin Archbishop of Gluttony for as long as he can before the witch covered the place with shadows, causing him to die by her hand once again.

"Count seven."

Subaru had died two more times after his death to the witch, the fifth count being killed by the Organization member in her final boss form after convincing the group to focus on her. This resulted in the girl using her most powerful attack to kill them all except Sora, Rem, and Emilia, the three of them dealing with Lye and Roy. In his previous attempt, he had Rem go assist Julius while the others face the sin archbishops on their own, having hold on for a bit until Emilia arrived with Puck by her side.

They were able to push the threat back for a while until suddenly Terra-Xehanort attacked them, causing Subaru to be killed by the Organization member's darkness attack. This annoyed the boy since he doesn't know how things ended up with Terra-Xehanort attacking the group. Because of this, Subaru had to change his strategy a bit by having Rem still go to assist Julius while both Kenichi and Beatrice go to assist Emilia's group with a bit of persuading Beatrice.

"What?! Betty wants to be with her contractor, I suppose!"

"I know I know, but I need you to protect dad while I protect Sora."

"Hmph. Betty should be the one to protect you, in fact! Betty is your contracted spirit!"

"I know but I'm counting on your, Beako. I need you to protect dad."

"Hmph...fine but you better survive, I suppose!"

"I will!"

Subaru patted Beatrice on the head before turning his attention towards his group's attention. Subaru, Sora, and Kishida all three had stayed to wait before the two Sin Archbishops of Gluttony attacked. As they stayed together, Sora looked at Subaru and could tell that something is wrong.

"Subaru?"

"D-Don't worry Sora, we should focus on the task at hand."

"But—"

Before Sora could say anything, Subaru and Kishida both prepared themselves for battle since they saw Lye Batenkaitos and Roy Alphard approaching them. This also caused Sora to get out Kingdom Key, knowing that he needs to be on his guard. As the fight begins, Sora and Subaru worked together against Roy Alphard while Kishida faced off against Lye Batenkaitos, the knight wanting vengeance for his arm. As the fight proceeded similar to his first count, Emilia joined in on the fight to assist the group, having Puck by her side to help them out. As Emilia, Subaru, and Sora all three work together against Roy while Puck went to assist the knight against Kishida.

"Seems like you need some assistance, young knight."

"Yes. I might need your help, great spirit."

Puck smiled before starting to create a large number of icicles to attack the Sin Archbishop of Gluttony. Lye looked up and smiled as he recognized the cat spirit thanks to the memories of Sora and Rem.

"We are going to enjoy this~TSU!"

"Count...fourteen..."

Subaru was fatigue mentally, he was barely keeping up with his deaths, many of them being now by the hands of Reid Astrea while some are from either the two gluttonies or one of Sora's enemies. The only thing he has gathered is that Replica Riku is the only one they are able to beat. Subaru looked down as he doesn't know what he can do now since every plan he has come up with ends with failure. His previous death was from the witch's hand when he attempted to trap Lye and Roy in a place where the witch can kill him. What he didn't account was everyone being attacked, allowing the two gluttony boys to escape the fight. Because of this, Subaru started to look around with his mind trying to stay together yet he is unable to keep up with everything that's going on.

"Are you okay?"

Subaru heard the voice of a young boy, making him be aware that it is Sora checking up on him. Subaru looked up and wanted to say that he is alright but the boy could easily tell that he isn't. His eyes were telling his fellow keyblade that he is stressed out and pushing himself beyond what he can do.

"I need...a moment."

"Kenichi, Rem, Kishida, Beatrice...Subaru needs help."

"We are on it, Sora-san."

Kenichi patted the young Sora in the back before himself along with Beatrice go to check up on Subaru, seeing that he is exhausted. As they were taking care of Subaru, the boy looked at the shelves near him where the book of the dead where at to see a very interesting book.

'I-I'm able to...read this...that's not...right...'

"How are you feeling, in fact?"

Subaru's mind was caught off guard when he heard Beatrice asking him about his well-being. Subaru looked at the little girl and wanted to smile yet he couldn't. Having watched everyone die in so many different deaths, having witnessed his own deaths, and having suffered so much on his own has pushed him to the point where he wants to give up.

'I...I can't give up...Sora...Rem...their original selves...Emilia-chan...everyone is depending on me.'

"Son, are you okay? Talk to me."

"...I-I'm sorry..."

"Hey! Everything will be okay."

Kenichi patted his son in the shoulder before turning towards the group to tell them that he will be taking Subaru to safety. Before that could happen, Lye Batenkaitos and Roy Alphard arrived which caught everyone's attention.

'Five minutes...'

Subaru made the realization that it is five minutes before the two Sin Archbishops attack the group. He regained some determination from recalling his talk with Emilia, the older version of Sora, and the memories of Rem. He pulled out Starlight and was ready to fight until Beatrice and Kenichi got in front of him.

"Beako, go and take my son to the second floor. Make sure that he is safe alongside my beautiful wife."

"Will do, I suppose."

Beatrice pulled Subaru's arm to get him to safety while Kenichi joined Sora, Kishida, and Rem to face off the two gluttonies. As the fight began, Subaru and Beatrice made their way up the stairs with the boy's mind trying to process something he saw in the library. As he was processing this, the nobody dusk attacked the pair with Subaru managing to pick up Beatrice to take her to safety. As the two reach the second floor, Subaru witness the same events occur with Julius.

'Why isn't he able to use his spirits properly? If we can figure this out then maybe we can get this part cleared.'

Subaru stood silent before approaching his mother, wanting to give her a hug which caught her off guard for a second before smiling. She returned the hug while messing with her boy's hair, seeing that he is stressed out.

"Don't worry my baby boy, you are safe."

"...I'm sorry mom...I'm doing everything I can...but I just can't..."

"I'm here for you, my son. I'm never going to let you go."

Subaru had tears in his eyes, wanting to tell her everything that has happened since waking up in the tower yet he knew he couldn't. In his ninth count, he attempted to tell everyone about the things he had witnessed and how he knew about it but he felt a shadow hand crushing his heart the moments he tried to reveal everything. This made him aware of the problems with his rewind ability. Subaru stayed with his mom for the remainder of the vision before the witch came over to attack them but before that happened, Subaru wanted to talk to Naoko about something with Beatrice being there.

"Mom, tell me what was I like prior to losing my memories."

"Hm. Well you are still the same boy your father and I saw when we arrived to this world. You were putting yourself in harm's way to protect everyone. I was afraid at first, seeing you go into danger where you can get hurt or worse but I was and still am proud of you. You have grown up into a fine young man, even growing out of your father's shadow and becoming your own person."

"R-Really?"

"Yes, you managed to become strong on your own and even became Emilia-san's knight. You made a name for yourself in the kingdom of Lugnica. You even managed to unite people to do many things I may still not approve of, but you did so many great things, my baby boy. Even if you don't have your memories of these events, you are still that amazing son, wanting to save everyone."

Subaru looked at his mother before continuing to hug her, not sure what to say but to feel happy that his mother is with him. As the two were hugging, Beatrice joined in on the hug since she felt left out. Subaru and Naoko both noticed this and allowed the little girl to join before the witch arrived. Subaru noticed this and quickly pulled out Starlight keyblade before looking at Beatrice, seeing that she is in fear.

"Beako, please protect mom for me."

"Wait Subaru—"

"My baby boy, please don't."

"Sorry mom, I have to do this."

Subaru patted Beatrice's head and hugged his mother before charging into battle, not afraid of what was going to happen next. He managed to get close to the witch to try to land a hit only for his body to be consumed by the shadows.

"I love you."

"I'm going to beat you."

"I love you. I love you."

"No matter...how many times...you say that...I'm still going to defeat you...no matter what it takes..."

"I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you."

Subaru kept hearing this for a while before he finally was killed by the witch that started his hellish time since he awakens to the tower.

Subaru returned back to the same loop, with his mind having had some determination back thanks to his talk with his mother yet there was something he needed to know. He turned towards Rem and Sora to ask them,

"Can you two follow me for a moment?"

"Um...sure?"

Both Sora and Rem looked at each other for a moment, a bit confused yet they just nodded at Subaru before following him. Subaru looked at Kishida, Kenichi, and Beatrice to ask them if they can cover the three of them while they take care of something. The three nodded at Subaru before having their guard up. While they did this, Sora and Rem followed Subaru as they walked towards the books with Sora being the one to ask,

"What is going on, Subaru?"

"I um remembered something that I needed to show the two of you."

"What is it?"

"Something that might surprise the two of you."

"Okay."

Sora and Rem were completely unsure by this but they were curious to know what Subaru had remembered. As he looked around in what he recalled in his fourteen count, he picked out a book that Rem couldn't read while Sora could.

"Natsuki Subaru...why is there a book of the dead of you?"

"I do not know Sora but I wanted to read it with the two of you. This could help tell what happened to the previous Natsuki Subaru. How I ended up losing my memories and how we could get our memories back."

"Let's take a look."

Rem, Sora, and Subaru all three opened the book of the dead belonging to Natsuki Subaru to see what the context is. As they open the book, all three of them felt their souls entering the book into a dark void at first. While in this dark void, the three all look at one another, being able to tell who is who.

"Sora, Rem, are you two alright?"

"Yes...just feels weird here."

"Yeah."

"Hey, I see something."

Sora spoke which got Subaru and Rem's attention. As the two turned towards what the young boy was looking at, the three were engulfed in light before finally seeing a clear picture. They see the boy they all know as Natsuki Subaru in the middle of Lugnica, a bit surprised as he held a bag in his hand while his other hand was near his face.

"What's going on?"

"What do you mean what's going on?" Rem asked with a slightly annoyed tone.

"Subaru, do you think that—"

"—this was the moment I left Earth and was transported to another world."

"Transported to another world?"

Rem was confused but she knew that asking anything wasn't going to get them anywhere. The three continued to watch Natsuki Subaru from the book continuing to speak.

"I'd say I was dreaming, but this is obviously really happening. Totally not fake."

The trio look closely and could see that Natsuki Subaru's eyes were glowing with Subaru making the realization that this is truly how his journey through this world started.

'Maybe I can learn a little bit about my former self...maybe then I can learn of what had happened and even recover my lost memories.'

"So does this mean I've been summoned across the universe to another world?!"

Sora and Rem giggled while Subaru felt embarrassed by his previous version, having scream that in the middle of the kingdom. The three watched a bit of Natsuki Subaru's actions, seeing how different this boy is since he isn't strong and doesn't wield the keyblade. Eventually Subaru ended up in an alleyway where three thugs appeared and started to bother the boy. Before things went down, a blonde girl had appeared but was running from something. Only Rem recognized her while both Subaru and Sora were left confused on who that was. As the girl left, the three watched as Subaru was able to knock down two of them and was after the third only for the one with light blue hair to pull out knives, causing the boy to go on his knees and to beg before receiving a kick on the face. Just as things seemed to be dire for Natsuki Subaru, the three heard a familiar voice speak out,

"That's enough."

The three noticed that it is Emilia, making it clear to the trio that this was the moment Subaru and Emilia had first met. Subaru had a red face alongside his memory version after seeing just how amazing she was. The three watched as Subaru and Emilia got to know each other and Puck having been around. Eventually Emilia and Subaru encountered Felt, having been running from something, allowing Subaru to feel that they are going to meet someone important. Once Subaru and Emilia with Felt by their side went to the loot house, the three along with the people from the memories witnessed the older looking Sora facing off against Elsa. Rem smiled since she was aware on how Sora looked and just how amazing he looked fighting while Subaru and Sora both just looked amazed on how the older Sora looks when facing the Bowel Hunter.

'So this is older me...man I look so cool!'

Sora was amazed by how strong looking his older self looked while Subaru was a bit jealous on how strong Sora is compared to himself, understanding that there is a clear power difference. The three watched as things played out with Subaru ending up injured, Sora going into a more powerful form, and the end of the fight being a red haired knight arriving which forced Elsa to escape. Eventually they saw the events with the mansion play out with Subaru unlocking the keyblade, leaving Subaru curious on how he really got the Starlight keyblade since there was no sign of him gaining the power while Rem was interested to see the version both Keyblade wielders had met prior to her losing her memories.

As the group see the training between Sora and Subaru, the trio saw all the way until the night Sora, Rem, Felt, and Subaru went to the village when something was wrong, alerting Subaru, Sora, and Rem that are viewing the memories that they are about to see something go wrong. When the heartless attack the village, they see Felt step up and deal with the threat while the three looked for the children of the village. Eventually they find them only for Elsa to step out of the shadows to confront the trio. Subaru and Rem from the memories took on Elsa while Sora went to help out the remaining child. The three watched Subaru and Rem fight off Elsa only for the fight to result in Subaru's death.

The trio had returned to the real world with only a few seconds having passed for them since they noticed Kenichi, Kishida, and Beatrice all three preparing to defend Subaru and his group. As the three had noticed this, their minds returned to what they saw in the book of the dead of Natsuki Subaru.

"What...did we just saw?"

"Wait but...that doesn't make any sense..."

"...so that's how you learn the ability, Natsuki Subaru."

Sora and Rem were unsure what happened while Subaru looked up to understand how his counterpart discovered the ability. As Sora and Rem wanted to re-read the book once again only to notice a second book.

"Another book?"

"What does that mean? Subaru?"

"...let's read it. It'll help tell you two what I can't say."

Subaru says this in response to Sora's question, convincing the boy and Rem to get the second book to figure out what happened. Once they opened it, they returned back to the same point where the heartless were about to attack the village. Things went similar to the previous book of the dead until the arrival of Elsa. This time Subaru and Rem went to find the remaining child while Sora took on Elsa. The three watched to see that the child that needed to be saved was Meili, gaining a bit of questioning from Sora and Subaru while Rem could see that this is the time Meili and Elsa were against the group since she knows how much Yabuto, Waraki, and Kishida have some hostility towards Elsa specifically. Seeing this made her realize how dangerous the woman was and could still be, making her keep a mental note that she should keep the woman away from Sora once they finish the tower. The three watched how the Mabeast attacked Subaru and Rem which eventually resulted in Subaru's death, allowing Sora and Rem to finally understand what is going on.

'This is a nightmare.' Rem thought with sadness and concern for Subaru.

'Subaru...I'm...I'm sorry you have to go through this.' Sora thought with sadness in his heart.

'They can finally learn the truth...someone can at least...' Subaru thought this since now he has someone else to see the burdens he has dealt with and he can also see the burdens his previous self had dealt with.

"Book...twelve...how did Natsuki Subaru handle all of this...?"

Subaru said this as Rem, Sora, and himself had tried their best to stay strong but seeing Natsuki Subaru being eaten alive by the great rabbit almost broke the three. Subaru felt a bit of hatred for his former self, having seen how he managed to make peace with their parents twice. Rem was already stunned seeing her previous self being killed and then witnessing the moment her existence was all of a sudden taken away, twice. Rem was on her knees while Sora was in tears, seeing just how much burden Subaru had dealt with.

"Subaru...I'm so sorry..."

"It's...it's okay Sora...I just..."

Subaru was unsure himself since he doesn't know what to say anyway due to the fact that his latest death was brutal, not to mention how Garfiel had killed his father in front of him. Subaru wanted to collapse to the ground yet he was surprised when the young Sora went to hug him. Subaru looked at the boy and could see that he is hanging on to so much pain since he is seeing it with his own eyes. This caused Subaru to return the hug with Rem joining in, all three of them needing a minute to recollect their thoughts before reading the next book. As they were hugging, Subaru looked at Kenichi and his group to see that they are about to fight someone, making the boy realize that it is the Sin Archbishops of Gluttony.

'Shit...we need to get through these books and fast.'

Subaru ended the hug by tapping both Sora and Rem on the shoulders before grabbing the next book, not wanting the two to notice that Lye Batenkaitos and Roy Alphard had arrived and started to fight Kenichi, Kishida, and Beatrice. Subaru turned towards both Sora and Rem and quickly opened the book while saying,

"We need to get this done. We need to get all of our memories back."

"We do."

Sora agrees with this with Rem nodding as well, causing the two to join Subaru to see what the next book will show them.

Subaru, Sora, and Rem were all tired as they finally saw book fourteen, seeing how Subaru managed to deal with Roswaal's plan. Rem felt betrayed that someone like Roswaal would put Subaru through hell just to have another like himself. Sora felt disappointment towards Roswaal, seeing that he really is not someone to trust. Subaru just doesn't know how his previous self was able to trust their father, Sora, and Otto when they were at such a disadvantage.

'Just how do you do it, Natsuki Subaru? How do you still keep pushing when everything is just so...hopeless?'

Despite he is seeing his own memories, he still doesn't understand the previous Natsuki Subaru. He doesn't understand why his previous self would still trust Roswaal, why he wouldn't just run away when things are clearly beyond his own abilities, why he wouldn't just strive to be the strongest. This causes the trio to watch all of the events of Priestella with Sora witnessing himself going into his anti-form, causing the young boy to question on how much darkness is in his own heart. The three continued to see the events that lead to the watchtower, seeing just how powerful Sora is and how everything started when Sora all of a sudden lost his memories. The book seemed to end when Subaru picked up Reid's book of the dead.

"Let's see if this'll give us any answers."

As the three watch him read the book, everything goes blank for a moment. All three of them somehow ending up in different sections of a white void. Subaru was on his knees, completely broken and unsure on what he has to do since he doesn't know what can he do. As he was there all alone in an empty void, all he could feel is how pathetic he was and how he has been trapped in the same loop for a long time.

"Please tell me, Natsuki Subaru! How are you special! How can only you, stay being special! There must be "something", right!? Was it the keyblade? Was it this ability to redo everything?! Right?! There has to be something! "Something", must have changed you! "Something", must have rid you of your uselessness, and turned you into someone else!"

Subaru hit the ground, not understanding what made the previous Natsuki Subaru special.

"Please change my weak, pathetic, petty self who can't be useful for shit! I'm fed up now! I can't see everyone suffering, not anymore!"

Subaru was silent for a moment, he pulled out Starlight keyblade and looked at the weapon, thinking that this was what made the two special but he then realized that he along with his previous self both hadn't done anything special with a weapon that should've been unique to Sora.

" "Something"..."something"! Is there, right!? If "something" isn't there then, it doesn't make sense..."something", happened...that's why, you are...different from, me...it has to be that way...You were, the same as me, weak, petty, completely powerless…"

Kneeling down time and time again, and on each instance having someone give a push to his back, as he wanted to recompense everyone who acted courteously towards him, as they had acted kindly towards him, he wanted to pay them back.

"Please, Natsuki Subaru. I request you. Please, just stop...You get it, right, Natsuki Subaru..."

"—Yeah, I get it."

"..."

Natsuki Subaru heard a familiar voice speaking to him. This caught him off guard since he thought he was all alone. He looked as he continued to hear this familiar voice respond to what he was asking.

"I get it, Natsuki Subaru."

"..."

"After all, because you are me, you know."

Standing still within the white world, sanpaku eyes he was well acquainted with, had been awaiting Subaru.

"Y-You...?"

"Ah, is that so. It's not a mirror's reflection so it feels a bit awkward, huh. In that sense, this is probably closer to imaging it as facing a photograph or a video recording, isn't it."

"~hk."

"—? Ah, could it be, you thought of the same thing?"

When he slightly tightened his cheeks upon the single voice seemingly having read his mind, the opposing person precisely guessed those feelings as well.

"Once again then…hey, sibling."

"..."

"No, sibling feels slightly faulty for an expression, huh. More accurately this'd be…hey, another me."

Raising a single hand, the personage greeted with a relaxed tone. He looked closely until he understood that what he is seeing is not something he is mistaking.

"—Natsuki Subaru."

Sora was silent for a moment, not sure on what he could do since he isn't has strong as his older self and is barely able to keep up with the others. Though he wasn't as strong, he was more concern about how he can help his friend. Witnessing just how many times Subaru had died, with some of the deaths being extremely brutal.

'I want to help you Subaru...you are my friend, I don't want you to suffer anymore.'

Sora looked at the white void for a moment before summoning Kingdom Key, wanting to look at the weapon that really started his crazy adventure he found himself in. Although he doesn't know what his older self had gone through, he knows that this weapon was given to him for some reason.

"This weapon...it's important, not just to me but to this world. It's a part of something much bigger than myself...I can feel it."

"It is."

"Huh?"

Sora was caught off guard by this since he thought he was all alone since he hadn't seen anyone nearby since arriving to the white void. As he looked around, eventually the person that was speaking to him had appeared in front of him after a light blinded him for a few seconds. Once he could see who it is, he looked closely for a moment before understanding who the person is in front of him. Same spikey brown hair, same neckless around their necks, and wearing similar attires.

"You are..."

"...you, the older version of yourself."

"Wh-What is going on?"

"We are having the chance to talk."

"Yes...are Riku and Kairi safe?"

"Yes, they are both safe. Last time I spoke to them, they were in Destiny Island. They are back home and they are safe. Even if the heartless, nobodies, or any other threat tries to attack them, they have keyblades to protect themselves."

"Oh. That's good...how does one earn the keyblade?"

"I...um...don't know but it is special to get the keyblade."

"Okay...well...did you know the suffering Subaru is in?"

"I remember the fight we had in that weird place from Echidna's place. I can't fully remember everything that happened but I knew he needed a friend."

"Yes but you don't know what he has been through..."

The older Sora looked at his younger self, knowing that something is bothering him. This caused him to pat his younger self in the arm while asking in a concern yet calm tone,

"What is bothering you?"

"You see...I know the reason behind Subaru's suffering. I saw the memories that were lost to you."

"Really?...What is it?"

"I...I don't know if I should tell you."

"You know you can trust yourself...or well me...this is weird."

"A little bit but you are right, you are me...or am I you?"

The two Soras stood silent thinking on what to call the situation they are in. They take a moment to think before returning back to the original conversation.

"Older me...you should know that Subaru...has died a lot..."

"Died..."

The word somehow started to jog some memories from the tea party, allowing him to remember the full context of the tea party completely without feeling like things were left vague for him. As he remembered, his younger self looked at him with a concerned facial expression, concerned for Subaru's sake.

"Don't worry my young self, we will protect Subaru. He isn't just our apprentice but our closest friend."

"Yes...I don't mean to change the subject but what did we do after we were separated from Riku and Kairi."

Sora stood silent has he figured out where his younger self is from.

'So you are from the moment Destiny Islands were consumed by darkness.'

Once realizing this, Sora was able to tell his adventures with Donald and Goofy, how those two helped him become the person he is today.

Rem looked at her surroundings, understanding that she just witnessed the version of herself that Sora and Subaru remembered. Although in one loop she was aggressive towards the boy, she did found herself a bit off by how low self-esteem her counterpart was.

'Was I always like that? But why?'

Rem thought back to the moment she woke up in the mansion, seeing Sora's face for the first time. Although she did not recognize him at all, somehow she felt that she could trust him, similar to how her counterpart put a lot of faith on the boy. The only thing that she felt bad was Subaru and her counterpart's deaths.

"Subaru, Sora, where are you?"

Wanting to find the two, she started to walk around the white void, hoping to find something. As she walked for a little bit, she felt that someone was approaching her. Just as she turned towards her back side, she noticed something dangerous charging towards her. She quickly dodged the attack and was caught off guard when she realized that it was her counterpart's morning star. Once she saw this, she looked to see that it was her in a maid uniform, indicating that she is being attacked by her own counterpart, the original Rem.

"You are...me..."

"No, I'm the real Rem. You are the fake me."

"No wait, I'm not—"

Before Rem could say anything to calm the situation, her original self swung the morning star with extreme force, forcing Rem to start defending herself against herself. As the original Rem was swinging her weapon around like crazy, Rem managed to dodge each attack while trying to speak with herself to calm things down.

"I am you, I just...don't have the memories of our past."

"My past. You are an imposter Rem! I won't let you get to Sora-kun!"

"Stop, I won't harm the boy that saved my life from an eternity of slumber!"

"What?!"

The original Rem noticed this and quickly stopped swinging her Morning Star, a bit curious on what her counterpart had said. She lowered her guard but had a death stare towards her counterpart. The two were silent before the original Rem began to speak in a threatening manner,

"Who are you? How do you know my Sora-kun? What is he to you?"

"My name is Rem, I was in a deep sleep from what Subaru and Sora had told me. Sora woke me up when the mansion was attacked by Elsa and Meili. Sora is...someone I deeply love—"

Hearing this immediately caused the original Rem to go on attack mode, thinking that the Rem in front of her could be a witch cultist impersonating her. Rem noticed the hostility and sadly had to come to the realization that she needs to beat her original self in order to calm the situation and prove that she isn't a fake or an imposter. Rem jumped around a bit to avoid getting hit from her counterpart's attack.

As she does this, she starts recalling everything her sister had taught her during their one year training. Bringing back those memories allowed her to start closing in, having learned from Ram to pay attention to the places where one's opponent leaves open when attacking. This allowed Rem to start closing in until the original Rem moved her hand forward and created three pillars of ice. As she does this, she sends them towards her while saying,

"Ul huma!"

Rem was surprised by this for a moment before recalling through Subaru's books of the dead that her original self had been able to use water magic. This caused Rem to think thoroughly within a few seconds before acting on her plan, knowing that she needs to close the gap between the two if she wants to land a hit.

'My counterpart is...very intense.'

Rem continued to dodge each attack while seeing that her counterpart can be very scary. As this continued for a bit, the original Rem had enough of this and started to summon her oni strength, alerting Rem of this since her counterpart's horn came out. Seeing that she needs to even the odds, she also summons her oni strength to prove that they are the same person with the same strength.

"I am you, Rem! Stop being so...so stubborn!"

"Shut...up...imposter!"

"I'm not an imposter!"

Rem managed to get closer and closer to her original self until finally the two were so close where she could finally start attacking. The original Rem noticed this and quickly dodge the attacks with slight ease.

"You're not going to harm Sora-kun!"

"I was never going to harm him! I love that boy!"

"Stop saying that, imposter!"

The original Rem was angered even more when hearing this, causing her oni side to start taking control, losing a bit of her sense of self. Rem noticed this and remembered the warning her sister had given her about her oni powers and how dangerous they can be.

'I have to stop this before things get out of control. For Sora's sake!'

Rem and Original Rem both clashed fists a couple of times, their strengths managing to be on equal terms. Eventually the two started to get fatigue since their oni strength can only last them for so long before it starts draining them completely. The only good side of this being that Rem had training from Ram on how to keep fighting even with the energy and life drain. Rem for an instant took out her oni strength while managing to dodge the punch directed towards her face. As she managed to dodge the attack, Rem summoned her oni strength once again to land a powerful blow to the original Rem's stomach, causing her to fall on her knees.

"Ugh! I can't...lose here...for...Sora-kun's...sake...!"

"Stop that!"

Rem got herself out of her oni form, barely able to hold on to her remaining strength yet she kept pushing forward. She looked at her original self and started to speak with an honest yet strict tone,

"Why are you being so stubborn?! I care about Sora as well and I do love him. He is someone that cares for others, gains strength through those he holds dear to him, and is the most purest boy I have ever met. Who wouldn't fall for him?"

"...who are you then?"

"I'm you, Rem. I just...don't have the memories that was our childhood, the events that lead to meeting Sora, Subaru, Roswaal, Emilia, and the others from the Emilia camp. Thanks to the Sin Archbishop of Gluttony, I lost memories and everyone but Subaru and Sora forgot about me."

"Wait...everyone?...does that include sister?"

"...sadly yes..."

The original Rem took a moment to look at her counterpart, trying to find any sign of malicious intent or any signs of her lying yet she couldn't find anything. This caused her to realize that a lot has happened.

"Curse the witch cultists!"

As Rem slams the ground, she manages to calm down and gets up on her own. As she gets up, she brushes some of the dirty stains from her maid uniform before looking forward towards her counterpart. The two were unsure on what to say since one wasn't expecting this at all while the other doesn't know where to start.

"What happened to Ram-sama's horn? She refuses to tell me about it."

"...it's probably for the best."

"I want to know."

"No you don't!" Rem shouted since the memories of what happened to her sister's horn starts flashing in her mind, causing her to feel extreme guilt. Rem didn't know what their past could be but she could tell from seeing her original self trying to not cry from the painful past. This made her realize that her past is important.

"I still want to know."

"...Sister lost her horn because we were weak."

"Huh?"

"We couldn't do anything and sister had to save us but she was too focused on us...that allowed the witch cultist to cut off her horn."

"..."

"If sister had her horn, she wouldn't be in the position she is now. She would be strong, capable of doing more. We are just her replacement."

"No, we are not!"

Rem shouted which did startled her original self for a moment before the two regained their composures. As they do this, Rem continues to speak to her original counterpart,

"I know that the witch cult destroyed your childhood and that they are the reason that Ram lost her horn because of them but she isn't moping about it or feeling bad that she lost her horn. She is living life to the fullest, insulting Subaru, doing her maid duties and even teaching me to be both a maid and a fighter."

"..."

"She even has taking a liking to someone...though I suggest you ask her yourself about it."

"So...she is happy without me..."

Before original Rem could feel bad but happy, she received a hit to the head. This caught the original Rem off guard since she wasn't expecting that. She looked at her counterpart while the counterpart said,

"Why do you view yourself with such low self-esteem? Sora cares about you deeply. Subaru views you as his closest friend. Ram-sama cares for you like crazy, heck she wanted me to get back our memories so you could return."

"...Really?"

"Yes really! Ram-sama cares for you deeply. Although she is under the effects of Gluttony's authority, she still cares for her twin sister." Rem approached her original counterpart before patting her arm while continuing to say, "She still cares deeply about you, Rem-san."

"...this is still a little weird."

"It is but I am glad to interact with the original me. Though there is one thing I wonder."

"What is it?"

"What made you fall in love with Sora?"

This question caused the original Rem to pause for a moment, trying to think carefully before answering the question. She closed her eyes and recalled the events after saving the children, how she got a chance to talk with Sora privately.

"He really is such an innocent boy. He didn't saw me as a version of sister or as her replacement, Sora-kun saw me as just me, Rem. He cared about me and wanted me happy. He...He helped the time that stopped for me on that fateful day start moving. Sora-kun...is just the best."

Rem saw her original self having a smile, one that she knows all to well which made her feel happy as well.

'He really is amazing.'

Both Rem could agree to this with Rem wanting to shake her original self's hand, wanting to show her friendliness towards her. Although the original Rem was hesitant to do this, she did accepted and the two shook hands, accepting one another until all of a sudden they started to glow.

"What is—"

"—going on?"

The two were confused for a moment before their bodies all of a sudden combined with both minds and memories combining together. Once the light had faded away, Rem looked at herself, seeing that she still had the outfit she came in the tower but her memories are not only complete but both mindsets are now joined into one. She still as the strong desire to want to make up for what happened to her sister but at the same time she wants to be better than her.

'It's a little weird having two minds create one...but one thing is for certain, my love for Sora-kun is strong.'

She smiled before looking around, seeing the white void slightly be disoriented.

"So...you abused this power of waking to save Kairi?"

"Pretty much."

"Okay."

Sora takes a moment to think on what his older self had said, all of the things he had went through and the choices made to protect their friends. This got a smile from the young Sora since he can tell just how hard his older self dealt with. The threat of Ansem, the heartless, the nobodies, the Organization XIII, the true Organization, and Xehanort himself. Although he isn't too thrilled that he disappeared into another world, all he cares is that Kairi is safe, Riku is safe, and that all the worlds were left saved by his older self and his two allies.

"What do you think Donald and Goofy would say to you now?"

"I think they would be happy that I'm still alive...though Donald might be mad I broke the world order."

"Hehe."

The two Soras laughed it off for a bit before returning to an important topic.

"Do you love Rem?"

"Huh?"

Older Sora was caught off guard by what his younger counterpart had said, seeing the young Sora having his face turned red when asking this question. This also caused Sora himself to turn red since it is a topic he is unsure of. He knows that Rem has feelings for him, both before losing her memories and after though he doesn't know what he feels. He cares for her and would even say that she is special but he is unsure on what he feels is considered love. Seeing that he isn't getting a response, young Sora took a moment to think before saying,

"I'm sorry, I probably shouldn't have asked that out of the blue."

"It's okay...I just...really don't know. When I think of Kairi, all I know is that she makes me happy and so does Rem but love...it's not something I've thought about."

"That's...okay, not even I know about it too."

"No No, I need to confirm this now. I can't...I can't just let Rem have those feelings for me while I don't respond to her feelings."

Young Sora understood and watch has his older self began to think carefully on what he should do with Rem. He knows that he cares for her and he does have a similar feeling to Rem when she kisses him to when he kissed Kairi back when he took the first trial. As he thought about that feeling, he recalled many things Rem had said since they had met.

("I know Kairi means a lot to you like the others Sora-kun, but she will be my love rival for you. I will win your heart just as you won mine.")

("I know it'll take time but I will win your heart, Sora-kun. I promise that I will, because I love you, Sora-kun.")

("I love you, Sora-kun.")

("Kiss.")

("I know that someday I will be complete, that I will gain my memories and be the Rem that loved you. I know that there is a chance that you will leave to help others or even find your friends again but there is something I know I have to do. This is because I want to show you what I feel, Sora.")

After a bit of thinking and feeling, Sora was able to confirm that he does care for Rem similar to Kairi but he does feel that if he could go back to his friends, he probably would go back with them. This allowed Sora to know that his feelings towards Kairi is much stronger than Rem but then he thought something else.

'What if I can't return back to my friends?'

This thought did caused the keyblade master some sadness since that could also be the case yet he looked at his younger self and knew that he wouldn't be alone. He still has his friends and knows that he cares deeply for Rem enough to be in a relationship with her. As this was on his mind, his younger self once again asked the question.

"Do you love Rem?"

"I...do...not as much as Kairi but she is there."

"Hm. Kairi would get jealous."

"Hehe yeah...I just don't know how to handle this."

"Don't worry, together we will figure all of this out."

Sora smiled at his younger self before the two shook hands, agreeing that they will work together though the moment they do this, a light engulfs the two. They both start merging bodies with their minds, memories, and experiences merging together as well until finally only one Sora is remaining there in the white void. Sora looked at his body to see that he is in his older body, knowing that his strength has return to him.

'So...my younger self and I combined together. I remember all the things that happened after I forgot everything...and also another thing I have to deal with...Elsa...'

Sora thinking back on everything that his younger self had to deal with, he can tell now that Elsa cares about Sora a little more than he expected. Knowing how Rem would react, he would need to approach the situation a little bit smart. Sora looked at his hand before summoning Kingdom Key. As he does this, he smiles since he knows that this is the weapon that really started it all for him. Before sending the keyblade away, he noticed that the white void was starting to be disoriented.

"Wh-what is...going on?"

Subaru looked at himself, the two Subarus having the same clothing yet the one that has been struggling was on his knees while the other was standing proudly towards himself.

"..."

"..."

"—~hk."

"—? Ah, could it be you thought of the same thing?"

The two were a bit awkward since this is a situation either Subaru were not expecting to land themselves in. The Subaru that is standing proudly looks at himself and begins to say,

"Once again then...hey, sibling."

"..."

"No, sibling feels slightly faulty for an expression, huh. More accurately this'd be...hey, another me."

"Natsuki Subaru."

"...You know, doesn't that have a strange ring to it? On top of that, calling yourself using the full name...thought, I don't know using what else would be correct. Though it's a situation often there in manga and stuff, it's pretty troublesome in reality."

"Natsuki Subaru...!"

Subaru who had read his own book of the dead was still in shock seeing Subaru, unsure on what he needs to do. Just as he was going to get up, his body just wanted to collapse due to how tired out he is both mentally and physically.

"Watch out!"

"~hk! Don't touch me!"

Subaru pulled out his starlight keyblade as he wanted to keep his distance from himself. As he does this, he looks around and begins to feel like he had been there before. With the help of his keyblade, he gets back on his feet with Subaru asking,

"Why are you here...first of all, where is this place?"

Subaru inspected the place a little more, starting to puzzle it all together.

"Shit...!"

Once he realized where he was, he knew that he was back to where Louis Arneb was located, making him more on guard towards his other self.

"Why are you in this place?!" Subaru shouted, wanting answers.

"—It is the proof that you having caught up to me."

"..."

"You read the book of the dead and caught up to me. Everything you were not aware of; you must have seen it in the form of personally experiencing it. My life in another world, alright."

"Huh?"

With an indifferent tone, Subaru responded to Subaru who had depleted his breath. Viewing that composed attitude, Subaru gritted his morals. He was unable to stomach that conclusive expression, that attitude of seemingly knowing all, anything and everything.

"I caught up to you?"

"That's right. There's no single thing anymore which you don't know about me. That's why—"

"—Don't joke around!"

"..."

"I caught up to you, you say? Stop kidding! Don't lie! Not yet! I don't know about that which is the most important, which is much essential yet!"

"..."

"Tell me! It's pretty convenient you're here! Tell me now! The reason you became yourself must be somewhere! I haven't seen that. I haven't found it. That is..."

"The reason I became myself?" Subaru said with a confused tone of voice, which angered Subaru.

"That's right! There must have been a cue for you, to turn into yourself! You are...You are..."

"—That must have been seen by you, no?"

Subaru fell back to the ground on his knees, unsure on what he should do. Subaru tried to help his counterpart yet his self that had read the books of the dead started swinging the Starlight keyblade. Subaru noticed this and quickly he summoned his starlight keyblade to protect himself though he did receive a strong hit to the head before having some distance from himself.

"Stop looking at me! Are you Louis? The Sin Archbishop of Gluttony! It's you again, right?!"

"...Me?"

"Don't play dumb!"

The two were in a blade lock with the Subaru that read the book of the dead using all of his strength to want to beat himself. The two clashed keyblades for a bit with Subaru being more aggressive towards the Subaru that was waiting in the white void.

"Isn't that true, Gluttony! Louis Arneb! There's no way I can be confused by you, who can change shapes and forms, like this!"

Having paid attention to how the gluttony duo use the name and memories to their advantage, causing Subaru to come up with a plan to take down his fake counterpart.

"This time for sure, devouring me and hijacking me, is that what your plan is? Even after being rejected once, persistent little...do you really want to Return by Death so much!?"

Normally the penalty of talking about Return by Death would've happened now but he noticed that the witch's hand didn't crushed his heart once again. This made him relieved for a moment before turning his attention towards his counterpart. The one thing that angers him is how the power that really makes the two different is Return by Death.

"~hk! Just, get it already! Is this really that amazing of a power? Is this an admirable power!? It's just dying, and redoing. Dying and redoing...nothing more than that. If I, who uses it, am shit then the results it brings are also shit! That's why..."

"..."

"That's why, I couldn't save anyone...I let everyone die. Because I am weak, I make everyone, miserable. Just like how, even now, nobody will get saved...!"

Subaru knows that this ability can only do so much yet he had been stuck in the same loop for so long, making him feel hopeless. He knows that the witch of greed and Louis Arneb both don't understand anything. He doesn't want to see everyone constantly dying in front of him,

"...I love, everyone."

Subaru stop the fight and just fell once again to his knees, banging his head on the ground for a moment. After a few seconds, the other Subaru looks at his amnesia self for a second with sadness and sympathy before saying,

"...I love everyone. That's why, I can't stop."

"..."

"The position you were put in, to be honest, even imagining its difficulty is rough. Everything completely new, starting from level 6 having the status of initial stage without the option of going back. The complaints you voice out too, I understand all of them. Because those, are wounds I have gotten to taste time and time again. Had I been strong, had I been smart, had I been more, more...it must be frustrating."

"Speaking as if, you understand it...! About me, what the hell do you—"

"I do know. You must also be aware of what I know. It's a pointless quarrel, actually. For both me and you."

"~hk."

There was no strength in his words of objection. It had been a matter of course.

An objection repels away the opponent's words, brushes them away suggesting lack of agreement, crushingly defeating them, making the statement that you are wrong. Such an intention was essential. Subaru of now, did not have the ability to face Subaru with that.

After all, he was aware of it. He was aware that that was no lie or deceit, but the entirety of Natsuki Subaru.

"I didn't look, at your memories or anything..."

"Hey you can't be doing this, after looking through one's diary as per your own convenience."

"I didn't look, at your memories or anything!"

Subaru of now looked at Natsuki Subaru with an annoyed facial expression.

"I wanted to have hopes for you. That you were an amazing guy, and that if I got to know the "something" which was supporting your amazing nature, I would be able to do the same thing too. But still..."

He ended up knowing it. He ended up witnessing, everything. The two Natsuki Subarus were not different at all. Aside from training an experience with the keyblade, the two are the same regarding intelligence and physical strength.

"...By denying you, I wanted to proclaim something plausible and fulfill it."

However, he could not do that.

"After all, I understand your feelings. Because you, are me."

The world Natsuki Subaru had witnessed, had tasted, he had viewed it. Natsuki Subaru had fallen in love with this world, with the people of this world, with Emilia and everyone else and the wounds he had accepted for them to survive, he had viewed all of that.

"Yeah, I get it! I got it! Why you… why you kept standing up again and again, why you never gave up after dying again and again, is because that's all you can do!"

Just like Subaru, Subaru had also gotten slammed into walls he could do nothing about on innumerable instances. Upon each occasion of that, he died recurrently, repeatedly, stockpiling Deaths, amending the way he met, amending the way he connected, Subaru overcame hindrances.

"—The reason why you don't give up, is just because you love everyone! Bloody bastard! Why aren't you a superhuman! Why, are you still an idiotic brat!"

"..."

"Be strong like Reinhard! Be someone who can do anything like Julius! Be skilled with the Keyblade like Sora! If you can't do that then be useful like Ferris! How about exceeding in a single thing like Wilhelm-san!? Choose even one, for you to..."

By taking time and even experiencing agony, what he realized was merely that Natsuki Subaru was an ordinary human, that he possessed only the cards which were the same as what Subaru did, that he extremely lacked skill in properly utilizing them, that neither did he have good fortune when it came to victory and defeat.

"Any single one of them...You are Louis, aren't you."

"No. I'm not Louis. Unfortunately, I won't say even that. I'd rather not have her disturbing. You don't need an explanation for her personality being the worst, do you?"

"Yeah...I guess, so."

Subaru sat there, collecting his thoughts for a bit before getting to something important.

"...Why did you, disappear."

"Hm?"

"Why did you vanish away. You disappeared, that caused, so many hardships..."

"W-Well you see, I wanted to see if there was a way to beat Reid or even recover Master Sora's memories. So I looked in the library and found Reid's book."

"...Then, Reid's book turned out to be empty."

"Then I was put in the same bowl as Gluttony. The rest is, you probably get it even without me having to say it."

Subaru started to see how everything happened, with his original self having lost his memories when encountering Louis.

"Don't depreciate yourself like that...Would be difficult even if I tell you so, huh. After all, you are me."

"...Natsuki Subaru is a weak, petty, irredeemable huge idiot."

"That's not wrong."

"But."

"...?"

"You are, an amazing guy, Natsuki Subaru."

An honest opinion that surprise Natsuki Subaru.

"...The closest person, huh."

There were not many humans who loved their own self from the bottom of their heart.

Subaru particularly belonged to that category and Subaru hated himself. Perhaps Natsuki Subaru was no different in that regard either. However, as the closest person, when Natsuki Subaru saw Natsuki Subaru, to say this would be exceedingly embarrassing but, so cool, was the thought that crossed his mind.

"I respect you, who is weak, hopeless, unable to do anything, but still, continues to struggle, and loves them. That's why—"

"..."

"—The meaning of me, reading your Book of the Dead, was there."

He had not opened up the Book of the Dead merely in order to gnash his weakness, to grieve the cease of trails, to slam grudges on his self who had the same face as his own self. Of course, neither was it to have the megalomania of following up to the superhuman Natsuki Subaru's roots and attaining unparalleled strength, granted. What he sought was learning that Natsuki Subaru was merely human, his deeds, his path.

"...You sure are a guy, who says embarrassing stuff suddenly, you."

"It's pretty questionable for me to say it myself, but you sure can say all that after having looked back onto my entirety up until now. Now that it's mentioned, it's Natsuki Subaru Starting Life in a Different World from Zero, you know."

"Ah, it feels so weird to have the leading actor's name be the same as yourself."

"It's better than having the heroine have the same name as your mom, isn't it...No, not that."

Original Natsuki Subaru received a glare from himself for a moment. This caused him to say,

"I had said all that earlier, but is this seriously okay? The possibility of me being a fake of Louis is not supposed to have completely disappeared, you know."

"It has disappeared. You didn't revert even after I seriously hit you."

"I mean, to revert back by that is just in the case of Yanagisawa's copy ability..."

Subaru looks at the blank sky to think on how Louis wanted his ability. He knows that she doesn't understand anything or how important Return by Death is.

"She, who loved nobody, cannot understand the emotion of Returning by Death for the sake of someone you love...anyway, why are you here? Were you waiting, for me?"

"The reason why you and I met each other here, is because this place is the sole point of contact between you and me."

"The point of contact, between you and me..."

"The reason me, who has Memories within the tower, and you, who doesn't have Memories, crossed over is just because of the Book of the Dead of this area. Both ahead of this and before this, you and I couldn't have met each other."

"On second thought, let's go back to the first question. Why are you here?"

Without digesting the explanation Natsuki Subaru gave, Subaru once again cast the same question. Strictly speaking, he could not comprehend the logic behind the two Subaru coming across each other here. It ended up being that Natsuki Subaru, who possessed Memories, and Subaru, who did not possess Memories, both existed alongside each other. The rules of forming a book of the dead were unknown but it is something to keep note since Natsuki Subaru's Book of the Dead was rare since it accounted for all of Subaru's deaths. This was something off, as if something else was watching over the deaths. This made Subaru question whether Od Lagna was the observer.

"But if that's the case then Louis, who was in the Hall of Memories, if she had been observing Return by Death, I don't know for what reason she would be in such high spirits. If she can recognize that from the outside..." Subaru without the memories spoke.

"She may be staying in the Hall of Memories, but she can't be its ruler. It's ruler is...probably a guy even more nasty, I think. If you consider it from this situation."

"I get it when you say it's a nasty guy. The one most plausible is..."

"...The Sage Flugel." The two Subaru's spoke in unison, considering the sage had created the Pleiades watchtower and all of its trials.

"Then, the reason for my self, both possessing and not possessing Memories existing alongside is..."

"That's the type of question difficult to find an answer for. Since I am here, and you are here"

"That's just how, it is, huh...?"

Whilst feeling a sense of unease, catching Subaru's words, Subaru drew his chin in. The truth is it had been the kind of question lacking a question setter. Even if theories of some kind were to be arrived at, in the end, they could never provide the answer. If this question must be investigated thoroughly, and the answer must be found.

"As long as you truly aren't Louis Arneb, it shouldn't be a problem."

"That's a pretty bothersome way to confirm. Do you, really trust me?"

"I trust you I trust you. If you let me hit you one more time, I'll trust you more."

"Is that so. I wouldn't say it's the best bargain, you know."

"Anyway, other me...for what purpose, are you here?"

"..."

"You must also be knowing, I won't listen to something like that."

"Hey, what do you think will happen, in unification of memories?"

That was why, Subaru had deliberately asked that question cheerfully.

"In the pattern of a conversation about this trick, what would be the normal answer, huh."

"I have no idea. Clearly, it feels like something which has no answer to it."

"To be honest, you seem to be the more knowledgeable one here, do you know about any rules that would be advantageous to know about which I don't?"

"You read the book dissecting me, didn't you. It's as likely as not."

"As likely as not, huh."

"As likely as not."

"...If you and I carelessly bump into each other and one eliminates the other, if it's something like that, what will you do?"

"Don't say all that. Whatever you think when you're anxious, generally I also think the same when I'm anxious, that's why."

"That's that. Then no hard feelings no matter which one wins, hm?"

"No, I sure will be crazy bitter. And so if I'll be bitter, then that means you'll be bitter too."

"Well, I guess so. That's, probably right. Hm, pretty shallow-■ed huh."

"What did you say?"

"Pretty shallow-■ed...huh, is something wrong?"

"...No, I just probably misheard, I guess."

"..."

"..."

"Ah, that's right. There are some things you may wonder about their possibility, so there are some things I want to tell you, can I?"

"Well, since you've heard everything I've said up till now go right ahead and say anything."

"Originally, you were more informed than me regarding this world...though that advantage has more or less disappeared by me reading the Book of the Dead, there are some things that have changed a bit, you know?"

"Things that have changed?"

"After losing Memories, I talked to everyone, I got to know everyone...it's the story of Natsuki Subaru Starting Life in a Different World from Zero, you don't know about."

"..."

"First up, Meili, okay. She's a bit, in various ways, saddled with bombs upon herself so it's rough but she understands if you talk to her so please, properly talk to her."

"Yeah, got it."

"And then, there's this huge scorpion wandering about inside the tower, but it's true identity is Shaula. That makes things really dangerous but...she's not doing that, because she wants to. Please, help her too."

"Yeah, got it."

"Elsa is...quite the woman. I had always seen her as a bit excessive until I read the Book of the dead, seeing just how much trouble she caused us."

"Yeah...I'm surprised Master Sora even got her to our side."

"Yeah but you should know that she does have feelings for Sora."

"...that's going to be weird."

"Haha, yeah good luck with that. Oh that reminds me, it is weird how Sora is younger than us and yet completely OP like Reinhard."

"Yeah but one day I will surpass Master Sora."

"Maybe in a billion years."

"Oh very funny you."

"Hehe, sorry about that."

"Yeah..."

"Rem is quite interesting. When I met her, I just saw her as a twin to Ram but the more I learn of her, the more I saw the slight differences. Especially when I saw the memories of her original self."

"Yeah, she is different though that could be because of her past. The original Rem does hate the witch cult while this Rem is more or less indifferent about them to a degree."

"Yeah."

"..."

"Ram had said once that when the season of snowmelt arrives, things invisible will be visible and will surely show their faces...As expected of her."

"Yeah, I guess so."

"About that guy Julius...well, it'll be fine even if I don't say anything, isn't it. He's not that unreliable, which must tell you something about him."

"Yeah, agreed."

"Thank you, for apologizing, to dad, and mom."

"Yeah, hm."

"Thank you, for saving Otto and Garfiel."

"Yeah."

"Thank you, for saving Petra, Frederica, and everyone from Arlem village."

"Yeah."

"Thank you, for taking Beatrice out, and holding her hand."

"..."

"Emilia..."

"..."

"Thank you, for falling in love, with Emilia. I also, love her. I really love her."

"...Yeah, I know."

"—Natsuki Subaru. You are an amazing guy, I sincerely know that, if it's you then it'll certainly be alright."

"Yeah."

"..."

"Hm… I guess so."

"..."

"Yeah. If it's us, then it'll certainly be alright."

"It'll be alright, huh."

"Yeah, that's right. Yeah, it'll be alright."

"You, are amazing, I sincerely know that."

"...Yeah, but, hm. I have to say, that."

"..."

"...Looks like my summer vacation is, over."

With a shake of their hands, a clichéd exchange had been the finale.

"..."

The two fused together with Subaru regaining the extra deaths and all of the information his fellow self had gained. He moved his hand to summon his keyblade but to his surprise, it wasn't his starlight keyblade as usual. This new keyblade had a unique design, being a bit longer in length and design almost looking like a long sword with the tip making it look like a pin tumbler lock key instead of the warded-lock key. The color was a dark purple with a blue light glowing over the sword handle with the keychain being of a phone similar to Subaru's.

'This is...my keyblade!'

Subaru was surprised by this yet excited, happy to have his official keyblade that is unique to him. As he observes the weapon, he realizes that he needs to name it.

'Come on now, what can I name this amazing looking design...I got it!'

Subaru held his new keyblade high and mighty while shouting,

"I shall call you...Rebirth!"

Subaru was content with the name he gave his keyblade before putting it away, knowing that he should look around. As he looked around for a bit, he noticed that the white void was all getting disoriented.

"Okay. Now with Rebirth, it's time to save everyone!"

Author's note:

1. Yes, Subaru now officially has his own keyblade he calls Rebirth. It's a combination of Riku's second keyblade from kh3 and a regular sword to put it simply.

2. Will he be able to access other keyblades? Yes, though that will be for a later arc.

3. The next chapter might possibly be my longest one yet so be looking forward to that.

I hope you all are enjoying the story since we are entering the end of Arc 6 and heading to Arc 7.