Interlude I
Eri stared blankly at the book in front of her. It had been the same one she took off the shelf from the last time she was at Cid's shop. It was something about the different kinds of Gummi blocks and some structures one could make with them.
A few pages were torn out; there were some remnants of them. At the top of one of the messy pages was the start of a word.
Blu
If she had to guess, they were some kind of plans or instructions on what to make with the Gummi blocks.
Eri sighed and turned a few pages to look at something else, reading a line, then rereading it when she didn't understand what it said. She was tempted to ask Yagi or Cid what exactly it meant. Maybe Cid would know more. She doubted Yagi knew much about Gummi blocks.
She looked up from her book to see Yagi still talking with Cid, but looking frustrated. She hadn't been paying much attention to their conversation, even the last time when they visited. She had no idea what they were talking about, but it was a clear continuation of the last time he was there.
She sighed to herself and flopped over on the couch in the corner of the shop. She was starting to wish she had gone with the others.
Shortly after Izuku and the others left, Iida had spent a long time staring at the doors that led to the ship bay. She insisted on staying with him, knowing how hard it was to watch someone you worry about leaving like that. Yagi had tried to coax him into walking around town, offering to show him what he'd seen.
It wasn't until Leon showed up and dragged Iida off did he move, even if it was against his will. He insisted on showing Iida around, so he doesn't get lost in the Districts. That was the last thing they needed. If Heartless were to attack, he had to know where to go.
At least if she were with Iida, she'd be able to ask more about Wonderland. She wanted to know everything she could about a new world. She hardly got to ask anything when he first arrived, with it having been so late.
Eri mindlessly flipped through a few more pages in an attempt to find some kind of interest in the book.
She faintly wished that Izuku was there, he'd probably find this stuff interesting. Maybe explain it in a way that was easy to understand, compared to the book, which seemed to go out of its way to make things complicated. Even if he didn't get it, at least they could be confused together.
I wonder if Aqua would know anything about Gummi stuff.
She went still at the thought. She bit her lip and sighed, then closed the book, pressing her face into the couch's soft cushions. She swallowed hard and hugged the book to her chest. She couldn't cry. She didn't want to cry.
Aqua was somewhere out there. She's okay. She's alive.
Anyone stating otherwise was wrong.
Izuku's gonna find her, and she's going to come back. And she's gonna help fix everything.
It took a few deep breaths, but she was able to beat back the lingering sadness and clear her head. She shouldn't have the bad thoughts. Those weren't allowed because those thoughts were always wrong.
Once she was sure she wouldn't start crying, she shoved off the couch. She left the book there, telling herself she'd get back to it.
That was a lie.
She made her way over to Yagi and Cid, she raised her head to try and get a glimpse of what they were looking at. It looked like a box of brightly colored shapes and shards. Some of them were more blocky than the others, and some were more like small slivers of something larger.
"That's all the blocks we've got."
"Are you sure? Surely there must be more somewhere."
Cid snorted. "Yeah, if you wanna try your luck out in the Lanes. There's a bunch of Gummi pieces floating around out there. But we don't have a ship. If we want any from there, then your best bet is to hope some fall into the world."
Yagi sighed and rubbed his eyes.
"Mr. Yagi?"
The man paused and looked over to Eri.
"Ah, Young Eri. I'm sorry if this is boring you, I promise we'll be done here soon."
"N-No, it's okay." She shrugged. "I just wanted to see what you're doing."
He smiled at her. "We're talking about the Gummi blocks and their different uses. Cid here had a few, but it's not enough to make anything too big."
"Oh." She eyed the box. "That's a lot of different blocks."
Yagi nodded awkwardly as she looked down. She needed a distraction, anything to keep her from thinking about Aqua and Izuku. Lest the horrifying 'what ifs' come creeping back again.
"You know what, kid," Cid spoke up. "Me and the old man are gonna be talking for a little bit longer, but you don't have to be stuck here."
They both looked up as Cid dug around in one of his drawers. Once he found something, he tossed it at Eri, who managed to catch it. A small bag of Munny.
"There's a shop right next door, how about you get something for us to drink? The old man and I should be done talking by the time you get back."
Yagi sputtered. "She's not some errand girl, and she shouldn't go on her own! It's not safe out there."
"We're in the 1st District, the Heartless don't show up here. And they've been popping up less frequently ever since the kids beat that big one. Besides, she'll be right next door."
"But still-"
"It's okay, Mr. Yagi." Eri smiled. "I don't mind."
The man looked conflicted. "Are you sure?"
She looked at Cid. "It's right next door, right?"
"As soon as you step out, it's on your right. Try not to get lost, kid."
"I won't."
She quickly turned on her heel and left the store, feeling Yagi's worried gaze on her. Once the door was closed, she looked around and took a deep breath. The air was much cooler out there; inside, Cid had a fireplace that was constantly burning. It was too much after a while.
She smiled to herself and looked around. She knew the area well, and it was where she first met Sora, where they met Leon, who had scared them, and where Izuku came to try and save them.
There was a strange calmness that came with the district. Nearby there was a cafe where people sat outside and talked with one another. From above, she could hear the buzz of neon lights from Cid's shop, which only added to the comforting background noise.
Eri couldn't stand the kind of silence where everything was quiet and completely still. The kind of silence where even a single breath was deafening. It reminded her too much of her time in that place with that awful man, trapped far below the ground. A place where everyone moved far too quietly to be anything but sinister.
But she came to appreciate the background noise of life. It was never quiet at Aqua's house. The Moogles were always talking or moving around, and Aqua would usually hum to herself whenever she was doing something. Then Izuku became part of the noise of everyday life. His quiet mutterings were soothing and interesting when she could understand them.
She was still getting used to the different noises of everyday life in Traverse Town, a stark difference from her old home. The distant talking and humming of lights was a good start. She couldn't quite tack down Yagi's or Leon's and the others' personal presence. But she would, one day.
"Okay." She sighed. "Cid said to the right, so…" She turned and beamed as she saw a door in the side of a building straight ahead. He hadn't been lying when he said it was right next door. She made her way over and stopped before the door.
It would be real quick, she just had to get something for them to drink. Go in, pick the drinks, and pay. Real easy.
She took a deep breath and opened the door.
"I'm telling you man, just let me go out there and spin a sign. That'll draw customers in!"
"Are you crazy? What if those monsters come back and you're stuck outside? No, it's best to stay inside and wait for someone to come in. It'll happen. We just have to be patient."
"We've been patient for while, Huey, it's been quiet out there. I'm sure Dewey and I spinning a sign around for a few minutes won't do any harm."
Eri stood at the top of the wooden steps to see three ducks. They faintly reminded her of Donald, talking with each other. There was a fourth one in a green hoodie, lounging around by the counter where she assumed everything was.
"Uh, hello?"
They all stopped what they were doing and looked up at her in surprise.
The red one was the first to break the silence. "A customer! Wait, she came through that door. Louie, did you ever put that sign up? The one that says that door isn't an entrance?"
The green one, Louie apparently, looked to the side where a piece of paper was. He took it and slid it under the counter. "Maybe."
"Louie!"
"It doesn't matter, we've got our first customer!" The only girl in the group beamed. She came up to Eri and held out a hand. "Hey there, the name's Webby!"
"O-Oh, um…" Eri hesitantly shook her hand. "I'm Eri."
"Nice to meet you! Seeing as this is your first time here, allow me to introduce my family!" Webby gave her a light tug and guided her down the steps.
"Webby, I'm pretty sure that's not how businesses work." The red one said.
"It's fine, besides she's our first customer! And we're not doing anything anyway."
"Yeah, not to mention, I don't think I've seen another kid here in town anyway." The blue one walked over.
"Exactly! So, how about I introduce you to everyone? This is Dewey." She pointed at the blue one.
"Nice to meet you. How are you, Deweying?"
The other boys groaned at his pun whilst Webby shook her head. "This here is Huey." She introduced the red one.
"Huey Duck at your service!"
"And that one over there is Louie." She gestured to the green one.
"Hey." He waved.
Eri waved back and looked around the shop. It was fairly small. Shelves behind the counter were lined with potions, ethers, and other items. She was sure she spotted a few synthesis items. In other parts of the shop, there were a few boxes with books stacked on top of them.
"Sorry for the mess, we haven't finished unpacking everything yet." Huey apologized when he saw her looking over the boxes. "Maybe, we would be able to get it done if someone would help out."
Louie looked up with a smile. "I am helping. I'm supervising."
"Supervising does not equate to helping!"
Webby turned back towards Eri. "Sorry about that. So how can we help you? Are you looking for an epic weapon? Revitalizing elixirs to heal your wounds whilst on a daring adventure? A map to find a great treasure?"
"Uh…"
"Webby, I don't think we have any of that." Dewey walked over to the boxes and opened one. "Oh, we do have a fancy book!" He opened it. "It's in greek, never mind."
"Oh, save that for me!" Webby grinned.
"I'm actually just looking for some drinks?" Eri held up the Munny pouch.
"Oh. Well, we have that too."
Huey walked over to the fridge and began to rummage through it. "We have quite a selection here. We have water, tea, some soda…water." He pulled out a few bottles to show off the selection.
"That last Pep in there is mine."
"Then leave a note on it, Louie."
"You used the last paper to make that do not enter sign."
"What? I'm sure we have more!"
Eri looked between the two as they bickered. "I'll just take three waters."
"Ah, staying hydrated, I see." Huey grabbed the bottles and went over to the counter, where she followed and counted out the Munny.
"So, I've never seen you around here. Are you new?" Webby asked.
Eri looked around at them, they didn't seem hostile. They actually seemed…nice.
"I haven't been here for too long." She looked down. "I'm waiting for my brother to come back. He just left, actually. I'm staying with Mr. Yagi for now."
The ducks all gasped.
"Wait, wait, your brother can travel between worlds?" Webby asked with stars in her eyes. "Oh, does he have his own ship? What's it look like?"
"No way, wait do you think he goes on cool adventures like Uncle Scrooge?" Dewey looked at his brothers. "Oh man, I wish we could have gone with everyone. Imagine all the stuff we could have seen!"
"I dunno Dewey, I'm not sure how I feel about Launchpad driving around in the Lanes." Huey handed Eri the water. "It was already pretty hectic trying to navigate it. Mom had to take over."
"But we got here alright, didn't we?" Louie leaned on the counter.
"True, but they dropped us off since we're safer here." Huey argued. "But, I'm getting off topic. Mind me asking what your brother is doing out traveling worlds? Aren't there a bunch of monsters all over the place? Ooh, is he researching them, and other worlds on top of that?"
"They're called Heartless, I believe." Webby cut in. "But yeah, what does he do?"
Eri smiled. "He said he's trying to fix everything. He's fighting the Heartless, oh and no, he doesn't have his own ship. He went with others who do have a ship."
"Fighting the Heartless?"
"Why are they called Heartless?"
"Shh, I'll explain in a minute." Webby hushed Dewey. "You said he fights them, but according to Uncle Scrooge, the only way to get rid of them is some kind of weapon. He didn't name it, but said even he can't come by it."
"Like an unfindable treasure?" Louie asked.
"I think so."
Eri raised an eyebrow before it clicked. "Are you talking about a Keyblade?"
"Yeah, that thing! Are you saying your brother has one of those?" She asked.
Eri smiled and nodded.
"Wait, in your world, does everyone have a Keyblade?" Huey asked. "Or is it like a selection thing? How rare is this thing supposed to be?"
Eri shifted from foot to foot, they seemed to know about other worlds. So she wouldn't get in trouble talking about her own, right?
"No, where I'm from, most people have regular powers. Aqua and Izuku don't, they have Keyblades."
"Is your power why you have a horn?" Dewey pointed at his own forehead in reference.
"Dewey, that's rude!" Huey looked at him.
"It's okay." Eri assured him. "I-I don't mind. But yes, that's part of my Quirk."
"Wait, wait, hold on." Louie stood up. "So you're telling us what, you're from a world with superpowers? As in like, everyone has them? No powerless people?"
She couldn't help but think to Izuku. Powerless in terms of a Quirk, but wielding something much better than any kind of Quirk the world could offer.
"Most people have a Quirk, not many people are Quirkless."
"Wait, wait, hold on." Huey dove under the counter and could be heard rummaging through something. He popped back up a moment later with a blank notebook and pulled out a pencil. "Please explain everything, I want to know it all. Oh I've been dying to talk to another world resident!"
She couldn't help but laugh at the sight of the notebook.
"What's so funny?" He asked.
"Izuku uses notebooks too, to write down things that he thinks are interesting. He said he had a whole shelf of them."
"Your brother's a nerd?" Louie asked.
"Yup!"
Huey looked pleased by that. "A man of intelligence, I see. Now, what can you tell us about your world? Don't skimp out on the details!"
"Yeah, tell us everything!" Webby stood beside her.
She was about to speak until she looked over to the door she came from. She had been gone for a little while. She didn't want to worry Yagi. She tapped her fingers on the counter before turning back to Huey. She wouldn't take too long, she'd explain as fast as she could.
"Ok, I'll try my best!"
"Wait, you said your brother is going to different worlds right?" Dewey asked.
"Yeah?"
"You said he doesn't have his own ship. In that case, whose is he using?"
"Oh, he and Sora are with Donald and Goofy."
The shop went quiet, each duck staring at her in surprise.
"Wait, who?"
-HoL-
Toshinori watched Eri walk out the shop door with apprehension. He wanted to go with her and continue his conversation with Cid later. He gripped the counter before taking a step toward the door.
"Hey, old man, we're not done talking."
"I'll just accompany her to the shop, I can't leave her alone."
"Why not? It's literally right next door. She'll be back in no time."
"I'm supposed to keep an eye on her." Toshinori grit his teeth. "I promised Young Midoriya I'd take care of her. I don't want her to get hurt while in my care, especially if I can prevent it."
Cid rolled his eyes and tapped the box. "She'll be fine, like I said she's right next door. She's a big kid. Let her have some independence."
"Yes, because letting a young girl wander around in a strange world is exactly what I should be doing."
Cid sighed and ran a hand down his face. "Okay, here's the thing. As nice as it is to have someone interested in the Gummi blocks like I am, you're being a pain in the ass. I mean a major one. There's a line between protective and overbearing, and you are toeing that line."
"I-"
"And don't say you're not. Because you are, and as someone who's had to look after a bunch of kids once, I'm a fine judge of that."
Yagi raised an eyebrow. "Who did you look after? Would it be safe to assume you're referencing Young Leon, Yuffie, and Aerith?"
"Yup." Cid sighed. "I was just there to make sure they didn't kill themselves being reckless, or burn anything down. The point is, just give the kid some space. She'll be fine. She ain't stupid, and I highly doubt she's going to set something on fire."
Toshinori opened his mouth, then closed it, before sighing. "Alright, I suppose…but if she isn't back by the time we're finished-"
"Yeah, yeah you'll go check on her. Back to the topic at hand, these Gummi blocks."
Toshinori nodded. "Right, yes. These are all you have?"
"I already said it was. Nowhere near enough to make a ship."
Toshinori glanced at the man.
"I already knew what you were looking for when you asked me about Gummi ships. You're not subtle. You want to follow the others, make sure they're alright." Cid sighed. "The whole needing to look over everyone just doesn't stop, does it?"
"No…I suppose it doesn't."
Cid tapped the box. "Even if you were able to build a ship, you wouldn't know how to drive it. It ain't exactly something you can just jump into. Flying a Gummi ship ain't just a simple 1-2-3 step process. And knowing you, you'd just shoot off into the Lanes with no idea where the hell you're going."
"So there really is nothing I can do."
"Other than wait for them to get back? Nope."
Toshinori ran a hand down his face. He didn't even get to voice his concerns, Cid already knew what he was going to say.
"Yeah, those two are kids, but they've got adults with them. It's not like they're alone. I've already had to hear that duck say he'd friends with the King, they have to be somewhat competent."
Toshinori rubbed his eyes. He understood that. He did. He wasn't going to underestimate them, but he couldn't help but think that All Might being there would be of more help, even if he could only afford to be there for about 3 hours.
"It's…hard, being on the sidelines," Toshinori muttered. "It's frustrating when you can't do anything."
Cid nodded. "Yeah, but that's just the card we drew with life. We don't have any powers, so all we can do is wait. It's just how things work."
"Even so, there's always something you can do. There's always a workaround for the limitations you have. You just need to find them."
"Not to be an ass, but you've got a lot of limitations on you. I doubt there's much working around what you're dealing with."
Toshinori narrowed his eyes. "I assure you I've been able to-" as if to prove a point, his breathing stuttered, coughing rattled his lungs, and blood filled his mouth. A moment later he was trying to keep blood from falling onto the counter.
Cid sighed and slid a box of tissues in his direction. "Case in point."
Toshinori grabbed a couple of tissues before shaking his head. "I've been able to work around my condition many times."
Cid rolled his eyes. "You old and sick, look at you, you're coughing up blood. What exactly can you do against Heartless? Old man, you'd be more of a hindrance than any help."
Toshinori shot him a glare, but it couldn't be denied. What Cid was saying was…essentially true. He didn't know he was the Number 1 hero, but he could only be All Might for so long. It was true his own efforts against those creatures seemed to amount to nothing. They always came back.
But still, even though he hadn't said it directly, there had been a silent promise that he'd take care of Young Midoriya. He assured Guardian that his secret was safe, that he'd keep him in the clear. He'd still look after him even if they weren't in their world anymore. Young Eri now too.
He supposed he was already helping by watching over Young Eri, but it wasn't enough. He could do more. He knew he could! He just…didn't have the right tools.
He wanted to help, to make sure they're okay. To check in somehow, even that would be preferable to waiting and being unknowing.
Once he was cleaned up, Toshinori felt a buzz in his pocket. He sighed and dug his phone out to silence the reminder. There wasn't a class to report to or teach at the moment, it only made the frustration sink in deeper.
"What's that about?"
"Just a reminder." He put the phone down. "Nothing to worry about."
Cid rolled his eyes and turned away to go digging through a drawer, saying something about fixing a door for Leon.
Toshinori didn't pay him much mind, instead focusing on what was on the counter in front of him. His phone was practically useless right now, and there wasn't much he could do with the Gummi blocks in that box.
His mind idly wandered to an old friend of his. Dave would find it interesting. Gummi blocks, the function, the ability to travel to other worlds, all of it. He would probably throw himself into researching this if he knew about it.
He sighed fondly and glanced at his phone. He wished he could call him, or Nighteye, hell even Gran Torino. But he couldn't, knowing that there was nobody on the other side to pick up.
Not to mention, there was no way for the signals to even reach each other.
He stared at the phone; the box of Gummi blocks was in his peripheral vision.
From what Cid had told him, some Gummi blocks responded to each other better than others. Which helped build certain structures, whether it be aiding in the strength and durability of it, or the speed it could reach.
"Cid."
"What's up, old man."
"Please, just call me Yagi."
"...Nah."
He sighed. "Cid, theoretically, could one Gummi block send out a signal and another receive it?"
The mechanic huffed. "That's essentially what happens when you make something out of them. They send signals and respond to each other, which will link them together. Depending on the Gummi block you're using, it can weaken or strengthen a link. Why?"
"Alright, but that's when they're close together, yes? But would it be able to occur long distance?"
Cid raised an eyebrow before humming. "Theoretically. But you'd need components that synergize well. Why?"
Toshinori grinned. He's sure Dave would be proud of him for this one. He picked up his phone and held it up. "In our world, cell phones are capable of making long-distance calls, but they rely on satellites and towers to ping signals off of. But, with Gummi blocks, would it be possible to-"
"Make a long-distance signal transmitter and receiver," Cid muttered. He motioned for Toshinori to show him the phone. "It would take some tinkering, it might ruin your phone, but I think it's possible. But the thing is we need another one of these in order to test it. That and we need to make sure the Gummi pieces we use are compatible."
"But it is within the realm of possibility?"
Cid grinned. "This seems like a neat project to take on, so why not?"
-HoL-
"This section over here is where a lot of the residents stay. There's a small shortcut around the way into the First District." Leon pointed down one of the streets, and Iida nodded.
Iida hadn't been too pleased about being dragged away from the square, but he supposed it was for the best. If Leon hadn't dragged him away, he would have stood there for who knows how long. Worrying about Sora and Midoriya.
"Hey, are you paying attention?"
"Yes, I am. I'm sorry if it came across as if I wasn't." Iida looked up. "You were talking about a shortcut to the First District."
Leon hummed. "Ok, good you are listening. So you know where to go if any Heartless show up."
"It's preferable to go to the hotel, but there are safe houses in every district if you can't reach your own home." Iida listed off. "Though in cases of an immediate emergency, some shops act as makeshift safe areas."
"Good, and you have a good idea of where everything is now?"
Iida looked around. They were in the Second District, near the Gizmo Shop that was powered down. Leon didn't elaborate on the purpose of that place, just that it had lost power at some point.
"Yes."
Leon nodded and looked around. There were people walking around the area, talking and relaxing. It was nice to see the town bustling again. The quiet days were their own kind of torture. It was always unnerving to patrol the town when nobody was out, always on guard and waiting for a Heartess to jump out.
Now that the number had gone down significantly, people were out again. They no longer spent days hiding in their homes and darting around nervously when they needed to go out for food or other supplies.
Leon glanced at Iida, then back to the people down below.
"There's not a lot to do here, but feel free to make yourself at home. Everyone just takes it one day at a time."
"What if more of those creatures show up? Is there any sort of force or patrol group?"
"Kid, you're looking at half of the main patrol."
He looked up. "What? Just yourself, and who else?"
"Yuffie. We can manage things on our own, we've been doing it for a while. Granted, some people volunteer to walk around and make sure things are in order, but when push comes to shove, it's me and Yuffie who get things done."
Iida frowned and looked back out to the people walking around, enjoying themselves. Making the best of what they've got despite everything that's happened.
"Surely that isn't sustainable, the Districts are large, and there's so much ground to cover."
"We've got a system in place, kid."
"I'm just suggesting that perhaps you can use someone else on your…patrol. Someone else who can walk around."
"No."
"I-what?"
"I know what you're trying to do, and it's not happenings." Leon looked down at him. "You just got here, and you're still getting on your feet. Not to mention that you wouldn't be much use in a fight. You don't have a weapon, and even if you did, you're untrained."
"I am not as helpless as you believe me to be." Iida insisted. "I am a hero in training and-"
"And it's not your job to take care of everything. Like I said, Yuffie and I have been doing this for a while. Even if you think you've got an edge, you're still a refugee. I'm not going to let you throw away your life just because you're frustrated."
Iida sputtered. "I am not-"
"You are. Sorry kid, but no dice. I know you want to help, but there's nothing you can do." Leon brushed him off. "Don't go being reckless just because you're upset. That's a quick way to land yourself in a grave."
Iida opened his mouth to argue, but nothing came out. He wasn't sure how to respond to that. Leon read him like a book, similar to Donald. Was he really that obvious?
He found himself clenching and unclenching his fists. Yes, he supposed he was. Tensei would always be able to read his emotions, even if he said nothing. He'd always know what to say too, when he had a bad day, when he was frustrated with something or someone, even when he was stressed over the most minor thing.
Tensei always knew how to level him out. Of course he did. He was Iida's older brother. He was there to take care of him whenever their parents were off on missions. He was always there when he needed help.
But Tensei wasn't here now, and Iida really needed him.
"I know waiting sucks, but that's all you can do for now. Wait for the others to get back and just go through the day however you can."
Iida frowned. "Surely, there must be something I can do. I understand if you feel apprehensive about letting someone new help. But I can assure you I have some form of training, I am a hero student."
Leon sighed. "Kid, that doesn't mean anything to me. I don't care if you're studying to be a hero, which I don't get how that works, but it doesn't matter. Right now, you're a civilian, and it's my job to take care of you and everyone else in the town. I'm not going to bend the rules or change the routine to teach you the ropes of patrolling this place."
He had no ground to stand on, and he hated it.
He hated not being able to do anything, it was maddening.
He couldn't help Midoriya or Sora in their endeavors. In Wonderland, he had been able to help, just a bit. But throughout most of it, everything Midoriya had done was to save him and Alice. Iida hadn't been able to help until the end.
He couldn't even try to pay it back. Any of it, not even by standing by his side and facing those awful monsters that took away their home. He couldn't do anything.
He felt Leon's stare before hearing a sigh. "There are plenty of other things to do in town if you want to help. There are a bunch of jobs you can apply to. I know some shops are looking for someone to deliver packages to customers who don't want to step outside."
Iida glanced over at him.
"There are different ways to help out kid. Putting your life on the front line isn't the only way to help. Just cause you can fight doesn't always mean you should, because you won't always be able to handle it, and you can't always expect someone to come and save you."
Leon turned away and sighed.
"I'm sure the old man wants to check on you. You know your way to Cid's shop, yeah?"
"Yes."
"Good, you should get going. I have a feeling the old man will get worried if you're gone for too long."
"You mean Mr. Yagi?"
"The old man, yeah."
Iida opened his mouth to call Leon rude, before shutting his mouth with a huff. Leon wouldn't care about a lecture over manners, it probably wouldn't even phase him. Besides, Leon was technically above him in station. Whatever he had to say would hold no weight.
"Right. Thank you for showing me the town, the information is invaluable."
Leon hummed and waved him off. "No problem. See you around kid, don't go doing anything stupid."
"I won't."
Iida was quiet before beginning to walk away. He was about to make his way down the stairs of the section before Leon called out to him.
"Hey."
He paused.
"If you really want something to do, I suggest going to talk to Aerith. She always needs help with something. If you wanna talk to her, she's usually in the hotel."
Iida looked over his shoulder, then nodded. "I see, thank you."
Once he was sure Leon had nothing else to say, he began to make his way back to the First District. He passed by the hotel, he could speak with Aerith later. Leon was right, Mr. Yagi was most likely worried by now.
Eri was probably bored, he couldn't imagine anything fun being in the workshop. Or at least, to anything a child like herself.
He lifted his glasses and rubbed his eyes. Perhaps he could talk to her, he didn't really get to know her the first time they met, with their world ending and all that. He admitted;y had a few things he wanted to ask her, mostly about Guardian.
He was sure there were plenty of things she would like to ask him, they never did finish their discussion about Wonderland.
He waved to a few people as he walked through the large doors that led to the First District. Strangers, nothing that connected them but the situation they were in. Refugees in a strange new world.
Iida could only imagine how long some of those people had to have been there already. His own world had been suffering from the Heartless for years, and it was only now that it finally collapsed.
How many worlds had fallen apart while theirs stood strong?
How many lives had been lost, while so few remained and found a haven here?
The thought made his heart sink. So much destruction, but there was nothing they could do about it. Just try to live life day by day.
Iida bit his lip as he made his way down the stairs, he was in the same boat now. There wasn't much he could do, just sit by and hope everyone would come back safe and sound.
He felt useless and he hated it.
If his brother were here maybe…
Iida stopped right outside the shop. He pushed the thoughts down and straightened himself up, making sure there was no sign of his turmoil. He couldn't think like that, not now. What would his brother say?
He knocked on the door to the shop before opening it.
"Hello Mr Yagi, Cid, I'm back and-" He stopped when he saw the two standing over what looked like a disassembled phone with a bunch of strange blocks scattered around it.
"Er…"
"Ah, Young Iida!" Yagi smiled. "Good to see you're back. How was the tour to the town?"
"It was…fine. Leon showed me various safe houses and…I'm sorry, Mr. Yagi, is that a phone?"
The withered man laughed. "Yes, Cid and I are working on something. We're testing something out."
"Ah…" Iida looked around and spotted an abandoned book on the couch, but no sign of Eri. "If you don't mind me asking, Where is Eri?"
Yagi froze before looking up at a clock on the wall.
"How long have we been working on this?"
Cid looked at the scattered items. "Eh…a while."
"Do you know where she is?" Iida asked. "Is there a possibility she may be hurt?"
He could see the panic in Mr. Yagi begin to rise as he got to his feet. "We sent her to the shop next door to get some drinks. She should have been back by now."
"She's probably fine." Cid grabbed the back of the man's shirt. "You, glasses kid."
"My name in Iida -"
"Go check next door. She might still be over there. Just don't go over there in a panic."
When Iida didn't move, Cid made a shooing motion. "Go on, get. We're busy here." He turned back to Yagi and held up a Gummi Block. "Anyway, as I was saying, your power source is shit. So if we're going to make this, your phone needs to run on something that can handle Gummi Blocks."
Iida closed the shop door and looked around until he spotted a door in a wall. It was rather inconspicuous.
This is supposed to be a shop?
He made his way over and knocked on the door. Before he could open it someone beat him to it and the door flew open. He looked down to see a duck in a red hat looking up at him.
"Oh, hello there. Sorry customers aren't supposed to use this door. Mind using the other door? The one by the cafe?"
Iida raised an eyebrow before shaking his head. "Ah, I apologize. I wasn't aware that this was an employee entrance. Though I have no intention of shopping, I just wanted to check if someone is here. Eri? Has she stopped by here?"
"Iida?"
The duck looked over his shoulder and stepped to the side to reveal Eri standing at the bottom of wooden stairs.
The young man sighed. "There you are, Mr. Yagi was starting to get worried. He's still speaking with Cid though."
"Oh!" She jumped. "That's right, I was supposed to bring drinks back. Hold on, I'll be right back." She ran over to the counter and grabbed three bottles. Iida stepped away so Eri could run out and back to Cid's shop.
They watched her open the door and rush inside, the door slamming shut behind her.
"You know Eri?"
Iida looked down to see another duck move over to the stairs.
"Yes, I do."
"You're from the same world?" The red one asked.
"Yes…I am."
The red one beamed before bouncing on his heels. "The same world with all the powers and stuff? What did she call them…Quirks?"
"Yes, the same one. Oh, I see. Were you talking about different worlds?"
"Yes! Yes, we were!" The girl duck shouted. "Oh, this is so cool, someone else from that world! Does that mean you have a…what did she call it, a Quirk too?"
"Er, yes."
He watched the two practically vibrate in excitement before the red one held out a hand.
"Huey Duck at your service! Please come in."
"I thought that's not how it was supposed to work, Huey." The girl duck grinned. "Change your mind?"
"Well…I…listen."
"I'm listening."
"Huey just wants to nerd out." Another duck sitting by said, this one wore a green hoodie.
"Can you blame me? A world where the residents evolved to the point where the majority of the population has powers? How is that not fascinating? And if there are no ties to magic or technology causing it, it's completely independent! Pure evolution! I mean, back home we have Gizmo Duck and people with magic like Lena, sure but-"
"I'm back!" Eri ran over to the shop and slipped inside. "I'm sorry I took so long."
"You didn't take long at all."
Eri smiled and looked up at Iida. "You should come inside. They're all from a different world too, They were telling me about some of the stuff they've seen too. Oh, maybe you can tell us about Wonderland!"
"He's been to another world too?"
Eri nodded.
"Yes, Midoriya saved me from that place. It was…strange."
Huey grinned. "Tell us all about it, oh but first, let me introduce you to my family."
Iida stepped inside and let the door close behind him. He couldn't help but smile to himself as Huey began to introduce everyone to him. Before Webby continued on with a tale about someone named Magica De Spell, recounting an epic battle their family went through.
Everyone in this world was a refugee, having their old lives ripped away from them. It was devastating, sure, but even still, there was some happiness to be found. For just a moment, it felt like everything would be alright.
-HoL-
"I'll see you guys tomorrow!" Eri waved at the Duck family as they began to close up.
"See you later Eri. Next time you and Iida really gotta tell us about the hero schools. That sounds so cool!" Webby gave one last wave before closing the door.
It opened a moment later when Dewey popped his head out. "Be sure to get home safe."
"We will."
Finally, the door to the shop closed and the neon lights that shone above the front entrance shut off. Signaling the end of the day.
Eri looked up at Iida and smiled. "Well, that was fun."
"I suppose it was, wasn't it?"
Eri nodded. "I didn't think there'd be other kids in the town."
"Well I'm glad you made new friends. I'm sure Midoriya would be happy to hear that."
Eri laughed. "They actually wanna meet Izuku and Sora. And see Donald and Goofy too. Did you know that Donald is their uncle?"
Iida felt his mind short circuit before looking at her. "Are they really?" He knew their last name was Duck, like Donald's, but he didn't necessarily think that meant Donald and them were related.
She nodded. "Yeah!"
The hero in training sighed and shook his head. "Well, I'm sure that Donald would be happy to see them. Seeing as they're relatives and all."
"Maybe seeing them will make his bad mood go away." She giggled.
"Eri, it is rather rude to talk about someone behind their back."
"But it's true. He always seems grumpy."
Iida watched her before coughing and looking away. "I am neither agreeing nor disagreeing with that statement."
Eri laughed as Iida shook his head.
"Aside from that, I suppose we should start heading to the hotel. It's getting rather late. We should tell Mr. Yagi where we're going and then go."
"I actually wanna stay out for a bit." Eri said. "I want to see if Izuku is coming back. And if he is, I don't want to not be there. Someone should be there to welcome them back."
Iida looked around the plaza, it was rather quiet. The customers from the cafe had either moved inside or headed home for the night.
"Are you sure? I'm sure you have a bedtime, and I don't think Midoriya would want to you to go too off schedule."
Eri looked up, then looked at Iida.
"If it's always nighttime here, is there really a bedtime?"
He repressed an amused huffed. It sounded like something he'd say to his brother when he was younger.
"It may not seem like it, but I would think so. Time still moves somewhat normally, at least from what I've seen on whatever clocks are around."
Eri stared at him before shrugging. "Well, I'll just stay up until I'm tired. That's what Mr. Yagi and I did when we waited for them to come back last time."
She walked over to the stairs in front of Cid's Shop and sat down. "We sat right here and waited. I knew it was late, but I wanted to stay up. If I wasn't here to welcome them back, I think Izuku would be sad. There should always be someone to welcome you home."
Iida stilled at that.
He knew the feeling, at least the other side of it. His parents worked a lot, especially when he had been old enough to walk to and from school by himself. But there was always one person that tried to be home before he got there.
"Welcome home, Tenya. How was your day?"
"Ah what? You beat me home? Well, I guess you had a headstart. After all, I was out getting some juice. Want some?" Tensei grinned as he held out a bottle.
"Good to see you're home. I beat you today!"
He quickly brushed those memories aside before sitting down beside Eri.
"I'm sure…he appreciates you waiting for him. I think anyone would."
Eri smiled and placed her chin in her hands as she stared at the doors. Waiting for the moment they'd all come back, where Izuku would be safe and sound. Hopefully, with Aqua in tow.
Even when the plaza cleared was empty save for the two of them, they didn't move. Simply watching the doors and waiting.
It didn't take long for one of them to break the silence.
"I like to wait for Izuku. Since…I feel bad that I couldn't wait for Aqua." She muttered.
"Aqua…ah, Guardian."
She nodded. "I'd be asleep when she came back. I couldn't welcome her home most nights."
"Well, staying up all night isn't good for you. She would usually leave the streets when the sun came up, yes? Most children would rather sleep through the sunrise."
She shrugged.
"I was afraid she would be sad sometimes when I wasn't there to say hello."
"Did she ever say she was? I'm sure she understood that you needed your rest."
She shook her head. "No, she never said she was but…" She trailed off.
"You just wanted to see her."
"Yeah…"
Iida sighed and nodded in understanding. "Eri, if you don't mind me asking, how long have you known Guardian?"
"Uh…" Eri looked up, and counted on her fingers. "I think almost 3 years now."
"Oh, that's quite a long time."
"Aqua saved me. And she took care of me. She and the Moogles, they were always there. And Izuku too when he started to come by." She looked up at Iida with a smile. "They're my family."
Iida glanced at her and smiled himself. "That sounds rather nice."
She yawned. "It is."
Iida said nothing as Eri yawned again and leaned against him. Exhaustion was beginning to weigh down on her.
"I hope Izuku finds her," Eri mumbled.
"I hope he finds her too."
She smiled. "He will, he promised. And Izuku never breaks a promise."
She was out there, she had to be. Eri knew it. Deep down, she could feel her out there, still alive. Still fighting. Aqua would be back soon, she knew she would.
-HoL-
"Another fallen world..."
She sighed to herself as she looked over the winding roads of the Realm of Darkness. The one she was on was made of cobbled stone, winding ahead to what looked like the remains of an old town.
She hadn't seen that the last time she was stuck in this place. Then again, that was years ago. Not as many worlds had fallen back then.
Street lights flickered but continued to shine along the path. Intact houses were dark inside, uninviting and eerie. A far cry from the home she was used to by now.
Aqua looked away from the abandoned homes and continued on her way. She wasn't sure how long it had been ever since she fell into this place again. It couldn't have been long.
Then again, time held no real meaning in this place. She could have been gone for only a few minutes or months by now, and she would never know. She could only imagine how agonizing that time must be for Eri and Izuku.
She faltered as the thought of those two crossed her mind. She was quick to brush herself off after regaining her balance. The mere thought of them sent waves of grief through her. She missed them. So much so that it felt like her heart was going to burst.
It was a similar grief when she thought about Terra and Ventus, but now the wounds were fresher. And they cut just as deep, if not deeper.
"Eri…Izuku…I hope you two can forgive me." She muttered. "I wish I could talk to you, even if only for a minute."
What she wouldn't give for just a moment, a small glimpse of them. Just to make sure they're okay.
She allowed her heart to dip itself into sadness, only for a moment. Not a second longer.
If she lost control of herself, if she didn't keep her light burning strong, whatever Heartless that were lurking about would come to eat her alive.
After a moment, she pulled herself together and wiped away any tears that managed to escape. She had to keep going. She had to find a way out. Back to the Realm of Light, back to them.
Just as she began walking again, she felt something.
It was strange. She hadn't felt something like it in forever. She found herself reaching for her Wayfinder, and her eyes widened as she saw it faintly shimmer. In the back of her mind, she could almost hear it.
Someone was out there.
Someone was calling out to her, asking for her help.
She embraced the connection with open arms. For a moment, she felt their hearts connect as she answered the one calling out for help.
As soon as the connection was made, she felt a wall of panic slam into her. It was enough to make her stumble back in shock.
This was a cry for help made from desperation, from fear.
For a moment, she felt the connection waver as the panic rose.
She knew this fear, only one person she knew panicked this hard. He was scrambling for a solution, most likely unaware he had been able to reach her.
He was scared, but even from afar, a whole Realm away, she would do everything she could to help him.
That was what a Master did for their beloved student.
She reached through their connection and forced it to settle.
"Don't panic." She murmured.
Almost immediately, she felt the panic that strained their connection leave.
"It's okay. You're okay." She could only hope that those words could reach him. "All you need is a push."
Through their link, she channeled her magic. Giving him one last attack, but there was something to be exchanged. In giving Izuku her magic, she felt a warmth blossom in her chest. A small fraction of the bright light he held, a small part of his strength.
Immediately after, she swore she felt magic surge through. Then there was a shock, followed by relief.
Afterwards, the link had begun to ebb away. Slowly, almost hesitantly. Like neither of them was ready to let go.
He probably isn't even aware of what just happened…
Even so, that didn't matter. Even when the connection finally faded away, it didn't matter.
Her lip wobbled as tears began to pour down her face.
"He's okay. He's alive." She muttered through her tears. "Which means she's okay. She'll be alright…"
She sniffed as relief settled into her chest.
"You'll be okay."
-HoL-
Thank you to KeeperofHounds for beta-ing this for me!