Destiny of Remnant
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?"
The sudden outburst from the possible members of Organization XIII came none other than Vexen.
All members turned him personally to question his rage at the report from the returned member of their ranks.
"IS IT NOT PART OF OUR PURPOSES TO RETRIEVE ANSEM TO KNOW WHERE THE GIRL SUBJECT X LOCATED AT?!" Vexen announced to them their reason to capture him.
Even if he almost blew his cover and his only chance to atone for his mistakes to his mentor.
And his rage actually had a convincing reason for the matter including the other members that only bear his heart but not his mind like the original versions of the Heartless, Nobody, and possessed Xehanort.
"It wasn't intentional on my part. But the impulses of the hatred toward me were their fault, not mine because I acted in self-defense." Young Xehanort said which earned him a glare from Vexen. "Besides that, I was only showing them some truth and pointers at first but I was only setting up the stage and creating motivation for not just the guardians of light. The purposes for ourselves or from myself in particular."
Everyone was a little bit confused about the younger version explaining those are not following except for the others Xehanorts already who understood the process.
"Even though I have defended myself against the attack of the Lost Guardian of Light an ended up being directed to the Ansem the Wise. This leads to only one result he has to save his life to revert him to a young age by the power of the great tree using time travel, sending him to a young age life without the damage that has been inflicted and to acquire knowledge of that world. What's also let him start a new reason of leverage for him to be more cooperative toward us in a nearby future since he's about to start a family in that world."
This left an amused smile on Master Xehanort's face which was mirrored by his Heartless, Nobody and the version of him possessing Terra while the other members were left in stunned shock at the fact that this had apparently been all planned out.
Xxx
'I altered a world's history?'
Aqua was silent as she considered all that she had learned in the last few minutes while the others continued to converse.
"You expect her to travel and alter time on your world? That goes against everything we were taught by our master." Terra stated.
"I am not expecting her to do anything. I would never force anyone to do something against their will, especially after it has happened to me." Penny replied, clutching a hand over her chest. "But if Miss Aqua does not help us this way, all signs lead to Remnant's doom. The fight with Salem will go on and when the Staff is used to evacuate Atlas, the Heartless will come and destroy Remnant and Ruby along with her friends, Jaune and Neo will be stuck here again. It will be a never ending a time loop, forcing us to integrate ourselves with the versions of us that have lived through the same struggles as we have over and over again."
"How? You saved it." Terra pointed out.
"I restored it but I guess that wasn't enough." Oscar said sadly, looking at Penny. "Wasn't it?"
Penny shook her head. "No. Salem eventually returns, with new power over not just the Grimm but the creatures of darkness from other worlds. The Heartless, the Unversed and the Grimm, three forces of darkness pooled together. That is the next outcome I see when the world falls into darkness again."
"Because of us." Oscar brought a hand to his face. "Because we used the Staff to bend space and time without thinking of the consequences."
"It was a noble deed, Oscar. Don't doubt yourself for it. Yes, the creation of the pocket dimension we made sent ripples through space and time, leading the Heartless to Remnant but also brought Miss Aqua and Mr. Terra to us." Penny stated, looking at the two Keyblade Wielders with a saddened smile. "Your presence here is in response to the darkness taking our world and perhaps prevent it from happening again."
"You mean Aqua." Terra gestured to Aqua who was looking at Ansem. "She was brought here in the first place; she just brought the rest of us along for the ride. She's your catalyst for this change."
"Not just her. I have seen you having a role to play as well." Penny said, surprising the armored warrior. "Only, if you accept then your burden will be more far heavier than Miss Aqua's."
Aqua looked back at Penny. "What do you mean?"
"I can send Terra to any point in Remnant's history like Drasil did for you, Miss Aqua but once that happens he becomes part of that time moving forward. It does not matter if I bring him back here for the rules will compel me to ensure he cannot skip ahead if he chooses to return back to Remnant." Penny explained, looking at Terra next. "Meaning if you arrived about one hundred years before our original birth, you would be forced to live those hundred years naturally. The same would apply if you travel to the same point in time as Miss Aqua but she would travel much faster to the future where the seven hears she is connected to exist. You would be forced to live for many millennia, waiting as time naturally went by."
Terra was rendered silent by this revelation.
"As for Oscar and Neopolitan," Penny looked at the other two. "I could send you both to merge your hearts with the hearts of your other selves but then you would become part of that altered timeline permanently. You could not be brought back here as you would fully integrate yourself with your counterparts."
Neo simply shrugged. "That's fine…I guess. I was looking for a way out of here anyway. Maybe I have a chance to prevent Roman's death."
"There is another problem." Penny said sadly while shaking her head. "I cannot guarantee that you would be sent back to before Mister Torchwick's death and remember everything leading up to it."
That stopped Neo cold. "…What?"
"The Gods made sure Drasil was bound by a set of rules which she tried to circumvent using Ruby and the others when she tried to enter Remnant." Penny explained. "One of those rules is not bring knowledge back from the future or of possible alternate timelines. When you travel to any point in time and integrate with your other self, your memories of future events are temporarily erased and your mind is…for the lack of a better word: reset."
"Are you kidding me?!" Neo barked angrily. "Why should I care about the rules of some gods I never met?!"
"It doesn't matter if you care or not, I cannot change those rules even as the avatar of Yggdrasil." Penny answered sadly. "They did not want anyone trying to change the past, before or after they abandoned Remnant to suit their own desires."
"So they only made sure that Drasil was meant to be a watcher." Oscar stated.
Penny nodded. "Correct. The only way to regain your memories would be when you return up to the point where the time where events taking place between your return and when you arrived here has passed. Meaning you would only remember once the time between the Fall of Beacon and the Destruction of Atlas has passed, leading you back here."
Neo snarled. "Then what's the point?! Why try any of this is if I can't even save the one good thing I had back then?!"
"Neo…" Aqua held out a hand.
"No! Why should everyone else be saved but Roman?!" Neo barked, taking a step back. "Just because he was a criminal? So am I and I got the magical key for saving worlds!"
"Maybe he will live this time." Terra immediately spoke, silencing Neo as he turned to Penny. "You see possible alternate timelines, such what happens if Aqua chooses to do this or if she doesn't, right?"
Penny nodded. "I do. I see many possibilities where Roman Torchwick lives as much as he dies whether he was on the airship or not, dying later at the hands of his enemies or even dying at Cinder's hands because his usefulness to her ends."
"Then it's not set in stone, no matter what you might see happening." Terra reasoned. "So if Aqua does go through with this, there is a chance he can live even if he still sides with the enemy…Assuming Aqua even goes through with this."
Aqua looked at him. "Terra…"
"Aqua, you have been through so much since the last time we were together and you're being asked to do so much more than anyone has the right to ask you." Terra 'stared' back at her. "Travel through time, following a reincarnating soul through many millennia until it reaches the point where the other six are born. Who knows what could happen to you in all that time or what could happen to you at the end? You could die in one of those eras or maybe the strain will be too much for you to handle. How can they ask you to do this?"
"…I am not." Penny glanced away. "I only wish to save my friends and my home…I know it's not right to rely on someone for something like this."
Aqua looked at Ansem who was still resting on the ground. "What about Ansem? Will this help save him?"
"Aqua…" Terra raised a hand but froze mid-way. "Please…Think about this."
"Ansem will survive because what you do changes more than history." Penny looked down at Ansem. "You and him, you along with so many more change everything for us. You perhaps save us from the worst versions of ourselves."
"What do you mean?"
"I have not had the time to think of it until now…But Remnant's history has not just shown the Grimm or Salem to be our biggest problems. It's us." Penny placed a hand over her chest and then looked at Oscar and then Neo. "One way or another we helped shape the world that led to it being destroyed. My friends, Ruby and her team wanted to be heroes, to save the world, only to find out they were just the latest in a long line of people to inherit the world's troubles and tried to do fix but doubt, worry and distrust made it difficult."
"Oz tried so hard to bring humanity together but they always disappointed him one way or another, choosing their own self-interests instead for the good of everyone." Oscar looked down at the ground. "He couldn't bring himself to be open with anyone anymore, especially when the last time he told the truth everything went wrong…So wrong."
The destruction of his and Salem's kingdom.
Ideals tearing a family apart.
The death of their daughters…
"General Ironwood wanted to save the world too, but he felt he had to be in control of everyone and everything to do it. From the soldiers, the Huntsmen, even to people who he considered friends." Penny continued. "And Salem, she attracted the worst people to her side. People driven by vengeance, greed, or just the wish to see the world burn."
Aqua looked at them and then at Ansem and then Terra.
She thought over what she had learned.
What she had to do.
What she might have already done.
A world in danger from its own darkness and destroyed by the darkness it had accidently summoned.
She was a Keyblade Master.
Trained to save worlds from the darkness.
And yet if she did this…
'Do I have the right to do this?' Aqua closed her eyes. 'Do I have the right to manipulate and change time to suit my whims? This is something I would think Xehanort would do without a moment of hesitation but I am not him.'
And yet if she didn't…
'If I refuse, a world would come to its end. I am supposed to protect the worlds, no matter the cost. If I do it, I might go against everything I was taught…Everything I learned…And if I don't…I would be abandoning a world its people to the darkness.' Aqua brought a hand to her chest. 'May my heart be my guiding key.'
These hearts she was connected to…
She felt them, even now and even if five of them were resting inside Penny's own heart now.
Sleeping now.
Waiting for when they are awakened again.
Reborn.
Their new Birth by Sleep.
Aqua looked at Ansem again, remembering his words.
"How long has it been since I met him? At least a year now, perhaps more... Back then, my heart was clouded with vengeance. I did terrible things...both to him and his friends." The man recalled. "I brought unhappiness to more lives than one. I felt something must be done. Was that why? A means of clearing my conscience?"
"Or perhaps, out of a sort of scholarly instinct? While the boy slept his long sleep, I hid the results of my research inside him, transplanting the data to where it might best serve a purpose. In fact, I would like to believe... Maybe he can set things right. A boy like him who touches so many hearts—he could open the right door, and save all those people whose lives I managed to ruin." The man continued with remorse in his voice. "So many are still waiting for their new beginning, their birth by sleep. Even me...and even you."
A new beginning.
Aqua's eyes shot open, realizing what it had all been leading to. 'A new beginning!'
Her falling into this world.
Meeting Drasil.
Meeting the four spirits.
Arriving in the deep past of the world known as Remnant.
Meeting Ozma, Salem and the Gods.
Fighting and defeating Surtr.
Naming the Gods.
Meeting Neo.
Meeting the four girls whose hearts had been broken by the loss of their families, friends and home.
Defeating Drasil and saving Remnant and perhaps all other worlds.
It had all been leading to this moment.
"I'll do it."
Everyone just stared at her.
"Aqua…Do you understand what might happen to you?" Terra asked, shocked at what he heard her just say.
"Penny…" Aqua ignored him for the moment. "If I do this, will Ansem, Terra and I…Will we see our friends again? Will we have our own new beginnings?"
Penny nodded. "I see many outcomes where you and so many others are reunited with so many lives that had been ruined saved."
"Then that's all I need to know."
"Aqua!" Terra grabbed her shoulder and turned her to face him. "Think about this."
"I have. This is what we signed up for when we declared becoming Keyblade Masters our dream. Risking ourselves for the sake of others, even if it wasn't what we imagined." Aqua reached up with one hand, touching the helmet that acted as Terra's face. "Terra, this is what it's all been leading up to when I fell here. A world trapped in darkness; destroyed by its mistakes over and over and over again…We're supposed to prevent that. We're supposed to save worlds from the darkness and if we turn our backs on it then we are no better than Xehanort."
Terra gave out a grunt, sounding like he wanted to argue but couldn't after what she had just said.
"All the hearts that I have seen here…All of them are waiting for a new beginning…A chance to start over and make things right." Aqua looked Penny and then at Oscar and then Neo who stared back with surprise. "A chance to be more than what they were before and even if they make the same mistakes, it's a chance to learn from them and to become something more than what everyone else believed."
"Aqua…"
Aqua smiled sadly as she took a step back. "But I can't ask you to follow me…Not this time."
Terra 'stared' at her.
"You can leave this place, go back to the Realm of Light and wake up Ven. I think I know where the master's Keyblade. It'll be on the island where you met those boys, Sora and Riku. They inherited our dreams and wishes and they have done so much since we had last seen them." Aqua smiled. "They can help you stop Xehanort, get your body back and wake Ven. Come back when you've saved the worlds…And save me. I know we'll all be together again when this is over."
She then smiled at the others. "All of us and so many more."
…
…
…
"You're crazy." To no one's surprise, it was Neo who spoke those words while shaking her head. "All that metaphysical stuff right there…You just want us to get all emotional before you do this…Get a sappy good bye out of us before you leave and never come back."
Aqua only smiled. "Is it working?"
Neo looked away but Aqua could see a single tear slipping down her cheek. "No…Yes. You are such an idiot. How can you think putting yourself through something like this is sane? It's crazy. It's absolutely insane."
"It is but it's what we do." Aqua nodded softly. "Maybe it will save your friend…There's no way to know for sure unless I try. Even if I fail, maybe spending the time you have with him again will be enough."
Neo looked back Aqua with teary eyes. "And what about you?"
Aqua blinked but then smiled. "So you do care about me."
"Of course I care about you, you dig dummy!" Neo threw her arms up in frustration. "You're the only person aside from Roman to give a damn about me even after everything I've done! What, did you think I was some heartless psycho?!"
"I have seen Heartless, Neo and I know you are far from it." Aqua chuckled. "Just a little…messed up."
Neo scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Yeah well, everyone else here apparently is the same so what's the big deal? Why go through this for a world that will never know what you did? What makes it all worth saving when you just found out that we ended up destroying ourselves in the end because of how messed up we are?"
"I told you, it's what we do." Aqua answered like it was simple. "And because this might be the only chance for us to save it and give everyone a new chance, including you."
Neo's eyes widened in surprise at Aqua's answer. "Me?"
"Look, maybe it won't be much better than before but maybe things can get better if you…try and open your heart a little more. Roman may have been the only person in your live to care for you, to be your friend but you can still push forward and find more people for your heart to bond with." Aqua took a chance and reached out, touching Neo's cheek. "Roman can be the first light in your life but don't close yourself off from others just because of what you two end up becoming. Keep searching for more lights and I know you'll come out better than ever."
Neo trembled slightly as she touched Aqua's hands. "And what if I try to kill you?"
"You wouldn't be the first enemy I found that later became a friend." Aqua chuckled as she pulled her hand back. "And I've actually had to fight my friends before but that never changed anything between us."
Terra could only look on, remaining silent.
Aqua sighed and took a step back, summoning her Keyblade and looked at Oscar. "Show me what I need to do."
Oscar nodded solemnly. "You've done it before when you woke Terra's heart from darkness. Just focus on the Keyblade, gather your strength and focus where you need to go. Focus on the hearts waiting for you. Channel all the willpower you have or ever will have into reaching these hearts…by traveling through my heart."
Aqua closed her eyes and pointed her Keyblade at Oscar. A beam of light shot out from the tip of her Keyblade and touched Oscar's chest right where his heart was. There a door of light opened for her. Aqua looked at the door for a moment and then looked back at the others. Neo and Terra were simply watching her with Terra unable to show any expression and Neo having a saddened look on her face.
She smiled as she walked over to them, hugging Terra first who immediately hugged her back and then hugged a surprised Neo who hesitantly but managed to hug her back. She turned to Penny and hugged her as well, surprising her but Penny smiled and hugged her back.
"Hugs are still so warm." Aqua heard Penny muttered.
Aqua smiled as she pulled back and turned to the door, glancing at them one last time…and then she entered the door.
The door then vanished, leaving the group to stare at where it had been and the friend that had vanished along with it.
Only Penny noticed Ansem's body vanishing in a flash of golden light.
Xxx
Aqua opened her eyes to find herself standing in a familiar sea like landscape. "The Final World."
"So, you've come back."
Aqua blinked and turned to see Chirithy floating up to her. "You are still here?"
"I am always here. You are using the Power of Waking. Such power comes with a cost." Chirithy stated.
"I know…I know I will pay a price for it…But I have to as a Keyblade Master. If I don't," Aqua turned away. "A world ends and perhaps many more will too."
"I see." Chirithy softly said. "You do not do this for yourself but for the sake worlds and people you know will be in danger. This is a risk all Keyblade Wielders take."
"Do you know where I am going?" Aqua asked.
"You are traveling a heart that has merged with countless other hearts for many millennia to reach the rest of the ones bonded with you. Simply using the Power of Waking in reverse of what it was originally meant for is hard enough but this…You will be traveling through the ages, essentially piggy backing on the heart of the old one. Such a task is difficult enough for an experienced master, let alone one who has just learned this power exists." Chirithy explained. "Though, I can tell the bonds within you might be what saves you in the end."
"Tell me what I must do." Aqua requested.
"Reach out to the old one's heart and you will find him." Chirithy answered. "The bond you have with him will do the rest."
Aqua nodded and tried reaching out to Oscar-no, Ozma's heart. She let out a gasp as she fell back and landed of what felt like solid ground. Only when she opened her eyes, she found she wasn't actually standing on solid ground.
She wasn't even in the Final World anymore.
It was a white space.
"Ozma."
Eyes widening, Aqua spun around and saw Ozma as he looked when he died and before him was Izanagi in his dragon form before turning back into his human form.
"Where am I?" She heard Ozma speak.
"We are between realms. I'm afraid a tragedy has befallen your home at the hands of my brother. We have chosen to depart this world, but in our absence, I would like to offer you the chance to return to it." Izanagi answered.
"I…don't understand." Ozma slowly said.
"Mankind has been stripped of its magic, yet they and your world remains. However without our presence, they are but a fraction of what they once were." Izanagi said and conjured four objects: a Staff, a Sword, a Crown, and a Lamp. "Creation, destruction, choice and knowledge were the ideals upon which Humanity was made. Now I leave them behind with the hope you will learn to remake yourselves."
The four objects joined together into a sphere of yellow energy.
"If brought together, these four Relics will summon my brother and I back to your world and Humanity will be judged. If your kind has learned to live in harmony with one another and set aside their differences, then we shall once again living among you, and Humanity will be made whole again. But if your kind is unchanged, if you demand our blessings while still fighting amongst yourselves, then man will be found irredeemable and your world will be wiped from existence. Until your task is complete, you will reincarnate, but in a manner that ensure you are never alone." Izanagi finished his explanation.
Aqua's eyes widened at what she had heard as Ozma fell to his knees, coming to terms with this ultimatum. "I'm sorry, but…that world just isn't as dear to me without her. If I may, I'd rather return to the afterlife to see Salem."
"You will not find her there."
Ozma's eyes widened. "You mean she isn't gone?"
"Salem lives but the woman you hold dear in your memories is gone. Heed this warning…where you seek comfort, you will only find pain. So, will you-"
"I'll do it."
Izanagi and Aqua looked in surprise at Ozma's answer.
"Very well, our creation rests within your hands."
Aqua watched as Ozma vanished in a flash of golden light and she slowly started to vanish, causing her to let out a surprise cry.
"Aqua." Looking up, Aqua saw Izanagi looking at her. "How have you come here?"
"I…" Aqua was unable to answer as she vanished along with Ozma.
